Binder1 sunday, may 31, 2015 vol 2 no 466 by Newtelegraphonline

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SUNDAY Sunday, MAY 31, 2015 Vol. 2 No. 466

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Former Minister, Chuka Odom, writes for Telegraph

ormer Minister of State for Environment, Federal Capital Territory, and later Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Chuka Julius Odom, will start writing for New Telegraph on Monday (tomorrow). The Ikeduru, Imo

State-born lawyer, a Christian (Catholic), was born in October 19, 1960. He attended Holy Trinity Primary School, Okwu Ikeduru from 1966 to 1970. He had his secondary education between 1974 and 1979 at the Immaculate Concep-

tion Seminary, Umuahia. A Law graduate of the Imo State University, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos in 1986, and did his National Youth Service Corps in 1987. He aspired for governor in Imo State, in 2015, ac-

cording to him, to ensure that his people are given a choice and an alternative between what they have known and what is being practised globally by countries, nations and people, who desire genuine change. He will bring to bear on his

writing, his track record of good judgment and understanding of Nigerian political and socio-economic terrains. His weekly column will be titled The Blunt Edge and promises to address burning national and international issues.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS

buhari rattles govs }5

lTo send LGs Autonomy Bill to N/Assembly in six months lGovernors may head to court lOshiomhole, Fayose express divergent views AKINWUNMI AMBODE

Shuns official residence, opts to live in Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office }8

assets declaration

Buhari, Osinbajo submit forms to CCB }14

BIAFRA DAY Igbos hold rallies worldwide }9

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Contents | 31.05.15 BODY & SOUL

Cliché but fact Brains and beauty come to life in achiever and style icon, Grace Egbagbe

}18

POLITICS

Buhari’s tall agenda President Muhammadu Buhari must now translate his electoral campaign promises into programmes that will address various critical sectors of Nigerian polity

}31

BUSINESS

Economic agenda President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on Friday with a firm promise to immediately tackle Nigeria’s power supply challenges and other issues

}23

FAITH

Beyond elections euphoria It’s time to place our dear country on a higher pedestal of socio-economic development and harmony

}42

SPORT

LIFE

U-20 World Cup Germany’s Hoffenheim defender, Kevin Akpoguma, whose target is to win the U-20 World Cup first time for the Europeans since 1981 may end up stopping the Flying Eagles in New Zealand

}60 Sanity The management of Mile 12 Market moves to check the activities of miscreants in the market

}41

SUNDAY

Editorial

Buhari’s message of hope

or the very first time in along while Nigerians received what will be described as the most energising speech from their leader.President Muhammad Buhari’s inaugural speech of May 29, was a masterpiece that said everything that needed to be said,at the same time impressing all that our paradise lost will be regained. Buhari may not be new to the presidency but every tiny bit of his great speech rekindled hope. The President left everyone in no doubt about his mission and vision.It has therefore become obvious that the new regime will be a clear departure from the fears of the past. The inaugural speech will be flashed across world news headlines henceforth and will be a reference point in global political development. It will occupy as much media and historic space as Abraham Lincoln’s ‘with malice towards none,’ John F. Kennedy’s ‘ask not what your country can do for you’, and Martin Luther King Junior’s ‘I have a dream ‘ speeches. Back home, it reminds us of General Yakubu Gowon’s ‘no victor, no vanquished ‘ presentation at the end of the Civil War in 1970. It is obvious that the mantra ‘ I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody ‘will stick henceforth. Just as Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was magnanimous in defeat, President Buhari, showed the same in victory, acknowledging the huge role played by his predecessor in the history of democracy. The party through which the President rode to the podium chanted change. Compatriots fell in love with that gospel . During electioneering campaigns, all manner of things were flaunted, making many believe that a Buhari victory would end Nigeria’s problems in a jiffy. That helped in swaying support. However, we do know that in the bid to swing victory, many party members, out of ecstacy promised things that may not be achievable. Even overzealous aides and associates could send out press statements that may not have emanated from the heart of the candidate. Expectations become high creating tension and pressure. Buhari has won the heart of many in his very first official function as President. He applauded his supporters as much as he thanked those who did not offer him their votes. Such uncommon statesmanship tells a true story of what this general turned democrat will offer in

his second tour of duty. This is the New Nigeria we have been waiting for. There is more work to be done after the inaugural outing.He almost has to start from ground zero. Since the advent of neo democracy in 1999, the country has nose dived in terms of fortunes and reckoning. We became the rich poor country, a nation of paradox where a trillionaire would share the same neighbourhood with the downtrodden and expect the less privileged to feed from his waste bin as normal favour. There is nothing to teach Mr. President. Having fallen severaly before entering A so Villa, we may not need to remind him that his country, our nation will also rise from the ashes of corruption, maladministration and insecurity to become the true giant that our continental partners called us. It is fresh air all over, from the creeks of Amakalakala to the lake Chad Basin. From the warm springs of Ikogosi, the forest in Otanzu Otanchara across the rail lines in Zungeru, to the Bichi savannah, there is an atmosphere of animation. We applaud President Buhari for giving us a new sense of nationalism. We may not call him a messiah yet, for it is long hard road ahead. This country needs a new lease of life. Nigeria deserves a set of leaders, a departure from the ugly past, a new face in global events. The inaugural speech may just be the road map. As the man who not only governed the Book Haram infested North-East but took war beyond our borders as an army general in the Second Republic,expectations are high that under Buhari, these cross country terrorists will be driven to their doom. National pride is at stake. Nigerians are too big to rely on sister ECOWAS states for redemption . It was a good thing watching Buhari exchanging pleasantries with Alhajj Shehu Shagari, the man he toppled in 1983 and General Ibrahim Babangida ,the colleague who ousted him in 1985. The import is that old things are gone. Prologue, like the president put it. With malice towards none ,we are sure Buhari has a dream. We are asking for what he can do to change Nigeria. And we do believe that since he belongs to all, nobody will have cause to complain under his tenure, provided he offers the right leadership.

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

Eric Osagie

Editor n Yemi Ajayi

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

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Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 31 MAY, 2015

SPECIALonREPORT The 8th Senate’s Fresh Generation Godswill Akpabio

Aliyu Wamakko

Jonah David Jang

Stella Adaeze Oduah

Samuel Egwu

Rabiu Kwankwaso

Theodore Orji

Mao Ohuabunwa

Uche Lilian Ekwunife

Buruji Kashamu

Jeremiah Useni

Abubakar Kyari

Ben Murray Bruce

Peter Nwaoboshi

Biodun Olujimi

Dino Melaye

Monsurat Sunmonu

Bayero Usman Nafada

Bala ibn Na’Allah

Isiaka A. Adeleke

Abubakar Danladi

Adeola Olamilekan

Binta Masi Garba

Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim

Mustapha Bukar

Duro Samuel Faseyi

Fatimat O. Raji-Rasaki

Shehu Sani

Mustapha Bukar

Philip Aruwa I Gyunka

Buhari Abdulfatai

Suleiman O. Hunkuyi

Osinakachukwu Ideozu

Danjuma La’ah

Bassey Albert Akpan

Olanrewaju Tejuoso

Mohammed A. Ohiare

Nelson Asuquo Effiong

Achonu A. Nneji

Sabo Mohammed

David Umaru

Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi

Barau I Jibrin

Nnaemeka Anyanwu

Clifford A. Ordia

John Enoh Owan

Mathew A. Urhoghide

Utazi Godfrey Chukwuka

Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi

Gbolahan Dada

Abdul-Aziz M. Nyako

Francis A. Alimikhena

Olaka Johnson Nwogu

Ogba Joseph Obinna

Tijjani Yahaya Kaura

Donald Alasoadura

Rose Okoji Oko

Yele Omogunwa

Ogola Foster

Gershom H. Bassey

Suleiman M. Nazif

Malam Ali Wakili

Abdullahi A. Gumel

Marafa Bashir Abba

Yahaya Abdullahi

Abdulrahman Abubakar

Salihu Hussain Egye

Mohammed Garba

Ighoyota Amori

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi

Ahmadu Abubakar

Mohammed Hasan

Isah Hamma Misau

Ibrahim Abdullahi

Muhammad Ubali Shitu

On June 4, 2015, the eighth Senate of the National Assembly will be inaugurated. Of the 109 Senators who will be taking their seats, 75, representing 68 per cent will be fresh in the upper chamber. Who are these fresh Senators? What are their backgrounds and antecedents? What quality of debate and contributions are we likely to see from them? These and more will be the kernel of a special report by New Telegraph on that day. The report presents a unique opportunity for family, friends and associates of these fresh Senators to felicitate with them. For enquiries and participation: Call Biodun: 0802-301-5582, Taiwo: 0803-304-2915, Onwuka: 0803-733-9843, David: 0810-759-1663

SUNDAY 31 MAY, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

News

Boko replies Buhari, kills 29 in Maiduguri Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

arely some hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the military high command to move to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and subdue Boko Haram, the sect yesterday morning killed 29 people in separate attacks on the city. Residents of Maiduguri were on Saturday morning thrown into confusion and pandemonium, as the terrorists tried to invade the city. No fewer than 13 people were killed while several others were injured. Sunday Telegraph reports that as about 12.30a.m, sounds of gunshots, Rocket Propelled Grenades, artillery and armoured tankers were heard around the city, a situation which forced residents of Dala, Gomari, Abujan Talakawa and Zanari to flee their houses while others remained indoors in fear. Our correspondent reports that a stray RPG bullet also landed in a house in Dala and Gonmari, killing 13 persons while 17 others sustained injuries. The insurgents came through Garin Goruba, a nearby Shuwa settlement, and tried to gain entry into Maiduguri but were successfully repelled by the military. A resident of Gomari ward, Alhaji Abubakar Idris, said over 23 houses in some parts of Maiduguri were destroyed. The incident which began

around 12.15a.m lasted for over two hours. Our correspondent, who hit the streets as the confrontation was under way, reports that many people including children, women and the aged, ran for dear life. Another resident of Gomari ward told our correspondent that “from around midnight, we started hearing bomb blasts and later sounds of RPG all over roofs. Some hit houses resulting in deaths and injury to housewives and youths who were sleeping within their courtyards due to the heat. He said, “We were about to go to bed after watching the presidential inauguration gala when we started hearing strange sounds of heavy bombs and RPGs over our roofs.” Reuters reports that gunshots from high-calibre weapons could be heard between about 1a.m and 2:20a.m from the southwestern part of the city. A military source said the shooting took place around Damboa Road near the small settlement of Mule, about 10 km from Maiduguri, a city of two million people. “A rocket launcher from Boko Haram hit a house around the Bulumkutu area...and killed five people. Our boys also picked up six corpses in different locations,” local militia member Mohammed Bunu said. The militants tried to cross trenches dug around the city, he said.

The attack follows twin bomb blasts early on Friday in Tashan Alade, a remote Borno town, which killed at least seven people. Our correspondent also gathered that at Ajilari Cross on the outskirts of Maiduguri and Dala, five persons were killed and houses destroyed according to a resident of Dala area, Ustaz Mai Ari Dlala. Meanwhile, another 16 people were killed when a bomb exploded at a mosque near Maiduguri Monday Market, injuring an unspecified number of persons. An eyewitness in the area told our correspondent on phone that a suicide bomber detonated an Improvised

Explosive Device around 3:30pm while worshippers were performing Asr prayer. An eyewitness said the incident occurred when the suicide bomber who pretended to have come to pray, detonated the bomb when the congregation was in the second Raka`of the Asr prayers. An official of Nigerian Red Cross who did not want his name mentioned told Governor Kashim Shettima that rescuers were able to identify 16 copses, while several others were burnt beyond recognition. He said they spent time picking the pieces of the scattered bodies. He also told the governor that several injured persons were

rushed to hospital for medical attention. Our correspondent who was in the governor’s entourage reports that the blast blew off the roof of the mosque, while blood and pieces of human flesh were splattered on the walls and the floor. Shettima condemned the blast, describing the act as unIslamic. Meanwhile, the senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, yesrerday said Buhari’s directive to the military high command had made him optimistic that the iinsurgency would soon be a thing of the past. Ndume, who was re-elected on March 28, 2015, said,

“With this pronouncement I am optimistic that the Boko Haram insurgency will end very soon. I am of the belief that President Buhari is more serous in the fight against insurgency that the immediate past PDP government. “I hope and believe that with prayers the kind of change Nigerians were expecting will be realized. But they should be patient and prayerful, as change will not just happen in a day, a month or even a year.” He said the attempted attack on Maiduguri and blast in a mosque were setbacks to the fight against insurgency but he was still optimistic that the war would be won.

L-R: National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun; President Muhammadu Buhari; his wife, Aisha; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo, at the Presidential inauguration dinner in Abuja…on Friday

I’m divinely chosen to assist Buhari, says Osinbajo Anule Emmanuel

ice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said he was chosen by God to help President Muhammadu Buhari transform the country. The vice-president stated this during a service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja titled, ‘Thanksgiving Service for the Swearing-in of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’ Osinbajo and family members, friends and wellwishers had danced to the altar to thank God during the service. Speaking at the ceremony, Osinbajo said he was convinced that God’s plan is to set things right and heal Nigeria through the new administration. “So I thank the great and mighty God, who has chosen me at this time by Himself to assist the President of this nation. His plan is

to make Nigeria a nation that will be admired and respected among the nations of the earth by establishing righteousness and integrity. By ensuring that corruption is eradicated and resources meant for all are not cornered by a few, but are used according to law, justice and equity for the benefit of all. “The Lord wants a nation ruled only in accordance with law and justice; where the guilty are punished and good is rewarded. This links to President Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech yesterday. Sure, you will agree that he emphasised these three clear designs of God,” he said. Delivering the sermon during the service, Bishop Wale Oke said that anyone who honours God must be honored by God. Stressing that the thanksgiving service was about honoring God, he warned the vice-president not to al-

low corrupt people around him in order not to be like Eli in the Holy Bible. He said the vice-president’s career and reputation built over the years could go up in flames within seconds if he condones corruption. According to him, sin and corruption dishonour God. He charged the vice-president to choose the way of Abraham in the Bible and not that of Eli. He said: “If you are corrupt, you cannot be a friend of God. We pray that you will enjoy the manifestation of God all the days of your life. When others don’t have an answer to a situation, God will reveal it to you. He will make you the Joseph of this administration. “God will reveal the secret of the problems of Nigeria to you like Joseph and Daniel in the Holy Bible. Your Excellency, choose the way of Abraham and not that

Osinbajo

of Eli. With that, I believe generations unborn will celebrate you. “The nation has brilliant hope in the combination of you and Buhari, who is known for his uprightness,” he added He cited 1st Samuel 2:27-

30, Amos 3:3, Proverbs 14:34, and Genesis 18:17 during the sermon. Wife of the vice-president, Dolapo Osinbajo, who gave the vote of thanks, expressed appreciation at turnout. She also thanked all those who assisted during the campaigns and elections. The Bible readings were taken from Daniel 2:20-23, Psalm 124:1-8, Psalm 118:19 and Psalm 126:1-6. Prayers were said for the number two citizen and his family, for the church, for the right choice of appointees, and for the nation. Besides gospel songs by various choirs during the service, special songs were also rendered by different singers. Among those who attended the service were the mother of the vice-president and the father of the vice-president’s wife, Tayo Shoyode. Also at the service were a former Head of State,

Gen. Yakubu Gowon and his wife, Victoria; All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and his wife; a representative of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Joseph Obayemi; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; three former governors of Ekiti State - Segun Oni, Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi; and a former governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. Also at the service were the Head of Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi; Senator and Mrs. Olorunmibe Mamora and members of the diplomatic corps. The vice-president directed that the offerings gathered during the service should be remitted to all the Internally Displaced Persons camps in the country.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 31 MAY, 2015

News

LG funds: Buhari rattles governors Donald Ojogo, Cajetan Mmuta and Adesina Wahab

arely 48 hours after his swearing-in, President Muhammadu Buhari’s move to remove local governments from the control of state governors is causing some disquiet among the state chief executives, Sunday Telegraph has learnt. Buhari had during his inauguration on Friday declard his reolve to ensure fiscal accountability in the local government system. To demonstrate his seriousness, the President has resolved to present to the Eighth National Assembly an Executive Bill that will guarantee the autonomy of local governments. And barring any unforeseen circumstance, the bill will be sent within the first six months of the current administration, Sunday Telegraph gathered authoritatively. However, the rattled governors might not easily cave in as they have vowed to continue to push that such a situation (granting autonomy to councils) is inimical to federalism. The governors are not ruling out the

court option, an aide to one of them, who did not want to be named, told Sunday Telegraph yesterday. The aide told our correspondent that the governors would not just keep quiet over the matter. He said even though the dispensation is fresh, the governors can explore the legal option. “You know the issue has been on for a long time. If the President thinks otherwise, he may have his reasons but you know the governors too will fight back; it might not be a confrontation but they can explore the court option. Let the Supreme Court decide the matter since it is between states and the federal government,” he said. The secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum also came out to say it wanted the impasse resolved as soon as possible. “We want this matter resolved as quickly as possible because we need to move forward; I can assure you that it is one of the items that will be discussed by the forum in its early meetings. “You know we now have a new leadership both at the level of the forum and

in most states. I think about 20 new governors are coming on board; we will only make our position known through the thinking of the governors when they meet and discuss the matter,” NGF’s Director-General, Bayo Osasaiuna Okauru, told Sunday Telegraph in Abuja yesterday. Okauru had told newsmen late last year that the NGF under the former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, NGF was not in support of local government autonomy. “The NGF does not support autonomy for local governments. The governors are against it. They have said it and still maintain that they will not support autonomy for local governments. “There is no country in the world that there are three federating units; there are only two all over the world. Why should you say that there must be a third federating unit in Nigeria?” Sunday Telegraph gathered that shortly after the President’s speech, some of the state governors put calls through to the newlyelected NGF Chairman and Governor of Zamfara State,

Alhaji Abdulazziz Yari, and urged him to immediately move to Abuja to possibly confer with the President unofficially on the matter. Yari shunned all planned post-inauguration events in the state capital, Gusau, and rushed to Abuja. “That aspect of the speech was not just as ordinary as he made it seem. The President had previously decried the rot at the local government level even before his emergence as the presidential candidate of the APC. “He had plans for the system but you know, there are certain interests you don’t ruffle in politics. You need to respect people’s egos and feelings, especially when you need them. But the issue at stake is far beyond personal interests. It is a national challenge that requires a frontal attack if we must move forward as a nation. “To be candid, there is the likelihood that Mr. President will send an executive bill to the National Assembly to that effect since the last attempt was frustrated by the states and their houses of assembly,” he said.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right), presenting an Eyo plaque to the President of Republic of Namibia, Dr. Hage Geingob, during his visit to the Governor in Lagos …yesterday

he Board of Trustees, Panel of Assessors and Administrators of the Nigeria Media Merit Award yesterday extended its call for entries for the 2015 edition of Africa’s most celebrated and highly prestigious award for media excellence till June 15. The new date was contained in a statement titled ‘Extension of NMMA 2015 Call for Entries.’ And made

ALGON National Chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba, had in a recent interview insisted that local governments should be allowed to draw their allocations directly from the Federation Account. NULGE’s stance on the issue is similar to that of ALGON as its National President, Ibrahim Khaleel, also said the union would continue to fight for local government autonomy. He also said he was optimistic that the new administration would open a new chapter on the local government issue. Governors of the All Progressives Congress under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum had last year rejected autonomy for local governments. The governors had, in a communiqué released after their meeting in Lafia, and read by a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said autonomy for the local governments would undermine the fundamental principle of federalism and push the country towards a unitary system. It was shortly after the PGF’s meeting that the splinter Jonah Jang faction of the then polarised NGF also condemned the planned autonomy for local governments. The two chambers of the National Assembly had during the amendment to the Constitution, granted the 774 councils in Nigeria financial and administrative autonomy through the amendment of section 7. Details of the autonomy granted the local councils include strengthening their administration by providing for their funding, tenure, elections and to clearly delineate their powers and responsibilities to ensure effective service delivery and insulate them from undue and counter-productive interference from state governments. The 2014 National Conference whose report is now before Buhari also recommended autonomy for the local governments. However, at least 23 of the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly rejected the move.tates. The states are Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Borno, Yobe, Taraba,

NMMA extends entries for 2015 edition available by the General Administrator, Olusoga Basola. While expressing appreciation for the continuous support of media houses and stakeholders for the scheme over the years, it said the “Call for entries was initially scheduled to

end on the 29th of May, 2015 as indicated in previous announcements. However, the Board of Trustees has considered the kind request of members of the fourth Estate of the realm for extension due to the fuel scarcity and inauguration programme by extending

the deadline for the NMMA 2015 “Call for Entries” by two weeks. The closing date is now Monday, 15th of June, 2015. “The extension hopefully will enable journalists, both in the print and electronic media, nationwide more time to package and

forward their best media works published in 2014 for the 52 categories of awards available for NMMA 2015 to the NMMA Secretariat for screening, following the guidelines of entry submission. “The NMMA was established in 1990, as a not-for-

Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Imo. When reached for comments yesterday, Head of Buhari’s Media Team, Garba Shehu, said the situation was still hazy. “The situation is still fluid. We should just allow the President to unfold his agenda on all sectors rather than trying to interpret what he meant in his speech. I think it is too early to conclude that this will happen and this will not happen. We must await further developments as they unfold,” Shehu said. Edo ranks top in probity, transparent and accountability in running of LGAsCommissioner From Cajetan Mmuta, BENIN Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday threw his weight behind Buhari’s move to ensure affective governance at the third tier of government. Speaking for the governor, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion, said, “We are at one with President Buhari in the quest to ensure that local governments deliver and are more accountable to the people. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has always demonstrated this commitment by personal example and encouraged all public office-holders to subscribe to probity, accountability and transparency. We dare say Edo ranks among the states where councils not only exercise full control of their resources but are also encouraged to account to the public.” However, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said the state government would not make a categorical statement for now. Speaking with Sunday Telegraph on the phone yesterday, he noted that the state government had been complying with all extant rules and guidelines regarding allocations due to local governments. profit professional development institution limited by guarantee (LBG), by highly reputable Media Practitioners and Marketing Communication professionals to create a platform to recognize and reward the great works of media practitioners and their uncommon contributions and sacrifice to the development of our society and the nation.”

SUNDAY

The Sunday Magazine SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

How Abuja received

Scenes from the inauguration of President Muhammadu photo: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Yekeen Nurudeen, Abuja

or many reasons, the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the fifth democratically elected president of Nigeria in the Fourth Republic would go down in history as an epochal event. Arguably the most colourful and most attended presidential inauguration since 1999 when democracy returned to Nigeria after years of military rule, the May 29, 2015 inauguration of Buhari brought life back to Abuja, the nation’s capital. The scarcity of petroleum products which has gripped the country in the last three months had in the days leading to the inauguration crippled social and economic life in the Federal Capital Territory. So, besides government circles where preparations were on for the inauguration, Abuja residents were only in high spirits expecting their new landlord, no thanks to the fuel scarcity. However, by Wednesday May 27, the city was literally in the mood of ‘change,’ with a new administration to be headed by Muhammadu Buhari. Workers were busy decorating the Eagle Square for the event while men of the Nigerian Armed Forces were perfecting their

The scarcity of petroleum products which has gripped the country in the last three months had in the days leading to the inauguration crippled social and economic life in the Federal Capital Territory parade rehearsals. Stages and canopies were also being mounted just as flags of foreign countries whose representatives were being expected in the country were already hoisted. Across the city, Nigerian flags hoisted along all roads were already flowing even as the city itself was receiving a face-lift; flowers were trimmed, kerbs and road medians already painted. Some smart Nigerians made brisk business around Eagle Square selling caps, T-shirts and other sourvenirs bearing images of the incoming president and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. At the Radio House venue for media accreditation for the coverage of the inauguration, local and foreign journalists were seen submitting their particulars while others headed for Ladi Kwali hall in Sheraton Hotels for the final part of the accreditation. And suddenly, everything appeared to be

set for the inauguration as the Presidentelect, who travelled to the United Kingdom on Friday May 22, returned to the country in the morning preceding his inauguration in company with some of his aides. As part of the final activities for the inauguration, outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo took Buhari and Osinbajo on a tour of the Presidential Villa, Abuja the same day. Buhari and some of his aides arrived for the tour of the Presidential Villa at 11a.m and held a meeting with the outgoing President. The tour was followed later in the day by a dinner attended by Buhari, members of the diplomatic corps, the outgoing President and members of his cabinet among others. Earlier, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the Presidential Inauguration Planning Committee, Chief Edem Duke, had revealed that over 50 Presidents and Heads of Government were expected in

Abuja for the inauguration. This was as the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, had on Wednesday ordered tight security at the Eagle Square, hotels, key and vulnerable places within the capital city ahead of the inauguration. He also directed that Tactical Operation Points be mounted on all roads leading into and out of the FCT in a statement issued on his behalf in Abuja by the Force spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu. For its part, the Federal Road Safety Corps deployed 23,000 personnel to designated routes during the swearing-in. According to the commission, over 150 patrol vehicles, 15 ambulances, 35 motorbikes and seven towing trucks were also placed at designated routes of Abuja as part of measures to ensure seamless traffic flow in Abuja during the inauguration ceremony. FRSC also strengthened its collaboration with other security agencies along the Gwagwalada, Nyanya, Zuba, Lugbe and Kubwa corridor through routine patrols and rescue services in addition to traffic control on major intersections of the city. Meanwhile, elsewhere along Mararaba, Nyanya and Dutsen Alhaji that are also entry points to Abuja, several supporters of President Buhari swarmed into the city from different states of the North. Many of them arrived the city a day to the

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

The Sunday Magazine

Others painted themselves in the traditional colours of APC, chanting “Change ya zo,” meaning “change has come;” “Boko Haram ya kare,” which also means “Boko Haram is finished

its new landlord

Former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari alighting from his car

Photo: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Jonathan and Buhari

inauguration while several others came in on the D-Day. Among those that trekked to the city to witness the swearing-in were the trio of Salisu Abubakar Rigiso, Umar Usman and Usman Abubakar Rigiso. They said they trekked for 10 days from Katsina to Abuja to attend the inauguration with their huge camel which was also painted in the colours of the All progressives Congress. They arrived Abuja on the inauguration day, feeling fulfilled after the tiring journey even though they said they were in high spirits. Therefore, it was a carnival on Friday when Buhari took the oath of office and oath of allegiance as the President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Numerous supporters of the new president who thronged the Eagle Square charged the atmosphere with different performances and songs. This was as praise singers in their numbers also thrilled dignitaries. While chants of ‘Baba O yoyo yo’ rent the air from all corners outside the Eagle Square as the inauguration was underway, there were various stunts by motorbike riders, acrobatic displays as well musical performances by local musicians. Women and youth groups were also not

left out in the frenzy as many of them with brooms and decked in attires bearing the name and logo of the APC sang the praises of President Buhari. There were hunters who came with wild animals such as hyenas and baboons even as there were boys on roller coasters speeding up and down outside the square. Others painted themselves in the traditional colours of APC, chanting “Change ya zo,” meaning “change has come;” “Boko Haram ya kare,” which also means “Boko Haram is finished.” Amidst the charged crowd was 98 year old Yusuf Baragana, who rode his motorcycle from Makurdi to Geregu, Nasarawa State where the machine broke down on Wednesday before he arrived Abuja Thursday afternoon. Popularly known as Benue Jaguar, Baragana said he had been friends with the new President since his military days and came to cheer him as a civilian president. Many other loyalists of President Buhari rode on donkeys into the nation’s capital while quite a number of others, including Fulanis, rode on bicycles even as they performed various stunts. Indeed, the Federal Capital Territory had a colourful and interesting break from the harrowing fuel

Side attraction at the swearing-in Eagles square Abuja

photo: ELIJAH OLALUYI

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Ambode shuns official residence, opts for Alausa office

Muritala Ayinla

etermined to surpass his predecessor, the new Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday said he would vacate his official residence to reside at Alausa, in Ikeja in order to serve the state better and attend to the state’s matters as early as possible. Ambode also promised to return some agencies to their original supervising ministries to ensure the control which used to be in place in those agencies. The governor said that unlike his predecessor,

Mr. Babatunde Fashola, he would not live in his official residence in Marina, so that he could get to the office as early as 8am daily to attend to some files and other state functions. Ambode said he expect every worker in the state public service to also be at their desk by 8am so that if he had cause to get in touch with anyone, they would be readily available. Speaking at his inaugural meeting with the Body of Permanent Secretaries in the State Public Service, he said that the state civil service would drive the change and continuity which he intended to put in

place in the next four years. At the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello; Chief of Staff, Mr. Olukunle Ojo and all the Permanent Secretaries and Tutors General in the State Public service. He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen the civil service and continue with the reforms through which he would carry out his policies, urging the permanent secretaries, who are the administrative heads of the ministries, to see themselves as front runners of the present administration.

Noting that he would take advantage of the experience he had gathered as a retired public servant to improve on the service delivery, he reiterated that new offices would be created just as some present ones would be streamlined in order to ensure that cost of governance was reduced while ensuring greater efficiency. He said: “Part of my speech at my inauguration ceremony yesterday dwelt on the creation of a Ministry of Wealth Creation which would ensure that not only do we create wealth but ensure that when investments from foreign sources drop,

a pro-active situation is in place to take care of them. According to him, since the APC has already formed a government at the centre, investments are also bound to drop from the centre and that when such investments come, the state should have a front desk office that will attend to such people bringing in the investments or people with interest to bring them in. Governor Ambode stressed that he would saddle the Body of Permanent Secretary with the task of taking a look at the draft which the administration

Ortom: I won’t tolerate terrorism, criminality in Benue Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

L-R: Group Managing Director, Skye Bank PLC, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo; Vice Chairman, Tantalizers PLC, Mr. Olu Ayeni; Head Mistress, Vivian Fowler Memorial School, Mrs. Funke Fowler-Amba and the Managing Director, Spectra Industries Limited, Mr. Duro Kuteyi, at the Skye Bank SME Business Seminar in Lagos...on Thursday

Cleric urges free hand for governors

Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

he Catholic Diocese of Enugu yesterday commended the immediate past governor of the state, Barrister Sullivan Chime, and Governor Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for the peaceful handover of power at the weekend, urging all political leaders in the state to give the governor a free hand to execute his programmes in advancing development for the people. The advice was given in the homily delivered by Rev, Fr. (Prof.) Christian Anieke, Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu at the church service which started at 2pm with Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese at the head of the service. Prominent political leaders of the state present at the mass were

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former governor of old Enugu State and former national Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, immediate past Deputy Governor of the state, Rev, Ifeanyi Nwoye; Prof. Chinedu Nnebo, and other national and state assembly members. Anieke pointed out that though there had been a smooth transition from the Chime administration to the new Ugwuanyi administration, it was necessary to stress that the new helmsman must be given a free hand to run his government for him to succeed and assuage the burning expectations of Enugu people. He also called on the governor to set the machineries in motion for effective combating of the criminal elements among the Fulani herdsmen currently unleashing a reign of terror on parts

of the state through kidnapping, armed banditry and mindless raping of women. He urged the government to work with relevant security agencies to fish out the criminals amongst the herdsmen in such a way as to clearly identify those perpetrating the crimes and save the law-abiding ones among them the embarrassment of branding all of them criminal elements. Ugwuanyi and his deputy, Hon. Cecelia Ezeilo was at the church to dedicate their fledgling

administration to God before they resume fully in their offices on Monday. And the cleric commended them for remembering to come and seek the face of God and divine guidance for the new government, declaring that “this government which had decided to begin with showing gratitude to God is destined to succeed. He admonished the governor to strive to live up to the people’s expectations and work hard to leave behind a footprint that would be clearly written in the sands of time.

of Fashola could not conclude work on and which he had gone through but streamlined according to his vision. The governor, who also spoke on a revisitation of ministerial responsibilities of all ministries, departments, and agencies, said that the ministerial responsibilities were last reviewed in 2001. He explained that he would ensure that Permanent Secretaries exercise the authority that comes with their positions efficiently and ensure that each officer works for the position he has attained.

enue State governor, Chief Samuel Ortom has called on youths in the state, including political thugs terrorising innocent citizens with firearms wrongfully possessed to surrender them or risk being traced to their hideouts to face the full wrath of the law. Ortom, who made the call in Makurdi said, his administration will not tolerate any act of terrorism by anyone, and will not shield such individual or group including those who patronize them. “Government will no longer be a shield for these youths and those who patronise them. Whoever they may be and no matter how powerful, they will be brought to account. We call on all unlawfully armed persons who have been terrorizing innocent citizens to immediately surrender their arms, be free and get integrated into our reform programme, or we shall pursue them to their holes”, said the governor. While promising to partner with local communities to ensure the security of lives and property in the state, Ortom restated his avowed commitment to do everything possible to contain attacks on the people by criminal gangs and suspected Fulani

herdsmen. He promised to, through the state House of Assembly, enact appropriate legislation to encourage herdsmen in the state to keep them on ranches as a way of forestalling incessant clashes with farmers. The governor stated that the major thrust of his administration would rest on five major pillars including good governance; agriculturedriven industrialization; Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM)Based Education and Health Services; Investment in critical infrastructure and promotion of gender equality and empowering of women, youth, sports and persons with disabilities. He maintained that his administration would strive to ensure zero tolerance for corruption, adding that any government official who misappropriated government funds would not go unpunished, and advised those with the intenstion of making quick money to simply veer into the private sector or be disgraced. Ortom said he would work assiduously to allay the fear of marginalization of the minority ethnic groups in the state, noting that they would be treated as stakeholders in the collective drive to move the state to enviable heights.

Ishiaku pledges to reunite Tarabans

Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

araba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishiaku has promised to reunite the people of the state to be their brothers’ keepers despite its heterogonous

nature. The governor made the promise on Friday while presenting his inaugural speech shortly after his swearing-in as the new executive governor of the state. The swearing-in ceremo-

ny began at about 3pm with elder statesman General T Y Danjuma (rtd) in attendance. The new governor said he is aware of the enormous challenges facing the state, which include insecurity, unemployment, and pov-

erty, and promised to rescue the state from those difficulties. Governor Ishaku also noted that his administration will be committed to re-uniting Tarabans by ensuring adequate security through community policing.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

News

APGA rues loss, tasks Buhari on projects

Pamela Eboh Awka

he All Progressive Grand Alliance Stakeholders’ Forum has lamented its failure to win the five states in the North-East, but congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his inauguration, calling on him to complete all abandoned projects in the zone. Speaking at a delegates’ conference held in Awka, to discuss issues bothering on APGA organisation, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Sylvester Nwbu Alor described as shameful and indefensible the inability of the party to win in all the five Igbo speaking states despite the love people have

for the party. He attributed it to gross mismanagement by the party leadership. The six point communiqué issued at the end of the conference and signed by five representatives from the South -East states of Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia read in part; “that the conference places solid vote of implicit confidence on our leader, Chief Nwobu Alor, for the able way he has piloted the affairs of the APGA National Stakeholders Forum. “That the conference regrets APGA’s inability to win Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi states and take full control of Anambra State because of lack of internal democracy, autocracy and injustice which character-

ised the party leadership. “That whilst we praise former President Goodluck Jonathan for his humane response to his defeat, we appeal to the new President, Mohamadu Buhari to look into and complete the numerous projects abandoned in the South-East states by the Federal Government”. On the new political era in Nigeria, the forum chairman said the emergence of Buhari was a divine intervention in the checkered history of Nigerian politics adding the country had been pedaling backwards until God intervened. He said, “What happened was unprecedented and it shows that the hand of the almighty God was there.

We are all happy about the change and we want this change to manifest in the development in terms of peace and unity in the country and in terms of corruption that has overtaken the entire nation, scarcity of petroleum and electricity which are all based on corruption”. “Corruption is the bane of what has been happening in our country. I urge the new president to make this change effective by facing corruption squarely. If corruption is stopped, petroleum will flow and light will come on”. Nwobu Alor saluted former President Jonathan’s courage noting that it was an unprecedented move in the history of Nigeria and in the entire black race.

Presbyter of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Agege, Lagos State Very Revd. S. B. Adeyemi (middle), with a cross section of the Egbe Itesiwaju, during the group’s anniversary thanksgiving in Lagos…recently

Igbos mark Biafra Day Steve Uzoechi Owerri

gbos across the world yesterday marked Biafra Day, the day when the Col Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu issued the Ahiara Declaration of Independence, signalling the birth of the secessionist Republic of Biafra. Rallies were held in some cities in Nigeria and other parts of the world during which cries about the alleged marginalisation of the Igbos were re-echoed. Speaking on the celebration in Owerri, leader of secessionist group, Movement for the Actualisation of the Soverign State of Biafra, Chief Raph Uwazuruike, said the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan by Muhammadu Buhari “followed the pattern of the Biafra-Nigeria civil war. It highlighted the fact that the war has not ended. It was a war between the former Eastern Region (Biafra) and Nigeria. The

outcome of that election has justified our resolve for selfdetermination.” Also speaking at the event, a former leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Front, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, said Ijaws, Igbos and other peoples of the South-East and SouthSouth were ready to pull out of Nigeria. He also said he had no confidence in Buhari’s abil-

ity to lead the nation. “It is weakening when we realise that Jonathan conceded defeat for the sake of peace and security of lives. Then again, we ask ourselves; at what price? At the detriment of our people. Now the question is if Buhari can do the right thing. I am doubtful of his capacity to do the right thing,” he stated. Recalling the Biafran

struggle and Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu, Dokubo lashed out at a former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, for daring to insult his memory. He fumed: “Theophilus Danjumah insulted us when he said that if Ojukwu had behaved like Jonathan, the death of millions of Ndigbo during the war would have been averted.”

Lagos pays N33.5bn to retirees in eight years Muritala Ayinla

he Lagos State Government has so far paid a total sum of N33, 573,368,615.39 under the Contributory Pension Scheme, the Director-General of the Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Rotimi Adekunle Hussain has said. Speaking during the 17th Retirement Bond Certificate presentation ceremony, Hussain said the state, under the immediate past

Babatunde Fashola-led administration, has developed a worthy legacy in the operation of the scheme in Lagos State in particular and Nigeria in general. He said that no fewer than 296 retirees were presented with bond certificates that is worth a sum of N1,364,091,169.54 only, being their past service benefits prior to the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme in April, 2007 the presentation cer-

emony. According to the LASPEC boss, the 17th bond certificate presentation ceremony which was marked without the usual fanfare, started on Tuesday 19 and ended on Thursday May 21, 2015. He, however, expressed optimism and confidence that the laudable achievements of Mr. Babatunde Fashola’s administration in the scheme will be consolidated upon by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

He however congratulated the new President Buhari and urged him to forgive all the people that did not support his ambition in the course of the election and also ensure the enthronement of justice, equity, morality and good conscience

in the polity and governance. The APGA stakeholder also appealed to the president to look into the second Niger Bridge project with a view to completing it to give the easterners a sense of belonging.

How to fight corruption in MDAs, by Kwande

lder statesman and All Progressives Congress chieftain in Plateau State, Alhaji Yahaya Kwande, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to resort to the use of internal mechanisms in fighting corruption. He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos on Saturday that corruption was not a new thing in Nigeria as it predated the colonial era. Kwande, however, said that the scourge of corruption escalated because institutional mechanisms for fighting it such as checks and balances in the various Ministry’s Departments and Agencies, were relegated to the background. “I entirely agree with the president that the pervasive corruption in the country should be fought frontally, but there are ways of dealing with it. “Institutions of governments, such as the MDAs should be strengthened by allowing them more powers to deal with corruption at their own levels instead of making their officials mere figure heads who must take instruction from political authorities,” he said. He lamented that, in recent time, even commis-

sioners and deputy governors were mere figures heads who acted on issues, including corruption among their staff, only on the directives of either the president or the governors. “Adherence to due diligence and separation of powers should be emphasised where each stratum of government plays its assigned role. “The civil service should be strengthened to deal with minor corruption issues using the offices of the auditor-general and accountant-general which are meant for checks and balances. ‘’This administration should aim at nipping corruption in the bud rather than accumulating it and waiting for the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission when issues get out of hand,” he said. He urged for decentralisation of authority where the Federal Government would allow the state and local governments function within their own ambit without having to rush to Abuja to receive instruction on every issue.

Jakin NGO celebrates Children’s Day for Makoko kids Vanessa Okwara

Non-Governmental Organisation, JAKIN celebrated the May 27 annual International Children’s Day with children living in Makoko and Yaba slums of Lagos State. The event was held to give vulnerable children a reason to celebrate childhood. The Children’s Day party, which is an annual event organised by Jakin is mainly for members of the organisations’ children’s club which has a membership of over 400, comprising of street children and orphans. Speaking at the event, Mrs. Olubulola Adebiyi, the founder and coordinator of this organisation said its vision was to see these vulnerable children become better citizens of the nation. “Since the inauguration of Jakin Children’s Club in March 2010, we have been celebrating the May 27

Annual International Children’s day with members of the club. They are brought together as a family to enjoy various games, refreshment. The Children’s club brings these children together once a month to receive reformative and transformative trainings in a well structured environment to help improve their quality of life. Participants are refreshed, given transport fare allowance, and receive take home packages of nutritional, educational or hygiene supports. “Members have enjoyed excursions, nutrition, sports, health, career, road safety and also child rights trainings among others. We do this party every year to give these vulnerable children a sense of belonging with other children from privileged backgrounds who would have been taking to interesting places by their parents.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

OPINION

Kashamu: NDLEA got it wrong! TS on Sunday tunsul2@gmail.com 08050498544 (sms only)

ast Sunday, I was, quite frankly, amazed listening to what a Nigerian official was saying live on a private television station, insinuating that his agency was above the law! Mitchel Ofoyeju is the public relations officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and was reacting to the decision of the agency to swoop on the Lekki home of senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, in the wee hours of Saturday morning. The television station sort to know from him why the agency deployed its operatives to effect the arrest of the Ogun East senator-elect. He replied that they (NDLEA), were acting on a formal request from the American Embassy to extradite the politician to the US because he had allegedly been indicted in a drug offence way back in 1994. When the reporter pointedly asked if the agency possessed a warrant of arrest; Ofoyeju retorted: “The NDLEA badge is enough to serve as a warrant!” In other words, once an operative of the agency shows up at anyone’s door, it was enough for the occupant to come out meekly to be arrested! I may not be a legal expert, but I’m knowledgeable enough to know that Ofoyeju got it wrong, big time. If what he said was actually applicable, then it means that any other law enforcement agency in Nigeria, which has a badge, can go around the country arresting people at will – with civil liberties vanishing through the window. Ironically, even during the tough times under General Sani Abacha, efforts where made to ‘obey the law’ by securing arrest warrants from courts of competent juris-

Kashamu

dictions in executing apprehensions. Ofoyeju, if what you proposed was actually a fact, then, of course, it would be open to massive abuse and it is because of such that it is universally accepted that a person cannot be unilaterally be arrested without a warrant signed by a judge conferring such powers on the arresting agency. We all know that governments and their agencies can still get a ‘favourable’ judge to grant the warrant but, at least, there is still an official document to show the person being arrested that a court had authorised them to do so. There are countless books and numerous films one has watched where officials discuss amongst themselves which ‘favourable’ judge they can meet to get either a ‘search warrant’ or an ‘arrest warrant’ in order to either search an individual’s house/premises or make an arrest. But even then, such ‘favourable’ judges are not bribed to issue the warrants but are usually not very officious when it comes to listening to the arguments presented

by such officials to convince the judge to accede to their request. Please don’t get me wrong ! I’m not trying to make a case for the ‘embattled’ enator-elect; I strongly believe that if it is a case of mistaken identity as he is claiming that he had legitimate grounds to go back to the US to prove his innocence. In this day of forensic science, it should not be too difficult for the ‘distinguished senator to be’ to be able to prove his case that it was his late brother and not him that was the drug ‘king pin’ that operated from the US city of Chicago all these years ago. To be honest, it is even a bit surprising that Kashamu has waited all these years rather than contest the indictment on heroin trafficking charges the Grand Jury in the Northern District of Illinois, United States levelled against him. But then, this is for the politician to sort out. Back to the matter at hand, Tuesday’s ruling by Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Lagos Federal High Court, that the NDLEA should vacate Kashamu’s residence is a clear indication that Ofoyeju’s ‘badge’ argument was not only clearly wrong but also against existing laws of the land. Perhaps had Ofoyeju’s agency followed due process, they would have avoided the huge embarrassment that it suffered following the court ruling asking the NDLEA to vacate Kashamu’s residence. Unfortunately, true to most Nigerian government agencies, rather than come to terms with the court order and meekly lick its wounds and obey; the NDLEA responded by saying that the court order is “diversionary and inconsequential”. The agency’s statement further said: “The NDLEA does not believe that any court will issue an order preventing a government agency from performing its statutory responsibilities in a lawful manner. “The agency has therefore refused to be distracted and will continue to maintain presence at the residence. It is advisable that Kashamu respects the law by submitting himself to the due process of the law. “The NDLEA wishes to reiterate that his

rights like that of other citizens shall be respected and the due process of law followed in this case.” However, perhaps the agency had time to re-think its earlier position, so that by the time another court again ruled on Wednesday that the NDLEA’s action was wrong, Ofoyeju’s tone changed dramatically. “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will obey the decision of the court of competent jurisdiction on the ongoing case involving senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu. As a government agency and a law enforcement institution that has respect for the rule of law, the NDLEA will abide by the decisions of a competent court. “This is a legal issue and the Agency has windows of opportunities to explore legally in advancing its course. NDLEA will not violate court orders or take law into its hands in enforcing its statutory responsibilities,” Ofoyeju said in the statement he released immediately after Wednesday’s court ruling. This volte face will prevent NDLEA officials from being arraigned before a judge to face contempt of court charges! NDLEA’s original action and utterances are so sad coming not too long after a former Inspector General of Police became the prosecutor, judge, jury and enforcer in deciding to withdraw the police orderlies of the now former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal because he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC), last October. However, despite his efforts to clearly ingratiate himself with the PDP hierarchy, it did not save his job and he was unceremoniously relieved of the same position even though he still had two more years to serve! One can only hope that one day, our officials will come to realise that courts are not in existence for nothing and that following the rule of law is the only way to prevent anarchy.

Where Nigeria’s power roadmap missed the road (2) SKC Ogbonnia

he second major recommendation is a two-pronged approach on gasto-power. With best intentions, the roadmap has already raised power generation through natural gas to a commendable nameplate capacity of over 11, 500 MW. Although some of the plants are still under construction, a good number is completed but has yet to be connected to the pipelines or the national grid. Thus, the incoming Buhari government should begin by beaming its searchlight on why development on some gas powered plants is stalled. A case in point is Geometric, the first indigenous private generating plant located at Aba. It is mystifying that this plant has been completed for years but hindered from coming on stream by a toxic mix of politics and private sector monopoly. The next approach is to de-emphasise gas-to-power for the meantime and stake earnest resources to other sources of energy. De-emphasising gas-to-power is strategic. A careful implementation of such a policy will not only boost power generation in different parts of the country, it will also help to overcome overdependence on

natural gas and the unending chicanery with pipeline vandalism. Best of all, Nigeria will finally put into use other huge natural resources long abandoned because of indolent preference for oil and gas. Thus far, though hydro power accounts less than 20% of the generation to the National Grid, there is an appreciable number of hydro plants in the country. Currently, the hydro nameplate capacity stands at over 5,300 MW which, of course, includes the $7 billion 3050 MW Mambila Power Station and others under construction. Similar to the agenda on gas-topower, rather than building more hydro plants, efforts should be made to ensure that existing hydro projects are executed in a timely manner. Perhaps renewable energy, such as solar, wind, biofuels and traditional biomass should not be ignored, but the most logical alternative for serious public sector investment in the power generation today is coal-to-power. Nigeria is globally ranked as the seventh largest in coal deposit. Like her counterparts in other countries, particularly South Africa, the United States of America, China, Indonesia, and Australia, Nigeria is overdue to join the comity of nations that generate power from coal.

Unlike the typical hydroelectric power station that takes anywhere from 6 to 8 years before coming on stream, coal-fire powered plants normally takes 3 to 4 years to build. This proposal is in line with the original Power Roadmap of 2010, which specifically calls for continued public investment in renewable energy and coal. It is also in agreement with Buhari’s election manifesto which promised immediate revitalisation of coal-to-power. At least seven states are known with huge coal reserves in Nigeria with the potential to generate more than 5,000MW of electricity. Given the recent breakthrough in the discovery of clean coal technologies, now is the time to finally kick-start the much anticipated construction of the three coal-fired power stations capable

Government should revisit the files on the below-the-market sales of national power assets, the role of banks in the process, the N193 billion owed to the banks by energy ...

of generating a combined nameplate capacity of 1,000 MW at different locations in Enugu, Kogi, and Gombe states. Seed money for the coal alternative can flow by blocking — for the time being — the proposed 1135 KM $5 billion CalabarAjaokuta-Kano gas pipeline (CAP) and craft ways to realign the $450 million in Eurobonds already raised for the project in favor of coal development. In addition, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) can also refocus current discussions to pump more money to the CAP through the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in favour of immediate investment in coal-to-power. Finally, the incoming government should revisit the files on the below-the-market sales of national power assets, the role of banks in the process, the N193 billion owed to the banks by energy firms, and several billions extended to the private energy firms by the central government. Such approach will ultimately help to expose irregularities in the privatisation scheme, determine sincerity of purpose, and identify critical omissions towards efficient power delivery. •SKC Ogbonnia writes from Houston, Texas, USA

Sunday Mail MAY 31, 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. 2015 UTME and Post-UTME

The 2015 UTME was conducted free of exam malpractices. Before the last UTME, parents reluctantly accepted Post-UTME because of the then incessant malpractices. Now that the current CBT has checked UTME malpractices, the Post-UTME should be dropped. Institutions should stop further exploitation of already financially- squeezed parents. It should be noted also that our education system is not better than many countries where admission into tertiary institutions is granted to candidates who passed requisite subjects for the courses of their choice. Education Minister, please help our teeming youths to pursue their careers without unnecessary exploitation and delays which promote corruption and other vices in our tertiary institutions. Okafor Luke, Ministry of Defence, Lagos, Nigeria

PDP and Jonathan are up to something Dear Editor, PDP and Jonathan are up to something. Nigeria needs serious prayers right now. President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of PDP’s offer at his arrival at UK signifies the needs to be very careful. Nigerians are smarter now as they are expecting us to get on the streets so that they can deploy the military, but we are so calm and resolute, waiting for the CHANGE to come soonest. Sorrow may last for the night, but Joy cometh in the morning. Maximillian Okafor Malaysia

Re: CSO wants court to stop Buhari’s swearing-in

Dear Editor, Against the plan by CSO to stop Buhari from being sworn in, I expect the court hearing the case to discharge it immediately and award cost of not less than N50 million against the plaintiff. This will reduce the nuisance value of certain elements who think that everything about money. Since this said group is seeking popularity, they should be compelled to pay for it. Rommel, Nigeria

Get alive Nigerians Dear Editor, In any case, Buhari is sworn in on May 29th, and from then on we can start keeping scores on how well he runs the nation. In 100 days from now, we should be able to tell were the new administration is heading. Jonathan administration is over and I wish him well. His best was not good enough for Nigeria and that is where the story ends. As for those filing briefs with the court, they are just being mischievous. They are going nowhere. By the way, they have the right to file their case and the court has the right to dismiss a frivolous lawsuit. T. Johnson

Irrational ban of motorcycles, tricycles in Anambra Dear Editor, Please help me to advise the state government that there are businesses in the state that pay their taxes and make use of dispatch riders to conduct their businesses. These companies are doing legal businesses in the state. If the government, therefore, bans the use of motorcycles and tricycles from major highways in the state with effect from June 1, where will these classes of businesses conduct their businesses, or should they close shops and stop contributing to the state’s revenue? Obinna Udo, Onitsha

What manner of treatment? Top: Alaka canal, Surulere, Lagos. Bottom: Oke-Afa canal, Isolo, Lagos.

Probe any government Dear Editor, Buhari’s administration can decide to probe any government he chooses, bearing in mind that it was only Jonathan’s administration that was tagged the worst government. Editor, how can a president say that corruption isn’t stealing and nobody has been prosecuted to date for all these open allegations not even one? Nigerians, we need to search our minds and be sincere to our conscience. Do you sincerely think Jonathan has done a good job for Nigerians? Buhari has the right, power, infrastructure and the capacity to probe any past government he feels that needs to answer questions. Abacha is dead and his family isn’t answerable to what happens at the villa. Babangida too may be asked some questions. Overall, I think Jonathan’s administration is the worst and corrupt government. Few weeks to the Presidential election, they were still seen dashing out millions of dollars to the electorate, a wasted generation indeed, wasting tax payers resources in vain and yet millions of Nigerians youths are living below poverty line. They think it’s okay to live a life like that? How many billions of wasted Nigeria money vanished overnight without traces and no one was questioned for it? We also heard few weeks back, few billions crawl back from the hiding. There is trouble for past government. Boniface Ekene, Apapa.

End the fuel crisis now

Dear Editor For once, I appreciated the long queue of trucks that barricade my way to the office everyday, making going to work a horrible experience for me. If my contribution to national development and my prayer of not going through this fuel scarcity hell again is the extra fare I pay to work or the pain and inconveniences of trekking the distance, then I’ve got no choice for now till my exit plan is implemented. We need to solve this fuel crisis. Nduka Zika, Lagos

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Buhari and opponents

Dear Editor, Buhari said his incoming administration is misunderstood by opponents, but such statement is not ideal. In Nigeria, all government departments have a non-political appointee called ‘Permanent Secretary.’ These permanent secretaries’ service can traverse two or more administrations, which means, those currently serving in Jonathan government will be there into early Buhari’s government. It is these permanent secretaries that enable an incoming government to have a smooth continuity. That was why even when there used to be military coups, the incoming military administration had no problem taking over, as long as the Permanent Secretary is still alive. So why would the case be different this time? At the presidency level, there is also a ‘Secretary to the Government of the Federation’. All the permanent secretaries continue serving for six months or a year into the new administration; and before long, the new government will get the hang of things. John from USA

I weep for Kogi

Dear Editor, Now we have to look into a sensitive issue that has been left lying like it does not concern us. My friends from Kogi State, what exactly is going on? We have not heard much about development from this part of the country. I have watched closely but have yet to see a remarkable sign of a government who has the people’s interest at heart. I heard a very respectable friend once say the governor’s case is a ‘peculiar one’ and that he needs time. I honestly do not understand the peculiarity of Idris Wada’s case being a governor. At this point, I think clarifications are relevant especially with the ongoing 40% proposed cut in civil servants’ salaries. Ofor Ojoma Ibaji. Kogi State

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Moments

Managing Director, SLOK Group, Engr. Firas Abboud, celebrates his birthday with family and friends in Lagos

L-R: Mrs. Adaeze Kalu; Engr. Firas Abboud and Mr. Mascot Kalu

The host, Engr. Firas Abboud and his wife, Angella

L-R: Racheal Utieyione; Angella Abboud; Firas Abboud; Yemi Anyalechi and Managing Director, Overseas Marine, Engr. Ladi Utieyione

L-R: Kareem Okereke; Richard Mattar and Valentine Agwu

Adeola Adebisi; Chioma Peters; Nnedina Onyagbula and Prince Kunle Oyewumi

L-R: Nkechi Nwosu; Group Managing Director, Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie; Angella Abboud and Firas

Kunle Areogun and his wife, Victoria

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH May 31, 2015

NewsExtra

Buhari seeks US, EU support

Anule Emmanuel

resident Muhammadu Buhari on Friday night sought the help of the United States and the European Union in the task of rebuilding Nigeria. Buhari, who made the appeal at the Inauguration Gala Night held at the Banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, said Nigeria had been badly damaged. As such, he noted, many sectors of the economy such

as education had collapsed. The President, who urged Nigerians to be patient with his administration, said his government would partner with the EU, U.S and neighbouring African nations to rebuild Nigeria. According to Buhafi, tackling unemployment and security problems confronting the country would remain top on the agenda of his government. The President also noted that his administration would focus on agricul-

ture and mining to engage unemployed youths, who form more than 60 per cent of the population. “I ask Nigerians to please bear with us; a lot of damage has been done,” he said. Buhari stated that he lost the presidential election thrice in the past and went to the tribunal with the help of Nigerians, but that he was happy this time around, the will of Nigerians made his victory possible. Speaking further, the President explained that

everything must be done to ensure that Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous country, does not collapse. If things go wrong in the country, he warned, Africa will bear the brunt because the continent will not be able to manage the refugee crisis. He said that when he consulted the foreign partners and confronted them with the refugee scenario, it pricked their consciences and they assisted with technology to enable a successful vote count in the last

L-R: Senator-elect representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Prince Lanre Tejuoso; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; Governor Ibikunle Amosun; his wife, Olufunso; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ishola Adekunbi and his wife, Atinuke, during the governor’s second term inauguration party for indigenes in the grassroots in Abeokuta...yesterday.

Buhari, Osinbajo declare assets

Anule Emmanuel resident Muhammadu Buhari and Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t Yemi Osinbajo have declared their assets, as required by law, a statement from the Presidency said yesterday. The Code of Conduct Bureau on Friday acknowledged the submission of their assets declaration form submitted separately on May 28, and signed for by the organisation’s Chairman, Sam Saba. President Buhari’s Declarant ID was given as: ‘President: 000001/2015.’ The Nigerian Constitution states in Chapter VI Section 140, that a person elected to the office of President shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in the constitution. A statement by the head of Buhari’s media team, Garba Shehu, said that by declaring their assets, both

men had not only fulfilled the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution, but also fulfilled the first of their many campaign promises. While seeking election into the highest office in the land, the President had promised Nigerians that he would publicly declare his assets as soon as he took over government. Meanwhile, Buhari hsaid yesterday that he had not banned any official from the previous government of President Goodluck Jonathan from travelling abroad. The President said officials of past administrations including ministers are entitled to their full rights and privileges under the constitution and must not be subjected to any undue harassment and intimidation at the airports or at other points of entry and exit. “We have not banned anyone from travelling,” said the President in a separate statement by Shehu. Responding to some cases of ‘V.I.P stoppages’ at the

airports as reported to him yesterday, Buhari directed all agencies to run their affairs in full compliance with extant rules, regulations and the constitution of the country. “Unless otherwise directed by the courts, no law-abiding citizen should be barred from travelling abroad. We must treat fellow citizens with courtesy and respect. Officials at the borders and other points of entry and exit should conduct their affairs in strict compliance with due process. No one has my permission to bar anyone from travelling abroad,” the President said. The President also condemned the latest terrorist attack on Maiduguri, Borno State. The President warned that his administration wouldn’t tolerate wanton and wilful destruction of life by criminal elements bent on anarchy. Reacting to the latest attack, which left scores of

people dead, injured and maimed, Buhari said his administration meant business in its determination to tackle terrorism with all the resources available to his government. While describing the terrorists as “cowardly murderers that target innocent people,” the President explained that as the Commander-in-Chief, he has sworn to protect the security of Nigerians everywhere. The President called for increased vigilance by local communities and assured that his administration would give security close attention, and that his government was committed to boosting the morale of our armed forces by effectively funding them and attending to their welfare. He condoled the families of the victims of the latest terrorist attack on Maiduguri and assured them that the worst days of these criminal elements will be over soon.

elections. Buhari insisted that previous election results were written in private homes and announced on the radio. He regretted that any attempt by Nigerians to get the courts to reverse such decisions were often difficult. He said that Nigeria’s friends had spoken to him personally and had identified priorities for his administration as security and other challenges. ``Nigeria has to be well secured and efficiently managed; this is what the APC is all about. This was why the legacy parties made the sacrifice of jettisoning their personal ambitions, tried to come together and took the bull by the horn and therefore brought it down and slaughtered it literally,” he stated. He said the party in power had realised its problems and made the necessary sacrifice. Buhari said, “Nigerians pray a lot; we need to even pray the more for luck so that the expectations our people have, especially the youths, will be met.” He described the unemployment level in the country as the “keg of gunpowder we are sitting on,”assuring that his administration has resolved to secure Nigeria as soon as possible. He thanked Nigeria’s neighbours for helping the country fight insurgency. He added that his administration would articulate the nation’s requirements after studying the handover notes from the past administration and then consult its immediate neighbours, Europe and U.S to help the nation. In a remark, former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar described the inauguration of Buhari as historic for the nation and indeed Africa.

He said the transition from one party to another was a big achievement for the country. “Democracy is the winner and Nigeria is the winner. I congratulate all who made the election possible. I also congratulate former President Goodluck Jonathan for deepening democracy,” he said. He said the path of honour Jonathan took would not be forgotten, adding that the new administration will need time to take stock and take decisions to move the nation forward. He urged the new President to recognise the diversity of the country and accommodate all since the nation’s diversity remained its strength. All Progressive Congress National Leader, Bola Tinubu, said a new era had dawned in Nigeria. He said a commitment to build a new Nigeria had been consecrated, adding, “Buhari is principled, passionate and determined to develop the country.” He said the time was ripe for Nigeria to maintain its lead in Africa and that from one programme to another the African renassiance must begin with the new President. Addressing Buhari, he said, “The challenge is yours. We that are looking up to you will continue to do so with great commitment, perseverance and all friend of value that Africa must give to Africa to show that Africa can compete. Nigeria must lead.” Present at the event were Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole; Senator Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; members of the diplomatic corps and top political stalwarts.

G7 ready to work with Nigeria, says Cameron Onwuka Nzeshi Abuja

ritish Prime Minister, David Cameron, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to attend the forthcoming summit of G-7 industrialised nations with a ‘wish list’ when he shows up at its meeting, scheduled for June 7-9 in Berlin, Germany. Delivering this message to the new President at a meeting on Friday shortly after the inauguration, British Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Philip Hammond, said Cameron had requested for a list of what Nigeria wanted to help succeed

against the current challenges facing the country. “We are waiting for your own list,” said the minister on behalf of Cameron, according to a statement by the head of the President’s media team, Garba Shehu. This meeting was a follow-up to an earlier one between Buhari and Cameron, at which commitments were given to the incoming administration in several areas, including the fight against terrorism, power and energy and such matters of common concerns of migration challenges facing the continent as well what he called “intelligence fusion” to secure Africa from global terror.

SUNDAY

Fashion

Sizzle in cobalt blue 22&43

My Passion

‘I was excommunicated from church’ 17

Body Soul SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

Grace Egbagbe: Beauty, brains & more

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

y heart m m o r f Straight

Body Soul SUNDAY

My Passion

Fashion

‘I was excommunicated from church’

Sizzle in cobalt blue 22&43

days ahead. rward to better going about this fo g in ok lo y e alread the way we ar n us not awaited May However, with be disappointed. I’ll cautio t lose ally. The long fin , e, re ak he w is its e g in hang e may we don’ d gone, leavin - ‘change’, w ediate ‘drastic’ change so re it kicks 29 has come an d in by President Muham m to expect im ion even befo re at tr he iis N us in s. as m es , gr ad ge chan ual process, hari’s es Con All Progressiv s hope in Bu ilding or rebuilding is a grad . President madu Buhari’s while ruling party, People at Bu s th oper. dluck off pr asonable human being know bid the erst President Goo y re . gerians have er er so rm ev al fo ct d fa an at rty, tial electands th Democratic Pa e. Buhari unders o, after winning the presiden ge but ies Pr e by se od uldn’t wait to Jonathan, go Two months ag ted his commitment to chan magpower. y Nigerians co e It was as if man the PDP vacate the seat of Jona- tion, he had reitera iately due to th of and pect it immed dent Jonathan ame anybody. The last days tizens. urged all not to ex ms in the country. bl e ci iately beproble You wouldn’t e marked by hardship for th nitude of the change immed ct ed pe rc y. ex fo t e er no er w ld idents w s in the countr than in office “People shou were dry. Res marketers, who ion of problem om the public ns at io ul at m st cu g ac lin e e of th ayer fr Fuel fil t black was not caus eedy cutthroa ore time and pr atters to patronise gr at dizzying prices. As if that se. The There is need for m ministration to handle m t ad or ent to uc w g t in od itm go m m pr n e m co io sold th for the in power situat rming my co rs d affi te ba d or y I’m ad pp . re su ge er al ing chan rity, brib y an that even enough, an got to a point sition and br economic sabotage, insecu It po d. op ne w oa no gr s e masse and th hting id then. ised ‘change’ fig ident Jonathan n’ and desired uption...” he sa at statement when he real de of former Pres rr io at co m or sf an th ‘tr tu e of ni ad ag ed m m tir e t he th PDP go n and I believe the APC. won the electio s dawned on him. is change he had finally er as proposed by nary says transformation at ld th ou sh s hi to s. on io onsibility ay, I digres sp yw re s now. We need Well, my dict e an er th n, ay of io pr at r m k ou or uc s sf dl ed an om oo ne tr w G d is ly r. e men an and change I think he real Right now, D vs him with wis d not greedy, Jonathan is ha - pray that God surround an ia er ig N r de n fo akes ing his much- - en with good intentio ay that God m pr to ed ne th e he W so. as ns g ia in ic ar lit fe po sired rest. W narcissist sels from God to un s co se ow tic st oo io be ch tr ill er he ten to pa Lord w that the good oke, him lis e stay in his Otu e ciates. We need to pray ers, divine wisdom to mov ad om le ay h pr w to ne sa r B ay el and ou . We need ’ ople, on him country to a greater height t among his pe ake their ‘reign ea m gr to r s ou er ad le ke w -li in ne n ce e la re es th pa ild s help our ch or the ru - that God g tale of good old days for ho m e, w hi ch isin al nt ta a y sa mour mongers e Jesus name. on ge is here! he has built in far PRAY...for chan ya O o country not to are ns away, Nigeria

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

Grace Egbagbe: Beauty, brains & more

Body Soul SUNDAY

Fashion

Trend alert: Wide crop culottes 22&43

Bed, Work & Life

It takes just a moment for truth... 20

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2015

My style is not extremely conventional

-Prof. Ogunsola

Juliet

Contents 31.05.2015 COVER We have a saying in my place that when your enemy sees you, you’d better be looking your best

-Grace Egbagbe

} 18-19

BEAUTY

The afro is much easier to manage with few and far between visits to your hairstylist

} 21

GLAM DUDES The great thing about a 3-piece suit is that it doesn’t always have to be the complete package

FASHION T h e Te a m

Cobalt blue will take you from one season to another

Juliet Bumah (Editor) Vanessa Okwara (Correspondent)

} 22&43

Wole Adepoju Biwom Iklaki (Correspondent)

MY PASSION I love someone who we can go to the saloon together to do our hair and we laugh about it

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

} 17

Associates

GLOBAL FASHION Styling a n i m a l print is for the fun and fiercest of fashion lovers

}48

} 44

Helen Paul

Eyitayo Aloh

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Body&Soul

I was excommunicated from church – Denrele Edun Denrele Edun may have been able to secure a space for himself among the most famous On Air Personalities, but one thing that is regarded as a factor in his speedy rise to fame is his distinct nature and weird appearance. His way of life has put him ahead of the game, the same thing has also made him go under the knife of critics. In this interview with WOLE ADEPOJU, the University of Lagos graduate and Ogun State-born showbiz personality opens up on his weird style, career, as well as his much talked about proposed marriage Why did you choose to be weird, a bit like Charly Boy who was also popular at it? That is a million dollar question. Truth be told, it takes two ways to know your personality. One, the way you behave when you have everything and the way you manage when you have nothing. I have lived a life where I had nothing. I don’t have everything yet, but I am still looking towards getting to that level. But at that point in time, the reception was negative. I don’t know how Charly Boy did it in his time but for me, it was hell. At a point, I would just go home and sit down and begin to think that, Tani mo se? (Who did I offend?) Because I did not step on toes or get in anybody’s way. I would just be like: Why can’t they let me be? Why can’t they allow me express my individuality? I think the only industry that kind of appreciated what I was doing, and it was for a limited period of time, was the fashion industry which I got into when I was young. But when I got out of the casting and I faced the real world in its raw form, it was all kinds of criticism. On the street, people would stop me and abuse me; conductors would not let me enter their buses. I remember one day when I boarded a bus from Yaba to Obalende, the moment I got in, everyone ran out of the bus, shouting ‘mad!’ And again, the church as well. I was in the choir, so many times I got stopped from wearing the choir robes probably because of the way I looked or my hair was a certain way and the church now said they had to ex-communicate me. You use your weird costumes both on and off duty. How easy is it to make them part and parcel of you? If this was like pretence, then that would make me a complete hypocrite or it would make my life look like I have been living an act and I’ve been living a lie all these years. I am not living a lie; I am not living an act. This is me. I don’t drink or smoke, I get my energy amazingly. I do what I want to do, I wear what I want to wear. I don’t give a hoot if you don’t like it; na your wahala and you fit enter Third Mainland (bridge), jump. I really can’t be bothered about people’s opinion, I’m way past it. But again, it’s a thing of the mind. It started with a thought, I built it into an act, then reaped the talent. From sowing the talent, it built into character; from sowing a character, we started reaping an identity. Now, we dey build brand. I go to some places and I see people screaming, I wonder what are they screaming at. Are they not tired of seeing me? I don’t see things that people see and this has helped me stay grounded. Above all, it’s not about wearing the clothes. I don’t read the news, I make the news. I’m not publicity hungry. What

will be will be. How did you feel in the heat of you being labeled gay? Well, I have been labeled everything that is sexual in this country, from heterosexual to metrosexual to bisexual to homosexual to solo sexual, even sexual sexual. So, what can I do? I go with the flow, I don’t complain. The thing is it has always followed me right from UNILAG. Maybe because I am a bit feminine in nature or because I am different from the regular guy or I dress a certain way. But I always tell people that who you go to bed with is different from who you go to bed as. Sexual orientation is very different from gender identity but in Naija, they put it t o g e t h e r. But now, I have developed a thick skin that I just laugh

them off. The picture where you kissed Charly Boy was controversial. What was the experience like? I was in Malaysia when the story came out. I went for a show with 9ice and Nigga Raw when I started getting it on BBM… it was not funny o. When I landed in Nigeria, all the Customs officials had copies of the paper. Before they signed my passport and got my luggage, it was not easy. My driver came to pick me and he was looking at me through the mirror like, dis brother no know wetin dey happen. In traffic, vendors were running after me shouting, ‘Shame, shame….see wetin you do.’ In traffic, people would come out of their cars and knock on my window and say all sorts of things. It was a terrible period but my close knit family handled it well. I guess people expected it would make me mellow, but for where? I would get to a party and they would ask if I was looking for Charly Boy. I would say ‘no;’ that I was looking for who to kiss again. But seriously, it was a very traumatic period for me. With these kinds of stories about you, your prospective in-laws must have been cold to you when your wife-to-be took you home? That is a very good one (laughs heartily). The person in question, obviously the family knows me well and I think they have grown to understand me. Tell us about the first meeting with them. The first time, they came to our family house actually because we have known each other for a while. But again, take away the clothes; take away the hair, the shoes…. away from all of that, I am a regular person. But if I had seen it over time that the family would want to change me or make me do things that I would not do, noooo…. mo ma gba bride price mi pada ni. Ooto ni o, mi o raye gbogbo iyen (I would take my bride price back. It’s true o. I don’t have time for such things). But make we do the marriage first because everybody don dey dis marriage matter. I think your wife is going to enjoy you since you don’t seem to be into womanising. Yes. And the funny thing is that I can count how many relationships I have had. The last one was a huge disaster and we have gone our separate ways. But we are now friends, which is funny. The people who knew me back then, all the super models, even Linda Ikeji, they all knew who I was dating then. I used to date someone who is married now with twins, Titi of Inspiration FM. I was her first boyfriend then.

What attracted you to this lady you want to marry? What endears me to a woman is... I love women who make very good conversation, not women who will just sit down and be looking at me like hmmmm….. jump into water, hmmm, kill yourself, hmmm, no, I used to have those kinds of people in my life. I like somebody who would not want to change me, I love someone who we can go to the saloon together to do our hair and we laugh about it. I think this person in question has met all the requirements. I also don’t like ladies that are chop up too much because na wetin I fit handle I go handle o! How do you feel that some people find it strange that you want to get married or that you even date at all? I know people are wondering, who is he marrying? What family is giving their daughter to this one? Who are the father and mother of the girl? How is he going to do the wedding? Is he going to wear a dress or suit? But I would say they should wait till that time. Are you going to continue with the way you dress when you eventually marry? This is the way I am and I am going to continue to be like this. This is my life, this is my choice and this is what I have fashioned my life to be. I don’t think I want to change that anytime soon. When is the wedding coming up? That should be before the end of the year. I was not even supposed to say it because it’s too early. Would you allow your children to take up weird appearances? It depends on what you consider as weird. But if my kids wake me one morning that they want to do this, who am I to tell them not to when my own father gave me the chance to and it’s been reaping for me bountifully right now? And he’s also benefitting from it. Are you fulfilled with where you have got to in your career? I don’t think I have done anything yet and I am not trying to sound modest or too ambitious as a person. I don’t even think I have met one quarter of the guiding philosophies, targets and deadlines I set for myself. Thank God again for one being busy; work keeps coming and I am ever grateful to God for that. Fulfillment is not the worry. My greatest fear actually is running out of work to do; which is why I am always busy. I don’t know how to stay idle; I have never had a vacation. So, in terms of self-fulfillment, I am not there yet… there is still much to do. I never start sef. Aside from entertainment, is there anything you are aspiring to do? Yea, I am supposed to finish my book very soon. One of my targets was to finish it by my birthday, which is June 13, but I am not done with the manuscript yet. It’s a book that chronicles my life so far. Definitely, Channel O is off the air…. we are rebranding so, there is so much work to be done on that side. And of course, I want to have my own show though I’m helping a lot of people with their shows too. When the time is ripe for all of these, Baba God go show us as we suppose go.

Body&Soul

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Grace Egbagbe: With a successful career in the media spanning 28 years at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) culminating in her role as Executive Director - Marketing, Grace Egbagbe is an epitome of beauty and brains. Through the years, Egbagbe recorded several successes in her career, including creating the hit TV show, ‘Cockcrow at Dawn.’ She is also regarded as one of the foremost style icons in Nigeria. A former DG of NTA, Ben Murray-Bruce, was briefly present during the interview. Egbagbe spoke with VANESSA OKWARA on her career, growing up and love life How has your career in the media been like all these years?

Well, my journey in the media has been an interesting one. The media is an interesting industry and my first love, of course, is television. I also like the legal aspect of my career; that has always been exciting to me. How long were you in the media?

I worked in Nigeria Television Authority for 28 years. Let’s talk about your time and work at NTA. It brought you to the limelight. What was it like then?

I don’t know whether it brought me to the limelight because I was working behind the scenes. I was in programmes; that was the exciting time of dramas like Cock Crow at Dawn and Second Chance. Those were programmes that I did and it was interesting for a while until Ben Bruce became the Director General of NTA and he decided to take me out of programmes and put me in marketing and made me start selling air time. That was also very fascinating and challenging. Ben Bruce chips in: She was too talented to just be in programmes at that time. She was responsible for the growth of the resources and income of NTA during my tenure. When we took over NTA, it was making N300 million a year. By the time I left it was making N4.2 billion. What was responsible for this leap?

I think Ben Bruce was smart in the sense that he recognised my talent in other fields other than programming, which is marketing. But like you know, to practise advertising and marketing you have to do a Diploma with the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) just like the law school. So I went to do a course in APCON where I am proud to say I graduated as the best female student and best overall graduate. During the period of studying for that diploma, my son said to me: ‘Mummy, you’d better study hard; just imagine if people hear that my mum failed her exam?’ That motivated me, so I burnt the midnight oil and ensured I did my best. I thank God the result came out fantastic and I got five awards which came with cash. Can you mention some of those awards?

Best Student in Advertising, Best Overall Graduate, Best Female Graduate. A few minutes ago, in the course of our interview, Ben Bruce walked in and sort of endorsed your work at NTA. How does that make you feel?

Oh, I’m very happy, proud and ap-

preciated. If you work and you are not appreciated, that is not good but when you are appreciated, you would want to do more. Just like what Silverbird Group is doing with the Silverbird Man of the Year Awards; it motivates people. If you do a good job and nobody seems to appreciate you, then you don’t feel motivated to do more. But when you do what he’s doing now, other people will want to emulate the people who have been endorsed and equally work hard in their various fields of endeavour. I mean, it’s no secret that the two governors that have been outstanding (and I’m not saying that there are others that are not) are Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Raji Fashola of Lagos State. Dora Akunyili, my late friend, was one of those also honoured and she was about one of the best directors we could find around. This is a good thing and what is important is that they should honour people who have actually done well. You cannot hide a good thing and you cannot hide a light under the bushel. No matter the criticisms, goodness will shine through. So, it is good they are honouring people who have done well. What has helped spur you to keep doing the things you do?

It is basically the upbringing I had from my dad. My late dad always encouraged us to do our best and he would always say to us that hard work never fails. So I kept working hard. I was motivated by doing good. He would always tell us that no matter what you have, if you don’t have a good name then whatever you have is worthless. So we also tried our best not to spoil or ruin the Egbagbe name. Tell us a little bit about growing up?

It was a very interesting experience because my dad didn’t spare the rod at all. He always said you spare the rod and you spoil the child. But he also gave us lots of love. I find that children grow up well-adjusted if you give them a lot of love and a good dose of discipline. When you have children and you don’t discipline them and let them run wild and do whatever they like, they will grow up to become a menace to the society. But if you draw the line on what they can’t do, then you have done half of your job as a parent. You are regarded as a fashion icon. What has helped you to be on top of the fashion radar all these years?

Thanks for the compliment. I am beginning to believe it but I don’t think I am as stylish as the media portrays me to be. For me it just comes easy. If you

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Body&Soul

Beauty, brains & more are going out, you have to make sure you look nice. We have a saying in my place that when your enemy sees you, you’d better be looking your best. It is almost like; let my enemies live long enough to see me progress. You don’t wish your enemies evil or bad, let them see you progress and wonder what makes her look this good and I tell you for me it is God all the way. I never take anything for granted and I believe that a lot of what I have, my talents and my looks are blessings from God for which I am very grateful. You have celebrated your 50th? What has helped you to keep looking youthful?

Point of correction, I never celebrated my birthday. Well, it was in the media for a while that you did……?

Maybe this is an opportunity to correct w h a t h a p pened some years a g o . I was celebrating a birthday and a very important one and I guess the reporter figured that well, she can’t be 40 and maybe she was celebrating her 60th birthday when I wasn’t even 60 at the time. But what surprised me, and this is the laziness of some reporters that I quarrel with, he didn’t see a birthday cake. Who celebrates a birthday, a landmark birthday for that matter without a birthday cake? Again, it doesn’t really matter because age is nothing but a number. As long as you are able to function well, that shouldn’t be a problem at all. So can you tell us how old you are?

Laughs…Didn’t your mum ever tell you never to ask a lady her age? You were married?

No, I was not married. What is it like being a single mum?

I have two kids and the alternative to not having those children is unimaginable. So for me, even though single motherhood is tough and challenging, I am glad that I did have them. It was not an option not to have them. They are a boy and a girl and they have already graduated. Are they in the media also?

They actually

hate the exposure my work in the media gives their mum and they just think that they don’t have a life because of the exposure. It’s not that I really want to see myself in the media all the time, but I am in the media as well and if a fellow reporter comes to me for an interview, I feel obliged to answer and I feel humbled. I don’t feel proud about it at all. It means you must see something in me you want to share with others. Tell us how you have been able to stand through your deepest challenges.

It has been God all the way. If you have God, then you have everything. Once you commit your life and things that concern you to God, whatever happens to you, good or bad you know that God has got your back and He is the only one that will not fail. Unlike human beings who will get tired, God will always be there for you at all times. I always say this, if you ask for something and you don’t get it, just know that is an answer from God and take it as a blessing because in the future you will see why God didn’t allow you to get it at that time.

Are you hoping to get married soon?

If I find the right man, yes.

What kind of qualities are you looking for in the man you hope to meet?

First of all, he has to be somebody who is not insecure; the last thing I want is an insecure man because it comes with a lot of baggage. He has to be confident in himself, confident in who I am and be a true partner, share my values and vision. Some people think that I have set my sight high, but why not? Will it be a problem if you marry any of the fathers of your children?

Yes, it will be a problem because I didn’t marry them. If I was going to marry them, I would have done so when I had my children. Tell us your best designers.

The Nigerian designers that I wear will be Iconic Invanity and Unania Haute Couture. But most of the English clothes I wear are either BCBG or Karen Miller. Karen Miller is probably my all-time favourite because they make nice and easy clothes to wear. What is your favourite fashion item?

I don’t have one because one is not complete without the other. How long does it take you to do your makeup when going on the red carpet?

It takes me about 30-40 minutes to make up. Sometimes, I do it myself and some other times I look for a makeup artist. What do we expect from you in the next five years?

Hopefully, I am working on a movie which I will produce. It takes a lot of funding which I don’t have now. So hopefully, if I do get funding, I will be producing movies and maybe a TV show. What kind of TV show are you looking at, talk show or reality show?

Oh no, it is going to be a variety show. There are many talk shows and reality shows, which is why I am looking at doing a variety show. What is your philosophy?

Be the best you can be and not listen to whatever other people say about you.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Body&Soul

Classic Afro pouf Biwom Iklaki

here has been a wave-making reawakening of the love for the kinky, curly, gravitydefying natural African hair. More and more ladies have begun to scorn the sleek straight hair that different types of hair relaxing chemicals can give. Some have tales of woe from chemical burns that leave them in varying degrees of baldness. For others, it thins out their hair texture, while others still complain of change in hair colour. You no longer have the luxuriant dark hair, just something lanker with lots of split ends. This happens especially when you do not make enough trips to your hair stylist or give the kind of attention to the hair as you should. The afro is much easier to manage with few and far between visits to your hairstylist. Today, there are even communities online with ideas, suggestions and tips for caring for this hair type. This makes it much easier for those who decide to make this their hair type. With a lot of moisturising and conditioning, this hair type is better for black Africans because it is in its most organic state. It is unlike when you spot the straightened version which breaks much easier. The go-to style for this hair type is the afro pouf. It is very flattering and easy to pull off. Just moisturise the hair with some conditioners (to ease combing and prevent breakage) and comb out the hair with a long and slightly wide-tooth comb. There is actually a comb in the market that is referred to as the “afro comb”. This is the best comb to use for this style. It teases the kinky hair to stand out in its full, bouncy glory. Remember to braid the hair in a protective style and wear a silk scarf to maintain the moisture balance in the hair. For those with straight hair, to achieve this look, you have to fix extensions commonly refered to as the “afro weave” or wear an afro wig.

Body&Soul

greys and metallic accents and detailing. It’s poppy and fresh for a casual date but also elegant and rich in heavier fabrics for special occasions. You can wear it as a whole outfit or if you’re more on the conservative side with colour, wear it in small doses by mixing it with other solids and patterns. Alternatively, pick cobalt blue accessories to add a bright pop of chic color to your outfit. Don’t go head to toe cobalt blue. That’s just tacky. Instead break it up with complimentary colours to the shade such as

nudes, beiges, gold, silvers, whites and blacks. If you’re wearing a cobalt color dress, don’t match your handbag or shoes to the dress but rather compliment it with a pair of patent nude pumps, white bangle or gold accessories. Try delicate earrings, a slender bangle bracelet, or charm bracelet. When going for a sophisticated look, less is best, so do not overdo the accessories Avoid dark colours such as browns or teal that will offset or distract the stunning hue of cobalt blue. You can try a black

22, 43

obalt blue is a hot trending colour straight off the runway. Cobalt is a glittery shade of blue. It’s also widely referred to as “Royal Blue” another description of cobalt is electric blue. Cobalt blue is the perfect mix of sophistication for any season, any weather and any occasion. Cobalt blue will take you from one season to another. It looks great when teamed with blacks, whites,

statement necklace or earrings with your cobalt blue dress for a classic chic look. What’s more, cobalt blue is a colour that can be worn by women of any age without having to regard the suitability of their age against the shade to wear it. Another thing to keep in mind when considering adding cobalt to your wardrobe is it tends to look richer in finer fabrics, not cheap ones. Finally, it coordinates well with a plethora of colors like yellow, coral, turquoise, sky blue, mint and pink.

Sizzle in Cobalt blue Vanessa Okwara

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness SUNDAY

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

News

Agriculture: Obiano attracts N149bn investment

p.24

Brands Insight, Noah’s Ark await Airtel Nigeria’s account p.29

Experts to Buhari: Confront economic challenges

Interview

Global attention is on Nigeria now–RenCap CEO p.25

Market&Mall

Traders record poor sales amid fuel crisis p.30

Buhari

Paul Ogbuokiri

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph online.com

igeria’s new President, Muhammadu Buhari, who took office on Friday, made history by notching the first defeat of an incumbent president since independence in 1960. Now comes the hard part: getting Africa’s biggest economic dynamo restarted. According to experts, two things complicate that task: Boko Haram’s deadly insurgency, which has claimed more than 14,000 lives and displaced more than 1.5 million Nigerians, and the recent halving of the price of oil, which accounts for more than two-thirds of Nigeria’s government income and almost all its export revenues. Under these burdens, Nigeria’s economy has been sputtering. The currency has fallen sharply, making imports more dear and stoking inflation. The plunge in oil revenues has forced the government to borrow more than it planned. And a recent back-pay dispute between the government and fuel-distribution companies all but shut down the country. With this daunting task staring him in the face, he noted in his inaugural speech that “no single cause can be identified to explain Nigeria’s poor economic performance over

Fayemi

the years than the power situation. It is a national shame that an economy of 180 million generates only 4,000MW, and distributes even less. Continuous tinkering with the structures of power supply and distribution and close on $20 billion expanded since 1999 have only brought darkness, frustration, misery, and resignation among Nigerians. We will not allow this to go on. “Careful studies are under way during this transition to identify the quickest, safest and most cost-effective way to bring light and relief to Nigerians,” he said. The International Monetary Fund also noted that fundamentally, Nigeria’s once-breakneck increases in Gross Domestic Product haven’t translated into shared growth: “Unemployment last year was 25.1 per cent, the number of Nigerians living in poverty is not decreasing, and the economic divide between the country’s south and its north -- Boko Haram’s killing ground -- is deepening. Entrenched corruption has afflicted every corner of the economy, making Nigeria a cellar-dweller in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.” Buhari’s quick reply to the ugly situation is, “We intend to attack the problem frontally through revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining as well as credits to small and medium size businesses to kick – start these enterprises. We shall quickly

examine the best way to revive major industries and accelerate the revival and development of our railways, roads and general infrastructure.” He further noted that the country faces enormous challenges. Saying the immediate concern of his young administration is insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages. “We are going to tackle them head on. Nigerians will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us. We must not succumb to hopelessness and defeatism. We can fix our problems,” he stressed. Buhari further assured the wider international community of the readiness of his administration to cooperate and help to combat threats of cross-border terrorism, sea piracy, refugees and boat people, financial crime, cyber crime, climate change, the spread of communicable diseases and other challenges of the 21st century. Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, told Sunday Telegraph that for starters, the new President can dismantle the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation that he helped set up when he was oil minister in the 1970s. He said this because the agency has allegedly been the nexus for corC ON TI N UE D ON PAGE 24

SUNDAY MAY31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business/ News

Agriculture: Obiano attracts N149bn investment T

Paul Ogbuokiri

he agricultural reform of Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, is likely to take the state to the top three in the country, as the government has attracted about $745 million (about N149 billion) investment to the state through its proposed mechanised agriculture scheme. This even as it is anticipates that more investment is expected into the sector to make thesState self-sufficient and develop a large market for abundant harvest. Throwing more light on the state government’s new drive towards becoming food basket in Nigeria, during the flagoff ceremony to mark the 2015 Farming Season at Otuocha recently, Obiano listed the sources of investment inflow to Anambra State to include Coched Farms Ltd, a subsidiary of Coscharis with an investment portfolio of $150 million (about N30 billion) and Joseph Agro Ltd with $200 million (about N40 billion) that has firmly secured a spot as a prominent producer of rice. “At the same time, the huge investments of $220 million (N44 billion) made by Ekcel Farms in Umueje have given us a solid foothold in cassava and tomato paste production. There are also other huge investors like Delfarm which pumped in the sum of $75 million ( N15 billion), Grains and Silos Ltd with $40 million (N8 billion) and of course Lynden Farms Ltd which wants to set up an ultra-modern poultry farm with the sum of $60 million ( N12 billion) respectively,” he said. Giving hope on the new development in the sector, the governor said agriculture remains the corner stone of his administration and capable of achieving the vision to put Anambra among the top-three states in the sector. He said the state also intends to become the number one in the production of rice, cassava and fish in the first four years of his administration and make the state’s agricultural output contribute at least 40 per cent of the GDP of Anambra State. Obiano further hinted that there would be prompt evaluation and commencement of implementation of the report of the Special Committee on Agriculture, headed by Prof. Omaliko. He said it “tells with scientific certainty, where certain crops can grow best in Anambra State and offers us creative and empirical insight into what we must do to play to the fullness of our strength in agriculture.” After the successes of 2014, he sounded optimistic in exploring new avenues to stoke the fires of this agro-revolution this year, through the formation of Small Holder Farmer Intervention Initiative. He stressed: “This revolutionary scheme enables the formation of smallholder farmers groups and the rural women to partner with the state government in a structure that makes it easier for them to access new agricultural techniques, tools, seedlings, fertilisers and market opportunities that would help stabilise their activities and contribute more meaningfully to the revolution,” he said. Earlier, the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Afam Mbanefo, said the 2015 Farming Season which has the theme -“Pushing the Frontiers of Agriculture in Anambra State,” provides the

L-R: Anambra Commissioner of Agriculture, Afam Mbanefo; Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano and his wife Ebelechukwu arriving for the Launch of the 2015 Farming Season in Anambra State at Otuocha recently

opportunity for the governor to interact with farmers and stakeholders in agriculture. He also stated that the event is designed to highlight Obiano’s double barreled approach to transforming agriculture into a viable business in the state. In his remarks, Acting Chairman of All State Farmers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State branch, Dr. A.K Ebogha, thanked Obiano for providing agricultural inputs (seeds, seedlings, fertilisers

and tractors) free to farmers. He noted that since loans are critical to farmers that the Bank of Agriculture should disburse the N1.2 billion agricultural loan to farmers through an organisation with capacity and with less stringent conditions. AFAN’s acting chairman also requested the governor to effect the recommendation in the State’s Agric Blue Print on land Preparation and Parcelation amongst others.

Also in a goodwill message, South-East Regional Director of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Uche Nwafor, commended the state for supporting the Growth Enhancement Support programme with the regular payment of her 25 per cent contribution. The regional director commended the cordial relationship between the state director and the Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture.

Experts to Buhari: Confront economic challenges CO N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E PB

ruptionand incompetence, draining nearly half the proceeds from crude oil sales before they reach the treasury. Buhari had earlier pledged to follow up on that audit. “Better still would be to sell the company, or end its majority stake in joint ventures,” he said. He said though the President does seem to be in a hurry to remove the inefficient fuel subsidies, which IMF says cost the treasury almost one per cent of GDP in 2014, “doing so would strike an even stronger blow against graft than his sensible plans to consolidate Nigeria’s corruption-fighting agencies,” he said. IMF in its report further said that for the President to protect the country from oil price swings, he will have to increase its non-oil revenues by reforming the tax system. It said that one of the less painful ways to do that would be to trim the liberal tax exemptions granted to companies. “This step alone could raise tax yields by half a per cent of GDP. Yet even assuming greater efficiency (and less corruption and favoritism) in tax collection, Nigeria will have to raise its value-added tax rate, which at 5 per cent is one of the world’s lowest,” it said. According Political Economist and Head of Lagos Business School, Prof. Pat Utomi, Buhari needs to get through the current fiscal crunch while freeing up money for badly needed investment. He said he would need to impose austerity on a government apparatus known for high run-

ning costs and its well-heeled bureaucrats and legislators. “But he should spare aid to sectors that employ the poor (including agriculture) and the striving (small and medium enterprises). That includes finding more ways to extend them credit and get more Nigerians into the formal banking system, an area where the country lags behind Kenya, South Africa and other African peers. In particular, to blunt the appeal of Boko Haram, he needs to preserve funds for the poorer northeast, he said. Associate practice leader for sub-Saharan Africa research at Washington-based Frontier Strategy Group, Anna Rosenberg, said: “Many investors intend to accelerate their Nigerian expansion plans in the second half of the year. However, if Buhari’s government does not follow through on plans to cut spending and to tackle corruption and waste, the low oil price could affect the economy even more severely than it already has.” Out going Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minster of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said last month that the oil slump forced the government to borrow N473 billion ($2.4 billion) in the first four months of the year to cope with a “cashflow crunch.” This year, close to 85 per cent of the budget is swallowed up by official salaries, government running costs and debt payments, leaving little for infrastructure investment. “If you look at expectation and look at funding, there’s quite a gap,” Olusegun

Sotola, a research fellow at the Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, said by phone. “Buhari is going to be running a government without the necessary funding, which is a big problem because expectations are very high.” Brent crude is down 46 per cent from last year’s peak of $115.71 in June. Lower prices are already hurting the economy. Growth slowed to four per cent in the first quarter compared with 5.9 per cent a quarter earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said this month. The naira has declined 8 per cent against the dollar this year. But former President of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Nzekwe, said that the biggest challenge for Buhari is that voters who put him in charge of the country have faith he will deliver no matter the challenges. “We want him to tackle the issue of insecurity in the northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large,” said Ado Basiru, 49, who runs a cement-making business in Kano. “We want him to bring steady power supply that would help to boost companies and industries that are collapsing.” A former US Ambassador, John Campbell, toldBloomberg that though Buhari has talked about cleaning up the opaque stateowned NNPC and the military, achieving these in the short-term will not be easy “The trouble with cleaning up corruption is that it takes time, and particularly when the corruption is structural,” said Campbell, now a New York-based senior fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Business/ Interview

Global attention is on Nigeria now–RenCap CEO What is your assessment of Nigeria’s investment status in view of the stress the economy is passing through today? It depends on the direct foreign investment, companies coming into the country to build businesses for five to 10 years and the equity investors who would help in financing the existing companies here in Nigeria. The reforms we are actually talking about are reforms that would help easy of doing business in the country. The World Bank ranking of Nigeria on the ease of doing business is at the bottom of the ladder. If you make starting business in Nigeria easy, that will help in the formation of new businesses and it will help foreign investors to deal with less paper work when they come here. It will also give opportunities to equity investors. More companies will hope to invest in the country in future, so that is an example of positive change we can get and right now, there is interest in Nigeria. Everyone is now shifting focus from GEE, which is part of the Obama administration’s ‘Power Africa Programme’. Now, there is a huge quest about investing in Nigeria. You see Gulf investors buying stakes in Nigerian banks and ETI as well. Also, Gulf investors are buying large stakes

Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Capital, Mr. Igor Vayn, in this interview with STANLEY IHEDIGBO, says the Nigerian economy will improve when the incoming administration takes over in property companies in Nigeria. All of these are in the last nine months, so with regards to the prospective of equity investors, there is a lot of interest. As to whether the incoming government will help the process, I suspect it will. What is your advice to the incoming government on how it can get the economy back on its feet? Your question is very fundamental and that question is appropriate for many countries. I believe when new the President gets into office and the new government is formed, I think there will be a high level of expectations from the whole country on what the government should do to make the country better. I don’t want to sound very Germanic. But the answer is to give people opportunities; to give people opportunities to build their own lives, build their own careers and their businesses and educate the people. Certainly, the level of

corruption must come down and the ability of people to start new enterprises, and small businesses should be enhanced. It should be a very easy process to begin with. The tax holidays and many other things which would help people jumpstart their businesses across the whole country and sectors should be encouraged, not just in the big cities. People should start doing what they feel they can do. Also, proper motivation and stimulation should be given to the financial system to help finance those activities. So, essentially what I am saying is that the focus should not be only on huge infrastructure projects alone, it is extremely important and this is what the previous government did. Whether it was successful or not, we cannot give our own assessment but I believe that if the government starts spending more time on those smaller issues, there will be great success. So what I am saying is not overburdening the process, but simplifying it will help tremendously. Because I believe that with Nigeria having the largest population in Africa, to overcome unemployment and poverty, you need to give the power to wide groups of people to help build barriers. So, if you ask me for a piece of advice for the incoming government, this is it. Looking at the devaluation of the Naira and the interest of foreign investors in the country, if the equity market doesn’t rebound quickly, what negative impact would that have on the Nigerian economy? The depreciation of the Naira may not deter foreign investors from investing in Nigerian equities. There are other factors that inform their investment decisions. You will notice that the stock market was shedding 10 per cent a day, during the presidential election, but immediately the result was announced that Wednesday, the market levelled up. Yes, you may feel that 10 per cent weakening of the currency but you can’t miss the 10 per cent in the stock price in a day, you can see outside the market to work up 20 to 25 per cent. So, I don’t know the risk equity investors buying in the Nigerian stock market over the past months have faced, even they know that the currency might depreciate further. The second issue is that we are still waiting for the Central Bank to find alignment with the new government. The bank is hesitating about what it will do, what the fiscal policy will be, who the new ministers

There are other factors that inform their investment decisions. You will notice that the stock market was shedding 10 per cent a day, during the presidential election, but immediately the result was announced that Wednesday, the market levelled up Igor Vayn

will be and what they would like to do. So, I understand, in the market, it is like what happened there is constraining and we should know more in the next two weeks. Although, if you look at the issue on the scale from 1 to 10, definitely not going to be 1 – 10, is an issue, the currency depreciation just put investors into more comfort. But I would say, this is not the kind of issue which is not top on the agenda of the new government. This is my personal opinion. Your major job are data and statistics collection and over the last couple of years the quality of data and statistics in Nigeria has been poor. For years we have been measuring growth based on GDP alone, but the real situation of the people does not reflect the recorded high growth rate. What is the way forward for Nigeria on data and statistics information? I have been doing this job long enough to know the statistics of most countries around the world. Like Greece in the late 1990s, they would put out data and it was discovered years later that Greece was making up the data to a great extent. For instance, government spending on government debt. These are some of the problems. I read a piece when I was in Europe saying they were expecting a crash in the economy within five years, but it took seven years. It was not a huge surprise because a lot was not right in government, so it is a problem for all of us. Most of the time you work with the statistics you have and what we try to do is to cross-reference, trying to say how Nigeria looks relative to other countries. What about the power output? It is not normal for a country as rich as Nigeria not to have electricity. May be, that is just the electricity problem for Nigeria. So, you can cross-reference to a large extent and it becomes a little bit of guess work. That is what I think a lot of people always face in emerging markets. Your question is paramount all over the world even in countries like USA. When you look at their statistics and look at the real situation, we question what was used in the data collection or information gathering. Is it the correct one when you see that a number says so, zero per cent to one per cent infliction there and in reality people feel the pain of infliction. This is a developed world and there are still questions on their genuine economy. Do we believe in the numbers they produce and questions in many other markets? That is why the work of the independent analysts, independent investment data analyst is important because it does cross references and uses different points to come to conclusion and to challenge the information being produced from suspicious sources. And this is a good comparative process if you wish to change the process. At the end of the day, I believe that officials will look at the number produced by the independent analysts and do their cross references work. I believe that gradually we are going to see an improvement. What the Director General, National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kale, is doing is very impressive in Nigeria.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Equities market on the brink

he Nigerian financial markets (equities and fixed Income) have experienced several events so far in the year which have pressured returns; ranging from the devaluation of the currency to intensified insurgency in North-eastern part of the country, and heated polity pre-general election conclusion, amongst other factors. The Nigerian equities market have maintained an oscillating trend so far in the year, recording a Year-to-Date (YtD) return of -1.00%, which was similar with previous year’s performance for the same period. Further reflecting this almost parallel performance, the NSEASI has recorded gains on just 49 days in the 101 trading days of the year compared to 51 days in the same period of the prior year. Top gainers so far in the year are NPFMCRFBK, NEIMETH, VONO, BETAGLAS and PRESCO, as each stock has recorded price appreciations of 68.75%, 53.85%, 50.89%, 43.88%, and 43.67% correspondingly. On the flip side, UNITYBNK led the decliners after paring by 42.80% YtD, to peg its price at NGN2.86. FO, EVANSMED, DIAMONDBNK, and WAPIC, also followed suit, shedding 22.77%, 21.05%, 20.25%, and 16.93% respectively. According to our Meristem sector indices, the MERI-AGRIC index has advanced the most so far in 2015, after appreciating by 30.11%. The index is trailed by the MERI-BNK, MERIHLTH, MERI-CONG, MERISER U, MERIINS indices which have each appreciated by 14.54%, 9.71%, 4.21%, 3.33% and 0.14% respectively. While the MER-IND index declined most by 7.64%, followed by the MERI-CMG (-6.21%) and MERI-OILG (-0.04%) indices. Looking forward, we are optimistic regarding a possible rebound in the equities market as risk factors abate. This, however, may be pressured by other risk factors in the Nigerian economy which remain prevalent (i.e. persistently pressured global crude oil prices). In this report, we review the year so far as we enter into a new political dispensation, giving our views on what we expect for each sector for the rest of the year.

Economic Round-Up: New government takes office

Tomorrow May the 29th, will go down in history as the day in which the President-elect, from arguably the most keenly contested election in Nigeria, was sworn into office. Expectations of “change” are rife, as most Nigerians expect an immediate change in the outlook for the country. While the out-going government might have recorded some achievements during its reign, some Nigerians and non-nationals do not hold it in high regard. While the incoming president, General Muhammadu Buhari, is renowned for his zero tolerance attitude to corruption, and vast knowledge and achievements in the Oil & Gas sector, as the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) chairman in 1994. It is expected that major factors impeding the country’s performance such as high level of corruption in public offices and insecurity among other challenges will be extensively addressed during his regime. Furthermore, the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is also expected to bring to the table, his wide knowledge of law in improving the country’s perceived weak judicial system. This, we anticipate may support the expected war against corruption and insecurity.

Fixed Income: Reserves down by 14.08% YtD

Yields in the Nigerian fixed income recently enjoyed a relative level of stability, due to increased levels of participation which partnered the abatement of risk factors in the Nigerian economy (primarily political risk). However, consternation remains amongst investors, given the lingering risk factors which may reduce their Return on Investment (ROI) (i.e. uncertainties regarding the Naira, and pressured foreign reserves amongst others). Activities in the bond market closely mirrored those of the T-Bills market, which resulted in the average yield settling at 13.82% (-0.26% YtD) across TB instruments, as investors took advantage of the attractive offer yield

…as optimism heightens

SON which depreciated by 0.55% and 0.28% respectively. No counter posted gains in the week Based on our performance expectations and companies’ positioning in the sector, coupled with their current prices, we recommend FIDSON and MAYBAKER as our top picks in the Healthcare sector.

Insurance sector: Rekindled hope amidst strict regulations

on the Treasury bonds, resulting in a YtD decline of 0.21% in the average offer yield, to 14.63%. The external reserves have witnessed a level of stability recently, paring marginally by 0.30% in the period between the 30th of April and the 27th of May, 2015, although it has declined by 14.08% to USD29.62bn Yearto-Date. We speculate that the stability in the foreign reserves was largely precipitated by the institution of the new FX trading system (Order Based 2-way Quote (“OB2WQ”) following the RDAS shutdown. In addition, the mild resurgence seen in the global crude oil prices in recent times, as Brent crude touched a year-high of USD67.77 on the 6th of May, 2015, may also be partly responsible. We are of the opinion that purchasing high yielding bonds now, may portend good capital appreciation benefits once market conditions normalize, and participation in the fixed income market increases. Our expectations are tempered by certain adverse factors like rising inflation (8.7% in April), and negative news flows regarding the country’s fiscal position which could potentially increase consternation amongst investors. Notwithstanding, we believe that there will be a short-term fade period for most of the headwinds which are currently depressing activities in the Nigerian financial markets

Agric sector: MERIAGR index achieves YtD return of +30.11%

The Agric sector have had a positive run in the year, recording a Year-to-Date return of 30.11%, according to our MERIAGRI index. Three stocks appreciated while two stocks traded flat. PRESCO, OKOMUOIL, and LIVESTOCK, all achieved positive YtD returns of 43.67%, 16.37% and 5.26% respectively, with ELLAHLAKES and FTNCOCOA traded flat. During the week, PRESCO continued its 3-week gaining streak to lead the market outperformers, with a 14.70% gain to close at NGN35.20. LIVESTOCK and OKOMUOIL also mirrored this positive movement with returns +3.00% and +2.08% respectively, while other sector stocks traded flat. The MERIAGRI index appreciated by 6.42% WtD. We are also optimistic that the various stimulation policies put in place to boost the Agric sector such as CACS, Import Substitution, Fertilizer e-wallet Scheme, coupled with the Agric credit guarantee scheme funds from regional and international organizations such as African Development Bank amongst others will continue to drive sector companies’ growths, and consequently sector equities returns.

Banking sector: Resurgence doesn’t mask risk factors The year so far has been wholly positive for banking sector stocks, as many recovered postGeneral elections, after trading at multi-year lows. Also, the better than expected earnings releases by most banks, which benefitted greatly from the devaluation of the naira, played its part in the resurgence. The sector has returned +13.71% so far in the

year, as measured by our MERI-BNK index, and the best performing stock’s this year include; UBA (25.58%), FCMB (24.10%), FIDELITYBK (19.14%), and UBN (19.06%). On the other side, the worst performing shares are led by UNITYBNK (42.80%), which underwent a share restructuring which reduced its shares outstanding to 11.69bn shares. The ticker is followed by DIAMONDBNK (20.25%), STERLNBNK (16.93%), and ACCESS (5.61%). Given all our expectations for the sector, and our anticipations regarding the economy and financial markets, our top picks for 2015 are GUARANTY, ZENITHBNK, which may seem a fairly safe, and predictable selection. However, these are the stock which we expect will remain unaffected by regulatory reforms, and which can maintain their financial performances in the current range over the mid-tolong term.

Consumer Goods: Sector Index records -6.12% YtD

The Consumer goods sector has experienced and endured an array of news, and sentiments which have affected investors’ bias towards the sector’s counters. Analyzing the performance of the sector equities reveals that VONO is the sector’s best performer, with a +50.89% return so far in the year. Following closely are VITAFOAM, NASCON, UNILEVER, PZ and UACN with respective YtD returns of 33.75%, 28.62%, 25.70%, 22.61% and 21.18%. The listed companies in the Breweries sector have not fared so well in the year. GUINNESS, NB, INTBREW, CHAMPION and PREMBREW have recorded YtD returns of -3.06%, -9.20%, -14.42%, -3.30% and -13.98% accordingly. These have not been the only sector equities’ impacted by negative market and sector sentiments, as DANGFLOUR (-9.45%), FLOURMILL (-7.65%) and NESTLE (-15.99%) have also recorded negative returns. We anticipate that most of the companies within the sector will enjoy a modest return for the year as normalcy return to the sector and the economy. However, NESTLE, FLOURMILL and NB remain our top picks for the sector despite their negative YtD returns.

Healthcare Sector: Reforms and CAPEX to trigger sector growth The Healthcare sector has sustained its positive momentum so far in the year with Year-to-Date return of 9.71%, as measured by MERIHLTH index. An equal number of stocks advanced and declined so far in the year, to bring sector breadth to an equilibrium, while other counters stayed flat. NEIMETH, PHARMADEKO and MAYBAKER have all had a positive showing so far in the year, as each stock appreciated by 53.85%, 4.21% and 2.53% respectively. On the converse, EVANSMED, GLAXOSMITH and FIDSON depreciated the most, after paring by 21.05%, 12.00% and 8.21% accordingly. All other counters traded flat YtD. In the week, MAYBAKER reversed its previous week’s gain by 12.90%, to peg price at NGN1.62, trailed by EVANSMED and FID-

In spite of the weak demand for insurance stocks and limited growth drivers, the sector’s YtD return remain positive. Owing to a WtD gain of 0.20% during this week, the insurance sector has recorded a positive YtD return of 0.14%. This performance was swayed by the relatively flat return for most sector stocks, with a lone decliner, and 2 advancers. CONTINSURE (+6.00%) and WAPIC (+1.89%) were the gainers, while NEM (-7.95%) suffered significant price decline to close at NGN0.81. We are optimistic about the growth potentials of the sector, and anticipate increased foreign insurer’s interest in the industry, as has been witnessed in recent times. Following this, we expect growth in the sector to be reflected in the stock prices of companies with strong fundamentals in the mid-to-long term. Based on our forecasts and assessments of individual company fundamentals, our top picks for the insurance sector are CUSTODYINS and MANSARD.

Industrial goods: DANGCEM and CAP remain our top picks

The industrial goods segment of the Nigerian equities market has witnessed a -7.64% YtD return so far in 2015. This, is expected given the economic realities of the country. Three stocks outperformed Year-to-date, while five stocks in the sector underperformed. The gainers’ chart YtD has WAPCO (21.78%), BERGER (11.11%), and CAP (9.33%). While PAINTCOM (-13.64%), DANGCEM (-10.00%), PORTPAINT (-6.67%) and CCNN (-0.67%) depreciated in price during the year. During the week PORTPAINT led the advancers with a 4.90% appreciation in share price to close at NGN3.64. WAPCO (2.00%), DANGCEM (1.27%) also emerged gainers for the week. Conversely, CAP (-3.61 %,) and CCNN (-1.71%) were the decliners for the week, while other counters traded flat. In our opinion, the local content bill, 3.5% urbanization rate, emerging middle class and growing population, 170mn population growing at 2.6% and about c.30% paved road network are other drivers for the sector. However, the main drag for the sector remains the economic conditions of the country, which has limited construction activities so far in the year. Going by our performance expectation and current prices of stocks, our top picks are DANGCEM and CAP.

Oil and Gas: TOTAL outperforms with 22.11% gain Year-to-Date

Investor’s bias towards the Oil and Gas sector during the year has been premised on the fate of global oil prices, and the intermittent currency devaluations (including tacit devaluation) which have affected the books of major sector players. Seplat Development Company, is the only company fully operating at the upstream segment of the industry, and has been the most hit by these factors, while other downstream and midstream companies have fared better. The recent price resistance of global oil (BRENT) at USD60pb stands threatened by global challenges like escalating crises in the Middle East, and also the outcome of the upcoming Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) June 5th meeting. BRENT has gained 8.72% YtD to peg at USD62.33pb. Year-to-Date performance of the sector, shows three advancers and five decliners, while others stocks have traded flat. TOTAL leads the pack with a YtD gain of 22.11%, closely followed by OANDO and CONOIL, which have both advanced by 17.32% and 7.58% accordingly. Contrarily, FO, SEPLAT, ETERNA, MOBIL, and MRS have declined further in the year, shedding 22.77%, 8.90%, 7.72%, 7.09%, and 5.00% in that order.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Ten points to greatness (6) Success Nuggets Victor Okwudiri 08037674300 (SMS only)

Before we go into today’s point, let’s review briefly the points discussed so far.

You are not too small to make an impact. 2. You are not too old to make an impact. 3. The future is now. 4. Stardom does not make stars. Stars make it to stardom. 5. Great things often start small. Now, the sixth point. 6. Your SELF-WORTH is more important than your NETWORTH. I read that for the first time from Professor Pat Utomi. In discussing this point, I’d like to talk of VALUE and VALUES. They are both components of self-worth. VALUE This speaks of what you are bringing to the negotiation table. Your value in a place per time is proportional to the value you add to that place. This principle of

value is the reason some people are relieved of their jobs for redundancy, while others are not. In other words, each time a person is relieved on ground of redundancy, what his employer is saying is, “You no longer add value to us.” Friend, if your absence is not felt in a place, your presence was not needed in the first place. I, therefore, challenge you to strive to add value wherever you are. That way, you will be valued. Friend, stop looking for income. Make impact. IMPACT will bring INCOME. Stop looking for money. Add value. Value addition will increase your financial value. As a matter of fact, one of the Laws of Money is that money responds to value. I want you to know that life is not about Acquisition, but about contribution. Life is not about collection, but about Distribution. As a former President of America, John F. Kennedy, states it, “Do not seek what your country will do for you, but what you will do for your country.” Before I move on to the second limb of this point, I give you this challenge: ask yourself, “If I am a product in the market, will I by ME?” If sincerely you know you will not buy YOU, why do you expect someone else to buy you? VALUES This speaks of what you stand for; what you represent. I ask you today, what do you

That way, you will be valued. Friend, stop looking for income. Make impact. IMPACT will bring INCOME. Stop looking for money. Add value. Value addition will increase your financial value

stand for? Those who stand for NOTHING will fall for Anything. People should be able to identify you for godly and goodly virtues. People should be able to say, “That man will not agree to bribe.” People should be able to say, “That lady will not offer her body in exchange for money.” It was Uthman Danfodio who said, “The conscience is an open wound. Only truth can heal it.” Friend, Place virtues (character) above money and material things. Re-examine your values. I believe you will grasp a fresh passion for living if you do so, for as Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Think about these things. You will succeed. Please follow me on Twitter @ VictorOkwudiri

Public speaking The Big Picture Julian Atufunwa 08032810713 (SMS only)

ne of the most challenging skills as a leader is the act of speaking to groups of people. I find it fascinating when I watch or hear some people make speeches and presentations effortlessly. As a leader (influencer), the act of speaking is a powerful tool in passing ideas across to people. Therefore, I went searching, acquiring trainings on how to master speaking. These are what I’ve been able to learn so far. I feel it would be helpful to those just starting out. Mastering presentation skills When making a presentation or speech to a large group, it is important to be aware of the fact that 1. Your words make just seven per cent impact on your audience. 2. Your tone makes 38 per cent impact. 3. Your body language makes fifty five per cent impact on your audience. A. Building confidence: Speaking confidently is a non-negotiable tip to cultivate, You don’t mount the podium timidly, looking down. No one will take you seriously. To build confidence, it will be better for those just starting out to start speaking to a person, then two, five and so on. I notice that confidence grows with time and practice. Make eye contact as you speak. Another tip for building confidence is to prepare and make research on your speech adequately. Now, don’t ever get over-

confident. Understand the fact that no matter how you try, there is nothing you will say that some people don’t already know. Therefore, do not ever get bigger than your audience. B. Deal with nervousness: Everyone needa to have some level of nervousness. Well, I don’t know if anyone can outgrow that. But it can be controlled and curtailed. I feel nervous when I know that my audience knows and probably knows more than I do; just that I got the microphone. This is how to overcome nervousness or curtail it 1. See the speech making impact in somebody’s life. Build your selfesteem- Have a feeling of being happy with your own ability. 2. Imagine the speech turning out positively. 3. Provide an outlet for extra adrenaline. Always take a deep breath. 4. Be at your best, mentally, spiritually physically and intellectually. Have poise and platform presence • Likeability- Imagine making a presentation in MTN with a red or green tie or suit on. I wonder if you will ever impress them because those colours would have sapped their interest out long before you get started. • Have a charming personality, be attractive. • Practise in front of a mirror ahead of time. • Let your tone rise and fall as you speak to help convey meaning to your message. • Pause a little to draw people’s attention. As much as possible, avoid controversial issues. • Make your introduction and conclud-

ing parts engaging and captivating. • Remember that an effective speech must touch the heart, address human concerns and touch on current issues. • When making a presentation, you must have in mind that what people care about is what is in it for them. • Mind your intonation (cultural/native tongue). Never be abusive or laugh at the expense of your audience. • A good speaker is someone that can reach the listeners’ hearts and engage their attention and leave them wanting more. • When talking about dead persons, learn to pause and drop your voice. • Pronounce the names of people very well. • If you mount the podium with the mindset of making sales, winning clients, you are in for some more pressure and nervousness because your attention would solely be on yourself rather than on the people. Rather, fix your mind on adding value to your audience and as you know, you can’t add value without value coming back to you. Remember, it is not your audience’s duty to pay attention, but your duty to make them give you all their attention. • Repeat key points as often as possible: people may not be able to remember all you say, but they will remember key points or even jot down your stressed key points. Do not take all your time, If you are given 10 minutes to speak, speak for eight minutes. It is always better to end early than late. Learn to politely call people to order, You have the microphone. Finally, let everyone know you are ending by the tone of your voice, appeal to their emotions as you conclude. Till next week remain blessed.

SundayBusiness

CBN trading rules stabilise naira

he rapid depreciation of the Naira has halted since the Central of Nigeria set stringent rules in February aimed at curbing speculative trading on the currency.

According to Bloomberg the currency is now the most stable unpegged currency after Kenya’s shilling among 37 peers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The trading rule limited the volatility traders exploit for profit, prompting firms to call for the rules to be softened or repealed. The trading restrictions have stopped the naira weakening amid an Islamist insurgency in the north of Nigeria and a 43 percent drop over the past year in oil, which accounts for two thirds of government revenue. “The market would love to see some restoration of foreign-exchange flexibility,” said Dapo Olagunju, Access Bank’s treasurer in Lagos. “The question is, when will there be a meeting of minds?” Meanwhile, Sunday Telegraph learnt that the Central Bank has started talks with dealers about how to loosen the trading restrictions at the beginning of May. “There’s no change” yet to the currency regime, CBN spokesman, Ibrahim Mu’azu said by phone from on Wednesday. “We have to see the direction of the incoming government.” The naira has closed within a range of 197 to 200.7 per dollar every day since the end of February, when the regulators first prevented traders from buying greenbacks without matching orders from customers. It was at 199 on Thursday, after tumbling to a record-low of 206.32 on Feb. 12, the day before the new system was introduced. The trading curbs are the latest in a series of measures designed to shore up the naira, which in the first quarter was the fourth worstperformer among 24 African peers tracked by Bloomberg.

Customs accuse Lebanese national of breaking seal

he Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Custom Service has charged a Lebanese, Mr. Fares Chawich and a Nigerian one Chief Emmanuel Ekong to the Federal High Court Ikeja for tampering with the Custom seal placed on five exotic vehicles in their premises for clearing discrepancies. A statement by the Controller of the zone, Mr. Turaki Usman Adamu has said. He stated the unit was compelled to expediently charge the accused persons to court following the illegal act of breaking Customs seal in violation of Section 145(5) of the Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C45 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004. Adamu pointed out that intelligence activity led to discovering that the exotic vehicles parked in the premises of the accused in Ikeja GRA were grossly undervalued in clear violation of the Federal Government import policy. According to him listed the five vehicles as, Brabus G800 Model (2013) Chassis No. 212718, Maybach 625 Model (2009) with Chassis No. 002513, Mclaren SLR Model (2009) Chassis No. 001960, Aston Martin Model (2009) Chassis No. 815026 and Ferrari 458 Model (2013) Chassis No. 195200. He said that the unit had written a letter to the accused following intelligence information that the vehicles did not comply with standard import procedure in terms of due diligence. He confirmed that the documents of the vehicles were eventually subjected to system check at the unit and was discussed that the vehicles were grossly undervalued. The Controller further said, “In line with service procedure and in our quest to recover appropriate duty accruable to the vehicles, placed them on Customs seal after raising a detention notice which one Mr. Fares Chawich who stood as surety had undertaken to pay”. Sunday Telegraph learnt that the total amount of outstanding duty from the vehicles stands at N232, 964,169.00.

SUNDAY

BRANDS SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Insight, Noah’s Ark await Airtel Nigeria’s account

Dele Alao nsight Communications and Noah’s Ark are said to be the two remaining advertising agencies pencilled down for the multi-billion naira Airtel Nigeria advertising account, Sunday Telegraph has learnt. It would be recalled that few weeks ago, the telecoms company threw up the account for a pitch. According to sources, among the agencies which took part in the keenly contested pitch were Centrespread Advertising, the incumbent on the account, STB-McCaan, Insight Communications and Noah’s Ark Communications. From the four advertising agencies, the team of the panelists however, settled for Insight Communications and Noah’s Ark, according to sources. Weeks after the company announced to the two agencies their success at the pitch, the final result is still being expected. Kola Ayanwale-led Centrespread had handled the account at inception before

it moved to Prima Garnet. The Airtel Nigeria ad account became controversial when the relationship with Prima Garnett became sour. Prima Garnet, prior to the sour relationship with Airtel Nigeria, had dropped the Ogilvy name and Ogilvy &Mather (O & M), which used to be its global affiliate. O&M dropped the Airtel Nigeria account on Prima Garnett Ogilvy’s laps following the acquisition of the GSM network operator - then known as Zain Nigeria by Bharti Airtel. O&M is Bharti’s global ad agency. But in 2012, relations between the two partners got rancid after a new ad agency known as Scanad Nigeria opened shop. Scanad is an affiliate of Scan group of East Africa, which also controls Ogilvy Africa among other agency brand names in its network. Prima Garnett dragged O&M and Scanad to court on the premise that Scanad is a Nigeria subsidiary of O&M. This, however, made the Airtel Nigeria ad account

Winners emerge in Legend Stout’s activation platform

hree winners have emerged in the Legend Extra Stout Taste and Tell activation platform in Warri, Delta State. They were able to correctly identify the stout brand, thus equaling a similar feat recorded at the Calabar, Cross River leg of the reward scheme, a statement from the company said. Since the flag-off of the nationwide activation this year, no other cities except Calabar and Warri have produced the required three winners at a stretch. Winners, according to the statement, usually emerge from three batches of three each in a raffle draw for the prizes up for grabs. They are required to taste three stout drinks from three unmarked glasses and tell which one of them is Legend Extra Stout. According to beer enthusiasts, the Warri feat not only showed the popularity of the drink among beer buffs in the town, it also emphasises the unique features that distinguish the Legend brand from other stout brands. John Erhuen emerged the

big winner with a brand new generator while Martin Odje and Uvoh Efe went home with an LED television set and a refrigerator respectively. Efe, a businesswoman after winning, admitted it was her first time of drinking Legend Extra stout. She said her ability to identify the unique bitter taste of Legend won her the prize. According to her, she used to patronising other stout brands but on the night she tried Legend, she won. However, the two other winners have been regular Legend Extra Stout consumers and had no difficulty identifying their favorite brand, the statement explained. The duo said what attracted them to Legend was the strength they derive from each sip. Senior Brand Manager, Stout category and Life Beer, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Funso Ayeni, said: “Legend Extra Stout has come to redefine the stout market and has become the fastest growing stout in the market and that exactly is the path we the brand still following.”

L-R: Chairman, Guinness Nigeria Plc. Mr. Babatunde Savage; Keynote speaker and Principal Consultant/CEO EL-Values Advisory, Dr. Nechi Ezeako and, Managing Director/CEO Guinness Nigeria Plc. Mr. John O’Keeffe at the 5th edition of the Guinness Nigeria Pathway of Pride ceremony held recently at Guinness Ogba Office, Lagos.

to “quietly” move to STBMcCaan. No pitch was conducted before STB-McCaan was asked to take over the account. For Noah’s Ark, having the account in its portfolio is not a bad idea. After all, it would deepen its profile. Though

young, Noah’s Ark has been wining some accounts in recent time. On the other hand, Insight is like the proverbial old warhorse. The foremost agency founded by Biodun Shobanjo is reputed for winning such mega businesses. However, the multi-billion

dollar questions on the lips of followers of events in the industry are that would owners of Airtel rely on the “rich experiences” of Insight and award the business to it? Or would the owners “try something new” with a young but promising agency such as Noah’s Ark and award the

business to the firm? Meanwhile, a school of thought is of the view that the account may be shared between the two agencies. Spokesperson for Airtel Nigeria, Femi Adeniran, was not available for comment on the matter as at the time of filling this report.

Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis makes debut

edia Fuse Nigeria led by Emeka Okeke has been unveiled as Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network, following the consummation of a relationship with the global network. Described as a full-service media independent agency Network, Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network Limited, officially announced the launch of its services in the country recently. Okeke, the founder and Chief Executive Officer, Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network and the chief executive officer, Dentsu Aegis Network Sub-Saharan Africa, Dawn Rowlands,

explained that the arrangement with the Media Fuse Nigeria would cover key specialist agencies in the Dentsu Aegis Network. The specialist agencies made up of global network brands include Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, Mcgarrybowen, Posterscope and Vizeum. These will be supported by its specialist/multimarket brands including Amnet, Amplifi, Data2Decisions, Mitchell Communications (PR), PSLive and 360i. This also infers that Media Fuse would warehouse these global brands in the Nigerian market and offer

services to local and global clients under the different brands. According to Okeke, the infusion of capital by Dentsu Aegis Network, will enable the provision of specialist services from Carat and Vizeum (both full service communications strategy and planning agencies) Posterscope (specialist out-of-home media services) Isobar (digital strategy creative and production) and Iprospect (digital performance) as well as skills transfer driven by access to tools, training and systems such as the Consumer Connection Studies, Dentsu Aegis Network Academy,

Route 500 among others. It would also position the country as a veritable destination for foreign investment in the marketing communications sector. At the unveiling in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network, sub-Saharan Africa, Andre Andrade, said: “We are thrilled with the launch of Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network and the partnership with Emeka Okeke and his team of world-class professionals that will bring our global assets to Nigeria and bring to life for international and local clients alike, our promise of innovating the way brands are built.”

Poster award: Be bold, OAAN urges members T he umbrella body of outdoor advertising agencies in the country, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), has urged its professional members in this year’s Exhibition and Posters Awards to dare to be bold. President, OAAN, Charles Chijide, made the call at the unveiling of the ninth edi-

tion of the awards in Lagos. With the theme ‘Be Bold,’ Chijide challenged creative directors to craft genuine outdoor advertisements rather than runs of the mill. “We will hold this year with 13 awards categories, come June 25. The awards category includes; Diary Food & Beverages, Alcoholic drinks, Non-Alcoholic

drinks, Financial services, Public services/Real Estate, Electronics/Electricals. Others are Automobile/ Accessories, Household products, Pharmaceuticals/ cosmetics, Telecomms, ICT, Legend of Out- of- Home and Grand Poster,” Chijide said. The OAAN president said that the award was a way

by which the Association was helping to promote and rewarding creative excellence in the Out-ofHome (OOH), sub-sector of the Nigerian economy. He stated that the award was also designed as a platform for advertisers, our suppliers and partners to exhibit their products and services.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

igeria’s foremost dairy company, Friesland C a m p i n a WAMCO Nigeria Plc, has feted its stakeholders to mark the 60th anniversary of the Peak Milk brand in Nigeria. The event, according to a statement, held recently in the Zinnia hall of Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. It attracted former Nigeria international and Olympic Gold medalist, Kanu Nwankwo. Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr. Rahul Colaco, who described Peak as “a truly Nigerian iconic brand,”

SundayBusiness/Brands

Peak celebrates 60th anniversary with stakeholders said: “Since the presence of Peak in the Nigerian market, the brand has continued to grow despite several changes in the market. Peak’s success is attributed to two things: First, a singular focus, which is to nourish Nigerians with quality dairy nutrition in order to reach their Peak. “Second, continually ex-

ploring ways to stand out of the crowded shelf and touch our consumers through every stage of their lives. Peak has won industry recognition as an innovative and trendsetting brand that delivers superior dairy nutrition across life-stages. “The brand’s positive results and success is about connecting with our con-

sumers, supporting our business partners and communities to pursuing their aspirations and reach for their Peak!” Besides, the Wamco boss noted that every Nigerian grew up with Peak. “Nigerians are still growing with Peak and without Nigerians, there won’t be 60 years of Peak milk, the iconic

brand that has served the good people of Nigeria from generation to generation,” he added. Also, the Marketing Director of the company, Mr. Tarang Gupta emphasised that the introduction of Peak in Nigeria 60 years ago gave the people “an experience of a new beginning with sharper minds, stronger body and matchless opportunities to bring out the best in them and reach for their peak. This is the inspiring story of Peak in Nigeria.”

He said: “It’s your story, the story of the generations before you and the generations that will come after you. This is the celebration of our great past, happy present and brighter future. To Peak, there’s greatness in everyone. It lives in us. All we have to do is believe in it, work hard at it and we will surely achieve it. Peak at 60 is a celebration of your story, my story, our story and the story of our great nation, Nigeria,” Gupta added.

Dettol, NMA strengthen partnership

L-R: Group managing Director/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Guillaume Roux; Chairman, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; Director, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun and Managing Director, WAPCO Operations, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, during at the 56th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Top 10 UK brands values remain stuck

he United Kingdom’s top 10 brands by value remain the same this year as in 2014, according to Millward Brown’s latest BrandZ ranking. However, half of the brands included have seen a decline in value with the overall value down 4 percent compared to last year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its recent £6.38billion reported financial loss, Tesco saw the biggest fall in brand value (37 percent) but despite the decline it only drops back one position in the UK top 10 to 6th, with a brand value of $9.4billion. “The middle sector of re-

tail is being squeezed by the discounters and Tesco is suffering disproportionately because it is the biggest and has got the most to lose. Tesco is still strong but it has lost differentiation and as a result its brand has weakened,” the report said. Within the banking sector HSBC, Barclays and Standard Chartered have all suffered a decline in brand value. HSBC’s has dropped 11 percent to $24billion but it remains the UK’s second most valuable brand, placing it 35th in the global ranking. Barclays’ brand value has fallen 7 percent to $8.8billion and Standard

Chartered’s decline has been even steeper, falling 25 percent to $6.9billion. The banking sector continues to be dogged by regulatory scandals and government fines, which have impacted both on brands’ reputations and their financial performance. Vodafone is by far the most valuable UK brand at $38.5billion, up 6 percent on 2014, and with a global ranking of 23. It is the fourth largest telecoms provider behind US firm AT&T, worth $89.5billion; Verizon, valued at $86billion, in which Vodafone had a 45 percent share until last year; and China

Mobile, with a brand value of $59.9billion. BT (British Telecoms) is the UK’s fastest growing brand after increasing value by 17 percent to $18billion, although its rate of growth has slowed compared to last year when its move into sports broadcasting with BT Sport helped its value rocket 61 percent. BT holds steady as the UK’s fourth most valuable brand but it moves up six positions in the global ranking to 58th. With its acquisition of mobile operator EE nearing completion, it will become more of a threat in 2016 to Shell – the UK’s third most valuable brand, which remains static at $18.9bn this year. In the 10 years of BrandZ lists, the combined value of the top 10 UK brands has increased 78 percent, from $83.2billion in 2006 to $149.2bilion today, although growth stalled after 2010. This is far below the global top 10, however, which has grown at a much faster rate of 179 percent over the past 10 years, demonstrating that the UK’s top brands have much to do to catch up with their American and Asian counterparts.

ettol, from the stables of RB (Recckit Benkizer) Nigeria Limited, has further strengthened its partnership with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on consumer awareness and education on the harmful effects of purchase and usage of substandard products. The company said this is in furtherance of its commitment to consumer safety and protection, To this end, Dettol said it is in the forefront of the renewed consumer awareness of the adverse effects of substandard and uncertified products on human health during the just concluded NMA’s 55th Annual General Conference held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. On the subject matter, which is also one of the latest cause-led initiatives by Dettol brand to promote a healthier society, the Marketing Director, RB West Africa, Oguzhan Silivrili, said that Dettol was most delighted to strengthen its long standing partnership with NMA for the furtherance of efforts to promote the safety of consumers as well as good health among Nigerians. He added that Dettol has been partnering consistently with statutory bodies in the health sector including the NMA, Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and local governments to educate consumers on the best hygiene practices and to contribute to the health and wellbeing of families in Nigeria for the past 50 years. Silivrili said Dettol’s ongoing campaign was focused on educating more Nigerian families on the need for gold standard protection against germs.

“We see in markets newly introduced substandard, non-certified antiseptic and mainly imported products that do not deliver the optimum germ killing benefit to the Nigerian families,” he said. He warned that the inherent risk and cost of repairing the damage caused by substandard products are usually enormous in the long run. “You cannot take the risk with your loved ones because at the end of the day, half protection is no protection. Low price is not enough good reason to buy substandard solutions. Cheap products might not always be a better option considering the risk that some of the consumers are taking. Dettol is 10 times better in killing germs compared to other brands in the market and is the only proven brand killing 100 illness causing germs,” he said. In a presentation on behalf of Dettol at one of the scientific sessions, Member, Global Hygiene Council, Dr. Nneoma Idika, commended the Dettol brand for the initiative geared towards protecting families from the harmful effects of substandard and non-certified products. She advocated an all-inclusive effort to overcome the health challenges posed by substandard and non-certified products in Nigeria. She said: “The intervention strategies should be privatepublic participation such as it is being championed by RB in the ‘Anti-Cheapie’ campaign against suboptimal foods, drugs, antiseptics and cosmetics in Nigeria are highly recommended. For improved healthcare delivery in Nigeria, proper coordination of burning issues by stakeholders will be necessary,” she said.

SUNDAY

Markets&Mall SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Lagos trade fair complex to host 120 companies

he management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex has said the complex will host an exhibition in partnership with Ukraine International Exhibition Centre and Heritage International Business Concept, aimed at boosting trade in the country. The complex, which used to be the venue for the Lagos International Trade Fair, was a few years ago acquired by Aulic Limited from the Bureau for Public Enterprises under a concession arrangement. “This place is an exhibition and convention centre, so it is a place that should not be devoid of trade fairs and exhibitions at any point in time,” the Managing Director of Aulic, Dr. Chika Eze, said. Ezeh stated that the exhibition coming up between June 6 and 15, with the theme, ‘Boosting Nigeria’s development through creative and innovative industrialization,’ would have more than 120 foreign companies as well as a large number of local companies from the Nigerian business community. She said, “About seven countries through their embassies have booked for special days; they want to address the business community here and tell them what their countries can do, the role of the embassies and their commercial services. Some of the overseas business people are already in Nigeria talking with their

embassies and planning on how to come over and reach out to Nigerian businesses. “We already have 119 companies from overseas. We have 29 of them that are already here with their products and we are expecting others to come in before the end of this month. Also, a company in Eastern Europe is coming to seek a partner to establish a private television station in this country,” he noted. According to Ezeh, the exhibition is being organised to match the country’s upand-coming businesses with suppliers from the international market. “It is an exhibition where we plan to bring into this country, services and products that are not here. We have informed the local SMEs about this concept and they have indicated interest to attend. The match-making will not only help the individual companies but will also help the country in her development movement. By doing this, we will be boosting the economy,” she added. She said the complex which was abandoned for several years had been renovated. She said, “This is a place that was neglected for a very long time and the infrastructure went dilapidated. Anyone that has been here about four, five and six years ago will appreciate the changes that have taken place here.”

10-year-old entrepreneur secures $60,000 investment for sweet startup

lot of those early business efforts turn out to be one-day wonders due to low foot traffic, running out of supplies or just loss of interest. But some entrepreneurial kids have been able to turn their lemonade stands into regular sources of income. Mikaila Ulmer was one of those kidpreneurs. But the 10-year-old has actually taken her lemonade venture, BeeSweet, a step further, securing a $60,000 investment from FUBU

Ulmer

CEO Daymond John on ABC’s Shark Tank. John said in a statement, which was reported by Inc: “Partnering with Mikaila made perfect sense. She’s a great kid with a head for business and branding. She’s got a great idea and I’m happy to help take BeeSweet to the next level.” But BeeSweet isn’t your typical lemonade business. Ulmer uses a combination of social entrepreneurship and a unique product to set her business apart. The lemonade itself is different because Ulmer uses a special flaxseed lemonade recipe that her Great Granny Helen sent her from a 1940s cookbook. She also forgoes regular sugar in favor of honey made from local bees — and the bees are what tie the company to its social cause.

Traders record poor sales amid fuel crisis

Fuel queue

Stanley Ihedigbo r. Prince Obi sells rice and beans in large and small quantities at Ikotun Market in Alimosho, Lagos. He was quite pensive when Sunday Telegraph encountered him at his shop some days ago. He said customers are no longer coming to buy because the prices have increased by six per cent in the last one month. He blamed it on the fuel scarcity in the country. According to him, a bag of ‘Arosol’ Rice now sells for N8, 500 as against N8, 000 before the fuel scarcity. The price of special rice ranges from N10, 500 to N11, 000. A bag of beans now sells for N25, 000 as against N21, 000 before the fuel scarcity. Also, a bag of melon had risen from N38,000 to N53, 000 on Wednesday when Sunday Telegraph visited some of the markets in Lagos. The price of pepper

was found to gone up to N30, 000 from N27, 000. A food vendor at Egbe, Lagos, Mrs. Grace Uwanna, said she shut her shop because of the high cost of transportation. She said the fare from home to her shop had risen from N200 to N400. Uwanna added that she was not able to get to the market to buy food stuff, as the prices had increased by over 300 per cent. She said she decided to shut the shop pending the return to normalcy.“It is not easy for me and my customers who were calling me as they don’t see me at my shop,” she observed. Mr. Stanley Ogodion, a retailer of vegetable oil, lamented that as result of the hike in the prices of petroleum products, said it had led to a reduction in the number of customers. He noted that between last Sunday and Friday, he had incurred losses because of poor patronage. “We have to sell at below

cost price just to get our products out and remain in business,” he said. He called on the government to check the exchange rate, as most of the products such as vegetable oil are imported. “The new government should fulfill its promise of refining petroleum products in the country. The prices of petroleum products will be better,” he urged. Ms. Omolara Owolade, who was in the market to buy food items, said their prices had gone up. She also lamented the high cost of transportation. According to her, the prices of food stuff in the market had doubled, adding that items that sold for N600 before the fuel crisis had gone up to N1200. “My belief is just to pray because if we continue like this, people have suffered a lot and some may revolt against the government of the day. Most of the people

cannot bear the suffering, a situation where there is no kerosene to cook and people must cook food to eat. I can tell you that people are cooking with firewood now in most homes,” she said. Sunday Telegraph’s findings revealed that some traders had not been able to go to their shops as a result of the high cost of transportation in the state. Even some that went to their shops were not able to get new goods or items from their places of purchase to the market. Traders said the increment has had a negative effect on their businesses. They said the prices of goods would remain high, warning that staple items will be out of stock for as long as the problem continues. A survey of major markets in the Lagos metropolis also confirmed that prices of food items and other commodities would remain high till the fuel crisis ends.

Continental Tyre sets up in Mozambique

ontinental, one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers and automotive suppliers, is expanding its retail operations in Mozambique. Continental currently distributes passenger and commercial vehicle tyres into Mozambique and will officially re-launch the Continental brand at the Mozambique Standard Bank Motor show through one of their selected partners, Motorcare Lda. Continental Tyre will be presenting its products and

solutions at the four-day Mozambique motor show. Continental is setting new benchmarks in the premium tyre segment, responding to tougher requirements and specifically targeting different areas of application with new passenger and commercial vehicle tyre families. Continental understands the needs of their customers and has a product offering to meet those needs. “German engineering is our heritage with customer focused technologies at our core. As

a responsible, leading company and trusted partner, we are dedicated to meeting our customer’s needs and exceeding their expectations. You can count on us,” says Shaun Uys, General Sales Manager of Continental Tyre South Africa. Continental is positioned as the company’s premium product range with a primary focus on the original equipment (OE) market, and is the only tyre brand supplied to all seven local vehicle manufacturers in SA, com-

prising of Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Toyota, General Motors and Nissan. Building on this strong following and brand recognition is its expansion in Mozambique. “We are building on this brand association with an up-to-date product range that employs the latest design and technology derived from the Continental Tyre group to provide customers with excellent levels of safety, performance, quality and reliability,” adds Uys.

SUNDAY

Politics SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

The Sunday Interview

Ojukwu’s son: My father, Buhari and I p.32, 33

Interview

‘New President should reduce cost of governance’ p.35 Win it like Buhari: Five startup lessons from 2015 elections p.34 New vistas for NGF after the storm p.38 Senate presidency and Lawan-Akume done deal p.40

President Buhari last Friday

Buhari’s tall agenda

Biyi Adegoroye Assistant Editor biyi.fire@yahoo.com © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

or all perceptible reasons, these are not the best of times for President Muhammadu Buhari, the infantry general saddled with the unenviable task of rebuilding Nigeria from its rubbles of economic decay, social dysfunctions and political profligacy, spanning 16 years. With the recent change of guards, his government now has the gargantuan responsibility of reversing this misfortune. Capturing this in his inaugural speech two days ago, President Buhari put it in perspective this way: “Our situation somehow reminds one of a passage in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar which says, ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life, Is bound in shallows and miseries.’” He put his fingers on the plethora of challenges beveling the nation, stating that the country faces enormous challenges in the areas of insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages are the immediate concerns. Prior to the elections, the All Progressives Congress has promised ‘change,’ especially with the labyrinth problems in the country. Then, many prominent Nigerians said that the nation needed a leader in the mold of George Washington, the first president of the United States and even Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. With the merry making over two days ago, President Buhari must now settle down to business to translate his electoral

As President Muhammadu Buhari settles down to business, BIYI ADEGOROYE and CHIJIOKE IREMEKA, in this report look at the tall agenda before him, which might be the crucible for the real change the nation desires campaign’s promises into programmes, which will address various critical sectors of the polity. Already, the party has unveiled its policy roadmap, the plank on which it intends to address the nation’s problems. At a two-day conference, titled: “Implementing Change: From Vision to Reality,” the dialogue, a brainchild of the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council perused areas like the economy, governance, job creation and security. Though it was a platform for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to decry the nation’s debt overhang of $63.7 billion, the issues dissected include improving the national economy for shared prosperity, repositioning agriculture for job creation and economic prosperity, developing infrastructure for national development, achieving sustainable reforms on Oil/Gas sector, reducing inequality and achieving sustainable human development. Other are; achieving holistic and sustainable reforms in the education sector, developing and

education system relevant to Nigeria’s developmental aspiration, achieving qualitative and affordable healthcare, achieving diversity and inclusion in public life, exploring sports, tourism and creative industry for job creation, governance and improved efficiency in public service, tackling corruption in public sector and foreign policy and agenda for change. Power sector Myriad as the issues are, they can be subsumed under such broad headings as power, health, education, the economy, human capital development and corruption among others. The most critical issue demanding attention from the Buhari’s government is the power sector. Hundreds of industries in the country are either lying comatose or have folded up, while the living standards of the people are at the lowest ebb. Despite the investment of over $16 billion in the sector by the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and the unbundling of the Power HoldCONTINUED ON PAGE 36

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 S

The Sunday

Ojukwu’s son: My fa The son of the late Biafran warlord, late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the current Sole Administrator for Nnewi North Local Government area of Anambra State, Chief Emeka Ojukwu (jnr.), in this interview with PAMELA EBOH speaks on his late father’s attitude to life and what should be the focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration What vacuum in Igbo land do you think has arisen since the death of your father, Ikemba Ndigbo? It’s definitely a huge vacuum, you know. If you look at what is happening in the country now, we Igbos need a strong voice that will stand up for us, stand up against injustice, encourage and lead us. There are many excesses since he died where we can see that he is sorely missed. I do believe that we do have leaders amongst us but the opportunity has not come for them to rise up. I wouldn’t want to believe that men like my father and late Sen. Uche Chukwumerije lived their lives and set examples in vain. I would like to believe that they were able to impact on the younger generation some useful ideas that would help to groom new leaders that would lead by example. So, I’m hopeful that such leaders would emerge. Why do you think it is difficult for a leader to emerge among the Igbos? Nigeria is a strange society. As you go through us, the younger ones who are trying to make a living, make a contribution or have an impact, you find out that those who have been in leadership positions for decades are still around struggling for the same positions. It’s a thing that is maybe not unique to Nigeria but certainly not in the Nigerian system. You find out that you are struggling with your fathers and grandfathers for the same opportunity. That has been an issue. Of course, we have respect for the elders and what have you. When you find your-

Ojukwu

self in such a position, perhaps you will not be aggressive as you will normally be because of the context. I think that has been the problem. There needs to be a change. When former President Goodluck Jonathan took over the mantle of leadership, there was a lot of hope in Nigeria; that there would be a change and he would usher in new blood. I remember how disappointed people were when he decided to use the old guard. For me, that was the beginning of the end. Hopefully President Buhari will think outside of the box and select young blood, fresh thinkers, people that can come up with new ideas. We were disappointed in the previous regime when he did not do that. Some people believe that the Igbo nation has always been taken for granted in the polity. Why so? I hear such things a lot. I think we have to take ourselves seriously before other people can take us seriously. If we continue selling ourselves out and continue undermining ourselves and future for personal interest, then, what do we expect? We expect every person, every group to struggle for self-actualisation, for power, for survival, longevity and so on. And then, there a re

some lessons we haven’t learnt. Igbo people historically have been like a bucket of crabs; every time somebody tries to rise to the top, we pull him down. We have people thinking only for themselves and not for the greater good of the masses. Everybody has come to know that, when they devise their formulas and strategies for success, the fact is that we would still let ourselves down. So, I think we have to look inwards first before we start pointing fingers outside. We have to look at ourselves and change. There are things in this world that are greater than money. We have to sacrifice for the greater good of the people. What role do you think the Igbo nation should play in the political administration of Buhari? There was a lot of talk that the Igbo people were not represented in APC, that maybe because of the different roles people played. So be it, they have emerged winners, the President now is from APC, the party in control and there is a wind of change. PDP which has been in power for decades in Nigeria seems to be imploding. We have to find a niche within the next dispensation, whether Buhari’s administration, APC administration, it needs to be inclusive in nature for them to be able to succeed. It has to reach out to all quarters of Nigeria so. It behooves on them to reach out to everybody from all divides. It would be beneficial not only to them but to us. We also have to think beyond the

traditional ways we have been thinking. We have to look for new alliances, new relationships and perhaps also look inwards to change some of the norms that we have been living with. Whatever worked yesterday, by this I mean whatever formula that worked yesterday must not necessarily be the formula that will work today. So, we have to adapt, change and above all think on the long term for our own survival and wellbeing. We have to be flexible and do what it takes as a group to grow and prosper. I repeat, individuals who have access to power and wealth tend to think for themselves only. This has been the bane of the Igbo people. If we can change from that attitude and begin to take collective decisions for the good of many, then I think we will get out of that picture. If we don’t, we will continue be third class citizens. It is left to us to make ourselves better. I don’t believe in the idea that someone is victimising us, No, we the Igbo people are the ones victimising ourselves. Do you think a typical Hausa man would be comfortable working with the Igbo people closely rather than other ethnic groups in the country? Why not? I don’t see any reason to the contrary. Historically, the relationship between the Hausas and the Igbos has been good. But beyond that, we have to find ways to get along with each other. Hausa people need Igbo people, Igbo people need Hausa people. So, we have to find a common ground to get things work for the good of all concerned. I don’t really look at things that way; maybe because you are this, then this or that is not possible. It all has to do with individual relationships

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Interview

ather, Buhari and I than group relationship. Are you ready and do you think you have the capacity and capability to fit into your late father’s shoes? People ask me that question a lot. My late father was a hero, someone who left his mark in the history of the world. You don’t try to fit into his shoes, you just try to learn from what he has taught you, what experience has equally taught you and try to do the best you can. That was what he did. When my father was growing up, he had a father who was larger than life but he carved a niche for himself which was different from what Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu, his father, chose. It behooves on us the younger generation to carve our own niche and choose our own path. We don’t have to be like him and on top of that, I always say, times have changed. The Nigeria in which he grew up is not the Nigeria in which we are living now. So, what is needed is a different scale of tools. What is important is to survive and prosper and whatever you need to do, to achieve that is what you need to do. You don’t have to look back and try to do what they did. They did what they needed to do in their time with different scenarios and conditions. So, we have to do what we need to do. What do you miss most about him? He was a steady and constant factor, somebody you could rely on. He was a source of wisdom, source of knowledge, history, facts, figures, great adviser and he was an honest person. I remember when I was getting married for the first time, I went to him for advice and while I was alone with him, he said, “Listen, this is my third marriage. So, I don’t think I’m the right person to give you advice. I suggest you look for someone else to advise you.” That was the type of person he was but quite frankly, he was right because obviously, he had failed twice and he was on the third one. That was an honest advice and he was the kind of person that would do that. Somebody else may want to concoct stories but he was quite frank about it so. I sought advice elsewhere. What was the best advice you got in that instance? Well, it wouldn’t be the best advice because that first marriage didn’t work. When do you think Nigeria would be ripe for Igbo Presidency? We are ripe for Igbo presidency but the calculations, permutations and mistakes we have made as Igbo people have not allowed us to attain that particular goal. But, I think we need to be more strategic thinkers. Sometimes, when I look around, I see Igbo people as people playing draught while the rest of the country is playing chess. Draught is a game of three, four, five moves while chess is a game of 14, 15, 16 and 20 moves ahead. We are not long term strategic thinkers. It’s always in the expediency of the moment that we try to solve the problems as they come. We don’t plan. We don’t plan for tomorrow. We only strategise and make decisions for now instead of the greater good down the road and we continue to suffer for it. Igbo people need to stop playing draught and start playing chess. Who do you think will be able to boldly and honestly lead the way without fanning his personal interest or ambition? I don’t know. Like I said earlier, I believe that we have leaders among us and I don’t know if those leaders will be able to take the forefront and take the rightful place. What of the pan-Igbo Organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo? I recall, in an interview first Republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, accused Ohaneze Ndigbo of misleading the Igbos during

the presidential election. Don’t you have faith in their capability to lead too? There have been a lot of troubles in that organisation, but I wouldn’t want to go into that; it’s not also wise to wash our dirty linen in public. But, certainly there have been issues there. My father had issues with that organisation; others like the man you just mentioned had issues with them. You know no organisation of that type that will not make mistakes. They have made mistakes along the way unwittingly but at the end of the day, we have the prerogative to choose those that would represent us, be it Ohaneze or whatever other group that may come up. If that group is not represented as one body, then the opportunity is there for us to make a change. In any case, what is the membership of Ohaneze Ndigbo and what stops some of the younger ones and some of the critics from joining the ranks of Ohaneze and introducing the change they are talking about into the system? The bottom line is for Igbo people…just remember that the needs are many but what is paramount is the need of the few. I continue saying that it is the downfall of Ndigbo, if we get beyond that, then we will have the wherewithal, economic and intellectual resources to succeed and be leaders in Nigeria, West Africa and beyond. You ran for the House of Representative seat for Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo federal constituency. To you, you won but the PDP candidate was declared the winner. Do you have confidence that as you pursue your mandate at the tribunal, that you will get the result upturned in your favour? Totally, we are very hopeful. We have our facts and figures. I mean, it was clear what happened. I had a landslide victory, even those that purportedly won, if you look at them, they are not carrying themselves like people that won. We have the evidence that showed that we won and I believe in the judiciary. There are many examples in Nigeria that show that once legal matters are handled properly, they will make the right decisions. So, I am confident that there we will be victorious. The election was won by APGA candidates and it was very obvious. How then was your mandate stolen? What happened was that in the dying hours of the night, those who claimed to be supporters of the then President Goodluck Jonathan and claimed to be acting on orders from the Villa came, took over the collation centers with armed thugs and with other security personnel, whether they were on legal or illegal duty, I don’t know. They chased away the police that were there, chased people away including myself and rewrote the results completely. But thank God we have our polling booth results that we will take to court and contest what they wrote. Unfortunately, they were such in a hurry that they made lots of mistakes. We know who won, everybody knows who won. In fact, we threw a victory party even after they did what they did because we were convinced we won regardless of what they announced. We know we shall be vindicated but even if things don’t go right, as we know the country we live in, it will not change the truth. I know there would be other opportunities. The change at the top gives us hope also because of those that in essence took over from PDP. This is because some of these things were not done by PDP stalwarts; there was a group of people that essentially took over claiming that they could deliver Mr. President but they were not able to do that. They were so engrossed in petty vendetta, so engrossed in trying to flex their muscles at the local level to show they were kingpins in their localities that they forgot their primary objective of delivering Mr. President. When they couldn’t do that, every other thing fell like a pack of cards; that is what

We have to find a niche within the next dispensation, whether Buhari’s administration, APC administration, it needs to be inclusive in nature for them to be able to succeed they are suffering now. If they had kept their eyes on the goal and delivered their president, then, all things would have flown naturally. Bullies and people who believe they have the mandate to act with impunity tend to make mistakes and that is what has happened. That election was your first experience contesting for any political position. What was it like? Yes, that was my first experience and I enjoyed every bit of the campaigns, the entire process. It is also in a sense a good thing that these things happened. I am also now going through the tribunal process; it’s all part of it. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you are right and I know that I won, everybody knows I won. The court has the opportunity to do the right thing and if we are able to present our case well, I think, we will pull through but if not, tomorrow is another day. The bottom line is that those they tried to perpetrate fraud lost at the higher level; they are suffering from it now and running helter skater. That in itself is success and I thank God that two weeks later in the state House of Assembly elections, and with the boasting of those folks that came to perpetrate fraud that APGA would lose and (Governor Willie) Obiano would be impeached, they failed woefully. I am much more satisfied with that result than mine. If I were to choose, I would rather lose my election and the state assembly goes the way of Governor Willie Obiano. I would rather that happen. Let me lose and let him win because it is better for Anambra. With the outcome of the presidential election, especially in the area of vote spread, do you think Buhari is a pan Nigeria President? Honestly, I think so. You have to remember that there was a concerted effort to deliver him beyond PDP and APGA alliance and still it was not achieved. It shows somebody that has a lot of respect in Nigeria. He is also feared and respected and there is a sense amongst Nigerians that he is somebody that stands for the right. Yes, some people worry that he may be a bit rigid but at the same time, we also yearn for that type of discipline. Nigerians feel that we need strong men, people that can take a position and stand by it and stay the course. He remind us of those days when he was there. Of course, we have to be mindful that this is now a democratic system and he may not have such powers that he had then when he was a military head of state and made pronouncements and wrote decrees. It may be difficult for him but at least, he has more rectitude from his antecedents. He has the experience and leadership qualities. He has the training and discipline that come with the military background; he has age and wisdom on his side. I would like to think that. Some of the things he had done as a young man, he could reason differently now and then the country he is leading has grown and matured as he has. So, I think it’s an opportunity for us to move this country forward. I like to think that if he looks beyond tribe, party and those sentiments, even beyond any historical issues that may be colouring his outlook, then Nigeria stands to benefit

immensely from this change. First of all, the fact I think it says a lot for our democracy, that we have grown to a point where it is possible for that to happen. The issue now is what are you going to do with this opportunity? When the former resident came in, there was that hope also with a lot of expectations but unfortunately, it didn’t come to pass. We have yet another opportunity and I for one, I am hopeful that Nigerians will see something different this time around. What do you think is the best way to tackle Boko Haram? First of all, as I always say, the sitting government has a responsibility and duty to protect lives and property. So, they have to do that, but when some groups undermining the rule of law, then they have to act and act decisively. Sometimes, you have to look beyond that. I think the government has to look beyond military and police action and look at the root cause, societal issues, religious issues and open a dialogue with a view to understanding why this type of ideology is able to take root and able to grow in our society. If they can take a look at that and perhaps at education, empowerment of the youths, etc, may be they can give people alternatives to this kind of indoctrination. Would you say Nigeria is truly a united country where equity and justice prevail? No, it is not. Many countries in the world are not either. We are a young country. I remember an interview I watched hosted by Mike Wallace and in that programme, he interviewed Loius Farrakhan and he made a comment about Nigeria being the most corrupt country in the world…I wish that you looked through the archives and see the answer that Loius Farrakhan gave him. Nigeria is a young country in the scheme of things and if you look at where we have got to, I think we have done quite well. We don’t have to clap for ourselves or slap ourselves on the back because we have so much that we need to still do but we should not condemn ourselves either. If you talk of Nigeria, you talk of corruption, there are many countries that are even more corrupt than Nigeria. There are many countries that have even done a lot worse to others than Nigeria. Yes, we have issues but I believe we are not the worst. Why then is Nigeria in the limelight for corruption all over the world? I think more than five of all black persons in the world is from Nigeria. Nigeria is a big country and I think that it’s part of the reason we attract a lot of attention. It is a difficult country economically and security-wise. We also have a leadership role in Africa, especially in West Africa. So, certainly, we are in the spotlight but like I said, we are relatively a young country with a relatively young democracy and we would make mistakes along the way, the essence is to learn from the mistakes and move on. Do you think Nigeria has lived up to the ‘no victor, no vanquished’ declaration made after the civil war? It was a noble idea. The leadership didn’t have to make that statement. So, you cannot take that away. It is not easy after having won a war to show any form of magnanimity at all. Human beings are what they are. Of course, there were victors and there were vanquished. It doesn’t take much, you can look around and see it but certainly Igbo people have been third class citizens in this society but we have had to climb up again. But, we have not helped ourselves either like I said earlier. So, in response to your question, in reality, there is no such thing as ‘no victor, no vanquished.’ The reality is that if you lose a war, you lose it and there are consequences that come with it.

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Politics

Win it like Buhari: Five startup lessons from 2015 elections

arch 28 was a historic date in Nigeria’s history as it marked the first time the opposition defeated the ruling party in democratic elections in Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy. Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader who had ruled Nigeria for a 20-month period in the early 1980s, campaigned as a born-again democrat and saw the tide of public opinion turn in his favor. Here, CNN’s African Start-Up examines Buhari’s campaign strategy and reveals the key business lessons entrepreneurs can adapt for startup success.

If at first you don’t succeed... keep going This wasn’t the first time Buhari had run for the highest political office in Nigeria -- in fact, it was his fourth attempt. He could have quit on several occasions, but didn’t, and his persistence was rewarded at last month’s polls. Buhari’s endurance and perseverance in the face of setbacks is a key lesson young entrepreneurs can take heed of, says Femi Longe, cofounder and programmes director at CcHub, a tech innovation space in Lagos. “The reality is that starting a business is everyday slog,” explains Longe, who is an expert in social entrepreneurship. “A huge chunk of startups is just surviving to see the next day. You don’t know when the big break will come.” Learn from mistakes and don’t be afraid to re-brand Another area for entrepreneurs to take into consideration is Buhari’s readiness to learn from the previous unsuccessful bids and make changes to the way he communicated his message. “He was willing to smile a bit more, was willing to dress in the outfits of the different tribes, he was willing this time to actually campaign extensively across the country to change the image that people had of him,” says Longe. “There was a lot of work to make him more presentable.” Similarly, startups need to be flexible and be able to adapt their campaigns to meed the needs of their target markets. Longe explains: “At the end of the day it’s about your customers, it’s about your users. And you need to think about how does my business appeal to each of their individual needs and concerns while not losing my core essence.” Focus on setting the right agenda Buhari has also been praised for reading the ground reality accurately and delivering a focused and consistent message. Lazarus Apir, program manager of Transition Monitoring Group, a not-for-profit organization that helped monitor and corroborate official results, explains that even in Buhari’s failed attempts in previous elections, he showed an unwavering focus on his outlook for the country. “Focus is very crucial,” he says. “Buhari said security, he said corruption, he said infrastructure -- all of these problems have continued in Nigeria and today they are only at their worst. “He has kept the focus of things that he is seeing. If anyone wants to build a business empire for themselves, it is very important that they maintain focus. There is a temptation is to be overly dynamic but then (entrepreneurs) lose focus.” Find the right team Many experts have hailed Buhari’s choice of Yemi Osinbajo as running mate as part of the election success story -- a cue entrepreneurs can take in their business plans, says Longe. “The last time (Buhari) ran, he didn’t have the appeal across the country. And this time he had an alliance that gives him appeal across

President Buhari

APC women’s colourful campaign outing

An excited APC supporter

the country. He has people that helped with improving the image of the areas where people had worries about his personality. He was able to work through all of them,” he continues. “We are not judging him as an individual but the collective capabilities of the team around him. The focus is not on one man but the team.

Where the man himself has a weakness, the rest of the team can cover that and you need to have your A-players in charge.” Embrace social media and use it properly Social media has globally become one of the most important tools for candidates

during election campaigns -- and Nigeria’s race was no exception. Cynthia Mbamalu, programmes manager at Nigerian youth charity YIAGA, said platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped the Buhari campaign to reach population pockets that they could have otherwise missed. “Social media provided the opportunity to connect with Nigerians, especially young people,” she explains. “For the first time in a long while there were tweets targeted mainly at promoting the person of General Buhari and the party’s vision for Nigeria.” Mbamalu says the main selling point for startups to incorporate social media into their ongoing strategies is that it allows businesses to enter a vibrant marketplace and engage with customers. “Customer satisfaction is vital in every business endeavor; people are more open to a system that guarantees that their opinions are important. Social media provides the right amount of buzz a viable business idea may need.” But she adds: “Businesses need to understand intrigue, trends and interplay on social media to strategically carve its niche.” Source: CNN

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‘New President should reduce cost of governance’ Jackson Olalekan Ojo, a security expert and a member of the American Society of Industrial Security, is the National Coordinator of Yoruba Youth Alliance and founder of Ijesa Unity Group. In this interview with EMMANUEL MASHA, he speaks on some salient national issues How do you see President Mohammadu Buhari’s move to appoint 19 ministers as a way of reducing cost of governance instead of Jonathan’s 36? We don’t need 36 ministers. I applaud Buhari for cutting it down to 19. It will definitely reduce the cost of governance. The office of the minister of state is a duplication because it has the same numbers of vehicles like the office of a minister. The minister and the minister of state have retinue of aides. So, having 36 ministers is a sheer waste of the nation’s resources. What is your reaction to the fact that the National Assembly takes N250 billion as annual budget? Setting aside N25O billion annually for the National Assembly is indefensible. The Buhari administration and the coming federal lawmakers should scale down the cost of running the National Assembly. N250 billion is a huge drain on the nation’s financial resources. Our lawmakers who really want to serve the country must agree to make sacrifices for the growth and development of the country. Should Buhari advocates a salary cut in the executive, including ministers and heads of agencies of government, would you recommend that the legislators should also have a salary cut as well? A salary cut by legislators may not be necessary, considering the fact that lawmakers are actually closer to the grassroots than the executive. Their emoluments, I have come to realise are usually bolstered by their constituency allowances through which they execute some social projects. If you take away their constituency allowances it will seriously affect their relevance to thousands of people who look up to them in the rural areas. The legislators constitute the second arm of government which makes its activities to be autonomous. They draw up their own budget and so the legislature should be allowed to determine whether it wants a salary cut or not. The executive should be careful not to spark up any conflict between itself and the legislators for that may affect the smooth running of government. While I would not support any form of conspiracy between the Federal Government and the National Assembly against the collective interest of Nigerians, the autonomy of the National Assembly must not be interfered with by the executive just to demonstrate that the in-coming government wants to be frugal in its public expenditure profile. The drain in the economy occurs more glaringly in the executive. Can you imagine a situation where a state governor maintains a fleet of about 17 vehicles? Some ministers have fleet of official cars worth over 150 million naira. The maintenance of these exotic cars is also a big drain on the economy. To reduce the overall cost of running the Federal Government, the executive should begin by looking inwards. I agree with General Buhari when he said the cost of running the executive is too high. The presidency, ministries, agencies and departments of governments in the federal and state governments should be pruned down to save more funds for worthwhile capital developmental projects.

The President should reduce the number of aides attached to ministers. It appears the presidency has allowed the ministers to employ aides to reflect the structure of the presidency of the public service where a deputy can have two assistants or more while an assistant can have two other assistants. These assistants have officials too who are funded by the government. Buhari should ban ministers from going abroad for medical check-ups. Is it not scandalous that a Nigerian Minister of Health will go abroad for a medical check-up? As key positions in the National Assembly are being filled, do you think zoning arrangement should be followed, or should merit dictate the sharing of key positions? Irrespective of what party produces the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, I will strongly suggest that equity should be followed in selecting the next set of leadOjo ers at the National Assembly. The North-West has produced the President, while the Vice President has gone to the South-West. I think the NorthCentral should be allowed to produce the Senate President, while the North-East should be allowed to produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker should go to the South-South or South-East. Since there is currently no ranking senator from South-East, I think it will be appropriate for the post of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, should go to South-East or South-South. The office of the SGF is the engine room of the government, so it depends on whom the candidate that has the trust of the President. Having produced the Vice President, I don’t think it was wise to again zone the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South-West. The APC should not copy what the Peoples Democratic Party did in 2011, when members of the House in their majority joined ranks to subvert the zoning arrangement of the PDP which had then zoned the speakership to the South- West. The difficulty of how to zone key positions has cropped up now because the APC has won majority of the seats in the National Assembly. If the PDP had won, the seeming problem of zoning that has been capturing the headlines because the slip the PDP made in 2011 due to its negligence which led to the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal as speaker, from the North-West, would not have occurred again. The South-West would have been thinking of producing the speaker, and I am sure other zones would have easily conceded the position to the South-West, considering the support political leaders from the South-West in the then opposition Action Congress of Nigeria gave to the eventual emergence of Tambuwal.

Nigerians appear to be focused on the zones that get the Senate Presidency, the Deputy Senate Presidency; the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker, why is the race for the other key positions like majority leaders and minority leaders in both houses not being actively canvassed by legislators from the six geo-political zones? If there is no constitutional provision that authorises the majority party in the house to produce the Speaker, then the onus lies on the members of the House to vote for whoever they trust that can give them good leadership essentially if he is a ranking member of the House of Representatives. In this case, without resorting to zoning or no zoning, then, I will suggest that Wole Oke, from Ijesa-North, who has been reelected for a third term into the House of Representatives, should be considered as the next minority leader. Oke has sponsored many bills and he is known for his vibrancy and courage. He will be a good interface between the House and the government. He also speaks the major languages in the country. How do you see the current ripples in the PDP after it lost the elections? Is it now that the elders of the PDP realised that all was not well with the party? Is it now? Why didn’t members of the NWC publicly caution members of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign team? Members of the NWC have come out to say they were cut off from the Jonathan’s campaign team and that no funds were given to them? So, why did they not intimate the president of this development? They claim that access to the Jonathan became very difficult. Are they saying the campaign council was superior

to the NWC? What happened to party supremacy? The NWC claims the governors of the party hijacked the campaign structure of the president. The NWC had stated publicly that it was sidelined. Was that not a mistake? If members of the PDP NWC did not have access to Jonathan nor had any role in the president’s campaign efforts, why didn’t they mention these drawbacks to the press? To me, the NWC is crying over split milk. It should have alerted Nigerians or members and supporters of the PDP that its hands were tied by overbearing governors and foot soldiers of former President Jonathan’s campaign organisation. The truth is that his campaign organisation had some persons who ordinarily should not have been appointed to handle such assignments. The arrogance, bitterness and campaign of calumny exhibited by some of these persons truly infuriated Nigerians. At a time in the course of the presidential electioneering campaign, the presence and utterances of some influential spokespersons in the president’s campaign organisation became a huge minus for Jonathan. And this is a lesson for all of us. The truth of the matter is that those who assured Jonathan that they would rally six million votes for him in the South-West lost in their units. The PDP candidates who won elections in the last general elections in the South-West are those who are truly relevant in the politics of the South- West. I am sure that the lessons learnt from the outcome of these elections will assist all serious politicians in planning for future elections. Nigerians are no longer interested in hate campaigns. Any serious politician, henceforth, will have to identify persons who can articulate his polices without insulting people.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Buhari: Implementing change by confronting C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

ing Corporations of Nigeria into DICOS and GENCOS, the megawatt available to the country is below 1,000. Many policy analysts have criticised Jonathan’s government’s focus of distribution of power with less emphasis on its generation. Equally obnoxious was government’s provision of heavy bailouts of about N250 billion to the DISCOS for takeoff, relying on recouping the fund by recovering billions of naira debts owed the former NEPA/PHCN. Such optimism is now a mirage, leaving many of the DICOS in a comatose condition. Couple of weeks ago, Yola DISCO, in Adamawa State has backed out of its purchase agreement and returned its license. There is no doubt that the sector requires a surgery. To the Senior Staff Association of Electric-

Obaze

ity and Allied Companies, the privatisation process was based on what it referred to as “partisan exclusivity,” where competitive bidding was replaced by manipulation and a mere sharing of assets. The association said the preferred investors were ignorant of the magnitude of the power sector problems even as they were bereft of good business antecedents. With several opportunities like gas to power arrangement, in a nation which flares thousand cubits feet of its gas daily, not a few Nigerians are bemused by government’s failure to explore strand. Equally puzzling is the inadequacy of hydro and solar power supply even with the advent of Independent Power Projects spread throughout the country. The SSAEAC’s President, Bede Opara called for speedy review of the Power Sector Act of

2005 to reflect the overriding national interest and strengthen regulatory competence and authority of NERC. It also seeks immediate review of the power sector privatisation process to identify and sanction unqualified investors. He called for immediate investigation into alternative sources of power like solar, coal and wind as vital measures to save the power sector from collapse. Corruption- building of institutions Given the embarrassing level of corruption in the polity and its grinding effect on national development, Nigerians want Buhari to comb the nation with the view to recovering all stolen money and handle all cases of corrupt enrichment. In this respect, Human right lawyer and activist, Femi Falana said the President has made corruption a campaign

issue and his administration must live up to his billings. “I do expect that Nigerians will demand a concrete action on the part of the president on the issue of corruption. Nigerians are shamed and embarrassed by the level of unprecedented corruption in the country. It has stigmatised the country in the committee of nations. Since the president promised Nigeria that he was going to attack that menace of corruption, Nigerians are expectant and we must demand that. “Fighting cabals in oil sector is part of corruption we are talking about. He must be total in his fight against corruption. It must not be limited to any particular sector. Corruption has become more corrosive to the development of Nigeria. Also, there is corruption in the media as you and I know. There are publishers, who deduct taxes from the journalists’ salaries but do not remit them to tax authorities. “There are others who don’t pay the salary of workers as at when do. These are parts of corruption plaguing the country. There are also religious institutions, which were alleged to have collected money from politicians for the elections. So, it has to be total. It’s not just the business of the government alone to fight corruption. Our religious institutions, schools and everybody must be role models of integrity. “Again, it’s difficult for me to set an agenda for the president because it is the business of his party to do so. But Nigerians have the duty to hold the president accountable with respect to the promises made by him to Nigerians, while canvassing the people’s votes. He has to do what he has to do to solve our economic woes by providing regular power supply.” To achieve that, it has become very imperative for government to strengthen institutions like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission as well as the Nigeria Police Force. These institutions should be allowed to carry out their professional duties without bias and influences, liaise with their counterparts in other countries and its headship must be above board. NNPC and the CBN The collapse of the nation’s refineries and consequent over-dependence on importation of refined products are issues of great concern. Equally disturbing is the unimpressive performance of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of Nigeria and all its allied departments, which have culminated in grounding multi-billion naira petroleum subsidy scam. To worsen matters, the corporation’s account and that of the Central Bank of Nigeria have not been audited in the past three years. The dust raised by former CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, about NNPC’s failure to account for about $20 billion is yet to be settled, a year later. More so is the recent allusion to it by Sanusi and his insistence has further propelled the likes of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair’s call for a clean-up of NNPC and scrap of fuel subsidy. Similarly, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos State, Most Rev. Alfred

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myriad of challenges facing a nation

L-R: Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, wife of the president, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Goodluck Jonathan at the inauguration ceremony

Adewale Martins said the new government should think of diversifying the revenue base of the country to reduce the country’s over dependency in oil revenue. He said, “We know that Nigerian economy, which depends mostly on oil, needs to be diversified. There is absolutely no doubt about it. We need to be able to go back to those areas that we have neglected over the years and this will help to create more confidence, both in government and in the people. The price of oil went down and the country becomes so vulnerable that everybody was now afraid that we won’t be able to meet with the obligations of paying salaries not to talk of capital expenses. “It’s completely rational that we should not put all our eggs in one basket. We need to really go all out to expand our revenue base. That is one area I hope that the new government will pay attention to. Again, in the oil sector, we have heard of corruption that reigns there, which made it impossible for such resources to be used for the development of the country. The corruption has made these resources to go into few private pockets, denying the country meaningful development. I was glad to hear that the president-elect said he would probe further into the $20billion oil money. If he does that, such level of confidence in the economy would bring about foreign investors and the economy will survive. I believe we cannot compromise on the matter of corruption.” Cost of governance A number of people have expressed deep concern over the high cost of governance in the country. At both the legislative and executive levels, the cost has been very high even in comparison with what obtains abroad. For instance, it is estimated that the National Assembly consumes a huge percentage of the federal budget. Four years ago, Sanusi raised the alarm that about 25 per cent of Federal Government overheads was spent on allowances of lawmakers. The annual budget of the office of the Senate President is about N150 billion. Some civil society groups have said that it costs Nigerian taxpayers about N290 million annually to maintain each federal lawmaker. It is said that a Nigerian senator earns about $2.1 million (N200million) per year, compared to that of an American senator who earns $174,000, while that of a South African parliamentarian and his Kenyan counterpart is $104,000 and $74,000, respectively. This too, is another area where change should be carried out for overall national development.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan handing over to President Muhammadu Buhari

We are going to tackle them head on. Nigerians will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us. We must not succumb to hopelessness and defeatism. We can fix our problems Implementation of confab report Though many northern elites were opposed to the report of the 2014 National Conference, many Nigerians want the Buhari’s administration to implement the report. The position is premised not only on the fact that the nation had yearned for such conference for decades, it contents are said to be germane for national cohesion and growth. Of particular importance is the provision for six Vice Presidents, representing the six geo-political zones in the country. Observers believe that this would eliminate the rancor,

which greeted the demise in 2010 of then President Umaru Yar’Adua. Speaking at a programme in Lagos, the National Democratic Coalition called on Buhariled government to ensure implementation of the report. Chairman of the coalition, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd.), said that Buhari government cannot effect the needed change it craves unless the resolutions of the confab are implemented. Though a belated move, Kanu urged the incoming National Assembly to work on the report as sent to it by Jonathan as a matter of urgency. On the issue of probing corrupt public officers in the country, he said Buhari should probe every one of them found to have embezzled Nigerian money. “It’s a good thing to do but the fear is that when such a thing is being followed, committee will be set up and they will write their report, which will be the last thing you will ever hear of such probe panel. It’s important that investigations are made and pursued to logical conclusion.” Security and corruption Sadly, security has remained the nation’s most daunting challenge, especially since the advent of the Islamic terror group, Boko Haram, whose horrendous activities have deci-

mated the population of the North-East and destroyed its economy in the past six years. As at the time of this report, over 209 Chibok Secondary Schoolgirls have spent over one year in the group’s den. Besides, thousands of women and children are also believed to have been kidnapped, even as many of those liberated from the terror group are hibernating at internally displaced persons camps, albeit with physical and emotional pains. Thousands of not-solucky others have been killed by the terrorists. Akin to insecurity is the mass unemployment in the country. Millions of graduates are churned into the labour market yearly, as the limited number of industries lack the capacity to accommodate them. The decay of infrastructures is another issue begging for the new government’s attention. While this persists, the pervasive cesspool of corruption in the nation is also a source of serious concern. The level of corruption and impunity have affected every sector of the polity from judiciary to public service, schools and the private sector, thereby impeding national growth and development. In the past few years, scores of investigations conducted by the National Assembly into the subsidy scam, pension fraud and sundry others running into billion of naira have been swept under the carpet. A handful of suspects charged to court as was the case in the pension scam, were given verdicts which amounted to a pat in the wrist in comparison with the fund stolen. Interestingly, President Buhari is not oblivious of the nature of the problems, as he said last Friday: “Daunting as the task may be, it is by no means insurmountable. There is now a national consensus that our chosen route to national development is democracy… We are going to tackle them head on. Nigerians will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us. We must not succumb to hopelessness and defeatism. We can fix our problems.” After the glitz and glamour which greeted the elections and swearing in events, Nigerians now expect Buhari to hit the ground running. They are waiting for the much touted change which they hope would come in the form of transformation of all sectors of the polity. In line with his oath of office taken a few days ago, Nigerians count on Buhari’s personal integrity to deliver, optimistic that he will strive to discharge his duties faithfully and according to law and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Nigeria.

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Politics

New vistas for NGF after the storm The reconciliation meeting penultimate week by Nigerian governors, raised hope for the revival of the crisis-ridden Nigerian Governors’ Forum. ONYEKACHI EZE examines the intrigues that played out and the tasks before the new leadership of the forum

ut for the statement issued last Wednesday by Osaro Onaiwu, Secretary and Administrator of former Jonah Jang faction of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, most Nigerians believed that the crisis rocking the umbrella body of elected Nigerian governors for the past two years has been resolved. Onaiwu had in the statement denied that the faction has reconciled with the other faction led by the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. Janga, a two-term governor of Plateau State, also left office two days ago. According to the administrator, any such reconciliation attempt was futile as majority of the governors will be out of office in a matter of days. He was therefore of the opinion that the “issues of reconciliation, reorganisation and a new Chairman” of the NGF should be left to the incoming governors. The NGF had on Monday, May 18, after its meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, said it has resolved its differences. Governor Amaechi who read the only communique at the end of the meeting announced that “we are hereby reconciled and reunited as a single umbrella association of the 36 state governors of Nigeria regardless of party or region.” Also, immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio who was one of the staunch members of Janga faction described the meeting as a success with a record setting attendance. “In the previous election or selection of NGF Chairman in the past we never had up to 14 governors in attendance, so this is greatest record we ever had. “When I came in 2007, we were about eleven and in 2011 when Governor Amaechi emerged as Chairman in Kwara, there were only 12. (Today) there were seven governors and five deputy governors or thereabout. You will agree with me that had never happened before,” Akpabio added. Amaechi also explained that the forum hardly get up to 23 governors in attendance. While explaining the absence of other governors from the meeting, he said “they are fully part of this meeting,” adding, “over 20 governors came for the meeting... that is a very good attendance.” Akpabio attended the meeting with his successor, Emmanuel Udom. Sixteen governors, two governors-elect and three deputy governors were present at the meeting including PDP governors. Apart from Akpabio, Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Saidu Dankingari (Kebbi) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) were some of PDP governors present at the meeting. The deputy governor of Kogi State, Yomi Awoniyi stood in for his governor while Nasarawa State governor who had defected to PDP also attended. At the end of the meeting, Abdulaziz Yari, the returning governor of Zamfara State reportedly emerged as new NGF Chairman “by consensus” for a period of one year, from May 2015 to May 2016. No reason was given why

Yari

Yari’s tenure was cut short. The NGF executive was usually a period of two years. Yari who was a member of Amaechi-led NGF faction said as a ranking governor he know the situation of things in the states. “It is an honour to be the chairman from May 2015 to May 2016. (It’s) not because Abdulaziz Yari is better than any of the 36 state governors but it is a collective agreement and consensus that I should lead this forum and coming together from bitter experience we had after our disintegration. “Therefore, we tasted a bitter experience... and during my period I will work harder, I know the situation in the states,” Yari said. Such glowing speeches were convincing and gave impression that the state chief executives have sorted out their differences. To assist Yari in his new assignment are the governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada and governor-elect of Kano State who will serve as deputy chairmen. But Onaiwu’s position, which came barely two days after was an indication that are some dissenting voices. The statement had noted that both Jang and his then deputy, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State “were visibly absent because they did not consider it a priority at this late hour to be part of a selfish project.” Bayelsa State governor, Sieraka Dickson had earlier expressed such reservation in a letter he wrote to his colleagues before the meeting. Dickson had advised against convening and electing new set of NGF officials at the May 18 meeting until after the handover on May 29th, stating that to do so when most of the governors had completed their two terms in office was like imposing officials on new governors elected on April 11. He reviewed the circumstances that led to the factionalisation of the NGF and blamed the outgoing governors for the crisis. “Having participated in the activities of the NGF at the period during its crisis with my respected colleagues, most of whom are now ending their respective governorship tenures, and having also known the roles played by most of the key actors of the forum in the orchestration and mismanagement of a needless crisis at such a critical phase in our nation’s political journey, I owe it as a duty to

Amaechi

The forum should now live up to its duties as a peer group for development of their respective states, and the entire country our country and its fledgling democracy to alert the nation and caution my respected colleagues, especially the in-coming governors of the dangers in allowing themselves to be railroaded by the out-going governors, most of whom created the NGF crisis, to foist on our country and political system another NGF contraption (in their own image and likeness) that will in due course threaten the stability of our democracy and be a distraction to citizens and the leadership of our country, as the NGF tussle has done between 2012 till date. “They failed to show leadership when it mattered most. They played politics with everything and put their personal ambitions and egos above the national interest. As a democrat, I believe in robust dialogue, disagreement and the need to accommodate a variety of opinions and consensus building where the national interest so dictates. Therefore, as true democrats and nationalists, whether we agree or disagree, it must be in the national interest. These they did not show throughout the crisis, even after the tireless and fatherly intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who held series of late night meetings with us. Most took the view that both Jang and Amaechi should step down for a neutral candidate to emerge. Again, they disagreed,” the governor said. Jang group had kicked against the modality of convening the meeting. Onaiwu said Asishana Okauru, NGF Director General has no right to invite the PDP governors to the meeting. He however, said that if such letters were to be written, he should have coauthored with Okauru.

The meeting was as a result of wide consultations across party divide. The presence of key Jang supporters at the meeting such as Akpabio and Uduaghan goes to show the extent of such consultations. Akpabio was not only present, he came with his successor. Most governors were of the view that the resolution of the NGF crisis before May 29 would be a part of new beginning from the country; it would save the in-coming government from distraction. Apart from this, some of Jang supporters knew that PDP had lost the fight immediately the party lost control of most state governments. With just 13 out of 36 state governors, the faction knew that it could no longer push for the control of NGF leadership. Then why was Jang faction kicking against revival of the forum. A source said it was a matter of interest. The faction wants to be accommodated in the new arrangement. “They want a situation where there will be give and take between the two factions. Some members of Jang group, particularly workers at the secretariat should be absorbed and employed in the NGF secretariat. To reconcile without sorting out this things means that the faction has lost the fight,” he said. Amaechi has beaten Jang to the game. His faction initiated the meeting, which attracted more those 20 members. He also presided over the meeting, an indication that he has been recognised as NGF chairman ahead of Jang. With the swearing in of new state chief executives a couple of days ago, the struggle over NGF leadership is now over, and indeed, there are victors and the vanquished. But the fact remains that the forum should now live up to its duties as a peer group for development of their respective states, and the entire country. Like their contemporaries in developed countries, the forum should serve as a platform where each state can borrow from the governance strategies of the other, adopt one another’s public spirited projects and serve even as a pressure groups influencing and compelling government contractors to get value for money on projects execution; and resolve inter- state issues. These are the tasks ahead of the Yari-led forum.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

Politics

When Bongos Ikwe serenaded Buhari at Aso Rock Villa Notes emmyanule@yahoo.com

Anule Emmanuel

s you are reading this piece, Muhamadu Buahari has become the latest occupant of Nigeria’s seat of power, the Aso Rock Presidential Villa as the country’s President. He would be piloting the affairs of the country for the next four years as a civilian leader. Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-Chief of the Armed Forces, as he prefers to be called, has before now been a visitor to the villa until that eventful ceremony last Friday, where he took the oath of office and oath of allegiance at the Eagle Square in Abuja. Buhari has showed up at the Banquet Hall, before going off to the mosque. It was his first official duty where he hosted special guests, especially President of various countries like President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe, President of Niger Republic, US Secretary of State John Kerry to the Presidential Gala Nite. Other Heads of State hosted at the Presidential Villa were those of Namibia, Ghana, Congo Libreville, Mozambique, Somalia, Sierra Leone, as well as Burkina Faso, Ethiopia Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, South Africa, Rwanda, Benin Republic, Angola, Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Popular musician, Bongos Ikwe thrilled the dignitaries when he went philosophical with his song “What is Gona be, Gona be,” an allusion to Buhari’s resilience in his desire to rule Nigeria as a democratically elected President. This was an apparent

three failed attempts at the polls. Ikwe also followed it up with the track “Cock Crow at Dawn”. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who spoke briefly at the occasion, did not fail to tell the delegates, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Earnest Sonekan, former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar and chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun and many others that the President had left for the Mosque since it was the time for the important Friday prayers. He said: “I have to thank you on his (President Muhammadu Buhari) behalf and on behalf of the Nigerian government and people for making the time to come to this inauguration ceremony and to this luncheon. He said: “This, particular, ceremony is one that is very dare to our hearts as a people because over the past two months there has been a clarion call for change and today marks the beginning of that change. “We also like to thank you for the outpouring of support and goodwill which we have experienced since the announcement of the results of the elections. Today marks in many ways the beginning of that change. This has buoyed our confidence a great deal and has renewed our commitment to ensuring that we do not disappoint all of you who have strongly supported us and who even now are here to offer their support and solidarity.” He said “Our country remains committed to strengthening all of the bonds that tie us together as people and human beings on the face of earth, especially a commitment to a more equal world, a commitment to greater posterity for all and a commitment to lifting our very, very many people out of poverty across the world.”

Ikwe

Wonderful actress, Joke Silver, one of the masters of ceremony, was on top of the game at the occasion. It was indeed a reflection of the change in the Villa. Gradually, the list of visitors is changing even as the fashion. Buhari, who later rejoined the event, was in Aso Rock on the eve of his inauguration where he was conducted on a tour of major facilities in and around the oval seat. What was interesting during the tour is the fact that the occupant himself former President Jonathan Goodluck appeared not to have been familiar with the departmentalisation of the villa structure.

The tour of the villa which had been announced earlier by the past administration was scheduled to kick off at 11:00am. But Buhari once again displayed his military discipline and shocked expectant staff and presidential aides when he arrived at the villa at exactly 10:57am. One hopes that he would stick to such promptness and help the country erase the culture of the African time. Jonathan took Buhari whose reign during the military era was in far away the popular Dodan Barracks in Lagos, Nigeria’s former capital. As far as some personal aides of President Buhari were concerned, it was a mere formality. Both leaders first inspected the main office of the President and preceded to the new Banquet Hall located right beside the Oval Office where they toured some equipment that are key to the operation of the Commander-in-Chief. While they did that, former Vice President Namadi Sambo also conducted his successor Professor Yemi Osinbajo around the second section of the seat of power. They all later returned to the council chambers where the former leader presented his handing over notes to General Buhari in the presence of APC party chieftains and cabinet members in the last administration. The eve of the handover was full of activities. From handing of notes to the conference report, President Buhari and his vice were hosted to an inaugural dinner that was well attended by even foreign Presidents. With these formalities over, Buhari and Osinbajo will tomorrow progress with the task of building Nigeria. They have no option but to make a difference from what the Peoples Democratic Party has offered Nigerians in the last 16 years.

Governors take oath of office on Democracy Day

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (left) taking his oath of office as the Governor of Abia State, administered by the Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia…yesterday

Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar (right), after taking oath of office administered by the Chief Judge of Jigawa State, Justice Aminu Ringim, in Dutse…yesterday

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha (right), taking the oath of office in Owerri…yesterday.

Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong (right), taking oath of office administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Pius Damulak, in Jos…yesterday.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Tambuwal’s emotion-laden valedictory speech From the

Green Chamber ternyam@gmail.com

Philip Nyam

ast Wednesday, the House of Representatives held a valedictory session in honour of its departing Speaker, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. The House also officially handed over the leadership of the House to the deputy speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. Tambuwal is now the governor of Sokoto State. The valedictory session was also for Hon. Haruna Manu, who is now deputy governor of Taraba State. He was representing Bali/ Gassol Federal Constituency of the state in the House up till last Thursday. It was an event that offered members the opportunity to pay glowing tributes to the out gone speaker and review their activities in the past four years. This was indeed, Tambuwal final address to the members as speaker because after taking oath of office as governor, he becomes ineligible to hold dual elective positions simultaneously. As usual, the speech was emotion laden and thought provoking. In his address at the occasion, Tambuwal expressed happiness over the unity of purpose displayed by the lawmakers during his tenure as speaker. He noted that the poor relationship between the executive arm and the legislature diverted the House’s attention and severally caused the nation a lot of embarrassment. In his speech entitled: ‘The Power of Unity of Purpose,’ Tambuwal boasted that the Seventh Assembly, over which he presided, was not tainted by allegations of corruption except in a couple

of cases, out of which only one is yet to be given a clean bill. According to him, the attitude of the Peoples Democratic Party, as the then ruling party, in trying to manipulate and stampede the legislature into submission, forced it into a cul-desac and occasioned the rancour between the two arms of government. He said: “I must say that the frosty relationship between the executive and Seventh House was an unnecessary distraction and a source of embarrassment to the nation. It is unwarranted that a ruling party with clear majority boxed itself into that situation. If the executive fails to recognise the independence of the legislature and expects that it is a rubber stamp then frosty relation is bound to follow. Tambuwal expressed deep regret for the failure of the Seventh Assembly to tackle the ‘cabal’ opposed to the smooth passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill. He said: “We shed tears of sadness because we did not rise swiftly to defeat the forces that stood ever so strongly against the passage of the PIB.” Although, he did not name the forces, it is certain that the people who do not want the rot in the oil sector to be tackled must be responsible. He, however, stressed the need for legislature to have a measure of independence to fulfill its mandate to the people. He said: “A legislature that seeks to fulfill its duty and obligation to the electorate whom they represent must exercise its independence and this comes at a price. “A legislature truly playing its checks and balances role would normally experience friction with the other arms of government and other interest groups who have broken the law or desire to break the law in the course

of time. “We had more than a fair share of this friction and torment, but overcame because the naughty walls of partisanship and selfish pecuniary considerations could not withstand the power of unity of purpose”. The out-going Speaker called the refusal of Jonathan to assent the constitution amendment transmitted to him by the National Assembly as a “conspiracy”. “Today, we are faced with the potential of incalculable waste of public resources through the conspiracy of the Constitutional amendment impasse. This document is a product of the highest and most intimate consultations with Nigerians; indeed it is the Bill of the Nigerian people. “All parties involved have a duty to allow or

disallow this looming monumental waste of public funds and public opinion. For our part, we owe Nigerians a statement once again and I am confident that with the slimmest opportunity, this House will make that statement,” he added. Thanking his colleagues and other stakeholders for the success of the Seventh House, Tambuwal expressed sadness “because we did not rise swiftly to defeat the forces that stood ever so strongly against the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill. “We lament that our Electronic Voting System project could not be brought to fruition. I am confident, however, that with the amendment of the relevant House Rules, the successor Assembly would move swiftly to conclude the half done issues.”

...Gbajabiamila’s campaign receives boost

s the nation awaits the emergence of a new leadership in the House of Representatives, the chances of minority leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) to become speaker of the House in the Eighth Assembly continue to brighten up following endorsement by his colleagues. At the weekend, a re-elected member, Hon., Pally Iriase (APC, Edo) dropped out of the contest to support the opposition leader. This is the second contestant to withdraw from the race in support of Gbajabiamila. Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno) had done so about a fortnight. Addressing journalists in Abuja alongside the minority leader, Iriase said that he withdrew from the contest due to “a deep sense of

responsibility and sacrificial self-denial. I have decided, notwithstanding my robust qualifications, to quit the race for Speaker and fully support Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the current Minority Leader, for the job. Iriase, who represents Owan East / West Federal Constituency in Edo state said that supporting the House services committee chairman, Hon. Yakubu Dogara’s candidacy will be insensitive. “The question may be asked - why did I not team up with Hon Yakubu Dogara? The reason is that a Dogara Speakership under the current reality will be insensitive, repugnant to equity and good conscience and will not be feasible, as it flies in the face of all precedents and the principle of Federal Character”.

Senate presidency and Lawan-Akume done deal

Sufuyan Ojeifo erhaps unwittingly, the governing All Progressives Congress, has solved the most difficult aspect of the problem confronting it in the selection of presiding officers in the National Assembly by jettisoning zoning of offices for merit, experience and ranking. The process of zoning the offices, particularly that of the senate president, had become intractable, threatening to tear the APC apart, until the party decided to throw the contest open. In my two previous interventions on the issue, I had tried to offer some illuminations as to the path the APC should take or the direction it should go in the tricky circumstance in which it had found itself, especially with some audacious members poised to go the whole hog in the battle for the coveted seat of Senate president. The trio of Senators Bukola Saraki, George Akume and Ahmad Lawan had thrown their hats in the ring. They brought a large dose of intrigues and horsetrading into the mix. The themes of the first article titled: “Senate Presidency: Considering the Akume, Lawan Options” and the second article, titled: “Senate Presidency, Speakership: the Conversation Continues” favoured both Akume and Lawan Senate presidency. It was pretty difficult for me in my first outing to prop up one against the other. I had simply navigated the turbulence by proposing an Akume Senate presidency if the APC ceded the position to the North-Central and a Lawan Senate presidency if the party decided to cede it to the North-East zone. That was quite explicable: both aspirants are very good, meritorious, experienced and, in the legislative parlance, ranking senators. In other words, either of them would make a good senate president; or put differently, both of them have all the requisite qualifications to occupy the office. In my second outing, after the APC had discountenanced the factor of zoning, I weighed all the aspirants on

Lawan

Akume

the scale of merit, experience and ranking and concluded that while Saraki failed to measure up, both Akume and Lawan were spot-on in their claims on merit, experience and ranking. My argument was that overall Akume would appear to have a head start over Lawan, apparently guided by the senate standing rule. Whereas, Lawan was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007 before his election into the Senate in 2007, the same year Akume got elected into the Senate, in determining ranking, the senate rule does not take into account the fact of previous membership of the either the state legislature or House of Representatives. That makes both Akume and Lawan equal in terms of length of tenure. The head-start, which Akume has over Lawan, as I argued, is the fact that Akume has been a principal officer, to wit: senate minority leader since 2011. By virtue of that seniority, now that the APC, which he leads as minority leader in the senate, has become a majority party, Akume should have been allowed to progress into the position of senate president in line with the convention of leadership by progression in advanced democracies. In the same vein,

I had argued that the minority leader in the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, should also have been allowed to progress to become Speaker. Those were the frontiers of the conversation that I continued to expand in my second intervention before the horse-trading that redefined the shape and course of the race for the senate presidency. Although, I came short of suggesting that Akume and Lawan should agree to step down for each other so that one would pick the position of Senate President and the other Deputy Senate President simply because I did not want to offend the sensibilities of either of these solid candidates, it was gratifying when the APC Senators Unity Forum, a group comprising 37 out of the 60 members-elect, got Akume to step down for Lawan so that Lawan would emerge as Senate President and Akume as Deputy Senate President. That move gave birth to a very solid APC block in the emergent Eighth Senate, leaving Saraki with the support of 23 senators to search for support in the PDP caucus to shore up his dwindling fortunes. Knowing the Senate politics and politicking as one does, the acclaimed 23-member Saraki Like Minds group cannot remain intact between now and the

day of inauguration. Saraki will steadily lose some of his supporters, who would not want to miss out in the chairmanship of standing committees, to the Lawan-Akume group, which looks good to clinch the presiding officers’ slots. Indeed, Lawan and Akume have played the smartest politics and made the fastest move in the race for the senate plum positions. It was clear that both might have been defeated by Saraki if they had stuck to their guns of going into the planned primaries in the APC senate caucus individually. Having sat back to consider all the indices on ground, it was clear that the only way to breeze past Saraki was for Lawan and Akume to present a tag team or joint ticket. That worked perfectly for them. It also bolstered the support for the ticket among senators of the PDP caucus. Lawan is believed to enjoy the solid support of the outgoing Senate President, David Mark. Mark is very influential and would be instrumental to securing the support of a majority of 49-member PDP senate caucus for LawanAkume ticket. Saraki will get his share of support from the PDP caucus, no doubt. That is the scenario to expect. The coast appears very clear for the emergence of LawanAkume tag team as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively. In fact, the conversation has ended as far as the race for the Senate presidency is concerned; yes, what, in popular parlance, could be captured in the following words: “end of discussion!” I patiently await the election of Yobe-born Senator Lawan, a brilliant legislator, a prolific contributor to debates on the floor, an incorruptible chair of the Public Accounts Committee and an intellectual in the Upper House (with a Ph.D in Remote Sensing) as the President of the Eighth Senate; and Akume, a sedate but highly fecund legislator with an uncommon capacity for generosity as Deputy Senate President on June 8 or 9, depending on the day contained in President Muhammadu Buhari’s proclamation of the eighth session of the National Assembly.

Life SUNDAY

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

At last, change comes to popular Lagos market

Business activites going on

Camillus Nnaji After four persons lost their lives and about N100 million worth of goods and property was destroyed by fire three months ago, the management of Mile 12 market in Isheri-Ikosi Local Council Development Area of Lagos State says it has sanitised the market. Previously, the market was a den of suspected criminals, who gave it a bad image. Their activities were also a source of worry to traders at the market and people who usually came to procure food items. The management of the market told Sunday Telegraph on Friday that it had rid the place of miscreants and those selling inflammable items after the fire disaster. The marketers under the aegis of Sukura Yam Market Association said the prompt response of the Lagos State Government and the local council had repositioned the market and made it to wear a new look with serious business activities. Secretary of the association, Mr. Collins Obichukwu, told our correspondent that with assistance from the state government, they had repositioned the market. “I can tell you that after the fire disaster which was caused by a surge, the Mile 12 Yam Market has been sanitised by the immediate intervention of the Lagos State Government and the local council. Immediately after the incident, we set up a committee with representatives from the government. The committee has done so

well,” he said. Obichukwu said they pooled resources to rebuild the market while precautionary measures had been put in place to stop a future occurrence. Obichukwu said: “We have put in place a security committee monitoring the market and people’s movement. If anybody is doing anything, he is doing that at his own risk. Those selling petrol and other inflammable products have been ordered out of the market.” He said the market is owned by the state government and that letters had been sent to public-spirited individuals, soliciting for financial assistance. He said they were hopeful that they would be assisted in concluding the rebuilding of the market. Meanwhile, two people, five vehicles, five motorcycles and 20 shops were burnt as the fire razed the popular market. The fire began around 4:42a.m, with balls of fire ascending into the air and causing panic in the neighbourhood. There was suspicion that the fire was sparked by black marketeers of fuel and diesel in one of the shops in the market, especially as it broke out in that section. Traders watched helplessly as their goods and shops worth millions of naira were destroyed by the fire. Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service mobilised with several water tankers to fight the fire. Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, as well asthe police and others were on ground to combat the fire.

Mile 12 market razed down

The inferno was put out around 8:40a.m after raging for about four hours. Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said illegal oil bunkering activities were being carried out in the market. He said three tanks were discovered in the market, saying that the fire started from the place where fuel was being sold. General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that two dead bodies were brought out of the ruins of the market, adding that five motor bikes were also burnt. He added that six vehicles, including one car, three buses and two trucks were

burnt in the inferno, adding that 20 shops were also consumed by the fire. He said some illegal sellers of petrol and diesel in a shop in the market caused the fire. “The fire started around 4.42a.m at the oil and fuel section. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. “LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency responders are on ground to salvage the situation. Five motor bikes, one car, three buses, two trucks and two burnt dead bodies, 20 shops were affected. Recovery operation is still in progress,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

A D V E R T R AT E S BLACK & WHITE

COLOUR SIZE F/Page H/Page Q/Page 14x5 14x4 14x2 13x5 13x3 12x4 12x2 11x5 11x4 11x3 10x6 10x5 10x4 10x3 10x2 9x5 9x3 8x2 7x5 7x2 6x6 6x3 6x2 5x5 5x3 5x2 4x2 3x6 3x2 2x6 2x2 2x1 1x1 2x6 FPS 2x6 BPS 2x2 Ear Piece

RATE 532,000 315,000 172,000 455,000 364,000 182,000 422,500 253,500 312,000 156,000 357,500 286,000 214,500 390,000 325,000 260,000 195,000 130,000 292,500 175,500 104,000 227,500 91,000 252,000 117,000 78,000 162,500 97,500 65,000 52,000 126,000 39,000 84,000 26,000 13,000 6,500 585,000 550,000 225,000

VAT 26,600 15,750 6,600 22,750 18,200 9,100 21,125 12,675 15,600 7,800 17,875 14,300 10,725 19,500 16,250 13,000 9,750 6,500 14,625 8,775 5,200 11,375 4,550 12,600 5,850 3,900 8,125 4,875 3,250 2,600 6,300 1,950 4,200 1,300 650 325 29,250 27,500 11,250

TOTAL 558,600 330,750 180,600 477,750 382,200 191,100 443,625 266,175 327,600 163,800 375,375 300,300 225,225 409,500 341,250 273,000 204,750 136,500 307,125 184,275 109,200 238,875 95,550 264,000 122,850 81,900 170,625 102,375 68,250 54,600 132,300 40,950 88,200 27,300 13,650 6,825 614,250 577,500 236,250

LOOSE INSERTS Rate / 1000 copies (1 Sheet) Rate / 1000 copies (Magazines) Handling Charge / 50000 copies Change of Name/Box

RATE 45,000 90,000 250,000 4,500

SIZE F/Page H/Page Q/Page 14x5 14x4 14x2 13x5 13x3 12x4 12x2 11x5 11x4 11x3 10x6 10x5 10x4 10x3 10x2 9x5 9x3 8x4 8x2 7x5 7x2 6x6 6x3 6x2 5x5 5x3 5x2 4x6 4x2 3x6 3x3 3x2 2x6 2x2 2x1 1x1

PRODUCT RATE VAT 398,600 19,930 230,000 11,500 118,500 5,925 308,000 15,400 264,400 12,320 123,200 6,160 286,000 14,300 171,600 8,580 211,200 10,560 105,600 5,280 242,000 12,100 193,600 9,680 145,200 7,260 264,000 13,200 220,000 11,000 176,000 8,800 132,000 6,600 88,000 4,400 198,000 9,900 118,800 5,940 140,800 7,040 70,400 3,520 154,000 7,700 61,600 3,080 187,200 9,360 79,200 3,960 52,800 2,640 110,000 5,500 66,000 3,300 44,000 2,200 124,800 6,240 35,200 1,760 93,600 4,680 39,600 1,980 26,400 1,320 62,400 3,120 17,600 880 8,800 440 4,400 220

VAT 2,250 4,500 12,500 225

TOTAL 418,530 241,500 124,425 323,400 258,720 129,360 300,300 180,180 221,760 110,880 254,100 203,280 152,460 277,200 231,000 184,800 138,600 92,400 207,900 124,740 147,840 73,920 161,700 64,680 196,650 83,160 55,440 115,500 69,300 46,200 131,040 36,960 98,280 41,580 27,720 65,520 18,480 9,240 4,620

SIZE F/Page H/Page Q/Page 14X5 14X4 13X5 12X4 11X4 10X6 10X5 10X3 9X4 8X3 8X2 7X4 7X2 6X3 6X2 5X2 4X2 3X6 3X2 2X6 2X2 2X1 1X1

RATE

5% VAT

TOTAL

20,000,000.00

1,000,000.00

21,000,000.00

10x6 FP

8,500,000.00

425,000.00

8,925,000.00

Half Page FP

5,750,000.00

287,500.00

6,037,500.00

4x6 FP

2,800,000.00

140,000.00

2,940,000.00

2x6 Under Masthead

1,550,000.00

77,500.00

1,627,500.00

10x6 BP

7,200,000.00

360,000.00

7,560,000.00

Half Page BP

4,850,000.00

242,500.00

5,092,500.00

4x6 BPS

1,425,000.00

71,250.00

1,496,250.00

Full Wrap

TOTAL 446,250 257,250 143,430 411,600 329,280 382,200 282,240 258,720 252,800 294,000 176,400 211,680 141,120 94,080 164,640 82,320 105,840 70,560 58,800 47,040 111,510 35,280 74,340 23,520 11,760 5,880

PROPERTY / ICT / VACANCY ADVERTS F/Page H/Page Q/Page 14x5 13x4 10x5 9x3 2x6 6x2 2x2 1x1

TOTAL 47,250 95,000 262,500 4,725

WRAP AROUND SIZE

PUBLIC NOTICE RATE VAT 425,000 21,250 245,000 12,250 136,600 6,830 392,000 19,600 313,600 15,680 364,000 18,200 268,800 13,440 246,400 12,320 336,000 16,800 280,000 14,000 168,000 8,400 201,600 10,080 134,400 6,720 89,600 4,480 156,800 7,840 78,400 3,920 100,800 5,040 67,200 3,360 56,000 2,800 44,800 2,240 106,200 5,310 33,600 1,680 70,800 3,540 22,400 1,120 11,200 560 5,600 280

DESCRIPTION Pages 2 & 3 (75% surcharge) Pages 4- 8 (50% surcharge) Pages 9-11 (25% surcharge) Back Page Centrespread Doublespread Halft Centrespread Half Doublespread

350,000 185,000 95,000 294,000 218,400 210,000 113,400 54,000 50,400 21,000 4,200

17,500 9,250 4,750 14,700 10,920 10,500 5,670 2,700 2,520 1,050 210

367,500 194,250 99,750 308,700 229,320 220,500 119,070 56,700 52,920 22,050 4,410

SERIES DISCOUNT 5-10 Insertions 2.5% 11-15 Insertions 5.0% 16-20 Insertions 7.5% 20-30 Insertions 10% INSIDE PAGES RATE 931,000.00 798,000.00 665,000.00 5,000,000.00 1,330,000.00 1,197,000.00 831,500.00 750,000.00

5% VAT 46,550.00 39,900.00 33,250.00 250,000.00 66,500.00 59,850.00 41,575.00 37,500.00

TOTAL 977,550.00 837,900.00 698,250.00 5,250,000.00 1,396,500.00 1,256,850.00 873,075.00 787,500.00

OTHER SPECIAL REQUEST ATTRACTS 25% SURCHARGE OF THE SIZE VALUE

FOR ADVERT BOOKINGS, CONTACT Lagos Office: 1A, Ajimobi St. Off ACME Rd., Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos. Advert Hotlines: (Lagos: 0902 928 1425; Abuja: 0805 511 8488). Abuja Office: Telegraph House, Minister’s Hall, Mabushi, Abuja. FCT. E-mail: newtelegraphadvert@yahoo.com, info@newtelegraphonline.com, advert@newtelegraphonline.com. Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Taking 3-piece suit apart

Vanessa Okwara

he three piece suit (also called a “vested suit”) is any type of men’s suit with the addition of a waistcoat. Standing out in a crowd is as simple as adding a waistcoat, unlike the equally striking but less flexible double-breasted suit. For a man seeking a distinctive style,

Jacket & trousers: Absolutely timeless and classic. A black two piece suit looks great on everyone and makes statements for formal events.

the three-piece suit has obvious merits. It creates a single, unbroken stretch of the suit fabric from ankles to shoulder. In a quality fabric, the smooth drape of cloth all the way along the body gives a man’s body a handsomely balanced appearance. A three piece suit is one of the most versatile menswear pieces a guy can own. The vested suit greatly increases

the wear-ability of the suit because a man can wear the jacket and trousers without the vest, or all three pieces together, or the trousers and vest for when he is at his work desk for example. The great thing about a three piece suit is that it doesn’t always have to be the complete package. You can get a lot out of it by mixing it up and pairing pieces together or as separates with

other items in your wardrobe. Here are different ways you can rock your three piece suit in style:

Waistcoat & trousers: Worn without the jacket, a waistcoat creates a wonderful, slim silhouette. As a result, it’s important to make sure your shirt fit is on point. Always leave the bottom button of your waistcoat unbuttoned.

Jacket worn separately: the

Tr o u s e r s worn separately: this

is ideal for a Casual Friday look.

three piece jacket is a fairly formal-looking garment. Taking a playful approach can lead to great results. A fun pocket square can really tie a look like this together.

Three Piece – All Business: I t’s masculine, elegant, and definitely says that you mean business.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Body&Soul

What is destroying your relationship?

t the rate things are falling apart in the country-crippling economy, fuel pump price increase and so many uncertainties – it’s a wonder we are still standing as a nation bond by unity. All the same, the current happenings in the country are obvious signs that the thread binding us together as a nation is fast losing its elasticity; unless we take some drastic measures to address those issues and proffer solutions. The same thing goes for love relationships. You meet a wonderful person, fell in love and made a commitment to love and cherish that person for the rest of your lives. Then along the way, either or both of you begin to introduce certain characters that are capable of tearing to pieces the solid relationship you have taken time to build over time. The relationship has taken a turn for the worse and nobody is making any effort at redressing the problem. The idea that two people meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after is one of the biggest myths ever perpetrated by Western civilization. High rate of divorce in most of these Western countries is testimony to the fact that this myth should only be reserved in fantasy land and not taken as a yardstick for natural relationship. The real truth is two people meet, fall in love, begin to live together and then do just about everything they can to diminish and destroy their love for each other. Most of the time, they actually do these things without being aware they are destroying their relationship. In this article, rather than shedding light on what to do to make a success of your relationship (I’m sure you have had your fill of so-called happy endings from Telemundo and other TV soap operas) , I’ll rather show you how to single-handedly

CONNECT NG vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com destroy any relationship that matters to you in ten easy steps. Why should you want to know how to do this? So you can quickly recognise those characters you have been pulling off that has been affecting your relationship and breeding tension in your home. By truly understanding how to make something fail then you can also understand how to make it a success. Deal with the character flaw, and all other things will fall in place. Here are ten pitfalls that can ruin your relationship: • Taking your Partner for Granted It is all too easy for even happy and contented relationships to become stale; especially if you begin to take your partner for granted and fail to appreciate the

The real truth is two people meet, fall in love, begin to live together and then do just about everything they can to diminish and destroy their love for each other

qualities that you initially fell in love with all those years’ ago. For a relationship to remain happy and satisfied, you must continue to prove your love and appreciation throughout the duration of your time together. • Expecting Perfection Perfection is a myth. You cannot have a perfect relationship. You may let other people’s opinions of what a “perfect relationship” should look like influence how you view your relationship and when you don’t measure up, you decide something must be wrong. No relationship is perfect and you can’t hold yourself or your partner to those fairy tale standards. • Trying to Control or Change your Loved One I know we all “know” we shouldn’t enter a relationship expecting to change anyone, but subconsciously we still try. Repeat the Serenity Prayer over and over if you have to. In case you don’t know it – here it is: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. • Lies Even the devil cannot keep up with you when it comes to telling lies. There is nothing as destructive in relationships as telling little “white lies” from time to time.

As time goes on, you virtually lose your partner’s trust and destroy the bond in your relationship • Never apologising: Love means that when you mess up, you apologise. Having a quarrel is inevitable. How you “repair” your quarrel is your choice. So say “I’m sorry” and then have fun kissing and making up. Being hostile too much of the time. Being resentful often will definitely scare your partner from being close to you. They will want to avoid you or become afraid of you. Either one will destroy intimacy and trust. • Being self-absorbed or self-centered. Looking out for you, not for the welfare, happiness or contentment of your partner—and certainly not being mindful of what’s in the best interest of your relationship. • Being unfaithful: Breaking your promise or marriage vows to be faithful to your partner is one the biggest ways you can destroy a budding relationship. Nobody likes to be cheated on. • Avoiding Honest and Open Communication You must never be afraid of engaging in honest and open communication as a way of resolving relationship issues, as your willingness to confront harsh home-truths reflects a desire to make a love-match work. • Neglecting to Take Care of your Appearance Those who neglect to take care of themselves are essentially revealing a lack of drive or hunger for self-improvement, while also underlining the fact that they are not prepared to make an effort to look nice for their partner. •Send your views to the email above!

Cinematic world and gender questions

love Nollywood, not for the content of its production, but for certain practices that exist within it that practitioners may not even be aware of. The Late Toun Oni was a consummate practitioner until her death and my, what joy she brought into our lives with her performance in her old age than when she was younger. Iya Rainbow flourished in the Yoruba sector of Nollywood until she was 70 and gloriously retired to nurture younger artistes. Clarion Chukwura is still going strong and she seems not to have aged one bit. Patience Ozokwor too is still there shining despite the influx of flesh-flashing young ones into the surreal world of Nollywood. Oh, I cannot forget that Joke Silva is still a silver lining in any film no matter my doubts as to the content of such film. The aforementioned actresses found a place in the movie world despite being over 50. Now, someone may ask, ‘what has that got to do with anything?’ Well, I would have asked the question too if Maggie Gyllenhaal had not come out last week to accuse a certain section of Hollywood of ageism and institutional sexism. She reportedly said that she was denied a role in an upcoming movie that should (or should’t, depending on who you are talking to) tear up the box office. And the reason, she was, at 37, too old to play the love interest of the main actor and action hero who is, wait for it, 55. This accusation has sent social media into meltdown and more actresses are

coming out to declare how they have also been overlooked for roles due to their age. Knowing Hollywood, age is always a hot potato especially where women are concerned. It is the only reason the next best profession in Los Angeles after acting is reconstruction surgery. Every lady in Hollywood wants to stay young or the roles dry up. Maggie Gyllenhaal should know. After being cast in the Batman movie, she must have expected the floodgates of Hollywood to open and the cash roll in. I struggle now to think of anything noteworthy that she has done since. However, male actors seem not to have that problem. Imagine, Harrison Ford at over 60 years of age is still

an action hero playing Indiana Jones and hero-president in Airforce 1. Steven Seagal at 63 is still playing the ass kicking police officer/any law enforcement officer imaginable and yet no young blood can take him down. The guy never gets a scratch on his shirt in any of his movies. And did I mention Jackie Chan? Many cannot believe the petite Karate lord is over 50 years of age. Yes, no one seem to care if it is a man but when it comes to women, we wonder if they still have it. Their acting skills is not the consideration, but their age. On a more serious note, it must stop. In her informative volume, ‘The Silvering Scree: Old Age and Disability in Cinema’, Trent University Profes-

Knowing Hollywood, age is always a hot potato especially where women are concerned. It is the only reason the next best profession in Los Angeles after acting is reconstruction surgery. Every lady in Hollywood wants to stay young or the roles dry up

sor, Sally Chivers, actually points the accusing finger at the society and how it treats the aged in its midst. What we are witnessing in the films is a reflection of the society at large. Yes, the world is dominated by what I can only describe as the masculine mentality; we associate anything strong, powerful and result oriented actions to the male species and then we simply consider the female to be weak and at best, a reproduction factory. How many times have we heard the expression ‘stop being a sissy’? Or ‘stop yelling like a woman? For there to be a change in the film and cinematic representation of women, there has to be a cultural change in our perception and approach to gender issues. Which is why Nollywood is worthy of commendation for at least keeping the actresses in my introduction in business. And that is where the culture card comes in. We tend to overlook the fact that women have a role to play in our society and that is why it is easy to project this in films. I know, it can get tedious that all they play is the wicked witch or the overbearing mother in law; the truth is that these scenarios play out in our societies. The oral culture in our (Nigerian) society means that the woman keeps everything going and plays an active role in the workings of the society, yet we fail to acknowledge her efforts. So, I guess it is not just Hollywood that is being called to question by Maggie Gyllenhaal; it is all of us who share the living space called earth.

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul with

Wole Adepoju 07037763410

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Kessington Adebutu pampers self

Bucknor

Tosyn Bucknor finds love

erhaps because of her health status as one who is living with sickle cell anemia, many would have expected dark skinned Tosyn to assume a laid-back attitude to things and be held back from expressing what she’s got inside of her. But she has over the years proven she is not someone who would be slowed down or limited by anything. Apart from going through the challenges she may have encountered to become a presenter of note and a musician, she has taken a bold step to create awareness on sickle cell through her non-governmental organisation, Genes. The graduate of law presently runs one of the most popular morning belt programmes on Top Radio 92.3FM Lagos. Not allowing her health status to be a hindrance to her dream and being on top of her game are some of the reasons why she’s endeared to many. One thing that has been lacking about her is marriage. Not only is she not married but at no time has she been romantically linked with any man. Going by what was witnessed of her recently, it may not be out of place to say Bucknor has eventually found a man whom she loves. Penultimate weekend, Tosyn became the cynosure of all eyes at the venue of a stage play where she came in company with a young white man in whom she appeared to be pleased, going by their gestures. The presumed lover boy, clad in a native white attire and a brown cap to match and Tosyn, spotting a grey knee-length gown, were holding hands and whispering into each other’s ears throughout their stay. Tosyn gleefully introduced her lover boy to a few people.

Lola Omotayo steps out

n the heels of her great looks and societal status, Lola Omotayo has from inception been a kind attraction wherever she goes. But one thing that she seems to have going for her and that has kept endearing her to those who have crossed her path are her good manners and humility. The fact that she got married to Peter Okoye, one of the set Lola Omotayo of twins in the

he business of betting for many years had remained the very way it was known until someone who seemed to have the touch to turn it into a money spinning venture in the person of Kessongton Adebutu took interest in it many years ago and turned it around. Through this lotto business, Ijebu born Kessington, became a money bag even with his hands in many other business concerns. Not only has he taken off from the point of lotto and become successful, many others have also delved into it. Among business concerns Adebutu sits atop are Face to Face Pools, Kessington Industries and Afri-Prints Limited, to mention a few. With his interest established in the business world, another area of life he makes sure he’s not lacking is the social aspect, as he makes sure he parties as hard as he works. Kessington is known to love to live life to the fullest as he does not compromise or swap his happiness for anything. As he looks forward to join the octogenarian club very soon, knowing him for his high taste when it comes to organising social events, anything less of what he’s capable of doing is not expected of him. For reasons best known to him, Adebutu has in earnest started his birthday with a phase that is being handled by his foundation, Kessington Foundation. Part of his several ways of giving back to society is a N60 million swimming pool he recently donated to a secondary school in Lagos. While all hands are on deck to make his 80th birthday a memorable one, an insider said he plans to pamper himself with a rare gift. Although, details are still being kept under wraps, it was exclusively gathered that Adebutu will be unveiling his new bride at his birthday celebration. Adebutu got married to his youngest and last wife, Tope, about 10 years ago. The thirty some years old Tope, a graduate of Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, who has remained the apple of his eyes, bore him a set of twins to show for the union.

popular musical group, P’Square, has not made lose her track. The paragon of beauty and mother of two was days ago spotted at a public event. In her usual way, Lola kept her cool without any airs around her. Looking beautiful and radiant in a red top, black pants and woven hair, those who recognised her among several other celebrities present accosted her for photographs, to which she gladly consented.

Fashola, Fayemi’s political future brews crisis

he outgone number one citizen of the Centre of Excellence, Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, is widely believed to be one of the most outstanding governors ever been produced in this country. His over average performance is not the sole reason why he’s held in high esteem but also his brilliant capacFashola ity. Another person who

falls into the same category is the scholar politician and former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who unfortunately lost his re-election bid. Both men had in the last elections played significant roles at state and federal levels respectively. With their contributions to the victory recorded in Lagos State and at the apex level of government, and the fact that they have been tested and trusted to be virile builders, many had expected they will be given significant roles to play in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. As fate would have it, according to those who should be in the know, their names are said to have been repeatedly coming up for mention, even as Fayemi seems to have become Buhari’s right hand man. But information has it that the political future of this duo may have become a source of crisis in the party. Though facts are still sketchy, the man who is seen as the arrow head of the Change campaign, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is allegedly the one opposing the two for the said proposed national assignment. The issue is said to have generated a crisis in the party. It is said to have been managed in a way that it has not escalated. The bone of contention, according to a source, is that Asiwaju is alleged to be claiming the two men may not be loyal to him. While he’s alleged to be citing his past faceoff with Fashola, the sin hanging around Fayemi’s neck is

that Ekiti State would not have been lost to opposition if he had yielded to his advice.

Tom Ikimi counts losses

do State-born Chief Tom Ikimi sure belongs to the league of Edo sons whose political influence and connections go beyond the state of their birth. Having served at the national level, this has given him out as a politician with a national outlook. His political exposure, experience and the followers he has courted, especially in his state, make him an asset to any political party. On that note, his exit from the All Progressives Congress to join the Peoples Democratic Party was celebrated by his new party and his defection generated so much talk. But little did he know he had embarked on a futile journey. Since he returned to the p a r t y, c o n trary to his expectaIkimi tions, he was made re-

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Body&Soul

Thinking

dundant both at the federal and state levels and to crown it all, the party from which he defected has become the ruling party thereby leaving him to lick the wounds he sustained from his miscalculation. Although unconfirmed, Ikimi might spring a surprise by returning to his former fold.

Abubakar Audu prepares ground

uring his spell as the governor of Kogi S t a t e , b u l k y and light skinned E b i r a prince, Abubakar Audu Audu, was among the most flamboyant governors who enjoyed every moment. His days eventually became over in Kogi State Government House and another person took over. However, Audu has managed to keep his relevance in the state. His pitching tent with the All Progressives Congress against the Peoples Democratic Party, on whose platform he served as governor, may have paid off with the progressives taking over power at the centre. It has not been officially made known in any way but what is believed in Kogi is that Audu is positioning himself to be the flag bearer of the APC come 2016 when the governorship election will take place in the state. This move credited to him is said not to have gone well with some party members who are said to be bent on thwarting his ambition. Also, knowing this early enough, Audu is said to have equally swung into action earnestly to do the needful and pave way for his ambition. Most of his moves are still underground but dependable sources revealed that Audu is currently preparing his war chest for the battle and taking up issues already.

Nomthi Odukoya establishes her presence

omthi, the South African-born wife of head pastor at Fountain of Life Church, Pastor Femi Odukoya, may have eventually come out of her shell to want to establish her presence in the society, as she set to contribute her quota into how the society can be better. Getting off the status of the wife of a celebrity man of God, Nomthi who got married to her husband not too long ago has come up to launch a nongovernment o rg a n i s a tion that will focus on bringing corrective measures to Odukoya child abuse as well as protective means

Aloud

paulhelenproductions@yahoo.com

for both children and adults.

with Helen Paul

Odeneye celebrated

anking in the euphoria of his victory at the polls, the lawmaker representing Ijebu Central federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kehinde Odeneye, has not ceased to attract applause from all and sundry. This is especially as he’s known to be a performing lawmaker. It was a gathering of some privileged people who were invited to be part of an event held in honour of the man at the centre stage penultimate weekend at La’Mango Lounge in GRA Ikeja, Lagos. The event which was powered by Omooba Damilare Oloyede-led Exclusive media group was tagged 3D with Honorable Odeneye. It was packaged to be discuss, wine and dance. In the course of the event with important personalities in attendance, Odeneye engaged in an interactive session where he spoke about his stewardship, state of the nation and hopes for the nation after which the dining session was observed and the man of the day as well as guests took to the dance floor to wiggle their waists to various tunes. The one-term national assembly member elect, Kehinde was coaxed to the event by his amiable wife.

Cowbell, Indomie support Capable Project

he sixth edition of the annual educational programme, Project Capable, may have been boosted with the involvement of Cowbell and Indomie. Also, as a tradition, comedian of note, Seyi Law, popular singer, Waje, and another entertainer, Mannie, have been penciled to be part of this year ’s event. At the event, they are expected to motivate, inspire and educate young people who look up to them as role models in the society. Previous editions had the likes of Desmond Elliot, Jimmy Jatt, Kate Henshaw, M.I Abaga and many more on the list. This year ’s event billed for June 10 will take place at Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos and about 2000 from both private and public secondary schools are expected to be in attendance. YES! Young, Empowered & Succeeding is the theme of this year ’s edition. Project Capable, which is endorsed and approved by the Lagos State Ministry of Education, is designed to offer young people of secondary school age the opportunity to discover the right path to self-discovery through programmes and life coaching sessions specially designed for these purposes. Project Capable is from the stables of Rubies Ink, organisers of Walk Against Rape and is headed and coordinated by Esther IjewereKalejaiye.

) 0807 270 9777

Eye service

German once visited a you turn your back, you instantly temple under construc- become a subject of mockery. tion where he saw a We are living in a society where sculptor making an idol workers pretend to be the most dilof God. Suddenly, he noticed a igent because the boss is around, similar idol lying nearby. but when the boss steps out, they Surprised, he asked the sculptor, don’t care what happens to the “Do you need two statues of the job, so far their pay will be ready same idol?” at the end of the day or month. “No,” said the sculptor without We are in a society where relilooking up. “We need only one, gious leaders compromise the but the first one got damaged at truth; they tell their followers the last stage...” ‘what they want to hear ’ just for The gentleman examined the idol the sake of the fat offerings and and found no apparent damage. gifts they will get from them. “Where is the damage?” he A religious leader, who knows asked. that a member of his congregation “There is a scratch on the nose is into fraud, will refuse to call and of the idol,” said the sculptor, still counsel him. But, rather, will sing busy with his work. “Where are his praise and at the back crucify you going to install the idol?” him. The sculptor replied that it We live in a society full of hypowould be installed on a pillar 20 crites. A man who takes excessive feet high. alcohol and may“If the idol is be cigarettes will We are in a that far, who is pretend to his going to know pastor or Imam as society where the holiest. Does that there is a that mean you scratch on the religious leaders fear them more nose?” The gencompromise the tleman asked. than God? If you The sculptor that taking truth; they tell their know stopped work, those stuffs are looked up at not good, then followers ‘what the gentleman, there is no point smiled and said, doing them at all. they want to hear’ “I will know it...” It is better to ofThe desire to exfend man than to just for the sake cel is exclusive of offend God. of the fat offerings the fact whether I can go on to someone else apenunciate the hyand gifts they will preciates it or not. pocrisy and what ‘Excellence’ is a I call eye serget from them drive from invice among us, side, not outside. but time really Excellence is not for someone else doesn’t permit me this week. to notice but for your own satisHappy Democracy Day in arfaction and efficiency. rears. We pray and hope for a betWe all have one or two lessons to ter Nigeria. But before I call it a learn from this short but incisive day, let’s keep this at the back of story. our mind: We live in a society where eye Don’t climb a mountain with the service is the order of the day. We intention that the world should are in a society full of pretence; see you; climb the mountain with people say or do good things in the intention to see the world. your presence, but the moment

GLOBAL FASHION

Body&Soul

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Fun wild jungle prints Biwom Iklaki

here is a certain pizazz that a classic animal print gives the wearer. Some people swear that they actually connect with their inner feline. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be too shocked by this revelation. You should totally try the look before you sneer at the remark. Styling animal print is for the fun and fiercest of fashion lovers. It could also bring out your wild side if you take a risk in your styling pieces to match the animal

print. From prints of the jungle cats (tiger, leopard, cheetah, etc), to giraffe, zebra and snake, your style takes a nudge to the hotness department when you wear them. They are often paired with black, nude and white, but the more adventurous ones among us do pop their look some more with jewel tone pieces and more. Now, for those too faint hearted to wear full animal print regalia, you could begin with accessories. You could explore how you feel

about this wild print by first trying out dressing in animal print shoes, carrying an animal print bag, jewellery or belts. Then you may move on to the big guns; a pair of shorts, skirt or top paired with a solid colour (remember the black, nude and white we referred to), or pop with a colour. You could also show your animal side in a dress, playsuit, jumpsuit or jacket. Work these looks to suit the occasion; date, red carpet, office, shopping, or just chilling.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Wine & Dine

Body&Soul

Enjoy fruity Chardonnay Ibukunoluwa Kayode

ines are made from different grapes, from the reds to the whites. The origin of Chardonnay was disputed for many years, with some speculation of it growing from the Middle East. However, researchers at the University of California, Davies, United States said the grape fruit is from eastern France. This fruit wine is weighty, thick and regarded as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most distinctive white wines, which can lighten up any occasion with family and friends. Also, further research by another, found Chardonnay to have the highest antioxidants known as polyphenols and contains potassium that helps lower blood pressure and prevents the creation of molecules, which can damage lung tissues. Scientists at the University of Milan also proved that white wine contains tyrosol and caffeic acid, which act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidants to help prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis when indulged in moderation. This grape wine is known for its brisk citrus character, floral lift and incisive mineral. It lightens up the palate for a smooth finish with crisper fruit aromas, more solid character and less resilience on new barrels for flavour, with restrained oak spice to flush the palate. It is a perfect serve for low sugar drinkers and compliments dishes from the continental to the local cuisines. It is best enjoyed served chilled. In addition, looking to lower the pain of migraine? White wine is a preferred option since it is low in the headache inducing compound, tyramine, unlike many red wines.

Irish potatoes with spinach side Biwom Iklaki

ealthy eating is no longer only a thing of fashion during mealtimes, but a way of life. Families have incorporated this healthier option of meals for various reasons including health and wellbeing. For those who do love their healthy options, here is a tasty, nutritious and filling dish to try. INGREDIENTS 2 chicken breasts 4 medium potatoes 3 bunches spinach 2 cloves garlic 1 bulb onions 1 tub butter Salt to taste PREPARATION Marinade chicken with favourite spices and leave in the fridge for 30mins to 1hr (you could also leave over night to enhance the flavours). Place in the oven to grill for at least 40-45mins. You could also leave to cook to your taste (rare, medium rare and done). Slice garlic and onions thinly, cook potatoes soft and mash with some salt and butter. Wash spinach and set aside to drain. Grease pan with remaining butter and let the onions and garlic simmer till slightly brown. Do let leave to burn or the garlic will be bitter. Add salt and throw in the spinach. Stir and leave to simmer for about 2 mins. Stir again and it is ready.

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Safe teens don’t do drugs (1) Areola Samuel

amio has been keeping the wrong company and has been making bad choices. As he was dropped off by the driver that morning, Kamio hurriedly walked into the school with so many thoughts running through his mind. And as he walked into the assembly hall, he ran into a female classmate who took one look at him and then spoke. “Hi Kamio, are you aware of the latest development in the school?” “What development?” Kamio asked sneering a little. “We now have the Safe Schools officials!” Shedan, the female classmate responded excitedly. ‘I can’t believe our stupid school has its own assigned Safe Schools Corps now!’ ‘Kamio! How dare you make fun of our “School authority’? ‘Snorts’, she replied when she was a little farther away from him. Then she added at the top of her voice, ‘Well, the Safe Schools Official won’t be catching me in the act’. ‘So long!’ replied Kamio, as he made his way into the hall. As Kamio walked past several

school mates, he suddenly remembered he must first get back to the school lockers. He had something he must pick before the Safe Schools official get there! And as Kamio walked into the locker room, he suddenly came to a standstill. Right in front of his school locker are the Safe Schools officers and their dogs sniffing at his locker. You are early today Kamio? We will like to ask you a few questions...one of the officers said. Kamio never did wait to answer any of their questions as he turned around and swiftly made for the door at the far end of the hall. STOP! STOP! STOP! The officers cried after him with their dogs loose and running after Kamio. ‘Suspect is running down the Blue house hallway!’ one of the Safe Schools officers cried. There was a little drama as people blocking the hall way splintered in different directions not knowing what they were running away from. Screams confusions and more creams was all that could be witnessed at the moment. But then, Kamio was bound to run of luck as it presently happened.

Cross word puzzle

Celebrations!!!

Director, Jakin NGO, Mrs. Olubukola Adebiyi (r) with vulnerable children during the 2015 Children’s Day in Makoko, Lagos... on Wednesday

‘Hold it right there, Kamio!’ an ing, Kamio,’ the female officer mind you of your situation...’ officer was standing with his and the must friendly looking of ‘We want to give you a chance to palm spread ahead of him as he the three officers said. talk before this goes any further. stood firmly in front of Kamio. ‘Please. I’m not saying any- I’m going to give you a chance to The chase was over but then thing’. Kamio replied trying to cooperate before you’re charged. what was the offence and who look and sound tough. This is bad, Kamio. But it CAN was the offender? He reminded himself that get even worse. You want to It was in the safe schools office, villains in the movies he had wait an extra year to pass out of two Safe Schools officers were watched always looked and acted school? You think about!’ ‘Fine. Who cares. My life stinks seated on the only padded bench tough. found in the office. The officer then spoke, ‘that is anyway. What do you want to Another female officer was your right, Kamio. But let me re- know?’ seated at a table facing Kamio who What sound do porcupines make when also seated at What has one head, one foot and four they kiss? legs? the table. Ans: Ouch Ans: A Bed ‘I am leading the questionWhy was the guy looking for fast food on What is the difference between a school his friend? teacher and a train? Ans: Because his friend said dinner is on Ans: The teacher says spit your gum out me. and the train says “chew chew chew”.

Gags

Why did the birdie go to the hospital? Ans: To get a tweetment.

Why didn’t the skeleton go to the dance? Ans: Because he had no-body to go with.

What do you call someone who is afraid of Santa? Ans: A Clausterphobic

What three candies can you find in every school? Ans: Nerds, DumDums, and smarties.

MOYIN & FRIENDS

LITTLE LINDER

By Ayo Oyerinde

08034407393

By eei

SUNDAY

Faith 51

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Sermon Engaging the power of faith for fulfilment of destiny! (2) p.56

Interveiw Igbo big men don’t go to church - Eke p.53

It’s time to put Nigeria on path of progress –Kaigama

News How Nigerians can help Buhari, by Otubu p.54

Plateau State CAN Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang, leading other denominational leaders in prayer for the new State Governor Barrister Simon Lalong and his Deputy, Prof. Sonny Tyoden, at the event

Tai Anyanwu

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

atholic Archbishop of Plateau State, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama, has advised Nigerians to move beyond election euphoria and place thenation on the path to socio-economic development. He made the call at a solemn gathering of denominational leaders and Christians in Jos, the Plateau State capital city. Christians on the Plateau had rolled out the drums at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters, to thank God for peaceful elections in Nigeria. The Plateau State CAN Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang, had noted that prior to the elections, many challenges stood before the state and Nigeria. “Truly, the last few months have been full of challenges. The media had consistently bombarded the air waves with political messages from opposing sides; each side trying to convince the various geo-political zones of the nation about the best and most eligible candidate to vote for. “The atmosphere was tense as proponents of opposing parties used propaganda, curse words, hate language, editorials, documentaries, jingles and all resources available to them as weapons against competitors,” Bewarang said.

He also noted that the church on the Plateau was almost torn apart and blackmailed for allegedly favouring one party above all. “On the Plateau, the initial three candidates that were about contesting were not just mere candidates of various political parties, neither were they simply members of our various denominations, but all members of CAN, Plateau State Chapter. To me, they deserve equal treatment and support, hence the theme of our February prayer, ‘Lord May Your Will be Done.’” Speaking further, Kaigama said, “What made me sad and indeed very sad were the rumours preceding the elections that the governorship contest was between the Catholic Church and the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN). What added to my anguish was that after the election result was announced, many concluded that since a Catholic was declared by INEC as having won the governorship contest, they expected an outburst of triumphalism in the Catholic camp.” He emphasised that the elections were not for or about the Catholic Church as Muslims, Christians and traditional worshippers all voted. He stressed that statements such as “it is now your turn” depressed him a lot and showed that some Christians still lack the spirit of the comCO N T I N U ED ON PAGE 54

Kaigama

SUNDAY MAY31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Faith

Is it true that women that wear trousers disrepect their husbands? Following the reaction from so many people to last week’s poser: Is it wrong for women to wear trousers? We bring a follow-up: Do women who wear trousers disrespect their husbands?

• Yetunde Etim t serve as cover, to protect the skin. It makes you look smart and walk freely when you are putting on trousers. There is nothing wrong for women to wear trousers. For me, I don’t have a problem with that beconse my husband is not against me wearing trousers or shorts. He will only tell me to put on a long top that will make me look confortable. So my husband does not have a problem with that. It also serves as a cover against rape.

•Lafe Anthony hose who preach against women wearing trousers simply do not know the Bible. There is no place in the Bible where it was stated. People do not understand what the book of Deuteronomy said about a woman not putting on that which pertains to a man and vice versa. In the same place, it also said that a man should not put on wool and linen together. We see men putting on this but I’ve not heard anybody preaching it. The question of trousers as argued by some men is just a matter of ego.

•St Emma don’t know why some people will be drinking paracetamol over another man’s headache. Everyone has his/her own life to live. If a man loves to see his wife in trousers and he buys it for her to wear, would you then say he disrespected himself or what? So, whoever that doesn’t like it should stop criticising those that like or wear it. It’s all a matter of choice.

• Adetutu Agbabiaka Ade omen who wear trousers know how to keep their homes better. In Nigeria, people like to show that they are good Christians by not wearing trousers, earrings and co. If you are closer to some of them in their homes or offices, you would see that they are wicked and they don’t practise what they preach. Don’t judge with the outward look. We should rather concentrate on the inward thing.

•Abimbola Akosile

ome Christian frown on women wearing trousers because they believe it is against the teachings of the Bible. That may well be so, but female clothing items like jeans were not in existence when the Bible was written. For some women, it is much more convenient to wear trousers, especially in the cold climes. However, a delicate balance would be for the woman to wear skirts or gowns to church and wear trousers in the confines of her home or neighbourhood. It also depends on the husband or partner of the woman; he may like his spouse or partner to wear trousers. The bottom line is to dress decently to the glory of God. •IFEANYI OFODU believe that it is not a good thing for ladies to put on trousers. It is against the will of God though most ladies wear it in order to feel equal with men. When they wear it, they feel like they are on top of the world. Some wear trousers for other reasons; most people don’t like it because they use it to show half of their body to entice men. People believe that this dress habit can lead one into lust. Transparent trousers worn by women can be very tempting to some men.

•Mohammed Abubakar t depends on the church and what some Christians believe. For instance, most churches allow their members to put on trousers to church based on their own belief. Some churches, on the other hand, forbid their members from wearing trousers to church or wear it at home. Although, some believe that putting it on make women smarter and freer; it should be wore decently. I don’t really appreciate ladies putting on trousers because it doesn’t make them look decent.

•Eddy Osaze Dion f I give you honey in a bottle that is stained with cow dung, will you grab it and start drinking because it’s honey? No. The outward matters a lot.

•Henry Nwohia hat law was given by God Almighty in the book of Deuteronomy during the time of Moses. It is the law of God, not the law of man. So any woman putting on trousers doesn’t have the fear of GOD. He knows why He did it that way. Women must be submissive to men, and men should respect their wives. But nowadays, women want to do what men do. They do not want to listen to the word of God anymore. If God said it is an immoral way of life, why are we against it? It is not good for women to put on trousers.

•Evangelist Anthony believe It is unfortunate that women put on trousers. Wearing of trousers is not meant for women; it is corruptive yet some embrace the habit. They are not ready to give up even when you quote the Bible where it is written that men are not supposed to wear what women are supposed to wear and women are not supposed to wear what men put. They want to enjoy their lives and that life is the life of hell fire. It cannot help them because God forbids. Women who wear trouser disrespect their husband.

•Opera Chioma believe that women wearing trousers is a sin against God’s command. In the Bible, there is no place it is written that trousers are meant for ladies. It is only meant for men. Women who put on trousers disrespect the law of God.

Compiled by Josephine Damisa and Nzerem Amaka

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Faith

Igbo big men don’t go to church - Eke Congratulations on your grandson’s dedication service. How do you feel as a grandfather? I feel great. If I didn’t feel happy, I would have not come here all the way from the East. I feel so great and also happy that the host bishop of Lagos North Diocese of Methodist Church, Rt. Very Rev. Olu Akinola, who is in charge of the church and the whole members, received me with open arms. I have six children, three boys and three girls, and the three girls are married. The dedication event is the dediation of my second daughter’s child. She gave birth to a baby boy. I left everything in the East to come here and join them. We rejoiced together and thanked God for safe delivery and for the gift of the baby. As a man of God, how are you able to train your daughters? They even got married to ministers. There is the perception that most children of men of God are wayward? I was not a bishop when I gave birth to my children. Rather, I was an ordinary priest. I rose from being a deacon to a priest to whatever I am today. I saw my children as the greatest gift God gave me. I opened my eyes, used my resources to see that they got whatever every good child gets. But if children of men of God are wayward, I am not aware of that. One thing is sure and that is that I trained my children in such a way that they would be able to develop and build their homes. What are the measures you put in place to encourage your children to dress properly? As a father, I like decent dressing. Their mother dressed very well when she was alive. Then my children should dress very well. Obviously, any good family of any good man or good woman should try to train their children to dress properly. Of course, I know that youths that don’t dress properly don’t have respect for their parents. May be their parents don’t give them proper training. My own mother gave me proper training. I received good training from my parents and I had to transfer the good training to my own children. It goes on that way until my lineage will be a place where someone will go and get something good. My daughters are married to ministers. The men know what they saw in my home. One good thing that happened was that I didn’t say no to their husbands because I believed that whoever my daughter wants to marry, that is her husband. I don’t want to know what the man is doing as far as they they live happily as husband and wife. If there is any stumbling block, it is my responsibility to help them to pick up their lives.

Archbishop of Okigwe, Methodist Church Nigeria, Okigwe Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Rev. Nelson O. Eke, speaks on his impending retirement and other issues in this interview with STANLEY IHEDIGBO lead buoyant lives are robbers. Most of them stole when they were in office. What I want to tell everybody going on retirement is for them to prepare their minds that they are going home. If God blesses you with children, those children will bless you. I believed that the children in whom you have invested will be a blessing to you. And I will reap from my children. Second, the church is not supposed to forget those who are retired from its service. In Methodist Church, retired ministers and workers get a monthly stipend; even wives of ministers when their husbands have passed on. Also, the wives of these ministers continue to receive a monthly stipend until they pass on too. I don’t know if there is any other church that does that. The church should not forget people that served them when they were young. If the person kept a good relationship with members of the church and others, you will get their support in retirement. The important thing is that the person should prepare his mind. Was there any special sign you experienced in respect of your calling to the ministry? I cannot remember or identify any sign as my calling. But I believe one thing that when I was growing up, I was only inclined to religious things. Some people would say they dreamt or somebody told them. For me, nobody told me anything but i realised it by my activities and my closeness to the church and the things of God and my involvement in the things around me. In the college, I was with the Scripture Union. I served the group as a letter writer, prayer secretary. Eventually, everything I did as a youth was about Godly things. What are the challenges in the ministry looking at if from where you are now? There are many challenges and I don’t think I can point to just one. When you look at poor salary, you look at insults on you from members of the church. Even some people will see women as their challenge in the ministry; I never faced the chal-

As you prepare to go on retirement, what is your view on such? Stepping aside from office would make you not to be a bishop, if you are a bishop. The church can still invite you for programmes. You attend church and people can still come to your home for prayers. You will pray for them because the spirit of God is not taken from you after retirement. Rather, age has come and the constitution of the church states that if one is 70 years old, it is compulsory that the person will step aside from active service. I am very happy about it and I am looking forward to that day. What message will you pass to other men of God who will be attainig the age of retirement soon? Retirement, whether you are a pastor or governor or a civil servant, provided you don’t steal in the office, there must be hunger. Those people who are retired and still

Eke

The only thing I called a challenge in my life was when my wife died. It put me off because I thought that the world had collapsed. From then on, I knew that I had two jobs. The job of taking care of my children and the job of the church lenge of being seduced by women. It is your character that will make people comes around you. The only thing I called a challenge in my life was when my wife died. It put me off because I thought that the world had collapsed. From then on, I knew that I had two jobs. The job of taking care of my children and the job of the church. Eventually, I was the mother and father of my children. I knew that the church salary was very small before I went into the ministry. When you collect N150 as monthly salary and then as a bishop you earn not more than N400, before it grew to thousand naira salaries that we have now. I know that as a minister, when you go to elders’ meeting you will be confronted. These I don’t see as a challenge, rather as part of my work. The job is bitter and sweet, but God gave me grace to overcome every challenges. What is your relationship with the prelate of the Methodist Church? It is very cordial because he was among us before he became a prelate. He is my brother and so anything to be done to support him, I

will support him in doing it. What do you have to say about the agitation among the South-East people that most of the church’s establishments, including the university, are located in a particular region? I don’t agree with our people on such talk. When the church wanted to started the university, Methodist Church came to the Eastern region to open the school. I was in Uzuakoli in Abia State, and I took the church education committee to Methodist Church College, Uzuakoli. The college has a large land that is suitable for the establishment of the university. Do you know that the old boys association of the college refused to allow the church start the university in the school? One of the traditional rulers in the community asked how much the university would bring for them. Then another town that was not considered for the university and not a Methodist area heard about it and invited the Methodist Church and gave it structures to build the university. And the Methodist Church started the university in Owo, Ondo state, so those things our people are saying are false. The church remembers every region of the country where they have members. If you should check on establishments the church has in Igbo land like in Omaudo in Abia State where we help mentally ill people, it costs a lot of money; if not that international agencies are helping the mission. Also, a lot of money comes from the church headquarters, Marina, Lagos to support those establishments in other regions of the country. The long standing leprosy settlement, tuberculosis centre and motherless babies home, all in Uzuakoil, Abia State are sponsored from Lagos church office. I always disagree with our people, may be other ministers will say yea, the region is being cheated. For me I have not seen it. We regret not having the Methodist university in Igboland. I will stand anywhere and say it. The Methodist cable television and radio the prelate is talking about, somebody from Akwa Ibom has procured all the structures and equipment. He has invited the church to come and take everything. The brand name will be Methodist Church and the television will go on air from Akwa Ibom area. Would an Igbo man will say, you see they have left us. Igbo people have money but their big men don’t go to church. Rather, they bring their money to church. What is the relationship between the World Methodist Church and Nigerian Methodist Church? The relationship between the Methodist Church in Nigeria and the Methodist Church in United Kingdom is cordial because it was from there that they brought the church to us in Africa. The Methodist Church in the whole world is one; even the United Methodist Church in America. January last year, we were in Uyo, where we had a world evangelism seminar, Methodists came from across the country and there were others I don’t know very well like other branches of United Methodist in the North. The Zion Episcopal Church and other small groups I never knew were associated with the Methodist Church. So you see that in the Methodist Church, we are still one. May be before Christ comes, all of them will join into a healthy loving Methodist Church. The UK Methodist Church still supports our church here in Nigeria.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Faith

How Nigerians can help Buhari, by Otubu

resident Muhammadu Buhari will succeed if Nigerians pray hard for him and support initiatives meant at delivering dividends of democracy, The General Evangelist of Motailatu Church Cherubim & Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Elder (Prof.) Joseph Otubu, has declared. Otubu said no administration can deliver without the prayers and cooperation of the governed. The cleric, who spoke with reporters in Abuja, said: “This government is our government. We have a responsibility to make sure it succeeds through prayers

and cooperation. “We have to hold it accountable and support every initiative designed to take the nation out of the wood. We cannot afford to play dirty politics or opposition without fairness.” He called on Nigerians to be prepared to do things differently. This commitment to doing things differently, he explained, is what will bring the best out of the current administration. “We cannot continue the same thing and expect different results. To change what we have been experiencing, we have to do things differently. “When this new govern-

ment begins to make demands from us, we must not hesitate to offer it because that is what will guarantee the change we have been clamouring for.” While congratulating Bu-

hari on his inauguration, Otubu, a renowned gynecologist, asked him to justify the confidence reposed in him. “Nigerians trust this new President and I challenge

him to stop at nothing to fix the nation. He must deliver good governance so much so that when it is time for another election, we would be the ones begging him to contest

again.” He, however, pleaded for patience with the new administration, saying it will take a while before the changes become evident in all sectors of the nation.

Polls: Kaigama counsels Nigerians

Equality law is anti-religious freedom, says lawyer

quality law in Northern Ireland is being used to destroy individual freedom, a leading Catholic barrister has said. Following a legal ruling in Northern Ireland, in which a judge ruled that a bakery run by Christians discriminated against a gay customer by refusing to bake a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan, Neil Addison wrote on his personal blog: “The case will undoubtedly be appealed but what does emerge from it is the complete intolerance of the ‘equality’ industry and the way in which equality law is being used to destroy individual freedom including the freedom of a bakery company to decide what products it wants to make.” He continued: “We in Britain have just been celebrating the 70th anniversary of our victory in WW2 but frankly what are we celebrating, freedom, not if you run a bakery it would seem.” The Northern Ireland Equality Commission brought the case against Ashers Baking Company, which is based in Co Antrim, on behalf of Gareth Lee, whose cake order was declined. District judge Isobel Brownlie delivered the guilty verdict at Belfast County Court last week. “The defendants have unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff on grounds of sexual discrimination,” she said. “This is direct discrimination for which there can be no justification.” Neil Addison said that it was surprising that the judge ruled that the bakery had discriminated on the grounds of sexual orientation. He said: “Northern Ireland is unique in the UK for in making discrimination on the grounds of political opinion explicitly unlawful

and this arises from the long history of sectarian division in Northern Ireland where religion, nationality and political opinion were so often synonymous with British/ Unionist/Protestant identity facing Irish/Republican/ Catholic identity. “Surprisingly in this case the judge held that the refusal of Ashers to bake the cake constituted direct discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation simply on the basis that the buyer, a Mr Lee, happened to be gay even though many supporters of gay marriage are heterosexual and similarly many gay people are opposed to gay marriage. As is usual in these cases the judge paid lip service to the Ashers rights to Religious Freedom under Article 9 and then stated that the law overode those rights.” Both parties have agreed that £500 of damages are to be awarded to Mr Lee. Ashers’ general manager Daniel McArthur said the company will be seeking further legal advice after the “extremely” disappointing ruling. •Culled from Catholic Herald, UK

Facebook is Catholic, Twitter Protestant, says priest

acebook is Catholic and Twitter is Protestant, according to a Catholic priest and moral theologian. Writing in this week’s Catholic Herald, Fr. Alexander Lucie-Smith says that for “a digital illustration of respective theological worldviews, look at the two giants of social media.” In the article, he likens Twitter to Protestantism, saying: “Twitter is a wonderful tool for those who wish to preach to their ‘followers’.

Bewarang CO N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 5 1

mon good. Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, who anchored the thanksgiving, urged Christians to learn the habit of thanking God for His mercies. Earlier in his welcome address, the CAN chairman explained that the thanksgiving, and by extension the beginning of healing/peace-making agenda, was held simultaneously in the three zones of the state, namely COCIN, North Central; COCIN, Central Mangu; and COCIN Shendam, South zone. In his message, he echoed the words of Apostle Paul in the first book of Thessalonians 5:17-18; and urged the church to, “pray without ceasing and always give thanks to God in all circumstances.” He said, “As a nation and the church in Nigeria and in Plateau, we have every reason to give thanks to God for having seen us through the elections in such a great way. We do not take anything for granted for the Lord has been on our side.” In what seemed like the initiation of a healing/peace making process, the CAN chairman continued: “In His wisdom, he has allowed various leaders to emerge at various levels of governance. The outcome at the national level may not have been what you desired, but God allowed it for a purpose. The process may not have been as perfect as you would have wanted, but the perfect God is in charge. The key players may not have been fair, but God is more than fair. He is just! He is sovereign!” He therefore counselled that as people of God, Christians should confidently accept the outcome of the election as God’s will and become more proactive in all dispositions. “We should refocus and ask more critical questions. Rather than ask why, we should ask what we should be doing. How can we initiate a process that will ensure that elected officers align themselves with God’s will?

A cross section of Christians in Plateau State praying for unity in Nigeria.

How can we ensure accountability at of brotherhood, place our dear state all levels of government?” on a higher pedestal of socio economSpeaking in the vein, Kaigama A garden ofsame beauty and gloryic development and harmony among declared: “I am happy that Plateau all,” Kaigama urged. filled with every goodwith thing State CAN leaders together de-and He pointed out that the thanksgivnominational heads decided that after ing was actually also intended to treasure a be place wherehand over Plateau State and indeed the elections of thatlife, could regarded as largely peaceful, we should come Nigeria and its leaders to God for His God came down in the cool ofblessings. together in thanksgiving. “We day weretoallhave filledfellowship with fear and the with “It is not a time of triumphal jubilaanxiety about the unity of our coun- tion. It’s not about who lost but it’s a try and the uncontrollable violence His brand new creation. Gracetime for sober reflection, praying and that could be unleashed as a result of seeking God’s mercies to move away flowed the elections.” from the politics of hatred, religion He also noted that many had pre- and tribe to politics of social develdicted the destabilisation of Nigeria opment and harmony. We are getting there, but not yet,” he stressed. through war, violence and anarchy. “Happily, God Almighty, whose The gathering praised the immeways are not our ways and whose diate past governor, David Jang, for thoughts are not our thoughts, made his contribution to the progress and things turn out differently. Before development of the state while askeven the election result could be an- ing the former governor to patiently nounced, President Jonathan called make himself available as an elder on his main challenger, Gen. Muham- statesman. madu Buhari, to congratulate him.” Kaigama also urged Governor SiKaigama described that singular act mon Lalong to humbly tap from as the ‘miracle of March 31,’ when Jang’s wealth of experience for the God’s will was allowed to prevail benefit of the people of the state. rather than resorting to prolonged Prayers were offered for the new legal war or violence. governor who was accompanied to He, however, said that his joy would the event by his wife, his deputy and be complete when he sees that those his wife. who contested elections in Plateau State in particular embrace, knowing We had different that elections were not a do or die afsessions with some of fair. According to the cleric, CAN in Plathose seeking election, teau has prayed to God to guide them youths, community in the choice of legislatures, governors and president; and CAN brought the and religious governorship candidates together to sign an undertaking of peace. leaders, Muslims and “We had different sessions with Christians, security some of those seeking election, youths, community and religious agents, INEC officials leaders, Muslims and Christians, sewhere we developed curity agents, INEC officials where we developed proactive measures to proactive measures prevent electoral violence. “Results have been announced by to prevent electoral INEC and it is time to move beyond violence the election euphoria and in the spirit

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Faith

You can arise and shine Mystery ofAnxiety Bishop

John Ogbansiegbe

0803 341 6327

“S

ee that thou walk circumspectly not as fools, but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15 and 16). Awake, thou that sleepest! God knows that you are spiritually asleep even now. This is why you can no more pray well like before, no time to study the word of God, and no time to tell anybody about Jesus. This is also the reason why you always go late to fellowship and even absent yourself regularly from church services. Something is wrong somewhere. You are have lost your first love and your first zeal. You cannot continue like this. This is the mischief of the devil against your life and spiritual destiny. This is not the plan of God for your life. The Holy Ghost is telling you now: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:5). Our Lord Jesus is holding this divine torchlight in His hands. He wants you to rise up, reach out and collect it from Him. He wants you to wake up from your sleep and possess this light. If you

are so entangled with the affairs of this life that you are not willing to repent, it means that you are not conscious of the brevity of time, neither are you ready for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Very soon He that will come will come. The whole signs have been fulfilled, the stage is set and everything is now ready. The Holy Ghost is asking you as you are reading this article now, “Are you ready?” Once again, “The night is far spent and the day is at hand. Cast off the works of darkness and put on the amour of light.” With this light in your hands, you can arise and shine. Though there be darkness and gross darkness, the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. Do not lose sight of the most fundamental condition for this glory both now and hereafter. The primary condition for this glory is for you to Awake now from sleep and receive this supernatural, external light from our Lord Jesus Christ. He is willing to give you this light and readier than you can imagine. The first step to this divine awakening is to repent of your sins, give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Lord and personal Saviour. Have you experienced His love and saving grace in your life? Have you proved that He is powerful enough to deliver your soul from sin and the bondage of Satan? Have you proved the power in His precious and sacred blood? Does the Holy Spirit bear witness in your heart that you really belong to Christ? Do you have the joy of Salvation and hope of heaven? Do you people see the evidence of the grace of God in your life?

If you are not for Christ you are certainly against Him

Are they being challenged by your spiritual life? Do you worship God in spirit and in truth? DO you still fight and quarrel? Live in fornication and adultery? Do you still deceive and cheat others? Do you still tell lies? What of your charms? Have you thrown them away? You cannot belong to Christ and belong to Satan the same time. You must be born again of the Spirit of God. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If you are not for Christ you are certainly against Him. That you are a church leader, committee Chairman, Choirmaster or prominent group leader does not matter in the sight of God, if you have sin in your life, the Bible says in John 4:23 and 24, “For the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshiper shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Repent of your sins, hypocrisy and pretence before it is too late. God knows the thoughts of your hearts and all that you do in secret, even though you go to church. God is not a respecter of persons. God is never mocked or deceived. The Bible says, “Be not deceived, God is not

mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). You cannot remain tied and covered with this cloud of darkness which has been hindering your favour. You should not remain in this demonic cage, limitation and paralysis any further. It’s time to rebel against your ugly spiritual condition. “Therefore, he saith, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14). Awake! Awake!! Awake from sleep, it’s cock crow. Indeed, many Christians have forsaken their first love and zeal for Christ. Some are, today, swallowing the very things they vomited some years age for the Lord’s sake; some are just standing in one place, or sleeping spiritually, instead of following Him exactly as He leads them. Many believers are finding it difficult to do the perfect will of God in many areas of their lives. In the matter of God’s perfect will, God prefers exactitude, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I commend you.” (John 15:14). Are you a true friend of our Lord Jesus Christ by His own standard of friendship? Awake from your sleep now! It is cock crow. Decide to follow our Lord Jesus Christ through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Repent of your sins before it is too late. Be ready for His coming. Time is very short and your soul is in danger of hell fire, with sin in your life. If you are willing and ready, our Lord Jesus Christ is more willing than you are. He is standing at the door of your heart and knocking. He is stretching forth His hands unto you to give you that light of life in His hands. Awake now, reach forth for that light.

In what Name should we be baptised? the Oracles of God Frank Oboden Olomukoro frankolomukoro@yahoo.com

0703 362 1866

he Christian world is divided on the NAME to use. Some baptise in the NAME of Jesus Christ, taking their stand in Acts 2:38 and other similar scriptures. Others in the majority baptise in the name of the father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghost, asserting Matthew 28:19 as commanded by Jesus. Is God the author of confusion” (I Cor 14:13) “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the Saints.” Paul added, “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (I Corinthians 11:16). The Christian faith is characterised everywhere in the Bible with ‘ONE’ indivisible entity, in the person of GOD (Godhead), in subject, and doctrine as Eph. 4:4-6 states: “There is one body (one church of Jesus Christ, no denomination attached) one spirit, (Holy Ghost) even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord (in the old and new testaments), one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” IN THE NAME JESUS CHRIST Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other (Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Jehovah e.t.c.) for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. And what is that name? Colossians 3:17. “And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name

of the Lord Jesus.” Pray in the name of Jesus, cast out devils in the name of Jesus, receive the Holy Ghost baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ and so on. Water baptism involves both Word (the pronouncement) and deed (the act of immersion). The Lord Himself added His voice to the veracity of this fact in Luke 24:47, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. According to HASTINGS ENCYCLOPEDIA, Vol 2, Page 377 “NAME” was an ancient synonym for ‘person.’ Payment was always made in name of some person referring to ownership. Therefore one being baptised in Jesus Name became His personal property. “YE ARE CHRIST’s.” The book of Acts is the practical acts of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth inspiring the Apostles to the actual interpretations of the teachings of Jesus Christ in the gospels. (John 16:13) “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. The truth concealed in the gospels were revealed in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles. A painstaking search through the Book of Acts reveals examples of people baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: • Peter obeyed in Acts 2:38-39: “Repent and be Baptised everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Three thousand souls were baptised (Acts 2:41). • In Acts 8:16, the Samaritans were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus. • Baptism was commanded to be

That baptism must be performed in the name of the one crucified (I Cor 1:13)

done by Apostle Peter after the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and his household in Acts 10:48. • Paul re-baptised the disciples of John the Baptist on the coast of Ephesus unto remission of sin … when they heard this they were Baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-7). The above scriptures confirm the scriptural requirement that every word must be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses (Matt 18:16, 2 Corin. 13:1). This is fulfilled with respect to water Baptism in the NAME of the LORD Jesus CHRIST. The above scriptures are not GIVEN TO REFUTE Matt 28:19, where Jesus told the Apostles to baptize in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. They merely show how the command was interpreted and obeyed by them. The Apostles knew what most religious leaders of today fail to recognize. • That the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the FAMILY NAME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH (Eph. 3:15). • That the fullness of the GODHEAD (Deity of God) dwelleth bodily in Christ (Col 2:9). • That baptism must be performed in the name of the one crucified (I Cor 1:13). • They knew the name of the Son was Jesus (Matt 1:21).They knew that the Son came in the Father’s name (Jesus

Christ, John 5:43). They also knew that the Holy Ghost was the Spirit of Christ and would come in Jesus’ name (John 14:26). The name Jesus means ‘Jehovah salvation.’ We can now see clearly that the Remission of our sins is tied to the Name of Jesus as declared by angel Gabriel in Matthew 1:21: “…and she will bring forth a son and you shall call His Name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus is the human name of God, anointed by the infilling of the Holy Spirit and making Jesus “Christ” the anointed one. He is Lord, the owner of the world, because all things were made by Him (John 1:3). Common sense would tell you that the Book of Acts is the church in action. If they baptised over 3000 souls in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, including Jewish Prosylites from across the world who came for the feast of Pentecost, the Samaritans in Samaria, the Gentiles in Cornelius’ household and former disciples of John the Baptist who had to be RE-Baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, then that is the way to baptise. Anyone who is baptised in the Name of the father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, has to be re-baptised again in the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-6). There it is. These good people of Ephesus had heard about the coming Messiah. John had preached Him. They were baptised unto repentance of sins, looking FORWARD to believing in Jesus. But now it was time to look BACK to Jesus and be baptised unto the REMISSION of sins. It is time to receive the Holy Ghost. And when they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul laid his hands on them and the Holy Ghost came upon them.

SUNDAY MAY31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Faith

Just one careless conversation Taming your Emotions Bishop

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

amous Apostle Paul appreciating the place of grace in his eventual manifestation as an apostle wrote in 1Corinthians 15:9-10: “For I am the least of the apostles, because I am not meant to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” From the history of the early church after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul was notorious in his crusade against the church. He persecuted and tortured the brethren. But the grace of God found him as a formidable force in the furtherance of the gospel of Christ; thus his call to ministry. And this privilege, Paul in his utmost discretion, recognised as the peculiar grace of God bestowed upon him and thus acknowledged and appreciated it.

It is also thematic that Paul underscored the fact that he did not make the grace of God bestowed upon him vain, suggesting also that there are people who can and who may have made the grace of God upon them vain. For instance, Judas Iscariot was once named among the 12 apostles of Jesus. He walked and ate with the Master physically, yet he made the grace of God bestowed upon him vain. What an irony? And that was why Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church warned, saying: “Moreover; brethren; I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and were all baptised onto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert. “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fail in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted; and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the

Judas Iscariot was once named among the 12 apostles of Jesus. He walked and ate with the Master physically, yet he made the grace of God bestowed upon him vain

destroyer. “Now, all these things happened onto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” – 1Corinthians 10:1-12. Beloved of God, we are all products of grace. It is the grace of God that has made us what we are. Life is not all about your academic qualifications, material disposition and affluence in society. The Bible rightly informed us that except the Lord build a city they labour in vain that build it. If it is your strength you are looking at, you are gazing in the wrong direction. But when we look up to the grace of God, the grace of God will carry us through. But as I study the word of the living God, I see dotted from place to place, the

likes and the types of those who wasted the grace bestowed upon them. You go to the Garden of Eden, you see the fabulous waste of grace, the enormous waste of grace. Before Adam and Eve were created, God made for them a platform where they would live a sweet life without struggle. Whatever they needed was already in place. They were to rise every morning and superintend over what grace had provided. A garden of beauty and glory filled with every good thing and treasure of life, a place where God came down in the cool of the day to have fellowship with His brand new creation. Grace flowed. It was under this supernatural co-existence between God and His creation that Adam named every creature with great intellectual prowess. Nobody instructed him, but grace manifested and whatever Adam called the animals is what they are still called till date - the wonder working power of grace. But you know, in the garden, it took the whispering of a second opinion, for Adam and Eve to be disgraced out of favour. Al that was required of them to keep the flow was to forget about the forbidden tree and its fruit. But the serpent came and the woman gave in to his deceit and man lost his glory on earth. Just one careless conversation with the devil played the game and the devil lured man into disobedience. Did you know that, the serpent is still in the garden today? And is still asking the same question.

Engaging the power of faith for fulfilment of destiny! (2) The Voice of Dominion

who can be against us? (Hebrews 11:5-6; Romans 8:31) Moses also endured as seeing God Who is invisible. He was in active partnership with God and he accomplished impossible feats. Therefore, every time faith comes alive, we secure God’s partnership (Hebrews 11:24-27; Exodus 33:14-15).

Bishop David Oyedepo

7747546-8 (SMS only)

ast week, I showed you the worth of your destiny in redemption and how you can access your glorious destiny in Christ Jesus. This week, I will be teaching on what faith is and how to fill your destiny in grand style. Our glorious and enviable destiny is at the mercy of our faith, which puts us in command of the affairs of life. Thus, when our faith is developed, it has all the capacity within it to actualize God’s great plan for our lives. That is why we must take personal responsibility and strive to develop our faith. WHAT, THEN, IS FAITH? • Faith can be defined as a spiritual medium through which active partnership is established with the invisible God; thereby, empowering man to do the impossible: For instance, by faith, Enoch walked with God and he did not see death because he was translated. Before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God; and we understand from scriptures that without faith, it is impossible to please God. That is why faith establishes our active partnership with God, so we don’t have to suffer what others suffer. Remember the Bible says that if God be for us,

Only the spiritual can access God’s plans and purposes; for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God

• Faith is not a dormant force, but a dominant force: When faith is at work, we dominate every environment and all circumstances. For instance, when there was a storm on the sea and Jesus said, “Peace be still,” great calm was restored (Matthew 14:22-33; 2 kings 1:10-15).

To see destiny fulfilled, we must take note of the following: • Remain steadfast in our faith: The Bible records that Abraham did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. As a result, he obtained God’s promise for him (Romans 4:17-21; Hebrews 10:38). • Be at peace with God and ourselves: Our peace must be in place before God can fight for us. This is because anxiety, which is a demonstration of unbelief, puts God off our affairs (Psalm 46:10; Exodus 14:14; Hebrews 4:9-11). • We must rejoice in the Lord always: It is impossible to fulfil destiny by murmuring, grumbling and mourning. Remember, if we have lost anything, God is the reason we have not lost everything. Therefore, we must

continuously rejoice in God’s faithfulness and the infallibility of His counsel (Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Hebrews 12:1-2). To continuously experience encounters with destiny, we must operate on the following keys:

• Be spiritual: Only the spiritual can access God’s plans and purposes; for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). • Be prayerful: God speaking to Jeremiah said: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3). • Be sensitive in the spirit: We have encounters with God through the prayer altar; therefore, we must be sensitive in the spirit. For instance, as Jesus prayed on the mountain with His disciples, He encountered God

and heard a voice from heaven (Revelation 1:10; Luke 9:29-31). • We must be Kingdom promotion passionate: The things of the Kingdom must move us naturally without struggling. Seeing God’s Kingdom advance must be a delight to our soul and committing to that advancement must bring joy to our hearts. Thus, as we advance God’s Kingdom, He advances us and changes our levels from time to time (Psalm 102:13-16; Matthew 6:33). Friend, you have a glorious and an enviable destiny in Christ but you must accept Him as your Lord and Saviour before you can actualize it. If you are not yet a child of God, you can do so right now, by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. From today, I accept You as my Saviour and Lord. Thank You for saving me. Now I know I am born again!” Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, you can get my books: Understanding The Power Of Praise and The Wonders Of Praise. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@ lfcww.org

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Faith

Spirit of the transition Firm Faith:

Right Reason Most Rev.

Emmanuel A. Badejo fradebadejo@yahoo.

0803 949 4219 (SMS only)

The abiding spirit The Holy Spirit is the scriptwriter, choreographer and producer of all relationships with God. Saint Paul declared in the Bible “All those who walk in the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God” (Rom 8: 14). In the Catholic Church you could try count the number of times the Holy Spirit is mentioned during Mass, the supreme Catholic worship. The number would be far more than you imagine. Right from the beginning of Mass “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” to the very end, “May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, the Holy Spirit is prominent in the prayers of the Church. Rightly so, because he is the “manager” and “facilitator” of all activities of God in the history of salvation. The Church confirms this in the mouth of all Christians through the Creed, the condensed formula of the Christian faith, approved over thousands of years. “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son, together with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets”. That part of the

Creed justifies the excitement which the mention of the Holy Spirit generates among believers till this day. The active living Spirit That excitement about the Holy Spirit is not at all misplaced. It is tested and proven. The Spirit overshadowed Mary and made her the mother of Jesus the saviour. The angel told her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God” (Lk.1: 35). That same child, as he grew up “was seen to be strong in the Spirit” (Lk. 1:80). The upright and devout man, Simeon, had the Holy Spirit in him, was led into the temple by the Holy Spirit after the same Spirit had assured him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah (Lk. 2: 2526). The same Holy Spirit descended and rested upon Jesus Christ at his baptism in the Jordan by John (Matt. 3:16-17), and led him into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:2). So did the Holy Spirit accompany Jesus all through his life and resurrection? Jesus, returning to the Father, promised his disciples not to leave them orphans... “From the Father I will send you the Spirit of truth. When this Helper has come from the Father he will be my witness, and you, too will be my witnesses, for you have been with me from the beginning” (Jn. 15: 26-27). “I shall send you an advocate. He will remind you of everything I have told you”. After him, the Apostles needed the Holy Spirit to endorse their calling and he descended upon them on the day of

The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God Pentecost (Acts 2). When they needed to appoint deacons to care for widows they chose seven men who were full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to do the job (Acts 6: 1-7). The transforming Spirit Today all Christians need to witness to the presence in our society of that Holy Spirit who “is a spirit of courage not of timidity”. These hard times call for true, courageous witnesses to fight the powers of darkness and evil to a standstill. Pentecost has been celebrated in the Church this last week in many creative ways through Life in the Spirit seminars, retreats, crusades and novenas. Its essence has also been recalled through hymns that teach: “Spirit of God in the clear running waters... fill the earth, bring it to birth and blow where you will. Blow, blow, blow till I be the breath of the spirit blowing in me”. The one purpose of all these however is the transformation of man, of the earth through him and man’s reorientation towards the things of heaven. For that purpose at Pentecost the Church teaches that we have all been

given the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit derived from the characteristics of the Messiah from the “book of Emmanuel” in the prophecy of Isaiah: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of fortitude, wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” (Is 11:1-2). That spirit has been poured on all Christians at baptism when they were “drowned” in water with Christ so that they may rise up with him on the last day. Come Holy Spirit In these difficult moments therefore, we Christians have a full time job making a positive difference through God’s all-powerful Spirit. That indwelling Spirit must bear fruits of charity, joy, peace, patience, understanding of others, kindness and fidelity, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). For all this, we must invoke him to dominate our flesh, our greed, our pride and all our weakness. Not for nothing the apostle Paul warned: “ Do not be fooled. God cannot be deceived. You reap what you sow! The person who sows for the benefit of his own flesh shall reap corruption and death from the flesh. He who sows in the spirit shall reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us do good without being discouraged; in due time we shall reap the reward of our constancy” (Gal.5:7-10). God has already sent forth his powerful Spirit into us. There is no better time than now for us to send forth ours, in order to renew the face of Nigeria and our world.

Raising Godly altar Insight Rev.

Femi Akinola

www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

any lives that have been made desolate would not have been if only they had this understanding and were sensitive enough to embrace the truth about the altar dimension in winning the battles of the spirit. Many Christians prefer prayer to sacrifice because they don’t understand that this is the fastest means of getting something in the spiritual realm. THERE MUST BE AN EXCHANGE. Before Elijah called down fire, he sacrificed to God; this is the law of the battle seed. There is an altar you must service. Many believers are aggressive in the school of prayer. They go from one Prayer Mountain and prayer meeting to another in their quest for solutions to lives’ challenges. Have you ever taken time to examine the level of result and impact between a praying church and a giving church? The difference is very clear. When Elijah was faced with the prophets of Baal, he engaged the mystery of that altar and sacrifice. “And he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.” I Kings 18:32-33 (NLT) Another example is the heathen king

who was faced in a battle with the trio of Israel, Judah and Edom in II Kings 3. “And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land” II Kings 3:26-27. The Moabites engaged in a battle with the children of Israel. Whatever is the reason now is not important. But God had, through His servant, Prophet Elisha, promised to deliver their enemies (the Moabites) into their hands (verse 18). This was actually the case. But for the fact that the king of Moab understood this mystery of sacrifice and used it, the Moabites would all have been dead and the remaining taken captive by the Israelites. This underscores the power of sacrifice. It does not matter who is using it. In other words, if your tormentors get hold of this mystery and use it against you, a child of God, they will have a field day at your expense. The Bible says that after the king of Moab offered his son (a painful sacrifice indeed), there was great indignation and bitterness against Israel. We are told that the allies of Israel left Israel alone. If not that God had already promised His children victory (and His word cannot be broken), the Moabites would actually have conquered them by reason of their sacrifice. This undoubtedly attests to the fact that there are battles in life that must be approached with the altar dimension.

And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not There is an altar you must service, your fathers serviced a particular altar but what have you sacrificed on the altar of your God? Life is spiritual and the answer to its puzzles lies in spiritual depth. “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” (Eccl 11:1 KJV) Sacrifice is an avenue of making a covenant with God and, of course, this goes with a price. Most Christians aspire for greatness but aren’t enthusiastic about the price for greatness. Salvation is personal, likewise sacrificial giving but the view of many Christians is that teachings like this have no correlation with their expected end. God is particularly interested in people who enter into covenant with Him by sacrifice. These people are considered as faithful in His sight. “Gather my faithful people to me, those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice.” Ps 50:5 (GNT). There are people who pray in their travails, yet approach the altar with empty hands and they get nothing because they de-emphasise the place of sacrifice concerning their expectations. When your prayers are backed up with sacri-

fice, God dispatches angels to fight on your behalf because some battles in life require more than prayers. The issues of life are real with damaging effects in the lives of its victims. While some heard this kind of message and keyed into it and today they are celebrating their deliverance from the grip of the enemy, others have undermined it and are still languishing under oppression. Secrets relating to sacrificial giving are some of those sacred truths God gave His children to cheaply annul the effects of wickedness. Every ordinance instituted by God has its place and significance. To disregard it would result into unending pains and torments. “…but money answereth all things.” Eccl 10:19b Whenever you approach your altar, let this truth about sacrifice initiate an act of giving because your money is a potent weapon in challenging and disgracing every accuser and enforcer of evil in your life. You can pray these prayers: • Lord, as I service your altar, you shall deliver me from the altars of my father’s house and every enemy. • Anybody that approaches any wicked altar because of me let them die before the altar. • As I service the altar of God with my offering, tithe and sacrifice, today marks my entering into the club of millionaires. • Any demonic altar assigned to keep me in the valley of poverty, scatter by fire. • As I walk in this truth, generational wealth hidden from my family is locating me. …in Jesus name

Faith

SUNDAY MAY31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

The devil knows Christians are one -Pope Francis

hile Christians may think of themselves as divided into different churches and denominations, the devil actually sees that they are one in their faith in Jesus, Pope Francis said in a video message to a Christian unity celebration in Phoenix, the Catholic Herald reported.

Pope-Francis

“Division is the work of the ‘Father of Lies,’ ‘the Father of Discord,’ who

The devil, he said, “knows that Christians are disciples of Christ, that they are one that they are brothers! He doesn’t care if they are Evangelicals or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic … he doesn’t care!

does everything possible to keep us divided,” the Pope said in the message to the gathering sponsored by the John 17 Movement. “I feel like saying something that may sound controversial, or even heretical, perhaps,” he said in the video. “But there is someone who ‘knows’ that, despite our differences, we are one. It is he who is persecuting

us. It is he who is persecuting Christians today, he who is anointing us with (the blood of) martyrdom.” The devil, he said, “knows that Christians are disciples of Christ, that they are one that they are brothers! He doesn’t care if they are Evangelicals or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic … he doesn’t care! They are Christians.” The John 17 Movement — named after the Bible passage in which Jesus prays for the unity of his disciples — includes evangelicals and Catholics. One of the participants at the Phoenix meeting was Giovanni Traettino, a Pentecostal pastor from southern Italy whom the pope has known since his days in Buenos Aires. The Pope visited Traettino’s church last summer. The Pope promised Traettino and all those gathered in Phoenix that he would spend the day praying with them for the grace of unity, “The unity that is budding among us is that unity which begins under the seal of the one baptism we have all received.” In the video produced by the Vatican television centre, Pope Francis told the group that “division is a wound in the body of the church of Christ. And we do not want this wound to remain open.” Christians, he said, must seek unity together, they must pray for one another and they must work together to assist the poor and vulnerable. While the Catholic and mainline churches have been engaged in high-level ecumenical dialogues for 50 years, Pope Francis told the Phoenix meeting, “I am convinced it won’t be theologians who bring about unity among us.” The work of theologians is essential for understanding, he said, “but if we hope that theologians will agree with one another, we will reach unity the day after Judgement Day.” “The Holy Spirit brings about unity,” he said, and Christians must open their hearts to the Spirit’s gifts with “prayer, friendship, closeness and reflection.”

SUNDAY

Sport 59

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

FA Cup

Arsenal make FA Cup history with 12th Final victory

p.62

Golf

Tiger Woods’ ‘soft end’ p.61

Football

Akpoguma out to puncture Nigeria’s dream at U-20 p.60

U-20 W/Cup

Ugbade: Nigeria will shock Brazil p.62

Deputy Editor, Sports Dapo Sotuminu daposotu@yahoo.com

Blatter: A true football politician 40 years on

new election triumph in the midst of a corruption scandal established FIFA president Sepp Blatter as the politician who can come through any storm. Unapologetically divisive, Blatter has had to deal with scandal virtually since his first day in office. Blatter knows that he still has a long way to go to reach the aim he outlined of getting FIFA in a safe port “where the boats will stop rocking.” “He sees it all like a marathon. And he is one of the most determined men you will meet,” said one FIFA executive member about the 79-year-old Swiss official. The FIFA boss, who has been at FIFA for 40 years, 17 as its president, went into the vote revered by some as the beautiful game’s ‘Jesus’ and scorned by others as a rogue clinging to power. The arrest last week of seven FIFA officials wanted by US authorities for accepting tens of millions of dollars of bribes seemed like a hammer blow to the veteran sports baron. But he came through allegations about ‘brown envelopes’ handed out before his first election in 1998 and the collapse of the ISL sports marketing empire. This time around, Blatter’s power base in Africa and Asia remained firm. Blatter said people around the world unfairly held him “ultimately responsible” for everything that goes on in football and a fifth term was won. Blatter believes however that his jealous rivals no longer apply the notion of fair play in their backroom battles with him. He told the Congress he had a “question” about the timing of the arrests, two days before the election. “In my 40 years at FIFA I have learned to live with hostility and resentment. However as the German language proverb puts it: sympathy is free, but envy must be earned. There is a lot to envy.” Blatter is in 70th place on the Forbes list of the world’s most powerful people - the only sports leader in the group jostling behind the likes of Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama. The former amateur footballer - an old fashioned striker - joined FIFA in 1975 from a position marketing Swiss watches. He became Secretary General in

Blatter

In my 40 years at FIFA, I have learned to live with hostility and resentment. However, as the German language proverb puts it, sympathy is free, but envy must be earned. There is a lot to envy

1981 and was elected to the top job in 1998 after another controversial president, Brazilian Joao Havelange, finally ended his 24 year reign. Blatter, who also worked as a Public Relations official and General Secretary of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, claims credit for building FIFA’s financial muscle - $1.5 billion in cash reserves.

Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein

When he joined FIFA it was in a small Zurich building with about 10 staff. One story says that it was Blatter who went to the bank to get a loan when they could not be paid. But FIFA made about $5.7 billion (5.3 billion euros) in the four years between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and now has about 1,400 staff. The workaholic Blatter says his main achievement has been to make football “universal” - the first World Cups in Asia (South Korea and Japan in 2002 although the decision was taken before he became president) and Africa (2010) came in his tenure. Hundreds of millions of dollars are given to national federations and in development grants. Since the day he took office, accusations of skulduggery have never been far away from FIFA. In recent months, he has been fighting allegations about the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. Blatter also told UEFA, the European confederation in 2011 that if elected then it would be his last term. But the FIFA president has never been implicated in wrongdoing and he has always shrugged off controversy - apart from one episode in 2006 when he tried to stop a book on FIFA being published in Switzerland. Dominican Republic FA president Osiris Guzman last month compared Blatter to Jesus, Winston Churchill, Moses, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King at a Central and North American confederation (CONCACAF) meeting. Asia and Africa declared strong public support for Blatter against his challenger Prince Ali bin al Hussein, brother of Jordan’s monarch. But Europe has turned against him. UEFA leader Michel Platini says Blatter lied when he said in 2011 that he would stand down this time. He said Blatter made some good decisions “often in difficult circumstances” but that now he cannot face a life of “emptiness” without FIFA’s power. Blatter, married three times and now helped a lot by his daughter Corinne, says he feels fit enough to go on. Four years ago, Blatter thought it was his last mandate, he told reporters recently. But “times change,” he added.

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport

AKPOGUMA

out to puncture Nigeria’s dream • Targets first title for Germany since 1981 D

efender Kevin Akpoguma who has a Nigerian father, is part of a talented German side that is one of the favourites to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand, an aspiration capable of spoiling the dream of the Flying Eagles of Nigeria who are out to break the jinx of winning the competition for the very first time. As captain of the Germany Under-20, he begins the journey to deliver the FIFA U-20 World Cup thereby adding it to Germany’s senior title. He would hope to lead the Europeans to their first title since 1981 when they won as West Germany against Qatar in Australia. Akpoguma could have an early reunion with Nigeria depending on the way things go in New Zealand. With Nigeria’s Flying Eagles drawn in Group E alongside Brazil, Hungary and Korea DPR, the second placed side would most likely meet Germany drawn in a relatively easy Group F which includes Fiji, Uzbekistan and Honduras. He is a veritable asset that could have played for Nigeria, and still could if he fails to make it into the German senior team. In a 2014, Akpoguma talked about playing for the Super Eagles not being an option if he makes it into the German seniors. “I have been to Nigeria twice,” Akpoguma said: “When I was very young, about four years on holiday. Life is just much different than here.” The defender said that the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, had not yet approached him, however, his first allegiance is to Germany. “And since I was born and grew up here in Germany, I see myself as a German, I would prefer to play for the German senior team, if that is possible,” he said “Until then, it’s probably still a few years away - but as long as I see that the opportunity is there s o m e where, Nigeria is not in any way an option for me.” The tall and imposing player has been favourably compared with his idol, Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng. Apart from both being defenders, their fathers hailed from Africa, migrated to Germany

and were born to German mothers - Boateng’s father went from Ghana, while Akpoguma’s left from Nigeria. While Boateng has won the biggest diadem in football, the FIFA World Cup last year in Brazil, Akpoguma’s path is just being laid and it could be as illustrious as the older player. They have both won gold Fritz WalterMedals f o r

their impact in German youth football. 20-year-old Hoffenheim defender Akpoguma has already started building a good foundation for himself in the German game where he has played in all their youth teams U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19. Last year, he won the European U-19 Championship in Hungary where they defeated Portugal 1-0 in the final. “His 1.92 metres (6’4in) are perfect for a centre back. He has speed, good technique and is a dynamic player. In 2013 he got the Fritz-Walter medal in gold from the DFB, which honours every year the best German players of U-17, U-18 and U-19. He has said that the coaches want him to become more stable, to play a whole game without errors,” said Goal Germany’s Christoph Kockeis. Akpoguma is the modern day defender - big, nimble footed and intimidating. He used to be a forward before he was converted by a former youth team coach. Even though he has not really made his mark in the Hoffenheim senior team, Akpoguma hopes that New Zealand would be a good tournament where he can show himself to the world. Early in May he committed to a two year loan deal at Fortuna Dusseldorf in the 2 Bundesliga. “After the season we have put together a timetable and plan for the future, because next year I want to make the step into professional football. That’s why I’m always glad to be at the U20. Here we can show ourselves internationally,” he told the official DFB site.

Akpoguma

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

Golf Weekly

Tiger Woods’ ‘soft end’

ook, we know the guy’s not perfect. And you’ve heard plenty about the F-bombs, and the tossed clubs, and well, all that other stuff. But there’s still plenty to admire about Tiger Woods beyond his 14 majors. In case you needed a reminder, here’s a sampling. Tiger’s first trip to the Masters included a stop at nearby Forest Hills Golf Club to meet with former Augusta National caddies and host a clinic for kids. “It’s a great thing for golf, and it’s great especially for black youth,” said Jerry Beard, who caddied for Fuzzy Zoeller when he won the 1979 Masters. “It’s good for the kids to see you can get into something like this, to see that they can play golf.” Even more impressive was Woods doing this after the completion of his second round. Tiger Woods donates all earnings from three tour events that benefit his foundation: The Hero World Challenge, Quicken Loans National and the Deutsche Bank Championship. From those three events alone, Woods has donated more than $15 million. Speaking of his foundation. . .

The Tiger Woods Foundation has done a lot of good for children since Woods and his father, Earl, started it in 1996. In 2015 it received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for a third straight straight year. Only 25 percent of the 7,000 charities that were evaluated got four stars, and only 12 percent received that highest possible rating for a third consecutive year. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but seeing Tiger Woods - among other tour pros - wearing a Leuk the Duck pin at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational meant a lot to Lyle, who was getting chemotherapy at the time after being diagnosed with Leukemia. While accepting the Ben Hogan Award at the 2015 GWAA dinner, Lyle noted Woods specifically and said he was so touched he tracked down Tiger’s phone number. When Lyle texted him, he got this response: “Good luck. Thinking of you. Can’t wait to see you back.” When Woods lived at Isleworth, he hosted the Stanford golf team for dinner at his house while the Cardinal were competing in a tournament at the club. He also checks in with the team from time to time in Palo

Amateur golf in South Africa set to break new ground

he South African Golf Association (SAGA) and Women’s Golf South Africa (WGSA) are delighted to announce the launch of Golf RSA and the appointment of current South African Golf Development Board CEO, Grant Hepburn, at its helm. “As the governing bodies of amateur golf in the Republic of South Africa, SAGA and WGSA have agreed to unify and reorganise their operations under one umbrella,” explained SAGA president Gerhard Conradie. “We believe the amalgamation under Golf RSA is in the best interest of furthering the sport and to ensure its future within the socio-economic, legal and political environments of this country. “The respective national executive committees will continue to set the strategy and policies and the existent democratic structures of both organisations will remain intact, however Golf RSA will implement and perform the combined operations.” Conradie confirmed that the South African Disabled Golf Association (SADGA), which is affiliated to SAGA, will join the unified operations. “Golf RSA will be governed by a board of directors comprising senior representatives of SAGA, WGSA and

SADGA, as well as several high profile, independent non-executive golf personalities who shall provide corporate governance and proper oversight of the operation of the not-for-profit company,” Conradie said. “We are excited to welcome Grant in the role of CEO at Golf RSA. We believe his passion, energy, determination and personality is perfectly suited to drive the unification process.” WGSA president Karen Olivant also welcomed the launch of Golf RSA as a positive step that will change the face of amateur golf in South Africa. “We are delighted to join forces with SAGA and SAGDA as Golf RSA,” Olivant said. “We will continue to operate and run our tournaments at a very high standard, however, we believe a cohesive, integrated approach will yield the most effective results for the future of amateur golf. “By presenting a single, unified front of all aspects of amateur golf in this country, we can proactively grow and promote amateur golf at all levels. We welcome Grant’s appointment and wish him well as he sets Grant us on a new course Hepburn for the future.” Sunshine Tour chairman Rupert applauded the launch of Golf SA and Hepburn’s appointment.

Alto, providing a huge thrill for players getting to meet him. Woods also has a strong relationship with former Stanford teammate Notah Begay. When Begay was inducted into the school’s hall of fame, it was Woods who gave a lengthy introduction speech. Woods has also participated in Begay’s yearly fundraiser at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in upstate New York several times. Woods’ yearly fundraiser in Las Vegas has raised more than $1 million per year for the Tiger Woods Learning Centers across the country. Part of the reason they’ve been so successful? Woods doesn’t skimp when it comes to big-name musical acts performing. From Bon Jovi to Stevie Wonder to Christina Aguilera to John Mayer to Prince, Tiger Jam has had an impressive concert lineup. Fans saw a softer side of Woods they’re rarely treated to when he played in the Par 3 contest at the 2015 Masters and his two children, Sam and Charlie, served as caddies. “I’ll always have memories of my pop at Augusta and now Sam & Charlie. An amazing day,” Woods said on Twitter.

Tiger Woods

Golf loses its gloss for China’s privileged elite A n hour’s drive north of downtown Shanghai, on the island of Chongming, lies a little paradise. Lan Hai International Golf Club boasts two 18-hole courses. But the place is not strictly for golfers. It’s a preserve of those who have profited the most from China’s economic boom. Any given Saturday morning, you’ll find the elite gliding from hole to hole in their electric golf carts, the players accompanied by two caddies alert to their every command and quick to advise on how to play the course. The game invariably winds up at the clubhouse, its entrance flanked by two superb Italian fountains. For these golfers, the drive

from Shanghai is no obstacle; they come and go in powerful sedans. Some even own one of the Tuscan-style villas that rim the links. “It’s a lifestyle,” says the club’s manager, Zhang Hongze. He’s convinced Chongming will soon become what Long Island is to New York. His reception room boasts a fireplace right out of a French chateau. This lifestyle, however, is now being targeted by China’s President Xi Jinping and his powerful ally Wang Qishan, the country’s anti-corruption boss. Mao Zedong once denounced golf as a bourgeois pastime, and since Xi took office in 2012, the president has led a campaign against excesses by state officials and

their friends in business. To dodge the purge, many now avoid displays of conspicuous consumption, even if they got rich the legal way and even if to them golf is merely a means to network with the powerful. Communist party leaders want to show they’re still close to the common people, and if there’s one glaring symbol of wealth in China, it’s golf. Unlike the US, Japan and Korea, where golf is a sport of the leisured middle class, in China high membership fees, equipment costs and associated expenditures make it very much a privilege of the rich. Inevitably, the political storm now sweeping China has hit the golf courses of the nation and the players who use them.

Husband, wife ace same hole

A Tony and Janet Blundy

wife and husband from Michigan say they both got a hole-in-one in consecutive shots at the same hole. Tony and Janet Blundy tell the Lansing State Journal that their aces came while golfing Sunday at Ledge Meadows Golf Course in Grand Ledge. The couple says Tony hit a hole-in-one first at the 16th hole, and Janet then equaled his feat.

The newspaper says two golfers who didn’t know the Blundys verified the back-toback holes-in-one. According to contest prize insurer National Hole-in-One Association, the odds of two amateur golfers in a foursome getting an ace on the same hole in the same round are 26 million-to-1. The Blundys say they typically golf at least 18 holes a week together.

SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport / News

Arsenal make FA Cup history

rsenal are officially the most successful club in FA Cup history after clinching their 12th title with a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday to retain the title following last season’s 3-2 triumph over Hull City. Victory sees Arsenal overtake

Djokovic, Murray advance at French Open N

ovak Djokovic seems in a hurry as he chases his ninth Grand Slam title - and the only one he’s never won - racing into the French Open fourth round with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win against 19-year-old Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. Ranked 84th, Kokkinakis never stood a chance against the topranked Serb. He dropped his serve three times and could not force a single break point in a match lasting 1 hour, 49 minutes. Next up for Djokovic is either 15th-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa, or No. 20 Richard Gasquet of France, who played later Saturday. Earlier, two-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray extended his impressive winning streak on clay, reaching the fourth round after beating big-hitting Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. The third-seeded Briton, who lost in the semifinals last year against nine-time champion Rafael Nadal, was hardly troubled on court Suzanne Lenglen. Next up for Murray, who hasn’t lost a match on clay this season with titles in Munich and Madrid, is Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who beat 17th-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. “This is the best I have played on clay. The results would obviously suggest that. Never won a clay court tournament, never been to the final and had many wins against any of the top guys for a while on clay,” Murray said.

Ahmed Musa’s CSKA clinch Champions League spot

hmed Musa will play in the UEFA Champions League next season after his Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow sealed the ticket on the last day of the season after they finished runners-up in the league. The army team drew 1-1 at Rostov to end the season with 60 points from 30 games, same as third-placed Kransnodar, who also drew 1-1 at Dinamo Moscow, but CSKA Moscow have a superior goals difference of +40 to Kransnodar’s +25. The Jos-born star had earlier said that his club was playing to secure a Champions League spot after they failed to successfully defend their league title. This season, Ahmed Musa scored 10 goals in the league for CSKA Moscow.

Manchester United, who have 11 titles to their name, and move four above North London rivals Tottenham. The win was the club’s sixth under Arsene Wenger, and the Frenchman now moves jointfirst with legendary Aston Villa manager George Ramsey. Wenger has now lifted the FA Cup more times than Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, who won the trophy 5 times during his 26 years at

Old Trafford. Arsenal’s first FA Cup triumph came back in 1930, when Herbert Chapman’s side overcame Huddersfield Town 2-0 at Wembley Stadium. In total, the Gunners have featured in 19 FA Cup Finals, finishing runners-up on seven occasions. The Gunners forced Shay Given into a number of fine saves early on before Theo Walcott volleyed home before the break.

Alexis Sanchez doubled the lead with a dipping effort from 25 yards just after half time before Per Mertesacker bundled the ball home with his shoulder. Olivier Giroud put the icing on the cake with the fourth as Arsenal became the first side since Chelsea in 2010 to win the competition in successive seasons. Walcott was a surprise starter with Olivier Giroud dumped to the bench while Wojciech Szczesny got the nod in goal.

Arsenal continued to dominate after the break and Sanchez made it two on 50 minutes when his wicked shot from outside the box looped over Given. Two became three when giant defender Mertesacker shouldered a corner into the net. The game then wound then with the cup heading back to the Emirates but Giroud, a late substitute, made it four in added time with a close range finish from a Hector Bellerin cross.

The Arsenal players celebrate with the FA Cup trophy following an impressive 4-0 victory against Aston Villa at Wembley

Ugbade: Nigeria will shock Brazil Akwa Ibom

lying Eagles assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, said yesterday from the tournament venue that the team is ‘battleready’ to conquer Brazil in their opening match of the ongoing World Cup in New Zealand on Monday, June 1. “All is set for our first match because winning an opening game would help us to set the pace for our subsequent outings in the competition. The players and goalkeepers are in top shape and the technical crew is working round the clock to ensure that all goes down well first against Brazil and subsequently against all opponents,” he assured. The competition which kickedoff on May 30 will end on June 20. The Eagles/Brazil match will be played at the Stadium Taranaki,

New Plymouth, New Zealand. The first edition of the tournament was staged in 1977. This year’s edition is the 20th in the series. The last was held in 2013 in Turkey which France won. Unfortunately, France, the defending champions would not be part of this year’s edition as they failed to make it to the final round of the UEFA qualifying tournament. Nigeria is drawn in Group E alongside, Brazil, North Korea and Hungary. Ugbade, who is also a former Flying Eagles star said that they had prepared all the players adequately ahead for the tasks ahead. “We have prepared them physically and emotionally for the game because it is only when the players are in stable state of mind

that they can deliver. “I am confident of their abilities and I believe strongly in them that they will put in all their best to achieve set targets,” he said. Ugbade who was close to becoming the first ever player in the world to play in the three categories of the FIFA World Cup however urged Nigerians based in New Zealand to come out en masse to support their team to victory. “Support from the crowd will also spur the players to intensify effort at winning on the pitch of play,” Ugbade said. Nigeria has been runners-up twice in 1989 and 2005 and third place winners in 1985. This is the first time the competition would be held in New Zealand.

Blatter denies authorising $10m payment to Warner

IFA president, Sepp Blatter, has denied any connection to an alleged $10m (£6.5m) bribe in comments made at a press conference Saturday morning. Blatter held a press conference in Zurich in which he sought to downplay the US criminal proceedings launched against FIFA officials earlier this week. Responding to questions from reporters, Blatter denied he was the unnamed senior FIFA official who allegedly authorised the payment of a $10m bribe to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

The indictment states that “a highranking FIFA official caused payments… totalling $10 million - to be wired from a FIFA account in Switzerland to a Bank of America correspondent account in New York… controlled by Jack Warner. I don’t go into this allegations. If such a thing is under investigation let it go and definitely that’s not me,” Blatter told the press conference. “This is a problem I do not enter. We will not go further. The only thing I can say is I have no 10 million dollars. The Americans are making investigations they have

right to do so, I have no concerns, I especially have no concerns about my person.” Blatter, 79, was re-elected for his fifth term as president at a FIFA Congress in Zurich on Friday. The FIFA president has confirmed there will be no changes to the upcoming World Cup tournaments in relation to qualification and allocation of regional places. Speaking a day after he was reelected for a fifth term at the helm of football’s world governing body, the 79-year-old insisted the sport’s global showpiece would not be altered.

Stadium named after Akpabio Tony Anichebe

T Uyo

he Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has passed a resolution naming the state’s International Stadium popularly known as the ‘Nest of Champion’ after the immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Godswill Akpabio. The Speaker of the House, Honourable Sam Ikon, stated this yesterday when members of the state House of Assembly paid Chief Godswill Akpabio a courtesy visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Uyo. Ikon said this was done as a mark of honour to the former governor for the execution and inauguration of the stadium within a record time. He noted that the visit to Akpabio was aimed at expressing their appreciation for what the former governor had done for the state particularly in partnering the House during his administration, adding that, Chief Akpabio loves the people, which was why he transformed the state through infrastructural development and this was the reason they decided to name the stadium after him. The Speaker remarked that all constituencies of the state have been positively impacted with life-touching projects during Akpabio’s administration.

SUNDAY MAY31, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

NewsExtra

Mark seeks South Korea’s support for Buhari

igeria and the Republic of South Korea are to improve economic, parliamentary and socio- political relationship that would be mutually beneficial to citizens of both countries. In the arrangement, the parliaments of both nations would facilitate the bilateral cooperation. These were part of the accord reached by Presidential Special Envoy from South Korea led by Senator

Lee Ju-Young to President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration and Senate President Senator David Mark in Abuja yesterday. Specifically, Senator Mark appreciated the international community for the solidarity and support for the President Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement signed by Mark’s Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mummeh, Mark that reiterated that Nigeria and Nigerians have embraced democracy as the

best form of government and are prepared to defend its course. It is on account of this development, he stated, that the nation resolved to strengthen all the democratic institutions including but not limited to the National Assembly and the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral smooth transition from the Peoples Democratic Party’s Goodluck Jonathan to All Progressive Congress’ Commission.

Senator Mark added that Nigeria will continue to play her big brother role and leader in Africa continent. Mark said: “Nigeria is ready and willing to partner with any nation that has the expertise and capacity to improve our commerce and Industry.” The issues facing Nigeria at the moment, he added, include insecurity, aggravated by Boko Haram insurgents, youth unemployment and epileptic power supply.

L-R: Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo; his Deputy, Mr. Charles Iliya and the state’s PDP Chairman, Mr. Baba -Sabulu Shaibu, at the governor’s inauguration dinner in Gombe…on Friday.

Umahi decries debt prof ile, to fast-track development Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

bonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, has lamented the state’s debt profile even as he expressed readiness to create two ministries as a measure to fast track human and infrastructural development in the state. The two ministries are of Religious and Welfare Matters and that of Planning, Design, Evaluation and Strategy. The disclosure came just as some residents of Abakaliki, have lauded the inauguration of Umahi as governor, saying that his administration will bring peace to the state, because the “governor is competent, vocal and intelligent and will bring genuine unity, collective prosperity to Ebonyi and enhance the socio-economic advancement of all its people” Umahi said that under the Ministry of Religious and Welfare Matters; he intends

to work with the Special Adviser on Rural Healthcare which would assist health workers and spiritual leaders by visiting homes to examine the people from time to time. While the Ministry of Planning, Design, Evaluation and Strategy will control all projects’ designs check cost, recheck them for compliance with work quality, right pricing and certify them for payment. He said that he would run all inclusive government and urged all Ebonyi people to join him, irrespective of political party differences to move the state forward. According to him, due to dwindling revenues and unprecedented high debt profile he inherited, he his challenged to bring forward creative and intelligent ways of running a very smart government. Umahi added that the abysmal internally generated revenue and inherited liabilities, running into billions of naira, accumulated

unpaid salaries of civil servants, both at the state and that of local government levels, have placed a huge burden on his government Nonetheless, he said that the areas of education, security, health, agriculture and food production, infrastructural development, mineral resources, youth and women empowerment, capital city, welfare of people, peace, unity and civil service will be given priority attention. Former Commissioner for Public Utility in the state, Mr. Ben Okah, extolled Umahi’s qualities and said that he had the capability to restore peace and move the state forward, stating that governor will takeoff from where former Gov. Martin Elechi had stopped in the development of infrastructure and generation of more revenue for the state. He called for the support of all Ebonyi people for the new administration in its efforts to embark on the transformation of the state

and to alleviate mass poverty among the people. Also, Chief Felix Ereke, a former Chairman of Ishielu Local Government, said that Umahi as governor would carry out all his promises and policies to alleviate the suffering of the rural poor. ``We will support him and urge him to pay more attention to the Nigeria Cement Company, Nkalagu, to create job opportunities for Ebonyians. More attention should also be focused on the rural areas, rehabilitation of abandoned projects, roads and other public utilities to safeguard wastage of scarce resources,`` Ereke said. Principal, Comprehensive Secondary School Oriuzo, Mrs. Josephine Igwe, advised the new administration to focus more on human and capital development. ``Civil servants’ welfare should be paramount for enhancement of productivity, growth in every establishment as manpower is needed in every sector.

He requested the international community to help Buhari’s government to tackle. Earlier, leader of the South Korea Presidential delegation Lee Ju Young noted the strategic role of Nigeria in Africa and promised his country’s willingness to

invest in Nigeria. Young harped on improved bilateral relationship between his country and Nigeria saying that the success of the 2015 general elections and the smooth handover of power have given confidence to investors to come to Nigeria.

Jonathan, others commend Buhari’s speech

r Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past president and stakeholders in Bayelsa State have applauded President Muhammadu Buhari, for pledging allegiance to all Nigerians in his inaugural speech. Reacting to the speech, in Yenagoa on Saturday, Jonathan said that he was gladdened by the posture of the president. “Buhari said that he does not belong to any clique, and I congratulate him for that statement. It shows that we should all rally around him to work towards the development of the country and make Nigerians happy,” Jonathan said. Other opinion leaders in Bayelsa also commended Buhari for the speech, describing it as `a roadmap’ to move the country forward. The Bayelsa Chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Tari Dounana, told the News Agency of Nigeria, that the speech indicated that Buhari was ready to bring change to the country. Dounana urged the new president to fulfill his prom-

ises to Nigerians irrespective of party, religious and tribal affiliation. “The president said that he belonged to everyone and to nobody. That is the kind of words we want from a leader. “Thank God Nigeria’s democracy is advancing and we have gotten a leader that will take the issues of workers very seriously,” he said. Mr. Ezekiel Ogbianko, the Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, in Bayelsa, also commended the president’s inaugural speech, urging him to also look into rice farming. “All Nigerians, especially RIFAN should cooperate with the new administration to move the country forward. “I believe that if president takes actions on all he said, Nigeria will move forward,” Ogbianko said. Also Rev. Samuel Ayadi, Niger Delta Coordinator of Artisanal Fishermen Association of Nigeria, said that thousands of fishermen across the region were impressed by the inaugural speech.

Gunmen raze Plateau village, churches Musa Pam Jos

ver 500 gunmen have overrun Shonong village of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and burnt down the entire community. The attack which occurred Saturday night took residents by surprise as they were preparing to go to bed when the gunmen struck. A member of the community, Isaac Kahwun who escaped and is taking refuge in Riyom said that , “the gunmen came as usual and started shooting sporadically to announce their presence, which made the residents to run out of their houses and escaped into the bush. We sent a distress call to the special task force in charge of the village, the task force only succeeded in scaring the gunmen away,” he said. According to him, the security agencies then advised the villagers to quit their homes and run to safer ground because they complained that they do not weapons to confront the gunmen if they come

back at night. “Given this scenario, all the villagers left their houses and took refuge in neighbouring villages. Later Thursday night the gunmen returned and set all the residential houses ablaze including two churches. “Some of the houses where relief materials were kept to be distributed to victims of the earlier attacks were also looted by the attackers while they set the remaining ones ablaze. “Now more than 1000 residents who fled their homes are sleeping in primary schools in neighboring villages” Sunday Telegraph learnt that Shonong was attacked early last year in which 36 of the residents especially women and children were killed by some unknown gunmen. The local government has made efforts to help the victims rebuilt their burnt homes and resettle again. But in the last Thursday attack, all the rehabilitated houses and those not burnt in the last attack were all razed by the gunmen.

SPORT

Blatter, a true football politician 40 years on

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FAITH

Sanctity of Truth

SUNDAY

It’s time to put Nigeria on path of progress – Kaigama

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2015

N150

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Era of decampment (4):

The many reasons adduced by politicians for defecting

o justify, or give some form of moral authority for their defection from one party to the other, Nigerian politicians (sorry, politricians), have serially advanced various and varied reasons for crossing the carpet. Some of these reasons are weird, outrageous, and inane. Some are banal, others altruistic. Yet, some are selfish, egotistic, opportunistic, nonsensical, or simply stupid and idiotic. Let us look at some of the reasons adduced by some political decampees and leave the world to judge where they place in history. CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO (OBJ) Former President, Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo’s defection from the PDP (where he was a party titan), shocked most Nigerians to the marrow, since the same Obasanjo had been elected as president of Nigeria on two occasions through the instrumentality of the PDP, and had also held its position as Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT). Indeed, he got altered, the PDP Constitution, by reserving the BOT Chairmanship for only past Presidents or Heads of State. This was tactical and strategic, to edge out his severest rival for the position, Chief Tony Anenih, who had held neither of the two positions. Ordering the tearing of his PDP membership card in the full glare of television cameras, on the 16th of February 2015, he pontificated with his pet sense of redemptive messianism, thus: “You asked me two questions and I will answer them comprehensively. This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed. This is my PDP’s membership card, where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have and if they destroy it, it becomes our burden to our children and incoming generation…. The question asked is that which party am I? I belong to the group that believes that Nigeria must not be destroyed. Those of you that are marketers you observed that there’s inflation in the market. The bureaux de change operators exchanged dollars with N150 then and is (now) going to be N250 to a dollar….What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will be bought for N250, this is not the kind of country we dream of. There’s no job, employment. Some people have started destroying Nigeria and I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria. Perhaps, you don’t understand that it is because there’s Nigeria that is why PDP exists. Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP anymore.

The

Nigerian Project

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08094777755 (sms only) I’m ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away? They don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card, take it,” Obasanjo said as he handed over the card to the ward chairman…From today on, in the presence of all of us and with your support, I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. Once you people are with me what other people am I looking for? In a series of tweets, he later dilated on his reasons for this bizarre outing: “I’d rather sacrifice my political party for the interest of Nigeria than sacrifice my country for a political party led by a drug baron. “I’d rather tear the PDP membership card than sit down and let Jonathan use PDP and corruption to tear my beloved country apart. “I have national and international standard to maintain. For this reason I’d rather stand alone than be in the same political party with Kashamu.” All hail, the messiah, the lamb of God that taketh away all the sins of Nigeria. Happy are those who are called to OBJ’s supper! OBJ cannot be in the same party with Kashamu? The same Kashamu who said again and again, during his travails, that he was OBJ’s political protégé and that they had worked effortlessly together for many years until they fell apart? Corruption? When Nigeria carried the gold and silver trophies and diadem, by coming first and second, under OBJ, as adjudged by Transparency International, under its Corruption Perception Index? What about elitist Bells group of schools, Ota farms, International Library, PDTF, lack of power after sinking billions of dollars? What about Odi and Zaki Biam massacres, endless war with

Atiku, a VP? What about Boko Haram whose reign of terror germinated during his regime, lack of infrastructure, and the propping up of a sick Yar’Adua, later, GEJ, and moving against them, after they asserted their manhood? What about the Siemens and Halliburton scandals? What about National Identity card scam, lack of road to his own Ota farm and Abeokuta town, after eight years in power? What about his heading the Ministry of Petroleum Resources all alone, during his presidency, accounting to no one, but himself? What about his removal and humiliation of successive Senate Presidents and Chairmen of PDP, who dared to disagree with him? What about his 3rd term agenda, through the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was killed on May 16, 2006? What about ex Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s K-legs, which the Supreme Court later straightened? What about turning the EFCC into an attack dog, muzzling Governors out of office, in some cases, with one-third members of a State House of Assembly, rather than the Constitutional two-thirds? What of.... what of.... what of....? PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI The bug of decampment also nested on the bed of President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2003, Buhari ran for office in the presidential election as the candidate of the ANPP. He was defeated by OBJ, the PDP nominee, with a margin of more than eleven million votes. On 18 December, 2006, Buhari was nominated as the consensus candidate of the ANPP. His main challenger in the April 2007 polls, was, the ruling PDP candidate, Umaru Yar’Adua, who hailed from the same Katsina State, as Buhari. In the election, Buhari scored 18% of the total votes, against 70% for Yar’Adua. But, Buhari rejected these results. After Yar’Adua assumed office, the ANPP agreed to join his govern-

BUSY BODY

ment, but Buhari denounced this agreement. In March, 2010, after series of irreconcilable differences, Buhari decamped the ANPP for the CPC, a party that he had helped to found, regarding it “as a solution to the debilitating, ethical and ideological conflicts in my former party the ANPP”. Buhari was the CPC Presidential candidate in the 16th April, 2011 general election, running against ex President Goodluck Jonathan, of the PDP, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN, and Ibrahim Shekarau of the ANPP. They were the major contenders among 20 contestants. In February, 2013, at the merger of parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), Buhari brought in his CPC, and gave his reasons for accepting the merger of his CPC, with ACN, ANPP and a splinter group of APGA, as follows: “We must explore every opportunity to save our country. This is a historic moment when several different political parties have resolved to come together to change Nigeria for the better.We must seize this moment that calls for patriotism and sacrifice; it is time to sacrifice everything such as time, resources, ambition and ego for greater tomorrow.” Good talk. The merger did excellently well. But, it is doubtful if Buhari would have remained in APC, had the presidential ticket been won by Atiku, Kwakwanso, Ndah-Isiah, or Okorocha. One thing I admire about him, though: he is focussed, with his eyes ever on the ball, like Abraham Lincoln, who failed in life serially, but later emerged one of America’s greatest Presidents. Buhari wanted to be President, not just Head of State. He fought for it. He worked. He sweated. He persevered. He failed in 2003, 2007 and 2011, challenging his losses up to the Supreme Court, on each occasion. He even wept publicly. He later vowed never to contest again. But, like the proverbial phoenix, he contested again and rose from his ashes of serial political losses, to defeat GEJ, an incumbent President. His mantra is change. Change means to become different. Can he effect it? Will he? Dare he? Only time and his actions will tell. Are these major political decampees reading, digesting and waiting for the next instalment of sermon on the Nigerian Project, by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, OFR?

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By Aliu Eroje

“What some of us should be concerned about now is how to make Nigeria stronger and our economy would witness economic growth. I won’t join another party….They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP. Once I leave PDP, I will not join any party. I will only be a Nigerian, 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 Hotlines: (Lagos 0902 928 1425), (Abuja 0805 5118488), Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: EMEKA MADUNAGU.