nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 16,372
tuesday, 17 november, 2015
www.tribuneonlineng.com
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Ibadan, Sagamu, Ikenne stand still for HID Awolowo Nigerian Tribune
•As all South-West govs honour her
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AT THE TRIBUNE HOUSE: From left, wife of the Oyo State governor, Chief (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi; Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran; Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode; wife of the Minister of Solid Mineral, Mrs Bisi Fayemi and Professor A. B. O. O. Oyediran.
S OTO E PH ES R O M AG ON P ,9,10,47 8 ,7, 4,5,6 Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his deputy, Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Onanuga, with other state officials, receiving the remains of Chief (Mrs) Awolowo at Sagamu Interchange, Ogun State, on Monday. With them are Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran, Ambassador (Dr) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Mr Segun Awolowo and other family members.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
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HIDAWOLOWO(1915-2015)
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Ibadan, Sagamu, Ikenne stand still for HID Awolowo
Ajimobi, Amosun, Aregbesola, Ambode, dignitaries bid her farewell By Dipo Ogunsola, Olayinka Olukoya, Gabriel Oshokha, Wale Olapade, Ruth Olurounbi, Wale Akinselure and Vera Onana
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VEN in death, the essence of a shining star does not diminish; rather, it radiates and glimmers in vivid colours of strength, dignity and beauty. This was the situation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, when the remains of a legend, the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief HID Awolowo, visited the ancient city as part of activities marking her final journey home. Right from the toll gate, where the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Florence, with members of his executive council met the delegates of his counterpart from Ogun State to receive the remains of Mama Awolowo, the atmosphere became charged and the aura that a powerful person had come to visit, was palpable. Indeed, no one needed to know that something different is happening, as Ibadan city came alive to celebrate a woman of substance and an epitome of motherhood. It was a series of beautiful programmes for a jewel, especially at the colourful lying-in-state held for her at the Tribune House. Dignitaries converged on the Tribune in their rank and files to pay homage and celebrate the eventful life of a woman, who had left solid footprints in the sands of time. It was accolades from all and even death could not reduce the ovation that escorts Mama HID whereever she goes. To the Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, Mama Awolowo was an example of a perfect partner. He described her as the ideal collaborator and partner in the life of a busy politician like the sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo. According to him, “the message is simple to aspiring politicians, any woman who stood the way Mama did like an enigma for Chief Obafemi Awolowo is a great woman, deserving great honour.” His counterpart from Lagos State, Governor Akinwumi Ambode, was also full of praises, as he described the transition of Mama Awolowo as a challenge to Nigerians, for the yetto be achieved philosophy of the political excellence envisioned by Papa and
Mama Awolowo. “For us, this coming November 25 (when Mama Awolowo would have clocked 100 years) will be an occasion for us to unify that Awolowo spirit and vision, which we are yet to achieve,” he said. He called on women supporters, collaborators, politicians and the entire Yoruba race to forge an alliance to keep the Awo legacy alive. While speaking on Mama’s contribution, Ambode noted that Lagos State especially benefitted from Mama Awolowo’s expertise in trade, commerce and social development, hence its hefty involvement in the funeral ceremonies which started from Park Lane in Lagos, on Sunday and pledged Lagos State’s commitment to be part of Nigerian Tribune’s centenary celebration as a way of being faithful to the Awo legacy. On behalf of the Tribune family, a director of the board, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, eulogised Mama Awolowo with emotional and powerful words that elicited strong emotions in the audience. “I cannot but mourn Mama, but we never expected her to live forever. We knew this day would come. Mama HID was the godmother of my first daughter. She was an inexplicable pillar of support to the sage, Obafemi Awolowo. We will sorely miss Mama, as well as her Ikokore.” Giving the vote of thanks, the Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, Mr Edward Dickson, described Mama Awolowo as a indefatigable woman, who prevailed for 64 out of the 66 years of Nigerian Tribune as chairman. “She was an exceptional chairman, who was never a second late for any meeting,” he said. He further noted that through divine means, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and
Mama as a couple, nurtured the Tribune Mustard Seed to an Oak tree in the last 66 years. He thanked associates, friends, stakeholders, as well as neighbours for teaming up to give Mama Awolowo a deserving farewell and promised that “as long as there is breathe in the life of the Tribune workforce, we shall keep the flag flying.” The colourful event was witnessed by Governor Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat; Governor Ajimobi and his wife, Florence; Governor Ambode; royal representatives of Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, Alakene of Ikenne, Oba Adeyinka Onakede Moruwafu, Onigba of Igbagba, Oba (Sir) S.A.A Adesanya, Alaperu of Iperu, Oba Adeleke Idowu Basibo, Aminisan of Oko, Oba Mufutau Sani Adeoye and the Elepe of Epe. There were also representatives of the Ondo State government, Kayode Akinmade; representative of Ekiti State government, Elder Idowu Adelusi; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, Justice Tayo Onalaja, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chief (Mrs) Bola Akinjide, Chief Areoye Oyebola, Honourable Babs Oduyoye, as well as media chiefs and practitioners, among whom were Gidado Muktar, national vice chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Yanju Adegbite, Dapo Ogunwusi, Sunday Olajide, among others. Earlier, while delivering the sermon at the commendation service held for Mama at the Methodist Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, the Archbishop of Ibadan, Methodist Church, Most Reverend Michael Kehinde Stephen, said the only way to honour the Awolowo dynasty was for government, at all levels in the country, to give education a priority. He decried the fact that many continued to associ-
ate themselves with the ideals of Chief Awolowo, yet continued to pay lip service to education, while missionary schools were in a poor state, alluding to the focus on education development by Awolowo. The cleric regarded as pathetic, the current state of education in the country, where education had become one of the most neglected sectors, citing as example the poor motivation of teachers, dilapidated infrastructure in schools and the many deprived children, who were not educationally sound, even after graduation. He further bemoaned that faith-based educational institutions had become elitist, servicing the interests of the elite and not the poor and called on government to return the missionary schools to their owners for better running. “The government has continued to pay lip service to education. We need to commit resources to education. Most claim to be disciple and apostle of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They proclaim free education and have allowed the institutions to be so run down that no one will want his own children to have anything to do with such public schools. “They forcibly took over missionary education because they thought Nigeria was so rich and turn them into a ghost of their former self. What we have left today are dilapidated infrastructure, poorly motivated teachers, deprived children who can hardly spell their names after six years who are given automatic promotion. We cannot defend this when we gather round the remains of our dear matriarch. Political office holders must get their cabinet in place to address the state of education in Nigeria. They must do it as part of the honour to the Awolowo dynasty. I believe the Awolowo family will weep for Nigeria today. The educational sec-
tor has become one of the most neglected of our national life,” he stated. Archbishop Stephen stated further that Mama Awolowo’s enviable personality was a tremendous example for upcoming generations to emulate and advocated for a special trust for Nigerian Tribune, urging the Awolowo family to ensure the sustenance of the newspaper. The host, Senator Ajimobi, in his address, saluted Mama Awolowo’s diligence and dependability as an astute and prudent manager, evident by the sustenance of the Nigerian Tribune since its establishment in 1949. Responding to Archbishop Stephen’s charge on the need to return schools to the missionaries, Ajimobi called on church leaders to forward their proposals to government on any school they wish to take over. “Mama had an unlimited, unmatchable, dignifying and great mental capacity and sagacity, disciplined, firm and sturdy disposition. Mama’s political life, personal fortitude and the force of her ideas and ideals represent guide-posts for confronting our present challenges as political leaders which I recommend for any brilliant scholar for indepth research analysis; from which far reaching solutions can be found to our peculiar socio-political situation,” he said. The governor finally called on all Nigerians to emulate Mama’s forthrightness, strength, detribalised nature among other enduring and enviable virtues which had culminated into a legacy set to stand the test of time. Also speaking, Chief Bisi Fayemi, the wife of the Minister of Solid Minerals, described Mama Awolowo as outstanding in all ramifications, a woman of many parts, a devoted wife, a great mother, an astute politician, an excellent entrepreneur, a devout Christian and a won-
HID’s biography for presentation tomorrow ALL plans are now in place for the public presentation of the biography of Chief HID Awolowo, scheduled as part of activities for her burial programme. One of the ambitions of the chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, while alive, was to publish a biography detailing her full history of life. Therefore, in her honour, the invited public are, here-
by, notified of the official presentation of the book, entitled: “In the Radiance of the Sage: The Life and Times of HID Awolowo,” on Wednesday, November 18. The presentation will be held at the Awolowo’s residence, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, at 10.00 a.m. An excerpts from the book read: “Obafemi (Awolowo’s) methodical, comprehensive and thoughtful planning and mobilisation
of resources blended with Hannah’s calculated, determined, meticulous and patient shaping and projection of social capital in the struggle for influence and prestige. “She also (had) a matchless capacity for recollection and detail, an intrinsic facility for identifying and understanding the social order of things and a unique aptitude for tracking loyalty and treachery.
“Therefore, within the first five years of their matrimony, it was already evident that theirs was a perfect harmony that blended. For a few months short of 50 years, they were to enjoy a mutuality that melded so well as to become storied...” The chief presenter on the occasion is a former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, while the book reviewer is Professor Adigun Agbaje, former Deputy
derful role model for women of many generations. Drawing from Mama Awolowo’s ideals, she charged wives of political office holders to be politically active by supporting the political dreams of their spouses and urged women to emulate the entrepreneurial mindset of the late matriarch. “Mama Awolowo lived during times when women were not supposed to play key roles in public life. But back then in the 1950s and 60s, Mama was there as a politician in her own right, side by side with Chief Obafemi Awolowo. And over the years, Mama’s role in public life, in entrepreneurship and so many other spheres of life in the country did not diminish right till the very end,” he said. Also, a former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran, stated that “Mama was a stateswoman and humanitarian, particularly committed to the unity of the Yoruba race, nation and humanity at large. “Mama Awolowo continued to send messages about unity of Yoruba race, unity of the nation and unity of humanity. She felt humanity is one and we should treat ourselves as one. She was very passionate about peace and development. We pray we get people who can follow her path with regards to what she did for society. One of the legacies she left behind was the Yoruba Unity Forum. She was chairman, with an attempt to bring Yoruba people together as a whole and also the country.” Also speaking, the former Nigeria Ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, said no one person could fill the shoes left behind by Mama Awolowo, except probably a collection of persons. Farounbi regarded the honour accorded Mama Awolowo well deserved, noting her commitment to communal, national and political development. continues pg13
Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan. The host governors are Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo; Dr Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti; Mr Rauf Aregbesola, Osun; Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo; Mr Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Edo, while the chief host is the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
4 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IBADAN
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7 1. From left, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Professor A.B.O.O. Oyediran, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at Methodist Church Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, on Monday. 2. From left, Chief (Mrs) Bisi Fayemi, Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode. 3. From left, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Ambassador (Dr) Yemi Farounbi, Chief Dipo Jimilehin and Honourable Taiwo Akeju.
4. From left, Mr Iranola Ayodeji and his son, Mrs Ayotola Ayodeji, Mrs Yemisi Subair and her husband. 5. MD/EIC, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson (left), welcoming the Oyo State CP, Mr Leye Oyebade, to the Ibadan Toll Gate. 6. A cross section of Mama HID’s grandchildren on the occasion. 7. A cross section of guests on the occasion. 8. Mrs Yejide Badmus and her husband, Tunde and others.
5 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IBADAN
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7 1. Right Reverend M.K. Kehinde Stephen, Archbishop of Ibadan (left), welcoming Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Florence, to Methodist Church Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, on Monday. 2. From left, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Professor A.B.O.O Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu. 3. Barrister Segun Awolowo (left) with Chief Bode Akindele, Baba Ijo Methodist Church, Agbeni, Ibadan.
4. From right, Prince Adedamola Aderemi, Mrs Kemi Aderemi, Funke Awolowo and Mr Olumide Oyediran. 5. Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu and Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke at Oke Bola. 6. From left, Mrs Bola Awowolo, Barrister Segun Awolowo and Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran. 7. Right Reverend Kehinde Stephen of Methodist Church leading the remains of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo to the church at Agbeni, Ibadan. 8. The remains of Mama HID Awolowo being carried by the pall bearers.
6 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IBADAN
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7 1. Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (LEFT), receiving Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, at Ibadan Toll Gate, on Monday. 2. From eft, Alhaji Lekan Alli, Chief Akin Oke, APC chairman, Oyo State; Oyo State CP, Mr Leye Oyebade, Governor Ajimobi and his wife, Florence. 3. From left, Mrs Atema Akindele, Chief Bode Akindele and Mrs Grace Ajileye. 4. From left, Oyo State CP, Mr Oyebade; Alhaji Alli and Mr Tolu Odebiyi.
5. From left, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Professor Afolabi Oladapo. 6. From elft, MD/EIC, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson; Editor, Saturday Tribune, Mr Lasisi Olagunju; Editor, Sudnay Tribune, Mr Sina Oladeinde, Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai and Mr Oyebade. 7. From left, Dr Gbade Ojo, Mr Tolu Odebiyi, Professor Oladapo and Alhaji Alli. 8. Cultural group from Oyo State at Ibadan Toll Gate.
7 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IBADAN
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7 1. From left, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Barrister Segun Awolowo and Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu. 2. Cross section of grand children dancing at Awolowo house, Oke Bola. 3. From left, Mr Kayode Akinmade, Commissioner for Information, Who represented the Ondo State governor; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade and Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo. 4. Members of YWCA Oyo State led by their president, Mr Gbolahan Temilade, at Oke
Bola. 5. From left, Mrs Omotayo Morgan, Chief (Mrs) Bukola Oni, Chief Agnes Ojehomon and Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke, at Oke Bola. 6. From right, Chief (Mrs) F.A. Solanke, Mrs O.O. Omowon and others at Oke Bola. 7. From left, Mrs Peju Nwage, Mrs Abiola Balogun and Mrs Gbolahan Temilade at Oke Bola. 8. Cross section of Alao Akala Women Forum at Oke Bola.
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7 1. Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran dancing at the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan, on Monday. 2. Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu dancing at the Tribune House. 3. From left, Prince Adedamola Aderemi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Barrister Segun Awolowo. 4. From left, former MD/EIC, ANN Plc, Pastor Sam Adesua; Managing Director, National Mirror, Mr Sunday Olajide, Mr Wale Ojo and Mrs Bisi Yomi Layinka.
5. From left, Deacon Dayo Adepoju, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chief Dipo Jimilehin and Mr Taiwo Akeju. 6. From left, Chief Sunday Adegeye (King Sunny Ade), Mr Clement Ige and Mr Akin Onipede. 7. From left, Mr Jimoh Laoye, Mr Wole Akinloye, Mr Michael Abegunde, Mr Ayokunle Olaoye, Mr Soji Adesokan and Prince Deolu Adeyefa. 8. From left, Mr Foluso Aminu, Dr Festus Adedayo and Honourable Babs Oduyoye.
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7 1. From left, Barrister Segun Awolowo; his wife, Bola;MD/EIC, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson; Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Governor Akinwumi Ambode and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, at Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan. 2. From left, Professor A.B.O.O Oyediran, Mrs Bisi Fayemi and Kayode Akinmade, who represented the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko. 3. Ekiti State Chief Press Secretary, Elder Idowu Adelusi, who represented governor Ayo Fayose, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, New Telegraph, Funke Egbemode and Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, at Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan. 4. From left, Chief Bayo Fadoju, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Mrs
Esther Fadoju, at Tribune House. 5. Mr Yomi Layinka (left) and Dr Bashiru Olanrewaju at Toll Gate, Ibadan. 6. Mr Edward Dickson (left) and Mr Yanju Adegbite. 7. Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, New Telegraph, Funke Egbemode, Editor Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai and the MD/EIC ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson, at Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan. 8. From left, Zonal Director, NTA, Ibadan, Paulline Igbanoe; ADP, NTA, Ibadan, Mr Kunle Ajala; Chairman, Tribune Editorial Board, Mr Dejo Olatoye and member of the board, Mr Muyiwa Apara .
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7 1. From left, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson and Mrs Dupe Akinloye dancing on their arrival at the Imalefalafia street en route Tibune House. 2. Mr Folu Olamiti (left) with former MD/EIC ANN Plc Rev. Sam Adesua. 3. Mrs Yejide Badmus (left) with Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu. 4. Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu dancing at the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan.
5. From left, Mrs Aregbesola, Governor Aregbesola and Governor Ambode 6. GMD/CEO, Odua Investment Limited, Adewale Raji (left) and Mr Victor Ayetoro Corporate affairs Manager. 7. A cross section of Tribune staff. 8. From left, Assistant Director, News, NTA Ibadan, Ademolu Okuneye; chairman, Oyo NUJ, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun; vice chairman NUJ, B zone, Cosmas Oni and deputy national president, NUJ, Mallam Mukhtar Gidado.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
HID Awolowo was an icon of excellence —Ogun executive council
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HE Ogun State Executive Council, on Monday, paid glowing tributes to the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, in recognition of the roles she played in nation building. Led by the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, members of the council took turns to eulogise Mama Awolowo, describing her as an icon of excellence and epitome of womanhood. The council members stated this during a meeting of the State Executive Council on Monday, a day after activities leading to the burial of Mama Awolowo started in Lagos, with a lying-in-state at her Apapa, Lagos residence. While eulogising the late matriarch, members of the Ogun State Executive Council said apart from being a pillar of support for her husband, Mama Awolowo maintained and sustained the legacies of the first Premier of the Western region even long after his demise. Members of the council added the deceased, who made their Ikenne family home a political Mecca of
sorts, was a rallying point for all politicians in the country, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political differences. They pointed out that her
life was more or less like a textbook of a quintessential wife, with various chapters on how to be a good woman, wife and mother, respectively.
presence of four generations of her offsprings. Members of the Ogun State Executive Council particularly noted the fact that Mama Awolowo re-
tained an outstanding level of mental alertness till death and this enabled her to contribute positively to the betterment of the society.
Communication minister lauds her sterling character MINISTER of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu has lauded the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief Hannah Dideolu Idowu Awolowo for her sterling character and good virtues, just as he assured of President Muhammadu Buhari’s
sincere desire to improve the lots of the womenfolk. Shittu, in a statement in Abuja, maintained that Yeye Oodua lived a life of service to humanity, stressing that her elegance and deep knowledge of politics really assisted the sage, Chief Oba-
femi Awolowo to be installed as leader of the Yoruba race. The minister averred that she was a symbol of peace and good neighbourliness, adding that this was why her death remained a devastating blow on Nigerians. Shittu assured that as a
student of the Awolowo school of politics, he had continued to cherish the Yeye Oodua, stressing that his involvement in politics improved the lots of Nigerians. He added that President Buhari would do his best
to cater for the lots of Nigerians, asserting that the nation’s number one citizen had directed his ministers to focus on areas that can positively improve the living standard of the masses, in line with the philosophy of Chief Awolowo.
Immortalise HID, human rights activist tasks FG By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare AS activities preluding the final burial rites for the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Yeye Odua, Chief (Mrs) Hannah Dideolu Awolowo, commences, a renowned human rights activist and executive chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, has called on the General Muhamadu Buhari-led Federal Govern-
ment to immortalise her name with national edifices in the country This was as he noted that the people of the country would never forget the unique and immense contributions of Papa Awolowo, through the uncommon support of Mama Awolowo to the development of the country, particularly during the struggle for Nigeria’s independence from the British colonial masters. Comrade Sulaiman described Mrs Awolowo as an
Tribune md\eic’s tribute to hid Awolowo THE last few weeks since Mama Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo CON, Papa Awolowo’s amazing amazon, whose vision complemented Papa’s inimitable spirit to establish our great company, African Newspapers of Nigeria ( ANN ) Plc, exactly 66 years ago, transited to eternity have been momentous for us at the Tribune. The overwhelming outpouring of emotions and the moving tributes by Nigerians in honour of this great personality have shocked us awake to the stark reality that our dear Mama is, indeed, gone from our physical universe though, for us, she remains alive in our spiritual subconsciousness. It is not that we disbelieve the transience or temporality of human existence to think that Mama will live forever, but with Mama we chose to think that life’s stereotype of finality could be delayed, at least for a little while. Mama was a superwoman, an extraordinary person and a super hero. And with superheroes, one can be sure of a happy ending. So, we believed that Mama would surprise us with a final super human interven-
The council also noted that Mrs Awolowo, who was visited on a monthly basis by Governor Ibikunle Amosun since he assumed office in 2011, died in the
tion by calling death’s bluff to attain the centenary milestone. Ironically, the superheroes sometimes also have premonitions of danger. While we were busy with preparations for her centenary birthday, we had no such foresight that we would be celebrating her spiritual ascendancy instead. But I believe Mama knew that the end was nigh all the time; she dropped hints of the final hour many times, but as a result of the human ignorance factor we failed to understand and/or notice these little hints. As co-founder and chairman of our great company, Mama’s administrative genius sustained the Tribune throughout and made it to survive all known vicissitudes. Today, Tribune is still standing tall and proud as the oldest surviving newspaper in Nigeria. Only those who have come in close contact with Mama will understand the enormous quality she possessed. Beyond her celebrated political prowess, Mama was an astute businesswoman and a legendary boardroom player. Reading about and hearing all the outpouring of
tributes by Nigerians from across the nation, we feel proud, here at the Tribune, that Mama is our mother, indeed, that we knew her so intimately and we have drunk from her fountain of wisdom. We feel proud that she lived a life of remarkable service to humanity. We are proud that our dear Mama while serving humanity understood and served God better. Mama was an indefatigable woman, a peerless soul, who truly redefined the essence of womanhood. She was a woman of enormous power, but who believed in peace. Throughout her final days, the thought on her mind was the unity of the Yoruba race, survival and development of Nigeria as the great country that Papa Awolowo envisioned. Mama, as you often said, we, your children, are confident that you have enough of great testimonies to share with Papa about the Tribune family. Adieu Mama! We shall miss your comforting words and the interesting stories you shared with us. You lived well Mama. We shall miss your physical presence, but you will continue to live on in our hearts.
epitome of good governance and motherhood in Africa, adding that she would continue to be remembered for being a pillar of true support to her husband, the Sage and first Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The human rights activist further described the death of Mama Awolowo as a big blow on Ogun State, SouthWestern region, Nigeria and Africa as a whole, noting that the Yoruba nation and
Nigeria as a whole would miss her motherly advice towards the unity of the country dearly. He added that “Mama Awolowo was truly a “precious jewel of inestimable value” of Africa. In a condolence message signed by Comrade Sulaiman to the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of Tribune titles and Chief Obafemi Awolowo family, he noted that the womenfolk had lost
a voice and a rare gem in Mrs Awolowo, praying Almighty God to give the family fortitude to bear the loss. “Nigeria, the most populous black country of the world has lost an exceptional human being, a rare gem and precious jewel of inestimable value of the century. We want to declare that it would not be possible to write the political history of the country without giving larger pages for Papa and Mama Awolowo.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Treasury Single Account: The true story, by FG
•It will ensure easier fund mgt — CBN Christian Okeke and Adetola Bademosi - Abuja
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HE Federal Government, on Monday, assured that no one has tampered with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and its funds, contrary to widespread rumours. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also dismissed as a contrived distraction, the alleged fraud in the TSA and the rumoured diversion of its funds to bankroll elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states. In a statement issued in Abuja, on Monday, the minister stated that if those behind the accusation had allowed themselves some measure of honesty, they would have realised that there had not and there would be no such impunity under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. He said though the TSA was initiated under the previous administration, the reason it had begun to enjoy a new lease of life and attract national attention was because of the political will and transparency demonstrated by President Buhari. “Those behind the rumour that a single company, Systemspecs, made N25 billion from charging one per cent of TSA funds that passed through the company’s software, Remita, may need to return to elementary school to get some lessons in arithmetic,” he said. According to him, “this is because in order for one per cent charge to fetch N25 billion, the funds accruing into the TSA must have reached N2.5 trillion. Yet, the total amount of funds in the TSA to date is still less than N2 trillion.” The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had accused the Federal Government of drawing N12.4 billion out of the TSA fund to prosecute the Kogi State governorship election. Speaking through the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, the party had summed the total money in the account as N25 billion, while accusing the government of drawing out N12.5 billion to fund elections. But countering this, Mohammed said at the time the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, ordered that all monies erroneously charged as “revenue” be returned to the TSA Account late last month, the TSA had less than N800 billion. He argued that it, therefore, beggars belief that anyone could attempt to mislead the public by raising a
false alarm that a firm made N25 billion in TSA charges. “It is understandable that the psyche of those who are making the frivolous allegations concerning the TSA has been badly affected by the impunity that permeated the country under the immediate past administration, when unappropriated funds were freely used to finance elections and the public till was seen as an extension of personal piggy banks. “But the lies that have
been wilfully disseminated by scandalmongers over the TSA cannot and will not fly, because it was precisely to put an end to such impunity that Nigerians voted massively for President Buhari, who has an unblemished reputation for integrity, due process, transparency and the rule of law.” Speaking on the development, the CBN governor, Emefiele, said the TSA currently being opposed by the Senate will help make
cash management easy for government. Emefiele said this on Monday, during an advocacy workshop on the economic implications of recent CBN policies, with the theme: “Understanding Economic Implications of the new CBN Monetary Policies and the Role of Civil Society in Policy Advocacy and Economic Development,” organised by the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (COSG), at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja.
The governor, who was represented by the Director of Finance and Marketing Department of the CBN, Emmanuel Okeji, said “there are times that government have money in various banks, and yet go borrowing, because they don’t have visibility over their resources, so the TSA make cash management very easy for government so that at any point in time, they can take a decision on disbursement. “Most of the policies we
have put together is in the overall interest of the economy, because it is easy for CBN to always concentrate on monetary policy and exchange rate, but of what use will it be if we get the financial sector right and sound and yet the real sector that supposed to move the economy is not moving. “Basically, the financial system is making money but we are supposed to be making more money by servicing the real sector of the economy.”
Ibadan, Sagamu, Ikenne stand still for HID Awolowo Continues from pg3
It was, indeed, a heroic entry for the matriarch of the Awolowo dynsaty, Chief HID Awolowo, as her remains arrived her state of origin, Ogun, on Monday. Mama Awolowo’s body was received by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, his deputy, Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Onanuga, Secretary to the Ogun State government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa and other members of the state cabinet, at Sagamu Interchange end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The state cultural troupe entertained the gathering at the brief ceremony which lasted about 30 minutes. Governor Amosun, while addressing the gathering, said the death of Mama would be celebrated, because of her good deeds, adding that her life was like a book that must be read by all of us. He said Mama Awolowo was an example of a good woman, a precious woman and a jewel of inestimable value, of not only her husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, but the entire nation. Amosun said: “Little did we know that her 100th birthday celebration we were preparing for her will be another way of celebrating her in a grand style. We will still celebrate on that day. We are happy for her life. “Here lies an example of what a woman should be, an example of what a daughter should be. She was an example of what a good wife should be, an example of what a good mother should be, an example of what a grandmother should be and example of what a great grand mother should be. “Here lies the remains of that precious woman, a nice woman of inestimable value, not just to Papa Awolowo, but to all of us. Mama was one woman you can continue to read, as her life was like a big book with several chapters. Is it her determination? Is it being steadfast with her husband
•Her life was like a book — Amosun even during those trying times? Mama was a solid rock to Papa Awolowo. “Not that she did not have challenges, but she was able to forge ahead.We are happy that today, we are not mourning. Our Mama has set too many good examples and for her to reach that age short of hundred years, you know we have cause to celebrate. We are happy that today, we are not mourning, we are celebrating the good times and life of Mama. “Mama has set so many good examples. She was one of the people who laid the foundation which all of us are still struggling to attain. Mama, all the good people of Ogun State will miss you, we are already missing you before your interment. Everybody is celebrating your life and time.” The train moved to Sagamu the seat of Akarigbo of Remoland, where she was until her death, the head of the Liyangu Ruling House. The spectators could not hide their joy as they behold the long convoy that entered
the town from Sagamu junction through Makun Street to Ita Oba roundabout and finally to Isale-Oko, as they shouted ‘Up Awo,Up Awo’. At the Ita-Oba junction, Governor Amosun, his deputy, mama’s children, grandchildren and other family members alighted their vehicles and danced gracefully to various forms of music provided by different bands, which included the band of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Gbedu traditional drummers. Both old and young were seen hailing and praying for the repose of the soul of the Yeye Oodua, while many residents climbed on top of houses, using their phones and ipads to record the historic movement. Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu expressed their happiness for surviving their mother by dancing. Mama’s remains arrived at Ikenne at exactly 5.30 p.m, where motorcy-
clists numbering over 200, dressed in a branded Tshirts, led the convoy into the town. Traditional Gbedu drummers, school children and residents lined up on the Town Planning Way to welcome her home. She was taken round the major streets of Ikenne township, as the motorcade moved from Aiyepe junction to Tai Solarin Way, Itunmoro Street, Ajina Street and finally to her No 6. Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo’s residence. Earlier, the Liyangu Ruling House and the HID Awolowo Anglican Church, Sagamu, equally honoured her in a joint commendation service held at Sagamu. In his sermon, the Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Sagamu, Venerable Emmanuel Adegbuyi, described Mama Awolowo as an uncommon woman. Speaking on the theme: “Am I worthy to be celebrated like this?”, Adegbuyi appreciated the
Liyangu Ruling House, led by the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Michael Sonariwo, for organising the programme, considering the unforgettable roles played by Mama Awolowo in sustaining it. The cleric noted that no amount of words would be enough to quantify her good deeds to the Diocese of Remo as the Diocesan Mother and a key player of the ruling house. The service had in attendance the Bishop of Remo, The Right Reverend Olusina Fape, the Asiwaju of Remoland, Chief Solomon Onafowokan, Chief and Chief (Mrs) Lafenwa Osiberu, Olori Abosede Sonariwo, class of traditional rulers from Remoland. Venerable Adegbuyi said: “She did well as a member of Liyangu family. She spent her life for the service of humanity and we have not done enough to celebrate her works and that of Papa. She has completed her mission here on earth.”
Transmit PIB now for quick passage, Dogara tells FG •Says ‘we’ll not tolerate selective 2016 budget implementation’ Jacob Segun Olatunji, Ayodele Adesanmi and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja SPEAKER of the House of the Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Monday, tasked President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the petroleum minister, on the need to quickly transmit the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the eighth National Assembly. This is coming just as the sSpeaker warned against selective 2016 budget implementation which is yet to be submitted to the National Assembly. The controversial PIB had suffered setback in the past from sixth and seventh National Assembly.
Dogara, who made the call at the opening ceremony of the National Assembly Dialogue on Security and Development, facilitated by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) in Abuja, declared that, “undoubtedly, one of the most important pieces of legislation is the Petroleum Industry Bill. This is necessary because oil and gas still accounts for over 70 per cent of our foreign exchange earnings in spite of the rapid fall in oil prices.” According to him, “we, therefore, cannot afford not to organise the sector in such a manner as to benefit the nation. In this regard, may I call on the president as the Minister of Petroleum to, as a matter of urgency, transmit a
bill to the National Assembly on how his administration intends to reorganise the petroleum sector.” On why the PIB failed to pass through in the past, the Speaker said “it was introduced late in the life of the sixth Assembly and was not passed. “In the seventh Assembly, a private members bill was introduced in the first month of that Assembly, based on the experience of the sixth Assembly. “However, the last administration informally indicated that it would prefer an Executive Bill on the matter, which took over two years to materialise. It was passed only by the House of Representatives very late in its tenure, without the Senate concurring.
“Investment decisions in this field cannot continue to wait. Clarity on the legal framework for oil and gas in Nigeria is crucial to our economy. Contrary to the assertion that the size of the bill is the problem, the fact is that an early introduction will lead to an early passage,” he stated. On budget implementation, Dogara said the eighth House would review the budgetary process so as to ensure that the President Buhari-led executive did not choose which aspects of the national budget it would implement. He equally warned that the eighth House would enforce a zero tolerance for nonimplementation of capital projects as approved in annual budgets.
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Nigerian Tribune
Femi Ibirogba adefemi2007@yahoo.com 0811 695 4646
The US has given South Africa 60 days to remove barriers to US meat exports. Failure to do so could result in South Africa losing African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits for agricultural products. Kevin Lovell, CEO of the South African Poultry Association, talks about the South African side of the story.
The US has been trying to renegotiate market access for its entire range of beef since 2013 when its cow disease status was changed to negligible. The ban also affected pet food, resulting in the US losing a large portion of the pet food market in South Africa.
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here are many takes on why the US is threatening to withdraw African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits for South African agricultural produce. These range from discontent over South Africa’s involvement with Russia and China through its relationship with BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China); to unhappiness over South Africa’s plan to cap foreign ownership in security companies.
Kevin Lovell, CEO of the South African Poultry Association, however thinks that the real reason for this out-of-cycle review is that the US is using AGOA to negotiate better market access for its poultry, pork and beef. Mr Lovell pointed out that there’s been a clash between the countries since South Africa’s AGOA status came up for review earlier this year. South Africa wanted a longer period before its next renewal, while the US wanted initially to ‘graduate’ South Africa from AGOA and to renew AGOA for a shorter period. The US also from the start threatened that South Africa might lose its benefits, if it didn’t remove anti-dumping duties on US poultry. These duties were initiated on bone-in chicken portions that were often exported to South Africa at prices that undercut South African prices. The anti-dumping duties resulted in the US paying a 9.40 Rand per kilogram anti-dumping duty as well as a 37 per cent normal import duty on bone-in chicken. At first, the US demanded to export 125,000 tons of brown meat to South Africa duty-free. South African producers initially agreed to accept 45,000 tons, but the two parties later agreed on 65,000 tons. “We knew it would hurt our industry, but realised that we had to come to an agreement for the greater good of South Africa,” Mr Lovell said. South Africa’s AGOA status is however still under threat in spite of the agreement. Mr Lovell said that this was because the US then also started to demand other trade concessions relating to sanitary and phytosanitary measures. “The poultry agreement was complicated because of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) late last year in the US, which resulted in South Africa banning poultry imports from America. The US was disgruntled by the fact that South Africa imposed a blanket national ban,” Mr Lovell said. The United States is demanding that a regionalised ban be implemented, so that the country would still be able to export meat to South Africa from regions that are disease free.
As US, South Africa slug it out over beef, poultry meat import dispute Mr Lovell explained that South Africa was imposing such stringent regulations concerning HPAI, because the country’s chicken industry has up until now been clean of the disease and the ostrich industry has been free of the disease for a few years and it couldn’t afford an outbreak. The unhappiness over pork exports stems from health and safety regulations related to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), pseudorabies and trichinae from entering the country. Mr Lovell explained that South Africa was one of the few countries in the world where PRRS disease has been eliminated. Countries
that export pork to South Africa are therefore required to cut the meat in a specific way and to remove the lymph nodes. “We are importing pork from various other countries, such as Canada, and they don’t have any problems in achieving our standards. So I don’t know why it is a problem for America,” Mr Lovell said. As far as beef is concerned, the US wants South Africa to change standards concerning Mad Cow Disease (spongiform encephalopathy). South Africa has banned beef imports from the US since an outbreak there of mad cow disease in 2003. The US has been trying to renegotiate mar-
ket access for its entire range of beef since 2013 when its cow disease status was changed to negligible. The ban also affected pet food, resulting in the US losing a large portion of the pet food market in South Africa. Mr Lovell said that South Africa has proposed a revised veterinary certificate which will allow beef imports from the US so this concern should be resolved quite soon. Mr Lovell said that he could not understand why the US was so set on changing these health and safety standards now, as most of them have been applicable for years. “Perhaps it is because of the global economic slow down. Perhaps America is trying to grow its economy and create jobs through meat exports. Or perhaps they simply feel that they are now in a position to make these demands.” Mr Lovell pointed out that South Africa has not lost its AGOA status yet. The country has time until January to reach an agreement concerning the issues that are bothering the US about meat exports to South Africa. He said it would be difficult to estimate the impact that a loss of AGOA status for agricultural products could have on South Africa, as it would not result in South Africa losing market access to the US, but simply that South Africa might have to pay import duties on these products. “South Africa in effect might lose its competitive edge for these products,” Mr Lovell said. So far the main South African agricultural industries benefiting from AGOA, were the citrus industry valued at $60 million a year, the macadamia nuts industry worth $43 million in 2014 and the wine industry, worth $33 million in 2014. Mr Lovell however pointed out that it was dangerous to build whole industries on AGOA, as it was a concession and not a trade agreement. Hence, industries are aware that the concession could be taken away from them at any time. He said that negotiations between the two countries were also complicated by procedures that need to be followed. “In these negotiations it often happens that industry role-players from the different countries agree on new terms, but that it then has to go through various government or legal procedures before it can be implemented,” he said.
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agriculture
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Nigerian Tribune
IITA wins outstanding research institute award
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he Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, has disclosed the planned initiative of government to mainstream nutrition into agriculture using bio-fortification, home fortification and large and medium scale fortification in a value chain approach. Echono disclosed this at the International Nutritious Food Fair which took place at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) station, Kubwa, Abuja, where he represented the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. The permanent secretary stated that the present administration viewed bio-fortification as complementary to dietary enrichment and had therefore embraced a broad and comprehensive food systems approach to address malnutrition.
He said: “We easily visualise how food fortification fits into broader agribusiness model to make nutritious food available, accessible and affordable to enable us to provide diverse foods and make more foods more nutritious.” Echono explained that after a full decade of promoting large scale fortification, it should equally be of importance to optimise industry compliance to expected food fortification standards. According to him, the bio-fortified crops currently promoted include the Vitamin A rich cassava and orange flesh sweet potatoes. The permanent secretary said Nigeria’s agricultural sector’s vision is to achieve a hunger-free country through an agricultural sector that drives an all-inclusive income growth, accelerates achievement of food and nutritional security, generates employment and transforms Nigeria into a leading player
in global food markets to grow wealth for millions of farmers. To achieve these, he said, the government had embarked on a comprehensive review and resuscitation plan that revolved around unlocking the potential of agriculture through a total value chain to enable the private sector leadership grow food, create jobs and wealth, as well as improve nutrition. Echono stated that the administration sees agriculture beyond the food production domain, but also through food processing, as well as trade and markets, consumer awareness and demand stimulation. Earlier in the remarks of Howarth Bouis, a Director with HarvestPlus, mineral and vitamin content should be included in crops so that people’s immune systems would not be compromised. Mr Bouis explained that the global pro-
Delta govt partners with DFID to boost agric sector Alphonsus Agborh – Asaba The Department of International Development (DFID) is set to partner with the Delta State government in the areas of agricultural development. At a meeting he held with the officials of the DFID in Asaba on Monday, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa stated that the agricultural sector was a sure way of boosting the state’s internally generated revenue as well as a means of creating job opportunities for the teeming youths in the state. According to him, “The Delta State government believes strongly that agriculture is the right way to go to create wealth and jobs for our people as well as bring about development to the state because our first duty to our people is wealth creation and
that can be achieved through agriculture.” Governor Okowa said that the development of agro-based industries would go a long way in aiding processing of farm produce, adding that production of produce alone would not be enough to fully develop the agricultural sector. He said: “We are also looking into how we can develop more agro-based industries and we are looking into areas where we have co-operative advantage such as cassava and palm oil production with its value chain as well as aqua culture,” adding that “for us to go into agro processing, we need market linkages which is a key factor to the success of the agricultural sector.” The governor expressed satisfaction with the partnership and gave assurance of the state government’s support to the agency.
Earlier, the Team Leader of the Department for International Development (DFID), Mr Terry Lacey explained that the agency’s major goal was to act as a platform for investments to aid in the diversification of the agricultural sector in the state. He explained that “our intention is to focus on the private sector, small scale farmers and above all, to believe in the small scale farmers because they are the foundation to achieving a stable and sustainable economy. “If some Deltans decide to become small scale farmers, the internally generated revenue and the agriculture sector will see a tremendous boost and for this to happen, the small scale farming has to be recognised by the government and big scale farmers and companies.”
gramme had made more progress in Nigeria than any other, saying almost 100 varieties had been released in countries across the world.
WAAPP supports agro-equipment fabricator West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP – Nigeria) has supported an indigenous fabrication company, NOBEX Technical Company, to develop a fruit dryer that is capable of drying mango, pineapple, pawpaw, carrot and other fruits. WAAPP said with the development, postharvest wastage of Nigerian fruits and vegetables would be reduced and farmers would get better value for their produce. It also revealed that buyers of dried mango chips from South Africa had given specifications and the products would be sourced from Nigeria for juice concentrate manufacturing in South Africa. Another important aspect of the breakthrough, WAAPP said, is that thousands of jobs might be created and wealth generated along the fruit and vegetable value chains. WAAPP is sponsoring experts from Nigeria, Niger and Mali to South Africa to develop an industrial system for processing meat into kilishi, dambun nama and other forms of dried meats. The project is aimed at achieving food security, employment generation and wealth creation through reduction of wastage (through spoilage) and addition of value to locally produced meat.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
editor
Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo. com or by sms to 08055001747 or 08054005323. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.
Agenda for Amaechi as Transport minister
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T is no longer news that Mr Rotimi Amaechi is now the Transport minister; he was sworn-in last week by President Muhammadu Buhari having survived the screening that saw Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators walk out of the chamber. Now that Mr Amaechi is the Transport minister, he should set politics aside and focus on how to develop this country through his portfolio. First, I want to suggest to him that he should continue with the last adminis-
tration’s efforts at revamping Nigeria’s rail system. The Goodluck Jonathan government performed creditably well by bringing back the trains, and I hope the new minister will continue from here. We now have a template for an effective rail system, and it is the responsibility of the minister to ensure that everything is implemented to the latter. For a country to develop, it needs a diversified transport system. We cannot continue to rely on the roads for everything. We can transport farm
Fuel scarcity: Buhari, please help, Nigerians are groaning THE Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) keeps saying there is fuel in the country, but we are experiencing a scarcity of the product. Motorists queue for several hours at filling stations, struggling to get fuel. This is not what we bargained for. In fact, I am seeing no difference between the current administration and previous governments in the country. If the NNPC says there is fuel, and that Nigerians should not involve themselves in panic buying, then why are there queues at filling stations? Why is nobody telling us what is really happening? Nigerians are really tired of suffering for a product we have in abundant quantities at our backyard; or could this be a ploy to remove fuel subsidy? Already, the prices of things are going up on a daily basis, transport fares are being increased too, and very soon, landlords will pass the excess money he is paying on goods and services on his tenants. The Nigerian government should do something as soon as possible before things get out of hand, as many are already complaining that there is no much difference between this new administration and those before it. I, therefore, hope something
will be done very soon to ease this pain. •Fidelis Anyanwu, Fiddle4lifeate@yahoo.co.uk
produce from the North down to the South, and even petroleum products from the South to the North via the rail cargos. This will even reduce the rate at which road accidents occur on our roads. Secondly, I want the minister to look at the possibility of reviving the Nigeria Airways; it is so unfortunate that smaller African nations can maintain a national airline, but Nigeria couldn’t. The world now knows about South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir, among others. Nigerians now need to spend extra hours in foreign airports before getting to their destination because we don’t have our own national carrier. The private airlines are, of course more expensive. For example, I flew to London on Kenya Airways recently; instead of flying for six hours straight from
Lagos, I first had a stopover in Nairobi airport, before flying to London. If we can resuscitate our national airline, it will make enough sense. I don’t even mind if the key positions are not manned by Nigerians; I
think we should learn how Ethiopia Airlines has been a success story on the continent. There is a lot of work for the new minister to do, and it is high time he left politics alone for a while in order to focus on the task
ahead. His achievements must be visible for all to see if he wants to see himself as a success at the end of his tenure. •Foubiri Augustus, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
N5,000 stipend cannot help the unemployed NIGERIANS have been asking about the direction the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will take to reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country. During the presidential campaign, Buhari promised to focus on reducing unemployment, particularly among the youth, and part of it is the promised N5000 monthly stipend for the unemployed. If this policy can be implemented, then it will go a long way in reducing crime as well, as I believe that those
involved in crime find themselves in it because they need to keep body and soul together. However, unemployed youths should also look beyond the N5000 monthly stipend; they should look at what they can do in order to create jobs out of nothing. I know the Buhari government will create enabling environment for small-scale businesses to thrive. Finally, while appreciating President Buhari for his efforts so far, I want to say that the proposed
N5000 stipend cannot help unemployed youths; he should just create policies that will make setting up businesses easier. •Jemilehin, Sunmisola Anu, The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Bringing about world peace HAS the world ever experienced peace at any time in world history? From the period of the first and second world wars, the Sebrenica killings, Gulf war, the second Iraq invasion, the various wars in Africa, among others, the world has not truly experienced peace at any given period. After the second world war, the United Nations Organisation (UNO), now United Nations (UN), was formed to foster world peace, but till date, it has not been able to achieve this. Apart from during the second world war when the United States and the USSR were in the same Allied group which fought the Germans and Japanese, both world powers have always opposed themselves on issues. Today, Russia and China have forged a ‘partnership’ to tackle other Western nations on issues at the UN. I think there is the need for all countries to come together to discuss the steps towards bringing about a lasting world peace. •Simon Onche, Federal University of Technology, Minna.
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editorial
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Nigerian Tribune
Nigeria’s new polio status
ECENTLY, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria, stressing that, from the organisation’s close observation, the country, more than ever before, has recorded an interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus, thus giving the country the status of a poliofree nation. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), being the public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, had noted the polio-endemic free ranking of the country, as a ‘historic achievement’ in global health, and had equally expressed delight in the perceived commitment of the Federal Government to relentlessly combat the deadly virus. According to media reports and as confirmed by the WHO, Nigeria has not reported a case of wild polio virus since 24 July, 2014, and all laboratory experimental data have confirmed that a complete 12-month period had been observed without any new cases of poliomyelitis in the country. This development is both heart-warming and soullifting, given the background that, as recently as 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide. Disturbed by such statistics, and the prevalence of the life-damaging virus, a modified strategy known as Supplementary Immunisation Activities, (SIA) was adopted as a more effective technique than the initial National Programme on Immunisation (NPI). Thus, routine immunisation was replaced with Immunisation Plus Days, (IPDs) during which combination of oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine are provided through house to house service delivery to improve coverage of oral polio vaccine in the hard-to-reach target populations with high incidence of poliomyelitis. Despite the challenges of insurgency and boycott of IPDs activities, among others, Nigeria systematically strengthened its routine immunisation system, boosting population immunity in targeted age group to interrupt the importation of polio into the high risk population. It is also worth noting that at different times, the Federal Government, in collaboration with other levels of government, civil society groups and non-governmental organisations had worked tirelessly in stopping the spread of polio in the country. For instance, more than 200, 000 volunteers across the country had been mobilised by the previous administration for periodic immunisation of more than 45 million children under the age of five years
to ensure that no child would suffer from the disease. Also pivotal to Nigeria’s success in curbing polio are innovative approaches such as increased community involvement and the establishment of Emergency Operations Centres at the national and state levels. Consequently, that both the WHO and GPEI have acknowledged the feat by Nigeria in respect of polio eradication is cheery news whose substance is evident in the spirited efforts of the previous administration, and even the disposition of the current administration had made to materialise. Also, the interruption of wild polio virus transmission in Nigeria would have been impossible without the support and commitment of donors and development partners. Their continued gestures of support with regular domestic funding from Nigeria have been very enhancing. It is not doubtful that Nigeria has made remarkable progress in fighting poliomyelitis; but, in tune with the paradigm that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, there is need for the current administration to consolidate on the recorded gains against the disease and ensure that the status of the country as polio-free is guided with rapt attention especially in the northern part of the country where the virus had been more pronounced and inflictive. While the country’s current polio status must be maintained through concerted regular advocacies and campaigns about the importance of polio immunisation, there must be continual surveillance to detect any potential re-surfacing of the virus. Successful eradication of poliomyelitis also requires more of improved vaccine coverage, and the maintenance and improvement of emergency operations centre and national emergency action plan which the previous administration reactivated in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Eradicating polio will be one of the greatest achievements in human history, and would thus have a positive impact on global health for generations to come. We are convinced that Nigeria has brought the world one major step closer to achieving the goal of eradicating poliomyelitis globally. It is, therefore, critical for the Federal Government and concerned stakeholders not just to bask in the euphoria of the country’s polio status and relax, but rather work earnestly in ending polio for good and ensuring that future generations of Nigerian children are free from this devastating disease.
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opinion
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Paris attacks: C’est dommage
O
N this column, earlier this year, I had written a piece on Paris following the deadly attacks on the satirical French paper, Charlie Hebdo. If a Sangoma had told me in January that I would write another piece before the year 2015 runs out on a similar, but more devastating occurrence in Paris, I would have guffawed so loudly that the fiends in Hades would be terrified. Alas, barely ten months after my ‘if Charlie Hebdo were in Nigeria’ post, I am relieving inexplicable horror at yet another animalistic and horrendous attack on the city of light. November 13, 2015 has made a dark indelible mark on the beautiful clouds of ‘La Ville Lumière’ for as the curtains closed on that fateful day, giving room to the encroachment of dusk as a result of the retiring of the king of the day, thick fumes from explosions and massive shootings rocketed through the Paris sky, but unlike the traditional Paris fireworks that set the French in an animated mood, these flames cast a grim cocoon over the cheerful city. On the evening of 13 November, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks, consisting of mass shootings, suicide bombings and hostage-takings, occurred in Paris, France and Saint-Denis, its northern suburb. This madness began at about 21:16 CET and the deadliest attack took place at the Bataclan theatre, where the attackers took hostages and engaged in an all night stand-off with the French police. From 21:16 CET on 13 November till 00:58 on November 14, Paris was literally on fire. It began with a series of bombings near the national sports stadium popularly known as the Stade de France, in the surburb of Saint-Denis. These explosions resulted in at least five deaths and at least 10 people were injured or killed at a bar near the stadium, 20 minutes after the commencement of an international friendly football match between France and Germany. France President, François Hollande, was in attendance. Four minutes after the first of the three explosions, shootings were heard at the rue Bichat and the rue Alibert, near the Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement and simultaneously, the second explosion erupted. Attackers shot at people outside Le Carillon, a café-bar, and then crossed the rue Bichat and attacked Le Petit Cambodge, a restaurant. According to French police, eleven people were killed at the
restaurant. An eyewitness mentioned that one of the gunmen kept shouting “Allahu Akbar”. Exactly 12 minutes after the shootings at the rue Bichat and the second explosion at the Stade de France, a fresh series of shootings ensued at rue de la Fontaine-au-Roi. Several shots were fired at the terrace of La Casa Nostra, an Italian restaurant, on the rue de la Fontaine-au-Roi, south of the rue Bichat, by a man wielding a machine gun. The Paris prosecutor reported that five people were killed and eight injured but, was that the end of the brutality? Eight minutes after the shootings at rue de la Fontaine-auRoi, suicide bombings took over Boulevard Voltaire. Another attacker, under disguise, sat down in the cafe Comptoir Voltaire and placed an order before detonating his suicide vest and killing himself. About 15 people were injured, but one of them was severely injured. Four minutes after the bombings at Boulevard Voltaire, at precisely 21:45 CET, the Bataclan theatre massacre began as four men entered the theatre and started shooting. At the Bataclan theatre, the U.S. rock band, Eagles of Death Metal were playing for roughly 1,500 people when the mass shooting and hostage taking occurred. The band had played
veracity with Vera Onana
veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688 just about five songs when the explosions occurred setting the audience into panic and confusion. About an hour into the concert, four black-clad men with AK-47 assault rifles entered the hall and after shouts of “Allahu akbar”, calmly and methodically opened fire into the crowd. At around 22:00, the men started rounding up hostages, as police massed outside the concert hall. Between 60 and 100 hostages were taken. The band’s members escaped without injury. One witness in the Bataclan stated that a gunman yelled, “This is because of all the harm done by Hollande to Muslims all over the world.” For Paris, it is a pity (c’est dommage) and je suis tres desolee (I am very sorry) that the world acclaimed lovers of good life, fun and soiree had to experience such traumatic disaster that went on for about four hours. But for the rest of the world, we must consider the attacks on Paris as the big Ben screaming “wake up” to the fight of terrorism at our universe. France has been on high alert for terrorist threats since the Charlie Hebdo shooting and a series of related attacks in early January 2015. Consequently, France’s military has been involved in airstrikes in Iraq and Syria known by the codename of Operation Chammal. In October 2015, France struck targets in Syria for the first time. ISIL specially mentioned the airstrike campaign when they claimed responsibility for the November 13 attacks on Paris. We may choose to say c’est dommage and look the other way. However, we must never forget that France is not alone in this. The ISIS has branches in all the continents of the world and like the great eye, it overseas all regions. We are in perilous times! The day of the waterloo is drawing nearer, darkness is swiftly encroaching the earth, a thick darkness that was born in the Middle East drastically spreads to the continents of the world. Nigeria is not exempted, Boko Haram still ravages the North Eastern part and only providence knows how long before all other parts are hit. Our world, like J.R.R Tolken’s middle earth, is in dire need of a fortified coalition. All forces must come together to send back this Dracula (terrorism) into the eternal abyss where it truly belongs.
Mama HID Awolowo: So long, so near By Oladipo Jimilehin
FOR Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo, nee Adelana, the song is ended, but the melody surely lingers on. Both in life and death, mama as was fondly called by all evoke all the ingredients of a martyr. But finally, on the September 19, this year, she fulfilled the Latin Maxim Camnibus es meriedum (all men shall die) as she almost clock 100 years. Mama virtually spent almost her entire adult life espousing the cause of progressive and welfarist socio-political philosophy among her people. She, alongside her husband, the Sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo, ensured that the message of life for all and life more abundant was preached across the length and breadth of the country, to the hearing of all, irrespective of their religious belief, tribe or political leaning. That she bestrode the political landscape of Yoruba land and Nigeria like a colossus was not by accident, rather it was by a dint of hard work, dedication and firm commitments to the ideals and ideas espoused by her husband’s political parties, be it the Action Group (AG) or the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). And of more importance is her total commitment to Yoruba unity, which was first achieved by her husband, Papa Awolowo himself, with the founding of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa (Afenifere) in 1948. Mama did all she could to sustain it, even after the demise of Papa. She stooped low, bent backwards, forsake the old divide, crossed the old bridges and accommodated all, in her bid to ensure unity among the sons and daughter of Oduduwa. She saw the emergence of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), the umbrella body of all the Yoruba socio-cultural groups, of which she was the chairman until her death. Mama was graceful in death as was in life. As Leonardo Davinci succinctly puts it, “As a well-spent day brings
happy sleep, so life well-used brings happy death.” Mama evidently spent her days here on earth well to the utmost approval of her husband, Papa Awolowo, a man who was alien to flattering. He impressively and succinctly described her as ‘my jewel of inestimable value’. Papa couldn’t have said more. Mama was more than pure gold, and she left us amidst loud ovation. Mama was constant and unwavering in all she laid her hands on. As a Christian, she was devoted; as a teacher, she was dutiful; as a wife, she was ‘jewel of inestimable value’; as a mother, she was generous and sympathetic; as a trader, she was reputable and renowned, and as a politician, her political stocks never fell till she breath her
last. With her passing, Nigeria has really lost a rare gem of inestimable value. One is sure Papa, in the spiritual realm, will by now beholding his jewel, cast a satisfactory rueful look at her and will welcome her home to eternal rest. The toils of a century years certainly are enough for one to look up to the final resting mansion with glee. Like a popular William Shakespeare’s saying: “Death lies on her, like an untimely frost, upon the sweetest flower of all the field.” (Romeo and Juliet). With her passage, Mama has only shed mortality for immortality. She has only fulfilled the great Mahatma Gandhi opinion that: ‘life and death are but phases of the same thing, the reserve and observe of the same coin. Death is as necessary for man’s growth as life itself.’ H.I.D Awolowo, it must be noted, thread where angels fear to thread; where lesser mortals stood with trepidation, she stood tall, with full honours; and before the mighty and the low, she carried herself with so much matronly grace, dignity and self respect; even in the heat of a daunting persecution by her husband’s political opponents, she held tight to her honours. And as the nation bids her farewell from a journey of life well-spent, it is my fervent prayers that the Almighty God will make perfect all she left behind. As humans, we would have wanted to have more to her stabilising voice around, perceive more of her homely aura, behold her angelic face a little more, but as the psalmist puts it hilariously in Psalm 116:15: ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.’ So long, so near. Good night and Rest on Mama H.I.D. •Chief Jimilehin, Secretary of the Yoruba Unity Forum, sent this piece from Lagos.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Nigerian Tribune
leadership &
management
with Sulaimon Olanrewaju
m:08055001708 e:lanresulaimon@yahoo.com t:@lanresulaimon
Quote LEADERSHIP
We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret
— Jim Rohn
How leaders achieve effectiveness By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
A
n effective leader is the delight of every one; superior, contemporaries and subordinates. His superiors speak highly of him because he never lets them down; he always comes up with delightful results. His contemporaries are pleased with him because they know that having him around will galvanize positive energies that will help in the actualization of the task at hand. For the subordinates, he is fun to work with because he ignites their passion to bring out the best in them. Continues on pg24
Ladi Balogun, Group Managing Director, FCMB
inside
26 business coach 25 Leaders’ forum 26 PAGE
The 60-second
PAGE
PAGE
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
leadership&management Leaders and effectiveness
leadership&management
BOOK
Continues from pg23
An effective leader is focused and never allows anything to take him off course. He does not condone anything short of the best from his team mates just as he never gives anything less than his best. Consequently, he always gets a result that thrills everyone.
By Robert Shaw How Successful Leaders Identify and Overcome the Weaknesses That Matter is a comprehensive guide to recognizing and acting on the weak points that can impair effectiveness, diminish results, and harm a career. Written by a 30-year veteran of the leadership consulting industry and author of Trust in the Balance, the book contains examples, worksheets and surveys that illustrate the practical application of the advice presented. An online questionnaire helps readers discover their own leadership vulnerabilities, and the book provides a roadmap for creating a targeted plan to increase their awareness in the areas that truly matter. The blindspot risk is that leaders fail to respond to weaknesses or threats due to a variety of factors including the complexity of their organizations, over-confidence in their own capabilities, and being surrounded by deferential subordinates. Leadership Blindspots provides a useful model for understanding how blindspots operate and why they persist, but at the same time suggests real, actionable steps to improvement. The book details a range of techniques that make blindspots stand out in sharp relief, so action can be taken before severe damage occurs – to a leader or his or her company. Topics include: A framework to understand the threats posed by blindspots The four most important types of blindspots – self, team, company and markets Detailed case studies of blindspots in leaders across a variety of industries A summary of the most common leadership blindspots Corrective practices that help mitigate the risks that blindspots pose The one characteristic great leaders share is the constant desire for self-improvement. Good can always be better. These weaknesses and threats are called blindspots because they are invisible to the individual but have the potential to wreak havoc on one’s reputation and long-term success. Identifying and fixing crucial problems is the leader’s job, and sometimes the most debilitating problems are with the leaders themselves.
Effectiveness requires practice It has been said that practice makes perfect but it can also be said that practice makes effectiveness. No one is born with effectiveness, everyone that becomes effective does so sequel to a commitment to unflagging practice. The more a leader practises effectiveness-engendering activities, the better he becomes at being effective. So, in essence, effectiveness can be learned. It also means that everyone can be effective if they would be willing to make the required sacrifices. Effectiveness vs efficiency Although efficiency is also a good attribute, it is inferior to effectiveness. Efficiency is about how something is done, effectiveness is about what is done. The how is of little significance until the what is clearly sorted out. Peter Drucker, the legendary management expert, makes a perfect distinction between the two concepts. According to him, effectiveness is doing things right while effectiveness is doing the right things. Travelling at a good speed in the wrong direction does not guarantee arrival at the right destination. It takes knowing the right way to go and moving in that direction to arrive at the desired destination. So, effectiveness is nothing if it is not mixed with a dose of effectiveness. What makes leaders effective? Effective leaders have some distinguishing traits. Here are some of them. Vision Vision is the strength of effective leaders. Ahead of hitting the road, they sit down to think through what they will do on the road and come up with a roadmap which will guide their activities on the road. Vision is a tool in the hands of effective
leaders because aside being a propelling energy for a team; it is also a cohesive force for it. Vision creates a rallying point for all the team members and that facilitates effectiveness because everyone is working for the same purpose rather than working at cross-purpose. This is why effective leaders never joke with vision.
Picking the right people Jim Collins, in Good to Great, enjoins leaders to start with who before thinking of what. A leader as an individual is limited; it is when he is able to surround himself with the right kind of people that he is able to get the kind of result he wants. Without the right kind of people, irrespective of other personal attributes, the best a leader can be is efficient, not effective. He may still get results but it will be at a very high cost. By surrounding himself with the right people, he knows he does not have to macro-manage. He is able to concentrate on his portion of the action while others also handle their own aspects. Getting the right kind of people builds synergy. With synergy, energy is multiplied and what hitherto was considered unachievable becomes easily attainable. Focusing on the most important thing Effective leaders always ask the question, ‘what is the most important thing for me to do?’ Once that question is answered, they stay focused on that to the exclusion of all other things. They give it their all until the task is totally accomplished. Warren Buffet says successful leaders say ‘no’ to almost everything. What that means is that they do not allow interference in their programme; they do not bother themselves about what is not directly related to their vision; they do not allow anybody or any situation to give them another agenda that is different from what they originally set out to do. An effective leader does not bother himself about what others can do. He allows others to do what they should do while he concentrates on what no one else but him in the organization can do. With that, duplicity is removed and maximum utilization of human capacity is ensured.
Making the most of time Effectiveness is a consequence of appropriate utilization of time. An effective leader is conscious of this and does not give anyone the privilege of wasting his time just as he does not grant himself the indulgence of time wasting. Time is the most important resource to any leader because once it is depleted, it cannot be replenished. So, those who aim at effectiveness mind where their time goes. Effective leaders neither spend nor waste time, they invest it;
they confer on time the same value they confer on money. They view time as a means of increasing their worth, so they deploy their time to activities that will give them the highest form of return. This results in their effectiveness. Decisiveness Sometimes it is cool to sit on the fence; by showing no commitment to any side, nothing can be pinned on one. But the downside of this mindset is that those who take that ship always
arrive at the harbour of mediocrity and failure; they hardly ever get anything substantial accomplished. Being effective is hinged on being decisive. Those who vacillate always oscillate; they go round in circles instead of advancing to the next stage; they end up where they started out. As put by George Canning, indecision and delays are the parents of failure. Those who are undecided do so because of their fear of consequences of taking a decision. But indecision is not without its own consequences. As a matter of fact, the consequences of indecision outweigh that of being decisive. Those who are indecisive will have to live through the unpleasant consequences of the decision of others and that is the worst consequence ever. No wonder Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing.’ Being decisive enables a leader to take his destiny in his hands and allows him to be the architect of his fortune. That is very critical to effectiveness.
Every performance is a reflection of one’s knowledge level. No one can outperform his level of understanding. The more a person knows, the more he does. In the same vein, the less he knows the less he does. Going above one’s level of competence requires acquiring new knowledge or skills. Hence, the effective leader is unrepentantly committed to continuous self development. At this age, knowledge and skills become obsolete at the speed of light. Every day new discoveries are made, new inventions are unveiled and new skills are required to drive
Those who vacillate always oscillate; they go round in circles instead of advancing to the next stage; they end up where they started out.
Lifetime commitment to learning
business coach
all of these. Therefore, remaining effective and competitive requires a regular updating of one’s knowledge and skills. Effective leaders are cognizant of this and they do all to improve themselves daily. They read good books, listen to audio programmes and attend conferences and seminars which expose them to new skills. Consistent communication All great leaders are good communicators. Communication is vital to achieving goals because it is when it is properly done that team members are galvanized to give their best. In essence, there is a correlation between team members’ performance and the quality of information at their disposal. However, communication is not just about dishing out instructions; it is also about listening. Effective leaders understand this and they always pay attention to team members when they approach them with any issue. Effective leaders never attempt to preempt any team member; they hear them out and try their best to address the issues raised. The reward is that this attitude enhances the commitment of team members to the task at hand and this also boosts their effectiveness.
THE 60-SECOND
10 ways to become a better leader
‘Lolu Akinwunmi, Founder CEO, Prima Garnet Africa Group
By Kendra Cherry Tunji Oyebanji, CEO of Mobil Oil Nigeria Ltd
CONSIDER some of the following tips for how to become a better leader and think about ways that you can implement these strategies in your daily life. 1. Start by understanding your leadership style Understanding your current leadership style is essential. What are your strengths? Which areas need some improvement? Once you find out what your leadership style is, read about the major characteristics of your dominant style. Are these qualities helping or hindering your leadership? Once you’ve determined which areas need some work, you can begin looking for ways to improve your leadership abilities. 2. Encourage creativity Intellectual stimulation is one of the leadership qualities that define transformational leadership. Followers need to be encouraged to express their creativity. Effective leaders should offer new challenges with ample support to achieve these goals. One way to foster creativity is to offer challenges to group members, making sure that the goals are within the grasp of their abilities. The purpose of this type of exercise is to get people to stretch their limits, but to not become discouraged by barriers to success.
Olaposi Williams, CEO Oando Marketing
Jelani Aliyu, Lead Exterior Designer, General Motors
3. Serve as a role model Idealised influence is another of the four key components of transformational leadership. Transformational leaders exemplify the behav-
iors and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to emulate these behaviors. 4. Be passionate Would you look to someone for guidance and leadership if they did not truly care about the goals of the group? Of course not! Great leaders are not just focused on getting group members to finish tasks; they have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the projects they work on. 5. Listen and communicate effectively Another important quality of transformational leadership involves a focus on providing oneon-one communication with group members. Good leaders should express sincere care and concern for the members of their group both verbally and nonverbally. 6. Have a positive attitude Transformational leaders have an upbeat, optimistic attitude that serves as a source of inspiration for followers. If leaders seem discouraged or apathetic, members of the group are likely to also become uninspired. Even when things look bleak and your followers start to feel disheartened, try to stay positive. This does not mean viewing things through rose-colored glasses. It simply means maintaining a sense of optimism and hope in the face of challenges. 7. Encourage people to make contributions Let the members of your team know that you
welcome their ideas. Leaders who encourage involvement from group members are often referred to as democratic or participative leaders. While they retain the final say over all decisions, they encourage team members to take an active role in coming up with ideas and plans. 8. Motivate your followers Transformational leaders also provide inspirational motivation to encourage their followers to get into action. Of course, being inspirational isn’t always easy. Fortunately, you don’t need motivational speeches to rouse your group members. 9. Offer rewards and recognition Another important quality of a good leader involves knowing that offering effective recognition and rewards is one of the best ways to help followers feel appreciated and happy. It may also come as no surprise that happy people tend to perform better at work. According to researchers Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, leaders can help group members feel happier by offering help, removing barriers to success and rewarding strong efforts. 10. Keep trying new things Who says leadership is a one-way relationship? As you work toward developing some of these leadership qualities, don’t forget to look to your followers for feedback an inspiration. Pay attention to the things that have been effective in the past and always be on the lookout for new ways to inspire, motivate and reward group members.
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tribunebusiness
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Nigerian Tribune
TOPE POPOOLA is a Human Capital developement Consultant and Pastor. Please feel free to send questions, feedback comments on this column to
topheritage@yahoo.com or visit http//turbochargedforsuccess.blogspot.com
Power of ethical leadership (2)
It was devastating to learn on Friday of the demise of a friend, one of the most convivial gentlemen I have ever known. Dele Babatunde became President of the University of Ife Students Union in 1977 when he was only 18! Ever smiling, witty and worthy wordsmith, he was the founder of the Ibaka Journal online. He led us through the Ali-MustGo massive student’s protest of 1978 against the military regime of Obasanjo and its obnoxious education policies. Never one to shy away from an intellectual fight, he stood for strong values and was a fervent believer in the emergence of a New Nigeria. Good night, brother. Sleep on in the bosom of the Lord that you loved and served so well. I apologize to all my readers for having to interrupt this series last week. I was very much on the road and so was somewhat indisposed and so could not get it across on time. Please, forgive me. The series now continues. The Watergate scandal involving former American President Nixon. Bill Clinton’s perjury issue surrounding the former President’s illicit affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, and recently Hilary Clinton and the saga of compromised security emails. Our current Senate President has been dragged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for certain inexactitudes in his declaration of his assets while he was Governor of Kwara State. These are vivid examples of ethical failures of highly visible political figures. Away from the political sphere. Let us view the economic spectrum. Corporate governance somersaults have led to the collapse of hitherto huge and highly revered multinationals like Enron, WorldCom, and Arthur Anderson. These organizations once bestrode the corporate world like colossi. Recently, we have heard the huge scandal involving Volkswagen and the rigged emission problem with its cars. Recall Halliburton and the heavy penalty it had to pay for its underhand dealings in Nigeria and some other parts of the world. In Nigeria, we recall Cadbury Nigeria as well as many of Nigeria’s liquidated banks
whose Nemesis came because of cooked books. Only recently, our airwaves have been filled with the news of regulatory agencies in Nigeria imposing heavy fines on some corporate organizations for various infractions. MTN, Nigeria’s biggest telecommunications network has recently been fined $5 billion for flouting regulations on SIM card registration. Guinness Nigeria has been fined $5million for using expired raw materials in its operations. Skye Bank has been slapped with a N4billion fine for concealing some accounts of MDAs in its care when such accounts should have been transferred to the TSA in the Central Bank. More may still be on the way! All of these border on serious ethical issues. The problem with breaching a code of ethics is that if you do it once or twice and get away with it, you begin to assume that it is okay to continue, especially if the pecuniary benefits (read end) justify the means - or shall we say meanness? Until the sword of Damocles descends! A few days ago in a little town called Chapman in the State of Nebraska in the USA, I was taken on a tour of a popcorn factory. Earlier that day I had had lunch with the CEO and his son. I was fascinated by its mission statement which was more of a value statement. I cannot remember the exact words but it says something like making products that glorify God and satisfy the customer. It did not even talk about popcorn! Simple. No frills. Yet loaded. As we waited for the tour guide, I took time to study the framed hangings on the reception wall. It had different certifications from several agencies of government, some with the most exacting requirements. It was in only one instance that it scored a B (which in itself was a huge thing), in all others, it had an A rating! When I saw its operations, I marveled. Even the tiniest of details like the size and quality of each corn seed (yes you read that right!) was meticulously checked by various machines. Bags were stacked after bagging by a robot that was programmed to refuse to carry any bag that weighed anything less than the actual weight of the bag! Incredible? Not if they would re-
main true to their mission statement. No wonder the company sells its popcorn in 70 countries of the world. The only reason it has not come to Nigeria? You guessed right. It will not agree to cut corners at ANY level. Unfortunately, mission statements in Nigeria’s corporate boardrooms are not even worth the surface they are written on. More often than not, they are crafted by consultants as part of a training programme and simply adopted by the company management without any definite attempt to internalize as much as a modicum of what is stated therein. I once had the privilege of facilitating a management training for a Nigerian conglomerate and it turned out when I asked, that not a single member of its leadership could tell me offhead, the organization’s mission statement, talk less of its values. Yet it was so prominently displayed in their reception and in the office of top management. From time to time, every leader would have to deal with ethical issues that question his deepest convictions. More often than not, such issues demand a choice between the expedient and the convenient. The pressure to take decisions bordering on a desperate quest for survival can be daunting to the best of leaders. Sometimes, the line between right and wrong can be opaque especially when there is a compelling need to ride a tide. Ethics are products of the leader’s core values which are supposed to be sacrosanct and not subordinated to peripheral vagrancies of a vagabond conscience. Core values are derived from the leader’s deepest moral and spiritual convictions. Ethics take a hit when leaders can no longer uphold their values in the face of mounting pressure to perform, or the desire to create an impression or to benefit at the expense of others. When these conditions abound, the leader may feel a sense of loss and so the desire to save his face in the interim overrides the long-term considerations of consequences.
How badly do you want it?
On the condition that the number of cloths you do have is more than the number of books you do have, you are cleanly not astute, thoughtful and judicious. If the number of shoes you do have is more than the number of books you do have, you are straightforwardly not wise. If the number of bags you do have is more than the number of books you do have, you are basically not wise. If you want to judge yourself, will you say you are wise or unwise? You cannot afford to live in self deception. It is up to you. Furthermore, if you truly want to become successful and great in life, the number of years you have spent on earth should be at least equivalent to the number of books in each aspect of your life. Take for instance, if you are 30 years old, you should have at least 30 books on finances, 30 books on relationship, 30 books on leadership, 30 books on integrity and other areas of life. If you can put into operation what I am sharing with you today, in the next 10years, you are going to become significant, note worthy and great in Nigeria and beyond. On the condition that you truly want to get to the acme and crest in life, you will need to develop a flaming desire for knowledge. You will need to study very widely, broadly and extensively. Two decades ago, I was taught what I am teaching you today. And I have been walking it out in shoe-leather since then. I do buy, acquire and procure books almost weekly. The best compartment in my house is my library. It is my culture to always consume so much information every-day. The question is: do you want to become influential and high-ranking on earth? You’d need to increase the rate at which you are consuming relevant and germane information. The truth is: no matter how expensive and beautiful your house is, it is valueless and worthless if it does not have a functional library. You want to lead the pack in the days to come? You shall need to start building a massive and functional library and become thirstier for relevant knowledge.
How badly do you want to become successful and significant in both life and leadership? This will reflect in your fervor and zeal for knowledge. About 20 years ago, I needed to listen to a man who knew what I wanted to know, but I did not have much money on me to bankroll my transportation from Berger to Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos State. As an effect of the state of my pocket, I had to trek from Berger to Iyana-Ipaja (where the conference was holding) and trekked back to Berger! That is how passionate and zealous I was for knowledge. For the umpteenth time, how badly do you want success and greatness? If you truly want to become successful and great in life, then be all out for knowledge! Abraham Lincoln “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” And how can a man become wiser today than he was yesterday? It is by consistently reading through relevant books, and by listening and watching value-adding CDs and DVDs. This is the mindset and attitude that made Lincoln tick and substantial as a leader. He died some centuries ago, but we are still talking about the quality of life he led and the class of leadership he provided while on earth. You want to increase the quality of life you are leading and leadership you provide? You want to increase your quality of thinking? You desire to attract high finances? You want to increase your significance as a man or woman? You will need to increase the rate at which you are consuming relevant information. You need to start drinking knowledge as water! If you do not want success badly enough you cannot have it. Once again, how badly do you want knowledge? Lincoln was so hungry and thirsty for knowledge to the extent that he would trek for hours anytime he heard that a book got to their colony. How many people can trek for hours in this generation because of knowledge? Many prefer buying phones, i-pads, shoes and clothes to buying life-changing books. There are millions of Nigerians who do not buy just a book in a year let alone reading through one. Many millions of Nigerians have
not read through a singular book since they graduated from school. This generation does not place an appropriate value on knowledge and it is very unfortunate and regrettable. Many years ago, I left the house for a shopping complex, desiring to buy two shirts before leaving for my tertiary institution. When I got to the boutique where I was to buy what I was in a dire need of, I dashed in and while I was searching for two good shirts to pay money for, all of a sudden, I saw a bookshop directly opposite the boutique. I quickly ran out of where I was and went straight to go explore what I saw. When I got there, I saw a book that I loved to have. And the price of that book was equivalent to the worth of one shirt, so I decided to buy the book and ended up buying one shirt instead of two. I could not afford not to buy the book. The book in question ended up changing, shifting and transforming my life as a teenager and gave me a sense of direction. Relevant books helped me start living a life of purpose very early in life. And this has made a huge world of difference in my life and leadership. How badly you want greatness and success in both life and leadership will reflect in your hunger and thirst for relevant knowledge. I have met with many youths who would say to me that one thousand naira worth of a book is too expensive, but an eighty thousand naira worth of a pair of shoes is very cheap. And we are wondering why the quality of thought of our people is so low. When you sit with someone who reads, in a few minutes—you will know and when you sit with someone who does not read, in a few minutes too, you will know too. The only way to increase the quality of your thought is by you falling in love afresh with relevant books. Before I go, one of the ways you can live your life differently next year is by you building a functional library for yourself. Either every week or month, make sure you buy at least a book and read through it. And do not only read through it; make sure you put what you read into practice. See you where great people are found!
27
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
brands& marketing
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Akin Adewakun
m:08054683584 e:akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk
Be good ambassadors, NIMN boss charges new members
From right, President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mr Chikwendu Edozien, presenting NAPE 2015 Aret Adams award to Executive Director, First Exploration and Petroleum Limited, Dr Emmanuel Enu, while his wife Rita and Managing Director/ CEO, Niger Delta Petroleum Research Resource, Dr Layi Fatona watch, during the opening ceremony of NAPE 2015 International Conference and Exhibition held at Eko Hotels, Victoria Island recently. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.
IMC: New Information Minister and stakeholders’ expectations Stories By Akin Adewakun - Lagos
P
rior to the appointment of a minister that would head the nation’s information dissemination centre, the Ministry of Information, the agitations among stakeholders in the nation’s integrated marketing communications industry had been that imperative of putting a professional that would understand the system, especially this particular sector of the economy, at the helm of affairs of the ministry. This, perhaps, is not unconnected to the fact that previous appointments into the ministry had hardly seen a professional in the field being called upon to run affairs of the ministry, a development many believed had been responsible for the inability of the industry to fully harness and realise its potential of being a money-spinning one. For instance, in spite of some of the notable feats achieved by late Professor Dora Akunyili and her immediate successor, Mr Labaran Maku, in that office, arguments are rife in some quarters that a professional in the saddle, with a good grasp of the workings of the industry would, perhaps, have performed better. “Does it mean we don’t have competent men and women within our clan here to run our affairs? For instance, when government would be busy looking for a medical doctor or personnel to run the health ministry and a lawyer to run the Ministry of Justice, the same thing cannot be said of the information. As long as you can talk, they believe you can be there,” a pro-professional agitator in the industry once argued. Interestingly, since the appointment of Lai Mohammed as the nation’s information minister, the question of whether agitations such as this, within the industry, will be finally laid to rest remains to be seen.
While many believe that the incumbent government has heeded the prayers of stakeholders in the industry with the appointment of the former APC spokesman, not a few still believe those agitations are far from being met. “That the man is a politician and spokesman for the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), does not in any way erase the fact that he is a professional, whose attention had been on politics, a reason he has not been active on this side of the divide,” argued Mr Olawoore Kolawole, a practitioner, who is very upbeat about the appointment. Interestingly, Kolawole may not be farther from the truth. Besides being a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the new information minister had served as the Chairman of Optmedia Ltd, a subsidiary of Afromedia Plc, an outdoor advertising firm, before serving as a Director of Afromedia Plc. “There is no way somebody who had served in those official capacities would not know where the shoes pinch, unlike the previous appointments in the ministry,” he stated. Another stakeholder and a chieftain of the Outdoor Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (OAAN), who would not want his name in print would rather see the appointment as a huge relief since ‘the industry, of late, had been saddled with the misfortune of having individuals, without the knowledge of the industry and taking decisions taken can either make or mar the entire system.’ ‘For instance, one of the challenges we have been having in the outdoor sub-sector of the industry is the fact that many of those at the helms of affairs of government’s regulatory agencies in the sub-sector are not professionals and that is why they are not capable of feeling what we are feeling. Their
mission statement is only how to enhance the state’s bottom line and not creating an enabling business environment. This is why I see this appointment as a huge relief since the man can still be described as one of us,’ the practitioner argued. But Felix, a practitioner still believes it is not yet Uhuru for the industry despite the appointment. “Do you still think the man, in all honesty, still knows where the shoes pinch here. I doubt. Don’t forget, he has been in active politics all these years and cannot be said to be abreast of the trends and developments in the industry. I would have preferred somebody still active on the scene,” he argued. This no doubt represents the dilemma the industry currently faces today. For instance, one of the major hurdles the minister would have to overcome as it settles down in office is the issue of the composition of the council of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).
president and chairman of council of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Mr Ganiyu Koledoye, has harped on the need for the new members of the institute to be good ambassadors of the profession by upholding ethical standards and good corporate governance, wherever they find themselves. Speaking in Lagos at the institute’s 6th convocation ceremony, the NIMN boss attributed the present economic doldrums to the nation’s inability to fully explore and harness the potential of marketing in the country. He, however, cautioned the new members on the need to always observe the tenets of the profession and not engage in acts that would bring the name of the institute into disrepute in the course of carrying out their duties. Koledoye stated that since successfully completing its reconciliation process, that saw to the merger of the warring factions, last year, the council of the institute had embarked on different activities aimed at re-positioning the institute and ensuring that it delivers value to stakeholders. In his response, an awardee, in the Chartered Post Graduate Diploma Category, Mr Olakunle Oluwafemi, expressed the graduands’ delight at the unflinching resolve of the present council at re-positioning the institute. “Now one can flaunt the membership of the institute since it has moved from the once rancorous entity to a value-adding professional institute. 310 students of the institute graduated with different degrees of the institute. While 209 were awarded with the institute’s Chartered Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing, 95 students were given the Chartered Graduate Diploma in Marketing, with six students passing out with the Foundation Professional Certificate in Marketing of the institute.
AJEAST Nigeria expands business frontiers Ajeast Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Aje Group worldwide, producer of Big Cola, Orange and Lemon, recently launched the Big Cola offerings in Abuja and other northern parts of the country, thereby expanding its business frontiers to those cities. Speaking at the official launch in the Federal Capital Territory, its Country Manager, Theo Williams, disclosed that the new offerings, sold in 650ml PET bottles and other pack sizes, are produced from state-of-the arts production lines that ensure and guarantee the highest hygienic and quality standards obtainable. He added that a communication campaign, including radio commercials, outdoor billboards, in-store promotions and
major events, targeting pan-Nigeria has been developed to support the launch of the drinks. “An aggressive ‘Think BIG’ sampling promotional campaign, which will be at the nearest retail shop, will be conducted to avail our discerning consumers a firsthand experience of the uniquely rich taste of BIG brand flavours. “The soft drinks can only be described as a welcome delight to the taste buds of the consumers. This truly, is giving the consumers ‘More value for Less.’ BIG truly is, democratising soft drinks consumption in our great country Nigeria, where everyone can afford to enjoy a BIG COLA because it is affordable,” he stated.
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brands&marketing
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Nigerian Tribune
MWA, ADVAN confirm Oracle creative skills Stories By Akin Adewakun - Lagos
O
racle Experience, a brand activation agency, again has its creative skills reaffirmed, as it emerged the most creative and best in interpreting clients’ briefs at the 2015 Marketing World Awards (MWA) by winning 2015 experiential agency of the year. The agency’s project for Nigerian Breweries- Star Bottle Tree and Gulder World Biggest Poster also won in brand activation of the year and excellence in marketing innovation category. The recent feat makes it second time in two weeks the Star Bottle Tree will be winning a major prize after being confirmed as the best experiential marketing campaign in the year under review at the Advertisers Association of Nigeria Awards for Marketing Excellence. At the keenly contested category at the ADVAN awards, Star Bottle Tree defeated Nescafe Get Started, Star Music Trek, MTN Project Fame, Fayrouz L’Original Expression, Jaguar Landover Ride & Drive, Heineken House, Ranger Odyssey and Orijin Drum unveil to emerge the best for the year. Oracle Experience, which was adjudged the best in its category at the 5th Marketing World Awards as result of its several groundbreaking activations between 2014 and 2015, competed against EXP and Brands Optima. In the Excellence in Marketing Innovation Category, Nigerian Breweries’ Gulder World Biggest Poster, unveiled in Enugu some months ago pitched against Coca-Cola’s Share-A-Coke and MultiChoice’s DStv Explora Box office. Meanwhile Star Bottle Tree defeated Star Music Trek, Guinness’ Made of Black and Coca-Cola’s Coke Studio. The world’s biggest poster measuring 5,367 square metres unveiled at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu State broke the record for the existing largest poster measuring 4,793.65 square metres, which was displayed in India on June 27, 2015. The size of the poster was attested to by a chartered quantity surveyor Nath Agu, while a lawyer, Onyekwuluje Ogochukwu, legally affirmed the measurement and size. Oracle had won several awards in the past, including Nigeria Brand Awards 2015 as Best Experiential agency of the year
Award – Gold category, MarketingEdge’s 2014 Outstanding Experiential Agency, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria’s Brand Activation influencer with its Nescafe Hot Air Balloon campaign, 2013 Best Effort in Innovation, 2013 Polaris Excellence Awards, and 2011 Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria’s West Africa World Class Experiential Marketing Service Consultant. The latest accolades come on the heels of
Oracle’s world record breaking Christmas bottle tree with 8,000 bottles of Star beer bottle covering a 2.7 kilometre stretch. Prior to this, the world record was 1,000 bottles achieved in China. Another feat was the Gulder crate tunnel using over 3,200 crates of Gulder beer to build the ultimate corridor that led to the place the new Gulder bottle was launched. Expressing his delight at the latest awards, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Felix
Eiremiokhae, expressed the company’s determination and commitment to enhancing its clients’ businesses. “Being crowned the best in the country is a gracious experience, but it is more rewarding when the experiences and the stories we tell live a lasting memories in the minds of the consumers we engage. We believe our client deserve the best, the consumers deserves nothing but the best. To give the best you have to be at your best,” he stated.
From right, Chief Regulatory Officer, Mrs Edith Solaja; Chief Public Relations Officer, Mrs Christiana Obiazikwor; Public Relations Assistant, Linda Ike and Computer Analyst ll, Enuwa Agada, all of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), inspecting food products of Eleojo Foods Nigeria Limited, while the Managing Director, Eleojo Foods Nigeria Limited, Mrs Eleojo Peter watch at Lagos International Trade Fair on Wednesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.
Undergraduate wins car at Enugu Gulder Ultimate Chase TWENTY-THREE-year-old Benjamin Chigozie of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) has emerged the winner of a star prize of a brand new Hyundai car at the Owerri version of the Gulder Ultimate Chase, held in Owerri, the Imo State capital. Chigozie emerged winner out of the over 1,000 participants, who had thronged the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, venue of the competition to try their luck on the coveted prize and other consolatory prizes. After completing a dash from the Dan Anyiam Stadium to the Heroes Park in Owerri, the Imo-State born winner, was
able to locate the key that opened one of the 501 boxes at the venue, containing the key to the coveted prize, the Hyundai Car. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, held shortly after being declared winner, Chigozie attributed the feat to God and his unflinching resolve to win one of the two cars that would be available at the Owerri version of the pan-Nigeria competition. “I was determined and I had made up my mind that no outsider would come into the state to take away what actually belonged to us. I actually worked towards winning the car. Prior to the competition, I had tried to study the venues and get my-
self acquainted with the terrain,” stated an elated Chigozie. Chigozie however plans to hand over the vehicle to his parents, whose only vehicle they had been using for sometime packed up recently. Lagos-based Abayomi Gbenga however won the second Hyundai Car, when he emerged a lucky winner at the Gulder National Consumer Promotion Raffle draw held in the city, that weekend. Management of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, organisers of the promo has explained that the initiative was introduced to reward consumers of the Gulder beer brand.
Indomie Tazomania excites consumers with Dubai trip, cash prizes Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles which recently introduced a nationwide consumer promotional campaign tagged The Indomie Tazomania covering three major cities of Nigeria (Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos) has actualised its pledges by rewarding the first set of lucky winners that have emerged.
The promo has produced the first mega prize winner of an all-expense paid trip to Dubai alongside a companion of choice, while other lucky winners were also rewarded with various prizes such as N500,000 worth of scholarships, Playstations and TV sets. According to the Public Relations Man-
ager of the company, Mr Tope Ashiwaju, the Indomie Tazo Mania is a promo where participants are expected to purchase the Indomie chicken flavor SKU of 70g or 120g Super pack containing the Tazo. Participants are required to gather 11 of such unique codes, with mega winners selected from the pool of participants who
Betabet commences operations in Lagos Beauforbet Nigeria Limited, owners of Betabet, a new sports betting outfit, has commenced operations in Lagos with a promise to revolutionalise sports betting in the country with the deployment of latest technology. The chairman of the company, Femi Babalola, in a statement, said the company’s strength lies in the kind of technology it is deploying for its operations. The former banker attributed the challenges sports betting is currently facing in the country to lack of viable technology that will enable it compete with the best that is available in the
world. He, however, assured that the company would be entering the industry with the best in term of software to make sports betting one huge fun. “We know we are coming in at a time when we have a quite a number of sports betting outfits out there. But we have done our homework very well and we know what our unique selling point will be. And that is latest technology. We want to stun our customers with the ease with which they can play even in the confines of their rooms,” the
former top banker explained. Also speaking of the company’s plans, another senior manager of the company, Abiodun Babalola, described the betting outfit as coming into the industry at a time when sports enthusiasts have come to see sports betting as an adds-on benefit of sports, especially football. According to him, the company is affiliated to one of the most credible betting licensees in Europe and they will be bringing same positive pedigree to bear in their operations in the country.
have collected and flashed codes of the unique 11 Tazos. While commenting on the responses so far garnered, the company’s spokesman stated the promo had recorded over 2 million flashes since the commencement of the promo. Ashiwaju reinstated the company’s commitment to continue to reward, give back and touch the lives of its diverse consumers scattered across the nation, also, he said Dufil will continue to come up with activities that will further sustain the relationship and engender deeper connection between the brand and the consumers. “We want consumers to always believe and trust us completely. A lot of consumers have experienced the negative side of promotional events but with Indomie, we are determined to give our consumers the very best of the promotional trust experience which may have been eroded from their mind in one way or the other,” stated the Marketing Manager, Indomie Instant Noodles.
29
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
infotech
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Bode Adewumi
m:08055001765 e:bodekafi@yahoo.com
MTN N1.4 trillion fine: A review of the nature
and implications
About four weeks ago, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) slammed a N1.04 trillion about ($5.2 billion) fine on MTN Nigeria Limited for failing to deactivate unregistered SIMs and incomplete SIM card details on its network. The regulator set a payment deadline, which expired yesterday, BODE ADEWUMI, in this report, reviews the situation as well as experts’ opinions on the implications of the development to the sector and the country in general, in spite of whatever the resolution may be.
I
NDUSTRY watchers and stakeholders waited with bated breath for the resolution of the recent face-off between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecoms operator, MTN Nigeria, over the fine imposed on the latter. The sanction became a subject of discussion owing to the unprecedented nature of the fine as this was the first time a fine of such magnitude would be slammed against any of the operators in the telecoms sector in the country.
The genesis After the launch of GSM services in Nigeria in 2001, SIM cards were offered to subscribers without the requirement to provide proper identification by the users. This, of course, was the normal practice in the developed world and even in some African countries that have security as a major area that must not be toyed with. Sometime in early 2008, security agencies approached the commission to assist in resolving crimes perpetrated through the use of phones in which criminal elements cannot be identified with the number of the phones that they used. And after consultations with relevant authorities, the NCC under the immediate Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Eugene Juwah, approved March 28, 2011 for the commencement of the registration exercise and was expected to terminate in January, 2012. Although, the operators were expected to continue to register new subscribers on their networks, the commission nevertheless extended the registration more than twice. This continued until it was thought that the operators had completed the registration exercise on their networks only to discover that there were irregularities in many of the purportedly registered SIM cards. In September 2014, the NCC invited the operators to intimate them of the discovery that some lines were not properly registered. It warned the operators to comply or face sanctions over the issue. And in August 2015, the NCC ordered the operators to deactivate SIMs whose registrations were not completed or not properly registered. Speaking on this that same August, NCC Head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, said that as of September 2014 when the data base was scrubbed, various numbers were sent to the operators for re-validation. He said that 18.6 million numbers were sent to MTN, while Airtel got 7.49 million numbers for re-validation with Glo and Etisalat networks received 2.3 million numbers and 10.46 million numbers, respectively. He explained that during a visit by NCC to MTN, earlier in August 2015, they found out that the operator was yet to adhere with the directive while Airtel, Glo and Etisalat networks, had achieved partial compliance, as only 2.3 million, 3.5 million and 3.3 million lines were barred, respectively.
million, gave a cumulative total of N120.4 million fine that would be paid by all the four GSM operators to NCC on or before September 7, 2015. This development woke the operators up and they swung into action which resulted into another round of re-registration exercise across the country specifically in the month of September. In fact, the re-registration exercise created so many problems such that many subscribers who were affected complained of stress associated with the exercise. The NCC through its Director of Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, said the operators were the ones who made things difficult for the affected subscribers. According to him, the current challenges would have been minimised if the operators had swung into action as far back as September 2014 when the commission alerted them of some discrepancies found during the hamonisation of data sent to them by the service providers. Nobody knew that was not the end to the matter until when the NCC pounced on MTN this time around with the whooping sum of N 1.4 trillion last month, which brings us into the present situation.
Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC In September this year, following the expiration of the initial deadline, NCC announced that it has imposed a fine on all the four GSM operators, with a combined fine of N120.4 million, following their contravention of NCC’s directives on SIM card deactivation. A breakdown of the N120.4 million combined fine, showed that while Globacom was to pay N7.4 million, Etisalat was to pay N7 million. MTN was to pay a total of N102.2 million, while Airtel paid N3.8 mil-
A breakdown of the N120.4 million combined fine, showed that while Globacom was to pay N7.4 million, Etisalat was to pay N7 million. MTN was to pay a total of N102.2 million, while Airtel paid N3.8 million, totalling N120.4 million fines for all the four GSM operators.
lion, totalling N120.4 million fines for all the four GSM operators. According to NCC, its monitoring team discovered 37 pre-registered SIM cards on the Globacom network, while it discovered 35 pre-registered SIM cards on the Etisalat network. The team also found 19 pre-registered SIM cards on the Airtel network, and 109 pre-registered SIM cards on the MTN network. It, however, also discovered additional 402 incomplete and improperly registered SIM cards on the MTN network. The NCC Regulation 19(1) and 20(1) of the Registration of Telecoms Subscribers, stipulate a fine of N200, 000 for every pre-registered SIM card and for every incomplete and improperly registered SIM cards found to be active on any telecoms operators’ network. The 37 active pre-registered SIM cards on the Globacom network, amounting to N7.4 million; the 35 active pre-registered SIM cards on the Etisalat network, amounting to N7 million, the 19 active pre-registered SIM cards on the Airtel network, amounting to N3.8 million; the 109 active pre-registered SIM cards on the MTN network amounting to N21.8 million as well as the 402 incomplete and improperly registered SIM cards on the MTN network, amounting to N80.4
MTN’s reaction Following the development, MTN issued a statement where it said it wished to clarify and place on record that the company continues to engage constructively with Nigerian authorities at all levels. However, the company said it noted, with concern, the speculation and false information in the media. MTN particularly cautions against reports purporting that the company has agreed a resolution with the NCC on the fine. It is false as no resolution has yet been reached. It stated that it continues to engage the authorities in Nigeria on this matter. To this end, all stakeholders, according to the statement, are reminded that MTN will inform them of any material developments in our engagements with Nigerian authorities via the Stock Exchange News Service of the JSE Limited (SENS). Shareholders have also been asked to exercise caution when reacting to information that has not been released by the company. A source at the headquarters of the operator told Infotech late last week that it was still in talks with the authorities over the issue and that the status quo still subsists. Stakeholders’ reactions A lot has been said about the implications of the fine which many described as outrageous and which it was agreed could have far reaching negative implications for Nigeria. According to Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), the fine is unnecessary and misplaced and that it may not augur well for the country as it would send a wrong signal to investors, which he said, may drive potential investors away. Continues on pg30
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
Stakeholders advocate cooperation of industry players at WACC 2015 Stories By Bode Adewumi
From left: Ikechukwu Nnamani, Chief Executive Officer, Medallion Communications Limited; Lanre Ajayi, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Ibiye Member r, NigComSat; Dr Sola Afolabi, Chairman, Baobab Think Limited and Greg Gbadamosi, Chairman of the West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC 2015) at the WACC event in Lagos, last week. stakeholders and agencies of government. While delivering a paper with theme, ’Addressing Infrastructural Challenges in a Converged Market’, the Managing Director of NigComSat, Ms Abimbola Alale, who was represented by
Ms Ibiye Memberr said one must have connectivity before one can even talk of broadband and that convergence can only be spoken of if Broadband is available. She disclosed that the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Ltd is poised to help
The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has announced 26 November for this year’s National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA). NITMA is an annual event of NCS since 2009. Announcing the date at a press conference in Lagos late week, President of NCS, Professor Adesola Aderounmu said the event, as usual, is to honour and reward excellence and outstand-
an industry leader in ODBMS. This implies that, managing Data can be best done with Microsoft, which when stacked up against others, is furthest to the right on the axis for completeness of vision, and closest to the top on the axis for the ability to execute within the Leaders Quadrant.
Internet Solutions to provide access to Google’s Cloud Platform INTERNET Solutions, a pan-African communications service provider, has announced that it has become Google Cloud Interconnect (GCI) Partner and will able to offer Enterprise clients and small businesses a private connection directly into Google’s cloud platform, providing better network security and a more consistent network performance than using the Internet. Internet Solutions’ clients, enterprise size and smaller businesses, will be able to activate Google cloud services quickly via dedicated capacity, eliminating issues of network congestion, and will benefit from low latency, high availability and predictable performance.
the country developed the broadband area of the ICT by achieving broadband connectivity and convergence through the company’s 1R satellite infrastructure, adding that already, the satellite has assisted and accomplished much in this regard.
NCS announces date, nominees for NITMA 2015 ing contributions in the Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the country. “It is an event to honour those who have made a giant stride and significant impact in expanding the frontiers of ICT in Nigeria. It is a night of awards to celebrate the best of Nigerian Information Technology creativity and innovation that has fundamen-
Gartner recognises Microsoft as leader in ODBMS MICROSOFT has once again earned recognition as a leader in the Magic Quadrant for Operational Database Management Systems (ODBMS) for the 3rd time, based on a Gartner Inc. assessment. The Gartner’s assessment of the ODBMS landscape positions Microsoft as a clear choice and
Implications of N1.04trn fine on MTN Continued from pg29
S
TAKEHOLDERS in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector of the country have been called upon to always consider the interest and development of the industry, rather than personal achievements in the overall interest of the sector and the country in particular. This position formed part of the issues raised at this year’s edition of the 7th West Africa Convergence Conference-WACC 2015, organised by KnowHow Media International, which took place at Sheraton Hotel in Lagos, last week. This was the view of Mr Ikechukwu Nnamani, the Chief executive Officer of Medallion Communications Limited while speaking on the topic, ‘Connecting Networks for Convergence in the Marketplace-Issues Arising’. Nnamani said there should be cooperation within agencies of government for the ICT sector of the nation’s economy to continue to grow abundantly. Citing the recent controversies that trailed the sale of spectrum frequency in the 700MHz to MTN Nigeria; he said there shouldn’t have been any dispute over who has the right to sell or who does not have but that the interest of the country must be uppermost in the hearts of all stakeholders. Also speaking in the same manner, Engr Lanre Banjo, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said while competition is good on its own, but that there must synergy and convergence between industry
Nigerian Tribune
“Agile and secure network capabilities are critical in ensuring that as clients transition to using more and more services from multiple cloud providers, the full potential of cloud including speed of scaling and activating services, as well as commodity based billing and usage efficiencies are realised. “Internet Solutions’ direct connections with multiple cloud service providers (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Dimension Data) will enable Enterprise clients that choose a hybrid cloud strategy and host with Internet Solutions to move back and forth seamlessly between different cloud providers as demand requires,” Greg Montjoie, Executive, Connectivity, Internet Solutions, said.
In a news release following the announcement, Microsoft stated that: “With the release of SQL Server 2014, the cornerstone of Microsoft’s Data platform, we have continued to add more value to what customers are already buying.”
tally changed, and is still changing the Nigerian nation. Award winners are recognised for being inspiring symbols of the ICT community. The Nigerian nation has moved forward because of their contributions. It is honour well-deserved. Nigeria, not just the ICT community, owes them a huge debt of gratitude,” Aderounmu said. According to him, the NITMA event reinforces the unique values NCS promotes by combining the prestigious long-standing awards ceremony with unparalleled networking opportunities in a highly celebratory environment that will include ICT professionals, innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs, as well as policy and decision makers in the private and public sectors of the economy.
He stated that this may slowed down the inflow of Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) into the country as investors may deem regulators as being reckless and abrasive. Ogunbanjo stated in an interview with Infotech that in the first instance, the operators were not to blame for the irregularities in the registration exercises which they carried out themselves but in the ones the NCC undertook in itself. He said it is therefore wrong for the NCC to now turn its venom on the operators for an exercise they did very well. Rather, Ogunbanjo said the NCC should have ordered the operators to compensate the subscribers with at least a credit worth of about N5, 000 each for the pains caused the subscribers and to encourage them to reregister their lines. This was also the position of Engineer Lanre Banjo, the president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), who posited that sanctions are meant to whip operators into line but that this must be done with caution so that it would not have negative effect on the industry. He said that the fine was too much and that NCC has to engage MTN in meaningful discussion. Implication and resolution Many were of the opinion that the development may affect bilateral relationship with South Africa if the company is made to pay the fine. Again, the situation has affected the company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and may be forced to close shop if the NCC went ahead to force the payment thereby sending wrong signals to would be investors alike. Already, erstwhile Chief Executive Officer of the MTN Group, Mr Sifiso Dabengwa had resigned his appointment over the issue. By the time this piece is out, the showdown must have been partially or totally resolved, but it is hoped that it will be palatable to all concerned.
Data bonus, airtime on offer as Glo unveils new promo JUST two weeks after the launch of the Free Tomorrow promo, Next Generation Network, Globacom, has unveiled yet another appetizing promo, with benefits that include quadruple data and free double airtime for calls to all network. Globacom’s Executive Director, Legal Services, Mrs Gladys Talabi during the official launch of the Twin Bash promo in Lagos recently, said that a subscriber who recharges N200 data will get 200 MB of data worth N800, another N200 airtime to call or send sms to any network and N200 airtime to call 10 friends and family. The subscriber will therefore get N1,200 value for a data recharge of N200 and the recharge is valid for four days.
She explained further that a subscriber who recharges with N500 data plan will get 500 MB of data, N500 airtime to call or send sms to any network and N500 airtime to call 10 friends and family, adding that this is valid for 10 days. Talabi emphasised that every subscriber who recharges with N1,000 for data will get 1GB. In addition, the subscriber will also receive N1,000 free airtime to call or send sms to any network and N1000 free airtime to call 10 friends and family, adding that this is valid for 15 days. Similarly, for a N2,000 data plan, the subscriber will enjoy 2 GB of data with N2,000 airtime bonus to call or send sms to any network and another N2,000 free airtime to call 10 friends and fam-
ily. She added that this package is valid for 30 days. “This is an unbeatable offer in the Nigeria telecommunication industry. Imagine paying N200 for a service and getting a value worth N1,200,” Talabi said. She enthused that Globacom has taken subscribers’ data experience a notch higher with the Twin Bash promo by adding bonus airtime for voice calls to every new data recharge. “It is the novel and quintessential mobile package. You pay for data and get voice and sms free,” Talabi said. She said the company has invested enormously on network upgrade in the last one year, adding that this has led to significant improvement in the quality of voice and data service.
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
property
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Gbemi Solaja
m:07065220616 e:gbemisolaja@gmail.com
Ogun’ll collaborate with FG to fix Lagos-Ibadan Expressway —Amosun The Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has disclosed his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to rehabilitate and fix the Lagos- Ibadan expressway. According to Amosun, the present administration in the state spends in excess of N400 to 500 million monthly to maintain federal roads that are within the state. The governor, in a statement by the spokesman, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ayokunle Ewuoso, made the disclosure during his visit to the Arepo end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, where the ministry officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Kayode Ademolake, carried out palliative measures along the expressway.
Our expectations of Fashola as works minister —Stakeholders Stories By Gbemi Solaja - Lagos
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takeholders in the Nigerian built environment, including the Lagos State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), have passed a vote of confidence on the choice of the new Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola. In a chat with the Nigerian Tribune, the Public Relations Officer of the NIA, Lagos State chapter, Mr Samson Akinyosoye, charged the new minister to engage architects in coming up with a viable solution to the over 20 million housing deficit in the country, just as he noted that the issues of standardisation of building materials must be addressed. He added that pursuing the production and adoption of local materials and establishing a mechanism for price control would greatly chart a good course for the industry. “The policy of rent to own should be firmly established and the mortgage system revamped to make home ownership within the range of the teeming populace. The issue of pending Land Reforms should be concluded.” The group who stated that transportation was closely linked to housing in the sense that an improved transport system would promote even development distribution where people could live and work almost anywhere and be able to commute easily, called for a workable transportation sys-
tem. Similarly, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), speaking through its Public Relations Officer, Mr Mike Simire, tasked Fashola to revive the mortgage system, as challenges facing the housing sector must be tackled. According to him, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigerian (FMBN) does not give out loans because there are not so many bodies contributing to the NHF.
“This must be looked into urgently. He has to make it a viable incentive for workers and companies to be part of the contributors to the NHF.” NITP who charged the minister to introduce short term interventions, while also embarking on long term ones, noted that the planning laws must be looked into urgently and issues with the use of land addressed. He also noted the need to ur-
gently look into road projects like the Lagos - Ibadan expressway, the Sagamu - Benin expressway, “roads in the south- south part of the country are in terrible state,” he maintained. “We expect the new minster to overhaul the housing process and collaborate with the private sector by making the mortgage system workable, while also creating the right environment to do business,” he stressed.
He said: “Every month this is what we do, we do these entire palliative monthly in spite of the fall in finance. Look at the SagamuOgijo road, even the one in Atan to Agbara, all are federal roads. We cannot just treat this road as any other road. It is the busiest. If our commerce and economy is going to thrive, this road must be fixed and we are ready as a state to collaborate with the Federal Government and probably all the relevant agencies to make sure that this road is fixed.” He said as far as the state government was concerned, there were no federal people in the state and as such, the government would continue to respond to people’s feeling and yearnings, noting that the government would not fold its arms seeing people suffering due to the neglect of the LagosIbadan expressway. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Olamilekan Adegbite, while inspecting the palliative measures going on along the Lagos- Ibadan expressway, said it was a complete mischief for any church to have claimed that it was responsible for the palliative measures being undertaken by the state government. A national newspaper had in its report last week claimed that the palliative measures on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway were being done by a church sited along the expressway.
Stakeholder harps on wastes recycling potential The Chief Executive Officer, Instinctwave, Mr Akin Naphtal has urged government to harness the potentials in the waste and recycling sector, as part of the country’s efforts towards diversification, to boost economic growth.
Emphasising the essence of the 2015 Waste and Recycling Awards, during a presentation at the awards ceremony held in Lagos recently, Naphtal put the industry’s worth to over 200million dollars.
Appraising the sector, he regretted that the industry had been largely driven by government, with only few private operators. According to him, states like Lagos has used the waste management initiatives to drive invest-
Revamp vocational schools, expert urges FG Managing Director, IPC Homes Limited, Mr Adewale Owomoyela, has called on the Federal Government to use vocational training to elevate and raise standards in the building and construction industry. Owomoyela decried that it had become a huge challenge to find quality artisans in the built environment, while also attributing incessant building collapse across the country to poor jobs carried out by incompetent artisans in the industry. According to him, there are vocational schools that are being run across the country that could turn out quality artisans. He stressed that virtually anywhere else in the world, vocational
trainings was compulsory to work in the built environment “you need to go to a school to learn bricklaying before you go out there and get involved in laying of blocks. In Nigeria, there is nothing like that, a young man just gets up and start watching an old bricklayer and after a while, he just believes that he is old enough to start laying bricks.” “We should have vocational school systems where anybody that is going to do anything must pass through,” he noted. “In Dubai, for example, if you want to roast corn by the road side, you must operate under a licence. Even to a restaurant. You don’t just go into a bush, gather corn
and start roasting. We need a system where by everybody that is involved in the building space have required qualification and that is why we have incessant cases of building collapse.” He emphasised the need to professionalise every single aspect of the industry. “Now we see people coming in all the way from Congo to come and take jobs here. Plastering and POP is majorly done by people from Togo because it is believed that they are better. It is not because their brains are superior, but it is just that we don’t have a standardised system where these people can learn and come out better,” he said.
ments and generates a lot from it, which makes it a viable business He, however, regretted that only 40 per cent of the Lagos State wastes was being recycled and collected. “Sweden imports waste because there is insufficient waste due to its low population. So waste has to be imported from Africa. We have waste that has not been used.” He urged the Federal Government to pay urgent attention to the sector as an employment generation unit, decrying that awareness was still low. “We should create aawareness of the statistics and get adequate data of what waste can generate and there is need to make Nigerians appreciate what wastes can do for them. “We discussed with some key bankers who said it was more profitable to invest in Agriculture than other sectors, but we have realised through research, that investing in waste is more profitable.”
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Tuesday, 17 November, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com
Reps: The battle this time KOLAWOLE DANIEL, in this report, captures some drama that trailed the composition of the House of Representatives’ Standing Committees.
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INCE the inauguration of the 8th Assembly of House of Representatives and the emergence of Honourable Yakubu Dogara as Speaker contrary to the All Progressives Congress (APC) plan to have the current Majority Leader, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker, disquiet has reigned in the House. The election that threw up Honourable Dogara as Speaker was seen as a statement to stamp the independence of the House which most members claimed needed to be protected. But after the election, there has been no love lost between the Speaker and the Majority Leader. The composition of the principal officers of the House also led to another crisis over the zoning of the offices. The office of the deputy Speaker occupied by Honourable Yussuf Lasun, was almost used against the emergence of Honourable Gbajabiamila, with the loyalists of Honourable Dogara insisting that nobody from the South-West and the North-East zones, where the Speaker comes from, would take any of the four seats reserved for the APC in the principal officers cadre. With the intervention of the APC leadership, President Muhammadu Buhari and compromise from the speaker, Honourable Gbajabiamila emerged as the House leader. Despite that move, the speaker and the House Leader still appear at loggerhead. The announcement of committees chairmen and deputies on the floor of the House by the speaker on October, 22 raised dust. From the 96 Standing Committees headships as announced by the Speaker, 48 committees were allotted to APC; 46 committees to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one committee each went to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). The development did not go down well with Honourable Gbajabiamila and his camp, with a letter from Honourable Gbajabiamila accusing the speaker of not carrying along principal officers. Honourable Gbajabiamila, in the letter to the Speaker, dated October 20, 2015, protested that he was not given due consideration in the appointments of chairmen and their deputies to the various committees. But a document from the speaker’s office showed that all principal officers of the House, including the House Leader’s office, received the notice of meeting except for the Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader and the Deputy Minority Whip. In a move to restore peace in the House, a meeting convened by the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, held at the Asokoro residence of the party leader with the Speaker, his deputy and House leader but, it failed to yield positive result. To further show that he was not happy
Dogara with the composition of the House committees, Honourable Gbajabiamila failed to show up during the inauguration of the committees. However, the Chief Whip, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa said there was no crisis among the House principal officers. However, loyalists of Honourable Gbajabiamila, while addressing newsmen, accused the Speaker of working against the interest of President Muhammadu Buhari owing to the way and manner the House standing committees was constituted. The group, however, said that for peace to reign “the only path of honour opened to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, is to reverse the
current order in the interest of Nigerians who are waiting for APC deliverables”. Gbajabiamila’s loyalists alleged: “The composition of head ships of committees must be seen for what it is: a declaration of war against the APC and the Presidency - all calculated at sabotaging the majority advantage that APC enjoys, with ultimate aim of rolling back the electoral victory of our party. “The composition of chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees are clear manifestations of the marginalisation of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Under the 7th assembly headed by Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the then majority party – PDP got 63 out
Judging from these altercations between the two camps, some observers say the friction in the House appears to have taken a different dimension. But in whose interest?
Gbajabiamila of 89 committees of the House which constituted 71% share of the committee while the Minority parties (ACN, ANPP, CPC and others) got only 26 out of the 89 committees which underscores the fact that the Minority got only 29% share of the committees. “Unfortunately, under Speaker Yakubu Dogara the Majority party – APC got 50% share of committees, same with the PDP and other Minority parties which equally got 50%. No legislature in the world had ever shared committees on 50:50 basis between the Majority and Minority parties. There must be a clear cut margin between Majority and Minority parties as was done in previous assemblies. “It is curious that strategic committees such as Petroleum, Power, Environment, Works, Gas, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Information Technology, Aviation, National Planning, Nigerian Ports and Waterways which are crucial to the success of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Change Agenda were given to PDP by Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Judging from these altercations between the two camps, some observers say the friction in the House appears to have taken a different dimension. But in whose interest?
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businessnews
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
African market capitalisation hits $1.3trn Kehinde Akinseinde-JayeobaLagos
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ARKET capitalisation across African exchanges in 2015 has recorded over $1.3 trillion having traded over $325.0 billion in equities, $1.2 trillion in bonds, and $438.0 billion in ETFs & Others. Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyeama, disclosed this in his welcome address at the 19th Annual African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday. The NSE CEO at the conference with the theme, ‘Africa Evermore’, noted that African exchanges were becoming active players in the global exchange business, while saying the theme was about sustaining that growth position, and becoming a real platform for growth in the African economy. Mr Onyeama added that among the 23 nations that make up ASEA, there were just over 1,600 listed companies, which, according to him, did was not commensurate with the over 1.5 million businesses registered in Africa. He, therefore, charged African exchanges to find new ways to engage with business leaders in order to communicate more clearly the vital role we play in facilitating longterm financing, mobilizing resources, and directing the flow of savings and investments efficiently within our economies. He added that to sustain the positive growth recorded in its performances, African echanges, as “a solid capital markets ecosystem
that will attract investment and unlock the potential that exists on the continent,” need to deliberate on “how best to pursue social values, without losing sight of the traditional financial objectives of our
businesses; and the correlation between the health of our economies, and the value of our capital markets, bearing in mind peculiar strengths, that individually and collectively we could leverage as we press forward.”
THE Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) has assured that the Federal Government will continue to create an enabling environment for inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country through the successful operation of the newly established Brass Oil and Gas Free Zone. This was just as the OGFZA expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far at the site of the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemicals Company Limited. General Manager, Operations and Technical Ser-
sight of the real objective of these initiatives, which is to stimulate opportunities for the investment community, and expose issuers to deeper pools of capital, and a wider community of analysts and investors pools.”
From left: Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina; Executive Director, Stakeholder Management and Corporate Communications, Ahmed Mansur, and Chief Marketing Officer, Dangote Group, Oare Ojeikere, at the media launch of Dangote Mega Million Dash (DMMD) in Lagos.
‘Nigeria’s nuclear power plants to generate 1.200MW each’ THE Chairman, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Dr Erapamo Osaisai, says Nigeria plans to make each of its nuclear power plants to generate power in excess of 1,200mw. He gave the indication in Abuja on Monday while speaking with State House correspondents after he submitted a report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the development of nuclear power in Nigeria to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Osaisai said IAEA conducted an integrated nuclear infrastructure review mission in the country in June and that the nation’s nuclear power energy programme was on course to diversify power sources beyond gas and hydro bases. “Our nuclear power plants are huge machines. And what we are planning is, each of the power plants will be generating power in excess of 1,200 megawatts. “Nigeria is a signatory to the nuclear non-prolifera-
OGFZA assures of FG’s support for Brass Fertiliser and Petrolchemicals Company Bola Badmus-Lagos
While noting that all efforts to deepen the continent’s markets would aid in pushing Africa’s economic transformation, and enhancing national competitiveness, Mr Oscar cautioned that care must be taken “never to lose
vices of OGFZA, Adekunle Ajayi, said this when the board and management of the company paid an inspection visit to the project site at Odioama- Brass Island as part of the administration and management of zones under its mandate and to have a spot assessment of operators within the zone. Other members of the 8- man team of OGFZA officials, including the General Manager, Legal Services, Mr. Sule Wasui; General Manager, Trade and Investment, Adamu Mamman Kontagora; General Manager, Special Purpose Vehicle, Hon.
Gilbert Enos; Head, Regional Office, Lagos- Jamil Bashir; Head, Free Zones Coordinator- Mrs. Boma Kalio; and Head, ProtocolBobo A. Pepple.
tion treaty. “We are a member of the IAEA and our responsibility as a country is to utilise nuclear power in the safest way possible. “And what Nigeria is doing, as we can tell, is diversifying our energy generation base beyond gas and hydro to include other sources for which nuclear is also being considered.” The chairman said that the UN nuclear watchdog made recommendations that could help Nigeria develop its nuclear power projects. “They (IAEA officials) have made a final report in, which there are specific recommendations, suggestions and also identifying good practices in the implementation of our own nuclear power programme in the country.
“That is the report they (we) came to submit to Mr Vice President,” he said. “It’s quite a serious task and responsibility for a country to implement a nuclear power programme and what we do at the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission is to take leadership in building the pertinent nuclear power infrastructure.” According to Osaisai, NAEC has a nuclear power road map “which is being approved by government and that is what we are implementing”. He said that in the implementation of the road map, the organisation needed to build critical nuclear power infrastructure and enter into partnerships with international agencies and other technical partners.
MTN: NCC extends fine deadline
MTN Group, on Monday, said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had extended the deadline for the payment of the N1.04 trillion ($5.2 billion) fine imposed on it, pending the conclusion of negotiations. In a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, MTN said that the Chairman of the Company, Mr Phuthuma Nhleko, had personally met with NCC to continue the ongoing discussions regard-
ing the fine. It said that discussions included matters of noncompliance and the remedial measures that might have to be adopted to address it. “Shareholders are referred to the announcements issued by the company on the Stock Exchange News Service (SENS) of the JSE Ltd on Oct. 26, 2015, Oct. 30, 2015, Nov. 2, 2015, Nov. 3, 2015 and Nov. 9, 2015, respectively. Shareholders were advised
in the SENS announcements that the company would update them on all material developments on this matter. The NCC set a deadline for payment of the fine by Monday, Nov. 16, 2015. Shareholders are advised that the Nigerian authorities have, without prejudice, agreed that the imposed fine will not be payable until the negotiations have been concluded,’’ the MTN Group was quoted as saying.
Dangote resigns from Dangote Flour ALIKO Dangote, Africa’s richest man, on Monday, announced his resignation from Dangote Flour Mills (DFM) following South Africa’s Tiger Brands funding withdrawal. Dangote resigned alongside Olakunle Alake, Asue Ighodalo and Arnold Ekpe, immediately after the announcement which may mean the end of DFM. Tiger Brands, a South African consumer goods maker, revealed its decision to cease funding its Nigerian division as it undergoes major economic reviews. “Tiger Brands has decided not to provide further financial support with respect to its investment in Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc of Nigeria,” the company said in a statement. According to Reuters, Tiger Brands has not made money from Dangote Flour Mills (DFM) since paying nearly $200 million for a 65 per cent stake in the firm back in 2012. Though DFM is named after Dangote, his group’s equity stake in the firm is only 10 per cent. Anthony Geard, an industry analyst with Investec Securities, said “without Tiger Brands injecting money, it is the end of the line for DFM”.
UBA introduces ‘contactless cards’ Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos
UNITED Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc he said it is changing the payments landscape in Nigeria with the introduction of contactless payment cards. According to the financial institution, contactless payment cards offer UBA customers an easier and more convenient hassle-free way to pay for goods and services. “It is the latest innovation from the digital banking division of pan-African financial services, UBA, which has built its competitive edge around offering the very latest in convenient banking options to its customers,” the bank said in a statement. UBA contactless cardholders will experience the next level of convenient payment services; a touch and pay contactless payment card; the most innovative and convenient way for customers to pay for goods and services, the bank said. Dr Yinka Adedeji, Divisional Head, Digital Banking, speaking on the innovation, said: “With our contactless cards, you can make payments for everyday essentials and other things that money can buy the contactless way.
Nigerian Tribune Tuesday, 17 November, 2015 34 businessnews Nigeria loses N800m annually to auto policy —Shippers Association Tola Adenubi -Lagos
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igeria is losing not less than N800 million annually as a result of high import duties on vehicles imported into the country, the president, Shippers’ Association, Lagos State, Jonathan Nicol, has said. The high import duty was part of the provisions of the National Auto Policy, aimed at encouraging local production of vehicles. Among other things, the policy provides for a 70 per cent tariff on vehicles imported into the country. Nicol said rather than helping the country, the policy is impacting negatively on the maritime industry in particular and the economy as a whole. He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to discontinue the implementation of the provisions of the policy “until Nigeria is ripe enough to produce her own vehicles.” According to Nicol, some of the terminals dedicated to handling of car importation are going under because of low patronage, resulting from the implementation of the policy. He specifically cited the case of Ports and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) known for vehicle imports, saying it was no
longer receiving as many Roll-on-Roll-Off (RORO) vessels as it used to prior to the implementation of
the policy. He decried the losses the country and its people record, saying most im-
porters no longer import vehicles into Nigeria but are using the port situated in the neighbouring countries,
An expert on international trade and immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr John Isemede, has said that the massive business expansion of the Dangote Group across Africa and around the world is in conformity with the extant agreements among ECOWAS member-States and members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Dr Isemede expressed satisfaction that the Dangote Group had been complying with all the relevant laws of doing business in Africa. Dr Isemede, who is currently a consultant with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) was drawn up by member- states of the Community to elimi-
tional automotive policy, saying, “70 per cent tariff on cars is too expensive.” Nicol said the auto policy should immediately be reversed to attract many of the cars being lost to ports of neighbouring countries. He said: “We should think of protecting local car manufacturers and assembly plants but this should be gradual.” “What we want is standards. If Nigerians decided to be helping their families by bringing fairly used cars, why should the government not encourage these families? The goverment should look at other maritime laws, restrictions and prohibition and reverse them.”
Solar power: Fasel Power Systems opens new Luminous showroom From left, Mr Olivier Delafosse, Country Director, French Development Agency; Mr Lanre Adesanya, Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc and Mr Tunde Adeola, Regional Business Executive, Sterling Bank Plc, at the commissioning of the new BRT buses financed by the bank in Ikorodu, Lagos.
NPA committed to completion of Lekki, Ibom deep seaports —MD Tola Adenubi -Lagos Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdulahi, has reiterated his organisation’s commitment towards the success-
ful completion of the Lekki and Ibom deep seaports. Abdulahi, who stated this at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos recently, said this had become imperative with the change in transport demand and
technological advancement. According to him, ports built in the 1970s might not be able to accommodate bigger ships because the demand had changed. Represented by NPA’s General Manager, Public
Dangote’s global expansion conforms to ECOWAS, WTO pacts —Ex-NACCIMA DG Chukwuma Okparaocha -Lagos
especially the Cotonou port. He added that the nation’s seaports were almost empty as a result of the na-
nate barriers to businesses in the region. Dr Isemede, who had worked in Ghana, said the country could not meet 30 per cent of its cement needs until Dangote took cement there. He said: “Not only that, the company has been creating jobs, doing lots of charity works through its Dangote Foundation in Ghana and elsewhere, and as well as contributing to the growth of African economy.” He said there were many Ghanaian products in the Nigerian market, adding that the two countries had a very cordial political and economic relationship. Dr Isemede, who is a member of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the ETLS, of which African countries are signatories, is aimed at gradually creating a customs union among member states through the establishment of a free trade zone and the adoption of a common external tariff.
He urged Nigerians to form business association in any country they find themselves, saying this will help protect them against undue attacks from citizens of host countries. According to him, globalization is reducing boarders to mere bus stops, urging Africans to work together in line with the collective agreement signed by ECOWAS and WTO. Speaking also, the Chief Technical Advisor to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Charles Malata said in the past there were no boundaries in Africa, and that the only limitation is the quality of your product. Mr Malata said UNIDO is working on the National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria to promote quality businesses and break barriers to businesses on the continent. He said quality and standard should be the baseline for moving products in Africa, as it would help in building trust.
The UNIDO Technical Advisor said no West African country should cry foul of domination by products from another West African country, rather they should strive to improve their own standards and invest in commodities they have comparative advantage. “As a country, one has to take a strategic decision by investing in where it has comparative advantage,” he said. He called on investors from Africa to strive to build trust in their businesses, even as he said all barriers to regional and international trade must be removed if the continent will join the rest of the world in development and globalization. In a related development, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) lamented the low level of intra-regional trade within the sub-region, noting that several years after regionalism, intra-regional trade in ECOWAS is still consistently low at about 12 per cent.
Affairs, Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, Abdulahi said other transformation embarked upon by NPA is the development of intermodal transportation. He said apart from the 1.6 kilometers road recently rehabilitated at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, NPA had also facilitated the rehabilitation of rail line within the port to Port Harcourt port to decongest the roads and ensure speedy delivery of cargo. “We are working very hard to see how Lekki deep seaport will come on stream. “For the Ibom seaport, the government has already approved it and the process is underway right now to employ the service of a transaction consultant to ensure the port takes off. “We have done a lot in tying up the rail tracks within the port of Lagos and Port Harcourt. For the other port like Tin Can, there is a consultancy to look at the possibility of linking it with rail and as soon as the report comes out, we will know if it is visible and also viable,” he said. Abdulahi said NPA had also made a lot of improvement in the automation of its operational processes, including the recently introduced Revenue Invoicing Management System (RIMs) which he said had helped in facilitating trade and enhancing its revenue generation as well as blocking of revenue leakages in the system.
By Paul Omorogbe In order to meet the growing demand for alternative sources of power, especially solar and inverter systems, in the country, Fasel Power Systems Ltd has opened a new Luminous showroom in Ibadan. Luminous is a market leader in inverters and batteries in Nigeria. Fasel Power Systems’ CEO, Mr Wasiu Jimoh, said, “Owing to the growing popularity of Luminous battery and inverter systems in the country, Fasel Power Systems has decided to open the new showroom to meet the power demands of Nigeria’s growing economy. “We also discovered that the instability in fuel supply means greater overhead from high fuel prices and loss of valuable manhours due to time spent on lengthy queues at the petrol stations. This is why we stock systems from 900VA to 3.5KVA, even up to 50KVA to cater for small and large scale business needs as well as domestic ones.” He added that having been in the energy industry for over a decade, the constant complaints of inefficient installation could be tackled by the firm’s experienced engineers and technicians who will assess customers’ power needs accurately. Luminous batteries and inverters come with one year warranty, and are supported by an exclusive after- sales services centre in Ibadan.
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news
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
My war on corruption will adhere to due process —Buhari ...Says cases coming against culprits
NSE expresses concerns over dearth of infrastructure Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure
Leon Usigbe-Abuja
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has assured that his administration’s war on corruption would be executed within the ambit of the law. Receiving a delegation from the Foursquare Gospel Church in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, Buhari said his government will give full regard to due process and the rule of law in the prosecution of its war against corruption. However, he reiterated his commitment to recovering stolen funds. According to him, “Under military rule, people could be arrested and held on the basis of suspicion, but in true democracy, anyone accused of an offence must be presumed innocent till pronounced guilty by a court of law.” The President noted that his administration is therefore diligently building up its case against those accused of stealing government funds, getting necessary evidence and facts, before formal charges are brought against them. He congratulated the Foursquare Church in Nigeria on its 60th anniversary convention, which was concluded on Sunday. Speaking earlier, the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Reverend Felix Meduoye praised the Buhari-led administration for its positive strides in the war against corruption and insurgency. He assured that the church will continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of Nigeria.
Director, Social Affairs, African Union, Ambassador (Dr) Olawale Mayegun (right), presenting the award of Pillar of Arts and Culture in Africa to the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ahmed Tinubu, during 2015 All African Music Award (AFRIMA) ceremony at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday.
Stop granting loans to Wike, Rivers APC cautions banks Rivers APC jobless —Wike Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt
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ivers State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Davies Ikanya, has warned banks in the state to desist from further granting request for loans by Governor Nyesom Wike. Ikanya gave the warning while addressing a press briefing at the state APC secretariat in Port Harcourt, on Monday, saying banks which ignore the warning were working against the interest of the state. However, Governor Wike dismissed the warning by APC, saying there were procedures and processes
to be followed before recourse to loans can be taken and granted. He also described the party leadership as jobless people who, having nothing worthwhile to do. Ikanya alleged that Wike had, within five months of his administration, squandered an initial N30 billion bank loan on road projects, which he said were not commensurate with the amount spent. He also alleged that Wike was planning to take another N10 billion loan, saying the governor had no cause to go for such a fresh loan because his election have being overturned at the election petition tribunal. Reacting, Special Assistant (electronic media)
The lawmaker representing Mushin Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, has said that she will not accept the chairmanship of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition and LASIEC given to her by the House. It will be recalled that last
ing out loans to Governor Wike? “The election of the governor had been annulled at the tribunal. Why is he going for loans again?” Nwakaudu in his reaction added that, “Like the governor has always maintained, we have transited into the phase of development. The primary concern of the governor is to ensure that all parts of Rivers State experience development. “There are procedures for taking development loans. Governor Wike, a lawyer and administrator, followed these procedures when he obtained loans following the empty treasury he met upon assumption of duty,” he said.
Fund leakages impede state’s growth —Okorocha Leon Usigne-Abuja
Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha has observed that leakage of resources is the biggest impediment to the economic development of states, saying that it was the reason
resources cannot met the demands of state services. Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in Abuja on Monday, Okorocha called
Lagos assembly: Tejuosho remains adamant, rejects chairmanship of judiciary committee Chukwuma OkparaochaLagos
to the governor, Simeon Nwakaudu, said it was an attempt for APC to be heard in the face of massive developmental work by Governor Nyesom Wike. “Rivers APC and her leaders are merely trying to distract Nigeria’s best performing governor. As always, they will fail. Governor Wike is committed to the development of Rivers State and will not be drawn into unnecessary politicking.” Ikanya while cautioning the banks further said, “I am warning the banks to stop giving out loans to Wike. If they persist, they will account for their actions. Whose interest are they protecting by giv-
week, Honourable Tejuosho had expressed her rejection of the committee, when the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, announced the names of the chairmen of the committees shortly after the adjournment of sittings. Speaking at Monday’s sitting, Tejuosho said in reaction to an observation by a lawmaker, she ought not to have openly rejected the committee, but she insisted she had no apology for her action.
“I rose up to reject the committee on Judiciary because I spoke to the Speaker about it before then and I expected him to get back to me on the issue. I felt disregarded about the whole thing. “I want to apologise to the whole House about my behaviour after sitting on that day. I don’t have any apology for my rejection and I didn’t know any other way of turning down committee chairmanship,” she said.
for the integration of culture into the nation’s political and economy lives as the present democratic practice was difficult to understand and seemed to have complicated matters. He said: “We have enough resources to run the states but there are so many leakages. There are cultural challenges. No nation can grow above its cultural resources. Let us develop our land and be less oil dependant.” Okorocha, who harped on the need to develop more local sources of generating revenue said, “while we are looking at our internal generated revenues, which is given and which has its challenges in many steps, we should also look deeper inward and start to develop the resources of our land, mainly agriculture.” He added that, “Now that things have gone the way they have gone and are go-
ing the way they are going in this country, we have no other option than to attempt for the very first time to develop properly the resources of our land, with emphasis on agriculture, which hitherto has given us over 70 per cent opportunity of employment and has been largely responsible for our foreign exchange.” Also speaking, Zamfara State governor and Chairman of NGF, Abdul’aziz Yari said the solution to the declining fiscal revenue facing most states lies in the diversification of the economy. “Economic diversification is of course vital to ensuring the long-term economic growth we seek. We must ensure that we are competitive in the way we diversify our economies, and ensure that the private sector plays a stronger role going forward,” he explained.
The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Ademola Olorunfemi has expressed concern over the dearth of infrastructural facilities in the country saying the development has led to the loss of large scale investments to neighboring countries on account of decaying infrastructure. Olorunfemi, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during a press conference organised by the engineering body to herald the 2015 National Conference of the association taking place in Akure, however commended the decision of the federal government to introduce a robust roadmap through the National Planning Commission known as the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan. According to him, the decision will go a long way in raising the stock of infrastructure in Nigeria and said this was one of the reasons the theme of the 2015 Engineering Conference was tailored towards exhausting all issues surrounding infrastructure in Nigeria.
Ikpeazu holds inaugural meeting with commissioners Celestine Ihejirika-Umuahia
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has held its inaugural meeting with members of his executive council with a charge to them not to work at cross purposes. Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the executive council meeting, the commissioner for Information and strategy, Mr Bonny Iwuoha, who was accompanied by the commissioner for Transport, Mrs Nnenna Obewu Onwuka and her Works counterpart, Eziuche Ubani said the executives reconstituted the Finance and General purposes committee with the commissioner for Finance as the chairman. Other members of the committee according to the Information commissioner are the commissioner for Works, the Attorney General and commissioner for justice while the Secretary to the state Government (SSG) is to serve as the secretary of the committee. Mr Iwuoha also said that the executive council reviewed the decisions taken by the last committee as it concerns on-going road projects and ratified the reports of the last committee in addition to commending the committee for doing a good job.
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015 36 news Nigeria needs N12bn to eradicate illiteracy —NMEC Forum elects Clement Idoko-Abuja
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HE executive secretary of National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education, Alhaji Jibrin Paiko, on Monday, disclosed that Nigeria needed over N12 billion to eradicate adult and youth illiteracy in the country. He also revealed that over 40 per cent of the nation’s over 170 million population, cannot read and write with most of them living in rural communities. Paiko, who spoke at a
two-day stakeholders’ meeting on “Strengthening policy-dialogue for effective and sustained support for mass literacy and nonformal education, called on the states and local governments to prioritise nonformal education sector. He noted that effective and timely provision of quality literacy delivery to the Nigerian illiterate would improve the lives and livelihood of reasonable percentage of the population. He spoke against the backdrop of the revelation by the 11th Education For
All (EFA) Global Monitoring report 2013/14, that Nigeria has the world’s largest number of 10.5 million out-of-school children. The report also indicated that literacy rate of Nigeria as at 2014 was 61.3 per cent, meaning that 39.7 per cent of Nigerians are illiterate. The report further showed that the illiterate adults in Nigeria is put at 46 million, putting Nigeria in the category of countries in the world with more than 10 million illiterate adults. NMEC boss, however,
noted the Federal Government had released a sum of N1 billion in trust to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2011 to revitalise the adult and youth literacy programme. He said: “From the fund, a lot of activities were undertaken but unfortunately, the implementation of the literacy programmes could not yield the desired result because the bulk of the illiterate population are at the state and local government levels”. He added that the work-
shop was organised by the commission to dialogue with stakeholders on how to ensure sustained funding of non-formal education sector by the state and local governments in the country while the Federal Government provides support and policy direction. Stakeholders at the meeting condemned the decision of some state governments, including Nassarawa, Ogun and Osun states, to scrap their state agencies for mass education and subsumed them as mere departments under their ministries of education. They specifically, urged the affected states to reverse their decisions while ensuring that the agencies are properly funded to deliver on their mandates.
Igbos assembly in Oyo calls for sanctions on Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland By Tunde Oguensan
From left, chairman of governing council, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Honourable Alaba Ojomo; Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; chairman of governing council, Ondo State University of Medical Science, Ondo, Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe and the chairman of governing council, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Dr Amos Akingba, after the inauguration of the governing councils of state-owned tertiary institutions, in Akure, on Monday.
Why Ondo schools are preferred choices for admission seekers —Mimiko ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Monday, explained that tertiary institutions in the state have become preferred and popular choices among admission seekers across the country because his government has been resolute to ensure that its universities and polytechnics are bastions of unrivalled academic excellence. He said this while inaugurating the chairmen and members of the Governing Councils of three tertiary institutions in the state. The institutions and their chairmen are: University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Professor Oladipupo Akinkugbe; Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Dr Amos Akingba and the Rufus Giwa, Polytechnic, Owo, with Honourable Lad Alaba Ojomo. With a charge to the appointees to use their wealth of experience for the socio- economic advancement of their respective institutions, Mimiko said his administration’s
interventions in the education sector through the construction of mega schools, free shuttle buses, comprehensive renovation and rehabilitation of schools, standardisation and improved funding among others, were to reposition education sector across the state. “The current adminis-
tration has been resolute on the need to ensure that our universities and polytechnics are bastions of unrivalled academic excellence. “ Not only have we invested massively in infrastructure development, we have equally worked to ensure the enhancement of teaching and learning
in all State-owned tertiary institutions” he said. The government resolve, he submitted, has sparked renewed confidence and interest in these institutions, adding that “today, all Ondo State tertiary institutions are preferred and popular choices among admission seekers across the country”.
NCCE vows to clampdown on illegal, non-accredited colleges Clement Idoko-Abuja
THE National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), has threatened to clampdown on illegal Colleges of Education operating in the country. The commission has equally handed down deadline for all teacher training colleges in the country to regularise their accreditation status before the 2016-2017 academic year or risk sanction. The executive secretary of the commission, Professor Monday Joshua, spoke
at a news conference on Monday, in Abuja, as part of programmes marking the commission’s silver jubilee celebration. While expressing concern about the growing criticism of declining quality of teacher education in Nigeria, Professor Joshua, said the commission would in no distant time, partner with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to ensure that from the 2016/17 academic year, accreditation and students’ result status would form the benchmark
for admission of new NCE students into any of the colleges. He pledged that teacher education in Nigeria would receive a boost through 2016 zero budgeting plan of the Federal Government. “The amount NCCE receive has been small in realising its mandate. We are hopeful that all the commission’s budgetary activities that would be duly captured in the 2016 budget will not be stalled in infancy due to non-release of capital funds,” he said.
IGBO leaders in Oyo State under the auspices of Igbo General Assembly (IGA), has called for stiffer sanctions against any individual who violates the directive of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the title of Eze Ndigbo in diaspora. The President-General of Igbo General Assembly, Nze Emeka Enwereonye, while addressing journalists in Ibadan, expressed disappointment on the continued use of Eze Ndigbo title outside Igboland since the title was abolished by traditional rulers in Igbo speaking states. He said rather than the use of Eze Ndigbo, the South East Traditional Council and the Ohanaeze had approved the title Onyendu in their respective host communities and wondered why some individuals would continue to embarrass the Igbo people. He stated that “Igbo General Assembly has the traditional arm headed by Onyendu in line with the directive of South East Council of Traditional Rulers endorsed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide. Our duly elected and inaugurated Onyendu Ndigbo of Oyo State, High Chief A.O.Obi and his chiefs, have been enjoying overwhelming fellowship of Ndigbo in Oyo State because of their outstanding performance in upholding the customs and traditions of Ndigbo.
new officers By Tunde Ogunesan
THE Destiny Forum political family in the 11 local government areas of Ibadanland, has elected Alhaji Teslim Omilabu Gandhi and Honourable Segun Olayiwola, as its new chairman and vice chairman, respectively. The forum, in a press release signed by its publicity secretary, Lukuman Agboluaje, a copy which was made available to journalists, after a meeting at the Destiny House, Oremeji, Ibadan, alleged that the immediate chairman, Alhaji Nureni Akanbi,defied it’s directive by working against the aspiration and goals of the group. According to the release, “it was alleged that Alhaji Nureni Akanbi defied the directive of the forum’s elders committee to desist from using the forum’s platform in holding consultation with individuals, groups and political parties whose objectives sharply conflict with its aspirations and goals.”
Group appeals to Ajimobi over expulsion of Oyeniran, Olujide A group, Peace and Justice Vanguard, has appealed to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, to prevail upon the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to reverse the purported expulsion of former Commissioner of Environment, Honourable Olujide Adewale and the Majority Leader of the 7th Oyo House of Assembly, Honourable Oyeniran Oyeniyi. The group, in a statement signed by its director, Mr Jamiu Akanji, warned that sustaining the expulsion posed great danger for the survival of APC beyond 2019. The danger, the group said, was that the opposition would benefit from the self-inflicted crack in the party, it therefore, called on Ajimobi to salvage the party from regression in the politics of the state. Peace and Justice Vanguard, therefore called on Ajimobi to rally other party leaders and elders to work towards strengthening the party and ensuring that peace and justice prevail in the party.
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Lagosmetro Lagos begins inquiry into LFTZ crisis, court exonerates 2, grants bail to 15
Ayomide Owonibi-Odekanyin - Lagos
The Lagos State government on Monday asked members of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) Tribunal of Inquiry to dig deep and find the root cause of the October 12, 2015 disturbance which led to the death of the managing director of the agency, Tajudeen Disu. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kazeem Adeniji gave the charge at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal on Monday. Adeniji charged the tribunal members to be fearless and ensure that everyone has a chance to ventilate their observations and suggestions. In a related development, two persons, Alhaji Tajudeen Jegede, 68, Chief Kayode Raufu, 60; who were among the 17 suspects remanded by an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, over the alleged killing of Mr. Tajudeen Disu, have been
discharged by the court. The two persons were discharged by the court after the prosecution led by Mr. Cyril Ejiofor, from Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba, informed the court that they were exonerated by the investigation conducted by the police. Also, the court equally admitted bail to 15 sus-
Married man caught by wife trying to rape teenager Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A man, Chinonso Amaraegbu, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. It was gathered Chinonso who is married lured the victim into an empty room in the house where he resides and tried to forcefully have carnal knowledge of her. The incident happened when Chinonso saw the victim who was hawking second-hand clothes and then acted like he wanted to patronise her. When the teenager went to answer him, he pushed her into an empty room and offered her money to have sex with him. The victim was afraid and started crying and shouting. Chinonso’s wife who heard the commotion forced her husband to
open the door of the locked room. The neighbours who witnessed what happened contacted police at Ejigbo division and he was arrested and taken to the station. During interrogation, Chinonso denied that he sexually assaulted the victim because he had not touched her before his wife came and rescued her. He was charged to court with sexual assault under the criminal code. He pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs J.O.E Adeyemi granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail. The matter was adjourned till November 23, 2015.
pects arrested in connection with the alleged killing of the LFTZ’s managing director. Those admitted to bail were; Saidi Akanni, 41; Raufu Agunreje 31, Sunday Bulus 30; Taiwo Oyelade, 21; Abiola Ogunsanwo, 20. Others include: Stephen Okuriaye 20; Taiwo Gafar 38; Banji Agunrege 37; Ahmed Gafar 25; Moses Okoro 30, Talabi Onadri
43; Ipaye Oriyomi 25; Yusuf Quadri 23; Lord Lugard, 32; and Anthony Agbogie, 30. The 15 accused persons were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku on a six-count charge bordering on rioting and unlawful assembly. The police alleged that the 15 accused persons had on October 12, at about 9am, conspired among
themselves to commit the alleged act. The accused persons, who are majorly fishermen, technicians and ‘okada’ riders, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Consequently, the presiding magistrate admitted to bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety each. The court has adjourned the accused persons’ trial till December 21.
Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, conducting lesson for pupils of Ahmad Memorial and Muslim Primary School, Agege, during the inspection tour of the state of infrastructure in public schools by the deputy governor and officials of the State Ministry of Education on Monday.
Prophet arrested for hypnotising 2 women into sex deliverance Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A 49-year-old man, Moses Okezie, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding two women and having sex with them. Okozie, a self-proclaimed prophet and a father of four, was accused of defrauding 27-year-old Philomena Aji of N550,000. It was gathered that after he collected the money from her, he took her to a hotel in Ikotun area and engaged her in sex deliverance for her to be successful in her business. It was also gathered that the sex deliverance lasted for several days before the victim realised it was a
scam. It was further revealed that Okezie defrauded another 26-year-old woman, Abigail Dike, to the tune of N1million and also engaged her in marathon sex in a hotel under the false pretence of giving her spiritual empowerment for success. The police also recovered a Golf car with registration number AAA 821 BE which he used to lure women. The car was tendered as exhibit before the court by the police. One of the victims, Dike narrated how she fell into Okozie’s trap while she was returning from church service in Festac to her base in Iyana Iba.
She said he met Okozie and two of his gang members, a female and a male that pretended to be taxi operators plying Festac to Apo junction near Mile 2 area. From there, she lost her consciousness and they took her to Ikotun. She narrated that Okozie forced her to drink a substance; after that whatever he asked to do, she complied. The matter was reported to the police and Okozie was arrested and charged to an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court. He pleaded not guilty. Okezie was remanded in prison custody pending when he perfects his bail. The matter was adjourned till December 2, 2015.
Nigerian Tribune
Edited By
Lanre Adewole
olanreade@yahoo.com
0811 695 4647
Five amputee students get N1.5m lifeline Chukwuma Okparaocha Wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has urged children without limbs and other physically challenged persons to see life beyond the setback. She gave this encouragement in Victoria lsland, Lagos, while presenting cheques of N1.5million each, to five pupils of different nursery, primary and secondary schools, as part of the company’s “Out for a Limb” corporate social project, to fix the limbs of some children amputees and those with congenital limb defects. According to a statement made available by Folashade Kadiri, the public affairs officer to the wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs Ambode noted that the population of limbless persons in Nigeria was increasing because of the insurgency ravaging Northeastern Nigeria, stressing that children and others in that condition could still excel in life with determination and the right attitude to life.
Fuel scarcity: Fire chief warns against indiscriminate fuel storage Olatunde Dodondawa
The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, has warned Lagosians against indiscriminate storage of petroleum products to avoid fire accidents. He reiterated the need for Lagosians to be safety conscious going by the recent fuel scarcity plaguing various parts of the country including Lagos. Fadipe observed that fire outbreaks have been on the increasing across the state and it has led to avoidable colossal loss of lives and property. “Over 1558 fire calls were received and promptly responded to, while properties worth over N89.26billion were saved from January till date,” he said.
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Resign to face charges against you, group tells CCT chairman Sunday Ejke-Abuja
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HE Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and other Civil Society Organisations on Monday called on the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar, to resign his position as chairman of the tribunal over the various allegations against him. The organisations said the recommendation of the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke, for Justice Umar’s prosecution by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be carried out with immediate effect. The national co ordinator of the SNG, Benedict Ezeagu, while addressing newsmen in Abuja said, “considering the weight of allegation and the monumental evidence against Mr Umar, it is our conclusion that he can no longer sit in judgement against Mr Taiwo and the other accused persons brought or expected to appear be-
fore the CCT and therefore should quit that position immediately. “We therefore call on Mr Danladi Umar to immediately resign his position as the Chairman and a member of the CCT to go and answer the charge of corruption leveled against him. “We demand that the current chairman of EFCC and the new AGF should commence the prosecution of the heavily indicted Umar Danladi as previously recommended by
their predecessors within the next 72 hours, otherwise we will have no other alternative than to mobilise the Nigerian masses for a protest match. EFCC, AGF and the Buhari-led government should do the needful since the integrity of our judicial process and criminal justice system cannot be mortgaged on the whim and caprices mischievous political interest,” he added. The Civil Society Groups, SNG, Northern Youth Democratic Movement and
Arewa Voters Assembly also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the tribunal chairman from office, if he fails to resign. “We also call on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the CCT chairman without further delay and liaise with the leadership of the National Assembly to effect his formal removal as the chairman and member of CCT in accordance with the constitutional provision,” the group added.
Lagos under-policed, PCRC boss declares CHAIRMAN of Badagry Division of Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Chief Adisa Oshiefa, has raised the alarm on the danger posed by what he called inadequate number of law enforcement agents in Lagos State. Osiefa argued that the cosmopolitan status of Lagos State has made it imperative for both the Federal Government and the Force Headquarters to deploy more policemen to the state. Osiefa said the rise in the escapades of criminal elements in the metropolis is a confirmation of his findings, thereby urging the Federal Government to expedite action in making Lagos State more attractive to home and foreign investors. “We are appealing to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase for special and additional policemen for Lagos State in view of the 19 million populations in the state and the upcoming festive season. Doing this is making the state living up to its dream of a mega city,” he said. Osiefa also called Nigerian politicians to imbibe the spirit of service to the nation instead of pursuing “personal interests alone at the expense of the welfare of the downtrodden masses.” He drew an example in the United Kingdom, where he said he had studied and worked, stressing that every British politician public put the interest of the masses before any other. Osiefa, therefore, expressed discomfort at the salary level of Nigerian public office holders, describing it as the only reason centre cannot hold in the current disquiet in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
From left, comedian, Iruvwe Okeremute popularly during De-Don; Glo ambassador, Bez Idakula; a guest, Aisha Odey and another comedian, Bethel Njoku (Senator), during Glo Laffta Fest in Enugu, on Sunday.
Lagos assembly approves N352m for Speaker, 20 members’ official cars Chukuwma Okparaocha-Lagos
THE Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday approved the sum N352, 973, 986 for the purchase of official cars for the Speaker and 20 first-term members of the assembly. This followed a letter sent by Mr Akinyemi Ashade, the state’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget and read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk of the House, Mr Ganiyu Abiru. The letter read in part: “The 2015 appropriation law directs that any expenditure above N200 million from the special expenditure fund should seek and obtain the approval of this Honourable House. “I wish to request the approval for the utilisation of special expenditure fund to the sum of N252, 973, 986. The funds are to be used for the purchase of official vehicles and other accessories for the Honourable Speaker and 20 first-term honourable members of the eighth Assembly.”
Commenting on the letter, Mr Rotimi Abiru (APC-Somolu II) urged the House to give the request an expressed approval. Also, Mr Rotimi Olowo (APC-Somolu I) added that such approval would help the new members of
the Assembly to enjoy the benefits of the office they were occupying. Responding, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa said, “On behalf of the state, I want to thank you for your patience that six months after inauguration of the eighth
assembly, you have not been given official vehicles. We thank you for your endurance.” The speaker, after a voice vote, gave approval and directed the Clerk to convey the House approval to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Glo dazzles Anyigba as MI, Burna Boy headline Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert THE university town of Anyigba, Kogi State, on Saturday evening suspended virtually every other social activity for the Glo Slide n Bounce as the premium concert landed in the community and treated the residents to an evening of fun. The show which was held at Habour Bay Hotel attracted a massive crowd, especially students of Kogi State University, Anyigba. The students, who came in their thousands to the venue of the show, expressed appreciation to Globacom for the honour to stage the concert in their community.
Ayingba’s budding talents such as MC Water, Carmelo Drago, Gifted Dancers, Raheem Biko, Phat Prince, OC Green, Kezy Swift, Mareez, Sky V, Lethel Teding and Jeezzy were appreciated by the crowd with generous applause. The dancing competition was won by Sanni Temitope of the Department of Banking and Finance, while Popoola Segun of History Department and Amuju Marzuqat of Mass Communication Department won the Singing and the “Fine Girl” competitions respectively. The evening of fun was
amplified by the Afro beat star, Burna Boy, who thrilled the crowd with his dance steps as baritone voice singing his hit tracks like O fe se lu and Who no know me which reverberated through the speakers to thaw the silence of the night. The evening came to a glorious end when popular rapper, Mr Incredible, MI, performed his hit track, Somebody Wants to Die, bringing to bear his brilliant style of music. The anchor of the show, Okey Bakassi interweaved performances with different acts like rib-cracking jokes that got the crowd hailing him repeatedly.
HoS, Oyo-Ita, charges newly appointed perm secs Clement Idoko-Abuja
THE Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, has charged the newly appointed Federal Permanent Secretaries to ensure the success of the development agenda of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Oyo-Ita made the call when she received the newly appointed Permanent secretaries in her office on Monday, a statement by the Director Communications, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Haruna Imrana, said. Mrs Oyo-Ita also urged the newly-appointees to “ensure cordial relationship with Ministers to the improvement of service delivery and national development.” The Head of Service of the Federation disclosed that in order to further prepare them for the challenges ahead, a retreat for all permanent Secretaries will hold on November 21, 2015 where important issues of government will be discussed. The theme of the retreat is, “The change agenda: The role of the Permanent Secretaries.”
UNIBEN produces 64 First Class graduates Banji Aluko-Benin City
AUTHORITIES at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State has said 64 out of no fewer than 6,000 first degree graduates it produced in the 2013/2014 academic session came out in first class category. Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Faraday Orumwense, made this known at news briefing in Benin, on Monday. Orumwense announced that activities of the institution’s 41st convocation and its 45th Founders’ Day celebration would begin on Monday and end on November 28. He disclosed that 11,020 persons would be awarded various diplomas and degrees of the university during the convocation. He said that aside the first class category, 1,671 would graduate in second class upper division, and 4,346 in second class lower, adding that 1,014 made third class and three persons with pass result.
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Nigerian Tribune
Kogi stands still for PDP as Fayose accuses APC, Buhari of planning to rig poll •Mimiko, Secondus others canvass support for Wada Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja
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S Lokoja, the Kogi State capital stood still for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari, of drawing N12.4 billion out of the controversial N25 billion Treasury Single Account (TSA) fund to prosecute the Kogi State governorship election. Besides, he said the President, with his actions, was running the country into anarchy and dictatorship, urging Nigerians to rise and defend the nation’s democracy. Apart from Fayose, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus and the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum (PDPGF), Dr Olusegun Mimiko, also berated the ruling party for attempting to drift the country towards a one party state. Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium, during the grand finale of the campaign of Governor Idris Wada, towards the November 21 governorship election, Fayose said it was unfortunate that Buhari was supporting the move to thwart the resolve of the people of Kogi to freely elect their governor.
According to him, the present administration of Buhari and that of the former president Olusegun Obasanjo are the same, as they both lack respect for the rule of law. The Ekiti governor said, “We are in opposition and it is known that opposition is the strength of democracy, opposition is the bedrock of the people to take their right from a deserving government, opposition stands against the suffering of innocent people. “If you look at the style of the administration of this government and the stand of administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo, they are the same because they are all former military people, who don’t have respect for rule of law, as I speak here, the National Security Adviser under president Goodluck Jonathan is still under incarceration against court orders, what a government, what a disobedience to rule of law. “They want to run Nigeria into anarchy, they want to run Nigeria into dictatorship, they are not God and on this Kogi election, God will shame them. You want to be president of Nigeria, you are already president, you are controlling well over 20 states, why should you turn Nigeria into one party state?, why will you bring thugs and OPC into Kogi
Ex-Kogi PDP aspirant, Mohammed Ali, defects to APC Clement Idoko - Abuja
A former Kogi Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant and national chairman of the Northern Local Government Chairmen’s Forum (NLGCF), Comrade Mohammed Ali, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) barely few days to November 21 gubernatorial election in the state. He defected along with 14 local government chairmen from the state, alongside their ward councillors; five special advisers; 11 senior special assistants and 25 special assistants. This was contained in a statement he issued on Monday, in Abuja, saying his decision was the inevitable outcome of both intensive soul searching and extensive consultations with stakeholders and political associates in the state. Ali said he and his colleagues have had the marching order of destiny that their aspiration of serving their people and Ni-
geria in general, could only be best realised in APC. He said: “It is our belief that the current leadership of the PDP in Kogi State has regrettably cast down and set to be trampled under the foot of Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, the sterling credo, spirit and ideals which the founding fathers of the party arduously developed and intended to deliver justice, equity and abundant life to the people of Nigeria.
State? “Tell them to pay attention to the economy that is failing by day, tell them to pay attention to Boko Haram, this election must not be militarised by them. Speaking, Mimiko said the election in Kogi is about continuity and retrogression, urging the people of Kogi not to send the state back into the dark old days. The Ondo State governor
added that the APC had failed the people of the state, saying they should vote for Wada who had already put the state on the path of development. Secondus also said the election is about the future of the people of the state, adding that Wada had performed and should be returned as governor. In his remark, the former national chairman of
in 2019. Addressing the supporters, Wada, while highlighting his achievements said the party in the last 12 years have touched the lives of citizens through the provision of basic infrastructure. On the bailout, the governor said APC was playing politics with it without recourse for the welfare of the workers who were supposed to enjoy the fund.
From left, representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Brigadier Larry Bello; Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase and the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu, during a meeting with security personnel on Kogi and Bayelsa elections, in Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO.
Presidency dismisses PDP’s insinuation over meeting with INEC, police THE Presidency says President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police was geared towards ensuring credible
governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states. A statement issued on Sunday, by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, dis-
missed PDP’s insinuation regarding the meeting. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP had earlier said the meeting was part of plans by the APC to rig the
ducting a free, fair and credible poll. Professor Yakubu gave the assurance in Abuja, on Monday, when he met with the heads of the nation’s security agencies, led by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, on security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the poll.
This came just as the IGP warned potential trouble makers to keep off Kogi State before, during and after the poll, as all security agencies were fully prepared for the poll and would not allow anybody or group to disrupt the electoral process under whatever guise. Speaking, the INEC boss who said that the meeting was called in order to deliberate with the security agencies on how to conduct a free, fair and credible poll in Kogi, pointed out that the conduct of an election was not the responsibility of the commission alone but that of all stakeholders. He pointed out that the commission decided to set up “Inter-Agency Consultative Election Management Committee” at the local and state governments and national level to discuss issues relating to security on the conduct of elections following the unprecedented violence that greeted the 2011 general elections.
Kogi gov election ’ll be credible —INEC Jacob Segun Olatunji—Abuja
Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Kogi State, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, assured that the commission would maintain the sanctity of ballot box in the state, by con-
INEC commences distribution of PVCs to newly registered Kogi voters The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has commenced the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to newly registered voters in Kogi. Mr Daniel Kure, Head of Department (HOD) Voter Education, INEC Office, Lokoja, made the announcement on Monday, in Lokoja, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
the party, Alhaji Ahmadu Ali, said the turn out at the grand finale was a testimony that PDP was still very strong and virile in the state, noting that all the antics of the APC to rig Kogi election have been uncovered and it would be resisted. He also reaffirmed that Captain Wada would only come to spend four years, assuring that power must rotate to other two districts
He said that the distribution of PVCs, which commenced on November 14, would continue till November 20, adding that there were over 47, 000 newly registered voters in all the 21 local government areas (LGAs) across the state. He called on registered voters to visit INEC offices in their various LGAs to collect their PVCs to enable them participate in the November 21 governorship
election in the state. Kure also announced that a meeting of all stakeholders in the election would hold on November 17 at Riverton Hotel, Lokoja, by 10 a.m. He said that dignitaries expected at the meeting included the INEC chairman, Mr Yakub Mahmoud; the lnspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase and the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi.
forthcoming governorship elections in the two states. “The President called the meeting cited by the PDP to warn in particular, INEC and the Police, to prepare to give the nation a credible election. “He said he expected nothing short of a free, fair and credible election. “He said he had suffered election manipulation in 2003, 2007 and 2011 and would not like to have any Nigerian go through that again. “He also warned against the intimidation of voters in any way and vowed that he was prepared to move with all the forces available to him against anyone who undermines the rights of any citizen. “The meeting was short and straight to the point. It ended after five minutes. “Furthermore, he asked the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, if he had anything to say and Osinbajo had added nothing to what the President said,’’ the statement had quoted Shehu as saying. The presidential spokesman advised Nigerians to be wary of PDP’s fruitless attempts to destroy the national institutions President Buhari was determined to rebuild.
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Shekarau joins Dickson on campaign, predicts victory for PDP in December election
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ORMER Kano governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has predicted victory for Governor Seriake Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the December 5 election in Bayelsa. Shekarau, who made the prediction on Monday, in Kolokuma Opokuma, when he joined Dickson in continuation of his community-tocommunity tour, said he felt convinced the PDP would win the election based on what he said were the unusual crowd that came out to receive the governor and their endorsements. A large crowd of party supporters thronged the various venues where rallies were held with community leaders on hand to receive Dickson and his entourage. He said he was proud to see such a crowd comprising of youths, men and women who left other activities to meet Dickson and that their support was a measure of the governor’s popularity and acceptance, adding that the PDP remained the party of the people in Bayelsa State. The former Education Minister had accompanied Dickson on a boat cruise through the River Nun to communities in Kolokuma
Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, comprising Egbedi, Okoloba, Sabagreia, Odi, Sanpou, Opokuma, and Kaiama, which also witnessed large turnout of supporters. “it is evident that the contriman governor is well loved by his people and going by what I have seen here today, he will win the December 5 election. I believe it will just be a formality,” Shekarau said. He told the people to remain loyal and steadfast, saying no amount of intimidation can change the will of the people, adding that their actions at the respective rallies were a celebration of leadership and performance. “I must thank you all for believing in your governor and standing firm behind him in his re-election bid. I want to admonish you to remain steadfast. The PDP will no doubt carry the day come December 5. I am really impressed. This is not just a campaign, it is a carnival. It is a celebration of victory and I am so happy to experience this open show of love first hand. Of course, your governor has led well and with performance,” he said.
Speaking to a mammoth crowd of PDP supporters at Kaiama, where a grand reception was held in his honour, hometown of the late Ijaw hero and activist, Isaac Adaka Boro, Dickson expressed appreciation to the people for their show of love and endorsement for his candidacy. He noted that Kolokuma Opokuma was home to him and therefore, he needed not to campaign as the people would vote en-masse for him at the election. Earlier, the community leaders who spoke had listed some of the achievements of the governor in the local government to include the construction of Adaka Boro Memorial Institute, comprising a mausoleum and low cost housing estate to immortalise the late free-
dom fighter, construction of the Boro Town, Kaiama link road, construction of the Isaac Boro family house, befitting burial for the late hero by exhuming his body from Lagos and buried at the Heroes Park in Yenagoa, construction of permanent NYSC orientation camp, and construction of world class Youth Development Centre.
Nigerian Tribune CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Gbolagade Aisha Funmilola now MRS. OVIE AISHA FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.
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Ambode, Utomi call for reduction in cost of governance Bola Badmus - lagos
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AGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and the renowned political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, have insisted that various levels of government in the country should embrace reduction in the cost of governing the country otherwise, the quest to revive the nation’s economy for rapid development may be a mirage. Both Ambode and Utomi, stated this at the weekend, while speaking at the Press Week lecture and awards ceremony organised by members of the Lagos Governor’s Office Correspondents (LAGOCO), arguing that it was imperative for the government at all levels, to ensure that available funds were well utilised in the face of global economic slowdown currently taking its toll on world development. Ambode, who spoke on the theme, “Reduction in the cost of governance, the socio-political implications for Nigeria,” said the theme was instructive of the path his administration had travelled in the last five months. Governor Ambode, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Community and Communications, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, said his government had reduced the cost of governance and had equally commenced funding more projects that would enhance the quality of lives and empower people of Lagos. “We have reduced the
cost of governance and have commenced funding more projects that would enhance the quality of lives and empowerment of our people. “As members of the noble profession of journalism
responsible for holding the government accountable to the people, I urged you to discharge this very important role with all sense of fairness and responsibility,” he said. Speaking in the same
vein, Professor Utomi, contended that it was important to reduce cost of governance, saying it translated to savings which could be used to create values as well as wealth. He, however, lamented
Former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel (left), exchanging pleasantries with Chief Subomi Balogun, during an award ceremony organised by the Institute of Directors, Nigeria, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, on Sunday.
AGF to appear in court over Dasuki’s house arrest on Monday Sunday Ejike - Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja, has extended till Monday, the summon issued against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN), to appear before it to explain the siege still laid on the Abuja residence of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (retd). The extension of the date till Monday by the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ade-
mola, was at the instance of the new Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr Taiwo Abidogun, who was in court for the first time over Dasuki’s matter and told the court that the AGF and Minister of Justice, has not resumed office. The Solicitor-General claimed that the AGF will assume office on Wednesday (today) and will be briefed on Dasuki’s matter between Thursday (tomorrow) and Friday and urged the court to grant them the permission to appear in the court on Monday.
He informed Justice Ademola that the Federal Ministry of Justice has tremendous respect for the court and the rule of law and that the ministry will not do anything to undermine the powers of the court. The application which was not opposed by Dasuki’s lawyers led by Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), prompted the adjournment till next Monday. It will be recalled that the court, last week, summoned the new AGF to explain why an order of the
Institute honours Gbenga Daniel, Maitama Sule, Subomi Balogun, others THE immediate past governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, was among those honoured as Fellows of the Institute of Directors (Nigeria), on Sunday evening. The event was held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki. Recipents at the annual ‘fellows’ investiture evening’, included Chief Subomi Balogun and Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, who bagged Honorary fellowship titles while Chief (Mrs) Toyin Olakunri, Chief Philip Asiodu, Dr Felix Ohiwerei, Chief Funlola Okunnowo, Ms Benedikter China Molokwu and Chief Olusegun Osunkeye ,were among other notable personalities honoured. The titles were conferred by the president and chairman of Governing Council
that contrary was the case, saying that most oftentimes, monies meant for better education, better healthcare, among others to create a better life for all, were used more frivolously by the government.
of the Institute, Mr Samuel Yemi Akeju. According to the chairman, fellows’ award committe, Ms Benedicter Molokwu, the recipients were chosen based on exemplary leadership qualities and outstanding performance in their fields. In his response on behalf of others, Chief Daniel commended the Institute for the annual event and expressed his confidence in the Nigerian business leaders, most of who had brought honours to the country. In his words: “Nigeria is blessed with experienced and visionary leaders and if the private sector gets it right, the public sector will surely fall in line”. The Institute of Directors, Nigeria, is a prime leadership forum in the organised private sector that
represent directors and business leaders in their individual capacities. Annually, the Institute confers fellowship status on deserving members, who had served the Institute in various capacities while
making notable contribution to the business community. It will be recalled that Chief Daniel, was in August, elected the president of Nigeria/Finland Business Council.
court made on November 3, permitting Dasuki to travel abroad for medical attention was violated. The court’s summons followed complaints by Dasuki’s lawyers that the order of the court made since November 3, was not allowed to be implemented by operatives of the Department State Security (DSS). Counsel to the Federal Government, Shuaibu Labaran, who had declined to confirm or deny the presence of the security operatives in Dasuki’s house, in breach of the court order, however, admitted that the former NSA was being investigated in another money laundering matter. Justice Ademola, who was not comfortable with the violation of his order, told the Federal Government counsel to inform his client to learn how to respect and obey a valid court order.
Oba Akiolu congratulates Ooni-elect Yejide Gbenga - Ogundare THE Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Babatunde Akiolu 1, has sent a congratulatory message and royal regards to the new Ooni of Ifeelect, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, thanking God on his behalf for being singled out of many for the exalted position and advising him not to forget that it is the mercy of God that singles a king out of the multitude. Oba Akiolu also encouraged him to stretch out hands of fellowship to oth-
er equally qualified princes among whom it pleases God to bestow the highest royal honour on him, praying to God to grant the traditional ruler good health, wisdom, knowledge and understanding to enjoy his reign “The position of the Ooni is one of the high ranking Obas in Yoruba land, be very close to your God, be absolutely loyal to the government and your people and always make known to them honest facts. “Don’t say things to satisfy people or the government, be objective in your
dealings and work towards the progress of your people. He further advised the Ooni-elect to ensure that all his children get a sound and profitable education and that he teach all his wards in the ways of God, adding that he should be kind to people and help them honestly. He further stated that the new traditional ruler should only look up to God and that all human beings will one day meet their ancestors and give account their deeds.
Nigerian Tribune
UNTH resident doctors suspend strike Jude Ossai - Enugu THE Association of Resident Doctors (ARDs), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, has suspended its four months old strike It was gathered that the development, was sequel to an emergency congress by the union on Sunday. The meeting was as a result of the intervention of Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole. In a communique jointly signed by the president, Dr Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso, secretary general, Dr Ndiokwelu Chibuzo and the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr Chukwuma Oraegbunam of ARD, UNTH, they observed that “the Minister of Health, has in a meeting with the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Kayode Obembe and President of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARDs), Dr Muhammed Askira, expressed his determination to look into and solve the problems of the Nigerian health sector with particular interest in UNTH, being the only federal teaching hospital currently experiencing industrial disharmony.
Don’t reject corps members, Okowa tells employers Alphonsus Agborh - Asaba DELTA State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that rather than rejecting corps members posted to them, employers of labour in Delta State should create necessary and enabling environment for them to deliver the best stewardship that is capable of accelerating the development of the state. Governor Okowa, who stated this at the closing ceremony of the orientation programme of the Stream (1) 2015 Batch ‘B’ service year in Issele-uku, Delta State, also urged the corps members to willingly accept their postings. According to Okowa, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Jude Sinebe; “We cannot entrench the core values of national service if corps members reject posting to rural communities where their service are mostly needed,” he noted.
news Buhari launches 2016 armed forces remembrance day emblem 43
Leon Usigbe - Abuja
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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, launched the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem with a call on Nigerians to appreciate the noble contributions of the nation’s fallen heroes who paid the supreme sacrifice in the sustenance of
Suspected robbers bury gun in loaf of bread Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt TWO suspected robbers were, at the weekend, arrested within the Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State with a loaded ‘barretta’ pistol tucked in a long loaf of bread. The two male suspects, Ezekiel Godwin Ukpong (24) and Ability Mike Loveday (27), were arrested during a ‘stop and search’ exercise conducted by the police at the Abali Park/Isaac Boro Park axis of the state capital. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the activities of the police under his command, in Port Harcourt, on Monday. The suspects were said to have been flagged down in a Nissan Sunny car, with registration number PBT 789 PQ, along with two other occupants who however escaped. The police commissioner said the car was however impounded, along with the arrested armed robbery suspects who were paraded before the press during the briefing. The Rivers police commissioner also disclosed that about 68 other people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in sundry crimes, including kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism.
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
national and international peace and security. Performing the ceremony at the Aso Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he observed that the nation recently celebrated 55 years of political independence and as one indivisible entity despite several grevious challenges. “Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed a lot of internal strife, survived a civil war and has remained united. This feat achieved by the country is an eloquent testimony to the determination of our
citizens to remain as one people. “The sacrifices of our fallen heroes, heroines, and veterans who rose up to the security challenges cannot go un-noticed,” Buhari said. He harped on the necessity to observe 15th of January annually in commemoration of the selfless service of our gallant troops in military campaigns and wars, especially the Nigerian Civil War as well as the current counter- terrorism operations being prosecuted by our brave service men. Noting that the theme
of this year’s celebration: “Motivating the Nigerian Armed Forces for Effective Service Delivery” was very apt, he saluted the courage and sacrifices of men and women of the Armed Forces in grappling with the wave of terrorism, oil theft and piracy in some parts of our country. The president on the occasion, announced a N10 million donated towards the emblem launch, noting that the Nigerian Legion being the umbrella body of the veterans has continued to contribute to the growth and
Suspected robbers arrested with gun buried in loaf of bread, in Port Harcourt, during their parade, on Monday. Photo: Dapo Falade
Pro-Biafra protesters storm Umuahia Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia THE pro-Biafra protesters, who last week, shut down economic activities in the commercial city of Aba, arrived in Umuahia on Monday, marching through major streets of the capital city, under the watchful eye of security agencies. Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement
for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), had been protesting the continued detention of the director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS), over certain comments on Radio Biafra. The march through Umuahia, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, was a fulfilment of the vow to take the
protest to all states of the South-East, before heading for Abuja if no action was taken by the government about the release of Kanu. Though economic activities were not disrupted as offices, marketplaces and shops were open for normal businesses, the protesters numbering about 500 marched peacefully through Isi Court in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Aba
My son’s arrest has worsened my health condition —Nnamdi Kanu’s father Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia FATHER of the detained leader and director of Radio Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu Eze, Isreal Okwu Kanu, has disclosed that his health condition has become worse since the news of the arrest of his son was broken to him two weeks ago. He is therefore making passionate appeal to the Department of State Secu-
development of the country. Buhari commended the Legionnaires for their steadfastness, perseverance and exemplary conduct, adding that members of the body have been providing excellent services in all spheres of our national life, even in retirement. He called on well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to lend their support to the worthy initiative, noting that the emblem launch was meant to appeal to all Nigerians to generously support the Nigerian Legion.
rity Service (DSS) and the Federal Government to release his son without further delay. The monarch, who made the call in Umuahia, on Monday, also disclosed that he had remained silent for sometime because he was not aware of the exact crime committed by his son that lead to his arrest and detention until he recently sent some of his children to
Abuja, to confirm the true situation of things. “My children that I sent to Abuja came back on Thursday and told me he is alive and that he spoke with them, but on the reason why they arrested him, they said it will be made known later. I have been in pains since his detention. I think my son as an adult has the right to speak his mind. And if that is the reason they de-
tained him, I am appealing to the government to release him for me because we are in democracy which allows freedom of speech in this country,” he said. On the ongoing protest over Kanu’s release, his father said anybody fighting for his release, should do so in a peaceful manner without any form of violence, adding that nobody has the right to fight government.
and Umuwaya roads, as well as Bende and Enugu roads. The protesters were accompanied by Pick Up van load of army personnel, who were on the alert ostensibly to forestall possible breakdown of law and order. They were sighted carrying the portrait of Kanu and the Biafran flag as they chanted songs of freedom. Earlier in the day before the arrival of the protesters, a combined team of security agencies including police, army and civil defence had mounted surveillance in strategic locations including the Government House and Isi Gate. This was just as a convoy of heavily armedsecurity personnel patrolled the city with armoured personnel carrier. However, some of the army personnel that accompanied the protesters caught a young man at the Bende/Aba Road Tower round about who they thought was taking photograph/video of them and gave him the beating of his life.
We found 7 with fake certificates —NYSC SEVEN graduates who forged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate, have been discovered. The NYSC discovered the fraud during the verification of its certificates on behalf of the Guaranty Trust Bank on the graduates they were recruiting. The NYSC had invited the concerned persons to come with the original of their certificates where it was discovered to have come from questionable sources. Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the Director of Certification, NYSC, Alhaji Hudu Taura, said the seven persons were discovered through the cooperation of GTB, who alerted the scheme on the need to verify the certificates of recruits. He said, “Some employers came to very their certificates. Specifically, GTB sent certificates to be verified by us and in the course of that, we found seven out of what they sent to be fake. So, we invited them to come with the original of that certificate. “Only seven came and we took their statements. We verified the certificates to be fake. They are not issued by the NYSC. They confessed to have gotten them from other sources and they have stated the amount they paid to get that certificate.” “So, with their written statements, we will hand them over to the security agency for further necessary action.” He added that four of the suspects were handed over to the police by the scheme for onward prosecution while others were to be arrested for prosecution. Taura, further said that it had become necessary for employers of labour to cross check with the NYSC to ascertain the genuineness of certificate submitted to them by applicants.
Corrigendum This story corrects the story carried yesterday that 17 bank staff were found with fake certificates.
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foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde
08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com The ISIS militants threatening an attack on the US capital, Washington, in the video which emerged as France paused for a minute’s silence to remember victims of Friday’s massacre. PHOTO: MAIL ONLINE.
France launches massive bombing raids on ISIS targets French jets have launched a series of ‘massive’ air strikes on ISIS in Syria as the country started its ‘pitiless’ retribution for the terror attacks on Paris. The blitz was conducted by 10 fighter planes which dropped 20 bombs on the terror group’s capital of Raqqa, destroying a key command centre, training camp and munitions dump, throwing the city into panic, Mail Online said. The bombardment came just two days after President Francois Hollande said the co-ordinated attacks in Paris that killed up to 129 people was an ‘act of war’ and vowed to strike ISIS in Syria “without mercy.”
IS vows to attack US next in new video •Vows every nation involved in Syrian airstrikes will suffer France’s fate
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SIS has issued a chilling new video warning that countries taking part in air strikes against Syria would suffer the same fate as Paris and claimed they will attack Washington D.C. the United States capital next. The specific threat against the US capital emerged as CIA director, John Brennan warned that more atrocities will be committed against the West by the Islamist terror group. Mail Online reported that in the video an armed fighter addresses the camera to say in Arabic: “We say to the states that take part in the crusader campaign that, by God, you will have a day God willing, like France’s and by
God, as we struck France in the centre of its abode in Paris, then we swear that we will strike America at its centre in Washington. ISIS has already claimed responsibility for the coordinated terror attacks in Paris which killed at least 132 people.
With Paris struggling to recover on the second day of national mourning, French and Belgian security forces continued an intense manhunt Monday for suspects connected to attackers who killed 129 people in the French capital Friday night. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters that in a massive sweep overnight, police had conducted 168 raids and placed 104 people under house arrest. “No part of the Republic is being neglected in the maximum level of alert,” he said. On Monday a French official named Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian man,
as one of the masterminds behind Friday’s massacre, who was also reportedly implicated in the foiled attack on the high-speed Thalys train between Brussels and Paris in August, which was stopped when three Ameri-
The video emerged as CIA Director Brennan told the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ annual Global Security Forum on Monday that he hoped the attacks were a wake-up call for security services and warned that ISIS will attempt more terror atrocities.
“I would anticipate that this is not the only operation that ISIS has in the pipeline.” This comes as thousands lined the streets of Paris for a minute’s silence to remember those killed in a wave of attacks which included suicide bombs at the
Stade de France, a massacre at the Bataclan theatre and mass shootings at bars and restaurants across the city. The film, which appeared on a site used by ISIS to post its messages, begins with news footage of the aftermath of Friday’s Paris shootings.
Hollande seeks global coalition against Islamic State •Says France is at war
French President Francois Hollande called on the United States and Russia to join a global coalition to destroy Islamic State in the wake of the attacks across Paris, and announced a
wave of measures to combat terror in France. “France is at war,” Hollande told a joint session of parliament at the Palace of Versailles, promising to increase funds for national
Mastermind of terror attack identified amid raids across France
Abdelhamid Abaaoud
can passengers wrestled the gunman to the ground. He is believed to be in Syria. Time reported that the flurry of activity came amid a significant escalation of French airstrikes in Syria targeting the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), which has taken credit a claim believed to be credible by Western officials for one of the deadliest attacks in Europe since World War II. Details of the investigation and possible intelligence breakdowns continued to trickle out, as the bloodshed put renewed scrutiny on Europe’s handling of the growing migrant crisis.
security and strengthen anti-terror laws in response to the suicide bombings and shootings that killed 129. “We’re not engaged in a war of civilizations, because these assassins do not represent any. We are in a war against jihadist terrorism which is threatening the whole world,” he told a packed, somber chamber. Parliamentarians gave Hollande a standing ovation before spontaneously singing the “Marseillaise” national anthem in a show of political unity following the worst
Francois Hollande
atrocity France has seen since World War Two. Reuters reported that Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday’s coordinated attacks, saying they were in retaliation for France’s involvement in U.S.-backed air strikes in Iraq and Syria. Hollande pledged that French fighter jets would intensify their assaults and said he would meet U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to urge them to pool their resources. “We must combine our forces to achieve a result that is already too late in coming,” the president said. The U.S.-led coalition has been bombing Islamic State for more than a year. Russia joined the conflict in September, but Western officials say it has mainly hit foreign-backed fighters battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, not Islamic State.
French fighter jets as seen in this photograph have carried out a series of ‘massive’ air strikes on Raqqa, destroying a key ISIS command centre and training camp in Syria.
Police ordered to shoot to kill if terrorists launch attack in UK Britain’s special forces have been given orders to shoot to kill if jihadi gunmen launch a Paris-style attack in the United Kingdom. Armed police have been ordered by Whitehall to “take swift action to neutralise terrorists, rather than to cordon and negotiate” with them in a major strategy switch. Thousands of soldiers are on standby to be deployed at a moments notice to back up armed police if jihadist gunmen corner a large number of people in a British siege, Mail Online said.
David Cameron
45 news
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015
FG has neglected us, Chibok schoolgirls’ parents lament
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ARENTS of the 219 female students abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Chibok, Borno State, have said both the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the state governments have left them to their fate. Speaking in Lagos, at the weekend, during a session with Graca Machel, widow of Nelson Mandela, the parents said most of them had been displaced from their houses as a result of the sect’s activities. One after the other, they relayed to the audience, their painful experiences, commending the Murtala Muhammed Foundation for providing them platform to redirect the attention of the world to their plight. “We are appealing to you to help us tell the world how we can have our children back,” said Yakubu Nkaki, chairman of the Chibok Adopted Girls’ Movement. “We are surprised that despite the recent rescue operations carried out by the military, none of our daughters had been found. 219 of them are still missing. “Eighteen parents had been buried since the abduction and we don’t want to bury anyone again. Some of us now live in internally displaced persons’camps. Boko Haram has destroyed Chibok. No school has opened since that attack and our remaining children in the community have been at home doing nothing for nearly two years. “We are afraid to go to the farm; some of us now live in the bush; life has almost lost meaning.” Ali Askira, whose two daughters are among the captive, is fed up with the promises that have not yielded results. He wants the government to give a clearer picture of the situation. “They should tell us if we will not see them again so that we can rest,” he said in a tone laced with anger. “We have been hearing time and time again that
they will be released, but up till now, nothing. No official of the local, state or federal government has visited us since. They don’t even care about how we have been surviving. “Recently, when one man (possibly referring to Chief Olu Falae) was kidnapped, the president ordered the Inspector-General of Police to wade in and he regained freedom, but our children, 219 of them are nowhere to be found. Is it because we don’t matter? We are the ones who struggled to raise these children. What have we done to Nigeria to deserve this? “I prefer to see the corpses of my daughters and accept my fate than to remain like this,” he said. But Esther Yakubu, an-
other parent, is optimistic about reuniting with her daughter. “I am hopeful that one day, as the whole world has cried, we will have cause to rejoice,” said the woman, who broke down intermittently during her brief speech. Machel, Mandela’s wife, said this picture means a lot to her. Aisha Oyebode, daughter of the late Murtala Muhammed and chief executive officer of the African Leadership Network foundation, Fred Swaniker, comforted the parents, telling them not to give up, saying: “Often times, I feel helpless when I think of the situation and I imagine how they (the parents) feel if I am feelng this
way. We will continue to appeal to the government to do its best in ensuring that these girls are freed.” Responding, Machel assured the parents that the world had not forgotten them. She said she decided to meet with them to show solidarity and listen to their complaints, in order to make a case for them to the international community. Machel, who goes into history as the only woman to have been the first lady of two different countries – she was also married to Samora Machel, former president of Mozambique – drew so much emotion when she spoke. “I have to say my heart is heavy; I’m a mother and also a grandmother. I know
TROOPS of 7 Division Garrison of Nigerian Army have arrested a Boko Haram kingpin, Mr John Trankil, at Kasuwar Shanu in Maiduguri metropolis. The suspect confessed after the arrest that nine of them arrived Maiduguri, armed with AK47 assault rifle each and a Hilux vehicle laden with 20 improvised
but what we have not done enough is to talk about the parents; the psychological trauma that they go through and that is one of the reasons that I am here. “I will never forget, not only what you have said, but also your faces. I will carry your faces all around with me and I want you to look at this face, I don’t know when or how long, but you will surely see this face again,” she said. Machel’s words lifted the spirits of the parents. In his final remark, Yakubu expressed gratitude to her on behalf of all the parents. He also thanked the organisation for catering to their needs, saying the officials of the foundation visited them in Chibok.
Boko Haram is linked with foreign support —DIA Chris Agbambu and Collins Nnabuife - Abuja THE Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Air Vice Marshal Monday Morgan, has said Nigeria is currently fighting Boko Haram, which is linked with foreign support trends and forces. The DIA Chief made this known at the opening ceremony of the 2015 Defence Advisers/Attachés Annual conference in Abuja. Air Vice Marshal Morgan noted that the DIA had embarked on deeper intelligence gathering to help the Nigerian military curb activities of Boko Haram in the North-East. “It is clear that we are fighting new global threat context. Boko Haram is linked, we know, ideologically and logistically, with foreign supporting trends and forces. “It is fighting a war which demonstrates that the principal weapon today is information dominance. It goes without saying that intelligence is a key element in understanding and prosecuting such operations,” he said. He identified interna-
tional cooperation as key in gathering information, which would equip the troops to fight terrorism. “Our national security capabilities, which we often consider only in their physical terms, exist within a complex environment of social and economic factors. “It is one of the tasks of the DIA and the Defence Attaché system to enable our forces to function within this environment. “Without the appropriate economic, sociological,
technological and alliance comprehension and diplomacy, our military forces cannot be equipped, cannot function and cannot succeed,” he added. Speaking to the military attachés in various countries, the DIA Chief said “we need to develop clear relationships with your host country’s intelligence and national security communities. “Intelligence is a tradeable commodity and Nigeria cannot be a beggar in this relationship. We need to be
explosive devices, meant to be detonated at some selected targets in the city. Theatre Commander, ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, Major-General Yusha’u Mahmood Abubakar, commended efforts of the troops and urged the troops and the public to be more vigilant and security-conscious, particularly at all checkpoints, markets, worship centres, motor parks
able to provide our hosts with a valuable perspective, not only on Nigeria’s situation and context, but to provide an African perspective on wider issues.” He stated that the agency must evolve a process of communications security to enable seamless, real-time interaction between the agency and the headquarters. Also in his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Dan- Ali, said the current war against ter-
ror needs an adjustment in strategy and tactics in order to succeed. He, therefore, urged the DIA to contribute towards providing solution in combating Boko Haram. His words: “The current security challenges in the country deserve continuous adjustment in strategy and tactics to meet with its unconventional nature. Therefore, you are well positioned to contribute towards proffering solution to these myriad of problems.”
We’re winning the battle against insurgents —COAS Adelowo Oladipo - Minna THE Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Yusuf Tukur Buratai, has said that the Nigerian Armed Forces are winning the ongoing battle against the insurgent group in the North-Eastern part of the country, adding that that was why the group was now in disarray. The Army boss stated further that he was leaving no stone unturned to make sure that by next month, the deadline set by the Federal
Government to put an end to the issues of insurgency in some parts the country was being met, just as he expressed hope that by January next year, everything would have been perfected. General Buratai stated this on Monday, while speaking through the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army (TRADOC), Major -General Mobolaji Adeleke Koleoso, in his opening remarks, at a week-long seminar entitled: “Middle Leadership and
Military arrest Boko Haram kingpin in Borno Chris Agbambu - Abuja
how it feels for a parent not to know the fate of her children. “I shook hands with you and I felt your pains; I know how you feel, we all have blood flowing in us. I have heard your cries and I will not forget. I feel your pains and I will never forget. “You have asked me to speak to the government; you have asked me to tell the world about your plight. I want you to know that despite the fact that we have not been able to bring the girls back, the world has not forgotten you. “I won’t be honest if I say I will bring back the girls, but we are hopeful. We have to make sure that the girls come back and we have spoken about that a lot,
and schools. In a related development, troops of 21 Brigade Nigerian Army, while on offensive operations on Boko Haram insurgents’ location, with the support from the Nigerian Air Force, discovered and destroyed terrorists explosive devices, as well as rocket-making factory along Bama-Gonin Kurmi in the outskirts of Bama town, Borno State.
Items recovered from them included gas cylinders, welding machine, pipes and poles. Others included locallymade rocket shells, large quantity of assorted chemicals, unprimed IEDs and various technical and laboratory equipment suspected to be stolen from schools’ laboratories around Bama before they were dislodged from the area.
Emotional Intelligence Towards Ending Insurgency” which was kick- started at Princess AZ-Zahrah Lodge, 15, Zarumai Road, GRA, off Bosso Road, Minna, the Niger State capital. He said as expected, the insurgents had been degraded to the extent that they no longer possessed the freedom of action they once had, pointing out that this development posed a new challenge, stressing that there was the need for decentralised operations anchored on disciplined initiatives to neutralise the insurgents in their disorganised and scattered state. Accordingly, he said the seminar, which was the first of its kind to be hosted by TRADOC, was an avenue for officers to understand leadership in a new form, stressing that that the form of leadership hitherto understood , placed emphasis on Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and practically relegated to the background. He, however, pointed out that emphasis was gradually shifting from IQ to emo-
tional intelligence in many Armed Forces around the world, saying “this is as a result of the introduction of mission command philosophy into warfare.” According to him, mission command, as opposed to detailed command, was the exercise of authority and direction by commanders using mission orders to enable discipline initiatives within the commander’s intent. Speaking further, Koleoso declared that for TRADOC which he commanded, that it was continuous training for officers and other ranks, adding that the seminar was being conducted for the middle cadre officers in the Nigerian Army, who were seeing enemies face to face and battling with them in the battlefield. “And it is not only being on the field, but also making sure that whoever is the officer or soldier that General Buratai is putting on the field is being properly trained to know what he is supposed to do and that is the purpose of this training.
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Tuesday, 17 November , 2015 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060
Salami emerges Goal King of Glo Premier League
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bolahan Salami has finished as the goal king of the Globacom Premier League 2014/15 season with 17 goals. The Warri Wolves striker scored twice in his team’s 5-1 win over FC Taraba on Monday, in the final fixture of the season after the game was rescheduled due to heavy rain the previous day. The Nigeria international, who has also featured for Enyimba, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) and Sunshine Stars, will be presented with a special award named after legendary Nigeria all-time goals record scorer, Rashidi Yekini at a later date. The Warri team which finished with 66 points placed second behind Enyimba to earn a ticket to next year’s CAF Champions League. Salami’s closest rival was Tunde Adeniji, who scored 16 goals for Sunshine Stars. Last season, Mfon Udoh of Enyimba netted 23 goals to set a new all-time goals record in the
league. Meanwhile, Salami in the rescheduled game opened the scoring after 13 minutes from the penalty spot after he was upended inside the box on his way to goal. However, Taraba drew level four minutes later through an own goal by Uche Ossai. Taraba goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Obilo stood between the home team and more goals, but in the second half Warri Wolves turned on the style. Abu Azeez regained the lead for Wolves in the 59th minute when he drilled home a left-footed strike from six yards out. Lordson Ichull made it 3-1 after he fired home from 16 yards after he was set up by Joseph Osadiaye. Freedom Omofoman increased the tally six minutes later during a goalmouth scramble, before Salami completed his brace from the penalty spot on the dot of time after he was again fouled inside the box.
... As Glo hails Enyimba Title sponsor of the Glo Premier League, Globacom, has congratulated Enyimba FC of Aba on emerging the champions of the 2014/2015 Glo Premier League season. Enyimba who drew goalless with Sunshine Stars FC of Akure last Sunday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos amassed 70 points from 38 matches to reclaim the title. Enyimba, thus took over from Kano Pillars which won the title for four consecutive seasons. Warri Wolves, Nasarawa United and Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi emerged second, third and fourth respectively, while the quartet of Kwara United, Sharks of Port Harcourt, FC Taraba and Bayelsa United got relegated to the Nigeria National League. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, Globacom congratulated the players, coaches and management of Enyimba FC on their hard work and determination which propelled the team from the middle of the table which it occupied for most part of the first stanza to winning the
Glo Premier League title. It admonished the team to make football-loving Nigerians happy by going all out to win the next CAF African Champions League again like they did back to back in 2003 and 2004. “We call on the management of Enyimba to start planning in earnest for the 2016 CAF Champions League in order to perform brilliantly during the continental championship.’’
Salami
Emuakpeje reclaims NB Plc Chess title Former national champion, Ochuko Emuakpeje has reclaimed his title after he emerged tops from the pool of top players at the just-concluded 38th Nigerian Breweries Plc International Open Chess Championship last Sunday in Lagos. The nine-round Swiss event pairing, was held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos had the awaiting PH.D. holder in Public Administration at the Nnamdi Azikwe University, go clear first with eight points, a position he last occupied five years ago. The champion’s defining moment came to glare after his bril-
liant win over Edet Udeme in the third round and another massive win over ambitious Abimbola Osunfuyi in the next round placed him in a good position among the contenders before the half way mark. Although he suffered a defeat to former champion, Bomo Kigigha in the fifth round, he secured perfect score in the remaining games and returned to the summit of Nigerian chess since 2010. “I have been out of chess for a while due to my academic work, but the staggering N1million offered by Nigerian Breweries Plc was a motivating factor that
Benue releases N26m, 2 buses to Lobi Stars Johnson Babajide— Makurdi A few weeks after Lobi Stars FC players protested against the nonpayment of their match bonuses, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, at the weekend announced the release of N26 million for the settlement of the players’ match bonuses and donation of two new buses to the team. The governor made the disclosure at the Government House, Makurdi, during a meeting with the management and players of the club ahead of the Federation Cup finals coming up in Lagos next week.
According to the statement by his media aide, Mr Tahav Argezua, the governor who commended Lobi Stars for making the people of the state proud by qualifying for the Federation Cup finals through what he described as sheer resilience, stated that his gestures were intended to motivate the players to bring home the trophy. The statement said that the governor in spite of the lean financial resources of the state, he decided to bend backwards in order to fulfildthe obligations and reiterated the commitment of his adminis-
brought me to Lagos to participate. I have never represented Nigeria at any major international competition (Chess Olympiad) but my victory today no doubt will be the turning point in my chess career,” Emuakpeje said. Kigigha who did not lose any match but suffered many draw games placed second with 7.5 points and won for himself N500,000 while Daniel Anwuli was third with seven point to bag N250,000. In other categories of play, Adejoh Joshua came tops with seven points in the Open section and won for himself N250,000, while Damilare Akinwamide was second with 6.5 points and won N100,000.
tration to making sports a veritable platform for engaging and developing youths in the state. Ortom also directed the constitution of a delegation to accompany him to personally witness the final against Akwa United and cheer Lobi Stars to victory. In his remark, vice-chairman of the club, Mr Dominic Iorfa, disclosed that although players salaries had been paid up to date they were yet to receive their match bonuses just as he expressed hope that they would be paid to boost their Emuakpeje morale.
47 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) LYING-IN-STATE OF MAMA HID AWOLOWO AT IKENNE
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9 1. Traditional rulers from Remo, at the commendation service held at HID Awolowo Anglican Church, Ewuga Sagamu, on Monday. 2. From left, Senator Biyi Durojaiye, Oba Michael Sonariwo, the Akarigbo of Remo and his wife, Olori Bosede 3. Cultural troupe in action as the remains of Chief HID Awolowo passes through Sagamu 4. Governor Ibikunle Amosun; his deputy, Mrs Onanuga, with Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and others dancing.
Tuesday, 17 November, 2015 PHOTOS: ALOLADE GANIYU D. TOYIN & SYLVESTER OKORUWA
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10 5. Crowd welcoming the remains of HID Awolowo to Ikenne 6. Traditional drummers of Gbedu awaiting the body at Ikenne 7. Okada riders at Ikenne in welcoming the remains of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo to Ikenne 8. Band of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in action. 9. The remains of Mama HID being carried by the pallbearers at Ikenne. 10 From right, Olori Yemisi Onakade, Evangelist Abiola Sonubi, Toun Onosile and Bamgbe Ogunkoyo.
SIDELINES
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A Mexican father, Angelico Reyes shot the basketball coach of his daughter, Guillermo Cordero dead for dropping the girl from his team for coming late to the camp. Definitely, the sporting career of the 11-year-old is over and dead.
W-Cup qualifier:
Wike promises Eagles $20,000 for each goal today SALIU GBADAMOSI-ABUJA
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S the Super Eagles file out today against the Sihlangu Somnikati of Swaziland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup second leg qualifier at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has promised to reward the Eagles with $20,000 (about N4.4million) for each goal scored against the Swazis. Speaking through the Secretary to the state government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, while addressing the Eagles at their final training in Port Harcourt ahead of today's encounter, Wike urged the Eagles to go all out to beat their opponents. The governor assured that the Eagles would be rewarded for each goal they put in the Swazis' net, declaring that, "you will be paid $20,000 for each goal you score tomorrow against Swaziland." Meanwhile, the Super Eagles team coordinator, Patrick Pascal, has assured that the team is ready to make Nigeria proud today by beating their opponents to qualify for the next round of the World Cup
qualifying series. The former international, Pascal told Tribunesport in a telephone chat from Port Harcourt on Monday that the Eagles were roaring to go, adding that the players were in high spirits ahead of today's match. "The players are in high spirits ahead of tomorrow's (today's) match. We have all put the goalless draw recorded last Friday in Lobamba behind us. The Eagles are all professionals; they knew what is really expected of them. "The players are hungry for glory not only for the nation but also for themselves. You know, every player wants to play at the World Cup and to do this, they have to qualify first. This is good for Nigeria. All they need do tomorrow (today) is to translate this hunger to the field of play. "With what I have seen here, the Eagles are battleready to do us all proud," Pascal, a member of the gold medal winning Dream Team to the Atlanta '96 Olympics, told Tribunesport. Following their barren outing in the first leg encounter away to Swaziland last Friday, the Super Eagles need outright win in today's encounter to progress in the qualifying series.
Super Eagles' captain, Ahmed Musa
...Victory is non-negotiable —Musa SUPER Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa said he and his team-mates will step up their game today in the reverse fixture against Sihlangu Somnikati of Swaziland to guarantee their passage to the next round of the 2018 World Cup qualifying series. “We are home and we will do much more and that means Swaziland have to be
We will surprise Eagles —Swaziland coach Swaziland coach, Harries Bulunga said his team is still capable of upsetting the Super Eagles in front of their teeming fans today in a World Cup qualifier in the Garden City. “We still believe. Our defence was superb (in the first leg), but we were not that sharp upfront,” Bulunga said. “We’re underdogs, no one expects us to win, but we can fight against the big
dogs. “It will be difficult to stop them (Eagles) from scoring especially as they are playing at home.” The coach however, acknowledged that the trio of Obafemi Martins, Ahmed Musa and Odion Ighalo will pose a major threat to his side’s ambition to advance. “Obviously, Nigeria will come out hard on us and the Eagles will want to impress in front of their
home fans. But we’ll be patient to play our game. Everybody knows that we are not professionals, but we’ll play good game. “We’ll also be mindful of the threats pose by Musa and Ighalo who are dangerous players and more importantly, Martins who plays in America, he is a deadly player in front of goal. We always watched him how he scored goals for his MLS club."
ready for us,” said the CSKA Moscow forward. "We have put the draw in Swaziland behind us, that is in the past. We know the importance of this second leg, what we need is victory, that we are going for and that we will get to progress in the qualifiers," said the former
Kano Pillars forward. Nigeria coach, Sunday Oliseh had admitted after the last Friday's 0-0 draw that his men were not at their best in Swaziland. “We can’t give any excuses, we did not bring out ‘A’ game to the pitch,” he said. Meanwhile, Swaziland is set
to miss two starters from the first leg tie - Mbabane Swallows attacking midfielder, Felix Badenhorst is nursing a hamstring after he suffered a cut that needed stitches in the game and Royal Leopards Simunye midfielder, Mxolisi Lukhele has a shoulder complaint.
FIFA bans Nepal FA boss, Thapa for 10 yrs Ganesh Thapa, an influential figure in Asian football, has been banned for 10 years by FIFA for bribery.
Thapa
Nepal Football Association president and ex-Asian football vice-president, Thapa, 55, was found guilty of "various acts of misconduct over several years". He is also under investigation by Nepalese authorities for allegedly embezzling millions of pounds of football development money. Lao Football Federation chief, Viphet Sihachakr was given a two-year ban. Fifa said Sihachakr "solicited and accepted a payment from another football
official" in relation to the 2011 elections for the FIFA executive committee at the Asian Football Confederation congress. Thapa, in the context of the 2009 and 2011 elections at the Asian Football Confederation congress, was accused by Fifa of "committing various acts of misconduct ...including the solicitation and acceptance of cash payments from another football official, for both personal and family gain".
Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 17/11/2015.