Binder1 friday, june 12, 2015 by Newtelegraphonline

Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Friday, June 12, 2015

Vol. 2 No. 478

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N150

I won't interfere in legislative matters, says Tambuwal }49 NEW TELEGR

NNPC to supply 1.1.bn litre to ease fuel scarcity lCBN puts non-performing credit at N400bn

Johnchuks Onuanyim, Abdulwahab Isa and Adesina Wahab

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has a stock of over one billion litres of petrol with which it will tackle the shortage that has crippled the

nation in the last three months. NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Dawha, said yesterday in Abuja that the oil corporation was doing all it could to end the fuel scarcity.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

JUNE 12, 2015

Music

Sony Music parades eight on its Week 23 Delivery

Entertainme nt

Wizkid’s em ail hacked

He is optimistic that the situation will get better by next month when the Port Harcourt Refinery is to commence refining of crude oil.

APH FRIDAY,

Nigerian Idol

Dolu & K-Peac e tear selves for Etisalat Nigerian Idol apart V

usiness partne rs and er associa tes of Nigeriothsupers a’s popularly tar, Ayo Balogun has been known as Wizkid , informed to wary of criminals who them as they may want to con have hacked the email into of This much the entertainer. an officia was explained in l statement Monday, June issued on ers, List Entert8 by his manag The statem ainment. ent signed CEO, List Entertainme by the day Are, reads thus: nt, Suntertainment “List Ento the attentiwould like to bring public that on of the genera l accounts the certified email of artiste and front-line Nigerian Music, Ayo founder of Starboy known as Balogun popularly hacked. The Wizkid has been followingacco starboybooki unts; ayobalogunw ngs@gmail.com, izkid339@gma com and il. wizkid com are curren ayo@gmail. to send fraudu tly being used lent emails business to partners and associates of the artiste other Are further .” stated that, said email “The accounts are ger under our contro no lonwant the l and we general public regard all mails receive to disit. All mails d should be from to sunda sent y.are@listente mentng.com rtainservices of or call to enlist the Wizkid Wizkid recent .” ly announced List Entert ainment as management his company new business for all engagements.

Eucharia, Am name inspir ata me’ — Joy ed

What is really in a name? the name, helped Joy amata, has amata, an actress, graduate of the delta State a script writer and a surname has University, abraka, whos helped open e doors even not related when she is in any way to the famo in an exclu us amata dynas sive interview ty. with new teleg amata, who defied her raph, fathe of science, said Eucharia’s r to study arts instead roles in movi encouraged her choice es actually of profession .Excerpts…

charia Anuno acting made bi. My passion for who wanted me disobey my father I am not cut out but I picked me to go for science lieve in getting for that, as I bemy jobs on art I think it merit. I hold a degreeinstead. is a in social studies you know wholetdown because if in Delta State have to sleep you are, you won’t I tried severa University, Abrak with anyon a. sion into the l times to get admis- a role. e to get ment there, Theatre Arts Depart I had to get but was not success - you have feature ful; films d in some mnet into school when I heard and many movies anyway. So , how were cast and Film there was a Broad- you able to break After graduthrough? in Delta State, Academy at Ozoro ating I was so happy Broadcast registered and Film from the and as Academy uating with a student there, grad-I Ozoro I relocat at ed a Diploma in Mass Comm upper class my land of birth back to Lagos, to pursue acting highest scoredunication. I was Joy the thoughcareer. It has not been my studen writing in easy my set. I alsot in script in all. , but God has been Five Best faithful The indust won Top Actress in ry is corrup it takes God Delta State the Niger t and Why acting grace Delta Film in instead of Competition. be seen and apprec for a talent to other professions? iated. My feature is It cannot be best my Acting has all rosy, what to fall into voice and the ability been your has major my dream been passion since challenge as and hard workincharacter easily. I an actress There are am While I was I was a little girl. ? ful in and g, strong and beautithe movie lots of challenges out. school I alwaysin my elementary in industry, Yes, I have but my main challenge got a special ment from featured is treatin some man’. That that of ‘man knows Mnet films and they thoughmy teachers, becaus also is a situati you have on where lar sitcom Tinsel in their popuAmata and t I was related to Frede to among others numerous For some a producer be close to a directo to mentio to great AmataZack Amata from r, feature or the execut the ducer, or even d in movies n. I have also has helped dynasty. My surnam people, like Stereot the marke ive pro- Drift beyond me someh e a good role dustry, it Conscience ype, in a movie1 ter to get 11am gives me ow in the insex sells in to auditio as well as i have gone and special attention and I ns where Anita and among others thank The I LWKM did and my they were D that. They Nollywood, Amata’s for impressed, thing in stage plays I have also feature have inspire for me to d only Woe like, d me a lot. be my main cameo; and called to appear as unto Death, Human Cargo, Apart from Obatala, Odara, the coincid to people the leads and subs a Imaguero etc. ence of name, who else inspired challenge got who didn’t the auditio even attend believe world? you into the make ns! Apart from is that There are eucharia who Eucharia role model, tion compa very few produ and what are is your person that Anunobi was anothe of ‘man c- plans? your future r inspired me. new faces. nies who promo ment I watche te The moMy role model knows no matter Their belief is that ‘Died Wretch d her in the movie how good is Angela sett. My hobbie can’t sell you string. I love ed’, her role pulled their movie are, you ing s are singing Basman’ a and her not s, , cookacting so which is true as swimming. I grew up much. become a I intend wanted to chance to one has to be given directo to act like Eubecom I know a directo e a known face.a ning towards r, which I’m plangoing for trainin r hat involve a former girlfriends s his determg. I believe in hard in every of his shoots work, ination and . but above consistency all I believe , in God.

}25 Best of entertainment

APC set to sanction Saraki, Dogara, others Wizkid

sony neme

Editor, EntErt ainmEnt

sony.neme@newte

legraphonline.com

Publishing Company Limited

lDon't persecute N'Assembly clerk, says PDP lSpeaker moves to pacify state caucuses }5

Quick Read

Editorial

New wave of criminal desperation}19 Govt endorses sack of UNIOSUN VC, }46 others

L-R: Senator Aliyu Wamakko; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, at a reception in honour of new National Assembly members in Abuja...Wednesday night.

Boko Haram: Nigeria heads MNJTF lBuhari pledges to release $100m to regional coalition force

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Congratulations!

His Excellency, Nasir El-Rufai, Executive Governor, Kaduna State

My family and I wish to congratulate Your Excellency Nasir el-Rufai on your election as the Executive Governor of Kaduna State. The people of Kaduna have spoken in one loud voice with your choice. We wish you a successful tenure in office. Signed

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, MON Chairman,

Slok Shipping

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Travel Advisory

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

International Flight Schedule Air France

Destination Abuja- Paris Paris-Lagos Paris-PHC PHC-Paris Paris –Abuja Lagos –Paris

Flight No. AF 513 AF 3822 AF514 AF513 AF514 AF3849

Departure 23.55hrs 10.55hrs 11:00hrs 21:20hrs 11:00hrs 23:55hrs

Arrival 6:05hrs 17:15hrs 19:15hrs 6:05hrs 17:00hrs 6:20hrs

Amsterdam-Lagos Lagos-Amsterdam

KL587 KL588

13:15hrs 23:05hrs

20:00hrs 05:50hrs

KLM

ARIK AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York

W3 101 W3 102 W3 107 (Mon, Wed , Fri) New York-Lagos W3 108 (Tues,Thurs, Fri) Lagos-Johannesburg W3 103 Johannesburg-Lagos W3 104 Lagos-Douala - (Tues, Wed ,Thur) Douala-Lagos - (Tues, Wed, Thur) Lagos-Accra Accra-Lagos

Abuja-Accra Accra-Abuja Lagos-Freetown Freetown-Lagos Lagos-Banjul Banjul-Lagos Lagos-Dakar Dakar-Lagos

-(Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun) -(Mon, Wed, Fri) -(Daily) - (Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri,Sat) -(Tue,Wed, Fri,Sat,Sun)

BRITISH AIRWAYS

London-Lagos Lagos-London Abuja-London Abuja-London

07:00hrs 20:05hrs 20:10hrs 11:45hrs

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

16:00hrs

Lagos-Kigali

11:15hrs

16:45hrs

10:45hrs 09:35hrs 11:10hrs 13:25hrs 07:20hrs 17:00hrs 08:05hrs 13:35hrs 18:00hrs

hrs 14:44hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

AWB 201 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) AWB 202 (Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun)

14:00hrs

17:30hrs

22:35hrs 15:10hrs

06:00hrs 21:20hrs

17:00hrs 06:00hrs 08:00hrs 17:00hrs 08:00hrs 15:20hrs 21:00hrs

hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

01:00hrs

hrs

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

EK 7821 (Sun-Sat) EK 7822 EK 7831 EK 7811 EK 761

21:30hrs 14:40hrs 07:35hrs 14:20hrs 23:55hrs

07:40hrs 01:05hrs 12:50hrs 19:45hrs 10:30hrs

Lagos-Doha Flight Doha-Lagos Flight

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 07:20hrs

23:45hrs 13:35hrs

Lagos-Atlanta Atlanta-Lagos

DL053 DL 054

22:15hrs 5:15hrs

05:32hrs 16:15hrs

Lagos-Houston Houston-Lagos

UA 143 UA 142

10:10hrs 19:10hrs

6:05hrs 15.15hrs

Lagos - Addis Ababa ET900 Addis Ababa - Lagos ET901 Abuja - Addis Ababa ET910 Addis Ababa - Abuja ET911 Enugu - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Enugu ET931 Kano - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Kano ET931

13:15hrs 09:00hrs 13:40hrs 09:40hrs 12:00hrs 09:20hrs 14:05hrs 09:20hrs

20:25hrs 12:15hr 20:10hrs 12:20hrs 20:50hrs 11:15hrs 20:50hrs 13:20hrs

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 16:00hrs

5:25+1hrs 20:20hrs

Lagos-Casablanca Casablanca-Lagos

AT738 AT 737

06:25hrs 02:15hrs

09:55hrs 6:00hrs

air maroc

20.45hrs 09:50hrs 09.20 hrs 06:30hrs

12:30hrs

Lagos-Dubai Lagos-Dubai Dubai-Lagos Dubai-Lagos Abuja-Dubai

IBERIA

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

EY 0672 (Sunday) (Monday) (Saturday) EY 955

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

MEA 571 MEA 572

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

to Lagos)

UNITED AIRLINES

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

KQ 533 KQ 534

11:55hrs 5:50hrs 14:35hrs 06:00hrs

DELTA AIRLINES

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

17:55hrs 00:00hrs 09:00hrs 22:40hrs

QATAR AIRWAYS

VS 652 VS 651

18:30hrs 05:15hrs 05:30hrs

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

EMIRATES AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos

12:00hrs 21:30hrs 23:50hrs

Middle East Airlines (Two flights weekly (Tues & Friday)

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

HF 851 (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) HF 852 (Mon,Wed, Thurs, Sat)

ASKY AIRLINES

Destination Lome to Abuja Abuja-Lome- Kinshasa Kinshasa-Abuja Abuja-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Kinshasa Kinshasa-Libreville Libreville-Lagos Lagos-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Brazaville Brazaville-Libreville Brazzaville-Lagos Lagos-Lome

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

Flight No. KP 032 (Tue-Fri) KP 032 ( Tue-Fri)

Departure Arrival 14:00hrs 15:55hrs 16:30hrs 18:15hrs

KP 033 (Wed-Sat) KP O33 (Wed-Sat) KP O40 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP O44 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP O45 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat)

8:20hrs 10:35hrs 13:00hr 14:40hrs 17:00hrs 7:15hrs 9:35hrs 11:55hrs 13:10hrs 14:50hrs 17:10hrs 07:00hrs 09:20hrs 11:40hrs

10:00hrs 12:20hrs 14:00hrs 16:30hrs 18:45hrs 08:55hrs 11:25hrs 12:45hrs 14:10hrs 16:40hrs 18:50hrs 08:40hrs 11:10hrs 12:30hrs

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE ARIK AIR

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 12:40pm

Lagos-Abuja/Kano 4:00pm Abuja-Kano 5:45pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kan 10:10am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 12:40pm Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm WEEKEND SCHEDULE SATURDAY Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Sunday Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 10:30am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 1:20pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm

FIRST NATION AIRWAYS

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45

(SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50

AEROCONTRACTORS

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30

MEDVIEW AIRLINES

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30

OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00

News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

APC set to sanction Saraki, Dogara, others Donald Ojogo, Johnchuks Onuanyim, Onyekachi Eze and Philip Nyam Abuja

he All Progressives Congress is to set up a disciplinary committee to deal with Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other errant party members that aided their emergence as leaders of the National Assembly. The party, still smarting from the ridicule it was subjected to when Saraki and Dogara defied the APC's decision and ran against its official candidates for the positions, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said none of the culprits would escape punishment.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke to journalists after some senators, led by Lawan, visited the National Secretariat of the party, stated that the party would use the culprits as scapegoats to discourage indiscipline and disloyalty in the party. APC said the party must bring the disloyal members to book. According to Mohammed, the case against Saraki and Dogara is indiscipline and disloyalty; therefore they must be disciplined according to the party rules. On reports that Lawan and his supporters had gone to court, Mohammed told journalists that the party was not aware of that. "I think the party made its expression clear on the matter; that it is unhappy with the outcome of the election and I think we

won't say anything beyond that. What the senators will do is within the capability and rights of the senators," he said. He stated that the senators were at the national secretariat to confer with the party. "They are our senators and they will like to confer with the party leadership. They came to confer with the party on the crisis in the National Assembly," he added. Mohammed also denied the allegation that Saraki was coming to see the national leadership of the party. He, however, stated that due process must take place before the disloyal legislators could be sanctioned. He said: Won't you tell someone his offence? Not only the issue of disciplinary panel, but there will be due process." The senators refused to

speak to journalists, saying they were instructed not to talk. Also, the members of the House, led by Gbajabiamila, visited the leadership of APC for a meeting that was held behind closed doors. However, Dogara yesterday met with different state caucuses of the lawmakers to calm frayed nerves.‎ Speaking separately to the caucuses, he expressed gratitude for their thoughtfulness in coming to identify with him, which is indicative of the fact that the House needs stability to function effectively in assisting President Muhammadu Buhari to provide good governance. He said: "My brothers, I won't call you colleagues because we belong to the same geographical entity which is our country, let me say this: politics is

over. Now we have to face the issue of governance. In politics, people have different views and positions either based on conviction or personal interest. "Like I said in my inaugural address, we as leaders have run out of excuses and Nigerian people are also tired of excuses. "We must come together to bring about stability and unity in the House so as to make the achievement of the president's policies a reality by facilitating enactment of legislations that would help him to govern well. "Those of us from the North must do more to ensure that we provide the needed leadership by making sure that our party succeeds because if we bicker and let the president fail, then it is we who have failed. "We must also commend the president for his decision not to interfere in

pledge to ensure that the mission is achieved. Besides Buhari, other national leaders at the meeting were Niger Republic President Mahamadou Issoufou, Chad's Idriss Deby and Benin Republic's Boni Yayi. President Paul Biya of Cameroon was represented by the Cameroonian Minister of Defence. Addressing the leaders, Buhari said: "Permit me, at this junction, to recall that Nigeria has already pledged the sum of $100 million for the smooth take off of the MNJTF. I

the process leading to our emergence by refusing to impose anybody on us. It was his stand on this matter that gave us the encouragement to offer ourselves for this leadership. "I bear no ill-feeling towards anybody who did not vote for me because this is the House for all and people must have their preference and I see all us as one. "We will not run a divided House on the basis of opposition to my bid during the election. This House must be stable for us to succeed." He also suggested that a member from one of the North-East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe should raise a motion proposing an international conference on the rebuilding of the region ravaged by Boko Haram. Speaking on behalf of the joint caucuses of both Kano and Jigawa states, Hon. Alhassan Garba Ado Doguwa said the delegation was in the speaker's office to felicitate with him on his victory, adding that the position taken by the Kano caucus was according to party directive for which they have no regrets whatsoever. Majority of the Kano lawmakers had supported Gbajabiamila against Dogara. Doguwa urged the speaker to bury the hatchet and carry everybody along in his leadership of the House. While the Adamawa caucus was led by Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak, a fresh lawmaker, that of Katsina was led by Hon. Nasiru Sani Zango-Daura, a returning lawmaker. The Gombe caucus led by Hon. Binta Bello and Imo by Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe. Speaking on behalf of the Imo caucus, Hon. Jerry Alagboso said the caucus members were in his office to reiterate its support for his leadership just as it did during election. However, New Telegraph learnt yesterday that a plot has been initiated to unseat Dogara. The plot, apparently being bankrolled by supporters of a party bigwig, is aimed at forging an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers with the aim of conceding the position of the deputy speaker to the opposition. A source said Gbajabiamila had been mandated to reach out to the PDP lawmakers in order to firm up arrangements that will

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

L-R: President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic, President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, President Idris Derby of Chad Republic and the host, President Muhammadu Buhari, during the summit of Heads of State of Lake Chad Basin Commission in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Boko Haram: Nigeria heads MNJTF Anule Emmanuel Abuja

embers of the four-nation regional force, Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), set up to fight Boko Haram have conceded the leadership of the organisation to Nigeria. The members, comprising Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon took the decision yesterday after a summit in Abuja during which President Muhammadu Buhari said he would redeem the

$100 million pledge by his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, to fund the MNJTF. The MNJTF was established by countries of the Lake Chad Basin towards fighting the Boko Haram insurgency. In a communiqué at the end of the summit, the leaders said Nigeria should hold the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF until the end of the mission. Also, Cameroon got the Deputy Force Commander position, which will be rotational every 12 months. The position of Chief

of Staff went to Chad and will be rotational every 12 months. The leaders of the fournation group urged the African Union (AU) to give financial support to the MNJTF to fund its operations, logistics and general mission. The summit also resolved to seek the support of strategic partners, notably European Union (EU), France, United Kingdom and United States and requested the President of the UN Security Council to make a declarative statement in support of MNJTF operations against

the Boko Haram terrorist group. It also adopted the Emergency Plan for Development in the Lake Chad Basin. Earlier, Buhari, who had pushed for Nigeria to permanently head the multinational task force until Boko Haram's defeat, said he would redeem the $100 million pledge by Jonathan. Buhari, at an ExtraOrdinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin, assured members that Nigeria would redeem the

News

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Don't persecute N'Assembly clerk, PDP tells APC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

ease out the speaker. As part of the plan, Gbajabiamila is expected to open discussions with the PDP lawmakers and give assurances that the position of the House’s deputy speaker will be conceded to them aside other juicy committee chairmanship positions. A PDP lawmaker from the South-West said his party felt betrayed as it could not produce the deputy speaker against an earlier arrangement with the Dogara group. “Our earlier agreement with Dogara and his group was that the PDP would produce the deputy speaker as it happened in the Senate but that was bungled by the man and his supporters. “We are particularly pained that the arrangement was not allowed to fly more so that there was an opportunity to so do when the APC had nominated two of their own for the position the PDP would have just taken the slot but even the nomination was disrupted on the floor of the House if you noticed. “As it is now, arrangements are on to re-enact that agreement; but this

time around, with the Gbajabiamila group and we have assurances that his leaders have given him the go-ahead to discuss with us and ensure we get it in the next six months,” he said. Another PDP member from the South-East who did not want his name in print, also said the arrangement was for Hon Leo Ogor to be nominated as deputy speaker. Efforts to reach Ogor were unsuccessful as he declined calls made to his mobile line just as he had not replied the text messages sent to his number as at press time. But the APC has de-

nied such an arrangement. “It is absolutely impossible for the party to have such an alliance with the PDP lawmakers; the report is not true. But I can assure you that the party will press for punitive measures against all those involved in the anti-party activities of Tuesday at the National Assembly,” Mohammed said. Meanwhile, the PDP has warned against any attempt by either the presidency or the APC to intimidate or harass the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and the Na-

tional Assembly Service Commission for performing their statutory functions during the inauguration of the National Assembly. The party spoke against the backdrop of a statement by Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, that the clerk was requested to shift the time for the inauguration to enable the president to address the APC legislators but he ignored it. PDP said such a statement "amounts to putting undue pressure on civil servants in the National Assembly for performing their legitimate duties and sends a serious sig-

nal which should not be ignored.” The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said any attempt by the APC to transfer its frustration, which was a product of its ineptitude, would amount to persecution. "It is a clear mark of disrespect to the constitution for the president and his party to fix a meeting for him to address their legislators the same time he had directed the Assembly to be inaugurated in line with the constitution. For 16 years that PDP nurtured democracy in this country, there was

never a day it attempted to arm-twist or intimidate the bureaucracy of the National Assembly to do its bidding given our recognition and respect for the independence and sanctity of the legislative arm," the statement added. It described as unfortunate the fact that the APC displayed its arrogance and disrespect for the constitution by attempting to adjust the president's promulgation order on the National Assembly's inauguration and seeking to put the governing party's interest over and above the constitution.

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

ABUJA

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L-R: Representative of Group Head, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Heritage Banking Company Limited, Olaide Okubanjo; Publisher, Genevieve magazine, Betty Irabor; former Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arumah Oteh and Co-Founder/Group Executive Director, Sahara Group, Mr. Tonye Cole, during a workshop in Lagos

Buhari pledges to release $100m to regional coalition force CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise." On the need to strengthen cross border patrol and intelligence sharing, Buhari said efforts must be targeted at limiting the insurgents' capacity to access funds and weapons. He added that the leaders should jettison the call for Nigeria to take charge of the command structure of the MNJTF for the next six months. According to him, Nigeria should be allowed to take charge of the body until such a time that Boko Haram is defeated. "While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us,

do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency. "Such a process will undermine, even if it not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies," he said. He urged the leaders to allow Nigeria control the force throughout the period of the war against Boko Haram. Buhari said: "I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for your excellences consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort. "This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.

"Our meeting today is premised on common resolve and commitment of member states of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated. "It is also going out with urgency to mitigate the suffering, which has been imposed on our civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and the terrorists. "Our meeting today provides us an excellent opportunity to finalise the instruments of the operations of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in order to give life to our joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents. "You will recall in my inaugural address on May 29, 2015, I affirmed that I will consult regularly with heads of government of

our immediate neighbourhood and I have, within four days of my assumption of duty as president, embarked on thank-you visits to the presidents of Niger and Chad. This important assignment was, however, interrupted because I had to honour the invitation extended to me by the G-7 member states to attend their meeting in Germany." Buhari said he would continue his thank-you visits to the remaining Lake Chad Basin Commission member states shortly. The MNJTF is a 'combined' multinational formation, comprising units of the Chadian, Nigerien and Nigerian armed forces. It was first organised as a solely Nigerian force in 1994 during the administration of the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to "checkmate banditry activities and to

facilitate free movement" along its northern border. In 1998, the task force was expanded to include units from neighbouring Chad and Niger with the purpose of dealing with common cross-border security issues in the Lake Chad region, with its headquarters in Baga, Borno State. However, as Boko Haram intensified attacks on Nigeria, its mandate was expanded to encompass counter-terrorism operations. In January 2015, its headquarters base in Baga was overrun by militants of Boko Haram, who massacred local residents and destroyed the town, after Nigerian soldiers of the task force defending reportedly fled from the attackers. The headquarters of the task force has now been cited in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Boko Haram kills 43 in Borno villages B oko Haram gunmen have killed at least 43 people and burnt down three villages in Borno State. Residents told AFP yesterday that dozens of rebels on motorcycles stormed Matangale, Buraltima and Dirmanti in Borno State on Tuesday, opening fire

on villagers before looting and burning homes. News of the assault was slow to emerge due to poor communication in the region after Boko Haram destroyed telecoms masts in previous attacks. "They came around 4p.m. on 20 motorcycles, three gunmen on each, and

attacked Matangale before proceeding to Buraltima and Dirmanti," a resident, Dala Tungushe, said. "They killed 43 people and burnt all the houses in the three villages after looting food supplies," Tungushe, who fled Matangale to Biu, some 90 kilometres away.

Matangale was worst hit by the attack as the attackers opened fire at an open well outside the village where residents had gathered to fetch drinking water and do their laundry. "The Boko Haram gunmen opened fire on the crowd at the well where they killed around 16 peo-

ple," said Bulama Karuye, another resident. "In all, we lost 43 people in the attacks. All the three villages were completely burnt." He added the number of casualties could have been much higher had some of the villagers not been away at a weekly market around

Troops of the 121 Special Battalion and 7 Division Strike Group, during the visit of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, to Gwoza, Borno State…yesterday.

PHOTO-NAN

40 kilometres away. Hundreds of residents of the affected villages, particularly women and children, fled to nearby Damboa town where they had sought refuge in a primary school, both Tungushe and Karuye said. They said the attackers came from nearby Sambisa Forest, a major Boko Haram stronghold from where hundreds of women and children kidnapped by the militants were rescued during recent military operations. Troops and local hunters from Damboa pursued the fleeing attackers into the bush and a gunfight erupted. "The soldiers and the hunters brought back a pickup truck and some motorcycles they recovered from the Boko Haram attackers... but we don't know how many of the gunmen they killed," Tungushe said. More than 150 people have been killed by Boko Haram since President Muhammadu Buhari took power on May 29, vowing to crush the militants and end their bloody six-year insurgency.

CBN puts non-performing credit at N400bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

He spoke on a day the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) expressed concern about the rise of non-performing loan in the banking system that has hit about N400 billion. Dawha, who spoke after the inspection of NNPC mega stations in Abuja, stated that the stock of 1.1 billion litres of petrol would last Nigeria for 27 days. “We are satisfied with the level of work that has been carried out so far at the Port Harcourt Refinery. So, if you start processing crude now, you will get the right result and not have any value distraction as would have been the case if the refineries were not operating appropriately,” he added. Dawha, who inspected the mega station in company of the Managing Directors of the Petroleum Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Haruna Momoh and NNPC Retail Outlets, Mr. Chris Osarowense, allayed fears of fuel scarcity. He said: "As at Thursday, June 11, PPMC has a PMS stock of 1.1 billion litres, representing 27 days sufficiency. "This stock is excluding volumes we are expecting for delivery within the next couple of days. "With this level of stock, we have intensified our

vessels and trucking operations to ensure that PMS is available at our vessels and trucking operations. "In the last five days, we have brought into Abuja 428 trucks of PMS, averaging 85 trucks daily to address the PMS requirement in Abuja and immediate environs.” He said NNPC and its subsidiary, the PPMC, in collaboration with major marketers and other stakeholders, are committed to ending the fuel crisis nationwide by this weekend. According to the NNPC GMD, the development was sequel to the Federal Government’s meeting with the oil marketers and other stakeholders on June 5. Meanwhile, about three per cent of the total credit in the banking system put at between N13 trillion and N14 trillion are trapped in the coffers of various bank debtors in the country, the CBN said yesterday. The rise in the amount of non-performing loans came just as the delay by President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute his cabinet and appoint a Minister of Finance has raised concerns over whether the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for June will hold. Although, the CBN allows an upper limit of 5

per cent non-performing credit, it said the three per cent, amounting to between N390 billion and N400 billion, was a substantial amount that must be recovered by lenders through legitimate means. To this end, the Bankers’ Committee – comprising banks, the CBN and other regulators in the financial industry, which met in Abuja yesterday, renewed the call on bank debtors to pay their debts before August 1 or be ready to face its ‘naming and shaming’ exercise, which would necessitate the publishing of the names of such debtors. Briefing reporters on the outcome of committee meeting, CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, said the committee resolved to publish names of banks’ debtors by August 1. She said: “Basically, what we discussed today (yesterday) is a continuation of discussion we had at the last Bankers’ Committee, which is publishing the names of serial debtors of banks. We discussed this at length. We agreed that there should be three months of grace by giving the debtors the opportunity to bring their debts to a new status. “By 1st August, any debtor that hasn’t done so, his/her name will be pub-

lished by the banks. Banks are encouraged to speak to their customers that fall into that category to put in more efforts to pay up their loans.” The committee also expressed satisfaction with the banking watchdog’s handling of the foreign exchange segment of the market, saying that the CBN has been meeting all legitimate forex demands. Speaking on forex transaction, EcoBank Plc’s Managing Director, Jibril Aku, said the committee agreed that the forex segment of the market had been stabilised. He denied insinuations of speculations in the forex market, saying that such things no longer exist after the apex bank introduced the reforms. “There is really no speculation in the market, because we run a quotabased system. Every forex you buy, you sell immediately. So, the demand gets supplied, hence, there is no room for any portion for speculation. The open position limit of banks are very tight so, there is really no reserve funds that you are holding for speculation and that is what has brought stability into that market,” he said. The committee also warned that bank customers that failed to complete data capturing for

Bank Verification Number (BVN) risks losing all banking services by June 30, the deadline for the exercise. Speaking on the BVN, Group Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa Plc., Phillips Oduoza, put the total number of bank customers captured in BVN at 12.5 million; a figure he said was a substantial mileage. Meanwhile, there are doubts whether the monthly meeting of the FAAC for June would hold. The meeting is normally presided over by the Minister of State for Finance with the Accountant-General of the Federation and other Federal Government officials and Commissioners for Finance from the 36 states of the federation in attendance. However, since the president has not constituted his cabinet, there is the fear that the absence of a Finance Minister could stall the meeting. This is coming at a time most states are having problem paying their workers' salaries and meeting other financial obligations. The only hope that the meeting could hold by the middle of the month lies in the appointment of a Special Adviser on Finance, who will supervise the

ministry in the interim, a source said yesterday. Also, a Special Adviser on Legal Matters that could supervise the Ministry of Justice might be needed to play the role of the Attorney General of the Federation. The source said the special advisers could be appointed since the Senate has approved the president's request to name 15 special advisers. It was gathered that with the adjournment of sitting by the Senate till June 26, the president would have to quickly name his advisers for the FAAC meeting to hold legally. However, the Commissioner for Finance, Ekiti State, Chief Toyin Ojo, played down the absence of the Finance Minister for the meeting to hold. "Yes, the FAAC meeting is normally chaired by the Minister of State for Finance with other officials of the ministry in attendance. I don't think the absence of a substantive minister will have any negative effect on the meeting. "There are other ministry officials who also have roles to play and who are still in the ministry and can still perform their official duties. I think the meeting would hold as scheduled," he said.

News

friday, june 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

national

ARG lambasts Kingibe over comment on June 12 Muritala Ayinla

he Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has lambasted Ambassador Babagana Kingibe over his alleged comment that the ghost of June 12 should be laid to rest on account of All Progressives Congress victory in the last presidential election. The group described the “June 12 struggle” as an albatross for those who betrayed its cause, naming Kingibe as one of those who frustrated the struggle. ARG, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, said Kingibe, who, some days ago, reportedly wants the “ghost of June 12 laid to rest” on account of APC’s victory in the last presidential election, has an antecedent that disqualifies him “from commenting on or identifying with the success of a democratic campaign.” The group expressed disappointment that Ambassador Kingibe as the Vice Presidential candidate of the annulled June 12 1993 Presidential elections which was presumed to have been won by late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, was expected to be at the forefront of the struggle, instead of calling for its abolition.

L-R:Managing Director, NNPC Retail Outlets, Mr. Chris Osarumwense; Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Haruna Momoh and Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Dawha, during the inspection tour of NNPC fuel retail outlets in Abuja …yesterday.

N8bn fraud: EFCC reveals bankers' investments, roles Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

ail applications argued on behalf of 10 bank officials involved in the alleged conversion of N8b property of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) suffered yet another setback yesterday in Ibadan as the court adjourned ruling on it till June 19, 2015. That was following startling revelations of how the accused persons had documented their roles in the alleged

Nigeria, Spain collaborate on stopping human trafficking Johnchuks Onuanyim ABUJA

he Spanish government yesterday issued certificates to 35 Immigration officers and four National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), who have just concluded training in Document Fraud Detection. The four-day programme was in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which the two agencies entered into for the col-

laboration against human trafficking and other such related cross border crimes. The Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo Sebastian De Erice, who presented the Certificate of Participation to the trained officers, said Spain was committed to the fight against what he described as the scourge of the 21st century even as he praised the governments of Nigeria and that of his country for the effort, which he said, has already started yielding results.

Nigeria spends N1.9trn on infrastructure annually — Report

igeria currently spends $10 billion (N1.9 trillion) per annum on infrastructure, according to the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) report issued in Abuja yesterdaday. The document, released by the National Planning Commission,

stated that about 50 per cent of the funding was provided by the private sector. It stated that bulk of the spending was concentrated in Information Communication Technology (ICT) at 28 per cent; transport 23 per cent and energy recorded 19 per cent.

fraud. The prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had earlier before rejection of the bail applications, told the court that some of the accused persons had explained their roles in the conversion, diversion and stealing of the whooping amounts between 2010 and 2014, adding that some of them also had different charges pressed against them in other cases. He argued that if they should be granted bail, they would jump.

Standing trial before Justice Adeyinka Faaji of the Federal High Court Ibadan were: Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Toogun Kayode Philip of the CBN, while the First bank staff among them were: Isaq Akano (a.k.a Isiaka), Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Oyebanji Akeem, Ayodeji Alatishe, Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke and Idowu Oguntade (now at large). The staff of Wema bank on trial include: Oni Adekola Dolapo, Afolabi Esther Olunike, Ademola Ebenezer Adewale and Omotoso Abimbola (now at large).

While opposing the bail applications argued by the various defence counsels, Jacobs said that all the three officials of the CBN and the five officials of the First Bank in their statements after the discovery of the alleged fraud in CBN, had put down the roles they played in defrauding the apex bank. Instead of destroying the mutilated cash as directed, the accused persons allegedly diverted the sums packed in N1,000 notes and re-circulated them to the public. According to the prosecution, the CBN officials involved in the cash fraud

supposed to be mutilated included Kolawole Babalola, who according to a deposition, is having six other similar cases against him pending before the courts and by so doing he can jump bail. Jacobs informed the court that the CBN discovered the huge fraud in 2010 when one box of N10 million that was supposed to contain N1,000 denomination was discovered to be filled with newspapers, adding that the CBN later notified the EFCC which later discovered over 8,000 boxes not open at the treasury of CBN.

AIT, CCL hail Egbemode's APC not prepared for appointment governance — Obanikoro Temitope Ogunbanke

AAR Communications Plc, the owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower 100.5FM, and Compact Communications Limited, have commended the appointment of Mrs. Funke Egbemode as Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited. DAAR Communication, in a congratulatory letter signed by its Group Managing Director, Tony Akiotu, stated that the elevation and appointment of Egbemode as New Telegraph Managing Director by the Board of Directors of Sun Publishing Ltd, the parent company of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited, was based on her several years of outstanding, remarkable and resourceful dedication to journalism excellence in Nigeria.

Describing Egbemode as one of the Social Barometers of the human society, Akiotu noted that the New Telegraph boss, through her highly illuminative, instructive, poetic and moralistic writings, has been able to influence and shape a better future for the country. In its congratulatory letter signed by its Managing Director, Chuddy Oduenyi, Compact Communication Limited, described Egbemode as a dedicated and committed professional. “Your appointment is an attestation to your uncommon industry, exemplary conduct and managerial acumen. It is no doubt a clarion call to greater challenges which calls for a rededication to ennobling ethos and assiduity. We are confident that you will bring to bear on this new role your trademark dedication, commitment and high sense of professionalism,” Oduenyi stated.

Wale Elegbede

ormer Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has taken a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the party’s move to contest last Tuesday’s election of National Assembly principal officers. Speaking yesterday in Lagos while being presented with the “Outstanding Students and Youths Mobiliser of the Year Award" by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone D, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, added that the APC leadership are civilian dictators. He said: “I was shocked when I heard that the APC is contemplating going to court to challenge the election of Saraki and Dogora. The move is absurd, needless and preposterous. It is now clear to Nigerians that the APC wasn’t prepared for governance and they don’t believe in demo-

cratic norm. “It is absurd for the APC to want to hand pick leaders for the legislators. We said this from the beginning that the APC are pretenders, not democrats. What I expected them (APC) to do is to determine who becomes the majority leader in their caucus. But to impose leaders on the National Assembly is unacceptable as they are not granted such powers.” While lamenting the high indebtedness of South West states, Obanikoro noted that, “It is sad that south west states are the most indebted states and Lagos alone has over 25 per cent of the debts. I only hope our states would not go bankrupt very soon.” Explaining why the student body honoured Obanikoro with the award, the zone’s coordinator, Sunday Asefon noted that the award was in recognition of the former minister’s outstanding assistance to students in the South West while serving as minister.

NEW TELEGRAPH friday, june 12, 2015

News

national

Court renews order barring NERC from hiking tariff Akeem Nafiu

ustice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos has renewed an earlier order restraining the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from implementing the new electricity tariff billed to be effective from June 1, 2015. The judge had, in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by a Lagos lawyer, Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi, barred NERC and the electricity distribution companies from going ahead with its planned increase in electricity tariff pending the hearing and determination of the suit. At the resumed hearing yesterday, Adebiyi informed the court that as directed, all the processes in the matter, including the enrolled order of court, had been served on NERC. He noted that by the provisions of the rules of court, NERC had seven days to respond, but that the commission was yet to do so. He disclosed further that in as much as he would love to proceed, it would be fair to give the commission benefit of doubt. He, however, urged the court to renew the order,

so as to preserve the subject matter of the suit. "My Lord, everybody is affected. Even this court is running on generator. There is a need to stop them from increasing the electricity tariff because Nigerians can't afford such and there is no justification for such increment," he said. In his submissions, a legal officer with NERC, Ifeanyi Umunna, said the commission had complied with the interim orders of court and that it was in the process of

appointing a counsel to defend it in the suit. He however pleaded for more time to do so. Justice Idris, in a short ruling, held that "the exparte order remains valid and subsisting". The matter was later adjourned to July 9, for hearing. Adebiyi, in the suit, is seeking an order restraining the NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff without a meaningful and significant improvement in

power supply at least for 18 hours in a day in most communities in Nigeria. He also wants an order restraining the NERC from foisting compulsory service charge on pre-paid meters not until "the meters are designed to read charges per second of consumption, and not a flat rate of service not rendered or power not used". He also wants the service charge on pre-paid meters not to be enforced until there is visible efficient and reliable power

L-R: Managing Director, PrimaGarnet Africa, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi; Chief Brand Strategist, Big & Bold Communications, Mr. Olajide Adeyemi, Director, Corporate Communications & Marketing, Greater Port Harcourt, City Development Authority (GPH), Mr. Adebayo Adeoshun and Chairman, Berger Paints Plc, Dr. Oladimeji Alo, during the unveiling of Big & Bold Communication Limited in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

MKO, hero of Nigeria's Saraki's election is constitutional — Lawyer democracy — Kalu Chukwu David

ormer Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu has extolled the virtues of the late Chief MKO Abiola, describing him as a living icon Nigerians will never forget. He noted that the goodwill Abiola enjoyed in his lifetime and even in death, irrespective of ethnic, political, religious and social divides is a clear testament to his generosity and commitment to humanity. The former governor made this remarks on Thursday in Abuja while answering questions from journalists in commemoration of 22 years of the annulment of June 12, I993 presidential election. It will be recalled that during his tenure as Abia State Governor, Kalu declared June 12 as a public holiday.

supply like those of foreign countries where the idea of service charge was borrowed. Adebiyi is further asking for an order of court mandating the NERC to do the needful and generate more power to meet the electricity use of Nigerians, adding that the needful should include and not limited to a multiple long-term financing approach, sourced from the banks, capital market, insurance and other sectors of finance to power the sector.

According to Kalu, the June 12, 1993, presidential election is still the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria. He said, "The presidential ticket of Abiola/ Kingibe, despite being a Muslim/Muslim ticket got overwhelming votes. Nigerians should learn that leadership entails selflessness and patriotism as exemplified by the late Abiola. "During 1993 presidential poll, voters came out en masse to vote for the then Social Democratic Party candidate without tribal or religious bias because of his antecedents as a philanthropist and genuine leader. ”Government at all levels should immortalize Abiola by sustaining the tenets of democracy and improving the well-being of Nigerians”.

ABUJA

constitutional lawyer and National Secretary, Labour Party, (LP), Barrister Kayode Ajulo, yesterday in Abuja gave credence to the election of Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the Eight Senate, saying that the process that produced him was constitutional. He also urged the aggrieved members of All Progressives Congress (APC), who were against the choice of Senator Saraki as the number three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to allow peace to reign by accepting the outcome of the Tuesday's Senate poll in the interest of the nation. While speaking to journalists in Abuja on the matter, Barrister Ajulo urged the APC as a politi-

cal party to emulate former President Goodlcuk Jonathan, who sacrificed personal interest to save the country from imminent chaos. He said: "For peace and stability to remain, Lawan and his group should accept the outcome of the election and take solace in the fact that President Jonathan started these peace moves by relinquishing power even before declaring Buhari's victory. "All I need to let them know is that there should be peace. This is the issue of sharing of offices. To me, I do not think we need to lose our heads over that. "Section 63 of the Constitution is so clear on how Senate President and the Speaker would emerge. Apart from the fact that it talked about proclamation, Section 63(3) fully explained about 1/3 as the quorum."

APC chieftain urges party leadership to support Saraki, Dogora Temitope Ogunbanke

chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State, Francis Onabis has appealed to the leadership of the party to support Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. Onabis, in a statement issued by his media officer, Ayokunle Oloye, said it will be undemocratic for APC not to recognise the leadership of the National Assembly who are its members. “Their (Saraki and Dogora) emergence is good for democracy in Nigeria. And in an as much they are our party members, they were free to contest for the post of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives,” he said. Onabis also warned that the APC leadership might over heat the polity if Saraki and Dogara are sanctioned over the manner they emerged as Senate President and Speaker respectively. He said while the party leadership must not condone indiscipline of its members, it must also provide a level playing ground for all members at all times. He warned that the overall goal of the APC to bring positive change must not be traded on the altar of internal rancour.

NECO blames poor performance of students on teachers' quality Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

he National Examination Council (NECO) has blamed the recurring poor performance of Nigerian students in public examinations on poor quality of teachers. This was as the body also revealed that it was considering the introduction of computer based examination into some of the objectives based subjects in subsequent examinations. Chairman of NECO Governing Board, Dr Paddy Njoku, disclosed this yesterday during the Board’s monitoring visit to the Model Secondary School, Maitama centre of NECO Senior Secondary School Examination, Abuja. He, however, said the performance of students

in the examination had improved in the last two years based on students who made five credits including Mathematics and English. Njoku expressed optimism that the performance would continue to improve as the rot that led to the poor performance of students would take time to fix, He blamed dwindling performance of students on the quality of teachers, adding that efforts were being made to address the problem. His words: “If we do not get the correct materials to teach the students in terms of teacher quality, we do not expect the students to do wonders. “We are trying to encourage in our own way, the authorities to make sure that teachers are properly motivated to produce good students."

FRIDAY,JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro

The suspects

‘We were arrested for breaking covenant with Ogun, say suspects OATH BREAKERS Robbery suspects believe nemesis caught up with them for breaking an oath Flora Onwudiwe

our suspected armed robbers, now in police cell in Lagos, said their arrest was possible because they did not keep to their covenant with Ogun (the god of iron).

John Edu

32-year-old man, Godwin Michael, now in police custody in Lagos, has blamed the devil for pushing him into armed robbery. Michael claimed he was not in his right senses when he was

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

The suspects, Michael Shomuti, Bimbo Ibitoye, Idris Adebari and Saheed Abdulkareem, who were arrested by the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), were all commercial bus drivers living at Ikorodu area of Lagos State. According to them, the money they made from driving was not adequate for them to take care of their families so they decided to form a robbery gang in 2014. However, before they embarked on robbery, they made a covenant by swearing in

the name of Ogun (the god of iron) that after they had made enough money to start business individually, they would stop robbery. Within a few months, the suspects said they realised N1.6 million, which was shared evenly among them, with each of the suspects collecting N400,000. But instead of starting a business of their own, they forgot their oath and intensified their robbery operations. For the first eight months, the suspects said they hired an

Opel Savera bus with registration number AGL 634 DE from a mechanic at Imota in Ikorodu. Shomuti said they hired the bus for N10,000 each day they went for robbery from 5am9am. According to him, they were constantly robbing people at Ikorodu, Ketu, Ojota, Oshodi, Oworonsoki, Bariga and Victoria Island, all in Lagos. The suspect said usually they do not pick more than two or three people in the bus to avoid being overpowered. But, according to Shomuti,

34, they scaled up their operations when they bought an operational vehicle, a Mazda MPV, marked AKD 519CJ. He said: “We usually commence operations from 8pm to midnight with two cutlasses as our weapons to threaten our victims. “We usually start from Ikorodu and pick the first victims at Berger Estate, dropped them at Iyana Oworo and from there to Oshodi. “Sometimes we picked five passengers at Oshodi and dropped them at Aswani on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.” The father of one said he lived at Ijede near Ikorodu before he decided to join robbery last year. He added: “I started robbery last year, I cannot remember how many times we have robbed but we robbed three times a week.” According to Shomuti, in one of the operations at Charley Boy bus stop, he was driving with Seyi and Kazeem who joined the gang later, in their vehicle. They picked two passengers, a man and a lady who were going to work on the Lagos Island. After robbing the man, they pushed him out of the moving vehicle while Kazeem raped the lady. This was after she was dispossessed of her handbag containing an ATM card, a handset, a wristwatch and an undisclosed amount of money. But suddenly there were gunshots from nowhere. Kazeem was hit and died instantly while Shomuti was rushed to a nearby hospital at Gbagada, where he spent 48 hours. The hospital invited SARS led by a Superintendent of Police (SP), Abba Kyari, which took the suspect to the General Hospital, Gbagada. He suspect was later referred to Police Cottage Hospital at Ikeja Police College. The police used Shomuti as bait to arrest three other suspects with the exception of Seyi who literally disappeared since the day of the shooting.

‘Devil pushed me into robbery’ committing crime. According to police report, the suspect was remanded in prison in 2011 over robbery case but was later released because of his poor health. A police source said Michael was a member of a notorious three-man robbery gang which specialised in breaking into people’s houses. The gang, on April 1, carried out a robbery operation at Ahmadiyya area on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. After robbing the first two

rooms and went to the third room, one of the robbers, Adeyemi Ibrahim, was arrested while Michael and the gang leader fled with the money realised from the raid. Ibrahim was handed over to policemen attached to Meran Police Station. He led police to Michael at Katangua Market at Abule-Egba on the outskirts of Lagos where he was selling clothes. The case was later transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja.

But the gang leader is still on the run. Michael said after he was released from Kirikiri in 2011, he could not trace any of his family members. He said: “No one came to me while in prison. So, I started selling second-hand clothes at Katangua Market. I make between N1,000 and N1,500 from every N4,000 clothes I purchased. Seeing that couldn’t solve my problem, I then asked Ibrahim and our leader to allow me to join them in robbery.”

Suspects

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY,JUNE 12, 2015

Undergraduate lovers die after using sex-enhancing drugs Pamela Eboh Awka

IG, Solomon Arase

wo students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Uli in Anambra State were yesterday found dead in an off campus hostel, a few metres from the campus. It was learnt that the female student, who hailed from Imo State, visited her boyfriend over the weekend but a few days later they were neither seen nor heard from. This led worried neighbours to raise the alarm. They invited men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Awkuzu, who forced the door of the room open to discover their lifeless bodies. A neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the male student, whose name was not disclosed,

was a 300 level student of Public Administration of the institution. He said the man and his girlfriend had died after a sex romp without anybody knowing until after a few days later when they did not hear any noise from the room. It was also alleged that the man drugged the girl, which resulted in her death. But sensing that his girlfriend had died, he also took the pills and lay beside her. The SARS officials have removed both bodies and deposited them at an undisclosed morgue. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Uche Ezeh, confirmed the story. He, however, said investigations were ongoing to ascertain the veracity of the claim that they used sexenhancing drugs.

I earn N40,000 for keeping guns for robbers –Suspect Taiwo Jimoh

29-year-old suspected armourer for robbers, Rasak Adeyinka, has told police in Ogun State that he earned N40,000 each time he kept the guns. The suspect was apprehended at his hideout at Owode in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state recently. The state Police Public Relations Officers (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects belonged to a gang of armed robbers who carried out serial attacks on prominent persons in the state between 2013 and 2014.

According to him, among the operations carried out by the robbers was the attack on the retired Primate of Anglican Church, an indigene of the state, Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola, at Aro area of Abeokuta, the state capital. He said: “The gang also attacked the rector, Dauda Adegbenro Information Communications Technology (ICT) Polytechnic at Papalanto area.” In the attack, the driver of the rector, one Musibau, was killed while the bursar, who was in the rector’s vehicle, sustained bullet wounds. Only the rector was said to have escaped unhurt, while

his Toyota Hilux vehicle was snatched by the robbers. Adejobi added that when the robbers could not drive the vehicle due to a mechanical fault, they set it ablaze. The same gang, he said, was responsible for the attack on former ace footballer, Chief Segun Odegbami, who was attacked at Wasimi area of Abeokuta in September 2014. The robbers also snatched Odegbami’s vehicle. According to the PPRO, the same gang killed a businesswoman and made away with her money while her three-month-old daughter was spared.

Aluko (left), Jayeoba and his wife, Moradeun at the event

he Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), House of Jubilation Area 12 Headquarters, Zone 1, Lagos Province 33, Ikorodu, recently provided streetlights in parts of Ipotoba community at Itamaga, Ikorodu, Lagos. Inaugurating the streetlights, Pastor-incharge of the Province, Pastor Dele Jayeoba, told members of the community that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. He said: “And as Light, He shines for all to see and follow Him. Where the Light of the world shines, darkness will disappear; sorrow will not be found; poverty will not

live in the area…” Jayeoba added that the House of Jubilation Area of the church is representing Christ and has brought physical light to illuminate the area. He said: “This means that as the light shines to take away darkness in the area, so has Jesus Christ who is the real Light come to deliver any oppressed in the community.” His wife, Mrs Moradeun Jayeoba, cut the tape to inaugurate the light. Pastor-in-charge of the Area, Pastor Jide Aluko, said the streetlight project was part of the corporate social responsibility of the church.

Housewife to die for stepson’s murder Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Jennifer Ijohor has sentenced a 38-year-old housewife, Mrs Ternenge Tersoo, to death by hanging for the murder of her one-year-old step son. It was gathered that the woman, who until the time of committing the crime, was still barren, killed the innocent baby because she was jealous of her husband’s second wife. The husband, Tersoo, had reported his wife to the police in 2012 that she had snatched the child from his nanny and strangled him. When the case came up, the woman, who testified for herself without calling any witness to support her claim, denied the allegation. Prosecution called two witnesses, including the investigating police officer, who tendered a medical report of the autopsy carried out on the baby at the General Hospital, Vandeikya.

Police warn motorcyclists against prohibited routes

Adeyinka

RCCG provides streetlights Customs Command generates N3bn He said: “The command’s Adeolu Adeyemo in Ikorodu community revenue figure generated beOsogbo he Osun and Oyo Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said yesterday that it generated over N3 billion from March to May this year. The command’s Area Customs Comptroller, Mohammed Bawa, who disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, said his men also seized contraband worth N113,450,176 within the same period. The comptroller also said that adequate arrangement had been put in place to ensure safety of officers during their operations along the borders.

City Briefs

tween March and May this year to be N3,651,706,440.44 within the period under review.” Bawa, who charged motor dealers to cooperate with his men at all times, advised them to follow due process and be free from embarrassment on the road. He said: “Customs officers and the association are partners in progress. “The command had put in place effective measures in the control of borders within the area command and we will need your cooperation by following the law.”

olice in Lagos State yesterday warned commercial motorcyclists not to ply routes where their operations had been prohibited, vowing that offenders would be arrested. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Kenneth Nwosu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the ban was still in place and strict enforcement would continue. He said: “The ban on Okada riding on expressways still stands, we know so many of the commercial motorcyclists will want to break the law and that is where enforcement comes in. “Anyone of them we see plying the expressway will get arrested and face the wrath of the law.” Some commercial motorcycles have suddenly resumed operation on Ikorodu Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and some other prohibited routes. Nwosu also reacted to reports on incidents of robberies by hoodlums riding motorcycles to forcibly dispossess pedestrians of their belongings. He said: “Wherever incidents like this occur, reports should be made to the nearest police station so that we can intensify our surveillance on that route. “People should not just keep quiet and assume that the police are aware of all the occurrences.”

One dies in police, cult members’ gun duel Chris Ejim Yenagoa

20-year-old man, identified as Blessing Amakiri, was shot dead yesterday during a gun battle between policemen and suspected cult members at Ovom in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The suspected cult members, according to the police, engaged the men from the Area Divisional Police Command in a gun duel during a routine raid of red spots in the state capital.

The incident, which occurred about 4.30pm, threw residents of the area into panic as many business owners hurriedly closed their shops. A witness, who identified himself as Solomon, said Amakiri was a visitor in the area and was shot dead while trying to run into safety. He said: “The boy was discovered to be a visitor in the area. After he was shot, the police patrol team later returned to take away the body. When they came back for the body, the policemen started flogging youths in the area.”

A senior police officer at ‘A’ Division told our correspondent that the routine raid conducted by personnel from the command was to apprehend notorious drug paddlers and cult members. He said: “The policemen were met by some cult members who asked them to leave the area but as the policemen refused to leave, they began to pelt them with missiles including stones and broken bottles.” It was gathered that a senior officer in the division arrived the scene and ordered the policemen to go after the cult members.

12 News

national

friday, june 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Gana, Oshiomhole, others, extol Oyakhilome Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

minent Nigerians, including politicians, the clergy and academia yesterday thronged the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma in Edo State as the institution honoured the founder of the Believers Love World (aka Christ Embassy), Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. The state owned university had conferred on the Edo born preacher an Honourary Doctorate Degree in Science for his contributions towards the infrastructure develop-

ment of the school, which is also his Alma Mata. Oyakhilome was also honoured for his support and humanitarian gestures to many through his church. The popular cleric, it would be recalled, last year built and handed over to the institution, a 600 capacity hall, in addition to constructed solar powered street light to the hostels. He recently donated thousands of solar powered lamps fitted with radio and charging points for mobile phones to all the students resident in the school hostels.

Court admits exhibits, adjourns Auxiliary's case to June 23 Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

he trial of the former boss of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State Branch, Mukaila Lamidi (alias Auxiliary), continued yesterday at the Oyo State High Court, with the Investigation Police Officer, Mr Idowu Akeem, tendering major exhibits associated with the case. Arraigned before a Magistrate's court some months to the last election, Lamidi is standing trial for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy. The prosecution alleged that he conspired with

Saheed Kareem,Taiwo Tijani, Abu Kareem and Kazeem Kayode, and others who are at large, to murder Adekunle Oladipupo by shooting him on March 2, 2014, around 9.45 pm at the Iwo Road Motor-Park, Ibadan. At the trial yesterday, the IPO tendered a Peugeot 607 car, a Nissan Micra car and ammunition which he claimed that Lamidi and his accomplices used to commit the crime. While being cross-examined by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Tajudeen AbdulGaniyu, Akeem told the court that the exhibits tendered were the ones used by the defendant in committing the crime.

L-R: Managing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dayanand Thandalam Sriram; Chairman, Mr. Edmund Onuzo and Company Secretary, Mr. Uche Uwechia, during the company’s 44th Annual General Meeting in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Minimah visits Maiduguri Emmanuel Onani Abuja

he Nigerian Army has confirmed that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, undertook an operational visit to formations in the 7 Division in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. This was contained in a statement signed yesterday by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Colonel Sani Usman. According to the DAPR, Minimah, during the visit, addressed, among others,

troops of 7 Division Strike Group (7 DSG) and 121 Special Force (SF) Battalion that comprised the Armed Forces and Nigerian Army Special Forces located in Pulka. He quoted the COAS as saying: "The exploits of these troops are quite numerous; apart from recapturing most Boko Haram terrorist held territories such as Pulka and Gwoza, they were able to destroy quite a number of the ter-

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Maj-Gene SJ Davies; Provost Marshal Army, MajGen. PAT Akem; Director Military Intelligence, Maj-Gen. LW Wiwa; General Officers Commanding 3 and 7 Divisions, MajGen. FO Ali and Maj-Gen LO Adeosun; the Coordinator of Nigerian Army Aviation Service, MajGen Leo Irabor; Chief of Staff, Office of Chief of Army Staff, Brig-Gen SE Oduonwa and the DAPR, Col SK Usman.

Ministry impounds office equipment of media houses in Anambra Pamela Eboh Awka

change of names

rorists’ camps in Kirawa and Kinene, as well as their workshops, training camps and arms stores, weapons and equipment. "They also recovered a T-55 Battle Tank, 2 Armoured Personnel Carriers, various calibres of arms and ammunitions from the Boko Haram". Minimah, according to the statement, was accompanied on the visit by Corps Commander of Nigerian Army Engineers,

en offices occupied by various media houses were yesterday in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, clamped down by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Business Premises Registration Unit of the Anambra State Government. The media organisations were alleged to be owing arrears of business premises levy. The ministry officials, numbering about 10, re-

portedly commenced the clampdown in the early hours of yesterday with two vehicles. First on their duty call was Champion office, where they confiscated one decoder and one Television set while seizing a generating set and one television set at the Punch Office. However, some of the media houses escaped the hammer when the officials arrived as their offices were securely under lock and key. The seizure note to Champion office read “In pursuit of the Busi-

ness Premises Revised Law of 1991, Section 25, subsection 1, the Anambra Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce in conjunction with OchaBridge Enforcement Unit of Anambra State confiscated these items for failure to register/renew your business premises for year 2012 to 2014”. Those who witnessed the impounding of the items expressed surprise that the Ministry could storm the media offices and impound their equipments at a very short notice and without regard to their function.

Mbu harps on police discipline, dress code Camillus Nnaji

he Assistant Inspector General of Police, (AIG) Zone 2 Lagos, Mbu Joseph Mbu, Commissioners of Police Lagos and Ogun states, Cornelius Aderanti and Val Ntomchukwu respectively and other top ranking officers yesterday held a brain storming session in Lagos.

Mbu disclosed that the meeting became necessary in line with the directives of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase on the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of the police among which are discipline and dress code. “The purpose of this gathering with the CPs and top ranking officers in the zone is to discuss key issues in the police."

The culture of discipline, dress code must be enhanced. I will arrest any officer I see in shabby dress that does not depict the image of the police force” The AIG stated that the protection of the highways are of paramount importance as the new IG has provided about 250 patrol vehicles and more are still coming.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

National Assembly

Senate Presidency

Sagay: Through fraud, Saraki has brought PDP back to power

Babatope: APC mismanaged own opportunities

June 12

Building the future from the past

Interview

Buhari should implement past reports – Ikponmwen

Politics

PDP’s coup as needed lifeline The political miscalculation of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) during last Tuesday’s elections of presiding officers of the National Assembly, inadvertently gave the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the much-needed lifeline to relaunch itself back to political reckoning, writes ONYEKACHI EZE

Saraki

Dogara

Ekweremadu

Metuh

he outcome of Tuesday’s election of the leadership of the Eighth National Assembly has brought the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) back to political reckoning. If for anything, the party decided the choice of the presiding officers of the two chambers; it also, against all predictions, produced the Deputy President of the Senate. Since it lost the presidential election, its majority in the National Assembly as well as some states under its control, after the 2015 general elections, PDP has directly or indirectly bounced back to power equation with the elections of the presiding officers of the National Assembly. The party had, few hours to the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, adopted the candidature of former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as President of the Senate and Speaker of

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

the House of Representatives respectively; it directed legislators elected on its platform to vote accordingly. It was a deft move that put the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) off guard. Before the inauguration of the Assembly, the party said it has no candidate for the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President. Olisa Metuh, PDP National Publicity Secretary, had told journalists after the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting last week that what was important for the PDP now was how to reposition itself to form a formidable opposition party. “We will not dabble into the affairs of the National Assembly,” he assured.

PDP is looking forward to the implosion of APC towards 2019 when the jostling for the party’s presidential ticket begins

By taking what supposed to be a neutral position, PDP did not only succeed in debunking the rumour that it might capitalise on the disagreement within the camp of APC to field a candidate for the office of President of the Senate; it was also able to make the APC believe that it has conceded to it the right to decide who preside over the two chambers of the National Assembly. But the surprise adoption of Senator Saraki and Hon. Dogara a night before the elections changed everything. It was a move that left APC napping. Before it could realise what was afoot, the party and its leaders were already licking the wound of defeat. A member of PDP described it as a master-

stroke. And for Metuh, APC paid dearly for the “naivety and crass inexperience” of its leaders. However, it was a payback time for the APC. Four years ago, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the political parties that merged to form the APC), engineered a revolt within the PDP, resulting in some members of the party in the House of Representatives to put forward candidates who defeated the party’s adopted candidates for the House presiding officers. This, Metuh recalled immediately after the Tuesday’s National Assembly elections when he stated: “This is payback time for the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who played the spoiler role against the PDP in 2011; this is just Politics 101.” It was easy for PDP to adopt Saraki and Dogara ahead of the APC’s preferred candidates. Less than two years ago, they were members of the party: so the PDP blood is still running in them unlike Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who had no past association with the party. Former PDP acting National Secretary, Bode Ojomu, had advised the members of the party to turn their back on the two as a price for leaving the PDP. “They decimated the PDP and now want to rely on it as strength to climb to Nos 3 and 4 in our nation.... If everybody acted like them who will be PDP Senators and House of Representatives members to be now courted to defend their interest for victory at all cost against their ruling party’s official position!” Ojomu wondered. Immediate former Abia State governor, Theodore Orji, who is now a senator on the platform of PDP however, said negotiation, not war, is necessary in politics. “What has happened today has shown us that politics is all about negotiation. It is not war always. When you negotiate, you give and take and things will work out well for us,” Orji told newsmen shortly after the Tuesday’s elections. Political analysts were quick to suggest that the working relationship between the President of the Senate and the PDP was an indication that Saraki was on his way to the party. But Saraki described this as cheap blackmail by his political adversaries. “Those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of prinCONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Politics

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPEN FORUM

...NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP

Sagay: Through fraud, Saraki has brought PDP back to power

Prof. Itse Sagay is a former Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Benin and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)

enator Bukola Saraki’s action was a major setback to democracy and decency in political culture. There are two ways you can look at it, from moral and constitutional point of view. If you consider the moral point of view, clearly the election was fraudulent and immoral. It was an election held deliberately in the absence of a very keen opponent who intended to contest. For me, it is an act of indiscipline against the people of this country not just the All Progressives Congress (APC) because we all have a stake in who becomes the Senate President and Saraki made a fool of all of us on Tuesday, not only the poor people who were held up somewhere in Abuja while he was going on with his chicanery. It is also a gross act of impunity because what he was saying is this, ‘I know my opponent is keenly interested in contesting this election, yet I shall rush an election quickly in his absence in order to get victory unopposed at any cost,’ that is what he has done. If you look at it from the legal point of view, it is my view that that election was a fraudulent election; it was not done in good faith. It was deliberately conducted in the absence of other candidates; it was orchestrated for that purpose, that absence was orchestrated and exploited. For me, it is illegal because

Saraki has brought the impunity, indiscipline and moral bankruptcy associated with the PDP into APC. The unkindest of all his acts was that he sold the right of the APC to the PDP Sagay

it is an abuse of opportunity, it is an illegitimate election. Saraki has brought the impunity, indiscipline and moral bankruptcy associated with the PDP into APC. The unkindest of all his acts was that he sold the right of the APC to the PDP for his own portion of pottage as Senate President. So, here we have fraud, subterfuge, deceit, under-hand method, treachery and betrayal. What he did

brings shame to all Nigerians because it shows that desperate people are now taking control of important organs of this country. So, we had impunity, fraud and political desperation on display in the National Assembly. On whether they were able to form quorum without the other members, there are two things, there is the technical right and there is a right which has

both the technical and the spirit of the law in it. That is why we have what is called equity. The British, centuries ago realised that if you rely on the dry bones of the technical law, a lot of injustices will be done. So, they brought in equity to cure the fraud which the law can create and make equity superior to law. So, where law and equity clash, equity prevails. Yes, there was a technical quorum but was there a real quorum? APC was lured away and the quorum was left with PDP and Saraki APC of about 10 senators. So, they abused and misused that technical quorum, rendering that quorum to be illegitimate and the result of their action totally illegal and unacceptable. President Muhammadu Buhari was not well-advised, he jumped at congratulating them without waiting for a proper legal advice. It is a pity and he should learn a lesson from that; he should not jump into legal conclusion without proper advice because he is not a lawyer. The APC should go to court and they should not allow such kind of impunity to go away without a challenge. By this act of illegality and fraud, Saraki has brought back the PDP into power in Senate and the APC will be irresponsible to allow that happen without challenging it vigorously. Interview by WALE ELEGBEDE

Okechukwu: It’s democracy in action Osita Okechukwu is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP)

he emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, is democracy in action despite the fact that the leadership of my party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) disagreed. We are not averse to this kind of development because democracy is not a revolution but evolutionary. All the success recorded in the history of democracy is about incremental growth. What happened may not have been what some people wanted but it does not mean that our democracy is not growing. I think that Nigeria’s democracy is growing; it is on incremental growth, which

Okechukwu

is what democracy is noted for across the world. As regards President Muhammadu Buhari, I do not see how what happened during the inauguration of the National Assembly would impact on his leadership or provision of good governance to Nigerians because a man of integrity has nothing to fear. A corrupt president is the one who easily locks horn with the National Assembly and not a transparent president, who places public good above personal interest.

There is an amalgam and realignment of forces

Against this backdrop, I do not see any reason for a clash between the president and the National Assembly. President Buhari of yesterday is President Buhari of today, and President Buhari of today would be President Buhari of tomorrow. If you would recall, he made it clear that he would not interfere in the election of the leadership of the National Assembly; that he believes in the doctrine of Separation of Powers and that all he needed from the National Assembly is adherence to the rule of law. So, those who want to impose their will are the ones that have cause to worry and not President Buhari, who has so far been on a transparent mode, which is what the spirit and letters of the constitution always advocate. His position on the emergence of the Senate President and Speaker of the House was profound, so there won’t be a clash between him and the party that brought him to power. I believe that no one can subvert the president’s innate qualities and transparent nature, whether in the APC or PDP because he had always placed public interest above personal interest. I also believe that Senator Saraki and Hon. Dogara remain dedicated members of the APC, and committed to the programmes and policies of the

party despite the fact they were formerly members of the PDP before joining the APC. The fact remains that APC is an amalgam of multi tendencies, but we cannot continue to dwell on where members came from; whether Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) or PDP. We cannot continue to live on that because there is an amalgam and realignment of forces. Yes, Senator Saraki came from the new PDP, but did Senator Ahmed Yerima, who nominated him also from the PDP? If the answer is no; it then means that there is realignment of political forces. So, people should note that democracy is evolving in Nigeria and that realignment of forces has happened and will continue to happen as we continue to move forward in our democratic experience. On the threat by the Senator Ahmed Lawan’s camp to go to court; I will advise that they don’t do so because in 1999, there was this kind of situation when Senator Evans Enwerem defeated Senator Chuba Okadigbo, who was nominated by his party. That did not prevent Okadigbo from later becoming the Senate President. So, I will advise Senator Lawan to let a sleeping dog lie.

Interview by Felix Nwaneri

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

OPEN FORUM Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former Minister of Transportation and Aviation, is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Board of Trustees (BoT)

he emergence of the new leadership in the National Assembly is an act of God. I think God wanted to introduce some changes to Nigeria and that was why God allowed Senator Bukola Saraki to emerge as Senate President and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. We should thank the Almighty God for what happened because it is strange ordinarily to have an All Progressives Congress (APC) President of the Senate and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy Senate President. It is an act of God and I believe that God wants to use that combination to sanitise democratic process we are operating in Nigeria. Secondly, the combination will enable Nigerians to remove the parochialism that is normally associated to the practise of politics in the country. And we are going to have a new opinion based on national thinking of the political parties in Nigeria about how to move Nigeria’s democracy forward. So, that is why I personally like what happened at the Senate on Tuesday. As regards the House of Representatives, it was something traced to an act of God. Even though I would have love personally to seeing Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila emerged as Speaker because he is a young man I personally like. I don’t know him

...NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP

Babatope: APC mismanaged own opportunities and I have never seen him in my lifetime but from what I read in the newspapers about him, he appears to be an orator and someone who is well prepared for whatever he is doing. But that is democracy at work. He took part in the contest and was defeated; there is nothing anybody can do about that because a new person, Hon. Yakubu Dogora has been sworn in as Speaker. So, I believe they should all cooperate with the new leadership in the National Assembly and ensure that they succeed. And when they succeed, it will help Nigeria. I believe we should praise the courage of Senator Saraki and others for going ahead to do what they did. Saraki and Dogora have not denounced their party and one must take note of that. Apart from that, they have won a glorious battle in the National Assembly, which I believe will help us to know that imposition of candidates is not a good thing to the political party system in any nation. People should be allowed to grow up naturally within the democratic process and you give them positions that are in fact due to them within the democratic process. So, the All Progressives Congress (APC) mismanaged the system and I think they were wrong in the attempt to impose and taking that decision affected the party. From my experience, I will advise political parties to stop the culture of imposition. For example, in Second Republic, the Unity

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

ciples when the party was in power. Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections”? the Senate President said in a statement on Wednesday. PDP is not looking for immediate return of Saraki to party (if he will do so); that will be a political miscalculation. Also, for the Senate President, it will not be political expedient for him to do so now, that will amount to him losing his position, not only as presiding officer but as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because of Supreme Court judgement, which is also one of the items in the yet to be assented to, fourth alteration of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. Nonetheless, he has seen PDP as possible platform to realise his presidential ambition in 2019 if APC blocks his way. The Senate President’s alleged presidential ambition was one of the reasons some APC leaders wanted to shut him out of the race for the Senate Presidency. A former governor from the North-West (who is now a serving senator) was given the task to mobilise APC senators from the zone against Saraki in return for the APC ticket in 2019 “because Buhari will be too old to seek re-election.”

Babatope

APC mismanaged the system and I think they were wrong...

Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by one of the greatest politicians Africa has ever produced, Papa Obafemi Awolowo, summoned legislators to a meeting at the Black Arts and Cultural Centre in Iganmu, Lagos State to talk about national matters. When we got there, we met a barrage of opposition from the so-called legislators. We argued and argued but what Papa did was to diplomatically cut the debate short and we left. Papa said we should leave them and eventually they themselves saw what happened later. So, when it comes to legislature, you must be very careful; if you are not careful, you

will be caught in the game of imposition and that can weaken the strength of a political party. It is true that party is supreme at all-time but there is what is call theory and practice. In practice, you must ensure balance application of common sense. Papa Awolowo was able to run one of the best political parties in Africa in the Second Republic because Papa was able at all time to balance the application of theory and practice of the wish of the party and what the party can be considered normal under a democratic process. I don’t think the PDP took the decision to support the APC candidate based on what happened to Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande in 2011. It is only just that God has a way of doing things to ensure that those who have sinned know that they have sinned and their punishments. Looking at what happened at the National Assembly in 2011, Adeola-Akande was nominated properly by the PDP to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives and not Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. But the APC used their men and I think Gbajabiamila was also involved to defeat Adeola-Akande and to put their choice, Tambuwal, as Speaker. The PDP did not work for vengeance, it was just coincidence and the coincidence has now exonerated all the efforts made by the PDP and Adeola-Akande to get justice. Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

PDP’s coup as needed lifeline The fear was that the Senate Presidency will provide a launching pad for the former Kwara State governor to vie for the presidency in 2019 the same way he wanted to use his chairmanship of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) to contest the presidency in 2011. Four years ago, Saraki, immediately after serving as governor and NGF chairman, indicated interest to contest the PDP presidential primaries. Unfortunately, he was schemed out by Mallam Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders’ Forum (NPLF), which took it upon itself to screen presidential aspirants of northern extraction so as to present one formidable aspirant against former President Goodluck Jonathan at the PDP presidential primaries. This is the scenario those against Saraki’s emergence wanted to avoid in 2019. Last year, he did not contest the presidential primary because he was “out of circulation” in the national political arena. It is also in the best interest of PDP that the governing party will continue its intransigent position against Saraki’s Senate Presidency. This will make him to be more at peace with PDP than the party on which platform it was elected into the Senate. That was the same scenario that played out during Aminu

Tambuwal era. Already, Saraki’s emergence has polarised the APC. President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, now Sokoto State governor, Tambuwal have taken a position different from that of the NWC of the APC on what happened in the National Assembly on Tuesday. Also, Tambuwal and two of his immediate predecessors who are now APC members, Ghali Umar Na’Abba and Patricia Etteh, were among former presiding officers of the National Assembly to immediately visit and felicitate with the new Speaker, Dogara. This is a signal that all is not well in the camp of APC. PDP is looking forward to the implosion of APC towards 2019 when the jostling for the party’s presidential ticket begins, and is waiting in the wings to cash on this to rebound. A member of the party stated confidently that PDP will bounce back in 2019. “Nigerians did not vote for APC in 2015; they voted for Buhari. In 2019, Buhari will be too old to re-contest or his rating will come down. “The pressure will be on the APC in 2019. Many members of the party will be interested in the presidency. Atiku (Abu-

bukar) is interested, Bukola Saraki is eyeing the presidency; we also know that (Rabiu) Kwankwanso wants to be president. The heat will be too much in APC. “Before 2019, some former PDP members in APC will return to PDP. This is where they believe they will have the chance to run for the presidency. This is the game PDP is playing,” he argued. What happened last Tuesday showed that APC will not be able to manage its successes well. This is a sign of what is to expect when the race for 2019 begins, not only at the centre but across the states. At present APC has not been able to resolve its zoning principle. Aside trying to meet the constitutional provision in ensuring that every geopolitical zone is represented at the government at the centre, APC would also try to pacify the political groups that contributed to its formation. This, it has been unable to do. The party is tilting towards favouring one of these groups to the exclusion of others. Last Tuesday’s elections of presiding officers of the National Assembly now showed former PDP members in APC that it is only through force that they could get something from the governing party. This is a message PDP is sending to them.

Politics

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

June 12: Building the future from the past WALE ELEGBEDE takes a look at the 22nd commemoration of the June 12, 1993 presidential election

or many Nigerians, the June 12, 1993 presidential election was the point at which the nation’s political landscape was heading for a change as it was believed that personalities from a section of the country were the ones dominating the leadership of the country. Hence, it was believed that the crusade of the Hope ‘93 train ushered a paradigm shift, creating a new quest for alternative leadership outside the then existing caucus. The popularity and eventual victory of businessman turned politician, late Chief MKO Abiola in a poll he ran on the platform of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP), is still considered unprecedented in the democratic history of the nation and was greeted with massive celebration across the length and breadth of the country. On June 12, 1993, Nigerians could see a reflection of their choice at the poll taking precedence thereby summoning hope that all is not lost after all for the country. It is on record that Abiola won in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as well as in the military barracks. He won in over two-thirds of the 36 states and in the home state of his Northern opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). Then the big hammer fell on the result of the election as the military government presided over by General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the election, 11 days after Nigerians went to exercise their civic rights, precisely on June 23. Predicating his decision for the annulment on external issues that borders on judicial contests over irregularities that supposedly trailed the conduct of the election, Babangida also claimed that rather than the testimony of free and fair poll from all and sundry, including the positive nods from members of international community, the June 12 election was fraught with irregularities. Without hesitation, the annulment stagnated the country politically, economically and otherwise, especially in the SouthWest where the presumed winner of the election hailed from. The annulment ignited protests in the South-West and other zones of the country resulting in the loss of lives of Nigerians. In several instances, security men hounded unarmed civilians at will. Though the results of the elections were not released, it was believed that Abiola got over

Abiola

eight million votes, and won in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory. His opponent, Tofa of the NRC was believed to have received over six million votes and won in 10 states only. It was estimated that over 14 million people voted in the election. Abiola’s victory was comprehensive as it was inferred that he won almost 60 per cent of the total votes cast. Only in two states (Kebbi and Sokoto) did Abiola fail to obtain at least one-third of the votes. Abiola even defeated his rival, Tofa, in his home state of Kano. The voting patterns in the South-West showed an overwhelming support for Abiola. In Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo, Abiola received over 80 per cent of the votes in each of these states. He also received over 85 per cent of the votes in Lagos State. Suggestions about the voting pattern in the June 12 election indicate that the pattern cuts across ethnic, religious and geographic patterns. Though Christians voted for Muslim candidates, it was believed that the Christians had little choice in the matter as the presidential candidates of both SDP and NRC were Muslim. The SDP presidential candidate and vice¸ Babagana Kingibe, were Muslims. The NRC candidate, Tofa, was also a Muslim but with a Christian running mate in Sylvester Ugoh. Both Tofa and Kingibe were Kanuri Muslims. With thousands of Nigerians already protesting on the streets, many were hurled down by the powerful fist of the military, leaving many breadwinners to run for cover abroad for the fear of either being killed or remanded in prison for standing for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate. Like a courageous leader, Abiola himself was unrelenting in the pursuit of his mandate given to him by Nigerians, especially in the face of a brutal clampdown by the late General Sani Abacha, who made his hostile nature known to the opposition and clamped down as many as possible. After much consultation, Abiola on June 11, 1994, at Epetedo

Babangida

Nigerians cannot forget June 12. We remember the rape of June 12. We remember the pain of June 12

Kingibe

in Lagos, declared himself President and went into hiding until he was arrested on the orders of Abacha a few days later. The struggle eventually became the foundation for the democracy that the country is now enjoying after over three decades of military rule. For the former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, the significance of June 12 is still relevant in the democratic process of Nigeria, adding that the election was a political benchmark devoid of religious, tribal and ethnic divide. He said: “June 12 is a landmark that should without any controversy be labelled as the democracy day not May 29. June 12 will continue to be relevant in the annals of our democracy, because we took a leap from there to whatever we are calling democracy rule today. “It is a symbol of national unity and patriotism, because it has inspired other issues in the democratic rule and it was a day Nigerians put aside religious and ethnic consideration in electing their president. So, it is expected that the government would recognise the day and give the day the regards it deserves.” According to the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, the vehicle that brought the present civilian government is June 12 and all its heroes, dead and alive. Fasehun said: “MKO Abiola joined Third Republic politics, wanted to do with government resources what he had done with his personal funds, a mission to salvage Nigerians from poverty, ignorance and disease. He won the presidential election of June 12, 1993, the country’s freest and fairest polls. But General Ibrahim Babangida put that victory in the grave. “Nigerians cannot forget June 12. We remember the rape of June 12. We remember the pain of June 12. We remember the dislocation caused by its cancellation. We remember the lives lost, the limbs lost and the livelihoods lost, because of June 12. “And for this reason, the former military Head of State,

General Ibrahim Babangida, must apologise to the generality of Nigerians for annulling June 12. The reckless action cost the country colossal loss in human and other resources. IBB must apologise for annulling the election and IBB must apologise for the people killed by agents of his government and those of General Sani Abacha,” he said. For one of the wives of the late Abiola, Mrs. Modupe OnitiriAbiola, the nation is still in the wilderness 22 years after the election that her husband contested in. “Looking at the sacrifice paid by my husband, MKO Abiola and other Nigerians, I am not really satisfied with the present state of things in Nigeria. June 12 is something my husband was assassinated for, he gave his life for the present democracy and he decided not to go to war. He chooses not to go to war because he didn’t want bloodshed but unfortunately we are having bloodshed now. “June 12 is worth celebrating more than May 29 because May 29 was a date the military decided to hand over but Nigerians who are the majority made a decision on June 12. So you need to celebrate June 12 for many reasons. Number one, the people of this country came together as one and all the barriers; ethnicity, religious, regional barriers before them were broken by that election by one man. Everybody came together to say that we trust this man and we want the will of the people to prevail. They came together and they defended it also. So, this is why we need to celebrate June 12 because since then and even up till now there has never been another election like that,” she said. Clearly, after 22 years, the June 12 elections have proved that Nigerians could overlook ethnic, religious and tribal sentiments for the sake of true leadership and national integration. However, the recurring question is whether the government of President Muhammadu Buhari would recognise the hero of the election and give MKO Abiola the place he deserves in the annals of history, only time will tell.

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Brigadier General Don Idada Ikponmwen is the former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, a lawyer and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. In this interview with CAJETAN MMUTA, he speaks on the state of the nation, his agenda for President Muhammadu Buhari and several other issues

What is your take on the state of the nation? We thank God for those who have been contributing genuinely and seriously to the need for change in this country. Before the slogan of change was adopted by the All Progressives Congress (APC), some of us have been advocating for change; some of us have said that the past governments have not been efficient, some of us have said that wrong people were in power. Some of us have said that politics has become a business for the unemployed and unemployable. And flowing from that, sycophancy has been the rule of the game and you find illiterates who are members of governing boards of universities; you find illiterates who are heading broadcasting organisation boards; you find impostors heading very important organs of government and parastatals. Can we really say we had an effective or good party system all along? Can we really say we have been practicing democracy for the good of the people or it has been democracy for selfish individual pockets? How can we have a country where you appoint people to positions they are not competent to perform in? How do we have a system where those who are in serious appointments are not efficient and nobody calls them to order when they fail to perform or when they are found to be fraudulent? How can we justify a nation where people steal and all you get is plea bargain? How do we justify a judiciary where you find somebody flawless in Nigeria and the same person is found guilty and liable overseas for acts done in Nigeria? How do you call it a country where people who head political parties are incompetent of delivering their parties? Of course, you don’t have any agenda. How do you justify a situation where monies are missing in government coffers and nobody can call the people in charge to or-

Buhari should implement past reports – Ikponmwen dence, there is no reason why our security organs would not have learnt that loyalty means loyalty to the system, not to an individual. When we say to the system, it is loyalty and dedication to uphold the constitution and of the law that take root in the origin of the constitution. When you have a system where offences are committed and the citizenry have no solution, you go to Police you hardly have a solution, you go to the Immigration, Custom you hardly have any solution, the individual becomes helpless. Do you have security in that environment? My answer is no. So, I am saying that the first duty of this new government is to tackle the issue of security. Let every Nigerian and every person resident in Nigeria feel there is a government and that they are safe where they are, in their houses, on the roads, in the church, mosque.

Ikponmwen

der; instead you even fire those who raised alarm that something like that was happening. Can we really say we have been running governments in this country? On this note, I say well done to all those who have been talking genuinely. And when you see a man talking out of genuine concern you will know, not grandstanding, not saying one thing and doing another. We need experts and you put impostors in government positions. So, I say we have not just been beating about the bush, we have been fraudulent with the idea of governance and people have been loyal to people who don’t deserve loyalty, because there is no government unless it is efficient and effective. We can say there have been no governments for many centuries. That is what we have had in Nigeria. So, I want to thank God for the life of President Muhammadu Buhari. I want to tell him that there is nothing to celebrate yet. We have serious business at hand. What are the areas you think the president should tackle first as he settles down in office? In any nation, the first priority is security and security is allembracing. Security of lives and property, security of the system.

Sycophancy has been the rule of the game and you find illiterates who are members of governing boards of universities

And by system I mean the nation itself and all the organs of the state of the nation. If they are not well-manned then there is no security. That by extension even means justice and fair play. Any system will fail that does not have respect for fairness, justice and fair play. Security is the primary purpose of government, not secondary and by primary purpose I meant that is the first thing that any nation must look into. A government that cannot provide security of lives and property, food, job, and environment fails and God forbid that Buhari will fail. Therefore, to my mind, he must first reorganise the security apparatus in this country. The security apparatus of this nation, the army, the police, Department of State Service (DSS), National Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Customs, Immigration, the Fire Service, name all of them. They must be reorganised; they must be made non-political. Their loyalty must be to the constitution and laws of this country, not to individual or political leaders. For long, it has been known that the Nigerian Police, for example, was a police of government and people who are their friends. At over 50 years of indepen-

How do you think the president should tackle the issue of power? There is no country that can fare well when you don’t have power. How do you run your industries, how do you run your offices; how do you even sleep in your houses? No fan, no air condition can work. It is not a matter for only the elites even the people at the lower ranks. The man who is running a barbing salon, hairdressing salon, vulcanizer shop, they all need power. As a country, we are still battling to ensure 4,000 megawatts of power at this year and time? I think if we can address the problem of power, a lot of things would be solved. You cannot be deceiving yourself and ask people to come and invest in your country when they are going to spend all their money providing their own power. What gain or profit are they going to make? Do you think the Buhari government can curtail corruption? Corruption is inevitably tied with the issue of leadership. There is no way a man who is double talking can ensure there is a corruption free society because as we are quarrelling with people that they should stop stealing, they are pointing at millions of properties you are acquiring here or there. Previous governments have been paying lip service to the issue of eradicating corruption in Nigeria. We set up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), because we believe that criminals, advance fee fraudsters will go underground, but did we get the right people to man the EFCC or Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau? You see, no part of the system can be better than the whole. I believe that these organs if they are working well, it will become untenable for people to CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Fayose’s fairy tale trauma Emissary EMEKA OBASI

emobas2003@yahoo.com 08094457557 (sms only)

olitical campaigns in Nigeria are not the best of times to gauge the sober mood of people. In the madness and frenzy that follow, a lot of things that should not be said are vomited by those who are so emotionally attached that one begins to wonder if indeed they weighed the consequences of their utterances before opening up. Electioneering goes with a lot of Dutch courage. A carpet knight will emerge with stories of how he conquered territories during a war that he never saw. Most of the time, there is freedom of speech as enshrined in the constitution, and freedom of drinks. One wonderful thing about drinks is that it takes you to Lekki Gardens when indeed your home is in Ijora Badiya. When politics is laced with a lot of hard drinks, some partakers become like the bottle, all neck, no head. It is not every time one is drunk that he says what he means. You see, politics is like ogogoro, when the going gets tough, we say things we do not really mean. Politics is also like a tough football match between Brazil and Argentina. In the bid to intimidate each other, fans from both countries say a lot of things. At the end of the game, they go home , some happy ,others sad. However, they know they will meet again, someday. Politics divided Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe[K.O.] and the great Zik of Africa. Politics separated Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ladoke Akintola. It strained ties between Aminu Kano and Abubakar Rimi. And I could beat my chest to say, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and K.O. were not apart forever. They still came back together. And if not for the January 1966 coup, I am sure Awo and SLA would have dined together, much later. Today, Ayodele Fayose has a lot of people looking

for a way to crucify him. I do not know how he manages to get away from their plots. Maybe, because his name is Peter, the biblical rock. And he also has a wife, Feyisitan who is a prayer warrior. The man’s brand of politics is something that should be analysed, in laboratories across global universities by the thousands of Professors born in Ekiti state. While millions shouted Change in the SouthWest, Fayose felt he could not shortchange Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. He stood like the rock of Gibralta while the combined forces of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and General Muhammadu Buhari stormed the soul of Yorubaland winning votes as booty. The Ekiti state governor had placed an ad in some national papers urging Nigerians to ignore the Buhari ambition on the grounds of age. The message was not so well packaged, and it looked like he wished Buhari something only God could answer. Many did not like it and that really drew sympathy. Many of Buhari’s kinsmen and supporters were also not happy with Fayose. Everything pointed to the fact that Fayose was out to stop the general from winning the election. If only he had the power so to do. Now we have President Buhari and governor Fayose. Soon and very soon, something will bring them together in Abuja. For those who are expecting the worst from the President, they will be disappointed. The Buhari of yesterday is not the man we see these days. Some of his admirers expected him to start fighting his predecessor right from inauguration at the Eagle Square. So far, there are no such moves. My appeal now which nobody has done is for President Buhari to forget everything that was said or written during the campaigns. Anyone who expects him to go after Fayose, does not like the country. We must move ahead and learn to play politics like statesmen. Nigerians voted for Buhari inspite of all the hate campaigns. Some labelled him sponsor of Boko Haram, others called him a fundamentalist. The general was also described as a wicked murderer ,who made sure three young men were executed for drug offences which they committed ever before punishment for dealing in cocaine became death. If Nigerians forgave Buhari then Buhari should also learn to forgive. I am not forcing him, he is

man enough to take a stand. Fayose has since sent congratulatory messages to Mr. President. That is a soft way of saying let us forget yesterday. He also introduced some humour into the reconciliatory bid by asking, to be allowed to nominate a minister from Ekiti state. May I draw the attention of President Buhari to some of those who are always by his side during party meetings. Asiwaju and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola were like Iran and Iraq, always at war, never apart. They abused themselves in the open, they bought newspaper pages to vent their spleen on each other. Today, they are in the same party, All Progressives Alliance[APC]. Prince Oyinlola and his predecessor, Chief Bisi Akande, were also at war for a very long time. Now, they are egbon and aburo. Mr. Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi also exchanged verbal blows at a certain time. All these men are now in the same camp and dine together regularly. That is Nigerian politics. In the Second Republic, I remember the mouthy battle between Imo state governor, Dee Sam Mbakwe and his opponent, Chief Collins Obi. One of them said to the other ,’I will wee on your grave.’ That was just politics and did not go beyond the soap box. Collins Obi’s wife had even ordered Lady Victoria Ahuikpeghu Mbakwe ,to count all the spoons in Government, ready to account for any missing utensils in the event that Obi won governorship elections, to succeed the incumbent. In Anambra, Dim Emeka Ojukwu’s Ikemba Front engaged Chief Jim Nwobodo’s militia at Nkpor Junction. Many lives were lost. Ojukwu was in the National Party of Nigeria with Chief Christian Onoh. Governor Nwobodo belonged to the Nigeria Peoples Party. So many years later, Ojukwu grabbed Onoh’s daughter. The Wawa man was so infuriated that he refused to recognize the marriage. It took so long for Onoh to allow Ojukwu into his palace, for the traditional wedding. You wont believe this. Jim was one of those who watered the ground for Ojukwu and softened Onoh’s mind. So let those hurt by Fayose forget yesterday, like Asiwaju and Oyinlola did, like Ojukwu and Jim showed us. Mr. President, Fayose is your son. To err is human, to forgive divine.

Re-inventing the Igbo nation Ucheka Anofienem

hy is the Ibo nation not able to produce another Nnamdi Azikiwe who dominated national politics and attained continental relevance without reasonable input from his kinsmen? Why have there not been other Philip Emeagwalis and Akanu Ibiams. The Sam Mbakwes of this world have become too few into the recesses of replicated abundance. Why are we not seeing the likes of Chinua Achebe coming up, were it not for the twinkling light of fast emerging Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche and a handful of others? It is difficult to fully understand why the Igbos continue to sabotage the factors that will bring them development and relevance as a people. The reason is that the Igbo have no patterned growth strategy. The absolute death of internal cohesion and visionary focus will continue to pull back the Igbo nation. A people that have no unified rallying point will find it very difficult to make col-

lective progress. Ndigbo live like a people who have ideas of the objective they want to achieve but depend on others to help them achieve those desires. Meditating on the fate and future of the Igbo man in Nigeria is likely to run to conclusion of a people who continue to work hard to ruin their purpose and interest. A self-sabotaging race whose castles are built by dismembering the blocks that ought to raise the structures of the edifice. Ironically, it is the spirit of the Igbo man that defines Nigeria. I do not understand then, but I have a friend who will kneel down praying profusely “Oh God give me the spirit of the Igbo man”. He has the attitude of someone who needs something intensely. There is something in the Igbo man that has not been put to collective use for common good. The only explanation why the Igbo have continued to be a victim and at the receiving end of the serial political, religious and ethnic misbehaviours that has bedeviled Nigeria is because they have been unable to coordinate their strength, or build on their enviable endowments.

The Igbo man should be the Nigerian salt- a substance that is sought after, a solution provider, a pathfinder, and a people who should have the economic soul of Nigeria in their hands. Since they have refused to piss together on one spot, they are then the scattered sheep which the wolves of this world use as they deem fit. The trouble with the Igbo is that they have refused leadership. They cannot plan or execute any common agenda to either unify them, build on their common strength and heritage. Why? Because each man goes his own way, build his own economy, and play his own politics of selfish interest. Again, the genocidal experience and the monumental destruction of the Igboland during the Nigeria- Biafra war has ended long enough for a people who crave to reconstruct and rebuild themselves. Continued lamentation of an incident that occurred nearly half a century ago is a further abandonment of collective destiny to those who planned the extermination. Japan did not cry for 50 years after their near extinction during the

Second World War. They reclined, and when they sprang forth, they emerged a domineering economic power at the global stage to the threat and envy of the powers that sought to destroy it. The Igbo man cannot be the widow that continued to lament the death of her husband decades after. The Igbo controlled enormous uncoordinated resources that should pose a threat economically to the Nigerian nation if they had been able to strategically moderate their economic muscle. They rule the economic fabrics in Nigerian business sphere. Look at the sectors where they dominate in trade and commerce. Most of the investments noticeable in certain parts of the country are from the Igbo. When you say Nigerians are assiduous, inventive, imaginative, innovative and determined is basically the complete attribute of the Igbo man. But what did they make out of what they can get from themselves? Nearly nothing! Except to play servitude so well to those who should live in awe of them. • Anofienem(ucheka1968@gmail.com) sent in this piece from Lagos.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

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New wave of criminal desperation

t is difficult to imagine the circumstances that could compel a mother or father to sell his or her child but difficult as this task may be, stories are becoming rife about incidents of this criminal desperation in the country. For example, a national daily reported on Friday, June 15, the shocking details of a 29-yearold man, Kanayo Ovurum, a native of Ikeduru in Imo State who was nabbed by the police in Lagos for attempting to sell his son. According to the report, he planned to sell his two-yearold son to two women for N460, 000.00. The report said that Kanayo was advised by a friend, one Emmanuel, to sell the child in order to raise money to stabilize his shaky finances. And because the wife is heavy with another pregnancy, a criminally desperate Kanayo allegedly bought Emmanuel’s suggestion that he could always make up for the loss with the child that he is expecting from his heavily-pregnant wife. ‘I met Kelechi (the wife) in our secondary school days in 2005. It was in 2010 that we started living together. In December, 2012, she gave birth to Samuel (the child that narrowly escaped this traumatic experience). We were

then living in Owerri, Imo State. I was working as a painter and I always acted in movies. I was up-coming painter so I was not paid well’, the criminal desperado narrated. Continuing, Kanayo said: ‘From 2014, I started to have financial problems. I wanted to come to Lagos to hustle. The idea to sell my child came in March 2015 when I finally decided to travel to Lagos. It was a friend, Emmanuel who linked me to the women (who wanted to buy the son). I asked him to lend some money to me and he said I should use what I have to get what I wanted’, the Ikeduru desperado further said. He told the police that he never confided in his wife but lied to her that one of the women was from his elder sister in Port Harcourt. This, he said, was to make it easier for his wife to release the child to the strange woman; an act he laboured to explain to the wife would eventually be in their interest. New Telegraph account of the event, however, narrated that Kanayo wanted to sell the boy for N650, 000.00 to one Mrs Cecilia Nwantu, a mother of two who claimed she succumbed to this criminal desperation because her husband was appalled by the possibility of departing this world without a son (male

child), to carry on his lineage since the couple have only two daughters. Narrating her ordeal to the police, Kelechi, Kanayo’s 28-year-old wife denied knowledge of the fact that he husband was planning to sell Tochukwu to Cecilia whom, she said, was introduced to her as her husband’s sister from Port Harcourt. And to make the lie easier for her to swallow, Kelechi said she was asked to release Tochukwu to Emmanuel who is a family friend. ‘I released my baby to Emmanuel Obi who is a friend to Kanayo. I never knew they had arranged to sell my baby. Kanayo introduced Mrs Nkechi Obi as his sister from Port Harcourt. He said his sister sent Mrs Obi to bring the baby to Port Harcourt for her to help raise, perhaps to alleviate their financial pressure,’ the distraught told the police. It is obvious that pecuniary reason was the driving motive for this act of criminal desperation by a most irresponsible father like Kanayo. Even more intriguing is the fact that the wife, Kelechi, consented to the plan in the first instance, bearing the circumstances of their relationship in mind. Kelechi should have suspected that Kanayo, who abandoned

her when she was pregnant for Tochukwu, was up to another mischief. A man who could abandon a woman in pregnancy, she should have reasoned, could do so again. Or do something even worse like returning with crocodile tears in his eyes, allegedly in the name of love, to commit a more heinous crime like wanting to sell his own son which is not beneath the dignity of a desperate criminal. We are convinced that no situation, no matter how desperate, permits a man or woman to sell his child. It is even more difficult to imagine the circumstances that could compel a woman, no matter the level of pressure exerted on her by a husband desperate for a son, to consent to such a plan as Cecilia so easily did. While we concede that a bad economy like ours may have applied undue pressure on Nigerians, the resultant squeeze is just not hard enough to provide explanation. Any one desperate enough for a male child to continue his lineage, like Cecilia’s husband, should explore the option of adoption. The government, on its part, should relax the process to make adoption attractive, instead of the nightmare it is currently, to discourage further incidents of criminal desperation like this.

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

Funke Egbemode

Editor n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor n Emeka Obasi

Deputy Editor n Ayodele Ojo

General Editor n Iyobosa Uwugiaren

News Editor n Geoffrey Ekenna

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

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Politics

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

attempt to defraud others or the government. And of course you find people, who yesterday had nothing, no bicycle, but today after a few months in public offices are building houses and riding the most expensive jeeps in this country. Nobody asks how they got the money. There is no government when you have a situation where people become rich overnight and nobody can asks them how they got this money. Go to America, go to Britain, you want to lodge $1,000 in account; you must ex-

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ikponmwen: President must reorganise security agencies plain how you got it. What do you think should be done to revive the economy? I think the issue of diversification of our economy is important. It has become clear now that relying on oil cannot take us out of the doldrums. We are facing international conspir-

acy in the oil market. Those who used to buy from us are not buying again and all the money we get we use it to fund terrorism; we use it to fund drug business. We must get the new government to move away from a mono-economy in the name of oil; we are a country blessed with fertile land. So, let

us take the advantage to build on agriculture and improve on it so that a lot of our proceeds will come from agriculture. And there are so many other areas we can raise funds from. How would you advise that the Buhari administration handle the report of the 2014 National

Conference? I think the new administration must take a serious look at all the conferences that had been held before. I can quickly recall Vision 20:10 that was put in place by late General Sani Abacha; Vision 20:20:20 which I was a member put together by late President Umaru Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua and of course

the last National Conference. I think the new President will do well to look at the past reports, all the answers to our problems are there. It is just a matter of getting the right people to sit down, sieve them and start implementation. Like we said at the confab, there are those that are implementable forthwith, there are those that will take parliamentary process, there are those that will take constitutional amendments. The government of President Buhari must be seen to be putting these in place. If we now start putting another conference together, we are wasting fund and time. Government has the final say; government can look at all the reports and implement the ones that they feel are feasible. There are those that are manifestly clear, for example, when you talk about reorganising the security agencies, who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know that these security agencies need to be reorganised, to remove duplication here and there in their job because duplication invariably leads to unhealthy rivalry and inefficiency. Do we need to be told that there is need to decentralie the police? For you to have a state that has no police of its own, a local government that has no police of its own, there is no government there. All the arguments that state governors will abuse it comes to nothing. Is the federal government not abusing the police? Any government that sees itself as all in all, fails ab initio. It is the people that are the government; it is the people that make the sovereignty and in Nigeria we operate the supremacy of the constitution. Everything must be done to perfect our constitution, to remove the absurdities and inconsistencies at the shortest time. The important thing is for the new President to be everywhere without being everywhere. His eyes and hands must be everywhere and the only way to do that is to appoint people of his thinking, people of his philosophy, people who share his ideals, otherwise, it will be the same singsong and God forbid that Nigeria does not change with a government that promises change.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Media

Tourism

All hands must be on deck to get children reading, says Magical Books boss

Arts

Governor Ambode charged to put tourism on the front burner

CULTURE

Entertainment City for National Theatre

Aeriel view of National Theatre

Tony Okuyeme

oncession of the fallow land around the National Theatre for development of complimentary infrastructural facilities in line with the master plan of the edifice has entered final stages. The National Theatre is an architectural masterpiece and a cultural landmark located at Iganmu, in the heart of Lagos. It is easily accessible from every corner of the city. Covering an area of about 23,000 square meters and standing well over 31 meters tall, the multipurpose National Theatre was established for the preservation, presentation and promotion of Arts and Culture in Nigeria. The design for the existing National Theatre in Lagos was taken from the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria. The contract for its construction was signed on April 24, 1973, during Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s regime with the Bulgarian Construction Company called Technoexportsroy, the

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

Prototype for the proposed National Theatre complex

main constructors for the building of the complex. Apart from providing a befitting venue for the 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77) which Nigeria successfully hosted in January/February, 1977 and for which the National Theatre provided more than adequate venues, the complex is to be a rallying point for both Nigeria and international artistes wishing to share experience with their Nigerian counterparts. The concession will see to the building of a five star hotel, shopping mall, ultra-modern offices buildings, land and water parks, amusement park, and multi-level car park. The General Manager of National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Mr Kabir Yusuf, who disclosed this on Tuesday June 9, 2015, at a press briefing held at the boardroom of the Theatre, stressed that the concession arrangement relates to only the fallow land and not the main edifice nor any of its halls. He also said that the idea is to turn the complex into “Nigeria Entertainment City”. He explained that at the inception, there has been plan to compliment the National Theatre, like other theatres in other parts of the world with infrastructural facilities, such as a five star hotel, shopping mall, offices, land and water parks, leisure and entertainment centre and multi-level car park. “These facilities are to be built and developed on the fallow land of the National The-

atre in accordance with the master plan in order to make the theatre more attractive and viable. “The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation in its rebranding and transformation of the theatre and the nation’s tourism, considered the feasibility of Public Private Partnership for the provision of these facilities. “Consequently, a stakeholders committee made up of the Federal Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Works, Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Committee (ICRC) and the National Theatre was constituted and inaugurated on 20th September, 2012 by the immediate past Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke who during the inauguration which was attended by the Press, charged the Committee to think and plan on how best to actualize the master plan of the National Theatre since the government cannot do it alone because of other competing demands on the purse of the government,” he said, adding that after a series of brainstorming sessions, the option of Public Private Partnership (PPP) was agreed and

this led to the procurement of a Transaction Adviser (BGL Capital PLC). According to him, by this, the Federal Government wanted to assess strategic fit, achievability, value for money and affordability inherent in the Procurement of Concessionaires to build, equip, operate, maintain and transfer basis in line with the National Policy on Public Private Partnership published by the ICRC. “The consultant and the National Theatre prepared an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the application of the PPP procurement for service delivery at the National Theatre. The main objective of this consultancy is to establish the technical, economic and financial viability of the National Theatre as PPP concession, through the generation of an Outline Business Case (OBC) which would represent a key input of the PPP Project preparation phase. “Upon ratification of the draft OBC by the ICRC and issuance of a certificate of “No Objection” by the commission, which is the regulator of such projects, the OBC was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on 14th August, 2013 and 2nd July, 2014 respectively. “With these approvals, the parent Ministry and National Theatre went for shopping of credible local and international investors by organizing Investor Road Shows in Lagos, London, Dubai and Johannes-

burg in 2014. From this exercise, 11 consortiums indicated interest and submitted Tender Bids upon advertisement for same in both local and international media. “ Mr. Yusuf further stated that in line with the work plan, the bids were opened and later analyzed and seven companies were pre-qualified for Request for Proposal. Of the seven, only three submitted their Technical and Financial bids. “While the Technical Bids were opened and analyzed on 28th – 30th April, 2015, the Financial Bids were analyzed on 12th – 14th May, 2015. All the evaluations and analyses were done by a team of officers made up of representatives of the National Theatre, Transaction Advisers under the watchful eyes of the representative of the ICRC. “After all the evaluations, Topwide Apeas/Chris Michael Ltd emerged as the Preferred Bidder and Calzada Nig. Ltd as the Reserved Bidder. This result has been certified by the Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Committee (ICRC), the Regulator of the Project. The two companies have been communicated accordingly. “The next stage of this transaction is negotiation and the preparation of the Final Outline Business Case for the approval of the Federal Executive Council, after which the Project will commence. “It is pertinent to reiterate that the concession arrangement relates to only the fallow land and not the main edifice nor any of its halls.”

Arts

What’s the latest about you? The latest right now is that Hitlist N Cruzin has its own radio studio and we want to start having Hitlist N Cruzin on radio as well. So, apart from you watching us on your TV, you’re still going to be listening to a programme called Hiltlist N Cruzin on your radio. You know Hitlist N Cruzin is about entertainment, celebrating Nigerians, and what we’ll be doing on radio won’t be different from what we do on TV. But the only difference will be that on TV we take people out, buy things for them, but on radio, it’s not going to be like that. Of course, you are going to have the latest, hottest, freshest music from Nigeria and abroad; entertainment gists that you cannot get anywhere else and so much more. The much we cannot have on TV, you will have on radio. The bottom-line is that when you watch us on TV, you have something to take home. And when you listen to us on radio, you’ll also have something to take home as well. Why did you decide to have a radio programme? You know, as a young man, you have dreams and aspirations, and when you achieve one, you want to do more. Our leaders that we’re looking up to, the likes of Kenny Ogungbe, he has a 24-hour channel on Daarsat. The owner of Soundcity, Tajudeen Adepetu, has a 24hour channel as well on DStv and a TV station. Ayo Animashaun too has Hip TV 24 hours on DStv as well and Kwame too on StarTimes. Don’t forget that these guys started before me. So we’re looking at the steps they took, and are still taking to know which way to go so as not to fall. Also, I understand that the best way not to fall is to keep on moving, and to keep moving, you have to keep diversifying, keep expanding. I have people working under me, and anytime I look at them, something tells me that ‘it’s like these guys are hooking their future on you’, because if I fail, and by the grace of God I won’t, I’m not falling alone. Others will go with me, and the only way not to fall is to keep diversifying and expanding. And when you look at expansion, radio should be part of the expansion for an entertainment production company. God willing, if we have the opportunity tomorrow to run 24 hours on any platform, we are ready for it. So those are the expansion plans. And the only thing is to keep on getting better so that people under me as well will have something to take home at the end of every month. I have a married person working for me and his child has to eat, likewise his family. So that inspires someone like me to do more because you know that you are creating opportunity for others. And if you’re creating opportunity for others, the best way you can get better is to keep expanding. Which one is more challenging, TV or radio production? I would say both are very, very challenging, because you know that even to come from your house and interview me in my office, you know it’s challenging, don’t you? You have to pay transport, or buy fuel in your car, and if there’s fuel scarcity like now, you’ll buy black market, so it’s challenging, right? So, TV production has its own peculiar challenges, likewise radio too. But to me, I always see chal-

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Producing Hitlist N Cruzin has opened my horizons – Adinoyi Mursty Adinoyi is the presenter and producer of Hitlist N Cruzin, a TV entertainment programme. In this interview, he talks about his plans, especially the the radio version of Hitlist N Cruzin, and how it has opened his horizons, writes TONY OKUYEME

Adinoyi

lenges as a stepping stone, because if it’s a smooth ride, then it won’t be interesting, so those things that make it hard, they are the things that make you stronger. Those challenges will definitely come and the best you can do is to get over them. How has it been producing Hitlist N Cruzin?

Hitlist N Cruzin has opened my horizons. It has made me see that life is about giving. That we take people on a shopping cruise, buy things for them and take them back home, we’re giving. And I think to myself, if all of us can be giving, this country will be the best country in the world. Your giving to someone does not mean you’re better than the person. So, as you said, one profound thing that has happened to me is that I took somebody on cruising, one Ibo guy like that, in Lagos here, and a week after the cruise, the guy called me from Asia that he’s so-so person, he’s the one I cruised last week, do I remember him, he’s in Asia, he’s a business guy, what would I want him to buy for me. This guy bought me a camera worth N300,000. How much did we spend on taking this guy on cruising? N20,000. So it makes you know that your giving does not make you better than the person you’re giving to. And that experience was so profound to me that till tomorrow, it keeps me going on. Hitlist N Cruzin is not better than anybody we cruise on the show. Someone we cruised bought me camera of N300,000. So what I’ve learnt from Hitlist N Cruzin is that life is about giving. You can imagine a situation where the government can give us light, give us good roads, give us all they need to give us and we the citizens too keep giving what we need to give to this country; imagine what Nigeria would be like.

What or who inspired Hitlist N Cruzin? I really want to thank Chief Mrs Tosin Dokpesi for inspiring me to think out of the box to generate the idea for Hitlist N Cruzing. What really happened was that back then, like seven, eight years ago, I was a staff of AIT Lagos and then I was transferred to Abuja. When I got to Abuja, we in the production department had a meeting with Chief Tosin and she told us to go and start thinking out of the box to come up with ideas for unique TV programmes as her husband, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was ready to help young people like us by giving us air time for unique TV programmes. Right from that meeting, I began to think, and I came up with a programme, Get Cooking, which she loved. But I didn’t stop my thinking with Get Cooking’s success. I kept thinking, and when I came up with Hitlist N Cruzing, I realised it was so unique that I had to reserve it for myself and that I had to bring it to Lagos because it’s an entertainment programme, so I came back to Lagos. How do you feel about Hitlist N Cruzin’s success in the country? I thank God that it’s very successful, but I’m not yet satisfied with its current success level. We have targets for it and until we attain them all, I won’t be satisfied. I want to use it to celebrate Nigerians worldwide, that’s my first target, and there are many more plans still.

From Eromosele, Woman A Rare and Unique Gem Taiwo Jimoh

ne of the best things God gave to man was a woman. Woman is a good and perfect gift whose worth cannot be described in words, says Pastor Joy Eromosele, author of a new book Woman A rare and Unique Gem. The 112 chapter book which is on how important women are in the society and the world in general, dwells on five important components built in women by the almighty God. The aim of the book is to teach women to be prayer warriors and face any challenges that confront them, and also to educate them on the current situation where women find themselves in the church and society in general. Pastor Joy Eromosele said the inspiration behind the book is that she wants women to take the book and “discover their roles as women and how to impart the new generations of young girls that would one day become mothers and grandmothers. “When you look at the society today, you notice that women are no longer playing their roles as mothers. Even in the society where we live today, mothers are not behaving

like our grandmothers,” she said. The author added that the book would teach women how to decide the spiritual climate of any environment they find themselves and how to dislodge, interrupt, overturns, discomfit and render any evil against them and their family. She urged women to stop listening to the lies of the devil, but discover themselves and take their rightful place as designed by God for them in the society. “You have what it takes as a woman to improve any situation. The devil knows how devastating your power would be if you function in your divine role as a helper, that is why he is working day and night to distract you from your responsibility.” The author explained that woman have a divine mandate to help their soul mates. “It is an assignment from God but unfortunately many women lack this knowledge and understanding, so they directly or indirectly assist the devil in bringing down the very men they are sent to help. “If a woman is peaceful, such a husband will literally have peace when he comes back home. But if she isn’t, the home will not be conducive; not even for the pet in the

house,” she said, adding that if a man is not happy, the home can still function properly but if a woman is not happy, nothing and no one can be happy.

Media 23

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

All hands must be on deck to get children reading, says Magical Books’ boss Seun Aina is the Chief Executive Officer and Programme Coordinator of Magical Books, a social enterprise that promotes healthy reading habits and lifelong learning attitudes amongst children and adults. She spoke with New Telegraph after the international conference of the recently concluded Nigeria International Book Fair that took place at the University of Lagos. EBERE AMEH reports What informed your establishment of Magical Books? I have always been a reading advocate. Right from when I was serving, I started encouraging my corps members to read, because most people finish school and forget that they have to continue reading. Dealing with your boss, marriage, how to manage your finances are some of the things that if you don’t read, you will likely make mistakes. And there is no point making those mistakes when you know you can get that empowerment through books. So I started encouraging people but I realized that there was a problem people got bored of reading. It is either you have people that are not reading but they want to listen to you and buy the books that you are selling, or those that don’t even like reading at all. Some people left reading since they finished school and all they are doing is reading for ICAN, ACCA - reading for professional development. For this last category, there is nothing like reading to learn about personal development, finance, marriage, health and all that. That was why we went back to children to organize reading clubs, book clubs and libraries because that’s the way we can actually develop the young generation to enjoy the habit of reading. We also realize that we don’t have libraries. So if children like cannot afford to have books because their parents cannot afford to buy it, when will they get books to read? In the school, they are given only text books, which are not enough to spur that interest in reading. Seeing these challenges, we decided to establish Magical Books. What do you do at Magical Books? We partner with bookstores that donate books to us and we have volunteers that help to guide the children to read. So, children come into the reading club and have varieties of books that they can read. We also invite speakers to talk on financial intelligence, crafts, and we take the children on excursions. Students read about animals and they cannot imagine because they have not seen it. So we take them to experience it live. That helps them and that’s why children in foreign environments do better. Not that they read too much, but their exposure helps them. Children tend to understand better when they can relate with the experience portrayed in the book. We have between fifty and hundred children.

teachers. What is your take on that? From what I could see during the research that we carried out, we had two classes – the experimental and the control class, which is the normal class. In the control class, we left things to go on as if there is nothing. We found out that the experimental that is supposed to do far better than the control didn’t do well. Somebody would expect that it is the experimental group that will perform better. Though there was an improvement in the students’ comprehension, it wasn’t as much as the control. We found that the difference is that in the control group, the teacher is passionate. In the experimental class, the teacher was not patient to carry the children along and so it was only the good pupils that were moving forward, those that have issues did not move forward because the teacher did not have enough time for them. That is where school owners have to come in. They should not just pick anybody and employ because he has a certificate. They should give them opportunities to go for training so they can develop their own skills and monitor them to ensure that what they are doing with the pupils is helping all of them. Without putting the right checks in place, there will be problems. And that’s one of the reasons schools have clashes with parents. When parents see that they are paying school fees and the children are not performing, there are bound to be clashes when the pupils are repeatedly made to repeat. How can those teachers who do not have a full grasp of the English language be assisted to teach the children better? That’s why we need organizations like us to partner with publishers, book sellers and for reading advocates to volunteer and work with those schools to give those children the same opportunity that children in the city are having. We need help, everybody has to work together to ensure that the rural

How long does it take children who have reading challenges, especially those in the rural areas, to read well? If they are consistently exposed to books and people that can help them, within three months, they will start reading well. For those in the rural areas, we hope to partner with teachers that will give us an opportunity to come in and help them, giving them the opportunities that their counterparts in the city enjoy. As long as there is an early intervention, they will measure up fast. Most times, the problem is with the

Chidren at the 2015 international book fair in Lagos

Aina

children have the same opportunities as their counterparts in the city. Book sellers should donate books, reading advocates should do one or two sessions in those schools. With a concerted effort by all and sundry, there will be an improvement. How many schools do you cover now? We started with schools but because most schools have a curriculum that they are working towards, they don’t give time for us to come in and read with the children. Besides, even when they manage to create time for us, students

are more or less, closed up because they know they are in school. So we prefer it in our clubs where they will be free. How has the journey been? It has been good so far. We have between fifty to one hundred children and with the support and partnership of thousands of people in their network, Magical Books is getting closer to achieving its vision of seeing a Nigeria where both young and old see reading as a lifelong activity, a tool for personal growth, social change and national development.

Tourism

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

ue to the euphoria being created by all interests groups, professionals and non-professionals alike regarding the best candidate to occupy the State House come 29th May 2015, I carried out a mini study to explores the level of attention (‘issue-salience’) and use of language (‘policy framing’) related to tourism in political parties’ manifestos in gubernatorial elections in Lagos State, Nigeria. The findings reveal significant increases in the salience of tourism as an election issue—as well as parties’ contrasting use of language when placing policy proposals before voters. Notably, as part of their state-building agenda, few parties put particular emphasis on tourism as an expression of national identity and means of boosting international standing. With the use of two straight forward measures to analyze manifesto attention to the substantive representation of tourism policy in the candidates’ programmes – issue salience (effective content analysis of manifestos involving quantitative analysis on the numbers of pledges regarding programmes) and policy framing (examination of language used in proposals – exploring themes and topics). Although Lagos can be said to have been governed by same political alliances since the return to democracy in 1999, evolving from AD (alliance to Democracy) to AC (Action Congress) to ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) and now APC (All Progressives Congress); our analysis about main party manifestos in Lagos over one and half decade showed a substantial attention to tourism has been subjected to increased attention – or issue-salience. This has involved party politicking and dismissal of rivals’ programmes and approaches. Over the years, the substantive representation of tourism had a narrow “issue profile” (in other words, policy proposals were confined to certain policy frames rather than normalized or mainstreamed across all frames and policy areas). What we cannot take from the current level of candidates into the Lagos State House is a broadening of policy frames related to tourism and hospitality proposals as observed in few of the parties’ programmes. This thus reflects the myopic understanding of the industry that is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria after the government. An Industry that has the following activity profile within Lagos State: The industry both formal and informal sector represents about 25% of entire Lagos population, at 5 million people; Lagos tourism and hospitality investments are in ex-

Ambode urged to put tourism on front burner Dr. Wasiu Babalola, the Group Managing Director of EcoSignature Hospitality Services, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, UK (IH) and the Nigeria Hotel and Catering Institute (NHCI), writes that tourism was given poor treatment by the political parties during the electioneering campaigns, but with the dust generated by the elections now over and Akinwunmi Ambode presiding over Lagos State as the new governor, he calls on the Governor to as a matter of urgency give more than a cursory look to tourism.

Eyo masquerade

cesses of 30,000 hotel beds from over 5,000 hotel establishments of different grades; The catering sector provides lunch on a daily basis for at least 5,000,000 active working population apart from its contract catering and banqueting potentials; 200,000 Food Outlets; 200,000 travels and tours professionals; 2,000 entertainment spots; and Total industry Investments in the state in excess of US$3billion. Content analysis of party manifestos for 2015 reveals modest levels of attention to policy for tourism in Lagos State. Considering the specific tourism proposals as set out by the major political parties in Lagos State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP), there was an evident failure in some quarters to advance tourism proposal across all policy frames. Although the PDP Lagos manifesto presented very few or little tourism proposals as summarized to cover “a focus on sports as an extension of our health programme, Eko Medical City (health tourism resort) and the New Ocean Economy,” which underlined the potential of devolu-

tion to shape patterns and processes of interest representation of the tourism industry. It was the APC Lagos manifesto that advances the greater share of proposals of policies for tourism and its subsectors via its “Project THES” - Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainments and Sports. Notwithstanding this new tourism orientation of the APC candidate and now governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the industry in practical terms will be better positioned if the party’s robust tourism proposals are complemented with the review, implementation and improvement of the state’s tourism master plan, as this will among others: Increase tourism investments in the state; Enable a medium and long term tourism strategic plan for the state; Encourage articulation of the State’s Tourism Assets for better capacity, and; Harnesses the hotel and hospitality group component of the tourism industry for meaningful economic yield and reciprocal developmental input by the State, and; Encourage and Increase communications between government

and the private Sector. Although submissions were based on parties manifestos upon which electorate might have voted, there is the caveat that a better and well-articulated programme may not be delivered after the election. This caveat is however countered by the ‘Change Phenomenon’ in the country. The electorate always have another four years to give their verdicts. It will not be out of place if other professionals carry out such reviews as it relates to the tourism industry and educate the electorate and particularly, the tourism constituencies. The fact that the Supreme Court had given more powers to the states in the regulation and grading of the tourism industry requires all well-meaning tourism and hospitality practitioners to demand for progressive actions. Nigerians must understand and appreciate the wider contribution of the submissions to tourism scholarship, as it shows how public policy is grounded in the representative process and revealing the party politicization and contingent nature of tourism policy development.

World Environment Day: UNWTO Secretary general calls for united front

ore than one billion tourists travel across international borders each year, many of whom are inspired to see our planet´s natural wonders – from majestic landscapes and pristine coastlines, to the rich biodiversity of our lands and our seas. As one of tourism´s greatest assets, our natural heritage enlivens the global tourism sector, providing a source of livelihood and inclusive development for millions of people worldwide. Yet our natural resources and biodiversity face unprec-

edented environmental challenges. Unrestrained consumption and production over the past decades have directly impacted our natural environment, placing fragile ecosystems, endangered species and natural habitats at risk; often times with irreversible consequences. Looming over all of these challenges is the global threat of climate change. On the occasion of World Environment Day 2015, we are reminded of our immense responsibility to protect our environment in light of the choices we make.

One billion tourists are one billion opportunities for accelerating the shift. Though small actions may seem inconsequential, just imagine the widespread impact of one responsible action multiplied one billion times. One billion tourists can indeed become one billion global stewards – one united, global force protecting the future of our planet and all people. Protecting our environment is a responsibility we all share. The more we travel the world, the more we become aware of our planet´s inex-

haustible wonder, calling us to do our part in preserving our common heritage. On World Environment Day, I would like to join the international community and invite all tourists to make their actions count while travelling. Together we can shoulder the great responsibility of consuming with care. *Message of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General, Talebi Rifai on the occasion of this year’s World Environment Day, which was held in Milan, Italy.

Rifai

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Nigerian Idol

Music

Dolu & K-Peace tear selves apart for Etisalat Nigerian Idol V

Sony Music parades eight on its Week 23 Delivery

Entertainment

Eucharia, Amata name inspired me’ — Joy

Wizkid’s email hacked

usiness partners and other associates of Nigeria’s superstar, Ayo Balogun popularly known as Wizkid, has been informed to wary of criminals who may want to con them as they have hacked into the email of the entertainer. This much was explained in an official statement issued on Monday, June 8 by his managers, List Entertainment. The statement signed by the CEO, List Entertainment, Sunday Are, reads thus: “List Entertainment would like to bring to the attention of the general public that the certified email accounts of front-line Nigerian artiste and founder of Starboy Music, Ayo Balogun popularly known as Wizkid has been hacked. The followingaccounts; starboybookings@gmail.com, ayobalogunwizkid339@gmail. com and wizkidayo@gmail. com are currently being used to send fraudulent emails to business partners and other associates of the artiste.” Are further stated that, “The said email accounts are no longer under our control and we want the general public to disregard all mails received from it. All mails should be sent to sunday.are@listentertainmentng.com or call to enlist the services of Wizkid.” Wizkid recently announced List Entertainment as his new management company for all business engagements.

What is really in a name? The name, Amata, has helped Joy Amata, an actress, a script writer and a graduate of the Delta State University, Abraka, whose surname has helped open doors even when she is not related in any way to the famous Amata dynasty. In an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, Amata, who defied her father to study arts instead of science, said Eucharia’s roles in movies actually encouraged her choice of profession.Excerpts… charia Anunobi. My passion for acting made me disobey my father who wanted me to go for science but I picked art instead. I hold a degree in social studies in Delta State University, Abraka. I tried several times to get admission into the Theatre Arts Department there, but was not successful; I had to get into school anyway. So when I heard there was a Broadcast and Film Academy at Ozoro in Delta State, I was so happy and I registered as a student there, graduating with a Diploma upper class in Mass Communication. I was the highest scored student in script writing in my set. I also won Top Five Best Actress in Delta State in the Niger Delta Film Competition.

Joy

Why acting instead of other professions? Acting has been my dream and passion since I was a little girl. While I was in my elementary school I always got a special treatment from my teachers, because they thought I was related to Fred Amata and Zack Amata from the great Amata dynasty. My surname has helped me somehow in the industry, it gives me special attention and I thank The Amata’s for that. They have inspired me a lot.

Wizkid

sony neme

Editor, entertainment sony.neme@newtelegraphonline.com

Apart from the coincidence of name, who else inspired you into the make believe world? Eucharia Anunobi was another person that inspired me. The moment I watched her in the movie ‘Died Wretched’, her role pulled a string. I love her acting so much. I grew up wanted to act like Eu-

For some people, sex sells in Nollywood, my main challenge is that of ‘man knows man’

It cannot be all rosy, what has been your major challenge as an actress? There are lots of challenges in the movie industry, but my main challenge is that of ‘man knows man’. That is a situation where you have to be close to a director, a producer or the executive producer, or even the marketer to get a good role in a movie1i have gone to auditions where I did my thing and they were impressed, only for me to be called to appear as a cameo; and the leads and subs got to people who didn’t even attend the auditions! There are very few production companies who promote new faces. Their belief is that no matter how good you are, you can’t sell their movies, which is not true as one has to be given a chance to become a known face. I know a director hat involves his girlfriends in every of his shoots.

I am not cut out for that, as I believe in getting my jobs on merit. I think it is a letdown because if you know who you are, you won’t have to sleep with anyone to get a role. You have featured in some Mnet films and many movies, how were you able to break through? After graduating from the Broadcast and Film Academy at Ozoro I relocated back to Lagos, my land of birth to pursue my acting career. It has not been easy though, but God has been faithful in all. The industry is corrupt and it takes God grace for a talent to be seen and appreciated. My best feature is my voice and the ability to fall into character easily. I am hard working, strong and beautiful in and out. Yes, I have featured in some Mnet films and also in their popular sitcom Tinsel among others to numerous to mention. I have also featured in movies like Stereotype, Drift beyond Conscience and 11am as well as Anita and LWKMD among others I have also featured in stage plays like, Human Cargo, Woe unto Death, Obatala, Odara, Imaguero etc. Apart from Eucharia who is your role model, and what are your future plans? My role model is Angela Bassett. My hobbies are singing, cooking and swimming. I intend to become a director, which I’m planning towards going for a former training. I believe in hard work, determination and consistency, but above all I believe in God.

Entertainment

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Stories by Sony Neme

fter weeks of high expectations with thrilling music experience, it is down to the final wire as the fifth season of the Etisalat sponsored Nigerian Idol draws to a close this weekend. It is a moment of decision for Dolu and K-Peace as they tear selves apart for the cash prize of N7.5 million, a brand new car and a recording deal with Universal Music Company worth N7.5 million. However, Nigerians will decide yet again the winner of the Season V Nigerian Idol competition at the showdown tomorrow Saturday, June 13 taking place at the Nigerian Idol studio in Bamako Estate, Omole Phase 1, Lagos, where the grand finale holds and Nigerian Idol names its season five winner between Dolu and K-Peace. Commenting on the show, Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani said, “Looking at the contestants at the final stage, it definitely was a battle of sexes and it is going to be a very tough decision for the voting public because both finalists are winners in their own right.” With 25 year old vocal power house Dolu, who has grown in leaps and bounds in the course of the competition, the bubbly civil servant is set to take the music world by storm. It does not matter the outcome, especially if Nigerians see her as the next big music superstar to blossom on the Nigerian Idol platform. With her vocal prowess, outstanding stage presence, easy-going personality and infectious smile, Dolu has got the judges and the viewing public with Nigerian and International classics as well as top hit songs over the last four months. From her audition in Ibadan, Dolu has proven that rapid growth and improvement is her major strength. But the million dollar question is: ‘Is she fit to outshine K-Peace to become the fourth female

Dolu & K-Peace tear selves apart for Etisalat Nigerian Idol V

K-Peace

Nigerian Idol?’ On the other hand, K-Peace already won hearts as the King of Fuji and originality on the show as he has succeeded in getting the accolades of numerous guest judges. He is one contestant that has also won the hearts of the judges and those of the viewing public. With his Fuji version of the popular John Legend song, ‘All of Me’, K-Peace won a golden ticket into the

Str8upbangin presents #BringBackTheBand

Faze, 2Face and Black Face

tr8upbangin.com, a respected entertainment outfit is poised to deploy its platform to organise an opinion poll to find out which band among the three most successful bands would be the most desired to make a comeback in a poll dubbed #BringBackTheBand. They hinged their trust on the emerging order in music production as the world welcomes new music from such phenomenal bands like Boys to Men and

Dolu

Jodeci in the international scene. For them, “Nigeria should not be left out as some of our local boy bands have been making overtures at their diehard fans with new music; even as the Plantashun Boiz’ re-union experiment turned awry recently. The fans have not given up hope and are still bent on hearing new works from the iconic trios of The Plantashun Boiz, Remedies and Styl Plus. “It is against this back-

competition and has since continued to build a strong fan base across Nigeria. Expectedly, he sees the Nigerian Idol platform as the needed opportunity to launch him into the league of his mentors and idols in the industry. The question from critics is: ‘Will his over whelming stage presence, dramatic performances, vocal dexterity and charming personality, outshine the vocal powerhouse Dolu and make him emerge as the second male Nige-

ground that Str8upbangin. com feels obligated to deploy its platform to organise an opinion poll to find out which band among the three most successful bands would be the most desired to make a comeback in a poll dubbed #BringBackTheBand. The nineties, no doubt, recorded an unprecedented global explosion of boy band phenomenon.” They further stressed that, “That memorable era enjoyed lush and robust music that had a rich blend of pop and R&B from such groups like Boys to Men, Jodeci, Shy, Silk, Musical Youths and a host of others in the international circuit. In Nigeria, The Plantashun Boiz, Remedies and Styl Plus held sway. By mid-2000 however, groups started to disintegrate or disappear totally giving way to a new hip-hop generation that favoured solo pursuits.” The organisers also posits that, “It is our intention at the end of the poll to present the people’s verdict to the group with the highest votes, hoping that the ‘Voice of The Streets’ will prevail and compel the group to hit the studio. You can log on to Str8upbangin.com for more details or you can also join the fun on Facebook and Twitter.”

rian Idol?’ An excited Dolu has this to say, “I am blessed and privileged to have come this far in the competition and aside giving my all during the last gala show, I am having fun.” K-Peace said, “I don’t deserve to have come this far, because there were other talented contestants who auditioned for this competition. I am grateful to Nigerians for keeping me in this competition.”

Veteran DJ, Abbey Lincoln is dead

biodun Okusanya better known as Abbey Lincoln who got social circles agog with party freaks at clubs and parties in the 70s and 80s is dead. At 74 years, Abbey Lincoln finally came to end of his journey, as his family pays their last respect to him on the June 13. according to a press statement made available to New Telegraph, the celebrated DJ, music impresario and the Scion to late Chief Emmanuel Badejo Okusanya, was one of the first indigenous owners of music companies in Nigeria. Complementing the popular attires, cultures and music of that burgeoning era, Abbey Lincoln held sway at top clubs around then like Beach Comba, Classic, and more. It would be recalled that with such luminary contemporaries as Segun Sonibare, John Chukwu, and Eddie Ugbomah; his life revolved around entertainment, from his days at Fiditi Grammar School to his time at Molusi College where he was the fastest mile runner in the whole of the then western region. He also participated in several sporting activities like Javelin, Long jump and high jump.

The late Abbey Lincoln

His love for good music kept him around after passing on the baton of night-life to the new generation of DJs. He ventured into In-Car Entertainment, tapping into the general love for premium entertainment on the move to attract clients to his Surulere, Lagos workshop to fix woofers, DVDs and different entertainment accessories in their cars. He was at that time popularly called Papa as he neared retirement. He is survived by his siblings Opeolu Okusanya, Olori Labisi Tejuosho, CMC Connect Boss Yomi Badejo Okusanya and his children.

Entertainment 27

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Princess Abiye to screen Saving Grace in UK Stories by Sony Neme

ondon based actress, presenter and producer, Princess Abiye is about to take the United Kingdom by storm with two major films titled On My Return. She also has a reality television show dubbed the Next President. According to the lady with Bayelsa roots who spoke exclusively with New Telegraph on Wednesday, she is also working hard on the screening of Saving Grace to be premiered in

the United Kingdom on June 19. She said the UK will be seeing a lot of her vibrant Bayelsan roots in weeks ahead. Her words: “We shall be having so many films screening this year and this one is a bit different as it is also a reality show called The Next President and the Next Governor to hit Nigeria. Also look out for this blockbuster movie coming to Silverbird Cinema, Lagos in September titled ‘On My Return’ where O played the wife of David McKenzie, a top Nollywood actor and step mum to Joselin Dumas,

another actress from Ghana.” It is movie produced by Christian Ashiku also starring Joseph Benjamin and Yemi Blacq.” Princess Abiye saoid she was in Nigeria in 2014 where this film was shot, “It was very interesting to see different ways in the filming and working with all the lovely cast. I played the character of a Muslim wife and had to learn some few words in Hausa. This role gave me the chance to mix with some great talents, and it was a great experience working on this project. This film has a lot of

juice from love, romance, watch trailer by clicking the link https://youtu. be/kFImo2Tjh_Y. “ Princess Abiye has another blockbuster movie coming to silver bird in September call On My Return where she played the wife of David McKenzie and step mum to Joselin Dumas, a movie produced by Christian Ashiku also starring Joseph Benjamin and Yemi Blacq. Watch trailer by clicking the link https://youtu. be/kFImo2Tjh_Y.

CinemaWatch (Radio/TV/Events Guide)

JUNE 12 — 17 Highlights

DStv

Born in the Wild airs from Friday, June 12 at 20:00 CAT In this new series, families take one step beyond homebirth and make the powerful choice to experience childbirth in the great outdoors. No inductions, no epidurals… just expectant mothers facing and giving birth in the arms of Mother Nature. Special: On the Road with Will.I.AM airs on Friday, June 12 at 21:00 CAT (IS20) He’s a singer, producer, actor and philanthropist, he’s won seven Grammy Awards and three World Music Awards and he’s worked with some of international music’s biggest superstars! This month TRACE Sport Stars goes behind the scenes on his first solo tour, #willpower. Brand New: Omnitrix Go! Airs on Cartoon Network from Saturday, June 13 at 13:45 CAT Cartoon Network brings you a full weekend of exciting, action packed Ben 10 Omniverse adventures: you’ll be able to enjoy an entire film and two more, back to back, episodes all in one afternoon! X-Ray Mega Airport airs on Discovery Channel from Sunday, June 14 at 22:00 CAT A rookie pilot prepares for his first solo flight, air-traffic controllers redirect planes as a storm approaches, and baggage handlers track a suspicious piece of luggage. In every episode of this fascinating series, three or four developing observational narratives are followed, each focusing on a different group of people who are essential to the smooth operation of the airport Slow Train Through Africa with Griff Rhys Jones on BBC Knowledge every Sunday from June 14 at 17:00 CAT. Comedian Griff Rhys Jones takes a trip along Africa’s colonial, old-fashioned railway system; immersing himself in the joy and frustration of travelling through this beautiful and beguiling continent using the most romantic method of transportation.

Entertainment

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Akpovi-Esade dedicates COSON award to Anikulapo Stories by Sony Neme

ears after retiring from the newsroom, the Chief Executive Officer of MIM, Justin Akpovi-Esade, was decorated recently by the Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, for his immense contribution to the progress on copyright issues in Nigeria. Instead of enjoying the memorable moments alone, he has dedicated his valued awards to his erstwhile boss and former Arts editor of a national newspaper, Jahman Anikulapo. Mr. Akpovi-Esade made the gesture recently to thank his former boss for the window of opportunity he had while in the newspaper. According to a statement made available by the MIM boss who manages reputable celebrated entertainers under his management, “It is a good feeling to know that some people have been keeping track of what you do over the years and they have decided to recognize your efforts. So I am dedicating this COSON’s award to Mr. Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, the Editor of all Editors who opened my eyes to the world of

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West expecting baby boy A Justin relishes his award as Okoroji looks on

copyright”. With those words, the journalist and Media Lobbyist dedicated his recent COSON Roll of Honour award to veteran journalist Anikulapo who was instrumental to his being attracted to reporting intellectual property and even at times fighting for the rights of artistes in Nigeria in his early days in the profession. He expressed gratitude for the honour done him by COSON thus: “It (the award) is an honour that I cherish so much. In fact, I always cherish any award that comes to me unexpected because you know in Nigeria so many awards are solicited for.” He, however, lamented the situation where

Van Morrison

users of intellectual property still want to be told to go and pay for what they use. His words: “In the last five years that COSON came into existence, there has been a significant improvement in the collective management organization collective management organization Collective Management Organization, CMO sector but it breaks my heart to still hear news about some rights users not wanting to pay for the works they use. With little time coupled with COSON’s commitment, things would become normal and artistes as well as other creators would begin to reap the fruit of their labour.”

Paul Kalkbrenner

t last Kim Kardashian and husband Kanye West are giving their twoyear old daughter North, a little brother. According to several sources, “Kanye loves Nori more than anything, but to make his world complete he wanted a little boy, an heir. He’s overjoyed!,” “ said a source close to West just as Kardashian pal, name not mentioned, said, Kardashian is elated as well. “Kim always wanted two kids. A girl and a boy.” Kardashian, 34, and West, 38, documented their struggle to conceive baby number two on E!’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Over the past year, the fashionista underwent in vitro fertilization, consulted a cadre of doctors, and even talked to psychic John Edward. “Kim was really down

T-Pain

Sony Music parades eight on its Week 23 Delivery O

n the heels of the amazing press and fan praise of Meghan’s Billboard Music Awards Performance of ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You’ with John Legend, Sony Music are thrilled to confirm that Meghan’s next single will in fact be ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You’ featuring John Legend! Written and produced by Meghan, the song showcases Meghan’s strength as a writer – displaying that she is a multidimensional artist who is more than capable of turning out sentimental, down-tempo ballads with dynamic vocal prowess that are just as captivating as her upbeat, pop hits! Other music that make up this week’s chart are George Ezra’s Barcelona, Elliphant’s Love Me Badder and T-Pain’s Make That **** Work featuring Juicy J.

There is also The Six’s Unfinished Sympathy featuring Jasmine Thompson, Van Morrison’s Some Peace of Mind featuring Bobby Womack, Hurts’ Some Kind Of Heaven and Paul Kalkbrenner’s Cloud Rider In a statement made available by Sony Music, exclusively to New Telegraph, it stated that, “After recently announcing his much anticipated three date South African Tour, George Ezra releases his brand new single ‘Barcelona’, off his Platinum selling album ‘Wanted on Voyage’. It has been well documented that Barcelona was written whilst backpacking solo across Europe and as a result the album has a sense of restlessness about it; almost a continuous movement, as if echoing the countless miles travelled across the European continent.

about it. And she was worried,” a source spoke on her inability to get pregnant. As she recently told Glamour, “The waiting and waiting has been a roller coaster.” But this spring, she received the news she longed to hear: “I just got the blood test back and I’m pregnant!” she exclaimed to her sister Khloe Kardashian on a show teaser that aired May 31. The day after that aired, the Selfish author — now in her second trimester, according to a source revealed how excited she is: “I’m so grateful to be pregnant when we didn’t even think it was going to happen.” She reportedly said that she did not even mind her severe morning sickness. “I can barely get out of bed,” she continued, adding that, “But it’s so worth it. I don’t really care.”

Elliphant returns with a brand new Dr. Luke produced single called ‘Love Me Badder’, already making waves in Sweden, the song is edgy dance pop as the world has come to love and expect from the young talent, with particular relevance to radio ahead of the US summer. On the other hand, international rap sensation T-Pain returns at long last with a brand new single called ‘Make That **** Work’! The track, which was produced by the man of the moment DJ Mustard, features a verse from Juicy J and is set to be another hit for the Florida based performer. Massive Attack’s ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ is a song both uniquely of its era and utterly timeless, just as Van Morrison releases a brand new single from his new album Duets: Re-Working The

Catalogue. ‘Some Peace of Mind’ features soul/R&B legend Bobby Womack, who has had a career in music spanning over 50 years. British duo, Hurts (aka Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson) return to the musical spotlight this summer with the release of their stunning new single ‘Some Kind Of Heaven’, being the first taste of new music to be taken from their forthcoming third studio album, scheduled for release later this year. German techno don Paul Kalkbrenner has just dropped the first track from his forthcoming album ‘7’, which is set for release on August 7 on Sony International | Columbia. ‘Cloud Rider’ is a stomping emotional house number that’s thick with live instrumentation, and is crying out for a bit of that sunned deep house remix treatment. With a career spanning twenty years, Kalkbrenner is certified techno royalty. He’s already got six studio albums already under his belt, a platinum score (and a lauded acting performance) for the film ‘Berlin Calling’, and he also holds the record for most weeks spent on the German singles chart for his 2009 anthem ‘Sky + Sand’ which he produced with his brother Fritz.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Labour

‘The degree of greed in the system is overwhelming’

Agric FG approves 15 new high-yielding crop varieties

Business What's news

Nigeria, others’ economic forecast slow to 4.2% Following the fall in oil prices at the international markets, the World Bank has issued a reassessment of economic prospects for Nigeria and some other countries with a verdict that growth in the sub-region will slow to 4.2 per cent.

p.30

Customs silent on recovery of alleged N36bn rice import debts Nigerians who are anxious for the quick recovery of the N36 billion allegedly owed the Federal Government by rice importers may have to tarry for a while.

p.30

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

L-R: Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku; Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Rasheed Olaoluwa and Executive Director, Waheed Olagunju, after the signing of MoU between Taraba State government and BoI on establishing an Entrepreneur Development Fund in Abuja. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Nigeria, Switzerland among top 10 UAE card spenders

s the value of United Arab Emirates (UAE) card spending jumps by 10.2 per cent to $9.34 billion in five months, Nigeria and Switzerland have been identified among the top

10 foreign spenders. A report released by Network International revealed that Qatari’s spending rose 14 per cent, ranking the country fifth overall, followed by Kuwait (up six per cent year-on-year, ranking seventh overall). The report said that Switzerland and Nigeria ranked among the top 10 foreign spenders year-to-date, displacing Angola (where spending on cards declined by a third) and France (down 11.2 per cent). Total card spending in the UAE jumped 10.2 per cent in five months to May compared to the same 2014 period, according to the data.

INFLATION RATE April 2015................................8.7% March 2015.............................8.5% February 2015.........................8.4%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

ABUSE

CBN recently reduced the limit for use of debit cards for transactions overseas following its misuse

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

Sunday Ojeme

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

The value of card transactions over the five-month period reached $9.34 billion (Dh34.3 billion, according to Network International, which covers about 60 per cent of the UAE market for e-commerce and point-ofsale (POS) transactions. Khaleej Times reports that most of the growth in spending in the first five months of this year was on cards issued by

$9.34 bn

Value of United Arab Emirates (UAE) card spending between January and May, 2015

UAE banks (mainly residents), which rose 14.9 per cent yearon-year and accounted for over 70 per cent of total POS transactions. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently reduced the limit for use of debit cards for transactions overseas to $50,000 from $150,000 per person per annum. The decision to reduce the limit was taken at the meeting of the Bankers’ Committee held about two months ago, following the abuse of cards by travellers, who get several cards from different banks in Nigeria and CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(BDC as at Jun 5)

(Interbank as at Jun 5)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N218 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N330 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N240

l Foreign Reserves – $29.343bn as at 4/06/2015

Source: CBN

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N199 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N308 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N228

Business | News

GLOBAL EXPANSION

The global economy is likely to expand by 2.8 per cent this year Sunday Ojeme

ollowing the fall in oil prices at the international markets, the World Bank has issued a reassessment of economic prospects for Nigeria and some other countries with a verdict that growth in the subregion will slow to 4.2

Nigeria, Switzerland among top 10 UAE card spenders CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

use them to withdraw thousands of foreign currencies aboard – thereby depleting the nation’s foreign reserves. The value of foreign spending - on cards issued by non-UAE banks - was unchanged year-on-year in January to May 2015, at $2.67 billion (Dh9.8 billion). “We assume that the country in which a credit card is issued reflects the spender’s nationality. While there will be exceptions where people use credit cards of countries in which they are not citizens and/or residents, as well as cases of dual citizenship, we believe that this is a reasonable assumption,” said the report. A statement issued by Network International said that spending on USissued cards accounted for about 20 per cent of all foreign spending in the UAE in the year to May and was up 9.2 per cent year-on-year. Saudis are the second biggest foreign spenders in the UAE, accounting for 12.7 per cent of total nonUAE PoS transactions. Spending on Saudi-issued cards surged 24.9 per cent since January, followed by the UK-issued cards, accounting for 9.2 per cent of foreign sales, but growth in spending was just 1.4 per cent, likely reflecting the relative weakness of the British pound relative to the dollar and dollarpegged currencies. Russian spending declined 52 per cent in the five-month period. “The impact of dollar strength on foreign spending in the UAE becomes even more apparent in the geographic breakdown of spending beyond the top three source countries. Russian spending declined 52 per cent, taking the Russian Federation down to sixth place from fourth place last year.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigeria, others’ economic forecast slow to 4.2% per cent. The region had grown by 4.5 per cent in 2014. The global bank, in its latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report, observed that developing countries face tough transition in 2015 with higher borrowing costs and lower prices for oil and other commodities. According to a statement, the banks observed that in sub-Saharan Africa, low oil prices have considerably reduced growth in commodityexporting countries (Angola, Nigeria), and have also slowed activity in non-oil sectors. It also highlighted that although South Africa is expected to be one

of the main beneficiaries of low oil prices, growth is being held back by energy shortages, weak investor confidence amid policy uncertainty and by the anticipated gradual tightening of monetary and fiscal policy. “Growth in the region is forecast to slow to 4.2 per cent, slower than previously expected. This mainly reflects a reassessment of prospects in Nigeria and Angola following the sharp drop in oil prices and in South Africa, because of ongoing difficulties in electricity supply. For 2016-17, growth is expected to be only marginally higher as these challenges partially

offset stronger trading partner growth and the continued expansion in the region’s low-income countries,” that statement said. It further hinted that developing countries were now projected to grow by 4.4 per cent this year, with a likely rise to 5.2 per cent in 2016 and 5.4 per cent in 2017. “Developing countries were an engine of global growth following the financial crisis, but now they face a more difficult economic environment,” said World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim. “We’ll do all we can to help low and middle-income countries become more

resilient so that they can manage this transition as securely as possible. We believe that countries that invest in people’s education and health, improve the business environment, and create jobs through upgrades in infrastructure, will emerge much stronger in the years ahead. These kinds of investments will help hundreds of millions of people lift themselves out of poverty.” With an expected liftoff in US interest rates, borrowing will become more expensive for emerging and developing economies over the coming months. This process is expected to unfold rela-

tively smoothly since the US economic recovery is continuing and interest rates remain low in other major global economies. However, there are considerable risks around this expectation, the report argues. Just as the initial announcement of US policy normalisation caused turmoil in financial markets in 2013 – now referred to as the “taper tantrum” – the US Federal Reserve’s first interest rate increase, or liftoff, since the global financial crisis could ignite market volatility and reduce capital flows to emerging markets by up to 1.8 percentage points of GDP, the report says.

Managing Director/CEO, New Horizons Solutions Limited, Mr. Tim Akano (right) with Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Prof J. A. Kayode Makinde, at the singing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Entrepreneurship professional programme at the university campus.

DISQUIET

Committee tasks Customs to recover the funds

Dele Alao

igerians who are anxious for the quick recovery of the N36 billion allegedly owed the Federal Government by rice importers may have to tarry for a while. This is because it could not be ascertained if the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) charged with the onerous task of recovering the debts has swung into action. At the twilight of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the then Minister of

Customs silent on recovery of alleged N36bn rice import debts Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, had accused rice importers and other investors of exceeding the import quota allocated to them for 2014, thereby flooding the market with imported rice and defrauding the Federal Government of N36 billion. Adesina, who is now the President of African Development Bank (AfDB), at a public hearing of the National Assembly’s Adhoc Committee on Rice Quota and Duty Payments on Rice Imports Quota and Duty Payments, said that the alleged rice import duty scam that was widely reported to be N21 billion by the importers, was actually N36

billion, which needed to be paid into the Federal Government’s coffers. “I raised the issue that allocations were made to certain companies and they have to pay. At the time I issued the statement, I told the Customs that the amount owed the Federal Government was N36 billion. I do not know when the hunter has now become the hunted,” Adesina had said. A National Assembly committee saddled with the task of investigating the alleged evasion of payment of import duty on imported rice by some companies and other investors recently turned in its reports.

The committee urged the Customs to recover outstanding monies and seal up the warehouses and other businesses of defaulting firms until the last kobo is paid to government in line with the Customs Act. When contacted on how far the Customs had gone in the recovery of the money, Public Relations Officer, NCS, Wale Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, who said that he was out of the country, promised to call back but never did as at time of filing in this report. He did not also respond to email and the Short Messaging System (SMS) sent to him.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Labour

Civil servants task Buhari on appointments p.32 Secretary-General of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal tells DOMINIK UMOSEN and SUNDAY OJEME about the loopholes the new administration should plug to boost government’s revenue base

‘The degree of greed in the system is overwhelming’ riculture is also the only way the interest of a critical segment of the population like youths could be drawn into the industry to create the economic impact that we desire. As part of strategies to sustain the interest of young and energetic people in agriculture, the payment of regular stipends must be assured. Payment of such motivation must not be politicised or left at the discretion of the management of integrated farm settlements; a development, which could sabotage the strategy even before it begins. Payment of stipends to youths working in farms must be regular and consistent. With consistency and serious effort in this collaborative effort, the contribution of agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will soar in five years. Mechanising agriculture will attract young people to the sector. But because the level of greed in the system is overwhelming, the authorities of the settlements should be rigorously monitored to ensure they actually pay the stipends to workers.

The belief among many people, even before the crisis in the NLC, was that for whatever reasons, labour lost its vibrancy, not even able to mobilise Nigerians to protest the crippling nationwide fuel crisis. Is this right? Thank you for that question. Because the issues involved are complex and require thorough examination, we have been careful, not reluctant, to stake any position. From the standpoint of labour, we do not know what is happening - claims between marketers and the Federal Government. There are conflicting claims of payment and non-payment. And in such a scenario, there is bound to be malpractices and fraudulent practices. For want of a better word, you can call this conflict of claims between government and marketers a rofo rofo fight. You can see that unless the facts of the matter are properly established, it is dangerous to apportion blames and responsibilities in the fuel crisis that paralysed the nation. The possibility of claims being manipulated for fraudulent purposes is why the All Progressives Congress said it would deregulate (remove subsidy on petroleum products) if voted into power. Does labour support this? We do not support removal of subsidy on petroleum products because that policy would aggravate the problems of the masses whom the policy was intended to protect. The pragmatic thing to do is for the government to sit down with stakeholders in the industry and negotiate. Even as it is, the price of fuel is on the high side, compared to other climes. Let us see the figures behind these claims first then we can say if they are conflicting or not. That is only commonsensical. If we scrutinise the figures for possible fraud that may have been factored into the subsidy, we should be able to work out something that is reasonable and acceptable to all. Let us go back to the substantive issue of vibrancy. Has labour lost its vibrancy? That will depend on how you view the issue of labour and its responsibilities as well as obligations to the people. Even when we said it, we were wrongfully accused of partisanship. The crisis in labour, which is unfortunate, will be sorted out shortly. The hand of government in the crisis cannot just be ruled out. I can tell Nigerians that very shortly, the crisis will be sorted out. And then labour will be in a better position to take on the new administration in the interest of the nation. When you say hand of government, are you suggesting that government orchestrated the crisis in the labour movement? When you have an important election coming up as we had, almost simultaneously with change of leadership in the labour movement, it is not unusual for government officials to want to influence the course of events. That was the scenario. But we are closing ranks faster than you think. And very shortly, all that would be in the past. Were stakeholders embarrassed by the crisis, which slurred the image of the movement? In any human endeavour, there are bound to be disagreements. And when that happens, the challenge is to unite and work out a solution

Was labour caught napping by the combined crises of fuel scarcity and the over-hang of unpaid salaries by various tiers of government? In all fairness, you cannot say that labour was caught napping in the wake of economic crisis. We only soft-pedalled so that we would not be accused of being partisan for party A or B. We did that deliberately to allow the elections to come and go. When you set out in government, you should be able to plan and project without relying on hand-outs. This lackadaisical attitude to governance encouraged unserious people into governance, which is a serious business. And the consequence is what you’re seeing. Governance is a serious business, not for grandstanding or showing off in flowing robes. If the appropriate things are done, governments can do better than this. May be the new crop of leadership, both in the states and at the centre, will infuse seriousness into governance. A robust revenue profile is necessary to discourage unserious or lazy people. For instance, how can a state governor govern from abroad, allegedly on health grounds? It is because they know that handouts would always be there from Abuja. We pray that we do not witness such again.

Lawal

to that challenge. Even in developed countries, you see cracks happening all the time. We are a civilized platform that is sophisticated enough to be able to resolve our differences amicably. And that is just what we intend to do. What are the expectations of labour from the new administration? We have very high expectations from this government. But first, we want them to tackle insecurity, which has devalued human life. That is unfortunate but it is a consequence of insecurity. Also, there are leakages almost everywhere. If these leakages are monitored and plugged, the finances of government will improve considerably. Once you have so many areas of leakage unplugged, there are bound to be problems as we are experiencing. The situation would have still been manageable, even with the turbulence and rapid instability in the world oil market. We have never had it so bad but even at that, if these leakages are plugged, there is still enough to go round. Even before crude oil lost its dominance as primary source of energy, experts had grown weary advising successive regimes to diversify the economy. Do you still have the same advice for Buhari administration? My advice is that a whole lot of work still remains to be done in this regard. In fact, there is a lot to be done to diversify the economy. When you talk about diversifying the economy, what immediately comes to mind is the vast array of possibilities that are realisable from agriculture, for example. But to rescusitate agriculture and make it the country’s economic mainstay will require serious and conscious effort on the part of policy makers. For example, to deepen the role agriculture should play in the economy will require sustained commitment and collaboration between the public and the private sectors. Of course, do I need to remind you that restoring agriculture to its commanding role in the economy before the discovery of oil will not be possible without large-scale mechanization which is the life wire of the sector any where it is successful in the world? Mechanising ag-

Once you have so many areas of leakages unplugged, there are bound to be problems as we are experiencing

So what is the advice of labour in this regard for the new administration? We, in labour, we like to treat everything with caution; we prefer to approach issues with cautious optimism. For one thing, the in-coming president is an elderly person and has been in government before. So much is expected from him but my happiness is that he is not likely to be easily pushed around. Part of the mistakes of the last dispensation is that the president allowed himself to be distracted in just about every thing- mismanaged human beings, resources, the economy, etc. Institutions were destroyed in the process. The president trusted lieutenants who were not reliable. They deceived him and were busy helping themselves. Quite sad! Look at the Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC), for instance. After over four years, not even 100000 cards have been issued by the agency. The same thing goes for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) whose managing director spent more time fighting workers than doing his job- until he was booted out. The new administration should deal with the system or the effectiveness and success of government will be sabotaged. The average Nigerian does not care who is in charge, so long as the economy is working and there is food on his table.

Business | Labour

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Civil servants task Buhari on appointments CORRUPTION Names touted for now include spent and recycled politicians Stories by Sunday Ojeme

s President Muhammadu Buhari moves closer to consolidating his administration with the appointment of cabinet members, organised Labour, under the auspices of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), has advised that competent persons be appointed as ministers to enable him fulfil his campaign promises to the electorate. In a statement issued in Lagos, the ASCSN National

President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, stated that the advice had become necessary because some names being touted in mainstream and social media as possible candidates for ministerial portfolios were persons of questionable characters that have been recycled over and over again by previous governments. “Nigeria has abundant pool of human resource in all fields of endeavours and as such there is no need to continue to appoint persons with antecedents that will offend the sensibility of Nigerians into strategic positions any longer. “If Mr. President proceeds to appoint certain individuals who spearheaded anti-people policies while serving the pre-

vious governments into his cabinet, his pledge to change the pattern of governance including the culture of impunity in the country will be dead on arrival,” the union emphasised. According to the ASCSN, if for any reason Mr. President wishes to appoint persons that have served the governments in the past into his cabinet, they must be individuals with impeccable characters, proven integrity, and track record of selfless service to the country. It added that if President Buhari opts to appoint deadwoods including those that desperately tried to sell the 104 Federal Unity Colleges to their mentors and to themselves as Ministers or into any other important positions in his government, there would be instant public outcry and re-

L-R: Company Secretary, Total Plc, Mrs. Olubunmi Popoola-Mordi; Chairman, Mr. Momar Nouer and Managing Director, Mr. Alexis Vovk, at the company’s 9th Annual General meeting in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Sterling Bank backs ICC’s AGM, induction

he International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICCN) has received the backing and support of Sterling Bank Plc towards its 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and induction of new members. The event slated for June 25, 2015 in Lagos, will feature the traditional post-AGM talk to be delivered by foremost economic analyst and Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane. According to a statement issued by the ICCN Secretary General, Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, the AGM, with the recent change in government, will offer an opportunity for business owners to strategically look into the prognosis in a bid to chart up effective line of action for success in the challenging environment. The statement pointed out that Rewane’s paper would delve deeply into the Nigerian economy and business outlook and also provide viable insights into the future, adding that the event would also be witnessed by members of the Diplomatic

Corps, notable business leaders and captains of industry in both private and public sectors of the Nigeria economy. During the event, the ICCN Board, led by the Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Savage, will formally welcome all the new members from the last AGM into the Chamber. The new members include; Anu Eso & Co., Enterprise Transport & Logistics Ltd., Heritage Banking Company Ltd., Jaiz Bank Plc., Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Nigerian Ports Authority, Norfolk Partners, Onwuamaegbu & Co., Rand Merchant Bank Ltd., Sola Ephraim-Oluwanuga & Co. and Strachan Partners. Other highlights of the AGM are the appraisal of the major activities and achievements of the Chamber in the past year. ICCN Chairman would also use the opportunity of this event to update the Nigerian business environment on the latest key activities of the ICC around the world. International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the largest,

most representative business organisation in the world. Its global network comprises over six million companies, chambers of commerce and business associations in more than 130 countries. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues. The United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, the G20 and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC. Founded in 1919, National Committees like Nigeria are linked with the ICC Headquarters in Paris. ICC Nigeria became a member of this world body in 1979 and was reorganised in 1999, sequel to the realisation of the benefits, which business community could derive. In line with the foregoing, the ICCN Secretary General also urged all members to attend promptly and maximize the high network that the programme provides.

sistance that would not augur well for his Administration. “At this critical stage of the country’s development, it will be a tragedy if Mr. President recycles failed experts and expired activists either as Ministers, Advisers or Assistants to serve in his government,” the

Union stated. It equally urged the trade union movement, the Civil Society Groups, and other conscientious individuals in the country to prepare and resist such appointments if made in the interest of democracy and good governance.

Somorin becomes second female CITN President ollowing the successful with an M.TAX degree in conduct of the 23rd An- Tax Administration (1983), F nual General Meeting of obtained from the Univerthe Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), the leadership baton of the Institute was officially passed to Dr. Olateju Abiola Somorin, FCTI, by Chief Mark Anthony Dike, FCTI. With her election as the 12th President, Somorin becomes the second female to ascend the leadership position of the Institute. According to a statement made available to New Telegraph, other elected officers include Chief Cyril Ikemefuna Ede -Vice President, Ms. Gladys Olajumoke Simplice, Deputy Vice President, and Mr. Adesina Adedayo, who returned unopposed as the Honorary Treasurer. Somorin, popularly known as “TEJUTAX,” started her academic career at the prestigious Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, Lagos (the oldest secondary school for girls in Nigeria, founded in 1879), where she graduated as the best Form V Student (1968 in Arts Class) and also served as a school prefect. In 1975, she obtained a B.A. (hons) Degree in English from the University of Lagos. She is one of the first Nigerian females

sity of Paris. She joined the then Federal Inland Revenue Department, FIRD, now Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 1976 and rose to the position of Co-ordinating Director (Ag.) (first female to attain the position) before she retired in 2010 as the third person in the management hierarchy of FIRS, where she worked for 34 years, 17 of which were on the Directorate level. She is an experienced tax administrator with indepth knowledge of the Nigerian tax system and one of the few Nigerian women who have carved a niche for themselves in the sphere of taxation, an area which is ordinarily dominated by men. Somorin is the 24th member to be conferred with the status of a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. At the CITN, she has served as member/vicechairman/chairman of nearly all the Committees of Council and was the first chairman of Abuja District Society and the pioneer Dean of Tax Administration Faculty. She is also the Life Patron of Society of Women in Taxation.

NIWA appoints acting managing director Bayo Akomolafe

ational Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has appointed an acting Managing Director, Barr. Danladi Ibrahim, following the resignation of the former Managing Director, Hajiya Inna Maryam Ciroma. A letter from the Federal Ministry of Transport said Ibrahim, until his appointment, was the General Manager (Legal Services/Company Secretary) of the authority. The acting managing director hails from Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State. He was born on the 9th of September, 1963 in Zuru Town of Kebbi State. He holds L.L.B (Hons) degree from University

of Sokoto and Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and also holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from University of Lagos. In a release by Mr. Tayo Fadile, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Ibrahim was a Chief Magistrate II in Kebbi State from 1992-1994, assistant manager, office of the board secretary/legal adviser, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) from 1994-1998. In 1998, he joined National Inland Waterways Authority as Principal Manager (Legal Services) and rose to the rank of General Manager (Legal Services/Company Secretary), until he was made Acting Managing Director of the Authority.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Agric

Buhari targets private sector-driven agriculture p.34

FG approves 15 new high-yielding crop varieties GROWTH New crop will contribute to abundant food production

Dele Alao

he National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries has registered and released 15 new high-yielding varieties, which are believed would contribute to abundant food production and security. The crops, developed by public and private institutions, were released during the committee’s 26th meeting held recently at Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State. Out of the 18 crop varieties submitted for consideration, 15 were recommended to the National Committee for release by its Technical Sub-committee (crops). These include two upland rice variety (Faro 64 and Faro 65); three tomato hybrids (KILELE, CHIBLI and TYLKA); five maize hybrids (SAMMAZ 43, SAMMAZ 44, SC651 and two Ife maize hy-

brids); one Aflatoxin-resistant maize variety (SAMMAZ 45); two cowpea varieties (SAMPEA 16 and SAMPEA 17, and two wheat varieties (LACRI WHIT-7 and LACRI WHIT-8). Rice Faro 64 and 65, from National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, Africa Rice Centre, Nigeria Station and Cotonou, National Rice/ Maize Centre and University of Ibadan, were recommended for release based on early maturity, high yield and drought tolerance. The tomato varieties, KILELE, CHIBLI and TYLKA, from National Institute for Horticultural Research (NIHORT), Ibadan and Syngenta Nigeria Limited, were released based on high yield, firm fruits and tolerance to Fusarium wilt and late blight, high brix tolerance to Verticillium wilt as well as Grey leaf spot. The maize varieties were recommended for release based on intermediate levels of pro-vitamin-A content (8.4ug/g) and high grain yield; resistance to Aflatoxin; tolerance to drought and Striga hermonthica. The variety, SAMPEA 16, was recommended for release based on early maturity, resistance to Alectra and tolerance

Agricultural Commodity Prices – Grains Commodity Wheat Corn Soybeans Soybean Meal Soybean Oil Oats Rough Rice Hard Red Wheat Spring Wheat

Price 537-4 366-4 957-6 318.4 34.25 264-2 9.985 553-4 587-6

Change -18-6 -7-6 -2-0 -2.1 -0.06 -1-2 -0.110 -17-6 -15-6

Contract Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15

Time(ET) 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15

Price 65.16 125.00 138.85 12.23 3157 24.60 1.3770 0.1208 3166.00 0.6535 296.70

Change +0.34 +0.30 -0.90 -0.06 +21 unch +0.0035 +0.0001 +59.00 -0.0010 +6.30

Contract Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Sep 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 15

Time(ET) 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 06/10/15 07:20 09:11 06:48 08:52 15:20

Price 156.475 227.800 80.850

Change +0.925 +3.125 +0.025

Time(ET) 15:07 15:19 15:30

16.83

+0.04

Contract Jun 15 Aug 15 Jul 15 Jun 15

Softs Commodity Cotton #2 Orange Juice Coffee Sugar #11 Cocoa Sugar #16 CME Coffee CME Sugar #11 CME Cocoa CME Cotton #2 Lumber

Meats Commodity Live Cattle Feeder Cattle Lean Hogs Class III Milk

15:15

Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price. Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency. Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

to Striga and drought. The variety SAMPEA 17 was recommended for release based on early maturity, resis-

tance to Alectra and tolerance to Striga and drought. The wheat variety, LACRI WHIT-7 and 8 were recom-

Agric holds the ace for economic change, says Tule

director, Monetary Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Moses Tule, has said that agriculture remains an essential area of focus as the nation strives for economic transformation. Tule said this at the second in-house review meeting of the Institute of Food Security Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). The review, titled: “Restoring the primacy of agriculture in the Nigerian economy,” was held to showcase the results of research findings in agriculture. Presenting a paper titled: “The Dutch disease, sustainable agriculture and monetary

policy in Nigeria,” Tule said that the Dutch disease became a common phrase to describe a situation in which a boom in the natural resource sector shrinks the manufacturing and agricultural sectors through crowdingout effect and an appreciation of the real exchange rate. He listed the factors that would ensure sustainability in agriculture to include increase in government’s provision of infrastructure, competitive pricing of agricultural commodities, private investment, high per capita income, reduction in exchange rate depreciation and the availability of credits. Speaking further, Tule noted that the CBN had often complemented its traditional role with

mended for release based on high yield, tolerance to septoria leaf and glume blotch diseases and good baking quality.

a quasi-fiscal function, using unconventional monetary policy instruments like dual interest rates, quantitative easing policies and by developing interventions in the agricultural sector, among others. Welcoming participants to the meeting, the Director of IFSERAR, Professor Akin Omotayo, said that the collaboration between IFSERAR and the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) had yielded a lot for the Institute. He added that this year, IFSERAR had empowered many farmers by giving them maize seeds free of charge for planting, so as to increase food production. Tule further said that the research on Kalahari goat had been a source of attraction to many farmers and thereby contributing to an increase in the internally-generated revenue profile of the university.

Cassava farming now lucrative –Olonade ountry Technical Expert on larly, in value chains such as sistence to commercial farmC ‘Cassava: Adding Value for ethanol, High Quality Cassava ing, efforts should be geared Africa (CAVA II) Project,’ Mr. Flour, starch, grits and chips. towards ensuring that farmers Stephen Olonade, has said that cassava production was gradually moving away from subsistence to a lucrative business. Olonade, who said this during a pre-season training organised by CAVA II Project, in collaboration with Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC), said that farmers could only benefit effectively from the flourishing sub-sector if they embrace good agronomic practices. “Huge markets exist in the cassava sub-sector particu-

The CAVA II project is committed to linking up farmers with these markets, but we want them to adopt new productivity-enhancing technologies in order to benefit effectively from these lucrative value chains. With good practices, farmers can increase their yield by 25 per cent and this will invariably increase their income,” he said. On his part, AMREC representative, Mr. Olukayode Adesanya, who led the pre-season training, said that in the course of farmers transiting from sub-

had access to quality stems and they should be aware of good farming practices suitable for cassava cultivation. He said: “Hitherto, farmers have been practicing agriculture at subsistence level; they don’t believe that they can cultivate cassava at a level where they can get more revenue. But we believe that if we train them on good farming practices and make high-yielding cassava varieties accessible to them, they will be able earn more revenue from their production.”

Business | Agric

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari targets private sector-driven agriculture FOCUS Food security should depend less on government Stories by Dele Alao

resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed the willingness of his administration to involve the private sector in

boosting food security in the country. Buhari made this known at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) held recently in Calabar, Cross River State. According to the president, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Baba Umar Farouk, with a pro-

jected growth of $1 trillion in the African agriculture and agri-business sector by 2030, the involvement of the private sector could not be underestimated for the country to have her own share of the growth. Buhari added that the goal of his administration was to make agriculture more productive, efficient and competitive through the production of enough food for domestic food supply, as well as create jobs along the agricultural value chain.

“With over 84 million hectares of arable land, of which only 40 per cent is cultivated, a population of 167 million, making her Africa’s largest market, 230 billion cubic metres of water and abundant and reliable rainfall in over 2/3 of its territory, the country has some of the richest natural resources for agricultural production in the world,” President Buhari said. He added: “Today, seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies of the world are in Africa. But there exists a paradox. The growth is not inclusive, as hundreds of millions only hear about the growth numbers, but feel alienated from the growth process. “Africa’s rural economies harbour the greatest share of those being left behind or excluded. There is no doubt in my mind, therefore, that we need a new growth model in Africa; one that will stimulate shared prosperity, create jobs for millions of

our rural youth and unlock the huge sleeping potentials of Africa’s vast agricultural lands.” President Buhari also noted that agriculture must cease from being treated as a development programme, but as a business. “Africa has no business being a food importing region. With over 65 per cent of the arable land left to feed the expected nine billion people in the world by 2050, Africa should become a net exporter of food. The size of the agriculture and agri-business sector in Africa is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Foreign direct investment in Agriculture in Africa will increase from $10 billion in 2015 to $45 billion by 2020. To unlock this potential, we need to direct resources, both public and private, to agriculture, the sector which employs close to 80 per cent of Africans and accounts for about 40 per cent of Africa’s GDP.

Entrepreneur floats Cassava processing plant

I Tractors

NANTS wants technocrat as Adesina’s replacement Deborah Olayode

he National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consolidate the successes achieved in Nigerian’s agriculture sector by engaging a committed technocrat like the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, as minister in this dispensation. NANTS also felicitated with Adesina on his election as the president of African Development Bank (AfDB). According to the National President, NANTS, Ken Ukaoha, the former minister

will always be remembered, especially for his input and revolutionary with the innovative e-wallet system where fertilizers now get directly to farmers, a departure from the corruption-ridden regime of subsidy application that had been practiced over the years. “Dr. Adesina drove a commercial approach to farming in the country, changing the mind-set of Nigerian farmers towards agriculture from hitherto being perceived as a developmental project and not taken seriously as business. His approach to farming boosted domestic production of rice with the introduction of dry-season faming. His leadership in the transformation of Nigeria’s

agriculture and his valuable achievements in agricultural research for development in Africa are examples of commitments which NANTS believes have awarded him this honour and truly becomes a challenge to others that may be coming behind him,” Ukaoha said. On Adesina’s election as AfDB president, Ukaoha said that his success and achievements in the Nigerian agricultural sector would be replicated at the continental level with his new position at the bank. “The AfDB is one of Africa’s biggest lending institutions, rivalling the World Bank, in financing infrastructure projects such as electricity, transport and water services.”

Group to train 150 farmers in Kano he North-West Agro Input other farmers. agricultural production. T Dealers Association will “This year, we have been Zakari, who noted that the astrain 150 farmers in Kano State able to register 150 farmers sociation had registered memon modern farming techniques, President of the Association, Alhaji Saidu Zakari, has said. Zakari said that the farmers would be trained in batches, with the first batch consisting of 50 farmers. He added that the aim was to enable the farmers acquire knowledge on the use of various agricultural inputs and enhance their interaction with

for the training, but we decided to start with the first batch of 50 farmers. The training will also enable the trainees to know quality agricultural inputs for better yields, so as to boost food production in the country,” Zakari said. He explained that the training would give the farmers the opportunity to use the best available inputs to enhance

bers in various markets located in the six states of the zone to benefit from its programmes and services, said: “Members of the association participate actively in the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) of the Federal Government. ‘’We hope the federal and state governments will make agricultural input available for this 2015 cropping season.’’

n a bid to ameliorate the cumbersome method of cassava processing as normally practiced in the area and boost productivity, an entrepreneur at Emede in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State has established an enterprise of cassava processing machines. The entrepreneur, Mr. Oghenewede Okoro, noted that the machines were assembled since June 2014 to ameliorate the difficulties women go through from cassava grating to fermentation. Okoro listed the machines to include a small Lister engine, a wooden box with a grater for grinding cassava, rubber-rollers that are connected to the Lister engine and devices constructed for draining out acidic water from the grated

cassava and ready for frying. The harvesting and processing of cassava into starch or garri in the community is an everyday business, except market days and Sundays. He further explained that women from Etevie Quarter and environs in Emede patronise him as they carry harvested cassava to Ekerie Street where the machines are installed. He explained that after the first stage of processing cassava with the grater, the women extract starch into separate containers and add red oil to the remaining cassava paste, which is further packed into bags with identical materials like pieces of clothes or ropes by each farmer and are loaded into the press to continue the fermentation process.

Anambra agric programme attracts $745m

nambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has said that his administration’s agricultural programme aimed at making the state self-sufficient in food production has attracted about $745 million in less than two years. Obiano who said while flagging-off this year’s farming season at Otuocha, in Anambra-East Local Government Area of the state, expressed satisfaction with the injection of $150 million (N30 billion) by Coched Farms Limited, a subsidiary of Coscharis Limited, into its agricultural project in the state. For instance, the governor said that Joseph Agro

Limited has invested $200 million (N40 billion) into its rice farming project in the state. Also, according to the governor, Ekcel Farms in Umueje community has invested $220 million (N44 billion) in cassava and tomato paste production, adding that Lynden Farms Limited plans to set up an ultra-modern poultry farm in the state at the cost of $60 million (N12 billion). Obiano, who emphasised that agriculture remains the corner stone of his administration, said that his administration’s aim was to become one of the three top states in the country in agricultural production.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Auto Beat

Benz S-Class, still a star Paul Ogbuokiri

he modern design of the S-Class has always been an expression of luxury and automotive grandeur of its respective era and the S-500 also continues this tradition. Since the arrival of the MercedesBenz S-500 via the Authorised General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Nigeria- Weststar Associates Ltd in 2013, much has been said about it but it cannot be talked about or admired enough. Customers can, no doubt, appreciate its exterior design, which is a union of stylish poise with sporty elegance. The highly-charged feature line, three dimensional radiator grille, and the innovative head and tail lamps with the cutting edge LED technology are all characteristics of the high tech nature of the S-Class and help to underline its position as one of the world’s leading Saloons visually as well. The vehicle is perfect for both relaxing and work. The interior design of the Saloon fulfils this trailblazing role with its clear architecture which establishes a new vision of a superior, classic yet advanced Saloon. With its harmoniouslymatched materials and colour schemes, the exclusive-looking interior presents itself as one beautifully-moulded whole. The clear craftsmanship and the noble looking finish captivate the eye. One of the first features to catch the

eye is the wood trim running all round the interior, in conjunction with the modernistic design; it conveys a feeling of expanse and peace. High-quality controls made from aluminum, together with metallised switch surfaces in pearl-effect finishes, are a clear outward sign of Mercedes-Benz quality. The interior is informed by a uniquely flowing, sensuously elegant style. Horizontal elements and lines create a setting characterised by visual breadth and calm solidity. Living up to its reputation of possessing “Efficient Technology”, the S 500 gives an output of 10KW at 4.4 liters per 100 kilometer, thereby almost halving fuel consumption. The new S 500 sets benchmarks in the futuristic areas of infotainment and multimedia, too. First-class sound and entertainment systems and navigation features with a high-resolution display will provide you with an emotional experience and unbridled driving pleasure, all the while keeping your destination in sight. With 13 high performance speakers and 9 DSP amplifiers with a total power output of 590

Mercedez sle

watts, the system calibrated to the S-Class ensures first-class Burmester “feel-good sound”. The model was voted best car in the luxury category; these were the results from the latest reader survey by the specialist automotive publication “auto, motor und sport”. The readers were asked to name the best car of the year, in which the Mercedes-Benz is continuing to earn its place as the reader’s favourite. This acknowledgement consolidates the reputation of the S-Class as a technological trendsetter and the epitome of luxurious travel. The S 500 is the first vehicle

Four Nigerians qualify for Ranger Odyssey Boot Camp

he excitement and anticipation for the 2015 Ford Ranger Odyssey is building rapidly, and the action has spread across numerous African countries, including Nigeria which held its in-market selections recently. Following the initial call to action, which received around 800 entries, twelve finalists were chosen to take part in the Ranger Odyssey evaluation in conjunction with local Ford dealer group, Coscharis Motors Limited. The participants had the opportunity to drive the Ford Ranger in a variety of conditions, and were assessed and scored on a variety of factors in terms of brain and brawn during group and individual tasks. This included testing their driving abilities along with several challenges to assess their interpersonal and communication skills, leadership abilities, interaction and competitiveness. Proficiency in English was also evaluated. Ultimately only four contestants could be selected for the next step on Ranger Odyssey - to represent Nigeria at the Boot Camp in South Africa from June 18 to 21. Ford increased the number of contestants from one to four this year, giving Nigeria a great opportunity chance to really represent in Namibia. The Nigerian representatives include Giftson Onuiri, who came first in the contest. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in law, and claims to have a big heart and great

L-R: Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank PLC, Parvir Singh, Managing Director, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Hyundai-Access ‘Buy now, Pay Later’ auto finance at the Hyundai Motors Nigeria corporate office Victoria Island Lagos recently.

driving potential. Onuiri will be joined by Moyo Fawole and John Amadi who came second and third respectively. Both showed great capability behind the wheel of the Ranger and are looking forward to representing their country at Ranger Odyssey 2015. The fourth and final contestant is Chinonso Okezuo, the winner of last year’s contest. Okezuo was unable to attend last year due to the travel restrictions implemented as a result of the Ebola outbreak, but has been given a second chance, one which he is very grateful for.

A total of 40 contestants from South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa will be chosen to attend the Boot Camp in the Karoo region of South Africa from June 18 to 21. They undergo four days of extensive training and assessment in order to determine the top 20 finalists that will go through to the final event in Namibia. Ranger Odyssey 2015 will take the selected contestants on a life-changing 12day expedition through the remote and extremely challenging north-western region of Namibia, from July 23 to August 3, 2015.

worldwide to feature suspension technology that is even able to react in advance to road unevenness. It therefore offers an unprecedented level of ride comfort. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class model has real innovations in the area of comfort, safety, assistance systems and high-value appeal. For the Nigerian market, according to Mr Mirko Plath, the Managing Director of Weststar, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has lead the high-end luxury market with more than 75 per cent of the market share in Nigeria and the model will continue to defend this title. The model is available at any of Weststar’s dealerships: M-B Automobile Services Ltd, Sunny Motors Ltd, Skymit Motors Ltdand Barbedos Cars Ltd. Hyundai Motors, Access Bank introduce vehicle finance scheme Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the Access Bank Group have inaugurated yet another compelling vehicle finance scheme that could help prospecting customers to procure affordably priced brand new Hyundai vehicles and commence payment after 90 days. Headline ‘Buy now, pay later’, the initiative is thought-out to encourage patrons to buy functional tech savvy and environmentally-friendly Hyundai vehicles instead of used cars otherwise known as tokunbo railroaded into the country from Europe. Both institutions inked this declaration at a brief ceremony in Lagos, where Access Bank and Hyundai Motors Nigeria enumerated the benefits of the scheme that would enable customers take possession of the vehicle upon contribution of 10% equity only. Access Bank PLC Executive Director Personal Banking Victor Etuokwu who made this remark after signing the Memorandum of Understanding said: “We have brought together two Nigeria most powerful brands, Access Bank - a tier one banking group and Hyundai Motors Nigeria, a member of Stallion Group and a foremost automobile dealerships to give Nigerians opportunity to own brand new cars at affordable rates via a liberalised process.”

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Photo | News

L-R: Chairman, ASBA Board, Greg Obi; Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano; Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta and Hon. Okey Moka, at the flag-off of MSMEDF’s N2bn Fund at Governor’s Lodge Amawbia.

L-R: Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; his wife, Dolapo and Pastor-In-Charge, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 10, Pastor Emmanuel Ibitayo, during a special welcome and thanksgiving service for Osinbajo in Abuja.

Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (left), with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu, at the meeting of Ministers of Defence of the Lake Chad Basin Commission’s member countries and Benin, in Abuja. PHOTO: NAN

Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello (second right); Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar and other Emirs, shortly after a meeting with the members of the Traditional Council of Chiefs, in Minna.

Senator Solomon Olamilekan of Lagos West Senatorial District (left), with his supporters at a dinner held in his honour after the inauguration of 8th National Assembly in Abuja. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

L-R: Legal Practitioner, Mr. Sonnie Ekwowusi; former Coordinator, Lawyers’ Group, Amnesty International, Nigeria, Aham Njoku and human rights activist, Wale Ogunade, at the one hundred lawyers, civil society groups and Nollywood actors’ press briefing to discredit Amnesty International’s report opposing the trial of Nigerian Generals at International Criminal Court (ICC), in Lagos.

L-R: Secretary of Conference, Methodist Church of Nigeria (MCN), Bishop Chibuzo Opoko; Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, S.C.K. Uche; Managing Director-Designate, Chams Plc, Mr. Olufemi Williams and Deputy Managing Director-Designate, Chams Plc, Mr. Luqman Balogun, at the signing of MoU by MCN and Chams on membership portal solution in Lagos.

L-R: Teachers of Enlight Academy, Mr. Tairu Eromidayo; Mrs. Guwo Betema; Coca Cola Official, Mrs. Stella Inyang; Mr. Nsikan Ikpe; Proprietress, Enlight Academy, Mrs. Olorunleke Modupe, during students’ Excursion to the Coca Cola Bottling Company Depot, at Agidigbi, Ikeja, in Lagos. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Islam UNDERSTAND YOUR FAITH

If not my husband, can’t he be my friend? QUESTION Salam Aleikum. About a year ago, I met a boy online and we became very close. Ten months ago, I found out that he had married someone of his parents’ chose. I was very shocked when I learnt that and I wrote to him. He replied back saying he wanted us to stop contacting each other. I have been trying to forget him for many months now, but it has not worked. I still cry when I think how he could have done this, and it feels worse now that he has stopped wanting to be my friend. He had to get married. I understand this, but does this mean the end of our friendship, too? I have tried praying, reading the Qur’an and then I forget about it for a time, but then something reminds me again. Sometimes I even think of killing myself to forget the pain. I think I will go crazy. I want so much to be able to write to him and hear how he’s doing. Please, please help me find a way out of this. ANSWER

Wa‘Alaykum, The wonderful thing about this coming Ramadan sister is that it offers the opportunity to let go of all the negative thingsthathaveaccumulatedthroughout the year by seeking forgiveness and making du’aa’ to Allah Most High. We feel that you are being unfair to yourself by insisting that the relationshipcontinueinwhateverformpossible. “Your love for a thing causes blindness and deafness.” (Abu Da`wud 41 #5111) By your behavior,you are only prolonging the agony, because you cannot change the fact that he is married. Surely, you cannot expect him to continue an illicit relationship behind his wife’s back, no matterhowinnocent.Youarenotrelated byblood,thereforethisrelationshipcannot continue under the eyes of Islam. Virtual friendships between men and women who did not previously know each other may seem to be innocent and free from the likelihood of physical intimacy, but intimacy is not only the jurisdiction of the body, as you have discovered. Deep emotions expressed by whatever means also create an intimacy, are prone to the exploits of the imagination and choose to remain unaware of the reality of the relationship. Until you are willing to let go completely, you are indeed leaving yourself prey to these emotions and hence the pain. He has been honest with you by telling you what has happened, by ending the relationship and by responding to what should be your final communication to him. As hard as things might seem right now, once you let go, the process of emotional healing will begin to take place and the more active you can be, doing practical and interesting things, the more likely this relationship will be relegated to your past. Try to join a young Muslim women’s group and learn more about Islam with your sisters. It will not only help you to make new friendsandtodevelopnewinterests,but itwillalsohelpyoutoreachadeeperlevel ofself-understanding.Inthelongrun,all this will help you to find a more suitable person for marriage, because then you will be more appreciative of who you are and what your needs actually are.

E X H O RTAT I O N

25 Shaban 1436 AH

“THE MONTH OF RAMADAN [IS THAT] IN WHICH WAS REVEALED THE QUR’AN, A GUIDANCE FOR THE PEOPLE AND CLEAR PROOFS OF GUIDANCE AND CRITERION. SO WHOEVER SIGHTS [THE NEW MOON OF] THE MONTH, LET HIM FAST IT; AND WHOEVER IS ILL OR ON A JOURNEY THEN AN EQUAL NUMBER OF OTHER DAYS.” (QURAN 2:185)

Hajj 2015: FG appoints JAIZ bank Qurban agent for pilgrims

COLLABORATION Jaiz Bank is to collaborate with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

he federal Government has appointed Jaiz Bank Plc as the agent to receive Qurbani (Sacrifice) from Nigerians pilgrims for he 2015 Hajj operations. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), which announced this on behalf of the federal gover nment, maintained that Jaiz is to provide the required manpower to supervise the project. A letter appointing the bank signed by Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance of NAHCON, Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, mandated Jaiz Bank to collaborate with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) based in Jedda to ensure the success of the scheme. The letter read: “I have the honour to convey the approval of the Commission for the appointment of your Bank as the Hadeya agent for Nigerian pilgrims for 2015 Hajj.” Based on the appointment, Jaiz is to provide the required manpower to supervise the project, including visit to slaughter houses in Saudi Arabia to confirm implementation of the Hadaya scheme The Jaiz Islamic Bank has, earlier, expressed its readiness to expand its opera-

tions in Nigeria in 2015. The representative of the bank, Dr Mizanur Rahman, who made this known, maintained that the bank would flag off with branches in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and other states. The bank, which lost N1 billion in Nigeria’s operation “due to limited scope within the country,” has, according to Rahman, decided to raise its game. Jaiz Islamic Bank, which he said at a workshop was jointly organised by the Research and Training Institute (IRTI) in Saudi Arabia, the University of Ilorin and Al-Hikmah University, in Ilorin, would

soon open operational offices in Ilorin, Kwara State and Lagos. “The bank lost about N1 billion but is hopeful it would do well in 2015,” he said. The bank, which has 15 branches globally, is according to Rahman, set to widen its operation in Nigeria, adding that with much awareness campaign, people will realise the benefit of the bank. This came as the ViceChancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, advocated for expansion of Islamic banking in Africa. Ambali who was represented by

Prof. Gabreal Olatunji argued that the market for Islamic banking was still left untapped by many financial institutions. The IRTI Director-General, Dr Mohamad AzmiOmar, added that there was a need for proper development and improvement of Islamic banking in Nigeria and African countries at all levels. Represented by Dr Ousmane Seck, the DG noted that there was need for Africans to embrace Islamic banking as a means of ensuring human capital development and eradication of poverty since it was non interest banking.

A cross-section of Children at the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) Family Fun fest celebration in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTOS: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

10 ways to prepare for Ramadan CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

9. Moderation in eating On the authority of AlMiqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third

for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah ) Many of us fast during Ramadan fast during the day and after Iftaar make up for all the food we missed throughout the day by binge eating. Surely this goes against the very purpose of Ramadan which is to be moderate

in eating and to remember those who have less than us. How will we remember the unfortunate when we constantly over eating before and after our fasts? 10. Implementing Sunnah’s into Daily life Following the Sunnah is a command from Allah: “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really)

love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is OftForgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran: 3:31) Surely if we follow the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in every aspect of our lives then everything that we do will be accepted.

Feminique NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Okafor: Propagating the gospel of neighbourhood charity Maureen Okafor is the Head, Web Development at isoft Nigeria, an IT firm. A work-at-home mother, she believes that we are divinely placed where we are to minister to the needs of those around us. EBERE AMEH had a chat with her during people quarterly charity fair, which she coordinates in her neighbourhood and writes

aureen Okafor always saw scavengers but the indescribable joy of a little boy who picked up a small teddy bag pulled a string in her heart that has resulted in a charity fair, where more indigent folks have an opportunity to be feted. “The boy was overjoyed. He jumped up and down admiring the bag as if he has found a treasure. Looking through my bedroom window all I could say was ‘wow! if such a thing could be considered a treasure, let me give him more, then it will become a real treasure.’ I had two extra and bettere teddy carrier bags but before I could get down to him he had run away happily. Though he ran, he left an indelible message in my heart that kept me awake that night and many more nights.” It was then Maureen decided to do something to put smiles on the faces of the poor around her and give more of them reasons to dance. “I had some things I could give out - I had clothes I won’t use, I had things in the kitchen, some furnishing and other things I just wanted to get rid of. I had stuffs I had been stacking for orphanages but somehow, I just didn’t have the time to visit them. I also thought the same may be the case with my neighbours. So I spoke to my closest neighbour and together, we printed a letter that we distributed to people in the neighbourhood so that if they were interested, they could call us. I just didn’t want to put my name alone. Many supported it saying it was a brilliant idea and that was how the charity fair started,” Maureen narrated. With canopies set, fairly used items beautifully displayed,

EBERE AMEH ebere.ameh@newtelegraphonline.com

small chops and people happily selecting what they needed, a passer-by would be right to assume that a mini market was springing up at Ajimobi Street, off Acme Road, Ikeja, but nay. It was a simple initiative of an observant altruist, who saw the need to share with the poor in her neighbourhood. From noon to dusk, needy neighbours and their children came along to pick what they thought could be useful to them. Arranged under ladies, kiddies, gentlemen, kitchen, food stuff and family, each went straight to where they had the most need and was given some small chops and a drink afterwards. Food stuffs, clothes, furniture, tables, CD players, kitchen pots, weaveons, shampoo, toys, TVs, Radios, books and so much more, were given out. Some neighbours volunteered to help man the stands to ensure it got to all. “I guess it was the Holy Spirit that told me what I was going to do that night. It was clear, I could hear it. He said you get two canopies, you are going to put them outside and you are going to lay it this way. And exactly how He said I should do it was how I did it. This is our third time and it has been wonderful.” Though it was a successful outing, it wasn’t all that rosy and all support from Maureen’s neighbours. She had her fair share of discouragement from pessimistic neighbours but she remained undaunted. “There was a particular neighbour who kept telling me that it was a very brilliant idea but impossible to achieve. ‘You see, the poor people won’t come out, the neighbours may not like it, it will not last’, and so many other discouraging remarks but I told her ‘madam, this is not my project, I’m practically being forced to do it. The owner of the work will make it successful and sustain it. “Though some neighbours eventually did not support the idea, I really wasn’t banking on them per se. I knew I was going to do it whether they come or not. I just saw it as an opportunity for us to help,” Maureen said. One major challenge Maureen and her neighbours faced the first day was distinguish-

ing between the real poor and the exploiters of poverty, and the nonchalance of the poor towards helping fellow poor. “The people came and some of them were trying to be smart, to get more than others but we had to stop that. So we had to keep an eye on them. “Going forward, I intend to teach them to be content, with a little so it could go round, to learn to share. They tend to pack and pack, depriving others of the opportunity of benefiting from the largesse. “We also had a situation where those who have no business with poverty, came to pick things from the stand. Someone in air conditioned car drove past and asked how much we were selling the items. When we told them that it was free, she ran back and called the other occupants of her car and together they packed things. I didn’t stop them. If you feel you need it, I won’t stop you. But next time, I would emphasize to such people that it is for the poor; that they could collect if they are poor. I think that will restrain them,” Maureen of Itsekiri background, married to an Igboman, said. Though the immediate plan is to supply their needs as much as possible, Maureen’s ultimate aim is to win them for Christ. This she intends to do by drawing closer to them, encouraging and teaching them some basic virtues before or after the distribution of the goods. “Right now, the plan is to get close to them. So I know most of them and I talk with them on ordinary days. Subsequently, I intend to give them Impromptu talks. Ultimately, I am hoping to lead them to Christ. I want them to know that they are truly loved and not alone. God has them in mind and has put us in their vicinity so that we may shine the light of love to them. I want to help them change their mind-set from that of victims to winners and victors. I want them to know that even in their state, they could be givers Okafor

too because it is more blessed to give than to receive. They need to know that from giving of their time or their talent, even if they don’t have money, they can become prosperous,” she sermonized. Maureen, who together with her husband is an IT guru, plans to get the initiative more organized and have it replicated in other neighbourhoods. “We plan to turn it to an NGO. We are working on a website that will enable people to join us or ask us to come to their community and help them start off the charity fair. We could help them talk to their community prior to the date of the event because it can be daunting for many. “I would love to see it happen in other areas.

I would want to see people in other domains realizing that in their area are also people in need and help them and so, organize such fairs once in a while. “I believe that Nigerians naturally want to help the poor but while some don’t know how, others are too busy. Most times people want to give to orphanages without realizing that even around us, we have people who need stuffs. You may have a bag of rice and your neighbour doesn’t have food in their house to eat. At such times you can reach out. I believe God put us in different areas to help one another,” Maureen said.

Feminique

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

10 meals that will kill your sex mood and life (1)

have had to answer lots of questions during my counselling sessions about the role of food if any in sexual matters. The answer to this is definitely yes. Food has a great role to play not only in your sex life but as per your health generally. Take as an example a fat man. His general health is at risk. The same goes for his sexual health. The chances are high that his performance in bed will almost be zero. Forget the fact that you see them always surrounded with women. It is all window dressing and shakara. As Fela of blessed memory would say, ‘Na shakara oloje. Dem no fit do’. So seriously speaking, the type of food you eat can kill your sex life. And at the same time increase and enhance it. Let us look briefly at those that can kill your sex life. Top on the list is Beans. Yes I know beans is good for you. It is one of the best sources of plant protein. Beans is specially recommended for those who are diabetic or those whose bodies need a high protein diet. Fine. I am not saying don’t eat it at all. Just avoid it on some special occasions. One of those is when you are

going out for that all important date or job interview. Another is when it is likely you will soon jump into bed with your loved one. By now you should have guessed why. Ok let me tell you before you go astray. It is a three letter word. GAS. Yes Gas. Beans because of its composition releases a lot of gas during and after its digestion in the stomach. Especially for those of us who have digestive system problems. And the thing can smell. The foul smell of beans gas is distinctive and special. Even the children can easily identify it. They call it iso ewa (beans gas). You can imagine the situation if during the heat of the moment, you or your partner suddenly release this bomb. Of course, that is the end of the story. To start another one will take time. And might not happen in the foreseeable future. The second one I need to mention briefly is boiled eggs. The gaseous end product of that one too na war. In fact, there is no better way to kill the sex mood than to release this gas before, or during the show. The third one is groundnuts. Boiled or roasted, it doesn’t make

Fadeyi

a difference. All these might sound funny and unbelievable, but they are true. I once came across a woman at a party who was complaining bitterly that what killed her sex life was Gas. Unfortunately for her, the husband was not really ready to change. So

sex for her instead of being an action of mutual enjoyment became a duty, a chore, a cross for her. I hope her husband and all others out there will get to read this piece. Now enough about gas. After all, we are not in the gas and oil industry. By the way this woman is convinced that one day, the husband’s gas will cause a fire outbreak in their flat. God forbid bad thing. The fourth one is fried, oily and greasy food. All such food contain trans-fat. This is not an immediate killer. It does its work gradually and silently. The trans-fat found in all these greasy, oily and fried foods dramatically decrease the male and female libido over time. The adverse effects of consuming these trans fatty acids also includes an increase in the amount of abnormal sperm production for men and interferes with pregnancy in women. This means that if you are trying to get pregnant, please avoid them like the plague or Ebola. Dr T. A. Fadeyi. MB. BCH. Sexologist, Sex and Marriage Counselor. drtaiwofadeyi@gmail.com 08033148899 (sms only)

Ego: Diary of a single mom

How kidnappers spoilt my ‘wine carrying’ M

y traditional marriage was a huge success. Though low keyed, it went smoothly and all the guests had more than enough to eat and drink. A few of Danny’s close friends and family and a couple of my own friends and the rest were from my village and neighbouring villages. Soon word spread and outside the fact that we tried to cut down on fanfare, it was everywhere that Danny is the son of a former Director in UAC, who worked abroad until recently when he relocated to Nigeria to join an oil company. Expectedly, many came to drink, sing and ensure that no dreg of palmwine remained but others were sure out to drink and foment trouble. We left before dusk after helping Danny’s parents rebook their flight. They missed their evening flight and decided to lodge in a hotel in town to travel back to Abuja the next day. He did not welcome the idea of staying back in my father’s house, saying it is unheard of; neither did he agree to travel back with us. They decided to relax, enjoy the town and check out the next day. We settled at Asaba where together with our friends we partied till late. Tired and still sleeping, we were woken by the news of Danny’s father’s kidnap. Our joy was cut short and to say that we were distraught would be putting it mildly. Though there are different accounts of the ugly incident, all seem to point to the fact that he stepped out to buy some fresh corn

when some rough looking boys, who seemed to have been lying in wait, shot into the air and whisked him into their tinted van. Are they kidnappers, assassins, what? Nobody seemed to know. I wept uncontrollably, denying Danny the opportunity to grief. He had to be strong for me and he did console me as I lamented until he could bear it no more. “Enough of all these lamentations Ego!” he screamed. “I need some quiet to figure out what next to do,” he said.

I have never seen him in that mood. Quickly, I pulled myself together, sobbing gently as we drove back to the village. Together with my brother who joined us later, we reported the case to the police. Though they felt concerned, they were making demands for money to fuel their cars and mobilize their men to begin the search for the old man. ‘You are joking, right?” Danny yelled at the Desk Sargeant, threatening to hit him. I had to wade in to calm him down but he

continued. “Aren’t you supposed to have mobilised your men to go after my father’s abductors? As it is, nobody knows if they are assassins or kidnappers and you are here asking for money?” Though I was trying to placate him, I was troubled and needed answers too. “Why did this have to happen to me? This is a man who is both diabetic and hypertensive. How will he cope without his drugs and his family? Danny’s mom was at one side of the police station and refused to be consoled. I was torn between calming Danny down and consoling his mother who looked at me as the witch that brought misfortune to their peaceful family. “I caused all these” I shouted. “If I had not said yes to this marriage… maybe I am cursed, maybe ....I continued before I suddenly fell on the floor, wailing uncontrollably. Some thought I fainted but I knew better not to faint at that moment. Seeing my haplessness, everybody rushed to pull me. The police seeing the scene developing in their premises and the imminent emergency on their hands mobilised for action and zoomed off. Just then, news came from the village that we should not involve the police. My uncle, Obata obie called the head of the youths and together with the elders, gave him an ultimatum to produce their in-law before sunset. “This is a domestic embarrassment,” he told him. “Do you not know that dog does not eat dog? I don’t care who kidnapped him but you and your boys must produce him before sunset. We have sent word to our in-law that the police should not be involved. Move on!” he commanded.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Crime

Partnership against insecurity

To provide adequate security and check incessant raids on homes, the residents of Aboru community in Lagos State seek assistance from the police, report TAIWO JIMOH and KEMI OLORUNTOLA

rovision of security, it is often said, is everybody’s business. This maxim probably explains why the residents of Genesis Estate at Aboru, a community on the outskirts of Lagos metropolis, have decided to partner with Oke-Odo Police Station to reduce crime rate in their immediate environment. The areas are believed to be favoured by criminals. According to investigation, thieves break into houses and shops at will in many parts of the community whereas Oke-Odo, the nearest police station, is far from them. The partnership between the police and the community is tagged: “Operation Neighbourhood Patrol.” It was launched on May 9. The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Oke-Odo Police Station, Mr Monday Agbonika, explained that Genesis Estate was chosen among the 23 estates that make up the community, as a pilot scheme, while it is hoped others would soon follow. Within weeks of taking charge of Oke-Odo Police Station, Agbonika patrolled the areas and discovered that most crimes usually happen during working hours as against midnight and early hours of the day. The DPO and his men are targeting the working hours to reduce crime and apprehend the thieves. This wouldn’t be the first time

JULIANA FRANCIS CRIME Editor

juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

The police post under construction

Agbonika

Agbonika would be carrying out an initiative that brings police closer to the community. The DPO has a penchant for leaving his footprints wherever he works. He is a fervent advocate of community policing. Agbonika has often said that the best way to cut into a community and reduce crime was to partner with the community members. He said: “When I assumed office as the DPO, I went round the community and estates, but I could not find any presence of policemen anywhere in the community. That was why we decided to launch what we are witnessing today. “I believe in securing life and property. It is naturally my primary function as a policeman. We are partnering with residents of Genesis Estate in order to fight crime in the estate and the entire Aboru as a whole. “We are partnering with the estate residents to ensure that there would not be security lapses. When most of the residents have gone to their places of work, miscreants

CDA executive members and police officers at a meeting at the police post

A modern police post requires a conventional police cell, patrol gadgets, and other necessary things

use that period to carry out their nefarious activities.” Agbonika told members of the community that police presence would bring good working relationship with the estate and Aboru community as a whole. The DPO urged the Community Development Association (CDA) executives to educate their co-residents on why policemen would be coming to their estates. Agbonika said the explanation was to ensure that the residents would not be afraid once policemen started to patrol the estate. He added: “We have seen cases where people start running once they sight policemen from afar.” The police chief also urged the executives of Genesis Estate to intensify efforts in the completion of a police post in the area. This police post, according to him, will provide shelter for police officers and men, who after their patrol each day would have a bay where they can rest and regain lost energy before starting off another round of patrol.

The executives of the estate, he added, need to equip the police post with the state-of-the-art equipment and other amenities, which would make the policemen to work and bring out the best in them. He said: “A modern police post requires a conventional police cell, patrol gadgets, and other necessary things like monitoring camera, which would be placed within the premises of the station. The patrolling of the estate would commence by 10am and end at 6pm every day.” The DPO added that the policemen would usually commence patrol of the estate when residents have gone to their places of work. The patrol would end once residents start returning from office. “Security sticker would be provided for all vehicles in the estate. Any vehicle without security sticker would not be allowed into the estate. Residents should please take note to avoid embarrassment of any kind,” he said. On their part, the residents begged the police to help regulate the arbitrarily use of motorcycles in the estate. According to them, motorcyclists used to enter the estate, unmindful of the local security in place. The CDA Chairman, Genesis Estate, Mr. Biola Showunmi, said the partnership with Oke-Odo Police Station came at the appropriate time. He said: “We had a very serious security lapses in the estate. sSometimes in 2011 robbers invaded the community and every resident in the estate panicked. “When the robbers invaded the community, I was not also spared. I was shot on my right hand. The then DPO of the station tried his best. “It was after we overcame the ugly incident that we quickly mobilised ourselves and erected fence and gate on both sides of the estate. The fence also runs across the major entering points of the estate. The erection of the gate and fence cost us over a million naira. “We commend the police for this partnership and we are ready to work with the police because we actually need security here. We believe when we have the patrol team around, insecurity will be minimal, if not eradicated.” The Baale of Aboru land, Chief Rasiki Akinde, thanked the CDA members for the good work they had been doing in the estate. He said: “We have had DPOs at Oke-Odo Police Station, but your manner of handling security issues is exceptional. “As the head of the community, I will ensure that uncompleted building meant for the police post is completed soon. Security of lives and property is not what one can toy with.”

Business | Money Line

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Removal of subsidies will boost naira –Rewane FORTIFICATION CBN spent about $4.7 billion to defend the naira Stories by Tony Chukwunyem

gainst the backdrop of mounting speculation over whether the new government will scrap the subsidy on fuel or not, analysts at Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited have predicted that the removal of subsidies will strengthen the naira.

Analysts at the FDC, which is headed by Bismarck Rewane, stated this in their latest economic bulletin. They noted: “The exchange rate has become more interest rate dependent than on inflation. We expect the naira to trade horizontally in June, but tilting towards a lower value if the external reserves fall below $29billion. However, if there is a swift removal of subsidies, the naira will stabilise and possibly appreciate marginally in the near term.” The experts further predicted that following the instability in the economy caused by fuel scarcity in recent months,

CBN tweaks naira peg again

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) adjusted its exchange rate peg yesterday to N196.90 against the dollar from the N196.95 set last week, data on the bank’s website showed. Dealers said the CBN had sold dollars to the interbank market at the new rate the previous day, dismissing the move as a currency appreciation as it wasn’t market driven, but noted it could signal the coming of a new policy. The naira opened trade on thin volumes at N198.90 to the dollar on the interbank market. It traded at N220 on the black market yesterday. Reuters quoted a commercial bank treasurer as saying, “This is not a real appreciation.... The central bank is probably trying to guide the market. Its most likely indications to a new policy change in the FX market.” The CBN made a tiny ad-

justment to the exchange rate peg last week, with one analyst saying the move may indicate that the bank is beginning to think about how to loosen its currency regime. Another dealer said the banking watchdog may be trying to gauge the level at which it can defend the naira, but noted that the bank was running low on ammunitions to do this. Last week JPMorgan said it might eject Nigeria from its Government Bond Index (GBI-EM) by the year-end unless Africa’s biggest economy restored liquidity to currency markets in a way that allowed foreign investors tracking the benchmark to transact with minimal hurdles. Nigeria’s foreign reserves fell to $29.18 billion by June 9, down 1.65 percent from last month, as the apex bank burned cash to defend the local currency.

Foreign investors may shun DMO’s Wednesday bond auction

ext Wednesday’s bond auctions by the Debt Management Office (DMO) may witness low participation from offshore investors, analysts at FBN Capital have predicted. In a note made available to New Telegraph, the analysts hinged their forecast on the threat by JP Morgan to eject Nigeria from its emerging markets bond indexes due to Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) measures that constrain liquidity in the forex market. As the analysts put it, “The offshore participation next week is likely to be marginal, at best. The liquidity constraints forming the basis of JP Morgan’s “threat” to delist Nigeria from its local currency government bond indices are a powerful disincentive.” Commenting on the bond auction, which according to the DMO is scheduled to raise N80billion (US$410million), the analysts noted that the amount falls within the range of between N55billion and N85billion set in its provisional issu-

ance calendar for Q2 2015. “The DMO’s range is generally wide, and we should not be surprised that it has pitched its target towards the upper end, given the uncertainty surrounding the fiscal direction of the new administration. The offering of five, ten and 20year paper is unchanged from the four previous months. “Additionally, the DMO looks to raise N11.6billion from the sale of the ten-year benchmark on a non-competitive basis” the analysts stated. They pointed out that the DMO raised N370billion (gross) in January-May whereas the Federal Government’s 2015 budget proposals project new borrowing in the full year of N624billion. Last week JPMorgan said it might eject Nigeria from its Government Bond Index (GBI-EM) by the year-end unless Africa’s biggest economy restored liquidity to currency markets in a way that allowed foreign investors tracking the benchmark to transact with minimal hurdles.

which led to an increase in transport fares, the new government is likely to remove the subsidies in the near term. “In June, the headline inflation rate is expected to increase further due to the lagged impact of the severe fuel scarcity in May. Transport fares recorded over 200per cent increase in many parts of

the country. “Meanwhile, following the instability caused by the scarcity and the need to build up the fiscal buffers, the Buhari administration is likely to eliminate the subsidy regime in the near term. This will cause an initial spike in consumer prices”, they stated. Recently, commenting on developments in the nation’s

foreign exchange market in the first quarter of the year, Rewane said that the apex bank had spent about $4.7 billion to defend the naira within the period. He advised the new government to allow the naira find its true value, calling for reduction in interest rate and easing of monetary policy stance.

NDIC submits 2014 financial statements to FRC

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has it had submitted its 2014 audited financial statement to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN). According to a statement issued by the Corporation, the Council’s Head of Inspection and Monitoring, Mr Titus Osakwe, who, received the report on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Jim Obazee commended the NDIC for what he described as the Corporation’s regular rendition of its financial

statements to the Council. He added: “With this step, NDIC has once again distinguished itself among public interest entities in the country.” While presenting the report, the Director of Bank Examination, Mr Adedapo Adeleke, who represented NDIC’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Alh. Umaru Ibrahim, said the corporation took the issue of stewardship to its stakeholders as a priority. Mr Adeleke described the FRCN as an important institu-

tion whose activities were geared toward aligning the operations of Nigerian business concerns with international best practices. He also noted that as a professional public institution, the NDIC would continue to work in tandem with the rules and regulations set by the Council. The year 2014 Audited Financial Statement of the NDIC was prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and in line with the NDIC Act No. 16, 2006.

IDB raises Sukuk Issuance Programme Ceiling to $25bn

he Board of Executive Directors (BOED) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved the raising of the current limit of the Bank’s medium term sukuk issuance programme from $10 billion to $ 25 billion. According to a statement issued by the Bank, the BOED commended the huge success recorded by the programme in

all its previous issuances since it began in 2003. “This is a reflection of the high status and confidence the Bank continues to enjoy in the international financial arena. The IDB is regarded as one of the few multilateral financing institutions that have been rated for more than 12 consecutive years with “AAA”, the highest international credit

rating available, by the three major international credit rating agencies - Standard & Poor’s, Fitch and Moody’s. “The IDB’s sukuk programme has maintained the “AAA” rating, which is the highest rating by the three international credit rating agencies, mentioned above, together a stable outlook,” the statement added.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF MPR 91-day NTB Bonny Light Ext Res**

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 8.7 13 10.77 US$61.81 US$29,181,276,463

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 May, 2015 4/6/2015 Mar 2015 10/6/2015 9/6/2015

Source:CBN

Description 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

TTM

Price

1.18 1.88 4.05 6.63 8.76 15.12 19.10

FGN Bonds 99.02 101.69 105.91 110.40 101.51 68.00 87.24

NIBOR

Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

Rate (%) 13.0467 15.4133 16.5498 17.4621

Bid Yield

13.93 14.02 14.03 13.92 13.88 15.55 14.09

Change (%) -6.04 ▼ -0.36 ▼ -0.47 ▼ -0.51 ▼

Change (%) 0.04 ▲ 0.12 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.10 ▲

Price 99.17 101.84 106.21 110.70 101.81 68.30 87.54

Tenor (Months)

Offer Yield 13.79 13.92 13.93 13.86 13.83 15.48 14.03

NITTY

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Rate (%) 10.6238 11.6378 11.9239 12.0208 14.0035 14.4155

Spot ($/N)

Offer 198.42

Change (%) 0.13 ▲ 0.09 ▲ 0.13 ▲ -0.31 ▼ 0.08 ▲ 0.38 ▲

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 10.90 11.20 -0.08 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 11.33 10-Sep-15 11.15 11.47 -0.08 ▼ 11.01 11.67 -0.16 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 11.75 17-Dec-15 11.26 11.95 -0.16 ▼ 12.47 14.20 0.09 ▲ 02-Jun-16 12.72 14.53 0.09 ▲ Bid 198.32

Change (%) 0.04 ▲ 0.12 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.10 ▲

Change (%) 198.42

NIFEX

Bid Spot ($/N) 198.9000

Offer 199.0000

Change (%) -5.08 ▼ -5.42 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

CBN Clearing Rates of June 11, 2015 Spot ($/N)

195.90

196.90

-0.03 Source: FMDQ

Business | Financial Market News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

11-Jun-15

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up to date. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information.

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 13-Feb-15 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 193.73 600.00 573.14 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 299.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,746.32

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,406.20

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

1.18 1.88 2.13 2.22 2.97 4.05 4.37 4.68 6.63 8.76 13.47 13.95 14.44 15.12 19.10

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

13.93 14.02 14.06 14.06 14.05 14.03 14.03 14.02 13.92 13.88 16.91 17.38 17.93 15.55 14.09

13.79 13.92 13.97 13.97 13.98 13.93 13.92 13.93 13.86 13.83 16.85 17.31 17.83 15.48 14.03

99.02 101.69 92.46 91.24 92.08 105.91 77.58 105.04 110.40 101.51 89.95 74.58 51.80 68.00 87.24

99.17 101.84 92.61 91.39 92.23 106.21 77.88 105.34 110.70 101.81 90.25 74.88 52.10 68.30 87.54

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.40 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.94 1.49 1.86 2.07

2.27 1.00 2.67 2.85

16.04 15.02 16.72 16.91

101.07 101.26 101.99 98.23

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

297.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

300.40

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.22

4.44

15.94

99.16

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.30

3.23

14.93

99.37

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.58

4.46

16.70

98.58

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.58

3.48

15.73

99.85

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.86

1.00

15.05

92.05

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.12

1.00

15.04

98.73

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.56

1.79

15.84

96.22

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

1.94

1.80

15.85

97.05

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.95

1.00

15.05

98.25

14.50

12.40

09-Dec-18

2.13

1.00

15.06

99.04

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

1.93

4.78

18.83

92.86

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.12

1.00

15.06

100.69

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12

15.50 14.50 14.75

15.09 80.00 25.70

02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19

2.56 4.45 2.52

2.02 1.00 1.00

16.07 15.03 15.05

98.79 98.30 99.40

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.78

10-Oct-20

3.07

1.82

15.87

97.44

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.46

1.00

14.97

94.63

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.56

1.00

14.96

100.11

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.55

31-Dec-20

3.21

1.44

15.49

97.67

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.56

06-Jan-21

3.24

1.00

15.05

99.85

99.55

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

451.56 437.09

Corporate Bonds BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.19

1.00

12.32

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

9.38

09-Dec-15

0.49

1.00

12.91

99.57

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.33

2.63

14.35

99.92

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.30

1.00

15.03

97.63

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.37

1.34

15.36

98.62

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.30

1.00

15.06

96.06

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.56

30-Nov-17

1.54

1.88

15.90

103.47

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.58

3.84

17.87

97.56

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.75

1.00

15.04

104.17 101.31

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

1.75

1.00

15.04

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

30-Sep-18

3.30

3.00

17.05

92.46

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.85

2.29

16.34

99.04

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

1.93

6.11

20.16

96.82

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.56

2.16

16.21

99.50

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.43

2.76

16.73

94.81

BBB/GCR

FCMB

14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

20-Nov-21

6.44

1.80

15.71

94.19

A/GCR

UBA

16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

6.55

2.63

16.53

99.64

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.30

1.00

15.11

105.71

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.30

1.00

15.11

90.80

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

178.07

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

170.97

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.67

1.00

15.05

89.61

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

1.00

15.01

84.33

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.67

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.08

5.88

103.14

104.10

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.98

4.64

100.41

101.36

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

6.25

6.10

100.76

101.74

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,521.56

Corporate Eurobonds B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.94

4.84

101.38

102.38

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.99

100.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

10.78

9.36

90.49

93.80

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

7.55

7.09

95.42

96.75

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

7.38

96.25

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

10.14

9.63

95.55

97.16

B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

8.25 AUG 07, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

07-Aug-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

8.25 9.25 8.00

300.00 400.00 450.00

07-Aug-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

9.30 10.32 9.74

9.30 10.19 9.74

95.25 95.65 91.50

95.25 96.20 91.50

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.33

9.95

92.25

93.88

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,650.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,494.87

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63

FIXINGS Maturity 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15 9-Jul-15 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15

Bid Discount (%) 12.94 12.95 10.47 10.36 11.32 11.74 11.68 11.60

Offer Discount (%) 12.69 12.70 10.22 10.11 11.07 11.49 11.43 11.35

Bid Yield (%) 13.00 13.04 10.55 10.46 11.47 11.93 11.89 11.83

Money Market Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 13.0467 15.4133 16.5498 17.4621

Rate (%)

OBB

11.33

O/N

11.75

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 11.25 11.50

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

198.32 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60

198.42 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21