Binder1sunday,march2,2014

Sunday Edition

Sanctity of Truth Sunday, March 2, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 12

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SUNDAY 2 MARC

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Dangote to build $600m cement factory in Kenya }3

TB Joshua’s 2015 bombshell: Elections’ll not hold in some states

Ankara: Trend du jour

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Position in lif s ephemeearre al -Akinsol a Akinfe

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FUEL SCARCITY BITES HARDER

Price hits N150 per litre lNNPC: It’s caused by hoarding lMarketers: Products not available

Azubike Nnadozie, Adeola Yusuf

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he nationwide scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol worsened yesterday

as a litre of the product sold for N150 in some filling stations across the country.

Investigations by New Telegraph on Sunday revealed that due to the un-

availability of the product in most filling stations, attendants in some of them connived with black marketers to sell the product at N150 per litre, instead of the offi-

cial pump price of N97 per litre.

The attendants sold the product to the black marketers in jerry cans. These touts, in turn, sold to motor-

ists on queue inside the filling stations. In some places, motorists were not allowed to drive into the filling stations. Instead, the fuel attendants sold to black market-

ers who in turn dispensed the product to buyers.

Officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had last week blamed CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Motorists seeking to buy fuel at a filling station in Lagos... yesterday

Otuoke: Jonathan’s hometown suffers six-month blackout Johnchuks Onuanyim, Abuja

Ocouncil of Bayelsa State, tuoke, in Ogbia local

the hometown of President Goodluck Jonathan, has been without power supply in the last six months, a New Telegraph on Sunday investiga-

tion has revealed.

Information available to New Telegraph on Sunday indicates that the turbine that supplies Otuoke with

electricity broke down since September 2013, as Otuoke is one of the communities presently not connected to the national grid and has been on

gas turbine for over 40 years.

New Telegraph on Sunday gathered that the gas turbine serving the President’s community was shut down last

year for maintenance. Bayelsa State Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Francis Ikio, stated that the turbine was shut C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5

35 feared dead as fresh explosions rock Borno

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Fresh blasts hit Borno, 35 killed Ahaoma Kanu

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Company Secretary, Diamond bank PLC, Nkechi Nwosu; Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi and former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu during the celebration of Life of Akunne Dominic Nwosu at Agukwu Nri Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State …yesterday

Centenary celebration unites political foes Festivity revived Nigeria’s unity - PDP

Onyekachi Eze & Ummal-Fadalbabagirei

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olitical interests and leanings were shoved aside this weekend as some former Nigerian leaders converged at the Banquet hall of the Presidential villa, Abuja on Friday to receive centenary awards marking the country’s 100 years of existence.

Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo, lined up with their predecessors - Generals Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Ernest Shonekan, to receive awards for their services to the country as former leaders.

Prior to the event, Jonathan, Buhari and Obasanjo had been ‘political enemies’.

While that of Obasanjo and Jonathan began recently, Buhari, has remained the arrowhead of the opposition since 2003 general elections.

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the successful celebration of Nigeria’s one hundred years of existence as a nation has ushered in a new and beautiful era of oneness, brotherliness, unity and peace in the country.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the event has not only succeeded in putting the nation on the international arena to showcase her best but also fostered unity and genuine reconciliation among her leaders and the people.

Also, for the post humous award, certain Patriots and nationalists like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, General Johnson Aguyi Ironsi, General Murtala Mohammed, General Sani Abacha, Mallam Aminu Kano, Hajia Gambo Sawaba, Herbert Macauley, Jaja Nwachukwu, Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola, Umaru Yar’Adua, Margareth Ekpo, were recognised.

However, the representatives of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Fela Anikulapo Kuti were absent at the award night. Also, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka did not show up at the event to receive his award.

The likes of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga (Jnr) as well as nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor and actor Olu Jacobs, were also at the event to accept their award of recognition.

The representatives of

late Sheikh Mahmoud Gumi, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi and Pastor Adejare Adeboye were also there to receive their awards.

Categories of awards were in Governance, Politics and Leadership. Others were Entrepreneurship as well as Personal Sacrifices, Patriotism and Activism.

President Jonathan used the occasion as an opportunity to call for an observation of a minute silence in honour of the souls of the school children that were killed in Yobe state.

The president apologised to outstanding Nigerians that were not awarded, pledging that those who qualified but not identified in the Friday event will be given attention in subsequent special events that he said will be organised for such a purpose.

He explained that those who were recipients on Friday, however, are a fair representation of the different areas of the country; and that they reflect the 100 years of the country’s existence.

The President further said the government decided that only 100 eminent Nigerians out of the 500 that were qualified for the centenary award were given because it was meant for the celebration of 100 years of Nigeria’s

resh blasts yesterday rocked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that the blasts occurred in Ngomari Bulumkutu area of the state capital around 6pm.

Thirty-five persons were killed in the blasts.

The attack came less than 24 hours after Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, was whisked away from the scene of a visit to Shuwa in Madagali Local Government Area. He had gone to the town to commiserate with the residents who were attacked by gunmen suspected to be members of the sect on Wednesday.

PDP mobilises for Jonathan’s visit, APC kicks Biodun Oyeleye

existence. Vice President Namadi Sambo, in his welcome address said ‘the award is a mark of honour to who honour is due’. “The persons are by no means the only ones to be celebrated, but it is a case of many were called but few were chosen.”

At the awards night, a book titled: “The Reform That Have Transformed Nigeria 2010-2013”, chronicling the achievements of the incumbent administration, was presented by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Reviewing the book before it was presented, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala traced the economic development of the country through the evolutionary stages of pre-independence, independence and post-independence, noting the differences between the period when the country’s economy depended on agriculture; and when it started relying on oil for income in the oil boom era of the 1970s.

The PDP added that the centenary concert not only reminded Nigerians of their common root but also the rich heritage, which comes

The Commissioner for Police, Alhaji Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria.

The blasts, New Telegraph on Sunday, gathered has thrown Maiduguri residents into a fresh round of fear, leading to many running away from the town.

Attacks from Boko Haram in the North-Eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have increased within the past two weeks as the sect has been on a killing spree, attacking people in their homes, schools and places of worship.

Earlier in the week, an attack launched at a Federal Government College, Buni Yadi left over 50 teenage students dead.

Ilorin

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he leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has appealed to residents of Kwara state, especially members of the PDP to troop out en masse to receive President Goodluck Jonathan who is billed to visit the state tomorrow.

The chairman of the Mobiization committee on the Presidential visit, Alhaji Abdulrasaq Lawal who made the appeal in a statement in Ilorin, the state capital, said Jonathan and national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu will address a rally at the Ilorin metropolitan square during the visit.

Though, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has criticized the rally and called for its cancellation in honour of victims of Bokko Haram violence in the north, the PDP said all is set for the president’s visit to the state.

The venue of the rally has been decorated with PDP’s flag hoisted all over the place.

The Presidential advanced team arrived Ilorin Friday night and held meetings with relevant stakeholders and organisations that have roles to play in ensuring a hitch free rally.

Lawal, a former Special Duties commissioner in the

State, urged party stalwarts, members and supporters to arrive the venue of the rally by 8.00.m and requested the people of the state to extend their usual hospitality to the visitors, urging them to conduct themselves in an orderly manner.

The state chapter of the APC had asked Jonathan and the PDP to shelve the planned campaign visit, describing it as ‘insensitive’ ‘ill-timed’ and ‘utterly inhumane’.

In a statement issued by the APC’s Interim Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Suleiman Buhari, the party described the invitation extended to Mr. President by the state’s PDP as “insensitive, ill-timed and utterly inhumane”.

According to the APC, the PDP should allow the President sufficient time to mourn the monumental tragedies in Yobe, Maiduguri and Adamawa states.

Part of the statement reads: “May we remind these politicians in the state, and all that he seeks to rehabilitate in the state that the saner thing to do by all patriotic Nigerians is to feel and act sober, draw the grief-stricken people together, share in their pains and attempt to restore hope in the almost hopeless situation that parts of the country have been thrown into.

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

News

Dangote to build cement plant in Kenya Muhammad Budan Lokoja

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he President Dangote Group of company, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has said he would establishe a multi-million dollar cement company in Kenya this year.

Dangote stated this when he receive the Deputy President of Kenya, Mr. William Ruto, at the Obajana Cement factory in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

He said a total of about USD $600 million dollars is to be expended on the

project as soon as the license and other processes are completed.

According to him, propose cement factory in Kenya will make it the 16th companies across African countries under the Dangote conglomerate.

While conducting the

Kenyan Deputy President on facility tour of the Obajana cement factory, Dangote explained that the company has been spending over 28 million US dollars on diesel to run the machines and trucks of the company.

He therefore informed

the visitor, that the company has decided to switch over to the usage of gas which will cost less and save the company of about eight million US dollars.

The Deputy President of Kenya, Mr. William Ruto, told Journalists shortly after the facility tour, that his visit to the cement plant was part of the process on the proposed cement factory in Kenya.

He said the Kenyan government have always opened it door to reputable investors like Dangote group of company, adding that the license for the establishment of the company will be issued to Dangote within few months.

Ruto explained further that the cement factory in Kenya is also viable, but needed to be complimented and subsequently

Gbonigi loses wife

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he wife of the retired Bishop of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Akure Diocese Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, Mrs Alice Ebun yesterday died on the course of a protracted illness.

The wife of the ‘fiery’ and NADECO Bishop died after spending seven days in the hospital and two days after he was discharged from the hospital. She was 81.

The foremost Yoruba leader and the convener of the Yoruba Unity Forum could not muster enough words when New Telegraph on Sunday visited him at his Oba-Ile residence in Akure North local government area of the state.

He managed to say that his wife of over 50 years was loving and caring. The daughter of the deceased, Omolara Gbonigi who spoke on behalf of the family said her mother died of age related disease.

She said her mother had been in and out of hospital for the past two years but was rushed to the hospital nine days ago. She said she died in the morning when she was feeding her.

Some of the early callers in the residence of the octogenarian were the leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, clerics from Anglican Church and family members.

President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, conducting the visiting Deputy President William Ruto of Kenya round the Obajana Cement plant in Lokoja... recently

Balarabe flays Sanusi’s suspension

•Aspirant seeks his probe Biyi Adegoroye

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governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, Robert Umoette has said the allegations of mismanagement of fund by suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi should be thoroughly investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

But former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa chided President Goodluck Jonathan, stating that the suspension was vindictive, further underscoring the position of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Waziri Tunbuwa that Jonathan was encouraging corruption.

Musa said coming at the

period when the National Assembly was trying to unravel investigation into activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), the suspension was ill-timed, and an evidence of criminal waste or resources by the administration.

Umoette, however, wants Nigerians to be circumspect about linking the suspension with the on-going investigation of the alleged failure of the NNPC to remit the sum of $20billion into the federation account, stating that these were two kettles of fish altogether.

He said those allegations of disbursement of about N2billion to distribute currency by air nationwide by three airlines, Currency Issue Expenses” of N1.158bn and Sundry Currency charges of

N1.678bn under “Currency Issue Expenses, disbursement of about N1.6 billion on books and newspapers, during Sanusi’s tenure are worth investigating.

“Since the suspension of the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by the President, tongues have been wagging and this year being a political one, politicians and political parties alike have taken on this topic like others in the past to try and rubbish one another as always, but the issues raised are too serious to be wished away,” he said.

According to him, following anomaly in the CBN audit report of 2012 released early 2013, Sanusi was queried by the Presidency, and his reply was said to be unsatisfactory, hence the Presidency allegedly forwarded 2012 the audit report of CBN alongside Mallam Sanusi’s explanation

to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria for review and recommendation.

He said Sanusi who reportedly received the Council’s report on June 25, 2013 had all opportunities to clear his name, instead he “embarked on his infamous declarations of missing funds vide letter to Mr. President on Sept. 27, 2013 which the claim contained were proved not to be true and then reduced figure and recently again increased the figure to $20billion”.

While maintaining that a prema facie case has to be established in both cases before Sanusi or the NNPC can be vilified, he said that the act that Sanusi has been giving out conflicting figures cast doubts on his authenticity of his allegations, and that the use next issue was the legality of the fund to subsidy payments for kerosene.

rejuvenate the economy of Kenya and also create job opportunities for thousands of Kenyans.

Shareholders seek Ecobank CEO’s contract termination

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cobank Chief Executive Officer, Thierry Tanoh’s contract must be terminated immediately, the bank’s top shareholder Public Investment Corporation (PIC) said in a letter to the bank’s interim chairman seen by Reuters on Saturday.

The letter lists a series of grievances against Tanoh, including that he took a unilateral decision to dismiss finance director Laurence do Rego, contrary to a decision by the board. Tanoh did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Interim chairman Andre Siaka told Reuters he had received the letter, which was signed by Daniel Matjila, the chief investment officer of the South African PIC, and would respond.

Matjila is one of 12 directors on Ecobank’s board.

“We... request the chairman to persuade the GCEO (Tanoh) to resign with immediate effect failing which his contract will be terminated as soon as the Board is in the position to meet and discuss the business of the Bank,” said the letter obtained by Reuters.

“If we don’t take this drastic step, we may not have a bank in the near future. That will be the death of a pan African dream,” said the letter.

The PIC has an 18.35 percent stake in Ecobank, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The letter comes ahead of Monday’s extraordinary general meeting of the bank, which is one of the biggest financial institutions in subSaharan Africa. That meeting at the bank’s headquarters in the Togolese capital Lome will vote on governance reforms.

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Moments

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayem (middle), acknowledging cheers from elderly citizens of the state, during the payment of February stipends for beneficiaries of the Social Security Scheme, in Ikere-Ekiti…on Friday.

L-R: Wife of Mr. George Etomi, Efe; Managing Partner, George Etomi & Partners, Mr. George Etomi; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; President, Association of Nigeria Physicians in America, Mr. Michael Etomi; and his wife, Mrs. Tokunbo Etomi during the inaugural Geplaw Speaker Series; entitled “Life Without Oil” in Lagos.

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Incoming General Secretary, Eko Club, Prince Tunde Adele; outgoing General Secretary, Alhaji Rafiu Ojikutu; and outgoing President, Owolabi Lawal, during the Annual General Meeting of the Club in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO:SULEIMAN HUSAINI

L-R: General Manager, Lagos, Egypt Air, Mr. Khaled El Rafie; Five Star Music coordinator, Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo (aka KCEE); Managing Director, UPDC, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran; and General Manager, Golden Tulip Hotel, Mr. Shousha Mohsen, after a press conference to announce the second Music Festival Lagos in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO:SULEIMAN HUSAIN

L-R: Marketing Director SuperSport, Nomsa Mazibuko; General Manager, Strategy, (West Africa), SuperSport, Felix Awogu, and Marketing Manager, DStv, MultiChoice Nigeria, Chioma Afe, during the SuperSport Editors Networking Session in Lagos…yesterday.

L-R: Group Managing Director, Media Craft Associates, Mr. John Ehiguese, Chairman of the Occasion, Mike Okereke; and Managing Director, C and F Porter Novelli, Mr. Nn’emeka Maduegbuna, during a lecture on the 60th birthday of Maduegbuna in Lagos.

L-R: Director, World Chambers Federation, Anthony Parkes; Council Member, Vasily Kozhan; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Remi Bello, and Chairman, World Chambers Federation, Peter Mihok, during the Council meeting of the Federation in Paris.

L-R:Partner/Head, Internal Audit and Risk Compliance Services, KPMG , Dimeji Salaudeen; Partner/ Global Head, Energy and Natural Resources, Michael Soeting, and Partner/Head, Tax Tegulatory and People Services, Victor Onyekpa, during a press conference in Lagos recently.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

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News

Price hits N150 per litre as fuel scarcity bites harder CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the worsening fuel scarcity in Lagos and nearby states on a recent oil spill at the Ijegun area of the state.

According to NNPC sources, the spill which flooded over 300 houses in the area, forced the officials of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company to lock the valve so as to forestall further spill.

The resultant shortfall in the supply of the product had triggered a wave of scarcity; a situation that many expect would be over in a short while. But scarcity has persisted in Lagos, Ogun and some other states.

A visit to some filling stations across Lagos and Ogun showed that many operators locked their gates with the excuse of no supplies of the product while long queues were in a few stations that were dispensing fuel.

Black marketers sold fuel at N150 per litre to motorists who could not endure the long queues at AP Filling Station, Agege, Lagos; MRS at U-Turn area of Abule Egba; and Iswat Filling Station in Ota, Ogun State.

As motorists struggled to buy fuel at these stations, black marketers, stationed inside the premises of many of the stations, took advantage of these scarcity by selling a four litre-keg of the product at N600.

“When are we going to be free in this country,” a motorist, Emmanuel Adedoja, who spent over two hours on queue for fuel at the mega station of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abule Taylor asked New Telegraph on Sunday.

Like Adedoja, Kasimu Akanji, a commercial bus driver, who claimed that he paid N100 to hoodlums before he was allowed access to AP Filling Station in Agege, Lagos called on the government to assist the public by making fuel available.

“If they want to increase the price, they should be sincere by telling us. The pains they subject us to are too much,” he said in Yoruba.

The development has already started biting hard on commuters, who had to pay over 50 per cent more on transportation.

From Mile 2 to Oshodi, transport operators charged

N150 on the journey which used to be N100. It was the same thing on Ikotun-Cele route. From Cele to Orile, commuters were made to pay just N30. From Oshodi to Ojota commuters paid N150 for the journey of N100, same from Ojota to Ogba and Ojodu.

Spokesperson for NNPC, Dr. Farouk Ibrahim, could not be reached on phone for comment, but a source at the corporation blamed the scarcity on panic buying and hoarding.

“The product is available everywhere; motorists should desist from panic buying while marketers too should not hoard fuel,” he said.

New Telegraph had exclusively reported that about 21 fuel depots, where the marketers load product in Lagos had run out of supplies.

Although the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency had, penultimate weekend, approved the first quarter fuel imports allocation, but a marketer, who craved anonymity, said that it would take a few days before the positive effect of the allocation could be felt.

The four depots with supplies are Capital Oil, Folawiyo depot, Integrated and Nipco Plc. This development affected fuel bridging to other parts of the country.

As a result of the shortage of fuel at depots, ex-depot price went up to N99 in some depots for a product that was supposed to be selling at pump price of N97. Rates at depots on Wednesday were Capital - 98.50, Folawiyo N98 and Integrated - N99.

The lowest by Nipco was N95. Both Folawiyo and Capital loaded only tickets of the Products and Pipeline Marketing Company to bulk purchase customers of NNPC. When contacted on phone by New Telegraph on Sunday, Group General Manager, NNPC, Dr. Farouk Ibrahim, who expressed surprise that there was scarcity in Lagos and its environs, stated that there was no plan by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of PMS. He said, “Government just gave out licences to importers last week and that is not an indication that it wants to raise the pump

price of PMS. It means that the industry is still regulated. Otherwise, it would just have allowed people to source their own products and only intervene by fixing a price for the products.

We expect that there will be some measure of relief next week when the vessels are able to discharge their consignments.”

For his part, President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abdulkadir Aminu, linked the lingering fuel scar-

city across the country to the delay of cargo ship awaiting clearance at the high sea by security operatives.

Contrary to a recent statement in Abuja, credited to Aminu, that the current scarcity was not caused by hoarding of the product by his members, Ibrahim stated that the problem of scarcity was as a result of hoarding by petroleum marketers who had been waiting for a possible increase in pump price by the Federal Government.

However, with the im-

pending delivery of petroleum products by importers, he said, “hoarders will only discover that they have shot themselves in the foot when the product floods the market next week.”

In an effort to curtail the activities of hoarders of the product within the Abuja environ, the NNPC boss said men of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR had sealed some petrol stations around the Katampe area, that were discovered to be hoarding the product

while telling motorists they had none.

He urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying and storing of PMS in homes as this could result in fire accidents and possible loss of lives and property.

He said that Kaduna and Warri refineries were functioning, while the pipeline of the Port Harcourt refinery was vandalized. He said as soon as the refinery was fixed, the three refineries would increase the volume of products.

MD/CEO, UBA Foundation, Ijeoma Aso (second left); Group Legal Counsel, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Samuel Adikamkwu; and pupils of Coker Secondary School, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos during the UBA Read Africa Session... recently

Otuoke: Jonathan’s hometown suffers six-month blackout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

major repair works.

Ikio explained that the turbine was being upgraded to generate at least 15mw electricity from its current capacity of four megawatts.

What this means is that the turbine, when operational again, would have the capacity to carry improved load from the emerging commercial and domestic electricity demands of the president’s town.

It was further gathered that one of the generating plants of the turbine gas was sent to Canada for comprehensive repairs. However, six months after the turbine went for repairs, it is yet to be fully functional.

When New Telegraph on Sunday sought explanations from officials of ministry of Power and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, our correspondent was told that since Otuoke is not con-

nected to the national grid, the problem of non-availability of electricity in the town is the headache of relevant agencies in Bayelsa State. Jonathan Ogbonna, a Special Assistant to the Minister of Power stated that the problem of electricity in Otuoke was a local one since it was not connected to the national grid.

Ogbonna noted, “It is not under our network. It is under the state turbine. It is the state Commissioner for Energy that can answer your questions on why there has not been light there since September.” He further explained that “sometime last year there was a collapsed tower in Bayelsa and it was repaired.

That is on the transmission side. I made a call to the TCN General Manager in Port Harcourt to enquire if there is any transmission problem to Bayelsa and he confirmed that there was no transmission problem in the state.

According to him, whatever

that is happening at Otuoke is a local distribution issue.”

Our reporter learnt from the Ministry of Power that three contracts have been awarded to remedy the power problem in Otuoke community in particular and Bayelsa State in general. The contracts, according to the them include the upgrading of the existing 30MVA to 90MVA at Gbarantoro, Yenegoa SubStation; 13.9km, 33kva over headline to Federal University, Otueke and Installation of 2x2.5MVA injection substation and construction of Angiama to Eniwari 33kv line with spurs to Oporoma and Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe; and Reconstruction of switch yard at Kolokiri and Angiama sub-station. The contracts have 12 months completion period from time of mobilization.

Recently, President Jonathan inaugurated operation “Light-Up Rural Nigeria”, a project aimed at using renew-

able energy to get electricity across to rural communities in all the 36 states of the federation, especially communities not connected to the national grid. Jonathan had at the inauguration of the project held at Durumi, a rural community, Bwari area council of the federal capital territory (FCT), pledged to ensure constant power supply to Nigerians.

The President had noted that the project was initiated under the second phase of government’s power sector reform programme planned for the post-privatisation period. Jonathan said the initiative was conceived primarily to promote the use of renewable energy, thereby assisting the vision of providing reliable electricity supply to all Nigerians.

For residents and business operators, life has been hectic in the last six months as they have to run their own independent power projects with generators.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Ondo factional PDP members close ranks ahead of 2015 Babatope Okeowo Akure

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L-R: Dr Remilekun Akinola rep. Ekiti state Governor, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state, Chief Reuben Fasoranti and Chief O. Olanihun Ajayi.

Boko Haram: Unity school old students condemn pupils murder Chijioke Iremeka

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equel to the slaughter of 59 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, the Unity School Old Students Association (USOSA), under the aegis of Federal Government Colleges, Federal Government Girls Colleges, Federal Government Science Colleges, Federal Science and Technical Colleges, Kings College and Queens College, organised a town hall meeting, yesterday, to address the menace.

The association, while sympathising with the families of the deceased, the State, students and management of the school, condemned in its totality, such heinous crime against humanity and called on Federal Government, for matter of urgency, adopt its demands as a way of forestalling more loss of lives.

Speaking at the meeting held at Kings’ College, Victo-

ria Island, the President General of the association, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabiru NuhuKoko also called on civil society organisations, women groups, unions, associations and peace-loving Nigerians to join hands in condemning the killings and the attendant abduction of innocent young girls and women in the North-east.

He called for immediate closure of all the eight Federal Unity Colleges in the three northern States under emergency rule, which include Borno, Yobe and Adamawa as well as other schools that lay in harm’s way.

Nuhu-Koko wants immediate transfer of all students in the Unity Colleges to Federal Unity Colleges in the country to continue with their studies, urging FG to deploy all necessary resources towards ending the insecurity situation in the north-eastern part of the country and bring

the culprits to book.

“We need immediate deployment of sufficient security personnel, particularly in the Unity Schools to safeguard the schools that are still in session in the three states under emergency rule until the children are evacuated to safer environment,” he added.

However, the Chairman, Governing Council, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu charged every Nigerian to be involved in every activities that will bring about good governance to ensure that the citizens are not taken for granted, adding “masses are not doing what they should be doing.”

He maintained that there is nothing as more sacrosanct as the security and protection of life and dignity of all citizens, which are the bedrock of the unity of the Nigeria as a nation.

The Chief Executive Officer, Murtala Muhamed Foundation (MMF), Mrs. Muhammed Oyebode, wondered why parents would spend fortune, training their children in government schools for them to be massacred. “The stakeholders are not bothered because they do not have their children in any of the public schools.”

The President, King’s College Old Boys’ Association, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie said the meeting should be a clarion call to the government on the issues bothering on the state of insecurity in the country.

He noted that the approach will affect social, political and analytical issues in the country. “The security operatives will have to work together for a common goal.

Whatever strategy to be used, the security operatives will have to work with the communities for better result.”

he Ondo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has harmonised all its various factions of the party in the state as part of the effort to reposition the party and form a common front ahead of 2015 general elections.

It also directed all suspended or expelled members of the party to go back to their respective positions in the party.

Besides, it set a seven-man committee headed by Hon. Ajibola Owoeye to woo back into the fold all those that defected to other political parties the during the crisis.

At a meeting held at Prof.

Olu Agbi’s residence and attended by all factions within the party in Akure South Local Government area of the state resolved the pre-governorship election crisis that led to the defeat of the party by the ruling Labour Party (LP).

There had been factional crisis rocking the state chapter of the party over the zoning of political offices and party positions.

The crisis led to the forma-

Group tasks PDP over Ekiti ministerial slot Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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n Ekiti-based sociopolitical group, Agbajowo Omo Ekiti, has tasked Ekiti leaders, particularly Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, on the need for understanding and maturity in filling the vacant ministerial slot for the state.

The group spoke against the backdrop of the jostle

Ekiti to sanction errant LG bosses over expenditure framework Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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kiti State Government has warned local government caretaker chairmen against deviating from the implementation of Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), (20142016), saying it will sanction

any council boss who fails to implement the policy.

Handing down the warning in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Paul Omotoso, said MTEF was not meant to make the councils subservient to the state government, but to make them partners

in development and progress.

He described MTEF as a policy direction for execution of all government projects and programmes at the grassroots level, saying any change of government would not in any way affect the operation of the document since it is supported

by the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“It will be difficult to deviate from the policy because it is directly attached to budget implementation at the grassroots so that councils can operate the same policies with the state government to bring development to the doorsteps of our people. Any

tions PDP-Gbasibe led by Prof Agbi and the mainstream led by late Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

While the Agbi’s faction supported Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s reelection bid, the other faction supported Chief Olusola Oke’s aspiration to become the governor of the state.

Addressing the gathering that included the state representative on the board of Sure-P, Mr Adedayo Omolafe, Hon Afolabi Akinbowale and the Akure South Chairman of the party, Chief Afe Ifedayo, Agbi said the PDP is the only party with structures across the state and the country, saying the party had withstand all its previous disputes.

He advised all the warring factions to sheath their swords and work towards the victory of the party at future elections.

Agbi said all the meetings of the factions should seize henceforth as party meeting would now hold at the party secretariat.

The Chairman of Akure South of the party, Ifedayo said the party executives at the ward, local and state chapters remain intact in order to foster unity in the party.

budget being operated at the council level must take its contents from MTEF before it can be approved by the House of Assembly. But any deviation from it will carry very serious sanction because the Kayode Fayemiled government doesn’t joke with development and due process”, Omotoso said.

for the ministerial slot following the resignation of the Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, from the federal cabinet to pursue his governorship ambition in the state.

The group’s National Secretary, Mr Iyiola Babalola, said in a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti that all the contenders for the vacant ministerial slot for the state “should speak from the same page and make Ekiti their priority”.

Babalola, who said the group gathered that no fewer than six prominent Ekiti people were jostling for the slot, said “it requires some mature handling”.

The group listed contenders for the slot to include Senator Ayo Arise, Ambassador Gbenga Olofin, Hon Kola Adefemi, Yinka Akerele, Alhaja Adubiaro, and Chief Femi Ajayi.

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

2015 Election: Reject APC, youth groups urge Nigerians Joseph Onyekwere

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wo youth groups in the country, the Youths of All Nations, YOAN, and National Youth Forces, NYF have called on Nigerians to reject the All Progressive Congress, APC, in its entirety.

The two groups in a release jointly signed by Chamberlain Odafe, the groups’ spokesperson said its call was to save and protect Nigerian youths from the APC’s rascality.

The groups described current happenings in the nation’s political landscape as a threat to the common destiny of the country as a nation; adding that “failure to make such call at this time, will amount to negligence and betrayal of the common trust youth of all nations, especially Nigerian youth placed in us.”

According to the president of YOAN, Mr. Babatunde Ifenuga, “No nation can survive without economic activities. Poli-

tics in this clime has become a tool for selfish ambition and show of power instead of pursuit of economic development and well-being of the people.

“We find it absurd that the new merger party, APC, ordered its members in the national assembly to block the passage of 2014 budget. In whose interest? Youth of Nigeria? No! It is in the interest of the cabal who formed themselves into APC to bring the federal government to its knees in a show of power. Even though, the Appropriation bill may not be perfect, must APC inflict more injury on the suffering Nigerians. Her power of check and balances is expected to be utilized for people’s interest. Shutting down the nation never is.

This singular show of insensitivity is a demonstration of whose interest, APC is formed to serve. Definitely neither the people nor the youths. The youths are not convinced with this type of progress,” he

added.

Also, the Media Relation Officer of Nation Youth Force, Mr. Toyin Abraham, stated that APC has heated-up the polity so much so that there is tension everywhere.

He attributed the ugly happenings within the country as fallouts of the activities of the desperate power seekers without consideration for the victims, the ordinary Nigerians.

He said the worst victims of this brigandage are the youths who they turn to merchants of death, horror of war and terrorists.

He said; “Nigerian youths are sick and tired of seeing those that we call elders destroying the future they claimed they are concerned about. Is the Boko Haram menace not enough? Imagine the large cache of ammunition intercepted in River State by security operatives. If these have escaped un-intercepted, who will be recruited to use them?

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News

TVC set to break foreign dominance on pay TV Azubike Nnadozie

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VC News, a 24-hour pan Africa News Channel, which began operation in 2013, is set to launch a PayTV network that would offer its target audience unfettered access to 26 news channels free of charge.

The new PayTV network tagged Continental Satellite will compete against DStv, StarTimes, and DaarSat, which are the brands currently operating in the Nigerian market.

Speaking at the media session to announce the company’s one year anniversary, Chief executive officer of the company, Mr. Nigel Parsons said TVC News is motivated by the successes it has recorded in just one year of operation, adding that the company was encouraged to invest more in the Africa market in order to change foreign perception about Africa and Nigeria.”

Since the first public broadcast on February 28, 2013, TVC News has reached great milestones in news coverage across Africa and the globe. Reaching over three million (3,000,000) households in Africa & Europe, TVC News has already been recognised as a unique service, filling a gap that meant Africa was previously the only continent without its own self-produced news & current affairs channel.

The 24-hour pan-African news channel set out to challenge stereotypes and correct factual inaccuracies about Africa and its peoples; has also remained objective with its news about the continent, reporting the news as it is, as fearless as it is informative, through African eyes.

Cameroun’s reluctance caused border closure Emmanuel Onani Abuja Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Oladele (left), presenting the Integrity Heroes Award to the Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, Comrade Ayodele Adewale as the most transparent and accountable Local Government Chairman with integrity in Lagos State, at the 2013 Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance Integrity Heroes Awards, in Abuja on Friday.

Igbo leaders caution against abandonment of 2nd Niger bridge Uwakwe Abugu Awka

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he announcement by the federal government that a whopping sum of N117bn has been budgeted for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, South East Nigeria has been greeted with cautious optimism by prominent Igbo political and opinion leaders.

The leaders urged the government to take the project seriously this time around con-

sidering the wasted years of politicking over the takeoff of the proposed bridge.

Among those who reacted on the move by the government to make the project a reality are former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, former governor and former senator, Chief Jim Nwobodo and some members of the Anambra state House of Assembly, among others.

Whereas they stated that Ndigbo have been following the recent development with keen interest

and happiness, they however expressed cautious optimism, urging the federal government to ensure that it does not go the way of some abandoned projects in the zone.

Last Tuesday, the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, announced that the Federal Government has earmarked the sum of N117 billion for the construction of the second Niger Bridge.

The minister’s pronouncement followed on the heels of last Saturday’s declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan that the

groundbreaking ceremony to signal takeoff of the project would be performed personally him before March 17 and he disclosed this at the palace of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, in the presence of many other prominent Igbo leaders, including some governors.

Onolememen’s announcement was made while he was defending the ministry’s budget before the Sen. Abdul Ningi-led Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

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ederal Government’s decision to close the Cameroun border with Adamawa State was as a result of the reluctance of the Central African country to assist Nigeria in the war against insurgency in the Northeast, New Telegraph has learnt.

A senior military officer, who confided in our correspondent on Friday explained that the country’s borders with Niger and Chad were not affected, owing largely to the collaborative efforts by both countries to contain the insurgents from their end.

The highly-placed military source, who doesn’t want his name mentioned, said: “The Federal Government does not need to close its borders with Niger and Chad and the reason is because the two countries are part of the effort to win the war on terror.”

The country’s border with Cameroun was closed last week, in a determined effort to stop the terrorists from escaping to Cameroun.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

News

Russia approves troops for Ukraine R

The campaign office of Senetor Ibrahim Gobir (APC Sokoto), burnt by unknown persons in sokoto …yesterday.NAN-PHOTO

Enforcement of new Lagos law on smoking to begin soon Ahaoma Kanu

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ore than five weeks after the Lagos State Government passed a law prohibiting smoking in public places in the state, enforcement of the law is yet to commence New Telegraph on Sunday have gathered.

The bill which was initiated by Mr.Gbolahan Yishawu, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Eti-Osa II and accented by the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola recently, prohibits residents of the state from smoking in public places such as educational facilities, hospitals, libraries, museum, public toilets, stadia, restaurants, public transportation and restaurants among others.

The State Environmental Protection Agency was given the powers to implement the

law.

But a visit by New Telegraph on Sunday to some public places revealed that compliance of the laws is yet to start. Owners of relaxation spots, designated football viewing centres and others said they are yet to hear from the government on how the new law is going to be enforced.

“We have not heard from the government yet but already we have started meeting and planning on how we will be able to comply with the law”, said Obele Inuwa who operates a drinking joint in Ikeja.

At the popular Social Club Road located at Abuke Egba area of the state, none of the over 20 drinking joints had a non-smoking sign and children were seen serving drinks to adults in the midst

of heavy smoking as a popular football championship was shown during the week.

Those who spoke to New Telegraph on Sunday said they don’t even know which agency that is saddled with the responsibility of enforcing the law.

“We have not heard from the government and I don’t know which agency that has responsibility of effecting the law,” said Bintu Osagie in Surulere.

When contacted, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Engr. Adebola Shabi, said that while the agency is rounding up plans to commence the enforcement of the law, there are certain processes that must be done before such a law is put into effect.

“When a law like this is passed, an enforcement agency must seriously study the law properly. Here at LASEPA, we have been studying the law with our legal officers. The next stage which is going to start in a couple of weeks is creating awareness. There is going to be a lot of radio jingles, television adverts and billboards that will be placed in strategic locations in the state. There will also be a roadshow to let people understand why smoking should be restricted in some areas,” he said.

He went on to disclose that considering that the population of persons in the state, the agency is going to involve local governments and if need be, the local governments may also enforce the law.

North-East killings: Expert urge behavioural analysis

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ecurity expert Dr. Ona Ekhomu has called on Nigeria’s security agencies to conduct behavioral analyses of Boko Haram terrorists in order to predict future attacks and prevent the tragic events.

Ekhmonu’s call came just the National Vice President of Parents Teachers’ Association, Pastor Julius Olaribigbe, described as “abominable, callous and heinous” the slaughtering of children in their sleep

at the Federal Government College, Yadi in Yobe State.

He urged Federal Government to take serious action against the government of Cameroon where the insurgents has been taking refuge to lunch attacks on the country. Olaribigbe described the perennial attacks on school children as a systematic decimation of the future of the country, and urged security agencies to live up to their re-

sponsibilities.

According to Ekhomu, behavioral analysis gives the security psychologists or profilers deep insight into the mind, phenomenology, idiosyncrasies and patternedbehaviors of sociopathic and psychopathic serial offenders.

Ekhomu, who is chairman of the School of Management and Security, said that since Boko Haram terrorists were serial killers, it was possible to

predict their choice of targets, timing of attacks, success rate and methods of attacks – even before they strike.

He called for the setting up of Behavioral Analysis Units as part of our security infrastructure. He said that the war against BH terrorism was not a conventional warfare and that Nigeria’s security agencies have to be retooled faster in order to “meet extant challenges”.

ussia’s upper house of parliament has approved President Putin’s request for Russian forces to be used in Ukraine.

He had asked that Russian forces be used “until the normalisation of the political situation in the country”.

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based in the Ukrainian region of Crimea, where many ethnic Russians live.

Kiev has reacted angrily to days of military movements in Crimea, accusing Moscow of trying to provoke the new government into an armed conflict.

Interim President Olexander Turchynov has called an emergency session of his security chiefs.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin submitted the request for troops “in connection with the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to the lives of Russian citizens”, the Kremlin said.

Continue reading the main story Crimea. Autonomous republic within Ukraine Transferred from Russia in 1954 The upper house went into a special session almost immediately after Mr Putin made the request, in what seems to have been a carefully co-ordinated series of events during the day.

Earlier, the lower house of parliament had urged the president to take whatever measures were necessary

Ethnic Russians - 58.5% *Ethnic Ukrainians - 24.4% *Crimean Tatars - 12.1% *Source: Ukraine census 2001

to “stabilise” the situation in Crimea.

During the upper house debate, one legislator accused US President Barack Obama of crossing “a red line” with his comments that there would be costs if Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine.

The upper house has recommended that the Russian ambassador to the US should be recalled, although the decision lies with Mr Putin.

The request follow days of military activity in Crimea during which unidentified armed men moved in to take over the regional parliament, state television and telecommunications hubs.

Soldiers from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea, are reported to be guarding some administrative buildings and military bases.

Amid the closure of airspace over Crimea’s regional capital Simferopol on Friday evening, there were unconfirmed reports that Russian planes were flying in thousands of troops.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh said on Saturday there are now an extra 6,000 Russian troops in Crimea, alongside an additional 30 armoured vehicles.

Adenuga, gets centenary award for entrepreneurial excellence Jonah Iboma

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hairman of Nigeria’s national telecoms operator, Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr. (GCON), has been honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government of Nigeria for entrepreneurial excellence.

Dr. Adenuga was bestowed with the prestigious award in the category of ‘Accomplished Contemporary Entrepreneurs’ on Friday night at the grand finale of the celebrations of the centenary anniversary organized to mark 100 years of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria.

The Federal Government

described Adenuga as a distinguished entrepreneur and renowned employer of labour in Nigeria.

Ninety nine other eminent Nigerians were honored at the event in various categories ranging from “Contributors to the Making of Nigeria” to “Heroes of the Struggle for Nigeria’s Independence/Pioneer Political leaders”, “Pioneers in Professional Callings/Careers”, “Pioneers in Commerce and Industry”, “Promoters of Democracy in Nigeria”, “Heroes in Global Sports Competition”, “Accomplished Pioneer Public Servants”, “Accomplished Contemporary Entrepreneurs and distinguished Academics among others.

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

1914-2014

Okotie-Eboh with Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa before a meeting

First Republic politicians were true patriots - Okotie-Eboh’s son M

any articles and books have been written about the First Republic actors and the 1966 coup. Is there anything that has not been said, especially on corruption?

This is difficult to say. But let me put it this way; I wouldn’t want to make a comparism. But if people say it was corruption, I would question where corruption was found then. It was a game of political power play; sectionalism that has driven into Nigeria. The people then were driven more by the spirit of leadership, the power to be in charge.

If you look at that coup, it was essentially an Igbo coup. The characters that led the coup such as Nzeogwu, Ifeajuna and others were from the Igbo zone.

I wouldn’t want to be drawn into a further discussion on that unfortunate incident, especially who did what.

But all I know is that my father was killed in that coup.

But he belonged to NCNC, which was regarded as an Igbo party?

He was in the NCNC, which was almost an Igbo party.

My personal belief is that they saw his powers as at that time. And when a man is going into a coup, the threats are the things that they cut off. They saw in him a threat. And for them, if such a man was allowed to go scotfree, it was not to their advantage.

Again, he was from the Western Region. If you take a retrospective look, you will discover that the destruction was in the West and in the North.

Don’t be deceived that Nzeogwu was from the west because he was first and foremost an Igboman.

wouldn’t want to see it as a national cleansing, because if you look at what followed, you will discover that the ‘cleaners’ were dirtier than the ‘cleansed’. Look at Nigeria and the actors today. You can’t compare them with what we had in the First Republic. You hear lies like the First Republic politicians sowed the corruption seed that has grown into a monster today. They have never said anything that is right.

If you give birth to a child, that child must first learn how to crawl before he stands. And after standing the child will begin to walk. The country was just coming out of a colonial experience. What I thought the people could have said was the reason for their action was simple, ‘Those who has been there have been there for too long’.

If they had said that, it would have been understandable.

Then, they should have stayed away and allowed others to continue from there. But how old were these people as at when these events took place? And we were not running the kind of presidential system of government that we have today.

That was a parliamentary system of government where people came with more of advisory roles.

Unlike what we have today that the president and governors have loads of advisers. Such actions have led the country to spend most of its resources on recurrent expenditure rather than capital projects.

What we have today is too much payment for nothing done. That led to the destruction of the private sector that is supposed to develop and employ workers and create more room for employment.

What do you think was the real reason for the coup?

Festus Okotie-Eboh

It was clearly a tribal issue. I

Lawrence Okotie-Eboh, son

The man Okotie-Eboh lived a very flamboyant lifestyle. Where did he get that from?

I want to make a very clear point on that. The way you grow up and where you come from must have an effect on your style of living. Your styles is driven by your growing process. He was an C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 0

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH 1914-2014

First Republic politicians were true patriots - Okotie-Eboh’s son CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 9

Itsekiri man, and that is the nature of the dressing of the people. If you look at the Itsekiri and Calabar people, they have almost similar traits.

These are people who like things to be decent looking. They want to see themselves to be well cared for. They take delight in their outings. But he capitalised on that and modernised it to a point where he got people to know that he was from a certain place. He was making a statement with his unique dress sense.

Even when he went to England, he dressed the way that they had never seen before. Another unique part of him was that he was very huge, tall and bold. Among the members of the Western House of Assembly, he was almost the tallest. But that was the special side of him. It was expected that for a man who had such an intimidating presence, he must be a bully with a very loud voice.

The reverse was the case for him.

God gave him a feminine voice with steel that helped him win arguments on superior presentations on all sides of issues. Again, most people with such presence are expected to have a lean intelligence quotient, but his intelligence went beyond imagination. No one among his descendants has measured up to what he exhibited. I have never seen anyone that can match him on that, not even among his children.

You see some of us taking after him differently, but none has the combination of his intelligence and sagacity. I am a copy of my father physically; my brother, Bawo, who just died, was a semblance of him in terms of academics and intelligence. While charismatically, my brother Adolor (former Delta State ACN boss) is a copy of him. Some of us like my elder brother; Rev Goodluck Okotie-Eboh who is based in America took from his religious nature. Everybody, including his followers and friends, copied parts of his symbolic nature, because he lived as a symbol for others to copy from.

While the man was enjoying the gift of God in his life, he was also magnanimous.

He wasn’t selfish. He brought most of them to Itsekiri area. He brought Chevron here.

He was responsible for the building of the Escravos bar when Chevron (formerly Gulf ) said they could not come to Escravos, where they are located now. My father said ‘no’, it must be located in Escravos. These people are very backward, they have no link and this will be the best thing to happen to them.

The fear then was that the waves would wash off the city in 20 years like it has done to the environment around there. My father then said they would stop the water from coming in. That was how they built the Escravos bar. It is a huge pillar that was built across the sea in Ijaw land. It helped in keeping most of the land mass intact from the ravaging ocean waves.

If he had come from the North or any other major ethnic group and did that to the glory of his people, governments would have since named it after him. That is a way of encouraging people in power to build for posterity. My father was a man for his people, a man for his environment and a man that was always there for the people around him.

Okotie-Eboh amongst his kinsmen

your father’s estate. How were you able to resolve that?

My personal belief is that they saw his powers as at that time. And when a man is going into a coup, the threats are the things that they cut off.

Who was his mother, and who was Okotie-Eboh?

His mother was known as Mama Kayada.

She hailed from Orogun, also in Delta State.

She was married to Edah. Her union with Okotie-Eboh produced my father before Edah married her. Eboh was the father of Okotie. Eboh was a very powerful slave dealer that made good use of his community’s nearness to the river; based on that he was involved in that trade.

He owned a large plantation where some of these people worked. And Edah happened to be one of the workers in the plantation then. They would go for three months, after that they would come back.

It was like a slave camp. While these men were working in the plantation, their wives were kept in the camp. That was how my father was born. Not only my father, there were other five people that were born under that circumstance. Among them, my father was a man, and a man must answer his father’s name.

Your family had a protracted legal battle with one of your siblings with regard to

One of the things that have kept us together all along is the way the man wanted his family to be. Because he already started his life as a polygamist, so he recognised the effect of polygamy in a family circle.

For that reason he never allowed his children to grow up in a polygamous way.

So when we were born the man took every one of us from our mum at age six or seven; when we were about starting primary school. He would bring us to stay with her younger sister, Mrs. Gbubemi Obobor, in Sapele.

Our mothers were never allowed to come in and encourage any division among us. So there was a bond among us, especially the men. We were six females and eight males.

My father only had male children towards the end of his life. All the boys lived with his sister at the present Zik’s Grammar School compound. That was before he moved to Ogorode We were never allowed to taste the luxury of his wealth. He kept us in a setting where we grew up like any other children.

He never allowed us to attend any private school. We all attended the public school here. I didn’t even knew that my father was

that flamboyant, powerful and rich. I never grew up knowing him.

He treated us like other children; sometimes when he came politicking and threw goodies for children to pick, I would even go rushing to grab some for myself like any other kid. Basically, that was how he planned his life. He ensured that none of us had that stupid affluent living that was not earned. He did not allow us to arrogate to ourselves such lordship that was not ours.

For him lordship belongs to God. So he prepared us to enjoy the life that we are enjoying today without any undue influence.

We all grew up like very humble children.

I don’t even know who I am because we all grew up in the ghetto like every other child in the neighbourhood. That is why it is difficult to meddle with some of these people who call themselves aristocrats.

That is why when they call me to relate with them I find it difficult because there is too much artificial nature in them. I don’t know them; I don’t even see them because I love the common man. When our Lord Jesus came, he wasn’t found in the palace.

He was born in the ghetto. He exhibited that Godliness, because He is God Almighty. He said that ‘I became poor so that you might become rich.’

If you have historical photographs, documents and memorabilia on the Centenary, you can send to centenary@newtelegraphonline.com or by post to New Telegraph, 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos for publication.

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

1914-2014

Amalgamation speech by the Governor-General, Sir Federick Lugard, on the occasion of the declaration of the Constitution of the Colony and and Protectorate of Nigeria, January 1st, 1914.

Lord Lugard

Instyle Fairy tale world of private jet owners p.14

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/life

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Life

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

2 MARCH 2014

Vehicle clamped by Park and Pay operators

Abuja’s Park and Pay policy is killing us - Motorists Yekeen Nurudeen, Abuja

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or Nyisom Dore, a journalist practising in Abuja, the Park and Pay policy introduced by the Federal Capital Territory Administration sometime in 2012 is nothing but an ‘anti-people policy.’

The policy which according to the FCTA was meant to regulate the on-street parking within and around the capital, Dore opined must be reviewed to serve the interest of the people.

Her grouse! She had gone for an event

at the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Secretariat Complex on a certain day.

After parking her Toyota Sienna space wagon car at space marked for that, she paid N100 to an attendant for one hour.

But when Dore returned after spending more than hour though, her car was already clamped. Her offence: She spent more than the one hour she paid for and the penalty was N5000.

Livid with anger, she approached the parking attendant and demanded an explanation as to why her car was chained despite the payment she made. And to her surprise, she was told the fee she paid ex-

pired and because she didn’t come over to renew it, her car was clamped.

The FCTA had on several occasions defended the policy, arguing that it was meant to help decongest the city. The administration has had to contend with over 29 court cases since the policy was introduced.

Abuja, according to the administration, has been gripped by congestion in human and vehicular traffic and measures had to be taken to keep the situation in check.

In the beginning, the park and pay system was concessioned to Integrated Parking System and Platinum Parking

It has come to stay, says operator Malam Ilyasu Abdu is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Parking Services, one of the pioneer park and pay operators in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In this interview with YEKEEN NURUDEEN, Ilyasu says despite barrage of controversies that has trailed the introduction of park and pay policy in the FCT, the policy has come to stay.

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hat’s the idea behind Park and Pay in the FCT? Parking management has been part and parcel of the Abuja master plan. The Abuja master plan was designed by Americans. They integrated such services they had in their countries into the Abuja master plan.

And one of those services is on-street parking.

If you recall, Lagos, the former federal capital, has problems with traffic congestion. So when they were designing Abuja, they decided to integrate parking management into the master plan. This thing has been there from day one when the master plan was approved and construction commenced.

Ilyasu Abdu

Management Service through public private partnership.

Under this arrangement, the Federal Capital City was divided into zones and concessioned to different park and pay operators. Motorists are expected to park their vehicles in designated or marked areas on the streets and pay certain fees, the least being N50 for 30 minutes.

And perhaps, due to what many residents have described as the ‘lucrative’ nature of the business, more operators have also been licensed by the FCT’s Transportation Secretariat.

Besides this, it was also learnt that the

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

parking attendants are usually eager to get cars clamped, as they are said to be entitled to a percentage of the fee charged the owner of an impounded vehicle.

In the opinion of those who spoke to New Telegraph on Sunday, the FCTA should have addressed the problem of inadequate transportation system in the city before introducing the policy.

They specifically said the administration should have allowed its railway system to be operative before thinking of decongesting the road through the park and pay policy.

An observer pointed out that Park and Ride as against Park and Pay should have been the appropriate policy for a growing city like Abuja.

He concluded by saying that if even the Park and Pay system is good, the administration was in a haste to introduce it.

“The railway system should have been completed first before they introduced such a policy,” he said.

On the activities of the parking attendants and enforcers, another motorist who was involved in a brawl with some of them recently, said they were not civil.

“If this were to be in a developed country, this work would be carried out with courtesy. The attendants would even be smiling even when they know you would pay a fine. But here, some of these new companies have rude or untrained staff,” he said.

From his personal experience with the Park and Pay operatives, Marcus Inno alleged that the companies only hired thugs as their parking control officers to harass motorists in Abuja.

“This is a job for friendly people. The attendants and enforcers must be willing to entertain complaints and even explain things to offenders. But here they harass you with police officers sometimes,” he lamented.

Witnesses to many brawls between car owners and staff of park and pay companies also testified to the unfriendly nature of the operators.

A lawyer was reported to have engaged the parking enforcers in a free for all at the premises of the FCT High Court when he found that his car had been clamped.

A source close to the lawyer told our

Life

A vehicle being towed

correspondent that he had also sued the FCTA over the appropriateness of the park and pay especially as it concerns clamping cars.

New Telegraph on Sunday further learnt that the suit is challenging the rationale behind government’s powers to charge car owners for parking on roads built with taxpayers’ money.

He is also asking the court to declare whether the policy is for profit making for the government and operators or to stop illegal parking.

Perhaps, his last question might be informed by a finding that the operators realise on a daily basis between the sum of N750, 000 and N1million from parking tickets and fines paid by offenders in the city centre.

Quite a number of car owners have protested to the FCT administration over the operators’ excesses.

Austine Ajotuseme said that it was wrong for a car to be clamped on the account that the owner over stayed the period he or she paid for. This, he noted, violated rules and regulations guiding the operation of the policy.

“The area where they are doing well is the clamping of cars. The rules of motoring do not allow clamping of cars.

Ordinarily, what they ought to do is make people pay for the additional time. And again, the policy has not decongested FCT roads.”

Some motorists accused such operators as Platinum Parking Management Service, Integrated Parking System and Najec/Safe Parking Limited of grossly violating the rules and regulations guid-

But now government decided that this is the right time to activate the on-street parking because congestion is trying to rear its ugly head in Abuja.

Government invited some private individuals who have the wherewithal and the know-how to come and implement parking services. Our company, Integrated Parking Services, and one other company, Platinum Parking Management Services, were the first set of companies concessioned in 2010 but we commenced operations in 2012 due to logistic reasons.

Two years on now, has the policy decongested the roads?

Exactly, as far as congestion is concerned in Abuja, it has reduced drastically. If you don’t have anything doing in a particular area where there is parking control, you don’t go there. That’s the essence of it, to decongest the street. We are doing that perfectly.

There have been a number of complaints against the activities of operators of the policy. We have seen some of the operators moving to off-street areas as against the on-street. What do you have to say about this?

Licences for off-street were given by the Trans-

ing the operation of the policy.

But while reacting to the various complaints against the policy, Joseph Udedi, the Special Adviser to the FCT Secretary for Transportation, Jonathan Ivoke, admitted that it had been trailed by controversy since its introduction in January 2012.

Udedi said the FCTA had entertained a barrage of petitions from aggrieved members of the public over the policy.

“There are so many court cases. The Secretariat’s head of Legal Department said there had been about 29 cases against the park and pay policy. Some were challenging the legality or powers of the FCT minister to enforce park and pay in the FCT. The court gave judgment that the minister has the power to introduce the policy.

“That’s political. The other issues are operational issues and the parking operators are doing it according to international standards. It is even a source of income to the City of California. It’s a new development here, and because of that, people tend to fight against it,” he told our correspondent.

He further dispelled the notion that the policy was a revenue drive by the FCTA, adding, “The programme is meant for traffic management. It’s not the issue of revenue drive. The major theme of the policy is to make sure seamless movement and orderly parking are achieved in the city.”

When confronted with allegations that some operators had extended their services to some off-street areas in the city, Udedi said sthis was illegal.

portation Secretariat; may be those areas are licensed for off-street. But what I know is that we never operate in any off-street location. We are an on-street parking company and we undertake our operations based on the concession we have with government. For what you have said, I can’t confirm or deny it because I have never been there, I have never seen it. To my best of knowledge, some off-street facilities like one of my areas, Lobito Crescent behind Visa office, I think the Visa people, the Indians, have off-street parking there. They are collecting money and they said it was FCT Transportation Secretariat that concessioned the place to them. It is possible too that those other people have a concession from the Transportation Secretariat.

I have even challenged the secretariat on why they decided to provide off-street licences when we have an on-street concession that has not been exhausted.

There have been instances when parking attendants engaged motorists in brawls. Are you aware of this?

Actually, like I said we are a professional parking company. Our staff on the streets are well trained; they are professionals. We train our staff to be courteous.

“Those off-street car parks are illegal. We did not give out off-street areas.

There’s none but some people are running away from the streets to park. They have created their own off-street car parks and are making money from them.

“We went to those places and stopped them. We told them that the licences we gave them was for on-street parking operation; we didn’t give them off-street parking permits. They are not part of off-street parking. If they want to go into it, they should apply for it. There are designated areas for off-street parking.”

He said the policy was not aimed at preventing residents from bringing their private cars into the city centre.

When confronted with the allegation that parking attendants engage motorists in brawls, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Integrated Parking Services, Malam Iliyasu Abdu, said it was not true.

He stated, “Our staff on the streets are well trained; they are professionals.

We train our staff to be courteous. But we have other companies that joined us later may be for political compensation.

They are the ones with that kind of attitude.

He also denied operating in areas marked ‘off-street,’ adding, “Licences for off-street was given by the Transportation Secretariat; may be those areas are licensed for off-street. But what I know is that we never operate in any off-street location. We are an on-street parking company and we undertake our operations based on the concession we have with government.”

But we have other companies that joined us later may be for political compensation. They are the ones with that kind of attitude.

We started this business and there has been no record of fisticuffs or fighting. If we were engaged in fighting, we wouldn’t be here by now. We never get involved in fighting with people that feed us; that’s where we get our daily bread. How can we fight the man that pays our bills?

How true is it that parking attendants are paid a certain percentage for cars that are clamped or towed?

Let me give you an insight into how we operate. The parking attendants, we call them CPEOs, Civil Parking Enforcement Officers. If you perform creditably, say you sell parking tickets worth N10,000 a day there is a certain percentage that we will give you. We don’t pay people for clamping. We don’t pay our CPEOs for towing anybody’s vehicle so that we don’t encourage them to do bad things. If we do that, we will be encouraging them not to do their job. They don’t have any bonus for clamping but they have a bonus if they issue more tickets.

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Life

A Bombadier private jet at the airport

Fairy tale world of private jet owners

Dangote and Elumelu inside one of Dangote’s jets

Wole Shadare

W

hen it comes to expensive toys, exotic sports cars, super yachts, private jets tend to take the cake in the pricing arena. The $38 million Gulfstream G550 owned by some of Nigeria’s wealthiest men are among the most expensive private jets in the world, fitted with every amenity and a price tag to match!

The Gulfstream G550 jet is a variation of the Gulfstream V with an extended range of 12,500 km. It is powered by twin Rolls Royce motors and hits up to 51,000 feet. This craft can transport 19 passengers depending on the configuration, and two crew in the lap of supreme luxury at speeds of up to 675 miles per hour!

“These planes do not come cheap. When you add the cost of all these jets to the cost of

Getting ready to fly

their daily maintenance, you are likely to get enough to boost the nation’s comatose manufacturing sector or agriculture and generate employment,” said Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, a member of Aircraft Operators of Nigeria.

But another worry in aviation circles is that not only are the planes registered in South Africa, the owners ensure that almost all the pilots, technicians, engineers and crew are also from South Africa.

“Many of them who had Nigerian crew have sacked them “a source told New Telegraph on Sunday. Why? “Maybe the owners feel more secure with foreign crew. But such a large number of foreigners in our airspace undermine national security, not to mention the unemployment problem it creates for indigenous aviation experts,” he said.

But the argument of some of the jet owners is that the aircraft is a business tool. “It is

not necessarily a status symbol or evidence of ostentatious living. If you are in their kind of business, with a busy schedule across the world, you would recognise the need for the jet,” he said.

The Gulfstream line has been a popular choice for alpha males for many years. Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote; Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr; John Travolta; Mark Cuban; Larry Ellison among others, own these planes and fly around regularly in the manner as most of us drive.

So…lunch in Lagos and dinner in Boston?

Not a problem when you own a private jet.

Other popular brands for wealthy Nigerians are the Falcon, Bombardier, Cessna and Challenger Global 5000.

Aside Dangote and Adenuga, there are some who only need to use private jets’ charter when they are too far from their own fleets;

the more reason the business is thriving very much in Nigeria.

The Challenger Global 5000 is an aircraft with a Rolls Royce engine. It has luxurious seating for 14 passengers and an interior that merits the description ‘palace in the air.’ It reportedly costs about $51 million.

Dangote is said to have purchased a Challenger Global Express. Indeed, the Express also with a Rolls Royce engine and manufactured in 2008 was listed for $58 million in December 2010. They are not alone. Bankers, oil industry chieftains, wheelers, dealers and even church leaders are in the jet set.

In the last five years, the number of private jets bought by Nigerians has more than doubled.

Specifically, over 10 units of Hawker 900 XP, a luxurious wonder in the air, have been bought. Each, according to an official of the

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT www.newtelegraphonline.com/politics

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Ankara: Trend du jour

Basic workouts for sexy ABS

Positions in life are ephemeral

-Akinsola Akinfemiwa

16

Body&Soul

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

e t o N r’s o t i d E

Pg. 48

th!

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uary ary and Febr to March. Janu in ed get a ch to ar t m ye go? I’m ve we’ ve es time really d. I can’t belie do ol re s th he ason W on re ? m re he o y...to whe b to do. T The year is tw t be in a hurr n one has a jo us he m w s es th fli on e m tim The that gone already? tion. But I know er to that ques sw an y or ct fa satis we’ ve for the day. y. I wonder if one has to plan the letter is ke to an ubt. pl do r in ou sk one if to follow s time away. A t being ready m bu ea , dr od ho go w is an bless m Yeah, planning . It’s only a jo in weeks in March e th r fo were not falling d ne plan cause the lines be . ed en tir av t he go to he to bike wn when who attempted and slowed do ie , s pp ad ur hi ro ho e e e th th re th of of the side y the first Reminds me e laid down on biked furiousl H e ke H d. bi . te d m us ul hi ha r co fo ex man ply pleasant places to him that no her; he was sim l dn’t move furt then it occurred ul as co d some menia w he di It . e t, m -h in hi it po At a ned towards h he had with . an nc on pl lu up e he th , ed t ke rk ea bi ted a y he emba too tired to even at when he wan e futile journe th th lt fe ed as is g he al in n re sk he so ta W al ’t as sted. to heaven. He hese jobs weren h slowly and re ough money. T en ate his lunc th en e d H ve b. sa jo d a an as jobs needed w r a job! d the farmer fo m that what he field and aske t It dawned on hi es ar ne e th ll waste , he biked to ut am sure we’ strong enough eamt it. Lol. B dr I or y or st e ld th rtain if I was to Now, I’m not ce y. da r we plan ou emiwa, less energy if Akinsola Akinf eritage Bank, H , an of Prur rm to ai ec ch aging Dir nker and an ba M ed e on th e as m se r ca Soul. n he be Any wonde issue of Body& ent in 1999 whe d more in this ng for retirem ni an an ng pl ni d te an pl ar t st y abou has plenty to sa dent Bank. He d soul healthy! ep our body an ke t’s le k, ee w Till next

Pg. 50

Contents 02.03.14 COVER LUXURY INDEX

T h e Te a m

Akinsola Akinfemiwa: Positions in life are ephemeral Chairman, Heritage Bank and Vice Chairman, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Akinsola Akinfemiwa, talks about his experience in the banking industry

l Juliet Bumah

} 18-19

l

Luxury African Spa, Mangwani

Mangwanani massage treatments are infused with traditional African healing rituals and contemporary wellness therapies that nurture body, mind and spirit

Vanessa Okwara l

Biwom Ikiaki

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

Associates

} 21

BEAUTY

Bayo Adeoye

l

Cleanse, moisturise for radiant skin

No matter your skin type, make sure your face stays clean all the time

} 21

FASHION

Ankara: Trend du jour

Ankara has found favour with modern styles and contemporary fashion, with the best quality of this fabric being its stylish look when tailored well

} 22&43

GLAM DUDES

H.E. Toyin Ojora Saraki

Omu Obilor

Funmi Azike

Stanlee Ohikhuare

Trendy African styles Nigerian designers are constantly creating bespoke designs that are unique and trendy for men who want to look good

} 44

BED, WORK & LIFE

Love is wicked Two paces away, the towel dropped, revealing the most beautiful body Richie could swear he had seen in his life.

} 47

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

We do not go to bed angry -Dayo and Caroline Adeneye

Celebrity couple, Dayo Adeneye aka D1, and wife, Caroline, lead us through their whirlwind romance and marriage…

How did you meet?

Caroline: I met Dayo in his father’s house, actually through his father. I had gone visiting my aunt, who was also my class teacher, whom I hadn’t seen in about 12 years. She was a tenant in Dayo’s father’s house. I was unaware that Dayo’s father noticed me each time I went there and subsequently took a special interest in me.

He later directed his son’s interest to me and over time, the relationship developed from just being friends to the point where we decided to take it further. There must have been something my father-in-law saw in me. In fact, in connivance with my aunt who eventually succumbed to his constant pestering, I began making frequent visits to her just so he would make his son take an interest in me. Eventually, Dayo’s curiosity about me got the better of him.

Dayo: We met through my late father. I was just newly divorced and my father was practically breathing down my neck to re-marry. He kept telling me about two ladies who frequently visited one of his tenants who happened to be Caroline’s aunt. At his prompting, I got to meet them, that is Caroline and one of her relations. I liked Caroline instantly, asked her to dinner and the rest, they say, is history.

How did you both know that he/she would be the one you will end up with?

Caroline: I didn’t quite know. I went into the relationship with an open mind but with slight reservations because he works in the media, meaning that he is a public person. At a point, I even began to withdraw because of the nature of his job; but the pressure from my father-in-law was such that I had to stick with him.

He monitored both of us like his life depended on it. It was like I was dating my father-in-law. I was practically the last project he completed before he passed on two years after our marriage. He was indeed a master strategist. But over the course of time, I got hooked and gradually began looking forward to seeing and being with Dayo. In fact three months into the relationship, he proposed to me.

Dayo: Having been married once, I wasn’t too keen on re-marrying, at least for a while. Besides, one of her uncles was not too keen on seeing his niece marry someone in the entertainment industry. Even though we dated for about two years and grew to become very fond of each other, I knew almost immediately we met that she was the one I would eventually end up with.

But like I said, I wasn’t too keen on marriage, having just come out of one.

What was the attraction for both of you?

Caroline: Dayo is calm, cool headed and not much of a talker even though he is in a job where he needs to do a lot of talking. I became very fond of him over time as he would call me often and constantly send me text messages. He is a complete gentleman. He allows me to be myself and to grow into my own. He trusts me completely as he believes that I will never do anything that will bring shame to the family. Dayo is the sort of man that will allow me attend parties without worrying about what I am up to.

Dayo: Caroline is very down to earth, loving and generous to a fault. She is someone who will give someone in dire need her very last dime and I found that quite comforting. Besides, she didn’t quite know who I was, in terms of being D1 even though she knew I had things to do in radio and television.

How was the proposal?

Caroline: Dayo proposed to me the African way, over eba and efo riro. What else can be more spectacular than that? We had gone on vacation to the

United Kingdom and one day, while having lunch at his brother’s, he brought out a box, went on his knees, saying how much he wanted me to be the mother of his children and how he would love to spend the rest of his life with me. He then proceeded to ask me to be his wife. But seriously, I have told him times without number that he will have to propose to me all over again at some romantic island.

Dayo: We were having dinner at my brother’s house in the UK and something romantic just came over me, prompting me to propose immediately. I had wanted to propose to her when we got back home in Nigeria, but I suddenly became overwhelmed at that dinner. I had a ring in a box in my pocket and like a force, I just got on my knees and did the deed. I haven’t regretted it ever since. She keeps saying that I’ll have to propose to her all over again. But then, I say a proposal is a proposal.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be done over lobsters and champagne at a fancy restaurant but she insists. We’ll see how that goes.

How long have you been married?

Caroline: By the end of this year, I would have known him for 16 years, but we have been married for 14 years.

Dayo: I say 16 years. I like to count from the day we met.

What has been the most memorable time of your marital journey so far?

Caroline: That would be when I had our first son, eight years after our first daughter was born. I just kept praying to God and believing that he would answer me.

We had just lost my father-in-law, grieving and then I got pregnant. It was such a soothing and comforting thing to happen at that time.

Dayo: Having our children. It took a while before we had our second child and that waiting period sort of pulled us together, especially with family pressure on us to have more kids. That period taught us to always stick together during tough times.

How do you keep the romance fire burning?

Caroline: By appreciating each other everyday, every moment. On his birthday, I try to ‘throw a party for him’ as my own way of appreciating him. Because he isn’t always around, wherever he is anywhere in the world, he sends me gifts all the time and constantly assures me of his undying love. Sometimes, he sends as much as five text messages a day, expressing his love for me.

Dayo: I try to spend as much time alone with her as possible when I am in the country because I travel often. Other times when I can, she accompanies me on these trips so as to rekindle our love, air our minds, go out to dinner and go shopping together. These help us to bond better. Not also forgetting that I sign a lot of cheques because there is no romance without finance; it keeps the love fire burning.

How do you resolve conflicts?

Caroline: With maturity and time, we have since come to realise that there is no point stretching a fight between us unnecessarily. We have learnt to accept our faults because no one is perfect and we are both quick to apologise when we offend each other. Again being close to God also helps.

Dayo: In the earlier part of our relationship, it was my father who settled disputes between us, but at his passing, we decided to handle our conflicts on our own without involving a third party. We always try to talk things out and have made it a point of duty not to go to bed angry.

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Body&Soul

Akinfemiwa: Positions Akinsola Akinfemiwa is no doubt one of the best bank executives the industry has produced over the years. A seasoned banker, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Prudent Bank Plc, now Skye Bank Plc. An alumnus of the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), he obtained his B.Sc. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Ife. The ever busy banker who is the present Chairman of Heritage Bank and Vice Chairman of Transmission Company of Nigeria spoke to BAYO ADEOYE about his banking experience, challenges and personal life.

You were one of the best in Nigerian banking industry before your retirement. How would you describe your life as banker?

It was work. I did my best, now I am in retirement, yes; I played well at the first half, now this is the second half. I must focus on the second half and not dwell on the first half; I did all the talking that I needed do at half time. I am back to the playing field now, even if it is not banking.

Tell us about your most challenging year in the banking industry?

Most challenging years? Definitely the merger years and managing the merged bank. It was a new experience, a completely new experience, you know, merging five banks!

After leaving Skye Bank four years ago, you went into ‘self- exile’ as nothing was heard about you until you emerged the chairman of Heritage Bank were you before now?

I have been generally around, though I was out of the country for a while.

I left immediately after I left office and I traveled around more frequently than before, especially to some African countries. It is quite nice to know more African countries; to compare notes. I also get invited from time to time by business people to go on business trips with them to negotiate business deals. It has been quite interesting working on the other side of the table. An interesting issue too is that we all give banking too much visibility. Banks tend to be publicized more, they push the media more and you guys like to write about banks and bankers.

For instance, I got two appointments recently almost at the same time. It amuses me that all people want to talk about is banking, while the other appointment, being a national appointment and a ‘serious’ one for that matter, does not get any mention.

You left Skye Bank rather suddenly. Did you plan for your retirement then?

No, it was not sudden. CBN gave us six months and I believe this was long enough, after serving as MD for 10 years. The CBN was quite generous on this. Any wise person in the kind of position that I was must know that he should prepare for retirement, especially on how to cope with the emotions of leaving office. I had before then read books on retirement and biographies of retirees, experts advice on retirement, I attended seminars etc, but the truth, however, is that I don’t think you can really fully prepare for retirement, a change of routine even when you talk about it every day. You can only learn to flow with the change. The interesting thing here for me is that the consultant that worked with me when I became an MD in 1999 actually advised me then (1999) to start preparing for retirement. I remember then he said, ‘If you are going to be a pastor start attending pastors college now’. I thought then that it was weird to be preparing for retirement by the first month of becoming an MD. But with the benefit of hindsight now, I believe it was a great advice.

Positions in life are ephemeral. I knew I couldn’t be there forever.

Compare Nigeria’s financial institutions now and then.

To my mind, not much has changed. Maybe some banks have got bigger and the main actors may have changed, but really, nothing fundamental has changed. We may, however, talk of the expectation that bankers,

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Body&Soul

in life are ephemeral especially the CEOs, may probably be a little more cautious and play less of the hubris game and be less of celebrities, given what happened to some of the bank CEOs and colleagues. For all of us though, we must know that improved corporate governance is improved business.

How will you rate Nigeria’s banking system?

First of all, I will like to state up front that the Nigerian financial system survived a most crushing global financial crisis.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, through a very bold and robust intervention, saved the Nigerian financial system from collapse. Many Governments and their Central Banks world-wide watched helplessly as their banks were ravaged by the effects of the global economic downturn; there was no longer anything like ‘too big to fail’.

Indeed, the Nigerian situation was almost a miracle, the Central Bank of Nigeria and indeed the Governor did well. However, if we compare what we are doing in Nigeria with the more advanced countries of the world like America, Europe and Asia, I will say that we still have a long way to go. We are still so small and basic in what we do. Compared to South Africa, banks in Nigeria still handle the very basic things, the capability to play the pivotal role of a prime mover of the economy is suspect. But then, ain’t we all a product of our environment?

Having said this and like every aspect of our national life, I like to say that the prospects are good. I like to be optimistic even if things don’t look so obvious. Our banks have the prospect, after all, it is a developing economy and banks are pivotal for any economy to push growth and development.

As chairman of Heritage Bank, what are you doing to position the bank in the hearts of people, knowing fully well that Nigerians are somehow wary of new banks?

Yes you are right; fortunately, this is history now as Heritage Bank is already in the market and has received a high level of acceptance. This is understandable. Many times, the market looks beyond the physical structures of the banks and stake on the people, and they bank on the names they associate with the bank. At Heritage, we are very conscious of this, and we know that more than any other bank, we must go beyond the usual; we must push integrity and character, and we must ride on the high road of dignity. We are fortunate, the market has been very kind to us; the legacy customers are coming back as if they were all just waiting for the new bank to open.

Many companies and individuals are just simply following their Relationship officers from their existing banks to HBC a case of ‘I go where you go’. You know, like clients of lawyers, physicians and even in pastoral work, things can get quite personal like ‘my pastor, my doctor and my account officer’.

We have been quite fortunate to have good officers who have these personal relationships. Apart from this, we don’t plan to engage the ‘gorillas’ in the market. We seek our own niche. We will be creative, we will innovate and endeavour to meet unmet needs of the banking public. It is going to be truly a new bank but with plenty of heritage! I have been through this before.

The market will get to know you and if you know what you are doing, the market will accept. The banking public is desperate for good service. Nigerians are business people, they like business-friendly banks. Nigeria is still so under banked and there are still so many products not on offer in the Nigerian market. I can assure you, Heritage Bank will get its own space; it will create its own niche. I will not, however, understate the enormity of the work that must be done, the challenge of running a new bank.

You are the Vice Chairman of Transmission Company of Nigeria. How do you find this

appointment?

It is a call to service. It is a completely new experience for me and I am hoping that my experience in the banking industry and the private sector at large will put me in a good stead to be useful in the government’s power transformation agenda.

Generation is privatised, so is distribution, transmission in parts of the world is controlled by governments for national security. It is against this background that one views the TCN mandate, a very serious and all important one. In spite of the bureaucracies, I do really hope that TCN will move forward, we are working at it.

You have a foundation, Arabaa. What is this all about?

There has always been so much trade of blames on whose fault it is for us to be in the situation we have found ourselves (as a community and as a nation). This is a trend unending.

And it progressively leaves us in worse positions compared to where we began. Like a writer put it, ‘if you want to destroy your destiny, only waste your time’. We all need to rise from our self-sympathy state and begin to fuel our inspiration by reading, writing, listening to our hearts and following ensuing discoveries passionately. This is the lane that Arabaa Foundation seeks to lead. The foundation promotes that not walking this lane will take us as a people further down the path of misfortune and then self-destruction - God forbid! The foundation provides a stage for expression in the hope that someday, the little contribution implanted in each of us can blossom into a great tree, nourished by an army of change agents spread throughout Nigeria and beyond. A little at a time by every member of the community goes a long way. This stage is ignited on the social media platform, Facebook Everyone has a role to play including you. It’s left to each of us to determine where and how we fit in. Imagine where every minute spent complaining is exploited to canvass for solutions to problems. At Arabaa Foundation, where dreams appear faded, we look for possibilities. We raise patriots where crisis exists.

You are well connected. You have politicians around you.

Have you ever thought of going into politics?

I have many friends, family members, mentors, protégés and all in politics, and I guess we are all political animals.

I am a believer in the fact that people who don’t want to be involved in politics should stop condemning politicians and politics. We should not just watch things unfold, we should strive to create the world that we desire. We should influence things positively and make things happen in Nigeria and indeed the African continent and the world.

I am not a politician in the way that it is generally known, but I support my friends who strive for political offices and there are many of them. Now also because of the nature of my job and I was in this for more than 28 years, 18 of the ye ars

in senior management. I had relationships with many people in government at the highest levels; still, this does not make me a politician. I don’t plan to go into politics despite the pressure from everywhere. I am happy to be there with my politician friends, and we all don’t have to go into full time politics to make things happen in Nigeria.

Has any of your children taken after you in their choice of career?

My son works with a bank in the U.K although he is into Management Information System. I am not sure he wants to be a banker. My first daughter is a physician; the other two girls are not interested in banking.

You are a power dresser. What informs your dress sense?

(Laughs) Am I a power dresser? I don’t think so. And nothing informs my dress sense. I just dress the way I want, which I think suits the occasion that you want to attend. As a banker, you are expected to wear suit and tie and I do that.

Where do you shop for your suits?

Anywhere I find myself. Anywhere in the world and I don’t have any particular designer, I just look for what I think is good and pick it up.

20

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Body&Soul

with

Oma Obilor omaobilor@yahoo.com

The Luxury African Spa, Mangwani T

he Mangwanani Spa is located in different parts of South Africa. Distinctly different in the way it carries out its treatment.

Mangwanani massage treatments are infused with traditional African healing rituals and contemporary wellness therapies that nurture body, mind and spirit. I chose to experience the one located in River Valley (PTA).

The Spa is nestled in the Valley of the Hennops River, in the Schureveberg Mountain range en-route Hartebeespoort Dam. I got to Monte Casino to catch the spas Luxury shuttle bus at 7am.

After serving us teas and juices we took off at 7.45am. It was a good 30 minutes drive.

Upon arrival, the staff, dressed in their traditional outfit, welcomed us with traditional music complete with the traditional drums. A healthy Breakfast was served and then the fun began. Each session lasted a whole 55 minutes.

First, I had the full body massage with hot stone and it was awesome.

We had a few minutes break, then we had to be driven to get our facials done. The facial was so good. I have never had my face massaged like that.

Each break was characterised with the serving of different fruits, juices, champagne and healthy bites.

Body exfoliation and massage was next. At this point, I was so relaxed and excited. The environment was such that I felt so close to nature. I was offered a choice of three oils, I ended up getting con-

fused. Talk about being spoilt for choice. By the time I was through, I felt like a feather.

At this point, I realised it was lunch time and as usual, I was not disappointed.

For lunch I chose a fish dish which I didn’t regret.

Then came the time I had dreaded, the jacuzzi!!! Hmmn, wondering why? I can’t remember the last time I wore a swim suit. But you know what? I was determined to enjoy myself and of course get my money’s worth! (Honestly!). Well the good news is that I made it through the whole 55 minutes.

Head and shoulder massage came next. Now I am not kidding, I fell asleep! Yes fell asleep ...with sweet dreams to go with it. I never knew a head and shoulder massage could be that good.

Then came what I really felt was extreme pampering, the hand massage. My hand never felt so good and you can imagine how I felt having a feet massage next. This is pure decadence, but that’s allowed once in a while.

Hmmm, I had a filled day of complete luxurious pampering. We were served a light meal and it was time to go. At 5.30pm!

If you are planning to do this and you have kids, don’t worry. There is something for everyone. While I was at the park, my son was visiting the lion park and the zoo. He had a splendid time as well.

Ohhhh I forgot to mention in the evening, all the monkeys came out.

Thank goodness I wasn’t eating bananas!

21

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Cleanse, moisturize for radiant skin Vanessa Okwara

W

ater and a good sleep are natural facial beauty enhancers. Drinking eight to 12 glasses of water every day and six to eight hours of sleep every day are essential for skin revitalisation and repair.

No matter your skin type, make sure your face stays clean all the time. Sleeping with makeup on your face is an absolute NO! This is where your skin care routine comes to play. The mantra every beauty conscious woman should always bear in my mind when taking care of her skin is: cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturs.

Cleanse Dab the face and neck with a rich face cleansing lotion or cream. Massage it gently into the skin in an upward motion. Make sure you keep your eyes closed at all times. Use damp facial tissue or a cotton ball to remove the cleanser, again in an upward direction.

Tone Toning helps to remove dirt, make-up or residual cleanser. It also helps to restore the natural pH level of the skin, and closes skin pores. Soak a cotton ball in the toner and apply it all over the face and neck. Pay more attention to the nose and chin which are more prone to blackheads.

Exfoliate Just cleansing regularly will not work any magic on the skin unless you remove the dead skin from time to time. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells blocking the pores and causing acne and dull skin.

This should be done regularly to remove dead skin completely, leaving your skin very smooth and fresh. Once a week is advisable. Do it as many times as necessary if you have oily skin.

Always use the scrub in a circular motion all over the face and neck and wash it out with water.

Moisturize Moisturising regularly with a good quality lotion or cream will replenish the facial skin and make it smooth. For the day, use a light cream or lotion with a sunscreen.

Use a repair cream at night. Apply the moisturiser in a circular motion all over the face and neck. Reapply, if out in the sun for more than four hours.

22

Body&Soul

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ankara: T Biwom Iklaki

A

nkara is a cool cotton fabric that is known for its rich and vibrant patterns which have an indigenously African appeal. It is the distinct African voice in fashion as it has the right colour, texture and print to bear the African heritage proudly.

It is evident that the fabric has been accepted globally by its use by famous brands like LAMB, Boxing Kitten, Burberry and Marni in collaboration with H&M. African designers like Anisa Mpungwe (Loin Cloth and Ashes) and Thabani Mavundla, and our own Zizi Cardow, Folake Folarin Coker, Ohimai Atafo, Frank Osodi and Duro Olowu use the fabric in their collections.

Many stars have been spotted wearing this fun print in Hollywood and Nollywood. Among them are Rita Dominic, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Kate

angie design.psd

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23

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

SUNday, MARCH 2, 2014

The need for EFCC to be more effective

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges politicians are laying landmines against it, and its efforts to tackle corruption have been misconstrued by corrupt persons as witchhunt. The Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde made the statement when he received the new American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle in his office. It would be recalled that, the reason for setting the anti-graft agency was because of the fact that, Nigeria always top the rankings of most corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International (TI), which became an embarrassment to the country, therefore, in order to convince the international community that Nigeria was indeed seriously concerned about the high corruption perception index and was battle ready to confront it head on, hence, EFCC was formed.

Truly, EFCC is confronted with a myriad of challenges, such as the antics of corrupt persons to scuttle charges preferred against them, the strategies of defense lawyers to prolong cases unnecessarily, lack of required funds and logistics to carry out proper investigations, lack of proper capacity building and manpower training, inability of the law courts to carry out speedy trails, absence of special courts to try corruption cases, use of unquestionable injunctions to obstruct the course of justice, absence of free hand for the EFCC to carry out its legitimate mandate just to mention but a very few.

In Nigeria, corruption is a science, duly practiced and perfected in laboratories before being unleashed on the nation.

The establishment of the EFCC according to the EFCC Act is to prevent, investigate, prosecute and penalize economic and financial crimes and is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes including: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004, The Money Laundering Act 1995, The Money Laundering (Prohibition) 1995, The Advance fee fraud and other Fraud related offences Act 1995, The failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act 1994, The Banks and other financial institutions Acts 1991 and the Miscellaneous offences Act. In addition, the EFCC will be the key agency of government responsible for fighting terrorism.

How has EFCC fared since its establishment? The answer seems to leave a sour taste in the mouth. The gale of corruption is gargantuan and seems to

The EFCC ought to look at cases objectively, do proper investigations and charge them to court without looking at the body language of government before acting appropriately.

have become the official policy of the state, as it writs large in every segment of the society. The institutional failure of EFCC is a systemic one; this is because as long as an institutional framework like EFCC is still tied to the apron string of the employer, which in this case, is the Federal Government, the limit of its effectiveness is already set ab inito. In fact, the appointment of the Chairman by the President is also a bulwark against the effective discharge of the responsibility of the Commission.

It is for this reason, it has been said that, the EFCC is a willing tool to deal with the perceived enemies of the government to score cheap political points.

The EFCC ought to look at cases objectively, do proper investigations and charge them to court without looking at the body language of government before acting appropriately. There are so many cases that are pending in the law courts, moreover, there equally are so many highly profile cases left unattended.

The EFCC has technically become a toothless bulldog that keeps barking but never bites. It is now very inactive and corruption is festering in the polity with reckless abandon. Various cases including the oil subsidy scandal, pension fund scam, unremitted oil revenue, Stella Oduah’s bullet-proof cars scandal etc., with the EFCC looking the other way. Corruption is now a norm rather than an aberration; this is despite the fact that, corruption prevents develop-

ment; encourages poverty and stagnation.

Also, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) ought to be merged to prevent duplication of functions. Albeit, the explanation by government that ICPC deals with corruption in the public sector and EFCC deals with graft in the private sector contradicts the need to cut down the cost of government and makes a mockery of the paucity of funds claim by government. Hence, the EFCC should be made to be truly independent, well-funded, properly equipped to function optimally without let and hindrance. It is most appalling and disappointingly so, that since the establishment of the anticorruption agencies, it has been much sound and fury signifying nothing.

To this end, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) must deal decisively with lawyers that aid and abet corruption under any guise. Similarly, the Attorney General of the Federation must also be a person of unquestionable and unimpeachable character. If not, the fight against corruption will be a wild goose chase. We believe the alarm raised by EFCC is defeatist and unnecessary. If indeed politicians are laying landmines for the organization, it should know how to detonate them, thereby realizing the aims for which it was established. The most potent landmine is ineffectiveness, which is what EFCC should worry about.

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

24

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPINION Their guns are not killing

Monday Ashibogwu

B

efore they call me a terrorist…

My love for electronic gadgets equates my preference for the display of arms and its generic use at parades and exhibitions.

Perhaps, my knowledge runs deep on the capacities of Stealth bombers, submarines, armoured tanks, mortars, canon shells, torpedoes, land mines, sea mines, anti-personnel mines, RPGs, big guns, small guns, deadly guns, “deathly” guns, shot guns, machine guns, automatic pistols, automatic rifles, revolvers and much more besides.

According my dear and respected friend, Okwudili Uzoka, simply put, guns are essential commodities selling like hot cakes and are likely to remain so because of the pressing need to kill by the powers that be. These weapons of mass killing are arguably ‘wares of mass selling,’ for want of a better term.

The first argument by whoever holds a gun is that it is for self-defence or deterrence. It is this same argument that exporter-nations are wont to advance for the export of the excess ‘gun liquidity’ in their countries to other nations. Plausible as this may sound, it is common knowledge that the sales of these guns have been primarily either for starting

wars or encouraging the increase in the tempo of a raging war.

The sleek, exquisite designs, provocative contours and curves of these gadgets which unfortunately find application only in killing and maiming, underscore the “sophisticated” taste, style and class of gun connoisseurs-producers and buyers alike. I have since come to hate the sight of my locally-produced dane guns. They look so ugly, wicked and unpretentious that their mission on earth is apparent.

The business of gun making has been a significant factor in the economies of these advanced countries. Gun production has over the years become a very important employer of labour, in addition to generating tax revenues and foreign exchange. Being advanced economies with progressive annual growth in all facets of economic activity, these countries have recorded phenomenal growth in the gun sector with surplus from the production lines running into millions annually.

The business of killing lately largely rests within the ambit of emerging and developing economies. Animals have more rights in death than the ordinary citizens who are largely at the mercy of the killing spree from law enforcement agencies, robbers, terrorists and a long

list of those who make their citizens experimental guinea pigs of new weapons.

Africa and the Middle East have become referral scenarios of deadly conflicts as insurgents celebrate feats with number of fatal casualties from bombings and throat slitting exercises.

The killing of non-combat women and children will definitely make any maker of weapons have a second thought.

It is plausible to assume that in the first instance, these guns were produced for the purpose of killing and maiming their immediate constituents and their enemies, or perhaps for ‘self-defence and as a deterrent’. I wonder the actual significance of the weapons that the Nigerian military and the capacity of its soldiers who have lately become cowards in the fight against insurgents. It is evident that their guns were decorations and as such cannot kill.

The resulting intractable carnage inflicted by the Boko Haram sect is enough to keep the work force in the armsproducing countries working round the clock, earning fat salaries, and generally enhancing their GDPs whilst a government like our folds its hands to explains its handicap rather than change in strategy to combat the insurgency.

Utterances from presidential gas bags like Doyin Okupe have not in any

way been commensurate with military operations to prove otherwise the successes of the insurgents.

It does not make sense for those concerned to just close down these porous borders. And since the guns are now averse to killing multitudes of our citizens and neighbours, a new market just has to evolve. Sad enough, the continent of Africa has remained the veritable market for these surplus guns as attested to by the United Nations.

Africa though unable to feed itself, has always been ready, willing and able to buy countless guns and munitions to prosecute the seemingly never ending fratricidal wars.

To make matters worse, the leftovers and spill overs from those wars then find application either in triggering off fresh conflicts or as tools in the hands of armed robbers and in the case of Nigeria, criminal elements masquerading as Islamists and fundamentalists .

One is however outraged at the crocodile tears and explanations from the Presidency and its establishments on the surging rates of Boko Haram attacks Little wonder, therefore why for some, there is the need not only to kill but to kill massively and properly with guns, bombs, knives and, of course, the ageold tradition of revolutions.

Young people and the time of Nigeria Tony Usidamen

A

s events to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary (January 1, 1914 – January 1, 2014) continue, and as I reflect on the condition of Nigerian youths today, the perception of the precarious world that has been shaped for us over the last 100 years become stronger than ever.

Unarguably, the generations of young people who have come on the scene, one after the other, in recent decades, have found a country whose characteristics and are changing. Today, the greatest challenge is being young in a nation dominated by fear and uncertainty.

Graphic, empirical or quantitative evidence strongly support this assertion: According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics ‘2012 Youth Baseline Survey Report’, the population of Nigerians below the age of 35 years comprises 60 per cent of the entire population of the country. Assuming that the 2006 census and the 2012 estimate of 167 million for people resident in Nigeria are correct, then the youth population in Nigeria today may well be over 100 million.

Of this number, an alarming 54% are unemployed, the NBS report shows (I reckon that the underdevelopment of agriculture through years of neglect and

poor policy administration, comatose extractive/mining sector, de-industrialization and the failure of manufacturing over time have contributed in no small way to the poor employment figures).

Also, the United Nations Development Programme, in its 2013 Human Development Index Report, ranked Nigeria among countries with low development index at 153 out of 186 countries that were ranked.

Adult illiteracy rate in Nigeria is 61.3%. Life expectancy is placed at 52 years while other health indicators reveal that only 1.9% of the nation’s budget is expended on health.

68.0% of Nigerians are stated to be living below a miserable $1.25 daily.

Additional worrisome data are that, while South African and Egyptian universities make the list, no single Nigerian university is ranked among the best 10 in Africa and top 400 in the world, as the ‘Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2013-2014’ show. T.H.E. Ranking is the only global university performance table to judge world-class universities across all of their core missions - teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Of course, social services today are exceedingly poor and the decay in public infrastructure is glaring for all to see. Or

does one need any data to appreciate the challenges that the problems of ethnicity, diminishing national consciousness, religious intolerance and unchecked activities of militias and terrorist organisations pose to security at societal and individual levels in Nigeria today? The gory pictures from the recent massacre of over 30 students in Yobe State by Boko Haram insurgents tell the tale better.

As gloomy as they appear all the data given above do not sufficiently portray the ‘real’ drama of today’s youth. The critical issue is something denser; something that goes beyond the unemployment statistics and the tables confirming that the world has changed and that the guarantees of a generation ago are almost impossible in today’s times of ferocious competition and obligatory flexibility.

At the heart of the matter is the question of ideology. Today’s youth are immersed in epochal changes. We were not born in historical circumstances in which time-tested, traditional value systems are handed on almost mechanically. We find ourselves before a diversity that forces us to choose.

Sadly, the ideology that reads everything in terms of “individual” success; where the value of a person is measured

by the possession of material wealth (materialism), is what many young people, in recent decades, have lived by (how much culture, movies, and music bear this terrible news!).

Relationships, family, ideals have been pruned, cut away. “Solipsism” - the belief in oneself as the only reality - and, even worse, “Nihilism” (the belief in nothingness), are gradually taking root in our youth. The results? Various forms of impatience, disappointment and, yes, fear. So much so that many young people today have become violent against themselves, others and the world.

While everything in a person tends to search for something that satisfies fully his desire for beauty, truth, and justice, what we meet and what is proposed publicly and privately seems marked by condemnation, precariousness, uncertainty, and doubtfulness.

The real drama, therefore, lies in truly finding something that satisfies one’s life.

And life as it is, with its limitations and its precipices, not life as a soap opera. This is the story, splendid and terrible, that is on the stage in the Nigerian theater, and pertains to all.

To be continued next week

Hardball Interview Politicians have infiltrated IBM Haruna harps on Judiciary, says Afe united Nigeria p.26 Babalola p.28

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2 MARCH 2014

Legislative Corner ‘I’m not antagonistic’ p.32

25

Politics

National Conference

Secession, regional autonomy to dominate discourse

With the National Conference scheduled to take off this month, BIYI ADEGOROYE looks at the issues that might dominate the three-month event, quality of representation and possible outcome

I

f the signals from the various groups about the agenda for the National Conference are anything to go by, it seems the “no-go areas,” on the unity and oneness of Nigeria declared by President Goodluck Jonathan on the issues to be discussed, will be a ruse when the 492-man delegates resume in Abuja any time this month.

The readiness of the delegates to push the boundaries is predicated on the fact that Nigerians have lived together with misgivings along ethnic and religious divides, where mutual distrust, imbalance in the structure of the country, inequitable development, lop-sidedness in appointment into public offices, insecurity and other factors have endangered their peaceful coexistence.

Rising from separate meetings last week, the South-West and South-East put forward what can be described as their respective agenda; they are also giving serious thoughts to regional autonomy, parliamentary system of government, state police, new constitution, taxation system/fiscal federalism.

Specifically, Igbo Leaders of Thought under the leadership of Constitutional Lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, in Igbo agenda for the conference, are proposing “the inclusion of right of secession or self-determination in the new constitution which will emanate from the conference.” The North is however, resolute that they would not in any way tamper with the unity of the country.

Composition and representations

Initial oppositions to the conference were legion. One is President Jonathan’s preference for National Conference, as against Sovereign National Conference of elected ethnic nationalities whose decisions would have been subjected only to a referendum. Also is the fact that he is nominating about 123 of the delegates, for the confab which is gulping a whooping N7billion.

It has also been observed that the delegates like elder statesmen, one retired military and security personnel per geopolitical zone each from the military, police, State Security Services and National Intelligence Agency, two traditional rulers per zone and civil society groups, political parties, religious and professional bodies among others might not adequately represent the interest of the over 350 ethnic groups.

After initial prevarications, the various eth-

Jonathan

nic nationalities, groups and professional associations held meetings to present a common front on the litany of issues which would be discussed at the National Conference. The SouthSouth, South-East and South-West blazed the trail in this regard, taking positions on such issues as devolution of powers, resource control and whether the current immunity clause in the 1999 Constitution should be retained.

Yoruba leaders converged on the House of Chiefs at the state Secretariat, Ibadan to finetune and endorse a position prepared by a committee led by Olu Falae. A former Chief of Defense Staff, Alani Akinrinade, presented

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

• The 1978 Constitutional Conference • Draft Constitution in 1989 • Constitutional Conference 1994/95 • Political Reform of 2005

Okunrounmu

the 15 issues to the gathering which will form Yoruba agenda, a modification of the 2005 position of the region which was revised in 2012.

The Ibadan meeting was a sequel to a pre-conference meeting held earlier in Ogun State where several pan-Yoruba groups like the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) Oodua Peoples Congress, prominent Yoruba leaders like Chief Bisi Akande, Olaniwun Ajayi, Chairman of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, were in attendance.

In the same vein, Governors of the 19 northern states have expressed readiness for the conference. The have also resolved to jointly present a 30-point agenda for debate. The agenda agreed upon by the governors would not in any way tamper with the unity and development of the country.

After a pre-convention meeting in Kaduna, Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum,

Dr. Babangida Aliyu, said the governors took a principled position “to send our best and experienced people to the conference and this will include those who will be able to defend, discuss the issues without fear or favour but who will not tamper with the unity and development of the country.” It has also sent a committee round the 19 states to mobilise and sensitise the people on the need to participate in the conference. This was premised on the apprehension that a nominee to the conference should ensure adequate representation of his group, and never be swayed by money or other influences, thereby becoming a sellout by putting his personal interest ahead of that of the zone of group he or she represents.

Similarly, the six geo-political zones will be represented by six delegates, besides nominees from the civil society groups, religious CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

26

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics / National

Why I’m against Northern

The security challenges confronting the country, the centenary and northern political concerns were among the issues addressed by Gen. Ibrahim Bata Malgwi Haruna (retd), Walin Garkida, when he spoke with LOUIS ACHI in Abuja

T

he centenary celebration is around the corner but many believe the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates by the British to form Nigeria was a mistake.

Do you share this pessimism?

Where would we be if there had been no amalgamation? It is a matter of speculation now. If there had been no amalgamation, maybe we would have been a different country; it happened in the East African federation. So I don’t want to speculate what we would have been but what we are. We are Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are still chiseling out the content of this reality; how to get harmony in this constituent federal republic. We have gone through this journey for a hundred years. We are still making progress.

There are nations which have existed for far longer periods. Our country will grow through time and mature. One can say congratulations because Nigeria is composed of several nations bound by the English language. We are interposing the English language and its logic with our own ethnic traditions and its logics and refining it. Through this process of acculturation we will mature to become a Nigerian nation that has common ethics and values by which things can be measured meaningfully. We are making progress.

100 years down the road, Nigerians still see themselves as ethnic entities. The Yoruba still see themselves as Yoruba; ditto for the Igbo and Hausa/Fulani, et cetera.

Why this?

There is a system of cohesion going on. The Yoruba you refer to today are not the same as in 1914. They were more than 20 ethnic Yoruba. So Yoruba or Igbo or in the North - the coalition of the Hausa-Fulani is a growing culture representing a modern concept. We will come through it. Like the Yoruba we talk about today, they see themselves as one outside the shell of the Yoruba territory. But within the Yoruba territory we know that there are more than twenty ethnic nationalities, even in Lagos State. There are so many ethnic nations or ethnic tribes.

But language and geo-positioning of peoples are always changing. This is a fact of life we have to understand and accept. Perhaps in another 100 years the Nigerian nation will metamorphose into a language which incorporates all these other sub ethnic groups. The new generation sings in their own language which perhaps you and I don’t appreciate but they appreciate it because that is their music; that is their language. And today, I think that there is a lingua franca that is growing. It is neither pure English nor pidgin. It has an accommodation for vocabulary drawn from the various ethnic groups. So there is growth in various dimensions.

We cannot see life as being static.

Today as we are, how many people speak Latin?

At one time, if you could not speak Latin you could not be a lawyer; you are not seen as educated. So, we should take things in their own stride. This is why I believe that this country will achieve greatly its objectives if it takes education seriously. The content and curriculum are also key. It must make

Haruna

a Nigerian a Nigerian. Education must not be for mere statistics or elite bragging; having degrees that cannot produce anything. If education cannot make you produce, it is then empty.

I am optimistic because I have seen stark illiterates and very highly educated Nigerians in my life time. At the time we had the leadership of people like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who was very popular; you can count on your fingers how many doctors you had or how many lawyers. But today they are all over the place. Some notions of mental and psychological development are taking place.

You have stressed optimism at the prospects of the evolution of a cohesive, progressive Nigerian State. But hope is not a plan. What are the other key drivers for a new Nigeria?

Hope is a statement of objective. It is like a seed.

You must first of all have it before you start getting some motivation, inspiration, plan, strategy, tactics; yes, hope is the first thing that we are born with.

Every person so far that I know was born with a brain that was not programmed. As time goes on that brain gets programmed - linguistically, logically, and socially; it’s a build-up. Nigeria has a statement of hopes and aspirations; it is there in the constitu-

I am optimistic; I hope that Nigeria grows into a great African nation. Nations grow and decay. Nigeria is one of the growing ones.

tion and it is not justiciable. But it gives us some kind of insight of what we as a people have been able to express through our leaders, notwithstanding how they emerged. But they have emerged through some consensus of opinion and discussions. I am optimistic; I hope that Nigeria grows into a great African nation. Nations grow and decay. Nigeria is one of the growing ones.

You are a soldier but push an evolutionary approach to social change. This contrasts sharply with your revolutionary martial background. Secondly, the North wants power back but you appear to have broken ranks with the project. Why these positions?

First of all, when you say the north, that ‘North’ has a fixation - Northern Region. But then it does not represent one political view or position. The northern leadership then - you could say it was conservative; it was reactionary. But it was not the only strand of leadership that subsisted in the North.

There were other brands. But the most popular one that brought people under a political leadership, that is the NPC (Northern Peoples Congress) was seen as traditionally conservative. Now, you can evolve leadership; you can bring about leadership by revolution - yes. But what is the difference?

The difference is that if you bring about leadership by revolution and you cannot sustain it because the substrata of those who should sustain that revolution do not believe in it or they are not educated to understand its objectives; it’s then so self-serving of the small elite that believes they can force change overnight. The evolution you say am talking about is at cross-purposes with perhaps the conservative strain as well; most revolutionary

changes have not subsisted for a long time. This is simply because any change that does not evolve from the people become suspicious. Any change that evolves from the people becomes a change they will respect; they will defend, they will protect.

Your position appears to fall within a minority niche of the Northern political establishment and this may have cost you some privileges. You were chairman of the ACF….

(Cuts in…) No, I don’t agree. You see, I have been a boy-soldier; I have been an officer in the Nigerian Army. I have been involved in the military incursion in building Nigeria as a nation. How else do you want me to think? Why should I have all these exposure and think I must be made a Wiaku boy in the village in Garkida; and when I talk I should be talking about how we used to hunt with our bows and arrows and go bare-footed. That cannot be what I am talking about…

More specifically, as a former chairman of ACF, the impression is that you would have been at the fore front of pursuit of North’s current power retrieval project …

(Cuts in…) As former chairman of ACF, ACF is not a political party. ACF is not synonymous with PDP or any other political party. ACF does not campaign for power sharing within political parties and should not. Well, if it choses to, there is nothing wrong with it. But then that was not the purpose of ACF. We are not saying ACF is one party for the North and therefore is one political leadership in the North. Even Sardauna did not enjoy that kind of privilege.

People talk of North as if North has no right to democracy; it has the right. That means we have divergent views, divergent political parties. It cannot be forced down our throats to follow one political party, nor any one particular ideology. The dominant ideologies in the world have all split. Something else that is common to all ideologies is that you must maintain and sustain welfare of the people. Having been a minister in this country…, do you think that somebody who has been a general should go back and take the position of a section commander?

Many in the Northern political establishment believe President Goodluck Jonathan has been unfair to the region and would compound this “unfairness” by running in 2015…

(Cuts in…) Why do we pass judgement without taking all the evidence? We are starting from judgement, without taking the evidence. How did Jonathan get there? How did Obasanjo get there?

What is this unfairness? Who is dishing out this power that he has dished it out so unfairly? It is the creation of elite consensus and decision. Simply put, there is always a new evolving way of selecting people. If Obasanjo had succeeded in his thirdterm project, who will be talking of democratic leadership? Look at what happened in other jurisdictions. Look at what happened in Egypt; look at Ghadafi’s Libya. Power must be residing in the North; but to some people residing in the North this means power residing in Hausa-Fulani.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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Politics / National

presidency – IBM Haruna So if we say power must reside democratically in a political party in the North, why should it not reside politically for Nigeria, whether they are North, South-East, South-West. Its only one Nigeria you are going to lead as president; ditto for governors.

Against the background of the developing heat in the polity, would you say Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan was instigating?

Obasanjo’s letter, to me, was meaningless because he wasn’t saying anything new. Is it corruption? What corruption allegations did people not blame the First Republic leaders for or Shagari and so forth. Why should people write letters like that? Was there no corruption in his time? There are institutions are supposed to be used to correct such ills in the system. You cannot lump everything on one person because he is the president. Was Obasanjo not promoting or housing all those things he is blaming his successor for? He belongs to a council that discusses the innermost secrets of this country. This is an avenue to talk about such issues.

He is part of the party that rules this country. What is the essence of writing such a letter?

Moving forward, how would you rate President Jonathan’s performance thus far?

Jonathan has not been sleeping on his oars in his government. He may be doing certain things wrong or they are not getting the kind of effect people want. But certainly, things are happening.

There is no perfect government. For those of us who just walk around, we don’t see memos; we are not in the councils; we know that transmission lines CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

and professional bodies, are looking at the competence, loyalty, character and integrity of nominees and their commitments.

Arrow Heads of professors

As a way of ensuring quality educated and tested representation at the conference, states like Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti have nominated top ranking professors and lawyers for the confab. Ekiti has nominated International Law expert, Prof Akin Oyebode; Prof (Mrs) Bisi Aina; Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Revd. Felix Ajakaye ; elder statesman and Chairman of defunct Movement for Ekiti State Creation, Chief Oladeji Fasuan. Others are Secretary, Yoruba Unity Group, Dr. Kunle Olajide and Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola.

Similarly, Osun State has General Alani Akinrinade, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Professor Mojeed Alabi, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. Others are Mr. Femi Akande, former Commissioner for Justice in the State, Chief Gbadegesin Adedeji, Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigerian Commission, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa and Mrs. Bola Ogunrinade.

Lagos State’s six delegates include a former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Femi Okunnu, and a former AttorneyGeneral of Lagos State, Supo Shasore. Others are Rabiu Oluwa, Waheed Ayeni, Tunde Samuel and Funmilayo Bashorun Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, Mr. Fola Adeola, and Sen. Biyi Du-

Haruna

are going on and transformers are been built. But certain effects take time. If there are violent terrorist incursions and you are dealing with it, you are dealing with it. The Americans who had a perception that what was happening in Afghanistan was against their national interest intervened to protect this interest.

They spent billions and it cost American lives.

But that doesn’t mean they failed. They are protecting their national interest in accordance with their perception of what their national interest is.

They put their resources where their mouth is. Will Jonathan have just sat down and left the kind of things that were happening from the day he was

pronounced winner of the election – it started from there…bombings and terrorism? You expect him to fold his hand and do nothing. Or did you expect him to pack and leave Aso Rock? Some other people would have dealt with it differently.

And by dealing with it differently, we would then have had the most chaotic refugee situation in the country. If you look at the scenarios of alternatives that could have happened – then most Southerners would have left the North. Most Northerners may have been pushed away from the South. There are worst scenarios that could have played out as a result of this terrorist incursion beginning from his being elected as president. So, the fact that he has

sustained that sovereignty of Nigeria and we can still be respected as a nation, I think I give him Kudos.

That’s the most important thing. Many people had expected that trucks and truckloads of Southerners would have been railed south and truckloads of Northern refugees railed north; an experience we saw post-1966 coup. He didn’t allow that to happen because if it had happened a second time, of we would have not been one country. This country could then have been said to have disintegrated; because Jonathan was president, or a minority was president because a minority cannot be president.

There could clearly have been a worse scenario.

If you read how the Nigerian security has been evolving you will begin to wonder what the security threat was when Obasanjo was there to bring Americans to Sokoto or to take over Ministry of Defence or to train people in Ibadan.

That was ominous as far as I am concerned.

So involving intelligence and preserving the sovereignty of Nigeria is not a common man’s task; it is a leadership elite task. As long as we can believe in ourselves ordinarily - you and I, sit down, talk - we are happy. But beyond that there are many people who would have done things so differently that you and I cannot sit together like this to be talking about Nigeria and cannot see eye to eye. So people should stop instigating worst case scenarios, coups and all that. What we want in this country after 100 years is evolving reasonable, rational development, devoid of corruption. So we are asking for better ethics of those who lead. We are teaching young ones.

Conference: Akinrinade, Bakare lead delegates rojaiye, will be representing Ogun State. Other are Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, Prof Titi Filani and Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi. Sen. Iyabo Anisulowo, Mr Olaniwun Ajayi.

Other burning issues

Though they held separate meetings ahead of the conference, one common denominator among the various zones is the similarity of the agenda for discussion. Issues like power devolution, resource control, partial immunity, and regional police and security are expected to enjoy robust discussion.

The Yoruba leaders believes that in order to take care of the interests of Yoruba minorities in Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta States and incorporate them to mainstream, the committee says a boundary adjustment is vital, depending on the position of the experts that would work towards the final document. Specifically, it is pushing for boundary adjustment to accommodate Ekiti people in Kwara to join Ekiti State, Igbomina and Ibolo in Kwara to join Osun State.

The Yoruba leaders also recommended that immunity for elected officials should be limited to civil cases only: “Where a prima facie criminal case is established against an elected officer by a court of competent jurisdiction, such officer shall vacate office during the trial.”

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi is angry over what he described as lopsided revenue allocation system in the country, an issue he said should be seriously addressed at the conference. In his view, “The present system is not profitable because Oyo gets a federal

allocation of N4 billion monthly for over eight million people while Bayelsa gets N22 billion for just 700,000 people. This is something we should address critically at the conference.”

Igbo leaders on their part are very keen about restructuring of the country, fiscal federalism, devolution of power, resource control, citizenship right, security of lives and property, and reparation over the continuous killing of our people and destruction of their property.

The North is interested in such issues as fiscal federation, structure of government, issue of state police, and labour matters, especially as they relate to uniformity or otherwise of wages and salaries. Others are generation of power independently by states, tenure of president and the governors; role of traditional institutions; immunity clause as it presently affects the Governors and President.

They also want issues like the independence of the legislature and the judiciary, effective monitoring of the judiciary; gender and special groups like the handicapped; onshore and offshore dichotomy; and resource control.

Also social security; electoral law, which includes how elections should be conducted, system of government to operate, creation of more states and local governments; and transformation of the agricultural sector as the mainstay of the northern region discussed.

Possible outcome

Like the 1994 conference, most of them established ‘no go areas’ and underscored the fact that all discussions must reinforce the unity of Nigeria, its cohesion, stability, security

and national development. For instance the 1979 constitution was preceded by the Constituent Assembly 1978 led by Hon Justice (Dr.) Udo Udoma (of Blessed Memory) a lot of issues regarding the corporate existence and governance of Nigeria were (except for Sharia) amicably resolved.

In particular, the 1994-95 one-year conference had ample time to discuss the myriads of thorny issues that affected the nation, culminating in the draft 1995 draft constitution. However, with the death of General Sani Abacha, the 1995 Constitution could not be promulgated.

As the conference kicks up this March, and with quality of representatives anticipated, Nigerians looked forward to a healthy, robust and objective discussion of the various issues which have threatened the unity of the country and produce a document with the potency to promote peaceful, cohesive and an enduring nation.

Former Minister of State for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, who sees this effort as a brave one on the part of Jonathan, said the National Assembly should allow the wish of the people to prevail when the report of the conference is submitted to them for passage into law.

While the unity of the nation is sacrosanct even as the basis of that union is discussed, Nigerians hopes that conference shall provide legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the national conference into a Constitution and laws that uphold the unity of the nation.

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Politics / Hardball

Politicians have infiltrated Judiciary, says Afe Babalola

Babalola

S

ecurity is central to development, but the past four years have been a lesson in chaos in the country especially with activities of Boko Haram. How do you think this issue should be tackled?

Security is a pivot around which other facets of development revolved and government owes the nation the duty, a great one for that matter, to ensure safety of life and property. The issue of Boko Haram is an issue I have written several papers on, and other Nigerians have done so too. The greatest danger to the society is poverty. The man who is poor can do anything.

I have never seen a rich man deciding to be a suicide bomber. If you have seen one you let me know. (laughter).

So every living thing wants to live and it is only when you know that living becomes difficult that you want to die. Boko Harram has

Legal luminary and Chancellor Emeritus, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, AARE AFE BABALOLA, in this interview with BIYI ADEGOROYE speaks on the National Conference, security and basis for defection by politicians in the country. its roots in poverty. Poverty has its roots in bad governance. Yes there may be challenges, yes there are bound to be challenges, but the ways we attempt to resolve those challenges are what matter. Anywhere you go to in the world, there are challenges, but what makes it worrisome here is how it has suddenly become a monster in this country in recent times.

And that brings me to the issue of the National Conference, because these are some of the issues that have to be discussed and resolved there. Some people may be angry, other may be agitating about one thing or another, but certainly killing and maiming others will never

be a solution to the problems. We really got to sit up in this country to discuss and iron things out, because we cannot afford to disintegrate.

Some people have been predicting that Nigeria is going to break up, but I can tell you, it will not.

Every country in the world has its own problems at one time or the other. We look at Britain and America today and we say they are up there, but they did not become what they were over-night. It took some time. That does not mean it should take us an eternity to get to where we are going, but there are some procedural issues that must be settled. Killing and maiming ourselves will not solve the problem.

Every nation that had gone to war had always returned to the round table to discuss after they have killed and destroyed things.

Then why don’t we discuss early and resolve issues instead of killing ourselves and at the end of the day we will still sit down to talk. It does not make sense. We should come together as a country; resolve our differences so that we can move ahead as a nation.

What do you make of the complaints about the composition of the conference, that the nationalities like Fulani, CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

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CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 9

Itsekiri and Ndigbo or Ijeshas are not particularly represented, rather only government appointees?

For me, there is an urgent need for the National Conference for the purpose of redefining the terms of our union. Such an exercise will place Nigeria in a better position to meet the challenges of nation building and secure a better future for this and succeeding generations of Nigerians.

Come to think of it, the country’s constitutional arrangements from the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 to date have never truly reflected the political, economic, social, cultural and religious realities on ground. In all the country’s constitutions, the people have never had the opportunity to make inputs, accept or reject any proposition in any constitutional framework through a referendum.

Nigeria is a huge country with multitude of tribes and scores of ethnic groupings, speaking over 250 languages and dialects. There is a multiplicity of religious beliefs, varied cultural backgrounds, social exposures, and political antecedents among others. The essence of the conference is to afford these people the opportunity to frankly marshal their differences, fears and commonalities.

The Conference will harness the outcome of the dialogue in constructing a new constitutional framework that will give succor and solace to every ethnic group, no matter the level of neglect and the impoverishment. I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him well, hoping and praying that things will be different from what they have been in the past.

Now, to your question. Let me tell you something, no matter what a leader does, people will come up with complaints. If we have gone the way they are saying, some people will still complain of unequal representation- that five people are coming from Ondo while 12 are coming from Kaduna. My own advice is that let us go there first and make impact; whether I am going there as an Academic, a lawyer or as an Ekiti man is not the issue. What is the issue is peaceful co-existence as a people, what will enable us to meet our expectations as a nation; how to make Nigeria a high flying nation.

So let us go there, brainstorm and see what we can make out of this opportunity. This is an opportunity because we have been asking for this thing for ages, that let there be a National Conference, in fact I have made three proposals to three presidents, including the incumbent in this regard. I have even sent him a congratulatory letter to President Jonathan for setting up the Femi Okurounmu Committee that he has responded to our call. All the complaints of the various sections of the country will be addressed, The Yoruba nation complains it has been marginalized by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. Do you share this view?

I used to tell people that if there is one seat, and four people are contesting, the truth is that only one person can occupy that seat. We have to take so many things into consideration before we talk about the issue of marginalization. We cannot always have it all always. Times were in this country when things were bubbling in the South-West in terms of who was where.

Do not forget that we are a federal nation; some other parts of the country too have the right to be part of government. We have been there before and we will be there again. I don’t

Politics / Hardball

‘Current defections induced by bribe’

Babalola

think the allegation that South-West is marginalized is really true, but then, things could be better. I can tell you when things were well for the West; people from other parts of the country complained too that how come we have all of this in the Yoruba nation? All I am just saying is that God should give us the grace to be able to do things equitably in this country.

What is your assessment of the judiciary in the country right now?

I came into legal practice in early 60s, after completing my degree programme in both Economics and Law. I was attracted to the profession by the quality of legal practitioners of that time. Their behavior, their demeanor and the respect given to them in and outside the court, and when I came, the condition was still the same- they used to ride the best cars, best offices and they were respected by people and judges in fact were deified. They lived in special quarters, they had police orderlies. These were the things that attracted me to the profession and it remains like that until the 65-66 when politicians made in-roads almost into everything including the judiciary.

I remember specifically Honourable Justice Oyemade, the then Chief Judge of the Western Region with headquarters in Ibadan. Attempt was made to influence him in respect of the Ogere murder case, and he said: Of all things that remained in Nigeria, the judiciary was the one that was able to maintain pre-colonial

standard and that it will continue to maintain that standard.

Now, the standard I met then is not the standard any more. Only 10 years after my arrival, I was invited to the Bench by the same Oyemade. I still needed some money of my own, you know when you go to the Bench you will be corrupt, that was the impression then.

Not hearing the judges- of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal being removed on grounds of, according to them, corruption…. I do not know of a successful legal practitioner who wanted to go to the Bench. The practice which I know is that when you are a successful practitioner, you want to retire to the Bench and adorn it with your years of knowledge of legal practice. So all over the world, the best judges are the best legal practitioners, that is why in England up till today, judges are recruited from Queen’s Counsel (the equivalent of our Senior Advocates of Nigeria), who have distinguished themselves.

Today, judges are recruited from local governments according to what they call Federal Character, whether you are qualified or not is immaterial any more. This is without prejudice to the fact that there are judges who move from High Courts to Court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court. What I am saying is that the best judges are usually selected from the practitioners and that should be the practice.

And they should be insulated from politics. We do know of cases where politicians boast of

The rationale behind is, I think is clear and I don’t want to comment on that. All I am telling you in short is that it is money.

knowing judges; that goes to show that most of them have made in-roads into the judiciary. I think it is a good thing that President Goodluck Jonathan has set up the Constitutional Conference which I have been advocating for over 12 years. I hope the conference will look into the state of the judiciary as it is today.

How do you view the current gale of defections, especially its legality as it affects Section 68 and other sections of the Constitution?

All I can tell you today is that I handled the case of Atiku Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo when Atiku was the Vice President and declared for the Action Congress, and the matter went on to the Supreme Court. All my arguments at the courts- the legality, the morality and the conscience- were raised and the court agreed with me that it was proper that a man who was elected on the platform of a party, on the basis of the programmes of the party should not be allowed to leave that party and cross to another party with a totally different ideology.

However, surprisingly the same court did not give us a consequential order which ought to follow. Look at the Law Report. As a matter of fact, President Obasanjo was not happy about the consequential order that was not given, but he called me and congratulated me on the findings based on my submission, that it was important and unconscionable for you to be elected by the people on the basis of the programme of one party and for you to cross to another party which has a totally different ideology. Again the constitutional conference will look into this.

It is only in this country that people just jump from one party to another and a week after go back to the same party. Why they do so is a matter for all of us to appreciate. The rationale behind is, I think is clear and I don’t want to comment on that. All I am telling you in short is that it is money. (laughs) Sir, what do you make of the allegation of the disappearance or failure of the NNPC to remit $20 billion into the Federation Account?

Well, I won’t take that one in isolation of money diverted from one point or purpose to another. We have heard of corruption in high places. I remember that President Obasanjo once said that those in the National Assembly were armed robbers. I am sure you read it. I was expecting them to sue him but nothing happened (laughs).

This country is one of the richest and one of the most blessed countries in the world, and yet we remain one of the poorest. I went to England recently but I could not find my way at Heathrow Airport because changes continue to take place daily. Maintenance and changes continue to take place from place to place. The more I think about this, the more I keep on wondering about what is going on in this country. The problem is not that of leadership alone, but also that of followership.

By the time we look at the way we vote people into the Assembly in this country, to follow the American style will not be right. I think we should look at our own make up, our tradition and find a way to get the right people into position of power in this country. We need absolutely committed, self-less, and dedicated people to man the affairs of this country. What we do is not government, but rather we do politics all the time. Governance is different from politicking.

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Politics

2015: A President’s body language O

ne thing that has continually reechoed from President Goodluck Jonathan in recent times is his delay in taking a decisive position on the forth-coming general elections. He has not been forthcoming with a clear answer on whether he would seek re-election or not.

At every single opportunity, such as the last edition of the presidential media chart President Jonathan indeed never fails to give reasons justifying his reluctant stand on the issue of 2015. The President says it is better to focus on affairs of governance than declaring interest and unnecessarily adding to the already heated political space.

What is however not in doubt is that, despite his posture on the matter is that his body language and the moves of many of his aides, who are already drumming up support for him, speak volumes. Since late 2013, the President has been on visitations to different churches ostensibly to test the ground and elicit sympathy for his course when he finally declares his long expected ambition.

President Jonathan has also not failed in turning to the direction of the traditional rulers. His recent visit to four monarchs in Kano, Osun, Oyo and Lagos States is considered as part of the consultation process leading to the final declaration of his ambition.

However, the President has consistently parried any question from media men con-

Anule Emmanuel cerning his re-election ambition in 2015.

He has rather maintained one strand of answer to questions. Undoubtedly, the president’s presumed re-election bid is believed to be one major factor that has split the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) setting the stage for the series of defections witnessed in recent times.

In the midst of this delayed declaration, some Nigerians who want Jonathan back in office are already losing their patience.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih last year emphatically warned the President that it was in his best interest and that of the party to declare his ambition and lay the issue to rest.

At a special post-convention dinner of the party hosted by President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Anenih insisted that it was important for the President and other members of the party with interest in the 2015 elections to declare before the end of October 2013.

He said: “It is no longer right to say the time is not right. It is good that we tell our

people where we are going to and what our journey will be like. We must be ready for the journey.” But why should someone else take Panadol for another one’s headache? This is a question with a ready-made answer.

Like Anenih, the call on Jonathan to finally declare has become necessary in view of the need for the party apparatus to prepare adequately for the exercise.

One only wonders why despite such advice from chief Anenih and other elder statesmen like Chief Edwin Clark, President Jonathan remains unshaken and still waiting for the “right time.” Nigerians will continue to wait patiently until that time.

The President must know however that whether he declares or not, the entity called Nigeria will remain.

A celebrating nation under attack The senseless killings in parts of northern Nigeria did not end despite the gathering of over 40 heads of states and govern-

ments in Abuja to discuss the challenge of insecurity and the future of Africa.

Apart from Tuesday’s attack on a school in Yobe state where innocent children were killed, members of the Sect again attacked some communities in Michika and Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State while a security conference marking the nation’s centenary was on at the international conference centre in Abuja.

President Jonathan may have not been briefed on the latest attacks in Adamawa before addressing world leaders at the gathering.

“As I address you today, I have a heavy heart. Two days ago, terrorists invaded a secondary school and murdered innocent children in Yobe state, while they slept.

The children, the hopes of their parents and the future leaders of our dear nation, had their hopes and dreams snuffed out, leaving behind grieving families, schoolmates, communities and a sad nation,” the President said.

The celebration has come, but in the midst of the loss of many lives, expectations were rife that some regard be shown for the with a minute of silence and flags flown at half-mast.

It is pertinent to observe that President vowed to go after the perpetrators of this heinous acts with all the resources at his disposal. He has no option but to keep this promise of ending terrorism in Nigeria.

Day Senate broke own rules on budget defence From the “B ecause of the situation, the Committee will receive your budget proposal without going through the lines, as no one goes to the town square to dance when there is fire in his house. For us, the quelling of this insurgency and giving confidence of safety to Nigerians is of utmost priority”.

Those were the words of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah and his team on Wednesday last week when they appeared before the Committee for 2014 budget Defence.

The statement was contained in a fivepoint resolutions of the Committee, which the members took as a result of the heinous killing of over 50 students of the Federal Government College , Buni, Yadi, in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group operating in the North East region of the country.

The implication of what the Committee has done is that the budget of the Defence and Army would not be subjected to comprehensive scrutiny as the Parliamentarians usually do to sectoral allocations of any fiscal year.

There is no doubt that the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East has deteriorated to a worrisome proportion, that the major concern of government and right thinking citizens

Chukwu David of this country is how to tackle and eliminate the menace from the system at all cost.

Since this sect intensified its devastating violent activities in the area, several lives, cutting across all ages, have been lost. The group knows no bounds in its sustained orchestrated attacks on helpless innocent citizens.

The terrorists have attacked churches, mosques, schools, police stations and military barracks amongst others, cutting short many lives within and outside the productive population.

To tackle the insurgency, President Goodluck Jonathan had declared a state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno, considered as the flash points of the sect’s nefarious activities. He also deployed troops drawn from the various units of the armed forces, under the umbrella of Joint Military Task Force to put the insurgency under control. But solution is yet to be found to the problem.

It was therefore, in line with this urgent need for concerted effort to confront and overcome this challenge that the Senate Committee on Defence and Army resolved to pass the Defence budget without subjecting it to the traditional Parliamentary scrutiny.

The lawmakers reasoned that the Ministry of Defence deserved to have sufficient funds to prosecute the war against the insurgents in the North east and other military operations across the country.

It is pertinent to mention that the parliamentarians usually capitalize on the budget defence to rigorously investigate the true position of the previous year’s budget, with a view to ascertaining the level of implementation by the government establishments.

A lot of times, it is usually a very tough period for the heads of the MDAs who come to defend their respective budgets as legislators do subject them to tedious inquest to ensure that there is no misappropriation or misapplication of public funds in the course

of budgeting.

In certain cases, legislators have serious altercations with the representatives of the budget implementing agencies, where the politicians discover that there are sharp practices or discrepancies in the records with respect to projects executed or claimed to have been executed by the establishments involved.

The essence of the scrutiny is to know if the funds appropriated in the budget were promptly released, adequately cash backed and judiciously applied by the respective institutions in executing the various developmental projects in the budget.

But what the Senate Committee has done could be tagged another ‘doctrine of necessity’, which became necessary in order to effectively combat the current menace that has jolted the socio-economic pillars of Nigeria in the last few years.

Much as analysts would say that the Senators treated the Defence and Army budget with emotion, without allowing it pass through normal budget passage process as marshaled out in the law books, it is also imperative to state that they have demonstrated serious concern over the menace and chose to place national interest above rules and regulations that might be inimical to the peace, progress and good governance of the land.

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Politics

Between Reps, NNPC and missing $6.8bn From the T GreenChamber he House of Representatives, last week suspended plenary for two weeks to enable its standing committees embark on oversight, particularly budget defence.

However, the investigation of the alleged loss of $6.8 billion by the nation courtesy of the suspected connivance between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and some Swiss companies was the star attraction of the week.

This investigation came at a time all eyes were on the national oil company. The NNPC has been enmeshed in series of controversies bordering on missing funds and non-remittance into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

The House of Representatives had in November 2013 mandated three of its standing committee namely: Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Justice under the chairmanship of Hon. Muraino Ajibola (PDP, Oyo) to investigate the allegations.

Surprisingly, this allegation was not from the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Instead, it was a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Berne Declaration based in Switzerland that came up with this sordid revelation.

The motion that led to this investigation was brought by, Hon. Abiodun Balogun. According to Balogun, “The Berne Declaration has described

with Philip Nyam

Andrew Yakubu

the Nigerian oil scam as the greatest fraud Africa has ever known and the report specifically mentioned Vitol and Transfigura Commodity Trading Firms (NNPC partners) in the shady deals. It shows how Nigeria loses billions of dollars as large volumes of crude oil are exported at rates far below the market prices”.

Based on this, the joint committee swung into action last Tuesday to establish the authenticity or otherwise of the allegations. As usual, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr.

Andrew Yakubu rubbished the report of the Bernes Declaration affirming that the NNPC had no skeletons in its cupboard. Yakubu also clarified that

the two Swiss companies, Vitol and Trafigura, which the report indicted accounted for 30.7 million barrels out of the total of 341.07 million barrels amounting to only 9 percent and not 36 percent of the total oil disposed by the corporation in 2013 as claimed by the Bernes Declaration.

Yakubu also denied that the country ever lost $6.8 billion as claimed by the Bernes Declaration. If the submission of the GMD is anything to go by, then something must be done to curtail this dangerous trend. This era of allegations of corruption is heart rending. Therefore, this joint committee of the House has an onerous task to thoroughly and dispassionately investigate this matter. Perhaps, Bernes should also be invited by the committee to educate the House on how it arrived at its report. Both management of Vitriol and Transfigura should also be summoned to testify and defend their organisations. The lawmakers must avoid the “corruption probe virus” that almost always infests panels set up by the House to investigate allegations of corruption, misappropriation or mismanagement. In the past, the hunter often becomes the hunted and this is not good for the image of the legislature.

The NNPC GMD was very convincing and looked unruffled while tackling the Bernes Declaration’ report before the committee. But this is just one side of the story. The committee would need to purge itself of the temptation to accept any form

of gratification from any quarters in order to give Nigerians insight into what is happening at the NNPC. Hon. Ajibola and his colleagues must dig dip not minding whose ox is gored.

Similarly, the NNPC would need to raise the ante of its public relations to enable Nigerians know the exact state of its operations. It seems the secrecy surrounding the modus operandi of the corporation has done more harm than good to its corporate existence.

This has severely injured the integrity of the corporation and indeed the present administration.

In the allegations leveled against the NNPC especially those by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, some people have argued that he is on a mission to settle some scores at the NNPC or fight the government of President Goodluck Jonathan. But what is the interest of Bernes Declaration in the NNPC or Nigeria that made them to come up with these allegations? It is not owned by a Nigerian neither is it based here yet, it has come out with ‘fictitious’ allegations against the NNPC? Does the Bernes Declaration have any beef with the two Swiss companies: Vitriol and Transfigura? Why has the NNPC suddenly become the whipping boy of corruption in the country? The corporation is being kicked in different directions by different individuals and groups.

With all these complexities, can the House of Representatives unearth the mystery of NNPC and missing funds?

Constituency watch Biyi Adegoroye

A

member representing Ode, Obafemi- Owode and Abeokuta North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Olumide Osoba has said he has lived up to expectation in the provision of constituency projects in the three local governments of Ogun State.

In a feedback sent to New Telegraph on Sunday, singed by one of his aids, Seun Akinpelu, Osoba listed over 29 projects he is executing ranging from school building, bore holes to solar electrification which either completed or at various stages of completion.

According to him, they include 10 projects like rural electrification, borehole, or construction of school blocks in Abeokuta North, 12 in Obafemi-Owode and 10 others in Odeda local governments all of which are scattered in various wards in his Federal Constituency.

In Obafemi-Owode, he identified several projects in the various wards like Mokoloki and Ofada where he said he constructed 12

I’m executing 29 projects, says Osoba

Osoba

poles solar street light at Mokoloki and Iro ward, two blocks of classrooms at Magboro Primary School

and delivery of furniture to Ibafo Primary School.

Others are the purchase and in-

stallation of 500kva transformer to Daleko constructed of primary health care centres at Mowe, and at Ashimolowo, an ICT Centre at Ibafo, construction of Borehole at Geleodun, and delivered of 100 classmate Personal Computers, two teacher’ s laptops with accessories to Egba-Obafemi Community High School at Obafemi ward, among others.

In Odeda local government, Osoba said he delivered 200 students’ chairs and desks with 20 teachers’ chairs and tables to Salawu Abiola Comprehensive High School Osiele, with the assistance of MTN and 110 laptop computers with eLearning Facilities to Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) for Advanced Digital Access Program for Tertiary Institution.

Others are the Construction and furnishing of blocks of three classrooms with VIP Toilet at St Paul Anglican Primary School, Odeda, and the construction of five poles

solar powered street light at Alagbagba Market Square, construction five poles solar powered street light at Soderu village, construction & equipping of ultra-modern health care centre at Apojola, at Obete, Alagbagba and Odeda wards.

He listed some of the projects either completed or that are ongoing in Abeokuta North to include construction of borehole at Alafia Quarters, Idi Mango, construction of borehole at Onisasa, construction of primary health care centre at Surulere-Ile-Ise Awo, procurement and installation of 200kva transformer at Ikereku Idan ILEWO ORILE/ISHAGA, Construction of Block of 4 Classrooms at Owu African Church Primary School Quarry Road Abeokuta.

Osoba said that he has been utilizing his office to carry out such developmental activities, adding that gradually most parts of the area will be covered with all levels of government fulfilling their roles to the people.

32

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Politics / Parliamentary Corner

‘It’s wrong to say I’m antagonistic’

P

eople perceive you as being antagonistic in your approach to issues while trying to function as opposition member in the Parliament. What is your reaction to this?

Can you give me one instance when I was antagonistic? I think what you have done is taking a cheap shock and I take exception to it. Nobody is better respected than myself in that Chamber. Even when somebody was rude to me on the floor of the Senate recently, you were all there few days after when the person came back to say, ‘I have high regard for you; I have high esteem for you because if there is any one Senator in Nigeria who will first speak for country than for party, that Senator is Olusola Adeyeye.’ All of us came to the National Assembly with two sets of loyalty, one, loyalty to our country, and loyalty to our party. Sometimes, the two sets of loyalty may be in conflict. But I thank God that if that were to be the case, my loyalty will always be first to country, and I have demonstrated that times without number.

When I speak, I believe I speak with maturity; when I speak, I believe I speak with a sense of understanding of the position of the other person.

I don’t believe I know it all. I have never carried myself with an air of arrogance or an air of superiority of intellect. At the same time, I speak with passion; I speak with conviction; I speak because I believe that right is right and wrong is wrong and I want the best for my country.

And in such matters, I don’t speak with an idea of making compromise with that which I believe to be evil.

For example, if am perceived as antagonistic because I want to advance the convention of the Senate, I should be respected for it. Senate has a rule; I didn’t create that rule, that in the Senate, when two or three Senators oppose any nomination, the Senate should reject that nomination. When the Senate refused to do that in the case of the recent ministerial nominee from my state, I believe Senate was not disrespecting me; I believe the Senate was disrespecting itself because it was flouting its own rule.

And I’m sorry if I spoke with passion on such issues, it will be silly for anyone to categorize me as being antagonistic. On the contrary, that is what we need; right should be right and wrong should be wrong.

Which rule of the Senate did the President of the Senate, David Mark contravene on your opposition to the nomination of Oyewale Adesiyan for ministerial appointment?

Personally, I have moved on. I have spoken in good conscience.

I want to believe that David Mark also spoke in good conscience. If he

Senator (Prof.) Olusola Adeyeye who represents Osun Central in the Senate, is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Education. He tells CHUKWU DAVID about his development of his constituency and contribution to deliberations.

Prof. Adeyeye

did not, it is between him and God because as I told him that day, every one of us from President Goodluck Jonathan, to David Mark, the Senate President, to Sola Adeyeye the Senator, to the least of us in this country, will one day stand before the judgement seat of God; and He will require of us what we made of the stewardship of the influence and power he has given us. I have spoken; the nation heard me, and I have moved on.

In any political arena, you win some battles, you lose some. But you say to yourself, you don’t know it all, but you march forward because you have confidence in God; that he always justifies his own.

Nigerians would like to know what achievements you have recorded in your senatorial district through your representation?

Number one, I thank God that when you go to Osun Central, my own priority is in education. I don’t try to put my mouth in too many areas because when I do so, I will not be effective. People don’t know how pathetically poor Nigeria is. All of the money that the Federal Government will spend for education in Nigeria this year; that is, all of the money it will spend for the Ministry of Education, all of the parastatals and there are over 40 of them, all the federal universities and federal polytechnics, all the colleges of education, all the unity schools, all of the entire budget of the Federal Government for education is less than $4 billion, whereas,

in Columbus, Ohio, is one university called Ohio State University in Columbus, that university will spend $5.3 billion this year. In other words, one university in the USA, and it is a state university, will spend more than all of the universities of Nigeria combined, plus all the polytechnics of Nigeria combined, plus all of the entire education sector that is run by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Knowing that as a reality, I think we try to kill the goose that lays the golden egg when we all expect that we can get too much from the Federal Government. What is happening is that we are pathetically poor country, what we can get is very tiny at best. But I thank God that I have been here now and we have run two budgets. And in those two budgets, I have erected buildings in 24 localities in my state. And right now, we have massive programmes of rehabilitation through the constituency projects that I have taken to Osun. Let me make it clear, I am not the contractor, I do not know the contractor; I was not part of choosing the contractor.

I simply fought for these projects to be in my constituency and they are being faithfully implemented. Of course, in our first year, we also did some work in the area of water.

Would you mention some of

the legislations you initiated or co-sponsored in the Senate?

Thank you very much for asking that question. Only last week, I just drafted a bill on banning smoking in all Federal Government offices. When you look at the current law, it stipulated in schedule 1 of that law that smoking should be banned in all buildings in Nigeria, but it did not stipulate Federal Government offices, even though it says offices. As you go through Senate Chamber, you look at the corridor; you see cigarette butts on the floor. So, that is the latest I am bringing about.

Let me tell you, it is always a mistake when you think the quality of a legislator is the number of bills. As far as I am concerned, most of the bills that most of the legislators pass, not only in Nigeria, are of little consequence.

The reason is simple: one, most of the bills we pass are not even signed into law by the President. And the National Assembly has not shown that it has the spine, and I am sorry to say this, it has not shown that we have the spine to take the President frontally on such matters because the Constitution has made a provision that we should pass the bill, and if the President does not sign it, there are provisions for what we can do to enforce our will. We have not seen that the party in power wants

It is always a mistake when you think the quality of a legislator is the number of bills

to confront its President. Second, even when the President has signed, has the President been faithful to the implementation of the law? A good example will be the Appropriation Act. That is the most important Act every year in any government. And yet, from year to year the level of implementation is below 50%.

Are you intending to return to the Senate?

If it is the wish of my people, yes I will like to return, but it is not a door-die affair for me; if they don’t want me, God bless them.

You were in the House of Reps before you came to the Senate, how did you win your election to the Senate?

Well, I was in the House. I was the only member of my party, the then Alliance for Democracy, AD, who won in my state; the remaining 11 people from my state, three in the Senate and eight in the House were all PDP. But by the grace of God, my people felt that I served them well in the House of Representatives and I should move a step higher and they sent me here and I am grateful to them.

Do you see this menace of Boko Haram coming to an end, and how do you see the efforts of Government so far?

I pray there will be an end to this crisis. Every Nigerian patriot must pray that there must be an end to this crisis. We can pick fault with the President, and I do pick fault with the President; but honestly, this is not a problem that was created by the President. It is a problem that he inherited. But whether he has done enough to tackle the problem, I don’t think so. Listen, for as long and there is hunger in the land, there will be anger in the land; and when the anger is sustained, it eventually will lead to violence, when violence is sustained, it eventually will graduate to terrorism.

That is all we are seeing. And when people say, yes there is poverty in Yobe, there is poverty in Borno, there is poverty in the North East, let me tell you the truth, there is poverty in every part of the country, when you come to where I come from, there is poverty in my village. Yes, there are socio-economic underpinnings to what we are seeing, but it is more than that. And that is why it takes political leadership to confront them head-on.

I pray that all of us will know that it is not a matter for the President alone.

All of us, opposition Senators, Reps, Councilors, from top to bottom, we must create a Nigeria, where people are given access to hope, because in the absence of hope, aggression will begin to result.

ICT World Impact of ICT on educational performance and efficiency p.30

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/politics

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

2 MARCH 2014

Maritime Shipowners can’t access Cabotage vessel fund – Investigation p.38

Aviation Why joint aviation unions insist on technocrat as minister p.37

33

Business AZUBIKE NNADOZIE, ASSISTANT Editor, SUNDAY

azubike.nnadozie@newtelegraphonline.com

ON SUNDAY

Society of Engineers to float monitoring groups Simeon Ogoegbulem, Abuja

P

resident of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Engr Ademola Olurunfemi, said the engineering body would put in place machinery to monitor government policies and projects.

Olorunfemi who dropped the hint in Abuja when he led a delegation of the society to visit Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememen, said NSE Monitoring Action Groups would monitor policies and programs affecting critical sectors of the nation’s economy.

The NSE president said the NMADs are being put in place for the purpose of engineering input and liaising with relevant stakeholders from public and private sectors of the economy in order to ensure coordinated action for a sustainable development.

The move he noted would ensure coordinated action for a sustainable infrastructural development in the country.

He disclosed that two multisectorial action groups on National Infrastructure Development and Agriculture, Water Resources and

•L - R: Group Deputy General Manager; Sharp CorporationJapan; Mitsuo Nakashima; Managing Director Dajcom Limited; David Safaand Managing Director Sharp Middle East FZE Dubai; Fumio Yamaguchi atthe partnership announcement between Sharp and Dajcom in Lagosrecently.

Environment would be inaugurated within the first quarter of 2014.

He said that AWRE-NMAG, in collaboration with the relevant divisions of the engineering body would be carry out a census of all abandoned, dilapidated, moribund and belowcapacity running Agro-based Agroallied Industries and Water Supply/ Sanitation/Irrigation facilities in the

country.

The NSE President said the exercise would enable the body to assess what it would take to rehabilitate such systems in order to restore the rural industrialization and wealth creation in the agricultural sector of the economy.

The NID-NMAG on the other hand would undertake a comprehensive

study of the present state and future infrastructure projections for critical sectors of the national economy.

Olorunfemi stated that the study would enable NSE to identify gaps and financial needs to meet such gaps.

He assured that the NSE leadership would extend set up other monitoring groups for other important bsectors of our economy.

SHARP, Dajcom unveil new partnership Azubike Nnadozie

A

fter several years of absence in the Nigerian market, multibillion dollar global conglomerate Sharp, has announced a strategic alliance with leading electronics and home appliances manufacturer, distributor and retailer in Nigeria, Dajcom Limited, that will see Dajcom assemble, distribute and retail different Sharp home appliances in the Nigerian market.

The two top brands, Sharp and Dajcom, strongly believe this strategic alliance will excite consumers in Nigeria. Sharp, a global brand renowned for its innovative

Japanese technology, two years warranty, genuine spare parts and widespread professional network of service centres, will extensively make available in the Nigerian market, her high quality products at competitive prices. This huge provision will be backed up by Dajcom’s first class after-sales service and excellent distribution network within the country.

Mr TagamiYasuharu, Director of Sharp Middle East and Africa, while expressing excitement over the partnership said: “For Sharp, Nigeria is an extremely important market, and with Dajcom Ltd as our partner we are committed towards

enriching every Nigerian household with our one-of-a-kind technology and products.”

In his response, Mr David Safa, Managing Director of Dajcom Limited, revealed that the strategic partnership between his company, Dajcom and Sharp was an integral part of his organisation’s long-term vision in Nigeria. “Together we are confident of a bright and mutually rewarding future with our consumers. I am confident about the collaboration, and Sharp products would become popular among Nigerians in the near future,” he stressed.

Sharp Middle East FZE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sharp

Corporation, Japan. Its company in Dubai, United Arab Emirate is the regional hub for the Middle East, Africa and Caucuses (CIS) regions, covering more than 80 countries with sales, marketing and customer service operation in its core business of audio-visual and communication equipment, health and environment equipment, information equipment, as well as crystalline and thin-film solar panels.

As the innovator of LCD technology, which is the basis of modern day LCD and LED TVs, Sharp’s rich heritage of R& D has also provided the world with many other ‘firsts,’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

Inside

Sanusi

Sanusi: Sudden end to a controversial career pg 34

George Noah

LASAA hosts Africa’s biggest conference in Lagos pg 35

34

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Business / News

Sanusi: Sudden end to a controversial career Simeon Ogoegbulem, Abuja

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ecently, President Goodluck Jonathan suspended Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. For close watchers of the Nigerian economy, the suspension of Sanusi did not come much as a surprise. This is because in the last one year, there has been no love lost between the suspended CBN governor and the presidency.

Perhaps, Mallam Sanusi knowing beforehand that he had lost the confidence of the Presidency, when in a little more than one year to the end of his five year tenure, announced that he is not going to seek tenure renewal.

He attracted little applause for that decision coming from a society where public official are always reluctant to vacate public office.

However, subsequent events have proved that Sanusi’s act of not seeking an extension of office was informed by the fact that the hand writings on the wall were clear that President Jonathan was not disposed to allowing him stay at the CBN beyond June 4, 2014.

For analysts, the move was to pull the rug off the feet of the Presidency was to take the shine off his critics.

Economy experts had predicted that Sanusi may likely end his tenure on a controversial just like the way he started almost five years ago.

Thus when the announcement was made in the morning hours of last Thursday, his exit from the commanding heights of the Nigerian financial pinnacle was therefore prophesy foretold.

Sanusi succeeded Professor Chukwuma Soludo who held sway as the apex bank governor between 2004 and 2009. The coming of Sanusi, who until his appointment by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as CBN governor was the managing director of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc, a position he has held for barely six months, attracted a lot of hues and cry.

The outcry that greeted the appointment of Sanusi was based mainly on the fact that the late President had concentrated appointments into the commanding heights of the public sector of the economy in one section of the country. For instance, under the late President, then ministers of finance, national planning, and chief economic adviser to the President as well as the group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were all from the same part of the country.

Kano state in North Western Nigeria had the highest concentration, producing the suspended CBN governor and immediate past ministers of finance and National Planning in the persons of Mansur Muhtar and Shamsuddeen Usman respectively.

Sanusi

However, against all protestations by different stakeholders in the economy, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was confirmed by the Senate of the federal Republic as the governor of the CBN. Sanusi did not waste time in telling whoever cared to listen that all was not well with the nation’s banking industry. After the completion of first batch of an Audit Report of licensed banks, Sanusi announced what could be described as a major earthquake in the banking industry-the sacking of eight banks’ managing directors and chief executives.

Interestingly, only two of the eight banks whose chief executives were kicked out by Sanusi are still standing on their feet while the other six banks have either being acquired or have lost their original identity. The banks that are still standing are Union Bank Plc and Equatorial Trust Bank.

Access Bank, FCMB and Ecobank have acquired Intercontinental Bank Plc, FinBank Plc and Oceanic Bank Plc respectively.

This was followed by the injection of Bail-out funds to the tune of over N600 billion into the intervened banks to enable them meet their obligations to their customers. The capital injection was followed with aggressive debt recovery by the banks. In order to make debtors to pay, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was drafted to make debtors especially those who felt that depositors’ funds were theirs for asking to pay. It is also worthy to note that in the process of debt recovery, it was discovered that the book keeping records of some banks was faulty as many borrowers who have already liquidated their loans still had their names in the debtors list of the banks.

The action of the apex bank under Sanusi was greeted with mixed feelings. While a section of the stakeholders believe that the action of the CBN was timely and in order, another

section of the stakeholders believe that the apex bank would still have achieved the same purpose of sanitizing the banks through a more subtle manner devoid of any razzmatazz.

While some section of the stakeholders accuse Sanusi of executing an agenda aimed at taking the financial institutions from their chief executive officers who in most cases nurtured the banks into big players in the financial landscape, others were of the opinion that it would have been the height of regulatory irresponsibility for the apex bank to sit back and do nothing in the face of what they described as tragedy waiting to happen.

The apex bank made frantic efforts to reassure Nigerians in general and the banking public that it carried out its action in the affected banks without any mindset or hidden agenda.

Every fora was an opportunity for the apex bank to explain its actions in the banking industry. Saunsi stated severally that the intervention of the CBN was in response to the obvious general weakness in risk management and corporate governance coupled with huge concentration in exposure of the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in some sectors.

Such sectors according to Sanusi include capital market and oil and gas sectors of the economy. The CBN governor stated in very clear terms that the measures taken by the apex bank were aimed at among other things; engendering discipline in corporate governance, prevent systemic distress and ensure financial system stability.

He noted that unless these critical elements are put in place, an efficient payment system which will thrive on a sustainable basis would be a scarce commodity in the nation’s march to being one of the 20 top economies of the world by the year 2020.

According to the governor, “It is no longer news that the world economy had been hit by the repercussion of

the financial meltdown that started with the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States of America and one that has spread to Europe and other parts of the world.” He warned failure to learn the, necessary lessons now may bring with it a worse gravity, stressing that its negative impact may even assume greater proportion than what the country has so far experienced. Sanusi restated the apex bank is more than ever committed the restoration and sustenance of public confidence in the banking sector.

However, whatever position that was adopted by the different stakeholders, there seems to be an agreement that something needed to be done and urgently too in the banking sector as all that glitters in the banking sector of the economy may not be gold after all. This is buttressed by the fact that in the last one year, banking business is gradually shifting back to its conservative nature rather than tilting towards the antics of Show Business.

The apex bank did not just stop at firing the bank chief executives that were found wanting but also rolled out what is today easily referred to as the Four-Pillars of the second phase of the Banking sector reforms. The FourPillars of the Banking sector reforms are strengthening the quality of banks, establishing financial Sector Stability, Enabling healthy financial sector as well as Ensuring the financial sector contributes to the real economy.

As part of efforts aimed at rebuilding confidence in the banking sector, the apex bank pursued with vigour the establishment of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). It is on record that AMCON had been in the pipeline until Sanusi brought it to fruition.

Today, that agency had played a critical role in stabilizing the Nigerian banking system. No doubt, AMCON has served fairly well as an exit or resolution vehicle to that assisted in the recapitalization of the CBN intervened banks.

Under Sanusi, CBN planned and executed the phasing out the Universal banking model. The new policy brought about the unbundling of banks and put to an end the situ-

After the completion of first batch of an Audit Report of licensed banks, Sanusi announced what could be described as a major earthquake in the banking industry-the sacking of eight banks’ managing directors and chief executives

ation whereby one bank is in itself a financial supermarket, engaging in all manner of business. Saunsi had argued that the universal banking model as practiced in the recent past led to a lot of abuses. He had insisted that as a one-stop financial supermarket, the model provided the platform for the many insider related abuses that were discovered by the CBN and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) examiners.

The Universal Banking model with foray into insurance, stock broking, property development became the vehicle for diverting depositors’ funds from the banks as equities into many of these subsidiaries that were used as conduits for siphoning funds that were never meant to be repaid. In essence, a substantial chunk of the nonperforming loans that wiped out the capital of some of these banks were incurred through these set ups.

Sanusi had countered those who saw the phasing out of the universal banking model is more of policy summersault and is out of tune with the current banking reforms. The suspended governor who made more foes than friends in his sanitization efforts of the banking system noted that the essence of the four pillars of the reforms is the emergence of a new banking system that is vibrant and alive to its responsibilities.

Sanusi would be remembered for ensuring that bank chief executives do not remain in office for more than 10 years. That decision led to the vacation of offices by Tony Elumelu and Jim Ovia of United bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Zenith Bank Plc respectively, who until the order had occupied the office as CEO of their respective banks.

Another major policy introduced by the suspended governor was the introduction of Cashless policy. The policy which is gradually spreading across the whole country aims at reducing the volume of physical cash in circulation and the encouragement of Nigerians to make more use other payment systems. Today, the number of automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point of Sales (PoS) have increased tremendously across the country.

Sanusi may not be loved by a section of Nigerian elite especially those whom he dislodged from their imperial heights, one thing remains clear, Sanusi purged the banking system of its many ills.

No doubt, the last five years has been eventful for the nation’s banking industry. The changes that have taken place with Sanusi in charge as the number one banker have redefined banking business in the country. The banking industry has not remained the same in the five years and it is more likely not to remain the same again.

35

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

News / Business

LASAA hosts Africa’s biggest conference in Lagos Azubike Nnadozie

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agos State Signage and Advertisement Agency is to host Africa’s most anticipated signage & Outdoor conference and exhibition at Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, in June this year. The initiative, the first of its kind in Africa, is tagged ‘’Sign and Outdoor Conference & Exhibition Africa (Lagos 2014)’’. In addition to 4,000 visitors expected for the event, about 300 exhibitors and conference participants from 30 countries drawn from Europe,

Asia, America, Africa and within Nigeria will be taking part.

LASAA says this maiden edition of what may become an annual international conference & exhibition in Lagos, is geared at creating a convergence of stakeholders within the out-of-home advertising industry. It will focus on trends, best practices, innovations and challenges within the Nigerian and African context.

Conference participants will include advertising agencies, outdoor practitioners, media owners, signage fabricators, printers, advertisers, regulators, government Officials,

event companies, outdoor protection services, retailers, franchisees and marketing professionals.

Speaking on this new initiative, the Managing Director of LASAA, Mr George Noah, who is steering this development said: ‘’The objective is to provide a veritable platform for the growth and development of signage and outdoor advertising in Lagos State, Nigeria and Africa.

The event is expected to attract from within and outside the country, industry regulators, consultants, designers, researchers, brand managers, media buying agencies, event

companies, suppliers, manufacturers, exhibitors in the signage, digital signage, retail signage solutions, outdoor media as well as screen and digital printing industries’’.

According to Noah, ‘’Our objective is to create an enabling environment that will help all players in our sector to grow their business and to keep abreast with new innovations from across the globe. Visitors and participants are expected to discover the latest developments in equipment, software, signage and outdoor materials, systems, fittings and fixtures. Participants can maximise their time at the event by taking part in the tailored conference sessions as well as experiencing live

demonstrations and networking opportunities.

In addition the conference & exhibition will deliver new market breakthroughs, significant on-site sales, joint venture opportunities, new trading partners and an improved regional profile for manufacturers’’.

Exhibitors already committed to the event include: Rotapanel (Holland) Primedia (South Africa) Agfa (Belgium) Saga Group (Dubai) and Invent Media (Nigeria). Similar exhibitions in Dubai, London and Milan are reported to generate billions of dollars of sales for exhibitors serving the printing, signage and outdoor advertising industries.

Regional trade: USAID holds borderless 2014 conference

T L-R:General Manager, Listing, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mrs. Taba Peterside; Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mr. Emil Moskofian and Finance and Strategy Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Yimika Adeboye, during the Facts behind the Capital reduction by Cadbury Nigeria plc, at the floor of Nigerian stock exchange, Lagos…yesterday.

SON DG wins ‘Best public servant’ award Azubike Nnadozie

A

nother important recognition came the way of the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Dr Joseph Ikem Odumodu when he emerged the ‘’Best Public Servant 2013”an awards ceremony organised by the Sun newspapers in Lagos recently.

The organisers say the award is recognition of outstanding contributions of top public servants who, in the spirit of national transformation, have demonstrated uncommon commitment and innovation in course of discharge of their duties.

With particular reference to the SON director-General, the organisers said:

‘’Dr Joseph Odumodu is being recognised for his strident fight against fake and substandard products and other remarkable transformations he has brought to bear on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Also worthy of note are his other laudable achievements that include the attainment of greater capacity building through training and retraining of SON staff, remodelling the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme SONCAP for greater efficiency, introduction of the e-products registration schemer to ensure traceability of products and the on-going certification of 2, 000 Small and Medium Enterprises in collaboration with the

United Kingdom Trade office at no cost’.

Odumodu was also acknowledged for helping to positively project the image of the country globally particularly using his position as the presenting of the African Association for standardisation.

Expressing appreciation for the recognition, Odumodu said it is soothing to be recognised at a time the fight is being intensified.

According to him, the recognition would fire him to do more to sanitise the Nigeria economy of substandard products. He said he was looking forward to a substandard-free Nigeria, adding that all the modalities to achieve this was being sustained.

SHARP, Dajcom unveil partnership C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

such as the world’s first ever sharp mechanical pencil back in 1915, commercial microwave oven in 1962, world’s first LCD calculator in 1973, and industry’s first cameraequipped mobile phone in 2000.

Dajcom Ltd was established in 2002, as an importer of air conditioners and later, of electronic

goods, for the domestic Nigerian market.

Dajcom has developed into one of the largest manufacturers and distributors, not only in Nigeria, but also across the larger group of 14 countries that form the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This exponential growth- spanning just a decadehas been marked by similar success

in operational achievements.

In the past 10 years, Dajcom has acquired the reputation for being the most reliable partner for international electronics and home appliances brands in Nigeria. Dajcom’s numerous achievements include establishing the first flat panel TV assembly line in West Africa, modern factory, logistic hubs and a wide distribution network.

he U S Agency for International Development on Friday rounded off The Borderless 2014 Conference in Lagos, saying it was aimed to improve regional trade.

A Press release by USID, said that the event brought together trade and investment professionals to focus on eliminating barriers to trade in West Africa. The conference was organized by the Borderless Alliance, in conjunction with the Nigeria Export Import Bank (NEXIM), with funding from USID. In opening remarks at the conference, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria James F. Entwistle said:

“Facilitating trade is not merely a development objective--it’s a development imperative.”

He added, “The United States is here to lend our assistance to reach these goals.”

At Borderless 2014, both public and private sector stakeholders came together to focus on enhancing trade throughout the region.

The conference includes sessions on trade facilitation protocols, overcoming border crossing challenges, ICT in trade facilitation, and comparison of transport sectors for intra-regional trade, as well as financing the trade and transport sectors and enabling growth.

GTBank in $175m deal with Mart resources Azubike Nnadozie

M

art Resources, Inc. an independent international oil and gas company focused on production and development opportunities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has announced that it has, through its wholly-owned Nigerian subsidiary, arranged to increase its existing secured term loan credit facility with Guaranty Trust Bank PLC from US$100 million to US$175 million.

Sources close to the firm said the increased facility was needed to fund field development activities on the its Umusadege field, fund Mart’s ongoing working capital requirements on the Umugini

pipeline and provide funds for potential future Nigerian oil and gas opportunities.

A statement by the company disclosed that the secured loan facility has a term of five years and bears interest at 90 days LIBOR plus 4% (floor of 8.25%), which is unchanged from the terms of the company’s prior facility with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. According to Chairman/CEO of Mart Resources, Wade Cherwayko, “The increase in the facility with Guaranty Trust Bank PLC provides Mart with greater financial flexibility to evaluate and participate in new opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.”

ICTWorld

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNRDAY

2 MARCH 2014

36

with

Kingsley Roberts kingndcha@yahoo.co.uk

Importance and role of ICT policy W

ithout a well formulated and sustainable ICT policy, the impact of ICT on development will not be realized or felt. It is therefore crucial to bring about awareness and understanding of the potential impact of ICT for development and economic growth (beyond the hype and political correctness).

ICT for development is a priority for national governments as well as global and regional organizations. For example, in Vietnam, dot-GOV has contributed to the competitiveness of the software industry and increased the understanding of the government on World Trade Organization telecommunications requirements and the EU convention on cyber crime Policy should also be geared towards local adaptation to respond to local needs (no rigid blueprint for reforms). Effective policy reform occurs only with local buyin and that can only be achieved by paying attention to local needs, local culture, local languages, local sensitivities and local politics Evaluative learning: - ICT-enhanced learning is student-directed and diagnostic. Unlike static, text or print-based education, ICT-enhanced learning recognizes the presence of different learning pathways to explore and discover rather than merely listen and remember. The discussion above clearly elaborates the role of ICTs in facilitating the pedagogy

of schools in the information society. The policy document also describes the provision and advantages of ICT as follows: ICT provides a great deal of advantage in the delivery of equitable quality education thereby providing an opportunity to improve the lives of our people.

The need to use new technologies to raise the quality and efficiency of education cannot be overemphasized. It is imperative that we expose our children, parents, and teachers to ICT to improve the quality of education and technical proficiency of our human resources, thus leading to increased productivity and accelerated development. We must also prepare our citizens to adapt to the global economy and participate in electronic commerce.In addition, we must provide our children with a greater understanding of other peoples and cultures, thus defending our renewed legacy of peace and tolerance.

Few of ICTs benefits to the classroom and the education process mentioned in the document are that ICTs:• Offer the opportunity for more student centered teaching, • Provide greater opportunity for teacher-to-teacher and student-to student communication and collaboration, • Give greater exposure to vocational and workforce skills for students,

• Provide opportunities for multiple technologies delivered by teachers, • Create greater enthusiasm for learning amongst students, • Provide teachers with new sources of information and knowledge, • Prepare learners for the real world, • Provide distance learners countrywide with online educational materials.

• Provide learners with additional resources to assist resource-based learning. Furthermore, the document states ICTs to cover all the technologies used for holding and communicating information and their use specifically in education with overall policy goals of: • Producing ICT literate citizens, • Producing people capable of working and participating in the new economies and societies arising from ICTs and related developments, • Leveraging ICT to assist and facilitate learning for the benefit of all learners and teachers across the curriculum, • Improving the efficiency of educational administration and management at every level from the classroom, school library, through the school and on to the sector as a whole, • Broadening access to quality educational services for learners at all levels of the education system, and

• Set specific criteria and targets to help classify and categorize the different development levels of using ICT in education.

A new society requires new skills ICTs increasingly pervade every aspect of life (work, learning, leisure, and health).

Because ICTs are excellent tools for information processing, the new generation needs to become competent in their use, should acquire the necessary skills, and therefore must have access to computers and networks while at school, Schools are information and knowledge holding institutions. Therefore, ICT should be fundamental information management tool at all levels of an educational system, from classroom to ministries.

A Quest for Quality learning Schools should profoundly revise present teaching practices and resources to create effective learning environments and improve life-long learning skills and habits in their students. ICTs are versatile, and powerful tools that can help in this purpose and should therefore present in every classroom, library and teacher room.

Nevertheless, so far ICT have not provided any large-scale breakthrough in learning improvements even though there are still promises with great potential.

Investment/Equities Nigeria’s External Debt Stock as at 31st December, 2013

Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock as at December 31, 2013

in millions of USD

in millions

Debt Category External Debt Stock (FGN + States)

Amount Amount Outstanding in USD Outstanding in NGN 8,821.90

1,373,569.83

Domestic Debt Stock (FGN + States*)

55,688.05

8,670,628.99

Total

64,509.95

10,044,198.82

*States Domestic Debt Stock of N1.55 trn as at end December, 2012 was used CBN Exchange rate of 1 USD to N155.70 as at December 31, 2013 was used

Federal Domestic Debt Stock By Instruments As At 31st December , 2013 (Amounts in Naira)

Source: Debt Management Office, Abuja

Road.Rail.Aviation

37

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNRDAY

22 MARCH 2014

Why joint aviation unions insist on technocrat as minister Paul Ogbuokiri

T

he joint aviation unions and associations on Thursday said their agitation for the appointment of a professional as the next aviation minister is to rescue the sector from its present state.

Convener of the stakeholders meeting, Captain Nogie Meggison, told the New Telegraph on Sunday they are constrained to restate this position because they learnt that some persons are capitalizing on the open letter they sent to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a technocrat as minister to lobby for themselves.

He said it has come to the notice of stakeholders that some persons were using some experts to make case for themselves as against the collective position.

Meggison said as much as stakeholders have resolved that a technocrat should be appointed as aviation minister, they will not those who do not have requisite capacity and

track record for the position.

He therefore said; “one of the major reasons why industry players need a technocrat as the next aviation minister is to rescue the industry from its current state, where certain self-centered elements without pedigree and track record want to continue to hijack the industry,” he said.

He stated that the industry has some seasoned industry technocrats not limited to the following: Captain Dapo Olumide, former managing director of Air Nigeria; and deputy managing director, Aerocontractors, and is currently financial consultant with African Finance Corporation.

Captain Kiddy Dare, former logistics director ExxonMobil, and former director of operations at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Ibrahim Seidu , managing director , Kabo Air, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia , rector, Mish Aviation Flying School, Accra, he is also managing director of Westlink Airlines.

Captain Adebayo Araba, former rector, Ni-

geria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Engineer Folashade Odutola, also former rector at NCAT, ex- director of airworthiness standards, NCAA, as well as Nigeria’s representative in ICAO. Meggison said there are other competent technocrats with track record to move aviation industry to the next level.

Meanwhile, President of Aviation Roundtable, Captain Dele Ore has also warned against the use of the open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan as an avenue by some selfseeking experts to advance their selfish desire to lobby for the position of aviation minister.

The aviation unions comprise of : Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, National Air Traffic Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Professional Pilots , Aviation Roundtable and the Airline Operators of Nigeria.

Weekly TravelGuide ARIK AIR Lagos-Abuja 7:00 am 8:00 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm

Abuja -Lagos 7:00 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm 8:00 pm 7:00 am 9:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm 9:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm

LagosPort Harcourt 7:00 am 9:30 am 11:00 am 1:30 pm 3:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:00 am 11:00 am 3:00 am 9:30 am 11:00 am 1:30 pm 3:00 pm 5:30 pm

Port HarcourtLagos 7:30 am 9:00 am 11:30 am 1:00 pm 3:30 pm 5:00 pm 7:30 am 11:30 am 9:00 am 1:00 pm 5:00 pm 11:30 am 1:00 pm 3:30 pm

AbujaPort Harcourt 6:45 am 10:10 am 1:30 pm 4:50 pm 6:45 am 10:10 am 1:30 pm 6:45 am 10:10 am 1:30 pm

Port HarcourtAbuja 8:30 am 11:50 am 3:10 pm 6:30 pm 8:30 am 11:50 am 3:10 pm 8:30 am 11:50 am 3:10 pm

MEDVIEW

L-R: Executive Director, Commercial, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Kachi Onubagu; MD/CEO of NOIPolls, Mr. Oge Modie and Director of Research, Dr. Bell Ihua at NOIPolls discussing “Connecting Africa through Data on Social Media” during the Social Media Week Hub-Workshop held at Four Points Sheraton Hotel Lagos recently.

NRC begins 2014 pensioners’ verification exercise Azubike Nnadozie

T

he management of Nigerian Railway Corporation has commended the Federal Government for providing funds for payment of Railway Pensioners and also the National Assembly Committee on Pension matters for their assistance in appropriating adequate fund for pension.

Speaking recently in Lagos while declaring open the 2014 NRC Pensioners Verification Exercise, Managing Director of NRC, Engr. Adeseyi Sijuwade said the Federal

Government has always demonstrated its commitment to prompt payment of pensioners by way of budgetary provisions and compliance with the Pension Reform Act. He also commended the Minister of Transport Senator Idris Umar for his support and cooperation with the NRC management to ensure that the welfare and well-being of NRC pensioners receive boost through enhanced pension rates as all the recommendations made by the Ministerial Committee on Pension rate increase are receiving attention with the view to scaling

up the monthly pension.

He enjoined all NRC pensioners to be patient with verification officials so as to achieve a dependable database on the statistical status of NRC pensioners which will enhance seamless payment of pensions as and when due.

In his response the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NRC branch, Alhaji Rauf Balogun thanked the NRC Management for its efforts in reviving the railway with visible improvement in service delivery and welfare of workers.

LOSABV 0700/0815 ABVLOS 0900/1015 LOSABV 1200/1315 ABVLOS 1400/1515 LOSABV 1630/1745 ABVLOS 1830/1945

LOSABV 0850/1005 ABVYOL 1050/1200 YOLABV 1300/1410 ABVLOS 1500/1615

LOSPHC 0730/0840 PHCABV 0920/1030 ABVPHC 1120/1230 PHCLOS 1320/1430 LOSPHC 1700/1810 PHCLOS 1900/2010

LOSABV 1030/1145 ABVLOS 1230/1345 LOSENU 1445/1545 ENULOS 1630/1730

LOSABV 0800/0915 ABVLOS 1000/1115 LOSABV 1200/1315 ABVLOS 1400/1515

LOSABV 0850/1005 ABVYOL 1050/1200 YOLABV 1300/1410 ABVLOS 1500/1615

Maritime NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNRDAY

22 MARCH 2014

38

PAUL OGBUOKIRI,

paul_ogbuokiri@newtelegraphonline.com 0802-779-0557

Shipowners can’t access Cabotage vessel fund – Investigation Paul Ogbuokiri

T

hough six companies have been shortlisted by the Federal Government as the first batch of indigenous shipping companies to benefit from the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund, there are indications that the companies would not be able to access the fund.

New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that about six months after the companies crossed the hurdle of government due diligence; none of them have deposited the mandatory fifteen counterpart fund with the Primary Lending Institutions.

The four PLIs; Diamond Bank, Skye Bank, Fidelity Bank and Sterling Bank will not divulge information on

transactions with their customers, but said they have not started disbursing the fund to beneficiaries.

They would be beneficiaries will not be able to access the fund unless they have deposited with their banks, the fifteen percent of the amount they are requesting from the Fund.

The shortlisted companies include; Rangk Limited Ocean Marine Limited and Niger-Delta Shipping Limited.

Others are: Micharry & Co Limited, UTM Dredging Limited and AG Botler Nigeria Limited.

Minister of Transport Senator Idris Umar, had in October last year told a House of Representatives Adhoc Committee, instituted to probe the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund;

that the six names were chosen after due diligence was carried out on the companies by the government.

The approval for the six companies by government was not the end of the journey to accessing the loan as they also have the banks requirements to meet.

The Cabotage Guidelines requires that the banks manage the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund for lending agency, NIMASA. They will indemnify the borrowers (companies) for NIMASA. In turn, the banks require the six approved beneficiaries to deposit with them, fifteen percent of the amount they are requesting for.

The banks will further carry out financial due diligence on the companies to be sure they are capable

of running a venture involving such huge capital.

Sales-ship .com advertised a used 12,000 deadweight double hull tanker vessel sales at $17.5m. A very small 30 years old single hull was advertised to sale at $795,000.

A brand new 12,000 deadweight double hull tanker is built Hyundi Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea at about $43m.

The Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund was established by Section 42 Part V111 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, 2003.

Section 44 of the Cabotage Act empowers the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to collect, deposit and administers the fund in commercial banks under guidelines proposed by the Minister of Transport and approved by the National Assembly.

The fund was meant to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity by providing assistance to Nigerian operators in coastal shipping.

As total of N33.4billion has accrued to the Nigeria Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) in the last 10 years it was instituted.

The funds, which came in local and foreign currencies, include the

sum of $155m (N24.5 billion) and another sum of N8.9 billion in local currency. .The Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria have been expressing the fear that the fund might have been diverted to something else by the government, even as it has said that the guideline is too stringent for the shipowners to meet.

Meanwhile, Chairman of NISA, Chief Isaac Jolapomo had called on Federal Government to toe the path the American Government had toed before by giving its citizens money to buy ships to enable them control shipping in their coastal waters.

But according to the Director General of Nigeria Chamber of shipping, Ms Ify-Akerele, the failure of the individual shipowner in NISA to form a consortium of four to five to enable them be able to put together the fifteen percent counter funding is the problem that continue to make it impossible for them to be able to access the fund.

She told a group of journalists in an interview in her office in Apapa, Lagos that all of the shipowners are trying to access the loan individually but do not seem to have the financial muscle to put on the table the required fifteen percent counterpart funding.

NIMASA boss advocates arbitration to resolve maritime disputes Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Emeka Sebondo in a warm handshake with Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport, Engr. Nebolisa Emordi and Chairman of NIWA Governing Board, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu smiling at the just concluded NIWA stakeholders conference in Onitsha.

Seamen’s monthly minimum wage to hit $614 in 2016

A

subcommittee of the Joint Maritime Commission (JMC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) has agreed on a resolution raising the minimum monthly basic wage figure for able seafarers from $585 to $592, as of 1 January 2015 and US$614, as of 1 January 2016.

The mechanism for setting the minimum monthly wage for able seamen is the only one in the ILO for setting the basic wage for any industry.

The minimum monthly basic wage figure for able seamen has most recently been included in

the ILO’s MLC, 2006.

The Convention, known as the “seafarers’ bill of rights”, entered into force on 20 August 2013, and has been ratified by Nigeria and other 55 ILO member States representing over 80 per cent of world shipping tonnage.

The Joint Maritime Commission is the only permanent bipartite standing body of the ILO. It dates back to 1920, and is composed of ship-owners and seafarer representatives from across the globe.

Nigeria is one of the countries in the world where seamen are

grossly underpaid.

With the ratification of the MLC 2006 by the country last year, it is expected that the convention will come into effect In Nigeria this and it is expected that ship-owners in the country would start to abide by the convention.

But the convention will a little more time to domesticate into the country statute books, meaning that it will still remain unenforceable until it is passed into law by the National Assembly.

Seamen are among the best paid workers in the world.

D

irector General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has reiterated that alternate dispute resolution is a tool that has the potential to enhance the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector.

The NIMASA DG who stated this while playing host to the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, (MAAN) in Lagos recently.

He said:“For the maritime sector which is an international industry, Arbitration has proven to be an effective tool for Dispute Resolution and we at NIMASA are committed to ensuring that Nigeria embraces this trend to fastrack the growth of the Nigerian Maritime Sector.”

He also assured stakeholders of the agency’s commitment to providing the enabling environment for maritime arbitration to thrive in Nigeria as a dispute resolution

mechanism Speaking, President of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, Dr. Omogbai Omo-Eboh that the Nigerian Judicial system has challenges in adjudicating maritime issues.

He pledged the readiness of the Association to work closely with NIMASA to resolve issues relating to the progress of the sector.

“In order to continue to maintain the role of Nigeria as the lead maritime sector in Africa, Nigeria needs the Arbitrators,”he declared.

Dr. Omo-Eboh further said that setting up of an arbitration centre in Nigeria is more desireable than the present practice of traveling to New York, United States of America and Singapore amongst other places for arbitration, a practice he described as a drain on our foreign exchange.

He solicited the Agency’s support in making this a reality.

39

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Paul Ogbuokiri

G

raduates of the Nigeria’s ongoing multi-billion naira training of seafarer’s abroad would end up not getting job on board vessels if the move by Luxury car brand, Rolls Royce’s Maritime division to change the face of world shipping with unmanned drone ships sails through.

Under the National Seafarers Development Programme, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency currently sponsor the training of over 2500 cadets on Marine Engineering, Nautical Science and Marine Architecture in different maritime institutions in America, Europe and Asia.

According to the Director General of NIMASA, Mr. Ziakede Akpobolokemi, more 2500 youths would soon benefit from the training wholly bankrolled by the agency. He said that he intends to make the total number 5000 before the end of 2015.

There is another segment of NSDP being partly sponsored by NIMASA and the participating State Governments at the ratio of 60 and 40 percent.

NIMASA is also investing in the training of the seafarers in the country in the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN Oron and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State.

New Telegraph on Sunday learnt that in a world of automation where robots are replacing humans in the field of work, Rolls Royce is a step ahead by designing ships in a manner that it would need no crew from ground up and no robot on existing ships to command control.

Oskar Levander, the company’s Vice President of Innovation in Marine Engineering and Technology said that drone ships can offer much safe, cheaper and less polluting prospects for the $375 billion shipping industry that carries almost 90 percent of world trade.

Oskar Levander, the company’s

Maritime / Business

Drone ships threaten Nigeria’s seafarers training programme

L-R: Former President of Nigerian Master Mariners, CAptain Ishola Peters; Chairman, Planning Committee, NIMAREX, Mrs. Margaret Onyema-Orakwus; NIMAREX Publicity Secretary, Mr. Boslaji Akinola and Director General, Nigerian Chamber of Shippinig, Ms. Ify Akerele at a press briefing in Lagos, recently.

Vice President of Innovation in Marine Engineering and Technology said that drone ships can offer much safe, cheaper and less polluting prospects for the $375 billion shipping industry that carries almost 90 percent of world trade.

Rolls-Royce’s Blue Ocean development team is currently on amending and improving designs for mammoth drone ships at its office in Alesund, Norway. The unmanned cargo ships will be equipped with camera’s that replicate 360-dregree views from the vessel to dry land where captains will be commanding them using a virtual-reality recreation of a vessel’s bridge. It means that machines will now monitor all lashing, chains and straps. Machines will monitor ten-

sion on the line through a sensor in events that occur during the voyage.

The development on the drone ship designs began a year ago. Rolls Royce’s Blue Ocean Development team supposed that the unmanned ships could offer a safe, clean and less-expensive option for moving cargo. Rolls-Royce has plans of expanding into making plane engines and turbines in the near future.

Oskar Levander, the company’s Vice President of Innovation in Marine Engineering and Technology said that drone ships can offer much safe, cheaper and less polluting prospects for the $375 billion shipping industry that carries almost 90 percent of world trade. On an average, $3,300 per day is the cost of crew

NPA to facilitate seaborne trade with E-payment Paul Ogbuokiri

A

bout three days delays it takes port users to confirm payments at the seaports will be a thing of the past when the Nigerian Ports Authority’s new E-payment solution for port services becomes operational in April.

Managing Director of Nigerian NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi said this at a one-day sensitization forum for stakeholders in the maritime industry held at Eko Hotel in Lagos recently.

He said: “Nigerian Ports Authority acknowledges complaints of delays in payments confirmation leading to vessel delays and other harrowing experiences, “we have therefore responded with a solution that guarantees multiple payment

channels and reconciliation challenges to the barest minimum”.

He listed the benefits of the system to include, instant payment confirmation, faster & efficient service delivery, improved vessel turn-around time, cost reduction and identification and blockage of revenue leakages.

According to the Executive Director, Finance & Administration of the Authority; Mr. Olumide Oduntan; when payment is made it takes between three to four days for it to be confirmed because it has to be taken to the Headquarters by customers and the headquarters will send it through courier to the ports. The new system, will eliminate that process as payments will now be confirmed as soon as it is made on same day, he stated.

on the ships, cost of pilot age at the beginning and end of voyages and at risk points, a figure amounting to 44 percent of total operating expenses.

The European Union had recently financed the Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intelligence in Networks project by funding $4.8 million. It aims at developing and validating the concept of an autonomous ship which can be defined pretty much as a vessel primarily guided by automated on-board systems and secondarily controlled by remote operation in a shore side control station. Apart from this initiative, a few others initiatives are aimed at reducing shipping costs. For example, is a vessel is groups with metal sails, it could reduce fuel costs

by 30 percent.

On a concise portrayal on the vessels design, Levander stated that it will be loaded with containers from front to the back, as shown in the image. The structure will be designed in such a manner that it will be devoid of supporting crew lives. The ships will be able to cut costs and boost revenue by replacing the bridge, and other systems that support crew including air conditioning, electricity, water and sewage. The resulting into making the ships 5 percent lighter before loading cargo and help burn 12-15 percent less fuel.

The unmanned ships will also result into reduced piracy, since there would be no crew to capture and hold as hostage by pirates.

NIMAREX‘ll showcase Nigeria’s maritime industry –Onyema-Orakwus

T

he fourth edition of Nigerian maritime expo which opens in Lagos on March 10, would combine a holistic business experience and conference with exhibition that would update the audience on the state of the maritime industry in Nigeria, Chairman of the organizing committee, Mrs. Margaret Onyema-Orakwus said.

She told New Telegraph on Sunday the theme of NIMAREX 2014 is aptly 100 Years of Maritime Development in Nigeria to mark the country’s celebration of its centenary.

She said that exhibitors and conference participants, would have a better organized and a much bigger than past editions.

“We are leveraging on the experiences of the past editions of NIMAREX to put up a

truly world-class event this year.” She said She also said that NIMAREX has climbed to an enviable position in the international maritime Calendar, adding that it can only continue on the path of excellence as the years grow by.

Mrs Orakwus also said that the expo and conference has the vision “to establish Nigeria as the maritime hub for Africa” and a mission to pursue growth and sustain increased local content participation in the Nigerian maritime industry.

She said that in the half century the Nigerian maritime industry have grown from the vestiges of what was left of colonial administration to heights and accomplishments.

40

Capital Market Downturn ‌a potential turnaround in March?

T

he equities market in most parts of February sustained a depressed mood with Return To Date (RtD) at -4.28%.

This is not unexpected given investors’ reaction to unpleasant news flow on QE Tapering and increased Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) which spilled over from January. The suspension of the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, also trailed these events, thus amplifying the uncertainties in the market.

The equities market did not react in isolation to the news; yields on fixed income instruments trended upwards during the month and pressures mounted on the naira which went as high as NGN169/USD upon the suspension of the CBN governor.

Ripples in the Equity Market At the beginning of 2013, the equity market started with much enthusiasm, company valuations looked attractive, credit rating of the country improved, fund inflow from foreign investors increased and regulatory oversight and reforms were strengthened. These drove returns in the first quarter of the year.

The second week of June 2013 saw news filter into the market pertaining to the possible tapering of Quantitative Easing sending ripples through emerging markets fearing capital flight. The NSEASI lost c.9% for three consecutive

weeks before recovering on the back of expected Q2 earnings.

After the CBN held its 90th MPC meeting on the 22nd and 23rd of July 2013 and decided to increase the CRR on public sector funds to 50% to be implemented from August 7th 2013, the market, led by the banking stocks, lost 3.2% that week but recovered the following week. Following the implementation of the new policy, the index went on a losing streak till the 27th of September 2013. Between October and December however, the market wit-

nessed a turnaround which brought returns to 47.19% at the end of 2013.

2014 has not been very pleasant and has been dotted with spikes of volatility, placing the market in the red on the back of several shocks such as the further hike in CRR from 50% to 75%.

No sooner had the market begun to recover than it was further depressed by the news of the suspension of the CBN governor, thus losing 1.47% on the announcement day and 1.34% the following day.

FX under intense pressure in February Naira came under intense pressure in February due to events in the global economy (e.g. QE tapering) that prompted currency sell offs in the emerging markets and mounted considerable pressure on the naira (with a 0.37% depreciation) within the first and second weeks of the month. This was compounded with news on the possibility of a 100% CRR on public sector deposit which also pushed the depreciation further. Towards the end

41

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Market Report

of the month, the shock of Sanusi’s suspension drove the interbank exchange rate to a 52-week high of NGN/USD 169 from NGN162.6/USD at the beginning of the week, a 3.94% depreciation. The CBN interventions in the following week however helped push back the Naira to NGN164.75/USD. Sanusi’s suspension raised yields in the fixed income market In the fixed income market, yields trended upward especially in trading days post-Sanusi’s suspension. The selling pressure was intense in the fixed income market as bond prices dipped which intuitively raised yields on the instruments. Yields on T-Bills on all maturities from the beginning of the year to pre-suspension averaged 12.55% vs. post-suspension average yield of 13.53%. Yields in the bond market also followed suit as the average yield increased by 8bps from 12.92% to peg at 13%. In the NIBOR market, rates also trended north as average rate increased to 12.19% vs. 11.97% pre-suspension.

All else equal, we are optimistic that yields in the fixed income market are likely to skew towards their average yields in January (T-Bills 12.26%, Bond 12.35% and NIBOR 11.51%) as confidence is restored on the back of the Acting CBN governor’s effort to reassure the market of seamless transition to the new regime and maintenance of the current stance of monetary policy as she has been an advocate of sustaining the tightening cycle.

Despite global risks, Nigeria remains attractive The global economy is expected to grow by 3.6% in 2014 driven by economic expansion in the United States and Japan despite slowdown in growth of emerging market economies (EMEs) like China. However, due to expectations of sustained QE tapering by the United States, financial markets in emerging and frontier economies have experienced reduced inflows as foreign investors from developed markets continue to readjust their portfolios to benefit from higher returns in their markets and mitigate their exchange rate risks.

In reaction to the recent volatility in emerging markets (EMEs), central banks in some of these economies such as Ghana, Turkey, and India raised their benchmark policy rates.

There are also indications that the United States may increase interest rates in the near term which would further trigger funds repatriation to U.S markets. Nevertheless, Nigeria,

with a market PE of 13.73x, relatively stable foreign exchange rate, and attractive yield environment (12.96% average bond yield) remains a compelling investment destination. Hence, barring any further shock that may counter the relative calm experienced in the market, we think the negative sentiments would retract for some bullish trading driven by impressive results from quoted companies, albeit marginal.

Depletion of foreign reserves may trigger devaluation of the Naira External reserves dropped

by USD2.44bn in 2 months from USD42.85bn on Dec. 31, 2013 to USD40.41bn on Feb. 26, 2014. CBN has raised concerns about the continued depletion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves and excess crude account (ECA), saying this portends grave implication to the economy. The depletion threatens sustained intervention in the foreign exchange market by the CBN. Following the suspension of the CBN governor, foreign investors’ concerns about the autonomy of the CBN pushed the naira to a record low (NGN169/USD). Naira devaluation appears probable but it is unlikely in the interim as the acting CBN governor, Dr Sarah Alade has assured stakeholders of continued efforts to defend and ensure stability of the naira.

Tight monetary environment to sustain funds flow The next MPC meeting is scheduled for 24th - 25th March 2014; we expect the committee to retain the MPR but hike the CRR on public sector deposits in a bid to sustain price and exchange rate stability. This should reinstate investors’ confidence in the capital markets and drive funds flow to the fixed income segment. However, the tight environment will continue to discourage borrowing at high rates and limit the growth potential of the economy.

Investors’ sentiments to shift as earnings season approaches While past events and news flow may still affect the market going forward, we believe attractive 2013FY numbers for some sectors remains the major catalyst for positive returns. With the earnings season fast approaching, companies with good dividend payment history will likely enjoy price appreciation as investors’ take position in anticipation.

Annual average profit of the banking sector is estimated to be 7% higher in 2013. Insurance sector is estimated to grow 2013FY profits by an average of 16.74% for the major operators. We forecast 0.72% earnings growth for the consumer goods sector. Industrial goods sector is estimated to grow bottom-line by 20.9% driven significantly

by WAPCO’s contribution, while for the oil and gas sector, we expect 71.25% growth in earnings.

Our analysis of companies with possible strong dividends shows an average 7.88% dividend yield. We expect a few sectors most especially consumer goods and banking to enjoy rally in March as investors take positions ahead of corporate benefit announcements. Companies with impressive 2013FY growth in top- and bottomline figures will also enjoy investors’ patronage.

Yields to maintain current bands, albeit with a possible slight uptrend Going into March, an inflow of T-bill maturities worth NGN180.090bn is expected on March 6, 2014 and an equal amount on offer same day, which would neutralize any impact the maturities would have had on liquidity conditions in the system. The DMO plans to auction a total of NGN60-90bn worth of debt on the 12th of March, 2014 in re-opening of 13.05% FGN AUG 2016

series as well as a new issue of between NGN25-45bn 10 year FGN MAR 2024 bond.

We expect a quiet bond market in March as investors cautiously continue to observe events as they unfold, particularly concerning happenings in the domestic politics and global space.

Barring any significant rise in interest rates in the developed economies (US & the Eurozone countries) and further acceleration in the US Fed pace of reducing its bond buying program, yields are expected to hover around current levels particularly on the long term bonds. However, any significant outflow will likely result to an uptrend in yields on the short duration bonds relative to long duration bonds.

The T-bills market is expected to continue to enjoy patronage (particularly the short term bills) due to same reasons stated above. However, should CRR on public sector deposits be raised to 100% and/or CRR on private sector deposits to 15% as widely speculated, T-bills yields may trend up as some banks may have to sell down on their T-bills holdings to meet the new funding requirement. While most banks may have prepared for a possible hike in CRR on public sector deposits to 100%, (hence minimizing considerable impacts that would have on T-bills yields), a simultaneous increase of CRR on private sector funds will significantly impact T-bill yields in the short term.

Our expectation for the month of March will not be without reference to what has transpired in the economy from January till date. Despite the upheavals, we expect investors to be strategic in the month, as companies roll out their results with several corporate actions to appeal to investors’ appetite in equities market. In the fixed income market, we do not expect any substantial activity that will defer from what we saw in the past months.

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08066519657 (sms only)

Hi kids, I’m Aunty Kate. Welcome to my world where I love to put smiles on the faces of kids. Ayoola Rolland, a pupil from Cecil School Ogun State tells us what his neighbourhood looks like. You can win fabulous prizes by sending your answers to our Guess Who corner.

I’m so looking forward to giving out these prizes to you. Stay blessed.

2014 Number Search Can you find “2014” 20 times in the puzzle below?

You can look for it forwards, backwards and diagonally.

6 4 1 0 2 3 2 1 4

5 8 7 3 5 2 2 5 3

2 2 0 1 4 0 0 6 2

0 9 2 1 1 1 1 0 2

1 5 0 4 0 4 4 4 0

4 4 1 1 2 4 4 0 1

2 1 4 4 1 0 1 0 4

2 0 1 4 6 1 0 8 4

5 2 1 4 1 0 4 1 4

6 4 9 4 2 0 4 8 4

Guess who?

I’m a popular Nigerian musician, who am I?

My neighbourhood

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n the outskirts of Ogun state lies a town called Matogun. It is surrounded by towns like Olambe, Akute and Alagbole towns. This is where I live. A major feature of m y neighbourhood is the tropical look. It is so typical that it has untarred roads with red clay and commercial buses rarely ply the roads.

Especially during the rainy season. Motorbikes could be seen carrying up to four people at a time, including school children and pregnant women.

During the rainy season, erosion washes away the safe parts of our streets, giving the topographical area an unbalanced look. I wonder if my area would be remembered by the government for a long time, in terms of basic amenities like pipe borne water, light and recreational centres etc.

The people in my neighbourhood are no longer afraid of snakes as they are now like domestic animals. We see different species every time. Sometimes I think I live in a jungle, but you know what? I cant do much because the house we

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live in belongs to my dad but I catch fun seeing squirrels running from one end of the bush to another, beside the streets.

The joy of it is that we eat fresh fruits and vegetables found in the neighbourhood . we lack government owned hospitals, locating a private hospital is equally difficult. Local herbs are our source of czuring diseases, there are no industries in our area except for bakeries and pure water factories.

In conclusion, man is known for the ability to adapt, and I am not an exception. Although I seem to have adapted to my neighbourhood, but , I still feel embarrassed about it whenever I interact with my friends from better developed neighbourhoods, and I hope that soon the development of matogun would become a priority in the eyes of the Ogun State Government.

Ayoola Rolland Basic Six pupil Cecil Day and Boarding School, Matogun, Ogun state

My culture

ulture is the way of life of a group of people. I belong to the Yorub ethnic group. I hail from Owo in Ondo state of Nigeria. As a Yoruba girl, my culture is famous for its style of dressing, hairdo, ceremonies, tribal marks, just to mention a few. As a Yoruba girl, I kneel down to greet my parents in the mornings and any other person older than me. Some of our common foods are iyan( pounded yam), amala ( yam flour meal) eba, semo, fufu, etc, our soups include egusi, ewedu, efo riro, etc.

In terms of naming a baby, we believe in naming children

after our parents or naming them to glorify God etc. Some of these names are Adeyemi, Opeyemi, Taiwo, kehinde for twins etc. We play music like juju, apala, and fuji, we dress in iro and buba,with gele, for the women while the men wear agbada, buba and sokoto for the men etc We are also known for tribal marks like pele, tondo, etc I’m glad I belong to Yoruba culture.

Tumise Salami Basic five Cecil Schools, Matogun, Ogun State

RIDDLES I am something, I kiss my mother before I die. What am I? Without me, every day there will be darkness. What am I? All children love me, what am I? I’m something, I am white

inside and brown outside.

What am I ?

I am something when I step on nail, I will not get injured but the nail will go down.

What am I? I’m something, when people see me they want to read me. What am I?

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Trend du Jour Henshaw-Nuttal, Fergie, Gwen Stefani, BeyoncĂŠ Knowles and her sister, Solange, Naomi Campbell and Kim Khadarshian.

It’s no surprise that there is a bounty of the African-favourite brand created by different textile mills, which make the eclectic print fabric to meet the increasing need for Ankara by designers home and abroad, for various fashion items. We can easily find it designed into a beautiful dresses and fashion accessories like bangles, hair, neck or ear pieces, shirts, sun shades, shoes, bags etc. Whatever the occasion, one can always find a piece to suit your style.

Suffice it to say that the Ankara has found favour with modern styles and contemporary fashion, with the best quality of this fabric being its stylish look when tailored well.

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Body&Soul

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Trendy African styles for elegant men Vanessa Okwara

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he modern Nigerian man is very fashionable. He wants to be seen on every occasion looking dapper and sophisticated; even when wearing traditional attires.

These outfits are usually made with brocade or cotton materials.

They can be cut simply or designed with embroidery to give it a distinctive elegant look.

Nigerian designers are constantly creating bespoke designs that are unique and trendy for men who want to look good and stand out from the crowd.

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Body&Soul

Accessories

MIRRORED: This has ultra-reflective lenses and is perfect for hiding behind. They also add an instant tough-girl chic to any look.

CAT EYE: Retro-inspired style that suits most faces has an edge of being trendy and classic enough to be an investment.

CLUBMASTER: In the spirit of borrow-from-the-guys, this silhouette does plenty for those who prefer the minimalist styling which by the way is the go-to style for the season.

Shade in Style Biwom Iklaki

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ou need sunglasses to keep the glare out of your eyes on sunny days. Find a way to do the necessary with a dash of style.

Choose from the following shapes and designs for your ultimate instant chic… in the sun!

COLOURFUL: Pay tribute to bright colours by intentionally clashing/complementing your sunglasses, lipstick even jewellery.

EMBELLISHED: Another fun statement sunglasses, pair with solids (outfit colours) to avoid looking garish!

WHITE: Can’t get enough black and white? Do try the white shades. Be sure to do a bright lip so they don’t take over your face!

TRANSLUCENT:

AVIATORS:

ROUND:

Popularised by Vietnam helicopter pilots who looked sleek as hell. These inverted teardrop shape looks sleek on most face shapes.

Think breezy, groovy, an era past. Don’t take them too seriously-or literally! A definite no-no for round faces.

For a new trend the see-through shades is sure gaining ground. With the popularity of Lucite on jewellery, bags and shoes, wearing the shades is a more subtle way to style the trend.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Subomi Balogun, ex-ICAN president’s war deepens T

he on-going war between two prominent sons of Ijebu Ode - Chairman of First City Monument Bank, Otunba Subomi Balogun, and the former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi - over the Olori Ebi Fusengbuwa chieftaincy title, has taken a new dimension.

When the bank chief was installed as the Olori Ebi Fusengbuwa last year, it didn’t go down well with Owoyemi, who believed the Awujale of Ijebuland shouldn’t have done so.

Celeb Lounge learnt that Owoyemi then went to the court to lay claim to the title, a move that was said to have infuriated the monarch and other chiefs.

Owoyemi was consequently suspended and barred from parading himself as the Otunba of Ijebu Kingdom. But the top accountant remained resolute and vowed to fight on.

Fusengbuwa Ruling House is one of the four ruling houses, which can lay claim to the throne of Awujale of Ijebuland.

• Subomi

GOS pursues political ambition

D

espite pressures from different angles for him to drop his ambition of becoming the next governor of Lagos State, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, popularly called GOS, has intensified his efforts.

To prove his seriousness, the man, who remains one of the political heavyweights in Lagos State, has just opened his campaign office

• Ita-Giwa

in Ikeja. Celeb Lounge gathered that he will soon relocate to Lagos, from Abuja where he is the Vice-Chairman, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs at the Senate.

The very unassuming socialite started his political career as the chairman of Mushin Local Government, before proceeding to the House of Representatives in 2003.

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Oyo State governor, Lam Adesina, took his long time lover to the altar.

Many politicians, especially from the All Progressives Congress, as well as crème de la crème of the society, came in their hundreds to honour the Oyo State commissioner and his wife.

The two-day event started on Friday at the Etal Hall, Oregun, Lagos, where the engagement was held, before the solemnisation at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Cornerstone Parish, Okota,Lagos.The grand finale took place at the Yard 158 also in Oregun.

Bayo Adeoye 080114867475

bayoolunla@yahoo.com

• Oduah

Stella Oduah out of her shell

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f you think immediate Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, would shut herself inside her closet after being sacked, you are wrong. The Anambra State-born lady has bounced back.

When Celeb Lounge sighted the light complexioned former minister at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, she was her bubbling self. She was cheerfully acknowledging greetings from friends and fans.

A source confirmed to Celeb Lounge that the minister, who has remained in the Federal Capital Territory, is already mapping out strategies for her next move.

Kenny Martins now Wole Olanipekun’s in-law

Top shots light up Dapo Lam Adesina’s wedding t was a gathering of the influential, penultimate week, when Dapo, son of the late

with

L Senator Ita Giwa celebrates at 68

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t was indeed a gathering of class and colour when the ever-bubbly former senator, Florence Ita-Giwa, celebrated her 68th birthday on Wednesday, February 19.

The ex-lawmaker invited some of the Nollywood finest and other top personalities to celebrate with her.

Ramsey Noah, ChidiMokeme, Rita Dominic, Fred Amata, Enyinna Nwigwe and others attended a private party, which took place at the Penthouse of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

agos was thrown into a celebratory mood Saturday when A-list guests from all walks of life came for the wedding of one of the daughters of Kenny Martins, the former chairman of the Police Equipment Foundation.

Tolu Martins and her lover, Bode, son of legal luminary, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), finally became a married couple. The wedding, which engagement was held at Grandeur, Oregun, on Friday and the reception at the prestigious Harbour Point, Victoria Island on Saturday, attracted bigwigs in the political and judicial sectors.

Kenny Martins,

a former National Publicity Secretary of the National Democratic Party, has been a major player in Nigerian politics, while Wole Olanipekun remains one of the top lawyers in the country.

• Martins

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Body&Soul

with

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oom 302 was tastefully furnished. The well-laid bed beckoned. Patra walked to it and sat down. Good mattress! She watched as the bellboy carefully placed her small luggage in the wardrobe and walked out, closing the door quietly.

She kicked off her shoes and reclined on the bed. Her mind went through what happened on Valentine’s Day. “How could Richie do that to me? I gave him my love, everything a wife could give a husband...” ****************************** Richie had lost some weight. Who wouldn’t? He barely slept the past four nights. It had been hellish. Friday was his worst Valentine’s Day ever. Until that day, he had been happy; his beautiful and amiable wife, Patra, had also been very happy. He never planned to keep two homes.

“Gawd! Why did I meet Ruth?”

Ruth. So innocent, so sweet!

His mind raced back to that day, more than three years ago. He had gone on a business trip to Jos, Plateau State. After work that particular Thursday, he went to Nosa’s house.

They were childhood friends and got married same year but Nosa’s family lived in Canada. Nosa’s girlfriend was in the house with her friend, Ruth.

“They are both teachers in a local school in town. The schools are on mid-term break,” Nosa hold his friend, Richie.

The two ladies looked alike -not too tall, slim, dark, beautiful and yes, shy.

“They are cousins,” Nosa explained and they smiled.

Beautiful set of teeth.

Anna was the taller of the two. She appeared to be the senior also. Their smallish frame made it difficult to guess their age.

Ruth could hardly look Richie in the eyes. Getting her into a conversation was a task.

After dinner, they went to a local pub for drinks.

They were served roasted bush fowl with pepper sauce.

While the women took beer, Nosa requested for a local brew.

“This is called ‘Power drink’. It’s a drink for brave men,” he told Richie as the bar boy placed two bottles on their table.

Richie picked up one of the bottles and examined it. The light was weak, but then, the ‘drink’ was served in a beer bottle with no label. He poured a little into the glass and sipped.

“Hmmmmmmmmm...This tastes good,” he said, and took a mouthful.

Ruth had loosened up a bit. Maybe it was the beer. Music was blaring from the speakers.

The girls were on their second bottles each. Richie looked at Ruth and she smiled. They couldn’t say much to each other because of the noise, but they seemed to like each other. After three bottles of ‘Power drink,’ each Nosa paid the bill and they left for the car park.

Richie felt a bit light in the head. Every drop of blood in his veins seemed to be moving downward, between his legs.

“This ‘Power drink’ sure has power,” he whispered to Nosa.

“You ain’t seen nothing yet. You will wake up very strong in the morning,” Nosa told him. When they got to the car, Nosa asked Anna to join him in the front. Richie and Ruth got into the back.

Nosa and Richie talked politics as they drove through the streets. In-between, Nosa told Richie - in coded language - he could go with Ruth.

Did he need any prompting? His body was already on heat. He could swear that every drop of that local brew flowed directly into that part of the brain that would make a man think of nothing else than the pleasure that only a supple body could give.

Nosa and Anna spoke in a low tone. She turned to Ruth and they chatted in their local dialect. Ruth relaxed a bit.

“Hope you’re good,” he asked her. She replied in the affirmative, without looking up. He touched her right hand.

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

Love is wicked

Very soft and smooth. She didn’t resist him. He held on to the hand until they got to his hotel, about five minutes drive from Nosa’s house.

“Will pick you up at 8am,” Nosa told Richie as he drove off with Anna.

Immediately they got into the hotel room, Ruth dropped her little handbag on the table and entered the bathroom, closing the door gently. Richie heard the water running. He changed into boxers, rummaged in his bag and brought out a pack of sheaths. It had been in his bag for a long time. He was not in the habit of picking strangers but this night was different. Blame it on Power drink. He dropped it beside him. Between his legs, power throbbed. He sat up when the water stopped running.

She came out some minutes later with a towel tied loosely around her, holding her gown which she took to the wardrobe and hung. She looked so beautiful.

She smiled shyly at him as she walked towards the bed.

Two paces away, the towel dropped, revealing the most beautiful body Richie could swear he had seen in his life.

She bent immediately to pick the towel but Richie was there in a flash. He took her arms and waltz her around, taking in her firm large boobs, flat tummy and wide hips. Only one word came into his mind: goddess!

Ruth looked into his eyes and looked down. Her eyes caught the excited man pushing at the cotton boxer. She dropped on her knees, freed the man who unfurled, standing ‘long’ in its full glory. Immediately she moved her tongue towards it, Richie lost every sense of reasoning.

He couldn’t remember how many times he stood and was conquered that night. The combination of Power drink and Ruth was more than he could handle. He looked at the wall clock, 4.27am.

Ruth! He wondered at the strength in that lithe frame.

She was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He took another

look at her smooth brown body and got excited again. He removed his arm gently from under her head and she shifted to make herself comfortable and slept on.

He raised his head and brushed his lips against her forehead. Then he saw it. Lying on the bed, close to the edge was the pack of sheaths. Unused! His blood ran cold.

“Oh my gawd,” he exclaimed. *********************************** Patra was on a lonely path, walking. She looked around and saw a car parked in front of a beautiful house.

Then she heard the song.

“Love is wicked, love is wicked...love is wicked...”

She moved slowly towards the car. Beautiful song! Brick & Lace’s Love is wicked did something good to her senses anytime she heard it. She started swaying to the music as she inched close to the car.

All of a sudden, the car disappeared and the music seemed to rise from inside her. She looked around, scared, made to run and woke with a start. Her phone was ringing.

She had dozed off.

She reached for the phone, a Blackberry Q10. It stopped ringing before she could take the call. She wasn’t eager to know the caller. She was in no mood to talk but someone was determined to speak with her. The phone rang again.

She looked at it. No name, just numbers. She allowed it ring out. ‘Love is Wicked!’

Then it rang again. It was Richie.

Find out the result of this skin to skin next week.

Hello readers, This is a series on Patra, an amiable, hardworking wife who got the most unusual gift on February 14. Feel free to drop your comments.

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Body&Soul

Hair styles for kids Kate Robin-Adanihuwam

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ne special thing about daughters is that we always want to make them beautiful. From their shoes to their dresses, Hairdos etc, we try to outdo each other by making them look unique.

Kiddies fashion is out to make your work easy, by showcasing the best of the best in kiddies fashion.

In this edition, we offer you some beautiful hairstyles that will transform your little girls to princesses.

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Body&Soul

Maheeda’s good side S

• Femi Kuti

4th Grammy Award loss: Is Femi Kuti jinxed?

o, good thing can actually come out of Nazareth? That was what many people said penultimate week when Maheeda, who had established herself as a nude singer, revealed another side of her personality.

Several times, she had shared pictures of herself either semi- nude or totally nude on the social media. These naughty pictures earned her the bad girl tag. While some people described her as a child of the devil, others saw her as a mentally- challenged lady. Despite these criticisms, she was not bothered.

However, the beautiful singer showed she had another side when she showed her haters that she could also be a loving and caring mother. She shared the photo on her Instagram page and recalled a sad time in her past when she couldn’t take care of herself and her daughter, Divine.

Maheeda also shared photos of Divine, who turned 13 penultimate week.

Charly Boy’s deep worries

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or the fourth time in 10 years, Femi Kuti was nominated for the Grammy Awards and won none.

The Nigerian Afrobeat singer and saxophonist was nominated in the ‘World Music‘category for his 2013 No Place For My Dream album released under Knitting Factory Records.

He was first nominated in 2003 for his Grammy Award; but lost out to Panamanian salsa singer, Rubén Blades. The Afrobeat musician picked his second nomination in 2010 when he was nominated in the same category with US banjo player, Bela Fleck, who walked away with the award.

In 2011, Kuti once again lost the award to Malian band, Tinariwen, for the album Tassili.

The son of the Afrobeat legend lost this year’s award to a French group, Gipsy Kings, and South Africa’s male choral group, Ladysmith and Black Mambazo, who were announced joint winners of the category.

• Charly Boy

leb Lounge that the 85-year-old to any of the family members man was being treated in a US with such offer. hospital for cancer.

The source said, “Imo State “It is a worrisome and a try- government is just politicising ing period for me, but I know his illness. Nobody has reached God will see me through,” he us with an offer to fly Papa said. abroad. As you can see, he is We also learnt that contrary still lying at the National Hosto the news making the round pital, Abuja.’’ that the Imo State G overnment has finalised arrangement to fly oung, beautiful and sexy musician, D’lyte, the octogenarian retired judge aka Atupa, has dropped a new music abroad, there is video titled, Superwoman. It is a song nothing like that dedicated to beautiful women and men who at the moment. A have women in their lives. source confirmed D’lyte depicts energy, beauty and happithat the state ness; these she radiates. government had Her real name is Stella Francis Ebegbune. not reached out She hails from Delta State. She is the youngest in a family of seven.

She was born and brought up in Lagos State where she had her primary and secondary education. She’s a businesswoman with a legal background. D’lyte believes in hard work and women who support the family.

D’lyte said she got inspired by women who cope with the demands of career, marriage and motherhood. She is inspired by those women trading under the hot sun and rain, just to eke a living and make sure their children get educated. ‘’I truly get inspired by those ladies who drop their pride and humble themselves to work to support their families and impart greatness in people,’’ she said, adding, “A superwoman is a good, caring and submissive woman, who is a contributor, a life changer, a hard worker and a role model.’’

D’lyte is currently working on a project, which will take place in her home town in Delta State. She said it’s her own way of giving back to her state and Nigeria as a whole.

“I love to work on projects, which concern women. It gives me joy because women are always neglected and this is not good at all.

D’lyte bounces back with Superwoman

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he ever-bubbling and happy- golucky man, Charly Boy is going through a trying period in his life.

This is not unconnected with happenings in his family. It is no longer

news that his father is down with stroke. His father-in-law, Lady Di’s daddy, is also battling with cancer in the US. The controversial man told Ce-

Why Keke Ogungbe, D1 cannot part ways

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• Dayo

• Maheeda

he duo of Kenny ‘Keke’ Ogungbe and Dayo D1 Adeneye are no doubt one of the greatest things that have happened to the Nigeria’s music industry. These American-trained broadcasters came into the industry when it was in dire need of direction and they gave it life.

Many are wondering why these two have remained glued together like Siamese twins over the years as business partners and friends. Of course, there had been rumours that their relationship was heading for the rocks. But we can tell you for free that it would be difficult for the Ogun State-born presenters to part ways for now, as the future of their businesses, Kennis Music and Primetime Africa, are built on the duo’s shoulder. They each play critical roles that ensure the survival of the outfits.

Close acquaintances of the duo affirm that while Ogungbe has good managerial skills and is very good in the day-to-day running of the company, Adeneye is well connected, has good contacts and a solid relationship with those who matter in the corporate world.

• Keke

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Body&Soul

Basic workouts for sexy rock-solid ABS

With

Pilates Hundred he Pilates is an amazing workout that focuses on the abdominal and back muscles.

The hundred is particularly helpful in strengthening abdominal muscles, building stamina and improving concentration.

Method: Lie face up with your knees bent towards your chest. Lift your head, neck and shoulders in a curl stretching out your hands by the sides with palms facing down.

Stretch out your legs to a 45 degrees position from the floor and begin to vigorously pump your arms up and down. As you pump, inhale five times through your nose and exhale five times through your mouth. Repeat this nine more times making it a total of hundred pumps.

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am not really into fitness for the mere purpose of aesthetics but hey, who minds the head-turning figure that comes with it? Regular workouts help you to stay healthy but can also help you look sexy when properly channelled towards certain areas. This week, we shall be incorporating some abdominal exercises into our regular workouts in a bid to firm and eventually sculpt that flabby protrusion into the sexy six-pack ABS we all silently pray/wish for.

Bicycle Crunch runches are exercises that work on the abdominal muscles to improve strength and flexibility. They require no equipment and can be done anywhere. I particularly like the bicycle crunch as it provides a great workout for the entire abdominal area.

Method: Lie on your back with your hands firmly behind your head.

Raise your legs with your knees bent 90 degrees and move them like you are peddling an imaginary bicycle.

As you pedal, lift your head slightly with your hands and direct your elbows diagonally to each knee as it moves towards you. Go on for about thirty seconds and rest for about five seconds before repeating.

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Bent-Arm Plank he plank exercise is one of the best ways to firm up the abdominal muscles. The bent-arm plank which is actually the most basic plank routine will help to build strength and endurance not only in the abs but in the shoulders and back as well. Like the bicycle crunch, this also requires no equipment and can be done anywhere too.

Method: Lie face down on a very flat surface. Gradually lift yourself onto your toes while resting on your elbows. Try to keep your body as straight as possible while holding this positi on for as long as you can. You can start with a ten-second hold and gradually build up to ninety as your stamina improves.

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&

Fitness WELLNESS Funmi Azike

Captain’s Chair Leg Raise his is another effective abdominal exercise that, unlike the others mentioned above, requires equipment. It usually requires a Vertical Knee Raise Machine but if you don’t have one, you can use two sturdy chairs of equal heights. Squat with your forearms resting on the chair and gently lift your legs, hold for about five seconds and bring them down. Repeat movement making sure your back stays upright all the time. Start by repeating at least five times and gradually increase it as you progress.

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Please Note: T hese abdomin al exercises do maintain a reas not eliminate th onably healthy e need to eat ri lifestyle. It also routine. For be ght and should not disr ginners, you ca upt your regula n add a 10-min the above rout r workout ute AB worko ines to your re ut consisting of gular 20-minut continue to wor any/all of e workout thri k on your abdo ce weekly. As long minal muscles sexy rock-solid as you with these rout ABS in no time. ines, you are su Till next week, re of a stay fit.

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NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Life

Private hangars on the increase

Interior of a private jet

A private hangar

N Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, costs $20.9 million. Another 10 units of 800 XP at the cost of $18 million each have Gulp. been purchased.

That is exactly the plane President GoodTwo brand-new Hawkers 4000, which luck Jonathan flies in. It boasts a boardroom Dan Keady of Hawker Corporation confirmed with lavish seating, living quarters and every recently is about $21 million each, are already modern technology imaginable. in Nigeria too. One belongs to a banker and the These celebrity jets are usually delivered second one was procured by an oil company. ‘green’, which means the interiors are unfinNigerians are said to have invested about ished. Most rely on firms that offer custom N1.3 trillion in the acquisition of private jets in design service, to give their plane a look unthe last three years, according to the Nigerian like anyone else’s.

Institute of Estate Surveyors.

Some celebrity planes have been outfitted The NIESV had noted early last year that with things like dance floors and hammocks; the number of privately owned jets in the custom interiors take a lot of time and money country had jumped from 50 to 200 in the (up to 25 per cent of the total price of the last three years. plane).

There are numerous celebrities that fly However, Boeing and Gulfstream are not in style aboard their own private jets. In Ni- the only choices for celebrities that want to geria, the list is growing. A lot of well-known fly privately; Oprah Winfrey flies in a Bombusiness leaders, top business men, clerics bardier Global Express, as does Guy Laliberte and politicians prefer the Gulfstream, Falcon, and Celine Dion. Actor/pilot Harrison Ford Bombardier and Cessna over other corporate prefers his De Haviland DHC-2 Beaver, and jets.

Sydney Pollack owns a Citation X. By most people’s accounts, most private Some celebrities who like to fly in style do jet owners are generous and self-deprecating; not like the inconvenience and cost of mainbut when they fly, they cannot but look down taining a private jet, so they choose to acquire upon people. When they fly, the air inside a jet through fractional ownership, while oththeir airplane cabin is refreshed every two ers use it for charter when they are not flying. minutes, pressurised at 6,000 feet, and they But only a very people engage in this practice can check email and surf the Web whenever as the wealthy class of Nigerians do not mind they want. keeping them on ground irrespective of the Travolta takes his aviation business very costs of parking and maintenance. seriously; his house is outfitted like a real airport. He owns a Gulfstream and a Boeing 707, which he used to fly supplies to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.

Most celebrities that own Boeing jets, such as Kirk Kerkorian, Rupert Murdoch and various heads of state, use the Business Jet, which is a modified 737. A lot of well-known business leaders prefer this over any other corporate jet.

The Boeing Business Jet is not common among Nigerian billionaires, possibly because of its size and cost. This is a $73 million dollar aircraft capable of achieving mach 0.82. Musicians now make use of private jets in their music videos

owhere in Africa, not even in South Africa, do we have the number of private jets as are now available,” said an aviation expert.

Overflying the Nigerian airspace today are some of the best and, of course, most expensive private jets aircraft manufacturers have on offer.

This is why across the nation’s airports, private hangars are springing up and housing airplanes with registration numbers such as are ZS – PPH; ZS – SGV; ZS-B0V; ZS-PTP; ZS-BOT (believed to belong to a former governor of a South West state); ZSS0V; ZS-SAH; ZS-PCT; ZS-PKY and so on.

ZS is the call sign of South Africa. Of course, there are some with Nigerian registration numbers like N2208L belonging to a bank or its chief executive and 3B-MGT believed to have been leased by another bank.

A joint users hangar, Execujet, located along the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos is a beehive of activities. It is an impressive facility and even more impressive is the team of engineers and staff put together to run a first-class maintenance organisation in Nigeria.

The hangar is spacious, clean, well lit and well equipped unlike any other such facility in Nigeria.

It wasn’t that long ago that private jet owners had to fly out to Europe to get even the smallest repair done on their aircraft.

Now with EASA and NCAA approvals for many of the major manufacturers, including Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft, ExecuJet can provide complete line and unscheduled repair services in their hangar.

Besides Execujet hangars, there are others owned by Caverton Helicopters, Ever Green Apple, Hangar 8 which are for commercial purposes.

Pastor Oyedepo is said to own Dominion hangar at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Same for a former minister of Aviation, whose hangar is at completion stage. It is not yet clear if the minister plans to An interesting dimensions to this jet craze is that most of the planes owned by Nigerians are registered in South Africa.

Indeed, an openly-discussed topic in the South African aviation sector is the number of aircraft registered in that country but belonging to Nigerians and, of course, the source of the money.

“If it is the Nigerian petro-dollars, then the Saudis and the Kuwaitis must be wondering if they know the meaning of the good life, “a South African engineer told New Telegraph on Sunday.

Adenuga’s jet

MAINTENANCE

A

n aircraft engineer who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “All depends on what “Private Jet” you own. Let’s start with a Gulfstream G550 They start at $40 million and range up to $70million.

“Now to run the thing there are both fixed and variable costs. Variable operating costs (fuel, maintenance, trip expenses) are around $2,300.00 per hour while overall ownership expenses (including maintenance, storage, crew costs and insurance) could be around $600,000 per year”.

This according to him does not include costs for periodic maintenance procedures such as $1,000,000.00 for an engine rebuild, $ 200,000.00 for a paint job or $300,000.00 if you want your interior refitted.”

“Now suppose you want a smaller jet like the Cessna Mustang VLJ the buy in is less as well as fuel etc. They start at $1.75 million and only around 1200/hr to operate.

“Want an old Jet like a 1970’s Citation, you can find some good ones under $1million in fact some around $300-500 (but be careful they may need an engine overhaul at about $250,000-300,000 and they have two of those Expect to also repaint for around $70,000K to $100, 000 and renew the interior also around 60-90K and expect some other repairs) They still use about the same fuel as new aircraft and cost more to maintain since they are older.

Hangar rent and pilots’ expenses are still the same”

Sermon I know whom I have believed p.53

Sermon Understanding the Master key to exploits p.57 NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

02 MARCH 2014

TAI ANYANWU, titus.anyanwu@newtelegraphonline.com 0706 438 0029

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/faith

Shocker!

Lagos church where only Lebanese worship

Tai Anyanwu

T

he green metallic BMW car joined the stream of traffic on Lagos-Epe Expressway, Lagos, as the Roving Worshipper traced his way to the Lady of the Rosary Church, Lekki, Lagos.

In eager expectation of a fruitful assignment ahead, the reporter stepped on the gas pedal ahead of four other cars. Since service would begin at about noon, he was instructed to carefully sustain the speed.

The time was 11.45 a.m. as the vehicle negotiated the roundabout at Maiyegun Beach intersection. Driving on the road was not easy, as it was dotted with pockets of potholes.

At the beach gate, two hefty young men were collecting tolls from visitors to the beach. However, the gate swung open to allow Roving Worshipper in, after a brief introduction. The church stood imposingly at the fringe of the sandy beach.

An elderly Nigerian securityman at the gate of the church ensured access to the worshippers.

Roving Worshipper picked his way through the long narrow passage enclosing the entrances into the auditorium, noticing that it was a steady stream of Lebanese.

Perhaps, faith of other nationalities would soon join the flow into the church, the reporter mused quietly.

Sitting on a bench beside the rear entrance, a young Lebanese sucked hard at the butt of a stick of cigarette. Some other worshippers exchanged pleasantries before they joined fellow faithful at the pews.

We all sat down on our respective spaces in the solemn ambience, waiting for the priest to begin the service. Roving Worshipper also took a seat at a conspicuous corner. Looking around, the reporter noticed that in the sea of Lebanese heads were two black ladies, who looked like nannies accompanying the families of their employers.

On the inside walls of the church were pictures of the Stations of the Cross, just the same as one would find in a typical Roman Catholic Church. The altar also was not arrayed differently; however, there were two smaller altars on

both sides of the main altar. On the left side, was a picture of Virgin Mary and the child Jesus, as she gave the Holy Rosary to Saint Catherine while the altar on the right side bore the picture of a bearded Lebanese saint.

The service began at exactly noon. The priest soon indicated that service had commenced and was assisted by two junior priests, three little mass servers and, wait for it, a girl. The priest conducted the mass using the missal as Catholics do. The only difference was that the service was rendered all through in Arabic language, which of course made it impossible for Roving Worshipper to understand what was being said.

But the reporter felt some warmth when it was time to share the familiar Catholic handshake of peace; because the female mass server picked her way to my seat to extend the peace of the Lord to me. But I was not warm enough to partake in the communion.

When it was offering time, the congregants of between 300 and 400 dropped their money in the bags extended by church wardens.

At the end of service, I walked up to the priest’s office to find out one or two things about the strange nature of the Lebanese church.

Though he was somehow surprised at my abrupt visit, he said, “You have to come to my house in Victoria Island. I have baptism to conduct now.”

So, off to his residence headed Roving Worshipper where he was received. The priest introduced himself as Father Doumit Aoun, saying he was one of the five priests deployed to minister in Lebanese churches in Nigeria located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu and Ibadan.

He said, “The five are from JBEIL which is interpreted as the City of God. The people of JBEIL wrote the first alphabet. For this reason, the Greek call us Biblos, 600 years after.”

Father Doumit further explained that a Lebanese Patriarch, Michelle Abisaa, became the authority or head of the Diocese of JBEIL, from where the priests were sent to the Lebanese churches in Nigeria and other parts of SubSaharan Africa.

The Lekki church was built in 1993 by, Mr.

Sermon You need a father’s feather to fly p.54

52

Faith ON SUNDAY

Lady of the Rosery Church, Lekki

A cross-section of worshippers

Joseph Nahman, a Lebanese businessman, who lived in Nigeria with his family.

“After the death of his wife named Rose, Mr. Nahman built the church and named Lady of the Rosary after his late wife,” Father Doumit explained.

Roving Worshipper gathered that at the completion of the auditorium, the donor asked the patriarch to send a priest to dedicate and declare the church open. However, the spiritual leader of the people of Biblos chose to send a minister to dedicate the church and to oversee the spiritual needs of the Lebanese community in Lagos.

Father Obed Younan was the first apostle to come from Lebanon to accomplish the task.

When Father Michelle came to Nigeria, he travelled round the country and discovered that there was a large Lebanese community existing in different parts of the country. So, that stimulated the establishment of similar Lebanese churches in the various locations mentioned earlier.

The reporter was told that at Lady of Annunciation Church, Ibadan, the denomination erected a huge complex comprising a church, event centre, school, cafeteria and sporting facilities for the benefits of members.

Father Doumit, who currently ministers at the Lekki church, told Roving Worshipper that he arrived Lagos in 2003; and had carried the church to Cotonou in Benin Republic as well as Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Jos. He, however, stressed that their branches located in the core Northern Nigeria had been closed due to the

activities of Boko Haram.

But what is the relationship between the Lebanese brand of the Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Lagos Archdiocese?

Father Doumit said, “Sometime ago, the African bishop forbade his parishioners from worshipping in our church because there are air conditioners here. The churches of Africa are very poor and our church is very well done. If Africans come to us, they (African church) will lose money and the African churches need the money more.

“If any African comes to my church, I don’t send them away. But if his bishop says he should not worship in our church, they leave. We are Catholics.

“There is nothing to hide; we are open to everyone. As with other Oriental churches, we don’t put status in our church,” Father Doumit explained.

When the Director of Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, was contacted for clarifications, he said he was aware of the existence of the Lebanese church in different parts of Nigeria.

He confirmed that the church was indeed a part of the Roman Catholic Church and asserted that there was no time African parishioners were instructed not to worship in the church.

“Archbishop Emeritus, Olubunmi Anthony Okogie, is alive, you can confirm from him. The only reason blacks don’t worship there is because of Arabic, which is the official language used to minister to the worshippers,” he explained.

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Interview /Faith

2015: Elections may not hold in some states , if...– T B Joshua General Overseer of Synagogue for All Nations, Prophet T B Joshua, warns politicians not to derail the nation’s democracy. He spoke with TAI ANYANWU. Excerpts

T

here are so much troubles in Nigeria today, problem of insecurity, treat to national unity, political manoeuvres by rival political parties. What are your comments concerning these troubled times in the country?

It is a normal thing for a country that has a bright future, God’s promise.

Bright future always attracts persecution, condemnation and enemies when it’s realised that the future is bright, and you see a lot of pressure and treats. The country is on the part to greatness, it will compete with any Western nation in future and the western nations know that Nigeria is going to be a giant. That is why their support in these trying times is needed. There is no country that has not passed through this.

All the countries that have become great today, they all passed through turbulence that nearly consumed them. How we manage the situation matters. If we don’t manage it well, we will not witness the greatness. It is not that the greatness would not come, but that would not be for our generation. The greatness will still come but for the coming generation.

With the turbulence being experienced in some states of the federation; and the election just around the corner, how do you think this will play out?

Elections will not happen in some states because of the frequent attacks.

T h i s

Joshua

could affect between three to four states. The states would be a no-goarea due to violence and elections would not take place in those states unless we move closer to God. We must intensify our prayers. This is what God has showed me and you can imagine what would happen if elections don’t hold in those states.

It would have great implication for our democracy.

How should we manage it?

We should not allow the politicians to politicise all the areas of our lives. For example if you want to enjoy anything, you have to be part of their party. Job, friendship etc, unless you are part of their party, you cannot benefit from things that should be available to you as a citizen. Look at electricity, health etc, they have politicised everything. Religion has been politicised, Christianity has been politicised. They go to church etc; the pulpit is where they campaign now. Now they go to churches, and mosques and bomb them. These are people in church who had gone to pray for themselves. Must everybody become a politician? How we handle the situation at hand now matters. If the situation is not well managed, we will find ourselves postponing the great Nigeria; which we will not witness but that would be witnessed by our children. Don’t let us politicise every area of our lives. Let us carefully play our politics with keen decency because 2015 matters in the history of Nigeria. It is either we cross the bridge successfully or it collapses. A good Nigerian that wants this greatness should be able to pay whatever proper price that is needed to be paid to make this dream of a great Nigeria possible. If your being in politics will make this greatness come, then join.

From now to 2015 is a very important period in the history of Nigeria

and if we don’t manage the situation well, our democracy would be rubbished.

How do you mean ... that our democracy would be rubbished?

A situation where there would be lawlessness, lawlessness in the sense that the law would not be capable of guiding us because of the pro (for) and cons (against) as contained in the law and that would now take so much time which would now lead Nigeria to a discussion table. Where would you and I be at that time?

What can you say about APC and PDP? In body we can call it APC and PDP; but in spirit, they are one and the same thing. I am yet to see the difference. I am looking forward to seeing the difference.

The president has just suspended Sanusi Lamido and people are saying he is being witchhunted because of his revelation on $20bn missing oil money.

What is your take on this?

There are some agencies that are technical. CBN is one of the agencies that we should not play politics with or politicise. One, the head of the agency should do away with politics; the president should also not play politics with the agency.

With the situation in the country today and the agitation on 2015, what advice do you have for politicians not to create more tension in the polity and what is the way out?

The advice; many of us need to leave politics while many others need to join, in order to inject fresh blood. The people that need to leave politics are not the common people.

This is in order to avert the disaster that could rubbish our democracy The Synagogue is now like a tourist centre; what’s happening here that is different from what is happening in other churches?

There is nothing happening here that is different from other living churches. If there is any difference, it is the availability of abundance of anointing to meet needs. Where there is demand, there is supply, says the Lord.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Faith / Sermon

You need a father’s feather to fly

Ogbonnaya

M

ost great men today had the support of a father either morally or financially. It took the blessing of Abraham to make Isaac great. It took the blessing of Isaac to establish Jacob. It took the blessing and love of Jacob to preserve Joseph in the land of Egypt.

It is surprising to notice that many people do not know the importance of having a father. Ask an orphan or a fatherless what he suffers or goes through in life when he needs to lean on the shoulders of a father. No matter how old or poor your father is, his existence is still relevant to your existence, and Fatherless children go through a lot of pains. Your father may not have money to give you but his name can pave a way for you. Salvation did not give us any money but He empowered us to go in His name. Jesus also knew the importance of God our father that He was always talking about His relationship with Him. To do any exploits, you need the moral, spiritual,

financial and physical support of your father. In John 11, when Jesus approached the tomb of Lazarus, he first said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that you sent me” John 11:41-42.

Jesus demonstrated the importance of a father at the above scripture. In the days of Elisha, the Bible also shows us what it means to stay connected to a father. When Elisha walked with Elijah for years and received his double portion of anointing.

It is written: Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel” And Elisha saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. He picked up the cloth back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

2Kings 2:12-13.

It takes the mantle for a father to establish a loyal and faithful son. You need the feathers of your father to fly. You need the directions of your father to walk in the paths of light. Elisha performed double of the miracles Elijah performed because Elijah released his feathers for him to fly. He became the most anointed in his generation that even when he was dead, his bones were still performing miracles. He could not transfer the glory to anyone because there was no selfless, faithful and reliable son. Gehazi who should have carried triple portion became a story teller. Many fathers have gone into the grave like that without re-producing their goods feathers in their sons. If it is possible, no son of a great father should be useless or live a meaningless life. When you have a man who is gifted in wisdom as a father, you have no reason to fail. Solomon became great because David taught, directed and showed him the right paths to follow. Absalom who was the first son despised his father and died carelessly. He contested with his father over

Oracles of God by

Frank Olomukoro

frankolomukoro@yahoo.com 07033621866

L

epers is really who we are as humans. Fashionable, intelligent, educated, wealthy and gregarious, the finest of being is characteristically a leper, in spiritual term, a sinner. So declared the word of God. The word of God is the only authentic source that defines our origin and tells of our beginning.

This is true because life belongs to God alone. Nothing to do with the devil who is a mere perverter and a spoiler who comes to corrupt the beautiful purposes of God in the human life.

Man is primarily born and placed here on earth to make a choice. The choice to remain sinners as lepers or the choice to obtain the germ of eternal life through Christ Jesus. The later ensures our resurrection after death. Nature and the word of God informs us that man revolves in a cycle of life, death, burial and resurrection. Job in Job 14:1 – 22 inquired into this philosophy, he being a renowned and great philosopher in his day.

He asked the question as he probed, if a man dies, shall he live again? His discovery showed that if a tree (the vegetations) dies, there is hope that it buds back to life… but he realized that when man dies and gives up the ghost, he does not come back to life. Why? There is no resurrection power in a sinner that dies without Christ. Resurrection is not replacement. It is bringing back the same thing up that went down. We see this confirmed by nature in the rise and setting of the sun on daily basis. The sun comes up in the morning, a baby is born. At 9:00am it goes to school, it’s a teenager. Then at 12 O’clock it becomes fully matured. After 12noon, fifty years has passed, past half the

the throne of Israel. What Jonathan saw and stepped down, Absalom in his foolishness went for it. In his old age, David needed a successor. So Solomon was close to him while his brother Adonijah gathered a crowd to crown him, 1 Kings 1:5 the crowd misled him but Solomon wore the crown because he was close to his father.

In 1 Samuel 3 and 4, God killed the children of Eli but gave Samuel the grace to lead, prophesy and judge Israel because he obeyed God and his spiritual father, priest Eli. Joshua became a mighty man under the leadership of Moses. He suffered insults, loneliness, hunger, and every other thing Moses the father suffered. Judas betrayed his father and Savior Jesus Christ because he kept a company of murderers instead of building a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. His place, of course, was taken by another disciple.

You need your father’s feathers to stay connected, needful and useful. No matter how high, rich, anointed, famous, great, and powerful you may be, you still need your father’s blessings.

When Jacob cursed Ruben, his years on earth and generations unborn suffered the consequences.

If you must live long, prosperous, and die at old age smiling, appreciate your father always; love him always; provide for him always; follow his good steps and advice, ask; and pray for his blessings. You need your father’s blessings even if it is a sentence.

Also father learn to speak good words and blessings to your children and curse not for the sake of the generations unborn.

You can worship with us @ Word of Faith Int’l Church. No. 66 Ohanku Road, Aba. Email: apostleofgraceinwof2010@gmail.com, Phone: 08036774737

We are all born lepers mark, the sun starts going down. It gets weaker and older.

Finally, the sun sets over the western horizon. It dies. The earth becomes cold, cools over the night like the cold hand of death and the graveyard.

Now, is that the end of the sun? No! The next morning, it rises again. That is resurrection, the same sun, not a replacement or a re-incarnation. Everyday, God and nature testifies of these cycles of life, death, burial and resurrection.

A leper (sinner) is typed by a hybrid seed, for example, the corn ,that has no germ of life in it that can germinate to life. That germ of life is the Holy Spirit. In essence, our utmost drive is to ensure that we are germitised by the release of the Spirit of God into our counterfeit human life. This ensures our resurrection after death. Romans 8:9 affirms that any person who does not receive the Spirit of God is not a part of God. Resurrection cannot take place because we are good people or because we are church members or because we are good neighbours that are fine, educated and smart people,only because resurrection power in the Holy Ghost is in us.

Leprosy is sin, lepers are sinners who are witches, wizards, idolaters, adulterers, drunkards, hypocrites, liars, deceivers, prostitutes, gamblers, homosexuals, cultist to name just a few. Galatians 5:19 – 21. Victims of the leprosy are out-racized as social outcast from the premise of the main civilization worldwide in secludes known as leper colonies. Lepers live among lepers.

This earth is a leper colony where sinners live among sinners, separated from the main civilization of the kingdom of God where the Holy God and his angels dwells.

Although we are free born, man has been reduced to a spiritual misfit as a result of the human fall by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Luke 17:11 – 19, paints the horrid state of lepers in the story of the ten lepers. They saw Jesus Christ but could not come close to Him because of the stigma of being lepers. Instead, they stood afar off and cried “Have mercy on us”. Lepers suffer huge physical, psychological, social and spiritual embarrassment and scourge.

Isolated from friends, family members because leprosy is contagious. Sin too is contagious. That was why Satan and his fallen angels were thrown out of heaven. They became lepers too, because iniquity was found in them.

As long as we remain sinners, we remain lepers and spiritually we will remain separated from God. We are born in sin, Psalm 51:5, God will not hold us responsible for being born sinners but we will be held responsible for turning down God’s sacrifice on the cross to rid us of sin. John 3:16 – 19 “he that believeth on Him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because, he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. Frank Oboden Olomukoro, writes from Christian Ministry of Reconciliation 10, Bode Joseph street Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos

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sermon /Faith

Don’t put emptiness in that child -Pastor Chidi W S

True wealth flows from Calvary -Pastor Samuel

how me a pretty girl that is constantly exploited and dumped by men and I will show you a girl whose mother has been releasing curses upon. There are things people think are insignificant, but they matter a lot. I am always careful about how I deal or handle women. Women can pray, the can carry the family’s burden; but they can also produce curses so easily.

You begin to wonder. How could a mother easily beset the destiny of a child she had carried in her womb for nine months; a child she had sacrificed her own convenience to nurture for years and a child she had spent her had earnings to train up; with curses?

It is common for some mothers to describe their children with negative words such as idiot, dead body, useless, good for nothing, empty head.

Some say ‘look at this thing, are you a human being, you can’t amount to anything in life.’

Yet that is a little or growing child.

May be she sent him or her on an errand. Incidentally, the child broke a ceramic cup. Spontaneously, the mother would rain curses upon the life of that child who has hardly learnt how to handle anything. Listen to me parents; any word that proceeds out of your mouth of has effect of the voice of an oracle on that child.

And children hear me now. This is the reason why you must know that you father is still your father, and your mother is still your mother no matter how useless he or she might be. A child ought to give his or her parents the respect due to them. As the Bible says, “Honour thy father and thy mother so that it shall be well with you.” Children must not behave like a certain young man who said to me that he had stopped giving money to his father because according to the young man, if he gives money to his father he would use it to drink local gin. “He is just a fool,” the young said about his own father. He said that his father is a fool; and I said to myself that he is the son of a fool.

Parents must learn how to talk to their children. We learn from the scripture that though the tongue is the smallest member of the body, it is so powerful and has ability to bring disaster upon the entire body. We are advised to cultivate a disciplined manner of speaking; else we bring ravaging fire upon ourselves and people we care about. In the olden days, when a parent, out of anger, makes a negative pronouncement on his or her child the parent quickly calls back the child and says ‘O my child, I withdraw that curse; it will not be of any effect.’

But new generation mothers do

Chidi

“Show me a pretty girl that is constantly exploited and dumped by men and I will show you a girl whose mother has been releasing curses upon” not understand these things and their devastating imports nor do they practice the same act of negating curses that emanate from their untamed tongues. This generation of mother who wear sagging dresses and paint the toe or finger nails with different colours of nail polish, do not know about that practice.

Hence, they speak emptiness into the lives of their children. Whatever you speak say about your child affects the child’s destiny. As a parent, if say your child is useless, uselessness will follow that child because your word is powerful.

A certain woman put her son on the spot say ing “Son, kneel down.”

I said ah! ah! Why not let the child feel free? She said, ‘he is too stubborn; he does not hear anything.’ I asked her, ‘What is the boy’s name.’

She child replied, ‘Charles.’ I turned to the boy and called him Charles, he answered. I was a little bit surprised and said to the mother, ‘he hears now.’ That your child is stubborn does not make him or her child from the blues. ; After all any family that is without a stubborn child is not a complete family. Every family need a stubborn child, because in the days of trouble that stubborn child will become a defence. That child that is stubborn today remains your child. After the Bible aptly says

that I and my children are for signs and wonders. Whether that child is stubborn or not, he is an instrument of signs and wonder. Tomorrow he can change and become the President of this country. Don’t put emptiness in that child.

That a child is stubborn isn’t totally deplorable. In future if anyone wants to bring trouble to the stubborn child’s family people can warn the trouble maker that there is a tough guy in that family. Hear me; the Bible says that from the days of John the Baptist, the world suffers violence and only the violent takes it by force. If that tough guy is missing or all other family members are cool like ice water, the trouble make will take advantage of everyone in the family. That you know Christ does not mean that somebody should take that which rightly belongs to you.

Let me tell you something. That child you think might not become a personable person in life may be the source of your happiness. Stop putting emptiness in the life of your children.

Do not call them negative names.

Learn how speak positivity into the lives of those around you. Curses can make you a-nobody. That is why you need blessing. Blessing is the ability to be productive and successful.

In the book of Genesis chapter one, the Bible says: “And God blessed them and said ‘Go; multiply and replenish.”

But was anything lacking in the Garden of Eden, you might ask? Before God created Adam and Eve, God first made every provision available, for their comfort. He provided assorted food for their consumption. However, God knew that it was not yet enough, hence he blessed them and said, ‘Increase, multiply and replenish.’ Hear me; you need blessing. Many of us served somebody in different trade and crafts. Maybe you stole your master’s money while you were still in his service; and within few years before the expiration of your apprenticeship, you feel that you have made enough money to stand on your own, so you left the master without his blessing.

Hear me sir, you cannot prosper like that.

May be you are a big boy; and for that reason you feel you can no longer wash your father’s car. You are inviting trouble. But whenever you buy a gift to your father or mother, there is a smile that lightens their face; it flows right from the heart and you do not need to be told that they are happy.

In their happy mode, whatever word they speak into your life will manifest positively.

For enquiry contact Rev. Chidi on 08124284979

hen I talk about the gospel of wealth, I am talking about what God says in the book of Deuteronomy 8: 18; that he has given us the power to make wealth that he will establish his covenant with us. Power there refers to wisdom, energy, strength, good health, newness of spirit, and mind-set which enables you to focus on how to make wealth.

The power spoken of within the context is the knowledge to make wealth.

Without God we cannot make wealth. Wealth should not be used to glorify ourselves. Wealth should be used to glorify God, the giver of wealth. Though we do not see God because God is invisible, we ought to use our wealth to propagate the gospel. That is to say we have acknowledged God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 11 that he that wins souls is wise. We can win souls with our money. After all why did God give us that money? He gave us that wealth to win souls for him.

Money or wealth should be used to the glory of God. It is useful to attract the lost sheep, people that are perishing and people in captivity of Satan the Devil. You are going to use your wealth to energise them, to tell them that God is good. When they come you use the wealth to tell them the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Committing one’s wealth into the work of ministry such as printing tracts to be given to the perishing souls, those people who have not repented is a wonderful way to acknowledge God. You can also use your wealth to print gospel tapes or CDs which would be made available to people to hear the life giving gospel of Christ.

The Bible says we should be hearers and doers of the word.

When unbelievers hear the word of life through the CDs, produced with your money, they will have the opportunity to embrace the gospel and also become life changers themselves. When you use your wealth to win one soul for Christ, even the Bible says you have inherited the kingdom of Christ. Remember Solomon in the Bible; he acknowledged God with his wealth.

The Bible equally says in the book of Genesis 14 that Abraham was so rich that God tried to see whether he loved him. God therefore asked Abraham to sacSamuel

rifice his only son, which he had looked for a long time, to God. Abraham agreed to do so and God was impressed and said ‘I have seen your hearth that you love me.’

The gospel of wealth is talking about God’s kind of love because God had already exhibited his kind of love to us by sending his only son to die for us. He sacrificed Jesus Christ for mankind for the remission of our sin and our redemption. God has already given his own wealth. The wealth of God is Jesus. That was why when Jesus Christ went to the cross he said, “I became poor so that you might be rich even as our soul prospers. You can imagine God loving mankind with his wealth.

He is our redemption; he is our wealth. Without Jesus today, cannot you make wealth? He died at that cross, he shed that blood.

Through the blood which was shed on the cross of Calvary, the power, the wisdom, the strength and knowledge to make wealth flows towards us. Wealth came through the blood of Jesus Christ who died and became poor so that we might be rich. So many people are wealthy, but they do not use their wealth to love God. So many people use their wealth to do evil.

So many use their wealth to intimidate people; so many use their wealth today to do incantation, to worship mammon.

I want to let you know the will of God is for us to prosper. Come to Christ and ask of him that kind of wealth that adds no sorrow, he will give you abundantly.

For enquiry contact Pastor Samuel Daniel on 08060143296

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hat is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” 2 Tim 1:12 The person you know and believe in life will determine how far you will go in life i.e. whether you will be a noise or a voice in life, a liability or a celebrity, a wandering star or a shining star, whether you would be relegated or lifted. Without an iota of doubt, the problem of a black man is quite different from that of a white man; therefore it is important for you to know whom you have believed. Though you might know the president or personalities in high places, fortunate and have connection with the hope of getting help but they end up disappointing you. This erroneous belief system has jeopardized and checkmated the impact of Christians in their quest for the supernatural. Apostle Paul greatly emphasized that, ‘I know whom I have believed’; ‘knowing whom you believe’ in this context means taking solace, refuge, succor, safe haven and comfort in the Ancient of days, Elohim, the Awesome God. How much of God you know will go a long way to inform the response that will be available to you in the time of crisis. I have a philosophy I have applied with which I have guided my life over the years that, ‘if you do not disappoint me, then I will be disappointed’.

Hardly do I believe men because they are liars, in fact, man is born to lie because he has unregenerate mind (Ps 51:5-6) but God by Himself is faithful and truthful (Rom 3:4). When you know this awesome God and connect to Him, He will unveil to you the intents of men, even to their deepest thoughts. Have you ever promised your son something, you will realize he will be expectant; each time he sees you he expects you to fulfill your promise. But with Christians, this is not so, sadly enough, many find it very difficult to believe their Maker by being defiant to His voice. Little wonder they suffer even in the midst of abundance. God still maintains that if only you can believe, all things are possible. Your cravings are the works of His hand (I Cor 3:21), failure to genuinely ascertain your faith in God will rip you off, giving credence to gratifying mundane things.

The depth about God which you know is directly proportional to the level of exploits you will command.

For instance, if Brother A and B’s belief or faith in God is varied, it is he who truly believes that will see the manifestation of God’s glory. Anything you do not value will be abused and what you abuse, you will eventually lose. This is the reason for the unexplainable failure, hardship and stagnation in your life, career, business and marriage. So many people are in difficult situation today because they do not know God. Do you still trust God especially in times like this when

Opponents I know can’t stop you whom I have T believed

doubt and all its attendant vices have pre-occupied the hearts of men and the comments that trail their confession is gruesome?

The oratory of David in I Sam 17:34-37 was an expression of his conviction and trust in God. If truly you know God, it will reflect in your words and daily life. God, who is the Redeemer of the whole earth, the Lord of lords, in whom is no guile, neither can He lie nor change, the Living God, He whom there is none before and after, the I am that I am, do you know this fearful God? When you are troubled, whatever comes out of your mouth is a reflection of whom you have believed. I know the sufficient God, the owner of silver and gold (Hag 2:1).

I know a Comforter whose counsel can dispel every form of darkness surrounding your destiny; no one can really comfort you when you are passing through hard times (Jn 14:16-18). When you are doubtful of whom you have believed, confusion is certain.

I know the great Physician, the solution to that dreaded disease and killer cancer that is threatening not only your life but also the joy of your loved ones.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isa 53:5 I connect you to that God and that sickness is being expunged from your life in Jesus name. Your life is hid in Christ in God (Col 3:3).

I know a God who is my banker and gives me profitable counsel. Ps 23:1; 82:6 give an insight into what is obtainable when you know whom you have believed. You are a god, hence cannot afford to die like mere men. The only panacea to a life of confusion and frustration is to take instruction and direction from God but you must first know the God whom you have believed. Your life is not by default but by design and Jesus is the author and finisher of your destiny (Heb 12:2).

he nexus between what we believe and what we eventually become in life is so strong that it deserves all the chapters in a book.

A man who believes that he is going down and must go down cannot be reversed even with the best help the world can afford. On the other hand, a man who believes that his place is at the top and that he is going there cannot be reversed in spite of the quantity or quality of opposition against him.

The opposition can only encourage him the more but just as only as he remains focused, he will get to his zenith.

I encourage you to spend time to read the biblical story of Nehemiah and discover for yourself that opposition can delay a task but cannot destroy the resolve of a man whose eyes are zoomed on the top. Opposition is actively a fuel that helps the burning fire of passion.

Winning sporting teams apply these biblical principles of focus, tenacity, discipline, persistence and sacrifice to gain success. These principles were all embedded in Rahab.

She was a woman who found herself (perhaps by the stroke of fate) at the wrong side of the society. She was in an odd profession (some highly talented and gifted people still find themselves in odd places) but she had in mind to get out of it if the opportunity presents itself. When she found that long awaited opportunity, she leveraged on it.

When Israel went into exile in Babylon, God made it clear that their stay was for a season. Some got there and pitched their tent and forgot the land of their birth. Others called “remnants” still believed in their God and the possibility of re-

PRAYER POINTS • No matter the resistance from hell, I will make it powerfully this year!

• Every thought of failure and impossibility, I crush you by the blood of Jesus!

• By the word of God, my path is made straight and I crush every hurdle resisting my advancement!

• Every implantation of doubt and unbelief, I uproot you by fire!

• I receive grace to align my thought and confession with the word of God!

In Jesus name I know you have been blessed.

Write and share your testimonies, comments, etc., with me through; info@thehebrewsng.com.

Hotlines – 01-7903163, 08085845864.

“Anything you do not value will be abused Download our Online Radio App and what you abuse, you will eventually (HebrewsLive) on Android and Blackberry Q10 & Z10. lose” Online Radio: www.radio.thehebrewsng.com

Pastor Franca

turing back to their land. “… How can we sing the Lord’s Song in a strange land…?” “Oh Jerusalem, how can I forget thee? May my tongue cleave on my…”

When it was time for their release and eventual homecoming, some whose spiritual “tentacles” were receptive remembered the word of the Lord. Others had gained ground in the exilic land that no one was going to persuade them otherwise.

Let me take out time to pray for those in ‘exile’ today, those in the odd profession and those who still find themselves on base grounds. You who know deep inside that you are trapped in the wrong things, wrong places and wrong mindset… I prophesy you are coming out! Receive grace to get out of that quagmire in the precious name of Jesus Christ!

What you believe determines what occupies your mind. Rahab’s response to the spies is an indication that she had a mind of her own; though she lived in Jericho with “Jelly livered” men. She believed in the God of Israel.

Whom you believe determines how you will respond when opportunities come calling.

Her faith in the God of Israel was so strong that she decided to take a risk. Rahab’s faith and response to the spies brings out the following points; 1. Faith that makes a difference must have two important ingredients – belief and action.

2. To be a winner, you need the “price and the prize”. No prize comes to any winner without his paying the price.

3. Her faith was ready to wait till the manifestation of the miracle.

4.

She risked a higher or tougher punishment by committing perjury when she sent the men of Jericho to another direction.

5. Consistency won the battle for Rahab. Some folks are so inconsistent in their relationship with God that today they are saying one thing and tomorrow, you hear a different thing.

You can worship with us @ Divine Heritage Ministries Int’l. No.142 Aba-Owerri Road, Aba, Abia State or telephone us: 08033408354 or email: francaanyawu@gmail.

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Faith / Sermon

The voice of

Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo

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he Word of God is the master key to a world of exploits, but spiritual understanding is what empowers the Word to deliver. The Word delivers only to the measure of our understanding of it. It is understanding that converts the Word to light.

Exploit on the other hand, connotes unusual accomplishments, generational impact and outstanding feats. It is breaking new grounds, scaling new heights, setting the pace and blazing the trail.

You have no capacity to understand the Word of God, except you are saved, and the only way to walk in liberty is to walk in the light of the Word. Every time light goes out, darkness takes over. Your freedom is not guaranteed except you have access to light.

The light of God’s Word does not only enlighten you, it lightens you. In the beginning was the Word…In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1: 1, 4, 9).

Everyone needs salvation to escape from the harassment of life, which includes generational curses. Most people are saved, but still experience torments because they lack understanding of their authority in the Word (Hosea 4:6). The devil is not that powerful;

we are just victims of our ignorance. It is our ‘lightlessness’ that gives him power. When you are lighted, you are free and in charge! It is the light of His Word that empowers you for liberty and exploits.

Understanding of the Word puts you in command of every other thing, because all things were created by the Word, and everything remains under the command of the Word forever (John 1:3).

It is not enough to have potentials; you must have the working knowledge of how to actualize your potentials. So, potential does not translate into reality; there is a process that turns it into reality. Your gifts and your calling are not substitutes for insight. By redemption, you have been repositioned for exploits, but this can be made real only by revelation, which equals understanding.

Revelation is all about being able to see what God is saying and that simply means spiritual understanding, which is the bedrock for exploits (Isaiah 60:1).

It is impossible to realize God’s ‘Next Levels’ agenda for your life, except by revelation.

Understanding differentiates a believer from another, and also from an unbeliever. Our level of understanding is what determines our ultimate placement in life (Proverbs 21:16).

Understanding the master key to exploits!

We discover from scriptures that men of insight were men of exploits. Insight here represents the light of God’s Word and when you are a carrier, it shows in the following ways: • It distinguishes you: And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).

• It empowers you for a flight: Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? (Isaiah 60:8).

Think of Job, he said: As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle (Job 29:4). By insight, he became the greatest of all men in the East. It is very important to know that insight is your greatest need.

Proverbs 4:7 says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

What does Understanding Do to Us? ➢ It Stirs Automatic Faith: When you arrive at a point of understanding, your faith comes alive supernaturally (Matthew 11:29). Every time revelation dawns, faith rises, because you can’t see a thing and doubt it. You can dare anything because you have seen the light. ➢ It also Boosts your Confidence (Daniel 11:32): You can dare anything when you have insight. You require confidence to command

Problems not caused by the enemy

I

would like you to open your mind and be very attentive, as you read this message. Don’t allow your enemies to make you miss one sentence from what you are about to read now. This message discusses the problems that are not from the enemies.

A careful search of the word of God will make us to understand that there are five sources of suffering for a Christian.

1. It could be due to satanic activities: Job 2:7 confirms this, “So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.” Job’s problem therefore was as a result of satanic activities. The woman in Luke Chapter 13 that Jesus healed; the woman called the daughter of Abraham was bound up by the devil for 18 years. Jesus himself confirmed the fact. It is an established fact therefore that Job as well as the daughter of Abraham were both afflicted by Satan.

2. Ungodly men: 2 Timothy Chapter 4 verse 14 says, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him ac-

cording to his works.” It is certain therefore that a believer’s suffering could come from ungodly men like Alexander the coppersmith.

3. The world system: 2 Peter Chapter 2 verse 8 says, “For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” The world system too could constitute a problem for righteous men. They really harass the souls and spirits of believers everyday.

4. A believer’s suffering could come from man’s fallen nature: Romans Chapter 7 verses 14 and 15 say, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” Man’s fallen nature, without any doubt, could give him problems.

Carnal Christianity: Philippians Chapter I verses 15 and 16 say, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of goodwill. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction

great results. So, understanding boosts your confidence to be in command of the results you desire.

Friend, the grace to do exploits with God’s Word, is the privilege of God’s children. You become a child of God as you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are set, please say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood.

Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.

Thank You, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again! I will continue this teaching next week. The Exceeding Grace of God shall be your portion this year, in the name of Jesus!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, you can get my books - The Force Of Freedom, Walking In Dominion and Born To Win. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m. and 10.45 a.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

The Power of

Deliverance

to my bonds. “ 2 Timothy Chapter 4 verse 10 says; “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.”

Beloved reader, the five sources of believers’ sufferings, as far as the Bible is concerned, are what you have just read. It is important to locate the source of one’s problems. Remember the story of a farmer in Matthew, who planted wheat on his farmland, but from nowhere, tares started growing amidst it. The farmer knew straightaway that the enemy performed the wicked task.

Whenever God plants good things in a place, the enemy or Satan is usually unhappy. It does not come as a surprise therefore that the enemy will make moves to destroy, pollute or choke them.

I don’t know whether you will like what I’m about to say. It is very tempting to blame everything that goes wrong on the devil.

When things go wrong, people complain bitterly and say that it is the devil that pushed them to do it. The question is: why did such

by

Dr. D.K. Olukoya people supply their backs for Satan to ride on? God does not at any point in time expect you to supply your back to the devil. He does not expect you to turn your back to the enemy and run. He expects you to wage war against him.

A long time ago in England, there was a cartoon in one of the major newspapers. It was the picture of a church and of the devil.

The devil was standing outside the church, crying bitterly. Then somebody came to Mr. Devil to find out why he was crying bitterly.

The devil responded tearfully that he was usually blamed for all the evil taking place in the church. The devil then narrated what happened at a Christian naming ceremony.

He the devil had afflicted the food to be served there, He said that a greedy brother who was supposed to have only one plate of food collected three rations. The brother became greatly afflicted by his own greediness, he had serious cholera. The devil said that the brother in question was responsible for the affliction that visited him.

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‘When fear pervades tune-in to Praise’

T

hen there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 2Chron.20:2, 22.

Praise handles your greatest foe – Boy o boy! Jehoshaphat was surrounded by three stronger nations but when they began to praise, God rendered the strengths of these nations as weak as ordinary fried plantain.

Imagine USA, Britain and Germany allied forces coming against Togo in battle, is no child’s play, then it will be time for Togo to go.

Their soldiers would defecate on their clothes in the open. Beloved, who, what and where is your foe? Praise him or it into divine judgment. My pastor shared a testimony of how praise delivered his group from the hands of opponent soldiers during the Nigerian civil war.

He was barely twenty five years old when the war broke out and was conscripted into the military. As young believers in Christ and emergency recruits, they knew nothing about handling gun. While in the forest praising God, the opponents surrounded them. In their confusion, they raised a hot praise song, armed themselves with the brooms with which they cleaned where they slept in that forest, dancing towards their opponents. The opponents were equally confused as they could not understand why they resorted to singing, dancing and jubilating while face to face with death and could not trigger their guns until these God praisers got to them and collected their guns. This story seems unbelievable but my pastor who has gone to be with the Lord that shared the testimony in 1988 was a believer par excellence.

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chron. 20:3,15.

Praise handles your greatest fear – Jehoshaphat melted in fear but when praise took over his fear was overtaken. God is in the business of repeating His great feats, therefore

Rev. Izuchukwu

whatever is found in your diary of fear cannot withstand the power of praise. It has all it takes to handle your fear, the magnitude, strength, duration notwithstanding. To some it is the fear of: Can I still be a parent considering my age and the delay to conception or even the medical report at hand confirming the impossibility of being biologically fruitful? Can I still get married seeing that I am advanced in age, not well educated, not actually beautiful as it were and more so, with a battered background or bitter past? Can I still succeed haven observed that many odds are against me and that I have failed severally? Can I still win this battle conscious of the fact that the ones I lost are more than the won and the ones ahead are even more than those behind?

Can I still make heaven due to my prodigal ways of living in sin with alacrity and audacity? Can I still live with this life threatening or terminal disease looking at my face?

If your fear has deadened all you know, tune to the frequency of praise and God will take over. Jehoshaphat’s fear of facing three stronger nations was handled when aggressive God praisers took over the stage. In 1989, when at Leventis bus stop Lagos island waiting for a bus to preach therein after the day’s work, I practiced the praise song I was to raise the moment I entered the vehicle so

as to keep drug merchants away from selling their wares thereby hindering preaching. As the bus approached I ran as it were in those days to catch a seat but my hands slipped off the door handle and under the bus I went.

The moment my hands slipped, the fear that took over my heart was that of instant death but the God I praised was available to protect and preserve me. While underneath the bus, I heard people screaming but a loud voice spoke to me that I should roll through the other side and that was my safety. This happened in less than a minute because the vehicle was on high speed and the driver was ignorant of what transpired. The heavy tyres of the vehicle would have mangled my bones and flesh into shreds but the praise in my mouth before the incident made God send His angel for my rescue. I would have been history now if not for praise.

Our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 2 Chron. 20:12.

Fear handles your greatest frustration – Jehoshaphat and his people even while they prayed; frustration was written all over them, they came to a stage where they acknowledged their powerlessness and limitation

openly. The frustration led to confusion of not knowing what next to do. Frustration is everywhere in our part of the world and none is exempted both the leader and the led. Virtually all professionals and technocrats are undergoing a high level of frustration today. Some are frustrated because the more they put the less they get, others are in the middle of the road or valley of indecision where advancing or retreating is not safe as commonly said, being between the Devil and deep blue sea. In 1988, a Christian Pentecostal Mission minister was transferred from Maroko to Ajegunle. As he arrived, he shaved his Maroko hair of suffering for according to him, Ajegunle though not his Canaanland was better than where he came from. He composed a praise-laden song mixing English and Yoruba languages together rendered ‘Jesus O seun, Holy Ghost O oseun’. In the midst of his praising God, white horses visibly visited him led by Jesus sitting on the brightest of all the white horses and gave him three garments of anointing, protection and righteousness. The proof of his testimony was evidenced as in less than four years his church rose to twenty five thousand members in attendance as the fastest growing denominational church in Nigeria then with incredible miracles recorded in every service.

Friends, what our forerunners did and it worked for them shall work for you as whatever God does is forever. Step on the dance floor and lose control for God like kings David and Jehoshaphat of old, then watch Him put even things that have gone out of control under perfect control.

Be it sickness, demonic oppression or possession, unfruitfulness, delay, failure, disappointment, backwardness, marital crises, poverty among others could be perfectly handled when you turn to praise. You do not need to wait till the next activity in the church, as this article is still in your hand you can tune to the frequency of praise and I assure you that smiles and laughter will soon beam all over you. As you praise God from this day, I decree that the door to marvelous help in every area of your need be opened expressly to you in Jesus Mighty Name!

Rev. Izuchukwu Chukwudebelu is the\ Presiding Minister, Assemblies of God FESTAC 2, Plot 268A&B, 4th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos. For enquiries contact hi: email izuchukwudebelu@yahoo.com or phone +2348028390885, +2348056027044, +234704414424

Compensate Maroko evictees now -Cleric urges government TAI ANYANWU

T

he powers that be in Lagos State and federal government have urged to relocate and compensate Maroko evictees now before they all die out.

The Director of Communicatio of Lagos Archdiocese, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, made the passionate call during an exclusive chat in Lagos, with New Telegraph on Sunday.

He noted that more 28 years after the victims were forcefully ejected from their homes

in the old Maroko district, the people were still in court begging for relocation and compensation.

Osu recalled that he was the Priest in-charge of Saint Theresa Catholic Church in the old Maroko; now Kekki Phase 1, lekki Phase 2, Apese and Victoria Island Extension; before they were disbanded and sent away by the then military governor of Lagos State, Brigadier Raji Rasaki and the federal military government of Nigeria.

“Unfortunately the people are still in court today, begging for relocation, begging for compensation, in fact if you look at me now I am getting old.

“You can now imagine my elders, my papas and my mamas, parishioners and co who were thrown out,” he stressed.

He added: “I make bold to say that I was one of the first evictees that went there with about five or six parishioners.

We took over the place; till today the people are still begging for compensation and co.

The cleric sent a passionate appeal to the federal government, the Lagos state government and the counsellors in the relevant local government area too to do something to relocate the people and compensate the people before they all die out.

“Their children’s children will never forgive the government of the day no matter how beautiful they feel they are doing and they want to do. The people are still alive, tired and very sickly,” Osu pointed out.

Boxing Ali vs. Liston: 50 years after ‘The Greatest’ shocked the world p.62

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/sport

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

2 MARCH 2014

Nigerian League Sharks players threaten strike over unpaid fees p.62

Dapo Sotuminu, Deputy Sports Editor dapo.sotuminu@newtelegraphonline.com 08099400190, 08038154192

Interview I was jailed for a crime I didn’t commit – Okpara p.60-61

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Eagles will shock the world in Brazil –Sam Sam Jaja DID YOU KNOW? That the first World Cup goal was scored

by France’s Lucien Laurent? He scored in the 4-1 victory against Mexico at Uruguay, 1930.

Super Eagles stars Ideye, Mikel and Emenike celebrate a goal

Dapo Sotuminu

T

he former vice-president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, has predicted that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will shock the world at the Brazil 2014 Mundial.

Jaja told New Telegraph on Sunday from his base in Port Harcourt, that, the Eagles have the players to spring surprises in the competition such that the world would know that Nigeria is a force to reckon with in international football.

The former chairman of the Rivers State Football Association also noted that, with the Eagles’ successes at the 2013 African Nations Cup, the Stephen Keshi-tutored team would make a bold statement in the group preliminaries despite having former world champions Argentina in the same group.

He said: “Agreed Argentina is a deadly squad with the likes of Lionel Messi in their fold, but football is not mathematics. Each

“We are not going to the Brazil 2014 World Cup to win the title, but to put up a convincing performance...” game, championship or tournament has it surprises and one of those will be seen at the Brazil 2014 World Cup precisely on June 25 when the Argentines play against the Super Eagles of Nigeria for the fourth time in the history of the FIFA World Cup. “Who says Nigeria will not qualify from that group and go further to spring the surprises of the 2014 World Cup?” Jaja stressed that: “The Eagles’ expected excellent performance will not necessarily be dependent on who assists Keshi, but principally on how determined and committed the Eagles coach and his boys are and will continue to be during the tournament.”

He stated that his candid opinion is that Keshi should be left alone to manage the Eagles as chief coach and the introduction of any foreign assistant against his wish would definitely be counter-productive.

“So, if the NFF have such in their plans to be articulated close to the tournament period, they should shelve it with immediate effect.

“The NFF board some weeks ago came up with a press statement, that, there were no plans to employ a foreign technical assistant, but the NFF I know may decide to do something in that direction at a time no one could do anything to stop it.

“The engagement of the foreign assistant at this point in time will demoralize the coaching crew. This will be absolutely negative,” he said.

Jaja reiterated that, he believes the desire of Nigeria at the Brazil 2014 Mundial is to do well and not ambitious to winning the World Cup.

“We are not going to the Brazil 2014 World Cup to win the title, but to put up a convincing performance, so bringing the best coach in the world to work as Nigeria’s technical assistant to the Mundial won’t make any difference but would amount to a waste of resources. The football federation did this at France 98 when they brought in Bora Milutinovic and again at South Africa 2010 as they brought in Lars Lagerback. Rather than helping us to do better in these editions of the World Cup, they ended up as Nigeria’s worst outings, so, Keshi should be left alone to do his job just as Chief Adegboye Onigbinde did at the Korea/Japan 2002. We should look at it from the angle of producing more World Cup coaches.

“I am absolutely convinced that Keshi and his team, given the level of successes they have recorded so far should be motivated with a pat on the back and prompt payment of allowances and match bonuses due to them at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport / Stars of Yesteryears

Godwin Okpara: I was jailed for a crime I didn’t commit Dapo Sotuminu

G

odwin Okpara was on the verge of moving from Standard Liege of Belgium to a Qatari club side when he was arrested and jailed for seven years in France after being found guilty of raping his adopted daughter Awawu Simon who was renamed Tina Okpara in 2005.

The former Super Eagles defender was freed late last year after he won an appeal against the judgement reducing the jail term from 13 years to seven.

He told New Telegraph on Sunday exclusively in Lagos that, he was jailed for seven years for a crime he did not commit.

The former Paris Saint Germain of France star claimed that he was implicated by his wife Doyin (Linda), who called in the police to arrest him on allegation of raping their adopted daughter who was believed to be under-aged at that time, but was not under-aged in the actual sense of it. Because, at the time she was brought to France by Godwin’s wife, she had long finished from a secondary school in Somolu area of Lagos and was around 20 years old. She was originally 22 years old when the charges were pressed.

“Doyin had to reduce her age to go below 13 so as to facilitate the adoption process. She was the daughter of Chief Adewale Teluwo’s gateman. I was never privy to her coming to France as my wife didn’t put me in the picture as I was busy with club football in Europe.”

The star player

Okpara

it was gathered started a secret love affair with Awawu when his wife’s infidelity became alarming as she openly engaged in extra-marital affairs that crippled their marriage. She was not always available to meet her matrimonial obligations.

Godwin and Awawu had mutual sex for two years.

And most times when they were together on the bed, the player regularly put phone calls across to a close friend (name withheld) in Nigeria to give her a reassurance that all would be well if she accepts to be his wife. At this point Godwin had planned to divorce his wife and marry Awawu when he settles down in Qatar where a lucrative club deal was waiting for him.

Doyin’s brutality on Awawu which earned her a 15-year-jail sentence was a punishment for her involvement with her husband. She assaulted the young lady regularly in their Paris home, and wanted to desecrate what the victim used in luring her husband which forced her to dip the mouth of a Coca-Cola bottle in Awawu’s private part.

On that fateful day in 2005 when Godwin was arrested, he was in the bedroom with Awawu when Doyin called in the police quietly on accusation of rape. On arrival, when the police officers asked the girl to confirm if the accusation was true, she kept quiet and started crying. And in law, silence means consent. Godwin was taken away and kept in custody until he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment without the right of a defence lawyer.

“I was forced to use the lawyer provided by the French government. I didn’t see anybody at that trying moment, not even my manager, Mr. Evra, who was also Victor Ikpeba’s manager. It was a lost situation. I pleaded not guilty but they didn’t listen to me as they had their mind made up to jail me. The girl also told the police that, I also assaulted her physically, just to nail my family.

“Before this incident in 2005, she ran away from our Paris home for one week before the police brought her back as she was under-aged. She told me in confidence that she wanted to leave the house due to the constant

GODWIN OKPARA’S PROFILE Date of Birth: September 20, 1971 Clubs: Obanta United 1987 - 89, K. Beerschot VAC (Belgium) 1989-91, Eendracht Aalst FC (Belgium) 19921996, Strasbourg FC (France) 199799, PSG (France) 1999-2001, Standard Liege (Belgium) 2002-2004.

National Team: Golden Eaglets 1989, Super Eagles 1991-2001.

National Team appearances: 18 Tournaments: U-17 World Cup Scotland 89, France 98 World Cup, Nations Cup 2000, Sidney Olympics 2000.

Honours: Belgium League runners up 2005, French club runners up 1999-2000, silver medal Nations Cup 2000. Africa’s Best Player in Belgium 1995.

61

NEW TELEGRAPH SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014

Sport / Stars of Yesteryears

Okpara in his days at PSG

Awawu Simon renamed Tina Okpara

Awawu Simon lied physical assault by my wife. Her thinking was that if she implicated my family, the French government would give her shelter, not knowing that such would destroy everything about us.

“Another charge against me was that, I didn’t report to the police each time I saw my wife maltreated Awawu. And the truth is that, I was always in Belgium busy with my club Standard Liege. I even asked them to check the records of the days Doyin assaulted the girl so as to be vindicated, they refused.”

Bent on proving his innocence, Godwin sent a call to his 22-year-old daughter, Stephanie, who spoke from France, and asked: “Stephanie, do I use to beat Awawu? The curious girl said in English, “dad why are you asking, I hope you are okay.” Godwin answered yes I am okay, please answer my question honestly. She said: ‘Daddy you have never laid your hands on Awawu.’

The France 98 FIFA World Cup star added that, there was a time Doyin sent the girl back to Nigeria for some months, and later brought her back. If we had known that she was going to ruin our lives at the end of the day, we would not have allowed her return to our home in France.

Now, she has benefitted from everything as she got French citizenship, university scholarship, a standard job, home, a car and was made an international figure to my own detriment. She stuck by her story that destroyed my career, disrupted my life, lost my 16-year-old son and the French government took custody of my four children.

“Each time she speaks in the public in France Awawu weeps while telling her story, I can say here that those tears are fake. My house was seized and my bank account frozen up till today.

The only thing I have left are my houses in Ikeja and Okota.

“My second son, Sean died in 2012 from cancer, he was 16years old. He died within three years into the ailment and this is very strange in Europe, as cancer patients live longer than that. Before we went to jail, he had no medical issue, he was 100

per cent healthy, and so I don’t know where Sean got cancer from. Anyway I thank God that my three surviving children are doing well in France.

The youngest child Sidney, who is 11-years-old is in the PSG Soccer Academy.

“Awawu also wrote a 188-page book on her slavery experience in the hands of the Okparas, maintaining her false stories, titled ‘My Life Has a Price.’ It was launched in France in 2010. It is so sad.

“Her father also worked in my house in Ikeja, Lagos as a gatemen, but he died after a protracted illness before the trial started in 2007. This also complicated the issue as she told the French government that we bought her like a slave from her father in Nigeria with 345 euros. There was no time we gave the man such amount, but Awawu’s father was dead and there was no one to counter the false claim.

“What I know for sure is that, if I were a white man, I wouldn’t have been jailed without the option of a defence lawyer. I was not given benefit of doubt; they just followed everything Awawu told them. It was clear that I was convicted before the trial itself. I fought very hard five years into the jail term and was able to get an appeal. It was my appeal with my own lawyer that reduced the prison sentence from 13years to seven, which means that if I had been allowed to get my own lawyer in 2005 I wouldn’t have been jailed at all.”

The former Scotland 89 Golden Eaglets star said his prison experience was quiet and fulfilling as he bagged two diploma awards in French Language and in Sports Management. He was even the badminton champion for over three years.

“The Paris prison was as big as the National Stadium Complex in Lagos, with all major sports facilities available for recreation. There was a standard football stadium, they also have a College where inmates were awarded degrees and diplomas, so that your time in prison won’t be wasted and you come out equipped to face life’s challenges.

“Unfortunately, I will not use my Diploma in

Sports Management to work in Nigeria as that name Godwin Okpara has been stained by the jail experience.”

He cursed the day he met Doyin Oladipupo who was the root cause of his problems and regretted the hard luck in choosing a good wife. He confirmed that while in prison, he twice attempted to commit suicide as he was tired of life and that as God gave him a wife who became his worst enemy. Doyin took advantage of Godwin’s poor educational background to mismanage his money.

“I met Doyin in 1991 two years after I started playing professional football in Europe. I was on break and was cooling off in front of my mentor’s house in Fola Agoro area of Lagos when I saw her passing by. I was attracted and called her attention and she responded. That was how we started our love relationship which later led into marriage.

“When we got married she was not aggressive neither was she possessive, but along the line she changed for the worst with promiscuity as the major problem.

The moment I opened a joint account for us, the trouble started as she went on spending spree wasting my hard earned money.

“Without my consent, she borrowed a former Nigerian international star based in the United Kingdom (name withheld) 30,000 pounds from my money. The guy was my wife’s boyfriend. Everything got exposed when he started seeing other women that was when she raised alarm on getting back the money. I was told she destroyed the guy’s car on the street of London.

“She maintained a permanent suite at Lagos Sheraton for a long time when we had a house in Ikeja. She withdrew a total of N400million from my account to build

our house in Ikeja, while the total cost was not more than N150million if not less. She reaped me off big time. She sold my house in the United States without my knowledge, sold all my landed properties in Lagos without my consent and didn’t give me the money. And she bought some landed properties in choice areas of Lagos with her maiden name; Doyin Oladipupo all with my money.

I just discovered all the documents in one of our bedrooms when I came out of jail. The only land she bought with our name Mr and Mrs Okpara was the one in Ikeja.”

Godwin’s problem with his wife started in 2005 when the former Eagles star insisted that he was coming to Nigeria to see the house she built with N400million. “She objected to it and even caused a scene at the departure hall of Paris airport. When I got home in Lagos I saw all the reasons behind the action to prevent me from making that trip. Aside from the discovery that she reaped me off in the cost of the house she built in Ikeja, I found juju and fetish things all over the house. There was a room where she had the large concentration of the juju in various forms and shapes. I had to call in my God father who invited some spiritualists that removed all the rubbish and burnt them to ashes in my compound. I sent a message to her that we had burnt the entire juju, and that was the last straw.

“She knew our marriage was over and the only left was to set me up and send me to jail. Something tells me that she had planned the set up with Awawu not knowing that she would be biggest culprit. The plan backfired.”

Godwin said he had learned his lessons and ready to live a new life.

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SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport / News

NBBF boss reads riot acts, as Dstv Basketball League begins

T

he president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Tijani Umar, has declared that this year’s edition of the DSTV Premier League Basketball would be professionally run and whosoever is not ready to toe the line of the federation would be sanctioned.

Umar told New Telegraph on Sunday in Lagos that, the NBBF has made a guarantee to change the fortune of the league for the better, which would be done with no half measures.

“To start with, all the premier league players must be insured. To ensure this is done appropriately, the NBBF will help the clubs to secure quality insurance

company to do this.”

He noted that, towards having a quality league, the DSTV League Committee would be reconstituted such that the interest of the sponsors and the players will be taken care of.

“The players must sign a Code of Conduct that will be issued for the good governance of the league. While only registered players with duly signed licences would be allowed to play, no excuses.

“The misconduct of players during the season would be the responsibility of the clubs, while clubs who want to use branded jerseys are free to do so, but only after due clearance from the NBBF.

“No team would be allowed to start a game without the presence of their medical team.”

The president stressed that, there is no doubt that, without the DSTV sponsorship, there won’t be a quality premier league basketball in Nigeria. And that is why we are trying our best to make sure that the clubs in the league are established to make meaningful impact not only in continental club championships, but the players also making large presence in the Nigerian national team, D’Tigers.

“We are not too comfortable that, the players in the DSTV league are not dominant in the national team, we are poised to make the

teams benefits from the league.”

The NBBF boss disclosed that, this time around the N58 million sponsorship fee from DSTV for the new season will be utilised using the Sponsorship Fund Disbursing Formulae. “With this, the regular season grant would be 40%, the Final Eight 5%, while prize money takes 5 per cent.

“Logistics for the season will take 5%, remunerations 20%. The equipment and League Management Board will take 5% each, while the management of the league takes 10%. The MVP game at the end of the season and the FIBA Africa programme take 4%, while the bank charges is 1%.

Premier League Table

POS TEAM

zzNBBF President, Tijani Umar, left, reading the riot acts ahead of the 2014 DStv Premier Basketball League.

Chimaobi Uchendu

H

eartland FC of Owerri ahead of the new season have brought back Coach Kelechi Emeteole as the team’s Technical Adviser after his unceremonious exit from the club two years ago.

His return made it the fifth time that the coach would be taking charge of the club, but the question on the lips of fans and supporters of Heartland FC is whether he still has the magic to turn things around for the good of the club.

His brief stint with El-Kanemi Warriors of Maidugiri after leaving Heartland was a fruitful one as he helped guided the club to the elite division from the lower league.

A journeyman if you may call him,

P PTS

1

Chelsea

28 63

2

Arsenal

28 59

3

Man City

26 57

4

Liverpool

27 56

5

Tottenham

27 50

6

Everton

27 48

7

Man United 27 45

8

Newcastle

28 43

9

South’ton

27 39

10

West Ham

28 31

11

Hull City

28 30

12

Stoke City

28 30

13

Swansea

27 28

14

Aston Villa

27 28

15

Norwich

27 28

16

Crystal P.

26 26

17

West Brom 27 25

18

Sunderland 26 24

19

Cardiff City 27 22

20 Fulham

28 21

zzAli vs. Liston, February 25,

Ali vs. Liston: 50 years after ‘The Greatest’ shocked the world

O

n February 25, 1964, a crowd of 8,297 saw a brash 22-yearold named Cassius Clay live up to the oversized hype he created ahead of the world heavyweight title fight against champion Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, Florida.

Clay, who later became Muhammad Ali, won when Liston’s injured left shoulder kept him from answering the bell for the seventh round.

Back in 1964, America was just getting to know Cassius Clay, a brash 22-year-old from Louisville

who four years earlier in Rome had won Olympic boxing gold.

That night in a packed Convention Hall in Miami Beach, Clay stood in the ring waiting for the reigning world heavyweight champ, Sonny Liston, to answer the bell for the seventh round of their title bout.

Instead, Liston threw in the towel, launching Clay - who would soon convert to Islam and change his name to Muhammad Ali - into international superstardom and status as one of the 20th century’s most enduring cultural icons.

Sharks players thr strike over unpaid P

layers of Nigeria Premier Football League club, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, have threatened to go on strike this week if their sign-on-fees for the new season that would kick-off on March 7 are not paid.

The club’s captain, Odinga Odinga, told New Telegraph on Sunday that the management of the Rivers state governmentowned club is fond of owing the players.

“The new season would be starting on March 7, yet we are being owed 100 per cent of our sign-on-fees. I don’t know why the club management takes de-

light in hurting the feelings of the players who are dedicated to the team.

“The same thing happened last season as we were forced to embark on series of protests and were closed to boycotting some key matches which would have led to the relegation of the club.

But we didn’t do that because we all love Sharks and are committed to sustaining it as a top flight club in Nigeria. Our target in the 2014 season is to pick a ticket to play in one of the continental competitions.”

A bitter Odinga noted that, the League Management Company

Emeteole’s fifth missionary journey to Heartland FC Enyimba plan big for AS Emetole has etched his name in the annals of Nigerian football and in African club football after guiding Heartland FC to a second place finish at the CAF Champions League.

Chief Fan Ndubuoke, General Manager of the club said, Emetole’s return was as a result of a careful study of what the team hopes to achieve this term.

He said the club decided to bring him in because of his wealth of experience.

“As part of the on-going effort to reposition the club for the coming season, the management decided to

appoint a seasoned handler and that person is Coach Kelechi Emeteole.

This also confirmed the elevation of Coach Ramson Madu as the chief coach, Coach Bob Acholonu as the chief trainer and Coach Mangut Mbwas as the assistant coach of the team.

PREMIERSHIP RESULTS (SAT) Everton 1 – 0 West Ham Fulham

1 – 3 Chelsea

Hull City

1 – 4 Newcastle

Stoke City 1 – 0 Arsenal

N

igeria’s only surviving representative if the CAF Champions League, Enyimba International FC of Aba, plan big for their opponent from Mali, AS Real Bamako, as they have vowed to record a resounding victory against the visitors when they battle this afternoon in the first leg second round at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba. In the preliminary round of the competition, the Aba Elephants eliminated Anges de Notse of Togo, while Real Ba-

mako brushed aside FAR Rabat of Morocco.

Enyimba’s goalkeeper, Femi Thomas, stated that they are looking forward to winning the game comprehensively to make the return leg a mere formality.

“We have been preparing hard for the game against Real Bamako. Our target is to beat them with a wide goal margin so as to make the second leg easy.

We know what we went through in Lome, we don’t want to give room for that again. If we beat

63

Rufai: Eagles will beat Argentina

F

ormer Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, has stated that the Stephen Keshi- tutored Eagles will not lose their Brazil 2014 group game to Argentina for the fourth time.

He said the Eagles are now matured and confident to defeat the South Americans who defeated the Eagles in all the three times they met at the World Cup level: 1994, 2002, 2010.

Rufai noted that the Eagles with the likes of Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Moses, Vincent Enyeama and Mikel Obi have the quality to shock the two-time world champions in Brazil in June.

“Despite being rated as one of the teams to win the World Cup in Brazil, I see the Argentines succumbing to the fire-power of the African champions as the team is more experienced and focused compared to what they were a few years ago.”

Rufai, who kept the goal for

eaten fees headed by Honourable Nduka Irabor, is doing a fantastic job, first, with the mandatory comprehensive medical test of all the club players. And secondly, the pre-registration instructions for clubs to deposit a N100 million sureties in banks, this is most appropriate and would help to safeguard the welfare of all players in the Nigerian league.

“In Sharks, we have been celebrating the excellent work of the LMC, at least if we are owed our salaries, match bonuses and sign-on-fees, we know where to direct our complaints,” the Sharks captain said.

Real Bamako them very well here, there won’t be any pranks from them,” he said.

Enyimba striker, Mfon Udoh, also expressed his hopes to score his first goal on the continent against Real Bamako and help his team win well. “We know how important all games in the Champions League are to our ambition of winning the trophy. We are ready to teach Real Bamako a football lesson. I am looking forward to be among the goal scorers as we beat them silly.” Udoh declared.

Nigeria when Argentina first defeated the Eagles 2-1 at USA 94, stated that: “We have top and good players home and abroad. I therefore believe these Eagles will beat Argentina and go on to do well in the World Cup.”

Both countries have clashed four times at full international level with Argentina winning three of these meetings, while Nigeria recorded an infamous 4-1 win in a friendly in Abuja in 2011 which was labelled match-fixing.

Keshi delighted with Eagles’ rock solid defence

S

uper Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi, is delighted that when the Brazil 2014 World Cup begins in June, he would have the compliment of a rock solid defence line that would help the country’s campaign in the biggest soccer fiesta in the world.

The Eagles would battle Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Argentina in Group F in Brazil, and are already thinking of playing in the second round of the competition in the first instance.

Keshi is happy with the current form of the players who will mount guard in the Eagles’ defence at the Mundial, as the likes of Joseph Yobo, Elderson Echejile, Geofrey Oboabona and Efe Ambrose are in the form of their lives. The coach was particularly

happy with the improvement of Yobo who has played himself back into contention with a string of impressive display for English Premiership side Norwich City. “I am also happy to see Yobo playing very well and that is why I have kept saying he remains part of my plans and captain of the national team.

“Defensively we have some of the best players. I am happy with the progress and form of our defenders so far. They have showed they can compete at the highest level with their respective clubs and I am glad with that,” he said.

“At the moment, I am only praying that they all stay healthy up till the World Cup because that will be important for us in doing well in Brazil.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY

02 MARCH 2014

Pro golfers mourn Edet

N

igerian golfers are yet to come to terms with the passing away of talented golfer, Umoh Edet.

The Nigerian golf scene was thrown into mourning February 23, after news broke that one of the country’s foremost golfers, Umoh Edet, had given up the ghost.

The late golfer slumped while playing football and was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital after efforts to resuscitate him at the football field failed.

Edet was until his death an assistant resident professional at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, and the Executive

LMC vows to sanction minimum wage violators

C

hairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Nduka Irabor, has stated that there is no going back on the N150,000 minimum wage for players in the Glo Premier League this new season.

Irabor warned that clubs that fail to comply with the requirement will be docked six goals and six points as punishment amongst other sanctions.

“They have up to Tuesday

zzIrabor

March 5 to do registration and some of them are saying they are not paying the minimum wage per player. We will ask questions, but nobody is going to get away with it,” Irabor said.

“It is mandatory, a six points, six goals punishment awaits clubs that fail to meet these conditions. The clubs are supposed to earn some revenue, we might decide to withhold the revenue and impose further levies on clubs that are unable to do it.

“We have to be financially solvent otherwise you just end up a season owing players from whom there is expectation of protection of their welfare by the League managers.

“If you are unable to pay your players, why should I pay you your N15million income when you are already saying to me that you are not going to be able to pay your players, so we might just withhold revenue coming to some of the clubs,” said.

WITH IFEANYI IBEH

HOLE IN ONE

zzUmoh Edet

Committee of the Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria, through its Director, Festus Makelemi, said it was painful to lose one of the association’s brightest stars.

“Every player is precious to us and losing Edet, who is by no means a world class player, is painful,” said Makelemi.

He added: “He was a gentleman who in his brief life distinguished himself as a professional player.”

Dominic Andrew, also an assistant resident professional at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, also had kind words to say about his close buddy.

“It is sad, but that is the truth we have to deal with now. He was a very close friend and we are all going to miss him,” said Andrew.

South Africa-based Nigerian golfer, Safiyanu Muazu, also expressed shock over the death of one of his golfing mentors, and took to the social networking platform, Facebook, to express his grief.

“I don’t like losing people I love.

Only if it was my choice to choose who to leave alive and who to die,” he wrote.

“Although it is difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, the champion I knew is gone.”

Born in 1982, Edet was Nigeria’s number one golfer in 2011 and also represented the country at the qualifying tournament for the World Cup of Golf in 2011, in Seri Selangor, Malaysia.

Before that, in 2010, he won the Tour Partner Championship, at the Ikoyi Club, with a spectacular chip from the 18th hole bunker that went straight into the hole.

Later that same year he won the PGA Championship at the IBB Golf Club and returned in 2011 to lift the President’s Cup.

Lagos rolls out ‘catch them young’ programme

N

igeria’s plans to produce a crop of young golfers capable of developing into international stars and changing the wrongly held notion that golf is an elitist sport after the Lagos State School Sports Directorate (LSSSD) gave golf development a head start with the training of public school teachers in the rudiments of the sport.

The training programme which came up at the Astro Turf 2000, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, lasted three days and had in attendance 42 Physical and Health Education Instructors from the 20 Local Government Educa-

tion Authorities in the state.

The three-day event was done in conjunction with 2AT Limited, a Lagos-based golf firm.

According to the Director of the LSSSD, Mrs Grace Asagba, the training focused on how the instructors can make use of the Starting New at Golf (SNAG) curriculum in the state’s and finally change public opinion regarding the sport as elitist.

“We have set-up a very good programme that we believe would give more kids the opportunity to play the game,” she told New Telegraph on Sunday.

“A lot of people out there feel golf is elitist but this will definitely go a long way in changing people’s opinion.”

Adekemi Badmos, a director with 2AT, also lauded the programme, which has already been tested successfully in such places as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

“We have deployed the programme in some private schools, so we have enough experience. We are very glad to have this partnership with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board and the Lagos State Amateur Golf Association,” said Badmus.

On Marble “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

Vince Lombardi

World Record Sanctity of Truth www. n ew te l e g r ap h on l i n e . c om

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

VOL. 1 NO. 12

SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2014

N150

Poland has the tallest statue of Pope John Paul II, weighing five tonnes. The 13.8m (45-ft) white fiberglass statue shows the pope standing with outstretched arms; it stands on a hill above the city of Czestochowa in southern Poland.

-----World Record Academy

Centenary, beyond celebration F

or the past few days, Nigeria has been celebrating her 100 years of togetherness.

Some world leaders have been in the country since the beginning of last week to celebrate with Nigerians. To most people, this period is an opportunity for Nigeria to rebrand and project a new image to the world. In the word of the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, the celebration “should be a time to rebrand, rejuvenate and pursue the true ideals of Nigeria” The organizers of the celebration have also come up with different and specific activities for the entire period the celebration would hold.

I understand from the concept document and the organizers that the celebration would be a year-long one.

As much as Nigeria needs to celebrate her 100 years of togetherness, there are many issues that should be a concern for everybody.

After 100 years, has the Nation moved from the direction of disintegration or autonomy to nationhood where we all have one aspiration, to be together? That is not the case today. In fact,

Nigeria

on my mind the country is more divided today than when it came together in 1914, or how come the federal government; in organizing a national conference, is giving the delegates a no-go area? For a country that is united, with one common aspiration, whether to be together or not should not be an issue. The fear of disintegration should not even come up. All the doors should be open to debate on any issue that affects Nigeria without fear that such debate could lead to disintegration. President Jonathan has always said, and he re-emphasized this last Monday during the presidential media chat, that he

Bolaji Tunji

would not preside over the disintegration of Nigeria. Discussing all issues during the confab does not necessarily means this would lead to the dissolution or disintegration of the country. In fact, nobody has been able to give me a satisfactory answer on whether discussing all issues at the confab would cause disintegration.

The president never did even when I posed that question to him during the media chat. But that is not the only problem of Nigeria, what about infrastructural development? For a nation that is over 100 years old, what have we achieved? There is a growing decay in public

Still on the Presidential Chat I

have had the opportunity of reading through so many comments from friends and so many other people concerning the last Monday’s Presidential Chat. While some people praised the president, some have unkind words for him.

In all the discussions, one thing that ran through is the fact that it was an ‘arrangee’ chat. Meaning that everything was orchestrated to suit the president and present him in the best possible light to Nigerians. The insinuation went further to state that most of the questions posed to the president were ‘doctored’ too. The panelists, of which I was one, were not spared, we were accused of not asking the president ‘uncomfortable’ questions, although a lot of people have come out to also defend the panel of interviewers.

I just want to set the records straight on the entire issue. I can say it loud and clear that the chat was not an ‘arrangee’ in the sense in which it is being portrayed. All the four panelists met for the first time in the office of Dr. Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman. Abati was not even around when we all got there. I was picked from my hotel at about 5pm and did not get to the Villa until about 5:30pm where I met the other members. We only discussed on modalities among ourselves, that we should ensure that questions are raised in sequential and orderly manners; exhaust a particular area before moving to the next. At about 6:30, Dr. Abati came in to join us in his office where we had sat all this while. All along, I thought that there would be a session on the do’s and don’ts of the chat. How not to

embarrass the president on national TV… a sort of dress rehearsal. But there was nothing like that.

All Abati said was that we should not waste too much time as we would have only one hour. It was there and then we (panelists) resolved that we would not waste too much time in order not to make it a one-issue chat. The issue that week then was and still is, the Sanusi removal.

All these while, it was a few minutes to 7pm when the session was to kick off. I later got to know that the plan to take us to the hall, where the chat would take place, at the last minute was to ensure that we were shielded from aides who would probably want to ‘teach’ us what to ask the president. Whether that would have happened remains a conjecture as it never happened. All these while, we had not even met the President.

We were already seated, with the stage set when

MAMA LASISI

the president walked in and made straight for his seat. He took his microphone, and started attaching it around his cloth. He was so matter-of-fact about it that it was obvious that he was familiar with such scenario, and a few minutes later, the session started.

So, to those who thought that these was an arrangement somewhere, there was nothing like that. We never met the president until a few minutes before the chat took off. Nobody gave a restriction of areas to go and not to go. The only issue we had was the shortness of the time and the need to ask questions in as many diverse areas as the time would permit. And, as a friend puts it; the arrangee idea is just because Nigerians have learnt not to trust its leadership and have thus found it hard that the president was able to present his views so well…

infrastructure. The Inter - State roads are in terrible disrepair, from the East to the West, North to South, it is one calamitous story or the other. According to FRSC statistics, Nigeria has lost more than 300,000 lives between 1960 and 2012 due to poor state of the roads. In 2012 alone, there were about 4,260 road deaths.

What about electricity, how many of the communities are electrified? The cities too are in darkness. Industries have relocated to neighboring countries, while those who are still around are spending so much to generate their own energy need. There is no household in the country today that does not have a generator while PHCN, as it used to be known, was and is still the back up.

Indeed, the celebration is a reinforcement of our failure as a nation. Dubai is a good example of a nation that has been able to marshal its potential to achieve greatness. Oil was discovered in 1966 in that country, about 10 years after Nigeria’s discovery. The visionary ruler of Dubai, (note the word visionary) Sheik Rashid Al Maktoum utilized the oil revenue to develop his country’s infrastructure. Schools were built, roads, and modern telecommunication networks, an international airport which could take any type of aircraft were all put in place. Dubai also built the largest manmade harbor in the world. Today, Dubai is a city everybody wants to visit. It no longer relies on its oil revenue. Tourism is one of its major revenue earner.

How did this happen? Through visionary leadership. There is a whole world of differences between the two countries. What Nigeria needs is a reform and a visionary leader that will harness its various resources. Celebration of the centenary is in order, but at what cost? What will it achieve? What will it bring to the table in terms of development? There are many world leaders here, so what are the plans to utilize the opportunity presented by the celebration and their visits?

These are some of the issues that should concern the Nigerian leadership at this time.

Nigerians are tired of stories and excuses of why we are where we are.

By Aliu Eroje

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