Binder1 dec 7 by Newtelegraphonline

SUNDAY SATURDAY

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Vol. 1 No. 292

Sanctity of Truth

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MY FEARS FOR NIGERIA

- Bishop Matthew Kukah } 32

PRIMARIES WAR

Popular artiste, Oritsefemi, escapes death in Lagos car crash } 11

PDP GOVERNORS, SENATORS BATTLE FOR 2015 TICKETS

l Mark, Akpabio, others in test of strength l Anenih’s loyalists floor incumbents in Edo

l Masari beats Yar’Adua’s brother for Katsina APC guber ticket l Tinubu denies rift with Fashola l APC holds Reps’ primaries

Nude roles? Count me out - Actress, Kiki Omeili

} 17

}14

FG sends Ebola volunteers to Liberia, Sierra Leone }7

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Contents | 07.12.14 BODY & SOUL

No private jets Tenacious Pastor Roselyn Oduyemi, widow of late Apostle Gabriel Oduyemi, is on a mission to save the soul of the nation

}18

POLITICS

New political dynastics New political dynasties are being formed as sons and daughters of prominent politicians pick party tickets to run for more elective positions at various levels

}31

BUSINESS

Fuel pump price Nigerians should expect a marginal increase in the pump price of petrol next year as the four refineries continue to produce at 10.6 per cent capacity despite gulping $1.6bn in TAM

}23

FAITH

Different strokes Following recent relocation of Redeemer University students, retail outlet owners in the Redemption Camp are now counting their losses

}51

SPORT

Editorial

Price for patriotism Former Super Eagles defensive midfielder, Sani Kaita, who was ostracised from the national team for four years after he made mistake at the South Africa 2010 World Cup, said he paid a huge price for patriotism

}59

Evil wind of imposition

n this season of politicking and electioneering, various aspirants have been jockeying to pick tickets to run in the 2015 elections. It is an interesting scenario to behold Nigerians throwing their hats into the ring to run for various public offices. Since 1999, when the first set of elections were held to usher in the Fourth Republic, thousands of Nigerians have indicated interest in various public offices on the platforms of different political parties. However, these attempts at free expression of intent have been thwarted, in many instances, by powerful interests within and without the political parties. A major defining feature of our democracy has been the conscription of the political space by ‘godfathers,’ acting alone or in concert with other powerful interests. Aspirants have been known to be shabbily treated by party leaders, even after spending huge sums to prosecute their ambition. In many instances, they have been forced to drop their bid after spending millions on the purchase of forms. It is as if the parties are fixated on making huge sums of money from members instead of broadening access and deepening the political process. Rather than instill the political process with badly needed credibility, powerful interests have regularly sought to undermine it by imposing their children or loyalists on their parties. While not trying to deny the right of such people to contest elective positions, this newspaper, however, frowns on the exclusive access to tickets granted to such people. Shambolic exercises passed off as party primaries have been staged to force favoured contenders on party members, without any consideration for their suitability or acceptability. One fallout of this undemocratic practice of imposing candidates has been the regular defections by disgruntled aspirants and their

supporters. This has engendered a political process based on distrust and bitterness, to the extent that many contests since 1999 have been a do-or-die affair. It is as if these party leaders believe they possess the ‘divine right’ to determine suitable persons to run for election. These party leaders also take their infamy to ridiculous extents by rigging successive elections, with the attendant loss of lives and properties. Such an arrogant disposition cannot help to build a virile and enduring democracy. In the desperate quest to impose predetermined choices on the people, party leaders doctor lists of delegates and most times employ violence and intimidation to force unfavoured aspirants to drop their bid. Where some disenfranchised aspirants have felt strongly about such cases of injustice, they have made resort to election tribunals. A close study of judgments from the tribunals and the appeal courts, and in some cases, the Supreme Court has shown time and again that imposition is an evil that will do Nigeria no good. The waste of public resources that has followed reruns after the judicial displacement of imposed candidates is a senseless luxury that this nation can ill-afford. In a young democracy as ours, it is unacceptable that candidates will be foisted on party members and the electorate anytime elections are due. The people’s right to freely choose their leaders is inalienable and must be given full expression, in accordance with the Constitution. Nigerians must also demand respect for their rights to free choice of candidates. It is trite to argue that Nigeria must copy the enviable strides of nations whose democracies have endured decades and centuries in order for our nation to move forward.

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

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Daily n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Ag. Burea Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

Asst. Editor, News & Politics n Biyi Adegoroye

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

Telegraph Adam&Eve

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7 DECEMBER, 2014

a Adaoerline Ros bufo Nwa

no Fausty Wilson Age: 23 Weight: 49 Height: 6ft Occupation: Supermodel, actor, dancer Hobby: Walking on the runway E-mail: faustyno20@gmail.com

Age: 23 Height-5.6 Weight 65 Occupation: Student/Actress

E-mail: emekarich5@gloworld. blackbery

Telegraph Adam&Eve is a page for the young, lively, sexy, cute and daring male and female. If you fit the bill, send your profile, snazziest high resolution image, phone number and email to: julietbumah@gmail.com; editor.body-soul@newtelegraphonline.com, Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or our corporate head office, No 1A, Ajumobi Close, Off ACME Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Enquiries: +234 (0)811-675-9770.

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The Sunday Magazine SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014

Mile 2: The new ‘Oshodi’ of Lagos

Oshodi mile 2 express road

Ahaoma Kanu efore the administration of Governor Babtunde Fashola of Lagos State on May 29, 2007, one area in Lagos which was popular and notorious for the wrong reasons was Oshodi. It was a centre hub for business, trading and hawking which created one of the worst traffic situations in the state. One of peculiar nature the area has is its high volume of human and vehicular traffic, Oshodi at a point was described as a motorist’s nightmare and hell for pedestrians, especially those caught in between its criminal circle run by miscreants or Area Boys. There were the many long buses called Molues, haphazardly parked along the road; there were the many hawkers and traders who sold anything from baby wears to detergents and also there were the presence the road transport union leaders and their touts who wielded fear and terror on Lagosians. So disorderly was Oshodi that it became a case study for international scholars that a documentary entitled Law and Order had to be made by BBC’s Louis Theroux about the area. But, on January 2, 2009, a team from a Special Taskforce of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment stormed the area tore down the walls of the many illegal stalls erected along the roads. After the bulldozers left and reconstruction and beautification was done, Oshodi was transformed into a more serene environment with appreciable wider roads, beautiful gardens, street lights to brighten the roads and also, respect for the law. “I never believed that Oshodi was this wide when the transformation happened here six years ago,” said Chuma Offor, a UK-based lawyer that just returned to the country. Gone were the street traders that clogged the roads; gone were the buses

parked indiscriminately along the road with conductors calling for passengers causing traffic gridlock and instead of the sight of Lagosians struggling to enter buses at Oshodi, they now queue up. A few kilometres away is an environ that is fast taking over the notoriety that used to be Oshodi; welcome to Mile 2. Located in Amuwon Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, this area serves as both entry and exit points to several major suburbs and even neighbouring countries like Benin, Togo and Ghana. Mile 2 is a connector circuit of sorts and links Festac Town, Orile Iganmu, Apapa, Okokokomaiko, Oshodi, Surulere and so on.

Just like Oshodi, a view of Mile 2 in the morning rush hour period and also evening closing time is a cocktail of chaos, disorderliness and total traffic jam. Heavy duty vehicles hauling goods and services from different parts of the country gave their share of air and noise pollution; public transport buses criss-crossed the roads in absolute disobedience to traffic laws and passengers stood on the ready in the middle of the roads to pursue buses heading towards their likely destination. Hawkers sold their wares in every nook and cranny in the area and turning at a corner, three men squatting down answered the call of nature all in the open, in the full glare of the public.

“This is not new to us,” said Chinedu Ezeh, a young man who hawks cold soft drinks in plastic containers, “ It has been like this in the morning and evening but since the construction work started here, things changed a bit and even the But its connection to soaring crime rates has become a source of concern to road users and Lagosians generally. The increased activities in crime started occurring since the reconstruction works commenced on the roads by the Federal Ministry of Works. “Since rehabilitation work started here, we have known no peace.

SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Nigeria to buy 40 JF-17 jets from Pakistan

tion, IDEAS 20114, attracted many buyers indulging Nigeria. It said the Nigerian Air Force is close to finalising an order for the purchase of one or two squadrons of the JF-17 Thunder. IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly quoted Pakistan officials as saying that NIgeria finalised its recommendation for the purchase of 25-40 JF-17s after Chief of Air Staff, Air Mar-

I’m not at war with Fashola - Tinubu

ational Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday debunked reports that he and Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, had fallen apart over the emergence of Akinwunmi Ambode as the flagbearer of the party in the state. In a statement titled ‘My relationship with Fashola is intact,’ the erstwhile governor of Lagos State said he had noted with dismay how several media reports had painted the scenario of a rift between him and Fashola. “For a while now, I have noticed and read many published political stories on Lagos politics in particular and the personalities involved that are either concerted, unsubstantiated, pure conjections or outright falsehood. In this instance, I reference a recent story ran by a major newspaper concerning my successor and me. There is no doubt political charlatans and enemies are at work fueling unnecessary rumour and insinuations and seeking to drive a wedge in an otherwise cordial and respectful political relationship.

“My relationship with Governor Fashola remains cordial both at the personal level and at the level of commitment to ensuring Lagos State remains on the path of political stability, growth and development.” Tinubu also downplayed reports that the rift arose from his alleged imposition of Ambode as against Fashola’s choice candidate, Olasupo Shasore. He stated that both of them agreed on the need to ensure a transparent political system. “Whether Governor Fashola had a specific candidate or not isn’t the issue here. What is important is to have a transparent process in the spirit of democracy to which we both subscribe. We often debate, agree or disagree. But when it comes to concluding on the interest of Lagos State, we are on the same page. The current situation and issues around the Lagos gubernatorial primary are being overblown. What we have done is ensure that no one is denied his or her

shal Adesola Amosu, visited Pakistan in October. Amosu’s engagements in Pakistan included a visit to the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, north of Islamabad, where the JF-17 is manufactured. The fighter aircraft has been co-produced by Pakistan and China. The weekly said that so far, the PAC had produced 50 Block 1 JF-17s and began work on another 50

Block 2 variants in late 2013. Pakistan Air Force officials told IHS Jane’s that a Block 3 variant is being planned. It quoted the PAF officials as describing the JF-17 Block 3 as a fourthgeneration-plus fighter, a term that is used to describe Western aircraft such as Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 60s, the Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Ra-

igeria may soon purchase between 25 and 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan. Influential British magazine, IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, reports that the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, which has been the main attraction of visitors and potential buyers alike at the recently-concluded four-day defence exhibi-

rights to participate and compete for any elective position. “Such a disposition should not translate into anger and divisiveness of the party as it is being peddled. Conflicts and disagreements is part of every political process. The capacity to solve these conflicts in-house and not on the pages of newspaper is a tradition in Lagos.

“We warn the people of Lagos State against speculative, self-serving stories aimed at destabilising the party and its leadership. The media must be wary of accepting or publishing stories that seek to pursue a narrow political agenda. Rather, they should make their paper a platform for proper news dissemination and constructive analysis such that can help our

fale, among others. The weekly said that Western officials had previously said that a first successful export of the JF-17 holds the key for the programme’s long-term sustainment. Potential export customers mentioned as likely candidates for the JF-17 have included Egypt, Nigeria, Myanmar and Venezuela. If the deal sails through, it will serve as a huge re-

country tackle the current security problem, create jobs. “While we appreciate, recognise and respect the right of every media house to publish any story, it is important not to be part of the feeding frenzy and not to mislead the unsuspecting public. “At my age and with my level of political experience, I am expected to seek for so-

lief for Nigeria which has been shopping around the world for fighters jets to enable it to quell the insurgency in the NorthEast. Nigeria’s attempts to purchase weapons from the United States and South Africa have met a brickwall. Belarus also recently denied reports that it was planning to sell helicopter gunships to Nigeria.

lutions, work for reconciliations and find a common ground where disagreements exist. That is what I have dedicated myself to in the larger interest of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. That is what Governor Babatunde Fashola and myself are about. That is what Lagos state deserves as Nigeria’s pacesetter in terms of democracy and development,” he stated.

Chad-bound Russian plane held in Kano Muhammad Kabir Kano

Russian plane carrying weapons bound for Chadian capital, Ndjamena, was yesterday morning apprehended at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Already, the plane’s crew has been detained by security agents for questioning. The plane was impounded at about 2am on Saturday morning when it made a stopover for unknown reasons. None of the security outfits in Kano was ready to give details of the discovery. The spokesman for the Joint Military Task Force in Kano, Col. Eze, declined to respond to calls to his telephone, while the Kano State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Magaji Majiya, simply described it as ‘a federal operation.’ Yesterday’s seizure was the

third time a Russian plane laden with weapons would be seized at the airport. In June 2009, a Russian Fokker aircraft was impounded at the airport with weapons allegedly destined for the Niger Delta. It reportedly left Ukraine for Equatorial Guinea, and made a technical landing at the airport at about 2am. When security agents searched the aircraft, they discovered weapons stocked in 18 crates and swiftly detained the pilot, his four-man crew and a clearing agent. The plane was eventually released. In June 2013, a Russian Antonov plane enroute Kinshasa was detained at the airport. The aircraft was held shortly after landing at the airport around 9pm. It was surrounded by five trucks of soldiers and kept under watch until it was released several hours later.

L-R: Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke; Director General, Umeh Campaign Organisation, Mr. Obele Chuka Obele and APGA National Chairman/Senatorial Aspirant, Chief Victor Umeh, at the party’s primaries in Awka…yesterday

Ashaka: Boko Haram flees with dead colleagues - DHQ Emmanuel Onani

efence Headquarters yesterday said that soldiers successfully repelled attempts by Boko Haram fighters to overrun Ashaka, a town in Gombe State. A statement posted on DHQ’s official website by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said after their defeat, fleeing insurgents, escaped with three truckloads of their members.” The DDI also stated that over 10 soldiers lost their lives in the fierce battle,

while the injured ones are being treated in a military hospital. The latest attack on Ashaka was the second in less than two months by the Boko Haram insurgents. They were said to have invaded the town in over 30 vehicles, heavy equipment and motorcycles, most of which were destroyed by troops. The post reads: “Terrorists fleeing Ashaka on Thursday managed to retrieve three truckloads full of their dead members following the defeat and heavy casualty they suffered after a fierce battle with troops in

the area. “The terrorists who had come in large numbers with heavy equipment and convoy of over 30 vehicles and a number of motorcycles, were on a mission to take control of Ashaka town, after they had operated in Bajoga and environ in Gombe State. “Troops who got wind of their intention to overrun other towns pursued the terrorists while some also laid ambush for them. The terrorists were forced to abandon the mission when the troops proved unyielding. Most of the vehicles and equipment used by the

terrorists for their mission were destroyed before they chose to flee the location. “Over 10 soldiers however died in the battle while those who were wounded are being treated in military hospital.”

Baheh

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER 2014

News

Buhari, Atiku others shun presidential debate Johnchuks Onuanyim,

A Abuja

ll Progressives Congress presidential aspirants yesterday shunned the media debate organised for them at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. The five presidential aspirants of the party are former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha; Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; and Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam NdaIsaiah. They were last week screened by the APC presidential screening committee chaired by the former National Chairman of the

defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. The five presidential aspirants were later issued clearance certificates to enable them to contest for the presidential ticket of the party at the national convention slated for December 10. The presidential debate, Sunday New Telegraph learnt, was planned by a television station. Speaking to some members of the campaign organisations of the presidential aspirants, they stated that their principals were on the last lap of their respective campaigns to woo delegates to vote for them at the presidential primaries. From the Buhari Campaign Organisation, it was gathered that the aspirant was in a Northern state wooing delegates on the

need for them to vote for him as the presidential candidate of APC on Wednesday. One of his aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said Buhari would not attend any debate not organised or sanctioned by the party.

From the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, it was gathered that the APC presidential hopeful was in Port Harcourt enroute to Akwa Ibom State to woo delegates. The Director of Media of Atiku Campaign Organization, Mallam Shehu Garba, in response to a text message on whether Atiku

would attend the debate, said: “Turaki is now in Port Harcourt, to move to Akwa Ibom on the last lap of his delegates’ harvesting tour.” For the Kwankwaso Campaign Office, their principal was in Abuja for his presidential fund raising dinner, otherwise he would have travelled to woo delegates in some states.

They argued that no presidential debate was more than the screening that the aspirants went through. The member of the Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation said he was privy to the questions that the APC presidential aspirants were asked and there wouldn’t anything more than that.

Ribadu’s supporters decry smear campaign

Ribadu

upporters of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday decried alleged attempts by unnamed leaders in Adamawa State to smear his name. In a Facebook post under the aegis of the Nuhu Ribadu Vanguard, the supporters said the unnamed leaders had taken their desperation to produce the next governor of the state to ridiculous levels by blaming the political challenges in the state on the former EFCC boss. They noted that the smear campaign was borne out of the fear that Ribadu would not yield to compromise if elected governor of the state. “The major factor that hinders the progress of Adamawa State is the selfishness of the elite. They have been depriving the

good people of the state of good leadership in the past. Now they are at it again by promoting propaganda aimed at smearing the name of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. In their desperation to ensure that the next governor must be someone they can dictate to, due to their obsession to being placed to the status of godfathers and beneficiaries of public funds to the detriment of the populace, they are inciting the people by attributing the political challenges in recent times as a plan to impose an individual (Ribadu) as a governor on the state. “But the reality is they know that a Ribadu government cannot be influenced into preserving the status quo, i. e sharing public funds to them. Just as they fear the likes of GMB (Gen. Muhammadu Buhari) on the national arena. My brothers and sisters, aside from Atiku Abubakar, none of the sons of the state has attained the political status of Ribadu by emerging third in a presidential election and by extension pulling over two million votes, more than the entire number of Adamawa electorate. One who beat the incumbent President and GMB in a state far away from his home state (Osun) in 2011. Why would they want to deny us of our messiah an incorruptible man with the desire to serve his people?” they wondered.

L-R: Lagos State APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Akinwumi Ambode; National leader, Bola Tinubu and Speaker, House of Representatives/ Sokoto State APC gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Aminu Tanbuwal, during a post-election victory visit to Tinubu in Lagos … yesterday

Masari defeats Yar’Adua’s brother Obiano launches schemes

former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, was on Saturday declared the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, for the 2015 elections. The Chairman, Katsina Primaries Elections Committee, Adesina Aderibigbe, who announced the result in Katsina, said Masari scored 2,470 votes to defeat his rivals, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. A total of 5,266 delegates

from the 34 local government areas were screened for the gubernatorial primary election in the state. Aderibigbe said Kanti Bello, a former senator, polled 1,327 votes; Sada Ilu scored 468 votes; and Abdulaziz Yar’adua, a retired colonel, and late President Umar Yar’Adua’s younger brother, had 243 votes. He said the election was free, fair and credible, adding that it was conducted in accordance with the party’s rules.

FG sends Ebola volunteers to Liberia, Sierra Leone

ore than 175 Nigerian medics arrived in Liberia and Sierra Leone on Friday to join the fight against Ebola, the first of 600 volunteers promised by the Federal Government after the World Health Organisation certified that the Nigeria has successfully contained the outbreak earlier this year. The medics will boost weak local health systems that are also struggling to contain other preventable diseases as Ebola discourages people from going to clinics for fear of contracting the fever, Reuters reports. The worst outbreak of Ebola on record has killed

at least 6,187 people in the three worst-affected countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - according to the latest data from the World Health Organisation. Reuters reported yesterday that the 76 Nigerian medics were received on arrival by the Nigeria Ambassador to Liberia, Mr. Chigozie Obi-Nndozie. “This is the African spirit you are showing, this is

n a bold move to give the three leading cities of Anambra State an outlook of modernity and shore up their social index, Governor Willie Obiano has launched three landmark initiatives that will change the face of the state. The initiatives are the Anambra State City Cab Scheme, Operation Clean & Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade) and the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency (ATMA). Launching the first phase

the Nigerian spirit,” he said. Another 100 volunteers landed in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Months into the Ebola response, experts say they are still short of medical personnel to staff treatment centers. The United Nations said one of its peacekeepers in Liberia had contracted Ebola, making him the third infected member of

of the cab scheme with 200 taxis at Alex Ekweme Square at the weekend, Obiano explained that the idea was to ensure that the state would have an effective transportation system that would lift it into a world class business environment. He further maintained that the introduction of the cab scheme is expected to slash the unemployment rate and eventually contribute to a growth in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

the mission. The two others have both died. Sixteen people who came into contact with the peacekeeper while he was symptomatic had been identified, the United Nations said. The condition of an Italian doctor who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone and was flown home last month has worsened, a Rome hospital said on Friday.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

US-based bishop prays for peaceful elections

ounding pastor of the Church of the Anointing, one of the fastest growing churches in Los Angeles, California, Bishop Nelson Ugwuzor, has called on listeners to join him in a nationwide prayer for Nigeria and his home state of Abia. Speaking during his weekly broadcast on Stevie Wonder’s legendary radio station in Los Angeles, KJLH 102.3 FM, Pastor Nelson, who has continued to speak into the lives of many in America and across the globe, said Nigeria needs special prayers at this time in its history. Bishop Nelson declared: “I feel in my heart that my beloved country, Nigeria is at a place where it needs the best leaders to continue to lead that great nation and lead it to where it needs to be, so it can be an example at all levels to the world and to Africa as a continent. “Wherever Nigeria goes,

the entire continent of Africa goes. That is why I am asking everyone across the United States and Africa to join me to pray for a peaceful, fair, transparent election process in Nigeria. I am praying for worthy, experienced, accountable, Godfearing leaders to emerge and lead Nigeria next. Nelson, who received the 2012 Stellar Award for his ‘Spread the Word’ radio program on KJLH, and led the city of Los Angeles in a prayer of victory for President Barak Obama before his 2012 election said that the world is watching Nigeria at this critical moment. “I am praying for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, all the governors, all elected officials and political appointees and aspirants who desire to lead to do so with the love of the country at heart. I am praying for wisdom and God’s guidance over all of them,” he said.

Aspirant wants Delta APC guber primaries canceled

Joe Obende Warri

n All Progressives Congress’ governorship aspirants in Delta State, Chief Fidelis Tilije, has said he will go to court if the primary election held in Asaba, the state capital last Thursday is not canceled. Tilije, who stormed out of the venue of Oshimili Arcade, venue of the APC primaries before voting commenced in protest of irregularities which he alleged was skewed in favour of the other can-

didate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor. Speaking with journalists later in his country home in Obiaruku, Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State over the weekend, the three-time deputy governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) with Great Ogboru, described the exercise as a ‘charade’. He said during the primaries, his opponent was involved in activities which were not in consonance with laid down party rules. He said Emerhor stormed the arena with thugs who wore branded

in T-shirts with his name and photograph. He also said that Emerhor rang a bell like “an Aladura priest”. He condemned the manner in which Emerhor had stormed the venue campaigning and alleged open distribution of money to delegates. “You do not campaign while election is on. When I complained to the Resident Electoral Officer, she also condemned the act which she agreed was contrary to laid down rules,” Tilije fumed. The APC strong man expressed surprise at the list

of delegates which he said were supposed to have been authenticated but that the panel relied on a handwritten one. He claimed that his complaints to the APC Returning Officer, Alhaji Aliyu Yahaya Saad, fell on deaf ears Tijije said that Saad is the chairman of Standard Alliance Insurance Company where Emerhor holds majority interests and is also a co-board member. The aggrieved aspirant described the conduct of the primaries as “beneath a level playing field and a political fraud.”

Plateau PDP snubs Dariye Buhari Bello Jos

ormer Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Chibi Dariye was at the weekend snubbed at the venue of a Peoples Democratic Party meeting in Bokkos Local Government area despite the recent waver granted him by the national headquarters of the party in Abuja. The serving senator defected to the PDP from the Labour Party recently but was denied access to a meeting of the party at his local government area and the state level. It was gathered that Dariye, who was snubbed by

the executive of the party at the local government area considered the action a disgrace, believing that the party executive must have acted at the instance of the state leadership of the party. The state Chairman of the party, Raymond Dabo explained that the party at all levels failed to accept Dariye and the former deputy governor, Mrs. Pauline Tallen among the defectors because the former governor, in particular did not follow “due Process in his return to the ruling party in the state”. He said the party “is not willing to accept the former Governor Dariye because of his refusal to abide by the constitution of the PDP. “

Gunmen attack Minna Prisons, free 270 inmates Dan Atori MINNA

unmen yesterday evening attacked the Nigerian Prisons (Medium) in Tunga Minna, killing one person and freeing over 270 inmates. An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said he was threatened by the three gunmen who came in a Honda car and snatched two other cars. “They were dressed in police bullet-proof uniforms and snatched two cars which they used in conveying their gang members. They succeeded in freeing over 30 inmates. I saw them and I do not know where other young men with guns numbering about 10 joined them,” he added. The three gangsters, who arrived the Minna Medium

Prisons at exactly 4:30pm, were said to have shot sporadically in a bid to scare away residents around Cemetry on David Mark Road in Tunga. Many prisoners rang for freedom through the Tunga hills towards the Three Arm Zone linking Maitumbi area. While they were escaping for safety, they shot a man who tried to raise the alarm in Karfin Tella community in Tunga area. Ot of the 323 inmates in the prisons before the attack, 270 escaped, leaving 53. Before forcing their way into the prison, eyewitnesses said they shot the warders on duty. The situation was, however, brought under control after an exchange of gunfire between the attackers and the police for about 15 minutes.

L-R: Executive member, National Association of Ghanaian Communities in Nigeria (NAGHACON), Mr. Listowell Ashong; Consul-General, Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Abdulai Abubakari; Managing Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kojo Nunoo; President, NAGHACON, Mr. Frank Quaye and Sales Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sam Osafo, during the Association’s fund raiser/carnival in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

PDP vows to sack Okorocha as over 1200 dump APC Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State, Mr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, has said that as the most formidable party in the country and having carried out a successful reconciliation in the state, the party is now ready to sweep out the government of Governor Rochas Okorocha next year. Anyaehie, who made the assertions at a home coming/consolidation rally organised in his honour by the Nkwerre Local Government chapter of the party where over 1,200 members of the APC defected to the PDP, urged members and supporters of the party to re-

main watchful and united in their determination to achieve the mission. He said: “I have come here to declare to you that by our collective and united efforts, we will send the APC packing from Imo Government House next year and ensure the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan. We need to rescue Imo from the grips of these few individuals that pride themselves as rescuers”. Stating that it was time to end what he described as the ‘inglorious era’ of Governor Okorocha and his party, he said: “The truth for now remains that one family is rescuing itself to the detriment of the entire state. We must stop this madness with our votes and ulti-

mately restore PDP to the Imo Government House in 2015.” Commending the over 1,200 APC members led by Hon. Lucky Charles, former City Mayor in Okorocha’s administration, for their wisdom in liberating themselves from the clutches of deceit and autocracy, Anyaehie described the PDP as a single united indivisible family and assured that the party would continue to provide a level playing ground for all her members vying for elective positions. He also congratulated the party members for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the party’s primaries for the state House of Assembly, and enjoined them to con-

tinue to adhere strictly to all democratic norms and traditions. Speaking also at the rally, a former Special Assistant on Special Duties to Okorocha, who recently decamped to the PDP, explained that the exercise was in appreciation of the loyalty, hard work, integrity, discipline and resilience of Anyaehie within the short period of his tenure. Speaking on behalf of Imo youths and young professionals, Comrade Munonye Maximus promised to ensure total mobilisation of the youths in support of the party’s determination to reclaim government house and restore Imo to the path of prosperity.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Anenih’s ‘new loyalists’ replace incumbent lawmakers Cajetan Mmuta,

A BENIN

mid tight security, delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State Saturday trooped out to participate at the party primaries to elect candidates to fly the party’s flag in the nine federal constituencies in the forthcoming February 2015 general elections in the state. Available results as at the time of filing this report showed that incumbent lawmakers loyal to the Chairman, board of trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, lost to fresh hands during the contest. According to results so far released in Esan land which is the political stronghold of Chief Anenih, the incumbent legislator representing Esan Central, Esan West

and Igueben, Hon. Patrick Ikhariale, who is seeking re-election for third term in the lower chambers of the National Assembly, polled 20 votes to lose to Chief Joe Ediowe who scored 64 votes to edge out his opponents while former national president of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Mr. Felix Akabue polled 37 votes. A former member of the House of Representatives representing Owan Federal constituency, Hon. Johnson Abolagba also lost his bid to return to the House. He was defeated by Mr. Ambrose Imoode who polled 41 votes against his 29 votes. Abolagba however, accepted the defeat at the primaries and promised to ensure that the party emerged victorious at the polls next year.

Imoode who emerged as the party’s candidates, however praised the aspirants for the successful conduct of the primary. He said, “If they were not there, there wouldn’t have been a primary in the first place. We are going to work as a team for the election proper,” he assured. Besides, delegates in Ovia federal constituency, Ms Omosede Igbinedion, the daughter of popular Benin chief and business magnate, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, emerged the PDP candidate. Delegates in Oredo federal constituency elected Engineer Ogbeide Ihama as candidate of the party. He scored 26 votes to beat his opponents who included the protégée of Chief Igbinedion dynasty, Hon. Victor Enoghama who got eight votes; the lawmaker

representing Oredo East in the State House of Assembly Mr. Patrick Osayemwen polled eight votes and Osarentin Edosomwan who polled one vote. In Ikpoba Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, the party delegates elected Mr. Ehiozogie Agbonayieman as candidate of the party with 37 votes. The incumbent lawmaker in the state legislature representing Ikpoba Okha State Constituency who contested for the House of Representatives seat Mr. Jude Ise-Idehen, also lost with 26 votes. In Akoko Edo Federal Constituency, Mr. Oladele Bankole-Balogun was elected to represent the party and will face the popular incumbent APC lawmaker in the House of Representatives and former President of NUPENG, Hon Peter Akpa-

tason who is seeking for re-election. In addition, Mr. Larry Ogieva defeated Chris Agbowanegbe; a former commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Joe Atohengbe and Saturday Idehen, respectively, to emerge the party’s candidate in Orhionmwon/

Uhunmwonde Federal Constituency. In Esan Southeast/Esan Northeast, Mr. Serguis Ogun defeated the incumbent lawmaker, Mr. Friday Itulah who is seeking for a third term. Ogun scored 55 votes to oust Itulah who scored 33 votes.

Adamawa PDP crisis: Madaki, others to boycott national convention Ibrahim Abdul, Yola

s the crisis in Adamawa State Chapter of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, deepens, the suspended Chairman of the state chapter,Chief Joel Madaki and other stakeholders have vowed to boycott the National Convention of the party unless the National Working Committee of the party rescind its decision to conduct party primaries outside the state and allow the “authentic delegates to vote during the party primaries.” While delivering the resolution of some aggrieved stakeholders of the party at the State party Secretariat Complex, spokesman of

the group, Prof. Andrawus Sawa, noted that in view of the court orders issued by the Federal High Court Yola, they only recognized Chief Joel Madaki and Barrister A.T Shehu as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, adding that the purported suspension of the two without fair hearing should be regarded as null and void. Sawa added that they only recognised the list of all the delegates endorsed at the October 31 and November 1, 2014 delegates’ election as adopted by the Stakeholders and Exco of Adamawa for all primary elections in 2014. He added that no other list will be recognized beside the one upheld by the Federal High Court Yola on December 1, 2014.

Abia APC guber primary: Ayim returned unopposed Igbeaku Orji, UMUAHIA

C L-R: Community leader, Chief Adokiye Harry; His Royal Highness Alabo Tom-Big Harry and another community leader, Chief Opakrite Tom-Big Harry, at a news conference on 100 years of the first son of the founder of Obuama Community in Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State …yesterday

Political thugs disrupt PDP primaries in Ondo State Babatope Okeowo, Akure

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries for the Akoko North West/North East Federal Constituency in Ondo State was yesterday disrupted following allegations of imposition of candidate on the party. The primaries which held at Jubilee Grammar School, Ikare-Akoko in Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo State was declared inconclusive following the actions of suspected politi-

cal thugs who disrupted the exercise. A source who was at the venue said a 76-year candidates, Mr. Deni Akerele, did not purchase nomination form neither did he undergo screening of the party like other aspirants of the party and the insistence that the he (Akerele) participate in the exercise led to free for all among delegates and party members. It took the intervention of policemen to prevent a breakdown of law and order. Another day would however be fixed for the exercise.

In some federal constituencies, parallel primaries were held among some aggrieved party members and the newly constituted State Working Committee of the party. In Akure South and North federal constituencies Mr. Dare Aliu and Adedayo Omolafe emerged as parallel candidate. in Idanre/Ifedore, Dele Osakuade and Akin Akingbesote emerged as parallel candidates while In Ondo East/West federal constituencies, Olabisi Johnson and Joseph Akinlaja emerged from the op-

posing camps. In Irele/Okitipupa, Akoko Southeast and Southwest, Owo/Ose, IleOluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo federal constituencies’ parallel primaries of the party were held to produce two candidates. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly Committee for the state attended the primaries conducted by the new state executive while they were absent at the parallel congress held at different venues.

hief Chinenye Nyerere Anyim has emerged the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Abia State. In the primary election conducted yesterday at the Ojukwu Bunker, Umuahia, Nyerere emerged through a voice vote affirmation of the delegates as there was no other candidate to contest with him. The four-member national primary committee led by the chairman, Hon Joseph Umaru which conducted the primary said that by the mandate of the delegates and the party provision, Anyim has been returned unopposed having scaled through the screening as the only aspirant of the party. Umaru later handed him over the certificate as the flag bearer of the party. The primary, conducted under the supervision of INEC officials led by the Head of political department Chief

Anthony Kayode Adoki was peaceful and attended by party officials, delegates from the 17 local government areas and party chieftains. Addressing the delegates after his emergence, Anyim said his emergence was a call to service and that he was prepared to bring the needed change in the political situation in the state. He added that if elected governor in 2015 the state would be transformed. He said the people of Abia State have borne the burden of misrule for 16 years and called on all including other aspirants to rally round him for the desire change. Chairman of the Abia APC, Hon Donatus Nwankpa charged members of the party to remain steadfast and work hard for the emergence of the candidate as governor in 2015. Chairmen of the party in Abia North, Okorafor Kanu, Abia Central Bernard Omeru and Uba Nnanna for Abia South affirmed his candidature on behalf other members of the party.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPINION 2015: When politicians overheat the polity

Mohammed Faskari cross the political divide in Nigeria, strong, fragile and sometimes shifty alliances and dalliances are being fabricated, broken or strengthened, as the case may be, in unequal measures, on a daily basis. These come along with enough heat being generated. At these times, the politics of relevance determines what you get from the unfathomable pool called the ‘dividends of democracy.’ In playing this game of the survival of the fittest, simple rules of decency, fair play, tact and facts are treated with uncommon levity and brazen insouciance, in most circumstances, in the spirit of “all is fair in war.” In some other instances, conventionally-held Rules of Engagement are turned upside down to oil and “authenticate” deliberate falsehoods to strengthen the “armoury” of the beneficiary. The lies, misconceptions and deliberate misinformation planted by the political class through unguarded and inciting utterances and actions, thrive because of the ingrained rank illiteracy, complacency, political apathy and the poverty level of the electorate. When lies wear the garb of facts, the political bearing of the planter of those lies and that of the unwary electorate, become distorted, in a negative manner. The citizenry, on unearthing the truth, becomes more apathetic with a resultant deduction that all politicians are of the same stock. In its pristine form, the beauty of politics is the allure and aura of power. In the Nigerian context, there is the added tendency for some of the wearers of this power toga to use it to accumulate economic capital for self and cronies It is in the light of the foregoing, that

we must situate the desperate and precipitate actions, activities and utterances of a certain section of the political class that has indulged in wanton disregard for constituted authorities; rebellious activities designed to instigate other sections of the society to do same and other actions with intent to undermine the freely-elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his administration by overt and covert means. This cadre of politicians believes that the art of politicking is another dimension of war that must be fought with bile, angst and uncommon and intense vehemence, to achieve the primary aim of acquiring power and all other “appurtenances” that will, necessarily, follow. Ordinarily, the foibles of the average politician are mainly predicated on the need to have a space in the market place of ideas to power his quest for power. In recent times, the Nigerian polity has witnessed the most strident and baleful politicking in the nation’s history with frightful potentials for exacerbating the already taut and fragile security situation in certain parts of the country, the existence of which many people believe, some of the politicians are culpable. A section of the political class has been fanning the embers of mutual distrust, hatred and a bare-faced regime of lies through inciting statements, activities and proxy media interventions with pre-determined anti-Establishment focus and impact. Arrayed in a phalanx of “chronic-complainants” are some of the so-called civil society organisations and individuals who, like cheer leaders, are egging the violence-prone politicians to cause more havoc and distabilise the polity. It is instructive to note that recently, the Inspector General of

Police, Alhaji Suleiman Abba, had read the Riot Act to defaulting politicians to deviate from making inciting statements that are intended to undermine the very foundation of the nation’s security. He also admonished them to rein-in their foot soldiers and ensure that they behave well in accordance with laiddown rules and regulations. One of the guiltiest politicians who have made inciting and many times, treasonable utterances to score cheap political points, is the garrulous Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. At various fora, he had railed and ranted at the President and his wife in very insolent language and demeanour that would have, ordinarily, elicited a charge of treasonable felony in some other countries. In his trade-mark rambunctious manner, he has unwittingly revealed the agenda of his party, the All Progressives Congress, to include a defeatist clause that the party will resort to selfhelp by setting up a parallel administration, if it loses the 2015 Presidential Election. This call-to-arms option propounded by Amaechi’s APC is definitely an invitation to chaos by a party which is not selling its manifesto to Nigerians who will cast their votes in 2015. Arranged and programmed in a sequence for propaganda purposes, the so-called ‘Salvation Rally’ was held by the APC at the Eagle Square on Wednesday, November 19, 2014, with its leaders taking turns to pour verbal venom on the Federal Government, the President and the Nigeria Police Force. The rally later spilled over to the surroundings of the Eagle Square. A splinter group led by the selfsame Amaechi later laid a siege on the Police Headquarters while pouring invectives on the IGP and the police. The events of Thursday, November 20, 2014

have elicited different reactions, with the APC and its foot soldiers engaging in their trademark scurrilous and skewed interpretations of what actually transpired between Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, acting as the principal agent provocateur with his army of Tonton Macoutes on one hand and the Nigeria Police Force contingent on ground, at the National Assembly precincts. It was glaring that the posse led by Tambuwal was on a pre-planned mission to confront, provoke and tar-brush the Nigeria Police Force, which was out on its constitutionally-assigned duties. The commentators, acting in consonance with pre-set scripts and a measure of selective amnesia, are not telling Nigerians why Tambuwal should lead miscreants and hoodlums to breach and overrun legitimate cordons and perimeter screening point. They are also not telling Nigerians why Tambuwal and his group should taunt and physically-assault the policemen (officers and men) in order to set up a self-serving scenario of “police brutality” and bias. Nor were we told why Tambuwal and his self-assembled security details accessed the Green Chambers of the National Assembly through a pre-set secret route if the intention was not to paint the Nigeria Police Force as unlawfully shutting down the National Assembly. Why did the other legislators and “imported impostors” shamelessly scale the perimeter fence of the NASS, rather than go through the same secret route pre-arranged for Tambuwal and his horde of hoodlums? Why was the Senate President, Senator David Mark and his Aide-de-Camp manhandled by Tambuwal’s supporters? •Mohammed Faskari is a public affairs commentator based in Kaduna

Enugu: Why pendulum is swinging to Ugwuanyi (2) JohnPaul Ezeaku

emocracy grants everyman and woman the right to seek to serve his or her constituency, state or nation at whatever level of his or her choice, a right which Senator Eze is free to exercise. In our system, such ambition must be pursued through a political party platform, in this case the PDP. A good, loyal party man, or a good politician for that matter, is one who works to realize his ambition within the confines of party constitution, rules and or agreements. Anyone who is ready to bring down the roof upon everybody, to destroy party structure and cohesion and, by extension its chances at the polls, just because certain decisions by party hierarchy do not favour him, cannot be a politician worth that name and, therefore, is not deserving of the trust of the people as their leader. A recent report in one of the weekend publications with the headline ‘Enugu 2015: Pendulum swinging to Ayogu Eze’ and written by Mr. Emeka Mamah, a veteran journalist, made quite an interesting reading. But, its objective was obviously a pernicious attempt at disinformation, which is false or inaccurate information spread deliberately with intent to make genuine information useless. The article in question was also partly self-indicting. It is not true, as was claimed in that report, that Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State unilaterally imposed Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the zonal and state caucuses of the party. Indeed, another, even more authentic, version of the whole consensus saga is that Ugwuanyi wasn’t originally Chime’s candidate (the writer as a journalist and keen observer of events in his home state knows this story very well). What was widely speculated was that the governor was averse to ‘any Abuja politician’ succeeding him, preferring instead to groom a “home-grown” but qualified candidate “who has worked with his administration from the

very beginning.” But, it says a lot about Chime’s democratic credentials and team spirit that despite his own personal preferences, he decided to abide by the choice of the party elders. According to sources, the signals Chime received from different parts of the state in support of Hon Ugwuanyi’s candidacy were so strong that the governor had no other choice than to drop the idea of supporting another candidate and flow with the people’s choice. How could the writer describe the open and transparent process that eventually followed from such initially selfserving political calculation but which finally ended in 83 out of the 86 people present endorsing Hon. Ugwuanyi as a consensus candidate, as kangaroo? Could Okwesilieze Nwodo, the first executive governor of the state, founding National Secretary and a former National Chairman whose campaign for internal democracy in the PDP is well documented, also have endorsed such a ‘kangaroo’ meeting where the governor ‘imposed’ Ugwuanyi on the Enugu-North PDP and, further down the line, the state PDP? The writer knows that there couldn’t be anything farther from the truth. The writer’s assertion that Engr. Vita Abbah’s sudden resignation as chairman of party ostensibly to join the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South House Representative race is the singular most devastating blow to the integrity of the PDP in Enugu State, is quite correct. Many have wondered how a party chairman who had held sway for seven years over a strong, united party would resign his post so precipitously, knowing what was (and is) at stake. Could he not have planned his exit to take place at a more auspicious time, knowing full well the consequences of his seemingly conspiratorial resignation, which are now unfolding before his very eyes? Isn’t it ironical that Abbah who was the first person to step down for Hon. Ugwuanyi and pledge his support for all the steps being taken by the governor to effect power shift to Enugu North, would become

the one to take an action that has almost spelt doom for the party that gave him name and relevance in the politics of the land and governance of the state? In a recent interview, Abbah was quoted as saying that he was not the first party chairman to resign to contest an election—which is true. But, in another breath, he lamented that he was sick and almost died and had to travel overseas to treat himself (to God be the glory that he is now hale and hearty). Nonetheless, the question remains: did Abbah resign because he wanted to run for the House or because he was sick? While there is as yet no evidence to suggest that the former chairman betrayed the cause, it must also be said that the whole Vita-Abbah-resignation story in Enugu PDP is less than tidy. However, to claim as the writer did, that every other stakeholder, except Ken Nnamani, has abandoned Chime “who appeared” to be fighting many people, is to take political spin masqueraded as analysis to a new height. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As was widely reported, when Chime summoned the PDP elders meeting in May to solicit support for power shift to Enugu North, the only person reported to have been uncomfortable with the decision taken was Senator Ike Ekeremadu. And that, it must be stated, was not so much because he was opposed to power shift as because he knew Chime was after his seat. So, as early as May, the stakeholders already knew that Chime and Ekweremadu were not exactly the best of friends and were “fighting” each other. That is the only ‘fighting’ that the Enugu governor is known to be embroiled in with any stakeholder and it is that ‘fighting’ that is at the core of the raging PDP crisis in Enugu. The truth is that rather than abandon him, practically all Enugu PDP elders have firmly stood by the governor. They recognize that Enugu is the only state where Senators from the state, consumed by their own vaulting ambition and

working with rogue elements in the NWC of the party and corrupt judicial officers, appear bent on wrenching the party structure from the governor, the party leader in the state, so they can freely impose their will on the electorate. Every political analyst or opinion writer has a right to take a position on any issue of interest to him or her. But, as custodians of public trust and confidence in the fairness of public communication, the least media practitioners can do is, tell the truth. Disregarding the violence that some lawyers and some contemporary Nigerian judges routinely do to truth, does the writer sincerely believe that the PDP warddelegates congress validly took place in Enugu State? Forget that the PDP lawyer who earlier swore to an affidavit that the materials for that election were still locked up in a vault at Wuse, Abuja, Police Station, later recanted, ostensibly after inducement. As a veteran reporter, is the writer saying he is not aware that the police headquarters had earlier confirmed that no electoral materials were moved from Wuse Police Station and delivered to Enugu for the ward delegates-congress on November 1? So, which materials did the NWC deliver to Elder Ajah to conduct the congress “at a venue said to have been approved by the NWC?” Does a ward-delegates congress to elect delegates to a governorship primary take place at just a venue? Isn’t it obvious that when the NWC of a party ignores the complaints of the leader of the party in a state and goes ahead to deliver electoral materials “for delegates to the governorship primaries of the party on November 1, which the Chime faction was not part of,” to a controversial acting chairman of the party who goes ahead to conduct the election “at a venue said to have been approved by the NWC,” but which the governor and his camp are not aware of, that election, by reason of such apparent secrecy, is invalid ab initio? •Ezeaku, a journalist, sent this analysis from Enugu-Ezike, Enugu State

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

PDP Primaries

PDP govs, senators battle for tickets

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson (left), congratulating Fredrick Agbedi, shortly after the lather emerged winner of the PDP primaries for the Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State…yesterday

Our correspondents

ine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are expected to slug it out with other contenders for Senate tickets at the party’s National Assembly primaries holding across the nation today. The governors are: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Theodore Orji (Abia); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue). The governors of Delta and Enugu, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Sullivan Chime respectively, had on Friday dropped their ambitions, after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja. They had dropped out of the race due to concerns about security and party cohesion, especially as they were scheming to replace two key senators. While Chime was scheming to oust Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Delta governor was eyeing the seat of Senator James Manager. The seven remaining PDP governors are expected to sail through smoothly, barring any last-minute hitches. Governor Akpabio will have an easy ride for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District ticket as virtually all stakeholders in the senatorial district had endorsed him. Akpabio is challenging Senator Aloysius Etok. In Benue, Suswam is sure of picking the Benue North-East Senatorial District. His major challenger and former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade, on Thursday pulled out of the

race. Governor Aliyu is also primed to unseat Senator Shem Zagbayi for the Niger East Senatorial District. Zagbayi was elected in September 2014. In Abia Central, Governor Orji will have an easy ride for Senator Nkechi Nwaogu’s seat. Nwaogu has opted out of the race for the governorship contest. The aspiration of Elechi to replace Senator Paulinus Nwagu as representative of Ebonyi Central District in the Senate may hit the rocks except his deputy, Engr. Dave Umahi, whose faction of the party conceded the slot to him, opts out. Governors Shema and Yuguda are primed for the Katsina and Bauchi tickets as there are no serious challengers. In Bauchi, all the three senators have opted out of the race for the governorship seat. In Kebbi, Governor Dangikari will pick the Kebbi North senatorial ticket as the incumbent, Senator Isa Galaudi, has opted out for the governorship ticket. Sunday New Telegraph learnt that out of 75 PDP senators 18 of them have opted out of today’s primaries. The 18 senators are contesting the governorship primaries tomorrow. The senators who are not participating in the primaries are: Gyang Pwajok (Plateau), Helen Esuene (Akwa Ibom), Nkechi Nwaogu (Abia), Ayoade Adeseun (Oyo), Ayogu Eze (Enugu), Chris Anyanwu (Imo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Simon Ajibola (Kwara), Paulinus Nwagwu and Victor Lar (Plateau). Others are Solomon Ewuga (Nasarawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Isa Galaudi (Kebbi),

Muhammad Magoro (Kebbi), Bashir Lado (Kano), Adamu Gumba (Bauchi), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi) and Babayo Garba (Bauchi). Among sitting senators running today are Senate President David Mark, and his deputy, Ekweremadu. They are expected to sail through easily. But Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, will need a miracle to emerge as the candidate. The All Progressives Congress (APC) will today hold its primaries for the House of Representatives nationwide. A number of APC House members are seeking return tickets. They are also facing some tough challengers, one of whom is the son of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu. Meanwhile, some sitting members of the House of Representatives were defeated in yesterday’s primaries. Defeat in Abia They include Eziuche Ubani, representing Ugunagbo/Osisioma and Obingwa; Oluchi Ibeji (Ikwuano/ Umuahia); and Arua Arunsi (Arochukwu/Ohafia). The ticket for Ubani’s constituency was picked by Solomon Adaelu, a former commissioner for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, while the ex-Commissioner for Finance, Sam Onuigbo, won the ticket for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency. Arunsi, who reportedly announced his withdrawal from the race on the state radio early Saturday morning, lost his constituency to Uko Nkole. However, two female representatives, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Isuikwuato/Umunneochi) and Nnenna Ukeje (Bende), retained their tickets. Also, the member representing

Ukwa East and Ukwa West, Nkem Abonta, got a return ticket. Ukeje beat her closest rival, Nnamdi Njoku, by 43 votes to five, while Onyejeocha polled 63 votes to beat Ngozi Emeruwa with five. Sam Onuigbo picked the ticket with 66 votes against Oluchi Ibeji’s 35. At the time of filing the report, the results of Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South and Aba North and South were still being awaited. Abuja, Jigawa Danladi Zhin won the Abuja South ticket, securing 68 votes against 51 by Isa Dobi and 53 by Musa Arada. Most members of the House of Representatives from Jigawa State won return tickets in yesterday’s primaries. The election, which was supervised by state PDP and government officials, was hitch-free in almost all the local government areas. In Kiri-Kasamma, Adamu Hassan Abonabo (Guri, Birniwa, Kiri-kasamma), who stand for re-election, got 120 votes and was returned unopposed. In Jahun Miga, Mustapha Habib won while other victorious PDP federal lawmakers are Shitu Galambi of Gwaram; Bashir Adamu (Kazaure); and Yusuf Sale Dunari (MalamMadori Kaugama). Delta The House of Representatives primary election in Delta State was characterised by the late arrival of materials, prompting anxiety and crisis. Accreditation started in most of the centres at 4:35p.m. The situation was not different in Kwale, Oleh, Ughelli, Sapele except Agbor where voting commenced at 4:45p.m. with armed policemen and other security operatives on ground

to maintain peace and order. At the Cenotaph, Asaba where the primaries for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal constituency was held, a female aspirant pulled her wristwatch, dropped her bag with her aides and was ready to engage the local government chairman in a fight until the security agencies stopped her. The situation was tense in Bomadi following the arrival of voting materials for Bomadi Federal Constituency, delegates and aspirants for the election were said to have fled for safety when thugs loyal to some of the aspirants engaged each other in a shootout. Ekiti The primaries in Ekiti State were marred by late distribution of electoral materials. In most places, materials were still being expected as at 5.30p.m., just as the police beefed up security in the designated voting centres and across the state generally. The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, also deployed a large number of anti-riot policemen in the party’s state secretariat located in Ado-Ekiti. A visit to the headquarters of the six federal constituencies in Ido, Ikole, Aramoko, Ado, Omuo and Ikere revealed a heavy security presence. The head of Committee for the House of Representatives primary election, Alhaji Bala Suleiman, blamed the late distribution of materials on the long distance. Kaduna Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Godfrey Gaiya, lost to Marshal Katung in Jaba/Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State. Benue In spite of the challenges ahead of the 2015 elections, Senate President Mark, yesterday said free, fair and credible elections were needed to safeguard and sustain democracy in Nigeria. Mark, who spoke while addressing delegates to the primary election in Otukpo, Benue State, said Nigerians had come to the inescapable conclusion that democracy is the way to go. The incumbent Otukpo /Ohimini representative, Eziekiel Adaji, won the primary election, as announced by the chairman of the electoral panel, Sam Tyoure. Ebonyi The primaries in Ebonyi State for six federal constituencies were peaceful and hitch-free. Embattled Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, and five other aspirants emerged winners of the primaries. Nwazunku, at the end of the primary election which took place at the headquarters of

Ohaukwu Local Government Area, emerged as the candidate for Ebonyi/Ohaukwu. Other winners include Linus Okorie, who is the current House of Representatives member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo; Sylvester Ogbaga Abakaliki/ Izzi; Lazarus Ogbee for Ikwo/ Ezza South; Idu Igariwey for Afikpo South/Afikpo North; and Anayo Nwonu for Ishielu/Ezza North. Enugu The primaries in Enugu State presented a major upset for the immediate past chairman of the party in the state, Chief Vita Abba, as he lost the battle for the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South federal constituency ticket to the former commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory, Mr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede. Again, whereas in Enugu North senatorial zone with three federal constituencies, the primaries went on well and delegates were accredited at the three different centres for the election without dissenting voices. Reports from Enugu East and West senatorial zones had it that there appeared to be parallel primaries in two federal constituencies. In the case of the upset at Nsukka/Igbo Eze South federal constituency, Abba who had emerged as the favoured candidate during the consultation by stakeholders lost to Ugwuegede. In the East senatorial zone, the incumbents, Hon. Peace Nnaji of Nkanu East/Nkanu West federal constituency and Kingsley Ebenyi of IsiUzo/ Enugu East federal constituency were returned. In Udi/Ezeagu federal constituency, Denis Amadi emerged the winner though sources said the incumbent, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozzomgbachi, held a parallel congress. Ofor Chukwuegbo of Enugu South/Enugu North, who was not present at the venue of the primary election won by Chime Orji, a member of the state House of Assembly, may have had a parallel congress elsewhere. In Igbo-Eze North/Udenu federal constituency, Mr. Denis Agbo was elected to fly the party’s flag. Bayelsa In Bayelsa, Sodaguwo Adega Festus-Omoni representing Ogbia Federal Constituency was the only Reps out of five that was returned. Others that emerged are Douye Diri, (Yenagoa/Kolokuma Federal Constituency), Nimbofa Ayawei, (Southern Ijaw), Sodaguwo Adega Festus-Omoni, (Ogbia) and Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/Ekeremor). This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the electoral panel, Gen. Idi Adamu, (retd) and made available to newsmen.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Moment

L-R : Beneficiary of the Mobile Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) Programme, Mrs. Ester Jacob (sitting); District Head, Dobi Ward, Abuja, Mr. Sule Dobi; Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammad; NPHCDA Board Member, Mr. John Obiora; Head, Public Sector Group, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Yusufu Modibo; and Head of Programme MCCT, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mrs. Fadekemi Olusola, during the launch of the Mobile Conditional Cash Transfer(MCCT) programme in Dobi, Gwagwalada, Abuja…recently

L-R: Deputy Creative Director, SO&U, Tunde Bada; Account Manager, Donatus Okpako; Client Service Director, Biodun Adefila and Head of Art, Demi Atunwa, at Advertising and Ideas festival awards in Lagos…recently

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher; Winner, Etisalat Prize for Innovation (product/service category), Anthony Oniwon and member, Board of Innovators, Etisalat Pan-African Prize for Innovation, Funke Opeke, at the Etisalat Pan-African Prize for Innovation media reception in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

L-R: Chairman, BOT, House2House Support Initiative, Dr. Reuben Jaja; member, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo and Godknows Igali, during launching of a book on the biography of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja…recently

L-R: ArchBishop of Ondo Diocese, Catholic Church, Bishop Jude Arogundade; Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Alli Olanusi; Mr. Gbenga Atiba and founder, Bayo Fatusin Foundation, Mr. Bayo Fatusin, during the foundation’s youth and old people empowerment programme in Ondo State …on Friday

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (left) and Director of News FRCN, Owerri, Emma Okere, during a 3Day Training/Workshop for Journalist in Owerri, Imo State…on Friday

L-R: Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Prof. Olatunde Fawole; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Oyo Commissioner for Education, Prof. Solomon Olaniyoun and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olalekan Ali, at the 30th convocation of the Institution in Ibadan… on Friday

A cross section of members of the Catholic Sisters United (CSU) of St. Kizito Parish Iju, cutting cake during their annual haverst thanksgiving /bazer held in Lagos...recently

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Moment

L-R: Principal, Kings College Old Boys Association (KCOBA), Otunba Oladele Olapeju; Past President, Olorogun Sunny Kuku; President, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Philip Asiodu; Guest Speaker, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe; former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; BOT member, KCOBA, Prince Tola Sotinwa and Chief Editor, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, at the Floreat Collegium 100 Years of King’s College Lagos and the #1 billion Floreat endowment fund, in Lagos…on Thursday. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. George Sekibo; Rivers State PDP governorship aspirant, Mr. Nyesom Wike and Minister of Sports, Mr. Tammy Danagogo, at Wike’s meeting with PDP delegates, at Obio/Akpo, Rivers State

Delta State PDP governorship aspirant, Sir Tony Obuh (right), with members of the Hausa Community in Asaba, during a courtesy visit to Obuh, in Asaba…on Thursday

L-R: General Manager/CEO, Cutler Communications, Laura Oloyede; Chairman, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe; Chief Executive Officer, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq and Programme Advisor, PHN, Dr. Ritgak Dimka Tilley-Gyado, at the inaugural Health Innovators Community of Practice Meeting/Kick-off of “ To Save One Million Lives” programme in Lagos

With N5m I will get a girlfriend Olalowo Olatokun is a graduate of Electrical Electronics Engineering at University of Lagos. Recently he was a guest at the popular TV show ‘Who Want To Be a Millionaire” where he won N5m. in this interview with EDWIN USOBOH, he shares his experience during the program How do you feel winning N5m in the program? It’s a pleasure, it’s a relief. I was nervous when I first came here. Ever since I got the call and text message that I have been invited to play on the show. I felt a little nervous during that period. But right now am very happy and relieved. How did you get to know about the show? I like to watch television, so I stumbled on the show around October, 2004 as it was premiering, and I have been watching ever since. When did you start applying to contest? I didn’t start playing immediately, I was too nervous. But I played along the line and when I didn’t get called back, I stopped. I remember, I tried again during one of

the Valentine Specials and I was invited, but since it required coming with a partner, and I didn’t have a partner so I couldn’t come. Then I tried again and here I am. While you were undergoing selection process, what questions were you asked? I was asked about Madiba, that’s Mandela. I was asked what age he was when he was released from prison. Were you able to get it? No I didn’t. I can’t even remember the answer I gave. But I guess I was close to the answer, hence my being invited, ultimately. Talking about partner, you admitted that because you didn’t have a partner then, you couldn’t come. But have

you got one now? No, I still don’t have oo. Well, between then and now, there’s been one or two but at present there’s no one. Any hope for one? Well, yes definitely. When there’s life, there’s hope.

What do you want to do with this winning? I am going to leave it in the bank for now. I wouldn’t want to be careless with it while I think of the next step to take. But you need to tell us one or two things that

you must have been planning? Well, yeah. I could support my brother who is into diesel business. I mean that is an avenue to invest my money and an avenue to support his business. To be honest, I think that’s about it. For now I don’t have any immediate concrete project that is going to take that money. At least right now, something could come up tomorrow but right now, nothing. Talking about brother, it means you are not the only one in the family, could you tell us your family size? I am the first-born child in the house, I have two younger ones, a boy and a girl with my mother. What influenced your choice of who you came with to the show? Jelili is my honest friend; he tells me the truth even when it hurts. I needed someone I could be comfortable with and he is that person. That’s why I

chose him. You have been part of the audience a number of times; could you narrate your experience? Being a part of the studio audience is exciting, you get to meet different people and hear different story. Also, there’s something about the musicintro montage that makes my heart skip even when I watch the show from home. How many times have you been here as an audience member? Well, I have been here a number of times. I think I have lost count actually, because it dates back to 2008. Can you lend us into your background? My name is Olalowo Olatokun, my friends and family call me ‘Lowo’. I was born more than 30 years ago. I studied Electrical Electronics Engineering at University of Lagos and I currently work in the tax field-LIRS.

News

Muritala Ayinla agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to cut the pump price of petrol from N97, to correspond with the slump in the global oil price. This was even as the Independent National Electoral Commission yesterday reregistered Fashola and his wife, Abimbola, to enable the commission to issue them with permanent voter cards. The Organisation of Petroleum exporting Countries had on Friday put the oil price at $66.27 per barrel. Fashola, who lamented that Nigerians were not receiving fair treatment from the federal government like others in oil producing nations, said the people should be enjoying cheaper fuel if the price of oil has dropped globally. Speaking at the Lagos State and After School Graduation Development Centre, AGDC, IGNITE Employability Project 5, Ikeja, the governor said Jonathan should follow the footsteps of other countries that had reduced the pump price of oil products for their citizens. He said, “Now, we should be enjoying cheap fuel if the price of oil has dropped globally. And even as we import the product, a major component has reduced in price. While this has reduced, the pump price of fuel in the country still

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Bring down pump price now, Fashola tells FG remains the same. Then something is wrong. If the price increases in the country when the price of oil goes up globally, then it should also reduce when the price of oil drops. “I understand that I am not an economist; they (Federal Government) are the economists. But I have some logic and common sense to ask critical questions. For instance, if one buys flour at N10 per kilogram, and the bread was sold at N1 per loaf, if the price of flour drops, the price of the bread should also change.” The governor, however, noted that the oil sector of

the country had not improved significantly to address challenges confronting the nation, especially unemployment. He said, “The economy is not doing well. Some of you (audience) are compelled to try to survive through whatever means.” The Governor said the oil sector could address the unemployment challenge, if only the federal government could stop the importation of fuel. He said thousands of youths would have benefitted from the jobs created by indigenous refineries. He said, “If we are trying to build a refinery with Dan-

gote in LFZ, Epe; and the construction alone would require 8, 000 workers, it means that they must get to work and back. So there is the need for transportation service. There is need for food and other services during work as well as postconstruction. “So if we stop importing fuel and start building refineries and doing other right things, the economy will lift. If you build a gas grid for the country and rough estimate indicated that you invest $5 billion, many businesses will began to get gas and some of the power installations can also convert to gas and oth-

ers, there would be sudden positive effect on the country’s economy. “We will not be here talking about youth unemployment if the economy is doing well. There are so many businesses that are already shutdown today because either there was no power and the operational cost has made their products expensive.” For her part, Chairman of AGDC, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, said the aim of the programme was to address youth unemployment in the country especially in Lagos State. She said, “We have over

Juliana Francis

driver, Yusuf ‘Danku’ Adepitan, tried to flee from the gunmen on Ikorodu Road. Quoting him, the statement said the incident occurred while he and his team were on their way to a meeting to finalise plans for his trip to South Africa. He is billed to perform at the grand finale of the Big Brother Africa reality show today. He said his driver noticed that strange men were trailing their car as they ap-

proached Funsho Willams Road near Barracks Bus Stop. He recalled that the gunmen suddenly drove alongside his car and ordered the driver to stop. Though they pointed guns at the driver, the artiste said, he refused to stop. Instead, he increased speed and tried to flee. In the process, the driver lost control of the car and the truck rammed into his side. Oritsefemi, who said he

was in the rear seat with his brother, said Danku fell into a coma while the robbers fled the scene. They quickly called for help and rushed the driver to a hospital in Ikeja. Oritsefemi thanked God for their lucky escape and urged his fans to pray for him. Lagos State Police Commend spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, said he would confirm details of the incident and get back to our correspondent.

the years partnered the state government and private organisations to create life changing solutions for youths who have the certificates but lack qualities needed by employers. And since the partnership with the Lagos State Government started, we have trained 1, 200 youths.” Also speaking, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, explained that 62 percent of the trainees havde been gainfully employed; 11 percent became entrepreneurs, eight percent went for further study and 19 percent were yet unemployed.

Popular artiste, Oritsefemi, escapes death in Lagos

opular artiste, Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele aka Oritsefemi, yesterday morning escaped death after robbers forced his brand new Range Rover Evoque into the path of a cement truck in Lagos. Oristsefemi’s management in a statement said he lost the Range Rover he got from his record label less than a week ago when his

Fashion

Get hippie with vintage Dashikis 22-43

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Body Soul SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Why I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a private jet - Roselyn Oduyemi

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

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steps.

Contents 07.12.2014 COVER

I kept asking God for a strategy and how I can make a difference and He gave us this idea to mobilise the whole nation to pray as one people and to make it a general thing, not as Christians or Muslims...

-Roselyn Oduyemi

} 18-19

BEAUTY

When your p e r f u m e o f f e n d s others with the choking fragrance, it’s a fashion faux called fragrance overload

} 21

GLAM DUDES In going for brights, bear in mind that colour coordination should never be overlooked by the man building a w a r d r o b e. Colours can make or mar an outfit, so combine them sensibly

} 44

FASHION

Dashiki is a colorful garment that has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored outfits.

T h e Te a m Juliet Bumah (Editor)

Vanessa Okwara (Correspondent) Wole Adepoju

} 22&43

Biwom Iklaki (Correspondent) Ugochukwu Nnakwe (Graphics)

MY PASSION

Edwin Usoboh (Graphics)

I thought I would do this on the side with my medical profession but I finished school and realised that the desire was still very strong in me -Medical doctorturned actress, Kiki } 17

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

Associates

BED, WORK & LIFE “Yes, I asked you to get a husband, but not my brother. My wife will die if she knows that Dave got himself a harlot. She dots on him,” he replies. Kathryn flinches. T h a t w o r d , harlot,

t h r o w n wickedly at her, stings. “By the way, Dave said you’re pregnant. Are you really pregnant? }

Helen Paul

Eyitayo Aloh

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Body&Soul

My legs are my greatest asset -Kiki Omeili

Medical doctor-turned actress, Nkiru ‘Kiki’ Omeili, is one of the fastest rising actresses in Nigerian movie industry today. The award winning actress who has starred in blockbuster movies and TV series like Lekki Wives and Married but Living Single talks about her rise to fame in this interview with VANESSA OKWARA Tell us briefly about your background? I am from Nimo, in Anambra State, but was born and bred in Lagos. In 2006, I became a medical doctor by training. I obtained a Medical d e g re e from t h e College of Medicine, University of Lagos, but because of the love and passion I have for acting, I decided to delve into the profession. Medical training is such a huge profession. Did you ever practice and why did you throw it aside for acting? I had finished school and done my housemanship, NYSC and I’ve worked briefly. It is not that I opted for acting. I just realised that it was a part of me that was just always there and it refused to let go. At every point in time, that part of me was just struggling to get credit. Initially, I thought I would do this on the side with my medical profession but then I finished school and realised that the desire was still very strong in me. So I decided to just explore it and see where this would take me. It has not been very easy but I thank God for the success and the progress that I’ve made so far. Are you totally done with the medical line? No, definitely not. Up until recently, I used to host a health show on the radio, but because acting has taken up so much of my time right now, I don’t have time to follow it up. I also write for health blogs. Once in a while, I practice pro bono health care. Since I don’t work in hospitals, I try to lend my health expertise as much as possible. I don’t think medicine is a part of me that I will say I will never do. How did your parents feel when you dropped medicine after they must have spent so much on your education? As God will have it, I have very understanding parents. They didn’t stress me about it. I think they already knew that I had that part of me. So when I said I was going to do it, they were very supportive. I would say that our parents always know who their children are. They know which of their children that would come and tell them something like that and they would not be too surprised. They have been very awesome and supportive.

How did your journey in the movie industry begin? When I was done with housemanship and was working, I just realised and told myself that what I really wanted to do was to act. So I quit my job and started attending auditions. I started acting officially in 2011. My very first role that I got was a TV series, ‘Behind the smile’. It was directed by Tunde Olaoye and I was starred opposite Femi Brainard in a leading role. Getting my first role as a lead role gave me so much confidence. If anybody was going to cast me in anything for the first time and it was a lead role, then I guess I really have what it takes. After ‘Behind the smile’, other things just kept coming up. I did a number of other TV series such as ‘Nowhere to be found’, ‘Gidi culture’ notable among them is ‘Lekki Wives’ which is probably the biggest project I have done so far. This has given me so much visibility. I have also done a feature film ‘Married but living single’. This gave me my first award in London as the best actress in a supporting role at the17th African Film Awards in 2012. You have only been in the industry for three years and you have made so much impact. What has been the strength behind it? It has really been God. To be honest, ‘Lekki Wives’ catapulted me into limelight that made me very visible. I got that role at an audition. I wanted so much to work with blessing Egbe because I have seen her work and wanted to work with her. I attended an audition and as soon as I read for her, she said she would give me a call back. So I would say it was a combination of talent and favour. What is your passion? For me, it is the desire to excel, to be happy, contented with what I do. Describe your style. My style is simple and elegant. I am not an over the top person when it comes to fashion. I am not somebody that will dress too loudly. Simplicity for me is elegance. I also think I should be comfortable in whatever I wear and look glamorous. When we look into your wardrobe, what do we see? You see a lot of dresses. I wear a lot of short dresses. I hardly wear long dress unless attending an award ceremony. By and large, most of the time, you will see me wearing short dresses. I wear jeans once in a while, but mostly its short dresses you will see me in. Which part of your body is your greatest asset? I would say my legs. I get a lot of compliments about my legs. If asked to play a nude role in a movie, what would be your reaction? I and that director would have to talk about it and find a way around it. This is because Nigeria is a place people have difficulty separating a character from the

I’m feel naked without my phone

real person. So it is difficult for them to understand that whatever character you are portraying is not you but a character. No, I would not want to pose nude at all. What about romantic scenes like kissing? The truth is that there are sometimes that kissing tells a better story and what I mean by that is that in real life, you do it with your boyfriend or husband. So if kissing is going to help tell a better story, and by that I mean it is absolutely necessary, then sure, I will. If taking on a romantic role and kissing is going to help bring the story to life why not? What are your hobbies? I love reading novels, watching movies. I think I can actually stay in front of the television and watch movies all day. I go to the cinema a lot. I love listening to music too. Music, movies, books are my three biggest hobbies. What is the most expensive thing in your wardrobe? It is a handbag, a Louis Vuitton bag. I love durable bags and they are pretty to look at. Fashion item you cannot do without? If there is anything I cannot do without at any given point in time, it is my phone. If you take my phone away from me, I will feel naked. But for fashion item, I am not too big on accessories. If I am wearing only earrings I am happy, but if you take my phone away, I will be lost. What are your favourite Perfumes? I love Roman perfumes; I love Very Irresistible by Givenchy, Intuition by Estee Lauder. They are so many other ones. I just love good perfumes. Are you in a relationship? I don’t talk about my private life in the media. If you are asking if I am single, yes I’m single, I’m not married, but relationship wise, I don’t talk about it. What is your dream man like? People always like to describe their dream man in one way or the other to say they want a tall or handsome man but the truth is that when you see him, you will definitely know and he might not be any of the things that you have been calling out. For me, when I meet my dream man, I will know.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Why I don’t need Pastor Roselyn Oduyemi is the widow of the founder of Bethel Ministries, Wonder City, Lagos, late Apostle Gabriel Oduyemi. She is a woman of strength and determination who took the reins of the church when her husband died nine years ago. She spoke with TITUS ANYANWU and VANESSA OKWARA about her forthcoming prayer movement and sundry issues Tell us about the prayer movement you are advocating for Nigeria in 2015. The 111 prayer movement is moblising all Nigerians to pray for our nation. Every day in the month of January 2015, from the 1st to the 31st of January, everybody will be praying the same prayer point at the same day and at the same hour. That is, one minute, one prayer point at 1pm every day as one nation and one people. We believe that this will foster unity and we are going to God as one people and not as different denominations, religions or tribes. We are going to God as Nigerians. So if we have a million people praying this prayer, for example for one minute and 60 minutes make one hour; if you multiply that, you can imagine the prayer that is going up to God. So people can go to our website and register there. They are just simple prayer points but the most important thing is having everybody praying together. What informed your decision to call for this prayer movement? It’s my passion for Nigeria and asking God to give us a strategy. This is because we see how the country is going and we need divine intervention. I kept asking God for a strategy and how I can make a difference and He gave us this idea to mobilise the whole nation to pray as one people and to make it a general thing, not as Christians or Muslims but just as Nigerians. God has given us this nation, we are all involved and if anything happens, it affects all of us. If we all come together as Nigerians, God will hear and intervene in the affairs of our land. I don’t want to politicise this prayer movement. Let’s focus on the fact that Nigerians have to come together and pray. Do you think the 2015 elections will be problematic? With the recent occurrences in our nation, every responsible Nigerian knows that we need some kind of intervention. Since I know God, I think we need divine intervention. Take the place of the Hebrews in Egypt, they cried out to God and God sent a deliverer. So it is the same principle we are using

here, asking God to help us. How has it been with you since your husband died nine years ago? It’s been a journey. You know whenever there is a change, you go through a process - both tough and good times. I thank God for blessing us with very great pastors. Our senior pastor is amazing. Because he had set that example, all the other pastors are just wonderful. They all played a great role in putting the church together in terms of growth, looking after the sheep and just being there. It was difficult but God has helped us. Being a woman especially in the African society, was there a power tussle when you took over the reins of the church? No, I didn’t experience any of that. When my husband was alive, we were partners. I was in the ministry. So taking over from where he stopped wasn’t a question. I wasn’t there because I was married to him. Everybody knew that I had the call of God in my life. So being a woman didn’t matter much because they had a lot of confidence in me. In the spiritual realm, the Holy Spirit has no gender. I gave my life to Christ before I met my husband. So, I had a relationship with God and it was easier for me to take over the pastoral reins of the church. How have you been able to cope emotionally as a woman? The most important thing is the word of God. Being in God’s presence and the word of God is what has helped me a great deal in dealing with issues as a woman in my position as a widow. I always take people back to the word of God. Without God’s word, life will be unbearable. You have to understand that you are complete in Christ. Your fulfillment as a human being comes from your relationship with Christ and not because of another human being. When you understand that, even when the person is not there, Christ fills up all the emptiness that you feel. Your husband was known as a flamboyant person, but you seem to have toned it down now. What happened? People are different. Remember my husband was a businessman before God called him into the ministry, but he ran away for three years. That was just my husband’s style. My mother in-law used to say that was how he had been from childhood. It wasn’t something he developed when he became a preacher. He had always been that way. It was just part of who he was. Even during that period he was alive, I was on the gentler side. His flamboyancy seemed not to have rubbed off on the ministry because we don’t get to hear so much about the ministry anymore to a large extent, the private jet. I cannot handle the private jet for now. But other clerics are buying them.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Body&Soul

a private jet - Roselyn Oduyemi pounded yam. I do a lot of fruits and vegetables and lots of herbal teas. I don’t take carbonated water. I drink fresh juices. When oranges are in season, I drink orange juice or I take pineapple juice and so on. When fruits are in season, they are very cheap. I have trained myself to be like this for many years so I have gotten used to it. I don’t put poison in my body.

Good for them but for me right now, I don’t think that is what God has for me. There is a time and a season for everything. In this season, we are just working quietly and God is doing great things in our ministry. I think it is just important to follow the cloud, not the crowd but the cloud of God. That way, my life is stressfree.

You are very stylish. Describe your style. I don’t like to look like everybody else. I am a creative person. I like to create my own style. So I don’t follow fashion trends because I think it is bondage. Why should anybody tell me that today green is in vogue and tomorrow it is out of vogue?

He was the first pastor in the country to own a private jet. Was there any need for it? At that time, we were doing a lot of crusades. We were travelling all over Africa. I don’t know about now, most times then they would have only one flight a week. So if you were travelling with a team of 20 people and equipment, how would you now wait for one flight a week? It was just for convenience, crusades and furthering the gospel.

What kind of clothes are we likely to see in your wardrobe? I wear dresses, jeans, shirts, but you will not catch me wearing jeans with a short top. The top has to be appropriate.

Are you saying that the private jet is no longer necessary for you? No, it is not.

And are you big on accessories? Who are your favourite designers? When it comes to all these things, I have been on a journey. I had Rolex, Piaget watches and all kinds of expensive watches. I had diamonds and gold. I had so much jewelry but everything was stolen by my cook. In fact when I went to the police station at Bar Beach to report, they were surprised I was so calm when I told them all that the man had stolen. The thief was caught in Cotonou. They couldn’t repatriate him back to Nigeria according to their law and he had to be tried over there and imprisoned. As for me, I just removed those things from my heart. Right now, I wear anything and I realise that it does not really define who I am. So when I see people flashing Rolex, I just laugh. It is not what defines a person. If God blesses you with it, fine; if tomorrow, God gives me all that stuff, great but they don’t define my life.

Why did you sell the jet when it was the property of the ministry? I didn’t sell it, it was given away. Why don’t you get another one? Why would I? I don’t need it. You don’t travel like your husband used to? No, I don’t and I don’t need one. The other clerics clamouring for it, are they doing the wrong thing? Their ministries are very big, how would they travel around? They need it and the gospel must expand throughout the world. I don’t know why this much ado about this private jet thing. It is an instrument for soul winning. There are people who own private jets just to fly girls all over the world, why don’t we talk about them? It is because people have this notion that pastors and servants of God must be poor? That is just too bad. Your husband and Bishop Benson Idahosa were the shining light that turned people away from the poverty mentality of the church. Is prosperity preaching a good thing? Do you like poverty? Poverty is a curse. Everything we see belongs to God and He is our father. As long as we don’t worship those things He has given us and those things don’t own us, He wants us to use what He has given us for the enlargement of His kingdom. For example, I am working with widows now and those widows have gone through hell. We are working with children and women who have nothing. That is why we need money for the gospel. So if we have Christians whom God has blessed, they will help these people. The thing about wealth is to use it and help people. How have you been able to handle all the bad press about your family? I had to do a lot of forgiving. I had to release a lot of thoughts. That is why I am so happy about the direction that the New Telegraph is taking. You don’t have to destroy people just to sell your paper. Are you saying that those things said in the media are untrue? Of course! My husband was not a drug pusher. The man would be preaching in church and they would say he was arrested in New York with cocaine in his walking stick; it just didn’t make any sense.

There is this general impression by the public that clerics are just out to enrich themselves and not members of their congregation. What do you say to that? I never ever judge clerics, do you know why? This is because, one day, we will all stand before this great God and give account. I don’t know what these clerics are doing, because I am not in their churches. But I know a lot of churches are helping out, doing different things to help out. We may not hear them on TV, you may not see them but they are doing things to help members of their congregation. There is abject poverty in the lives of the members and you see ministers living large. How do you reconcile this? This is because there will always be poor people among us. The ministers are doing the best they can. But these poor people are giving to the church? They are giving, not to the minister, but to God and the reward comes from God. They are giving to God for the work of the kingdom. Will your children be taking over the ministry from you? Well I don’t know; I cannot speak for my children. I told them to follow whatever God wants them to do. Their father was a business man when God called him

I had to do a lot of forgiving. I had to release a lot of thoughts. That is why I am so happy about the direction that the New Telegraph is taking. You don’t have to destroy people just to sell your paper

into the ministry. If my children are called into the ministry, that is between God and them, really. I am not pushing anybody into doing anything. How do you manage to still look this good and youthful? Thank you for the compliment. My life is very simple and stress-free. I spend time in God’s presence. I try to live by the word of God and speak the word. It is when you want to do so many things at the same time that you become stressed. My life is simply stress-free. What do you do to keep your looks? I eat sensibly; I watch what I put in my mouth and drink a lot of fluids. I run away from carbohydrates. I don’t eat foods like

How have you managed to live without those jewelries? The most important thing is your walk with Christ, the most important thing in life is where you end up. The soul of a man is the most important thing and right now, there is a battle over the soul of our nation and that is what I am concerned about. What do you say to Nigerians? Love one another. Love is the key; it covers a multitude of sins. Let us love one another, don’t let tribal differences get in our way. All we need is love. If we are able to love one another, we can live together as a people. Would you want to re-marry in the future? Life is not all about marriage. A lot of women are not achieving anything because they are waiting to be married. Marriage has to do with purpose. It has to do with assignment. For me, marriage has to do with God, so I am just serving God, following and obeying what He wants me to do and fulfill my purpose and destiny. I am not thinking about that right now but the future will tell. I cannot say what the future holds. If I say I won’t marry again, then the young women will think it’s wonderful to be alone because I said so; but that is not true. Some will even say I am so righteous and loved my husband so much and that is why I have not remarried; but that is not the point. If I say I want to remarry, people will also talk. It has to do with your assignment and what God has planned for you. So, I am not going to say anything whether I will marry again or not.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

athryn goes hot and cold at the same time. She feels woozy. James multiplies into many images in her eyes and she sways. Dave catches her and leads her back to the divan. “You ain’t still strong enough to move about, my darling,” he tells her, kissing her forehead. He then turns to his cousin, James and winks. “My wife is expecting our first baby. You know how it is with women in this state,” he says. James frowns and Dave adds, “Oh, you’re wondering when we got married? Not yet. We’re tying the knot this season. I wouldn’t do that without you and your lovely wife. Hey, James has the best wife in the world, my darling.” James clears his throat loudly and says, “Yes...oh great...er...er...er you said she’s pregnant? “ “Yes, my man. My heir is growing in her womb. Make yourself comfortable here, my man. Help yourself to the bar. This is my wife’s pad but she’s moving in with me immediately,” Dave says proudly. James moves about the sitting room, admiring the rich furniture. Kathryn’s heart beats wildly. She feels better but she doesn’t want to make it known. “Lord, let me wake up from this nightmare,” she prays in her heart, her eyes tightly closed. She opens them a wee, moments later. Alas, it is no dream. James, a picture of urbane cuddliness in a navy blue jeans from JLI and sparkling white Tee from Lacoste, is looking at her family picture hanging on the wall. She closes her eyes again. She wishes sleep will just steal her consciousness away...but no! Try as hard as she could, sleep eludes her. Instead, James looms in her mind eyes. She remembers the first day they met. That was about three years ago in a club. A friend of his had a birthday party in one of those coded clubs in Abuja. She was one of the paid babes flown into Abuja from Lagos for the party. They had hit it off at the party and went back to his hotel room in Nicon Luxury, Abuja, together. She gave him such a wow time that night that he paid her handsomely and took her phone number. Anytime he needed a ‘lifting’, he would call her... that was until she retired from the trade and discarded her ‘business’ line. Now that her life has found a meaning, he appears like the god that kills a man the day his life is sweetest to him. As Kathryn rues her predicament, she realises that she cannot pretend to sleep forever. She must confront this monster situation once and for all. She opens her eyes, slowly. Low and behold, James is looking at her from the corner of his eyes. She opens her eyes a little wider, looking intently at him. He looks away and she turns. “My darling, are you okay?” Dave asks her, helping her up. Kathryn nods. “James is my cousin. I have many cousins. You will get to meet them. One after the other...but James is the best, his wife is also something else,” Dave says. “You are welcome James,” she says, flashing him her best smile. “My pleasure, dear,” James says, shuffling towards her. “Hmmmmmmm...a beautiful place this is. You got a good taste. Pray what do you do for a living?” he asks. Kathryn shoots him a poisonous look. “Oh, my wife is into business. She buys

Death is a woman

luxury goods abroad and sells here,” Dave volunteers. “Great,” James says, a sly look on his face. “What do you say to a glass of Champagne old boy? I’m in a celebratory mood,” Dave says, going into the kitchen. “Sure,” James replies, his eyes boring into Kathryn’s. She looks him straight in the eyes, daring him to say anything. James shifts uncomfortably. Dave comes back bearing a tray with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut, two flutes and a glass of juice. He pops the bottle and they drink to love, new life and joy. Kathryn sips the juice. “Pregnant women don’t do alcohol,” Dave announces proudly. “Can’t do much Champagne on an empty stomach,” James says. “Oh? Then, I’ll go get you some bites,” Dave says. After a few minutes of talking politics and the Boko Haram menace, Dave picks his car key. “I’ll go get you something to bite. Keep my wife company,” he says. As soon as the door closes behind him, James moves to sit beside Kathryn. “Kiki, you haven’t done badly. I can see that you’ve hooked my brother. Who wouldn’t get hooked with your tantalising body and expertise in bed? Does he know what you do for a living? I really don’t think so because I know he has better sense than that. How do you intend to keep that aspect of your life away from him? Character, they say, is like smoke. You can’t keep it under wrap, you know,” he says, looking her over hungrily. “Look, James, I love Dave and he loves me. Old things have passed away. I’m a new person. I want to settle down to a decent life

with the man I love,” she tells him, shifting away from him. “You love him. You also love me, remember? You told me that yourself. So tell me, how many more men do you love? Love!” James scoffs. Kathryn sighs. She has to be careful with this man. Despite the fact that Dave knows about her past, knowing a man who had been with her, especially a brother, can kill his spirit. “I beg of you, James. Do not kill this chance of your brother making a honest woman of me. I told you what led me into that trade. I went into it because I had no other choice. It was either my mum, siblings and I died or I went into armed robbery. Remember you advised me at a point to look for a man and get married. I have found one now. Please, allow me this joy,” Kathryn pleads. “Yes, I asked you to get a husband, but not my brother. My wife will die if she knows that Dave got himself a harlot. She dots on him,” he replies. Kathryn flinches. That word, harlot, thrown wickedly at her, stings. “By the way, Dave said you’re pregnant. Are you really pregnant? How are we sure you are? My wife was pregnant before we got married. After we did, we lost it...she said she lost it...and since then, seven years after, she has not been pregnant again. At times, I wonder if she was really pregnant,” he says, almost dreamily. “I’m pregnant. The doctor told Dave. Dave told me. He has the result of the lab test,” she says. “The doctor confirmed you are pregnant? For who?” James asks. “For Dave of course! Look James, I might have lived a life that society frowns upon but I’m not low...but you told me you have two children?” Kathryn says.

“Yeah, they are not from my wife,” he says, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Does your wife knows?” Kathryn asks. “No! You think she will take kindly to it? She doesn’t know. She will kill me. Hell, they say, has no fury like a woman scorned. Only Dave knows,” he replies. “Hmmmmmmm...now I know, also... and as you just said, hell has no fury like a woman scorned,” Kathryn says slowly, her lips twitching. “Don’t take that to the bank. My wife cannot stand a harlot, retired or not, and Dave listens to her. Anyway, we’re planning to tell her about my children,” James says. “Well, until you people muster the courage to tell her, let’s just keep our secrets, secret. I have a proposal: You and I met for the first time today. I’m sure your wife will poison you if she knows you’ve been cheating on her with despicable harlots, to use your own word. I’m sure she would wonder if you sired your purported kids for one of the harlots,” Kathryn says, looking him straight in the eyes. At that point, the key turns at the door and James quickly moves to the divan opposite and picks up his glass. “Surprise, surprise...guess who we have here,” Dave says as he enters the house, a woman bearing some paper bags and a Louis Vuitton handbag in tow. She looks so regal in her Senegalese-styled boubou. “Auntie!” Kathryn screams excitedly and rushes to embrace her. Dave and James look at each other, surprise and confusion on their faces. ****** Who is this visitor? I wouldn’t miss the next installment if I were you. So, join me here next Sunday. •Send your observations to the email above.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Body&Soul

Don’t overdo the spritzing! Vanessa Okwara

ho doesn’t love smelling fabulous? Perfume has become a product so embedded in our daily ritual that we often feel naked without a spritz of our signature scent. We all crave that quintessential signature scent that is uniquely ours. As a result, people always make mistakes when spritzing their favourite fragrance. Are you guilty of pouring different layers of different perfumes on yourself? Then you need to have a rethink. Sometimes we get a little trigger-happy with the perfume bottle and spritz more than we need and end up more as a stink bomb than an alluring woman. When your perfume offends others with the choking fragrance, it’s a fashion faux called fragrance

overload. Perfume or fragrance overload is a beauty turn-off; avoid it. Spritzing too much perfume on yourself is not only a bad beauty move, it can also be disrespectful to people around you. Fragrance overload is simply offensive and should be avoided by that lady who wants to entice rather than repulse people. Don’t overdo the spritzing! Some people are actually allergic to certain scents, do not choke the atmosphere with overpowering scent. Some fragrances are pleasant, but only when worn sparingly. Perfume should be subtle with a radius of about two feet. But when it can be detected from across the room, easing up on the perfume or cologne might be a good idea. Here are tips on how to properly apply your fragrance to last all day as well as not offend people:

Once you find your scent, choose complementary toiletries that will coordinate perfectly and not clash. Using heavily scented deodorants, lotions, or powders, will interfere with perfume and alter its scent and lasting power.

Apply at the proper spots. For optimum performance, perfume should be applied to your pulse points: center of the neck, behind the ear, inner wrists, and behind the knee. If you place perfume in one or more of these places, you won’t have to reapply it during the day.

In case you get too much perfume on you, there is a quick remedy for that. The best way to neutralise perfume is not scrubbing with soap or water or masking it with another scent but with alcohol. Dip cotton ball in alcohol and dab it on wherever you have sprayed too much perfume and it will quickly dilute the scent. Try it, and those around you will thank you.

Body&Soul

s the dry season beckons and Christmas shoppers trudge the streets with varying sizes of shopping bags, we see lots of ladies in trendy but comfortable clothes that are appropriate for the season. One of the street styles making waves on the fashion radar is the Dashiki. These ethnic prints have always been in existence but got back into limelight in recent times. Here in Nigeria, a lot of fashion forward ladies and gents caught the Dashiki fashion bug since Wizkid rocked the style in his ‘Show me the money’ video. Other international celebrities like Rihanna, Chris Brown and Beyoncé have also sported this print. Dashiki is now worn all over the globe especially by Africans in the Diaspora -a pointer to their heritage. Dashiki derived from ‘danshiki’, the Yoruba word for a male shirt with origin in West Africa. This ethnic shirt was adopted into the American hippie culture in the 1960s. The classic hippie Dashiki shirt features intricate patterns along the sleeves, hem, and neck. Two convenient front pockets can store your wallet, phone, or any other necessities. Dashiki is a colorful garment that has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored outfits. A common form is a loosefitting pullover top, with an ornate V-shaped neckline and tailored or embroidered sleeves. Dashikis come in different patterns, colours and designs; however, the basic look is preserved. Dashikis may include a few traditional buttons, a clip button, elastic at the waist, Velcro, or a hook and eye closure to secure the neckline. Aside from the shirt format the Dashiki fabric is originally known for, it has been used to create other choice outfits ranging from gowns, shirt dresses, skirts to shorts, kaftans...you name it. When it comes to the Dashiki, there are a few tricks to rocking the piece anywhere and anytime. The dashiki shirts can be paired with a pair of leggings, shorts, skirts or jeans. It can also be worn on its own in form of a mini shift dress, cinched at the waist with a belt to give it form and style. Dashiki fabrics are fabulous when made into different dress styles such as halter necks and sleeveless dresses. Whether you’re going for a vintage look, reconnecting with your heritage, or just staying cool and comfortable on hot days, African print Dashiki is a great choice!

Vanesa Okwara

Get hippie with vintage Dashikis

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014

Features More women seek career as mechanics p.24

Transport Stallion Nissan, siblings excel at 2014 NAJA Awards p.25

Sunday Business GTBank wins 2014 EFInA Award p.29

Okonjo-Iweala

Interview How Delta developed viable transport system –Commissioner p.28

Alison Madueke

Oil: Uncertainty persists over planned subsidy reduction n Turnaround maintenance, subsidy bane of downstream sector - Experts

Paul Ogbuokiri

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph online.com

espite the crashing of the landing cost of PMS and kerosene from about N142.40 in July, to about N128 in November 2014, government subsidises a litre of petrol at N44.94, according to a pricing template by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency. If the new landing cost is factored in and the subsidy slashed by half next year as proposed by government in the 2015 budget, the lowest the pump price of PMS will be in 2015 will be around N106 per litre. The late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, awarded a major contract valued at $215m in 1997 for Kaduna refinery alone. The Abdulsalami Abubakar administration in 1998 set aside $92m for the refineries without achieving any result. During President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term (1999 – 2003), it was estimated that between $254m and $400.4m was spent on the rehabilitation of the refineries and pipelines. In 2007, the TAM contract for Kaduna alone cost about $24m in cash and materials worth $30m, bringing the total to about $54m. The administration of President Goodlouck Jonathan embarked on a $1.6bn TAM for the four refineries in January 2013 to be completed in October 2014. The country’s four refineries operated at an average of 10.46 per cent of their combined nameplate capacity of 445,000 barrels per day in June this year, data from the monthly report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has shown. According to the data, 244,000 metric tonnes

It is the same thing. If you have a refinery here, you are not going to sell at N97 per litre. You are going to sell to the same marketers who would have imported their products at market price, at import parity price

of dry crude oil, condensate and slop were received by the three refineries, namely: Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Port Harcourt Refining Company and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company. “With an opening stock of 428,000MT, total crude oil available for processing was 672,000MT, out of which 221,000MT was processed. The respective average capacity utilisation during the month was 0.00 per cent, 17.96 per cent and 13.44 per cent for the KRPC, PHRC and WRPC, respectively,” the report stated. The Kaduna refinery had total available crude oil of 169,301MT in the month, but nothing was processed. Out of 289,852MT, the Port Harcourt refinery processed

152,889MT, while Warri processed 68,098MT out of 213,352MT. Similarly, in 2006, Nigeria spent N261.1bn (US$2.03bn) on ‘fuel subsidy’. In 2007, this figure rose to N278.9bn (US$2.3bn). By 2008, the amount expended nearly tripled to N633.2bn (US$5.37bn)!! The drastic increase in cost was partly attributed to a depreciation of currency and the very high global prices of oil products. However, there was also the incessant issue of massive graft and fraud. According the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Ziakede Akpobolokemi, much of the illegalities in the Nigeria territorial waters and what is called ‘Nigerian Piracy’ is centered around oil theft and oil subsidy scam. Chairman Genesis World-wide Shipping and Integrated Oil and Gas, Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, also in his analysis of the Nigerian Piracy said it is all about gangs who hijack vessels, steal the productd and resold in the high sea. The Nigeria territorial waters is a graveyard of illegalities centered around illegal midstream discharged, redirection of vessels, over invoicing and under-declaration of quantity etc; all aimed at evading port charges and collecting huge subsidy refund from the Federal Government. Meanwhile, Sunday New Telegraph learnt that despite the exponential increase in the CO NTINUED O N PAGE 27

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness/Features

More women seek career as mechanics

Stanley Ihedigbo s a woman with three children in the university, one would have expected Mrs. Sefuja Shuaibu, after her sacking from the defunct Bank of the North, to naturally jump at any offer to work with her Advanced Diploma in Banking and Finance. But rather than grab any available job, she opted to try her hands at automobile mechanics, which she says is rewarding. Determined to make a success of her automobile mechanic career, she joined the National Council of Women Societies, where she was introduced to the Lady Mechanic Initiative. After completing the training, she transformed from a banker to a lady vehicle mechanic. She said that her decision to take to the career was clearly a wise one. Similarly, Mary Sunday, managing director of MV Auto Ventures, hails from Olomaboro in Kogi State, and is a product of Lady Mechanic Initiative Automotive Engineering School, Lagos. She told Sunday New Telegraph that as a Japanese car specialist, her garage is highly sought after by many owners of Japanese cars in Lagos. Sunday added that she had always wanted to earn an income through her skill and was proud of her choice of career. According to her, many car owners that gave her a try, confirmed that she does it better than her men counterparts. “When I do my job, I get referrals and many of the male mechanics around my workshop usually come to me to learn one thing or the other, especially about the latest

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and The First Lady Mechanic, Mrs. Sandra Aguebor- Ekperuoh at her ten year service to humanity anniversary in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Japanese cars,” she said. The story of another female mechanic, Mrs. Joy Obi Amuche, technical specialist at the Mercedes Benz Centre, Lagos is a native of Nkanu East in Enugu State. She is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, who has been into automobile for 16 years, is not entirely different. “I wondered how Nigerians are the ones fixing the cars and not the foreigners who manufactured them. So, I began to visit me-

chanic workshops to observe what they were doing and how they were repairing the cars,” she said. Speaking at the Lady Mechanic 10th year anniversary in Lagos recently, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, said the women’s interest in empowerment and self-reliance rose through government’s efforts. She said government decided to assist the women in actualising the economic and socioeconomic transformation agenda of the

Jonathan administration. According to her, the Lady Mechanic Initiative has provided intensive training for women and encouraged them to start their own mobile garages that provide services and employment in the automobile industry. “I’m reliably informed that many of the graduates of the Lady Mechanic Initiative Academy are being employed in world class organisations in the country. I must recommend the organiser of the initiative because it will carry on from generation to generation and the girls will be integrated into the programme. That way, they will contribute to national development,” she said. Also speaking, the first female mechanic in Nigeria and founder of the Lady Mechanic Academy, Mrs. Sandra AgueborEkperuoh, described it as an unprecedented milestone in the Nigerian and African automotive industry. She said the organisation would provide the platform for all female auto mechanics in Nigeria to speak with a strong voice, and form part of the decision making process in the automotive industry. According to her, ALAT will ensure the continuous retraining of all its members to keep up with new technology in the automotive industry. “Members will regularly receive basic entrepreneurial and business management education to enable them to run successful small to medium-sized enCONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Government policies discourage vegetable oil production–Ibe In spite of deteriorating facilities in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Concordia Oil Mills, Ibe Emmanuel, has been able to nurture a flourishing conglomerate with tentacles in oil and gas, construction and manufacturing sectors of the economy. He spoke with TAI ANYANWU Tell us a bit about your foray into the business world. Having graduated in Civil Engineering at the Enugu State University of Technology, I joined my father’s furniture business here in Aba. Expansion of business interest saw our family branching into palm kernel oil production. We refined palm kernel oil into vegetable oil; till date, the product is widely consumed. Eventually, I became the chief executive officer of Concordia Oil Mills, the family’s conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, furniture, manufacturing and construction. What would you say motivated you? I was inspired by my father. He is an industrialist and is still in the manufacturing sector, where he produces world class furniture. I saw his doggedness and also joined him in the agro-allied business. We had to deviate, due to unfavourable government policies. Government began to grant firms waivers and import licences that enabled them to import vegetable oil from foreign producers. Incidentally, the importers sold at cheaper prices than what we were selling. We were forced to reduce our prices beyond what we could manage. Coupled with other discouraging factors, we had to turn to other lines of business that would bring fair returns on our investments. We decided to diversify, and that was how we came about the oil and gas business. We invested in the downstream sector. How is your firm coping with the uncertain

business environment in Aba? Yes; back in the Second Republic, the City of Aba was christened the ‘Taiwan of Africa.’ At that time, Enyimba City (the City of Elephants), as Aba was fondly called, had graduated from being the commercial nerve centre of then Imo State into a city where various goods were manufactured. In fact, most articles often referred to as Dubai, Italian, Spanish products were actually produced in Aba and distributed to different parts of Africa, where final consumers scrambled for them. The enterprising spirit of the Aba business circle received great impetus courtesy of late Sam Mbakwe, then governor of Imo State, who himself was born and brought up in Enyimba City. Governor Mbakwe ensured that good roads, industrial estates, residential estates and other facilities were built to boost the fast growing industries in the city. Unfortunately, after the governor’s tenure, his predecessors did not bother to sustain the vision; hence the city’s facilities were subjected to deterioration. Today, Aba is a shadow of its enviable past, with many of its business people having migrated to other cities in search of greener pastures. But we are one of those who have remained to turn our business mettle into resounding successes. What kept you going in spite of obvious challenges? In this part of the country, things are not easy to achieve because the enabling environment is seriously lacking. I had to provide everything for myself, such as

construct good roads to create an enabling business environment, install alternative power source and many other facilities. I made use of the opportunities that came my way and I had to create opportunities. I created many opportunities for myself through my own doggedness, because I believe I must survive. So how were you able to carve a niche for yourself despite cut-throat competition, particularly in oil and gas marketing? In oil and gas marketing, practitioners are saddled with a very low bargaining power. Many customers negotiate real hard and want to get the cheapest price. They practically want to get everything free, as cheap as possible. This has often led some customers to end up with fake products. But we always try to let them know that we don’t have total control over the prices. We also make them understand that our products are authentic as well as the benefits they will derive over time when they buy them. The market is indeed flooded with substandard products; we ensure that our customers are kept abreast with facts about possible damage that low quality products can cause them. I believe the best customer relation management calls for the truth and maintenance of one’s integrity. As a structural engineer, could you give insight into the causes of building collapse in the country? Government agencies saddled with the responsibility of issuing building plan ap-

provals and supervising actual construction at different stages obviously fail to play their part. The result is building collapse as has been recorded in different parts of the federation. Of course, some contractors may want to cut corners by fiddling with building material specifications. There is always standard formula or mix of cement with fine and coarse aggregate and water for any design. There is a standard quantity to be used to have a homogenous mix, which is called concrete, for every part of the building such as columns or beams. These processes ought to be supervised by professionals in relevant government agencies. We also have the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the Ministry of Works that has a town planning department under it. The structural or building engineers in these organisations are meant to supervise the building processes after the approval of any building.

Transport

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014

Paul Ogbuokiri

tallion Nissan Motors newest dealership was recently awarded the ‘Most improved auto brand of the year 2014’ by the Guild of Motoring Correspondents. This was just as another subsidiary, Porsche Centre, and the umbrella company, Stallion Motors Nigeria Limited, stood out respectively as the ‘Single brand showroom of the year’ and ‘Multiple auto dealership of the year’ at the just ended Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards 2014. The awards were in recognition of Stallion Motors’ outstanding performance and its dealerships, Porsche Centre and Stallion NMN. The latter recently became the first indigenous vehicle plant in the country to roll out made-in-Nigeria Nissan range of vehicles - Almera / Sunny, NP300 Pick-up and high end Nissan Patrol SUV. Receiving the awards, Group Managing Director, Stallion Motors Nigeria Limited, Mr. Parvir Singh, commended the initiative of the guild, saying: “Nissan particularly has done remarkably well since its inauguration 18 months ago with favourable growth indices and sales volumes. “We are hopeful Nissan will assume its rightful place on the country’s automobile sales chart.” He pledged Stallion Motors’ commitment to world-class consumer experience, promising to continue to supply best automobile products and services to the growing clientele in Nigeria. “We plan to expand the Nissan service network for instance through the appointment of more provisional dealers to improve customer satisfaction and high quality service at reasonable price,” Singh assured. He also said plans are in place to open ultramodern Nissan showrooms in Victoria Island and Port Harcourt, with the launch of new Nissan models early next year.

Stallion Nissan, siblings excel at 2014 NAJA Awards

President Goodluck Jonathan test driving a made-in-Nigeria Nissan patrol in Abuja...recently

Renault lifts beauty contest with Logan car

enault Motors Nigeria, a subsidiary of Dana Cars and Services Limited, has donated a brand new Renault Logan saloon car as star prize for the forthcoming ‘Queen Nigeria Beauty Pageant. The gift is Renault Motors’ obligation to ‘Queen Nigeria Beauty Pageant’ which aims to raise the standards of good-looking Nigerian women and developing their talents on cookery skills and character formation. Marketing Manager, Renault Motors Nigeria, Mr. Anthony Aeyop, who gave this remark at the presentation of the car at the company’s showroom in Lagos, applauded the organisers of the pageant and expressed the company’s delight at capacity building objective of the contest. He said: “Renault is proud to be associated with the pageant and we appreciate its objectives which, among several others, seek to foster national integration in the face of threats to the unity of the country. “We are hopeful this contest will raise moral standards in the youths, especially at this time when moral decadence among young people is waning,” Aeyop remarked. He described Renault as a fashionable brand with predisposition for aesthetic values – one of the reasons why Renault lent credence to the beauty contest, he reiterated. Ms. Tokunbo Ifaturoti, spokesperson for the organisers of the contest, who came in

company with the 18 contestants jostling for the crown, applauded Renault for “matching their words with actions.” She added that the maiden contest took place

at Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Abuja in 2008, with a desire to host a truly national pageant that celebrates the beauty of Nigerian woman.

Tire safety tips If you have a compact spare, the inflation pressure will usually be written on the tire. If your car comes with a compressor and/ or flat repair kit in lieu of a spare, check their operation regularly. Check for tread depth. Check tread depth by placing the edge of a penny upside-down into the grooves of the tire’s tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, it’s time for a new set of tires. Never buy a single tire -- it’s best to replace all four tires at once, but at the very least they should be bought as axle pairs (both fronts or both rears). Rotating your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles will help ensure that all four tires wear at the same rate. Check for even wear. When you check tread depth, check both the inside and outside edge of the tires. Uneven tire wear is usually a sign that your car is out of alignment. Proper alignment optimizes handling and helps prevent premature tire wear. Look for tire damage. When you check pressure, inspect the sides of the tires for nicks, bulges, cracks and cuts. Such damage often cannot be repaired and will require

replacement of the tire. Stay balanced. If your car develops a shimmy (a back-and-forth vibration, usually felt through the steering wheel) at a certain speed, it’s possible that one of your tires has lost its balance weight. Having your tires rebalanced is a fairly inexpensive job. Buy the right tire for the job. Most cars come with all-season tires, the tire equivalent of a jack-of-all-trades. If you live in the rust belt, consider a set of dedicated snow tires for the winter; they do wonders for safety. If you live where it’s always warm and dry, “summer” performance tires can vastly improve your car’s handling. And most importantly: Never hesitate to replace a worn or damaged tire. Tires are not cheap, but they are vital to the safety of you and your car’s occupants. Remember, the tires are the only thing that connect your car to the road. Advanced safety features such as antilock brakes and electronic stability control can’t do their life-saving jobs without four good tires. Source: about autos

Ranger: Top selling LCV in November

ord Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) consolidated its strong sales month with another resilient performance in November. Ford sales totaled 6 332 vehicles for November 2014, representing a substantial year-on-year growth of 20.5 per cent. FMCSA has recorded a market share of 13.9 per cent, the second highest share since reporting. FMCSA also reported a YOY increase of 21.4 per cent with a total of 64 234 vehicles sold year-to-date. According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), industry new vehicle sales are up 0.9 per cent on November last year, from 50 630 to 51 098 units. Passenger car sales are down by 2.5 per cent and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) sales are up 10.8% year-over-year. Ford models continued to perform well, with a strong showing across the line-up. Most notably, EcoSport and Ranger were in demand at showrooms. “We’re thrilled that South Africans continue to show such confidence in Ford’s products, especially our locally produced Ranger,” said Mark Kaufman, Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service, FMCSA. “We are exceptionally proud of our Ranger’s achievement as it was South Africa’s best-selling pick-up for the first time and topped 3 000 unit sales for the second consecutive month.”

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NSEASI dipped 3.81% WtD T

he Nigerian Equities market had a bearish outing this week, as investors took to cautious trading on the back of sustained instability in the global and domestic environment. Market Capitalization fell 3.81% week on week (WoW) to settle at NGN10.97tr, even as the NESASI pegged at 33228.29pts, declining 3.81% WoW and 19.60% Year to date (YtD). In the Fixed income space, the T-bills market continued to witness sell offs as higher stop rates worsened by tighter liquidity pushed yields higher to 14.70% (average). FX rate remained largely under pressure throughout the week, depreciating by 1.38% for the week, even as the apex bank continued its defense of the local currency. In the Fiscal space, the ministry of finance announced the revision of the budgeted crude oil bench mark price to USD65pb, down from USD73pb which was sent to the national assembly earlier. The development remained premised on the tumbling prices of oil in the global market. We expect cautious trading to persist in the coming week, as the risk factors in the global and domestic economy continue to raise concerns. In this report, we review the performance of the overall market during the week, while highlighting our expectations for the coming week. Economic Round Up: Benchmark crude price now USD65pb The federal government slashed benchmarked oil price by 11% to USD65pb (vs. USD73pb previously proposed). The action remained largely driven by the continuous fall in global oil price which is currently trading at USD68.80pb. In a related development, pressure on the domestic currency persist as the Naira also depreciated by 1.38% WoW against the dollar. Interbank market rate stood at USD/NGN181.10 (vs. 178.60 in previous week), whilst trading at USD/NGN187.50 in the parallel market. The apex bank continued its defense of the currency during the week as FX-reserves declined further to USD36.58 (vs. USD36.80bn in previous week) tumbling by 0.60% in a week. We believe the pressure on the reserves might continue in the coming week as the falling oil prices does not appear to be abating yet. European Central Bank (ECB) held its policy rate unchanged, reiterating the lower growth and inflation rate forecast for the Euro zone. The ECB president, Mario Draghi noted that the Bank would look at stimulus again early next year. According to the president this may not necessarily be in January, but two or three months later for more easing.

Fixed Income Update: Liquidity squeeze hikes rate The dearth of liquidity in the system was noticed across spectra in the fixed income space. The money market rates hiked tremendously as OBB and OVN rates changed by 17.63% and 19.00% WtD respectively. NIBOR rose on all maturities, with the CALL, 1M, 3M, and 6M rates pegging at 25.42%, 15.55%, 15.86%, and 16.44% in that order. We attribute this increase to the CRR debit conducted during the week. Yields in the bond market trended upbeat. Average change in yield at the short end of the curve was 0.94%, as 1M, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, and 12M yields settled at 14.28%, 14.52%, 14.57%, 14.60%, 14.93%, and 15.27% in that order. Mid and long term tenors also increased in yields by 0.32% on the average, actions largely due to the excess sell-offs caused by negative market sentiments. Maturities to the tune of NGN129bn were due in the week, with re-issuance of T-bills in same amount across tenors. Stop rates on the 91-day, 182-day, and 364-day re-issuance were 10.05%, 13.49%, and 13.48% correspondingly. We expect increased liquidity in the coming week with the maturity of two T-Bills. We expect the sell offs in the fixed income space to continue amidst speculative position taking in the short term given the overall instability in the economy. Banking Sector: Witnessed profit taking spree In the course of the week, profit taking

...as oil trades below USD70pb

drove activities in the banking sector, dragging index south (-5.63%). This may not be unrelated to implementation of new cash reserve policy during the week. Cash to the tune of NGN326bn was debited from bank’s coffers to this effect. 4 stocks advanced against 9 counters that declined pegging sector breadth at 0.44x. All other counters stayed flat. The sector’s return for the week was -5.63%, while YtD return settled at -20.62%. The gainers list was topped by UBN (+4.98%), trailed by STERLNBANK (+1.69), SKYEBANK (+0.81%), and ETI (+0.57); while the largest loser in the sector was FBNH (-9.75%) followed by DIAMONDBNK (-9.68%), ZENITHBANK (-8.53%), and UBA (-7.21) for the week. We are of the opinion that the recent drag in the sector may persist, as general market sentiment seems bearish. We however note the possibility some spikes in price as discerning investors take advantage of the low prices. Industrial Sector... CAP enjoys strong buy sentiment. The Industrial goods sector trailed the market mood as the sector index shed 5.02% during the week to pressure the YtD return to -22.65%. Four stocks depreciated in prices while two stocks appreciated during the week. ASHAKACEM (8.37%) emerged the only gainer for the week in the cement sub-sector. CUTIX (-6.00%) topped the decliners’ list dragging share price to NGN1.41. DANGCEM the sector’s heavyweight was also vulnerable to the general negative mood in the market as the counter dipped 5.50% to NGN170.00. CCNN and WAPCO also followed suit shedding 3.45% and 2.50% respectively while others traded flat. In the cause of the week, Lafarge Africa Plc, further to the completion of block trade of 58.61% shareholding of ASHAKACEM, notified the market that it has received SEC’s ap-

proval to proceed with the Mandatory Tender Offer (MTO) the cement company. For chemical and paint segment, CAP enjoyed substantial position taking, as the stock advanced by 25.01% to close at NGN36.01. All other paint companies traded flat. We imagine that opportunistic investors may attempt to take speculative position in stocks trading below their fundamentally justified price in the coming week. Consumer Good Sector: Contradictory turn in events Investors took an opposing turn on the sector, as most counters had a negative WoW outing. The sector mood closed at -4.60% (measured by NSEFB10 Index) as against last week’s 4.46%. PZ continued its positive run this week with 11.89% gain to close at NGN31.89, whilst FLOURMILL and CADBURY also joined PZ on the gainers’ chart with 3.70% and 4.99% WoW appreciation accordingly. On the decliners’ chart, DANGFLOUR (-9.63%) took the lead, trailed closely by NASCON (-9.53%). NESTLE, GUINNESS, DANGSUGAR and PREMBREW also joined the chart returning -6.98%, -5.66%, -9.47%, and -4.77% WoW respectively. The two stocks under our coverage in the conglomerate sector had mixed performance. AGLEVENT trended northwards while UACN traded southwards with a WoW performance of 0.77% and -7.62% accordingly. We advise cautious trading in the coming week, as recent activities stayed largely driven by speculative position taking. Oil and Gas: SEPLAT price on a free fall The sector continued its gaining streak as it compounded its gains further by 0.91% WoW. Albeit, market breadth was unfavourable as four stocks appreciated against two stocks that declined. TOTAL and FO emerged as the gainers for the week with price hike of 2.88% and 0.90% respectively to sustain their gain-

ing momentum. On the laggards’ chart, SEPLAT continues its losing streak as selling pressure on the shares persists. We think this remained largely driven by the continuous drop in the global oil price. The counter shed 9.52% to close at NGN380, implying a significant 34% price decline from its IPO price of NGN576. Other decliners for the week were ETERNA, OANDO, and MOBIL as they trimmed their respective prices by 8.81%, 6.55%%, and 0.12%. We attribute the sell offs to profit taking and general negative market sentiments given their gains in the previous week. OANDO’s rights issue was reopened for trading after its suspension on last Friday during the week. This follows a NSE’s clearance. The closure date is now extended to 14th of January 2015. In the coming week, we envisage a possible reversal for the sector on the back of attractive prices. However, we do not foresee the current negative sentiments on SEPLAT to subside, a position based on our expectation of a sustained instability in the global oil market. Insurance Sector: AXA Purchases 77% Stake in MANSARD The sector witnessed a bullish trading in the week as it gained 7.79% WoW to peg YtD return at 27.62%. Market breadth (2.00x) tilted in favour of gainers as 4 stocks appreciated against 2 stocks that depreciated. MANSARD led the gainers’ chart with 18.10% gain to close at NGN3.72 (vs. NGN3.15 in the previous week). This is not unconnected to the news of 77% AXA’s stake in the company which flitted into the market during the week. ROYALEX, CONTINSURE and AIICO also recorded gains of 12.00%, 7.53% and 3.80% respectively. On the flip side, CUSTODYINS posted a marginal loss of 0.75% even as NEM declined in price by 3.13% to close their respective prices at NGN3.97 and NGN0.62. With the various headwinds in the global and domestic scenes, depressing market performance, we advise cautious trading in the sector even as we acknowledge its low volatility. Healthcare Sector- Sector yields to sell pressure The Meri-health index dipped marginally for the week, declining by -0.01% WoW to peg the YtD return at -23.26%. Sector breadth pegged at 0.33x as only one stock recorded gains as against three (3) stocks that declined in price. EVANSMED was the only counter that posted gains for the week, advancing by 9.55% to settle at NGN 2.18, while MAYBAKER emerged as the top loser closing 4.71% down to NGN1.62. NEIMETH followed closely dipping 4.26% (NGN0.90) and FIDSON also trimmed slightly by 0.29% (NGN3.39). All other counters closed flat. We expect this fluctuating performance to persist for the rest of the year and towards the election period. However, our outlook for the industry is mixed as we expect the currency devaluation to significantly drag pharmaperformance due to FX exposure (raw materials is 85% imported, imported finished goods) and re-pricing of finished products going forward. Services Sector... MERI-SERV reverses its positive momentum The services sector reversed its positive momentum for the week to record a week on week loss of 1.82%. The mood swung more to NAHCO after enjoying buy sentiment in the previous week. The market breadth (1.5x) favoured advancers as six counters appreciated against four counters that declined during the week. ACADEMY led the gainers with 13.68%, followed by IKEJAHOTEL, ABCTRANS, LEARNAFRICA, AIRSERVICE and TRANSCORP with 9.92%, 5.00%, 5.00% and 2.31% respectively. Conversely, NAHCO led the decliners with 4.90%, convoyed by TRANSEXPR, CAVERTON, and REDSTAREX with 4.65%, 3.05% and 0.99% losses in that order. We expect this oscillating mood to be sustained for the rest of the year. Discerning investor are thereby advised to trade cautiously.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness/NewsExtra CONTINUED FR O M PAGE 27

cost of importing and ‘subsidising’ fuel for domestic consumption, there has only been a marginal increase in the total volume of domestic fuel consumption over the last few years! (2006 -2010). In 2006, the official figure for domestic consumption acquired from PPMC indicated a consumption rate of 237,000bpd. For 2010, PPMC data reflects domestic consumption rate of 280,000bpd for the year. Most of PPMC data is however based on the figures for Domestic Supply Obligation (DSO), however, it is a well known fact that the actual figures for the import of petroleum products may not necessarily equate to this figure. Also, an often overlooked but critical factor to consider is that NNPC is mandated to set apart a certain amount of crude oil to fulfil the allocation for Domestic Supply Obligation (DSO). This particular allocation of crude oil is supposed to be supplied to the local refinery companies at a hugely discounted and commiserate local price. In the past years such discounted prices have been as low as US$18 per barrel however, it is nearly impossible to verify the current discounted price. In the original bureaucratic process, the standard arrangement was for NNPC to allocate the approved DSO to the local refinery companies through its subsidiary - Products and Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC), for refining and then re-distributed for domestic consumption. Sources at NNPC said since all the refineries are unable to meet domestic obligations, the allotted crude supply (DSO) is re-div erted by NNPC for refining abroad and brought home for distribution, but the re-diversion is said to be done in a rather shady and dark process that is not remotely transparent. This arrangement involves the issuance of ‘oil lifting rights’ to private marketers, lobbyists and powerful brokers, who act on behalf of NNPC sell the crude supply at astronomical profits in the international export market. Sahara Reporters in a report estimated that in 2010, the DSO crude supply amounted to 280,000bpd which the Federal Government had heavily discounted. Sunday New Telegraph could not independently verify the allegation that NNPC had never accounted for the profita accrued from the sale, even it has been alleged that the profit goes into private pockets. Meanwhile, most Nigerians spoken to by Sunday New Telegraph have expressed the need for the country to as a matter of urgency take another look at the possibilities of involving the private sector in the domestic refining of crude of local consumption and for export. President of Trade Union Congress, Mr. Bobboi Kiagama, said while Nigerian workers might demand appropriate pricing of the petroleum products in the country in view of the current fall of the price of crude, it would urge government to reconsider involving the private sector investor in the business of refining the product. “Domestic refining of the crude will collapse this house of fraud called fuel subsidy, create jobs for Nigerians, create value for the crude and most importantly, bring about appropriate pricing of petroleum products in the country,” he said. According the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Maritime, Mr. Olugbenga Leke Oyewole, the involvement of the private sector in the petroleum refining aspect of the energy sector will not only resolve the problems of availability and supply of fuels for domestic consumption, but it will reflect on appropriate pricing of the petroleum products in Nigeria. This might have informed the issuance of private licences by the Obasanjo administration to about 18 companies to refine crude oil in the country in 2002 after opening up the country’s downstream sector to private investment. In October that same year, he laid the

Oil: Uncertainty persists over planned subsidy reduction

Port-Hourt oil refinery

“It is the same thing. If you have a refinery here, you are not going to sell at N97 per litre. You are going to sell to the same marketers who would have imported their products at market price, at import parity price

foundation stone of the $1.5bn Tonwei Refinery in a ceremony to mark what ought to be the start of construction of Nigeria’s first private refinery in Nigeria. The Tonwei Refinery was expected to have an initial capacity of100, 000 barrel of refined product per day and be expanded to 200,000. The government of Lagos State in similar fashion announced that it was studying the possibility of establishing a refinery, which would serve not only Lagos but other South West states. Also, the Akwa Ibom State Government announced that it had concluded plans to build a 12,000 per day refinery. It explained that U.S-based Ventech announced that design and construction of the refinery, to be built in prefabricated modules in the United States and then shipped to Nigeria for assembly, had begun. The facility was to be located in Eket, adjacent to the Qua Iboe crude terminal. Following suit, Edo State Government disclosed that it obtained approval from the Federal Government to build an oil refinery. The expected capacity of the refinery would be 50,000 barrel per day. Similarly, a consortium of Nigeria’s independent local petroleum marketers stated that the government had approved their plan for the construction of a refinery in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. But today, little or nothing is heard from Tonwei and others. Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, Austin Avuru, has given reasons why it is difficult to build private refineries in the

country. It is believed that associates and allies of the former president were among those who got the licences which members of the House of Representatives during a recent probe of the granting of the licences, lamented that it had not helped the country. The licences were given to Clean Waters Refinery, Ilaje Refinery, NSP Refinery and Oils Services, Ode Ade Refinery, Tonwei Refinery, The Chasewood Consortium, Starex Petroleum Refinery, Orient Petroleum Resources, Niger/Delta Refinery and Akwa Ibom Refinery and Petrochemicals. Others are Badagry Petroleum Refinery, Niger Delta Refinery and Petrochemicals, Owena Oil and Gas, Rivgas Petroleum and Energy, Sapele Petroleum, Southland Associates, South West Refineries and Petrochemicals, Starex Petroleum Refinery, Towel Refinery, Total Support Refineries and Union Atlantic Petroleum. Analysts say the private refineries licensed by former Olusegun Obasanjo would not have succeeded because they were given to the president’s friends and cronies with funny Asian partners. Avuru spoke recently at the Nigerian marginal field workshop in Lagos where he also lamented that 12 years after the former President Obasanjo administration awarded 18 licenses for private refinery operation, none has come on stream. He said: “The reason why the private sector has not been able to invest in refineries is that you cannot go to the bank to borrow $1bn to build a refinery when the commercial framework is unclear to your bankers; when you are selling the product in the same market as government-owned refineries that are regulated; when government says you can only sell the product at N97 per litre. That is why nobody has built refineries.” According to him, it takes a lot of financial capability to veer into the capital-intensive refinery project.

“If you have Aliko Dangote’s financial muscle, where you have the cash to build it, you can take the plunge and you will not lose money. The reason is that marketers in Nigeria, as vendors, do not pay N97 per litre for the products they bring in. They pay about N150 and the difference is the famous subsidy we all know. “It is the same thing. If you have a refinery here, you are not going to sell at N97 per litre. You are going to sell to the same marketers who would have imported their products at market price, at import parity price.” He said the entrance of Dangote’s foray into the oil and gas business is good for the sector, adding that more Nigerians will toe this line in the next few years. He predicted that by 2017, the nation’s refining business will be dominated and controlled by indigenous companies, which would also cause phenomenal growth of marginal field companies in Nigeria. The Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu-led National Refineries Special Task Force has said that 28 out of the 35 investors given licences by the Federal Government to establish refineries in the country lack the capacity to do so. This was contained in the committee’s report presented to President Goodluck Jonathan by the committee’s alternate chairman, Mallam Yusuf Ali. “We have examined 35 people who have applied, who were given licences to operate refineries; unfortunately, we examined and we found only seven that may be capable of setting up refineries,” Ali said. He said to ensure self-sufficiency in petroleum products’ production; the country needed three more refineries that should be established either by the government or private investors. According to TUC, private refineries have not succeeded in Nigeria because of unfavourable government policies, harsh economic environment and lack of adequate funding.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness/News

How Delta developed viable transport system –Commissioner Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Igbakpa Rollands served in the administration of Chief James Ibori as Executive Officer Special Project Unit Governor’s Office, he was also the Deputy Majority Leader in the Delta State House of Assembly 2008-2011. In this interview with STANLEY IHEDIGBO, he says the state has the cheapest transport scheme in the country What is this much talked about Delta State Transport Revolution all about? I can say that the transport sector revolution in Delta State took centre stage from 2007, when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan flooded the roads of the state with 190 mass transit buses. It was from then that all areas of transportation received a facelift. And I say without fear of contradiction that the state has the cheapest transport system in the country and a very effective one too. The state’s transport policy is public private partnership driven. What we do is that the government takes the position of the first risk taker and purchases the buses and gives out to private individuals who have made their mark in the business. Those persons manage it under a lease agreement that includes the maintenance, insurance and a kind of pay back so that new ones can be purchased. Today, we have 18-seater buses numbering 705; 50 Marcopolo buses and 30 other Innoson buses operating efficiently in the state today. Apart from that, government has dedicated 40 buses for the non-fee paying school shuttle bus scheme. Then the beauty of it all, is that in Delta State, there is what we call a functional subsidy regime which is in place here. Every passenger or commuter that boards the Delta State buses pays about 50 per cent of the fare while the state government pays the 50 per cent balance at the end of every month. That has been on for the past four months and it is religiously paid for as the operators send in their bills every month. It has also crashed the fares of private transport operators in the state down because we have brand new airconditioned buses and I don’t know where the private operators are going to bring their own from, that they will raise the fare because the state government marched them in terms of competition. How about the Asaba airport? Apart from the land transport in Delta State, we have one of the best airports in Nigeria today. The airport is the brainchild of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. The airport has been adjudged the airport of the future in Nigeria. You might have read that the Federal Government is going to build an agro warehouse with a cold room where agricultural produce would be stored for export. It is because we have a functional transport system here. We have developed a functional water transport system in the riverine area of the state. We have a total of 130 water buses which have been distributed to respective operators. Delta happened to be the first state in Nigeria that stopped commercial motorcycles. Before we stopped them from operating, we had a plan like the proverbial Nostradamus who

saw tomorrow. Before the ban, the state government actually purchased thousands of the tricycles and distributed them to commercial motorcyclists at a subsidised rate. Initially, it was given out for as low as N150, 000, so that everybody could afford it. And what I will consider as my major achievement is actually putting a new face to the transport sector in the state, because today all vehicles are painted in blue and white. They are also coded for security purpose so that when anything happens, once you have the code of the vehicle, you get in touch with the driver. This is because when people remove the number plates of any vehicle and replace them, the codes are engraved on the body of the car. Anybody can see it and once you see this, report the matter to the security agencies so that the car can be tracked down. We take time to get their details in our system and put them in hard ware, even when one is destroyed, the other will not be destroyed. So, it has been wonderful and we thank God for everything. Again, the other one that is dear to my heart is the coming on board of the Delta State Traffic Management Law because it is one thing I prayed for and the governor has assented to it. We have started implementing it in phases. Again, don’t forget that the whole country now is embracing Nigeria beyond oil. Talking about Delta beyond oil we must have all the necessary things that would attract investors to this place. That is why we believe that the transport sector as the key to the development of any society should be well regulated and in a safe environment. If you come to a city and people are driving any how, against traffic and they make calls while driving or park carelessly, causing obstruction and a journey that is supposed to take 20 minutes enters into hours, you will not be comfortable. Investors would not like to put money into such an environment. So, that is why we are trying to ensure that traffic laws are enforced, trying to ensure that people respect rules and regulations. We are working on a 25.5km BRT network in Warri and once that is done, we will be number three in Africa apart from South Africa and Lagos State that are running an effective BRT scheme. The terminal will contain 16 bus shelters at the maiden edition and we hope to run 70 buses with five minutes head way that no matter where you are, every five minutes, there must be a bus coming to your destination. What have the challenges been? First are the people you are serving, people you are fighting for actually believe that politicians say one thing and do another. So

Igbakpa

it takes a lot to convince them until you do it to a point and they start seeing it. If not why would somebody take government to court when you are building a road for the people? It is frustrating for the development of roads in the state. Second, you know government would want to do many things but the resources are limited and at a time it slows down development. Third, time is another challenge; time is very critical that before you know it, time is over. How I wish we can always spend our time well so you can do what you want to do. Above all, I must say that I am having a wonderful time and I’m quite fulfilled so far doing my work. The governor gave me an assignment and gave me all the tools needed to succeed. So, I said that I have no reason to fail. Constitutionally you have few months in the office. What plan do you have for the remaining time? Well, for the remaining months, the governor has told us that this is the last period when some people lose focus. This is because there will be a lot of movement in this political era. He said we should not lose focus and that we must continue to build on what we are doing and even add more to consolidate and finish strong. We are not finishing strong in Delta, but we are landing safely. You know the administration is moving from one slogan to another. As soon as we finish one project, we move to another one. We came in with a threepoint agenda. In between the three-point agenda we entered Delta Beyond Oil and from Delta Beyond Oil, we entered Finish-

ing Strong, because as we are getting to the end of the game And now we are not only finishing strong, but landing safely, so, we are all preparing towards landing safely. We are rest assured that we are doing our finishing touches, believing that God will bring the resources to the state so that we can finish all our projects. But like the governor always says, no government can finish all the projects in the state; not even in the next 100 years to come. Again, I believe that we have set a standard in the Ministry of Transport and anybody coming in would have something to stand on and it will be very easy for the person. What do you think the Federal Government should do to improve transportation in the country? I think the rail system is the most important sector that should take government’s attention so that we can take pressure off our roads. When it comes to oil transportation, if the vandalism persists, so much that we cannot use the pipelines, we can use the railway to move fuel across the country. Though a lot has been done on our airports, but more needs to be done like creating cargo airports and setting up a national carrier. As a nation, we deserve a national carrier. And if we can get that onboard and get our trains running effectively for passengers and cargoes, I think the transportation system in the country will be cheaper and accidents would be fewer. It takes a long time before you hear of a railway accident. But for the heavy duty trucks on our roads, I think it is unacceptable. In all, we need something that can convey goods in no time and is cheaper.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sunday/ Business

Between sight and foresight Success Nuggets Victor Okwudiri 08037674300 (SMS only)

t was the morning of July 4, 1952. It was cold and foggy. Florence Chadwick, the first woman to swim the English channel in both directions, stepped into the water off Catalina island, to swim the channel from the island to the California coast. The circumstances were not favourable at all. The water was as good as freezing. The thickness of the fog was such that Chadwick could hardly see the boats accompanying her. Sharks were severally driven with rifle fire. Amid such harsh realities, Chadwick swam 15 hours straight, then she became weak and requested to be taken off the water. Her mother, in an accompanying boat, urged her to keep on, as they were close to land, but she wouldn’t. All she could see was the fog. It was obvious her mind was made up. She gave up the record she would have broken. She was taken out of the water, only to discover that her target was just one mile

“All I could see was the fog.… I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” Two months later, she walked off the same beach into the same channel and swam the distance.

away. The following day, at a news conference, she said, “All I could see was the fog.… I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” Two months later, she walked off the same beach into the same channel and swam the distance. She, thus, set a new speed record. The question is: How is it that one who swam 15 hours at a go could not swim just one mile left? Why couldn’t she hit the target the first time? Her doing so at a second attempt meant she had what it would have taken to do it the first time. What then was the missing variable? Just like Florence Chadwick attributed her failure the first time to

the fog, some might point out ‘sight’ as the challenge the first time, but I beg to disagree. I think the challenge was not SIGHT, but FORESIGHT - the ability to see beyond the immediate. I believe that even if there was no fog at her second attempt, Florence Chadwick still would have made it because after her first attempt, she had a mental picture of the distance to the shore and that mental picture would have enabled her to see through even the thickest fog. Friend, if you can see the INVISIBLE, you can do the Impossible. If you can Conceive it, you can Achieve it. If you can Fantasise it, you can REALISE it. What you see with the eyes of your mind could be more instrumental to your success in life than what you see with your eyes. It was blind Helen Keller who said, when she was asked what was worse than blindness, “To have sight without vision.” Little wonder she was able to surmount blindness to become a graduate. Yet many people with eyes will not even read. Friend, there is no excuse enough for you to fail. Excuse is the language of failures. I challenge you today to see beyond your circumstances per time. Catch a mental PICTURE of your desired FUTURE. If you do, no fog will be thick enough to stop you from getting to your destination. You will succeed.

Build your house on the rock ii The Big Picture Julian Atufunwa 08032810713 (SMS only)

n life it’s not about what you know, but what you do with what you know. I’m certain that the things you read in this column are not entirely new to you, it is what you already know. So I’m just reminding you to put to use what you know. Building your house on the rock means constructing your sphere of influence on principles or laws, and these laws are strong foundation that will withstand any flood, winds of challenges you will encounter as a leader, organisation, nation. Many authors have written concerning laws of leadership, what I’ve done here is to bring it down in simple words so that everyone that read will understand. Now these are the continuation of the laws of leadership we started last week. Law of magnetism: You attract who you are, what you are and not what you want. For a leader to attract the right people they have to become a better person. As a leader you can’t afford to be at a standstill in knowledge pursuit. You must continue to upgrade yourself. My mentor once said: “I learn new things everyday, when I heard that I knew I’ve not even started. Expose

yourself to a different environment and experience mental shift’. Law of Respect: As a leader you must understand that you can’t force people to respect you, people naturally follow leadera that are stronger than themselves, Respect is earned and to be respected, you have to respect others first. Leaders also earn respect when they have overcome challenges that people thought insurmountable. Be reminded that there will come a time in your life as a leader that you will have to stand alone. A time you will look back and it will seem no one is following, a time you will ask yourself who sent me on this mission. Overcoming those moments earns you respect from all. Law of security: Only secure leaders give power to others. As a leader your success and achievement will be limited if you choose not to develop your followers. Do not play in your area of weakness - delegate those areas to somebody and master your strength areas. African leaders are not secured and it’s rooted in our culture. What we don’t seem to understand is that, the success of your subordinate will push that of the leader forward and you achieve more by letting your train followers work. Law of Realism: Leaders are realistic people and they deal with facts. That is why when they acknowledge a problem and act on it. They don’t assume. Leaders use what they have to get what they need or want. The law of Optimism: Leaders believe all things are possible, leaders confront all problems and seek for solutions. They are incurable optimists. Leaders don’t like excuses.

Many authors have written concerning laws of leadership, what I’ve done here is to bring it down in simple words so that everyone that read will understand They hang out with positive people. Law of reproduction: It takes a leader to raise a leader. What you want people to become portray it first. Leaders produce leaders; you reproduce yourself. Law of Momentum: Leaders find what works and work on it. As a leader don’t be afraid to experiment, but remember that you need more strength to move what is stationed. But you need lesser power to move what is already moving. Work on what has worked for you; keep repeating the things that work. Law of Resilience: Leaders always bounce back from setbacks. Failure is not terminal. It’s not how low you fail, but how you bounce back. Leaders have this doggedness and they know that failure is needed on their road to success. Law of Independence: Leaders think for themselves, they have a mind of their own though they have groups that deliberate with them on issues. All opinions are gathered and every information is centralized. From there, they come out with theirs. When it fails they don’t pass the buck, they take responsibility.

GTBank wins 2014 EFInA Award

uaranty Trust Bank Plc has continued to consolidate its position as a foremost African brand through outstanding financial performance and product/service innovation. In recognition of the bank’s efforts in promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria, GTBank emerged winner of the 2014 EFInA award for enhancing access to financial services for Nigerians, especially the low income population and being a leader in facilitating an all-inclusive financial system. Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA) is a financial sector development organisation that promotes financial inclusion in Nigeria, with the goal to empower millions of unbanked Nigerians in the financial system to become viable economic actors. Receiving the award on behalf of the bank, Head, Retail Mainland Division, Adeola Ogunyemi, said GTBank has a well-defined financial inclusion strategy which continues to drive innovation of processes, products and services to ensure that people who are otherwise excluded from the financial sector are included, and are able to bank conveniently and at minimal cost. Guaranty Trust Bank plc has introduced several innovative products and services over the last 6 months in its bid to further consolidate its position as the most service focused and profitable bank in Nigeria. These include the introduction of the mobile banking app; GTBank Mobile App, which is a two in one app that provides customers access to the Bank’s Mobile Banking and Mobile Money offerings, thereby creating a convenient and secure way for customers to perform banking transactions using their mobile phones. The bank also launched “GTBank 1 Click Top-up”, a service that provides an efficient and easy way to purchase airtime by topping-up their mobile phones from available balances in their bank accounts by dialing *737*AMOUNT# e.g. *737*1000# from a registered phone number with the bank. As part of the bank’s efforts at bringing banking services closer to our existing and potential customers, it expanded its service platform with the introduction of the agent banking service; GTExpress in 14 different locations. This allows customers to bank via agent locations such as Supermarkets, Schools, Cinemas, Markets and Restaurants. This is an initiative to reach out to the underserved and unbanked segments of the population in a cost efficient manner through the use of non-banking retail outlets.

More women seek career as mechanics CONT ’ D F R O M PAGE 24

terprises. “We will sustain the campaign for gender equality in the automotive industry and in the workplace. We will continue to highlight the gender gap, and advocate for girls and women to have increased access and opportunities in the Nigerian automotive industry,” she said. Also, Sunday New Telegraph learnt that the MTN Foundation had invested N34m in three years in the development of women automobile technicians in Nigeria. The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, said the organisation would forever cherish the opportunity given to provide several young women with a unique opportunity to acquire vital technical skills. She said through their support, the initiative has provided 40 women with practical auto-mechanic trainings at various pay and train centres, theoretical lectures in mechanical engineering, monthly self-help lectures on social economic and health issues. Also, driver’s licences and trade test certificates were procured for

them. “Following the completion of their courses, these lady mechanics have also benefited from three months industrial attachment course at Peugeot Automobile, Kaduna and Coscharis Motors, Lagos. Others also participated in internship programmes at major auto dealers such Mitsubishi, RT Briscoe, Elizade Motors and Toyota Nigeria,” she said. According to the Coordinator of Canada-based CUCO International, Ms. Jennifer Lavoie, when a young woman is empowered with marketable skills, her life changes forever. “She would be able to secure a job or she may choose to start her own service. She would have money to spend on goods and services which boost the local economy,” she said. As a trained and certified professional, Lavoie said that a female trainee would teach and hire other women to become auto mechanics, which would create a profound multiplier effect. She added, “She becomes a positive role model for other women who are inspired by the possibilities of improving their lives too.”

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014

The Sunday Interview

My fears for 2015 -Bishop Kukah p.32-33

Interview

Gaya: It’s unpatriotic to play politics with terrorism p.36

Osoba

Saraki

Obanikoro

Orji

Analysis

Ambode: How Tinubu demystified Fashola p.37

2015 and emergence of new political dynasties

I Biyi Adegoroye biyi.fire@yahoo.com 08033024007 © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

f the current development in the polity is anything to go by, by the time the Eighth Republic is inaugurated mid next year, more political dynasties would have been created in the polity. The reason is obvious- a number of the primaries conducted so far by the political parties have produced offspring of prominent politicians who have clinched tickets of some of the parties and are on the way to winning the elections. In a development akin to the emergence of political dynasties championed by the late strongman of Kwara State politics, Senator Olusola Saraki, and the late Chief Lamidi Adelabu, scores of the nation’s politicians have commenced perpetuating themselves in the political arena by ensuring their sons and daughters win major

Mid way into the primaries, many political dynasties are being formed as sons and daughters of prominent politicians and businessmen are picking party tickets to run for elective positions at various levels, our correspondents write elective positions in the current dispensation. While a number of people believe that this growing phenomenon was driven by patriotic zeal for their fatherland, others regard it as one driven by selfish interest in a country where politics has become a profession. In the words of Dr. Reuben Abati, before he became a presidential spokesman, “they are leaving

political office and are putting their sons and wives there. Nigeria is gradually becoming a big estate.” But is the situation really the same in Nigeria, a fledgling democracy where nepotism and corruption thrive like industries? How transparent and fair is the process which produced CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 201

The Sunday Interview

My fears for 2015 -Bishop Kukah

The Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, is a known face across Nigeria because of his consistent activism. Kukah, who served as secretary of the famous Oputa Panel, recently set up the Kukah Centre, a think tank meant to provide an alternative policy direction for government and groom future leaders. In this interview with ONWUKA NZESHI, the fearless and vocal cleric speaks about his dreams for this centre and current political developments in Nigeria What motivated you to set up the Kukah Centre? It’s a very good question and it is a question that I have no difficulty answering. I am aware that this kind of thing will generate a lot of interest and excitement. Why me? Why something of this nature? In fact, I think that this is because people are used to what they expect of a priest, a bishop or the church. I think that in the last 20 or more years, I have, perhaps in the minds of some people, functioned slightly outside the box. So for me, this is really the pursuance of a long held dream; it is the result of my experiences and my reflections about Nigeria, about its place in the world and the feeling that we need to have a much more coherent platform and strategy for deepening democracy and ultimately repositioning our country. Don’t you think this move will further give room to this belief that you are delving too much into the political arena? Yes, it has crossed my mind and actually I consider that a plus. You know, it is important ... because when I look at the one who is our model and whom we try to model ourselves after, Jesus Christ, people called him an agitator. They called him all kinds of names. Now, in my view, those names are also evidence that some people recognised he was doing something and that something happened in that era. So, I appreciate when people say that I am a politician or some say I am political; but as you know, politics is in our DNA as human beings. When you are in the church, you cannot but be political. I am not a politician. I am sure that just

Kukah

like the rest of Nigerians so many of us love football but we are not necessarily all footballers. A lot of us sing, but we are not musicians. I don’t know why people don’t credit me with being a musician. The point I am making is that I appreciate what people are saying but I believe that with time people will also get to understand that the affairs of this country, in my view and personal conviction, are too serious to be left to politicians. This is why I keep challenging every one of us, whether you are a farmer, priest, bishop or journalist, to get involved one way or the other. We do not have separate markets. Whatever your profession or calling, it does not matter. We need to be genuinely concerned about how this country is governed. An aggregate of these sentiments is what you people call good governance. Good governance is not something that drops from the intelligence of the politician. What the project seeks to do is to say that you can be a politician but you don’t know everything. One day, I was just called and told that the Holy Father (Pope) had appointed me to be a bishop. It was not a job I applied for but I woke up the next day and discovered that nothing had changed in terms of my height and nothing had changed in terms of my intellect. So it would be stupid to think that because you are in office, you necessarily know everything. So, I think that greatness in leadership lies in the ability to deliberately create alternative listening devices. If you like to always listen to only your ministers, commissioners and other people you have appointed and sycophants who are near

you because your survival is the oxygen of their own survival, they will never tell you what you need to know. But institutions of this nature like it is everywhere else in the world must interrogate power and offer alternative views. So, really, this is why this centre is so important to me. Is the centre going to focus only on political leadership? No. We will do everything that concerns our survival as human beings. This is not something I am going to run myself. Dr. Ajida is here as the Acting Director of the centre and he brings a lot of experience. My interest is out of what I have experienced in Nigeria. I come from a very insignificant community in Nigeria but God has been so extra-ordinarily gracious to me. I have boxed well beyond my weight and increasingly, it has humbled me. With all sense of modesty, I have also had some experiences which very few people in my position may have experienced. There is hardly any part of this country that I cannot claim I have friends. If I don’t know people, people know me. I take that responsibility rather seriously and my interest is to lend them my voice. I believe that this project is just providing a door through which younger people like you and other people with new ideas can test those ideas. So, for me, I see this as my giving back to this country, what it has done for me, purely and simply because I think that I’m extremely lucky. If I pick up my phone and call the Sultan, he

will pick it and answer me. If I say to the President of Nigeria that I’d like to talk to him, he will answer me; if I say I want to speak to the governor of Adamawa State or the governor of Zamfara State , they will answer me. It is not something to be proud of, it is something to be humbled by and this is why I like to see myself as an outlet. So if you ask whether I will be dealing with politics, yes politics but only to the extent that it helps to give a voice and credence to enrich other options in society. We are designing a platform that can enable young people to begin to have an idea of what leadership is all about. What do you require to be a leader? Today, if you go to our secondary schools and ask a young boy or girl what he or she wants to be, they will probably tell you that they want to be footballers or governors or president. The processes are not important to them. So this is an attempt at privileging intellect and also creating a space for people to be able to exercise their intellectual gifts. Given your deep knowledge of leadership as well as vast experience and wide acceptance among the political elite across the country, would it be out of place for you to venture into politics? Well... for more than 20 years now, I have heard those kind of things. Initially, people spoke to me about them and I laughed but increasingly it kept coming even from people in the international community. I think they mean well but for

14 NEW TELEGRAPH

So, I don’t think I can participate in politics in the way and manner you are talking about without betraying what God meant by giving me the gifts he has given to me. I think that for me, I am primarily a priest, I will remain a priest. It is something no one can take from me unless I am stupid enough to surrender it. But like I used to joke sometimes with former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo - I told him that if I am President, it will just be for four years or eight years at the maximum, then after that I am gone. But this one (being a priest), is for life. I don’t have to bribe anybody to give me a third term or to extend my tenure. (Laughter). It is for life. So I think that only a fool can trade off this gift for anything else. I appreciate the opinion of some people about somebody like me going into politics but it is not something that I have ever paid attention to.

me. It’s like Jesus and Peter, if you are not clear about your vision and mission in life, you will fall to all sorts of things. Jesus was clear about why he had to go to Jerusalem but Peter said no, this is not the way for you. And for the first time in the history of the entire New Testament, I always say jokingly, Jesus suffered a loss of memory because he didn’t call Peter by name. He just said: “Get behind me, Satan.” For me, that clarity of vision was so important. I would like to appreciate those who think that I should aspire to be President of Nigeria or governor of one state but I have always told people that just being able to talk well does not mean being able to govern an entity. Sometimes people tell me: You speak well. But speaking well is not the same thing as governing well. It just like some people say: You write well. Writing well is not the same as governing well. But finally and more importantly, I think that the only reason why people appreciate what I am doing is largely because I am a priest. I thank God for it. When I open several of our newspapers, I see extra-ordinary expressions of gifts in writing. I know what good writing is and sometimes, I stand back and wish that I could write like some of these writers. But I think that the reason people take seriously what I am writing is because I am a priest. I think that if I were just one Matthew Kukah or Prof. Kukah, they probably would read what I write and just move on.

Looking at your association with top politicians and political leaders in the country, how have you managed to do that without compromising your status? Secondly, from your interaction with these Nigerian leaders, what would you say is the problem with leadership here? It’s a different matter if you heard about Father Kukah and you decided you want to come and see me or befriend me. You can do that by sending me a card; by getting my number and calling me to greet me and congratulate me for being a bishop or by coming to Sokoto to greet me and increasingly we can become friends. You may have your own motives as to why you are doing all this. It may be that you are ingratiating yourself so that if you get close to Bishop Kukah, he can help you do XYZ. I am saying so because there is no Nigerian President that I can say that I picked up my phone to call and said I want to come and see you. I met them variously as a result of their own interests. I really do not want to be misunderstood; it’s not something I say as a boast but I think it is part of God’s graciousness to me. From President Shehu Shagari, the first Nigerian President that I met right through to President Goodluck Jonathan, I have found that, strange as it may sound, each and every one of these people is an extra-ordinarily good person trying to do the best within the circumstances which they found themselves. The only leader that I never sat down with one on one and not because he didn’t ask to see me was Gen. Sani Abacha. With hindsight, maybe I should have given him a chance. Frankly, strange as it may sound, after Justice Chukudifu Oputa Panel, there were a lot of things that I realised but I have no intention of opening up any new conversation. Are you saying that the twin policies of quota system and federal character and other methods used in employment and leadership recruitment have not helped us as a country? Let’s be realistic. I think that Nigeria is in a semi-primitive level of modernity and that comes with a baggage. If you are carrying this baggage of human beings with no access to basic education, it has consequences. I have said it severally that it is like driving a trailer. When you get to a roundabout, you cannot drive as if you are driving a Peugeot because negotiating that bend has implications. What I am saying is that we have ethnic groups but those identities should not weigh us down because that is what we are having in Nigeria today. Here we are now; even federal institutions can no longer be federal because all the federal universities in Nigeria now have become little ethnic, regional territories. If you are not an Igbo man, you can’t hope to be the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; if you are not a Yoruba man, you can’t hope to be VC of the University of Ibadan and if you are not Fulani, Hausa or Muslim, you cannot be VC of Bayero University, Kano. It has never happened. You cannot be VC of ABU, Zaria or Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto. I made the point in a paper I presented recently that when you go and

name a university after a local son, what it means is that you are carrying federal money and a small community made up of traditional rulers and some retired officers and bureaucrats will just corner it and they decide what happens there. Only four years ago, Prof. Andrew Nok thought he deserved to be Vice Chancellor of ABU. I got the score sheet of the test. He got 87 per cent; the closest contestant got about 70 per cent and the last person got about 60 per cent. He was way ahead of everybody but he wasn’t appointed not because he didn’t qualify. The chairman of the panel was Adamu Ciroma. Prof Nok finally walked away but by the time that year ended, he was already receiving international awards for earth-breaking research. Last year, he won the Nigeria National Order of Merit in Science, yet he did not qualify to become a Vice Chancellor. Are you going to tell me that he wasn’t qualified or that he wasn’t a Muslim or that religion has nothing to do with it? This is a federal institution and this is not peculiar to ABU. The point I am making is that this is not what the founding fathers of our country had in mind when they provided federal character and quota system. There is nothing wrong with these two policies because they were meant to reflect our diversities, promote equity and address our strength, weaknesses and fears about marginalisation and domination by one group over another. It was not necessarily tied to lowering the standards so that some people can come in, but all these things have been so bastardised. Why I am even angrier about this is that it is morally reprehensible and totally unacceptable that the federal government will take our money and commit to institutions which have been turned into little fiefdoms. This has been the lot of our federal universities and a lot of other federal agencies. Again, that is because you don’t need qualification to be anywhere. Qualification has now become so controverted that it is connections and not qualification that is important. So in principle, these policies are good. Everywhere in the world, people deliberately make an attempt to balance the system, but that attempt is also matched with competence. But here in Nigeria, over time, we’ve just sat down and watched our system collapse and it is becoming irreversible. Recently, a young man told me of his experience in one of our universities. He said he entered a university and from the gate down to the offices in the institution all he heard being spoken was the local language. He spent two and a half hours in that university and he said that in every single office he went to there wasn’t anyone speaking English Language. Do you agree with people who say that the quality of our political leadership is depreciating every day and that that is the reason we are having challenges in the country? The point is that our capacity to interrogate leadership has increased. Nigeria has over 100 newspapers; there’s nowhere else in Africa that has got the kind of media outlets that we have in this country. So increasingly, people are angry because they are aware of what is happening elsewhere. Unfortunately for us, the followership is, to a great extent, better informed. I see a lot of people that are in public office, you go to their offices they have as many as five, seven or eight newspapers which they never read. People will tell you that when they get home they have no time to watch the television and listen to news. But the ordinary people are increasingly pretty well informed about what’s going on here and outside our shores. Our hope in this centre is that we can serve as a voice of mediation and moderation. We cannot become so increasingly upset with everything. Being upset should translate into harder work by us and we should move away from this mentality of one man doing everything. Jonathan cannot be sitting down and be responsible for everything that is going to happen or not going to happen in Nigeria. Elsewhere, people don’t really think much about Barack Obama or about David Cameron and that is because they don’t stop the trains from running. But in our own case, we are concerned because whether you get a road, a school or not is tied to whom you know in government. But I am saying, let us renew our commitment to democracy and also our conviction that things can really get better. I am saying that if you have the people with the intellectual capacity, one good thing they will do for you is to show you that people have been on this road before and this is how they climbed out of this terribly bad road. I remember when Obasanjo was President; almost every minister got copies of Lee Kwan Yu’s book because they were thinking that somehow we can

photocopy Singapore. But as you may have seen it just definitely didn’t work that way. Lee Kwan Yu himself deliberately decided that there has to be an intellectual input to politics. Politics is not just the province of those who can’t get any other thing to do in life. I am saying that if this centre can serve as a means of convening people who have the knowledge, those who have the office and those who have the power, together we can make a change. We don’t have to quarrel about what we are doing for our country. There are arguments that the current leadership is not focused and does not have the capacity to take the country to where it should be. What is your position on this? This is the beauty of democracy. It is not like running a football team. President Goodluck Jonathan is not like Stephen Keshi who can just decide those who will play a particular match. This one, we have a chance and if you think that Jonathan is doing a good job, democracy gives you an opportunity to re-elect him and vote him out if you are not satisfied with what he has done. Like the communists used to say, the tragedy with democracy is that if you make a mistake, it takes you four years to correct it. There is a choice to make. If you believe that you can do the job better than Jonathan, prepare yourself and do the needful. You don’t have to join PDP because it is too expensive; you don’t have to join APC, the seats are already taken. There is no need sitting here and lamenting as we are always lamenting. If you say leadership is not focused. How do you define focus? We’ve spent a long time saying that Jonathan is clueless. Well, every evidence seems to suggest that the situation is completely different. It depends on your perception, because, from everything that has happened for good or bad don’t suggest that you can be president of a country like Nigeria and be clueless. Between the narratives of the opposition and what the realities are, the truth is always caught somewhere in between. All I’m saying is that if Nigerians feel that Jonathan is doing a good job, they will say so. If they feel he is not doing a good job, time to complain will soon end. In another two months we have a chance to cast our votes and I think this is what we should be encouraging Nigerians to know that this is what democracy is all about. It is not something that is settled. Go back in history and you will understand the challenges of leadership. Is it the prophet of Islam? Is it Jesus Christ? Which leader have you seen in power and everybody approves of your being there? It is not possible. Even in your nuclear family where you have only your wife and children, there may be no consensus. What your wife thinks about you might not be the same with what your children think. You know that those of us outside the corridors of power think that being a president is one easy job. You talk about democracy presenting choices for the people but the general complaint over the years has been that the votes don’t count at the end of the day. So where is the choice? Look my friend; we must address some of the things that have happened. They are measurable and there are tools for measuring the amount of progress that a country is making. When you travel on a road, you will know how far Kaduna is from Abuja. If you are moving and you keep saying that this Kaduna is too far, you probably might not get there. A few things have happened and I hope I am not deluded. But when I listen to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, he doesn’t have a magic wand but he was able to publicly admit that when he organised the 2011 elections there were challenges because he had only six months to prepare. Now he has four years to think through what needs to be done. If we remain stuck in cynicism, nothing will ever happen. If the Germans believed that because Brazil was hosting the World Cup and therefore no team can beat them, they would not have banged in seven goals against the host country. If you are going for a contest, you have to make up your mind. It’s like David and Goliath. You can’t go and say let me just go and try. The truth of the matter is that I think quite a lot of things have happened to the electoral system. I am not speaking for INEC; it is a regulatory authority and we must therefore be convinced that there has to be progress. Jega has told us what the commission is doing to make the electoral system better but many of us still have our minds CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics

2015 and emergence of new political dynasties C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

them? And who are these new scions and what positions are they seeking to occupy in the next republic? Gov Orji’s son picks ticket Commencing with the situation in Abia State, one can say without fear of contradiction that Chief Chinedum Orji, scion of Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, has emerged the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Umuahia Central Constituency for the House of Assembly election holding early next year. While the two- term governor was jostling for the senatorial ticket of the party to represent Abia Central at the National Assembly, Chinedum picked the ticket with 11 votes out of 12, and he is good as becoming the next speaker of the House of Assembly in the state. Already, Theodore Orji has hailed the election of his son and expressed satisfaction with its outcome. As the leader of the party in the state, observers said the coast is clear for Chinendum to serve the interest of the party and the family at the state level, as a way of learning the ropes in preparation for higher responsibilities at the national level. Chinedum, the first son of Governor Orji, is a graduate of civil engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. He was considered an effacing young man when his father was the Chief of Staff to former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu. At that time, little was known of him or his political ambition and he showed little interest in politics. But over the years he has metamorphosed into a political power house, the trajectory of the Abia Youth Foundation to launch himself to political limelight. Ibori’s daughter and Clark’s son Ms Ehriatake Ibori is one of them. A biological daughter of the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, she was returned unopposed on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party penultimate Saturday to run for Ethiope West Constituency seat at the state’s House of Assembly. Her father, who hails from Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state, an inch of the Delta Central Senatorial District, popularly known as Urhobo ethnic nationality, was the helmsman of the state for eight year (1999-2007). Ibori is currently serving jail terms in far away London, having pleaded guilty to money laundering charges proffered against him. Ehriatake, who is in her late 20’s, is being positioned to emerge as the next Speaker of the State House of Assembly. She rode on her father’s popularity in politics of the state to emerge as the only candidate for the constituency, as the elders, leaders and stakeholders of the party in Oghara, the hometown of Ibori, warned other aspirants not to dissipate energy on picking nomination form for the seat. “It is regarded as an anathema for anybody from other constituencies in Urhoboland, to which the party has zoned the speakership seat to by 2015, following the party’s political arrangement, to contest the seat with Ehriatake, as such an attempt will be taken to be a challenge against our leader (Ibori), not his daughter,” a source said. Similarly, Ebikeme Clark, a biological son of the first Republican Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, is one of such. Ebikeme contested for the chairmanship position of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State during the just concluded council elections in the state and won. He won, according to a PDP source in the council area, because his father is political juggernaut in the state. Few months to the election, he was kidnapped and whisked to an unknown destination before men of the Delta State Police Command smoked out

Arisekola-Alao

Abacha

Jakande

the five-man gang that perpetrated the act. Besides the fact that his father has paid his dues in national politics, his emergence as the flag-bearer of PDP in Burutu was viewed by many as compensation. He has since been sworn in by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan after the state’s Independent National Electoral Commission declared him the winner of the contest. Ifeanyi Osakwe is the son of Senator Patrick Osakwe in Delta State. His father, who hails from Ndokwa axis of the state, represented Delta North Senatorial District for 12 years (1999-2011) in the Senate before the outgoing Senator Ifeanyi Okowa succeeded him. His father was the beneficiary of the compromise politics orchestrated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibori in 2007, which saw to the emergence of Governor Uduaghan as Ibori’s successor. That year, Osakwe was planted in the Accord Party to the detriment of the wife of the former national chairman of the party, Dr. (Mrs.) Marian Nneamaka Ali of the PDP. Although, protests trailed Ifeanyi’s candidature, Ifeanyi has since been sworn in by Uduaghan as the chairman of NdokwaWest Local Government in the state.

between 2007 and 2011 on the platform of PDP, he is again running as the party’s candidate for the Ijebu-Ode State Constituency following his emergence at the House of Assembly primaries.

took place last Thursday. Dapo Adesina, for his part, attempted to go to the House of Representatives in the 2011 elections but he failed. Ajimobi compensated his effort by appointing him Commissioner for Youth and Sports. While still a commissioners, the University of Ibadan graduate is poised to take another shot at the House of Representatives seat on the platform of the APC. His posters have flooded many parts of the state. Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, son of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, is currently the Chairman of the Atiba Local Government Council of Oyo State. The University of Benin graduate of Geology was appointed as Chairman of the Council in 2007 in the administration of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala of the PDP. When the political table turned and the monarch went against the choice of AlaoAkala for a second term, he influenced the defection of his subjects to APC, ensured that Ajimobi won, and his son, Akeem, was re-appointed chairman of the council. Having served two terms at the council, he is riding on the crest of his father’s influence to go higher. All logistics have been put in place to make the ambition sail through, particularly with the open support of the Alaafin for the second term of Ajimobi. Umar Farouk Alao is one of the sons of the Late Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao, who died last June in London. Not much was known about Umar Farouk until about two years ago when he was appointed an adviser to the governor, but later appointed Commissioner for Youth and Sports, the position he occupies currently. He is working round the clock to ensure he goes to the House of Representatives also in 2015 on the platform of the ruling party in the state.

In Ogun, it’s Osoba, Soleye Former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, is probably the major politician whose son is occupying elective office and seeking re-election in the 2015 general elections. His son, Olumide, is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing Abeokuta North/Odeda/ Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency. Osoba recently defected from the APC to the Social Democratic Party, following the supremacy battle between him and incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. His son also followed him to the SDP and is seeking to actualise his second term bid for the lower legislative chamber on the SDP platform. Another aspirant is Eyitayo Soleye, a businessman, contesting for a seat in the Ogun State House of Assembly. Although his father is not known to be partisan, Dr. Onaolapo Soleye served as Minister of Finance during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (retd). Eyitayo studied Geology at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom and is contesting on the platform of the PDP. Also, Wale Alausa, who is the son of the PDP Chairman, Ogun East Senatorial District, Chief Agboola Alausa, is contesting for a seat in the state House of Assembly. Though he served as a member of the House

Solomon Lar and Kwande in Plateau In Plateau State, amongst those politicians whose sons are either seeking or occupying electives offices are Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Late Chief Solomon Lar, Alhaji Saleh Hassan and the incumbent Governor Jonah David Jang. Kwande’s son, Hon. Suleman Kwande, is presently representing Jos North/Bassa Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, having been elected on the platform of the PDP in a bye-election in 2012, after the tribunal’s nullification of the election of the party’s candidate. Kwande is presently seeking re-elections for the same seat in the 2015 general election under the platform of APC. Also, Hassan’s son, Shehu Saleh Hassan, is currently seeking to represent Jos North/ Basa Federal Constituency in the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP. Hassan was elected into the House of Reps in 2003. In the same token, son of pioneer national chairman of the PDP, Hon. Beni Lar, who has been in the House of Representative representing Langtang North/ Langtang South Constituency since 2007 to date, is currently seeking third term at the lower house. Adesina and Arisekola in Oyo In Oyo State, the race is not just about godfatherism but also that of giving plump political and elective offices to children of prominent politicians. Among them is Dr. Ayobami Wasiu and Dapo Adesina, sons of late Governor Lam Adesina. Others are Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, Umar Farouk Alao, son of late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Arisekola Alao Dr. Adesina, an England-based economist, was not so much known in the political circle of Oyo State. But owing to the apparent friction that the choice of Governor Abiola Ajimobi generated among the stakeholders in 2011, and the seeming no-love-lost relationship that existed between the two, Ayobami decided to challenge Ajimobi. To show his strong conviction to wrest the power from the APC leader, the Lam Adesina’s scion had been engaging in aggressive campaign until Monday when he was screened along with Ajimobi and Alhaji Adebayo Shittu in Lagos and cleared to contest the primary of the party which

Of Jakande, Obanikoro, Mohammed Hon Ayodeji Jakande, son of the first executive governor of Lagos State, was in the House of Representatives in 2011 and now struggling to get the ticket to represent Somolu Federal Constituency once again. As at the last check, some leaders of the party have stoutly risen against his second term ambition, citing non-performance and noninfluential traits of the lawmaker. Political leaders in the state often allude to his not too impressive political judgment and are currently rooting for the mandate to be given to another person. Similarly, the emergence, recognition and ascendancy of Babajide Obanikoro in Lagos politics cannot be divorced from his father’s track record in the state. If anything, his CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014

Politics / Interview

2015 polls ‘ll shock Nigerians -Kukah

that this was about Christianity or about Islam.

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

stuck in the 2011 elections. It cannot be so. My argument is that at the end of the day, we have had some flashes of good things that have happened in the states where elections have held in recent times. All these mantra of votes not counting can no longer hold water because where people have stood to defend what they believe in, the results have been different. But those of us who prefer to watch Tiger Woods; watch football or something else on the day of election would not see the changes in the electoral system. Those of us, the elite, who simply believe that we are not going to get the right outcome are still the same people who would rush to go and drink champagne when the results are announced whether the man who won was crookedly elected or not. So my message is let’s renew our commitment to democracy. Usually one of the greatest threats to our election is the theft of ballot boxes and ballot papers. But you have heard Jega say that INEC has decided to colour code all the ballot papers such that the ballot papers for Kogi State will be different from the ones that will be used in Kaduna State. Even within the same state, the colours of the ballot papers in the various local governments will be different. The authorities will know when you take ballot papers meant for one local government to another. It wasn’t always like that. So I am just saying that maybe the rules of engagement may have changed but it is important that we are aware and educate ourselves what ought to be. Looking at the political landscape ahead of 2015, what are your thoughts about a Muslim-Muslim ticket? We are not doing the same thing. President Jonathan being where he is, it is evident that we are not where we used to be. It is a function of many factors. When I wrote an article about this sometime ago, I was subjected to a completely different level of interpretation. Whether Jonathan is competent or not is not what we are talking about, but his being President defies all political calculations; if you contrast it with our traditional understanding of how you can become President in Nigeria. You need to have either Islam or Christianity behind you; you need to have one major ethnic group behind you and you need to have a political party behind you. Also you need to have a deep pocket with which to oil the political machine. But this gentleman literally came from nowhere. Even the process of Diepreye Alamiyeseigha stepping aside and Jonathan taking over, becoming governor, Vice President, Acting President and finally all the way to President without paying a penny is not the usual thing we expect. There was literally no campaign and I am saying that Jonathan becoming a President is a metaphor. I am not saying it will happen tomorrow but I am saying that the doors of opportunity in the presence of God are never closed. Who is going to be President of Nigeria tomorrow? We don’t know and we will never know because all the guys with the deep pockets, whether by dint of hard work or theft or whatever have always never got the prize. In my view as a priest, that is one way of looking at it. Even in 2015, we’ve got no idea and I believe that Jonathan’s people need to work hard; Buhari’s people need to work hard; everybody needs to work hard because this is a country that has the potential for the greatest surprises. But even in the face of all we have seen we never appreciate the level of surprises that continue to manifest in Nigeria. If you are looking at the President of Nigeria from the fact that Muslims will be there for one candidate and Christians for another candidate, let me tell you the truth, you have missed the point. Go back to the history and produce the record of voting during elections in Nigeria and tell me which President has been voted for massively by Muslims in the way and manner that we understand and suggest. Shagari didn’t win in Kano and he didn’t win

Kukah

in Borno as it was then. So this frenzy about a candidate sweeping the polls because of tribe or religious consideration is from our poor reading of what is called Northern Nigeria. The political tendencies between Kano and Katsina have never been the same. All these groups you are talking about have fought different kinds of wars. Many of those wars have not ended. Islam as a religion because it has had a Caliphate which is architecture of power, has become an identity from the point of view of negotiation. But it does not in any way suggest that Muslims in Northern Nigeria will vote in the same direction. They have never thought in the same way. Never. Katsina has hardly ever voted in the same direction with Sokoto nor has Kano voted in the same way with Borno and so on and so forth. So our poor reading of this map is what accounts for our obsession with the fact that it must be a Christian or a Muslim candidate. If you talk of Christian, what do you need to become governor of Anambra State? Is it that you are Anglican or you are Catholic? Elections will always be determined by different factors; whether somebody is richer, somebody is black, somebody is white, somebody is male, somebody is female; but it’s always an aggregate of factors. I mean, I have my own issues about Obasanjo saying that if a President is a Christian, the Vice President must be a Muslim. This is one of these false legs that we have mounted on our table and is one of the reasons why this country is not working. Nigerians have shown very clearly that if you give them the chance to make up their minds, they are not too concerned about some of these things. These contraptions are created by the political elite who seem to lack imagination. Jonathan cannot just become a Christian because he happens to be from the South. If you want the Christian community to give you a candidate, then it has to be decided by the Christian Association of Nigeria; if you want the Muslims to give you a representative then you go to JNI or the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. If PDP decides to pitch two people together, you cannot justify it by simply saying it was because one goes to the mosque and the other to the church. Both of them were essentially not sent there by their faiths and you cannot just inherit a faith by just getting to power. But again, we are gradually diminishing our sense of national identity. I can speak for the Christian. We have stated it very clearly and unequivocally that these things don’t matter and that is why we embraced Buhari and Idiagbon when they came to power. It is an open question whether if the Muslims have a choice of two Christians, would they accept that? But this is where you get to when you allow animosity to congeal. It took centuries for it to be broken in America

because you had to be white to rule. Being white and Catholic was not enough; you had to be White, Protestant and Anglo Saxon. But again, the dynamics have thrown up certain distortions. Suddenly, it is amazing that now you have in America two unlikely people to ever govern America - a Catholic and a black person. I wrote about Barak Obama and I said that there are certain things that God does that sometimes you just sit down and watch because that Obama will be President as a black man and pick Joe Biden, a committed Catholic, was never contemplated. These were the kind of people that had been literally legislated out of the political life of America. It just tells you that the doors are not closed for us but those of you in the younger generation must begin to think a little more creatively and differently from being stuck in regionalism and faith politics. What has it been like, being a Catholic bishop in a predominantly Muslim environment, particularly in this era of terrorism and insurgency in the country? You see, religion and politics are my areas of research interest. I don’t claim to understand all the issues but that was the subject of my PhD thesis. I think I appreciate the issues and when I say, for example, that this thing is not about religion some of the extreme wings of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) abuse me. They say we have no business talking with terrorists. They say I don’t understand that we have a battle between Christians and Muslims. Well, this is how I dress to Sokoto. I enter the plane in Sokoto almost every time fully clad in my cassock. There is hardly any person who meets me in the plane that doesn’t give me my due respect. If there were problems based on just religion or between Christians and Muslims, would I be walking the streets of Sokoto? Would I leave my house in the night to visit the Sultan and leave his palace even at midnight and find my way back home? Would I organise the Catholic community for a procession? This is my third year in Sokoto. Last year, we organised a procession that took us three hours to walk round the streets of Sokoto to witness as Catholics all over the world were doing, acknowledging Christ as our King. Early this year, we did a procession but it was slightly shorter to sensitise the people about the a few things. What I am saying is that at the very beginning, the issues were different. I issued a statement when the bomb blast occurred in Madalla (Niger State) and I said that the incident was evidence of the fact that we’ve got a virus of evil. Whatever name you call it, but don’t say that it is a bunch of Muslims trying to kill Christians. Yes, they bombed a church but I am not sure that that was sufficient to say

But the kind of people you are dealing with ...Now they have gone to bomb a mosque. Last time, I was speaking to the Emir of Kano, and I felt he displayed an uncommon courage to have gone back to the same mosque to pray because we cannot surrender the space. But I have also made the point that this is not something that you should ask President Jonathan or the National Security Adviser or even Bishop Kukah to know what is happening. The truth of the matter is that, and I say, metaphorically like the friends of Job in the Bible. When the friends of Job heard what happened to him, they said this is a good man; this kind of thing couldn’t have happened and they went to see Job to find out what really happened to him. If you read the book of Job, it tells us that when those guys arrived at Job’s house and saw Job’s condition, they spent seven days and seven nights; they did not utter one single word. As they say in Nigeria, they saw something wey pass them. So Boko Haram is like the situation of Job. We have seen something that has passed us. We can only trust in God, hoping that He will use the efficacy of human beings by whatever shape or form to bring this thing to an end. But we must develop the collective resilience to confront this evil together. Some Nigerians believe that the forthcoming elections might witness some violence because of the way politicians have been going about it. What do you see happening in 2015? There are too many people preying on our anxieties. I think that the business of whether Nigeria would stay together is the business of Nigerians. If Nigerians decide they want to stay together, we would stay together but let us not confuse the noise of the greedy few who are fighting over crumbs in Abuja and other cities as evidence that somehow the people of this country want to go their separate ways. A few politicians who have been wronged; they haven’t got their contracts, they haven’t got what they are looking for and they are the people creating fears of violence. You will see what is going to happen now with those who want to get tickets to contest the next elections. Once they don’t get it then they will say everything must crash. You cannot use that kind of good-for-nothing people as a measure of what Nigerians want because when you leave here and you go to the motor park do you see anything to suggest to you that Nigerians are getting ready to split? They are rather fighting over the cost of going from here to Enugu and other destinations. Their concern is whether the price is good for them or not good for them. They are not talking about Islam or Christianity; North or South. The country is not as convoluted as the media wants to project it and frankly I want to hope that public officials in Nigeria will sufficiently trust the Nigerian media. You cannot be president of America without having a conversation with the editors of the Wall Street Journal. It is only here that people who are in positions of authority think that every journalist is just looking for transport money. I think that it is this lack of effective communication that has created an atmosphere of hostility rather than co-operation between the media and those in power. The media should be our window to the world and in my view almost at par with foreign affairs in the sense that those in foreign affairs should be talking about what those in the country are feeling and talking about. It is not necessarily about holding media chats. It is also possible that there are some influential media people that the President can pick up his phone and call because if our narratives suggest that we expect this country to break up, as you see when you read Nigerian newspapers, of course the people in London, New York and Washington will believe it. So I put the blame on the way government has treated the media but I also think that you guys need to take yourselves more seriously as shapers and molders of public opinion.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics / Interview

Gaya: It’s unpatriotic to play politics with terrorism Governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Kano State and Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Governments, Senator Kabiru Gaya in this interview with DAVID CHUKWU, evaluates the call for extension of emergency rule in the three states of the North-East in view of the festering terrorism in the area When the issue of extension of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states came up penultimate week, you were one of the senators that kicked against it. Now that the Senate has received briefing from the leaders of the armed forces, who insisted that the state of emergency be sustained, what is your current position? Well, first of all, let me assure you that I am for peace; I am always interested in having peace in the society. There will be no development without peace. I believe that peace is the vital thing. Number two, we discussed a lot on this; and penultimate Tuesday, we met with all the security services, and we advised them on the way forward. They also agreed to implement the pieces of advice given to them by the Senate. It is in the interest of Nigeria and in the interest of peace in the North-East; and in the interest of peace all over the country. So, I am sure that when they implement the advice and other issues we discussed with them, there will be progress in terms of maintaining peace and order in that region. So, I assure you that if the governors want the state of emergency extended, we don’t have problem with that; they all have representatives in the National Assembly, both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. And for now, those representatives have not spoken for it. So, we are waiting for them. When they decide that they want it, then we will support them because they are the ones living in that community; they are the ones living in fear, they are the ones losing their families, brothers and sisters. But we also feel the pains because they are citizens of this country; they are Nigerians. If one life is lost we feel bad because they are citizens of Nigeria, and we don’t know what the future of the people could have been if they were left alive. So, I believe that we are also ready to look into those issues. Therefore, when we see improvement, there is no problem in extending the emergency rule. Though you are not a lawyer but as a lawmaker who is conversant with the section of the Constitution that deals with state of emergency proclamation, now that it has expired, is the Senate still going to be talking of extension or are you going to ask President Goodluck Jonathan to bring a fresh proposal for another proclamation altogether? I believe the President can write to us. This has expired but maybe he can write us another letter with the conditions of how he wants the emergency rule or the military to operate. You can see the situation of those who are refugees, now you can see that there are about 1.5 million refugees in the region; how are you going to take care of them? What about the issue of the civilian JTF and the hunters, how do we useObaze them because they are very relevant and

very helpful to the military operations. When the Service Chiefs came here, they told us that the hunters and members of the civilian JTF are very helpful because they know the terrain. Some of these military officers have never gone there but these people have been helping them, taking them round the localities of the area. So, I think that it is important that we return peace to the area as quickly as possible. Therefore, the President has to write us again stating how he wants those things to operate. During your meeting with the security chiefs, what were the issues they raised as their major handicaps in dealing Gaya with the insurgency in the North-East? Fortunately the handicaps are not much. They raised the issue of inadequate military personnel to prosecute the war. They are few in number and they want more troops to be deployed so that the problem can be tackled within a short period of time. They also need more aircrafts to be able to tackle the problem more effectively and bring the problem to an end as soon as possible. But I believe that we have given them the support; we have given them the funds, we have given them the resources; they are paying their salaries, they are paying their allowances on time. Even those of us in the National Assembly have not been paid but we want to pay the officers who are fighting the war, and I am happy that they

The military are few in number and they want more troops to be deployed so that the problem can be tackled within a short period of time. They also need more aircrafts to be able to tackle the problem more effectively and bring the problem to an end as soon as possible

have been paid. Did they talk about the issue of sabotage as a militating factor against their success in the war against the insurgents? Yes, they did say that they had a lot of problems of internal sabotage, and that internal sabotage has not been fully defined, but they raised some issues which we agreed with entirely. For instance, there was a case where they just came back from an operation and were in the camp resting, and they dropped their guns just to eat, somebody just shouted, “Boko Haram”, and they all left their guns, their ammunitions and ran away. Then Boko Haram came in and took those ammunitions. So, you find out that a lot of our equipment, guns and ammunitions are with the Boko Haram and are being used by Boko Haram. It appears that some of you senators are playing politics with the issue of insurgency, judging from the way some of you were expressing your views from partisan and sectional standpoint. What is your take on this? Anybody who uses insurgency to play politics is missing the point and is not being fair to himself and he is not being fair to Nigerians. This issue is not something you can play politics with. I am not saying this because I am in APC or whatever party I belong to; even when I was in All Nigeria Peoples Party in the last Senate, I have been clamouring for peace in that area and I have been trying to tell the executive to try and stop the crisis in Maiduguri. They should ensure that it does not go outside Maiduguri metropolis but people turned deaf ears and this thing has extended outside Maiduguri and has gone to the local government areas and further gone to other states like Yobe and then to Adamawa states, and now to Gombe and Bauchi states and has spilled over to even states down in the South because some time ago, it got to South-East,

and also to Sokoto, Niger and Nasarawa states too. So, you find that it has spread across. So, if anybody is using politics in this issue of insurgency, I think he is not being patriotic. Nigerian borders are very porous, and this facilitates easy entry and exit for the insurgents. Did you discuss this in your meeting with the security chiefs, with a view to plugging these lapses that negatively affect the fight against terrorism and insurgency in the North-East? You are talking to the chairman of the Senate Committee on States and Local Governments. So, border communities and boundaries are under my committee. But let me clearly say that our borders are too porous, and the economy in those border communities have been very low; the people there are not feeling the effect of democracy. There are no hospitals, no water, no schools; nothing. So, if they are induced by small money, they could allow anybody to cross over and enter into Nigeria and do his havoc and walk away. And we have been clamouring that the government should be able to invest in those border areas. Give them good roads, give them good healthcare and other social services that will make them have a feel that they are Nigerians so that they can protect the border of the country and make sure that people don’t just cross over like that; people have to go by the law. And even the officers in the boundary areas are not being encouraged. You find that they don’t have good accommodation, they don’t have an office, they don’t have vehicles. So, they do trek. I was in one of the areas in Benue State; if you see the place where the immigration officers stay, you will be surprised. It is a thatched roof hut and it is not conducive; if he wants to go to the toilet, he has to come out and goes to the bush. Therefore, we need to improve on the welfare of the Nigerian citizens in the border communities so that our borders can be controlled.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014

Politics / Analysis

Ambode: How Tinubu demystified Fashola

only just commenced the first phase of the execution of our political agenda. The next phase beckons. We must all work together to usher APC back into power in Lagos state. “On my part, I promise never to waiver or fail. I promise to energise and mobilise our teeming supporters in the next phase of this struggle. I put myself to the task, knowing fully well that the foundation laid must never be destroyed but built upon. I commit to the continuation of excellence and the uplifment of the lives of all Lagosians,” he said. To many political observers in the state, the outcome of the primaries, considering how Tinubu’s name render the air immediately Ambode was announced as the party’s governorship candidate, have sent a strong message that Tinubu’s influence in Lagos politics cannot be overlooked and many people are of the view that the APC national leader still have lots of roles to play in Lagos politics in 2015 and year after.

Temitope Ogunbanke

he National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has again proved his dominance of Lagos politics with the outcome of the party’s gubernatorial primaries in the state. Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor on Friday shown that he is a game changer and master of politics by ensuring that his anointed candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode floored other 12 aspirants to emerge as APC candidate for February 28, 2015 governorship election. Prior to the governorship primaries, there was great apprehension in some quarters that the contest was going to be a tussle between Tinubu and his successor, Governor Babatunde Fashola, over who to fly the party’s flag in next year gubernatorial election. At the beginning of the power tussle, while Tinubu was backing Ambode, a former Accountant-General of the state for the number one seat in Lagos, Fashola also was rooting for his Commissioner of Works, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, to succeed him. But Fashola later changed gear, dumping his commissioner for the state former Attorney-General, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, when he discovered that Hamzat’s candidature may not fly based on issue of religion and indigeneship. It was believed that being a Muslim and son of a traditional ruler in Ogun State, Oba Olatunji Hamzat, may be a stumbling block to the young Hamzat’s ambition. With Tinubu and Fashola insisting on producing the next governor, pundits were optimistic on what would be the outcome of the power tussle between the duos, considering the notion that when two elephants fight, the grass will suffer. Like the normal trend in the ruling party in Lagos, where aspirant usually emerged in the past through a consensus arrangement, many have thought that Tinubu as a kingmaker will appoint the next APC governorship candidate, the way he imposed Fashola on Action Congress (AC) in 2007. But the attempt was resisted by key leaders in the APC, including Fashola, who was the beneficiary of the 2007 exercise that made him rose from the position of a Chief of Staff to the governor. But rather than sticking to his gun the way he did in 2007, Tinubu took many by surprise by asking all the gubernatorial aspirants to go for open primaries. With Tinubu’s assurance of open primaries, 13 people collected the party’s nomination to show commitment toward the governorship race. The aspirants are: Ambode, Hamzat, Shasore; Senate Minority Whip, Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, former Lagos State Commissioner for Health and Education, Dr. Leke Pitan and former Commissioner for Rural Development, Dr. Tola Kasali. Others are former aide to Tinubu, Mr. Tayo Ayinde; businessman, Mr. Adekunle Disu; lawyer, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab; former member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Lanre Ope; Senior Special Assistant to Governor Fashola on school environmental advocacy, Mrs. Adetokunbo Tobun-Agbesanwa and businessman, Mr. Abayomi Sutton. Based on several issues that reared its head during the prior to the party’s primaries many people have taught that the primaries may not come to surprise but APC took many people by surprise by conducting his governorship primaries on Thursday. The governorship primaries which started with accreditation of delegates at 9:00am on Tuesday ended at 8:45am on Friday with the declaration of Ambode

All Progressives Congress Lagos State Governorship aspirant, Mr. Akinwunmi Anbode jubilating after the declaration as the winner of the primaries in Lagos...on Friday PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

as APC gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State. According to Obadan, 5,959 delegates from the 20 local governments in the state were accredited for the exercises but only 5,815 delegates voted out of which 91 votes were declared invalid. While announcing the election results, Obadan declared Ambode as APC governorship candidate. He said Ambode won with 3, 735 out of 5,724 valid votes cast. “I hereby satisfied that Akinwunmi Ambode having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared winner,” Obadan declared. Hamzat came second with 1,201 votes while Solomon and Ikuforiji scored 272 and 182 votes to emerge third and fourth respectively. Sasore, Pitan and Kasali also had 121, 112 and 69 votes to their credit. Ayinde, Disu and Wahab, polled 17, nine and seven votes respectively while Ope,

Tobun-Agbesanwa and Sutton had no vote. Delivering his acceptance speech, Ambode commended the delegates and party leaders for ensuring that the process that threw him up as APC gubernatorial candidate was free and fair. He therefore gave assurance that he will work for the growth of APC and Lagos. “This victory was made possible by you the people. And to my fellow contestants, I have nothing but commendation and respect for putting up a good fight. The success of this primary and the victory that has come out of it is not just for me but for all of us that stepped into the water. It is a victory for Lagosians and for democracy. “After this victory, we must move quickly to retain the party, APC, in the column of the progressives by returning the APC to power in Lagos. The task ahead of us is daunting, but surmountable. We have

Many political analysts believe that Ambode emerged victorious in the primaries because Tinubu gave him viable political structures across the country to actualise his governorship ambition. The performances of other aspirants also showed clearly that they lost woefully because they don’t have strong political structure in the state. In the build up to the governorship primaries, some people have taught that with Fashola’s backing, Sasore will pose a big challenge to Ambode but the results of the election has shown clearly that politics is about political structures and financial muscles, and not a pen and paper analysis. The fact that Tinubu and Fashola favoured different aspirants was a pointer to the fact that things were no longer at ease between both of them in the first place. While some believed that Tinubu saw that as an affront, others were of the opinion that Fasola was trying to establish himself as a power broker on the state as well. Therefore, from the outcome of the primaries, Tinubu has demystified Fashola because of the inability of the governor to build a political structure of his own in the state in the last seven and half years that he has been piloting the affairs of the state. Though Hamzat may came distant second, many people have commended him for poling 1,201 votes in a primaries where many of those who branded themselves as ‘gladiators’ in Lagos politics cannot get 200 delegates to vote in their favour. The performance of Hamzat, who many people believe utilised his father’s structure, ‘Mandate Group’ is a clear signal that the commissioner would have performed better if he has more financial muscles to challenge Ambode. In fact, it is believe that Fashola goofed by not backing Hamzat and that if the governor had backed one of his formidable commissioners, he would have been seen as a good fighter. Though, Ambode has stressed the need for all the party members to work together to usher APC back into power in the state, many people are of the view that there are many rivers for the party to cross before the election. The question begging for answer is; Can Tinubu alone back Ambode into Lagos Government House in 2015? Will Fashola’s have a change of mind and work with Tinubu and Ambode or will he worked against the party’s interest? What will happen to APC if Tinubu’s dominance is challenged by the aggrieved members of the party? Will Tinubu take APC to Promise Land in 2015? It is anybody’s guess.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics

Still on govt’s N9.2bn stoves Villa Notes emmyanule@yahoo.com

Anule Emmanuel

vailable data from research indicate that not less than 112 million Nigerians rely solely on firewood for cooking. This source and method of cooking experts say, produces fumes and smoke that put its users at high risk of asthma, bronchitis, child pneumonia, and lung cancer. Sadly, the World Health Organisation disclosed that more than 95,000 Nigerians die annually due to complications caused by the inhalation of smoke from bio-fuels. Of the figure, death through such means has been estimated to be the third-highest as a killer after malaria and HIV/AIDS. Besides the health challenges which comes with firewood cooking however is the harm done to the environment which experts also argue has implication for the depleting ozone layer. What this means is that widespread use of unwholesome fuels also has serious environmental implications through mass deforestation to

supply wood for cooking. The world generally is therefore moving in the direction of cleaner energy sources that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies. Nigeria cannot be left out of this drive. The Federal Executive Council penultimate Wednesday approved contract worth N9.2billion for the purchase of clean cooking stoves and wonder bags for rural women under a National Clean Cooking Scheme. This scheme which has been designed by the Federal Ministry of Environment is an aggressive drive to engender clean cooking culture amongst the poor rural women in the country and assist in reducing or possibly eliminating cooking with solid fossil believed to be detrimental to health. As conceived, government plans to take advantage of the new technology ‘Wonder Bag’ which is a non-electric slow cooker invented by Sarah Collins, a South African eco-entrepreneur. Collins came up with the idea six years ago during a power cut, when she decided to keep her dinner cooking by surrounding the pan with cushions. At least 750,000 units of clean cooking stove and 18,000 wonder bags are expected to be procured from the approved funds of N9.2billion in

the next five years. What a nose dive. When has the country begun the move to jettison the use of cooking gas? There is no doubting the fact that Nigeria is the world’s sixth-largest producer of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, but has the lowest utilization of LPG in sub-Saharan Africa. With a potential to produce 1.5 million metric tons of LPG for domestic use yearly, the national utilization is merely 150,000 tons. Apart from rural dwellers who are the main target beneficiaries of the NCCS programme, government needs not forget that one major source of domestic fuel in urban areas is kerosene. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had really confirmed that the country uses more than 11 million liters of kerosene daily with this exerting huge economic pressure on government. Come to think of it, at a time government is gradually shying away from provision of subsidy on nearly every item consumed by Nigerians including petrol and also introducing austerity measures in response to global economic realities, a total of N9.2billion is being expended on free distribution of cooking devices to rural dwellers. One would pose to ask. Should citizens continue to wait for handouts from government or be trained to be self sustaining?

Like the popular saying, teach them how to fish rather than give them fish. The project is definitely ill timed. Several Nigerians are left with the option to interpret that government simply is interested in contract awards to enable it mop up enough funds for the 2015 polls. Although there is already the assurance that the cooking stoves and the wonder bags will be assembled in Nigeria and distributed without regard to party affiliation, many still hold the doubt. Rather than dissipate energy on an entirely new programme, President Good luck Jonathan should focus his transformation agenda on making available clean cooking gas as well as ensuring its affordability to all households. Just like in other climes, connectivity to clean cooking gas (gas pipelines) to homes should be seen as a major infrastructure component in the development of plots around the country as done in regard to water, roads and electricity provision. Away from distributing wonder bags to the rural poor who may not even appreciate the devices, government should be seen to enlightening the populace on the need to embrace clean cooking gas aside making its price affordable. For now, the use of LPG for cooking poses less threat to the environment.

Emergence of new political dynasties been given the nod by the APC to contest the House of Representatives election for her federal constituency.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 4

father, the erstwhile Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has made a name for himself in Lagos politics. Obanikoro, a former local government chairman, commissioner and senator and a PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2007 election has laid a political foundation for his son. The Babajide, who contested the chairmanship seat of Ikoyi/Obalende local government and won, has risen on his father’s pedigree to pick the Eti OSA constituency II ticket for the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of the PDP. Babajide polled 18 votes to defeat his rival, Mr. Muyiwa Ariyo, who scored nine votes. In a similar manner, a son of the spokesman of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Jubril, a native of Oro in Kwara State, has got the ticket of the party at Ikeja constituency I, to succeed the outgoing speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforuji. Murtala and Abacha’s sons in Kano For the ancient city of Kano, the Kano State capital, posters of sons of two former Heads of State now adorn the streets, as they seek the nomination of the PDP for the governorship post. Muhammad Abacha, the eldest son of late General Sani Abacha, as well as Abba Risqua are the two strong contenders for the seat. Muhammad and Risqua have since collected the nomination forms and in readiness for the party’s governorship primaries holding this week. Interestingly, both of them have clearly declared that their politics is not a do-or-die affair, and they are ready to accept defeat in case they lost. For Muhammad Abacha, this will be his second coming because in 2011, he contested the election on the platform of the CPC, but lost as General Mohammadu Buhari disallowed him from flying the party’s flag. But even at that, Muhammad Abacha continues to wield political powers that buoyed his confidence take another shot at the highest seat in the state. For his part, Abba, who sometimes in

Murtala

Lam Adeshina

2003, 2007 participated in the House of Reps elections but lost to Ghali Umar Na’aba from Kano Municipal, hinted that his political maturity has grown beyond what many saw in those years when he brought politics of respect and understanding.

Hakeem Lawal He is first son of Mohammed Lawal, the late civilian governor of Kwara State who ruled between 1999-2003 on the platform of the defunct All Peoples Party, which later transformed to the All Nigeria Peoples Party. The deceased former governor, a retired Rear Admiral, had also been military governor of Ogun State before his retirement and entry into politics. Hakeem wants to become the governor of Kwara State on the platform of the PDP and has paid for the form.

Bukola/Gbemi Saraki in Kwara Perhaps the most prominent among the children of prominent Nigerians seeking elective office in Kwara State are the duo of Senator Bukola Saraki and his sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki. While Bukola was governor for eight years (2003-2011) before moving to the Senate (2011-date), Gbemisola was first in the House of Reps (1999-2003) before moving to the senate (2003-2011). In 2011 she vied for the gubernatorial seat on the platform of the defunct Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, but lost to Abdulfattah Ahmed, then of the Peoples Democratic Party. In the current contest, Gbemisola is seeking the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP while her brother, Bukola has been cleared to return to the Senate on the ticket of the APC.

Sola Adeoti and Funke Adedoyin They are daughters of the renowned business guru from Igbomina land, Chief Samuel Adedoyin. While Sola, the eldest, has been Managing Director of the defunct City Express Bank, Funke has been Minister of State for Health in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Incidentally, like the Saraki, both of them are fighting from different political fronts. While Sola is seeking the PDP ticket for Kwara South senatorial district, Funke has

Dele Belgore/Kale Belgore They are from the hugely popular Belgore clan of Ilorin. Kale first worked as Director General of Mandate, the campaign structure for Bukola Saraki in the 2003 elections and later served as Commissioner for Land and Housing in the administration. On his part, Dele contested the gubernatorial election in 2011 on the platform of the defunct ACN, but lost to incumbent governor AbdulFattah Ahmed. He has now moved to the PDP where he is seeking to win the party’s gubernatorial ticket, just like his cousin, Kale. Thus unlike the Sarakis and Adedoyins, Dele and Kale are seeking the same ticket from the same political party. In his reaction to this development in an earlier interview, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, said the candidates have the right to aspire to a position in the country within the provisions of the law. He alluded to the case in the United States when the Kennedy and the Bush families held sway at various times in the history of the country. “You will recall that JF Kennedy became the President of the United States in the early 60s, and almost at a period when they also had Senator Robert Kennedy. Also, you had a George Bush senior as President and Bush junior later as President even when his brother, Jeff was the governor of Florida. It’s nothing new” he said. Also to the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Oke Wali, there is nothing wrong with the flurry of sons and daughters of politicians taking after their fathers, provided the play the game according to the rule and serve for national development. He said: “It is not unusual for children to take after their parents in the choice of their professions. Many of our children chose to become lawyers, just as we have families of accountants. That is why it is important we do our best in our choice of professions because our children are watching us, and they might want to take after us,” he said.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Life

Juliana Francis

esidents of Aji Community in Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State are not happy with the police for releasing seven members of a vigilante group who allegedly murdered two members of the community some months ago. The people of the community claimed that the killing of Oforma Itodo and Obinna Onaja by the vigilante group, was masterminded by a top government official in the area. The death of the men sparked off protest, leading to police intervention and eventual arrest of the seven suspects. Chief Ignatius Ugwuanyija, a leader in the community, recalled how the men were killed. He said: “It started with Oforma Itodo. He was slain on March 3, 2014, barely four days after burying his mother. He was butchered like a fowl. Two weeks later, another son of the community, Obinna Onoja, was also hacked to death on a flimsy reason that he stole buckets of paint from the building site of the top government official.” Ugwuanyija said that the vigilante group had been terrorising the community on the orders of the government official. He said on the day that Onaja was killed, the group stormed the deceased’s home and told his parents that the government official wanted to see him. Since the group took Onaja away, his parents have not seen him. When his mother dared to ask them about her son some days later, they said Onaja was hale and healthy. “Since then, till now, the poor man has not been seen. The family and concerned members of the community are unable to take any action because we feel the government official is untouchable. He has connections with Igbo Eze North Police and Enugu State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID),” said Ugwuanyija. The parents of Onaja were not able to fight for justice as all the police stations they took the matter to were unable to do anything. “We petitioned the Inspector-General of Police. Policemen were sent to us. As soon as members of the vigilante group were arrested, the government official flew to Abuja. He came to brag that his men would soon be out of detention,” said Ugwuanyija. Few days later, the group was back in the community, allegedly causing more havoc. It was further alleged that after their return from police detention, more killings started. “This time around, a mother of five children, Cecilia Ijeh, from Umuodoeje Village, was assassinated. Her lifeless body was dumped inside a water tank in the village,” Ugwuanyija said. He noted that the community’s traditional ruler, Igwe Simon Osisi Itodo, as the Chief Security Officer of the community, was not happy with the activities of the youths’ vanguard. Ugwuanyija said that an autopsy report dated July 9, 2014, which was carried out in the presence of Sani Sunday (ASP) as investigating police officer (IPO), Inspector Sunday Onah (Abuja) and Corporal Paul Evarest (Enugu), stated unequivocally that Itodo was in good health until he received machete cuts on different parts of his body. He died from the injuries. President-General of the town union, Chief Arumah Thaddeus, like Ugwuanyija, accused the government official of being behind the killings in the community. Thaddeus noted: “I made observations that both the town union, the neighbourhood watch and Onyishi (eldest man) palace are threatened as some people are bent on hijacking the three arms of government existing in Aji Community.” Thaddeus alleged that some elders in the community

Oforma Itodo

Suspects freed after killing man for alleged paint theft •We’ll charge them to court soon - Police

Late Obinna.

had been compromised or are scared and thus had kept mute while security situation continues to grow worse in the community. “There is a parallel town union; one was at the instance of some people who used officers of Enugu State Government and the commissioner to select members of a caretaker committee. We contested it in the court of law because there was no provision for a caretaker committee in our constitution,” said Thaddeus. He continued: “The court granted an injunction and ordered the other group to stop parading itself as a caretaker committee. The threat is still on because the other group failed to obey the court’s order. This is a serious threat to the town as the court restored powers of the town union. The security network is at the prerogative of the traditional ruler.” Thaddeus said that a chairman was imposed on Aji Community neighbourhood watch. He said the neighbourhood watch had failed the community. He alleged that rather than do what is right and follow the rule of law, the vigilance group, as the neighbourhood watch, dances to the dictates of the government official in the community. His words: “They are well armed by their master who

claims the arms were in the police records. At a time, they challenged the other group that owes allegiance to the traditional ruler, surrounded and disarmed them of their catapults, torch lights and arrows and up till now, those things are still in their custody.” He said that since the emergence of the neighbourhood watch, there had been several killings. “Oforma Itodo was apprehended and hacked to death at the market place. Within a space of two weeks, Obinna Onoja was also butchered to death. Just recently, a woman was killed and dumped in a tank. Some people were arrested and later released. They’re still living in this community. They’re still committing all manners of crimes. We heard they were released after the government official paid large sums of money at Abuja.” When contacted over the recent developments in the area, Police spokesman in the state, DSP Ebere Amarizu, said he had earlier confirmed the killings in the area. He added: “I assure you that as soon as investigations are concluded, we will charge the suspects to court. For now, I’m assuring the people of the community that there is no cause for alarm. Nobody, no matter how highly or lowly placed, can influence us.”

Abuja Beats Driver assaults FRSC official over licence F or daring to demand for a driver’s licence from a motorist during a routine check, an officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Tokuma Ieren, is currently nursing a wound on his face after being slapped. Trouble started when a driver with Diff Hospital, Abuja, Bala Danjuma, was flagged down at the popular Three Arms Zone by FRSC officials and asked to present his vehicle particulars. Danjuma, however, refused to stop his pickup van until the FRSC officials pursued him up to the Head of Service building within the Federal Secretariat. When he eventually stopped, he and the road safety officers engaged in fisticuffs over his refusal to hand over his driver’s licence, which Abuja Beat gathered had already expired. Danjuma, during the hot argument, allegedly slapped Ieren, leaving him with a wound on his face. One of the occupants of the pickup van, who identified herself as Joy Abutu, confirmed the incident. She said they were on their way to deliver a consignment at Area 8 in Garki, when the road Safety officer stopped the pickup van at the Three Arms Zone junction requesting for the driver’s license and other particulars.

“Though I warned the driver to stop but I guess he refused to stop due to the ‘No Parking’ sign there,” she said. Giving his own account, the road safety officer who was bleeding from the cut, said, “We flagged the driver down at the Three Arms Zone junction, and as is our practice, asked him for his driver’s licence. At first, he deliberately refused to present it to us peacefully, but after asking for it several times, he brought it out and refused to release it for us to check. “When he finally brought it out, but refused to release it, I quickly sighted that it was a fake licence. I then insisted on arresting him by joining the van as a way to compel him to pull over for a proper check of his particulars. He refused until he got to the Ministry of Finance bridge bus stop, that is after the Federal Secretariat’s Bullet House. “As we got to the Bullet House and I noticed that he was still not willing to park, I then pushed the gear selector to neutral while the vehicle was moving slowly. In the process of dragging the gear selector, he slapped me with rings on his finger and that immediately cut the skin on my face. Immediately, blood started gushing out.” The driver, however, denied slapping the officer. He admitted that the

heated argument between him and the FRSC official might have led to him sustaining the injury on his face. “I didn’t slap him but I believe that the wound on his face might be as a result of a series of heated arguments that we had while he was trying to push my gear selector to neutral in a bid to force me to park. We rough handled ourselves but I was just lucky enough not to sustain a wound on my body,” he said. The driver, who admitted that the road safety

officer had the full right to stop him for a search, however, said he refused to park because of the ‘No Parking’ signs around the area. The patrol team leader, who pleaded not to be named, said the first step was to impound the vehicle and take it to their office at the Federal Secretariat. However, he said that they had quickly referred the officer to hospital for treatment, and thereafter they would invite the driver for questioning.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Foreign security firm trains Prisons Staff in Abuja Amadi Nnamdi In order to tackle the rising cases of Prison break in the country, the Nigerian Prisons Service headquarters, Abuja, has received a human capacity boost to confront the menace head on. This followed a technical training which took place at the NPS headquarters Abuja which was facilitated by SECTECH Consulting Services, in conjunction with FARA Security Limited and Europe Security Products Limited- a Czech Republic based security outfit. The participants comprising of 12 officers of the Operations Unit of the Nigerian Prisons Service headquarters Abuja were trained on effective usage of non-lethal equipments, and Close Quarter Battle (CQB) techniques. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training workshop, the Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Operations Nuhu Zuru, remarked that the workshop was a “Train the Trainer training,” where the participants are expected to later put other officers of the service through. His words: “The idea behind the training is not for you to monopolize the knowledge or keep it dormant and mute, the essence is to operationalize it. In the sense that you will form the nucleus of this course, you are supposed to train other trainees. “Today is a happy day for us, we are happy because whenever an opportunity comes up to add value to our job especially when it

Man arraigned for stealing car at Transcorp Hilton Caleb Onwe

he police in Abuja have arraigned one Emeka Agbo at the Upper Area Court, Gudu District, Abuja for stealing a Honda Accord car at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The crime according to the police is contrary to section 288 of the Penal Code Laws. The complainant, Ibrahim I., who reported the alleged crime through a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, alleged that he ac-

commodated the accused in his room 728 at Transcorp Hilton Abuja on November 15,2014. But when he woke up the following morning he discovered that the accused had made away with his Honda Accord Car. Other items which the accused also allegedly stole include, a Blackberry phone, a Nokia phone, an IPhone, a bag containing personal items like landed property documents, PDP membership card and many other items.

The prosecutor informed the court that the accused who disappeared from Abuja immediately after committing the alleged crime was however arrested on November 24,2014 in a hide-out in Lagos from where he was transferred to Abuja. The stolen car has been recovered from the accused while other items are yet to be recovered. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge against him and prayed for a court order that will allow him

reach out to members of his family as according to him, the Police have kept him away from family members, friends and even legal assistance without the liberty for communication of any kind since his arrest. Following the accused’s prayer for a court order, a lawyer who was in court for another matter, but followed the proceedings stood up uninvited and applied for the bail of the accused citing sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitutions (as amended) of Nigeria.

The presiding Judge, Justice Kagargo, allowed the lawyer to exercise his judicial rights of coming into a matter suo moto (on his own) but cautioned lawyers to be very discreet in exercising such. The court will rule on the bail application on December 9,2014; this is because the police vehemently objected to the application, on the ground that the accused will hinder on-going investigations that could lead to recovery of the remaining stolen items.

involves overall security of the Prisons and the nation in general it is something we welcome with all our might. “We will be on the watch, we will see how you demonstrate the knowledge, we will see how useful this training is to you and those you will impact the knowledge to and that will form the basis for our further cooperation with the trainers” DCG Zuru urged participants to make the best use of the training to add up to their efficiency at the field and also to be good ambassadors of the Service. Earlier, Managing Director, SECTECH Nigeria Ltd, Larry Obasi while explaining the rationale and background of the training, hinted that it is a law enforcement training that focused on effective usage of non-lethal equipments, and Close Quarter Battle (CQB)a modern day technique for combat. “This training is very relevant considering the current security challenges especially cases of Prison breaks and insurgents attacks in Nigeria and the fact that our Officers are not well trained with the right equipment to respond to some of these attacks. So we saw that gap and decided to fill it up despite the budgetary constraints on their side,” he explained. “They always complain about budget for equipment, so to support the Nigerian government, we offered to train some of their officers who will in turn train others. So it is a train the trainer thing. We are glad that our foreign Technical partner were able to send the Seasoned Instructor Colonel Karel Matousek to train the Officers for us. Matousek is a seasoned Law enforcement Officer with specialized training in counter-terrorism. He has been to the most difficult violent regions in the world. He has a special interest to help improve the capacity of the Nigerian security services,” he revealed. According to Obasi, “the Officers have discovered the need for some of the equipment that were displayed during the training as it will enhance their job .We also hope to get the European Union to support our efforts in the long term.

Education on Sunday SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014

The new doctors taking the Hippocratic Oath.

Frills as UNIBEN inducts medical doctors INDUCTION

The authorities of the University of Benin have inducted a set of new medical doctors, charging them to uphold their professional ethics

Eddy Uwoghiren,

T UNIBEN

hey all dressed in well-tailored black suits, while the ladies appeared smart and cute in their attire. They all radiated joy with their faces beaming with smiles as they heaved the sigh of relief for successful completion of their medical training. It was the induction ceremony of medical doctors and dental surgeons, which took place at the Akin Deko Auditorium of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) last week. To them, the over eight years of toiling and candle burning at both ends, were over at last. A bevy of photographers were busy making their brisk business, taking photographs of the new doctors and their wellwishers. The hall was electrified as the shouts of “Praise the Lord;” “Praise the Lord;” “The Lord is good,” rented the hall. Welcoming the guests, comprising parents of the graduating students, principal officers

of the university, and officials of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Prof. Vincent Iyawe congratulated the students for successful completion of their training. He said the university had discharged its role in the training of the students and shaping them to their present level, even as he encouraged them to go into the world and perform exploit in the manner the alumni of the university are doing. Iyawe added that the oath taking ceremony was significant in many aspects, saying they should be diligent and maintain high ethical standards. He further commended the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin for his developmental strides in the university and his support for the medical school. He said: “We have added new academic programmes - Physiotherapy and Radiography. We no longer accept inter-departmental transfer into Medicine and Dentistry. All Direct entry students must obtain either First Class or Second Class Upper before admitting them into our medical school. Similarly, we have successfully dealt away with candidates combining O-Level results. This, we are doing in order to get the best training here in our medical school.” The Provost, who hinted that the competition for admission into UNIBEN Medical School was increasing by merit each day, attributed such to the admission policy of admitting candidates with the best scores into the university.

We have geniuses who can make Nigeria a hub of medical tourism. If you go into politics, advocate for laws that would make that dream come to pass. Medicine is a noble profession and at such, you must strive to practice it in a noble way

He pleaded with the MDCN to consider UNIBEN’s request for increased admission quota of the Medical School, while restating that the university is already working towards securing a new quota for the medical school through upgrade of its facilities. The Dean of the School of Medicine, Prof. Moses Mommoh advised the new Doctors to desist from setting up hospitals for nondoctors as well as allow the confidentiality of their patients be their watchword even after the patients have died. He urged them to be good ambassadors of the university, insisting that they should be advocates of policies that would lift the nation’s health sector. His words: “We have cerebral geniuses who can make Nigeria a hub of medical tour-

ism. If you go into politics, advocate for laws that would make that dream come to pass. Medicine is a noble profession and at such, you must strive to practice it in a noble way.” The event was climaxed with oath taking ceremony in which the newly inducted doctors swore to the “Physician Oath 1 and 2, which is an improved version of the Hippocratic Oath, as well as gave a bow in honour of their parents and lecturers. After signing the induction register, the practicing licenses were distributed to them. The inductees, who moved the celebration to the open basement and Medical Hostel courtyard where they feted the guests, danced and took photographs. One of the inductees, Dr. Godspower Ogbebor said: “I am grateful to God for witnessing this day “which he tagged one of his best days. While advising their younger colleagues to be hard working, and hold on to God as well as build a solid foundation during their pre-clinical training, he stated that it would be of great help during their clinical phase in the teaching hospital. A parent of one of the inductees, Mr. Adedeji Olumide said: “I always wanted to be a medical doctor, but could not achieve it during my days because of finance. I am proud today that my son has become a doctor, fulfilling the dream I could not fulfill. I am satisfied that he did not just achieve his dream, but also my childhood dreams of being a doctor. I proud being the father of a doctor”.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Education

Students hail Amaechi for slashing varsity fees Emeka Onwudinjo & Ernest Chidiebere,

S UNIZIK

tudents of Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), especially the non-indigene of the state, are happy over the reduction of their fees by the State Government. The students, who flayed the disparity between fees paid by students of the state origin and non-indigenes, said Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is Messiah sent by God to rescue them from what they described as injustice among the students.

The Governor was said to have announced the slash of the students’ fees when he visited the university last week for an interactive session with students on the need to obtain their permanent voter’s cards (PVC). Responding to the students’ questions which included the discrimination in school fees being paid by indigenes and non-indigenes of the state’s university, the Governor directed the university management to ensure that all students of the university pay the same fees irrespective of their states of origin. According to him, from

now on, students of the university would pay the same amount for tuition, whether or not they are indigenes of the state. “Anybody in Rivers State University of Science and Technology is an indigene. All of us are Nigerians”, he said, directing the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. George Feyii to prepare a letter to the state university to that effect. The Governor said: “The reason why I made that statement and I am going to back it up with a letter is that we are all Nigerians. Hence, from today there is no longer going to be discrimination

among our students in terms of school fees paid by them.” He enjoined the university authority to allow the students to register their courses and pay later for those whose fees are not readily available at the time of registration, in order not to deprive them of studying with their classmates. He also pleaded with the management to grant freedom and autonomy to the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to exercise their democratic rights in the university. He said: “Allow the lecturers to form their ASUU chap-

ter. I will direct the Commissioner for Education to write to the university to allow the lecturers congregate and form their union. The law allows them to do so. That is the beauty of democracy.” The governor noted that his administration has positively touched the lives of the people of the state in all spheres, saying he was impressed with improvements recorded in the institution, even as he recalled efforts by his administration to accredit all courses offered by the university. His words: “When I assumed office as governor of the state, between 60 and 70

per cent of the university’s departments, courses and faculties were not accredited. Then, I said to myself that it is either we are ready for a university or we are not. If we are not ready for a university, we close it down, but if we need to educate our children, we need to educate them well. It means that whatever is the requirement for accreditation in the university, government must meet it and we met it. The various accreditation agencies came here to inspect the university facilities and they confirmed that we have met the accreditation needs.”

Campus Speak Train hits UNILORIN Odeyemi Afis Olawale, UNILORIN

Tasued convocation

Amosun offers automatic employment to 15 graduates Kunle Olayeni, Abeokuta

gun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu has offered automatic employment to 15 graduates of the Tai Solarin University of Education Ijagun, Ogun State. The cheering news was broken during the fifth graduation ceremony of the pioneer specialized education university in the country. No fewer than 10,899 students from various faculties and departments received their scrolls for the award of first degree, Masters and Post Graduate Diploma in Education. Contrary to speculations that the governor had planned to scrap or merge the university, Amosun declared that TASUED had come to stay, saying the move by his administration to scrap the university had been stopped. The governor noted that his administration had reduced school fees in all the 10 stateowned higher institutions of learning by 60 per cent as part

of efforts to make education more affordable and accessible. He said: “This combined third, fourth and fifth convocation ceremony of this university is yet another stamp of accomplishment and unbridled qualitative education service delivery since the establishment of this institution. “It gladdens my heart to note that you have relentlessly worked hard to sustain yourself in the midst of great number of higher institutions in Ogun State. “Tai Solarin University of Education, being the first university of education in Nigeria has impacted positively on university education in Nigeria, and indeed in Africa. It has proved to be a great citadel of learning where academic excellence and good moral training are impacted on the students. “It is gratifying to note that in less than 10 years of being a full-fledged university, Tai Solarin University of Education has become one of Nigeria’s best universities, consistently among universities at the top of the Nigerian University

League. “Also, it has continued to be a pace setter and trail blazer in the production of qualified teaching corps. This institution has not disappointed in its mandate of producing successful graduates that have carved a niche for themselves in their different endeavours and continued to contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of our great nation.” Amosun congratulated the Governing Council, Senate, members of staff, students and the entire university community for the successes recorded over the years. Meanwhile, the university conferred its Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) on the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona; the wife of the former Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Olabisi Fayemi; a notable industrialist, Alhaji Adebola Adegunwa; a distinguished academic, Professor Toyin Falola; and an insurance guru, Mr. Olabode Ogunlana. To benefit from the automatic job offer is the 2012/2013 best

overall graduating student, Adeniji Kayode, and 14 others who obtained First Class honours. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade, said the event was a combined graduation ceremony for 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 academic sessions. She urged the graduands to always endeavour to promote a culture of personal responsibility, dignity of work, value of education, merit of service and devotion to a cause greater than self. Obilade, who stated that none of the university’s academic programmes was denied accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC), lauded the state Governor and Visitor to the university, for his support and encouragement for the university. The Vice-Chancellor reiterated her administration’s commitment to position TASUED as a world class university with global acceptable products.

tudents of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State will not forget in a hurry the “CAMPUS SPEAK 2014”, organised by the Junior Chambers International (JCI), Nigeria on the campus. The train of the maiden edition of the programme inspiring and motivating event berth at the university, penultimate Wednesday with hundreds of students from other universities gathering at the institutions auditorium to have a time out with their favourite speakers. Specifically, the major aims of the event were to build new generation of entrepreneurs, equip the youths with ideal leadership skills and laying a solid foundation to break the cycle of youth unemployment, as well as contribute to economic growth of the country. No fewer than six notable youth leaders selected based on their outstanding entrepreneurship skills were at hand to motivate the mammoth gathering who thronged the university, for the event. They include Japhet Omojuwa (Editor Africanliberty.org), Olushola Adewumi (Nokia Brand Ambassador), Sage Hassan (Poet & Film Maker), Folakemi Olajiga (Ester & Deborah Fashion Brand), Adegboyega Adebajo (West Atlantic Resource & Equity House), Kola Osinowo of Microsoft, and Tony Tetuila, the guest artiste of the day. In his presentation, Adewumi took the huge crowd by surprise in his jokes when he asked “How Greedy Are You?” He replied: “To be greedy is to be hungry, but never to the extent of greed.” The Nokia Brand Ambassador charged the youths to live a different life, saying “go extra mile to make a difference in your individual lives, be confidence, set high goals, fuel your dream, fly the smartest, be enthusiastic, learn from mistakes and make good adequate research.” Olajiga, while sharing her experience with the youths about how Esther and Deborah became a big brand to reckon with, she said: “Take a job, be creative with it, and impact lives.” Omojuwa, in his characteristic mien trilled the crowd with his usual motivation, urged the youths to take the bold step to success, noting: “Success absolutely has nothing to do with having, but impacting lives even in death”. He noted that problems are natural phenomenon of life, but stressed: “You cannot stop problems, but you can work your way out of problems by creating values”.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Turn heads in preppy bright hues Vanessa Okwara

lack, grey and brown are colours men have been associated with for a pretty long time. In fact, a man wearing clothes in pink or red colour gets frowns or weird looks because ‘rainbow wardrobe’ is termed feminine. Overtime, that impression has changed as men are beginning to embrace clothes in bright hues. Men’s fashion is no longer the conservative tweed or boring grey. A new trend in the new male fashion forward movement is the love for

pop colours such as Fuchsia pink, neon green, purple and other brights, giving off that sartorial edge that is sexy as well as manly. A man who knows how to wear colours well can really turn some heads. So embrace this colour movement if you’ve got what it takes. You can experiment even if it’s just with shirt colours that compliment your skin tone. Take for instance, a rich medium blue is a flattering colour for most skin tones. It makes a great dress shirt, which is mainly where you will find this sumptuous hue.

In going for brights, bear in mind that colour coordination should never be overlooked by the man building a wardrobe. Colours can make or mar an outfit, so combine them sensibly. In adding colour to your wardrobe, it is safer to match one bright colour with a dark solid colour. Focus on one bright colour at a time and restrict the colour to just one area, either the top half or the bottom half. Don’t pair two strong colours together. If you’re unsure as to what colours you can get away with, go for ‘safe’ colours. Bright blue and red are manly

choices that are also attention-grabbing. To wear bright colours in a more masculine fashion, draw attention to your physical strength by wearing colours that emphasie your muscular physique. If you have big muscles, wear a top that clings to them. If you’re on the skinny side, wear chunky jewelry or bright coloured shoes and canvas to compensate for your lack of bulk. Make a statement with outfits inspired by bright and bold accent colours and be the man everybody talks about!

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Body&Soul

Check if that engagement ring is a handcuff

ingle bell is chiming and most shopping malls and banking halls have put up beautiful decorations in green and red. Another Christmas is approaching! It’s also that time of the year when a lot of single ladies get desperate. Kiki found herself in such predicament with Edozie. They’ve been engaged for about three years now and she can still remember the day he slipped the beautiful ring on her finger. “I don’t want to lose you, Kiki my love”, Edozie whispered into her ears on that magical night he took her out to dinner. “Please take this engagement ring as a sign of my undying love for you. I promise that once I get a good and steady job, I will come and see your parents officially for your hand in marriage,” he promised. Edozie was unemployed then while she worked as Customer Service Executive at a pharmaceutical company. Since she loved him, she reasoned that they would soon be married once Edozie got a good job. True to her faith, six months after they got engaged, Edozie landed a good job with a shipping company as procurement manager. She gave him time to settle down in his new job and get a bit stable financially before asking him when they would get married. He got upset and told her not to be too anxious about marriage especially as he had given her an engage-

CONNECT NG vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com ment ring; she had nothing to worry about. Well, in her book, there’s a lot to worry about because this engagement ring has been on her finger more than three years now and she’s beginning to feel like she is wearing a handcuff. She has not been able to date another guy since he gave her the engagement ring. Everybody around her thinks she’s already married. Her friends are already calling her Edozie’s wife; yet he’s yet to make their relationship official. This year, she has done all she could to see if her man would do the honourable thing, but the guy has simply refused to commit. He told her he wants to buy land and build where they will live before marriage because he does not want to live in a rented apartment once he gets married. These are all lofty ideas but time, they say, does not wait for any woman. Right now, she is at a crossroads in her relationship with Edozie. Should she break off the engagement or give him another

year to make up his mind? There are many ladies in the same situation as Kiki today. Getting an engagement ring from the man you love is a beautiful thing, but do not allow the engagement to exceed a particular period without it being official to both families. Do you know why I say this? Promises can be broken even by the most pious. The person making that promise sincerely intends to keep it, but time and chance oftentimes cause people to change their minds at the last minute and this causes heartbreak and anguish. Young lady, when an engagement ring stays on your finger more than it is absolutely necessary, it becomes more or less a handcuff. You are not free to date another guy and yet you are unmarried! Get your head out of the love clouds for a moment and find out from your fiancé the time frame for this engagement before you end up wearing handcuffs in the name of an engagement ring. If the engagement is going to last for

more than a year, find out the reason and sit down with him to constructively see how the time can be shortened. There’s nothing wrong with having a small wedding if finance is the reason for the delay. The best marriages are often the ones both partners built together from scratch. So encourage your guy to come out of the closet of always using ‘no money’ as an excuse to make your engagement indefinite. Let him know you are willing to start small with him. If he still insists on giving flimsy excuses, then it’s time to have a re-think and possibly take a break from that relationship. Why should you give the best years of your life to a man in the name of being engaged? After so many years of jostling you around like a string- puppet, he can also have the privilege of dropping you off on a dark road if he meets someone else within that period. Guys, stop making marriage promises you’re not sure of when you can fulfill. Equally, don’t go around giving engagement rings to ladies because you feel that is the only way to get them to sleep with you or to avoid competition with other men for her love. You may have been getting away with this for some time now, but just like Sound Sultan sang in his hit song ‘Bush meat and the hunter,’ if you are not careful, your case might just be like that of the hunter who got hunted by his own prey. Send your views to the email above!

Nurtured by the word: Orality, immigration and production

mmigration is always a political hot potato. Yes, it is once again making it to the headlines, thanks to Obama’s declaration of reforms and the looming election in Britain. Nigerians in the Diaspora once again have to endure the invasive ‘gaze’ of public opinion on whether they are supposed to be here or not. And before you think this is a very western phenomenon, then you need to spare a thought for Kenneth Kaunda. The man who fought and was jailed for Zambia’s independence became the country’s first president and graciously (arguable, I know) handed over power after 27 years only to be termed a foreigner by his successor and therefore barred from further participation in politics. This may well be the most laughable instance of immigration as a political tool in the global political history. I find it strange that no one has come up with a movie idea for this saga. I see a best seller in the works. Immigration has also engaged us intellectually and in the field of cultural production. For FESTAC 77 (that is Festival of Black Arts and Culture to those too young or unborn at the time), Wale Ogunyemi’s play, Langbodo, was Nigeria’s entry and it is simply a story of hunters who migrated from one Nigerian city after another in obeisance as they carry out their profession, thus uniting the nation in the process. What this cultural and theatrical feat, which encompassed all elements of the theatre from dance to dialogue showed was that we come from a culture that welcomes and values strangers. We appreciate their contribution to our local economy and encourage our children to also seek out their fortune in foreign lands, if that is where they hope to find it. Perhaps, it is this migratory nature, and the belief in the ultimate quality of hu-

manity, love, that has made the African a constant sojourner. However, most of the sojourn is not to create mischief, but to work and earn a decent living; to contribute to the social and economic life of his new environment. This is why I find it insulting that rather than address the issues, opposers of immigration are attacking the immigrants. Rather than see the positive nature of immigration, they lay emphasis on the crimes committed by immigrants, the social burden of supporting the immigrant and the sycophantic nature of the immigrant. What this has succeeded in accomplishing is bring about a wave of anti-immigrant protest across Europe, and right wing extremist parties are riding this wave. Sad indeed. But, is the immigrant a thieving criminal whose presence poses a danger to indi-

genes? I don’t think so. In a 2011 paper titled ‘Tracking Skilled Diaspora’, Nduka Otiono pointed out the error of this misconception of the immigrant. Using empirical data collected, Nduka showed that with the number of skilled African professors, medical doctors and engineers coming into North America alone, what the American continent is getting from Africa is qualitative brain capable of powering any economy in the direction of development. Otiono’s study negates whatever negative narrative of the immigrant people may have. In terms of writers, the core of known African writers, from Chimamanda Adichie to Ngugi, are resident in the Diaspora. Immigrants come into this field of cultural production with a readymade cultural capital. Just who is this thieving criminal of an immigrant? In Wale Ogunyemi’s Langbodo (which,

What this cultural and theatrical feat, which encompassed all elements of the theatre from dance to dialogue showed was that we come from a culture that welcomes and value strangers. We appreciate their contribution to our local economy and encourage our children to also seek out their fortune in foreign lands, if that is where they hope to find it.

by the way, is an adaptation of Daniel Fagunwa’s ‘Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irumole’), it is instructive that the sojourners were not beggars for food or other charity, but skilled hunters on a work expenditure. And this provides an analogy for most of the skilled African workers in various parts of the globe. They come from a culture that emphases hard work and not laziness. A Yoruba proverb says ‘Ise L’ogun Ise (hard work is the only remedy to poverty) and it is backed up by another ‘Bi’se o ba pe’ni, enikan ki’pese (Find work wherever and whenever it can be found). What the workers have done is follow their cultural upbringing and go in search of work wherever it can be found; I guess we can say that they have been nurtured by the word, nurtured by their oral tradition. I looked at some of the immigration requirements of most European and American countries and could see why Nigerians (and most other African countries), will meet them easily. They want workers, they want healthy bodies and they want contributors. This would suggest a lack or flaw in the departments advertised. Currently, Canada is in the search for technicians, nurses and teachers. I know a million Nigerians in these professions; so if there is lack, why victimise them for helping out in time of need? Let’s address the issue of crime and I will ask just one question, is there a figure of prison inmates in any part of the world that will show a statistics where the immigrants outnumber the indigenes? I don’t think so. Immigration, is a fact of the global community we live in. No amount of opposition will end it for it is as old as the history of culture. The quicker the opposers face it, the better for everyone.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

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Wole Adepoju 07037763410

Peace Anyiam Osigwe bereaved

hese are, indeed, not the best of times for the founder of popular and prestigious African Movie Academy Awards, Peace Anyiam Osigwe, and the entire members of the noble Anyiam Osigwe family. At this time of the year when everyone is preparing for the festive season, the Anyiam Osigwe family has been dealt a terrible blow. Michael, scion of the Osigwes, died some days ago after a robbery attack along Ore-Benin Expressway. His encounter with the robbers left him with bullet wounds and unfortunately, he did not survive it. Nze Michael Anyiam Osigwe, during his lifetime, was the coordinator of the Anyiam Osigwe Group and secretary to the supervisory board. He studied Economics and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Social Anthropology and Ethnomusicology from Goldsmith College, University of London. Michael was the former director of operations for the presidential campaign of former Inspector General of Police, MD Yusuf, in 1998.

Timi Alaibe catches a glimpse T

he popular saying that the most constant thing in life is change aptly describes the situation of Bayelsa-born dude, Timi Alaibe, who was hitherto the man to watch until events took another turn and the tune changed. Armed with a good education, Timi had come into public consciousness as the Director of Finance and Administration at the Niger Delta Development Commission. Things looked bright for him and he was eventually made the NDDC managing director. While he was working with his magic wand, he was the toast of high society, especially with a beautiful wife and flourishing home. Sadly, his wife, Alaere, passed on from complications from cancer. Thereafter, Timi moved up the ladder as he was appointed the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and head, Federal Government negotiating team on disarmament process of the presidential amnesty programme. All the while, he had become more popular in his state. At a point, his popularity had soared that he mooted the ideal of becoming the governor of Bayelsa State. Unfortunately, his calculation and permutations did not work out, even as he was removed from the federal cabinet. Ever since then, Timi has diminished in political height and gone off the social radar, so much so that many were wondering about his whereabouts. However, at a time, there were unconfirmed rumours of his alleged romance with ex-Miss World, Agbani Darego. The dashing power dresser recently came out of his shell to catch a glimpse of the social scene when he shared in the joy of the day with the families of the Olu of Warri and Capt. Hosa Okunbor, whose children were recently united in holy matrimony in Benin.

Fashola’s brother plans society wedding

udging by the antecedents of the clan from which the number one citizen of the Centre of Excellence, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola comes from, members of the family can be described as modest. They are not known to be given to flamboyant celebrations. However, going by the information making the rounds, the family may be shedding that toga of extreme modesty soon. The shift in position is said to be due to the status of the person involved, Demola. Demola and the love of his life, Katherine Yetunde, are said to have perfected plans to take their romance to the next level by formalising their relationship. To make the event a classy one, the engagement ceremony is billed to take place at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos on December 21. While Fashola’s brother is expected to be clad in mint on mint, the colour for the bride is peach and gold. On December 27, the wedding train will move to Holy Cross Cathedral on Lagos Island, where Demola and Yetunde will be pronounced husband and wife. The wedding train will thereafter move to the reception venue at KFA Event Centre on Lekki Expressway, where guests will be given a treat. The colour of the day is royal blue and sky blue. Needless to say that the high and mighty are expected as guests at the wedding.

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Dokpesi, Oghiadomhe unending rift

hief Aleogho Raymond Dokpesi, an illustrious son of Edo State and Mike Oghiadome, a former deputy governor of the same state, by virtue of political affiliation are expected to be allies. But from information at the disposal of Celeb Lounge, these two top Edo men are on parallel lines that do not meet. Though the kind of relationship that had always existed between them could not be ascertained, it was revealed that their cold war started some months ago. Privileged sources revealed that the no love lost situation reared its head when it became apparent to Oghiadome that he was going to be relieved of his job as the Chief of Staff to the President and that he would be replaced by Dokpesi. The former deputy governor reportedly suspected that Dokpesi had been scheming for his position. Sources revealed that Dokpesi was actually considered for the position of the

chief of staff but was taken out of the picture in order for Jonathan’s government to score some political points by gaining relevance in the South-West, home of the current Chief of Staff, Brig-Gen. Sehinde Arogbofa (retd). The cold war between both men, we were reliably informed, came into the public consciousness at Abeokuta, when one of the spokespersons for the Presidency, Dr. Reuben Abati, held his mother ’s burial. Dokpesi and Oghiadome, who was at that time, the chief of staff, avoided each other like the plague. Top personnel at the Presidency who had come to the burial with President Jonathan were said to have also noticed the situation but decided to look away since they were all aware of the reason behind the rift.

Tales trail Bukola Onabanjo

ust like few members of the Ogun State cabinet have called it quits, another member in the person of Olubukola Onabanjo has resigned. Daughter of the first civilian governor of the state, Olabisi Onabanjo, Olubukuola, until her resignation, was the chairman of the Teaching Service Commission of Ogun State. Upon resigning her appointment, the trained lawyer did not make her reason public.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Body&Soul

Teni, Aba Sagoe carve a niche

eola, daughter of frontline businessman and chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, has sure proved that going into the fashion industry was not borne out of fear of other terrains or a ploy to sit back and enjoy her father’s wealth without making an effort. Deola’s fashion outfit today ranks among the most successful and consistent around and she’s not showing any sign of fading off or going out of trend. Her siblings have also shown interest in the industry and are fast carving a niche for themselves. Two of her sisters, Teni and Aba, had upon returning from overseas about two years ago, opened a fashion line called CLAN. The young ladies, who are in their early 20s, have been making exploits by featuring in fashion exhibitions at home and abroad. They are also fast becoming accepted and recognised in the fashion world.

But different reasons have given for her action and the issue is currently the talk of the town in the Gateway state. One of the reasons adduced for her action is that she has a political ambition. This she has neither confirmed nor denied. However, information from reliable sources has it that it’s not unlikely that the woman will be pitching her tent with Chief Olusegun Osoba’s newly founded Social Democratic Party. It was further revealed that the woman, due to the respected name of her father which is considered a selling point, might have be enticed with the promise of making her the running mate to a PDP governorship aspirant whom, sources said, is likely to defect to the SDP.

luxuries of different kinds. Dark skinned and tall, Sayyu keeps a low profile and is rarely seen at social scenes. As such, he causes a stir whenever he attends a social gathering. Many were, therefore, surprised when he showed up at the wedding of the children of the Olu of Warri and Capt. Hosa Okunbor recently.

Yvone Nelson, others hit cinemas

Kazeem Belo Osagie celebrates

azeem, who comes from the popular Belo-Osagie family, may not be a popular face in the society but he certainly is in the business world where he is daily making himself a force to reckon with. Determined to make a mark, young Kazeem started out as a big time player in transportation after which he decided to spread his tentacles. He delved into courier, real estate and marketing of solar products. Dynamic and hardworking Kazeem is the man at the helm of affairs at Quo Vadis Logistics, Lekki, Lagos. The trained lawyer, who is also a social personality, was recently a year older and many had expected him to stage a bash. But Kazeem opted for a low key celebration as he only marked the day.

Rather than throw a bash, he visited an orphanage where he shared the joy of the day with the children and gave them gifts.

Sayyu Dantata steps out

ayyu Dantata, is the cousin to Forbes dollar billionaire and wealthiest black man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and is in the league of the high and mighty. Now, that is because he has what it takes to belong to the league of the movers and shakers of the society. Sayyu had long started spending a substantial amount of money on

aving recorded a successful outing at the U.S premiere of Folly, a new blockbuster produced by Daniel Elizabeth and featuring Yvone Nelson, Uche Jombo, Joke Silva among others, the film is set to hit Nigerian cinemas at Christmas. The award winning film will be available for movie buffs throughout the country a day after Christmas. Directed by Alex Mouth, the film tells the melancholic story of love and sweet life gone sour. It highlights the thin line between promises and betrayal and how a harmless and thoughtless action can alter lives forever.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Miscellany Alley

Life is rich sometimes and painful at other times, but it is mostly full. Let’s share our experiences on this page, after all, everyday is an opportunity to learn...send yours to julietbumah@gmail.com

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DIY on the GO

Caring for your clothes C

aring for your clothes will make them last longer. Protect the fabrics and will always look nice. To protect your fabrics, bear the following in mind: •Hang your clothes on good cloth hangers. Don’t dump dirty clothes on the floor, keep in the hamper. •Don’t stain your clothes. While eating, hold a napkin between your shirt or blouse and the food. •Dab ice water onto food stains immediately, so it does not set. Do not rub. •Wash your clothes often. Give gentle wash cycle for delicate clothes. Do not use liquid bleach in the wash, separate coloured clothes from whites. Pure soap with (baking) soda is much better, safer and more environmentally friendly to the health than

bleach. Chemical bleaches are extremely dangerous to your health, and do not properly wash your clothes clean. •Dryers wear out your clothes and fade their colours more quickly than sunlight. Drying in sunlight or in the open air is also a much healthier way of drying your clothes - sunlight is a natural disinfectant. Try drying your clothes on cloth-racks if the weather is not good, and ironing them when still slightly damp. Much better, for your clothes and for the environment. If you must use a dryer, set it to ‘warm’ and make sure you do not leave the dryer on, longer than necessary. •Remove the clothes from the dryer and hang them immediately. Button the

top button on shirts, and hang blouses neatly on the hanger. Smooth the fabric with your hands, so as to avoid wrinkles. Iron out any wrinkles. •Fold all other garments neatly and place in the wardrobe. •Hang your clothes in the wardrobe, and make sure they are crowded or pack together. They need breathing room or they will become all wrinkled and slip off the hangers. •Padded hangers might be costly. If you have heavy or delicate fabrics that could get stretched out of shape, pad the hangers yourself with a few layers of tissue paper, old socks, etc. •Don’t squeeze your fabric to avoid wrinkles and slack.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Wine & Dine

Body&Soul

Take a healthy lemonade Ibukunoluwa Kayode

tarting your day off with warm lemon water is thought to have a ton of health benefits. It helps detoxify the internal organs by flushing out free radicals through urine. Drinking warm lemon water first in the morning is more beneficial than juice or alcohol that upset the internal system and raise calories in the blood stream, potentially increasing body weights. Lemon juice possesses antibacterial, anti viral and immune-building proper-

Biwom Iklaki

eans are a very rich source of protein and are high in fibre content. They play a very important role in building broken down tissue. Its carbohydrate content is low, which makes it a great meal choice for weight loss and diabetics. Corn is another favourite source of carbohydrates and vitamins. Combining these two ingredients makes for a mouth watering meal that bursts with flavour from each spoonful. On the down side, beans have a side effect of making one flatulent. This can be curbed when you eat vegetables on the side. INGREDIENTS •3 cups beans •2 cups corn •5 tomatoes (chopped) •½ cup pepper (blended) •2 bulbs onions (chopped) •¼ cup crayfish (pounded) •2 dry fish (washed and de-boned) •2 stock cubes •1 cup palm oil •1 tbs olive oil •Efo/spinach (chopped and blanched) •Salt to taste PREPARATION Pick and clean the beans. Wash and cook till tender. Cook the corn then shave off cob when tender. Pour the palm oil in a pot and add half the onions when hot. Add the tomatoes and fry till almost pasty. Keep stirring to avoid burning. Add the pepper and leave to simmer some more. The beans and corn go in next, along with the pepper and dry fish. Add a cup of water, the stock cubes and salt. Taste and cover for about 10 minutes and it I s ready. Blend the remaining onions and fry in 2 tbs olive oil. Add the blanched vegetable with a pinch of salt. Stir continuously for 5 minutes and its ready. Serve hot with the vegetable as a side.

ties. It is also an essential juice that helps fight diseases and infections with high level of bioflavnoids, pectin, limonene, citric acid, magnesium, calcium and vitamins, stimulating digestion and weight loss. Not only does the warm water help to stimulate the Gastrointestinal tract, the lemons are believed to stimulate and purify the liver. It also helps digestive acids with digestion and elimination. The following are loaded benefits of daily intake of warm water and lemon. • Supports immune

function Citrus fruits like lemon are high in Vitamin C and ascorbic acid. Vitamin C helps fight colds while the ascorbic acid helps iron absorption which plays a role in immune function. • Alkalizes the body If your body is in a chronic pH imbalance and susceptible to disease, the alkaline substance present in lemon helps out. • Helps detox Lemon water is a natural diuretic, which means it helps your body flush liquid and toxins along with

it. The citric acid can also help maximise enzymes which stimulates the liver. • It’s an energizer The combination of water and lemon helps to hydrate and oxygenate the blood, leaving you feeling great! • Keeps skin beautiful Chronic dehydration can leave skin looking dull, so start your day on the right note with lemon water. Vitamin C plays a critical role in maintaining healthy skin and the antioxidants can combat aging factors.

Beans and corn meal with steamed veg side

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Santa clause does not forget I gnatius was a very good boy. He was kind, obedient, truthful, and unselfish. He had, however, one great fault—he always forgot. No matter how important the errand, his answer always was, “I forgot.” When he was sent with a note to the dress-maker, his mother would find the note in his pocket at night. If he was sent to the store in a great hurry, to get something for tea, he would return late, without the article, but with his usual answer. His father and mother talked the matter over, and decided that something must be done to make the little boy remember. Christmas was near, and Ignatius was busy making out a list of things which Santa Claus was to bring him. “Santa Claus may forget some of those things,” said his mother. “He cannot,” replied Ignatius; “for I shall write sled, and skates, and drum, and violin, and all the things on this paper. Then when Santa Claus goes to my stocking, he will find the list. He can see it and put the things in as fast as he reads.” Christmas morning came, and Ignatius was up at dawn to see what was in his stocking. His mother kept away from

him as long as she could, for she knew what Santa Claus had done. Finally, she heard him coming with slow steps to her room. Slowly he opened the door and came towards her. He held in his hand a list very much longer than the one he had made out. He put it in his mother’s hand, while tears of disappointment fell from his eyes. “See what Santa Claus left for me; but I think he might have given me one thing besides.” His mother opened the roll. It was a list of all the errands Ignatius had been asked to do for six months. At the end of all

Cross word puzzle

was written, in staring capitals, “I FORGOT.” Ignatius wept for an hour. Then his mother told him they were all going to grandpa’s. For the first time he would see a Christmas-tree. Perhaps, something might be growing there for him. It was very strange to Ignatius, but on grandpa’s tree he found everything he had written on his list. Was he cured of his bad habit? Not all at once; but when his mother saw that he was particularly heedless she would say, “Remember, Santa Claus does not forget.”

•(Culled from www. reindeerland.org)

Gags

How do you keep someone in suspense? A. I’ll tell you tomorrow.

Why did the policeman stay in bed? A. Because he was an undercover cop. What gets wetter as it dries? A. A towel! Why was the ant confused? A. Because all of his uncles were ants!

What goes up and down but never moves? A. The stairs! Why did the picture go to jail? A. He got framed. Which building has the most stories? A. Library!

My Cook Corner

Colour Art

Mini santas

s we ring in the month of Christmas, I am sure you have all noticed the flurry of activities among the adults around you. Even as they prepare, you must not feel left out. Start preparing for the Yuletide season too. You may begin by practicing to prepare your own snack for the Christmas table. Follow this corner all month for nice little recipes of cute snacks you can make all by yourself and will look good beside the more complicated meals your mommy will make. Guess what? They will taste just as good too! Below is a simple recipe for mini santas. Enjoy the making, just as much as I will enjoy taking you through the steps.

INGREDIENTS • Medium to large strawberries • Whipped cream • Black currants (optional) PREPARATION Slice the strawberries just a little below the tip (about ¾ of the fruit). Cover the sliced area with whipped cream from a piping bag. Place the cut piece back on top so it looks like a hat. Use a lolli-stick and dot little bits of cream on the tip of the cap and two more like buttons on the body of the fruit. A bit of currant can sit in the middle for eyes. And you have your mini santas. Put in the fridge to set.

Faith 51

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014

News Fascinating outing at The Experience 9 p.52

Interview Gay marriage is gross profanity, says Rev. Chidi Okoroafor p.53

Sermon Where is my venison (3) p.56

Business operators lament relocation of Redeemer’s varsity

Sermon Understanding the demands of success! p.58

Adeboye

Tai Anyanwu

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

ommercial interests within the Redemption Camp on Kilometre 36 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State are now counting their losses, following the recent relocation of Redeemers University students to the institution’s permanent site in Ede, Osun State. Some cab operators and retail outlet owners, who spoke with Sunday New Telegraph in Lagos, lamented that patronage had dropped sharply in the camp owned by the Redeemed Christian Church of God since the students relocated. The Chief Executive Officer of Alpha and Omega Investments, dealers in variety of wears, Ebenezer Odeyemi, explained that the students constituted major spenders with the Redemption Camp. “These are students in a private university; they know the value of quality wears and they are not afraid of money. They can buy one shirt for N4000.

“But other members of our church community can’t be that generous with money,” Odeyemi said. Prior to the students’ relocation, Odeyemi noted that he recorded sales of between N150, 000 and N200, 000 weekly. “Then, I could make profit of N40,000- to N50,000 in one week, but now for me to make N20, 000 in two weeks is hard. That is how bad business has become here in the camp,” he added. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a tricycle (Keke) operator within the camp, explained that in the past, he usually made between N7, 000 and N10, 000 daily. Now he hardly takes home N3, 000 after a hard day’s toil. “Over 5000 students moved out of the church business district. Imagine over 3,000 with lecturers, other university workers, spouses and dependants, totalling about 4,000 people, leaving the business community at the same time. The effect was drastic,” the Keke operator lamented. The clothes seller said the students usually visited his shop in large numbers but now he has to carry his articles about to make sales. Sunday New Telegraph learnt that clerics and other church members, who usually visit the camp for various purposes welcomed the relocation of the students. “We no longer have the students walking around the prayer camp in indecent clothes. You can imagine how it looks when someone, who has been fasting and praying, comes out of the prayer arena and behold half-clad female students moving around the camp,” a resident of the camp observed.

However, businesses within the expansive camp said they were consoled by the fact that RCCG’s regular national programmes, which usually attract huge crowds, would make up for the students’ absence. Meanwhile, the church’s annual 2014 convention christened ‘The Great Shepherd’ promises to bring another season of bumper sales into the camp.

Revival assembly clocks 24

oremost Pentecostal church, Revival Assembly Ministries aka The church with the new anointing, will celebrate its 24th anniversary and convention on December 13 and 14. The event will be marked at the church headquarters, Revival Miracle Cathedral located at Revival Close off Cocoa Road Ogba Ikeja. To mark its 24th anniversary, Revival Assembly will host renowned cleric, Rev. Victor Mark, from Abuja and other dignitaries. The founder and General Overseer of the Revival Assembly, Apostle Anselm Madubuko, said the event tagged ‘Fire Convention,’ would be remarkable. He also assured worshippers and invited guests of God’s special blessings. Also set to uplift and usher the congregation into the awesome presence of God in thanksgiving, praise and worship is the church’s choir, Higher Dimension, and Kenyan gospel act, Emmy Madubuko.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

This time around

Christian

Relationship Pastor

Taiwo Odubiyi

0802 300 0773 (SMS only)

ntonio kept his eyes on Misan, watching her like a cat would watch its prey. He would wait until she finished eating before going over. He opened his book and began to read, keeping an eye on her. Some few minutes after, he looked in her direction and saw Misan and her friend walking toward the door.

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She entered with Ruth. He followed. “Antonio,” She called to stop him but he was already inside. As the doors slid shut she said, “Antonio, you have not offended me.” She paused and then continued, her voice trembling. “I just want you to leave me alone.” She felt like saying: we have a child and she’s so adorable, you need to meet her - but she couldn’t. Tears coursed down her cheeks. Why should the tears come now? She wondered, feeling embarrassed. “Why the tears?” Antonio exclaimed, clearly surprised. The elevator stopped on the eighth floor to pick more people. Misan used the back of her right hand to clean her face as she moved back to allow the people enter. Antonio and Ruth also moved back. “Misan, why are you crying?” Ruth asked, whispering in her ears. Misan didn’t answer. The elevator closed and continued its smooth descent. It stopped again on the seventh floor. Antonio had to move closer to Misan to create space for people to come in. His hand brushed hers lightly. He looked at her and said, “I’m sorry.” He could smell her perfume. She remained quiet. Her mind was twirling at his closeness and her hand which was brushed by his, still tingled. She was surprised by her feelings. Could she still be attracted to him? The doors closed again and the elevator didn’t stop until it reached the fourth floor. Antonio held the doors for Misan and Ruth and they got out. He followed. Misan stopped and faced him. “Please leave us.” “I’d like to know what is wrong.” “Nothing is wrong.” She waited for him to leave. “Well, I wanted to tell you that I’m a new person. I’m now a believer.” EKITI A believer? Did she hear Wahab Adesina him right? She turned slight0810 885 3793 ly to look at him. The tiny earring was still there and GOmBE she didn’t think he looked Williams Attah like a believer. He must 0803 604 7966 be joking. What about the redhead she saw with him KADUNA just some minutes ago? Oh, Ibrahim Musa probably he didn’t know she 0803 451 3786 saw the lady, Misan thought and hissed under her breath. KANO “Humph, congratulations.” Mohammed Kabir She said through tight lips. 0803 451 7813 “I wish you all the best.” Or what was she supposed NIGER to say? She asked herself Daniel Atori silently. Or did he say that 0803 583 6019 just to make her want to spend some time with him? OSUN: That thought angered her. Adeolu Adeyemo What did he take her for? 0803 391 5294 Well, if he had changed, she would prove to him that PLATEAU: she had changed as well. Musa Pam “Just stay away from me.” 0803 241 6557 She added. Buhari Bello Antonio hesitated for 0803 701 3118 several seconds and then pressed the button for the UmUAHIA: elevator. As Misan turned Igbeaku Orji to leave, she saw him put 0806 344 3131 his hands in the pockets of his trousers, looking away. yOBE: As she and Ruth walked Hassan Jirgi to her room, Ruth asked 0810 361 5693 her, “What exactly is the problem?”

it made him look irresponsible. Yet she had a child by him. She would not tell him about Weyin. She didn’t need such a person in her child’s life. She had to push him far away from her. “I’m busy.” She answered, looking at the many people who went in and out of the hall. Antonio wasn’t surprised to hear that. That was a woman’s excuse. He decided to say what he had to say right there even though he had thought she would be alone. “Well, I want to say this, I’m sorry for whatever my offense is, but well, I wish you’d tell me.” He stared at her and then at Ruth who was openly staring at them and listening. Misan didn’t like how he was talking in the presence of Ruth. That annoyed her more. She turned to tell him she didn’t know what he was talking about when the elevator came.

He was surprised. Didn’t they eat - he wondered as he got up with the book in his hand and followed them. He met them at the lobby, waiting for the elevator. Misan looked at him briefly and looked away. This man is not serious, what’s his game?“Hi.” Antonio greeted Ruth with a smile, extending his hand. “I’m Antonio.” Ruth took his hand. “I’m pleased to meet you. I’m Ruth.” She smiled at him.” Then he greeted Misan. She answered coolly without looking at him. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Ruth watching them. “I’d like to see you.” Antonio said. The words were softly spoken. Misan’s eyes went to his earring. She had been fascinated by it before. It made him look rugged at that time but now … she thought

OwERRI 5, Rotibi Street, Owerri lmo State Steve Uzoechi Tel: 0803 540 3883 PORT HARCOURT 37, lkwere Rd, Port Harcourt, Rivers State Emmanuel Marshal Tel: 0703 197 3865 ADAmAwA Ibrahim Abdulaziz 0803 608 3297 ASABA Dominic Adewole 0803 434 9280 BAyELSA Chris Ejim 08032556608 BORNO Ahmed Mohammed Mari 0806 008 8822 CROSS RIvERS Clement James 0803 547 7050 EBONyI Charles Onyekwere 07032878736 EDO Cajetan Mmuta 0803 713 6664

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

Gay marriage is gross profanity, says Rev. Chidi Okoroafor

In the concluding part of the interview with OJIAKU KALUGeneral Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Dr Chidi Agodi Okoroafor speaks about some issues in the polity including the issue of gay marriage and the relationship between church and state What is your view on the alleged involvement of the CAN President in the cash-for-arms deal in South Africa? Well, the news came to everybody as a shock. But I also know that the man of God has also said that he has no hand in that matter. What I want to say is that every false accusation has expiry date. I want to tell Nigerians that since this man of God has publicly denied the allegation, it is left to us even if you don’t believe him, to at least give him that benefit of doubt, realising that he is a man of God. So then we should take him by his words so that the nation can move forward. It will also be wrong for any person in any corner to accuse a man of God – especially when not sure. You have no reason other than to merely say things to rubbish the man; you can’t rubbish a man that God has raised. Well I know that false accusation is as old as the Bible, some people initially might believe it but for a while, but at long last, it will fall apart. One lesson for us Christians is that no denomination should be partisan. If you go partisan in a church you lack the boldness to address your constituencies because you can’t stand in a church and declare your political status, if you do that then you have lost your senses. But I tell you as a church, we are for any good government. Any government that does what is right will enjoy our loyalty. It is not out of place to commend good governance wherever it might be found. From strict biblical point of view, how do you see gay marriage –especially now that the Papacy is said to be about recognising the practice? Thank you. The Bible says, ‘’ He who made them, made them strictly man and woman, for this course shall a male man leave his household and cling to his female wife.’’ Just in case anyone was in doubt on the matter, that is the clarification. It is high time we got straight on the issue. I respect what the Nigerian legislature did by coming out clearly to ban the madness. Not everything western is godly, you don’t just Okoroafor copy the ways of a man because he is Western. The truth is deep in their hearts, away from sheer deviated, the prophet walked down to the king and exinternational politics, a lot of Euro-Americans adore the posed him; unfortunately most priests today sees the evil culture and values of Africans, but the unfortunate thing is of public officers and goes on to commend them. If men that we continue to put ourselves down among the comity of God begin to lose their integrity, if because of money of nations. Here, we fear God and respect Him. So where is and materials they can no longer say the truth in rebuke of this global depravity coming from, other the covens Satan? the king, then they have no use being God’s men. I advise Now it is said that He who made them, made them male that a true prophet should even reject the gift of the king and female, not just partners. should the need arises, and rebuke him openly so that his So, our position in AG concerning marriage remains evil ways would be exposed. Now from the church history, uncompromisingly -male and female. It is high profanity when the church went into the world and the world went in Christianity for anyone to begin to advocate for homointo the church, trouble came. So what I feel should be the sexual relationship no way in the Bible is it contemplated biblical position is that the church and the prophet should – in essence, the scriptures frown against it! We shouldn’t remain and play their specialised role while the king and dance to the tune of the world; we should rather tell the the state functions on its merit – while interfacing for the world what it should do in relation to what the Bible says. good of the people. There should be unity in diversity. You know sometimes a man wants to maintain a good image by doing something that may make him popular and social popularity most of the time runs amuck with But do you think the Nigerian Church is playing its role of God’s instructions. What I am saying clearly is that it is morally policing the state? very strange for any Christian church to begin to even It depends on what you call the church. I am aware suggest approval for homosexual marriages, that same that there are men of God that have compromised on alter you wed the strange couple is where you also preach rectitude; and because of the level of their compromise, the rest of Gospel. What a contradiction that would be! when they are supposed to be bold enough to rebuke, And I tell you that the AG strongly believes in what the they will not. But they are still men of God in Nigeria bible has said on the matter. Now the advocates of same who are standing for the truth, who do not compromise, sex-marriage should also ensure that the male wife gets who cannot change their vocabulary because of the gift clinically pregnant and give birth to a child. That is my of the king – these are people who may not be popular, take on that, and if there is any denomination that has but they are genuine to the glory of God. There are some started deviating, they should better repent and get back people who have become hired prayer warriors. I want to say that the people of God would remain what God on track otherwise, God would be sore vexed. wants them to be, and God would make them consultants What is the Bible’s position on the relationship between so that kings can come consult them and they would the church and state? be given their due respect. At this level we should also Now let’s take it from biblical and church history per- know that there are genuine kings, leaders, politicians spectives. From the bible perspective there is a king and who really fear God and totally depend on His help. At there is also a prophet, the two occupy their separate po- critical times they would also look for genuine prophets sitions – the king represents the State, while the prophet who would not bow down to the prize of the office to represents the Church. In those days, whenever the king lead them to God. May God give us more of such men

who can change the country on the passion of godliness. Politically speaking, do you think we are having the right opposition in Nigeria? Well, if you take a look at what happened recently in America between the democrats and the republicans, you see how formidable the opposition can be, hence warning the government in power to be very careful. It is a healthy development that we have opposition to check the excesses of any government in power. But let me tell you one thing, any day the government in power turns around finds there is no formidable opposition, they can as well go to sleep and that country would slide into auto-pilot, to the detriment of its people And speaking on ideological opposition in Nigeria, I have my worries. I do not know why people in Nigeria, do not stand for a particular ideology as belonging to a political party becomes simply a means of going into office. So that today If you don’t give me a chance here, I defect to another political party. I wonder if that is what it should be. If this party is known for a particular ideology, whether is winning or losing, it would be noted for what stands for. What level of support does the Assemblies of God Church give to her members who want to join politics? If you have a calling to get into politics, then we will pray for you because if God calls you, He would be able to help you fulfil that calling, so we are very open like I said earlier, we are for good governance. The only difference is that AG cannot be partisan but we can support good governance, pray for good governance and encourage a good government. By Bible standard, is there a limit to self expression when addressing a leader? You know during the experience of the Apostle Paul, when the high priest even though the man was deviating from righteousness, when Paul realised that the man was a priest, he apologised for not being cautious. Now we have to teach those who are coming up that even when a leader deviates, to still talk to him respectfully because he is still in that office. We see in our current society how some people talk to their President and governors rudely. This is unacceptable in the sight of God. Even in the military, when an officer is about to be arrested, his captors still salute him before seizing him. This shows continual courtesy despite the offence. It is important that politicians mind the way they address each other in public, because this political season would soon fizzle out and then we would go back to our roots. Of course, the Bible says we should give honour to who it is due, and it went on to say there is no government without God. What is your take on the maiming of pastors and burning of their churches in North-East Nigeria? Those fighters are not godly because they do not have the fear of God. If they had the fear of God, they wouldn’t be killing men of God. That is very unfortunate and satanic because when you begin to attack men of God, you are attacking God, who in his very right senses would attempt fighting God and His people? Our worry is that God at times does not act as fast as we want Him to act; but mind you, He is right on time nevertheless. If you are not careful, you as a human being may misunderstand what is seen as the slowness of God. God is only taking His time and as we keep praying, we shall witness His intervention in the matter. He has never been known to slack over things that concern His people. My joy is that God comes when man bows at His feet, and let me tell Nigerians that even if their government does not know what to do, that does not mean God does not know what to do. Sometimes God comes when we come to the end of our struggle; when we come to the end of our wits. This is why children of God should continue to pray. God knows how to arrest the Nigerian situation, in fact He knows how to solve any problem for that matter. At the federal, state and local levels let us give priority to prayer to continually invoke divine intervention on our situation. God can achieve for His people what military might and executive fiat cannot. God can rise at night and arrest those people troubling Nigeria and you see them running out in repentance. Only God can do that, it doesn’t take Him more than one second to arrest anybody when it is time.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

Fascinating outing at The Experience 9

Diary

Kingdom assembly holds wonders of praise

The 2014 Purpose Convention of the Kingdom Purpose Assembly comes up from December 5-7 The General Overseer of the church, Pastor Morayo Adegboro, told Sunday New Telegraph that the three-day programme would hold at the church’s headquarters in Balogun Street, off Obafemi Awolowo Road, Ikeja. He explained that the programme was planned with the theme, ‘Wonders of praise and the prophetic.’ He said, “It will feature sermons, praises and worship to be supplied by Midnight Crew, Tope Alabi, and Kenny K’Ore (Olori Oko). Pastor Amos Dada of the CAC Bethel, Toronto, Canada, and the Pastor’s wife Queen Adegboro are expected to minister at the event.

Shiloh is here again

All All is set for the hosting of Shiloh 2014 programme of the Living Faith Church World Wide (aka Winners Chapel).The event slated for December 9-13, will hold at the church auditorium at Canaanland, Iroko Road, Ota, Ogun State.The host minister, Bishop David Oyedepo, invites all to come and experience a change of story. Pastor Faith Oyedepo and other anointed men of God would be on hand to minister.

Daystar Singles holds Upgrade groove

Daystar Ministry International Singles Fellowship will on December 7 hold a singles fellowship. Sunday New Telegraph learnt that the programme would feature the singles as well as searching vibrant sessions such as comedy, Music, word, and games. The event is scheduled for the church’s headquarters on Ikosi Road, Oregun, Lagos. Light refreshment will be provided while the dress code is blue jeans and T –Shirt. A cross section of the crowd at the TBS venue of the event

Tai Anyanwu and Lanre Odukoya

hen The Experience, Africa’s largest gospel concert calls, it leaves you just two options; prepare your luggage and go. And this inimitable landmark has been achieved right from its debut edition in December, 2006 when it presumably conveyed over an estimated 70,000 people. Convened and hosted by Pastor Paul Adefarasin, the Head Pastor at the House on the Rock church, Lagos, The Experience is an interdenominational gospel concert featuring world’s renowned gospel artists and the best local acts many have longed to see. With a quantum leap, the attendance in 2007 incredibly rose to well over 250,000. The concert has brought to Nigeria gospel heavyweights like Don Moen, Donnie Mc Clurkin, Ron Kennoly, Yolanda Adams, Cece Winans, Deitrick Haddon among a host of others. So, when the convener addressed the press hours before the show with astounding promises; “this year, as with every previous Experience, our agenda and purpose are singular, to praise, worship and pray to the almighty. Our praise will be loud and extravagant, robust and hilarious, clamorous and emphatic because we are assured that Jehovah is enthroned as we lift up our voices in one accord. Our worship will be deep, intimate, passionate and sincere, recognizing that in the presence of the almighty God, all men become equal, no tribe nor tongue, no class nor position is exalted and no name other than the name of Jesus Christ...”, there was no reason in its outright sense to doubt an explosive evening. From the early hours of Friday, December 5, when The Experience gleefully manifested, men from all

class and creed without consideration across ethno-religious lines swarmed Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos to find a vantage spot to watch the actual actions. Originally designed to kick off at 7pm, the show started a little behind schedule, but before 8 p.m., it has already gathered momentum. All entrances leading into the main bowel were choked with people. The young and energetic scaled through the high balconies of the pavilions, to beat security operatives at the gates. Inside the square, one is greeted with amazing see of heads and limbs that responded to the rhythm of glorious praise by guest artists. Depending on which entry the audience accessed the venue from, there were already giant screens synched with the projector to show the event as it unfolded. There were five major screens planted to suit audience viewing from strategic spots. The centre was mainly occupied by the VVIPs and it was guarded by armed security men who discharged courteously discharged their duties. From the TBS main gate, one could catch the glimpse of the actual stage, but an auxiliary screen stationed close to the stage made the viewing more delightful for anyone who couldn’t behold the actions well enough. And the three cardinal points also had the screens to make viewing flawless. It has always been a toll-free and all comers’ affair. The only partitioned spot at the venue accommodated the VVIPs, but the nocturnal experience to every audience was just but the same- stellar performances from enchantingly great gospel acts. Unlike other many mega shows held in this clime, for nearly 11 hours that the concert held, there was not a second moment of power outage. Though for a few times, the

Photo: Tai Anyanwu

projector disturbingly halted the gripping actions and made the audience crave for an encore, it was restored within a jiffy. With a world class lighting, the event seemed like one held at noon. Vendors dotted the landscape to ply their trades, and those who perhaps made the most sales are food and drink vendors. The Experience also presented in abundance, beyond fellowshipping, a time to network with like minds, greater minds even. It closed ranks between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ with a sea of hands surrender, on top of their voices proclaiming the supremacy of one God. This year’s edition remarkably dubbed, ‘One God, One Voice’ is a cry to God to heal Nigeria in a critical moment of her national history especially on the eve of 2015 elections. The Experience 2014 recorded attendance put at well over 600,000 people who stormed Lagos from across the world. Some of the artists whose stage presence and music made the most impact are Don Moen (the master of worship), Grammy award-winner, Pastor Donnie Mc Clurkin who has become The Experience family member having participated for the umpteenth time, Chevelle Franklyn, Israel Houston and Micah Stampley. On the home front, some of the gospel acts who stole the show are; The Midnight Crew, Chioma Jesus whose mastery of Igbo notes and tones cheered the overwhelming audience, Sinachi, a leading light from the music department of the Christ Embassy Church and the famous Frank Edwards who incidentally didn’t hold his own as previously. From the Pentecostal movement, some of the clerics who showed love to their own by attending the all night gospel session are Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Rev. Mike Okonkwo and wife among other notable clerics. Lagos State first lady, Abimbola Fashola, Peoples’ Democratic Party gubernatorial hopefuls, Musiliu Obanikoro and Jimi Agbaje to mention a few were also some of the high octane guests at The Experience 2014. This edition of the concert commemorates the 20th anniversary of House on the Rock, the host church.

2015: Cleric harps of godly candidates

s the various political parties conduct their primaries to pick their flag bearers to contest various elective positions, a cleric, Rev. Chisom Ekwonna has called on Nigerians to be wary, and ensure they vote godly candidates into power. The cleric, who is the founder of the Victory House Chapel of Living Seed Ministries, stated this at the end of the 2014 prayer rally of the church held recently in Aba, the Abia State capital. He said, “There is no vacancy in Aso-Rock, the man who will succeed President Goodluck Jonathan is not in the race. And in Abia State the man anointed by God to rule come 2015 is Barr. Friday Nwosu”. The cleric who stated that both men are God’s anointed aspirants, further predicted that Nigeria will see the best

of President Jonathan in 2015. He said that President Jonathan’s secret tears over the state of the nation has reached heaven and God will soon give the president respite from the hands of terrorist enemies. According to him, “the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will reclaim some of the states lost in 2011 and some lost through rebellious governors, if the party nominates candidates of good reputation”. He also predicted, that “there will be serious misunderstanding and confusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 and it will shake the party a lot and will open doors for PDP to win electoral positions least expected”. This was even as he predicted that the PDP will flush out APC in Rivers State, while PDP members in Imo State will vote for Owelle Rochas Okorocha of the APC.

Shun ethnic sentiments, pursue unity –Oyeleke TAI Anyanwu

resident of Western Nigerian Union Conference of SeventhDay Adventist Church Nigeria, Pastor Oyeleke Owolabi, has called on Nigerians to forgive one another and pursue peace and unity. Owolabi made the call at the recent camp meeting organised by the Lagos Mainland Conference under the theme: ‘Transformed by His Word.’ He enjoined Nigerians to also repent from their sins and surrender themselves to God if they desire

answers to their prayers. The cleric took his text from the book of 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.” He particularly urged members of the SeventhDay Adventist Church to work for unity and love and to always contribute to the growth of the church. Owolabi emphasised that Jesus Christ was not for any particular tribe.

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Channel of favour Mystery ofAnxiety John Ogbansiegbe

0803 341 6327

hilippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” This is the most fundamental challenges before each and every one of us as followers and believers in Christ. Let us pray daily to have the spirit and mind of Christ which will enable us to think, act and react like Him at any given event, offensive or defensive as they may be. The mind of our Lord Jesus Christ is the mind of total and absolute, as well as continuous forgiveness, love and mercy. So much that even at the highest point of offence, at the climax of disgrace, humiliation, pain, torture, mockery, ignominy, betrayal and denial, He still said a prayer: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23vs34. As you have read and digested this chapter, may the grace to forgive others sincerely come upon you. May this new gracious attitude launch you into the realms of unending favour and supernatural favour from above in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. The channel of Holiness The words Holy and Holiness are translated from the Hebrew word ‘Kadosh,’ which denotes ‘to be separated;’ ‘to be bright;’ ‘to be new or fresh;’ ‘untarnished or clean;’ In a physical sense, although

used in the Bible mainly in a spiritual or moral sense, holiness means cleanness, purity and sacredness. It is a state of being get aside for the service of God. The subject of Holiness is of profound importance. Every true born again Christian must positively respond to the demands of Holiness unto the Lord. It is imperative and incumbent on every believer, if you must see God. Holiness is a spiritual state whereby the person involved lives up to God’s standard in words, thought and deed. It is a state where the will of God is allowed to prevail over every action and conduct. Holiness therefore includes: consecration, sanctification, purity of the heart and cleanliness of the body without reservation. In the height of Holiness, the person involved develops a natural tendency to hate what God hates and love what God loves. In the height of holiness also, every imagination and action is measured by the standard of the word of God. In a nutshell, a holy life is that life that is in conformity with the precepts, principles and commandments of God through His word, with an instinctive hatred for every sin. A person is holy when he or she is Christ-like in disposition and character. His spiritual efforts must be geared toward being conformed to the image of Christ in accordance with the word of God which declared thus: “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. That He might be the first born among many brethren.” Romans 8:29. God therefore, expects Christian to live a holy life. In relation to modern Christian practices, I discovered that most churches that call themselves ‘modern’ regard the concept of Holiness as archaic and antiquated. But the fact cannot be gain said that holiness is a serious and inevitable spiritual principle. The word ‘Holy’

“For I am the Lord your God, ye shall therefore sanctify ourselves and ye shall be Holy, for I am Holy” Leviticus 11 vs. 44a. occurred over 600 times in the Bible in various forms and when a critical study of the book of Leviticus is made, you will see the operation and application of the concept of holiness by the Holy God. In that scripture, many things were consecrated and designated Holy. God specifically commands us to be Holy. “For I am the Lord your God, ye shall therefore sanctify ourselves and ye shall be Holy, for I am Holy.” Leviticus 11 vs. 44a. It is relevant to appreciate the concept of Holiness more from certain comparable views of the apostles. From the provisions of 1st Thess. 4:3-7, St. Paul inferred that Holiness is that which is void or opposed to immorality and impurity. Again, in the book of 1st Peter 14:16, St. Peter, by implication viewed Holiness as that life which is void and opposed to the life of lust and evil desires while St. John (divine) in Revelation 22:11 viewed it as a life void of error and wickedness. From the foregoing views, one way logically define Holiness as that life which is in conformity to the moral precept of the bible and in contrast to the old lustful life, deceitful desires, wickedness and sinful ways of the world. Thus, it is a life renewed, revitalised and transformed by the Holy Spirit into genuine God-like righteousness and Holiness. Holiness is something that must be glaringly manifest. It radiates on its own like the rays of light. It can be perceived,

felt and identified by both the good and the bad. For the Bible said, “Wherefore, by their fruit we shall know them.” Matthew 7 vs. 20a. A platform of Holiness has been made and prepared for the church of Christ. This is the white robe which our Lord Jesus Christ offers to all who believe in Him. This white robe which our Lord Jesus Christ offered is worn on their bodies through faith; radiates holiness, purity and righteousness. Outside this divine provision, man’s self-righteousness is but a filthy rag before God. Holiness is not an inherent quality. No man was born with Holiness into this bedeviled world. One cannot inherit it from his or her family, because Holiness is not of blood. It is not of the will of the flesh or of the will man. Holiness is the resultant effect or a symbolic manifestation of a profound union and continual communion and relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is erroneous to feel or think that Holiness and perfection are unattainable here on earth. It will be tantamount to self-deception to feel that Holiness is not for all Christians or that it is a special gift for certain great men of God. Holiness is for everybody. Yes, for every one that has the hope of Heaven. The Bible said that every man who hath Christ is pure, 1stJohn 3 vs 3. Holiness is a possibility. You can be holy by God’s standard of holiness; it can be done. The fact cannot be gainsaid that there were saints, believers in Christ and born-again Christians that practised Holiness successfully unto the end. St. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. Again, he said, “For I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live. I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

The return of Jesus Christ Oracles God

of the Lord; and he shall see Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” How will the restoration take place and what is the restoration? We have already mentioned the promise which was confirmed by our Lord. Prophet Elijah was Frank Oboden Olomukoro the best example; God used him to turn frankolomukoro@yahoo.com Israel back to the LORD. Then it was John 0703 362 1866 the Baptist, who could present a well prepared people unto the LORD at His first coming (Luke 1:16-17). Today, we should be asking: who is the voice of God to echo God’s plan of salvation as His judgment is imminent? Like Noah, who is the prophet for TODAY`S end-time as spoken hrist is waiting in heaven until in Malachi 4:5-6? A prophet should come everything within His church is before the great and dreadful day of the restored to its original condition, Lord? We must find out this prophet to which is the foundation of the doctrines be able to key into God’s programme and teachings of the apostles. “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of res- for our day and escape the judgment of titution of all things, which God hath spo- God. In every age and time, God sends a prophet. It has to be a prophet, because a ken by the mouth of all his holy prophets prophet is God’s eye, God’s mouth piece since the world began” Acts 3:19-21. That we are now living in the final stages of the and God’s watchman. It is of no benefit to anyone to just speak, preach or write of end time, in fact just before the return of Jesus Christ, can be recognised and proven what happened at the time of Noah, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, John the Baptist, and in by the signs of the time, which the Lord foretold in Matthew 24, in Mark 13, and in the days of Jesus and the apostles if we do Luke 21. At the same time, He encouraged not have the grace to recognise what God is currently doing according to His word. us to lift up our heads for our redempAs it is typical, every religion or denomition is drawing near. We are concerned with the main promise of what has to take nation follows its self-appointed prophets or prophetesses. The original church as place with the church before the return of Jesus Christ, John 14:12. In Acts 3, we read founded on the day of Pentecost, which is about the restoration of all things. “Repent the body of Jesus Christ, the body of believers were baptised by immersion in the ye therefore, and be converted that your name of Jesus Christ, sanctified with the sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of

the of

The last call is going forth. “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.” Matthew 25:6.

their sins unto conversion by the baptism of the Holy Ghost to be born-again for a spiritual birth. Spiritual birth does not happen by joining a church or belonging to a sect. The believers in the early church were not followers of Peter and Paul, but followers of Christ. Yet they obeyed what the apostles taught in the Name of the LORD. Today, there has been a heavenly calling and commission in the life of William Branham which has been set forth conclusively in previous publications. As we all know, the Lord called the following words out to him from the same supernatural light, which Paul had seen back then when he was baptising believers in the Ohio River on June 11, 1933: “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming, so the message that is given to you will forerun the second coming of Christ.” That is ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ The single most important thing for the true believers in our time is that God Himself saw to it that now, at the end of the time of grace of the New Testament Church,

everything that is part of the plan of salvation is included in the proclamation. Didn’t Jesus proclaim in Luke 17:26-30 that as it was in the days of Noah even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed? It is good news to note that the son of man is revealed in our day as promised, the son of man, a prophet, will preach and sound the warning of escape God’s impending judgment on this evil generation. This scripture is fulfilled in the commission of William Branham as the Elijah to restore us to the original teachings and doctrines of the apostles. Ephesians 2:19. Paul gave an account of his commission and conversion. “And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.” (Acts 22:9). On June 11, 1933, about 4000 people who were standing on the banks of the Ohio River saw the supernatural light that descended upon Brother Branham. The Associated Press reported on it in the USA and Canada but the voice and the words spoken, as quoted above, were only addressed to Brother Branham. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is the hour of the most important decision for all those who are part of the church of Jesus Christ, namely to come out of all things that do not originate from God and to enter through the Holy Spirit into all that is from God. The last call is going forth. “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.” Matthew 25:6.

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Advent remains relevant Firm Faith:

watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk 21:34ff).

Most Rev.

Flip side of the coin Within every conclusion a new beginning is implied. As if to prove it, Jesus Christ spoke in the Scripture of the First Sunday of Advent: “Watch therefore for you do not know when the Master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch”(Mk.13;33). By God’s divine plan the entire period of Advent must serve to keep us watching and waiting for the Lord, but the coincidence of these two readings at the end of one Liturgical Year and the beginning of another emphasises to us that as Christians we must be on our toes spiritually all through life for we know not the time nor the hour.

Right Reason Emmanuel A. Badejo fradebadejo@yahoo.

0803 949 4219 (SMS only)

new beginning! That attractive concept which everyone craves is what Christendom initiated last Sunday, to begin another period of Advent ahead of Christmas. Who among us has not heard or sung the popular “O Come, O come Emmanuel” or “Do something new in my life” before? A new beginning always suggests an opportunity for change, refreshment, reparations, growth and reform. In the four weeks preceding Christmas, Christians are called upon to prepare, get ready, stay awake and put themselves in prime shape to meet God anytime, if summoned. Just the week before that, the Christian Liturgical Year had ended with the Solemnity of Christ the King. Christians on that Sunday testified that in spite of everything and above all, Jesus will be King of their hearts and lives. The Liturgical Year effectively closed on the last day of Christ the King week. The Scripture reading of that Saturday was a befitting conclusion to a spiritual, pastoral year. “Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life... But

Christ needs to return In our present circumstance we need Jesus Christ to return to put order in our lives. How else can we cope with the incomprehensible killings around us? How do we interpret the apparent helplessness and in some cases apathy of our leaders to terrorism, corruption and indiscipline in high places? How do we take in the depravity that has overtaken humanity as it manifests in gross disregard for human life, even at its most defenceless stage? Prophet Isaiah echoes our typical human attitude, almost berating God for being aloof. “Why have you made us stray from your ways? Why have you let our hearts become hard so that we do not fear you? Return for the sake of your servants, the

And yet Yahweh, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are the work of your hand. Do not let your anger go too far. O Yahweh, or think of our sins forever. See we are all your people tribes of your inheritance. Why have irreligious people invaded your sanctuary. Why have our enemies trampled it down? (Is. 63: 17-18). Christians have no option but to cry with John: “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!” A popular Catholic advent hymn states it correctly. “Christ come quickly, there is danger at the door. Poverty aplenty, hearts gone wild with war, there is hunger in the city and famine on the plains. Want demands a hearing in far too many lands. The sick go unattended, death deals a heavy hand. The dreams of men are empty, their cups of sorrow full. Come Lord Jesus!” Well, it is part of the history of mankind to call on God to come and repair what man has damaged. God made this world and bequeathed it to man to live in to dominate and enjoy. As it is often said: “If you really think God is far away from you, guess who moved!” The commandments of God are clear. They are not too difficult to observe. It must be said that every disaster befalling us in Nigeria is somehow the outcome and fruit of our negligence of God’s law, individually or corporately remotely or

proximately. Return to me with all your heart God does not fail to hear the prayers of the humble. That is why even in the mess we are in, we cannot cease to pray to him. Pope Francis led the way once again when he joined Muslim faithful at a mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, last weekend. The Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, endorsed the pope’s gesture, asking God to hear his prayers for peace. We all must pray humbly and sincerely if we truly believe that God is all-powerful, and that even this situation cannot be beyond Him. Isaiah taught us a similar lesson as he prayed to God: “And yet Yahweh, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are the work of your hand. Do not let your anger go too far. O Yahweh, or think of our sins forever. See we are all your people... Can you still remain unmoved, O Yahweh, before all this? Will you punish us further with your silence?” (Is 63: 7-11). Yes, indeed, if God would be moved to answer our prayers we truly believe and live as one people, doing away with every kind of injustice, inequity, partiality and favouritism. It is the prayer of the righteous that rises to God (Ps.1). This fits perfectly the spirit of Advent. If God would live with us we must be prepared as well to live with Him. At Advent let us all prepare our hearts, homes and entire lives to receive him. Then the final words of that hymn will be realised in our country. “The clouds shall send a Saviour like softly falling rain. Yet, mighty in his power to free us from our chains. His shield will be compassion, His weapon, liberty.”

Where is my venison (3) Insight Rev.

Femi Akinola

www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

here are people on earth who can decide your destiny. Getting the best from them requires your ability to discern what you need to do to be released into your destiny. The story of Isaac and his two sons sheds better light on this. “And Isaac answered Esau, Behold, I have made (Jacob) your lord and master; I have given all his brethren to him for servants, and with corn and (new) wine have I sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” Gen 27:37 (AMP) Jacob, in spite of being tagged a cheat, was still able to get the blessing from his father, Isaac. He was smart enough to provide the venison Isaac requested for, thus he was able to get the blessings in the stead of Esau, the elder brother. Isaac emphasised: ‘I have made (Jacob) your lord and master…’ This phenomenon can also happen in our dispensation. That your brother or sister has been labelled the black sheep does not matter; if he is able to press the right buttons by getting the ‘venison’ that is required, he will be the one to

receive all the blessings. “And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.” Gen 27:38-40. After Jacob delivered the venison, Isaac poured out his heart in blessings upon him so much that he had not ‘one’ blessing left. When Esau asked for ‘… but one…’ all he could say was to curse him and further bless Jacob; “…And Isaac his father answered and said unto him … And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother…” Whatever that is making you to cry now is due to ignorance and that can stop you from getting your share of the blessing from your parents. For you to have a change of story, you need to start to carry some covenant steps in order to restore your lost glory among your kindred. Once your parents can give the blessings (prayer from the soul) to that your brother or sister irrespective of what you feel his/her lifestyle is, then that individual will rule over everyone except something is done to address the situation. “The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.” Pro 30:17 (NLT) Some, rather than get the blessings

On a regular basis, there are ready-made provisions for my biological parents, spiritual fathers and aged people around me; and of a truth, their prayers have really sustained me in all areas of my life of their parents, invoke their wrath instead and they get cursed and begin to wander through destiny in agony and anguish of soul. Locate your venison Reuben’s untailored appetite ruined his destiny and by extension, the plague that caught up with him became the generational emblem; no one in his lineage prospered because instead of getting the father’s blessing, he was cursed. “Reuben, you’re my firstborn, my strength, first proof of my manhood, at the top in honour and at the top in power, But like a bucket of water spilled, you’ll be at the top no more, Because you climbed into your father’s marriage bed, mounting that couch, and you defiled it.” Gen 49:4-5 (THE MESSAGE) Just like what happened to the Reubens, his physical father had cursed him but God was gracious to them by raising a spiritual father in the person of Moses. Moses then pronounced the

fatherly blessings, saying: “Let the tribe of Reuben live and not die out, though they are few in number.” Deut 33:6 (NLT) Is your father alive? Go after him now with your venison (something precious that draws parental blessing from him) and let him bless you. However, if he is dead, then you need to locate a spiritual father in that capacity. Sometime ago, I sent one of my pastors to give my biological father something precious, he prayed from the depth of his heart and the effect of those prayers I cannot deny them. Saul was lost when he was searching for his father’s asses but a contact with a spiritual father charted a new course in his destiny pursuit. You are where you are because you failed to care for your father. I strive to receive the blessing of both my spiritual and physical father and I honourably pay my dues to them and today I am blessed. On a regular basis, there are ready-made provisions for my biological parents, spiritual fathers and aged people around me; and of a truth, their prayers have really sustained me in all areas of my life. What is your deepest need? Is it financial, marital, academic, career or business breakthrough? The answer lies in your ability to locate the right thing so as to get parental blessings. How can you survive without your parents’ blessing? A secret way out of affliction and travails is to take care of your parents, both physical and spiritual. Can you give or buy your father plot of land not to talk of building him a house? It is an obligation for you to settle your parents. Reuben’s spiritual father said.

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At harvest celebration, Methodist School preaches peace Mojeed Alabi

t was the maiden edition of the harvest ceremony to be held in the newly donated church by one of its alumni members and General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire Ministries, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, and the pupils, parents and well-wishers of the famous Methodist Boys High School, Victoria Island, Lagos. Among them was the first governor of Ondo State, Group Captain David Ita Ikpeme (retd). They all rolled out drums to give thanks to God Almighty for His favour and blessings. The event, which was tagged: Harvest of a New Dawn, featured a sermon delivered by the Principal of Nigeria’s oldest grammar school, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos, Ven. Tunde Oduwole. He applauded the school management for the choice of the theme and the focus on the spiritual growth and development of the pupils. He said such an initiative would encourage the peace-building efforts of both individuals and government. In his sermon, the preacher, who linked the challenge of insecurity currently facing Nigeria to the characteristics of the endtime, said no matter how long it may last, it will come to pass. While advising the audience to look unto God and God alone for favour, Oduwole said the task of rebuilding the country was that of everyone, including the pupils and their parents. He said nation building begins from homes where sound training and discipline are expected to be incul-

cated in wards. He said: “Whatever season has brought upon us, whether anxiety, fear or sorrow, we must know that such a season shall pass. And we must also note that the season of merriment shall pass too. So whatever we do, let’s always be grateful to God Almighty and be reminded of the day we shall render account.” In his words, the school’s Principal, Rev. Adebayo Okunoren, commended the donor of the chapel, which is named D.K Olukoya Methodist Chapel of Light. He urged other alumni members and philanthropists to emulate the cleric. He said the chapel needs more pews and other facilities to function well. Okunoren said as the second grammar school in Nigeria, MBHS has produced several men of value including late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Thus, it was important to mark the harvest day with fanfare, having recorded much success especially in the area of human capital development. He said, “As our theme of conference for year 2014 suggests, the school community is moving forward. God gave Moses the task that the Israelites should move forward despite being faced by challenges that impeded movement. The red sea was before them and their enemies were behind them, leaving them with no place to run to. Obedience to God’s command brought them victory over their enemies and a supernatural breakthrough. In the same vein, if we obey the command to move forward God will give us breakthroughs and give us victory over all enemies of progress.”

Grandmother of the Day, Mrs Nneoma Florence Oche; School Chaplain, Very Rev Oluwatosin Alabi Adewale and Chairman of gthe occasion, Sir Abimbola Carzim, at the presentation of Award to mrs. Uche, at the Maiden Harvest entitled: Harvest of a New Dawn, at the Methodist Boy’s High School, Victoria Island, Lagos PHOTO: TONY EQUAYE

Clerics in spiritual slumber–Adenuga Stanley Ihedigbo General Overseer of the Faith Revival Apostolic Church, Apostle Paul Taiwo Adenuga, has expressed worry over the state of some clerics. Lamenting

during a chat with Sunday New Telegraph, the cleric said ministers of the gospel are in deep spiritual slumber. Adenuga regretted that the failure of some ministers to provide exemplary spiritual guidance and nur-

ture Christians through the teaching of the word of God was a thing of worry. He said, “The ministers have likewise been captured by the devil; and they no longer set their affections on things that are heavenly.

Nigerians should pray against bloodshed - Chris Okafor

Congratulations on your ministry’s 11th year anniversary. Tell us how have you been able to manage the affair of the church in these past 11 years? By the grace of God as you can see, God has been faithful to the church and the church has gone really far with the mandate given to us. We are actualising the mandate and we are moving forward and we will continue to strive until the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached throughout the world and to every creature. According to Mathew 24 vs 14, its reads that this gospel must be preached to every creature then the end will come. God has been faithful and you can see a lot of expansion going on in the church. God has provided us with additional three plots of land, so with this we can provide a 20,000-seater capacity auditorium. All these happened between last year and this year. God has been faithful. It is not by our doing but God’s favour. How far have you gone with the one billion souls’ mandate? As you can see we have everything on our side, and God is on our side. God is not a man. When God gives you an assignment, He makes provision for it. Also the devil can send you on an errand, give you salt and at the same time destroy it. But when God sends you, it is not like that. When God sends you on a mandate or a vision, He gives you provision for it to carry out which is given to you and this can be nothing but God. We are moving from one place to the other, moving from one nation to the other. We are having city crusades. The other day we were in South Africa, UK, and about three weeks thereafter we just came back from Abidjan, where we had a record-breaking crusade with about 80,000 people in attendance. Abidjan stadium was full to capacity, even people were outside the stadia for the programme. The beauty of it is that over 18,000 people gave their lives to Christ. Yes the mandate is not something that can be actualised in a day but because we are on the right step we are following the path

General Overseer of Liberation City Church Worldwide, Dr. Chris Okafor, urges Nigerians to pray against bloodshed in 2015. EDWIN USOBOH reports

of success. God has been faithful, that is why thousands of people are giving their lives to Jesus on a daily basis. We are recording mighty miracles and confirmations of prophesies and the manifestation of God’s presence. So we are getting there. Can you shed light on the Abidjan crusade? There are lots of miracles here and there, but the greatest miracle I’m proud of is that of multitudes of people that gave their lives to Christ. The Bible says what shall a man benefit to gain the whole world and lose the kingdom of God? It is better to seek the kingdom of God first and every other thing will be added. We saw a man that had been deaf and dumb for 17 years and God opened his ear and his tongue and he started talking. We saw people that came on wheel chairs but went back home walking. It was indeed a harvest of miracles, mighty deliverance. The eyes of the blind were opened. You visited the destitute around Lagos recently. What informed this? Yes, there is an outreach, a church beyond the wall, church beyond the four corners of a church. It is part of our mandate to reach

the less privileged in the society. In Liberation City, we have a lot of empowerment programmes, skill acquisition programmes where my foundation sponsors people, gives them money to start a business. We give food items to widows on a monthly basis. We even empower some of the widows. We now had to go out to destitute homes where we shared over 500 bags of rice, gave them cash. We do this in different places. As I’m talking to you now, we have another one coming up. We will be distributing a full lorry load of rice to different destitute homes and giving out money. This is our mandate and we can’t stop doing it. What is your take on the current crisis in the nation, bearing in mind that you gave a prophesy earlier this year? Well, you see God might have a very wonderful plan for someone. God might have an original plan for you, but it is now left for you as the builder to work toward actualising the plan. If you alter it, that is your own problem. God said His Excellency, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, will be re-elected. Yes, God said that but he too will have to work it out for it to be a reality and for it to come to pass. One thing is that if God can tell you that you will be a multibillionaire and you go to your house and start sleeping; you don’t do any work and you expect it to come to pass, you must not expect the prophesy to come to pass. He has spoken but you have to work. That is why the Bible says work hard. The state of the nation is not really good. We need to be prayerful because what I see about to happen is not good. There is going to be more and more bloodshed and this thing needs to be followed up spiritually, especially when it comes to the issue of Boko Haram. The insurgency needs to be followed up spiritually. It is not something ordinary any more, that is why with all the military and different support, it seems they are not having an upper hand over Boko Haram. This is because there is a spiritual angle to it. Religious leaders need to come together and pray just as we

have been doing in Liberation City, just as we did on the Ebola issue. We have been praying and I know not too long if the government of the day gets involved too, it will be a thing of the past. Concerning the state of the nation in 2015, Nigerians need to pray. There is going to be bloodshed as never before. Except we do something to avert it, I repeat it can be averted. Also, opposition leaders should pray concerning some of their leaders. I see one of the major opposition leader dying before the elections. They should pray for God to intervene and keep one of their major leaders. We are praying for everybody because I’m not a politician. I’m only going to do what God asks me to do. What are your comments on the recent attacks on Christendom, the CAN president’s ordeal and the Synagogue building collapse? You see, you should understand that the church is the light, and attacks on churches did not start today. In the days of the Apostles, they killed James; John the Baptist was attacked and beheaded. Even in the days of Jesus, He was nailed to the cross all manner of things were said about him, so I’m surprised that people are shocked that the body of Christ is coming under attack. They must understand from the spiritual point of view, that this is an ongoing battle. The Bible says we dwell in the flesh but we do not work by the flesh, that the weapons of our warfare are not canal. Talking about Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, he is a man of integrity; a true man of God. Whatever they like to say God is always with him. The falsehood cannot survive for a long time. This man is the father of Christians in this nation, he is God’s anointed and a man of proven integrity. I repeat, there is no way you expect a man that stands upright and there will be no attack on him. Also, Prophet TB Joshua is a man of God, though I have not met him. From all submissions, he has carefully fulfilled God’s command. I think we need to join hand and pray for him. Satan is only trying but he will not succeed.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith

Understanding the demands of success! The Voice of Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

7747546-8 (SMS only)

here is no better time to take stock of the year than the month of December, the last of the year. This season shall end for us on a success note, in Jesus’ Name! We understand from scriptures that every redeemed child of God is ordained for unstoppable and ever-growing success. This is because, as believers, we are redeemed as cities set on hills that cannot be hidden. We are thus, pacesetters in our various fields of endeavour. We are the light of the world - that makes us assets to this world. We are also the salt of the earth, which implies that we are channels of blessings and people of value to be sought after (Matthew 5:13-15). With this understanding, we can clearly say that success is our birthright, and every child of God is ordained for distinction and unusual success. What is Success? Success is not just getting results, but getting results in successions. It is making satisfactory progress and experiencing a change of levels in our various pursuits. However, we must recognize that there

are definite demands we must fulfil, to access the realms of success that we desire. This is because nothing of value is free, and no one ever wins a prize in the race of life, without pressing. For instance, we understand from one of the basic scientific laws that every object assumes a state of rest until a relevant force is applied to it. Similarly, we can’t succeed by doing nothing; we must know, learn and give it what it takes. That is why success in life is not a promise, but a covenant. This means God is committed to perform, only when our parts are adequately played (Psalm 89:34; Deuteronomy 28:1-3; Joshua 1:8). Also, the Bible makes us to understand that after Peter lent his boat to Jesus to preach the Gospel, Jesus instructed him to cast his net to the deep for a draught. When he obeyed, the Bible said he enclosed a net-breaking, boat-sinking dimension of breakthroughs. Therefore, it is vital to recognize that there is always something to do, for our breakthroughs to become a reality (Luke 5:1-8). Again, many years ago, God said to me while I was reading Deuteronomy 28:1-2, “My son, there is room for you on top, if you are interested.” He further said that I must commit to whatever He tells me to do. This implies that, it is not just being interested in success, but we must committedly do whatever God tells us to do from scriptures. When we do as commanded, our failure is turned to success; our frustration is turned to celebration and our pity is turned to envy. Having established that success is a covenant, we must understand that when

Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for saving me! Now I know I am born again!

the covenant of success is broken, breakthrough, success and exploits become a daydream. This month, we shall examine the fundamental demands that guarantee unstoppable and ever-growing success. One of such demands in the school of success is spiritual empowerment. What is Spiritual Empowerment? Spiritual empowerment is a platform for exploits. It is what distinguishes the Church of Christ from the common success motivation that the world teaches. However, it is important for us to know that spiritual empowerment is not just for spiritual things. It is also for a life of fulfilment, outstanding accomplishment and undeniable proof in every aspect of our lives. We must understand that though we can record some level of success by our efforts, skills and capacity, but it would take the power of God to experience and preserve true success.

For instance, David became a national hero, only after he was empowered. Even Christ could not deliver His mandate until He was empowered (Luke 4:14, 18, 31). Also, the Apostles were empowered by Jesus to triumph on their mission. In fact, Jesus told them to wait until they were endued with power from on high. Why? Nothing works by efforts; if it does, the enemy would molest it. Therefore, it takes spiritual empowerment to command unending exploits in life (1 Samuel 16:13, 17:34-57; Psalm 89:20-24; Psalm 112:10; Luke 9:1-2,6-10; Mark 6:7, 12-13; Matthew 10:1; Luke 4:14,18,37). Friend, spiritual empowerment for success, is the preserve of those who are born again. You can be born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You can do so now if you haven’t, as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for saving me! Now I know I am born again! I will be with you next week. Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Exploring The Secrets Of Success and Success Systems. Our Ministry is set for SHILOH 2014 captioned, Heaven On Earth, which holds at Faith Tabernacle Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota from December 9-13. Among the highlights of the event are specialized healing services. Be there! I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land,

Wonders of favour Taming your Emotions Bishop

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

he favour of God is that distinguishing aroma that compels people to do you good. It is the extraordinary finger of God that marks you out for signs and wonders, with the glory of God radiating upon your life. It came upon Joseph and everything he did in the house of Portiphar prospered. Even while he was in prison he was distinguished among other inmates and selected for a leadership role. When Boaz noticed Ruth in the farm gleaning among his maids, he instructed them to be kind and fair to her and to purposely leave a handful of harvest for her to take home because the favour of God was upon her. At the end of the genealogical call, Ruth, the Moabite wife that followed Naomi home, became the mother of Obed, the father of Jesse that begat David, the root of Jesus, our Saviour. Joseph did not need to win any election to mount the throne of Egypt. Esther did not need any additional makeup kit to win the heart of the king and be crowned the most preferred queen. Virgin Mary did not need to know any man before she conceived and brought forth the Saviour of the whole world – Our Lord Jesus Christ.

They were all personalities who at one time of life encountered the favour of God. Or what could you say of Daniel who was thrown into the den of lions and was not hurt till day break? Or the three Hebrew men who were thrown into the burning furnace and they were not consumed because the Son of Man, the symbol of the favour of God, showed up in the midst of the fire? Of Nehemiah, we read how his countenance fell because of the ruins of the walls of Jerusalem and the returned captives of Israel and how the king gave him not just the freedom to travel home but provided necessary materials for the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The wonders of favour! The favour of God takes away human efforts and reveals the glory of God. When you are walking in favour, everything turns around for your good. People turn at your beckoning and while you are yet praying, answers are hitting frequently. This is what I am inspired to share with you in this wonderful episode. My joy is that God gives you the lead through the overriding influence of the Holy Spirit. And that is why I feel so certain that the favour that came upon Mary, a virgin that knew no man, yet conceived to bring forth a holy child for God’s divine mission is about to come mightily upon you. Beloved, it is not by accident that this message is coming your way. God designed it to meet with you; only be faithful to enjoy the message and flow in the amazing grace of God. I will hear your testimony before you finish the study. Shalom! It is not by power: We are all living on this planet called

My joy is that God gives you the lead through the overriding influence of the Holy Spirit. And that is why I feel so certain that the favour that came upon Mary, a virgin that knew no man, yet conceived to bring forth a holy child for God’s divine mission is about to come mightily upon you Earth by the grace of God. No one individual can boast of how he or she determined his or her sex, colour, beauty or race before birth. We are all choices made from the origin of creation by God. It is the favour and grace of God that made you what you are. The spirit you possess, the life you breathe, intellectual power, administrative acumen, oratory prowess and all about the beauty of your physiognomy are traits and attributes determined by God before you were born. And that is why in this study I am determined according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to expose you to the efficacy of the grace that will make your existence in this earth worthwhile and blissful. For with strong conviction, I feel convinced by the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit to inform you that the time to favour Zion has come – even the set time for your much awaited manifestation is now.

The Psalmist making bold the wonders of favour wrote: “With favour will thou compass him as with a shield. We have heard with our ears, O God, our father have told us, what work thou did in their days, in the time of old. How thou did drive out the heathen with thy hand and planted them. How thou did afflict the people and cast them out for they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.” (Psalm 5:12 and Psalm 44: 1-3). From historical records, Israel did not come to Canaan, the Promised Land, by the arm of flesh. It was God who delivered from slavery in Egypt and took them through the encounters of the wilderness till Joshua divided the inheritance for them in the land flowing with milk and honey. When the favour of God is upon a man, he ceases from struggle to get, attain or achieve anything that is of remarkable envy. Joseph did not need to win any election to mount the throne of Egypt. Esther did not need any additional make-up kit to win the heart of the king and be crowned the most preferred Queen. Virgin Mary did not need to know any man before she conceived and brought forth the Saviour of the whole world – Our Lord Jesus Christ. They were all personalities who at one time of life encountered the favour of God. You need to come off your struggles and allow God to be God. Join me at the cross-over night on Wednesday, December 31st, tocross over into 2015; time is 10 pm -3am. Venue power Bible Church,Odolowu Bus Stop, Ijesha Tedo, Lagos.

Advertise your church events, special programmes, conventions and other church activities on these pages. Contact: Tai on 07064380029

Sport 59

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Canada 2015

Canada 2015: Falcons to battle U.S.A, Sweden in ‘Group of death’

p.61

Rugby

Nigerian teams impress at Dubai Rugby Sevens p.61

Golf

Oyome reigns supreme at Ikoyi Ladies’ Golf p.61

Football

Cisse brace sees Blues beaten p.60

Sunday Team

Deputy Sports Editor Dapo Sotuminu Golf Reporter Ifeanyi Ibeh

Sani Kaita: I paid dearly for patriotism

Sani Kaita was booted out of the Super Eagles for four years after he was shown a red card by Referee Oscar Ruiz for kicking a Greek player, Vassilis Torosidis, in one of Nigeria’s group B games at the South Africa 2010 World Cup on June 17. This led to a loss that sent the Eagles out of the Mundial. He told DAPO SOTUMINU in this interview that being rejected for such a long time was a price he paid for being patriotic How has life been with you after the 2010 World Cup, more so when Nigerians failed to accept the fact that football and sports is about win or lose? Honestly it was a very difficult one for me in the last four years, dropping from a prominent Nigerian who was worshipped everywhere to a lonely and miserable individual who sneaked in and out of the country was not a good one. It wasn’t easy psychologically, but God gave me the strength to forge ahead and I am grateful this is over now as the Super Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi, invited me to one of the team’s qualifying games against Rwanda. It feels good to be back, but I am still waiting to play in front of home crowd someday. I appreciate the people who understood my situation and the fact that what happened at South Africa 2010 was part of football. Being cast out of the Eagles for four years wasn’t easy for me, as I gave everything for my country before that unfortunate incident at the World Cup. I am human and we can all make mistakes here or there, but I understand the people’s frustration. I paid dearly for being patriotic, as my action was to ginger my teammates to forge ahead to score more goals against Greece. I charged at the Greek player who held the ball in his hands delaying a possible attack on his team’s defence line while it was Nigeria’s advantage to play. I was carried away all for the sake of helping Nigeria score another goal as the Greeks were on the receiving end and the player’s action slowed us down. I was at South Africa 2010 World Cup and I covered the Nigeria versus Greece game in Bloemfontein. For me, your kick wasn’t so vicious to warrant a red card Vassilis Torosidis pretended to be badly injured. How do you feel

did well in the national team, but your time was cut short, how do you feel about this? I am very pleased the way people appreciated my work for the Nigerian national team right from my days in the Flying Eagles and even to the UnderDream before I graduated to the Super Eagles. I’m still looking forward to regain my regular first team jersey in the Eagles and I’m always ready for that challenge. I hope it will happen in the nearest feature God’s willing. Do you think you are still good to play in the Eagles’ first team after being left out for 4 years, what gives you such confidence? Of course yes, I’m already to play for Nigeria again, it’s not just by mouth, but I will surely show it whenever I am given the chance again. The Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi, had invited me to one of the qualifiers games when he was just appointed, this saw me played against Rwanda in an away fixture, but I sustained an injury in that match which I took to my club. It was a knee injury which was operated on and it took time for me to stage a comeback.

about players who take a dive to make sure an opponent is sent off? It was a very terrible experience for me, and the Greek player wasn’t fair at all. He was a very bad person. I didn’t touch him with so much forced that saw him rolling and reeling in pains, he just dive like that. Players like that take the beautiful game into disrepute. FIFA is actually doing something about such class of players, there is also a worldwide campaign against diving the perpetrators mislead the referee. The referee in that our game was misled and he erroneously gave me a red card which I was gravely punished for. After the reign of Garba Lawal in the Eagles, you were the player from the North of Nigeria who

If my kids say that would play football to the highest level why not, but I have one daughter right now who is just growing up. I don’t know what God would bring after now

Aside from you, Yakubu Aiyegbeni was also banished from the Eagles after missing a goal at the 2010 World Cup. What do think about this development? We weren’t rejected per se, because Yakubu at some point returned to the Eagles in an away fixture. Football isn’t easy at times. I just pray that nothing like that happen to any Nigerian player in international matches against, while advising our people to please learn from some other countries. These things happen normally in football. There is hardly any player who plays in the defensive midfield that had not bagged a red card at one point or the other. While in the case of Yakubu, strikers miss goals on regular basis, no soccer player of perfect. I pray that something as bad as that should not happen to any Nigerian player again. I will still play for Nigeria again by God’s grace, as I’m always ready for challenge. At the moment the Eagles

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport

Sani Kaita hopeful over Eagles’ return

defensive midfield is not strong again after you left. What do you think can be done to that position in future? Honestly, the guys who are playing the position are working really hard; we have to give them credit for that. I hope to come and help the team too sooner than later to bring the usual stability to the midfield again. That is my prayer.

You were seen playing for Enyimba International Football Club of Aba in the Nigeria Premier League before you left for the foreign league again. Why did you come back to the local league then? Yes, sure I came back for a purpose and it was accomplished I left for Europe where I came from for my club football. Someone advised me to play in the Nigerian league while trying to recuperate from the long term knee injury that sidelined me for months so as to be prepared for the huge challenge of the European league. I did just this and true to expectations I regained my full fitness playing for Enyimba on loan from my club. I will remain eternally grateful to those who gave me the advice and today I am back to top flight football in Europe. While in Enyimba, I called on other top Nigerian soccer stars that were out of contract in Europe to return to the Nigerian league instead of loafing around doing nothing. Which club are you playing for now and in which country? I’m playing for Saxan Football Club in Maldova, the club play in the country’s Premier League. I am doing very well and back to the great form which endeared me to Nigerian soccer fans. Good to know that. The Eagles failed to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup how do you feel about this? It was sad news that Nigeria won’t be playing at the 2015 African Nations Cup despite parading a set of superstars who are doing well in club football across the world. What this tells us is that, in football anything can hap-

pen. We are all disappointed but we have no option than to move on. I believe the Eagles will bounce back in a very big way. The NFF is thinking of employing a foreign coach, what is your opinion about this more so when you played under a foreign coach in 2010? Well, if that is the choice of the football federation, they must have their reasons of wanting to employ a foreign coach, but I think the likes of Shauibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi have qualities which those foreign coaches possess, they also deserve respect. The decision of the NFF takes precedence over all ideas; the bottom-line is to bring the Super Eagles to international reckoning. If you are not playing football what do you do and how do you spend your leisure time? I spend my leisure time resting at home or playing with young boys near my houses in Europe and in Nigeria. Will you allow your kids play football to the highest level taking after you? If my kids say that would play football to the highest level why not, but I have one daughter right now who is just growing up. I don’t know what God would bring after now. I like your courage, some other players would have lost hope after all the rejection, but you kept going. What is the secret? Well, it’s all about believing in me and my ability, which I truly trust at all times. I really thank God that he gave me power to keep pushing myself, and of course I thank all the people that helped me during my travails, my fans especially.

Cisse brace sees Blues beaten

ubstitute Papiss Cisse scored twice as leaders Chelsea’s hopes of completing the English Premier League season unbeaten were dashed by a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United. Cisse scored twice in the second half and despite Steven Taylor being sent off for Newcastle and Didier Drogba replying late on for Chelsea, Alan Pardew’s side held on for a third consecutive home win over Chelsea. Newcastle’s victory prevented Chelsea from establishing a new club record of 24 games without defeat and means Manchester City can cut their lead to just three points if they beat Everton. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho recalled top scorer Diego Costa after he missed Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur through suspension and they started brightly, with Willian twice shooting narrowly wide. But Newcastle defended stoutly and began to threaten, with Ayoze Perez slipping a clever pass through to Jack Colback in the 32nd minute, only for Thibaut Courtois to rush

Cisse celebrates goal against Chelsea

out and save. John Obi Mikel spurned a good chance to put Chelsea ahead in the 57th minute when he headed wide from a Cesc Fabregas free-kick and within seconds, Newcastle took the lead.

Moussa Sissoko fed Sammy Ameobi on the left flank and after Gary Cahill failed to cut out the 22-year-old’s low cross, Senegal striker Cisse pounced to tap home from inside the sixyard box.

Canada 2015: Falcons to battle U.S.A, Sweden in ‘Group of death’ Dapo Sotuminu

he Super Falcons of Nigeria have been drawn in Group D of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals scheduled for Canada in 2015 against two former world champions, USA and Sweden, and World Cup quarterfinalist, Australia. The Group D of the championship has been tagged the ‘Group of death’ with all the four teams highly rated in the various continents they represent. The seven times African champions, would battle against the U.S.A the world’s number one team on June 16 to wrap-up the group preliminaries in Vancouver. Nigeria is classified by far the most dominant team out of Africa. The Fal-

cons won all five of its 2015 World Cup qualifiers game, outscoring its opponents 16-3. Super Falcons chief coach, Edwin Okon, said after the draw that the Nigerian team will do its best to come out from the “Killer Group’ despite the stiff opposition. “We got the toughest countries in all of the pots,” U.S. forward Alex Morgan said yesterday. “So it’s definitely the group of death. You can’t count out any team.” The world’s No. 1 team begins play June 8 in Winnipeg against Australia, a steadily improving team that reached the quarterfinals four years ago. Four days later, the Americans will get their toughest test of the group stage against Sweden. This will be the fourth consecu-

Mourinho: I want titles, not records J

ose Mourinho doesn’t care about the prospect of setting an impressive new record with Chelsea because he is firmly focused on bringing the English Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge. Mourinho’s side maintained their six-point lead at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Tottenham in midweek and visit Newcastle on Saturday looking to set a new club record by extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 24 matches. But that significant milestone doesn’t impress Blues boss Mourinho. He was quick to insist he prioritises the chase for Chelsea’s first top-flight crown since 2010, while also suggesting his players are probably not even aware of the fact they could break new ground if they return from

Newcastle unbeaten. “They don’t know the record and if you don’t tell me 20 times I wouldn’t know. I don’t care about records,” Mourinho said. “The record I want is to win the Premier League three times at this club, that’s all I want. “I’m not looking for records, I’m looking for points, victories and points, and if possible at the end of the season, titles. The only thing that matters for me in the Premier League is that I’ve won the title twice.” The Blues welcomed back top scorer Diego Costa at Newcastle after he sat out the Tottenham game through suspension. Newcastle have gone two games without victory, having previously won five matches in a row.

tive World Cup that the U.S. and Sweden have been in the same group, and fifth overall. Though the Americans are 3-1 against the Swedes, that one loss came in 2011 when Sweden won the group courtesy of a 2-1 victory over the U.S. And if the Swedes weren’t already familiar enough with the Americans, Sweden is now coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the U.S. to gold medals at the 2012 and 2008 Olympics as well as a runner-up finish at the 2011 World Cup in Germany. The Falcons are seeking to cross the quarter-finals of the World Cup after they last did in 1999, while the U.S.A is seeking its first World Cup title since 1999. The 2015 FIFAWomen’s World Cup will be played from June 6 to July 5.

WEEKEND RESULTS

Barclays Premier League Newcastle 2 - 1 Chelsea Hull City 0 - 0 West Bromwich Liverpool 0 - 0 Sunderland QPR 2 - 0 Burnley Stoke 3 - 2 Arsenal Tottenham 0 - 0 Crystal Palace Man. City 1 - 0 Everton Germany - Bundesliga Dortmund 1 - 0 Hoffenheim M’gladbach 3 - 2 Hertha Berlin FC Cologne 1 - 2 Augsburg Hannover 1 - 3 Wolfsburg Paderborn 1 - 1 Freiburg Stuttgart 0 - 4 Schalke Bayern 1 - 0 Leverkusen Italy - Serie A Fiorentina 0 - 0 Juventus Roma 2 - 2 Sassuolo Spain - Liga BBVA Elche 0 - 2 Atletico Madrid Athletic Bilbao 0 - 1 Cordoba France - Ligue 1 Toulouse 0 - 2 Monaco PSG 2 - 1 Nantes

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2014

Golf Weekly

Sanjo Jones boosts Endyfas Hockey Festival F ormer national men’s hockey team superstar, Sanjo Jones, has donated 60 medals and various world class plaques for individual awards to be won at the 2014 edition of the End of the Year Hockey Five-A-Side Hockey championship slated to hold in Lagos on December 20. Sanjo, a former midfield dynamo of Union Bank Men’s Hockey Club before he moved to Italy to play professional hockey for 10 years, stated that, his donation of the medals and plagues is a way of paying back what hockey did to him, while he was coming up as a young amateur. The Nigerian hockey legend who is based in Littlehampton, United Kingdom, noted that, he decided to support the Endyfas Hockey Festival as it is a grassroots initiative to develop the sport of hockey in Nigeria. He revealed that: “Plans are underway to sponsor two national hockey championships within one calendar year, this is aimed at helping hockey players engage in more competitive games all year round.

“When players are fully engaged, they will develop rapidly and build enough confidence good enough to see them shine at international competitions. Other developed hockey nations across the world make sure their players are fully engaged in competitions all year round, this will not only develop the requisite skills and exposure to battle other top rated teams, they will be grounded in the game.” For the 2014 Endyfas Hockey Festival, Sanjo Jones has donated U.K made plaques for the Best Umpire, Highest Goal Scorer (male and female), Most Valuable Player (male and female) and Felix Omolade’s Award for Best Defender (Male and female), aside from the 60 medals. He donated similar plaques to the Nigeria Hockey Federation, NHF, at the last edition of the President Goodluck Jonathan National Men’s Hockey League held at the Astro-Turf Pitch of the Murtala Muhammed Square. The plagues were presented to individual award winners by the Hockey Federation president, Senator Ningi.

Nigerian teams impress at Dubai Rugby Sevens Ehikioya Oboh

igeria Teams knocked out at the semi-finals of Cup and Plate of the Dubai Rugby Sevens After three days of competitive rugby in the International Open Men’s category at the Dubai Rugby Sevens Tournament, the two Nigerian teams registered for the event, Cowrie Rugby Football Club and Racing RFC were impressive despite failing to qualify for the finals of the Cup and Plate Categories at the competition. Cowrie RFC that represented CMB Building Investment, the main sponsors of the Nigerian team, in the tournament failed to defend their Plate title as they lost in the category’s semi-finals to RAF Spitfires 10 - 24. In another class, Racing RFC of Nigeria were also knocked-out by Wyvern Harlequins 14 -24 in the Cup semi-finals.

Ifeanyi Ibeh

E The Technical Director of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, Engineer Fasimoye Olatunji, who was at the tournament to support the teams, stated that the sport is fast growing in Nigeria judging by the performances of the home grown players who represented CMB Building at the tournament. “We need to expose our players to more international tournaments, this is the only way they can do well and compete at the highest level. They already have what it takes in the aspects of skills, fitness and agility.” Fasimoye expressed displeasure at Racing RFC management’s stance as they continued relying on hired professional players for the championship rather than sticking with home-based stars registered for the South West Rugby League and the Independent 7s.

Akinwande, Herbie Hide to storm ‘Return of Champions’

wo former Nigerianborn international boxing champions, Henry Akinwande and Herbie Hide, have been scheduled to be ring-side guests during the Anambra State Boxing extravaganza tagged “Return of Champions.” Akinwande who is a former World Boxing Organisation champion alongside Hide, a two-time WBO world heavyweight champion have confirmed their presence at the state

Erelu Abiola Dosunmu teeing off at the Ikoyi Ladies Open

capital, Awka, where the event has been slated for the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square on December 26. As Nigerians clamour for the revival of boxing in the country, the Anambra Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano, has accepted to host the first world boxing title fight in Nigeria in recent years. The boxing extravaganza will be the biggest fistic event in the country. The six bouts promotion would see some top Nige-

rian professional boxers based abroad return home to showcase their talents to the people. The event promoted by Emmaco Sports Limited would see current WBO International Light middleweight champion, King Davidson Emenogu, battle for the WBF interim middleweight world title. Current WABU light heavyweight champion, Jude Illo, would fight for the WBF international light heavyweight title.

velyn Oyome has successfully defended the Ikoyi Ladies Golf title she won last year as she returned four shots better than the field of 122 players last weekend to lift this year’s championship. The Ibadan-based fivehandicapper shot a cumulative 166 gross score over two days to defend arguably the most prestigious ladies crown in the country, now in its 40th year. Lady Captain of the host club, Ngozi Ngoka said the win by Oyome is a brilliant feat, given the level of competitiveness at this year’s event. “We had over 120 lady golfers from different golf courses tee-off at this event, which is a record on its own, and we are delighted at Oyome’s victory because it was a hard fought one; and in the presence of

Oyome reigns supreme at Ikoyi Ladies’ Golf

equally great players,” said Ngoka. The event was sponsored by Delta Airlines, First Bank Nigeria PLC, Zenith Bank Nigeria PLC, and South African Airways among others. On the way to winning, Oyome had shoved off threats from policewoman, Amina Wilfred, from IBB Golf and Country Club, who tied for the title after the first day game. Oyome’s four-stroke advantage on the second day of competition however secured the title for her. “I am glad this happened. It was tough, but I cherish it,” said Oyome, who will be hoping to make it three in a row next year. Hard-fighting Alaba Adetunji, who was undeterred by her first day slump produced an 85 gross score in the closing round to sneak into third place ahead of Shade Opawunmi of

Nicklaus set to receive Congressional Gold Medal

ack Nicklaus has done it all in golf, and he’s about to get recognized for it by the US Congress. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed a measure, first brought forth in 2012 by Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown from Nicklaus’ home state of Ohio, previously passed by the House back in May by a 371-10 vote to award Nicklaus the Congressional Gold Medal. Once P re s i d e n t Barack Obama signs off on the legislation, a custom medal to commemorate Nicklaus’ life and accomplish-

ments will be made and awarded to the golfer fondly called the Golden Bear. Nicklaus will join Arnold Palmer as the only golfers to receive the Gold Medal, honouring Americans “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.” In 2005, Nicklaus received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the executive branch’s equivalent to the Gold Medal.

Ibadan Golf Club and Dianne Osmond of the host club, Ikoyi Club. Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, the special guest at the event, who also performed the ceremonial tee-off at the event, commended the ladies for their passion towards the game; a trait she has great admiration for. “Any form of sports is a good thing and it should be encouraged,” said Dosunmu. “When you now see a group of women being this fastidious, it should be commended. “I believe some of them have been here since six in the morning,” she added. In other categories, Angela Uwabor, from Iboro Golf and Country Club, Asaba won the nett prize over two days with 147, five over par. Ralph Adewale picked the men’s prize, beating Tim Ayomike to the runnerup spot and Remi Olukoya to third place.

Boulden closes in on rookie gong

my Boulden is in prime position to seal the Ladies European Tour’s rookie of the year prize for 2014 this week as she goes into the final two events of the year. The 21-year-old is €11,296 ahead of Sally Watson in the tour’s Rookie of the Year leader board going into the final two events in India and Dubai. Boulden, whose fantastic first season on the tour has so far included three top-five finishes, said: “I’ve really enjoyed my rookie year. “I’ve had some great events and some good finishes so far so I’m just excited to play in this event. “To be honest I’m trying not to think about rookie of the year because I know that’s all everyone is talking about. “I’m just trying to get my best finish so far this year and that would be a win, so I’d really like to get that before I finish this year.”

SUNDAY DECEMBER 7, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

APC will rule Nigeria next year, says Odigie-Oyegun •As Oni lauds Fayose over privileges

Adesina Wahab,

Ado-Ekiti

he National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the party is destined to rule the country next year, saying he is convinced the party will win the general elections. e spoke in Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State during the 60th birthday thanksgiving service for

former Governor Olusegun Oni. The APC boss said to achieve the target, his party had embarked on credible methods to pick its candidates for the polls. He spoke just as Oni commended Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, for restoring his privileges as a former governor of the state. Oni said Fayose’s action was a sign of good brotherliness. Odigie-Oyegun, who described the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan as ill luck to the country, said the PDP would surely crumble in 2015. He said Nigerians were already disillusioned with the sufferings the party brought on them, expressing confidence that the PDP would be rejected in the forthcoming elections. “APC is a party whose time has come. APC is a party with welfarist and

people-oriented programmes. But let me say here that youth employment will be priority on our agenda, apart from the fact that we will do everything possible to protect the lives of Nigerian citizens. “Whatever it will take us to end insurgency, we are going to do it. We are not going to steal public money the way the PDP is doing. “Former Presidents

Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar ’ Adua and the present President Goodluck Jonathan expended over $68bn on power, but nothing was realised in terms of power generation,” he alleged. Odigie-Oyegun described Oni as a fantastic man who has contributed immensely to the development of Ekiti State. Buttressing the position canvassed by OdigieOyegun, Oni said: “It

is not an easy thing for political parties to sacrifice their privileges and come together to form APC. So, preparation for a change in 2015 did not start today. It has been planned for and nothing can change it. “God Himself has ordained the APC to rule in 2015. This is a finger of God and it is happening like a miracle because God Himself is involved in the project.”

Oyo PDP still in disarray Sola Adeyemo, Ibadan

yo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party was embroiled in crisis on Saturday as a group named ‘Concerned Electorate’ condemned Friday’s Abuja Federal High Court ruling which ordered that the list of the party’s delegates endorsed by three of the five members of the Aliyu IdiHong Adhoc Ward Congress Panel should be used for its primary elections. Justice E.S. Chukwu had declared that the only valid list of the PDP primary election in the state for the selection of any candidate for the 2015 election into the offices of State House of Assembly, National Assembly and Governor “is the list of candidates who emerged from the ward congresses held on the 24th day of November, 2014 in the 351 wards in Oyo State as contained in Exhibit ‘G’ of the originating summons.” The ruling was as a result of the suit instituted by an aspirant for the House of Assembly in Ibadan NorthEast, Ademola Adelowo Aremu prayed the court to declare the delegates’ list presented by the three members, Tony Macfoy,

Aminu Muhamed and Tayo Omojowogbe of the five-man electoral committee as contained in Exhibit ‘G’ of the affidavit in support of the originating summons as the valid and authentic one. The Concerned Electorate in a statement signed by Babawale Egbeyemi and Akinade Ogunlade (Chairman and Secretary respectively) however picked a hole in the ruling which was said to be skewed in favour of one of the governorship candidates in the state. It described the ruling as “a ‘judicial rascality of the year”. The group, therefore, urged the National Working Committee to discountenance the judgment as it ran contrary to an earlier ruling of the same judge which had recognized the reports and results of Oyo State Executive Committee of PDP as the authentic of all congresses, convention and meetings. They rather urged the NWC of the party “to accept and adopt reports and results submitted by Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong-led panel of 24th November, 2014, as the result to be used for the primaries in no long distance as only Oyo state behind the party primaries schedule.”

Anambra National Assembly primaries to hold today Ahaoma Kanu.

he National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled the Anambra State National Assembly primaries to hold on Sunday. This was announced in a statement by the National Publicity Sec-

retary, Chief Olisa Metuh who called on all aspirants to the Senate and House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP in Anambra state to be guided by the decision. He also implored decision electoral panels and delegates to the National Assembly primaries in the state, to abide by the party’s decisions.

L-R: Osile, Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Alake/Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; wife of Ogun State Governor, Olufunso; Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Agura of Gbagura, Oba Halidu Laloko, during the grand finale of the ninth Gbagura Day in Abeokuta… yesterday.

Osun pdp concludes primaries in nine constituencies Adeolu Adeyemo, OSOGBO

sun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party held its primaries on Saturday, for the House of Repsentatives throughout the nine federal constituencies in the state in a free and fair atmosphere. The exercise which went on smoothly in all the federal constituencies,

left all involved in a joyful mood. In an interview with newsmen after the exercise, chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, charged all other political parties to emulate the PDP which he described a disciplined party. He said. “The primaries is an internal arrangement within the party and as such there is no victor no vanquish.” Olaoluwa said in Iwo federal constituency Al-

haji Tajudeen Ajani won the primaries by 64- 59, in Obokun federal constituency Hon Oluwole Oke clinched the ticket of the Party. “Mr. Kayode Oduoye won Odo otin,Boripe and Ifelodun federal constituency also in Ila, Boripe and Ifedayo, Hon Ismaaila Kolawole clinched the party’s ticket. Irewole,Ayedaade and Isokan has Rtd Col Dupe Falabi as the PDP candidate. Mr. Oguntola

Oadipo became the Party’s candidate for Ede, Ejigbo and Egbedore federal constituency,” he said. Others who won the party’s tickets are Alhaji Bashiru Arogundade who won the Osogbo Olorunda federal constituency in Ife Federal Constituency; Prince Albert Adeogun beat John Fasogbon 58- 42 while Pastor Ayo Olowofoyeku clinched the party’s ticket by clinching 91 votes against his rival’s 42.

Insurgency: Kolade got it wrong - PDP Onyekachi Eze, ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the statement credited to former Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade on the Federal Government fight against insurgency, tantamount to turning the truth upside down. PDP in a statement on Sat-

urday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said Kolade got his facts mixed up about the character and person of President Goodluck Jonathan and the nature of the security challenges in our country. The party noted that as an eminent Nigerian who also served as the Chairman of SURE-P under Jonathan administration, Kolade has an unfettered access to the

President, and regretted that he could only resort to public mudslinging to express his views. “While we recognise the inalienable right of citizens to hold opinions and fully express themselves, especially given the institutionalised freedom Nigerians now enjoy under the present administration, it is only fair that comments, particularly those from prominent per-

sons in the mould of Dr. Kolade must be based only on the truth”, the statement noted. It added that the timing and the tenor of Dr. Kolade’s outburst, given the security and political situation in the land, is also very worrisome “especially when a nervesoothing statement from a person of his age and status could have encouraged our citizens and help douse the tension in the polity”.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 7 DECEMBER, 2014

Jonathan Nebuchadnezzar? I beg to disagree

Sunday

When doctors (PhD) agree, who will disagree?—Anonymous

s a literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka is revered the world over as a man whose words and or opinions are weighty and indubitable. So, when Africa’s first Nobel Laureate pronounces a verdict on something or somebody, well, too bad for such a thing or somebody if the verdict is a harsh one because the world will almost always go with Soyinka. Too bad, therefore, for President Jonathan that he has found himself on the wrong side of fastidious Soyinka’s sharp tongue as to earn the Nobel Laureate’s harsh characterization of him as the biblical Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient Babylonian king who was most famous for the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC. If a lesser mortal had likened Jonathan to Nebuchadnezzar, the President’s camp would probably not have minded. For, much of the biblical account of Nebuchadnezzar’s life and times is actually benign as it is largely about how he was used by God as an ‘instrument of judgment on Judah for its idolatry, unfaithfulness and disobedience’ (Jeremiah 25:9) and as an example of His incontestable sovereignty over all men. But, coming from Soyinka, it was, to be sure, a big issue, especially with virtually every newspaper in the land screaming: ‘You are worse than Nebuchadnezzar, Soyinka tells Jonathan.’ The point, really, is that King Nebuchadnezzar was not altogether as repulsive and loathsome a character as any portrait of a modern leader in the image of the ancient Babylonian king would seem to convey. In Daniel 2: 47, for instance, it is recorded that after Prophet Daniel, through a miracle from God, interpreted his dream for which he had earlier killed his astrologers and wise men because they couldn’t interpret it, Nebuchadnezzar, a worshiper and custodian of Babylonian gods, declared: “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Similarly, in Daniel 3: 28-29, after Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue as ordered by the king, were thrown into a blazing furnace but were miraculously recued by God, the king declared: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Again, after God restored Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity, seven years after he was rendered insane by God for disobeying His warning, conveyed in a dream interpreted by Daniel, that he should show more humility in his conducts and recognize that his power, wealth, and influence were from God, not of his own making, an effusive Nebuchadnezzar declared in: “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:3), adding in Daniel 4: 34-37: “For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

abugufex@gmail.com 08076290498 (sms only)

Jonathan

Soyinka

… “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” This was the essential, spiritual Nebuchadnezzar. Much of secular interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s role in biblical history, however, is that he was brutal, powerful, arrogant and ambitious (emphasis, mine). As one blogger put it, “tired of the rebellions, and seeing that Judah had not learned its lesson when he invaded, conquered and deported Judah in 597, Nebuchadnezzar and his general, Nebuzaradan proceeded to completely destroy the temple and most of Jerusalem, deporting most of the remaining residents to Babylon.” Remember how he mercilessly killed his ‘astrologers and wise men’ simply because they could not interpret his dream, which Prophet Daniel eventually did and gained so much favour in the eyes of the king. My guess is that it’s from this secular history that Soyinka drew his inspiration for his hash remarks about Jonathan in the press conference the Nobel Laureate held on Tuesday last week. But, just what, you would ask, must have irked the intellectual giant so much about the man for whom he had, barely a week earlier at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, called for support over the fight against Boko Haram and other security challenges that he would descend so heavily on the shoeless child that became president? It is this: Aminu Tambuwal’s political travails over his defection from PDP to the opposition APC. On November 19, some three weeks back, a combined detachment of police and SSS detectives was reported to have barricaded the entrance to the National Assembly complex in Abuja and insisted on frisking each member of the national legislature before allowing them in. But, believing that such security measure was only a ploy to prevent Speaker Tambuwal from entering the House Chambers to preside over the day’s session, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives began scaling the fence to gain entry into the National Assembly. The Speaker himself scaled the fence to gain entry into the House Chambers. The foot-

age on national television and front page photographs the following day of men in long, flowing gowns jumping the fence to enter the National Assembly Complex triggered national fury at what many termed ‘a show of shame’ by the nation’s legislative elite. Soyinka takes umbrage at what happened that day and blames Jonathan and the IGP Suleiman Abba for what he calls “unambiguous declaration of war against the people.” Most rational commentators on national issues have condemned that event of November 20 as needless, peacedisrupting muscle-flexing between the ruling PDP and opposition APC over Aminu Tambuwal (as a matter of fact, Soyinka is weighing in a shade too late; he seemed to have waited for the crystallization of a dominant opinion on the matter before taking a position in line with that dominant opinion). One has said elsewhere that if, indeed, Tambuwal was the target of the “security measures” at the National Assembly on November 20, a more strategically thinking party would have handled the issue much better. But, to liken the barricade of the National Assembly Gate and police insistence on frisking House Members before allowing them in to a BRUTAL action only a Jonathan acting like Nebuchadnezzar could have taken is, with all due respect, a very inappropriate comparison. I do not even see how that unfortunate episode coheres with Jonathan, like Emperor Nero of Rome, fiddling while Rome (Nigeria) burned. To successfully qualify Jonathan’s responses to the activities of the opposition as highhanded or, if you will, Nebuchadnezzaran (pardon the coinage), the Nobel Laureate should have obliged us with a series of similar actions taken by Jonathan in the past to undermine democracy or, as the savant literary giant put it, to do “nothing… more unworthy of leadership than to degrade a system by which one attains fulfillment…(which is)… what the nation has witnessed time and time again in various parts of the nation, the recent affront against the legislative chamber being only the most blatant and unconscionable…” But, the only other example the prof gave us about the ‘reign of

impunity’ in the country under Jonathan is the Governors’ Forum election fiasco which he referred to as Jonathan’s “own personalised example where he set the law of arithmetic on its head… (through) his ‘formal’ recognition of the minority will in a straightforward, peer election (an act by which) democracy has been rendered meaningless where it should be most fervently exemplified.” While we may decry the above two examples the shenanigans of the political elite which we can do without, none of them qualifies as a brutal assault on democracy or human persons, the type that Nebuchadnezzar would have taken if he found anyone opposed to his will. With the politics of Rivers and Tambuwal’s acrimonious defection to advise us, one wonders if the PDP should still be blamed for taking certain actions, as unwholesome as they may seem, to defend its own turf against the forceful march of the opposition. My view is that shorn of the Soyinkasque complexity of language and imagery, the Nobel Laureate’s recent comments on President Jonathan could well have been made by either the wily Lai Mohammed or the combative Joe Igbokwe, both APC spokespersons in their own rights. In other words, the comments were decidedly partisan! I insist that Prof. Soyinka’s characterization of President Jonathan as Nebuchadnezzar is inappropriate. Why are our soldiers in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa being killed by Boko Haram insurgents? Because this President, in a bid to protect the civilian population, insists on civilized rules of engagement with the insurgents who blend with the population and constantly emerge from among the people to attack and kill our troops. An Obasanjo (now, that is the brutal leader) would since have leveled Sambisa Forest (Chibok Girls watts et al), Mubi, Gamboru and any other town the insurgents may have dared to infiltrate, in order to get at them and the vocal Lagos press would simply have hailed him as a strong President. But, a President Jonathan sent a hard-fighting General Ihejirika against the insurgents and the army chief succeeded in confining the terrorists to an insignificant part of Borno but we all joined in chorusing phantom genocide and demanded that Ihejirika be removed. In the spirit of democracy, the President obliged us and we now turn around to say he is fiddling while Nigeria burns. Can a people have their cake and eat it? I am surprised that even a Soyinka could stake his reputation to defend Aminu Tambuwal. This man is no symbol of the democracy that Africa’s literary Numero uno has spent most of his life preaching and fighting for in Nigeria. A man who has changed party affiliation five times in a 16-year political career as Tambuwal has done cannot be the ideal democrat we must split hairs over. And, by the way, why was Tambuwal working so menacingly into the National Assembly with a motley crowd of people as if he was going to war, as the police claimed? Would it not have served our collective sense of decency better if Tambuwal and Co had submitted themselves to the police to be searched before being allowed into the National Assembly Complex? After all, according to reports, Senate President David Mark was also delayed before being allowed in. At a time of security emergency as police intelligence report suggested there was at that time, everybody must abide by measures put in place to secure lives and property, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It’s time we dispensed with this idea that the opposition is always right and the government wrong. If the APC (the symbol of the opposition) whose chieftain Audu Ogbe has told us is responsible for the undue politicization of the anti-insurgency war is always right, then I wonder who is ever wrong.

SPORT Sani Kaita: I paid dearly for patriotism

FELIX O. ABUGU

Sanctity of Truth

Jonathan Nebuchadnezzar? I beg to disagree

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The abysmal retreat of rationality and logicality in national discourse (1) PREAMBLE I speak and write from the vantage perspective of a Nationalist, a detribalised Nigerian, who has no links or affiliations to any of the existing political parties, the ruling PDP, or opposition APC. I am not a card carrying member of any political party. I challenge any politician who has seen, or met with me, at any political party meeting, convention, summit, caucus, or rally, in the last 10 years, to prove the contrary. As a front line Human Rights Activist, prodemocracy crusader, Lawyer and patriot, I view and discuss issues from a Nationalistic perspective, using the platform of Nigeria as my fulcrum and prism. I prefer to make my modest contributions in the realm of Human Rights, Rule of Law, Democracy, good governance and Law and Order. This, I have done over the years. Contributions need not only be through active politics. It is therefore important to emphasise that for now, I am not into partisan politics. If God will decide for me otherwise in the future, I will wait upon Him. I have equally made my modest contributions to Nigeria at the National Political Reform Conference (2005), Vision 2020 (2009) and the recently concluded National Conference (2014), where my mantra had always been Nigeria, Nigeria, Nigeria. This preamble is necessary in this era of Political partisanship and brinkmanship, where everything you say, or write, is interpreted from a political perspective. The Nigerian Politictrician! What can he not do negatively? Nothing! NIGERIA IS WITNESSING A DANGEROUS BIFURCATION The incidents in the recent past have clearly underscored and affirmed this dangerous bifurcation of Nigeria into political camps, in terms of thinking, critiques, rationalisation and analysis of events and discourse, of serious national issues. Let me give some samples of this sorely missing link of rationality in recent political discourse. WITHDRAWAL OF TAMBUWAL’S SECURITY DETAILS When Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Speaker of the green Chambers of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives, defected from the PDP to the APC, his security details were promptly withdrawn by IGP Suleiman Abba, who argued that under Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution, Tambuwal had ceased to be Speaker of the House of Representatives, consequent upon his defection. I was probably the first Nigerian, of her about 170 Million citizens worldwide, who took on the IGP, lampooned him and advised him to immediately restore Tambuwal’s security details. My argument was and still, is, that the question of whether Tambuwal’s defection is constitutionally or legally justified, is a matter for judicial interpretation by our Courts of law. I argued that IGP Abba cannot usurp judicial interpretative functions of the Court and that Tambuwal can be justified in defecting from PDP to APC, if he can clearly demonstrate that PDP, the

The

Nigerian Project

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08128444555 (sms only)

Mu’azu

Oyegun

party on whose Platform he was elected to the House and also became Speaker, has suffered such a yawning division due to schism, or merger with another political party, in such a way that its nomenclature has totally been altered. That is what Section 68 (I) (g) of the 1999 Constitution envisages. To declare Tambuwal’s carpet-crossing unconstitutional and therefore withdraw his security guards, the IGP was dead wrong, I had argued. I also posited that, being the number four citizen of Nigeria, Tambuwal is entitled to Police protection, not as citizen Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, but as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, duly elected by the House’s 360 members. I also argued that Tambuwal remains

Speaker at least till December 3, when the House reconvenes, and that in any case, only a Court of law, or members of the House can, under Sections 68 (1) (g) and 50 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, legally determine by 2/3 majority votes, whether or not he ceases to be speaker, not IGP Abba, or any other person, for that matter. I also vehemently disagreed with IGP Abba for saying he did not recognise Tambuwal as Speaker. He could not fairly say that. Tambuwal remains Speaker until he is removed by either his colleagues or the Court. This was and is still my position. For this clear legal and moral thinking and analysis, devoid of political undertones, colouration or partisanship, PDP members and sympathisers descended

MAMA LASISI

on and literally feasted on me, especially in the social media, accusing me of being a sympathiser and political hireling of the APC. APC sympathisers and admirers on the other hand, praised me to high heavens. I was the new Daniel come to Judgment, with the rare wisdom of King Solomon. The Nigerian Politictrician! What can he not do negatively? Nothing! THE UGLY SCENE OF LEGISLATORS SCALING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FENCE About two weeks ago, Members of the Nigeria Police Force sealed up the National Assembly, allegedly on security alert by some unknown persons, that the Assembly will be invaded by thugs or terrorists. The Police said they had also alerted the National Assembly Leadership about this imminent threat. The Police may have lied. They may also have had it on good security authority that the threat was real. I have since watched some political commentators standing logic and reality on their heads, by cheaply arguing, that, the National Assembly was immune to Police check or presence. It is incredible to hear people speak like this. Have such people read Section 4 of the Police Act, which gives the Police the overall power to detect, investigate, prevent and prosecute any criminal matter and also nip crime in the bud, whenever and wherever threatened, and however remote? Have the Police not always had its presence fully established at the National Assembly, with a whole Police Station, or post, headed by a DPO? When did the National Assembly become a no-go area for the Police and other security agents? THE SOYINKA THESIS: MY OWN ANTITHESIS Joining this fray of surprising commentators, is respected Prof Wole Soyinka, our own eminent Nobel laureate. Lambasting the press for describing the Legislators’ act of scaling the National Assembly walls, as a “show of shame”, the Laureate instead, in his thesis, described it as their finest hour. No, Prof, you got it all wrong, very wrong here. I have a contrary thesis, my own antithesis. • Follow me on twitter @ MikeozekhomeSAN

By Aliu Eroje

Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off ACME Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos. Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: EMEKA MADUNAGU.