Friday, october 7, 2016

Sustaining Justice Mohammed’s reforms

I

n what appeared to be his last ceremony conducted to usher in a new legal year, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmoud Mohammed proudly declared: "by the will of the Almighty, I am leaving the Supreme Court in a better

shape than I met it. Indeed, in the past year, this court has witnessed numerous improvements both in terms of physical infrastructure and statutory functioning that will no doubt put us on the cusp of greater."

front page Comment Justice Mohammed was apparently dwelling on his achievements following a series of reforms carried out in his almost two years in office as the nation’s Chief Justice.

Although the CJN spoke at the commencement of the new legal year of the Supreme Court and the investiture of the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) on many of his reforms, he is worried that the judiciary he is leaving behind

may be compromised by some bad eggs on the Bench.

He said “judges must be able to hold the balance between order and chaos, harmony and violence, prosperity and poverty.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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Alleged $13.92bn repatriation: My deal with MTN, by Enelamah }5

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Saraki

Outrage as militants abduct teachers, students in Lagos

Our schools are too porous –NUT, PTA }2 CP: Victims will be rescued soon

Ambode, Osoba, Uduaghan, Obi, Babale, others grace Editors’ House inauguration }10

L-R: Former and present NGE Presidents, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, Mr. Femi Adesina and Malam Garba Deen Muhammed

L-R: Representative of Lagos State Governor/Deputy Governor, Mrs. Idiat Adebule; President, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mrs. Funke Egbemode; former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi and Chairman of the occasion/former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the inauguration of Editors' House in Lagos…yesterday.

L-R: Former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Segun Osoba; Uduaghan; Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Mr. Martins Babale and National President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Waheed Odusile.

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Outrage as militants abduct teachers, students in Lagos Mojeed Alabi, Muritala Ayinla and Taiwo Jimoh

G

un-wielding kidnappers yesterday invaded Igbonla Senior and Junior Model Colleges in Epe, Lagos and abducted four students and two teachers.

The abduction was greeted with outrage as the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) and parents of the students decried the development.

The abduction came about seven months after three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Ikorodu, were kidnapped by gunmen.

Yesterday, the kidnappers, who were said to be about seven, reportedly stormed the assembly hall of the junior students about 8a.m., shooting into different directions to scare away the students and their teachers before taking their victims into a waiting boat.

The abducted persons were the Vice-Principal, Mr.

A. O. Oyesola, a teacher, Mr. Lateef Oyerinde, and the students – Adebisi Isaac and Okonkwo – among others.

It was learnt that the abducted Oyerinde is the elder brother of the late Olaitan Oyerinde, the former Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State, who was murdered by gunmen.

When one of our correspondents visited the school yesterday, helicopters deployed to search for the missing teachers and their students were seen

hovering around the area.

The abducted students were in Junior Secondary School 1, who just resumed for the academic session last Tuesday.

One of the students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told New Telegraph that they were praying in the assembly hall, when the kidnappers came. “There were six of them, including a lady,” he said.

The student added that the hoodlums came through the bush near the boys’ hostel.

He said: “They came

A parent of one of the kidnapped students being consoled by a sympathiser … yesterday

One of the students leaving the school after the incident... yesterday

PHOTOS: Sulieman Hussaini

NJC to forward Onnoghen's name to Buhari as next CJN Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

T

he National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday said it is in the process of sending the name of Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen to President Muhammadu for confirmation as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

This was sequel to a recommendation made by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) to the Council on Wednesday.

FJSC had recommended Justice Onnoghen to the NJC for further recommendation to the president as the new CJN. The present CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, is to bow out on November 10, when he will attain the retirement age of 70 years.

Justice Onnoghen, who

is next in seniority to Justice Mohammed will, however, be stepping into the office of the CJN, if confirmed by the president.

It is the tradition at the Supreme Court that the most senior justice becomes the CJN and such tradition has been maintained for years.

Justice Onnoghen who hails from Biase Local government Area of Cross River State, was born on December 22, 1950.

He attended the Presbyterian Primary School, Okurike Town in Biase, LGA, from 1959 to 1965 after which he proceeded to Ghana in 1967 for his secondary education.

In 1972, he moved to the Accra Academy where he obtained an A’ Level, before going to the University of Ghana, Legon, between 1974 and 1977.

He obtained a Bach-

elor’s Degree in Law and graduated with a second Class Upper Division in 1977.

He attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, between 1977 and 1978 for his BL certificate.

Justice Onnoghen has worked as a Pupil State Counsel, Ministry of Justice, in Ikeja, Lagos and Ogun states between 1978 and 1979.

He later became a partner in the Law Firm of Effiom Ekong and Company in Calabar between 1979 and 1988.

In 1988, he became Principal Partner and Head of Chamber of Walter Onneghen and Associates in Calabar and the following year, he was appointed a high court judge, under the Cross River State Judiciary.

He was also appointed

Chairman, Cross River State Armed Robbery and Fire Arms Tribunal in 1990. He held that position for three years.

Onnoghen later became chairman, Judicial Enquiry into the Crisis between Students of the University of Calabar and Obufa Esuk Orok Community of the state in 1996.

In 1998, he was appointed chairman, Failed Banks Tribunal, Ibadan Zone.

He was also appointed a judge of High Court of Rivers State in 1992.

In 1998, he was made a Justice of the Court of Appeal and was there till 2005 when he became Justice of the Supreme Court.

He is member of the Supreme Court’s Body of Benchers and a life bencher.

He is also a fellow of the Chattered Institute of Arbitrators.

through the gate with two of them covering their faces. They started shooting and all of us ran into different directions. Some crawled under the desks while others ran into the bush. The people then took four students, the vice-principal and the English and Civic Education teacher.”

But a senior secondary school student said they had finished their assembly session and they were in the class, when they heard the gunshots.

He said: “Many of us ran in different directions, but the teachers quickly locked the doors against many of us. We saw the gunmen and a lady take the junior school vice-principal, a teacher and some students into their waiting boat.”

As the news of the abduction became public, hundreds of parents stormed the school to withdraw their wards.

Some of the parents refused to go home when security agents asked them to; they maintained that they wanted to go home with their children.

One of the parents, whose son was among the abducted students, Mr. Adebisi Olufemi, said: “I was told that my son, Isaac, was one of those kidnapped. I don’t have any fear. My son is a promised child. The kidnappers did not create him. I had a premonition that something was going to happen to the boy when I was bringing him to school on Tuesday.

“My car had a small problem and the spirit told me something about kidnappers. I have heard about armed robbery operation in this axis. My son even said that this place was a bush and that he did not want to come.”

Another parent, who pleaded anonymity, decried the security arrangement in the school and urged government to fortify security in the school.

He said: “The gunmen hid under the heavy and thick bush around the school to perpetuate the act.

“Look at that place now (pointing to a place on the school premises), if we are chasing somebody and he runs into that place, who will follow him, who knows what he has there?”

Mr. Felix Agbarah, a parent, said that they wanted

N36.055bn The total value of payment channels made by Mobile payments of Nigeria in March 2015.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

20.9%

The percentage of the urban population of Solomon Islands in 2012.

Source: Un.org

the school to be closed until the abducted persons were rescued.

Another parent, Ms Ife Aramide, said that she came to take her child home, as the school was no longer safe for the students.

Mr. Laz Eke said that they had been complaining about the security situation around the school, but nothing was done.

While addressing the parents who had stormed the school to withdraw their wards, the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who was in company with top government functionaries and head of security agencies, condemned the act.

She pleaded with parents and families of the victims to cooperate with government and security agencies in ensuring prompt rescue of the victims.

Adebule said panicking would not help the situation, as it would further compound the situation.

She said: “It is true that in the last 29 years that this school was established, we have never experienced such a thing like this, but now that it has happened and it is confronting us, we must come together to find a lasting solution to it. We, as government, parents, the school and security agencies, must remain united to solve this problem.

“I know you are angry, I know you are worried and I know you are agitated, but we must look for solution.

But I plead for the understanding of parents in this matter. I know how traumatic it could be, I know how emotional the issue we are discussing could be, but the best we can do is to handle it with care and with utmost wisdom that God can give us.”

The Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education, promised that government would do everything possible to ensure the rescue of the victims.

She added that a team of security operatives would stay behind in the school to secure the students and teachers.

Adebule also revealed that all security agencies, including the police, Air Force, Navy, the Army and others had been fully mobilised to ensure rescue of the victims, just as she expressed confidence in the success of the ongoing rescue operation.

On his part, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, assured the parents and families of the victims that the rescue operation already launched would be the shortest in the history of the command.

While soliciting the supCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

How Buhari, Jonathan, Jega averted doomsday prophesies – Abubakar

lPresident: 2015 polls, watershed in Nigeria's history Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

F

ormer Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, yesterday disclosed that Nigeria was able to escape the numerous doomsday prophecies surrounding the 2015 general elections because former President Goodluck Jonathan, his main rival in the election, President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Attahiru Jega, the then Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) jointly placed the interest of the nation above their personal interests in the decisions they took at critical moments.

Abubakar, who gave this verdict at the 10th Leadership Awards organised by Leadership Newspapers in Abuja, said the efforts by other stakeholders would have been in vain if these three principal actors were not willing to respect the sanctity of the ballot box and the will of the electorate.

The ceremony, which attracted top government functionaries and dignitaries from all walks of life, was designed to honour the contributions of Jonathan,

Buhari and Jega whom the Leadership Newspapers have chosen as Leadership Personalities of the Year 2015.

In the build up to the said elections, many political pundits had predicted that there would be anarchy and chaos, which could lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. However, the reverse became the case as Jonathan promptly conceded defeat even before the final results were announced by placing a phone call to congratulate his main challenger in that election.

According to Abubakar, the much-publicized gloomy narratives, which were sometimes unsubstantiated, turned out to be untrue.

He said that Nigeria's survival from that episode has made her an example to other countries in transition both in Africa and in other parts of the developing world.

"From the global perspective, Nigeria has been applauded for achieving sustainable democracy, spanning over 17 years and very recently for achieving a peaceful and successful political transition.

“We are aware of the turbulent and violent political transitions in some African countries which

sometimes metamorphoses into full scale civil war.

"The tireless and modest contributions of several individuals and groups to make the last general election a success would have been in vain if the key dramatist personae, former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari were not willing to cooperate with us and think of Nigeria first ahead of self or if the head of INEC at that time, Jega, who is also being honoured, failed to execute his assignment with firmness.

"Having been involved in several continental and international peace initiatives, I can tell you that most of the problem of warring factions in African countries would have disappeared if the actors had the dispositions of the actors being honoured today.

“Going down memory lane, we recall the widespread prediction of chaos and doom, as well as the possible break-up of Nigeria in the aftermath of the 2015 general elections.

Thank goodness, Nigeria survived. So we have good cause to celebrate," he said.

Abubakar, who paid glowing tributes to Jonathan, Buhari and Jega for their historic roles, also acknowledged the contri-

In your juicy

butions of other Nigerians to the success story, adding that the lessons therefrom was that they were able to secure the future of Nigeria as one indivisible, progressive and democratic country.

Buhari, who was present at the event and personally received his award, described the 2015 election as a watershed in the political history of Nigeria.

He said that he and the other principal actors in the elections were led by the higher ideal of the future of Nigeria as great country and the well being of its people rather than the mere desire of politicians to win elections.

He affirmed that it was the patriotic zeal of President Jonathan, the impartiality of the electoral umpire, INEC, and exemplary conduct of the political parties, foreign pressure and other actors that collectively helped Nigeria to disappoint the prophets of doom who had predicted the disintegration of the country after the 2015 general elections.

"Our democracy has been strengthened by the outcome of the 2015 elections as our people now have more faith in the electoral system in the sense that their votes would

count when choosing political leaders at various levels. We the political class should build on the experience of the 2015 elections to nurture our democracy," he said.

Buhari congratulated the other award winners for the recognition accorded them by the Leadership Newspapers and expressed hope that the awards will encourage all the awardees to remain committed to good behaviour in their various endeavours to justify this recognition and serve as inspiration to others.

He urged the mass media to join hands with the government in the pursuit of the goals of nation building instead of just criticizing the government to prove their independence.

But, Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson said only Jonathan should take the credit for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election.

Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to always accord Jonathan the respect and honour of a true statesman that he is, while also calling on him to always stand up and show leadership.

The governor noted that democrats all over

the world would continue to appreciate Jonathan for his exceptional display of sportsmanship in the 2015 election as an incumbent president, stressing that, that singular action puts him miles apart from other leaders, within the African continent and beyond.

Dickson believes that the action taken by Jonathan saved thousands of lives that would have been lost and kept the unity of Nigeria intact, particularly against the backdrop of predictions of the nation’s disintegration.

Chairman of the Leadership Group Ltd, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, said the annual awards ceremony was to recognise and reward personalities that make significant contributions to the socio-political development of the country.

Other awardees at the event included Chibok schoolgirls; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.

Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), received the Leadership Public Officer of the Year 2015 award, while Korede Bello, the singer of the popular song `God Win’ emerged Leadership Artiste of the Year 2015.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Alleged $13.92bn repatriation: My deal with MTN, by Enelamah Kunle Azeez

M

inister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, has stated that he only had an investor relationship with South African telecoms firm, MTN. He also denied any involvement in the alleged illegal transfers of $13.92 billion out of Nigeria by MTN Nigeria.

Enelamah made the disclosure during an interview on BBC, where he was drilled on the issues relating to the allegation.

The Senate had, last week, agreed to investigate the claims after a motion

by Senator Dino Melaye.

The Senate’s motion said Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered Bank,

Citigroup and Diamond Bank were involved in the alleged illegal transfers, while Enelamah was allegedly among people used

by MTN to help repatriate more than $13 billion between 2006 and 2016.

Enelamah, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in November in 2015, said he ‘absolutely’ was not involved in any illegal transfers.

He stated: “I do not know anything about the MTN (money transfer) story. MTN, basically, is one of the companies that came in 2001 when we were doing telecoms deregulation. It came with other companies and that process was very successful. We have had what I can call the telecoms revolution and MTN has actually done well for Nigeria and for itself by the

scale and extent of investment it has made.

“Importantly, MTN also took on Nigerian investors, not just MTN South Africa, and I happened to have been the CEO of the company that attracted investments into that and frankly, as far as we know, that was what we did then and it was a very good story.”

He said some people might be working against MTN because of the telecoms company’s success in Nigeria in the last 15 years.

“But in any market, like you know, when you have a successful story, many people want to know and ask: ‘Could this have been true?’ ‘Did you really do it all legitimately or was there something wrong?’

But I can assure you that the MTN story is well told and it is about success,” he said.

Our schools are too porous –NUT, PTA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

port of the parents, Owoseni said security agencies were already in custody of useful leads.

According to him, there is a strong hope of rescuing the victims.

He said: “All I just want to say for now is that you have to work with us. What we also need from you is your prayers. We will seek your understanding and for now, I will not reveal much because as we speak, there are agents of the kidnappers here and they will reveal whatever we say here to them.

“We have a government in Lagos State that is ready to go all out and I can assure you that this will be the shortest rescue operation that we will carry out. We will do everything we need to do to secure the release of the victims.”

In an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Segun Raheem, said it was unfortunate that many months after the union had written to government through the House of Assembly complaining of porosity in the security of the schools in the state, there was no step yet to address the situation.

Raheem said that based on the letter from the NUT, the House of Assembly had passed a recommendation mandating the state executive to provide adequate security to the schools, but till date, no effort had been made in that direction.

He said: “We sincerely appreciate the deputy governor of Lagos State for promptly rising to the occasion to lead the security team to the school. But we must say that our schools are too porous to avoid se-

curity breaches. Not even the Man ‘O War men that used to guide our schools are today available. Both the teachers and the students are at risk because the schools are not secured.

“Today, we teach in the atmosphere of fear and we hope the situation can be quickly addressed because when education suffers, the whole national economy suffers.”

In a similar development, the National President of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said he was sad with the development and called on government at all levels and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to secure the schools.

He said: “I feel very sad that the spate of insecurity in our schools is degenerating by the day. That is a big problem for this country because when the future of a nation cannot be secured, then the country is in a big mess. We will go back to the President and the Minister of Education over the development and our chairmen across the states will be mandated to meet with the state governors and other stakeholders to address the situation.”

Speaking on the development, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District where the school is located, said that the National Assembly was working on a

N145

The average price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) of Yobe State in July 2016.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

5.5m

The total population of Melanesia in 1990.

Source: Un.org

bill to make kidnapping an unattractive business.

According to Ashafa, when the bill is passed into law, kidnappers risk 30-year jail term upon conviction.

In recent times, Ikorodu and Epe areas of Lagos have become dens of kidnappers.

Enelamah, however, restated that if anything had been transferred by the telecoms company at all, it was dividend by the telco and its shareholders.

He said: “Absolutely, first, I am not involved in transferring money for MTN and in any event, the dividends that were taken out of the country by MTN and shareholders were actually dividends that I personally and as a company were not in a position to get

involved in that.

“So, as I said, there is nothing like involvement in MTN’s illegal transfers of money.”

He said that Buhari could not have questioned him over the alleged involvement as MTN also operates like every other company in Nigeria.

“The president didn’t need to ask me about MTN in particular. The reason is just because MTN is just one more company that

goes about its business in Nigeria and a very long story. MTN is listed in South Africa, invested in Nigeria. So, there is absolutely nothing wrong with MTN. Let’s not even begin to pretend.

“My relationship with MTN is that of an investor relationship. My company is representing investors, I wasn’t even the investor myself and there is nothing wrong with MTN having inventors,” he said.

Recession: National Assembly invites Buhari for joint briefing Chukwu David Abuja

T

he National Assembly has invited President Muhammadu Buhari to address a Joint Session of the apex parliament on steps being taken by the Federal Government to take the country out of the economic recession.

The invitation followed a resolution by the Senate in plenary yesterday, concurring with an earlier resolution of the House of Representatives, inviting Buhari for the joint briefing.

The House had, two weeks ago, requested Bu-

hari to come and address a joint session of the National Assembly on the current economic situation in the country.

The Senate decided to concur with the House’s resolution, sequel to a motion by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na'Allah, in which he drew the attention of the Chamber to the resolution of the House on September 22.

Moving the motion, Na'Allah said: "That the Senate do concur with the House of Representatives' resolution passed on Thursday, September 22, 2016 to wit: invite the President, Commanderin-chief, to address a joint session of the National

Assembly, to intimate it with plans to get the country out of recession to enable the House take further legislative action."

After the motion was moved and seconded, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, put it to a voice vote and members unanimously passed it without a single opposition.

The House had urged the president to hold an emergency joint session with the National Assembly with a view to formally presenting the legislature and by extension, the entire Nigerians, with information on the true state of the economy, in the face of the economic downturn.

Group Managing Director/ CEO, Access Bank Plc., Mr. Herbert Wigwe, attending to a customer of the bank in commemoration of 2016 Customer Service Week at the bank’s branch on Idejo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos... yesterday.

Senate probes N328bn Niger Delta Amnesty funds Chukwu David Abuja

T

he Senate yesterday commenced investigation into the management of N328 billion budgeted for the Federal Government's Niger Delta Amnesty Programme from 2009 to date.

The Upper Chamber decided to venture into the investigation seven years after the inauguration of the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme.

President Umaru Yar'Adua introduced the programme in 2009, to rehabilitate ex-militants who carried out massive vandalism of oil pipelines

and kidnap of expatriates operating in the region to protest what they regarded as neglect of the region by successive governments, despite the economic value of the area to the nation's overall existence.

The Senate probe was precipitated by agitations in the region over allegations of corruption and mismanagement of resources allocated for the programme by those entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the use of the funds for the development of the people and the area in general.

The Senate, accordingly, mandated its Niger Delta Committee to conduct a public hearing on the man-

agement of the funds for the amnesty programme from the beginning of its creation.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who declared the investigative hearing open yesterday, noted that it was exactly six years ago that the programme started, saying that the exercise was well timed.

He insisted that the Senate, through the hearing, must provide answers to certain critical questions on later developments in Niger Delta, which started provoking resurgence of militancy in the oil-rich region, after the amnesty programme had yielded positive results in address-

ing crisis in the area.

Also, in his address, the committee chairman, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, pointed out that the amnesty programme was designed to better the lots of Niger Delta youths as well as the economic prosperity of Nigeria, saying, "Economic prosperity of the country is partly tied to peace and security of the Niger Delta."

The guest speaker at the occasion, Chief Jasper Jombo, decried misplacement of priority in the execution of the amnesty programme, saying that the programme ought to consist of various value adding programmes such as agriculture, industrialisation and property development.

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NEWS | national

Assets declaration: Appeal Court reserves judgement in Saraki's suit

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he Court of Appeal, Abuja Division yesterday reserved judgement in an appeal filed by Senate President , Senator Bukola Saraki, challenging his trial at the Code of conduct Tribunal.

Saraki is contending in the appeal that he was not invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau to make

clarifications on his asset declaration form before charges were filed against him at the tribunal.

During the hearing of the appeal yesterday, counsel to Saraki, Kanu Agabi, SAN, told the court that the statement of his client must be part of an indispensable evidence before the tribunal.

"If you bring an accused to court without his statement, it can do damage to his case. A pre-action notice is not unconstitu-

$30.4m

The total amount of salary/winnings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Soccer) for 2016.

Source: Forbes.com

tional. The tribunal had been told to apply the same procedure it adopted in similar cases. If you sanction the attitude that inferior court can depart from their decisions, it will be a bad precedent. Legislation is subject to judicial challenge. If it is a precedent, my client can't be treated differently.

"This action was filed 13 years after the case was filed. It is not in the interest of justice that you bring a man to court 13 years after he had left office. Only the CCB can file action at the CCT and not the EFCC or ICPC," Agabi

argued.

Counsel to the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

He further argued that once the CCB had found an infraction in an asset declaration form, the onus was on it to prove his innocence before the tribunal.

He added that the issue of fair hearing did not appear in the instant case.

After listening to both parties, the Justice Abdul Aboki led panel of the court reserved judgement to a date that will be communicated to the parties.

friday, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

46 firms scale bidding hurdle to supply NYSC kits Our Correspondent

F

orty six companies yesterday scaled the hurdle in their bids to produce and supply training kits for 2016 Batch B members of the National Youth Service Corps.

The firms which earlier submitted bids items such as jungle boots, crested vests, white plain vests, P.E. shorts, white canvass, stockings, khaki suits and belts got the nod of the NYSC to proceed with the contacts following the due diligence conducted on the bids.

The result of the bid process, which was unveiled at the conference room of the NYSC cor-

L-R: Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Dr. Garba Abari and Director-General, Institute of National Transformation International, Prof.

Vincent Anigbogu, during the launch of the National campaign "Change begins with me" with Private Sector in Lagos… yesterday.

FG removes Saraki, Ekweremadu's names from forgery suit Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he Federal Government yesterday withdrew the forgery suit it earlier filed against the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu before an Abuja High Court.

The government, however, filed an amended charge which carries the names of both former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and a former Deputy clerk, Ben Efeturi as defendants.

According to an online publication, Premium Times, the affidavit in support of the motion for withdrawal was deposed to by litigation officer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Odubu Lovene.

The Federal Government had through a suit marked CR/219/16 slammed a two count charge on Saraki and Ekweremadu, as well as a former Clerk of the Na-

tional Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and a former Deputy clerk, Ben Efeturi, bothering on conspiracy and forgery of House Rules.

When the defendants were arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu on June 10, they pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Trial in the matter was however stalled last week, as the lead Prosecution Counsel, Aliyu Umar, told the court that the office of the AGF was yet to release the case file to him.

He had then prayed the court for an adjournment.

The court in turn granted his prayer and adjourned till today for trial.

In the affidavit in support, the deponent averred that counsel to the Federal Government on the matter, Aliyu Umar SAN on September 30 in the office of the Director of Public Prosecution told him that he had studied the case diary and “ had decided to amend the charge in the manner stated on the face of the motion paper”.

Babalakin calls for review of judiciary, legal education

C

hairman of the BiCourtney Group of Companies, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), has called for a critical and urgent review of the nation’s judiciary.

“Where we are now is a melancholic decadence of a great institution,” Babalakin noted on yesterday while speaking at the ongoing 2016 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, with the theme ‘Judicial Independence and the Democratic Process.”

The senior lawyer, who spoke on ‘Judiciary in an Emerging Economy, Challenges and Prospect’, re-

called that the Chief Justice of the old Western Region earned more than the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the 60s.

He said that the judiciary he grew up knowing was totally different from what exists now.

He lamented the lost values and the lack of innovative ways of tackling issues prevalent within the judiciary, disclosing that the issues he identified about Nigeria’s judiciary in his 1986 doctoral thesis submitted to the Cambridge University are yet to be resolved.

porate headquarters in Abuja, had in attendance, about 52 companies and contractors as well as other stakeholders.

Director of Procurement, NYSC, Yakubu Jok, disclosed that a total of 209 firms had indicated interest for the procurement and supply of the items for the next orientation exercise. According to him, the Director General, NYSC Gen. Zakari Kazaure was very passionate about providing quality kits for use by the corps members and would soon invite the successful bidders for briefing on what the organisation expects of them.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Early marijuana use increases lower IQ risk Appolonia Adeyemi

P

eople who were exposed to marijuana from a young age can have highly abnormal brain functioning and lower intelligent quotient, IQ. This is the findings in a study published in the journal ‘Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica’. The research was conducted by scientists in London and Ontario in Canada.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in the world.

Previous studies have sug-

gested that frequent marijuana users, especially those who begin at a young age, are at a higher risk for cognitive dysfunction and psychiatric illness, including depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The use of marijuana did not correct the brain function deficits of depression, and in some regions made them worse.

"The study suggest that using marijuana does not correct the brain abnormalities or symptoms of depression and using it from an early age may have an abnormal effect

not only on brain function, but also on IQ," said Elizabeth Osuch from Lawson Health Research Institute, in Ontario, Canada.

"Many youth in our program use marijuana heavily and, despite past research, believe it improves their psychiatric conditions because it makes them feel better momentarily," added Osuch, who is also the Medical Director of the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP) at London Health Sciences Centre.

"For this reason, we decided to study the effects of

Reps intervene in $458m looted funds forfeited in US T he House of Representatives yesterday resolved to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure the country’s looted funds forfeited to the U.S. Government were repatriated.

The house also resolved to interface with office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to meet US Congress men and women to push for the return of the funds, put at about 458 million dollars.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance

sponsored by Rep. Johnson Agbonayinma (PDP-Edo).

Leading the debate on the motion, Agbonayinma recalled that in 2013, the US Department of Justice traced some assets that were later discovered to be proceeds from corruption in Nigeria.

“It is noteworthy to say that the US Department of Justice has confiscated and returned over $168 million to victim-nations of corruption,’’ he said.

He disclosed that a portion of the looted funds belonging to Nigeria was forfeited to the US via a judg-

ment of the district court.

"Assets recovery is a fundamental principle of United Nations Convention against corruption where high-level corruption has plundered the national wealth and where resources are badly needed for reconstruction and rehabilitation of societies.

“Whereas in the case of embezzlement of public funds, one of the manners in which the confiscated assets could be disposed of is as compensation to the victims affected by the underlying crime,’’ Agbonayinma explained.

marijuana and depression on psychiatric symptoms, brain function and cognitive function."

Dr. Osuch and her team recruited youth in four groups: those with depression who were not marijuana users; those with depression who were frequent marijuana users; frequent marijuana users without depression; and healthy individuals who were not marijuana users.

In addition, participants were later divided into youth who started using marijuana before the age of 17 and those who began using it later or not at all.

Participants underwent psychiatric, cognitive and IQ testing as well as brain scanning. The study found no evidence that marijuana use improved depressive symptoms; there was no difference in psychiatric symptoms between those with depression who used marijuana and those with depression who did not use marijuana.

With past research suggesting a genetic role between marijuana use and depression, Dr. Osuch and her collaborators at Western University's Robarts Research Institute also conducted genetic testing on participants.

national | news

friday, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Taiwo Hassan and Temitope Ogunbanke

F

ollowing a letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari over the controversy surrounding the “Change Begins With Me” campaign based on allegation that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stole the idea from one Mr. Akin Fadeyi, Mohammed yesterday said he was ready to meet Fadeyi’s attorney in court.

Speaking to journalists after unveiling the “Change Begins With Me” campaign to Corporate Ni-

7

Copyright: I’ll meet Afe Reps query Presidential Committee Babalola in court –Mohammed on N270m grass clearing

geria in Lagos yesterday, the minister said Fadeyi’s allegation lacked merit as he (Mohammed) had completed work on “Change Begins With Me” campaign on October 14, 2015 before meeting Fadeyi in December 2015.

It would be recalled that in a letter to Buhari dated September 29, 2016 and signed by Fadeyi’s attorney, Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN) of the Afe Babalola Chambers, the lawyer alleged that the idea behind the “Change Begins With

Me” project was Fadeyi’s brainchild and the Minister of Information and Culture only adapted it as his own without credit or compensation in form of payment to Fadeyi.

But Mohammed in reaction to Fadeyi’s attorney said: “I was nominated as a minister sometime in October and the moment I was nominated, I called my team and I said the most important thing to do is to change the attitude of Nigerians and the way they do things."

Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he House of Representatives Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and North-East has queried the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) for allegedly spending a whopping N270million on clearing of grass and another N188.685million for Nigerian Refugees living in Minawao, the Republic of Cameroon.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Mohammed Sani Zorro (APC, Jigawa) issued the query yesterday at the investigative hearing into allegations of diversion of funds and relief materials meant for IDPs in the North East.

In a document presented to the committee, the executive secretary in charge of the Presidential Initiative, Mr. Umar Musa Gulani, stated that the N270million was used as a contract sum for the removal of 250km of "inva-

sive plant species along river channels and simplified village irrigation scheme (phase II) in Komadugu Basin in Yobe State alone.

PINE, which got N5billion allocation in the 2016 budget to provide basic and specific requirements for immediate and medium term rehabilitation of IDPs, angered members of the committee when it said it spent over N458million of the fund on interventions that had no direct bearing to the plight of IDPs in the North East.

CONFIRMATION/change OF NAME Ayegbe: I, formerly known and addresses as Ayegba Ugbedeojo Paul now wish to be known and addressed as Ayegbe Paul Ugbedeojo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Adesanmi

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiodun Bukola Omoyemi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adesanmi Bukola Omoyemi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Michel

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Oladunmoye

This is to confirm that Oladunmoye Akinola Adeola and Oladunmoye Adeola refer to one and the same person.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Oladunmoye Akinola Adeola. All former documents remain valid. First bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

Karinate

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Daniel

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Watchnight

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Ugochukwu

This is to notify the general public that the names Obinna Paul Ugochukwu and Ugochukwu Obunike Paul refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Ugochukwu Obunike Paul.

All former documents remain valid. Zenith bank Plc, FCMB Plc, Skye bank Plc, Ecobank Plc, Diamond bank Plc and general public take note.

Okereke

Akinwande

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Arji

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Perekebina

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The general public should please take note.

Appah

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Egwemi

This is to notify the general public that the names Egwemi Egema Paul was wrongly spelt as Egwemu Ejima Paul.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Egwemi Egema Paul. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Muoma

This is to notify the general public that my name was wrongly written as Okereke Charity Uche on my BVN instead of Okereke Charity Emeka which is my correct name. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Okereke Charity Emeka. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyinye Chikaodinaka Nwankwo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onyinye Chikaodinaka Muoma. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Emissi

Sako

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Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Emissi Moses. All former documents remain valid. First bank Plc, Ecobank Plc and general public note.

I, formerly know and called Usman Bakabe Sako now wish to be called Usman Sako.

All former document remain valid, general public should take note.

Okhiria

Mokolo - Oladunke

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The General public should please take note.

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Isaiah: This is to confirm that the names Isaiah Rita Igbogi and Isaiah Rita refer to one and same person who now wish to be known and addressed as Isaiah Rita Igbogi. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

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,I formerly known and addressed as Benson Abah Eleojo Noel now wish to be known and addressed as Abah Eleojo Noel. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and the general public should please take note.

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The general public should please take note.

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Otum

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NWIGUM

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OGAR

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Amoa

This is to confirm that Amoa Eniata Abieba Amoatokaritou Alfred, Amoatoukaritou Uwudioriya, Amoatokaritou Uwudioriya and Amofien Abieba refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Amoa Eniata Abieba. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

TIV FARMERS ASSOCIATION OSOOGUN

PUBLIC NOTICE CHRIST REDEMPTION OF ZION MISSION OSOGBO

This is to inform the general public that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under Part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Mr. Samson Senda Ankpera –President 2. Mr. Alexander Abi –V. President 3. Mr. Atughur Godwin –General Sec. 4. Mr. Shamon Terfa –Treasurer 5. Mr. Burnor Sunday Tyohule –Patron 6. Mr. Samuel Godwin Orhonuduba –Adviser 7. Mr. Jeremiah Akili Kwaghaha –F. Secretary

The Trustees are: 1. Towolawi Oluyemi Tomola 2. Towolawi Goodluck Friday 3. Oke Olaloyin Debora

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To unite all the TIV farmers in Osoogun and its environs.

2. To help all members in all ramifications.

3. To develop members.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Barr. Olusegun Jesuloju Jesus & Us Law Firm Odo Baba-Ode, Eruwa. 08052479606, 07030834156

PUBLIC NOTICE

JUMAK HOUSE OF CARE FOUNDATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Monsurat Makanjuola Adetunji 2. Dairo Kafilat Olapeju 3. Adio Sunday Seun AIM AND OBJECTIVE ARE: 1. To support the needy materially and spiritually.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To preach God's word to the world and positively affecting soul through the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. To teach men and women how to be committed to God 3. To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. To bring back the lost Glory of the Church.

5. To build a solid foundation for love and care.

6. To build a body of believers developed in praise and worship.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE LAND OF FREEDOM HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH INTERNATIONAL

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Prophet Abayomi Oluwatayo Isaac 2. Prophetess Oluwatayo Blessing AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To bring back the lost Glory of the Church.

3. To build a solid foundation for love and care.

4. To build a body of believers developed in praise and worship.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

8

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO ‘I stole my employer’s A N1.7m to build house’ ABIODUN BELLO

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

Chidiebere Ejike

domestic servant, Samuel Ugbem, yesterday told journalists in Lagos that he stole N1.7 million belonging to his boss, Mr. Ajadi Babatunde, because he wanted to build a house in his village.

Samuel said he secured the cooperation of his elder brother, Monday Ugbem, to steal the money.

The brothers were paraded at the state Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja.

The suspects said they climbed a ladder to the balcony of Babatunde’s house on Dipo Oyewole Street, Magodo area of Lagos.

Samuel said his boss recently returned from a trip to the United Kingdom (UK) with the money and when he found out, he called Monday.

According to him, both of them planned how to steal the money.

He said: “My boss came back from London with the money and when I saw it in one of his rooms I immediately called my brother.

I told him about the money because we wanted to build a house in the village but we did not have money.

“When my brother came, we climbed to the balcony of the house with a ladder and stole the money. I have been working in the house as a house help for some time now so I know the house The brothers very well.”

Samuel explained that the following morning, Babatunde Samuel said he then called his discovered that the money was brother to bring the money, but he initially refused. missing.

He added: “When my boss disHowever, Monday later gave covered, he summoned me and Samuel the money.

Samuel said that after collectasked if I knew anything about the money. I confessed that I stole ing the money back, he took it the money and that I had given it to his sister to keep, hoping to return it to his boss when he to my brother.

“I promised to return the agreed to share the money with money to him if he would give him. me a share of the money.”

The sister, according to the

suspect, showed the money to her husband who divided it into two.

Samuel’s sister’s husband fled with half of the money before they were apprehended by the police.

“When I gave the money to my sister, I told her to keep it without telling anyone but she told her husband who divided the money into two and ran away with half,”

Samuel said, The police arrested Samuel’s sister but they were yet to apprehend her husband.

On his own part, Monday, who was commercial motorcyclist rider in Ikorodu, explained that when his brother called him, he came and they both stole the money.

Monday also said that they wanted to use the money to build

a house in the village.

On his part, Babatunde told the police that his domestic servant and his brother stole pounds.

According to him, when converted to naira, it amounted to N1.7 million.

However, Samuel claimed that they stole 67 pieces of pounds in 20 and 50 denominations.

According to him, he does not know the exact amount.

City Briefs

Two corps members die in Niger Hoodlums steal 50 desks in Akwa Ibom school Dan Atori MINNA

T

wo members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) 2015 Batch ‘B’ Stream One died during the service year in Niger State.

The state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Bolade Loto, disclosed this yesterday during the passing out parade of the 2015 Batch ‘B’ Stream One Corps members.

She also said that 24 of the 2,193 corps members passing out ‎would have their service year extended.

Loto, who refused to state the cause of the deaths of the two corps members, expressed determination of NYSC to take

measures to prevent further loss of corps members in the state.

According to her, the 24 corps members had their service year extended because of their continuous absence from their places of primary assignments without permission.

The coordinator added that 10 corps members received State Merit Award while 10 others received recommendation for their various works which impacted on the lives of the people.

She said: “We are having a low-key passing out ceremony as the corps members will collect their certificates in the various local government areas.”

Tony Anichebe Uyo

T

hieves on Wednesday night invaded Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Okubo, Uyo and stole more than 50 desks belonging to students.

According to the students, the hoodlums stormed the school and carefully selected new desks, especially in JS1 classroom.

Our correspondent, who visited the school, saw a handful of the affected students in their classes standing to receive lessons even as some

of them were crying over the theft of their desks.

The principal was said to have directed a teacher to go round all the classes with the students to search for the missing desks after some parents had complained to him over the incident.

Sources said such incident occurred in the school last year but the number of desks stolen was not as high as the recent one.

According to them, thieves usually change the colour of the desks with paints to hide the identity of the owners and resell them in the market.

A teacher in the school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, blamed the incident on the poor security in the school.

The teacher appealed to the state government to employ more security guards at night to check recurrence.

Other teachers advised parents and guardians to be careful of where they purchase new desks for their wards.

According to them, the stolen desks will soon be put on sale by the thieves or their collaborators.

The principal could not be reached for comment on the incident.

METRO

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Two arraigned for duping hospital board of N23m Dominic Adewole ASABA

F

or allegedly swindling the Delta State Hospital Management Board, Society II, of N23 million, two men, Dr. Victor Ugbomah and David Ikechukwu, were arraigned yesterday before an Asaba High Court.

The suspects were arraigned on a three-count charge, bordering on conspiracy to commit felony.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are punishable under sections 516, 390(9) and 419 of the Criminal Code Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

After considering their bail application, Justice Marshal Umukoro, granted them bail in the sum of N5 million each, with two sureties in the like sum, one of whom shall be a civil servant on at least Salary Grade Level 14.

Umukoro also averred that the sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and verified residence, “even as the accused persons shall deposit their International Passports to the court, if any”.

He then adjourned the case till October 24, for further hearing.

Village head in court for abduction, attempted rape Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

B

aale of Jangede village in ObafemiOwode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief Adenekan Olanrewaju, was yesterday arraigned before the state Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abeokuta.

The village head was brought before Chief Magistrate O. A. Sofowora, on a ninecount charge bordering on stealing, abduction and attempted rape, among others.

According to the charge sheet presented before the court by the police prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Ehiagbejiale, the accused was said to have abducted a 15-year-old girl, Abosede Adenekan, and attempted to rape her.

Olanrewaju was also alleged to have stolen N300,000 belonging to Soleye Sotande under the guise of selling two plots of land to him at Jangede village.

The village head allegedly forced his way into two plots of land in the village belonging to Oluremi Okanlawon as well as another half plot reportedly owned by Adeoye Gbemisola.

The police prosecutor further told the court that Olarenwaju conspired with others, now at large, to conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by threatening to kill Okanlawon, Gbemisola and four others who bought land from him should they enter the village again.‎ Ehiagbejiale added that the offences were punishable under sections 86, 249, 359, 361, 390 (9), 419 and 451, among others, of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

But counsel to the defendant, Mr. Bunmi Adelabu, prayed the court to grant the village head bail on the grounds that none of the nine count charges carries death penalty, even if found guilty of any of them.

He said the accused was still innocent until proven guilty, citing relevant cases.

Adelabu argued that his client did not have any criminal records prior to the incident.

He added that he had been cooperating with the police since the commencement of investigation.

Ruling on the bail application, Sofowora granted the accused bail in the sum of N250,000 with a two sureties in the like sum.

He, thereafter, adjourned the case till October 24 for further hearing.

9

New drug, Khat, floods Nigeria –NDLEA Juliana Francis

N

ational Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised the alarm over a newly discovered drug, Khat, which has infiltrated Nigeria.

The NDLEA Chairman, Muhammad Abdallah, who sounded the warning yesterday, vowed to tackle drug trafficking syndicate over the introduction of the new drug into the country.

Abdallah, while calling on members of the public to be aware of the development, said that the agency was prepared to stop illegal importation, production and exportation of the illicit drug.

The chairman added that the agency made a seizure of 65.7kg of Khat between January and June this year.

He said: “Khat is a stimulant flowering shrub growing mainly East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The plant, which is known as Catha edulis, contains two alkaloids, namely cathinone and cathine that act as stimulants. When Khat leaf is chewed like tobacco, it produces a mild euphoria similar to cocaine and amphetamine.

“In the first half of the year, the agency successfully seized 65.7kg of Khat. We are taking counter-narcotic measures calculated at frustrating the activities of drug trafficking organisations. Officers at all border points, airports and seaports are being sensitised to new trends. In

Khat

addition, operatives at the Special Investigation Assignment Unit are also working very hard to prevent the use of courier companies in smuggling Khat and other narcotics into the country.”

The NDLEA boss urged stakeholders to unite against drug trafficking cartels and work towards a crime free society.

He said: “The support of stakeholders is crucial to the success of the drug war. Drug criminals are only concerned about their mon-

etary gains; we must therefore unite against them.”

The Agency arrested 4,838 suspected drug traffickers comprising 4,490 male and 348 female within the first half of the year. Drugs weighing 108, 883.52kgs were also seized between January and June. These drugs include cannabis 74,942.47kg, psychotropic substances 33,425.38kg, ephedrine 201.12kg, methamphetamine 179.74kg, cocaine 54.05kg, heroin 15.11kg and amphetamine 0.0138 grams.

400 policemen demand promotion six years after exam Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

A

bout 400 cadet inspectors in Kwara State yesterday appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Idris Ibrahim, to look into why they were yet to be promoted sis years after sitting for promotional examinations.

Some of the policemen, who visited offices of some national newspapers on the Murtala Mohammed Way, Ilorin, also urged the Police Service Commission (PSC) to look into their plight.

Spokesman for the cadet inspec-

tors, Mr. Samuel Oladeji, said those affected spread across Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Cross River states.

Oladeji explained that they were yet to be promoted after their 2009/2010 promotional examination conducted by the police.

He said one of the affected policemen died of hypertension recently, while four others were lying critically ill in different hospitals.

While appealing for urgent action on the promotion process, Oladeji said that a signal should be sent to the affected officers stating when they would be promoted to alleviate their pains.

He said: “Regrettably, most recent-

Wonder bank MD held for N4bn fraud Juliana Francis

E

conomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the Managing Director (MD) of ‘Let’s Partner With You Limited,’ Chief Patrick Nwokike, over N4 billion.

Nwokike was arrested at his residence in Enugu, Enugu State following over a hundred petitions from across the country on the nefarious activities of the wonder bank, Lets Partner With You Limited.

The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said petitions from Nigerians across religious, gender, ethnic, economic and social strata indicated that the company had over the past five years solicited and obtained deposits of more than N4,000,000,000 from the general public with promise of mouthwatering interest in return.

He said: “According to investigations conducted by the commission, the company has no licence to solicit and manage

Nwokike

funds for the public nor was it registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

“Further investigations revealed that the company had, for some time, paid a

ly, we have lost a seasoned promising young officer whom was diagnosed with hypertension. The late officer served last in Kaduna State Command.

“As at now, four others are seriously ill and are on their sick beds. We do not want to lose them, because hypertension is a silent killer. And what shall it profit the PSC not to promote us after being duly recommended?

“Justice delayed is justice denied.

Sir, if it takes the Nigeria Police Force months just to investigate matters related to promotion within the NPF, how many years will it take the organisation to conclude an investigation on a heinous crime?”

10 per cent interest on invested capital but suddenly stopped and all efforts by depositors to have at least their initial investments returned were futile.

“Many of the complainants alleged that the operators of the scheme especially Nwokike not only live very flamboyant lifestyles but acquired several personal assets as well as using their deposits for philanthropic enterprise.”

The company, according to Uwujaren, was found to have over six accounts in about four banks with the chief executive of ‘Lets Partner With You Limited’ and his wife being the only signatories to the accounts.

He added: “In his statement, Nwokike who acknowledged that depositor’s funds with his company was about N4 billion only, denied operating both money lending and investment business as alleged by the petitioners.

“He stated that his company was into partnership business, which receives money from interested partners who desire interest over a period of time. Investigation into the alleged fraud continues.”

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ambode, Osoba, Uduaghan, Obi, Babale, others grace Editors’ House inauguration Mojeed Alabi

P

rominent Nigerians, including former governors, serving deputy governors, commissioners, managing directors and frontline editors of media houses yesterday graced the inauguration of the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ secretariat in Lagos, which they described as a new chapter in the life of journalists in the country.

The ceremony was attended by veteran journalist and former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Segun Osoba, and former Governors Peter Obi and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Anambra and Delta states respectively. Also in attendance was the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who stood in for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and her counterpart from Adamawa State, Hon. Martins Babale, among other dignitaries.

Ambode, who spoke through Adebule, commended the Guild for its contributions to the nation’s development, and urged the editors to continue to ensure fair and objective reportage of national issues that would promote socio-economic development and national cohesion.

He advised that more attention should be devoted to issues that would assist government ease the current hardship being experienced by the people and protection of lives and property.

“It is no longer news that our nation’s economy is in recession amidst other challenges that demand the patriotism and nationalistic spirit of all of us. Specifically for members of the Guild, as gatekeepers and moulders of opinion in our nation, you owe it as a national duty to ensure fair and objective reportage of issues with eyes on the promotion of socio-economic development and national cohesion.

“The practice of journalism and mass communication in this present time should be anchored on the best global journalistic ethos and must be moderated by local realities and national interest,” Ambode said.

Describing the Editors’ House as a new chapter that would ultimately earn the Guild respect and due recognition in the comity of professional bodies in the nation, Ambode urged members to make good use of the facility to protect and promote national unity.

L-R: Representative of Lagos State Governor/Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule; Chairman of the occasion/former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi at the inauguration…yesterday.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanna

L-R: Suleiman Uba Gaya; Adamawa State Deputy Governor; Mr. Martins Babale; Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde

L-R: Publisher, Business World, Mr Ray Echebiri; Secretary, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Ms. Victoria Ubanga; Mrs. Funke Egbemode; Mr. Ken Ugbeche

Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Bayo Onanuga

L-R: Mr. Ray Ekpu and Mrs. Funke Egbemode

L-R: Founding Member, Newswatch Magazine, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed and a guest

L-R: Mr. Lanre Idowu; Managing Director, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello; Presidential Adviser, Femi Adesina and Publisher, Yes International, Mr. Azu Arinze

L-R: Former Edo State Commissioner for Information; Louis Odion; Gbenga Adefaye and Steve Osuji

Also speaking at the event, Uduaghan, who thanked the Guild for finding him worthy to chair the ceremony, said partnering editors remains the best and rewarding partnership any government could enjoy to shape the public opinion on its programmes and activities.

Uduaghan urged state governments to support and collaborate with the Guild to promote public awareness and development.

On his part, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Bayo Onanuga, also commended the Guild for its steadfastness and focus, while advising the Guild to address the challenge posed to the

profession of journalism by those he described as ‘social media journalists’ who he accused of throwing ethics of the profession into dustbins.

“The Guild should take control of all the media awards organised in our country as obtained in other societies. It is the media who should grade themselves, not external people.

“The media space has been taken over by all kinds of people such as bloggers, cyber hyenas and others.

We must find a way of making these people a part of the Guild.

“This move will make them embrace the Guild’s rules of fairness and objectivity in their operations to promote a better society,” Mohammed said.

In their comments on behalf of their governors, the Deputy Governor of

Adamawa State and the Special Adviser to Borno State Governor on Communication and Strategy, Hon. Martins Babale, and Isa Gusau respectively, pledged their support for the Guild.

Governor Kashim Shettima, who was absent due to the death of one of his commissioners, called for the establishment of Editors’ Endowment Fund to support families of late editors and members of the Guild.

Earlier in her welcome remark, President of the Guild, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, paid tribute to the founding fathers and past presidents of the Guild who had contributed immensely to the realisation of the project.

The President of NGE said that the Guild, which was founded in 1961, had

been without a secretariat for over 55 years.

Egbemode commended NAN for accommodating the guild for 15 years until it was able to acquire property in Abuja and Lagos with a fund-raising dinner in 2014.

She also thanked the federal government, states and other institutions for their support over the years.

She said the secretariat would also serve as a resource centre and not just building for merriment.

Egbemode said: “This is a resource centre and not just a party centre.

We expect that journalists coming in from the airport can conduct their researches and do their stories because this is just three minutes away from the airport.”

The Guild President

also pledged that she would ensure that another bigger edifice is completed at the group’s landed property in Abuja.

The former President of the Guild, who is now the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, delivered President Muhammadu Buhari’s goodwill messages and thanked everyone who contributed in one way or the other to the success of the project.

Other guests at the event included representatives of Governors of Delta, Osun and Akwa Ibom states, editors and chief executives of various media organisations.

The twin duplex of the Editors’ House has 10 rooms, a conference room, library and other facilities and it is located in the heart of Ikeja in Lagos.

11

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Interview Ex-governors defecting to APC to avoid probe – Ogbee

Politics Babatope Okeowo reports on the realignment of political forces by politicians in Ondo State as the clock ticks closer to the November 26 governorship election in the state

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Ondo: Uncertainty as politicians realign forces

A

lignment and realignment of political forces are in top gear in as the major political parties prepare for the November 26 governorship election that will usher in the next occupant of Alagbaka Government House in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko on February 24 next year.

Like it happened in the 2012 governorship election in the Sunshine State, candidates cutting across the three senatorial districts are in the race to succeed Mimiko, whose eight-year tenure ends next year. Mimiko, then of the Labour Party(LP), Chief Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) contested the election.

Mimiko, who is from Ondo West Local Government Area in Ondo Central Senatorial District, won the election. Oke, from Ilaje in Ondo South zone came second while Akeredolu, who hails from Owo in Ondo North, came third.

This development ruled out senatorial sentiment during the election.

Just like it happened in 2012, Oke has emerged as the candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Akeredolu is the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), an offshoot of ACN, while Mr. Eyitayo Jegede is the candidate of the PDP. The only difference is that Eyitayo, who was then in LP is from Akure, the same senatorial district with the outgoing governor.

Before the emergence of Oke as AD’s candidate, the battle had been zeroed between the ruling PDP and the opposition APC. The third force was the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has Dr

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Oke

Olu Agunloye as its candidate. But the emergence of Oke has changed the political calculation from what looked as two-way contest to triangle battle of titans.

While Jegede has the state PDP and Mimiko’s structures behind him, Akeredolu has the Federal Government’s backing. Oke, on his part, has the support of some South-West and top APC leaders.

Oke who contested the APC primary against Akeredolu and came third after Dr Segun Abraham, left the party for AD after the decision of APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) to submit Akeredolu’s (winner of the exercise) name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He blamed the National Chairman of APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun for his exit. Addressing hordes of his supporters, Oke said he stepped aside from APC because of the fraud that characterised the governorship primary that produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate.

His words: “I was the first person to raise the alarm over the giant fraud in that primary. I was vindicated by the report of the Appeal Committee which recommended that the primary be cancelled, and that a new primary election be conducted where a popular candidate will emerge. But Oyegun and his cabal proceeded to submit that name thereby killing the dream and vision of Ondo people in APC to have a true change they have yearning for.

“I confess to you that the dream of the founders of APC is good and laudable. The philosophy behind APC is good but unfortunately a

Akeredolu

The fear of a mole in our party has vanished; we can now hold political discussions without fear of betrayal

Jegede

set of cabal has hijacked the soul of the party at the national level.

They have enthroned injustice over justice, they have enthroned inequality over equity, they have enthroned unfairness over fairness and therefore they made it impossible for true change to be actualised this time on the platform of APC. “I stand on the side of the people of Ondo State. I represent their vision and dream for a new order in Ondo State. I am a compatriot, who believes that we must not allow the status quo to prevail. The status quo in Ondo state is anti-people. It has reduced the liberty of its citizens. All those virtues we used to cherish in Ondo State, the virtue of liberty, dignity, pride, integrity have all gone down because of orchestrated poverty."

Reacting to Oke’s postulation, the state chapter of the APC and a co-contestant in the primary, Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, slammed him for the defection and said it would not have effect on the victory of the party at the poll.

The Publicity Secretary of the state APC, Omooba Abayomi Adesanya, said instead of the defection affecting the fortune of the party, it would rather completely collapse the already sinking PDP, which he said Oke has chunk of his supporters in.

He said the defection did not take the APC by surprise as it leadership and members believe that a leopard will never change its spot.

He said that despite the fact Oke's is wearing the cloth of APC; they still believe that the blood of PDP runs through in his vein.

His words: “That was why Oke

was the first aspirant to raise the alarm over the governorship primary election and thereafter arranged his cook and one his family members to present themselves as fake delegates during primary in order to dent the free and fair poll.”

Adesanya boasted that APC will defeat Oke in his stronghold (the southern senatorial district), saying some credible politicians are already waiting for him to leave so that they can come in. He also alleged that Oke's defection to APC shortly after former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election was to avoid being probed and that it was because of him that APC failed to win his local government, Ilaje, during the poll.

“We are relieved that Oke has finally left our great party, we can now sleep with our two eyes closed.

The fear of a mole in our party has vanished; we can now hold political discussions without fear of betrayal.

“This forthcoming election will be a contest of integrity versus valueless images. We are sure that the people of Ondo State are watching and they are ready to follow the path of integrity. We thank God that our party is finally free from pretenders, those who love their ambitions than the good people of Ondo State. We are confident that with the people of Ondo State are behind us, victory is a starting point,” Adesanya said.

Similarly, Alasoadura described his former colleague in the PDP, Oke, as a man without political relevance in the APC. He said that latCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12

POLITICS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

NDDC and rule of law: The Abia imbroglio Okey Nwubani

T

he Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is a creation of an Act of National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of Section 58(5) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This Act is cited as Niger Delta Development Commission Act 2000.

It repealed the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, Decree 1998 and among other things, established for more effective use of the sums received from the allocation of Federation Account for tackling of both ecological and infrastructural problems arising from oil exploration in the Niger Delta Areas and for connected purposes.

Sixteen years after the enactment of the Act and the existence of the commission, neither the mandate of the commission nor compliance to the provisions of the enabling Act has been achieved. The laws and operational policies have been implemented in breach. The NDDC Act 2000 is a master piece of legislation, which if vigorously implemented, will bring smiles on the faces of the people.

The hallmark of any true democracy all over the world is the rule of law. The conscience of the rule of law is that our laws must prevail at all cost. But this is never the case especially in the NDDC where universal principles of fairness, equity, morality and justice have been thrown to the abyss. Executive lawlessness, impunity, and nepotism have placed one branch of government above the law and public officials act arbitrarily or unilaterally outside the law.

Abia State is a member state of the Niger Delta Development Commission by virtue of Section 2(1)(b)(i) and enjoyed the pioneer chairmanship of the Governing Board by the rotational clause of Section 4(a) in alphabetical order.

This feat was made possible by the enabling Act and not by might or lawlessness. It therefore, from this historic fact behoves on all Abians to uphold absolute predominance or supremacy of ordinary law of the land over all citizens, no matter how highly placed. We must embrace "Truth"-knowledge of things as it was, as it is, and as it will be.

This same Act that blessed our State provides in Section 2(1)(b) that "one person who shall be an indigene of an oil producing area

Buhari

to represent each of the following member states, that is- Abia State; Akwa Ibom State; Bayelsa State; Cross River State; Delta State; Edo State; Imo State; Ondo State and Rivers State."

What is the spirit and intent of this section of the Act? It is to define the qualification and origin of the representative, regulate activities of the commission, protect the people, enforce the rights, and resolve conflicts. It is meant to deter people from behaving in a manner that negatively affects the quality of life of other people.

The recent nomination of Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, as the Abia State representative on the Governing Board of NDDC, pursuant to Section 2(2)(a) is an absurdity and at variance with the rule of law. "The Chairman and other members of the Board shall be appointed by the President Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, subject to the confirmation by the Senate, in consultation with the House of Representatives." Mr. President in fulfilling this function erroneously appointed Mr. Nwankpa, who is not an indigene of oil producing area and at the time of this write up, Hon. Nwankpa is before the Senate Committee on NDDC for screening and possible confirmation. His curriculum vitae before the Senate Committee on NDDC, shows that Nwankpa is an indigene of Osisioma LGA, in

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

ter’s defection from APC to AD is a good riddance to bad rubbish as the party will win the November 26 governorship election without his input.

He further slammed Oke for dumping the PDP after the presidential election of last year and wanting to become the flag bearer of the APC barely a year after he joined the party. According to him, Oke should not have come third in the governorship primary that produced Akeredolu as candidate if not for the hunger in the land that made people to collect money from him before voting for him.

He added that since APC won the last election without Oke’s input, it would win the next election without his input as well.

Despite the verbal darts, many APC members in the state, especially those who

Mr. President... erroneously appointed Mr. Nwankpa, who is not an indigene of oil producing area

Abia Central and represented his people in the 3rd House, in Abia State House of Assembly.

To put the records straight, this is not the first time a President has erroneously nominated someone outside of the oil producing area. It is only human and as in the past, Mr. President can still correct himself.

The present Abia State NDDC imbroglio can be resolved following the rule of law and relying on existing information from the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation and Department of Petroleum Resources (NNPC).

The map from the OSGOF clearly shows oil wells and their location in Abia State; it reaffirms Ukwa West as the only oil producing local government area, with the following oil fields and flow stations: Imo River 1, Imo River 111, Isimiri and Ozaar. There are two capped wells in Ukwa East.

The coordinates, depth and deviations of all the wells are defined in the said map from OSGOF. There were no directional drilling technology when these wells were explored rendering the augment of possible directional production, baseless. A producing well is completed with a Christmas tree and a flow line to the Flow Station where oil is separated from Gas and water. The oil is pumped to a loading terminal and the gas flared. These oil production activities do not take place in Osisioma LGA, where Hon. Nwankpa indigenes. He probably was deceived into believing that NNPC depot and the filling stations in his area constitute oil production.

We as a people, have found solace in the fact that though we suffer numerical inferiority when compared with the opposite host in view, but an unseen power will aid us in this glorious cause of truth. We have replaced fear with the faith and have confidence reposed on our representatives in the National Assembly. The real intent of section 4(2)(a) is to serve as a check on the Executive and ensure total compliance.

We want to rely absolutely on the doggedness of our representative in Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, with a high sense of patriotism, legislative prowess and strategic wits. Our distinguished senator, representing Abia South, Senator Enyi Abaribe, who has a mastery of the intrigues in the screening process by virtue of his experience, will not leave his good people

desolate. He declared both in writing and in a gathering, that only an amendment to the Act, shall qualify an Osisioma indigene to represent Abia State on the NDDC Board. He is not cheap and a man of his words.

Senator T.A. Orji, representing Abia Central and Osisioma LGA, is quite knowledgeable in NDDC politics, having served on the Advisory Committee of NDDC for the eight years he served as the governor of Abia State. We count very much on him.

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, the former Majority Leader of Federal House of Representatives, when the NDDC Act was enacted, has cautioned former colleagues who for any reason want to pervert justice to refrain from doing so and be defenders of the Act. We call on our dear leader, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President to come to our aid. His Excellency, the Senate President, distinguished senators of Federal Republic of Nigeria and all lovers of democracy to put their shoulder to the wheel and push along, do their duty with a heart full truth, we all have work and let no one shirk. It is a worthy work against the sin of treachery, covetousness and lawlessness.

Our laws must prevail even when heavens fall.

Abia State is not the only state where an indigene of non-oil producing area was nominated to represent the state as manifested in Imo and Ondo states. The Imo nominee demonstrated a sense of leadership and honour by writing to the President, declining his appointment as the representative of the state because he is simply not from the oil producing area. One would ordinarily expect Hon. Nwankpa to toe this path of rectitude and save the state this embarrassment.

God warned us in his Holy writ, Exodus 20:17: "Thou shalt not covet thou neighbour's house nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

This includes his oil wells and his position in government. The Lord of Heaven also through the mouth of His great prophets, Isaiah, warned against evil works, lawlessness and lopsidedness. Isaiah 5:20: "Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil." It is therefore my sincere prayer that superior argument would prevail and that truth shall triumph over evil.

•Engr. Nwubani was pioneer NDDC commissioner, Abia State

Uncertainty as politicians realign forces were of PDP’s stock have found their way into the AD. Oke’s running mate and a former member of House of Representatives, Ganny Dauda, was a member of APC. A majority of others, who defected with him during his defection rally, were members of the APC, thereby decimating the rank of the party in the state.

Also, some members of PDP popularly called “PDP Konigba” led by Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim, who did not like the politics of Mimiko and have found out that the Alhaji Ali-Modu Sheriff ’s faction would not fly in the state and have berthed in AD. In the political realignment going on in the state, the APC is the worst hit as many of its stalwarts have joined the AD, while some are romancing the rul-

ing PDP. Those who are yet to leave the party have opted to remain indifferent over the outcome of the primaries.

Abraham, who came second in the exercise is still laying claim to the ticket.

He insists that the party would fail if his mandate was not restored. The chairman of the party, Hon. Isaacs Kekemeke has not visited the party secretariat since Akeredolu emerged an action that has made the candidate to be campaigning without the party’s structure. Similarly, the senator representing Ondo North, Prof.

Ajayi Boroffice, has stayed off activities of Akeredolu’s campaign organisation.

The PDP is the state is also faced with the factional crisis as the chairman of the Sheriff’s faction, Prince Biyi Poroye, has

vowed not to work for Jegede even as Ibrahim is still laying claim to the ticket of the party despite INEC’s decision to recognise Jegede as the candidate, casting doubts on the minds of the people on who is the authentic candidate of the party.

Although Akeredolu has intensified efforts at mending fences with aggrieved aspirants and members of the party, the lack of support from the South-West leadership of the party is casting a shadow of uncertainty on his ambition.

For now, there is uncertainty in the political firmament of the state as the alignment and realignment of political forces would determine the extent the political parties would go in gaining the confidence of the electorate.

Politics

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ex-governors defecting to APC to avoid probe – Ogbee

13

Hon. Lazarus Ogbee is the member representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives. In this interview with UCHENNA INYA, he speaks on the gale of defections in the polity, economic recession and the local government system What is your take on the economic recession that hit the country?

Once in a while, the society, an individual or even a country will experience hardship and I think it is the turn of Nigeria to experience recession. It is hardship of the moment but in our English of the day it is called recession. We should not blame it on anybody, both past and present administration. What should preoccupy the minds of everybody is how to address the problem. Mr. President should desist from the blame game tactics and focus on solutions to the recession.

I am not part of the people, who are blaming the president or the past administration. My own advice is that the present administration should realise that it has been there for a year and some months, so it should proffer solutions as members of the All Progressives Congress promised Nigerians that they were coming for change.

To change the government is not enough to change the lives of Nigerians, which is attitudinal change.

If what they met was a situation where the people were not feeding well, were not being paid salaries, were not being taking care of, they had no power or what and they mentioned a change, they should resort to situation where they should make that change very positive by providing for Nigerians those things they thought or they told them during the campaign period that they will bring to their doorsteps. The days of blame game should be over, the days of excuses should be over, let them face the reality. They promised Nigerians change and it shouldn’t be negative change. The change should be positive.

Do you support sale of some national assets as a way out of the recession?

I am vehemently against the sale of national assets because of the economic recession and I will continue to lend my words against that because it will not help the situation. Rather we should resuscitate our assets that are moribund.

We should resuscitate Ajaokuta Steel Industry, Alaja Steel Mill and every other national asset that is not working today. It is a way of revamping the economy and helping our youths to get jobs. The government should not even mention the sale of our national assets to the hearing of anyone. There are so many other things they should think about to revamp the economy and ameliorate the sufferings

of the people. They will even be abysmally sinking the country by selling our national assets.

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may soon approach the National Assembly for emergency powers to reflate the economy. Assuming such proposal gets to House of Representatives, what would be your position?

My position is that I will oppose it and I will canvass for people to oppose it. The powers the President has today are enough to turn around the economy of the country and move it forward and not to seek for other powers that will make him a Nebuchadnezzar. We are talking about democracy, it is not kakiocracy. It is oligarchy that we are seeing. This is democracy where people must have to voice out all they feel about their government, they must be part of their government, not a situation one man will seat at one place and then order what should be done. It is not a military regime, it is democracy and if the President of the country seeks for more powers, we will resist him.

I personally will resist him by voting against it and will mobilise my colleagues against it. The powers of the President today is well enough to take care of the leadership of the country till the expiration of his tenure, he should not seek for more powers. What if we give him more powers and he wakes up tomorrow to sack the National Assembly; the Senate and House of Representatives and further sack the governors and do further things that will be in line with what his mind is telling him to do? We should rather be praying for him to deliver on the mandate and bring the change he promised Nigerians.

How do you see the anti-corruption war of the Buhari government?

I align myself with the anticorruption crusade of the Federal Government but it should not be selective. It should be holistic whether Mr. A or Mr. B is involved.

Some people are running from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC to avoid being probed. Some PDP governors in the past administration have today decamped to the APC and the singular objective is to avoid being probed. Most of the ministers today in the APC administration were governors of various states. If the former governors of

Ogbee

Admawa, Katsina, Jigawa and others are being probed, what stops the government from probing former governors of Rivers, Plateau and Lagos states, who equally had one or two things they did?

Some PDP governors in the past administration have today decamped to the APC ... to avoid being probed

Many people have accused governors of abusing the local government system and therefore canvassed for local government autonomy. As a former local government chairman, will you support the proposal that will bring about autonomy for the councils?

We have leadership in party politics, so whatever is the position of the government of Ebonyi State that is led by Engr. Dave Umahi, is my position. If the position of the governor is that I should vote for autonomy for the local government system, I will do that. But in Ebonyi State, I think we have fared well with the introduction of Development Centre System from the days of Dr. Sam Egwu as governor of the state. Development has reached the grassroots better than we expected. As it were, we had 13 local government areas and everything domiciled under the system but today, we have diversified into having development centres that are taking development to the hinterland. You can bear me witness that if you go round Ebonyi, you will now know that infrastructural development has taken place in all parts of the state and we have developed more than the states that were created alongside Ebonyi.

We have equally developed humanly. I think if there is outright autonomy of the local government, the chairmen that will be elected may not actually be disposed to carrying along the development programmes of government at the Development Centre level.

Other states have been coming to Ebonyi to learn the magic we used in developing the state. So, the position of the governor on the issue of local government autonomy is my position. I have been a Development Centre coordinator and local government chairman before moving to House of Representatives and I can confidently say that the local government system in Ebonyi State is the best in the country.

Despite the leadership crisis rocking your party, it was able to put up a good fight in the Edo governorship election. What is your assessment of the poll?

The Edo governorship election has opened the eyes of some people who think that PDP is dead. The APC-led administration had to put off the election at the peak of time just to perfect its rigging strategy and PDP was eventually rigged out. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not announce the real result of Edo governorship election. They connived with the government of APC and rigged PDP out, if not, how can a whole country talk about having a security problem in one state? INEC had prepared for the Edo governorship election for a long time knowing very well that the tenure of Adams Oshiomhole’s government will soon be over but all of a sudden, shifted the election 24 hours to the exercise. They used the period of the shift to rig the election but by the special grace of God, the judiciary is alive and we expect them to look into the matter.

For now, INEC has announced the results and we believe the APC by the announcement of that result is leading, while we await the verdict of the judiciary. Our party, PDP is very strong because if a woman marries two husbands, she will be able to attest to the better man. Nigerians have just married APC for one year and some months and they are already clamouring for another change and they married PDP for 16 years and they did not complain as bitterly as they are complaining now they are marrying the APC. That is why in any state there is election, you must see very active presence of PDP if not winning every seat available, the party wins very appreciable and convincing seats.

What motivated the empowerment programme that you embarked on for members of your constituency?

Despite the economic recession, we have been able to use our little earnings to tell the people that we are actually representing them and since 2015, I have done a lot to empower our people.

14

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Presidential jet, prescriptive gesture Emissary EMEKA OBASI emobas2003@yahoo.com 0809-445-7557 (sms only)

P

lease, a standing ovation for President Muhammadu Buhari who in what will go down as a very brave move ,wants to blaze the trail as the nation begins to fight recession. Two aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet [PAF] are up for sale.

The PAF has 10 aircraft and it cost the Federal Government 450 million dollars to purchase them. The two to be sold are a Falcon 7x jet which the regime of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan acquired in 2010 for 51.1 million dollars ,and a Hawker Sidley 4000. The Falcon is a beautiful bird in the sky that has room for 20 passengers and two crew.

Since President Buhari assumed office in May 2015, his government has spent about seven billion naira to keep the 10 aircraft in the air. It is encouraging that those in power now realize that we cannot continue to live big when the country is as poor as a church rat.

The strange thing about the PAF is that while many Nigerian airlines have gone under and even the few still managing to fly can hardly boast of more than two or three aeroplanes, it is only second to Arik in terms of number.

What this means is that the Federal Government operates more flights than all other indigenous airlines put together, minus Arik.

Let me bring this down, to make more meaning. It is like road transport. You can imagine the Presidency operating more luxury buses than Ekene Dili Chuikwu or ABC. Kudos to our President for this gesture. I understand more aircraft will also be sent to the Nigeria Air Force. At the end, we may have just about five

left in the PAF. Money saved can rehabilitate the Ijebu Ode to Ore axis of the Sagamu –Benin Highway.

Better still,there will be enough to fix the Federal Road that passes through my ancestral home. It is a shame, as funny as it sounds. It takes me 30 minutes to drive from my village home in Imo state to the church which is 200 metres away. That is about the time it will take President Buhari’s Air Force One to fly from Abuja to Lome.

Let us tell ourselves the truth. In the past, the Presidential aircraft were used by all manner of people. Even children of some of the leaders could hop in and hop out. Remember the 1996 crash?

This also brings us to First Ladies. There is dignity in the President’s wife flying Air Peace or Azman Air. That is how to feel the pulse of the people. Let me say this here for everyone to read. My friend, Moses Akaigwe, of the Sun Newspapers told me a story of how he met a woman in the late 1990s on a flight, I think Lagos to Abuja or vice versa.

The woman did not have any airs around her. She sat like everyone else and turned out to be Justice Fati Abubakar. At the time, her husband was Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, Head- of – State and Commander –in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Today, she is the head of the judiciary in Niger state. And wait for it, her daughter is the First Lady of Niger state.

When Alhaji Sani Bello was going to be sworn in as Niger state governor, many political crocodiles wanted to make a case out of it.

How could the Chief Judge be the same as the Governor’s mother-in –law? I knew that Justice Fati Abubakar would not go beyond her role as a member of the judiciary, to bring the governor to her kitchen. Both the Judge and her daughter’s father-in-law, Col. Sani Bello, one- time governor of Kano state, are never carried away by position and power.

First Ladies should fly Economy. If they want to go First Class, let their husbands pay

First Ladies should fly Economy. If they want to go First Class, let their husbands pay

the ticket. As President Buhari begins to sell some Presidential aircraft, our governors should also stop hiring light planes. I once boarded a flight from Lagos to Abuja with Mr. Joshua Dariye when he was Plateau State governor.

PMB must go further. When next he meets with his governors, our state governors, I want him to encourage them to start preparing to board Young Shall Grow and Agofure.

We are in recession. So much money will be saved if these Big men start doing bigger things. Sure, when you bring yourself closer to the people, you become mighty in their eyes.

When governor’s were travelling by road, our roads were safer. The craters were few and robbers far away. Let us assume that our governors begin to get more serious with things concerning us and decide to be exchanging visits, I do not mind waving at Professor Ben Ayade around Ugoneki, Edo State anytime he travels to Lagos from Calabar to discuss an exchange programme with Mr. Akinwumi Ambode.

There is no big deal. Our governors are human afterall. They do not really need bulletproof cars. The best form of security is to be a man of the people. Since Governor Ayo Fayose started eating guguru and epa on the streets of Ado Ekiti, has he been stoned for once? Former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra governed a state where a sitting governor was kidnapped yet , during his tenure he avoided bullet –proof vehicles. He was not kidnapped.

Former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu while in office, ordered his convoy to stop when an old friend waved and waved at Mafoluku, Lagos.

Lagosians came out in hundreds to applaud him. No bullet was fired.

President Buhari has shown the way. Let us start selling all those aircraft, houses and cars that add no value to governance. If our undergraduates could eat once in a day to survive the hard times, governors should tighten their belts. Times are harsh.

When pot calls kettle black Louis Okoroma

T

he reasons for our present economic predicament are not far- fetched. They are deep-seated and widespread corruption, mismanagement and waste of the past, especially, the last 15 years of political party rule and inability of the nation to diversify its economy from dependence on one commodity, notably crude oil.

Most of the leading politicians and office holders of that era betrayed the nation and its people in that they failed to think of the future and the need to keep something away for the rainy day. For many of them, there would be no rainy day, therefore all the revenue that accrued to the nation during those years notably from crude oil was used up. If those revenue and wealth were used for productive purposes, the nation would today be reaping the benefits and stay afloat notwithstanding the current price of crude oil. The ruling political elites not only did not plan, nor diversify the economy; they were also rapacious and took more for their personal aggrandizement and waste than putting in place infrastructure and facilities that would serve the nation for the future.

Therefore when today, the nation is confronted with the inability of a majority of the states to pay salaries of their workers and provide social amenities for the people,

such failure did not happen overnight. In fact, the present widespread insolvency afflicting many of our states for which President Muhammadu Buhari has been providing bailouts to reduce the suffering of the people is the result of accumulated mismanagement and corruption that has been the lot of the nation for a long time.

Nigerians have not forgotten those who in various ways contributed to the ruin of the nation and the pauperization of a majority of our people. Nigerians are eternally grateful to President Buhari for exposing the extent of rot in the system of governance in the country and the role of certain individuals who would easily have passed as decent men and leaders because of their public posturing. One problem which most suffering Nigerians have today with President Muhammadu Buhari is that those identified as having taken part in the mindless looting of the nation at all levels have not been sanctioned.

Again, PMB is handicapped on this matter.

The justice system under the rule and supervision of these people has been skewed in such a way that for looting the treasury and bringing misery to millions, the culprits often go free while the pauperized, for seeking little solace through any act of misdemeanor, are easily sent to jail!

In better ordered societies, people found culpable in bringing misery or suffering to a nation are usually censored and humbled and lack the effrontery to criticize those in government especially a corrective ad-

ministration. However, democracy has made it that everyone, including those that should refrain from public affairs on account of their short comings and crimes against the nation, take liberty to cast stones at change-agents.

The above brings us to the case of two men, namely Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and Alhaji Sule Lamido, both of whom were at various times governors of Sokoto and Jigawa States respectively.

These two men have recently found an engaging past time in criticizing and casting aspersions on PMB and taken the liberty to sermonize on good governance and how PMB is not doing well in running the nation’s economy.

The two men mentioned above, contributed in no small measure to bringing the poverty that Nigerians in the states they governed are passing through today. Thus they are better advised to keep quiet and refrain from their ill-advised and incredulous attacks on PMB. According to one commentator, their attack is ill- motivated and derives from the fact that PMB has the guts to pursue an anti- corruption agenda that has made Nigerians to see many of the prominent men of yesterday in their true colours!

Former Governor Bafarawa has faced allegations of misappropriation of funds belonging to the people of Sokoto state when he was a governor. Specifically, the former governor, after investigations by the state government, was alleged to

have misappropriated the whopping sum of 15 billion Naira using 47 private bank accounts.

Sule Lamido on the other hand wasted the resources of Jigawa State on prestigious projects that could not lift the people of that impoverished state out of poverty. His alleged corrupt deeds were so spectacular that he was arraigned for corruption and money laundering with two of his sons!

On 11th December, 2012, a son of the former Jigawa State governor, Aminu, was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano for failure to declare the sum of $40,000 out of the $500,000 in his possession! He was subsequently convicted

by Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano on February 4, 2013.

Similarly, the former Jigawa State governor on July 9th, 2016 was arraigned before Justice Evelyn Anyadike along with his sons, Mustapha and Aminu for receiving the sum of N1.35 billion from a contractor working for the Jigawa State government when he was governor. One can only wonder whether after parting with such huge sum, the said contractor was still able to deliver on the job. However from the profile of the average person of Jigawa State origin today, the economic recession is biting really hard as the state is among those in the federation, grappling with insolvency.

•Okoroma a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

15

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Sustaining Justice Mohammed’s reforms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

No doubt, the Chief Justice of Nigeria who will bow out on November 10 is being commended for a number of reforms carried out by his leadership especially his tenure as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which has been very remarkable.

There have been a lot of disciplinary measures taken against erring judges.

In two years of his stewardship, no fewer than 20 judges were shown the way out on allegations of bribery and corruption while scores are still under investigation.

Just last week, three judges including the Chief Judge of Enugu state were axed by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the judiciary's highest ruling body, chaired by Justice Mohammed on sundry allegations of bribery and corruption.

The judges-Justices I.A. Umezulike (Enugu Chief Judge), Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya (Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ilorin division) and Kabiru Auta of the Kano State Judiciary, got the boot.

Their sack was predicated on petitions which accused them of soiling their hands and compromising their oath of office.

For instance, Justice Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal was recommended for compulsory retirement from office to President Muhammadu Buhari, pursuant to the ‘findings’ by the Council following the allegations in the petition written by Nnamdi Iro Oji against him and Justices Husseini Muktar, F. O. Akinbami and J. Y. Tukur, all Justices of the Court of Appeal who sat on Election Appeal Panel

in the Owerri Division of the Court during the 2015 general elections.

Thes inclded, among others:- corruption, malice and vindictiveness; and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on the same issue in similar matters in Appeal CA/ OW/EPT/SN/50/2015: Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex vs Hon. Mao Onuabunwa & Anor; CA/OW/EPT/SN/47/2015; Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu & Anor vs Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa & Ors; and CA/OW/ EPT/HR/61/2015: Nnamdi Iro Oji

speeding up the administration of justice, incessant delays remain and are aggravated by challenges from those seemingly bent on continuing to live in the doldrums of the past."

No doubt, Justice Mohammed deserves a good rest having contributed substantially to the development of the nation’s jurisprudence.

Also, his reforms would not go unnoticed as lawyers, including his colleagues will not forget in

vs Nkole Uko Ndukwe & 16 Ors. They were however found guilty on the grounds “that there was evi-

a hurry the disciplinary measures taken against erring judges.

This he did with passion with a view to repositioning the judiciary and enhancing its integrity within the time frame of his stewardship.

He has also shown capacity by demonstrating that he is favourably disposed to speedy dispensation of justice.

Besides, his tenure as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been very remarkable.

There were lots of disciplinary measures taken against erring judges.

Also, most of his public pronouncements had been in favour of the rule of law, respect for the sanctity of the judicial process and the need to preserve the integrity of the judiciary.

History will not forget him as it is on record that his tenure brought some level of sanity to the judiciary by exposing his colleagues who are corrupt.

We must commend Justice Mohammed for attaining this rare feat; for sanitizing the judiciary of

dence that the petitioner met with Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya thrice in his residence in Sokoto, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Owerri where on each occasion, he demanded from him the sum of N200,000.000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) to influence the Court of Appeal Panel in Owerri or risk losing the case.”

While appraising his tenure, the retiring CJN in his words said “in the past year, the Judiciary has once again had to address the perennial issue of delays in the administration of justice.”

He said: “While we all rush to rehash the age-old rhetoric that Justice Delayed is Justice Denied, the actions of our key stakeholders, particularly members of the Bar have often proven to be far from the words. Although new laws and practice directions have been enacted with the aim of

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No doubt, Justice Mohammed deserves a good rest

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corrupt judges. We hold him in high esteem as he is retiring as a man without any blemish and as someone who is leaving judiciary better than he met it.

In fairness, the retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) must be commended in terms of an improved technology of sort in the judiciary.

It is on record that the nation’s judiciary has adopted the use of Information and Communications Technology which has in no small measure helped to bring court processes in line with the expectation of the millennial generation of citizens who crave swift 21st Century system of justice.

This has really made the Supreme Court to become a pilot court for the Judiciary’s drive for the historic launch of the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS) Software, which was developed in order to facilitate the transition to a paperless adjudication system, through the automation of the process of filing, service and notifications via hearing notices, among many other innovations.

For the first time, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) received a boost following the effort of the retiring Chief Justice as lawyers and litigants are now opting for the mechanism as a process of resolving disputes.

These lofty reforms initiated by Justice Mohammed will forever put him far ahead of other Justices before him.

However, we cannot wish Justice Mohammed more than a deserved rest after years of judicial toiling which would perhaps climax in his retirement on November 10.

16

POLITICS

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu recalls his withdrawal from consideration for the APC Vice- Presidential position shortly after he forwarded the sole name of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the presidential flag bearer of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on December 17, 2014

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

I serve the nation – Tinubu

I

am a Nigerian who loves his country and I am hopeful about what it can become. I have seen and conducted myself as a patriot long before I thought of myself as a politician. I shall always walk this line and no other.

After all the political calculations are made and the dust of competition has settled, it must be this nation and its people who stand first and foremost. The question becomes whether we stand strong, able to shape ourselves into our best future or will we stand frail and trembling, burdened by the abject failure to surmount the multiple problems confronting us.

It against this backdrop that I assess any action I take. Here I come to my name being placed in consideration as the Vice Presidential candidate for our party, the APC. I have labored hard to move this party from being merely an idea in the minds of a few into being a political organization that might win this election and govern the nation in way that gives the people the hope and opportunity they seek.

Nothing is more important to me than to realize this dream not for myself but for the people of this land I so love.

I helped to build this party, giving no thought to seeking an elected office because of it. My contribution to the party was never based on the expectation of a later political handout. Nigeria is in trouble and we are well past the moment for such narrow, selfish games.

There came a time during the course of the events when our Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari offered the Vice Presidential slot to me. Being a normal human being, I was deeply moved and honored that he would consider me for the position.

Being a patriot, I had to weigh my potential candidacy in all of its dimensions.

I have concluded that the interest of the party, our campaign and of the nation are better served if I retain my position as the National leader of the APC, allowing me to be a bridge builder across all divides.

Although, I declined the position, I want to thank General Buhari for extending the honor to me. Despite all the noise and opposition around my possible selection, he stood firm and steadfast. He showed the traits of a leader in holding to a decision he believed was right despite the errant plots against it.

When my name was raised, the political hatchet men tried to chop it down with rumor and lies. Over

Tinubu

the years, I have developed a thick skin. The personal attacks did not bother me. I am used to them. While I have a thick skin, I don’t have a thick mind. There has been one form of attack that has troubled me.

That is the attack based on religion.

The PDP and others have stoked fear of a Muslim- Muslim ticket.

I have removed myself from consideration so what I now say cannot be seen as self-serving. I plead with the people of this nation to never allow the power lust of cynical politicians to set brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor.

If you look at those politicians who raise this issue the most, they are the least devout and faithful to any religion other their self-interests.

Nigeria has too many secular problems – insecurity, economic collapse, poverty , corruption and misgovernance – to allow inept people to use religion to keep us from solving these challenges for the benefit of all.

I sincerely commit myself to the rescue agenda of General Buhari and Prof.

Osinbajo

Those who exploit religion should be wary. For there really is a God and he does not like it when you play with his people or use His name to do the opposite of what He intends.

I ask the people to remove religion from the electoral equation now that the tickets of both parties are mixed. I ask you to select the ticket best able to end the downward slide that Nigeria has endured since this government took over. I ask you to remember that too many Christians and Muslims are poor. Most of all, I ask you to remember that the true religion of the PDP is poverty, APC come to bring prosperity to the people.

Please vote for that.

The Nigeria I see is a nation that shall overcome. The Nigeria I see is a nation ready to sweep aside the broken ways of our recent past and the government and politicians who impose distress upon us. The Nigeria I see and seek is one where each person, every man, woman and child may live free of terrorism, free of the despair of poverty and free of the fear that the government meant to serve and protect them has turned its back to them in cold and utter indifference.

I see and seek a Nigeria where progressive democratic governance creates the political and economic space needed for each of us to contribute to rescuing and retooling this nation. And, in the process of this benign endeavor, may each and every one of us share in the sound promise and good prosperity that shall describe the architecture of our national revival.

However, not everyone that shouts the name of Nigeria believes in this vision. There are many who would have you laid low and our future tossed asunder that they may persist in reaping the unjust reward of their selfish ways. There are wolves in sheep clothing and even jackals in wolf ’s clothing. I have seen them but not as residents in some strange zoo. They populate the halls of this diminished government and the party from which this government was born.

We have come to the field of fateful choice. We have been brought to test the scales of weighty decision.

Shall we lift this nation upward so that from its higher vantage point we may clearly see the road to our better destiny? Or shall we continue to march the march of fools into the dark of darkness. The current path has but one end. It shall take us into the den of national collapse.

We have gone far enough down this wicked avenue to be aware of what its continuance portends.

We must awaken of our own accord, my dear people, before the bell of doom rings upon us. If we wait until that moment, we would have waited too long. Our future, our fate, our destiny would have been cast into the snare of utter misfortune. This is not the song of greatness. It is the poetics of ruin.

For me, political ambition will never triumph over patriotic conviction. This delicate moment affords no space for emotion to intrude to blind us from what is best. The APC is the best and only vehicle to enact the progressive and broad change this nation cries for.

I eagerly lend myself to this fine cause without me having to be on the ticket.

This is a time for cohesion and an overriding sense of mission. We must defeat the foe before us and resist all temptations intended to entice us to fight among ourselves.

I sincerely commit myself to the rescue agenda of General Buhari and Professor Osinbajo.

I declare to you, I will work and dedicate myself so that our ticket succeeds and wins the 2015 election -- not for his good, not for my good, not even for the party’s good but for the good of the nation we inhabit.

Some may call what I have done a sacrifice. I call it otherwise. It is my patriotic contribution and duty.

I do so with a happy and uplifted heart and clear conscience because I have committed myself to seeking the best for this nation before seeking what is good for myself. This is the creed of statesmanship I chose to follow. May this be the creed of our party as General Buhari leads us to historic victory in the 2015 elections.

May the light of a bright future always shine on you and on our beloved nation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

CACOL lauds CCT over Orubebe’s conviction Temitope Ogunbanke

T

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has applauded the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for the conviction of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, for failing to declare one of his assets.

CACOL in a statement by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, said: “We are excited by this development as it apparently records the first conviction of a politically exposed person by the tribunal. It is a welcome development; we believe that is the way to go, which is why we have always emphasized the imperativeness of having no ‘sacred cows’ in the war against corruption.

“We must demystify the criminal elements in our midst; the ‘untouchables’ and

the ‘sacred cows’ by lawfully smashing the walls the ‘big and mighty’ utilize to escape justice even when they are evidently culpable in looting our treasury.

They loot our Commonwealth with reckless abandon and bare-faced impunity, yet they walk freely while the society writhe in the pains and pangs occasioned by their thieveries and primitive accumulation.”

Adeniran however, asked for more punishment than just the forfeiture of property.

He said: “It is rather unfortunate that the CCT does not have the powers to go beyond seizing the property. It would have been better if the CCT could also commit persons to prison to jail in concurrence with what they fail to consciously declare. That kind of punishment will go along in serving as deterrent to other

dubious public officials who are still abound in our public and elected offices.

“We definitely need to reform our laws to make it difficult for unscrupulous elements to escape justice for their corrupt practices. The anti-graft agencies should take closer look into the Orubebe’s activities as the Minister of the Niger Delta as there are allegations of bribery and sharp practices under his watch including award of contracts to his own company.

“We are calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in particular, to move from where the CCT has stopped to ensure that justice is served. The Commission should investigate the source of the funds used to acquire the palatial property in question and the other

properties of Mr. Orubebe. His legitimate source of earnings should be investigated to establish if it is commensurate to the properties owned by the former Minister. And should discrepancies be established, then, the EFCC must proceed to prosecute the former Minister as required by law.”

Orubebe

17

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Arts

Art X Lagos will encourage patronage of artists across Africa –Peterside

CULTURE

L-R: Segun Adeyemi, Ali Baba, Zeb Ejiro, Joke Silva Jacobs, Lai Mohammed, Tony Elumelu, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Parminder Vir, D’banj and others during the event

Fresh breath for creative sector as FG, Elumelu sign MoU Moses Kadiri

I

T was the gathering of crème de la crème in the Nigeria’s creative sector, comprising stakeholders and practitioners in film, music, fashion, performing art, as well as tourism industry. The occasion is signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture with The Tony Elumelu Foundation on the revival, repositioning of the country creative industry.

The Entrance A of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos was filled to the brim with participants in the creative sector, and beneficiaries of The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, which aims to identify, over 10 years, a total of 10,000 African start-ups and entrepreneurs with ideas that can generate at least 1,000,000

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

new jobs and contribute at least 10 billion dollars in new annual revenues across Africa to witness the memorable occasion which will go down as a milestone in the country creative sector.

The Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed pointed out that the details of the MoU has been spelt out on how to make the partnership work. Specifically, he said areas of the collaboration will include the creation of enabling business environment for the creative industries with such incentives as easy access to finance, restructuring of the creative industries to enable the sector generate independent revenue.

The Minister emphasised that the creative industries must be transformed into a creative economy for it to contribute to the nation Gross Domestic Product (GDP), noting that it will provide jobs for our teeming youths.

He said that the sector will also become a source of foreign exchange earnings for the country.

“The creative industries have turned around the fortune of California in the United States, Mumbai in India, Turkey, and Brazil. Dubai, Australia, among others and made their economy giants we can replicate same in Nigeria with support and partner of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.”

According to the Minister, “our television market with

The ongoing digitalization in the country will create at least one million jobs in the next three years

little or no formal production ecosystem is the largest in the continent. The ongoing digitalization in the country will create at least one million jobs in the next three years,” he disclosed.

The Minister projected that in the next 2 years Nigerians will begin to see result. “By the time we conclude 2 years of these historic collaboration no one will need to strain its eyes to see our achievements.”

He highlighted that piracy is the cancer that is destroying the industry. “I have had private meetings with stakeholders in the sector. I think what we need more in the industry is unity of purpose we need to come together as one group; there are too many chiefs in these industry everybody is a president I did not see any subject. Let’s us work together to restructure these industry.”

However I am of the same opinion that the days of piracy are almost at the end you don’t fight piracy with the old tools you have you must fight piracy with new technology I am very confident that the moment we are able to migrate from analog to digital broadcasting it becomes more difficult for anybody to pirate your work, ” he said.

Excited Elumelu whose foundation is committed to developing the next generation of business leaders for Africa expressed delight at the part-

18

nership which would allow both parties to translate their creative ideas into action. He said the partnership should extend beyond supporting the creative industry, “and to make sure that places like the National Arts Theatre is revive and working.”

He said the MoU is to develop the Nigeria’s creative industries. “We are talking about diversify our economy because of the oil price, this is one sector that will help a lot,” he also said.

Elumelu further stated that the business of development should not be left alone in the hands of the public sector. “I strongly believe that the private sector has a role to play and responsibility to contribute to the development of Africa for Nigeria.”

He however called on movie makers to project the good image of the country with movies. He reveals that there is so much good things about Nigeria “if you invite other people to come to Nigeria they will ask you are we safe? They get these impression from the movies they watch. Let’s us create an image of these country truly the way it is; if you are outside Nigeria you will think there is crisis, you cannot move about,” he said.

He also urged the Minister to address the issue of intellectual property and piracy right. He said, “you just be the masseur, if it is the only thing you helped these sector to achieve it will be so fundamental so that people can realized the value of what they put to work that will propel others to be more creative.”

Famous stand-up comedian, Alibaba also raised the issue of piracy. He urged the Minister to set up anti mobile police to tackle the menace. “There is nothing bad to set up anti mobile police to fight pirates. The overall benefit to the society will be amazing, government cannot tax us when pirates are taxing us as well.”

The CEO of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mrs. Parminder Vir said she is delighted with the partnership.

Nothing that she has fallen in love with Nigeria media and entertainment industry, “and the wider creative industry,” she said. “Today for me life has come in full circle and I am delighted that the founder Mr Tony Elumelu is supporting the innovation the growth and activities of Nigerians creative industries, talent. These MoU is very dear to my heart I spend my entire working career in the creative industries from arts and culture, television, film production and film and media financing raising funding in the creative industries nothing will give me greater pleasure at this point in my life than to Cont’d on page 18

18

ART

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Art X Lagos will encourage patronage of artists across Africa –Peterside Tokini Peterside is the founder of ART X Lagos, and Director of TP-Collective. In this interview, she explains the idea behind ART X Lagos, and her passion for the arts, especially the visual art.

TONY OKUYEME reports.

A

s Nigeria and its neighbouring countries seek to diversify and expand their economies, our investment in the creative industry via Art X Lagos, offers a vital platform for growth and increased visibility, to artists and galleries, says Tokini Peterside.

She notes that the fair seeks to consolidate the role of the visual arts as an important component of the creative industry and contribute to the increased visibility of contemporary artists from Africa.

“I am encouraged by the interest and support we have received so far from all quarters. This affirms our decision to go ahead with such an ambitious project,” she explains.

“ART X Lagos is a new art fair designed to widen Nigeria’s connection to the contemporary art scene across Africa and internationally. It is a platfor m designed to deepen Nigeria’s connection to the contemporary art scene in Africa and the rest of the world. ART X Lagos will launch from November 4th to 6th 2016, with an annual three-day art fair and exhibition that will inspire Nigerians, bring the inter national art world to Lagos, and place the city of Lagos as a cosmopolitan destination on the global cultural map. ART X Lagos will present a dynamic and varied program of exhibitions, specially curated projects, and vibrant live art performances, across a diversity of media including painting, photography, sculpture, video art, perfor mance art, mixed media, graffiti and sound art.”

The fair, she further notes, has been created to consolidate the role of the visual arts as an important component of the creative industry and contribute to the increased visibility of contemporary artists from Africa, creating a vibrant art market and positioning Lagos as an emergent cultural capital on the continent. “In so doing the aim is to provide the best insight into what the visual art sector in Africa has to offer to a wider local and international audience, and encourage African and inter national patrons to visit Lagos,” she also says.

According to her, as Nigeria and its neighbouring countries seek to diversify and expand their economies, their investment in the creative industry via Art X Lagos, offers a vital platform for growth and increased visibility, to artists and galleries.

“Our aim with Art X Lagos is to encourage greater patronage of artists across the board in Africa, and to inspire young people and the fu-

I am encouraged by the interest and support we have received so far from all quarters

ture generations of artists. We are very happy to be working with the acclaimed inter national curator, Bisi Silva, who is working closely with the galleries as well as developing a dynamic programme of exhibitions, commissions and talks.”

ART X Lagos will feature a selected group of invited art galleries from Nigeria, across Africa and the Diaspora, showcasing the most innovative contemporary art by over 45 established and emerging artists. Exhibitors at ART X Lagos will include galleries such as Art House – The Space (Nigeria), Bloom Art (Nigeria), SMO Contemporary (Nigeria), Goodman Gallery (South Africa) and Stevenson Gallery (South Africa), amongst others.

Included in the overall programme will be interactive projects and presentations that entertain a broader audience, including live areas for performance artists, illustrators and graffiti artists.

“ART X Lagos welcomes a diverse audience of art lovers, cultural practitioners, art collectors and connoisseurs, as well as students and young adults as we set out to position the West African region, and specifically Lagos, as an important destination on the global cultural calendar.”

The three-day art fair will take place at The Civic Centre, a state of the art conference and banquet centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th November 2016.

Meanwhile, the Artistic Director of ART X Lagos, Bisi Silva, says she is excited to be part of this pioneering initiative, adding that she “believes this art fair can become one of the key ways in which we begin to develop and internationalise the art sector in Africa as well as add value to the incredible work that is being created across the continent. In this way an art ecosystem can be developed that contributes to the visibility and sustainability of artistic practice as well as allows for collaboration and partnerships across the continent and further afield. During Art X Lagos visitors will be presented with a dynamic pro-

Peterside

gramme of curated projects, live events, as well as a vibrant talks programme. Our goal is for Art X Lagos to deliver an exceptional, uniquely designed experience spread across all three floors of the Civic Centre.”

Ambode for Epe’s Kayokayo Festival 2016

T

he stage is now is set for the celebration of this year’s edition of Kayokayo Festival, Epe with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State billed to lead dignitaries to the coastal town for the religious and cultural event.

The one week festival instituted by the Olu Epe of Epe Kingdom, Oba Shafiu Olatunji Adewale, Bamgbopa Eshilokun, is an annual celebration of the historical arrival

of Prince Kosoko, a famous Lagos King to Epe Kingdom in 1851.

The festival which places religious importance on its tourism value chain is seen by the people of the town as a classical look alike arrival of Noah of the Bible. The presence of Ambode is also significance as he is from Epe and hopefully will boost attendance by other important indigenes of the town

The Chairman of Kayokayo Festival 2016 organising committee, Alhaji Shakiru Alade Okule, explained that the 2016 festival will be celebrated to align Epe historical kingdom with the tourism dream of Lagos State government, adding that the week-long event would keep tourists on their toes with Oganla exponent, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, driving the entertainment content.

FG, Elumelu sign MoU to develop creative sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

raise and shared the 30 years of experience to support the sector in Nigeria.”

Award winning actress, Joke Sliva Jacobs decries the state of iconic structures in the country. She said iconic structures in the country are decaying, “which we can never afford to build again, such is the

National Arts Theatre what it is now is different from what it was in the 90’s. We have Cyprian Ekwensi building in Abuja beautifully carved. What we should be looking with these MoU is part of the buildings that are existing are made to function for what they were built for which is for theatre, film and culture instead of wedding churches or mosque and they are all over

the country,” she said.

Filmmaker Zeb Ejiro commended Chief Tony Elumelu for being true to his words. He also raised the issue of piracy. “If government noticed anywhere that the naira is being counterfeited they will send the police and army to bring the place down, we are begging that such treatment should be given when it comes to pirating our work.”

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FRIday, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Doctor 12 ways to rate your guy in bed

Feminique

Diary of a dating mom I should have asked to be chaperoned

20 20

My life with widows – Igbokwe Mrs. Ifeoma Igbokwe is one woman who has vowed to see to the wellbeing of widows in her locality. With her NGO, Grace CIIFEK Initiative, she counsels, empowers, assists and prays with widows, giving them a sense of belonging and a new lease on life. EBERE AMEH was at her party for widows recently and writes

Igbokwe

A

t a time like this when everyone is struggling to survive, it is heartwarming to know that there are people who still care for others. Mrs Ifeoma Igbokwe is one woman who has taken it upon herself to assist indigent widows to cope with life.

“In Nigeria of today, it is difficult for a couple to afford three

EBERE AMEH ebere.ameh@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

square meals for their family, how much more widows; I often wonder how they cope. I have taken it upon myself to empower a minimum of three widows every month. I empower them financially to start a business and for those who have a business already, they use it to boost their businesses. I help them so they can stand on their own and be able to take care of their children,” Ifeoma said.

Right from infancy, Ifeoma said she has sympathy for the poor. She finds joy in relating and sharing with them freely.

“I have passion for helping people. Right from when I was young and even in my school days, I shared freely with the poor. I did a lot of things freely for people without knowing that it shall be my destiny,” the mother of three said.

Talking about destiny, Ifeoma said she got a divine call to assist widows some six years ago. Though she could not un-

I shared freely with the poor.

I did a lot of things freely for people without knowing that it shall be my destiny

derstand what the call was all about, it dawned on her when different pastors started telling her that she should answer her call that she was in for a walk that she did not know how or where to start.

“Mine is a divine call and for long, I wondered about what I heard. However, even before I established the NGO, I had been helping a lot of widows. I paid their house rents, their children’s school fees and so much more. But it wasn’t until men of God started telling me that I have a call, which I must answer that I knew I heard well. I then decided to make if formal by establishing an NGO and taking up more widows.”

A graduate of Business and Accounting Education from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Ifeoma obeyed and established the Grace CIIFEEK Initiative, which has become a pillar of refuge for widows around her.

Talking about her criteria for empowerment Ifeoma said the organization carries out a thorough investigation before deciding on whom to empower.

“Aside our investigation, we also do a follow up to ensure that the financial assistance is being judiciously utilized. The empowerment is basically training and grants to establish or grow their businesses. Apart from money and training, another very important thing, which they cherish so much is the prayers. I invite men of God to come and exhort, encourage and pray with them. It gives them great joy and a sense of belonging.

We are talking about widows some of whom have been abandoned by their in-laws and relatives and are basically lonely.

They confess that more than anything, they enjoy the sisterhood, the fellowship and the prayers.”

Reminiscing on her growing up, Ifeoma said she must have taken after her father in helping the poor. According to her, he is a very charitable man who saw to the training and empowerment of many in her village.

A laudable initiative one may say, Ifeoma has been shouldering the responsibility of the widows with her husband whom she says is her greatest supporter.

“I am doing this with the full support of my husband and we are not planning on stopping as long as God continues to provide for us. We have not benefitted from any grant by any organization or government be it local or foreign even though we would love to, so we could help more widows. But that would not deter us. My greatest challenge has been wading through attacks from ignorant relatives and friends who insinuate that I am wasting my husband’s money,” Ifeoma who has empowered over fifty widows said.

She described her husband as very kind and generous man, adding that he is so much in support of the initiative.

On how many she plans to empower, the peach said, she will empower as many as God brings her way.

“God that called me will know how He will do it. So, as many as come, I will accept them.

This is because in addition to the empowerment, they confess that they enjoy the fellowship.

If we don’t have money again to empower anybody, we gather to interact, encourage one another and pray,” Ifeoma who hopes to establish a branch in her state, Anambra, said.

Describing success as tantamount to fulfilment, she said she is successful because she is fulfilled in what she is doing.

“Yes I am fulfilled. I am happy with what I am doing. I am happy that I answered God’s call at last. I am happy that I am touching people’s lives positively, and that people are appreciating what I am doing.

Though there is no money yet, I am happy, I am fulfilled, and because fulfilment, to me, is not about money; it is having your desires met, I can say that I am successful,” Ifeoma, who wants to be remembered as one that touched lives said.

20 FEMINIQUE

FRIday, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

12 ways to rate your guy in bed I

had been planning to write on this topic for some time as a reply to the requests I get from ladies.

Here is one of the recent ones.

Dear sir, ‘I am a widower. I am 50+ but still enjoy sex very much. I have many admirers and I am financially ok. I don’t want to be jumping from one bed to the other. I want a good companion, but definitely not a sugar boy, because I am not a sugar mummy. Sir, how do I know that a man is good sexually in bed and can satisfy me before I go to bed with him?’ Now for the answers.

There are so many ways, but I will briefly mention about 12 of them in this and the next write up.

The Listener. This is so important, that you can ignore it at your own peril. It will be a catastrophe. A good listener really cares about you in and out of bed. He wants to be your sounding board. The shoulder you can always cry on. He is your friend and your lover. Lean on him and you will not regret it. Unfortunately, only about 40 per cent of men are good listeners.

A lot of us will pretend to be listen-

ing. Whereas all our mind is busy on how fast we can get your pants off and trick you into bed. So you must be careful to get the real listener not the fake.

The Kiss And Tell. Run away as fast as possible from these ones. How do you know them? They will always tell you all about their past relationships. How good they were to the girls in and out of bed. Also, they are always the ones sacking the ladies.

Never the other way round. Some of them even go as far as mentioning the poor girls names. You know what, they are just liars and empty barrels. I’ve come across so many of them. All of them are useless in bed, believe me. And they will kiss and tell about you too.

Posture. The posture is important.

Slouching, or generally poor posture is a bad sign. He will be lazy and ineffective in bed.

Size. General body size, not down below O! That is another controversial topic entirely. I mean whether he is fat or not. No matter what they tell us, fat men are very, very poor and

bad lovers. The first is the fat. The missionary position is a no go area unless you are equally fat. Second is the time. Most fat men have problems of either premature ejaculation, or erectile dysfunction or even both.

Laughter. A good lover must be able to laugh at himself. If he does this well, then it means he will not be too full of himself in bed. He would not be selfish or have a big ego to massage.

Smells sweet. I am not even talking about the man with a mouth and/ or body odour. Of course you don’t need me to tell you to pick race from men with such odour. It is a sign of dirtiness. So they are most likely to be dirty down below too. I am talking about the guy who knows how to groom himself. The right type of perfume, after shave, soap etc. You know what I mean. They are more sensitive, appreciate good things and take their time to make you happy in bed. Not the pimp or gigolo type. Those ones try to cover up for their bedmatics short comings by being loud. See ya next week.

Fadeyi

• Dr T. A. Fadeyi. MB. BCH. Sexologist, Sex and Marriage Counselor. drtaiwofadeyi@gmail.com 08033148899 (sms only)

Ego: Diary of a happening mom

I should have asked to be chaperoned Ebere Ameh

W

hile waiting for Blessing in the hospital the other day, I saw a handbill inviting women to come for mammogram at half the price throughout this month of November. Though I could go to Danny’s company hospital, I decided to go there and leverage on the fact that they have many specialists.

“Do you need chaperon?” the wellgroomed Radiologist asked, adding that it is the hospital’s policy and he could get a nurse if I wanted.

“I don’t think there would be a need for that. It’s just for a few minutes, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yes. This must be your first mammogram?” he enquired, and smiled when I answered in the affirmative.

Up till the time of writing this diary, I can’t say whether the Radiologist took advantage of my ignorance or he was just doing his job.

“With a face that tries not to betray any emotion, he tossed my breast from one side to the other in the name of positioning it well on the plate for the screening. The worst was that he pressed the lever a little so hard while screening my left breast, forcing me to let out a slight moan and I could not say whether the look on his face as he talked to me was that of excitement or real remorse for being too hard.

“Oh, I’m sorry, that must have been too hard,” he said, asking me to hold on, still in my semi-nude state so he could check the plates in the inner room.

“I’m sorry madam,” he said when he came out a couple of minutes later. “I’m afraid we’d have to do it again. The reading isn’t clear enough but I’ve set everything

right now,” he said, rubbing my bare back as he pleaded.

“Are you kidding me? You want to repeat the whole process?”

“Actually, we’d have done the right one alone but it’s safer we do the two.” he responded with an ‘it’s up to you look.’

This time around, the procedure lasted even longer than the first and I could swear that he fondled my breast in the name

of positioning it well. By the time we were done, he was sweating even though the AC was chilling and he prayed that that one be good at last.

I can’t even share my experience with Danny. Funmi will tell her husband and that the Radiologist will be in trouble. Who do I ask?

I was still pondering over it when Blessing came asking for more cotton wool for the First Aid Box. Thank God the wound is healing

well. Doctor had given us an antiseptic solution to clean the surgical site regularly even after the stiches are removed.

Pending when she is fully capable, I had to engage the children in house work, against Danny’s will. He thought they should be allowed to study and play instead of getting involved in doing the dishes and mopping the floor.

As a matter of fact, he asked that I get somebody, two people if I liked, to relieve Blessing and leave the poor children out of house work.

Tosin fell and got a swollen temple while mopping the sitting room the other day and though we kept it from Danny, he still found out and I thought it was time to educate him and tell him my resolution.

“Honey, I appreciate your heartfelt concern for these children but I’m afraid, you are spoiling them. You make it look as if I am the wicked mother but do you know they enjoy doing the chores? Its only Ron that grumbled at first but he’s cool with it now. As a matter of fact, I have made up my mind to involve them in housekeeping. We owe it a responsibility to teach them how to cook and clean up after,” I said, expecting an answer, or an argument but was disappointed when he sized me up and left without a word.

Why won’t this man understand that they are my children too? Why does he like behaving like a child all the time? He needs to see the excitement with which they do the work.

Though they fall, as Tosin did, and at times they mess it all up and take more time to get it right, that is how they learn. A counsellor once said that children should be involved in housekeeping when they are still young and excited to do it as time will come when they will be angry when asked to do the same thing. Anyway, I will explain to him later.

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Baba Suwe allegedly suffers partial paralysis

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Janet Jackson pregnant with twins, say friends

Entertainment I’m unlucky with women in my life Melville Obriango:

Eniola Badmus in close shave with death

TMP stages grand concert for KSA at 70

Brad Pitt’s regret on Jennifer Aniston: ‘I’m sorry I hurt you’

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Veteran actor, Mr. Melville Obriango, is ‘Teacher Oghene’ in the long rested Village Headmaster series. He told FLORA ONWUDIWE that his talent developed only when he met good producers. He also spoke on the injustice meted on people from the riverine areas.

Excerpts

How would you describe yourself?

My name is Melville Obriango. I am from Nembe Local Government Area in Bayelsa State. I was brought up in a mission home by my uncle, Rev. Obriango. I attended St. John’s Anglican School, Aba, Abia State. I came to Lagos, worked briefly and travelled abroad.

I obtained a Diploma in Salesmanship, Advertising and Marketing. I worked briefly in the Nigerian Customs and

Exercise. I was the secretary of the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), then worked in Overseas and General Advertising Agency (OGAA) as a Client Service Executive.

From there, I veered off in taking care of myself in the same business but more on production of advertising materials, gift items and advertising generally.

I was in a comedy programme called Join the Bandwagon and it metamorphosed into Never Say Die. Great people, like the late John Chukwu, the late Isaac Ijeoma, Michael Nwachukwu, Ndidi Ozemenam( now Osaka), we were all there in the radio programme.

So how did you get the role in Village Headmaster?

I was in that Radio Programme and I was invited to come over to Nigerian Television Authority for an audition by the producer then , Mr. Bayo Awala. They invited me the first time, I did not go because I was scared of television.

And I hate to make mistakes. I thought I would make mistakes on air. So, I did not go when they first invited me.

Eventually, I went and they auditioned me to play a character in the Village Headmaster(VHM). It was a direct character that was imposed on me. Immediately they asked me if I can wear socks and hose as a teacher coming to Oja Village, I accepted. So, that was how I got a

role in the Village Headmaster.

What was the challenge, when you were offered to play the role of teacher?

Acting was inherent in me but it didn’t come out until it was tapped up by these producers. The best thing to do was to memorise my lines and then speak your lines instead of reciting. At a time, I did not realize that they will edit these things of any mistakes you may make. It started off that way and it was okay. We did not know at that time, that the thing was gaining ground and it was becoming popular. Most of us involved did not know; we did not actually think that the thing is popular or being C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 2

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

accepted in the sense that we were only playing and we were acting, attending rehearsals, reading script , going ahead and recording. That was what we were doing and we were enjoying ourselves.

I was enjoying myself particularly for radio and television. And it was the most glorious moment I think in my life.

I love to entertain. I enjoy using words and language to entertain. I enjoy it so much. It was early 70s. My producers then were Bayo Awala and Taiye Ayorinde. Sanya Dosumu was going out when I came in. It was a pleasant thing that has happened to me, till today. I remember with some form of nostalgia . I don’t know if we can recall such things again, bring them back. It is difficult because this is a country where most interesting things are deliberately killed. I don’t know why it is so. Most interesting, important things are not nurtured. They are not kept, like we know of programmes abroad that lasted almost 50 years. Here, we do away with them as quickly as possible. More so, if it is becoming very popular and may be, those in the authority cannot stand some of the criticisms or satire that comes with it.

Could you tell us your memorable experience, while VHM lasted?

There were many. In fact, the whole situation , we were like one big good family and we were always looking forward to attending rehearsals of coactors and actresses. The most important one that comes to my mind is when we have to take VHM live on air. That is we could not record due to technical hitches that made it impossible for us to record. We used to record on Sunday. So, after rehearsals and blocked rehearsals, the costumes ,they were using the same studio for the seven 0’clock news.

So, they have to give room for the news.

After the news , we entered the studio.

We did the rehearsals and the blockings again , and we suddenly realized that the eight ‘o clock is just there and the programme was supposed to be transmitted eight.

The Client, Lever Brothers, said that they did not want repeats; that it must be fresh programme every Sunday.

Tunde Oloyede was producing then and he said we have to record live . So, we did. The first scene was in Oloja’s palace . So, when the cameras were positioned and the first dialogue was to come between the Kabieyesi (Dejumo Lewis)and Chief Eleyimi(Funso Adeolu), we could hear the director. So, when the director cued Chief Eleyimi because he was in the palace, all the lines went off his head. He couldn’t remember any. So, he stood there gyrating and he was telling Kabieyesi that he was very angry that when he was angry he was very much annoyed. You know Eleyimi and we knew that we were in trouble and Kabieyesi quickly told him that ,”If you are angry, get out of my palace” and that was not in the script but that made it. Eleyimi rushed out of the palace quickly picked his script looked at the first lines and then came back and said Kabieyesi , “I am no longer angry” and we took it off from there.

And that was a very trying moment and I think, if we are a serious country, it would have been recorded and kept.

How people at that time could achieve this kind of feat. I don’t know. I have not heard it in any part of the world that a drama Sketch was transmitted live like that from set to set with about two cameras. So, that was very remarkable and memorable period that we had.

What was expected of teacher Oghene in Oja Village?

The name Oghene is an Urhobo name meaning God and he was transferred

‘Village Headmaster cast was one big family’ from Jebako to Oja Village. When he came to Oja, he met his good friend, Garuba. The character, Garuba, was a very experienced old time teacher, but Oghene came in as fairly more educated than Garuba. So, that friction was created which was good. Garuba came back with many years of teaching experience. He felt that he should have been the headmaster, and the headmaster is still there and that was Femi Robinson. So, the conflict is like a tripartite situation. The script writers did so well that they played around the characters in the school; that is what Oja primary school used to be but along the line , I don’t think it was deliberate . There was this shift from the school to the traditional stool of Oloja of Oja. Emphasis was more shifting to the Oloja and the client was a bit worried. The client was saying what are sponsoring, is it Oloja of Oja or Village Headmaster. So, that was the kind of problem we had at that time. That doused the interest of the programme. They were threatening to withdraw. At the same time, PZ was waiting at the periphery to sponsor if Lever Brothers moved out. So, it was left for the station and the actors to sort out our production, our acting, scripting and all that but I don’t think people saw that as a challenge to really boost it as much as they could until it was rested.

You discovered that you could act when you came back from England?

The talent has been there even while I was in school and acted in drama sketches. The talent is in me. It dragged me to exhibit such talent and that was why when I was with the Custom, I was running to Radio Nigeria to participate

in drama productions. It has always been there. So, when I came out, I discovered that there is a place you can exhibit. So, it was so interesting that you paid for doing a part, no matter how small the part was in radio drama. So, it was very interesting, it gives me joy,.

What is your view about the entertainment industry in Nigeria?

People, who are directing or controlling the entertainment industry are mentally very weak and backward, morally bankrupt, intellectually bereaved and religiously boring. There is no deliberate attempt to intelligently produce some of these things we watch or we listen to. For instance, I tuned from one station to another to listen to radio drama series. Most stations don’t do it anymore- produce drama series. All you hear is funny music that becomes so monotonous that you don’t seem to enjoy it anymore. A drama sketch on radio will actually provoke your inner interest in the entertainment and in human life, but these days, there are no more people, there is no intelligent people producing entertainment materials in this country.

Since the Village headmaster rested, it rested with the cast. What have been doing?

My friend, Wale Adenuga, oftentimes, invites me to do small part in Super story. There was a time Emerald invited me to do something and I did but they paid me peanuts. So, I got angry and I left. Adenuga is a professional to the core; he actually calls me occasionally to play a part.

Having come from the Niger Delta, how

do you think the government can make peace with the militants?

Yes, I am from the Niger DeltaNembe ,where the oil is produced. The high quality brand of the crude oil is actually produced in the Nembe creek.

That is my town. Those people who make this noise about Niger Delta militants , they have not been to Benin or Warri, not to talk of going into creeks like into Nembe. The next thing they will do is to politicize. Ogoni that we are cleaning up is beyond that gimmicks. All that politics, let everybody who wants to benefit from the crude oil go to those places. People own oil wells but they don’t go there to see how those people are faring, to see how they are living. They don’t go there. They only sit down and get there bank alert to know that the dollars have been paid into their account because they own an oil block but they did not go there to really know what is going on and how are these people living in that kind of condition, the plant don’t grow , the fishes die , they cannot fish they cannot plant, they cannot farm anymore.

It used to be a region that produced some good rice. The rice plantation is gone because when the spillage comes out, it kills everything. Nothing lives anymore. That is why I say we must be very wicked people in this country.

Nobody cares to know how are these people are surviving in that region. It is only when the boys say ‘enough is enough, we are tired of this rubbish , in other climes where oil is produced , you go there, you will know, you will see it that true this is an oil producing area, because it is clean, well-cared for, good housing , good electricity , lighting system with good drinking water, it is there for the people of that area, the people that live in those areas are very few miserable minorities.’

By accident, they brought Goodluck Jonathan to become the Vice-President and then President. It was like where is this one from? If you travel in that our area, you see Otueke, Oloibiri where the first oil came from, then Nembe, my town. Nobody cares! Go and see the first oil well was dug. It is just one thing they call Christmas tree that is there looking like a forgotten god. It is left for this country if they take care of that region, they will all enjoy the oil well ,oil money. Now, when the west was producing cocoa, they built a coca house in the western region in Ibadan.

Arewa people were producing groundnut and they had the groundnut pyramids. They built their big buildings that was taking care of the groundnut pyramids.

So, why is it that the oil producing area is like saying why should human beings live here,? So, if you don’t what the human beings to live here, what of the plants? The animals that are supposed to survive in that area, the fishes, why do you kill them with this oil spillage? Because they don’t care, they will make political statement. ‘We are going to clean up Ogoniland, is it today.’

We‘ve had successive governments. At what point did things start to degenerate in the region?

It has always been there since the first oil well was discovered in Oloibiri.

Nobody cared about what happened to the region. We‘ve had all the big names, Engineers, the Petroleum Engineers; the problem is how will this product that we are bringing out from the bowels of the soil from the bottom of the sea affect the ecological life of this people living here?

Nobody cared. Even the Shell people that came, they discovered that the government is not serious about the people living in that area. So, they couldn’t bothered either, they drilled their oil and went away.

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friday, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Baba Suwe allegedly suffers partial paralysis

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or comic actor, Babatunde Omidina a.k.a. Baba Suwe, the chips may have been down now. And it seems to have been so since he was accused by the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of peddling drugs which led to his detention after which he was exonerated. The actor claimed that the agency wrongfully detained him for many days and inserted a long pipe through his anus which may be affecting him adversely.

Actor, Yomi Fabiyi, who has been close to the actor, is calling on his colleagues to come to the actor’s aid as he can no longer move to movie locations due to some health complications he’d suffered from his incarceration by the NDLEA. Fabiyi said, “he told me he no longer feel comfortable since that episode. Baba Suwe is a widower, he can hardly walk properly as I speak, let alone go to film.

How will he feed and take care of the children aunty Moladun left behind?”

He echoed his sentiments further, “this is an A-List entertainer and this conspiracy of silence gives me mental on my part, I don’t want to speak when it may be too late, I won’t forgive myself.

Baba Suwe

Zeb Ejiro loses mum

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elebrated Nollywood director cum producer, Zeb Ejiro has lost his 83year old Mother, Mrs. Susan Ejiro, well known as Mama Nollywood.

The loveable aged woman, who lived with his son, kissed the dust in Lagos few weeks ago, after a three-day illness. The grey hair woman of substance was dear to the Ozoro Community because of her dedication to duty, making the late hardworking mother a model to the young generation.

“I must confess that apart from the psychological trauma my mother’s death caused me, I will miss her greatly for the love and affection she has been showering on us”, Ejiro recalled in his surulere Lagos office.

The late Mrs. Ejiro actually extended such love and affection to Zeb’s Crew and other Nollywood persons she had dealt with, winning their admiration, which made them to nickname her Mama Nollywood before her death.

Zeb

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TMP stages grand concert for KSA at 70 L

egendary percussionist and Juju music exponent, King Sunny Ade, has contracted leading talent agency and event firm, Temple Management Company (TMC) to stage a world class concert to climax his 70th birthday celebrations. The showstopping event is also set to mark the 50th coronation anniversary of the “King” of Nigerian music.

With the brief, the fast-growing creative firm is saddled with the task to put together what is believed to be “a seminal moment” on the Nigerian event and showbiz circuit.

King Sunny Ade turned 70 on September 22 and has been feted by different associations and organizations in a long line of ceremonies.

The celebrations will climax with a ground-breaking concert production. Temple Management Company has continued to gain the attention of key stakeholders in the creative industry in Nigeria and on the continental stage since it first set up shop in March 2016. Led by its industrious founder, Idris Olorunnimbe, the company has made its imprints felt in four key areas of operation including entertainment, arts, media and sports.

In addition to being credited to the success of the maiden edition of Mavin Access Concert, the talent firm manages a mélange of Nigeria’s biggest talents drawn from different spectrum including Nigeria’s biggest record label Mavin Records, renowned disc jockey DJ Jimmy Jatt, award-winning visual artist and writer Victor Ehikhamenor, R’n’B performer, Iyanya, artist/ jeweller Mode Aderinokun, awardwinning Nigerian broadcast media, Funmi Iyanda and 11-year old tennis prodigy, Marylove Edwards.

While giving the highest assur-

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KSA

ance on a flawless project delivery, Olorunnimbe stated that it was an honour to be considered by the legendary music genius to host such a historic concert. He said, “We do not take with levity the trust reposed in us at Temple Management Company by one of Nigeria’s biggest music colossus, King Sunny Ade. We take this assignment as a big endorsement on our competencies as an organization.”

Olorunnimbe added, “Our young and vibrant team of professionals has already started work on this project.

We are working with both local and international partners to deliver something that fans of the legendary KSA will be very proud of.”

Mark Redguard, Head of Entertainment at TMC, also promised a show to remember, “KSA at 70 will have the very best of local and international entertainers. He is a national treasure and he deserves an event that reflects his iconic status.”

Expressing satisfaction in TMC, the Juju music maestro scored the event company high and expressed confidence in their competence to deliver a world-class show. “I have been around the industry long enough to realize that the guys at Temple Management Company are very sharp and know what they are doing with their level of professionalism. I am very pleased to work with to put together a befitting 70th birthday concert for me.

With this arrangement in place, I can concentrate on what I know how to do best. You can call this concert one of the biggest of my music career and I am looking forward to giving my fans

igerian plus size actress, Eniola Badmus has multiple reasons to thank God, but chief of the reasons was the inferno that gutted a section of her house recently.

The actress narrated via her social media account that there was a fire outbreak in her house on Tuesday night and it was one of her scariest moments ever in life.

She was able to escape unharmed without losing much properties due to the help of her neighbours who came to help her when the incident occurred.

She said: “thank you Lord for saving my life, fire outbreak in my house, thank

Eniola Badmus in close shave with death

you Lord and thanks to my neighbors, I’m hale and hearty. A lot went down tonight, but thank you Lord for life and properties. But I was madly scared.”

Badmus

the best performance of my life,” the septuagenarian added.

The Temple Management Company Limited (“TMC”) is a full-service creative talent and event management company incorporated in Nigeria and operating in the Entertainment, Sports, Media and Art sectors.

Cave Bar ups the game with new casino U

pscale Cave Bar, Africa’s largest strip club, stationed on the ever bubbly Joel Ogunaike street, a few meters to Country club, Ikeja, Lagos has beefed up its entertainment package for fun diggers with the official opening of their multi- Million Casino which the corporate world had been clamouring for since the past few years.

The dynamic owner of the celebrated hang-out, Dr. Shina Eddo divulged during a brief chat that the installation of the casino machines has long been overdue, maintaining that this is why he had to set aside some fortune and suspended other projects for the takeoff of the casino one.

“Everybody in Nigeria knows that the amount economic atmosphere in the country is quite challenging to every entrepreneur. For me as a top social service provider, I have no choice than to dance to the demands of my high standard loving clienteles who are actually very dynamic and choosy in their expectations, this explains my sacrifice”, he submitted.

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entertainment

friday, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Janet Jackson pregnant with twins, say friends

Kim Kardashian: Concierge let gunmen in during robbery

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t age 50, the fact that Janet Jackson is pregnant is already a miracle in itself.

But in an even wilder pregnancy twist, a new report claims that the pop star and her hubby are not just expecting one baby, but TWO! Get all the details about Janet’s alleged twins here.

Last month, on Sept. 26, Janet Jackson, 50, shocked fans when she was spotted out and about sporting a very large baby bump! The singer, who hadn’t been photographed in months, proved to the world that yes, she is in fact pregnant, and yes, she’s carrying the baby herself. But according to a new report, it’s not just one bundle of joy, it’s two!

“It makes sense that she’d try for two at her age,” an insider who’s reportedly close to the star told Star magazine.

“When Janet first spilled she was expecting, the due date was early December, but now we hear she’ll deliver a month earlier, a sure sign of twins!”

The source also made sure to point out that Janet and her husband, Wissam Al Mana, 41, used in vitro fertilization to get pregnant, which increases the chances of conceiving multiples. So while it IS possible that the

superstar is carrying double, we most likely won’t know for sure until after she gives birth later this year.

“She’s been resting a lot and taking good care of herself to avoid problems, so she was really glad to get out of the house that day,” the insider explained about the day Janet was photographed entering a baby store. “Plus, I think she may have wanted to disprove rumors that they used a surrogate. Janet’s so proud that she’s carrying the babies on her own.”

Whispers of Janet’s pregnancy first began when the star announced that she was postponing her tour back in the spring. She made a video, telling fans that she and Wissam were planning a family and she had “doctor’s orders” to rest up. We can only imagine how thrilled her whole family must be now that she’s expecting her first child.

Brad Pitt’s regret on Jennifer Aniston: ‘I’m sorry I hurt you’

I Kardashian

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he men who robbed Kim Kardashian were able to get into her apartment with help from the concierge but why would he let them in?

New details about what Kim reportedly told police following the incident reveal just how crucial the doorman’s story is to this whole case.

We already knew that the concierge was held at gunpoint and threatened by the robbers who attacked Kim Kardashian, 35, which is why he led them straight upstairs to her apartment and unlocked the door.

However, the reality star reportedly gave an interview to police over the phone in which she told them more info about the concierge that seems a bit fishy, according to TMZ. The site reports that Kim “made a point” to tell officials that the building’s doorman was “extremely calm, despite being cuffed and held at gunpoint.”

She reportedly added that the concierge led the gunmen right

upstairs during the robbery, and that, contradictory to previous reports that he was locked in a stairwell after, he was in the room the whole time, then led back downstairs to the lobby when the attack was over.

It is not made clear whether or not the 35-year-old actually thinks the concierge had anything to do with what happened, however, authorities are definitely considering him a key witness, especially with all this new information.

As we previously reported, Kim was tied up and locked in the bathroom, with her mouth taped, as the men raided her room, stealing more than $10 million worth of jewelry and completely terrorizing her.

She has since been back in the States, holed up in a New York City apartment with Kanye West, 39, and their kids.

The rapper is set to resume his tour on Oct. 7, though, but it’s unclear if Kim will join him on the road again

t seems it’s never too late to say sorry. Though Brad Pitt is still reeling from his split from Angelina Jolie, he reportedly plans to reconnect with Jennifer Aniston to give the one thing he’s owed her for more than a decade, an apology!

Brad, 52, has always felt bad about the way his relationship with Jennifer, 47, ended, a source tells OK magazine. Following the end of his marriage with Angelina, 41, Brad realized that it’s time he set things right with his first ex-wife.

“He never properly said to her, ‘I’m sorry I hurt you,’” the insider said, “and that’s what he wants to do. In the past, he was a little glib [about the breakup,] but he wants to make amends, once

Aniston

and for all.”

He’ll get a chance to say he’s sorry to Jennifer’s face, as these two reportedly are going to secretly meet at Brad’s beachfront ranch in Goleta, California. This alleged meeting “is hugely important to Brad,” the source tells OK, as it’ll finally allow him to take responsibility for breaking her heart after all these years.

Though, before Bennifer shippers start blasting Justin Bieber’s, 22, “Sorry” at top volume, they might want to wait. “This is just another fabrication,” Jennifer’s rep tells HollywoodLife.com about any planned reconciliation between her and Brad, adding that the publication has been “completely wrong” about her in the

Pitt

past.

Even without Brad making this alleged apology, Jennifer has been able to put aside any hurt feelings over him cheating on her with Angie on the set of 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Jen wasn’t reveling in Brad’s misfortune when found out Angie filed for divorce, as she reportedly still cares about her ex-husband.

Jennifer even reportedly stood up for Brad when he came under fire with allegations of child abuse. Jen reportedly knows how much Brad loves his six kids, despite these abuse claims, and still thinks that he’s a good dad! Perhaps Brad will also say “thank you” along with “I’m sorry” when he reportedly meets her?

Jolie

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FRIDAY, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Agric IITA, others meet to improve garri production

Business

Environment FG mulls commercialisation of 12 River Basin Authorities

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What's new Modular hotel: Investors target Nigeria, Ghana p.26

Financial inclusion: Report lauds CBN’s role, commitment p.26

L – R: Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed; Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Roseline Bozimo and NDIC Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, at the opening ceremony of the 2016 NDIC seminar for FCT and State High Court judges, at the NJI Abuja

Cassava farmers petition FG over N1bn cottage fund in BoI SHORTFALL Nigeria Cassava growers Association (NCGA) said the N10 billion released for cassava bread programme was not enough

Taiwo Hassan

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

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igeria Cassava growers Association (NCGA) has petitioned the Federal Government to intervene in the recovery of the association’s N1 billion Cassava cottage fund in the Bank of Industry (BoI), which is meant to help establish cottage industry across the country.

President, Nigeria Cassava Growers Association, Pastor Segun Adewumi, revealed this in a chat with New Telegraph.

He said inability to release the fund had hindered cottage development in the rural areas, which would have checkmated market challenges of farmers.

He said that NCGA is pleading to the Presidency and the minister of agriculture and rural development

Taiwo Hassan

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

N10 billion Being the amount released by the Federal Government for the promotion of cassava bread

the concept is that 50 per cent additional charges on import duty will be added to importation of wheat flour and if we import N250 billion worth of wheat in a year, that means the 50 per cent added will bring it to N100 billion annually that could have been collected for the past five years. I also believe that the N10 billion that was released for cassava programme was not enough.”

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had doled out N10 billion for the promotion of cassava bread in the country.

Adewumi said: “N10 billion was released for the promotion of cassava bread. The N10 billion was shared among growers and processors of cassava, the master bakers and other areas where it was necessary. In our own case, the Bank of Agriculture disbursed to us and we cultivated 29,500 hectare of cassava, however, by the time the cassava matured, I think something went wrong with the processing as they didn’t have the equipment to off -take and the cassava rotted away.

“That occurred due to lack of reliable facilities for processing and I think based on that, the working capital that was supposed to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Rates Dashboard

Industry, Agric & Brands Editor

Kunle Azeez

to prevail on BoI to release the N1 billion cassava cottage funds.

He said the association wondered while BOI was holding on to the money without using it for the purpose it was meant.

“We want to promote cottage industries in the rural areas where this cassava is produced, though, I’m aware that in 2009, about N1 billion was deposited in a certain bank to help establish the cottage industry, but the money was not disbursed, we have brought this to the attention of the present minister and government at the centre to help us look into the cassava cottage fund,” Adewumi said.

The NCGA president said the association believes that a cassava development commission should be formed for the purpose of proper appropriation of the produce’s derivatives in the interest of food security and industrial uses.

Speaking on the Federal Government’s 50 per cent additional charges on import duty for importation of wheat into the country, he said that government would have been raking in N100 billion annually for the past five years if it had stuck to the enforcement of payment of duties.

He said: “I want you to know that

INFLATION RATE August 2016 ..........................17.61 % July 2016.................................17.1% June 2016 ..............................16.5%

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

EXCHANGE RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parallel Market as at September 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N475 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N580 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N500

l Foreign Reserves – $24,566,419,718bn as at 29/9/2016

(Interbank as at September 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N305 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N397 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N347

Source: CBN

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BUSINESS |news

FRIDAY, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Modular hotel: Investors target Nigeria, Ghana GROWTH Hilton plans to expand from existing 39 hotels to over 80 in three to five years

Dayo Ayeyemi

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ith additional signings in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, promoters of Hilton Worldwide are seeking to double their presence across Africa with the construction of first modular hotels, New Telegraph has learnt.

Hilton intends to construct new properties and extend its portfolio in three African countries.

The new deals, according to the company, are hinged on commitment to expand across the continent, seeking to double its footprint from its existing 39 hotels to over 80 hotels in the next three to five years.

Among the new hotels agreed is Africa’s first modular build hotel, the 280 guest-room Hilton Garden Inn in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, a concept that Hilton first premiered in 2014 through a partnership with CIMC Modular Building Systems.

Other deals see the creation of Africa’s tallest hotel in Nairobi, while Hilton builds on its industry leading airport hotel legacy with an extension to the recently signed Legend Curio at Lagos Airport.

According to Senior Vice President Development, EMEA, Hilton, Patrick Fitzgibbon, the company would manage all three properties, as it continues to expand its managed hotel portfolio.

He said: “Having been present in Africa for over 50 years we’re proud to have remained at the forefront of pioneering hotel growth on the continent.”

The senior vice president development, EMEA, stated that having previously announced the signing of Curio, The Legend, Lagos Airport, Hilton, it has also been confirmed that an additional 76 guest rooms would be added to the hotel, bringing the room count up to 130-keys to further strengthening its expansion in the country. He said the hotel will be ready in 2017.

Fitzgibbon explained: “We are breaking new ground in the region with the announcement

Cassava farmers petition FG over N1bn cottage fund in BoI CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

given to them was not available. The money was a grant that doesn’t require the type of measures the banks were introducing and measures that the people could not fulfill, so our cassava rotted away, I think the present government is looking into it so that they will not repeat the same mistake.”

of first modular build hotel, a fast-paced construction solution that we feel has huge potential in Africa, with quicker returns for investors and a world-class hospitality experience for guests.

“We remain hugely committed to Africa across our portfolio of world-class brands, continuing to introduce our hotels to new markets across the whole of sub-Saharan Africa in the coming years.”

Modular construction is an innovative solution that can be used to drive hotel development, offering numerous benefits including faster

development, streamlined design and cost efficiencies.

The process involves assembling portions of the hotel – including guest rooms and hallways – in China, before transporting them to the final site for completion, thereby significantly reducing the time taken for construction.

The model helps ensure consistent quality and accelerates the build schedule on site, a particular benefit for developers and investors in emerging markets.

Fitzgibbon said that Hilton Garden Inn, Liberation Road, Accra, is being devel-

oped under a management agreement with Independence Properties Limited, whose majority shareholder is Trasacco Estates Development Company Limited. The hotel would be ready in 2018.

A management agreement with Jabavu Village Limited and White Lotus Projects sees Hilton expand on its existing presence in Kenya to create Africa’s tallest building. Standing 330m high, Hilton Nairobi Upper Hill is due to open in 2020, as a 255 guest-room and suite hotel in Kenya’s capital.

Director Independence

Properties and CEO Trasacco Estates Development Company, Ian Morris said: “After building a number of three star plus properties in West Africa, the option to go modular and improve on room quality, project delivery and minimise construction risk was warmly embraced by our development, design and construction teams and we feel is the future of the industry.”

Managing Director CIMC MBS, Paul Blackmore, described Hilton Garden Inn as an excellent brand for utilising modular technology.

L-R: Director, Human Resources, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Uwem Akangson; Special Adviser, Technical Director Safety Electronic and Engineering Services, Isaac Orishaleye; President, National Air Traffic Communications Association of Nigeria (NACAN), Mr. Nkambo George and Director of Safety, Arik Air, Captain Jide Bakare, during the Annual General Meeting/IFACA Conference in Lagos

Financial inclusion: Report lauds CBN’s role, commitment REGULATION The various initiatives by the apex bank were listed as part of regulatory undertakings that place the country in a good position

Sunday Ojeme

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fforts by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow Nigerians of any social and economic status access to financial dealings without hassles have been praised by a Washington-based nonprofit public policy organisation, Brookings Institution.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) conducts in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing the society at local, national and global level.

In its latest report, Nigeria earned an overall score of 72 per cent on the Brookings Financial and Digital Inclusion Project (FDIP) scorecard, boosted in part by strong

country commitment to advancing financial inclusion.

The FDIP, begun in the summer of 2014, launched its second annual report in August 2016 examining the financial inclusion ecosystems of 26 economically, politically and geographically diverse countries.

The report assessed the countries’ financial inclusion landscapes based on four dimensions of financial and digital inclusion - country commitment, mobile capacity, regulatory environment, and adoption of selected traditional and digital financial services - and offered recommendations for accelerating progress toward financial inclusion.

The institute observed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), being a signatory to the Maya Declaration on Financial Inclusion and its launch of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (in collaboration with a variety of key stakeholders) in October 2012, had set a target of reducing financial exclusion to 20 per cent by 2020 and also established other measurable targets with respect to access to payment services,

savings products, credit, insurance and pensions.

The report said: “Branchless banking” initiatives, such as agent banking and mobile money services, were among the tools identified as driving Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy.

A number of institutional and industry developments highlight Nigeria’s emphasis on the central role of digital mechanisms in advancing financial inclusion.

“For example, in October 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria hosted the first Digital Inclusion Project meeting, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Additionally, as of February 2016, several banks had established agent banking arrangements, which are expected to help extend the reach of financial access points into underserved communities.

“Moreover, as of April 2016 the Nigerian Postal Services planned to introduce banking services into rural areas.”

It, however, pointed out that one area of untapped

opportunity regarding the financial market in Nigeria, as with most of the FDIP countries, was a sizable disparity in terms of financial account ownership between men and women.

“The country has engaged in a number of efforts to reduce this “gender gap.” For example, Nigeria collects sex-disaggregated data pertaining to its financial ecosystem, which could help key stakeholders better assess market opportunities and develop targeted strategies to reach prospective women customers.

“Moreover, MasterCard and UN Women have partnered on an initiative that seeks to enrol women in a national digital identity program, which will help mitigate obstacles to opening formal financial accounts. Moving forward, efforts to digitise conditional cash transfers and financial services within the agricultural sector have been identified by financial inclusion influencers in Nigeria as key priorities for facilitating engagement with the formal financial ecosystem among both men and women, the report noted.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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labour

NDE recipients to begin production of pencil, toothpick PLEDGE The Federal Government had earlier promised that it was putting mechanism in place to begin local production of pencil

L-R: ComptrollerGeneral, Nigerian Customs Service, Retired Col. Hammed Ali; Acting DirectorGeneral, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni; Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu and the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Trade Malpractices, Mallam Dahiru Ado-Kurawa, during a joint news conference between Customs and NAFDAC on the country’s benefits from the ban on importation of rice through land border, in Abuja

Sunday Ojeme

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wo beneficiaries of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) are set to begin production of toothpick and pencil locally.

Acting Director-General of the agency, Mr. Kunle Obayan, disclosed this in Abuja while addressing some of the trainnees.

He said the projects would be commissioned next month.

“In the next few months, we are going to commission some landmark projects from two of our beneficiaries. One is the production of toothpick, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria. We have a beneficiary that is setting up a toothpick manufacturing plant and we are going to commission it next month. The other one is pencil.

“We don’t have anybody that does that in Nigeria. We import all our pencils. And we have a beneficiary who has set up a plant to produce pencil. The beauty of this pencil is that it

is actually made out of waste paper. It is not from wood. So, it is from waste to wealth. We will also commission that next month.”

Obayan, who also revealed the agency’s plans to key into Federal Government’s diversification programme, pointed out that NDE was working to ensure that the diversification policy achieved the twin benefit of food security and job creation. He said that the

agency was seeking ways to tackle the menace of youth unemployment through training schemes.

He said that after months of hard work and creative thinking, over 40, 000 new jobs and small scale businesses would be injected into the economy by December, adding that the anticipated jobs would turn beneficiaries into wealth creators.

The NDE boss also said that the Rural Employment Man-

agement Information System (REMIS), a new initiative by the agency, was expected to address the challenge of youth unemployment and boost food production in the country.

He said under the REMIS scheme, over 2500 graduate would be engaged as agents and their job would be to liaise with farmers, provide them with information on farm inputs, prices of their produce and how they can expand their business.

WorkPlace Plus widens initiative to boost SME’s

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he Executive Chairman of WorkPlace Plus Limited, Mr Ayo Akinmade, has reiterated the firms’ resolve to promote business initiatives in the country by offering wide range of business support to emerging entrepreneurs.

Akinmade said the initiative was part of the firm’s plans to expand its presence in West Africa sub-region.

He observed that the current economic situation in the country had posed serious challenge to entrepreneurs, thereby, making it difficult to run formidable and profitable business in the country.

He disclosed that WorkPlace Plus Limited are the operators of Regus franchise in West Africa, which provides serviced office spaces, and a host of other office solutions to global and local businesses.

The company, he explained, was formed about a decade ago and the objective at the time was to approach Regus, a world leader in virtual offices, about a franchise for West Africa.

“We needed an entity for this venture so we set up WorkPlace Plus and secured the Regus franchise for West Africa and have since been in the business of developing virtual offices in Nigeria and Ghana.

Our client range from the startups to fortune 500 multinationals and WorkPlace plus

is ideal for someone who is at home with a great business idea and needs a professional place to operate from. We also cater to our clients in different ways. For example, we have what we call virtual products, which is a telephone answering service where we would give you a phone line, answer the phone professionally, take your messages and relay your messages to you”.

Speaking further, he said operators of businesses could

also combine the option with mail handling, stressing that this would involve the firm handling clients’ physical mail, which will be kept for and redirected to clients when necessary.

Akinmade said one of the advantages is the exposure of business operators to professional environment, as they will have access to other multinationals and great businesses already in the cluster.

“In this cluster alone, we

have about 38 different businesses; that is potentially 38 different business opportunities for our clients to take advantage of the services.

“We also have corporate rates with hotels, which our customers can take advantage of which are lower than their usual rates since we bring a significant volume. Same thing for car hire and we also provide airport meet and greet for clients coming into the country,” he noted.

‘Professionals make devt possible’

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former Commissioner of Health in Kogi State, Dr. Idris Omede, has called for more professional bodies to come together as part of development plans for the country.

Omede made this call in his acceptance speech when he emerged the 15th President of Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN).

He said it was a welcome development to have professionals coming together to form a body that chart forth a course for the nation.

He said: “There is nowhere in the world you talk of development without professionals.

Thereby, we want to continue to exert ethics of profession in ensuring that there is harmony and cordiality within the pro-

fessions who are intrinsically interwoven to deliver service to the people.”

Idris, who was also the immediate past President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), was elected recently during the association’s 32 Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Lagos.

He lauded his colleagues for entrusting the Association in his care while pledging his commitment to position the association for greater achievements.

Meanwhile, President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Dr. Nat Ofo, has said that the plan by the House of Representatives to probe oil marketers who are indebted to Petroleum Product Marketing

Corporation (PPMC) was in order, as it would boost Federal Government‘s revenue.

Speaking at the 42nd yearly meeting of the Institute in Lagos, he enjoined members of the institute to shun unethical activities capable of tarnishing their reputation and the image of the body.

He said that shunning any untoward professional acts would also make the institute achieve its efforts at promoting and projecting good corporate governance in the country.

He noted: “As corporate governance practitioners, we must always be at the forefront of promoting the ideals for which ICSAN is reputed. A professional body is as good as the support it enjoys from its members.”

USAID, Bauchi train 6,000 teachers

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he Bauchi State government has trained 6,000 teachers with assistance from the Northern Education Initiative Plus, a United State Agency for International Development (USAID).

It also launched 1.26 million copies of teaching and learning materials as part of the programme.

Launching the materials at an event organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Governor Mohammed Abubakar, said his administration was making efforts through the Ministry of Education and other agencies like SUBEB, State Agency for Mass Education (BASAME) Nomadic Education to create an avenue for out-of-school children to access education through formal and non-formal education system.

He said the Northern Education Initiative Plus had, through the support of SUBEB, trained 20 master trainers and 240 trainers of teachers and the clustering training for class teachers.

“Our goal is to use education to reduce poverty, illiteracy and improve access to information and translate all these into tools for peaceful co-existence among the people.

“Similarly, the effort by Northern Education Initiative of strengthening existing strategies, policies and programmes will address barriers to school participation and improve early grade reading in English and Hausa as the two languages are main medium of communication in schools,” he noted.

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agric

‘Integrated weed control key for cassava revolution’

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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ntegrating diverse but proven weed management options drawn from mechanical, biological, cultural and chemical weed control methods could help small-scale farmers overcome the limitations posed by weeds and help them maximise the benefits of genetic improvement.

Prof Ronnie Coffman, Director of International Programmes in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (IPCALS), Cornell University, disclosed this in Ibadan at a meeting with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) researchers and members of the Cassava Weed Management Project.

Grown by over four million farmers in Nigeria, cassava’s productivity has been disappointing at about 14 tons per hectare as opposed to over 20 tons per hectare in countries of Asia such as Thailand.

One principal factor that has kept yields low is poor weed control. In most cases, small-scale farmers — especially women and children — use hoes, cutlasses and hands to weed. The use of herbicides in cassava is growing but not common.

Prof Coffman said efforts in weed management should be directed towards helping smallholder farmers. “And I see the use of chemicals as one option that can benefit smallholder farmers,” he added.

The Cassava Weed Management Project is a five-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that is seeking solutions to weeds menace in cassava farming systems using mechanical, best-bet agronomic practices, and the use of environmental friendly herbicides.

Prof Coffman also suggested more research into mechanical weed control, saying that mechanisation and integrated weed management approaches were likely to provide more sustainable results.

Earlier, while presenting a seminar to researchers in IITA, Prof Coffman underscored the need for research that would create impact at the farm level with positive outcomes on the lives of resourcepoor farmers. For sustainability to occur, he proposed the need for greater support to the agricultural sector and commended emerging private sector initiatives in agriculture as demonstrated by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme.

The TAAT programme is an AfDB led programe that is being supported by the CGIAR and partners with the aim of addressing food insecurity and wealth creation by scaling out proven agricultural innovations in Africa. While acknowledging that science and technology has pulled many out of poverty, Prof Coffman said that more actions are needed to sustain and improve the gains especially in the face of emerging challenges such as climate change and low yield of crops such as cassava. Benefitting from NextGen Cassava project, he noted that the Next Generation Cassava Breeding (NEXTGEN Cassava) project has been successful in providing researchers — including those who would be involved in the TAAT programme — with the tools and resources that could fast-track breeding initiatives. One such resource is the Cassavabase – a centralised database on cassava that can help breeding programmes. Another milestone of the NEXTGEN project is the training of African students and other capacity building programmes, he said.

Bags of garri

IITA, others meet to improve garri production Stories: Taiwo Hassan

L

ocal and international stakeholders in agriculture are seeking ways to improve garri production in the country, in a programme at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan.

The programme titled: “Garri revolution workshop road map to an efficient and equitable garri processing system,” which began last Tuesday, ended yesterday.

The workshop featured representatives from the Global Cassava Partnership, IITA, Natural Resources Institute, Research Programme on Roots, Tubers and Banana, among others.

The Director of Research Programme

on RTB, Dr. Graham Thiele, said the purpose of the workshop was to identify strategies to greatly improve garri processing in quantity, quality and livelihood of those involved.

He said it would build on the process of results-based management led by RTB with IITA and other partners for small and medium scale cassava processing in Nigeria.

He said: “The objectives of the workshop are to identify key trends in demand for garri, describe current state of knowledge and critical gaps in garri processing.

“Prepare draft road map for next steps to improve garri processing and livelihoods, identify elements of a multi-institutional R&D project to put the road

map at work in the real world.

“We need to bring together a lot of people to brainstorm on how to improve garri production; we have seen a lot of inefficiencies and wastage in the course of the production.

“We want to see how we can improve the technology in terms of garri frying, milling, etc and enhance them.

“We saw the need to improve the hygiene, environment, safety and make cassava wastes, peels to wealth, because the peels can be used for high quality livestock feed.”

He further emphasised that the strategy for an efficient and equitable garri processing system would also be extended to other countries, especially in Africa.

Jigawa eyes 150,000 hectares for rice, others

F

ollowing the Federal Government’s N20 billion earmarked to local farm millers to serve as uptakers, the Jigawa State government is targeting 150,000 hectares for rice, wheat and tomato cultivation during the 2016 harvesting season.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, said this at a media briefing in Dutse.

Ali said that 50,000 hectares would be dedicated to each of the three selected crops.

He explained that the programme would be implemented through the An-

chor Borrower Scheme introduced by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The commissioner said that the Federal Government had earmarked over N20 billion to millers to serve as up-takers when the farmers must have cultivated.

According to him, any miller who has good mill can access the loan, give to farmers and uptake their produce after cultivation.

Ali said: “If a farmer produces at the end of the season, the person (miller) that facilitated the loan will uptake

what he produced.”

Ali said that the state government was partnering with Flour Mills of Nigeria and others on wheat production.

He noted: “We are in consultation with Flour Mills of Nigeria and others; they are coming to partner with us in the production of wheat.

“On tomato production, Rot Peller Foundation is also coming to work with us.”

He explained that the foundation would support tomato production, particularly in post harvest processes and marketing.

Botswana envoy tasks Nigerian farmers on exports

T

he Botswana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lt General Louis Fisher, has urged the Federal Government to allow Nigerian farmer to export agricultural produce such as tomatoes, garlic and ginger to his country.

Fisher made the call at a reception to mark Botswana’s 50th independence anniversary in Abuja.

He said there were potential exports, which Nigeria could develop in commercial quantity for export, stressing that such exports to Botswana were currently non-existent.

“We don’t have tomatoes, ginger and garlic in Botswana. If all these goods get down to us, it will boost Nigeria’s export and equally address the issue of youth unemployment,” he said.

The envoy, however, said both Nigeria and Botswana enjoyed excellent bilateral relations, especially in the education sector.

He said several literatures written

by Nigerian authors were recommended for use in Botwana’s high schools.

“For us, Nigeria is a place to be... from the medical field to engineering, Botswana has benefitted a lot from Ni-

geria,” he added.

Fisher recalled that when Botswana established its second university, a Nigerian professor served as the pioneer vice chancellor.

“In the international arena, we have always looked at Nigeria as a friend and brother. One of the things we must appreciate about Nigeria is the fact that it always comes to the aid of other African countries,” the envoy said.

Fisher said Botswana had witnessed significant infrastructure development since its independence 50 years ago.

businesS \ agric

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Nigeria drops in 2016 cocoa rating

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igeria dropped to world’s seventh among top producer of cocoa after its projected output for 2015-2016 season fell to 190,000 metric tons, Cocoa Association of Nigeria has said.

The International Cocoa Organisation (ICO) previously ranked Nigeria as the world’s fourth biggest cocoa producer.

The downgrade was attributed to the “country’s exchange rate policy, lack of reliable data, low synergy between the public and private sectors, etc,” according to Sayina Riman, President of Cocoa Association of Nigeria.

The ICO had initially projected that Nigeria would produce 270,000 metric tons of cocoa in the current season.

Also confirming the new position, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, linked it to the government’s neglect in the past 30 years.

“Official records of actual production and exports are difficult to trace as proper records of production are not kept. Most of Nigeria’s exports aren’t being recorded, as exporters seek to bypass official channels to benefit from the exchange rate differential between official and parallel markets,” Ogbe noted.

The Cocoa Association of Nigeria is the umbrella body of the country’s cocoa farmers, processors, traders and exporters.

L-R: Senator Gbolahan Dada, representing Ogun West (2nd right); Area Head, Corporate Affairs, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) West Africa, Mrs Seyi Ashade (3rd right); President, Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Margaret Bosede Amusan (right); with some beneficiaries during the 2016 BATN Farmers’ Award ceremony… recently.

‘Value chain training key to agric devt’ Caleb Onwe Abuja

F

ederal Government’s burning desire to diversify Nigeria’s economy by giving attention to agriculture and other resources outside oil has continued to elicit actions from various quarters.

Some stakeholders, who understand the importance of agriculture and believe that its potential could be exploited to resuscitate the economy, are already proffering possible solutions.

One of such stakeholders and an expert in the agriculture sub-sector, Dr. Samson Adeola Odedina, who is also the Provost, Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure, believes that for Nigeria to be on the same page with other countries that are already reaping the benefits of a developed agric sector, adequate attention must be given to its value chain training.

He disclosed this during a recent stakeholders’ meeting of the Swiss Government supported “Capacity Building for Agricultural Education in Nigeria (CBAEN) in Abuja.

The programme is part of an off-shore partnership for agric value chain development event.

Odedina said that FECA had fully keyed into the vision of restoring the lost glory of agriculture by living up to its mandate of training people for sustainable agricultural development.

He also said that as part of effort to reduce illegal migration of youths to Swit-

Ondo State Governor, Segun Mimiko

zerland, FECA was currently partnering with the Migration Office, Switzerland and Bern University of Applied Science (HAFL) to incorporate agriculture value chain studies into the curriculum of Nigeria universities and colleges of agriculture.

Odedina noted that the CBAEN project, being supported by the Swiss Government was aimed at helping Nigerians by training them on agro-enterprising.

The target of the project is said to be the institutions of agriculture in Nigeria that is providing training on agricultural development.

It is expected that the project will help to provide agriculture value chain training to the students of these institutions.

The project, which New Telegraph learnt had started with its pilot phase between 2012 and 2013, has its second phase going on at the Federal College of Agriculture Akure and Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, Ilorin.

Other institutions in Nigeria that are also benefiting from the project are the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu and Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

The project is also said to have produced several master trainers in the area of agriculture value chain development with the trainers expected to train other people along the same line.

The Acting Executive Director, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, Ilorin, Dr. Femi Oladoni, who is one of the project management team members, also underscored the importance of value chain training in agriculture development.

He said that if the youths were given adequate practical and sustainable trainings on agriculture, the illegal migration in search of jobs outside the country would be reduced.

He stressed the need to imbibe the inspirations derived from the involvement of Swiss Government in the project.

According to him, the youths can be motivated to develop agriculture when conducive atmosphere is created for them.

Odedina said the project in the last two years had produced about 500 students, who are pioneers and already making money with the benefits of the value chain training.

On how to sustain the benefits of the project and ensure more progress, the provost said that FECA paraded a wealth of training resources needed for practical training in agribusiness and had successfully trained and empowered 7,500 categories of entrepreneurs, including youths on profitable agribusiness.

The project was also said to have exposed the students to various value chain opportunities of production, processing, value addition, marketing and consumption, which will enable them to be selfreliant and self-sustaining entrepreneurs.

The Migration Adviser, Embassy of

Switzerland in Nigeria, Mrs. Jolanda Pfister Herren, who represented the Ambassador, Mr. Eric Mayoraz,, said that the goals of the project were the development of a Nigerian-Swiss partnership in the field of agricultural education.

She also noted the project sought to improve agricultural education, curriculum development, exemplary value chain projects in schools and communities.

“The purpose of the second phase of the project is to mainstream in the curricula of different institutes the concept of value chain development.

This concept, if properly used and further developed, is a way to maximise the long-term the benefits of agricultural exploitation, and therefore create sustainable job opportunities in this field for Nigerian youth, she said.

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

Price 606-4 382-2 999-4 358.2 31.71 314-6 12.175 638-4 664-6

Change +12-2 +1-2 +1-2 -1.2 +0.40 +0-4 +0.035 +7-6 +5-4

Contract Mar 15 Mar 15 Jan 15 Jan 15 Jan 15 Mar 15 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14

Commodity Cotton #2 Orange Juice Coffee Sugar #11 Cocoa Lumber

Price 59.69 149.15 195.05 16.08 0 330.30

Change +0.22 +0.75 unch +0.03 +96 +0.30

Contract Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Mar 15 Dec 14 Jan 15

Price 170.325 231.850 90.700 18.39

Change +0.525 +2.025 -0.125 -0.04

Contract Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14

Softs

Time(ET) 11:04 11:04 11:04 11:04 11:04 10:41 11:03 11:04 11:04 11:04 10:57 11:04 11:04 11:04 11:04 11:03

Meats Commodity Live Cattle Feeder Cattle Lean Hogs Class III Milk

Time(ET) 11:04 11:04 11:04 11:00

Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price.

Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency.

Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

30

Environment Watch

ENACTMENT Government plans Water Resources Bill

Dayo Ayeyemi

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG mulls commercialisation of 12 River Basin Authorities

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f plan by the Federal Government to turnaround the fortunes of the 12 moribund river basins in the country is anything to go by, Nigerians may begin to witness an increase in aqua culture and crop production.

To make the plan a reality, President Mohammadu Buhari disclosed that his government would revive all the 12 River Basin Authorities in the country and also commercialise them.

Some of these scheme include Anambra – Imo, Benin – Owena, Chad Basin, Cross River, Hadejia – Jama, Lower Benue, Lower Niger, Niger Delta, Ogun – Osun, Sokoto – Rima, Upper Benue and Upper Niger River Basin Authorities.

Built over 30 years ago to support agriculture, power generation, water supply for public consumption and other usage, some of the river basins have been in a sorry state due to lack of maintenance and long abandonment, causing flooding in their immediate environment when they overflow.

Buhari stated that apart from reviving the rivers basin authorities , his intention is eventually to fully commercialise them to better support crop production, aqua –culture and accelerated rural development.

In his 56th independence

Flooded Ijoko community in Ogun State

anniversary speech, the president gave the assurance of his administration’s commitment to the revival of Lake Chad and improvement of the hydrology and ecology of the basin.

He said: “This will tune in with efforts to rehabilitate 30 million people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad basin countries.

He pointed out that the government had recognised that irrigation is key to modern agriculture, adding that this was the main reason for the creation Ministries of Agri-

Ogoni clean up: Group to generate broad database

F

ollowing an engagement with representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) ahead of the full implementation of the Ogoni clean-up, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), has commenced the process of generating a comprehensive database of graduates, contractors and artisans in the entire area.

River State President of MOSOP, Comrade Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, said in Port Harcourt.

He noted that the process of compiling a database of Ogoni professionals, graduates, skilled and unskilled personnel was necessary to assess human capacity and the level of training required for the engagement of Ogoni people for the clean-up exercise.

He said that the full implementation of the clean-up exercise is expected to be accompanied with sustainable livelihood programmes such as job creation, entrepreneurship development, training

and massive infrastructural development.

It would be recalled that in June 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari, launched the process to clean-up Ogoniland. This was followed by the inauguration of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) – the implementation framework set up by the Federal Government for the clean-up of Ogoniland and other impacted communities in the Niger Delta region.

Ahead of the fast approaching 22 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/ Conference of Parties (UNFCCC/ COP22) taking place in Marrakech, Morocco in November and the need to build capacity in Africa on the dynamics of climate science and policy so as to enable negotiators to make sciencebased decisions, a series of climate simulation trainings were recently held in Lagos and the capital city of Nigeria, Abuja.

culture and Water Resources.

Consequently, the president said that the government planned to introduce Water Resources Bill, that encompasses the National Water Resources Policy and National Irrigation and Drainage Policy to improve management of water and irrigation development in the country.

Besides, he also said that the government is embarking on a huge programme of development of lakes, earth

dams, and water harvesting schemes throughout the country to ensure that the nation is independent of rain-fed agriculture for food requirements On use of renewable energy for power generation, he said: “In the meantime, the government is going ahead with projects utilising alternate technologies such as hydro, wind, and solar to contribute to our energy mix. In this respect, the Mambilla Hydro project, after many years of delay is taking off this year. Contract

negotiations are nearing completion with Chinese firms for technical and financial commitments.

According to him, the project was going to be jointly financed by Nigeria and Chinese-Export-Import Bank.

“In addition, fourteen solar power projects have had their power purchase agreements concluded. Hence the plan to produce 1,200 megawatts of solar electricity for the country would be realised on schedule,” he said.

‘Most residents ignore flood warning signals’ Dayo Ayeyemi

D

espite various sensitisation programmes by governments warning citizens about the impending flood as predicted by agencies in charge, most residents did not heed to advice.

Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Bolaji Oyeleye, disclosed this to New Telegraph by phone.

He said most residents ignored warning signal, which has resulted in flooding of their homes.

He maintained that the state government, in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had earlier carried out awareness programmes to sensitise residents about the impending flood predicted by Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMET), but that most of them did not take to advice.

Oyeleye, who spoke against the background of the current flood ravaging communities such as Ibafo, Magboro, Isheri, Akute, Ajegunle, Owode Onirin and other neighbourhoods in both Ogun and Lagos states,

urged residents to relocate, saying the menace is yet to be over.

This newspaper learnt that the flood became worse when management of OgunOsun River Basin Authority released overflow from Oyan Dam, which has rendered several communities floating in the last one week.

To avert loss of lives, the commissioner also urged residents, who built houses in low-lying locations prone to water to relocate to upland areas. He added that his ministry is in contact with the management of Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority to work things out.

“People should relocate now because we don’t want to record loss of lives and properties,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents of Makoko Community have appealed to the Lagos State Government to assist in clearing clogged canals that has led to flooding in the area.

They said the drainage and canal had not been cleared by government since 2012, leading to flooding during rainy season, adding that the situation has brought un-

told hardship to residents.

Makoko community was established in the 18th century as a fishing village, eventually evolved into a community with about 500,000 estimated population under the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Patron, Community Development Association (CDA), Makoko, Salaudeen Idowu, said the plight of residents was exacerbated by increasing waste that had not been collected for over one month by LAWMA’s Private Sectors Participants (PSP) operators.

He alleged that the government was contributing to the problem of the community through sand filling of buildings and inaction to enforce demolition of buildings on canal pathway.

The flooded streets are: Falodun Street, Oluwatoyin Street, Olaide Street, Emmanuel Adan Street, Church Street, Igbehinadun Street and Makoko Road.

He urged the government to construct an improved canal within the community to reduce the occurrence of flooding.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

AutoBeat

V

olvo's cloud-based car-to-car communication system will be offered on all of its 90 series cars, including the new V90 Cross Country (shown).

Volvo will launch car-to-car communication in its top model line in Europe before the end of the year, joining Mercedes-Benz and Toyota on a shortlist of automakers offering systems that allow vehicles to exchange information, giving the driver advanced warning about poor road conditions or obstacles further ahead.

The Swedish automaker earlier this month released details on its of its cloud-based solution at the launch of the new V90 Cross Country, which it just one of the models that will offer the technology.

“All vehicles in the 90 series – the S90, V90 and XC90 -- will be equipped with it as of the end of this year,” Volvo Senior Vice President for Research and Development, Peter Mertens told Reuters.

Mercedes announced in January that the E class would be its first series-production model with fully integrated car-to-car communication. Mercedes’ sys-

Volvo flashes car-to-car.com tem is already active in combination with the Comand Online infotainment system and is available in 20 European markets, the U.S. and China.

Mercedes’ and Volvo’s technology differs from the sys-

tem that Toyota debuted in the Crown last year in Japan. Variants of Toyota's midsize luxury sedan that are equipped with its so-called intelligent transportation system (ITS) transmit data between cars and the infrastruc-

ture using a 760-megahertz frequency.

The Crown can “talk” with similarly equipped cars as well as receive warnings sent by emergency vehicles and information about a traffic light that

Enugu hosts Mercedes-Benz Service camp Paul Ogbuokiri

I

n close collaboration with the manufacturer of the Mercedes-Benz BrandDaimler AG, the After-sales Truck division of Weststar Associates Limited (Sole Authorized General Distributors of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria) and Tetralog Nigeria Limited (One of Weststar’s Authorized Dealers for Mercedes-Benz) recently organized a “Service Camp” for Truck Fleet Operators in Enugu and Lagos regions. This is part of the strategic directions aimed at achieving superior after-sales quality of service and enhancing customer relationship.

First implemented two years ago by Weststar, the service camps according to the General Manager of the After-Sales division Mr. Michael Bromberger, illustrate the benefits of the After-Sales Services to all valued Mercedes-Benz clients and prospects, as Truck owners get to enjoy free general vehicle inspections and diagnostic checks.

“Mercedes-Benz trucks are known for their reliability and efficiency worldwide so customers have similar high expectations in regards to service and genuine Mercedes-Benz parts availability. To fulfill these

expectations, we have setup a strong countrywide dealer network across the country. It is the first time a service camp has taken place in the Enugu region

by Tetralog Nigeria Limited, one of our dealerships for MercedesBenz trucks.

The service camps are also supported by Daimler AG with a technical truck specialist called “Flying Doctor”, a highly qualified technician who is operative around the World. Working together with a Flying Doctor from Daimler was indeed a highlight for the technical team at Weststar, Tetralog and technicians of the customers as well. Present at the event was a film crew of Daimler for media coverage which will be used for a documentary (titled “Road Stars”) showcasing the Mercedes-Benz Trucks in the different operational environments worldwide.”

There was a presentation of genuine parts side-by-side counterfeits to showcase their disparities and further emphasize how imperative it is to stick to the use of original spare parts, as this guarantees the safety and longevity of the Mercedes-Benz products. The Service Camp is one of the many important milestones achieved at targeting high customer satisfaction.

is about to change from the transportation infrastructure.

Volvo’s solution, which it codeveloped with Swedish telecom company Ericsson, will be able to send and receive warnings on slick roads and other hazards.

The slippery-road alert is activated based on road-friction information from the car’s steering, braking and acceleration sensors.

The other warning is activated when the hazard lights are used, giving connected motorists a pre-warning about oncoming problems or a vehicle that is stuck in a dangerous position.

“We use a cloud-based system so we don’t need to have a direct link between the vehicles,” Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said while presenting the technology. “It allows us to analyze the information and to look for the ideal distribution to other cars.”

A data connection to the internet in the car is required for the system to work.

Customers can rely on the tech“Since inception of the technical expertise of the Mercedes- nical training department, WestBenz professionals for high star has successfully trained quality maintenance and repair over 500 participants involved services. This will ultimately with the use of Mercedes-Benz contribute to the building and vehicles such as customers, sustenance of a stronger work- drivers and staff. We believe it’s horse fleet for Mercedes-Benz a great step towards reducing truck owners in the Nigerian unemployment by educating commercial sector. and encouraging youths to take The technicians are regularly up technical career paths in the qualified by certified trainers future”– Mirko Plath (CEO/MD, of the Mercedes-Benz manufac- Weststar Associates). turer (Daimler AG) and Weststar The Service Camp holds bianat our own in-house training nually and its frequency could departments both in Lagos and be increased depending on cusAbuja. These technical trainings tomer requests. which also involve our customers is to keep all stakeholders up-todate with the developing trends and evolving technologies in the automotive industry.

Weststar offers successful driver trainings and technical trainings that are unique to the Mercedes-Benz brand as a very important tool in regards to the reduction of the total cost of ownership and has built up nationwide parts logistic centers to enable swift delivery of genuine spare parts and reduce the downtime of trucks out of operation. The use of servicing equipment being demostrated to some of the participants at the 'Service Camp' at Enugu recently

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

EXHORTATION “O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient onewith information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” (Quran 49:6)

Islam UNDERSTAND YOUR FAITH

Virtues of Muharram and Fasting on ‘Ashura’ QUESTION What are the virtues fasting on day of Ashura day?

5 Muharram, 1438 AH

Controversy trails Muharram 1 declaration in Nigeria

ANSWER

According to the Umm ul-Qura calendar and the decision of Saudi Arabia, 1st Muharram will be on 2 October 2016. Ashura (10th Muharram 1438H) will therefore be on Tuesday 11 October 2016 CE. Allah’s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month.

It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein …“ Al-Qur’an 9:36 Abu Bakarah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha’ban.”

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity. Allah’s words (interpretation of the meaning): “ ... so wrong not yourselves therein …“ mean do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said that this phrase referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.

Qatadah said concerning this phrase that wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He will. Allah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers.

He chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr).

CONTINUE Next WEEK

A cross-section of the members of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Iyanna Ipaja branch, during the Islamic New Year (Hijrah 1438AH) in Lagos.

FASTING Cleric underscores importance of fasting on the 10th of Muharram, day of Aashoorah Adeola Yusuf

C

ontroversy has trailed the declaration of Monday 3rd of October as 1st day of Muharram 1438 in Nigeria.

An Islamic organisation known as JIBWIS has earlier announced the date crediting it to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, contrary to Sunday, 2 nd of October declared by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

An Islamic scholar, Alhaji Abdullah, raised concern at a social media forum being moderated by Muslim Right Concerns (MURIC), expressing confusion on which of the two dates was correct.

“Sir, we received a massage from JIBWIS that the Sultan had declared Monday 03/10/2016 as 1st day of Muharram 1438. Which of d two versions should we accept,” he said.

Another member, Abba

Abana, however stated that days like first of Muharram could be different from country to country and from continent to continent.

“Except the Arafat day, which is uniform throughout the World of Ummah, other days vary from one country to the other and from one continent to another,” he said to clear the air.

He continued: “Assalamu alaikum. May Allah protect Us from Mis-Guidance. Muslim Calendar and observing New Year particularly Muharram

announcement is the topic for discussion here. The new moon for the month of Muharram was seen yesterday, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, in Saudi Arabia.

“Therefore Sunday was the 1st of the sacred month of Muharram 1438AH corresponding to Sunday, October 2, 2016.

“The day of Aashoorah (10th Muharram) will be Tuesday 11th October 2016. Note that the Sunnah is to fast the 10th of Muharram along with a day before or a day after; hoping by it that Allaah forgives a year of sins.

“The Prophet (sal allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said regarding fasting the Day of Aashoorah: “I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.” [Saheeh Muslim] He continued: “It is importatnt to note that as for other celebrations, observing periods of mourning and holding mehfils - such action are from the innovations that people have introduced into Islaam.

On observing the Islamic New Year, Abbana said; “At the end of Thul-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, some Muslims begin sharing messages with each other, with reminders to end the year with good deeds and begin the new year with obedience. Some observe the time as an opportunity for repentance and “setting things right”, similar to how the non-Muslims enter their new year by making “New Year’s resolutions”.

“Others may even go so far as to celebrate the event with special greetings, acts of worship like fasting, or festive gatherings.

“A question was posed to the Standing Committee for Fatwaa in Saudi Arabia about this issue, and their response was that It was not permissible to congratulate people on these occasions, since observing/ celebrating them is not legislated.”

Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan, one of the committee’s longstanding members, and widely recognized senior authority in Islamic verdicts, was, according to Abbana asked, “There are some people who specify the year’s end as a time for special advice, admonitions or supplications. Are these actions correct?”

He -may Allaah preserve him- replied that no, “this is bid’ah (innovation), it is not permissible to specify the end of the Hijri year as a holiday, or as a time for specific greetings, phrases of remembrance, or supplications.

“This is not permissible.

The Salaf (early rightly-guided generations of Muslim predecessors) did not do this.”

‘Enemies of Islam behind extremism allegation against OAU MSSN’

T

he Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State, insisted at the weekend that its members were law abiding citizens and not terrorists.

It said this in reaction to claims made by some people that the MSSN members were extremists and used female students as sex slaves.

Secretary-General of the association, Gbolahan Yusuf, said in a statement that the allegations were made by people seeking to cause disunity among Muslims in the institution.

The statement said: “Yes, religious prejudice reigns supreme in our society, but are we not old and educated enough to eschew some parochial views? That you hold views we don’t share

means you should engage in blatant slur?

Our religion says: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin.”

The statement said that the MSSN condemned extremism, in all its ramifications, and other bad ideologies on the campus.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Chameleon

Crime

'Gospel singer' caught stealing SUV at Winners’ Church

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Inhumanity 'How police tortured, remanded me in prison'

Betrayal ‘Why I threatened to kill, kidnap my employers’

35 36

‘I robbed pastor because he’s rich, but stingy’ Merit Mbah

R

obin Hood is known to many as an outlaw that usually robs from the rich, to give to the

poor.

In Nigeria, Lawrence Anini, a notorious armed robber, who terrorized the country, especially the present Edo State in the 1980s, was the first known Nigeria Robin Hood. He stole repeatedly from the rich to give to the poor.

Today, Mr. Ola Suleiman, 29, a suspected armed robber, told police that he usually robbed to give to the poor. He sees himself as the modern day Robin Hood.

His words: “I don’t spend my money alone! God is my witness; whenever I steal, I share with poor and hungry people. I hope to become very rich someday and help hungry people because hunger is the worst thing that can happen to a person.”

Detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command are still quizzing him. Suleiman, residing at Abbatoir, Agege area of Lagos State, was arrested on September 18, 2016, for armed robbery.

He was arrested after he went with two of his partners, to rob a Christ Apostolic Church pastor’s house in Ijaiye. He stole money, laptop, phone and jewelry.

He confessed to have robbed the pastor because the cleric was rich, but stingy. The pastor lives on the suspect’s street.

After the robbery operation, Suleiman left the building, got to the gate and became confused. He said everywhere looked strange.

He said it was like he missed his way; he couldn’t

JULIANA FRANCIS CRIME Editor

juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Suleiman

fathom what happened to him.

Although it was his street, he said he didn’t know where he was anymore. His partners ran off, leaving him. He was standing at the gate, wondering where he was and where to go, when police came to pick him.

Suleiman said that he attended Moshood Abiola Primary School and Egba High School.

He, however, didn’t finish his secondary school education because of the death of his mother. He dropped out

I have noticed he’s very wealthy, but stingy. I hate people who have, but cannot give

in Junior Secondary School (JSS2).

He said that after his mother passed away, his dad remarried and abandoned him. The situation was made worse by the fact that Suleiman didn’t get along with his step-mum. He started fending for himself and soon embraced the world of crime.

He said: “After robbing the house, I couldn’t find my way out of the house. I was arrested. I used to pass this pastor’s house every time. I have noticed he’s very wealthy, but

stingy. I hate people who have, but cannot give. So, I got my eyes fixed on him and his movements. I wanted to know the right time to hit him. One day, I was hungry and cashless. I decided to stroll around our street, to see if I could get something to eat. I noticed the pastor’s gate was open; I saw beggars asking him for alms, but he turned them away. I became very sad. I made up my mind to steal from him before the week runs out.”

He said that immediately he made up his mind to steal from the pastor, he got two of his friends involved. The date of the robbery was set for September 18, 2016.

Recollecting the robbery, he said: “We didn’t hurt anyone.

We just went in, collected money and some valuables we felt would fetch us money and left.

But I got very confused when I got outside. I couldn’t find my way anymore. Everywhere looked very confusing to me.

My friends even left me; till date, my friends are yet to be found. In the midst of my confusion, I was caught and taken to the police station.”

Suleiman said that although he had been stealing for long, this was the first time he would be arrested.

He confessed to have started robbing since 2012. He said he had lost count of the numbers of people he had robbed.

He added: “I started robbing after my mother died. I had to take care of myself. If my mum was alive, I’m very sure I wouldn’t have become a thief. My father is a commercial bus driver. I don’t hope to take over from him because the bus is very old.

He inherited the bus from his father. Since I started robbing, I have never killed anyone. I just go on operation with a machete and a pipe; I fashioned the pipe into a gun to scare people, so that they would cooperate.”

He further said that he didn’t use to wear face mask to go for operations. He said he had been robbing for so long, that it no longer feels like a crime.

He narrated: “After I was arrested, the pastor was invited to identify the robbers; he just pointed at me. I didn’t argue because I knew I did it to help myself and other hungry people in the community.”

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CRIME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

'Gospel singer' caught stealing SUV at Winners’ Church Taiwo Jimoh

W

hen 22-year-old Mr. Samuel S u n d ay walked into the Living Faith Church, popularly known as ‘Winners Chapel,’ located at Sango-Otta, Ogun State, last week Sunday, many thought he came to worship God. Nobody knew he came into the worship centre to steal a car.

Thus, while others were singing and praising God, Sunday was frantically searching for the perfect vehicle to steal.

The perfect vehicle would be one, whose owner forgot the gate pass inside the car.

Whenever church members were driving into the church premises, security guards at the gate would give them a gate pass.

Nobody is allowed to drive in or out of the church premises without the gate pass.

Sunday was almost giving up hope of ever finding the perfect car, when he chanced on a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). The owner, apparently in a hurry, left the gate pass in the car.

The hunter crowed joyfully.

He had successfully broken into the car and was struggling to undo the security device of the

Sunday

car, in order to turn on the ignition, when a woman sighted and watched him. When he noticed the woman, he smiled sheepishly, grimaced at himself and

said: “I have lost my car key.”

He didn’t know the woman was the owner of the car.

Needless to say, Sunday was whisked away by policemen

from Obasanjo Police Station, Ogun State.

After his arrest, Sunday blamed everything on his action, including his father’s early demise and devil.

The police said: “Sunday broke one of the rear glasses of the SUV and forced himself into the driver’s seat. He was battling with the security device in the vehicle, when he was discovered.”

The owner of the car, who refused to give her name, said: “It happened last week Sunday. We had just finished the fourth service and decided to eat at the restaurant. We were still at the restaurant, when one of our neighbours called that we should wait for him. He said he wanted to drive home with us. I told one of my daughters to go and wait for our neighbour at the point we parked our car. When she got there, she saw the young man and rushed back to tell us.”

The woman continued: “Initially, the suspect didn’t know that the vehicle was ours. He told us that heowned the vehicle and that he had lost his key.”

Sunday, who claimed to be 19-year-old and later 22, described himself as a gospel singer. He also described himself as an undergraduate and a driver.

He said: “I don t know what came over me. I wanted to take the vehicle home. It has been long I left home. I’m behaving this way because my father died when I was very young. I have not gone to my mother’s house in Lamgbasa, Ajah for some time. I have been staying with my nephew. I wanted to go back home with the vehicle.”

A police source at Obasanjo Police Station, said: "The suspect is a car thief ! We recovered wraps of Indian hemp from him. He went to the church just for the purpose of stealing a car from the park.

We found out that he had moved round the parking lot before he finally saw the SUV. The owner left the gate pass inside the vehicle. He wouldn’t have been allowed to drive the vehicle out of the premises without the gate pass.”

I claimed to be cultist during police Farida Mohammed

A

17-year-old boy, Seun Alonge, said that he had to lie he was a cultist in order to ensure that policemen attached to Isokoko Police Station didn’t flog him to death.

Alonge said that he didn’t commit any crime, but was dragged to police station, where he was repeatedly flogged and accused of being a cultist.

He said that the flogging was so much that he feared he would die if he didn’t confess what they wanted to hear.

Thus, he told the police he was a member of the Awawa boys’ cult group.

Alonge said: “While I was at the police station, the police flogged me mercilessly. They told me to confess I was a cult member. The flogging was too much. I feared they would flog me to death.

I lied to them that I was a member of 'Awawa' cult group. I didn’t

want to die in the hands of the police.”

Alonge was arrested along with Abdulateef Olonode, 19, who earns a living by selling tickets to commercial bus driver.

The police alleged that the teenagers were ar rested for stealing N82, 000 and a small Nokia phone belonging to a complainant.

Recalling how he was arrested, Alonge said: “It all started on September, 29, 2016. I was heading to the football field around Agege, with my friends, Abdulateef and Tunde, when suddenly my friends started fighting.

I noticed Abdulateef was fighting with a man who was building his shop. The man later discovered that while they were fighting, someone took N82, 000 and small Nokia phone from his pocket.”

When the man discovered that his money and phone were missing, he accused the boys. The commotion attracted a lot of people.

Abdulateef and Alonge

CRIME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Camillus Nnaji

M

r. Onyekachi Mbazuigwe has revealed his harrowing experience in the hands of policemen attached to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Edo State.

Mbazuigwe, 36, said that he was arrested, tortured and remanded in prison for a crime he didn’t commit or know anything about. He said his sojourn in prison, however, opened his eyes to many atrocities, especially incarceration of minors with hardened criminals and suspected armed robbers.

He said: “I’ve been through hell.

There are too many innocent people in prison. Something should be done about them. There are also too many minors in prison, sharing prison with criminals. It’s not good.”

According to him, even though the court has acquitted him, he still continues to have nightmares and memories of policemen hanging him mid air, with his hands and legs tied behind him.

While thanking his lucky star for being alive to narrate his ordeal, he said he wouldn’t rest until he finds justice. He said justice means suing the Nigeria Police Force. He also wants the policemen that arrested and tortured him to admit they made a mistake and apologise.

Mbazuigwe’s troubles started in February 2014. He was arrested by the Edo State Police Command on allegation that he stole a Toyota Camry car, valued at N600,000.

It would later be discovered that the car in question was stolen in 2013, thus, there was no way Mbazuigwe could have stolen the same car in 2014.

On September 23, 2016, 31 months after his detention in prison, Edo State Magistrates Court 7, dismissed the charges against Mbazuigwe, stressing that the submissions of the police prosecutor lacked logicality.

Mbazuigwe, a father of three, who studied Mechanical Engineering at Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, urged

'How police tortured, remanded me in prison'

Mbazuigwe

the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to investigate and find out the number of innocent people unlawfully arrested, detained and tortured by policemen.

torture –Boy, 17 Some of the people that gathered dragged the parties to the Baale of the community, at Isale Oja side of Agege. They hoped the matter would be resolved there.

Alonge said: ''Although I wasn’t among those fighting, I still went with them to the Baale’s place. I wanted to find out what was going to happen.

When Abdulateef saw me there, he instructed me to go and call his wife. It was at that point that the Baale saw me and ordered me to kneel down with others.

“The Baale said he would arrest and also take me with others to Isokoko Police Station at Agege. The victim later came forward to testify that I was innocent. The man said I wasn’t among the boys who stole his property, but the Baale wouldn’t listen.”

Stating his own side of the story, Olonode said that he had been married to his 18-year-old

35

wife now for three years. He said his wife was once pregnant, but the baby died at childbirth.

He added: “I was going to the football field, with my friends, when I saw my friend, Idowu.

I didn’t know Idowu was working with the man. I called Idowu out of the shop, but much to my surprise, the man stormed out of the shop, furious. He challenged me; He asked why I dared call out Idowu without acknowledging his presence.’

Rather than for Olonode to apologise and greet, he spoke rudely to the man.

Olonode said: “That was how we started fighting. The man later discovered that my friend, Tunde, had removed N82,000 and a Nokia phone from his pocket.

Tunde wanted to escape, but he was caught.

He was taken to the Baale’s place. It was from there we were moved to the police station. We’re not cultists. We are fought.”

Recounting his experience with melancholy, Mbazuigwe said: “I was suspended mid-air, hanging upside down by officers of the SCID. I was left hanging for an hour. I was beaten mercilessly for a crime I never committed. I was a victim of unforeseen circumstances; I was framed by a certain girl whom I had never met.”

He said the genesis of his trouble started when his phone rang one day. When he picked, it was a lady.

He told her that it was a wrong number, but she said it was okay. She said they could be friends. Since then, the lady would call Mbazuigwe occasionally.

He recounted: “The first time she called me, she told me she was from Awomama in Imo State. She said her name was Kelechi. I asked whether she knew me before, she said no. She said she wanted us to be communicating. I asked her age; she said 17. I told her that I was married and had three kids. I guessed she should be in secondary school.

But she had said it didn’t matter.

She continued to call me for about four days.

“On the fifth day, she said her sister would be coming to Lagos to buy clothes from Aswani market, in Lagos. She begged me to pick and accommodate her sister. I was angry with her and switched off my phone. When I later switched on my phone, she called again. She said I should assist her sister. She said her sister was not familiar with Lagos.

After much persuasion, I accepted to lodge her sister.”

Immediately he made up his mind to assist, Mbazuigwe gave his home address to Kelechi.

He was at home one day, when a taxi drew up in front of his home at Bajulaye Street, Somolu Lagos. The taxi was followed by an Audi car.

He initially thought the lady in the car was Kelechi’s sister, but later discovered it was Kelechi, the lady that had been calling him for days.

He and Kelechi were standing, attempting to reintroduce each other, when four armed men came out from the Audi car and grabbed him.

He was confused. When the policemen grabbed him, Kelechi looked at him and said she was sorry.

Mbazuigwe said: “They took me to Alade Police Station at Balogun Street, Somolu. I asked what I did; they said I stole a Camry car in Benin. Right in front of the policemen, I asked Kelechi if she had met me before, she said no. She told me she used a SIM card of her friend to call my number. According to her, police were conducting a search on her call log and saw my phone number. The funniest thing was that the policemen never conducted an investigation. They didn’t grill the girl well enough, to know who I was. I was whisked away to Benin SCID.” He said that the torture meted out on him in 15 days was quite dehumanising.

“I was beaten to stupor. It took more than a month for blood to circulate well again in my body.”

“They tortured and dehumanised me because they wanted me to admit to stealing a Camry car. They also kept searching my phone.

They saw phone numbers that had been calling me often, to know my whereabouts. The callers were my brothers and friends. The policemen attempted to rope them into my trouble. They said the callers were my gang members. I was tortured for 15 days in Benin Police Command, he said.”

The case was later charged to court. Two days before the court sitting, the police dragged him to court.

He said: “They took me to court, just to ensure my lawyer was not available to seek for my bail. They succeeded with that ploy.”

After several hearings at the court, he was eventually granted bail on the condition that he should keep coming to court in Benin every month.

He said: “I spent about N4 million, moving from Lagos to Benin on this case, for close to three years. Finally, I was vindicated when the magistrate cited a submission made as erroneous. Kelechi said I visited her with the car in December 2014, but the said car was stolen in 2013. Again, in the course of this, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) never tendered the particulars or proof of ownership of the said car. The magistrates said I have been consistent in the court all these years.

He struck out the case on September 23, 2016.”

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CRIME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Merit Mbah

A

suspect arrested for threatening his employers with death and kidnap if they didn’t pay certain amount of money into his bank account, said he did it to teach the couple a lesson.

The suspect, Sunday Eloco, 29, allegedly conspired with his friend, Dauda Timothy 29, to threaten Mr. Kenneth and his wife into paying money to them.

Police have described the move as another form of blackmail, using fear as a weapon.

The suspects sent threatening messages to the couple, vowing to kill or kidnap either of them, if they didn’t pay the money demanded.

The couple didn’t know that those threatening them were their former driver and a security guard to their neighbour.

Eloco is a former driver to Kenneth. Timothy, who assisted Eloco to carry out the threat, used to work as a security guard to the Kenneth's neighbour.

According to Eloco, he started threatening the couple via SMS, after he left their employment.

He said he vowed to teach them a lesson because Kenneth’s wife had the effrontery to slap him.

Eloco has been working with Kenneth for four years before things began to fall apart. Remembering their first threatening text messages, Eloco said they demanded for N1million.

Timothy said: “We told them that if they didn’t send the N1m, one of them would be kidnapped.

Mr. Kenneth said the amount was too much. He promised to send N50,000.”

Timothy and Eloco agreed that it was better to first accept the N50,000. Timothy thus, sent his Ecobank detail. The money was immediately wired to him.

Police said: “Aside from his account details, every other information about him was false. He has several SIM cards and never used any twice. After they collected the first money, they took a break, but later started disturbing the man again. This time, they threatened

Timothy and Eloco

‘Why I threatened to kill, kidnap my employers’ lSuspect: My boss’ wife slapped me to kill Kenneth’s wife if he didn’t send N150,000. When we asked Sunday why he was blackmailing and threatening the couple, he said Kenneth’s wife once slapped him on a Sunday.”

The constant threat made the

couple to become paranoid.

They stopped sleeping in their home, fearful of being attacked.

Kenneth knew they couldn’t continue to live in fear for the rest of their lives,

Father of three accused of rape Emeka Maduabuchi

T

Eze

he Lagos State Police Command has arrested 24-yearold Efe Eze, after a lady accused him of raping her at the Ijesha area of the metropolis.

Eze, a father of three, has however denied the allegation leveled against him by the 18-year-old complainant. According to him, he only defrauded her some money, but didn't rape her.

The suspect further said that there was no way he could have raped the victim, because he met and defrauded her on the road.

His words: “I didn’t rape her. Police gave her papers to go to hospital for examination and the result states negative. It was discovered I didn’t rape her. Aside from the police station, I have only met her on the road. How could I possibly rape her on the road, in broad daylight? I even tried to refund her money, but she refused to accept it. My family has been begging her, but she re-

fused to listen to all pleas.”

Eze said he was formerly a trader, before he switched over to advancefee fraud. According to him, the switch in business became necessary because of the prevalent harsh economic condition in Nigeria.

The suspect was arrested by the police after he was reported by the 18-year-old lady. He however insisted that he only defrauded her N4800, around the Ijegun area of Lagos.

Revealing his modus operandi, Eze said: “I move around busy roads, looking for gullible people.

Once I sight a target, I try to convince the person that I have some goods, which I wish to sell. If the person buys the story, he would give me money to supply the goods. Once I collect the money, I would run away.

The person would no longer be able to reach or find me.”

When asked if he ever coerced anyone into giving him money, he said: "Not really. We only tell people that we have goods to sell. We don't use guns.

We only sweet-talk victims whom we feel have money.”

so, he took the Ecobank details of Timothy and went to Ajah Police Station.

Timothy was the first to be arrested. But his partner in crime, Eloco, became very elusive. Police decided to lure him in.

He was sent a message, to come for a job interview for the post of a driver. The text message, also has the venue where the job was taking place. Without thinking twice about it, Eloco went to the designated address. He walked into the waiting hands of policemen.

Eloco said: “I served my boss faithfully for years. He didn’t want to settle me. The wife had the gut to slap me. I didn’t want trouble; that was why I left the job. I started looking for another one, but my mind was made up to get everything I lost while serving them. I told Dauda about it and he agreed to help me.”

Eloco continued: “I have a charm, which I normally use when I’m driving. The charm used to save me from accident.

The charm is actually a red cloth.

I got the cloth and asked Dauda to call my boss. We told him that we would keep the red cloth somewhere.

We told him to put the money at the exact place he sees the red cloth. We just wanted to scare him; I was yet to place the cloth before I was invited for the job

BUSINESS | Money Line

friDAY, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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IMF: Nigeria, others to enjoy zero interest rates can access long time concessionary facilities from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at zero interest rate, as the Fund has introduced zero interest rates on all its concessional facilities until 2018.

The Managing Director, IMF, Ms Christine Lagarde, disclosed this yesterday at the ongoing IMF/ World Bank 2016 General Meeting in Washington D.C. She said that after

BOOST The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has received pledges of $ 344 billion from 26 members Stories Tony Chukwunyem

N

igeria alongside others with economic challenges

the duration (2018), IMF would maintain low interest rates around the world.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has been negotiating to borrow from multilateral institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank to fund capital projects in the country.

Lagarde said: “If we want to address the inequality issues, we need to have a strong interna-

CBN okays rules for granting liquid asset status to state govts’ sukuk

A

s part of efforts to enhance the diversification of sources of funding for development at the sub-national levels, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved “Guidelines for granting liquid asset status to Sukuk instruments issued

by State Governments”.

In a circular posted on its website yesterday, the apex bank stated that for sukuk issued by state governments to be granted liquid asset status: “the Sukuk issuance shall be backed by a law enacted by the relevant State House of Assembly, specifying that a sinking fund to be fully funded from

the consolidated revenue fund account of the state be established.”

It further stated that the state government must have a fiscal responsibility law, with provisions for public debt management, in order to enhance investor confidence, adding that the state government should also establish a debt management department in order to ensure transparency and professional management of debt issues.

Furthermore, it stated that such Sukuk shall, at inception and throughout its tenor, be of investment grade as determined by a rating agency accredited by the Securities and

Exchange Commission (SEC).

The regulator also directed that repayment structure for the sukuk must be from a funded sinking fund account (supported by a legislated Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) and/or

G

lobal foreign exchange (forex) dealer, Travelex, will today disburse a total of $45million dollars to licensed Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators in the country..

President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, who disclosed this yester-

tional safety net. In this context, I am pleased to note that our board has approved zero interest rates on all fund concessional facilities until 2018.

“This is really important for low-income countries to be able to actually absorb the shocks without necessarily going to the international markets or relying on bilateral lending that can be far expensive,’’ she said.

The IMF boss also disother legislated sources of repayments disclosed in the offer documents).

According to the CBN: “the Accountant General of such States must issue an Irrevocable Letter of Authority to deduct at source from the statutory allocation due to the state, approved by the Federal Minister of Finance, in the event of default by or failure of the state to meet its payment obligations.”

day, said that Travelex will disburse $15,000 to each of the 3,000 registered BDC operators, adding that with each of the 3,000 BDCs getting $15,000 each, $45 million will flow into the system today.

Gwadabe commended the CBN for authorising Travelex to take responsi-

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 August, 2016 26/07/2016 Mar 2015 6/10/2016 4/10/2016

I

Source:CBN

Description 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.50 22-JAN-2026 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

FGN Bonds

TTM

Price 104.65 114.59 111.96 120.58 109.60 100.54 83.82 97.56

1.07 3.24 3.87 5.82 7.95 9.81 14.31 18.29

NIBOR

Rate (%) 4.4583 9.1071 11.0102 12.3790

Bid Yield 10.38 10.55 11.60 11.44 12.27 12.40 12.44 12.49

Change (%) -2.50 ▼ -0.74 ▼ -0.65 ▼ -0.68 ▼

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

Price 104.80 114.89 112.26 120.88 109.90 100.84 84.12 97.86

Tenor (Months)

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

NITTY

Rate (%) 6.9949 7.2368 8.0819 9.2061 9.5872 10.5042

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Offer Yield 10.24 10.45 11.51 11.38 12.22 12.34 12.39 12.44

Change (%) 1.12 ▲ -0.27 ▼ -0.17 ▼ -0.11 ▼ 0.03 ▲ 0.42 ▲

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 7.67 7.82 -0.51 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 3.83 30-Jun-16 7.92 8.08 -0.51 ▼ 6-Oct-16 8.59 8.34 8.71 -0.31 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 4.33 8.99 -0.31 ▼ 16-Mar-17 9.36 10.28 -0.07 ▼ 9.11 9.98 -0.07 ▼

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.14

FX

Offer 199.24

Change (%) 0.57 ▲

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016 Spot($/N)

196.00

197.00

0.00 ↔

Yields on treasury bills fall at auction

Y

ields on Nigeria’s short-dated treasury bills fell across the board at an auction last Wednesday, when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold bills worth N129.67 billion according to Reuters.

A total of N28 billion of 3-month paper was sold at 13.90 per cent compared with 14 per cent at the September 21 auction, CBN data

showed yesterday.

The apex bank sold N33.49 billion of 6-month debt at 17.09 per cent after 17.27 per cent previously. It also sold N68.18 billion of 1-year bills at 18.25 per cent, lower than 18.30 per cent at the previous auction.

Total subscriptions stood at N311.40 billion compared with N399.71 billion at last month’s auction.

bility of disbursing huge dollar inflows from the Diaspora estimated at $21 billion annually to BDCs. He said the development, would deepen dollar liquidity in the system and strengthen the naira against the dollar.

The local currency had been on a free fall

on the parallel market in recent weeks, losing about 15 per cent of its value to drop to a record low of N490/dollar at some point.

Gwadabe said the experience and integrity of Travelex would be key in getting the dollars to BDCs.

Heritage Bank sponsors African Fashion, Design Week Expo

As at N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 17.61 14 10.77 US$49.9 US$24,420,580,178

She said the first line being quota; second, new agreements to borrow and the third, bilateral loans. Lagarde said that IMF had so far received pledges of $ 344 billion from 26 members. She said that with strong, comprehensive, consistent and coordinated action, countries could achieve more inclusive growth.

Travelex to sell $45m to BDCs today

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

closed that the board had agreed to also maintain the overall lending capacity of close to one trillion dollars by extending access to bilateral borrowing agreements. She said that the new agreements, which would be signed this week, would run at least through the end of 2019, and would continue to serve as a third line of defence.

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -1.75 ▼ -2.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

n line with its strategic plan of identifying and supporting Micro, Small and Medium scale Enterprises (MSMEs), Heritage Bank Plc is sponsoring the 5th edition of the African Fashion and Design Week (AFDW) 2016, themed “Be Inspired.”

AFDW 2016, which will take place from today, October 7 to Sunday October 9, 2016 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, is a total fashion package that will include a 2-Day Runway Show and a Fashion of Business Seminar.

The runway, according to a statement from the bank, shows will feature eclectic collections from established and emerging African designers such as Weiz Dhurum Franklyn (Nigeria), Sunny Rose (Nigeria), Nallem Clothing (Ghana), Gavin Rajah (South Africa), Kahindo (Congo/USA), Mustafa Hassanali (Tanzania) and many more.

The Divisional Head, Corporate Communications of the bank, Olusola LongeOkenimkpe, said in a statement that the Business of Fashion Seminar is designed to provide a platform for young aspiring fashion designers and allied interests like hair and make-up art-

ists, stylists and wardrobe managers, casting managers fashion photographers, set designers, backstage managers, entertainment managers among others, to learn the basic foundation of building a fashion brand and make a fulfilling career out of it.

According to Longe-Okenimkpe, the seminar, which comes up at 2.00p.m. today (Friday), will feature such emerging and celebrated fashion names in Africa as designers Jamil Walji from Kenya Africaine Nana from Ghana , make-up artist Marco of New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week She noted, “fashion being part of our African heritage, it is only reasonable that we support platforms that will further our philosophy of helping young people and small enterprises to create, preserve and transfer wealth in order to engender a viable and sustainable economy.”

Longe-Okenimkpe, however, stated that new and emerging fashion designers will also get the opportunity to learn and review the important elements of supply chain management and production at The Business for Fashion Seminar, which would be anchored by the bank.

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BUSINESS |Financial Market News

friDAY, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

friDAY, october 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

39

Kenya beats Nigeria in stock trading for first time DRAB The value of shares traded on Nigeria’s exchange fell to $139 million

Stories by Chris Ugwu

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nvestors put more money into Kenyan stocks than Nigeria’s for the first time on record in September.

According to Bloomberg chart obtained by New Telegraph, the value of shares traded on Nigeria’s exchange fell to $139 million, near the lowest since Bloomberg began compiling such data in 2009, as foreign investors shunned an economy battered by militant attacks on oil facilities and shortages of foreign-exchange.

In Kenya, with an economy

an eighth the size of Nigeria’s but set to grow almost 6 per cent this year, the value rose 4.2 per cent from August to $152 million.

Meanwhile, Nigerian equities yesterday rebounded on resumed bargain hunting activities, as overall performance measures, NSE ASI and market capitalisation, revved by 0.08 per cent each halting two days losing streak.

Consequently, the AllShare Index gained 22.5 basis points or 0.08 per cent to close at 28,031.90 basis points as against 28,009.40 recorded the previous day, while the market capitalisation of equities appreciated by N8 billion or 0.08 per cent to close at N9.628 trillion from N9.620 trillion as market sentiment returned on green zone.

Meanwhile, a turnover of 348.8 million shares exchanged

Access Bank plans to sell 19% stake in Ghana unit

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ccess Bank Plc plans to sell a stake of about 19 per cent in its Ghana unit in an initial public offering that will begin before the end of the year.

According to Bloomberg News, the lender is seeking to raise at least 104 million cedis ($26 million) issuing shares at 4 cedis each, Jacob Aidoo, the head of issuers at the Securities and Exchange Commission, said by phone from Accra yesterday.

Access Bank Ghana Limited can sell stock representing as much as 32 per cent of the company if demand outstrips supply, he said.

“We have approved everything,” Aidoo said. “The bank wants to boost capital so they can do bigger business.”

The company plans to list the securities on the Ghana Stock Exchange, Aidoo said. Access Bank Ghana Managing Director Dolapo Ogundimu wasn’t im-

mediately available to comment, while African Alliance Securities Limited, which is advising on the transaction, didn’t immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

Access Bank Plc reported 26.21 per cent growth in profit after tax for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016.

The unaudited first quarter 2016 financial results released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that the bank’s profit after tax (PAT) for the period rose to N39.489 billion, representing a 26.21 per cent y/y growth when compared to N31.287 billion in Q2 2015.

Profit before tax (PAT) was up 27.89 per cent y/y to N50.022 billion in half year 2016 from N39.113 billion in Q2 2015.

Gross earnings for the period under review stood at N174.069 billion in H1 2016, up 3.22 per cent y/y from N168.641 billion in H1 2015.

in 3,366 deals was recorded in the day’s trading.

Banking sub-sector of the financial services sector was the most active (measured by turnover volume) with 180.3 million shares exchanged by investors in 979 deals.

Volume in the subsector was largely driven by activities in

the shares of Access Bank Plc and Fidelity Bank Plc. Other financial institutions sub-sector boosted by activities in the shares of FCMB Plc and Custodian and Allied Plc followed with a turnover of 75.4 million shares in 381 deals.

The number of gainers at the close of trading session

was 20 while decliners closed at 23.

Conoil Plc led the gainers’ table with 8.79 per cent to close at N35.90 per share, while Seven Up Plc followed with a gain of 8.37 per cent to close at N158.00 per share. Flour Mills Plc added 4.99 per cent to close at N21.05 per share.

PZ Cussons overseas shareholders forfeit forex dividend Abdulwahab Isa verseas shareholders of PZ Cussons Plc have asked the producer of consumable items to utilise dollar dividend due to them for importation of raw materials, as forex crisis bites harder on manufacturing firms.

The Chairman, PZ Cussons, Chief Kolawale Jamodu stated this yesterday while addressing shareholders of the firm at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja.

He added that, the overseas shareholders elected to forfeit their dividends expected to

be paid in dollars, and have asked the board to utilise the forex to import raw materials to enable the company stay afloat with production.

Aside of the substantial number of Nigerians that hold equity stakes in PZ Cussons, some overseas shareholders are said to be part owner of the firm.

Jamodu said, “The forex crisis is a major problem confronting the manufacturing industry. Due to forex scarcity, our overseas shareholders were magnanimous to say, whatever forex you have for us, use it to import your raw materials so that you can continue to be in operations”.

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Bill on CAMA revision takes front burner at investors’ workshop

Abuja

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etail shareholders in Nigeria have concluded arrangements to hold a one-day workshop to discuss the Bill to amend the Companies and Allied Matters Act. This was disclosed in a statement made available to New Telegraph in Lagos yesterday.

The shareholders are pivotal to the sustenance of activities in the capital market. Among other concerns of the shareholders are the full protection of their interests in the company and the minimal interference of regulatory authorities.

Retails, through the multiplicity of Shareholders’ Associations, continuously seek the improvement of shareholder experience within the Nigerian

investment sphere.

The Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAP C20, 1990, is in the process of being amended. The Bill for the amendment has been exposed and published in the website of the Corporate Affair Commission.

Various groups, individuals and organisations have been studying and scrutinising it.

As major stakeholders, different shareholders’ associations have come together under the aegis of the Joint Shareholders Association (JSA) to organise the workshop scheduled for Monday October 10 in Lagos to discuss the provisions

Addressing the shareholders on the firm’s 2015 business operations, Jamodu lamented that the challenging operating environment impacted negatively on the firm.

The harsh operating environment and the deepening forex crisis led to an exchange loss of N2.9 billion, a development that impacted greatly on the fortunes of the firm.

This caused a drop in group profit before taxation (PBT) by 52 per cent from N6.56 billion to N3.15 billion.

The company declared a total dividend payout of N1.99 billion translating to 50 kobo per share to be paid to shareholders.

of the bill.

Speaking on behalf of JSA, Mrs. Oludewa Thorpe said shareholders’ associations are interested in ensuring that the law enacted at the end, would, as far as it possibly meet the aspirations of retail shareholders who the associations represent.

“It is for this reason that the different shareholders’ associations came together under the umbrella of JSA to organise a workshop. The theme of the workshop is: The proposed amendment of the Companies & Allied Matters Act and its effect on Retail Shareholders,” she said.

40

News|South-WEST

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Corruption: NASU, SSANU, seek FUTA VC’s removal BabatopeOkeowo Akure

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hree unions at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), yesterday asked the Federal Government to sack the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola and the Governing Council over an alleged fraud.

The unions including Non-Teaching Staff Association of Universities (NASU), Senior Staff Association of

Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Technologists of Nigerian Universities (NAAT), stormed the Senate Chamber and demanded Daramola’s removal from office before peace would return to the university.

The unions under the auspices of Joint Action Congress (JAC), said they would continue to occupy the Senate Chamber which house the VC’s office until the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari had removed the manage-

ment from office over what they called misappropriation of fund.

The unions predicated their demand on the arrest of the Vice Chancellor and Bursar, Mr Emmanuel Oresegun by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.

FUTA’s memebers of staff had embarked on procession around the campus and ended in the Senate Chamber, demanding the removal of the Vice Chancellor over allegations of abuse of office and misappropriation of funds.

Speaking with reporters during the procession which paralyzed academic activities, JAC Chairman, Dele Durojaye said the protest was in support of the action of the EFCC and the demand for the sack of both the VC and the Governing Council, applauding Federal Government’s effort at fight-

ing corruption.

He said: “Daramola has to go. He has been running this university as an emperor and like his personal estate. You can imagine a government official staying in government quarters and drawing housingallowance.This man dipped his hands in the coffers of the university and use

The total amount received by Man City in the whole 2015-16 season.

Source: 101greatgoals.com

The total number of set piece goals scored by Costa Rica at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

£52.9m

1

N1million to support somebody’s wedding and burial ceremonies.”

Durojaye said the Vice Chancellor in the past four years had traveled more than former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Buhari combined. He alleged that the embattled Vice Chancellor spent not less than N10million monthly on overseas tour, insisting that “until government achieves all these, there will not be peace on campus. From tomorrow (today) morning, we will never allow him to step into this campus. The Visitor to this university should remove this corrupt Vice Chancellor.”

Ekiti Assembly suspends lawmaker for 180 days over Falana, Kashamu L-R: High Court Judges: Justices Munir Olagunju and Lateef Fagbemi; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Mukhtar Abimbola and Justice Abbas Moshood, at the beginning of the 2016/2017 Legal Year, in Oyo State…yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Police deploy 5,000 personnel for Ogun LG poll Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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he Nigeria Police yesterday said no fewer than 5,000 personnel will be deployed to provide security during the local government elections slated for Saturday in Ogun State.

This was disclosed at an extended security meeting with representatives of political parties, civil societies organizations and other stakeholders at the state Police Command

Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta and presided over by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Abdulmajid Ali. Participants at the meeting attended by heads of the Army, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vigilance Service of Ogun State (VSO), representatives of 17 participating political parties swore to the Electoral Oath of Peaceful

Rep distributes uniforms, books to 20,000 pupils in Ekiti SulaimanSalawudeen Ado-Ekiti

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hairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Youth Development, Hon Segun Adekola has warned the Federal Government against any hike in the fees of Unity Schools across the country.

Adekola, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1 in the National Assembly, said the federal government should reverse the current hike in tuition fees, as “increasing the fees means commercialising Unity Schools.”

Speaking in Ise Ekiti, Ise/Orun Local Govern-

ment area while donating notebooks and uniforms to over 20,000 pupils in 35 primary schools in his constituency, Adekola described the federal government’s policy as both “obnoxious and grossly anti–people.”

He explained that the new policy would exacerbate lives for teeming Nigerians, who he said were already reeling under multiple hardships of recession.

Adekola also commended Governor Ayodele Fayose on the feat so far recorded

by Ekiti state in the 2016 National Examinations Council (NECO), where the state was ranked first in overall performance, saying that the achievement had confirmed that better times had come for education in the state.

Conduct.

The election will hold in 20 Local Government Areas, 37 Local Council Development Areas as well as 236 wards and 113 area units across the state.

Addressing the meeting, Ali stressed the need to ensure collaborative efforts towards peaceful and orderly conduct during the council poll.

The AIG declared that any individual or group of people that might want to perpetrate any electoral offences or disrupt the pro-

cess would be decisively dealt with.

He said the police and other security agencies were fully prepared to ensure that the election hold without hitch.

He, however, appealed to the political parties and politicians to abide by the election guidelines and provisions of Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

“My message is very simple, but very tough.

We’ve got intelligence report of some miscreants on plot to cause violence. I want to advise all parties to go back and put their house in order.”

Court dismisses EFCC’s suit against businesswoman JohnChikezie

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Lagos High Court, Ikeja division yesterday struck out an alleged N80million suit initiated against a businesswoman, Mrs. Moji Yakubu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as lacking in merit.

Yakubu and her firm, Monan Trading Company Ltd alongside eight others were charged for stealing 10 hectares of land at Sagotedo, Lekki.

The land, according to the anti-graft agency belonged to Joko Trade Estate Resources Ltd. Charged alongside Yakubu are Muka Bajulaiye, Alhaja Ajimot Adisa,

Alani Shirawu, Bajulaiye Hakeem, Akeem Giwa, Rachael Tokede, Adelaja Raji and Nuniru Mushafau.

They were arraigned by the EFCC on an 11-count charge bordering on alleged forgery of several documents to facilitate the N10million land theft.

But they pleaded not guilty to the charge and urged the court to quash the charges against them. Their lawyer, Mr Yemi Adeshina insisted that his clients were wrongly accused, describing the charge as incompetent.

In the application, Adeshina contended among other things that the charge against his client was an abuse of court process as the alleged offence was unknown to law.

Sulaiman Salawudeen Ado-Ekiti

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kiti State House of Assembly yesterday suspended its former Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan, representing Ikole Constituency 1 for allegedly holding a nocturnal meeting with activist lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana and a Senator representing Ogun state, Buruji Kashamu.

The suspension, which took immediate effect from yesterday, according to the House’s Standing Order, would last 180 sittings “in the first instance” with a proviso “his conducts henceforth will determine further actions on him.”

Aribisogan would equally not qualify to hold any position of responsibility on behalf of the House during the period of his suspension while all benefits associ-

ated with his office had also ceased.

He should also not be seen “within one kilometre radius of the Assembly.”

The suspension follows an adoption of a report and recommendation of a seven-man Ad Hoc panel constituted by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Kolawole Oluwawole, which the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the House sat and made recommendations upon.

The panel had investigated Aribisogan on allegations of gross misconduct and acts capable of destabilising the House made against him by the Leader of Government Business, Hon Tunji Akinyele.

The new chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Samuel Omotosho, who addressed journalists shortly after the session yesterday, said “Aribisogan confessed to the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Segun Adewumi at a private meeting.”

Recession: NLC asks govs, lawmakers to emulate Buhari Sulaiman Salawudeen Ado-Ekiti

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he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday urged governors of the nation’s 36 states to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari by reducing cost of governance and curtail ‘wasteful spending’.

This, the union said would enable them have enough cash to address prompt payment of workers’ salaries and allowances, as the governors’ spending, ostentatious lifestyle and ‘white elephant’ projects/over-bloated appointments had been reasons behind their inability to pay the salaries and allowances of workers.

NLC Deputy President, Comrade Peters Adeyemi said this in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, shortly after he led a delegation of the National officers in talks with labour unions in the state on the umpaid arrears

of salaries to workers and the retirees.

Their visit, according to him, was a “fact-finding” one especially on arrears of salaries being owed workers in the state by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Adeyemi urged governors to follow President Muhammadu Buhari’s footstep with a view to reducing high cost of governance by offering to sell some aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet.

He said: “Buhari has started it with a plan to sell off some presidential jets; we have seen some world leaders traveling on commercial airlines and this is a lesson to our leaders to live within the available resources.

“Our leaders are too wasteful, ostentatious and they are very greedy and they don’t even care that the nation is going through a period of economic recession.”

News|SOUTH-EAST

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

APC chieftain to Orji: Respond to allegations against you Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

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ioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tony Ukasaoanya, has challenged former governor of Abia State and senator representing Abia Central, Chief Theodore Orji, to respond to allegations of personal aggrandisement he raised against him instead of chasing shadow.

Ukasaoanya spoke yesterday in Umuahia while reacting to reports against him credited to the former

governor that the former governor knew him as a very comfortable man ever before he became a governor and before his predecessor, former governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, recruited him to be the governor of Abia State.

He said that the N1 million T. A. Orji claimed he paid him N1million monthly and a Jeep were his official entitlements as a state functionary.

He said he was never a beggar to former governor Theodore Orji, insisting that he only served in his cabinet as a political appointee and dismissed claims that he never sent memos to Orji as governor while he lasted as an ap-

pointee under him.

Ukasaoanya said: “If I was not sending memos to the former governor, why was I paid N1 monthly and given an official Jeep; and why were we together for more than 12 hours on a daily basis, what were we discussing if not memos I brought to you,” he queried.

Ukasaoanya also accused Senator Orji of illegally acquiring many state property through proxies, saying that he would give account of his stewardship to the state one day.

“T. A. knew me as a personality that will never go begging up to the last day of my life. It is interesting that he was paying me N1 mil-

lion every month and gave me a Jeep, my entitlement as a government appointee, not from his personal pocket. He knows very well that I have companies, which I worked hard to earn before 1990.

“In his own case, I recruited him to join Orji Kalu’s government. Then what was he. He had a rickety 504 car and lived in a flat without ventilation. Today, he can boast of being a billionaire and having assets all over Umuahia and other places. A day shall come when he shall be called upon to tell Abia people what and what he did to earn all the assets,” the APC chieftain said.

Labour urges Ugwuanyi to revive moribund companies Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

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he organised labour in Enugu State has urged Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to revive moribund transport and marketing companies in the state as a means of cushioning effects of the economic recession on workers in the state.

It also appealed to the governor to liaise with the Federal Government to tackle the security challenges facing the state, especially the incessant attacks on the people by

Fulani herdsmen.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu, Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, said while the governor has kept faith with the payment of workers’ salaries, his administration was yet to engage in any activity to cushion the effects of the economic recession on workers.

Igbokwe, who is also the state Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), urged the governor to resuscitate some moribund agencies in the state like

the Enugu State Transport Company (ENTRACO) and the Enugu State Marketing Company to alleviate the hardship inflicted on workers by the biting economic recession.

“As we speak, ENTRACO is not working.

The Coal City Bus service started by the last administration in the state has collapsed. Nothing is going on in the marketing company.

“If the transport companies are revived, then it will cushion the effects of recession on our workers in the area of transport. Similarly, if they revive the marketing company, the government

can buy rice and sell to workers at affordable prices,” Igbokwe said.

On the issue of security, especially the attacks by Fulani herdsmen, the labour leader said they have asked the government to work in collaboration with the Federal Government to set up a security structure to tackle the situation.

Igbokwe warned that Enugu being an agrarian state, a situation where people are leaving in fear and are afraid that anything could happen to them, would affect agricultural production and adversely affect food supply in the state.

41

Police arrest 11 for obstructing traffic in Enugu

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nugu State police command yesterday said it had apprehended 11 traders for obstructing traffic within the Old Park/Holy Ghost axis and New Market axis of Enugu, the state capital.

The command’s spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that police officers from the Central Police Station, Enugu, made the arrest between Monday and Tuesday during their traffic clearance exercise.

Amaraizu appealed to market leaders to warn their members against obstructing traffic.

“As part of the ongoing efforts of the command toward ensuring a free flow of traffic in Enugu, the command is reminding members of the public against blocking roads with wheel barrows, displaying wares on the road, thereby causing traffic congestion,” he said.

The police spokesman warned that anybody found committing the act would face the full wrath of the law.

“Those committing such unpatriotic act would be apprehended and arraigned in line with the relevant sections of the law,” he said.

FG to prioritise yam production in 2017 Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

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s part of a strategic plan to make food available to Nigerians, the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to increase production of yam as one of the staple foods in the country, through the Ministry of Agriculture in 2017.

Executive Director, National Roots Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Abia State, Dr. Julius Okonkwo, disclosed this yesterday during a one-day training workshop organised by the institute in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan on operationalisation of prebasic and basic seed yam planting materials pro-

duction using temporary immersion Bioreactor and Aeroponics System, at the institutes conference hall.

Okonkwo said the decision to prioritise yam production was reached after a meeting with senior ministry officials in Abuja and described yam as an important crop in Nigeria.

The Executive Director regretted that the production of yam was on the decline hence the need to increase the production through modern technology developed by the NRCRI. He attributed the decline to soil infertility and the activities of virus, which he said reduces yield by 60 per cent.

He urged participants to take advantage of the training to increase the production of yam and maximize the land for greater yield.

Glo-powered 2016 Ofala Festival kicks off Saturday

L-R: Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; (left) with Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige; during Dr. Ngige’s coutesy visit to the Mines and Steel Complex, Abuja..... on Wednesday

Ebonyi to build healthcare centres in 171 wards

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bonyi State government yesterday said it has concluded arrangements to provide one functional primary healthcare centre in each of the 171 wards in the state before December 2016.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, made the disclosure in Abakaliki while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Umezuruike said the decision was to complement Federal Government’s efforts at enhancing health-

care delivery in the country.

“Ebonyi today has fully perfected all arrangements to provide one functional primary healthcare centre per ward to complement what the Federal Government is doing.

“Primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities have to be fully functional and equipped with facilities to achieve the aim of universal health coverage,” he said.

The commissioner said Governor David Umahi had declared a state of emer-

gency in the state’s health sector due to the weak system inherited from the past administration.

According to him, the state has 430 primary healthcare centres and 13 general hospitals, which will be upgraded to render quality services.

The commissioner said the ministry had engaged field officers from the Works, Lands and Survey, Power and Water Ministries to improve facilities for effective and efficient healthcare services.

F

ormal activities marking this year’s Ofala festival sponsored by the grandmasters of data, Globacom, begin this Saturday with the ‘First Ofala Day’ scheduled to hold at the Ime Obi in Onitsha.

Globacom said yesterday in a statement that the second day of the age-long festival as announced by the Obi of Onitsha will be the AzuOfala, which will take place on Sunday, October 9.

According to the company, the prelude to this year’s Ofala festival was an International Arts Ex-

hibition, tagged Ora Eze (the king’s crowd), which started on October 3 and will end on October 10.

Over 40 professional visual artists drawn from Ghana, Togo, Republic of Benin and the Diaspora are displaying their works at the exhibition gallery located within the Ime Obi while renowned artist, George Edozie, who co-authored the seminal book; “101 Contemporary Artists: A Celebration of Modern Nigerian Art,” is serving as Curator, Globacom stated.

House backs sale of UNIDO rice industry in Ebonyi Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

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bonyi State House of Assembly yesterday passed a resolution authorising the sale of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) rice mill industry in the state to the Abakaliki Rice Mill Company Limited.

The resolution followed a letter sent by Governor Dave Umahi requesting the purchase of the three-tone

per hour UNIDO rice mill by the Abakaliki Rice Mill Company Limited.

Speaker of the House, Hon. Francis Nwifuru, said the governor did well to approach the House for approval on the issue, noting that the Abakaliki rice mill operators were the highest bidders in the bidding process.

“They are also suitable for the bid, because they have been in the business of rice milling for long, but must realise that they should make the new ac-

quisition viable which is the government’s aim of selling it.

He noted that making it viable would entail the relocation to the UNIDO rice mill industry in Iboko, Izzi Local Government Area, to ensure that it becomes functional.

On his part, the member representing Ikwo South Constituency, Chike Ogiji, noted that the sale was thoughtful because government is not known to be good manger of business enterprises.

42 News|south-South

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Tight security as Obaseki gets INEC’s certificate of return School proprietors seek proper Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday issued a Certificate of Return to Governor-elect and

winner of the September 28 governorship election in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated his main challenger, Osagie Ize-

Community vows to defend Ayade’s mandate Clement James Calabar

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he Boki ethnic group in Central Cross River State yesterday, said it would resist any attempt to remove Governor Ben Ayade because the people of the state voted massively for him during the 2015 governorship election.

The community, led by the Commissioner for Works, Dan Osim Asu at a news conference in Calabar, said the governor went through the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and came out successfully before emerging victorious at the poll, which he noted was keenly contested.

According to Asu, Boki people gave the governor more than 90 per cent of votes during the election, which he said was to make a statement that he was the most qualified to rule the state, explaining that any at-

tempt to frustrate that mandate would be resisted.

“We must state that Boki people supported and indeed, was at the forefront of voting massively for Governor Ayade in the 2015 governorship election and any attempt to remove him would be resisted by all means,” he said.

He added; “When we gave over 90 per cent of our votes to the governor, we made a statement that he was the most qualified and once we make a statement, we stand by it. So, we will stand by the mandate we gave to the governor and resist any attempt to remove him.”

Asu, who claimed that both traditional rulers and political elite in Boki land had thrown their weight behind the governor, maintained that his community believed in the integrity of the governor, saying those who are trying to use mistakes in the affidavits sworn to by the governor were mistaken.

‘Buhari’s independence message gives no hope for recovery’ Gabriel Efeduku Ughelli

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group, the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, yesterday said the Independence Day message by President Muhammadu Buhari, gives no sign of a quick recovery from the current economic recession facing the country.

National President of the group, Alaowei Cleric, who made this statement during a press briefing in Warri, also noted that the government at this critical time should seek for solution-driven policies and not image laundering propaganda on the pages

Dominic Adewole ASABA

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orried by the increasing number of rabiesinfected dogs roaming the streets of Delta State, the state government has resuscitated its war against rabies disease.

To ensure its success, the state in collaboration with the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), approved funds

of newspapers.

He said: “One would have expected that with a series of presidential responses to the queries of Nigerians over the debilitating economy, Mr. President would have used this ample opportunity to unveil his short term palliatives to assuage the sufferings in the land.

“We are, however, disappointed that Mr. President used the occasion to haul blames at his predecessors.

That was not what Nigerians were expecting from their leader. Nigerians voted for this government to effect changes from the level it was when the government took over to an enviable height.”

Iyamu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Sam Olumekun, at a brief ceremony in Benin, described the election as historic in the lives of INEC and the Edo people.

He noted that an inconclusive election would have pushed the state and the commission into an unexpected constitutional crisis, a development he said was the reason for the sudden postponement of the poll earlier scheduled for September 10 this year.

According to Olumekun, “it is a historic day, not only in the lives of our new leaders but also in the lives of the people of Edo State; it is the dawn of a new era.

“An inconclusive election would have pushed us into an electoral crisis with barely two weeks to

the 30 days before handover, Edo people will appreciate why we have the election on September 28.

That is why the commission left no stone unturned in conduction the election on September 28.”

He however commended INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the exercise was successful, adding that “of course you are aware that we did not lose any life.”

He said the job of conducting an election was a joint duty of all stakeholders who played their parts in ensuring that a peaceful and credible election took place.

€8.5m

The annual salary of coach Andre Villas-Boas of Zenit in 2015 season.

Source: France Football

Ola James Warri

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he Society of Female School Owners of Nigeria (SOFSON) in Warri, Delta State, has called for proper funding of the education sector.

According to the group, education which contributed largely to the rapid growth of any nation remains the best legacy parents can bequeath to their children.

President of the body, Mrs. Dorcas Oguntoyinbo, who stated this during a procession to mark this year’s Teachers’ Day in Warri, said teachers across the country

N5.51bn

The total value of non-crude oil export to Indonesia in 2014 fourth quarter.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

should be encouraged so that they Could be focused in bringing up children who are leaders of tomorrow.

Oyuntoyibo explained that the day was set aside to celebrate teachers and drum support for teachers worldwide as designed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The teachers carried placards with various inscriptions, marched across various streets of Warri, calling on both the federal and the Delta State government to support teachers in their various efforts of bringing up children educationally.

“We mould future leaders and should be given special attention by governments.

Besides, teachers are committed to ensuring that Nigeria stands tall among the comity of nations,” Oguntoyinbo said.

Edo State Governorelect, Godwin Obaseki receiving his certificate of return from INEC National Commissioner in charge of SouthSouth zone, Dr. Mustapha Lecky in Benin... yesterday

APC chieftain asks Buhari to sack of CBN Governor Gabriel Efeduku Ughelli

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chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Felix Anirah, yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who he alleged

have driven the country’s economy aground because of his lack of monetary policy direction.

Speaking at a public function yesterday, Anirah said Emefiele is not in tune with modern monetary policy, saying that his “forex policy is a disaster and therefore should resign or be sacked by the President to save the nation from an avoidable

Delta, others declare war on dogs

for the reactivation of the anal anti-rabies campaign, which had been abandoned for six years.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Austin Chikezie, during the World Rabies Day in Asaba, said the spread of the vicious killer disease has become rampant in the state.

While he called on dog owners to cultivate the habit of immunising their dogs annually, especially

funding of education

after six weeks of birth at various government and private veterinary clinics across the state and obtain a certificate of vaccination, the Chairman of NVMA, Delta State chapter, Dr. Jowe- Asidi Kenneth, said the World Rabies Day was coordinated by Global Alliance for Rabies Control with the endorsement of the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health

and other related global health organisation and the United Nations.

Speaking on the theme; “Rabies: Educate, Vaccinate, Eliminate,” the commissioner explained that ostracising dogs prevent contact with stray dogs.

“Exposure to rabies through dog and cat bite is alarming, resulting in unquantifiable number of deaths both in animals and man.”

crisis.”

He further tasked Mr. President to pay up verifiable contractor’s obligations with a view to mounty more pressure on the state governors for the payment of outstanding salaries of workers across the state and the local government in order to reflate the economy.

He stated further that the EFCC should investigate state governors who collected bailout funds but diverted such to other uses and ensure that such funds are used to alleviate the current suffering faced by workers.

He also condemned the proposed sale of national assets, saying that all the money realised from the sales of assets in the past ended up in private pockets, adding that; “we reject the move to sell off our commonwealth, which is the only sovereign wealth that our children can fall

back to later.”

Commending the move by the President to establish local government autonomy, he urged the national and state’s assemblies to support the move and expedite action on the bill when it was submitted to it.

He further frowned at the selective waiver given to some class of businessmen and Emirs, stating that all industrialists should be given waivers to enable them source raw materials that would not be source locally to stop the current job loss, following the shutting down of many firms over their inability to source forex.

Anirah urged the Federal Government to also stop its discriminating foreign exchange policy, where it allegedly gives dollar at the rate of N310 to the dollar to certain businessmen and Emirs from the North, while other industrialists source forex at the official market rate of N460 to a dollar.

News|north

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Benue: Ortom signs LG amendment law Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

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enue State Governor, Samuel Ortom yesterday accented to the Local Government Amendment Law passed by the state House of Assembly. The law makes provision for the appointment of Sole Administrators for the 23 Local Government Councils in the state.

This was even as the governor had already forwarded names of proposed Sole Administrators for the 23 LGAs to the state House for confirmation.

He signed the law at an expanded caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House, which was attended by party stalwarts across the state.

Ortom explained that the Sole Administrators would be appointed for six months, pending the conduct of local government council polls, even as the governor added that if the election failed to hold as scheduled their ten-

Maku to Al-Makura: Your administration worst in history Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

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ormer Minister of Information, Labaran Maku has said that Nasarawa State since its creation on October 1, 1996, has witnessed the worst administration under Governor Tanko AlMakura.

Maku, who disclosed this while speaking with some journalists at the weekend in his country home during the 20th anniversary celebration of the creation of the state, however, explained that the level of killings and destruction of lives and properties under the present government of the state was quite unprecedented.

He accuse the Al-Makura’s administration of sponsoring religious and ethnic crisis in the state for selfish political gains, said the trend was unacceptable, saying: “There is nothing going on in the state, all you hear is religious, politics and ethnic clashes sponsored by the state government to cripple development, as well as divide and rule leadership.”

Maku, who was a governorship candidate in the 2015 general election, under the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state, insisted that he won the 2015 governorship elections, even as he explained that he was part of the team that laid the foundation for the development of the state from 1999 to 2007.

ure could be renewed for another six months.

According to him, lack of funds was responsible for the delay in the conduct of the local government election.

The governor however assured the people that as soon as the state financial situation improved the election would be held, saying despite the fact that the amended local government law empowered him with the prerogative of appointing the sole administrators, he would, as a democrat, avail stakeholders in each Local Government Area the opportunity to make three nominations, which must include a woman.

The governor warned stakeholders against lobbying and reiterated that the appointments would be made on the basis of merit, equity and fairness.

While expressing optimism that the state and the country would soon get over the current economic recession, he commended people of the state for heeding his call of going back to farm.

Bello to Nigerians: Don’t play politics with national security

Taraba: Governor grants state pardon to 21 prisoners

DanAtori

Sabiu Mustapha

MINNA

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iger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has cautioned Nigerians to stop playing politics with national security, stressing that the country has lost many lives to needless clashes.

He gave the advice on yesterday in Minna, the state capital, while declaring open a one-day zonal sensitization workshop on “The Implications of Transhumance on Sub-regional and National Security and Development,” organised by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The governor, who lamented that in the fast changingcomplexglobalisedworld, national security “is far too important to be toiled with,” however, noted with grave concern the increasing number of innocent lives being

lost daily in different parts of the country through violent clashes between farmers and pastoralists as well as through mayhem unleashed by terrorists, some of whom he said may not be Nigerians.

“We must face the reality and stop playing politics with national security as hundreds of lives of the citizens were being lost daily in various parts of the country from violent clashes between farmers and pastoralists,” Bello stated.

He frowned at the increasing wave of lawlessness and deliberate violation of rule of law, and disregard to constituted authority and non-reverence for sanctity of human life.

The governor said: “We seem to have forgotten who we are. We have no respect for life and for one another. We no longer respect the rule of law. People now take laws into their hands and lives of others for a thing as simple as heap of yam.

“Something fundamental is wrong with us. In the good old days, people did not associate or relate with anyone that committed murder, but nowadays people carelessly and deliberately kill and go away with it without any fear of being prosecuted.

“The people no longer report cases of murder to the police because they seem to have lost confidence in the security agency.We are all Nigerians and we are all human begins. No one has the right to take the life of another, but what we see today is people killing at the slightest provocation. It has never been this bad. Nigerians are known to be nice, kind and generous, but people now take laws and lives with levity.”

He then called on individuals, other stakeholders and security agencies to play well-coordinated roles in tackling the problem of security challenges with a view to forestalling further breakdown of law and order.

“It is not within the confines of the commission to recover looted funds, but to ascertain that there are such looted funds.”

Meanwhile, the commission yesterday commenced sitting to among other duties ascertain financial transactions done or entered into through ministries, departments and agencies; establish loans granted to the MDAs; ascertain whether government property were sold or concessional to some people; ascertain contracts awarded by MDAs and the total amount of salaries paid between May 2007 and May 2015.

The Chairman of the commission, Justice Stephen Adah, who said the sitting will hold daily except on Sundays, solicited “the support of all the members of the public, including lawyers and those concerned in the matters to avoid any calculated attempt to waste time or disruption of the proceedings of the commission.”

Kebbi: ASUSS demands 30% salary increment

L-R, Estsu Nupe HRH Alhaji Yahaya Abubarkar; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; President Muhammadu Buhari; former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar and Chairman, Leadership Newspaper Group, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah during the presentation of 2015 Leadership Newspaper Man of the Year Award to President Muhammadu Buhari at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja…yesterday PHOTO; TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Panel not to witch-hunt Jang – Commissioner Musa Pam Jos

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he Plateau State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Jonathan Ayuba Mawuyai has restated that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by Governor Simon Lalong on the August 17, was not to witch hunt former governor, Jonah Jang, but to ascertain all financial transactions made in the state between May 29, 2007 and May 29, 2015.

According to him, the commission was a factfinding commission of inquiry, which every person that appeared before it would be given fair hearing.

Mawiyau stated this yesterday during the Commission’s inaugural public sitting at Azi Nyako Youth

43

Centre, Dadin Kowa in Jos. He said: “The setting up of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry by Governor Simon Lalong followed the due procedure in accordance with the Law establishing Commission of Inquiry in northern Nigeria as applicable to Plateau State.

“And what the commission had done is simply to apply the law, so they have transported some of the provision of that law into the rules so that the public will know about their powers.”

The Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Governor, Hon. Dan Manjang also said that the commission of inquiry was raised to ascertain whether there were funds looted for the purpose of accountability.

On the rationale behind the setting up of the commission, Manjang added:

Abubakar Abdu Birnin Kebbi

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eachers, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Kebbi State chapter, yesterday appealed to the state government to restore 30 per cent basic salary increment approved for the secondary school teachers in 2006 by Senator Adamu Aleiro’s administration.

Addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, the Chairman of the union, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, said that the 27 per cent as well as 12. 5 per cent basic salary increment approved by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by the then Chairman, Senator Bukola Saraki, had been slashed by between 15 and 16 per cent.

He said that the union was mindful of the economic situation of the country and the state, but adding that it would not in any way deter

JALINGO

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o fewer than 21inmates serving various jail terms in Taraba State prisons have been granted state pardons by the Governor Darius Ishaku.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Hassan Mijinyawa and made available to newsmen in Jalingo, the state capital, quoted the governor as saying that the gesture was in line with the powers conferred on the governor by Section 212 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

Ishaku further noted that the decision was also taken in line with the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy for the remission of jail terms imposed on the prisoners by the courts in Gembu, Jalingo, Serti and Wukari.

He, therefore, directed the state Comptroller of Prisons to as a matter of urgency carry out the directive to free the 21 affected prisoners.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Bello has called on all the prisons benefiting from the state pardon to embrace their freedom as a call to a changed life.

While addressing journalists, Bello noted that the prison system should not be seeing as a place of punishment, but a place of reformation, saying the governor’s gesture was based on the belief that those released have shown sufficient remorse for their actions.

teachers from making their case known.

According to him, the teachers would continue to teach in spite of the circumstances, because teaching would always leave a vestige of oneself in the development of another.

He urged the state government to allow the union to take custody of their check off dues in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) account, saying “the government should realise that we are not an affiliate of NLC and the labour law does not allow a centralised keeping of check off dues of its affiliates by the NLC, talk less of non-affiliates.”

In his remarks, the state Head of Service (HoS), Abubakar Idris commended the union for commemorating the World Teacher’s Day, and assured them of the government’s readiness to assist teachers and education sector in the state.

44

News Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH NEW TELEGRAPH

Financing 2020 Olympics:

Tunde Olofintila

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here is this striking similarity between the election of the first ever non-Italian Pope, the then Cardinal Carol Wojtylar (pronounced Carol Voytihwuh) of Poland in 1978 and the abysmal outing of the Nigerian contingent at the recently concluded Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Shortly before the Conclave of Cardinals that would elect the next Pope, a barrage of Photo Journalists had accosted Wojtylar, who later appropriated the name Pope John Paul II, clicking away without let or hindrance.

Somewhat taken aback, if not embarrassed at the unusual and unsolicited attention from the press, the would-be Pope retorted: “Certainly, you do not think I will become the next Pope”. But because Wojtylar has been predestined to become Pope, he was accordingly elected and announced the next occupant of the Papacy after the symbolic smoke oozed out of the roofs of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The same way Cardinal Carol Wojtylar did not think he would become Pope, Nigeria’s contingent to the recently concluded Olympic Games in Rio never nursed any ambition to put up any superlative performance at the global tournament: no thanks to shoddy preparations.

Let’s go back a little into the history of the Olympics. In 1996, Great Britain finished 36th on the Medals table with one gold medal while Nigeria was ranked 32nd on the table. However, at the recently concluded Rio Olympics, Great Britain finished 2nd overall coasting home 27 gold, 23 silver and 17 bronze medals while Nigeria which ranked 32 in 1996 ended up 78th, an abysmal retrogression indeed!

The question will naturally arise as to what has happened to Great Britain since 1996 to enable it improve dramatically while Nigeria has suffered a dip in fortune? What has Nigeria failed to do to build on the success of 1996?

The answers to these questions do not require a crystal ball. Nigeria has simply failed to put its money where its mouth is. Nigeria as a country has failed to prepare for the funding of sports.

The quantum leap in the performance of Britain was not magic, neither was it predicated on voodoo. It was strictly the evident result of painstaking planning and clinical implementation of such plans. Worried by the abysmal performance of Britain in the 1996 Olympics and determined to take its rightful place in the Olympics, former British Prime Minister, John Major, took the bull by the horn by setting up the UK Sports to strategically invest National Lottery and Exchequer income to maximize the performance of UK athletes in the Olympics and Paralympic Games and the global events which precede them.

Investment decisions are made on a four-year basis to cover a complete Olympic or Paralympic cycle, but are focused on an eight-year performance development model while success is measured by the (number) of medals won, the number of medalists developed and the quality of the systems and processes in place and support the nation’s most promising future

Babalola, Onyali to the rescue

Onyali

champions.

In addition to investing 70% of its income in Sports, UK Sports also runs a number of world leading centralized strategic support services including the development of world class coaches, running talent identification campaigns, Sports Science and Medicine, Warm weather training and administration, International competition schedules and Athlete development programme as well as Access to high performance training facilities to fast track future medalists in the right sports.

All of these would appear to have paid off for Britain at the recently concluded Rio Olympics.

But what has happened to Nigeria to warrant its carting home only one bronze medal at the Rio Olympics? This dismal performance may not have come as a surprise to some given the chaotic state of the country’s preparation for the games and the abysmal funding available to its athletes.

Imagine a situation where participants at the tourney were not properly kitted! Prior to the start of the games, it was reported that athletes billed to represent the country had been asked to source for funds to pay their airfares to the venue of the games in Brazil.

While the accuracy of this report was denied by sports ministry officials, subsequent events and revelations at the games proper called into question the level of funding available for our athletes.

But long before the 2016 Olympics, Nigeria’s five-time Olympiad and former Queen of the Track, Chief Mary Onyali, has been concerned about the dwindling performance of Nigerian athletes in major continental and international tournaments and she decided to do something about it. Even though she was a 100-metre runner in her days on the track, Onyali behaved like a long distance runner who starts his race early when she, in concert with some former Nigerian internationals, conceptualized the Nigerian Olympic Fund (NOF)

Babalola

Imagine a situation where participants at the tourney were not properly kitted!

some seven years ago to provide funds for Nigerian participants in future Olympics and enhance their performance.

Speaking at the Celebrity Endorsement to kick-start the NOF recently in Ado-Ekiti, Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekitit (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, who Onyali revealed was overwhelmingly voted as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Basic Olympic Opportunity Sports Training (BOOST), said the dismal performance during the last Rio Olympics and the dwindling fortunes of sports in the country constitute wake-up calls on all lovers of sports and well-meaning Nigerians.

He therefore called on all tiers of government and public-spirited individuals to make it a point of duty to contribute to the funding of sports to improve Nigeria’s standing in continental and world tournaments and discourage a repeat of the frustrations that emanated from the just concluded Games in Brazil.

Babalola, a Sports enthusiast who has made the first rate Sporting facilities like the nine beautiful courts, the lush 1000-seater Sport Pavilion, the Olympic size Swimming Pool, the modern Football pitch, the multi-billion Naira Talent Discovery Centre which houses 28 different Games among others in his university available for the training of young athletes who will later become stars, added that “we will deliberately turn our fortunes right in Sports and indeed in other areas of human endeavour. I must point out that Government cannot do it alone. There is need for private participation”.

As a practical demonstration of his commitment and support for the project, Babalola announced a donation of N10 million as part of his contributions to the Fund and success of sports in the country, stressing that he has warmed up to the idea because it tallies with ABUAD’s objective of pioneering

excellence along the parameters and perimeters of teaching, research, superlative performance in sports, community impact and scholarship as well as exemplary character.

He therefore lauded Onyali, the Executive Director (Technical) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NOF, Mr. Olajide Fashikun, for the bold and altruistic initiative and urged other Universities in Nigeria to key into the NOF initiative in the overall interest of all.

Onyali, in an address at the event, extolled Babalola for his support for sports administration and his acclaimed philanthropic inclinations, the main reasons why he enjoyed the overwhelming endorsement of former Nigerian internationals to emerge the Chairman of the Governing Board of BOOST. The former Sprinter turned Sports Administrator said the Celebrity Endorsement which flagged off with Babalola’s public identification with the project is targeted at 10,000 celebrities through which “we shall bring one million children into sports in four years. We have got the latent talents in this country. We shall recruit and keep the very best coaches, sports scientists and sports medics, referees, umpires, volunteers and all”.

On the proceeds accruable to the Fund, she said: “Whatever monies they give us, we shall take 10% into the National Athlete Welfare Fund to care for ageing former sportsmen and women 30% goes into the NOC Solidarity Fund which sports federations will be able to access based on performance. 50% goes into the BOOST project. The balance of 10% shall go into our operational account to drive this advocacy process.

According to her, Ekiti State will from January 2017 enjoy the pilot of the project. Six schools have been named and the Elite Athletes programme for Tokyo 2020 will begin in ABUAD. “It is my prayer that we will have the courage to be the change agent for sports in this nation.

We look forward to the changes in the various communities in a short while. Our return to glory as a nation is here”.

“From 2018, there will be youth leagues where these kids will compete at state, zonal and national levels. A new generation of stars will be born, professionally-supported and managed to stardom. Our nation will never be the same. Over 27,000 professionals will be expected to work with us on this project at maturity” she concluded.

With Onyali and Babalola’s intervention, perhaps Nigeria will gradually graduate off the hackneyed phrase that “the joy of Olympics is in participation and not in winning”. That warped and twisted logic should be done away with and the time for that is now.

Olofintila wrote from AdoEkiti.

45

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Did you know?

Sport Eagles ready for the challenges ahead – Mikel Charles Ogundiya

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uper Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has declared the team’s readiness for the World Cup qualifiers starting on Sunday with an away game against Zambia.

According to the Chelsea’s midfielder, Eagles are committed to improving Nigeria’s superior record against Zambia at senior international level, when both teams clash in Ndola on Sunday.

“We are all looking forward to the qualifying matches, starting with Sunday’s game in Zambia,” Mikel said.

“Each and every one of us knows what it means – big battles that we have to win.

We are ready for the challenge.”

Nigeria has won

six of 16 previous matches with Zambia at international level, drawing five and losing five.

Zambia walloped Nigeria 5-1 in the first –ever encounter, a 1974 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Lusaka on 15th July 1973. Nigeria’s 3-2 win in the return leg in Lagos two weeks later was of no effect.

Both teams battled to a goalless draw in Accra at the 1978 Cup of Nations, but Zambia then gained two successive 3-0 wins over Nigeria – a friendly in Lusaka in 1981 and a group phase clash at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations in Libya.

However, the Zambians have not beaten the Eagles in a competitive match in the past 31 years.

Mikel

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Sport News

That the Chipolopolo of Zambia have not beaten the Super Eagles in a competitive match in the past 31 years. In their 16 past meetings, Nigeria won six, drew five and lost five.

Obienu: Govt should hands off sports

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Trip to Ndola

Politicians lobby to be on Eagles’ plane Eagles depart 5am Saturday on chartered jet

Adeolu Johnson Abuja

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oliticians are now putting intense pressure on the topshots of the Nigeria Football Federation over their desire to be part of the contingent that will travel to Ndola for the Zambia, Nigeria African qualifier for the Russia 2018 World Cup. New Telegraph can reveal that the NFF President Amaju Pinnick and Secretary General, Muhammed Sanusi have been playing a hide and seek game with most of the politicians who see the trip as a jamboree of sort.

The federation has concluded arrangements to travel with a 145-seater chattered aircraft which is expected to leave Abuja as early as 5am on Saturday morning.

The NFF officials confirmed on Thursday that the team will arrive in time for an evening training session at the Levy Nwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

“It has been a big issue. From Senate and the House of Reps, many of the members are pressing button to be part of the delegation because of the chattered flight arrangement,” our source said.

Thenff.com further learnt that apart from the 23 players and 15 team officials that will be on the flight, there will be some top officials of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, some members of the National Assembly, few members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management, some NFF staff and some stakeholders

including media representatives.

“We have allocated slots to some stakeholders because it is a chartered flight and a number of seats are available after the players and team officials have taken their seats.

“The NFF is not paying anybody for being on the trip. We don’t have the money. All the stakeholders on the trip will be there simply to support the team during the game. We have told the persons involved that they will pay for their

own board and lodging, and they have accepted to do that,” said NFF 2nd Vice President Shehu Dikko.

Dikko, who is also Chairman of the League Management Company, told thenff.com: “In the near future, we would look at the possibility of commercializing this kind of opportunity. If you give out, say 80 seats, to persons who can pay for them on 145–seater aircraft, you can raise some good money for the team. It is a practice firmly in place in some

climes.”

Meanwhile while the administrators are in hide out yesterday with Eagles preparations going as planned.

The Coach Gernot Rohr boys on Thursday shifted their work out to the training pitch for concentration on strategies and tactics to be adopted for the tie.

Spokesman of the team, Toyin Ibitoye, said the coaches decided to have the training under the scorching sun as weather in Ndola may be hot and

Ahmed Musa (middle) against Tanzania

Zambia beef up technical crew for Eagles Nigeria will be tough, says skipper Kalaba

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n their quest to secure victory in the World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria on Sunday, Zambia has appointed experienced David Kabwe to beef up the technical crew as advisor to coach Wedson Nyirenda.

The highly rated Power Dynamos coach briefly worked as Zambia assistant manager in 2001. He led Zanaco to two Zambia league championships, was on attachment at Premier League side Arsenal in 1999 when he worked in Swaziland and he is a CAF instructor.

Kabwe was also touted to handle the Chipolopolo after they were upset by Guinea Bissau in AFCON 2017 qualifiers.

Football Association of Zambia General Secretary, Ponga Liwewe, explained the role he will play for interim coach Nyirenda.

“His role is purely to give an assessment and opinion to the coach, but he is not directly to be involved in the training or in the decision making around the team,” Liwewe said.

“That decision lies directly with

the coach Nyirenda.”

Meanwhile, Zambia skipper, Rainford Kalaba, has predicted a tough battle between the two former African champions when they meet on Sunday, but at the same time expects victory.

Zambia were crowned African champions in 2012, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles have won the AFCON thrice – 1980, 1994 and 2013.

“We are both former African champions and it will be a tough game, but we expect a good result on Sunday,” he declared.

LMC confirms MFM’s survival sssss

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SPORT NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Obienu: Govt should hands off sports

Charles Ogundiya

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former Nigeria Football Federation board member, Richard Obienu, has said the country’s sports will continue to dwindle until government hands off and allow people with ideas to run it.

Obienu exclusively told New Telegraph that things would get worse if the right things were not done as a matter of urgency.

“It will get worse unless the right people are there,” he said.

“Until gover nment hands off sports, we are going nowhere in this country. London and Rio Olympic Games were disaster; we have a sports minister who knows nothing about sports, someone who doesn’t have idea what the Nigeria Olympic Committee is and its functions. Let the National Sports Commission come back, let the members of the IOC be elected by various federations, any federation

not viable should go.”

The former Super Eagles coordinator added that there were several ways to fund sports without going cap in hand to government.

According to him, a well-designed National Sports Lottery with proper accountability will do the magic.

The former chairman of defunct Udoji United added: “Let’s have a properly run National Sports Lottery, that is what England did and it worked well in Rio. “Why should we be waiting for government to charter a flight for the sportsmen and women to go for competitions? Nigerian sports and football are good products, if personally I could sell Udoji to the people in 1991, and get N250,000 monthly from a company, make other teams in the Southeast to get the same thing as that time, then we can do much more even now.

“If I could run a football lottery for a match where ex-Rangers players would be struggling

LMC confirms MFM’s survival

Fines Heartland N3m, forfeits three points Charles Ogundiya

to get their ticket, I was able to run the club from the money I was making from lottery for each game. Let us get people who have passion, people with vision, people who market sports very well to run our sports.”

He cited an example of South Africa who has been running their sports without much support from the government but wholly from the private sector.

M

Obienu

Athletes storm Akure for FSOF Challenge Charles Ogundiya

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igerian athletes will have another opportunity to showcase their talent as they storm Fderal University of Technology Akure Sports Complex, for the second edition of Femi Ogunode Foundationssponsored The Athletics Challenge.

The championship scheduled for Friday, October 8, will see athletes competing in 100m, 200m, 400m

and Long Jump.

According to Femi Ogunode, the brain behind the championship, there was need to help the athletes to be active.

He said: “Training alone cannot give an athlete the needed exposure, but training coupled with competition will help them assess their level of preparedness,” he told New Telegraph.

“This is my own way of giving back to the society even though I am not com-

peting for Nigeria again; I am still from this country.

“I am doing my best to give back to the society. Apart from the cash prizes and gifts for the top three, athletes will also have the opportunity to register for the EasyGo To USA scheme.”

Athletes will start competing from 8am and expectations are very high as some top stars were expected to grace the one-day meet.

Lagos Governor’s Cup: NTF commends LOC over prize Ajibade Olusesan

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igeria Tennis Federation, NTF, has commended the Local Organising Committee, LOC, of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship for increasing the total prize money of the competition starting from the 16th edition which holds from 8-22 October.

The LOC Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, announced at a world press conference to herald this year’s tournament at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan on Wednesday that the prize money had been increased to 100,000 dollars to bring to par the men and women’s prizes at 50,000 dollars, adding that each player that makes it to the Main Draws will have a share in the prize money.

The reason for the increment, according to Chief Akinyelure, is not only to cement the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis as the number one Futures tournament in Africa, Asia and South America, it is also the final step towards upgrading the competition to the Challenger Series.

A member of the board of Nigeria Tennis Federation Duro Ikhazuaghe applauded the action of the LOC coming at a period of economic recession.

He said that it was laudable that the organizers of the Governor’s Cup deemed it fit to increase the prize money when other organizers of tournaments of the same status across the world are cutting costs.

“We should commend the LOC of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis for increasing the prize money when this country is facing economic recession. We are much grateful for this, “ said Ikhazuaghe, who is the Group Sports Editor of ThisDay Newspaper.

Meanwhile, the first leg (Futures 5) if the Governor’s Cup serves off this weekend with qualifying matches on Saturday and Sunday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, while the Main Draws in the singles and the doubles events.

Nigeria athlete Omolara Omotoso

Stakeholders condemn mercenaries in school sports S takeholders in Lagos State have condemned the use of mercenaries by some schools during sporting events.

They spoke during the draws for the inter schools football competition organised by Wonderland Schools which took place at Honeyland Schools, Ipaja Lagos with over 40 school sports masters in attendance.

The group asked for stiffer punishment for schools involved in age cheat during sports competition.

Coordinator of the inters-schools cup and CEO of Wonderland, Tayo Adeyemo, said schools involved in use of mercenaries during the competition would be disqualified.

He said the forthcoming event was a developmental programme

which is aimed at discovery of talents from schools. He assured participating schools of maximum security and fair officiating.

In the draws proper, last season semifinalist, Honeyland College, Ipaja will lock horns with Ferscoat Academy Ipaja, Misam Schools Ajasa Command and Hall of Fame Academy Ipaja in group A. Group B which is arguably the toughest has Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Dee Unique College, Abesan Estate, Faith Heritage, Abesan and Elibel College, Abesan Estate and High Tree College, Ipaja.

The competition is expected to kick off on October 19 at Keda Field, Abesan Estate, while the final is scheduled for February 2017 at Agege Stadium.

FM of Lagos on Thursday might have heaved a sigh of relief after the League Management Company confirmed their survival from relegation.

The celebration was put on hold after the game between Plateau United and Heartland FC was abandoned, however the LMC’s final verdict was in favour of the Lagos-based side.

Heartland FC alongside Plateau United were sanctioned for various infractions of the rules during their Match Day 38 fixture last Sunday in Jos. The LMC following a review of reports and video of the match issued separate Summary Jurisdiction Notices to the clubs.

In the case against Heartland, the LMC charged the club for breach of B13.26 in that they failed to continue with a match. Heartland was fined N3m and will forfeit three points and three goals which were awarded to Plateau United.

It would be recalled that players of Heartland abandoned their match against Plateau United in the 75th minute following a dispute with the match referee’s call.

Scores were 1-1 at the time but the decision meant Heartland lost the match 3-0.

It also officially confirms the relegation of the Owerri based club which also has the option of appearing before a commission within 48hours.

In the charge against Plateau United, their supporters were cited for throwing objects on to the field of play which led to delay in the start of the second half, an act considered a breach of Rule B13.18.

For the breach, the LMC fined Plateau United N1,000,000 and the club has 48hours to submit to the ruling or elect to appear before a commission.

Robben out of Netherlands qualifiers

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rjen Robben’s miserable luck with injuries continued after he was ruled out of Netherlands’ two upcoming World Cup qualifiers by head coach Danny Blind.

The Dutch are due to face Belarus and France in the coming days and had hoped to have had Robben involved in some way for the Group A doubleheader.

The winger missed a large chunk of last season with adductor

problems and has been sidelined in the current campaign with a hamstring strain.

Robben made his return to action against Cologne last weekend but it only lasted 45 minutes as he was substituted at half time, with boss Carlo Ancelotti confirming he had suffered a minor rib injury.

“I spoke to Arjen this morning, he’s not coming - he’s not fit and that is unfortunate,” Blind said of the 32-year-old.

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Managing football into recession

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nknown to most citizens of this great country that before the nation’s economy officially entered recession recently, the Nigerian football had long been in recession and at the verge of entering depression well over two years ago.

This was shortly after the federation’s president Amaju Pinnick took over the reins of superintending over our football. Despite all the promises and posturing before assuming office, almost every inherited structure in the system has only collapsed.

The pain is that neither the leadership nor the board members have come up with any creative idea on how to lift the nation’s grounded game. Rather, it has been a tumultuous of conflict of interests, by an amalgam of strange bed fellows that are driven by nothing but pecuniary interests.

The initial struggle had been cantered on who occupies what juicy committee and who travels where with the team for the purpose of earning estacode allowance.

The growth and development of the game is no longer a matter of priority, but what they could make out of the game to the detriment of our collective interest. The usual yearly earnings from sponsors that run into billions of naira generated by the Marketing Department to argument the annual appropriations by government have been wiped out. It is a big shame that the current board failed to sustain the tempo due to reasons one could hardly fathom.

They have exhibited crass arrogance that has resulted in obvious revolts by most of their known sponsors, who had quietly walked out on some of their contractual obligations to the detriment of our football. Unknown to them, their show of superior knowledge is built on nothing but faulty assumption. The result is that the nation’s football is now lying comatose without any visible source of help.

Come to think of it, in the underage soccer competitions where the nation’s teams used to hold sway globally, we have taken the back seat and have eventually become a laughing stock before the rest of the world, as teams from ordinary Niger Republic now prove to be terror to Nigeria, the former football giant of Africa, nay the world. It is horrible to note that apart from few female tournaments, Nigeria’s flag will be missing in virtually most CAF and FIFA organised tournaments this year and early next year.

Nigeria has now become a spectator in the continent since we are already out of the African Cup of Nations back-toback. This is the legacy this administration in the federation has bequeathed the Nigerian people whose appetite for success in football knows no bounds.

This shameful act has not elicited any

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form of remorse from the authorities, as they cling tenaciously to their seats with reckless abandon.

I was embarrassed last week when the world cable news king, CNN, announced to a bewailed audience that the giant of Africa could not afford to airlift her national team, the Super Eagles to Zambia to honour an African Cup of Nations qualifying tie due to lack of funds.

The news as embarrassing as it sounded was vehemently denied by the federation with the most vulgar language they could muster. They derided the originator of the story as being an idle mind.

But regrettably, I was surprised to see the President of the Federation on Wednesday at the National Assembly confirming the assertion that they were completely broke and could hardly afford to honour their forthcoming match, which is a confirmation of what they had earlier denied.

I had expected that the pronouncement would have been accompanied with an apology to the world, but their stoic silence points to nothing but arrogance we had earlier complained of.

The natural question here is how did we get to this sorry state?

It is regrettable that the federation that once boasted of reserves running into billions of naira and millions of dollars in both FIFA account and Nigeria bank accounts in the country shortly before Sani Lulu handed over power to his successor Aminu Maigari, is now going cap in hand begging. Instead of adding to the financial buoyancy of the federation, the current occupants have liquidated the football house through frivolous spending. I had earlier warned when they initiated the series of unprofitable London jamboree tagged training exercise for some select cronies as their main obligation.

The volume of money wasted in the process that covered irrelevant chairmen of state football association was merely designed to guarantee the reelection of the incumbent president of the federation who was just new then, with consideration given to the fact that he had no credible evidence of having accomplished any form of achievement.

Ironically, things that were formerly unheard of are now the order of the day.

To cut the story short, Nigerian football has now come full circle without anything to show for the presence of these crop of self-seeking occupants of the Glass house.

They have only held our football hostage.

Their only achievement is that they have managed our football into the extreme recession called depression. What other evidence do we need than the current trophy-less experience that have rendered us comatose? Sincerely speaking, I believe it is time for this board to go.

Wimbledon hit with match-fixing probe

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he Tennis Integrity Unit has announced that a match at this year’s Wimbledon is being investigated for possible matchfixing.

One of the 96 alerts received by the TIU between July and September related to a match at the All England Club.

The match in question has not been disclosed by the investigators, who receive information of suspicious betting patterns from regulators and betting organisations.

A statement from the TIU read:

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“Historically, grand slams receive very few match alerts and in keeping with that record, only two were received during the period; one at Wimbledon, the other at the US Open. Both are the subject of routine, confidential investigation by the TIU. “It is important to appreciate that an alert on its own is not evidence of match-fixing.”

In September, the US Open match between Vitalia Diatchenko and Timea Bacsinszky was looked into by the tennis authorities.

US: Millions flee from Hurricane Matthew

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urricane which already killed at least 136 people in Haiti, could have "catastrophic" impact, Florida governor says.

The fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade slammed into the Bahamas yesterday, intensifying as it barrelled towards the southeast US coast where millions of residents heeded warnings to flee inland.

Roadways in Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina were

jammed and gas stations and food stores ran out of supplies as Hurricane Matthew approached, packing storm surges, heavy rain and sustained winds that accelerated overnight to around 205 kilometres per hour.

Matthew, which killed at least 136 people and damaged swaths of homes in southern Haiti, has str engthened from a Category 3 to 4 storm en route to eastern Florida.

Four more people were killed in Dominican Republic.

Landfall was expected in Florida yesterday’s night, the US National Hurricane Center said, extending its hurricane warning area further north into Georgia in its 6am EST (10:00 GMT) advisory.

"Everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit," Florida Governor Scott told a news conference in Tallahassee two days ago.

"If Matthew directly impacts Florida, the destruction could be catastrophic and you need to be prepared."

People walking down the street next to destroyed houses after Hurricane Matthew passed Jeremie, Haiti,

Ethiopian unrest resurges after stampede

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loggers arrested, internet shut down periodically and foreign firms attacked as anti-government protests continue.

Often violent protests in which rights groups say hundreds of people have been killed by security forces have flared up again in Ethiopia, with a US citizen among the latest deaths.

Protests reignited in the Oromia region, the main focus of a recent wave of demonstrations, after at least 55 people were killed in a stampede at the weekend, which was sparked

by police firing tear gas and warning shots at a huge crowd of protesters attending a religious festival.

The official death toll given by the government is 55, though opposition activists and rights groups say they believe more than 100 people died as they fled security forces, falling into ditches that dotted the area. Ethiopian radio said excavators had to be used to remove some of the bodies.

The anti-government demonstrations started in November among the Oromo, Ethiopia's big-

gest ethnic group, and later spread to the Amhara, the second most populous group.

Though they initially began over land rights, they later broadened into calls for more political, economic and cultural rights.

Both groups say that a multi-ethnic ruling coalition and the security forces are dominated by the Tigray ethnic group, which makes up only about 6 percent of the population. The government, though, blames rebel groups and foreignbased dissidents for stoking the violence.

Polish parliament rejects plans for total abortion ban

I

n a setback to the ruling conservatives, MPs reject near total ban on abortion after massive street protests.

Polish politicians have withdrawn draft legislation that would introduce a near-total ban on abortion in a vote that marks the first major domestic setback for the ruling conservatives after massive street protests.

The ruling Law and Justice party (PIS) unexpectedly withdrew its support for draft propos-

als drawn up by an independent anti-abortion campaign group, in an unscheduled parliamentary committee meeting late on Wednesday.

"PIS continues to back the protection of life," party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski told parliament.

"And it will continue to take action in this respect but it will be considered action." Politicians rejected the bill in a 352 to 58 vote during a hastily convened session of parliament, with 18 members

abstaining. Up to 100,000 women dressed in black protested throughout Poland on Monday against plans to tighten the country's already restrictive abortion rules.

Under the rejected plans, abortion would have been allowed only in the event of a direct danger to the mother's life and not in cases of rape, incest or serious health issues for the mother or when the baby was likely to be permanently handicapped.

Sanctity of Truth

On Marble

Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then.

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ot all relationships would lead to the altar; some women admit that harsh fact while many really think they have the magic wand to make even obviously bad affairs lead to marriage.

Of course, either party could go into the relationship for fun but even when both the man and woman go into the relationship with their eyes on the altar, things still fall apart. Not all affairs can end happily ever after.

However, more and more women are pushing their luck nursing bad relationships, patching up bad affairs and hoping things would get better. It is a virtue to be patient and persevering. A good woman and wife-material should not panic at the first sign of trouble. She should do her best to mend fences and keep peace but a girl who steals her father’s land documents to send her boyfriend abroad and hoping foolishly that he will come back for her, is an all-time idiot.

There are virtues better displayed within the confines of marriage. If a woman is sticking to her husband, the father of her children because she doesn’t want to be seen as a fair-weather bride, fine. Her chances of getting a better man than her husband, probably after four children, are slim anyway. She might as well weigh her chances, cut her losses and make the best of her situation. I believe marriage is for keeps.

But I don’t recommend the same attitude for courtship. A man with a decidedly bad habit will probably never change just because he is wearing a wedding band and you are bearing his name. Chances that his bad habits will worsen are higher than them improving. Of course, there are habits that can be broken over time. Chain-smokers have been known to come clean and hard-drinking men too.

But I don’t see why a sensible girl should stick to a man who not only smokes cigars but also grass and the occasional coke.

It will be foolhardy for a sane girl to believe her love will be enough to change her hemp-smoking boyfriend. It may, but what if it doesn’t.

The guy can be counted on to be meantempered, unstable and probably irresponsible. Sure, she can pray for him and counsel him but please she shouldn’t marry him until he has shed his bad habits.

Don’t be fooled by his promises. If his parents’ advice didn’t change his mind, why should yours do? But for the sake of what you feel for him, try but don’t hang around for too long. You might be wasting precious years of your life and in the process get lured into marriage. When relationship is bad, it is bad.

Most men love to ‘cut shows’ on the sides even when there is a ‘steady’ in their lives.

They do their best to keep the ‘take-aways’ out of sight and whenever they are caught, you can see they are contrite. Fine, that’s the way it should be. At least, that shows he has some respect for you.

It is a different ball game when the man you claim to love doesn’t see why you should be upset when you catch him in the hay with his landlord’s daughter. You should have a rethink if he has no apology or explanation if you stumble on him and his secretary having a quickie in the office.

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Dead-end Affairs Adam’s Apple

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Dearie, it takes two to tango. Let him give as much as he takes.

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If he yells at you for trying to monitor his life all because you tell him you saw him coming out of a hotel with his friend’s wife, you’d better watch it. A man who takes you to a party and abandons you with his friends while he goes home with his new catch is no husband material, believe me.

He has all the qualities of a man who will

sleep with your maid, friend and maybe throw in your sister for good measure.

Many women convince themselves that once they get installed in his home as ‘Mrs’, they‘ll give him all the sex he needs and he’d never look at another miniskirt.

That’s a laughable ambition. If you insist on marrying Mr. Stud, then you deserve all

the heartache coming your way.

You love him and see him as the best thing that ever happened to you but he sees you as a punching bag. All the uppercut tricks he has learnt he practices on you and bounces you like a FIFA football. And you think he’ll change if you marry him.

You need a psychiatrist.

Sometimes, a relationship is obviously one-sided. The woman is the one who is in love and desperate to marry. I think it is better if it is the man who loves the woman to death. If He slips smoothly like an eel and gives you excuses why marriage is not easy and you are still there patiently waiting for him to do what you think is right.

Listen, what he wants from that relationship is different from what you want. He must be enjoying certain fringe benefits from you and that’s why he has not given you the boot.

Go on; keep persevering until he impregnates somebody else. What do you expect anyway; doesn’t he convince you to get an abortion each time he knocks you up?

You are a fool, dearie, a fool in love.

Maybe you are 32 or 35 and desperate for marriage. Perhaps that is why you are taking all that shit from a dead-end relationship. That is no excuse and you are only cheapening yourself. You have waited this long. Don’t panic, the right man is just round the corner. You‘ll get the best, because that’s just what you deserve.

POUNDING THEORY It all started with an argument on a bus in the US. We had gone to eat lunch in a totally Nigerian restaurant and were served poundo yam. We girls enjoyed it but the guys? No. They wanted real pounded yam, done with mortar and pestle. Bush men in America, those ones. Did we descend on them? Trust me now. But why do men’s lives revolve around pounding? If they are not pounding a woman in bed, they all want the thoroughly pounded woman to make pounded yam. Na swear? Why can’t they eat simple dishes, not the one that takes a few years off a woman’s life while preparing it? Must they pound us to death?

I have been under a lot of pressure to write about this because I threatened to in the first place. We really must gang up against this new onslaught against womanhood. I know Ijesha and Ekiti men don’t even understand what I’m talking about.

Who cares?

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