7th April 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,474

THURSDAY, 7 APRIL, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Fuel scarcity tragedy

Father, daughters die in fire explosion —P8,10 •Mother runs out naked with last child •Marketers counter Kachikwu, say fuel scarcity won't end this week

Aluko and I prostrated 3 times to beg Fayose —Ex-Speaker Olugbemi •It's all lies —Aluko —P12

From left, Executive Director, Adaora Umeoji; Group Managing Director, Peter Amangbo; chairman, Jim Ovia and the Company Secretary, Michael Osillama Otu, all of Zenith Bank Plc, during the bank’s 25th Annual General Meeting, held at Civic Centre, Lagos, on Wednesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

At last, 2016 budget details sent to Buhari —NASS —P2

Dasukigate: EFCC arrests Jonathan's cousin —P6

Queen's College rape scandal:

Old girls, PTA in war of words —P8

Policemen to undergo psychological test before issuance of arms—IG —P42

Saraki took monthly salaries from Kwara, 4 years after office —EFCC •Says ex-Kwara gov authorised transfer of $3.4m to US —P2 •We didn't pay Saraki's salary after leaving office —Kwara govt •His pension used for education endowment —DG Constituency Office •APC senators at loggerheads

2 news At last, 2016 budget details sent to Buhari Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

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ETAILS of the 2016 appropriation bill has been submitted to the clerk of National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The president had insisted that he would not assent the N6.06 trillion appropriation bill passed by the National Assembly on March 23 without seeing the details of the passed budget.

Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, who transmitted the 1,800 pages details of the passed budget to the clerk, on Wednesday, told newsmen that the appropriation committees of both chambers jointly concluded work on the budget details.

He also informed that his committee, alongside its Senate counterpart, led by Senator Danjuma Goje, did extensive work on the budget details.

While answering questions from newsmen, Honourable Jibrin said “yes we have just submitted the details of the 2016 appropriation bill to the clerk of the National Assembly for onward transmission to the executive arm of government.”

On the late passage of the budget, he said “we do know what is going on, we share their pains. We are also living in this country, we just want Nigerians to understand that this year, it is a different budget. We have not had such a challenging budget before.

“The presidential advisers to the National Assembly will come over to pick the details. I have called both of them and they are aware that the details are ready.”

A statement issued later

by Honourable Jibrin, entitled: “transmission of 2016 budget details to the executive” said “the Appropriation Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives have submitted the details of the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly for onward transmission to the Presidency.

“While we thank Nigerians for their patience and understanding, it is important to reiterate that it took us extra weeks to get the details ready, not because there was anything untoward going on, but rather so we could correct all the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding in the document submitted to us in December last year.

“Being the most important economic policy tool of government, the budget provides a comprehensive statement of our priorities as a nation. And as representatives of the people, the

National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations.

“Therefore, what we have been doing in these past few weeks is to balance the projections for revenue against the estimates for expenditure based on the reality of our situation today.

“Unfortunately, that task has been made very difficult

by the sloppy manner in which the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive, such that many of the officials who came before our various committees practically disowned the inputs from their own departments and ministries.

“In most instances and across several agencies, the bill that was initially presented to us failed in many respects to connect with the policy thrust of the govern-

ment and the needs of our people. That is aside the fact that most of the figures simply did not just add up. It was one of the most controversial budgets that ever came to the National Assembly from the Executive.

“Fortunately, President Muhammadu Buhari, who we must commend for showing leadership, intervened and that helped in resolving what had become a serious logjam.

Some officials in the execu-

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

tive branch have also been removed from their duty posts because of these glaring lapses. That happened because the president took direct responsibility and got involved in the process, not only to ensure synergy between the executive and the legislature, but also so that we could both arrive at a budget that is implementable for the good of all Nigerians.

“However, it is important to stress that this is the first time we would have a transi-

tion from the ruling political party to the opposition, so some of these problems are understandable.

“We, therefore, believe that the executive will learn from the mistakes of this year, going forward. But we must also commend the leadership of the National Assembly as well as members of our own committees who have had to endure sleepless nights, especially in recent weeks.”

We don’t recognise Eze-Ndigbo —Olubadan-in-Council

By Tunde Ogunesan THE Olubadan-in-Council, on Wednesday, declared that it will no longer recognise the title of Eze Ndigbo and has, therefore, ordered leaders of Igbo in Ibadanland to report to one of its chiefs, Baale Ekotedo, Dr Taiye Ayorinde, henceforth.

The decision was reached after a meeting by the council, held at the Popoyemoja palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji.

The meeting was attended by members of the council, including High Chief Lekan Balogun, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, High Chief Olufemi olaifa, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola and the Iyalode, Alhaja Aminat Abiodun.

The two Igbo factions, led

by Dr Alex Anozie and Chief Alloy Obi and their teams were also present at the palace and were called inside for a briefing accordingly.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Ajibola, said the council did not recognise them because nobody could bear the title of “His Royal Majesty” in Olubadan domain.

According to Ajibola, “the only Oba in Ibadanland is His Highness, Oba Saliu Adetunji. So, no other person can call himself ‘His Royal Highness’ in Ibadan. This is because we have three levels in the traditional chieftaincy system in Ibadanland.

We have the Olubadan, his High Chiefs and we have the Baales, any other person comporting himself in form of royal highnesses is a counterfeit.

“So, Royal Ndigbo or any club, association or their heads comes under the Baale in that respective domain.

So, if you say Eze Ndigbo or what, you come under the Baale Ekotedo. So anything they have to do, they cannot come to the Kabiyesi directly. The Olubadan has somebody representing him.

“During the war days, we have them at the borders.

We have Baale of Ido at the border, Baale Egbeda at the Egbeda point and at Oluyole point and so many Baales like that as representatives of Olubadan and they are warriors. They stand till today, any other person that want

to be a leader must come under that respective Baale.

So Eze of Ndigbo comes under the rulership of Baale of Ekotedo, who reports to Olubadan or Olubadan-inCouncil in return.”

At the council meeting, Nigerian Tribune also learnt that the Onido of Ido, Chief Tajudeen Akinola Agura, was, on Wednesday, derobed for parading himself as such, despite being on sus-

pension by the council.

It was gathered that the suspended chief was under investigation, following a petition which the council is currently studying and considered would be better and fairly investigated if the person in question was suspended.

High Chief Ajibola further briefed that the thanksgiving service for the successful installation of Oba Saliu

Adetunji would come up at the Central Mosque, Oja’ba, Ibadan, between 12.00 noon and 2.00 p.m. tomorrow and on Sunday, at the Cathedral Church of St. David, Kudeti, Ibadan, by 10.00 a.m.

He said traditional rulers and dgnitaries from all walks of life would be attending the services.

He also noted that the proposed thanksgiving services were expected to offer op-

portunities for clerics and religious leaders from different denominations to pray for Ibadan, Oyo State and Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the children of the late Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, paid a solidarity visit to Oba Adetunji on Wednesday.

They were led by Professor Femi Lana and congratulated the new Olubadan on his ascension of the throne.

Saraki took monthly salaries from Kwara, 4 years after office —EFCC •Says Ex-Kwara gov authorised transfer of $3.4m to US •We didn’t pay Saraki’s salary after leaving office —Kwara govt •As 90 lawyers appear for Senate President at CCT • APC senators at loggerheads From Taiwo Adisa, Biola Azeez and Sunday Ejike SENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was receiving monthly salaries from the Kwara State government, even after he became a senator, Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said.

While giving his testimony at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Wednesday, Wetkas claimed that Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from June 2011, when he left office as governor of Kwara State, to August 2015, while he was a senator.

“In the course of our investigation, we wrote to Access Bank for them to give us details of the salary account of the defendant. The salary that was coming into the account was N254,212 as of August 1, 2007.

“As of June 3, 2011, the salary was N291,124. On July 4, there was another payment with the narration Kwara State Government (KSG) June 2011 salary. The amount was N572,286.

“On August 29, 2011, there was another payment in the sum of N744,002 from the Kwara State government.

“On September 29, 2011 there was another payment of N743,942 with the narration salary payment from KSG. “On October 27, 2011, there was another payment of N1,165,468 for salary. In November 2011, there was payment of the same amount.

The narration was December pension.

“On February 1, 2012, there was payment of the same

amount with the narration for pension.

“The salary payments stopped in this account on August 31, 2015. The defendant left office on May 29, 2011, he became senator in the same year,” he said.

Also on Wednesday, Wetkas also alleged that the Senate president corruptly obtained cash deposits of $10,000 18 times in one day, into his account with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank).

The witness also said Saraki authorised the transfer of $3.4 million to his United States (US) bank account.

Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Wetkas said the defendant directed GTBank to transfer the funds to America Express Services, Europe Limited.

He said the money was later forwarded to Saraki’s bank account at America Express Bank in New York with registration number 730580 on August 25, 2008.

The witness said on November 5, 2005, $20,000 was lodged into his GTBank account at GRA Ilorin branch by one Bayo Dare and Abdul Adama.

The defence lawyer, Paul Usoro, did not object to the admissibility of the bank documents, but he reserved his arguments till later date.

We didn’t pay Saraki’s salary after leaving office –Kwara govt Kwara State Government has, however, denied paying Saraki’s salary after he left office in May 2011.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in a reaction to claims that the former governor was

drawing salary from the state after he left office, explained that Dr Saraki’s last salary was N291,474 for the month of May 2011.

“From June 2011, former Governor Saraki started receiving his pension, which was N578,188 as other past governors in the country,” he said.

The statement, which was made available to journalists in Ilorin, on Wednesday, added that after the review of pensions of former political office holders by the State Pension Board, the former governor’s pension was increased to N1,239,493.94 monthly from October 2014 to date.

“Kwara State government, therefore, dismissed as false and misleading, the allegation that former Governor Saraki was receiving salaries after the expiration of his two-term tenure as governor of the state,” it said.

Alhaji Gold advised interested stakeholders to seek clarification from appropriate authority to avoid misleading the public.

His pension used for education endowment –DG Constituency Office Director-General of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, otherwise known as Mandate, Honourable Abdulwahab Isa, has said since Saraki left office in May 2011, his pension, which was paid into a special account, had been managed by a group of trustees and used for education endowment for students across the state.

Isa, in a statement in Ilorin, on Wednesday, said the Sen-

ate President did not even have access to the account.

He said a group of trustees led by him were mandated to use the money in paying scholarship grants and funds for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board ((JAMB) forms for students across the state.

“We have also used the money to pay for coaching of students who were preparing for JAMB examinations.

For example, the most recent beneficiaries from the funds were two University of Ilorin Faculty of Law students, who were the best in their set and needed money for their enrolment into the Nigerian Law School,” he said.

Isa added that the funds from the pension account had been utilised in fulfillment of a pledge publicly made by Dr Saraki to the people.

90 lawyers appear for Saraki Ninety lawyers, on Wednesday, announced their appearance for Dr Saraki, an increase in the number of lawyers that appeared for him previously at the CCT. On Tuesday, 51 lawyers had announced their appearance for him.

But on Wednesday, Kanu Agabi, Saraki’s lead counsel, reeled off 90 names, including that of four senior lawyers.

Jocularly, he told Danladi Umar, chairman of the tribunal, that he would go down in history as one of the judges before whom the highest number of lawyers appeared.

Agabi was absent on Tuesday, but Paul Usoro (SAN), Continues pg4

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

THE GOVERNMENT OF OYO STATE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT THE OYO STATE AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVE

2nd CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY The Governor of Oyo State, HE Senator Abiola Ajimobi, welcomes all delegates to today's consultative meeting in pursuance of the 2016 Oyo State project of massive job creation through the agro-allied value chain.

INVITED STAKEHOLDERS Out-growers

Corporate Investors

Agricultural Insurance Manufacturers

Agro-Input Companies

Agricultural Technology Fabricators Agricultural Research Institutes

Development Agencies

Financial institutions Commodity Associations

Federal Agriculture and

Potential Investors in Agro-Allied Business

DATE: Thursday, April 7, 2016 VENUE: International Conference Centre, Institute of International Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Moniya, Ibadan TIME: 11.00 am

The agenda of this stakeholders’ engagement is the launch of

Agri OYO ...land in wealth.

THE OYO STATE AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVE This is part of the Oyo State economic diversification project. Other stakeholders will soon be invited to play their respective parts.

Announcer

Yomi Layinka Special Adviser to The Governor (Communication & Strategy).

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Govs didn’t allow Jonathan to save —Okonjo-Iweala

Says her mum was kidnapped because she called for fuel subsidy removal

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ORMER Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said state governors did not

Saraki took monthly salaries from Kwara, 4 years after office —EFCC

Continued from pg2

one of Saraki’s lawyers, held brief for him.

APC senators at loggerheads over Saraki’s ouster Loyalists of Saraki and his opponents in the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) are at loggerheads over calls that the Senate president should resign as a result of his trial at the CCT. A number of senators who met at the Asokoro residence of former Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wammako, had raised the issue of a possible ouster of Saraki as a result of the trial, with another set of lawmakers, also at the meeting, resisting the suggestion.

Saraki’s loyalists said those calling for his impeachment should avail themselves of the constitutional provisions regarding the office of the Senate president.

Close to 20 senators were said to have met at the home of the former Sokoto governor, but they were not unanimous with a position on the issue, as sources said the meeting was sharply divided on the possibility of Saraki resigning.

A member of the Senate Unity Forum, which is loyal to the hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told the Nigerian Tribune that the meeting in Asokoro generally agreed that Saraki should be replaced.

But the development at the CCT on Wednesday still showed that Saraki had a good number of loyalists, as 21 senators followed him to the venue of the trial.

Of the number, 11 are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while 10 others are APC senators. On Tuesday, at the commencement of the trial, 23 senators accompanied Saraki to the CCT. A senator of the SUF told the Nigerian Tribune that those who argued for Saraki’s ouster were of the view that the image of the Senate was being dragged in the mud.

But the senator representing Kwara South senatorial district, Rafiu Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of Like Minds Senators, said Saraki’s loyalists at the Asokoro meeting resisted the attempt to pass a resolution to have him resign, adding that the trial was mainly “political persecution.”

allow the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to save for a rainy day.

In an interview with Le Monde, the 61-year-old economist said “some economists are very concerned for Nigeria, which could greatly suffer from the fall in oil prices. Others say the contrary, that its economy is strong enough to turn the corner.

“Both are right. But one thing saddens me. When I was finance minister the first time, the volatility of oil prices, and therefore state resources, cost at least three points of growth in the country.

“We then established a sta-

bilisation mechanism and opened an account for the oil surplus, which posted up to $22 billion. In 2008, when prices fell from 148 to $38 a barrel, no one has heard of Nigeria because the country was able to tap into this fund.

And that, I am very proud [of].

“When I returned to the department in 2011, there remained only $4 billion on this account while the price of oil was very high! I tried again to put money aside.

The president agreed, but the governors did not accept.

“I suffered a lot of attacks from them and now that the country would really need this account, these same peo-

ple accuse me of not having saved. If Nigeria had been more careful, we would not be here today. It hurts me.

We have the mechanism, we had the experience, but we were prevented to act.”

She also said her 83-yearold mother was kidnapped because she advised the former president to remove fuel subsidy.

Okonjo-Iweala said the fight against corruption was at the root of the kidnap, with the abductors demanding her resignation on live television.

When asked what her failures and successes in the fight against corruption were, Okonjo-Iweala said:

“Your answer would take a whole day.

“On my first experience as minister, I wrote a book, Reforming the unreformable (ed. The MIT Press, 2012).

For the second, it was really difficult. Nigeria subsidises fuel. About $6.7 billion that it costs, we found that $1.5 billion was fraudulent.

“One importer claimed that his boat was waging its oil while at the other end of the world, according to maritime classification society Lloyd’s Register Marine.

“I told the president that we would stop paying. What happened? They kidnapped my mother, 83 years. During the first three days, their only

demand was my resignation.

I was supposed to go on television and announce my resignation.

“This was one of the worst moments of my life. Can you imagine what happens in your head if you have to be responsible for the death of your mother?

“I will not go into details, but you must understand that in a country like this… in the fight against corruption, we must be prepared to pay a personal price. My father asked me not to resign.

The president asked me not to resign. At the end, everyone began looking for her and the kidnappers released [her].”

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Monday, 4 April, 2016 Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Dasukigate: EFCC arrests Jonathan’s cousin, 1 other •It’s vendetta against ex-president— SAN Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja

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OLLOWING the recommendation of the presidential panel that investigated contracts awarded to 300 companies and individuals by the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a cousin and confidant to the former president, Mr Azibaola Robert and his colleague, Dakoru Atukpa, the Executive Director (Projects) of Katakar Civil Engineering Company, for collecting money from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

President Muhammadu Buhari had set up the panel to investigate all contracts awarded by the Jonathan Administration from 2011 to 2015. The committee’s investigation made far-reaching recommendations, including re-

funds of money, further investigation, among others.

The duo, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, were arrested by the commission on March 23, 2016 for alleged diversion of public funds through Oneplus Holdings, a sister company of ex-President’s cousin’s other company, Kakatar Construction and Engineering Company Limited.

It was gathered that Oneplus Holdings was paid $40million by the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), for oil pipelines security contract.

The commission, it was further gathered, had obtained a remand order from a court of law to enable it keep the duo in custody.

Meanwhile, the lawyer to Robert, a social activist, human rights lawyer-turned entrepreneur and Atukpa, Gordy Uche (SAN), has accused the anti-corruption agency of embarking on a

vendetta mission against former President Jonathan.

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, in Abuja, by the Senior Advocate, Robert was being persecuted by the commission as a result of his relationship with Jonathan, saying that, “My client is being persecuted and punished because of his DNA, as a relative of Dr Goodluck Jonathan.”

Uche challenged the commission to either charge his clients to court or release them on bail, saying that their arrest had generated controversy between lawyers to Roberts and that of the EFCC over who should refund money to who.

The lawyer stated that the Federal Government was still owing his client $4million being balance of the contract sum for successfully securing oil pipelines, which he said saw Nigeria reaping billions of US dollars from increased oil production.

According to him, the ONSA was shirking in its responsibility for the outstanding payment of $4million due to his client as honorarium for an assignment, which he (Robert) helped the Federal Government execute and for which the government reaped immensely billions in dollars in return.

Uche added that the antigraft commission was insisting that One-plus Holdings should show proof of work done, including receipts of payments made to third parties from the proceeds of the said contract, or in the alternative refund the $40million to government coffers.

“It is for this reason that Robert and Atukpa have been held captive and locked up incommunicado by the EFCC for over two weeks,” he stated, maintaining that the issue in dispute between his client and the EFCC “is purely a civil matter which should have been addressed as such.”

INEC plotted coup against constitution by declaring Bello as Kogi gov — Counsel MR Wole Olanipekun (SAN) says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plotted coup against Nigeria’s Constitution by declaring Yahaya Bello as Kogi State governor.

Olanipekun, who is the Counsel to Mr James Faleke, the petitioner, told the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, while giving his final addresses.

He said that the constitution was self explanatory and that the petitioner ``has a locus standi for him to have channelled his complain to the tribunal.’’

The counsel, therefore, urged the tribunal to forget all the grammar spoken by the respondents and face the fact by declaring his client as the rightful and legal governor.

Olanipekun urged the tribunal to use the case of late President Umar Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan as a case study where the former died and the latter was later made the president.

``I urged this tribunal to forget about all the grammar being spoken by these respondents and face the fact that this petition has not been resisted by the 1st and 2nd respondents, INEC and Bello. ``The petitioner has a locus standi, I agree that this kind of issue has never

happened before but this is a coup set up by the 1st respondent. ``This is also the first time in the history of democracy where someone will contest without a running mate,’’ Olanipekun said.

The petitioner’s counsel also told the tribunal that

EFCC raises the alarm over fraudsters demanding money on behalf of Magu Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, raised the alarm over the activities of a group of fraudsters who have cloned the telephone number of the chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, using it to make calls to demand for huge sums of money under various pretexts.

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune by EFCC’S Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the activities of the fraudsters

came few weeks after the anti-graft agency had raised the alarm over the activities of a syndicate which opened a Facebook account in the name of the EFCC boss and began soliciting friendship from prominent individuals and all manner of favours using the platform.

“It has become necessary to alert the general public to the activities of fraudsters who have been impersonating the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu and extorting money from members

FCT receives sensitive materials for April 9 elections THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said it has taken delivery of sensitive materials for the Saturday, April 9 elections in six area councils.

Professor Jacob Jatau, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, made this known in

the 2nd respondent, Bello, was not a registered voter in the state which he said was against the provision of the constitution.

According to him, ``the constitution said that you should vote and be voted which the 2nd respondent does not even meet up with any of the provision.’’

an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said that the materials received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were ballot papers and the election result sheets.

Jatau said the Card Reader Machines (CRM) were in the commission before now and had made them

ready for the elections. ‘’The card readers were being charged for some days now and I know that they are set for use,’’ he said.

According to him, the machines will be distributed together with the other sensitive materials to the six area councils on Thursday.

of the public under various guises.

“A few weeks after the Commission raised the alarm over the activities of a syndicate which opened a facebook account in the name of the EFCC boss and began soliciting for friendship from prominent individuals and all manner of favours using the platform; another group has cloned the telephone numbers of the acting chairman,” the statement stated.

It added that “the latest group has been making calls to close contacts of the anti-graft Czar and other prominent personalities demanding for huge sums of money using various pretexts.”

It, however, warned members of the public to disregard any call supposedly from the EFCC chairman asking for payments to be made either to nominated proxies or accounts as such calls do not emanate from Magu.

According to the Senior Advocate, “it is impunity and breach of their fundamental human rights. We have a civil dispute and then you turn around to lock up the party with whom you have a dispute. Then, you go ahead to give him impossible bail conditions: Two federal serving directors each with properties in Maitama or Asokoro and original of their Certificate of Occupancy; the four directors are also required to present bail bonds of N250million each from reputable bank.

Robert and Atukpa are also required to deposit their international passports.

“Which serving director in Nigeria today has property in Asokoro or Maitama districts and can boast of N250million?

It’s like saying bring the bones of your grandmother alive before we grant you bail.

“The annoying thing is that while we were working to fulfil the bail conditions the EFCC went to court and obtained a remand order, which means that the commission never intended to grant them bail in the first place.”

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Brisibe Asiami now ZUOKUMOR AKPOS CLARK. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Popoola Aisha Olajuwon now POPOOLA AISHA ANIBIJUWON. All former documents remain valid. Babcork University, Ilisan, Nigeria Nursing Council and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Loaded fuel tanker crashes into vehicles, injures four Olalekan Olabulo

Scene of the accident involving a petrol tanker and three other cars at Otedola Bridge, Berger, on Wednesday. PHOTO: LASEMA

FOUR people were on Wednesday injured in a multiple motor accident that occurred on Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The timely intervention of emergency workers prevented an explosion as the accident involved a tanker, fully loaded with 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.

The injured victims involved in the accident, three females and one male, were immediately rushed to the Trauma Centre for medical attention.

Three of the injured victims were later discharged from the centre, while the fourth, a female, was referred on assessment of the fracture of the distal end of the fibula bone.

Fuel scarcity: Father, two daughters die in

petrol explosion Olalekan Olabulo

R

ESIDENTS of communities in Somolu area of Lagos State have been thrown into mourning, following the death of a father and his two daughters in a petrol explosion incident.

The incident which happened at about 10:00 p.m. at 5, Adebiyi Street, consumed one Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajibade, aged 65, and his daughters, Wuraola, 19 and Shakirat, 15 when they tried to rescue their father who was trapped.

It was gathered that the wife of the deceased, identified as Rachael, who managed to escape on seeing her husband and children burning, ran out of the house naked with her last child.

The deceased first daughter, Mrs Tawa Olasunkanmi, said “I was on my way home after closing from shop when I got a phone call from my father’s neighbour that my father and my step sisters had been consumed by fire. Immedi-

ately, I went to his residence only to see mammoth crowd gathered in the compound, crying and wailing. I was later told my father died as a result of fuel explosion which occurred when he was filling his generating set with petrol.”

A neigbhour of the deceased, Mrs Rukayat Ibrahim, said “when Alhaji returned from work, he asked Shakirat, one of the daughters, to prepare tea for him, she went inside the room to prepared the water for the tea, while her father went to fill their generator beside where she was boiling the water, but they did not know the generator was leaking. Shakirat, who was inside the room came out of the room with water to assist her father with her phone’s light pointing at the generator, suddenly what we heard was a loud sound.”

The late Wuraola, who was also inside the room, was said to have ran out of the house when she heard a loud noise and went to where her father and sister were and while trying to rescue them, she was

•Mother runs out naked with last child •Tragedy caused by stored fuel —Fire Service

also consumed by the fire.

A neighbour, who did not want his name in print said “It is a awful experience as they were all burnt beyond recognition. Even before the fire fighters gained access to the house, it was not easy. The crowd was massive. Nobody knew they were trapped there.

We thought they escaped.

It was after the fire fighters passed through another building and they brought out their remains that we knew they were dead.”

It was gathered that the deceased was meant to be appointed as a unit Chairman of Onipanu Phase 2, branch of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) before his demise.

The Chairman (NURTW), Bajulaiye Abiodun Unit, Mr Sulaiman Allison, said, they were together on Tuesday at the motor park discussing about his inauguration and “I was surprised when I received a phone call about his death. His death is a big loss

to the Union in Somolu we will miss him.”

The late Ajibade’s daughter, Shukurat Shabi, said, I am yet to believe that my father and my sisters are gone. “My father is a hardworking man.

When it is time for him to be rewarded for his effort towards the progress of transport business in Somolu, he died, He just bought a bus three weeks ago to complement the one he had before and it was the same bus he was siphoning fuel from to power the generator which later caught fire.” She said.

The deceased according to a neighbour, Vincent Achum, just collected N400, 000 from a cooperative society, but the money also got burnt in the fire incident.

He said: “it is unusual of the deceased to return home early because he ply Fola Agoro to Onipanu but yesterday he came early and asked for a cup of tea and died without taking the tea.

The fire did not spread to other apartment in the compound.”

The deceased’s younger brother, Mr Oriade Ajibade, said the deceased never stored fuel in his compounded as being speculated.

“If there is no fuel scarcity, probably the incident would have been averted the scarcity of the fuel also contribute to the incident,” he said.

Following the incident, traders on the street locked their shops and NURTW workers also withdrew their vehicles from the major roads in the area in honour of their colleague.

Director Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, who confirmed the incident said the fire was caused as a result of fuel storage in the compound.

However, he advised residents to desist from storing petroleum products in their homes so as to prevent loss of lives and property.

The Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) was said to have evacuated the remained of the deceased to mainland general hospital mortuary.

Lagos Metro gathered that the tanker was on its way to the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, when one of its tyres got burst. The tanker lost control and swerved into different directions on the road and the driver in a bid to regain the balance of the vehicle rammed into other vehicles.

Emergency workers, which included operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LSEMA), Lagos State Ambulance Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were quickly mobilised to the scene.

The General Manager of the LSEMA, Michael Akindele, while speaking on the accident, advised drivers, especially truck drivers to always ensure proper checks on their vehicle. He also advised them to always take the necessary precaution while driving on the road.

Queen’s College

PTA in war Naza Okoli

THE Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and the Old Girls Association of Queen’s College, Lagos are currently engaged in a bitter verbal fight, each accusing the other of wrongdoing in the child molestation charges levelled against a Biology teacher in the College, Mr Olaseni Oshifala.

Things came to a head on Tuesday, when the Chairperson of the PTA, Mrs Beatrice Akhetuamen, told journalists that the accusation against Oshifala was a ploy by a faction of the Old Girls (led

by Mrs Laila St Matthew-Daniels) to remove the principal of the college, and replace her with an unnamed Old Girl who is a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Education.

“The old girls are about to

9

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

metro Female Civil Defence officer kills “black marketer” on commandant’s order •We will unmask killers’ identities —Police Olalekan Olabulo

From left: Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde; Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Dayo Mobereola and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Prince Lanre Elegushi, at a news conference on the current fuel scarcity, on Wednesday.

Fuel scarcity: Lagos threatens to shut filling

stations, impound vehicles

By Olalekan Olabulo

AS motorists groan due to vehicular traffic congestions caused by sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the Lagos metropolis, the State Government has on

Wednesday threatened that, from today (Thursday), it will shut erring filling stations and impound any vehicles indiscriminately parked on the roads in the process of buying fuel.

Commissioner for Trans-

rape scandal: Old girls,

of words

have the principal removed,” Akhetuamen said, adding, “we learnt that they want to have her removed.

However, when Lagos Metro, on Wednesday, contacted Mrs Laila St Matthew-Daniels (who was also the Chairperson of a Fact-Finding Committee set up by the Old Girls to investigate the allegations against Oshifala), she described Akhetuamen’s statements as distracting and worrisome.

“I don’t even understand what is happening anymore,” she said. “This issue is under investigation. So why are they granting interviews? Why are they bringing in religion and ethnicity? We had a meeting the day after the story became known. We didn’t go to the press. It was the principal who, that Saturday, brought in a blogger, took pictures and then went on social

media. So a meeting was called by the Old Girls, because once you passed through a school, it becomes your alma mater. The parents don’t own that name.

At that meeting, for the first time in a long while, very old Queen’s College girls from the 50’s attended. Professor Grace Alele was present, among many others.

“We are worried that the man had been accused of sexual impropriety five different times. The principal said she had already investigated the matter. Who were on the investigative panel? The principal, the vice principal, The chairperson, Head Girl. How is that proper?”

Meanwhile a panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate the charges against the teacher is expected to conclude its work today (Thursday), and to make its report public next week.

portation, Dayo Mobereola, and his counterpart from Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde gave the warningt at a joint press briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday.

“From tomorrow (Thursday), all dispensing filling stations must maintain one lane. Any vehicle found on the second lane or going to the exit to procure fuel will be impounded and fined appropriately. We will ensure that the mobile courts are apprehending and punish erring vehicle owners,” he said.

According to Mobereola, the government decision became imperative following traffic gridlock caused by indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road while

queuing for fuel at filling stations.

Mobereola said, “The state has almost been at standstill due to the activities at the filling stations across the state. The state government has decided that this should not be. It is the responsibility of the filling stations to ensure that the queues are managed appropriately.

“So what we are saying is that the filling stations should ask their customers to form a single queue. It is their responsibility to engage more staff to ensure that the single lane rule is maintained. If that does not happen, the state government has every right to shut down those erring filling stations temporarily until they form one lane.”

Fadeyi BRT Bus top turned dump site. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

A middle aged man, identified as Emeka Dijo, was on Wednesday killed and three others injured by a female official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in FESTAC area of Lagos State.

Lagos Metro gathered that the female NSCDC official was a member of the Special Task Force, which was monitoring the illegal sale of petrol in Lagos.

Emeka was alleged to be one of the youths selling black market petroleum product along 21 Road in FESTAC. It was further gathered that Emeka had denied that he was a black marketer and that the jerry can, which was found on him with petrol was for personal use.

Eye witnesses told Lagos Metro that the NSCDC officials attempted to arrest Emeka and others but they resisted arrest, which did not go down well with the Commander of the Civil Defence Corps, who allegedly ordered a female corps to shoot the victims.

The yet-to-be-identified female NDCDC official was said to have obeyed her boss as she shot into the midst of the protesting youths, killing one on the spot and injuring three others.

The civil defence officials, on seeing the magnitude of the offence, zoomed off in their operational vehicle, resulting in a violent

protest from the aggrieved youth. The youths then blocked some of the roads and burnt used tyres and attempted to set the available tankers on fire.

The quick intervention of the combined team of OP Mesa and Policemen from Area E Division led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) saved the situation.

An eyewitness, who simply identified himself as Ndubuisi Nwaeze, explained: “We were at the filling station queuing for fuel when personnel of NSCDC Task Force tried to maintain sanity but were repelled by some black marketers.

“The operatives attempted to confiscate some of the products already purchased by the black market dealers but were met with stiff resistance. In the process, the operatives started firing indiscriminately into the air to dispel them but things went awry, as a man was shot dead while three others were injured.

“Immediately the incident happened, angry youth quickly mobilised to retaliate but the operatives escaped. The mob made bonfire with used tyres on the road. The body of the deceased was also used in barricading the road.”

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the death of one person adding that, “we will unmask killers’ identities.”

businessnews Fuel scarcity won’t end this week —Marketers 10

Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos

C

ontrary to claim by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu that scarcity will end in Lagos on Wednesday, marketers have stated that scarcity cannot end in Lagos or any other city this week.

In a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, one of the marketers who preferred anonymity argued that scarcity cannot end this week in Lagos or any other city because the volume available for distribution is 25,000 metric tonnes.

According to him, “except the NNPC scales up its importation, fuel scarcity may not end soon as claimed by the government.

“The corporation just received another 25,000 metric tonnes on Monday which is about 65 million litres.

The cargo was distributed to major marketers and NIPCO plc.”

He added that “although, the government is doing all it could to end scarcity and I can assure Nigerians that if it continues with constant importation of more cargoes, then maybe by next week, all the queues will disappear.”

However, a visit by the Nigerian Tribune to Apapa depot on Wednesday revealed that massive loading of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, was ongoing as all depots visited were loading.

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Depots visited include Mobil, Conoil, Forte, MRS, NIPCO and Aiteo.

It may be recalled that

Kachikwu told Nigerians that scarcity will persist until May, which resulted into severe criticism from Nige-

The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected N963,700,596.85 as revenue in the month of march 2016.The command also made 60 seizures with a duty paid value of N115,184,600.58 and apprehended 3 suspects in March.

According to a statement signed by the Commands Spokesman, S. K Taupyen, the command was able to collect over 94 percent of its revenue for the month of March despite numerous interruptions that hampered the effective collection of maximum revenue in Seme border area.

“The revenue collected despite the hiccups exceeded the N773,841,890.38 collected in the corresponding month in 2015 with over N189, 858,706.47

This has forced the Minister of State to apologise and pledged to end scarcity by 7 April, 2016.

Ikeja Electric exits labour negotiations over sack Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos

From left: Managing Director, Mr Segun Agbaje; Chairman, Mrs Osaretin Demuren and the Company Secretary, Mrs Olutola Omotola, all of GTBank Plc, at the bank’s 26th Annual General Meeting, held on Tuesday in Lagos.

LASG signs MoU with France over slums, infrastructure upgrade Tola Adenubi - Lagos Lagos State Government has expressed readiness to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will strengthen its partnership with France in its renewed efforts at upgrading slums and widening its infrastructure development projects.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode disclosed this during a courtesy visit to his office in Alausa by Mr Jean Pierre Marcelli, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Department, Agence Francaise de Devel-

opment (AFD) Paris, as part of his two-day official visit to Nigeria.

Mr Ambode, who was represented by his Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, noted that with a growing population of over 20 million people, the state government alone cannot provide all the infrastructure needs of its people, explaining that the desire of the government to make life more comfortable for Lagosians and improve their standard of living necessitated its partnership with various organisations that

Seme Customs Command collects N964m in March Tola Adenubi - Lagos

rians including the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

Nigerian Tribune

The Seme Customs Area Controller, David Dimka disclosed that Seme committed is determined to succeed and leave above board at all times even when there are daunting challenges that have negative influence on the commands mandate of revenue generation.

The Comptroller also encouraged his management team to work assiduously

more than ever before considering the re-introduction of restriction order on the importation of rice through land borders across the country by the service.

The Customs Area Controller sounded a note of warning to all border patrol officers, emphasising that there is zero-tolerance to smuggling of imported rice through the land borders.

have the capacity and technical requirements to add value to its urban renewal projects.

The deputy governor, who led other members of the State Executive Council to receive the AFD officials, stated that previous partnership with the French agency in the past had yielded positive result as it has helped government to record success in transportation, water provision and energy.

He specifically thanked the agency for partnering with the state government in the extension and execution of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Ikorodu/Mile 12 link road, which has helped to ease the transportation problem, as well as resulted in the in-

Zenith Bank promises shareholders superior returns Kehinde Akinseinde-JayeobaLagos

Zenith Bank Plc said it remained committed to delivering superior returns to its shareholders, even as

Nigerian sovereign assets hit N214bn 2015 —NSIA MD Gbola Subair-Abuja

the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has said that it was able to grow its total comprehensive income by 67 per cent and its investment income by 47 per cent, despite global economic challenges in the past year.

“At the end of the 2015 financial year, NSIA’s total comprehensive income

stood at N26.3 billion, investment income at N5.8 billion and total assets at N213.66 billion,” the authority said.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive of NSIA, Uche Orji, while briefing the press on the audited financial results for 2015 fiscal year in Abuja, recently, said the authority was able to achieve these positive results because of its commit-

crease in numbers of commuters conveyed by BRT buses on a daily basis in the corridor.

The governor hinted that one of the top priority projects of the state government is the upgrading of its slum areas by executing developmental projects in the region in order to make life more comfortable for the people of the area and bring dividends of democracy to their door steps.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr Marcelli explained that the team was in Lagos as part of a two day official visit to Nigeria to hold consultation with the state government towards strengthening the partnership between AFD and the Lagos State government.

Following the recent picketing of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric) and the eventual negotiations that ensued, the management of Ikeja Electric has stated that it has discontinued talks with labour over the recent disengagement of workers, stating that the negotiation was tending towards a proposition that would jeopardise transparency, employee performance and service excellence to customers.

In a statement by the company made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the company said the picketing was suspended after Ikeja Electric reached an agreement with the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE) and Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to set up a committee to review the performance appraisal and competency assessment process.

Citing the reason for its action, Ikeja Electric’s Head of Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue, explained in the statement that the company had to discontinue due to a clear determination by representatives of labour to stick to a pre-conceived and irreversible position that the process was flawed. Therefore, the review process was an exercise in futility.

Rather than engage in an objective and constructive review of the whole appraisal process which is tailored in line with global best practices as Ofulue pointed out, that labour preferred an arbitrary review in which reduced criteria would be applied to certain selected employees who are members of the union.

ment to invest in alternative assets which include hedge funds and private equity.

“The 2015 fiscal year was characterised by high volatility and global market uncertainty, current turmoil, dwindling oil prices and decelerating growth across markets created a difficult investment environment for the Authority. Nonetheless, the overall results were positive.”

it gave a total dividend of N1.80 per share for the year ended 31 December, 2015.

Chairman of the bank, Jim Ovia, at the 25th Zenith Bank Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday in Lagos said in demonstration of its commitment to giving returns to investment, there was an increase in the dividend declared from N1.75 in 2014 to N1.80.

He noted that despite the “significant global domestic macroeconomic development which impacted our business in many ways, the resilience of our bank has enabled us to successfully weather through these economic headwinds.”

Giving a breakdown of

the financial result for year ended 31 December, 2015, he explained that total deposits of the bank was N2.33 trillion, representing a three per cent increase over the previous year’s figure of N2.27 trillion.

“Profit before tax rose by 6.8 per cent from N107.85 billion in 2014 to N115.22 billion in 2015. During the same period, total assets of the Bank grew by 9.5 per cent, N3.42 trillion to N3.75 trillion, while shareholders’ fund rose by 6.7 per cent, from N512.70 billion to N546.95 billion.

Gross earnings similarly grew by 6.6 per cent from N372.01 billion in year 2014 to N396.65 in 2015,” he said.

11

businessnews

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Patronising ‘made-in-Nigeria’ goods will boost earnings —CBAAC

T

he Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) has urged the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for ‘Made-inNigeria’ goods to thrive in the country.

Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, the Director-General of the centre, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that such a policy would motivate and encourage local manufacturers to produce quality goods that would be accepted locally and internationally.

“Creating enabling environment for local manufacturers will also ensure the sustainability of the Made-in-Nigeria goods and promote employment for many unemployed. It will also help to increase the nation`s foreign exchange earnings from those exported overseas,” he said.

He said the country could earn huge revenues by investing in our diverse locally made goods such as crafts, local fabrics, beads and agricultural products.

Anikwe said that CBAAC was doing all within its reach to promote this policy of the Federal Government to its logical conclusions.

The CBAAC boss also urged Federal Government to ensure that more locally made goods were exported than importing foreign products.

He lauded the role Nollywood through their movies saying it had continued to serve as a platform to promote goods manufactured in Nigeria such as textile materials, songs, local expressions and other cul-

tural values.

“Most Africans have begun to acquire some Nigerian language expressions, dressing in tie-and-dye fabrics, proverbs and wise sayings which they had

seen in and learnt from Nigerian movies produced by Nollywood actors.

“Many foreigners admire African and Nigerian cultures, fashion designs and life styles because they are

very unique. Many foreigners appreciate these values than we do, which is not encouraging, he added.

Anikwe advised Nigerians to start appreciating and embracing their cul-

From left: Chief Compliance Officer, Stanbic IBTC, Mr Opeyemi Adojutelegan; Chief Compliance Officer, Access Bank Plc/Chairman, Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria, Mr Pattison Boleigha; Managing Director/CEO, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr Philip Ikeazor and Chief Compliance Officer, Keystone Bank Limited, Mrs Joyce Obi, during the monthly meeting of the Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria, held in Lagos.

Fuel scarcity: NUPENG urges FG to fix refineries Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged the federal government to make the refineries work optimally to reduce the dependence on foreign importation of petroleum products.

It also confirmed its readiness to partner with the

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to end the perennial fuel scarcity in the country now.

The Union said in a statement by its National President, Dr Igwe Achese, that it has the capacity and therefore calls for collaboration with the NNPC to end the scourge.

NUPENG said 60 per cent of its members were

involved in the distribution chain.

The union added that most of the IPMAN and NARTO members are either NUPENG members or were former members and with collaboration with them, they will be able to get the issue right and end the present scarcity of petroleum products.

On privatisation, the Union warns that the fed-

Downpour, vandalism reason for drop in power supply —NERC Adejola Adegbite-Abuja

The persistent drop in power supply is as a result of vandalism and heavy downpour witnessed in some parts of the country, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), on Wednesday, said.

This is as it urged Nigerians to exercise patience with power generation companies on the menace.

Acting Chief Executive, NERC, Dr.Tony Akah, said this while playing host to a delegation from the International Association of Energy Economics, at the headquarters of the commission, in Abuja.

“On the decline in power, as you may know, part of the reasons have to do with the issue of pipelines vandalism and the heavy downpour that happened in past. But I must say that

tural and traditional values.

With that they would continue to sustain their identities and ways of life and remained relevant locally and internationally.

all the agencies of government who are involved, even at the highest level in the country, are concerned and the vandalised gas pipelines are rapidly being repaired,” He expressed hope that Nigerians would, in no distant time, begin to witness increase in power supply across the country.

“So there is hope that we will be having incremental power as the operating environment becomes more conducive. Given the regulatory framework we have put in place and the political will and policy thrust of the government, Nigerians in no distant time will be experiencing additional or incremental power.

“We ask for a little more patience because the power industry is a very complex, expensive and longterm turnover sector. Also,

as you may be aware, we’ve given out a lot of licences.

Most of those licences at that point in time could not get the necessary financial backing because of the non-conducive environment that they had in terms of business operat-

ing environment.

“But of recent, a lot of them are coming onboard and many have signed-in and we are confident that more power will come into the grid and more Nigerians will have increased supply as time goes on,” he added.

eral government should be careful not to make the same mistakes made by the past administration in the country as it happened in the power sector.

The union cautions that the government should not allow the failure of the privatization process in the power sector to rub on the oil and gas sector.

NUPENG alleged that all the past privatisation processes done by the Bureau for Public Corporation (BPE) was fraught with inadequacies and that government should review the exercises and where necessary revoke their licenses.

NUPENG added that till date all privatisation exercises done lacked transparency.

NSE: Equities maintain subtle gain by 0.04% Equities trading at the Nigerian Stock Exchange subtly maintained the positive trend achieved on Tuesday as benchmark indices closed 0.04 per cent higher on Wednesday compared to the increase of 0.42 per cent recorded in the previous trading session.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (NSE ASI) and market capitalisation closed at 25,455.69 points and N8.756 trillion respective-

ly as a total of 203 million shares worth N885.63 million shares were traded by investors on the floor of the exchange in 3,320 deals.

This is in contrast to N177.4 million shares valued at N1.006 billion exchanged in 3,304 deals by investors on the floor of the exchange on Tuesday.

Trading in the Top Three Equities according to volume on Tuesday, were NEM Plc which moved a total of 39.1 million shares valued at N29.7 million.

Sterling Bank Plc, followed with a sale of 22.9 million shares valued at N36.6 million while Guaranty Trust Bank Plc exchanged 18.85 million shares worth N264.1 million.

The day’s advancers were once again led by Nigerian Breweries Plc which added N1.41 to close at N108 per share, trailed by Etranzact with a gain of 29 kobo to close at N3.23 per share while Champion Breweries Plc gained 25 kobo to close at N3.1 per share.

Efficiency unit, OSGF collaborate on cost cutting measures on travels IN line with its mandate, the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance is collaborating very closely with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), to review the provisions of some extant government circulars on overhead expenses one of which is on travels.

The unit, is the initiative of the current Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and was set up to engender transparency and reduce government’s large expenditure through procurement in the various ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government.

The unit, in its negotiation for discounts with local and international airlines also recommended other measures for reducing the government’s large expenditure on travels to the OSGF. This include the need to restrict business class travel to ministers, permanent secretaries, chairmen of federal government committees, as well as chairmen and chief executives of parastatals and agencies.

The second recommendation bordered on the need to reduce the frequency of travels by ensuring that Board and Committee events such as meetings, workshops and conferences in Nigeria are held in locations where the institutions or persons participating in the event are domiciled.

Furthermore, such events should for the most part be held in Nigeria but where this is not possible, the prior approval of the Secretary to the federal government should be secured.

In line with the present administration’s commitment to reform public expenditure, the OSGF accepted the recommendations in full and has accordingly issued a circular recently to effect the changes.

The buy-in and prompt reaction of the OSGF is an attestation of the common resolve by government to its change mantra and the spirit of collaboration among government institutions and officials.

It is estimated that Travel Expenditure will drop by about 20% if the provisions of the new Circular issued by the OSGF are fully implemented.

12 news

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

How I took Aluko to Fayose —Ekiti ex-Speaker Olugbemi •We prostrated 3 times to beg him, he says •It’s all part of the plot against me —Aluko

I

MMEDIATE past Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Dele Olugbemi, has disclosed how he took the embattled former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr Temitope Aluko to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Sunday.

This was as he said it was a lie that Governor Fayose stage-managed the reconciliatory meeting, adding that himself and Aluko prostrated for Fayose three times to beg him for forgiveness.

Olugbemi, who said he was surprised that Aluko could address the press on Wednesday, denying that he willingly attended the Sunday night meeting with Governor Fayose and that he spoke to the press under duress after the meeting.

He disclosed that he, out of genuine concern for peace, took Aluko to Eko Hotel, Lagos, venue of the meeting.

He said: “The existing cordial relationship between Aluko and myself brought us to a discussion that eventually led to the last Sunday, April 3 meeting.”

The former Speaker said Aluko could not deny that he reaffirmed that Governor Fayose remained his mentor, leader and father, that all his previous actions were devil’s work and that he was under spiritual attack when he was saying all those things against the governor.

“Even when the governor told him to sit, he prostrated and I also prostrated along with him to beg the governor for total forgiveness.

“The governor asked Aluko four questions: Whether he knew the implication of his coming to him; why he behaved in that manner; how old he was and whether he wanted the reconciliation to be total or partial and he (Aluko) replied that he knew the consequence of coming to him and that if he did not want total reconciliation, he would not come to see the governor.

“At this point, Aluko stood up again, saying ‘my mentor, my leader, my egbon, I am your boy, you know, I am your boy. Whatever step I have taken before now, forgive me’. Aluko and myself prostrated again,” he said.

Narrating how the meeting was arranged and held, Olugbemi said: “Before we agreed to meet in Lagos, I first suggested that the meeting should take place in Ekiti State Government House after the wedding of the niece to Governor Fayose, but Aluko said he was not too comfortable with the

arrangement because of fear that he might be arrested.

“I reassured him that the intention of the meeting was not to arrest, embarrass or humiliate him, rather it was to reconcile with Governor Fayose, whom he called his mentor.

“In the morning of Sunday, April 3, we agreed to meet in Lagos and I left Ekiti for Lagos. I got to Lagos at 12 noon; I lodged in a hotel at Magodo Area of Lagos.

“At 1.00 p.m, Aluko called me to confirm my hotel room number and I gave it to him. Aluko called me back and promised to be with me within 20 minutes. Fifteen minutes later, he called me again and I told him that I

was barbing my hair at a salon in Magodo. He asked me to come out of the salon and we met. He came in a blue Ford Jeep together with his woman.

“I joined them in the car and we drove to my hotel room, where Aluko stayed with me till 2.00 p.m. He later instructed me to call the governor to ascertain the time and place of the meeting.

“I called the governor, he did not pick the call. I later called Chief of Staff to the governor. The Chief of Staff told me to call either the ADC or CSO to the governor for further directive. The CSO told us that the meeting will take place at the

governor’s residence in Magodo at 7.30 p.m.

“I told Aluko, but he was not too comfortable with venue of the meeting. He said if the meeting is about reconciliation, it should hold elsewhere and not the governor’s residence. I pleaded with the governor that the meeting should hold elsewhere as demanded by Aluko, which the governor obliged.

“All these I was doing because I wanted the crisis to be totally resolved.

“Immediately we were told of a new venue for the meeting, Aluko left my hotel room for Victoria Island and promised to come back at 7.00 p.m. At 7.45 p.m,

Aluko came back to meet me at my Magodo hotel. At 9.00 p.m, I called the governor to inform him of Aluko’s arrival. The governor asked if I was sure Aluko was with me and I said yes.

“The governor told to us to come to Eko Hotel and his friend will welcome us and that he would join us later.

We drove in Aluko’s car, myself, a woman, a driver and my Personal Assistant.

“We got to the Eko Hotel at 9.50 p.m. We were taken to the hotel’s waiting room.

Myself, Aluko, ADC, the governor’s friend entered the same lift to the fourth floor of the hotel.

“Inside the hotel room, we prayed and I opened

From left, Researcher, Amnesty International, Mr Damian Ugwu; Country Director, Amnesty International, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim and the Manager, Media and Communication, Mr Abdulrazaque Bakindo, during the inauguration of global report on the abolition of death sentence/ execution in Nigeria, held in Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

Amnesty International decries rise in global death penalty Sunday Ejike - Abuja GLOBAL human rights organisation, Amnesty International (AI), on Wednesday, accused Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia of fuelling high number of executions recorded last year across the world.

This was as it asked Nigeria to join the 140 countries which had abolished death sentences in their country.

The AI Country Director, Ambassador M. K Ibrahim, who stated this in Abuja, while presenting the Amnesty International Global Report on death sentences and execution in 2015, lamented the increase in cases of execution of convicted persons around the world.

Ibrahim disclosed that the dramatic rise in death penalty worldwide in 2015 was the highest recorded by the agency in more than 25 years, saying: “The surge was largely fuelled by Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

“No fewer than 1,634 peo-

ple were executed in 2015; a rise of more than 50 per cent in the year before and the highest number AI had recorded since 1989. This total does not include China, where thousands more were likely executed, but where death penalty data is treated as a state secret,” he said.

Giving regional summaries, the Country Director noted that some positive developments had taken place in Sub-Sahara Africa, with countries like Madagascar and Republic of Congo which had abolished the death penalty completely and the number of death sentences imposed fell sharply from 909 in 2014 to 443 in 2015, mainly due to a reduction in Nigeria.

“The number of executions recorded dropped slightly from 46 to 43 in the year before. Chad, however, resumed executions after more than 12 years, when 10 suspected Boko Haram members were put to death

by firing squad in August.

He said the top five executioners in the world in 2015 were China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United States, and added that “several states, including China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, continued to sentence people to death for crimes – including drug trafficking, corruption, “adultery” and “blasphemy” – that do not meet the international legal standards of “most serious” to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law.

However, Ibrahim said “2015 was a year of extremes. We saw some very disquieting developments, but also developments that gave cause for hope. Four countries completely abolished the death penalty, meaning the majority of the world has now banned this most horrendous of punishments.

“Whatever the short-term setbacks, the longterm trend is still clear—the

world is moving away from the death penalty. Those countries that still execute need to realise that they are on the wrong side of history and should abolish the ultimate cruel and inhuman form of punishment.”

AI called for an end to death penalty in the country, urging the country to reform its criminal justice system, in order to ignite citizens’ confidence in the judicial process.

Speaking in a similar vein, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, commended AI for its global efforts to end death penalty.

Malami, who was represented at the event by Mr Sylvester Imhanobe, pledged to support any bill from the organisation that was geared towards promoting human rights in the country, even as he said the country was gradually shifting from capital punishment.

the floor for discussion as agreed by Aluko. In my submission, I pleaded with the governor to forgive and forget about the previous comments and allegations made

by Aluko against him since he is father to us all. Aluko interjected and said that I should allow him to lead the talk.

“The governor told him to stop fooling himself at 50 and since he allowed himself to be used by the APC at 50, what legacy will he leave for his children? The governor told him that there is going to be reactions to this meeting by the APC and, therefore, advised Aluko to switch off his phones and rest for at least for two weeks to avoid counterallegations. The governor said the APC will fire back at Aluko to malign him.

“Aluko promised the governor to dismantle all the structure he had put in place to attack the governor. The governor said he had forgiven him totally and that he should go and sin no more.

“The governor told Aluko that he would call soon and that he would need to study him (Aluko) very well within two weeks, because he could go out of the meeting and say something different.

“The governor also said it was better to let the press know that he had reconciled with Aluko, to which he initially disagreed and later agreed to meet the press with the governor and myself, which we did and the video recording is everywhere for the public to see.

“On Tuesday April 5, Aluko called me, sent a text message to me that things were falling apart as the party, and aide of the governor were attacking him. That he would renege on his promise. I advised him not to take any negative action or talk to the press for his image sake.

“Unfortunately, he did not listen to my advice and having come to deny what he willingly took part in, I have no option than to let the public know the true story,” he said.

Reacting, Mr Aluko said all that happened were all part of plot against him.

He said: “It is all lies. It is part of the plot to sustain the propaganda against me.

Olugbemi is an appointee of the governor in the State Universal Basic Education Board. So, he is doing the bid of his master.

“I only saw him when he barged into the meeting with the governor. I didn’t have any discussion with him and could not have gone with him to the meeting. He is only being used.”

13

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

south-westnews Mimiko challenges Buhari on free, fair election 14

Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

O

NDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Tuesday, said the greatest gift President Muhammadu Buhari can give to Nigerians to sustain the nation’s democracy is to give room for free, fair and credible elections in the country.

Mimiko, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, after the peaceful conduct of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress, said election would continue to be peaceful in the country only if the present leadership embrace the one man, one vote mantra.

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

He said: “The greatest gift required from the president is to ensure credible and violence free election and the future will be bright for our nation. In spite of our challenges today, this nation has manifested to be leader of nations.

“Let’s continue to invest our faith in credible election. Credible election is the key to future of this nation. There’s no alternative to this and there is no

alternative to democracy.

“Without being sounding political, because the problem of Nigerians is that there is too much of politics than governance, I want to appeal to the president that the greatest gift he can give this nation is credible election.”

Mimiko commended member of the PDP in the state for conducting a free election saying the outcome of the congress is a testimony of greater things

to come to PDP in the state and at the national.

The governor described the party as one big united family that cannot be defeated in the state, saying that “it is only PDP that can defeat PDP in the state and once the whole house is united, victory is sure in all elections.”

The newly elected Chairman of the party, Chief Clement Faboyede, assured members of the party that the new execu-

tive will always be ready to serve the interest of the members and party as entrenched in the constitution of the party.

Some of the new executive members of the party in the state included; Deputy Chairman, Fatai Adams; State Secretary, Chief Ibine Oyedele; State Organising Secretary, Kunle Akintan; State Publicity Secretary, Banji Okunomo and Alhaji Gàníyù Obenla as the Financial Secretary.

Babalola bags Nelson Mandela leadership award

By Nurudeen Alimi THE African Youth Parliament (AYP), last weekend, conferred its 2016 Nelson Mandela Leadership Award on former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Mr Femi Babalola (Jogor).

The AYP is the leadership body of all democratic youth parliaments in Africa, cutting across 54 countries. It came to Ibadan with a 10-man delegation representing different countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ghana.

At a brief ceremony in Ibadan, the AYP in a speech read by Diplomat Erich Jomo from Kenya, pointed to Babalola’s “contributions to education, propagation of youth emancipation and his grassroots empowerment programme” as the basis for the conferment of this year’s Mandela award on him.

“The Award and Monument Committee of the AYP, which was inaugurated in 2003, is tasked to assess annually individuals and institutions that have contributed immensely to youth and grassroots development for the conferment of the award. The aim is to encourage quality leadership in Africa,” the group said, adding that Babalola’s nomination was sequel to meeting the yardstick.

Receiving the award, Babalola extolled the cardinal programme of the AYP, saying that he was overwhelmed to see that the continent paraded the crop of young, dynamic and patriotic youths who devoted their exuberance and learning to the emancipation of Africa and her teeming peoples.

From left, Pastor Yele Braithwaite; wife of the deceased, Dr Grace Braithwaite; Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; Olumide Braithwaite and Mrs Ebun Adeosun, during a condolence visit by Governor Mimiko to the Braithwaite family, at their residence in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Ekiti works commissioner resigns All conspiracy against Ekiti will fail —Speaker Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

THE Commissioner for Works and Transportation in Ekiti State, Mr Kayode Oso, has resigned.

A statement by the state government on Wednesday, which announced the resignation of the commissioner, said the commissioner resigned on health grounds.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Modupe Alade, said “Mr Kayode Oso’s resignation on medical grounds, according to his letter, has been accepted by Governor Ayodele Fayose.”

She said: “Mr Kayode Oso has worked assiduously to add value to this administration going by his effort towards the development of our state. We wish him quick recovery. The government of Ekiti State will stand by him while he overcomes his health challenges.”

Oso, during the first coming of Governor Fayose, started as Chief of Staff to the Governor and was later

appointed as Commissioner for Works.

Oso was again reappointed as Works Commissioner on October 16, 2014.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Kola Oluwawole, has stated that every conspiracy against the people and government of the state will fail, “as long as God remains on His

throne.”

According to a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, Pastor Oluwawole stated this at the monthly prayer meeting organised by the state House of Assembly at the Assembly Chamber in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

He appreciated God for His protection over the As-

sembly staff and the entire lawmakers, most especially Honourable Afolabi Akanni, who was abducted by the Department of State Services (DSS) and only released after 18 days without charges.

The Speaker charged the workers and the entire people of Ekiti to always be grateful to God, noting that with God, all impossibilities could be made possible.

Mining operators accuse Amosun’s aide, firm of extortion It’s for developmental purposes —Aide Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Society of Quarry and Mining Operators in Ogun State has alleged that one of the aides of the state governor, Mr Lekan Onamusi and a dredging firm, Dredge Consult, are extorting their members with the assistance of policemen attached to the Office of the Governor.

The Chairman of the Society, Mr Sola Aikulola, disclosed this at a press conference in Abeokuta, on Wednesday.

He said that Onamusi and

the dredge firm were using armed policemen to demand illegal taxes, fees and charges from his members before they could carry out their lawful operations.

He said the society had different court rules restricting the state government from interfering in its activities, adding that the society annually paid royalties to the Federal Government and that the state government, through the consultant and Dredge Consult, imposed N300 to N1,800 charges on its members per trip, depending on the tonnes

and N250,000 charge per dredger for permit.

When contacted, Mr Onamusi denied the allegation, saying the charges being collected from the dredgers were meant for “developmental purposes.”

Onamusi said:”We give them conditions they must meet. What we are collecting is not royalty. What we are collecting is state levy for developmental purposes. That is not the name we call it. We are not collecting royalty. Can they provide receipt for the N250,000 permit fee?

Nigerian Tribune

Oyo NURTW boss begs Buhari to end fuel crisis

By Olawale Olaniyan

CHAIRMAN, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State chapter, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to put an end to the lingering fuel crisis that has taken its toll on business activities in the country in recent times.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, Oyerinde, who is also the South-West chairman of NURTW, noted that the presidency needed to proffer solution to the fuel crisis without delay, saying Nigerians are not happy with the whole situation.

He said “members of NURTW are spending days at filling stations in their bid to fuel their vehicles to serve the populace even at high rates.”

He disclosed that many motorists have parked their vehicles at homes as a result of the hardship of getting fuel, while some Nigerians too have closed their shops due to the fuel scarcity.

“I am using this medium to call on President Buhari to help find solution to this fuel crisis because it is really affecting NURTW members especially in the South-West. We can’t perform our duties any longer,” Oyerinde said.

Impartation service GOD’s Mercy Revival Ministries will hold its monthly prophetic impartation service with the theme, “Manifestation 2016: Time for Appearance of My New Day.” The service is scheduled to hold at the Mercy Revival Centre, 25/33, Alake Lakonko Street, Off Ikotun Idimu Road, Ile Epo busstop, Ikotun, Lagos, on Sunday, by 9:00a.m.

The service will be hosted by the General Overseer, Pastor (Dr) James Akanbi and Sister Lola Olatunde (Kakaki Eledumare) will perform as the guest artiste.

Pastor (Dr) James Akanbi

south-westnews Conversations rife in Oyo public offices over strike 15

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

•As labour leaders meet today •Workers must be realistic —Govt

By Wale Akinselure

F

OLLOWING the expiration of its ultimatum to the Oyo State government over payment of salary arrears, the state executive council of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will meet today to x-ray the extent of progress in its ongoing negotiation with government and decide the next line of action.

Meanwhile, conversations in public offices and public places in the state have centred on whether or not the labour movement will

ask workers to proceed on strike, after today’s meeting.

Speaking ahead of its Thursday’s meeting, amidst insinuations that the labour was set to ask workers to embark on strike, Chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Mr Waheed Olojede, called on workers not to pre-empt the outcome of the meeting.

He, however, said that the decision of the State Executive Council on the next line of action, which could include a strike or not, would be binding on all workers in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday, leader of the government negotiating team, Mr Olalekan Alli, has called on workers in the state and the labour leadership to show understanding and be realistic in view of the shortfall in Federal Government allocation.

Alli reiterated that the state government had not vitiated its agreement with labour to devote 90 per cent of the Federal Government allocation to the payment of workers’ salaries which the labour itself had verified.

“The followership of the

labour leadership must realise the essence of this understanding that has be gotten from the discussions that have started a number of days up till Monday evening. Government has not done anything to vitiate the spirit and letters of the agreement with labour on using 90 per cent of the Federal Government allocation to pay workers’ salaries which we have been implementing.

“I believe the followership will understand the situation and will come up with suggestions on how to im-

prove the revenue net of the state to the extent that the situation of our economy will improve tremendously and we will be able to depend less on Federal Government allocation.”

Alli said the state government had called labour to a meeting on Wednesday in which representatives of labour failed to attend.

Responding, Olojede said government informed labour about the meeting Tuesday evening whereas there was no such agreement to meet on Wednesday.

Reacting to Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s promise to meet any worker’s strike with “No work, no pay” rule, Olojede admonished the state government to focus on how best to meet its obligations to workers.

Ondo APC chair threatens to expel members over attack on social media Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

From right, Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Reverend Kehinde Stephen; Bishop, Diocese of Elekuro, Right Reverend Olumuyiwa Odejayi and the Diocesan Administrative Manager, Ibadan, Very Reverend Olusoji Mewoyeka, during their visit to the Tribune House, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

I’m fully committed to APC —Lasun THE Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yusuff, has stated that he remained fully committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing claims that he is no longer a member of the party as “untrue, baseless and unjustifiable.”

This is just as the Deputy Speaker, in a statement signed by his Political Aide, Lekan Olawoyin, called on party members across Osun State to be patient, noting that he would touch the lives of party members across the state in due time.

Yusuff, who urged those behind the baseless rumour to leave him alone and allow him to concentrate on helping the National Assembly and other leaders of APC to deliver on the promise of positive change, noted that he would always be committed to the party.

According to the Deputy

Speaker, during an empowerment programme in his constituency in which he distributed 50 tricycles nicknamed Keke Lasun, 50 grinding machines and 50 sewing machines, last weekend, he had suffered greatly for the growth of the APC in

Osun State and would not abandon a house he suffered so much to build.

Recounting how he and his wife had to abandon their home for days during the August 2014 governorship election, Yusuff said it was pitiable that those who

lied about him abandoning APC “chose to forget my sacrifices for the APC and my commitment to its success. They may forget but I won’t. I will remain committed to this great party and its teeming supporters.”

Methodist Church tasks govt on quality education

By Rita Okonoboh and Olaide Sokoya

ARCHBISHOP Kehinde Stephen of Ibadan Province, Methodist Church Nigeria, has tasked government on the provision of quality education, noting that government owes it as a duty to provide quality education to the people.

The cleric stated this during a courtesy visit to the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc., publishers of the Tribune titles, at the company’s headquarters in Ibadan, to announce the forthcoming 34th council

of bishops, scheduled to take place from April 18 to 25, 2016, at the Agbeni Cathedral, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Archbishop Stephen, who stated that faith-based institutions should be returned to their owners, to enable government cope with the task of providing standard and quality education, called on churches to adopt the attitude of giving back to the society, just as he promised to continue to extend hands of fellowship to the ANN Plc. According to him, “At Methodist Church Nigeria, we believe that every single

kobo we make should go back to the society. It is sinful for any church leader to have a private jet. You cannot defend that in the gospel. Church leaders should share in the affliction of the people.”

In his response, the Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai, who represented the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Edward Dickson, appreciated Archbishop Stephen and the Methodist Church Nigeria in general for their constant support and prayers for the ANN Plc.

THE Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Honourable Isaac Kekemeke, on Wednesday, threatened to expel some members of the party disparaging the party’s leadership and aspirants on the social media and newspapers.

Kekemeke stated this in Akure, the state capital, during the formal declaration of the former Speaker of the state Assembly, Honourable Victor Olabimtan, to contest for the governorship seat, at the party’s secretariat.

He urged member of the party to work together rather than causing distraction through the use of social media.

He described those behind the act as irritant and enemies of the party saying that the party would deal with them at the appropriate time.

“I see them as irritants and enemies of the party.

We won’t tolerate those who abuse the party’s leadership.”

Speaking during the declaration, Olabimtan called on all the aspirants of the party to work towards institutionalising internal democracy to reposition the party ahead of the next governorship election in the state.

The former speaker assured the party leadership that he would give priority to youth empowerment in his government if elected as the governor of the state.

Nigerian Tribune

Police parade fraudsters, 13 others over criminal cases in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE police, in Ogun State, on Tuesday, paraded four suspected fraudsters and 13 others over various criminal cases.

The suspects were paraded by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters, Magbon area, Abeokuta.

Adejobi said the fraudsters had at different time duped passengers inside taxi in the state.

The suspected fraudsters were Akomolafe Eniola, Oke Seun, Owoyomi Gbenga and Sunday Adebowale, while one of them confessed to the crime.

Explaining how they operate, Akomolafe said two or three of them would act like passengers, and talked about money in dollar denomination to attract the unsuspecting passengers.

He said: “It is only the greedy ones that fall for our antics. We usually operate in Abeokuta metropolis. Three or two members of the syndicate would be in the operational car with the driver.

Chicken, cassava production: Ondo, PAN, FADAMA sign MoU ONDO State government has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Ondo State chapter and Third National FADAMA Development Project, towards the development of poultry production and cassava cultivation in the state.

The government recently established a 1000 daily capacity chicken processing plant which now processes chicken at commercial scale and cassava processing plant at Ore Agro Business City.

According to the state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, the MoU is in line with the policy of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led administration to partner with reputable, committed and responsible organisations, corporate bodies and individuals to boost food production, develop agricultural sector and change the mindset of the youths toward agriculture.

16 news

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

State of the nation: NLC to declare one-day national warning strike Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja

T

HE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to embark on a one-day national warning strike over the state of the nation, especially the increase in electricity tariff.

In an address presented by the NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, at the opening session of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the congress held at the Labour House, Abuja, on Wednesday, he said response to the prevailing economic situation by all tiers of government in the country had been a source of worry for many Nigerians, especially Nigerian workers.

According to him, Nigerians were feeling the heat and harsh realities of the economic crisis in the country, whose immediate cause was the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, which was the primary source of our nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

Specifically, the NLC president decried the unjustifiable 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff, saying the increase was “illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and a further exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians.”

He pointed out that the due process in the extant laws for such an increment was not followed in consonance with Section 76 of the Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.

Besides, Comrade Wabba stated that there had not been significant improvement in service delivery, coupled with the fact that most consumers were not metered in accordance with the signed privatisation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of November 21, 2013, which stipulated that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers were to be metered.

He regretted that despite the national action organised by the congress in the 36 states of the federation, including Abuja, which was adjudged successful; the intervention of the National Assembly and especially the Senate President, who received the protesters at the National Assembly premises in Abuja, nothing had changed to redress the hike in tariffs.

According to him, the privatisation of the power

sector was done in bad faith and it had become obvious that the investors did not have the capacity to improve power generation and supply in the country.

He said the CWC would agree on a day to embark on the strike, because according to him, several actions promised by the Federal Government to checkmate the tariff increment had not been implemented.

He said: “While the process is on, the tariff increase has remained and under a worsening power supply situation. Not a few Nigerians are groaning under this burden. Not a few of them look to the congress for a solution.”

On the issue of fuel scarcity, he pointed out that when the first incident occurred under this government, “we put it to sabotage and urged the government

to deal decisively with the saboteurs, but with an eye to enhanced local production as an enduring solution. When the second incident happened, we similarly reasoned the same way.

“However, with the latest incident of prolonged scarcity and confession by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources that scarcity will persist till May as he is not a magician, regu-

lar scarcity might as well be a familiar feature and we would do well to brace ourselves for long spells, except government does the needful.”

But Wabba declared that this would not be acceptable, saying “we must, however, make the point that spells of scarcity will not be acceptable to Labour and other Nigerians, because the human and economic costs are unimaginable.”

From left, National Population Commission (NPC) Federal Commissioner, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin; NPC chairman, Eze Duruiheoma; VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo and the NPC Director-General, Dr Ghaji Bello, during a visit of the NPC to the Presidential Villa, on Wednesday.

He added: “While we appreciate government’s effort to make available on an uninterruptible basis, such effort must be seen to be result-yielding and immediate. Because of the place of petroleum products in the lives of the citizenry, its scarcity even for a day, generates ripple and crippling effects.”

He warned that the government might soon lose its credibility, because “one of the fastest ways for government to lose its credibility before the ordinary citizenry is scarcity of petroleum products because the combined effects of scarcity of petroleum products and low power supply create misery for the people, as well as have a damning impact on travel, jobs, productivity and the economy as a whole.”

The NLC president called for immediate constitution of the board of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

He added that the PPPRA was a government agency that had the right to fix and regulate petroleum prices, adding that any action taken as regards fuel price adjustment in the absence of a board of PPPRA amounted to illegality.

Accurate census necessary for proper planning —Osinbajo Leon Usigbe -Abuja VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has stressed the importance of accurate population census to proper national planning.

Speaking on Wednesday, at a meeting with a delegation from the National Population Commission in Abuja, he said: “We must be able to honestly determine how many we are as a people.”

According to him, “having a reliable harmonised data base” will help social-economic planning including the homegrown school feeding programme and the conditional cash transfer, two of the several social investment plans of the Muhammadu Buhariled administration.

Osinbajo then tasked the commission on conducting a reliable, cost-effective and acceptable census, bearing in mind the irregularities that have trailed some of the previous census exercises.

“Technology has now made it possible to harmo-

nise data,” he noted, adding that “with technology we can actually bring down the cost of data-gathering.”

The vice-president also noted that because of technology, data gathering has also become simpler, more efficient and cheaper.

Osinbajo said having a

single platform for data management in the country was very important for national planning and economic development.

Earlier, in his presentation, chairman of the commission, Eze Duruheoma, said the commission was working with other agen-

cies and stakeholders, such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to produce a single platform of data management for the country.

This, he said would reduce cost in the future, ensure authenticated identities, as well as easy per-

sonal identification.

He noted that the national population register, about to be put up by the National Population Commission, would be the primary source of data, as it would give reliable identification of the citizens from the “cradle to the grave.”

Allow Dasuki access to his counsel, court orders prosecution A FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the prosecution to allow Colonel Sambo Dauski access to his lawyers during working hours.

Justice Hussein BabaYusuf gave the order following the application by Dasuki’s lead counsel, Mr Joesph Daudu, that they had no access to him.

Daudu had told the court that because they had no access to him, they could not get enough information for his defence.

Dasuki, Shuaibu Salisu

(former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser) and Aminu Baba-Kusa (former NNPC Executive Director) were arraigned for diversion of N13.6 billion meant for purchase arms.

Others were Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Mr Adebisi Adeniyi, who held the brief for Mr Rotimi Jacobs, informed the court that they were ready with their witnesses.

Dasuki’s Counsel, Daudu, objected and applied for long adjournment because the defence had no access to Dauski and had an application before the Court of Appeal.

Daudu said the application before the appellate court was for stay of proceedings.

But Adeniyi opposed the application for longer adjournment and prayed the court not to grant Daudu’s application.

Adeniyi reminded the court that Department of State Services (DSS) said

they had never received any request for access from anybody.

The prosecuting counsel said there was no concrete evidence before the court on why such application should be granted.

After listening to the counsel, Baba-Yusuf ordered that Dauski’ should be made available to his lawyers to enable them get information from him that would aid them in his defence.

The court adjourned the case till May 3 for continuation.

17

Thursday, 7 April, 2016 With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

From left, Honourable Soji Adagunodo, Honourable Bola Ajao, national secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Wale Oladipo; Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, former Minister of Youth and Development and Mr Kayode Oduoye, at the PDP South-West zonal stakeholders’ meeting held at the Gaso Hall, Toll Gate, Ibadan, recently.

PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Chairman, ECWA Ilorin District Church Council IDDC, Reverend Stephen Ajise; Kwara State governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed; Secretary, ECWA IDCC, Reverend E. O. Malomo; Assistant Pastor, First ECWA, Ilorin, Pastor S A Jolayemi and the chairman, 70th anniversary central planning committee, ECWA, IDCC, Elder Elijah Adeoye, during acourtesy visit to the Government House, Ilorin, recently.

From left, wife of the Ekiti State governor, Mrs Fayisetan Fayose; the groom, Michael Soyebo; bride, former Miss Bamidele Ladeji and Governor Ayodele Fayose, during the wedding at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Covenant Chapel, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

Mr and Mrs Ademola Abdulquadri, during their wedding in Lagos, recently.

Alhaji Kola Sikrullah Bakare flanked by his sons, Hafiz Ololade Bakare, Keysone Bank Director and Mr Olakunle Bakare, during the fidau for the late Ahaja Mesurat Moronkeji Ayoka Bakare, in Lagos.

From left, Prince Adewuyiwa Oyewusi, Prince Oyeniyi Oyewale, Honourable Kamil Akinlabi and the chairman, Abuja branch of the Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, during the induction of Prince Oyewale as a newly registered estate surveyor in Abuja, recently.

From left, Alhaji Yahya Yusuf Amuda, Alhaja Shadia Yahya, Mr Adeniyi Fatai Yahya, Miss Kafayat Olayinka, Mistura Kazeem, Mr Olanrewaju Okelabi and Mrs Anike Oyelabi, during the Nikkah ceremony of Fatai and Kafayat, at Social Development Staff Training Centre, Sango, Ibadan, recently.

The celebrant, Ajoke Omoniyi (left), with her friend, Islamia Olorunfemi, at the celebration of her birthday held at Dr Akindehinde Street, on Holy Saviour College, Isolo, Lagos, recently.

For bookings, contact ’Laolu Afolabi on 08054681741 or Tommy Adegbite on 08116954631

18

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

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SEND YOUR SHORT MESSAGES TO: 08054005323, 08055001746

•On the way to a party! PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Buhari, help us solve fuel scarcity now PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari should come to the aid of the poor masses by solving the fuel scarcity in the country once and for all. It is so unfortunate that Nigerians now buy fuel for as high as N200 per litre.

If marketers have stopped importing fuel because of the stoppage of the subsidy regime they were receiving, then the government ought to have envisaged this, while making an alternative arrangement towards bridging the gap.

We cannot continue to blame previous governments for the difficult times Nigerians are passing through at the moment. Something must, therefore, be done to ease this suffering.

We shouldn’t accept that suffering is the way of life of Nigerians; our leaders should work so that we can also live in comfort in the country.

•Sanmi Adekunle, 08191143941.

Fuel scarcity: The new ‘normal’ in Nigeria?

WHEN bomb blasts wentoff in Paris, France early this year, global newspapers, particularly those from Britain and the US, reported the attacks as: ‘A new normal.’

What this means is that it is now ‘normal’ for bomb blasts or terrorist attacks to happen anywhere in Europe due to the high number of people who have imbibed Jihad ideologies.

Now to Nigeria, have we ever enjoyed ourselves for once without having to face any challenges?

Attention, Gov Ajimobi THE Apete-Awotan road is in such a terrible condition, and this has been negatively affecting the socio-economic development of the area. The Oyo State government, under the leadership of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, should, therefore come to our rescue in this area.

•Idris Abdulhameed, 08026248257

We face the challenges of epileptic power supply, lack of jobs for our youths, high crime rate, among others. Now, struggling for fuel at filling stations

is a part of our daily lives, and nobody is talking; nobody is challenging the government. With the way things are in this country, we will continue to experi-

ence brain drain, as many professionals will not want to continue living in such a terrible mess called Nigeria. Now, despite all the promises of government,

we have come to accept fuel scarcity as a new ‘normal.’

Tumini George, 09095687489

Let’s change our attitude towards the country WE must realise that things can be better in this country, but we must change our ways if we really want to experience change.

We despise our nation and our leaders, and this is really affecting us. Citizens of developed countries pray and work hard for their respective countries.

In the United States of America, for example, the country is so much valued that its flag can be found in every home and office.

Americans will also always say: God bless America.

It is, therefore, high time we changed our attitude to the country and our leaders. Christians and Muslims should, therefore, rise up and pray for the country so that we can change things in the spiritual

realm, while we work hard in the physical for a greater Nigeria.

Nothing is impossible if

we put God first, while also putting our country before God everyday. With this, things will change for the

better for the country.

•Eli Angulu, 08033438892

Gov Okowa, come to our aid THE Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, should do something so that electricity can be restored at Ogwashi-Ukwu in

Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

For 11 years now, we’ve not had power supplied to the area, and this has crippled the

socio-economic development of the area. Senator Okowa should come to our aid.

•Feyi Akeeb Kareem, 08052212361

We need LCDAs in Oyo THE most important thing to us as citizens is good governance, especially at the grassroot level, and any good government must listen to the people.

If a state like Osun can create local council development areas (LCDAs),

I see no reason why Oyo State should also not do same for equal development at the grassroot. Also recently, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State initiated the creation of 37 LCDAs through a bill to the state House of Assem-

bly, and I think Governor Abiola Ajimobi should, as a matter of urgency, also create LCDAs now so that government can be closer to the people.

•Bayo Ajagbe-Atonaope, 08073878987

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editorial

T

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Fuelling agony

ODAY, going by the promise of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the fuel crisis of the past four weeks, in which Nigerians were rudely roused to living a nightmare of long, interminable queues at fuel stations, should come to an end. Indeed, there were fears that the apology by the oil minister following his earlier statement that the crisis should end in May, was induced by the pressure mounted on him.

Has there been any fundamental change in the way the oil industry is run?

In the past four weeks, even at the fuel stations where the product has been sold at outrageous prices, there have been life-threatening commotions as people desperately struggled to buy fuel. The fuel situation has put some services beyond the reach of the people, and many workers now trek to work.

As if that was not enough, the aggravations have been heightened by the concomitant drop in public power generation, and a harsh weather.

Although the minister apologised for his cynical and arrogant comments on the sudden reappearance of long queues at fuel stations, his apology failed to pacify indignant citizens who could not understand why the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was enforcing a price regime on a product whose supply it could not control. The scarcity which caused the price increase should have been anticipated by the authorities since nothing has actually changed in the operations of the NNPC and stakeholders in the industry had long suspected that the fixed price of N86.50 might not be sustainable. Indeed, in its gradual climb since the scarcity began, petrol has inched up to between N200 and N400 per litre.

It is easy to see the departure of the Petroleum Minister from his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, in the search for fuel, which the oil minister figured could not be accessed without the foreign

exchange that his principal was not willing to part with. The ensuing fuel scarcity was therefore just a matter of time because adequate preparations were not made to forestall it, as obviously impending as it was. Were the managers of the economy so bereft of foresight as to have been ensnared by the predictable fuel crisis? Was the capacity of the NNPC not well known before the Federal Government gave it the responsibility of sole importer of fuel?

There is an urgent need to firm up the operations of the NNPC in order to make it more purpose driven and efficient. The propriety of the corporation simultaneously functioning as a regulator and competitor is doubtful. The scenario of the whole country being held captive by a malfunctioning corporation certainly leaves much to be desired. We are persuaded that, since the subsidy has been removed, the government should allow the private importers to bring the product into the market as they deem fit and sell it at prices that compensate their efforts adequately.

The people should then be left to decide which to buy between the fuel sourced from the government and the slightly more expensive product available, with less stress, from the pumps of the private importers. That way, the country would not have been thrown into the unbearable agony which befell it in these past weeks.

What plans have been made by the Federal Government to sustain the consistent supply of PMS? The government should come clean on the matter and let Nigerians know the true state of affairs, instead of persistently alternating their moods between excitement and hope. We believe that Nigerians are capable of coping with the reality of fuel prices, and that this is to be preferred to being handed palliatives, which are not sustainable in the long run.

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20

opinion

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Of NEPC conundrum and our public institutions

By Khadijat Abaji

M

OST times, Nigerians display their innate penchant to act in strange ways. What appears even more degrading to our national dignity and collective pride is the wanton advertisement of tendencies antithetical to progress and the propagation of parochial sentiments and interests even in national service.

Currently, there is palpable tension and so much inexplicable heat at the headquarters of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Abuja. It takes a stranger less than 30 minutes of loafing within the premises to acquaint with everything about some kind of drummed crisis in the establishment. In offices, staffers speak about it in hushed tones; in nearby food joints and relaxation spots, the gist is relived with glee. It’s about nothing, but everything to do with the next day’s possible sack of NEPC’s Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer (ED/ CEO), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo.

A little digression is necessary here. The Nigerian Public Service is governed (or should be governed) by the Public Service Rules (PSR), 2009 (as amended). The document which is widely circulated and readily available both online and even at various newsstands is very clear on the causes and remedies as well as procedures for any public (civil) servant to redress grievances as well as protect rights and privileges as at when necessary.

Most of the time, public (civil) servants have issues in matters of recruitment, promotion, emoluments and increments, discipline, Annual Performance Evaluation Reports (APER) and Certificate of Service, etc. Chapter 9 – Petitions and Appeals - of the PSR, provisions No 090204, 090201, 090203, 090204, 090206, 090208, inter alia clearly states the following, “A petition must be submitted through the proper departmental channels, namely through the petitioner’s immediate superior officer and the Permanent Secretary/Head of ExtraMinisterial Office, who will forward the petition with his/her comments and recommendations to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission or the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in accordance with administrative instructions in force at the time. It is in the petitioner’s interest that the above-mentioned rule concerning the routing of a petition should be strictly observed in order that the petition will be duly verified and reported on before it reaches the final destination.”

Yet, in total and flagrant contravention of the above rules, aggrieved staffers of various MDAs have both drafted and sent out petitions against their supervisors and superior officers to external government departments. Also, at numerous occasions,

confidential documents against public institutions have been leaked to outsiders to the detriment of the public interest and against the rules of the PSR. That these other agencies of government, which should be the umpires for the implementation of the provisions of the PSR, could even entertain the uncharted allegations from the petitioners gives any well-meaning Nigerian a cause to ponder. Secondly, if the petitioners have confidence in any of these Government institutions, why would they also, as we have often seen, leak the content of the same petition to the media? Without more, these could have qualifiedly attracted some express sanctions on the erring petitioning staffers in accordance with Rule 030402 (b), (c), (f), (r), and (w) of the PSR which provides sanctions for - ‘Acts unbecoming of a Public Officer’. This should have been the proper response from the agencies of government that receive these brazen reports and often anonymous petitions to punish and serve as a deterrence for those that take the laws of the land despicably.

Interactions with the NEPC matter sadly reveals that the aggrieved staffers understand quite well that the system will condone their lawlessness. They made conjectures, claims, accusations and blatant calumnies against their principal officer whose single wrongdoing was making a concerted effort to boost staff morale and motivation through merit-based promotion and merit increment exercises as provided by the PSR. I was compelled to write this piece because I listened to such unfounded tales at three different intervals I visited the NEPC for my export-oriented business, and got dazzled with such unsolicited tales. I was particularly amazed at the level of debauchery and propagation of hate gospel against probably an innocent person. But the manner the tales were recounted could make any sane soul to vomit.

What worries me is that if the agencies of government that are supposed to be enforcing the strict observance of the PS and other applicable rules for governance keep faltering on it, sooner than later, every Government agency would become game for sleaze media. My fear is that most of the publications are always online and published to the world and makes mockery

of our efforts to present Nigeria as a business destination and a country serious with fighting corruption and indiscipline. The consequences for our development efforts and initiatives would no doubt be dire.

The NEPC’s core mandate as enunciated by Decree 26 of 1976, amended in 1986 and 1992 includes; Promoting the development and diversification of Nigeria’s export trade; assisting in promoting the development of export-oriented industries; actively promoting the implementation of export policies and programmes of the Federal Government and to play a leading role in the creation of export incentives.

An agency with such noble objectives should not be subjected to public ridicule by the same persons vested with this responsibility at various levels as the indecorous conduct of some of NEPC staff has suggested. And when the searchlight is beamed on Awolowo’s short stay in office, it becomes more difficult to understand the motive of his traducers. Could they be paid agents or those who naturally believe that Nigeria must not work and anybody who thinks and acts differently is an automatic enemy?

No doubt, NEPC under the guardianship of Awolowo, NEPC has experienced steady and impressive progress in his three years warming of its chair as ED/CEO. Awolowo’s initiatives in NEPC has impacted on the growth of the non- oil contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on improved trade volumes, export of non-traditional goods and opening up of new market frontiers abroad. Under his watch, the NEPC has also intensified interactions and engagements with the private sector, relevant government institutions and foreign missions as seen in Mr Awolowo’s avowed commitment to make a difference in the management of the agency. His prompt response to issues of operational logistics and staff motivation have ensured smooth running of the agency. These are some of incentives that have endeared majority of the staff to him.

Mr. Awolowo’s main target at the moment is to actualise the shift in focus from export of raw produce to value added products to increase revenue, add value for the products, create jobs and improve lives of Nigerians. He is also championing the ‘Zero Oil’ plan which targets quantum increments to production outputs for 11 products cutting across solid minerals, agriculture and hydrocarbon resources.

•Abaji is a staff of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.

An open letter to President Buhari

By Rotimi Ayanbeku

SIR, it has been almost a year since you embarked on this journey of leading 170 million people to an unknown future filled with infinite possibilities and possible pitfalls. So far it has been exciting to see the changes taking place in Nigeria. You are tackling corruption like no other President in the history of the Republic. However, your Excellency, with all that you’ve managed to accomplish the simple fact is that the vision of a prosperous and secure Nigeria will remain elusive until Nigeria can fully embrace the concept of rule of law.

Nigeria is like a young athlete that’s blessed with great talent but keeps self-sabotaging until her best days have passed without reaching her full potential. Fortunately, unlike the athlete, Nigeria can still reach her highest potential whenever she’s ready to embrace her greatness. Embracing this greatness means being disciplined enough to embrace the concept of rule of law.

Sir, the recipes for a rule of law in Nigeria is very simple. (1) An independent and ethically sound judiciary, (2) transparent executive branch and (3) an ethical and committed legislature, each branch checking and balancing the others. You can affect the first two and, although the people choose the legislators, you can make a big difference in how well the legislators ethically perform their duties.

First, to have an ethically sound and independent judiciary you must appoint men and women of outstanding legal mind as judges who care deeply about Nigeria’s democracy, its progress and rule of law. They must be vigorously vetted as appointees and be held accountable to the highest ethical standards in the land. Nigeria must also invest in highly intelligent lawyers with impeccable integrity. They will be the people’s lawyers. They too as holders of public trusts must be vigorously vetted and held to highest ethical standards. Their jobs will be to prosecute lawbreakers and defend the government in any legal action brought against it, making sure everyone is equal before the law. To arrest a man just because you believe he or she stole from the government without evidence is against rule of law no matter how popular. To leave a man in jail for months or even weeks without a trial or a lawyer is contrary to the concept of rule of

law. To hang a man for stealing jewelry is a cruel and unusual punishment and an anathema to a civil society.

Second, the Executive branch must be transparent and trustworthy. Every member of the executive branch from ministers to their assistants will be expected to adhere to high standards, and when they fail they will be held accountable. The consequence of holding high government officials accountable for their actions is that average citizens will have confidence in the government.

Third, the legislators must meet high ethical standards too.

They will be held accountable to the voters that they serve and the laws of the land they’re purportedly leading. The prosecutors must be vigilant in investigating and prosecuting corrupt legislators, even more so than a regular person because of their place in society.

Omneverumveroconsonat, every truth agrees with every other truth. As the rule of law takes hold in the three branches of government, other areas of Nigerian lives will be transformed and improved for the better. For instance, in the area of security, all one has to do is look around the world. There is so much violence that it seems the world is coming to an end. However, if one takes a closer look one will see that certain countries are immune from these cataclysmic events, those nations that have embraced the concept of rule of law. This is not by accident.

They too have internal struggles but they as societies have decided collectively that there is going to be only one arbiter in all disputes, the courts.

The infrastructure problem will improve and lives will be

saved in a Nigeria that embraces the concept of rule of law.

Nigerian roads are death traps because of lack of speed limit signs, reckless driving, and non-maintenance or incomplete road projects. Nigeria must set high standards on her roads by installing speed limit signs.

A Nigeria steeped in rule of law will also attract foreign capital investment that is essential for any nation’s development, especially in this global economy. As essential as foreign capital investment is to a vision of Nigeria as an economic powerhouse, without rule of law there will never be long-term capital investment in Nigeria. There is a new study that shows that investment has dropped sharply in Nigeria because of low oil prices.

In the current environment, companies come to Nigeria and get what they can and get out. That is the case with oil companies and automobile companies. Nigeria has oil and Nigerians drive a lot of cars so it makes sense for them to be there. Businesses have to know that if they are done wrong there will be a place to go and find redress for their grievances. They must trust Nigeria’s judicial system.

It has been said that order is heaven’s first law. Law protects and empowers. Order gives people peace of mind so that they can dream, strive for their highest potential and make themselves, their communities and nation better for it. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in the diaspora excel in every walk of life. This suggests that if the environment is conducive, more Nigerians can prosper and excel within Nigerian border.

Sir, rule of law will not immediately eradicate corruption, diseases, or improve standard of living but there is no better time than now for Nigeria to fully embrace the concept of rule of law.

There are too many resources at stake and too many lives yearning for something betterso that they can express their God given talents. Talent is universal but opportunities are not. Too many Nigerians die too young before they get a chance to share their gifts with the world. Now more than ever Nigeria needs a man of faith who believes that the impossible is possible. Just the time for such a man and you are just the man for such a time.

Providence will guide your hands, heart and soul through the rest of this great journey.

•Ayanbeku is an attorney.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216,

Your vehicle is presented and subjected to test to make sure that everything about your vehicle is in order; making sure that it is not a stolen vehicle and that it was duly bought, a number is allocated and registered for you with a proof of ownership and other documents you need before you use the road. A plate number is also assigned to you. And that plate number is captured in the database to secure your car because in the event of theft, it can be traced. The VIN number of the vehicle is also taken. Every vehicle has one unique VIN number, which is called the chassis number. With that captured in our database, behold you can use your vehicle on the road. Normally, a text message is sent to you that your registration has been completed and you will also have valid insurance as part of the registration process. In FCT, vehicle registration is part of our duties here.

Vehicles Inspection Officers and Federal Road Safety Corps on duty to enforce compliance with road safety regulations

Fake documents: Don’t obtain driver’s licence, number plate by proxy —VIO chief

Cases of issuance of fake vehicle licences and number plates are still rampant in Nigeria. But OlfijahlA Danjuma Garba, Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DTRS) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, said those who obtained fake documents were those who patronise wrong people and circumvent proper procedure. He speaks with CLEMENT IDOKO on how to obtain genuine driver’s licence and number plate and sundry issues bordering on motor vehicle administration. Excerpts.

W

HAT is actually your role, I mean the Vehicle Inspection Office, in the production and issu-

VIO Danjuma

ance of driver’s licence and number plates to applicants in Nigeria?

The Vehicle Inspection Unit in the Federal Capital Territory performs a dual role here. On the driver’s licence, there is a tripartite arrangement that has been put in place, where you have the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Motor Licensing Office.

In FCT, the VIOs and the Motor Licensing Office are under one umbrella. What we have done here is that in all the driver’s licensing centres that we have, you have the MLA, the VIOs and the FRSC. The FRSC keeps data of drivers and captures their biometrics which is the last part of the job.

As an applicant trying to obtain a driver’s licence, for example, I first have to go to an approved driving school. If I finish with the driving school and I am given a certifi-

Buhari urged to curb multiple taxation

—Pg.22

cate, I will then come to the VIO for test and If I’m tested qualified, then I go to the MLA and pay the stipulated fee to government after which I go for the physical capture. Before this, I would have filled a form and my information captured, then I will crosscheck in the computer if the information about me is correct. After that, I sign off and thumbprint to make sure that my data is captured. It is a tripartite arrangement that entails the three agencies performing these duties.

On the number plate, if you buy a new car, it is expected that as a citizen, you must register the vehicle because you must pay road tax to government. Government constructed the roads and it expects that every citizen must pay tax before he uses the road. With that in mind, you will come and apply to register your vehicle.

Agency set to provide alternative livelihood in 11 northern states—Pg.22

But with this rigorous process that you have just explained, the issue of fake driver’s licences and plate numbers is still rampant. What do you think is responsible for this?

We have a very robust seamless process of vehicle registration. Every number that we collect from FRSC, we offload it on the platform. The moment somebody takes a number that number is unique to him and is knocked off from the list of numbers. If anybody is claiming your number, the best thing is to go to where you registered that vehicle and confirm; how come the mix up? But what we have tried to do here is make the registration seamless and ensure that whoever takes a number has number that is unique to him. No two vehicles are supposed to have one number.

It is not good for security and we follow the process religiously to make sure that mistake does not occur in the first place.

If you see somebody complaining of fake number plate, it is possible that he went to do his registration with fake people that sell fake number plate. But if it is from us, he has the right to come to us; and let’s know how come two people are claiming ownership to one number plate.

On the issue of driver’s licence, which I earlier explained, anybody that does not follow such procedure is likely to collect fake driver’s licence. People should understand that now, driver’s licence cannot be collected by proxy. What I mean is that if a person wants to do a driver’s licence or it is an old licence he wants to renew, he will first go to the portal and get his information there and then print out and he goes to pay the money to the government.

After that, he goes to any vehicle registration centre close to him and sit before a Continues on pg22

Crew 1. Christian Okeke chidiabujatribune@ yahoo.com 08030947856 2. Clement Idoko idokoajiga@yahoo. co.uk 08034412281 3. Kolawole Daniel kolawoledaniels@yahoo.co.uk 08030763782 4. Adetola Bademosi gloriaadetola@ gmail.com 08182214290 5. Collins Nnabuife chideraacollins@yahoo.com 08039521408 Abuja Xtra email & GSM: abujaxtra@ gmail.com 08054501406

abujaxtra Buhari urged to curb multiple taxation

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

A

socio-political group, Buhari Friends Organisation Network, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reduce the issue of multiple taxations in various sectors of the economy.

National Coordinator of the organisation, Anthanasis Okon, said such gesture would grow businesses including local enterprises and reduce suffering of the masses.

Okon said multiple taxes imposed by different government organisations and agencies were causing discomfort for the people and impeding easy access to basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, transportation, healthcare and food

items which often attracted heavy multiple tax.

He said: “Government should, as a matter of urgency, address the problems of multiple taxations, as Nigerians are made to suffer so much in this regard, especially as major service providers in key sectors of the economy have since increased their cost of services in form of taxation.”

Speaking on the fuel shortage, he emphasised the need to revive all major refineries to encourage new price regime.

He added that the president should relieve appointees of the former President, Goodluck Jonathan and engage new ones, especially those who are committed and loyal to the party.

Agency set to provide alternative livelihood in 11 northern states Adetola Bademosi-Abuja THE National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) is to support and promote alternative livelihood activities in the participating 11 frontline states on the GGW corridor, stretching from Kebbi State in North-West to Borno State in North-Eastern part of the country.

The programme is part of efforts to rehabilitate degraded lands, protect and improve the quality of farmlands, halt the southward advancement of the sahara desert as well as increase vegetation, cover and combat climate change among many others.

Head, Press and Public Relations Unit of the agency, Mrs Larai Daze, in a statement obtained by Abuja Xtra, said the agency embarked on construction of skills acquisition centres for training of unemployed

youths and women in various trades to reduce poverty in the communities of the 11 frontline states.

She said: “In Ilella town of Sokoto State, one out of the constructed and completed skills acquisition centres, was officially handed over by the contractor to the agency recently, as one of the major steps to eradicate poverty and hunger with the target of halting the proportion of people who earn less than a dollar a day through skills acquisition as set by Nigeria through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

Daze further said that the success of the programme was dependent on capacity building of the communities involved as support from the government through enabling policies and providing solutions that fit the social and cultural constraints of the people would be sought.

“Apart from the required experience, appointees should be people with grassroots orientation, the real people who know the

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, DR Kayode Fayemi (middle) receiving the Report of the Solid Minerals Roadmap from the Committee Chairman, Professor Ibrahim Garba (left) and Co-Chairman, Mr Siyal Malomo in Abuja, on Thursday.

Students and Pupils of Great Light Scholars Academy displaying their 1st Position Award of Excellence in Mathematics from a Mathematics Competition held in Nasarawa State over the weekend. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

Group donates relief materials to IDPs Jacob Segun Olatunji-Abuja AS hunger and starvation hit some of the Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Abuja, a group, “Club Twelve 88” has do-

‘Don’t obtain driver’s licence, number plate by proxy’ Continued from pg21

camera for all his data and biometric to be taken and he is given a temporary licence. The temporary driver’s licence last for two months. Before, people waited for two months to get permanent driver’s licence, but you can now get it in two to four weeks. When you have it, that licence is not fake, but when you give your photograph to somebody, he goes to scan for you and you are definitely going to collect a fake licence. That practice has ceased to exist in the past two, three years. My advice to people is that Nigerians should not collect driver’s licence by proxy; they should follow the process. If you can take the pains of going to the passport office when you want to take your international

A Vehicle Inspection Officers’ car on patrol in Lagos.

passport, it is the same process that is being followed. The good thing is that you can even verify to know if the driver’s licence that is given to you is fake or not through the portal.

With what you have said, it means you have a robust working relationship with the FRSC? We have excellent working relationship with FRSC. We have a driver’s licence office here, you will see that it is a one-stopshop. We have the vehicle inspection officers; we have FRSC officers, everybody is there and that is why we call it one-stopshop. In FCT, that is what we have and if you go to the FRSC Zone 7, where we have Driver’s Licence Centre, it is the same thing, go to Gwagwalada, Bwari; it’s the

yearnings and aspirations of the poor, and not the elite with the city life and influence,” he said.

same thing and that is what is expected nationwide. They are all under one roof.

Everybody has its duty to perform.

But many Nigerians have criticised FRSC for delving into issuance of driver’s licence, so, whose responsibility is it to issue the end product to the applicant?

When the licence is produced, we are the custodian; we sign off for the driver’s licence that is why you see the signature of Director, Road Traffic Services in the state that ends up to be the signature on every driver’s licence in FCT and that is the way it is. Everybody has his role to play and we collaborate fully in order to get things done. We don’t have conflict of interest with what we are expected to do on the issue of driver’s licence.

What is the VIO doing particularly to check the trend of untrained drivers causing frequent road trafficaccidents in FCT? Normally, what we do is that in the process of enforcement, we ask for your driver’s licence. The driver’s licence is the authorizing document that allows you to be on that road. And if you don’t have it, it means you have not met the requirement to be on that road. Some people circumvent it, but if the law does not catch up with you today, a crash might catch up with you some day.

What we have always advocated is that people should do the right thing; every patriotic and law-abiding Nigerian must first have a valid driver’s licence before you drive. In other climes, it is a very serious offence.

Whoever you are, to drive without a driver’s licence is a crime; hence, we are making it mandatory for people who are on the road to have driver’s licence.

nated food items, drugs and other relief materials to inmates of the IDPs Camp located at the Durumi District of Abuja.

President of the Club, Mr Olugbenga Obafisoye, while presenting various items including bags of rice, packaged water, drugs, noodles, among others to the IDPs, said the gesture was to ameliorate their plight and reassured them that they were not alone in their predicament.

Obafisoye, flanked by other members of the club and the inmates especially the children, appealed to individuals and organisations to come to the aid of all IDPs Camps scattered all over the states of the Federation by extending their hands of fellowship to them at this trying period of theirs.

Meanwhile, the inmates of the camp have called on the Federal Government, religious organisations, public-spirited individuals, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the international community to come to their aid.

Secretary of the Camp, Mr Liyatu Ayuba, said the IDPs lacked food, water, drugs and that they should not be allowed to die of sufferings.

He disclosed that the inmates of the IDPs camp were from Gwoza and Bama areas of Borno State, North-East, displaced by the insurgents ravaging the zone over the years.

Ayuba said: “We are citizens of Nigeria, we cannot be slaves in our own country.

They should not allow us to die of sufferings in this camp. That is why we are appealing to the Federal Government, the FCT administration, individuals, religious bodies, CSO, and even the International community to come to our aid”.

“As we speak, the camp lacks potable water just as the only health centre recently donated to us lack the essential drugs and medical personnel, adequate accommodation, toilets, food supply, light and adequate security, among others,” he said.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

education

Editor: Laolu Harolds 08111845016 tribune.education@yahoo.com

Experts disagree over proposed extension of medical training programme

Since the idea of extending the duration of training for medical students from six to 11 years was allegedly mooted recently by the executive secretary of the Universities Commission (NUC), stakeholders have been debating the desirability of otherwise of it.

NAZA OKOLI writes.

WHEN, a couple of weeks ago, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie (represented by his deputy, Professor Chiedu Mafiana), reportedly announced that medical students would now have to spend 11 years to complete their training, it was not immediately clear how exactly the plan would be carried out.

Indeed, there were conflicting reports, at first. While most insisted it was 11 years, others said it was 10 years. However, the NUC has since denied these claims, insisting that its helmsman was misquoted.

“He never said medical students will now spend 11 years,” the Director, Information and Public Relations of the NUC, Mallam Ibrahim Yakasai, told Tribune Education via telephone last week.

According to a statement signed by Yakasai, the review only recommends an extension from the current six years to seven years, and will enable the students to graduate in Basic Medical Sciences before proceeding for clinical training.

This reassurance notwithstanding, the issue has continued to prove difficult to understand, even causing a former National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Osahon Enabulele, to ask the NUC to “urgently clear the air”.

Only two weeks ago, a former Execu-

tive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Peter Okebukola, said it would indeed be advantageous to extend the duration of medical training to 11 years, in an interview with a national newspaper.

“In the case of the anticipated change in the training of medical doctors, the process has taken about 12 years,” he said. “I was Executive Secretary when we started the national needs assessment and experts’ survey, which revealed deficiencies in our medical education programme.

“Thus, a consensus was reached by medical experts across the country that a key pathway to remediation is to adopt the global best practice in medical education of enrolling students not fresh from secondary schools, but those with a first degree in disciplines allied to Medicine. After the first degree, they then proceed to the doctor of medicine degree.”

“Baffling…ludicrous” For ex-NMA President, Dr Osahon Enabulele, there is no need for any extension whatsoever. In a statement issued by him last week and obtained by Tribune Education, Enabulele, who is also the current Vice President of Commonwealth Medical Association, discussed a number of reasons why the proposed plan would adversely affect the practice of medicine in Nigeria.

“The idea that the curriculum change was effected to enable the students mature psychologically for the profession is baffling and ludicrous,” Enabulele said. “I am not aware that ability to cope with the rigorous and laborious training offered in medical schools is dependent on the age of the students. Available evidence does not suggest that. Seriously, I don’t think you have to be a grandparent to study medicine or dentistry in Nigeria or any other part of the world.

“Indeed, while I admit that there is need to dynamically improve and modify the current six-year medical/dental training curriculum in Nigeria to make it an all-encompassing curriculum, capable of producing medical and dental practitioners that are

responsive to the 21st century needs of their communities, I must however state that this improvement does not necessarily require an increase in the duration of medical and dental education/training in Nigeria.

“In virtually all professions in the world, training curriculum/syllabus for such professions is expected to be dynamic and responsive to contemporary needs and realities of the day. This is done through dynamic reviews at certain defined intervals. These reviews are usually more in the form and content of the curriculum, and do not necessarily involve an extension in the course duration of education/ training. This is also true of the medical profession in Nigeria.”

Enabulele observed that one of the negative effects of the planned extension would be “reduced interest in the medical profession by prospective students and their parents”, as well as “acute shortage” in the number of medical and dental personnel in the country.

“Going by the current rate of production of medical and dental graduates (with the use of the current six-year MBBS/BDS training programme),” he said, “Nigeria needs an additional number of over 250,000 medical doctors to attend to the population of over 170 million in an ideal doctor-patient population.

“Thus any further elongation of the duration of training will further increase the demand for doctor (including NYSC doctors who pre-eminently run most of the health facilities in rural communities where over 70% of Nigeria’s disease burden is domiciled), worsen the medical manpower crisis with great negative impact on health service delivery and the overall health of the population.”

Global practice?

The thrust of the argument in support of the extension has bordered on the need to make medical education completely postgraduate, in line with “global trends”. However, a survey of medical schools around the world shows that there is indeed little uniformity. While some schools run com-

bined degrees, others award single degrees in Medicine. Again, while some insist that a first degree must first be obtained by prospective students in courses allied to biology, physics and chemistry, some schools (including Harvard) accept candidates with degrees from the Humanities.

According to information gleaned from the official website of the University of Oxford Medical School, the standard duration for medical training at the school is 6 years.

“In years 1-3 (pre-clinical), students gain a comprehensive grounding in the sciences underlying medicine and obtain a BA degree in Medical Sciences. Years 4-6 comprise the clinical component and lead to the award of the BM, BCh.” In addition to these, the university operates “an accelerated four-year medical course for graduates in applied or experimental sciences.”

The Imperial College London also runs a sixyear medical programme known as ‘Medicine (MBBS / BSc).’

“This course is designed for those who do not yet have a first degree in a biological science subject, and leads to the award of both a BSc and an MBBS qualification,” the college’s website says. “Assessments contributing to the MBBS element of the programme will be pass/fail, whilst those which contribute to the BSc will be graded.”

According to American Medical Association, US medical schools typically run four-year MD courses, but candidates for admission must have previously completed a four-year undergraduate programme.

Greater investment Many of those who have commented on the implication of any form of extension in the current duration of medical training in Nigeria also spoke of the need for the government to invest massively in medical education – a situation which they say will make the current six-year programme more meaningful and productive.

Perhaps, then, there would be little need to keep doctors in school for too long.

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education

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

UNILORIN will admit more candidates this year, if… —Ambali •As chancellor pledges support to alumni

M

ORE candidates will be admitted into the University of Ilorin in the next academic session if the National Universities Commission (NUC) approves the university’s request for an increase in its admission quota.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, disclosed this recently while featuring on a Radio Nigeria, Harmony FM, Idofian current affairs programme, Our Guest.

For some time now, the ratio of admitted students to the number of applicants has been a serious concern to universities in the country, admission seekers and their parents.

For instance, out of the more than 103,000 candidates that applied to study in the University of Ilorin in the 2015/2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

(UTME), only 11,057 could be admitted due to the low admission quota granted the most subscribed university

by the commission.

Fielding questions on the radio programme, Professor Ambali noted that the

management of the university was seriously worried that most Nigerian youths cannot gain admission into

their choice institutions due to the low carrying capacity of Nigerian universities.

While commenting on

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, cutting the tape to inaugurate the City of Knowledge Academy, CKA, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State recently. With him are the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; Ogun State Governor’s wife, Dr. Olufunsho Amosun, and other dignitaries.

FUTA dons win German Foundation grants The Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Foundation of Germany has approved twenty-five thousand euro (Euro 25,000.00) for Professor Ganiyu Oboh of the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, to host a Humboldt Kolleg (Conference) between 12th and 16th February, 2017.

The conference, with the theme ‘Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Translating the Knowledge of Food Bioactive Compounds to Effective Health Care Delivery in Developing World’, will draw researchers from across the country.

As part of incentives, the AvH Foundation will cover travel expenses for two researchers from Germany to participate in the Kolleg.

A letter signed by Dr. Daniela KneiBI encouraged Humboldtians to key into the aim of the Foundation which is to organize Humboldt Kollegs in as many countries as possible at intervals while wishing Professor Oboh success.

Also, Dr. Ayokunle Ademosun of the University’s Department of Biochemistry was recently awarded the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) Grant for Junior Researchers 2015.

The award, valued at EUR 1000, is sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). It also comes with the possibility of Ademosun seeking a more prestigious post-doctoral fellowship and the opportunity of joining the ranks of AGNES fellows and contributing to the scientific welfare of the African continent.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, in a congratulatory message to the scholars said Professor Oboh had achieved a great feat by

attracting the support of the Foundation to host the Kolleg again in FUTA, noting that the university would continue to support advancement and

collaborations in cutting edge research.

While congratulating Dr Ademosun, Daramola described his feat as a further

testimony to the excellence and diligence that have become the hallmarks of faculty staff members and students of FUTA.

Teachers and pupils of Above Only Model School, liberty Road, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, during their excursion to Tribune House, Ibadan recently.

PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

the rumour that UNILORIN had released its cut-off marks for the 2016/2017 admission exercise, Ambali said no institution in Nigeria would announce its cut-off marks until the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the NUC determine the national cutoff marks.

He said the University of Ilorin would only announce its cut-off marks after the meeting of all tertiary education institutions in the country with the NUC and JAMB. Meanwhile, Chancellor of the university and Emir of Katsina, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr) Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has lauded the University of Ilorin on its numerous achievements

New appointments at FUT, Minna Adelowo Oladipo, Minna AUTHORITIES of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State have approved the appointment of Dr. A. M. Aibinu of the Department of Mathematics Engineering as the Director, Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning {CODel} for a period of one year with effect from October 1, 2015.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Musbau Adewumi Akanji, has also approved the renewal of the appointment of Professor Abiodun Olotuah as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Architecture, School of Environmental Technology for a period of one year {2015/2016 Academic Session}.

Meanwhile, the appointment of Helen Yiye Tsado of the Information Technology Services has been terminated with immediate effect.

Ms Tsado was said to have deliberately and voluntarily left her duty post to pursue her Master’s degree programme without official approval.

Physical disability not a barrier to success – FUNAAB VC The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Olusola Oyewole, has encouraged physicallychallenged students to focus on their goals and not allow their condition to stand be-

tween them and success in life.

Speaking at a Talent Exhibition and Fundraising organised by the National Association of Physically-Challenged Students (NAPCS), FUNAAB

chapter, the vice chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Oluyemisi Eromosele, cited one of the university products, Mr. Tayo Jubril, a physically-challenged per-

AAUA signs MoU with American varsity AS part of its efforts at deepening its academic programmes, the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Auburn University, Alabama, United States.

The MoU, which essentially is to facilitate exchange of students and staff, and research

collaboration, among other benefits between the two universities, was signed on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at the Auburn University, Alabama, USA. This came barely four months after AAUA signed a similar document with Alabama State University, USA, to further expand its global

partnerships and broaden opportunities for its staff and students.

In his remark, the Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university, expressed delight at the development, which he described as worthwhile,

son who graduated from the Department of Chemistry with a Second Class (Upper Division) degree.

According to him, Jubril went through a skill acquisition programme on soap making in the university

promising to maximize the partnership in the interest of the university.

He said, “For us at Adekunle Ajasin University, It’s a worthwhile collaboration that we are happy about, cherish and treasure, and which we are going to maximize in the best interest of our university.”

prior to his graduation, and is now doing very well.

Delivering a sermon at the event, the Presiding Priest, Abigail Ajibola Anglican Church Camp, Venerable Charles Fakiyesi, noted that everything God made was good, emphasizing that what matters in life is how one reacts to any situation that one finds himself/herself.

He recalled the life and times of Steveland Morris (popularly known as Stevie Wonder), an ace instrumentalist and singer, who was born blind but was able to overcome the challenge and became very successful in life.

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education

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

My vision for Ekiti State College of Education – Dr Oyarekua

The Provost, Ekiti State College of Education, Dr. (Mrs) Mojisola Oyarekua, in this interview with SAM NWAOKO speaks about the current state of teachers’ education in the country, dwindling students’ enrolment and her achievements since assumption office last December. Excerpts:

liaised with a company in Netherlands; we are going to be producing organic tomatoes. We have resuscitated our poultry; we are currently working on our tractors.

Very soon, some of our produce, like red oil, pork, vegetables would hit the market.

We have also established a skill acquisition centre in the college to allow students learn at least one skill within three years of their programmes so that they can set up later after leaving the college. This is at no cost to our students, they only pay about N500, but each year, we introduce them to a particular skill so that at the end of their programmes they have at least two skills they can set up later. We now have anti-corruption unit to deal with, not just cases of financial malfeasance, but also sexual harassment, victimization or any other form of malpractices, if there is any.

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he Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka, said recently that teachers operating from primary level to university level without a teaching qualification would be stopped from teaching in the next two years. Is this feasible?

I think it is possible, especially from the primary school level to the post-primary level; but I’m skeptical about the university level, because I’m not sure that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will take kindly to that. However, the truth must be said: we need certificated teachers in our primary and secondary schools, because most of these schools have teachers that are not professionals. The trend in many private primary and secondary schools has even worsened the situation, because proprietors and proprietresses of these schools just employ anyone that comes their way without considering their competence or professional qualification. I strongly believe there is a nexus between the high rate of failures in public examinations and the quality of teachers that prepare students for these examinations.

How would you describe the current state of teachers’ education in the country?

It’s not encouraging at all. Teaching as a profession is no longer encouraged; it doesn’t enjoy the privilege it used to have in those days. In those days, people were always proud to be teachers, because they were given due recognition as molders of destinies; but now things have changed.

People now see teaching as the last resort.

After trying to get jobs in other professions without success, they then take up teaching appointments. How do you expect such people to put in their best?

What could be responsible for this?

Funding is one of the issues responsible for the degraded level of the profession in our country. Besides, there are no incentives, no encouragement for teachers and the profession. The resultant effect of this is that people who have interest in teaching look elsewhere for jobs, while wrong people or quacks find their way to the classrooms.

There have been calls for the phasing out of the National Certificate in Education (NCE) because the educational realities in the country seem to favour a relatively higher and better qualification or curriculum that would help train manpower for primary and secondary schools in the country. What is your view on this?

When will that curriculum be developed? While developing it, is there going to be a vacuum? Apart from that, you cannot compromise teachers’ education because the development of any nation depends on the quality of its teachers. Since colleges of education are training qualified and skilled NCE teachers, why should you phase out the certificate? There is no way you can compare a qualified teacher with somebody who stumbled on teaching.

Dr Oyarekua NCE is a professional training certificate for teachers; its importance cannot be downplayed. As far as I’m concerned there is nothing wrong with NCE. To state the reality, (NCE teachers) are the best set of qualified teachers we have around considering the rigorous training they are given.

Don’t you think this call for NCE cancellation is as a result of the sharp drop in the number of students seeking admission into colleges of education across the country?

No. The problem is our educational system that subjects all candidates seeking admission to institutions of higher learning to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). So, your choice is either university, polytechnic and the last is the college of education. Why can’t the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) take in students as a body?

Are you calling for an independent examination or admission body for colleges of education?

Yes, that will create flexibility and enhance the entire system. As it is now, all students sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, and with some universities accepting 180, most students will end up in universities to the detriment of colleges of education or polytechnic. Since we respect degrees more than any other qualification, the tendency is that most students would rush to universities, with very few coming to us. The admission process is one-sided; it favours universities. This is not healthy for a nation seeking development on all fronts. There should be separate independent examination bodies for colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities so as to engender efficiency and flexibility.

How has Ekiti State College of Education fared since your assumption

of office and what was the situation of things before and now?

While I commend my predecessor for what she did before my appointment, I’d like to say that we have made a lot of improvements. All the hostels in the college have been renovated. When I came on board, I went round all the offices and hostels in the college and discovered that they needed urgent renovation. Almost all the buildings on campus have been repainted.

The last time this was done was about 26 years ago. I established gymnasiums for our students and another at the college’s guest house for outsiders. We have also sunk many boreholes for students and in our staff school to alleviate provision of water challenges. We have started a printing press for the college, the bindery section has commenced, in another two weeks the printing press will take off fully.

We will start water production in two or three weeks from now. Very soon, our bottled and sachet water will be seen in Ekiti State. I have sent so many members of staff for training; some of them just returned from the United Kingdom, and more are still going to be sent abroad this year. There is no arrear of promotion since I came; I made sure that I sent assessment out for those that are qualified for promotion, and those due for promotion will soon be promoted. I donated laboratory materials to the staff school on my own to enhance teaching, because when I got there I wasn’t impressed with the condition of their lab. We have procured an x-ray machine for the college’s health centre. It’s rather expensive, but I feel we can generate money from its use. The college’s farm and all the facilities there were lying fallow when I resumed, but right now we have resuscitated it. We brought some consultants there, and they couldn’t believe what they saw there. Right now, we are starting organic vegetables. We have also

You cannot compromise teachers’ education because the development of any nation depends on the quality of its teachers

In less than five months, you have achieved all these. How did you get fund?

What we did was to establish entrepreneurial skills. I mandated every department to come up with a skill that would attract people from outside, not necessarily to be our full students, but to come and acquire one skill and get a certificate for that. So, each unit in the college has something in place now for people outside. We have also reached out to banks, not to give us loans – we can’t afford that – but to extend their social responsibilities to us, and some of them have done exactly that.

What other plans do you have for this college?

My main vision is to have highly skilled and well-trained professionals in science and technology, education and associated disciplines who would one day turn things around for our country and make the college proud in their future endeavours. I want research, teaching and training conducted in orderly manner to meet with global best practices. I want to train my staff and expose them to new things locally and internationally. My students would also be encouraged to be focused and hold on to the passion they have chosen. To do this, we have improved the ICT in the college; in fact we are working with other institutions to create a good e-platform for the college, its staff and students. Our e-library is one of the best in the SouthWest geo-political zone. Besides, we are working towards ensuring that all our students and staff are computer literate.

We have more than enough computers to do this, and I believe this will be done. I want people to say, at the end of my tenure, that there has been an improvement in this college, in terms of staff development, academic quality, research, as well as provision of infrastructural and teaching facilities in the college.

What are the challenges you have faced so far since you assumed office?

The greatest challenge has been funding. It’s not peculiar to this college; it’s a national thing. We don’t have adequate funds to execute our programmes and initiatives. Another challenge is the decrease in enrolment. Students are not really enthusiastic about going to colleges of education.

This is really dangerous for the nation, because everybody cannot become lawyers, doctors, engineers. Some people have to train these other professionals.

So, if people refuse to come to colleges of education, I foresee a major problem.

Besides, those students who are currently in the college do not pay school fees citing the financial challenge in the country as the reason. They keep on giving excuse that their parents are civil servants.

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education

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

67 students benefit from Akinsipe Scholarship in Ondo, Ekiti Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

N

O fewer than 67 students across Ondo and Ekiti states have benefitted from the 26th edition of the Akinsipe Memorial scholarship award, which took place at the Emmanuel Akinsipe Memorial Library of Ondo Boy’s High school, Ondo.

The yearly scholarship award was instituted by the Akinsipe family of the Lipakala Dynasty in Ondo for indigent but brilliant students in secondary and tertiary institutions in Ondo and Ekiti states.

Some parents of the beneficiaries thanked the donor for helping the indigent students despite the demise of her husband who instituted the award some 26 years ago.

They promised monitor their wards with an assurance not to disappoint the donor. The students also promised not disappoint the donor and pledged to put in more effort in their studies.

Speaking during the award, the wife of the late philanthropist, Mrs F. O. Akinsipe, said the scholarship award, which was established in April 1990 by her husband, late Chief Akinola Akinsipe, in remembrance of her mother, Madam Olamodesi Akinsipe, was put in place as part of effort to support human capital development of both Ondo and Ekiti states.

She disclosed that about 317 students across the two states have benefitted from the scheme at the secondary school level in the last

26 years, while about 22 scholars have completed their degree programmes from various universities across the country.

Mrs Akinsipe described education as one of the tools to develop a nation through the youths, hence the need to help the indi-

gents who are brilliant but lack the resources to development themselves.

She congratulated the beneficiaries of the award,

Teachers and pupils of Good Fortune Model Nursery and Primary School, Oke-Itunu, Ibadan Oyo State during their excursion to Tribune House, OkeAdo, Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

Teachers and pupils of Good Fortune Model Nursery and Primary School, Oke-Itunu, Ibadan, Oyo State, during their excursion to Agodi Garden, Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

12-year-old empowers indigent children, provides eye care A 12-year-old student of All Souls’ High School, Ibadan, Christabel Lapinni, has formally inaugurated her community development initiative to mark her 12th birthday by empowering indigent children, providing eye care, school bags and uniforms to 52 indigent children at Ologuneru Community Primary School, Ekerin, Ibadan.

In her opening remark, Christabel, who is also the founder of MindPower

Africa, said she was motivated to help indigent children in Africa.

Over 270 children attended the programme from five schools: Ologuneru Community Primary School, Ayodele Memorial School, St. James Anglican Primary School, Eleyele Secondary School and Passion Group of Schools.

The event featured motivational talk, by Mr Fashotito, who inspired the children to think great and be determined to pay the

price for its actualization.

Other parents present also spoke to inspire the children.

Other activities include presentation of school bags

RESIDENTS of Agege and environs were treated to displays of vigour and athleticism as Datforte International Schools held its 2016 annual Inter House Sports Competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos.

Amid colourful displays of calisthenics, march past, sprint races and other events, which tone was set

early by the police band on display, students and staff did their best to thrill visiting parents, friends and other guests with superlative performances.

Declaring open the event, the Chairman/Patron, Chief Uche Okereke, noted that education of the child is incomplete without physical activities like inter-house sports, adding that Datforte with its extensive facilities

by Dr of Joy Optical who explained different kinds of eye problems, remedies.

He later carried out eye examination on participants and parents.

Thousands sit Cowbellpedia mathematics qualifying examination THERE was excitement last week Saturday at the different venues of the qualifying written examination for this year’s Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz.

Datforte International Schools dazzles at Agege Seyi Sokoya

and uniforms to 52 indigent children, comedy and entertainment by Shining Star Dance Group, followed by an eye education and examination session

which include 28 students from Ondo East and West, 16 from the other local government areas of Ondo State; 16 from Ekiti State and five from tertiary institutions.

She advised them to see the award as a challenge to do more in their studies. She also called on the parents to always support their children in achieving their dreams and prayed for the success of the students and beneficiaries.

Three outstanding students who have benefited from the scheme in the past were however specially recognised and honored with a special dinner with the donor.

They were Akinboye Ruth from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, (LAUTECH) who graduated with Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology.

The others are Bamigboye Samuel and Fasoyinu Ayodele, who also graduated with Second Class (Upper Division) from the University of Ilorin and Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) respectively.

The Secretary, Board of Trustee of Olamodesi Akinsipe memorial scholarship, Mr F. O. Faturoti said any nation that craves real development must continue to invest in the education of its youths. He then urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity by studying hard to achieve good results.

Faturoti disclosed that each of the awardees at the secondary school level would receive N10,000 while those at the tertiary level would receive N20,000 each.

and conducive environment would continue to set the pace for other schools to follow.

In the sprint 25m Boys category, Green House came first, while Red House beat Blue House to win the girls section. Blue House was also on point in the Boys 50m, 100m and 200m juniour races, while Green House won the 100m and 200m junior girls.

Over 40,000 junior and senior secondary school students took part in the test.

In an interview in Lagos, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji, Category Manager, Dairy, Promasidor, makers of Cowbell Milk, said there was massive turnout of students as well as their teachers and parents who accompanied them to the venues of the examination across the nation.

According to Ayodeji, Promasidor designed the Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz to discover and nurture talented students in JSS3 and SSS2.

He said the participating schools were given equal opportunity in the

qualifying examination as five students in the junior category and five in the senior cadre represented each school.

Two classes of candidates, online-registered and manual-registered, sat the examination in each centre.

The former were those that were registered online prior to the examination, while the latter represented the category of students who did manual registration.

The Head of Marketing said Promasidor, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, arranged for centres in strategic locations across the country in order to make accessibility easy for the participating students and their teachers.

In Lagos alone, exami-

nations took place in 26 centres, while in Ogun State, nine schools were used as centres. Among the schools used in Lagos as centres for the examination are Ransome Kuti Memorial Senior High School, Mushin; Ikeja Senior Grammar School, Oshodi; Kuramo College, Victoria Island; Amuwo Odofin Community Secondary School, Mile 2; and Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu.

Similarly, Remo Secondary School, Shagamu; Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta; Ansarrudeen Comprehensive College, Otta; and Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode are some of the schools used as centres in Ogun State.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

m:08055001708 e:lanresulaimon@yahoo.com t:@lanresulaimon

aviation

anchor Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

SAHCOL promises Medview Airlines quality services THE Acting Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Rizwan Kadri has congratulated Medview Airlines for its new routes and expansions.

This is just as he describes ontime departures of the airline as its selling point.

This compliment was made when the Acting Managing Director led a team of Management staff on a courtesy call on the Managing Director of Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, at his office, in Ikeja.

Rizwan Kadri, hammering on the long time existing relationship existing between SAHCOL and Medview Airlines, described SAHCOL as more of a business partner to the airline just as he assured of the handling company’s best handling services to Medview Airlines.

The Managing Director of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole while welcoming the SAHCOL’s Acting Managing Director and his team, confirmed that the Medview Airlines’ unique selling point is ‘on-time departures’, which he believed SAHCOL was key in making possible.

Bankole speaking on the relationship between SAHCOL and his airline commended the handling company of being part of the success story of the airline which has positioned it not as a service provider but as a partner in progress.

The visit which gave the SAHCOL Boss an opportunity to meet with the Managing Director of Medview Airlines for the first time in an official capacity, also brought Management teams from both sides together in a relaxed atmosphere, while issues of mutual interest were progressively discussed.

The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Usman Muhtar (left), exchanging a document with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit team leader, Mr Jean Claude Waffo at the NCAA headquarters in Lagos.

FG needs $50bn to grow Nigeria’s aviation —Demuren Stories By Shola Adekola

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O grow the country’s aviation sector, the Federal Government needs to invest $50 billion in airport facilities and other support infrastructure in the next 28 years.

Declaring this position, the Managing Director of Evergreen Apple of Nigeria (EAN), Mr Segun Demuren said the investment will enable aviation agencies build air navigation facilities for business/ private jet and scheduled aircraft operators.

Demuren who spoke in Lagos as convener of 2016 Nigerian Business Aviation Conference, lamented how private/business jet operators were adversely affected by some policies of government.

He listed some of the unfavourable policies to include; im-

position of five per cent import duty tax on private/business aircraft; inadequate airport facilities and multiple charges.

According to Demuren, government needs to re- examine its policies on business aviation to stimulate the growth of the sector.

Demuren said business aviation could stimulate the growth of the sector if harnessed as aviation contributed over $685 million to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2015.

Business aviation which he he said comprised chartered and private jet operators contributed 25 per cent out of the total amount even as he said there was still room for more operators in the burgeoning business aviation sector if the right policies are put in place.

He noted that despite the challenges affecting business aviation,

there is growing interest in the use of private jets and helicopters for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISC).

Private/business jets and helicopters, he said, has become a critical strategy to handle security challenges by some agencies of government including the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) which recently acquired a Cessna CJ4 jet for border patrol.

Some states, he said, have also acquired four Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISC) helicopters to enhance monitoring of security which would drive demand for more private jets and related facilities.

Business aviation, he said, has assisted to open new frontiers for investment especially in states where new airports have been constructed.

It has also contributed to the cre-

Nigeria airports not immune to terrorist attacks —Expert THE managing director of Finum Aviation Services, Engineer Sheri Kyari has warned the Federal Government that the Nigerian airports are not immune from terrorist attacks, urging the government and respective authorities to put in place safety and security measures that would neutralise such heinous plans.

Kyari however said that in the past few years, the government had put in place some security networks that had further improved security and safety in the

system.

He observed that the greatest threat to the nation’s airport is insiders’ connection and appealed to the necessary authorities to take necessary precautions that would put workers at the airports under surveillance.

His words: “The only greatest threat to our airport is insider’s connection; people who work at the airport and know the in and out of the airport. Those are the immediate threats and if the authorities could take the necessary

precautions to make sure they put workers at the airport into surveillance, I think we would be safer.

“I want to believe that maybe because of the size of our airports, the volume of traffic; we are able to cover effectively a lot of places at the airport. If it is as complicated as some advanced countries, with the kind of security we have, we might not be able to cope, but the level of activities at the airports in our country, I think we are able to cope for now.”

He advised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to acquire more advanced security equipment for all the airports under its control no matter how small they maybe.

While insisting that if done the agency that the industry would be safe and secure for all categories of users, Kyari added: “I thank God that we have been passing the security audits over the past few years. So, we should be able to stay well above that safety level we have now.”

ation of over 5,000 jobs in the last 10 years, because of the services it provides with the use of aircraft, such as air ambulances, which has saved 500 patients from dying.

While condemning the government’s unfriendly policy which he said has slowed the growth of aviation in the country, he cited five per cent import duty tax on aircraft which he described as a conflict because Nigeria is a signatory to the Cape Town Convention which does not require payment for tax on moveable assets.

His words: “There is also five per cent import duty on essential aircraft spare parts, coupled with double taxation. Five per cent of business turnover is also demanded from operators.”

He listed three top issues affecting business aviation operators as unavailability of cheap finance, lack of major maintenance facilities, saying that business aviation spends over $305 million yearly on overseas checks.

Demuren also decried the non -availability of cheap financing from financial institutions in the country for business aviation unlike their counterparts in Europe, America and Asia that have access to finance, He said inadequate infrastructure also contributed immensely to undermine the growth of business aviation.

He insisted that since Nigeria is a signatory to the Cape Town Convention, the government is not supposed to impose the five per cent import duty on aircraft.

28

aviation

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

crucial moment With Shola Adekola

0803 365 4818

Why the minister should be more proactive THE visit of the Nigerian born President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, Dr Bernard Aliu to President Muhammadu Buhari led government has come and gone but it will however linger on for some time amongst stakeholders in the aviation sector in view of the timing of the the visit.

Aliu was elected as the ICAO President November 18th, 2013 as the first African to hold the position a situation which has put Nigeria at the front burner as a supposed African leader at least on the continent.

As expected, Nigeria’s aviation sector should be seen to be taking some active steps towards transforming aviation on the continent through the introduction of robust policies that should propel the country’s aviation sector forward.

Sadly, all seems not to be alright as the sector continues to suffer neglect in the hands of subsequent governments which gets complicated with some unfriendly policies often introduced.

Before the coming of the present government, the sector had been enmeshed in myriad of challenges ranging from unstable exchange rate, economic hardship, porous air agreements, multiple entry points, infrastructural challenge and high cost of aviation fuel, high interest rate and unnecessary interference to unfriendly policies among many others.

It was as a result of this uncertainty that stakeholders in the sector looked up to the new government for a relief through its electoral promises to bring change.

The hope of the stakeholders was raised with the appointment of a “technocrat”, Senator Hadi Sirika, a trained pilot as the minister of state for aviation.

Ordinarily, the minister as a professional is expected to prevail on the presidency to without delay hit the ground running in ensuring the sector received attention because of its sensitivity.

While the government will be celebrating its one year in office next month, nothing much has been done for the sector as all the challenges still remain untreated not even one.

The airlines are struggling to survive in the face of high operational cost inflicted on them by expensive aviation fuel, multiple entry points for foreign carriers lack of support from government to multiple taxations.

Besides, the aviation agencies are in a precarious situation brought on them by too many distractions and lack of freedom to be allowed to run in line with professionalism.

There is no doubt that there are other sectors also crying for action but aviation in view of its importance should not have been left unattended to for this long as no serious nation toys with the sector.

It is at this juncture that the Crucial Moment is challenging the minister of state for aviation as a technocrat to wake up and let the government know the importance of the sector.

In all honesty, key players in the sector are not comfortable with the minister’s present body language towards the plight of the sector.

The need for him to be more proactive becomes pertinent in view of the high hope put on having a technocrat as minister by some stakeholders in the sector even though many others had also argued against it based on past experience.

The truth is that all eyes are on Senator Sirika watching to see how he intends to use his professional background to move the sector forward as failure to achieve this would have vindicated those who had argued that professionalism was not a yardstick for performance in the sector.

Certainly, the transformation of the country’s aviation sector will boost the re-election bid of Dr Aliu at the ICAO Council.

The Acting Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), Rizwan Kadri in a handshake with the managing director of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole while the management teams from both companies look on when the handling company management paid a courtesy visit to the airline office in Lagos.

New terminals will boost commercial activities —Dunoma Stories By Shola Adekola THE Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma has said that massive commercial activities, new opportunities and employment will be created afterthe reconstruction and upgrade of airport terminals across all federal government-owned airports across the country.

Dunoma stated this while delivering a paper on ‘Terminal Expansion: Key to maintaining high standards of operational efficiency and improved airport users experience at the second Airport Business Summit and Expo in Abuja.

While declaring that the management of FAAN has put in place, the necessary commercial offerings which has resulted in renewed interest by investors in the sector, Dunoma further explained “The Federal Government of Nigeria as the primary investor in Nigeria’s 23 airports is gradually opening doors for genuine private investors to partner and work with the Government to explore the various opportunities in the sector.”

Dunoma explained that beyond improving operational efficiency and passenger facilitation, the new terminal facilities when completed will bring up opportunities for more investments to make the airports more user-friendly and offer passengers a whole new travel experience in line with international standards and practices.

“Stakeholder and partners in airport services

delivery including; the airlines, handling companies, retailers, contractors etc have been aligned with this objectives through periodic training and sensitization seminars to maintain the same customer centric service standards,” Dunoma added.

According to him, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 20-year passenger growth forecast projected that passenger

numbers are expected to reach 7.3 billion by 2034 which represented a 4.1 per cent average annual growth in demand for air connectivity, stressing that African airports rated amongst the fastest-growing markets will benefit from this growth and thus Nigerian airports are therefore expanding their user handling capacity both in aeronautics and non-aeronautics services.

KLM introduces B777-200 on Lagos-Amsterdam route KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has introduced another aircraft, a B777-200 aircraft on the Lagos-Amsterdam route.

The aircraft which started operating on the Lagos/Amsterdam route since 27th, March, 2016, features the New World Business Class (WBC) cabin which was designed by leading Dutch designer Hella Jongerius.

KLM created an entirely new Business Class look & feel while uniting international allure with top Dutch design to emphasise a sense of pride in its

Dutch heritage.

In addition to designing the interior, Hella Jongerius also shaped the fullflat seats.

According to the airline “Customer comfort and safety forms the premise that harmonise well with KLM’s brand values. This also fits into the broader context of other successful KLM initiatives in WBC with top Dutch chefs and fashion designers.”

Al Jean-Raoulso speaking, Tauzin, General Manager, KLM Nigeria & Ghana declared “By revamping our World

Business Class cabin we make our Business Class passengers feel at home on board. KLM strives constantly to safeguard individual comfort in amiable settings using innovations while putting emphasis on the best the Netherlands has to offer.”

The new cabin is fitted with the new full-flat bed which guarantees optimum comfort while positioning of the new business class seats and other various smart design elements ensures privacy while sleeping or working.

NAHCO appoints new Executive Director THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC, (NAHCO Aviance), has announced the appointment of Mrs Folashade Ode as Executive Director, Corporate, Legal Services and Company Secretary.

The appointment was announced just as the retirement of Mr Bolaji Balogun and Architect Usman Arabi Bello from the board of the Company took immediate effect.

Ode, whose appointment takes immediate effect, would execute her new office with the former role of Company Secretary.

The new Executive Director is a graduate of Lagos

State University, Ojo, Lagos, where she obtained her LL.B (HONS) and an MBA in international business.

She is a member of many professional bodies, including the Nigeria Bar Association, International Bar Association and Nigeria Institute of Management.

According to the spokesperson of NAHCO, Tayo Ajakaye, “Ode is a highly motivated and hardworking solicitor with over twenty-five years cognate experience in corporate and commercial law and has exhibited unparalleled professionalism in the

course of her career.

“She has a diploma in Insurance, a Law degree from the Lagos State University (class of 1990) and was called to the bar in 1991; she obtained her MBA (International Business) in 2005 from the Lagos State University.

Dubai announces first airport tax on passengers THE emirate of Dubai, whose airport is the world’s busiest for international passengers, has announced that it was introducing a tax on travelers to help finance expansion, as Gulf governments grapple with plummeting revenues.

The 35-Dirham ($9.50) fee will apply to all passengers, including those transiting in Dubai, on all flights from June 30.

It is the first time Dubai has announced a passenger tax, which is imposed in many airports world-

wide.

More than 78 million passengers passed through Dubai International in 2015, keeping its place as the world’s busiest for international passengers since overtaking London Heathrow in 2014.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

maritime

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

Piracy: Is Nigeria losing grip of Gulf of Guinea?

In recent times, the Gulf of Guinea has been the theatre for incessant piracy attacks with many kidnapped and later released as part of a kidnap-for-ransom venture thriving off Nigeria’s coastline. In this report, TOLA ADENUBI looks at the increasing piracy attacks amid Nigeria’s efforts to combat the menace.

T

HE Gulf of Guinea is the North-eastern-most part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Three Points in Western region Ghana. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is in the gulf.

In-between the section of the Atlantic, Nigeria is the biggest economy situated along this line that includes other small African countries. Therefore, as the biggest economy along the stretch, it is expected that the nation leads the onslaught against the menace of piracy along the Gulf of Guinea. However, despite the efforts of her naval force, recent attacks, both within her territorial waters and off her coast has raised questions over the safety of the Gulf of Guinea.

Restive festive Niger Delta The recent attack on a Liberia-flagged 6,436 dead-weight chemical tanker, MT Sampitiki, in the Niger Delta coast in the month of March, 2016, has raised doubts about the security of that region. Dare-devil Nigerian pirates took hostage of five crew members after the MT Sampitiki, was attacked about 30 miles off the coast of Bonga.

Since the beginning of the year, there has been an upsurge in piracy attacks in the Nigeria Delta region, a feat the Nigerian Navy has attributed to the cancellation of the juicy contract between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd (GWVSL).

Reports of armed pirates invading and robbing communities like the Burutu-Warri waterways and riverine communities in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, have gone unabated.

On January 29, a Greek-flagged chemical tanker MT Leon Dias was hijacked near Brass in the restive oil-rich Niger Delta region. However, five foreign hostages seized in the attacks were later freed even though details of terms of gaining freedom were not made public.

Among the free were two Filipinos, two Russians and one Georgian. Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive chat, the Director of Information of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Chris Ezekobe attributed the surge in the restiveness in the Niger Delta to the termination of the GWVSL contract.

According to him, “the prevalence of sea robbery and piracy was at ground zero as at December 2015. It was in January this year that we had some level of upsurge. The thinking is some quarters were that the attacks in our own territorial waters, most especially in the Niger Delta region may not be too unconnected with the termination of the Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd contract.

“The maritime security of Nigeria, which the Navy is the lead agency is doing its best

Rotimi Amaechi to ensure the stability of security in the Niger Delta region. It will also help if the leadership of the GWVSL is brought forward for prosecution.

Volatile Gulf of Guinea The attack on the MT Sampitiki came few hours after the news broke of the release of two crew members kidnapped on February 23 from Bourbon Liberty 251, a French oil services company vessel, off the Nigerian coast.

The crew were kidnapped when six heavily-armed pirates attacked the offshore support vessel, ‘Bourbon Liberty 251’ in the Gulf of Guinea, 55 nautical miles off the Nigerian coast.

Also, in early March, Four seamen were abducted by pirates from the Greek-owned, Panama-flagged tanker “Madonna 1” and were later released unharmed in Nigerian territory. The four seamen, three Greeks and one Filipino, were abducted while the ship was sailing without cargo about 15 nautical miles from the coast of Nigeria.

Joint efforts against piracy In the words of the Nigerian naval Spokesman, Ezekobe, there is need for joint patrol of the Gulf of Guinea by all the countries located along the stretch in-order for the scourge to be stemmed.

“A lot of effort has been made to combat

sea piracy. If you remember, MT Maximus was rescued by a solely Nigerian effort after she was hijacked off the coast of Abidjan.

“A lot of regional effort, particularly under the auspices of the US-African Command is currently ongoing. We just finished a 10-days capacity building exercise which was held for regional Navies.

“It started in Senegal and culminated in Duala, Cameroon. So there are lots of collaborative efforts amongst the Navies of the African continent, most particularly amongst the ECOWAS to the EKAS axis of the African continent.

“Piracy is something that needs a lot of cross border collaboration across maritime boundaries for it to be effective.

Therefore, that collaboration are currently ongoing and we have also established the Zone E under the ECOWAS integrated maritime strategy.

The Zone E headquarters is in the Republic of Benin and it is made up of countries like Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Niger.

“Niger is part of the zone E because there is a responsibility on littoral States to also cater for land locked States,” Ezekobe stated.

Nigeria’s effort against piracy The naval mouthpiece also explained efforts of the Nigerian Navy to stem the trend of piracy. In his words, “On our part, we have enhanced our surveillance system. The

regional maritime awareness capability centre, domiciled in Lagos has been enhanced.

“We have now about 9 satellite stations along the Nigerian coastline. Each of the satellite has ranges of about 25-35 nautical miles. The question of how we are going to cater for the surveillance of Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone has been answered in a project called the Falcon eye.

“The project is being funded by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Once collected, we will be able to see in excess of 200 nautical miles. In fact, it was the test phase of the Falcon eye that we used when we wanted to vector our ship during the rescue of the MT Maximus. “the Chief of Naval Staff has also directed all operational commands of the Navy to put to sea one capital ship, that is in the West, Central and Eastern naval command. Thus each of them put a capital ship at sea each day and this has greatly enhanced our efforts to ensure the nations resources are best secured.”

It will be recalled that Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbe, while recently visiting President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said that a total of $7 billion is lost to piracy annually in the Gulf of Guinea. The figure expectedly rose by 13.6% ($950million) in 2013 following increased level of insecurity in some of the countries in the Gulf.

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maritime

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Nigerdock lobbies Customs over oil & gas logistic monopoly

From left: Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Dan Ugo; Deputy Comptroller General, Banke Adeyemo; Chairman, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), Ladi Jadesimi; Comptroller-General of Customs Retired Colonel Hameed Ali; Managing Director of LADOL, Dr Amy Jadesimi; Deputy Comptroller General, Abubakar Umar and Assistant Controller General in charge of Customs Zone A, Charles Edike, when the Customs Comptroller-General visited LADOL Industrial Free Zone in Lagos.

$3.8bn FPSO: Customs CG lauds LADOL’s investment drive Stories by Tola Adenubi- Lagos

T

HE Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed Alli (rtd), has described the integration of the first made-in-Nigeria oil services platform otherwise known as Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, as one of the pride of President Mohammadu Buhari, in his passion for repositioning the nation’s economy.

The $3.8 billion platform otherwise known as Egina project was awarded to Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) in 2013 to build a world-class oil production platform in Nigeria with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), acting as the local content partner.

Ali made the assertion in Lagos recently when he led top management team of the Nigeria Customs Service on a facility tour of the LADOL Free Zone, in Takwa Bay, Apapa, where the integration of the world-class oil platform is being integrated.

Expressing delight at the wholly indigenous owned facility, which has so far consumed $600 million in local content input, Ali observed that for an indigenous investor to take such bold step amid the risk in undertaking such ventures, the project must be appreciated by the presidency.

“I have come and I have seen.

They say seeing is believing. I will take the message to President Muhammadu Buhari whom I am sure will be impressed if he gets to know what you are doing here.

The President is interested more so that you are the first people that are doing this kind of project in

West Africa and to say that your organization is owned by Nigerians, it is amazing.

“With what you are doing here, I have no doubt that government will continue to support and encourage you because the sky is the limit. Any government will be glad to support an entity such as this that will put us (Nigeria) at par with other industrially developed

countries of the world “Not too many of our indigenous investors can take the risk as you have done. I am happy to be here, and the Nigeria Customs Service is also glad that you are generating revenue into government coffers through your activities here,” he said.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Managing Director of the

LADOL Free Zone, Dr Amy Jadesimi, said the zone, which has been developed into a world-class facility from a swamp, has so far generated about N16.9billion in customs revenue in the past ten years.

“Over the years, we have done our best in terms of customs revenue generation. So far, we have generated almost N16.9billion as customs revenue,” she said.

NPA recruitment done through back door —Workers

WORKERS of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have alleged that for the past 2 to 3 years, recruitment exercise at the agency has been done through the back door.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive chat, the President of the NPA branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Adeleke Sanni wondered why recruits interviewed through due process about three years ago are yet to be employed.

“I just pray that between now and 2017 or 2018, NPA does not go into extinction staff wise because of the rate of the people retiring by age and length of service.

“If you compare the number of workers the agency has after the ports were concessioned till now, and the number of recruitments that have been carried out by the agency, it will amaze you to know that NPA is gradually sliding towards extinction.

“This is simple calculation. It’s not that we are just sitting down and blabbing. It’s a statement of fact. I would not want to be seen to be joining issues with anybody.

“The interview that was done in the agency’s fire department about

two or three years ago is yet to see the light of the day. If we did not need those personnel, why did we interview them? A particular amount and time was budgeted for that interview, yet it has not seen the light of the day.

“Except through the backdoor, none of those interviewed as been employed. Employment through the backdoor at the NPA is not impossible. It is something that could have happened. If we did not need those interviewed legally, why did we spend time and money to conduct the interview?

“Except some people have come in through the back door which is very possible, management needs to tell us why those interviewed are yet to be employed.”

On the implication of this on the agency’s performance, he explained that, “let us ask ourselves, how many of the NPA personnel are stationed at all the concessioned areas of the ports? Government keep talking about revenue leakages at the ports, yet most of the concessioned areas are unmanned.

“It is true that the Managing Director of the NPA does not have

the power to employ without the approval of the Federal Government; but it is obvious to discerning eyes that NPA is currently under-staffed.

“We don’t have enough personnel manning the concessioned areas due to shortage of manpower, and in places where have people who can man this places, they are barred from gaining access to the concession areas. So how won’t there be revenue leakages?”

When reminded that the Managing Director does not share the notion that the agency is currently under-staffed, Adeleke replied that, “he is the Chief Executive Officer, what do you expect him to say? Of cause, he will defend his position.”

Efforts to get the NPA Spokesman proved abortive as text messages and calls made to his mobile phone were not responded to as at the time of filing in this report.

It will be recalled that in 2006, the Federal Government concessioned the ports under a Landlord-Tenant model, leaving the NPA to regulate the port in landlord capacity while the terminal operators managed the port terminals in tenant capacity.

THE management of Nigerdock PLC, a subsidiary of JAGAL investment has asked the Federal government to stop monopoly in the oil and gas industry as it makes the sector uncompetitive.

This charge was made by the Group Executive Chairman of Nigerdock, Anwar Jarmakani, when the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali visited the zone.

Jarmakani said the monopoly had forced the oil and gas industry and the nation into capitulation.

He said it must be stopped as it was seriously hitting hard on the economy.

“The Nigeria oil and gas supply and logistics services in Nigeria is the most expensive in the world because of its entrenched monopoly. They have driven away investments from Nigeria and has seriously damages the International reputation of Nigeria,” he said.

The MD also alleged that the monopoly has consistently and aggressively used different government institutions to compromise, maintain and entrenched it’s monopoly position with impunity.

ANLCA, NAGAFF protest alleged highhandedness of senior customs officer AGGRIEVED customs brokers and freight forwarders recently protested and called for the removal of an Assistant Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the PTML command; Moyo Aina, over issues bothering on valuation of imported vehicles.

The protesters faulted what they termed the senior officer’s attitude toward trade facilitations, even as they alleged that the Assistant Controller is involved in issuance of multiple valuation alerts.

Addressing journalists during the protest, Vice Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at PTML; Charles Udealor, alleged that the Assistant Controller was involved in corrupt practices.

He lamented that past executives of the associations at chapter level were not courageous enough to address the high handedness of the officer.

Udealor noted that the present executives of NAGAFF with synergy from other sister associations deemed it necessary to put a stop to Aina’s alleged corrupt tendencies.

According to him, the protest and action were embarked upon by members of NAGAFF, National Council of Managing Directors and ANLCA in order to put a stop to the exploitation.

Highlighting some of the allegation levelled against the customs officer, the vice chairman alleged that the injustice meted out to importers and agents by Aina Moyo in the name of working for government has made the PTML command to lose revenue.

31

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

We are promoting reading through RAN —SYNW president enough literary and educational books in their libraries. We all know that public school students don’t buy books. We had to provide some for them. Apart from this, the majority of the students don’t read.

You can imagine secondary school Literature students who did not know that Things Fall Apart was written by Chinua Achebe. Not only that, the majority of them do not know authors like Amos Tutuola, T.M Aluko, Cyprian Ekwensi, Elechi Amadi, Mabel Segun etc. Some students don’t even know that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a great writer until I mentioned three of his books to them. So these are some of the challenges we are facing.

Wole Adedoyin, the president of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), in this interview with ADEWALE OSHODI, speaks on the organisation’s Read Across Nigeria (RAN) project, while explaining the challenges he is facing in his efforts towards promoting the reading culture in the country.

EXCERPTS:

W

HAT is Read Across Nigeria (RAN) all about?

Read Across Nigeria (RAN) is an annual chain of events administered by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW). We usually have a day devoted for readers and lovers of books across Nigeria to read any selected book.

It is also an avenue for promoting the reading culture in the country. Read Across Nigeria is held in schools, offices, markets, etc. Organisers can coordinate reading seminars, workshops, fora, symposia and conferences to celebrate the day.

We welcome events of any size and extend invitation to many societies and associations involved in book reading, as long as they agree to follow our guidelines with serious sense of purpose.

The main mission of this project, there- •Wole Adedoyin, president, SYNW fore, is to promote book reading through events like spelling bee, quiz contests Read Across Nigeria is such a huge and other mediums across the country. project, but what challenges have We welcome any individual, association, you been facing since you started? society or institution that is interested There are lots of problems that we are in the literary sector, and who wishes encountering during the execution of the to join the cause and agree to follow our guidelines.

Our goal is to promote the book culture through reading activities and exercises.

Coordination of this programme is open to both men and women to organise but one is free to design his event, as long as THE shortlist for the 2016 Samuel Johnson it reflects the common goal.

This year’s edition will be in honour Prize for non-fiction writing has been anand commemoration of Dr. Wale Okedi- nounced.

The six titles include Jonathan Bate’s Ted ran’s 61st birthday, which is coming up Hughes: The Unauthorised Life and Robert on April 14, 2016.

Macfarlane’s Landmarks.

Dr. Wale Okediran is a former presiA variety of genres, from journalism, phident of the Association of Nigerian Aulosophy and biography to memoir and scithors (ANA) and the Founder/Director of Ebedi International Writers Residen- ence, feature in the shortlist.

The £20,000 prize, described by organcy, Iseyin. isers as the UK’s most prestigious of its Who is the brain behind this proj- type, was won last year by Helen Macdonald’s H is for Hawk. ect?

Macdonald was a special guest at the Read Across Nigeria is an initiative of shortlist announcement by judges Sumit the Society of Young Nigerian Writers, Paul-Choudhury and Rana Mitter at the and it is aimed at promoting the reading London’s Royal Festival Hall. culture in the country through the works Her memoir, recounting how the death of Nigerian authors. of her father prompted her to train a gos-

project. Problems like finance, mobilisation and discouragement from schools we’ve selected for the project. For example, in some schools in Oyo State, some do not have literary texts. They don’t have

Samuel Jackson fiction award announced hawk, went on to become a number one bestseller and to win last year’s 2015 Costa Book of the Year Award.

The award is said to illustrate how nonfiction can explore the “diverse facets of human existence in different ways.”

The winner will be announced on 2 November.

In the movie section, the seventh instalment of the nearly 40-year-old space saga is still breaking box office records across the world.

The Force Awakens’ takings has already reached $2billion worldwide, and it has joined Avatar and Titanic in the big money movie club.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is also nearing the billion dollar status.

How have you been coping with all these challenges?

Dr. Okediran, as we all know, is a great literary figure in the country, who always supports every literary initiative that comes his way. He has been of tremendous help to this initiative. He is, indeed, a literary giant. Through him, we have been able to spread our tentacles across all the states of the federation. His personality really works for us. We have also made literature simple to secondary school students by coming up with graphical posters showing world authors and their books, as well as titles of best seller books. Students of schools we have been to can now identify our great literary giants and their works through the posters. Media houses, particularly the Nigerian Tribune, have also been of tremendous help to us in terms of publicity. For many years, they have been our backbone and have encouraged us in promoting reading and writing culture in Oyo State and Nigeria as a country. I also want to encourage the Federal Ministry of Education to make the works of famous people like Chief Awolowo available to schools.

Now, how far have you gone with the project?

Presently, we have covered almost 20 states of the federation, where friends, colleagues and associates of Dr Okediran reside. For example, in Oyo State, five groups are organising reading events in his honour, excluding the 31 secondary schools that are now holding their reading sessions in their different schools.

We have them in Iseyin, Ogbomoso and Ibadan. So far, we have gotten various interest of participation from states like Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Anambra, Sokoto, Jos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Niger, Kwara, Kano, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Borno, Bayelsa, Delta, to mention but a few. Like I said earlier, the personality of Dr. Okediran has been of tremendous help to this project. Friends of Dr. Okediran like Chineye Obi Obasi, Denja Abdulahi (present National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors), Dr. Tope Olaifa, Mr. Kofi Sackey, Prof. Abebe Kabir, Dr. Ngozi Chuma Udeh, among others, have really tried for the project.

32

arts&review

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Aramoko-Ekiti: More than just a town strated in Ifa oracle, such that there is hardly any Ifa diviation where the Ifa Alara is not mentioned.

Indeed, Ifa Alara (Ogbe-tua) is also important that the mere citing of it calls for the Ifa priest to bow in adoration to the king.

By Kehinde Temitope

A

RAMOKO in Ekiti State is an ancient Yoruba town. Its founder, Agboluaje, a descendant of Oduduwa, migrated from Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilisation and settled at the present site with Sajowa and Olode Tirimi; these three people were the leaders who paved the way for the other migrants.

They settled briefly at Ile-Oluji, a name they derived from the unfortunate incident of the death of Agboluaje’s first son in his sleep. Ile-Oluji translates as Ile ti ‘Olu’ sun ti koji (The land where Olu slept and did not wake up).

The migrants later moved through Ipole and later Ijumu, in the present day Erijiyan-Ekiti, where they settled for a long period. At Erijiyan-Ekiti, their leader died and was buried; after the burial, the people moved and settled at the present day Aramoko-Ekiti. This explains the close affinity between Aramoko and Erijiyan-Ekiti people.

Agboluaje, a direct descendant of Oranmiyan, departed Ile-Ife with his three younger brothers born of the same mother, and they all became crowned Obas in Aramoko-Ekiti, IjeroEkiti and Ila Orangun in Osun State.

Hence that popular song (prayer) “Let God make my destiny like Olupeereye Obirin. Alaras mother who gave birth to three sons and the three became crown kings. The Alara is one of the 16 original Ekiti kings.

The story of Alamoye The Ufinrin is the feast of Alamoye. There are two forms of tradition about the origin of Alamoye. The first was given by a member of the family, while the second was given by an historian. The first has it that Alamoye was a senior brother of Oranmiyan, and that both were children of Oduduwa in Ile-Ife. When the time came for one of the brothers to get a chieftancy title, Oranmiyan was preferred to Alamoye, and out of annoyance, Alamoye left IleIfe, accompanied by a group of people, among whom were his three male children — Orojo, Oloan and Alara.

Alamoye took with him the form of worship and some of the objects which his father was worshiping in Ile-Ife, among which were, Sango, Ogun and Osun.

The second version states that Alamoye, a son of Oduduwa, was a great herbalist for which he earned the appellation “Agbodu Sogun” meaning one who uses a large pot for holding his medicine.

At a time, he left his children behind at Aramoko and travelled to Benin, where he stayed for many years with the Oba, who was also his brother. On his return, he discovered that his son had already been made the king (Alara).

Therefore, he did not return to Ijowa, where he lived before but retired to “Oke Afin” at Ulure. There, he carried on with the worship he brought from Ile-Ife. Administration Aramoko is presently the headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government, with Okemesi, Ido-Ile, Erio, Erijiyan,

Alara’s palace: The Alara’s palace is one of the oldest surviving tradocultural monuments in the country; it houses century-old Yoruba crowns .

Ogun festival (god of iron) in Aramoko-Ekiti On the day that Ara masquerades hold Ore procession (Egigun Ara Nyore), the day for Ogun festival is fixed for itadogun (17 days or Isan meji).

On the day of the festival, the chief priest performs the rituals at the Ogun Alara’s shrine.

Items used for the ritual include a dog and kolanuts. In attendance will be the Alara himself, and the time for the ceremony is between 10.00 and 11.00p.m.

Passersby could watch if they care to, since it is not secret.

Ogun festival in Aramoko-Ekiti is a tripartite festival, coming up after Olokun and before Ufinrin festival.

•Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State Ikogosi and Ipole-Iloro as constituent areas.

The Alara is the supreme ruler of the town and the head of the Alara-in-council, constituted by three categories of traditional chiefs namely:•Agba Ode: made up of six chiefs — Asao, Oloje Ojoko, Ogboni, Odofin and Olugbudu (Head of woman chiefs) •Agbaule: has Chief Aba-Atiba, Asasa, Okuuato, Elojofi, Aasan and Salotun as members •The Elerin Morun, which is made up

of Chiefs — Oisikin, Ologbosere, Eledahun, Sajowa and Emila.

There are four main traditional festivals in Aramoko-Ekiti — the Olokun, the annual Alara masquerade celebration (Egigun Ara) which comes up annually early in July, followed by Ogun and finally Alamoye (Ufinrin festival), during which the Alara eats the new yam.

It is held around the end of September and early October.

The significance of tradition and culture for Aramoko is simply demon-

POEM

Abeokuta

Voice of olumo has long been heard Lisabi is a lonesome pathway dried Saliva tires to return to the called I know this for the yearns of the spirit aged

5. Egba calls her child Those both near and far in the wild Sojourners in the wild I will to you-the ancestors - Return a valiant frost 10 coming to terms with the harmattaned floors For tales to tell of rigor And hurdle, lakes as acid

And evidenced scars from journeys arid

I will to you-the mothermost15. Return a man-made Proof of my long-lined descent Leaves part the tree Yet many sprout after the shed free Each at its turn new or weary 20 I at mine To be a green I am still at sea

By Oni Abidemi Martins, Lagos

Ogun Okeodi or Ogun Ologudu A night before the Ogun Okeodi ritual, a traditional chief sends a sheep to the Ifa priest in the middle of the night, meant for the offering the following midnight. The messengers should not be seen by other people besides the receiver and his relatives.

In the night, when the prayers will be offered, chiefs will call at priest’s house to retrieve the sheep.

This whole ceremony lasts between 12.00 midnight and 2.00a.m. The group then moves to the shrine where prayers are offered for the peace and prosperity of the King and people of Aramoko-Ekiti.

The sheep is beheaded, kolanuts are broken and the prayers concluded.

When dawn breaks, the people of Aramoko-Ekiti start the general celebration of Ogun festival.

Dogs are slaughtered with several iron pieces like hoes, cutlasses, guns, spears and swords. Palm wine and palm oil with salt are then poured on the earth, or on the iron pieces. Some even offer fresh yams, which are sliced into pieces, in appreciation for blessings received on the farms.

Celebration continues till the seventh day; the period is also marked by singing and dancing round the town.

In conclusion, Ogun festival is celebrated across all Yoruba towns, therefore, it is clear that the people of Aramoko-Ekiti originated from the ancestral home of the Yoruba, Ile-Ife. The advent of Western education, Christianity and Islamic religion had made people to look down on traditional religion as fetish.

Despite these influences, the celebration of Ogun festival in Aramoko-Ekiti is waxing stronger, as it serves as a means of propagating our traditional culture.

•Temitope is of the National Museum, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

33

Thursday, 7 April, 2016 Editor:

health you&EYE

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

sex,sexuality&YouR HEALTH

How wrong food combinations affect your health

INSIDE

Why diabetes is better prevented —Prof Kolawole, EMSON treasurer Page 36

natural health

Health benefits of broccoli Page 37

How to prevent sagging breasts after breastfeeding (II) Page 37

HEALTH QUOTE

naturalhealth

By Sade Oguntola

F

ood isn’t harmless. Much as healthy eating is critical to good healthy, what you eat and drink can affect their effectiveness in meeting the nutritional needs for good health. Wrong food combinations can prevent the nutrients in them getting absorbed by the body for strengthen bone, blood production or even exacerbate side effects of drugs.

There are food combinations that can cause health risks in us. Some of the immediate consequences of bad food combinations are digestive unease, gas, bloating, stomach ache, nausea, fatigue, and problems with elimination.

While short-term effects can clear up within a day or two, long-term food combining can lead to more severe problems like bad breath, dry skin, rashes, bone soften, poor sleep, low energy, and chronic digestion issues.

“Many people take food items like Ugwu leave extract and milk to correct low blood volume, but the combination is wrong,” said Mrs Motunrayo Anifowose, a dietician at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to Anifowose, “Ugwu leave contains an abundance of iron. Unfortunately, calcium and iron does not work. The availability of the iron content of the Ugwu leave extract is

limited by the calcium content of the milk.

“No doubt, taking Ugwu leave extract with milk would boost the blood level but it would not be as beneficial as when the Ugwu leave extract was combined with a vitamin C containing food item, say fresh orange juice.

“Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron.

Unfortunately, people have the mindset that taking a combination of Ugwu leaves extract and milk is the best.”

No doubt, taking milk is beneficial to the body, but its combination with other things would limit its health benefits to the body.

Adding milk to tea, Dr Oyediran Oyewole, a public health nutritionist at the Faculty of Public health, University of Ibadan, Oyo State said could make it lose its beneficial effects.

Tea is found to improve immune system, to control blood sugar levels, reduce damage to cells and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

While many people drink tea and coffee because it is pleasant, soothing drink,when milk is added to tea, Dr Oyewole said the caseins, proteins found in milk, form complexes with catechins in tea, it’s most important flavonoids.

In a small study conducted on 16 healthy women, scientists compared the effects of tea on their vascular system, with tea, water and tea with milk. They found that tea relaxes blood vessels, but tea with milk does not.

Dr Oyewole remarking that many people lack

understanding of what it means to eat wisely, said combining iron contain food items also with tea was a wrong combination.

“All teas contain anti-nutrients such as tannins and other phytochemicals that the body actually require. But when tea is combined with food items that contain iron, these anti nutrients bind with the iron and make it unabsorbed by the body for building blood level.”

There are two forms of dietary iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is derived from haemoglobin. It is found in animal foods that originally contained haemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry. The body absorbs the most iron from heme sources. Nonheme iron is from plant sources.

Iron in plant foods such as lentils, beans, locust beans, and spinach is nonheme iron. This is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Our bodies are less efficient at absorbing nonheme iron, but most dietary iron is nonheme iron.

Dr Oyewole, however said that for better absorption of nonheme iron from food into the body system, it was better taken along with vitamin C contain food items such as oranges and banana.

“If you take beans and you want its iron content to be absorbed into your body system in its normal form, it needs to be combined with an oranges or other vitamin C contain food substances.

“It is the same thing with combining Ugwu leave extract with Vitamin C containing food items. Its nonheme iron is converted to the heme iron that is easily absorbed by the body.”

Moreover, he said that in converting the nonheme iron present in beans and leafy green vegetables to the form the body can easily make use of it, they are better cooked with a piece of meat or cat fish to lock out the nonheme iron.

Ironically, Dr Oyewole said coffee is better served with milk “Coffee makes you urinate more. The more you urinate, the more the loss of calcium. For women in the reproductive age group, it can be a major issue because of osteoporosis, a condition where the bone softens, due to leaching of Calcium.

“That is one reason why bone fracture among post menopausal women, who take lots of coffee or coffee containing compounds, is usually high.

So adding milk can actually supply some of the lost calcium.”

To eat healthy, he said at every meal, live foods should always be combined with dead foods. Any food that has undergone any form of processing is a dead food. Foods that are eaten in their natural state such as oranges and banana are life foods.

According to him “one of the indicators of healthy eating is defecating at least once in 24 hours. Unhealthy eating is of public health issue and people need to prioritise eating living foods.”

Eat well, drink in moderation, and sleep sound, in these three good health abound. —Proverb

34

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

A miracle at dawn – A 96-year-old regains sight after being blind for 30 years!

“

Her skinny arms were pushing people away whilst her son Phillip gently tried to calm her so we could examine her. We measured her vision at “perception of light” in both eyes: in other words, she can tell the difference between day and night - just - but nothing more. I eventually get to see her close enough to understand that she has dense cataracts in both eyes. Philip tells me she has been blind for 30 years. She is now 96.

“A couple of weeks later, the hospital driver collects Mama Phillip along with 13 other patients. They are driven to the hospital and prepared for surgery the next day.

In the morning, Mama Phillip, who is surprisingly strong for a small, fragile lady in her 90s, is causing mayhem and is not cooperating with the hospital team. Eventually the decision is taken to sedate her and do her surgery as quickly as possible. She spends the next few hours in a deep sleep on a mattress on the floor in the same ward as other patients who have had surgery that morning.

In the early evening she wakes up, patch over her operated eye. Within minutes, the peace on the ward has vanished and she is kicking and screaming. Security are called to restrain her but when they see her they fear that any attempt to restrain her will lead to broken bones. Her friends from the village she has come from are able to calm her and the night passes with a couple more episodes that are put down to her dementia.

“In the early hours of the morning, after her patch has been removed, she looks years younger, is calm and chatting to fellow patients. She is no longer displaying any signs to suggest she has dementia. Her surgery has gone well and her sight restored. Later that day she is taken home. When she arrives to her village, she stares and takes everything in. It is all so familiar yet different. A man stands in front of her, expectantly. After what seems like an eternity, she looks intensely and asks, “Phillip, is that you?” He nods and breaks down in tears.

“She walks up to him and says, “You look so old, what happened?!” Soon, neighbours

and relatives appear to see what is going on. She starts pointing people out and naming them, with the same greeting of “You look so old!” Before long, most of the village have arrived and break into dance and song.

“There are many times when we wonder if we are doing enough with what we have, if we can ever do enough. Then there are moments like this that make it all worthwhile.”

The scene is familiar to those of working in the local communities but the setting is actually in Kenya. The story is sent by Dr Andrew Bastawrous on behalf of members of PEEK VISION. Isn’t it moving? Does it touch you? Mama Philip had been blind for 30 years (since she was 66 years old).

Because of the confusion resulting from the blindness, she was thought to have dementia – a disorder of the mental processes marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. A simple cataract surgery changed her world at 96!

There are several thousands of people

like Mama Phillip in our midst who remain blind, simply because they have no access to surgical facilities or just simply cannot afford the cost! How much does it cost to perform this miracle? Just $65! In naira, that is just about N20,000 – the cost of entertaining 10 persons at a modest wedding, funeral or birthday party or the cost of a 100-day supply of your favourite newspaper! So little to restore sight to one person and change his life! ve The story above could have been told by our own Mr Samson. Several months ago, Mr. Samson and his team set out to sponsor 100 free cataract surgeries. When they saw the mammoth crowd that came out for the screening exercise, the number was increased to 150 and then 200! At about 300 they just asked us to stop. Such is the magnitude of the cataract problem. Can you help to keep this miracle going? Join the Partnership for Sight Initiative of Nigeria (PASSION) today. Send sms to +234 805 400 5447 for details. A handsome reward awaits you. Read Matthew 25:35-40 to claim your reward.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you

info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

Laparoscopy and endometriosis Symptoms you may experience •Pain •Bleeding •Bladder & bowel problems •Reduced quality of life •Having issues with fertility is the most serious complication Pain is a key symptom of this condition and is not related to how severe the disease is, but to the location of endometrial tissue.

•Pain •Pain immediately before and during your period •Pain during or after sex •Abdominal, back and/or pelvic pain •Pain on going to the toilet or passing wind •Bleeding •Heavy bleeding, with or without clots •Irregular bleeding, with or without a regular cycle •Bleeding longer than normal •Bleeding before your period is due •Vagina •As the muscle walls of the vagina close tightly or spasm in response to attempted insertion, for example, with a tampon or penis. This can be mildly uncomfortable or it may cause searing or tearing pain.

•Bladder & bowel problems •Bleeding from your bladder or bowel •Change in pattern of bowel habit e.g. constipation, diarrhea •The need to urinate more frequently or some other change from your normal habit •Bloating •Increase in your abdominal area, with or without pain at the time of your period.

•Tiredness •Tiredness or lack of energy, especially around the time of

your period.

•Mood changes •Anxiety and depression due to ongoing pain •Reduced quality of life •Taking days off work, study or school because you can’t function normally.

Potential Complications of Endometriosis Having issues with fertility is the most serious complication. Women with milder forms of endometriosis may have a spontaneous conception without receiving any form of treatment and carry a baby to term. Studies have shown that between 30 and 50 per cent of women with endometriosis have trouble getting pregnant.

•Medications don’t improve fertility. Some women have been able to conceive after having endometrial tissue surgically removed. If this doesn’t work in your case, you may want to consider fertility treatments or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to help improve your chances of having a baby.

•You may want to consider having children sooner rather than later if you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis and you want children. Your symptoms may worsen over time.

This can make it difficult to conceive on your own. Talk to your doctor to help understand your options.

Hormonal treatments in endometriosis have no long term effect; some may have to undergo surgery in order to diagnose and treat their disease. The surgery is called laparos-

Endometriosis surgery can be complex and difficult, and surgeons need specialised skills

copy, also known as keyhole or minimally invasive surgery.

Endometriosis surgery can be complex and difficult, and surgeons need specialised skills and expertise to perform these operations. Many gynaecologists have the expertise to treat minimal endometriosis. However, experienced specialist surgeons are needed for more severe endometriosis, and only a limited number of gynaecologists have the expertise to treat very severe endometriosis.

Laparoscopic Surgery for Endometriosis A laparoscopy is an operation that uses an instrument known as a laparoscope to: •diagnose endometriosis •treat endometriosis •Remove adhesions caused by the disease.

A laparoscope is a thin telescope-like instrument approximately 30 cm in length. It is inserted into the pelvic cavity through a small cut near the navel. It has a light source and a lens that light up and magnifies the inside of the pelvic cavity, so that the surgeon can see the organs in the pelvis and any endometriosis present.

A laparoscopy should not be confused with a laparotomy.

A laparotomy is an operation that involves a large (10–15 cm) cut in the abdomen (rather than the small cuts of a laparoscopy). Nowadays, it is used only rarely to treat women with severe endometriosis who cannot be treated with a laparoscopy.

A diagnostic laparoscopy — that is, a laparoscopy performed to diagnose endometriosis — is the ‘gold standard’ (most reliable method) for diagnosing endometriosis. A diagnosis of endometriosis should not be considered unless the endometriosis has been seen during a laparoscopy.

Most gynaecologists also insist that a biopsy (sample) of the endometrial tissue be examined by a pathologist before confirming the diagnosis.

Continues next week

Thursday, 7 April, 2016 35 healthnews doctors Why new HIV infections have continued in Nigeria —FMOH Medical charged on ethical

By Sade Oguntola

T

he Federal health Ministry has said that female sex workers, injection drug users and men having sex with men, remain the key population of people that account for 40 per cent of new HIV infections in the country.

Dr Gbenga Ijaodola, Federal Ministry of Health’s Desk office for sexually transmitted Infections (STIs), said this at the opening of week training for healthcare workers on syndromic management of STIs in Ibadan in conjunction with Society for Family Health (SFH) in Ibadan.

Ijaodola, noting that STIs had before now been neglected compared with HIV despite its havoc, said the female sex workers, injection drug users and men having sex with men, which form the key population, still drive incidence of HIV and STIs. He added, “We cannot only focus on HIV alone, we also need at this level to also focus on how to improve on the management of STIs.” The expert said the training to increase personnel and capacity of health workers to provide quality care for STIs was in line with the Health Ministry recently reviewed guideline for management of STIs. According to him, “with support of our developmental partners, our target is to provide services to everyone of the key population.”

At the training workshop which had 54 participants drawn for six states, HIV prevention Specialist for SFH, Dr Segun Oyedeji said improving access to treatment of STIs in the key population had become imperative because they are now missed with other population, criminalised and stigmatised.

“They go underground and in doing this, it is dangerous because they will keep spreading the infections. So we need to prepare the health workers and ensure they render quality healthcare services, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression without being judgemental.”

Dr Oyedeji who remarked that syndromic management of STIs was part of an integrated service for the key population, assured that treatment of STIs in designated key population friendly facilities was free.

Earlier, Permanent secretary, Oyo State Ministry of health, Dr Yemisi Iyiola, said the training was impor-

tant to suppress the spread of sexually transmitted infections, HIV inclusive.

“If we are to achieve this, we need the health workers

to do it and ensure that the knowledge gained is translated into practice in the various health facilities,” he said.

Iyiola, who eulogises SFH for its partnership in developing health system in Oyo State, urged for increased collaboration with other

partners to further improve the health of people in the state.

Dr. Olugbenga Awosika, Medical Director, Med-In Specialist Hospital (left), receiving a gift from Dr. Adebanjo Oni, Group Head, Provider Services, Avon HMO (right) during the Avon HMO Provider Incentive Programme reward presentation in Lagos recently.

SCHAF takes sickle campaign to schools

By Kehinde Adio Worried by the increasing death rate of children in Nigeria due to Sickle Cell Disease, Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF) a non –governmental organisation has commenced the establishment of Know Your Blood Genotype (KYG) Club in schools, religious and business corporations in the country.

Speaking at the official launching of the Club at KING’s International College, Moniya, the founder of the foundation, Professor Adeyinka Falusi stressed the need to create awareness in the society about the danger associated with Sickle Cell disease as well as

its prevention and control measures.

This, she said informed the decision of her foundation to establish an awareness and sensitisation campaign education club on sickle cell disease prevention and its control at all strata in the society with an aim to bringing the science of Sickle cell disease to a level that everybody will understand what is all about and how to prevent it.

Her words: Although, Sickle Cell disease is not contagious but deadly, it is more easy to prevent it than managing it. It is sad to note that 80 per cent of persons with Sickle cell disease in Nigeria cannot manage its crisis for lack

of facilities and easy access maintenance drugs in the country or money to buy the prescribed drugs.

“In view of this challenge, Nigeria needs to take a preventive measure to redress the situation for the interest of the general public and nation at large. Without gainsaying the fact, Nigeria has lost many lives to the disease due to people’s ignorance of the causes of the disease and non chalant attitude of many people towards its control, even when they have the knowledge of its cause probably based on their religion or faith. Today, Nigeria has the greatest share of Sickle cell disease world wide with about four million cases .

Miss Health Nigeria beauty pageant kicks off

By Vera Onana Audition for Miss Health Nigeria beauty pageant has commenced nationwide and would run from March to April 2016. The platform aimed at helping the Nigerian health sector by administering drugs to fellow citizens at the hinterland, with no health facilities, is designed to be one of the country’s leading empowerment programmes for the girl-child through various endeavours.

The pageant is aimed at improving information dis-

semination on health issues through the use of all available media among youth and other community members and honour traditional Nigerian traits such as honesty, good character, talent, poise, intellect, leadership and good judgment among young Nigerians.

It is also to increase public awareness and health education campaign on health issues through formation of school health clubs and communitybased organisation lead by the winner of Miss Health

Nigeria.

It is also aimed at enabling contestants to serve as role models for other young women with similar goals and characteristics and encourage them to value personal achievements, creative accomplishments, a healthy lifestyle, and community involvement.

Miss health Nigeria pageant seeks to decrease the level of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents and youths as well as scale up Family Life and Health Education (FLHE) in Nigeria.

“This challenge necessitates the establishment of awareness and sensitisation Clubs in schools at all levels of education and in all strata in the society, to educate the masses at all different levels and status in all our communities to check mate the burden of Sickle Cell disease in Nigeria.

“As a matter of fact, everybody needs to know their genotype which determines one’s health status as well as one’s children genotype.

Statistics has it that about 150,000 were born annually, while 100,000 of them die annually. This tragedy calls for urgent attention of everybody to engage in the war against Sickle cell disease in the country.

“On this note, SCHAF is advocating for the introduction of genotype education into our school curriculum from Primary school to tertiary education levels. Churches, mosques and socio and business groups should not be left out in the struggle to rid our society of the deadly disease.

Therefore, SCHAF is ready to establish Know Your Genotype (KYG) Club in every school in Nigeria to spread the gospel of Sickle Cell disease eradication in the county. We have started in King’s International College, Moniya, Ibadan in Oyo State, and we are going round the country.

issues

By Sade Oguntola Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Babatunde Salako has charged medical doctors to be mindful of unethical practices both in the medical care and research.

Professor Salako, who spoke at the 2016 scientific conference of the ethics and standard committee of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said it was important that they have an idea of what is normal while ensuring that rights of their patients are respected.

Salako, who remarked that ethics governing different professions differ, declared that concerns of patients must always be put in the front burner whenever they are carrying out any study involving them.

He declared that in researches they conduct, consent of their participants should always be obtained; adding that consent and ethics were also required in all international researches for them to be acceptable.

Chairman, Ethics and Standard Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Professor Ade Malomo said increasing reports of medical errors does not suggest that doctors working in Nigeria are get worse.

According to him, “It is difficult to quantify ethical issues being on the rise.

Although complaints are on the rise, that may not mean that doctors are getting worse. It just suggests that the society is becoming more enlightened.”

Malomo traced some of the ethical issues to inefficiency in the health sector, adding “the main issue is that doctors are overwhelmed and as such their ability to cater for details of their patients is less. A patient that requires about 40 minutes just get about 10 minutes because a single doctor is doing the job of about 20.”

Oyo NMA chairman, Dr Babatunde Olatunji, said ethics was the foundation on which medicine is established, adding, “many people are becoming aware of their rights and privileges.

Olatunji who noted that “ethics is to guide on the rule of engagement, how we will be sure that we do not run afoul of the law”, said it also require that doctors continually improve on their knowledge in medical practice.

He declared, “ethical issues arise every where all over the world. The only thing that is constant is change. As clients are increasing in knowledge, providers should also increase their knowledge so that they can meet at a point.”

36

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

healthpeople not be producing enough insulin or the body is not able to make use of the insulin produced by the pancreas.

Often, both defects occur together in the same individual with type 2 diabetes. So if you are now saying that you are reversing it, is it that you have just brought blood glucose to normal or that you have altered or reversed that defect?

Of course, if you then are able to shed weight vigorously, chances are that the body becomes more insulin sensitive and that is a good development. This improves the pancreas’s ability to secrete more insulin to a small extent.

Giving an adult 700 kilocalories a day is a starvation diet. For an individual to adhere to this in real life is almost impossible, except say in a research laboratory. That is the limitation to that. Nevertheless, saying that we have been able to reverse diabetes is still a very controversial subject considering the mechanism of derangement that happens in type 2 diabetes.

Without any doubt, lifestyle interventions do impact on the progression of type 2 diabetes. In those who have prediabetes or are close to developing diabetes, it may delay its onset. In diabetics, it may reduce their requirement for medication, improve their quality of life; improve their insulin sensitivity and reduce their chances of developing complications from the disease.

Why diabetes is better prevented —Prof. Kolawole, EMSON treasurer

Today’s World Health Day theme is Beat diabetes. National treasurer, Endocrinology and Metabolism Society of Nigeria, and consultant endocrinologist, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor Babatope Kolawole, describes diabetes as a debilitating disease on the prowl, saying death from the disease is unjustifiable.

Sade Oguntola reports.

B

eat diabetes is the theme for 2016 World Health Day which is aimed at providing e a platform for promoting efforts to prevent diabetes, why is this important in Nigeria?

2016 is unique in that the World Health Day focuses on diabetes in addition to the November World diabetes day set aside by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). This gives us the opportunity to bring diabetes to world attention two times in the year. Why is this important? Over the years, attention has been repeatedly drawn to the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes.

About 415 million people are estimated to be living with diabetes worldwide while one person dies from diabetes related issues every seven seconds.

Recent figures indicate that about 5 per cent of the Nigerian population live with diabetes. If we factor this into Nigeria’s population, the number of people living with diabetes is substantial. Although the number varies from one community to another, more people live with diabetes in urban areas. Between seven and nine per cent of the population in Lagos, for instance,n actually live with diabetes.

More cases of diabetes occur in urban areas, where factors that account for the disease abound— bad lifestyle, what we eat and drink, physical inactivity and so on.

So it is because of things like this that WHO found it important that the disease should be brought to world attention, including all stakeholders to ensure a joint effort to stem this tide.

Experiences in several nations of the world where specific intervention measures have been introduced with varying degrees of success have encouraged world bodies that if you put some effort into prevention, then you will able to reduce these figures.

Has diabetes reached epidemic proportions?

Currently we have an epidemic of diabetes worldwide. In fact, it is now a pandemic.

When you have an epidemic occurring in

many parts of the world at the same time, we call it a pandemic.

However, Sub Saharan Africa bears the greater burden of this increase because the resources available to tackle this epidemic are not comparable with that of countries such as the USA. Is this also related to many undiagnosed diabetes cases and poor knowledge of risk factors for diabetes?

Everything comes into play. Cases of diabetes not diagnosed in the community have not come to attention. There is the rule of 50s, if 50 per cent have come to attention, another 50 per cent are still undetected somewhere.

Moreover, diabetes can to a large extent be asymptomatic. It may not cause signs and symptoms. Therefore, the person with the condition continues to live with it unaware whereas the disease continues to damage the body.

Can you rate the level of awareness on diabetes in the community?

Are people aware of diabetes? It depends really. Despite all the noise, surveys and studies indicate that a large percentage of Nigerians are oblivious of what diabetes is and its risk factors. They know that the disease exists, but are not knowledgeable about what can be done to prevent it. Myths and misconceptions on diabetes are still rife. Some still consider it an infectious disease.

We do not fully understand why some

Without any doubt, type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle changes.

people develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and others don’t. However, factors that increase the risk for diabetes include overweight, inactivity, family history, race age, gestational diabetes and other medical conditions such as hypertension and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Also, habits like smoking and alcohol consumption also contribute to the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.

Experts say that weight control, physical exercises and avoidance of sedentary living can cut the risk for diabetes by a sizeable proportion? Is this so?

Without any doubt, type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle changes.

Weight control, physical exercise and avoidance of sedentary living are important lifestyle modifications to ensure this.

Findings from the diabetes prevention studies conducted in different parts of the world also indicate that lifestyle alteration is the most efficacious way to prevent type 2 diabetes. So, the earlier a person with a high risk for diabetes begins lifestyle modification the more the chances of successfully preventing diabetes.

Persons at high risk of diabetes include those with family history of diabetes and or hypertension, obese or overweight persons, and a woman that has had diabetes in a previous pregnancy.

Diabetes is better prevented. That is why the campaign is being taken even to school children. Childhood is the best time to ensure the adoption of healthy lifestyle, healthy eating and physical activity. This would improve the chances of preventive strategies working and thereby reduce the chances of developing diabetes later in life.

But some studies infer that diabetes can be reversed by weight loss and cutting down on calorie intake to about 700 kilocalories per day, saying this would make the pancreas more functional?

Two things have gone wrong in a person that develops diabetes. The pancreas may

Of what significance is blood sugar screening in prevention of diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, it does not occur overnight. It develops over several years. The individual passes though a stage of having normal blood sugar level to the prediabetic stage and finally the full blown diabetes.

At the stage of prediabetes, the blood glucose is still fluctuating between normal and abnormal. If detected at this stage and there are lifestyle modifications put in place, this can delay the onset of full blown diabetes.

Some patients may also revert to having normal blood sugar levels. But where nothing is done, the individual will eventually progress to diabetes.

Individuals with high risk for diabetes should get tested for diabetes at least twice a year. Others over the age of 35 years can get tested once a year for diabetes.

The early signs of diabetes include: increased thirst and hunger; dry mouth; frequent urination or urine infections; unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry); fatigue and blurred vision.

Frequent urination can be very disturbing because in a short while, the individual could have gone to the toilet to urinate several times. In fact, erectile dysfunction may be the first sign of diabetes in some men.

Can too much sugar cause diabetes?

If you want to argue through the route of science, you may say that too much sugar cannot cause diabetes. But really taking too much sugar over a prolonged period of time can cause diabetes.

Take an 18-year-old person that takes sugar and other sweetened drinks regularly. Being a young man, the blood sugar does not rise because the pancreas can still drive all the glucose into the body cells. But then the excess calories is stored as fat in organs of the body, including the tummy.

The person’s weight is likely to increase and over a long period of time, the pancreas also becomes more stressed. The effect will then tell years after. So what has caused the diabetes, it is the consumption of sugar. So if you analyse it properly, you will realise that taking too much sugar could in fact lead to diabetes on the long run.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Health benefits of broccoli

By Vera Onana with Agency reports

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roccoli is really a very large flower top, picked before it blooms.

Broccoli was cultivated in Italy, in ancient Roman times, from wild cabbage and was first introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants but did not become widely known until the 1920s.

Broccoli’s “sister vegetable,” cauliflower, is also a mild anti-allergic. It encourages the production of antibodies and is thought to help protect against allergies, asthma, migraines and depression.

Just half a cup per day or two cup servings per week has been shown to be enough to get some cancer prevention benefits.

Broccoli sprouts have also recently become popular as a result of research uncovering their high concentration of the anti-cancer phytonutrient, sulforaphane.

The United States is the third largest broccoli producer in the world (after China and India) and grows over a million tonnes.

Romanesco broccoli, which has the beautiful flowers, is really in the cauliflower species. Its shape, like many forms within nature, approximates a natural fractal.

Each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral arranged with what is called the golden ratio.

Cancer Prevention Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which the body processes into the anti-cancer compound sulforaphane. This compound rids the body of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium found to highly increase the risk of gastric cancer. Furthermore, broccoli contains indole-3-carbinol, a powerful antioxidant compound and anti-carcinogen found to not only hinder the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer, but also boosts liver function.

Broccoli shares these cancer fighting, immune boosting properties with other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

natural

health xanthin and beta-carotene, other powerful antioxidants.

Bone Health Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.

Heart Health The anti-inflammatory properties of sulforaphane, one of the isothiocyanates (ITCs) in broccoli, may be able to prevent (or even reverse) some of the damage to blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar problems.

Garlic Cholesterol Reduction Like many whole foods, broccoli is packed with soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of your body.

Detoxification Glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiin and glucobrassicin are special phytonutrients that support all steps in the body’s detox process, including activation, neutralization and elimination of unwanted contaminants. These three are in the perfect combination in broccoli. Broccoli also contains isothiocyanates (which you read about in inflammation) which help control the detox process at a genetic level.

Reducing Allergy Reaction and Inflammation Broccoli is a particularly rich source of kaempferol and isothiocyanates, both anti-inflammatory phyto nutrients.

Research has shown the ability of kaempferol to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances on our body.

Broccoli even has significant amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which are well know as an anti-inflammatory.

Diet Aid Broccoli is a smart carb and is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Furthermore, a cup of broccoli has as much protein as a cup of rice or corn with half the calories.

Powerful Antioxidant Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli stands out as the most concentrated source of vitamin C, plus the flavonoids necessary for vitamin C to recycle effectively. Also concentrated in broccoli are the carotenoids lutein, zea-

Alkalizes Your Body Like many vegetables, broccoli helps keep your whole body less acidic, which has a host of health benefits. Read the dangers of an over acid body at: Balance Your Body.

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com

How to prevent sagging breasts after breastfeeding (II) Have good breastfeeding posture Avoid leaning over the baby to nurse. Most mothers do this unconsciously while breastfeeding. Use a nursing pillow or some form of support to raise the baby to your breast’s level. Avoid slouching, and avoid angling your breast down for it to reach the baby. Improving this simple posture and positioning while nursing will help prevent your breasts from drooping.

Start exercising Once your doctor gives you the green light, start exercising as soon as you can. Regular exercise will help you lose the weight gained during pregnancy. Weight gain can also contribute to sagging and will improve muscle tone while you are still breastfeeding.

Start with simple exercises like walking, jogging, and swimming or even try your hand at yoga. Losing the extra weight combined with improved muscle tone will help tremendously.

During this time you will be exhausted because you are taking care of a baby all day so do what you can when you can.

Just be consistent with your workouts. In addition to giving each workout your all, add some type of strength training to your routine. Muscle keeps everything, including breasts, in place.

As you exercise and start losing the pregnancy weight, make sure to drop the weight slowly. In order to prevent the

breasts from sagging you need to give skin time to adjust to all the changes it has and will be experiencing.

You went through nine months of pregnancy, you are now breastfeeding and will soon be dropping so take it slow. Losing a considerable amount of weight too quickly can result in loose, sagging skin. This happens because rapid weight loss can cause you to lose too much fat tissue in the breast area that gives breasts their volume. So start with mild exercise and make the weight loss gradual.

Massage with hot and cold water While taking a shower, massage your breasts between hot and cold water. The hot water improves blood circulation while the cold water helps with toning and tightening of the skin. Always finish your shower with cold water.

Alternatively, you can also massage your breasts with a warm wet towel and then use ice cubes to massage breasts in circular motion for no longer than a minute, to avoid numbness.

Keep them moisturised You also want to keep skin moisturised while you are still nursing. Doing so improves skin’s elasticity and keeps it supple. Apply vitamin E oil, shea butter or cocoa butter to breasts at least two times a day. All three options deliver amazing benefits to the skin including improved elasticity, tightening of the skin and it reduces the appearance of stretch marks that can develop on the breasts.

Eat Right Saggy breasts can also be prevented with the right diet.

Following a clean diet rich in protein and healthy fats will provide the body with the necessary nutrients it needs to promote healthy skin and connective tissues.

Women who are breastfeeding should eat more fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants as well as foods high in vitamins like B and E to prevent sagging.

In addition, foods that contain some form of low saturated fat can also help you avoid saggy breasts. That’s because your cells need at least 50 per cent saturated fat to maintain their firmness and elasticity. Therefore, mothers who starve themselves of saturated fat in their diets are unconsciously causing their breasts to sag.

Nursing mothers can also eat more egg yolk and butter which contains arachidonic acid, a critical ingredient, which facilitates the formation of junctions between skin cells, keeping them firm.

38

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Victor Ogunyinka

health

m: +234-806 642 7323 e: ogunyinkavictor@gmail.com : @vogunyinka

As the world marks another health day (April 7), VICTOR OGUNYINKA writes on some critical occurrences in the health sector and some vital areas government could explore in coming years.

A

lot of events eclipsed the calendar year of a nation. For developing countries, it is always in the circle of political instability, terrorism and more importantly, health.

The Nigerian health sector has witnessed series of ups, but in all, there are still miles of ground to cover in ensuring a better health sector. One of the biggest threats to having a standard healthy environment is our inability to sustain a policy as a nation.

The height of health consciousness and awareness attained after successes recorded in the quest of eradicating the ebola virus have since vanished as the Federal Ministry of Health no longer devote time to establish the importance of continuity in observing personal hygiene.

The advent of a new Minister for Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, after five months of the President Muhamadu Buhari-led administration was greeted by a new episode of Lassa fever, affecting about 17 states and claiming hundreds of lives.

Prof Adewole stated that the Lassa fever outbreak was as a result of the inability of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration to implement a roadmap on health which was drawn in 2012.

While reacting to providing lasting solution to reoccurrence of Lassa fever, Dr Babasola Olugasa, the principal investigator of the centre for control and prevention zoonosis and a senior lecturer in the department of veterinary public health and preventive medicine, University of Ibadan inputted that grassroot surveillance is germane, stating that “the national programme, state and local programme, eradication should be the goal.

Shouting after annual outbreak without a programme or managing the human to human occurrence is not enough.”

Also, in ensuring that the deadly virus doesn’t reappear as was in 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2015, the minister said: “We will concentrate on prevention because currently there is no vaccine, but as of today, I have been notified of a candidate vaccine, which we will put through chemical trial to find out if it would

Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health.

Ahmed Yakassai, PSN President.

World Health Day:

Prof Dayo Oyekole, Secretary General NANTMP.

So many successes, more ground to cover work. We call it a candidate vaccine and we would want to run it through trials and that takes some time.

“Hopefully, we will do that this year, once we consider it to be effective and safe then we put it to use. If it works then that means that we would be able to immunise people in the affected areas, but for now, we will continue with our surveillance,” he said.

Analysts have pointed out that the successes of the health sector is hinged on the development and good use of the primary health centres, which is seen as the bedrock of development for health.

While speaking on his strategies and challenges to improve health in Nigeria, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, highlighted preventive, promotional, curative and rehabilitation healthcares as his focus, stressing that the more aware people are about

their health, the less they get into health problems.

Dr Ehanire stated that poor hygiene, sanitation and water supply account for the huge cause of health problems in Nigeria, adding that curative healthcare has been the sole focus for too long and it is by far the most expensive part of medicine.

“We need to focus on primary healthcare and build a health centre in every ward that is about 10,000 primary health centres nationwide. We might need to identify some existing ones, renovate and equip them, there will

also be need to employ personnel and the plan is to use the local community without which primary healthcare wouldn’t work.

“The National Health Insurance Scheme will play a very important role in having a healthy environment. First, we have to make it compulsory; it is going to be a cornerstone of healthcare delivery and it is going to be better than what we are seeing at the moment,” he said.

Furthermore, while giving his appraisal on the health sector in the turn of the year, the president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakasai, applauded the achievements of the government to prevent new episodes of polio virus infection, which he described as a step in the right direction towards being certified polio free in 2017.

He however stressed on the need to improve access to public health intervention, “while dis-

Poor hygiene, sanitation and water supply cause health problems

eases like tuberculosis and HIV/ AIDS are still with us.”

Yakasai also advocated the need to review Nigeria’s dependence on donor agencies, adding that “the government should strongly create enabling environment by way of intervention funds to enable our local drug manufacturers to produce antiretroviral drugs and even vaccines. As we are all aware that global alliance for vaccines and immunisation initiatives is gradually withdrawing from Nigeria.”

The pharmaceutical president also stated that the Federal Ministry of health must promote a “true” public-private partnership agenda, which is fashioned out in conjunction with the relevant regulatory agencies and professional bodies with regards to the health professions.

Moreover, in times where local production of goods is on the rise, there is no better time to critically look into the travails of the traditional medical practitioners.

For all its worth, a reasonable percentage of Nigerians still find comfort and more so, solutions to their health problems in the hands of the traditional practitioners.

For the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to recognise and register some of their products mean that they might prove handy in some cases.

While expressing his dissatisfaction on the way the traditional medical practitioners are put on back foot in the country, the national secretary general of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Prof Dayo Oyekole, lamented that other professional body are established under law; they have their various guidelines and the condition for registration of practitioners, herbal medicine has none.

“There has been no bill or law controlling the practise of traditional medicine in Nigeria till now and that is why it is difficult to really apprehend anybody perpetrating quackery. So, we want to appeal to the National Assembly to please pass the bill controlling traditional medicine in Nigeria. Institutional support and the funding are the two main targets of focus of our administration.

Dr Ehianre however explained that research is ongoing in moving institutions to study the efficacy of some of the herbs and plants used by traditional medical practitioners. “Traditional practice of medicine needs to be regulated to check charlatans, who misuse the trust of Nigerians,” he said.

39

Thursday, 7 April, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

PDP: The challenge of reconciliation

Wike

Modu-Sheriff

KUNLE ODEREMI examines the renewed effort by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to put itself in good stead ahead of 2019.

M

ORE than a year after tumbling from its Olympian heights as the governing party in the country, quite a number of leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are still sulking over the party’s defeat in the 2015 elections. They still engage in blame game because of the perceived ample opportunities the party had to consolidate its grip beyond the 16 years it was in the saddle, beginning from 1999.

But to show that a number of the core stakeholders have indeed moved on after the ‘painful’ electoral loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the current leadership of the PDP announced the composition of four critical committees on Sunday. Their primary assignment is to complete the circle of drawing a roadmap for self-discovery by the once ‘biggest party in Africa.’ These committees include the National Convention Committee, Reconciliation Committee, Zoning Committee and the Finance Committee. While the convention committee has Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike as chairman; his Taraba State counterpart, Dairus Ishiaku is the deputy chairman ,with the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, as secretary.

The head of the reconciliation committee is Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson and a former deputy Senate president, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu as deputy chairman.

The chairman of the finance committee is Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo while the deputy is Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The composition of the committees is coming amid the frenzy among party faithful as the PDP prepares to firm up its structures from ward to the national level across the country. The issue of zoning has been creating ripples among major caucuses and stakeholders. Former governors and ministers that served under the PDP administration in the last dispensation have been moving to expand their area of influence, just as members of the current National Assembly elected on the platform of the party are working assiduously

to stamp their authority within the PDP fold. This and other tendencies that are beginning to fan out in the party make the assignment of the zoning committee critical and contentious. The success or otherwise of the work of the committee will have a direct impact on the assignment of the convention committee. This is largely because of the push by some forces within the party that the position of national chairman should be retained in the North, notwithstanding the sentiments being expressed by party buffs that the PDP presidential ticket for 2019 be conceded to that geographical divide.

South-West agitation The South-West chapter of the party is yet to adopt a common stand on which zone should produce national chairman, though some influential forces favour the idea that the position should remain in the

The composition of the committees is coming amid the frenzy among party faithful as the PDP prepares to firm up its structures from ward to the national level across the country.

North. During a recent visit to the acting national chairman of the party, Ali ModuSheriff, they reportedly said the SouthWest was not interested in the position. A position paper on the issue was endorsed

by Senator Buruji Kashamu, Senator Teslim Folarin and chairmen of the party in the six South-West states, as well as 30 others. “We say this because out of the five states in the South-East, the PDP has three governors. We have five governors out of the six states in the South-South. In the South-West, we have two governors.

In the whole of the North, we have only two governors. We need to strengthen the North. If not, the PDP will be branded as a regional party if we go ahead to pick the national chairman from the South.”

Kashamu expatiated on the position of the leaders. He had justified the stance thus: “We were and are still of the view that given the strong presence of the PDP in the South, with 10 governors out of 17 governors in the South and just two governors in the 19 states in the North, it would make more sense to leave the national chairmanship of the party in the North, so as not to be branded a regional party. Our view does not foreclose any other opinion or suggestion. If some other persons have any other idea, they are at liberty to push it. At the end of the day, it is either superior argument wins or we go to the convention. For us, as true party men, whatever is best for our party and majority of the stakeholders is all we want.”

The governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose was more diplomatic and tactical when he was confronted by reporters on the raging controversy. Nonetheless, he was of the view that it is natural for people to always seek good things for themselves.

But, a member of the party’s BoT), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, was unambiguous on the controversy issue. He declared his opposing to the call by members of the South-West PDP executive for the North to retain the chairmanship slot was based on the principle of fairness and equity.

He wonders why some members from the zone should be working against such “legitimate demand by a zone that has never produced the national chairman since the party was founded in 1998.” He reasoned that it was irrational for any member belonging to the South West PDP to speak in contrast to the popular demand, adding: “Whosoever says the South West is not ready for the position of the national chairman of the PDP now is not only speaking for himself, but going contrary to a popular demand from the zone.” He added: “The South West is the only region that has not occupied the prime office of the National Chairman of our great party since PDP came to power in 1999.”

However, analysts believe the reconciliation committee has a more arduous task in the current aggressive and pragmatic moves

by PDP leaders to reposition the party.

There are some outstanding issues, which the party faithful had identified at different fora as having contributed to the dismal continues pg 40

40

politics&policy

The roadmap to recovery continued from pg 39

performance of the party during the last general election in the country. According to the stakeholders, the report of the factfinding Committee set up by the party and headed by deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was clear on listing those grey areas and unresolved issues.

The submission of the report by the panel had attracted huge media attention, just as its contents equally enjoyed limitless media analyses and dissection. A highly elated PDP acting national chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, told members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that a thorough implementation of the report was the panacea to the challenges facing the PDP. “We have come to a critical juncture in the life of PDP and the NWC under my leadership is determined to drive the process of re-invention that would ultimately return the party’s lost glory. Against this background, we have adopted the recommendations of the Ekweremadu committee as a veritable roadmap for this process of rejuvenation. We call on all to give it their support.

There are far reaching recommendations that touch on the soul of the party and her potential to re-invent itself,” he stated.

Reconciliation agenda Aside from the subdued anger being expressed by some stakeholders, there is the schism created by negative media reports on the action and inaction of a number of political actors during the Jonathan administration. The Ekweremadu report delved into specifics in terms of the fundamental issues that conspired against the success of the party in the general election. The report observed that godfatherism, disregard for democratic ethos and the party’s constitution had caused the party dearly, as some elective posts were just allocated to anointed candidates.

Other factors included the overbearing influence of PDP governors, non-compliance with the zoning method, and greed.

The PDP governors reportedly hijacked state party structures, while Federal Government appointees or wealthy/influential members undermined the independence and capacity of state party executive committee members to function properly.

According to the report, “This often results in the state executive committee becoming mere appendages and rubber stamp of these powerful political leaders or leads to the factionalisation of members of the executive committee, thus making it difficult, if not impossible, for the committee to function effectively. This practice has diminished the party’s incentive to collect membership subscription and statutory payment of fees and levies.

Thus, the party loses its most credible and legitimate source of funding and, by so doing, undermines its effective ownership by the people and their participation in the process, particularly at the grass roots.”

One other factor that led to the PDP’s political downfall as highlighted in the report is the involvement of the NWC in the nomination of candidates and delegates in some states, thus undermining internal democracy. With Adamawa and Taraba States where there were allegations of unfair treatment of some aspirants as case studies, the report stated:“Some aspirants alleged that they were provided misleading information regarding the conduct of

Fayose primaries with a view to scheming them out of the process. At the end the NWC relocated the party primaries to Abuja where handpicked delegates were allegedly flown to in order to endorse a preferred candidate for the governorship position.”

The report said its findings also revealed that campaign funds were neither properly managed nor accounted for, pointing out that lack of accountability contributed to the poor performance of the PDP at the 2015 elections.“Unveiling what he called the roadmap for the PDP, Ekweremadu had said: “We have made extensive recommendations, the core of which is to end impunity, uphold justice, entrench internal democracy, enhance party administration, promote transparency and accountability, and return the party to its true owners- the people- in accordance with our party slogan and founding principles....

“To this end, we have, among many key recommendations, proposed a nationwide biometric membership registration to align our party records with modern technology and further boost the integrity of our membership records as a precursor to other reforms we have recommended.

It is recommended that the party should henceforth be self-funding, relying on membership registrations and enforcement of dues and levies as its primary sources of income at all levels in line with the PDP Constitution. This is with a view to ending the prevailing situation where those who pay the piper dictate the tune.

“We have also recommended that the role of party leader, which has no basis in the constitution of the PDP, should henceforth be discontinued at all levels. This is to strengthen the structure of the party at all levels. Furthermore, it is recommended that the Party adopt direct primary as the sole means of electing PDP candidates for any election at all levels. The use of delegates has been grossly compromised and abused, and should therefore be discontinued forthwith to return true ownership of the party to the people.”

Indeed, what the Ekwueme commitee through its recommendations indicate that the PDP needs to carry out true reconciliation with majority of its members that have stood with the party through the thick and thin.

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

41

news

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Nigerian Army rescues 11,595 held hostage by Boko Haram Chris Agbambu-Abuja

N

IGERIAN army has rescued about 11, 595 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram terrorists within the last one month.

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, disclosed this in a press statement, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, “most of these persons were rescued at various areas and towns where remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists were hibernating before the clearance operations by various formations and units in the theatre, while some were received from the neighbouring Cameroon.

“On 1st March, 2016, troops of 155 Task Force Battalion received 10, 000 refugees from the Republic of Cameroon at Banki and Bama axis.

“Two days later, Army Headquarters Special Forces (AHQ SF) Battalion also rescued 63 persons

held captives by terrorists at Maleri. The same unit on 5th March, 2016 rescued 779 persons at Fotokol general area, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon,” the statement added.

It stressed that within the first week of March 2016, the 254 Task Force

Battalion also rescued 45 persons at Kuaguru, while 143 Battalion similarly rescued 27 persons at Gadayamo,15 at Galadadani Dam in Madagali and 10 persons from Disa village.

“On 11th March, 2016 troops of 231 Battalion and Armed Forces Strike Force (AFSF) also rescued 7 per-

sons held captives by Boko Haram terrorists at Betso village; 5 of whom were elderly women and 2 young girls.

“Similarly 117 Task Force Battalion on 15th March, 2016, received 14 refugees from Sahuda a border town with Cameroon. The Battalion equally rescued

59 at Bitta general area on 19th March, 2016.

“In similar vein, troops of 22 Brigade in conjunction with Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) rescued 309 hostages from Kala Balge general area on 23rd March, 2016.

“While on 30th March, 2016 troops of 25 Task

3 killed in Edo road accident, 2 set ablaze Banji Aluko-Benin City

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, swearing in the Justice Monima Wenike Danagogo-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the violence/killings during the March 19 rerun, at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

Unveil cause of killings during Rivers rerun, Wike charges judicial commission Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has charged members of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to unveil the root cause(s) of the killings that occurred during the legislative rerun election held in the state on March 19, 2016.

He gave the charge while swearing in members of the judicial commission at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

It would be recalled that a serving youth corps member, Mr Samuel Okonta, was one of the victims of the killings during the exercise.

Administering the oath on the Justice Monima Danagogo-led commission, Wike decried the violence witnessed during the rerun election, saying it was necessary to ascertain the root causes with a view to checking a recurrence in the future.

Among others, he charged the commission to identify those involved in the killings, those killed and the scope of violence as well as property damaged in the course of the violence and the owners of such property.

He urged the chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to use his experience to guide other members towards making necessary recommendations that would enhance

Force Brigade rescued 45 men, 85 women and 137 children from the Boko Haram terrorists at Zahdra and Weige villages.

“Thus the total number of persons rescued by the troops during the ongoing clearance operations is 11,595 from February 26th, 2016 to date,” he announced.

political stability and peace in the state.

The governor gave the judicial commission one month, beginning from Wednesday, to do its find-

ings and submit its report.

“We must know those involved in the violence and killings. We must get to the root of the violence and killings during the March

19 rerun elections.

“Since we were not at the location of the violence, we rely on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate what took place,”

he said.

In his response, Justice Monima Danagogo assured the governor that the commission would work without fear or favour.

OAU VC appointment: Group urges adherence to extant laws Oluwole Ige-Osogbo

AS the race to fill the vacant position of the Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife gathers momentum, a group identified as Concerned Ife Ooye Group (CIOG), on Tuesday, urged the institution’s Governing Council to adhere strictly to the extant laws in appointing new Vice Chancellor for the university.

In a statement signed by the president and secretary of CIOG, Prince Leke Ijiyode and Dr Kolawole Elufisan respectively, the group declared that it had no preferred candidate for the position of the OAU Vice Chancellor.

Reacting to a national newspaper advertorial titled “An Open Letter to President Muhammadu Buhari” by Ife Youth Vanguard, the group contended that “as bonafide Ife citizens made up of youth organisations, academics, businessmen, artisans, among others, we like to dissociate ourselves from the said publication, as it does not represent the opinion and position of Ife people home and abroad.”

According to the statement, “the appointment of a Vice

Chancellor of any federal university in Nigeria is guided by the University Miscellaneous Provisions Act (1993) and University Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act (2003). These two Acts put

clearly in the purview of the University Governing Council the power to appoint a Vice Chancellor for any federal university, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife inclusive.

It reads in part, “we wholly support the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor for Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife as long as it follows the extant laws of the University.”

THREE persons, including a pregnant woman, have been killed in a motor accident that occurred in Osholo Village, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, after a tipper truck ran into a crowd.

Two more persons, the tipper truck driver and his assistant, were further killed by a mob, which descended on them and set them ablaze as they stopped at the scene of the accident.

It was gathered that the tipper truck was coming from Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area, and heading towards Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area when it ran into the crowd.

Following the incident, some people from Weppa community invaded Osholo community and set some houses ablaze before law enforcement agents prevented the crisis from escalating.

Edo State Police Commissioner, Chris Ejike, confirmed the incident, adding that five persons died in the incident.

He added that the police was able to curtail the crisis and that investigation has commenced on the matter.

Gas explosion kills 2 contract staff in Delta •We are committed to operation excellence —Chevron Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

TWO contract staff of two firms working with the multi billion naira Escravos Gas to Liquid (EGTL) plant operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have been feared dead on Tuesday.

The chemical explosion was said to have disrupted production for several hours.

Fire fighters were said to have battled with the huge fire which, it was gathered, started from a porter cabin allegedly stocked with flammable chemicals.

However, amid the panic that allegedly ensued, the situation was said to have been professionally brought under control after which a staff was found

dead and another sustained serious burns.

The victim who sustained some degree of injuries eventually gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital in Warri.

Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA), Commodore Raimi Mohammed, also confirmed the incident, saying it was an accident, adding that his officers had already taken strategic positions at the plant to investigate the cause of the explosion.

Meanwhile, the management of CNL has reiterated its commitment to operational excellence.

This was just as the operator of the Joint Venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL has commiserated with families of the deceased, saying: “our

hearts go out to their families at this difficult time.”

General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr Deji Haas-

trup, made this known on Wednesday, in a statement signed and made available to Nigerian Tribune in Warri.

Police trail blood to arrest robbery suspect in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

POLICE patrol team attached to Udaka Road in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State has arrested a robbery suspect who sustained injuries shortly after allegedly robbing his victim.

The suspect, Osati Usaboto, was arrested after the police team trailed drops of his blood to an uncompleted building where he was found agonising in the pool of his own blood.

It was not clear if he had

a gun duel with his colleagues or law enforcement agents, but he was said to have earlier robbed a male victim of his blackberry and passport.

It was, however, gathered that the drops of the blood of 24-year-old Osati were from gunshot wounds he sustained on his lower limb.

Although the suspect later died at the Central Hospital, Kwale, items recovered from him included two live cartridges and two blood-stained cut-to-size locally-made guns.

42 news

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

World Health Day: NMA asks FG to implement

Global Action Plan on diabetes

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S the world celebrates the World Health Day today, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to implement the Global Action Plan which it said

would halt the rise of diabetes and obesity by 2025.

In its message on the World Health Day, NMA said Nigeria as a signatory to the Declaration, must implement the Global Action Plan.

The NMA also declared

that 1.56 million Nigerians are living with diabetes, noting that in 2015 alone, 40,000 Nigerians died of the disease.

In the statement signed by the NMA President, Dr Kayode Obembe and the Secretary General, Ad-

ewunmi Alayaki, the NMA also called on the Federal Government to declare a national consciousness day for health awareness and medical check-up.

The NMA explained that in observing the national consciousness day, the

The remains of former Inspector-General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi, during the regimented burial for him in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday.

Policemen to undergo psychological test before issuance of arms —IGP Chris Agbambu -Abuja THE Nigeria Police will henceforth carry out psychological assessment, and snap urine tests for signs of drug abuse on all policemen, before being issued lethal weapons at their duty points.

The Inspector -General of Police, Solomon Arase, dropped the hint on Wednesday, on the occasion of the launch of drug testing of police officers and campaign against death of police officers.

He disclosed that after an in-depth study the police management team, had discovered that some of these fatal cases could be due to mishandling of firearms by police officers who were psychologically unfit to handle firearms at that particular

Ekotedo prays AN inter-religious, nonsectarian and interdenominational prayer session involving Christians and Muslims will come up on Saturday, April 16, at the Adamasingba Complex, opposite Ayorinde Street, Ekotedo, Ibadan, at 11:00 a.m.

The purpose of the joint prayers, according to the Baale Ekotedo, Dr Taiye Ayorinde, is to seek God’s intervention in diverse undertakings, and special prayers for the country, Oyo State, Ekotedo and all families living in Ekotedo, especially mothers and traders.

time.

Consequently, he noted that some of the psychological problems could also have resulted from drug abuse by few of their men The IGP said one of the areas they identified that made the public cast aspersions on the police was the relatively frequent cases of death of members of the public from misapplication of lethal weapons.

He disclosed that they are in partnership with a reputable group of psychologists in this project. He added that apart from denying access to firearms or retrieving guns from officers who failed such snap drug tests, they would also provide appropriate help to wean them from drugs or other emotional or psychological diatribes that might trigger such unprecedented and fatal outcome

in their line of duty.

Arase also announced a policing strategy that would witness the transition of the police from exclusive reliance on lethal weapons in management of threats and social disorders to the engagement of less lethal technologies and weapon system such as muscular disruption technology weaponry commonly referred to as Laser or stun guns.

ideals of healthy living including consumption of healthy diets, regular physical exercises, good environmental sanitation and personal hygiene practices, campaign for drug abuse, among others, would be reenforced in the polity.

The association stated that as the theme for this year’s celebration: “Diabetes; and the slogan- Halt the rise- Beat Diabetes,” suggests, its aim is to increase awareness about the rising prevalence of diabetes, its confounding burden and implications, especially in low and middle income countries.

“Today as always, we empathise with the more than 1.56 million Nigerians who are living with diabetes - constituting a national prevalence of 1.9 per cent, who spend up to N53,000 annually for their treatment mainly as out-ofpocket expenditure.

“We note with indignation that due to inequities in availability, affordability and accessibility of efficient and effective healthcare delivery in our nation, majority of the over 40,000 Nigerians who died from the condition in 2015 could have been saved, not forgetting about 1million country men and women who have the disease but are yet to be diagnosed and treated, and another estimated 3.85 million people with impaired glucose tolerance - a pre-diabetic condition.”

Ahmed, Alao-Akala, Jemibewon, others eulogise Adewusi Biola Azeez -Ilorin EMINENT personalities including Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, former Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, top police officers, among family members and friends have paid glowing tributes to the late Inspector-General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi.

The people thronged the Amilegbe residence of the late IGP in Ilorin, on Wednesday afternoon, for the regimented burial and lying-in state of the late police officer, while service of songs and night of tributes were held at the Ilorin township stadium.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who commiserated with the wife of the deceased, Alhaji Aminat Amosa Adewusi, when he led a delegation of government officials to the Ilorin

residence of the late Adewusi, wrote on the condolence register that, “May God in His infinite mercy grant our father eternal peace and strenghten the family to withstand the loss. Amin.”

Also, the former military governor of old Oyo State, David Jemibewon, wrote

that, “Egbon was a man I gave my highest respect anywhere I met him. He was gentle, creative and amiable. We all thank God for your exemplary life that you lived and the beautiful family you left behind. May the Almighty grant your soul eternal rest.”

The Inspector-General of

Police, Solomon Arase, who was represented on the occasion by the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone 11, Helen Talazite Adeyemi, led other AIGs to the burial ceremony, while policemen from Osun, Ondo and Oyo commands served as pall bearers at the event.

Borehole drillers vow to adhere to national water bill for quality water Adetola Bademosi -Abuja

IN an effort to improve the quality of water supply in the country, Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria (BODAN), on Wednesday, vowed to adhere strictly to the stipulated laws in the National Water Bill.

The bill, which is at the process of becoming a law, it said, would checkmate excesses of drillers in the industry.

President of the Association, Mr Francis Uzoma made the vow in Abuja, at the association’s general

meeting.

According to him, the association is working closely with the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure that its members adhered strictly to the guidelines stipulated in the National Water Bill.

Uzoma, while stressing the importance of the bill, explained that water is a natural resource that is vital to human life.

He said this informed the industry’s partnership with the government to standardize water activities in the country.

“The bill is relevant to the industry because our members are the ones delivering water services to our people in the area of bore hole drilling constructions.

“The code of practice talks about drilling industry and drilling constructions, its talks about drilling constructions, how you drill, the type of drilling materials you are suppose to use. You don’t have to drill where they have cemetery. You don’t have to drill with substandard materials. You have to drill with materials that are durable.”

Burial CHRISTIAN wake for Pa Samuel Taiwo Osewa, who died at age 70, will commence on Friday, April 8, at 5:00 p.m at his residence, ZJ 19, Otunrarebi Quarters, Bolorunduro Street, Ilesa, Osun State.

Burial service will hold on Saturday, at Church of the Resurrection, Oke-Aye, Bolorunduro Street, Ilesa.

Interment follows at his residence, ZJ 19, Otunrarebi Quarters, Bolorunduro Street Ilesa. Entertainment of guests will take place at Saint Margaret Grammar School, Oke-Oye, Ilesa. He was survived by wife and children.

Pa Samuel Osewa

Burial MRS Grace Abike Adekoya a.k.a. Iya Bank (Nee Gbangbala) is dead. She died on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at age 92.

According to burial arrangements as announced by the Adekoya family in Ogere Remo of Ogun State, lying-in state will hold on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 12:00p.m at her residence.

Christian wake will hold same day at St. James Cathedral Church, Oke-Bola, Ibadan by 5:00p.m.

Burial service will hold on Friday, April 8, at St. James Cathedral Church, Oke-Bola, Ibadan. Interment follows immediately after the burial service at St. James Cathedral Burial Ground, Ijokodo Area, Ibadan.

Entertainment of guests will take place at the Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre, Liberty Road, Ibadan. She was survived by children among who are Mr Gbolahan Adekoya a UK-based industrialist, grand-children and great grandchildren.

Mrs Abike Adekoya

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news

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

States must undertake background checks on foreign partners —Buhari

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R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, cautioned state governments and the private sector against engaging foreign partners without conducting proper background checks.

Buhari gave the advice in a message to the opening of the maiden Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit, organised by the Kaduna State government, in Kaduna.

The president, whose speech was delivered by Governor Nasiru el-Rufa’i, noted that various state governments have been making efforts to shore up their revenue base in view of the current economic problems.

“In the face of dwindling oil revenue, I am very pleased to note the efforts being made by state governments to diversify their internally generated revenue (IGR) sources by

opening up their economy for investors and providing a conducive enabling environment.

“More recently, these efforts have been demonstrated not with mere rhetoric or political statements but with practical policies and well-thought out legislations.

“The Kaduna Investment and Economic Summit is a pointer to one of these efforts.

“State governments and

indeed ,the private sector should take care and make background checks before engaging with foreign partners.’’

Buhari noted that the summit would help “diversify our oil dependant economy to other viable sectors, where we have competitive advantage.’’

The president stressed the importance of the private sector in driving the economy for greater efficiency and growth.

“Private sector led investments remain the most sustainable way of creating much needed jobs and engendering purposeful growth.’’

He said all stakeholders must make concerted efforts “towards sustaining functioning industries, establishing new ones as well as revival of moribund industries.

“The effect on employment and social peace would soon be apparent.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the summit, with the theme ‘Lets move Kaduna into the global economy’, drew participants from across the globe, including leading multilateral institutions.

Pilgrimage has strengthened our faith —Committee chairman

From left, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh; his wife, Obehi and the chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, at the National Agricultural Show at Karu, Nassarawa State, on Tuesday.

NECO won’t migrate to CBT now —Liaison officer As council restructures for better service delivery and made Adelowo Oladipo - Minna with Agency Reports

THE National Examination Council(NECO), has said it will not migrate to Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode for objective questions as planned until adequate facilities are put in place.

NECO’s Abuja Liaison Officer, Mr Abdul Mustapha, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday, in Abuja, said the council has made preparations for CBT. According to Mustapha, the CBT was put on hold until the various states fix the requisite facilities.

“NECO examination has components of essay, practical, oral and objective.

“CBT is only possible with objective component; machinery has been put in place to do the CBT in the objective component.

“However, that will take time; because to do CBT, states must have centres for it.

“Our examination takes place even in the most remote rural areas,’’ he said.

NAN recalled that NECO’s registrar, Professor Abdulrashid Garba, said recently that migrating to CBT would make the

examination less cumbersome and cost effective.

“We have almost finalised the procedure on the CBT mode for our objective examinations.

“As soon as we have a governing board in place, the plan will be tabled before it for discussion and approval.

Meanwhile,the management of NECO has approved the restructuring of the organisation to reposition it for better service delivery The restructuring has given birth to zonal offices and new divisions.

This was contained in a press statement signed

available to newsmen on Wednesday, in Minna, by the Head, Information and Public Relations Department, Mr Azees Sani.

He said that the zonal offices are situated in Ibadan, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Bauchi, Kano, Lagos, among others.

Why Oshiomhole reconstructed federal roads —Ize-Iyamu Banji Aluko - Benin City THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has declared that Governor Adams Oshiomhole devoted 65 per cent of the state capital expenditure to reconstructing federal roads in Benin because of the conspicuous location of the roads.

He added that since works done on federal roads are usually repaid, the state government must explain what happened to the billion of naira voted to road construction and why existing state roads were abandoned.

Ize-Iyamu, who stated this in Benin, in an address to PDP leaders and deleg-

ates in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha, local government areas, also accused the state government of abandoning critical sectors of the state economy such as industrialisation, agriculture, health, sports, youth empowerment, tourism and housing.

Ize-Iyamu said over N12 billion has been appropriated to put a teaching hospital at Edo University and N1.6 billion spent to build a less than 150-room hostel in the institution, alleging that the state government has not come out clean on the ownership of the institution, though, checks revealed that every kobo spent on the university was contributed by the state.

He also accused Gov-

ernor Oshiomhole, of deceiving the Benin people as money has not been appropriated for the state College of Education, Ekiadolor, that was upgraded to a university at the same time the Edo University, was created.

Meanwhile, a statement endorsed by the executive director, Media and Public Affairs, Governor’s Office, Mr John Mayaki, has described as false the statement made by IzeIyamu on the Edo University.

How much is the total budget for this year, that a chunk of N12 billion has been earmarked for the university alone? That claim simply defies logic and reasoning just as it does not add up.

THE chairman, Committee on Pilgrimage Issues to the Kaduna State government, Honourable Bako Obadiah, has said that pilgrimage to Israel has strengthened the faith of the state pilgrims, who are currently participating in the ongoing 2016 Easter pilgrimage to Israel.

He stated this in Israel during the 2016 Easter pilgrimage exercise.

He said that his experience in the ongoing 2016 pilgrimage, exposed him to the spiritual benefits of pilgrimage.

“I have sponsored people on pilgrimage but this is my first experience and my faith has been enriched,” he said.

Obadiah said that the experience the pilgrims gained, had lifted their spirit, adding that they are very happy for the spiritual experience and commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), for its support for the pilgrims Also, the permanent secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kande Bage, affirmed that there is improvement in the 2016 pilgrimage exercise compared to previous years.

The state pilgrims, who are participating in the on going 2016 Easter pilgrimage, visited the Garden Tomb, where Jesus died and resurrected, Mount Olives, Mount Zion, the Last Supper Room, David’s Tomb, among others, where prayers were offered for Nigeria.

Nigerian Tribune

FUTA staff cooperative society reiterates commitment to members’ welfare

By Laolu Harolds THE president of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Staff Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, Mr Samuel Ayodele, has reiterated the commitment of the society’s Executive Committee (EXCO) to its profitability and welfare of members.

Declaring a net profit of N28,521,475 million while giving the annual reports and accounts for 2015, Ayodele said it was a marked improvement over the N26 million recorded in the previous year.

“I hereby report that during the year under review, the executive were able to save N20 million in fixed deposit, first of its kind since the establishment of the society in 1986,” he said.

Ayodele said the society disbursed over N570 million as loan while members’ savings stood at N638 million.

Emphasising the executives’ commitment to the welfare of members, Ayodele said because the society always serves as a succor to members in times of need, loan requests are treated with urgency, while approval is given within 24 hours and disbursement made through e-payment.

HOPWAC set aside April 14 to honour Chibok girls HOPE Alive Women and Children Ministry (HOPWAC), a faith-based nongovernmental organisation (NGO), has set aside April 14, as the “Day of the African Girl Child”.

HOPWAC aims at providing platform of expression, discovery and networking for African women in business and ministry as well as strived to equip African children with God’s word while raising role models.

Convener of the group, Oluwatomi Olatoye, unveiled the theme for the 2016 Day of the African Girl-Child, which is dedicated to the Chibok girls in Nigeria as “Pray, intercede and help protect a girl child.”

Olatoye said that the day will be marked by prayer sessions in churches and schools.

It will be recalled that on the night of April 14 2014, 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State.

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communitynews

Thursday, 7 April, 2016

Onijoun of Ijoun gets staff of office OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

A

former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Razaq Adewusi, has been installed as the new Onijoun of Ijoun, in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Oba Adewusi was a three term member of the lower chamber. He represented Yewa North and ImekoAfon between 2003-2015.

In his address at the installation and presentation of staff of office to Oba Adewusi, the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, pledged his government’s support for traditional institutions in the state.

He described traditional rulers as custodians of people’s cultural heritage that had been complementing government’s effort in ensuring peace and all-round development.

The governor noted that his administration was not unmindful of the roles of traditional rulers in the success so far recorded since his assumption of office.

He reiterated his government’s commitment to the development of every sector aimed at improving the socio-economic lives of the people particularly those at the grass roots.

Amosun added that his

government would welcome ideas that would add value to the five cardinal programmes of his administration.

While congratulating the new Onijoun on his ascension to the throne of his forebears, he urged him to sustain the confidence reposed in him by his subjects.

He also enjoined the people of Ijoun to give the royal father the needed support to enable him to succeed and make the land a pacesetter for other communities.

In his comments, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, noted that the people of Ijoun would benefit immensely from the reign of the new traditional ruler, who will use his influence as a former lawmaker to better the lot of his people.

Addressing the traditional ruler, he said: “I want to charge you to rule with the fear of God; present yourself as a father to all and be committed to engendering enduring legacies and

progress in Ijoun land in particular and Ogun State in general.’’

The new Onijoun expressed gratitude to God and Governor Amosun

THE wife of Kogi State governor, Mrs Rashida Bello, has boosted rural healthcare delivery and education in the three senatorial districts of the state with the renovation of primary healthcare centres and provision of educational materials.

The governor’s wife also donated drugs and medical equipment to the health centres.

The health facilities are located in Ekirinade, Ijumu Local Government Area, Emonyokwu Ogugu in Olamaboro Local Government Area and Agassa in Okene Local Government Area.

Other items donated include delivery beds, lighting facilities, generators, tables and chairs for doctors and patients, cleaning equipment, mosquito nets.

Speaking during the inauguration of the renovated health centres, Bello said the move was to complement the efforts of the Alhaji Yahaya Bello-

his duties and responsibilities without fear or favour.

President, Yoruba Council of Youths, Barrister Oludotun Hassan (middle), presenting Statemanship Award to Senator Anthony Adefuye, at Adefuye House, Lekki, Lagos, recently. With them is a member of the council, Mr Olagunju Olusola. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Community commends Mimiko over water Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

THE people and residents of Ire-Akari community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State have commended the

state government for the completion of a motorised borehole in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Mr. Olufunmi Daramola, said the construction of the borehole would go a long way

in curbing the perennial water shortage in the area while the outbreak of water related diseases would become a thing of the past.

He lauded the state governor for fulfilling his electoral promise by bringing smile

had designed a blueprint that would reposition the state through provision of social amenities.

She said the local government area accords great

importance to issues that affect the people’s health, adding that the council had provided various communities with health facilities and water.

Kogi gov’s wife boosts rural health, education Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

for finding him worthy to lead and serve the people, while pledging to carry out

led government.

According to her, the gesture, which was organised by her pet project, Kogi Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (KOWYEF), was also meant to give the people in rural communities a sense of belonging.

She noted that the focus of her pet project was on health and education as these were the sectors that women and youths are mostly affected, adding that with well equipped primary healthcare centres, rural people would not have to travel long distances to access qualitative healthcare.

Bello, who also donated exercise books to schools in the communities, said the move was to further alleviate the suffering of the people as they would not have to spend money to purchase exercise books.

In her comments, the chairperson of Olamaboro Local Government Area, Mrs Laraba Adejoh-Audu, said the projects showed that the state government

to the faces of the people living in the area, saying that the people of the area had suffered for a long time but the present administration had brought the needed succour.

Daramola also observed that the water project executed by the state government through the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperative Services would also help to develop the economy of residents.

“The provision of water

will serve many purposes as our people at the gaari processing industry will have access to good water and this will increase their productivity.

“People come from far and near to buy from them and with this new facility, there’s no limit to how far our women can go,” he said.

The community spokesperson, however, called on the state government not to relent in its effort to distribute the dividends of democracy to all parts of the state.

Stakeholders reject Iree as headquarters of Boripe North LCDA THREE communities in the newly-created Boripe North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Osun State have insisted that the idea of making Iree the headquarters of the LCDA is unacceptable and that they would pursue their position to have Modaa, Ada as the headquarters, as contained in a letter of protest earlier presented to Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting of traditional rulers, religious groups, opinion and political leaders, youths and market women from the communities of Ada, Aagba and Ororuwo held recently.

The community dissociated themselves from the so-called rejoinder by some

members of Aagba community, saying it was authored by impostors, impersonators and disgruntled elements who are still smarting from their loss in an obaship tussle that had been laid to rest. The stakeholders added that many of those named as signatories to the rejoinder have complained that their signatures were forged.

According to the communiqué, signed by 15 representatives, the three communities remained undaunted in their request to have Modaa, Ada as the headquarters of the new LCDA. Representatives of the three communities said if the government cannot rescind the decision to make Iree the LCDA headquarters, then it should accede

to their request to make Modaa, Ada, their own headquarters, as contained in the memorandum they presented for the creation of Boripe North LCDA, “which Iree was never a party to.”

It added: “We shall continue to maintain peace in pursuit of our legitimate demand never to have or allow the imposition of Iree as the headquarters of our LCDA.” The stakeholders enjoined Osun State government to immediately put machinery in motion to address what they described as injustice to the three aggrieved communities.

Those who signed the communiqué include: Oba Abimbola Olalekan Abioye II, the Olona of Ada; Oba Rufus Ilufemiloye Ogunwole, Kujoosin I, the

Alaagba of Aagbaland; Mr. Adewale Olugbemiga Abimbola, Chairman, Ada Development Council; Honourable Anthony Oladipupo, Chairman, Aagba Development Council; and Mr. Oderinu Folorunso, Chairman, Ororuwo Development Council.

The other signatories are: Chief Kola Oyasola Oyadeji, the Asiwaju of Ada; Chief James Bamigbola, the Eesa of Aagbaland; Chief Ayo Adeniyi, the Asiwaju of Ororuwo; Prince Tunde Ponnle, a community leader in Ada; Honourable I.I. Adelakun, a community leader in Ororowo; Pa J.O. Olarinde, a community leader in Ada; Chief Abayomi Odeyale, the Ojomu of Aagbaland; and Mr. Olusola Olusoji Ayanbode, a community leader in Ororuwo.

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Thursday, 7 April, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

Nigerian teen accepted by all 8 US Ivy League schools

T

here must be something in the water at Elmont Memorial High

School.

For the second year in a row, an Elmont Memorial High School student has been accepted to all eight Ivy League schools. Last year, the Long Island high school’s salutatorian Harold Ekeh chose to attend Yale University after having his pick of all eight Ivy League schools. This year, Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, Elmont’s valedictorian, will face the same decision.

“Having two students get accepted into all eight Ivy League institutions in back-to-back years is humbling but also speaks to the incredible commitment to children by the families and staff within the EMHS Community,” said Kevin Dougherty, Elmont Memorial High School principal.

Uwamanzu-Nna was also accepted to the four additional schools to which she applied. The experience has been surreal, Uwamanzu-Nna said in a press release.

“My recent accomplishments reflect the hardworking ideals of the town of Elmont, my supportive parents and my dedicated teachers.

Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna. PHOTO: TWTTER I am elated, but most importantly, I am thankful,” she said.

Ekeh and Uwamanzu-Nna are both Nigerian. Ekeh was born in Nigeria and came to the United States when he was 8. Uwamanzu-Nna

is the daughter of Nigerian immigrants.

“Though I was born here in America, I visited Nigeria many times,” Uwamanzu-Nna told CNN affiliate WABC. “And I’ve seen that my cousins don’t have the same opportunities that I have. So definitely, whatever I do, I want to make sure that it has an impact on Nigeria.”

Uwamanzu-Nna plans to pursue a science-related major. She was a finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search for her research on cement that could help prevent underwater oil rigs from rupturing. On Monday, she received an invitation to the White House Science Fair.

Roque, 70 and from Brazil, became blind 9 years ago because of his diabetes. His wife has given up her job to take care of him. PHOTO: WHO.

422 million people living with diabetes globally —WHO The world is facing an “unrelenting march” of diabetes which now affects nearly one in 11 adults, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

In a major report it warned cases had nearly quadrupled to 422 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980.

High blood sugar levels are a major killer - linked to 3.7 million deaths around

the world each year, it says.

And officials said the numbers would continue to increase unless “drastic

Turkish authorities ‘probing huge ID data leak’ Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into an alleged data leak of personal information of about 50 million citizens,

Cruz, Sanders gain momentum with big wins in Wisconsin Judging by prevote polls, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders beat expectations Tuesday in the midwestern state of Wisconsin, where they each scored expected wins but with wider margins.

However, political analysts say those overachievements do not mean people should rush to bet on them to win the next states or their party nominations.

“It’s been pretty common in this process for the race just to change from

state to state. Momentum hasn’t always helped,” said Craig Gilbert, the Washington bureau chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Sanders spoke of

momentum to his supporters Tuesday night, after having won six of the last seven state contests.

But despite that success, he still trails far behind former Secretary of State

Ted Cruz (left) and Bernie Sanders

action” was taken.

The report lumps both type 1 and type 2 diabetes together, but the surge in cases is predominantly down to type 2 - the form closely linked to poor lifestyle.

As the world’s waistlines have ballooned - with one-in-three people now overweight, so too has the number of diabetes cases.

Dr Etienne Krug, the WHO official in charge of leading efforts against diabetes, told the BBC: “Diabetes is a silent disease, but it is on an unrelenting march that we need to stop.

Hillary Clinton in terms of Democratic delegates.

Cruz is closer, but in a similar position behind Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

“I think Wisconsin’s impact is that it prolongs the race,” Gilbert told VOA. “Had the front-runners won here, it was an opportunity for them to really put their opponents away. It was a difficult state for them, but it was a chance for them to really put a nail in the coffin of the other candidates and they didn’t do that.”

local media say.

A database posted online this week is reported to have included people’s names, ID numbers and addresses.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was quoted by local media as saying the number of people was comparable to those on the electoral register.

The Interior Minister said there was “no need to worry”.

Pro-government newspaper the Daily Sabah reported news of an investigation on Wednesday.

“Where this was leaked from, finding out how it was leaked, is what the investigation needs to focus on,” Mr Bozdag was quoted as saying.

other NEWS No automatic return of migrants to Turkey —EU The European Union has made a surprise announcement that there will essentially be no automatic return of migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey, in a capitulation to human rights advocates.

Jean-Pierre Schembri, spokesman for the European Union’s asylum agency, told VOA’s Luis Ramirez

Wednesday that the EU has decided to give every migrant the right to apply for asylum before being sent to Turkey in accordance with a policy first implemented on Monday.

More than 200 migrants who arrived illegally on the Greek island of Lesbos were sent to Turkey Monday in exchange for Syrians who had been sheltering in Turkish camps.

Another exchange of about 200 was scheduled for Friday, but now EU authorities say every migrant will be given five days to apply for asylum before deportation.

But the new process will further slow things down for the migrants. A group of about 70 staffers from the United Nations refugee agency arrived on Lesbos Wednesday

to begin processing the new applications at a rate of about 50 per day. But 1,000 applications have already been filed, and more migrants are arriving every day.

The decision follows criticism by human rights activists of the EU plan to trade illegal migrants to People queue to receive free food at a makeshift camp for Europe for those who awaited migrants and refugees at the Greek-Macedonian border near the village of Idomeni, Greece, April 6, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS. help in Turkey.

Bad harvest adds to South Sudan food shortage

Women stand with their children and belongings in rebel held Bauw village in Koch county of South Sudan’s Unity state, Sept. 25, 2015. PHOTO: AP

United Nations aid agencies say the conflict in South Sudan, combined with recent weather patterns, have further reduced crop production in the country.

The U.N.’s Food and Agricultural Organisation and World Food Program say South Sudan’s cereal production is down by

400,000 metric tons this year, a drop of 53 per cent compared to last year.

The situation has aggravated the already severe food shortages across the country.

These estimates follow reports from other aid groups that most families are surviving on only one meal a day because of skyrocketing

food prices.

Bernard Owadi, head of the WFP Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis in South Sudan, said the situation is expected to get worse. Food prices are four or five times what they were just a few months ago, according to Owadi.

Traders are not able to import as many commodities

as before, because they face far more difficulties in transporting food along the main roads.

“What is significant at this point in time is that due to the depreciation of the local currency, due to the economic downturn, the imports are no longer able to meet that gap,” he says.

46

Thursday, 7 April, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

WGB/Lagos FA Cup:

Adetunji celebrates after scoring.

National League to commence May 7 The congress of Nigeria National League (NNL) on Wednesday in Abuja resolved that the 2015/2016 League season would kick off on May 7.

At the congress held at Top Rank Galaxy Hotel, Abuja, the league body also agreed to have an abridged league format of eight teams in four different groups.

Kaduna United, S o koto

Naira rain for winners

By Niyi Alebiosu It was naira rain last Sunday at the Agege Stadium at the finals of the Lagos State Football Association Cup which saw Nigeria premiership side, MFM FC whitewashBridge Boys FC 4-0 to win the Lagos State FA Cup for the first time.

The Olukoya Boys went home with N1million and a giant trophy.

The Bridge Boys FC got N500,000 for their effort, while the women FA Cup champions, FC Robo Ladies grabbed N300,000 as runner up, COD Ladies earned N200,000 as prize money.

The naira rain did not stop there in the Winners Golden Bet-powered Lagos FA Cup, as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Deji Alo of Messiah FC, the highest goalscorer, Olaniyi Abiola of Bridge Boys FC with five goals both went home with N100,000 each, while the best goalkeeper of the tournament, Aliu Olatunji also of Bridge Boys FC was rewarded with N50,000.

Adetunji’s brace sinks Ikorodu Utd

By Olawale Olaniyan SUNDAY Adetunji was the match hero on Wednesday as his brace helped Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) to a 2-0 victory over Ikorodu United, in a match day 10 game of the Nigeria Premier League played at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

The lanky striker opened the scoring in the 28th minute before he doubled the lead in the 40th minute.

Speaking with Tribune-

sport after the match, Adetunji expressed joy at scoring a brace in the match.

“This is my first brace in 3SC. I thank 3SC fans for always encouraging me and I dedicate the goals to them. I believe they deserve to be applauded,” he said.

Also, Ikorodu United handler, Sam Okpodu blamed his boys for not living up to expectation in the match.

“If you are playing a team like 3SC, you need experi-

Amuneke begins screening for F/Eagles today

H

ead Coach of Nigeria men’s U-20 side, Emmanuel Amuneke has opted to have a three-day open screening for new players ahead of the team’s camping for a 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Burundi.

Burundi progressed to be eligible to square up against Cup holders Nigeria after the Democratic

Republic of Congo withdrew from the race.

Amuneke has called for open screening between today and Saturday, April 9 before a group of 30 invited players will arrive in camp in Abuja on Monday, April 11.

The team secretary, Ibrahim Aliyu Lawal told thenff.com that 30 invited players will be camped at the Serob Legacy Hotel, in the Federal

Capital Territory, ahead of the first leg of the fixture scheduled for Bujumbura on the weekend of May 20-22. The return leg will hold in Nigeria two weeks after.

The group of invited players is dominated by Nigeria’s 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup winners, including goalkeeper Akpan Udoh and attacking midfielders; Chukwudi Agor and Orji Okoronkwo.

enced players but we are not there yet. Also, we lack the winning mentality but I believe we will get things right very soon,” said the former Super Falcons coach.

In his remarks, technical adviser of 3SC, Kadiri Ikhana said his men deserved victory.

“Losing against Ikorodu United would have been a bad omen for us but with this victory, we would move forward on the table even though we don’t have a team yet,” said Ikhana.

United FC and Kogi United and five others have all been grouped in Group A1 in the new format. Group A2 has heavy weights like

Kwara United, FC Taraba and Gombe United - all former NPFL clubsides.

Group B1 has, among others, Rivers State FA Cup champions Go Round FC, Remo Stars and Delta Force FC while ABS FC, Gateway FC, Bayelsa United FC and Prime FC of Oshogbo are part of Group B2 setting.

Speaking at the event, chairman of the NNL Adhoc Committee and NFF first vice president, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi stated that the committee had to go for an abridged league format because of the time already wasted as they aim to have a league that would be successful and productive.

Sports editors rue Eagles AFCON ouster The League of Nigerian Sports Editors, has said that Nigeria’s non-qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the second consecutive time, was a great set-back not only to the growth of the game but to the media, football administrators and the generality of Nigerians.

In a statement issued by the body’s President Tony Ubani and signed by the Secretary General, Dare Esan, the Editors’ Guild said that with the array of talents available to Nigeria, it was almost unthinkable that the country will not make it to the AFCON Championship in Gabon.

Part of the problems, the body observed is the appointment and sacking of technical staff in the national team and the constant quarrel among the football fraternity

in the country.

“Unity is key and we must be united at all times in pursuing the fame and wealth that football brings to the country,” the statement observed.

The editors noted that the media alone, print and electronic may have lost over N19billion in advert and sponsorship revenue as a result of the non-qualification of the Super Eagles for the AFCON 2017 that will hold in Gabon. It therefore called for immediate preparation for the next Nations Cup in 2019 and the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

“If it’s true that Nigeria want to host the Afcon 2017 after the tournament in Gabon, now is the time to get government guarantee and throw everything into preparations of both the team and facilities needed for the championship. Nigerians have suffered enough pain in other sectors and we cannot afford to allow football which is our source of succour to bring more misery on Nigerians”.

Togo names Le Roy as coach

Amuneke

Vastly experienced French coach, Claude Le Roy has been appointed new coach of Togo.

Le Roy, who has also coached Congo, Senegal, DR Congo and Cameroon and has recently been linked with the vacant Nigeria post, has signed a three-year contract with the Togo Football Federation.

He replaces the Belgian Tom Saintfiet.

Le Roy will be assisted by his usual sidekick Sebastien Minier.

47

tribunepools

DR. J.K POOLS 07039275802.

(25XX 26) 20 – 21- 22 – 33 – 41.

As I am rounding up the UK\Scottish 2015\2016 pools season, all stakers should no longer forecast much but to depend on my texted games and those in the Nigerian Tribune. Before four weeks, I will announce a programme of tour in all the state head quarters of the country to deliver lecture on pools.

The programme of my lecture will be duely announced on radio and television. Now stakers pick two bankers from 20-21-22-33-41 and add to the bracket games above. Good luck says DR.J.K POOLS. INNOCENT NAP (08095602590) 18 nap 19 End of season release. Wk 39, 40, 41 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 39 NO NAP NAP NAP NAP= 18. 19 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 40 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap 4 special draws N6, 000 wk 41 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap 4 special draws N6, 000 wk 42 No 1x 20x 23x 32x 38x Two Bankers N3000 wk 39 No Nap Nap Pair Nap Nap wk 40 No Nap Nap Pair Nap Nap. Send MTN card 08095602590 the game will be sent to you by text.

LUCKYMAN 08054352685 (31XX 32)

As we progress to the end of the season we are realy set to help you win back all what you lost on stick to us and win big fortune on pools winning is wonderful losing is so sure stop loosing on pools call us today and win well on pools Burton a bet allingham (31xx 32).

DR. M. M PROMISE ON THE MARCH AGAIN (08037174526).

BANK NO 40 PLUS 2 OTHERS. Week 39 is your week of fortune.

The paymaster and Nigerian foremost pools compiler, Dr. M.M promise has emphatically declared that stakers will win and make real good money with his special guaranteed release of 3 sure nap draws for week 39.Cost only N20,000 cash. Payments to UBA to Dr Maxwell Promise Acct. no 1003610591. Call for details.

DR B4 DR–08062748396 (40 MUST 41).

2 weeks assurance win at the Drs place in week 38 and 39 MORECAMBE HOME 40 Week 38 – X X X= 40/41 Week 39 – X X X= 40/41 Welcome to the Dr. B4 Dr. 2 weeks programmed Naps. To forget your past misfortunes, 2 weeks win that over rule your past losses. N25, 000= sure win with guaranteed.

MANCITY SYSTEM 08135888720= 45 NAP 46 3 Wks operation END OF SEASON RELEASE 4 Special draws N6, 000 Wk 38 NO 10X 22X 26X 34X= 4/4 4 Special draws N6, 000 Wk 39 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 40 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap Two Bankers N3000 WK 38 NO 10X 34X PAIR 25F 35X Two Bankers this wk 39 cost N3000= Send MTN Card to 08135888720.

SIR MICHEAL NAP 6 PAIR 12 – 09091874579.

Congratulation in advance as the odd week setting that got 19xx, 22xx, 24xx 3\3 in week 37 will get it again, the weekly release cost just #15,000.Call for acct no or mode of payment. Also, my on banker from the unfailing pair since is still sellius. Call for it.

MISTER-DRAW 08030415683 (07 CBK)

Chelsea will hold Swansea city plus 2 super draws cost N2000 MTN Card don’t be told, you must smile to your bank on Monday.

KAMARK SUPER STAR – 08186673842. 6X 14X 8X 23.

Key – West ham vs Arsenal.

On top of the bar in Red color against week 40 naps. Cost N6,500,Permutation cost N5,200.

Call for payment details.

SHADOW -08087670776. (9 PAIR 10)

Truly speaking, this week 39 is harvest week for all my fans. Don’t allow anybody to confuse you from sending to me N5,000 MTN recharge card.

MALAM BAWA MUSA IN CONTROL-08052506287. (39 X 40).

I give each and everyone full and absolute assurance of 3 unstoppable correct Nap Draws for week 39. Cost only N10, 000 cash – 08052056287.

JOSEPH SAFE LANDING – 08167278061 Welcome Nap–10x 29x 41xxx –NAP 22xx 4/4 Week 39 Naps is another success for all Pools stakers that has winning passion. KEY– OLDHAM HOME 28 in week 39 and 40. 2 weeks Nap. And WOLVES HOME 22 in weeks 38 and 39. Our 3 weeks operational statement in week 38, 39, 40. Join the wise stakers to enjoy the full benefits of winning in weeks 39 and 40. N50,000(matured minded Men only).

DOSA 08072216644 (21 PAIR 22) Week 38 = 8xx 26xx 28xx ( 27 Pair 29xx ) Doubting Thomas will not win on pool staking, but if you are master na true you will always happy on Saturday.

Dosa has done it last week 38 and he is ready to do it again this week 39.

WEEK 39 STATUS EKO – 10 AND 12 LKO – 04 PP – 19 SUNDAY – 03, 06, 08 VOID – 49 (FRIDAY).

NO ADVERT NO WRITE-UP

—MANAGEMENT

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE POOLS PAGE

THE WINNERS CHOICE GET A COPY AND WIN

PLEIAD DE MAXWELL–09099968585.

OLDHAM MUST WALSALL= 28XXX.

Alas! Premiership teams recorded 4 draws last week with a cluster draw since weeks experienced 30. Notwistanding draws are likely at Villa park, Crystal P, Southampton, Sunderland, Swasea, Tothenham and Arsenal.

Sky bet one favourd draws fulham, QPR, Reading & Wolves. Portvale, Sheff UTD, Banet, Watch Morecamber – Newport and Northampton. Scottish DHH – for draws and Dundees UTD to Hearts for draws.

Contact De Maxwell draw clinic for your sure win this week where draws is discharged after surgery, TOKEN MANAGER.

ISREAL BAIL OUT NAP – 09085712800

RED – RED= NOTT. M. FOREST and BRIGHTON= No19. WEEK 11 – 2014 and WEEK 39 – 2016.

WINNING SEQUENCE= FINAL BRIGHTON= 19.

WEEK 11 – 2014 and WEEK 39 – 2016.

WINNING SEQUENCE= FINAL BREAKTHROUGH Week 11 – 2014 – 10x 16x 38xxx – 9 draws Week 39 – 2016 – X X X - X draws. In week 11 2014 draws strted on No 1 on Arsenal and Tottenham, ended on Portsmouth and Hartlepool. Your winning is Crystal clear this week. Stop all cristics and doubts. Be assured of BAIL OUT NAP now. N50, 000 – 1 MILLION. WELCOME.

NAZAR MASTER COMMENDS STAKERS

Nazar Master Pools Company Limited, Ibadan, has given a pat on the back to stakers for their continual patronage and also commended them for their steadfast & understanding. According to the Pools Company ‘we are delighted with your large heart and endurance. We wish all our Numerous stakers and stakeholder play and win with big dividends.

M.B.A EXPERT 08104694618. PAIR 01XX 19.

We are lift with just 2 weeks of RED colour coupon pools settings of this U.K Football season (Wks. 39 X 43) Numbers in the family of 9 seem relevant with Red colour settings in this present dispensation.

The 9 family members both in the primary & Secondary started drawing in wk.

07 fixtures at Degenham vs Stevenage, with a brief rest in Wk 11, the 9 family was again on the score card in week 15 and 19 respectively with yet another break in week 23 the next 2 weeks 27x 31 of Red similarly had 9s. from this analysis, the computation of likely draws from the family of 9 this week 39 cannot be in drubt.

This observation is merely based on the mystery of pool draws. My week 39 draw computation is not necessary tied around the 9s but can play games goodluck.

FAITHFUL INTERVENTION ANOTHER WINNING SEQUENCE BY EXPERTS – 07082899957

Last week Leicester on month of play.

Week 27 and 38 – Swansea, Ipswich, 41xxx = 27\28x Week 27 – 9x 17x 41xxx – 27x 28f Week 38 – 8x 22x 41xxx – 27f 28xx.

Watch and confirmed how draws are fixed ( played) Let do it together in weeks 34,36 and 39 Southampton – Sunderland No 6 xxx – week 34 Newcastle – Sunderland No 5 xxx – week 36 Southampton – Newcastle No 5 xxx – week 39.

Draws played so far: 16drs – week 34 – 19x 33x 43xxx – 6xxx 14drs – week 36 – 11x 21x 31xxx – 5xxx 12drs – week 39 – x x x - 5xxx.

Our authentic current winning instruction from, our foreign Experts made our recent success possible. Lets intervene to your winning problem -N50,000.00.

OBINYAN CONTINUES ON WINNING TRACK.

The doyen in Pools compilation and computation in Africa and Chairman Managing Director of King and George group of Forcast papers Price Ehi Willy Obinyan now a big treat on promoters on weekly winnings.

The shoot pointer in 10 Powerful ‘A’ series enriched stakers on 22x 29x 9x. The Zeters got his ¾ colomn and the Pools Telegraph week 38 special longsight got 2 bankers 13x 22x and 9x 10x – 5x 13x infact all his fortune papers flashed numbers 5x 9x 10x 13x 22x 29x as winning flavor.

He therefore enjoined stakers to get a copy of his papers Pools Telegraph, The New Dream, Zeters pools Guild, Murphy sport and shoot pointers for easy win.

TRIPLE STILL ON COURSE INSPITE OF HICCUPS AS WE NOW GIVE 5\8 08035324990

Some inexplicable reasons and factors worked against the realization of our dreamed hope and shattered by unforeseen circumstances. God knows best.

Not to worry as we gather our loins for this week’s fixtures. Take one draw from the duo of 5\8. Add them to our super draw this week and have your 2\3.

Our IBK still sells for only N1,500, 2 draws cost for N3,000 and 3 super draws sells for N10,000 on 08035324990.Good luck.

OLA-CITY BOAST OF 3 DRAWS FOR THIS WEEK 39

PAIR 20XXX 23XXX PHONE 08140575314, 08085005634 The compiler of Ola-City International assurance stakers and readers of Thursday Tribune of his 3 fixed Draws for this week 39 cost N10, 000 cash which will surely get all correct as predicted pay your N10,, 000 cash to First Bank in the name of OLAFENWA R. OLA-CITY Account No 3033318854 and collect the draws on phone after confirmation of your payment. Phone 08140575314, 08085005634. Pair 20xx 23.

ADEOTI SYNDICATE 07051327960 (9X11X18) 2 DRAWS.

BANKS – EVERTON X SHEFF.W.X MILTON.K.X. (2 DRAWS) I thank all people for calling me to know what is happen to see my forecast. As the current UK pools 2015\2016 season is getting to an end. I am prepared for the remaining weeks. My remaining week to release for this season is week 40,41,42,for this week (39) banks the above 3 games for at least 2 draws. Those who like my pair can take 23x24x joined them, Weeks 40,41,42 release cost N5,000, N40, 000 - each week, send the money to Ahmed Shafiri a\c no. 2001788431 Zenith Bank.9x 11x 18x. (2 DRAWS).

MR SOLUTION ENRICH STAKERS – 08072974729.

HUDDERSFILD ON 17 (AWAY & HOME) WIN TO TTENHAM – BURNLEY – WOLVES. Week 17 – 01x 21x 21xxx 34/35x – 5/5 Week 38 – 05x 13x 22xxx 34/35x – 5/5. Ands Wolves – 34 must 35= Winners Nos. 10 – 10 Weeks of 9s fixed Draws Week 9 – 12x 31x 48xxx – 20x – 11drs.

Week 19 – 15x 39x 42xxx – 13x – 11drs Week 29 – 11x 19x 38xxx – 19x – 8drs Week 39 – X X X 8/10 8drs.

Congrats the above chat is a remindal for our week 9, 19 and 29 winners of another bumper harvest winning spree again this week.

New clients are welcome. Join the winners and get your winning solution.

MB: Addition of 1st Alphabet H & A 49 – up & down for pair. Goodluck.

HOPE NAP & CO-08107128449.

BANK ON NO 20 AND 21 AGAIN FOR SPECIAL DRAW ON Saturday.

Wk 38 results 4F 9xx 18F 28xx and 34xx (9xx 28xx 34xx).

We do sorry that we promise four draws, but this Wk 39.

Hope Nap is set to gives four & five draws for all stakers interested public and fans who are ready to win this wk 39 should call Hope Nap & pays to First Bank Plc. account No 3088328923 in favour of Mr Gbadebo Stephen A. while the wk releases will be sent to you on phone.

(Text message). By popular demand, it is N10,000 only. Bank on No 20x 21 for sure draw on Saturday.

POOLS COMPILERS MEETING All pools compilers on the pools pages of the Thursday edition of Nigerian tribune are hereby invited to an urgent and compulsory meeting on Friday 8 April 2016 at 12.00 noon.

The place of the meeting is the office of Oyo state chairman of PCAN, Ososami Rd, opposite Ansa ud- deen primary school and mosque. Please endeavor to be punctual if you want to continue to appear on the pools pages of the Nigerian Tribune.

Thursday, 7 - 13 April, 2016 MODUPE (08033566694) 9/10/42. 2drs Call for your special Nap.

IKECHUKWU FUL RECOVERY FREE (05X 13X 22XXX) Published Naps 08168157259.

Congratulations all my esteem clients that called and benefitted from our fresh juicy served draws on 05x 13x 22xxx.

HEARTS AT HOME 49=week 39 winning KEY. Scheduled 4 times winning gazette in 2015/2016 UK season Weeks 6, 36, 39 and 43.

Week 6-38x 39x 42xxx-1x 23x=5/5 Week 36-38x 39x 42xx-1x 23x 5/5 Now wks 39 and 43 on 3 secret draws Week 39 – X X XWeek 43 – X X XCall Ike & Brothers for your 2 weeks to end 2015/2016 football season.

Wk–39 – N50, 000–Wk 43–N250, 000 welcome & Goodluck.

DR. JACKSON – 08156829811 (21XXX 47) PORTVALE HOME 30 (ASORTED WIN) ANOTHER RED COLOURED WIN. Week 31 – X X X – 8 draws Week 39 – X X X – 10 draws PAIR= Dundee UTD and Reading Our week 39 Nap is unique on fixed winning programe as directed by Experts. Win now – N20, 000= Goodluck.

MID-WEEK THE SPREE WITH 35\41 (08081176217).

The good thing in our stable continues this week with another scintillating action on 35/41 which should mandatorily supply a good draw on Saturday.

The duo will surely add good dividends to the odds, include them in all entries. Our IBK costs only N1,500.00, 2 draws sells for N3,000.,, and 3 draws cost N10,000.00 on 08087176217.

Best of luck!

THE – LILIES 08086944309 (10 MUST 11) All our fans are assured of winning big jackpot on pools before the season runs out big jackpot await all our fans who will andover to call us call now and big jackpot on pools 10 must 11.

SUNDERLAND SYSTEM 09038460009= 8XX 34XX END OF SEASON RELEASE WK 38, 39. 40 4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 38 NO 10X 22X 46X WITH 35X 36F 4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 39 NO NAP NAP NAP NAP WITH NAP NAP 4 Special Draws wk 40 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap Time to win Pool this wk 39 Sunderland system 4 special draws this wk 39 will play = 4/4. Correct hurry up to get your copy to day two Bankers cost N3000 wk 38. No PAIR 35X 36F WK 39 NO NAP NAP WK 40 NO NAP NAP. Send MTN card 09038460009.

MAGIC EXPERT AUTHENTIC (11X 14)

KEY – BRISTOL C VS FULHAM must CALL: - 08160742266 for your rest assured 3 guaranteed Nap, this week 39 Nap Nap Nap= 3/3 fixed.

This is your week of total restoration to all that you have lost previously. Just call magic, your winning is guaranteed. The 3 authentic Nap is N20, 000 per week. For enquiries please call 08160742266. Stay bless .

MADAM DE D MADAM SPITS FIRE ON PROMOTERS – 08023329191 (40/41) 5X 22X 41XXX= 34X 33F (40/41) 4/5 Win again on highly confidential winning gazette.

WOLVES – BLACKBURN on bar 22 YORK – WYCOMBE on bar 46.

Week 7 -2014 - 06x 30x 48xxx - 40/41 Week 39 - 2016 - X X X - 41/40 Wolves and York winning strength is to add to our clients winning programme. Records are kept by the wise for reference purpose. 2 in one week winning sequence. Call Mr. Joshua our media Man for your sure Win = N25, 000 now.

4MEMMBERS. 4 BANKERS 08162705220. 1XX 2XXX 3 Wks operations. Wk 39. 40. 41 4 bankers N6,000 Wk 39= 2015 No 10x 20x 24x 47x with. 27x 28x 4 bankers N6,000 Wk 40= 2015 No 11x 24x 26x 44x with. 17x 18x 4 bankers N6,000 Wk 41= 2015 No 10x 16x 20x 27x with. 1x 2f 4 bankers N6,000 WK 39= 2015 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with. 1.2 Stakers try to get 4 member 4 Bankers this wk 39, 40, 41 cost N6, 000 as end of season release.

FORTUNE DONOR COMPLETE THE ROOT WITH (8 – 35 – 42) – 5\47 (08099111828) Your selfless and hardworking fortune donor international is at it again this week for a complete demolition of quack promoters. Punters should go all out for 8 – 35 – 42 – 5\47.

MAGIC KINGDOM – 08056753098/07085060512.

3X 8X 36XXX 25 AND 40.

The above game is free for all stakers against week 40 and 41. I will be travelling to Australia next week to meet my compilers for the Aussie. 2016 – 2018 new KEY. Note – My telephone number will be roamed for weeks 40 and 41 Nap. Cost N10, 000 each week. Payment to Balogun Adesina Kamoru. FCMB Bank 0279550010.

Wema Bank no 0206965116 or G.T. Bank No 0115505082. Call now & win.

SIDELINES

no 16,474

n150

THURSDAY, 7 APRIL, 2016

“The requirements by which all candidates were required to show evidence of having delivered a certain number of judgements is a condition which lawyers in practice could definitely not fulfil”.

A

few weeks back I discussed the link between a transparent process of appointment to the judiciary and the ability of members of the Bench to effectively perform their constitutional duties. I specifically compared the process of appointment as it was in times past when lawyers were more or less invited to the Bench and the practice that obtains now by which candidates in most cases lobby to be appointed as judges.

Following continued focus on the judiciary I have decided to revisit this issue with added emphasis on the measures recently put in place by the National Judicial Council for a revamp of the appointment process and a comparison of those measures with similar procedures in other climes.

2015 GUIDELINES In 2015 the National Judicial Council released the revised NJC guidelines and procedural rules for the appointment of judicial officers of all superior courts of record in Nigeria. By the said rules the NJC sought to revamp the process of appointment of judicial officers in Nigeria so as to remove ills such nepotism, favoritism, etc which had always characterized previous appointments. It was specifically intended that merit would be the paramount consideration in appointment of judges. To this end, it is provided in Rule 2 that vacancies in any judicial office will be advertised on the website of Judicial Service Commission of a State or that of the Federation as the case may be and also by pasting on the notice boards of the courts and the branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in the jurisdiction concerned.

By Rule 4(i) emphasis is placed on competence and high moral standing. For the avoidance of doubt, the said rule provides

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

Three non-academic staff of the Federal Government College, Akure, have been arrested by the police for picking the sanitary pads of the students from waste bins and using them for occult manipulations. Even if the pad thieves must adopt a waste-to-wealth policy, must it be at the expense of innocent students?

afeonthursday

Justice: Loss of public confidence — Inadequate budgetary allocation to judiciary and effect of dispensation of justice (10) as follows: “4. In considering the candidates, Judicial Service Commission/Committee shall take into account the fact that Judicial Officers hold high office of State and occupy an office carrying enormous powers and authority. Accordingly, the National Judicial Council shall – Regard the following qualities as (i) essential requirements for the selection of suitable candidates for the judicial office in any of the Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria; In all cases: (a) Good character and reputation, diligence and hardwork, honesty, integrity and sound knowledge of law and consistent adherence to professional ethics; As may be applicable (b) Active successful practice at the Bar, including satisfactory presentation of cases in Court as a Legal Practitioner either in private or as a Legal Officer in any Public Service; (c) Satisfactory and consistent display of sound and mature judgment in the office as a Chief Registrar or Chief Magistrate; (d) Credible record of teaching law, legal research in a reputable University and publication of legal works, and in addition to any or all the above;

(e) In the case of appointment of a candidate to the office of a Sharia Court of Appeal, knowledge of Arabic language and grammar”.

The above is without a doubt commendable as it conforms to some extent with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary (1985) which provides as follows: “10.Persons selected for judicial office shall be individuals of integrity and ability with appropriate training or qualifications in law. Any method of judicial selection shall safeguard against judicial appointments for improper motives. In the selection of judges, there shall be no discrimination against a person on the grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or status, except that a requirement that a candidate for judicial office must be a national of the country concerned, shall not be considered discriminatory.”

In addition one of the most profound provisions is contained in Rule 3(i)(b) which opens up appointment to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court not only to suitable judicial officers but also legal practitioners. In effect, appointment to the two appellate court is now open to any legal practitioner who satisfies the provi-

of space and airtime on it even to the detriment of the Nigerian league.

“We Nigerians are so obsessed with the EPL that we believe if a player is not in EPL, he is not a top or good player and that’s killing our football,” Sodje told AfricanFootball.com.

The former Portsmouth defender further insisted that Nigeria is not short of quality players and talents to excel internationally.

“I won’t agree to the notion that

Nigeria lacks quality players. We have abundant talents and quality players, but we lack giving these talents the opportunity to showcase what they have.

“What I mean by this is people are saying Nigeria lack quality players on the basis of those who have made their way up there, but we have talents in Nigeria and with the right programme and system we can discover them.

“It has been done before and it is still very possible to do again!,” Sodje said.

sions of the Constitution regarding eligibility for appointment to those courts and is no longer restricted to judges of either the High Court or the Court of Appeal as the case may be. However, the extent to which this will be practicable both in terms of the appointment process and in sterms of the ability of any legal practitioner outside of the judiciary to fully integrate himself into the demands of such high office is still subject to debate.

Indeed not too long ago, during the process for the filling of vacancies into the Supreme Court, the National Judicial Service Commission was reported to have, despite the new rules, included requirements by which all candidates were required to show evidence of having delivered a certain number of judgements, a condition which lawyers in practice could definitely not fulfil. Whether this was a result of oversight or not is yet to be fully understood.

In any event and as been noted by several writers, the success or otherwise of the new guidelines depends on the ability of those saddled with their implementation to strictly observe them.

To be continued...

AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

RESULTS

EPL is killing Nigerian football —Sodje Former Nigerian international, Sam Sodje has said that Nigerians are so obsessed with the English Premier League (EPL) that the trend is now affecting Nigerian football negatively.

He said the obsession with the EPL has made Nigerians to believe that players who do not feature in the Premier League are not good enough.

The Premier League is the most popular league on the streets in football-mad Nigeria with the local media also lavishing a lot

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Nigeria Premier League 3SC

2 Ikorodu Utd 0

FC Giwa 2 Kano Pillars 0 Lobi Stars 1 Wikki

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Rivers Utd 1 El-Kanemi 0 FC I/Ubah 2 Plateau Utd 0 MFM, Lagos 1 Rangers Akwa Utd 1 Abia

Sodje

Tornadoes 2 Sunshine

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