6th March 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 2,036

SUNDAY, 6 MARCH, 2016

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Nigerian Tribune

Security agencies trace Banana Island, Park-View homes to judges

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Nigerian Tribune

N200

pgs4,8&51

• Affected judges to get query •How CJN foiled politicians’ bribery plans •Anti-graft agency to arraign 2 SANs •EFCC now toothless bulldog — OBJ

Mr Kamoru Oladele with the ‘coconut’ and charms recovered from him by men of the Oyo State Police Command, during a parade in Ibadan. PHOTO: OLUWATOYIN MALIK

‘Coconut’ lands herbalist in police net pg7

I will

act nude if...

—Fisayo Ajisola

Revealed:

Mile 12 clash planned 2 years ago pg5

•Why OPC stayed away •Residents feared crisis not over •As CP moves office to Ikorodu over abducted schoolgirls

Banks’ Over 1,000 Boko Haram members foreign debts •To earn $1,000 monthly for fighting ‘holy war’ now in Libya •AsDSSarrestssect’sgunmaker,linkperson hit $500m 4 pgs &51

pg49

DSS storms Ekiti Assembly, arrests lawmakers •Action is illegal —Ozekhome •I’ll continue to criticise Buhari, APC until... — Fayose

pgs31 &50

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

life&living When children can’t speak their mother tongues Even when ethnic nationalities cry out over the possibility of their languages going into extinction, this report from across the country shows that the fears are real and that not much is being done to correct the problem. DAPO FALADE, MUHAMMAD SABIU, BANJI ALUKO, ANTHONY UBONG report with additional story by BAYO ALADE.

ECENTLY the International Mother Language Day was celebrated across the world by the UNESCO with the theme: “Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes.” Unfortunately many parents in Nigeria, especially the elite, equate quality eduaction with language of instruction - English in our own case - believing that their children will eventually turn out well after being equipped with well-spoken queen’s English. Unfortunately this is not so, because in the words of Nelson Mandela, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands,

that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” This happens to be the crux of a former education minister, Professor Babs Fafunwa’s research on the use of mother tongue as a means of instruction in schools during his tenure Fafunwa was perfectly in agreement with UNESCO on the use of mother tongue as language of instruction. During this year’s celebration UNESCO reiterated its position on the importance of appropriate languages of instruction, usually mother tongues, in early years of schooling thus: “formal and non-formal education must

deliver quality education for all learners by taking a multilingual approach, which has great potential for achieving development goal 4 of the Agenda 2030.” UNESCO believes that through the use of the mother tongue the cognitive aspect of learning is strenghtened by ensuring that what is learnt is applied directly in the learner’s life. The world body also believes that dialogue and interaction between the learner and the teacher increases by providing the opportunity for genuine communication from the outset through the use of the mother tongue. President of Nigeria Academy of Letters,

Professor Munzali Jibril, at a recent event also agreed with Fafunwa’s model, the Ife Six-Year Yoruba Medium Primary Education Project which not only showed that children learn better when taught in their mother tongue or a language with which they are familiar at home, but also established that when taught by specialist teachers, such children also learn the second language better than other children who are either taught in English from the first year of primary schooling or transmit to an English-medium education Continues pg 3

life&living

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Why we can’t speak our mother tongues’ their formative years could play a major role in ensuring that they understand their mother tongues. It appears that these days parents in many homes do not speak their indigenous languages such as Yoruba or any other language as the case may be, to their children. They, both literate and barely literate, prefer to speak English to them. “Another reason is the supplanting of communal life by individuals, one where a nuclear family lives, plays and relates with itself alone without interacting so much with neighbours. This does not afford children of such families the opportunity of mixing with other children who gather before elders to listen to folktales and interesting stories.” According to Mr. Biodun Fagbemi, a journalist, the problem is deeper than this. According to him, “modern inventions have actually reduced the contact we make with our languages. For instance, the language of the computer is foreign; the parlance, development of our school curricular, the emphasis placed on foreign language as prerequisite for admission into tertiary schools at the expense of our indigenous language could also be responsible. “The English Language itself is not education, so knowledge should not be premised on English. It’s a mere language. Looking at some of our linguists, they have abandoned local versus foreign language analysis. They only do international/foreign language analysis. For instance, English/Spanish/German analysis and not Yoruba/Englush.

Continued from pg 2 after the first few years. As far as Prof Jibril is concerned, linguistic deficiency, occasioned by a the use of non-native language as medium of instruction is at the heart of the problem of academic underachievement in the Nigerian education system. “Indeed the major complaint against the quality and employability of the Nigerian graduate is that they lack communicative, technical and conceptual skills. This is to show that the language problem is partly responsible for low achievement at all levels of education in Nigeria,” he said. No vernacular From the days of discouragement of pupils from speaking their mother tongue to the present day, it has been a case of ‘peculiar mess.’ In the 60s and 70s, those

in charge of education felt that by discouraging the use of mother tongues pupils will get better in English Language; but this has proven to be counter productive and not in tandem with researches carried out by educationists like Fafunwa. Students eventually failed to learn English Language well and unfortunately were unable to speak their mother tongues. Half literate parents felt by sending their children to privare schools and being able to speak English, it was a sign of good education. Unfortunately, the private schools don’t teach the children in local languages. Mrs. Foluke Gbadegesin, a parent and a trader, spoke with Sunday Tribune giving reasons for the situation the younger generation have found themselves. “I think a number of reasons can be adduced to it. One, the role played by parents. Parents who bring up children and with whom they spend most time during

Pupils speak In Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Sunday Tribune went round some of the upscale nursery, primary and secondary schools and it was observed that about 60 per cent of the pupils and students could not speak their native languages. Matilda Effiong, Junior Secondary School student of Access High Schools, Calabar who is a native of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, told Sunday Tribune that she was born in the United Kingdom but her parents brought her to Nigeria at an early age in order to be integrated into their native setting. Till date she cannot speak her Ibibio language. She said her parents decided to bring her back to school in Nigeria purposely so she could learn her dialect, adding that it had not been easy for her to learn because her parents don’t speak Ibibio language at home. “I never knew there was another language apart from English because many people here don’t speak our dialect; they prefer speaking English all the time. So how do I learn? Even my parents hardly communicate in my local language which is Ibibio, so it is difficult for me. Even in school it is the same thing,” she said. Tochukwu Azubuike, a Senior Secondary School student of Hillcrest International School, Calabar, is a little better than Matilda because he understands Igbo which is his mother tongue but could not speak it. “I understand Igbo language a little, but speaking is my problem. My parents speak more of English and a little bit of Igbo at home, so I am finding it difficult to learn fast. “Speaking one’s local dialect in my school is like a taboo. Even though they teach us Efik/Ibibio language here in school but people still prefer to communicate in English. But I am trying to learn and I am sure I will speak Igbo language fluently if I find someone to be teaching me. It kills my identity as a Nigerian and I realise that,” Tochukwu said. Clement Affe, a nursery school pupil of Grace and Gold International School, Calabar, told Sunday Tribune that his parents could not even speak the language not to talk of teaching him. ‘’ I am from Delta State but my parents don’t even know how to speak our language, that is why I cannot speak it. It is only English Language that I know how to speak. It is only my uncle that has been speaking Urhobo language to me whenever he comes round and it sounds strange to me. Though I really want to learn, but I don’t know how to,“ Clement said. Commenting on the decline in the use of mother tongues especially among kids, a lecturer in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies in the Cross River State University of Technology, Edem Ebong, said Continues pg 10

Sunday Tribune 6 March, 2016 4 news Security agencies trace Banana Island, Park-View homes to judges

•Search begins for CJN’s successor Lanre Adewole-Lagos

TRONG indications emerged at the weekend that security agencies probing alleged corruption in the nation’s judiciary have formally notified the leadership, through the National Judicial Council (NJC). Names of judges with “questionable” cash balance in their bank accounts were also said to have been made available to the judiciary leadership. A highly-placed judiciary source told Sunday Tribune that “administrative procedure of getting the affected judiciary personnel to explain their side of the story” might have been sanctioned. In plain language, the judges were to be queried regarding “material acquisition that is suspected to be above their legitimate earnings.” Despite being the highest paid civil servants in the country, many judges were thought to be living above their legitimate means, suspected to be proceeds of corruption. In checking on the judges, expensive homes were said to have been traced to them at Banana Island and Park-View Estates in Lagos and Asokoro and Maitama in Abuja. Sunday Tribune recalls that N2 billion cash was found in the account of a serving judge recently, with the judge explaining it as proceeds of his engagement in a family business. The judge is still in ser-

vice and a step away from leading a critical judicial platform. Another judge had allegedly built an expensive home in a state in the Southern part of the country, with all the furniture and cutlery reportedly imported from abroad. The judge currently sits on the bench of an appellate court.

Findings of security agencies probing alleged widespread corruption in the nation’s judiciary were reportedly brought to the attention of the judiciary leadership for better synergy. Though the probing security agencies could invite the affected judges for questioning, Sunday Tribune learnt that the decision to make the probe very

NIGERIA’S former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), established by his government to fight against corruption has now become a toothless bulldog. He said this while addressing guests, during the celebration of his 79th birthday, held at the main auditorium of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State. In attendance at the event were former vicepresident, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was represented by the chairman Board of Trustees, American University of Nigeria, Akin KekereEkun; Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; representative of the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha;

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria was reportedly spear-heading the on-going efforts to clean-up the judiciary. The former CJN was said to be advising a particular administrative body which in turn was churning out steps to follow, for the security agencies. Panic was observed in the judiciary at the weekend

President, Association of Women Doctors, Dr Boladale Mapayi (right), leading other women doctors in protest against women violence within the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State. PHOTO: NAN

Over 1,000 Boko Haram members now in Libya •To fight ‘holy war’ for $1,000 By Dare Adekanmbi NO fewer than 1,000 members of the deadly Boko Haram sect have joined the Islamic State (IS) ter-

ror group in Libya to fight what they tagged a holy war for a monthly fee of 1,000 US dollars. The Boko Haram members had to jump at the

EFCC now toothless bulldog —Obasanjo Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta

tidy led to the findings being brought to the attention of the judiciary leadership. It was gathered that after explaining how they came about the questionable cash balance and expensive property, the judiciary leadership might refer the affected judges and their responses to the probing security agencies or deal with the issues internally.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, represented by the Senator representing Ogun Central, Lanre Tejuoso, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Ministers of Transport and Science and Technology, Mr.Rotimi Amaechi and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. Others were the deputy National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Engineer Segun Oni; founder of Living Faith Church (a.k.a. Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo; former governors of Osun and Cross River states, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Liyel Imoke; wife of the late former governor of Ondo State, Mrs Olufunke Agagu; Lotto magnate and philanthropist Chief Kessington Adebutu, among others. Obasanjo, who took a retrospective look at the activities of the anti-graft agency in the days of its former chairman, Nuhu

Ribadu, insisted that the EFCC had lost focus in fighting corruption. He submitted that the fight against corruption under Ribadu was more pronounced than what obtains today. Obasanjo stated that Nigerians coined the saying that the “the fear of Ribadu was the beginning of wisdom,” adding that the country needed to get more serious if it wants to develop. The former president advised the Federal Government and all stakeholders to take a critical look at the situation which had befallen the agency and chart a way forward. Obasajo said, “Honestly, when Nuhu was handling EFCC, he handled it in such a way that people coined the saying that the fear of Nuhu is the beginning of wisdom. The thing you will ask is how did we go down? How did we lose that?

Libya offer following intense heat on them at the hands of the joint military task force in relentless counter-insurgency operations. The development also came as a result of the entry of Cameroon, which shares borders with Nigeria, into the anti-insurgency strategy, fortifying its borders and rolling back the frontiers of the sect. Two United Kingdombased news media, IB Times and Daily Telegraph, which revealed the details of the recruitment, quoted the United Nations and the Pentagon to have reported a rise in the Libya IS group to 6,500 from 3,000 in just three months. The group is said to have “carried out audacious suicide attacks in Libya’s cities,” with scores of casualties and clashes with “government aligned militias at crucial oil installations.” “The rapid expansion of the Islamic State into the anarchy of post-Gaddafi Libya has been fuelled by the arrival of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters,” the UK media outfits reported. In the Libyan town of Sebha, considered a hub in

the trafficking of the terrorists, a local activist told IB Times that “the number of Boko Haram members in Sirte could be as high as 1,000.” The activist is reported to have explained that the Libyan chapter of ISIS did not use regular trafficking routes to “transport fighters” but through “its own handselected smugglers.” “There are a number of smugglers that don’t actually work within the human smuggling network. They are not well known. They are the ones bringing the Boko Haram fighters and taking them to Sirte. A former Boko Haram fighter living in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Ahmed Umar Bolori, said the same economic reasons that made the terror group members to join the organisation forced them to go to Libya. “These tribes, more and more, as they give up the political process, are aligning themselves with DAESH (the Arabic acronym for the terror group). A lot of them want to do so, not because of ideological links but out of a sense of revenge,” said Bolori.

as concerns about the ongoing cleansing rose. A judicial officer told Sunday Tribune that while the move to sanitise the system was commendable, any form of ambush should be condemned because it could take away the confidence of judicial officers in the discharge of their duties. The judicial officer frowned on the decision of investigative bodies to be obtaining bank details of judicial officers without their knowledge in any way, especially when their financial activities had nothing to do with cases before them. Sunday Tribune was informed by a security source on Saturday evening that regardless of any synergy, judges could be invited for questioning whenever such was deemed necessary. “Why not when it is time?” was the source’s response when asked if indicted judges would still have to face investigative bodies after the judicial administrative procedure. A judge of the High Court reportedly earns about N600,000 monthly with allowances of about N300,000, taking their take-home to a little less than N1 million. A source, however insisted that “no judge could build a house of N2 billion with such salary without engaging in illicit transactions.” Judiciary insiders were also said to be squealing over alleged illicit activities of senior members of the bench to security operatives. One of them said the whistle-blowing activities were geared towards getting it right for the nation, adding that “a lot of things would take shape in this country if we get our justice system right by flushing out corrupt judges.” Sunday Tribune also reliably learnt that the succession-by-seniority arrangement for the position of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) might end with the incumbent Justice Mahmud Mohammed. Currently, Justice Walter Onnoghen is the most senior justice of the apex court, expected to succeed Mahmud later this year, but the thinking in government circle appears to favour the injection of an entirely new blood into the system. Sunday Tribune was told that two senior advocates of Nigeria had been contacted by those entrusted with the search, with both reportedly turning down the offer. A senior lawyer, is reportedly heavily favoured to land the job.

news

6 March, 2016

Nigeria won’t leave OPEC —Buhari

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria won’t leave the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in spite of the current low revenue from oil sales, adding that members of the body will work together to save the situation. President Buhari in an interview on Al Jazeera on Saturday, also criticised previous governments for their over-reliance on crude revenues. Africa’s biggest oil producer and leading economy has been struggling with the slump in global crude prices for nearly two years, which has slashed the majority of government revenues. The country’s junior oil minister last Thursday said some oil-producing countries, including Russia, would meet in Moscow on March 20 to

2 die as fuel tanker explodes in Edo THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Edo State on Saturday confirmed the death of two persons in a road crash involving two articulated vehicles at the Ovia River near Benin, the state capital. The Tollgate Unit Commander, Mr Adewale Ameen, who confirmed the accident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said the driver of one of the vehicles and his assistant were burnt in the fire that engulfed the vehicles. Ameen said that one of the vehicles was conveying petrol while the other was carrying rods. “Both vehicles were coming from the same direction from the Lagos end to Benin when the accident occurred before the Ovia River at about 3.00 p.m. on Friday. “The tanker laden with 33,000 litres of petroleum product rammed into the truck carrying steel rods while they were descending the slope and there was an immediate explosion with the driver and his assistant trapped,’’ Ameen said. “FRSC officials immediately took control and started diverting motorists to the Ogbemudia Farms axis to control traffic and prevent more accident,’’ he said.

discuss a way out of the slump. Asked if the world’s biggest supplier Saudi Arabia and policies of OPEC had hit smaller producers, Buhari told Al-Jazeera English that the body had to “act together to save the

situation”. Countries, including Nigeria, “have to live by market forces,” he said, ruling out a Nigerian withdrawal from the body, adding that “OPEC as an organisation has to be mindful of economic conditions in

each member country because that will influence that country’s ability to go along with OPEC decisions. “Nigeria, we were unable to diversify our economy, hence we are much more disadvantaged by the low-

er oil prices and OPEC may try to help us out but really, it’s basically our own fault.” Buhari, who took office in May last year, has made reducing Nigeria’s reliance on crude revenues a key plank of his economic

Sunday Tribune

policy alongside ending decades of corruption and impunity. But those efforts have been hamstrung as cashflow problems caused by the global oil shock as well as previous administrations’ failure to save crude revenue when prices were high. Buhari, again said he would not devalue the naira or lift strict foreign exchange controls that critics say have strangled investment and growth in the import-dependent country. “Nigeria can only afford to live within its means,” he said.

Abducted students: Lagos CP relocates to Ikorodu Olalekan Olabulo-Lagos From left, Mrs Ronke Solomon; Olori Shotobi; wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; couple, Mr and Mrs Abdulrasheed and Risikat Olusola; Lagos State deputy governor, Dr Oluranti Adebule; wife of former Lagos State governor, Mrs Abimbola Jakande and Mrs.Olanilesi Mamora at the wedding ceremony of the Olusolas in Lagos, on Saturday.

Revealed: Mile 12 clash planned since 2 years ago Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos

THE crisis between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Agilinti area of Lagos State might be far from over just as some residents have called for the involvement of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). The residents accused some people from the Northern part of the country of inviting armed thugs for the clash. Reports available to the Sunday Tribune, however, had it that the OPC had no initial plan of joining the clash . Sunday Tribune gathered that the leadership of the OPC had warned its members in Ketu and Mile

12 to stay away from the crisis. Some of the residents of the area who spoke with the Sunday Tribune under the condition of anonymity also said that the Hausa had been planning the attack since about two years ago. A resident, who pleaded anonymity and claimed not to belong to any of the two groups, said that there had been fears since two years ago when strange faces were noticed in the area . The resident also stated that the “strange warriors” were ready to confront the policemen before the arrival of soldiers. He stated that “we have

NNPC assures adequate supply of petroleum products THE Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it had made special arrangement to provide intervention trucks that would ensure adequate supply of petroleum products in the country. Mr Victor Adeniran, NNPC’s Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment, disclosed this during a monitoring tour of filling stations in Abuja on Saturday. “Since Thursday, we have made special arrangement for intervention trucks. “If you go round the streets of Abuja, you will see that virtually all the stations are selling.

“As we are going extensively on this, you will see that queues will reduce,’’ he said. Adeniran added that NNPC currently supplied 100 per cent instead of the 48 per cent supply under normal circumstance. He said that the corporation embarked on the 100 per cent supply because other complementary marketers were not bringing in products. He attributed the ongoing scarcity to strikes by Petroleum Tanker Drivers and PPPRA. This, he said, had effect on movement of the product from both offshore and onshore.

observed that these people had been preparing for this since about two years ago. They deliberately brought some people for this purpose.” The resident was quick to absolve the traders at the market of any complicity in the clash but stated that some people were taking advantage of their presence to unleash mayhem on the community . Another resident, who simply identified himself as Oluwatobiloba, urged Yoruba leaders to prevail on the OPC to join the fight. Oluwatobiloba alleged that ‘those Hausa people were ready for the clash They are only waiting for the departure of the soldiers before they start again.” He added that “we live in serious fear. Some of the Yoruba residents are planning to relocate. We have a large number of Hausa thugs around here.” Investigations by Sunday Tribune gathered that the OPC leadership directed its members to stay away from the clash to show their grievances . It was gathered that the OPC leaders blamed the Ketu crisis of 1999 for the incarceration of their leaders, during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. An OPC leader who spoke with the Sunday Tribune under the condition of anonymity said “our

leaders have warned us to stay away from the clash.” He added that “after all we did when the Hausa were killing our people in this same Ketu in 1999, what did we get in return? Our leaders were arrested.” The OPC leader also added that “now people know the importance of the OPC to Yorubaland. They don’t see us as militants again.” He also said that the Yoruba around Agilinti area were not helping matters. He alleged that “they value the Hausa people more than the OPC members.” When contacted, the OPC National Coordinator, Chief Gani Adams, declined comments on what the group was doing to protect the Yoruba residents. Meanwhile, the Hausa community has also decried their inability to give a befitting burial to their members who were killed in the clash . One of the sons of the Serikin Hausawa in the area, Danjuma Jibril, said that some corpses of their members were still in the Agilinti River . He also blamed the crisis on hoodlums who were extorting money from truck drivers and commercial motorcyclists in the area . He urged the state government and the commissioner of police to have a permanent police presence in the area to forestall any reprisal.

LAGOS State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has relocated to Ikorodu efforts to locate the three schoolgirls abducted last Monday night. Owoseni, who was leading the police rescue team had visited Ikorodu almost everyday since the girls were abducted. A source told the Sunday Tribune that there were times when the police boss remained in Ikorodu till the early hours of the following day. As of late Friday night, the Lagos police boss was still strategising on how to rescue the schoolgirls. “You know that the CP is leading the rescue team. There is hardly any day that he did not go to Ikorodu since those girls were kidnapped,” a source said. Meanwhile, another source at the girls’ school who pleaded anonymity said that there were plans to pay the ransom if the girls were not rescued in the next few days. The source also said that the parents are worried, particularly with the reports that one of the schoolgirls was sick. The image-maker of the state police command, Dolapo Badmus, denied that the police were aware of any plan to pay ransom. She stated that the police were working on the rescue of the girls and assured that they would be reunited with their families very soon.

6 March, 2016

crimereports

Sunday Tribune

edited by Oluwatoyin Malik 0807 889 1950, 0811 695 4633 praiseboy01@gmail.com

Suspect attempts to stab police to escape arrest Says ‘I can’t bear a return to prison’ Stories by Oluwatoyin Malik

member of an armed robbery gang said to be responsible for the spate of robbery incidents in Oyo, Ogun, Lagos and Ondo states, Wasiu Ganiyu, who almost stabbed a police officer from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of Oyo State Police Command, has said that the fear of returning to prison prompted his action, as he would have preferred to die than being remanded again. Ganiyu, who reportedly took the action when he was taken out to be used as a bait to arrest one Jimoh, his gang member, was initially released on bail from Agodi Prisons in October, 2015; with his case still pending in court, but went straight into armed robbery immediately he regained his freedom. Other suspected members of his gang included a dismissed soldier, Tobi Endurance (32); Oseni Monsuru (29); Oyedokun Sunday (26); Yekini Kehinde (26); Sholotan Sola (33); Magbagbeola Wasiu (36) and Monsuru Nureni (29). Speaking during the parade of Ganiyu and his gang members during the week, the state Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said that the suspect and some of his gang members posed as passengers in an Ijebu Ode-bound vehicle from Ore, Ondo State. Along the way, the gang dispossessed other passengers of their valuables, after which they forcefully took the vehicle from its driver at gunpoint. “They were on their way to selling the car in Ibadan when they were intercepted by SARS, Oyo/Ogbomoso axis. In another robbery operation, one Thomas Adegoke was dispossessed of his unregistered Toyota Corolla car at gunpoint in Iseyin town. The leader of the syndicate is Wasiu Ganiyu. Items recovered include two cutto-size single barrel guns, six live cartridges and a Toyota Picnic car,” Oyebade added. In an interview with

Crime Reports, Ganiyu (32), confirmed his involvement in crime. According to him, “Jimoh, Tobi and I boarded a vehicle at Ore. When we got to a spot, we ordered the driver and passengers to disembark and we made away with the car. “This is our second operation. I gave the first car, Toyota Sienna, to Oseni Monsuru. We snatched the vehicle along the Lagos-Ibadan ex-

pressway. A couple was in the car while we followed on okada behind them. The car was parked and one of them disembarked to answer the call of nature, so we seized the opportunity to move close to the car and we snatched it. We used two guns. “I went to prison over the issue of an okada which was given to me by someone but was stolen from me. When I came out of prison in Octo-

ber 2015, Monsuru told me that he had a boss who was a buyer of stolen and snatched vehicles. He brought a gun from the said boss and gave it to me. We used the gun to snatch a vehicle in 2015 after I left the prison but I refused to do another job for him since he did not pay for the car I gave him. “There was a guy called Jide. His boss called me that he needed a vehicle; that was

why we went to snatch the Toyota Picnic car. “Jimoh has escaped. I knew Sunday through one guy called Capone. I decided to use broken bottle to threaten the police the day they wanted to arrest Jimoh. I thought within myself that I could not bear a return to the prison where I spent four years. That was why I decided to break bottles.” Oseni, who was popularly The suspects with the Toyota Picnic vehicle and arms recovered from them

I was the one assaulted, not the deceased —Murderer suspect CONTRARY to the report that one Igor Jabless (24), arrested in connection with the death of a ticketing official, Sodiq, on Tuesday, March 1, threw a deadly punch that sent the deceased to an early grave, the suspect has sworn that he did not touch the official, saying that it was a role reversal, as the deceased was the one who assaulted him before he fell and died. It will be recalled that Sodiq lost his life after he was allegedly punched by Jabless over the issuance of ticket at okada park at NNPC area of Apata, Ibadan. Jabless, who belonged to the okada arm of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), had insisted that he could not purchase a ticket from Sodiq, who belonged to the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders’ Association of Nigeria (ACOMMORAN). Jabless, who had been

transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, also told Crime Reports that he didn’t wear a ring on the day of the incident, not to talk of a charmed one. His statement was as a result of the belief in some quarters that only a charmed ring could have been potent enough to have such a fatal effect. According to Jabless, “I am an okada rider. I came to Ibadan, about six months ago. On Tuesday, March 1, I woke up to search for fuel around 7.00 a.m. because I could not get the previous days. After buying fuel, I picked a passenger at Kuola area and headed towards NNPC area, Apata. “As I parked for the passenger to disembark, the deceased, who was a ticketing official for ACOMMORAN, came to issue me a ticket, asking me to pay. I replied him that I was usually issued ticket by an elderly man who is a member of the NURTW.

I also belong to NURTW. “The elderly man was even close by. When he insisted I should pay, I left my motorcycle for him and went to the NURTW official to obtain my ticket with the N50 I collected from the passenger that just disembarked from my bike. “By the time I returned to where the deceased was, he had already used a chain to lock my motorcycle. I told him to release my bike since I had already paid, but he insisted I must purchase a ticket from him also. “I went to the elderly NURTW official to explain things to him so that he would speak to Sodiq on my behalf. I was with the man, backing Sodiq when he just slapped me. The suddenness made me fall into a gutter. Before I stood up, people came and restrained him from further assaulting me, taking him to the other side of the road. “I continued speaking

with Baba to help me collect my motorcycle from the man since I had already purchased my ticket. To my surprise, the deceased ran from the other side of the road and slapped me the second time. People came again and started restraining him the second time, asking him to leave me since I did not retaliate. They started pushing him away from me. It was then he fell down.” When asked whether he used a charmed ring on the deceased as believed by some people, the suspect spread his hands, saying: “I did not have a ring on my finger. I didn’t use any charm; I didn’t even touch him. People are saying all these because they are all Yoruba people. I did not have anybody there. But God is my witness.” The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, however, said that investigations into the case would continue, after which the suspect would be arraigned in court.

called Alfa, also told Crime Reports: “I have never robbed with the gang. It is true that Wasiu gave me a vehicle to take to one Alhaji Adamu that wanted to buy it. Alhaji was my boss’s friend. After dropping the vehicle with the man, I left. I was not given any money. It was the same Alhaji who gave me a bag containing a gun to take to the gang. I gave the gun to Wasiu in Shola’s house. Alhaji said they should use the gun to snatch vehicles. I have also been to the prison before. I bought a motorcycle from a man, unknown to me that he stole it.” The dismissed soldier, Endurance, described his involvement in crime as a spiritual problem. “I was dismissed from the Nigerian Army in 2015 as a deserter over Boko Haram issue. I was in 3 Division, 82 Batallion. I joined the robbery gang because I had no means of survival and no help from anywhere. “I met Wasiu less than a month ago. I got connected with him through a friend of mine called Saudi who always came to Ore, Ondo. I told Saudi to help me get a job of a driver, so he said he would link me up with Wasiu. Saudi gave me Wasiu’s number and we arranged to meet. I didn’t know Wasiu was into robbery until we met. “This is the first operation I would do with them. I believe my problem is spiritual because when I was dismissed, I was happy that I was going to live a normal, non-regimented life, where I would see my family any time I desired. But to my surprise, anytime I got to a place where people were being employed, I would not be given a job. I wrote many applications but I was never called. I once gained admission into the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) but I did not have a sponsor. I possess secondary school certificate only.” Other suspects also spoke on their involvement, while the commissioner of police said that they would be charged to court at the completion of investigations.

crimereports

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I never knew my husband meant human skull when he mentioned coconut —Wife of fleeing suspect Stories by Oluwatoyin Malik

NYONE who hears the mention of coconut will immediately assume that a fruit is being talked about. But that will be in the midst of the uninitiated. To Kamoru Oladele (52), a native doctor, and his syndicate members, the mention of coconut connotes another meaning. It is a code for a human skull. This disclosure was made by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, during the week at the command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, after Oladele was apprehended by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad. Oyebade said that the suspect belonged to a gang who traded in human parts to eke a living. His accomplice, Mudashiru Adedokun, who allegedly got the skull for Oladele, is however at large. Adedokun’s wife, Jolaobi, exclusively told Crime Reports that she didn’t know her husband was referring to human skull

when he mentioned coconut to her hearing. The woman said that there was a particular day when her husband started

agitating on how to get ‘coconut’. “When I told him to get to the nearest market, as it was not a scarce commodity, he barked a ‘shut

up’ at me, asking whether he asked for my opinion. I never knew he was referring to a human skull,” Mrs Adedokun stated.

According to the police commissioner, Oladele’s arrest was made possible by the information received on the activities of

The suspect with the human skull and charms recovered from him

Ogun police recover police rifles from land grabbers SOME suspected hoodlums who made land grabbing their mainstay in Ogun State bit more than they could chew by being in possession of police rifles, as four of them were recently arrested by the Ogun State Police Command. Those arrested include Sulaimon Lekuti (35) a.k.a. Epe Sule, Semiu Alaka (39) a.k.a. Ese Sobo, Azeez Gbolahan (45) a.k.a. Eniba and Teslim Adetunji (43) a.k.a. Tessy. Recovered from the suspects were AK47 rifle with serial number 348417 with nine rounds of live ammunition, a type 06 rifle with serial number 07010583 and an automatic pump action rifle with serial number 42716. One of the suspects, Alaka was said to have been hospitalised. Crime Reports also noticed that one of the guns had been repainted black by the hoodlums. Speaking on the activities of the hoodlums during a press briefing recently, the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, said they were people who

would just go and sack a whole community. Giving a brief on what led to the suspects’ arrest, Ali said: “In October 2013, the hoodlums attacked two personnel from police mobile force who were sent to a site at Agric. Area in Ikorodu, Lagos State, where they were fomenting trouble, and collected their arms. “On receipt of the information, policemen attached to Special Antirobbery Squad (SARS), Abeokuta, began investigation. Their efforts yielded fruits as they arrested the suspects with the rifles on January 5, 2016, more than two years after.” The police commissioner stated further that prior to his coming, the activities of land grabbers were on the increase. “But when I came, I made a pronouncement that henceforth, any of these boys caught would be dealt with. You cannot just move into a community, sack it and take over their land. I have set up different task forces, including SARS, to checkmate the activities of the

land grabbers,” he said. Speaking further, Ali remarked: “Before taking possession of a land, you must get court order and you must get police clearance as well.” In an interview with Crime Reports, Gbolahan said: “I am engaged in

The suspects and the arms recovered from them

land sale and buying. We went to Imowo in Ikorodu to claim a piece of land. We went with guns and I was also armed with a pump action gun. The other group was already on the land with two policemen and we caught them unawares. On seeing our number, the po-

licemen fled, leaving their guns behind. “We left the guns in the bush and called a man, Teslim a.k.a Tessy and handed them over to him, with a warning that the police must not get to know that we forcefully took the guns from their colleagues. That was over two years ago. “We were arrested recently and I directed them to the man who kept them. They went to him and got them back. I have never killed anyone. I was supporting land grabbers to protect the pieces of land that I have so that they would not be taken from me.” Teslim, who reportedly kept the rifles, also told Crime Reports: “I am an Ibadan indigene but I reside in Sagamu, Ogun State. I am Commander, Operation Clean the Town in Sagamu Local Government. Azeez came to me and said they found guns on a piece of land while the bush was being cut. They said they could not pick them or inform the police because they would be arrested.”

the syndicate. “After two weeks of surveillance and intensive investigation, Oladele was arrested while negotiating for a human head for N35,000,” he said, adding that the gang had clients who use the human parts for different purposes, including rituals from different parts of Nigeria. Crime Reports learnt that a search of the suspect’s house led to the recovery of a human skull which appeared to have been roasted. Oyebade said that the suspect had opened up on his gang’s human abattoirs at Amuloko in Ibadan and Kuta in Osun State. But Oladele, a resident of Bode area, Ibadan, who spoke with Crime Reports, said: “I have never used a human part; this is the first time and it has boomeranged. It was a woman who came that she wanted to do a fortune charm that would involve the use of a human head. I demanded N35,000 and she gave a deposit of N25,000. “I contacted one man, Mudashiru Adedokun, and he brought the human head. I paid him N10,000. Mudashiru didn’t tell me where he got the human head from.” Adedokun was said to have escaped through the back door of his house when the police went to arrest him. The escape, it was learnt, was aided by his wife. When cornered by Crime Reports, the woman claimed that she didn’t know of her husband’s involvement in human parts sale. “On the night the police came to our house at Esu Awele quarters, Oja Oba area, I was sleeping when my husband woke me up and asked me to open the back door for him. I asked him what was wrong but he insisted I should open the door. As I opened the back door, he ran into the dark. Shortly after, police came in, looking for him. “When I married him, he was a sales assistant at a beer depot before he lost the job. He was not doing anything until about two years ago when he said he had started learning divination.” The police commissioner has however declared a manhunt for runaway suspect and other members of the gang.

newsanalysis

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Supreme Court gov elections’ judgments: How CJN foiled politicians’ bribery plans Lagos Bureau Chief, LANRE ADEWOLE, delves into the behind-the-scenes drama that shaped the outcome of the contentious governorship appeals at the Supreme Court.

HE story of 2015 general election would not be complete whenever it is elaborately told without the final lap of the judicial resolution of the appeals arising from governorship elections in the four states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Taraba and Abia. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had been victorious in three at the Court of Appeal and simply waiting for the seal of the Supreme Court to celebrate what would have been the its biggest political prize after the presidential election victory, if its desire had been met. The party’s candidate in Taraba, Hajia Jumai Al-Hassan even won at the election petition tribunal before the loss at the Court of Appeal. All hope was therefore on the apex court to score big. But in one fell swoop, starting with the highly-contentious Rivers governorship election, the apex court, guided by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, ruled all in the favour of the new opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), throwing the polity into a spin. There have been accusations and counter-accusations from all the stakeholders in the assumption of knowing what really went right or wrong with the judgments. But the untold stories of those appeals have remained in the closet of those privy to the undercurrents that ran through the cases. While allegations of bribery have consistently been bandied, Sunday Tribune findings revealed that the allegations of bribery might not be completely false, faulty assumption may have compelled the populace looking in the wrong direction and labelling wrong culprits. The intrigues that characterised the judicial intervention started from the moment losers in the elections decided to seek redress in the court of law. It was learnt that friendly judges both serving and retired, were contacted and contracted to draft the petitions in a way to make them deliver. The judicial contractors reportedly served as consultants to many litigants who reportedly briefed their lawyers to “work with and listen to the consultant judges” according to a judicial source. Considering how high the stakes were, lawyers to parties were also said to have been picked for multi-dimensional reasons, with a central focus on those “who could deliver with judges, especially those who have very close relationship and affinity with judges that would handle the cases,” another highly-placed source volunteered. But all the twists and turns were being reportedly monitored at the top. A senior judicial officer screamed his disavowal when Sunday Tribune suggested that money didn’t change hands in the course of determining those cases right from the tribunal. “Who told you that? Don’t assume what you don’t know. Who said money didn’t exchange hands? If what is here is released, this nation will shake to its foundation,” the source disclosed. What is that “what” which the source said could send the nation into a spin? It is a security report, reportedly gathered on the cases, starting from the day they began and all the shenanigans that allegedly went into the different decisions until the appeals berthed at the apex court.

Mahmud Mohammed, Chief Justice of Nigeria The security report was said to have prepared the apex court for the intrigues that surrounded the appeals. Expectedly, the lower courts’ drama was said to have been transported to the apex court but the leadership of the Supreme Court reportedly had an antidote to the politics of the cases and how to insulate the justices from illicit gratification, even if they wanted to partake of same. Sunday Tribune learnt that rather than what was being served the public, those who attempted to manipulate the outcomes of the appeals were more vociferous in their accusations of suspected graft, when the cases turned out the way they did. Sunday Tribune was reliably informed that a particular senior public official made two attempts to talk two justices of the court into altering the course of justice for a fee. While one of the justices of the apex court was reportedly cornered in an Asian country by the said official and his emissary, the country home of another justice (whose one of the names, sounds like a popular lake in a state of a controversial politician rumoured dead recently) from the Southern part of the country was said to be the dateline for the second attempt. The details of the two meetings were reportedly documented in the said security report, serving as a guide throughout the duration of the appeals. Determined to beat the politicians and their collaborating judicial officers to their game, Justice Mahmud was said to have devised anti-graft means of getting the cases decided mainly on their merits, while making any form of gratification unproductive. In achieving his aim, Justice Mahmud was said to have directed that all the 16 justices of the court including him, be served all the processes emanating from

the four appeals, thereby making it difficult for all, including justices and supporting judicial staff to say categorically who would eventually make the panels that would determine the appeals. The non-composition of the panels before the hearing date as is the usual practice, was said to have thrown everybody off balance, making it difficult to know who to approach for “help”. The CJN himself was said to have been completely incommunicado and inaccessible, while riot act was reportedly read to those who had anything directly to do with the appeals among the support staff. Sunday Tribune recalls that to the shock of all stakeholders, there was no mention of the members of the panel that eventually determined the Akwa Ibom governorship appeal until about 20 minutes to the commencement of proceedings on the morning the judgement was given. Attempts by Sunday Tribune to check the list that morning for reporting purpose drew a blank and when a counsel in the appeal was contacted, he also drew a blank. The waiting game was sustained until Justice Mahmud reportedly showed up with six other colleagues, who he personally led to the chamber after unveiling them about 20 minutes to the commencement of proceedings. To ensure strict monitoring, he insisted that the panel, just like others, must arrive at a conclusion on the same day as it was in the appeal enthroning Rotimi Amaechi as Rivers State governor, when decision was given and reasons given later. That posture was said to have accounted for the proceedings dragging late into the night, with the CJN insisting that judgements must be entered no matter how late, in order to foreclose the possibility of any armtwisting or inducement. With the justices’ phones off and “ambushed” for the assignments, it became

impossible for anyone to reach them for any extraneous consideration. “At least, you can’t attempt bribing 15 justices at a go, without one or two who do not like your politics or person, not raising the alarm. At least there would always be persons of integrity in such gathering. So, if you have what could go round, it would be dangerous to try to reach everyone. So, I can tell you nothing influenced those judgments,” the very senior judicial officer volunteered. Justice Mahmud even almost stepped into the ridiculous, policing the system and the justices. Sunday Tribune was told that lunch was served in the same hall to the justices during break time with the CJN reportedly watching over everyone and ensuring that none of the members of the panel had any reasons to be out or reached by any external bodies. With lunch over, he reportedly led the panel back to the court room, repeating the same procedure with all the other three panels. Sunday Tribune gathered that it was easy for conclusions to be reached on the appeals even without full judgments, because all the processes from the Court of Appeal had been studied by the justices and since fresh evidence would not be taken on appeal, it was just for them to listen to counsel for litigants reinforcing their arguments at the lower courts and trying to persuade the apex court justices to align with their positions. When the apex court was being assaulted over the judgements by sympathisers of the party that lost, there were initial considerations to pull in a couple of the attackers who are lawyers to substantiate their claim of alleged bias and inducement, but the idea was eventually dropped by the leadership. One of those initially considered for questioning was a top senior advocate who was among those who upbraided the apex court for upholding the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of PDP. If the plan wasn’t dropped, he would have been asked to substantiate his allegation, then confronted with the said security report. A couple of the leaders of the system, according to Sunday Tribune findings, simply felt the controversy should not be further fuelled by summoning one of the top lawyers. The argument against such step was also reportedly consolidated with the fact that it was a newspaper report which could be denied and since the leadership didn’t hear the lawyer attack the apex court directly, the matter was better dropped. However, the sleeping dog may not lie for too long. Sunday Tribune can confirm that the leadership of the judiciary isn’t too comfortable again with how the image of the justices of the court is being battered by political interests. “If they don’t stop, we may have to act, starting with releasing the security report to the approximate authorities. The justices must be defended because they did no wrong. When the report is released, the whole world will know who tried to do what with evidence no one can deny,” the source fumed. Only time will tell if main actors in the saga will ever tell their own stories.

Sunday Tribune 6 March, 2016 9 OYO STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, CP LEYE OYEBADE’S TOUR OF PHOTOS: OLUWATOYIN MALIK OKE OGUN ZONE, OYO STATE

The Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade with the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganiy Salau in his palace.

CP Leye Oyebade in a group photograph with the Aseyin, his council of chiefs and police officers.

From right, chairman, Police Community Relations Committee, Iseyin, Mr Azeez Badmus; the head of Iseyin Local Government Administration, Mr Adewale Taiwo; CP Oyebade; Area Commander, Oyo, ACP Yemi Oyediran; Divisional Police Officer, Iseyin, CSP Seyi Okenla and DPO, Otu Division, CSP Elisha Bawa, during meeting with stakeholders in Iseyin.

CP Leye Oyebade in a group photograph with chiefs, police officers and officers from other security agencies at the late Okere of Saki’s palace.

CP Oyebade in handshake with officers in Saki Division.

Sentry guards on parade to welcome the police commissioner to Kisi town.

The National President of Kisi Progressive Union, Chief Bayo Adesope, JP, (second left) handing over document of land donated to the Nigeria Police Force to CP Oyebade, while Oba Lawal and ACP Sylva look on.

CP Oyebade addressing stakeholders in a town hall meeting in Saki.

From left; CP Oyebade, the Iba of Kisi, Oba Masoud Oyekola Lawal, Arowoduye II and the Area Command Ogbomoso, ACP Chinedu Sylva.

CP Oyebade in a group photograph with officers and Fulani leaders at Igbeti Division.

CP Oyebade in a group photograph with officers and men at Ikoyi-Ile Division.

life&living

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

For mother tongues, charity does not begin at home Continued from pg 3 it is a worrisome development common among people from rich homes. He said with such development, societal values and norms could be eroded, adding that those involved could also lose their identity. “It is very common in homes where parents are well-educated and rich. They think they are too westernised to be speaking their native language with the kids. It is a worrisome development. I call it westernisation of Nigerian homes. “Losing your culture and identity in the name of education is very pathetic. I love my local Ibibio language so much that I do not miss the opportunity of speaking it with anybody I meet that is Ibibio. It is also very common among Nigerians residing overseas. “A lot of Nigerian parents today do not speak their native languages with their kids, and this is very bad because the child would not have an identity. He or she will not be able to stand tall to say this is where I come from. This is why we should make local language a compulsory course in schools,” Ebong said. In Rivers State, as in several SouthSouth and South East parts of the country, Pidgin English has even taken over the place of English Language. This is quite noticeable in all public places, including public secondary schools. In Port Harcourt, the use of mother tongue is fast going into extinction as students who spoke with Sunday Tribune disclosed that they were not at home with their native languages. Precious Awobelem Harry from Ojims College, Port Harcourt, said he was not used to communicating in her mother tongue, unless the need arises and only with her parents. Precious, who is from Ifoko, in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of the state, further said, “I often do not use my mother tongue while communicating, but when the need arises, I do speak with my parents. I do not do this when communicating with my friends. But I sometimes speak with those who understand the language. I am not very fluent with the language. There was even a time my parents stopped me from speaking my mother tongue.” Victor Williams is a 13-year-old secondary student from Akwa Ibom State, but based in Port Harcourt. He said he only speaks in his native language when necessary. He, however, said his mother had been trying to encourage him to speak the language. “Most time, my mother tries to communicate with me in Ibibio but I find it difficult sometimes. But I do not use it when communicating with my friends,” he said. Daniel Ayomide, from Ogun State, is also a student at Ojims College. He disclosed that he still communicated with his parents in Yoruba. “I still speak my mother tongue with my parents, but not with my aunties and uncles whenever I come in contact with them. For me, the mother tongue is not a day-to-day language of communication,” he said. Ejikofrimoke Oghene said, “I do not use my language in my day-to-day communication. But whenever I go to my community, I speak it when the need

Biodun Fagbemi …English language is not education

arises, though I am not fluent in it.” Desiree Tuwonimi Jumbo is a pupil of Praise-El Primary School, Port Harcourt. For her, the mother tongue is an abberation and she does not communicate with it at all. “I do not speak my mother tongue at all, my day-to-day communication with my parents is in English language; even with my friends, I speak English,” she said. Some teachers who spoke with Sunday Tribune expressed the difficulties they encounter in trying to relate with their students, using their mother tongue. They also blamed parents for the inability of their children to communicate in the mother tongue. According to Amachree Tubosoye, a teacher at Ojims College, “a lot of students don’t speak their mother tongue. Just as they say: “charity begins at home,” the parents are supposed to play that role at home by using their mother tongue in communicating with their children so as to help them develop interest in speaking their native language fluently. “I have always encouraged them. In our school, we have some pamphlets containing languages spoken in Rivers State, so they could read. We also have our Bible in our mother tongue. We encourage them to do a lot of reading. But they have

refused to even go through them.” Eventus David, another teacher, said he had been trying in his little way to encourage his students to speak in their mother tongue. “I do encourage our students to speak our dialect before English Language. Though I teach in English Language, I always ask them to pronounce some words in their dialects,” he added. Hajiya Amina Abubakar is a 40-yearold Kanuri woman who came to Kaduna State to stay with her elder sister at Unguwar Rimi, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis 22 years ago. Barely two years after, she met and fell in love with another Kanuri man who had just graduated from the university. The young man, now her husband, is an engineer by profession. Two years after they got married and they have three children, two boys and a girl. The eldest of the three is 18 years old, the second is 15 years old while the third, a girl, is 11 years old. According to Hajiya Amina, when the children were growing up, she hardly spoke Kanuri language with them. She communicated instead in Hausa. “Hausa is the commonest language spoken in this part of the country,” she said, adding that the environment played a major role as her neighbours were mostly Hausa. She added that her husband who could have assisted her in teaching the children was not always around. Mrs Esther John, in her late 30s, is a Southern Kaduna woman married to an Igala from Kogi State. According to her, the inter-tribal marriage has affected her children in that her two children only understand Hausa. “I’m from Zango Kataf, I can speak my mother tongue but our children don’t understand and can’t speak my own language or that of their father.” According to her, “we tried to teach them both languages but the more we try, the more they get confused. So we have to contend with the situation.” Tope Ayoola’s case is a little interesting. A final year student in the Department of English in the University of Benin, she could speak neither her mother tongue,

(Yoruba) nor the Bini language of Benin, where she has lived all her life. She is, however, at home with the English Language and pidgin. She pointed out that being a boarding school student in her primary and secondary schools prevented her from understanding both Yoruba or Bini languages. “My parents are from Ile-Ife in Osun State. I was born and raised in Benin. I had my primary and secondary education as a boarding house student here in Benin. I was quite young when I left home for primary school. That explains why I can’t speak Yoruba language. If I had stayed back at home quite well, I believe I would have understood Yoruba because my elder brothers managed to understand Yoruba and Bini. As a matter of fact, all my siblings understand Bini very well while their Yoruba is at least passable. Generally, in our house, the commonest language of communication is pidgin. It is like a middle ground for those of us who cannot speak either of the two languages or none of them,” Tope said. Constance Ohale, a postgraduate student of the University of Benin, said her parents prevented her from understanding her mother tongue, which is Isoko. “I was not raised in Delta State, where my parents hail from. I was born here in Benin and I have lived all my life here. My primary school, secondary school and my university education were done here. I also attended the University of Benin. Unfortunately, I don’t speak the Bini language despite the efforts I have made. As of today, I can only understand or speak a few Bini words. As poor as my Bini language is, it is still better than my understanding of Isoko. I can barely speak that one. “My parents are responsible for that. They took me to a school where nobody dare speak our mother tongue. Now, I’m left with only pidgin and English Language. What can I do now? It is too late in the day for me to start learning the languages. I have even given up trying to learn the languages because attempts to learn them have not gone according to plan.”

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

feature

Death on the waters Passengers, operators speak on why accidents persist

OLALEKAN OLABULO reports on incessant accidents on waterways in Lagos, revealing that the fault lies with major stakeholders in water transportation.

VER the last few years, water transportation especially in Lagos and other states in the coastal areas of the country has become one of the most patronised means of transporting people and goods from one destination to another. Before then, using boats, canoes and ferries was almost limited to residents of riverine communities. However, people from outside of the riverine communities in Lagos have now embraced water transportation. Much as the patronage has increased, dangers associated with water transportation, particularly boat accidents have also increased in the state. Over 100 people have died in boat accidents in several parts of the state in the last few years. School children and workers in communities around Oto Awori, Ojo, Ikorodu, Badagry, Kosofe, Amuwo Odofin and Epe daily rely on boats and canoes as a means of going in and out of their communities. In the last one month alone, nine people, including two children, died in two different boat accidents that occurred in Badagry and Ikorodu areas of the state, with

many others sustaining varying degrees of injury in the two accidents. Fourteen school children, who were on their way to school, died in a boat accident in Agbede community in Oto Awori Local Council Development Area in February 2012. The school children were part of the 22 passengers on board a canoe, which capsized as a result of windstorm. Boat accidents have been of serious concern to the government in Lagos State in the last few years. The government has been making efforts to stem the tide of deaths from boat accidents but the efforts are not yielding the desired results. Preliminary investigations into some of the accidents revealed that not all passengers comply with the government’s directive on the use of life jackets. In fact all those who lost their lives in these boat accidents were not putting on life jackets. Worried by the recent death of school pupils in the state, the wife of the state governor, Bolanle Ambode, donated about 1,000 life jackets to schools in Epe

area of the state, urging boat operators to always ensure that their passengers use life jackets. The immediate past administration of former governor Babtunde Raji Fashola also donated 5,000 life jackets to boat operators in all parts of the state as part of the efforts to reduce the number of deaths from boat tragedies. The government as part of the activities to ensure compliance with the use of safety jackets by all passengers also set up a task force to monitor passenger compliance but some of them still find a way of avoiding the use of life jackets. Sunday Tribune observed at some of the jetties in Lagos State that all passengers were forced to wear the life jacket before taking off but it was also discovered that some of them still pull off the life jacket midway into the journey. Abogun John, a boat operator, told Sunday Tribune that some of the boat passengers decide not to Continued from pg 12

feature

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Refusing to use life jacket is like suicide attempt’

There are times I don t feel like wearing it but, when I look at the usefulness, I would be forced to wear it. Some people are always very tired and they claim they don’t want to add any inconvenience on themselves. That is why they remove it in the middle of the road

A passenger with a life jacket

Continued from pg 11 wear the life jacket for two reasons. The passengers gave the reasons as personal inconvenience and the issue of hygiene. “Some of them will tell you that putting these small things (pointing at some of the life jackets) on their body will discomfit them, while others will simply say that some passengers had used the life jacket before them. It has caused a lot of trouble between operators and some passengers,” John said. Samson, another boat operator, who spoke with Sunday Tribune at the CMS jetty, admitted that there are still some passengers who don’t like using the life jackets. He was, however, quick to point out that the number of passengers who don’t use the life jackets is minimal. On the excuses given by the passengers, Samson said: “my brother, they don’t give any reason. I see it as a suicide attempt. They won’t give any reason, they just pull off the life jacket.” Samson also insisted that there are more than enough life jackets for almost all the boats and canoes but still called on the government and other Nigerians to save the lives of water transport passengers by providing them with more life jackets. Investigations by Sunday Tribune also revealed that the National Inland Waterways Authority and the Lagos State Inland Waterways have introduced measures such as raiding and fining boat operators whose passengers were found without life jackets. A fish seller, Adiyat, told Sunday Tribune that boats and canoes have in the last few years been her only source of transport from her home in Sagbokeji to Marina, where she sells her fish, adding that she has always complied with the directive on life jacket. “There are times I don t feel like wearing it but, when I look at the usefulness, I would be forced to wear it. Some people are always very tired and they claim they don’t want to add any inconvenience on themselves. That is why they remove it in the middle of the road,” Adiyat stated. Femi, a commuter who also uses the waterway from Ikorodu to the Lagos Island, however, blamed some operators for the noncompliance with the life jacket direc-

One of the boats operating on the waterways

tive. Femi said that many of them are more concerned with what they make out of every trip than the safety of the passengers. “There are some of them with fewer life jackets that could not go round the passengers. They often take advantage of those who are in a rush to catch an appointment or to get to the office. They will only give such jackets to select passengers,” Femi said, adding that “there are also instances of overloading and the jackets would not go round the passengers. That usually happens when jetty administrators were either not around or decided to

look the other way.” Hakeem Balogun, the Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Boat Operators, also insisted that operators are very concerned about the safety of their passengers. He stated that appropriate sanctions were meted out to any erring boat operator who did not comply with the directive that all passengers must wear life jacket. The boat operators’s spokesperson noted that such boats are usually impounded, while the operators are made to pay a fine, depending on their zone or jetty.

13 Continued from

6 March, 2016 last week

T long last, ban on political activities has been lifted as one of the steps towards the return to civil rule in Nigeria in 1979. By this act, the Federal Military Government has bestowed on Nigeria THE DAWN - the long-awaited dawn - which promises a new era of bright and radiant light for democracy in our fatherland. For this great and courageous act, I pay very warm and unreserved tribute to General Olusegun Obasanjo and his men. I do this on behalf of myself and the Unity Party of Nigeria which, in accordance with the wishes of the National Committee of Friends, came into being upon the declaration of return to political activities. When the programme for eventual civilian rule in 1979 was announced by General Murtala Muhammed in 1975, I was skeptical. Skeptical because we had been given a similar promise before, which was not fulfilled. Furthermore, I had thought that the gap between the time of decision and the moment of fulfilment - between 1975 and 1979 - was too long. But, as time went on, the doggedness and precision with which every promised step was taken towards the goal demonstrated the iron determination and credibility of the military regime in this particular regard. Three crucial steps, however, remain to be taken; first, to hold the ring, absolutely impartially, for the contending political parties to play the game within the ambit of our laws and to have the opportunity to reach the electorate in every part of our land; secondly, to guarantee, as hitherto, freedom of action to the Federal Electoral Commission in all its lawful acts to conduct a free and fair election; and thirdly, to perform the final act of actual handing over. This final act, in my view, is the moment of fulfilment. It is much more than the ceremonies of oath-taking, pomp and pageantry which will herald and proclaim the advent of the new era. It is, indeed, a moment of history generated and actualised by an antecedent state of mind, on the part of our military leaders, which recognises political power as a thing in trust; which trust is better and more legitimately reposed in the accredited representatives of people duly chosen at a free and fair election. I have no doubt left in my mind, more so having regard to recent bold and drastic changes in the composition of the military government to ensure smooth and impartial

Awoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughts PATH TO NIGERIAN GREATNESS

On the campaign trail At last â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the glorious dawn*

transition, that even these three final steps will be taken with the same doggedness, precision, and dedication as those that had gone before. When the final act of fulfilment has been performed, and a new duly elected civilian administration is installed, General Olusegun Obasanjo and his colleagues will have accomplished an epoch making feat which is without precedent or, at any rate, very rare in the annals of politics through all the ages in all parts of the world. Having said this much, I would like to serve an important notice on the Federal Military Government. We recall and fully appreciate that the Military had assumed power for two stated major purposes, to correct the ills of the past, and to bring about another era of civil rule. We know that the military are now running the last lap of the second purpose. Whether or not they have attained their first purpose or any part of it remains a matter for comment by political commentators and future historians; but it is certainly and decidedly not an issue in the coming elections. We also bear in mind that the involvement of the military in public administration was an inevitable concomitant of their assumption of political power; it was never part of their main purposes. Furthermore, the military, as a corporate body, are not a party to the forthcoming elections. Indeed, they have made it abundantly clear that they sponsor no candidates; and have again warned against their names, collectively or individually, being used by any candidate or group or candidates to foster such electoral prospects as

Sunday Tribune

they may have. For all the foregoing reasons, therefore, and as long as the military confine their role strictly to that of an umpire and of a watchdog to ensure free and unfettered electioneering in all parts of the country, and to guarantee the conduct of free and fair election by FEDECO, we shall refrain, with the utmost scruples, from bringing the name of the military, either as a corporate body or as individuals, into the forthcoming electioneering. Nonetheless, and here lies the advance notice, there will be occasions when, in the course of electioneering, critical references will be made to some of the doings of the military administration since 1966. Indeed, it is our general thinking that a good number of the policies, programmes, measures, and legislations approved and now being pursued will have to be reviewed, and some of them drastically revised or reversed or abandoned. And it will be necessary for comments along these lines to be made during the campaign. In this regard, let it be borne in mind always that any builder who undertakes a reconstruction or renovation of an existing structure, as we are determined to do, must at the same time do some measure of demolition. Such act of demolition in no way suggests or amounts to a condemnation of the previous builders. It usually arises partly as a matter of taste, and partly to bring about new structural changes in keeping with current architectural concepts. I would, therefore, like to say that whenever it becomes necessary, in the course of electioneering, indeed even in the course of this statement, to refer to and comment on existing policies, programme, measures, and legislations which are not in keeping with what we consider to be in the best interests of our people, all concerned with the outgoing regime should rest assured that no attack on their personal efficiency and probity as public administrators is intended. However, if any of the members of the armed forces and police force who participated in the military regime, at different stages since 1966, should take part in the forthcoming electoral contests, either as candidate or as supporter of any candidate, then his personal conduct, and his own personal conduct alone, in all its ramification in the military regime, will be the subject of searching public scrutiny and appropriate comments.

To be continued

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6 March, 2016

Dare Martins

Sunday Tribune

Bukola Akinyemi

It is not hygienic for any man to wear one boxer for more than a day. How can I wear boxers for two or three days and feel comfortable? No way. I will just have rashes on my body, so it is advisable to change one’s boxers daily.

You shouldn’t even be asking this question at all. Every man should change his boxers everyday and if possible twice because of sweat. You know there is no way one won’t sweat in one day. So, literally, what it implies is that one is wearing dirty boxers.

Mrs Oyinkansola

Joshua Oluwasiji

I don’t even like men wearing their boxers for more than one day, so I make sure my husband wears his boxers one at a time, since I will be the one to wash them; but he can still wear it the second day too, but that is the longest.

I change my boxers daily because I have a good and lovely washwoman who doesn’t fail to take care of me, so I can’t be caught dead wearing already used boxers.

How often should men change their boxers

Oluwasegun Alani I think the maximum number of days for any man to change his boxers is two days and that is what I do, I change my boxers every two days. Anything more than that will be difficult for me.

Men wear their boxers for different lengths of time and only change them for different reasons. LAIDE SOKOYA and TEMITAYO ILIASU speak with a section of people on what they think of the time frame for wearing boxers. Bolaji Emmanuel

RANKLY speaking, any responsible man who is not dirty should change his boxers every two days; it is not for anything but for individuals’ health. It’s not hygienic to wear it for more than two days. When someone starts wearing boxers for more than two days, then that person is not normal.

Damola Alawusa I wear my boxers for two days then I change; you know men are not like women who change their underwear every day.

Olayimika Babs

I change my boxers everyday because I feel uncomfortable in already worn boxers. Don’t you know we sweat everyday and that is why our boxers are not suitable for use the next day?

Olaoluwa Onu I often change my boxers daily because my wife taught me that. Before I got married I wore boxers for two days and I didn’t see anything bad in it but when I got married, my wife would have none of that.

Babatunde Bello PERSONALLY, I wear two boxers a day; I wear one while going for classes and when I come back, I wear the other one, mainly because of the heat. The weather is very hot now. It can never be conducive for me to wear one boxers for anything short of a day not to talk of anytime longer. One can change his boxers every day then wash them on weekends if one can’t wash them daily.

feature

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Kolo: Great way to save

OLAIDE SOKOYA writes on the attraction of the local ‘Piggy bank’ popularly known as Kolo in the Yoruba speaking areas of the country, despite the existence of a standard banking system.

HE origin of Piggy bank dates back to nearly 600 years ago. Before the creation of modernstyle banking institutions, people commonly stored their money at home, not under the mattress, but in common kitchen jars. Whenever folks could save an extra coin or two, they dropped it into one of their clay jars According to findings, kolo, is one of the oldest forms of banking and financial discipline especially in this part of the world. This form of financial savings had been in existence long before the British colonialists introduced formal banking into the country in 1894. From peasant farmers to petty traders in rural areas and even to little children and adults in urban centres, the use of kolo has remained popular despite modern banking systems. In the past, it was very common to see every growing child own a clay bank where some percentage of monies given to them either as pocket money or gifts from relatives and friends were kept. As a result of the unique nature of the clay safes, monies put in them through a tiny opening at the top can hardly be retrieved except the safe is broken. This is a way of restraining the saver from making unnecessary withdrawals from this personal bank. Also, individuals who develop the habit of using kolo have a strong emotional attachment to them and would do everything within their powers to avoid breaking them. As a result of this emotional bond between individuals and their safes, many savers only break them when the need to offset certain bills becomes imperative, while for school children, the clay safes have helped them to be able to buy some beautiful dresses, sandals and bags of their choices during festive seasons and periods of financial meltdown for their parents. Long term projects have also been executed through funds from this type of personal savings. Interestingly, the advent of modern and flexible saving platforms across various banks in the country has not altered this ageless culture. Many Nigerians educated and illiterate - still keep large chunks of their monies in personal safes in their houses. For them, the benefits of such practice are limitless. Apart from the relative safety of their cash, many in this category believe that they stand no risk of losing their monies to liquidation or illegal deductions by banks. For them, no service charge applies when keeping money inside a piggy bank. An ageless practice Mrs Motunrayo Oyewole, a civil servant stated that for a very long time she used a kolo for saving money. “Though, I am a civil servant, apart from my salary account, I still have kolo which I use to keep money for future use or emergency purpose for my children. Some months ago, I needed to settle an urgent bill of N100,000 over the weekend and my husband was not around. I didn’t have to bother much or wait for him to return because I knew there was money in my safe. After settling the bill, I still had enough money in it,” she said. Mr Segun Akolade, a photographer also affirmed that he bought kolo for his three children in order to teach them the saving

Folorunsho continues: “I remember some were sold for two kobo, while some were around three kobo when we were kids. There were different variations of the safe; we had one with two holes at the top where you could squeeze in money and another with only one hole serving the same purpose. Now they are sold for fifty naira, hundred naira and two hundred naira, depending on the sizes,” she explained.

culture. “There is none of my children, as young as they are, who does not have a personal safe in the house. At the end of every month, I personally inspect them to see who is saving prudently or spending unnecessarily among them. I learnt this habit from my mother and so it is pertinent and natural that I also pass it down to my children because it has been very helpful. As a result of this practice, we hardly lack money in the house,” he said. Tanny’s safe is not the type made from clay, it is a box made of wood by a carpenter. This type of safe, also with a tiny opening at the top where cash can be squeezed into it, has a padlock and affords the saver, unlike the clay version, the opportunity to access funds by simply opening the lock and closing it back thereafter without necessarily destroying the safe. It is bigger in size and at less risk of breaking when mistakenly handled. Following the popularity of the clay and wooden personal safes, more versions have emerged over the years across Nigeria. Today, local safes made out of used beverage cans and even metals have come into the picture, helping many individuals and households to save monies regularly in the comfort of their homes and places of businesses. Special bond Mrs Yemi Folorunsho has been in the

business of selling clay safes together with other traditional items at Bode Market in Ibadan for about 30 years. She told Sunday Tribune that despite modernisation, patronage has never really dipped because of the significance many people attach to this type of personal safes. She said as a child, kolo helped her support her education and other basic needs. “It was a very popular item when we were growing up because it helped many of us save the extra monies that we got from our parents and others. If we were asked to pay certain amounts of money in school back then and our parents didn’t have the money, we will break into our kolo to get the money to offset such bill and they will later reimburse us. Even after secondary school, many of us still continued keeping our monies inside kolo and it has really helped us a lot. “The good thing about this type of safe is that it helps children to imbibe the habit of prudent saving. The clay one is better than the ones constructed with wood because you can’t easily get out money from the kolo except you break it, unlike the wooden one which you can open by the side and close back. As much as we were looking forward to the day we would use our savings to buy whatever we wanted, nobody was really eager to see his or her kolo broken on such days. There was a special kind of bond between us and the clay safes.”

Our customers On whether people still request for the item, Folorunsho said that many of her customers are educated people who as a result of the benefits they experienced from using it had introduced the practice to their children. The second set of customers are the students; both primary and secondary students. “Though demand is not what it used to be a few months ago because of the prevailing economic situation in the country, people still come to buy from us, especially the educated ones who want their children to also experience what they had while growing up. “The issue is that parents must monitor their children’s spending in today’s Nigeria. A lot of today’s generation spend money on frivolities but if parents mandate their children to have kolo and constantly monitor them, they’ll realise they could have been saving a lot that could have been wasted. This way, children can also support their parents in periods of financial difficulties,” she said. Tawakalitu Usman, another trader in this line of business, spoke glowingly of the ageless and popular clay safes. According to her, the young and old of both genders still come asking for kolo regularly at her shop at Adelabu market in Orita Challenge, Ibadan. She told Sunday Tribune that the popularity of the iconic clay safe has refused to wane despite stiff competition from banks and other variants of safes. She said kolo is part of African culture, so it could never go into extinction. “A lot of women and men still come to ask and place orders for the item regularly. Sometimes we don’t have it here with us but once they request for it, we would tell our suppliers to bring them. There is no week that people, especially school children don’t come to buy from us. I sell about ten to fifteen kolo per day. Kolo as a gift Today, kolo has become an enduring icon for financial discipline, a tool to teach kids about the importance of saving money. The power of this symbol is so engrained in culture that it now transcends physical coins. Eniola Modupe, a JSS 3 student of St Anne’s Secondary School, Molete, Ibadan said she has a kolo in which she keeps money every day. “My aunty gave me a piggy bank during my 10th birthday. At first, I thought it was not useful until one day I decided to be keeping money every day from my daily allowance and money given to me by visitors. Last year December, I broke my piggy bank and I got nineteen thousand and two hundred naira which I used to buy my Christmas wears. This year again, I have started saving for the coming December.”

6 March, 2016

ENATOR representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye loves tipping the equilibrium. But the consensus would be that he is extra loud and the decibel could be for altruistic purposes or just being verbose for nothing. Love him, hate him, his politics has nine lives and when you wish he would just disappear never to be seen again, he perches comfortably on your nose ridge, right in your face. For the rumbustious senator, there are no hallowed grounds in politics. In all exuberance, he raids all holy places when gripped with politics paroxysm.But one would wonder the stimulant that got him raiding the bedroom of Edo Governor Adam Oshiomhole in the full glare of his colleagues, mostly of same APC like Dino and the governor, and the public. While contributing to a debate on the Buy-Naija advocacy, Dino urged Nigerians not to be like Oshiomhole who paid bride-price in foreign currency and refused to marry a Made-In-Nigeria wife, albeit, Iara, a white from Cape Verde. Only the brash senator could tell his motive for taking humanity on, in his patriotism tirade. The facts, as stated by him, could also be unassailable because the dowry, if any, would not have been paid in naira, even at its strongest value. The governor could also as well replace his late Made-in-Nigeria Clara, with another home breed. But the obvious facts would be all that may be sensible in Dino’s argument. For starters, the governor started out with a Made-in-Nigeria, so what stops him from trying something new? Don’t they say that variety is the spice of life? When you are beseeching the gnomes to kill a man who cooked a pot of soup with challenged taste, what about the person who didn’t cook at all? What about those who started out with Made-in-West (foreign wives) and have made personal vows never to touch the home-grown? What about Dino himself? Can he really approach martial equity with all those salacious paternity and marital mess around him? How big has he scored with marriage to Made-Anywhere, to poke fun at a sacred institution on which he himself has continually peed? Is Dino the model marriage counsellor? Is there anything about his association with the opposite sex, MadeAnywhere, commendable enough to be hoisted as a shiningarmour? Wont those Made-in-Nigeria children in paternity disputes involving him, have preferred being Made-Elsewhere with a father that would be there to

THE commemoration of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s posthumous birthday is always a prick on the conscience of our country’s current political leaders. The reason is simple: the celebration of Awo’s legacies is a reminder of their own failing. Awo represents everything they want to be but which they are not. Awo, who exited office as Premier of the Western Region in 1959, is still considered the benchmark of good governance over 50 years after, not just where he held sway as the Premier but across the country as a whole. This fact again became evident last Thursday in Ikenne-Remo, Awo’s birthplace in Ogun State, when the cream of the Nigerian society gathered at a symposium to commemorate his 107th posthumous birthday. From Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State governor, who was chairman of the occasion; to Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State governor; to Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo State governor, who was represented, the governors said they were trying to achieve a fraction of the accomplishments of Chief Awolowo, who was in government when there was no petro-dollar revenue. But why is it that almost six decades after his adventure in government he is still the reference point? Why have Awolowo’s accomplishments continued to dwarf the achievements of the present generation of leaders? What is it that Chief Awolowo had that the present day governors lack? What did Awo know that current leaders need to learn? I think there are five factors that helped Awolowo become the kind of leaders today’s leaders want to emulate. I am of the opinion that any leader who strives to imbibe those values stands a good chance of matching Awo’s feats. Awo was unrepentantly committed to self-development. He was so much in love with knowledge acquisition that there were not many topics under the sun that he could not discuss intelligently. This is why he was clearly ahead of his peers. Continuous learning makes a leader see farther than others. This is the reason he was able to see problems before they became manifest. This is why he was able to decipher that the best freedom anyone could have was, and still is, freedom of the mind, hence

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Dino Melaye and #Made-inNaija wives

raise them in a way governors could come for their hands in marriage? Nigeria has no family value system and Dino’s ilk would continue to thrive in the void. If such reckless statement had been made elsewhere, Dino would be out of senate in weeks. But this is Nigeria, the home of anything goes. It is not even unlikely that many Nigerian women may see sense in Dino’s argument, quietly celebrating the whipping of the governor for dumping “them” for “her”. Forcing one’s way into a house full of meat has always hurt the teeth badly. With the benefits of hindsight now, it is almost certain that former Enugu Governor Sullivan Chime and his estranged wife, would have preferred

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Analysis of Awo’s success formula

his commitment to the education of his people. That is why he was able to think of setting up a television station in 1959 when even France, a first world country, was yet to do the same. For a legacy-minded leader, self-development is sine qua non. One of the critical criteria for leadership is being ahead of others intellectually. This enhances the leader’s ability to solve problems. Awo was clearly intellectually ahead of most of the people of his era; this positioned him as a solution provider par excellence. Awo was reflective, not reflexive. Because he gave himself to intellectual matters, he became reflective rather than re-

Sunday Tribune

Made-Elsewhere, to them coming together as a couple. Marriage is about two souls and not where they are made. If Dino had not derived satisfaction from Madein-Nigeria, why the hypocritical campaign? These days, Magistrate and Customary Courts nationwide do practically nothing other than dissolving marriages. I can’t recollect coming across any of the unworkable not being Made-in-Nigeria. If the senator loves Made-in-Naija women so much and is equally worried their men are looking beyond the shores too often, he can start by having one who he would be very proud to showcase everywhere and push a legislation against customs and tradition scaring many over-ripped bachelors from taking the I-do vow. What about sponsoring bills that could make better the economy which in turn would make intending couple economically viable to take the plunge. Certainly, the politics of senate leadership in which Dino is a major player is at the heart of the crisis in APC, which Oshiomhole is allegedly being packaged to lead as national chairman after his tenure. As BukolaSaraki’s main man, Dino could be giving the colour of things to come by going directly after the man being allegedly primed to displace Chief John Oyegun, considered to be Saraki’s man. Sizing up your opponent is acceptable in politics but there must be red lines. Dino and Oshiomhole belong to the class of the society that ravages women innocence, now catching them young even down to JSS 3 level. Why would members of the depraved class want to do home-grown when they know the damage done to thousands from their very young age? Is this a defence for the governor? Far from it. One, he has defended self. Two, the governor isn’t also a marital model. But for Iara and marriage institution, it would have been nice seeing Oshiomhole, himself a loose talker, sweating under same syndrome. But the joke is more on Dino. At least, outwardly, Oshiomhole fulfilled all scriptural demands in replacing his Made-in-Naija wife. But isn’t there something about the sound of Made-inNaija wives that makes women appear like a product? Is that how they appear to Dino and his band of hypocrites? Why do men always think the world is theirs to live for womenfolk? Regardless of the societal assault against it, marriage will always be sacred and divine. To God, it is also one humanity and that is why there isn’t a race footnote to God’s conditionprecedent.

flexive. This is a clear advantage of intellectualism. Developing the intellect delivers an individual from the tragedy of being a pawn in the hands of situations and circumstances. Being intellectually prepared saves a leader from the antics of opportunistic lieutenants or advisers. A leader that wants to make a positive impact must develop the ability of thinking through matters. Awo had this ability in abundance. So, rather than being driven by impulses, he was moved by convictions. As observed by Mrs Oby Ezekwesili on Thursday in Ikenne, every project embarked upon by the administration led by Awo was targeted at investment. Every shilling spent was expected to yield a return. They were not throwing money at problems. They were not looking for quick fixes. They never allowed the urgent to drive them; they did only those things that they found very important after subjecting same to serious reflection. Many of today’s leaders are moved by emotions. They hardly take time to reflect on issues before acting. Hence, their interventions never last the distance. Awo had the right perspective about leadership. Contrary to what obtains today when leaders want to be served, Awo saw leadership as a platform for service. His position was that the glory of a leader is nothing but his ability to improve on the wellbeing of those he leads. This is why he never spared any effort when it came to serving his people. He never denied the people the best of his ability or intellect in or out of government. Awo was self-disciplined. As a consequence of his discipline, he deliberately denied himself of many of the pleasures attached to leadership. As Premier, he lived in his personal house. The same thing he did when he was Federal Commissioner for Finance under General Yakubu Gowon. As a public office holder, he did not give in to the indulgence of enjoying anything he could not afford as a private citizen. Because he did this, he was also able to curtail the excesses of those who worked with him. Awo went for the best. He picked a first class team. As a leader, Awo had no time for nepotism. He did not allow any other consideration apart from the ability to deliver determine who he picked for what position. He took his time to select the best hands. It is then no wonder that success trailed everything his administration did.

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I will

act nude if... —Fisayo Ajisola

I don’t have any business with Seun Egbegbe again —Toyin Aimahku

How I handle men’s advances

— Queenette Awukam

6 March, 2016

Let’s build our own industry, Adekunle Ayeni tells entertainers

I’ve no business with Seun Egbegbe again

By Segun Adebayo AS the fourth edition of Nigerian Entertainment Conference, NECLive, is to hold on April 20, 2016, at Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, the convener of the event, Adekunle Ayeni, has said Nigerian enetertainers should begin to think of how to build their own industry. According to Ayeni, previous editions of #NECLive have contributed to shaping the direction of the industry, saying that the ultimate goal of this year’s conference is to do even more. “’We have a country of a very talented people. Nollywood has made giant strides, the opportunities are amazing and we need to study local trends and see what we can localise and make our own,”he said. Ayeni urged entertainment stakeholders to study what is happening in Europe and America and see how it could be applied to what is happening in Nigeria. “Let’s study what’s happening in Europe and America and see what needs to happen here in Nigeria, so when CORA approached us, we thought it’s a great opportunity to further spread the word and have series of events across the country to discuss these issues and solutions to look at what we need to do to build and industry of our dreams,” he said. Organised annually by Nigerian Entertainment Today, this year’s conference is themed “Entertainment Industry As Last Hope For Africa’s Largest Economy.” At #NECLive4, some of Nigeria’s most important entertainment personalities and creative industry enthusiasts will provide genuine insight and share their best practices for the benefit of all.

Sunday Tribune

—Toyin Aimakhu Asks fans to give her time to recover

By Segun Adebayo

CTRESS, Toyin Aimakhu, has been going through a lot in the last six months. Trouble started for the actress last year when news emerged that her marriage to, Adeniyi Johnson, was heading for the rocks. It eventually did crash as both parties decided to end the union amicably. Aimakhu reportedly packed out of Johnson’s house and told those who cared to listen that she was moving away permanently and would not be returning to Johnson, who was reported to be having an amorous relationship with one of Aimakhu’s staff members. Weeks after the break-up, she was reported to have found solace in the hands of another popular name in the movie industry, Seun Egbebgbe. Though, she would later deny having any siz-

zling romance with Egbegbe despite pictures of the two cuddling each other in public places flooding social media platforms. Their romance went on since then with Egbegbe urging Toyin’s fans to back off in order for her to concentrate on her new relationship. A new twist to their affair, however, surfaced two weeks ago when Aimakhu’s close friend, Yomi Fabiyi, raised the alarm that he feared his friend might have been kidnapped after he could not reach her on phone for two days. An unconfirmed report had it that Aimakhu was last seen at a location in Lagos before she was declared ‘missing’ by Fabiyi who also threatened to report to the police if he did not hear from her after 24 hours. Toyin, who later emerged and denied any rumour of being kidnapped has finally opened up on what she has ben going through and issued a dis-

Superstory, WAPTV , Nnenna & Friends win awards Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP) has started 2016 on a very good note as the renowned entertainment company dominated the sixth edition of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) by winning three awards at the event which took place on Saturday, February 27 at Barcelona Hotel, Wuse 2, Abuja. After weeks of voting by millions of TV audience across the country via SMS and social media, Superstory, WapTV and Nnenna

& Friends were awarded Best TV Series, Best Entertainment Channel and Best Kiddies/Youth Programme of The Year respectively due to their outstanding performances in 2015. Wale Adenuga Jnr., Managing Director of WAP, said on the award “We appreciate all our viewers nationwide because it was to their continued loyalty that WAP has remained the number one name in family entertainment in Nigeria over the years. While our other content:

Papa Ajasco and Company TV comedy and Thislife TV drama are also at the top of the ratings, we still have many surprises this year to even exceed what we accomplished in 2015.”

claimer through her Instagram page on Thursday. According to her, “DISCLAIMER: Without going into details of why I went into an affair with Mr. Seun Egbegbe, I am very much aware a lot look up to me as a role model and considering this salient fact, a detour at this point is very necessary. “However, against the backdrop of my moral responsibilities to my fans and the general public, I wish to state unequivocally that henceforth, I dissociate myself from Mr. Seun Egbegbe. I will implore all and sundry to please avoid connecting me with Mr. Seun Egbegbe or whatever he represents from now on. I humbly request and would appreciate if I am allowed time to recuperate. “Once again, I apologise for all the negativity that emanated from the whole drama in recent times, trust me on this I am sincerely sorry. My attention and energy are now focused on reuniting with my work, friends, families and fans. I thank my ever loyal and steadfast fans. You all are my strong pillars of support. God bless me and you all. He is the greatest pillar in times of tribulations.. You will always be part of me.”

razzmatazz

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Malaika signs deal with Tecno By Segun Adebayo FUJI music star, Sulaimon Alao Malaika, has stepped up his game to be among the list of Nigerian celebrities who rake in millions from endorsement deals from multinational companies. Malaika announced the news to his fans during the past week when he confirmed to newsmen that he had signed a multimillion naira deal with Tecno mobile . The signing ceremony, which took place at the Tecno Mobile

Enkay drops urban contemporary debut album TEHILA crew member and gospel music sensation, Nkiruka Ogboruche, popularly known as Enkay, hit the limelight after releasing –Yes! You are the Lord - her first single in 2014. Now, the soulful urban contemporary singer is set to follow up the release with her first full-length album, The Kingdom Anthem. Her first single, Yes! You are the Lord is an upbeat worship song in which Enkay takes her listeners on a journey into the presence of God. As with much of her music as part of the Tehila crew, the debut album is a eclectic mix of urban contemporary sound with the fusion of alternative rock with an Afro twist, R&B, hip hop, pop, and soul, meeting the deep spiritual needs of the diverse and vast audience cultivated during her past tours of Nigeria, Europe and the Americas. A 10-track album, The Kingdom Anthem, is a fusion of different genres of music showing different expressions of Enkay as she was led and inspired to record. The album features fast paced upbeat energetic numbers Yes! You are the Lord, The Kingdom Anthem and O Sing featuring Sammie Okposo and Tim Tehila, as well as mid-tempo numbers such as 'I Need You' featuring Onos Ariyo and Nikki Laoye, and Bless my Home’s Afrocentric feel.

Head office, Ikeja, Lagos State, on Tuesday, dragged many of Malaika fans to the venue of the signing to share in the joy of the fuji singer. The event, which did not last for more than two hours almost shut down Computer Village as more people abandoned their businesses to be part of the fun that and excitement of the afternoon. It was a double joy for the self-acclaimed Fuji king, who celebrated his 43rd birthday last

week and released a song, Nana Dance, which featured Dammy Krane. Speaking shortly after signing the deal, Malaika said “I’m excited being unveiled as Tecno Mobile ambassador. I will not let the brand down. I beleieve we have a long way to go. We will get there together. I am going to use my popularity to spread the good news for Tecno and encourage my colleagues to join me in appreciating the good work of Techno”, he said.

Gbenga Adeyinka’s returns Laffmatazz to Ibadan for Easter By Segun Adebayo Comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, is coming to Ibadan, Oyo State capital for the fifth time to stage what has become a successful comedy cum music show, Laffmatazz. The show which has been welcomed by Ibadan residents and others will step it up this time in a special way with a blend of the legends and the rave. Laffmatazz will not be changing its usual venue as it is being said in some quaters that Adeyinka may have concluded plans to shift the venue from Jogor Centre. According to Adeyinka, “The venue remains the same. Nothing is changing. We are ready to

give Ibadan something special again as we always do. As you all know, I have always been fascinated by Ibadan and its people for their accomodations gesture and love for me. I promise I won't dissapoint them.” This year's event will feature Nigeria's legendary musicians and the raving ones. Some of those in the legend category include: Daddy Showkey, Tony Tetuila, African China, Artquake while D'Banj will lead other rave of the moment such as 9ice, Simi, Jaywon, Adekunle Gold, Small Doctor, Skales, among others. The comedy category is loaded with big names such as Ali Baba, Seyi Law, Omo Baba and others.

Ayuba, Adeniji-Adele honour Barrister By Seyi Sokoya THE Bonsue fuji crooner, Adewale Ayuba last Saturday, paid a tribute to the late fuji creator, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister at the 2016 edition of the annual Barry Day. Ayuba, who arrived the Osun Hall of the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, ahead the commencement of the programme, made an entry that impressed the members of The Ayinde Barrister Legacy Group, which organized the event. The first edition of the event held at the Sheraton Hotel in 2013 also had Ayuba in attendance. He lamented the absence of other Fuji acts at the event but expressed appreciation to the group for always finding him worthy on the list on their guests. “The late Ayinde Barrister is our father in the industry, who we must always respect. He was a trailblazer in the genre through which we have made a name. To me, identifying with anything that has to do with his memory is an obligation,” he said. Chairman of the occasion, who is former Lagos State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Prince Ademola AdenijiAdele arrived the venue before the event was kick started in a show of honour for Barrister whom he described as a compassionate musi-

cian. Adenji-Adele, while delivering his speech, sopke on how he engaged Barrister at his wedding and had the musician playing for him free. Accompanied to the event by his politician son, Adeniji-Adele gave kudos to the members of the host group for throwing a challenge to friends and associates of Barrister on the need to properly immortalise him. Grand Patron of the group, Chief Adisa Osiefa, expressed his appreciation to Adeniji-Adele for honouring the invite within a short notice.

Fefe continues her rise, shoots new video By Segun Adebayo IT has been an interesting year for artiste, Fefe. After the release

of her debut EP “Mixed Feelings” and the continous success of her most recent video “Make Sense”, Fefe is finally starting to get international recognition. There are reports that a number of international brands are already on the trail of Fefe whose songs and performance have given her a huge facelift since she broke into the music industry. It will be recalled that on January 30, Fefe was featured on Jamaica’s number one talk radio station “ Power 106 FM” in an exclusive telephone interview. Days after, she also featured on

Sirus XM radio USA by popular radio host, the “Dermot Hussey show”. The radio interview was said to have been key to the new lease of life that Fefe is currently enjoying as she will now have to shuttle between Nigeria and the United States to honour series of enggagements which have been lined up for her in the coming weeks. The musician has shot the visuals of a track off her ‘EP’ ,“My Life”. The video was shot in Lagos and was directed by South Africanbased film mogul, “Mazi C.I Jizzle”.

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Segun Adebayo &Seyi Sokoya tegbollistic@yahoo.com seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08116954644 08132577840

I’ll act

nude if...

—Fisayo Ajisola

Versatile actress, Fisayo Ajisola, otherwise known as Freezon, has carved a niche for herself in the entertainment industry with her acting prowess, dynamism and beauty. The graduate of Biochemistry from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) , Ogun State, is also a musician and a model. In this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, she opens up on her career and choice of man. Excerpts:

ARLY this year, you promised that you would take the industry by storm, how are you planning to achieve this? Yes, I made that promise and I meant it. I will start by saying that the Lord has been good to me since the beginning of the year and hasbeen helping me to achieve all the goals I have set before me. Recently, I featured in Jenifa’s Diary series and my face was also on Chapeau Wine. I want to concentrate more on my acting career. The era of combining academics with movie location is over. Now that I am done with my first degree, I have the ample time to pursue my dream; I am ready for the game and confident that it is my time to shine. I am not new in the industry, it is just that I have not been able to give it more time because of school. This is because I didn’t want to drop out of school. I am a very organised person and I know how to manage my time and life. Tell us more about your modeling career, especially your deal with the wine company? The truth is that I have not been taking modeling seriously because I have been doing more of acting as well as singing, but acting has been my predominant talent. I wasn’t conscious of wine deal until last September. My agent informed me that some of his clients who went through my pictures would love to have a deal with us. So, I had to do more photo shoots and they were dazed with what they saw. That was what led to the discovery. You are an actress, musician and also a model. How are you coping with all these? I don’t have any problem handling these jobs. I am happy that I am flexible to combine them without stress. I can act, sing and flaunt my curves. Meanwhile, don’t let us forget that all these still fall under entertainment. I see myself as an all-round entertainer.

How was the experience like featuring in the Jenifa’s Diary? The experience was awesome. I honoured the invitation for the casting and I believe I

did well. Funke Akindele, who is the brains behind the project liked it. I am pleased with my role and I will do it over and over again. You have also featured in ‘This Life’, how was it like? It was wonderful and I am glad to be part of the PEFTI production, especially with the fact that I played a different role; a negative role from my real person. I had to act like a difficult person who makes life miserable for people around her. I was glad I interpreted the role very well. How has your life been since you took up acting as a full time career? Acting has been fun. For me, acting is all I want to do, though it may look somehow that I went to study Biochemistry at the university, I still have a strong urge to go back into acting because it is one thing I feel very easy to do. I find it easy to interact and interpret my roles, though it comes with a lot of stress to try to convince people that you can actually interpret a particular role and at the same time going for casting and auditions. The good part of it is that I am enjoying the roles I have been playing and it is satisfying. You said it is sweet and fun; fun in what sense? Fun cannot be categorised based on the length of the industry. For me, one can always derive funwhen one goes to locations or take a particular role.As a result of this, one can easily admit that this is really fun. So, you cannot categorise fun with time. Being in the front of the camera and delivering my lines come with a lot of pleasure. Which role will you always want to take at any given time? One has to be versatile as an actor, so I take

whatever role I am given so far it is to pass a message across. Personally, I like playing crazy and sexy roles. It is really nice for me playing these roles. I played a sexy role in one of the soaps entitled “Story of Us” that is on air currently. Mind you, one doesn’t have to be naked to play sexy roles. The Nigerian mentality towards movie production or films is really affecting the progress of the industry. There are principles you need to adopt if you want to interpret a character very well. Your mind, head and every part of your body must speak the character. It doesn’t mean you have to go naked before you can act a sexy role. I can dress well and still interpret a sexy role. It depends on how you carry yourself in front of your audience. Would you take script to perform nude from any movie producer? It is funny, because I have always thought of this. I don’t know why people take nudity as the peak of immorality. What would you say about murder case and other crazy things that people do? But people say all sort when they hear about sex or condemn

people for taking nude pictures. People have forgotten that we are presenting a character. We are in a make-believe industry and we have to make things professional. This is the only way we can grow and show our expertise. If I have to take a script that I have to go nude, it is not me but the character I am playing. For example, if I am to play a role of a prostitute and I have to go nude to do it, then why not? It is not as if I would have to stand and strip naked in front of the camera. No, it is about motion. It is not for fun, but to define a particular character. So, I will find it pleasurable to act that character in such a way that I could pass my message across if that is what it will take to convince people about the character. Acting is not about things happening real. You are the character and you have to make it real when the director says ‘action.’ So, I see no big deal in it if my character has to go to the process to showcase being nude. I don’t know why people in this part of the world react aggresively negative when they hear nudity. We should always have a way to go about it Continues on pg21

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6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘I don’t struggle to interpret my roles’ Continued from pg20

to balance culture and the reality of life. How are the challenges like in the industry? It is always a two side of a coin for any job or profession. We have the good and bad side. To me, there is no job that is rosy and if you make up your mind to follow a particular path, you should always be able to stand by it through thick and thin irrespective of the outcome. I am a positive-minded person and through my NGO, I want to make positive impact in people, but nevertheless, life has the way of making us see the way it is; whichever way it comes. I know I will be able to withstand the test of time. What also brought about the idea of the NGO you run? To be candid, I see that as my baby and also part of my responsibility to give back to the society, especially the needy. I thank God that we have been able to affect lives positively with this initiative for some years now. This is a vision God gave to me to impact into lives, especially to the young generation and I was able to gather people of this like mind to make it a reality. And by God’s grace we have been able to use this NGO, the Jewel Empowerment Foundation (JEF) to orientate school leavers, underprivileged, orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS, among others. Our core target are the children and the youth. We also organise entrepreneurship programmes for undergraduates. I would say it is basically for the youth. I am confident that we have a lot of things in stock for this year. One of the reasons this vision is maintained it to sensitise people, because I believe that one of the biggest problems of Nigerians is our poor orientation and mentality about life, especially in the area of low self-esteem, corruption and the common mentality of the Nigerian youth on how to make quick money. Nobody is ready to think rightly and learn how to be successful in life. The NGO is to impact and teach people to lead a normal and good life. I believe that the best way to help any child is to start training such child at a very young age. We help a child to get it right from the tender age so as to be useful to himself or herself and to the nation at large. We need to concentrate on the children if we want a better Nigeria. How do you intend to establish yourself in the industry and stay relevant for a long time? My time and life are in God’s hands. I have my plans and I know God has designed my life for success. I am not in a hurry to flourish in the industry, but I know my time is near. It is true that we have a lot of people coming in and going out because some people get frustrated along the line and eventually opt out; some people are also confused in the industry because they don’t know what to do. As for me, I am here and I know what I am doing. I am not threatened by anyone in the industry, because acting is beyond facing the camera. I believe in what I am doing. The words of encouragement I have received so far have given me enough confidence that I can go far in the industry. Aside this, I know I am going to excel in this business. What will make you dump acting? I used to say if marriage would stop me from acting, I won’t get married. But as I grew older, I have come to understand that I can combine the two and I believe the man for me

I look for in a man is not what the ordinary eyes can see. The intangible things that can move me to a man include love, patience, trust and things that we cannot quantify.

will allow me pursue my acting career, because it is one thing that really makes me happy. It is one thing that I am certain that I can do very well. I am confident that I have the qualities and I don’t struggle to interpret my roles. Are you saying you don’t have a man in your life? I think I will love to keep that private. But I believe my kind of man must be a loving man. He must allow me pursue my career, make me happy and love me for who I am. I am not a kind of woman that emphasises on the physical appearance of a man. What

No matter how many times a director sleeps with any lady, if one is not good, one won’t get it...I have never been harassed.

Have you ever been harassed in the industry? Many young people in the industry think that when they are good looking, they can always have their way by sleeping with any producer and land the big roles. No matter how many times a director sleeps with any lady, if one is not a good actor, one can’t force it to come if you can’t deliver. Back to the question on if I have ever been harassed. No. The truth is that they make passes, but that is not the subject of the matter, the question is can this person sincerely interpret this role? If yes, thumbs up, but if it is no, they will just sleep with one for fun. Fortunately, I have been getting jobs without that. What is your assessment of the movie industry? I see the industry as a big place that can contain anybody and even those who have not joined. So no one should be threatened by anyone. It is growing very big and it is an industry that one can invest in. I am ready to give it all it takes morally to make my mark and enjoy my stay for as long as God permits. Why haven’t you featured in Yoruba movies? We have choices, I am not saying I cannot feature in Yoruba films, though I know I have been doing more of English. I am proud to be a Yoruba girl and there are also some lines of Yoruba in some of the soaps I have done. I believe I can handle any script for any Yoruba movie. What is your take on provocative dressings?

I don’t know what you mean by provocative dressing, because what is fine on my body might be provocative to you and what is ugly on your body might be fine to me. So, I believe in whatever that is attractive, lovely, fine and sexy. Everybody has to dress sexy to be attractive. Every woman has to dress sexily to be beautiful and attractive to their spouses. Even men have to dress sexily. So, whether provocatively or not, the most important thing is that one must be beautiful, attractive, sexy and be comfortable with what one is wearing. How will you describe yourself? As I said earlier, I am a very organised person. I am choleric and one of our characteristics is that we are good organisers and handle many things at a time and still come out with a very good result. So, that has really helped me, but most importantly, I take things one after the other no matter how it may look because I don’t like to be choked up. How do you handle male admirers? It is normal. People who are not in the industry also have admirers. I have been able to manage them very well. I welcome people because I am not harsh, but there is usually a boundary. I will let them know their limits. How do you relax? I take time to relax or sometimes even go on vacation to refresh. You will agree with me that acting and running an NGO is stressful and time-consuming. So, I always ensure I relax well and sleep a lot. What is your greatest physical asset? Could I ascertain this? People like so many things about me; some say they love my eyes balls, lips and set of teeth whenever I smile. Some even said they love my face, they even said that I have an oblong face. Some also picked my nose, skin and my thigh. I think my physical asset is me; my whole body. I am also photogenic because a lot of people love my pictures.

6 March, 2016

entartainment I’ve not left Jebon Records —Ben 7 Budding Nigerian artiste, Ben 7, who came into the limelight with “Kilode” featuring Terry G, has confirmed that he has not left his record label, Jebon Records and doesn’t have any problem with his boss, Jebon. For weeks, there had been unconfirmed reports that Ben 7 has walked away from Jebon Records and vowed never to go back. According to Ben 7, “Jebon has been like a father to me, he came and picked me from my mother’s house in Sango Ota, signed me and put me in school, and he has spent millions of naira on my career, so that’s why I told the other record labels(names withheld) that offered me a new deal that I would remain loyal to Jebon Records even after my contract expires. I don’t know why different reports have been flying around that I have left Jebon.”

with Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

D’Banj, PearlThusi announced as hosts of ‘Lip Sync Battle Africa’

Davido, K.O., Tiwa Savage, others to light up Gidi Fest Stories By Segun Adebayo

clipse Live Africa, the producer of Gidi Fest (Gidi Culture Festival), has revealed the lineup of artistes, hosts and DJs for the 2016 edition of the festival, which is back at Eko Atlantic on March 26. The festival’s headliners

include Davido, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Yemi Alade and Timaya, while South Africa’s, K.O and Riky Rick will be coming to Nigeria for the first time to grace the stage. Opening acts on the day are Adekunle Gold and Small Doctor. Hosts for Gidi Fest 2016 include MTV Base VJ’s, Nomuzi from South Africa and

ZTM unveils four acts, promises to take over music industry Zebe’s Train Music record label (ZTM) is stepping up its game to be one of the most respected record labels in the country as it confirmed that it has signed four acts onto the label. The newly-signed quartet are, Alvan Brown Eguavoen, Kanayo Paul Chimaobi Ihekwuere and Hable Abraham Osemekhan. Speaking on why he decided to take on four acts at a time, owner of the record label, US-based Osagie Inegbenosa, otherwise known as Pa Ezebe, said his love for music informed the decision to float a label, adding that

Sunday Tribune

he would like to contribute to the entertainment industry by being part of the stakeholders who love to see the industry grow bigger and better. “I have a very special interest in the future of these artistes and I have promised to do everything possible to ensure that their music career blossoms under my management’s guidance. “This is something that I am very happy about and I can assure you that with time, you will begin to see the full potential of these talented young boys.” Alvan is a reggae/dance

hall artiste who hails from Benin City, Edo State and started his music in 2013. Kanayo Paul Chiledo, popularly known as Cheezychi, is also an Afro Pop & RnB artiste born and brought up in Edo State but hails from Imo State. Chimaobi is a native of Abia State, while Hable, otherwise known as Rolly Baba, also hails from Edo State. In its effort to elevate the quartet’s music content and quality, ZTM also signed Ogbodu Kingsley, also known as Da Kinx, as the label’s producer/mixER and mastering engineer.

Nigeria’s Ehiz, alongside City FM OAP, Sensei Uche. DJ Obi and DJ Kaywise will be on the decks with some comic relief from a couple of comedians. Speaking on the event, founder, Chin Okeke says, “Gidi Fest is a music festival that defines the progression of music and urban youth culture in Africa. The festival was naturally born in Lagos because the city is the melting pot of the continent, yet it maintains a global outlook. Our lineup represents the current crop of African music stars.”

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa has announced the hosts for Lip Sync Battle Africa, the first localised format of the multi-platform, popculture phenomenon to air on the continent. South African entertainment star Pearl Thusi and Nigerian music legend, D’Banj, will host Lip Sync Battle Africa. Pearl Thusi will serve as all around host and master of ceremonies, while D’Banj will step up as the “colour commentator”, adding his lively observations to the proceedings. Lip Sync Battle Africa will premiere in April 2016 on MTV Base (DStv channel 322, GOtv channel 72). The Lip Sync Battle, originally created for Spike, features celebrities going head-to-head, lip-syncing the song of their choice, battling for the coolest bragging rights on the planet. Multi-talented actress, radio DJ, model and television personality, Pearl Thusi, is a fixture on the South African entertainment scene. The KZN-born beauty currently stars in popular South African soap opera Isidingo in the recurring role of Palesa Motaung, as well as co-hosting Live AMP with DJ Warras and Luthando Shosha. Musician and virtuoso harmonica player D’Banj, best known for his mastery of the contemporary Afrobeat genre, first catapulted to fame in 2005 following the release of his debut album, No Long Thing, and has subsequently enjoyed success with global hits such as “Oliver Twist”, “Fall in Love” and “Suddenly”. His latest release,

“Emergency”, is grabbing headlines and notching up radio airplay around the continent. Among his many accolades and awards, D’Banj has won Best African Act and Artiste of the Year at the MTV EMAs and MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) and was named Best International Act (Africa) at the BET Awards.

Cylop Entertainment launches new artiste, Klinz Montana By Seyi Sokoya Cylop Entertainment has released the debut single and video for its act, Onwuegbu Paul Kelvin, a.k.a Klinz Montana. The 23-year-old singer and songwriter who grew up in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in a family of seven lost both parents at an early age and took on menial jobs to put himself through school before being signed to Cylop Entertainment in 2011. Since the discovery, Cylop Entertainment has dedicated resources to grooming the gifted singer’s skills and pairing him up with producers such as Akeem The Beat, D’Tunes, Popito and X Don to discover and fine-tune his unique sound. ‘Rock The Microphone’, was the first single to be released by the artiste, under the record label. X Don produced the song and Sesan Ogunro directed the video. According to the CEO of Cylop Entertainment, “… Klinz Montana is a gifted artiste and we are excited about the many possibilities with him”

6 March, 2016

sundayzest

Sunday Tribune

With Victory Oyeleke victoryoyeleke@yahoo.com

Mum is the word:

Appreciating the Nigerian woman

other’s Day is celebrated universally but at different times of the year and since we have traditionally looked to the United Kingdom for guidance on borrowed traditions, we celebrate Mother’s Day when they do which is normally on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Mother’s Day celebrates motherhood and it is a time for appreciating mothers and mother figures. Many people celebrate by sending gifts or make special effort to spend time with their mothers. The importance of mothers cannot be overemphasised. They should be celebrated daily as they are generally the bedrock of the community. However, they are also the most underrated all over the world. Most of the prejudice women encounter is not done deliberately but due to patriarchy views held by most of us. These views, deliberate or not, are being passed down and are influencing how women see themselves and how they utilise opportunities available to them. I was 11 years old when I had my first conversation on women equality and liberation. My private tutor then had the conviction that, “women’s liberation is a waste of time and money.” Nigerian women are not in chains so why do they need to be saved? In my 11-year-old mind, my mother had no chains on her so, my tutor’s hypothesis must be right. Years later, not only did I discover the error in my tutor’s thinking, I also found out that majority of us share his view and the nature of our culture has indeed placed

women at a disadvantage. While women are not in physical chains, they have been mentally captured and mental slavery is far more insidious than physical one. From government policies to the rules in our homes, women are often times treated as second-class citizens. When chores are allocated in the house, girls are given kitchen work, cleaning, washing and cooking. Culturally, women are expected to manage the home. They have been the ones providing the family with nourishment by putting warm food on the table and cleaning clothes. Some would even argue that it is a woman’s “biological role” to nurture her family. If the Nigerian woman is valued, then the government would spend more on their healthcare rather than cutting off their funds. Nigeria has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. Dis-

Women spend at least twice as much time as men on domestic work and when all work paid and unpaid is considered, women work longer hours than men. (the world’s women 2010: trends and statistics).

crepancies between spending and implementation, which do not match policies, have placed women’s life in jeopardy. Decline in oil revenue has worsened the situation as the government tightened its purse strings by cutting off the much needed funds. The 2016 budget allocated zero fund to antenatal care thereby putting women at risk at the most vulnerable time of their lives. Expectant mothers from low-income families were forced to go through their pregnancies without adequate care. Due to financial hardship and with zero assistance from the government, they turn to mission houses for delivery where untrained birth attendants and voluntary health workers try within their limited skills to assist them. The outcome of these centres are maternal and neonatal deaths due to complications from prolonged obstructed labour, infection, post-partum haemorrhage, among others. This is not to say mission houses are death traps. They play significant roles in the society but need to be regulated and with enough funding, these birth assistants could be trained and their potential harnessed to serve both the community and their families by increasing their earning ability. It is quite ironic that the lives of Nigerian women pale in comparison to the wardrobe of the members of the National Assembly. More women are entering the labour market and becoming breadwinners but they represent a small minority as opportunities are often not given to them.

Using politics as evidence, out of the 36 ministers appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, only five are women. In the history of Nigeria, there has only been one female Chief Justice—Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar. She was sworn in on the 16th of July 2012. As Nigeria’s 13th indigenous Chief Justice, the gender gap is more highlighted. Of the 83 high court judges, only 25 are female. According to a 2012 gender in Nigeria report, with respect to income distribution, Nigeria is among the most unequal countries in the world. 60-79 per cent of the rural work force are women but men are five times more likely to own land as customs often prevent women from inheriting wealth. This margin further increases in the Northern part of Nigeria where poverty levels are sometimes twice as high as other parts of the country and female education and empowerment is almost nonexistent. Women spend at least twice as much time as men on domestic work and when all work paid and unpaid is considered, women work longer hours than men. (the world’s women 2010: trends and statistics). Even with this statistics, women are still not well appreciated. As you spend mother’s day gallivanting in trivialities, consider the lives of the women around you. The woman sitting under the scorching sun to sell pepper to provide for her family and the one sitting behind a desk in an air-conditioned office both face the same inequality though in different forms.

6 March, 2016

makeover Tips for ch

By Temitayo Iliasu

Ruth Olurounbi 0811 695 4637

sing

underwear during hot weather

NDERWEAR which is also known as undergarments, consists of clothing items worn directly on the skin before the main clothes are put on. Undergarments or underclothes are made from various fabrics and come in different designs and colours. They serve different functions, such as covering the nakedness of the body, keeping clothes from being soiled by sweat and other forms of bodily fluids as well as for shaping the body. For instance, women brassieres provide support for the breasts while men’s briefs serve the same purpose for the male genitalia. The underwear commonly worn by females include bras and panties or knickers, while males often wear briefs, boxers’ briefs or boxers’ shorts. It is important for people to carefully select their underwear during the hot weather. This is because the skin is more sensitive because of the harsh weather condition and the slightest discomfort can cause skin irritation. Since most underwear are designed for fashion purposes alone and do not put into consideration the weather condition, many of these underwear will have to be ditched so that you can be comfortable. Below are tips for choosing the right underwear. • Do away with the two piece underwear (usually worn during cold weather) which consists of a shirt with sleeves extending to the wrists and leggings with pant legs reaching down to the ankles. • The use of natural fibres like cotton, silk or a combination of these fabrics is preferable during hot weather. • Save yourself from discomfort by avoiding G-string and other forms of thong. • It is also essential that the female bra too is fitted correctly in order not to make you feel uncomfortable because they can absorb moisture from your body and keep you dry and cool all day. • You may also go for bras without underwire because they are more suitable during hot weather. • If you want comfort, then molded bras like T-shirt bras without underwire and with smooth, soft surface are great alternatives. • It is more advisable for women who are not busty to make use of non-wired bra that is made of fabrics alone. • Camisole with built-in bra is a good choice for women during hot weather. • Porcelain T-shirt is also a great choice during this period. • To have maximum comfort, it is advisable for men to stick with boxers that have elastic waistband and is fairly loose and extends to mid thigh rather than wearing briefs, boxers’ briefs and jockstraps. — Additional reports by Blog.Panachelingerie.com

Sunday Tribune

relationships

Adijat Adeleye Oladapo

Sunday Tribune

6 March, 2016

Adetoro Fasanu

Rita Okonoboh 07039394917 rosarumese@gmail.com

… Issues, family, sex

Oluremi Akinsola

Meg Alabi

‘TV, social media are not mother-friendly’

As the world celebrates motherhood this Mothering Sunday, TAYO GESINDE writes on the challenges today’s women are facing, while also sharing the experiences of how mothers have been coping, as well as the solution to the challenges associated with parenting in this 21st Century.

otherhood to many women is a daunting task, especially at the early stage for those experiencing it for the first time. Indeed, it could be tough for a woman to adjust to motherhood and at the same time attend to the needs of her children. The challenges of today’s mother are further compounded by the economic situation of the country which forces her to leave her home every day in order to make ends meet. The 21st century mother, therefore, is saddled with the responsibility of taking care of her home, nurturing and moulding her children as well as contributing her quota to the financial stability of the family. How can a woman combine her career with the challenges of motherhood without one affecting the others, bearing in mind that a mother has the greatest role to play in the life of her children? Relationships spoke with some women on the challenges they are facing as mothers, how they have been coping and they also proffered solutions to the challenges of parenting. A mother of three, Mrs Oluremi Akinsola, posited that though a mother should be a major player and influencer in the formative years of a child, with the adversity of the 21st century, many mothers have to go through separation from their children right from infancy. “Mothers put their babies in day care centres three months after they were born because they are forced to go out and fend for their families. This usually affects the child who is supposed to be nurtured properly from infancy. The hectic schedule and demands of the 21st century do not allow a woman to function as a mother and as such, she has little or no involvement in her

children’s lives. “The bonding, nurturing and benefit of motherhood in the lives of the average child are therefore heavily jeopardised. If we do not revisit our present concept of motherhood, we will be breeding a generation of children who will be robbed of critical input of motherhood.” The way out, according to her, is for mothers to spend quality time with their children. “You have to be there so as to be able to provide an environment of constant verbal support, acceptance, affection and unconditional love,” she said. A mother and an entrepreneur, Mrs Afolake Omotehinwa, said the major challenge faced by today’s mother is finance. “The average income of parents now is not enough to send their children to school, so parents have to go out every day to look for money to put food on the table and pay the increasing school fees. “Most parents want the best education for their children, so mothers can’t afford to stay at home to nurture their children while fathers go to work which used to be the norm in the past. We mothers can’t even take jobs that will bring us home as early as 2.00p.m. when the kids would be back from school because that would not solve the financial problem. “We then employ nannies/drivers who end up abusing our children. Many mothers who have a dream or career to pursue have to wait until the children are in senior secondary school. Sometimes, it is a bit too late because age might not be on their side. In the case of the children, it can be frustrating when you teach a child something at home and he/she picks up the wrong things in school. “The television and social media

are not a modern day mother’s friend. You have to be constantly correcting them on the negative things they pick up on TV and social media. Also, mothers are forced to leave their children with relatives, housemaids or lesson teachers who abuse them. Anytime my children are having their evening lessons, I make sure I am around because I don’t want anyone abusing my children.” Hon Adijat Adeleye Oladapo, a former member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, said: “Motherhood in the 21st century is a lot different from what it used to be a couple of decades ago. Our society is constantly evolving and as a result, there are changes in the dynamics between parents and children. Effective mothering today therefore requires that a mother is fully aware of the world her children live in. “Today’s world is highly technical for all and sundry. Technology is very much part of our daily lives. Most children spend more time online than on reading. Protecting one’s children from internet dangers is a major issue in parenting today. Parents must educate themselves on how to tackle this challenge. “Media and the fascination with celebrities also wield great influence in today’s society because they help shape a child’s views. Research has shown that children are more advanced and matured than kids in the eighties. Many of them are dating at a much younger age, often before they reach their teens and many 15-year-olds are already sexually active. These are just some of the hard issues of parenting today that the duo of fathers and mothers need to address with. “A responsible mother needs to verbally express her love to her children. Listen to them instead of lecturing them and discipline them in a firm but loving manner.” Meg Alabi, a fashion designer, sspeaking on the issue said: “The 21st century mother struggles to blend her role as a wife and mother with her career. Until she is able to

Afolakemi Omotehinwa

blend everything together and find what works best for her, she will continually face challenges, especially when the children are still very young because every child wants the attention of her mother. Gone were the days when you have people around you to help you take care of the children. Even our mothers too are working, so you can’t even leave your children with them. “Also, you can’t rely on nannies or crèches to take good care of them because of the cases of abuse and neglect. Yes, we can multitask but at the same time, one will suffer. It is true that we have to support our husbands because of economic situation of the country but we need to know that our roles as mothers should come before our careers or any other thing.” For Mrs Adetoro Fasanu, the Chief Executive Officer of Attractions, “motherhood is the most rewarding and gratifying job a woman can have despite the fact that it has its fair share of challenges. In my case, I was lucky my mother was still alive when I had my babies, so she was a big help. Even at the time, I could not leave my children alone with any maid so I relied heavily on my mother to help babysit wile I go to work. My children are grown ups now but a mother’s job is never done. “As a mother, you have to constantly put your children first before you take any major decisions. Each stage of a child’s development needs a different approach. Personally, I use prayers and listening ears as my major tools. I also took each day as it came, making sure that I didn’t compromise on the safety and health of my children. “

6 March, 2016

With Akintayo Abodunrin akinjaa03@yahoo.co.uk 08111813058

Elvina Ibru (left); Dr Soji Akinkugbe and Delia Sainsbury

‘Nigerian talents have absolutely blown us away’

After three days of auditioning Nigerian singers, dancers and actors for the Broadway musical, ‘Sister Act’ to be staged in the country later in the year, the production team is more than impressed.

HEN world-acclaimed Broadway musical, ‘Sister Act’ opens on the MUSON stage later in the year, it will be the realisation of a dream that medical doctor turned manufacturer, Dr. Soji Akinkugbe, has been nursing for several years. And given the amount of effort being put into the successful realisation of that dream, there’s no disputing the fact that this is an uncommon project with immense benefits. Apart from bringing quality entertainment to Nigerians, Dr. Akinkugbe is also desirous of helping the country’s talents access world-class training to improve their craft and other support infrastructure that would aid their growth and ultimately benefit the theatre. Though burning with the vision, the furniture manufacturer wisely realised he couldn’t do it alone, hence his decision to involve the prestigious Cape Town, South Africa-based Waterfront Theatre Company and Elvina Ibru’s 2wice as Nice Productions as executing partners. Towards having a successful outing later in November or December, the partners organised a three-day audition/workshop in Lagos from February 25 to 27 for interested artists. A day after the audition ended, the team; Akinkugbe (executive producer); Delia Sainsbury (co-ordinator); Paul Griffith (director), Garth Tavares (musical director); Genna Galloway (choreographer) and Ibru (producer) met with journalists to share more about their visions and how the process went. Akinkugbe, who spoke first, gave an interesting account of how he came to team up with the South African theatre company which operates a world-class training school alongside staging productions. Having suffered rejections from previous production companies he had approached to help implement his dream, the 1989 graduate of medicine from the University of Lagos had requested a meeting with Sainsbury and Griffith in Cape Town and wouldn’t have been surprised if they had said no. Luckily for him, they saw the wisdom in his ‘madness’ and came to Nigeria last

year during the Black History Festival. The team from South Africa spent about a week in the country watching performances and visiting places of interest including the National Theatre where Sainsbury wept at seeing the beautiful edifice in such a state of disrepair. “They were convinced that a Nigerian cast was possible but obviously would need to be trained for this kind of performance. We went back to the drawing board; we felt that a musical that has a general broad audience would be a good way to launch this project to the Nigerian audience. We are hopeful that this opportunity will escalate in different ways to the benefit of Nigerian performers, audience and their school and South Africa,” Akinkugbe said. Sainsbury, who confessed that she and her partners thought they were “dealing with a mad man” when Akinkugbe approached them and that they only decided to tolerate him “for a bit longer” eventually saw sense

in what he was pitching. She said, “Because we are passionate about development; about developing young artists, we immediately got on the same wave length which I think was what made us different from others he had approached. The others he had approached were purely impresarios who promote shows; they are not interested in developing young people. They are interested in making money. While we promote shows, our primary interest is on audience development and on young artistic development. That’s why we were very much on the same page.” They agreed to come to Nigeria, though with great trepidation because of the prevalent bad press about the country. However, their fears proved to be unfounded as they “loved every second” of their trip. “We met the most wonderful people and saw so much. The dancers were working under difficult conditions in studios without the facilities that they should have. And watching the brilliant actors, singers and dancers

working under such conditions, we wondered what on earth they would be producing if they could have the right facilities. So immediately, we were completely hooked.” They went back to South Africa and returned to Nigeria this year to appraise the talents and see if they could produce the musical. She confessed that though they came “with a degree of scepticism” because they didn’t know if the Nigerian talents have the ‘triple threat’ (singing, acting and dancing competently), “we have been absolutely blown away.” Her partner, Griffith, expressed the same sentiments. He disclosed that they have proved that Akinkugbe was correct when he said what Nigeria lacked was proper training and not talents. “The talent that you have in this country is world class talent,” began Griffith. “But the talent is being nurtured in people’s bathroom or in their living room. The level of natural ability, when it comes to performance, is outstanding but there is a certain limitation in terms of the skill to be able to enhance that natural ability. Part of what we have noticed is a need for these world class standards of natural ability to be enhanced through effective training. And we have been really encouraged to see how responsive the people have been that we have seen. “I’ve not seen such courage in performers as I have seen over the last three days in Lagos. That energy, passion has been very humbling for us and it has given us a very strong sense of responsibility to honour the courage that you have in Nigeria and the incredible lack of ego in your artists. Your actors are the most generous performers that I have seen. We have managed to cast this show more than once and this makes our job very difficult because we have seen short of a 100 people and the cast of ‘Sister Act’ only involves about 28 people. There is a long term plan and it is to ensure that all these talents available have the infrastructure that keeps them working because it’s not right that people with this talent shouldn’t be able to go from one job to the next.” Producer and on-air-personality, Elvina Ibru, said she was amazed when Dr. Akinkugbe told her about the project and Continues p27

Okon takes children on fantasy journey in new book ‘THE Quest for the Gem of Arubia’, a children’s fantasy book written by Augusta Okon will be presented at Goethe Institut, City Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island on April 28. Rich in riddles and thriving in locations that would trigger the imagination of young ones, ‘The Quest for the Gem of Arubia’ is set in the kingdom of Nsewe, which is thrown into confusion following the birth of a strange looking baby. Omorege, the so-called strange boy, who is rejected and nicknamed ‘Odd Boy’, is an albino and unknown to the people, will save them from the evil Dominus that wants to annex their land. Explaining why she explores albinism in the book, Okon, who is also a movie critic, says: “Albinism is a big problem in certain parts of Africa and I’m elated that the African child can step into the world of fantasy with this book and embark on a journey that would keep them engaged from start to finish. It will help these young minds

Book cover understand what their counterparts are facing, that ise those with albinism and instill that care and tenderness towards them. It

also encourages those with low self-esteem tagged as ‘the rejects’ who society believes nothing good can come out of them to rise up and achieve their dreams. It will inspire children all over the world and is certainly worth reading.” Former General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Nduka Otiono, who blurbs the book, writes: “In The Quest for the Gem of Arubia Augusta Mmakamba Okon offers us a spell-binding African scifi that would fascinate children and adult readers as a parable of courage, hope, and redemption. The folktale-like narrative bristles with teeming characters, fantastic episodes, and the triumph of the human spirit represented by Omorege, the rejected albino and The Odd One who becomes the cornerstone and avatar of his community. Laced with mystery, riddles, and suspense, the didactic tale encourages the reader to confront their worst fears and to recognize that ‘Danger wiggles her waist delighted to see the one who dares her’”.

arts&culture dele jegede: The Total Artist 27

continued from next week

By Niyi Osundare Most of the images in this exhibition leap out of two broad themes with a wrenching cause-and-effect eventuality: The Boko Haram Mayhem and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) consequence. But trust dele jegede the inveterate punster (To expect dele jegede’s figurations without pun(s) is to imagine the Atlantic Ocean without salt). How can you have IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) without first being cursed with a gang of IDP (Internally Displaced Politicians), complemented by another IDP (Internally Displaced Police)? In all these, jegede goes from abstract signification to visual metaphorization. Take another look at the Internally Displaced Politician in this collection; the cynical resignation announced by his chin-resting-in-palm posture; the pathological yellowing of his eyes indicating his jaundiced vision; those two birds, the smaller one on his cap, the larger on his shoulder, both symbolizing the stupor and stupid immobility of the object on which they stand (birds hardly ever perch on moving, dynamic/active objects); the ‘dumbo’ closure of the mouth; the somewhat funereal darkness of his dress. . . With all these and the patented fedora cap, is anyone still wondering who this ‘Displaced Politician’ is, and the repercussions of his ‘displacement’ for the present Nigerian situation? With the other IDP (Internally Displaced Police), Fela Anikulapo’s ‘Roforofo Fight’ takes on an additional, ominous meaning. Two policemen from different branches of the Force (as indicated by the difference in the color of their uniforms) are locked in a grim fight-to-finish. The enforcers of the Law are at each other’s throat. Those charged with the prevention and apprehension of chaos are themselves chaos personified. Who then is left to police the police? And as hinted by the use of contrastive lighting in the painting, all this is happening in broad daylight; the background a running splash of colors. A land of Internally Displaced Leader (IDL) and Internally Displaced Law (IDL) (my own parallel acronyms to jegede’s) can only end up as a land of Internally Displaced Peace. Boko Haram thrives in the vacuum created by the absence of leadership and rule of law. And this exhibition confronts us with startling images of that Nigerian nightmare. Consider the image of that young tesbih-wielding lady (Boko Haram 3), her mouth agape from religious sloganeering, behind her the hell of conflagration and carnage. Next we have a frightening image of the master of the mayhem, masked, fully clad, with a rifle at the ready, his finger on the trigger(Boko Haram 1); and the frightened figuration of a woman, lost from shock, mouth wide-open in bewilderment and horror, totally traumatized, gaze fixed on the absolutely unspeakable (Boko Haram (BH #BBOG). Then enter the displaced in an

dele jegede eerily logical progression, first the man with an extraordinarily huge load on his head, his face indistinct, his neck shortened by his burden(IDP 3). In a typical dele jegede combination of ironic symbolization and mordant indictment, a miniature Nigerian flag is attached to this burden in its utterly damning conspicuousness. A country that should be our bliss has become our burden. With its interplay of dull white and dark grey, the image shows the carrier and his burden as if both were hewn out of a background rock. The image of this sole trudger is followed by that of a crowd of afflicted refugees women, men, children, a laden donkey, all plodding along under heavy burdens with the exception of an old man who brings up the rear(IDP, Internally Displaced Peoples 1). There is a twilight tinge to the setting

of this painting, a dullness which mimics the somber situation of these displaced people and their murky future. But as is always the case with dele jegede’s universe, this exhibition is replete with a multiplicity of images, a multiplicity of situations, a multiplicity of moods, a multiplicity of tones. No matter how dark the cloud, this artist always leaves room for a silver lining of laughter. If the Boko Haram images weigh us down with their plethora of grief and gore, there are other images in this exhibition which lift the soul, which tease our lightness of being. Take another look at Generation What: Selfie and those two wiry old men and their Selfie moment: the curious smile on the lips of the first man, the delighted smirk on the lips of the other, their infectious excitement, the youthful curiosity in their gaze, and you marvel at what modern technology has done to our ‘normal’, traditional notions about aging. These two men are not only young at heart; they are also rejuvenated by the power of the new smart device in their hands. Aren’t we left to wonder what self images reward the old men’s curiosity and what they are invited to make of the wrinkles of age? Whichever way we look at it, there is something infectious about the jovial disposition of these men, something life-affirming about their tenacity. If Selfie invites us to a childlike fascination with innovation, Celestial Aesthetics levitates us to a firmament of brooding meditations and cosmic awe. There is so much in the interplay of flashy blue and deep orange in these paintings, something almost eschatological, that summons lurid intimations‘Marriage of Heaven and Hell’ by William Blake, the great

didn’t hesitate to come on board when he asked her. She added that what further attracted her was the quality of the South African team because, “they are not just professionals but teachers. What we lack is training and opportunity and everybody, including myself, will learn something though I’ve been in this business for years.” Ibru added that she has learnt some lessons from interacting with the team and

Early Romantic English poet/painter. The jagged hole in right flank of Celestial Aesthetics 2 looks like a cave or an abyss, some dark opening to a Great Unknown. There is a concrete abstractness to this series, a deceptively proximate distance, something much deeper, much more intimidating than what we have encountered so far in dele jegede’s oeuvre. Some ideational and stylistic changes seem to be taking place, some transitions of a fundamental kind. The artist admits this much in a recent personal/private communication with me: The Celestial series accommodates my fascination with terminality and infinity. I have become quite absorbed with cosmic vastness—its inexhaustibility and prowess—since the sudden departure of Ayo, our beloved son, in 2011. In this typically poetic testament, we are invited to ponder what life and its sundry vicissitudes are capable of doing to an artist’s thematic and stylistic orientations. Here dele jegede seems to be serving notice of the next phase in his artistic ‘peregrinations’. Just as well. Life’s autumnal phase is sometimes mellow with its own magic, vibrant with shifts and re-visionings… Oni esi dee de (The prodigy of yesterday is here again). Yes, dele jedede has invited us to yet another harvest from the garden of his fecund imagination. In its gripping visual poetry, Transitions probes the depth of our pain – without forgetting to remind us of the possibilities of our laughter. The Total Artist is at it, again, achingly relevant in his message and uncompromisingly felicitous in his style.It is impossible to leave this harvest feeling indifferent, or feeling the same.

National Troupe wows Ooni with Yemoja

“I

was totally thrilled by the performance. The National Troupe should take this kind of performance everywhere. They should be on tour promoting and propagating our rich cultural heritage. I know funding is a challenge but I want to join my voice to the call for increased funding and attention for the National Troupe. They are propagators of our culture. I am impressed and we should do more to encourage the troupe and artistes generally,” said the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at the recent reception organised in his honour by the Cuban Embassy in Abuja. Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke after watching ‘Yemoja’ alongside Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and other eminent Nigerians at the residence of the Cuban Ambassador, further commended the troupe for the colourful, energetic and evocative performance. Directed by the troupe’s director of drama, Ms. Josephine Igberease, ‘Yemoja’ is a colourful and fast paced dance drama laced with chants and heavy drumming. It is designed as an evocative homage to

Ooni Ogunwusi watching ’Yemoja’, in Abuja Yemoja, the Yoruba goddess of the sea widely worshipped in the Americas. Aside the performance in honour of the Ooni, the troupe had on Valentine’s Day staged another dance drama entitled ‘Love Nigeria’ at Abuja Unity Square. Produced in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), ‘Love Nigeria’ focused on the need to promote patrio-

‘Nigerian talents have absolutely blown us away’ continued from pg26

6 March, 2016

that, “they are the easiest people to deal with; I was astounded by their level of patience during the audition. I am very happy being here and I know with this team, the show is going to teach a lot of people. Even people who didn’t get in, it will encourage them to work harder and aim to be part of the next project.” Based on the 1992 film of the same name, ‘Sister Act’ tells the story of aspiring disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier (played by Whoopi Goldberg), who having witnessed her

gangster (and married) boyfriend commit a murder, ends up in hiding in a convent whose parish has fallen on hard times. Though the sequin-free lifestyle doesn’t agree with her, Deloris finds her calling working with the choir, and breathes new life into the dusty convent while discovering a sisterhood she’s never had before. Dr. Akinkugbe acquired the Nigerian rights to the musical years ago and is working hard with the team to give Nigerians an unforgettable experience.

tism and loyalty among citizens. Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Akin Adejuwon explained that the production was staged to complement NOA’s mobilization program series ‘Do the Right Thing, Fall in Love with Nigeria’ to be taken to all the states. “Given the background of insurgency, regional agitations, religious and cultural proclivities currently affecting our national cohesion, the need to encourage citizens to use the pervasive ambience of love at Valentine to reflect on the positive achievements of our nation and to encourage members of the public to show selfless love for our country even as we show love to fellow citizens cannot be over-emphasized,” Adejuwon further explained as reason for the production. The highpoint of the troupe’s weeklong performance tour of Abuja was the staging of ‘Murna’ at the IDP camp located in Garki and at the Games Village. Written by Mike Anyanwu and directed by Josephine Igberease, ‘Murna’ had earlier been staged at the IDP camp in Bauchi State.

Sunday Tribune

6 March, 2016

glamour G

Growing up ROWING up was adventurous for me because my grandmother played a good pampering role in my upbringing despite my parents’ strict tutelage. I had good rural-urban memories, because travelling to the village was a regular thing especially during the New Yam festivals. I often craved the fresh farm food, going to the stream, farming, moonlight tales and lots of activities. However, my academics and poor network coverage always made me return to the urban centre so I didn't miss out on global events and activities. So, my growing up was and is still full of memories because I believe I am still growing. Educational background I am a student of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA). I am studying History and Diplomatic Studies. I am in 200 Level though I have a diploma in Law.

Twenty one-year-old Queenette Awukam is Cross Rivers State Most Beautiful Girl, 2015. An advocate of youths’ involvement in climate-friendly activities, she speaks with DOYIN ADEOYE on her passion for the environment, style and career, among other issues. Excerpts:

Foray into modelling I had my first photo shoot in 2011 when I was taking pictures for my high school yearbook. Afterwards, I got involved with a modelling agency, where I did more photo shoots and runway. I have always been passionate about modelling and, sometimes, I could just shoot for the fun of it. So that really got me far. Challenges I faced as a young model The only challenge I encountered was having to combine my academics with modelling career. Sometimes the career would clash with a test or lectures and I would find myself in a fix. I remember when I was running two programmes, a diploma and degree; it wasn't easy, but God has been faithful. Most times, I work with a timetable and try to always reschedule my meetings to avoid it clashing with my academics. My pet projects My pet projects are Kick Against Malaria/Typhoid Fever; Helping Hands to the Vulnerable Women; Back to School and the Climate Change Campaign. Personally, I believe that being a beauty queen is about impacting lives and that is what I do. The ‘Back To School Project’ is centred on making learning easier for children by providing stationery and brief seminars so they could understand why education is a necessity, while the ‘Climate Change Campaign’ which is the latest of the projects was kick-started with a release of pictures that depict a fight against deforestation and what we all stand to gain in a green world. How I intend to achieve them I believe it is all about one’s determination and so far, there had been a lot of progress. First step in the process was the creation of awareness; going for interviews, talking to people in the same field and creating a team. I have gone to some schools in some local government areas in Cross River State to distribute stationery; I also distributed food items to vulnerable women, as well as nursing and single mothers. I also intend to partner with the Minister of Environment, Amina J. Muhammed and other Non -Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on climate justice. Also, in the course of achieving these projects, I’ve made courtesy visits to some personalities in the country, especially those who have been a source of inspiration to not only me, but other youths in Nigeria to get sopport for the project. What spurred my climate advocacy The livelihood of my people played a major part in my drive for climate advocacy. Growing up in an agriculturally dependent state, change in the weather condition will definitely affect the production of crops for both subsistent and commercial use. This spurred the need to advocate a conducive environment not just for our crops, but also for us as humans, knowing that we need oxygen and healthy living. My state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, is also passionate about climate change and this also is a source of inspiration. Influencing more youths to be environment conscious A lot of youths do not understand or know the importance

men’s —Queenette Awukam, Cross Rivers Most Beautiful Girl 2015

Keep your head high and your heels higher because your happiness lies in your passion

With Tayo Gesinde temiligali03@yahoo.com 08054727801

of our environment, especially in carrying out our daily activities. Creating awareness of course is always important, as more youths need to be involved in environmental activities, campaigns, conferences and so on, especially on climate change. My inspiration Life itself is my source of inspiration. That I wake up every morning and realise that I have a new day to learn and give, inspires me. Every day is an opportunity to do something new and grow. My take on the modelling industry The Nigerian modelling industry has developed to an extent, but I think for models to reach the international standard, there is the need to have more professional trainings and increase in payments. Agencies need to scout around because there are so many up-and-coming models that need to be given the opportunity. The modelling industry has to create room for fresh faces because most times, they focus on only their favourite models, which is not very good for the growth of the industry. The notion that many models have to sleep their way to the top I wouldn't say if it is true or not because I believe everybody has a choice in life. Being a model is a decision and one thing that is important is to be able to passionately follow one’s dreams. There are successful models today who didn't have to sleep their ways to the top; not every model sleeps her way to the top. Consistency is the key. Agencies will look out for you as long as you are good at what you do. Opinion on provocative dressing I think it depends on what is being defined as provocative. I am not going to discriminate but I think everybody has her style and what she feels comfortable in. We live in a world with different religions and cultures and these sometimes have a lot to do with a person's dress sense or what they think should or should not be worn. Opinion on toning Toning is a very personal decision. As long as it doesn't cause skin diseases or injuries or hurt your loved ones, then it is fine. What fashion and style are to me Fashion and style are two different things. Fashion has to do with the trend and it changes with season. I am more about my style, what I wear for different events matters to me because it says a lot about my personality. Sometimes, I leave the dresses and wear denim and the T-shirts with either heels or sneakers. So, my style actually goes with my mood at a particular time. My wish list My wish list is a long one but I'll try and make it short. I wish to wake up one morning and find more children in the classrooms than on the streets. I wish that more young girls who have been sexually molested will have a voice to speak up and fight for justice; I wish more youths will be involved in the climate change campaign and more innovations will be made to avoid damaging planet earth. And I also wish to see myself as one of the strongest women who would impact our world.

What I can’t be caught dead wearing Probably a lemon coloured weave or wig. My role models My role model is every strong woman who has been able to stand her ground despite what she's been through in life. The likes of Oprah Winfrey, Malala Yousafzai and most especially our Minister of Environment, Amina J. Mohammed, who is known for her expertise in whatever she does. These are women I hold in great esteem. How I handle advances from men I grew up in a large family with brothers, cousins and relations, so I learnt a lot from them. My strength and weakness My greatest strength is patience and consistency. In whatever I set my mind to do, I do not care how long it takes, it must be done. Also, I am always willing to learn something new from anybody whether or not you're older or trained and I never looked down on anybody. My weakness is that sometimes I get emotional when I need to be professional, especially while leading a team; I tend to overlook a lot which makes it easy for certain people to want to take advantage. One fashion item I always crave for Shoes! I love shoes. I really can't tell but what I spend on shoes is always more than any other fashion item. My special treat I take myself to the spa, it is always very relaxing especially after a long week. My beauty regimen I eat healthily and always drink water with lemon in it; I never leave my skin dry so, I often use moisturisers. And I work out at least four times in a week and of course, I pray. My philosophy of life Never cut when you can untie; for every problem, there is a solution and our attitude about it determines if it can be solved or not. My advice to other young models Keep your head high and your heels higher because your happiness lies in your passion. So keep doing what you do best and aim higher than the sky.

aspire

6 March, 2016

BY OLAIDE SOKOYA 0807 449 7425 (sms only)

ollydesanmi@yahoo.com

‘I started shoe business with #3,000’ Afolabi Omole is the creative director of Omole Smyles, an indigenous shoe company. He speaks with VERA ONANA on the challenges he has encountered as he strives for stardom in the business world. Excerpts:

OW has your background affected your business? I love what I do and I feel that my craft is a gift to the world. However, being the son of Dr Lawrence Omole was a bit challenging at the inception of my craft. No one saw me as a serious business person. In fact, they didn’t understand why I was doing what I was doing. Some people even advised me to just inherit my father’s business but I saw my craft in a different light. No one handed my father’s empire to him on a platter. He built it from the scratch. So, I asked myself this: Why can’t I follow his in footsteps? There is enormous joy in accomplishing one’s dreams. My father did and that has been a source of motivation for me. Tell us about your Omole Smyles. I run a shoe company called Omole Smyles and it is famous for our unique sandals and slippers which are undeniably different from the norm. I basically make slippers and sandals from African fabrics and leather. As the creative director of Omole Smyles, the designs come naturally. When did you start Omole Smyles? I started the business in 2011 after my NYSC because I couldn’t secure a fulfilling job. I started really small. I remember I that my initial capital was N3,000 and it was actually given to me by my elder sister. How do you source for raw materials used? I make use of various fabrics but I always ensure that they are indigenous African fabrics like the Ghana Kente, Asooke and other indigenous fabrics with super embroidery. I scout for expert weavers that can interpret my vision and bring it alive on the surface of amazing fabrics. However, for leathers and other accessories, I buy from the local market. What is your staff strength? I run a mini factory of about eight to ten artisans including weavers and an embroidery man. What challenges have you encountered since you ventured into this business? It is very hard to start a business with limited capital in Nigeria especially with the current economic situation. My kind of business is very challenging but jumping each hurdle is what makes one a great business man. However, I would mention a few of the myriads of problems I have had to put up with. Irregular power supply, fluctuating fuel price and ultimately, fuel scarcity have adverse effect on any business but in Nigeria, these aberrations are the norm. Also, our banking system does not encourage the empowerment of young entrepreneurs with the required capital for initial investment neither do they support SMEs. Interest charges are discouraging for young entrepreneurs as they tend to be very high. Have there been times of significant breakthrough? For most designers, when you design a piece and your cli-

If the government can regulate power, fix and maintain our roads to ease transportation, it will be a good start and entrepreneurs all over the nation will smile.

ents are willing to pay for it without complaints, I would say it’s a significant breakthrough. I remember at the inception of my craft, I made 10 pieces of different designs and they sold out in a day! My friends and neighbours bought all of it. That was major for me back then. Tell us about your accomplishments. I must appreciate God for the ability to create this company out of the pressure of unemployment. In all modesty, I am happy to say that this business feeds some families and some youths. Also, designs from 10 to 101 makes me extremely proud. I currently have a distributor in the United State and Europe who buys in bulk and sells to Africans in diaspora. What future do you see for Omole Smyles? I will like to grow my factory to a multinational standard. With mechanisation, I intend increase productivity exponentially so that Omole Smyles can be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Also, I see Omole Smyles designs in all stores across the globe from Macy’s to Selfridges. I would love my slippers to be accessible anywhere in the universe. How can the government facilitate your craft? If the government can regulate power supply, fix and maintain our roads to ease transportation, it will be a good start and entrepreneurs all over the nation will smile. Again, if technical and vocational training can be improved upon, trade will automatically pick up. What is your admonition to today’s youth To struggling entrepreneurs and millions of Nigerian youths, I would sayg: once you can think it, you can achieve it with or without the government’s support and regardless of your background.

Your Life Counts

Sunday Tribune

by Tunde Jaiyebo 0803 406 2013

True friendship Life is all about relationships. “Man is a knot into which relationships are tied.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry We need meaning relationships to survive and thrive. “If God had intended us to be alone, there would be more pleasure in massaging our own shoulders.” Robert Brault Success in life is facilitated by initiating, developing, nurturing and maximizing right relationships. “Relationship is an art. The dream that two people create is more difficult to master than one.” Don Miguel Ruiz The quality of our relationships will determine the quality of our lives. Quality relationship will put us at an advantage to have a qualitative life. On the other hand, when we are enmeshed in relationships which are mediocre in quality we put ourselves at a disadvantage and life will tedious. Wisdom demands we must limit access and relationship with people who add no value to us. We must beware of people who sap our energy, drain and weary us out. We must seek rather to relate with people whose relationship produce mutual benefits – they are refreshed by us and they in turn add value to us. “A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” Douglas Pagels We need to discover, initiate, develop and maximize relationships which motivate, inspire and challenge us to be better and do better. If we are to have and get the benefits of quality relationships we too must be attractive and worth being relate with. We must not be liabilities to people. We must not be people who weary others or who drain people – we must be a delight to relate with. We must be friendly. Maximizing quality relationships will demand we must be humble. We must be humble to learn. We must be humble to be corrected. We must be humble to seek out quality people. We must be open to new ideas. “Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15 New Living Translation. We must not be rigid or resistant to change. We must be focused and disciplined. “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.” Proverbs 12:1 New Living Translation. The bedrock of any successful relationship is trust. Without trust there can be no relationship. Trust is not built in a day. Trust is built over time. Trust in a relationship is allegiance to the ideals of the relationship. Trust is dependence. Trust is the key to openness. “A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud. I am arrived at last in the presence of a man so real and equal, that I may drop even those undermost garments of dissimulation, courtesy, and second thought, which men never put off, and may deal with him with the simplicity and wholeness with which one chemical atom meets another.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Trust is the glue that keeps the relationship going. Trust is knowing you always have someone who is with you come rain, come shine. “If you’re alone, I’ll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I’ll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I’ll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I’ll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I’ll just be me.” Author Unknown When trust is destroyed or betrayed the relationship is bound to scatter. When trust is broken forgiveness is the medicine to restore it. Whenever one has a qualitative relationship we must do all in our power to keep it. A qualitative relationship must be protected. “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Proverbs 18:24 The Message. We must however, be careful about our relationships. We must have clear and realistic expectations else we get disappointed. We must have boundaries. We must avoid control and manipulation. Relationship demand work. Anything in life, including relationship, that effort is not added to, will depreciate, waste and die. It takes discipline and hardwork to maintain friendships but it worth every expense. “A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.” William Penn

For enquiries/comments please send email to urlifecounts@yahoo.com

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

thepolity Anti-corruption fight must not be political —Fayose Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has been a seemingly “lone voice in the wilderness” on many issues in the country. In this exclusive interview with Deputy Editor, SAM NWAOKO, he explains his stance on governance, politics and sundry issues in the country. Excerpts:

KITI State, like all the other states in the federation is currently facing financial challenges, with many states not even being able to pay workers. How would you describe the economic situation of your state? Taking off after our inauguration wasn’t too easy and it was expected, because we did a bit of research and some findings before we got into office. We knew that a lot of damage had been done to the economy of the state before we took over and we made up our mind to face it head-on and to ensure that the confidence reposed in us by the people is not misplaced. At the inauguration, I was able to reel off the debt profile from bonds and commercial loans, the salary debts and on and on like that as we took over on October 16, 2014. Ordinarily, going by the dwindling economy that we faced alongside the debts, it wasn’t an easy task, and even till now we are really battling to survive and to sustain and keep our promises. Within the ambit of availability of funds, we have been able to do the little we could do. Above it all, the people could see the sincerity in us. We are not hidden from the people; they see us and they are part of the decision making, particularly the Labour. Every month, we carry them along; we share the state of our finances with them. We give them the allocation papers from Abuja and they have always been stakeholders in government. On the political turf, the experience wasn’t too easy either because after taking over, the governor was the target of the immediate past House of Assembly. They wanted to remove the governor. At the same time, there was the Supreme Court judgement that was hanging and there was the general election. They all came about the same time. The people of Ekiti stood by us, they confirmed the mandate given us by defending it and interestingly, the Supreme Court put down its feet to establish the fact that the election was free and fair and confirmed my election. This was before they came up with the saga of the military or militarisation of the election. Also, don’t forget that initially they had gone to court to say that it was photochromic, that it was about impeachment, that the governor was impeached in 2006 and therefore cannot stand election. Later they came back to say that the election was militarised, despite the conclusion of the international community that it was free and fair and that it should be the

Governor Ayodele Fayose

standard for future elections in the country. The governor then even congratulated me. All these are no more news, however, and despite all of it, we are doing our best within the ambit of availability. Considering all the issues you’ve touched and the whole gamut of politics in the entire processes, are you mindful of the politics and powers of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government and the position of your state as you carry on? I have always known that there will always be a government in power and there would always be opposition. Since they won election, either by hook or by crook, or by blackmail or by propaganda and so on, they are in government and we today are in opposition. The majority will have

their way and the minority would have their say. We are in opposition and we are entitled to our say without apologies. We are entitled to air our feelings and say our minds and our opinion about the government of the day is that anybody who is the Nigerian president is in charge of our common wealth and we must be interested in what he or she is doing. When he is not doing it right, we must be able to tell him outright; when he is doing it well, we must be able to acknowledge it. But we will not shy away from standing up for Nigeria. Nigeria comes first. Nigeria is over and above everybody and we must always remember that if we keep the government in power on their toes, the common people stand to benefit. I am not a member of APC where I cannot come and wash their dirty linen in public. I will help them wash

their dirty linen in public so that they can change their ways. For instance, if you look at the economy since the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, the economy has failed and is in a complete shambles. I stated these expressly several times, at the time he was contesting that the president lacked the capacity to run Nigeria. My first reason was as a result of his age. Secondly, in advanced democracies, you hardly find old people running the affairs of governance, because governance needs a lot of energy. Again, the technology in place in the management of the affairs of the world today, the president is no longer in tune with such technologies to be able to handle it. And I did not hide it. It isn’t personal. As a Nigerian I did not support continues pg 32

thepolity

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘I’m doing everything in Ekiti’s interest’ continued from pg 31

the president and if I have the opportunity again, I will not support him, not because I don’t like him as a person but because it is not easy for him at his age to do any magic. So, I’m not surprised that the state of our finances and the economy has deteriorated under President Buhari. A system where human rights are being abused, where the rule of law is jettisoned, where it is all about vendetta, that system will be sick. Above all, if somebody is still after his predecessor one year or thereabouts after assuming office, it shows that that person doesn’t have an agenda for the country. I would have expected the president to concentrate on revamping this economy rather than pursuing this vendetta in the name of fighting corruption. I abhor corruption, I detest it and don’t forget that I was tried for almost eight years until God gave me victory. All I’m saying is that fighting corruption must not be political. If it is truly endemic, it should be treated holistically and there should be no scared cows. We need to fight corruption with a system that is independent, not where cronies are put in charge of the organs to fight corruption like the EFCC and ICPC to oppress people unjustly. Our laws say that people should not be detained more than 48 hours, but you judge them on the pages of newspapers and insist that people should not be entitled to bail and they are kept there. That is dictatorship. There’s no dictator that can endure or stand the test of time. Many Nigerians see you as being rather too harsh and unfair on this administration and the president. The belief is that you should give him time... There are facts and figures that I want you to look at. When the president assumed office, the dollar was in the neighbourhood of N180. Today the dollar is in the neighbourhood of N360 to N400. That means that the economy has dipped by about 100 per cent. When you look at human rights violations, disobedience to court orders and recently, the president removed the vice chancellors of universities against laid down rules and procedure you see that something is wrong . And noble men are all quiet in the face of all these atrocities. Imagine a system where the country’s annual budget got missing, in which ministers who came to defend their ministries’ budgets would say we don’t know how these ones got into the budget! That is the height of embarrassment. It has never happened in this country. All these point to the fact that they were not prepared for governance. Do we wait until they destroy this country before we talk? It amazes me how much the president travels when his country is on fire. Everyday, he is outside the country and while there, that is when we hear policy matters. It clearly shows that either the president is playing to the gallery or that the president doesn’t know the meaning of addressing the economy of your own country. The president goes abroad to destroy his own subjects by announcing that my people are thieves; my people are armed robbers; my people are corrupt: who will come and do business with that president? Who will come and do business with that country? And you create tension everywhere. The problem now is that, when there are no people dealing with your country... Before now, India, China and a few coun-

Governor Fayose

tries were buying our products. But now, no more. We are now struggling with Iran to retain our customers. It’s a cause for worry and I think all these flow from the perception the president is giving of his own country. Nobody says you should not talk about corruption and all that, but you must remember that if you destroy your own family, your own country, nobody will come and build it for you. There are also contentions that this government has been working hard to lay another foundation for the country by clearing what some said was the mess created by the 16 years of your PDP, so that the country can start on a cleaner, solid foundation If somebody wants to be a madman and he uses 10 years to practise that madness, when will he start to operate that madness? If you say they are trying to “clear mess”, the people that made APC to win election are people that defected from PDP. So, when they get to APC they become saints. So, what are they talking about, what mess are they clearing? Some governors and some other people who left PDP for APC, whose track records show and whom everybody knows have beenh accused of corruption are the ones now pursuing pickpockets. With all due respect, a lot of people made by the PDP and who have held top positions in this country like former vice-president, former Senate president, former speaker of the House of Representatives, ambassadors senators and so on who were all in the PDP and are now in APC and none of them has been brought to book. Are they all saints? Buhari is not the first president that we would have in this country and he won’t be the last. Everybody has his own luck but I don’t think President Buhari has brought luck the way of Nigeria and it was like this even in his first tenure. Have you ever seen a president under whose watch the Department of State Services will go and invade a state house? Have you ever seen a situation where somebody charged with terrorism will not be brought to court in handcuffs while an op-

position party member you have levelled allegations of corruption against would be brought to court in handcuffs? That is playing to the gallery. Even if you look at the appointments, the president has practically blocked out the South-South and the South-East. The president is behaving like somebody who is sectional, like a president of Northern Nigeria. Look at the war against terror and the announcement that they have won the war “technically” and people are being killed on a daily basis, like the recent example of the people of Benue State. I recall that in 2000, President Buhari came to Ibadan to complain to a former governor of Oyo State, the late Alhaji Lam Adeshina, about how Northerners were killed in a clash in Oyo State. Today, look at the way herdsmen have turned the country to a country of violence, killing original land owners in their own land and the president is saying nothing and is doing nothing about it. Recently, when I made a statement concerning the killings in Benue State, they quickly issued a statement about two hours after, saying that they have set up investigation into the massacre. Opposition against them is not personal and we must not shy away from talking. The power of the president is not more than he can kill, or he can incarcerate. I’m not running away, I live in Ekiti State. My name is Ayò Fayose. I’m not a small boy. There’s nothing I’m looking for to be so afraid of small threats. If they want to attack me, I’m here. He that the Lord does not give to them, they cannot get rid of. So, let me say it expressly that a number of things that have happened under this government are sickening. I predicted some of these things: the free fall of the naira shows that they are not good managers of resources. A lot of fraud took place in so many institutions headed by the president himself in time past. When you become a shield for a lot of criminals, then it is unfortunate. Everything I say, I say them based on facts. Many Nigerians can no longer talk for fear of the unknown. I have nothing to fear and no amount of blackmail will make me chicken out.

So, from your own point of view, are you saying that it is nothing to cheer or is it that there is nothing to cheer yet? If the president starts to do the right thing and stop junketing round the globe and face this economy, have an economic team... I’m glad that they’ve now agreed that there would be an economic summit. It shows that they have no solution to it, so they need help. The president should admit that I need help, there’s no solution. I recall that under the PTDF in those days, there was this allegation of squandering of N135 billion and the allegation of the disappearance of N500 million at that time. This was about 20 years ago. There was also an allegation that the president had an estate worth N800 million, but nobody was accusing and judging on the pages of newspapers. They should allow the rule of law to take place. It is unfortunate when you hear a lawyer saying that “from the amount of money they’re talking about they don’t deserve bail”. With things like this coming from a senior advocate, then it is disheartening. When you accuse people anywhere, you still give them the chance to prove themselves under the laws of the land. I want to expressly say that the president should rule like a statesman. He should rule Nigeria and allow the systems to function. So, I don’t see any miracle happening, unless there is a change of attitude. And with all these, are you not afraid that they may come after you at the end of your tenure as governor of Ekiti State? In fact, if he wants to go after me now, he can. This is part of what we are saying. We are still living as if we are in the days of Obasanjo. We are still living as if the president is larger than life. We are still living as if the president can go into impunity because he is being criticised. We are still talking as if the Nigerian president is a god. I want to take exception to that. This country belongs to all of us. Any attempt by anybody to engage me or to bring down my government, it will lead to the end of the government that attempts to bring down my government. God is with me. I’m not afraid to say the truth at all times. I’m not among those that will hide under the table looking for light. The president is not a god. The president is a citizen of Nigeria; he is first among equals and he should respect our constitution. We are guided by the constitution. We are. It not in a banana republic. I want to say that most of the people that helped this president to this position are regretting today. They only cannot talk. They are regretting because what they imagined is not what they are getting now. They are looking for a president that would be a listener, share ideas with them and give them opportunity to contribute, not a president that would just sit somewhere and say go for his head, cut off his neck. I’m not afraid of anything. Is it being locked up? I was in Ikoyi prison for the period I was locked up. If it’s the price I will pay for saying the truth I’m ready to pay it. We cannot all be cowards. Clear conscience fears no accusation. I want to ask Nigerians: Is this the change they bargained for? The change in which the economy is spiraling out of control? A change in which the first budget of the Buhari’s administration went missing continues pg 36

fortherecord

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Awo on politics and political arrangements Continued from yesterday

A WAEC report was published by Punch and a columnist, Azuka Onwuka made observations on the percentage of students who earned a minimum of five (5) credits with English and Mathematics inclusive and the ranking of the states. According to Onwuka, “the surprise in the report was that almost like in 2014, no South-West state except Lagos was on the top 10 of the chart. The top 10 states were the five South-East states, four South-South states and Lagos: 1st – Abia (63.94 per cent), 2nd – Anambra (61.18 per cent), 3rd – Edo, 4th – Rivers, 5th – Imo, 6th – Lagos, 7th – Bayelsa, 8th – Delta, 9th – Enugu, and 10th – Ebonyi. Ekiti was 11th; Ondo was 13th; Ogun was 19th; Oyo was 26th; while Osun was 29th. In 2014, the top 10 states were similar: Anambra (65.92 per cent), Abia (58.52 per cent), Edo (57.82 per cent), Bayelsa (52.83 per cent), Rivers (52.78 per cent), Enugu (51.91 per cent), Lagos (45.66 per cent), Imo (40.64 per cent), Delta (40.12 per cent), Kaduna (36.12 per cent). Ebonyi was 11th with 36.05 per cent.” Now while this should be a wake-up call for the Southwest, there is a broader concern for the nation. Here we are not talking about record-breaking results in which students made 9 A1’s as we would with excitement 20 years ago. Rather we are talking about the barest minimum for university admissions. So, nationally, we are moving backwards, and yes, the Southwest has shamefully and embarrassingly receded to the back of the line of achievement. This was the zone led by the most politically versatile mind who made enormous sacrifice of intellect and material resources that made the region the foremost pace-setter in the country. There is, however, another side to the matter: the tragic pervasiveness of parental and teacher collusion in the cutting of corners in the matter of the education of our children. It is no longer a breaking news item that our schools and higher institutions are afflicted with the satanic forces of cultism. Where this is the case, every concern about quality of education is going to be compromised. Thus examination malpractice and cheating have become unfortunate features of our educational environment. A few months ago, the nation was treated to a nauseating expose of how a Punch reporter along with others, was able sit for the WAEC examination at a “miracle center” paying his way through, and he and others getting illicit help in return, such that despite the bragging of WAEC about blacklisting schools with malpractice records, he received his result with a credit in every subject! Yet he and those in that center copied their way through the examinations with the help of the paid invigilators and teachers. This is an undeniable aspect of our educational system that we cannot wish away. We have to commit to serious effort to rid the system of such unwelcome development which permeates the system from secondary to the university levels. It is why businesses and industries do not have a good pool of potential workers to draw from. It is why the rate of unemployment is in the double digit. It accounts for the sea of heads that confront us at every nook and cranny of the nation urban space. It accounts for the frustration that leads to criminal and terrorist activities. Awolowo on the economy In Path to Nigerian Greatness, Chief Awolowo identified the characteristics of an underdeveloped economy deriving from three kinds of underdevelopment: 1. Underdevelopment of the mind, arising from ignorance, illiteracy, deficiency in technology and in technical and managerial know-how; 2. Underdevelopment of the body, arising from disease, bad and inadequate food, bad water, bad housing, meagre clothing, and filthy environment; 3. Underdevelopment of agriculture, and excessive and widespread underdevelopment of the rural population arising from underdevelopment of the mind and body, and from lack of savings and capital formation. (PNG, p.154) He then made three further propositions from which he drew an inference:

1. All men have innate talents or talent ability” and must be given equal opportunity to develop. 2. When all talents have been developed fully, each must be given equal opportunity to contribute to socio-economic development. 3. The society as a whole (not just individuals) suffers when all talents in society are not fully developed. 4. Therefore, the solution to the problem of our country’s economic underdevelopment lie in the “full development and full employment of every Nigerian-man or woman, child or adolescent.” (emphasis in original): “no economic revolution has ever succeeded or will ever succeed, whether green or otherwise, which does not give the prime of place to the full development of man.” p.155 It is to be expected that when a man of thought deliberates and arrives at a conclusion, the next reasonable step is action on the basis of the thought process unless there is akrasia or weakness of the will. No one has ever accused Chief Awolowo of having a weak will at the point of putting words to action no matter what the sacrifice on his part might be. Therefore, it is not a surprise that in 1979, for him and his colleagues in the UPN, the reasoning leads to the four cardinal programs of the party, namely: • Free education at all levels • Integrated rural development • Free health care • Full employment (155-158) From the foregoing, it follows that the “full development and full employment of every Nigerian citizen” should be the primary national objective of the nation because A GOOD NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY AND PROGRAM IS INDISPENSABLE TO A GOOD NATIONAL ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT. What needs to be added is that a good national policy without an equally good action plan for its implementation cannot lead to national economic advancement. There is no better illustration of this observation than our experience in the last thirty years or so. The man who shepherded the economic policy of the country through a major national crisis during the civil war without the nation borrowing from external sources, cannot but be appalled at our peace time heavy borrowing that eventually led to the collapse of the economy in 1982. While Chief Awolowo was not silent in the days of the military, he knew that those were abnormal situations

and passing phases. He was forceful in condemning those policies of the military which militated against the welfare of the common run of men and he intervened strategically in a number of economic issues especially during the Agbekoya crisis in the West. But he expected politicians who presented themselves for positions of leadership to do their homework well with adequate plans in place for the welfare and advancement of the people. When this was not so, he did not hold back even when his criticism and suggestions were mischievously construed as sour-grapism. His 1982 paper on the economy and the NPN London Press Conference on same is a good illustration. The whole point about that debate was on the management of the economy in light of what was clearly a glut in the oil market. Fast forward 33 years later, we have not moved an inch from where he warned the nation against complacency and laziness of mind and therefore we have not prevented the kind of crisis that he had responded to with thoughtful proposals which included the restructuring of the economy from our focus on oil. Now we have another oil glut. Yet, we are yet to restructure the economy away from mindless dependence on oil even when it was clear that our major export market was developing internal sources of supply including alternative sources of energy. Is there a policy alternative canvassed by politicians and/or economists as a counter to Awolowo’s prescription? None. So if there is a consensus of expert opinion on what needs done, what prevents those in authority from putting his prescription to work for the country? But that approach would have them include the masses in their reckoning as he did. And for those of them that still consider the masses as expendable, it was a bitter pill they would rather not swallow even if it meant that the county cannot make it developmentally. A few weeks after the expiration of the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, Premium Times published the result of its investigation into the management of Excess Crude Fund by the Ministry of Finance and came up with a startling revelation that N11.56 trillion of the fund had not been accounted for in 8 years from 2007 to 2014. This was at a time when all the major infrastructures were left wasting away with no visible effort to develop them for economic advancement. To the question “where did the funds go?” we are now being treated to some tragic drama with revelations about defense and security funds that ended up in private bank accounts. This has been the fate of this nation from the beginning except that the extractive agents have become bolder and more creative. It will continue unless the masses decide to take their destinies in their hands. The Arab Spring and its aftermath clearly reminds us that poverty is at the root of citizen discontent. The authors of Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty discovered this much in their research across the globe. In the particular case of the Arab Spring they interviewed the Tahir Square protesters one of who reportedly declared in palpable anger: “We are suffering from corruption, oppression and bad education. We are living amid a corrupt system which has to change.” (WNF, 2) If you didn’t know her identity and country of origin, you could justifiably deduce that she was a Nigerian. Awo on politics and political arrangements Chief Awolowo was clear from the beginning about the globally acknowledged characteristic features of representative democracy even if his peers pretended that Nigeria was a different entity. He knew that a representative democracy must have competitive elections, separation of powers, rule of law, and ideological direction. (PNG p.123, Path to Nigerian Greatness.) He also knew that to be morally justified, the state must embrace an ultimate purpose, which is the welfare of the entire people without discrimination. If each family ensures this for its members, it stands to reason that they will expect the state to take up the responsibility once families Continues 34

fortherecord

6 March, 2016

Building on the legacies of Awo Continued from pg33

are absorbed into the state. This was the logic that informed the ideology of “freedom for all, life more abundant” that the Western Region adopted in 1952. Since then, until his passing, Awolowo did not look back; neither did he abandon the ideology nor renege on the promise of social welfare policies and practices that it meant to the people. It was not difficult then for the Action Group to record its pace-setting achievements in the First Republic. Including the establishment of agricultural settlements, introduction and payment of minimum wage; establishment of first industrial estate and housing estate, first television service in Africa, Olympic size stadium, award of 200 scholarships to Nigerian students; and introduction of free universal primary education and free health services for children up to the age of 18. (PNG page 137) When we put our minds to the philosophical rationale that Chief Awolowo presented for the four cardinal programs of the UPN, it cannot but amaze first, how much thinking went into it, and second, how clear and simple the principles were, and then third, how anyone could object to the policies emanating from such well-grounded principles to the extent of doing everything possible to scuttle their implementation. Political structure: between federalism and unitarism The issue of political structure was Awo’s struggle of a lifetime. His advocacy of a federal structure based on linguistic affinity was clear-headed and patriotically motivated. He reasoned that since language and culture attract, and since we had been gobbled together by an imperialist interest that paid no attention to language and culture, we could do ourselves a lot of good if we accepted the federal principle as the basis of our association. But he advocated for a federal principle based on scientific reasoning, not sentiments. He prescribed a medicine that had worked in other climes, arguing for a federation of eighteen states based on linguistic formula with great attention to the interests of minorities. If we had followed his prescription, we would now have strong and viable states that do not depend on federal allocations to survive. No one can reasonably deny that what we have now is a sick federal system. But while there are still a few pockets of resistance to the imperative of federalism for the Nigerian state, it is no longer a dominant force. What still persists and endures is the determined effort of unitarists to circumscribe and constrain federal structure leading to the continued struggle for a true federal system. For the unitarist, the nation is an indivisible and united entity and no room must be given to any divisive tendencies. On this view, federalism, which respects the component units in a multi-national or multi-ethnic union, is a contradiction in terms. It errs for allowing the sentiment of primordial attachments to prevail. Elsewhere I had attempted to address the unitarist weak challenge to the advocacy of true federalism by identifying two ways of understanding the ultimate goal of unitarism as a system of building a new nation out of pre-existing motley nationalities. First, the unitarist goal is to break and grind all the pots of ethnic nationalities into one heap of clay where even the tiniest grains of the former pots would have completely disappeared. The clay is then to be used to make a new pot which bears no resemblance to any of the old. It is an illusion but reasonable people have entertained the prospect of its reality. Second, as in variants of the melting pot analogy, a more violent exercise can be invoked. Collect all the artifices, including symbols, emblems, languages, even dialects integral to the being and identity of the component units and put them in a pot. Place the pot on fire and melt its contents until there are no traces of them to behold or identify. Thereafter, use the concocted outcome as the foundation of a new nation from which there can be no residue of the previous component cultures and their emblems. In both of these analogies, the success of the exercise is the complete disappearance of the old nations and the appearance of newly minted ideal—the unitary nation state. The analogy is false for familiar reasons. An ethnic nationality is not a pot and cannot be melted like a wax. Nor is a language a bar of butter that can be melted by heat. The failure of melting pot ideas and practices is a reflection of the absurdity of their assumptions. With a bit of propaganda and manipulation, the melting pot idea would work if the people are thoroughly miseducated into thinking that indeed all of the pots were

broken and melted or all of the contents were heated and melted. But the reality in the original cases of melting pot ideology was that, in fact, it was all ideology. All the pots, except the preferred one, were expected to be melted. All languages, all symbols, and all emblems were to be discarded except the preferred one into which others were to be assimilated. It was a ruse and upon its discovery as such, the scales were lifted off the eyes of folks. Now diversity is the rule and each ethnic group is proud of its symbols and linguistic heritage. A thousand flowers are blooming and beautifying the nation-space that proudly engages its differences. Of course, there are still ideologues of who the saying is true that patriotism is the refuge of the scoundrel. There is more to the absurdity and the malady it spurns, especially in climes such as ours. In the case of the experience that we just narrated, at least there is one dominant culture into which others might be theoretically forced to assimilate. You could think of a dominant English or French or Spanish culture and you could argue, with some justification, that where immigrants are accepted and voluntarily agree to become citizens or residents, they ought to forget their past and reconcile themselves to their new life and locale. It worked in some cases, but not on a grand scale. But even where it worked, you could see it as a different setting and a different structure than ours. From the beginning of this republic, it was clear that no one cultural or linguistic entity can lord it over others. No language was going to be superior, and no religion was going to be state religion. But apart from these negatives, it was also very clear that the ethnic nationalities that came together were going to have to retain a sensible amount of their heritage in culture, language, and customs. The regions that constituted the governing structure of these nationalities were to symbolize their distinctness and uniqueness. We thus had reason to brag about our “unity in diversity.” This means, for all intents and purposes, that we were not discarding our diversity and we were not melting the pot of our differences into a heap of uniformitarian clay. That was our understanding of the union we were entering into. Now what do we have? Our different languages are dy-

Sunday Tribune

ing a slow death. If the National Assembly cannot reasonably avoid English as its official language because there is no wazobia yet, there is no justification for the preferences of our state assemblies for “speaking in tongues”. And in the maddening craze to build uniformity rather than unity in diversity, we seem prepared to deny the diversities of our heritage. We seem to be so unsure of the value of our various traditions and symbols, those subtle but real markers of identity that make us who we are, that we can just pretend that they don’t exist and we will be created a new being and a new people. We are being urged to believe that this land, out of the ashes of discarded memories, will rise as a completely new entity. We deceive ourselves. Some have irrationally questioned the audacity of a state assembly choosing its anthem and symbols of identity. But granted there is a National Flag that stands for the entire nation, why is the idea of a State having a State flag so dangerous to the theory and practice of nationhood? Where states have identity markers including flags, anthems, even trees and animals identified with them, these are means of promoting the psychological well-being of citizens and promoting healthy competition among states. We should stop pretending that we can forget our heritage and still remain ourselves. We should each embrace them and bring out their virtues to bear on the future that we covet. Putting thought to action More than the conceptualization of the idea of progress, the practical implementation of the idea and the fulfilment of its promise in the lives of citizens is the distinguishing mark of a progressive government. While it is true that practice without a thoughtful conceptualization is blind; it is also true that thoughtful conceptualization without practice is empty. The purpose of governance, its raison d’etre, is first and foremost the security of the lives and property of citizens. Next in order of importance is the enhancement of their freedom and liberty; and finally, there is the welfare function of promoting equal opportunities and happiness for all. In these areas to which a purposive government is required to pay attention and work effectively, Nigerians have been shortchanged in the last sixteen years. Surely, some very important personalities have fared a lot better than the majority of ordinary citizens. Some others have taken advantage of and exploited the atmosphere of lawlessness and gross indiscipline to make way for their interests. Those at the short end of the stick of insecurity and unfreedom are the hoi polloi of society; the helpless and hapless masses that a progressive government cannot ignore. The starting point is the understanding that if an enabling environment is provided for them, our people are resourceful and ingenious. This is why the present syndrome of dependency is distressing because it misrepresents who we are as a people. It’s doubly sad that the syndrome is encouraged, indeed canvassed, by politicians who should know better. The syndrome is at the institutional and individual levels, with states dependent on the federal government, while individuals are dependent on both state and federal governments. Where does a progressive government begin? What practical actions must it take to procure for the people the goods of security, freedom, equal opportunity and happiness? If security is a foremost item in the contract between the governed and the government, how does the latter deliver on its side of the contract? No citizen, including those that find themselves in the highest echelon of leadership, can sincerely negate the verdict that Nigeria has been playing an unfair game with the lives of its citizens for many decades. We tend to blame colonialism for everything even more than half a century after independence. But I am not sure that we saw our current level of insecurity in our colonial past. At least I have not come across a documented record of the loss of more than two hundred innocent school girls to terrorists between 1900 and 1960. That is not to diminish the evil that colonialism represented. It’s simply to observe that while we have it in our power to make progress in the matter of the security of the lives and properties of citizens, we chose to retrogress. Progress requires that we move with the times. In the matter of crime prevention and detection, to move with the time is to dismantle the anachronistic system of policing that has proved embarrassingly ineffectual. Before Continues pg35

fortherecord

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Awo did his best for Nigeria’ guarantees independent lives for many and block servitude. No cook, no driver, no domestic security for most middle and upper class in US; (ii) an adulterated commitment to progressivism; (iii) too much ego-centeredness; and (iv) crippling DISUNITY among core progressives that stood tall with Chief Awolowo.

Continued from pg34

1966, the crime bursting function of the police was adversely impacted by the politicization of the force. Party leaders, government officials, and traditional rulers abused their positions of authority and used the police against their political enemies. The military took this aberration as the norm and, since it is unacceptable in a civilized society, the reaction of the armed forces was to centralize the police ostensibly to avoid the evils of politicization and abuse. This would be a valid argument and a logically sound approach if the new system was an effective and better alternative. But it wasn’t and it still isn’t. Politicization is still the bane of the Nigeria Police. A progressive government in a federal system will seek the benefit of community and municipal policing as practiced in the United States. It is baffling to common sense that we consider the American constitution ideal for our situation but judge ourselves immature relative to its approach to law and order. Assume, however, that immaturity truly describes our condition. A progressive government will lead the inquiry into why this malaise is our lot and design a plan of action to confront it. We came out of colonial rule as a dehumanized lot. It required the foresight of one of the visionaries of our time to proffer a solution with his insistence that human capital development was the indispensable key to the development of a nation. The ever-present obstacle to national advancement that a progressive government must confront head-on is the hydra-headed monster of corruption. A serious progressive government will confront corruption at its root. It will make the center less attractive and make government accountable to the people. In doing so, it will create the possibility of its own weakness. But, indeed, that is the virtue and strength of progressivism. As a progressive party, the APC must enter into a binding contract with Nigeria to eradicate corruption, invest in the education of the young, create an enabling environment that fosters job creation and entrepreneurship, and restore the confidence of citizens in the nation without abetting religious fanaticism and ethnic jingoism. Summing up: Awo then and now From the foregoing it is clear that Chief Awolowo and his progressive party were confronted with the issues of: education: particularly the issue of access and quality economy: especially the issue of growth and development politics: including the matter of structure, constitution and leadership The issues now are not different. They are similar if not identical. Awolowo and his team intervened with solutions to the problem and responses to the challenges by tapping into progressive and liberal solutions including: Free education Economic diversification, including rural integration and development True federalism, by means of a national constitution that they were fortunate to struggle for and achieve, and Strong and committed leadership which they furnished. The advantage that Awolowo and his team had was that the facts were on their side the moral was on their side, and the masses were on their side The challenge that they faced included 1. dealing with peers and adversaries unperturbed by facts, masses, or morals. 2. control of economic and political institutions by those whose objective was to advance political and economic interests with little or no attention to the end of the common good NOW: The country is fortunate that the facts are still there. the moral is still there and the masses are still there. In the circumstance, the solutions and responses of Awolowo and his team are still unassailable, especially for a self-acclaimed progressive party, which has as a pillar of its manifesto, political restructuring and devolution of power to the states. If it will leave up to its identifier, therefore, the new progressive party must focus its laser beam on the development of human beings as the most important resource. It must educate the nation’s children. It must revive and

strengthen the system of public education. It must revisit the challenge of school drop outs who end up in the slaughter slab of political thuggery and terrorist camps. The country is long overdue for 2-year community colleges as bridge institutions. Teacher education and retraining are important aspects of what must be a new philosophy of education in the progressive era. Security matters, and it must be taken seriously as the first duty of government for which it has a monopoly. Everyone now appears to be open to the idea of state police. There is no reason a progressive government cannot initiate a pilot program. There are a number of ways in which state policing can be set up to take care of the fear of politicization. Every state may be made to establish an independent Police Board or Council with an independent budget. Corruption is a substantive subject. I remain convinced, however, that this is one area where the whole world will be watching and evaluating the new administration. The matter of emoluments and compensation for political office holders from the Presidency to National Assembly, State Assemblies and even Local Governments is the 100 Ib. gorilla. There is no doubt that many Nigerians are resentful of the exorbitant take-home of political office-holders. Finally, of course, is the economy. With a mono product which is daily losing its value and relevance in the world economy with competition from everywhere, we have the immediate task of diversification. This will take time given where we are. However, as the Chinese teach us, the journey of a thousand years starts with the first step. We needed that first step long ago. In spite of his thoughtful solutions, there are, as in his time, significant challenges to Awolowo. Today, there are still the usual conservative adversaries who still support (a) political and economic institutions that are hostile to economic growth and equitable development: decades of military rule and extractive political institutions benefitting the few, (b) rentier and extractive economic institutions, (c) the status quo because of the fear of creative destruction: a condition in which breakthrough in economic growth ushers in egalitarianism that disadvantages and displaces erstwhile political elite. (d) Strangely, however, there are even more challenges from some of his followers and other progressives deriving from (i) a general fear of loss of elite advantages enjoyed on the back of the poor: house help, chefs, security, drivers, etc. Illustrate: inclusive educational system

What is to be done? PROGRESSIVES UNITE! 1. – Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured independence on a platter of gold 2. –Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured defeat of impunity in First Republic 3. –Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured victory of SDP in 1993 4. –Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured defeat of dictatorship in 1998 5. –Division ensured defeat of progressives in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 6. –Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured merger and registration of APC 7. –Unity across ethnic and class divides ensured victory of APC with renewed hope for a new era of progressivism again in 2015 Today, there are original disciples of Awo. There are also second and third generation followers. They all take seriously the man we all know as the Sage, the Avatar, Baba, Philosopher, and Politician-benefactor, one of his kind. The irony is that while they all accept him as their political leader, study his words and try to emulate his deeds, and look forward to a reunion with him some day, while here on earth, they would rather not get together to push the agenda he bequeathed to them. They would rather be like the proverbial snakes who wander around alone until they become victims of their loneliness. The post-Awo Awoists would not even cooperate to uplift the message of their great master and leader. How are they different then from his adversaries? And considering that they would want one day to resume their dinner time chats with Awo Mimo, what will be their report? How will he respond? I challenge each and every Awoist here today, old, young, and young at heart, to rethink and reflect on what has been lost to progressivism in the last 29 years of his passing. What have they collectively contributed to the progressive maturation and practicalization of his philosophy? How will the present chaos and confusion in the camp of Awo shape the future of his ideas in Yorubaland, in Nigeria, and in Africa? Are they, by their inability to get together as Awoists, inadvertently contributing to the strength of his known political enemies who had predicted his political death more than fifty years ago? Oro sunnukun, oju sunnukun laa fii woo. In Odu Ifa, the story is told of how Orunmila in his prime years was so proud of what his eight children had turned out to be as kings of notable kingdoms over the land, that he invited them to his annual ceremony. With filial respect, they all responded to their father’s invitation. However, not all was there with respectful demeanor. The last born was prepared to assert himself as an equal of his father in every respect. When others pay obeisance to their father, he stood erect. To their father’s challenge, he responded that he couldn’t care less. After all, Orunmila wore a beaded crown and he too wore a beaded crown. Orunmila had a beaded walking stick and he also did. Just as his father had beaded shoes and necklace, he, the son, also had his own. So why should he pay a stupid obeisance? Orunmila was hurt and he decided that it was time to go back to where he belonged. He retired to the land of the spirits. But the aftermath wasn’t pleasant for the land of humans. Rain withdrew from the land. Crops refused to germinate. Hunger and disease appeared. The children, with the disrespectful one, repented and went in search of their father. They found him but he refused to go back with them. Instead, he gave them the tools they needed to reach him anytime they were in trouble. These included opele, opon, irokin and the paraphernalia of Ifa divination. Chief Awolowo did what was humanly possible to make Nigeria great. But like the last son of Orunmila, Nigeria shunned and disrespected him. He left for the land of ancestors. But for the faithful who believe in him and his strategies for making Nigeria great, he left them the tools, the outcome of his sleepless nights, the result of his deep thoughts, to consult and reflect upon as we continue to struggle for the progress and development of dear country. In this address, we have made reference to some of them. It is in our interest as a nation to go back to him from time to time to make our nation as great as it is destined to be.

thepolity

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘I won’t contest election again’ tend to lose the hold on the price. So it is with yams, because they are perishable. All we can do is to appeal to the Federal Government to complete the silos and some of the things that they ought to do. This is not about politics or about Fayose, it is about Ekiti people. Even if you don’t like Fayose, Ekiti people are still Nogerians. I have made it clear that if they didn’t do anything for Ekiti, they will not have mouth to come and campaign here, because I will tell my people that they did not do anything for them.

continued from pg 32

and became an embarrassment to the nation? A change in which the president’s party openly promised to give young people N5,000 to assist them as a social welfare, but the president went abroad to deny such promise? Most of the promises during the campaigns they have now denied? It is regrettable. The change we expected is not what we are getting. Look at the electoral process, you will see that it has degenerated. If this was the state of the electoral process, Buhari would not have become the president of Nigeria. There’s a point at which all we had were inconclusive elections, postponements and all that. It is mind-boggling. We are drifting. All we hear is we are fighting corruption. Is that the only thing promised by this administration? If there was an election today, the president would have known that he is no longer popular. Sir, what is the state of your party PDP today as we speak? For anybody in a state that our party has found itself, you would know that it takes time to gather yourself together. There’s no denying the fact that this is not the best of times for our party. But it is normal for a party that has been in power for 16 years and today without the president and the necessary structures that we used to have. It is expected. And we have to thank the judiciary for standing strong to allow justice to reign in the country. For affirming that the party won in all the states that we have won in, gives us the confidence that he party is going to move forward. When you don’t have a leader in the status of a president, there’s no way you will not have divergent views. And without gain-saying, the APC also sponsors a lot of people to cause disaffection within the party. They call it politics but it is unfortunate. However, I want to tell you that we will bounce back, we will overcome this teething problem and we will be okay as a party again. You are seen as the main supporter and promoter of Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of PDP. It is also the contention in some quarters that both of you are practically the ones piloting the affairs of PDP now. Why are you so confident in Alhaji Sheriff despite the outcry and claims discrediting him? I have no personal interest in Ali Modu Sheriff. It is about the party. People were presented to the party and questions were asked. About five persons were presented, not to the governors alone, but also to the people who are supposed to take decisions in line with the constitution of the party. We have the working committee; we have the board of trustees; we have the governors; we have the vice chairmen, the National Assembly caucus and all the stakeholders present. And we all agreed that we should invite more people to interview and listen to so that we can choose the best. May I say to you that the opposition wants a puppet to lead the party and we don’t want a puppet. We want a man who has what it takes to lead the party. People who are discrediting Ali Modu Sheriff have forgotten that Buhari went to the Ali Modu Sheriff family to marry a wife for his own son. Are we now saying that Buhari did not identify him as the Boko Haram person they are bandying about? Of all of them, Sheriff is the only one that has been senator three times and governor twice. You can’t achieve these overnight. Even if Ali

Governor Fayose

Modu Sheriff is not good, can you deny his being the leader of his state twice and being in the Senate three times? Most of the people said to be aggrieved that they were not picked, you cannot equally bring somebody who cannot bring a million naira in the case of an emergency. When you graduate from a university, you are pronounced to have been found worthy in character and in learning, not just your book knowledge. And if I may ask: In which court has Ali Modu Sheriff been charged as a Boko Haram sponsor or leader? I’m talking of him being taken to court let alone say that he is awaiting trial, in which court is he? So, if they say Ali Modu Sheriff is a Boko Haram sponsor, they should take him to court. Okay, if you say Ali Modu Sheriff is not good, Metuh is not good, Secondus is not good, then is it the APC that would give us somebody to serve as our national chairman? I have no apologies because we have done what is right in the instance. We have met with our BoT members and we have reconciled with everybody and explained that Ali Modu Sheriff is here for this interregnum. So, you don’t see your party as a dead man walking, which has been its description of late? Even if they say that, we said the same thing about APC and they came to take power. So, let them take us for granted. It is good. And you should also not forget that the APC itself is a time bomb. It is a house technically divided against itself. It is like a dormant poison. With time, it will give way. I say this because they were not prepared for governance because they are strange bedfellows. A number of them are bitterly aggrieved. They are not happy with the way things are going in the administration of their party. Let us just leave it at that. What with the postulations in the social and mainstream media that Nigerians should expect a Ali Modu Sheriff/Ayodele Fayose ticket in the near future...? Let’s leave charlatans with their smear

campaign. They only know how to create unfounded scenarios. However, let me say that we all know that it is common in Nigeria that when governors finish their tenure, they would want to go to the Senate. Even that I’m not going. I’m not contesting election again in this country. There’s only one office that anybody can contest for (after serving as a governor) and that’s the office of the president. It is not even the turn of the South-West. Nobody contests for the office of the vice-president. I’m not working for anybody, I’m not going to be part of anything that would send me even to the Senate. That’s to let you know the kind of person that I am. Anything I do, I do it in the overall interest of our party. So, anyone saying that is just a charlatan trying to say something to drag Fayose into unnecessary controversy. When we weigh agriculture, the major occupation of the people of Ekiti State, and the expressed intent of the Federal Government to diversify the economy, how do you intend to make agriculture work for the state and shore up its internally-generated revenue? Our mainstay in Ekiti State is agriculture, no doubt and it is going on. The is no year that we don’t have more than enough yams to export to other states. And this is annual. Traders in tuber crops like cassava and yams are always in our state to buy to take to other states. However, where we have an issue is in storage or preservation. We also have issues in encouraging other people to so do in agriculture. On how to shore up our finances, our government has created what we call ‘land banks’ in all the local government areas of the state. The land banks are meant to give land to those people who cannot readily access land and we’ve gone into a scheme in which people can have partners to participate. They can hire tractors as may be necessary. However, the issue of preservation is still there. Preservation... When you have a lot of cassava coming out at the same time and there’s competition, you

It has been your decision that you will not probe the administration of your predecessor. But recently, we heard complaints by your government about UBEC funds handling by the Dr Kayode Fayemi government and so on. What’s really going in ? I said I’m not going to probe anybody, not just Fayemi. That is not my assignment here. Probing people has always ended up in the middle of nowhere. The time you spend on probing, you find that you achieve nothing at the end of the day and waste your time. However, on the issue of UBEC, Ekiti has been suspended from UBEC as a result of what Fayemi’s administration did. It took a loan to pay counterpart fund and immediately the Federal Government credited the account, they asked the bank to withdraw the Ekiti counterpart. Upon realising that, UBEC suspended Ekiti since 2013 and said we have to pay that money before we can be allowed. So, they are issues that would always come up when the need to access such funds arises and we are prevented from accessing it. The money was practically diverted. The one by the Federal Government was practically diverted, but, today, they are the ones in the EFCC and ICPC. As I said, you have to allow the system to be able to tell you a honest man. The situation is such that diverting UBEC money and withdrawing the counterpart fund is a major problem for Ekiti today. Despite that, Ekiti rose on the ranking of WAEC. You don’t see that as a direct outcome of some groundwork done by the previous administration? When I came in 2003, Ekiti was number 35. When I came, we had an education summit and we allowed people to assist us. We didn’t stop at that; we encouraged teachers. People know me as “teachers’ governor” and by that we were able to motivate them. By that, we were able to rise to number 13 in WAEC and number 17 in National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations respectively and in 2005, we became number eight and number seven respectively before I left. The same thing is being done now since I came back. I’ve put teachers on the front seat. I’ve given recognition to them. I’ve encouraged them and so, we have again moved from number 34 to number 11. This is public knowledge. We are working hard to ensure that in the next assessment, we will be in number one or two. Recall that I said that governors should leave the high horses and come to the level of the people. Everybody wants recognition. Give the teachers their due recognition and they will give you what you want from them. It’s not by order from above. So, that’s my joker. I go round the 16 local government areas to meet and talk with the teachers of primary and secondary schools, to reassure them that what is due them they would get as at when due and I want to assure you that sustaining education would involve coming to the level of teachers.

opinion

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Naira devaluation controversy: A statement of caution to the nation By Bode Olowoporoku

HE controversy as to whether to devalue the naira or not has taken the centre stage in the national discourse. One can pardon illiterates in economics especially primitive accumulators who are shouting for further devaluation of the naira. But when some professors of Economics and Ex-CBN governor and IMF have joined the chorus to continue to devalue the naira, then, something serious is amiss. The single reason they all gave is because the rate of Naira in the parallel market has worsened. In the first place, Nigerians must know that the dollar is not a legal tender in Nigeria. Only the Naira is our legal tender, which facilitates the exchange of goods and services among Nigerian citizenry. I beat my chest that my former students who are now professors of Economics who went through my courses on theories and strategies of Economic Development at Ife can never make mistake of joining the neoclassical scholars on this fundamental issue, which is central to the economic development of Nigeria. The history of nations that have developed shows that nations during their development process concentrated on the internal organisation of productive sector and not the exchange of their national currencies against any foreign currencies. It was only during the gold standard that every country was legally compelled to relate their currencies to the value of gold which was like a legal tender in all countries. But since it was discovered that the expansion of different economies was put in straitjacket by gold standard and so it was abandoned. Every country was allowed to have its national legal tender and therefore no compulsion or pressure to fix any national currency to any external currency. Thus, when Japan embarked on its historic strategic economic development, the Japanese Yen was about 1,000 to the Dollar. Today it is 112.86 to the dollar. It is the growing strength of the Japanese economy that has moved its currency to its present exchange rate Level. Japan was not under pressure to devalue its currency; it ignored all external rates of the Yen and concentrated on increasing its productivity and productive capacity. China also ignored any exchange rate, devised visible and invisible walls round its economy in complete autarky. The Yuan that was unknown some years ago is now gradually becoming international currency. In fact, most big countries that have attained meaningful economic development used autarky or semi-closed economy as strategic device during their infant years on the race to accomplish fundamental economic development. What is important is development. Countries which have developed models and strategies of economic development have no time to be panicking about the exchange rate of their national currency to any other foreign currency. The concentration is on expanding the productivity and productive capacity of their country. It is the primitive accumulators coupled with neoclassical esoteric scholars that want to derail President Muhammadu Buhari from concentrating on how to get Nigeria started on the path to fast-track the development of Nigeria. Therefore, President Buhari is right for insisting that the Naira will not be officially devalued any further. It has been devalued twice or thrice from N150 to the dollar to its present official rate of N196 to the dollar. Despite that, the rate at the parallel or black market widens. It is above N300 to the dollar now. If the government should start running after closing the gap between parallel markets, it will develop into run away rate and this will be disaster because the naira will soon become object of rejection. It is the enemies of government who want to drive the government into no end devaluation of disaster. I wish Buhari were a military Head of State so as to have power to ban the parallel market and let us see those who are used to dollar as their own legal tender who will run away from this country. It was a shame that [former President Goodluck] Jonathan, as president of Nigeria, resorted to the use of dollar to the extent that dollar became the legal tender in the Villa, which made dollar to become the legal tender in the strategic institutions of Nigeria. In fact, the state governors then opted that its monthly allocation should be in dollar, what a disaster that the regime inflicted on Nigeria? We are now reaping the agonising fruits of the locust years of misrule of

Nigeria. Those who are crying hoarse are thieves, money launderers and other primitive accumulators who trade only in money and not in goods and factors of production. The most critical importance of foreign exchange is the effect on the external balance of trade/balance of payment. The bigger the deficit in balance of trade the greater the problem of the country. Therefore, the important countries of the world used all methods at their disposal to restrict imports and encourage exports so as to ensure favourable balance of trade which would also enhance productivity and employments. Some closed their economy completely in what is called autarky. Japan, China and Britain etc used autarky to curb imports and developed exports behind protective walls. If we devalue the Naira, the benefit should be to reduce import and increase export. But because we are a consuming nation there is nothing to export, therefore, there is no gain to the Nigeria economy from such devaluation venture. Worse is that the appetite of Nigerians for foreign goods is inelastic, which means that when devaluation makes foreign goods more expensive, this does not reduce the Nigerians demands for the goods. Therefore, why should an enlightened Nigerian be excited that Nigeria will bleed on all fronts if we continue to devalue? The reason some people advance is because of roundtripping by banks. It is a pity that President Buhari has not yet put radical economic revolutionary policies in place. Why must the CBN continue to distribute US dollars monthly or weekly? Is that how Malaysia, Brazil,

President Buhari must sit down and act fast so that detractors and scholars of neoclassical theory (which IMF represents) do not overwhelm him into permanent derailment.

Ghana, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey and so on allocate dollars weekly or monthly? It is this allocation that breads corruption, which destroys and distorts the productive apparatus of Nigeria’s economy. As part of President Buhari’s economic policy, let a commission be put in place with a mandate to diversify, increase the industrial capacity of Nigeria. A list of industries that can directly manifest the mission statement of the commission be put in place. The dollar allocation should go to such industries and under the watchful eyes of the security agencies. Part of the dollar earned from oil should be used to boost our foreign reserve. Any other establishment that cannot operate within the confine of Nigeria development goals and targets can ship out. Those industries that have large employment absorptive capacity, and or export orientation must be adequately catered for in the allocation of the dollar whose value to naira will be determined to deliver the political economy of Nigeria from the shackles of underdevelopment. The only vacuum in President Buhari’s policy is that he has not unfolded meaningful economic policy vision that can refocus the psyche of Nigerians to an inevitable future that is full of reaping the benefits of the sacrifice being made now. Buhari cannot rule in a visionless vacuum. He needs economic vision, which can get the citizenry to fast-track the development of Nigeria. A National Conference cannot fix this for President Buhari; economic development is not costless, it has pains incorporated. But if the government unfolds an Economic Policy that can make Nigeria know that soon, it will be comfort and happiness, Nigerians are willing to sacrifice. Only the elitist primitive accumulators who have stolen Nigeria’s wealth in a big way can almost go to war because Nigerians are being asked to sacrifice. They are the enemies who inflict injuries on the common man. If President Buhari must be the Messiah, as countries which have developed have their messiahs at critical period of their development, therefore, he must engage knowledgeable Nigerians to draw up economic development programme. Budget is just a fiscal layout of revenue and expenditure of government; it is at best an exercise in infrastructural guide of the nation. What we are talking in Economic Development is an integrated holistic programme of total mobilisation of the citizenry and remodeling their psyche to diversify and increase the production and productivity of the entire citizenry. To achieve this, all the Nigerian economy must be organised on Systemic Models, sector by sector with different academies that will outreach all programmes into the entire citizenry. Economic Development is not an esoteric theme of the neoclassical theory, rather it is an empirical policy drawing and blending from similar historic and recent successful experiments. President Buhari must sit down and act fast so that detractors and scholars of neoclassical theory (which IMF represents) do not overwhelm him into permanent derailment. Because oil price dropped, therefore, major source of dollar accumulation dropped and the value of naira to dollar inevitably dropped, making some well-placed Nigerians to shout that there is economic crisis. But if there is shortage of water, cassava, yams, maize, there will be no talk of economic crisis. The total foreign sector of Nigeria that must use the dollar as their legal tender is not more than 15 per cent (or less) of the Nigerian economy. It is in the interest of long run development of Nigeria to reduce the 15 per cent for now until the Nigerian economy has grown the structures and capacity to export and compete in the World Market as Japan, China, India and others have done and as Britain did when it was trying to industrialise. It is not in the interest of Nigeria to leave gold standard and move to dollar standard. Lastly, I want to feel that it is not because of dollar crisis that the National Economic Conference is being called; this cannot be the alternative solution. The only solution is to grow the Nigerian economy and it is the duty of government to put in place economic programmes that can expand the domestic economy of Nigeria. Experts in Economic Development must be called to bear the task. Senator Olowoporoku (Ph.D Econ, Manchester), is a former Commissioner for Economic Planning and Statistics, Ondo State and former Minister of Science & Technology.

like the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, especially the way he handles pressure and pushes difficult challenges off his neck. When the ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, slipped off the public eye and was declared wanted by the court, Arase announced that his men are on his trail. That got him the desired respite. Again, when the issue of the abducted Ese Oruru got to limelight, the IGP announced he would deal with those found culpable. I assured myself that the matter has ended there. But beyond Arase and his public statements, this time calls for serious introspection within the Nigeria Police. The Ese Oruru matter calls direct attention to the state of readiness of the police to resolve even simple matters and gives us the impression that everyone is on his own; what the Yoruba will call Folorunso, with the police in charge. The Ese case is pathetic enough. The police, which was informed in good time, appeared helpless. A sickening find that is just next to abomination. Unlike the other cases of kidnap, when there are fears that using force could endanger the life of the victim, there were no hints that Yinusa (aka Yellow) who abducted Ese wielded gun. There were no hints that he had taken the girl to a den, where the police needed huge mortals to break in. From the police in Bayelsa to the Kano State Command of the Force, it was a display of nauseating laxity. While the Bayelsa Police was alerted of the missing girl, with a case of abduction suspected in August last year, their Kano counterparts were also alerted and none of the officers could present a coherent answer as to why Ese was left in the hands of her abductors for seven months. I was tempted to switch off my television while listening to one officer from the Kano Police Command reel out how the Command had handled the Ese matter all the while. He kept on talking about the police writing letters back and forth. He said something like they wrote to Yinusa’s father, they wrote to the Sharia Council and they wrote to the Emir of Kano. Disgusting. When did the police become experts in writing letters? I know they are empowered by law to protect lives and property. I also know they are more adept in sending signals just as they are armed to employ force where necessary. So, if the police could not rescue Ese from an unarmed Yinusa in Kano and the girl is allowed to stay in his custody for seven months, thereby cropping a six month pregnancy, what would they do in complex situations? It

I hear that the kidnappers of the three female pupils, Timilehin Olisa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, have contacted the school and were demanding for an initial ransom of N30 million, which was reduced to N10 million by the kidnappers, while the school pleaded that it should be reduced to N2 million. The girls are Senior Secondary two (SS2) pupils who were preparing for a test when their abductors struck. Whether to pay ransom or not is immaterial here but how to get the girls safely back home and also ensure that those in school are safe and feel secure. It is a shame that innocent children are now targets of kidnappers. How can they concentrate on their studies, when they are now the security guards at school? I read that some of the male students confronted the criminals but had to quickly retreat when one of them was badly hurt with a machete. Where were the paid security guards during this time, when these gallant boys dared death to save themselves and their female schoolmates? The attack, according to reports, was the second within a month. Going by accounts of parents and residents in the village where the school is situated, security is obviously lax in the school as it is in most schools all over the country. Undeterred by their failure at the first attempt, the attackers apparently put in more effort into the second attack through increased surveillance of the school and the entire village. A commercial motorcyclist stated, “the road leading to the school was blocked and deserted on the day of the attack—around 6p.m., which was unusual. The operation was well-planned. I learnt there was a similar attack on the school about a month ago but it failed.” There is no point rehashing the entire story here, but the crux of the problem is our attitude to security and our response to emergencies. Until they happen, we always “dey siddon look.” One thing that infuriates me and which I believe stalls such cases is the sometimes unnecessary secret wall built around them. I don’t think this is the smartest thing to do. Why did the school keep the identities of the abducted girls secret until it was almost too late? And also, why this unnecessary anathema towards the press? Was it not the

6 March, 2016

the lynxeye with Taiwo adisa

08072000046

Ese Oruru: Do we really have police in Nigeria?

is not surprising, therefore, that the police have not been linked in any way with attempts to rescue the missing Chibok Girls. Over the years, the Nigeria Police has disappointed many citizens. You won’t blame anyone who refuses to have faith in the capability of the police to protect him. On too many occasions, the police failed our tests. I recall

frontrow with Toyin Willoughby Muyi 0805 500 1769 toyeenz@yahoo.com

Our schools are becoming easy targets for kidnappers

same press that sped up the release of Ese, the 14-year-old Bayelsan girl abducted by her mother’s trusted customer? More proactive nations would have activated a national alert with the pictures and names of the kidnapped girls. This way, members of the public would be able to assist in

Sunday Tribune

driving into a police station in company of some victims of armed robbery where the robbers mounted a blockade on a highway for more than an hour. As soon as we laid our complaints, one of the men on duty said, ‘I know, it must be those boys who live close to the camp down the road, they are six in number.’ I was taken aback that even the policemen knew the abode of some daredevil robbers, who could seize the highway in broad daylight and they did not take a step to rout them. But the Force has a good number of well-trained officers who could easily burst any form of intricate crime. How come they easily get soaked up by the bad elements? That is a question Solomon Arase must answer. I once met a middle level Police Officer, who complained bitterly that he wanted to quit the Force. He said that he had made three attempts to leave but was stopped at every point by his pastor, who told him God has a design for him in the police. He made reference to the Biblical book of Samuel and said that police work was ordained by God. But to him, the corruption in the Nigerian Police was killing. He said that anyone who attempts to stand out risks being set up for destruction. I‘ve lost touch with this Intelligence Officer since our last meeting took place before the advent of mobile phones. But I know that there are so many good policemen out there who are hampered by the system and left frustrated. Again, I once witnessed an incident where robbers blocked the Ore/Ijebu-Ode expressway and robbed a number of vehicles, killing a driver in the process. When the police arrived the scene more than an hour after, they asked the victims how the robbers left and they were shown the route. One young man among them, a mobile man started shooting into the bush and shouted, ‘let’s go guys.’ When he found out he was going to be alone in the pursuit of the robbers, he backed down. I do not know how long Solomon Arase would stay in office, but one thing he needs to do urgently is to rebrand the police. He needs to bring on board intellect, intelligence and professionalism such that men and officers of the Force can work to the admiration of the public. There are so many well-trained policemen and officers out there; some even did attachments in some of best policing environments outside our shores. Arase only needs to ginger the innate good and subdue the corruptive tendencies.

this matter and know for whom to look. Again, what was the response time of security agents after the incident? More than 72 hours after the sad occurrence, the Nigeria Police and other agencies of government were yet to reunite the abducted girls with their parents. Parents are not interested in PR ops as depicted by the press statement of one of the top notches at the Lagos Police Command to the effect that the Lagos State Police Commissioner, his deputy and also the commanders of sister agencies all slept at the office. So what? That should be the routine especially as we seem to be in a war situation in the country as it is. They should not wait until things like this happen before responding to security challenges. If the kidnappers were nut cases, out to kill like what happens regularly in the US, hundreds of fatalities would have occurred while our police force take their time to respond! Now back to the issue of security around most private schools. I lay no claims to knowing the next thing about security, but I have observed that most schools have their security stationed at the main gates. It would help if these security guards moved around the school compound regularly, especially at night. Those who know have suggested installing security cameras (CCTV) in the school compound to help security monitoring. My question is how prepared are these so-called security men even when they identify an intruder? As with many kidnap cases, the girls might be outside the South-West long taken to unfamiliar terrain. Perhaps our security personnel could take a look at the Niger Delta creeks, especially as these Niger Delta militants have been fingered as those behind some robberies, pipeline vandalism and even kidnappings in the Ikorodu area with their victims surfacing in the creeks. I think what the school principal, Ven. Olaoluwa Adeyemi should do, now that the aces are down, is to emulate Nehemiah in the bible, who, while praying and trusting God for favour and divine help in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, kept his men well-armed so that as they built with one hand, the other hand was strategically placed on their swords. Yes, only God can protect us, yet we have our responsibilities too. The times are dangerous and we need to be prepared for them.

6 March, 2016

ON THE

lord’sday

Sunday Tribune

With Bolanle Bolawole turnpot@gmail.com 07052631058

Which way, Nigeria? By Bolanle Bolawole

T is either the media are devoting too much attention to sensational and negative stories or our dear country, Nigeria, is truly in turmoil. Unfortunately, there is nothing revolutionary and progressive in the pressures (apologies, Prof. Claude Ake), but they are anarchical and reactionary in all material particular. The media seldom create news; often, what they do is report them. There could be slants, though. Juxtaposing how southern Nigeria media reported the Ese Oruru story (screaming headlines and tonnes of newsreel) vis-a-vis their traditional northern Nigeria counterparts (muted, and miserly space allocation), it is obvious that no news report is truly value free. After a short period of hope and euphoria, we seem to be back to the Nigeria of one week, one scandal. After escaping death in the hands of Fulani herdsmen who, last year, kidnapped and held him hostage for days, prominent Yoruba chieftain and politician, Chief Olu Falae, last week had his car shot at by security operatives in the convoy of a bullion van somewhere on the Akure-Ile-Ife Road. I have encountered bullion vans on the highway before. They seldom allow any other road user overtake them, even if they are travelling at snail’s speed. Overtaking them might have been Chief Falae’s offence; but I doubt if there is any law that says bullion vans must not be overtaken by other road users. Chief Falae is fast becoming a cat with nine lives. Now, it’s two down and seven more to go! Fulani herdsmen continued their rampage elsewhere last week. The Middle Belt has become a killing field principally as a result of the activities of Fulani herdsmen. It baffles me that the victims of this rampage and carnage appear powerless; the authorities and security operatives, no less. Even if the herdsmen have genuine grievances, such as the menace of cattle rustling, the solution is not taking the laws into their own hands through wanton destruction of lives and property, in which, often, the innocent, children, (pregnant) women, the aged are the victims. This problem casts a slur on President Muhammadu Buhari, who, himself, is Fulani. He certainly could not have sanctioned or acquiesced in the herdsmen’s dastardly acts, but apply the Yoruba proverb pertaining to a woman called Ibiye and you see how Buhari cannot in all honesty keep a straight face while the Fulani herdsmen’s rampage continues unchecked. Ibiye, according to the adage, was one-eyed and had a very troublesome goat that was also one-eyed. Each time Ibiye’s one-eyed goat caused mayhem and the victims take umbrage and denounce “this wicked and troublesome one-eyed goat”, Ibiye is reminded of her own condition. It is time someone spoke to the Fulani herdsmen in the language they understand. Three school girls were kidnapped in their hostels in Lagos last week. It immediately raised the spectre of the Chobok girls again. It also destroyed the myth and idle talk of “it can never happen here” that the South-West had, for long, deluded itself with. If it could happen in Chibok, it can happen anywhere. Terrorists know no frontiers; they can strike anywhere and at any time. Security is porous everywhere in this country and every location is a target waiting to be picked. If it has not happened to you, it is not because it cannot happen but that the criminals have not yet zeroed in on you. Corruption is so pervasive that systems and personnel are compromised at will and for a mere pittance. Who can you trust? Criminals sew and wear police and military uniforms. Genuine military men turn themselves and their guns over to criminals to earn a little more to augment meagre salaries or live a lifestyle far beyond their legitimate reach. Our governments are laidback, clueless, and incompetent. They have no blueprint to provide the security required in this digital age. Vehicles and helicopters are not the only requirements of today’s security architecture. Whatever happened to the multi-billion dollar security camera project for Lagos and Abuja? National Assembly members are investigating or, as they say, angling to get their own “cut” of the largesse (apologies, Buhari). It keeps reminding me of that “Okada” man on Agbani road during the time of Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, on the deplorable state of Enugu roads. He had said: “Na wickedness. Dem vote money; dem chop am!” Has

that not been the story even now? May the kidnapped Lagos school girls return hale and hearty – but the trauma! Look around you and behold thousands of next victims simply waiting to be plucked – primary, secondary, and even tertiary institutions just left on their own without any iota of security. Private as well as public schools, institutions, and offices are left unattended to; whereas hundreds of security men surround the President, Vice-President, state governors, and the rich and powerful! What a country! Now to Ese Oruru – kidnapped in Yenagoa, she landed in Kano and was forcibly “converted” to Islam and then, in a sham marriage, became a housewife at age 14 and was summarily conscripted into purdah. In all of this, powerful personalities were mentioned. Impunity thrives best where there are powerful backers. Next, impunity festers where there are rich precedents to encourage and show the way to the imprudent. In the case of the abductor of Ese, one Yunusa Dahiru, he had both in ample supply. His own prize is 14-year-old; remember the bride of Yerima, former governor and now Senator of the Federal Republic, was just 13 years. While Yerima travelled to Egypt to ferry his prized possession, Yunusa, probably because he is not so financially endowed, settled for Bayelsa State. While Yerima had his positions of eminence and influence to shield him, Yunusa had or felt he had the powerful palace of the Emir of Kano behind him. And for eight months, he held sway and if media reports are anything to go by, must have been half-way through in achieving his mission as the girl is believed to be pregnant for him already. What do you do with such pregnancy? The issues involved are criminal, cultural, and religious, all rolled into one. Kidnapping and abduction is a criminal offence. Having sex with a minor is also criminal. Sex that is non-consensual is rape and it is criminal. According to the highly-respected Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, Islam abhors abduction, forced marriage (even with the consent of the parents of a girl, whether minor or adult) and forced conversion to Islam. Where, then, did the Kano Sharia Council find the backing for the conversion of Ese to Islam and her forced marriage to Yunusa? Ganduje wants both Yunusa and the Kano Sharia Council members prosecuted. Fine. He should set the ball rolling by dismissing the Kano Sharia Council members - if it is within his powers - and then hand them over to the police for prosecution. Although the crime of abduction\kidnapping took place in Bayelsa, the other crimes of forcible conversion, illegal marriage, illicit sex etc. took place in Kano and the culprits can, and should, be tried in Kano. In addition, all those who turned the blind spot to the travails of this girl, making her ordeal to last this long, should not be allowed to escape justice. The IGP, Solomon Arase, is already dealing with those

under his ambit; other security agencies should do likewise. I beseech Governor Ganduje to also closely review the Emir of Kano’s alibi and see if it holds water. If not, please be man enough to discipline him. No man is above the law. Beyond punishment, however, we must dispassionately examine the cultural and religious issues involved in this Ese Oruru saga. Marriage to under-age girls is rampant in the North. This is why VVF and cervical cancer cases are prevalent among young women in that part of the country. Culture\religion is said to allow a girl, once she has seen her first or so menstrual cycle, to be eligible for marriage. This is usually within ages 10 and 12. The health implications for the girls are, however, dire. Should not the welfare and well-being of the young girls be paramount in the consideration of the adults forcibly taking them or leading them into marriage? Most times when these young girls suffer the adverse effects of early marriage, they are abandoned and treated as “Osu” or outcasts. This is cruelty of the worst order; it is man’s inhumanity to man. Many of our highly placed citizens are guilty of treating women as chattel. The age disparity between many influential men and their young spouses is bewildering. Literacy level has not weaned our men from such debauchery. Not long ago, a state governor married a girl younger than his own daughter. Recently, too, a popular Emir married a girl one-third his own age. If we connive at this licentiousness, how, then, can we counsel or reprimand the Yunusas of this world? If it is true that Islam frowns at forced conversion, then, Islamic scholars, preachers, and authorities have a lot of education to do amongst adherents of the Islamic faith. Everywhere, the impression that is created by overzealous Muslims is that conversion is permitted by fair and foul means. As for early marriage, be it consensual or otherwise, the well-placed in society should lead by example. If a man must marry a second, third or whatever number of wives, let him stay within his own age bracket and not shop for girls younger than his own children. A widower has the right to re-marry; but it should not be a 60-year-old marrying an 18 or 20-year-old. When we do that, we lose every moral right to look the Yunusas of this world straight in the face, least of all telling them they have done anything wrong. LAST WORD: Let’s all doff our hats for the media – social media inclusive – for their heroics once again on the Ese Oruru saga. Without their advocacy, the girl and her poor family would have been a loner – and a goner! See why the oppressors in the National Assembly must never be allowed to abridge the powers of the media – social media inclusive?

6 March, 2016

language&style Of proof and panacea

AMPLE 1: “The man insisted that the guy did not kill my wife, and I told him that one day he would be in my position and someone will also kill his wife and when he is caught someone will also ask him to show prove.”(Banker Arrests Wife’s Killer after Three-year Search, the Sunday Sun, February 28, 2016) Let’s pay attention to the word prove which occurs in the following context: “someone will also ask him to show prove”. The syntactic slot in which the word prove occurs shows that it is intended to be a noun. But is this the noun form? No. This is the verb form. Thus we have an anomalous situation in which a verb form occurs in a slot belonging to a noun, a clear indication that the writer cannot differentiate between the two forms in a practical way. As we have noted, the verb form is prove. The following sentences illustrate its usage: 1) Your absence does not prove that you were not involved in the crime. 2) It is up to you to prove the authenticity of the document. 3) His mental alertness proves that he is not as old as his appearance suggests. 4) All evidence points to the fact that he is a foreigner; he has to prove that he is a Nigerian. 5) As black men, do we need to prove that we are as intelligent as white men? 6) The recent developments have proved all of them wrong. 7) Up till now the lawyer has not been able to prove his client’s innocence beyond reasonable doubt. 8) Experience has proved that if we do not protest we cannot secure our rights. 9) No one can prove, using historical facts, that one monarch is superior to the other. 10) I believe intuitively that this is the correct position even though I cannot prove it using hard facts. 11) He was laboring to prove a trivial point. 12) The Nigerian experience has proved that a nation can survive a major civil war without losing its corporate existence. The noun form is proof: 1) There is no proof that the sciences are more ‘difficult’ than the arts. 2) He was confronted with proof of his involvement in the crime. 3) Without providing any proof, nobody would accept your claims. 4) The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 5) The court has asked him to present the proof of his ownership of the property. 6) The lady is a living proof that no condition is hopeless. 7) Is there any scientific proof that God exists? 8) The DNA test provides the proof that he is the father of the child. 9) The police refused to accept the so-called proof that he was not at the scene of the crime. 10) Do psychiatrists regard intelligent conversation as proof of perfect sanity? 11) Is there any proof that men and monkeys went through the same evolutionary processes up to a point? 12) Human behavior all over the world offers the proof that man is naturally depraved. At any rate, the form proof should replace prove in the context under review. Yes, you show proof and not *prove. Sample 2: “Sunday Sun gathered from a reliable source from the community that the deceased popularly known as Dandy was alleged to have been responsible for the strange illness that had afflicted one of the legs of a prosperous young man in the community which had resulted to the affected right leg rotting away.”(Irate Youths Behead Suspected Sorcerer in Imo, the Sunday Sun, February 28, 2016) I draw readers’ attention to the expression resulted to which occurs in the following context: “which had resulted to the affected leg rotting away.” Specifically, we note the particle to following the verb resulted directly. That particle (to) is an inappropriate one. Sometimes some Nigerian users even allow the particle into to collocate with the verb result. The appropriate particle is in or from depending on the intended meaning. We shall return to the issue of appropriate collocation later. The more interesting part of this expression (result *to) is that it is based on the analogy of resort to, a perfectly idiomatic expression whose only connection with the expression in ques-

by Samson Dare 0805 500 1770 samsonadare@yahoo.co.uk

tion exists in the reporter’s and other Nigerian users’ distorted pronunciation and imagination. In fact, some Nigerian users of English use resort to as a variant of result *to. That’s unpardonable confusion. As we have noted, the appropriate particle that should collocate with the verb result is in/from: 1) The lack of communication between the students and the school authorities often results in violent protests. 2) Indiscriminate bush burning and deforestation often result in soil infertility. 3) Bad eating habits and lack of adequate rest can result in a major health crisis. 4) The deployment of more technology in workplaces will inevitably result in loss of jobs. 5) Mindless encroachment on waterways has often resulted in constant flooding. 6) Inadequate power supply results from deliberate destruction of electrical installations and pipelines supplying gas to electrical facilities. 8) Bad breath, we are told by experts, results from inadequate care of the mouth. 9) Is it always the case that poverty results from indolence and wealth from hard work? 10) The man’s insanity resulted from abuse of drugs over a long period. 11) Communication gap results in suspicion, speculations, and rumours. 12) Unfairness in the sharing of the monetary gift resulted in bad blood among members. Next, we illustrate the usage of the expression resort to: 1) When all else failed, we resorted to borrowing. 2) The youths resorted to violence when the elders refused to listen to them. 3) Many young women resort to some form of prostitution or the other not because they lack financial resources but because they are under peer group pressure. 4) Having failed to achieve his carnal intentions, he resorted to blackmailing the innocent lady. 5) The police sometimes resort to torture when trying to extract confessional statements from suspects. 6) Can doctors resort to mercifully killing patients undergoing excruciating pains but who are likely to die in a few hours or days? 7) No matter the level of poverty or privation, nobody has any justification for resorting to stealing. 8) Politicians often resort to ballot snatching and violence once they realize that their chances of victory are slim. 9) Lawyers often resort to technicalities including application for interlocutory injunctions when handling very bad cases. 10) When members of the national assembly realized the president was not going to accept their position, they resorted to threatening him impeachment. 11) Teachers resort to industrial action only after all other options have failed. 12) Some desperate students resort to examination malpractices when they realize they cannot pass based on their own lawful efforts. The expression resort to is used to convey the idea of something you turn to in desperation, under pressure, when other options do not seem to work. Sample 3: “The establishment, it said, was the panacea to end the agitation for the creation of Biafra Republic.”(Biafra: Ohanaeze Seeks Creation of South-East Commission, The Sunday Punch, February 28, 2016) Let’s pay attention to the expression, panacea to, which occurs in the context: “the establishment was the panacea to end the agitation.” One of the problems with the expression is the particle to. The appropriate particle is for: 1) Some herbalists claim they have a panacea for all sicknesses. 2) Closeness to God, our creator, is a panacea for all moral problems. 3) No single president has a panacea for the national challenges. 4) I don’t claim to have a panacea for all our problems. 5) The national assembly should be able to come up with brilliant ideas that may come near being a panacea for our social and economic problems. 6) Heavy investments in agriculture are a panacea for our food crises. It is important to note that the noun panacea does not collocate with the particle to; it collocates with for.

At any rate, the form proof should replace prove in the context under review. Yes, you show proof and not *prove

Sunday Tribune

line

life with

Niyi Osundare

Random Blues (The Oscar Blues)

In the Year of Our Lord 2016 The Oscars suffered an utter blackout Alas, in this Year of Our Lord 2016 The Oscars suffered a blackout The rainbow fantasy of Tinsel City Was dealt a blank and blinding rout

The black, the brown, the colours between Have no place yet in the hues parade See, the black, the brown, the colours between Have no place yet in the hues parade Behold, the usual pageant of showy plumes Is nothing if not a pompous charade

The best picture this year was white The winning actors were all the same Yes this year’s best picture was white The winning actors were very much the same The powerful kingmakers behind the scene Played it all up for the colour game

Where sepia Thespians brought down the roof The vigilant judges were colour-blind Ha ha, sepia Thespians brought down the roof But the vigilant judges were colour-blind A fairer bunch of curious experts Our wondering world has yet to find

Visible invisibility or invisible visibility Your coloured achievements may offend the eye See? Visible invisibility or invisible visibility Your coloured feats may offend the eye They decide what not to see or what to see And rate your fortune below or high

6 March, 2016

tribunechurch Why I am called

‘coconut pastor’ —Prophet Abiara The General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Prophet Samuel Kayode Abiara, in this exclusive interview with SEYI SOKOYA, bares his mind on national issues, current state of CAC, among other issues. Excerpts:

OUR name was mentioned among the men of God who are diabolical powers according to a man who released a video CD recently. How did you feel about this and what steps have you taken? We thank God for His mercies. The scriptures established that there will be a terrible time where we will face slanders and various forms of condemnation. Indeed, these are signs of the end time. We heard it and the security agencies had arrested those involved, especially the person behind it, who claimed he was looking for money. I think the public is aware about the matter and the case has been taken to the court. Though, he has begged for forgiveness, I think all ministers of God he lied against should forgive him. Personally, I feel he decided to select the names that are marketable to make money. I was not moved about the video CD, because Jesus was also called many names. This development has no meaning to me; this is my 53rd year in the ministry and we thank God that there had not been anything of such. I thank God for my life and the grace He bestowed upon me since He called me into the vineyard. I have forgiven him. Is the church doing anything to protect its pastors from this kind of embarrassment? The church has reacted and will always take necessary steps when such matter arises. We reported the case to the Commissioner of Police when we heard about it and that was why everyone involved in the matter was apprehended. Mixed reactions have trailed President Buhari’s claim that he will no longer pay N5,000 to unemployed youths, instead he will use the money for infrastructural development. What is your take on this? I think the president was misquoted. Don’t forget that I am not partisan or a card carrying member of any political party. He insisted that he wanted to help the masses. He is a man of integrity and can never deny it.

I guess he was misunderstood. Even if he said that, he can still review it or initiate other things that can be of benefit to the masses. As far as I am concerned, N5, 000 cannot solve the problems of the unemployed. What is your assessment of the President Buhari-led government so far? I want everyone to have a clear understanding that leaders are not angels or magicians. I think they are really trying, especially in the area of security. They promised to save lives and property as well as put an end to terrorism in the country. I am impressed that they have really achieved this. The country is now peaceful than what it used to be. We must commend our security agencies and thank God for strengthen them to restore peace and stability in the country. I also want to urge the Federal Government to compensate them accordingly. The government is also trying its best in the area of corruption, especially in its effort to recover stolen money. They have done very well, but I want to advise them to

God has finally taken control of CAC and its leadership. The Peace Move Committee recently formed has commenced work and very soon the whole world will know that all is settled, because God has already won the battle

Sunday Tribune

With Rita Okonoboh rosarumese@gmail.com 08053789087

use the money recovered to empower the youth. More so, I urge them not to punish whoever they recover stolen money from. As one of the leaders of the Christ Apostolic Church, what is your take on the leadership tussle and how have you been able to solve the crisis? You will agree with me that there is no one living without challenges. No man, marriage, church and government can stand without one challenge or the other. God has finally taken control of the church and its leadership. The Peace Move Committee recently formed has commenced work and very soon, the whole world will know that all is settled, because God has already won the battle and all the challenges of the church will be a thing of the past. How will you react to the insinuation that the church is lagging behind compared to other churches we have around? That is not true; Christ Apostolic Church is a powerful church and the mother of all pentecostal churches. We thank God for the grace and how far He has brought us despite challenges. No church is free from challenges, but they have a way of solving it. We are not behind; we have upgraded our standard because it is not a mushroom church. CAC has grown in leaps and bounds and its branches all over the world are doing great. We have quality leaders who are well informed, intelligent and educated. Our pastors at different branches are also fantastic. You have been in the ministry for many years. What has been the secret? This is my 53rd year in the ministry and I thank God for the grace, mercy and the gift of life. Many people said maybe it was because I spent many years on the mountain. I was also nicknamed Woli Alagbon because of the fact that I always take coconut whenever I wanted to break my fast. But I feel it is the grace God upon my life. I am not getting tired because God and the Holy Spirit are not tired of me. I derive joy in praying and reading the Bible always. If you remain in God and do His will you will, continue to shine. This is the secret behind my vibrancy in God’s vineyard. How did you receive the calling? I was a clerk around 1963 under the one Baba Agoro. I had an encounter with God the moment I made up my mind to register my company in order to become an independent trader. On that fateful day, I heard a voice, “I am the Alfa and Omega, Kayode Abiara I will make you somebody if you follow me”. I was confused, but to cut the story short, I eventually obeyed the call and God has made the journey fruitful and wonderful since then. I thank God for everything about my life; He transformed my life and used me to perform His wonders and miracles. The number of years I have spent in the ministry doesn’t matter to me, but the lives and souls He has lifted through me gladdens my heart. I am not afraid to retire; the retirement age in CAC worldwide is 75. So, it is not the time for me to retire because I am still young. The world will know the appropriate time for me to retire. Is any of your children following your path? God gave me three set of twins and they are all ministers Continues on pg43

6 March, 2016

With Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 08074497425

churchnews GOFAMINT holds Ibadan citywide crusade

T was a four-day encounter with the supernatural as the Region 2 and Region 11 of The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT) held crusade with the theme: “The Able God,” in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The crusade, held between Wednesday, February 24 and Saturday, February 27, at the Police Ground, Yemetu, Ibadan, had the Deputy General Overseer, Professor Samuel Ewuola, leading other ministers in the atmosphere of God’s miracle. Speaking on the first day of the crusade, Pastor Ewuola stressed that mankind faced three most worrisome problems, namely, sin, death and life after death, adding that God had, however, made provision for eternity, which is life after death for those who obey Him. “Sin is disobedience against God. Sin produces wages which is death,” he said, adding that any man who accepted the offer God gave would definitely enjoy the life after death. Speaking on the second and third day of the crusade, the General Evangelist of the church, Evan-

gelist Augustine Sossa, described sin as the cause of sickness, problems and all sort of calamities. The crusade ground, which was full to its capacity by members of the church and other invited people in the area, had the outpouring of the supernatural as the minister

prayed and ministered to various needs of the people. Speaking on the last day of the crusade, the Assistant General Evangelist of the church, Evangelist M. O. Salako, speaking on the topic: “Man’s rod became God’s rod,” said just as the rod of Moses,

when it turned to snake, swallowed other rods of the Egyptians which also turned to snakes, the power of God is able to swallow every source of problems in the life of the people. He, however, said to enjoy that grace, there must be a connection with

God and the cross, as he quoted I Corinthians 1:18 that “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us which are saved, it is the power of God.” Other ministers at the crusade, which had on its trail, testimonies of God’s power, were the Regional

From left, Prophet Emmanuel Odejobi, the General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Prophet Kayode Abiara and Pastor Lawrence Akinloye, at the just concluded annual New Year blessings programme, tagged: “Let there be Light” at Odo-Owa, Kwara State, recently. PHOTO: D’TOYIN.

CAN promises to unite Christian youths in Gombe Gombe State youths’ chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has promised to unite Christian youths in the state irrespective of their denomi-

nations and ethnic groups. Its chairman, Mr. Yusuf Haske, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe that one of the major problems af-

fecting Christian youths was disunity. “I will make sure that I use this season of lent to unite Christian youths in the state irrespective of

denominations and ethnic backgrounds,” he said. He said that he would mobilise his members to enter every nook and cranny of Gombe State and

Vatican cardinal denies attempts to cover up child sex abuse A high ranking Vatican official admitted that he had knowledge of, at least, one priest who misbehaved with boys at an Australian school. Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican’s treasurer, however, said that he did nothing when a boy at a Christian Brothers school in rural Victoria State in Australia mentioned the priest’s behaviour casually in conversation in the mid-1970s. He regretted not acting on the information, saying that he would have done

more to stop sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church. “With the experience of 40 years later, certainly, I would agree that I should have done more,” Pell said while giving evidence via video link from Rome, Italy, to Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse. The four-day questioning over cases involving hundreds of children in Australia from the 1960s to the 1990s has taken wid-

er implications about the accountability of church leaders, given Pell’s high rank within the church. There were audible gasps when, during a testy exchange earlier in the week, Pell said of abuse by a priest who was later convicted of 138 offences against 53 victims. “It’s a sad story and it wasn’t of much interest to me,’’ he said. He said that he regretted the comment, which was seized by victims and the Australian media as

evidence of the Catholic Church’s uncaring attitude. “I was very confused, I responded poorly, it was badly expressed,” Pell said on the last day of the hearing, which required him to give evidence late at night through to the early hours. He told the commission that the church made mistakes and ‘catastrophic choices’ by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling the priests from parish to parish, and over-relying on counselling of priests to solve the problem.

Sunday Tribune

preach the gospel of Christ. “We will intensify efforts on rural evangelism, because there are people who are ignorant of how Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins,” he said. Haske said that his members would also preach to prison inmates on the need to change their lifestyles and lead a better life after serving their jail terms. “We will visit them, strengthen them and let them know that where they are is not the end of their lives. “That they can still be useful to themselves and the society after they will have completed their jail terms,” he said. He also promised to organise discipleship and skills acquisition training for the youth from where after graduation become evangelists and self reliant.

Pastors of Region 2 and 11, Pastor M. O. Adeogun and Pastor A. O. Akangbe, Assistant General Evangelist, Evangelist Richard Usenu, among many others.

7,000-year-old settlement found in Arab part of Jerusalem THE Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) Excavation Director said an excavation found in Arab part of Jerusalem showed that people lived in the area of today’s Jerusalem as early as 7,000 years ago. She said in Tel Aviv, the Israeli capital that a settlement from the fifth millennium before the modern era had been found. “Now, for the first time, we have discovered significant remains from 7,000 years ago. “It called the discovery a ‘highly significant addition’ to research of Jerusalem,’’ she said. Lupo said the ruins of two dwellings, among others, were uncovered during an excavation that was held before paving a road in the Shu’afat neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. She said the team found many objects that were typical of the Chalcolithic period. Lupo recalled that during the Chalcolithic period, humans for the first time started using tools made of copper chalcos in Greek, while continuing to use tools made of stone lithos, hence the hybrid name given to the period. She said sickle blades for harvesting crops, chisels, polished axes, pottery, a basalt bowl, even a bead made of a gemstone called carnelian, were among the finds. Lupo said further that a few bones of sheep or goats and possibly cattle were also found and these would be analysed in a lab. “Although a few other traces of Chalcolithic settlements have been found in the area in recent years, these have been extremely sparse,” she said.

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6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

RCCG makes history with 74 Marathon Messiah Praise

Church celebrates General Overseer @ 74 As Adeboye expresses confidence in church’s youths By Seyi Sokoya

FTER the completion of days of fasting and prayer session, the authorities and members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) across the globe were ushered into a ground-breaking and intense praise and worship event to glorify God. The church camp, Redemption Camp, KM 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, especially its Youth Centre not far from the main camp and some parts of the branches of the church outside the country such as RCCG South Africa 2 Headquarters in Johannesburg and at the RCCG Jesus House, London, United Kingdom turned busy as part of the activities to mark this year’s 74-Hours Marathon Messiah Praise in a unique way as well as to celebrate 74th birthday of the general overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

The Youth Centre which witnessed a non–stop praise event programme for 74 hours hosted many people who came to worship and dance to the tunes of hundreds of musicians. The arena from the onset to the last minute was filled with the Holy Spirit as everyone gladly worshipped in the presence of God. Aside the fact that the event was aimed to honour Pastor Adeboye, it also created a new pattern of praise. It will be recalled that the vision was initiated in 2012 to allow God’s children engage in a long spiritual worship experience, and it has, grown bigger and blossomed to become the longest gospel musical event globally. According to the National Youth Programme Director, Pastor Oluwadare Adeboye the annual worship experience, which started as 70 hours of marathon Messiah’s Praise, has grown in grace to

71, 72, 73, and now 74. This year’s edition recorded spiritfilled worship and intense worship session as over 70 gospel musicians lifted the souls of worshipers. Some of the artistes included: Midnight Crew, Akwa Ibom born-musician, Nathaniel Bassey; Assistant Pastor turned musician, Bola Thani, popularly known as BE-THANY; singer and composer, Bukola Bekes; Olaoba Ayodeji Abidemi, a.k.a Ultimate; Moses Onofeghara, a.k.a Momo; David Nkennor, Taiwo Ibidapo, Michael Onofeghara; Volunteers’ Praise Team choir, among others. The programme which commenced on Monday, February 29 and ended on Thursday, March 3, was declared open by Pastor Adeboye and his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, alongside some authorities of the church. The event has been described as a global

harvest of worship and praise to the Almighty. It was also an avenue for people to offer pure worship and praises to God as it gathered together people, especially youths from all walks of life into an atmosphere of uninterrupted worship for days. Tribune Church also monitored Pastor Adeboye during the holy communion service and 3-Day special Holy Ghost Service with the theme: “Winning Side” where he expressed his confidence on the future of the church. Adeboye confirmed that the future of the church was bright, while he noted that he was proud of the youth of the church. He added that “I am not your father, but your coach and I will continue to teach you. I am proud that our youths are more disciplined and it is a sign that the future of the church is bright. I can see my successors and I am extremely happy that my tomorrow is alright. ”

‘I am happy my three sets of twins are also pastors’ Continued from pg41

of God. My first son, who is a pastor, was here recently to preach at a programme in the church. I have another son, Israel Abiara, he is a pastor and a musician based in Lagos. Taiwo Abiara is also a pastor. I am happy that I was able to lead them in the way of God and the fact they chose to follow my path. I am also delighted that I am blessed with a good wife, who I describe as my mother. Our marriage will clock 50 this year and she has really been supportive in the home and the ministry. What advice do you have for pastors generally, especially those under the umbrella of CAC? I want to urge all clerics to continue to do the will of God and make the act of winning souls for Christ their priority. On the part of pastors in CAC, I want to advise them to always obey the authorities of the church. The Bible also spoke on the importance of obeying the rules and regulations of the authorities. For instance, in my early days in the ministry, despite the fact that God has been manifesting Himself through signs and wonders, the authorities asked me to go to the seminary, but people around me frowned upon it. Personally, I felt it was

right for me to go to the seminary and I went for the two-year course where I gained a lot of things. If truly they are called by God, they must obey the authorities of the church to pass through the seminary where they will gather more knowledge about the word of God, because vision and prophesies are not enough for people to stand. Aside this, I also want to commend our pastors because they are very dynamic, obedient, civilised and educated unlike before. The church has really moved forward. CAC pastors are no longer dunces. We now have fantastic pastors and you will never find any pastor and prophet prophesying dooms. We have taught ourselves not to embarrass the nation, people and the church at large. This is one of the things that make us unique among others. What is your advice for Christians and people generally? If you take a look at the news we hear or read around the world, both local and international every day you will discover that we are always fed with bad news and this really baffles me. I want to urge everyone to repent from their sins and make a U-turn. We are in a worse era than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Crime and ungod-

ly acts are now on the increase. We now witness a lot of abominations among human beings. Kidnapping, rape, robbery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, money rituals among other obscenities are now rampant; nobody is safe. We need to collectively seek the face of God. Nige-

ria is really sick; we need to pray for the revival of our economy. I also want to ask the wealthy to have a sense of belonging and help people around them. Whether we like it or not, we will die someday. So, it is important that we affect lives positively while alive.

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Sunday Tribune

Nigeria can only be great if we are righteous —Akinpelu Reverend Ademola Akinpelu is the founder and General Overseer of The Word of His Fresh Grace Ministry, Ibadan, Oyo State. In this interview with OLAIDE SOKOYA, he speaks on the present condition of the country, among other issues.

RE you satisfied with the state of the country? I pray God will help us. The current state of the country calls for a serious concern, but I know God will finally have His way. We have refused to follow the right path to make our economy grow as a nation. We may have a good motive, but our problem is that we don’t know how to go about it. This is the more reason we experience a lot of challenges in our economy. Inflation in the market has made people to encounter various hardship, especially among the masses. If I may ask, is everybody really affected with the dollar palaver? What is really happening? Where did we get it wrong? I think we need to act fast to save our economy from all these mess. What solution will you proffer? It is time we put the right people in charge to restore our economy from falling. The era of selecting people through favouritism or politics should stop. We need to be serious to save the country from sinking. All hands must be on deck to build this nation as well as take it to a greater height. Different political party should come together to share ideas to move the nation forward. By this, we won’t point fingers at anyone because we will all have same goal to continue to the

progress of the country. But one of the problems we have in this country is that we are politically biased. We only want to involve people that are in our political party or class. The governance of a nation should not be a single political system, but an inclusive government where technocrats, professionals and expertise must be invited to contribute to the success of the government in power and the nation at large. What is your view on corruption fight going on in the country? It is ideal to try corrupt leaders and also collect whatever they have stolen to boost the economy. Also, I think there should be a specific punishment to those found guilty, just as we have in other countries such as China and Japan. I feel they should be punished because it will serve as a deterrent to others not to do same. Corruption is not something we should all continue to do or embrace as a country. Do you also support Christian in politics? Yes. If we say politics is a dirty game, it is because we allowed dirty people rule us. Let those who are clean find their way into politics to correct all the wrongs. What right does a person who doesn’t

‘It is not right for pastors’ wives to claim equality with husbands’ Reverend (Dr.) Lizzy Johnson Suleman is the wife of the General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, in this interview with OLAIDE SOKOYA, she speaks on life as pastor’s wife and her hopes of women in Christ. Excerpts:

What has God revealed to you about Nigeria? Nigeria is a great country loaded with potential of great men and people who can make things happen. When we have a good set of leaders, Nigeria will achieve all its aims. Nigerian technocrats are really doing great and also resourceful outside the country. God told me that Nigeria will be great. I want to advise Nigerians to live a righteous life as well as endevour to always put God first in all the affairs of our lives. Your advice for Christians and the government? Christians and people generally should be patient and prayerful. Government needs to be more proactive. Let us all put our hands on deck to make the country a better place. We should stop complaining about the past. The government should make sure that they fulfill the mandate they promised the people, otherwise they will join the leagues of failed government in the history of Nigeria.

As a reverend, does Christianity support manwoman equality in the context of today’s belief? We need to be clear about one thing. The value of men and the value of women are perfectly equal in the eyes of God. But the fact that men and women have equal rights and access to salvation does not negate the need for submission to leadership in the home or the church. Remember that Jesus Christ and the Father are equal, yet Jesus submits to the authority of the Father. The Bible teaches that “the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” It is a lesson for we, pastors’ wives must subject to. No one including the children is exempted, because this is one of the major ways any pastor could be successful in the ministry. On the other hand, pastors too should always honour and respect their wives as well as protect their homes. This will make them fulfilled in life and in the ministry. Would you have been into other vocations outside sharing the grace with your husband? Personally, I feel there is no higher calling or greater task than working for God. Our primary task is to win souls for God. And my understanding is that of a woman who is liberated to fulfill the potentials of being a servant of God.

S a mother, what is your take on the forced marriage of Ese Oruru from Bayelsa State? The incident is really uncalled for. From a reasonable and moral perspective, children should be allowed to make their decisions. Sexual abuse of children thrives in an atmosphere of secrecy and they are very reluctant to speak up about it. Parents too, in some cases, are not exempted from the blame. In all, to impose immoral recklessness on teenagers in the name of religion or tradition is morally wrong. Tell us about your role in the ministry and what should be the role of pastors’ wives? I have always been a helper to my husband. I’m also a woman of God, a reverend. So, my roles as a wife, mother at home, and leader in the church have been constant without any hindrance. God has made us unique individuals and we must portray this in our homes and marriages. Remember, Eve was created to be Adam’s helpmate, meaning that this is the purpose for the creation of woman. This is the privilege and primary function God gave every wife. All teachings connected with marriage centre around this. In the world of specialists, no profession requires the involvement of the wife more than that of the priesthood. The degree of involvement varies but nonetheless, the pastor's

have voter card have to governance? It is when we have a representative of true Christians in politics before we can do that which is right as well as experience sincere governance. We need God-fearing people in power

How will you describe your husband? My husband is a man that represents simplicity, he redefines modesty. He is modest in speech and humbled in his deeds and his dressing. He is not just a pastor, he is a life coach to the congregation, the world and his family. I respect and love him. I also thank God for making such a man my head. I thank him too for making himself available for God to reveal Himself to this generation.

wife is looked upon by the congregation as one with her husband in his ministry.

Did you get any birthday present from your husband on your recent birthday? Yes. I got a wonderful birthday gift from him, but don’t let us talk about that. The most important thing is that I gave out clothes, cash and food to people including the widows that day. We paid school fees of indigent students and we also gave out gift items to an orphanage that houses about 900 kids. The presence of Bishop Koroma and others from within and outside Nigeria at the event was the climax of it all.

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6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

dawnofanewera

firmfaith:rightreason

with Most Revd J.O. Akinfenwa

with Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, fradebadejo@yahoo.com

The Church: A called-out people

The pangs of growth

Continued from last week

THE Recowa-Cerao Assembly The effects of colonialism, be they positive or negative on Africa, will not go away in a hurry. Unless concerted efforts are made to redress some of the negative effects of that aspect of African history, pains and divisions could linger forever. How does one sweeten the hemlock of slavery, for example? Think of the foreign languages which though useful, eventually divided some African peoples of the same tribe and ethnic group into two or even three different language groups. Given the major role of language in the identity of peoples, many families, tribes and ethnic groups thus became strangers to their own kin because of their language diversity. A good example of this is the Yoruba people who in Nigeria have English as a second language while the same people in Benin Republique or Togo speak French. Nonetheless, healing such differences is very essential for progress and the integration of Africans. The Catholic Church after the commendable example of the Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, initiated this in Abuja, Nigeria in 2007 with the resolve to unify her English, French and Portuguesespeaking Episcopal conferences in West Africa. This was then ratified with the first plenary assembly in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast in 2012, bringing all the Bishops and Church leaders of West Africa together under one umbrella called RECOWACERAO. RECOWA is the acronym for Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa, while CERAO is the French acronym for Conferences Episcopal Regional de l’Africa de l’Ouest.

spite enormous difficulties, we have witnessed some progress on the political front. Wars have largely ended in most of our countries. We pledge our commitment to deepening democracy and its ideals of justice and development among our people. We continue to encourage our political leaders to seek power by free and fair means and to imbibe the culture of tolerance and respect for the rule of law and due process.

The pangs of progress The second assembly of RECOWACERAO with the theme: “The New Evangelisation and the Specific Challenges for Church, Family of God in West Africa: Reconciliation, Development and Family Life”, has just taken place in Accra, Ghana from 22nd to 29th of February, 2016. This was quite a feat for the Church, being an organization without the financial and technical clout of a government or big organizations. It was humbling to see prelates who would normally have a lot to say, being curtailed by lack of proficiency in the language of other participants with whom they must work. It was quite funny to see the stuttering effort by many to speak the other language anyway, in order to cultivate friendship and build relationship. All however agreed that such challenges are a small price to pay to heal the wound of history. Inevitably, under such pressurizing and limiting circumstances, it should be only a few years before most catholic prelates overcome the obstacle of the tongue and become fluent in at least two international languages of the assembly. After 8 arduous days praying and pondering together under those conditions, the Bishops of RECOWA-CERAO agreed on a number of resolutions here cited:

Politics as a tool for Development, Peace and Justice We note that our people are still vulnerable to the excesses of warlords, war mongers and political thugs. With its imperfections, we believe that Democracy holds the key to integration among our people. Our politicians must learn to respect the wishes of our people while shunning ostentatious lifestyles that further alienate the electorate. We resolve to continue to encourage our people to use Democracy to build bridges for the attainment of justice and peace.

Political Developments and Democracy Since our last meeting, there have been positive developments in our region. De-

Insurgency and the rise of Religious Extremism: We note with sadness the ugly face of extremism and the rise of violent extremist groups among our countries. The violence of Boko Haram has left serious wounds and fractures on our people. However, we commend the government of Nigeria and the regional governments who have rallied around to rout this terrible cancer which has destroyed our communities. There is still a lot to be done, but we are committed to uniting with our respective governments to ensure the return of peace among our people. Inevitability of Dialogue: In the face of these challenges, Dialogue has become an imperative. We note the tremendous work that religious leaders in the region have done some times at great risks. In the last few years, we have witnessed increased fear, suspicion and anxiety among our various religious groups. We resolve to further intensify our efforts towards ensuring that religion becomes an instrument of peace and not war.

The Youth, our Future With over 65% of our population made up of young people, we are resolved to ensure that they become our greatest investment. We call on our governments to harness the talent of our youth by creating the necessary environment for them to thrive. We resolve to intensify our efforts towards turning the minds of our youth away from crime, violence and drugs towards making them agents of peace and reconciliation. Having deliberated yet again on a family-related theme, the Church in West Africa thus reemphasizes her commitment to family life but perhaps more importantly, her commitment to the RECOWA-CERAO integration. Would that it thus becomes a model for other West African organizations to embrace the project of unity which in all cases is the source of strength and development.

WE cannot be pursuing the same objectives. We cannot be manifesting the same character traits. This is important because the things that we see around us in our politics and in many other sectors of national life show clearly that under pressure, many Christians forget that they are Christians. They start acting like those who never met the Lord. Some even act worse than godless people. They simply forget that they have been called out to bring glory to Christ, and to the kingdom of God. One day, Jesus and his disciples entered a village to preach, and they were resisted (Luke chapter 9). In a fit of anger, James and John said something that illustrates the point we are trying to make today. Luke 9:54 says, Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? Many of us are like James and John, we react to issues in the flesh. Our brains are full of logic, our hearts are full of vengeance and our minds devise cunning schemes. And as we hatch those schemes, we temporarily forget that we are Christians. But our Lord rebuked them, as he rebukes us today: Luke 9:55-56 But he turned, and rebuked

them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. Let us ask ourselves – are we saving people, or are we destroying people? Are we building, or are we pulling down? Friend, we are no more in darkness. We have been called out into the glorious light of the Lord Jesus. Let us not walk like people in darkness any longer. Let us not think like people in darkness any longer. Let us not act like people in darkness any longer. Let us not aspire to things that people in darkness aspire to. We are a called-out people. In this new dispensation, let us live true to our identity. We are Christians – “little Christs”; let that truth manifest in our daily lives. Let us bring glory to God through our daily, secular lives. As Paul admonished the Colossians, we admonish us today: Colossians 2:6-9 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. God bless you.

livingword By Bishop David Oyedepo Call 7747546-8; or e-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Provoking speedy fulfilment of prophecies through kingdom advancement endeavour! FROM scriptures, we discover that Kingdom advancement endeavour is the master key to a world of speedy fulfilment of prophecies. Remember the Bible says: …Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:28-33).In the above scripture, Jesus said that the glory of the lilies on the field is greater than all the wealth of Solomon put together. He further said that when we seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first, we would experience the same dimension of glory as lilies. This helps to understand that Kingdom advancement endeavour is our guaranteed access to greater realms of glory, than those of Solomon. We must also understand that when Jesus said: “…And all these things shall be added

unto you,” He meant that the prophecy of our glory surpassing that of Solomon, shall come to pass speedily. This is why I know that God’s prophetic agenda of From Glory To Glory for us this year, shall come to pass suddenly, as we diligently engage in Kingdom advancement endeavour. Let’s examine Kingdom advancement endeavours that Jesus ordained every believer to engage in. Every believer isordained to be a soul winner: We understand from scriptures thatevery child of God is enlisted in the ministry of reconciliation, where he/she is empowered to reconcile lost souls to God. As it is written:And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation(2 Corinthians 5:18; see also John 15:12; Acts 1:8). In other words, we are representing Jesus on earth in the ministry of seeing souls saved and established in the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20).However, it is important to know that soul winning is neither a calling nor a gift, but a commandment from God to every believer. Jesus speaking to His disciples said: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you (John 15:16).

feature

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Still hoping for a miracle Rev Kings’ disciples await his return By Chukwuma Okparaocha

T the tail end of Ajao Estate, a middle class estate sandwiched between the popular Oshodi and Isolo areas of Lagos, is a canal which is regarded by many as one of the biggest ones in Lagos State. Many residential and non-residential properties are situated close to the bank of the canal which blackish water often reeks of years of neglect and disuse. Among one of such properties is a 17-year old church – the Christian Praying Assembly (CPA). The news of the Supreme Court’s judgement affirming the death sentence earlier passed on Rev Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly known as Rev King, the founder of CPA, provided the media world with a meal of news to feast on, and indeed for days, it did feast on it. Several journalists devised different methods of getting what they could get from the news including speaking with neighbours of the controversial church, direct interview of church members, as well as going undercover as church members. Sunday Tribune went for all three, but it was the third of these methods, that gave it an insight into happenings in the church, which was said to have been founded in 1999, as Sunday Tribune correspondent had to partake in a 4-hour worship service in the church. Situated off Bishop Ojo Drive and off Benson Anorue Street, there is nothing in the church’s immediate surroundings that suggests that it is controversial, major of which is the fact that its founder, Rev King, is currently awaiting the hangman’s noose for the 2006 murder of one Ann Uzor, a church member, in bizarre circumstances. However, the only thing that could possibly spur an air of suspicion in a visitor to the church is the unusually high fence built around the church premises. So high is the fence that many of the church’s huge structures such as pillars are well concealed from passersby. Only the large green roof and a number of pillars could be seen from outside. Conspicuously displayed in front of the church is a large banner showing the full picture of Rev King clad in an all-white attire. The words on the banner ends with a message that says, “HIV/AIDS is 100% curable.” Thrice, Sunday Tribune paid a visit to the church, and thrice it found two large gates leading to the church tightly shut, the only one left open on all three occasions was a third gate - a small pedestrian gate which partially remains open even during Sunday service. The current plight of the founder of the church appears to be taking its toll on the state of the church as observations made about the interior of the church seem to suggest. Bunched in a corner of the church was a pile of iron rods apparently meant for the completion of the church whose construction seems to have stalled years ago. The ceiling and pillars bore messages of abandonment, as it could be easily deduced that it’s been a while since they were last touched. Despite being a large church that sits on a large expanse of land and filled to the brim with plastic chairs, many of the chairs were vacant and dusty even during a Sunday service. Rev King, as portrayed by members of CPA, is known for some ‘unusual miracles’ as well as having a thriving mission to deal with witches and wizards, this perhaps explains why written in bold colours around the church was the word “The blood of Jesus Christ.” This suggestively shows his battle-readiness to face witches and wizards, who, it was gathered, he always claimed were bent on running him down. Perhaps this explains why his present predicaments (Supreme Court’s ruling inclusive) have continuously been hinged on the activities of witches and wizards by members of his church, including those holding fort for him. As if trying to send a message to the “witches and wizards” in question and possibly for other enemies of the church, a few members were seen spotting on T-shirts which had the rhetorical question: “Why are you fighting God and his people?” written on them. According to information gathered, since 2006, when the problem started and when Rev King was whisked away by security officers, a council of leaders has been holding fort, but they pay periodic visits to their leader in prison for messages, counsels, and prayer points which they in turn share with members of the congregation at

the following Sunday service. This trend was observed at the service attended by Sunday Tribune, where a preacher led an ebullient congregation to pray, sing and dance mostly in honour of the controversial cleric. The preacher who was later identified as Pastor Ifeayin King (it was later gathered that many members of the church, especially the high ranking pastors often adopt the word “King” as their second name) attributed the plights of Rev King, to the activities of “witches and wizards” who he said should not rejoice yet because the whole development was still at the preface stage. “Our G.O. the most holiness, Rev King is coming back. He said he would come back and we believe the words if his mouth. We believe his report that he is coming back. Everything happening now we know is the handiwork of witches and wizard, but this is just the preface stage, soon a new story will emerge,” said the preacher, who preached in both English and Igbo. Pastor Ifeayin, who like a few other males in the church, also spotted some beard and a cleanly shaven head, which was the signature appearance of the embattled clergyman, told members of the congregation that they should take delights in the fact that the whole debacle had further pushed the CPA brand and the personality of Rev King unto hitherto unreached places. “Whether people realise it or not, everybody now knows his holiness, our G.O. Rev King. The front pages of newspapers are flooded with his name. People are yearning to read about him on the social media. I can confirm to you that by all these, a lot of people have become endeared to him. Our Daddy G.O. shall live forever for us in Jesus name,” he said. This prayer attracted a loud shout of “amen,” followed by a loud applause from the congregation. While the four-hour service was largely like any other church service, as it was innocuous in virtual all settings, the constant reference of Rev. King as “His Holiness” clearly shows an unwavering faith his followers have in him. So strong is this faith that a large applause often followed the mention of his name. Sunday Tribune later gathered that some view him as the biblical Elijah who like Jesus Christ was being punished and persecuted for an offence he was innocent of. Some even waved big exercise books having the picture of their bearded leader. A number of people, mostly women, were seen wearing ankara clothes that had portrait imprints of the same man all over, while a few others wore different insignia of their revered “Daddy G.O.”

They all remained unwavering in their faith that their leader would not be killed and that it is only a matter of time that he would come back to lead them again. It is apparently in expectation of his return, that his pulpit and chair are still being kept unoccupied and unused for him. A quick view of the alter area of the church would reveal two chairs and a pulpit which is separate from a second pulpit which fort-holding pastors use to preach on Sundays. Sunday Tribune was later made to know that the larger of the two chairs was Rev King’s, and this has always been kept clean for him. As earlier mentioned, the expectation of his return seems to have given every member of the church the immunity needed to remain optimistic. Hours after the court pronouncement, Sunday Tribune had paid a visit to the church where a few members seen refused to allow the news of their overseer’s impending fate to dampen their morale. Though Sunday Tribune had trouble convincing the members to react to the news, eventually two male members briefly disclosed that all members of the church would not relent to pray for a miracle since they were all convinced of Rev King’s innocence. “It is not a pleasant news, I must admit, but we will keep on praying and never lose hope. Since the incident happened about 10 years ago, none of us has ever waivered in our belief in the innocence of his holiness, Most Rev King. We will pray and pray because I believe a miracle can happen,” said one of the male worshipers seen at the entrance of the church and whose identity could not be ascertained. Similarly, another male worshipper, who was later identified simply as Brother Elechi, also expressed hope that “his holiness,” as Rev King is often addressed by members of his church, would not be made to face the gallows. He insisted that those who “planned and concorted lies” against Rev King, including the media, would be eventually “disgraced.” “What are you looking for again? You media people were among those who worked against his holiness. Are you not satisfied that the death penalty has been upheld? But I can assure you that all those who planned and concorted lies against the anointed man of God will eventually be disgraced by a miracle that will happen,” he said. Sunday Tribune correspondent’s visit to the church did not end without a little drama though, as the church’s strong stance against the use of mobile phones and gadget almost landed the correspondent in problem with the eagle-eye ushers of the church.

news

6 March, 2016

Man hangs self after attending vigil in Lagos

HE Lagos State Police Command on Saturday said it had begun investigation into the alleged suicide committed by one Taofik, who hung himself on a tree after an all-night prayer vigil in Iju-Isaga area of the state. The spokesperson of the command, SP Oladapo Badmos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the surname of the deceased had yet to be ascertained. Badmos said the police division at Iju got a report of the incident brought by Pastor Odunike Abiodun of King of Kings Church, No. 45, Taju Bello Street, Iju Isaga. “The pastor brought the report on Saturday at 7.50 a.m. that the man was found dead at about 5.30 a.m. “The deceased hung himself on a tree in a valley close to a river near the King of Kings Church,” he said. The police spokesman said that the deceased had earlier participated in an all-night prayer at the church. She also said that the sui-

cide scene had been visited by detectives from the division.

“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the death and the corpse

has been deposited at a morgue for autopsy,” Badmos said.

We are losing millions of naira, Mile 12 traders lament THE Chairman of Mile-12 Market in Lagos State, Alhaji Haruna Muhammed, has said that the partial closure of the Mile 12 Market has added to the traders’ losses following a bloody clash in the area. The clash in the Agiliti area of Mile 12 on Wednesday left many dead with properties and goods destroyed. The development compelled the Lagos State government to close the market temporarily. Muhammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the traders lost foodstuffs worth millions of naira to the clash. Muhammed made the assertion while he recounted the effect of the clash to NAN. According to him, the partial closure of the market affected mostly those

selling perishable foodstuffs and all kinds of fruits. “We have 25 trucks with perishable foodstuffs in them, yet to be offloaded due to the partial closure of the market. The traders are only waiting for government’s directive. But for those that brought in tomatoes, they are at a loss because the tomatoes had spent some days in the truck before it got to Lagos. “There are many more trucks that have been here now, but we asked them to wait in Ibafo in Ogun State until this issue is resolved,” he said. The chairman exoneratted the traders from the clash in Agiliti, saying that the market was closed because of its closeness to where the crisis occurred. “The clash was most

unfortunate. Hausa and Yoruba in Mile 12 have no problem living or trading together. We in the market are selling foodstuffs; we have no connection with commercial motorcycle riders. “We have advised the government to ban their operation in Agiliti and allow only tricycles to operate,” he said. Muhammed appealed to the state government to ensure speedy resolution of the crisis and also save the traders from further losses. Meanwhile, some of the residents of Agiliti have called on the government to investigate the role played by security agencies during the clash. According to them, some security agents allegedly supported one party in the clash to have an upper hand over the other.

Sunday Tribune

Buhari to launch Ogoniland cleanup —Minister PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is set to launch the cleanup of Ogoniland in the coming weeks, says the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed. The minister announced this when she paid a courtesy visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. “It is hoped that we will have this launch in the coming weeks and the president himself will launch the cleanup. “It is really to us a turning point in the history of the struggle. “There is a challenge of pollution in the Niger Delta, but we are here to begin activities towards the launch of the cleanup with stakeholders’ dialogue,” she said. The minister said that the cleanup of Ogoniland would span between 25 and 30 years. However, Wike advised the Federal Government that to achieve success, the cleanup must not be politicised. The governor urged the Federal Government to be careful not to bring politics into the cleanup in order to achieve success. “It doesn’t matter the political party that anybody

belongs to, environmental issue does not affect a political party; it affects the entire state and the entire Niger Delta as a whole. “And so, I will advice that we approach it in such a way that it does not look political, particularly in Ogoniland. It is a very complex place; you have to be extremely careful or you may not achieve what you intend to achieve,” the governor warned. According to him, there are political undertones to most of these things that are happening hence it was very difficult for the former government to do what they are supposed to do. He advised that all stakeholders must be brought on board for the exercise to succeed. Wike assured the minister that the state government would give all the necessary support to ensure the success of the cleanup, adding that no government would be happy to see Ogoniland in its present state. He said he was interested in whatever affects Rivers and the entire Niger Delta that had to do environmental pollution and other issues.

6 March, 2016

children’sarena 3

2 s d s or Kid Wom r

Sunday Tribune

Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 0807 449 7425

What I like about my parents 5

Amabek Memorial International School, Kolapo Ishola Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State. 1. Angela Akinade, Basic 3, 7 years I like my mummy because she is kind and she always takes good care of me. She is a great disciplinarian. She is a good mother to me and my sisters. She cooks our food and makes sure that we eat before go-

ing to school everyday. 2. Oladeji Moyinoluwa, Basic 4, 9 years I like everything about my mummy; she is kind and nice. She is good and faithful. She thinks high of her children. She does not neglect me and she is always

concerned about me. She is a good home maker. 3. Lawal Adedotun, Basic 4, 9 years I like my parents because they are good to me. They always go extra mile just to please me so that I don’t lack anything. My mummy

cooks for the family, buys clothes for me and my daddy always takes me to Shoprite and Ventura. 4. Oladebo Stephen, Basic 4, 8 years I like my parents because they are the best parents in the world. They provide

for our needs, they buy clothes and shoes for me and my siblings. My dad pays my school fees while my mummy cooks for us every day which makes me to like them so much. 5. Morakinyo Israel, Basic 5, 11

Famous invention

How It’s Played The violin rests on the left shoulder, and is kept in place by the player’s chin. The left hand is responsible for fingering the notes, while the right hand plucks or bows the strings. Beginning violin players often like to tape the fingerboard, to help remind them of left hand finger placement. How

It’s

A violin is made of many pieces of wood that are chosen to enhance the performance of the instrument. The top is made of spruce, and the back and ribs are made of maple. The neck is made of maple and ebony, the preferred wood for the fingerboard because of its hardness and beauty. All

of these parts are carefully carved and then glued together with special glue. After the body of the violin is assembled and varnished, the four strings, bridge, tailpiece and various smaller pieces are added. Players can choose to include a chinrest.

6. Bakare Olamide, Basic 5, 10 years I love my parents because they always make me happy and they always take care of me. They pay my school fees regularly and they always take me out to have fun. They buy foods, clothes, s h o e s , toys and so many cool stuffs.

Fun kangaroo facts for kids

Made

of C th hil ew d ee k

HE violin began as a three stringed instrument. In 1555, a fourth string was added by Italian violin maker Andrea Amati, though it was his student, Italian string maker Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) who brought the art of violin making to its height. Stradivari’s instruments are regarded as the finest stringed instruments ever built.

years I love my parents so much because they make me feel good at all time. They pay my school fees, take me out shopping. My mum pays my excursion fees; she always punishes and corrects me whenever I do anything wrong.

• Kangaroos are herbivores. They eat grass, shoots and shrubs • A female kangaroo is called a doe • A male kangaroo is called a buck •A baby kangaroo is called a joey • When a joey is born, it is only about one inch big • Kangaroos can’t walk

backwards. • Kangaroos have very powerful legs and can be dangerous at times. • Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height. • Kangaroos can swim. • Most kangaroos eat grass. • A group of kangaroos

is called a ‘mob’, ‘troop’ or ‘court’.

• The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world. • Kangaroos usually live to around six years old in the wild. • Australian airline Qantas uses a kangaroo as their symbol.

POEM

The reflections of an African child

Oluwasemilore Adedotun

Okunade

Clocks

1 Many happy returns.

MY deep black eyes That brightened up my face, My dark oval face, Dotted with my pimples, A sign of early stages of puberty, I stared at my image, For a pretty long time, And questions like darts, Began to fly into my head,

The many pressure surrounding me, As an African, As a girl, As an African girl, Am I supposed to care into the norm the African society has created? Graduate from high school, To become a mother at the age of eighteen? Am I supposed to see high school as the last

phase of my educational pursuit? Or can’t I just further my education, Get into college, Graduate with a decent grade, Get a good job and live the comfortable life I desire? Salako Oluwadamilola, SSS3 Maverick College, Ibadan, Oyo State.

news

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Fayose’s wife to assist 90-yr-old man WIFE of Ekiti State governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose, has promised to assist a 15-year-old boy, Henry Ayodele, who is gifted in artistry and painting when finally re-integrated into the society. According to a statement released by the Special Assistant (Media) to the wife of the governor, Mr Gbenga Ariyibi, Mrs Fayose equally pledged to assist a 90-yearold, Pa Lawrence Adebayo, an inmate of the Ekiti State Social Intervention Centre, Ado Ekiti, to lead a healthy life. The state government could not trace any of the families of the duo or their hometown. Mrs Fayose who spoke while donating food items and beverages to inmates of Ekiti State Children Correctional Centre and Ekiti State Social Intervention Centre, promised to assist the two, especially Ayodeji, to develop his talent, so he could make a living from it.

Wife of Ekiti State governor, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose (second left), chatting with a 90 year-old, Pa Lawrence Adebayo, at the State Social Intervention Centre, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Princess ‘Kunbi Obaisi, looks on.

Banks’ foreign debts hit $500m Chima Nwokoji - Lagos With Agency Reports

HERE are indications that shortage of dollars is forcing banks to delay hard currency loan and trade repayments to foreign banks as outstanding Letters of Credit (LCs) is estimated at $500 million. At the moment, banks seeking dollars to repay letters of credit to foreign banks have to submit bids to the Central Bank, imposing extra barriers to hard currency access. Bankers said this had become a source of worry to the correspondence foreign institutions, even as the risk of default kept increasing by the day. A letter of credit is a letter from a bank guaranteeing that a buyer’s (importer’s) payment to a seller will be received on time and for the correct amount. In the event that the buyer was unable to make payment on the purchase, the bank will be required to cover the full or remaining amount of the purchase.

But now, repayment delays

have swelled to over a week in some cases, bankers said. Reuters quoted one senior Nigerian banker, who did not want his name in print, as saying, “We have had delays for almost a year. But we have capacity to pay what we owe. The delays were understood by both parties to be due to ex-

change controls.” Meanwhile, the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, promised that Nigeria would continue to meet matured financial obligations to foreign investors and its international trading partners. He disclosed this during a meeting with members of

Ogun police dispel rumour of inter-tribal violence in Ogere Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Ogun State Police Command has debunked rumour making the rounds on Saturday that there was violence between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ogere area of the state. In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the command descibed the news as baseless and untrue. The statement read, “The attention of the Ogun State police command has been

drawn to a rumour in circulating that there was an ethnic clash between Yoruba and Hausa in Ogere, Ogun State. “The command wishes to debunk the rumour. Such news is baseless and not true.” Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the command was leaving no stone unturned to ensure peaceful co-existence among tribal groups in the state. He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, had urged members of the public to

Nigeria risks losing remaining jobs unless... —NESG By Dare Adekanmbi NIGERIA risks losing the few available jobs and the opportunity to move upwards in the ranking of business-friendly countries, the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has said. NESG has consequently called on the National Assembly to evolve measures to address the country’s inclement business climate for economic growth and development of the country to be achieved.

the German Business Delegation at the CBN Head office, recently. He reminded the visitors that Nigeria had been going through economic crisis, due mainly to shocks arising from falling global oil prices resulting in severe shortfall in foreign exchange revenue.

A statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, said the chairman of NESG board, Mr Kyari Bukar, made the remark when he presented the Business Environment Legislative Report to Senator Bukola Saraki, in Abuja. Bukar, who commended the eighth National Assembly for its commitment to evolving appropriate regulatory framework to make the country’s business en-

vironment conducive for investors, stressed the need for Nigeria to move up in world economic forum competitiveness ranking. “Someone said there was really no difference between running a business and running a country. If you don’t have proper governance processes and in the case of a nation, legislative and regulatory framework in place, you still do not have sustainable outcome.”

disregard the rumour and go about their lawful businesses as there was peace in Ogun State. “All hands have been on deck to maintain a peaceful coexistence we enjoy in the state,” the statement said.

Abuja witnesses first rain amid jubilations Adetola Bademosi - Abuja IN the early hours of Saturday, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) witnessed its first rain since the beginning of the year. The downpour was welcomed with jubilations by residents who saw it as a relief from the unbearable heat. While speaking with Sunday Tribune, some residents said they had prayed for such to come, considering the degree of sunlight, coupled with the heat, which had made sleeping at night, a difficult task. A resident, who gave his name as Yemi Lawrence described the downpour as a relief.

NCAA concludes audit of Bristow Helicopters Shola Adekola - Lagos BRISTOW Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited on Saturday confirmed the return of Sikorsky S-76 aircraft in its fleet, following the completion of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) comprehensive operational audit and the company’s extensive return to service safety activities. This came after an incident involving the Sikorsky’s helicopters in its fleet, carrying nine passengers and two crew ditched into the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos on February 3rd, 2016, seven months after a similar helicopter in the airline had crashed around Oworonshoki axis of Lagos killing six people on board. To give room for investigation, the regulatory agency had announced the suspension of operations by all the Sikorsky’s aircraft type in the fleet of the airline. Reacting, the Group Vice-President, Global Operations of the airline, Mike Imlach declared: “We thank the NCAA for conducting a thorough review of our operations. We completed a detailed safety inspection of our S-76 series helicopters and test flights for all [16] S-76 aircraft in compliance with the NCAA.”

south-westnews

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

DSS stormed Ekiti assembly, arrested members —Speaker As SAN describes action as illegality Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

HE Ekiti State House of Assembly, on Saturday, said that four of its members are missing, following alleged invasion of the Assembly complex on Friday evening by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The Speaker of the Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, who addressed newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, said the members of the Assembly were in their various duty posts in the House when the operatives of the DSS invaded the complex. Oluwawole said: “Not minding that various committees of the House were meeting, more than 10 DSS men who were armed to the teeth invaded the Assembly Complex, shooting sporadically into the air, thereby causing panic among members and staff of the House of Assembly, who had to scamper for safety. “At the end of the commotion created by this barbaric act, we discovered that four of our members could not be found. “It was only this morning that we were able to establish that Hon. Afolabi Akanni, representing Efon Constituency was abducted and taken to Abuja. The whereabouts of three other members is still unknown as we speak, and reasons for the invasion and abduction of our members are not known.” The speaker, who was joined by 13 other members of the House for the press briefing, claimed that the DSS operatives were from Abuja when asked if he had sought to clarify the incident with the Ekiti command of the service. He said that was what they learnt when they sought to know what was going on. The House accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressisves Congres (APC) of being behind the alleged invasion, saying “we got it on good authority that the script now being acted by the DSS is part of the APC and President Buhari’s clandestine plot to cripple the Ekiti State government by arresting and detaining top functionaries of the government.” Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, on Saturday, condemned the alleged arrest of the lawmakers inside the Assembly chambers by the DSS, describing it as illegal. Speaking with the Sunday Tribune on Saturday

while reacting to the incident, Ozekhome said the DSS should not create the impression that the current Federal Government is intolerant of the opposition. According to the Senior Advocate, “legally, the DSS is in charge of security matters of the country. I don’t understand why it will come to a hallowed chamber to arrest members of the House of Assembly. “This act by the DSS is condemnable and the DSS is creating the impression that the present government is allergic to criticisms and opposition. It should

allow plurality of ideas. “It seems this government is becoming intolerant to criticisms. It is not right to go to hallowed chambers to pick out or arrest members. It is a height of intolerance. President Muhammadu Buhari should call the DSS to order on this issue. It is not right to arrest lawmakers in a state where the governor is known to be critical of the ruling government. “The impression should not be created that the opposition is being silenced. What had just taken place in Ekiti is condemnable and dictatorial. DSS should

ever allow this to happen again, they should be released or if they have any case against them, the DSS should charge them to court immediately.” The Assembly had also claimed that “the plot is to harass, intimidate and embarrass top officials of the Ayodele Fayose government because of his critical stance on the Buhari’s government,” and added that “we are aware that 18 of our members have been pencilled in for harassment and the game plan is to harass them to submission, with a

view to coercing them into signing an already prepared notice of impeachment of the governor and his deputy.” The House, however, expressed its readiness to reject any form of intimidation, saying “we wish to inform those orchestrating the harassment and intimidation of officials of the Ekiti State government, especially honourable members of the state House of Assembly that this is 2016 and not 2006. The same tactics used 10 years ago to truncate democracy in Ekiti State will not work

this time.” They said they wished “to tell the APC agents of political instability that this time round, this House of Assembly will not be available for any ungodly use,” adding that “while we are not afraid of persecution from anyone or government agency, including the DSS, we wish to state that the level at which the Buhari-led Federal Government is taking political vendetta and muzzling of opposition both in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and within the APC is dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country. “Let it be reiterated once again that this House of Assembly is a partner in the progress of the Ekiti State government under the able leadership of Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose. Therefore, the Abuja-based agents of destabilisation should get it into their heads that we will never be harassed or intimidated into buying into their sinister agenda.”

Obasanjo, an outstanding nationalist —Mark Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his wife, Bola; Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his wife, Funso, at the 79th birthday celebration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta, on Saturday.

Ondo perfects plan on agric produce mass export IN its effort to diversify the state economy from oil-based revenue to agriculture, the Ondo State government has concluded arrangement for the exportation of its agricultural produce such as catfish, palm oil and cocoa, among

others. Speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Akure, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade said that the state had gone into partnership with some agencies to commence ex-

portation of the agricultural produce with a view to having a zero-based oil economy in the state. The commissioner, who addressed newsmen in company of his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture, Pastor Segun

Saraki congratulates Obasanjo, new Olubadan SENATE President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Saturday, congratulated former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his 79th birthday, just as he congratulated the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso I, on his ascension to the throne as the 41st Olubadan. The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, described Obasanjo as a worthy statesman, even as he prayed God to grant him

good health, wisdom and more years of fruitful service to the fatherland. “President Obasanjo is a national leader who has not only led this country meritoriously as a military Head of State and civilian president but has continued to guide the nation with his wise counsel even in retirement. He is one true Nigerian whose passion for the unity and development of Nigeria is unparalleled. I wish him many more years of invaluable service to our country,” Saraki said. He said he was equally

pleased to join the government and people of Oyo State in celebrating the ascension of Oba Adetunji to the throne of the Olubadan. “No doubt, Oba Adetunji has all it takes to build on the solid foundation laid by his forbears and to advance the culture, tradition and development of Ibadan,” Saraki said, even as he wished the new monarch long reign on the throne, characterised by peace, unity and prosperity for his immediate domain in particular, Yorubaland and the country in general.

Ayerin, reiterated government’s determination to explore its potential in the sector and also ensure its youth key into the government agenda to create employment. While also speaking, the Agriculture Commissioner, Ayerin, said the state government has constructed a multi-million naira semi-mechanised abattoir factory to provide quality and hygienic meat for public consumption. The commissioner, who stated that the initiative was to prevent people from contacting animal-related diseases, noted that the project would create employment opportunity for the teaming youth. The commissioner who had earlier conducted newsmen round the facilities at the abattoir site, lgoba, Ado road, Akure, said the factory has the capacity to slaughter and process over 2,000 cattle a day.

THE immediate past President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an outstanding nationalist and statesman who laboured to keep Nigeria one, saying he “remains one of the pillars of the contemporary Nigeria.” According to Mark, in his eulogy to Obasanjo on his 79th birthday, “his [Obasanjo’s] belief in a united Nigeria where everyone is free to do his or her legitimate business is unquestionable,” adding that the Owu-born politician “is a father figure to the nation on whose shoulders we lean on when it matters.” He recalled how Obasanjo’s role ended the Nigeria/ Biafra civil war and how he played a leading role towards nurturing and sustaining democracy. Mark praised Obasanjo for his consistent and untiring efforts at sustaining the peace and progress of the nation as well as the entire continent, adding that Obasanjo’s leadership role in Africa and indeed, the world, gave him a sense of pride. He wished Obasanjo good health, wisdom and courage in the years ahead.

news

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Nigerians should see anti-graft war as theirs, not Buhari’s alone —NASFAT head Bola Badmus - Lagos NIGERIANS have been charged to see the war against corruption being led by President Muhammadu Buhari as theirs because victory will ultimately lead to the enthronement of new ethos and values that will put the country on the path of sustainable development and progress. President of Nasrul-Lahi-fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Mr Kamil Bolarinwa, made this call in Lagos, on Saturday, while addressing a press conference to kick-start the 21st anniversary of society. The event was attended by dignitaries, including the spiritual leader and Chief Missioner of NAFSAT, Sheik Gbade Akinbode; chairman, BoT of NASFAT, Alhaji Lateef Olasupo; chairman, anniversary organising committee, Alhaji Ismaila Bello; among others. Bolarinwa, while pointing out that the group remained non-partisan and apolitical, said it was NASFAT’s view that well-meaning Nigerians should support government efforts and programmes intended to restore dignity to both Nigerians at home and abroad and improve the welfare of the people.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State (second left); Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and other Muslim faithful during the funeral prayer for Sokoto State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Malam Nasiru Zurummai, in Sokoto, on Sunday.

DSS arrests gunmaker for Boko Haram Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja

HE Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a man said to be a fabricator of guns for the Islamic insurgents, Boko Haram. In a statement issued by the DSS and signed by Tony Opuiyo, the man, Musa Garba Abubakar, also known as Muhadis Musa bin Haddad, was arrested in Jos, Plateau State, on March 2, during a special tactical operation by the service. The statement said apart

from being a major gun fabricator, he was also an arms-runner, a covert linksman/courier for the Boko Haram sect. Opuiyo explained that during his arrest, two pistols, 80 rounds of live ammunition and several sensitive documents were recovered from him. The statement also said the man approached a foreign mission in Nigeria for logistics and financial support to fight the Boko Haram. “However, unknown to the mission, he is actually an unauthorised gun

maker/runner with intent for mischief and communal strife in the North Central region. “In furtherance of exploited leads, this service apprehended other suspected associates of the gunrunner, namely: Umar Khalil Muhammed and Mohammed Yakubu Tahir alias Mallam Yaro, on 2nd March, 2016. Muhammed was arrested at Layin Oscar in Jos South Local Government Area, while Tahir was picked up at Mista Ali area, along JosZaria road in Bassa Local Government Area. “The duo are accomplices

and active marketers of Abubakar and his products to criminal elements in the North-Central region of the country. “In strengthening its counter-terrorism strategy, the service also arrested one Armaya’u Yakubu alias Ali Tekwando, Yakubu Sule and Usman Ibrahim on 3rd March, 2016, at Hayin Danmani area in Kaduna metropolis. “The trio were members of an extremist cell under the coordination of Yakubu, with affiliation to the proscribed extremist group, Ansaru.”

EFCC to arraign 2 SANs for alleged bribery THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to arraign two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Rickey Tarfa and Dr Joseph Nwobike, at the Lagos State High Court. In two separate charges filed by the anti graft agency, according to a statement by Wilson Uwujare, Head, Media and Publicity of the agency, the two senior lawyers are accused of offering gratification running into millions of naira to judges in alleged ploy to influence decisions in their favour. The statement said Tarfa was facing a 27-count charge of alleged wilful obstruction of authorised officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information to an officer of EFCC and offering gratification to a public official.

Some of the counts read: “That you Rickey Tarfa (SAN), on the 29th day of January, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally gave the sum of N1,500,000 to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No.1002926967, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties. “That you Rickey Tarfa on the 3rd day of October, 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally gave the sum of N 835,000 to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No.1002926967, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.

“That you Rickey Tarfa on or about the 15th day of December, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally gave the sum of N500,000 to Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya in order that Yunusa refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.” For Nwobike, he is facing a five-count charge of allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to public official. Two of the counts read: “That you, Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) on the 19th day of March, 2015, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this

court, intentionally gave the sum of N 750,000 to Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account No.1002664061 in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties. “That you Dr Joseph Nwobike on the 28th day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally gave the sum of N300,000 to Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court in order that Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.”

I was never arrested by EFCC —Ebonyi Speaker SPEAKER of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Francis Nwifuru, has denied being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu State, on Friday. Addressing newsmen on Saturday in Abakaliki, Nwifuru said that he only honoured an invitation from the anti-graft agency at its South-East zonal office in Enugu. “I arrived in Enugu from Abuja after attending an agricultural conference in China and decided to honour the invitation which came to my office in my absence. “I decided to honour the invitation to avoid the inconvenience of traveling to Abakaliki and back to Enugu. “I decided to visit Honourable Edward Ubosi, the Speaker of Enugu Assembly, before going to the EFCC office. “He accompanied me to the EFCC office as I didn’t know the location,” he said. The speaker said that while there, he was asked to explain what transpired with the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 constituency project funds as a member representing Izzi West constituency. “I explained all I knew about the projects within a period of 30 minutes. It is clear that I was neither arrested nor molested by the EFCC,” he said.

Ogun bans motor parks in estates

THE Ogun State government says it will not tolerate the emergence of motor parks, no matter how small, within estates and communities, to ensure the safety of the citizens. The General Manager, Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEB), Alhaji Ola-Ayo Ogunsolu, made this known while settling dispute between the Property Owners and Residents Association (PORA) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) over the illegal operation of a garage located at the Kemta Estate, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta. Alhaji Ogunsolu, in a statement signed by the board’s Press Officer, Mrs Folake Ade-Adeniji, said it was imperative for cab operators and the unions not to operate garages within communities and estates, adding that government would not fold its arms and watch transport unions take over communities and government gated estates across the state. He ordered all the taxis loading inside the estate to vacate the premises with immediate effect. The Director, Estates and Planning, Ogun State Housing Corporation, Mr Wale Ojo, noted that the road in question was not a thoroughfare to anywhere, explaining that it was part of the layout acquired to create residential estates.

52 news

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Glo felicitates with new Olubadan, commends Ajimobi

L O B A C O M has felicitated with the neww Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, on his ascension to the stool. In the same breath, the national telecoms operator commended the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for organising a befitting coronation event that attracted eminent personalities from across the nation. At a royal banquet it sponsored in honour of the new Olubadan at the Recreation Club in Ibadan on Saturday, Globacom reaffirmed its commitment to the preservation of traditional institutions in Nigeria. The national sales coordinator, Globacom, South West, Mr. James Akpomiemie, who represented the company at the event, expressed gratitude to God for making it possible to enthrone a monarch who can lead the entire Ibadan people to a greater and more prosperous future. He added that as a proudly Nigerian company, Globacom believed in preserving and celebrating

the cultural heritage of the country, adding that this informed its decision to host banquet in honour of the royal father. “We are thankful to God for the grace to witness the coronation and for creat-

ing a convivial atmosphere that made it possible for powerful leaders across different shades to gather together in a rare moment of unity and harmony to form social alliances and inspire hope,” he said.

While congratulating the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Ibadan Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland for sparing no efforts or resources to make the coronation a suc-

cess, Globacom prayed that the bonds and alliances that were formed during the coronation would last through the ages and culminate in a more rapid economic development of Ibadanland. He further charged the

entire citizenry of the city to foster the oneness, peace and unity which Ibadanland is reputed for, adding that these are the basic ingredients of growth, development and all-round prosperity of any city or nation.

Protest rocks UI over electricity, water POOR water and electricity supply forced students of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, to shut the main and other entrances leading to the school to call the attention of the authorities to their plight. The protest, which lasted for hours, crippled social activities within the university and resulted in traffic snarl within the institution. The students, who poured out of the halls of residence in their thousands, carried placards with various inscriptions to drive home their message to the management. Leader of the students, Olateju Oladimeji, explained that they had written the management to inform it about their plight, accusing the authorities of ignoring their letter.

He said the poor sanitary conditions in the university compounded by lack of electricity for about three weeks made the protest inevitable. But in a reaction, the Director of Communication

for the school, Mr Muhammed Oladejo, denied that the management refused to act on the letter from the students before the protest broke out. He said the drop in the hours of electricity supply

from about 18 to 10 hours from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) as well as the theft of the school’s electricity cable were responsible for the poor electricity situation. He commended the ma-

turity of the students while the protest lasted, saying that normalcy had since returned to the university with the assurance that the management would continue to prioritise their wellbeing.

NDDC disowns college renovation contract in Akwa Ibom THE management of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it did not award any contract for the renovation of classroom blocks at the Government Technical College, Abak in Akwa Ibom State. Mrs Ibim Semenatari, the acting Managing Director, disclosed this on Saturday at the college when the Akwa Ibom government complained that the con-

tract was abandoned. Mr Aniekan Umanah, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, had taken the Senate Committee on NDDC and Amnesty Programme on projects inspection to show the abandoned classroom blocks. Umanah alleged that the commission came into the school and removed the roof of four classroom blocks,

leaving the students to study in the rain and under the scorching sun. The commissioner said that the contract was abandoned a year ago, complaining that delicate science facilities and computer sets were damaged during the process of transferring them. Responding, Semenatari explained that the contract was not listed in the books

of NDDC. Semenatari further explained that any contract awarded by the commission usually carried NDDC signpost at the site. In his reaction, the Senate Committee Chairman on NDDC and Amnesty Programme, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, cautioned the people of Niger Delta to beware of fake contract letters purportedly issued by NDDC.

Dual citizenship: Tuesday is judgment day for Oyo APC Senator from holding the office of a Senator. Ashaolu said his clients were not concerned about whatever transpired at the March 28 2015 National Assembly in Oyo Central but the legality of Senator Sunmonu’s continued stay in office as a Senator, despite having sworn allegiance to the UK flag. The counsel tendered six exhibits backed with five affidavits deposed to by the claimants, including a certified true copy of Sunmonu’s nomination forms wherein she allegedly affirmed her dual nationality. However, Sunmonu’s counsel argued that since the APC Senator is a Nigerian by birth, the claims made by the claimants’ counsel only affected those who acquired another citizenship by naturalisation. The plaintiff’s counsel’s motion that the defendant’s reply on point of law to the objections raised against the preliminary objection was also heard.

By Dare Adekanmbi AFTER an election, the only hurdle a winner of the election confronts is the litigation from dissatisfied candidates at election petitions tribunal. Such litigation terminates at the Court of Appeal if it concerns state or National Assembly election. But for Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, who is representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Senate, there is one more hurdle to cross after her election passed an integrity test before the tribunal and the Appellate Court. Chief Bisi Ilaka of Accord Party had dragged her to court to challenge her being declared the duly elected candidate for the March 28 election. Ilaka, according to the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), polled 84, 675 votes to trail Sunmonu, immediate past speaker of the state House of Assembly, who scored 105, 378 votes. The post-tribunal battle for Senator Sunmonu this time is not about the circumstances around her election, but about the process that threw her up as the candidate of the APC. In a suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/760/201 filed on September 14, 2015 by five voters from Oyo Central Senatorial district, the claimants are asking the court to remove Sunmonu from office for alleged voluntarily acquisition of the United Kingdom citizenship. They are also requesting that the court compel INEC to withdraw her certificate of return and bar her from parading herself as a Senator. The claimants are: Wahab Abiodun, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, Chief Emmanuel Olajide, Chief Samuel Elegbede and Chief Thomas Ajao, the senator and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are joined as first and second defendants respectively. They are asking the court to declare that Senator Sunmonu lacks the requisite capacity to hold the office of a senator on account of her dual citizenship against the letters and spirit of Section 66 subsection 1 (a) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Non-qualification to stand for the March 28 election was also one of the grounds upon which Chief Ilaka predicated his challenge the declaration of Sunmonu as the winner of the election. Section 66 subsection 1 (a) states that “No person shall be qualified for election to the Senate or the House of Rep-

Senator Monsurat Sunmonu

resentatives if: (a)…he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, has made a declaration of allegiance to such a country. Marked as exhibit C, among the various documents accompanying the originating summons filed by the claimants, is a certified true copy of Sunmonu’s nomination form in which she answered ‘yes’ to the questions relating to dual citizenship. Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has reserved judgment till March 8 in the suit, after about the matter was entertained for about five times and after listening to the submissions of counsel on all the processes filed before him. In a preliminary objection, counsel for Senator Sunmonu, Mr Tola Oshobi, described the matter as an election matter which had already been decided in favour of the defendant by the election petition tribunal and the Appellate Court. But counsel for the claimants, Chief Titus Ashaolu (SAN), countered that the matter was a constitutional issue requiring the court to interpret Sections 66 and 107 of the 1999 Constitution which preclude anyone with dual citizenship

Sparks from local politics Reacting, Oyo APC described the suit as an abuse of court process and “an evil plot to derail democracy.” Speaking through its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Wale Sadare, the party said the matter had already been included in the petition filed by Ilaka and was extensively argued before the tribunal. “Those whose names were listed as plaintiffs are known card-carrying members and chieftains of the Accord Party who have always identified with Chief Bisi Ilaka, the candidate of their party in the Oyo Central Senatorial district election,” the party said. Reference is being made in the camp of Senator Sunmonu to a similar case against Senator Bukola Saraki but which was decided in favour of the former governor of Kwara State. But a counter-argument from claimants is that, while Saraki was born in the UK and therefore naturally qualifies to be a British citizen, Senator Sunmonu was born in Oyo town, went to the UK as an adult and voluntarily acquired British citizen, against the provision of Sections 66 and 107 of the 1999 Constitution. This is what the claimants are asking the court to decide, especially when what Section 66 of the Constitution speaks against is voluntary acquisition of another country’s citizenship.

6 March, 2016

sport

SUNDAY

Sunday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

World t/tennis final:

Japan set to rewrite history

Facing 3SC will be tough —Ogunbote

IWA FC head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has said his men are expecting a tough challenge when they confront his former side, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) today in Ibadan. The Jos Elephant storm the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, today in a in a match day five fixture of the Nigeria Premier League. Interestingly, Ogunbote handled 3SC last season when it hammered Giwa in Ibadan 3-0, a result which earned him plaudits from fans of the Oluyole Warriors. “I know playing one’s former side can be truly tough so we are not expecting anything less. “3SC will be ready for us aimed at claiming the whole three points at stake in the encounter. “Whether we will sit back and watch them have their way is another matter altogether. “However, I strongly believe we have done our home work well, too so we are equally ready for the clash. “Generally, I think it will be a good game for both

sides and victory could go either way. “We do not hope to come back to Jos empty-handed

at least we can go ahead to challenge for our first three points on the road in the four-week old league sea-

Visa delays Latifu’s move to Ukraine NIGERIA international, Akeem Latifu has disclosed he is waiting for visa to complete his move to Ukrainian club, FC Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk. The former Bussdor United player was in Turkey to negotiate with the club two weeks ago at their pre-season camp, where he agreed a-year-andhalf deal with the club. “I have agreed to join Ukraine team FC Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk on a deal for one-and-a-half year. “I went to Turkey to negotiate and finalise on the deal, but I am expecting my visa to come through by next week so I could go to Ukraine and do the necessary formalities to complete the move. “The coach and the agent who brought the deal have been in touch with me, they have been talking to the people at the embassy and

home office about it,” said the former Akwa United player. Latifu also said he was grateful for his time in Norway. “I must say a big thank you to Aalesund fans, they have been there for me while I was at the club, my teammates and the club officials have been wonderful, but I just have to move to face new challenge. Norway remains my second home,” said the former Ocean Boys defender, who reportedly turned down offers from the Middle East to settle for FC Stal.

Coach Kadiri Ikhana of Shooting Stars Sports Club (left) and Gbenga Ogunbote of FC Giwa, both will lead their teams out today in Ibadan, for the three points at stake in a match day five fixture of the Nigeria Premier League. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

son, “ the former 3SC and Sunshine Stars handler told supersport.com. Giwa FC had a 2-1 win over Rivers United in Jos ahead of today’s clash while 3SC now under the tutelage of veteran coach, Kadiri Ikhana lost 1-3 at away to FC IfeanyiUbah in a match day four fixture. The Tin City side had four points to show from possible 12 as 3SC with an outstanding game against Enyimba had three points on the log.

JAPAN is looking to rewrite history today at the Perfect 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after sending both its men and women’s teams into the finals to meet China. Nigeria, it will be recalled, lost to India in the quarterfinal of the championship as well as Egypt. The last time the table tennis powerhouse had both its teams in the final showdown for the World Team Championships title, was back in 1971, where Japan met China in both the team gold medal matches. The women’s team won on home soil then in Nagoya, but the men’s suffered a bitter loss to China. It was 39 years since the Japanese men’s team last made their way to the final, they nearly missed their chance in the action-packed Malawati Stadium. Fortunately, Jun Mizutani managed to saved the day for his team from a fully fired-up English team in the semifinals. Surprise semi-finalist England who were only newly promoted to the Championships Divisions, shocked the world’s top teams en route to the semi-finals to face off Japan. The trio of Paul Drinkhall, Liam Pitchford and Samuel Walker played their best matches against the third seeded Japanese

team, setting the local crowd cheering for every point for the underdogs.

Rangers take over Nigeria Premier League ENUGU Rangers have shot to the top of the table in the Nigeria Premier League after they pipped hard-fighting Wikki Tourists 1-0 in Enugu on Saturday. The Flying Antelopes are now on 10 points from four matches, a point ahead of erstwhile leaders, Lobi Stars and MFM FC of Lagos, who will both be in action today. Godwin Aguda was the match winner when he stabbed home in first half stoppage time after a good effort by striker Bobby Clement. Wikki created chances to draw level with Mubarak Umar denied by goalkeeper Itodo Akor and also skipper Mustapha Ibrahim threatening the Rangers goal area. Osas Okoro was also denied of a goal by the Wikki goalkeeper, Emeka Nwabulu in the second half. The first effort at goal in the game was in the sixth minute by Rangers Obinna Nwobodo, whose tame effort could not beat Nwabulu. Five minutes later, Bobby Clement headed over the bar from a corner kick.

From left, Glo Business Director, Ogun, Mr Ayo Ogunranti; Football Captain, NUD Grammar School, Ifo, Rachael Oyinbo; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; his wife, Mrs Olufunso Amosun; Principal NUD Grammar School, Ifo, Alhaja Memunat Arogundade; Maryam Onasola, Football Captain, United Comprehensive High School, Wasimi and Chairman, Planning Committee, Chief Rasheed Raji at the prize presentation ceremony to winners of the female football competition amongst secondary schools in Egbaland at the grand finale of the Glo sponsored 2016 Lisabi Festival on Saturday in Abeokuta.

I’m not scared of Omeruo, Oboabona in Eagles —Oke OKE Ogagotewho has expressed delight at receiving his first Nigeria call-up ahead of the crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Egypt, saying he is not scared of the big names he will contend with in the

national camp. Coach Samson Siasia named his 42-man squad for the upcoming fixture on Thursday, with Ogagotewho picked alongside the likes of Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona and Efe Ambrose.

The Sunshine Stars’ player insists he wants to be a key member of the Super Eagles for a long time and says he has given no thought to be scared of any big name in the team. “I count it a great honour

called to represent my country amidst other great players,” Ogagotewho told Goal. “To be candid, the big names in the team like Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona and Leon [Balogun] don’t scare me because I know my ability.”

6 March, 2016

THE

Sunday Tribune

Fabio Lanipekun 08050498512 lanipekunfabio@yahoo.com

FIFA: Blatter blasted away

THE OLD, Blatter

ebruary 26, 2016 was the historic day the almost insurmountable crises within FIFA came to an end with the election of a new FIFA president, 45-year-old Swiss-Italian, Gianni Infantino. But there is nothing infantile about the gargantuan task confronting the new president who has to rescue FIFA from the depth that Blatter had allowed the world football governing body to sink. Year in year out, Blatter became a tap root, unremovable from the FIFA presidency, until the Americans waded in and sent the entire executive members scampering for cover. In all my 25 years as the Head of NTA Sports, I had encountered exploitation by FIFA’s marketing agents on television rights, but with some Nigerian businessmen working for FIFA and receiving hefty commission, I was no match for the syndicate. But after reading Andrew Jenning’s expose in FOUL! THE SECRET WORLD OF FIFA: BRIBES, VOTE RIGGING AND TICKET SCANDALS, I picked up the gauntlet in the sports column of Sunday Tribune. The Grandmaster has been picking holes in Sepp Blatter’s style of management and on 5 July, 2009 published this: “The Swiss has been in FIFA for more than 30 years, has grown totally conservative, while the game is hankering for innovation. Blatter will not be in FIFA for life and some of us are looking forward to the day when his successor will bring some freshness into FIFA, while Blatter is still alive,”

THE NEW, Infantino

The booing of Blatter on the final day of the World Cup was significant. The Swiss who had served up to 35 years in office, first as Secretary General and as President since 1998 may need a break so that football can move on.

Hopefully, infantino will do that. On 18 July, 2010, under the headline, “Letter to Sir Stanley Rous,” the Grandmaster wrote. “Other leaders of international sports federations – athletics, boxing, cycling tennis, cricket etc have all embraced video technology but Blatter’s refusal is causing painful controversy among football lovers all over the world. The booing of Blatter on the final day of the World Cup was significant. The Swiss who had served up to 35 years in office, first as Secretary General and as President since 1998 may need a break so that football can move on. “On 19 December, 2010 under the headline “TIME TO REFORM FIFA” the Grandmaster wrote: After 106 years in

existence, FIFA needs a reform or a probe. For now its President, Sepp Blatter is too powerful, untouchable and the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to probe the President of the African Football Confederation, Alhaji Issa Hayatou of Cameroon may be the beginning of a revolution that will cleanse FIFA”. On April 10, 2011, under the headline “Time up for Blatter?” the Grandmaster wrote: Since coming to FIFA, Blatter has cornered power so ruthlessly that all opposition has vaporised. Once CAF President, Issac Hayatou contested the presidency against him, but was crushed mercilessly. The election will come up in June and UEFA president Michel Platini had dropped a hint which might not sound sweet to Blatter. Blatter is a clever fox and I will not be surprised if he pulled it off and equal Gaddafi’s record of 41 years not out! On June 19, 2011 under the headline: FIFA: A FARCE” the Grandmaster wrote. In case you missed it, the British Prime Minister has become the first world leader to make a damning statement since the world football ruling body was founded 107 years ago. Mr David Cameron described the recent FIFA election as a farce and that the standing of FIFA had never sunk so low. The British leader has given the signal, other European leaders will join him and soon the sand will begin to shift under the feet of Blatter. It is not only the black that cling to power in the face of condemnation, the white sometimes do”. On 15 May, 2011 under the headline

“STINKING FIFA”, the Grandmaster wrote: some of us knew years ago that FIFA needed to be rescued but the virus seemed to have become malignant. The series of scandals will have to play themselves out before any meaningful purification begins. Hayatou and Anouma are two senior officers in CAF and with four other top CAF officers serving FIFA suspension, African football may suffer a jolt. Other continents experience revolt in their popular sports, Asia, for example in cricket, and survive it, and for Africa the FIFA scandals should not be unsurmountable”. And finally, the final verdict was delivered 29 May, 2011 under the headline, “NFF, NFA, FIFA: THREE OF A KIND”. Last week I promised to tell you who will emerge the winner of the presidential election. Obviously Sepp Blatter has cornered the world and with his only opponent Mohammed Bin Hamman being roped with bribery allegation, the way may be clear for Blatter’s easy return. FIFA are neck deep with almost all their hitherto respected executive committee members indicted. Even if Blatter is returned for another fouryear term to make it 41 years in office like Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, he is unlikely to finish that term as the final bubble will burst. FIFA have become too soaked in corruption and sooner than later the rotten head will drop off.” Alas, in spite of many decades of GUILE, the world has got rid of Blatter as Gianni Infantino has taken over. Hathiramani’s Cup will be concluded next week.

55 sport

6 March, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Ronaldo nets four in 7-1 Vigo demolition

EAL Madrid went on the rampage on Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo scored four times in the 7-1 demolition of Celta Vigo, a result which has put their Primera Division title challenge on course. Pepe opened the scoring in the run-up to half-time before Ronaldo stepped up a gear after the break, netting his first three goals in a period of less than 15 minutes before going on to hit a fourth. Iago Aspas had scored a consolation goal for the visitors, but Jese Rodriguez and Gareth Bale completed the rout with efforts of their own. The result provides huge relief to head coach Zinedine Zidane, who has now overseen two straight wins since facing criticism for the derby defeat by Atletico Madrid - a team who now sit just one point clear in second spot ahead of their game against Valencia today. Zidane was smiling on 50 minutes when Ronaldo showed his class to make it two. Collecting possession from Sergio Ramos, the Portugal international turned and unleashed a powerful, dipping strike from 25 yards which was too good for Blanco. Ronaldo played on after appearing to suffer an injury from a Hugo Mallo challenge and was presented with a free-kick opportunity on 58 minutes after Marcelo Diaz fouled Isco. The 31-year-old stepped up and dipped a brilliant shot over the wall and into the top corner. Blanco did well to keep out another free-kick from Ronaldo soon after, before Celta struck just after the hour mark. A huge long ball from Gomez completely caught out the home defence and Aspas confidently chipped over Navas. But Ronaldo completed his hat-trick within two minutes of that goal, capping off a fine passing move with a simple close-range finish, as the influential Isco claimed the assist.

Ronaldo with the match ball as souvenir after the clash with Celta Vigo.

Wenger laments red card as Sanchez saves Arsenal ALEXIS Sanchez’s equaliser earned 10-man Arsenal an important point as Tottenham Hotspurs missed the opportunity to go top of the Premier League in the north London derby.

Aaron Ramsey’s instinctive flick gave Arsenal the lead just before the interval - but the game looked to have turned in the space of seven minutes before the hour.

EPL TABLE Team 1 Leicester 2 Tottenham 3 Arsenal 4 Man City 5 West Ham 6 Man Utd 7 Stoke 8 Southampton 9 Liverpool 10 Chelsea 11 Everton 12 Watford 13 West Brom 14 Bournemouth 15 Crystal Palace 16 Swansea 17 Sunderland 18 Norwich 19 Newcastle 20 Aston Villa

P 29 29 29 28 29 28 29 29 27 29 28 29 28 29 28 29 29 29 28 29

GD Pts 21 60 27 55 16 52 21 50 12 49 11 47 -3 43 7 41 5 41 4 40 12 38 1 37 -7 36 -10 35 -6 33 -9 33 -19 25 -23 24 -25 24 -33 16

Arsenal’s Francis Coquelin was sent off on 55 minutes after being shown a second yellow card for a foul on Harry Kane, leaving the door open for Spurs to respond with two quick goals. Toby Alderweireld scored at the far post before Kane curled in a magnificent angled right-foot finish after 62 minutes to put Spurs in command. But Arsenal refused to back down and equalised 14 minutes from time when Spurs keeper, Hugo Lloris let Sanchez’s shot squirm through his grasp. In contrast Arsenal’s David Ospina, in for the injured Petr Cech, was heroic with outstanding saves from Erik Lamela, Kane and Christian Eriksen. Meanwhile, manager Arsene Wenger saluted his men for answering the critics who questioned their character to come out with a point at White Hart Lane. Wenger was quick to hail the fighting spirit of the

Gunners. “I am proud of the spirit, but there are big regrets, going down to 10 men was the big regret for the day and it was hard to take,” Wenger said. “We told Francis Coquelin at halftime because he had yellow already but (Tottenham midfielder) Eric Dier deserved a second yellow as well and that could have changed the game. “I never questioned the character of the team, when you lose you have to respond on the pitch and we did that in a convincing way,” he said.

Sanchez

Traore celebrates after scoring

Hiddink sets new EPL record MANAGER Guus Hiddink has set a new Premier League record following Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Saturday. Bertrand Traore’s firsthalf opener was cancelled out by Mame Biram Diouf in the second half, while the match was Hiddink’s 12th in the Premier League since he took over from Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge. The Dutchman remains unbeaten in the Premier League since he returned to Chelsea, and no manager in the division’s history has gone 12 games without a defeat from when their reign started. Meanwhile, with one eye perhaps on the Champions League last 16 second leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, Hiddink opted to name Cesc Fabregas on the bench and deploy John Obi Mikel in midfield, while Baba Rah-

man returned and Willian was restored to the line-up due to Costa’s enforced absence. Chelsea may have been ruing the loss of the Spain international when Traore failed to take advantage of a fourth-minute cross from Cesar Azpilicueta, and the defending Premier League champions’ early momentum ebbed away. Ibrahim Afellay forced Courtois into a diving save with a powerful 20-yard strike, before his brilliant cross with the outside of his right boot following a rapid break was steered narrowly over by Diouf in the 21st minute. The Senegalese striker was unable to hit the target when presented with his next opportunity, scuffing wide after another counter-attacking move, and the deadlock was broken six minutes before the interval.

SIDELINES NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

NO 2,036

6 MARCH, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

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Recently, the international football governing body, FIFA, elected a new president to serve out the tenure of the former president of the body, Sepp Blatter, under whose leadership FIFA got enmeshed in serious corruption allegations. The new president, they say, is Gianni Infantino. One wonders if an ‘infant’ can clean the ‘Sepptic’ tank in FIFA.

Southwest governors: Begin now to revive our education

T must be a shock to the people of the Southwest to hear that the educational system in the schools of our six states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti) is collapsing. It has been doing so for nearly a decade. Our secondary school finalists have gradually fallen back in the West African School Certificate Examinations. According to the 2015 WASCE result released recently, only one of our states (Lagos State) ranks among the first ten states of the 36 states of Nigeria. Three others (Ekiti, Ogun and Ondo) rank among those in the 11th to the 20th. And two (Oyo and Osun States) rank between the 25th and the 30th. Thus, we are now among the worst in education in Nigeria. What does this mean? What does it portend for our future? It means and portends a frightening lot. If the results of these examinations are really true, then we are falling back dangerously in Nigeria and in the world. We who used to lead West Africa in the WASCE, and who used to lead Africa in education generally, have now fallen close to the bottom. Our future is in jeopardy. In the future, in the very near future, we as a people will no longer be able to compete in the economy of Nigeria. Most of our youths will be unemployable, while all who have businesses in our Southwest, and even our state and local governments, will be employing better-educated people from other parts of Nigeria. Because we would lack adequate education, our leaders in political life, in businesses, in education, in the sciences and the arts, in cultural growth, in journalism, in social life, etc, would be dangerously low in modern leadership capabilities and competence. We would become the truly and hopelessly poor in Nigeria. The answer is obvious. We must reverse the trend – and do so immediately. The way to do this will be somewhat different from state to state, but certain measures are bound to be general. First and foremost, our State Governors must rouse themselves to face this danger strongly and resolutely. That is a first requirement. Our governors must speak up and assure us that they are aware of this danger and that they are raising it to the status of the highest priority in the governance of our states. We know how to run the best schools. Our failure in the past decade or so has arisen

from our mindlessly adopting the attitude of most of Nigeria to education – the attitude that attaches little importance to education. Only decades ago, we gave the most serious importance to education, and that led us to the highest levels of education and development, not only in Nigeria, but in all of Africa. We command the capability to revive our educational system in only a couple of years. We must do it – we can do it. Furthermore, we need to remember that the decline in Nigeria’s educational standards began when the military dictator-

away from their founders and owners. It is time to re-energize the traditional school owners and to give them back their schools. Moreover, though all the governments of the Nigerian federation are suffering from serious shortage of funds today, any of the governments is still able to adjust its priorities. For us in the Southwest, education has always been the most crucial of investments. Our governors owe us the duty of returning it now to the top of their priorities. This would mean that our schools would be better supplied with educational resources, and that

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ships of the 1970s commanded that schools founded and run by various “voluntary agencies” (Christian and Muslim bodies, communities, and individual educational entrepreneurs) should be taken over by state governments, and that the prestigious regional universities be taken over by the Federal Government. The care and dedication with which the various agencies managed their schools immediately vanished, only to be replaced by insensitive and care-free management by state governments. All over Nigeria, schools became poorly supplied with resources, and teachers became the least regarded of public servants. Whenever state governments experienced shortage of funds, the schools were usually the first to suffer neglect, and the teachers the first to be denied payment of their salaries. Incredibly, the states of the Southwest, traditionally the leaders in educational development and seriousness in Nigeria, slipped into these disastrous postures. Now, the time has come to change these things in our Southwest. It is time to admit the folly of taking schools

our teachers will be regularly paid. It will also mean that the subventions which our Regional Government used to give to voluntary agencies for their school will be revived. In addition to paying our teachers their salaries as due, we need to take serious steps to revive their morale. Our school teachers have been so terribly battered that most of the best among them have given up, with the result that the quality of teaching in our schools has perished. A large programme of in-service training must be embarked upon. Subjecting our teachers to compulsory tests and examinations, as some of our state governments did some time ago, is not the way to go. By imposing mandatory tests, we give the impression that we intend to weed the weaker ones out. These people have the right to work; what we need to do is to empower them to do a good job by revamping their skills and reviving their morale. Also, the situation has become so serious that we need now to revive the traditional interest and involvement of the masses of our people in the school system for our

I would have punched Messi —Maradona ARGENTINA soccer legend, Diego Maradona admits he might have punched Lionel Messi over his trickshot penalty with Luis Suarez. FC Barcelona ran out comfortable 6-1 winners over Celta Vigo late last month, but the highlight of the game was Messi’s penalty in which he opted to pass to Luis Suarez for an easy finish from close range, instead of shooting directly. But Maradona, who coached Messi during the 2010 World Cup with the Argentina national team, insists he would have reacted angrily as a player if he witnessed that pen-

alty on the pitch. “If I’d been on the pitch for Messi’s indirect penalty, there would have been punches thrown, regardless of whether it was the A, the B, the C or the D division, for sure there would have been punches thrown,” Maradona told Fox Sports’ ’90 Minutes’ show. Meanwhile, Barcelona manager, Luis Enrique would like to see Messi play until he is 40, but concedes he does not possess the magical powers to make it happen. Reports in Spain suggest Barca are preparing to tie the five-time Ballon d’Or winner down to a new six-year contract, which would

keep him at Camp Nou until the age of 35. “I’m a coach and a good coach, I think, but not a magician,” he told a news conference on Saturday. “Lionel Messi is going to be the greatest player as long as he wants to, but there will be a time when age affects everybody. “I’d like it to be until he’s 40 years old, but I don’t have a scientific basis to comment any further on that.” Messi has netted 20 goals in all competitions since the turn of the year and is now six behind team-mate Luis Suarez in the La Liga scoring charts.

children. If well motivated, our people can make serious contributions to the quality of our school buildings and premises, and even to the quality of teaching in our classrooms. Surely, we cannot forget that the educational progress in the Western Region up to the 1970s owed much to the interest and willing contribution of our common citizenry. Our governments must consider ways by which these things can be generated again. And we need to take steps to protect our schools. In many countries of the world, special laws protect school premises and environments from lawless behaviour – such as thuggery, distribution or use of illegal drugs, etc. Stories that these kinds of behaviour are common in schools in some of our states need to be met with appropriate laws and serious provisions for the enforcement of such laws. Finally, the following must be said. We Yoruba people of the Southwest are used to being in the top position in development and modernization in Nigeria. That is good. It is a product of history. We entered Nigeria with a lot of assets that the rest of Nigeria did not have. We were historically heavily urbanized, owning cities and towns at short distances all over our homeland. We also embraced Western education much earlier than other peoples of Nigeria. By the time Nigeria was formed in 1914 to include all of the peoples it now includes, we Yoruba were already a considerably well educated people, with many university graduates in all fields. Western education did not take hold in most of the rest of Nigeria until the 1920s. In the 1950s, the leadership of Chief Awolowo and his contemporaries helped the gap to grow wider. But, sadly, we now tend to believe that, whether we try or not, we will remain at the top. This is simply not true. Of course, we are able to continue to make the most eminent contributions to the building of Nigeria – but only if we strive hard at it and respond to challenges competently. It is a happy thing that the peoples of Nigeria are rising up in all directions. We Nigerians want to be, and can be, among the best in the world. We in the Southwest can, and must, keep the struggle going at its best. This educational challenge is here, and we must rise fully and successfully to it.

English Premiership results Tottenham Chelsea Everton Man City Newcastle Southampton Swansea Watford

2 Arsenal 1 Stoke City 2 West Ham 4 Aston Villa 1 Bournemouth 1 Sunderland 1 Norwich City 0 Leicester

2 1 3 0 3 1 0 1

Nigeria Premier League Rangers

1 Wikki Tourists 0

POOLS: 1, 6, 8, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 33, 34, 38, 44, 46, 49. TODAY’S MATCHES: 02, 10.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: sundaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR : SINA OLADEINDE. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 6/3/2016