Binder1 march 16th 2014

POLITICS Tambuwal, House leaders help APC Reps to ridicule Jonathan –Ita Enang

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life

business

I engaged young Nigerians on gay rights –Chimamanda Adichie

Sanctity of Truth

ON SUNDAY

Sale of rescued banks to generate N1.7trn –AMCON

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Page 15, MARCH 16, 2014

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT www.newtelegraphonline.com/body&soul

Taofeek Okoya:

Style is an extension of inner personality

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Dimeji Bankole’s multi-million naira hotel

Sunday Edition

Chic piece of the week: Cocktail rings!

Sanctity of Truth Sunday, March 16, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 26

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immigration recruitment test

Four pregnant women, 15 others die in Abuja, Minna, Benin, PH

lNursing mother dies three days after delivery lPDP demands investigation Jude Opara, Joe Ezuma, Dan Atori, Onyekachi Eze, Cajetan Mmuta and Adeolu Adeyemo

F

our pregnant women and 15 other unidentified persons allegedly died yesterday in Abuja, Minna, Port Harcourt and Benin during a recruitment test CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

I wanted to quit many times, says ex-Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi }3 Left: Desperate candidates for Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment test climbing over the fence of the National Stadium, Abuja. Right: A section of the crowd at the gates of the stadium... yesterday

Okorocha shuns Amaechi-led NGF retreat, says it’s wasteful

...Governors vow to lead fight against corruption Steve Uzoechi and Wale Elegbede

I

mo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Gov-

ernors’ Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha, tactfully avoided the governors’ retreat held in Lagos under the auspices of the Rotimi Amaechi-led faction of the Nigerian Gover-

nors’ Forum at the weekend.

This is coming on the heels of the resolution of the faction to adopt and process the gains of the Strategic Plan for 2014-2016, which

would set in motion the process of enhancing quality and accessible service in areas such as education, agriculture, security and corruption.

Governors in attendance at the retreat held at Eko Hotel, were Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Aliyu Wamakko CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Soldiers seize Boko Haram’s armoury, funds }3 Missing plane: Malaysian PM alleges hijack, police search pilots’ homes } 3

Ex-Ogun Gov, Gbenga Daniel, others escape death in emergency landing } 7

2

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

National Conference News

Security beefed up in Abuja

• Policemen beam searchlight on venue, hotels • Civil defence deploys 2000 personnel, 100 ‘sniffer’ dogs Emmanuel Onani Abuja

A

s part of measures to ensure a hitch-free National Conference scheduled to begin on Monday, security operatives have been deployed to strategic places in the capital city, including the National Judicial Institute, NJI, venue of the conference as well as designated hotels where delegates would be accommodated.

The development is to prevent any untoward situation, in view of the fragile security situation in the Northeast, occasioned by the deadly activities of the Boko Haram fighters.

In that order, New Telegraph on Sunday observed renewed patrol of the capital city on Saturday, by combatready policemen from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command and other joint patrol teams.

Speaking on the security measures put in place by the police in view of the coming of the delegates and their retinue of aides into Abuja, for the three months conference, FCT Police Pub-

lic Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Altine Daniel, assured that the force was on top of the situation.

Daniel, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday evening, said officers and men of the command have put in place measures to guarantee the safety of delegates, visitors as well as residents of the FCT, before, during and after the conference.

She said: “We (the police) have put in place adequate security, both within and outside the venue of the conference, including hotels where the delegates will stay, and we hope to continue to improve by the day. Our men are on top of the security situation, and we assure delegates and residents of their safety, before, during and after the conference”, Altine said.

In the same vein, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has deployed 2000 personnel, to provide security within and around the venue of the conference.

In addition, 100 trained ‘sniffer’ dogs have been deployed, to complement the

efforts of members of the corps.

The disclosure was made on Friday, by the NSCDC’s spokesman, Emmanuel Okeh, in a telephone conversation with New Telegraph.

According to Okeh, “both our personnel as well as our trained sniffer dogs, will be deployed to strategic areas, to ensure that security was

not breached, throughout the period of the conference.”

Meanwhile, a senior security operative told New Telegraph on Friday, that other security operatives, especially the Department of State Service (DSS), will all join in ensuring a peaceful conference.

The security personnel, who craved anonymity

largely because he was authorised to speak, said: “Because of the times we are in, extra security measures are already in place, to avert any untoward situation.

“As a matter of fact, all security agencies have been put on their toes, to do all for a smooth, peaceful and perfect conference, devoid of any security breach.

“The SSS will largely oversee intelligence gathering, which is a very critical aspect of security”, he stated.

President Goodluck Jon-

athan will, on March 17, inaugurate the 492 delegates, who were drawn from different categories, including elder statesmen, states basis and the civil society category.

The conference, which will be chaired by a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, has three months, within which to discuss all nagging issues besetting the nation state, except its unity, which the President categorically said, was a no-go area.

L-R: Senate President, David Mark; Vice President, Namadi Sambo and Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang during the special thanksgiving church service to mark Jang’s 70th birthday in Jos.

Agbaje, Aturu describe conference as ‘constitutional foolery’ T

...Accommodation to gulp N6b Anule Emmanuel

Biyi Adegoroye

C

onstitutional Lawyers, Fred Agbaje and Bamidele Aturu have said it amounts to constitutional foolery to expect the National Assembly to ratify the outcome of the Constitutional Conference which will commence to tomorrow without any legislation backing up its convocation.

Though he supported the idea of a National Conference where Nigerians would address the myriads of problems affecting the country, Agbaje in particular argued that the lack of such legislation constitutes a “constitutional pitfall for the conference, thereby making it a mere jamboree and a total

waste of time and resources.”

He described as laughable the notion by some lawyers that the National Assembly can legislate to ratify recommendations of the conference in consonance with Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that this in itself constituted a constitutional pitfall for the conference, because you cannot build something on nothing.

Agbaje also flayed the composition of delegates into the conference, stating that a situation where octogenarians and septuagenarians dominate the conference list of delegates at the expense of the middle class as practised in developed nations was indicative of the hidden agenda

of its conveners.

He said: “The President has said that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, but if unity has eluded the nation for the past 100 years, then is it not vital that we talk about it?

On his part, Aturu who declined appointment into the conference, commended the attempt as an admission that something was wrong with the nation, noting that a sovereign national conference of elected ethnic groups, whose outcome would be subject to a referendum would have been more appropriate.

Nonetheless, he said the conference should address such issues like education, structure of the country, abol-

ish “irresponsible allocation of oil blocs, warning that the conference should not be used as an “avenue for ethnic jingoism.”

Consenting that the idea of a national conference, which he described as an extra constitutional framework, , lamented that genuine constitutional conferences are not held in five-star hotels where people are paid heavy allowances.

He shared Agbaje’s position expressing the fear that National Assembly might chose to throw out its recommendations, because of the absence of legislation backing its establishment, adding that he would be glad if anything meaningful came out of the conference.

he Federal Government has concluded arrangements to pay each of the delegates to the National Conference an allowance of N4million in lieu of accommodation over the next three months, New Telegraph on Sunday has learnt.

Breakdown of the expenditure shows that of the 492 delegates, government will be spending a total of N12million on each of the delegates before the end of the exercise Government had earlier contemplated the idea of securing accommodation for the delegates but New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that the delegates made case, asking to be paid cash to enable them stay in their places of choice.

Competent sources in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, told our correspondent that at the end of the three months period, government is expected to spend at least N5.976billion out of the N7billion budgeted for the conference on accommodation of the delegates and other logistics.

According to the source, most delegates are concerned about their security and would not want to be identified location outside the venue while they participate in the dialogue.

Announcing the modalities for the conference, the SGF, Ayim Pius , however insisted that the unity or indivisibility of Nigeria remained sacrosanct and urged delegates not to venture into that during the conference.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

3

News

I wanted to quit many times, says ex-Sports minister Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

F

ormer Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi revealed yesterday that but for the intervention of some political leaders in Kwara state; he would have abandoned the job long before he was sacked.

Abdullahi was recently sacked by President Goodluck Jonathan few days after the president led a high-powered team of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to Ilorin, Kwara state, on a political rally. Although it was not stated, many believe that the former minister lost his job because of his close relationship with Senator Bukola Saraki, a leading member of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC).

Although he refrained from speaking on his political inclination yesterday, the former minister however mentioned Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed as one of the prevailing factors in such ‘difficult times’ when he thought of leaving the federal cabinet. He did not however explain what those ‘difficult times were’.

The former minister was received at the Ilorin International Airport at about 12.30 pm by a tumultuous crowd of supporters of the APC and state government officials. He walked the distance from the airport terminal to the main gate where the supporters were gathered in their hundreds.

Sounding emotional as he addressed the governor and his team during a courtesy call at the Governor’s Lodge, Abdullahi commended the leadership of the state under Saraki and dedicated his achievements in the federal cabinet to the youths of Kwara saying his accomplishments were evidence that the postcivil war generation of Nigeria can bring positive change to the country.

His words: “I have never seen anything like this in my life. And in my wildest imagination I did not expect that a day like this will come. As stood in the vehicle waving to the tumultuous crowd all the way from the airport to the Emir’s I kept asking myself what is it that I have done to deserve this and that is why I want Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed very sincerely. You are my brother and my friend, but I’m not

thanking you only for this day.

“Several times I came close to walking away but you always encouraged me to hang on there. I thank you very much and I pray that almighty Allah will continue to guide you, abide by you and he never bring you down. I don’t think I know one percent of people that came out to welcome me today. I don’t think I have in any way done anything for one percent of them.

“What I can say is that what we are celebrating today, that is what God has made possible for me to do in the last three years that you have sent me to Abuja as a minister, I dedicate to all the youths of Kwara state. We, who were born towards the end and after the end of the Nigerian civil war, are the generation that are mostly here today. That is the generation that I belong and what we have done in the last three years has shown that our generation given the opportunity is capable of achieving great things.

“The governor, state House of Assembly Speaker, Razak Atunwa and myself have come a long way. I thank the speaker for standing by our governor.

Kwara is one of the few states where you don’t have crisis between the House of Assembly and executive. I believe this is due to the way our leader, Senator Bukola Saraki has structured everything and the kind of leadership he has provided.”

In his response, Ahmed who described the Abdullahi as the best sports minister to have been produced in Nigeria commended him for bringing glory to his home state. he said it was Abdullahi’s brilliance on the job that led to the involvement of youths in the SURE-P programme.

“For us in Kwara we are exceptional proud of you and we are happy that you have gone and served very well. I’m happy that you left when the ovation is loudest. This is the choice of God. Allah created an edge for you into an administration that required a lot to be put in place to get public confidence and you were initially placed in ministry of youth and for the first time people know that there was youth ministry in Nigeria. Then you brought to the fore that the most important people in the country today are the youths and that dovetailed into the establishment of the current subsidy reinvestment programme (SURE-P).”

L-R: Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji; his wife, Lady Mercy; Deputy Governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba and his wife Nene during a grand civic reception organised by Government and people of Abia State in honour of Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika (rtd) in Umuahia…on Friday

Missing plane: Malaysian PM alleges hijack, police search pilots’ homes

T

he missing Malaysian jetliner was deliberately diverted and continued flying for more than six hours after losing contact with the ground, meaning it could have gone as far northwest as Kazakhstan or into the Indian Ocean’s southern reaches, Malaysia’s leader said Saturday.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s statement confirmed days of mounting speculation that the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 to Beijing more than a week ago was not accidental. It refocused the investigation into

the flight’s crew and passengers and underlined the massive task for searchers who already have been scouring vast areas of ocean, Reuters reports.

“Clearly the search for MH370 has entered a new phase,” Najib said at a televised news conference.

Najib stressed that investigators were looking into all possibilities as to why the Boeing 777 deviated so drastically from its original flight path, saying authorities could not confirm whether it was a hijacking.

Earlier Saturday, a Malaysian official said the plane had been hijacked, though he added that no motive had been established and no demands had been made known.

“In view of this latest development, the Malaysian authorities have refocused their investigation into the crew and passengers on board,” Najib told reporters, reading from a written statement but not taking any questions.

Police on Saturday drove into the residential compound where the missing plane’s pilot lives in Kuala Lumpur, accord-

ing a guard and several local reporters who were barred from entering the complex.

Authorities have said they will investigate the pilots as part of their probe, but have released no information about how they are progressing.

Experts have previously said that whoever disabled the plane’s communication systems and then flew the jet must have had a high degree of technical knowledge and flying experience. One possibility they have raised was that one of the pilots wanted to commit suicide.

War on terror: Troops recover Boko Haram’s armoury, large sums of money, arrests fighters Emmanuel Onani, Abuja & Ahmed Miringa, Maiduguri

D

efence Headquarters yesterday, disclosed that gallant troops engaged in the war against insurgency in the North-East zone, have captured a “massive armoury with arms and ammunition dump of the terrorists sited in one of the camps that fell yesterday night in the ongoing counter terrorists operations.”

A statement by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen. Olukolade, said the large cache of weapons, were currently being evacuated from the scene of the night raid, which recorded heavy casualties on the part of the insurgents.

The statement further

revealed that “similar operations took place in coordination with the troops of MultiNational Joint Task Force in the raids in other camps located in the outskirts of Duguri, Polkime,Malafatori and other locations around the fringes of Lake Chad.”

It was further revealed that “substantial money in different currencies and denominations were also recovered from the camps” of the suspected terrorists, wherein seven suspected fighters were captured in the operation.

This is coming on the heels of the disclosure that five soldiers were wounded, while one soldier lost his life.

According to the DDI, another fierce encounter ensued between troops “conducting

cordon and search for remnants of the daring terrorists who attacked Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri and some of the surviving terrorists in the general area of Kayamla and Alu Dam in the outskirts of Maiduguri.”

The statement reads in part: “Those captured in the encounter are providing useful information towards the discovery of other hide outs of the daring terrorists.

It has been revealed that the terrorists are now desperate to either free or kill the ones being detained, with a view to avenging or preventing further revelations about their operations and hide outs as this has been frustrating their plans lately.

“More bodies of fleeing terrorists have been discov-

ered along the routes of their escape. Troops morale and fighting spirit have been further boosted by the outcome of the operations so far.

“Cordon and search as well as patrols and pursuit by air and land is continuing in the entire mission area of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.”

Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has relaxed the curfew imposed on Maiduguri, the state capital, following the attack on the city by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect on Friday morning.

Governor Shettima in a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, Amb. Baba Jidda said that the dusk to dawn curfew on the city has now been relaxed to 9pm and ends 6am daily.

4

Moments

L-R: Chairman, Success Movement Association, Ikorodu, Mr. Saheed Waheed; Secretary, Mr. Adewale Jaiyetimi; Chairman, Committee on Diaspora, House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Olori of Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Olori Muibat Olayinka Oyefusi during the empowerment scheme for All Progressives Congress members in Ikorodu Chapter, in Lagos on Friday.

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

L-R: Member, Association for Consulting Engineers Lanre Sagaya; Former President, Bayo Adeola; and former President, Nigerian Institute of Building, Lagos Chapter, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, during the 15th Investiture of ACEN President held in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Jibril Aku (middle) and some senior officers of the bank with students of Army Children School, Obalende, Lagos during the financial literacy day held in the school recently

L-R: Manager, Events, Etisalat Nigeria, Ufuoma Dogun; Registrar, Student Affairs, Ignatius Ajuru University, Dr. Veronica Okogbaa; Head, South-South Region, Etisalat Nigeria, Enekwachi Aja; winner of Kia Picanto car, Onyekwere Melvinton; and Vice Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University, Prof. Rosemond Dienye Green - Osahogulu, during the presentation of the car in Port Harcourt...on Friday

L-R: Co- Chair; Mr. Dayo Lawuyi; Ogbomosho Pivotal Club, Mr. Layi Adeyemi, and Co- Chair; Mr. Festus Ajani; at the inaugural meeting of the Ogbomoso Pivotal Club Resource Group held at the Metropolitan Club, Lagos recently.

Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba (left), speaking during his visit to the 708 displaced victims of gunmen’s attack at Faskari Model Primary School...on Saturday.With him is the Village Head, Alhaji Tukur Saidu and others.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac John Nwabial; Supervising Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike; Vice Chancellor, NOUN, Prof. Vincent Tenebe; and Director, Port-Harcourt Study Centre, Dr. Godspower Nwogu, during the foundation laying of NOUN permanent site in PortHarcourt.

A cross section of the Summit team and members, Association of Professional Party Organizers and Event Managers of Nigeria (APPOEMN) during the inauguration of the Summit Event Centre at Alausa Ikeja in Lagos recently

5

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

News

Four pregnant women, 14 others die in Abuja, Minna, P’Harcourt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

organised by the Nigerian Immigration Service to fill vacant positions in the federal agency.

The test, which held nationwide, attracted thousands of applicants to the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja.

Two of the pregnant women succumbed under the pressure of the large crowd that besieged the stadium early on Saturday.

Hundreds of others fainted and were immediately rushed to different hospitals by security operatives who were overwhelmed by the surging crowd of unemployed youths.

Many of the victims were rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja, even as 13 of them were allegedlly confirmed dead on arrival, sources told New Telegraph on Sunday.

Scores were taken to the hospital and other medical facilities with varying degrees of injury.

Eyewitnesses said the stampede began at about 9.25 am when the thousands of applicants, who had arrived the stadium as early as 4.30am for the 7am test, tried to force their way through the locked gates.

As the crowd kept surging, there was nobody to open the gates. There was also no official of the NIS on hand to give directives on the modalities for the exercise.

Many desperate applicants soon began to scale the stadium’s metal fence.

By the time the security operatives arrived and opened one of the gates to begin the screening of applicants, the surge increased.

The gates were suddenly flung open after a pregnant woman slumped, causing a stampede. In the process, a number of persons were crushed.

Eventually, the 60,000 capacity Abuja Stadium was overwhelmed by the unprecedented crowd which occupied every inch of the facility just as tens of hundreds more were waiting helplessly outside the stadium as the confusion raged.

Some lucky ones on sensing danger returned home just as the scenario cast serious doubts on the screening conducted by NIS on the applications from which it allegedly made over N6 billion. In Abuja alone, 68,000 were supposed to have sat for the test but thousands turned up for the exercise.

The development also rub-

bished claims by the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who had last Thursday given the assurance that his ministry had concluded arrangements for a smooth exercise.

Mobile phones, bags, shoes, certificates and other personal effects littered the entrance to the stadium.

A survivor, who gave his name as Eke O. Eke, told journalists that he was one of those pushed to the ground in the stampede.

“I am very disappointed that the NIS and the Ministry of Interior could have made this shabby arrangement. It is shocking to see that people left their homes to look for jobs only to return as dead bodies.

“I was hearing the cracking of human bones, I only managed to escape. We came here early but they refused to open the gates. They were aware of the number of people coming for this exercise in Abuja. But look at the number of security personnel here, very few.

There is no medical arrangement, what I can see here is just one ambulance,” he said.

The chaotic situation also forced the applicants outside the gates to block Airport Road and this made the police to fire tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

However, efforts of the Immigration officials to begin the exercise inside the stadium caused more confusion as plans to separate graduates from those with OND and Senior School Certificate created more chaos.

Agence France Presse quotes National Hospital spokesman, Tayo Haastrup, as saying, “The immigration (service) was having a recruitment exercise at the stadium ... there was a stampede and they brought the victims to the National Hospital.

No official casualty list was given, but an AFP journalist counted seven corpses.

Three die in Minna Meanwhile, no fewer than three persons out of the 11,000 candidates who turned up at Women Day Secondary School, Minna, Niger State for the test were feared dead as security agencies fired teargas at anxious applicants.

New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that the incident occurred during accreditation for candidates. The situation soon got out of the control of immigration personnel as they were unable to control the crowd.

Thousands of applicants for Nigerian Immigration Service test at the National Stadium, Abuja... yesterday

As security agents fired tear gas canisters at the crowd, seven persons collapsed and were rushed to the hospital while three other persons allegedly died on the spot.

Security sources told our correspondent that Immigration service personnel were overwhelmed by the crowd that stretched over two kilometres from the venue of the test adjacent the Federal Secretariat, Minna.

It was learnt that the Immigration command in Minna with a chief examiner from the headquarters of the service were calling the names of the candidates based on the serial numbers of their application forms but the candidates became apprehensive as the queues were not moving as anticipated.

When our correspondent visited Minna General Hospital where the victims were rushed to, one of the victims was in a critical condition even as the hospital management said that based on security instructions they would not allow anybody to go near where the injured persons were admitted.

A senior hospital official, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, stated that the bodies of those who died had been deposited in the mortuary.

When contacted, the Comptroller of Immigration Service Niger State Command, Ezekiel S. Kaura, confirmed that 11,000 candidates sat for the recruitment examination in Minna centre. He stated that five candidates collapsed as a result of the stamped and were rushed to the hospital.

Four feared dead in Port Harcourt Four persons, including a pregnant woman, died yester-

day at the NIS enlistment exercise at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The tragedy occurred when a capacity crowd of over 40, 000 applicants that were invited for the interview and who had gathered at the 16,000 capacity Liberation Stadium, venue of the exercise, were struggling to enter inside the facility.

Each applicant had paid the sum of N1,000 for the recruitment form in 2013.

But some security experts and other participants at the exercise blamed immigration officials for poor organisation and crowd management even as they said the tragedy was a sad reminder of the May 2011 tragedy at the handing of flags to South-South Peoples Democratic party governorship candidates at the same stadium during which 13 persons died.

Although some of the applicants began arriving at the stadium at about 5am, they were not allowed into the main bowl by security operatives.

The two gates into the stadium were also locked.

Pandemonium broke out at about 10am when the immigration authorities opened the second gate to begin the screening of applicants.

Some of the agitated applicants who were worried that they may not be allowed to enter the stadium began to push forward in a desperate bid to gain entry.

As the crowd continued to surge forward, those in front who were still being screened by immigration officers fell to the ground while those behind them fell upon them. Amid the screaming and wailing, some security agents in the stadium shot into the air to disperse the agitated applicants.

In the ensuing melee, scores of people collapsed.

Military emergency personnel swiftly provided first aid service and revived some persons, Others in a critical condition were rushed to the hospital for intensive care in an army ambulance vehicle with registration number NA 307 EOI and two police operational Toyota Hilux vehicles.

Many applicants lost their certificates in the confusion.

Documents such as National Youth Service Corps discharge certificates, passport photographs, photocopies of resumes and degress littered the second gate where the melee broke out.

However, the spokesman for the command, Mr. Bisong Abang, denied that four persons died in the stampede.

He insisted that all those who sustained injuries where attended to by the paramedics at the stadium while others were taken to the hospital for further treatment.

Abang explained that the immigration service expected about 20,000 applicants but that those who turned up were more than 40,000 applicants.

The screening was stopped halfway because of the tragedy while those who sat for the test did so in the rain.

Four die in Benin It was a sad end for four persons who were among the 28, 000 applicants from Benin zone in Edo State during the exercise.

The test took place in the main bowl of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

Among the dead were a pregnant mother, a nursing mother who gave birth three days ago and two others.

The victims died following a stampede and apparent de-

lay by officials of the immigration service to conduct the test on time inside the 10,000-capacity stadium.

Three of the applicants were rushed to the hospital when it was evident that attempts to revive them at the stadium failed but they died later.

More than 25 of the applicants who collapsed due to stampede were rushed to the Central Hospital, Benin while others were treated for injuries.

Investigations revealed that 28, 000 applicants of various categories drawn from school certificate holders, National Certificate of Education, Bachelor’s degree and Higher National Diploma as well as those of them with Masters Degree holders took the test which began at 4pm.

The applicants arrived the venue of the recruitment test as early as 6:15 am yesterday but screening did not start till 2:15pm before the commencement of the 35-minute test for the various categories.

The situation was made worse by the intense heat.

Most of the applicants already as at 2:45pm were looking tired and dirty as thousands of them struggled for space.

More worrisome was the large number of security personnel from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, armed policemen and officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps.

The immigration officials conducting the screening had lost control of the crowd when soldiers and other security agents moved in to check the situation. Some of them landed on the ground in the process.

An official of the FRSC CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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SUNDAY 16 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News briefs FG, constructs three Tsangaya Islamic schools in Bauchi Yuzarsif Alhassan Bauchi The Director General Tsangaya Islamic School, Malam Sayyadi Ali Sheik Tahir Usman Bauchi has commended Federal Government for the provision of Tsangaya Islamic Schools in Bauchi.

Malam Sayyadi Ali made this known in interview with New Telegraph on Sunday during the weekend saying that the construction of the schools in Buzaye, Azare and Sade will

Navy destroys 260 illegal refineries in Warri, apprehends 5 suspects The Nigerian Navy on Saturday in Warri,destroyed over 260 illegal refineries and apprehended five persons suspected to be involved in running the refineries.

NAN correspondent who

improve quality standard of education, which comprised western and Islamic education in the state.

He said similar gesture was provided by the present Yuguda led-administration where over five thousands Islamic teachers were employed and recently, the state government approved the provision of appointment to more additional six thousand Islamic teachers.

According to him, the state government has ensured the payment of N5, 000 as monthly salary for each of the Ulamas’ and Imams who rendered their service to educate the pupils of the schools from across the 20 local government areas in the state. monitored the 8-hour operation inside Oteghele Phase one and two forest in the Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta, reports that the Naval ship NNSDelta,was used in destroying the illegal refineries Addressing newsmen at the scene of the operation, the NNS Delta Commanding Officer, Capt.

Musa Gemu, said that the operation would be a routine process.

Group urges Jonathan to declare interest in re-election Joseph Onyekwere A Non Governmental Organisation, Tell Nigeria Initiative (TNI) has urged President Jonathan to declare interest to run for another term in office, saying there is no vacancy in Aso Rock going by the achievement of his administration.

The group consequently called on Nigerians to support the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, for the overall good of the country.

TNI made the call on Friday in Lagos, in a statement endorsed by its Director General, Godwin Okaka.

According to the statement,

Hospitality outfit teaches pupils to read

In pursuit of its commitment to giving back to the society, Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Towers, a member of the Starwood Hospitality group, recently went to the class room to teach pupils to read and write. It was the occasion of World Read Aloud Day 2014.

Nigerians must express support for the proactive government of president Jonathan, who it said represents a paradigm shift in the nation’s democracy.

The group said that the issue of National Security required concerted efforts from all citizens of Nigeria, who should see it as everybody’s business, rather than the sole duty of government.

“The Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, is not intrinsic or developmental, as it is not a fall out of bad governance by president Goodluck Jonathan,” it said.

“Security in the society is everybody’s business, and not that of the government alone, and so, it requires the contribution of every citizen”, it said.

The group also expressed

satisfaction with some of the remarkable achievements of president Jonathan’s administration, which it described as a welcomed development.

“President Jonathan being a responsible number one citizen of Nigeria, decided to set up a National Conference to ensure the unity and stability of the nation.

“It is a welcomed development, as the conference will create a forum for Nigerians to dialogue, ventilate their grievances, and profer workable solutions for the country.

“Again, president Jonathan as a responsible leader, accented to the bill passed by the National Assembly on Anti-Gay Marriage, which is condemned in strong terms by both Christians and Muslims.

World Read Aloud Day is a day set aside to draw attention to reading, writing and speaking in the “simplest and cheapest way to make a difference in a child’s life,” in other words, reading aloud. It is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people.

It is a day when parents, stu-

dents, teachers and community members from countries around the world come together to address the issue of adult and childhood illiteracy.

According to Pam Allyn, executive director and founder of World Read Aloud Day and an international non-profit organisation known as LitWorld, the focus isn’t usually on new technologies, new teaching methods or millions of dollars in donations from private corporations to solve the problem.

How ineffective intelligence gathering increases terror threats, by expert Wole Shadare

L-R: Interim Kwara State Chairman, APC, Hon. Shola Fulani; Former Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, receiving a gift from Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulrasaq Atunwa… yesterday.

CACOL flays FG over national conference budget Temitope Ogunbanke The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has flayed the Federal Government over the N7 billion budget earmarked for the proposed National Conference.

CACOL in a statement made to New Telegraph on Sunday by its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran described the Conference budget as a waste of the country’s resources, insisting that the huge budget is an attempt to muzzle the voice of the delegates.

The statement reads in part: “The holding of the Conference is too expensive than it is supposed to be going by the N7bn they have budgeted for it. If each delegate would be paid up to N4m per month, that accentuates the profligacy that is going on in the National Assembly

where members who are doing part time job are taking more than full time salary. This is not supposed to be a money-making venture to the extent that bribery and corruption would now pervade the atmosphere.”

“A situation whereby such a conference is monetise the way it is will make people to even compromise the stand of the section they are representing for

Why I sought injunction against Obiano’s inauguration –Obidigbo Leo Sobechi Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) in Anambra State, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, says he decided to seek a court order restraining the Anambra State Chief Judge or any other judicial officer from inaugurating Mr. Willie Obiano as the executive governor of the state to ensure that impunity

500 widows benefit from International Women Society Ahaoma Kanu About 500 widows across Nigeria has benefited from the Widows Trustfund, an endowment of the International Women Society (IWS) since the trust was established. This was and perfidy were not rewarded.

In a statement made available to New Telegraph on Sunday yesterday, Obidigbo explained that though he has no personal grudges against Obiano, he wanted to prove to the whole world that Anambra State is not a lawless jungle but a modern state governed by laws.

He contended that the noticeable short comings in Nigeria’s electoral process “could be traced to the erroneous belief by certain leaders that they can twist and bend the law of the land to suit their fancy.

disclosed by the President of the organization, Mrs. Folasade Oyeniyi, during her investiture as the 57th President of the society in Ikoyi, Lagos this week.

“Since we established a Widows Trust Fund in 1998, we have benefited about 500 widows across the country. We have trained as well over 5000 women in areas of skills acquisition in tailoring, hair dressing, cooking, computer literacy and so on in order to be self reliant,” she said.

The organisation founded in 1957 in Lagos by a group of international public spirited women with an objective of affecting humanity and promoting understanding among people, advancement of women and children in Nigeria as well as providing cultural exchanges for women on all races in the area of home making and social welfare, marked 57 years of existence in affecting the lives of women in Nigeria.

Lack of effective intelligence gathering and execution on the part of government have been attributed to increased terrorism in the country.

The Chief Consultant to Halogen Security, Col. Ojo Kadiri (rtd) who made the disclosure yesterday, lamented that the situation has emboldened terrorists, particularly, activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, despite attempts to curb their dastardly acts in some parts of the country by the government.

Speaking yesterday during media interaction on the forthcoming Securex Security Exhibition, which commences next week in Lagos, Kadiri maintained that there are no machinery to manage intelligence in the country, adding that there are more industrial security personnel in Nigeria today than we have in the state security.

The Halogen boss decried that violence was at the door step of every Nigerian, but said that for the act to be curbed, every Nigerian required security education and enlightenment.

According to him, for lives and properties of every Nigerian to be well secured, there was a need for industrial security guards to carry firearms, stressing that if such could be done in South Africa, Egypt and other countries of the world, Nigeria should not be an exception.

His words: “We need to harmonise the two (industrial and state security) if we are really serious about tackling insecurity in the country.”

Ekiti registration: Police arrest 18 mercenary voters Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti The police in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday arrested 18 persons suspected to be mercenary voters who came to Ekiti State from a neighbouring state to register in the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The eighteen persons, who were allegedly brought from Idanre, Ondo State, were arrested by the police along Ado-Akure Road following a tip off from members of the public.

Preliminary investigation indicated that the people were coming to the state to register in preparation for theJune 21 governorship election.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Mr. Victor Babayemi,who confirmed the arrest, said “they were arrested by our men following a tip off.

We heard they were coming for a certain mission, so the police laid ambush and intercepted them.

Upon interrogation, they said they came to Ekiti to register as voters.

“But when our men conducted thorough search on them, they carried temporary voter cards, which showed that they have registered once. It is against the Electoral Act to engage in double registration”.

MCCN tourism beauty queen, others storm Excellence awards 2014 This year edition of Excellence Recognition Awards will take place on Sunday March 16, 2014 at The Haven Oba Akinjobi Street GRA Ikeja, Lagos with Miss Thelma Christopher Timipre as Miss Capital City Nigeria Hospitality, Beauty Queens along with the most senior queen Miss Blessing Edekan as Mccn Tourism Queen would grace the award as invited guests.

The entourage of the three queens and senior management staff will be led by Mr. Scherey Momoh, CEO, Ereon Pageantry and Say Publishing Company.

Speaking on the event, the management of Global Excellence magazine describes the award as the biggest award ceremony which normally holds annually in Nigeria.

Miss Thelma Timipre

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

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News

Ex-Ogun gov, Gbenga Daniel, others escape death in emergency landing

Ondo to recruit 400 youths

• NCAA, AIB begin investigation

T

Wole Shadare

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former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, was among passengers who escaped death in an emergency landing by a Medview Airlines flight from Lagos to Abuja yesterday.

The plane had taken off from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos when a fire alarm was triggered inside the cabin.

A passenger said smoke was noticed coming out of the tail end of the aircraft imme-

diately after take-off. He said this made the pilot to detour and head back to Lagos where it safely landed and the people aboard safely evacuated.

When contacted on phone, Daniel confirmed that nobody on board the aircraft was hurt and thanked God for his grace and mercies.

The passengers were later put in another aircraft and flown to Abuja.

The Managing Director of the airline, Muneer Bankole told reporters yesterday that smoke

was noticed in the cabin,which triggered the alarm, and the pilot made an air return immediately and landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said all the aviation agencies like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) were promptly alerted including fire fighters when the aircraft landed safely without incident.

He said all the 94 passengers on board were promptly evacuated without disrupting other flights at the airport.

Air return is a standard professional practice the world over.

The aircraft now parked at MMA 2 just returned from a major check three weeks ago.

He explained that the airline customer care personnel provided the passengers necessary assistance before they boarded another MEDVIEW flight to their destination.

Babatope Okeowo Akure

he Ondo State government has unfolded plans to recruit about 400 administrative personnel into the state civil service.

The state commissioner for Employment and productivity, Mr Ogundeji Iroju who said this during a meeting with artisans in the state at the weekend also said the government has given direct employment to about 8, 000 youths in the state.

Iroju lamented the delay in the payment of the counterpart fund to the coffers of the state by the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) to artisans in the state.

The Commissioner said the government was doing all within its capacity to alleviate the unemployment problem in the state by providing jobs to the teeming youths.

The 8, 000 youths given direct employment by the government, Iroju said included those in the traffic section, waste management department and direct labour agency.

He said the government would soon start the process of employment into the civil service to further give employment opportunities to the youths in the state.

On the complaint of some artisans that they were yet to benefit from the loans been given to artisans in the state, Iroju said first tranche of the fund was solely from the state government as the Federal government through NERFUND was yet to redeem its pledge.

His words “we had appraised the ODSG/NERFUND loan programme and it was discovered that MoU stipulated that a total sum of N1billion was to be disbursed as loan and both parties were to contribute the at the ratio 4:6 in two batches.

Al- Makura visits Suswam over killings by herdsmen Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

N L-R: Nigerian Breweries MD’s wife, Clementine Vervelde, Managing Director, Nicolaas Vervelde, National Champion of the Distributors Award, Dame Joy Igwe; and her husband, Sir Gabriel at the presentation of 2014 NB Plc Distributors’ award in Lagos recently.

FCT Minister sends task force after prostitutes, beggars, hawkers Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

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head of the inauguration of the National Conference tomorrow, authorities of the Federal Capital Territory have deployed a special task force to rid the nation’s capital of criminal elements as well as beggars, street hawkers and prostitutes who were visible all over Abuja.

The 19-member task force headed by the new FCT Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph which was inaugurated on Thursday by the FCT minister Senator Bala Mohammed swung into action on Friday morning.

Senator Mohammed had charged the task force to execute 11-point terms of reference that include carrying out sting operations in hideouts occupied by suspected criminals with a view to forestalling nefarious activities in the territory.

It was also mandated to remove all shanties and unplanned developments in the city centre; put in place necessary strategies to reduce gridlock and ease traffic flow in the metropolis; arrest and prosecute prostitutes who constitute social menace within Abuja metropolis and arrest, detain and prosecute road traffic offenders.

The members were equal-

ly to identify all flash points for street hawking and other untoward activities in Abuja metropolis for effective pindown operations as well as arrest, detain and prosecute environmental sanitation defaulters, street hawkers and their sponsors among others.

As early as 7am Friday, a combined task force of Policemen and men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSDC) stormed the Nyanya axis of Abuja arresting street hawkers and chasing away commercial motorcycle operators also known as okada riders.

The task force set many wooden stands of street traders ablaze while it also cleared

the road barge of all illegal motor parks.

As part of the measures to ensure that the city is secured while the Confab lasts, many parts of the city have also witnessed new security check points.

Many residents of Mpape area of the city on Thursday evening returned from work to meet heavily armed Mobile Policemen conducting stop and search at the entrance of the area.

The exercise caused serious gridlock as motorists were made to come down from their vehicles and declare the contents of the booths of their vehicles.

assarawa State Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura yesterday visited his Benue State counterpart Gabriel Suswam to commiserate with him over Tuesday’s attack on him by suspected Fulani herdsmen while on an assessment tour of Guma Local Government area ravaged by the herders.

Governor Al-Makura who was accompanied by the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Agwai described the attack as shocking; pointing out that it was not only on Suswam but also on him and the people of Nassarawa state.

He said both Nassrawa and Benue have come a long way having stayed together under one political entity as Benue/Plateau and described the attack as unacceptable.

AL-Makura who regretted that the attack came when the country was fast drifting into trying moments, called or sustained synergy between the two states to stamp out the activities of the Fulani herdsmen.

The Nassrawa State gov-

ernor acknowledged the efforts of Governor Suswam ending the Fulani imbroglio, and noted that Nassrawa had also witnessed similar attacks as over 200 indigenes of the state were displaced by the Ombatse attack in recent times; and further commiserated with the governor over the demise of his commissioner for water resources, Conrad Wergba.

Responding, Governor Suswam while equally acknowledging the role of Gov. Al Makura in ending the crisis thanked him for the visit which he described as a show of brotherhood.

Suswam said he was shocked that the Fulani herdsmen confronted him and his convoy stressing that their actions shows that there is something they are after,and implored his counterparts from other neighboring states to brace before the entire states are consumed.

Governor Suswam who described the attack as alarming expressed worry over the level it has gone to, saying thousands of lives and property as well as economic resources have so far been lost.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

News

Four pregnant women, 14 others die in Abuja, Minna, P’Harcourt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

who did not want to mention his name in print said that “only person died during the stampede.”

The fourth victim who was among the last batch of the applicants that participated in the test collapsed and died at about 4:48pm.

The victim was later taken off the exam venue in a FRSC ambulance to an undisclosed hospital but the real identity could not be established as at press-time.

One of the applicants who gave his name as Moses said he and others arrived the venue of the examination at about 6:30am. He said the test started at 4pm when the officials were asked to handle the test.

New Telegraph on Sunday reporter, who was at the venue, discovered that all the applicants sat on the field while others huddled in their hundreds on the VIP side of the stadium to write the 35-minute test.

Speaking on the arrangements, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration in charge of Border Patrols (ECOWAS/ African Affairs), Mr. Chibueze John Adike, stated that 28,000 applicants were earmarked for the test.

The deputy comptroller added, “You are here now, you saw what happened; it is not easy to organise this crowd but come what may these people (security officers) are the ones helping us to organise the crowd and the applicants themselves understand the situation.”

The situation led to a gridlock in some parts of the state capital.

hard to control the traffic.

PDP calls for investigation The Peoples Democratic Party has said it is extremely grieved by the death of young Nigerians during the stampede at different centres.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yes-

terday said it was “shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the untimely death of the young citizens who were at the exercise not only to secure jobs but to be allowed the opportunity to contribute towards the development of the nation.”

The party said it was “unfortunate and disheartening that the victims paid the su-

preme price while trying to be more useful to the nation.”

While commiserating with the families of the deceased, the ruling party prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded and charged the Ministry of Interior and all relevant agencies of government to immediately swing into action to unravel the remote

and immediate causes of the stampede.

The PDP also charged all government agencies and parastatals, as well as all its elected and appointed officials at all levels to redouble their efforts at curbing unemployment in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda and the PDP manifesto.

Two slump in Osun Recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration service in Osun State nearly claimed lives yesterday as two applicants slumped after waited endlessly for many hours in the sun.

The prompt intervention of the Nigeria Red Cross at St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo, venue of the exercise, saved the situation.

Speaking with New Telegraph on Sunday, one of the participants who identified himself as Temilade Adesanya described the arrangement of the exercise as ‘shoddy’.

He said the exercise that supposed to start by 8am did not begin until 3pm.

There was traffic on the route as people and vehicles could not move freely.

But security agents worked

L-R: Board Secretary, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Olatunji Adefuye; Chairman, Bolanle Marinho Foundation, Chief Lanre Emanuel; Education Secretary, SUBEB, Mr. Taiwo Lukmon, Executive Director, Bolanle Marinho Foundation, Mr Akinola Marinho; Head Teacher, Hope Primary School, Mrs Abibu Modupe; and Principal Special Advisor on Grassroots Sports Development to Lagos State Governor, Mr Wale Oladunjoye; during the donation of multi-purpose children activity Centre to Hope and Ireti Primary Schools, Ikoyi, Lagos…on Thursday

Okorocha shuns Amaechi-led NGF retreat, says it’s wasteful CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

of Sokoto State; Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State; Segun Adesegun; Eze Madumere, and Titilayo LaoyeTomori, deputy governors of Ogun, Imo and Osun states respectively, all of whom called for the strengthening of anti-corruption agencies.

Okorocha, who inferred that it was a waste of resources to travel to Lagos for the retreat organised by the Rotimi Amaechi faction of the NGF had instead dispatched his deputy to the event.

The governor made the disclosure while receiving in the Government House, Owerri, aggrieved pensioners of the Imo Broadcasting Corporation who were protesting 40 months arrears of unpaid pensions.

The governor, who was explaining his judicious use of state resources to the pensioners, said he should have

been in Lagos to attend the governors’ retreat but having considered the cash implication of funding the trip and his entourage to Lagos, “which will not be less than N3 million”, decided to send his deputy instead, and deploy the said fund to the development of the state.

Lead discussants at the gathering - a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; former Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi; and Professor of Law, Akin Oyebode, blamed the country’s misfortunes on the dignity given to corruption especially among public office holders.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Building Systems and Institutions that prevent Corruption’, with other

discussants, Ribadu urged governors to lead from the front and instill morals that would stern corruption in governance.

“Personally, I heave all this responsibility at the doorsteps of the executive because from my experience, I tend to believe that when the chief executive behaves well, the other arms of government appear to follow suit,” he said.

For Prof. Oyebode, the absence of relevant laws against corruption is not the problem, but the prompt enforcement of effective sanctions against defaulters is vital in the country’s fight against corruption.

Chairman of the session, Justice Akanbi, urged the governors to commence a cleansing process in their states and ensure that persons with questionable character do not hold public office.

“Don’t put a square peg

in a round hole. Corrupt people should not be in government. Anyone who must hold public office in the country must be seen to be transparent, honest and fair”, Akanbi noted.

Speaking as one of the discussants, Fashola lamented the state of corruption in the country, noting that a situation where 20 billion US dollars disappears without trace is appalling.

“A situation where people spray money and steps on money, people stages party with millions of Naira their earnings cannot support. We reward people for work not done, award national honour to people of questionable character the society needs to thinks”.

The retreat which was shunned by governors under the Peoples Democratic Party and the Jonah Jang led faction of the NGF, was almost marred by several

power outage at Eko Hotels.

Earlier in his address, Amaechi said that the retreat aimed to reflect on the nation’s affairs and articulate ways to explore and take forward the 2014-2016 Strategic Plan of the Forum.

“We are gathered again on the occasion of this third retreat to build on the gains of the last retreat. The second retreat held in Sokoto focused on political devolution of more powers and functions, with the requisite fiscal empowerment and independence to the states; broader redefinition of national security, transformative political leadership.”

“We are gathered together again on the occasion of this third retreat to build on the gains of the last retreat as well as explore and take forward the 2014-2016 Strategic Plan of the Forum,” he said.

Part of the communiqué read by Amaechi stated

that, “The anti-corruption battle should be anchored on a massive programme of national value re-orientation involving the public and private sectors, as well as the civil society.

“Also, we believe the fight against corruption needs strong political will, moral leadership, certainty of sanction and commitment of governors to succeed, ” the communiqué stated.

It also read in part that, “In our task to revamp agriculture, a special focus will be placed on improving post-harvest processing plants, stakeholders’ inclusion and participation in agricultural formulation.

“To enhance security, we reiterate our commitment to pursue cooperation on security management, including sharing of information and placing emphasis on human security needs of our people.’’ the communiqué noted.

Life Tales of woe trail CCECC’s 9

We won’t victimise Lagosians –LASEPA p.11

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/life

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

16 MARCH 2014

blasts in FCT community

Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

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ll is not well between the residents of Garam, a town in Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the management of Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) handling the Abuja-Kaduna railway project.

And indeed, January 20 and February 28 are days many residents of the town would not forget quickly.

Those were the days CCECC, according to the residents, unleashed havoc on them.

The company had encountered rocks under the ground while excavating soil for the railway and had to blast them to continue with the work.

Due to the magnitude of the rocks and their locations, the blasts were carried out on separate days; almost at a month interval.

But when the dust raised by the blasts on those two occasions settled down, residents of the area were counting their losses as no fewer than 50 houses in the town were badly damaged by rocks and pebbles that were on the rampage.

Roofs of many houses were shattered by flying heavy stones while many other buildings were struck by heavy stones which created huge holes and cracks all over them.

The second blast which many residents of the area described as being massive shook most of the houses to their foundations.

Eyewitnesses told New Telegraph on Sunday that the tremor caused by the blasts resulted in various degrees of cracks many of

the affected houses.

Kunle Olasanmi, a resident whose house was shattered by the blasts lamented that the life span of the houses in the area might have been reduced due to the vibration from the ground.

“As it stands, all the affected houses are waiting to be examined by civil engineering experts to conduct integrity test on them in order to ascertain their strength due apparently to the tremor of the blast,” he said.

“Immediately after the incident, officials of the construction company who are majorly Chinese nationals took to their heels when they sighted the magnitude of the damage caused by the blast,” he said.

The first and the second blasts described by eyewitnesses as reminiscent of Ikeja Cantonment bomb blast in Lagos of 2002 which took place around 6pm left many residents who had gone out in the morning in search their livelihood aghast when they returned to their shattered home.

One of the residents whose house was badly damaged, Dauda Danjuma who is a generating sets mechanic in Garam town lamented that the blast affected the roof of his house noting that the foundation of the house was also shaken.

He blamed the company for not taking all the necessary precautionary measures before blasting the rock.

“Look at my house now everywhere is damaged, look at the wall, all cracked. I don’t know if this house can stand again” he said.

Another victim, a journalist with Daily Trust newspapers, Adelanwa Bamgboye whose house was damaged beyond repair was said to be speechless when he was in-

formed about the incident.

He could not believe his eyes when he came back from work that evening to see his home in ruins.

While speaking with some of the victims of the blast, the company’s Personnel Manager, David Oladokun, who came the following morning to take stock of the damage said that adequate information was given before the blast.

But residents countered that no information was given about the impending blasts.

While assuring that the company would take responsibility for all the damages, Oladokun said that there would be another rock blast after which the management of the company would compensate those who suffered loss.

According to one of the residents, the personnel manager was said to have given assurance that the remaining blasts would have little or no effects on the houses in the area.

However, trouble started when after the second blast on February 28 no representative of the company visited the damaged houses until two days after the exercise.

On March 3, the Company’s Public Affairs Manager, Aminu Mohammed, Site Manager, a Chinese national, Niu, and Oladokun were said to taken stock of all affected properties with the view to reporting back to the company’s headquarter for proper compensation.

But when owners of the damaged houses waited for another one week without hearing from Mohammed, Oladokun or Niu on the compensation process, they felt aggrieved

and decided on a peaceful demonstration.

As early as 6:30 am on Saturday March 7, the angry residents who numbered up to 50 had mobilised themselves to the construction site where CCECC workers have been working to protest against what they described as insensitivity with which the company is handling the issue of compensation due to them.

They blocked all the entry and exit points to different sites of the company in the locality with rocks forcing workers comprising Nigerians and Chinese to abandon work for the day.

Some of the company’s trucks that had arrived very early were also prevented from going in or out.

Some of the protesters who spoke New Telegraph said they had been waiting on the company to fulfill its promises and were irked by the commencement of rainfall which according to them has since made living in those damaged houses very uncomfortable.

While the protest lasted, Oladokun who addressed the protesters apologised on behalf of the company for the damages and discomfort the blasts have brought to them.

He gave assurance that the company had already started work on all the stock of damages taken with the view to give adequate compensation to the victims.

Oladokun who said he shared in the grieve of the victims pleaded with them to exercise patience for the company to reach out to them on Sunday even as he advised against violence conduct during the demonstration.

However, not long after the personnel CO NTINUED O N PAGE 9

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16 2014

Milestones

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OBJ clocks 77

hief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo was born on March 5, 1937. Although the elder statesman told the world penultimate Wednesday that he does not know his real age, that confession did not halt the funfair and popping of champagne to celebrate a man whom fate has chosen to play vital roles in the political history of Nigeria.

Obasanjo grew up in his native village of Owu and had his early education at the Baptist Grammar School, Abeokuta. He joined the Nigeria Army at 21 and was further educated at the Royal School of Engineering, Royal Engineer’s Young Officers School, Defence Services Staff College, Indian Army School of Engineering and the Royal School of Military Survey.

He is a recipient of the highest National Honours, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) of Nigeria. He also holds the traditional title of Balogun of Owu. Leadership was thrust upon him on February 13, 1976 when he narrowly escaped assassination in a military coup that claimed the life of the then Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed. He stepped into the shoes of Mohammed and was Head of State till he handed over power to a democratically elected government in October 1979. Twenty years later, fate brought him back to the leadership of Nigeria as a civilian President. He served in that capacity for eight years during which he initiated a series of economic and political reforms.

Under his watch, Nigeria resolved her huge indebtedness to the Paris Club of creditors. As part of his anti-corruption drive, he set up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and launched the National Health Insurance Scheme to deliver quality healthcare to the citizenry. Also under his leadership, the country witnessed the liberalization of its telecommunication sector thus increasing access to modern information communication technology across Nigeria.

Shortly after leaving office, he was appointed Special Envoy on the Great Lakes Region by the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon. Since then, he has remained a principal actor in the peace and mediation efforts the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has also served as African Union’s Special Envoy to several African

countries undergoing political transitions.

CO NTINUED F R O M PAGE 2

Obasanjo

Maikasuwa at 56

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he Clerk of the national Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa clocked 56 last week. Born on March 4, 1958, Maikasuwa is a native of Keffi, Nasarawa State.

He had his early education at the Abdu Zanga Primary School, Keffi and Government Secondary School, Kuru near Jos before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria in 1977. He bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from ABU in 1980 and participated in the one compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kano State. Soon afterwards, Maikasuwa enrolled for an M.Sc programme in Public Adminis-

Maikasuwa

Tales of woe trail CCECC’s blasts in FCT community

tration and Policy Analysis at the University of Jos. His career in the public service began in 1981 at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) where he rose through the ranks to become Chief Personnel Officer (Special Duties) within a period of 10 years.

The call to service saw him moving to the Presidency as Acting Assistant Director (Personnel Management) at the Headquarters of the National Guards. By October 1994, he became the Special Assistant to the Director General/Clerk, National Assembly. Again, the humble and unassuming Maikasuwa rose through the ranks in the bureaucracy of the parliament to become the Clerk to the National Assembly on August 16, 2010.

In the course of this journey, he served in various Adhoc Committees including the Presidential Committee on the Harmonisation of Salaries in the Federal Public Service. He has also attended various management courses both in Nigeria and overseas. Maikasuwa is a member of the Senior Executive Course No. 29 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru in 2007. He is a recipient of over 21 awards from professional bodies, educational and traditional institutions. Prominent among these is the National Honours of the Officer of the Order of the Niger conferred on him by President Goodluck Jonathan in September 2012 and the traditional title of Ciroman Keffi conferred on him by the Emir of Keffi same year.

Maikasuwa is largely seen as a humble, firm and detribalised personality whose tenure has brought a lot of transformation to the National Assembly. Among his colleagues, he is regarded as a team player who has adopted the principles of tolerance, consultation and decentralization of power in his administration. This has brought him in close working relationship with the directors and enabled the team to develop many welfarist schemes for the staff of the National Assembly. Under his watch, order, respect and dignity have been entrenched in the system as workers do not only benefit from periodic trainings but work with state of the art facilities.

manager’s departure from the scene of demonstration, a detachment of soldiers attached to the site office of the company arrived in a Hilux Toyota Van. The soldiers ordered that all the roads earlier blocked by the protesters be reopened.

They had come to the scene on the invitation of a Chinese national who was earlier denied exit by the protesters.

This led to a hot argument during which a digital camera belonging to one of the protesters, Christian Asogwo was smashed by one of the security personnel while one of the protesters’ spokespersons, Kunle Olasanmi was whisked away by the soldiers.

Olasanmi who is a journalist with Leadership Newspapers and whose house was badly damaged his shirt torn while he has bruises all over his body due to the beating he received from soldiers who came to disperse the protesters.

One of the victims of the blasts, Joe Joseph, whose house was damaged lamented that he and his family members could no longer reside in the house as it is no longer habitable.

“See, my roof has been shattered, look at those two big holes at the base of my house created by the rocks that hit the house. Since rain has started, it has become difficult for us to live in this house” he said.

According to Ismaila Adamu, who also suffered serious structural damaged insisted that the foundation of his house which tremor from the two blast has shaken must be taken care of by the company as part of compensation.

As at the time of filing this report, no damaged house had repaired by the company even as most of the affected people had abandoned their houses.

One of the spokespersons of the residents who pleaded for anonymity revealed that the company had been taking them for granted noting that what was sent to them as compensation was nothing to write home about.

He said apart from the fact that the company has refused to address the issue of the foundation of the affected houses that has been shaken by the blast, the calculations of losses for each victim of the blasts by the company’s Quantity Surveyors were a slight to the people.

“I don’t know what they are taking us for? Imagine the damage done to our houses and what they are offering us. This is not fair.” He said.

The spokesperson disclosed that the aggrieved residents might be left with no option than to seek a legal redress if the company continues with the impunity with which it is treating the matter.

“We are going to sue them at the court of law for the compensation that we deserve. We are also going to seek the court to stop them from any further blasting because they want to render us homeless” he said.

11

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Life

Anti-smoking Law

We won’t victimise Lagosians –LASEPA With the anti-smoking billed signed into law, many in the hospitality business are concerned about the expected enforcement. Engr. Adebola Shabi, General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency explains how his agency will operate in this interview with AHAOMA KANU. You mentioned that the enforcement of the new Lagos Law on smoking in public places will commence soon. What machinery and strategies are on ground?

W

hen a law is signed and an agency is responsible for enforcement, the agency must first of all study the law properly before any enforcement.

So my legal officer has been studying the law. The first thing the agency is going to do is to organize some awareness programmes and this will entail a lot of sensitization for everybody in the state we will have from radio jingles, we are going to have billboard at strategic areas in the state and we are going to have a road show too and this will cover the whole of Lagos. We are going to start with different local governments. I don’t want this law to be like a law people will not understand.

We will make people be aware the law is an anti smoking law which has to do with lot of people, even at the grassroots. We will sensitize the people in the hospitality business to have them put up No-Smoking Signs at strategic locations in their facilities the enforcement will come immediately after sensitization.

In some other climes, this kind of law exists. What model are you taking or will you take from some places where this law has been operational?

LASEPA is a regulatory agency in the state, we are a pollution control management organization. When you have this kind of agency, we have enforcement unit in place. It’s not only the anti-smoking law that we are enforcing, we enforce all environmental laws. Definitely, we are on ground when its comes to enforcement of this very law. We enforce every law that has to do with environmental regulatory requirement or legislations on pollution control.

One of the strongest lobbying agencies is the multi-billion dollars tobacco industry and they are known to masquerade in the name of corporate social responsibility to affect legislation on smoking in some countries. How are you going to tackle these big sharks?

It is true that big industries in some

countries do influence legislation but, you see, in this area, we invited them when we had a stakeholders meeting at the House of Assembly, Most manufacturers of cigarettes and so on were invited and everybody had to contribute before this law was enacted and government had to sign it into law. In this area, I don’t think anybody did influence anything at the state house of assembly.

What I am saying is that in the course of enforcement, they are known to influence on the process?

How can they influence a law after it is signed? It is when a law is about to be signed that you can lobby but here, a law is in place now and we are trying to enforce.

Look at the pollution control laws, this is part of it, smoking is part of pollution control. We have been monitoring industries, and they don’t influence our work. We cannot compromise.

Talking about sensitization, are you going to partner with telecom operators to use sms services as part of creating awareness?

That will come later on, because not everybody has a phone so we are going to use visuals on billboards and jingles on radio in different languages that the people will understand. We are going to explore that but it’s not going to be our major sensitization tool.

Some sections of the law stipulate that any person who repeatedly violates the provisions of the law shall be liable for conviction to six months or a fine of N50,000 or both. Can you define what repeatedly entails here and to what extent will someone be said to have broken the law repeatedly?

Let me explain, a law can say that but now, you have violated a law that says no smoking in this area, definitely you are liable. Let’s look at the scenario where someone burns his waste in an area and gen-

erates a lot of anti-oxidants or emission and your neighbour who has a child is affected. So do we wait for that person to repeat the offence before sanction? The answer is no. The moment we have sensitised the people properly, there is no reason for you to violate the law.

One of the fears about this law is the fact that some law enforcement agents are smokers. What effort has your agency put in place to ensure that enforcement agents are not engaged in an act which they are meant to stop?

I am the head of enforcing agency and I don’t smoke because I am a scientist. I know that the first cancergenic agent that was discovered is Benzopyrene and it is found in cigarettes. I know this as a scientist and you still want me to smoke?, I don’t.

The field agents will property be educated and I tell you strongly most of the scientific officers I have here do not smoke because they know the health impact of smoking.

What’s the workforce designated for this exercise?

I have a staff strength of 400.

Will 400 be able to monitor and enforce in a state with about 22 million people?

Let me explain. We have over 7000 industries in this state and these comprised 3000 hotels, about 1800 manufac-

turing industries. Bakeries, etc make up the 7000 and we monitor all of them. It doesn’t mean that we have to see all the 7000 in a year, there are strategies we have in place. The state has been divided into eight industrial zones and from there we have our field officers at the zones and they do monitoring on a daily basis. I can tell you that we cover over 60-70 per cent of the industries in the state.

Most relaxation activities happens in the evening, will your team be on monitoring after office hours?

Sometimes, we work here 24/7 and when we have complaints about churches conducting night vigils we do get to them.

We investigate complaints like this.

We are the police of the environment and as officers, we don’t sleep. That’s why when you call me at night I will answer you.

12

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16 2014

I engaged young Nigerians on gay rights -Chimamanda Adichie So many contemporary novels are retrospective but your characters are so observant of the culture around them, and the structure of the American society in many big picture ways. And obviously, you are not your characters but for someone who came to America as an adult, do you think you can be able to see things that somebody who grew up in America can’t see?

Award winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, clears the air on her recent essay condemning the anti-gay law passed in Nigeria, in a radio interview with Brian Lehrer on WNYC radio in New York, USA.

Y

How about white perception in America of Africa? Pretty much of every person your main character was meeting in the book either thinks she must have grown up starving or literally tells her of their charity trip to Africa, never minding to tell her where they have been to donate. Is that primarily the media narrative of Africa in the U.S?

es. But I think that’s true for every situation. When my friends who are not Nigerians come to Nigeria, they see things that actually make me step back and say yeah that’s true and I haven’t thought about it because you are enmeshed in your own reality that it’s easy not to notice.

And your main character, Ifemelu, comes to the U.S for college, she is completely baffled how race and class are handled here. There is a scene where she is shopping in a store and the clerk wouldn’t identify her colleagues as black or white when she was trying to figure out who helped Ifemelu shop.

The white one or the black one, she wouldn’t say that. You remember that scene?

Yes. That scene is actually very loosely based on an experience that I had when I went out shopping with a friend and there were two people to help us in the store; one was white and the other was black and both were dressed in black; both had very long hair and we were trying to figure out which one had helped us.

And so the cashier said, was it the one with the long hair and I said both had long hair. Was it the one in black? And I said that both were wearing black. And I realized, why can’t she say the obvious which is, was it the black one or the white one.

Would that be easier in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, race is not a social reality because most of us are black. So race is not an identity marker.

But if there were to be a white person, you wouldn’t feel so?

If there is a white person, Nigerians would not at all feel shy to say that’s the white person.

So despite the history of colonialism, of global politics the way they exist, just because it is overwhelmingly a place where majority is black..?

Oh yeah but also, I think it’s not so much the problem that people are black or white. It’s like those identity are welted with baggage. And so, in Nigeria, the idea of being black is not a negative thing. I think in the U.S, the reason people are so uncomfortable of just saying the obvious is that they are worried that, well if I say the black one, what does it mean? Does it mean I am saying this or that? Then it becomes complicated and absurd.

And the book addresses the differences between American-Africans and AfricanAmerican identities. Is it too much general a question to ask you how these two groups see each other or how they are treated by White Americans? What’s the core of this?

I would say the core is the history- AfricanAmericans have slavery in their history and American-Africans don’t because many of them have been in the continent in the past 50 years while African-Americans in the U.S have been

problem is not that African-American men are to be sent back to Africa, the problem is that America is a society that, structurally has been dangerous for the African-Americans. We shouldn’t be asking about sending them back to Africa, we should be asking about why if a black man and a white man commit the same crime, the black man is more likely to get a worse sentence.

Yes. Well, I have experienced much of that.

I think many African emigrants do. When you come to the U.S, people look at you and immediately feel that kind of pity because you are African. And there is the question of the many and many experiences of Africans. And I wanted to try and play with that a little and kind of poke at it because it is mostly well meaning people come from well-meaning places.

From what I have read, you have a little push back from people who say your books are not authentically African, whatever that means, because your characters are middle classed and college educated. So how do you counter that which seems to me a ridiculous line of criticism?

Chinmmanda Adichie

here, since the very beginning. And I think because both histories are so different, both groups experience race differently and I also think are treated by Americans differently.

How about second generations; kids whose parents are Africans but were brought up in America, caught between two groups or do they suddenly get seen by the outside society as an African-American kid?

I think that everyone who is dark skinned in America is considered to be the same thing.

I think America just lumps everyone into one category of black.

But we have done reporting on employees, for examples, who hire Caribbean blacks but not their children because they don’t perceive them to be African-American because they don’t have the accent.

I think it’s true but also it is a mistake and too easy to generalize and one is often wrong when you generalize.

And as the 2008 Presidential campaigns is going on in the book, and things are going good for Barrack Obama, a family notices Americans of all colours, even for example, a couple from Haiti who who she meets at a party, seem to think that racism is gone and all is well. There was a moment; I think it was more of an immediate moment than a popular moment but I think something was out there. You were here by then?

Actually when Obama was elected I was in Nigeria but during the campaigns I was here and followed it closely. And I think there was a moment and I wanted very much to capture that sense of a kind of an unreasonable optimism. And It was exuberant. I say it is unrea-

sonable because we all just thought Obama was Jesus Christ and would change water into wine and all will be well when a basic knowledge of American history would have made it clear that this would not happen. So I wanted ti try and capture that sense of a really magical hope that so many people showed then. But the idea of a post-racial America is very absurd.

I think Americans are confused about what black, white or other is about, what’s considered acceptable and what’s abusive.

The whole affirmative action debate for example, its not okay to count by race to discriminate but its okay to include, do you find such a complicated concept?

I don’t understand why they would. if you come from a history where people were excluded because of race, it seems odd to me that somehow the solution to the problem is not supposed to include race. It just seems odd.

One third of African-American men are in jail and the volume seems to get worse with Obama being president. Would you support a forum where generations of Americans born in the jail population will be given full amnesty and have their criminal records wiped off if they agree to be transferred to Africa?

I think that’s terrible and the whole premise of the question. I am sorry but I completely disagree on so many levels. I just want to say that I am not at all suggesting that African-Americans are sometimes not civilized or well-behaved. I have African-American friends who are much better behaved than my Nigerian friends. This kind of conversation worries me because it is about making the victims the problem. The

I am writing about the African I know. I think my idea of my story not being authentically African comes from ignorance and that ignorance is based on the single idea of Africa being a place that is poor, starving, has wars and with many terrible things happening on the continent but that is not the Africa I know.

The Africa I know is the Africa I about which is the middle class Africa; of people who are educated. That’s the Africa i write about. I am not trying to make a point, I am trying to write about what i know.

You recently wrote an essay about gay rights in Nigeria where you were critical of the law that was passed by the government against gays. You got a lot negative feedback, why do you think that Nigerians in Nigeria have a different perception of gay rights compared to Nigerians abroad?

There are many Nigerians abroad who are supportive of this law that was passed in Nigeria. It is a law that criminalizes homosexuality. I wrote the piece because I was horrified by it and wanted to start a conversation with Nigerians of my generation.

I think part of it is religion. Religion has so clouded the discourse on topics of this sort that very often it is no longer about humanity. It just becomes about the Bible said this is wrong, therefore we should stone them kind of thing. And I know that i got a negative feedback which I would write that piece again today. But for every 10 people who say, oh you are possessed by a demon and that sort of thing, one person has said, I am rethinking this and I have started to see that it makes no sense at all to criminalize people for being who they are.

13

Pre-Amalgamation Heroes

Oba Ovonramwen

Ahaoma Kanu

B

efore the 1914 Amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates which gave birth to Nigeria, several incidents happened over the years which stalled the desire of the British to conquer the area called Nigeria.

The British had been exchanging trade with the people of Oyo, Benin, Lagos and other areas, but the transatlantic slave trade which took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th through to the 19th centuries was a major trade the Europeans were engaged in.

In 1807, the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted legislation prohibiting British subjects from participating in the slave trade. The law affected trade with some of the communities trading with the Europeans. Britain withdrew from the slave trade in which it was the major transporter of slaves to the Americas.

In replacement for slaves, legitimate trade was introduced by the British. The principal commodities of legitimate trade were palm oil and palm kernels, which were used in Europe to make soap and as lubricants for machinery, before petroleum products were developed for that purpose. Some of the leaders in the juridiction were suspicious of the British as they starting making them sign treaties that would ceded their jurisdiction to the British Kingdom. As a result of this, several leaders revolted against the imposition of these treaties by Britain. Some of these persons are Uthman Dan Fodio, King Jaja of Opobo and Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi.

UTHMAN DAN FODIO. Shaihu Usman Dan Fodio was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809. He was a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. An ethnic Fulani, he became a teacher of the Maliki School of law, living in the city-state of Gobir. He was inclined to more reformative ideologies that the local authorities started repressing his teachings and message. When Yunfa, a former student of dan Fodio, became the Sultan of Gobir, he restricted Dan Fodio’s activities. This forced him to go into exile in 1802 with his followers. Due to the manner in which he was banished, a large number of people that were in admiration and support

Uthman dan Fodio

Jaja_of_Opobo

of his teachings and reforms joined him. This led the Emir to declare war on Dan Fodion on February 21, 1804.This fight led to what was referred to later as the Jihad. Dan Fodio organized his forces and started attacking from Tsuntua. Though he registered some losses, his forces began taking over some of the key cities starting in 1805. The war continued until 1808 when the forces of Dan Fodio were able to capture the states of Katsina, Daura, and the important kingdom of Kano in 1807 and Gobir in 1808. The Caliphate was founded in 1804 when Dan Fodio was made the defender of the faithful in Gudu in 1804 but in 1809, Muhammad Bello, the son of Dan Fodio, founded the city of Sokoto, which became the capital of the Sokoto Caliphate.

Dan Fodio developed contacts with religious reformists and jihad leaders across Africa. This partnership soon expanded the caliphate both economically and in population. European attention had been focusing on the region for colonial expansion for much of the last part of the 19th century, they had expanded into Southern Nigeria began plans to move into the Sokoto Caliphate by 1902. As the British approached the city of Sokoto, the new Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru I organized a quick defense of the city and fought the advancing British-led forces. The new Sultan and his forces were forced to flee from the caliphate. The British quickly defeated the caliphate and 13th of March 1903, Caliphate official conceded to British Rule.

The British appointed Muhammadu Attahiru II the new Caliph and Lord Lugard abolished the Caliphate, but retained the title Sultan as a symbolic position in the newly organized Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Within the next three months, the British defeated the remaining forces of Attahiru I and killed him and

by 1906 any resistance to British rule had ended.

The kingdom of Benin at that time had a well-organized and sophisticated military that were well trained and disciplined. The Oba was the supreme military commander and had in his command, subordinate generalissimos

KING JAJA OF OPOBO. King Jaja of Opobo was the founder of Opobo Kingdom in what is now the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Born Mbanaso Okwaraozurumba in 1821 as the third son of Mr. and Mrs Okwaraozurumba at Umuduruoha Amaigbo in present Imo State.Jaja was sold as a slave when he was 12 years old to a Bonny trader.

He proved his acumen for business at an early age and bought his freedom from slavery. By then, he had become accustomed to Ijaw culture and tradition and eventually established himself as head of the Anna Pepple House. Under Jaja’s leadership, Anna Pepple soon absorbed a number of Bonny’s other trade houses until an ongoing dispute with the Manilla Pepple House led by Oko Jumbo forced Jaja to break away as Opobo city-state in 1869. Jaja’s business strategy soon made Opobo dominate the region’s lucrative palm oil trade. This increased the family by absorbing the other 14 of Bonny’s eighteen trade houses. Jaja also moved to block the access of British merchants to the interior, giving him an effective monopoly to the extent that the traders in Opobo shipped palm oil directly to Liverpool without the involvement of British middlemen. He became the head of the Anna pebble House after the death of King Illoli Anni of the people of Bonny. Opbobo started taxing British traders operating in their kingdom, this infuriated the British government. But at the 1884 Berlin Conference, other European powers designated Opobo as British territory and this prompted the British move to claim it. By 1887 with Jaja refusing to cease taxing British traders, the British vice consul invited him to negotiations but arrested him when he arrived. He was tried in Accra and then taken to London. There he met Queen Victoria and was her guest in Buckingham Palace. He was later sent on exile to St. Vincent in the West Indies to serve his prison sentence. But while he was in captivity, the people of Opobo started protesting the abduction of their King. Also, in the Caribbean, his presence was alleged to be the cause of immense civil unrest among the people of Barbados and after years of campaigning for his freedom, Jaja was moved to the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa, to prevent the possibility of a revolt CONTINUE D ON PAGE 4

14

Courtyard of the Oba’s palace, Benin City, showing treasures looted by the British

Pre-Amalgamation Heroes

CON T IN UED FRO M PAG E 3

Jaja eventually won his liberty after years of fighting against his wrongful abduction, and it was agreed by Parliament that he could be repatriated to his Kingdom State of Opoboin 1891. He died en route, allegedly poisoned with a cup of tea. His body was shipped instead to Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where he was buried. The anger and fury felt by his people due to the chain of events that occurred, compelled many Opobians to press their demands for the body of their king, which was promptly exhumed and transported back to Opobo for Jaja to be buried there. Many of his people had never given up hope that one day their much loved and powerful king (Amayanabo) would return, and after his body was returned he was honoured with two years of mourning and with a ceremony immortalizing Jaja as a deity. Following his exile and death, the power of the Opobo state rapidly declined.

OBA OVORAMWEM NOGBAISI Oba Ovonramwem Nogbaisi was the 36th Oba and ruler of Benin Kingdom. He was on the throne durin g the British invasion of Benin City in 1897. Oba Ovonramwen became the Oba of Benin in 1888 after the reign of Oba Adolo.

At the end of the 19th century, the Kingdom of Benin had managed to retain its independence and the Oba exercised a monopoly over trade which the British found irksome. The territory was coveted by an influential group of investors for its rich natural resources such as palmoil, rubber and ivory. The kingdom was largely independent of British control, and pressure continued from figures such as Vice-Consul James Robert Phillips and Captain Gallwey (the British vice-Consul of Oil Rivers Protectorate) who were pushing for British annexation of the Benin Empire and the removal of the Oba.

After several attempts by the British to compromise the security of the kingdom, which was well organised, the Oba refused to receive the British emissaries. Series of events had occurred in the past that made the Oba wary of the British. In 1735, a Dutch Commandant, Willem Hogg, had pulled a pistol and shot at Oba Eroseyen while on a courtesy visit to discuss business. This incident made the Obas extremely careful in giving the white men audience. According to Olfert Dapper in 1668, “The King of Benin can in a single day make 20,000 men ready for war, and, if need be, 180,000, and because of this he has great influence among all the surrounding peoples. . . . His authority stretches over many cities, towns and villages.

There is no King thereabouts who, in the possession of so many beautiful cities and towns, is his equal,” he wrote.

The kingdom of Benin at that time had a well-organized and sophisticated military that were well trained and disciplined. The Oba was the supreme military commander and had in his command, subordinate generalissimos, the Ezomo, the Iyase, and others who supervised a metropolitan regiment based in the capital, and a Royal regiment made up of hand-picked warriors that also served as bodyguards. Benin’s Queen Mother also retained her own regiment, the “Queen’s Own.” The Metropolitan and Royal regiments were relatively stable semi-permanent or permanent formations. Providing the bulk of the fighting force is the Village Regiments who could be mobilized within a short time to send contingents of warriors upon the command of the king and his generals. Formations were broken down into sub-units under designated commanders.

For Oba Ovoramwem, he was not ready to sign any treaty with the British giving ceding

away the Benin Kingdom. They had ealier, in 1861, deceived King Dosumu of Lagos to sign a treaty ceding Lagos to the British and the same fate was meted out to King Jaja of Opobo in 1887.

After sending spies into the kingdom to infiltrate the security during the Igue Festival, a revered period when the Oba is in seclusion and goes for spiritual festival, the British sent a delegation to Benin in March 1892. The spying network was neutralized and its agents were killed.

The delegation, headed by Capt. Henry Gallwey, had the mission of concluding the signing by the Oba of the treaty to cede his kingdom. But the Oba refused to receive the delegation. Thereafter, a British invasion force headed by Phillips set out to overthrow the Oba in 1896. The force’s weapons were hidden in baggage, with troops disguised as bearers.

Phillips plan was to gain access to Ovonramwen’s palace by announcing that he intended to negotiate. Ovonramwen’s messengers issued

several warnings not to violate Benin territorial sovereignty, claiming he was unable to see Phillips due to ceremonial duties. Having been warned on several further occasions on the way, Phillip’s expedition was ambushed and all but two were killed. Subsequently a military operation against Benin in January 1897 led

by Harry Rawson resulted in the burning of Benin City and the deaths of untold numbers of its inhabitants. Although the British had orders to hang the Oba, Ovonramwen escaped, but later surrendered. He was accused of lack of cooperation and conducting human sacrifice. The invasion lasted eight days and after capturing the ancient city and killing some many of the people, the British ransacked the kingdom and stripped it of all its ornaments, ivories and noble artifacts. It is estimated that the Benin Kingdom lost 25,000 precious art works now displayed around museums in the world. Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar with his two wives, and died there in 1914.

The British force after invading Benin Kingdom in 1897

Sanctity of Truth

ON SUNDAY

Page 15, MARCH 16, 2014

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT www.newtelegraphonline.com/body&soul

Taofeek Okoya:

Style is an extension of inner personality

Dimeji Bankole’s multi-million naira hotel

Chic piece of the week: Cocktail rings!

16

Body&Soul

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

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Noah’s Ditch the Car why people from ➢ one of the reasons us don’t I have always believed have cars. A lot of because they didn’t the street time lived longer was to the vendor down we really have to drive that or struggle for parking walk anymore. Do do of good Telegraph? When we depriving ourselves to get a copy of New and we are going, we are spaces closest to where a bit far from the entrance to swim you visit the mall, park exercise. Next time to fly, fish were designed designed who were Birds friends his walk. Yes, walk! and some of es to walk. Ask Noah and man was designed not to talk of these swift and sleek automobil ens’ didn’t have ‘motorwag days. we drive around these will Carry Your Bags ➢ the entrance. Walking you parked far from your It is not enough that up your limbs. Carrying and especially tone help tone help you burn calories muscle strength and shop further increase your bags while at it will ‘no thank you’ to those you you can start saying course up your arms. Now, exercise except of you of rewarding assistants that deprive get there soon). bag of rice (you will 50kg a purchased

• Carry your bags

you Rock the Party for dense carousing; ➢ le have to be an avenue y wear comfortab ‘Owambes’ no longer from dancing. I particularl don’t just sit like a can get a good workout at a party, Next time you are to be a professhoes for this purpose. fun. You don’t have up and have some an ‘owambe’ beautiful statue, get Even if you are not move to the rhythm. next week Sunday. church sional dancer, just in skill will David’s dancing might be singing ‘I person, try to ‘beat’ next millennium, someone Who knows? In the dance as Funmi danced’.

Pg. 49 NEW TELEGRAPH ON

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Body&Soul SUNDAY MARCH

16, 2014

rls Wedges for teen gi huwan Kate Robin Adani considered nce, wedges were new millenold school by the Howeve r, nium generat ion. wear for the they are now a must shoe, like wedge fashionable. The has taken a difevery other shoe new designs to ferent look, with groups. Teenage suit different age

O

it, and designers girls are so into up with new never cease to come designs. are a whole Wedges for teens studded All new package . The knockout, party is Stars wedge a wedge will make and the snicker in those casuthe girls stand out wedge will toe peep the als, while do well at any event.

So ul .

T h e Te a m

Style is an extension of inner personality -Taofeek Okoya

My father has money, but he does not give ‘hand outs’. I need to work and earn a living. It is what I have achieved outside my father’s business that makes me who I am.

l Juliet Bumah l Bayo Adeoye l Vanessa Okwara

} 18-19

CELEB LOUNGE

Dimeji Bankole opens multimillion naira hotel

Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, opens a new hotel.

} 17

ACCESSORIES FASHION

+234 (0) 811 675 9770 chibumah@yahoo.com julietbumah@newtelegraphonline.com

Associates

You can choose from an array of beautiful cocktail rings for your style vamp! Pearls, crystals, beads, florals, precious stones and metals… whatever pops your shutter is doable } 45

Midriff Exposé!

You can rock a crop top in ways that suit your style and age. You worked hard for your abs, go ahead and flaunt it!

} 22&43

GLAM DUDES

l Biwom Iklaki

Cocktail rings!

H.E. Toyin Ojora Saraki

Omu Obilor

Funmi Azike

Stanlee Ohikhuare

Blazing hot!

Men make fashion statements with orange, electric blue and even pink blazers!

} 44

BED, WORK & LIFE

Richie, you can’t father a child!

Result of the medical examination said Richie could not father a child! “No! I have a daughter and the lady is pregnant for me again,” he said with certainty. “In your dream, Richie,” KC told him.

} 47

work’

Chores Too imagine Do Some Outdoor ➢ ‘house work’, now the much calories doing the garden, trimming If you get to burn that your car(s), tending you say? Are you thinkmowing the lawn, washing the drainage, etc. Impossibledoesn’t matter if you have it flowers, cleaning out s will say? Seriously, things; ing of what the neighbour living with you that can do most to these I wouldn’t maids, children or relatives yourself healthy and fit. Personally, keep to (wish). you are doing them my latest G Wagon thinks if I had to wash mind what anyone

Contents 16.03.14 COVER

SUNDAY

Fitness ESS WELLN Funmi Azike

Body&Soul

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Body&Soul

Socialites celebrate with K1 de Ultimate A

ll those who matter in South West Nigeria recently gathered in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State to celebrate with King of Fuji Music, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Adijat Adeleye; and Lagos State House of Assembly’s Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet were in attendance.

Others are Akinade Fijabi, Tola Solomon, Shina Peller, Sekinat Elegushi, Rasak Olanrewaju, Bolaji Eso, Dino Melaye, Otunba Lekan Osifeso, Oloye Akinade Fijabi, Taibat Elemosho (MONTAI) and a host of others.

The week-long celebration began for the music maestro on Monday, March 3, when he celebrated his 57th birthday.

The birthday party was followed by wedding ceremonies for three of his daughters -Idayat, Sekinat and Aminat - in K1’s Ijebu Ode home.

Idayat celebrated her Nikhai on Tuesday, March 4, while Aminat had hers on Thursday, March 6. Sekinat’s wedding held last Sunday, March 9.

It was indeed a show of affluence, as the crème de- la crème of the society took out time to identify with the music act.

with

Bayo Adeoye 08014867475

bayoolunla@yahoo.com

Bolu Akin-Olugbade’s Banana Island mansions

T

op business man and billionaire, Bolu AkinOlugbade, will soon join the league of owners of mansions in the high brow area of Banana Island in Ikoyi, Lagos.

A source informed Celebs Lounge that the Ogun State-born business man’s two mansions described as architectural masterpieces are expected to be completed anytime soon.

However, if you think the man will leave his Ilupeju, Lagos residence for Ikoyi, you are wrong as he is not ready to join

e l o k n a B i j e Dim i t l u m s n e op l e t o h a r i a n million

Abbah Moro’s simplicity

N

ever knew Minister for Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, was such a humble man until recently when Celeb Lounge met the political activist at a function where he mingled and joked freely with e v e r y b o d y.

The Benue State - born minister even cautioned his security aides when they were becoming overzealous. He proved to everybody at the function that his status as a minister

F

ormer speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, has thrown open the doors of his mega hospitality centre, Grand Break Link Hotel.

Sources said that the hotel boasts of a ‘spacious conference centre, posh restaurant, lavish rooms among other facilities.

Celeb Lounge confirmed that the hotel is located close to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s Bells University.

hadn’t changed anything.

He proved to be a good dancer as he rocked to the music of K1 de ultimate so well that even the musician was amazed.

his friends on the island.

The source said that AkinOlugbade prefers to live on the mainland. The buildings upon completion will be let out to interested tenants, Celeb Lounge learnt.

Ohakim’s daughter marries German lover

A

danna Ohakim, one of the daughters of former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, got married to her German lover, David Steinker, penultimate week.

The nuptial, which saw the two lovers walk down the aisle took place in faraway Germany, with top politicians and super rich Nigerians in attendance.

Their traditional wedding took place last December in Mbano, Imo State.

Nollywood finest grace Chico Ejiro’s movie premiere Toyin Atobatele’s new vocation

N

ollywood he avyweight, Chico Ejiro, further proved that he is definitely a master of the game as the best in Nigeria’s film industry attended the premiere of his new flick, When Dreams Fall Apart, last Sunday.

The film premiere, which many described as one of the best in recent times, took place at the Younis Bashorun Gallery, Social Place, Victoria

Island in Lagos.

It was an opportunity for the crème de la crème of the Nigerian film industry to celebrate the iconic man behind the lens.

In attendance at the premiere of the film which was produced by Chico, were his amiable wife, Joy; President of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Jibola Dabo, Monalisa Chinda, Uche Jombo Rodriguez, Emmanuel Mensah, Fred Amata, Emeka Ossai, Fidelis Duker, Segun Arinze and many other A-list artistes.

S

ocialite and business woman, Toyin Atobatele, has her fingers in so many things -fashion designing, hairdressing, catering and many more.

The former president of Students Union Government, University of Ibadan, who made a name for herself as an outdoor caterer, has found another ‘vocation’.

The beautiful woman, who has been in the food business for almost 15 years, recently expanded her frontiers when she opened Wendys Place in Omole, Lagos. The haven of fun, which now attracts the who is who in the society, opened for business on February 14.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Style is an extension Taofeek Okoya is one of the scions of billionaire businessman, Alhaji Rasak Okoya. He is CEO of Fico Solutions Limited and creator of the first Nigerian fashion doll for the African girl-child. In this interview with VANESSA OKWARA, he talks about his Queens of Africa dolls and the great burden that comes with being a member of the popular Okoya family What do you do at Fico Solutions?

Fico Solutions Llimited is the creator of the first Nigerian fashion dolls called the Queens of Africa. The dolls are fashioned after women who succeeded in the male-dominated African environment. We are also into garment manufacturing, events decoration and management. We have been in existence for about 10 years now.

What did you study in school?

I studied ceramics designs. I did my final HND course in the UK. Before then, I did my preliminaries in YABATECH for a year. I attended Government College, Ojo and Aunty Ayo Prep School.

You studied ceramics design in school‌

I am more of a creative person. I look at things from a different perspective and that has helped to spur me more in terms of creativity. Back then, I was working for my father in Eleganza and at that time, we were looking at starting a ceramic company, which we actually did.

Did the ceramics business survive?

It survived for a few years but the technology was too tasking and it needed constant power generation to be viable. The raw material for plates or ceramics in Nigeria is abundant. This is one of the main things that spurred my father to produce locally. At the end of the day, because of the high cost of production, it ended up being more expensive. We had our fair share of the market but it was not substantial enough to make it viable.

After the ceramics business failed, what did you do?

I continued working in Eleganza.

I worked in Eleganza Cooler Household and Eleganza industries where we made pens. I was in the Eleganza system for 10 years, most of which I was the Executive Director of two of the factories.

What informed your decision to set up your own company?

The line between when I left my father’s business and started off on my own is rather a thin one but it got to a stage were my dad was of the opinion that it was time for me to stand on my own. He is the kind of person that will teach you to fish rather than give you

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

of inner personality -Taofeek Okoya fish. While I was even working in Eleganza, I didn’t start up as a top employee. I started from the sales department and was writing invoices. When we were on holiday, we would go to the factory; we were brought up in the system. Initially, I started out to do corporate gifts and promotional items for companies and that led me into contract manufacturing.

Let us talk about the dolls. Why did you create them?

I have narrated this story so many times. I went shopping for a birthday gift for my niece and I realised that most of the dolls I saw were very expensive and most of them didn’t have much value. If there was one that was even more African or black, I would have been satisfied, but they were all blond hair, blue-eyed dolls. By the time I left the store, the idea was conceived. So I decided to create the Queens of Africa dolls to sort of create a balance.

I am the kind of person that would rather create a solution than point fingers. If there is a little that I can do, and I am able to influence it, then I go for it.

Success is not about how much money you make but it is really about how many lives you influence or impact in the process of growing a business.

What has been the public reaction to the dolls so far?

The public acceptance is getting better with the years. It has been six years since we created the Queens of Africa dolls.

Initially, when we started, there was resistance. Stores would not carry them because they say, white dolls sell more and that the children would not play with them because they were too dark. The truth of the matter is this; even the children did not embrace it. The mothers ended up appreciating and liking the dolls but the kids resisted.

What do you think is the reason behind the kids’ resistance to the African dolls?

I think in their eyes, the white dolls look nicer than the ones that are dark. That is why I embarked on creat-

ing the dolls to change that orientation. When I started and realised the impact and what was on ground, I started taking it even more serious. Now, I will say we may not be where we may have envisaged, but we now have better acceptance, getting more sales and public orientation is changing.

Are the dolls produced locally?

They are assembled locally. Pricing is a very important point for me. For the dolls to actually make an impact, they have to be acceptable not just to the elite but even the mass market. For us to achieve that price, I couldn’t set up a full fledged factory in Nigeria from scratch. So what I did was to design it and have the parts made for me, ship them down and then assemble and dress them here. I direct those making the hair and dress in the concept I want the dolls to look. We look at what people are wearing currently in Nigeria and dress the dolls in the same fashion.

Body&Soul

the need for capital for a project, they would say I don’t need the money. Clearly so, my father has money, but he does not give ‘handouts’. I need to work and earn a living.

It is what I have achieved outside my father’s business that makes me who I am. The disadvantage of bearing a popular name is that sometimes people don’t appreciate or respect what you have accomplished and they feel that you had it easy. I beg to differ and they can go ahead and borrow my name and try to achieve the same result.

Are you a stylish person?

For me, style is an extension of your inner personality.

People may consider me stylish, but I don’t believe in going with the band wagon on things that I feel concern me personally. I am more concerned about the tailoring and the cut of the clothes. My personality is more creative and that is translated into my style.

What fashion item can you not do without?

Have you reached out to children with this message of embracing African dolls by going to their schools?

Queens of Africa is more of a social-cultural change program me. Part of what we have done is to create books and comics to tell the story. We have the books that are for ages four to six and we have comics for six years and above. We take on topics that surround the life of women in the olden days when our society was still predominately male dominated. We are talking about people like Queen Amina, Moremi and Madam Tinubu. These are women that stood firm in a male dominated society and made an impact in their society. They are worthy to be role models to the younger generation today. We have designed seven books now to tell these stories. This is the way we are getting it to the schools.

Are these dolls also used by kids living in the rural areas?

Apart from the Queens of African dolls, we also have the Naija Princess dolls which retails for about N300 at Iponri Market (Lagos) and other local markets and they are also of very good quality. They are the best you can ever get for that price. I don’t want to make the dolls an elitist product.

I want it to be enjoyed by kids all over the country. Some wealthy people actually think the dolls are too local, but I don’t really care. I am very impressed about the impact that they have had and the feedback I have got about the dolls. We are selling value, culture and the African brand.

I love my jeans. I have like 20 pairs of blue jeans, 10 of black ones and jeans of different cuts. I have done all you can do with jeans. There are different colours, cuts and stitches of jeans that make them inexhaustible. During the day, most times, I wear natives. I love Ankara. It is soft and airy and very comfortable.

Are you a lover of perfumes?

Yes, I love colognes a lot. Apart from the clothes we put on, the perfume we wear is what also makes an impact on the people we meet. My cologne collection is awesome. I have old classic and sometimes it depends on where I am going to, and what I am wearing. Sometimes when I am dressed in a certain way, I would look for a perfume that will go with that particular clothing.

How long have you been married?

I have been married for about nine years now. My wife’s name is Ibilola.

What has it been like being married to Ibilola?

We had our differences earlier on; it was a ‘getting to know each other’ process. Dating and courtship are very different from marriage and living together. We have come to that level where I think we respect and understand each other as individuals. As a couple, our focal point is on what will benefit us as a family.

Where did you meet your wife?

One could say you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth. Can you tell us what it feels like coming from a privileged background?

I have been hearing about the silver spoon but I have never seen it before (Laughs). On a more serious note, yes, I grew up in a privileged home. I believe that it is a blessing to have grown up under the circumstances which I did. I had the opportunity to travel wide and in terms of education, I went to fairly good schools. Sometimes, when people talk about the hardships associated with living in Nigeria, I believe that because of my family, I was shielded from much of it. But I am still waiting for the day when I can go into the bank and mention my surname and they just give me money. Then I can say, yes ,I was truly born with a silver spoon.

What kind of reaction do you get when introduced to people; scorn or privileges?

There are so many reactions, depending on where I am.

When I am abroad, I don’t get any reaction. People actually struggle to pronounce the name. On the work environment, they see it as a name that is like a guarantee that I will not run away with their money. While some people see me as representative of an ATM machine. Since my name is an Okoya, it means I must have a lot of money. In some cases in business, when I talk about investment or

Strange enough, the first time we met, we were in the same primary school. We lost touch but reconnected in our teenage years. We used to go out together with the same group of friends.

Did you date each other during that period?

No, we didn’t. We were just friends. Then she went away to the UK and we lost touch again even though I was also in the UK at that time. We lost touch for like 10 years.

She came back to town and we rekindled our friendship.

A year after that, we got married.

How do you relax?

I am basically a home boy. I enjoy watching television, especially the Discovery Channel and Crime Television. I also love travelling on holidays with my family because that is when you can spend quality time with them. I love going for cocktail parties and to socialise.

What kind of food do you enjoy?

I enjoy local food majorly. I love vegetables and this has made me to love Calabar food. Calabar food is very healthy and the process of preparation indepth. I don’t enjoy foods like eba. I eat very little of that but with lots of vegetables.

I like continental but I am not into Italian food.

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Body&Soul

Ireti is my heart -Bakare Adeoye

Bakare Adeoye is a renowned production manager in Nollywood, especially in the Yoruba movie sector, while his lovely wife, Ireti Osayemi, is a cross over artiste. They have been together for eight years.

They share the secret of their marital journey with BAYO ADEOYE How did you meet?

Bakare: That is a question that has been asked so many times by a lot of people. Well, like any man would meet a young lady, I met her somewhere in Ikorodu, on a movie location, though I was not part of that job, I had to be there for some reasons. I saw her there, talked to her and we became friends. And a couple of days later, I ended up taking her to her house and the rest is history.

Ireti: Well, I remember I met him only once and the next time I saw him, I was actually stranded and he offered to give me a ride. That was how he got to take me home.

When did he actually do the ‘toasting’?

Ireti: I think the toasting part is best left for the secondary school days. (Laughter) Real men hardly toast; besides, I’m not a slice of bread, so toasting me would be a bit difficult.

So, how did the relationship start?

Bakare: The relationship just evolved.

Ireti: We were friends. Basically, it is when we ladies want the man to say some things that the ‘toasting’ takes place. Really, he was a gentleman, a friend and along the line, he was kind and we got closer than just being friends. After a while, I could see the handwriting on the wall and knew what exactly he was driving at. He asked me, ‘Would you be my wife?’ and emm…

I said yes.

What was really attracted you to her?

Bakare: If I tell you what I saw in her, you would not believe me. I met her at a point in my life when naturally, I should not be attracted to any woman, that I should not like any woman. But after meeting her twice, I saw that she was a very different woman, a very modest lady. I hardly look at beauty; I could see that she was very modest. I saw that she was one lady that was well brought up, from a good home; she has virtues that you can hardly find in most women and is very creative. Beyond being an actress, I could see that she’s very intelligent. I saw a young lady that was in her mid-20s but could talk like a 40-year-old. I saw inner beauty that I could hardly resist.

How long have you been married?

Bakare: Well, we have been together now for eight years and…

Ireti: We have been married for six years. We dated for two years before we eventually got married.

Given the fact that there are a number of years between you, how do you manage to make him look good all the time?

Ireti: Well, he is blessed and like I said, when you are happy within, it shows. Besides, he is a man that

takes life easy. He does not let things weigh him down; he does not wear any scowl on his face. He loves what he does and that makes him happy. He is a happy man.

Bakare

Ireti

When she acts romantic roles in movies, don’t you feel uncomfortable?

Bakare: No, not at all.

Ireti: He knows what it takes to do that.

Bakare: I’m a director. I will give you an instance. There was a movie production we were both involved in and she was doing a role where she had to be romantic with somebody, who felt that he could not perform the role, while I was there. In his mind, she was his boss’ wife. I told him, ‘do your job, man’.

There is nothing that happens on set that is amorous.

If you see a scene where a man and a woman are actually making love, it is not really happening. In that film, there would be at least 10 to 15 people there; it is not possible for them to be sleeping with each other there. I mean, they are not dogs. They are just doing what most people love to see, when in fact, nothing is happening. When I see my wife in such roles, it does not affect me anyway, it can never.

Considering your busy schedule, how do you ‘reconnect’ after?

Ireti: Well, I will say that we are hardly apart. Even when he is here in Lagos and I’m in another part of Nigeria, we talk. If you ask people around, they would most likely say, ‘your husband is calling you’ even when I’m not on the phone with him. We talk, we get to know what is happening to each other at every point in time.

There were times I would be caught up in traffic and I would call him to tell him about it, so he would not take that route if he was going towards that area. We get to talk, so we are hardly apart, we communicate.

When there are issues, my husband is always saying, don’t sweep anything under the carpet, let’s iron it out.

Bakare: We talk on phone and when we are physically together. We are friends and relate as friends. You won’t believe that we go to the market together at times.

Are there special routines that you do together?

Ireti: Yes, we have those. We are supposed to be at the camp, we don’t like missing it but today, we could not go because we have an appointment to meet up with and I’ll be going to location first thing tomorrow morning.

Bakare: We have got family routines; we take the kids together to school in the mornings and we don’t

miss church on Sundays. When we are together at home, we hang out with the kids and I guess that is it.

Describe your spouse.

Bakare: She is a very special woman and gifted too.

If I happen to die at 130 years and come back, I’ll still love to marry Ireti. I love her, she is my heart.

Ireti: He is the best husband in the world. Very caring and supportive.

Any advice for other couples?

Ireti: If you are newlyweds or planning to get married make your partner your friend. At times, you get to talk to your friends more than you talk to our partner.

We talk to our friends without holding anything back; it is the same with our spouses, no holds barred. Make your spouse your friend. In relationships, it’s good to dwell on the good things. We all have our flaws, no one is perfect. Just forget about the other person’s flaws and just try to work on yours, get better and you will find that while trying to get better, you are actually impronning the other person as well.

Bakare: Also, make God the bedrock of your home.

Anything you want to do put God first. Ask for His direction because as humans, if we had tried to run this marriage on our own strength, I’m sure it would not have lasted a year. We would not even have thought of getting married.

When I met her, I would not call myself a nominal Christian because if I go to church today, I might not go again, until a year later. I remember on New Year’s Eve, when our friends were going to church to pray for the New Year, some of my friends in the industry would be rushing around from one club to another.

We would probably end up in one church, five minutes before midnight and few minutes later, we would be out of there again to another club. She got into my life and things changed. She had never for one day said I should go to church. She made me see that I needed God, that I needed to be close to God.

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Body&Soul

Makeup bag essentials

Biwom Iklaki

M

aintaining a good look all day long can be difficult sometimes. That is why most women go about with makeup for ‘touchup’. Since women’s needs, makeup-wise, vary from one woman to the next and from season to season, here are some you may consider:

Concealer: You do not need to reapply your foundation. If you dot on concealer after a few hours, you will not notice the bags under your eyes or any

blemishes. A concealer usually comes in a small pot that is perfect for keeping in your handbag and you can easily apply it with your fingertips.

Lipstick: Lipstick is a musthave throughout the day. You might want to keep a lipstick brush with you. A lipstick pencil can also keep it from feathering, which is important in warm weather.

Blotting Tissues: Blotting tissues are useful for cleaning off shine on the face. A fine layer of powder in the morning can set your foundation and keep

you looking flawless, but adding too much powder throughout the day can make you look unnatural. Blotting tissues will simply soak up the extra oil on your face.

Moisturiser: In colder environments, your skin becomes very dry. Have a small spray bottle of rose water or some liquid moisturiser in your bag. Spray it over your foundation to keep your skin hydrated and comfortable. You also want to keep your lips hydrated and soft, so look for balms or moisturisers and keep those in your makeup bag.

Nail file: The nail file is essential in a makeup bag. Nails have a way of chipping when you least expect it. Once you have a nail file in your makeup bag, all you do is file the rough edges into shape.

Lotion: An item to have at all times is a lotion for your hands and elbows. This is needed during colder months and in air conditioned environments when your skin easily dries up.

It will keep your skin comfortable and supple.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Midriff E Biwom Iklaki

T

his fashion fad is fresh, flirty, fabulous and fun. It is made for the fearless and fittest of stylish people. You can rock a crop top in ways that suit your style and age. You worked hard for your abs, go ahead and flaunt it!

For the less daring of us, you can

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Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

SUNDAY, March 16, 2014

Riding roughshod on citizens’ rights

he United States 2013 Country Report on Human Rights describes Nigeria as a country where corruption, official impunity and gross human rights violations occur at will. The report, now in its 38th year, is endorsed by the U.S. Congress. Among others it helps inform the U.S. government policy and foreign assistance. By the report, Boko Haram and the Nigerian Government are the worst perpetrators of human rights abuses in the country.

Human rights abuses by Boko Haram included killings, bombings, abduction and rape of women, and other attacks throughout the country, resulting in numerous deaths, injuries, and widespread destruction of property. The security services perpetrated extrajudicial killings, torture, rape, beatings, arbitrary detention, mistreatment of detainees, and destruction of property. Then there was widespread societal violence, including ethnic, regional and religious violence.

Other serious human rights problems included vigilante killings, prolonged pretrial detention, denial of fair public trial, executive influence on the judiciary; infringements on citizens’ privacy rights, restrictions on the freedoms of speech(covering the press, assembly, religion and movement), official corruption, violence against women and child abuse.

Others are female genital mutilation/cutting (FMG/C), infanticide, sexual exploitation of children, trafficking in persons, discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, regional

origin, religion, and disability, forced and bonded labor; and child labour. The report specifically refers to the refusal of the government to prosecute members of the armed forces responsible for extrajudicial killing and torture in clear disregard of the recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Committee against Torture.

Sadly too, the national police, army, and other security forces committed extrajudicial killings and used lethal and excessive force to apprehend criminals and suspects as well as to disperse protesters.

Authorities generally did not hold the police accountable for the use of excessive or deadly force or for the deaths of persons in custody. The reports of state or federal panels of inquiry investigating suspicious deaths remained unpublished, according to the report. Furthermore, the report frowned at the technique of “parading” of suspects commonly used by the police. It observed that most of those paraded are subjected to public ridicule or abuse. The report described a horrid condition in the country’s prisons. It said the prisons are mostly over-crowded and in such deplor-

Besides, the high poverty rate is making most Nigerians to struggle merely to survive. They do not feel they are part of the government, talk more of human rights.

able states that they provide fertile breeding grounds for communicable diseases.

It said prisoners are poorly fed and their health neglected.

In a very horrifying manner, the reports indicated guards and prison officials extorted inmates or levied fees on them to pay for food, prison maintenance, and prisoner release. In some cases female inmates faced the threat of rape. Female prisoners pregnant at the time of incarceration gave birth to and raised their babies in prison. The report observed that though the freedom of speech and a free press are guaranteed by the constitution, high-handed security and government officials still occasionally harass journalists. A tale of woe about the human rights situation is painted in such a manner that speaks volume about the abysmal degree of the dignity of the human life in Nigeria.

Curiously, the government of Nigeria would rather deny these anomalies instead of dealing with them decisively.

It is very disturbing that, there is no NonGovernmental Organization (NGO), in the country that can come up with a detailed report of this kind in an integrated manner, highlighting all these problems, in spite of the heavy foreign donations to these organisations. Similarly, the National Assembly in the discharge of its over sight functions has not uncovered some of these encumbrances, which are not only embarrassing, but inimical to the collective image of the country. The government must take the report very seriously; study it painstakingly, with the aim of correct-

ing the obvious gaps in the deplorable human rights scenarios in the country. It is to this end that the report rightly noted that, the failure of Nigeria’s government to address deeply entrenched human rights problems, such as widespread poverty, government corruption, police abuse, and longstanding impunity for a wide range of crimes has created fertile ground for violent militancy throughout the country.

We believe the report will provide an opportunity for government and national human rights institutions in the country to take a retrospective estimation of their work; share best practices and develop a common platform for addressing challenges still impacting negatively on the enjoyment of human rights by our people.

Moreover, the laws are not strong enough to protect the ordinary Nigerian and in any case, implementation is disappointingly very poor. Besides, the high poverty rate is making most Nigerians to struggle merely to survive. They do not feel they are part of the government, talk more of human rights. The foundation for human rights is the right to live, and for which every government should ensure basic shelter and food for its citizens. In the absence of this foundation, all efforts to create and implement human rights laws will be in vain.

Hence, there is the exigent need for the media to aggressively educate and enlighten people on their rights in the society. That way, human rights can play a major role in shaping the society in a positive way.

BOLAJI TUNJI Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief IKE ABONYI Deputy Managing Director FELIX ABUGU Managing Editor, South SULEIMAN BISALA Managing Editor, North GABRIEL AKINADEWO Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board JOSEPH ONYEKWERE News Editor (Sunday) PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

OPINION

Obi: End of an interesting era Victor Afam Ogene

C

ast your mind back some 13 years ago.

The year was 2001, barely two years into Nigeria’s much - trumpeted return to democratic governance. Across the landscape, the new helmsmen were trying to make positive impressions on their people and their lives. And in keeping with the mantra - the worst civilian administration is better than the best form of military rule - the new buzz word in town became ‘democracy dividends’.

But immediately across the famed River Niger, the gateway to the South East, democracy appeared to be in reverse gear, complete with an erosion of its ethos and practical manifestations.

Beginning with a state legislature which bagged the distinctive lapel of shame as the first legislative House to remove its Speaker in the new dispensation, after barely two weeks, and in another state, it appeared as though a seven–headed medusa had been let loose, as the ills followed each other in torrents. A curious law enforcement regime that ensured that all that was required to have one’s head chopped off , in broad daylight, was to be ‘fingered’ as a criminal; school children and their teachers left at home for 13 months following a seemingly unresolvable strike; broken down infrastructure, left unattended to as the state burned in a furnace of political crisis. Indeed, a season of anomie was afoot and gloom enveloped the land.

Welcome to Anambra, a state where the ‘godfathers’ held court and government and governance seemed like an aberration, perhaps in conformity with the state’s sobriquet: Home for All (including, of course, all forms of absurdities).

Entrapped in this state of suspended anima-

tion, the people were thus startled when one of its own mined deep into his soul and propped a nagging poser: “Is Anambra state cursed or are we the cause?”

While the message resonated with the people, the messenger did not. A hitherto neverheard-of name on the political firmament of the state, the bearer of the message was easily dismissed as an intrusive business fellow who merely desired some attention.

But Peter Gregory Onwubuya Obi was a resolute young man. At just about 40 at the time, he had notched up a string of successes in the corporate world, chief of which was his extant position as Chairman of Fidelity Bank.

Yet, the chief worry remained: would he be able to trade the security and comfort of the organised private sector, for the uncertainties which define politics?

As the poser floated in the air, the man himself resolved the seeming logjam by delving, body and soul, into the shark-infested waters of Anambra politics.

Running an issues-based campaign, devoid of personal attack on anyone, Obi knocked on virtually every door, neither offering money nor platitudes; instead, he sold his vision of an Integrated Development Strategy, aimed at developing all sectors and segments of the society simultaneously.

His trajectories ever since are all very well known that it would serve no useful purpose repeating. However, in the maze of his many battles, the legal hurdles and the burning desires to re-order governance, some constants remain indelible: the first person in Nigeria to recover an electoral mandate from a sitting governor; the first governor to upturn an impeachment

and return to office; the first person to positively challenge the tenure interpretation clause in our nation’s constitution. And on and on.

Besides the net result of having staggered gubernatorial elections in no fewer than six states, the gross outcome of Obi’s legal interventions is that he has given life to several provisions, hitherto frozen, in the nation’s constitution.

In spite of these achievements of gargantuan legal and political ramifications, for the people of Anambra State - and indeed the South East - the great essence of the Peter Obi personae lies in the return of the state to the front-row of progressive states in the federation. As the governor himself is wont to say, prior to his coming, it was a case of “lunatics being in charge of the asylum.”

Today, courtesy of Obi’s civility and a stubborn determination to redefine governance, as intended to serve the greater good of the greater number , a long list of accomplishments is visible to even the blind: Over 900kilometres of asphalted roads running through the three senatorial zones in the state, especially linking up hitherto very difficult and inaccessible terrains; crime prevention, through the provision of over 600 patrol vehicles to vigilante groups in all 177 communities in the state, and security agencies such as the Police, Army, Navy, Civil Defence, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, Road Safety, SSS and the NDLEA, plus Armoured Personnel Carriers, and communication equipment; hand over of schools to their original owners, the missions, distribution of over 35,000 laptops/ desktop computers, distribution of over 750 buses to schools, and the enhancement of the quality of teaching , such that today, Anambra is the leading state in both WAEC and NECO examinations; including of course, the giant strides

in health, provision of public utilities, agriculture and poverty alleviation schemes, erosion control, sports, commerce and industry and transportation.

Aside physical infrastructure, however, a twin-pillar of support which underscored Obi’s successes, to my mind, is “the incorporation of Presidents-General of town unions in the process of governance as experimental 4th tier of Government” and the strategic partnership which he so devotedly forged with national and international development agencies.

While these gestures, in the short run, cast the cloak of a pariah state off Anambra, the longterm effects are already yielding dividends, as the state is now a first choice destination for grants and investment.

Fast-forward to 2014: As Obi steps down on Monday, March 17, after completing the constitutional limit of two-terms of four years each, indications are that he would be assigned another herculean task by the federal authorities, perhaps in tandem with the aphorism which proclaims: the reward for hardwork is more work. For Ndi Anambra, the man’s odyssey in the state aptly answers his own poser, thus: We are not cursed; we have been the cause of our woes all along.

Besides poignantly proclaiming that Ta bu gbo, all the elements appears so present in Obi’s make-up: piety, civility, integrity, vision, tact, determination and a stubborn streak for success — that all Nigerians can conveniently say, welcome the new leader of the Igbo race, Okwute Ndigbo, Peter Obi. •Ogene, Deputy Chairman, Media & Public Affairs, House of Representatives, represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State.

Promoting security consciousness against terrorism Moshood Isah

W

e are just in the third month of the year and the most challenging development to our nationhood is the issue of security. From armed robbery, kidnapping, herdsmen’s attacks on farmlands and villagers, rustlers’ gangsterism and not to talk of the mother of all criminality which is terrorism by insurgents. While most cynical critics of the Nigerian armed forces might shower encomiums on their recent accomplishments in cracking down on the insurgents, especially in the Northeastern part of the country, there is more to be done by the citizens.

The real cheering news in recent time is the disclosure by the Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade that many suspected terrorists were captured from their various camps on the fringes of Lake Chad by the Multi-National Joint Task Force and other locations around Dikwa, Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and Alargarmo.

Reports have also indicated that many terrorists were either killed or arrested by a combined force of Nigerian security on a special operation while raiding Sambisa forest, which is the insurgents’ camp in Borno State. The mili-

tary has also been successful in continuous tactical offensive air raids on various camps of the insurgents like the Alagarno and Ajiri satellite camps. As a matter of fact, a large chunk of the wounded terrorists are pleading for mercy and as such divulging relevant information with regard to the remnant of their forces. Even though it is believed that most of the camps of the insurgents have been disbanded following starvation and incessant bombardment, thus inability to fulfill their sinister mission, the security forces are not resting on their laurels in making sure that insurgency comes to a complete end.

The herculean task of combating insurgency in the country may have diverted the minds of service chiefs and defence headquarters from other security issues in the country. There is the ongoing bloody clash between native Tivs and Fulani herdsmen in Benue State which has assumed a phenomenal status with trail pools of blood of casualties on both sides. The crisis in Benue began in February 2011, where armed Fulani herdsmen, numbering between 200 and 500, sacked three districts in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state, with scores dead and about 20,000 people rendered homeless.

According to media reports, the operation was akin to an invasion of the state by insurgents.

Basically, it starts with a Fulani herdsman or herdsmen driving their cattle into crop farms to graze. The farmers, in order to protect their crops, farms and livelihood, attack the Fulani or attempt to chase them away. The Fulani retaliate by opening fire or violently defending their cows by killing or maiming the farmers. The conflict escalates as the Fulani migrate from that scene to yet another.

The lives that have been terminated as a result of what seems to be a trivial issue are increasing in geometric progression almost on a daily basis. The recent reports indicate another pattern in Katsina State in the North-West where innocent lives were also lost.

In as much as the security forces are mandated to protect the citizens from criminals and fight terrorists, the citizens too have assist law enforcement agencies by being security conscious.

We should always be security conscious.

The recent radio jingle in some selected radio station by I-Nigerian Renaissance initiative is a welcome development on the basic tips in avoiding insecurity in our various communities. The relevant institutions and media should educate the populace on the need to be security conscious always. There is the need to be

vigilant and report any strange movement or development to security agents. It is a known fact that marauders take time to lay siege after their surveillance before they wreak havoc in our communities. As residents of our areas, we have the responsibility to identify a stranger or any strange object within and around our environment and report such immediately to the relevant authorities.

With the current security situation in the country, security consciousness is not limited to only North-Eastern states but every state of the federation. This is due to the fact that the recent crackdown of insurgents in the North-East may force their relocation to other states and possible regrouping for their criminal activities.

Security consciousness is not aimed at terrifying the populace but simply ginger the need for everyone to be alert at all times. There is also a new trend of threat in most states whereby undesirable elements lure children with small things like sweets or biscuits in order to kidnap them. Those are some of the reasons we have to be mindful of the people we entrust our children. A stitch in time saves nine just as prevention is better than cure. Therefore, we must all be security conscious.

•Moshood Isah writes from Garki, Abuja.

Hardball Tambuwal, House leaders help APC Reps to ridicule Jonathan –Ita Enang p.26

biyi adegoroye, ASSISTANT Editor, Politics biyi.fire@yahoo.com

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

MARCH 16, 2014

Oshiomhole

Interview Boko Haram attacks, sign of failed governance, says Ardo p.28

Politics

Jang

Security votes as conduit for graft (2) In this concluding part, BIYI ADEGOROYE examines the untilisation of security votes in the country and its impact on security. Additional reports from CAJETAN MMUTA in Benin, and BABATOPE OKEOWO in Akure

I

CONTINUED from last week

n Edo, a state which has been grappling with the activities of kidnappers, armed robbers and other sundry crimes, about N4.8billion is set aside for security votes in the 2014 budget. Interestingly, the state has taken the offensive in the fight against all forms of crimes like armed robbery, burglary, and kidnapping of high profile individuals, especially, members of the medical profession, businessmen, judicial officers, politicians and teachers.

The surge in kidnapping activities was high between 2012 and 2013 in parts of the

state such that the concerns expressed by stakeholders spurred lawmakers in the state House of Assembly to pass into law Anti-kidnapping Act which provides among others, a death sentence for offenders. The signing of the law by the state government sparked a serious row within and outside the shores of the country.

In 2012, Governor Adams Oshiomhole purchased 50 Hilux vehicles for the police in the state, provided five Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) in 2013 and additional 50 security patrol vehicles equipped with a state of the art communication gadgets for

25

quick responses and contacts among security personnel of various outfits. With this, government makes it possible for each police station along with other police units like AntiRobbery Unit, the X-Quad and several others in the state to possess patrol vehicles which enable them to respond quickly to distress calls.

In 2013, there was no allocation made for security vote by the state by the house of assembly. The executive has tactically and with bold step too, dealt with security issue through the collaborative efforts of the Department of Security Services, the police

through the joint anti-crime outfit, the Operation Thunderstorm, under the Brigade Army command, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. The Neighbourhood Watch was disbanded because of its hijack by suspected politicians and redundancy by some of the members.

In this regard, Oshiomhole assured of the state’s readiness to ensure that “misguided elements and criminals do not thwart our developmental efforts. Accordingly, in 2014, we will step up efforts to ensure the security of lives and property in the state. We will continue to partner with and support the security agencies and forces in the State towards the appreciable reduction of all incidences of criminal activities in the state.”

He said, “To reinforce our complementary role, we have taken a decision to restructure and reposition the Neighbourhood Watch in order to make it more effective in detecting and combating crimes across the state.

To demonstrate our seriousness in dealing with this menace, we were able to, with the support of this house, enact a new law that prescribes the death penalty for kidnapping and related offences.” He expressed sincere appreciation to the security and law enforcement agencies operating in the state for their steadfastness and sacrifices in ensuring that our state is no longer safe for any one with criminal intent.

Despite the burgeoning serious security challenges confronting the state, Governor Jonah Jang’s government in Plateau State is believed to be far from committed to providing adequate security in the land. Much as he has all the requisite security personnel - special adviser on security, permanent secretary security and a chief security officer, government can hardly boast of any reasonable investment in the security of the state.

For instance, the state government provides little or no logistic supports for the police and the Special Task Force on security, a squad comprising officers and men from six agencies, currently spearheading the restoration of peace on the Plateau.

In the past seven years of his two-term tenure in the state, Jang has made only one donation of patrol vehicles to the police. He donated only one Armoured Personnel Carrier. Security chiefs in the state said such single logistic support, which is not commensurate with the glaring security challenges of the state thus hamper their response capabilities and operational efficiency.

A police officer said the only APC available to MOPOL 8, Jos, has not been in a good working condition for some time now. “In the last few months, the Squadron Commander has been bearing the cost of repairing it to ensure his men respond quickly to attacks.

Besides, the squadron has only one patrol vehicle!”

Similarly, the State’s Counter-Terrorism Squad, peopled with over 50 officers and men CONTINUED ON PAGE27

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Politics / Hardball

Tambuwal, House leaders help to ridicule Jonathan –Ita Enang In this interview with CHUKWU DAVID, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, spoke on national issues such as request for automatic tickets for National Assembly members, defection in the Senate and the pattern of opposition in the polity.

A

s a lawyer and legislator, what is your take on the clamour for automatic tickets for the 2015 elections

by Peoples Democratic Party, members in the National Assembly?

The National Chairman of the PDP has answered the question about automatic tickets and said that there must be democracy.

The chairman spoke as the leader of the party. What is your personal opinion on the matter?

Well, in normal situations, it is the party that will decide who will be its candidate, and the party has its own procedure of determining who will be its candidate. And that procedure will be determined by the PDP. And that procedure as determined by the PDP will be followed by the PDP in such a manner that nobody feels so aggrieved and the actual election will prove difficult. So, I will not discuss the pros and cons of automatic ticket.

If given the chance, would you advocate for automatic tickets for the members of the National Assembly?

I will walk only within the confines of the party. I will stand for what the party wants. I am looking for the grace of the party to contest election again and come back to the Senate on the platform of the PDP. So, I will not dictate to the party how it should go about my nomination, my election or what it should do. I should rather put myself in such a manner that if the party wants to nominate me, it will be accessible to the people of my constituency and I will be victorious.

Are you worried that the defection in the Senate is depleting the strength of the PDP?

Well, I can tell you that the development rather made the PDP stronger and better. But I know that the matter is pending in court; so I will not want to discuss the details because the ruling of the court on the matter is coming around the 26th of March. As much as possible, we should stop making statements capable of prejudicing the matter or issue in court.

There is palpable apprehension that, if politicians continue to heat up the system the way they are doing now, they might endanger this democracy in 2015. What is your reaction to this?

My impression is that every person should make sure and accept that it is not the statement you make that will make you win. It is that we take steps and make statements that are capable of preserving the democracy and giving people and the public confidence in the democracy. I think politicians should be very careful, and careful in deed.

Some senators are worried about the influx of governors to the National Assembly to dislodge the incumbent senators. Is it a mater to be worried about or is it healthy for our democracy?

It is not a matter to be worried about. Mind you, the governors have the right to seek election to any other office. Whether you are a governor or not, I think it is within the structure of the party and the responsibility of the party to know how to sort out the issues. Governors are very big stakeholders in the party and cannot be ignored.

But you cannot also ignore the legislature. Governors have a great experience and they want to bring it in to the legislature. And so, we should encourage it.

There is this perception out there that the Senate tends to be more in harmony with the Presidency than the House of Representatives in this seventh Assembly. Is it because the Upper Chamber is seeking favour from the Presidency and thereby compromising its duties or what?

One thing is that the Senate is made up of people of certain categories, class and standing. The House is made up of mostly of persons of a certain category and standing and age bracket. And different groups reason differently. And of course, sometimes, it depends on the lead-

ership. Again sometimes, leadership is dependent on follower-ship.

You remember the House can’t function the way the Senate does, because in the legislature, most times things are seen from the eyes of a particular political party. And when you consider how the leadership of the House of Representatives emerged, that it was a coalition of the minority parties and some members of the majority party that brought them up, and so, the Speaker and the leadership are almost always bound to allow and work towards the minority, expressing the way they feel. And what the minority party and minority government always feel is anything that is capable of embarrassing the government in power, to make the government lose some credibility in the eyes of the public; so that they may take advantage of contesting the next election or mid-term election. So, that is the character of what has been playing out in the House of Representatives- a coalition of the minority parties, picking some aggrieved members of the majority party, and forming a majority and always using that to shape the opinion and things that happen on the floor of the House. Therefore, you will not expect the House to be on the same shooting level with the Senate. Moreover, there are more matters that are invested in the Senate like screening of ambassadors, screening of President’s nominees and other matters relating to security. The Senate has a lot to do.

And apart from having much to do as enshrined in the Constitution, they select what to do.

It is common knowledge that in a democratic system, the opposition puts the leading party on its toes to do what is right. How would you rate the impact of opposition in Nigeria?

I can tell you that what we have in this country right now is antagonism against the ruling party and the government in power. What we have is not real opposition.

And this is happening because the opposition party does not have what it takes to function accordingly. When you don’t have the requirements to function in a particular position or discharge certain responsibilities, you resort to antagonism. When intellectualism is not available or when intellectualism is brought down, antagonism is resorted to. The opposition in Nigeria should work towards being able to say,’ look, these are the states we control - we control Lagos; we control Ondo, we control

Enang

27

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Politics / Milestone

APC Reps Ogun, Imo, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. This is how we are tackling unemployment in those states we are in control of. There is lower rate of unemployment. This is how we are tackling agriculture; this is our revenue generation; this is what we are doing in education which is different from what PDP is doing, this is how we involve citizens in our government. And on account of all these achievements vote for me in the next election. This is how I will run federal security; this is how I will tackle the issue of insecurity that is happening in the North East; this is how I will tackle the question of Fulani herdsmen different from the way the PDP administration and President Goodluck Jonathan are handling the matter.’

That is what opposition is and should be about. That is what intellectualism in governance is about. When you are not able to address these things then you resort to antagonism. So, we should learn with time to address political party matters and governance on the basis of intellectual output; on the basis of telling the people to compare me, if I were the President of Nigeria, will the Central Bank of Nigeria act in this manner? This is what I will do; I will not remove the governor. Otherwise, let each of the parties say this is what I will do differently from the other party if elected. When I go for election campaign, I put forward my best. I tell them look, this is what I have done as a legislator in the House of Representatives; this is what I will do in the Senate. As I am going in to contest for the Senate, I will say look, this is what the education is as it were; this is what I am going to add to it.

Now that you mentioned CBN, let’s go there briefly. Some opponents of Lamido Sanusi’s suspension are arguing that the action might jeopardise the outcome of the on-going probe of the contentious alleged unremitted oil funds by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) because he is a witness with a lot of information on the matter. What is your view on that?

Those are not pieces of information that are available to Sanusi; those are not pieces of information that are peculiar to Sanusi. Those are things that are available and known and peculiar to the institution called the Central Bank of Nigeria. And so, it is not only Sanusi alone that knows it. After all, these information are guides given to him by the different departments of the CBN. And he is only representing what the Central Bank has called him and asked him to come and represent. So, any other person can come and give the information when needed.

The other person may decide to take a different route. It is a question of approach. But the fact is a fact known to the Central Bank of Nigeria, not a fact known to Sanusi. The Central Bank has more than one or two thousand staff. The Central Bank has three or four deputy governors; the Central Bank has directorate of education department. So, each of these persons collate information and give it to him. So, it is not a fact or a matter only known to him. So, the investigation will not die because Sanusi is not there.

On the issue of the CBN, it is not about the Governor of Central Bank alone. It is about the Central Bank. The CBN Act says there shall be a governor and deputy governors. It is intended that the governor should take certain decisions jointly with the deputy governors. So, if most of these decisions were taken by the governor, it is assumed that the decisions were taken together with the deputy governor. If anything happens to the governor for wrong actions taken, there should be collateral effect on the deputy governors because it is a collective decision, unless each of them can say, look it was Sanusi alone that took it and not the bank.

Can we talk about what you have done since you came to the Senate, which gives you the confidence to go for reelection in 2015?

Well, I have represented my people properly; I have brought projects to them, I brought roads, water projects, and I have been able to give a voice and a standing to the people of AkwaIbom South South. I have not been silent on issues on which senators should speak. I have spoken intelligently, bringing in intellectualism to bear on Senate considerations of issues of national interest. I have come up with several legislations targeted at promoting peace, unity and good governance of this country.

Policemen atop an APC C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

lack operational equipment. It has just one patrol vehicle, but enjoys little monthly allowances.

This is coming even as the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Abraham Yiljap, says that Jang is committed to restoring the peace to the Plateau. The government only took delivery of 150 Hilux vehicles a month ago, and it is yet unclear to whom it will be distributed.

State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe, in an earlier interview, expressed the hope that the on-going peace building efforts will achieve the desired goal if supported by all and sundry, to check the frequent attacks by Fulani herdsmen in various parts of the state.

In Ondo State, the government seemed to have labeled security votes as contingency fund which ranged from N2billion to N5billion yearly. From this fund, it assists the security agencies with equipment and pays some regular allowances. For instance, it has bought five Armoured Personnel Carriers, power bikes and vehicles for the men of the Nigeria Police as parts of efforts to enhance security situations in the state in the past few years.

Besides the police, government also purchased operational vehicles for National Civil Service Defence Corps, the 323 Artillery Brigade, the Naval Forward Operational Base in Igbokoda, in Ilaje Local Government area of the state and other security outfits.

The government did this before the October 20, 2012 governorship election, even as some alleged it was trying to compromise the security outfits before the election.

However, violent crime especially bank robbery was frequent until the government’s intervention in the purchase of the patrol vehicles for the security outfits. However, the maintenance of the vehicles and other security gadgets, according to sources, was done from the votes given to the heads of the security agents. In the previous budgets made available to the New Telegraph on Sunday, there was nothing like security vote.

Some members of the Assembly who spoke with New Telegraph on Sunday said the issue of security is not what can be discussed on the pages of newspapers. A lawmaker said the House of Assembly does not have the right to question the government on how the contingency allocation is used and there is no committee that performs oversight function on it.

Speaking on governor’s security votes and how well such funds are utlised, a lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Afolabi Olayiwola noted that there is nothing wrong in the allocation of security votes to state governors. He said “My only worry is that we don’t know how much accrues to each of the governors and how such funds are not made public and all the expenses is not

made known.”

Afolabi who expressed worry about it said it should be open to investigation because security vote is not a personal thing, but public fund, therefore how it is spent should be open to public scrutiny. “To some of the governors, it is a conduit to swindle money. Some of them spend the money for themselves or for elections and some of them even increase it anyhow. So it should be open and with the current crisis now in the country, security votes should be open to public inquiry. We should be able to know,” he added.

Executive Director of African Network on Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), David Ugolor wants the entire system subjected to regular assessments. “We should be able to assess it with different indicators, - is it transparent, are they accountable in the disbursement, and is it participatory? If you want to look at the issue of transparency, you talk about the disclosure; the policy of most states and the federal governments where they keep sealed lips on what they receive and how they spend it is not very encouraging.” He commended the Federal Ministry of Finance for making such information available, thereby giving the public access to such information to be able to measure it against government’s performance.

The ANEEJ boss commended the Edo State Government in this regard. “To be very frank with you, in Edo State, considering where we were coming from until Adams Oshiomhole took over power, there was hardly any discussion about budgets implementation, transparency or accountability.”

Ugolor called for proper scrutiny of security votes especially to make sure that they are utilized in consonance with the “Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility Act, and to advance the whole debate about judicious use of public money. He also wants regular monthly publication of how state’s funds are utilized as done by Bayelsa and Kano States Governments, as well as Edo and Rivers States that organize town hall meetings where they provide information on handling of state funds.

Regional Vice President of the ASIS International, an association of security experts, Wilson Esangbedo, a lawyer and certified protection practitioner, who has done many research into abuse of security votes, warned executive at both federal and state levels against betraying the trust reposed on them in the management of the fund.

With the current spate of insecurity in the country, and the fact that security is the pivot around which other sectors of the nation revolve, observers believe that nothing but judicious use of state fund can give credence to government’s claim of commitment to security and welfare of the governed. Anything attempt to divert or loot security votes is tantamount to toying with people’s life and future.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Politics / Hardball

Boko Haram attacks, sign of failed governance, says Ardo In this interview with IBRAHIM ABDUL, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and erstwhile Political Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Dr. UMAR ARDO, bares his mind on many major issues including President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection bid.

R

ecently, there was a PDP stakeholders’ meeting during the visit of Mr. President in Yola, where some stakeholders, including you, reportedly gave unanimous endorsement of the state Deputy Governor, Bala James Ngillari as the party’s governorship in 2015. May we know what transpired?

It’s not true. It did not happen and nobody has said that. I am just hearing this speculation from you; there was no such talk. And besides, there is not going to be any talk on the issue of governorship in Adamawa State under the PDP, until the matter I instituted in court is finally and conclusively resolved. So this is just a figment of the imagination of some people. Probably it has been calibrated by some members of the PDP, but whatever it is, this is not true and cannot be true. Go and ask Bala Ngillari, he knows.

Already some party gladiators have since begun their preparations. It seems you are not ready, or are you just rattled because some are now enjoying presidential patronage?

Me, I am not rattled at all. The President cannot come and put somebody as governor of Adamawa; the President himself knows. Adamawa PDP will resolve its problem; nobody will come from outside the party to do that. So if anybody is counting on the President to get the nomination ticket of PDP in Adamawa State, he is just deluding himself. Besides, I already told you that Adamawa governorship election on the platform of the PDP is not a matter that anybody can do anything about, until the matter before the court is finally and conclusively determined. So you can come into PDP with ambition to contest for councilor, local government chairman, House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and even the President but you don’t come and say, you want to contest for governorship in the state for the time being until the matter I instituted on the issue of the

governorship of 2012 is finally determined by the court. As long, as the matter remains in the court, so long PDP will not talk about or do anything about governorship election in Adamawa State. That’s for sure.

Are you categorically saying that the door is closed in PDP on the governorship election come 2015?

Oh, it’s closed until the matter I have in the court is determined; certainly it is closed. So whosoever feels that it’s not closed let him or her come and open it and let us see!

But already some are saying that there will be election and they are going to contest and here you are saying that there wouldn’t be election?

I am telling you, there will never be election, they cannot force any election; we are operating under the rule of law, where court determines matters. People that have no sense can say what they want to say, but let the sensible people know and we are supposed to be sensible people.

Now, let us turn to the national conference proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan. Do you think it will record success and find solutions to the problems plaguing the country?

If the President in his wisdom feels that the national conference is going to help to resolve our problems in this country, I wish him good luck, which he has as his name. But I can tell you that this conference as constituted is not going to affect the polity in anyway. It’s not going to come up with a law; it has to go back to the National Assembly. It is not going to amend the Constitution; it has to go back to the legislatures of the country. So how can it be of a threat? So it will

end-up more like an administrative panel that will submit recommendations to the President and the President will now take-off. If it’s an executive issue that he feels he can implement then he can implement it, but he has to get the National Assembly to approve the budget for the implementation of that. But nothing more, nothing less, until he takes that report to National Assembly either for the amendment of the Constitution or an enactment of a law by the act of National Assembly so as to give it legal backing. Other than that what is the essence of the National Conference? Nothing, it’s just a talk show, it’s just like any other conference an academic conference, a scientific conference, economic conference and this is just a political conference. Don’t give it more than that.

But don’t you think that at the end, of it there could be solutions to our myriads of problems?

No, it’s not because people have not been expressing their views before, that we have these economic, social, security and political crises. No people have been expressing their views in so many ways. Just because you put them in one room to talk, does not help in any way. It will only come out as hot air and at the end of it; it’s going to be a report submitted to the president and I say the president will act on it. It depends on what recommendations they will come up with and how it is going to be implemented it. It is nothing more than an administrative gesture by the executive.

Do you subscribe to the insinuation that it’s an avenue that will lead to the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidature in 2015?

Well, anything is possible but highly unlikely,

‘The government has the money, the agencies, and the power to do so but it did not do so and if it puts the blame on somebody, then the government is only politising its failure.

because the political temperament of the country is such that such thing will only make a fool of our democracy. Even if they endorse Jonathan, he has to go through the party primaries.

So it is the political party at the end of the day, that will do the nomination but the most important aspect is that all of them and especially Justice Kutigi who is nominated as the chairman of the conference, they know that the Supreme Court has already determined tenure in Nigeria.

The Supreme Court has ruled that tenure in Nigeria is a maximum of eight years and these eight years are not movable; they are invisible; they are unchangeable, they say and I quote the Supreme Court ‘’they are the rock of Gibraltar.’’

So let us see if the President can move the rock of Gibraltar. The President has to his credit five years 23 days, and all elective office in Nigeria including the presidential have a four-years tenure. Therefore, can the President contest another election which is for four years considering that he has spent five years,23 days, which will make him to exceed the eight years already determined by the Supreme Court?

The constitution of Nigeria gavea four year term and another four year term and no more.

And the Supreme Court has interpreted this provision of maximum of eight year tenure, no a day longer, no matter how you come you cannot stay one day longer than eight years.

Some people believe that if Jonathan seeks re-elect, he would have spent nine years and more at the end of 2019?

He might not have contested two times as the constitution says in the disqualification clause, but if he contests for two terms, is he not going to exceed eight years? Yes, he is going to exceed eight years so by the virtue of that he is ineligible to contest. So, his good luck of taking over from late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, is his bad luck that he cannot go beyond eight years. It’s dynamic purpose, if you take the good luck, you should also be ready to take the bad CONTINUED ON PAGE31

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Politics / Stewardship

T

he apparent smooth transition exemplified in the general orderliness in government business as now instituted by Obi for the governor-elect to ride on notwithstanding, Chief Willie Obiano has obvious challenges that would certainly stare him in the face as soon as he steps into the shoes of his predecessor. The new governor would have to grapple with issues relating to insecurity, especially in the commercial city of Onitsha.

Besides, observers say Obiano have to contend with other vestiges of Obi’s government like the strain the outgoing governor created in the hitherto cohesive nature of the 177 communities.

Obi was said to have rejected some traditional rulers elected through established patterns, and chose to deal with only those elected according to his will.

Others are the fact that he seemed to have dragged the churches into politics not only with his donations, but also in the area of appointments and contract awards. The un-written mantra that 30 percent appointments, contracts and donations should go to Catholics while 70 per cent to the other religions has created a kind of discord and polarisation in the state.

The furore created by Obi’s handing of over 109 schools owned by individuals, the Anglican and Methodist Churches to the Catholic Church is yet to settle. Though the outgoing governor had set up a committee to look into the matter, Obiano will face the duty of not only making the report of the committee public but also ensuring its implementation.

Certainly, Obi did not find the issue of insecurity easy in any way. While the state capital, Awka, can be said to have been policed fairly well, Onitsha has remained a very hard nut to crack. While night life thrives in the state capital, in the big commercial city whose security situation has continued to make night life a huge mirage there is no loosening the stranglehold.

And it would take serious thinking for Obiano to crack that situation in Onitsha.

Growing industrial activities are gradually throwing up grave implications of environmental degradation while on the very unpredictable political turf of the state, litigation in courts and the on-going proceedings at the Anambra Governorship Election Tribunal are pulling at the essential rungs holding the seat he is set to occupy from March 17 when his government will be inaugurated. Although Obi is believed to have done well using his pet programme for projects execution- Anambra Integrated Development Strategy, recent developments have shown that much still needed to be done in the area of grassroots development.

On the issue of environment, the first rainfalls experienced this year clearly threw up obvious challenges. Huge debris massed up from flooding in the state capital and effectively blocked drains on major roads of Awka. Refuse bins have been getting filled up and spilling unto the roads.

Hence, the new governor has to do something to get the health of the environment right. At the tribunal, it has been so far so good for the governor-elect. His lawyers have had their way largely at the pretrial hearings, winning about two thirds or more of their motions, a situation which has sent an awry signal to his challengers.

Yet, Dr. Chike Obidigbo who is challenging him and claiming that he was the rightfully nominated candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance is another threat to Obiano’s mandate.

And on the issue of grass roots development, much still need to be done in the area of rural infrastructure and roads. For the education industry, the out-going governor seems to

Obi’s exit and tasks before Obiano

As Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi bows out tomorrow, UWAKWE ABUGU, in this analysis, examines the last lap of his administration and the tasks ahead of his successor, Chief Willie Obiano.

Obi

Obiano

have gone far in the provision of facilities and building infrastructure for the public schools.

But feelers from the State House of Assembly indicate that in the realm of the private educational institutions, too many sharp practices currently engendering substandard education have drawn an angry reaction from the state legislature which passed a resolution calling on the state commissioner for education to move in urgently to save the situation. Certainly, Obiano will be doing a mixed grill dance of riding on the carpets of conviviality (Obi is leaving N75bn in the coffers) and grappling with culling up the required energy for tackling these aforementioned issues.

At an end-of-tenure event put together by Anambra State Elders’ Council to honour Obi and to showcase his stewardship last weekend, what transpired on that occasion, especially the testimonies freely offered by respected personalities who awarded Obi a pass mark clearly disarmed the critics of the man whom not a few politicians in the state regarded as too tightfisted.

Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku who was chairman of the occasion, and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; Africa’s richest businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; the revered Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Bianca, the wife of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu all played glowing tributes to Obi. On that occasion, Obi announced that his administration was leaving N75billion in savings in the treasury of Anambra State. He had also announced that in the eight years that he effectively stayed at the helm of affairs of the state, his administration received about N620

Billion from Federal Allocation, internally generated revenue and interventions from donor agencies and development partners.

This low revenue profile which he stated was just a little more than the annual revenue of some rich states notwithstanding, his government “completed over 801 Km of roads that gave access to all parts of the state and opened up rural areas”.

Obi also gave account of the investment the State made in some projects being executed, some of which are N3.5 billion in INTAFACT, N9 billion in Nigeria Independent Power Project; N4 billion in Orient Petroleum Resources PLC, N1 billion in Onitsha Hotel; N1B in Agulu Lake Hotel; N900 million in Awka Shopping Mall, N350million in quoted investment portfolio, among others. The event was an opportunity for Obi, the people of the state and for visitors as well to learn how the state has fared since a semblance of normalcy returned to its body polity after the inglorious days of hounding political god fathers made the state the shame of the nation.

Though he had a tough beginning without taking any loan, Obi, after reclaiming his mandate had to settle down to cleanse the huge maze of mental and physical destruction visited on the state and its people. “Through strategic planning, prudent and transparent management of resources, as well as reduction in the cost of governance, my administration achieved integrated and comprehensive development in all sectors,” he said.

At the tail end of his tenure, Obi had to dole out hundreds of millions of Naira and would always set alight the venue with wild celebrations.

The day he visited Nnamdi Azikiwe University,

Awka, both the student union government and the management of the institution were full of praises for him as he donated N100m along with two brand new vehicles.

His final push train had moved to many public and private institutions including Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Hospital, Ihiala, Iyi Enu Hospital, Ogidi (Anglican), Catholic-owned hospital, Adazi, Queen of the Rosary Hospital, Onitsha, Charles Borromeo Gospital, at Onitsha.

Each of them got N100m from the governor. To the schools, he donated a total of 500 buses, innumerable computers and generating sets, and over N250m donated to schools to provide them with sick bays and sporting facilities. Of course, there were several other donations on various other occasions. It was a harvest of kind words for the governor as he went round giving the lavish donations that characterised the final push.

Hence, Obiano in his speech assured that his administration would build on the foundation laid by Obi and sustain his interventions in schools and hospitals as well as attract people in Diaspora and other investors to set up businesses in the state. He used the occasion to x-ray his four-pillar cardinal programme, and drew much applause from the audience as he spoke quite fluently too. For his part, Anyaoku said the occasion was a celebration of success in governance that brought recognisable transformation in all sectors through indisputable prudent and judicious use of public resources. He said it was his conviction of the sincerity of the government in his home state that made him accept to come and chair the occasion.

Okonjo- Iweala said she was proud of the governor and his achievements, and commended his passion to make a difference which she noted made him a model for others. She hinted that the Federal Government is currently trying to adopt Anambra State’s education policy.

She recalled that “unlike other politicians, Governor Obi completed projects initiated by his predecessors, attracted viable foreign direct investments, encouraged and empowered indigenous investors and industrialists to grow and expand,” She noted that for being development-orientated the administration attracted commendation of the World Bank and other donor agencies.

Then came Dangote who said Obi earned the respect and admiration of Nigerians and noted that no other state had saved so much money and made such investments in addition to so much infrastructural development achieved by Governor Obi. He called on all public office holders to emulate Obi’s style. As Obiano takes over from Obi tomorrow, he will have to contend with the challenges of beating the high standard of governance set by Obi, how to court the support and confidence of the restive workers who have been agitating for salary raise and how to handle the pressures and demands for favour and patronage.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Politics

President Jonathan

Justice Kutigi

Centenary National Conference

Sequencing agenda priorities Nathaniel Abara

A

s the National Conference begins this week, NATHANIEL ABARA, in this analysis, reorders the agenda, into political, social, economic and governance to ensure the optimal realisation of set objectives of national rebirth.

The alarm bells are ringing. Unless the National Conference organisers and leadership intervene immediately, we may not after all have a successful conference and a new people’s constitution.

Going by the agenda items being so vigorously canvassed by various groups, there are fears that sectional interests may hijack the conference. Furthermore, an examination of the recommended agenda items in the Report of Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue seems to suggest that invisible hands may be at work to either derail the process or predetermine its outcome.

In this nation building enterprise, social issues and challenges should command the highest priority in the conference deliberations. However, for now political considerations and distractions charge the atmosphere. This means that many delegates, without being fully aware, may be heading to the conference to be engulfed in partisan politics.

To avoid this, we examined the 38 agenda items recommended in the Report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue. Our findings reveal that seven of the first 10 items on the agenda have to do with politics and governance. Only the fifth and last two items deal with the people. Also, 75 per cent of the last 20 items are social issues. In other words, people issues are largely at the bottom of the agenda.

We therefore propose that the organisers and leaders of the conference regroup the recommended 38 agenda items in four thematic areas and phase the proceedings in the following order of priority: (1) Social, (2) Economic, (3) Governance and (4) Political as depicted in Figure 1.

This will enable the conference to start with the much less controversial and the much larger number of social issues which affect the whole 170 million of our people, progress to the economic aspects touching on the 90 million who are economically active, and then on to the more controversial subject matter of governance which engage about three million in the state sector, and finally to the most controversial political issues of particular interest to an estimated two million partisans. This order ensures that, within

the context of the limited time available for the dialogue, the concerns of the larger segments of the society are dealt with first and that the conference atmosphere is not overheated right from the out set.

Accordingly, we propose the allocation of conference resources in order of priority as shown in Table 1 below. For example, of the three months proposed for the conference, we recommend that the conference devotes five weeks to social issues and three to the economic agenda, and one week each to governance and political issues. We also propose that 219 delegates be assigned to social issues, 109 to economy, 82 to governance and 82 to politics. In this way, more time and delegates are deployed to address issues that will benefit the largest number of Nigerians.

What is uppermost here is not in the exact numbers, but the fact that we deploy human resources, time and effort in accordance with the people’s and national priorities. We are also well aware that the various issues in the above priority areas are indeed interwoven. In other words, deliberations on politics, governance and the economy should not be handled as ends or in isolation, but should focus on and serve the interests of the citizens and the nation. That is the talk we should walk.

Once we sort out the people and economic issues well, the governance and politics will more easily fall into place.

Based on the foregoing Figure 1 Phasing of Conference Proceedings

therefore, the 38 recommended agenda items in the Report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue are regrouped and sequenced below to facilitate the dialogue.

In addition, may we suggest a slight change on the confab nomenclature? With a unique event strategically holding at the mark of the centenary of our nation not long after 50 years of independence, at the dawn of the 21st Century and the third Millennium, the dialogue needs to bear a special name -The National Centenary Conference. For this generation and many to come, no other national dialogue will ever be like it.

Proposed Sequencing of Prioritised Conference Agenda A. Phase One - Social (Purpose: A new social order of citizens and civil society empowerment, mobilisation, engagement, participation and transformation) 1. Restoring the National Ethics, Morals and Core Values, S 2. Religion, Secularism and the Secularity of the Nigerian State, S 3. Good Governance; G, S e. Citizenship/indigenes — Settlers dichotomy; S, G f. Justiciability of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy Judicature: G: a. Fundamental human rights; 4. Education: S a. Investment in education; b. Decentralisation and National Education policy; c. Return of Missionary and Private schools to original owners; d. Institutinalising Tsangaya/Almajiri education system CONTINUED ON PAGE31

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 0

e. Nomadic Education.

5. Health: S a. Health Policy b. Investment in Health c. Healthcare Delivery 6. Science, Technology and Development: S, E a. Science and Technology Education; b. Technological Adaptations and the National Economy; c. Research and Development; d. Promotion and Improvement of indigenous Technological innovations; 7. Democratization: S, P a. Deepening democracy; b. De-militarization of national psyche, c. Democratic culture and orientation; d. Mechanisms for a more inclusive participatory democracy. S, G 8. Languages and Language Policy; S 9. Gender issues; S 10. Youth Unemployment and Development issue; S, E 11. Physically Challenged Persons and National Development; S, E 12. Investment in Sports, S 13. National Youth Service Corps (NYSC); S 14. Pension Matters and Rights of Senior Citizens; S 15. Federal Character, S 16. Boundary adjustment; S 17. Population and Credible National Census; S 18. The Environment, S a. Environmental Degradation – flooding, soil erosion, oil spillage and desertification; b. Climate change.

19. Role of Traditional Rulers and Institution in governance at national and local levels; S, G 20. Unsettled issues of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970); S 21. Special status for Lagos; S, E, P 22. Revising Bakassi; S, P B. Phase Two – Economic (Purpose: A new economic order of empowerment of the economically active population for development, transformation, equitable growth and prosperity) 1. Revenue Generation and Mobilization, E 2. Youth Unemployment and Development issue; S, E 3. Physically Challenged Persons and National Development; S, E 4. The Economy: E a. Poverty and wealth creation;

Politics

Sequencing agenda priorities

Bolaji Akinyemi

b. Productivity; c. Diversification of the economy; d. Industries and Industrialisation 5. Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development, E a. Decentralisation of National Agricultural Policy; b. Grazing Reserves and Cattle Routes Demarcation 6. Science, Technology and Development: S, E a. Science and Technology Education; b. Technological Adaptations and the National Economy; c . Research and Development; d. Promotion and Improvement of indigenous Technological innovations; 7. National inland waterways issues; E

8. Land use Act; S, E 9. Oil and other Mineral Resources Management, Exploration and Sharing mechanism; E 10. Special status for Lagos; S, E, P C. Phase Three - Governance (Purpose: A new governance order of equity, transparency, accountability, responsiveness, development and transformation) 1. Good Governance; G, S a. Cost of governance; b. Corruption and National Development; c. Fighting corruption and anti-corruption agencies — ICPC, EFCC; d. Immunity of political office holders; e. Citizenship/indigenes — Settlers dichotomy; S, G f. Justiciability of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy; 2. Forms of Democratic Governance: G a. Presidential system. b. Parliamentary system; c. Choice between Uni-cameral or Bi-cameral legislature; d. Choice between full-time or part-time legislature.

3. Democratization: S, G d. Mechanisms for a more inclusive participatory democracy. S, G 4. Tenure of Public officials: President, Governors, etc, G, P 5. Judicature: G a. Fundamental human rights; b. Impunity of judicial officers; c. Review of judicial institutions;

Table 1 Conference Priorities and Deployment of Resources S/No

Resource Deployment Population (m)

(%)

Agenda Time

Human

(Weeks)

(Delegates)

1

Social

170

100

5

219

2

Economic

90

53

3

109

3

Governance

3

2

1

82

4

Political

2

1

1

82

5

Set Up and Wrap Up

6

Totals

3 13(weeks/ 3 months)

492

d. Sharia and Customary legal system; e. Delays in the administration of justice.

6. Role of Traditional Rulers and Institution in governance at national and local levels; S, G 7. National Security and Security Challenges: G a Security Agencies: Review and re-design of national security apparatus, b Local Policing, c Other security agencies.

8. Defence: G a. Nigeria’s defence policy and posture at home and abroad; b. The Nigerian Armed forces and multilingual challenges; c. Nigeria and International peace-keeping operations.

D. Phase Four - Political (Purpose: A new political order that is representative, developmental, service based and transformational) 1. Democratization: S, P a. Deepening democracy; b. De-militarization of national psyche, c. Democratic culture and orientation; d. Mechanisms for a more inclusive participatory democracy. S, G 2. Political parties, God-fatherism and the challenges of internal Democracy: P 3. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the challenges of conducting free and fair elections. P 4. Political Restructuring of the country: P a. Political Federalism. b. Fiscal Federalism, c. Definition of Federating Units: States or Geo-Political Zones 5. State Creation and Merger of States G, P 6. Tenure of Public officials: President, Governors, etc, G, P 7. Elective Mayorality Administrative/Legislative Structures for FCT, Abuja, P 8. Special status for Lagos; S, E, P 9. Revisiting Bakassi; S, P Please note: agenda items were coded as follows, subject to any changes the conference may wish to make: S – Social; E – Economic; G – Governance and P – Political •Nathaniel Abara is an advisor on public interests and former investment banker; etdcls@gmail.com

Boko Haram attacks, sign of failed governance, says Ardo C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 8

luck of its consequence, and that is it. And besides, we must established precedence, good international precedence. All the nine US Vice Presidents who became presidents by virtue of the death of their Presidents never submitted themselves for re-election and none of them contested more than one term.

But it seems some chieftains of your party are bent on seeing Jonathan recontest?

I didn’t know, because no party official has come out categorically to say that. However people can do their body language. Let us wait until the facts come out; let us wait till the party say Jonathan is going to contest or let us wait until Jonathan declares or INEC says that if Jonathan is nominated it’s going to accept him.

If any of these three happens, then we will know where the country will move and that is when the thing will start not before that. I can assure you that from the very day, Jonathan declares his intention to contest, on that very day more than 100 pressure groups and probable political parties will go to court to challenge the position and they will win by my interpretation.

What is your take on the recent killings by insurgents in Nigeria, particularly in the North-East?

Though I am not a Christian, but the Bible says: ‘’ by their fruits, though shall know them.’’

What is the fruit of the leadership? It’s unfortunate we are saddled with leadership that cannot secured the lives of school children, killing our parents in the farms, destroying villages at will and turning us beggars and refugees in our own country, this is the result of the bad

leadership that we are having. It is all the result of the injustice perpetrated by the political class over the years that resulted into this. So I don’t subscribe to it; it’s the failure of the state and state must have to stand up and each and every one must also join hand in the fight against injustice and terror plaguing our nation.

But there were allegations that the insurgents are being supported and backed by some elites particularly in the North to fight your party PDP and President Jonathan in particular?

How will I ever subscribe to it? It is the government that has the police, SSS, Army, NIA the money as well as the power. The essence of state is to provide security and there is social contract between man and the government in providing security, when government fails all these security agents could not account. The

customs could not account for how weapons are being smuggled into country; immigrations could not account for how aliens are moved in to the country; the NIA could not account how foreign terrorists are supplying weapons and training our people; police could not account for how criminals could go and bomb our churches and mosques and vanished in thin air. So also SSS could not account for how these things are being calibrated under their nose and money is being distributed without them detecting and all of these are agencies of the state! So who has failed? It’s the state that failed; the state is the government and so the government failed. The government has the money, the agencies, and the power to do so but it did not do so and if it puts the blame on somebody, then the government is only politising its failure.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Politics / Stewardship

Senators promote comradeship at budget defence

B

udget defence is one legislative function that the National Assembly members perform with all the seriousness it deserves. They are usually very strict with the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government any time they come to face the standing committees of either of the two chambers of the apex Parliament to carry out the annual ritual of budget defence.

They usually drill the officials to justify whatever proposals they have made in the budget.

First, they always task them to give a vivid explanation on how they implemented the appropriation act of the previous year; after which, they ask the officials of the MDAs to rigorously explain in detail the proposal for the extant fiscal year and provide convincing reasons on why they should be given the money they are asking for.

Sometimes budget defence generates a lot of commotion between the lawmakers and the budget implementing agencies. They were occasions the legislators walked out ministers or heads of agencies for defaulting seriously in the process of budgeting and in the course of budget defence.

But the experience of the new Minister of State for Power, Mr. Mohammed Wakil was significantly different, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to defend the 2014 budget of the Ministry last Tuesday. In fact, it was rather a warm reception for the young Minister, who

T

he continued spate of attacks by the dreaded Boko Haram is one issue which continues to draw a lot of concern about security in the country. More daring was the attack last Thursday by the gunmen who stormed the Fauri area of Bornu State, after crossing a river on the fringes of Maiduguri.

They reportedly opened fire on the Giwa military barracks, sparking a fierce exchange of fire with the soldiers inside, according to several witness accounts. The gunmen tossed explosives into the military compound, but it was not clear if they were able to force their way in. The latest attack allegedly forced the Defence Minister to hold a closed-door meeting with the service chiefs.

The House of Representatives had scored a bull’s eye last Tuesday when it suspended plenary and declared one day of mourning in honour of the 59 students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in Borno State who were gruesomely murdered in their sleep by members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram on February 25, 2014.

The decision to observe the day in remembrance of those innocent children was a well thought out idea. It was indeed a solemn plenary as both lawmakers and members of the audience who watched the proceedings from the gallery were close to tears as Speaker Aminu Tambuwal read his heart rending speech to declare the day closed for prayers and reflection on the state of the nation.

The most touching aspect of the day was when the Speaker applied some literary creativity to buttress the pains and trauma both the dead students and their surviving parents and guardians went through as a result of the massacre. Many people could not hold their tears and at the end of the speech, the lawmakers unanimously resolved that the House should adjourn without comments

From the Chukwu David received torrents of encomia from the members of the Committee.

It was obvious that if not for fear of public opinion, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Philip Aduda and indeed the other members of the Committee would have asked him to ‘take a bow and go’, as the Senate used to do when a former member of the National Assembly appears for screening in Red Chamber the Chamber.

The doctrine of ‘take a bow and go’, is however, not an arbitrary practice in the proceedings of the National Assembly. It is well captured in the rule book of the lawmakers. It is a means of expressing and extending comradeship to the former members of the legislative institution, who have been called or nominated for another level of national service.

Aduda, who was visibly found in a frenzy of delight for the appearance of his former colleague in the House of Representatives, literally expressed absolute confidence in the ability of Wakil to bring dramatic turn around to the power sector. Other members of the Commit-

“We trust you and we know your antecedent. We have confidence in your ability to bring the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to fruition in the power sector’ tee could not do otherwise than to tow the line of their boss, eulogizing the Minister and urging him to do the nation and the Legislature that first groomed him in the art of governance proud by leaving an indelible mark in the power sector.

Senator Aduda called on the Minister to apply his wealth of experience towards revolutionizing the sector, which many people believe has witnessed tremendous progress under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“We trust you and we know your antecedent.

We have confidence in your ability to bring the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to fruition in the power sector. As you know, the power sector is key to everything we are doing including the transformation agenda.

If we get power reforms right, we will get other things right”, the highly excited Aduda enthused.

However, without allowing the spirit of comradeship to override its fundamental function and national interest, the Committee directed the Minister to review the entire 2014 budget estimates of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, to ensure even distribution of rural electrification projects and their quick completion within the budget year so that Nigerians would start reaping the benefits of the laudable initiative.

In response to the courteous and comradeship treatment of both the Senate on the day of his screening for the ministerial appointment, and the Aduda-led Power Committee at the budget defence session, Wakil, who seemed to run short of words to appreciate the lawmakers, confessed that he had never been humbled and honoured like that before.

Wakil, who was the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 also told the Senators that he did not know why President Jonathan decided to humble him with the exalted appointment. He therefore, promised to do all that was within his jurisdiction to ensure that the transformation agenda of the present administration succeeded.

When Reps mourn slain students From the

GreenChamber

with Philip Nyam Feel the unbearable horror of this night, and hear the fading cries of these children as they finally succumb to the murderous onslaught or contributions.

Listen to what the speaker said: “My dear colleagues, please travel with me on an imaginary journey to Federal Government College, Buni Yadi. Picture the scene as the terrorists creep into the hostels and the children begin to wake up one after the other, with their eyes heavy with sleep, each of them convinced that this is some nightmare.”

“Picture the chaos in the rooms and the terror on the faces of the children as they watch the murderers attack the first set of students, the ones nearest to the entrance, and the students begin to realize that what is happening is not a nightmare but a reality far harsher that any nightmare the mind of a child can construct.

“Hear the panic in the voices of the chil-

dren as they begin to scream for help, from God, their parents or security. But no help will come tonight. Feel the unbearable horror of this night, and hear the fading cries of these children as they finally succumb to the murderous onslaught.

“Finally, my dear colleagues imagine that it is your own child in the hostels at Buni Yadi on this hellish night. I can still hear the voice of the father of Aliyu Yola, one of the victims of the school massacre crying, “Aliyu was scared to go back to school after the last holiday. I forced him to resume not knowing he will never come back to me again”.

This scenario has called for sober reflection from every Nigerian. Boko Haram has done everything unimaginable since it declared war on Nigeria and Nigerians. The time has come for all Nigerians to know that the ongoing violence could be visited on any one of us depending on where we find ourselves at a particular point in time. Initially, many believed it was an attempt to annihilate the Christian faithful; churches and Christians were murdered in the most brutal manner. But this has since taken a different dimension. Other places of worship such as mosques have also had their share of these

unprovoked terrorists attacks as Islamic clerics have been killed and renowned Muslim leaders attacked too. Like Tambuwal told his colleagues, if Nigerians do not unite at this time, this war will definitely consume us.

Unfortunately, this country has never been so divided as what we have today. We have been unbelievably divided along ethnic, tribal, religious and political differences. There is so much distrust even within the government circles so much that security agencies and even highly placed defence chiefs are said to be at loggerheads with one another.

But this generation must eschew selfishness and utter wickedness and save this nation from extinction. If our founding fathers were this callous, we could not have been enjoying a Nigeria today- Nigeria that we so desperately want it to disintegrate for selfish reasons. It is unfortunate that some uninformed Nigerians still see the challenge of Boko Haram as a northern problem. This is the most ignorant and uncharitable conclusion. Nigerians of different nationalities are resident in the north east, the hotbed of this crisis and even if it were only northerners that lived in those troubled areas, they are human and we should show concern and sympathy. We must not relent in our prayers, while the government must step up the fight to end this bloodletting bazaar in our land.

The resurgence of kidnapping in the south east and South-South, the killing of farmers and sacking of villages by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue and the reported invasion of the Enugu Government House last week are a bad omen. Government must end this now.

Maritime NIMAREX not helping maritime industry – Stakeholders p.38

Investment & Equities Time to act on equities market p.40-41

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/politics

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

MARCH 16, 2014

ICT World Can phones hurt you? p.41

33

Business AZUBIKE NNADOZIE, ASSISTANT Editor, SUNDAY

azubike.nnadozie@newtelegraphonline.com

ON SUNDAY

Sale of rescued banks to generate N1.7trn gross earnings –AMCON •Injects N736.9bn in three banks •Targets N341bn profits from sale Chijioke Iremeka

A

sset Management Corporation of Nigeria is expecting a total of N1.7 trillion ($10.74bn) from the sale of the three rescued banks by September this year; and having in-

jected N736.9 billion in the banks, the agency is targeting about N341 billion ($2.1bn) profits from the sales.

According to a recent Oxford Business Group report titled: ‘The Report Nigeria 2013’, AMCON injected N318bn ($2.01bn) into Afribank

(Mainstreet), N296.9bn ($1.87bn) into Bank PHB (Keystone) and N121.4bn ($764.82m) into Spring Bank (Enterprise), amounting to N736.9bn ($4.64bn) and as well, expecting a gross sum of N341bn from the sales of the three banks.

New Telegraph on Sunday in-

vestigation reveals that the agency, which expects a gross sum of N341bn ($2.15bn) from the sale of the three banks, had in October 2013 sought buyers for Enterprise, and expected the sale to be concluded by September 2014. This was despite the return to profitability they achieved in the

first quarter of 2012 after rebranding.

“In unaudited results released in the second quarter of 2013, Mainstreet posted post-tax profits of N18bn ($113.4m) in 2012, while Enterprise and Keystone reported N7bn ($44.1 m) and N5bn ($31.5m), respectively. This was a stark turnaround from the three banks’ combined loss of N21.82bn ($137.47m) in 2011,” the report stated.

AMCON’s Managing Director; Mustafa Chike-Obi, reportedly said AMCON would sell its stake in the three bridge banks, starting with the smallest, adding that the key criteria are the best price and the preservation of employment in the lenders.

To prevent the loss of jobs in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Inside

Aminu

L-R: Principal, Ikolaba High School Senior 2, Ibadan, Salami Akinwale; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni; Principal, Ikolaba High School Senior 1, Ibadan, Mrs. Omobola Adetoro; and Zonal Head, South-West, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Mathew Onifade, at a financial literacy program organised by the bank for the school... in Ibadan, Oyo State.

‘Blame finance ministry for fuel scarcity’ pg 37

NUPENG demands passage of PIB Azubike Nnadozie

T

he National Assembly has been called upon to ensure the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, as it will ensure transparency and accountability and boost investors’ confidence.

Making the call in a statement signed by its President, Igwe Achese, the National Union of Petroleum and

Natural Gas Workers, frowned on the current massive importation of petroleum products, which a few Nigerians are benefiting from at the expense of the nation.

According to Achese, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke should concentrate more on how the PIB can be passed so that the oil and gas market will be opened up to enable investors to

come and establish more refineries and those already given licences to come on stream.

It said the union takes serious exception to the comments made by the minister that the nation’s refineries must be privatised and described them as uncalled for, unnecessary and a mere diversion to the failure of the ministry to address the perennial problem of scarcity of petroleum

products currently being experienced in the country.

The statement said that refineries must be rehabilitated to work optimally which will account for at least 70 per cent of domestic production, instead of selling the nation’s strategic assets.

“NUPENG adds that it will resist any attempt by the Federal GovernCONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Idoko

Why govt should encourage electronic billboard advertising

pg 35

34

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Business / News Azubike Nnadozie

R

ice dealers in the country have expressed satisfaction with the National Assembly for intervening in the lingering rice duty crisis, stating that the development is bound to augur well for the nation’s quest towards self-sufficiency in food.

Gathering under the aegis of Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, they said the recent meeting with the house committee on the current duty of $190 per metric ton of imported rice, with the hope to review it downwards would definitely boost the sector.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mr. Tunji Owoeye,

Operators laud NASS intervention in rice crisis the association’s president maintained that any downward review of import duty on rice would facilitate both the Backward Integration Policy as well as the agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government and National Assembly. The association therefore pledged to key in on the government’s efforts towards ensuring food sufficiency, eliminating smuggling of the products as well as creating adequate value chain

for economic revitalisation.

RiMIDAN opined that the government heeding to the association call would be in the interest of the nation’s seaports as well as check the influx of smuggled rice into the country.

“RMIDAN is thanking the House for wading into the lingering rice problems by inviting us for a presentation.

“This is a highly welcome development though long overdue

as the country has lost revenue of whooping of three million tonnes to Benin Republic which is smuggled into Nigeria,” he said.

Recently, the Federal Government gave approval for the implementation of the $190 duty per metric tonnes of rice, following a series of appeals by the dealers that the policy was driving most of their members out of business.

Over 20 vessels of legally imported rice were stuck on the high seas

due to the high tariff.

RiMIDAN has been collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the rice sector operates within a conducive business environment for the good of all.

Early last year, government imposed a new tariff on imported rice ostensibly to cut down on imports, estimated to be N1 billion a day, encourage local production of the commodity and offer incentives for investors in the sector.

However, the measure became counter-productive as the government lost over N300bn revenue due to high incidence of smuggling of the commodity into the country through borders with neighbouring countries.

NUPENG demands passage of PIB C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

L-R: President, Ogun State Council of Chambers of Commerce, Prince Bayo Ikujejo; President of Ekiti Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Kola Akosile and President of Odu’accima, Iyalode Alaba Lawson during a media briefing by Odu’accima on its proposed workshop on ‘Alternative Sources of Energy’ held in Lagos

GTBank promo promises UBA GMD counsels parents gifts for undergraduates G

F

oremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc has announced the start of its 2014 annual GTCrea8 Promo campaign for Nigerian undergraduates, an initiative aimed at rewarding the bank’s customers studying in tertiary institutions across the nation.

While explaining the details of the campaign, the bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje, told journalists that the nine-month initiative provides a unique avenue for the bank to stay in touch and reward its GTCRea8 customers, who have a unique role to play in the continent’s future development.

According to Agbaje, the initiative involves awareness storms in all major tertiary institutions in Nigeria to promote values such as professionalism, Integrity and the benefits of hard work. Alongside these events are monthly raffle draws during which account holders will win various prizes that include phones, ipods, laptops, galaxy tabs, LED Televisions and mini fridges.

One undergraduate will emerge

the winner of the campaign grand prize: a mini cooper convertible car during the December 2014 final raffle draw.

This is the second edition of the initiative which the bank introduced last year as part of a social awareness and marketing programme aimed at promoting the adoption of the right values and getting feedback regarding their needs as customers.

Miss Elisha-Wigwe Shallom, a medical student at the University of Lagos won the 2013 campaign grand prize.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc has always positioned itself as a youthful brand and been at the forefront of youth related activities. The bank introduced the GTCrea8 account to address the unique financial needs of today’s undergraduate.

Any Nigerian undergraduate can be a winner in the Bank’s annual GTCrea8 promo. All they need do is open a GTBank GTCrea8 account and maintain an average account balance of N5, 000.00 for six consecutive months or perform a minimum of five

roup Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza, has called on parents to ensure that their children become financially smart at an early age, adding that “Financially smart kids will become financially smart and wealthier adults.”

The UBA boss gave the advice while teaching students of Crowther Memorial College, Lokoja, Kogi State, financial literacy skills on Thursday.

He took the students through the basics of savings, budgeting, pensions, insurance and investments.

“When we were growing up, no one taught us about money. We were taught biology, physics, chemistry, economics, but nothing about money. Yet we all grow up realising money is something we have to deal with every day. That is why the Banker’s Committee, with the Central Bank of Nigeria, decided to embark on this initiative,” Oduoza said.

He explained that UBA decided to take the event to Lokoja because it realises that such education should not be restricted to students in the big cities only.

He advised the students to take an interest in knowing about money

as it will make them better adults in future.

Also speaking on the occasion, Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, commended Oduoza for taking time off his busy schedule to personally come to teach the students financial literacy skills. He commended UBA, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Bankers’ Committee for taking on the initiative of introducing students to financial concepts.

“There is no doubt that this initiative will create a generation of adults who will have a better understanding of money, how to make money and most importantly, how to manage it,” the governor said.

He explained that he personally attended the training because of the priority his government places on education, adding, “As a government, we have three priorities; education, education, and education.” He also commended UBA for selecting Lokoja, ‘Nigeria’s historic capital’, to host the event.

Wada disclosed that UBA’s contribution to education development in the state has been significant and in the state to contribute to the economic development of the state.

ment to go back on agreement signed with the unions on January 7, 2014 in Abuja that the nation’s refineries will not be privatised. In a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached at that meeting, the two trade unions in the oil and gas sector, NUPENG and PENGASSAN agreed with the Federal Government to engage in social dialogue to develop viable and workable business models for the nation’s refineries.

“The union makes bold to say that billions of naira had been budgeted and purportedly spent on the Turn-Around-Maintenance (TAM) of the refineries with nothing to show for it.

“The union believes that the transparency agenda of Mr. President on job creation should be enhanced by allowing interested investors set up private refineries, like the Alhaji Aliko Dangote example in free trade zone in Ondo/Ogun states, which will generate about 85,000 jobs.

“We warn that the union will not guarantee industrial peace and harmony if the threat by the minister to privatise the refineries is carried out by the government, when it should spear head the establishment of mini and mega refineries to complement what we already have and make sure the old ones are rehabilitated,” it stated.

The union however urged the National Assembly to quickly pass the PIB and call the bluff of the multinationals “who are trying to stall its passage for their selfish ends, so that the industry can be sanitised.”

35

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Business / Media

Why govt should encourage electronic billboard advertising Idoko Kingsley is the Managing Director of Lona Global Resources, pioneers of Liquid Electronic Display billboards in Nigeria. In this interview with ANULE EMMANUEL, he speaks on the impact of the new system on the nation’s tourism sector and the future of the business.

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hat actually propelled you into this business?

I read Geology and Mining at the University of Jos. I am someone who likes being practical and active.

I love challenges and in the course of my university days when we used to go for field trips and industrial trainings with companies and during one of the IT outings with one of the oil companies in Port Harcourt, I realised that it was not as challenging as I thought it would be. So, I started having a change of mind about a static job. A situation where I am locked up in a particular office, you just come in, in the morning, sit down, when it is evening, you go back home. That was when I actually started thinking of doing something else.

So, what did you do?

What I actually wanted to do was to become a newspaper publisher or a television proprietor. I love the media a lot and had serious interest in the business apart from the fact that I love travelling. During one of my travels abroad, I came to the realisation that we were so backward in the area of outdoor advertising. I saw a lot of billboards, Liquid Electronic Display billboards. To my surprise, after making enquiries, I realised that these outdoor electronic billboards had been in existence elsewhere since 1992 but were nowhere in Nigeria. When I also got the cost of starting a television and radio station, it was quite high. Imagine someone that was just coming out of school with little or no money, so that appeared a no-go area for me. I decided that if I cannot do television now, let me do the outdoor electronic billboards, the big television screen on the street where people can read screened visuals. When I was finally convinced that it was something worth doing was when I travelled to South Africa and saw the LED bill boards which were far above what we had then in Nigeria. In Zimbabwe, I was also taken aback, because in the news, one could hear that the Zimbabweans were suffering. Is this the Zimbabwe that the world is trying to let us know that her people are suf-

fering? I was so impressed and that was the point I really decided that I should come in. I was so lucky that as I was trying to make up my mind for the business, the former minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai came in with a lot of reforms in the outdoor advertising sector in Abuja.

What specifically did el-Rufai do?

He sanitised the entire outdoor advertising system. Before then, at every junction, you were supposed to have one billboard opposite the other. But then, you would see clusters of such. The entire system in Abuja was a mess, so when el-Rufai came, the first thing he did was to revoke all outdoor licences. He removed all billboards on the streets of Abuja and the city became really beautiful. I said to myself that this was the best time to come. So, it is just like you plan and your preparation just meets your target. It was destined that our business should begin then. Just as I was beginning to bring up strategies to launch the business was when the minister came in with his reforms for the industry.

Were there such LED billboards in other cities of the country when you started?

When we started, there was virtually no such system of advertising in the country. I think one time when the chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga, lost one of his family members, they brought in the big screen for the burial and after that it was placed for some months. We are the first company, Lona Global Resources, to introduce outdoor LED advertising in Nigeria, particularly on a commercial basis.

But how will you describe this system of advertising?

It has a lot of advantages but because of

the ‘Nigerian factor’, there are some disadvantages as well. Now, if you have a television, you know what the electricity problem in the country has been like before the efforts of the current administration to improve the situation. How many people have the power to listen to news, for instance? How many have the money to buy generator and even fuel them? Think about even the newspapers, how many people have time and money to read newspapers?

So, if you have the television and there is no power, you can’t watch it. But this system is strategically located and is free to air. For the outdoor television, ones you are on the streets, you can see where they are strategically located in Abuja. At every junction, you have the street lights and the traffic lights. So for the one, two, three minutes that you stop for the traffic, you have a glance because it’s free to air.

for just one hour or less completely on diesel.

We have a 50KVA generator that powers the boards.

You spoke of the advantages, what are the disadvantages?

The cost varies. These boards are not off the shelf items which you can just go and buy.

You have to place an order and it takes about one to three months, depending on the country and the product you are buying. If you are buying from Europe, which is the best in the market, you are looking at three months to produce. But if you are buying from Asia, it is usually one month. It all depends on the size and it comes in different sizes. For us at Lona Global, we do not just buy any size and install. When we have a location where we want to put an LED, we do the site analysis, we look at the available space we have and the traffic. That now determines the size that we should put at every location because for us, billboards should complement the beauty of the environment. You cannot just put a big size in a small space or a small one in a large space where the impact will not be felt. So, the prize generally varies. When we started, we were using four metres by seven metres but we are presently trying to upgrade all our electronic billboards. We are taking out the ones we installed and replacing them with

The disadvantage of course is the running cost. Even if you have one advert on the board and you have a contract to show it for one month or six months from the operating time which is 7:30am to 10:30pm, you must put up the board. You know the cost of running diesel generators is very high. I will give an example of the site we have opposite the Transcorp Hotel in Maitama, Abuja. That location has a lot of banks, that’s the beginning of Gana Street, off Shehu Shagari Way. You realise that between 7:30pm and 8am when we start, electricity is already off and you will not see the light until 8pm. We close at 10:30pm. So, You can imagine running those boards for about 14 hours within which you have light

It has a lot of advantages but because of the ‘Nigerian factor’, there are some disadvantages as well. Now, if you have a television, you know what the electricity problem in the country has been like before the efforts of the current administration to improve the situation.

Now, does this affect your profit margin?

Not really. The bottom line is that apart from being a business, these are sacrifices we need to make and don’t forget that LED billboards are a new innovation. They are also quite new to Nigeria. Ever since we brought them in, people are beginning to embrace the system and more people are also coming into the business. In the past, all these bigger media agencies didn’t even have space or provision for outdoor LED advertisements.

So, we have to struggle to make people accept it. I’m sure most people are also beginning to understand the benefit of electronic advertising in Nigeria. Generally also, I can say, it’s a very good business.

How much does it cost to mount one unit of the LED board?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Business / News

Sale of rescued banks to generate N1.7trn gross earnings –AMCON C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

process that characterised the consolidation era, he said the agency is willing to accept a lower bid to meet the goal. “This may rule out acquisitions by existing banks, given the likely rationalisation between two merged banks. AMCON is eager to encourage competitive bidding to ensure the best possible price.

Acquiring one of the banks may be an appealing option for some local players.”

However, “pressures on Nigeria’s mid-sized banks as they seek to achieve scale to compete against the largest-tier banks in the market

may prompt them to seek inorganic source of growth. With interest on the part of both foreign investors and mid-tier domestic banks in the three sanitised banks held by AMCON, the first and smallest bank, Enterprise Bank, was put up for sale in June 2013,” said the report.

New Telegraph on Sunday gathered that AMCON had contracted Citibank and Renaissance Capital to evaluate the three banks.

AMCON retained Citibank and local investment bank Vetiva Capital as the financial and legal advisers on Enterprise’s sale in July 2013.

According to the report, with 220 branches, Mainstreet is expected to

fetch the highest price of the three banks, though Keystone’s approximately 200 branches also make it a potentially appealing target. While South Africa’s FirstRand Bank has publicly shown interest in the two larger banks, it ruled out acquiring Enterprise Bank in the second quarter of 2013.

AMCON is said to have received 20 expressions of interest in the smallest of the three banks, with Fidelity having shown interest in Mainstreet when it was still Afribank in 2011 and Pakistan’s Habib Bank close to a deal for Keystone when it was still Bank PHB. Analysts expect significant interest from both

local and foreign investors.

“Combined with the Tier-2 capital injections into eight banks, AMCON had built up a net exposure ofN3.6trn ($22.68bn) in three-year bonds held by the CBN and N1.7trn ($10.71bn) in bonds held by banks - three-year bonds guaranteed by the Federal Government with no coupon, yielding 11.8 percent,” stated the report.

The banking industry’s aggregate none performing loan (NPL) ratio declined from 34.4 percent in November 2010, to 4.95 percent at the end of 2011. Having brought the net asset value of all banks back to positive territory and setting a September 2011 deadline for recapitali-

L-R: Chairman, Vetiva Fund Managers Limited, Mr. Chuka Eseka; Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Oscar Onyema; Managing Director, Vetiva Fund Managers Limited, Mr. Damilola Ajayi and Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri at the Facts Behind the Listing of Vetiva Griffin 30 ETF on Friday in Lagos.

sation, AMCON supported private investors’ recapitalisation of intervened banks, including the acquisition of five lenders by existing Nigerian banks and the injection of new shareholder funds in two others.

This raft of acquisitions brought the number of licensed banks down from 24 prior to the crisis to 20 afterwards. First City Monument Bank acquired FinBank in July 2011, driving 56% growth in its assets to N881bn ($5.55bn) by the first quarter of 2012; Sterling Bank acquired Equatorial Trust Bank in August 2011, yielding combined assets of N504.05bn ($3.18bn) by the end of 2011; Ecobank bought Oceanic Bank in October 2011, creating the sixthlargest lender with assets of N1.3 2trn ($8.32bn); while Access Bank bought Intercontinental in January 2012, creating Nigeria’s fourth-largest bank with N 1.64trn ($10.33bn) in assets.

Union Bank was recapitalised by a consortium of new investors led by private equity firm African Capital Alliance, which invested $750m in the bank for a 65% stake in March 2011. Existing shareholders in Wema and Unity Banks were allowed to recapitalise their institutions on a standalone basis.

In early 2013, AMCON still held stakes of four percent each in Access Bank and FCMB 13 percent in Sterling Bank, 17 per cent in Ecobank and 25% in Union Bank.

Three failed banks - AfriBank, Spring Bank and Bank PHB – were taken over by the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation in 2011, restructured as temporarily publicly held banks - Mainstreet, Enterprise and Keystone Banks, respectively and transferred to AMCON.

Why govt should encourage electronic billboard advertising C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 5

modern and bigger ones.

So, apart from Abuja, where do you have such billboards?

We are also in Lagos by Murtala Muhammed International Airport and some other states of the federation.

What is the future of this kind of advertising in Nigeria?

There is really a bright future for this system of advertising in the country. We had the challenges because being the pioneer; nobody was actually doing it before we came in. There was the challenge to convince clients but as at 2005/2006 when we started, we had only three LED boards in Abuja. After a year or two, one other company came and installed one or two LED billboards. As at 2014, we have over 10 LED boards in Abuja alone. In fact, when we started, there was only

one electronic billboard in Lagos; that is the one from us. Now, you have over 30 LED boards there. The advantages of electronic billboards from the static billboards are that with the static billboards, you will need to print the flecks, design art works and install. But for the LED, just do the design, animation and you are set to go. So this actually has a bright future.

What impact has LED advertising had on the nation’s tourism sector?

When people are not aware of your product, it becomes a difficult thing to sell. If you are in Abuja, for instance, you want to know the best restaurant, hotel and television station to use. Once LED board s are strategically located, they enhance tourism because for foreigners, they even easily see the various cultures of Nigeria at display. There was a time we were doing something for

the Calabar carnival; we were running the adverts on the boards here in Abuja. You could see the features of the carnival easily, same with the Abuja carnival.

Has the new FCT Administration’s Policy on Outdoor Advertisement in any way affected your operations?

What the FCT administration did which is commendable was to create a separate department of signage and outdoor advertisement.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, approved the creation of this department. This previously was a unit under the Department of Development Control. If you look at outdoor advertising properly, it is something that government can actually make revenue from. This comprises signages in shopping malls, hotels. If you don’t have a strong regulation, we cannot see the best of the industry. It’s a wel-

come development but because the department is quite new, we expect some positive improvements. At present, if you drive round Abuja, you see that illegal billboards are springing up again. I think this will be addressed by the new department.

Now that you are not alone in the business how are you coping in terms of competition for clients?

Abuja and Lagos as well as the other cities are quite big. If you go to Enugu state, there are about two LED boards. For us, it’s not about competition, the more people come into the business, the industry expands are awareness as well with things getting better. In fact, one of our business goals is remaining at the top. We brought in LED, other companies are coming in, and that will spur us not to go to bed.

That is we are replacing our

LEDs with innovative ones. The strategy is to upgrade what you have to make it better. Competition is good and you know that it is only in competition that you can bring out the best. Being the first to start it, does not mean, you must be the best. You have to maintain the pace and be at your best.

How would you rate the level of gains that the company has made since you started?

To be very sincere, we have not really made profit since we started.

You know, we started with about 4 LEDs that is how we have continued to expand with funds realised from the business. After that we had to diversify into the static billboards as well. I’m sure if you go round the whole country, Lona billboards remain the best. So, this thing involves a lot of capital, running cost ranging from payment of salaries.

37

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Road.Rail.Air

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNRDAY

16 MARCH 2014

Blame finance ministry for fuel scarcity –IPMAN president SULEIMAN BISALLA and JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM speak with the President of Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria, IPMAN, Alhaji Abdulkadir Aminu, on the reasons behind the lingering fuel scarcity

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as your recent meeting part of the efforts to ensure that the fuel scarcity ends soon?

Yes, our meeting was a further intervention to ensure that we reduce the scarcity to the barest minimum. However, we have discovered some new challenges, which are militating against the adequate supply of the product in the country vis-a vis distribution.

These challenges are not far from finance.

Actually, we have been a little bit economical with the truth on the financial status because we thought the Ministry of Finance would intervene. We expected intervention in terms of payment since last year - in quarter three, they paid only 65 per cent; quarter four and quarter one this year nothing has been paid. So we are exhausted. The way it works is that NNPC is supplying about 50 per cent of the consumption and we on the other side are supplying the remaining 50 per cent. Now, over a period of time systematically because of our solvency, we were unable to meet up our own requirement to the nation because payment has not been made to us.

So it is only NNPC that is battling with that.

As a result of that, NNPC is now also faced with serious challenges. Now, what are the challenges of NNPC? This is an organisation that is supposed to supply 50 per cent and it is battling to supply 80-90 per cent. You can see that there is a big gap there. NNPC as a national oil company is making frantic efforts in a little way within the crude that is being given to her which is 450,000 barrels per day and that is about 50 percent of national consumption and there is little or nothing they can do after that. Now the other source NNPC can rely on is internal refineries. Even with that, we have serious challenges. The vandals are there, pipelines are not working and again we that are importers have our impediments because there is no payment.

Do we take it that marketers have withdrawn their supply?

In a nutshell, you can easily say that the Ministry of Finance has refused to pay marketers their money and as a result of that the presence of marketers in the supply of fuel can no longer be felt.

With your explanation so far, does it mean that NNPC was being economical with the truth when it said that there was enough fuel?

Yes, as a national oil company, of course l expected them to say that. Let me just say clearly here that as far as l am concerned, we always give succour to people. We do not make

and they listen to you. They only deal with your file and that that is so and so company has supplied so and so. It will be verified by the DMO and it will be confirmed for payment and now it is waiting for the final approval of the minister; and that is how it goes.

What is the Ministry of Petroleum Resources doing about these problems between marketers and the Ministry of Finance?

The Ministry of Petroleum is doing exactly what is supposed to be done by making sure they provide the required products at their disposal. The Ministry of Petroleum is also a beneficiary in the subsidy claim. The only difference here between the Ministry of Petroleum and the marketers is that the Ministry of Petroleum is government and it can continue to collect crude from the government free of charge and they are doing that and they have what they call joint venture. They keep on refining and they keep on bringing into the country and so on and so forth. So, this can keep them alive but we marketers are pushing our entire money for the products. It is not the same scenario with NNPC. Has there been any communication from the Ministry of Finance why the subsidy money has not been paid?

No. But normally the communication between us is payment done or not done and we understand exactly what they mean. If they have the funds, they pay; and if they don’t have the fund or budgetary provision or something like that but also, these are economic issues l don’t want to delve into.

Are you saying marketers have not been paid because there is no fund?

Aminu

people panic; that is number one.

Number two, NNPC is a national oil company and it is saddled with the responsibility of supplying this country with products. Whether we do it or not, it behoves on them to provide this product to Nigerians.

Therefore, NNPC must be on top of the situation as a national oil company. If you go to other countries like India, their oil company is there and we have a lot of marketers there. If you go to Brazil, they have a lot of oil marketers there and so on and so forth. So the national oil company’s primary responsibility is to ensure that they augment the shortfall of other marketers who are not national oil companies.

So, Nigeria cannot be an exemption. So NNPC is only trying to play the role of a national oil company today. But as far as their own requirement is concerned, they have been meeting that and now they are trying to meet up our own requirements, which we cannot handle because of lack of payment from the government. If government pays us today, definitely the product situation will change drastically.

How much is government owing the marketers?

That is the question many have been asking. My take is that if you are dealing with naira and kobo or dollars, you have to be very, very accurate to the last kobo. So if l say x billion and thereafter we discover that we have short changed our marketers, government will say, ‘Yes, the national president of IPMAN said at so, so time this was the amount.” Now, l cannot give the specific amount but I know that government is owing NIPCO N20 billion.

No, no l am not competent to comment on that particular question because l am not the President of Nigeria neither am l the Minister of Finance nor Minister of Petroleum. I am the president of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, who uses his funds to import and who expects to be paid.

As soon as l’m paid, l will continue moving the products.

Among all the stakeholders - NNPC, PPPRA, DPR, IPMAN and Ministry of Finance - in this crisis, which of them is responsible for the scarcity?

Actually, my candid opinion to Nigerians and stakeholders is that we should try to manage the little product that we have and to ensure that all hands must be on deck with the little quantity in circulation so that we can have the highest level of prudence in distributing this product to Nigeria. This is because the situation we are in today has to be handled with caution because you are dealing with a product that has a lot of implications on the economic activities of any nation. So, if not properly handled it will go out of control and it is not good for us and this our country, we have to protect it and that is why we are all sacrificing to ensure that we do the right thing.

Ministry of Finance. We have done our bit, they have not done their bit.

Now, are you interfacing with the Ministry of Finance to have this resolved?

I’m sure documentation has finished for quarter three and quarter four and we are now about rounding up documentation on quarter one this year. So we speak through documents with the ministry. We don’t speak as l’m speaking to you here.

Movement of files speaks volume. You don’t go to the Ministry of Finance and say anything

What is your last word on this problem?

Maritime NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNRDAY

22 MARCH 2014

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PAUL OGBUOKIRI,

paul_ogbuokiri@newtelegraphonline.com 0802-779-0557

NIMAREX not helping Nigeria’s maritime industry –Stakeholders Paul Ogbuokiri

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takeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry have said that the annual Nigerian Maritime Expo in the last four years has ended up promoting foreign domination of the Nigerian maritime industry, saying it is a jamboree The chairman of NIMAREX 2010 Planning Committee, Greg Ogbuifun, during a paper presentation on the second day of the event on Tuesday expressed frustration over foreign domination of the expo.

“As I was going through the exhibition stands, I saw that only three companies at the exhibition stand are truly Nigerian companies.

“We are looking forward to a time 70 to 80 percent of the companies exhibiting at the expo are Nigerian companies.

President of NAGAFF, Chief Eugene Nweke, described the event as a jamboree,.

“Change in terms of attracting foreign investment, change in terms of causing the government to put polices in place that will develop- the industry. That is what such expos bring to the industry in other places where it is done,” he said.

According to him, the maritime expo should cause series of changes in the industry that would enhance the country’s local content programme and the Cabotage Act. “NIMAREX is not yet a voice in the industry,” he stressed.

He said the maritime expo should be truly a private sector business not what the present situation is where the Federal Ministry of Transport and its agencies drive NIMAREX in terms of funding.

L-R: Nigeria’s former Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO, Capt. Olu Akinsoji; Managing Director, Starz Investment Limited, Engr. Greg Ogbuifun; and Rector MAN Oron, Mr. Joshua Okpo, at the just concluded Nigerian Maritime Expo... Wednesday

NAGAFF boss laments delay in container booking

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elays in clearing goods at the APM Terminal Apapa Limited are yet to ease as it takes the company seven day to book a container for examination.

President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Chief Eugene Nweke said this on Tuesday in Lagos.

He told New Telegraph on Sunday that freight forwarders still pass through undue hardship at the APMT Terminals in the course of having their goods examined by

the government agencies.

“The temporary place provided by the company is rough and is not conducive for humans to do business,” he said.

He condemned the operational practice of the company which requires the Freight Forwarder to wake up at 3.30 am to go to APMT office in Apapa to book his container for examination.

“If they are efficient, why is it that I cannot stay in my office, and use my i-pad to book for the examina-

tion of my consignment. Why is it that taking them seven days to book a container for examination. Their mobile scanner is not working, even the fixed scanners are not efficient,” he stressed.

According to him, as Tuesday, over 1700 containers were waiting to be at the APM Terminal to be examined.

Nweke further said that the claim of the company that it has invested heavily in port infrastructure and equipment cannot be trusted as

the claim have not been subjected to re-evaluation by the Nigerian Ports Authority “What they are investing is not commensurate to the huge profit they are repatriating to their country.

Something should be done about when one goes out and bring in refurbished equipment which breaks down after two weeks, and they say that what caused the breakdown is workload, didn’t they know what the work load is like when they brought in the equipment,”said.

NPA MD canvasses stronger Nigeria, Belgium ties

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he Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has called on Belgium to explore more areas of cooperation with Nigeria, especially in the shipping sector.

He made the call in Lagos while receiving the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr.DiruVerheyen who paid him a courtesy visit in his of-

fice.

Abdullahi said the port reforms programme embarked upon by the Federal Government in 2006 had opened many investment opportunities for investors and urged the Belgian government to explore areas in the maritime industry that the country can invest in.

He informed the ambassador

that deep sea ports are being developed in Lekki and Badagry (both in Lagos State), Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State and Olokola along Ogun/ Ondo states maritime boundary.

According to him, all the ports in Nigeria are under the control of NPA. He told the ambassador that NPA would continue to seek the

support of the Port of Antwerp in the area of capacity building and manpower development.

While appreciating the existing mutual relations between NPA and Port of Antwerp the Mallam Abdullahi said he was very happy that the Belgium Commercial Mission will soon visit Nigeria, saying that their coming will further boost

the economic relations between Nigeria and Belgium.

Earlier, the ambassador had told the NPA boss that the Belgium Commercial Mission last came to Nigeria in 2002 and that their coming again after over 10 years will open a new chapter in the training and investment needs of both countries.

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Maritime / Business

Enabling law threatens shippers’ council’s new role Paul Ogbuokiri

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unctioning of Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the economic regulator of Nigerian ports may be hampered by lack of an enabling law, analysts have said.

Maritime lawyer, Mr. Nwaje

Obilor, told New Telegraph on Sunday that NSC will find itself in the situation the NPA is as the technical regulator of the port with an enabling law.

The port was concessioned with an enabling law.

According to Obilor, without the National Assembly passing the Na-

Corruption: Customs chief orders intelligence officers out of ports

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omptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, has said that henceforth, Customs Intelligence officers will operate outside the terminals in the ports.

This is contained in a circular released by the agency after the CGC’s unscheduled visit to the Tincan Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service two weeks ago.

The circular 05/2014, a copy of which was on Friday made available to New Telegraph on Sunday, reads in part:“Henceforth, all CIU operatives are to operate from outside the terminals. They are however allowed to witness examinations and participate in examination, after which they withdraw to their offices outside the port.

“CIU operatives must not issue clearance to any importer under any guise,” the agency stressed in the circular, dated March 10, 2014.

The circular further explained that, “after physical examination of cargo, no officer under any guise is allowed to have contact with either an importer or his

agent,” saying any such contact will be viewed by the management of Nigeria Customs Service as compromise of maximum revenue collection which will be punishable under the appropriate public service regulations.

The circular also emphasised that on no account should an importer or his agent seek any form of clearance from any enforcement officer at the terminal or examination bay.

According to the Customs Area Controller in-charge of CIU, Mr. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, the CIU role would be to gather intelligence on officers, their work environment, etc and make such reports available to the CAC and not interfere with the day to day clearance of cargo in the terminals.

He said that CIU is not supposed to take part in the cargo clearance process.

Recently, Dikko paid an unscheduled visit to the Tincan Island Port two weeks ago and allegedly intercepted a personal assistant to a female officer with bribe money.

Sifax boss wins award

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he Vice Chairman of Sifax Group, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, has won the Evergreen Merit Awards Maritime Man of the Year for 2013, organisers of the event have announced.

A statement signed by award planning committee chairman, Mr. Collins Abba, stated that Afolabi emerged the winner after an extensive survey and painstaking selection process among 12 shortlisted prominent stakeholders.

The statement further said that a field research gave the

award to the Sifax Group boss.

Also, the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi won the maritime industry CEO of the year through the same process.

Akpobolokemi emerged the winner among five shortlisted CEO’s in the industry, Abba said in the statement, adding that the presentation of the awards will hold on March 27 at Etal Hotels and Hall, Apapa, Lagos.

tional Transport Commission Bill, the NSC will have to carry out its function with an Act of the Parliament backing it up.

The National Transport Commission Bill had been with the National Assembly for over five years.

Obilor said that there is no hope that the law will be passed soonest, saying the new role of NSC is volatile and could attract litigation from the shipping companies and the terminal operators who might want to test the legality of the Shippers Council.

Minister of Transport, Sen Idris Umar, said during his opening remark at the just concluded NIMAREX that the Federal Government had approved NSC to act as

the economic regulator of the ports.

He said the agency would be doing that with administrative back-up of the Ministry of Transport, pending the passage of the national transport commission bill But the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said the agency has legal backing to operate as the economic regulator of the port.

“If you look at the law setting up the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, you will see that it has a lot of powers to regulate commercial shipping.

“What could even be more legal than the pronouncement of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stressed.

President of NAGAFF, Chief Eu-

gene Nweke, said the President of Nigeria has the powers to appoint the NSC as the economic regulator of the port. “ It is the enemies of Nigeria , those who want arbitrary charges to continue in our ports that are raising issues over the legality of the appointment NSC to perform one its statutory function which it had not been carrying out,” her said.

He said that the benefit of the appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan is that the agency can now do a market analysis and costing before approving charges for the shipping companies and the terminal operators.

“The time of arbitrariness is now a thing of the past,” he stressed.

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Habib Abdullahi, presenting a plaque to Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Diru Verheyen, during a courtesy visit of the ambassador to NPA

Ship glut burdens LNG tanker market

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eliveries of new gas tankers have created a glut that is threatening to tip some operators into losses, just as other shipping markets emerge from their worst downturn in decades.

The liquefied natural gas tanker market was until recently the only bright spot in an otherwise depressed freight industry. A global surge in the demand for gas, led by Japan in 2011, boosted trade, tied vessels to longer routes and drove rental rates to record highs.

But the 119 new carriers ordered from 2011 will have expanded the fleet by over 30 percent by end-2017. As tankers leave the shipyards, delays in construction of new LNG export

plants and erratic global gas output have curtailed demand for them.

Earnings have halved to around $70,000 per day over the past year, leaving only a thin profit margin.

Owners that relied on financing to buy new vessels may be barely covering their debt payments.

“Some of the highly leveraged owners dependent on spot or shortterm business will be close to their breakeven costs at current rates,” Erik Stavseth of Arctic Securities said.

Industry analysts warn of a still deeper slump ahead as attempts by owners to delay deliveries of new vessels could result in a surge of additional capacity by year-end.

Thirty-two vessels were delivered to the global fleet this year, and another 63 are expected over the next two years.

“It is generally accepted that dayrates are not going back to 2011-2012 levels this year as there are just too many vessels available in the market,” said Jon Skule Storheill, chief executive of Norwegian ship owner Awilco LNG. “We need to see more LNG volumes on the water as well as some older vessels disappear first,” he added.

Golar LNG described the market as very challenging in February due to growing supply and lackluster LNG output.

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quities market’s performance so far in the year has been shaped by different factors ranging from global and local events. Further tapering by the US FED, increased tightening by the local monetary authority as well as waning Investor sentiments are some of the reasons for the current bearish state of the market.

Given the recent market mood, investors need clear guidance and direction on the way to go more so that equities have shed >7% YtD. We analyze in this report recent market trends, current market valuation, near term factors for a market rebound and clear guidance on opportunistic investment for the last few days of the quarter.

Market Mood Depressed by Global and Domestic Uncertainties The market resumed the year on a calm note, advancing 0.07%, 0.73% and 0.40% respectively in the first 3 weeks of 2014. The uptrend reversed following the pronouncement by the CBN to raise CRR on public sector deposits from 50% to 75% after the January MPC meeting. The FOMC decision to continue with tapering of QE further pressured the index negatively by 3.21% in the following week resulting to January return settling at -0.34%.

While these fears subsist, a forward guidance by the management of the apex bank that CRR on public deposits may be raised to 100% while that on private sector funds to 15% further weighed down the NSEASI in the first week of February, as investors took cautious trading decisions.

The panic in the market amplified as the news on suspension of the CBN governor hit the market and depressed investors’ confidence. This dragged the ASI below 40,000pts, its psychological level, as the index lost 1.47% on the day the announcement was made while YtD return slid to -6.08%. Although, the acting CBN governor tried to restore confidence by assuring the public of its continuance with the tightening stance, market mood remained soft. With a YtD return of -7.33% compared to Ghana, Egypt, SA and Kenya with 12.07%, 20.01%, 0.34% and 5.06% respectively, the Nigerian market is currently the worst performer in Africa.

Nigerian Equities Cheap Relative to Peers Current market valuation in terms of P/E and Return on Equity (ROE) shows that the Nigerian equities market is currently undervalued relative to peers in Africa and among emerging markets. The Nigerian market P/E of 13.43x is lower than that of all other Afri-

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Time to act on equities market

can markets (except Zambia-1.05x) as well as selected emerging markets P/E (except China-10.13x) under comparison.

Nigerian bourse offers the highest ROE of 19.17% among compared peers in Africa and the EMEs and this further buttresses the attractiveness of the equities market.

The higher ROE justifies an investment case for the Nigerian stock market despite having lower P/E relative to most comparables in the same space.

MPC is scheduled to meet in two weeks and will likely factor in the outcome of the FOMC meeting into their decision making process.

Nonetheless, on the back of a pressured Naira (which has declined by 2.64% to date, compared to the 2.66% depreciation in 2013), potential capital flight (which might result as foreign portfolio investors see their profits dwindle) and the upside risk to price stability, we expect the MPC to implement more tightening measures.

Near term factors that will shape market direction The continued downturn of the Nigerian equities market so far this year has been attributed to different factors ranging from international factors (US FED’s QE Tapering) to local factors (Cash Reserve ratio (CRR) increase, Sansui’s suspension, possibility of a further tightening monetary policy environment etc.).

As the end of the first quarter of 2014 draws nearer and investors anticipate more corporate actions to drive the market, analysis of the share price performance of companies that have declared dividend above 2.5% yield shows that the respective counters have gained since the declaration day, with only NESTLE (2.24% yield) and PZ (0.52% yield) declining. If this trend continues, we expect that further attractive dividend declaration (particularly by the banks) will propel the market upward in the coming weeks. Suffice to say that initial reactions have been weak but subsequently, the stocks gain traction.

Also, as the unemployment rate falls and the US economy expands, the possibility that the US FED will further reduce its monthly asset purchases from USD65bn at the next FOMC meeting exist. Furthermore, Nigerian

Amidst Uncertainties, Fundamentals Support Position Taking Trading on the local bourse has been dominated by investors’ negative reactions to news flows dragging share prices below their perceived justified levels. However, this creates an avenue for value investors to make high returns on stocks trading significantly below their fundamentally justified levels.

Our assessment of companies with sound fundamentals shows that CUSTODYINS, MANSARD, VITAFOAM, TOTAL and HONYFLOUR fall within the category of stocks with expected high returns and attractive dividend

yields with an average revenue and earnings growth of 22.21% and 14.34% respectively over the past 3 to 5 years.

We remain upbeat on the banking sector based on dividend expectations with an average expected year-end capital gain of 30.03% on banking stocks which are currently undervalued. We advise that investors cautiously seek bargain-hunting opportunities as well as long term upside potentials in the financial services sector as well as a few counters in other sectors. By our estimates, companies with sound fundamentals and expected attractive corporate actions should yield an average of 8.59% in dividends and 17.28% in earnings as against 4.13% and 7.29% respectively for the market.

Consumer Stocks remain Defensive despite Negative Sentiments As much as we believe that the current market state presents low price entry opportunities for discerning investors, the need to stay defensive amidst market volatility cannot be over-emphasized.

Amongst 31 stocks with positive returns

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

on the NSE, consumer goods sector has the highest number with 5 counters featuring on the list. The Industrial and Construction sectors also have a high number of stocks making the list when compared to the other sectors on the exchange.

While we advice that investors should take advantage of the current low prices, we also preach defensive investment strategy. Hence, we recommend balancing portfolio investment with counters from consumer and industrial goods sectors while taking position in low prices. We generally advise plugging

Market Report

into stocks with modest beta at this time of market uncertainty.

Technical perspective to the market: Need to appropriate market’s possible arbitrage opportunities in this supposed bear market There is the need for investors’ capital to stay preserved from the current market volatility given the retinue of events that have shaped the market return. Our analysis of market trend January till date reveals that the bearish trend has been characterized by

ICTWorld

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

MARCH 16, 2014

lower support levels with the recent trend showing an upward trend reversal of the downward slide. Hence, two support levels of short term and long term have been established in the last three months.

In our view, taking position at this time technically makes logical sense given that the current 14-day RSI trend shows an upward reversal is imminent; perhaps, in the coming week. Specifically, 36 stocks are currently trading exactly at their year low levels while 29 counters are trading at less than 5% variance to their year low prices implying that these counters present opportunities for near term upward swing in prices.

Notwithstanding the bearish market

mood and cautious trading by most investors, there is a technical justification to take position for a medium term price appreciation given the current low market valuation.

Conclusion On the whole, we believe the equities market still offers attractive upside. Whilst expectation of FOMC and MPC decisions seem to be influencing investors’ decisions at the moment, the expected triggers from companies’ corporate actions will bode well for the market in the near term. Hence, we recommend position taking in stocks with low market pricing and attractive fundamentals especially good corporate benefits.

with

Kingsley Roberts kingndcha@yahoo.co.uk

Can hurt you?

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hat’s the question scientists and researchers across the globe have tried to answer for the last two decades. Reports vary from definitive yes’s to absolute no’s, with most falling somewhere in-between, leaning toward, but not admitting to potential health hazards.

Radio Frequencies (RF), Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) and X-rays are all produced by electromagnetic sources. The difference between them is the frequency of their source.

Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), which is the number of times a wave changes direction by oscillating up and down per second. 1 Hz, therefore, means one wave-cycle per second. 1 megahertz (MHz) equals 1,000,000 Hz (wave-cycles) per second.

All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum2, ranging from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to microwaves, x-rays and gamma rays.

ELF fields include household appliances and overhead power lines.

Scientists agree that ELF fields are hazardous to human health. It’s considered ‘possibly carcinogenic’, and

has been linked to cases of childhood leukemia3.

Common frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum include: * Electric Power 60 Hz * AM radio 1 MHz * FM radio 100 MHz * Cellular phones 800-2200 MHz * Microwave ovens 2450 MHz * X-rays, more than 1,000,000 MHz It’s also a proven fact that at extremely high frequencies, like that of x-rays, the electromagnetic particles have enough power to break chemical bonds and cause serious damage to human tissue.

This is known as ionizi ng radiation.

Since X-rays have the power to damage the genetic material of cells, they can lead to cancer and birth defects, which is why you wear a lead vest during x-rays to protect the surrounding areas from unnecessary damage.

At lower frequencies, such as the microwave range used by mobile phones and base stations, the energy emitted is too low to break chemical bonds (non-ionizing radiation). This is the main staple argument by those

who believe that cell phone radiation is completely harmless.

Perhaps the most interesting, and perplexing thing to note here is this: Although extremely low frequencies (ELF’s emitted from appliances and power lines) are known to be carcinogenic, and high levels of radio frequency energy are known to create heat that damages biological tissue, the scientific community is extremely hesitant to attach any kind of danger to the in-between frequencies where cell phones operate.

When you speak into a cell phone, the sound of your voice goes through a transmitter that encodes the sound into a sine wave. A sine wave is a continuously fluctuating wave radiates out from the antenna, and is measured in hertz.

Once the encoded sound has been placed on the sine wave the transmitter sends the signal to the antenna, which then sends the signal out into space in all directions.

The transmitter in your phone operates on about 0.75 to 1 watt of power, with 2 W at peak usage.

This electric current running through the transmitter circuit also creates an electromagnetic field around it. As the electric current moves back and forth, the fields continue to build and collapse, forming electromagnetic radiation.

Thus, cell phone radiation is generated in the transmitter, and is emitted through the antenna in the form of radio waves. In the case of cell phones, the frequencies of these radio waves fall in the low frequency microwave range.

One of the main concerns associated with cell phone use is that the phone is pressed to the head. Since electromagnetic radiation shoots out at the speed of light in all directions, this radiation can penetrate up to two inches into your brain.

Making matters worse, modern

Digital Service and PCS6 7 cell phones as opposed to analog cell phones have two additional low frequency magnetic fields associated with them.

“Time division multiple access” (TDMA) is the system currently used to increase the number of people who can communicate simultaneously with a base station.

The process of TDMA results in a continuous low frequency pulsing at 8 to 34 Hz. Some phones also have the energy-saving discontinuous transmission mode (DTX), which emits yet a third, even lower frequency that pulses at 2 Hz when the user is listening and not speaking.

Since extremely low frequency radiation (ELF) has been shown to cause cancer like leukemia these additional ELF’s raise new questions.

Many warn that our current technology is in fact far more dangerous in this respect than previous analog models.

Kiddies Teens with Kate Robin Adanihuwan

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY 16 MARCH 2014

42

Finish the drawing of thecake 08066519657 (sms only)

Hello kids, We will be having a swell time this week again. As you can see, the page is filled with so much to keep you busy, yet relaxed. A new winner has emerged again in our Guess Who contest. There is a birthday cake waiting to be eaten, only if you can finish the drawing . Were you good to mummy last week? Till next week, lots of love.

NOAH’S ARK Read the words in the list below, then find and circle them in the puzzle.

JOKES Jim: “I can’t get along with her.

All she does is ignore me.”

Tim: “Ignore you?”

Jim: “Yes- and if there’s anything I hate, it’s IGNORANCE.” ......................................................

Flora: “And when rain falls, does it ever get up again?”

Dora: “Oh yes, in dew time.” ................................................. .....

scription of a baseball game. It was a fortunate idea, for most of the boys were eager to tell what they knew about the sport.

Only one lanky fellow disappointed the teacher’s hopes. He chewed on his pencil for a few moments before he scratched a few words and turned in his paper. On the paper he wrote ...”Rain. No Game.” ...................................................

An English teacher, troubled by the unwillingness of boys in her class to take any interest in composition, attempted to arouse them by asking for a de-

Teacher: “Can you give me an example of wasted energy?”

Willy: “Yes, ma’am, telling a hair-raising story to a baldheaded man.”

Winner for last week’s “Guess Who” Uche Ike 080333....

Answer Fagade Oluwafemi (a.k.a Omobaba)

Pick 10 differences in the Bee pictures

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

ExposĂŠ! wear one with a high-waist skirt or pants to keep the baring to a minimum. You can also try the piece under a jacket, cardigan or blazer. For a playful appeal, pair the crop top with shorts or a skater skirt. Be mindful of the piece you choose, to avoid looking like you forgot to wear a top over your lingerie!

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Body&Soul

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Body&Soul

Blazing hot!

Vanessa Okwara

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lazer is a must-have clothing for that fashionable man who wants to stand out in any occasion. These days, bright colours

are no longer reserved for ladies.

Men make fashion statements with orange, electric blue and even pink blazers! This can be worn with a shirt or T-shirt over a pair of jeans or trousers with matching

shoes or sneakers.

Make sure the blazer is well tailored to suit your body shape.

Then wear the bright colour with confidence and a good smile on your face.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Body&Soul

Accessories

Chic piece of the week: Cocktail rings!

Biwom Iklaki

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ashionistas have perpetually found a way to take their look to the next level with cocktail rings. Cocktail rings are a subtle fad, yet can transcend your look with just a slip on!

You can choose from an array of beautiful cocktail rings for your style vamp! Pearls, crystals, beads, florals, precious stones and metals‌ whatever pops your shutter is doable.

Enjoy my favourite wishlist #wink!

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Body&Soul

GLOBAL fashion

Trending...on the runway Biwom Iklaki

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ashion is such a large subject that addressing it in its entirety is almost impossible. The fashion scene has been agog in the last few months with the celebration of all things fashion; Fashion Week!

From clothes, to designers, models, makeup, photographers and even graphic runway designers, the trends are bountiful. Here are a few highlights from the international realm of the industry.

Prints: The fashion stage featured a bevy of cool, geometric prints and fabulous, statement-making gowns.

Sheer: Light, airy, flirty, flowy and feminine fabrications made a strong statement at shows including Delpozo, Zimmermann, Jason Wu and Zac Posen.

Pastels: Light airy fabrications made a strong statement at shows, including Delpozo, Zimmer-

mann, Jason Wu and Zac Posen.

Monochromes: Trending since 2013, the crisp colour combination was a hit for a lot of designers, including Carolina Herrera, Delpozo, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Jenni Kayne, Zimmermann and more.

Stripes: Even for the print averse, there’s something striking about a wellplaced stripe. More graphic than artful, the stripe has a rich heritage. Go black and white or amp it up with a bit of colour.

Metallics: Shine bright like a diamond! Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu and Thakoon were just a few of the chic designers who incorporated dazzling metallic looks into their collections.

Crop tops: Time to tone up those abs! Still a hot trend for next season. Crop tops took over the runways at New York Fashion Week.

Lela Rose, Tracy Reese and Zimmerman lead the pack.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Body&Soul

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

Richie, you can’t father a child!

R

ichie picked his phone and dialed his doctor friend’s number. He was sweating profusely. His fifth visit to the restroom left him very weak.

“Old boy, wahala dey o. I need to see you immediately,” he told KC. Dr KC asked him to come to the hospital.

At the hospital, he was not coherent. A shivering Richie told his doctor, “I have been poisoned, please help me.” They were in the consultation room. KC observed that his friend had lost some fluid. His blood pressure was high also.

He had him moved to a private ward where he was placed on intravenous fluid. He arranged for the laboratory unit to run some tests on him. When the nurses left the room, KC tried to get him to talk, but Richie could not respond to the doctor’s questions. He was clearly frightened.

“Where’s Patra?” he asked for the third time and Ritchie’s eyes widened again. Clearly, something was wrong.

In Ritchie’s present state, it was best to let him be. He returned to his office and dialed Patra’s phone number.

Switched off. He sighed and waited for the lab result.

Three hours later, Richie was stable. No poison was found in his system. He smiled.

“Ol’ boy, no poison in your system. Who will poison a well-behaved big boy like you? Patra will kill that person na...” the doctor began but Richie smiled and said, “I’m not joking doc. Please I want you to run a comprehensive medical test on me.” KC noted that his friend had relaxed a bit. Good for his BP. “Sure. Will do that...sperm count and the rest.”

Richie smiled. He had Cherish and Ruth was pregnant again. He was definitely not responsible for Patra’s childless state. A cloud flickered across his face which the doctor did not miss. ************** Pius watched as Patra slept. She was clearly drunk.

He had watched her stagger into the restroom earlier. She didn’t notice that the sheath tore during their romp. He did. He picked up the sheath’s pack. Expired!

He tucked her inside the duvet. He had showered and dressed up.

Pins poured another tot of cognac and sat on the double seater in the room, contemplating his action.

She wore no wedding band but the finger showed that a ring used to be there.

What would make a married woman fly to Abuja from Lagos, get drunk on premium spirit and get into bed with a total stranger? She looked very respectable... and rich. Her fine clothing said that and more. Like him, she had great taste for spirits. He gently swilled the cognac around his glass and took a sip. He was in a pensive mood.

Fear tugged at a corner of his heart. He pushed it away. She looked so healthy, she couldn’t be habouring any virus in her body.

“It is never written on the forehead,” his mind told him and he shook the thought away.

Thoughts of his wife flooded his mind. He loved her.

He still did. They were happy together until that fatal accident on the outskirts of the town. She had gone visiting a friend. She didn’t get there. The car she was traveling in ran into a ditch and collided with an oncoming trailer.

She and a cousin of hers died on the spot.

Tears dropped on his cheeks.

She was going to bid her friend farewell. She was

relocating to USA with the kids. He had bought a new, bigger house in the US where he was based. He wanted the best for his wife and kids. It was never to be. That was two years ago, but it was like yesterday to him. He had not felt anything for another woman since then... until Patra entered his cab earlier that day.

Cab! The corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

“I need to stop this cab driving bullshit,” he told himself and looked up. He had been so engrossed in his thought that he didn’t notice that Patra had woken up and was staring at him. She looked confused.

He cleared his throat and smiled at her.

“Dear, you need to go easy on the spirit. Not too good for your health,” he told her.

Patra tried to get out of bed and realised she was in her birthday suit. A little scream escaped her throat.

Pius watched her, amused.

“You made love to me,” she said, alarmed.

“Patra, we made love to each other,” he said slowly.

She noticed he had a Texas drawl. Her father was based in Texas and she and her siblings went there for holidays when they were growing up.

She peeped into the duvet again and for sure, she had nothing on. She couldn’t remember taking off her clothes but she remembered enjoying every moment she was entangled with him. She relaxed. Somehow, she felt safe with this stranger. This is crazy!

“Who are you, lover boy?” She asked.

“I’m Pius, the cab driver, Ma’m,” he replied. That drawl again!

“Please, cut that off, you and I know you ain’t a cab driver,” she said.

“You are right ma’m, I ain’t a cab driver. I do it for fun.

I own some airport cabs -my mum’s business anyway.

When I’m bored, I go pick one of the cabs and drive.

Driving is my hobby, it lifts my spirit,” he said.

“What a hobby,” she said, in an incredulous tone, adding, “I guess, making love to vulnerable women is

also a hobby.”

He filched. “No Patra. I don’t do that. You wanted me.

I was glad you did because I wanted you also. It was mutual. You did something to my senses when I picked you earlier today. I deemed myself lucky that you took interest in me. I lost my wife in an accident two years ago and I hadn’t met a lady that affected me the way you did. In those two years, I have been with women seven times. Eight is my lucky number and you are the eighth,”,” he said.

“Oh dear, you lost your wife? I’m sorry dear. What happened? My condolences,” she said, noticing the tears in his eyes. Her heart melted. She jumped out of bed and was beside him before she remembered she had nothing on.

“Geez!” She exclaimed, trying to cover her nudity with her hands. Of course it was futile. Pius went to the restroom, took the bathrobe and covered her. As his hands touched her, she felt a warmth envelope her. ****************** Two days later, Dr KC visited Richie in the office. The news he brought shattered Richie. Result of the medical examination said Richie could not father a child!

“No! I have a daughter and the lady is pregnant for me again,” he said with certainty.

“In your dream. Those pregnancies were not yours, Richie. Seek second, third...fifth opinion, friend,” KC told him point blank.

Hmmmmmmmm! Dead body get accident.

Hello readers, This is a series on Patra, an amiable, hardworking wife who got the most unusual gift on February 14.

Feel free to drop your comments.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Body&Soul

Photography

with Stanlee Ohikuare stanlee@stanleeohikhuare.com

Capturing the moment Stanlee Ohikhuare

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nyone can take pictures. However, an Ideal Photo must have a Structure – without which it is altogether boring. Composition is another thing that must not be taken lightly. A well composed shot captures attention once sighted, irrespective of the photographic medium and image resolution. Just to buttress how unimportant the luxury of high resolution can be, fine details and razor – sharp imagery will always fail to impress if there’s no story behind it.

By structure, I am talking about the innate,

underlying colours, rigid forms and tonal gradation that stir up inquisitiveness. Only after a photo has caught your eye does anything else matter – after all, of what use is freezing a flimsy moment?

Once a photo has arrested its viewer, it needs to have the right blend of details to keep the eyes interested. This is easy.

Every photo has details.

The problem is that many photos lack the requisite structure and artistic composition which compels viewers to take a closer look and enjoy the details!

Once the basics are

grasped, with even a cell phone or your I-pad, you can capture moments with images everyone else is completely oblivious of.

A lot of hobbyists- and professionals alike tend to take these basics for granted. Little wonder why there are thousands of people spending a fortune on cameras and prime lenses, and never getting any decent pictures.

It’s the basic underlying composition that makes or breaks an image.

Next edition, we will take a look at the importance of “THE SUBJECT” in a photographic expression.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Body&Soul

Wedges for teen girls Kate Robin Adanihuwan

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nce, wedges were considered old school by the new millennium generation. However, they are now a must wear for the fashionable. The wedge shoe, like every other shoe has taken a different look, with new designs to suit different age groups. Teenage

girls are so into it, and designers never cease to come up with new designs.

Wedges for teens are a whole new package. The studded All Stars wedge is a party knockout, and the snicker wedge will make the girls stand out in those casuals, while the peep toe wedge will do well at any event.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Body&Soul

Incorporate fitness into your daily activities

&

Fitness WELLNESS Funmi Azike With

P

hysically, there is nothing more rewarding than consistent exercise combined with healthy eating. But, should it end there? Aside from exercise, lifestyle and dietary adjustments, incorporating more physical activities into your everyday life such as walking rather than taking a car/bus/bike ride or using the stairs instead of the lift can also help you stay strong, fit and burn more of those extra calories. Below are other ways you can boost your fitness levels. ➢ Do Your ‘House Work’ Nobody is turning you into a slave, just helping you to look good and stay alive for longer. Do you know you can burn 150-200 calories from dusting and cleaning the house for about an hour? Yes! Think of all the calories you will burn doing the dishes, ironing your clothes, taking out the trash, scrubbing the bathroom, etc. Ridiculous you think? Trust me, when you have an open mind, some of these activities can become fun workouts rather than stressful household chores. Next time you get thirsty while watching TV, don’t yell at the maid to get you a glass of water, just get up and burn some calories. Now look around your home and find other ways to be more active. ➢ Do Some Outdoor Chores Too If you get to burn that much calories doing ‘house work’, now imagine mowing the lawn, washing your car(s), tending the garden, trimming the flowers, cleaning out the drainage, etc. Impossible you say? Are you thinking of what the neighbours will say? Seriously, it doesn’t matter if you have maids, children or relatives living with you that can do most to these things; you are doing them to keep yourself healthy and fit. Personally, I wouldn’t mind what anyone thinks if I had to wash my latest G Wagon (wish). ➢ Walk At Work Remember what you looked like back in the days when you didn’t have a secretary or personal assistant? Sitting at your desk for long hours can encourage weight gain and its associated health problems. Despite your extremely busy schedule, you must find ways to be physically active at work. You can get up, stretch and take a walk around your desk for a few minutes every hour. Also, you can take a fast walk around the complex/ building during your lunch break. Think of other ways too, the whole idea is moving your body as much as possible while you are at work. Why buzz Mary to get you those files down the hall? Get up and get them yourself.

It will provide a tremendous workout for your body.

• Do your ‘house work’

• Walk at work

• Rock the party

➢ Ditch the Car I have always believed one of the reasons why people from Noah’s time lived longer was because they didn’t have cars. A lot of us don’t walk anymore. Do we really have to drive to the vendor down the street to get a copy of New Telegraph? When we do that or struggle for parking spaces closest to where we are going, we are depriving ourselves of good exercise. Next time you visit the mall, park a bit far from the entrance and walk. Yes, walk! Birds were designed to fly, fish were designed to swim and man was designed to walk. Ask Noah and some of his friends who didn’t have ‘motorwagens’ not to talk of these swift and sleek automobiles we drive around these days. ➢ Carry Your Bags It is not enough that you parked far from the entrance. Walking will help you burn calories and especially tone up your limbs. Carrying your bags while at it will further increase your muscle strength and help tone up your arms. Now, you can start saying ‘no thank you’ to those shop assistants that deprive you of rewarding exercise except of course you purchased a 50kg bag of rice (you will get there soon). ➢ Rock the Party ‘Owambes’ no longer have to be an avenue for dense carousing; you can get a good workout from dancing. I particularly wear comfortable shoes for this purpose. Next time you are at a party, don’t just sit like a beautiful statue, get up and have some fun. You don’t have to be a professional dancer, just move to the rhythm. Even if you are not an ‘owambe’ person, try to ‘beat’ David’s dancing skill in church next week Sunday.

Who knows? In the next millennium, someone might be singing ‘I will dance as Funmi danced’.

• Carry your bags

Football My Eagles teammates are envious -Ezeugo p.52

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/sport

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

16 MARCH, 2014

Brazil Six centurions to watch in Brazil p.53

Dapo Sotuminu, Deputy Sports Editor dapo.sotuminu@newtelegraphonline.com 08099400190, 08038154192

EPL Super Sunday in English Premiership p.55

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Sp rt

Nduka Irabor: More league defaulters will be punished Dapo Sotuminu

Did You Know?

That the biggest African win at the World Cup Finals was Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over Bulgaria in 1994 The second was Morocco’s 3-0 over Scotland in 1998.

T

he chairman of the League Management Company, Nduka Irabor, has declared that, the 2014 Nigeria Premier League season, will be used predominantly for enforcement of all laid down regulations geared towards making the league truly professional.

“All requirements must be met this year so as to make the league a true business venture which it is. The fact is that, as it is, the 2014 league calendar may not be a priority, as we must tackle first thing first.

“Don’t forget that we have a duty to ensure all the clubs comply with the regulations specified by the Confederation of African Football.

We are very focused, no matter the diversionary tactics being used by some of the clubs; nothing will stop the LMC at making t h e Nigerian

League the pride of the people and also make the players real soccer professionals.

“When you are called a professional, it simply means that, your earnings are more than your needs. And that is why the club managements must comply with the N150,000 minimum wage monthly salary for players in all the teams. If you don’t pay players, you get punished. This was done in the German Bundesliga. You can check the records.”

Irabor noted that, some of clubs “who boasted that they paid their players in the region of N300,000 per month in a survey conducted last year, were the ones who complained the most when we said players’ minimum wage would stand at N150,000. What this implies is that, they were economical with the truth.

“When you were paying higher wages in 2013, and we said you should pay less as from 2014, to me that should be a relief.”

The former House of Representatives member disclosed that, as the season rolls by, more league pretenders

would be punished. “Don’t forget that, the N100 million bank guarantee by clubs must be fully paid at the end of the season and players’ wages must be treated sacred. Defaulters won’t go unpunished.

He stressed that: “Beginning from the 2015 season, the premier league clubs are expected to divest at least 30 per cent of their shares, at which time the state governments and their agencies would have reduced their holding in the various clubs, to 50 per cent.

“We have opened discussions with the Stock Exchange to help build investment opportunities in our clubs.

“Getting spectators to the league venues is paramount in our plans to rebuild the Nigerian league football, more so when a tradition had earlier been built in that light. The media is very important in this.

The point is, if the media fails to promote the league, no one will do it for us. What we must get clear here is that, promoting the Nigerian league is not a favour. Our media guys should report less of the English Premier League and give prominence to the local league. continues on page 54

FIFA U17 W/Cup: Chukwu charges Flamingoes to beat China Mercy Jacob

N

igeria’s national U-17 w o m e n ’s soccer team, the Flamingoes, begin their quest to better their record as the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off today in Costa Rica. Nigeria tackles two-time qualifiers, China in a group D opener.

The team according to the team’s coach, Bala Nkiyu, is set to do the country proud and be the first female team that would lay its hands on

the coveted trophy which no African team has ever won since the inception of the competition.

The Flamingoes at the 2008 and 2012 editions of the Mundial qualified for the quarter- final stage before they were knocked out, but the coaches have expressed confidence at bettering their record in this year’s edition.

Nigeria is paired in group D alongside China, Colombia and Mexico a group which many sports enthusiasts have tagged as group of

death.

M e a nwh i l e , NFF technical committee member, Christian Chukwu, has charged the Flamingoes to go and win the World Cup for Nigeria and replicate the feat of the Eaglets in Costa Rica.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Sport / Stars of Yesteryears

Ezeugo: My Eagles teammates are envious Dapo Sotuminu

F

ormer Super Eagles defender, Emeka Ezeugo, has said that his national team teammates who are all retired today are envious of him, the reason behind their open vendetta against him.

He said; it’s unfair for them to label him what he is not. “It is now common for my Eagles teammates to say openly in media interviews that, I was not a good team player in our days in the national team.

“Their argument has always been that I was most of the time detailed to mark out and frustrates dangerous opponents from causing damage in our goal area. What they have always failed to tell the world is the fact that, I played the part very well. And there was never a time I didn’t get the coach’s commendation for a job well done.”

He said he sees the uncomplimentary comments by his former mates as unfortunate. “Who is more of a team player than I who made the ultimate sacrifice in all the games I played in the national team?

“Who is more a team

player than the man who follows the coach’s script to the letter, stays disciplined until the last whistle, never takes his eyes off the ball or get carried away?

Ezeugo, who first played for the national team at the Seoul 88 Olympic soccer event, said in his days in the Eagles he was close to everyone and never built a fortress around himself.

“I am an extrovert and as such played with everyone in camp, so I am so surprised they all labelled me a poor team player,” he said.

The Nigerian who has played professionally in five continents most famously for Connecticut Wolves (A-League in United States), East Bengal, Kolkata, India, Peru and Dhaka Mohammedan during a successful 15-year playing career, had 49 caps for Nigeria.

He said since he first donned the national team jersey for Nigeria in 1988, the country meant everything to him, as such all matches he played were more than memorable.

“I don’t have any regrets playing for my fatherland. The only problem is that, in Nigeria when one is outspoken, you are dubbed stubborn, radical and other ugly names. I am the least surprised that those who played side by side with me for the country can still be against me.”

The lanky player who won league titles in India, Bangladesh and Denmark and Cup winners in Hungary, Denmark, Bangladesh and India, said he has been aghast with the attitude of those in authority at the Nigeria Football Federation. He said they seems to have blacklisted him as they kept rejecting his application for a national team job. “I have never been considered, but I am not deterred and I won’t stop being myself.”

He noted that; “The NFF is one of Nigeria’s foremost organisations that is yet to realise its full potential. It is a brand that has the potential to grow way bigger than Nigeria in terms of global recognition, visibility and exposure but the personnel to get there must be on ground and independent of resources from the government because Nigeria’s sole global brand is a property

emeka ezeugo’s PROFILE Date of Birth: december 16, 1965 Place of birth: Aba, Nigeria Height: 1.84 m Playing position: Defender Clubs: 1988 Enugu Rangers, 1989 Mohammedan SC, 1990 Pahang FA, 1990–1992 Lyngby Boldklub, 1992 Boldklubben Frem, 1993–1994 Aalborg BK, 1994 Budapest Honvéd FC, 1994–1995 Fremad Amager, 1995–1997 La Coruna B, 1997–1998 shey Wildcats, 1998–1999 Porthmadog F.C, 1999 Connecticut Wolves, 2000 Deportivo Wanka, 2001 Estudiantes de Medicina.

National team: SEOUL 88 Nigeria, Senegal 1992 and USA 94.

Teams managed: 2002 BMCC Athletics 2003–2005 Deportivo Municipal 2005–2008 City Tech 2008 Churchill Brothers SC 2013–Abia Warriors

of the NFF; but it is important that they operate without prejudice toward none too.”

Ezeugo also spoke on his relationship with the management of Nigeria Premier League debutants, A b i a Wa r riors Football

Club, who gave him a job as the team’s chief coach and got him sacked before the kick-off of the 2014 season.

“My association with the club is history. They had no reason to terminate a contract that was still at its nascent stage. Any question and deficiency must be directed to those who recruited me in the first place and the last time I checked when I was hired, I was referred to as a world class coach and in less than 60 days I became a village coach to them.

“Only in Nigeria can such happen. If you can read between the lines you can see that the leadership of Abia Warriors just acted a script written way before I was recruited.

“This is prejudice and pettiness in high places.

But they promoted me while planning my demotion. They were afraid of the supersonic rise that would follow my appointment as the team’s coach.

“I don’t have any regrets playing for my fatherland.

The only problem is that, in Nigeria when one is outspoken, you are dubbed stubborn, radical and other ugly names. I am the least surprised that those who played side by side with me for the country can still be against me.”

I think that was a smart move on their part.”

The player who helped Nigeria to win third place at the Senegal 92 African Cup of Nations and also featured in the USA 94 World Cup spoke on his coaching experience at another Nigeria Premier League club, Heartland FC of Owerri, where he was assistant coach.

He said he was fired hours after he cautioned the club chairman, Ignatius Okeahialam, a time he was paying sign-on-fees to players who joined the club on loan. “This was suspicious and I told him to stop the illegal transactions. Instead of listening to my advice which was largely professional, he sacked me. It is painful that in Nigeria my country, we do not appreciate good things.”

The former national team player says he admires world tennis legend Boris Becker who strides the tennis courts like a colossus. “Walks and works the tennis court like he owns it. And he rocked the coolest gear.”

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

Countdown to Fifa World Cup

PAST WINNERS •Switzerland 1954 Winner: Germany FR Runners-Up: Hungary Third: Austria Fourth: Uruguay Golden Shoe: Sandor KOCSIS (HUN) Technical Report: West Germany were surprise winners of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, coming from two goals down to defeat Hungary in a Final forever remembered as the ‘Miracle of Berne’. Hungary were unbeaten in 31 matches and scored 25 goals en route to the Final – eight of them against the Germans in the first round. Yet it was Fritz Walter, not Ferenc Puskas who picked up the Jules Rimet Cup. •Brazil 1950 Winner: Uruguay Runners-Up: Brazil Third: Sweden Fourth: Spain Golden Shoe: ADEMIR (BRA) Technical Report: Brazil’s determination to put on a show meant they built the world’s biggest football stadium, the Maracana, for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Yet their dream of becoming the world’s best died in that huge bowl, Uruguay capturing their second crown by beating the hosts in front of some 200,000 stunned spectators. It was not the only shock of a tournament where debutants England were humbled by the United States.

•France 1938 Winner: Italy Runners-Up: Hungary Third: Brazil Fourth: Sweden Golden Shoe: LEONIDAS (BRA) Technical Report: Italy trainer Vittorio Pozzo made history by capturing a second successive title with a rebuilt team. With Silvio Piola’s goals and Giuseppe Meazza’s leadership, Italy beat Hungary in the Final having overcome in the semi-final a Brazil side missing top scorer Leonidas. Three of his strikes came in a 6-5 victory over Poland – the best match of a tournament notable for political tensions and the absence of some leading teams.

•Italy 1934 Winner: Italy Runners-Up: Czechoslovakia Third: Germany Fourth: Austria Golden Shoe: Oldrich NEJEDLY (TCH) Technical Report: Italy delighted their passionate home support by coming from behind to beat Czechoslovakia in the first FIFA World Cup Final played on European soil. Angelo Schiavio scored the winning goal for the Azzurri, who had overcome the highly-rated Austrian Wunderteam in the semi-finals. It was a tournament missing holders Uruguay, whose refusal to take part made them the first and only champions not to defend their crown.

•Uruguay 1930 Winner: Uruguay Runners-Up: Argentina Third: USA Fourth: Yugoslavia Golden Shoe: Guillermo STABILE (ARG) Technical Report: FIFA President Jules Rimet’s dream was realised as Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in its centenary year. Only four European teams made the long sea journey and the Final was an all-South American affair, with Uruguay beating neighbours Argentina just as they had done in the 1928 Olympic final. Trailing at half-time, the hosts triumphed 4-2 in the newly built Estadio Centenario to become football’s first world champions.

Six centurions to watch

Six World football centurions, who have earned over 100 caps playing for their various national teams are bent on putting their experience to good use at the global showpiece. Steven Gerrard, Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Samuel Eto’o, Diego Forlan and Yasuhito Endo.

Yasuhito Forlan

Gerrard

Steven Gerrard (England) At 33, Brazil 2014 looks likely to be the England captain’s last World Cup. Premier League and World Cup medals are the only pieces of silverware missing from the 108-time international’s glittering trophy cabinet.

Expect Roy Hodgson to use Gerrard in a deep role in midfield, just as Brendan Rodgers has often done at Liverpool this season.

Gerrard has often lifted his club team-mates and will need to do the same at international level in a tough Group D, which includes Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica.

Iker Casillas (Spain) The Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper has endured a couple of tough seasons as he battles for the starting place at the Liga giants with Diego Lopez.

But Casillas’ leadership cannot be understated, having led the all-conquering Spain team to European Championships (2008, 2012) and World Cup (2010) glory.

Casillas, 32, has represented his country on 152 occasions and expect him to add to that in what has been deemed the ‘group of death’ at Brazil 2014.

The reigning world and European champions will take on powerhouses the Netherlands, South American dark horses Chile and Australia in Group B. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Ronaldo’s importance to his nation was underlined in the FIFA World Cup playoff against Sweden - a tie labelled a battle between the Real Madrid star and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The 29-year-old Ballon d’Or winner struck a second-leg, second-half hat-trick to lead Portugal to Brazil 2014.

Arguably the world’s best player, Ronaldo will be relied upon by coach Paulo Bento against Germany, Ghana and the United States in Group G. It would take something special for the 109-time international to lead Portugal beyond the quarterfinals, but his ability to score goals

Ronaldo Eto’o

at will means it is possible.

Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) The Chelsea striker’s relationship with the national team has been a strange one in the past year, reversing a decision to retire from internationals late in 2013.

The four-time African Player of the Year is a key man in the Cameroon squad, but gets plenty of support from the likes of Alex Song, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Jean Makoun.

Eto’o, 32, is the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer and was part of the team that won Olympic gold at Sydney 2000.

His goalscoring ability will be crucial for Cameroon against Brazil, Croatia and Mexico in Group A.

Casillas

Diego Forlan (Uruguay) The former Manchester United striker has moved to J. League outfit Cerezo Osaka ahead of what will be the 34-year-old’s last World Cup. The only Uruguayan to represent his country more than 100 times, Forlan was also the leading national goalscorer before being overtaken by Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

Forlan was prolific at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid after leaving the Premier League, but largely struggled to settle at Inter and Internacional.

A move to Asia could be what Forlan needs ahead of Brazil 2014, where most of his impact is likely to be from the bench, with Forlan behind Suarez and Edinson Cavani in the pecking order for Oscar Tabarez’s men.

Yasuhito Endo (Japan) The Gamba Osaka midfielder has enjoyed a decorated career in his home country and has earned a record 140 caps for Japan.

Creative and a fine free-kick taker, Endo has a trophy cabinet that includes league titles, cups, an AFC Champions League, an Asian Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal.

54

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

WITH IFEANYI IBEH

16 MARCH, 2014

HOLE IN ONE

Ikeja Captain’s Day begins

T

he week-long programme of events marking the end of Adewole Sowole’s tenure as Captain of Ikeja Golf Club gets underway on Monday with the Caddie contest.

Disclosing this to New Telegraph on Sunday was the Ikeja Golf Club’s Competition Secretary, Esimaje Yomi-Egbe, who stated that the contest won’t be limited

to caddies only as staff of the club will also take part in the 18-hole contest. It will thereafter be the turn of the club-based professionals and veterans on Tuesday.

Yomi-Egbe said while the professionals would be playing for cash, the veterans would be playing for honours.

On Wednesday, March 19, it

Nduka Irabor: More league defaulters will be punished Dapo Sotuminu

zzIrabor

to conclude their competition ahead of the closing ceremony and presentation of prizes which have been fixed for Saturday evening.

“All arrangements have been put in place to ensure a memorable week,” said Yomi-Egbe.

“Guests will definitely have a swell time at the club.”

The outgoing Club Captain, Sowole, took over the role from Tunji Adeyemo last year and commenced on-going reconstruction work on the clubhouse.

A

on Sunday.

The ULO Championship is expected to be a straight battle between the likes of Ghanaian-born Emos Korblah and the trio of Vincent Torgah, Oche Odoh and Gift Willy, but the likes of Festus Makelemi might have a say in who gets to go home with the grand prize.

Meanwhile, the AGM is expected to be graced by notable golfing personalities, including General Ibn Haruna, the life president of the PGA and former Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum.

General Haruna replaced the Late Chief Anthony Enahoro as the life president of the PGA. Otunba Olushola Adekanola, the former franchise holder for the game, also a current vice-president of the association, is also expected at the AGM. The Annual General Meeting has been scheduled to run side-by-side with the ULO Championship billed for March 20-23.

N10m up for grabs at ULO Championship

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

With intense coverage of the local league, those involved would become experts and they will become indispensable in the various organisations they represent.

“The league provides the media guys the opportunity to become club executives, once they are professional as intended.”

He noted that the clubs too must be focused and business-like and should let the situation whereby people don’t get information about league games until the match date be a thing of the past.

Irabor expressed his satisfaction at the trendy way in which returnee Professional League club, Stationery Stores of Lagos have been publicising their games. “I was satisfied with what I saw at the Onikan Stadium the other day when Stores played against Shooting Stars of Ibadan. Between 4,000 to 5,000 spectators watched the game and the gate-takings were quite impressive.

“I am planning to bring the club managers together in a seminar towards giving their brands the needed push. There are clubs which do not make any effort to ensure spectators come to the stadium.

Last season we had an average of 2,500 fans in games.

“Football is business; the club managers must find a way to bring spectators to the stadium. For this season, we are going to have more matches on television.”

He revealed that the LMC would soon get to a point where they would have their own television production crew to cover league games across the country.

would be the turn of lady golfers to take to the course for their own 18-hole contest, while a special kitty, tagged ‘Captains Kitty’ is billed for Thursday.

Amateur male golfers, especially members of the club won’t be left out of the celebration as they too will take their turn on the course for the first round of their scheduled 36-hole event on Friday, while Saturday, March 22, will see the grand finale of the Captain’s Day, with male golfers expected to return to the greens

Senate President David Mark

Wellmanned Amateur Open gets April date

T

he annual Wellmanned Amateur Open will come up in the second week of April, New Telegraph on Sunday can report.

The championship, which is now in its fifth year, will take place at the Blue Elephant Cement Golf Club, Sagamu, in Ogun State. The organisers have promised to make this year’s tournament memorable.

“This year’s tournament marks the fifth year that Wellmanned Company Limited will be sponsoring the event which has gone a long way in launching the careers of some of our talented golfers,” said Uwem Udoh, President and CEO of the sponsoring company.

“This year’s tournament, I am certain, will also serve a similar purpose, and we are looking at

ways of improving players’ experiences on the golf course this time around.”

As a way of improving the standard of play at the tournament, this year’s tournament has been modelled after the Lagos Amateur Open, which is open to only players with a low handicap.

Although a tournament for amateur golfers, the Wellmanned Open, will see professional golfers playing alongside their amateur counterparts; a move which the organizers feel will help improve the amateurs.

“The tournament will tee-off with the professionals in the morning, followed by the amateurs, but it will be limited to only amateurs within the handicap category one to three,” added Udoh.

cash prize of N10 million will be up for grabs when the ULO Championship gets underway next weekend.

The tournament, which is bankrolled by Chief Uche Luke Okpuno and which is one of the biggest events in the country’s golf calendar, will take place at the Otukpo Golf and Country Club, Benue State, and will feature most of the top golfers in Nigeria.

In fact, the event will be the largest assemblage of golfers in West Africa as the Annual General Meeting of the Professional Golfers’ Association will also hold during the championship.

“The ULO is one of our biggest events and the facilitator, Chief Okpuno, is one of our patrons at the PGA. It will be the biggest congregation of professional golfers at any event in the country as the tournament and the AGM will take place simultaneously, and I don’t think any golfer would want to miss that,” said PGA Tournament Director, Martin Odoh, in an interview with New Telegraph

Jury orders Woods’ outfit to pay $.6m

Apany, ETW, to pay $668,000 to a

jury ordered Tiger Woods’ com-

company that alleged the breach of a licensing agreement.

Gotta Have It Golf Inc. and Bruce Matthews of South Miami said in a civil lawsuit that a specified number of photos and autographs were not provided to meet the terms of the 2001 agreement. A Miami-Dade County Circuit Court jury found ETW liable for deceptive and unfair

trade practices.

Eric Isicoff, an attorney for Matthews, said that interest would increase that judgment to about $1.3 million; Matthews continues to seek more than $1 million in attorney fees in an effort still taking place in court.

Woods testified last Monday after shooting 78 in the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship a day earlier, and his company is expected to appeal.

55

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Sport / News

SUPER SUNDAY IN ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP zzxxxx1964

Rodgers

Moyes

Robin van Persie

Man U defence faces stern test against Suarez, Sturridge M anchester United welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford today in the unfamiliar position in recent years of trailing in their archrivals’ wake in the Premier League title race.

Man United have won eight of the last nine Barclays Premier League home games against Liverpool (Won 8, Draw 0, Lost 1).

Daniel Sturridge has scored in his last two league games for Liverpool against Man Utd. Robin van Persie has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League starts against Liverpool.

Liverpool have scored 47 first half goals in the Premier League this season, one more than Manchester United have in total.

Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more red cards than the Liverpool v Manchester United fixture in the Premier League (14).

Only one team (Arsenal) have

kept a clean sheet against Liverpool in their last 16 Premier League away trips.

Liverpool have been awarded more penalties than any other Premier League side this season (7).

Manchester United have not conceded a penalty at Old Trafford in the Premier League since December 31 2011 (v Blackburn Rovers).

Six of the last 10 goals in this fixture have been scored in the 15 minute period just after half-time.

This game features the three players to have been involved in the most Premier League goals (scoring + assisting) this season: Suarez 34, Sturridge 23 and Rooney 21.

Robin van Persie has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League starts against Liverpool.

Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more red cards than the Liverpool v Manchester United fixture in the Premier League (14).

Luis Suarez

Liverpool have been awarded more penalties than any other Premier League side this season (7).

With Sturridge and strike partner Luis Suarez contributing 42 of Liverpool’s 73 league goals this season; United’s defence will face a stern test to make it four shut-outs in a row.

It will be United’s first home match for over a month since the last-gasp 2-2 draw with lowly Fulham, but the Red Devils Man U: Played 28, Won 14, have kept three consecuDrew 6, Lost 8 tive clean sheets away Liverpool: Played 28, Won from home in the league.

18, Drew 5, Lost 5 United have won eight of the last nine Premier Man. United v. Liverpool League meetings at Old 16 MarCH; Time: 13:30 Trafford, with the only blip venue: Old Trafford coming almost five years ago to the day when FerMatch Referees: nando Torres tormented Mark Clattenburg.

Nemanja Vidic as LiverAssistants: S Beck, G Beswick. Fourth Official: pool eased to a 4-1 win.

L Probert.

Spurs welcome Gunners to derby day N

orth London rivalries will be rekindled today as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Arsenal to White Hart Lane for derby day.

There will be plenty riding on an encounter between two fierce foes, with both chasing targets set out at the start of the season.

Spurs’ ambition this term was to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League, and they sit four points adrift of the top four at present.

They can ill afford any more slip-ups if they are to stand any chance of staging a late surge into Europe’s premier club competition as they have already played at least one game more than the three sides sat enal v. Ars :00 dir u p ots : 16 Tot’H rch; Time rt Lane , a 16 M : White Ha 9, Won 16 2 e Venu m: Played st 8 a o h L , Drew , n Totte Drew 5 8, Win 18 J yed 2 l: Pla , Lost 5. sistants: a n e s 5 A Ars .

Dean gh.

Mike cDonou : s e e M Refer Collin, M

rectly above them.

Tim Sherwood’s side, who have suffered four defeats in their last six outings in all competitions, will also be aware that the likes of Manchester United and Everton sit within touching distance just below them and harbour ambitions of snatching continental football for next season.

Arsenal, meanwhile are still setting their sights on the Premier League title.

Their situation is similar to Spurs’, though, in that they need to avoid any wobbles if they are to remain in that particular hunt.

Leaders Chelsea have opened up a sevenpoint lead at the summit and closing that gap will be no easy task.

The Gunners are, however, now focused purely on domestic matters after tumbling out of the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich in midweek - with FA Cup success also in their sights.

Arsene Wenger’s men can take heart from the fact that they have already seen off Spurs twice at Emirates Stadium

this season, in league and cup competition, but will be aware that they have gone seven years (September 2007) without a three-point haul at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have kept four clean sheets in their last five Barclays Premier League home games but shipped five against Man City in the other match.

Arsenal have kept only one clean sheet in their last seve n Barclays Premier League away games and have won none of the last three (Drew 1, Lost 2).

Arsenal have won none of the last five Premier League north London derbies at White Hart Lane

(Won 0, Drew 2, Lost 3) with all three defeats by a 1-2 scoreline.

Emmanuel Adebayor has scored more goals than any other player in north London derby history (10 - eight for Arsenal and two for Spurs).

Tottenham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 30 Premier League north London derbies (Feb 2009).

Wenger

Sherwood

56

MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

For the Record

Youth Empowerment and Good Governance: A lecture delivered by His Excellency, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu (MON) organised and hosted by Nigerian Economics Students Association (NESA) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on March 11, 2014 Protocols

As individuals, especially now that you are young undergraduates, you must begin to establish yourselves gradually such that, on graduation, you are already equipped, even if not financially, but with creative ideas that will change your life and hopefully change the world. I know that all of you are in that frame of mind because I can see it in your eyes. Go get them, Lions!

The society is increasingly becoming knowledge-driven and does not have room anymore for the person who cannot think or be innovative no matter the odds. And make no mistake about it, the odds will always be there. Your primary goal should be to conquer any environment in which you find yourself.

With the development of your mindset that outside this university, life is tough, demanding and with diminishing opportunities, the first crucial step of the journey will have been taken.

But, if you go out there unprepared mentally and psychologically, you will be so alarmed and shocked that when you see empowerment you will not be able to recognize it! It could be a traumatic experience seeing your mates flourishing when you have not even started. A stitch in time saves undergraduates, not nine!

Preamble

I feel greatly honoured to be considered worthy by this community of intellectuals in Nigeria’s foremost citadel of learning to give this lecture. My thanks go to all those who made this exchange of ideas possible. It is my sincere hope that we shall all leave here much more enriched at the end of the programme.

Definition of Terms

Ladies and gentlemen, as we find ourselves in an academic environment, it is important that we clearly define the key words in the topic of the lecture. In so doing, all of us will better appreciate both the unique direction and emphasis that we hope to establish as we proceed.

Youth Empowerment

Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, describes the concept of youth empowerment as “attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and adults.”

According to the portal, youth empowerment is often addressed as a gateway to intergenerational equity, civic engagement and democracy building. Many local, state provincial, regional, national, and international government agencies and nonprofit community-based organizations provide programmes centred on youth empowerment. Activities involved therein may focus on youth-led media, youth rights, youth councils, youth activism, youth involvement in community decisionmaking, and other methods.

The phrase comprises all efforts geared towards enhancement of life through the pursuit of goals that lead to the realization of innate potential. Any assistance or intervention that facilitates the process by financial or nonfinancial mechanisms is a form of empowerment. It could be from individuals, foundations, corporate citizens, the organized private sector or international donor agencies.

Good Governance

According to web definitions, Good Governance is an indeterminate term used in international development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources. Governance is “the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented”.

There is no single exhaustive definition. Simply put, it is being responsive to present and future needs, being transparent and accountable, effective and equitable in the management of national wealth, among other things.

Economic Development

Economic Development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policy makers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area. Economic development can also be referred to as the quantitative and qualitative changes in the economy.

I crave your indulgence to dwell mostly on this first leg of the theme because on it rests

Global Assistance

Kalu

the composite elements of this lecture. All the political parties in Nigeria have one provision or another that seeks to promote youth empowerment - which is also a key component of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which every country, excluding the U.S. and Somalia, is a signatory.

A lot of youth-based activities take place all over the world – be it in homes, at schools, through youth organizations, government policy-making and various community initiatives involving young men and women.

Therefore, Great Lions and Lionesses should be involved in popular education. What do I mean by this? Nowadays, unemployment has become a global challenge with the implication that years after graduation, there are very few jobs for our teeming population of fresh graduates from different streams of educational pursuits. In the light of this borderless problem, it has become imperative for undergraduates and postgraduate students to embrace entrepreneurship.

Anyone who goes through the tertiary institution should work towards self-employment and even recruitment of others, depending on the nature and scope of the business or enterprise. In fact, the threshold has gone beyond self-employment. The latest trend is to have multiple streams of income whether as an employee or an employer. Naturally, we are all insatiable. There is the burning desire to keep growing our income base, resources, investments and financial portfolios generally.

The society has become so competitive that one source of income or none at all could be disastrous.

Life after Graduation

Just as the nation is struggling to diversify after more than 52 years of catastrophic dependence on oil, I implore you to begin to think outside of the traditional assumptions – the false assumption that university education or degree certification is the key to a bed of roses!

That has become a part of our centennial history. The reality on ground calls for creativity in the engagement of your years of scholarship hereafter because the opportunities out there are so limited that even a first-class degree does no longer guarantee automatic employment, let alone other classes of a bachelor’s degree. Age and professionalism are there to contend with, too. Indeed, the more connected you are to the movers and shakers of society, the more professional mobility, success and ultimate self-dependence is assured. This is a tragic truth but our society has sustained this nonsense to the point where it counts far more than your educational attainment!

If I had the opportunity to entitle this lecture, I would have chosen “self-empowerment’ and not what we have here which seems to generalize and almost water down the critical circumstance of this matter (I say this with great respect to the originator of the topic). You see, I am not an academician. I am a practical man engaged in the merciless world of cut-throat international business. There is no kindness, sympathy or generosity out there.

Survival is no longer a collective or communal thing - each individual must personally and fundamentally sort out himself or herself before seeking external interventions, which may not even be available in most circumstances.

A fortnight ago, the World Bank committed $160 million to the employment and growth project geared towards the development of enterprises in Nigeria. In the same breath, the United Kingdom Department of International Development is providing a grant of $100 million for the same project. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, who made this known while inaugurating an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the project, said the impact of this would manifest in six months from now. He explained that the project is aimed at job creation and increased growth in specific high potential value chain sectors. The project, which is expected to run from June 2014 to September 2018, will create a minimum of about 460,000 jobs. It is estimated that 110,000 of that will be direct employment and about 350,000 will be indirect.

But the larger question is: how many graduates do Nigerian higher institutions turn out yearly? What fraction can be absorbed by this commendable intervention? This remains a tangential solution. In a recent study by Prof.

Pat Utomi of the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, he stated in his findings that it takes up to 10 years before 10 per cent of a stream of graduates will all be employed.

Youth unemployment is one of the biggest social problems in Nigeria with only about 50 per cent of people in that bracket either gainfully employed or, in most cases, underemployed. The situation is so bad that nobody keeps statistics of it anymore. Even the figures released occasionally by agencies such as the National Bureau of Statistics and National Directorate of Employment (NDE) are taken with disdainful pinch of salt because there is usually no correlation between such data and the reality on the ground. Other countries put ascent on this by monitoring unemployment rates. In Nigeria, there is an indifferent attitude

57

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

For the Record

Veritable Tools for Economic Development to issues pertaining to unemployment.

It is possible to make the claim that only in Nigeria do thousands of graduates of tertiary institutions remain unemployed years after graduation. This is worsened by the fact that each year, we have a surfeit of graduates from different types of citadels. There is no deliberate effort, it seems, to tackle this social menace as more and more prospective higher institutions get licensed without any commensurate provision for employment upon graduation.

The implication of this is that graduates enter the real world without any idea of what the future holds in store for them due to systemic planlessness by the government and other stakeholders for more than 5 decades.

This intervention is highly commendable and I hope that government would not abdicate its part of the social contract. How this fund is managed would determine the success profile of this initiative.

Going by the scope of this capital injection, in the services sector we have the information and communication technology burgeoning sub-sector, wholesale and retail trade, hospitality and tourism. All these areas would create a lot of jobs and have potentialities for growth. It is noteworthy that the World Bank has identified these areas of strong influence in the economy that would present a lot of employment. According to Aganga, the project has been put in place supported by the two agencies to remove the obstacles to growth in those sectors and increase the competitiveness of these sectors, which is a key element in any industrial revolution.

I hope, as Aganga has assured Nigerians, that the project would fund localized infrastructure and address gaps in fibre optics backbone for Nigeria to compete in the global marketplace. The poor quality of service of the telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria for which the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) sanctioned them last week should also be tackled with this fund. We must get it right at home before venturing into the international arena.

Government’s belief that the project will equally evolve a new business model that would provide technical assistance and linkage services to the small producers in the targeted sectors to enable them supply local and global supermarkets chain and also support local construction companies to improve quality, low-cost innovation and production standards culminating in the overall improvement of the business environment can only be realised if the entire scope of this project is pursued vigorously.

With this project, I am rest assured that a new developmental paradigm has been introduced into Nigeria’s entrepreneurial pursuits and the creation of jobs for our teeming unemployed youth much more guaranteed to some extent.

It is interesting to note that the Commonwealth of Nations has a Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (2007-2015) which underscores the work of the Commonwealth Youth Programme that declares thus: “Young people are empowered when they acknowledge that they have or can create choices in life, are aware of the implications of those choices, make an informed decision freely, take action

the ability of a government to realize people’s human rights and deliver sustainable and equitable development. Good governance is derived through transparency, accountability, participation and responsiveness to the needs of the poor and attentive to the aspirations of the youth.

Economic Development

Kalu

based on that decision and accept responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

Empowering young people means creating and supporting the enabling conditions under which young people can act on their own behalf, and on their own terms, rather than at the direction of others.”

Good Governance

Good governance is absolutely critical to the entrenchment of strong institutions in any society. Strong institutions lead to due process.

Due process leads to discipline which is manifest in both the governors and the governed.

Societal discipline leads to the enthronement of merit, equal opportunities, justice and fair play. And you will all agree with me that a disciplined society is one in which corruption, both in its broad and narrow sense, will have little or no oxygen with which to thrive and flourish.

In such a society, not only the youth segment will be empowered. Every strata of society will be empowered. National development will be taken for granted. Individual development or self-enhancement will grow organically and with no impediments except the natural limitations assigned to us by God at creation. In such a state of affairs, what we would have been discussing here today would be the Sustenance of the Gains of Youth Empowerment and Aiming for the Stars.

You would all record the headline that exploded on the front pages of almost every major national newspaper in this country on March 1, 2013: “Nigeria Lost $400bn to Corruption in 33 Years, says Ministry Official.” Now, you must have in mind that this staggering pile of cash was stolen between 1966 and 1999, according to the reports. The figure from 1999 to March 11, 2014 is as yet not quantified or ascertained. I urge you now to unleash your imagination.

And as you do so, bear in mind that this nation has earned more revenue between 1999 and the first quarter of 2014 than it did in all the previous year of independence put together. I urge you again to unleash your imagination.

What do you figure?

There is a reason why the apple falls from the tree. It is called gravity – an irresistible force of nature which truly encapsulates the essence of cause and effect. There is a reason why Nigeria is where it is today and why the future of young people is so desperately blighted. It is not just about the government in power today. It is about systemic rottenness at the heart of our wretched republic right from October 1, 1960.

Ladies and gentlemen, speaking as a business man with over three decades of multiple portfolio experience, I can authoritatively tell you that a judicious use of $400 billion would have given us the Asian Tiger economy of our dreams, or the Dubai miracle of our prayers, or the Brazilian self-sufficiency of our aspirations.

Again, in such circumstances, your collective future of realised potentialities and life affirmation would have been guaranteed long before you were even born. It is a great tragedy that my generation, and the two generations that went before mine failed you and failed our potentially great nation.

Good governance is cardinal to the attainment of development while true participatory democracy ensures that development is equitable and sustainable. Public institutions need to be able to manage public resources and conduct public affairs in a manner that is free of corruption and abuse; in a manner that upholds the rule of law and that protects and promotes the realization of the rights of all citizens.

The true measure of good governance is

Economic development can only be possible when Youth Empowerment and Good Governance are firmly rooted. Once there are gaps in either of them, addressing economic development may be difficult, if not impossible. The two factors are intertwined and in them lies the foundation for economic transformation. If we do not get our act together at this level, any pursuit of economic development may be a futile exercise as those are the props on which a nation grows. The human capital and the policy framework are the cannons for any meaningful and sustainable development. And as long as there is corruption, economic development may remain a mirage.

We must all work towards the eradication of poverty because its gives rise to crass accumulation of ill-gotten wealth by a few to the detriment of the majority of citizens.

The Nigerian government must keep to its side of the social contract with its citizens.

Abdicating its responsibilities with regard to terrorism, functional education, health, economic development generally, youth empowerment, the people’s social well-being, security, combating corruption, mediating in conflicts, conserving the environment and even battling HIV/AIDS and sexuallytransmitted infections, which affect the youth most, is the antithesis of the essence of leadership.

Conclusion

For there to be any credible economic development, governments at all levels must empower the youth and at all cost ensure that there is good governance without which there can be no significant transformation.

The three constituents of the subject of this lecture, as I have pointed out, must synergize if we are to make any national progress. They are like a tripod: once one leg is malfunctioning, it affects the other two legs. Similarly, if two of the props which are the veritable tools for economic development are weak, the remaining one cannot stand at all. And in Nigeria’s current case, the three legs are feeble!

Again, I must thank everyone here for the privilege of addressing you and for the esteemed audience granted me. It gladdens my heart that this kind of interactive forum will throw up ideas on the path forward for our country, particularly as it affects our youth and their future.

Finally, I hope that the undergraduates in this hall would have set their minds at work by re-engineering their thought processes such that they will begin to see themselves as prospective employers of labour—and not endless job-seekers. If the target population here leaves this hall without redefining their economic goals in life and the methodologies for accomplishing them as espoused here, then this session would have been in vain.

I am confident it will not be because of the inherent benefits espoused.

I thank you all once more.

News Cleric cautions opposition politicians p.59

Sermon Your attitude contributes to success -Izuchukwu p.63 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

16 MARCH 2014

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/faith

TAI ANYANWU, titus.anyanwu@newtelegraphonline.com 0706 438 0029

58

Faith ON SUNDAY

Yenagoa stands still for Pastor Kumuyi TAI ANYANWU

Y

enagoa the Bayelsa State Capital went agog recently when the founder and General Superintendent (G S) of Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry Pastor Williams F. Kumuyi, ar-

rived the Deeper Life Camp ground Okutukutu in the state.

Shouts of joy rented the air as his spiritual sons and daughters rolled out the drums to welcome the man of God. A long trail of people followed the jeep that conveyed Kumuyi; many were seen tapping the vehicles in the belief that they could get healing, deliverance and breakthroughs just by touching

Kumuyi

RCCG parish to train 1,000 youths Tof God, Promised Land Parish, he Redeemed Christian Church

Ebute Meta, Lagos has announced that it will generate resources to train 1,000 unemployed or underemployed youths.

This pledge was contained in a statement by the Pastor in Charge, RCCG, Promised Land, Femi Obaweya who also announced plans to hold the 4th Edition of Light Up the Nation from March 15 to 16 (yesterday and today).

According to Obaweya, the 2014 Edition of LUTN would be special in that it would be used to generate resources to train the youths.

“There is also a Corporate Social Responsibility dimension to

the LUTN vision.

“In addition, to the spiritual perspective to impart practical steps in making us better ambassadors of the kingdom and also by extension our nation, we also intend to generate resources to conduct capacity building training for 1,000 youths who would be empowered to launch out and add value to the society through productive enterprise,” Obaweya added.

Light Up the Nation was founded as a platform to help transform the nation through building of capacity and modelling of positive leadership behaviour.

“This programme is our little contribution in helping develop

the human resource that we are so blessed with in our nation. As a pastor of a young, vibrant and growing church, I see an opportunity to help prepare our people to take up the mantle of leadership, realising that the bane of our society is that our leaders are not adequately prepared for the challenges in our unique socio/cultural environment,” he added.

The 2014 LUTN kicked off yesterday with a Special Lecture and Dinner meant for paying and invited guests and then a Special Sunday service for the general public.

Several high profile speakers were also lined up to address the theme of the programme, which is, ‘Serv-

ing a Greater Purpose’.

Prominent among the speakers are: Pastor Femi Atoyebi (SAN), Pastor-in-charge of RCCG Lagos Province 2 and Principal Partner, Femi Atoyebi & Co. Solicitors in Shipping & and Pastor Itua Ighodalo, Senior Pastor, Trinity House Church and Partner at SIAO -a firm of Chartered Accountants and Management Consultants.

Obaweya called on the public to support the vision of the LUTN. He quoted a foremost American labour leader, Walter P. Reuther, as saying, “There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men.

There is no greater contribution than to help the weak.”

Trinity House opens ICT training centre

T

he Trinity House, a non-denominational worship centre, has opened an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) academy to help citizens develop foundational skills.

According to the church’s Senior Pastor, Ituah Ighodalo, the project is part of its objectives of bringing the impact of Christianity beyond Christians and the immediate church and into the larger society.

Speaking at the formal opening of the institution in Lagos on Tuesday, the cleric Olukoya stated that the Trinity Academy is an

authorised training partner of Cisco Networking Academy that specialises in providing stateof-the-art technical training on all popular Cisco and Microsoft IT certifications.

He noted that this would provide prospective students the opportunity of training with the highest quality source materials and the latest products and technologies.

The training centre, he said, would be opened to the general public, including nonmembers of the church.

“For businesses, it means getting the highest return on their training invest-

ments.

“Trinity House runs a series of independent, non-governmental, non-partisan forums and programmes, of which Trinity Academy is one, that enables it to engage the larger Nigerian society and helps in achieving one of its cardinal objectives of transforming the nation,” he said.

According to him, the non-denominational, free flow Christian worship centre powered with a vision to build leaders and professionals intends to ‘take the church out of church’ to meet the people and their needs and to build a people of impact and influence and to make

Pastor Kumuyi’s vehicle.

The G S was in the state capital to intimate the press about the twoday Crusade programme titled ‘Going Up Higher’ which was slated for the weekend in the state capital city.

Hence, he went about the business after acknowledged the impressive reception mounted by his numerous God sons and daughters.

Giving a brief remark, Pastor Kumuyi urged everyone to find a place in their hearts to partner with God with a view to bring Salvation to the world. “Those that will partake in the crusade will grow from where they are to where they ought to be,” the man of God assured.

His words: “There is nothing so close that you cannot have it better.

So I believe that every one that will participate or have the chance to partner with God in this crusade would have gotten their deliverance and breakthrough.”

He said that there would be greater manifestation of God’s power as people gather at the programme pointing out that he came straight to the press briefing from Owerri where a lot of miracles had taken place during a similar crusade which was attended by the Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha.

Kumuyi affirmed that God’s anointing and power was still sufficient in his life adding that the anointing of god would be made manifest as he stepped his feet on the land. “Greater things will happen in this land, to the glory of God;” he said.

Kumuyi urged the people of Nigeria to remain unruffled over the menace of Boko Haram adding that God himself would solve the situation.

He also expressed hope that the Nigerian people would make it a priority to elect only credible candidates in the coming election.

That, he said was the essence of democracy.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2014

What is your excess luggage (2) I

t is sad that many people are happy only when they come to the church; but when they get back to their homes the happiness dissolves into oblivion. People are indeed carrying excess luggage and they have no idea how they would get rid of it.

I went to a place called Nneato for a deliverance programme. And the Lord said to me, “Go for morning cry (early morning preaching).”

It had been a long time since I did morning cry. But the burden was too great that I decided to go on morning cry. So I told my aides that we are going for morning cry. They laughed and asked, “Daddy, why morning cry now?”

I informed them that the Lord wants me to do that now.

With that I took my Bible and proceeded. The first day of the morning cry, I ministered on the love of Christ. The second day, I preached again on the love of Christ. Very early the third day, I preached on the same topic. As I was preaching between 4am and 5amthat morning, I saw a light approaching my direction. As it came closer, I said aloud, ‘Jesus is Lord’, wondering if a demon was about to attack.

Songs of praise burst from my mouth and I found myself binding and casting every demonic or Satanic manifestation against my mission in the name of Jesus. I soon discovered that it was an elderly woman of about 75 years old, who supported herself with a walking stick that was bearing the light. She kept coming toward me and almost ran into me.

When she got close, she yelled, “Shut up; and don’t talk what you don’t know.”

I replied, “Mummy, what are you saying? I am preaching about Jesus Christ.

“Don’t mention that name,” she snapped; adding, “That man is very wicked.”

I said to her, “Do you know what you are saying? I am talking about the one that was crucified on the cross of Calvary.”

She said, “Don’t mind Him. He did not die for me. That

man is very wicked; there is no atom of goodness in that man.” At that point, I asked her if she wanted to attract a curse upon herself.

She snapped again. “Stop talking. Do you want me to prove it to you? You that preach the love of Christ follow me so that you may get some understanding.” I followed her sheepishly and when we got to her house, she pointed to her thatched house, saying, “Look at where I am living.”

She pointed to a nearby uncompleted building and asked if I could see it and I said, “Yes.” She explained that her first son started to build the house but died before he could take it to a reasonable level. “I gave birth to nine boys; they grew up to be huge and handsome boys. My first son died when the block setting was only at the third coach,” she added.

The Mama recalled that after dinner she chatted like mother and son before he told her that he was going to bed. They then bade each other goodnight.

At about 2 am in the night, she continued, her son began to scream, “My head o-o-o; my head o-o-o.”

The old woman said she could not force the son’s door open to offer any assistance. She said she sought help from neighbours but before they could arise from their slumber and come to her aid the first son was already dead. She said that several months went by before she could recover from the shock because that son was the pillar of the house.

After eight months, the second son came to console the mother and promised to finish the building that was started by his elder brother so that the mama could find better shelter to rest her aging body. That second son took the building to lintel level and went to buy iron rods for the beams, but on his way back he died in a ghastly motor accident.

“I cried ‘God, why? What is my offence? Even though

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I sinned against you; won’t you have mercy on me? God why do you want me to die empty handed’.”

The woman said she cried aloud because the shock was too much for her. As it were, the third son came up after his two elder brothers had died and were buried. He refused to have anything to do with the house which his elder brothers attempted to build and all died. “He said to me, “Mummy, I am starting a new house. You will live in a good house.”

But alas, the third son died when the second house was barely out of foundation level. The fourth son decided to marry and give the old woman grand children. Three days to his wedding, he was travelling from Lagos to his home town for the wedding; and out of the 14 passengers in transit, the fourth son was the only one that died.

“Mr. Preacher that preaches the love of Christ, I have them nine. Each year, I bury somebody and now there is only one remaining. Come and see him,” the woman said.

I followed her to the back yard where I saw an ebony black huge young man in chains. He was raving mad.

The woman said, “That is what your loving Jesus left for me. Now tell me; if you are in my shoes, would you say that man is good?” But looking at the woman I saw someone carrying excess luggage.

I was moved to pray like I never did before. I prayed for hours and in the fourth hour of prayer, the Lord opened my eyes and I saw where something was buried. It was now around 10am and people had woken up. We got the people to dig up the spot. A pig clay pot was dug up and nine images were found inside the clay pot tied with a piece of cloth.

I said to the mama that those images represent her nine boys tied together with a grave cloth. Then I continued to pray fervently, took out a bottle of anointing oil and poured on the images. I set fire on the images.

Cleric cautions opposition politicians TAI ANYANWU

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residing Pastor of Pentecostal Sanctuary Bible Ministries, Prophet Sunday ‘Dare Iyunade has cautioned opposition political parties in the country to exercise discretion in their criticism of the government at the centre.

He lambasted the opposition “for making noise about the programmes of the present government,” saying that those that are making noise have their hands full of blood.

He stressed that those pointing accusing fingers at others are more dangerous to the nation and that they will pocket the nation if they get to power. “They are not sincere; they are not making the noise because of their love for the country.

“They are being pushed by their love for wealth and power, and not love for Nigeria. I don’t see anyone of them as being sincere. It would have been nice for Nigeria if we had a very strong and sincere opposition,” he said.

Iyunade, who was speaking at an event to mark the18th Anniversary and 12th Annual Convention of the Ministry with the theme; ‘Be Prepared,’ and which holds between March 23rd and 29th, 2014, said that the nation will

Pastor Iyunade

soon overcome it’s present challenges.

He said: “The insincerity of our leaders is much; we need a new breed of leaders. We should not blame Christians that are not participating in politics; the political atmosphere is not conducive for Christians. Christians believe in dialogue and peace, we don’t believe in killings, which is why Boko Haram sect is having a field day.

“If anybody commits murder, we will disown the person unlike other religions. The environment we found ourselves is not conducive

at all,” he stated.

On the National Conference put together by the Federal Government, Prophet Iyunade said that it will solidify the unity of the country, and that the northerners wanted to reduce the number of Christians with the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram, which he said is not possible.

“There should be freedom of religion; freedom of movement, the confab will give us an opportunity to discuss as a nation. The issue of our freedom must be discussed there. It was God that opened the door for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to emerge as Nigerian president. He built the church that we have in Aso Rock now, see the time the mosque had been there. That shows to us that Christians are being marginalized in Nigeria.

“When you see the money the government is spending on sponsoring people on pilgrimage to Mecca every year and compare it to the one they are spending to send people to Jerusalem on pilgrimage, you will see that they are cheating Christians,” he emphasised.

He said that the theme of the church’s anniversary; ‘Be Prepared,’ was chosen because ‘many Christians are neither preparing nor

prepared. He told us the signs of His coming in Mathew 24, when the disciples asked Jesus certain germane questions to which he gave them answers. The truth is that the coming of the Lord is closer. In Mathew 24: 3, during a personal discussion, the disciples asked Jesus three pertinent questions. These questions were meant to give them the privilege of having both an insight and foresight into the signs of His return and when the things shall be. Their questions were in threefold: 1. When shall this be. 2. What shall be the signs of His coming? 3. What shall be the signs of the end of the world,” he said.

Going personal, Prophet Iyunade revealed that he gave his life to Christ at a tender age and that since then, he has never looked back.

“Many pastors nurtured me in churches like The Apostolic Church, Apostolic Faith and Deeper Christian Life Ministry. I am not an angel, but I am trying all I could do to remain in the Lord. In 1986, God told me I would establish a church, but I served under authority till 1990,” he revealed.

He said that he didn’t regret answering the call of God, but that he has encountered many challenges in life.

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MARCH 16, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

Faith

Is Easter a Christian celebration?

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am happy each time we have opportunity to study the word of God. The word of God is the spiritual food every one of us needs to grow spiritually and to live predominantly on earth.

This week, we want to look at the topic: ‘Easter and Passover: Which is a Christian celebration?’ Lots of people are going extra lengths and preparing to celebrate the Easter in as grandeous a manner as possible. The atmosphere is charged as the media is awash with talks about the festivities while marketers and corporate entities and offer tantalising bonanzas.

But should Christians celebrate Easter? Many do not know the foundation of Easter and that is why it is necessary for us to examine this important topic.

Before we go on, I urge you to keep an open heart.

Do not write me off as a fanatic. I am a Christian; and quite frankly, Christians must be careful not to make a mistake. If you read the book of Deuteronomy 12:2932, you see the Lord’s admonition. Verse 32 says: “Be careful not to move away from the instruction that has been given to you.” Make sure that you keep the commandment as instructed. But many people have deviated from the original instruction of what Easter really is.

In the book of Mathew 26: 17-20, the Bible says that Jesus commanded His apostles to find a place where they would celebrate the Passover. And when the apostles found a hall in verses 26-29, the Master broke bread, blessed it and gave to the apostles and said “Eat; this is my flesh, the new covenant that is shared for many. And he took the wine as well and blessed and said; “Drink; this is my blood for the new covenant, which is shed for many.”

Also, in the book of 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26, you

see the account of Apostle Paul. Apostle Paul was not among the first 12. But when he came out by revelation, he received the correct instruction on how Christians should celebrate the Passover. He said: “I received it of the Lord in the same night that Jesus Christ was crucified that He took bread, blessed it and gave to His disciples.” Nobody taught Apostle Paul about what happened that day; but by the spirit he was instructed. He was not there, but he was correct.

He did not mix anything, he did not remove and he did not add. That shows that the accounts of Mathew and the account in 1 Corinthians are correct. And that is how today Christians should celebrate our own Passover.

Passover rather than Easter is the festival that is Biblically approved. At this moment, we shall X-ray the Passover and Easter, and we shall examine which of the two festivals is actually a Christian practice.

Many of you may not know and I want to open your eyes of understanding right away. First, Easter has to do with Easter painted egg; two Easter burning gallows or Easter rabbit Easter and Easter sunrise service.

On the other hand, Passover has to do with unleavened bread, red wine and washing of one other’s feet.

Have you seen the difference between the two? You still may not have noticed. But how did Easter come to be? You might have heard that Easter had a pagan origin. In fact, new Catholic encyclopaedia volume five of 1967 on Page 867 talks about the early Christian faith. That particular page acknowledged that Jesus Christ and His disciples never celebrated Easter. I urge you to go and read it; you can also access the encyclopaedia on the internet by clicking page 867.

Prophetic Unction by

Samuel Daniel

www.globalgraceonline.org, 08060143296.

It also states that early Christians did not celebrate Easter in their time; because the Bible, in Deuteronomy Chapter 12, clearly states how God wants us to worship Him. If Easter is not a Christian celebration how then did it come to be enthroned? Before then, you need to ask five important questions concerning Easter.

First, Easter cannot be found in the Scriptures. Though the New King James Version has included it, the original King James did not have it.

What is in the Scriptures originally is Passover; but translators have added the word Easter in the Bible. The second point is that Easter was never instituted by God; three, Easter was not sanctioned by Christ. The fourth point is that the apostles never taught about Easter and five, Easter was never observed by the early church.

Now, have you ever asked what rabbit and egg have to do with Christ’s death and resurrection? Egg symbolises spring season, the beginning and wet season of the year in Europe. Egg represents fertility in the context it was used. Pagans used egg

You will soon graduate

“For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning”. Ps 30:5 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” II Tim 2:3

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here is an institution (of learning) that is established by the Godhead. The motto is found in the book of II Tim 2:3. There is a solemn charge to us as Christians, and this is to endure hardness, even as a good soldier of Christ. Strange as this may sound, this institution runs on His infallible word and the Chancellor is God the Father Himself.

There is no gain without its corresponding pain; let me try to make it clearer by citing the conventional educational system as an example which runs various programmes ranging from diploma to degree courses, masters even to doctorate. Each of these comes with its own academic calendar, the durations of

which also differ and which of course constitute a function of the course or programme enrolled for. So also, in the above university of divinity, the magnitude of your destiny determines the duration of your ‘years of training’ before your shining forth in life.

This institution in question has no regard or preference whatsoever for personality, intelligence, prayer, fasting or even tears. Just as every course in any educational system has its time frame so does your candidature in this university only become authenticated when you can patiently endure to graduate. No one is exempted from this school as it is a must for everyone.

All through the Scriptures, there was never a promise of good beginning rather an expected and glorious end (Jer 29:11). Isn’t this humorous? That is the nature of the God we serve, though this reversal trend is foolishness to the world but to us believers, this is a mystery (II Cor 2:9-11). Many believers today are complaining because of their present condition, some have even concluded that it is a school of affliction. The wilderness experience is a state in which God delays answers to prayers or one is denied the best of life. Beloved, this position or understanding is somewhat erroneous and it’s from the pit of hell. ‘The path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day’ (Provs 4:18). All the prophecies you have heard about your life are not enough to stop you from passing through

this school. The promises of God to the Israelites were only a means to an end and not an end in itself. In Exodus 15:23, on their way to the Promised Land (which was supposed to be flowing with milk and honey), they got to Marah, a place of bitter waters - what an paradox! Of course, Marah was not part of the promise in itself though it was factored into the process.

No matter how glorious your destiny might be, God will only reveal His plan and show to you the expected end; but he would conceal the process. The reason for this is simple, if you are let into the process, you would simply give up. The making of every good thing you see is often unpleasant. At the back of every ‘star’ there are scars. This is where enrolling into this university becomes a necessity. God’s objective about this is to make you strong, bold and confident. All the heroes and ‘generals’ of faith were one time or the other students in this university but they all were able to finish well.

My prayer for you is that you will end well in Jesus name. Even Jesus, the King of all kings, was not exempted.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” Phil 3:10.

If Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, was not spared but had to pass through this ‘university’, then there is no escape for you. But I pray for you that you will come out successful in the name of Jesus.

to worship the God of fertility at sunrise and that is how sunrise came to be during Easter period. The Bible of course did not tell us that Jesus rose at sunrise but rather that very early before day break, the King of glory rose from the grave. Have you now seen that? If anybody tells you to go to Easter service at sunrise, be careful because you might be worshiping that pagan God of fertility any time you do that. In the book of John 20:12, you will see that Jesus resurrected early in the morning while it was yet dark. Mathew 28: 1and 2 also say so.

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus before day break.

The name ‘Easter’ was derived from an ancient goddess called Ishtar or Ashtoreth as it was called in Israel that time. In the book of 1 King 11: 5 and 33, the Bble called that goddess of fertility the god of the Zedonians; and God warned the children not to worship that god. They children of God should not even ask how Ashtoreth is being worship because it might make the people of God to deviate from the ways of the Lord.

Interestingly, this ‘university’ is more or less a test or revealer of your faith or doubt, courage or cowardice, prowess or timidity. My prayer is that you will graduate in Jesus name. Apostle Paul; Joseph who later became a prime minister in a foreign land; Esther, a queen in a Gentile nation; or is it Daniel, an adviser to many Babylonian kings all passed through this. It might be too late to quit now because you are already getting close to your glory and crown. When you graduate, you become a sought-after; this will be your testimony in the name of Jesus.

For you to successfully graduate from this university, you need to be mindful of the following: * Do not murmur – I Cor 10:10. * Do not forget that God is with you even in that condition – Heb 13:5. * Looking for short-cuts in life will only cut your life short. Do not think of going after beggarly powers in the name of finding alternatives – Isa 45:20. * Always remember that God’s promises to you are neither shaken nor compromised. If you do not wait on God, you will be wasted in life – Isa 43:2-16, 19.

Prayer points * My season of unending pain and sorrow, expire now by fire! * Powers from my father’s and mother’s house prolonging my miracle, crash-land now by fire! * As the Lord lives, I will not break down at the edge of my breakthrough! * Fountains of bitterness in my life,

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Faith

Word of FAITH by by

Apostle Clement Apostle Clement Ogbonna Ogbonna apostleofgraceinwof2010@gmail.com, apostleofgraceinwo 08036774737

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father is the male parent of a child; a person who is acting as the father to a child. Fatherhood is therefore the state of being a father.

The concept of fatherhood began in the Garden of Eden with the first and foremost father, Adam. He has his first two sons: Cain and Abel. It is written: And Adam knew Eve his wife: And she conceived, and bare Cain and said, I have gotten a man. From the Lord, Genesis 4:1 The conception and delivery of Cain and Abel began after the serpent deceived Adam and Eve. So, Adam became a father and lived with his children. After Cain, however, murdered Abel, Adam had other children male and female.

In Genesis 4:17, Cain got married and had his own children and became a father also.

In the early stage of life, especially in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, we are presented with inter-family marriage relationships. Male children were highly celebrated so as to stand in the gap for a dying or a dead father. Many male children delivered by the ancient fathers grew up, got married, had their own children and became fathers themselves. So the moment a man is married and has a child through his wife, he is known as a father. Of course, he names the child and begins to train him or her in the way he or she should go. He impacts on the child, grooms the child, trains the child and possibly establishes the child to be strong, reliable, independent, productive, useful and helpful.

A father plays a greater role in the upbringing of a child.

What he does or does not do informs or misinforms the child, makes or mars the child, establishes or destroys the child. A child, male or female, learns and copies a lot from his or her father. Most spoilt children blame their fathers for

being careless over their training and corrections. Solomon said, “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Proverbs 29:15.

So, this scripture tells us that a father in particular has so many roles to play in the training of his child. In verse 17 of the same chapter, it is written: Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

So, a good father has to invest so much in his child so as to receive delight and pleasures in old age. Correct your child when he does anything wrong; with the right hand, discipline him and with the left hand draw him back to yourself. It can be painful to hear the cry of a baby, especially when he is being corrected but gainful when he is doing well. In the book of Proverbs 4, we see Solomon sitting with his children for a meeting, guiding and directing their lives.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me; let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments: and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not: neither decline from the word of my mouth.

Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee. Love her, and her shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding………

Verse 1:7 No wonder Solomon became the wisest in the world in his generation. His father was his teacher. Did you read the above scripture very well? He said that he was his father’s ‘beloved.’ Now, I know why of all the male children of David,

Revelational LOVE by

Franca Anyanwu

08033408354 or email: francaanyawu@gmail.com

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ne of the major reasons why people don’t do anything at all is because they spend their time fantasising about what they would like to do instead of focusing on what they could do at the moment. What really matters if not that you are doing what you can do. God will not ask you why you didn’t do what you can’t do.

Success is being able to do what you can do at every given moment.

One of the lessons I have learned by being in the Ministry is how to live one day at time: doing the things I can every day and postponing the ones I can’t until I can. This is a very beautiful lesson for me because most times, we want to do everything at the same and we end up doing nothing at all.

The woman in our text did what she could. In other words, she discovered what she could do and did it.

She did not try to do what Peter could do or what Judas could do. Jesus said, “She did what she could.” Have you

Blessings of fathers and agony of the fatherless

discovered what you can do? What you can do is what you are able to do or what you have a capacity and ability to do. The first step to doing what you can is knowing you can really do it.

Everyone should discover what they can do and spend the rest of their lives doing it. This woman discovered her jar, she didn’t have enough money to bring it out. She had a jar of very expensive perfume to break. Your success, liberation or breakthrough depend only on what you have the ability to do.

The Zarephat widow in her encounter with Elijah said, “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; and, behold , I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it from me and my son, that we may eat it and die (1King 17:12).

She ignored what she could not do and did what she could, “I have not a

he was the only one that was qualified to wear the crown of kingship - the son of a harlot. He was always close to his father and was able to learn of his ancient wisdom and administration. He learnt how to and how not to fight wars. He learnt the doctrine and the law of David. David inspired him to go for wisdom, knowledge and understanding instead of fame and money. This influenced his choice of prayer request to God when he took over the palace and throne as king. In 2 Chronicles 1:6-11, it is written: And Solomon went up tither to the brazen altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God. Thou hast showed great mercy unto David my father; and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now O LORD GOD, let thy promise unto David my father be established; for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

David took the risk of fighting Goliath because of some material gains; “freeing his family from paying taxes in Israel, marrying the king’s first daughter and taking possession of a half of the kingdom of Israel.” But Solomon asked for a spiritual blessing called WISDOM, which David his father taught him is the manufacturer of all good tidings. Solomon told his children that the secret of his wisdom depended on his cordial relationship with his father. He loved his father, believed in him, obeyed him, served him, cared for him and that made David to show him the secret of success.

Use it if you have it

cake; she said, but a handful of meal.”

This Zarephat widow did what she could and the result was amazing. She had a choice to whine and complain about what she did not have or could not do; but she chose to recognise what she had and talk about it with all sincerity.

It has been said that a bird at hand is worth a thousand in the bush. What can you do now to make a difference? What are your talents, skills and potentials? Have you discovered them or are you still trying to experiment with your time, life and energy? The woman in Mark Chapter fourteen could not break the jar until she discovered that she had it.

Discover your jar Your jar in this context represents those things which you possess that others don’t. It might be a talent, a skill, a gift or a kind heart.

Dr. Mike Murdock calls it ‘Your difference.’

Dr. Myles Muroe calls it ‘Your potential.’

Dr. John Maxwell calls it ‘Your talent.’

I don’t know what you call it but I am going to refer to it in this context as ‘The Jar.’ The woman in context discovered her difference (what she had that others didn’t) and that made all the difference. She had a jar of very expensive perfume.

What do you have now that can change your life and the lives of those around you? What has God blessed you with in abundance? What is your jar? You have to discover it before you can use it. One of the great tragedies of life is to live with an undiscovered gift, talent or purpose. Anything that is not discovered

will not be appreciated and anything that is not appreciated will not produce results. Discovery is the first step to productivity.

Knowing and using what you have will transport you to a different class of life - “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

(Proverbs 18:16).

Everyone is blessed with a wonderful gift or talent from God, but not everyone has discovered their gift.

It is very important that you discover your gifts, develop them into skills and use them to bless the world around you and leave a positive standard for posterity.

How will you discover your own jar? You have three simple and practical steps to discovering your ‘jar.’

Listen to yourself Take an inventory. To discover your gifts and talents, you will need to ask yourself some serious and sincere questions about yourself. Most of the answers we look for in life are already hidden inside our hearts.

Your spirit knows something that your mind is yet to capture. It will take a serious inventory and meditation to search it out. Look inward! Ask the right questions and the right answers will emerge.

You may need to start with the following questions: What do I do very well? What do I enjoy doing?

What do I do with ease? What comes naturally to me?

What do people appreciate most about me? What are people willing to pay me for? What makes me lose track of time? What would I be willing to do for the rest of my life without being paid?

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/ Faith Sermon Interview

What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

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eloved, the Almighty God has entrusted every one of us with a soul of inestimable and invaluable worth, capable of being saved or lost to eternity. It is very clear that the gain of the whole world is not comparable with the loss of one precious soul. Thus, the loss of a soul is inconceivable, and if it is lost it is irrecoverable. Many people have made costly mistakes in their lives by mortgaging their souls because of earthly things.

1 Cor. 7:29 – 31 “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

The things of this world are not there forever. The glory of this world passes away. All the things of this world, whatever we can see with our physical eyes and even our very flesh, shall not enter into the kingdom of God. We are in the world but must not depend upon it. We must not seek happiness in it but in God. We are allowed to use everything therein only in such a manner and degree as most tends to the knowledge and love of God. This is because

the whole scheme and fashion of this world, including marrying, dancing, weeping, rejoicing, eating and all the rest will pass away.

1 Cor. 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” The body we are putting on cannot enter into heaven, and bear the weight of glory which will be put upon us. Our corruptible bodies cannot enter into an incorruptible heaven because our natural body cannot bear the presence of God in heaven. It must be fitted for that glorious place and state, before it is brought into it. It must be spiritualised, purified, and immortalised, or it can never bear that weight of glory which is prepared for the saints in that glorious kingdom. None of the physical things we possess shall enter into heaven. Only the spirit man can enter into heaven. Flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God. If flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven, we cannot therefore allow anything to distract us or anything to hinder us from making heaven and ensuring that our souls are in heaven. I don’t know what you are having but let it be known to you that the things of this world pass away.

1 Tim. 6:7, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” I want you to understand that no matter what you have today, you brought nothing to this world, and the day you are leaving this world, you shall carry nothing out. Whatever you have shall be left behind. So if you are among those who are always mindful of the things of the flesh, or things of this world, I want

THE Oracles of God by

Frank Oboden Olomukoro frankolomukoro@yahoo.com

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel.” 1Pet 3:3.

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o adorn is to put on a garment.

It may be a casual dress, a gorgeous wear or a working dress or as the occasion may demand. Of course, we know the primary purpose of a garment is to cover our nakedness. Although strangely, fashion has become a moral cancer that is uncovering the nakedness of women. It is making womanhood to look cheap and ordinary. Their glory and invincibility have been traded off in exchange for fashion. So sad and shameful.

What is a wardrobe? It is a corner piece in our bedrooms where our collective clothes are kept; native attires, English wears, designers garments, professional or uniform wears among

other valuable wears. Let’s imagine how our wardrobes look right now.

Some of us have our wardrobes with an in-built lock. Others have their garments hung on iron or wooden rails that are not enclosed. ‘Port Moto’ and trunk boxes are home to the clothes of others. Some are in ‘Ghana-mustgo-bags’. Yet, there are others who are not priviledged or are too carefree to arrange their apparels by dumping them on their beds or wrapping them in spreadsheets. Wardrobes come in diverse forms depending on the individual.

Is it incredible to think that God has a wardrobe lined up with different designs of garments for different purposes and occasions? No! It is rather curious to know that Satan the devil has a wardrobe too. Reading from Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” This is just one of Satan’s garments.

Deception

Lazarus Muoka

you to take note, that that soul you have is in danger of being lost forever or in danger of going to hell fire. And I want you to take note, if you are reading this message, make sure that what should matter in your life is where your soul will be at the end of this life. No matter what you have, one day you must leave this world, whether you like it or not.

Luke 16:19-23 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth

Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

So the rich man died in his riches and left everything behind. All that he had ever labored for, all that he got here, all that the devil used in deceiving his soul, were dropped here and he died and went to hell. And Lazarus also died but was in safe hands, in the bosom of Abraham.

And something then happened in verse 24-25, “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

The rich man left all behind and those things he was running up and down which made him to puff up, disappointed him, including water to drink, as there was no drop of water. And till today as I am talking to you, that man has not taken a drop of water over thousands of years and so shall it be to him from eternity to eternity. You can see how the man exchanged his soul with the useless things of this world and lost it forever in hell fire. My prayer is that nothing will take away the soul of anybody who will read this message in Jesus name. Many people who have abandoned the Lord and followed the mistake of this rich man are facing the consequences now in hell where they have been cast into. I pray that you shall not be a victim of hell fire.

God’s wardrobe Impostors, hypocrites, make-believers, hybrid religious bigots are adorned (worn) by Satan in the garb of professing Christians (sheep’s clothing) to misrepresent, dislocate and misinterpret the word of God. In Genesis 3:1 – 7, Satan adorned the serpent to seduce Adam and Eve to disobey God’s commandment in Genesis 2:16 – 17.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ”.

2 Corinthians 11:13.

Spirits adorn themselves by possessing human bodies. Just as we say “Body dey inside cloth” spirits quip, “we dey inside body.” False prophets, false apostles, false teachers, false pastors, false preachers, false miracle workers and false deacons, choir members, church members are arrays of garments in Satan’s wardrobe among others on the endless list.

“God is a spirit” - John 4:24. This great Holy Spirit embodies Himself in human bodies. A God-possessed (filled) life enables men to see the glory, goodness and love of God expressed. This is what Christianity is all about and that is what Jesus Christ exemplified.

A Satan-possessed life showcases the evil and wickedness of Satan the devil. This is the definition of a Christ-less person as Judas Iscariot manifested.

“Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.”

Matthew7:20. This way, the disciples of Christ were identified in Antioch where they were first called ‘Christians’ - Acts 11:26. Everyone born by the Spirit of God is God’s garment. “If the Spirit of God is not in you, you are not a part of God.” Romans 8:9. So also, when a man or woman is worn by a witchcraft spirit,

it controls and uses the person, hence at night, they fly out to their coven meeting to hatch out their diabolical evil manipulations and execute such wickedness on innocent souls.

God’s wardrobe is composed of an array of dignified and valuable wears. Depending on the occasion, He adorns Himself in His chosen man for service.

There are prophetic dresses in God’s wardrobe.

These are Major and Minor Prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, Nahum etc. To these, God reveals His secrets which they in turn echo to humanity. Amos 3:7.

God’s military garments include men like Joshua, David, Gideon etc. These were worn for battles and the conquest of His adversaries.

In times of national or dispensational apostasy or backsliding, God adorns restoration garments (prophets) with the spirit and power to turn the people back to God. Elijah, Elisha (1Kings 18:37), John the Baptist (Malachi 4:5 – 6, Luke 1:17) are God’s garments for this assignment.

Aaron the High Priest is a priestly garment worn by God to atone for the sins of the people.

Jesus Christ was expressly adorned by God as a New Testament High Priest in the order of Melchizedek to die the most shameful death on the cross to redeem humanity. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:18 No mortal can wish away this sacrifice by the option of religion, philosophy, sect, personal opinion and go free? Hebrews 2:3.

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… And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian …And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Gen. 39:1-9

I

t was a sound and balanced attitude that made Joseph a master while still a servant to the extent that his master Potiphar had no choice than to surrender everything into his hand. The wife equally was so fascinated by his attitude that she equally surrendered herself to be governed by Joseph. Attitude made him to reject such an immoral offer thereby damning the consequences. He knew that nobody turns down the offer or order of a military officer’s wife and goes scot-free. However, he preferred to suffer here so as to get there than to enjoy here and not get there. Attitude is a strong wisdom wing that could take you from servant-hood to a place of authority.

Winning on Attitude Wings Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!

For he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel… Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. II Kgs 5:1-14.

Everything that endeared the Israelite house girl to her boss could be summed up in a word - ‘Attitude.’ It is all about that 85 per cent of success. Attitude is the most important word in the English language. It applies to every sphere of life, including one’s personal and professional life. Can an executive be a good superior without a good attitude? Can a student be a good learner without a good attitude? Can parents, teachers, salespersons, pastors, employers or employees be good in their role without a good attitude? The foundation of success, regardless of your chosen field, is ‘attitude.’ If attitude is such a criti-

cal factor in success, sho 0uld not you examine your attitude towards life and ask how your attitude will affect your goals?

Wisdom for discovering diamonds … And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

Gen. 21:14-21.

With benefit of hindsight, I have come to conclusion that most of your longings, desires or expectations are not far from where you are. There is a saying in our nation, “What you are looking for in ‘Sokoto’ is in your ‘Shokoto?” (Yoruba term for trousers). There was a time breakaway ministry reigned over here and most of my mates then followed the trend. I stayed and after some time one of them met me at Benin and asked if I was the one he saw ministering on Nigeria Television Authority.

My response was, “I am still in the same Assemblies of God where you felt nothing good could come out from. I have not only been preaching there but sent several of my friends to preach there at government’s expense. Today, in the same denomination, I’m privileged to be a voice both in the electronic and print media. Friend, before you leave where your vision will be realised, look deep down for many things are still available for you. A question was raised, if anything good could come out of Nazareth. You and I know that the best the earth ever produced, Jesus Christ, came from Nazareth which then was a village made up of 11 houses and situated behind a hill. Between 2008 and 2009, I was in Israel and lodged in different Nazareth hotels. It is a city of world standard today. I make bold to say that something good can come out of you; so do not be in a hurry to throw in the towel of attitude.”

Abraham sent his concubine, Hagar, away with a morsel of bread and a bottle of water. The water ran

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Faith

Your Attitude Contributes to Success

The Voice of

ingdom stewardship is the most profitable adventure in life, particularly a core spiritual stewardship 2Chr. 15:12-15. * Standing in the gap in prayer for the salvation of souls, signs and wonders Ps. 2:8. * No establishment on earth has the same pay package like spiritual stewardship. * Every soul winner is on God’s pay roll. Heb. 11:6B.

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* The soul is the most valuable treasure to God, Jn. 3:16; Matt. 16:26. * Every soul winner is a candidate for prosperity Job 36:11.

Fringe benefits of soul winners 1. Supernatural supply – Jn. 4:35-36 2. Deliverance from satanic incursions – Lk. 10:1-7 & 17 -19.

3. Confirmation of divine wisdom - He that winneth a soul is wise Prov. 11:30.

Every believer is saved to add value to the Kingdom Ps. 107:2 -3.

out and her son Ishmael cried profusely. Hagar for lack of solution equally broke down in tears. This was so because she was in the wilderness and I have personally been to that place to see that she had every reason to cry whereas there was no water around there. There and then, the angel of the Lord called out from heaven and opened her eyes to show her a well around her.

That was a display of the supernatural. What a man gave her was a bottle but God gave her a well of water. Some of my foreign friends who met me at international conferences asked how I managed to make it, considering denominational factors. Beloved, where you are is rich enough to make you a blessing to humanity. The story of a farmer who left acres of diamond in pursuit of same outside is a typical lesson for you and I to learn from.Hafiz. He was a farmer in Africa who was happy and content. A day came that a wise man told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them. The wise man said; “If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could buy your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your country.’

The wise man left. That night, Hafiz could not sleep.

He was unhappy, disconcerted and discouraged.

The next morning, Hafiz made an arrangement to sell his farm, take care of his family and went off in search of diamonds. He looked all over Africa and could not find any. By the time he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially depleted.

He was so disheartened that he committed suicide by throwing himself into the Barcelona River. Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at the stream that ran through the property.

Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow. He thought the stone would look good and put it on his mantle piece. That afternoon, the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, ‘Is Hafiz back?’ The owner said, ‘No that is just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come I will show you. There are many more.’ They went and picked some samples and sent for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds.

They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres of diamonds.

Understanding wonders of kingdom stewardship Be zealous in winning souls into the kingdom of God. 4. Divine Health: Every labourer in God’s vineyard is worthy of wages. One of such wages is divine health.

Conviction for Winning Souls 1. Reaching over to lost souls in prayer. Nobody comes to church except he is drawn by God. Ps. 66:3, ps. 2:8, Ez. 36:37.

Prayer and fasting is a vital spiritual force for boosting church growth.

2. The Angelic factor: We believe in the ministry of the Angels as reapers of the end time harvest Mtt. 13:39.

3. The Outreach factor: We believe that church is a living thing, everything grows and dies. We believe that continuous outreach is a vital tool for sustainable church growth Jn. 15:16.

4. We believe in compelling people through demonstration of love to come into the kingdom of God Jude 1:23, Gifts (material offerings to the lost souls).

5. Every soul won into the kingdom needs to be made into a disciple; how do you get souls established? (i) We believe that every Christian must strive to be an example of believers in order to be effective in making disciples of men for Christ. (ii) We believe that teaching the principles of scriptures is the most effective way to making disciples of men Acts. 10:41-44, Acts 2: 41-42.

Pst. Kelvin Ugboh Resident Pastor You can worship with us @ Living Faith Church (AKA Winners Chapel) Bata, Aba, Abia State or telephone us: 07055076141, 080636960274 or website: lfcbata@lfww.org

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Rethinking Nigeria as Confab opens

T

omorrow, President Goodluck Jonathan will inaugurate the constitutional conference. There’s no doubt that this is another momentous era in the country’s march to nationhood.

For the delegates, this is a good opportunity especially those statesman who had been there since the 60s, to leave a legacy for the unborn generation, they have nothing to lose but much to gain.

The question that should agitate the minds of delegates is; where do we want to take this country? How do we establish a basis for national unity? It is obvious that there is something wrong with the Nigerian nation and this is what has led to the agitations from the different zones and ethnic groups’ for a conference to determine our togetherness and what form the togetherness should take.

Indeed, there had been various efforts to tackle this problem which started with the amalgamation of 1914. Past Nigerian leaders have acknowledged the problems associated with the clapping together of the disparate entities. Starting with Lord Frederick Luggard, who noted, “The North and the South are like oil and water, they will never mix.” But that never stopped the amalgamation.

He was not the only one who saw this Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa noted: “The Southern people who are swamping into this region daily in such large numbers are really intruders; we don’t want them and they are not welcome here in the North. Since 1914, the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country. But the people are different in every way, including religion, custom, language and aspirations… we in the North take it that Nigeria unity is only a British intention for the country they created. It is not for us”.

In the same way, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello said the same thing.

According to Chief Awolowo, “Nigeria is only a geographical expression to which life was given by the diabolical amalgamation of 1914 that amalgamation will ever remain the most painful injury a British Government inflicted on Southern Nigeria”.

In Sir Ahmadu Bello’s words: “The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate from our great grandfather, Othman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power.

We must use the minorities in the North as willing tools, and the south as conquered territories and never allow them to have control of their future.” Yakubu Gowon had this to say, “Suffice it to say that putting all considerations to the test, political, economic as well as social, the basis of unity is not there.” Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe equally noted, “If this embryo republic of ours must disintegrate, then in the name of God, let the operation be a short and pain-

Nigeria

on my mind

Map of Nigeria before amalgamation

less one”. All these simply point to what has always been obvious that there are problems and there have been problems in the land ever since 1914. It is thus in a bid to tackle these problems that some of these past leaders tried to correct the anomalies, unfortunately the attempts have always ended in failure.

Apart from the pre-independence conferences, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, Late Gen. Sani Abacha, and in this democratic dispensation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had all organized constitutional conferences. The Babangida and Abacha organized conferences lacked legitimacy and not much came out of them.

MAMA LASISI

Bolaji Tunji

Abacha’s conference which held for one year from June 1994 to June 1995 did not achieve.

Not that the people who constituted the delegates were not experienced or did not do a good job, but the fact that Abacha himself was not ready to leave, remember all the five political parties in existence at the time all adopted him as their presidential candidate. How low can a nation get? As if there were dearth of qualified candidates, but we all knew what happened during that period. Most members of that conference were anxious to see the exit of the military and despite the resolution passed to see the end of military rule nothing happened until there was divine intervention in Nigeria’s affairs.

In spite of that, the conference came up with two huge reports one of which constituted the draft of the 1995 constitution. It was that conference that led to the recognition of the six-geopolitical zones – North East, North West, North Central, South East, South South and South West which has continued to be in usage till date.

The Obasanjo administration conference ended in a fiasco as all the participants came to pursue ethnic agenda. At the end of the day, the South-South zone walked out on the conference.

Thus, the Jonathan Confab has the opportunity to set everything right. It is not in doubt that something is wrong with the Nigerian nation as noted by the past leaders quoted above and it is the attempt to fix the problem that we have had all the conferences from pre-independence, independence and postindependence .

For a collection of people that have lived together for 100 years, it is important to retrace our steps and see where we went wrong, the basis of our togetherness and whether our togetherness has been able to achieve anything? Do we continue with the present arrangement?

The Igbo man talks of discrimination, the Yoruba man talks of marginalization, the middle belt man believes his identity has been subsumed, while the Hausa/Fulani man believes that power should reside in a particular part of the country, the Ijaw man in the South-South wants the country to recognize his contribution to the economy.

Thus this conference is timely, and the delegates should go for it with the mind that this is a golden opportunity to make this country better than what it is. It is not about going with one’s ethnic agenda. The participants must be in accord and think, Nigeria.

Ethnic togas should be left at home. Participants must recognize the problem of the country and lay it bare with the intention of proffering solutions. And as the conference begins tomorrow, all attention would be focused on it for the next three months that it would last.

Let’s make a new country, a country where everyone would have a sense of belonging.

Finally, let’s also hope that the Boko Haram insurgents would not cause a distraction as they were wont to anytime the country is on the threshold of momentous events.

By Aliu Eroje

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