16th September, 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,591 FRIDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER, 2016

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TODAY'S SPECIAL

5 ways to avoid online fraud

By Kehinde Oyetimi THERE is an indescribably growing attachment between almost every individual and the internet. Across the globe, access to the internet has become synonymous to access to air. The internet not only provides innovations on daily basis, it also guarantees instant responses to certain needs.

Indeed, no one can controvert the immense benefits that the internet gives. Yet, there hardly is anything that has

its benefits without its detriments. Hackers have their presence spread out, lurking at online alleys and patiently watching for careless personal information. These pieces of information could range from credit cards to bank details.

Kapersky.com, an online security platform, states that “Even though apps loom larger in most people’s daily online interactions than traditional websites do, that does Continues pg6

I will support bill to free LGs from states —Buhari

•MDAs’ budget allocation to change in 2017, he says •We must restructure Nigeria, Afenifere insists —P3,4,30

Patience Jonathan's $15m:

4 companies plead guilty to money laundering

•Those who pleaded guilty are mercenaries —Patience Jonathan —P10

Agbakoba to FG: Return money from TSA to banks —P12

Onnoghen is CJN-designate

President Muhammadu Buhari, with one of the resource persons, Mr Frank Nweke Jr; Minister of Budget, Senator Udo Udoma Udo; Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, at the ministerial retreat on framework for 2017 budget, held at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

•As FJSC nominates him to NJC —P3

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Friday, 16 September, 2016

Saraki calls for implementation of UN resolution on environment Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, exchanging pleasantries with the Minister Delegate in charge of the Supreme State Audit Office of Cameroon and leader of delegation, Mrs Mbah Acha Rose Fomundam. With them are the acting Auditor General of the Federation, Mrs Florence Anyanwu (right) and other members of the Working Group on Environmental Audit of the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI WGEA), when the group visited the Senate President, in Abuja, on Thursday.

I will support bill to free LGs from states —Buhari

Says frosty relationship between states, LGs a serious constitutional problem Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has assured that his administration will support a constitution amendment to free local government areas from the stranglehold of states and better the lot of Nigerians at the community level.

He gave the assurance while receiving the leadership of the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) in Abuja, on Thursday.

The president said a constitution amendment was urgently required to clearly define the relationship among the tiers of government.

While describing the frosty relationship between states and local government as “a very serious constitutional problem,” he added that “the relationship between the three tiers of government is not a very nice one, especially that between the local government and the states.

“The states feel like they own the local government, if they are of the same party. It is worse if they are not.

“This is a very serious constitutional problem and unless there is absolute clarity and transparency, the relationship will continue to be exploited against the interest of the ordinary people of the country.”

President Buhari advised the ALGON executive members to hold consultations with their people and lawyers, with a view to presenting a bill that will seek a constitutional amendment to free the councils from the stranglehold of the states.

“This will limit the damage they can do to you. The quicker you do this the bet-

ter, so that you can help your people much more,” the president said.

He acknowledged the request by ALGON for the release of $3.2 billion wrongfully deducted by the Federal Government for the final settlement of foreign debts in 2005.

Buhari said the govern-

ment recognised the judgment debt, but the timing of the request for its repayment was wrong, given the current economic situation in the country.

In his remarks, acting ALGON national president, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Karaye, presented a six-point demand to the president, which

included the repayment of the $3.2 billion debt and the need to ensure the sovereignty of local government administration in the country.

The ALGON leaders expressed their support to the president’s programmes on improving security, anticorruption campaign and economic revival.

Onnoghen is CJN-designate •As FJSC nominates him to NJC Lanre Adewole -Lagos

DESPITE initial concern, the nation’s judiciary has sustained the age-long succession-by-seniority for the appointment of the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The nominating authority, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), on Thursday, nominated the most senior justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen, as the next número uno of the judiciary.

The CJN-designate will retire on December 20, 2020 when he would be 70.

He is to succeed outgoing CJN, Justice Mohammed Mahmud, who is retiring on November 10, 2016 when he would clock the mandatory 70 years.

Sticking with the usual practice, the commission also nominated alongside Onnoghen, the next justice in seniority line to the CJNdesignate, Justice Tanko Mohammed, as stand-by nominee, as well as another senior justice.

If Tanko succeeds the new helmsman, he would be 70 in 2024.

The stand-by nominee is designed for consideration if the original nominee is

rejected by the appointing authority.

President Muhammadu Buhari is the appointing authority.

There has been no precedent of such rejection at the presidency level, though a couple of state governors had shunned council’s choices in recent past.

Three names would be forwarded to the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is the recommending authority. The council would, in turn, recommend two names to the president.

The Cross-River-born senior judge is the first Southern claimant to the judiciary top-job in about 29 years.

The last Southern CJN was Justice Ayo Gabriel Irikefe, who retired in 1987.

There have been seven northern CJNs in-between.

At the consideration of judicial appointments on Thursday, the commission also considered those in contention for the position of the Executive Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The three front-runners are the Chief Registrars of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

The trio were reportedly recommended to the NJC, with the Chief Registrar of the apex court, Ahmed Saleh Gambo, said to be the favourite.

The incumbent, Alhaji Danladi Halilu, is due to retire in March 2017.

SENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, advocated a political will on the part of the world leaders towards the implementation of resolutions on environmental issues.

He spoke when a delegation of the Working Group on Environmental Audit of African Organisation of the Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-WGEA) paid a visit to him in his office at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Responding to the address by the leader of the delegation, Saraki acknowledged that some of the issues already highlighted remained to be implemented for development due to the absence of appropriate political will by the leaders.

“Some of the agreements you talked about, which you have signed with some organisations, the point is: how far have they gone in their implementation?

Besides, who is making sure they are being implemented?

“In Nigeria, we talk about deforestation, we talk about oil spillage, it is clear that all these are affecting the lives of our people. This equally shows us the point we are and what we need to do.

“I think we don’t need to wait every 10 years for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to do reports. Groups like this can keep us constantly on our toes and I appreciate the fact that the AuditorGeneral has also decided to identify ways of addressing the issue of environment.

“So, I want to commend the efforts you are making

and I assure you that we are going to cooperate to bring more successes to what you are doing.

“We can do that as part of efforts to make your work easier and to bring more successes to what you are doing. I think it will go a long way in helping and making the environment much more better,” he said.

Saraki commended the relevance of AFROSAIWGEA on environmental issues, while promising that the Senate and, indeed, the National Assembly would give the necessary support.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mrs Mbah Acha Rose Fomundam, had said the theme of this year’s meeting, hosted by Nigeria, “Working together for a sustainable and healthy environment in Africa,” called on all to respect the environment, the common heritage without which no life is possible.

“Environmental sustainability has become a global challenge, synonymous to responsibility towards future generations. Through many initiatives, conferences and summits, world leaders came to the understanding that the natural resources of the earth are not unlimited,” she said.

Mrs Mbah said recently, world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September 2015 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, where they adopted the Agenda 2030, a global development programme with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be implemented by the 2030.

Ondo 2016: Oke denies plan to dump APC Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2013 governorship election in Ondo State and an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded party primaries in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, on Thursday, denied dumping the party for another party to realise his governorship ambition.

Oke was said to have concluded arrangement to join and declare for a political party, in order to contest for the governorship seat in the state after losing the primaries.

According to a source, Oke was irked by the outcome of the primaries conducted in Akure some two weeks ago, saying the process that produced the party’s standardbearer was fraught with ir-

regularities.

The source informed that Oke was waiting for the outcome of the election appeal committee sitting in Abuja to decide before deciding on the next line of action.

However, dispelling the defection rumour, the media assistant to Oke, Rotimi Ogunleye, said the next step to be taken by Oke would be made public.

“The rumour is around the town and if at all Chief Oke will dump the party, the next point of call will not be the party being speculated, but we have many options on the table.

“It is the decision of the party and what they are going to do tomorrow (Friday) that will determine so many things, so we are waiting for the outcome of the appeal and as I’m speaking to you, we are still in the party.

“But let me assure you that

Chief Oke as a real party man is not going anywhere for now. As at this night that I am speaking to you, we are not going anywhere and Chief Oke is still a member of APC,” he said.

Another source close to Oke camp informed the Nigerian Tribune that even if Oke would be leaving APC, it would not be APGA and said specifically that if the outcome of the appeal committee did not favour him, Oke might contest on another platform.

Oke, who contested the APC primaries with some other 23 aspirants, came third and had petitioned the appeal committee to contest the result of the election.

Rotimi Akeredolu emerged the party’s standard-bearer, winning with 669 votes to beat his closest rival, Olusegun Abraham, who polled 635 votes.

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MDAs’ budget allocation to change in 2017— Buhari As experts brainstorm at retreat Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, gave a hint into the direction of the 2017 budget, revealing that some federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will have their capital allocation slashed, while others will get significantly high allocation.

Speaking while declaring open a ministerial retreat on the economy and the budget with the theme: “Retreat which is Building Inter-ministerial Synergy for Effective Planning and Budgeting in Nigeria,” at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he said this was necessary to refocus priorities.

“In this regard, let me inform you that because of the need to focus on our key priorities, some ministries may get significantly less capital allocation than they received in 2016, while others may get significantly more,” he said.

The president said the theme of the retreat was very apt and timely, especially as government was in the process of developing the 2017 budget.

According to him, over the years, there had been a mismatch between planned targets and budgetary outcomes at the national and sectorial levels.

He said the federal MDAs had not also benefitted significantly from working together and building consensus around common national objectives, which he said had impeded growth and development of the country.

Buhari stated that the retreat was, therefore, designed to discuss issues around the state of the economy and build consensus amongst cabinet members and top government officials, as well as serve as an opportunity to have a general overview of the economy and discuss the framework for the 2017 budget, its key priorities and deliverables.

Buhari noted: “This retreat is coming at a critical time in our economic history, when the Nigerian economy is in a recession, with significant downturn in performance in various sectors.

“It is with regard to the importance of this retreat that I decided to sit through the first part of the session to listen to the views from experienced economists and development experts on how best to implement our plans to

rid the country of its oil dependence and to diversify the economy and bring the country out of the current economic recession.

“This is in line with our administration’s determination to lay a solid foundation for growth and development as outlined in the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) of our ‘change’ agenda He said given that the retreat was a lead-up to the 2017 budget, his expectation was that it will come out of its sessions with a determination and common

position on how to have improved synergy among the various MDAs for the effective formulation and implementation of the 2017 budget.

Buhari explained that the inclusion of some key nonspending agencies, such as the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) were participants at the retreat.

He said it underscored the commitment of his administration to leverage on private sector resources through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and other arrangements, in order to augment the scarce budgetary resources at our disposal and to accelerate investments in building critical infrastructure.

He further said: “Indeed, the challenges we face in the current recession require ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking to deploy strategies that involve engaging meaning-

fully with the private sector, to raise the level of private sector investment in the economy as a whole.

“We are confident that the level of private investment will grow as we are determined to make it easier to do business in Nigeria by the reforms we are introducing under the auspices of the Presidential Committee on Ease of Doing Business.”

The president reiterated that his government would continue to strategise on how we could turn the cur-

From left, representative of the Minister of Health, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Professor Salako Babatunde Lawal; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar; college president, Professor Ademola Abayomi Olaitan and the vice-president, Dr Opubo Benedict Da Lilly-Tariah; during the 34th annual convocation ceremony and conferment of awards of fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Ijanikin, Lagos, on Thursday. PHOTO: OVADJE ELLIOT.

rent challenges into opportunities for the nation and especially for the youths.

He reassured the youths that government would remain steadfast in its effort to ensure greater progress and prosperity for them.

The president also stated that “while government is taking the lead in the task of repositioning our economy for change, we cannot achieve this completely by ourselves.

“We will need and we ask for the support and cooperation of the private sector’s domestic and foreign investors, states and local governments, the National Assembly and the Judiciary, as well as all well-meaning Nigerians in this important task. We are confident that working together, we shall succeed.”

He expressed the hope that the cabinet members would learn from the experiences of the resource persons and facilitators to prioritise their sector programmes and projects to bring the country out of the current economic recession and place it on the path of growth and development.

The retreat, organised for ministers and federal permanent secretaries, attracted keynote speakers from the private sector, including Bismack Rewane, Obadiah Mailafiya, Ayo Tereba, Bode Agusto and Frank Nweke, Jr.

Economy: PDP sabotaging rescue effort —FG Says PDP built bubble in name of economy Christian Okeke -Abuja THE Federal Government, on Thursday, slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for once again asking President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from office, over alleged poor handling of economy by his government.

It called the former ruling party a shameless irritant, saying the current administration under the All Progressives Congress (APC), had nothing to learn from a party that was in charge of the nation’s affairs at a time of plenty, but ended up frittering away the common wealth, looting the nation blind and setting the stage for today economic crisis, which it said the Buhari-led administration was working tirelessly to put an end to.

The government alleged that the PDP was bent on distracting the government from its rescue mission.

In a statement, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the

“noise” from the same PDP seemed designed to sabotage the rescue efforts.

In the statement, the minister said if the PDP had understood the meaning of shame, it would never have dared to even make a single comment on the same economy that it did everything to kill.

According to him, what the PDP had consistently put up as a vibrant economy under its watch was nothing but a bubble that was buoyed by massive corruption and chronic incompetence.

“While the PDP was emasculating Nigeria on all fronts, including social, economic and political, the rapacious party was deceiving Nigerians by giving them the illusion of growth and prosperity.

“Instead of showing remorse and rebuilding itself to a strong opposition party, the PDP has continued to blame the successor, the Buhari-led administration which is left to pack their mess.

“They keep saying we should stop talking of the past, yet the past will not stop rearing its head. They keep saying we should no longer refer to the past, but how can we forget so soon that our foreign exchange reserves plummeted from $62 billion in 2008 to $30 billion by 2015, at a time when oil prices were at a historic high, reaching a level of $114 per barrel in 2014.

“By comparison, Indonesia, another oil-producing economy with a high population, increased its reserves from $60 billion in 2008 to $120 billion in 2015.

“The candid truth is that we failed under the successive PDP administrations to save for the rainy day and we need to constantly remind ourselves of that so that we won’t repeat the mistake.

“Take the excess crude account which fell from about $9 billion in 2007 to about $2 billion in 2015. The argument that it was the state governors that depleted the

account does not hold water since there were governors in place when the account was being built up.

“Worse still is the fact that up to $14 billion in revenues from Nigerian LNG remains unaccounted for and, indeed, until the Buhari-led administration came to office, state governments never got any allocations from this source of funds which properly belongs to the Federation Account.

“The naked fact on the revenue front is that there was just a failure of leadership.

This was compounded by the non-transparent uses of funds.

“We are all witnesses to the sacking of a Central Bank of Nigeria governor because he raised an alarm about $20 billion that had gone missing.

“We are, indeed, still trying to recover huge sums looted from the national treasury under the PDP’s watch, with $15 billion stolen from the defence sector alone.

“Perhaps most painful

is that because of the way funds (about $322 million) returned from Switzerland were mishandled, we now have to accept conditionalities before our stolen assets are even returned to us.

“However, at the time that we were earning such large revenues from oil, we only managed to double our external debt from $5.6 billion to $10.7 billion between 2011 and 2015.

“The case of domestic debt was even worse, almost tripling from N888 billion to N2.1 trillion in the same period.

“Even these figures mask the extent of unpaid obligations to contractors and the huge plethora of uncompleted projects on which money continued to be spent without visible results.

“Payments to contractors stopped several years ago while not a single dollar was contributed to the joint venture activities. Over N4.5 trillion was spent on fuel Continues pg6

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FG confirms NOUN’s e-learning programme

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HE Federal Government has endorsed the e-Learning programme of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), assuring parents, students and prospective applicants that there was nothing to fear.

It said that e-Learning “is one of the avenues that the National Universities Commission is exploring to increase access to university education without compromising quality.”

In a press release on Thursday, NOUN’s Director of Media and Publicity, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, said this confirms the oft-repeated stance of the Vice-chancellor, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, that NOUN is an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution “rather than a study-by-correspondence institution as some people erroneously think.”

The Federal Government’s endorsement was communicated to NOUN in a statement issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC), which showed that three other universities running a similar programme also benefited from the approval.

The others are University of Uyo, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and University of Maiduguri.

NUC, in a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Yakasai, had stated that “whereas the commission maintains its stand that online degrees are not accepted at the moment in Nigeria, this does not include the approved Nigeri-

an universities’ e-Learning programme run within the shores of Nigeria.”

Explaining its endorsement of e-Learning programmes run by approved universities in Nigeria, the commission said: “The Nigerian universities e-Learning programme is a legitimate and well thought out pilot e-learning initiative. It is a Public Private Partnership between the National Universities Commission (NUC), Park Associates ELearning Group and four federal universities.”

NUC explains that the goal of the initiative is to

broaden access to university education for Nigerians.

Yakasai added: “The commission wishes to use this medium to allay all fears and doubts concerning the legitimacy or NUC endorsement of the Nigerian universities’ e-Learning Programme.”

He assured that students in the programme are “advised to continue to pursue their studies without fear and prospective applicants are encouraged to enrol.

Concerned parents, guardians, students and the general public may contact the Commission for further clarification.”

Polio: Immunisation now compulsory in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu-Kaduna

TO keep Kaduna State polio-free, polio immunisation is now compulsory in Kaduna as any parent who refuses to make his child available for immunisation will be prosecuted.

To this end, the state government has urged parents to make their children under the age of five available for immunisation.

A statement by Samuel Aruwan, spokesperson to Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, announced the commencement of a new round of polio vaccination in the 23 local government areas in the state.

The statement asserted that the campaign would reflect the government’s determination to ensure that no child is exposed to the hazards of a disease that can be prevented, and which has been eradicated in most part of the world.

It also said the state governor himself would chair the Kaduna State Taskforce on Polio Eradication Initiative and Routine Immunisation.

At its meeting last week, the task force reiterated that children must be protected from the severe consequences of non-immunization.

“The polio task force believes that most parents would easily appreciate the need to vaccinate their children. However, the public interest to protect children against avoidable health threats has led to a decision to make polio vaccination compulsory.

“The state cannot tolerate a situation where the laxity or levity of some parents may expose children to a bleak future.Parents and government must cooperate in guaranteeing good health for childrenin Kaduna State.”

Former Edo deputy speaker files N100m suit against IGP, others FORMER Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Honourable Fred Omoigberai, has instituted a legal action against the Inspector-General of Police, Aihaji Idris Ibrahim and three others, challenging an alleged violation of his fundamental rights by armed policemen, who invaded his home and caused chaos after disrupting business activities at his Ovbiomu petrol station.

Those joined as codefendants, in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Benin by his counsel, I. A. Alegbe, are the Assistant Inspector- General of Police, Zone 5, Benin, Isaac Eke; Edo State Commissioner of Police, Femihan Adept and Franklyn Akanou.

In the motion delineated FHC/B/CS/20.6, Honourable Omoigberai is seeking an order of perpetual

injunction restraining the respondents from further harassing, arresting, torturing and preventing him from moving about freely.

He is, among other reliefs, asking for damages to the tune of NI00 million from the respondents jointly and severally, for allegedly disrupting activities at his home and business.

Omogberai, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s appointed collation officer for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, in his averment, claimed that on September 3, 2016, he received a phone call from workers that his petrol station had been invaded by 22 policemen who held the staff hostage and drove customers and passengers away.

He averred further that he received calls on the invasion of his house at 1,

Sam Ifidon Street, Sabongida Ora, where the policemen had caused pandemonium as they scattered and upturned everything in the house before returning to his Afuze house at 5:50 a.m. on September 4, 2016.

According to him, the obnoxious reports and violent acts perpetrated at his home in his presence triggered off his blood pressure as a hypertensive patient and he was rushed to the hospital and admitted for days.

The Edo State lawmaker also prayed the court to declare that the acts of arrest, torture, dehumanisation, assault, detention and depriving him of his business is a breach of his fundamental right to liberty, as guaranteed under sections 35, 37, 404, 41 and 44 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

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5 ways to avoid online frauds Continued from front page

not mean that the basic Internet safety rules have changed.”

It further argues that unsafe surfing could also lead to other threats. Such threats include but not limited to embarrassing personal comments or images that, once online, are nearly impossible to erase, to getting mixed up with people you’d rather have had nothing to do with. Certain practices are in themselves safe while others could compromise your security.

1. Let your personal information be limited There is hardly any online platform that does not require a stretch of individual information concerning the visitor. According to Kapersky.com, “potential employers or customers don’t need to know your personal relationship status or your home address. They do need to know about your expertise and professional background, and how to get in touch with you. You wouldn’t hand purely personal information out to

strangers individually—don’t hand it out to millions of people online.”

Avoid over-sharing information. According to Matthew Pascucci, Cyber Security Engineer and Privacy Advocate, everyone should verify privacy settings on mobile devices and social media. For him, “make sure you are not over-sharing information with the world that could potentially be used against you.” Sharing a similar bent, Morten Kjaersgaard, CEO of Heimdal Security, argued that when using a computer, think about what you are doing. “ Use common sense and make sure you don’t access strange looking websites or answer just any e-mails,” he said.

2. Avoid buying anything on a site whose language you don’t understand There are certain websites that advertise very compelling products. The discounts on the prices of the goods are inviting and quite irresistible but Jane Reynolds, a blog editor at a travel website, insists on caution. He claims that as long as there are certain texts that one does not really understand, buying anything

on such platform could be inimical.

3. Download with caution There is a steady increase of the availability of apps with many of them free of charge. But caution is necessary here. PCWorld stresses that “don’t download apps that look suspicious or come from a site you don’t trust. According to Kapersky.com, the top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware. These malwares are programs or apps that are inundated with the capacity to steal vital pieces of information. In some instances, it is observed that this malware could be programmed in apps that have popular followings. They could be traffic apps, games apps or any other with practically stimulating influence.

4. Monitor your kids’ online presence In its assessment of family security, Panda Security, an online security platform, the internet provides an anonymity that is dangerous. “Many of the things we do on the internet involve sharing, in one way or another, confidential information. Adults tend

to be far more aware of what data they can reveal than children are. You should talk with your children and make them aware of the dangers of providing certain information online,” it advises.

5. Avoid weak passwords Passwords are quite important in many instances. A weak password naturally predisposes the owner to unfortunate occurrences of theft. Neil Rubenking, lead analyst, PC Magazine, advises that “use a strong, unique password for every website.

That means you will have to install and use a password manager. Never click links in emails or texts that seem to come from your bank, the IRS, or any other institution. If you think the message might be valid, log into your account directly, without using the supplied link.”

For Kelly Jackson Higgins, executive editor, Dark Reading, it is instructive to create very strong and complex passwords. According to her, these passwords should be changed often and one must never reuse a password on another site or account.

Boko Haram’s new video diversionary —DHQ Chris Agbambu -Abuja

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EFENCE Headquarters has described the latest video clip by the Boko Haram sect as diversionary and a desperate attempt by the group it described as dying, to remain relevant.

It said the video clip was a complete show of weakness and sign that the end was near for the insurgents.

In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said the military was equally not deterred by the photoshop assemblage of worshippers at the supposed Eid-el Kabir prayer, which it said was a replica of the video clip released by the sect in 2014.

The statement said the action cast aspersion to the credibility of the clip and, therefore, should be disregarded.

According to the statement, all threats to leadership of the country, military and citizens should be dis-

countenanced in its entirety, as military was capable of further decimating the insurgents and providing security for all.

It said: “The Nigerian military is highly committed to making lives unbearable for the enemies of this nation wherever they are and would do all that is required within its rules of engagement to ensure that no part of Nigerian territory is conducive and habitable for insurgents and any other criminals to stay and operate.

“The military believes so much in making statement through its action, as evidenced in its past achievements, rather than making noise in propaganda gimmick as exhibited by the Boko Haram elements in its recent video clip. Empty vessel, they say, makes most sound.

“While our operation will continue as planned with many terrorists already sur-

rendering and many captives rescued, we advise all the remaining surviving Boko Haram terrorists to surrender now for their own good.

“The military wishes to re-

Continued from pg4

“Indeed, it was not so long ago that the fuel subsidy regime almost bankrupted the country. Through credibility and commitment to good governance, the current administration has managed to save up to N1.4 trillion that would have been spent on subsidies for PMS. “Moreover, the daily demand for PMS has halved from 1,600 trucks a day to 850 trucks a day. If we could achieve such savings, then, clearly the petrol sector which was and remains a huge source of foreign exchange demand was not being well managed.

“It is also important to

bother about the antics of the degraded sect. Meeting their waterloo is surely imminent.

“With the support and prayers from the good citi-

zens of our great country, the Armed Forces make bold to say that never again would insurgency be allowed to reign supreme in our fatherland.”

Ibori’s conviction stands despite bribery evidence LONDON-JAILED Nigerian former state governor, James Ibori’s conviction remains valid, despite evidence that a British police officer took bribes during the investigation of his case, Britain’s state prosecution agency said on Thursday.

Ibori, who was governor of oil-producing Delta State from 1999 to 2007, was one of Nigeria’s most powerful men serving a 13-year sentence in a British prison after pleading guilty in 2012 to 10-count charge of fraud and money laundering.

He is the most senior Nigerian politician to have been held to account for the corruption that has blighted Africa’s most populous nation for decades and his jail

Economy: PDP sabotaging rescue effort —FG subsidy in just two years under the PDP. “The economy that the Buhari-led administration inherited was certainly in dire straits, if the huge amount of salary arrears that were being owed at various tiers of government is anything to go by.

“If after earning so much resources and increasing the total debt stock, our governments were not able to meet salary obligations, sometimes for up to seven months, then something was definitely wrong somewhere and if this is not evidence of a collapsing economy, one wonders what it is.

iterate its commitment, determination and resilience in stamping out Boko Haram and other related criminals across the country.

“We urge Nigerians not to

point out that the poor security situation in the NorthEast has had ripple effects on the economy.

“Apart from the dislocation of daily lives, there was extensive loss of agricultural production arising from the fact that our citizens in that zone could not go to their farms not to talk of planting and harvesting produce.

“Yet, in just a space of about 15 months, the Buhari-led administration has liberated this region from the clutches of Boko Haram, which is now left to release meaningless videos when it could no longer carry out spectacular attacks.”

was hailed as a high point in the international fight against graft.

But the case has become an embarrassment for Britain since one of Ibori’s associates, convicted moneylaunderer Bhadresh Gohil, alleged that the judicial process was tainted because prosecutors had covered up evidence of police corruption.

Authorities initially denied everything and charged Gohil with perverting the course of justice, but that prosecution was abruptly dropped in January.

In May, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had found “material to support the assertion that a police officer received payment in return for information.”

After an internal review of the case lasting month, the CPS said on Thursday, that while the material “should have been disclosed to the defence,” that did not call into question the validity of the convictions of Ibori, Gohil and others.

Ibori’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gohil’s lawyer said he could not comment for legal reasons.

Court proceedings on the confiscation of Ibori’s assets are still dragging through the courts and lawyers for Ibori and Gohil could use the next court hearing to challenge the findings of the CPS review.

Ibori first came to the attention of British police in

1991, when he was working as a cashier at Wickes, a home improvements chainstore in London and was caught stealing from the till.

Returning to Nigeria, he became involved in politics.

As governor of Delta State, he amassed a huge fortune and became a power broker in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ruling the country then.

The charges to which Ibori pleaded guilty amounted to

the theft of about $80 million. Prosecutors said that was only part of his total booty, which was kept hidden via a complex web of shell companies, offshore accounts and front men.

During his sentencing in 2012, the court heard that he had enjoyed a lavish lifestyle involving foreign properties and a fleet of luxury cars. At the time of his arrest, he was trying to buy a $20 million private jet.

Professor Johnbull preaches dangers of filthy environment in latest episode THE ninth episode of the Glo-sponsored hilarious TV drama series, Professor Johnbull, beamed its spotlight on the dangers and consequences of filthy environments and improper waste disposal by members of the public.

The sitcom which aired last Tuesday on NTA Network, NTA International on DSTV Channel 251 and NTA on StarTimes at 8:30p.m. ridicules the act of poor sanitation management perpetuated by certain people.

The episode opens with Professor Johnbull’s domestic staff, Caro, exhibiting bad table manners as she eats hungrily at the dining table while Elizabeth watches in utter disgust. Professor Johnbull descends the stairway and joins the on the dining. As he discusses with his daughter, Efosa, played by Glo ambassador, OC Ukeje, rushes in and informs him

that Churchill, his son has been arrested by the State Sanitation Task Force. The professor dashes out with her daughter and Caro.

In the following scene, Olaniyi is alarmed to find a seal order from the State Sanitation Task Force at the entrance of his restaurant.

He queries the rationale and dashes to the Task Force office to find out the reason behind the closure. Mai Doya is also bewildered by the seal order on his shop.

Professor Johnbull succeeds in securing Churchill’s release. Upon release from detention, Professor Johnbull berates Churchill for exhibiting such a primitive behavior, littering the whole community with ‘okpa’ (local delicacy) leaves. The professor rues dashing out of his house so early in the morning in his pyjamas, saying he wouldn’t have, if the nature of offence was clear to him.

7

Nigerian Tribune

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Lagosmetro

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Scene of an accident involving two tankers which collided, resulting in the spilling of PMS on the road under the Ketu/ Ojota flyover, on Thursday.

Officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) and police averting fire outbreak after petrol tanker leaks the product it was carrying at Ojota underbridge, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

How we tricked and robbed Onazi's father

Landlord allegedly kills tenant over disposal of water Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A landlord has been accused of allegedly stabbing his tenant to death over proper disposal of water.

Gbade (surname withheld) was remanded in prison after he was arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate Court.

It was gathered that Gbade committed the offence on July 21 at No.

10, Apollo Street, Makoko.

The accused and the deceased, Bright Chineme, had an argument over where the deceased’s wife should dispose off her used water in the compound.

In the course of the argument, Gbade allegedly picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed the deceased to death, a prosecutor told the court.

The case has been adjourned to October 25.

—Robbery suspects Olalekan Olabulo

F

IVE members of an armed robbery gang that invaded the Plateau State-home, Jos, of the father of Super Eagles' midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, have narrated how they tricked the old man to open the gate of the house for them.

The suspects said they had

Police recover 30 vehicles Olalekan Olabulo THE Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 police command, Onikan, Lagos, Abdulnajeed Ali, has called on owners of over 30 recovered vehicles to come forward and pick them.

No fewer than 30 stolen vehicles in Lagos and Ogun states have been recovered by the newly-created Zonal Intervention Squad .

The zonal police public relations officer, Muyiwa

Adejobi, in a statement, on Thursday, said the AIG had assured that the police in the zone would continue to protect the lives and property of residents of Lagos and Ogun states.

Adejobi said: "the Assistant Inspector General in charge of zone 2 command, Lagos, Abdulmajeed Ali, is calling on all those who have lost their vehicles to robbery or theft in the past to approach the commander of the Zonal Intervention Squad, CSP

Gbenga Megbope, at his Obada Oko base to check the list of recovered vehicles for possible recovery."

He continued that the squad had recovered more than 30 vehicles from armed robbers in different parts of the country.

The zone 2 spokesperson added that "the AIG will appreciate those concerned to check the vehicles, as many of them are not registered or not with any identification mark or number plates."

Trader allegedly uses sniper to poison neighbour's soup Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A trader has denied trying to poison his neighbour's pot of soup.

39-year-old Gordon Daniel, allegedly committed the offence on August 17 at about 10.00 a.m. at No 7, Baale Ayetoro St., Ajegunle.

He was accused of attempting to kill his neighbour by pouring the

substance into her pot of soup after they had a disagreement.

The suspected poisonous substance, “Sniper,” is a gammalin 20-based liquid insecticide that is common in Nigeria for ridding homes of all insects and small rodents.

The bubble burst when the neighbour sniffed the substance in the soup and

raised the alarm.

He was charged before an Ebute Metta Magistrate Court, where the Magistrate, Mrs K. A. Ariyo, granted him bail of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned to October 11 for receipt of advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

lied to the older Onazi that they had a message for him from Lagos, when he opened the gate for them.

They also denied that they threatened to come back to the house for the footballer himself, though they admitted to have brought the stolen vehicle to Lagos for sale.

The state police boss, Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspects before newsmen on Thursday afternoon, described the arrest as a testimony to the fact that the police are well positioned and poised to arrest any criminal.

The Lagos police boss said “the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim, Idris is well more positioned and poised to ensure that no matter where any heinous crime is committed , the police will go after the criminals and make them to face the full wrath of the law ."

The arrested suspects included: Kingsley David, Ugochukwu Ebuka, Austen Ezenna, Joseph Uzor and Alli Adamu.

The suspects were arrested in a hotel at Ajangbadi area of the state by policemen from Ajangbadi division, who also recovered the Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle with the registration number, GMU

Why I dumped my one-day-old baby —Mother Olalekan Olabulo A 31- year-old lady, Ifunaya Eme, who dumped her oneday-old baby at Ajangbadi area of the state has blamed the act on her inability to locate who was responsible for the pregnancy.

She also stated that she would have kept the baby, but for the economic situation in the country that forced her to abandon the baby.

Ifunaya was, on Thursday afternoon, paraded before newsmen by the state police boss, Fatai Owoseni, who said the baby was in the custody of the police.

The police said it discovered the day-old baby in a sack and rescued her.

The mother of three said: “I

gave birth to the baby around 1.00a.m in our general toilet, after cleaning myself, I took the baby and dumped her at the gate of our house before going inside to sleep."

The suspect, who claimed to have been impregnated by a man, simply identified as John, said: “immediately I noticed I was pregnant, I tried to contact John on phone, but all to no avail, as I was told he had travelled.

We only met last year.

“My intention was just for someone to pick her and take care of her, because of my financial predicament. I am sorry for my action. Nobody knew I was pregnant because I had flat stomach," Ifunnaya added.

300 AAA The robbery was said to have been hatched by one Kingsley a neighbour of Onazi’ s father at his Jos GRA residence.

Joseph Uzor, while speaking with Lagos Metro, said; “It was Kingsley that told us about the vehicle. He was the one that knows the man very well."

He continued: “When we got to the gate, we knocked and when the old man answered, we lied to him that we had a message for him from Lagos and he partly opened the gate."

“We pushed him and he fell on the ground. We asked him for the key of his vehicle and his ATM card and we drove the vehicle away.

The leader of the gang, Kingsley, also confessed to have participated in the robbery, but he insisted that four members of the gang actually planned the robbery operation.

The gang leader stated that the robbery was planned for a week, before they finally decided to strike.

Alli Adamu denied being aware that they were going for a robbery operation, insisting that he was only invited by the gang to help drive the vehicle to Lagos.

“Initially, I did not know that we were going for a robbery operation. I did not know the man was Onazi’s father. It was later that I knew. They only called me to come and help them drive the vehicle," Adamu said.

8

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Friday, 16 September, 2016 9 news FG to save over $8bn from storage facilities —Minister Collins Nnabuife-Abuja

T

HE Federal Government has said it is committed to ensure the improvement of the economy and to concretise the diversification to agriculture as it concludes arrangements to save over $8 billion.

The government also said it intends to achieve this through an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made this known when the Executive Director of NSPRI, Professor Olufemi Peters and his team visited the minister, in Abuja.

Lokpobiri said that the institute has been able to fabricate and develop technologies that reduce the storage problems of all food crops in Nigeria with the aim of increasing Nigeria’s agricultural self sufficiency through adequate post harvest loss reduction.

ASUU threatens showdown over FUTA staff school privatisation Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Chapter, on Thursday, threatened showdown with the management of the institution over the privatisation of the institution’s Staff Primary School and the renaming of the school.

Speaking on behalf of the union, during a Press Conference held in Akure, Ondo State capital, the ASUU chairman, Dr Bola Oniya, alleged the management of the institution of insensitivity to the plight and welfare of the school.

Oniya, who specifically pointed an accusing finger to the school authorities, also alleged the authorities of administration recklessness and gross misconduct over the sack of 44 staff of the school on January 4, 2016 and recruiting 18 new staff to replace them at the institution primary school.

According to ASUU chair, the sack of the 44 teachers at the Staff Primary School was a breach of agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU, describing it as a direct disregard for the welfare of the staff of the institution.

He further said this no doubt would greatly ensure that agricultural produce would be properly kept within the food supply chain.

Speaking further, the Minister said that findings from 2013 FAO factsheets and NSPRI survey conducted in all geo-political zones in 2013, estimated food losses to be 51.3 MT across all crops, valued at $8 billion.

According to him, the present government has

achieved increased food production and has also identified and is adequately addressing the high percentage losses along all stages in the post harvest value chain as part of the solution to food security and to enhance exportation of agricultural produce to boost Nigerian foreign exchange reserve.

Lokpobiri also assured the team from NSPRI of government’s determination to support and

strengthen the Research Institute with necessary funding to enable them perform their mandate among which is the development of post harvest technologies for farmers and cottage industries.

Earlier, the Executive Director of NSPRI, Professor Peters briefed the Minister on their efforts and achievements in positioning the institute in playing a critical role in the country’s quest for not only food security and suf-

ficiency, but also as a foreign exchange earner and economic booster.

Professor Peters also stated that the institute will continue to develop appropriate post harvest technologies for farmers, agro-allied industries and other relevant stakeholders.

The institute has so far carried out research into the improvement and maintenance of qualities of all crops (including fisheries and livestock).

Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (right), with winners of Entrepreneur category, Biogas Production, Sarumi Oluwafemi and Dada Samuel, with the Country Senior Partner, PricewaterCooper (PWC) Nigeria, Mr Uyi Akpata, during the Ready, Set, Work Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2016, an initiative of the state Ministry of Education, at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday.

Ambode donates N5m to students with new biogas technology Bola Badmus-Lagos

LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has donated N5 million to two students of Lagos State College of Health Technology who designed new technology of generating Biogas through the treatment of animal waste.

The students, Sarumi Oluwafemi and Dada Sam-

uel, were among the 422 successful graduates of the Ready, Set, Work (RSW) programme of the state government targeted to equip graduates of tertiary institutions in the state with necessary entrepreneurial skills and to make them emerge as ready products for the increasingly competitive labour market, as well as job cre-

ators.

Oluwafemi and Samuel, who emerged as first place winners of the pitch competition of the programme, were also on Thursday, equally given N1million seed funding and placed on N100,000 monthly working capital for six months, all geared towards encouraging their business idea to grow.

Driver leads gang to attack, rob don in Ilorin Biola Azeez-Ilorin

THE Kwara State police command has appealed to people to monitor their serving and former domestic servants, as it parades a suspected three-man armed robbery gang that attacked and robbed a professor in Univeristy of Ilorin.

Speaking while parading the criminal suspects among others in Ilorin, on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Olusola Amore, said the three-man armed robbery gang was led by a former driver of Professor Abdullahi Onimisi of the

University of Ilorin.

Mr Amore, who said that people should have documentation of identity of their domestic staff for security purposes, added that they should also monitor them even while out of service.

The police boss said that the former driver, Opeyemi Esan, allegedly came from Lagos State to recruit two others in Ilorin and robbed the don of his belongings.

The police boss, who said that the attackers inflicted bodily injury on the university don, added that they were armed with machetes and other dangerous weap-

ons.

He also said that valuable items like jewelries, handsets, and a Toyota (muscle) Camry car were recovered from the suspects.

The police commissioner said that his men had acted on intelligence to arrest two of the suspects in Ilorin, adding that they confessed to have conspired with Opeyemi to rob the professor of his belongings.

He said the gang leader took police men to four different locations before he finally decided to take security personnel to where the items were kept.

The business idea, which is Biogas production, involves the treatment of animal waste in order to generate Biogas which can be used for domestic cooking, generation of electricity and other purposes.

The technology is targeted at providing a potential substitute for the ever costly liquefied petroleum gas.

Governor Ambode, while speaking at the graduation ceremony, said his administration remained strongly committed to capacity building, entrepreneurship empowerment, and sustainable youth development, adding that the RSW initiative was one of the initiatives targeted at youth empowerment.

While stating that the future of Lagos and indeed the country lies in the hands of the youth who constitute a significant portion of the population, the governor said his objective was to allow students of tertiary institutions in the state have access to initiatives such as the RSW and other programmes.

Kalu for second Engr (Rev) Etteh’s annual lecture DR Kalu Idika Kalu, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, will be the guest lecturer at the second Edition of the Annual Engr (Rev) Etteh Distinguished Lecture Series which comes up on Thursday, September 22, 2016, at the Function Suite, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, at 9:30a.m. under the chairmanship of Engineer Otis O. Anyaeji, President, Nigeria Society of Engineers.

Also to present a paper at the lecture is, Hon Setonji David, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The theme of this year’s lecture is: “Managing the Challenges of Infrastructure Deficits in Nigeria: A Cross-Country Analysis of the roles of Engineers in Economic Development.”

This is the second Edition of the Annual Lecture series instituted by the Board of Trustees, National Council of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, in 2015, in honour of one of Nigeria’s outstanding Engineers, Engr (Rev) Ette Ikpong Ikpong Etteh, OFR, co-founding Principal, Etteh Aro and Partners, based in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

The maiden edition of the Annual Lecture Series was held on December 16, 2015, on a day Engr (Rev) Etteh, turned 80.

Engr (Rev) Etteh has had a robust professional practice spanning decades of exemplary dedication to the tenets of the profession as well as training and mentoring of many engineers, who, today, can stand to be counted. It is because of the impact his professional practice has had on the profession that his professional colleagues deemed it fit to honour him for his achievements by instituting the Annual Award and Lecture Series in his name.

Born on December 16, 1935, Engr (Rev) Etteh had his elementary education in present day Akwa Ibom State and his secondary education in Cross River State. He studied Civil Engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He obtained his first degree, B.Sc. London in 1964, M.Sc (Highways) Surrey, England, in 1969, second M.Sc (Bridges) Surrey in 1973, then a Diploma in Theology in 1997 at the Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan.

10

news

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Patience Jonathan’s $15m: 4 companies plead guilty to money laundering Those who pleaded guilty are mercenaries —Patience Jonathan

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

F

OUR companies that were fingered in the alleged $15.59 million allegedly belonging to Nigeria’s former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, on Thursday, pleaded guilty to the money laundering charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The four companies, Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, all pleaded guilty to all the counts in the amended charge of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, through their representative, Agbo Michael, Friday Davis and Kola Fredrick.

But the alleged company directors, when first arraigned before Justice AbdulAziz Anka, denied having any link with the companies, claiming they did not know when their passport photographs and signatures were used to register the companies.

However, the three companies stated that they were not

confident that the people that appeared before the court were their real representatives.

Former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, and the two others pleaded not guilty while the fourth to seventh defendants, whose authenticity as

the true representatives of the company was being challenged, pleaded guilty and admitted culpability before the court.

Also, former First Lady, Mrs Jonathan, picked holes in the authenticity of the representatives of the four companies who pleaded

guilty to charges bordering on money laundering before Justice Babs Kuewumi of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

The first, second and third defendants told the court through their counsel that their clients were challenging the validity of the representa-

tives of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited on the basis that they failed to

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (left), with other participants at the 2016 conference of African Union for Housing Finance and Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Company and the 32nd Annual General Meeting of the institution, in Abuja, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN.

Shettima makes case for journalists Bodunrin Kayode -Maiduguri

BORNO State governor, Kashim Shettima, has called on newsmakers in the country to take journalists into confidence concerning sensitive issues affecting the country.

The governor, who was a guest at a one-day workshop hosted by the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, in conjunction with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State council, said journalists could be reliable when taken into confidence about issues.

“When newsmakers tell journalists the whole truth and seek their understanding in the reportage, the confidence is maintained and the balance kept between them,” he said.

The governor commended journalists in the state for their contribution to the fight against Boko Haram, adding that he was satisfied with their performance so far.

“I had asked myself many times why was it that in developed countries, presidents and other leaders would go to places like Afghanistan and Iraq to meet with their soldiers at the battle fronts but such visits would not be instantly reported by leading media houses of the world like the CNN, BBC, New York

Times, Aljazeera, Reuters, AFP and other media establishments.

“Reports about these visits would mostly be made public days after the visit or when the media is sure that the safety of the presidents at the front lines in Afghanistan would not be compromised.

“A lot of us have heard how the CNN reported meetings between President Barack Obama and troops in battle fields days after such visits. The international media completely shielded Prince Harry when he was fighting as a soldier and member of the British troops in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2008. He was only reported 10 weeks into his deployment after leaving dangerous points in Afghanistan.

“Let us now compare this with a classical situation in Nigeria. When President Goodluck Jonathan was said to be planning to visit Chibok in 2014, the trip was instantly revealed by virtually all Nigerian media houses, even when at that time, the visit was supposed to be a secret, in order not to compromise his safety, given the strength of the Boko Haram at that time,” he said.

Shettima said an experienced journalist he met in Lagos, who had worked in both Nigeria and one of the leading international media

establishments in Europe, told him that the reason for keeping such secrets was because the international media houses are taken into confidence by those in charge of managing the information on the side of the world leaders.

He said international media establishments were well told about the plan and were requested to black out or give delayed report instead of real time.

“At most, the media houses would request that their reporters cover the trip or that clips be given to them at the same time without giving undue advantage to any media house, so that all will break the news simultaneously after the visit,” he said.

According to him, the worst assumption any newsmaker could make was to assume that a journalist lacked the capacity to find out what was being kept away from him.

“In the relationship between the newsmaker and the journalist, the newsmaker mostly wants to be the one to give out what he wants the journalist to know while on the other hand, the job of the journalist is not to just to report what the newsmaker tells him, but to be more curious about what he did not tell him, this is always the mindset of a good journalist,” he said.

Shettima also cautioned

journalists against being used by Boko Haram insurgents to fight psychological warfare using videos and online insertions.

Theatre Commander, Major-General Lucky Irabor, commended the soldiers

fighting in the theatre, adding that he was encouraged by their zeal to end the wickedness of the insurgents.

He called for a sustainable solution to the stress caused

by Boko Haram in the entire theatre.

10 million Nigerians to suffer from diabetes by 2026 —Endocrinologist Anthony Ubong -Calabar

NO fewer than 10 million Nigerians are at risk of suffering from diabetes “Type 2” by 2026, according to an Endocrinologist, Professor Feyi Adegoke.

Adegoke, president of Endocrine and Metabolism Society of Nigeria (EMSON), disclosed this on Thursday, in Calabar, Cross River State, during the 38th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of EMSON. According to her, no fewer than five million Nigerians were currently suffering from the disease, stressing that one out of every 10 adult in the country had “Type 2” diabetes.

She further added that over 15 million people in Africa were currently suffering from the disease, hence the need for a lot of awareness in order to checkmate it.

“Currently in Nigeria, no fewer than five million peo-

ple suffering from diabetes ‘Type 2’. This number is going to increase to about 10 million in the next 10 years.

“Currently in Africa, we have about 15 million people suffering from diabetes; and by the year 2025, that number will double to about 30 million.

“In Nigeria, residents in the urban cities are more at risk of diabetes than those in the rural areas. The metropolitan cities have the highest rate of diabetes and that is because people are tending more towards Western lifestyle of consuming more of alcohol, smoking, consumption of fast food and others.

“These are some of the things that drive the epidemic that we are seeing,” she said.

Professor Adegoke lamented the fact that people were doing less of physical activities now, saying it was the reason the epidemic of diabetes and obesity was on the increase.

produce a letter of authority to represent the companies as required under Section 477 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

The EFCC has since frozen the companies’ accounts with Skye Bank, while Mrs Jonathan had sued the commission and the bank, laying claims to the accounts.

The former First Lady, through her media aide, Chima Osuji, further alleged that the EFCC presented four unknown people as representatives of the companies, all of who did not show letters authorising them by their respective boards to represent them in the case.

“This is a clear evidence of the desperation of the prosecution to pull down the former First Lady and confiscate her hard-earned money.

“It is an irony. It was the former First Lady who went to court for the repatriation of her confiscated money when she realised that the EFCC and its co-travellers were playing politics with this issue, after she had come out publicly to say that the said money belongs to her and that she has all evidence to prove the sources of her money.

“Up till this very moment, EFCC has refused to interrogate or invite her for questioning. The biggest twist in court on Thursday was that the fourth to seventh defendants pleaded guilty to all the 15-count charges.

It is clear that these unknown faces were agents of the EFCC, who have been stage-managed and tutored to come to court to complicate the case as a strategy to confiscate her money,” he stated.

Osuji reiterated the respect of his boss for the sanctity and integrity of the judiciary as the bastion of hope for every citizen of the country, but expressed disappointment that Mrs Jonathan’s wellearned image was being maligned in the court of public opinion through the “tissues of lies being churned out by the EFCC in respect of the matter.”

According to him, “Mrs Jonathan is not a director, shareholder, promoter and/ or participant in any of the four companies now under trial, and that she was the sole signatory to all the said accounts, contrary to the fabrication that she used her driver and cook as proxies.”

He concluded that Mrs Jonathan had denied ever receiving any money from any unknown sources into her accounts, adding that the accounts were opened in order to facilitate her travel overseas particularly for medical treatment, sundry purchase for herself and her late mother, Mrs Charity Oba (Mama Sisi).

businessnews Oversupply fears persist as oil price rises 11

Sanya Adejokun with Agency Reports

O

IL prices rose on Thursday after falling around three per cent in the previous session, fired by an unexpected fall in United States’ crude inventories.

But the market seemed to be more concerned about the possibility of a sharp increase of the supply from Libya and Nigeria, which could further dampen hopes of a sustained price increase.

United States crude inventories dropped by 559,000 barrels in the week to September 9, defying analysts expectations of a crude build of 3.8 million barrels.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were trading at $46.05 per barrel at 0642 GMT (02:42 a.m. EDT), up 20 cents, or 0.4 per cent, from the last settlement. US West Texas Intermediate futures CLc1 were up six cents, or 0.1 per cent, at $43.64 a barrel.

Prices fell about three per cent for a second straight day on Wednesday following a 4.6 million barrel build in U.S. distillates inventories.

The jump was the biggest weekly build since January and put distillate stocks at six-year seasonal highs.

“It is good news at this time of the year to see a draw like that (in crude stocks),” said Ric Spooner, chief market analyst for CMC Markets. “But the market seems to be more concerned at the moment about the possibility of a sharp increase of the supply from Libya.”

Crude prices have fallen by around eight per cent in the last five trading sessions, and concerns are growing over the possibility of returning crude supplies from Libya and Nigeria.

“Both Nigeria and Libya have seen domestic conflicts curb exports. However, both are looking to resume some facilities in the coming weeks,” Australian bank ANZ said in a note.

Libya is working to lift force majeure at its port of Zueitina, indicating that Libyan crude exports could start flowing soon.

Expectations that Nigerian crude supplies could also be returning as offers for October-loading Qua Iboe crude have emerged even as force majeure on the grade remains in place.

Libya has made at least half a dozen failed pledges to restart shipments. What may be different this time is that the NOC has struck a deal with Khalifa Haftar, commander of forces who took control of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf. He also has control of the oil fields and

Friday, 16 September, 2016

pipelines that feed them.

Also, Exxon has filled storage facilities at its Qua Iboe export terminal in Nigeria and is awaiting government clearance to resume shipments, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Exxon declined to provide a timeline for a restart and said that a force majeure, in place since July, still stands.

In Nigeria, militant groups have repeatedly attacked oil infrastructure this year, making any resumption of flow reliant on pipeline and

export terminals being secure from further incidents.

Qua Iboe has been under force majeure since a “thirdparty impact” on a pipeline in July, according to Exxon.

“If it is true, it is another downward pressure for the markets because that

would be a large amount to return to the market,” Thomas Pugh, commodities economist at Capital Economics, said by phone, adding that he doubts the resumptions will materialise given the situations in both countries.

From left, Director, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Airtel Nigeria, Mr Emeka Oparah; Publisher/ Chief Executive Officer, Business Day Newspaper, Mr Frank Aigbogun; Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya; Chairman, Brila FM, Dr Larry Izamoje and Managing Director, CMC Connect BM, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, at a press conference to launch Airtel Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Touching Lives Season 3 held at Eko Hotel on Thursday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Naira firms at interbank, parallel markets on low dollar demand Chima Nwokoji-Lagos THE naira on Thursday firmed a little at the parallel market to N423 a dollar from N 425 to the dollar last week. The local currency at the interbank market also firmed to N306.93 as against N308 to the greenback exchanged on Friday.

Nigeria’s currency, the naira is expected to remain stable around the present level at both official interbank and parallel markets.

This comes as demand from holiday makers slow and the Central Bank of Nigeria ups its support for the local currency at the official window.

“We don’t expect any major depreciation of the naira in the near term as most summer holiday makers are back and demand for the dollar slow a little,” Aminu Gwadabe, president of association of bureau de change operators said.

The naira has been under a persistent pressure as dollar scarcity continues to weigh on the local currency at both the parallel and interbank forex markets, even as traders say dollar supply had improved.

Nigeria was Africa’s largest economy and its top oil producer, but its public finances have suffered as the price of crude oil dropped around the world.

The naira first touched N400 on the black market last month.

The Central Bank has been selling dollars almost

daily to boost liquidity and support the naira, but the lack of dollar liquidity has curbed interbank activity, leaving the Central Bank as

the main supplier of dollars.

Currency traders have continued to wait for offshore flows to return.

Nigerian Tribune

Honeywell Flour Mills’ new multi-billion naira factory nears completion Shareholders on Thursday commended Honeywell Flour Mills Plc on the on-going construction of its new multi-billion naira state-of-the-art foods & agro-allied complex and reaffirmed their confidence in the growth prospects of the company.

The shareholders expressed their satisfaction for the pace of the on-going construction when they visited the Sagamu site of the new factory complex.

The shareholders also conveyed their support for production of food products that use local inputs from Honeywell’s aggressive backward integration programme. Adding that with the new facility, the company deserves support and patronage from government, other critical stakeholders and the general populace.

The visit is coming ahead of the company’s 7th Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to hold later this month.

Occupying over 63 hectares of land within the Ogun State Flowergate Industrial Estate in Sagamu, the new factory is expected to commence production of various food products in the second quarter of 2017.

UN to establish 2 aviation security training schools in Nigeria Shola Adekola -Lagos THE Federal Government’s vision and efforts towards turning around the aviation sector to meet global standards in infrastructure, safety and security has continued to receive global attention and endorsement as the United Nations (UN) has concluded plans to establish two aviation security training schools in Nigeria.

The project is to be fully funded by the UN and delivered by the United Kingdom Department of Transportation, while Nigeria is expected to participate in the provision of training premises and supply of lowcost aviation training equipment, amongst others.

The main objective of the project is to support the nation’s overall counterterrorism strategy by providing a key element of a robust national aviation security policy that mitigates effectively the threat posed to civil aviation by terrorist organisations and their operatives.

Briefing the Minister of

State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika in his office yesterday, the United Nations-appointed Project Manager for the schools, Douglas Melvin, said the initiative will also enhance the capacity within the UN system to help interested Member States to implement the United Nations

Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in an integrated manner.

According to Melvin, this “involves assisting the partnering Member States with their implementation of the Strategy across all four topical pillars, which address the multiple dimensions of countering terrorism, and

utilizing assistance capacities and efforts from across the United Nations system.”

The choice of Nigeria, out of the 25 countries considered, he said was in appreciation of its clear and well documented roadmap on developing the aviation sector, with particular emphasis on safety and security.

FG to save over $8bn from storage facilities —Lokpobiri Collins Nnabuife -Abuja THE Federal Government has said it is committed to ensure the improvement of the economy and to concretise the diversification to agriculture as it concludes arrangements to save over $8 billion.

The government also said it intends to achieve this through an agency under the federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Devel-

opment, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri made this known when the Executive Director of NSPRI, Professor Olufemi Peters and his team visited the minister in Abuja.

Lokpobiri said that the institute has been able to fabricate and develop technologies that reduce the storage problems of all food crops in Nigeria with the aim of increasing Nigerian’s agricultural self sufficiency through adequate post harvest loss reduction.

He further said this no doubt, will greatly ensure that agricultural produce will be properly kept within the food supply chain.

Speaking further, the minister said that findings from 2013 FAO factsheets and NSPRI survey conducted in all geo-political zones in 2013, estimated food losses to be 51.3 MT across all crops, valued at $8 billion.

According to him, the present government has achieved increased food production and has also identified and is adequately addressing the high percentage losses along all stages in the post harvest value chain as part of the solution to food security and to enhance exportation of agricultural produce to boost Nigerian foreign exchange reserve.

12

businessnews

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Return money from Treasury Single Account to banks, Agbakoba tells FG Says only strong fiscal, monetary policies will avert depression Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

A

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has called on the Federal Government to return all the money from the Treasury Single Account to the banks at single digit rates and that banks’ lending rate should not exceed 5 per cent interest rate.

He also recommended as a matter of urgency, that strong fiscal, trade and monetary policy measures should be adopted to save Nigerian economy from recession. According to him, the economy is indeed in a gloomy state of affairs which if not treated immediately, may worsen to depression.

In economics, a depression is commonly defined as an extreme recession that lasts two or more years. It is a more severe slowdown in economic activity over the course of a normal business cycle.

Agbakoba had a few days ago predicted that Nigeria will continue to wallow in economic recession until 2020 except the Federal Government takes hold of the banking sector and exert more regulatory control, among other measures.

In a letter to president Muhammadu Buhari, titled: “Practical solutions to scale Nigeria’s recession,” and made available to Nigerian Tribune, the legal luminary stated that in any ailing economy the first step that must be taken is a diagnosis of the problem and in Nigeria’s case,” I would diagnose that it is suffering from malignant metabolic economic syndrome, complicated by inflation, high interest rates, unemployment, weak infrastructure and the results of the global fall in the price of oil.

“It is indeed a gloomy state of affairs which if not treated with urgency by introducing strong fiscal, trade and monetary policy could well lead to depression.”

Agbakoba who said he feels called upon to make his contribution to the dialogue on a solution to the economic recession that Nigeria is undergoing, blamed oil price shock as the main contributing factor causing the downward spiral in the economy resulting in the present recession.

He acknowledged the fact that Nigeria has experienced mismanagement for several decades , stressing that this is not the time to lament but a time to chart a clear economic policy direction that will give value to the economy.

“This will entail developing macroeconomic models tailored to stimulate all

sectors of the economy and catapulting us out of recession,” he further stated.

On the issue of monetary policy, Agbakoba said there is a lot of confusion. To him, there is the need for harmo-

nization between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy which is leaning towards tight liquidity in a bid to harness inflation and the Minister of Finance’s call for increased public spending

on capital projects.

Note that CBN increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 200 basis points from 12 per cent to 14 per cent to combat inflation and stimulate growth. The MPR

is the anchor rate at which the CBN, in performing its role as lender of last resort, lends to Deposit Money Banks to boost the level of liquidity in the banking system. If the apex bank in-

tends to increase the level of liquidity in the economy, it reduces the MPR but increases it when it intends to tighten money supply.

By increasing MPR, CBN has unfortunately tightened lending the Lawyer regretted. He said the banking sector requires strengthening and must be empowered to lend.

The letter, which was copied to the senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives read in part: “ I recommend that money from the Treasury Single Account should go back to the banks at single digit rates and that banks’ recommended lending rate should not exceed 5 per cent.”

Unity Bank donates relief materials to Borno IDPs From left, Managing Director, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Mr Godfrey Efeurhobo; Dr Agunobi Nim and Head, Marketing, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Ololade Shonubi, during the presentation of the best premium quality superfast 4G LTE/ Mobile 2016 African Quality Achievement brand of the year award to Smile Communications Limited Nigeria, held in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

NERC frowns at electricity consumers that bypass prepaid metres Olatunde DodondawaLagos THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has frowned at electricity consumers that bypass prepaid metres in the country.

The commission also insisted that over four million power consumers are in need of prepaid meters across the country.

The Acting NERC Chairman, Dr Anthony Akah, stated during a chat with journalists in Abuja that although the commission had improved on metering system, the unavailability of meter manufacturing companies was hindering the maximum provision of meters to Nigerians.

“You have to order them, you have to configure them and protect the system. You have to deploy the technical expertise to ensure that these metres are not bye passed.

“But as we speak today, these metres are being bye passed by power consumers,” he said.

The number of unmetered consumers contradicts earlier statement by Akah that out of a total of 6,159,775 customer accounts in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), only 3,206,599 customers, or 52 per cent, have so far been provided meters, leaving a gap of 2,953,176 unmetered

customers.

According to him, “It is our responsibility to ensure compliance with these metering scheduled. We have our monitoring team following them and we want to make sure that if they don’t deploy the number of meters per month, per quarter or per year, we are going to sanction them severely for that.

“A customer that does not have electricity metre and who feels that they gave him a wrongful billing for that month and has the right to reject that bill and he should only pay the last bill he accepted.

“If they don’t meter you, the electricity distribution company has no right to estimate you or bill you. If you have given money to them

and they have not given you meter after 60 days.”

Akah said that NERC would ensure refunds were made to customers wrongly billed as well as install the new prepaid metre.

He decried the situation where PHEDC workers were attacked by customers in the area, saying that such act was grossly unacceptable.

Fight recession with EPZ project, group counsels Buhari Says project will stop militancy Ebenezer Adurokiya Warri THE Warri Ijaw Peace Monitoring Group (WIPMG) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently order for resumption of work at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Escravos, Warri South West LGA, Delta State, to fight the current economic recession in the country.

The multi-million dollar EPZ project initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan has two components of Gas City at Ogidigben and Deep Seaport at Gbaramatu kingdom.

If reactivated, the group said it would address unemployment, militancy, inter-communal feud and other indices of the present economic recession.

The group in a statement

signed by its chairman, Chief Patrick Bigha and made available to Nigerian Tribune in Warri on Thursday, observed that “the land for both components of the project is ready to start construction and coupling of machines.”

According to the group, “It could be recalled that during the ground breaking ceremony performed by former president Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday, March 26, 2015, the drivers of the project did say that the project would engage 150,000 work force at the construction level and 5,000,000 work force at the completion of the project.

“No doubt, this is a project that will reduce unemployment to the bearest minimum if not totally eradicate unemployment in this part of the country.

“This is the time for this project to continue as it will help to reduce the effects of the current economic hardship Nigerians are going through.

“The beauty of this project is that it is private sectordriven, as the government of Nigeria will not spend any kobo in the project, but will only provide the enabling environment for the private investors, which the two ethnic groups have promised before the inauguration of the present administration.”

The group also added that “the resumption of work will also address the issue of the Niger Delta resurgence as most of the youths including those that had had skilled training from the Presidential Amnesty Programme will be engaged in the project.

BORNO State Governor, Honourable Kashim Shettima, has commended Unity Bank Plc for donating relief materials worth millions of naira to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state to help alleviate the sufferings of victims of insurgency in the North East.

The Executive Director in charge of North East/North West, Alhaji Abubakar Abba Bello and former Minister of State for Finance and Director of the bank, Mrs Yabawa Lawan Hamma Wabi, led the Unity Bank’s delegation to deliver the relief items to the Borno State government in Maiduguri, recently for onward distribution to different IDP camps.

Presenting the relief materials, the Executive Director recalled that the partnership between the bank and Borno State over time motivated Unity Bank to present the donations as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to make meaningful impact and intervention in areas where it operates.

Alhaji Bello also said that the bank is willing to partner Borno State to rebuild its agricultural base, as a means of fast tracking the process of reintegration of the IDPs with their communities and also sustaining improvement of living standards of the victims.

“Unity Bank is well acclaimed for being in the forefront of initiative for supporting agriculture in Nigeria and since rehabilitation of the victims of insurgency can be achieved faster through agriculture, the Bank is undoubtedly your preferred partner in this regard,” he said.

13

editorial

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The ‘expensive’ Almajiri schools

A

T an event in Yola, Adamawa State, the chairman of the Adamawa State Universal Education Board, Mohammed Toungo, recently declared that the Almajiri schools established by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan were too expensive to maintain.

According to him, “Since 2012 up till now, they (Almajiri schools) have not commenced because the recruitment of the specialised teachers to the schools has not been done because of the expensive nature of the teachers.”

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Adamawa State Ministry of Education, Mahmud Abubakar, explained that the state government was finding it difficult to put the schools into use because of financial constraints.

Many of the schools in operation are poorly managed, while others have not been put to use since they were built. Indeed, in several states, the schools have not been opened for academic activities. In Katsina, one of the schools located near the Katsina Army barracks on Jibia road is reported to have been turned into a cattle ranch where recovered stolen cows are kept.

The Almajiri school project was designed to provide access to basic education for Almajiri children of school age. It sought to discourage and gradually eliminate itinerant begging by Almajiris in the country. The scheme also sought to provide an enabling environment for effective integration of Islamic discipline into the basic education programme. The facilities were to house Almajiri students and their teachers, providing a secure environment where religious and modern education take place, and wean the Almajiris from wandering, hawking, alms solicitation, and delinquency. Furthermore, it is part of the effort to improve school enrolment for the dispossessed and destitute in the northern and other parts of the country.

It will be recalled that several reports in the past few years showed that Nigeria has over 10 million out-of -school children, with over 70 per cent of them being from northern Nigeria, mainly Katsina and Kano states.

The Federal Government stated that it had spent N5 billion to build 35 model Almajiri primary schools in 18 out of the 19 northern states in the country. Ten of

these were boarding schools while 25 were day schools.

These schools were handed over to their respective state governments. It is unfortunate that most of the schools have not been operational.

There is a saying: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” The state governments who have taken possession of the Almajiri schools should take this saying very seriously. There is a clear correlation between levels of school enrolment and broader human development.

Experience has also shown that want and the vicious circle of poverty are major challenges to human security.

Thus, it is in the interest of Nigeria that states take such intervention projects very seriously. It is therefore not good for the Adamawa State officials and officials from other states where the Almajiri schools are located to abandon the projects, leave them moribund or complain that they are too expensive to fund.

We expect more resourcefulness from public officials in handling public projects than these officials have demonstrated. They should think about ways and means of raising funds and reducing the cost of running the schools. It is instructive that the statements by Adamawa officials were made during the appraisal of the success of the educational initiative of the American University of Nigeria, targeting Almajiri children between the ages of six and 17 years. The American University of Nigeria (AUN) Foundation, funded in part by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has improved Almajiri education with Technology Enhanced Learning (TELA). Through this project, the university has been able to educate 22,000 children in eight months. This is far more than 420 Almajiris, the maximum number of students the schools built by the Federal Government would cater for.

We call on the federal and state governments to meet and reorganize the Almajiri school project in order to make the best possible use of the facilities to reach the largest number of pupils possible. They should consider how lessons from the TELA project and technology could be deployed to make the project efficient, effective and sustainable.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Friday, 16 September, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08054005323. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Tackling corruption in Nigeria

T

HAT corruption is the biggest problem facing the country is not in doubt, but how to go about tackling this evil is what Nigerians don’t really understand. Our anti-corruption agencies have tried their best, but we still keep discovering everyday those who had mismanaged the country’s wealth while they held political offices.

In my own opinion, the immunity from prosecution which our political office holders enjoy is one of the reasons corruption is thriving in Nigeria.

I believe when we remove the immunity of these political office holders, then they will be extra cautious in administering the public funds placed in their care.

However, since they know that they can’t be prosecuted while in power, they won’t care on the need to be prudent with the pub-

lic funds at their disposal.

Therefore, if we can get the immunity clause removed, we should also come up with a system that will reward whistleblowers whose leads are genuine.

It is not easy for law enforcement agencies to trace financial crimes without ‘inside’ support.

Consequently, this is why it is necessary to create a reward system for whistleblowers who give genuine and accurate information that can lead to the prosecution of suspects.

Finally, there is the need for our judiciary to set time frames for hearing corruption cases. Hearing corruption cases involving former political office holders in the normal courts will not make us achieve anything in our anti-corruption drive.

We have seen how those

who had stolen from the state use such funds to hire the most experienced lawyers to defend them, and in the process of prosecution, the defence lawyers keep working towards prolonging the case until it

collapses.

This is why Nigerians should support President Muhammadu Buhari in his bid towards establishing special courts for corrupt political office holders. We need to dispense

justice as soon as possible so as to deter others who are coming into political office.

So, the anti-corruption war is not one that the government can fight alone.

Nigerians must first fight

for the immunity clause to be removed, and then whistle-blowers should be encouraged.

•Nugwa James, Lokoja, Kogi State.

Economy: Increase taxes on unnecessary luxury items EVEN with the economic situation in the country, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Nigerians are still buying costly luxury items like handbags, wristwatches, sunglasses, among others. The people who opt for these items see them as a ‘class thing,’ but it is high time government started imposing high tax regime on such items so as to discourage Nigerians from buying them, while encouraging locally produced items.

While the country is suffering economically, some

people can still afford to buy vehicles worth millions of naira. Although it is unfair to deny those who work hard from enjoying the benefits of their hard work, this is what the current situation demands.

Taking mansion tax is a great avenue the government can generate revenue in the country. Several mansions are scattered all over the country, with a single person owning properties in several cities across the country. A wealthy individual can have mansions

in Abuja, Lagos and his village. It is, therefore, necessary that the government tax these mansions by their financial values.

However, while the government increases taxes on these luxury items, I hope import duties on food items, particularly rice, can be reduced so that Nigerians won’t find it difficult buying foodstuff.

Some agricultural experts may feel that flooding the country with rice will not

encourage local production, but the truth is that our local production cannot meet our demand, and this is why it needs to be supported with imports.

So the essence of this letter is for the government to increase the tax on unnecessary luxury items that can be produced locally, while reducing it on food imports.

•Folusola Bello, Surulere, Lagos.

Crime on the increase in Benue CRIME has assumed a terrible dimension in Benue State, and it is important for the necessary security agencies, particularly the police, to do something about it.

Today, armed robbers, assassins, kidnappers, among other criminals, are having a field day in the state. It has reached a situation whereby citizens now wonder whether there are security agents in the state at all. Business people in the state are now afraid that they might be attacked anytime by these

criminals. For example, in Gboko, one of the local government areas in the state, car snatching is now on the increase. Unfortunately, those who perpetrate the crime are young boys. People can no longer sleep peacefully in their homes these days as well.

It is as a result of this that I am calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to come to our rescue in Benue.

•Iorchor Ushahemba, Makurdi, Benue State.

Oyo govt, rehabilitate Liberty Stadium Road I want to use this opportunity to call on the Oyo State government to rehabilitate the Liberty Stadium Road in Ibadan, the state capital.

The condition of the road at the moment is just so terrible, with craters on several portions of the road.

Recently, a commercial motorcycle operator who was plying the road for the first time, and was obviously unaware of the craters, lost control when he entered into one.

He was immediately thrown off his motorcycle,

along with his passenger, an elderly woman.

It was only by divine providence that they didn’t lose their lives, but they suffered severe injuries.

Many other accidents have occurred on this road, particularly at night.

I hope the state government can quickly order the patching of the road so as to reduce accidents, while also making driving on it more pleasurable.

•Yemi Adeoti, Liberty Road, Ibadan.

15

opinion

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Learning from Madiba’s enclave

By Gbade Ojo

(Continued from yesterday)

N

OT many people are cut out for politics of acrimony and mudslinging. Fundamental human rights entails freedom of association in all regions and climes but curtailed in practical realities world-wide. Without independent candidacy, Nigerians are really armstronged and politically coerced to belong to perhaps ‘five fingers of a leprous hand’ as sarcastically described by the late Cicero of Esa Oke, Chief Bola Ige, while expressing his disgust with Nigerian political parties. Of all the municipalities, the Western Cape had the highest number of parties – 76 – which contested election for seats in the council. South Africa is, indeed, a multiparty system.

Also of the 855 independent candidates, 86 percent are men and only 14 percent are women. No doubt, the rate of women participation in South African politics and electoral processes compared with several other African nations is commendable.

Despite all preparations for the election by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), which recruited 240,000 ordinary South African citizens who were trained for between five and ten days to conduct the election, according to Mr. Glen Mashinini, the Commission’s Chairman, he too was worried with hideous aspects of the electoral process. With high rate of electoral violence which claimed as many as 25 lives before the actual election day, the political milieu of South Africa is a bit ugly!

Rigging too was not left out of the electoral misdemeanor as four IEC officers were fired after allowing people to vote illegally in the special request for special voters.

It is interesting to note that some communities decided not to vote at all. While some blocked access road to their areas, some others just ignored the process and rather occupied themselves with something else. The excuses for apathy vary too. To some, for upward of five weeks, there was no water supply to their vicinity, thus they could not rationalise taking time out to vote for politicians who care not or less about their welfare. Some communities believed that the ANC, the ruling party in the country, had failed them because of glaring manifestations of corruption in the Jacob Zuma-led national government.

This necessitated Mr. Thabo Mbeki, a one-time President of

South Africa from ANC to engage in last minute consultations with the candidates of the party to put in their best. He also met with leaders of the opposition parties, most especially EFF, which broke out of ANC to cooperate with Jacob Zuma government in case of imperative of forming coalition after the epic battle election. His move was regarded as a kind of damage control with the popularity of ANC waning.

Undoubtedly, the 2016 municipal poll in South Africa was a referendum on national government; and a dress rehearsal for 2019. Analyst believed that it was also a litmus test for the ANC, which had been in government since the collapse of apartheid.

Few days to the election, my conversation with taxi drivers and commoners on the street showed that the ANC will shrink when the election results are released. Opinion polls too which is in the words of Martin Williams, a national daily columnist of The Citizen of South Africa, may not be trusted to demonstrate that DA may displace ANC at the polls. This did not happen as ANC only shrink at the polls result. If pollsters were accurate, the world wouldn’t have been surprised when a majority of British people decided to quit the European Union, or when the Conservative Party won the 2015 UK general election. Polls can be spectacularly wrong with the recently conducted municipal polls.

Let me add that as South Africa faced the August 3 local government election with the fiercest build-up ever seen since the dawn of democracy, political parties were at each other’s throats and racism reared its ugly head too. If ever there was a time when South Africa and the world needed Nelson Mandela, it was in the last election. The voting pattern glaringly

demonstrated this too. The white dominated Cape Town voted en mass for the Democratic Alliance (DA), a white-dominated party. ANC only had marginal lead in rich cities that harbor big investments of whites such as Johannesburg, Pretoria, among others.

South Africa is endowed with national wealth as well as welldeveloped infrastructure; its relative technological advancement could allow its people to pursue and live a comfortable economic life. But not everyone can find that comfort zone.

There is real social and economic divide in terms of not only the wide gap between the rich and the poor, but between the rich white and poor black. South African blacks got flag independence, but their economy is still in the hands of the whites who own the big investments. In Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, among other major cities, one can see affluence and squalor pari-passu. The system seems to have sentenced the blacks to a life of being hewers of wood and fetchers of water.

Conclusively, on the polling day, the ANC tried to get supporters to the electoral boots by hiring 783 taxis across the city of Nelson Mandela Bay. But this effort was not really helpful because voters seem to have made up their minds to vote otherwise. ANC failed woefully in that metro.

While in Madibo’s enclave, I took particular interest in the media coverage of the elections both print and electronics.

Expectedly like in most developed societies, they were objective and announcing results as they trickled in before official announcements by IEC on Saturday, August 6. Eventually, no discrepancy between the officially announced results and the ones the media had announced.

In the final analysis, the South African system allows virile opposition; no municipal was with inconclusive election. The only one – Johannesburg – which was not ready by 9.00 p.m when final results were being announced, was not allowed to hold down the electoral commission nationally.

Without gainsaying, Nigeria still has few things to learn from Madiba’s enclave.

(Concluded) •Dr. ‘Gbade Ojo is an associate professor of comparative politics, UNILORIN and currently the Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor.

Still on the Nigerian situation

By Qansy Salako

tory with its staff and institutions, ad infinitum.

Outside of this senseless administrative pyramid are millions of village heads, hundreds of thousands of district heads and thousands of city kings, all equally biting a good slice off of the GDP in annual salaries but functioning as lame duck subordinates in running the nation state. Village heads, district heads and kings used to be the administrators of our system before the Europeans came to Africa. Somehow, we missed incorporating them into our post-colonial systems at independence. Now, they just exist as rudiments of past civilisations within a new order. The results are systemic waste, incompetence and arrested development.

Oil is only 13 percent of Nigeria’s GDP, but it accounts for 70 percent of government revenue and 95 percent of export income. The remaining 87 percent of the GDP, which is more stable and under local control, remains treacherously abandoned and non-contributory to national income. It is worse than that. Nigeria did not make hay while the sun shone.

When crude was $110 a barrel, Nigeria did not save, Nigeria borrowed. When the crude drum tanked to $28, Nigeria plunged into a $7 billion budget deficit and borrowed more.

The Federal Government takes 52 percent of total national revenue and shares the remaining 48 percent among the states. Beyond that, there is no synergy between the two levels of government. Governance is typically a one man show by whims and caprices of the governor in the state, but the

Nigeria kicked off as a country of high promise with great expectations at independence from Britain in October 1960.

That was eons ago. The imperialist British parliamentary system soon whirled the young nation on its axis from tumult to civil war in just the first seven years. Since then, the American presidential system has proved unwieldy in the hands of vacuous Nigerian politicians.

The merging of three major ethnic nations with 350 other ethnic minorities has continued to dog the national spirit.

The primordial regional lines have today become burning fault lines, with Boko Haram savages scorching the North, separatist movements in the South East broiling the federation on the Biafra grill, self-destruct militias ruthlessly torching the restive crude oil laden deltaic swamps of the South South and relentless cacophony for regional autonomy sweltering in the South West. Fifty-six years later, Nigeria is chin deep in the quicksand of self-determination. Nothing works, as the country continues to dangle precipitously from one cliff to another, on bated breath.

Members of the American Republican Party would go into seizures at the sight of the government size in Nigeria. In spite of its high population density, the Nigerian political structure has become thoughtlessly over-engineered going from four regions at independence to 36 states and a federal capital territory. A puny country about the size of Texas runs the world most expensive political system with 36 state governors plus staff and full cabinet of about 40 state commissioners and special advisers in each state, varying number of parastatals (government institutions) on top of the ministries in each of 36 states (Lagos State has 89 parastatals) plus staff, 36 state deputy governors plus staff, some 35-member lawmakers assembly in each of 36 states plus staff, 360 federal house of representatives plus staff, 109 federal senators plus staff, 774 local government chairmen plus staff, one executive president plus staff and cabinet of about 50 federal ministers and special advisers, one executive vice president plus staff, one US Washington DC type federal capital terri-

FG has neither oversight nor control over how the monthly disbursements to the states are spent.

The Nigerian political leadership at both the federal and state governments recklessly spend a majority of the country’s national revenue on recurrent expenditures (salaries, allowances, traveling, training, food, among others, which consume. They spend less than 10 percent on capital infrastructures (roads, power, rail, housing, among others, which actually create jobs and grow the economy. Now in the second year of its first four-year term, the current government is struggling to raise capital spending to 30 percent. Ethiopia rebounded its economy with 60 percent.

Most of the states are not viable. A total of 27 of the 36 states are unable to pay salaries, leading to arrears of up to 14 months in some. Even the FG spends upwards of N165 billion on payroll every month. Both FG and state governments borrow and sell junk bonds just to pay salaries.

As expected, the civil service work force is mindlessly over bloated. In a country that imports everything from crayon to refined petrol, the government is the number one employer.

The private sector is primarily floated and fed by largess from corrupt government patronage, so its work force is largely unreliably a dot-com economic sector.

Citizens remain permanently wedged between an adulterated concept of governance and the ravages of their barbarous political leadership. No one knows the exact take-home of Nigerian legislators, but the total compensation package for each marauding Nigerian lawmaker is insane. The Economist called them “the world’s highest paid legislators.”

Education, the main plank for development is in shambles, the street unemployment figure hovers near 90 percent. Access to good healthcare is near zero to most citizens, and Nigeria, as it is, is not working out. It has proved incapable of exploiting the enormous assets of its rich diversity, it is sinking carrying the weight of its variety and unable to make genuine progress. What a shame!

•Dr Salako, a frontline social critic and commentator, lives in Boston, USA.

16

Friday, 16 September, 2016

H

OW time flies! It is now one year that Mama H.I.D Awolowo left mother earth to the world beyond. Mama Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, the wife of Papa Obafemi Awolowo is no more.

Nigerians were preparing hard to celebrate Mama H.I.D’s centenary birthday when the old woman died. Stories were told about Mama’s last hours on earth before she gave up the ghost.

It was widely reported that Mama had attended a meeting at the Efunyela Hall, inside Papa Obafemi Awolowo’s compound (her last day on earth) which deliberated on matters connected with the centenary celebrations without Mama ever giving any hint of her imminent transition. Mama had allegedly left the meeting, informing those around her that she was going to eat lunch and take a little nap. Mama never returned to the meeting.

Instead, Mama went from taking a nap to eternity. She was a great woman who led a religious life to the very end. And Mama slept in the Lord at age 99 years and ten months (a little less than full 100 years on earth). All Awolowo faithful including all those who believed in Mama H.I.D’s life and times were ever ready to say it loud and clear that H.I.D Awolowo had, indeed, spent 100 years on earth. From September 19, 2015 to November 25, 2015, events fell on events at Ikenne on daily basis to show to the world that Mama H.I.D had truly spent 100 years on earth. Mama was eventually conveyed to mother earth on November 25 (the very day, she would have turned 100 years).

I have written a number of articles inside the Nigerian Tribune to showcase Mama H.I.D’s contributions to the political growth of Awoism in Nigerian politics.

Mama was, for many years, the force behind the success of her darling husband in Nigerian politics. I now cull a particular one of those articles that proclaimed Mama’s testimonies to her husband’s politics when they were both very active in the politics of Nigeria. You will enjoy it:“The Avatar, Papa Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo was one of the founders of modern Nigeria. He was a progressive minded man whose politics throughout his entire life was predicated on a deep love and affection for the poor and the needy. His wife, Mama H.I.D. was there with the great man for achieving these lofty heights. The two of them (Papa and Mama) were a great success in marriage.

They loved themselves and they combined all their talents to make life easy and bearable for the common people who came their way.

I say it with all confidence that Mama H.I.D Awolowo was never found wanting in the obligations she was destined to perform in life to ensure the success of her husband in the political governance that he was called upon to perform in his public life.

“Papa Awolowo fondly called Mama in many of his recorded testimonies on his wife - “My Precious Jewel of Inestimable Value”. Yes, Mama meant a lot to Papa Awolowo when the latter was in this world and had chosen Mama H.I.D. as his worthy companion in his life’s struggles.

When Papa Awolowo was working hard as a mercantilist with the aim of getting himself educated abroad, Mama H.I.D. was there with him. When Papa Awo, despite the challenges of marital life, had passed at home his Bachelor of Commerce degree, Mama was there with him.

When Papa Awolowo left the shores of Nigeria to travel to Britain for his Law

With

Ebenezer Babatope

0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)

Mama HID: One year after

•Mama HID Awolowo

studies, Mama H.I.D. successfully kept the home front and, indeed, contributed substantially to her husband’s education abroad.

When the great leader returned to Nigeria to embark on a glorious political career, first by forming the Action Group of Nigeria (A.G) and then going to become the Premier of the old Western Nigeria, Mama H.I.D. was with him as an effective companion.

When Papa Awolowo transformed the old Western Nigeria into a haven of peace, progress and development despite the intricacies of party politics, Mama H.I.D was there as a witness.

When Western Nigeria became the region of the “firsts” in Nigeria and Africa, Mama H.I.D witnessed them all.

The independence struggles of Nigeria from British Colonial rule in which her

Mama was a Christian of note. She served her God until she returned to His bosom.

husband had with Papa Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Sardauna of Sokoto (Sir Ahmadu Bello), Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the late wizard of Kirsten Hall, Papa Herbert Macaulay; Chief H.O. Davies, and others played unforgettable roles, Mama H.I.D. Awolowo was there as a dependable ally of her husband.

When Nigeria’s independence was subverted by the political opponents of her husband, putting him into prison and in attempting to disband one of the best organised political parties in Africa of the time, everything happened right before Mama H.I.D. When her husband became the ViceChairman of the General Yakubu Gowonled Nigeria and he (Awo) had played a remarkable role in finding solutions to the Nigerian civil war (between Nigeria and secessionist Biafra), Mama was fully there with her husband.

No one can push to the background Mama’s contributions to her husband’s efforts in forming the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) during Nigeria’s Second Republic.

She campaigned vigorously with her husband to persuade Nigerians to vote for the UPN and approve Awo as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Historically, these efforts did not yield the desired results. We are, however, all witnesses to the fact that hardly a day passes in Nigeria today without a positive mention of her husband’s name in the Nigerian media.

When Papa Awolowo and his lieutenants

of the Action Group were detained by the Federal authories after the 1962 Action Group crisis, Mama had visited them all in their detention centres. First, she stayed with her husband at his detention centre in Lekki (near Epe). She later travelled to see all her husband’s associates in their detention centres at various locations in the old Western Nigeria. Today, Mama H.I.D Awolowo is a repository of the authentic history of the struggles for Nigeria’s political unity and development.

As wife of one of the visionary leaders in Africa, Mama had joined her husband in playing hosts to many world leaders. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana was a great friend of her husband during the nationalist struggles for the independence of African countries from colonial and imperialist rule. When progressive Dr. Nkrumah (the Osagyefo and Kantamanto of Africa) visited Nigeria as leader of independent Ghana, he (Nkrumah) had stayed as guest of the Awolowos in their house at Ibadan.

I say it with the fear of God that Mama H.I.D Awolowo saw it all.

Despite the greatness, popularity and acceptability of her husband, Awo, as lover of the masses, Mama never allowed all these to go into her brain and destroy her sense of passion of being a dutiful housewife and a great partner of her darling husband.

Promoters and masters of tyranny never make it to the end. Nearly all those who masterminded the oppression and persecution of Papa and Mama Awolowo several years ago have today become irrelevant materials of history. Where today is Mr. John Lynn? Who as a policeman had terrorised Papa Obafemi Awolowo in the treasonable felony years.

Mama was a Christian of note. She served her God until she returned to His bosom.

I will never forget Mama’s role in my emergence as a frontline politician in Nigeria of the Papa Awolowo School. She urged me on whenever I showed any sign of depression in my political struggle.

Mama H.I.D Awolowo has gone to join her husband, but her contributions to Nigeria’s politics will forever remain evergreen in people’s memories.

On 19th September (next Monday) our “Aburo” Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu will be launching the Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo Foundation as part of the programmes to immortalise Mama in Nigerian politics. We will all be there at Ikenne (12.00noon at Efunyela Hall) to support Toks in one of her beautiful programmes to laud the Awo socio-political contribution in Nigeria.

Mama H.I.D Good-Bye and Good-Night!

You Live Oh Jeremiah!!

EBINO TOPSY – 0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE) NEXT WEEK: COMRADE BARI ADEDEJI SALAU AT 70 (BOOK YOUR COPY IN ADVANCE).

17

Friday, 16 September, 2016

eyesof islam

Saheed Salawu yinkadejavu@yahoo.com 0811 695 4643

How pilgrims stoned the Devil, without stampede

In previous years, jostling to perform the stoning, before returning to pray at the Grand Mosque, accounted for many of the frequent stampedes and crushes that had afflicted hajj.

By David Sim

N

EARLY two million Muslim pilgrims on Sunday 11 September performed a symbolic stoning of the devil, the riskiest part of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a year after the ritual’s worst disaster in decades.

Saudi Arabia has deployed thousands of security forces, civil defence staff and volunteers as well as modern technology including drones and electronic bracelets to ensure a safe pilgrimage.

Under close supervision from Saudi authorities, pilgrims in seamless white clothes, converged on Jamarat carrying the pebbles to perform the ritual from a three-storey bridge erected to ease congestion.

In previous years, jostling to perform the stoning, before returning to pray at the Grand Mosque, accounted for many of the frequent stampedes and crushes that had afflicted hajj.

Saudi authorities have said that some 1.86 million Muslims from around the world are performing the pilgrimage at Islam’s holiest city. That is fewer than previous years, when up to three million pilgrims have attended. Authorities say disruption caused by expansion work and infrastructure projects in Mecca have combined with conflicts in the region to restrict the numbers.

Last year, Saudi Arabia said that nearly 800 pilgrims were killed when two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometres east

SAFETY FIRST: Pilgrims stoning the Devil from a three-story bridge. PHOTO: REUTERS

of Mecca, on their way to performing the stoning ritual at Jamarat. Counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.

Last Sunday, pilgrims prayed on Mount Arafat, a hill just outside Mecca. Prior to departing Mount Arafat back to Mina, they joined top Saudi officials in prayer at Namira Mosque, site of the last sermon

by Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.

Prayer on this day at Mount Arafat is believed to offer the best chance of erasing past sins and starting anew. Many Muslims who are not performing the hajj

fast from dawn to dusk on this day, for similar reasons.

Many of the pilgrims taking part in this year’s hajj climbed a hill called Jabal alRahma, or mountain of mercy, in Arafat and spent time there in supplication. It was here where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite.

The hajj is a physically and emotionally exhausting experience, and this year temperatures soared to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42C) in Arafat. Volunteers passed out water, juice and umbrellas to shade pilgrims from the sun.

The hajj is one of the world’s largest pil-

grimages. It draws the faithful to the holy city of Mecca and areas around it for five intense days of rituals and prayers aimed at erasing past sins and drawing Muslims closer to God. The pilgrimage is required of all able-bodied Muslims to perform once in their lifetime.

To begin the hajj, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims circle the Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque. In a sign of humility and equality before God, the pilgrims shed symbols of materialism, entering a state of “ihram”.

Women wear loose-fitting clothing and a head covering, with no makeup or perfume, while men dress in seamless, white terry cloth garments.

While following a route the Prophet Muhammad once walked, the rites of hajj are believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

David Sim wrote on www.ibtimes.

18 islamicnews

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Nigerian pilgrims assured of better accommodation in Saudi

Muslim pilgrims from all around the world touch the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque

Pilgrims hail stress-free hajj

P

ILGRIMS across states of Nigeria have hailed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for providing accommodation close to the grand mosque in Medina and sticking to airlift schedules.

Nigerian pilgrims are currently lodged in hotels right opposite the walls of the grand mosque in Markaziyah, a highbrow neighbourhood closest to the grand mosque.

Nigerian pilgrims were usually lodged in hotels far from the Prophet’s mosque making access to the mosque for five daily prayers difficult for aged pilgrims.

Many of the pilgrims from Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kogi, Osun, Kwara, Abuja, Ondo and Zamfara who spoke on the accommodation, said the arrangement had eased the stress of long distance trekking of pilgrims to the grand mosque.

Tajuddeen Oyeyemi, a pilgrim, said such arrangement was the first recorded in the history of Hajj operation in Nigeria.

“NAHCON must be hailed for this achievement. We hear the call for prayers right inside our hotel rooms and everybody is happy to be just a wall from the Grand Mosque,” he said.

He however called on pilgrims to conduct them-

selves well, especially while queueing for food.

“The attitude of Nigerian pilgrims while queuing for food provided by NAHCON

is sometimes very embarrassing and chaotic. I am calling on pilgrims to behave themselves,” he said.

The pilgrims also hailed

the quality of aircraft provided by the carriers and schedules.

“Unlike many years ago, this is the first time that

new aircraft’s are used and no delay of airlift was caused by the Airlines,” Bala Ahmed, a pilgrim from Sokoto, said.

Invest in Islamic, qualitative education, Muslim parents admonished MUSLIM parents have been implored to invest in Islamic and qualitative education of their children.

Delivering the September Usrah lecture of the Companion in Lagos at the weekend, the Executive Director, Finance of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) , Alhaji Jumat Babatunde Ali Oluwafuyi, challenged Muslim parents to prioritise Islamic education of their children from early life to enable them internalise the ethos of the religion early.

Speaking on the topic of

the lecture, “Parenthood and Parenting in Islam,” Ali-Oluwafuyi said Muslim parents should not wait until the children are in the secondary school before introducing them to Arabic and Islamic education as it might be too late at that time.

He also tasked parents to change their orientation towards education by ensuring that their children pursue courses that would make them self-reliant to cope with the prevailing economic situation.

The lecturer also charged parents to show good examples in their conducts as children grow to imitate what their parents are doing.

Oluwafuyi who is also the coordinator of the Muslim Welfare Fund (MUWELF) sought the help of Muslim elite and government in the northern state government in tackling the problem of street kids.

He commended the efforts of the Kaduna State government which recently introduced a legislation against begging by kids.

He, howevern advocated complementing the legislation with the type of education which would empower the children so that they don’t return to the street.

He also challenged Muslim leaders of thoughts and Imams to regularly hold lecture for members on children upbringing and moral values.

The Companion is a group of Muslim in business and the Usrah is a monthly programme of the society held on the first Sunday of the month.

From right, Chairman, AR-RAHAMAH Zakat Foundation, Alhaji Abdul-Hammeed Omotayo, Guest Speaker, Alhaji Sikiru Adenusi, chairman, DUTUM Oil and Gas Alhaji Tunji Oloko and Treasurer,Alhaji Idowu Mebude, during the launch of AR-RAHAMAH Zakat Foundation in Ijebu Ode recently.

NIGERIA’S Charge d’Affairs in Saudi Arabia, Salisu Umar, and Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Abdullahi Mukhtar, has assured Nigerian pilgrims that henceforth, they will secure accommodation for them close to the Jamarat, where the symbolic stoning of the devil takes place.

Nigerian Pilgrims had always been accommodated in Tent C area in Muna, a distance of about three Kilometres to the Jamarat.

The long distance, coupled with the harsh Saudi weather, always made it difficult for the pilgrims to carry out the three-day stoning ritual.

Mukhtar said Nigeria would exploit its membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, to table the matter with the Saudi Arabian authorities.

“Nigeria is a sovereign entity and should not be treated like a country without origin, definition and resources,” he said.

He also remarked that no country was superior to another in Islam.

Earlier, the Emir of Kaltungo and Chairman of Gombe Pilgrims Welfare Board, Saleh Mohammed, complained about the degrading treatment of African and non-Arab countries in Hajj affairs.

Similarly, the Chairman of NAHCON, Mr. Mukhtar said the commission has held series of meetings with the Saudi authorities.

He said Saudi Arabian authorities often argued that the place Nigerian pilgrims want to pitch their tents in Muna is surrounded by rocks which generate heat; whereas the place Nigeria currently occupies has better ventilation.

Muktar promised that the Commission would not relent until it secured the Muna accommodation close to Jamarat.

The team inspected feeding and accommodation arrangements at Kano, Gombe, Kaduna, Plateau, Ekiti, Sokoto, Katsina and Bauchi states’ tents.

On his part, the Chairman of the Governing Board of Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Abba Koki, lamented the activities of fraudsters or agents duping pilgrims on the slaughtering of rams (hadiya).

He recommended to NAHCON to incorporate the payment of hadiya into the hajj fares paid by pilgrims while in Nigeria.

19

Friday, 16 September, 2016

fridaytreat

Nigerian Tribune

Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636 Instagram: @roy_ige

M

ulti-talented music act, Sean Tizzle, known for his witty lyrics and amazing word play has added another feather to his growing list of achievements. Signed under D’Tunes’ led Difference Entertainment, the talented singer recently scored an international collaboration with prolific Canadian rapper, Tory Lanez.

The music stars have recorded and released a new song entitled ‘Hit and Run’ which was produced by award winning Nigerian hit maker, Dr Frabz. The song is housed on Sean Tizzle’s forthcoming sophomore album scheduled for release soon. Tory Lanez, who also recently released his debut album titled ‘I Told You’ is currently also enjoying major recognition around the world.

The track was presented by Dj Asap of Dallas K104FM and BET DJ of the year and produced

by Dr. Frabz. Production credits also go to J White and Gunwa as well for their fine tuning tactics.

•Bio Morihanfen Oluwaseun Oluwabamidele (born 15 December 1989), popularly known as Sean Tizzle, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He was formally signed to Sound Sultan’s record label, Naija Ninjas and currently has a record deal with Difference Entertainment. He started working with D’Tunes, a record producer who shot into limelight for producing Iyanya’s critically acclaimed song “Kukere”.

Sean Tizzle was born in 1989 into a family of five. He has three older siblings and one younger sibling. Although he was born in Lekki, Lagos, his family relocated to Ikorodu where he grew up. He is from a Christian home and atended the Command Secondary School, Ibadan, a boarding house. He later studied Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan.

He grew up in two major cities, (Lagos and Ibadan) in Nigeria. He started with a group called 3-Way Band. Initially, he was a rap artiste but he changed after his discovering how good his voice was for singing and the inspiration. According to him, he said he hustled his way out like every other upcoming artiste would before he got into the limelight.

He once slept in a gate-man’s house just to achieve some thing in his music career. He met his present boss, D’Tunes, in a studio in Ikorodu, Lagos as a friend who is the owner of the record label which brought him to stardom.

Sean Tizzle’s debut single ‘Sho Lee’ was released on February 22, 2013. The music video for “Sho Lee” was shot in lagos and directed by UNLIMITED L.A. under Difference Entertainment.

His debut album, The Journey was released in 2014 with good reviews and airplay. Sean Tizzle remains one of Nigeria’s best vocalists and song writers. He is set to release a second album soon.

Sean Tizzle involved in ‘Hit and Run’

Gospel artistes set to celebrate KSA at 70 As part of the activities to celebrate the 70th birthday ceremony of the king of world beats, King Sunny Ade, gospel artistes in the country have set the stage to celebrate with him in a mega concert.

The event that will be held at Civic Center, Ondo State, will have Evangelist Dr. Dunni Olanrewaju, Opelope Anointing, Tope Alabi, Bisi Alawiye Aluko, Akin Adebayo, Funmi Aragbaye, the current President of Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria, Esther Igbekele, Bola Are, Dare Melody

performing on the 21st of September, 2016.

Other artistes that will also be performing at the event include Pastor Adelakun Ayewa, Omije Oju mi, Senwele Jesu, Timi Orokoya Telemi, Foluke Awoleye, Yinka Ayefele, Ayan Jesu among others.

The event, initiated by Evangelist Dr. Dunni Olanrewaju, Opelope Anointing revealed that, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi will be the father of the day, while the event is scheduled to start at 12noon on the 21st and ends midnight 22nd

September.

According to Evangelist Dr Dunni Olanrewaju, the initiator of the event, ‘the idea of celebrating King Sunny Ade dropped into my heart the day I went for an interview in his radio station. It was a live programme and the need to celebrate him just dropped and I took it up from there immediately.

Thanks God for the responses of great men and women of God to the clarion call, it was amazing to me how people responded to the call.’

20 Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636 IG: @roy_ige twitter: @fridaytreat

Burna boy’s sister, Nissi, out with ‘Criminal’ London-based Nigerian musician and painter Nissi, who is also Burna Boy’s youngest sister, after dropping the politically charged single ‘Pay Attention’, is back with a brand new single titled ‘Criminal’ which is the second track from her forthcoming debut EP, ‘Downtown’, which is scheduled to be released in October.

New single ‘Criminal’, sees Nissi collaborating with producer, Cornel Sorian, once again, to deliver a rousing Jazz-tinged Funk/R and B offering, over which Nissi sings beautifully about “wanting to be a criminal tonight”, and the - sometimes reckless lengths we often go, for people and things that we are attracted to.

According to Nissi, the inspiration for ‘Criminal’ came from “having conversations with my friends, about how, even though they were in relationships, they have met other people they just had to talk to. Attraction is definitely one experience we have all gone through.

This song captures that feeling of wanting something or someone that can make you commit a little crime, just to get your way”.

Geniuzz kickstarts 9-city tour Effyzzie Music Group which houses Africa’s top diva Yemi Alade has added Nigerian rap- singer and songwriter Geniuzz to her roster.

Geniuzz was born Manji Zakka Deyin and raised in Jos, Plateau state of Nigeria, by parents Zakka and Rahila Deyin Deshi.

Manji started showing a genuine interest in music at a tender age by penning rhymes, songs, and poems not-forgetting joining his local church choir and performing within his neighborhood at locally organized shows.

After graduating from St. John’s College in Jos; Geniuzz started pursuing his music career even before college, recording and performing solo projects at several shows in and around Jos. During those years Geniuzz got a chance to work with more prominent artistes in Jos and gained more experience. Geniuzz’s music displays a wide variety of styles and influences that range from hip-hop, reggae, R&B and Afro-Pop. André 3000, will.I.am, Lauryn Jill, Wyclef jean and Buju Banton have greatly influenced his style of music. Manji’s unique sound, versatile and distinct rap-singing gave rise to the alias ‘The Geniuzz’ which he adopted as his stage name.

To announce him joining Effyzzie, the rising star’s team teased fans and music followers with hot new promo shots and a track titled ‘Blessed’; which is actually a cover of Big Sean’s hip-hop anthem ‘Blessings’.

To prove that he is not a flash in the pan, he followed up with other songs like ‘Kakaraka’ and recently also dropped two new releases, ‘Firewood’ and ‘Connect’. Geniuzz is currently on a media tour across nine cities namely Ibadan, Benin, Abuja, Kaduna, Benue, Enugu, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Lagos.

21

Friday, 16 September, 2016

fridaytreat

2016 Maltina teacher to emerge September 29

Stories by Rotimi Ige

I

t is confirmed that the American R and B singer Trey Songz is this year’s Coke Studio Africa international superstar! The Grammy-award winning recording artiste and actor is set to feature in the fourth season of Coca-Cola’s flagship African music show, launching this October.

He is expected to jet into Nairobi this September. Ahead of his anticipated participation in the show and collaboration with select African Stars, Trey Songz states, “I have always been committed to spending time on the continent of Africa yearly. My fans show me so much love when I’m there. I can’t wait to visit Kenya and partner with the Coca Cola company on this initiative. I am fortunate to be working with some of Africa’s biggest stars. I look forward to learning from them, making a lot of new friends as I discover what they have to offer.”

Coke Studio Africa is a non-competitive music show that brings together diverse African music talent for world-class showcases, while giving upcoming artistes the opportunity to work with some of the best local and international music and production talent.

Last year on Coke Studio Africa season 3, NE-YO performed alongside Maurice Kirya (Uganda), Wangechi (Kenya), Dama Do Bling (Mozambique), Ice Prince (Nigeria) and Alikiba (Tanzania).

On the new season themed Discover, guest star Trey Songz will record a song and live music performances with selected Coke Studio Africa season 4 artistes: Rema Namakula (Uganda), Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania), Neyma (Mozambique), Serge Beynaud (French West Africa), Lij Michael (Ethiopia), Stonebwoy (Ghana), Nyashinski (Kenya) and Emtee (South Africa).

The South African producer Maphorisa of the ‘Soweto Baby’ hit fame will produce music collaborations between Trey Songz and the African stars. He says, “I have had the opportunity to work with many great artists from all over the world and am very excited to be collaborating with such a talented artist. I believe that we will be making something truly special together and am happy that we are able to share our amazing African sounds with the world in this way.”

Madtraxx (Kenya), Bushingtone (Uganda), Masterkraft (Nigeria), Chopstix (Nigeria), France-based producer DSK (originally from Ivory Coast) and Maphorisa (South Africa) are among top African producers tasked to engineer music fusions from Coke Studio Africa 4 artistes this season. All the artistes will record, and perform alongside a highly talented house band.

Trey Songz to start in Coke Studio Africa Season 4

As the panel of judges for the 2016 Maltina Teacher of the Year, MTOTY firms up assessment of the entries, the finalists for the coveted prize will emerge on Thursday, September 29th, 2016.

The finalists, who will be chosen from the 33 candidates that have earlier emerged as champions of their respective states, will face the jury for a final interview. The 10 best entries will thereafter be invited for the grand finale where the panel will further subject the 10 finalists to rigorous scrutiny in order to determine who truly should be named the Maltina Teacher of the year.

The winner and the 2016 Maltina Teacher of the Year,MTOTY will be finally unveiled at a grand ceremony on Thursday, October 20th, 2016, in Lagos. As the deadline for the submission of entries closed on Friday, 22nd July,the panel of Judges met in Lagos on August 30thto deliberate on the assessment scheme for the initiative. The jury made up of distinguished professionals after their meeting agreed on the core assessment parameters The Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Kufre Ekanem explained that the project received hundreds of entries from across the states of the federation. However, the entries were shortlisted and validated to compete for the initiative’s coveted prize by the stringent project assessors who trimmed the entries down after a thorough and painstaking examination.

After scaling the project assessors’ hurdles, Ekanem informed that the valid entries would be subjected to further scrutiny and thorough assessment process by the Panel of Judges, charged with determining who emerges the Maltina Teacher of the Year.

Like last year, the Maltina Teacher of the Year 2016 will get one million naira instantly, plus one million naira every year for the next five years.

The package also includes a development training opportunity abroad and a block of classrooms to be built at the school where he/she teaches.

“It is our hope that through the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative, we can inspire this nation to accord our teachers their deserved credit and bring back respect to the teaching profession in Nigeria,” Ekanem averred The MTOTY initiative with prizes worth N50 million annually, is done on the platform of NB/ Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund. The Trust Fund was established in 1994 to contribute to the development of educational sector in the country. Over the years, the company has used the fund to assist over 20,000 students, built over 250 classrooms and 22 libraries in both primary and secondary schools across 49 communities in the country.

Jaysinthe brings his groove to fans Emerging London-based Nigerian singer, songwriter and producer Jaysinthe – real name Junior Ejimofor – is proud to make his debut, with the brand new single titled ‘My Groove’, featuring up and coming ‘Hip-Soul’ musician Kobi Mex. As the first signs of autumn begin to surface, Jaysinthe’s ‘My Groove’ is just the right track to lift listeners’ moods. The record is a gloriously smooth and

summery tune, with strong Pop and R&B sensibilities merged with Afrobeats influences and produced by Jaysinthe himself.

With the sheer talent and ability to deconstruct, rebuild and merge Pop, R&B and Afrobeats sounds, in ways that most music producers can’t, Jaysinthe has always had a calling for music. He began making songs at just 13-year olds, and had hand-built his first

music studio behind his parents’ house at the age of 19.

Just before he releases his debut EP later this year, the brand new offering ‘My Groove’ is the perfect introduction for Jaysinthe. Speaking about his inspiration behind the track, the Nigerian native says, “I made ‘My Groove’ to highlight my unique sounds. I believe I’m bringing something different to the table, and I hope listeners can hear that on this record”.

Bikiya Graham-Douglas to perform at Cape Town Fringe Fest 2016

Nigerian award winning actress, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, has been selected among Africa’s biggest and talented theatre actors to perform at the 2016 Cape Town Fringe Festival, which will take place from 22nd of September to 8th of October 2016.

‘Wait’ was written by Dipo Agboluaje, directed by Kenneth Uphopho and produced by Beeta Universal Arts Foundation.

This critically acclaimed piece first debuted at the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Africa Day Conference 2015 and also showcased at the British Council Lagos Theatre Festival 2016 to a rousing audience. It highlights the strength of the African woman as she challenges a system that forces her into early marriage and tries to deny her an education because she is a woman.

According to her, “I’m thrilled ‘Wait’ has been selected. Girls should be allowed to be girls, their innocence should not be stolen by forcing them into early marriage and every woman has a right to be educated. The message of ‘Wait’ is important and I’m honoured to lend my voice to the cause”. Bikiya stays true to her core of promoting Theatre Arts in Nigeria, and is becoming one of Nigeria’s sought after stage performers and actresses. She has successfully starred in and produced a number stage shows alongside starring in movies, such as ‘For Colored Girls’, Surulere, ‘Flower Girl’, ‘The Vagina Monologues’, ‘Iya-Ile’, ‘Lunch Time Heroes’,’Shuga’ and she can also be caught in the season 6 of ‘Jenifa’s Diaries’, amongst others.

She will once again be the power house that she is LIVE on stage at the Theatre Festival in South Africa representing Nigeria.

Beeta Universal Arts Foundation is being supported by Ford Foundation to participate at this important event on the Continent’s art calender.

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Friday, 16 Septem,ber, 2016

travelpulse&m.i.c.e

’Wale Olapade 08161235359 wale11g3@gmail.com Winner, NMMA, Tourism Reporter Of The Year, 2014

Ethiopian wins Reward Employer of Choice

Signs MoU with Addis Ababa University

Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines signing the MoU

Stories By ’Wale Olapade

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THIOPIAN Airlines has announced that it won two coveted awards in the first East Africa Careers in Africa Choice Awards, at a top tier event hosted by the Global Career Company, held recently in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ethiopian was nominated in three categories, out of the 10 presented and was crowned in two, the Reward Employer of

TOSIN, YTDO for walk4tourism on world Tourism Day THE Tourism Students Initiative Network (TOSIN) and Youth Tourism Development Organisation (YTDO) in collaboration with other tourism bodies will be organising a Walk4tourism across few states of the country, using Adire to promote tourism and culture in Nigeria.

According to the coordinating secretary of the group, Pascal, “The first walk for tourism was last held in September 1997 and this year, we are going to replicate it in some states in Nigeria to mark the 2016 edition of the World Tourism Day with the theme ‘Tourism for all, promoting universal accessibility.’

“We are replicating the walk4tourism this year, starting from Ikeja/Allen roundabout, with over 100 youth. The event will also feature cultural dances,” he said.

The endurance carnival walk which will end at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja is to sensitise the public on Nigerian tourism and cultural potential.

“This edition of walk4tourism will be done in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun,Osun and Bauchi States on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.”

Choice, as the leader in terms of compensation and benefits offered to employees and Local Attractiveness Employer of Choice, as the leading company in hiring majority of locally based talent.

In addition, Ethiopian Airlines took the runner-up award in the East African Employer of Choice.

The awards methodology takes company ratings provided by prospective employers across 29 attraction drivers, asking talent to grade organisations against all drivers.

A/VP Corporate HRM Ethio-

pian Airlines, Mr Wasihun Asres, remarked while receiving the award, “I am honored to receive these awards on behalf of the Ethiopian family.

“This regional award is a testament of Ethiopian’s commitment and great investment in its human capital, one of the four pillars in our strategic road map,Vision 2025.

“As clearly stipulated in our value statements, Ethiopian is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and fairness. Moreover, such recogni-

tions that are based on real votes and inputs from a wide variety of data points will definitely boost and encourage us all to further work on developing and investing in our human capital.

“As a global African airline that is growing fast, we are proud to be able to hire the majority of our staff from locally based talent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Addis Ababa University, to initiate strategic collaboration in the areas of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), at a ceremony held at Ethiopian Headquarters on Tuesday.

The MoU calls for, among other things, exploring and promoting cooperation between the two institutions with the view of conducting industrial projects and research and consulting on issues such as internet booking, big data analytics, customer data hub, distributed data storage, adaptive crew solution, intelligent warehouse.

Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, remarked that in today’s era of digital revolution and artificial intelligence, ICT plays pivotal role for the success of any organisation.

British Airways rewards Nigerian travel partners RECENTLY, British Airways rewarded some of their travel partners all over Nigeria for their loyal patronage with prizes ranging from iPad Air to business class tickets on British Airways to return tickets to London on their award winning Club world seats (Business Class).

From Lagos and Abuja, Ms Enitan Adekunle of Target Travels, Faith Ikpobi of GEM Trav-

els and Ms Hajju Kam Salem of Millenium Travels Abuja, all won a return ticket to London at the event, while Solomon Alo of HRN Travels, Mrs FUNMI Odumosu of Traveltron Ltd and Mrs Lara Dairo of Snowball Travels, were rewarded with iPad air at the events.

In his remarks at the travel consultant’s forum held at both Abuja and Lagos, British Air-

ways’ Regional Manager, West Africa, Kola Olayinka, said the relationship between his airline and agents remain solid as partners in business.

According to him, “without our partners, we cannot reach our highly valued customers who are located in every corner of Nigeria. Essentially, customers are the very essence of our being in business,” he said.

Faith Ikpobe, Managing Director, GEM Travels (left), receiving a prize from Ademola Adesanya, at the British Airways MD/CEO Trade Forum held in Lagos, recently.

10 countries, 26 speakers line up for Akwaaba 2016 THE 12th edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market (AfTM) slated to hold at the expo centre of Eko Hotel and Suites from October 30 to November 1, 2016, is set to deliver a bumper package to travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation and allied industry stakeholders.

The event which is also the foremost and only serious MICE platform for industry players is apt with the 2016 theme, which threw search light on the prevailing problem experienced at the aviation, travel and in extension tourism industry with local and foreign airline closing shop because of Nigeria’s staggering forex policy.

According to the release made available by the organiser of AfTM, Mr Ikechi Uko to Travelpulse&MICE, “the first day which is the opening will start with the traditional vinotourism event, where participants will be treated to wine testing of different brews and brands, while the evening will feature a fashion extravaganza tagged ECOWAS Fashion Show.

“Also the evening will host the top 100 travel and tourism companies to a Travellers Award night with a resounding performance by an African folk singing diva, Ire.” The day two and three, Uko explained would be an informative and educative session with over 25 industry professionals and players who will be speaking on viral of issues affecting the travel, tourism, aviation and allied industry and the possible ways to make the industry public and private sector driven and economically viable.

“For the state of aviation and why airlines fail, we will be having the likes of Captain Harold Demuren as speaker, while Captain Dapo Olumide, Captain Samuel Thompson, Captain Mike Onokaro, Chris Aligbe and Yomi Jones will be there as panelists, with Richard Aliu Aisuebeogun as the moderator.”

Others include Rick Taylor, Damian Cook, Bob Bamgboye, Madu Chikwendu, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe,, Charity Githinji, Olanma Alvanis Ojukwu, Danny Kioupouroglou, Ayo Olowoporoku and Bankole Bernard, among other professionals.

Apart from exhibitors and other loyal returnees to the travel market, the 12th edition is also welcoming new participating countries which include Bahrain, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda from Middle East, Southern Africa and East Africa respectively.

“This year Akwaaba will showcase different innovations alongside its normal three-day exhibition, presentation and cultural celebrations by participating countries and groups,” Uko added.

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Friday, 16 September, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

Wike

Oshiomhole

Okowa

Edo polls: Between Oshiomhole and his brother governors Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, last week dragged the governors of neighbouring Rivers and Delta states into the ongoing battle for the Edo Government House. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governors have not taken it lightly. Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, chronicles the strange find in the annals of political campaigns.

E

DO State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is a man with the gift of the garb. He had mesmerised the nation with that gift when he led the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) during the administration of a tough customer, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and that apparently shored up his acceptance by the Edo people when he signified his intention to run for governorship seat, despite what was seen as his limited experience on the political turf at the time.

Despite his propensity to speak often in the public, he has refrained from committing what is usually referred to as class suicide over the years. He has kept faith with his relationship with the labour unions and ensured cordial relationship with his fellow governors, irrespective of party affiliations. He has however attacked any other force in sight which he thinks could stand between him and entrenching his politics. For instance, he has called PDP leaders ‘unprintable’ names and, at a time, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of siding with the opposition ahead of the 2012 election, which he eventually won.

But Oshiomhole appeared to have enlarged the coast of the ‘victims’ of his oratorical prowess lately, as he broke the ranks on September 9 and hit his colleagues in the South-South hard. In his expose, the governor indicted his brother governors from Delta and Rivers states of attempting to sponsor violence in Edo by recruiting militants for the purpose of influencing the election now fixed for September 28.

Before now, Oshiomhole had spiritedly led the campaign of his All Progressives Congress (APC), candidate, Godwin Obaseki. He appears more like the challenger to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. No one however expected the governor to openly accuse his brothers in the South South: Governor’s Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Nyesom Wike of Rivers, of allegedly sponsoring violence in Edo without crosschecking any such intelligence report at his disposal.

Oshiomhole raised eyebrows when he claimed that some governors in the zone were importing about 8,000 militants to rig the September 28 governorship election in the state. Speaking while receiving the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, at the Government House last week, Oshiomhole said that the objective of the militant-sponsoring governors was to “make peaceful election impossible.”

He said: “In line with my tradition, I have always tried to speak out on any matter that I am worried about. I first raised this alarm on the eve of INEC Continuous Voter Registration exercise, an exercise that has been designed to register those who have become 18 between the last registration and the current one. But these criminals who are determined to perpetrate violence and deny us the beauty of a peaceful election, unable to find local participants have chosen to import these militants with the support of two or so of my brothers. When I say brothers, I mean brother governors. It does not matter if I disagree with them. They are my brothers.”

The declaration by the governor raises some basic ques-

“Ordinarily, we are weary of joining issues with, not just a next door neighbour governor, but also of a state which together with Delta, has shared such a long and enviable social, political and economic history.

tions about the workings of the Nigerian intelligence network and the operation of the State Security Committee, which regularly reviews domestic security. Many, who listened to the statement had indicated that it was a strange find in the sense that the governor, not being a member of the nation’s security and intelligence network, was the one informing the chief police officer of the country, whose business was to police the election, about the presence of thugs and alleged militants.

Again, the governor had decided to make the information public rather than a piece of intelligence which the police and the security agencies could process. The veracity of that would easily raise questions about the capability of the police and intelligence networks which could watch helplessly as some persons allegedly deploy some 8,000 militants to take over a state.

The IGP however attempted to restate the readiness of his men and officers, when he told the governor of the police’s commitment to holding a peaceful election. He said: “This governorship election, I think is the first, apart from the Rivers election, which has been postponed that we are going to carry out. So, we are very serious about this election. The men (policemen deployed in the state for the election) are going to report about three days to the election date and this will enable them to take care of most of the flash points in the state. We expect that on Election Day we are not going to record any problem.”

But politicians on both sides of the divide, the APC and the PDP, are sure not to take the message lightly. The PDP in Edo immediately picked up the allegation and turned it against the accuser. The state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, immediately retorted: “It is unfortunate that we have an outgoing governor of the state who has decided to state a lie just to achieve his political purpose.

We know very well that what the governor was telling the IG is not true.

“I find it disgusting that the governor could indict seContinues on pg 26

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politics&policy

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Why APC leaders are against Gov Abubakar —Tagga Honourable Yusuf Tagga, a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change in 2011, was among the major Bauchi APC major stakeholders and Leaders of Thought who dragged the governor before the President and APC national leadership over sundry allegations. He spoke to journalists in Abuja on some of the contending issues. .JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI was there. Excerpts:

Y

OU were one of some Bauchi APC leaders, who have leveled sundry allegations against the governor of your state, Mohammed Abubakar. You took the matter to the President and the leaders of the party. We want you to give us an insight into your case against the governor?

First of all, I will like to say it is really unfortunate, having all come from the same political party with Governor Abubakar; that is, myself, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, the three senators representing the state, the 12 members of the House of Representatives, the Minister for Education, all found ourselves in this situation. We had to speak up against the policies, or lack of them of Governor Abubakar; the divisive politics that he has been practising and the threat posed by his style of governance to our home state of Bauchi. This is why we find that we cannot just look the other way.

We can’t, as leaders and as stakeholders, as people and as indigenes, look the other way while our state is being destroyed by one individual and his praise singers.

Have you not made any effort to reach out to the governor before going public?

That is why we decided to come together and take these steps. It is not personal;;it is based on issues, it is based on several attempts that failed to make him see the light; to make him change his ways.

If that fails, the next thing you need to do is take the necessary steps preclude further danger to the state, and this is what we are doing. We all come from the APC. Some of us, like me, have been in the ANPP; we created the CPC together with President Muhammadu Buhari, before we merged with the other parties to form the APC and Governor Abubakar joined us after the merger, after we had already created the APC. Prior to that, he was a member of the PDP and before that, he was an INEC resident commissioner in Rivers State; a state that had

a laughable record during elections because the sort of results that were returned from successive elections during his tenure as INEC resident commissioner were the type you can only find in former communist states or may be Syria, during the regime of Hafiz Al-assad, where they will come close to returning a hundred and ten per cent for a particular party or a particular candidate.

It is scandalous. So, for somebody like that to come and take charge over a state like Bauchi and for all of us to even accept the flawed result of the primaries at the time simply because we wanted to win, we felt that it was not in the best interest of the state for PDP to continue. That is why we all decided to come together.

Are you saying that the primaries that produced the governor as candidate was flawed?

There was over-voting in the primaries, I could have easily petitioned; I chose not to at the time simply because I did not want to appear selfish. It wasn’t all about me; it wasn’t about my ambition or becoming governor, no! It was about bringing about constructive change in the state. And that is why I refused, in spite of all the pressures and overtures by supporters, by colleagues, by friends, to try and appeal and fight the results that declared him candidate. I did not do that. We all rolled our sleeves up; we went and campaigned for him. Down to the polling units, he won and the first thing he did was (to) perceive us to be a threat; to fight and to begin to systematically alienate all sections of the society in the state. Which governor have you seen today in Nigeria that does not get along with all his senators, all his members of the House of Representatives? Which governor and why? So, we have to look at the root cause of this.

The governor described your group as Abuja politicians, who are not in

own issues because then we started talking about how much exactly the transition committee spent. There were allegations that the transition committee collected N565 million for instance, from the outgoing governor, Isa Yuguda, before swearing in. Apart from that, you could see that there was a lot of uncertainty as to what the agenda of Governor Abubakar was going to be in Bauchi because there was none. None was specified. So, he didn’t appear to have any blueprint. It is difficult enough governing a state like Bauchi with an agenda, with a clear, succinct, policy programme, let alone coming in without a clue of what you want to do. And it is only after you assume the position that you start running around to find something to present as what you intend to achieve. This is precisely what transpired.

touch with the people at the grassroots?

It is not enough to just try and label people Abuja politicians because that is the song that the governor and his aides and praise singers have been singing. But, what defines an Abuja politician? Pray tell! Because if you are elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives or as senator or member of the House, where are you supposed to reside for most of the year? Are you not supposed to be serving in Abuja? So, is it not laughable for you to be labelled an Abuja politician?

And if you take somebody like me, I am not holding any public office. Yes, I used to be a legislator. But at the moment, I am not holding any public office. When Bauchi has been ruined, there are no opportunities, I am a businessman, do you expect me to go and just sit in Bauchi and simply watch the state ruined right before my eyes? So, there are no opportunities that have been created. If they want us to become Bauchi-based politicians, then the governor should make sure he puts the state in order. He creates opportunities because you can begin to say most educated people that are either in business or actually working in the federal civil service are not indigenes of the state. This is what they are working towards, when we know exactly who is not an indigent of the state.

In specific terms, what are those allegations that you have leveled against the governor?

The allegations are simple and straightforward and there is a saying in Hausa to the effect that you can tell a Friday that is going to be good from Wednesday. Things started going wrong immediately, even during the campaigning, we could tell that there were issues but I am not going to go on to that for now. We will save that for another day. Immediately after the elections, there was a transition committee that was constituted. That committee itself came up with its

Which governor have you seen today in Nigeria that does not get along with all his senators, all his members of the House of Representatives? Which governor and why? So, we have to look at the root cause of this.

Are there other allegations?

There is another road in Fadama Mada, which, coincidentally, is being built at a place where the governor’s second wife happens to have her home. So, he has a house there.

Now, what informed the choice of where to cite this project is something that requires clarity as well. Now, apart from that, you have to also bear in mind that Bauchi is one of the states in Nigeria that has domesticated the Pubic Procurement Act. There is a public procurement law that was passed many years ago by the state House of Assembly. I was chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, so I know exactly what public procurement entails and especially when a law has been passed. There are certain criteria; there are certain steps that you follow before you pass a contract, and I can confidently say there hasn’t been a single contract that has complied with that law because there are no adverts, no invitation to tender.

The only invitation we have had is most recently for SUBEB contracts and yet, he even has a special adviser for Due Process.

Apart from that, you have the issue of Bauchi debt profile itself. It is very important to establish how much Bauchi is owing because it gives room for venality, for corrupt practices, for shady deals, if you are not able to ascertain exactly how much you are owing. Anybody that runs a household knows that it is important to know how much exactly is being owed, otherwise, you are likely to get hoodwinked by people, let alone when you are running a state and awarding contracts. The governor claimed that Isa Yuguda left a debt of N125 billion, then the transition committee came and said he left a debt of N96 billion. Isa Yuguda himself claimed he left a debt of 86 billion. So, it is very important that for us to even establish that. Now, this administration in Bauchi has not been able to do that, which is quite dangerous. I don’t know why it should be so difficult to establish that.

Beyond all of these, you have the issue of the perception of the general public itself.

When he was campaigning in Bauchi, when we were all also campaigning for him and for the APC, they could see him; he was visible.

Everyone knows that Nigeria has an economic problem at the moment; there is a recession going on. There are challenges to pay salaries, not just in Bauchi State, but in other states, which is what the governor continues to echo.

But looking from the outside, one gets a picture of a gang up by the elite against the governor?

And what will be the reason for the gang up? Why would we gang against him? Why did we not gang up before to reject him?

This is the question you should be asking and he should be asking himself. It is easy enough to just play the victim and say there is a gang up against me but you have to look at the reasons. He has to examine himself to see what he is doing that is wrong and he has to also bear in mind that 12 members of the House of RepreContinues on pg25

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‘We won’t give up the fight until...’

Continued from pg24

sentatives, three senators, minister and some of us that are stakeholders that actually helped to build this party in Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole, are coming from different works of life and different constituencies. It is not likely that all of us will simply wake up one day and decide that we want to gang up against the governor. And even before this visit we made to the APC national secretariat, some of us, I wasn’t present, had actually invited him for a private meeting and had tried to appeal to him to change his ways, to be more conciliatory towards people in the state and to address certain issues. There were certain actions he was taking that was alienating him from not just us that you referred to as the elite, but also civil servants in the state that were not being paid their salaries, teachers, traditional rulers from ward level up, all of a sudden he decided he was going to dethrone and scrap. Mind you, it is not a good excuse to just say you are going to scrap because the state can no longer afford them because when you were campaigning and making promises you should have known that you are not going to do that. You should have done your home work. It is deceitful to lead people on because some people voted for them because they were comfortable that he was going to leave the traditional rulers of their place in place.

On top of that, he unilaterally sits down and decides that he is going to appoint local government caretaker chairmen.

In fact, as a litmus test, this was one of the requests of those who sat down with him, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives and some of the senators. They tabled that and he gave them, once against his word that he was not going to swear them in and he walked out of that place and the next morning, they were sworn in; people that were chosen without any consultation with the key stakeholders in the state. I don’t know if he consulted some of his yes men that are appointees of his but that is not good enough because he is the one that was appointed as the governor and even if he decides he doesn’t want to consult people like me because he doesn’t like my face, surely, if you are a smart politician, you will consult elected politicians from

your state. I know that the State House of Assembly member from my constituency was not consulted. I know that the House of Representatives members from the constituency were not consulted; I know that the Senator from my constituency was not consulted. So, tell me, who did he sit down with to come up with this decision, and especially when he was standing on very weak grounds? He was not even a part of this party, he just came in at the last minute, so he is not somebody that had familiarised himself with the people, with those that have been toiling and suffering under the yoke of the same PDP that you are serving. You come and you turn against the people.

level, at the local government level and at the state executive level. So, I can confidently say that I am very familiar with those who are members of the APC in Bauchi and majority of the membership came from my party, the CPC, that went into the merger. Clearly, the governor is empowering the opposition. We don’t know what his plans are and we don’t know whether he is looking to bid us goodbye or whether it is because he came from the PDP; he only knows PDP people. If the problem is a matter of introduction and making the acquaintance of the actual members of the APC, he can engage us; we can introduce him to the members so he gets to know them and from then on, start to interact with them.

There was this allegation that most of the caretaker chairmen appointed were mostly members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

How true is that?

It is very true. Most of them are PDP members.

What would be your final word for the governor?

Governor Abubakar has to bear in mind that Bauchi is actually historically the epicentre of opposition in Nigeria. Going back to the colonial era, when you had the Bauchi discussion circle with the likes of the late Saad Zunguru, the late Aminu Kano, who was also a teacher in Bauchi Middle School, the late Prime minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, and so, the people of Bauchi actually became politically conscious earlier than other parts of Nigeria, and particularly, Northern Nigeria. History has show that when you start making mistakes as a leader in Bauchi, people give you the benefit of doubt.

But there is a certain threshold that you reach and people turn against you and the moment they do that, there is no going back and Sara Suka is not going to help you. Hiring thugs to protect you and follow you everywhere with buses is not going to work. Sending police working under you to go and kidnap people or abduct them is not going to work. Trying to shut up people from talking either by cracking down on media and all sorts of authoritarian tactics do not work in Bauchi. The only thing that works in Bauchi is for you to go back to the people that voted you in, apologize to them and make sure you start working positively for the development of Bauchi for people to see that you are working. This is a period of austerity. It is not a period of flamboyance, for ostentation. It is a period that, if you decide you want to occupy an elective position, you have to be austere; you have to be ascetic, you have to project that image and there is no free money in government anymore.

So, you mean most of them are not card-carrying members of the APC? We do not know when they went to carry the cards of the APC because I can tell you that when this party was formed, we were the ones that distributed the cameras that were used to take the pictures to register people to become members of the party. We were the ones that campaigned together with the candidates that contested for positions at the wards

The visit we made to the APC national secretariat, some of us. I had actually invited him for a private meeting and had tried to appeal to him to change his ways

An election tribunal verdict and deputy gov’s office

By Shehu Azimazi THE Kogi State Election appeal recently handed down a verdict in the suit brought by Mr James Faleke, the running mate of the late Alhaji Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates who had together polled the majority of lawful votes cast in the November 21, 2015 gubernatorial Election. It is the case of Faleke that the Independent Electoral Commission was wrong in declaring the said election inconclusive and that he being the running mate, ought to be declared winner of the election or be the candidate to substitute his principal, Audu in the said election having been the running mate of the deceased winner and having a joint ticket with Audu. The Court of Appeal refused his appeal and with due respect, it seems that the Appellate Court’s decision contravenes the spirit of the 1999 Constitution.

The Tribunal ruled and Court of Appeal affirmed that INEC was right in declaring the election inconclusive and that the party has the power to substitute Audu with anybody whatsoever and that it was not automatic that Mr Faleke replaces his principal in the circumstance. However, legal minds have posited with due respect that the decision of the Court of Appeal seems to lack any founding in the Constitution.

Jurist believe that the verdict of the Court renders the office of the deputy governor (Vice President) or running mate impotent and useless in Nigeria, a development that is not in tandem with the spirit of the Constitution and which is at variance with the intendment of the drafters of the Constitution. With due respect, the line of thinking of the Court, has the tendency to increase political party tyranny and ridicule the office of the deputy Chief Executives in Nigeria. A meticulous look at the Constitution shows that the Vice President or the deputy governor are able assistants of their respective principal, both have a joint ticket and if anything befalls the pacesetter, his partner should replace him.

One will recall that following the death of Audu, APC attempted to replace/substitute him with Alhaji Yahaya Bello who had come second in the primary election that led to the nomination of the deceased candidate. The party attempted to superimpose Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Mr James Faleke, but Falake refused claiming that going by the spirits of the Constitution, he had a joint ticket with his principal and he automatically should step into the shoes of his master, since

the November 21, 2015 election had satisfied the provisions of Section 179 (2) of the constitution. However, the party claimed that Bello participated in the primary and Faleke did not, as a result, only Bello should be allowed to grab the mandate he did not work for.

One question that arise here is, where is it written or where can it be reasonably inferred from the Constitution that the candidate for Vice President or deputy Governor ought to participate in primary election before he can be nominated for the position? Going by the Provisions of Section 187(1) Constitution, nomination of running mate is the duty of the candidate, who polled the highest at the party nomination exercise-party primary election. Audu participated in the gubernatorial primary election of APC in Kogi State alongside Bello and he won the majority of votes cast in the primary election.

Upon his victory, he gained the party’s nomination for the position of governor and nominated his deputy in line with Section 187(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Therefore, there is no legal basis to assert that Faleke ought to participate in primary election before he can be a running mate or inherit the votes of his principal. Therefore, it is our position that

the ambulatory or testamentary desire of Late Audu was for Faleke to step into his shoes should he be unable to discharge his duty as governor or standard bearer of the party for the said election. One issue that was well established in the Kogi gubernatorial Appeal is that the governorship candidate and his running mate have a joint ticket. This implies that if anything happens to the principal candidate (governorship candidate), his running mate would be allowed to conclude the race in his stead.

When the running mate (who has now succeeded his principal) now succeeds, he will now pick a running mate in consonance with the 1999 Constitution. The principle of joint ticket, joint comradeship, political matrimony, executive pis encapsulated in the Constitution and ought to easily and effortlessly be applied to the Audu/Falake situation. This principle can be seen in the Constitution in at least three (3) instances. The Instances are : (1) Death of President/ Governor before taking oath of Allegiance and Oath of office Sections 136 and 181 CFRN 1999(2) Removal of President or Governor by Parliament whilst in office provided for in sections 143 and 188 of the Constitution ,(3) Resignation or permanent incapacity of Governor.

The spirit of the Constitution is that the governor and the deputy are in a holy political matrimony; the governor being the groom, gets nomination as the party’s flag bearer after a keenly contested primary, appoints, nominates or marries his bride, the deputy governor who they now partner to stir the ship of leadership in the State. Just like in any family, the Father is the head, whilst the wife compliments him and acts in his stead in his absence. Until there is a divorce, they both stir the affairs of the state. This with due respect, is the intendment of the ground norm and it can be seen in the provisions highlighted hereunder.

Assuming that the election was indeed inconclusive, making the conduct of a supplementary election mandatory, there is no reason why Falake should not be the standard bearer or be allowed to continue the election process. Supplementary election is not a fresh election requiring a fresh nomination, supplementary election is a continuum of the original election, no need to substitute candidates, going by the spirit of 181 and 191 CFRN 1999, In fact, the issue of nomination of candidate for a general election does not arise.

Azimazi, writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.

26 politics&policy

Friday, 16 September, 2016

T

HE Eid-el-Kabir holiday turned out to be a time of lamentation for President Muhamamadu Buhari. He had gone to his hometown, Daura in Katsina State to observe it, perhaps to escape the distractions which distressing economic fundamentals have become to him in Abuja. Alas, there was no peaceful getaway from the problems.

The country is deep in recession; people are hungry; in many cases, angry as inflation has spiralled out of control. Workers have been thrown out of jobs and many of those who have managed to retain theirs, struggle with irregular salaries. Things are tough. The President knows it as he is wont to confess.

This past holiday though, he absolved his administration from blame as he has done so many times in the past. He said in his Sallah message to Nigerians that the recession is the outcome of the worldwide economic downturn and failure of the past administration which according to him, failed to plan and save for difficult times. The 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must necessarily take the blame because it left his administration with nothing to run the country, he suggested.

Buhari also alleged that governments of the former ruling party achieved nothing in terms of infrastructural development in all its years in power. ‘‘I want Nigerians to realise that what this government inherited after 16 years of the PDP government was no savings, no infrastructure, no power, no rail, no road and no security,” he lamented in a chat with newsmen at his private residence in Daura after observing the Eid prayers.

The President’s cries came after what appeared to be a lull in the administration’s blame game and at a time many Nigerians are of the belief that after 15 months in office, the Federal Government should be preoccupied with the efforts it is making to revive the economy rather than be saddled with what might have been in administrations long gone. Nigerians are aware that those administrations fell below par. But Buhari came,

inside

aso rock WITH LEON USIGBE

08078891838 leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.uk

President Buhari’s lamentations s offered his superior services and was given the job.

The least they expect now is for him to offer excuses at every turn because of the daunting challenges he faces.

There is a sense that given these odds stacked against it, government has decided to return to the path of lamentation. The President himself, gave reason it should be so. “It is impossible to separate the present from the past to appreciate the extent to which mistakes of the past are affecting everyday life today.”

But days before Sallah, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, was the one who signalled that the era of lamentation and blame game was not about to go away. In a widely circulated newspaper article titled: “What is President Buhari doing with the Economy,” he explained why Buhari must keep looking at the past.

“Let me start by asking an important question: who wants to kill racy introspection? There is a cacophony of voices telling the Muhammadu Buhari administration to close its eyes to the past; that given the enormous tasks that lie ahead, history and its consequences for our nation should be the least of the government’s preoccupation at this juncture. I disagree. Let us keep a fiery memory of the past so that we don’t repeat its mistakes. Look back, look ahead. The future must of necessity be built on the foundations of the past.”

I will be surprised if in the days and weeks to come, other government functionaries and defenders of government do not key into this message. But critics think the solution to Nigeria’s economic woes rests in assembling a competent management team.

08078891838 WITH LEON has harped The President too much leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.uk on the lack of savings from the previous governments. I believe that he has pursued this line of argument either because he has not been availed with accurate facts or it is a sign of increasing frustration over the turn of events.

The immediate past government in particular realised that only the culture of saving for the future could help preserve the country’s commonwealth and ensure sustained prosperity and growth and consequently inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, (NSIA) with a $1billion seed money.

State governors, who are the ones unable to pay workers salaries today, rejected it. Despite appeals by then President Goodluck Jonathan for them to eschew opposition to the idea and work to realise the NSIA objectives, they headed to the Supreme Court to challenge its constitutionality.

Who knows? The situation might have been different today if the governors had embraced NSIA and the President would have been spared of constant lamentations.

aso rock

The brothers at war Continued from pg 23

curity agencies in the manner he has just done. I mean it is a serious indictment on the security agencies to say that 8,000 militants could quietly walk into Edo from Port Harcourt and Delta State without being detected.

“What the governor is saying is not true.

He has gone further to accuse governors of Rivers and Delta states of providing N2 billion donation. He is talking as if he is talking to a gathering of illiterates.

“N2 billion is not N2 million nor N20, 000. Nobody can carry N2 billion in a briefcase. The only way to do that is through electronic transfer. As far as I know, our accounts are there for everyone to see. We have not received any contribution of even N2 million from any governor. I challenge him to show evidence of his claims because each time I accuse him of fraud, I always come out with government vouchers signed by him to substantiate whatever I said.”

Rivers State governor, Wike, and his Delta state counterpart, Okowa, angrily reacted to the Oshiomhole allegations, restating their innocence of the charges. Wike, in a statement, denied ever sending about N2 billion to Edo for the purpose of influencing the election or recruiting militants to disrupt the polls. The Rivers governor declared that Oshiomhole must have made the allegation “out of panic over the rejection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state,” adding it was untrue that he and Senator Okowa mobilised militants to the state.

The governor stated that the allegations were shocking to him, especially as he met and embraced the Edo governor at the Benin Airport on the day the PDP had its governorship campaign in the state. He said: “Oshiomhole even

Ize-Iyamu, PDP candidate

Obaseki, APC candidate

cornered me and said ‘don’t mind these people, they don’t know that we meet and talk. If Oshiomhole has lost the confidence of his people, he should not blame me. He brought the president and 10 APC governors and he was not satisfied. Only because two PDP governors visited Edo State, Oshiomhole is panicking.”

The statement further read: “This was the same man who praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for promoting free and fair election, one man, one vote which saw Oshiomhole win a second term.Anywhere Oshiomhole goes, he insults the former president. When President Buhari leaves office, Oshiomole will do the same to him.”

Also reacting, Okowa, in a statement

by his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, said Oshiomhole’s allegation was reckless, childish and unfounded, insisting that the governor of Delta does not own or sponsor militants or thugs. He said: “We reject this accusation as alarmist in conception, reckless in delivery, puerile in content and false in facts, and so fit only for kindergarten’s tales by moonlight.”

Okowa recalled that Oshiomhole had raised a similar alarm in 2012, when he accused INEC of trying to rig the election against him only for the allegation to turn out a hoax. Okowa said: “It turned out to be a hoax, as he won his reelection bid. He was to later childishly explain his gaffe as just being proactive.

“Ordinarily, we are weary of joining is-

sues with, not just a next door neighbour governor, but also of a state which together with Delta, has shared such a long and enviable social, political and economic history from the old days Mid-West Region to that of the now defunct Bendel State.

“Oshiomhole is known for making wide, unsubstantiated and curious allegations and this is something of a trademark peculiar to him. If a man is gifted with the power of oratory, he must be careful to avoid a descent into suffering from diarrhoea of the mouth.

“It beats one hollow that Oshiomhole would, in his wide imagination, come up with such a curious allegation that a state in this country will just dole out N1 billion Naira in cash and to imagine the other logistics of embarking on ‘exporting militants’ to another state.

“Much as Governor Okowa, as a faithful party member, will support the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he certainly has better things to channel N1 billion into. And just for the record, Governor Okowa does not owe salaries. We wish to warn that the good people of Edo and Delta have come a very long way. Oshiomhole should not in the name of politics sow a seed of discord, suspicion and bitterness in their minds before leaving office. “He now has 18 more days to work for his candidate and party, we advise he faces it squarely and stop this impolitic of mudslinging and campaign of calumny.”

While the information released by Oshiomhole is for the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate and ascertain the truth, the fact however remains that the governor has opened a gulf between his state and the South-South neighbours, a measure of which could define the relationships going forward.

27

Friday, 16 September, 2016

hers

W

hat other things do you aside from politics?

I am a poultry and cassava farmer. I have a gift and a wholesale drink shop. I make gifts that suit customers’ purpose. At my gift shop, you don’t have to buy ready made gifts. If you tell me the type of event you want to attend, I can always put something together that will be suitable for that event.

How did you get into farming?

It wasn’t that I love farming but when Engineer Segun Oni was governor of Ekiti State, he introduced school feeding and said his administration would give a child one egg per day, I felt there would be more demands for eggs in Ekiti State, so I quickly developed one of my lands in Ekiti and put a penthouse and stocked it with lots of lifestock for egg production, that was how I got into farming. Also, I decided to plant cassava in my compound so that I won’t have to spend money on labourers to clear the compound every time.

What were the challenges you faced when you went into farming?

The major challenge was getting people to work on the farm because farming is not something one can do alone. Most young people don’t want to work anymore, they prefer to beg. So getting dedicated staff was a challenge. Another challenge that it is time consuming. When I was into it fully, it was difficult for me to do other things.

When I wanted to start campaigning for this position, I had to stop it for a while but now that I have stabilised I have put it back together again.

With the economic situation of the country now, would you advise more women to go into farming?

I think farming is the only solution to our problem now. When you can feed yourself and your immediate family, the problem is half solved. The way things are going now, we all need to sit down and think of what to do to survive the economic hardship.

Farming is the only solution because you don’t need much to start, by the time you plant two or three seeds of maize, when you want to harvest, you won’t be able to count what you will get, so, aside from being able to feed yourself and still have some to sell. I think every woman should have a farm now, even if it is a small one at our backyard. We should be able to plant the things we need on a daily basis like tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, fruits and so on. There was a time a basket of tomatoes was sold for N80, 000. If you had it in your garden at that time, you won’t give yourself headache on how to get money to buy it. Also, you can buy three or four birds like chicken and turkey and start rearing them. When you do, during festivals you can take one chicken and pluck some pepper and cook them for your family, they will be well fed. So, I think it is one of the good businesses we can do though it is a bit strenuous. If you are not lazy, you will be able to cope.

What motivated you to go into politics?

I didn’t know what politics was all about when I got into it. I came into politics through my gift business and printing work.

It was some of the samples I did that somebody took to the governor of Ekiti State, Dr Peter Ayodele Fayose. He saw the samples of the wall clock and towel I did for Ogunlewe in Lagos then and was thrilled by the designs and asked to see me.

When I got to him, he said: “Young girl, are you sure you were the one that did all these?” And I said yes. He then asked me if I could train some young people in Ekiti and I said yes. He also asked me to do some souvenirs for his campaign which I did. From there, he started giving me jobs. Each time I went to Ekiti and he was busy, he would ask me to attend to some people instead of sitting down and asked them what they want from him. When I give him the feedback, he will tell me how to respond to them. From there I started learning how to interact with people. He won the election and I was made the supervisor for health in 2003. It was when I was a supervisor that I developed interest in politics and decided to contest for an elective position. I contested for the House of Assembly, I lost the

Why women

should go into farming —Hon Folasad

e Akinrinmola, only female LG boss in Ekit i

Honourable Folasade Fapa rusi Government Area of Ekiti St Akinrinmola, the Chairman of Gbonyin Local ate, is the only female out of the fifteen local government chairmen in the state. In this interview wi th TA ourable who has a Diplom a in Marketing from Federa YO GESINDE, the Honl University of Technology Akure (FUTA) and a Bachel , or of Science degree in Bu siness Administration from Ekiti State University, who is al need for women to particip so a business woman and farmer speaks on the ate in politics, among othe r issues. party’s ticket because the party decided to give the ticket to a man. It was then I decided to buckle up to try another time. I contested again this year for the local government chairmanship position and by the grace of God and the support of the governor, I won.

believe any woman who can carry a child for nine months, who can keep her family together is not a pushover. I believe the woman do most of the things that make a home and a nation. So, there is no intimidation, I didn’t get this position on a silver platter. I worked hard for it, even more than the men did. I campaigned and did everything I needed to do so that people can know that I am serious. So, I got here How has the journey been so far? through hard work, the help of God, the support of my governor, my It has been so challenging because people don’t want a party and my people. change or because people want things done the old way they have been doing it but they want a new result. It is not posHow have you been combining your political career with sible to do things the old way and want different result. It is the home front?

It is very challenging. The only thing I see in it is that before you can go into politics fully, the children must be grown up. My last baby is off with her Master’s degree at the University of Ibadan. I We still have a long way to go because rounding know it will be more challenging for a nursing mother. By the time not many women want to face you have children in the university, you and your spouse ought to understood one another. So it is better off and stress-free when challenges. One cannot fail in life until have the children are grown up so I have little or no challenges to cope with.

personally you believed you have failed. So it is only what you permit that can happen to you.

also challenging because people are not dedicated and they believe government’s job should be done with levity. Also, it is challenging because they feel women don’t have anything upstairs. But I want to tell you that in Ekiti today, the records are there. Our people can testify to the little we have done in our local government. Being a local government chairman is a good office that women need to occupy because when you are there, you are closer to the grassroots especially mothers and you are able to see what their pains are as well as the other side of life. If you are a senator or governor, you won’t be able to see what the people are going through. Being a local government chairman is challenging but with God, we are getting there.

Do you feel intimidated being the only female local government chairman?

I don’t see myself as a female because the position is not meant for the gender. It has to do with what you have to bring to the table. When we are together and I want to talk, they give me audience. Being a woman doesn’t make me feel inferior. I

What do you think can be done so that we can have more women in elective positions in 2019?

We have to be determined and have a personal conviction that we need more women in politics, which is the starting point. Also when we get into politics, we should be able to comport ourselves. Aside that, we should be skilful; we should have a means of income before going into politics. We should try to upgrade ourselves and not see ourselves as object of pity, men and women were born same way. We should not expect things to be handed to us on a silver platter because we are women rather, we should work hard for what we want. We still have a long way to go because not many women want to face challenges. One cannot fail in life until personally you believed you have failed. So it is only what you permit that can happen to you.

Women at the helms of affairs are said to be difficult to work with. What do you have to say about that?

It is because women are straight forward, down-to-earth and officious. We don’t compromise and because seventy per cent of women don’t like scandal, so we always want to do things right. It is very difficult for a woman to hang out and use her money to buy drinks. A woman wants to put resources together to do things and because we have a lot of men working for us, they don’t see things the way we see it. Personally, as a chairman, if I see N50, 000, there are lots of things I can use it to do within the local government that can be of more advantage than buying drinks. It is difficult for a woman to compromise.

28

features

Friday, 16 September, 2016

Lawmaker distributes empowerment items, commissions N36m ICT centres NO fewer than 2,370 people of Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency in Oyo State have benefited from the empowerment programme organised by the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Michael Akintola, who also commissioned two ICT centres worth about N36million in each council areas, that make up the constituency.

At the event which was held at the IDC Primary School premises, New Gbagi, Ibadan, the lawmaker said the gesture was in fulfilment of his campaign promises, adding that

training at the ICT centres would be free-of-charge.

He, however, assured the people of more dividends of democracy alongside peopleoriented programmes.

Materials distributed at the empowerment programme were motorcycles, hair dryers, grinding machines, sewing machines, generating sets, clippers, standing fans, deep freezers, farm implements among others.

Party chieftains who graced the event included the state secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mojid Olaoya; Dr Kola Balogun; Alhaji Omilabu Gandhi; the chairman, caretaker committee of Egbeda LGA, Mr Ademola Adewuyi; Alhaji Ismail Oyetunde and Alhaji Taofeek Olayiwola.

Honourable Akintola (middle) congratulating one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Habibat Adegoke.

Some other materials that were distributed at the empowerment programme.

Honourable Akintola congratulating another beneficiary, Ibrahim Mohammed.

From right, former caretaker chairman of Ona-Ara LGA, Alhaji Ismail Oyetunde; APC chairman in Ona-Ara LGA, Alhaji Yisau Taiwo; State Secretary of APC, Alhaji Mojeed Olaoya; Dr Kola Balogun, Honourable Michael Akintola; Alhaji Taofeek Olayiwola; Mr Omilabu Gandhi at the commissioning of the ICT centre, at Elekuro High School, Ogbere in Ona-Ara LGA, Ibadan. PHOTOS: TUNDE ADEGBOLA.

By Tunde Adegbola

Our immediate environment remains our constraint —CMD, LTH

By Paul Omorogbe

L

AUTECH Teaching Hospital (LTH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State was established in 2011. Since then, the hospital has faced not a few challenges as part of its development process. Today, the management of the hospital is proud to say it has not only weathered the storms, but has begun making impact in the medical sphere especially within its geographical domain of the South-West.

LTH provides access to advanced medical care for distant areas outside the state capital. The hospital has also served patients from neighboring states of Osun and Kwara.

Regarding the core function of training, LTH has trained medical laboratory scientists, nurses, and doctors and pharmacists. “Our trainings have been certified by the West African College of Surgeons and West African College of Physicians. The hospital has also produced award winning post-graduate students in medicine,” Acting Chief Medical Director and Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Ademola Aremu, said recently during a media tour of the hospital.

He announced that LTH successfully carried out a ground breaking surgical procedure in the treatment of a gall bladder infection in a 14-year-old boy.

Dr Ademola, speaking with media men in his office, said the procedure known as laparoscopic cholecystectomy was such that only a pin-hole perforation was done instead of a large incision in the body as has been traditionally done in medicine for the surgical removal of a gall bladder infection. The procedure, he disclosed was unparalleled in any teaching hospital in the South West.

Conducting journalists around the hospital were Consultant Orthopaedic and former Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Olawale Olakulehin and Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Michael Onigbinde. The team visited a gas plant by which the teaching hospital has become self-sufficient in production of surgical gases.

At the radiology department, Consultant Radiologist, Dr T.O. Ajade showed the team the department’s computerised tomography machine. “It has 64 slides that provide greater and more accurate details when organs of the body such as the brain, blood vessels, and bones are

Dr Olawale Olakulehin (right), explaining the use of the minimal invasive surgery machine.

being examined. There is only one other machine like this in the entire nation. Our mammography machine is also about the latest,” Dr Ajade stated.

At the dialysis unit, Professor of Medicine and Nephrology, Professor Olugbenga Ayodele, explained that LTH had a good number of dialysis machines for the effective treatment of kidney problems. The unit has in 20 days carried out about 34 sessions of kidney dialysis, Professor Ayodele added.

According to Dr Onigbinde, proper infant care is not complete without special care baby units. In LTH, the special baby care unit “has successfully nursed a baby weighing 0.7kg,” Dr Onigbinde said as he pointed out the feats done in the hospital’s pediatrics department which is fully equipped to cater for premature births and complications that could arise during and after child delivery, including cleft-lip surgeries.

Amenities which LTH enjoys includes a dedicated power line from the national grid station in Kwara, supported by two 1,100 KVA generators, and a biological waste incinerator. The hospital was built with a dam with the potential of supplying not only the hospital, but the entire host community with potable water. However, funds have hindered this from happening as the dam is not yet completed. A 198-body capacity morgue exists, complete with autopsy and dressing rooms.

In addition, the hospital provides accommodation for house officers and doctors.

The acting CMD commended the Oyo State government for its support in the running of the hospital. He added that the hospital could achieve more with greater support from the government in order to maintain equipment and take care of staff welfare.

“Being surrounded by rural and agrarian communities, there is a limit to what we can charge. If our charges are high, people will take their sick ones home to die.

“We appreciate the support of the state governor and the people of Ogbomoso. We will continue to require their support to fulfill our responsibilities and maintain the equipment we have here,” he said.

29

features

Friday, 16 September, 2016 Cross section of the public and FRSC officials during the sensitisation campaign.

October 1 deadline for speed limiters:

FRSC takes sensitisation campaign round Nigeria

By Oluwatoyin Malik

O

ctober 1 is Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary. But aside the celebration of the nation’s freedom from colonial rule, a significant step that is aimed at reducing carnages on Nigerian roads is being taken by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) through the implementation of the installation of speed limiter device. The day has been slated for the start of enforcement of the use of the device by road users.

This was emphasised by the Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Friday, September 9 in Ibadan, Oyo State at the premises of the state command at Eleiyele, Ibadan, during a stakeholders’ meeting and sensitisation campaign on speed limiters for vehicles and the kick-off date. Present at the meeting were different organisations involved in transport business.

According to the Corps Marshall, who was represented by the Corps Legal Adviser Legal, Barrister Wole Olaniran, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, particularly chose October 1, which is the Independence Day in Nigeria as appropriate for its kick-off to indicate independence from fatal and serious road traffic crashes.

In his address at the event, the Corps Marshall appreciated the support that the stakeholders had been giving FRSC and the programmes it had been introducing in the course of implementing its mandate to make the roads safer.

Boboye said that though all were aware of the state of roads in Nigeria and government’s efforts towards rehabilitating them, the people still needed assistance to move on the road more safely to their destinations. This, he added, prompted the idea of speed limiters, in view of the former approach such as the use of speed cameras or speed radar guns which was merely reactive, as the motorists would have over-sped.

The Corps Marshall said that the introduction of installation of speed limiter de-

vice in all vehicles plying Nigerian roads was decided to prevent deadly crashes.

On the reason behind the decision, he disclosed that the Departments of Research and Corps Safety Engineering had been analysing the trend of RTC for the past few years, the outcome of which was the recurring factor of over-speeding by motorists. It does not only lead to crashes but aggravates the impact when there is one, which leads to fatalities and serious injuries to the people.

“As a result, the FRSC had to hold meetings with other relevant agencies and stakeholders, including the transport unions, The NSE, SON, professional bodies, the National Automobile Design and Development Council to address the incidences of fatal crashes occasioned by over-speeding,” Boboye added..

He recalled that the implementation was to take effect in April 2015 but the National Assembly asked the FRSC to come and justify the implementation at that particular time. When the obstacle was crossed, he said that a civil society organisation also came up with a suit which was also handled by the court, with the FRSC given the go-ahead.

Boboye emphasised the need for stakeholders to support the policy, which is meant to save Nigerians, saying: “With the speed limiter, there is no way you can exceed the calibrated speed on the vehicle, no matter how hard you press the accelerator. This means that we are going to cut over-speed and fatal crashes will be drastically reduced. This in turn makes the roads safer for all and improves life standard.”

He urged the operators of inter-state and inter-city transports, the first categories to kick-start the implementation, to make sure that they install the speed limiter in their vehicles before October 1.

He also reminded them that they should note the ember months and be more careful and safety-conscious while using the roads.

Speaking on tyres, he said many have died in road traffic crashes because of expired, over-inflated or under-inflated tyres. The Corps Marshall enjoined ve-

hicle owners to avoid buying Tokunbo tyres because many of them had usually expired before they were brought in. He assured that the FRSC would build the capacity of vulcanisers by organising training for the, thereby educating them on technical ways of handling tyres.

In his welcome address, the sector commander, Mr Salami Yusuff said that the sensitisation meeting is part of the final lap of the campaign on speed limiters. He said that the Corps Marshall sent principal officers from the FRSC headquarters to go to various geo-political zones in Nigeria. Yusuff said this was to further create awareness so that people would make sure that they comply with the regulation before the enforcement date.

At an earlier sensitisation meeting held on August 30, the Oyo State head of operations, Mr Olusegun Martins, in his presentation, listed three causes of road traffic crashes as human, mechanical and environment. Out of the three, he said that the human cause is the most critical factor of the causes and takes about 90 percent.

“This is because the activities of man in controlling locomotives and vehicles serve as a very important factor and through their acts, whether by omission or commission, has increased the rate of fatalities through impatience, drug abuse, stress, over-speeding, road accident im-

The introduction of installation of speed limiter device in all vehicles plying Nigerian roads was decided to prevent deadly crashes.

munity delusion, dangerous overtaking.

All these factors cause a lot of fatalities, so we thought that if you cannot control man, you control the vehicle being used by man; and that takes us to speed limiters,” he stated further.

Enlightening the stakeholders, the Head of Operations said: “In Nigeria, the maximum speed is 100 km per hour, which is 28 metres per second. And if you look at the width of our roads, with a little slip or problem like a tyre burst, you will veer off the road at a distance of about 14 or 16 metres in a second on a road that is 12 metres wide. If speed does not cause road traffic crashes, it makes it more fatal.

“That is why we stress on speed. If man cannot control his speed, then there must be a device to do that, hence the introduction of speed limiter. By FRSC acts, part of our functions and objectives is to ensure regulation and monitoring of speed of vehicles on Nigerian roads.

“FRSC Act Section 10, subsection 3N. If you also look at national road traffic regulation section 152, subsection 4-6, it empowers FRSC to determine, regulate and control the speed of all motor vehicles on our roads. This is the essence of coming out with speed limiter.

“It is also called speed governor as it controls the speed of a vehicle when it is programmed. The programming depends on the density of the place, the type of road, housing density etc. It is the experts who will do the fixing; we are just enforcers to ensure that speed is reduced,” he said.

He listed the advantages of speed limiters to include reduced finances in terms of reduction in fuel consumption and cost of vehicle maintenance, reduction in fatalities on the road and second hand value the vehicle would have whenever the owner wants to dispose of it.

One of the vendors, Mrs Omolola Lamidi, who is the Managing Director of Ominet Technologies, said that the device is of different categories, with those that have other functions aside speed limiting, adding that the price would be determined by the type chosen by vehicle owners.

Mrs Lamidi who addressed the stakeholders pointed out that the exchange rate of dollar to naira had affected importation cost but assured that the companies would try its best to make the prices affordable, saying that those who buy in large volume, especially fleet operators, would be given discount.

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Friday, 16 September, 2016

We must restructure Nigeria, Afenifere, Mimiko insist Bola Badmus - Lagos

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AN-YORUBA sociopolitical group, Afenifere, on Thursday, insisted that Nigeria needed restructuring to guarantee peaceful coexistence among its various constituents and also fast-track development.

The group stated that “the restructuring goes beyond increase in revenue allocation to the federating units as being canvassed by the Sokoto State governor, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.”

Afenifere said this in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, just as it described the present structure in the country as iniquitous, skewed, unfair, unjust and not conducive to justice, harmony, development and happiness of the constituent units.

Tambuwal had, while receiving various professional groups, who paid him Sallah homage, in Sokoto, said the way forward for the country to get out of her current crisis was to ensure an increase in revenue allocation to the federating units.

The groups included Sokoto Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture; Association of Resident Communities and Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations.

Afenifere, while acknowledging Tambuwal’s call as being consistent with the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, said that the Sokoto governor’s submission that Nigeria did not need to go beyond fiscal restructuring was “totally parochial and we outright reject it.”

“We insist that the Nige-

rian crisis will evade peaceful resolution with such a mindset,” Afenifere said.

“The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to the latest intervention of the governor of the seat of the caliphate, Mr Aminu Tambuwal, on the Nigeria crisis and the way forward.

“While we acknowledge the Sokoto State governor’s call for increase in revenue allocation to the federating units, as being consistent with the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, we are quick to add that his submission that we do not need to restructure Nigeria beyond that is totally parochial and we outright reject it.

“We insist that the present structure is iniquitous, skewed, unfair, unjust and not conducive to justice, harmony, development and happiness of the constituent units of the country.

“It is, therefore, no acci-

dent that the country is not at peace today as we witness horizontal and vertical conflicts across the space with a lot bordering on the clash of civilisations.

“This is what Chief Obafemi Awolowo predicted in 1967 in his book ‘Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution’ that any attempt to run Nigeria along unitary lines would be productive of conflicts, disharmony and complications of governance except super humans are sourced to run its affairs,” the group added.

According to Afenifere, the country is on ground zero currently with the government as confused as the governed and all the citizens on their kneels praying to avert a looming implosion, saying it was only those dwelling in mischief or the hopelessly ignorant that would not see that the terminal crisis the country found herself today flowed

From left, Chairman, Oyo State committee on participatory management of schools and Vice Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin; a member of the committee, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola and the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, during the submission of the committee’s report to the governor, in Ibadan, on Wednesday.

5 die of generator fume 5 days after moving into new house

By Oluwatoyin Malik FEW hours after celebrating Eid-el-Kabir with family and friends on Monday, couple, two children and a younger brother to the husband were discovered dead in a house at Sabo area, Oyo, Oyo State, on September 13.

They were suspected to have died in their sleep as a result of fume from the generator which was found in the passage of the house.

The names of the deceased were given as Mufutau Ajani (45) husband; Romoke Ajani (40) wife; two children, Basit (15) and Yusuf (five) and the husband’s younger brother, Saminu Ajani (42).

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the couple moved

into the house about five days before the Ileya festivity, and had hosted friends, family members and neighbours to celebrate the festivity and house warming.

It was learnt that the family moved the generator into the passage of the building when they were about retiring to bed.

A reliable source who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune under anonymity said that neighbours who wanted to greet the couple the following morning noticed that the front door was still locked and the generator was working till about 11:20a.m. before it went off.

But they later became suspicious when they noticed that none of the family members stepped out, prompting

knocks at the door, which went unanswered.

The source said that policemen at Atiba Division were notified at about 8:00p.m and the Divisional Police Officer led detectives to the scene.

A carpenter was reportedly invited to break the iron front door and as the door gave way, the bodies of the deceased were found at different points in the house.

The woman was said to have been found close to the front door as if she attempted to seek help, while one of the children was found in the sitting room.

The mother was said to have had the late 15-yearold child for her first husband before his demise while she and Ajani had the

five-year-old between them.

Nigerian Tribune further gathered that the family members of the late woman’s first husband initially refused to collect the corpse of the teenager because, according to the source, they had initially asked her to hand the child over to them which she refused.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sam Adegbuyi, reportedly waded into the matter which was later resolved amicably.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Adekunle Ajisebutu, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the story, saying that the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary in General Hospital, Oyo.

from her structural dysfunction.

The group contended that it would be wrong for anyone, therefore, to say “that the constituent units of Nigeria should be in their chains inside a suffocating cage with a little more meat added to the slave ration they currently enjoy.”

The group, while throwing a poser as to the availability of money to ensure an increase of ration as being suggested by Governor Tambuwal, said the Federal Government whose land was only the Federal Capital Territory and which contributed nothing to the Federation Account could no longer have overall influence on destiny of the federating units.

“Where is the money to allocate for this increase of ration being suggested coming from, if we don’t restructure and remove all constitutional impediments on the way of owners of resources to begin to harvest what is under their soil?,” it queried.

“The minimum requirement to, therefore, keep Nigeria together and have a fresh start and repurchase the confidence of its building blocks, is to bend the current constitution.

“We are, therefore, at loss as to what unity that the present order has produced that Tambuwal is telling us is ‘non-negotiable.’ Is it the farmer whose crops are being eaten up by the herdsman’s cows that are dancing at Unity Fountain?

What unity is there between those being slaughtered for their beliefs and the killers?

How united are those being denied of access to their God-given resources and those raping them?”

In a related development, the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has restated his firm belief in the restructuring of the country even as he submitted that he was misrepresented in a newspaper report published on Thursday over the same subject.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ondo State governor who is a notable crusader of the restructuring of the country, said his comment on the statement of his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal, was limited to fiscal federalism.

According to the statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Honourable Kayode Akinmade, in Akure, on Thursday, Mimiko restated his belief in the restructuring of the country, maintaining his support for the implementation of the 2014 National Conference report as a genuine pathway to progress in the country.

Nigerian Tribune

Ondo 2016: Group urges APC to zone deputy gov to South Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure A political group under the auspices of Ondo State Solidarity Congress (OSSC), on Thursday, appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to look towards the Ondo South Senatorial district in picking its deputy governorship candidate in the forthcoming election in the state.

The group’s position was contained in a statement signed by its chairman, Chief Samuel Ikujuminu.

It noted that the southern district has been shortchanged in terms of political appointments in the last few years.

Ikujuminu appealed to the party leadership not to only zone the slot to the southern district but also consider former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the district who defected to APC before the 2015 general election.

The group noted that the two main political parties in the governorship election, PDP and the opposition APC have picked their candidates from Ondo North and Central Senatorial districts, respectively and said the APC should look south wards for the deputy governorship candidate.

Residents laud Afijio LG boss THE Caretaker Chairman of Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State, Honourable Anwo Lukumon Olasunkanmi, has received a pat on the back from the residents of Oke Araromi– Jimoh Keke–Oke Ola in Iware community for the construction and reopening of 400-metre road in the area.

The residents of the area said they were highly elated to have the road reopened after several years of neglect.

According to them, the township road had been of great commercial values to the people of the area, adding that the road was put to use last when the present chairman of the council area was an elected councillor of the ward in 1992.

Among residents of the community that eulogised the council boss were Alhaji Keseem Olobe, Chief S. A. Okunade, Ekerin Oniwere of Iwere, Alhaji Ayeleru Ismaila and Mr Gbade Adesokan, All Progressives Congress (APC) ward chairman.

Honourable Olasunkanmi, however, stressed the need for the people to pay their taxes and other levies regularly and promised allround development in the council.

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Ojude Oba festival: Nigeria’s cultural diversity is strength, not weakness —Dickson

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HE Bayelsa State governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday, said the annual Ojude Oba festival of the Ijebu people in Ogun State has further confirmed Nigeria’s cultural and ethnic diversity as strength and not a weakness.

Agbalajobi lauds Buhari over Abuja–Ekiti–Lagos rail project A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Otunba Segun Agbalajobi, has lauded the decision of President Mohammed Buhari to include Ekiti State in the station routes of Abuja–Lagos railway project.

Agbalajobi described the decision as “a monumental gesture and favour which all Ekiti sons and daughters will be eternally grateful to President Buhari now and ever.”

Agbalajobi, who made this disclosure at a press conference in Lagos, said “I feel great and happy today to publicly acknowledge the singular deed of President Muhammed Buhari who deliberately and significantly included Ekiti State in the rail route of the proposed Abuja–Lagos rail project.”

He disclosed that “I am addressing a press conference on this not just for attention seeking but to express my deepest understanding of the import of what could have been the loss to Ekiti if the state has not been included in the project. Thus, for President Buhari to have thought it wise despite the fact that Ekiti was not included at the initial design of the project is a monumental favour and gesture which every Ekiti indigene must be grateful to the president.”

He said “the decision of President Buhari is frontally insightful and utmost exhibition of genuine desire for the overall development of Nigeria. It is a decision by a president who comprehends the agricultural potentialities of Ekiti and the usefulness of a railway passing through the state.”

He called on the people of the state to show gratitude to the president not only by supporting his policies but offer him prayers.

He appealed to President Buhari not to be “distracted with the cacophonies of unwarranted criticism which are being hurled against some of his polices which aimed at uprooting the bastion of corruption in Nigeria.”

He made the submission during the 2016 Ojude Oba festival with the theme: ‘Ojude Oba, our culture, our pride’, when he led the Bayelsa State delegation.

Dickson, who was the special guest of honour at the occasion, expressed the growing need to showcase the nation’s rich cultural heritage to the outside world.

While describing culture as a means of identification and unifying factor, the governor said all hands must be on deck at ensur-

ing the promotion of Nigeria’s rich and diverse cultural endowments.

He, therefore, called on the leadership at all levels of government to ensure the formulation of policies that would promote the culture and tradition of the people at all times.

Dickson commended the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the entire people of Ijebuland for the preservation of their rich culture and tradition, adding that, the Ojude Oba festival had some unique qualities,

which needed to be exported to the rest of the world.

“The festival has come to stay. There is no doubt about that, my family and I are very proud of the Ijebu blood that runs in us. We will continue to be part of this festival.”

The governor, who described Nigeria as a rainbow, with many colours, warned against playing politics with the cultural heritage of the people, as it speaks volumes of the kind of persons that we are.

In his address, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba

Sikiru Adetona, commended Dickson for identifying with his root, adding that the festival was a historical event of the people.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir elRufai, described the Awujale of Ijebuland as a father that has impacted so much on his life.

The host governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, thanked Governor Dickson for identifying with the people of Ogun, adding that it has further confirmed his Ijebu background.

Director, The Vale College, Mrs Funso Adegbola (third right) with the contestants and The Vale College students, during the first inter-faculty oratory competition and 86th posthumous birthday of the late Chief Bola Ige, organised by Educare Trust and The Vale College, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

We are shocked, surprised by effects of flood in Osun —Aregbesola Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, on Wednesday evening, said his administration was shocked and surprised following destruction caused by flood in the state.

He lamented that despite heavy investment of the state government in dredging waterways annually, it was unfortunate that the recent flood caused so much damage within Osogbo, the state capital.

Aregbesola, who sympathised with victims of the flood, caused by heavy downpour, which lasted for more than three days, warned residents against dumping of refuse in water channels.

In a statement on Thursday, signed by his Director, Bureau of Communication, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, after his tour of the affected areas, which included Okeonitea, Rasco, Fiwasaye and Gbomi, the governor said the flood took the state

by surprise judging by the heavy investments of his administration on flood prevention since 2011.

According to Aregbesola, “Our government deeply regret the flooding that has affected our people. Since 2011, the government had been embarking on mas-

sive dredging of waterways in all parts of the state in order to stave off such disasters.

“I have moved round to commiserate with the victims whose property were affected by this disaster. We have been quite committed to ensuring absence of this

calamity since the advent of our administration as we have been regularly dredging the waterways and as a matter of fact, we are still very much indebted to those who normally work with us to ensure cleaning of our waterways,” he remarked.

Check your records, Osun did not receive ecological fund from 2010 —Govt OSUN State government, on Thursday, described as fallacious, demands by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to justify how the state spent ecological funds in the wake of the flood that affected some parts of the state capital.

The government, through a statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, said the state did not get any ecological fund to execute its massive projects which prevented flood

since 2011.

“Osun did not receive any ecological fund from the disastrous PDP Federal Government from November 27, 2010 to May 29, 2015. We have depended on our legitimate revenues from all sources to annually dredge our waterways up till 2015 when revenue decline hindered our efforts,” the Bureau’s statement, signed by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon, explained.

The Bureau said despite the dirty politics played by the PDP government at the cen-

tre, Osun remained one of the few states that had never experienced any flooding since 2010/2011 till the unfortunate incident of Tuesday, September 13, 2016.

It said the government of Rauf Aregbesola left no part of the state untouched in its proactive massive projects to save the environment.

The government asked the PDP to go back to its records to remind itself of the wickedness it perpetrated against states under opposition parties throughout its 16 years of clueless rule.

Nigerian Tribune

Ondo 2016: Bada emerges NNPP candidate Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

AHEAD of the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, a former Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Oluwadare Bada, on Thursday, unanimously emerged as the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the election.

Bada emerged the candidate of the party after five other aspirants reached a consensus to seed the ticket to him in an election monitored by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Bada, who was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, was the Director of Campaign of the PDP candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, during the 2012 gubernatorial election.

Speaking after the congress, which had 222 delegates, Bada described NNPP as alternative party for the people of the state, noting that the two main political parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP had been swimming in crises over the choice of candidates.

Meanwhile, PDP denied the report that its candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, has dumped the party for the Labour Party.

The Publicity Secretary of the party, Banji Okunomo and Director of Publicity, Mr Ayo Fadaka, stated this on a radio (Adaba FM) programme in Akure, on Thursday.

Buhari congratulates Yoruba Tennis Club at 90 Leon Usigbe - Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with the Yoruba Tennis Club as it celebrates its 90th anniversary.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja, on Thursday, the president joined the Lagos State government, all members of the club and teeming supporters in marking the unique milestone of the oldest club in Nigeria, which was established in 1926.

President Buhari commended the visionary leadership, innovative spirit and the brotherliness among members that has sustained the club since it was first conceptualised as an informal organisation of tennis lovers to a formal and cosmopolitan group with a strong global appeal.

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Friday, 16 September, 2016

arewa

Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08158610216

FG trains 50 Bauchi unemployed graduates in skills acquisition Isaac Shobayo - Jos

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O fewer than 50 unemployed graduates from Bauchi State have been trained in various skills under the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the Federal Ministry of Finance to provide short term employment.

The Project Director Graduate Internship Scheme, Mr Denise Chukwu, who stated this at the opening ceremony of the 3-day training held at Larema International Hotel and Suite Bauchi, said the training was aimed at tackling unemployment in the country.

According to him, the graduates are trained on entrepreneurial skills, business management and finance control, among others.

The Project Director, who was represented by senior official of Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Chinwe Neftetee, said GIS was responsible for the training of the unemployed graduates after which they were posted to different organisations to enable them acquire marketable and employable skills.

“The aim of the training is to impact employability skills into unemployed graduates to help them secure jobs and develop their business plans”, he said Denise explained that many had secured jobs or owned their own businesses through the programme, adding that GIS was achieving the purpose for which it was set up.

The project coordinator commended the government and the nongovernmental organisation for contributing towards reducing unemployment and imparting skills into teeming unemployed youth in the country.

Also speaking, officials of the PIU, Mr Felix Aderemu Olotu, said the participants had been receiving a monthly stipend of N30,000 each by the ministry in the course of their one year internship attachment with different organisations.

He said the programme was initiated to cater for the staggering number of unemployed youth in the country.

Felix said Federal Government frowned at unemployment rate and ac-

knowledged the fact that it could not solve the problem of unemployment

Three unidentified gunmen are currently on the run after killing in Kaduna, a 27-year old man, Mohammed Rabiu , who had just returned from studies in Malaysia in Kaduna.

Arewa findings gathered that the deceased was shot in his car around 8:30 pm on Saturday after driving in from Abuja in company of his friend.

Narrating the incident, in an interview the deceased’s friend, Jafar Ibrahim Ali, who survived the attack, said when they arrived Kaduna, they drove straight to see one of the deceased friends on Lugard Hall, but were told had gone out.

According to him, they asked for his

Responding on behalf of the trainees Adamu Saleh from Jama’re, promised that the participants would use the skills, experiences and stipends they received during the training judiciously.

He urged the Federal Government to continue with the scheme as many graduate were coming out of universities every day.

Northern govs’ wives vow to curtail child marriage in the region Muhammad Sabiu - Gusau

Gov Abubakar of Bauchi State

Plateau to set up elders advisory council Isaac Shobayo - Jos AS part of the efforts to add value to the act of governance in Plateau State, the state government has concluded arrangements to constitute Elders Advisory Council, as a non-statutory body.

The state governor, Barrister Simon Lalong, who disclosed this at the swearing in of four special advisers on Monday, said the body would soon be inaugurated, adding that the state was strategically expanding the team of advisers to meet up with what had been approved by the House of Assembly.

He tasked the newly sworn-in advisers to know that the administration of the oath of office was to publicly showcase the premium government placed on the responsibilities of their offices .

“You are under oath to advise me sincerely, without fear or favour, let or hindrance. The exigencies of your duties, coming on board a year after our assump-

Unidentified gunmen kills a returnee graduate in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu - Gusau

itself and alone, so, it saw the need to train graduates for employability skills.

friend’s number and it was while they were waiting to collect the number that a tricycle parked near them and three men alighted from it and made straight to where they parked and demanded they hand over their phones.

“Initially, we thought they were policemen because they were pointing guns at us, but the next thing I heard was gun shot,” he said.

It was gathered that the gun man that stood by the deceased’s window and was pointing the gun at him, shot him. He slumped and was gasping for breath, while his friend grabbed the gun pointing at him and diverted the barrel before a shot rang through.

tion of office, will demand that you come up to speed with the activities of government at a meteoric speed. Not only will you be expected to look at the time lines we have set for the various ministerial interventions under your scheduled advisory offices, but you will also be expected to serve as internal evaluators of the various interventions upon which you will be advising me as governor, and by extension, the government.

“As the one on whose table the bulk lies, the soundness of your advice will reflect in the positive action we will be taking, and the impact we make will be measured in the positive comments of our citizenry.

You are no doubt at the highest threshold of our people’s assessment of your competence, and as such, you must prove true to your credentials and experience,” he said.

He implored the people of the state to see the advisers as feedback loop in government, so that their suggestions and contributions would encourage their constant contacts with the governor’s office.

“Our participatory governance policy is an open door, and the earlier we take advantage of every opportunity that we make as a government to accentuate this, the better it will be for us as a people” Governor Lalong pleaded with the people to continue to keep an abiding faith with the government. “These periods are no doubt hard, and the reality of the adjustments we have to make are not doubt tasking. We are not responsible for the challenges we are facing now, but as a responsible government, we are committed to fixing it.

“This, however, demands patience, because just like for every seed planted, there is a waiting gestation period before the harvest. We are doing our best to ensure that the wealth of opportunities and resources we have identified is fully exploited, so we can improve the quality of life of our citizens”

The wives of the 19 Northern Governors have agreed to partner with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to curtail early child marriage in Northern Nigeria .

This was disclosed by the Wife of the Taraba State governor, Mrs Anne Darius, during the launch of the Adolescent Girls Iniative in Kaduna recently.

To this end, she said the forum had signed a charter to support the enrolment of girls in each of the state in the region.

Also speaking, the wife of Kaduna State governor, Hajiya Hadiza El-rufai, added that the initiative was aimed at reducing poverty especially in the rural communities as well as to remove the stigmatisation that girls were only born to be housewives.

In her own remarks, the representative of the UNFPA in Nigeria, Mrs Ratidzai Ndhlovu, said her agency was currently supporting 9,250 adolescent children to acquire primary education up to secondary school level.

According to her, child marriage occurred more frequently among the girls who are least educated, poorest and live in rural areas, saying, ‘statistically, adolescent girls with no education had a median age of 15.5 years at marriage and six years younger than those with secondary school education.

Piqued by this development, she said the UNFPA, in partnership with the government of Canada and the Centre for Girls Education of PRHI, were launching the Adolescent Girls Iniatative in Kaduna in response to the challenges identified with the adolescent girls in the region.

‘We expect to support 9,250 girls in the two states of Kaduna and Kebbi. This is just a part of our desire to reach out to 114,000 marginalised girls in Northern Nigeria.

She contended that improving access to quality education for the girls was critical for a healthy society, saying that, “if you educate a woman you have educated the whole nation”.

In his own remarks, Governor el-Rufai disclosed that his administration had given priority to girl child education, pointing out, ‘it was for this reason we banned hawking and said every child must go to school by September.

news Military, terrorists in gun battle in Yobe

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Friday, 16 September, 2016

As military kills 4, captures one Chris Agbambu - Abuja

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ROOPS of Operation Lafiya Dole, on Wednesday, engaged in gun battle with Boko Haram members around Gajire Village, Yobe State, for about 15 minutes.

The troops were in a clearance operation within

Jororo and Tombaeji villages in Geidam Local Government Area of the state when they encountered the terrorists.

Confirming this in a statement, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, who is the acting director, Army

Public Relations, said the troops overpowered the terrorists and killed four of them and captured one.

According to him, the troops also recovered two General Purpose Machine Guns (GMPG), two AK-47

rifles and 144 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, from the terrorists.

In addition, he said they also recovered two KASEA branded motorcycles.

“The troops have continued to patrol the area in search of possible rem-

nants of the terrorists.

“The ever vigilant troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, have continued their routine operations, maintaining vigilance to prevent further actions by the terrorists in their respective areas of operations.”

Court remands Edo ex-militant over possession of firearm Banji Aluko - Benin City AN Evbuoriaria magistrate’s court, Benin City, on Thursday, remanded an ex-militant, General Pere Ejune and one Trim Ade, in prison custody for allegedly being in possession of a double-barrel gun, a cut-tosize double-barrel gun and 18 live cartridges.

In the case filed by the Edo State police command, the duo and others at large were said to have committed the crime on September 8, 2016, at about 2.00 a.m, at Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City.

The magistrate, C. E. Oghuma, remanded the duo, who are brothers, to Oko Prison, Benin City and adjourned the case till October 20, for further hearing.

She, thereafter, ordered that the original case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

In his reaction, counsel for the accused, Olayiwola Afolabi, argued that his client, General Pere Ejune, was being prosecuted for political reasons following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“They were charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions).

“You can only charge a person to court for unlawful possession of firearms when a case of robbery has been established. In this case, there was no case of robbery.

“My client was not even found with any weapon. We are shocked that he was charged to court over possession of firearms. He said he left APC and he is now in PDP. “We are happy that the magistrate has said that the case file be duplicated to DPP. It happened before in Ovia 13. They hauled them to prison. I think the charge was prepared so that they can haul them to prison before election. We, however, know what to do.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses starts convention Oct 7 THE 2016 regional convention of the Jehovah’s Witnesses tagged: “Remain loyal to Jehovah,” will start on Friday, October 7. Witnesses will expect delegates from Oyo, Ogun and Osun states, in which there will be 9 conventions, spanning nine weeks, with the final convention between December 16 and 18.

The three-day programme will feature 49 presentations, each stressing “Loyalty,” while witnesses have prepared 35 video segments for the programme and two short films for Saturday and Sunday, respectively This was contained in a press release made available to the Nigerian Tribune and signed by the media officer, Mr Olayinka Dada.

Witnesses will distribute special invitations to members of the public welcoming them to attend the convention, while the dates and locations for each convention will be on the official website, JW.Org.

Convention From left, vice chairman, Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Alhaji Sa’idu Bawa; Information Officer of the council, Malam Abubakar Umar and some members of the legislative council, during a visit to areas affected by flood in Gummi town, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

NSCDC destroys 15 illegal refineries in N/Delta Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu Gana, has said that the corps has destroyed about 15 illegal refineries and dumps as it intensified operations in the Niger Delta region.

He commended the effort of the personnel as well as the Commandant of Rivers State command, Mrs Helen Amakiri, for a successful operation in the creeks, leading to the destruction of illegal refineries in the area.

The spokesman of the corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, in a statement, on Thursday, in Abuja, said Gana spoke while briefing the management team as well as the rank and file at the Corps Headquarters.

Gana charged the personnel to be resolute and committed to effective service delivery.

He also used the occasion to appreciate the effort of the personnel across the nation for keeping to duty and providing security during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

“I am happy with the proactiveness and doggedness of all of you in tackling insecurity during the Eidel-Kabir celebration and I pray that you keep it up at all times to justify the

mandate of the corps.”

He said that in this “ember’’ season, the corps has a lot to do, especially, in protecting critical infrastructure, adding that the get rich quick syndrome of the youth during “ember” period was usually high.”

“Considering the fact that instead of celebrating Christmas festival in line

with the Christian doctrine, youths usually take to crime and criminalities, in trying to grab at all cost what do not belong to them, therefore, as security operatives, there is the need to re-strategise the modus operandi in order to nip in the bud such vices”.

He said staff salaries are being paid directly from

the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to individual banks through e-payment system, adding that there was no way personnel salaries could be tampered with as alleged in some quarters.

He said that those on loan with their banks and are seeking to change, should clear themselves of any indebtedness before applying for change.

CHRIST Apostolic Church, Oke lbukun, Adeleke Street along Baptist Camp, Otun Akute, Ogun State, will hold its 17th annual convention, tagged “My year of rest roundabout and deliverance” from Monday, September 19, till Thursday, September 22, at the church auditorium.

The programme will start at 5:30 p.m daily.

Ministering is Pastor Lawrence Omosanya and other anointed men of God. Reverend (Dr) V. O. Arigbabuwo, is the host.

...Parades ex-NITEL boss, 11 others over illegal sale of equipment in Kwara Biola Azeez - Ilorin KWARA State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has paraded a 62-year-old former territorial manager of NITEL communication, Benedict Uwulekhue, alongside his 11 accomplices on allegation of vandalism, criminal conspiracy and illegal sale of equipment of NITEL telecommunication company.

Speaking while parading the suspects, the state commandant of NSCDC, Pedro Ideba, said two of the accomplices of the former NITEL manager, allegedly offered N140, 000 bribe to NSCDC men to stop criminal investigation of their alleged offences.

The commandant, who said some of the equipment allegedly sold to two suspected buyers in Ilorin me-

tropolis include, vandalised high tension cables, electricity transformer and containerised transmitter belonging to NITEL company.

He recalled that the defunct NITEL company in the state capital still had some telecommunication equipment in its premises, adding that the arrested suspects include three security men on guard at the company.

The NSCDC boss, who said the buyers of the NITEL equipment could not produce document to authenticate ownership of the items, added that it was during further investigation into one of the buyers’ house that two industrial electricity generating plants belonging to government were discovered.

He also said that the security men attached to NITEL premises had confessed to

the crime, adding that all the items had been moved to the command’s headquarters and that all the accused persons would be arraigned in court after conclusion of investigation.

Speaking with journalists, the former NITEL territorial manager said that he decided to move out the equipment from NITEL premises for safekeeping when he was pressurised by many prospective buyers of the equipment.

The man, who said he was innocent of his actions, added that he did it in good faith.

Also speaking, the two suspected buyers of NITEL equipment, Ugwuma Marcelius and Chukwudi Mba, identified as auto electrical dealers, said that they bought the items from auction sale organised by NATCOM in April 2016, adding that they had documents.

Reverend (Dr) V. O. Arigbabuwo

Rescued baby

A baby, Gabriel Jaleyemi, was rescued from his unsound mind mother on May 1, 2016, at Ejigbo, Osun State.

Anybody with useful information about his mother’s relatives, should, please contact the Social Welfare Department, Ede Zone or the nearest police station.

Gabriel Jaleyemi

Friday, 16 September, 2016 34 news Bio-Diversity Institute will turn ex-militants to entrepreneurs —Amnesty leader Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

T

HE planned training of ex-agitators at the Bio-Diversity Resource Institute, Odi ,in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa State ,has been identified as a step in the right direction as it would produce entrepreneurs of the benefitting exmilitants in the Niger Delta region.

This, the leader of the Third Phase Amnesty, General Gift Alex, said while briefing journalists at the Bio-Diversity Resource Institute, at Odi , Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area. Alex, who ap-

preciated the diversity at the institute, said after the training, beneficiaries would have learnt various skills to set up their enterprise and also, become employers of labour.

According to him, the exagitators would learn how to cultivate high yield mushroom both in subsistence and commercial quantity, particularly, because of the high demand in both domestic and international market.

Extolling the presidential adviser on the amnesty programme, Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (retd), for the agro-base training, Alex said that even if the ex-agitators choose to farm only on the high yield plantain

and banana suckers that has a turnover between three to six months at the expiration of their training, they would earn a comfortable living and also make a lot of profit from both plantain and banana, as well as its byproducts.

The leader of the Third Phase, said that snail, grass cutter and fish farming is also in high demand locally, which could also be exported if well packaged, adding that the demand for grass cutter is very high, He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to support the beneficiaries at the end of the programme with funds to purchase equipment to process juice that

Oshiomhole, Obaseki take campaign to 2nd East in Benin RESIDENTS of Second East Circular in Benin City, the Edo State capital, trooped out in large numbers, on Thursday, to declare support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress,(APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki, who joined Governor Adams Oshiomhole, on a road walk on the new dual-carriage road.

A resident, Mr Yusuf Abdulrazak, who spoke on behalf of others, said, “we don’t encounter flooding here again. My car used to break down along this road

and I was always going to the mechanic workshop for repairs which made me spend a lot of money. Now, I don’t spend money on such repairs anymore. You must finish this work that you have started. Last week, we organised a rally at this junction here and we jubilated.”

“We are all for Obaseki, his government will be a continuation of the government of Oshio Baba, which gave us this beautiful road.

Governor Oshiomhole told the residents that “this

Lawmaker raises the alarm over planned Fulani herdsmen invasion in Enugu Jude Ossai - Enugu

A member representing Awgu- North Constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly, Honourable Sunday Ude-Okoye, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by some Fulani herdsmen to launch another attack on some communities in the state.

Honourable Ude-Okoye said this on Thursday, on the floor of the House, over the planned invasion, while reacting to a recent attack carried out on AttakwuAkegbe, Nkanu West Local Government of the state at which a seminarian and a woman, were murdered and three others injured.

The lawmaker, who also recalled the mayhem carried out on Ukpabi-Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state, lamented that the herdsmen have threatened to attack another community, Aku, in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area.

Afraid that if nothing is done urgently, the state is under threat of extinction and pleaded with Nigerians to “come and help us.”

“I wish to condemn the act that has been ongoing by the Fulanis. I wish to stand here to condemn it. Let other Ni-

gerians help us since the Nigerian Police cannot protect us but rather, to protect the Fulani people.

Meanwhile, the speaker of the House, Edward Uchenna Ubosi, who welcomed members to the House after over a month recess, presented to the House, the new Clerk of the House, Dr Emmanuel Udeagha, who replaced the former clerk, Mr Christopher Chukwurah.

is the first time we will be having this kind of road.

You have a road, you have a walkway and you have drain underneath. It has never happened in this city before.

We are going to put street lights.

“We have been listening to our opponents who are telling lies everywhere. They are saying that the Comrade and his deputy are fighting.

How can we fight? We are working as brothers and will continue to work as brothers. And you people must help to explain to the ordinary people that the high cost of living is not within the control of the state government.”

Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate, said, “You have seen that Comrade Governor has really worked. We have constructed roads and built schools. What is left is job creation. I will bring industries. Before I can bring industries, you need to vote for me to become a governor. You have to mobilise by telling everybody to come out to vote.”

Operation Safe Haven arrests 300 over drug-related offences in Plateau Isaac Shobayo - Jos

ABOUT 300 people have been arrested by the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), in charge of security in Plateau State and some parts of Bauchi State for drug -related offences and other criminal acts in the past six weeks The Commander of OPSH, Major -General Rogers Nicholas, who said this at a consultative dialogue conference on youths, security and governance in Jos, Plateau State, said another 65 people, were also arrested for other criminal acts General Rogers also said the operators of tricycle, constituted the bulk of the criminals in the state ,adding that since the restriction

of their movement at night, crime rate had reduced He also said that OPSH has also held several stakeholders meetings with communities in crisis-ridden areas, adding that people of the communities more than before, are willing to live peacefully.

“The issue of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Plateau State is now becoming a thing of the past.”

The Commander of the Special Task Force charged the people to complement security agencies in reducing insecurity, adding that security should not be left in the hands of security agents alone

could be extracted from sugarcane and other produce from the bio-institute farms.

Alex stressed that the serene atmosphere at the institute, particularly, the hostel, lecture theatre, dining room and the Information Communication TESCNOLOGY Centre (ICT) would aid learning and acquisition of knowledge He said that with the fall in price of crude oil, agricul-

ture is the way forward as it would create food security, job and empower graduating students at the end of the programme. Alex said that the programme would also stimulate the economy as it would outlaw saboteurs of the nation’s assets and oil theft in the troubled Niger Delta region.

On the establishment of a liaison office in Yenagoa, Alex said it has bridge the gap between them and the

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Eniola Emmanuel Olaoluwa now OWOLABI OLAOLUWA EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Akinbode Mosebolatan Oluwatosin now MRS ABOLARIN M O S E B O L ATA N OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid.

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CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ajijola Olamide Victoria now MRS ADEDIRAN OLAMIDE VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid.

Caretaker Microfinance Bank, GTBank Plc, Stanbic Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ayoola Adijat Olubunmi now MRS IMRAN KHADIJAT OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyeleke Funmilayo Felicia now MRS ADEDEJI FUNMILAYO FELICIA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Simbiat Adebayo Dauda now MUSTAPHA SIMBIAT OLAKUNKE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adetunji Adebayo Idowu James am the same and one person bearing Adetunji J. Adebayo and Adetunji Idowu James. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADETUNJI ADEBAYO IDOWU JAMES. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

office in Abuja, adding that it would redress incessant protest for want of place to lay genuine complains as they arises, as well as the logistics associated with travelling to Abuja to seek audience with the amnesty office.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Alao Oluwatosin Kehinde now OLASUNKANMI OLUWATOSIN KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Raji Maruf Ayoade am the same person as Raji Ayoade Akolade.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as RAJI AYOADE AKOLADE. All documents bearig these names remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Adegbola Amos now ADEGBOLA AMOS ADEWUYI. All former documents remain valid.

Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Adeyanju Tobi Samuel am the same person as Adeyanju Desking Tobiloba. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEYANJU TOBI SAMUEL. All documents bearig these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, Miss Olodude Alice am the same person as Miss Oludude Alice.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLALUWOYE ALICE ARINOLA. All documents bearig these names remain valid. Ilesa West Local Government and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluranti Olatundun Ladele now MRS OLURANTI OLATUNDUN ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ottu Opeyemi now OTTU EMMANUEL OLUWASEGUN. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Jimmy Osa now OMAGHE OSA SEUN. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc, General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME I, Abimaje Joy Sule am the same person as Abimaje Joy. My First Bank Current Account No. 2014269299 bearing Abimaje Joy. Should be corrected to ABIMAJE JOY SULE by First Bank Management as seen on my credentials. All documents bearig these names remain valid. Access Bank Plc, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Nurudeen Babatunde Alliyu now OBATUNDE BRIGHT ADETOLA. All former documents remain valid. Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, other government agencies, embassies in Nigeria and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MASEBINU: I, that I am known, called and addressed as Masebinu Olaonipekun Emmanuel am also known, called and addressed as MASEBINU EMMANUEL DAMILOLA. That the two names belong and are part of the names of same person, MASEBINU EMMANUEL OLAONIPEKUN DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Yusuf Muyinat Oyebisi now MRS LAWAL MUYINAT OYEBISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Alhaji Azeez Onifade Adebayo am the same person as Alhaji Azeez Onifade and that I wish to be known and addressed as ALHAJI AZEEZ ONIFADE. All documents bearig these names remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Basiru Gbade Agboola now GBADEGESIN BASIRU. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Government and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Aminu Rukayat Abosede am the same person bearing Aminu Oluwabukola Abosede. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AMINU RUKAYAT ABOSEDE. All documents bearig these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, GTBank Plc, Access Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oladipupo Abibat Adenike now MRS AZEEZ ABIBAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Victoria Isaac now VICTORIA BLESSING JOSEPH. My date of Birth is 15th December, 1994. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Jubril Biliqis am the same person bearing Jubril Becky. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS ABDULKADIRI BILIQIS. All documents bearig these names remain valid. General public take note.

35

Friday, 16 September, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME My name was mistakenly written as Ikoye Olawale Hakeem instead of Ikoyi Olawale Hakeem that my correct name are IKOYI OLAWALE HAKEEM. All former documents remain valid. Sterling Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Akintayo Kazeem now BUSARI KAZEEM AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Gloria Adamgbo now GLORIA NIABARI NWIKINA. All former documents remain valid.

Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Okunlola Olakunle I. now OLADIPO ABIODUN TAOFEEK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olaoluwa Adanri now MRS OLAOLUWA ABODUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Yusuf Oluwaseun Happiness now YUSUF OLUWASEUN OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ajero Christian now AJERO CHRISTIAN CHIDEBER. All former documents remain valid.

Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Emmanuel Fadipe now FADIPE OLUWADARE RUFUS. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ayanwoye Janet Bola Temitope now MRS MORADEYO JANET TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeaga Omolade Adedoyin now MRS DAWODU OMOLADE ADEDOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Abubakar Bukola Temilade now AKINBOLA BUKOLA TEMILADE. And my correct date of birth is 0202-1981. All former documents remain valid. Heritage Bank Plc and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly Makanju Oluwatosin Olubunmi now OLADIPO OLUWATOSIN OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, hereby declared that the correct spelling of my name is DAHOOD OLALEKAN MURTHADOL and not Dauda Olalekan Muritale. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Mayimoh Fwabenda Audi am the same person as Audi Mayimoh Benard. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MAYIMOH FWABENDA AUDI. All documents bearig these names remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adelakun Olukemi Adebisi now MRS ADELAKUN BABATUNDE OLUKEMI ADEBISI. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Hospital Management Board and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Opakunle Olanike Mojisola now MRS GBADEGESIN MOJISOLA OLANIKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Usulor Joseph S. now UMOKE EZEKIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Alao Ismaila Kolawole now KOLAWOLE ISMAILA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Lawal Memunat Olawumi now MRS SALAHUDEEN MEMUNAT OLAWUMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Adeyemi Aishat Abidemi now MRS ADEYEMO AISHAT ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Aare Taye am the same person bearing Aare Taye Peace. Now, I want to be called and addressed as AARE TAYE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Obianke Emmanuel Uwaya now OBIANKE EMMANUEL OGBE. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Odorewho Ene Mercy now ONAEMOR ENE MERCY. All former documents remain valid.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Omobobola S. Yomi now OMOBOBOLA SAMUEL YOMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Peter Onyekachi Treasure now PETER ONYEKACHI EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Olabisi Adesanya now MRS OLABISI ODUSOTE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Abolaji Ayoola Abosede now MRS KAYODE AYOOLA ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Akinola Omolola Janet now MRS AJAYI OMOLOLA JANET. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Abimbola Jane Alao now ABIMBOLA JANE OLUSOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Amoo James Ola am the same person as Amoo James Olajumoke. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as JAMES OLA AMOO. All documents bearig these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Elemo Adetoun Tolulope now OLADEJO ADETOUN TOLULOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Kehinde Idowu Oyelakin now IDOWU OYELAKIN ALIMOT TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council, Oyo State Hospital Management Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Zakari Yau Isa now ZAKARI ISA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, hereby declare that my full names are Markus Shintehl not Julius Markus Justina. Now, I wish to be known as MARKUS SHINTEHL and my correct date of birth is 12th February, 1991.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Owin Abigail now MRS IKE ABIGAIL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mrs Emeagi Rita Lucky Ezinwayin am the same person as EMEAGI RITA LUCKY. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

Skye Bank Plc, EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeluyi Adenike Funmilola now MRS ADEGBOYEGA ADENIKE FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Olofin Olubunmi (nee Obe) Deborah now MRS OGUNDARE OLUBUNMI DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olatunji Olubunmi Grace now MRS SANUSI OLUBUNMI GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

That my correct name is ISIAKA OPEYEMI MANSURUDEEN and I was born on the 15-02-1991. That my name and date of birth were wrongly written as Isiaka Monsuru Ajani and date of birth as 02-10-1978. All documents bearig these names remain valid. General public take note.

This is to certify that Ejiogu Tochukwu and Ejiogu Tochukwu Anthony is the same and one person. Now I wish to be known and addressed as EJIOGU TOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Unity Bank Plc, UBA Plc, EcoBank Plc, CBN and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Dagunduro Morenike Olubunmi now MRS OJO MORENIKE OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adekojo Elizabeth Adedayo now MRS ISOLA ELIZABETH ADEDAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojo Omolara Folasade now MRS OMOTAYO OMOLARA FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

TESCOM, Oyo State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Oladejo Akanmu Olulakin now OLADEJO AKANBI OLULAKIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Jonathan Katagum Bulus now JONATHAN BULUS SILAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kelly Williams now OZIEGBE BEST ASIKHIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ayan Oyebowale Veronica now MRS ADETUNJI OYEBOWALE VERONICA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adetoye Adenike Josephine now MRS ADEGBITE ADENIKE JOSEPHINE. All former documents remain valid.

OAUTHC Ile-Ife and general public take note.

I, Akinbulumo Emmanuel Oluwaseunfunmi am the same person as Akinbulumo Emmanuel Oluwaseun.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AKINBULUMO EMMANUEL OLUWASEUNFUNMI. All documents bearig these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Hamodu Abubakar Maiwake now ABUBAKAR GORONYO UMAR. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mismatched as Abodunrin Omolola O. now ABODUNRIN OMOLOLA OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and general public take note.

I, formerly Joseph Olajide Akanbi now JIMOH AKEEB ALARAPE. All former documents remain valid.

EcoBank Plc, FRSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Fadare Yinka now FADARE OLUYINKA OLADAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ambaliyu Kadiri now AMBALIYU AKINTUNDE KADIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abiodun Olanipekun Atansuyi now ATANSUYI FOLORUNSO SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Juliet Akpoveta now ESE PERELADE PEACE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, Koredigha Dazuwor Philip in my BVN registration, my name was wrongly written as Korediya Philip, instead of my correct name KOREDIGHA DAZUWOR PHILIP. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly Aribisala Oladunni Olasimbo now TOMIWA OLADUNNI OLASIMBO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Sadiq Ibiyemi Bilikisu now MRS MUSTAPHA BILQIS IBIYEMI. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ajayi Muibi Jacob and Sango Tiku Jacob Adigun now AJADI MUIBI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Oyo State Pension Board, Oyo State Ministry of Finance and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyewo Rebecca Iyabo now MRS AWORINDE REBECCA IYABO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ciana Onyii Kings now CHRISTIANA O N Y E D I K A C H I EMEREOLE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Rasaki Anifat Aina now ADEMOLA ANIFAT AINA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ben Ukpahiu Kingsley now BENJAMIN UKPAHIU KINGSLEY and that I was born on 14th of May, 1987 as against 14th of May, 1982 as written in my BVN registration. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Awotola Olalekan Adesola am the same person as Awotola Olalekan Joseph. Now, I want to be called and addressed as AWOTOLA OLALEKAN JOSEPH. All documents bearig these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ighedosa Israel Robinson now IGHEDOSA ISRAEL IGBERAESE. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc, Stanbic Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Keystone Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Zubair Ahmid now TOYIN HAMID ZUBAIR. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oladele Olarewaju Yetunde now AYANYEMI OLAREWAJU BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ajibode Lateef Babatunde now AJIBODE EMMANUEL BABATUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Popoola Temitope Opeyemi now SOMUYIWA TEMITOPE OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Miss Oshikoya Adeola Modinat am the same person as Miss Oshikoya Adeola Michel. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEOLA ADEDAMOLA-SALAKO. All documents bearig these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME I, hereby declared that my full name are Folasayo Babatunde Coker and not Coker Babatunde F. Now, I wish to be known as FOLASAYO BABATUNDE COKER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeojo Oluwajumoke Cecilia now MRS RAJI OLUWAJUMOKE CECILIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Christopher Regina am the same person as Christopher Peace. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as CHRISTOPHER REGINA EBEHIREMEH. All documents bearig these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeleke Nafisat Abisola now MRS BELLO NAFEESAH ABDULKAREEM. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Reuben Gift Onyinye am the same person as Reuben Oyinyechi C. and Uche Onyechukwu Annestecia. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as REUBEN GIFT ONYINYE. All documents bearig these names remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, Oladipupo Olufemi Samson am the same person as Oladiipo Olufemi Samson and Oladipo Olufemi Samson.

Henceforth, I want to be called and addressed as OLADIPUPO OLUFEMI SAMSON. All documents bearig these names remain valid. Oyo State Service Commission and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Joseph Rufus Omogbolahan now JOSEPH OLABIWONINU OMOGBOLAHAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Audu Zainab Ohunene now ZAINAB AUDU ADEIZA. All former documents remain valid.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Ajayi T. Timothy now AJAYI TIMOTHY OLUWATIMILEHIN. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Aderogba Aishat now GBADAMOSI AISHAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ibrahim Azeez Oladosu, Oladosu Ibraheem, Ibrahim Oladosu and Ibrahim Oladosu Azeez. I, Azeez Ibraheem Oladosu is the same person bearing all these names. Now, I want to be called, known and addressed as AZEEZ IBRAHEEM OLADOSU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME & CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly Aliu Oluwaseun (male) now OLUFADE OLUWASEUN and my correct date of birth is 30th of June 1982.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

communitynews Academy residents task Oyo govt on bad road

36

by ibukun adenuga

C

OMMUTERS and transporters plying liberty academy area in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State have urged the state government to attend to impassable road in the area.

Nigerian Tribune observed several potholes and the difficulty experienced by motorcyclists and vehicle owners when plying the road.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr Wasiu Sadiq, lamented the poor condition of the road which, he said, had made transportation difficult.

Sadiq explained that it was he, alongside his union members, who recently filled a bad portion of the road with sand supplied by a lawmaker, who resides in the area.

He also said there had been series of volunteer efforts by residents in the area to fill the many potholes on the road but bemoaned that rain usually washed away the fillers.

He wondered why government had failed to remedy the situation.

The NURTW member, therefore, called on the government, especially the local government authorities, to effect repairs on the road, as soon as possible.

A resident of the area, Mrs Titilola Adeboye, also remarked that the state of the road had engendered a situation whereby wouldbe tenants now stay away from the area.

Mr Ashiru Jimoh and Mrs Latifat Bolanle, whose shops are situated along the road, lamented that the condition of the road had reduced patronage from prospective customers.

Speaking further, Jimoh explained that erosion caused by lack of good drainage was one of the factors causing damage to the road, adding that the road was last fixed in 2008 during the tenure of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala .

Also, a commercial motorcyclist, Mr Solomon Salawu, identified frequent damage to the chain and shock absorber of his motorcycle whenever he plies the road.

He lamented that many motorcyclists spent a lot of money on repairs.

Salawu urged government to repair the road in order to bring comfort to the people residing and working in the area.

A landlord in the area,

Friday, 16 September, 2016

simply known as Mr Adeyemi said efforts made by the landlords associa-

tion in the area were inadequate, calling for the assistance of the govern-

ment.

He explained that complaints had been made to

the state government but they were yet to get any response.

Oke-Ola Oro community savours renovated health centre biola azeez-ilorin

The damaged Liberty Academy road. PHOTO: IBUKUN ADENUGA

Ogun assembly warns land speculators against encroachment on schools’ lands by gbenga olumide

OGUN State House of Assembly has warned land speculators /grabbers, who have been encroaching on lands belonging to public education institutions in the state to stop forthwith as relevant legislations were underway to deal with perpetrators.

The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology,

Honourable Victor Fasanya, handed down the warning while leading other members of the committee in continuation of the budget performance assessment visit to the State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, D. S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade and Abraham Adesanya ICT Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo.

Fasanya, in company of Honourables Akanbi

Bankole and Rasaq Oduntan, assured that the assembly would partner with relevant government agencies to nip the illegal activities of land grabbers in the bud.

According to him, it is illegal for any individual or group to encroach on government’s land clearly meant for public institutions in the state, noting that all hands were on deck to find a lasting solution to the menace.

Stop destroying our environment, group counsels militants, others ebenezer adurokiya-warri

A Niger Delta based NonGovernment Organisation, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) has enjoined pipeline vandals, militants, illegal oil bunkerers and indigenous and multinational oil companies to halt the destruction of the environment in the oil-rich Niger Delta region through their activities.

The National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, made the appeal in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Warri, Delta State.

According to Mulade, the vandalism of oil facilities by oil bunkerers and destruction of oil installations by aggrieved militants are impacting negatively on the environment.

He said: “The failure of

multinational oil companies to adhere strictly to environmental best practices in the Niger Delta region coupled with the activities of pipeline vandals and those stealing our oil are affecting the Niger Delta Region environment. They are destroying the ecosystem. “ Today, our farmlands and water are being destroyed as a result of these activities.

“Consequently, our farmers and fishermen are being forced out of their age-long occupations.

“Let us save our environment by shunning the destruction of oil facilities/installations in our area.

“Let those stealing our oil illegally put an end to their activities. Let vandals and militants stop the destruction of our environment and oil facilities and take their grievances to the negotiating table.

“They are not helping the Niger Delta environment.

The oil-bearing communities are suffering as a result of the damage done to the environment.

“We appeal to those responsible for the destruction of our once fertile environment to halt their criminal activities.

On their part, Honourables Bankole and Oduntan lauded the managements of the institutions for their efforts at moving ahead in the face of economic recession.

In their various responses, the Rectors of Adegbenro Polytechnic, Dr. Olufemi Fatade; state Institute of Technology, Dr. (Mrs) Olanike Akinkurolere; Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Dr. Isaiah Oyeyinka and Abraham Adesanya ICT Polytechnic, Prof (Mrs) Bukunola Bilesanmi -Awoderu lauded the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for restoring their monthly subventions.

They promised to evolve more strategies at increasing student intake through improved infrastructure and approval of more academic programmes.

RESIDENTS of Oke-Ola Oro community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have said that the renovated primary health centre in the community by a non-profit organisation, Taiwo Mustapha Foundation, will improve the people’s standard of living.

This observation was made by the traditional ruler of the area and Oloro of Oro, Oba AbdulRafiu Oyelaran; members of Okada Riders Association, fruit sellers association, transport associations and artisans.

While commending the philanthropic gesture of Taiwo Mustapha Foundation, the people urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the good deed.

The traditional ruler, who stressed the importance of quality healthcare, particularly among the rural poor, said the project was also capable of boosting productivity among the people.

Also speaking, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said his administration was ready to support primary healthcare centres in the state by giving them logistics and vaccines.

The governor, who was represented by the state commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Alege, urged mothers to patronise the centre for their children’s immunisation.

In his remark, the Chairman of the foundation, Taiwo Mustapha, an indigene of the community, said the gesture was borne out of his desire to help his people.

“The foundation is divided into three segments, namely: empowerment scheme, education and health support schemes,” he said.

Emir of Kaiama sues for peace Biola Azeez-Ilorin

THE Emir of Kaiama in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Muazu Omar, has enjoined his people to live in peace with one another.

The emir made the call in his palace during the annual Kazia Festival.

Alhaji Omar also called on farmers in his domain, to prioritise planting of food crops like grains instead of soya beans.

He said the cultivation of grains such as guinea corn,

maize and millet would minimize starvation and food insecurity.

He noted that with the present economic recession, farmers must be encouraged.

In his own remarks, the Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, Alhaji Alhassan Bagudu, urged the people to show commitment in their various undertakings.

He acknowledged that government at all levels were aware of the present economic hardship, add-

ing that with a little more patience, things would get better.

He, however, thanked the emir and security agencies for the relative peace enjoyed by the people of the community.

Highlights of the occasion were the turbaning of some village heads and title holders as well as the voluntary confessions of some repentant criminals among the Fulani in the town.

37

Friday, 16 September, 2016

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

Clinton resumes campaigning after pneumonia as race tightens

H

ILLARY Clinton planned to resume campaigning on Thursday after pneumonia forced her to take time off, and a top aide said the Democratic candidate’s presidential campaign would have to work harder because a candidate as controversial as Republican Donald Trump makes it “harder to be heard.”

In the final stretch before the November 8 election, Clinton was slated to attend a rally in North Carolina and speak at a dinner in Washington, Reuters said.

The 68-year-old had rested at her home in Chappaqua, New York, for three days after being diagnosed with pneumonia and falling ill at a September 11 memorial ceremony on Sunday.

With the candidates’ health in the spotlight, Trump, 70, on Thursday released details of a recent physical examination, a day after Clinton released details on her medical condition.

Top aide Jennifer Palmieri said “one upside” of Clinton’s unplanned break was the chance to “sharpen the final argument Clinton will present to voters in these closing weeks.”

“Our campaign readily admits that running against a candidate as controversial as Donald Trump means it is harder to be heard on what you aspire for the country’s future, and it is incumbent on us to work harder,” Palmieri said in a statement.

Trump’s campaign said the results of his physical

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton holds a news conference on the airport tarmac in front of her campaign plane in White Plains, New York, United States. PHOTO: REUTERS showed the 70-year-old fast-food fan has normal cholesterol with the help of a statin drug, weighs 236 pounds (107 kg) and has normal blood pressure.

rigors of a punishing and unprecedented presidential campaign and, more importantly, the singularly demanding job of president of the United States.”

US election: Donald Trump in excellent health – Doctor REPUBLICAN nominee Donald Trump is in “excellent physical health,” according to a letter from his doctor.

CNN revealed that Mr Trump released the letter from his doctor, Harold N Bornstein, following a recent physical examination.

The 70-year-old is listed as 6 foot 3 inches (1.9 metres) and weighs 236 pounds (116 kilos), which makes him overweight for his height.

The letter comes as his rival Hillary Clinton returns to the campaign trail after she was sick with pneumonia.

Both candidates have faced public scrutiny over transparency about the state of their health.

“He takes a lipid lowering agent (rosuvastatin) and a low dose aspirin,” the letter said. “He does not use tobacco products or alcohol.”

Syria war: Russia, US accuse each other of ceasefire violations RUSSIA’S Defence Ministry said Thursday the United States was not fulfilling its obligations under the Syrian ceasefire agreement, as Moscow and Washington pointed fingers at each other for violating what had appeared to be a peaceful lull in fighting.

In a statement, the Russian ministry said that United States-led “moderate opposition forces” had increased the “number of attacks on residential neighbourhoods,” claiming that at the end of the third day of the current cessation “only the Syrian army observes silence mode.”

According to CNN, the current ceasefire was called so that desperately needed

In a not-so-subtle slap at Clinton, the Trump campaign said the medical report showed Trump “has the stamina to endure, uninterrupted, the

humanitarian aid could be delivered.

“From the first minute Russia’s been meeting its obligations to enforce the cessation of hostilities in Syria,” the defence ministry said in the statement.

“At the same time we’re puzzled by the statements made by various representatives of the US State Department and the Pentagon about the prospects of Russia fulfilling the agreements reached on Syria.

“Moreover, it seems that the goal of Washington’s ‘verbal veil’ is the intention to hide non-compliance with its part of the obligations.

First of all, on the separation of forces of ‘moderate opposition’ and terrorists.”

Mr Trump discussed his health with talk-show host Dr Mehmet Oz in a taped

Donald Trump

interview, which is set to air on Thursday.

It’s almost too perfect.

The reality-TV-star-turnedpolitician sharing his medical information with the celebrity-doctor-turneddaytime-talk-show-host.

Mr Trump promised he would release information from a physical exam sometime this week, and on Thursday - in a press release and a taped interview with Dr Mehmet Oz - he did.

Fuel ‘too dirty’ for Europe sold to Africa SWISS firms have been criticised in a report for their links to the African trade in diesel with toxin levels that are illegal in Europe.

Campaign group Public Eye said retailers are exploiting weak regulatory standards, BBC stated.

Vitol, Trafigura, Addax & Oryx and Lynx Energy have been named because they are shareholders of the fuel retailers.

Trafigura and Vitol say the report is misconceived and retailers work within legal limits enforced in the countries.

Three of the distribution companies mentioned in the report have responded by saying that they meet the regulatory requirements

of the market and have no vested interest in keeping sulphur levels higher than they need to be.

Although this is within the limits set by national governments, the sulphur contained in the fumes from the diesel fuel could increase respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis in affected countries, health experts say.

The picture is changing but there are still several African countries which allow diesel to have a sulphur content of more than 2,000 parts per million (ppm), with some allowing more than 5,000ppm, whereas the European standard is less than 10ppm.

Sulphur particles in diesel emissions have been linked to a range of health problems. PHOTO: AFP

other NEWS Germany migrants: Residents battle asylum seekers in Bautzen RESIDENTS have clashed with asylum seekers in a town in eastern Germany that has become a flashpoint for anti-refugee sentiment.

Some 80 locals, described by police as far-right, brawled with 20 young asylum seekers in Bautzen.

The asylum seekers were chased to their hostel and put under police guard, BBC said.

The mayor said the town had to avoid becoming a playground for the far right. A curfew has been imposed on the young asylum seekers.

Anti-migrant tensions have been mounting in

Asylum seekers (pictured) were accused of taking over the central square in Bautzen. PHOTO: AP Bautzen this year.

Locals cheered when a building due to house migrants was set on fire in February.

The following month, President Joachim Gauck was verbally abused when he visited Bautzen to discuss the influx of refugees in Germany.

Activist tortured in Zimbabwe

Protesters set up burning barricades and clashed with police during a recent demonstration in Harare.

PHOTO: AFP

A man who has been at the forefront of protests against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is in hospital after allegedly being beaten and tortured.

Silvanos Mudzova, a member of the pressure group Tajamuka, said he had been abducted from his home in Harare on Tuesday night by unknown

men.

He told the BBC he had been blindfolded and tortured with sharp objects.

He was also electrocuted on several parts of his body, including his genitals, Mr Mudzova said.

He said his captors had been armed.

The spokesman for the group was also arrested but granted bail on Wednesday.

Despite the latest government ban on protests in the capital, Harare, a massive demonstration has been planned for Saturday, according to Mr Mudzova.

Zimbabwe has seen a wave of protests recently over the declining economy.

Indonesia: Plastic tax to curb rubbish dumped in rivers THE Indonesian government has decided to impose a national tax on plastic carrier bags in the hope of reducing waste in the country’s heavily polluted waters.

About 187 million tonnes of plastic waste is dumped into the country’s waters, placing Indonesia, with a geographically scattered population of 250 million people - second to China.

Posing a significant threat to wildlife, both marine and terrestrial, plastics have clogged up important drainage channels in the Southeast Asian country, leading to severe flooding.

Bottles and food containers are among

Boy emptying pet bottles in a river. PHOTO: CNN other plastics similarly posing a threat to marine and human life.

“If you could see below the surface, you would see a pile of rubbish of about two to three metres deep. I have to stop every few minutes to clean my boat engine from garbage” Guntur, a fisherman in Jakarta, told Al Jazeera.

news 12 killed in robbery operation in Benue 38

Johnson BabajideMakurdi

T

WELVE persons, including two suspected robbers, an eight-month-old baby and a suspected lady robber, were on Wednesday, killed during confrontation between villagers and suspected armed robbers.

Five suspected robbers were said to have invaded Senge village in Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, last Wednesday, and were said to have been ambushed by the villagers at Senge.

The five-man robbery suspects was said to have retreated to a nearby village, Kenvenge, where they attacked the villagers and killed

Friday, 16 September, 2016

10 persons, while the youth in the village were said to have killed two of the robbers. One of them was a lady while the other three escaped.

Confirming this in a press statement, Benue State police spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu, said the five-man gang, last Wednesday, went to rob at Senga village, an interior part of Katsina Ala Local Government Area, where an irate mob lynched two of the robbers.

One of the suspects, identified as “Chemical” and a lady harboring them were killed, while the other three suspects escaped to Gbise village and mobilised for reprisal.

He said the robbers, on return, could not gain access to Senga village be-

cause youths of the village had mobilised to protect their area, but were held at a village next to Senge, which was called Kenvenger village. It was gathered that the robbers shot and killed 10 persons on

the spot.

Among those killed by the suspected robbers, according to the police spokesman, were one Terseer Akaya, a driver from Katsina-Ala who went to convey farm produce;

A chief magistrates’ court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, on Thursday, put in the dock the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Teaching Board (TSB), Mr James Aondona Pine, in the case of criminal force and assault levelled against him by one of his staff members, James Asema.

Also docked were Iorpuur Laha; Akende Usu and Ihongo Daniel Tsevende, all staff of the board who were witnesses to the

accused when the matter came out for defence.

The complainant, who is an in-law to the state governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, had filed a case of public assault on his person by the defendant who is his boss at the board.

But when counsel for the complainant, Mr Adi Demeer, sought to tender a previous statement of the accused person, which was directly in relation to the matter in court, pursuance to Section 2 3 1 of the evidence act 2011, the defence counsel, Ambrose Ikpa,

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed that over 300 houses were affected by last week’s tremors in Kwoi, Kaduna State.

Three tremors were recorded at different locations in Jaba Local Government area of the state, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Musa Ilalah, the agency’s zonal coordinator, said no life was lost, but

that the affected houses either collapsed or got cracked.

The coordinator urged the residents to remain calm, saying measures were already being taken by the federal and state governments to provide succour to the affected persons.

“We have gone round and have seen the houses that were affected,” Ilalah said.

“The assessment is still ongoing; we are waiting for the geologists to tell us

objected to the admissibility of the said document.

Consequent to this, the presiding Magistrate, Dan Ogo, adjourned the case for ruling on the objection raised and continuation of hearing raised by the defence to September 29, 2016 Fielding questions from

journalists on why the defence witnesses were not cross-examined in court, counsel for the complainant said the 1,2 and 3 defence witnesses were not cross-examined by him because their evidences were not related to the issue before the court.

the root of the problem and what will be the next plan of action for the occupants of these communities.”

“We in NEMA will do our best; we are going to write our report and send it to

the headquarters, Abuja.

We all know that the rock is the root of the problem but only the geological services will be able to tell us the cause of the tremor.”

Police arrest 2 suspected robbers during sallah in Kano Kola Oyelere-Kano

THE Kano police command on Thursday, said it arrested two suspected armed robbers who terrorised residents during Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in Kano metropolis.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer(PPRO), DSP Magaji Majiya, on Thursday, confirmed the arrest of the suspects in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano According to him ,the suspects, Abdulraham

SATURDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER, 2016

Mohammed and Aminu Abdullahi, were apprehended on Abdullahi Bayero Road in Kano metropolis after attacking their victims around 3pm.

His words: “The two suspected armed robbers were arrested after they attacked their victims and items recovered from them include two knives and GSM cell phones.

He, however, disclosed that one of their victims who sustained serious injuries had been taken to one of the hospitals for treatment.

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6 million refugee children have no school to go —UN THE United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said over 6 million of school-age refugee children around the world have no school to go to.

Filippo Grandi, UN high commissioner for refugees, warned that the problem could lead to further conflicts if it was left unaddressed.

Most of these 3.7 million children who are not getting a primary or secondary education live in developing countries.

The agency said some 900,000 of them were Syrians.

According to the report UNHCR published ahead next week’s UN refugee summit in New York, lack of basic schooling affected refugees’ chances in later life.

“Only one in 100 refugees manages to enter a university, compared to one in three among ordinary youth,” Grandi said.

“All too often, education for refugee children is considered a luxury, a non-es-

ceiving medical attention at NKST hospital at Kera, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state.

He said police operatives had been deployed to patrol the area to prevent further breach of peace.

300 houses affected by tremors in Kaduna —NEMA

Court docks Benue Teaching Board boss, 3 others for assaulting staff Johnson BabajideMakurdi

a woman with two of her children; an eight-month old baby and an eight-yearold child.

Yamu said five other persons, who were injured, were rushed to the hospital and were currently re-

sential optional extra after food, water, shelter and medical care.

“This lack of schooling can be hugely damaging, not only for individuals, but also for their families and societies, perpetuating cycles of conflict and yet more forced displacement.’’

He appealed to donors to focus on the issue.

Regions with low education levels are more likely to experience conflict.

Grandi acknowledged that poor host countries were often struggling to educate their own native population and that an influx of refugees could exacerbate the problem.

Report says over of the world’s refugee children that are out of school live in these seven countries: Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Pakistan and Turkey.

In Turkey and Lebanon, two of the main host countries for Syrian refugees, only about 40 per cent of Syrian children attend schools.

What we’ll do to get Lagos —Salvador, PDP chairman

Weekend Lagos

Alaba traders cry out: ‘We’re dying in silence’ Plus:

The rise of female keke riders women affairs

My experience grooming Olajumoke, the breadseller turned model —Mari Isibor

How agent picked me from the street, turned me into a Super model

—Ex-beauty queen, Mariam Elisha

Why I make cake so beautiful that you won’t want to cut it —Terry Adido, lawyer, food blogger, finalist in Third Season of Masterchef, Canada Book your copy today

food & drink

39

Friday, 16 September, 2016 Editor: Wale Emosu tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08111813054, 08055444383

LMC reschedules El-Kanemi/Heartland fixture again Heartland laments team’s depletion

By Wale Emosu

THE League Management Company (LMC) has re-fixed the match between the ElKanemi Warriors of Maiduguri and Heartland FC of Owerri for Saturday following the injuries to some players of Heartland FC in a road accident on Wednes-

day.

The Match Day 35 was rescheduled for yesterday (Thursday) before players of the visiting team were involved in the accident in Maiduguri.

Speaking to Tribunesport on Thursday, media officer of Heartland FC, Cajetan Nkwopara, thanked the LMC

Rio Paralympics: Al-makura hails Team Nigeria’s success Godwin agwam-lafia

NASARAWA State governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura has said the success recorded by Team Nigeria at the ongoing Rio Paralympic Games in Brazil has proved that there is ability in disability.

Team Nigeria has so far won eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals to remain Africa’s best in the quadrennial Games scheduled to end this weekend.

The governor who made the statement through a press release, signed and made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ahmed

Nigeria’ s Ahmed Musa (centre) against Tanzania; in the match that boosted the country’s ranking

Nigeria moves 3 steps up FIFA ranking

By Wale Emosu

N

IGERIA moved three steps up in the latest FIFA world rankings for the month of September, released on Thursday.

In the new rankings, Nigeria, with 534 points, is now 64th in the world while it however remains outside of the top 10 on the African continent.

The country is placed 14th in Africa.Nigeria garnered 513 points in August.

Nigeria played one match in the month under review and the Super Eagles triumphed 1-0 in a 2017 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania. The match, which result was insignificant, was the first under new manager Gernot Rohr.

Cote d’Ivoire moved two steps up to the 34th position to remain number one in Africa, while Algeria,

down by three steps, is second on the continent and the 35th in the world. Senegal, also up by two steps, is third in Africa and the 39th in the world.

Other countries in the top ten in Africa are Tunisia (4; 42), Ghana (5; 43), Congo DR (6; 51), Egypt (7; 53),

Congo (8; 54), Mali (9; 55) and Morocco (10; 58).

Brazil is the bigesst mover among the top 10 countries in the world. The South American country moved five steps up to place fourth, while Germany ascended a step to the third position.

Conversely, Colombia

dropped by a step to the fourth position. Argentina and Belgium remain in the first and second position respectively.

Uruguay (9th) and Wales (10th) are the only two countries that made it into the top 10 in the month of September.

Tukur said, that the physically-challenged have demonstrated once more that they have potential to excel even where able bodied men and women failed to deliver medals.

Al-makura said the Paralympics team has proved to the world that Nigeria had potential in every area of human endeavour and are not deterred by their physical challenges.

FCT SWAN boss: I never took swipe at Dalung CHAIRMAN, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Comrade Kayode Adeniyi has denied a media report quoting him as condemning the denial of the Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung on his earlier comments on the performance of Nigerian athletes.

Adeniyi, who spoke in Abuja noted that at no time did he grant any interview to any reporter, adding that any position which SWAN would take on any issue of importance could only be rooted through an official press release.

He maintained that SWAN was yet to issue any official statement after Barrister Dalung accused its members of bias in his rejoinder days ago.

Adeniyi, in a press release made public in Abuja on Thursday said: “At no time did I grant any interview talk more of making official comment on the accusation of Sports Minister concerning my members.

“Though members of the sporting media had inundated SWAN secretariat with concerns over accusation by the Sports Minister that journalists quoted him wrongly, SWAN is yet to address the issue”.

3SC players set to suspend strike

BY OLAWALE OLANIYAN

THERE are strong indications that the ongoing strike embarked upon by the players of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan may be called off today as the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Barrister Abayomi Oke held talks with the players.

The Shooting Stars will be guests of Warri Wolves on Sunday in a Match day 36 fixture of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Tribunesport gathered that the commissioner met with the

players in a swift reaction to put an end to the strike embarked upon by the players three days ago. Tribunesports was also reliably informed that the matter was brought before the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on Thursday and from all indications, the issue maybe resolved as the governor has taken interest with a promise to look into the matter as soon as possible.

Oke, according to Tribunesports source, was more concerned about the welfare of the players, hence his decision to ensure that the players are paid so

for the gesture, but expressed worry over the club’s likely inability to replace, before Saturday, the players who are in critical.

“We came to Maiduguri with 18 players and at least five of the players’ cases are bad; these are first team players. Getting players to replace them between now and Saturday is almost impossible as it takes two days to travel to Maiduguri. If we consider the option of a flight, I think flights come to Maiduguri only two days in a week,” Nkwopara told Tribunesport by phone.

He gave the names of the players whose conditions are bad as Owusu Anthony, Kingsley Ajaero, Nnaemeka Anyanwu, Matmerzel Obioha and captain Chinedu Efugh. The sixth player, goalkeeper Ebere Obi, Nkwopara explained, is in a worse condition.

that it won’t affect the current position of the team on the table.

When contacted, Oke said that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible, adding that the state government would come up with an official statement on the matter in due course.

He said the government is more concerned about the welfare of the players and would do all within its capacity to make the players happy.

Warri Wolves, it will be recalled, defeated 3Sc 2-1 in the first round of the league at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

SIDELINES

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Boko Haram members now disguise as lunatics, the military warned on Sunday. Well, let everyone who has an ear to hear dress properly nowadays, lest they be mistaken for Boko Haram members masquerading as mentally challenged persons. Verily, verily we say unto such people: you shall receive such a beating as you never dreamed of!

Beating Eagles is my priority —Zambia coach

BY Dipo Ogunsola

Nigeria’s Ogenyi Onazi (left) and Chipolopolo’s Thuso Phala

Rio Paralympics:

Iyiazi grabs Nigeria’s 12th medal

BY Ganiyu Salman

T

EAM Nigeria on Thursday increased its medal haul at the ongoing Rio Paralympics through Iyiazi Eucharia.

Iyiazi, who competed in the women’s discuss throw-F57, finished with a throw of 27.54 metres to claim the bronze medal.

The Beijing 2008 Paralympics double gold medallist, had last week in the women’s shot put -F56/57 final finished fourth with a season’s best of 9.31 metres.

Also, Iyiazi, at the London 2012 Paralympics, won a bronze medal in the women’s shot put event.

Algerian Saifi Nassima won the gold with a throw of 33.33 metres, while Barry Orla of Ireland settled for silver medal with a throw of 30.06 metres.

Iyiazi claimed double gold medal in Beijing eight years ago in the women’s shot put (F57/F58) and discus throw (F57/F58) events.

Meanwhile, as of the time of this report, Nigeria remained 10th on

the medals table and Africa’s best with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

It will be recalled that Nigeria finished with six gold, five silver and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Paralympics.

The Rio 2016 ends on Sunday.

Nigeria has been attending the Summer Paralympics since 1992, making Rio its seventh time at the multi-sports event set aside for people with physical disabili-

ties, ranging from amputations to hearing impairments and cerebral palsy.

Although there are 28 events that have featured over the years at the Paralympics, Nigeria has consistently stuck to three—table-

G 75 47 32 28 11 11 10 9 8 8

B S 58 39 24 30 24 27 30 25 22 21 16 8 24 15 5 4 14 20 2 2

tennis, athletics and powerlifting.

Of all the 23 athletes representing Nigeria at the Games, only three are there for the table-tennis; an event the country has not won any medals in since 2000 in Sydney.

Stamford Bridge on blue/red alert

MEDALS TABLE

Country China

Great Britain Ukraine USA

Australia Germany Brazil N/Zealand Netherlands Nigeria

Iyiazi

ZAMBIA’S stand-in coach, Wedson Nyirenda reckons that the result of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier match against Nigeria matters to him because anything could happen afterwards.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is looking for a foreign coach for the Chipolopolo but Nyirenda was on Tuesday given the mandate of beating the Eagles on October 9 in Ndola.

“I am pleased to have this task even in an interim capacity,” he told Zambia Rage FM. “When you are asked to take Zambia through a Nigerian barrier, then you know you have a top job to do. We won the Nations Cup in 2012, and Nigeria took it in 2013, we have failed to go to the 2017 AFCON, so also has Nigeria, we are on the same level. Zambia has never been to the World Cup but if we start well against the Eagles, anything can happen,’’ said Nyirenda.

However, even with the coaching change in his team, Chipolopolo’s captain, Rainford Kalaba, still believes that Zambia has every chance to qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup from Group B. Apart from Nigeria and Zambia, the group also includes Algeria and Cameroon.

“We have a chance to qualify, we still believe in ourselves,” he said.

“Even if we failed to qualify to the Africa Cup, we don’t have to get distracted; we have to work hard on the field and stay focused and united until we reach our destiny in Russia 2018.”

Sadio Mane, Liverpool

CHELSEA hosts Liverpool at Stamford Bridge this evening as the English Premier League continues to experiment with the plausibilty of Friday night football.

The Blues come into this game on the back of a poor second half display at the Liberty Stadium, where some shambolic defending gifted hosts Swansea City a precious point in a 2-2 draw last Sunday.

By comparison, Liverpool emphatically swept aside champions Leicester City, with a convincing display at a new-look Anfield.

It will be interesting to see if Antonio Conte sticks with the 4-1-4-1 formation he has been deploying against Jürgen Klopp’s pressing Liverpool side.

Chelsea Keeper, Thibaut Courtois will need to be at his best to repel a Liverpool attack that is averaging 6.5 shots per game and has scored more Premier League goals than any other side in 2016.

Diego Costa, Chelsea

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