Binder1 march 22, 2015 by Newtelegraphonline

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SUNDAY Sunday, March 22, 2015 Vol. 2 No. 396

6 days to go... Nigeria votes

2015

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2015

Sanctity of Truth

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F R O N T PA G E C O M M E N T

Telegraph demands credible and violence-free polls

fter months of politicking, over 68 million Nigerians will on Saturday, March 28 and April 11, go to poll to elect a president, governors and lawmakers. In the build up to the general elections, the polity has been heated up such

that it looks as if Nigeria is going to war. No doubt the outcome of the elections will determine the future of Nigeria. Analysts have expressed concerns over the outcome of the polls. There are people who feel, rightly so, that the mishandling of

the general elections may give credence to the prediction by a United States’ agency that Nigeria may cease to exist after 2015 following an anticipated political combustion. The fears have been dismissed by the stakeholders in the Nigerian project, even by

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President Goodluck Jonathan. Already, the International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organisation committed to preventing and resolving deadly conflict, had predicted that Nigeria is

heading toward a very volatile and vicious electoral contest. Telegraph supports free, fair, credible and violence-free polls. Every hand must be on deck to ensure that the elections are credible. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Poll Projects President Jonathan’s Victory in March 28 Election

ith days to the 2015 presidential poll, Kevin, Charlyn and Kimberly Associates, a United Kingdom (UK)-based research and political risk consultancy firm has projected that incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will win the March 28 poll with a margin of 13 percent probability ratings. A statement issued by its Vice President (VP) for Africa and Middle East, Mr. OC. Vince which was made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday, said it used both the ‘monkey survey’ and ‘political risk index’ to forecast the Nigerian election which culminated in projecting a Jonathan’s win. He however explained that the firm had no partisan interest in the outcome of the nationwide survey, adding that the election would be left for Nigerians to decide. The statement said: “Many people around the world, including politics and business leaders are focusing on Nigeria to see how the process of democracy is managed.” The statement added that PDP appeared to be facing its toughest political challenge in 16 years and hoped the efforts the firm had made by organizing an independent survey would help deepen and strengthen democracy in Nigeria and enable the different contending parties manage their final push toward 2015. On the credibility of the test, the statement hinted: “We randomly conducted a nationwide opinion poll focusing on the six geo-polit-

PRESIDENT

GOODLUCK

JONATHAN gcfr ical regions of Nigeria: North east, North west, North central, South west, South east and South -South. The sampled population were asked three questions centering on human rights, the economy and security. “Between General Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan, who would best protect the fundamental human rights of Nigerians? While APC’s Buhari scored 30 per cent Jonathan scored 70 per cent.” ‘Between the elections holding in February 14th as previously scheduled and March 28th as postponed

which date do you feel safer to participate in the presidential election? 35 per cent thinks the election should have been held on February 14 as scheduled while 65 per cent thinks the March 28 new date is a safer and more secured date’. Accordingly, they believe that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was now more prepared having issued more PVCs and as wells as tested the card readers. The lapses noticed can now be corrected before the polls. On who would best grow the

economy between Buhari and Jonathan; APC’s Buhari scored 42 per cent while PDP President Jonathan scored 58 per cent. Vince said its conclusion were reached in respect of the question ‘who would best protect your fundamental human rights’ by taking cognizance of the antecedents and past records of the two candidates, adding, that the past and current utterances of the candidates and how Nigerians of diverse gender, ethnicity, religion and social status perceive both candidates and how effectively both candidates has been marketed to the voting population. The statement also averred that majority of the respondent agreed that Dr. Jonathan is highly tolerant and possesses the right temperament as a democratic president. The respondents also cited the signing of the FoI Act by the President and his high tolerance of criticism as a rare quality for an African leader, it however criticized Jonathan’s PR team for not doing enough to market his achievements and personal qualities which they said surpassed that of any former Nigerian leader in recent history. The statement added: “We viewed Dr. Jonathan as a favorite to win reelection based also on a number of factors even though the election will still be difficult to call. Our expectation of a Jonathan’s win was predicated also on the fact that the postponement of the election may have helped him comeback decisively into the race”. ADVERTORIAL

SUNDAY 22 MARCH, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 22 MARCH, 2015

SUNDAY 22 MARCH, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

News

Aburi Accord: You lied, Ojukwu’s associates tell Gowon Uwakwe Abugu

A Enugu

ssociates of exBiafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, yesterday lashed out at a former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, for saying that the departed Ikemba Nnewi

misinformed Nigerians on the 1968 Aburi Accord. The three associates, who fought with Ojukwu on the Biafran side during the civil war are Col. Emmanuel Nwobosi (retd); Col. Joe Achuzia (retd); and Col. Ben Gbulie (retd). In separate reactions on the telephone, they dismissed Gowon’s comments as “un-

true.” Gowon, who made the comments at a book launch in honour of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, said Ojukwu returned to Nigeria from Aburi, Ghana and told Nigerians a wrong version of events that transpired at the parley. Gowon said he could not return immediately because he was

down with fever. While Nwobosi and Achuzia reacted expressly to the report credited to Gowon, Gbulie angrily said he would speak at a later date. Gbulie said that he would speak on the development and other matters “because I know some people are trying to distort history and we would not allow them

to do that.” Nwobosi, a close confidant of Ojukwu until he died, said, “Whatever Gowon has claimed in his latest posturing that Ojukwu did, the content of the Aburi Accord was waxed into an LP (long playing) record by a recording company in Eastern Nigeria. “During that period, they

Shehu of Borno, Alh. Umar IBN Garbai El kanemi (second left), cutting the tape to commission 432 units of houses for resettlement of insurgency victims of Bulabulin-Ngarnam community in Maiduguri. With him are; Governor Kashim Shettima; Chairman, Construction Committee, Engr. Ibrahim Ali and Chairman of Houses allocation Committee and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Kaka Shehu Lawan in Maiduguri…yesterday.

OPC faction urges Gani Adams to resign Temitope Ogunbanke

he crisis in the Otunba Gani Adams-led arm of the Oodua Peoples Congress deepened yesterday as a splinter group called on him to step down for joining partisan politics. Speaking on behalf of OPC leaders during a press conference in Lagos, OPC National Welfare Officer, , Monsuru Akande, said the group’s national coordinator had derailed from its aims and objectives by becoming partisan and using the platform as a political tool for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election. He said the anti-Jega rally held by OPC last Monday was organised by Adams in his individual capacity to justify the recent contract awarded to him by Jonathan.

Akanni said OPC members are not in support of Adams using the group for personal motives or his romance with politicians. He therefore urged Adams to disassociate himself from partisan politics or resign as OPC national coordinator. His words: “We are not in support of Gani Adams using OPC as a political tool to campaign for politicians. Our advice is for Gani Adams to quit OPC and go into partisan politics. We don’t want him to kill the dreams of millions of OPC members. He should save us from the bad name of being a politician. “We are not factionalising OPC. Gani Adams is still our leader. He has been our leader in the last 15 years; all we are saying is that we don’t want him to tarnish the

name of the group. He has shown the entire world that he wants to go into politics and since he has fooled and deceived the Yoruba race, it is clear that Gani Adams cannot protect the interest of OPC again,” Akanni said. In a swift reaction, Adams said in a statement by OPC’s National Publicity Secretary, Hakeem Ologunro, that Akande and others were hawks displaying their desperation ahead of the elections. The statement reads in part: “Yet again, the hawks are beginning to display their desperation as the elections draw nearer. Under the guise of a group, purportedly belonging to the OPC, a former member, one Monsuru Akande, has addressed a press conference calling for the resigna-

tion of Otunba Gani Adams as leader of the OPC. “Funny enough, Monsuru Akande signed the so-called press release as the Welfare Chairman of the OPC. But the man holding this position since 2007 after Monsuru was sacked had been Comrade Oluwole Iyaromi. But for the benefit of the public, I would like to explain some points here. Monsuru Akande was expelled from the congress for some activities in 2007. “Let the public ask Monsuru why he was sacked from the group, which of the zones of the congress he belongs to and whether he and his fellow rabble rousers demanded the sum of N10 million from Otunba Gani Adams before he was eased out of the congress in 2007?”

did not know that Ojukwu had a record of the proceedings word for word. So, Ojukwu and the people of the Eastern Nigeria waited for the official release of the communiqué of the accord to no avail, but when they returned to Lagos, instead of publishing the communiqué as it was reached, they tinkered with it. “And after such a prolonged delay, they published a watered down version. Ojukwu warned them to do the right thing but they took his threat for granted. Then, he released the original recorded proceedings on radio and television in Eastern Nigeria and people were taken aback,” Nwobosi said. “Ask Gowon if he did not know of the release of the original content of the accord on Eastern media at that time.” He said the record of the accord as released by Ojukwu became so popular that people bought dozens of copies. On his own part, Achuzia said, “Gowon’s claim was not correct. They first distorted the content of the accord. We all knew what happened. Gowon himself knows actually what was the truth and it was that truth contained in the original accord that made him create states. That was because hitherto, he did not understand the advantage of doing so,” said the former Biafran military officer.

Troops quell Boko Haram attack on Bama Emmanuel Onani Abuja

efence Headquarters yesterday said Nigerian troops successfully quelled an attack on parts of Bama, Borno State yesterday. Bama was liberated a few days ago, after troops flushed Boko Haram fighters out of the town A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, reads: “An attack by a band of terrorists on parts of Bama was this morning quelled by the Nigerian troops who dealt with them decisively. Over a score of them died while others fled with wounds. Many more of the attacking terrorists also died as the airforce patrol went after the fleeing ones. Pursuit is still ongoing while calm has been

restored and troops maintain firm control of Bama town. “A Hilux vehicle as well as other equipment and some weapons were captured from the attackers. One soldier died while seven were wounded while repelling the attack. They have been evacuated from the combat area by air and are already receiving medical attention. “With most of the towns slated to be cleared of terrorists already covered, the campaign to rid rest of the communities of them is continuing with air and land operations now stepped up in the remaining designated locations in the mission area. Cordon and search of cleared communities are also ongoing with some discoveries of weapons and vestiges of atrocities committed by the terrorists while they held sway in some locations.”

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Contents | 22.03.15 BODY & SOUL

Cursed no more Notorious enough as a youth to be cursed by his father, Rev. Chidi Anthony is not only freed from his curses, today, he saves souls

SUNDAY

Editorial

Telegraph demands credible and violence-free polls Continued from page 1

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POLITICS

Obasanjo clears the air “I didn’t tear my PDP membership card. They don’t know what is happening; I did that to prove to them what is happening”

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BUSINESS

Scary debt profile

With Nigeria’s total debt stock rising to N11.24tr or $67.72bn on December 31, 2014, experts say the economy would soon be overwhelmed

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FAITH

Think Nigeria first Bishop Ogunlere asks, “Has God chosen any of our politicians?”

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SPORT

F/Eagles’ quest for victory The Flying Eagles of Nigeria will today battle against Senegal in their quest to win their seventh title in the U-20 Africa Youth Championship

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LIFE

Bloodbath Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen killed no fewer than 108 persons, mainly women and children in Benue State

A burden has been placed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible polls. The ability of the electoral umpire to bequeath credible polls to the nation is crucial in the nation’s democratic journey. INEC must ensure that the votes are counted. It must do everything humanly possible to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible. The Attahiru Jega-led INEC must ensure its officials live above the board. Jega and his commissioners must remain nonpartisan. The conduct of credible polls will go to a large extent in preventing violence. If INEC conducts credible polls, there is likelihood that the outcome will be accepted. A flawed election gives room for discontent which leads to violent conduct. Nigeria cannot afford another post-2011 election violence. Hence, INEC must put its house in order and ensure that the nation has transparent poll. INEC cannot afford to fail. Fears have also been expressed about the partisanship of the security agencies. Telegraph calls on the security agencies to maintain neutral position. No matter the situation, they must defend the common interest of Nigeria not that of public office holders. Politicians will come and go. Nigeria will remain. The military and security agencies should avoid the temptation of being used either by the government or the opposition. The world has gone beyond the past. Every man must account for his own deeds. Securi-

ty personnel are not precluded from being prosecuted if found to have breached the ethics of their professions. President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari have committed themselves to non-violence polls. They must abide by the spirit and letter of the peace accord. They should call their supporters to order. Nigerians will not accept anything short of credible polls. The country is bigger than both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Their presidential candidates – Jonathan of the PDP and Buhari of the APC – are both creation of Nigeria. They are not bigger than Nigeria. Hence, their ambition should not tear the country into pieces. Four years is too short in the life of a nation. Politicians should put the nation’s interest above personal interest. We warn that any attempt to subvert the will of the people will be counterproductive. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sounded a note of warning to everybody that it won’t be averse to prosecuting electoral crime offenders. There is always an avenue by those who feel aggrieved at the outcome of the elections. The tribunal and courts are there to be explored. Politicians and their supporters must not resort to self-help. Again, Telegraph reiterates its demand for free, fair, credible and violence-free polls. Nigerians and the international community will not accept anything less.

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

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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

News

Ogun students endorse Amosun Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

gun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has been endorsed for a second term in office by students of tertiary institutions in the state. The students, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee endorsed the governor during a march past and rally organised in Abeokuta, the state capital. The students, who were led by the state NANS chairman, Comrade Okikiola Ogunsola, were drawn from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun; Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta; and Federal College of Education, Osiele. Others came from the Tai Solarin College of Education; Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade; Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo; Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa; Ogun State Cooperative College, Abeokuta and Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese and School of Nursing, Ilaro. Addressing the students at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Amosun, who expressed appreciation for the endorsement, however, urged the students to concentrate on their studies. The governor noted that while students have political rights, they must be wary of

politicians who were ready to exploit them for selfish reasons. He advised the students not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs during the elections, adding that they should shun all social vices. Amosun, who urged students to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in order to exercise their civic responsibility, said all the projects being executed by his administration are people-oriented. Earlier, Ogunsola said the students endorsed Amosun in view of his giant strides in the state’s education sector, adding that the governor had met the expectation of people in terms of performance. The NANS chairman identified reduction in tuition fees in tertiary institutions, payment of bursary, donation of brand new buses to Student Unions in all tertiary institutions and appointment of special assistant on student affairs had ensured better student-government relationship. He observed that the election of another person may reverse the gains already recorded under the incumbent administration in the state. “Nigerian students in Ogun State are endorsing Amosun because he worked for it, he merited it and above all, he has performed credibly well and deserves continuity, he has met the expectation of the people of Ogun in terms of performance,” Ogunsola added.

Group tasks INEC on free, fair elections Tai Anyanwu

ociety Empowerment Advancement for Development has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that the Marcj 28 and April 11 elections are credible, free and fair. The NGO’s President, Mrs. Stella Ebiere made the call in Lagos on Thursday. She said for the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy to remain intact, the elections must be conducted with the highest level of integrity. Ebiere, who described SEED as an organisation involved in the empowerment of less privileged and indigent students across the country, said it had resolved to throw its weight behind the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan because he has demonstrated that he is true democrat through his words and actions.

She also praised the triumph of the Nigerian military against Boko Haram insurgents, saying it is better late than never. Earlier, Personal Assistant to SEED President, Mr. David Sotade, had explained that the group was founded to highlight the works of President Jonathan in transforming Nigeria from a preindustrial economy to one which would compete with the industrialised nations of the world in the nearest future. “That is why we are interested in empowerment and contributing to the educational needs of indigent students in the country. We believe that educating and skilling Nigerians is the principal component for industrialisation. We support Mr. President’s re-election bid and urge Nigerians to without sentiments compare his administration with past ones,” he said

L-R: Director, Laboratory Services, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Stella Denloye; DirectorGeneral, Dr. Paul Orhil and Director, Administration and Human Resource, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, at the commissioning of NAFDAC’s ultramodern warehouse in Lagos...on Friday PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI.

Attah, Etiebet dump Jonathan, embrace Buhari

n what appears a last-minute grasp of relevance, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Don Etiebet, have withdrawn their support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election. Instead, they have openly canvassed for the candidature of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari. At a rally at the Ibibio Museum Park in Uyo, Attah joined few other former PDP members to

declare support for the emergence of the APC governorship candidate, Umana Umana. Attah and other speakers, who described the almost 16 years of the PDP government as a calamity in Nigeria, urged the electorate to vote out President Jonathan and enthrone ‘progressive’ leaders at all levels of governance. Attah, who insisted that he was still a PDP member, however, declared that he cared less about his party affiliation and was only interested in leadership change from May 29 this year. He described Buhari as a

true democrat who would change the country for the better. The event, however, failed to live up to expectation as most of the speakers took time to throw jabs at Governor Godswill Akpabio, at the expense of selling their candidate’s manifesto in an event that was beamed live on NTA network service. The highlight of the occasion was the endorsement of Umana and some other APC candidates by Attah. Attah had in 2006 endorsed his son-in-law, Dr. Udoma Ekarika for the PDP’s governorship ticket while in 2010 he

endorsed Senator John Akpanudoedehe’s bid for the governorship on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria. In each instance, his support became futile as the two candidates’ journey ended in total failure. Efforts to get reactions from the state PDP chairman on this alleged antiparty activity proved abortive as at press time. However an aide to the former governor told our reporter in confidence that the supposed anti-party activity would not fetch Attah any penalty as he was too powerful to be sanctioned.

Accept Tinubu as Yoruba leader, NURTW boss tells S’West Babatope Okeowo, Akure

s the battle for the soul of the SouthWest rages between the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress, a leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Amoda Bello, yesterday urged people of the zone to accept All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, as their leader. Bello, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said there was no dispute about the fact that after late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the only person that can fit into the shoe of

the lage sage is Tinubu who is also the National leader of APC. Also, he said the future of the Yoruba race is not whether there is implementation of report of the 2014 National Conference but the eradication of corruption that has eaten into the fabric of the country and destroyed the future of Yoruba youths. While saying Tinubu shares similar leadership traits with Awolowo in developing people who have taken up key roles in their respective fields of endeavour, Bello said no amount of campaign of calumny could destroy whom God has ordained. His words: “No amount of campaign of destruction that can stand the test of time with

Ahmed Bola Tinubu. He is a great leader. No Yoruba leader can rival the achievements of Tinubu except Awolowo. “He has two things that he has done that should make him the natural leader of the Yoruba. He single-handedly floated a political party and the political party is accepted all over the country.” Bello who was deputy chairman of Ondo NURTW, said Tinubu means well for the Yoruba race, adding that whatever political step taken by the former Lagos State governor would benefit the race. He urged Yorubas to be grateful to Tinubu for not allowing them to become second-hand citizens in their own country.

His words: “This is a man that has promoted a lot of people and these people are now leaders of their respective states. They are Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Governor Fashola of Lagos State. They are products of Tinubu. “Tinubu is a God-endorsed leader. He is a leader that can Yoruba be proud off. So they should stop destroying this man, he is a leader of Yoruba race.” On the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Bello said the decision was disappointing to many people in the zone.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

News

Certificate forgery: Group moves to stop Buhari

Tunde Oyesina,

•Court fixes March 25 for hearing

ith less than a week to the March 28 presidential election, a fresh legal battle has been launched against the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Inspector General of Police to investigate the politician over alleged certificate forgery and perjury. The trial judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, has however fixed Wednesday March 25 for hearing. There are about four other pending cases before various courts seeking to disqualify Buhari from participating in the poll over the same subject matter. In the fresh suit, the plaintiffs, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, and a business and public interest consultant, Nwambu Gabriel Chibuzor, in the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/172/2015 dated February 26, 2015 are asking the court to or-

der the IGP to investigate the alleged acquisition and possession of the West African School Certificate by Buhari, the Presidential candidate at the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina, in line with the statutory responsibilities of the police. The plaintiffs had, in their originating summons filed by their counsel, Prof. Andrew Chukwuemerie (SAN), formulated two issues for the determination of the court. They want the court to determine, “Whether having regard to the meaning and intendment of Section 214 (1) (2) (a and b) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and Sections 2 and 4 of the Police Act Volume 13. CAP 19, Laws of Nigeria thereof, it is constitutional, lawful, legal and permissible for the Police to investigate the alleged acquisition and possession of the West African School Certificate in 1961, obtained at the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina by Gen Buhari, having not produced same and neither is it with the Nigerian Army authorities nor can it be found in the archives of

W ABUJA

the record and aptitude test department of WAEC, Accra, Ghana.” They also want the court to determine whether the police ought not to have taken proactive and practical steps to investigate the various allegations against Buhari, which they noted have generated public interest. The plaintiffs contended that the defendant (police) refused, failed and neglected to perform their constitutional, legal and statutory responsibility to investigate the matter after due demand for performance of

such by the plaintiffs. In a 31-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Joy Odoh in support of the originating summons, the plaintiffs averred that the IGP has an obligation under the Nigerian constitution to investigate allegations of forgery and lying on oath made against the APC presidential candidate and that the police had refused to do so despite repeated demands. They further averred that the Test Department of the National Office of West African Examinations Council in Ghana, had written to say that Buhari’s name and

records are not in its examinations archive; thus, suggesting that he was never a candidate for the examination set by the body. The plaintiffs further averred that Buhari lied on oath and ought to be tried for perjury when he declared in an affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that his Secondary School Certificate was with the Military Board; a claim which was found to be false as the military authorities denied having such document in its possession.

In addition, the plaintiffs averred that allegations of forgery and perjury are too weighty to be ignored by the police which have a constitutional duty to investigate all allegations bordering on crime in the interest of justice. They also alleged that all efforts made to make the police perform their duties had proved futile. At the last adjourned date, the court had at the instance of the plaintiffs counsel granted an order of accelerated hearing. The court further directed the IGP to enter his defence within seven days.

Congestion as soldiers patrol Lagos Muritala Ayinla

here was apprehension and gridlock in some parts of Lagos yesterday when soldiers embarked on a show of force ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. Sunday Telegraph observed that the armed forces and other security agencies moved round some major roads in the state, trying to show their

readiness to provide adequate security for the elections. For few hours, they dominated areas such as Agege Motor Road, Oshodi, Egbeda and some other areas in the state.They stationed Armoured Personnel Carriers in some strategic locations in the state. There was also traffic congestion on the busy Agege Motor Road and Obafemi Awolowo Way as they chased motorists off the roads.

Five killed in Port Harcourt Emmanuel Masha, Port Harcourt

unmen on Friday night stormed two locations in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, killing eight persons and injuring several others. In one of the attacks at a bar near Amadi-Ama Roundabout around 11:30p.m, the gunmen killed three persons instantly while two others died later. The victims, one of whom was a woman, were drinking when they were shot. Eyewitnesses said the corpses of three of the victims were kept outside the bar till the next morning while expended bullets littered the bar.

In the other incident, which occurred earlier around 9p.m, two gunmen, who came from the old NEPA Waterfront shot three persons dead at a local gin joint in Prime Rose Estate, Okrika Waterfront. The gunmen also injured a few other persons, before they hurriedly fled the scene. One of the persons killed was the woman selling the gin and two other customers. When contacted, spokesman for the Rivers State Police Command, Ahmad Mohammad, only confirmed the shooting near Amadi-Ama Roundabout. He said the hoodlums were suspected members of a cult group.

L-R: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro; Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and PDP Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, during a dinner with Agbaje in Lagos… on Friday

Buhari kept 27 detainees in one room –Akinfenwa Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

ational Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, on Friday in Ibadan alleged that he and 26 other notable politicians were detained in a small room at Agodi Federal Prison for one year and nine months while Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was military head of state. Akinfenwa spoke at the Oduduwa Frontliners’ PostNational Conference Summit held at Kakanfo Inn, Ibadan where a lecture titled ‘Mapping out the Future of the Yoruba Youth and the Yoruba Nation: The National Conference Perspective’ was delivered by Prof. Dupe Olatunbosun. Claiming that they did not commit any known offence, the octogenarian told youths at the summit that Buhari, who is the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, said he had dropped his alleged dictatorial tendencies.

Also at the briefing were Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Oyo, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja. Speaking further, Akinfenwa said, “I am not a PDP man. I am AD, but when one cries, he should also be able to see. For the good of this country, we must elect a good president. There are two options before us. The better one is Dr. Goodluck

Jonathan. Buhari was a dictator. And once a dictator is always a dictator. He showed brutality when he seized power and became the head of state of this country in 1994. “I was then a commissioner in the administration of late Chief Bola Ige. I was clamped in prison for no just cause along with 26 others and kept in a 12 by 16 room at the Agodi Prison. We were sleeping on bare

floor. Among us were the then Ogun State governor, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo; and (former Governor) Ambrose Alli of Bendel (State). He (Buhari) seized the international passport of Pa Obafemi Awolowo, thus denying him the opportunity of going for overseas medical treatment. Buhari must not come back to rule us. Don’t vote for him and convince your relations not to vote for him to avoid being brutally treated again.”

Gunmen kidnap Zamfara emir Idris Salisu Gusau

esidents of Bukkuyum town in Zamfara State woke up yesterday to the shocking news of the kidnap of their emir, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, by unknown gunmen. The first-class monarch was kidnapped while performing his evening prayer in his mosque. The five gunmen reportedly drove into the town in a Honda

Civic car around 7.30p.m and made their way to the mosque attached to the emir’s palace. After overpowering his guards, they forced him into the car and drove away. An eyewitness told Sunday Telegraph on the telephone that the gunmen fired several shots into the air to scare people away and seized mobile phones of worshippers at the mosque. Residents, who tried to stop them from taking the monarch away, were forced to flee when the gunmen fired into the air.

The kidnappers later made contact with the emir’s family, demanding N10 million for his release. The Commissioner for information, Ibrahim Mohammed Birnin Magaji, confirmed the incident and explained that the state government was working with security agencies to secure his release. When contacted, spokesman for Zamfara State Police Command, Sanusi Amiru, also said efforts were being made to get him freed.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

News

Jonathan, PDP plotting Tinubu, others’ arrest – APC

Johnchuks Onuanyim and Onyekachi Eze

ll Progressives Congress yesterday alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party were plotting the arrest of the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and other leaders and financiers of the party on trumped-up charges and freeze their accounts. The party also vowed to sue the spokesman for Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Chief Femi FaniKayode, for defamation of character. APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the allegations in Lagos at a press briefing. He said, “We invited you here today to intimate you with the plan by the Jonathan-led federal government and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to decimate the opposition and gain an undue advantage of the forthcoming general elections, due to start next Saturday. “Without mincing words, we are aware that a red alert has been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arrest the National Leader of our party, the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on trumped-up charges any-

time from now. “In addition, anyone who is suspected of being a financier of the APC is to be arrested, all in efforts to decapitate the main opposition party which is undoubtedly cruising to victory in the forthcoming elections.” Also speaking on the plot, Mohammed said, “And as part of the offensive against the APC in the days ahead, there is a plan to freeze the accounts of companies, individuals and organisations believed to be financing the party, with the ultimate objective of crippling the party so it won’t be able to sustain its activities, like paying its agents on Election Day and other logistics.” He also denied reports that the party had opened a radio station in a neighbouring country, noting: “Gentlemen, we state categorically that we have nothing to do with that radio station. We believe strongly that the radio station is the handiwork of the same people who are accusing us of establishing it. Their main reason for setting up the station is simple:

To use it as another excuse to clamp down on our leaders. “They are the ones who set up the station. They are the ones who announced its establishment to the whole country and now they are the ones who are trying to leverage it to arrest our leaders. “We are therefore using this forum to alert Nigerians to the evil machinations of the Jonathan government and the PDP to throw Nigeria into crisis. We also call on our country’s international friends to take note of the desperate tactics of the duo and to do whatever they can to prevail on them not to plunge the country into chaos. “As a matter of fact, these duo have perfected every strategy to put Nigeria on the road to Kigali and Laurent Gbagbo’s post-election Ivory Coast in the days ahead. This explains why we have been constantly raising the alarm for our compatriots and the world to know and act.” A separate statement by the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation said it

KEBBI STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (HEADQUARTERS) STATE SECRETARIAT COMPLEX, GWADANGAJI BIRNIN KEBBI, KEBBI STATE P.M.B 1070 BIRNIN KEBBI

TENDER NOTICE INVITATION TO TENDER The Kebbi State Ministry of Education wishes to invite interested and qualified Contractors to submit their applications for prequalification for the execution of the following Project. 1. Provision of Administrative Block, Furniture and Science Equipments to Government Secondary School Aljannare CONTRACT NO: KBSTB/MOE/065/2015. SCOPE OF WORKS ARE THE FOLLOWING: 1. Construction of Administrative Block 2. Provision of Science Equipment 3. Furniture QUALIFICATION FOR BIDDING Interested Companies, Firms and Individuals Contractors are invited to submit prequalification documents before obtaining Tender Documents as follows: a) Company Profile b) Certificate of incorporation by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) c) Evidence of Registration with Kebbi State Tenders Boarder (STB) d) Evidence of Technical, Operational and Managerial Capabilities. e) List of similar jobs secured and completed. f) Financial Capability from a reputable Bank. g) Current tax clearance for 3 years. All prequalification document listed above should be submitted to the office of the permanent Secretary Ministry of Education immediately after this advertisement. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Tender information and instructions shall be given only to Companies/Contractors that have been screened and found suitable. 2. Only per-qualified Companies/Contractors will be eligible to collect Bidding Documents from the office of the Secretary State Tenders Board on Payment of non-refundable Tenders fee of Twenty Five Thousand Naira. (N 25,000.00) only. 3. Completed Tenders Documents should be returned to the Secretary, State Tenders Board on or before the 30th March, 2015.

Signed

ALH. BALA T YELDU

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Kebbi State.

had concluded plans to sue the spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, for claiming that APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was getting funding for his election campaign from Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The APCPCO accused Fani-Kayode of perpetuating the religious politics that President Jonathan was well known for and gave him one week to retract his defamatory comments or face prosecution. The APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said,

“Never before in Nigeria’s history has the issue of religion been applied to such sinister purposes as we have seen during the years of President Jonathan’s government. When all fails, they whip out the religious card.” Responding PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, dismissed the alleged plot to arrest APC leadersand financiers as “diversionary.” Metuh said in a statement that such an allegation was capable of triggering “unrest in an election we are winning very comfortably. APC is suffering from nearsuccess syndrome trauma and it often leads to para-

noia and delusion. Let them refocus on issues and plan on how to rebuild the tatters of their failed experiment.” In a separate statement, Fani-Kayode said, “If they are waiting for a retraction to our questions, they will wait forever. Hell will freeze over before we retract any question that we have put. We will not retract any question rather we will continue to put more uncomfortable questions to them until they provide answers by saying yes or no. “We have made no assertion, we have simply asked a set of legitimate, responsible, sensitive and important questions, and we have every right to do so.”

President seeks votes in Kano, opens N2.5bn bridge Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged the people of Kano State to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 28 and April 11 elections in order to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy. The President, who spoke while commissioning the N2.5bn Kundila Flyover on Zaria Road in Kano, said the Federal Government cannot afford to exploit the people of Kano because of their central place in the history of the country. Jonathan, who named the bridge after the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, enjoined the people of the ancient city to emulate the departed

monarch’s virtues. According to Jonathan, the late emir presided over the affairs of the city with dignity. “Kano State is one of the important states in Nigeria. This is one of the most important roads that traverses this country. This is a critical infrastructure that will help to promote commerce and industry. Kano State is known for commercial activities, known for agriculture, known for trade beyond Nigeria, beyond West Africa. “It is a state that needs to work with the Federal Government so that the Federal Government working with the state will improve the quality of life of the people, to improve the productive capacity of the people and

generate wealth for the people. We love Kano people and will work with you so that we don’t just get the groundnut pyramids back but we are talking about processing. What you produce in your farms, what we produce in our forests, what we get from our soil has to be processed so that we add value to it and create jobs and wealth for our people. That is why we are very happy that Kano people believe in the leading party, the PDP,” he said. Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, had earlier said the bridge was strategic and critical to the socioeconomic life of the people and thanked Jonathan for releasing funds for the quick construction of the bridge.

Stop begging, Buhari urges disabled persons Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

residential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday urged physically challenged persons not to engage in begging for alms. Buhari, who met with the physically challenged persons in a town hall meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, gave two example of such persons that became international figures. Addressing them at the City Hall in Lafia, he said, “I want to start with the story of two persons with physical disability who, because of their willpower and incredible resolution overcame their disability and became known throughout the world. I refer to late President

Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States of America and Prof. Stephen Hopkins, an astrophysicist of Cambridge University, England. “Roosevelt was crippled in both legs with polio and throughout his adult life was consigned to a wheelchair. He had to be helped to bath, to get into bed, get out of bed, to dress, wheeled into office or to address a political meeting. Roosevelt won four consecutive presidential elections, led the allied powers to the Second World War to defeat Hitler ’s Germany and Japan. His most significant achievement on the domestic front wad to start massive construction work roads, bridges, dams and others which employed millions of Ameri-

cans and helped alleviate the economic depression following the great crash of 1929. “Roosevelt is regarded as the greatest American President of the 20th Century. He overcame disability and proved to his countrymen and the world that physical challenges could be circumvented with the right spirit. “My second example is Stephen Hopkins, a young undergraduate who was walking around his university when he collapsed and had to be helped to his room. Eventually, he was diagnosed as suffering from motoneurosis. In spite of his disability, he can’t talk, he can’t walk, cannot eat on his own. The meeting was attended by over 100 physically challenged persons.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

OPINION

Presidential election: Fallacy of the EURASIA poll Godwin Sogolo

n Sunday, March 15, 2015, Nigerian newspapers were awash with an obviously syndicated news report of an opinion poll purportedly conducted by Eurasia Group, predicting victory for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress over President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party. The publication, carried by the Nation Newspaper, two days after, attributed the report to one Philippe de Pontet, a spokesman for Eurasia Group, an outfit described by the paper as “the world’s largest political risk consultancy firm.” Reading through the publication, there can be no doubt that it fits more into the mould of an opinion article than the report of an election poll. An opinion poll, by definition, is a forecast of the future outcome of an event, using variable indices. It is supposed to be scientific in nature to the extent that it must be rule-governed. In other words, given a cluster of existing facts, the poll points to a predictable outcome that is bound to follow. But, because polls are about social events, consequent upon human conditions, they tend to be adulterated by certain personal views and judgments. The problem with the so-called Eurasia poll, as reported, is that it contains no evidence of any poll actually conducted. Apart from the figures of 60% for Buhari and 40% for Jonathan, and some phoney statistics of survey attributed to the Centre for Public Policy Alternatives, Afrobarometer and 1PS0S/Eurasia Group, there is nothing to suggest the

methodology applied, coverage, sample range, where or when the survey was conducted. Rather, the report, from top to bottom, is the expressed opinion of an individual. More disastrous for the Eurasia Group, the report is a curious replication of the political manifesto of the APC. He betrayed the bogusness of the so-called survey, when he confessed at the beginning of the report that “we had long viewed Goodluck Jonathan as a favourite to win the reelection” until “a number of factors now lead us to believe the edge has swung in Buhari’s favour.” So, extraneous ‘factors,’ rather than the results of a survey gave Buhari the victory! How did the factors give rise to a result of 60% for Buhari and 40% for Jonathan? From the publication, the ‘factors’ turn out to be the very campaign points of the APC. One of them, for instance, is President Jonathan’s incumbency and financial advantage which, according to the Eurasia Group, have been “blunted by the intensity of support for Buhari, lacklustre grass roots campaigning by the PDP and new anti-rigging measures by the electoral commission. New permanent voter cards and card readers will sharply reduce the level of rigging seen in 2011, when Jonathan beat Buhari in landslide.” These are points commonly made by APC chieftains, at campaign rallies, during television and radio talk-shows, on social media and in pubs. The bias of the Eurasia Group was difficult to conceal in the publication. It conveniently referred to polls conducted by organisations such as the Centre for Public Policy Alternatives and Afrobarometer

which favoured Buhari. Not only did the group find merit in what it described as the IPSOS/Eurasia model for predicting elections, according to which “incumbents have a hard time winning re-election when their approval ratings are below 40%.” The group confessed ignorance of Jonathan’s current rating but ingeniously reasoned that since it was 50% at the end of last year, “he is below 40% now;” in which case, he is bound to lose the election. Warped Logic! A large part of the Eurasia report is a rehash of APC’s mantra of combating insecurity and corruption, if voted into power. Like the APC, the so-called poll was reported to have scored President Jonathan low in his efforts at confronting insurgency in the North-East, despite the remarkable successes of the security forces. The poll also had it that the President “is not fighting corruption” and that Buhari was better equipped for this important task. Not surprisingly, the report of the poll also under-valued the various achievements of the Jonathan administration. The last part of the report in question contains the manifesto of the APC and what Gen. Buhari intends to do, if voted into power – his economic reforms, anticorruption measures, ways of tackling insecurity in the North-East and Niger Delta. The report of the Eurasia poll follows a familiar pattern associated with the APC. The party has a well organised propaganda machinery that defies facts and reality. Its activities and successes are more in the social media, rumour mills and gossip circles than in the real world. The Eurasia Group is not alone; Gen. Buhari and the APC have been declared winners by many

other poll organisers, with or without the conduct of actual exercises. And, who cares as long as the party followers are happy! They are free to imagine, dream or hallucinate about an APC Government that would be inaugurated on 29th May, 2015. The fact which the APC propaganda machinery, including fabricated polls of the Eurasia types, cannot wipe out is that President Jonathan’s scorecard will always speak for him. While the APC will continue its dream of ‘change,’ Jonathan’s performance is there in concrete terms for all to see. He has in the last four years transformed the lives of Nigerians, especially in the areas of infrastructural development, roads, transportation, education, youth and women empowerment, job creation, etc. The phenomenon of self-deception is a dangerous malaise. It usually starts with a little dose of lies and grows, incrementally, until the victim begins to believe his or her own lies. A large number of APC members are beginning to believe in their own propaganda. Poll reports such as the one published by the Eurasia Group only worsen their predicament. The APC situation reminds one of the Yoruba proverb or adage of a farmer who planted five heaps of yam but kept lying that he planted 10 heaps. At harvest time, when he had reaped the five heaps, he would have to look for a story to tell. As the deluded APC members celebrate their expected victory, all I can say is to remind them of the traditional caution that we must not count our chickens before they are hatched. •Sogolo, Professor of Philosophy, retired from the University of Ibadan.

Obanikoro and the bow of shame Idowu Ajanaku

iewed from both the moral and constitutional standpoints, the recent clearance of Musiliu Obanikoro, the former Minister of State for Defence for another ministerial appointment by the Senate, amidst protests from All Progressives Congress lawmakers connotes the depth of depravity and desperation by the current President Jonathan-led administration. One that a public affairs analyst has aptly described as ‘jackboot democracy.’ And interestingly, another has compared it to ‘democracy of the jungle,’ where though animals of various species may cohabit but the might is right and the law of the wild subsists. Perhaps, only that would shed more light on a sordid political aberration that has a minority number of senators mouth ‘ayes’ after a majority had staged a walkout in protest. The way and manner the Senate President, David Mark, ruled against an objection raised by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi who pointed out the reversal of a previous court ruling in the face of a pending case on the controversial Ekitigate, it was obvious the PDP lawmakers were acting out a script by the presidency. They wanted Obanikoro to be given a leeway more by crook than by hook. Even the counsel offered by Senator Ganiyu Solomon that the issue be deferred until the gray areas had been ironed out was jettisoned by Mark, apparently to foist his preference and of course that of his party on the Red Chamber. This is a most unfortunate dimension to politics in Nigeria, more so in an election period. The worrisome aspect of the political melodrama paints the ruling PDP as a party only too willing to ram its dictatorial

tendencies down the already aching throat of long-suffering Nigerians. For, if Obanikoro, representing Lagos State had been accused of influencing the voting process in Ekiti state that swung it in favour of his party, what guarantee is there that President Jonathan is not out to use him for another sinister hatchet job during the forthcoming elections? Couldn’t another PDP stalwart have been nominated from the same state? Why did Mark not allow senators from the same state have their say and perhaps their way during the scandalous screening before Obanikoro’s bow of shame? Beyond the desperation of the PDP to win the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections, Nigerians should be more concerned because of the culture of impunity which has pervaded our political landscape for years and worsened since the assumption of office of President Jonathan in 2010. One would recall, with a sense of collective shame, how the erstwhile head of the Pension Board accused of having embezzled billions in naira of pensioners’ hard-earned terminal benefits was hurriedly granted a court waiver to pay a paltry sum and go home a free man! That was until Nigerians felt outraged and stated so. It has been a similar sad commentary on our description of the simple word ‘corruption’ that one Stella Oduah, then as the Aviation Minister accused of over invoicing of the purchase of two cars, was allowed to stay put in office for months until public outcry was loud and compelling enough to reach Mr. President in Aso Rock. So far, the allegation against the jet-setting current Minster of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani AlisonMadueke, for allegedly squandering billions of our common resources globe-trotting has

suffered a drowning effect. This may not be too surprising for a country where its number one citizen does not equate stealing with corruption! But while the public angst against Obaniokoro is not yet about attempting to milk the national till dry, his speedy clearance by the Senate for a ministerial appointment, while the Ekitigate electoral scam is still in court smacks of the twin evils of corruption and impunity. These two, we must admit, have collectively undermined the strengthening and sustenance of democratic institutions in Nigeria since the PDP’s stranglehold on the nation’s political jugular vein for some 16 years. Anyone, no matter how highly placed, who cannot understand those terms may have to consult his dictionary, if he has any. Not too surprisingly, the Lagos State chapter of the APC has described the confirmation of Musiliu Obanikoro as a minister by the Nigerian Senate, despite damaging implications in a rigging scandal in Ekiti, as ‘a show of shame.’ The concern of the opposition party is that this recent event further drags the image of Nigeria and the Senate in the mud. In a related statement in Lagos, which was signed by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, the party emphasised that the confirmation of Obanikoro “showed the sinister intent of the Senate leadership and the PDP to institute deep-rooted corruption and illegality in Nigeria so long as their nefarious interests were met.” Furthermore, APC said: “It is obvious that the PDP presidency that nominated Obanikoro and the PDP members of the Senate that forced through decency and protests of Nigerians to approve his nomination are hell-bent on corrupting both

the laws and institutions of the Nigerian State by that howling act of rewarding criminality. “The country is once again, assailed by the lawless inclination of the PDP as a party that thrives in such criminality as election rigging and which uses same to reward perpetrators who should be jailed for high crime which the Ekitigate scandal amounts to. What the Senate and its PDP members forced through in confirming Obanikoro is the audacious reign of illegality and impunity and Nigerians have a golden chance to throw the PDP to the dustbin of history on March 28.” What also baffles close watchers of the country’s polity is the refusal on the part of President Jonathan to set up a committee to investigate the weighty allegations against Obanikoro. Though the man in the eye of the storm in a recent media interview stated that he, rather than the APC, has challenged part of a conspiracy to rig Ekiti election using federal might. In all of the unfolding political soap opera, it is morally reprehensible that a ministerial nominee is forced on the country under shady circumstances. The import of this is that Nigerians who are interested in free, fair and credible elections, the mass media, independent election observers, as well as the human rights community must be on eternal vigilance. We all must stand up and say a vehement ‘no!’ to fascism, despotism and all forms of dictatorial tendencies garbed in gowns of democracy. The military era is long over. The essence of democracy is that the wishes of the majority rather than that of a favoured few should prevail. Anything short of that would lead to chaos. •Ajanaku writes from Lagos

Sunday Mail MARCH 22, 2015

You have a right to be heard! Send your letters and photographs to sundayletters@newtelegraphonline.com. Letters should not be more than 150 words and must have the name and address of the sender. Homeless persons

Dear Editor, Back in the 80’s, I was working in a liquor store. There was a homeless man coming in everyday. At first I didn’t like him very much at first. After a while I got to know him pretty well, he only bought quart bottles of beer. He turned out to be one of the nicest people that you would ever want to get to know. He didn’t beg for money, he asked if there was any work that he could do to make just a tiny bit of money. After a while we were glad that he was coming in. That area was his turf and he ran a lot of homeless away. So you can see that, not every homeless person is a bad one but their population is on the increase lately and many even hide under that pretext to beg for money thereby constituting a social nuisance. Please call the attention of the Federal Government to this issue please. Nasirudeen Abdul from Minna

Immigration scam

Dear Editor, President Goodluck Jonathan has offered 35 job vacancies and N75m to 15 families, who lost their relatives during the tragic Nigerian Immigration Service nationwide recruitment exercise on March 15, 2014. Millions of job seekers were mostly youths, with certificates ranging from master’s degree to bachelor’s degree, Higher National Diploma, National Certificate in Education, National Diploma and Senior Secondary School Leaving Certificate. The question now is what happens to some of us that got back home safely from that same so-called interview? Does it then mean that, you or your relation have to die before you can secure a good job in this country? People are saying that the whole thing was a scam. If it actually was a scam, what are security agencies doing about that? Praise Aden, Lagos

Walkway needed at Berger Dear Editor, A pedestrian walkway is badly needed at Berger on lagosIbadan Expressway, on the boundary between Lagos and Ogun states. The volume of human traffic crossing the road at all times of the day is quite high. Pedestrians have been either killed or knocked down by passing vehicles at this ever-busy terminal and it is only necessary right now for government to contemplate the construction of a pedestrian walkway there. We cannot continue to toy with the lives of Nigerians who have to cross this road daily. Also, we have to look at the gridlock caused by people crossing the expressway every morning, especially on working days. Chike Nwadi, Lagos

Becoming serious Dear Editor, If the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, csn make a man that wasnot serious for about six years to become serious in six weeks, then, one week of Buhari as the president of this nation will be a great blessing to Nigeria. God bless him and it is time for us to change our political leaders for rapid development to take place. No water, no light no security yet we have the best economy in Africa. Who is actually fooling whom? Don Musa Abubakar from Kaduna.

Seed of greatness

Dear Editor, I want to remind our youths that there is a seed of greatness in them and they should never look down on themselves. They should take out some time to process what they carry inside of them since the world is waiting for their manifestation. You may not look like the vision now but stay on it and it will surely speak. You can become whatsoever you desire to be. There is still space for you, so never give up. Understand that challenges are there to strengthen you unto perfection. Speak in line with the vision you see ahead and neglect whatever stumbling blocks and match on. The top is where you belong, focus on what is deposited in you and develop it. Government cannot give you all that you need. Lotana Okoye from Asaba

Despite her challenges, she still bear children. Motherhood... unhindered by physical handicap

Elected officials are prison worthy

Dear Editor, The trouble makers are usually the drug addicts looking for a fix. I’ve been homeless both as an alcoholic, clean and straight. I’ve been sober 14 years now, and I’m not homeless anymore. But it would only take one small catastrophic incident to put me back there. I put the blame on our leaders, the amounts of taxpayer money that are being stolen and embezzled by the people we elect and trust to govern in the name of “public safety” in itself is a crime. We need to add Amendments to the Constitution to prevent a President from having as much power as we’ve seen Obama abuse. Let us send important decisions to the people to vote on!! Let us not allow one person to decide. No one should have that kind of power. We the masses should change the way our leaders are vetted and elected. Seventy percent of elected officials are prison worthy. Eddie Bercaw from Pensacola, Florida

Church vs INEC

Dear Editor, Churches are expected to teach morals and lead their members to the way of the lord. It is no longer news that Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Dr. Anthony Obinna, escaped death by a whisker, while some of his priests were seriously beaten when political thugs, suspected to be working for the All Progressives Congress disrupted a political debate organised by the Catholic Church. The debate, which was to take place at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral premises, witnessed a large turn-out of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party as well as those of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. They were however attacked by rampaging thugs who also destroyed the altar of the cathedral and chairs set out for candidates. The attack abruptly ended the debate as candidates of the PDP and APGA, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho respectively, were hurriedly whisked away to safety by security operatives. Please editor, I want you to use your good office to talk to our religious leaders to continue in their prayers to God for politicians to allow for the peaceful conduct of elections and allow the Independent National Electoral Commission to carry out their work. Okoli Esther from Anambra

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Chibok schoolgirls Dear Editor, In a matter of weeks, it will be a year since Boko Haram kidnapped the Chibok schoolgirls. Nigerians have witnessed the government demonstrating its own impotence on their rescue. Then, the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, gave her response to the abduction by shedding tears on live TV. Since then, the government has traded in promises including to rebuild the girls’ school gates. Some of the parents were invited to meet the President in Abuja to listen to more promises. As if all these have not been distressing enough, the President recently asserted that the girls must still be alive; that if it had been otherwise, the terrorists would have made a public display of their corpses. Now, how do you respond to that without joining him to trade in the macabre? Will our girls ever come back again? My heart is broken because I can imagine what their parents are going through. Blessing Adebola from Ilorin

PDP facing its stiffest competition Dear Editor, Since the presidential election was postponed to March 28, President Goodluck Jonathan has spent every single weekend in Lagos. From Lagos, he has traversed the South West, meeting every interest group imaginable – from monarchs to clerics to market women to students and many others. This has never happened before and I believed it is all geared towards having their votes. After the elections, everything will stop until may be another four years when Nigeria will be due for fresh elections. The PDP is facing its stiffest competition ever in 16 years and the person they blame the most is Tinubu, the major actor, who is seen as the strategic mind of the new party and one person who must be stopped at all cost. Gen. Buhari has since been pencilled down for similar character assassination and vicious insults alongside other leaders of the APC. PDP leaders for their part are accused of their inability to guarantee adequate security for the nation and provide jobs. May I advise those candidates using abusive words to tell us their political ideas. This is the best way to woo voters. Victor Olukoya from Yaba in Lagos.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Moments

L-R; Former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Senator Femi Okunrounmu, and Prof Dupe Olatunbosun, at the Post-National Conference Summit, in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

L-R: Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Managing Director, Salini Construction Company, Dr. Piero Capitanio and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, at the inauguration of Gurara Irrigation Project at Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State …on Friday

L-R: Publicity Secretary, Ondo State APC, Mr. Abayomi Adesanya; Chairman, Conference of APC State Publicity Secretaries (CAPS), Mr. Joe Igbokwe and Special Adviser to Lagos State government on information, Mr. Lateef Raji, during the second annual conference of CAPS in Lagos…Thursday

L-R: Assistant Director Public Affairs, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mr Hakeem Bakare; President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Dr Ifeanyi Okoye and Representative of Managing Director NDIC, Mr. Frank Akinola, during the corporation’s special day at the ongoing 26th ECCIMA International Trade Fair in Enugu …yesterday

Rector, Ado Ekiti State Federal Polytechnic, Dr. Terrrasa Akande (left), with the Dean, Continue Centre, Engr Phillip. Ajibade, at matriculation ceremony in Ado Ekiti…yesterday.

L-R: Managing Director\CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnayelugo Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Foundation for Science Education, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, during the 20th Anniversary of the foundation in Onikan Lagos…recently.

L-R: Iyaoge of Lagos, Chief Opral Benson; judge, Etisalat Prize for Literature, Jamal Mahjoub; Chair of Judges, Etisalat Prize for Literature, Sarah Ladipo Manyika; Winner, 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature, Songeziwe Mahlangu; and Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher at the award ceremony of the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island...recently

Head of the Technical and Safety Inspection Team of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Mike Dawodu (left), with member of the University of Lagos team, Mubarak Okunade, monitoring the performance of the Autonov-3 car made by students of the University, at the test-driving session in preparation for the 2015 Shell Eco-marathon Europe, in Lagos … on Wednesday

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 22 MARCH, 2015

SUNDAY 22 MARCH, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY

Fashion

Add zest to your attire: Go for mufflers 44

Bed, Work & Life

Seems baby is in a hurry 20

Body Soul SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

Green

is new black

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

eart h y m m o r f t Straigh

s in a 48 ons commence ti ec el Pg. al er n ge d le u ed h sc the air. The re excitement in ch u m so s e’ her oo more last y y Alle mpaigns to wt like ca ellan ed zi week’s time. en Misc fr almos unched la rs re te e vo ! av h ve ay ti rr rs u ec H their supporte treating prosp ith VVIPs at Aspirants and eir parties. Politicians are nities to see and deal w tentively to tu at th very rts’ to e oppor minute ‘conveMany Nigerians now hav e VVIPs are forced to listenal statements that are ic . es it h ol ow T p n . h y gs it lt tin reminds sw roya town hall mee the poor man suage his fear close range at ritating poor man and as e politicians now accord calling a cow ‘brother ’ the hitherto irlies. The importance thesansliterate to mean ‘a man l end synonyms of ba wise saying which I tr l le rhythm will need p u d ru (1) e nstrua h Yo T . e e’ s. th n id ia me of Preme oric disorder ians stil t of its h e politic ic ea it th to ol h p it ts e w an th ir h w if h fa , e e p s lt ough love af hen th because h Heallness dy beyond that th an enjoy this urts. That is w We sha Ellah Let the poor m handover date. It may gopropriated’ votes in the co nudge the poor man ta a N 29 to the . Yeah, they after the May rs as fodder to claim ‘misap the poor manket and pronto, he goes in’ etc in in t ai te tr vo al r id oo ic p oc su ghts the T coins in his p appeal to the ght for our ri politricksters ib promises and drop fewarity for ever ’, ‘We shall fi NRISE crew with more gl ng ‘We no go gree’, ‘Solid Channel’s SU streets chantie politricksters’ mandate! swer questions from the Commission’s chairman ed in his t Electoral defense of th ed to Prof. Attahiru Jega an e Independen job the nation has entrustl body can e ra Having listen ning, I’m convinced that th th to s that the elec understand on Friday morSUU president perfectly y assistance he needs so Pg. 50 y er A ev er n be give and form e that in ever ld ar ou aw sh so e, al or ef m ates, but I’ care and, ther ible election. orner ks choice candid ook C My C w dip stic with conduct a cred forward to voting in myner and losers. rs te llo vo a ed m h av s h in I look Mar where well-be votes. e must be a w election, ther d to a peaceful election ng stations and cast their safety S ar I look forw t Voter Cards go to polli men and women ensure ty en ri an cu m se cient their Per to having effi elections. o have I look forward erty during and after the friends back -friends wh there p en y h ro m p w g d in hav ke es, even of life an ok forward to parties. d ‘change’ lin y the la b n i Above all, I loalong ‘transformation’ an g the contending political member b a The c let us all re been polarisedt ideological divides amon on Saturday, es with good hearts A s n cu io rat ea st cl g o n n li are the candidat off for the pol elopment Before we set e Almighty God will causeing peace, unity and dev to pray that th r country and that will br r Art Colou and love for ou ners. in w as ge er to em ertheelections! #thereislifeaft

EGRAPH

SUNDAY

oul

Body

22, MARCH

2015,

AY TEL SUND

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MARCH

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Gags

Juliet

393 4407 0803

NDER LE LI LITT

Contents 22.03.2015 COVER

I was one of the founding members of Bakassi boys in Aba. The only thing that saved me is that I got born again before the eviction of Bakassi boys in Aba

-Rev. Chidi Anthony

FASHION

Colour green has been predicted as a popular colour trend for the year 2015

T h e Te a m Juliet Bumah (Editor)

Vanessa Okwara (Correspondent) Wole Adepoju

} 22&43

Biwom Iklaki (Correspondent)

} 18-19

BEAUTY

During pregnancy, not only what you put in your body is crucial, but what you put on it as well

} 21

GLAM DUDES Mufflers can be a powerful accessory in creating your style as a fashionable dude

} 44

Ugochukwu Nnakwe (Graphics)

MY PASSION My mentor is ‘DJ JIMMY JATT’, he mentored me and I will forever look up to that great man because everything about him is worth emulating

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

} 17

Associates

BED, WORK & LIFE

She rams into the car behind her. She had stepped hard on the accelerator instead of the brake! The impact throws her forward and back. Oh no! This is not a place to have an accident! She would have given an arm to drive out of that hotel unnoticed.} 20

Helen Paul

Eyitayo Aloh

i By ee

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Body&Soul

I’ll forever cherish DJ Jimmy JATT -DJ Nana When did you know you are going into disk jockeying? I knew I was going to be a DJ in 2008 when I attended a carnival around Ketu area of Lagos. I have always been an arts person. I like dancing and I love music but I wasn’t dancing professionally. Once when I saw a DJ playing, something whispered to me, ‘Why not become a DJ? Those that are doing it don’t have two heads.’ I was a little scared and the first person I told thought it was a terrible idea. But I was too stubborn to listen. The journey basically started from that night.

Young, vibrant and pretty Nanayat Abedoh is among the few female Disc Jockeys in Nigeria. Known as DJ Nana, the talented Kogi State-born lady has always stood out in the entertainment industry. In this chat with DEBORAH MAKOJI, she reveals how the journey started I am in my house or walking on the road because they are used to seeing the ‘diva’ all glammed-up Nana. Almost everybody that stays around me struggles to make Nana at home the same with the Nana at work. I don’t make up at home and I wear mostly baggy clothes because I am super comfortable in them. Basically, I am a regular girl next door when I’m not in the entertainment zone.

What inspires your mixes? My creations are inspired by things around me. We all have our different senses of feel or instinct. Mine comes with something that crosses my eyes. I have a good retentive memory, my mind is good at registering things I see. So, even in my gigs, I work with my crowd. I sample different genres and watch the one that is mostly accepted. I focus on the one that has the most acceptance. Down to my look, I create everything from different things that have been registered in my mind from what I see; on the streets, TV, social media, friends and anything I see.

As a young and vibrant DJ, what is your area of specialisation? I really haven’t thought of that before. I’m good with m y m u s i c . Especially the 90s. That’s my most comfortable playlist.

Which are the major events you have featured in? I have actually forgotten a lot but these are the few that come to mind: AY Live Concert, First Nigerian Idol, Kings of Comedy Concert, MTN 10th Anniversary Party, Stand Up Nigeria Comedy Concert, British American Tobacco Concert, Rhythm Unplugged in Ibadan, Jimmy’s Jump Off Concert, Snap Drink launch, Glo Lafta Fest, Johnny Walker step up to the VIP event, MTN Project Fame 7.0, Polo Club Tournament, Dj Jimmy Jatt’s 25th year on stage event, Beat/Naija FM NYSC Concert, Naija FM concert, Snap Ladies Night Out Lagos/Port Harcourt, Jimmy’s Jump Off 2012, 2013, 2014, NMVA 2013/14 and many others.

Briefly tell us about your background. I am the second of the two kids my parents had together. I have a big sister, three step sisters and a brother. I’m from Kogi State, Okene. My mother is from Ibadan.

Who are your popular clients? I get most of my bookings from agencies handling the events on behalf of the companies. And I don’t know if I should mention the owners of the events as my clients or the agencies that handle the events. So, we’ll just fast forward to the next question. Laughs… What was growing up like? My growing up wasn’t very eventful. My parents separated when I was about two years old and my sister and I remained with our father. Then we were taken to my dad’s home town, Okene, to live with our grandmother from there to Abuja three years later, where I completed my primary school at LEA Primary School Wuse, Abuja. I proceeded to secondary school in Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja. I left after my JSS1 for Lagos to stay with my dad as he had re-married then. I continued my secondary education at Saint Joseph Secondary School, Mangoro, Agege. I was a dancer in school and was naturally not my teacher’s favourite so I was tagged a bad child, but that never stopped me. I kept dancing till I left secondary school. Then I went ahead to Lagos State University where I got a Diploma in Law. While in school, I was learning DJaying. So, I go to the club and that was how I learnt what I’m doing now. From Friday nights, I return home at 5.30am, sleep for two hours and head to class; same goes for Saturday night then school on Sunday morning. This went on through my first year. I stopped when my centre was moved from Yaba to Ojo.

The distance was too far so I stopped and pursued my admission into National Open University for a degree in Law. I am still on the programme. Who do you look up to as a role model? My role model... I am one of the luckiest people on earth as I didn’t just aspire to be like my role model. I got an opportunity to work with him directly. Currently, I’m referred to more as his daughter than his DJ. My mentor is DJ Jimmy Jatt. He mentored me and I will forever look up to that great man because everything about him is worth emulating. He encouraged me so much and I owe a lot to him. What is your personal style? Personally, I am a very natural person. A lot of people don’t recognise me when

One has to pay through their nose to get your service. Does that encourage patronage? Have you contracted me for a gig before? All I have to say to that is... it’s not true and as for patronage, I’m of the school of thought that whatever is yours is yours, nothing or no one can take it or stop it. I’m quite flexible with fees. How do you handle male fans’ excesses? Well, I do appreciate and love my fans. But even if I wasn’t a DJ, I’d still have male admirers in any field I end up. But most of the time, I’m more thankful because they are very encouraging. Most of the time I get sprayed while playing, mostly from the male fans that are overwhelmed by my performance and it only encourages me to push harder and to do more. What styles occupy the most space in your wardrobe? I think you’ll find more dresses than anything. I love one piece and I go for dresses most times. I’m lazy when it comes to dressing up things and the only way to escape it is to wear one piece clothing. That

way, one is not worried about a matching top or a matching trouser. Apart from DJ work, which other business are you into? Aside DJaying, I’m in school. When I want something, I put my all into it, I don’t put my attention on too many things so that way I get the best of that one that has my attention. Is there anything you wish to change about yourself? Yes. I’d love to be taller. Laughs… Are you married? I’m not married because it’s not yet time. Like I said, my God leads while I follow. There is no rush for me. I’m still young and just dealing with what I have. When the time for marriage comes, I will deal with that. Tell us about your perfect holiday destination. I have never been on a vacation and that’s because it is affordable during my busy period. So I have never given it a thought. What is your advice to other ladies that regard DJaying as a man’s job? Well, I will tell them the exact thing DJ Jimmy Jatt told me when I just started working with him. He asked me never to see any challenge as a gender thing; because every profession in life has its ups and downs. It has nothing to do with being a female or male, it is only natural to face challenges. If anyone still believes the job of a DJ is a man’s profession, that person is wrong. I mean, if you really want to do something and you have your reservations about it, you ask questions. I’m sure if one goes online you’ll find female DJs everywhere. It’s a very normal thing in this age. Yes, there are challenges and also yes we have the society that is not exactly encouraging and our parents too but at the end of the day, I think it’s better you pursue your dreams. Make your mistakes and correct them yourself. That is better than living the rest of your life regretting why you didn’t try. My career has not changed me in anyway. My favourite footwear are my bathroom slippers and my neighbours know me very well. My female agbada is my favourite house wear. I love being free. And so far my career has only helped me improve on myself, fight for myself and what I believe in. I’d like to use this medium to plead with our parents to encourage their kids. A lot of people missed their true calling in life because their parents felt they needed to do something else or something else was better than what they wanted. God created every one of us in different ways, from looks, complexion, hair, height, likes to interests and so forth. I believe He knew what He was doing. I am a victim of this. It’s quite sad when you have to face life by yourself because the people that brought you to this world believe you are doing something wrong for not pursuing what they want you to and decide to cut you off. If something bad happens, what will you tell God when He asks you? I hope the answer will be: ‘I know better than you God, that’s why I wanted my child to be someone else and not who you made him/ her to be.’

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

My wife is my General Guests of the General Overseer of Kings in Christ Church, Lagos, Reverend Chidi Anthony, and his wife, were surprised when they were served bottles of choice Champagne at the dedication of their fourth child. TAI ANYANWU takes him up on this and other issues What was your growing up like? I lived a very rough life. I caused my family much pain and my father and mother rained curses on me. I will never blame them for that. And if there is anything like reincarnation, I will like to have another Ochaonuma as my father in the next world. He lived right; not only for me, but the entire family. I made him regret having a son like me. In what ways did you cause your parents pain? I was into cult life. I was one of the founding members of Bakassi boys in Aba. The only thing that saved me is that I got born again before the eviction of Bakassi boys in Aba. I was vindicated because God delivered me. My friends were killed. I made my father spend money in police stations making cases and trying to get me out trouble. When I got born again, I realised that I couldn’t go far until my father released me from those curses. I bought drinks for him and told him that I was not worthy to be his son; I went like the prodigal son in the Bible. In fact, I merited more curses but now I have come back to my senses. What do you mean that you merited more curses? I was the leader of a fraternity. I started as a member of Ajiagba Mafia. Later, I founded a mafia family, called Mafia Society Squad. My father was the treasurer of my village meeting. This gift of prophecy didn’t start today. It manifested at the early stages of my life. But the Devil used it negatively such that when l entered a place, something would show me where money or valuables were hidden. I easily found where my father or mother kept money. As evil as I was, I never took little; I used to take the whole thing. How did you become born-again? I was awaiting trial when I received my call to ministry. I saw myself preaching in the National Stadium. Then, I was not a church goer, and I wondered how somebody who had not been to church could become a preacher overnight. I said that God was showing me an impossible thing. After I regained my freedom, I went home to Aba, looking bushy. On my way to a barbing saloon, I met Rev. Dr. Madubuike, who told me that I have a call of God. The minister asked me to see him. We met at the Royal Family Church. There, he told me that God said I was the Moses of this generation. Could you tell us about your prison experience? I was arrested for a big crime which I committed and was taken to Benue State where I was arraigned before a magistrate court. After the Court Clerk read out my case, a female magistrate swore that she would make sure that justice was meted out. There was enough evidence to prove me guilty as charged. Due to the severity of my case, the court required that only someone who owned a building in the city of Benue would take me on bail. I didn’t have such relations. So, I cried profusely in the dock. No one came to bail me; hence I was kept in prison on awaiting trial. One morning, the warders called me out. I didn’t want to go, because I thought that they wanted to kill me. I later went to the prison pastor, knelt down and asked him to pray for me before I proceeded on the journey of no return. The warders gave me my clothes and I asked them where they were taking me. ‘Thank your God, somebody has bailed you’ one of the warders announced. I looked at the man who came to bail me; I had never seen the person before. I said to him, ‘You risked your property for me, what if I disappear?’ He said, ‘I know you cannot run. I quickly put on my clothes and walked out of the prison before he changed his mind. He told me that he was in court the day I was crying and that the Lord told him that he should not allowed me to perish in prison. I wish I would meet that man today and I would appreciat him, because God used him to deliver me. How did you meet your wife? Meeting my wife was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it marked the begin-

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Body&Soul

Overseer -Rev Chidi Anthony ning of my breakthrough. In the year 2003, I was invited for a ministration programme at Mbano, Imo State. The brethren in that town had invited me because God had begun to do wonders through my ministry. It was so amazing that about 400 people took turns to see me for counselling. My wife happened to be one those people I counselled. She had a relationship challenge at that time. She later attended another camp meeting the brethren organised. I was praying late into the night when other people had retired. When I lifted my head at about 2.am, I noticed someone else was praying at the far end of the hall. It was the same lady I had counselled. The Spirit told me, ‘That is a wife material’. The next time I saw her was when I dedicated my car at a church service. The spirit told me specifically, ‘This is your wife’. After the ministration, I called her into my office and asked her to marry me. Did you ever have challenges in marriage? You know marriage involves the coming together of two people who come from different backgrounds and have varying orientations. My wife had some characters that I was not used to; I had some mannerism which I could not jettison in one day. So we passed through a process of learning to accommodate each other’s short-comings. Misunderstandings came along the way as is expected to happen between husband and wife. Now, we have learnt to understand each other. However, the biggest challenge we faced was coping with five years of childlessness. We went to several hospitals and different diagnoses were given. We heard many things from people. Some said that I had low sperm count. Others said my wife was a prostitute and had damaged her womb. But we focussed on God. Then I met a special man at a church programme held in Nnewi, Anambra State. He is Chidi Okorafor, the current General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria. I was in that programme because I was confused. I related my problems to him. Having listened patiently, Rev Okoafor asked me, ‘Who called you?’ and I said God. He said, ‘If God called you, be at peace because God cannot abandon you’. He told me to maintain my focus on God and cover my ears with spiritual cotton wool. I believed him and today it has been very well with us. Today, you dedicated your fourth child, after five years of bareness.... I now have four children, this is my last baby. If God even decides to bless me again with a child, I will say it is enough. Who decided that you are done with baby making? We agreed together. Two cannot work together except they agree. Even those days we didn’t have a child, each time we prayed, we told God that we needed four children. I always wished to have three boys and one girl; but God blessed us with two boys and two girls which is a perfect match. If your wife becomes pregnant again, what will you do? I am a man of principles; I believe that God cannot give someone what he does not want. He is not an author of

confusion. What I need are four kids, and I have talked to God about it. Besides, my wife is already on family planning of 15 years. Before 15 years expires, she will enter menopause. Do you sometimes help your wife in doing house work? I cannot prepare tea for myself and it is not pride. I don’t know how to do

My wife always told me that Daddy has prepared a mansion for her in heaven and I believe her. But I also said to my wife, that if somebody builds my own mansion here on earth, I would give her a very nice room

it. There is a day I tried to fry plantain and egg, but my wife did not encourage me. That day, she laughed me to scorn. She told me in plain terms that I could not fry ordinary plantain. That was not encouraging. How do you settle your differences as a couple? We settle our differences without involving a third party. My family doesn’t know issues about my wife and likewise her family. We may be having a problem now, immediately someone comes into our house, we will start laughing and when the person leaves the house, we start where we stopped until we settle the dispute amicably. What position does your wife hold in the church? She is my General Overseer, the only pastor that can pastor me. You may have noticed that when we wanted to take a decision in church, I said I needed to consult with my G.O. Even the child dedication, we took the decision together. We built a large auditorium

within months and for three weeks, there was no money but my wife sold her things, I sold my three Sport Utility Vehicles and put all into the church project. I became a foot runner again, but that didn’t bother me. There was no money; but my wife decided that we should do the child dedication first. I thanked God for her life. Truly God did it, people were giving me, I went to the church members; they were giving me money. You saw commissioners, senior military personnel and I am highly favoured. The Bible said that he that found a good wife, found favour before the Lord. What is the best advice she has ever given to you? Her best advice is, ‘Beware of friends’. I have partners in progress as members. Many are senior military personnel, top government officials, business persons, professionals...different classes of people. What does style mean to you? I like being simple and feel free to associate with people. Some time ago, they would have convinced me to take the bishop title and I had ordered for the regalia. It was then I knew that bishops wear up to nine different clothes. My brother, I nearly suffocated in the regalia, as I tried it on. And I said to myself that if this is all bishop was all about, I don’t need the title. I love to be simple and sometime people don’t recognise me easily because of my attires. But you built this palatial mansion here? Mansion? My wife always told me that Daddy has prepared a mansion for her in heaven and I believe her. But I also said to my wife, that if somebody builds my own mansion here on earth, I would give her a very nice room. I always pray that I will go to heaven before her. But if she goes before me she should reserve one room for me in her mansion. But the truth is that one person built this house for me. Somebody I prayed out of trouble decided to build this, this is phase one. I know God will use me to build another edifice; and if you can call this a mansion, I wonder what you will say when the vision comes true. Maybe you will call it heaven on earth. Why did you throw such a lavish party for child dedication? If you were in the hospital when my wife was in labour, you would appreciate the situation differently. My wife battled hell. My wife had died during labour. But we have a covenant of life in our church that no member will die young; we have that covenant with God. She laboured for days and I prayed till I could not pray anymore. I serve a living God. Assuming God did not bring her back, do you know what people would say? They would have said that I used her for ritual. Do you know what it takes to build this type of auditorium in one year and two months? Or to buy a land in this part of Lagos and after building, the GO’s wife and child die? My brother, people will chase me out Nigeria; but my God has seen my heart. He knows truly that I cannot stand the shame and vindicated me. So I didn’t spent money, we will still do part two of this party.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

Seems baby is in a hurry

anic grips Kathryn. What is Alice doing in this hotel? She recalls their last conversation on the phone hours earlier. Did she by any means reveal where she was? She remembers that Alice wanted to come to her house and she told her she was on her way out. Did she tell Alice more? She racks her brain. Oh gosh! She is so confused. Or, could it be that her car was stolen and was brought there by robbers? Nothing is impossible...yeah but this is too close to call. Or, did Alice have a business meeting with a client here? She picks her phone to call Alice and remembers that her phone is dead. If the phone isn’t dead, would she have called her? What would she tell her she was looking for in such a discreet location? And what if she calls and Alice is there in the hotel? She drops the dead phone. By now, she’s so worked up that her heart is beating so wildly. She also notices that the activity in her stomach is unusual. The baby is kicking so much. Her due date is less than two weeks away. She sits still, closes her eyes and breathes deep to calm herself. **** Dave has been trying to reach his wife without success. Her phone is switched off. What could have happened? She said she would go to the cinema though. But she’s not expected to switch off her phone, she usually set the notification at ‘Meeting’, so what could have happened? Low battery? He drives home. She’s not at home. According to the security man, she left more than six hours ago. He panics. Where could she be? An almost term pregnant woman is not supposed to take off at will without letting anyone know her whereabouts. Could she be with Alice? Why didn’t he think of that since! Of course, that’s the only person she can spend hours with without realising her phone is off. Women and gossip. Wonder what they talk about. He dials Alice’s number. **** Immediately James leaves the garden bar minutes later, Alice takes her leave. She is so sure that Kathryn would have left that she walks confidently to her car, turns on the ignition and drives off immediately. She has gone for about 15 minutes when it occurs to her that she left the diary she was flipping through on the table in the garden bar. She turns at the nearest roundabout and heads back to the hotel. It’s important she retrieves the diary. She seems to be forgetting two many things lately. Is that a sign of end stage pregnancy? She reminds herself that she needs someone around her at that time. What if she goes into labour suddenly? The doctor says the baby can come a week before or after her due date. It may also come much earlier. “I mustn’t take any more chances. Eight days to due date is close enough. I’ll call the nanny, she has to move in with me tomorrow,” she mutters to herself and picks up her phone. Traffic is building up. **** Kathryn opens her eyes, engages the gear and looks through the rear mirror as she pulls out. Her gaze darts to the spot where Alice’s car was parked and saw a white

Hyundai salon car there instead. She takes a sharp breath. Her heart lurches! Is she seeing things? She is sure she saw Alice’s black Range Rover there a few minutes ago. Her scarf was on the back seat! She looks again at that spot and back to her rear but it is too late. Thud! She rams into the car behind her. She had stepped hard on the accelerator instead of the brake! The impact throws her forward and back. Oh no! This is not a place to have an accident! She would have given an arm to drive out of that hotel unnoticed. Now, she will have to hang around for the owner of the vehicle she rammed into. The impact seems much. What if someone who knows her sees her there now? What is she going to tell Dave she was doing in a hotel? Such a discreet one at that! Her head aches and her tummy too. The security man at the rear of the car park rushes towards her as pain wracks her body. She needs to get Dave but how? Her phone is dead. As she picks the car charger, the pain comes again and she drops it. She opens the driver’s door and clutches her tummy. The security man who is already checking the damage to the cars

rushes to her. “Get me Mr. James. He’s a lodger. C209. Hurry,” she tells him. The security looks at her, the car behind and back to her. What if it’s a ploy for her to drive off? He looks at her again and decides she isn’t joking. Still, he beckons on his colleague. One can never be too careful. “This madam hit the car behind. But she seems not to be feeling fine. She asked me to call the occupant of Room C209,” he tells his colleague, a much older man. The newcomer moves to Kathryn and begins, “Yes, madam, what is the problem? We have to get the owner of...” He notices her pregnant state and takes a closer look at her pain wracked face. “Quick, John, get the person. She is in pain,” he shouts, drawing the attention of some other people in the car park. They cluster around her, asking questions at the same time. “My brother is lodged here. He’ll take me to the hospital,” she tells them, her face contorted in pain. Few minutes later, James rushes to her side. “What happened, Kiki?” He asks, alarmed. “Dunno what’s wrong with me. I hit the car behind me. I’m having pains. Seems

the baby is coming,” she says through gritted teeth. The word ‘baby’ seems to galvanise the onlookers to action. It’s then they notice her protruding tummy. “Quick, take her to the hospital,” someone says. They help her out of the car and take her to the passenger’s seat. As James is about to drive off, the first security man taps on the window and James winds down. “Oga, she hit and damaged the car behind,” he says, pointing to the damaged car. “Yes,” Kiki says. “I’m lodged here. Will take care of that when I return,” James replies. “It’s my car. Take her to the hospital first, we’ll sort that out later. I’m also a lodger here,” a middle age man says. “Oh thanks my man,” James tells him and drives off, worried. This is a wrong place for such to happen. He needs to call Dave but what is he going to tell him they were doing together and in a hotel? He has to handle this with wisdom. “What happened dear?” James asks. “I just don’t understand. I wanted to reverse and I think I lost concentration and rammed into the vehicle behind me, then the pain came,” she says. She doesn’t want to talk about what she feels she saw. She isn’t even too sure again. Was Alice’s car parked there? Was it a figment of her imagination? She shakes her head and the pain comes again. Then, the bigger headache...she needs to get Dave but she can’t call yet, and not with James’ phone...not yet. “Is the baby due?” James asks, worried. “Not really...in two week’s time but it seems the baby is in a hurry to come out,” she replies, panic in her voice. That seems to jar James. It means Alice is due too! “Please can you move faster, the pain is increasing in intensity,” Traffic is already building up. James maneuvers through the vehicles as fast as he can as they race to the hospital. **** As Alice approaches the gate of the hotel, she notices the small crowd at the gate. Whatever drew them together seems to have happened outside because they are all looking out. She slows down. It’s better to be careful. With the general elections commencing in a week’s time, one should be conscious of security. She surveys the environment, seeing nothing, she approaches the gate of the hotel. The men disperse as she noses her vehicle into the compound. She parks and rushes to the garden bar. Luckily, her diary is still on the table, the way she left it. She picks it up and trots back to her SUV. She notices the stares from the men at the car park and shrugs. Haven’t they seen a pregnant woman before? As she turns on the ignition, her phone rings. She picks it and smiles. It’s Dave. ****** What happened to Kathryn? Did Alice tell Dave what she saw? You won’t find out if you don’t join me here on Sunday! •Send your observations to the email above.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Body&Soul

Skin care in pregnancy Biwom Iklaki

kincare and beauty regimen are very important to every woman. However, in pregnancy, it becomes so much more important because it is no longer just about the woman. During pregnancy, not only what you put in your body is crucial, but what you put on it as well. On this premise, one needs to be doubly aware of what they eat, drink and apply on their skins. Drink more water than before to flush out toxins, catch up on your beauty sleep, exercise and eat healthy. Makeup Most makeup is not too harmful, but some substances are to be used in moderation, like retinoid (a form of Vitamin A substance in products), salicylic acid (found in some makeup for acne-prone skin), oil of Bergamot and soy which can worsen melasma (dark patches associated with pregnancy), can be harmful to the baby. Moisturisers You should moisturise from the inside out. Eat a lot of carrots, watermelon, cucumbers and avocado to help with your skin radiance. You could blend them into a smoothie and add the juice of a lemon to help with nausea which could also leave you with a sallow skin. To reduce the appearance of stretch marks, keep the bump, thighs, upper arms and lower back moisturised always. You could use shea butter (ori), olive oil, coconut oil or petroleum jelly. Sunscreen Most sunscreens are safe, so keep away from the sun especially between 10.am and 4.pm. Wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and sun protective clothing. If you have melasma, you could use skin lightening UV protector. Hair removers and minimisers Most hair removing creams and lotions are considered risk free. This is a great thing since they are your best friend for those areas besides your legs that you can barely reach, let alone see. You should avoid these products though if you had prior reactions to them before you were pregnant. Your skin becomes sensitive with pregnancy, so you may react to these hair minimisers or removers even if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the past.

Body&Soul

olour green has been predicted as a popular colour trend for the year 2015. As the clamour for environmental friendly fashion heightens, designers have also embraced this earthy colour in by bringing out fabulous styles in different shades of green.

Vanessa Okwara

This rich colour is readily embraced by celebrities and stylish ladies all over the world as a growing colour trend as well as another dark shade alternative to black. Its popularity on the red carpet of most upscale events attests to its acceptability as a colour to watch out for this year. In Nigeria, fashionable ladies are not left out in donning these earthy

frocks at events. For instance, green was definitely the colour of the night at the recently concluded Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). We saw beautifully designed gowns in different shades of green ranging from breezy mint, lime to opulent emerald. Dark green is another colour that is popular right now. It’s a great alternative to black. There were lush

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green dresses with wow factor, showing off ‘lady curves’ in wrap dresses and elegant evening gowns. So, if you have been postponing getting green for your closet, now may be the time. Green will definitely make them go green with envy. Why not take your wardrobe to greener pastures this season?

Green is new black

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SundayBusiness SUNDAY

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

News

Black market thrives as dollar shortage deepens p.24

Brands Colgate battles Close Up, others p.28

Interview

Sovereign Wealth Fund had ‘good year’ in 2014–Orji p.25

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph online.com

Jonathan, govs pile up debts R

Paul Ogbuokiri ecent approval given to four states of the federation to borrow $403m from multilateral institutions for different infrastructural projects has reignited fears by analysts that Nigeria is again returning to the status of a debtor nation, about nine years after it exited from a huge foreign debt burden. Based on the huge debt profiles of the state governments, the Federal Government had last year directed Deposit Money Banks not to grant fresh loans until they got the relevant approval and clearance from the Federal Ministry of Finance. Analysts who spoke to Sunday Telegraph in separate interviews in Lagos this week, expressed fear that the country’s political leaders might have gone back to profligacy, saying the danger of accumulating debts for the country, even though the productive sector is in the doldrums, is that poverty is being guaranteed for unborn generations. National President of Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industries Mines and Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, wondered why states are borrowing despite the fact that they have shared the country’s huge oil revenue in the last five years with almost nothing saved. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala “Development in the country is not commensurate to the amount of oil revenue shared by the three tires of government in the last five years. The question is: Have they made the economy productive? Have In so far as the borrowing is enabling infrastructure been put in place for within the tolerable limits as manufacturing to thrive? Why are they borpay? to hope they do rowing? From where recommended by the World Bank, These governments borrowing, both state there is nothing wrong with it, it and federal, must answer these questions to Nigerians, otherwise it a dangerous game must go into productive ventures and it is not advisable,” he said. President of Institute of Chartered Acand what the loan is invested in countants of Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Onyeukwu should be able to pay the debt. Ajaegbu, says though there is nothing wrong the is profligacy in government borrowing, That is the way it should go last thing the Nigerian economy can accommodate at this crucial point in the life of the nation. “In so far as the borrowing is within the tolerable limits as recommended by the World Bank, there is nothing wrong with it, it must go into productive ventures and what the the need for Nigeria to borrow cautiously and loan is invested in should be able to pay the spend prudently. debt. That is the way it should go. “Only last February 24, the Federal Executive “Loans are necessary for development, but Council approved the requests of Lagos, Rivers, in this clime where loans could be redirected Ogun and Osun states to obtain external loans to things other than the ones for which they totaling $403m. There is need for caution. Govwere approved. It creates panic in the minds ernment at all levels need to be careful with borof people with good conscience whenever rowing, especially domestic borrowing, as our loans are taken in this country. If they finish economy may not be able to continue sustaining our resources will they still go ahead and profligacy,” he said. mortgage the future of the country?” The Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador A former president of the Association of Bashir Yuguda, was recently quoted as saying: National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel “The domestic debt profile of some states is Nzekwe, said, “This rising debt profile, com- scary. The states are so much in debt that only a ing nine years after Nigeria exited the Paris small amount of their allocations get to them at Club in 2006, should be a challenge to the the end of the day, because most times, money managers of our economy. It ought to affirm for debt servicing is removed from source.”

He said this was the reason the Federal Government had to discourage states from further borrowing. Even where it becomes necessary that they must take such loans, the minister said they must be for the execution of priority projects, with prospects of high returns to service those loans on schedule. According to statistics from the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s total current debt stock stands at N11.24trn or $67.72bn. This is a 7.7 per cent increase over the N10.4trn recorded in June, 2014.which is about N1.2trn higher than the 2013 figure of N10.04trn. Of the N11.24trn, domestic debt is N7.9trn ($47.04bn), up from N7.42trn in June last year. The external debt has equally soared to N1.63trn (or $9.7bn) by the end of 2014. Projections for the end of this year indicate that the national debt could be above N12.5trn, largely due to a combination of federal spending, cost of governance, falling oil prices and the devaluation of the national currency. The debt profile looks even more disturbing when Nigeria’s indebtedness to key multilateral financial institutions like the World Bank, African Development Bank, Exim Bank of China, the French Development Agency and the Eurobond is considered. As at the end of December 2014, Nigeria’s indebtedness to these financial institutions stood at N1.63trn. Besides, the debt profile of the state governments and the Federal Capital Territory is in excess of $1 .7trn. The DMO figures have reconfirmed the increasing accumulation of debts by the three tiers of government. In 2013, it was N10.04trn ($64.51bn). Of this amount, domestic borrowing constituted N8.67trn, representing 86.32 per cent of the total national debt stock, while external debt stood at N1.37trn or 13.68 per cent. A breakdown of the figures showed that external debt, including those of the states, was $9.71bn and N1.63trn. C ON TI N UE D ON PAGE 23

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Business/ News

Black market thrives as dollar shortage deepens Paul Ogbuokiri

with agency report

s dollar inflow into Nigeria’s economy declines, following the plunge in the price of oil, the line between the Bureau de Changes and a booming black-market business is growing thin, Sunday Telegraph investigation has revealed. The Central Bank of Nigeria in an effort to halt a 19 per cent, seven-month plunge in the value of the Naira, started imposing restrictions on currency trading in December. This forced end users of foreign exchange to navigate through hordes of black market dealers to get to the BDCs. Inter-bank trading in foreign exchange has shrunk as much as 98 per cent to as little as $10 million a day, according to a source in one lender in Lagos. He said the economy is sputtering under the weight of the oil drop, a dollar shortage and the Boko Haram insurgency in the North even as anxiety mounts over the delayed elections scheduled to commence on March 28. The International Monetary Fund cut its 2015 growth forecast for Nigeria to 4.8 per cent, about half the average rate over the past 15 years. To support the Naira, CBN has depleted

foreign exchange reserves to the lowest since Bloomberg began compiling records in July 2010. The apex bank in January blocked the nation’s 2,500 Bureau de changes from buying foreign currency from banks. Bureau must sell greenbacks within a range of 3.5 per cent of what they paid for them at the weekly auctions run by the central bank. “We’ve been removed from our biggest source for dollars,” Aminu Gwadabe, president of the Association of Bureau de Change of Nigeria, told Reuters by phone from Lagos. “That’s putting the BDCs under pressure,” he said. The money changers want the band at which they’re allowed to sell dollars to widen to 6 per cent above or below the rate the regulator uses, Gwadabe said. That will save their businesses and make it easier to stamp out black-market trading, he said. Each bureau can buy about $30,000 a week from the central bank, giving them control of a significant part of Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, Gwadabe said. Some bureaus are using traders on the black market as agents to make wider margins on their foreign currency, Muhammed Usman, one of the dealers on Broad Street, told Sunday Telegraph on Wednesday.

He said the black market traders charge more for dollars in order to make profit from the dollars they buy from the BDcs. CBN have not only targeted money changers in its efforts to shore up the Naira. It is also using a range of rules to prevent speculation and stop people from hoarding dollars on the concern that the Naira will weaken. Foreign exchange turnover started sliding after mid-December after CBN ordered banks to hand over their foreign-exchange positions to the apex bank on a daily basis, having previously allowed lenders to hold one per cent of shareholder funds in overseas currency. They increased the limit to 0.5 per cent in January after JPMorgan Chase & Co. said the lack of liquidity could force it to reconsider including the country’s local debt in indexes tracked by more than $200 billion of funds. The central bank in February scrapped twice-weekly foreign-exchange auctions at which the naira was sold to banks at a subsidised rate in a band that varied a maximum of five per cent on either side of N168 per dollar. That effectively devalued the currency for the second time in three months as the regulator allowed the naira’s

exchange rate to be determined only in the openly traded interbank market, rather than a pegged value at the sales. Those steps followed a system introduced February 13 that prevented local dealers from buying foreign currency without proving it was needed to fulfill planned transactions. CBN spokesman, Ibrahim Mu’azu, was recently quoted by Reuters as saying that the Central Bank is supporting BDCs that can demonstrate genuine dollar demand and will increase supply if regulators see a need. Importers should rely on banks for foreign currency and not BDCs, which are meant for smaller transactions, he said. “Banks were banned from selling dollars to the BDCs because the process was abused,” Mu’azu said. He further urged BDCs to also try to soak up dollars from travelers returning from abroad. The lack of greenbacks may drive the Naira beyond 230 per dollar on the black market, Gwadabe said. The Naira advanced 0.4 per cent to 198.52 per dollar as of 4:20 p.m. in Lagos on Tuesday. That pared losses over the past six months to 18 per cent, the most among 24 African currencies tracked by Bloomberg.

Group seeks solution to climate change

Edwin Usoboh he Society of Landscape Architecture Students of Nigeria say it has embarked on various landscape advocacy projects that could help check activities that trigger global warming. Project Coordinator of SLASON, Mr. Gbogboade Opeyemi said this in a recent press conference in Lagos. He said that the world is running out of time and needs to move rapidly to tackle environmental issues that are responsible for earth warming. “The time for talk is over. This is the time for action. Everybody needs to be involved to save our earth. We cannot continue to blame the fossil emitting companies alone for this problem. Let us petition ourselves to mitigate this issue because we are all a part of the global warming,” he said. Opeyemi tasked Landscape ambassadors to begin to embrace the severity of climate change and enhance their little contributions at their local levels to mitigate the global warming effects. He also urged them to continue to look for ways to find effective and efficient ways to solve global landscape issues that would help integrate them into the profession in the years to come. According to him, the group plan to soon embark in affirmatively walk that would send out creative 1,500,000 petitions to the governments and people of the world to fashion out and embrace new ways for leading sustainable lives. Other programmes the group lines up for the year are to embark on tree planting and adoption. The projects are designed for 100,000 Junior Landscape Ambassadors in 5,000 Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria to plant and adopt 10 trees each throughout their stay in secondary education. The group would also carry out a one– of–a–kind life changing, marine, beach and watershed clean up project using the boom collection system. “Its exclusivity is reserved for 100,000 Senior Landscape Ambassadors (SLAs) in 5,000 Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria,” he said. President of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmos Maduka, a Landscape enthusiast and the Head, Department of Architecture, University of Lagos, Dr. M.B.O Adegbile were among the dignitaries that attended the conference.

L-R: Executive Director Marine and Engineering, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. David Omonibeke; Director General, National Automotive Council, Mr. Aminu Jalal and the Managing Director, NPA, Mallam Habib Abdulahi during a courtesy by Jalal to the NPA Headquarters in Lagos recently

Debt profile worrisome –Experts CO N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 2 3

The Federal Government’s domestic debt was $47.05bn and N7.9trn, while those of the states stood at $10.97bn and N1.708trn. Figures from the DMO show that N591.76bn was spent in servicing part of the nation’s debt in 2013, while N712bn, N684bn and N684bn, were earmarked for debt servicing for 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. Lagos State, for instance, is a N450bn economy including N300bn annual Internally Generated Revenue and over N100bn annual federal allocations. The FCT is the capital of Nigeria with multi-billion naira tax revenues annually. The Niger Delta or South-South, comprising six States of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Cross River, is the country’s oil liquid cash capital and the main beneficiary of the

country’s constitutional 13 per cent oil derivation proceeds. Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta states get the lion’s share. Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, said the rate at which the governments are borrowing, is becoming a source of worry. According to him, in spite of the huge revenue potential and accruals, borrowing has continued unchecked. He noted that borrowing for important infrastructural projects which are capable of instigating further investments by the manufacturing sector is good for the economy. “But the issue is that when these loans are taken under these heading, they are rarely used for the purpose they were borrowed,” he said. Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, agreed with Utomi that

the country’s huge domestic debt profile is worrisome. She said at a recent consultative meeting with the organised private sector and civil society organisations that, “We need to slow down the rate of borrowing domestically. It is worrisome. The interest rate at which the Federal Government and states is raising debt at the moment is high; we are raising debt at 15 per cent, which is on the high side,” she stressed. Sunday Telegraph learnt that Lagos State alone has cumulatively borrowed at least N501.2bn, out of total of N740bn owed by the South-West. The SouthSouth or Niger Delta has total loans of at least N717.9bn, while FCT is burdened with at least N91.3bn teething loans. In other words, the referenced three axis of wealth in the country have total debts of at least N1, 332.818trn or about $7B (based on N190.00 per USD).

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Business/ Interview

Sovereign Wealth Fund had ‘good year’ in 2014–Orji Former Goldman Sachs Groups banker, Uche Orji, is the chief executive officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Agency, in this interview with Bloomberg at the sideline of the Africa chief executives conference in Geneva, Orji says the fund had a good year in 2014 What was the performance of the Sovereign Wealth Fund last year? Nigeria’s $1.55 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund had a “good year” after weighting its investments toward dollar assets. Our currency position was great as we were very long the dollar. It was the only game in town. How will the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority continue to thrive post-low oil prices? The NSIA set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, gained exposure to the dollar through equities, private equity and fixed-income assets. The fund invests revenue generated when the oil price exceeds that budgeted by the government. But we have adjusted to the market slump since June when the price of oil started heading south. The budget was at $75 and we all know where the oil price is now, so you don’t expect many contributions to the fund now. However, we prepared ourselves for the impact, so we are on track and alive to our mandate. Does it mean that it is only from the Excess Crude Account that the fund gets contributions? You are aware that Nigeria relies on crude exports for about 95 per cent of its foreign-currency earnings and about 70 per cent of government revenue that automatically makes it the main source. What was your performance in 2014 fiscal year like? The authority’s private-equity investments were very successful last year, but you will have to wait for specifics on general performances when the fund releases its annual report in the coming weeks. The NSIA’s mandate embraces a mix of stabilisation, savings and infrastructure funds, while outsourcing to a range of asset managers, including Goldman Sachs and UBS AG. The initial opposition to this fund seems to have abated, but the ordinary Nigerian don’t seem to understand its usefulness to the economy. What is the specific function of the fund? NSIA is a Nigerian establishment which manages the Nigeria sovereign wealth fund. It is into this fund that the surplus income produced from Nigeria’s excess oil reserves is deposited. This sovereign wealth fund was founded for the purpose of managing and investing these funds on behalf of the government of Nigeria. The wealth fund commenced operations in October 2012 and was set up by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority Act, which was signed in May 2011. It is intended to invest the savings gained on the difference between the budgeted and actual market prices for oil to earn returns that would benefit future generations of Nigerians. The fund was allocated an initial $1 billion USD in seed capital Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister said last year that she is targeting $5 billion for the fund in the short term. What is your own target? Also do see the forthcoming elections in Nigeria drawing back the growth of the economy? I don’t have any target. I think we should make do with the opinions of the supervising minister and continue to carry out our mandate. You’ve got to be able to look beyond these single events. My No. 1 job is to keep these funds safe, and No. 2 is earning a return. Do I have the right asset allocation; do

Uche-Orji

I have the right risk management in place? -- those are the things that keep me up at night. What does the positive ranking of NSIA translate to Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund? This rating translates into a leap from a position of joint 33rd to joint second; the only African sovereign wealth fund so ranked. With the latest rankings, NSIA is in credible company alongside sovereign wealth funds from the USA, France, South Korea, Brazil and Malaysia. The improved transparency ranking validates NSIA’s commitment and adherence to the highest prescriptions of the Santiago Principles with respect to corporate governance, investment strategy, disclosures and SWF best practices. NSIA believes that the capacity to deliver on its statutory mandate, for the benefits of all Nigerians, depends on these values, hence the unwavering commitment to best practice standards in all policies, procedures and systems. The Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index was developed at the SWF Institute by Carl Linaburg and Michael Maduell and is a method of rating transparency in respect to sovereign wealth funds.; In arriving at the rankings, the index amongst others considers the following principles: Fund provides history including reason for creation, origins of wealth, and government ownership structure; Fund provides up-todate independently audited annual reports; Fund provides ownership percentage of company holdings; Fund provides total portfolio market value, returns, and management compensation. Also considered were: Fund provides guidelines in reference to ethical standards, investment policies, and enforcer of guidelines; Fund provides clear strategies and objectives if applicable; and the Fund clearly

identifies subsidiaries. With major oil producing countries of the world like United Arab Emirates Investment Authority, Norway and Russia having SWF assets of $627 billion, $512 billion and %143 billion respectively, Angola,, Africa’s secondlargest oil producer, has launched a $5 billion sovereign wealth fund, in an attempt to diversify its economy. Here we are, Africa largest economy and no 1 producer of oil, with just a meagre $1.5 billion SWF. Are you not worried? Like as I earlier said, NSIA has a mandate and that I have set my mind on to achieve. If the Federal Government decides tomorrow to expand its SWF to a volume that it will represent the size of the wealth of the country that will be good, because it means we have more work to do. Our responsibility at the agency is to effectively manage the fund in a way that will yield maximum befit the country. You must however bear in mind that Nigeria is a democracy with different levels of government. That effects decision to invest or not to invest.

I don’t have any target. I think we should make do with the opinions of the supervising minister and continue to carry out our mandate. You’ve got to be able to look beyond these single events. My No. 1 job is to keep these funds safe, and No. 2 is earning a return

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Investors dump banking stocks

he equities market closed negative for the second week running despite the continued inflow of earning releases and corporate actions. The NSEASI settled 4.51% lower, just as trading activities on the bourse tempered, with volume and value of transactions reducing by 61.56% and 50.93% respectively. The negative mood in the market was widespread as all sectors, save for Healthcare sector (+4.83%), recorded index declines. Owing to this bearish mood, 54 stocks featured in the negative zone while only 12 appreciated in value (Market breadth of 0.17x). HONYFLOUR rebounded this week, recording a 7.91% Week-on-Week (WoW) price increase, after shedding 4.14% in the previous week. Other top gainers were GLAXOSMITH (5.00%), COSTAIN (4.92%), AIICO (3.45%) and WEMABANK (3.23%). On the other hand, AFRIPRUD, ZENITHBANK, DANGFLOUR, DIAMONDBNK and FIDELITYBK, declined the most in value, paring by 22.58%, 19.95%, 17.85%, 14.82% and 14.57% in that order. The Banking sector, which shed 11.13% during the week ended, was the major drag of market performance, with 11 out of the 15 sector stocks closing lower. We attribute the prevailing sell sentiments in the market to profit-taking, and panic selling by investors ahead of the 2015 general elections. We do not see a resurgence in activities in the coming week, largely due to the growing anxiety in the country, as anticipated political headwinds crystallize. We also expect proceedings from the MPC meeting scheduled for next week to form major considerations for the investing public in the subsequent weeks. In this report, we review events in the economy, laying emphasis on performance of different segments of the financial market while presenting our expectations for the week ahead.

Economic Round-up: MPC to maintain status quo

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will reconvene on the 23rd and 24th of March 2015 for its second meeting of the year. This meeting comes shortly after the tacit devaluation of the Naira to NGN197/USD amidst intermittent declines in crude oil prices, rapidly decreasing external reserves balance, and uncertainties surrounding the outcome of the rescheduled 2015 general elections. We expect the sustained demand for dollars relative to the Naira, and the CBN’s weakening ability to defend the Naira amidst dwindling reserves and high capital outflow, to top the agenda in the next committee meeting. On the external front also, falling oil prices, slowing global output recovery, divergent monetary policy postures between the US and Euro Area as well as non-inclusive growth remain very important risks. We anticipate that the Naira may remain resilient around the current trading band in the near-term, due to the methodology of the new currency trading system. Also, with political risks almost in the rearview, we anticipate increased levels of capital importation, especially from the Euro-area which has historically been a significant importer of capital into the country, and which is currently undergoing its own Quantitative Easing program (EUR60bn/month). This would augur well for the reserves, as increased net inflows would result in a reduction in the pressures on the local currency, and consequently the quantum of funds needed to defend the currency. Whilst we note that macro-economic variables, particularly the diminishing reserves and rising inflationary pressures, suggest the need for the Apex bank to further tighten, we however opine that the growing apprehension in the country, on the back of the fast approaching elections, may hinder the MPC from such tightening decisions. Considering the recent shut down of RDAS, CBN’s official FX window, as well as the defense of the naira at NGN197/USD, we expect the MPC to officially adopt the prevailing rate as its exchange band while maintaining its regulatory oversight at the interbank market. We also opine that the MPC will retain all other policy variables while reiterating the CBN’s commitment to continue to support the Naira.

Fixed Income Brief: Sentiments favour long term securities

Treasury bills worth NGN167.21bn were sold in the week, with respective stop rates settling at 10.79% (91-days), 14.70% (182-days), and 15.35% (364-days) in that order. Average yield change on treasury bills in the secondary market was +0.21% as yields on the 1M, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, and 12M tenors pegged at 14.81% (+0.43%), 15.01% (+0.61%), 15.18% (+0.46%), 15.53%

…as YtD loss hits 15.36%

27.91% (NGN2.787bn vs, NGN3.867bn). Despite the interim dividend of NGN0.20k declared, the counter’s market price shed 4.81% WoW. Market mood has been largely influenced by earnings releases and panic sell offs, which permeated the market ahead of MPC meeting, forthcoming general elections and profit taking by some speculative investors. We believe that as the prices of stocks plunge further, opportunities are being created for long term investors to take position for higher returns.

Healthcare: GLAXOSMITH advanced by 5.00% WoW

(0.00%), 15.56% (-0.50%), and 16.82% (+0.28%) respectively. OBB and OVN rates settled at 10.00% (-12.00%) and 10.75% (-13.25%) as a result of increasing system liquidity. Also, average NIBOR pared by 8.77% during the week, as most banks funded their obligations internally. The current system liquidity position is expected to be considered by the MPC, during its meeting scheduled to hold next week. The recent bullish investor bias witnessed on bonds was reversed, as offer yields increased by 0.45% across instruments. We however anticipate a reversal in coming weeks, especially as investors take advantage of discount bonds given the outlook of a probable resurgence in the market post-elections. The Naira appreciated by 0.04% during the week’s trading, with the mid-quote pegging at NGN199.06/USD. As earlier stated, we are encouraged by the resilience of the currency since the currency trading system was changed. We do not foresee any significant pressure being exerted on the exchange in the short-term, and so expect the FX rate to continue to trade within tight bands around the current mid-quote.

Agric Sector: Sombre mood persists

The sombre mood in the agric sector has refused to abate as the MERIAGR index pared by 4.99% WtD. There was no advancer recorded for the second consecutive week, as the sector remains weighed down by a combination of a dearth of news flows and general negative market sentiments. OKOMUOIL pared the most, declining by -5.00%. PRESCO and LIVESTOCK followed closely, declining in value by -4.99% and -3.81% respectively. We expect the sector returns to remain pressured over the next few weeks, as with the rest of the market, due to the impending headwinds, notably from the polity. However, we expect that with risk factors abating an upswing may be in the offing.

Banking Sector: Riding the wave down

The banking sector suffered under the pressure of profit-taking activities of investors this week, as the MERI-BNK index shed 11.13% Week-onWeek (WoW). There was a solitary gainer (WEMABANK) during the week, while 11 stocks declined in value. SKYEBANK, STANBIC and UNI-

TYBNK stayed flat. ZENITHBANK (-19.95%), DIAMONDBK (-14.82%), and FIDELITYBK (-14.57%) pared the most in value during the week. UNITYBNK released its FY2014 results during the week. The bank recorded appreciable Year-on-Year growth in both gross earnings and earnings-after-tax of 19.58% and 147.35% respectively. Although the exponential growth in PAT was due to the loss recorded by the bank in 2013 (-NGN22.58bn), we remain encouraged by the bank’s improved income generation and operational efficiency. Much in line with our expectations, the market has been generally bearish in the lead up to elections. This, we believe will persist up until after the elections on the 28th, and so, good buying opportunities will be presented. Given that one of the major risk factors which has depressed market returns in 2015 will be gone after the elections, this could be the final opportunity to take position at such attractive prices.

Consumer Goods: PZ declares NGN0.20 interim dividend

Despite the bearish run in the market, the consumer goods fared better than expected, as investors reacted to earnings releases of PZ and Champion Breweries towards the end of the week. NSEFB10 declined by 3.45% WtD to settle YtD return at -17.93%. Performance during the week favored the decliners over the gainers, while other counters remained flat. The gainers’ chart was led by HONYFLOUR, CHAMPION, 7UP, NESTLE and NASCON with WtD changes of 7.91%, 3.20%, 1.31%, 1.16% and 0.31%. On the flipside, DANGFLOUR, PZ, NB, FLOURMILL, INTBREW, DANGSUGAR, UNILEVER, VITAFOAM and GUINNESS returned losses of 17.85%, 9.52%, 5.40%, 3.94%, 3.37%, 3.17%, 2.89%, 2.47% and 0.02% for the week, while UACN, CADBURY, NNFM, VONO, AGLEVENT, and PREMBREW retained their respective market prices. Champion Breweries released its 2014FY result, showing a growth in topline of 47.87% and a 35.91% moderation in loss after tax. Investors’ reaction was positive, as the counter recorded a WoW gain of 3.20%, a sharp rise from previous WtD loss of 6.00% as at Thursday. PZ Cussons recorded a marginal 0.56% growth in top-line (NGN52.890bn vs. NGN52.594bn), while earnings for the period declined YoY by

The sector outperformed the market, courtesy the sector giant (GLAXOSMITH), which appreciated by 5.00% to settle at NGN42.00 and emerged as the only stock with positive price movement in the sector during the week. Three stocks declined in value, while other stocks traded flat. The MERI-HLTH index advanced by 4.83% WoW to trim YtD return to -15.75% The losers’ chart was championed by MAYBAKER which lost 13.14%, dragging share price to NGN1.55, followed by NEIMETH and EVANSMED, which dipped by 8.57% and 4.65% respectively, to settle price at NGN0.64 and NGN2.05 respectively. Whist we are optimistic about opportunities in the sector at current stock prices, we expect tempered trading in the coming week as we move closer to the long-awaited general election.

Industrial goods: Sell pressures drag returns

Positive sentiments on building material stocks waned during the week ended as the Meristem industrial goods index depreciated by 1.05%. None of the stocks in the industrial goods basket closed positive; 6 stocks recorded price declines while all others closed the week flat. PORTPAINT was the major laggard for the week, posting a WoW loss of 9.09%. BERGER, WAPCO, DNMEYER, ASHAKACEM and DANGCEM were the other decliners having shed 4.95%, 4.91% 4.60%. 2.45% and 0.66% respectively. We attribute the continued slowdown in trading activities to the general mood in the market, triggered by the prevailing uncertainties in the nation’s economic and political space. We advise investors to take positions in fundamentally justified stocks currently trading below their intrinsic values, as we believe these stocks will benefit significantly from the anticipated mood reversal post elections and in H2:2015.

Insurance sector: AXA acquires 7.15% stake in Africa Reinsurance Corporation

The sector was unable to weather the market pressure during the week as the MERI-INS index pared by 0.88% WtD to peg YtD return at -3.11%. Market breadth (0.25x) was in favour of decliners, as only 1 stock appreciated in price against 4 decliners. INTENEGINS led the losers’ chart, shedding 7.41% to close at NGN0.50 while NEM, CUSTODYINS and CONTINSURE trailed by 6.35%, 3.85% and 3.49% losses in that order. However, AIICO returned 3.45% WoW to close at NGN0.90 (vs. NGN0.87 in previous week) to emerge as the lone gainer for the week. AXA, the French insurance company that acquired a 77% stake in Mansard in 2014, announced that it has completed acquisition of 7.15% stake in Africa Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re), for a total consideration of USD61mn (NGN12bn). Following increased demand for attractive insurance products to boost the Nigerian insurance sector, MANSARD, in collaboration with MTN, has unveiled an insurance scheme for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to cover against fire, flood and other risks.

Oil & Gas Sector: Brent slides further

The general market sentiment did not spare the sector, as it pared 5.03% in the week. No stock gained for the week, as seven counters declined while others traded flat. SEPLAT pared the most with a change of -9.75%, followed by CONOIL (-5.00%), OANDO (-4.29%), MOBIL (-3.46%), TOTAL (-3.11%), ETERNA (-1.85%), and FO (-1.46%). The price of Brent closed at USD53.93, representing a WoW decline of 1.35% in spite of the 2.27% WtD gain to USD55.91 as at Wednesday. This was expected, given the statement by Kuwait’s Oil Minister, Ali al-Omair, that there would be stable supply by OPEC member countries despite the current glut. Further compounding this, was a larger than expected US crude inventory which, according to the recent EIA weekly data release, rose to 458.508 million barrels.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Why many cannot save - Part 1 Success Nuggets Victor Okwudiri 08037674300 (SMS only)

ome persons think the reason they are ‘unable’ to save is the small pay they take from work. It is common for such persons to delude themselves thus, “When I start earning much, I will have enough to save.” Friend, saving is not a function of the size of your salary. It is discipline. It is important for us to understand that bigger money comes with bigger challenges or responsibilities. Aside the fact that money is a medium of exchange, it has a ‘spirit’. It triggers spending, either by virtue of its owner’s will or out of necessity. Because it is meant to solve challenges and give a ‘sense of satisfaction,’ its presence attracts challenges or propels a spending drive. One who has little of it spends little. One who has much of it spends much. As such, one who cannot save when he earns N1, 000, cannot save if he earns N5, 000. Aside the point that saving is a matter of discipline, not the amount earned, the fact is that saving can also be a matter of ‘per centage’. If Mr. A saves N10, 000 of his N100, 000 salary and Mr. B saves only N1, 000 of his N10, 000 salary, both Messrs A

Make a decision for ‘fiscal discipline’ today. You must not buy everything. You must not go with the trend. ‘Trend’ has led some people to their untimely and inglorious ‘end’ (Quote by me). You must not be in vogue

and B have saved just 10% of their respective salaries. So, it doesn’t matter how much you earn, saving is a ‘Statute of General Application (SOGA).’ Nobody is excused from it. The question, then, is, “Why can’t some people save?” I have the answers. Please come with me. The reasons people cannot save are as follows: • Indiscpline The first and major reason people do not save is ‘indiscipline.’ Anyone who thinks he is unable to save because his income is not enough is getting it wrong. No income is enough. Even the rich want to get richer. Friend, in the school of financial prosperity, discipline is a 24-UNIT course on its own, and failure of that course may not just result in a ‘carry

over’ but a ‘spill over’ in life, that might run into generations. You must realise that, for every income, not everything is to be flushed down the drain in the name of spending. You need to pay God (the TITHE and other kingdom commitments), pay yourself (your SAVINGS + INVESTMENTS) and give to others (CHARITY). If you think your income is too small to make savings from, there are people who earn lesser than you do, yet have savings. The truth is, if you cannot save when you earn N30, 000, you cannot save if you start earning N100, 000. This is because when there is an upward shift in one’s income, responsibilities and challenges increase as well. Also, spending drive increases, because an increase in income is ‘power to spend more.’ Make a decision for ‘fiscal discipline’ today. You must not buy everything. You must not go with the trend. ‘Trend’ has led some people to their untimely and inglorious ‘end’ (Quote by me). You must not be in vogue. ‘Vogue’ has turned many to rogues (I said so). Little wonder it is said that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Life is not a competition. If you must compete, compete with yourself. Say, “I hear!” Victor Okwudiri, host of ‘Insights for Living’, is also the host of ‘Money Matters’, an electronic school of financial common sense, on the platform of which he has broadcast financial classics like ‘josephonomics’ and ‘the psychology of wealth’. You can follow him on Twitter via the handle @VictorOkwudiri.

Laws of growing a successful order to start their own business; only to build for themselves another job instead of a business. What do I mean? Any business that is not functional when you are not around is still a job. Any business that is in disarray when you are not in Julian Atufunwa the office is a job. Your business needs to grow to stay alive and remain relevant. 08032810713 (SMS only) To achieve this, you must die to yourself, I’ve always wondered why businesses you must cease to exist; that is, separate yourself from your business and put syscollapse within a short period of time tems in place so that it can run profitably in Nigeria and why we have yet to see without you. You have to make up your businesses owned by Nigerians exceed 100 years. Could it be because of narrow mind from the very start of business to expand, envisage growth and it will. vision? Hmm! Few years back, there •Increase your customer base: - Buildwas a business with great vision and ing a customer base is the bedrock of ideas, they believed the impossible; business growth. One of the ways to they believed in the possibility of cars riding on water, driving themselves and increase your customer base is to stay in constant contact with your existing communicating with human beings. customers. Chances are that the more Fantastic, if you ask me. Sadly enough, value you add to your existing customthey are nowhere today. Then, I began to wonder the adverse effect that would ers the more referrals your business will create on their employees. What on earth get. A happy and satisfied customer will tell others about your business. went wrong? Are we not resourceful • View your business as part of your enough? Far from it. Nigerians are assets life assignment: - When setting up a to the world. I took some time to check business, have in mind that it’s not about out individuals in the Diaspora that are making Nigeria proud and I discovered you and your loved ones but about service to humanity. See yourself as a sothat they are too numerous to mention. We are very clever intellectuals. It’s then lution to the world’s problems. Having this at the back of your mind will move my greatest desire to see trans-generayou to deliver quality products and tional businesses that will outlive their services. Also, it will affect the way you founders. treat your staff and will make you train How can we then build a sustainable them to become what they ought to be business? and not what they are. It will make you Building businesses on principles or not to get involved in shady deals that may jeopardise the lives of those worklaws ing with you. This is because whatever When you start up a business and it begins to grow, it is needful to put prin- happens to your business affects those ciples in place so it won’t revolve around working with you. • Every employee should underyou. Many times, I see men and women leave their present jobs in great hopes in stand the big picture; that is, the mis-

The Big Picture

sion, vision and all your organisational objectives and run with them. • Profitability: - Having great profit in your business increases its values. Your rate of expansion and success is dependent on your ability to earn a sustainable profit. Don’t be mistaken, as much as you want to serve mankind, you need to make profit for yourself too. Your profit is your business revenue after subtracting all your expenses. A profitable business can attract investors to find your business and this, in turn, may double its growth. • Become exceptional: - Excellence! In going the extra mile to grow your business, you must learn to under promise but over deliver. You have to do what you do in an unusual way. With the presence of competition, you can’t afford to be complacent or you will lose your customers. Work on your strengths. • Marketing should be every employee’s business: Regardless of any department they are in, every employee should be a marketer. •Add another product that your existing customers need: - To increase sales and grow your business think of another product that you can offer to your existing customers. This will save you the stress of prospecting (though you need to prospect) and also reduce cost of advertising. •Giving back to the community: Supporting your local community can add significant growth to your business and also build a great reputation for you. Provide waste bins and wider umbrellas to shade market women. It is some form of advertising for your business. A little thing can go a long way.

SundayBusiness/News

‘Nigeria is world’s most stressed-out country’

loomberg on Thursday published its rating of world economies, titled ‘The most stressed out countries’ and according to it, Nigeria is number 1. It ranked countries based on the stressfulness of their living environments. The estimates based on the information from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Monetary Fund, Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, Transparency International and World Health Organization. Seven equally weighted variables were considered: homicide rates, GDP per capita on a purchasing-power-parity basis, income inequality, corruption perception, unemployment, urban air pollution and life expectancy. Coming tops with a score of 70.1, the survey showed Nigeria has a homicide rate of 12.1 while Life expectancy in Nigeria is 53. Norway is the least stressed Nation in the world. Income inequality was measured by the Gini Index, where a score of 0 represents perfect equality and 100 perfect inequalities. Corruption perception refers to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, which scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the most corrupt. Urban outdoor air pollution is the annual mean concentration of fine particles smaller than 10 microns, measured in micrograms per cubic meter. Countries were allotted points for each variable based on their relative position in that category’s ranking. The country with the least-stressful measure for each variable received 0 points, while the country with the highest stress level received 100 points. All other countries were scored on a percentile basis depending on their position between the two extremes. Points for the seven variables were averaged for a final score from 0 to 100, a higher score indicating a more stressful living environment. All data were the latest available. Only countries with data available for all seven variables were included.

New canned catfish lacks NAFDAC approval - NIOMR Stanley Ihedigbo

igerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research says canned cat fish which it launched recently has yet to get approval from the National Agency for Drug Administration and Control. The canned catfish is from NIOMR, The institute’s Head of the Extension Research and Liaison Services Unit, Mrs. Mabel Yarhere, told journalists at the factory where the canned catfish are produced, that it does not have money to register the products but hopes to raise funds through the sale of the product. She said, “When we make more and make more customers, then we will go for the registration of the product.” She also said the Institute had acquired a N1.5bn research vessel capable of doing bottom trawling. NIOMR’s Executive Director, Dr Gbolahan Akande, said the vessel would be used for fishery and oceanography research. Akande also said the institute had adopted three secondary schools in Lagos in which it has set up a fish farming structure. The schools are Magbon Alade Community School, IbejuLekki; Lagos Model School, Badore; and Kings College, Lagos.

SUNDAY

BRANDS SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Colgate battles Close Up, others S everal years ago, chewing stick, charcoal, caustic-ash and toothpaste in squeezable tubes were seen as effective tooth cleaners until more advanced kinds of toothpastes produced by different manufacturers came into existence.

The country’s oral care market recently witnessed the launch of another brand of toothpaste from the stable of Colgate Palmolive. But, how far can this latest entrant go in a market where there are established players such as Close Up, Oras-B among others? DELE ALAO writes

Toothpaste, also known as dentifrice, comes in pastes, gels or powder. Nigeria, as one of Africa’s most populous countries, has a sizeable market that has attracted the attention of consumer goods producers, marketers and researchers. Lots of competitive activities among domestic players occurred, with foreign brands becoming less significant in the market. According to Euromonitor, a research firm, oral care in Nigeria is witnessing positive performance. Growth in the category, according to the firm, can partly be attributed to the growth in Nigeria’s population, which resulted in new consumer groups entering the market. “Furthermore, due to the competitive pricing in the category and the presence of many brands, producers drove their individual brands with strong marketing activities and advertising, which helped to improve the performance of oral care,” the research firm stated. Major toothpaste brands, which have very visible shelf presence in Nigeria, include; Close-Up, manufactured by Unilever; Macleans produced by GlaxoSmithKline; Dabur, a herbal toothpaste made by Dabur International Limited; Daily Need from Daily Need Industries. Others include Acquafresh, from GlaxoSmithKline; Flourish and Minta, produced by PZ; Whisper, an imported brand from Asia; Olive, on the stable of Classic Soap Industries Ltd; and MyMy from Deraju Industries Ltd. Sensodyne, also from GSK, Oral-B from Procter & Gamble and Pepsodent from Unilever. Competitive landscape Notwithstanding the array of toothpastes in the market, only few of these could be described as national or established players as most of them are fringe players. Unilever Nigeria’s Close-Up brand appears to be the most popular among consumers. According to Euromonitor International, Close-Up benefited from almost a decade of absence of the Macleans brand, which was previously the market leader. It built market share over this period before Macleans returned. In addition to the toothpaste brand, the company’s Close-Up brand is also present in toothbrushes, unlike its nearest competitor GSK Nigeria Plc. The CloseUp brand benefits from a wide range of variants and is supported by very strong advertising by Unilever. Colgate’s entry Last year, global consumer product company, Colgate-Palmolive, made a re-entry into the Nigerian market after years of operating through independent distributors. Colgate had engaged with a local distributor partner to bring its range of products to Nigeria. However, the company,

which established a full-blown office in Nigeria few days ago, introduced into the market Maximum Cavity Protection and Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste. Profession Manager Colgate Palmolive East and West Africa, Cheslin Twigg, said the new Colgate Palmolive maximum cavity protection and Sugar Acid Neutraliser toothpaste, contain fluoride, make the teeth stronger and reduce pains.

Twigg also said that Colgate Palmolive maximum cavity protection and sugar acid neutraliser toothpaste should be used twice a day morning and evening for maximum protection from oral diseases. He said the user would have healthy and stronger teeth if used for a long period of time. Though the new Colgate toothpaste is leveraging on oral disease prevention

to penetrate the market, its N200 retail price, according to observers, is not good enough for a new product. They also reasoned that the existing brands before Colgate came on board have their loyal users who might not be easily swayed away. The next few months will, however, determine the success or otherwise of the Colgate toothpaste in the market.

Omojafor, others for ‘Innovention Series’

ormer Chairman of the Board of Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc and one time President of the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAAN), Sir Steve Omojafor; ersthwile presidential candidate and founder, Centre for Values and Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi; and the Director, Business School, Netherlands Nigeria, Mr. Lere Baale, will lead discussions at the fourth edition of the Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Ltd ‘Innovention Series.’ This year ’s topic according to the statement, is: ‘The Role of Innovation in Creating New Agenda for National Development.’ Omojafor, who will function as the chairman at the event billed for the Civic Centre, Lagos, will deliver the keynote address, while Utomi will deliver the lead paper as the guest speaker. Baale, alongside Mr. Chris Uwaje who pioneered the Conceptualisation Framework and Content Drafting Strategy for the Establishment of the National Information Technology Development Policy for Nigeria; award-

Omojafor

winning film Producer and Director, Mr. Kunle Afolayan, and the General Editor, Sun Newspapers, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, will join the discourse as panel discussants. Speaking about the event, which will be moderated by the General Manager, Operations, Channels Television, Mr. Kayode Akintemi, the Group Managing Director, Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Ltd, Mr. Tunji Olugbodi, said the lecture series, which has become an annual event, seeks to bring together major stakeholders in both the private and public sector towards charting a course on issues identified to be germane to the nation’s growth and development. “The topic for the fourth edition of the series, the speakers and discussants have been carefully chosen to effectively deliver on the topic which is quite apt for a time that have been widely acknowledged as a decisive era in the nation’s quest for innovative leadership, growth and development,” Olugbodi said.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

SundayBusiness/Brands

Burson-Marsteller joins CMC Connect

Dele Alao MC Connect has consolidated its relationship with BursonMarsteller and will now be known as CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller because of the foreign affiliation. The affiliation, according to a statement, marks the further strengthening of the long-standing relationship between the two companies, and brings the total number of Burson-Marsteller branded operations across the continent to 29. This follows the simultaneous announcement in February 2014 of 27 branded operations and the subsequent launch of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller in Uganda in November 2014. The full Burson-Marsteller Africa network covers 53 of the 55 countries on the continent. In addition, after building a very strong partnership on a non-exclusive basis over a number of years, Burson-Marsteller also has an exclusive affiliate agreement with Blast Communications, covering the Indian Ocean Islands including Mauritius, where the company has its hub office, Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comoros Islands and Reunion. The announcement of Back Communications in Angola joining the Burson-Marsteller Africa network on an exclusive affiliate basis, rounded off the announcement. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: Africa, Burson-Marsteller, Robyn de Villiers, said: “For 26 years our commitment to growing partnerships has underpinned Burson-Marsteller’s activities across Africa. Today, this sees us very strongly positioned with a pan-African, Burson-Marsteller branded network of communications consultancies, individually respected in their

own countries and collectively recognised as the pre-eminent African communications network. We are delighted to launch CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller and to bring Blast Communications and Back Communications even closer into our fold.” The Chief Executive Officer, CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, said: “We are thrilled to be responsible for flying the Burson-Marsteller flag in the Nigerian market. This is a significant honour and we will ensure that this leads

to a significant growth of equity for the brand in our market. At the same time, we will bring the strength of the affiliation to bear on the service offering we are able to provide to clients in Nigeria through closer alignment with the global organisation. “We will grow the brand and strengthen its position in our market. The launch could not have come at a better time for us and for Burson-Marsteller given Nigeria’s position as one of the strongest economies on the African continent.” Also, Chief Executive Officer, Burson-

Marsteller Europe, Middle East & Africa and Global Chief Strategy Officer, Jeremy Galbraith, said: “A key component of many of our clients’ global business strategies is growing their businesses across the rapidly emerging continent of Africa. Today’s announcements are testament to our commitment to being where our clients need us to be – notably in 53 of the 55 markets on the continent, offering worldclass strategic communications services that will contribute to their overall business success.”

PEP, MTN partner on airtime sales Shola Adefuwa

EP Stores Nigeria Proprietary Limited is partnering MTN on the sale of airtime. Finance Manager of PEP stores Nigeria Proprietary Limited, Mrs. Kofo Awonuga, said that from this month, MTN airtime would be sold directly from the point-of-sale with the airtime PIN printed on the customer’s receipt. “This initial partnership with MTN has shown us what PEP and MTN can accomplish together.Through MTN, many villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for Nigerians. From the Damaturu to Yobe to Ibadan, all across the nation, you have MTN everywhere you go. “MTN’s values resonate with those of PEP honesty, passion and integrity and we have high hopes of the good that can be accomplished together. “Partnering MTN allows us to fulfill our ethos of delighted customers in new and innovative ways, and will assist MTN in fulfilling their mission of helping Nigeria’s economic growth and development. “Even though we are still in these early stages of the partnership in Nigeria, PEP and MTN have a remarkable relationship that stretches across the continent, connecting people to technology, information and, most importantly, their loved ones,” she added. Awonuga noted that delighting customers has always been the focus of the company.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller, Nigeria, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; Chairman/CEO Burson-Marsteller, Africa, Mrs. Robyn de Villiers; Immediate past President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria and MD, 141 Advertising, Mrs. Bunmi Oke at the unveiling of the new brand identity of CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller in Lagos

Legend kicks-off taste & tell activation

egend Extra Stout has kicked off the second edition of its taste & tell activation, with an exciting display of the traditional Eyo masquerade dance at the Cyclic Centre, Costain Lagos. Resplendent in their flowing white costumes, the Eyo masquerades, according to a statement, mesmerised the audience with their rendition of Lagos folklore songs as well as their deft traditional dance steps. The appearance of the majestic Eyo masquerade turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the revellers who were more accustomed to being entertained by contemporary hip hop and R and B artistes at the popular hangout. “They were not disappointed by the enthralling cultural display,” the statement added. While the cultural display was the climax of the day, there were other thrilling moments at the Legend taste and tell activation, one of which was electrifying performance by dance hall artiste, Oritse Femi. The Delta State-born entertainer was in his elements as he performed a medley of his hit songs including ‘Blessings of the Lord,’ ‘Flop Politicians,’ ‘Boys Dey

Binu,’ ‘Redi Dance,’ among others. The crowd was also treated to rib cracking jokes by ace comedians, De Don and Gandoki, the statement added. The event was also spiced up with live music performance from fast rising live band, Platinum Blazers. Then there was the taste & tell game. The game was easy enough. Interested tasters were randomly selected from the crowd to identify which of the glasses contained the Real Stout. Prior to the game, basic characteristics of a real stout were read out by the compere to include unique and exciting bitter taste, a quality foam head and smoothness. De Don, the anchor of the event, had a hectic time picking participants, as it appeared that everybody wanted a shot at the game. Tosin Adekunle, Femi Olaniyi and Titilayo Odunkoya emerged winners after correctly identifying Legend Extra Stout from the three glasses. For their feat, they went home with a brand new generator set, television and refrigerator respectively. Speaking on the taste & tell activation, the Senior Brand Manager, Stout and Life beer- Nigerian Breweries Plc,

Funso Ayeni, said the activation was designed to sustain engagement between the brand and its consumers. “We started the Legend taste & tell activation last year and we are continuing with it because it is a unique way to engage and bond with our teeming consumers. Our relationship with consumers does not end when they consume our brand. Rather we see it as the beginning. We are constantly looking for more ways to engage them and that is why we came up with this activation,” he said. On why the brand decided to infuse cultural element into the activation, Ayeni added that the brand was identifying with the rich cultural heritage of Lagos State. “Legend Extra Stout prides itself as the Real Deal and we associate ourselves with values that are real and original. We realise that culture is an indelible part of our existence. That was why we decided to key into the rich cultural heritage of Lagos State,” Ayeni said. The Legend taste & tell activation will end in June, with lucky winners walking away with mouth-watering prizes like generators, refrigerators, LCD televisions, free Legend Extra Stout, among others.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY

Politics SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

The Sunday Interview

Missing $20bn: How Sanusi frustrated my efforts, by Alison-Madueke p.32-34

Interview

I didn’t tear my PDP membership card –Obasanjo p.35 Why I oppose card readers for elections -Ikimi p.37 Assembly poll: I’ll defeat Fayose’s candidate -Oguntuase p.40

Buhari and Jonathan

Presidential election

Jonathan, Buhari in last-minute tussle With less than a week before the elections, our correspondents – Cajetan Mmuta, Uwakwe Abugu, Charles Onyekwere, Sabiu Mustapha, Babatope Okeowo, Adeolu Adeyemo. Adesina Wahab, Chete Emmanuel and Cephas Iorhemen, look at the parties’ last minute efforts to secure victory

W Biyi Adegoroye biyi.fire@yahoo.com

ith the drumbeat of war by forces of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress ahead of the epic battle on March 28 and April 11 general elections, the two prominent parties seem set in for the much-awaited elections. Indeed, forces within the camps of both parties are in last minute consultations as they execute their strategies on how best to edge out each other in order to ensure electoral victory. Interestingly, all the sides are stopping at nothing in their plot to ensure they form the next government come May 29. Critical to many of the political combatants is how to grab maximum votes for either of the presidential candidates of the two leading political parties- Gen. Muhammad Buhari of the APC and President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling PDP. The huge scramble for votes for Jonathan and Buhari can be seen in the various overt and covert activities of the parties. Right now, there is apprehension among the electorate about the possible

outcome of the process as they go to the polls to elect who becomes the next President of the country in the next four years. In Edo State, campaigns are taking toll on the various wards and local government councils across the three senatorial districts of the state. As is expected too, all the political war horses have relocated to their domains and constituencies in readiness for the polls. At the state level, the party leaders and key actors are working round the clock to map out plans that will ensure victory for their presidential candidates. In order to match the expectations of leaders and members of both parties at the state level, the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, was in Benin penultimate Saturday, with massive support of members of Women for Change and Development Initiative to canvass for votes for President Jonathan. The campaign rally, which was aimed at soliciting more support for President Jonathan, witnessed the presence of the leaders and members of

the PDP both from the national and state levels at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the rally. Dame Jonathan, at the event, called the attention of thousands of women drawn from the 18 local government councils and three senatorial districts of the state to the numerous developmental strides of President Jonathan’s led PDP administration in the country since he assumed office. She listed the administration’s efforts at empowering the womenfolk with about 16 out of 42 ministerial positions, employment opportunities through the SURE-P and YouWin programmes, establishment of nine universities in parts of the country, construction of massive road networks to boost the nation’s transportation system including railway transport; enhanced agricultural production, education and youth empowerment policies and programmes. But Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s supporters are used to political horse trading and are well prepared to match the PDP in the arm twisting game. They organised a rally for the wife of APC’s presidential candidate, Hajia Aisha Buhari, to boost support of APC members ahead of the grand battle this week. During the visit, Hajia Aishat Buhari replied General Buhari’s critics and assured their supporters that her husband would sanitise the system and address the myriads of challenges confronting CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

The Sun

Missing $ my effort Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, addresses questions on the controversial kerosene subsidy, gas infrastructure and others at a session with editors. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA was there

Alison-Madueke

On kerosene subsidy There was a presidential directive to withdraw subsidy on kerosene. It is possible that the Minister of Petroleum at that time must have gone to discuss it with the President and may have been able to convince him on the need to stay action on the directive. I assume that that may have been what happened, that he had a discussion with the President but he overlooked regularising in terms of getting him to rescind the order. So, if anybody flouted the presidential order then it must have been the Minister of Petroleum at that time. But since the directive was not gazetted and was not announced it was not a law; it was mainly a directive on paper because there are procedures that a directive must follow to become

a law and implementable. I don’t know why people keep referring to this. But anyway, another president came and appointed his own cabinet and moved on. Now, because of the confusion created by this situation, marketers who prior to that time were bringing in kerosene pulled back. The reason was that if they brought in kerosene at the international landing cost and sold at our subsidised rate and didn’t get paid the difference, they will go bankrupt. So, there was immense confusion and I think it was at that time that the NNPC had to step in and started supplying. That was before I became Minister of Petroleum. This was where the problem of deduction of subsidy claims at source started. The issue of deduction at source has also been

severally argued as to whether NNPC has the right or not to cover all those particular expenses from crude oil sales proceeds. That was the situation with subsidy at that time. When we came out in January 2012 to try to regularise the system by removing subsidy on petroleum products, of course we all knew what happened. Efforts to rid the subsidy system of corruption So, based on all that, subsidy on petroleum products continued up to this point. It is a sore point because, in all honesty, just like PMS, it is a very difficult issue to handle. It becomes even more difficult when revenues are falling because of the price of the barrel .It is very difficult to pay vast amounts on subsidy which

we don’t believe is getting to the actual users, the bottom line users of the PMS, but which is instead making middlemen fat. But we wanted to remove the subsidy. We wanted to deregulate too because we discovered that there was corruption in the subsidy system which had gone so bad that we were not able to move products seamlessly from one point to another. There was arbitrary price increase in some areas and products were selling above the regulated price thereby making nonsense of the subsidy scheme. Then there was round tripping, terrible incidence of round tripping. It got to the point that I even had to get the permission of Mr. President to invite the EFCC to come and look at the books and help us figure out what was happening. This was because the level of PMS imports we were getting clearly showed that something was wrong. That was in 2011. At some point the round tripping was extended to kerosene which was being diverted and sold as aviation fuel. Marketers would take their allotment of kerosene and sell it as aviation fuel which is more expensive. You know the kerosene that is imported into Nigeria is of the same specification as aviation fuel. That is why it is called Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK). It was not profitable to import what is really the base level of normal Household Kerosene (HHK). These were some of the problems we had. As I said earlier, we had written to the EFCC and didn’t get any response. Tthat meant no solution. In November 2011, even before we tried deregulating, I removed 92 marketers with one stroke of the pen from the PPPRA’s books. These were throughput marketers who didn’t have tank farms, who didn’t have any real investment in the sector. We took this action because the level of investment in tank farms is so huge that if you can do it you won’t want to get involved in any shady deal. Besides, such investment entitles you to carry out throughput for other marketers and they will pay you to do that. By the law that is acceptable. That law wasn’t made in our time, it was there before we came in. So it was clear to us that the problem of round tripping was coming from those who didn’t have hard investments in the sector. And there were 92 of them in our books which we flushed out. That was when I brought in Reginald Stanley to head the PPPRA. The fellow I brought

5 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

nday Interview

$20bn: How Sanusi frustrated ts, by Alison-Madueke in before didn’t seem to have helped in sorting out the issue at all because it looked like it was getting worse. I asked Stanley to try and reform the petrol importation and subsidy system to bring the subsidy bill down. I told him that after stabilising things we could bring some of the throughput marketers back, those who pass certain expectations, because it is in our laws. It is not as if throughput marketing in itself is illegal. So I signed them off, 92 marketers in one day. It was after I dropped them that the level of subsidy dropped significantly. Can you enumerate strides so far made in local content? We have been able to domicile some of the jobs in the sector that used to be carried out overseas within the country thereby creating jobs for many Nigerian youths. Manufacturing of small parts for the oil and gas sector is now being done in-country which was not the case before now. It is not just the manufacturing but the quality of the goods is such that we now have prospects of producing for other multinationals outside the country. This has helped to create a lot of direct jobs over this period of time and hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs. It was a thing of joy for me when I visited places like the burnt down Okrika Jetty a couple of years. I got to commission the products loading arm that was rebuilt only to discover that companies like Lee Engineering which did the construction of the project from A to Z were 100% Nigerian; all the engineers are Nigerians. We are very proud that this sort of thing could be happening at this point in time. Now, these are major steps in the oil and gas sector because it is highly capital intensive, highly technological. We have been able to achieve this because we understand that until you get the industry down so that it can touch what I consider the real economy, until you begin to commercialise it, oil & gas always seems to be up there. It is a sort of mysterious sector for the very wealthy, extremely wealthy. The multinationals have access to billions and billions of dollars, but we are beginning to pull it down so that ordinary people who can gather together the financial wherewithal can also be players in the sector. Like I said, not all of these are highly capital-intensive. There are many other areas that are quite minor in terms of capital outlay. Many people are coming in now. And this was the intent from the outset: to demystify this sector. On the Nigerian content side, I think we have done very well and we will continue to try to do even better. What about Gas Infrastructure Development? During this period too, we started looking at what we could do to develop our gas resources. We have to pull outgas issues from the PIB and specific gas projects from the Gas Master Plan to implement to fast track gas to power, gas to industry and of course to ensure that value is added to the economy. Can we go back to your alleged N10bn expenditure on the hiring of jets? Since NNPC came into being it has always owned corporate jets. The reason it had to acquire jet was simple: if you have trillions of naira worth of assets across the country that you oversee, and you have oversight over major multinationals who are in joint venture operations with you and all those multinationals that you oversee have their own jets, how are supposed to oversight these assets and those partnerships and responsibilities? How are you

supposed to do it? As a regulator, are you supposed to borrow jets from the companies that you are supposed to oversight for trips to inspect their facilities? As we speak NNPC should actually own at least two major long distance helicopters for offshore activities. I’m ashamed to say that if I have to go on an inspection of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility, I have to borrow a ride from ExxonMobil or Total or Agip. I don’t think that kind of thing happens anywhere in the world, not even in small Angola! Now when I came in as Minister of Petroleum Resources, NNPC did not have any jet on ground. This was because the one it had was about 30 years old. I recall that (former petroleum minister, Odein) Ajumogobia, advised that I should not for my life enter that jet and that he almost died in it when the thing dropped out of the air one day. So, when I came in I was informed that they had just acquired another jet which for some reasons was parked somewhere abroad. When they eventually brought it back to Nigeria, it ended up in Kaduna in Kashim Shetima’s airline hanger. I didn’t even know him at that time. But one day Shetima came to meet me and suggested very strongly that I should ask NNPC to sell that jet because it had been idle for too long and it may have developed a lot of problems. He also raised issues about that particular model of aircraft and that it had been known to have certain issues. So, I called in the GMD and reiterated the issues. I suggested to him to sell off the jet. NNPC later came back with lots of reasons why they wouldn’t sell. I said well, it’s their property and I didn’t bother about it again. But in truth, there were problems with the plane in terms of maintenance. That was how we came about leasing this other jet. We had looked at our books and done our own homework. We discovered that Shell had sold all their own planes. Shell actually had a fleet when I was there, they even built a private terminal at Lagos airport and rebuilt the entire terminal in Port Harcourt Air Force Base which they were also using. But they sold all their planes because they saw that in this age and time, unless you are in the business of aviation, it was actually cheaper and more cost-effective to lease. So, I said let us just lease first because I couldn’t just even go to the Federal Executive Council for them to approve $30m to go and buy a jet. So based on what we consider as the tradition in the industry now all over the world, we went for a lease arrangement with the same company that Shell and other multinationals were using. But out of the blues, some people came up with the allegation and made it look like I was the first person in the history of the petroleum industry in Nigeria or NNPC who started using jets for operations. I don’t even know how the N10bn came about! For N10bn one can buy two brand new Challenger jets and add a third one (second class). I don’t know how they came about such outrageous figures! But like I said before, it was all calculated to make me look bad. Actually, when the issue came up I didn’t talk, the lawyers advised that I shouldn’t talk. I couldn’t talk at that particular point in time. It was only after the case had been heard by the court, which was not too long ago, that I could actually say something and address the issue.

Alison-Madueke

As we speak NNPC should actually own at least two major long distance helicopters for offshore activities Can you address the recurring issues of pipeline vandalism, sabotage and protection? There was actually a pipeline protection contract for some militants. When the contract ended, which was almost two years ago, we did not renew it. Even the militants abused me for refusing to renew it. And I did that because they did not live up to expectation, they did not meet up with the terms of the contract. We have to review it, in fact we have even extended it to include Ondo and Lagos because the pipelines run through that area and they were not involved at the beginning. But it has taken sometime because the people we are dealing with are people you have to handle with care. I believe that the groups that we have put on the table are groups that will actually be able to deliver. But we are still having a look at it because we cannot afford to get it wrong, we want to be sure that we are engaging with the right groups in the various communities. So, we are still on it. I have not renewed the pipeline protection contract with any group. But apart from that, the NSA is working on an electronic pipeline surveillance project. It has not been discussed in much detail with us because it is a security issue. But I was fully aware at the time it was being put together. It is my expectation that they will be deploying those things anytime from now. What about allegations of missing oil revenues and PwC audit report? When the former CBN Governor came up with the allegation that about $49.8bn of crude oil sales proceeds was not remitted by NNPC we all swung into action with all the relevant agencies to reconcile the figures. When we reconciled the figures down to $10.8bn and

some agencies were having a different figure of $12bn, we insisted that the reconciliation must continue because there was still an anomaly. We said we must get to the bottom of the matter to find out what is really amiss. I recall that I called the former CBN governor (Lamido Sanusi) on a particular day. I was abroad for a meeting and we met there. I said, “Governor, I think you and I really need to sit down and thrash out this matter. Let us drill down to find out if there was really a gap and what could be the source of the gap.” He said he was very upset and that NNPC wants to finish his reputation; that all sorts of things were being written about him at home and abroad. I said, ‘Well, I don’t think you can blame NNPC but whatever you feel, let us finish the reconciliation and get to the bottom of things.’ He said, ‘ok, ok, ok.’ We had arranged to meet after my return to Nigeria which was in two days’ time. I came back only to hear that earlier on that day he had submitted another report to the National Assembly, saying $20bn was the actual amount missing. At that point I said to my people, “We have a problem here, there is clearly a hostile situation in place.” A few days later, we appeared before the Senator Makarfi Commttee to defend ourselves over the fresh allegation of unremitted $20bn. We put our papers forward, the Makarfi Committee then went through all the evidence supplied by all the relevant agencies and found that there was no missing $20bn. Despite the fact that the Makarfi Committee declared that no money was missing, the opposition kept insisting that $20bn was missing and they were calling us names. That was how the external auditors were called in to look into the whole issue, a situation I believe was a very sad indictment on the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I don’t think that if a Senate Committee in America makes a finding it will be disparaged in that manner. What PwC has come out with is that NPDC should remit the balance of the book value of the assets transferred to it which stands at $1.48bn to the Federation Account. Under normal circumstances when you transfer oil blocks to NNPC or its subsidiary as a government-owned corporation, they are not supposed to pay you. What they are supposed to do is to send all revenues above operating cost to the Federation Account. But in this case, DPR wanted to apply a different method and it quoted what it considered the book value of those assets for NPDC to pay. The implication is that if NNPC pays the book value for this assets, the assets will become its own, and then they can run it competitively just like independent multinationals do. That was the idea. There was now a reconciliation problem between NNPC and DPR because DPR quoted a certain amount for the assets value while NNPC said that was not actually the book value of the assets. But they still paid the first two tranches when the reconciliation was transacted in 2012. Then the audit came into play at that point in time. What PwC has recommended is that to follow due process that book value is to be paid to the Federation Account as DPR mandated. But the truth is that as far as NNPC is concerned, the book value of the assets as quoted by DPR is still under contention. That is why NNPC insists that it was not indicted in the PwC audit report. Whatever the case, however they do it, NNPC will pay the amount, but that does not mean that it was indicted.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Jonathan, Buhari in last-minute tussle

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

the polity when elected. On their part, the APC and PDP leaderships in the state have declared their preparedness for the elections. The state Publicity Secretary of APC, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, said: “We are ever ready; we have been preparing to ensure we win. We are prepared, our people are prepared and we are on ground. Chief Dan Orbih, the PDP chairman said: “We have done our best; we have been on intensive grassroots campaign and our campaign efforts have been boosted by the apparent failure of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. So far, so good, Edo PDP is doing well and we are looking forward to reclaiming the state.” Enugu State The big scramble for votes by the two lead presidential candidates abound in the daily politicking of their associates and chieftains of the PDP and APC in the state. And the past one week has seen an upsurge in these activities as the parties transversed the various local government areas of the state, selling their candidates. Dr. Okey Eze, the state publicity secretary of the PDP, confirmed this development in an interview with our reporter in Enugu. He said: “We have campaigned vigorously for Mr. President and all the candidates of our party in the state. And we have specifically campaigned for our presidential candidate. You have been a witness to our campaigns. So, with what we have done and still doing even at this moment across the state, you can be sure that there is no beating President Jonathan and even any of the PDP candidates in all the elections in the state during this general election. “We have done our state level campaigns. We have campaigned vigorously at the level of all the 17 local governments in the state. We have also taken our grassroots campaigns to all electoral wards in the state. Then, we have just concluded visits to all major markets in the state, added to our interfaces with various influential organisations in the state. Now, I can tell you that President Jonathan will win convincingly, with a wide margin that will be seen as a landslide victory.” Also headlong in the last-minute campaign for vote-grabbing is the APC in the state whose chieftains have been working in their peculiar ways to reverse the trend whereby PDP would usually sweep the polls in the state. Last Tuesday, APC supporter embarked on a road show for Buhari during which it reviewed the kernel of the presidential candidate’s address to the people of the state when he did his state campaign in Enugu on January 10. And that is the plan by the former head of state to reinvent the coal industry which once meant everything good to Enugu metropolis and beyond, making the state known as the Coal City State. Speaking on the intensification of campaigns, spokesman of the APC in the South East zone, Chief Osita Okechukwu, explained on Wednesday that another road show was to hold in the university town of Nsukka for Buhari. He said: Our people are interested in the proposal of our candidate on establishing a coal power plant which will catalyze the creation of one million jobs in four years”. Buhari had told the people that from his visit to Taiwan where he toured about the world’s largest coal power plant, it became clear to him that it could be reinvented in Nigeria with its abundant coal deposits, especially in Enugu. At the Enugu State headquarters of INEC last week, it was a very hectic experience, as frenetic movements of staff, visitors including traditional rulers were observed. While the traditional rulers came to lodge complaints about their communities, members of staff were seen moving election materials, thereby creating a general atmosphere of tension.

Chime

Mimiko

INEC’s preparedness The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu, in a an exclusive interview with Sunday Telegraph, refused to join issue with anyone on the distribution of the PVCs in the zone. Its distribution in the zone is believed to have been a source of worry to the presidency, since states in the SouthEast are believed to be lagging behind. Prof. Onukogu said about 70 per cent of the PVCs in the zone has been distributed. Yet, he informed that the exercise is on-going and would only stop today, March 22 as directed by INEC headquarters. But in the state, INEC has continued intensive voter education to ensure that the people vote in the right way. Similarly, the REC in Edo State, Barrister Mike Igini said that the commission is indisputably set to conduct the polls. He said: “We are prepared a lot better than previously, but, as the Chairman of the INEC pointed out before the extension, the period of extension has allowed the Commission to do better those things which may have been done with some strain and time pressure. “On the persisting issue of uncollected PVCs, we should keep in mind that in that number of uncollected PVCs, there will be some belonging to people who have died since they registered. There are also those who may have emigrated and some who may have become institutionalized in prisons, hospitals and so forth as well as those who will never show up to collect the cards of their own accord. Still the Commission is using the time left to create ample opportunities for everyone to get their PVCs.” However, a total of 1, 226, 437 PVCs have been distributed to registered voters in the state as at Thursday last week, while more will be distributed between now and March 22 which INEC gave as the final deadline for the extended distribution exercise.

The state chairman of PDP, Onwe Joseph Onwe, and his APC counterpart, Mr. Ben Nwaobasi, in separate interviews, called on INEC to ensure hitch free, fair and credible elections. Interestingly, while the Labour Party in the state has expressed readiness to ensure victory for Jonathan, but vowed never to support the governorship candidate of the PDP.

Ebonyi State In Ebonyi State, the story is almost the same. The two prominent parties have been at each other’s jugular. President Jonathan and Buhari have visited the state and left their supporters to complete the last minute campaign. The distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards in the state was still underway last week as some PVCs were awaited. Several eligible voters who were yet to get their PVCs, have raise the alarm over the inability of the commission to provide the cards, explaining that it was a way to deny them the opportunity to vote during the forthcoming elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Lawrence Azubuike, said that he has received some non-sensitive materials for the election. He stated the hiccups recorded during the just concluded test run of the card readers machine would be corrected before election. According to him, all complaints emanating from the exercise, have been noted and sent to the headquarters in Abuja for necessary action.

Ondo State In Ondo State, the PDP and its main rival, the APC, have been trying to outwit one another in the battle for the votes of the people. Since the governorship election would not be holding in the Sunshine State until late next year, the major attention has been shifted toward the presidential and the National Assembly elections. The emerging third force, the Social Democratic Party, is also interested in the two elections. Both the PDP and APC have dominated the airwaves in the state, campaigning for their parties’ candidates. They have also followed up with house to house campaigns as parts of strategies to woo voters to their sides. Many branded vehicles, bill boards, posters and handbills are seen in all parts of the state. As the political parties have been moving around canvassing for votes, the PDP which is the ruling party, has been summoning different political and social groups to different meetings in order to tell them the need to vote for the party’s candidates in the election. In the past few days, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is the leader of the PDP, has met with market men and women associations, artisan groups, Muslim clerics, Christian associations. The public sector is also not left behind as the governor, penultimate Friday, met with different levels of civil servants in the state. As the governor was meeting with the groups, the leader of old PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, was also holding series of meetings with aggrieved members of the party on the need for them to sheath the swords and work for the victory of the party. This development came as a Prophet, Chief R.A Okeowo, predicted victory for the Presidential candidate of PDP, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, in the election. The man who had accurate predictions in the past, said God has revealed to him that the elections would be devoid of violence and that the PDP would be victorious. On their own, the APC, led by its Chairman, Hon Duerimini Isaacs Kekemeke, has been moving from one local government to other to canvass votes for the candidates of the party. He has also been meeting with critical stakeholders in a bid to woo them to the party’s side. Other stakeholders like INEC and the Police have expressed their readiness to ensure free, fair and credible elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, in an interview with Sunday Telegraph said: “We have gone very much ahead in the area of getting ready for the elections. I would say

that all the materials that we would need for the elections, except the sensitive ones, have been received in the state and we have sent them to the local government areas. The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Isaac Eke in an interview with Sunday Telegraph also said the command was ready for the conduct of the election. His words: “The command has prepared adequately for the forthcoming election. Thank God that the election was shifted and this has given us ample opportunities to improve on the level of preparedness earlier put in place by the command. From the period of primaries and campaigns, the command had been very prepared. Prior to that, our men had been undergoing series of training in regards to rules of engagement of their functions, their duties, and their roles during the forthcoming elections. “Series of stakeholders meeting have been held severally in the state here including all strata of the command, the traditional rulers, artisans, market women, students, politicians and the media. This cut across board and each time we do that, they attend massively. We have also created synergy with other security agencies. We have a robust relationship, we have what we called Inter agencies consultative committee which I am the chairman, the INEC REC is also a co chairman and this embraces all the security agencies in the state. Taraba State The plan to use only PVCs in the forthcoming elections by INEC has continued to face serious criticisms from some political parties. But the major opposition party said there is no reason for using the Temporary Voter Cards since the INEC has succeeded in distributing over 90 per cent of the PVCs to eligible electorates in the state. To the Social Democratic Party which is one of the major opposition parties in the state, 100 per cent voters participation is not necessary since it is practically impossible. Mr. Aaron Artimas, a Director of Publicity for the state SDP governorship candidate, said that in the June 12, 1992 elections, only about 50 per cent of voters participated in the election. Yet it was considered the most credible election in the history of Nigeria’s elections.” While Hassan Jika Ardo, the state APC Chairman alleged that those who are calling for the use of Temporary Voter’s Card have the intention to scuttle the elections, he predicated his call for the use of PVC and Card Readers as a way of avoiding electoral fraud. PVC Distribution Eligible voters in Benue State who were unable to obtain their PVC’s are into last minute scramble to obtain theirs to enable them vote candidates of their choice. Sunday Telegraph has observed that the recent extension of deadline for the collection of PVC’s till today afforded many duly registered voters in the state the opportunity to collect their cards before the general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11. When Sunday Telegraph visited some ward collection centres in Makurdi, Vandeikya, Gboko, Tarka and Gwer local government areas to ascertain the response of registered voters preparatory to the exercise, the turn out was impressive as most people who spoke to our correspondent, expressed enthusiasm over the quick dispensation of the cards by the INEC adhoc staff and their readiness to participate in the electoral process. Speaking to Sunday Telegraph on the commission’s level of preparedness to ensure a successful election in Benue State, its REC, Professor Istifanus Dafwang, said, the commission has achieved 82 per cent success in the distribution of PVC’s to the over 2.01 million registered voters in the state. “As you know the issue of PVC has been a matter of great concern to us in the state, more so that we are number three in terms of the number of polling units that are regarded as zero polling units. In order words, these CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

Politics

I didn’t tear my PDP membership card –Obasanjo What is your take on various attacks on schools by terrorists? I am worried about attacks on schools, particular in areas where we have terrorists – Nigeria, Pakistan, Kenya and so other places. We have to treat the disease rather than the symptoms. The action of the terrorists on schools is to actually bring about terrorism and until we deal with that, whatever else we do would amount to treating headache that emanates from high blood pressure. If you do not treat the high blood pressure itself, the headache would be on and off. And the situation of course in the countries where they have terrorist activities is slightly different from a situation in a country like the United States, where insecurity and attacks in schools is essentially due to how people have access to guns rather than the issue of terrorists. So, I believe that the international community, international and national leaders will have to deal with the issue of cause of terrorism; real and perceived injustice that leads to terrorist activities. I believe the dealing must be within the local community before we talk about the international community. Local communities where schools are located and whose students may be victims must be the one that would be at alert; they should be vigilant and take the security of their schools and children in their hands. What can you say about terrorism in some parts of the world, especially Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria? They don’t call themselves Boko Haram, they have a name that I cannot pronounce very well. About three and half years ago, I went to their base. I went there because I wanted to know what the group was all about, who they are and their objectives. Did they have a leader and if they have leader, who are their leaders? Did they have any principle? The man who conducted the meeting by proxy because I could see them told me that the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammad Yusuf, who was killed in the cold blood by the police, had 27 children and part of the problem was how to give them good western education. So, they don’t object to education but one of the things that Mohammad Yusuf did when he was alive was that he had a number of graduates following him. One day, he asked his followers to bring out their certificates. Some had first degrees (first class), second class and some Master’s degrees. He asked them; ‘With your certificate, where is your job?’ They told him they had no job. He told them: “Of what use is your certificate? Tear it.” Some tore their certificates, some didn’t. That is actually where their name came from: Western education is good for nothing. That is the point I have been making, that we have to know the root cause of Boko Haram and find out the way forward; so that if we are going to deal with it, it will be by stick and carrot. Stick will deal with the military aspect and carrot will deal with solving the fundamental or the root cause of the problem. The root cause of Boko Haram in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria is a big element of development. And that we have to look at. How would you rate the Nigerian government in the fight against insurgency? I believe that the current government did not do much. When Boko Haram started about four and half years ago, the government, particularly the leadership of the country, saw it as a manifestation of the certain areas of the country that did not support the government, rather than seeing it as menace. So, it took about three years before government came to the realisation that this is more than an anti-government or anti-regime group. That was why when Chibok girls were abducted by Boko Haram, the government didn’t be-

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the speakers at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) 2015 in Dubai last Sunday. Obasanjo, at an interactive session with journalists speaks on Boko Haram insurgency, the forthcoming general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan, among other issues. TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, who was in Dubai, reports help in their education, we will. But what is important is that we should prevent a reoccurrence of this type of situation. And that is why I said if government had acted immediately, maybe we would have been able to rescue a lot more than those who were rescued. That shows that we need immediate action to rectify wrong things that have happened. Considering attacks on some schools, are you in support of gender separation or you want them to be together? They must be together. In life, men and women are created to live together; so why should they be separated?

Obasanjo

lieve that there was abduction of girls for quite sometime. Because if that has been realised and immediate action had been taken, maybe those girls would have been rescued early. But now, the Boko Haram issue has festered like a bad sore and it is no longer in evident in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria alone, it has gone beyond that to other countries like Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic. Now it has become a regional issue and we have to deal with it regionally; and that is the combined military action that has been taking place. But we must not forget the underlying cause, which is development. You said the Federal Government didn’t believe that the Chibok girls were kidnapped. Why won’t the government believe the girls were kidnapped? It is because of government’s attitude to Boko Haram that Boko Haram caused insecurity right from the word ‘go.’ The government didn’t see it as an issue of insecurity and national menace but government saw it as an issue manufactured against the incumbent President so that he would not be able to get a second term. That was the way it was perceived and of course since it was perceived that way, the action and reaction was that way too. So, when the news of the abduction of the girls came to the President the morning after it was done, the President’s reaction was that it cannot be true. And if it cannot be true, then you don’t have to do anything about it. And for 18 days, the President didn’t even have any meaningful discussion with the governor of Borno State, which he ought to have done immediately. That was why the government’s reaction was lukewarm at first. Are you saying Boko Haram has festered because of government’s incompetence, corruption....

Even more. Even more... Well, you have talked of corruption and government’s incompetence and I have talked of underdevelopment in the area. Let me give you an example: we have six geo-political zones in Nigeria - South-West, where I come from; South-South, where the current president comes from; South-East, North-West, North-Central and North-East. The gap in education in the South-West is about 79 per cent, South-East (76 per cent) and North-East is about 19 per cent. That is almost one-fifth. Yes. So, you can see that this type of gap does not make for overall security in the country. So, we have a lot of issues to talk about. Some of the kidnapped Chibok girls have passed through a very tough time in the hands of their abductors. If those girls are eventually released, what is the assurance that they will continue their education? Some of them have managed to escape. I have met three of them who told me the story of their traumatic experiences. Those I met want to go back to school but not in Chibok. We have appealed for people who can help nationally and internationally. And at this moment, five of the Chibok girls who managed to escape are in the United States. We are looking for where we can put others. Those are the ones who have escaped. The remaining over 200 are still missing and I think their history will be going on for the next three or four decades because we will never get them released in bulk. They would have been spread among those who would have taken them as wives and whatever but as they come out in later years, we will hear their stories. And those of them who came out early and who we can

Do you think the insecurity problems in some parts of the world are due to leadership issues? What do you think is the solution? Leadership matters in virtually all human institutions and organisations. So, when you asked whether any lapses or laxity in any human community, particularly in our country (Nigeria), it is a leadership problem. I will say to a large extent it is a leadership problem. I tried to explain that, for instance, in the case of Nigeria’s Boko Haram. I think there have always been some people who are fundamentalists and we have them in all religions; fundamentalists are not limited to a particular religion. You have fundamentalist Christians and Muslims; we even have fundamentalist nationalists. I don’t think that it is a problem. It is what they do, either because of perceived or real grievances; perceived or real injustices that matter. And that is an issue of leadership and governance. So, to a large extent I will say it is issue of leadership. In the short term, how do you think the problem of insurgency can be solved? In the short term, I think we have to offer two things, as I have always said. We have to apply the stick and we have to offer the carrot. The stick will be the military and the carrot would be where we have failed in the area of development, particularly education, employment and all that. We have to address them. There would be some that can happen overnight but there would be some that will take years. For instance, the chap you sent to school this year, you won’t have the benefit of his education immediately; that is about 12 to 15 years gestation period. But there are other things we can do. There is hate preaching from some Muslim leaders. Now, you can also have some Muslim preachers and leaders who will interpret the Quran in different ways - in a way of love, relationship, respecting diversity and all that. So, I believe that in the long run, the gap in the area of development, the real and perceived injustice must be removed. But in the short run, we have to deal with it with stick and carrot. You talked about the issue of leadership. What do you think African leadership could learn from the fact that the problem of insurgency has been on for long term? Why can’t former heads of state help in solving the problem? I have always maintained that a political leader must first of all give good governance in all its ramifications and that is very important. You cannot have corruption and expect people to feel happy. You cannot have corrupCONTINUED ON PAGE 36

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

‘Boko Haram is a serious problem’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 5

tion and good governance as strange bedfellows; they don’t live together. You have to be honest with the people. Tell them the truth. You cannot be lying to the people and expect that that will give people satisfaction and they will say well done to you. For me, I believe it is good governance in all its ramifications. Good governance which comes from good leadership. During the plenary, some points were raised about how ignorance is the root cause of terrorism. But some leading actors in terrorism are educated individuals. In Nigeria, there was a report recently about the son of a former Chief Justice of the Federation packing his bags and taking his family to join ISIS. So, if ignorance is the root cause of terrorism, what of those who are well-educated and still go for terrorism? Fundamentalism is about personal belief. Let me give you an example, when I was in

prison in Jos, we usually had Muslim and Christian preachers coming to talk to people in the prison. There was this Christian preacher, who believed nothing could change his mind. He believed that where the Bible states that you should “not be yoked with them” means that Christians should not associate with Muslims. That is his belief and there is nothing you can do to change his mind. He is a fundamentalist. I even told him: “Look, when the Bible was written, Islam was not in existence. So, do not be yoked with them means do not be yoked with sinners.” He said no, he won’t accept that. So, you have fundamentalists and the level of education doesn’t matter. It is like an atheist; if you are atheist, you are atheist and it doesn’t matter whether you have a PhD in religious studies, you will still be an atheist. Your study of religion has nothing to do with your belief. So, I think the story you mentioned about Nigeria of a man leaving his family and going to join ISIS is an exception rather than the rule.

There have not been many Nigerians doing that. Like they say in my part of the world, where you have many children, you will have some that will not live in conformity with you or your way of life. Now, we have a population of 180 million; if one or two decides to go to Syria, we should accept that as part of what we have to live with. If we can prevent them, we should prevent them. And don’t forget that when you talk about indoctrination, they do the indoctrination through the internet now. He could have been indoctrinated through the internet. So, we have a porous border so to say in terms of receiving information, knowledge and being indoctrinated. That is the way I see it. Given that Nigeria is heading toward elections, what do you have to say in terms of leadership in Nigeria? The good thing about democracy which we are trying to practise in our country is that the people have a choice; people have a choice

of making the incumbent to bring about a change; change of policy, change of direction or in the alternative, the people bring about a change; change of regime, change of personality. And I believe that our election when it comes less than two weeks from now, will bring about a change; either change of policy or change of direction or change of regime or change of personality. The Independent National Electoral Commission said the commission had recorded over 80 per cent in the collection of the Permanent Voter Cards. What is your own assessment of INEC’s preparedness for the elections? I don’t want to comment on the elections because I have said enough. We have had the postponement of the election and I just hope and pray that we will not have excuse for elections not to take place on March 28. And after that if we are able to stay through and we have free, fair, uninterrupted, transparent, credible elections, whatever may be the result, I believe it will augur well for the country. Other than that I don’t want to say much on the election. In your home state, Ogun, the collection rate of PVCs is very poor. Are you concerned about that considering the speculation that PVC collection is being politicised in the state? I don’t know what is being politicised with the PVCs. I have collected my own PVC. Some people came to me and complained about PVC. I wrote to the INEC chairman and he wrote back to me to say that he had got my letter and was doing something about it. And some of those who complained then told me that they have been able to collect their PVCs; not everybody but I believe that if 100 per cent of people who have registered get their PVCs, not 100 per cent of them will vote. What is important in any election is to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised and those who want to vote are able to vote freely, undisturbed and uninterrupted. And the result is not interfered with in any way. Is your public disapproval of President Goodluck Jonathan on corruption, insecurity and other issues reflective of who you are going to vote for in the elections? I will decide who I will vote for when the time comes for me to vote. But you have publicly endorsed the APC presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari? When the time comes for me to endorse anybody, I will say I endorse. But what people are putting into my mouth for now, I will spit it out. You publicly tore your Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card... I didn’t tear my PDP membership card; somebody else tore it because I said to him, “Here is the card, do whatever you like with it. If you like keep it; if you like tear it, if you like burn it. Here it is because they say it is giving them concern and they don’t know what is happening.” I did that to prove to them what is happening.

Obaze

What is your current status in the political party? At this moment, I don’t possess the card of any political party.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

Politics

Why I oppose card readers for elections -Ikimi Erstwhile Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, speaks on a wide range of issues, especially his rejection of card readers for the 2015 elections, as well his reasons for defecting from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports Since 1993, Nigeria has never been on edge the way it currently is. It has also never been so divided along ethnic and religious lines. How did we get to this frightening state? Following the overthrow of Shehu Shagari’s democratically elected government in 1983 by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, we had 10 long years of military rule before the annulled June 12, 1993 election took place. The buildup to that election which was contested by two popular national political parties, the NRC and SDP, saw three Northern-born popular presidential candidates – Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, MallamAdamuCiroma, and AlhajiUmaruShinkafi among others summarily disqualified and taken into detention. In the circumstance while it may be convenient to characterise the June 12, 1993 election as the freest and fairest, behind that facade rested deep tribal resentment mostly from the North of what had occurred. In some other parts of the country mainly in the South-West protesters not necessarily confined to the leadership of the SDP found the Abiola cause a convenient platform on which to organise overt resistance. In the midst of all this restiveness erupted among southern minority elements particularly in the Niger Delta area mostly for reasons of apparent grievances. They commenced challenging what they described as a reckless plundering of the natural resources of their native soil - oil. The coincidence of the sudden deaths of Gen. Abacha and Chief MKO Abiola did not put the firestorms sparked by these crises to rest. The emergence of Gen. Obasanjo on the platform of the PDP in 1999 by virtue of an arrangement conceived and executed by his top military colleagues did not really fulfill the intention of the inventors to assuage the anger of the SouthWest whose leading political figures distanced themselves from Obasanjo’s candidature. Unfortunately, Obasanjo’s personal agenda which included a plot to position himself for an indefinite presidential reign, rather than work to unite the country created a massive assault on the peace and orderly progress of the new democratic structure. Obasanjo was virtually forced out of office. He departed with a vengeance, ceding power to an ailing successor the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua from Northern Nigeria. President Goodluck Jonathan assumed the presidency in the midst of escalating unrest and crisis in his indigenous area, the Niger Delta. Simultaneously parts of Northern Nigeria were gradually being crisscrossed by Muslim religious fundamentalists, who took advantage of Nigeria’s extensive porous borders with neighbouring Niger, Chad

and Cameroon. The sectarian-formented crisis in North Africa and parts of the Middle East started seeping through to Nigeria. Though President Jonathan successfully brought the Niger Delta crisis to an end, political fortune hunters as well as mischief makers inside and outside the PDP invoked the tribal card as a means of challenging the President’s legitimate second term bid. In the circumstance, the genuine effort by some of us to unite the opposition in order to produce a strong alternative political platform which should ensure a balanced polity with adequate checks and balances was suddenly hijacked by a crop of desperate political contractors. How do we bring down the tension in the country? The nation is currently gripped in the reality of the struggle for the presidency. This has generated a certain heat of its own. Otherwise, tension in the polity, basically the product of intra-party differences has been simmering all along. That was not an end product of the quest for the presidency. The lack of consolidated internal party democracy is the bane of all the parties in various degrees of complexity. Party primaries conducted by the two leading political parties have not been the best examples and INEC’s monitoring of the primaries was ineffective. The PDP despite its long tenure as the party in power has suffered fundamental stress emanating not only from the sudden adjustments to its party national leadership but also the loss of cohesion in the ranks of its governors. A number of governors who left the party are now engaged in do or die battles for survival. Similarly, the APC recently born out of a successful amalgamation of major opposition parties has not been able to retain its appeal or freshness following its leadership hijack by some desperate individuals as well as its final contamination by the influx of the breakaway PDP governors. While those who lost out in their party primaries are gradually coming to terms with the reality, at this point in time, only the prospects of a free and fair election conducted by an unbiased umpire can bring down the tension. Nigeria is a vast and vibrant nation and with the rather high stakes in the 2015 elections the crucial role of the media no longer rests with the print press only but also with the influence of radio and television as well as an increasing viral social media. With the proliferation of smart phones in the country estimated at about one hundred million in Nigeria the social media has emerged as a key factor in moulding the disposition of our people. Therefore, moderating the dissemination of

Party primaries conducted by the two leading political parties have not been the best examples and INEC’s monitoring of the primaries was ineffective volatile materials will help in bringing down the tension. The peace pact recently signed by the presidential candidates as well as some governorship candidates in some states seems to be a mere public relations exercise as the frequency of its breach by some elements make nonsense of the high profile launches. The latest bid for the presidency appears to have ruptured the North/South political alliance which dates back to the first republic. What went wrong? In October 1963, Nigeria proclaimed itself a federal republic. Parliamentary elections were held in the country in December 1964. The election saw most parties run as part of alliances. The Nigerian National Alliance was led by the Northern Peoples Congress, whose national stature was only guaranteed by a formation that included Southern minority parties. These were the Nigerian National Democratic Party, the Midwest Democratic Front, the Dynamic Party and the Niger Delta Congress led by Chief Harold Biriye. Harold Biriye led some Southern minority leaders principally from Degema. Ogoni, Brass and Western Ijaw divisions. The friendship between the Southern minorities and Northern Nigeria was bolstered by the role of Melford Okilo of the Niger Delta Congress, who was appointed Parliamentary Secretary by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He became leader of the NPN in the old Rivers State. He was elected governor of old Rivers State in1979. He mobilised the region to support the emergence of Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the NPN president of Nigeria. This record speaks eloquently of a long standing friendship between the South South, particularly Southern minority and Northern Nigeria. Nigeria celebrated one hundred years of the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria last year but since Independence in 1960 and the political party elections from 1963 the struggle for ultimate Leadership of

the country between the North and the South has remained a hard nut to crack. The situation has been complicated not only by the multiplicity of ethnic groups on both sides but the emergence of Islam as the dominant religion in Northern Nigeria and Christianity as the dominant religion in Southern Nigeria. The formation of alliances has been one way of ensuring that a balance is retained. However, the PDP that has retained national power over the past 16 years operates a system of rotating the presidency between the North and South of Nigeria on a two-term eight-year basis. This arrangement never envisaged a president dying in office and so the passing of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua after two years in office has presented controversies over putting back the rotation principle on track. I am sure the North would certainly be comfortable with the South-South as their long standing reliable ally. In the circumstance, it will make for national peace for President Jonathan from South Southern Nigeria to complete two terms so that the presidency may revert to the North in 2019 when hopefully they will field a healthy nationally acceptable candidate. This is the first time in the history of the country that the opposition has been organised so much that the incumbent president is not sure of being re-elected. How do you look at this? This claim has turned out now to be more apparent than real and is indeed not an accurate portrayal of the history of strong opposition organisations in the political history of Nigeria. In the late 1960s, two major parties, UPGA and NNA, emerged through the amalgamation of political parties with similar political and ideological tendencies and partly skewed towards the sectionalist arrangements of the period. These were the Nigerian National Alliance formed by the amalgamation of the Northern Peoples Congress and the Western-based Nigerian National Democratic Party led by the premier, Chief S.L. Akintola. On the other hand, the other big and strong party, which was the opposition party, was the United Progressive Grand Alliance. This was an amalgamation of the National Council Of Nigerian Citizens, the Action Group, the Northern Elements Progressive Union and the United Middle Belt Congress. In the Second Republic although the NPN was the ascendant party, the UPN was a formidable opposition party but was hobbled by its narrow sectional base. The Third Republic featured the SDP and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

PDP woos Alor indigenes for Jonathan, others

Chijioke Iremeka eoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Organisation has reached out to Alor Community in Anambrs State with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation message. In recognition of the importance of Alor to Jonathan’s second term bid, the organisation recently reached out to the indigenes of the community in Lagos, urging them to vote the President and other PDP candidates. Situated in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Alor is the home town of the incumbent Senator of All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the 7th Senate, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige. Under the aegis of the PDP Campaign Organisation, Alor branch, the organisation, in a programme, titled: ‘Alor for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all PDP aspirants,’ pulled out Alor indigenes resident in Lagos in their numbers in support of Jonathan. Speaking at the rally held at Villa Park, Lagos, Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Emeka Eze, appealed to the community to support Jonathan’s re-election bid. In his electronic message through Alor-born Eze, which he read to the entire community, Jonathan said, “I have delegated him (Eze) to represent me in Lagos to first commiserate with Alor people, whose shops were engulfed by fire at Balogun Market and to appeal for your support for my re-election to continue the good work I started in the country. “As you all know, a number of innovations have gone out to Alor community, and if I’m re-elected, I will do more. Some of Alor children have been taken care of by this administration and I know that your schools have been rehabilitated, especially the grammar school. “Through the agencies of government under my administration, Alor communities and villages have their schools rehabilitated. I promise to do more if you vote for me. I also want to salute the courage and resilience of

Hon. Oscar Onuigbo; Chairman, Alor Development Union, Lagos, Chief Emma Ojukwu; Director-General, Public Bureau of Procurement, Dr. Emeka Eze; Director-General, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Anambra State, Chief Okey Ezenwa; and Chief Chike Udenze-Jacada, a member of the organization, during the rally in Lagos…recently

our Igbo people, which is beautified by Alor people, through your son. “I also want to plead with you to not just vote me, but also vote those, who will work with me, because a ‘general’ is truly a ‘general’ because he has the troops around him. On behalf of my family, I want to wish Alor people, goodluck.” The President also released funds to each of the 33 traders that were affected by the fire incident at Balogun Market to encourage them, irrespective of their challenges. In their responses, the Director-General, Uche Ekwunife Campaign Organisation, Dr. A. A. Anagu, said, “The promotion and upliftment we are looking for are with Jonathan and that is the reason we must vote PDP all through. We need to vote PDP all through to ensure that the people he will work with are PDP members for effective governance.” In the same manner, the Director-General, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Anambra State, Chief Okey Ezenwa, appreciating the mammoth crowd at the event, said

nobody was paid to be at the event. He said rather they all came to express their solidarity with the President. He said, “We know the crowd that is hired and the ones that came naturally because they believe in the struggle. Igbo must vote him because his administration has affected the region. We should observe that Igbos are in finance, petroleum and even public procurement. Let’s also vote those, also, who will work with him. Why do you want to waste your vote, voting the people that will not work? “APC had said that they will not implement the outcome of National Conference in the country, if elected. Then, why do you want to vote them? Nzube Etoniru should be voted a member of Idemili South Local Government Area, likewise Uche Udoma for deputy chairman. There is no road for broom people. We are wasting our votes when we put one leg in APC, the other in PDP and lastly, in All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). “There is no need for this. We need to come

out and stand at a place and this is why we are losing our share in the politics of the nation. Igbos have sacrificed enough for this country that we need to be remembered. Look at the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB); some people will score less and their names will be on the merit list of university admission, but Igbos, who scored higher, well above them, will not get admission. For how long will this sacrifice continue? We need to restructure this state and only Jonathan can do it.” In response, Chairman, Alor Development Union (ADU), Emma Ojukwu, stated that Alor people were ready to vote the right people that would represent them well in the country. “What we need is good governance to ensure that the country moves forward.” Others, who urged people of the community to vote for Jonathan and those he will work with, include Barr. Ephraim Agubalu; Special Adviser to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Obiagwu; Managing Director, Tonez Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Tony Ezika and Hon. Oscar Onuigbo.

‘Why I oppose card readers for elections’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 7

the NRC as two national formidable political parties. I was honoured to serve as the pioneer chairman of the NRC. I have always desired a balanced polity in which the opposition is strong enough to be an alternative platform ready to assume the role of government. This would ensure effective checks and balances in the polity. My experience in the days of the SDP and NRC gave me remarkable insight into this option. I eagerly pursued, with some dedicated colleagues, the creation of the All Progressives Congress. The entry of the APC into the nation’s political firmament was received across the nation and beyond with great joy and happiness. We proclaimed a new party with a clarion call of CHANGE as we strongly believed that we had created a party that would pursue democratic principles with an emphatic culture of internal party democracy. For me, I thought we had finally broken loose of the shackles of tribal, regional and religious politics unlike the NNA of 1960s that was founded on the premise of securing national electoral power through a coalition of fundamentally ethnic-based parties involving the intrinsically ‘North for Northerners;’ Hausa-dominated NPC and the essentially schismatic Yoruba party, the NNDP. That assumption which seemed feasible under the regionalist Independence Constitution was that this sectionalist alliance as a formidable political party would win federal power. Those who hijacked the APC dwelt on that erroneous assumption based on the archaic

1960 theory that a Yoruba South-West and a Hausa-Fulani North-West Nigeria alliance would produce electoral victory. The APC’s democratic credentials were put to test in its very first convention where the self-styled ‘leader of the party’ successfully plotted and executed the installation of cronies as the party’s National Executive. In a desperate effort to build a team that was solely designed to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP breakaway governors were recruited to pollute the top leadership of the party. It should be noted, as it is already evident, that the assumption of automatic and unanimous votes from the two zones, the North-West and South-West for the APC, is not realisable.

Opinions are divided on the reason of security adduced for the shifting of the polls. Many believe INEC was not prepared. While various opinions are being peddled around speculating on the rationale for shifting of the polls, the compelling facts that eventually rendered February 14 unsuitable were quite simply the obvious security situation, and INEC’s unpreparedness. Both these reasons were plainly valid. The security situation in the North Eastern States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe as existed in early February was such that if elections had been held, large numbers of Nigerians would have been disenfranchised. In this context, whichever party lost could have used the fact of low voter participation to generate interminable post-election crisis that the country does

not need. Conducting the elections in those states with swathes of territories still disrupted by Boko Haram would have been a very daring undertaking and definitely not in the interest of election personnel. Therefore, the decision to shift the election dates and vigorously address the security issue has achieved two objectives. First was to demonstrate President Jonathan’s determination to enfranchise voters wherever they may be located. This is significant because some of these areas are assumed to be opposition zones. Secondly, the decisive, speedy and stunning victories of the Nigerian forces have resulted in the liberation of virtually all of the Northeastern territories previously under the subjection of Boko Haram. This liberated condition automatically provides the opportunity for the voters in these areas to exercise their franchise that would not have been possible if the elections had been held in February. With regards to INEC, I found it very strange that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, failed to disclose to the public the actual reasons why he postponed the elections. In his presentation to the Council of State a few days before he made the postponement announcement, he had admitted that a number of critical elements for free, fair and credible elections were not yet in place. As at February 7, the date of his world press conference, of the 68.8 million Nigerians registered to vote only 45.8 million had collected their Permanent Voter Cards. This meant that a total of 23 million (33.8%) Nigerian registered voters had not yet collected their Permanent Voters Cards. It was obvious

that it was not logistically possible for INEC to complete the distribution of the said 23 million cards in the one week left before the election. If INEC had proceeded with elections on the 14th of February, 23 million registered voters would have been disenfranchised. The skewed distribution of cards affected states that were not necessarily PDP States. For example, in Lagos, a major cosmopolitan state only 38.4% of the 5.9 million registered voters had as then received their PVCs. A similar case existed in Ogun State where only 36.44% of the registered voters in that state had received their PVCs as at February 4, 2015 - 10 days to the elections. Furthermore, the statistics presented on the distribution of PVCs defy logic. It was observed that states such as Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where insurgency had presented the most serious security challenges leading to mass displacement of persons some of whom resided in IDP camps or had left their states, the PVC collection rates were unusually high compared to states like Enugu where there was no crisis. The issue of card readers which INEC proposed to use is a new device based on a new technology that had never been demonstrated or tested in situ in any Nigerian locality or previous elections. The first tests only recently carried out three weeks after the 14th of February recorded massive failure. For some unknown reasons, Prof. Attahiru Jega is determined to throw Nigeria into unprecedented confusion with this ill-designed contraption otherwise referred to as Card Readers on 28th March... Help us God!!

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

Politics

Jonathan, Buhari in last-minute tussle peaceful election in the state. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Danyaya, in an interview with Sunday Telegraph, said that about 900,000 PVCs have been distributed to the registered voters out of the total number of 1.2 million. According to the Resident Commissioner, INEC in the state has distributed non sensitive materials to all the 13 local government areas in the state preparatory to election. Alhaji Danyaya stated that the commission in the state was presently training staff supervisors that would man polling units during polls. According to him, INEC in the state was working hand-in-glove with security agencies in the state towards achieving peaceful election in the state.

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

are polling units that have less than 50 PVC’s printed. We have 659 of them in Benue State, and that means that Continuous Voter Registration was done in those 659 polling units. The figure we got from that registration was 358,000 so we were waiting anxiously for the 358,000 cards in addition to the balance of cards that we were expecting from the 2011 registration. “So I want to say that we have received just under PVCs in Benue State and the total voter registration in the state is 2.01 million, we have just received under 2 million, so we still have 30,000 cards that have not yet been printed and sent to us, but of the ones that we have received, distribution is so far 82 per cent”, he explained. Professor Dafwang said, the commission took the issue of PVC’s distribution serious because of the Federal Government’s desire to conduct a credible, free and fair election, stressing that the commission had sent its officials to each of the ward collation centres with the remaining 30, 000 PVC’s for onward distribution. The REC stated that adequate voter-education campaigns have been carried out in the 23 local government areas of the state to sensitize the people about the coming election, adding that the result was successful. Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Godwin Ayihe, and the state chairman of the APC, Mr. Aba Yaro, in separate interviews, expressed satisfaction with the response of their supporters towards the collection of PVC’s to enable them participate in the forthcoming general elections. Osun State Ahead of the elections, the PDP and APC are upbeat about their preparations as they have split into committees each saddled with one assignment or the other to enhance the chances of their parties and candidates during the elections. At different locations in the state, rigorous political campaigns were noticed by these two key political parties, moving to draw electorate into their sides. They are pasting fresh candidate’s posters, erecting bill boards and distributing handbills that specify and chronicle what their candidates have in stock for the people of the state. In fact, the political atmosphere is charged with multifarious actions and inactions embarked upon by these politicians from different political parties to outsmart and rubbish one another in the face of the electorate to ensure their victory at the poll. Also, vibrant and productive politicians who could affect the winning chances of their parties are now being wooed by opposition parties to make their parties more formidable with political disciples and followers that could at the end of the day, contribute their quota positively to the victory of their parties at the poll. On the activities of the independent National Electoral Commission, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola, disclosed that 73.26 per cent of the Permanent Voter’s Cards had been given out to the electorate in the state while 26 .7per cent is yet to be collected. He said also that the commission proposed to use card readers machine for the coming election to improve on previous elections held till 2011. He said that, after the 2011 election, the commission developed a strategic plan to make INEC one of the best election managers in the world and because of that, it decided to ensure that the 2015 general elections would be more credible than 2011 and opted for the use of card readers. “In a situation where a machine authenticates your ownership of the card, that will reduce the perpetration of irregularities in the conduct of the exercise,” he said. Ogunmola stressed that, with the use of the machine, the electoral process will be shorter

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola

Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura

than the previous elections and maintained that, “operation of the machine does not require much knowledge of ICT to handle. It is just like the way you operate your handset and ATM cards and the battery will operate for 12 hours. Speaking on the election, the PDP chairman in the state, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa said that his party had prepared fully for the exercise but kicked against the use of card readers saying it could be deficient. Alhaji Olaoluwa stressed that the use of card reader is pre-mature in the politics and politicking of the country, argueing that it has not been tested and trusted. However, the immediate past chairman of the APC, in the state, Elder Adebiyi Adelowo maintained that, the concerned authorities on election matter should make use of card readers for irregularity free election. Adebiyi added that the use of the card readers will ensure first class transparent conduct of the exercise while political obstacles would be combated through it. Ado-Ekiti In Ekiti State, INEC has so far distributed 511,000 PVCs out of the 730,216 voters that registered. The figure represents about 70 per cent of number of registered voters. INEC Public Relations Officer in the state, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, who spoke to our correspondent, said more voters would still collect their PVCs before today’s deadline. On the preparations of INEC for the polls in the state, Gbadegesin said everything was on course. He cited the successful testing of card readers in the state few weeks ago. “Our ad hoc staff are being re-trained. We are doing this to refresh their knowledge on what they are expected to do on election days. The adjustment to the election timetable led to the retraining exercise. “Former corps members that passed out of the NYSC scheme after we recruited them for the elections as ad hoc staff are still coming back to work for us. There is a synergy between us and the NYSC.

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose

“Non-sensitive materials have since been distributed and sensitive ones will be taken delivery of in the presence of political parties’ representatives. We will soon hold a stakeholders’ meeting and let them know how far we have prepared for the elections,” he said. Also, the two leading presidential candidates, President Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari are stepping up their campaigns in the state. Though both of them have held their mega rallies, their parties and supporters are not leaving things to chances. Only last Monday, the President’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, held a Women PDP Presidential Rally in the state. She used the occasion to meet with wives of traditional rulers in the state at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe. Over 140 Oloris met with Mrs. Jonathan and they were led by Olori Bose Adejugbe. Mrs. Jonathan used the occasion to solicit the support of the women for her husband. The State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, said his party was sure of victory in the polls. “We are sure of victory and all these last minute attempts by the PDP to hoodwink the people of the country, especially, the people in the South-West, will fail. The President has literally laid siege to the South-West in the last few weeks, but this is belated,” he said. The Vice-Chairman, South-West, PDP, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, expressed optimism that his party would win. “We are emerging victorious in the coming elections. We have met the people all over the country and we are enjoying their support. In Ekiti State and the South-West generally, the PDP is the party to beat,” he opined. Nasarawa State In Nasarawa State, the major presidential candidates, President Jonathan and Buhari have held presidential rallies in the state to canvas votes from the people. Their wives have also followed up with women rallies to garner support for their respective husbands. Besides the two major political parties, other political parties including, Accord Party, Democratic People’s Party, AD, PDM, UDP, Kowa Party, Labour Party ACPN, PPN, CPP and PPN and AA have no viable structures nor physical presence in the state talk less of their presidential candidates holding rallies in the state. Suffice it to say that apart from the two major political parties which have shown physical and practical moves in canvassing votes from the state, there is nothing practical indicating that other presidential candidates of the other political parties are actually contesting election because of non existence of their party’s structures or acceptability of these presidential candidates in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state has held series of stakeholders meetings with leaders of political parties, opinion leaders, stakeholders and heads of security agencies in the state to finetune moves towards achieving credible and

Security Agencies Meanwhile, the various security agencies are working round the clock with intense preparations with the listing of officers and men to help man the elections and ensure a violent free exercise. Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba, after a meeting with the police management team and all commissioners of police in the country, has called on all the parties to play the game according to the rules. He warned against all forms of violence, before, during and after the elections, even as he said adequate provisions have been made for the security of election materials. Investigations show that besides the police, the Nigerian Army, the Directorate of the Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps will be involved in making the polls hitch-free and peaceful. Political analysts say the 2015 election is key to the socio-economic and political development of the country. All eyes are on the nation’s electoral empire in conducting credible, free and transparent and acceptable election with the introduction of card reader. According to analysts, Nigeria and Nigerians expect nothing short of free, fair, credible and peaceful election if the quest for credible being canvassed by the nation’s electoral umpire, is something to go by. The electorate in all parts of the country are now looking forward to the presidential poll even with apprehension, anxiety and uncertainty. The die seems cast and the outcome remains in the realms of conjecture. Oyo State There have been hues and cries over inability of many registered voters in Oyo state to have their Permanent Voter Cards collected to qualify them for voting in the March 28 and April 11 elections. The INEC had however promised that the problem would be solved in due course. Until recently, some political parties were still complaining that though the situation had improved, but not yet perfect. There was also disapproval by some parties to the directive given by the National INEC that there had been a partnership arrangement between it and the leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers in Abuja to use their vehicles for the distribution exercise. The Accord party Publicity Secretary, Dr. Remi Adeniran, in his assessment of the situation told New Telegraph on Sunday that, “The distribution has improved, although not yet reasonably, because a number of people have not got it. In Afijio area of Oyo town for instance, three units have not got their cards. This will be disastrous if not corrected and those teeming electorate are disenfranchised. We had sent complaints to the INEC on this and they have assured us that the cards would be brought, but up till now, the electorate have not got their PVCs. Some other local government areas also affected are Ibadan North East, Ibadan North and Ona Ara. It has not been too serious in other local governments, though. Accord is advising and admonishing the INEC to do it right in order to avoid crisis”, Adeniran said.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

Assembly poll: I’ll defeat Fayose’s candidate -Oguntuase What drew you into politics? After leaving the University of AdoEkiti, where I read Economics, I did my national youth service in Enugu State and later worked at the National Assembly Service Commission from 2004 to 2007. I joined Oando Plc and left to start Oak Bridge Construction Company. Our company handled the construction of a number of projects. I joined politics because of Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB). We met in Ibadan and had a conversation about his dreams for the state and I loved it. I can say that after Chief Segun Oni, MOB is the only person that has good intention for Ekiti. We started Bibiire Coalition and later joined the Labour Party (LP). After the June 21, 2014 governorship poll in Ekiti State, I decided to contest. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has messed up in the state and has no good leader to redeem its fortunes. But there is the speculation that MOB is joining the APC soon APC leaders consulted LP leaders after the last election in the state. They sent Segun Oni to meet us. We, leaders of the LP, met and sent a delegation to the APC Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, to say the best we can do is to adopt APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari under the Bibiire Coalition. We adopted him through the Bibiire Coalition and not the LP. People only mix it up because MOB is a leader in both the LP and the coalition. The LP has no preferential presidential candidate and MOB remains our leader. But the LP seems to be in limbo as far as political activities in Ekiti State are concerned. MOB and other leaders of our party will soon start a tour of the state to campaign for our candidates in the coming polls. Besides that, individual candidates are campaigning at various levels. Why did LP lose last June’s governorship election? We lost the election in the state because people wanted a change at all cost; not that we were not popular.

Opeyemi Oguntuase, who was among those who joined Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele to form the Bibiire Coalition, a political group that later metamorphosed into the Labour Party in Ekiti State, is seeking a seat in the Ekiti State House of Assembly. In this interview with ADESINA WAHAB, he speaks on the coming polls and other issues. Excerpts Also, Governor Ayo Fayose emerged because he was tested before and the people believed that they had enjoyed him in the past, not because he was the best. The LP is a futuristic party. You are from Iyin-Ekiti just like MOB. Are you banking on his popularity for your ambition? If you go to Igede, Iyin and other places, my personal relationship with the people is counting for me. My nickname ‘Abija’ is even more popular than my real name and the popularity is there; and what I have been able to do for the people speaks for me. How would you rate the chances of LP across the state? I have a strong belief that we will have a senator, three House of Representatives and 14 state lawmakers. We have popular candidates and chose them from where zoning arrangements were supposed to produce those candidates. That has endeared our party to the voters. What about Fayose’s influence, especially in your constituency that is close to his? I said earlier that Fayose won the poll last year not because of the

I am not a candidate of the LP alone. A lot of those following me to my rallies are PDP members and that is giving the PDP candidate goose pimples

Oguntuase

Peoples Democratic Party, but because he was popular. I am not a candidate of the LP alone. A lot of those following me to my rallies are PDP members and that is giving the PDP candidate goose pimples. I am more popular than the person asked to contest by Fayose and because the people love me, I will defeat Fayose’s candidate. If by your projection, the LP dominates the House of Assembly, how do you hope to work with a PDP gover-

nor? The beauty of it is that the moment we resume, the interest of the state is supposed to be the priority not party interest. You should do the right thing for the progress of the state. Whoever is the governor, we must support him. But there is rancour in the current opposition-dominated Assembly The APC lawmakers that defected to the PDP whether willingly or they were bought believed they were working for the greatness of the state. But there is no way seven will be greater than 16. When we had a meeting on a peace agreement with Fayose, I said there was no need for intimidation. He should be the father of all. What is your impression about the build-up to the general polls? People are striving to market their candidates. To me, it is time we played decent politics and moved to an era of telling people what we want to do for them. The recent Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) rally in Lagos calling for the resignation of INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and the protesters carrying guns and being protected by agents of the state is uncivilised. Our leaders call the youths leaders of tomorrow and they still give them guns to kill themselves. That is uncalled for. What is your opinion on the use of card readers for elections? I was among the first set of people that adopted it. It will eliminate multiple voting as you do your verification at one centre. If a case goes to tribunal, it will be easy to identify areas of fraud. It is a good development. What about the deployment of military for polls? Based on what we saw in Ekiti and Osun states during last year’s gubernatorial polls. I don’t see anything wrong in deploying them. It is for them to be in town and not be at the polling units. The only area of possible problem is when PDP governors want to use them to intimidate the opposition. They are necessary to reinforce the police. There is a need for additional hands to support the provision of security. They are not to monitor elections but to reinforce security.

Life SUNDAY

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Bloodbath in Benue:

Herdsmen murder dozens in seven days Cephas Iorhemen,

Makurdi

t was a week of horror for the people of Egba village in Agatu and Vaase communities in Agatu, Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue State when gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen went on a killing spree and murdered over 108 persons in different attacks. Many of the victims were women and children. While 83 were killed in Agatu, 10 at Vaase in Ukum, 15 were murdered in Logo in five affected communities including Chembe, Tse-Mue, Tse-Shigbe, Mgbakpa and Oragbai. They are all in Ukemberagya Council Ward under Logo Local Government Area, home of Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam. Scores of people who have been rendered homeless in the attacks are now taking refuge in squalid environments that are prone to outbreak of diseases. The Chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, Mr. Teryima Nguher, had confirmed the attacks on the communities to Sunday Telegraph, but could not ascertain the exact number of casualties. But the attack in Agatu by the insurgents, according to local sources, began at about 4am when the assailants stormed the village. They killed their unsuspecting victims, most of whom were fast asleep, after which they razed the community, destroying economic trees, food barns and farmland. The invaders were said to have gained access into the community from Loko in neighbouring Nasarawa State, and started shooting and breaking into people’s houses, mowing down whoever they met. According to the member of the Benue State House of Assembly representing Agatu, Alhaji Sule Audu, bodies of the 83 victims have been recovered and given mass burial. Agatu is the country home of the running mate of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. John Ngbede. He blamed the attack on the lackadaisical attitude of the federal government in responding to distress calls made by the people and advised it to deploy soldiers and establish military posts around towns bordering Agatu. “We have made several presentations and appeals to the Federal Government to establish a military post in the towns bordering our area to avert these incessant attacks but to no avail. My people have been continually attacked and killed like animals and the Federal Government has not shown any concerns. This is really painful,” Ngbede lamented. Ngbede, who hails from the war- ravaged community, pleaded with the Federal Government to police the boundary between them and their Nasarawa State neighbours. Ngbede lamented that the porous boundary between Agatu and Nasarawa

Another structure destroyed by Fulani marauders in Agatu

A house destroyed by Fulani marauders in Agatu

My people have been continually attacked and killed like animals and the Federal Government has not shown any concerns. This is really painful,” Ngbede lamented

State was giving the invaders unhindered assess to attack them and easily find escape route. “If there is anything the Federal Government can do for us at this critical time, it is to help us police and protect our boundary with Nasarawa State,” he stressed. Sunday Telegraph gathered that the invaders were said to have escaped to neighbouring Nasarawa State and crossed River Benue after the attack. Meanwhile, Senate President, David

Mark, has lamented the level of devastation and killings in the war-ravaged Egba community in Agatu Local Government Area of the state. Mark, who carried out an assessment of the affected areas, expressed shock and sadness over the rate of damage which he likened to genocide. He described the attacks as nothing but “absolute criminality,” which must be adC O N T ’d O n PAG E 4 2

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 15, 2015

Life

Tension in Maiduguri over demolition of shops, stalls Ahmed Miringa,

MAIDUGURI

he March 10, 2015 demolition of shops and markets stalls around the markets and parks within Maiduguri metropolis allegedly by the Borno State Government is generating much tension, as the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, traders association, the military and Nigerian Bar Association, Maiduguri branch continue to trade blame. Traders and handiwork association from Gamboru, Post Office, Baga, Customs area markets and Bama and Borno Express Motor parks accused the state government of demolishing their shops and market stalls in the night, while their goods were also looted. Chairman of the Post office Traders and Handiwork Associations, Babagana Chillu, said the traders woke up on Wednesday morning to see that their shops and stalls had been demolished overnight without any notice to them to evacuate their goods. He said most of them depend on daily petty trading to carter for their families, adding that government should have called them and discussed a way forward or provided them with an alternative location. He said, “Yes I know there are security challenges in the state. In the past, they sent us away. But this has not stopped the killings. We have over 300 members in Post Office alone. I see no reason why government would do that. As we all know, most of those that were lured into the Boko Haram was as a result of unemployment.” He warned that the demolition would affect the political fortunes of Governor Kashim Shettima and the APC in the state. Chillu blamed the governor for the development, noting that he is the chief security officer of the state and that the state is no longer under emergency rule. A trader in Maiduguri Monday Market, Musa Ibrahim, said: “We lost all our property, as the demolition was carried out in the night when we were at home. You know the state is under a curfew. They should have informed us so that we would park our belongings. We were told that it was the military that carried out the demolition, as a result of the recent bombings but they needed to have informed us before they did that,” he stated. Iliya Abubakar, who had a stall in Baga motor park, accused the state government of demolishing the structures through the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency to tarnish the image of opposition PDP. However, the chairman of the state government’s committee assigned to assess, resettle and compensate the affected traders, Kaka Lawan, urged them to be patient. Kaka, who is also the attorney-general and commissioner for justice, while distributing N10,000 each to over 200 traders from Post Office on March 12, said the state government had discussed with the military on necessary security measures for the affected areas. He said the state government would provide bar-

ricades around the markets to protect lives and property. Responding on behalf of the traders, Alhaji Ibrahim Audu thanked the governor for the gesture and promised to work with the security agencies to protect the markets. Speaking on the demolition same day, the governor accused his predecessor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, of instigating the “massive demolitions” of many shops and market stalls in Maiduguri metropolis and at the Maiduguri Monday Market by the military on Tuesday. Shettima made the accusations at the Government House, Maiduguri, while inaugurating the Kaka-led Emergency Resettlement Committee. He said Sheriff might have used someone in the military to blackmail the state government to score political point. Shettima, who released N30 million to the committee members as take-off fund, said his administration was firmly against unemployment. He said the problem of unemployment could be aggravated by the massive demolition of market shops and stalls; and deprive traders of their means of livelihoods. His words: “Those of you who have been following activities of this administration since 2011 can bear witness that I have applied so much restraint in reacting to all manner of provocation. I restrain myself not out of fear but out of courtesy associated with leadership. A leader is not required to act in a particular manner.” On what triggered the demolitions, he said: “In the struggle for power against the administration of the late Mala Kachalla, a particular former governor of this state went as far as organising the demolition of market stalls, shutting down of hospitals and schools as well as the water treatment plant in Maiduguri; mainly to blackmail Kachalla. Unfortunately, we woke up yesterday (Wednesday) to a repeat of that same political intrigue. “I do not have doubt about the patriotism of the majority of military men and women in Borno State. Many of them have laid their lives for Borno. “However, I am worried if anyone is being used to sabotage this administration. I sim-

Shettima

On the alleged involvement of the military, the spokesman for the 7th Divison of the Nigerian Army Maiduguri, Col. Tukur Gusau, told newsmen on the telephone that they had no hand in the exercise ply don’t understand why market stalls will be demolished without recourse to the state government. Are we at war?” In a swift reaction, a political associate of the former governor and Publicity Director of the PDP governorship campaign organisation, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, said that as the chief security officer of the state, Shettima could not deny knowledge of the development. “We are all aware that his aides personally supervised the demolition. When he realised the damage inflicted on the traders and the way his action was working against his reelection, he began trying to find a scapegoat. He is trying to blame Sheriff,” Bwala stated. According to him, Shettima is known for his dislike for traders in the state. He said that was why in the past, he ordered government officials to procure sugar and rice during Ramadan from Kano traders. Also speaking on the matter, the coordinator of the Borno Youths Empowerment Scheme popularly kwon as Civilian JTF, Abba Aji Kalli, said the demolition had no political connotation. He said it was done in good faith, as the Boko Haram insurgents had used crowded public places to commit their atrocities. He said, “We were told to inform traders in our various areas but most of them refused to fellow our advice. Their leaders also refused to inform them. You know the insurgents have been targeting crowded places to commit their atrocities and those illegal structures

have congested the markets. “Therefore, there was the need to take this hard but necessary decision to safeguard the lives and properties of our people.” On the alleged involvement of the military, the spokesman for the 7th Divison of the Nigerian Army Maiduguri, Col. Tukur Gusau, told newsmen on the telephone that they had no hand in the exercise. He said, “Troops from the 7th Division wouldn’t have done that. I don’t think our troops would do that.” Also lending its voice, the NBA Maiduguri branch condemned the demolitions “in strong terms.” The NBA in a statement signed by its Chairman, Abdulwasiu Alfa, and made available to newsmen in Maiduguri said: “We condemn in strong terms the high headedness and shall do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice no matter how highly placed”. While accusing the military of carrying out the demolitions, the NBA stated that the army should realise that the state is no longer under a state of emergency. “The Nigerian Bar Association is deeply shocked by the unwarranted, unjustified and illegal demolition of temporary structures along major streets and the Monday Market area. “It is worrisome that military operatives of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri are under an illusory impression that they are above the law or not subject to Nigerian law. It is illegal and unconstitutional to proceed to demolish or destroy properties of law abiding citizens without any prior notice. “The military should not cover their glaring incompetence in the fight against terrorism by simply harassing innocent citizens. The NBA has resolved and directed its human rights committee to immediately swing into action in order to identify the perpetrators of the distasteful act,” it stated. NBA also urged members of the public to continue to be law abiding and report any violation of their rights to its Human Rights Committee for appropriate action.

Herdsmen murder dozens in seven days dressed as such. An angry Mark stated : “This is absolute criminality. All those involved in these barbaric killings must not go unpunished. Government will not tolerate this and all the security networks would be deployed to fish out the perpetrators.” Mark told his heartbroken constituents that the National Security Council had met over the incident and hinted that President Goodluck Jonathan was

already putting measures in place to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the killings, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem. He therefore advised the people to continue to maintain peace, as government has enough apparatus to deal with the situation in a way that would bring justice to all concerned. Mark added that security had been beefed up to forestall a repeat of the

ugly incidents, and commended the emergency medical team led by Oyaji Suleiman for assisting the injured and undertook to pay the medical bills. A statement by Mark’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, said he also visited the make- shift tent housing some injured survivors of the attacks as well as Internally Displaced Persons. He also visited the site where the murdered persons were said to have been given a mass burial.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Add zest to your attire: Go for mufflers M

Vanessa Okwara

en in general do not have too many choices when it comes to accessories, unlike the many options available to women -make-up, jewelry, shoes, handbags, etc. That does not mean that men cannot be fashionable. Mufflers can be a powerful accessory in creating your style as a fashionable dude. A muffler, also known as a scarf, a Kremer or neck-wrap, is a broad strip of fabric worn around the neck for warmth, fashion or for religious reasons. They come in a variety of colours. Many guys think only women need to tie a scarf, however, you should know that by paying attention to the finer details, you can take your outfits and personal style to the next level. Mufflers can be used as an accessory basically on any type of outfit -formal, casual and even traditional. A boring business suit turns trendy with a colourful muffler. A simple T-shirt and

jeans takes on a whole new look when a muffler is casually thrown into the mix to bring out the soft side of you. The easiest way of wearing your muffler is to drape it over your neck, leaving the two ends hanging loosely on either side. It works best with a suit or sports coat to add zest to your attire. You can also pull the city slicker style by folding the scarf in half length-wise and wrap it around your neck, pulling the loose ends through the loop that was created by the fold. The city slicker knot instantly adds a clean, put-together touch to your outfit, whether a cozy shirt and chinos or a dapper suit. Amazingly, the simple piece of rectangular cloth is versatile and can be worn in these different ways. Choose a scarf that best matches your personal style and skin tone. You need not wear bright colours and patterns; even a solid-coloured cashmere or wool can transform your style. All you need to do is follow the basic gentlemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rulekeep it Simple.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Body&Soul

Dating your best friend’s ex?

opics like the one we are about to discuss today often generate heated arguments with divergent views stemming from people’s ideologies, religious affiliations and moral justifications. Whichever one is yours, I think its best you put sentiments aside, be objective and imagine you’re caught in that same dilemma before passing judgment. I say this because we all are quick to condemn someone outrightly without ever asking, “What will I do if caught in a similar situation”? Well, that is what happened to a friend of mine, Ugochi, who came to seek advice on the issue. Here is her story: Ugochi and Nneka were friends for as long as they can remember. They were buddies all through their secondary school days and although they didn’t attend the same University, they still remained close friends and stayed in touch during the holidays. When they graduated, Nneka was lucky to get a job in one of the banks. She was transferred to the headquarters in Lagos from Enugu wh ere they grew up. Ugochi was not so lucky in the job market and had to stay back in Enugu. After a while, Nneka got her own apartment and asked Ugochi to come and live with her while she searched for job in Lagos and she agreed. She met Nneka’s fiancé, Gideon while living with her in Lagos. They looked so happy together and she liked Gideon on sight. Since she already considered him her best friend’s lover, she didn’t have ulterior designs on him. All the same, Ugochi noticed that her friend flirts with other guys and they come to visit her when Gideon was not

CONNECT NG vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com around. When she confronted Nneka on this, she defended herself by saying it is a girl’s prerogative to flirt until she finally settles down. It was in one of her flirty dispositions that she met Chinedu and fell madly in love with him. She broke up with Gideon and practically moved in with Chinedu. When Nneka left, Gideon started paying Ugochi undue attention. Initially, she accepted them as friendly gestures since she also considered him a friend. Before they knew what was happening, they fell in love and Gideon asked her to marry him. Unfortunately, Nneka’s relationship with Chinedu didn’t work out and she quickly moved back to her apartment. When she noticed Ugochi’s budding romance with her ex-boyfriend, she went berserk! She ordered Ugochi to leave her house, calling her a boyfriend snatcher. Ugochi says she’s confused and torn between accepting Gideon’s proposal and keeping the friendship she has had with Nneka. Now you see how difficult it is to stand in judgment if you were the one wearing the shoes? Seriously though, I have always believed that dating your friend’s ex is tantamount to breaking the best friend forever (BFF) code. The code says

you do not steal one another’s boyfriend or girlfriend no matter the circumstances. Love in itself is complicated without adding this bizarre situation Ugochi finds herself in. For one thing, your friend might feel that you had your eyes on her boyfriend for a long time; even before they broke up and had simply grabbed your chance as soon as she turned her back. This could be disastrous for your friendship. If you go ahead and still date her ex, be sure you will lose her friendship for life. Also,if your friend had a

Seeking her opinion about the awkward situation is your way of telling her you value her friendship more than anything and if she is not a vindictive person or does not feel she has monopoly over her ex; she might give you her blessings

painful tumultuous break up,then she will expect you to take her side no matter what. In this scenario if you start dating your friend’s ex, it will be interpreted as breach of trust. So making a decision whether to date your best friend‘s ex is largely dependent on the circumstances that led to their break up and how much you value your friendship. I don’t think it’s wise to make enemies of those you have known all your life. The best thing to do in such a situation is to seek out your friend first and tell her everything that has been going on and see her reaction. It will help you make an informed decision. This is because dating your friend’s ex will definitely affect your relationship with her in future. Seeking her opinion about the awkward situation is your way of telling her you value her friendship more than anything and if she is not a vindictive person or does not feel she has monopoly over her ex, she may give you her blessings. But if even if she doesn’t, you can still go ahead with your plans if you feel so strongly about it. The reason is that friendship is a two-way street and deserves love, respect, and generosity on both sides. If she also values your friendship, she will not want to stand in the way of your happiness as well. It may be sad or painful at first, but if everyone is truly open and honest,then you can come to a compromise of allowing others to find happiness where you were not so lucky. Can you date your best friends’ ex? Please feel free to write in your response.. •Send your views to the email above!

When youths bow to death before dishonour

t is the season of promises -promises of change, continuity, prosperity…well, whatever you desire, it will be delivered. It should be a time when citizens must look at themselves as being in possession of power; power to change and ensure effective leadership in their immediate environment. However, it appears that there are those who have lost faith in the political class to deliver any of the multitudes of promises that they make and would rather defy death in order to actualise their dreams. How else do you explain someone stowing away in the belly of a plane in the hope of getting a better life in another country? Over the weekend, a yet to be identified man was found on an Arik Airline wheel compartment, stone cold dead. He was attempting to sneak out of the country undetected in probably the coldest and most dangerous part of a flying vessel. I have read many reports of people condemning the lax in airport security as well as the probable connivance of officials in aiding prospective stow-aways in their bid to flee the country. All of these are valid arguments and I support them. However, there is an underlying issue here that no one is talking about, an area no one is examining; the choices before this man and indeed those ones before him. It was just this past August that a teenage boy, Daniel Ohikhena, was found in the same compartment of the same Airline on a flight from Benin to Lagos. He had endured a harrowing one and a half hour flight in the

hope of arriving in the land of dreams and prosperity, USA. Why would a boy so young be so disillusioned as to risk his life? He, and other young ones like him, have been failed by the state; failed by the leaders in whom they have trusted, failed by the very institution of governance. These hapless and helpless souls see no future in the country they call home; they see no hope in the promises of a better tomorrow that the politicians are making and would rather

There is every need now to start redressing the issue of hopes that the youths of Nigeria can entertain. We must start now to rebuild confidence before we start having a case of mass suicide or self emollition in protest at the state of affairs

dare death than stay a minute longer. I guess they reason; better to take a chance and die in the process than go through the excruciating pain of the slow death that the country was subjecting them to. I make this up because I struggle for a rationale that will make a man dare the inhumane and unbearable cold and wind of a flight at an altitude of 30,000 feet. They had a choice, to carry on being dishonoured or to die trying to reclaim their honour. In the case of the man found last weekend, the latter proved to be true. It all ended in an effort to make it better -a tragic waste of human life and a sad reminder of the state of things in our home. Daniel Ohikhena even had a backpack, an indication that he did not just act on a whim, but had taken the time to plan and strategise every element of his move except he got the destination of the plane wrong. There is every need now to start redressing the issue of hopes that the youths of Nigeria can entertain. We must start now to rebuild confidence before we start having a case of mass suicide or self emollition in protest

at the state of affairs. Now is not the time for some ‘vulgar appendage of power’ to be let loose on the society with flippant and unverified statements, but time to take action and reinvest in the youth of the nation. Now is the time to start making our youths believe in themselves and then they can believe in the country. In the past, when the visa office of the American and British Embassy was on Walter Carrington Crescent in Victoria Island, the crop of the agile and intelligent youth base could be found on the line for visa. Now, I hear they have all moved to the Visa application centres in Oregun; maybe they are not as daring as Ohikhena or the unknown civilian, but the desperation remains the same. Perhaps, the youths too must reclaim their right and responsibility by standing up for themselves. There should be a delegation of young and active minds who can draw up what the youths need -jobs, quality education and access to sustainable development. They must then proceed to Aso Rock or any campaign venue where the president or those vying to replace him can be found and then present it to them. It is no longer time to sit down and hear someone’s ill prepared manifesto forced down their throat. To keep body and soul together, the young must stay engaged or else we risk the turbulence of a restless and fractured sector in the country.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul with

Wole Adepoju 07037763410

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Sally Mbanefo shoves worries aside Osigwe

Peace Osigwe regains groove

he lady behind popular and prestigious African Movie Academy Awards, Peace Anyiam Osigwe, due to her quiet personality and piety, may not be the type who lives her status and junkets around social gatherings. But what many would readily agree to is that she lost her glow some months ago. The entire Osigwe family and a part of the society was thrown into mourning when one of the Osigwes, Michael, was murdered by men of the underworld towards the end of last year. Beautiful and easy going Peace, who appears to be the most popular of the Osigwes, may have eventually consoled herself with the fact that life has to continue; even if she lost a brother who was very dear to her heart and meant the whole world to her. Like earlier stated, she may not be one that is given to social events. But a proof of the fact that she has put the unfortunate incident behind her is how she has been visible, campaigning for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Kafilat Ogbara makes statement

eautiful politician, Kafilat Ogbara, is one personality who appears to be different things to different people. To some, she is a socialite in her own right while to others, she is a politician. To another set of people, Ogbara sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an egg head who possesses the ability to manage and turn things around. Basically, Ogbara hit public consciousness years back when she ran tried to get elected into the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, she could not realise her dream. At another time, she signified interest in becoming the governor of the Gateway State, Ogun, but her efforts failed. After that, she went underground. Ogbara, however, resurfaced later but surprisingly, as the managing director of Jimoh Ibrahim-owned media publication, National Mirror. According to those who should be in the know, her stay in the establishment while her days lasted was filled with trouble with the billionaire owner. Latest news at the disposal of Celeb

ight-skinned Igbo law graduate, Sally Uwueche Mbanefo, as a determined person stuck to ideas and policies she felt would be of help in realising her goals in life. Gradually, she moved up the ladder to the level where she became the toast of her peers. Sally, in the course of building a reputation and name for herself, has worked at the topmost level in the banking world to Oil & Gas and has proved her mettle. However, the great lover of arts did not come under the spotlight until she was appointed to take over from Otunba Segun Runsewe as the director-general, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation. She has held sway at NTDC for about two years. While some believe she has not performed badly, one thing we cannot but say is that controversies have trailed her reign at NTDC. The controversies allegedly have to do with financial issues. One of them had to do with the Nigeria stand erected last year in Brazil during the World Cup. The issue raged for a while before the dust finally settled. Mama, as Sally is fondly called, shoved all the tension and pressure of the controversial issues aside to make her birthday a memorable one. The NTDC boss, some days ago, invited friends, family and associates to an event centre in Lagos where she marked her 50th birthday.

Lounge is that Ogbara did not just resign from her last post of duty but did so to make a statement. She has meanwhile joined the league of media owners as she has floated an evening tabloid named, Prime News.

Unending search for Hamed Uwhubetine

all, dark and heavily bearded, Delta State-born dude, Hamed Uwhubetine, cannot be shoved aside when the names of those who took night clubbing to another level is up for discussion. This is because his contribution to making night club business more attractive cannot be quantified. Going down memory lane when Hamed was the toast of Lagos, especially the Island party crowd, he rocked the social scene to its roots. His upscale night club on highbrow Awolowo Road, Ikoyi was the hub of celebrities, the high and mighty and the few privileged to have the wherewithal to unwind at 11.45. While 11.45 was the place to be, Hamed had become a factor, beyond night life, to be influential among those that matter in the society in his own right. Suddenly, Hamed could not consolidate; rather, his patronage dwindled as he appeared to have lost his magic

wand. Subsequently, he teamed up with another heavy weight in his field of play, Hakeem Shodehinde, to float Reloaded Nightclub. Several months after, they shut down and parted ways. While Hakeem moved on to new things, Hamed went to manage another place, Tribecca, before he fell out with the management and took a walk. Since he departed from public glare, there has been talk that he was working on returning with a bang. While some said he had delved into partisan politics, till this moment, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been conspicuously missing from the social radar.

went astray when she opened the door of her heart to one Northern dude with a fat bank account but she eventually retraced her steps after a while and returned to her first love, Lolu. After a while, the love birds formalised their

Linda Mesrob counts her blessings

ullato pretty lady, Linda Mesrob, years back was a stunning beauty to behold. She practically had every deep pocket and influential man craving her attention because she possessed everything that would not only make the celibate have a rethink, but mighty men to lust after her. Along the line, her path crossed with that of temptingly handsome co-owner of Rehab, a defunct nightclub and lounge, Lolu Shodehinde, and they became an item. At a time, she almost

Linda Mesrob and hubby

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Body&Soul

Thinking

affair and the rest is history with two kids -Zach and Kolapo -to show for the union. Radiantly beautiful as ever, Linda cannot but count her blessings and be grateful to God for not making a mistake. She enjoys the attention and care of her hubby while her business concern, Arabia Lifestyle, thrives, even with an addition not too long ago, of a mall at Lekki.

have been shortchanged and schemed out of relevance as against what they thought was for them when a truce was made. Although unconfirmed, Celeb Lounge was informed that Oke is under pressure to defect to the All Progressives Congress.

Ozana Ibru sets for the altar

he atmosphere in the household of the popular Ibru family, according to information reaching Celeb Lounge, cannot be anything short of h u g e excitement. A source r e vealed t h a t o n e of the Ozana daughters of the Ibru dynasty will soon cross the ‘i’s and dot the ‘t’s. Information has it that a granddaughter of Olorogun Micheal Ibru, Ozana, in a matter of weeks, will wed the love of her life, Edirin. The details of the event are still sketchy but it was exclusively gathered that the wedding will be a three-legged affair. The first leg is billed to take place in Delta State, followed by another in Lagos with the final one in the United States.

Sola Oke at crossroads

andidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship election in Ondo State,Chief Olusola Oke, may have found himself at a crossroad, if what the birds are singing to the hearing of Celeb Lounge is anything to go by. After the election, which was won by Governor Olusegun Mimiko on the platform of the Labour party, Oke had sought to challenge the victory of the re-elected governor, even against the position of the PDP. Oke eventually allowed the issue to rest and probably hoped for a better time but calculations changed w h e n Mimiko, s o m e months back, defected to PDP Oke where he automatically began to hold sway as the party leader in the state. Although there was some resistance from PDP leaders in the state, the dust has since settled. Meanwhile, even as peace has been brokered and pacts signed, it’s believed it is a cosmetic affair within the group that took over from the structure on ground. A cold war is said to be brewing between Oke and the new leadership.. He and some PDP chieftains feel they

Jamil Abubakar goes under he immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, may have retired from his duty as a security chief but many still have loving memoAbubakar ries of h i m . While s o m e still commend his contribution giving the police force a better image during his time, some simply fall for his charismatic and likeable personality. Not until towards his last days in office, he was able to keep his home away from his work, but all that he could not sustain till he retired. Part of what came to the fore about him was his wife to-be whom he eventually got married to in an elaborate manner. Also, the identity of his first son was made known. As if the young man was waiting to be unveiled, he began to show he loved to live life to the fullest. Jamil, 29, is a pilot, a great lover of music and fun. To a great extent, he did not miss any chance to get what he cherished as he was seen at highbrow and upscale fun spots with a horde of security men around him. From observation, it appears like there was a calculated move to prop him up and make a statement as at when he did because little or nothing has been heard from his stable since his father left office.

Baileys honours women on Mothers’ Day

t was a weekend of fun when Baileys treated mothers to an exclusive tea party on the occasion of this year’s Mothers’ Day celebration. The tea party was put together to celebrate women and mothers, give them special moments in their lives and make them celebrate motherhood. The Tea Party, which held in three major cities -Lagos, Abuja and Benin – was compered by Stephanie Coker and Fade Ogunro at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos; Panache Restaurant, Abuja and Metro Event Centre, Benin. To spice up the day in Lagos, guests were treated to great musical tunes with performances by fast rising music star, Korede Bello, and R&B crooner, Sheyi Shey. In the same vein, the event was made memorable with the attendance of celebrities, among whom were Fabz, Sasha P, Ona Bello and Banke Meshida.

Aloud

) 0807 270 9777

paulhelenproductions@yahoo.com

with Helen Paul

I have learned

n my entire life, I have not with my father around the block seen a man that knows it all. on summer nights when I was a The limit of one man’s wisdom child did wonders for me as an and knowledge is the beginning adult. of another man’s own. Same with I’ve learned...that life is like a riches, and everything you may roll of toilet paper. The closer it think of in this world. Nobody gets to the end, the faster it goes. has it all; and that is one of the I’ve learned...that we should be ways God show his unrivalled glad even when God doesn’t give supremacy over man. us everything we ask for. All the riches of one man is not I’ve learned...that money even up to the tithe of another doesn’t buy class. man. If you’re the arrogant type, I’ve learned...that it’s those thinking that you’re the richest, small daily happenings that you will be surprised that your make life so spectacular. account balance is just someone’s I’ve learned...that under evoffering on a Sunday. Same way eryone’s hard shell is someone with poverty. Before you blame who wants to be appreciated and God for creating you the poor- loved. est being, let me I’ve learned...that inform you that to ignore the fact there are people does not change the Life is full of who will give tesit. timony just to be I’ve learned...that mysteries, and in that position when you plan to get that is why we that you’re in. even with someone, Life is full of you are only letting will always mysteries, and that person continue that is why we to hurt you. keep learning, will always keep I’ve learned...that discovering new learning, discovlove, not time, heals ering new things, all wounds. things, as far as as far as we still I’ve learned...that breath. Life is so the easiest way for we still breath. simple, depending me to grow as a peron how we take son is to surround Life is so simple, it. When you take myself with people depending on how things easy, life smarter than I am. will be easy for I’ve learned...that we take it. When you, vice versa. everyone you meet I will give some deserves to be greetyou take things tips here, and if ed with a smile. easy, life will be you will take the I’ve learned...that time to read them, no one is perfect uneasy for you, vice you’ll come away til you fall in love with an enlightwith them. versa ened perspective. I’ve learned...that The subjects covlife is tough, but I’m ered affect us all, tougher. on a daily basis: I’ve learned...that opportuniI’ve learned...that the best ties are never lost; someone will classroom in the world is at the take the ones you miss. feet of an elderly person. I’ve learned...that when you I’ve learned...that when you’re harbour bitterness, happiness in love, it shows. will dock elsewhere. I’ve learned...that just one perI’ve learned...that I wish I could son saying to me, ‘You’ve made have told my Mom that I love her my day!’ makes my day. one more time before she passed I’ve learned...that having a child away. fall asleep in your arms is one of I’ve learned...that one should the most peaceful feelings in the keep his words both soft and tenworld. der, because tomorrow he may I’ve learned...that being kind is have to eat them. more important than being right. I’ve learned...that a smile is an I’ve learned...that you should inexpensive way to improve your never say no to a gift from a child. looks. I’ve learned...that I can always I’ve learned...that when your pray for someone when I don’t newly born grandchild holds have the strength to help him in your little finger in his little fist, some other way. that you’re hooked for life. I’ve learned...that no matter I’ve learned...that everyhow serious your life requires one wants to live on top of the you to be, everyone needs a mountain, but all the happiness friend to act goofy with. and growth occurs while you’re I’ve learned...that sometimes, climbing it. all a person needs is a hand to I’ve learned...that the less time hold and a heart to understand. I have to work with, the more I’ve learned...that simple walks things I get done.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Miscellany Alley

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

Learning fr om succ N ig er ia h a s h a d h er ess d en ce fo r in d ep en ov grown mar er 5 0 y ea rs ; y et , th e gin is appal ling at best. Somehow, th able to figu ey still have not been re out som Hostile hospital ho e core need in the coun s tr You never know spitality w h e n y o u y. Someone once said , le a rn to in things until th about some w h ee l th a t ey happen to w il l b e th e v e n t th e yo u or the people o f in d u st ri b a l b o o m . A eg in n in g It is difficult to around you. is another fathom some way but N g ri cu lt u re of the things that iger to stabilise power to ev ia is yet our society toda we accept in their few in en power y as the norm. dustrial am Ta ke for instance a lo n e , b u il en a couple that d m o re . W ities, let is just delivered o n o il so m e depend of a baby. One u ch , n o t h w eek later, it is di ee d in g th e w a rn in g th sc a the baby has jaun overed that in a fe w y t it ca n b e d ep le te d dice. They are ea rs . W h a ad mitted to the ho t th en ? Ta a lo o k a t A ke n one-week treatm spital for a was at civil g o la , a co u n tr y th a t ent. After they w are discharged, (1957 – 2002 ar for three decades it is discovered ). Today, it that they are un es t g ro w in is the fastable to pay their g bill. Apparently th ird o n ly ec o n o m y in A fr ic a , what happens , to N ig er ia is that they are Africa. Its a n d S o u th held in the hoseconomic pi tal until they ar growth is ex p o n en ti a e at l the bill. In the in able to settle o f th e d ev le v el s. T h o u g h m o st terim, their bed el o p m en t sp ace keeps accum ta k es p la ce mostly in th ulating bills e for them. In th a fe w o th er capital, Luanda and e end, even the d is tr ic in itial bill, which ts o f it s en rons, in 20 they were unv iy able to pay, is of can tell wh ears at this rate, who ten doubled or ere Angola tr ip led. How does will be? Chijioke N this make w sense? Is there Rivers stat aeze 25yrs no way to fix e this? It is quite ap thinking about it. palling just What are your views please? Isioma K. 20yrs Lagos

on r corrupti Reward fo ss. y sadne itor Dear Ed ing because of m e past, but it in th I am wr shows Men-no-pause en a joke en out It may have be appenings, it s are. om w y an m if h e d m te ti a I do not know r ill ith repe these ou this, but I am go there are aware of . Do you know w st how perilous when people w ay ay ju s w yw wing a in time ing to share an an’s body is dif- We live e people by sto s and after that as each wom eir responses to n th o d li bil defrau e th commit s by the ferent, so also ar st as some public fund een caught, a y while Ju s? ge an ch its s bu life and as they have b to look ed ve their periods e set up ll they are brib g. girls begin to ha b e m l so il d w an d e ol ti u s te r ar d ye e n ne u th ni o der early as g ar n shufflin the findings un inals will s old, so also ca im as late as 16 year menopause ber e c v o e h m s er a to gin ese s th to anoth n r, e g some women be n ft en a li dd c su n A o d d. a ol o n s c S a ar u ye for air fore yo fore they are 40 h come up ce of choice. Be l be cleared at spreads throug ffi il warm feeling th o uw eg c irr e nce n, h publi (hot flash), office. O Robinso your upper body d heavier or ay Jack ke up another resident’s an , s ds rio pe ed iss ta ep lar or m e again to e, I thought th ey is differan usual, are som m n ti o lighter periods th In a . m se n g au o n op an p li en u s of m at stea not just e th e s c of the symptom a is n th w a e r , ak e m n n tt o H ca . u ti gs e p in k th u corr mista Nigeria, a few k ent from , neither was it a tly, corrupmfortable. Drin n e e c period more co breathable fabr n a a p r utte . Ap aling r meant it , but ste more water, wea eat more fruits actually serious crime ng money. d an n, tto co e e li rics lik intion is th just that, stea called NiTo protect your is hip and vegetables. y s ts e uc is n od r pr o r th fo t m e in, op aight fo e sav creasingly dry sk d! Pleas are steering str e accelre, and o stu oi G m in ta re to b We for dry skin to of geria o! g and we seem your SPF lotions r e b never scrimp on e fo ic ex e e th e spots? Us too. 30 and above. Ag shed dull skin, erating to ts uc od pr F. i liating n m ca e rs ne K ts and to ja lightening produc Abu fade age spots. s yr 46 , Valerie Ella Ikeja

Health Wellness Natasha Ellah

a d a u k uon s und ay@gm ai l . co m

he monthly period is a rite of passage all women go through at some point in their lives. For some women, the menses are a slight inconvenience with only a slight change of their undergarments to the ‘nanny’ variety - large, black, cotton, high waist line - a temporary lapse from their normal cheerful ones. For the unfortunate ones, monthly periods leave them wishing they could rent out their ovaries for a few days. However, I doubt there will be anyone willing to suffer the painful cramps, nausea, excessive wind, bloating and even diarrhea. Other symptoms include joint pain, breast tenderness, heavy bleeding, hot flashes, dry skin, acne, hair loss, memory problems, poor sleep, and no sex drive - a debilitating nightmare. Friends, spouses and family must be warned weeks in advance of the monthly dark cloud that descends on some women causing them to be highly sensitive to the most passing comment, irritated at normal everyday occurrences and to lash out indiscriminately at unsuspecting individuals who just happen to be in close vicinity. Why does it occur? The medical name for this con-

dition is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder {PMDD}. Naturopaths and medical practitioners agree that it is due to the imbalance of the hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone which fluctuate during a woman’s cycle. These changes

Friends, spouses and family must be warned weeks in advance of the monthly dark cloud that descends on some women causing them to be highly sensitive to the most passing comment

• Source: Google

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (1) in hormone levels affect behavior so much that Gabrielle Lichterman of www.hormonehoroscope.com claims to be able to accurately predict a woman’s outlook on her day based on where she is on her menstrual cycle. For instance, on Day 13 of a woman’s cycle, she predicts that women will have romance on their minds and boosted memory because of the rise in estrogen and

testosterone. The absence, over production or underproduction of each hormone can lead to the various symptoms associated with PMDD. Treatment The treatment of this imbalance is where the two health professionals differ. Naturopaths believe that hormones can be rebalanced by looking at certain nutrients lacking in the body. The right dose of nutrients nourish the body and enable the ovaries to secrete hormones needed by the body at the correct level, and at the right time. In the pharmaceutical industry, most menstrual PMS or PMDD symptoms are treated on a mild level by anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. These work to relax the muscles of the vagina to reduce the pain caused by cramping. However, anti-inflammatory drugs have no effect on mood so other pills such as anti-depressants like Prozac or Diazepam treat mood swings associated with PMDD by rebalancing the chemicals in the brain linked to anxiety. Other heavier drugs prescription medication – for example, Danazol described by Dr. Mark Hyman of the Ultra Wellness Centre, suppresses ovulation and causes increased facial hair, acne, and a deep voice. Diuretics like Spironolactone are used to treat fluid retention.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

My Cook Corner

Marshmallow dip sticks Biwom Iklaki

The cabin by the lake

nnie, Martin, Nora and William were camping out with their parents. They would be living in the cabin by the lake for three days and the children were very excited. When they got to the lake, they gazed in wonder at the water sparkling in the sun, at the bright blue sky and the trees standing along the lake. The cabin stood a little distance away, sitting right in the middle of the trees. It was made of wood and looked just right, almost like a part of nature. While their parents unloaded the cars and started unpacking, the children ran down to the water. “Be careful, children, don’t get into the water until we come.” The two mothers shouted together. “We won’t.” They replied and stopped at the water’s edge. They saw a swan and her babies swim to the other side of the lake, they saw a kingfisher dive in and scoop up a fish, and in the distance they saw a deer come to the water and drink thirstily. Once their parents joined them they were allowed into the water and swam happily for a

leepovers are so much fun, for those of you whose parents let you have them regularly. You get to stay awake way past your bedtime, and better yet, with your best buddies around you for company. These events are rare and often only occur around the holidays or weekends. When they do, you can afford to have some sweet treats. Try this marshmallow dip sticks and see how much more fun you can have at your sleepover or camp fire night. INGREDIENTS

long time, until hungry and tired. Their rooms were tiny but their beds were very comfortable and the children slept peacefully through the night. They woke to the sound of birds chirping loudly and ran to the window to look out. Birds of all shapes and sizes flew around busily looking for their breakfast. The sun was peeping over the trees and Annie and Martin saw their parents walking along the lake side. “Mummy, daddy, wait, we’re coming too,” they yelled, and all four scrambled into their clothes and ran outside. Nora and William’s parents sat in two comfortable chairs outside, but when the children joined them, they too walked down to the lake with them. The children were happy during their holiday, and made their parents promise that they If you have me, you want to share me, if would return next year too, to the you share me, you haven’t got me. What am I? cabin by the lake. Ans: A secret Jessica Gunawardena & Nicola Perera Before Mt Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? Ans: Mt Everest, it just wasn’t discovered yet

100g white chocolate 100g dark chocolate Selection of cake sprinkles 1 bag marshmallows (about 200g) 1 pack lollipop sticks PREPARATION Melt the chocolate in two separate bowls over boiling water or in the microwave at low heat. Remove and leave to cool a little after melted. Put sprinkles in separate bowls. Push your marshmallow into the lollipop stick, dip into the white or dark chocolate and let the excess drip off. Then roll in sprinkle of your choice…and voilà! Marshmallow dip sticks.

Gags

Colour Art

What is the fruitiest topic in school lessons?

Ans: History. Because it is filled with dates Why is weighing a fish very easy? Ans: because the fish has its own scales What does a trendy frog love to wear? Ans: Jumpsuits What word remains the same whether you read it normally or upside down? Ans: SWIMS

MOYIN & FRIENDS

LITTLE LINDER

By Ayo Oyerinde

08034407393

By eei

SUNDAY

Faith 51

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Interview 2015 polls shouldn’t divide Nigerians –Timothy p.55

Sermon The cage of circular spirit

p.54

Sermon Rise up to the task p.56

L-R:Bishop of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. Sunday Oluyemisi Ogunlere and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Balogun and Sir Bonojo Badejo, during the Church’s 9th annual Synod in Idimu, Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Bishop counsels Nigerians on peaceful elections

Tai Anyanwu ethodist Diocesan Bishop of Lagos West, the Rt. Rev. Oluyemesi Ogunlere, has called on Nigerians to pray for peaceful elections on March 28 and April 11. Ogunlere made the call on the second day of the diocese’s ninth Annual Synod holding in Lagos. His words: “In going out for the election, my advice to every Nigerian is to have the fear of God and love for our country in mind. “Whoever is wishing for the disintegration of this nation, God Himself will fight. We should pray for the peace of this nation, Nigeria, with our voted, because Nigeria is God’s own nation.” Ogunlere stressed that people should not go to the polls this time

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

around because of any individual. “Let us allow divine intervention, God to appoint for us the right choice. We should think of this nation first. Nigeria belongs to God and God will never allow His children to suffer,” he added. The bishop also warned fellow Christian leaders about the dangers of not representing God well in the nation. “If God has not sent anyone to say anything and he says ‘thus says the Lord,’ such a person is already under the fire of God,” he warned. He maintained that God would not allow any person who would bring about division in Nigeria to rule the nation. Ogunlere frowned on what described as “dangerous gang-up” by some Christian leaders who misled the people by saying that

one leader was anointed of God, when God had not really spoken to them. “We religious leaders must be very careful. If because of our positions, we are professing what we should not, we should be very careful. If God has not sent you any message, you better pray for peace for the nation rather than profess what God has not said you should profess. It is not good for Christian leaders to gather themselves and say this is the anointed leader when God has not said so. “I am appealing to them; God will judge every individual according to our deed. And we should remember that whatever we sow, that we shall reap,” he stressed. The bishop regretted that the

state of Nigeria was still fragile despite certain reported improvements regarding economic indicators which tended to suggest that the country was doing well economically. Reality, he added, “does not in any way support this supposed forward movement. The report says after the rebasing exercise in April 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. Our GDP is now valued at $510 billion and our economy rated 26th in the world. Also on the bright side, inflation has been kept at single digit for a while and our economy has grown at an average of 7% for about a decade. “But let me align myself with those who say it is more of paper growth, a growth that on account of mismanagement, profligacy and corruption, has not translated to human development or shared prosperity.” He described the synod’s theme: ‘Aglow with the Spirit,’ as a call to all Christians to be diligent in their service to God and humanity. “It is a new life of devotion, to be more committed, dedicated and boiling for the things of God. Above all, it is an opportunity for us to really seek the face of God for a touch of God (Holy Spirit) in our lives in service to God and humanity,” he explained.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

The recipe for success

Mystery ofAnxiety Bishop

John Ogbansiegbe

0803 341 6327

hey shall praise and proclaim your God as the true living God. They shall fold their hands open their mouths wide in total astonishment for the Lord has given them a divine surprise package. To your friends, the Lord shall make you a surprise and to your foes, you shall be a wonder and a mystery. Even Kings, millionaires and mighty men and women of substance shall be humbled and feel inferior before you. They shall behold your unstoppable radiation and hear the testimony of your super story. They shall sing your new song with you of what the Lord has done. O yes! That the Lord has done great things for you. Therefore, you are glad and shall remain glad all the days of your life in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. The fundamental secrets of success The word ‘success’ is the same as ‘to succeed.’ It means to proper, to be accomplished and achieve one’s vision. It also means to actualise one’s goals. Every person on earth wants to be successful, but the question is how many people are ready to meet the conditional-

ity for success. You must believe that you can succeed if you are to succeed. “What your mind can conceive you can achieve. You were born to succeed in life. You were born to be a blessing to others. You have unlimited potentials, but you must learn how release it to reach your destiny. God wants you to be successful and He gave you a divine prescription for success when He said in His word, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shall make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success” Joshua 1:8. However, nobody stumbles upon success just as you cannot stagger into heaven. You work for success. You work towards success until success is achieved. Success is not an event. It is a life long journey. You cannot possess what you are unwilling to pursue. Success comes to those who plan. Success comes to those who prepare. Success comes to those who are persistent and success comes more importantly to those who are willing to endure pain to achieve their goals. There is no great success without great sacrifice and hard work. Thomas Edison was right when he said: “Genius is ninetynine per cent perspiration and one per cent inspiration.” Even men who live a life of crime; like drug barons, ritual killers, armed robbers and fraudsters, still need to put in a lot of effort to a success of their evil trade. I once heard the story of a man who slew his mother for money ritual. He made the plot in the city where he lived, and went to his village armed with a loaf of bread

meant to send his mother to sleep. May be the old woman sensed danger and refused his persistent plea for her to eat the bread. When the young man ran out of patience, he pounced on her and killed her with a machete, just like butchers slay goats in the market . He collected the parts needed for his wicked act, but luck ran out on him as his kinsmen came upon him as he attempted to steal back to the city. But men like Michael Angelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) went for good success. He once wrote “I strain more than any man who ever lived and with great exhaustion, and yet I have the patience to arrive at the desired goal.” He was the man who painted the frescoes on the ceiling of the Vatican Sistine chapel. It is indeed one of the greatest art works of all time. It was the most painful exercise achieved in over four years of isolated work. Why? Because he had to do the painting on a ceiling that was vaulted and curved. Moreover, the ceiling rose 60 feet in the air and required the development of a new painting technique. And to make matters worse, the chapel was damp and mouldy, making his cloth to rot on his

body and his health kept failing him. But he endured all this to the end despite the nagging of Pope Julius 11 who often forgot to pay him. The painting covered 5,800 square feet, and had more than 300 figures. A friend once asked Michelangelo why he took pains with figure that would be seen only from a distance. “Who will know whether it is prefect or not?” But Michelangelo calmly replied “I will.” He was a man who worked hard and strove for perfection. Some of his sculptures like the Piety in St Rebellious Slave are among the most famous in the world. There is nothing like easy success so make a firm decision to make great but good sacrifices on your path to success. Men of Real success are men who are able to reproduce what they had, in the event of a loss or calamity; because what they had was only a minor aspect of their total being. But men of vain success either die with the sad event or they live in poverty thereafter. The story of James Cash Penny (1875-1911) amply illustrates this. Penny was a man who went through a number of setbacks before he sat up his store, called, ‘The Golden Rule Store.’ From a humble beginning of only one store, he grew the business to 32 stores in 1921, and to a staggering 1,400 stores scattered all over USA in 1924. But the man kept experiencing one tragedy after another. He lost his first wife in 1910, and the woman he remarried died in 1924 at child birth. This coupled with the stock market crash of 1929, which made JC Penny stock to plunge from 120 points to only 13. This completely devastated him. he was virtually broke in 1932, dropped his Christian philanthropies and found himself in a

Oh, how sad that they ignored the Prophet Noah, their dispensational prophet. The secret of God’s plan of destruction was revealed to him and he in turn went about building the ARK of safety, from death

the earth.” (Gen. 6:8 and 13) Again, the consequence of disobedience, failing to believe Noah’s message to enter the Ark, was death by flood. You remember the people then were giants, the ladies were beautiful but unbelief, the original sin, was their undoing. We must note that the message of Adam was not relevant for the age of Noah. Only the allotted scripture for Noah’s age was significant to the people. That was the reason Noah could not take the scripture for Adams’ age because it could not have worked.

The Golden rule store “. From a humble beginning of only one store, he grew the business to 32 stores in 1921, and to a staggering 1,400 stores scattered all over USA in 1924. But the man kept experiencing one tragedy after another

The word of God for each age the of

Oracles God

Frank Oboden Olomukoro frankolomukoro@yahoo.com

0703 362 1866

n Christendom, over two billion people believe in God in their own way, not the Bible way. The question is: Who believes what God has promised? Who believes every word? Only when the Lord speaks to us personally through the proclamation of the Word, which brings forth faith and reveals the promises unto us, then we have a living connection with Him and communion in the Holy Spirit. That is when we truly believe Him because our faith is anchored in His Word. God has allotted His Word, a scriptural promise to His people for every age; with the intention of using His Word to open up a door of escape from His impending judgment on the ungodly and unbelieving. The scripture allotted for each age is revealed to them by the mouth of a dispensational prophet. The Word of God traditionally comes first only to the Prophet who is anointed to reveal the secrets of God. (Amos 3:7) “God will do nothing but revealeth His secrets to His servants the prophets.” It is instructive to note that His Word doesn’t come to the local assembly Pastor, the erudite teacher, not even the blazing evangelist or the rugged Apostle. Whoever therefore ignores the unpopular voice

of the Prophet of their day and follows the popular internationally renowned preachers will have to endure the condemnation of God. Follow me to unveil God’s allotted Word for each age because these things happened unto them and were written for our examples on whom the end of the world has come, to the intent that we should not lust after them. (I Corinthians 10:6,11). • The adamic age “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:16-17). “The message of the hour for our first parents, Adam and Eve, was “Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That was the doctrine of the Devil.” It was given by the prophet of all prophets, God. When He manifested as a man in a human body called Jesus, He was called “Son of man,” meaning also a prophet. (Matt. 8:20). This revelation was given to Adam and Eve to be protected from the adversary who would definitely come to tempt them and dispossess them of the Word of God through unbelief to trigger the consequent judgment of death upon them. No other sacrifice supersedes their careful observance and obedience of the commandment. It is said that obedience is better than sacrifice, meaning excuses, interpretations, religion or other forms of godliness are a distraction. They failed and listened to another voice. (John 5:43). The consequence of disobey-

ing God’s word is usually severe “and ye shall surely die” was the genesis of the entrance of death into the human race. We must watch the scripture for our day. • Noah’s age The message of the hour to the age of the people of Noah was “ENTER INTO THE ARK.” (Luke 17:20 – 27) “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Oh, how sad that they ignored the Prophet Noah, their dispensational prophet. The secret of God’s plan of destruction was revealed to him and he in turn went about building the ARK of safety, from death. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with

• The age of lot Abraham was the dispensational prophet for the age of the existence of Sodom. The secret of the destruction of Sodom by fire was not hidden from Abraham. “And the LORD said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; and the Lord said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous. And Abraham drew near, and said, wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen. 18:17, 20, 23). What was the message of the hour to Lot, his family and to the people of Sodom? “… Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” (Gen 19:17). Whoever ignored this voice was destroyed. But as it was in the days of Noah, the people in Lot’s age also did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:28-29). If the Angels had come with the message of Noah, it would not have worked. We must of necessity recognise and act on

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

Scenes from second anniversary of The Hebrews International Church, Lekki, Lagos. Photo: Tony Eguaye

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

A cross section of the Church Choir, at the second Anniversary ceremony of the Church, in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday. L-R: Regional Head, The Hebrews International Outreach, Lekki, Lagos, Pastor Maxwell Ikheanose; General Overseer, Rev. Femi Akinola and his wife, Rev. (Mrs.) Titilayo Akinola, at the occassion

Ministration by the Chosen Gebneration Drama unit

Children Ministration

Ministers and church leaders cutting the anniversary cake at the occassion

Choreography by Tobi Odunukan

Special Ministeration by Sandra Oluwadare & Gabriella

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

Lent: Lest any man should boast Firm Faith:

Right Reason Most Rev.

Emmanuel A. Badejo fradebadejo@yahoo.

0803 949 4219 (SMS only)

Primacy of grace Grace, amazing grace, is what brings every human being to see yet another day. Some people know this and some do not. However, in spite of all science and technology, over and above medical savvy and social amenities, beyond all preventive strategies and security measures, surviving from one day to the next still has a certain mystery to it. What denies many of that sense of mystery and awe is the bad habit of “taking things for granted.” David demonstrated full consciousness of that fact when he wrote of God: “I thank you for the wonders of my being” (Ps 139:14). It is that knowledge which makes us recognise the presence of God in everything that happens to us in life and that is grace. It is the root of the realisation that the great name ‘Emmanuel’ is not valid only at Christmas. God was, yesterday, He is, now and He will be in the future. The presence of God is the ultimate grace. If He is present, then everything must be okay, even our trials and tribulations. The awareness of grace Truly religious people especially are always aware of grace in their lives and

feel compelled to proclaim it. ‘Thank you Jesus’, have you said it today?” is one of the messages I see on some stickers around town. Saint Paul wrote in the Bible: “Brethren, God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with him and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephes. 2:4-10). The same message is emphasised in the second stanza of that most beloved hymn of Christendom, ‘Amazing Grace.’ It runs: “It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. It was grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” Everyone ought to pray for the awareness of God’s grace, for grace makes every favour sweeter and every burden lighter. Lessons about grace The valuable lesson of grace encapsulated in what the Church teaches, is that no one comes by himself to holiness or to greatness. God it is who calls us first and human beings only respond to that divine impulse. In fact, there is no such thing as a ‘self-made man’ or ‘a self-made woman.’ These expressions derive only from literary flamboyance. That is a fact emphatically established by Jesus Christ Himself: “No one can come to me unless my father draws him” (Jn. 6:68). He also said: “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). So, either way to the Father or to Jesus, man is aided. This has great implications for the discerning. All good things come from God and to Him everyone

The Scriptures tell us the latter went home justified rather than the former, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk. 18: 9-14)

must pay homage at all times. The workings of grace The conduct and texture of all human life depend largely therefore on the understanding or ignorance of the reality of grace. Those who understand the role of grace in life have a deep sense of gratitude to God for everything, no matter how hard they have worked. They always thus feel they owe something to the Giver of all good things. People who, on the other hand, are ignorant of grace or who undermine its role have a diminished sense of gratitude and an exaggerated sense of selfaccomplishment. Though they may deny it they betray the feeling that God, and the world, owe them much. It is such that even their attitude to prayer and other activities of life are affected. Such hearts can hardly accommodate God. The wit of Dwight L. Moody readily comes to mind here. He said: “God has two thrones, one in the highest heavens, the other in the lowliest heart.” Perhaps it is for that reason that the psalmist declared of God: “a humble and contrite heart, oh Lord you will not spurn” (Ps. 51).

The ‘grace effect’ justifies One parable of Jesus’ which reveals the ‘grace effect’ is about two men who went into the Temple to pray. The one, a Pharisee, prayed by telling God all the good he had done, to ‘bribe’ God into doing him some good, obviously in return for his arrogant goodness. The other, a tax-collector, on the other hand, stood afar off. He prayed by telling God, “Be merciful to me, a sinner.” He obviously knew that he had enjoyed God’s grace and felt he owed God gratitude and allegiance. The Scriptures tell us the latter went home justified rather than the former, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk. 18: 9-14). Christ told the parable to instruct people who trust in themselves that they are righteous and despise others. Why boast in thyself? For us who are alive and thriving today let us not boast in our know-how and capacity. Fourteen thousand Nigerians have died through Boko Haram insurgency alone. So many other tragedies have killed or crippled many more and much evil happens to good people around. It remains a mystery beyond the grasp of the human mind, why they are affected and we are not. Grace is the Christian explanation for such, lest any man should boast. A keener awareness of this could help even our politicians who are the focus of all eyes now as the general elections of the country draw near. Lent bids us to acknowledge the role of God’s grace in every life and reap the reward of Saint Augustine’s thought: “Pride changes angels to devils; humility changes humans into angels.”

The cage of circular spirit Insight Rev.

Femi Akinola

www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

Text: John 1:3, Luke 3: 4, Matt 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight’. There comes a time in life when you must revolt against the norm that you have considered as a family pattern, which leaves you confused and frustrated. Generally speaking, a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. However, when the same distance is measured otherwise or in a circular dimension, it becomes longer. The scripture talks about the destiny of John the Baptist. God had charted it from the beginning to make lasting impact in the history of mankind. But as lofty as this plan and eternal counsel of God was, satan, the arch enemy of God is always at the verge of sabotaging God’s master plan by introducing all manner of evil manifestoes into the lives of His people through his demonic mercenaries. One of these devices is the cage of circular spirit. This satanic spirit can prolong your day of glory and turn a journey of 40 days into 40 years just as it was in the case of the Israelites. Beloved, I want you to know this today

that the bondage and affliction you are in do not tally with the plan of God for you because the way of the Lord is straight; therefore I curse every power behind your going around in circles in Jesus name. The Israelites had wandered in the wilderness for many years. That was the cage of circular spirit that held them bound by this wicked satanic spirit. But by divine providence, they were delivered and they got their inheritance, Deut 2:3, Jos 6:20-21. “And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit to go, they went; and they turned not when they went” Eze 1:1, This circular spirit is a wicked task master, who will not easily let go, holding fast his captives. This spirit is responsible for the diversion of glorious destinies and once this is achieved, error, mistake, disappointment and frustration become the order of the day. I declare that you are free from the grip of this wicked circular spirit that has held you bound in Jesus name. God has destined you for greatness but this circular spirit is capable of taking a hero to zero and divine ability to affliction. Many Christians today are confused despite the victory of the Lord Jesus at Calvary because somewhere along the line, their destiny(s) have been arrested and detained by the demonic stronghold of circular spirit. Are you going in circles or you are going according to how it is written of you? A potent scheme deployed by this circular spirit is what has now become a standard of human civilisation; it is called the copy-cat syndrome. This virus has been perceived as a normal occurrence but in reality, it is a satanic

This virus has been perceived as a normal occurrence but in reality, it is a satanic ploy from the wicked coven charged to arrest people’s original identity. This is the crux behind the affliction of people and believers are not left

ploy from the wicked coven charged to arrest people’s original identity. This is the crux behind the affliction of people and believers are not left. No matter how this may sound to you, this circular spirit has the power to shortchange your divine original for futility and this will result to a waste of God’s plan for your life. Let me expound an insight from the story of Moses when God told gave him the blueprint of his calling. “And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs” Exo 4:17 True to it, Moses did unusual signs and wonders with his rod but when Joshua took over the mantle of leadership from him, his was a different case. “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses” Jos 1:3. This is the peculiarity of Joshua’s ministry; his anointing was not in the rod but in his feet. Check all the accounts of

his conquest (Jos 6:20-21, 4:9-10). Joshua would have utterly missed it if he had made any attempt to mimic the acts of Moses by emphasizing on the ministry of the rod. Sadly, this demonic current is fast sweeping through all facets of human endeavour, making its captives spiritual vagabonds. The mission of this wicked spirit is to usurp your originality and deplete your glorious destiny to a state of stagnancy. There is, therefore, a battle to fight and win if truly you must be congratulated in life. In the concluding part of this message, I shall be unfolding the signs to watch out for as well as the way out of the grip of this circular spirit. Before then, pray these prayers like a champion: •Every anointing of going in circle in my life, expire now! •My divine original in any coven of darkness, appear by fire! •Circular spirit from my background prolonging my breakthrough, receive thunder and die! •My Father, my Father, I refuse to go in circles; I will go straight and according to what is written of me! …in Jesus name. I know you have been blessed. Write and share your testimonies, comments,with me through; info@thehebrewsng.com. Hotlines – 01-7903163, 08085845864. You can also listen to my messages on our podcast at www.thehebrewsng. com/podcast. Rev’d Femi Akinola – The Hebrews International, Lekki, Lagos

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

2015 polls shouldn’t divide Nigerians –Timothy

who can do such a thing because not all that are called are chosen. And not all that call the name of the Lord are appointed for the truth. They are many who are there for what they will eat and drink and to enrich their pickets. For me, I cannot speak when God has not asked me to speak. I am a born prophet; I am a major prophet, not a minor one. That is why I am holding onto His words.

General Overseer of Olive Mountain of Praise and Prayer Ministry, Prophet Collins Timothy, addresses issues about the March 28 and April 11 elections. He spoke with TAI ANYANWU

To what extent are your bothered about the elections? Remember that in 2010, I said that I saw where the country split into four parts, as a fallout of the mishandling of the 2015 elections. Precisely, I saw the nation split into three parts; later another part sprang up which led to a great upheaval. This time around, I see more trouble coming from the North; the West also will see much crisis but in the southern part of Nigeria, election crisis will be less because the people have tasted crisis before and know better than to gamble. Only few hooligans will yield to political manipulations. But God will still bring calm to the country. As shepherds of the people of God, pastors and Christians must continue to pray for the peace of our country because if crisis is allowed to fester the split will become inevitable. But with our prayers, I know God is faithful and will not allow His people to be trampled upon.

How has the ministry been? God is in action. He said; “To them that believed, he has given power to be called the sons of God.” I believe that God is with us. Looking at the situation in our country now, everything is gravitating to general elections. What do you think about the situation? In the course of ministration, on January 23, 2009, the Spirit of God opened my eyes to behold late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s poor state of health. I actually foresaw that he was flown out of Nigeria and I did not see him come back. That prophesy was fulfilled, after which God caused me to gave another prophesy, that I saw Goodluck Jonathan emerge victorious in the 2011 election. That also came to pass. The same Spirit of God has said I should tell Nigerians that tough times loom; but at the end, there will be calm in the country. If you look at what is happening between APC and PDP, you will think that the heavens will fall irrespective of which side the election result tilts. But recall that in year 2010, I had prophesied that I saw President Jonathan rule beyond 2015. That is what the Spirit of God has shown me again; and I believe Him that President Jonathan will emerge winner in the March 28 presidential election. My worry is what the tough times will bring upon the good people of this country before the calm comes. Did you say you believe Jonathan will be reelected despite all the criticisms against his administration and the call for change? I don’t just speak because I want to speak; or because I love one political party over the other. Neither do I speak because I am into politics. I say only what the Spirit of God compelled me to say. That is why I am a minister of God. Talking about calls for change, freedom of opinion is allowed in a democracy set up like ours. But that does not alter the choice which God has made. The Spirit of God said that President Jonathan is the one God has already picked even

Timothy

I don’t just speak because I want to speak; or because I love one political party over the other. Neither do I speak because I am into politics. I say only what the Spirit of God compelled me to say though humans are the ones that would have to elect their leaders. What do you know about the allegation that some men of God took N7 billion bribe from PDP to campaign against Gen. Buhari of APC? You don’t regard everything you hear about issues of politics. You must not overlook the fact that opponents make use of scandals and pernicious propaganda against rival parties. Politicians can come up with all manner of strategies and a game plan. That

is why people must not allow themselves to be deceived. God has a divine agenda for this country. We, as citizens, must not give power seekers the opportunity to scuttle God’s plan for our dear motherland. When I hear what God said to me about our nation, I simply reveal same for all because awareness must precede compliance. If God tells me today that Gen. Buhari will be president again, I will tell the country that Gen. Buhari will rule because I am not working to receive anything from any politician. I speak because God commands me to speak. I have never come in contact with President Jonathan; likewise I have not encountered Gen. Buhari personally. I have not taken any bribe to speak in favour of anyone. I speak only as God has directed me. Are you a member of PFN? I would love to be a member; but I am not. Why? I have not been there mainly because of the politics that goes on within the body. What do you think about the N7 billion bribe allegation? I believe that there are some ministers

MTN unveils faith products

Stanley Ihedigbo

s part of its efforts to keep its Christian subscribers connected to their faith, especially during the Lenten period, telecommunications giant, MTN, has rolled out various life-enriching and spirit-filled Christian Value Added Services offerings. These offerings, according to MTN, will enable Christian faithful to have easy access to daily devotionals, Bible quotes, children’s prayers, sermons, songs, prayers, prayer points, hymns, caller tunes and other spiritually uplifting content, that will keep them connected to their faith on a daily basis.

According to a statement made available to Sunday Telegraph, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, explained that the strategic crux of the initiative is aimed at uplifting and encouraging subscribers to get closer to God through the company’s bold new digital Christian VAS. His words, “We are committed to the total well-being of our customers as we strive to make their lives better through our propositions, products and value-added services. “The MTN Christian Service provides subscribers with life-changing prayers and prayer points from anointed men of God; prayers for children, inspirational messages from spiritual leaders, daily Bible verses, praise and worship songs, hymns, Christian

caller tunes and other spiritual-enriching contents to keep us in tune with God every day. Subscribers can access these offerings by dialing 797 on their mobile phones and following the voice prompt,” he stated. On the importance of the MTN Christian Service during the Lenten season, Adekanmbi stated, “This is a way of showing our commitment to our esteemed customers of the Christian faith, by connecting them at this period of spiritual reflection and appreciation for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross of Calvary (laying down his life for mankind).” He noted that MTN Nigeria last year sponsored 20 of its Christian subscribers across the country to Jerusalem for pilgrimage.

How would you rate INEC’s handling of the entire electoral process so far? I would say that there are noticeable lapses. For instance, I have not been able to collect my PVC card even though I have visited my registration point more than four times. The commission has not been able to give any justifiable reason as to why INEC could not give me my PVC. I am a Nigerian. I registered at Ijegun in Lagos State, where I reside. And I have gone to the registration centre a number of times but they said that my data was not recognised. I also went to the local government headquarters to complain. They could not find my voter card. I want to vote, but till now they are saying that they cannot find my card. And so many people, who registered in the same place, are similarly affected. Take for instance, over 45 per cent of Ogun State indigenes, who have no access to their PVCs, will be disenfranchised if nothing is done to correct the situation. If you ask me, I will recommend that first, maximum security arrangement be put in place to check other means of election manipulation. Secondly, INEC should make hard efforts to be an impartial and truthful umpire. What is your advice to Nigerians in this regard? Nigerians should understand that if the election is won, the winner is not going to put millions of naira in the pockets of individuals. The youths, especially, should understand that any trouble they foment would be on their heads. If they die in the process, nobody will come to the rescue of their families. There are millions of people who are not even recognised in this country. Nigerians youth should therefore resist any politician that would instigate them to take up arms during the elections. We should also embrace Godliness because righteousness exalts a nation, sin brings reproach. It is only through righteousness that a nation can grow. Election Day, in essence, is not a day of war but a day for casting votes and allowing whoever emerges to take the lead and serve the people.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

Other ways to attract favour Taming your Emotions Bishop

Lawrence Osagie 0806 325 0667 www.powerlineministriesinc.org mail:powerlineministries@mail.com Forgiveness - In the book of Mark, Jesus speaking said: “And when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have aught against any that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses,” Mark 11:25-26. To forgive is to pardon: let go of offence and wrongs done against you by others. Those soldiers who tortured and crucified Jesus meted physical and psychological pains to Him but before He gave up the ghost, He prayed: Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus is no hypocrite. He was sincere and serious at that. He did not pray that prayer to win any political favour; after all the deed had been done. But He prayed it to show the unconditional love of God. As His people, we ought to demonstrate similar love for our God is love in nature. You need to forgive those who trespass against you. Consider Joseph who was sold into slavery. When he exposed himself to his brothers and they feared he may revenge them of the wrong he suffered. He cried out and charged them not to be grieved; because God who determined it, to bring him to a place of honour. His speech was just a polite way of saying the evil you intended has worked out for

good according to the supremacy of the overriding power of God. And God blessed him indeed for such a heart for Israel. His father divided an inheritance not just for him as a heir but also for his children born in Egypt. The tribe Manasseh is throughout Bible history continually mentioned. There are people in church who are compiling records of people’s offences. The bible did not tell you to have a diary where you write down how many times people offended you. The bible teaches forgiveness. In order words let it go so that God can let His favour come upon you. The bible says that offences will surely come but woe unto them whom they came. Peter asked Jesus; “Master how many times will my brother offend me and I am expected to forgive him.” Peter intended to know when it is enough to close the bowels of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus replying him said; “Seventy times multiplied by seventy times in one day.” This simply illustrates that it is impossible not to forgive those who trespassed against you. When we forgive others, we show God we appreciate His loving mercies and kindness towards us. And the bible says; blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5). To obtain mercy here is symbolic with obtaining favour. The Bible says the gift of a man makes way for him. Your gift and talent are secret tools of attracting favour and grace of God upon your life. Every man is a gift. Nobody was created empty – every one of us has our unique area of strength. That is why we don’t have to be jealous of each other because what I have you don’t have. What you

have I don’t have, so what is the reason for the jealousy? When the Jews were in Babylon, the king said there should be a search in the land for young men that were skilful, knowledgeable and bring them up for royal training. Those who were fit would serve in the palace and be useful in leadership. This gesture of the king made way for Daniel and his three Hebrew compatriots. But Daniel served successive governments because of his extraordinary skills in interpretation of dreams and mysteries. Gifts paved way for him. When Saul the king was troubled of an evil spirit, David gained early employment in the palace because of his special skills in playing musical instruments. His gift and talent opened the door to royalty for him. The only physical factor that delivered Joseph out of prison was because he had interpreted a dream for the king’s servant. So when the king had a dream and nobody could discern the meaning, the servant remembered the boy he met in prison and recommended him. The rest is history. Your gift is a tool in your hand. You can explore it and attract the favour of God and man. When there are responsibilities in the church or society and you know it is within your natural ability and perhaps professional prowess, why wait to be lured? Get into action and let God take the glory. By this, you have done what Joseph did. When Joseph interpreted the dream and proffered solutions, the king said no one in the land had this specialised skill; so you will lead us in this land while everyone follows. Thus Joseph was made a governor throughout the land at 30. May you find such favour in Jesus name.

Offering to God What of Noah, the man who by favour was saved from a generational calamity. We read that: “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelt a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living as I have done. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease. So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs,” (Genesis 8 & 9:1). The blessing that God pronounced upon Noah and his children after He smelt a good savour from the sacrificial offering of Noah is symbolic. From food security, Noah and His household were to live as lords upon the earth. And this foretells in many details how much our genuine and sincere offering sto God can attract the favour of God upon our lives. Solomon gave a thousand burnt offerings and in a night vision God appeared to hi, demanding to know what blessing he desired. The young king asked for wisdom and God made him the wisest man that that ever lived on earth before Christ.

Rise up to the task Liberation Tidings Pastor Samuel Daniel

globalgracechurch@ymail.com

08060143296 (SMS only)

oday, we will be discussing the topic: ‘Your battle and your style.’ We often celebrate men and women who climbed the ladder of stardom. These people are referred as stars in different endeavours of life like in music, movie, broadcasting or comedy. We also have legal luminaries, medical experts, moguls, industrialists, diplomats and other captains in various fields of life as stars. Many who celebrate and cherish these high profile individuals hardly take time to find out time why these idols are recognised as stars. The good book tells us about the three Wise men, who came to pay homage to baby Jesus Christ at birth. They were not only able to recognise the star of Jesus, it is also recorded that the wise men were able to trace the place where Jesus was born by simply following His star. The star we are talking about is not the stars in the sky. The Bible is trying to tell us here that Jesus Christ was a star that the wise men had heard was going to come into the world. When the Christ was born, contact with glorious destiny was so important to the wise men that they traced His star and eventually located the baby Jesus in the manger where He was born in the little town of Bethlehem. Many of us born into the world today are born with a star that incubates our individual

destinies. A person’s destiny could be traced or read by people who are given to such prowess. But have we ever taken time to ask ourselves how we can fulfill our destiny and become the star that we are created to be? To actualise one’s star, there are hurdles we must face, challenges we must deal with in life. As a star, you have battles to conquer. Are you facing challenges? Do you encounter more obstacles than your contemporaries? Then, that is an indication that you have a greater star. The Devil is only trying to scuttle your destiny. Don’t give him chance to rob you of your unique endowment. You must brace up yourself; make up your mind to fulfil that great destiny you were born to actualise. Therefore, face those challenges if you want get to your destination. That is why the Bible says that all things work together for them that love God and according to His purpose. Your purpose on earth is to ensure that nothing, not those nagging difficult problems you face daily, placates your star. Before you can fulfil your destiny, you must deal with challenges. Hear me; let no obstacle of life discourage you or weed you out of the path of success. Are you facing the storms of life? That is a battle you must conquer before your star can shine. Before a crown there is a cross to bear. That is why the Bible says, “For this reason the son of man was manifested that he may destroy the works of the Devil.” Even as a nation, there is a divine destiny for which our country Nigeria was created to attain. Hear me again; it is not a mean destiny. That explains why our country is passing through tough times. They are necessary challenges that will launch this country into its glorious divine purpose that God had carved out for us from creation; if properly handled. God has set a great destiny for

Nigerians. Nigeria is a country that carries a star that is brighter than that of many countries of the world. Destinies of other countries, particularly African countries, are dependent on the manifestation of Nigeria’s destiny. Please, ask yourselves; what is it about Nigeria that makes other nationals to come flooding into this sleeping African giant nation for benefits? That is to tell you that Nigeria is a greater country and a country that has a brighter star. But why Is the giant still sleeping? The simple reason is that we have so many rivers to cross before we can accomplish our national destiny as a country. We have battles we must face and we must deal with battles that we face right now. The situation that our nation is saddled with, the calamities, failures, political upheavals are layers of storms that must be unwrapped to reveal God’s divine purpose for Nigeria. God has a purpose for us and this is our battle, so therefore we have to bring our minds down, humble ourselves before God and submit ourselves to the eternal principles of love, tolerance, brotherliness, peace righteousness. Then God will fight our battles and we shall hold our peace. In the book of first Corinthians, the Bible says that there is one glory of the sun and one glory for the moon, the glory of the star but one star differed from another stars. Your star is different from my star, the star of Nigeria is not the same as the star of USA; definitely it is not the same with the star of Canada. Nigeria has a greater star that is unique. We must know that that star must shine brightly In the comity of nations. Whatever we are seeing now are but shadows, not the substance. Hold unto the dreams of the founding fathers of this great nation. It might tarry, but

very soon, it will materialise. God has spoken through His servants and prophets, that very soon Nigeria will be a country that will fulfil its divine destiny. So, we should not be moved by the distractions we face nowadays. Our country is again on the treshold of making history, as we go to the polls to elect the next president. This calls for a high sense of responsibility and commitment on the part of the citizenry. Let’s shun the inordinate ambitions of some who srr fanning the embers of chaos and disunity. Let’s show the world again that Nigerians are indeed a unique people who are capable of scaling through all odds to actualise that seed of greatness that makes it the centre of gravity in the black world and an indisputable attraction to Europe, America and the Asian tigers. Many stars, both at home and aboard, rode on the highway to stardom because they were able to surmount initial hurdles. If you ask them what they faced in life, you will discover the process was rigorous, most times excruciating yet they were able to sail through, stand and therefore they are recognised as stars. Nigeria must stand as one indivisible entity, in the face of her trials. We must demonstrate our maturity and ability to handle issues properly, refusing to yield to the pressure of those things that do not befit our divine role as a leading nation and the pride of Africa. Above all, remember that it is a crime to disappoint God who created this nation to shine like the morning star among the nations of the world. As a church, we are praying and standing in the gap for our dear country to occupy her space as a great nation. No one else will build this country for us; Nigerians must rise up to the task and build Nigeria.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MARCH 22, 2015

Faith

Praying the prayer that must be answered The Voice of Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo

7747546-8 (SMS only)

ast week, we discussed the relevance of the Holy Spirit when we pray. I told you that effective prayers deliver on faith. Your faith must be alive for your prayers to be answered. Apart from that, I showed you one mystery of effective prayer. This week I will be teaching on ‘Praying The Prayer That Must Be Answered.’

we don’t assume forgiveness; we careNothing motivates a prayer life like fully seek for it. Forgiveness has to be answers. For instance, Jesus walked in the consciously sought (Hebrews 12:15,17). realm of answered prayers. Also, Elijah • Faith is the covenant guarantee for prayed with his head between his knees. answered prayers (Matthew 21:23). It is He told his servant to go and check seven wisdom to build our faith in presenttimes. What kind of prayer did Elijah pray? ing our case before God (Mark 11:24). He prayed that there would be no rain for Why? Faith is the covenant guarantee three and half years in Israel. He prayed for answered prayers. again, and there was rain (James 5:17). He • We must exert the required pressures prayed earnestly. to secure answers to our prayers (Isaiah Biblical protocols for guaranteed answers 66:7-8). to prayer: • There are definite required pressures to It is at the prayer altar that we change secure answers to our prayers (James levels. When you pray amiss, you don’t 5:16-17; Luke 16:16; Luke 22:55; Amos expect any answer (James 4:3). Let me 6:1). It is time to engage the required show you some Biblical protocols: pressures to press through to heaven. • Recognize that sin remains a barrier to Fasting is a spiritual pressure required answered prayer, until it is forgiven. to pres through (Isaiah 58:9). It time to Psalm 66:18 says: If I regard iniquity in engage in violent prayers (Matthew my heart, the Lord will not hear me. So,

11:12). • We must have to travail to prevail in our prayers. Remember Jacob? He travailed, hence he prevailed! He had a change of levels (Genesis 32:26). It takes a travail in prayers to prevail in life. For instance, as Jesus prayed in Luke 9:29, His garment was white like snow and His level changed! • There is time to cry out in prayer. Do you remember blind Bartimaeus? He cried out for his prayer to be answered (Mark 10:47-48). Anyone can dominate circumstances; it all depends on your walk with God. • There is a time to engage our hearts for answered prayer. Remember the woman with the issue of blood? She spoke in her heart that if she could touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed (Matthew 9:21). • We must be specific in our demands, as we travail in prayer. Do you remember Jabez? First Chronicle 4:9-10 says: And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. From this scripture, it is clear that Jabez was very specific in his prayer, and God granted him all he requested. Apart from Jabez, another person that was specific in his prayer was blind Bartimaeus. He didn’t mince words in saying what he needed most (Mark 10:52). No wonder, he received direct answer from Jesus! Another person that was specific in his prayer was David. He enquired from God whether to go up or not (2 Samuel 5:18-19). When you are specific, your answer will come direct from God. Specific demand provokes specific response. Please let your prayer be properly defined. Friend, the power to benefit from these Biblical protocols is for those saved. Are you saved? You get saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are set for it, please pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” This is your year of Heaven On Earth! Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Keys To Answered Prayers and Winning Prayers.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

On the power of the president to deploy the military during elections C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 6 4

Act, the law is that the President shall have power to deploy the armed forces for operational use. It goes further to state that the President shall have power to delegate the power to deploy armed forces for operational use to either the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and that of the Air Force Staff as the case may be. This provision is echoed mutatis mutandis, by Section 8(3) of the Armed Forces Act. Section 8 (3) of the Armed Forces Act, defines what is meant by the operational use of the armed forces. It includes provision of aid to civil power. It provides: In this section, “operational use of the Armed Forces” includes the operational use of the Armed Forces in Nigeria for the purpose of maintaining and securing public safety and public order. The question may now be asked how we can sustain our submission above that the President has the power to deploy the military during election in the light of the Court of Appeal pronouncement as replicated above. We state, with the greatest humility and respect to the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal, that the above pronouncement by the Court of Appeal in the case of ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/ EPT/GOV/1/2015, is not, in law, binding not being a ratio decidendi of the Court, but a mere obiter dictum. It is a principle of pedestrian legal knowledge that in a judgment of Court emcompasses both the ratio decidendi and the obiter dictum. According to The Black’s Law Dictionary, 8th edition, defines ratio decidendi at page 290, as principle or rule of law on which a court’s decision is founded. In other words, ratio decidendi is a legal rule derived from, and consistent with, those parts of legal reasoning within a judgment on which the outcome of the case depends. It is a legal phrase which refers to the legal, moral, political, and social principles used by a court to compose the rationale of a particular judgment. The Courts of the land have held in a litany of cases, that a ratio decidendi and not an obiter dictum, is the part of any judgment which constitutes the decision in the judgment. See the cases of Saude v. Abdullahi (1989) 4 NWLR (Pt.116) 387; Bamghoye v. University of Ilorin (1991) 8 NWLR (Pt.207) 1 at page 24; Savannah Bank of Nigeria Ltd v. Pan Atlantic Shipping and Transport Agencies Ltd (1987) 1 SC 198, 278 - 279; (1987) 1 NWLR (Pt.49) 212; Afro Continental (Nig.) Ltd. vs Ayantuyi (1995) 9 NWLR (Pt.420) 411 @ 435 D - E; Saude Vs Abdullahi (1989) 4 NWLR (Pt. 116) 387 @ 429 & 431: UTC (Nig.) Ltd. vs Pamotei (1989) 2 NWLR (Pt.103) 244 @ 293. In the recent case of FRN v. LALWANI (2013) LPELR-20376(CA), the Court of Appeal, giving the meaning of what ratio decidendi is, dilated, per Aboki, JCA, as follows: “In Ajibola v. Ajadi (2004) 14 NWLR (pt. 892) page 14 at 21 the Court defined a ratio decidendi as:- “...the enunciation of the reason or principle on which a question before a Court has been decided. In other words it is the general reasons given for the decision or the general grounds on which is based detached or abstracted from the specific peculiarities of the particular case which rise to the decision”. Similarly, in Mohammed v. Lawal (2006) 9 NWLR (pt. 985) 400 at 405, the Court held that:- “Ratio decidendi represents the reasoning or principle or ground upon which a case is decided. It is the legal principle formulated by the Court which is necessary in the determination of the issues raised in the case”. Furthermore, in the case of ONI V. FAYEMI (2008) 8 NWLR (Pt.1089) 400 at 427-428, paras. H-A (CA), the Court of Appeal, held, per Sankey, JCA, thus: “It is not every statement made by a trial judge in the course of arriving at a decision that is binding. The reasoning of the trial

Some military men

judge while in motion may gather many imports, some of which merely helped him in the decision making process and others which are of no essence. It is only the quintessence of the reasons for his decision that is best described as the ratio-decidendi.” An Obiter Dictum on the other hand, has been defined by the Black’s Law Dictionary, 8th Edition at page 1102, as “A judicial comment made while delivering a judicial opinion, but one that is unnecessary to the decision in the case and therefore not precedential...”. The phrase was also defined by the Court of Appeal, in the case of NDDC v. NLNG LTD.(2010) LPELR-4596(CA), per OWOADE, J.C.A, thus: “Strictly speaking, “an ‘obiter dictum, is a remark made or opinion expressed by a judge in his decision upon a cause by the side’ that is, incidentally or collaterally and not directly upon the question before the court, or it is merely be way of illustration argument, analogy or suggestion. In the common speech of lawyers, all such extra judicial expressions of legal opinion are referred to as ‘dicta’ or ‘obiter dicta’ these two terms being used interchangeably. See William M. Life et.al, Brief making and the use of law Books 304 (3rd ed. 1914). According to Wikipedia, an example of an instance where a court opinion may include obiter dicta is where a court rules that it lacks jurisdiction to hear a case or dismisses the case on a technicality. If the court in such a case offers opinions on the merits of the case, such opinions may constitute obiter dicta. Less clear-cut instances of obiter dicta occur where a judge makes a side comment in an opinion to provide context for other parts of the opinion, or makes a thorough exploration of a relevant area of law. Another example would be where the judge, in explaining his or her ruling, provides a hypothetical set of facts and explains how he or she believes the law would apply to those facts. In clearly delineating the distinction between what a decision of a Court is and what an obiter is, the pen-ultimate Court, adumbrated in the case of OROK v. THE STATE(2009) LPELR-8271(CA) thus: “The 6th Edition of the Black’s Law Dictionary at page 1072 explains obiter dictim as “words of an opinion entirely unnecessary for the decision of the case. Noel vs. Olds 78 U.S. App. D.C 155, 138 F. 2d. 501, 588. A remark made, or opinion expressed by a Judge in his decision upon a cause, “by the way” that is incidentally or collaterally and

not directly upon the question before him, or upon a point not necessarily involved in the determination of the cause, or introduced by way of illustration, or analogy or argument. Such are not binding as precedent.” A ‘decision’ on the other hand is a determination of the court and includes judgment, decree, order, conviction, sentence or recommendation. A further scrutiny of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, in ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/EPT/GOV/1/2015 will reveal that the justices of the Court themselves never gave decision or issued any order against the President not to deploy the military during elections, but merely gave an honest opinion as to how to strictly protect the tenets of Democracy in its purest form. For instance, in the judgment, the Court stated its position to be as follows: That we believe is the law, and must be adhered to, in order to save the electoral process from the virus of illegality, credibility problems and absurdity. The time has come in our learning process to establish the culture of democratic rule in the country and to strive to do the right thing, particularly when it comes to dealing with the electoral process, which is one of the pillars of democracy. In spite of the non-tolerant nature and behaviour of the political class in this country, we should, by all means, try to keep armed personnel, of whatever status and nature, from being a part and parcel of the election processes. The state is obligated to confine the Military to their very demanding assignments especially in these times of insurgencies and encroachment into the country’s territories, by keeping them out of elections. The civilian authorities should be left to conduct and fully carry out the electoral processes at all levels. Thus, the state is obligated to ensure that citizens who are sovereign, can exercise their franchise freely, un-molested and un-disturbed. To be sure, since we have made it abundantly clear that it is the reasoning that led to the pronouncements on the live issues brought specifically before the court for its adjudication that constitute the ratio of a case, it is apposite to at this junction, to replicate and observe the issue concerning the Court’s Judgment on deployment of the military as brought before the Court of Appeal, in ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/EPT/GOV/1/2015. One of the issues formulated by the 4th Respondent for

determination and indeed, the only issue before the appellate Court bordering on deployment of the military is: Whether or not the trial Tribunal was right when it held that it had no jurisdiction to determine the Constitutional question as to the propriety or otherwise of the deployment of security, in this case, the Nigerian Army to provide security for Election. As can be seen from above, the question was simply whether the lower Court was right in deciding that it had no jurisdiction to even adjudicate on the question of deployment of military during elections. To Constitute a ratio, and therefore, a decision, all the Court of Appeal could have done is to arrive at a conclusion by answering the question posed via legal reasoning. In this case, the answer should be “yes the tribunal was right when it held it had no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the question of deployment of military during elections for the following reasons…”, or “No, the tribunal was wrong when it held it had no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the question of deployment of military during elections for the following reasons…”. Thus, if the Court answers the questions posed and then proceed to make other comments not directly dealing with the question so posed by the parties before it, such comment amounts in law, to nothing but obiter dictum. This is because, (as has been observed above), A comment or statement of the court, which is not necessary for the determination of the issues joined in the parties’ pleadings, is purely obiter dictum. It has no binding authority. See: Wilson vs. Osin (1998) 4 NWLR (Pt. 88) 324; Buhari vs. Obasanjo (2005) 13 NWLR (Pt. 941) 1; Saude vs Abdullahi ( 1989) 4 NWLR (Pt. 116) 387; Ngige vs. Obi (2006) 14 NWLR (Pt. 979). The word ‘Obiter’ simply means in passing, incidental or cursory. See: Mohammed vs. Lawal (2006) 9 NWLR (Pt. 985) 400”. The effective working of the principles of obiter dictum is clearly seen in the cases below: In EBERE V ONYENGE, (2000) 2 NWLR (Pt 643) Pg 62 at 80 Para, F, the Court of Appeal, held, per Ikongbeh, J.C.A, as follows: It is the pronouncement of the Judge on the issue thus joined that can, and does, embody the resolution of the Court. Any observation of comment by him which, though made in pronouncing the resolution, is not necessarily involved in the resolution or essential to it, is obiter dictum.. • Follow me on twitter @ MikeozekhomeSAN

SUNDAY

Sport 59

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

AYC 2015

Senegal targets revenge against Nigeria p.61

Football

Dele Alli: Another Nigerian star slipping away p.60

Tennis

Nadal crashes out, as Serena withdraws p.61

Deputy Sports Editor Dapo Sotuminu

F/Eagles gun for seventh title at AYC

Dapo Sotuminu

he Flying Eagles of Nigeria will today battle against host Senegal in their quest to win their seventh title in the U-20 Africa Youth Championship. The Nigeria team tutored by Manu Garba and assisted by Nduka Ugbade defeated the Black Satellites of Ghana in the semi-finals, while Senegal inflicted a shocking defeat on highly-rated Mali in the second semi-finals. Today’s grand finale means a lot to the Nigerian coach who is leading a flock of talented players who graduated under him from the Under-17 category where they were world champions. For the championship that started in 1977 with Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire picking the tickets to represent Africa at the U-20 World Cup hosted by Tunisia, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria had recorded six championship victories at the AYC level achieved in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005 (Benin Republic) and 2011(South Africa). Nigeria stands out as the country with the most victories at the African Under-20 category with Egypt’s four victories as second best. Egypt also won the last edition hosted in Algeria after they defeated Ghana 5-4 on penalties. The Nigerian team from available data has a better chance and grounded experience of winning the trophy for the seventh time after playing in eight finals and today’s making it the ninth as against Senegal’s first time. In 1983 and 1989 the Senegalese were eliminated in the preliminaries, while they crashed out in the group stage in the 1993 and 1995 editions. These were the best they did before this year’s performance which remains their best in the history of the competition, reaching the finals in their fifth participation as

Garba

against Nigeria’s 16th. Nigeria has lost two finals; 1-0 in 1999 to hosts Ghana and 1-0 to hosts Congo in 2007. Today’s final would be a rematch of the opening game of the competition which Nigeria won convincingly 3-1 beating the host in front of home crowd. The final according to CAF’s schedule will kick-off at the 45,000-capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium at 7.30pm local time, which will be 8.30pm in Nigeria. The Junior Teranga Lions are n o t letting down as they believe strongly that they have the players to upset the star-studded Nigerian team who they have d e -

scribed as beatable. Senegal’s star player, Moussa Kone, said ahead of the grand finale that: “Ours is a new team without exposure and experience unlike the Flying Eagles of Nigeria. They have the tradition of youth tournaments and have been very successful. However, I can tell you that they are not as powerful as the media describe them. What I think they possess and keep exploiting over their adversaries is experience. They know how to manage time, strength and even the space on the field. However, we have better physical condition and speed. If we can put those together on Sunday, Nigeria would go home with silver.” The team’s coach, Joseph Koto, is also optimistic that his wards would put smiles on the faces of the people after the final game against Nigeria. It is a different song in the camp of the Flying Eagles who are more determined than the Senegalese and have vowed to win the first international trophy for Nigeria in 2015. Championing this cause is tournament’s top goal scorer, Taiwo Awoniyi, who has promised to score goals against the Junior Teranga Lions just as he did in the opening game of the competition. “We are going to beat Senegal very well to win the cup. At this point, we are unstoppable. We

PAST WINNERS

Nigeria - 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011 Egypt – 1981, 1991, 2003, 2013 Ghana – 1993, 1999, 2009 Cameroon – 1995 Algeria – 1979 Morocco – 1997 Angola – 2001 Congo – 2007 shall bring the cup to Nigeria on Monday, this we are very sure.” Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, said his boys have been wellmotivated to win the cup. They are in their best character and they won’t rest until they pick the winner’s trophy. The crowd may be against us, but that is immaterial. We beat them before, we shall beat them again.” The next host of the championship in 2017 is Zambia.

SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport

Dele Alli: Another Nigerian star slipping away N

Dapo Sotuminu

igerian-born Dele Alli, presently plays for English League One side, MK Dons (Milton Keynes Dons), where he has been on loan from his club, Tottenham Hotspur where he is worth five million pounds. The 18-year-old youngster just like Victor Moses, Omasone Aluko and Shola Ameobi, had played for England at the junior level where he represented the country in the U-16, U-17 and U-19 categories, but despite these, he still has a feeling that he would someday play for his fatherland, Nigeria. Alli, has been a very reliable player for MK Dons helping to bang in the goals in crucial games. He want to do the same thing for Nigeria playing for the national men’s soccer team, but just like other prospective young soccer stars who want to wear the green and white colours of Nigeria in international games, the MK Dons star is waiting on the fringe to be tagged along by the Nigeria Football Federation. Already, as the new president of the football federation in Nigeria extends his tentacles to woe Nigerian-born soccer stars across the world with special interest on players based in England, Bamidele Jermaine Alli stands a better chance to don the Nigerian jersey. Like Omatsone Aluko and Victor Anichebe, the Tottenham Hotspur star if convinced to join the legion of Nigerian foreign stars, would also start from either the Under-20 or Under-23 level. Former England and Nigeria international, John Fashanu, it was gathered has taken it upon himself to convince Dele Alli to embrace the Nigerian federation when they demand for his services to play for the country. Fashanu is optimistic Alli would give the NFF a consideration to switch nationality if they present a very strong case. The 18-year-old England youth international, who signed for Tottenham Hotspurs for £5million from Dons in January, has had an ankle injury which he suffered in a 1-0 victory at Colchester United on February 17. Born in Milton Keynes, Alli joined the youth system at MK Dons aged 11 and broke into the first team five years later, during the 2012-13 season. Over the next two-and-a-half years he made 62 league appearances for MK, scoring 18 goals, and played for the England U-17, U-18 and U-19 teams. He signed for Tottenham in February 2015 for an initial fee of £5 million, and as part of the deal was loaned back to MK Dons for the rest of the 201415 seasons. After being in and out of the first team picture in late 2013 due to injury setbacks, the star player went on to establish himself as a first-choice player in 2014. He scored the opening goal in the 3-2 win over Shrewsbury Town at the MK Dons Stadium, with a header from Stephen Gleeson’s pinpoint pass. At just aged 17 years and 11 months old, Alli scored a hat-trick to guide the ‘Dons to a 3-1 victory against Notts County at

Meadow Lane in March 2014. His next and final goal of the 2013-14 season, came on April 5 against Coventry City at the Sixfields Stadium; Alli struck a thunderous volley from 25 yards out to give MK Dons 2-1 victory, He made 37 appearances in all competitions during the 2013-14 season, scoring seven times, with 33 appearances and six goals in the league. Alli started the 2014 season brightly, playing the first league game of the season as the Dons overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Gillingham, 4-2. His first goal of the 2014-15 season came in the first away league game, a 3-2 defeat to Peterborough United, where he scored a tap-in from Will Grigg’s deflected shot. On 26 August 2014, Alli played the full 90 minutes in the League Cup second round as MK Dons recorded a historic 4-0 win over Manchester United. It was reported that numerous scouts from top clubs across Europe attended the game to watch him play, including representatives from Bayern Munich and Liverpool. In the game after the 4-0 League Cup win over Manchester United, Alli continued his rich vein of form with a goal curled in from the edge of the box in a 2-0 win over Crawley Town. After the international break, Alli played 77 minutes in the 5-3 win against Barnsley, assisting the Dons second goal and scoring their third goal himself with a chip over the Barnsley goalkeeper. On September 18, 2014, Alli extended his contract with MK Dons until June 2017. And on September, 20, 2014 in a game against Crewe, Alli scored a hattrick and achieved one assist in what turned out to be a 6–1 victory for the Dons. It was the second hat-trick of his career and the first he achieved at home, which also led to him winning the Man of the Match award. On February 2, 2015, Alli signed for Tottenham Hotspur in the last hours of the mid-season transfer window on a fiveand-a-half-year deal for an initial fee of £5m. He was loaned back to MK Dons for the remainder of the 2014–15 seasons. For his international career, Alli whose father is a Nigerian has made several appearances at U-17 and U-18 levels for England. On 27 August 2014, Alli was called up to the England U-19 squad following an impressive start to the campaign. He made his debut for England U-19 in the 1-1 draw against Germany U19. In February 2015, it was reported that John Fashanu would try to convince Alli to play for Nigeria. On a personal level, Alli is a Liverpool fan and Liverpool long term legendary captain Steven Gerrard was his childhood hero.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2015

Sport / News

Odubajo’s strike denies Millwall

rentford’s Moses Odubajo hit a stoppage-time equaliser to deny Millwall a precious three points in their bid to avoid relegation from the Sky Bet Championship. The Lions looked set to collect their first win in nine attempts - and their first under interim boss Neil Harris - as they led 2-0 through goals in each half from Lee Gregory and Aiden O’Brien. But Brentford, also desperate for points at the other end of the table to maintain their promotion bid, pulled one back through Alex Pritchard’s penalty before Odubajo snatched a 2-2 draw at the death. Millwall, looking revitalised since former striker Harris took over from Ian Holloway earlier this month, threatened first after just two minutes when Ed Upson found Martyn Woolford, whose shot from the edge of the box was parried by David Button.

AYC 2015: Senegal targets revenge against Nigeria

he Junior Teranga Lions of Senegal have said they wish to avenge a 3-1 opening day loss to Nigeria’s Flying Eagles in today’s final of the African Youth Championship in Dakar. “It will be revenge and I can

assure you it will be a great celebration for us,” said Senegal U-20 captain Roger Gomis. “We have achieved our first objective (qualifying for the World Cup), and now we want to get our target which is to win the cup and make the people of

Senegal happy, who have supported us all through this campaign. “After our defeat against Nigeria, we have corrected some of the mistakes and we now have the chance to face this same side again in the final.”

Ugbade: Flying Eagles will run away with victory

Agabi donates to Nasarawa SWAN

Cheke Emmanuel Lafia

he governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Nasarawa state, Alhaji Yusuf Agabi, at the weekend donated a set of jersey, soccer ball, socks and cash to members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in state, with a promise to promote sports if elected governor. Agabi who made the donation at the PDP state secretariat in Lafia, the state capital, said he would use sports to reduce youth restiveness through the development of sports infrastructure and rehabilitation of the sport academy in Akwanga. He noted that he would encourage athletes in the state to compete with their counterparts in other states at local and international competitions. The governorship candidate commended sports journalists in the state for their commitment in their coverage of sporting activities and promised to partner with them to ensure the promotion of sports in the state.

RESULTS

Barclays Premier League Man. City 3 - 0 West Bromwich Aston Villa 0 - 1 Swansea Newcastle 1 - 2 Arsenal Southampton 2 - 0 Burnley Stoke 1 - 2 Crystal Palace Tottenham 4 - 3 Leicester Germany - Bundesliga Hamburger 0 - 1 Hertha Berlin Cologne 1 - 1 Werder Bremen Freiburg 2 - 0 Augsburg Hannover 2 - 3 Dortmund Paderborn 0 - 0 Hoffenheim Stuttgart 3 - 1 Frankfurt Italy - Serie A ChievoVerona 1 - 0 Palermo Spain - Liga BBVA Elche 0 - 4 Valencia Atletico Madrid 2 - 0 Getafe Rayo Vallecano 1 - 0 Malaga France - Ligue 1 PSG 3 - 1 Lorient Lyon 1 - 2 Nice

Senegal coach, Joseph Koto, maintained he still does not believe Nigeria are better than his team despite losing to the Flying Eagles two weeks ago. “There was something amiss when we lost to them because I still do not believe they are better than us. This final will decide the better team because my players will play under less pressure.” Both sides have all their squads free of any disciplinary problems and the centre referee for the final match is FIFA referee Joshua Bondo from Botswana.

Harry Kane of Tottenham scores

Cranes of Uganda delegation hits Uyo Monday T he delegation of Senior National Team of Uganda for Wednesday’s international friendly date with the Super Eagles will arrive in Nigeria on Monday. Players and officials on the delegation will fly into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard an Ethiopian Airline aircraft, and then connect to Uyo aboard an Aero Contractors flight. The Cranes, who gave Ghana’s Black Stars a scare in the qualifying race for the 30th Africa Cup of Nations and had a chance to make the finals until they lost their last

match in the race to Guinea, will be aiming for a first-ever victory on Nigerian soil. Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio will be special guest of honour at Wednesday’s game, which will kick off at 6pm at the eye-popping Akwa Ibom International Stadium. The Super Eagles are looking forward to taking on Uganda, this after their international friendly match with Bolivia was called off. According to team spokesman, Toyin Ibitoye, the players are not in any way upset over the change of opponent.

Nadal crashes out, as Serena withdraws

pain’s Rafael Nadal squandered three match points in the second-set tiebreaker before losing 4-6, 7-6 (12-10), 7-5 here to big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open. The 14-time Grand Slam champion raced out to an early lead in Friday’s match by breaking the Canadian for the first time this tournament, and he wrapped up the first set with a comfortable service hold. The Spaniard seemed headed for a comfortable win but his failure to convert break-point opportunities proved costly in the second set, when he went 0-for-5 on those chances. In the tiebreaker, Raonic saved three match points - all on his own serve - and finally took the set with a blistering ground stroke that Nadal was unable to retrieve. The No. 6 seed finished off the victory, his first against the

Spaniard in six matches, in just under three hours when a Nadal backhand went wide in the ensuing game. “I’m pleased with myself and how I competed,” Nadal said in the Spanish portion of his postmatch press conference. Meanwhile, Serena Williams withdrew before her semi-final at the BNP Paribas Open due to a right knee injury on Friday. Williams made the announcement on the court before her match and walked off to a few boos. “I have a tremendous amount of inflammation in my knee, and it’s going to go away. Unfortunately I just need a couple of days,” Williams said. “That’s the most frustrating part.”

“None of our players have expressed reservations about the change. They are all looking forward to the game this week,” Ibitoye said. He went on to say that he felt Bolivia’s withdrawal was not warranted. “The Bolivians were fed with inaccurate information about the situation in Nigeria. “We were shocked to learn about Bolivia’s decision to pull out of the game. We believe they were Bolivians were fed with inaccurate information about the situation in Nigeria.

Williams was playing at Indian Wells for the first time in 14 years after boycotting the tournament. “I feel that was 14 years ago and this is now. I did the best that I could at this event, and I really am happy to have put a lot of that behind me,” Serena said Friday. “If I would have known I had to pull out, I would have played anyway just to have an opportunity to be back at this tournament and to be able to play.” Simona Halep will now move on to the finals on Sunday. “It’s really tough for her that she had to withdraw,” Halep said about Williams. “I know how it is when you are injured. It’s dangerous, and you have to take care of yourself.”

lying Eagles assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, has assured that his team would soak up the pressure against hosts Senegal when the two teams square up in today’s AYC final and at the end of the day run away with the deserved victory. Nigeria beat Senegal 3-1 in the first game of the competition and both teams have now set-up a rematch after they worked their way to the finals. Ugbade said: “It’s a very good advantage that we won the first match 3-1 as this would force Senegal to come out in today’s final and try to win, but they would be making a very big mistake. It’s now a different situation from when we first met, but all the same it would be a difficult game for the two teams. The tactics for this game will be altered a little so as to suit what we have to deliver.” He added that: “Notwithstanding our win over them earlier on, they are a very strong team who have improved with the tournament. They are strong, big and tall and they are a lot more matured in the way they play, while we are a very young team.” Unlike the opening day clash when there were only a couple of thousands of fans at the 45,000-capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar, the imposing arena will be filled with spectators rooting for the home team to win Senegal their first-ever continental trophy. “Yes, the stadium will be filled to capacity and the crowd will be on their side. But football will be on our side and we will handle the pressure, very, very well,” said the former Nigeria international defender. “We will feel the pressure for the first time and we will have to be psychologically strong so that no matter the crowd, we will play our game, play simple and unique. “We are up against an entire country, the crowd at the stadium and 11 players who will be representing Senegal. It will be interesting.”

SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015

Whom would you rather vote for?

eactionary is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it is, according Wikipedia, ‘a person who holds political viewpoints that favour a return to a previous state (the status quo ante) in a society.’ For me, therefore, the presidential election this Saturday presents Nigerians with a golden opportunity to make a choice between a progressive and a reactionary, between a bold, sure step towards the future and a return to the status quo ante. Indeed, no other election in Nigeria has presented voters with clearer choices. On the one hand is President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the incumbent who is seeking re-election. On the other is Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military head of state who is seeking election as a democratic president, the fourth in a row. Jonathan comes from a minority tribe, the Ijaw ethnic nationality of the Niger Delta Region. The voting population in Bayelsa, Jonathan’s home state is approximately 610, 000. Buhari is of Hausa/Fulani stock, one of Nigeria’s three major ethnic groups. He is from Katsina State, which has 2.8m registered voters. On that score alone, the match is already skewed in favour of the latter. But, when in 2011 Nigerians of all ethnic persuasions voted to enthrone Jonathan as President instead of Buhari, we sent a clear and unmistakable message to an incredulous world that ours was a democracy anchored on justice, equity and fairness, that the tribe of our president no longer mattered to us but his ability, sense of duty and loyalty to the flag; that is, his dedication to the cause of Nigerian unity. We must never downplay the significance of Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency. Despite all the sophistication of its polity and democratic institutions, it was not until 2008, barely seven years ago, that the United States elected its first minority President, more than 200 years after the founding of the American state. But, in our own case, although reactionary forces were expectedly opposed to Jonathan in 2011, Nigerians voted overwhelmingly for a minority man from Bayelsa to become president and command-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, a feat not only in Africa but even by world standard. Quiet, self-effacing and averse to any action or words that would generate bad blood or cause disunity in the polity, Jonathan has worked tirelessly but noiselessly to justify the confidence reposed in him by Nigerians. He is reputed as the first president to courageously address the problems of the railways and put the trains back to the tracks since the departure of the British and the Rites of India. Today, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) boasts first class/ business class air-conditioned coaches in its fleet, a development hitherto unimaginable in the business history of the Corporation. He has revolutionized agriculture like no other leader has done since the First Republic when agriculture was the mainstay of the economy. With agric whiz-kid Dr. Adeunmi Adesina as minister in charge of the agric ministry, the Jonathan Administration has completely eliminated fertilizer middlemen who for years swindled the country of billions in fertilizer subsidy that never subsidized the all-important input but instead made it even scarcer. Through an ingenious electronic wallet system introduced by Adesina, government now pays fertilizer subsidy directly to farmers who buy the input at the market rate. The result is that today, farmers, over 6m registered ones, have easier access to fertilizer than ever before and this has, in turn, resulted in a phenomenal increase in food production in the country to the extent that in four years, the Jonathan Administration has halved overall food imports into the country. Or, consider roads. According to reports released by the Jonathan Campaign, the current administration increased the number of kilometres of constructed/reconstructed and asphalted roads from 3000km four years ago to some 6,500km today. And the evidence is everywhere to see—from South West to North West, North Central to North East, among others. But, for me the most telling example is the Shagamu-Ore-Benin Highway. Many who use that road know that it is unbelievable

Sunday

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

abugufex@gmail.com 08076290498 (sms only)

Jonathan

Buhari

that driving on that road, a motorist can now reach Benin in three and half hours and Onitsha in five and half hours (normally, it should

take a motorist driving within speed limits, 3hrs to reach Benin and 4hrs to get to Onitsha on that road). In eight years of Obasanjo, it

took 12 to 18 hours initially and later all of 24 hours to reach Onitsha through ShagamuBenin Expressway. There couldn’t be a better way to give us an insight into the much the Administration has done to transform the nation’s road infrastructure. In aviation, education, power and health, there have equally been concrete achievements. According to reports, all 22 federally-owned airports across the country have been remodelled to ensure safety and improved passenger services. Five new, ultramodern airport terminal buildings and airfield facilities have been constructed or are being constructed in Kano, Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu while existing ones are being reconstructed. These efforts have received global acclaim including the attainment and retention of the FAA Category One Status by Nigeria. Other examples abound---of many other achievements of the Jonathan Administration, for which the President is justifiably seeking re-election. The worry of many well-meaning Nigerians, however, is this: General Buhari and all those who are opposed to Jonathan and are carrying vile propaganda against him want him out not for non-performance in office but simply because they say he is occupying a position that belongs to a section of the country as of right and, therefore, must vacate it for power to ‘return to the North’. So, the question all of us must answer this Saturday is, are we going to succumb to the antics of these reactionaries and born-to-rule crusaders and ‘return’ power to the North or shall we vote for a man who has quietly transformed our politics and economics in ways that have put Nigeria on the path of transition to, as they say, the next level of development? By our definition, Muhammadu Buhari is a reactionary, Goodluck Jonathan is a progressive! The choice is yours.

No to ISPO in Enugu

ne of the actions that popularized Dr. Chris Ngige as governor of Anambra State was his stubborn refusal, under pain of death from an evil oath, to sign an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) for the (in) famous Ubah brothers to be collecting a certain amount of money upfront monthly from the statutory allocation to Anambra State in Abuja. One had thought that the Ngige-Ubah saga was enough warning to anybody or group in the Southeast that ISPO was bad news any day. Well, not exactly. Last Thursday, a group ‘Concerned Citizens of Enugu State’ sent me a copy of a petition to EFFC, in which it accused the Enugu State House of Assembly of plotting to adopt a resolution this Tuesday, March 24 authorizing Enugu State Government to “issue Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) to the United Bank of Africa (UBA) in the sum not exceeding N11,000,000,000 (Eleven Billion naira) to cover monies paid or to be paid by Enugu State Government to its contractors executing projects in the state.” Here is what ‘Concerned Citizens’ alleged, on the basis of which I called the state commissioner for information Mr. Chuks Ugwoke and the Speaker of the House of Assembly Hon. Eugene Odo but they would not respond to my inquiries: “Last year, about the month of November, Enugu State House of Assembly in collusion with some faceless persons, vaguely and corruptly referred to as “Enugu Contractors,” prepared, moved and passed for themselves a loan authorization of about Eleven Billion Naira (N11,000,000,000) purportedly for the payment of un-established obligations of Enugu State Government to some unknown contractors. “The pursuit of the motion and its passage within such a time frame attracted the attention of Enugu State people concerned that a House of Assembly which was nearing its end would engage in such loan approval.

The only possible explanation is that the conspiracy to mortgage Enugu State by the House of Assembly is to ensure sustenance for her members after public service from the public treasury at the expense of Enugu State people. “The loan authorization made by the House of Assembly has every trapping of criminal conspiracy and fraud, because it is not on record that the executive arm of government of Enugu State, namely, the governor ever made a request to the House of Assembly for such loan. How then, if we may ask, did the Enugu State House of Assembly know that Enugu State Government was in need of funds to meet her obligations to contractors? Who are these contractors? What are the contracts awarded to them? How much has been paid to them? Was the contract awarded in accordance with the public procurement laws? Was there advertisement and competitive bidding for the contract? “The fact that Enugu State House of Assembly could entertain, approve and sustain a loan authorization motion without first entertaining the questions raised in paragraph 3 above can only meaning one thing: a clear intention to steal and corruptly enrich her members from the treasury of Enugu State. This is especially as it is not her function to award contracts and pay for same but that of the executive arm of government which has not made such request. “Assuming, but not conceding, that the governor even made an official request to the Enugu State House of Assembly for such authorization, should Enugu State House of Assembly, elected by the people of Enugu State pass such authorization without first dealing with the questions raised in paragraph 3 above? “Information available to us is that Enugu State House of Assembly in collaboration with her cohorts had already drawn down about N3 billion from the said authorization from the first generation bank before the Debt Management Office of the Federation with the gracious

help of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stopped the illegality, possibility after considering the questions in paragraph 3 above, which Enugu State House of Assembly failed or refused to consider. “Today, the 19th day of March, 2015, the Enugu State House of Assembly, after it had earlier been stopped in its bid by the CBN, prepared, circulated and fixed for hearing a fresh motion on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 the approval of another resolution authorizing the state government to issue an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) for N11,000,000,000 to the same first generation bank. “As in the authorization of last year, this motion for an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) lacks, amongothers, the following information and procedures: a. There is no official request by the governor of Enugu State, or any other authorized member of the executive arm of government intimating the House of Assembly of the financial needs of Enugu State upon which an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order can be made. b. The circulated motion slated for hearing and passage on Tuesday, March 24 does not indicate who the beneficiaries of (ISPO) are. The meaning of this is that the Enugu State House of Assembly can connive to use shelf companies controlled by her leadership to irrevocably siphon funds from the treasury of Enugu State for as long as they wish. c. In any case, how will the House of Assembly and Enugu State Government pay back any loan in the face of dwindling national revenue? “Sir, it is clear from the fore-going,” the petitioners surmised, “that the Enugu State House of Assembly is bent on corruptly draining, stealing and mortgaging the entire Enugu State treasury for corrupt ends.” Speaker Odo and Co., if this is true (and there is no reason to doubt it is), take this unsolicited advice: just stop the nonsense!

SPORT

F/Eagles gun for seventh title at AYC }59

FELIX O. ABUGU

Sanctity of Truth

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Whom would you rather vote for? }63

On the power of the president to deploy the military during elections (1)

ne of the hottest trending topics in the Media (Print, Electronic, Social etc) of recent is the proprietary or otherwise of deploying the military to provide security during elections. The cacophonous tunes reached an astonishing crescendo with the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/EPT/GOV/1/2015 delivered on Monday, the 16th day of February, 2015. Using this Court of Appeal’s judgment as a base or launching pad, many Nigerians have opined that the President lack the power to deploy the military to provide security during elections without first resorting to the conditions stipulated by the National Assembly. To be sure, on the face of it, their argument seems valid if we consider the very foundation of it to be based on the judgment itself where the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal, dilated as follows: “…Thus, even the president of Nigeria has no powers to call out the Armed Forces and unleash them (Military Officers) on a peaceful citizenry who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders. And even in the event of insurrection or insurgency, the call on the Armed Forces to aid civil authorities to restore order, must be with the approval of the National Assembly which must provide conditions as specified in Sections 217 (2) and 218 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended).” This statement follows a similar one in the case of Buhari vs. Obasanjo (2005) 2 NWLR (pt 910)24, at 520-521, whore Nsofor, JCA made the following scathing remarks on the use of the Military and armed mobile Policemen to conduct election. He had considered the provisions of Section 218 of the 1999 Constitution and held: “Evidence is galore which I accepted that the 1st respondent [President Obasanjo] as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria called out the military and the mobile policemen armed, to almost every Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom (See D.W.4). In Benue, see D.W. 72 (Colonel Emmanuel Clement Samuel Ifon), and in Enugu State, Ebonyi, indeed in each of the States above enumerated. And there was no state of war in any of those States, no emergency declared therein. On the other hand there was peace and calm and tranquility. And I ask this: Had he, 1st respondent, the constitutional authority so to do where there was peace and calm during the election? See section 217 and 218 of the Constitution, 1999. Based on the evidence on both sides, I am satisfied that the 1st respondent had no such constitutional authority so to do. The deployment of the military and police was therefore unconstitutional. There was evidence overwhelmingly that the soldiers illegally deployed before the presidential election in the States shot and killed several innocent Nigerians e.g. in Bayelsa State, in Akwa Ibom; injured so many in Igbo-Eze North L.G.A. of Enugu. Not one single arrest was made. No police investigation. Why? The principle applicable is: Qui peccat per alium, peccat per se. I am satisfied based on the evidence from these States that the soldiers and police were called in crisis-free, peaceful and calm States of Nigeria before the 19/04/2003 presidential election to intimidate and harass the

The

Nigerian Project

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08128444555 (sms only) electorate.” It is important to stress that in coming to the conclusion that the deployment of troops to election venues was illegal and constitutional, the honourable Justice of the Court of Appeal, expressly took the provisions of Section 218 of the Constitution into consideration. This should put an end to the deliberate confusion being injected into this debate by people who have “Ekiti” type of agenda in mind for the 2015 general elections. The said Section 218 of the 1999 Constitution provides as follows: i. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Nigerian Police Council may, with approval of the President and subject to such conditions as it may think fit, delegate any of the powers confer #FF0000 upon it by this Constitution to any of its members or to the Inspector-General of Police or any other member of the Nigerian Police Force. ii. Before making appointment to the office of the Inspector-General of Police or removing him from the office the President shall consult the Nigerian Police Council. Interestingly, while those Nigerians in support of deployment of the military during election especially given our present state of prevalent and precarious insecurity, have strenuously argued that apart from the fact that the Justices of the Court of Appeal, in the APC vs PDP case, being Nigerians themselves and living in Nigeria, with a glaring state of insecurity ought not to make such pronouncements, since the law is made and operative because of the society and not the other way round, they also argue that the provisions of Section 217 (2) (c) of the Constitution and Section 8 (1-2) of the Armed Forces Act give the President the fiat to deploy the military without more. The danger inherent in these well founded arguments in the light of the Court of Appeal judgment in APC vs PDP, is that such may be dismissed as emotive, partisan, political, given to undue lachrymal effusion, being quintessentially ad populum, and ultimately falling

Jonathan

the basic tests of the principles of legal logic. Since the various arguments above indents on both law and legal logic therefore, we shall examine the power of the President or otherwise to deploy troops during elections vis-à-vis the above judgment of the Court of Appeal in ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/EPT/GOV/1/2015. From the arguments of those who are not amenable to the deployment of the military during elections, the provisions of Section 217 (2) (c) especially as pronounced on by the Court of Appeal, in the case above, is sacrosanct and non-negotiable. The vehemence with which the above position is held, necessitates a scrutiny of the judgment of the Court of Appeal itself to decipher if it was actually a decision of the Court against the President’s in the sense in

BUSY BODY

which the anti-military sentiments are being planted, watered, tended and harvested. It is instructive to note that while delivering the judgment in ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS CA/EK/EPT/GOV/1/2015, the Court of Appeal, held, per Aboki, JCA, as follows: While therefore resolving the issue 2 against the appellant that the Tribunal was right to strike out the names of the 4th and 5th Respondents and the related paragraphs of the petition complaining against the purported agents/servants of the 4th and 5th Respondents, we resolve that though the Tribunal, had no jurisdiction over the 4th and 5th Respondents, in the circumstances, that did not stop it from making a pronouncement deprecating the unlawful role of the Military (Armed Forces) in the Conduct of the Ekiti election, since the Tribunal had made a finding that the pleadings of the parties revealed a consensus that soldiers were used in the conduct of the elections. It must be stated by way of emphasis that the Armed Forces (the Military) has no role in the Conduct of elections and must not be involved, except perhaps in the areas of logistic services to agencies of Government in the preparation for the elections. They should not be called out on the streets or places of elections in the name of security, as that would militarize the process and create an atmosphere of military siege, fear and intimidation of the public. It is our firm position that the President has the Constitutional power to deploy the military for purposes of security and safety during elections for reasons we have concisely dilated hereunder. In determining the power of the President to deploy troops for purposes of security and safety during elections, it must be cardinally noted, that one of the duties of the Armed Forces under the Constitution, particularly, Section 217 (2) (c) is the suppression of insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order. Under the section, it is provided: (2) The Federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of (c) suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President, but subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly; Under both Section 218(3) of the Constitution, and Section 8 (1-2) of the Armed Forces C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5 8

By Aliu Eroje

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