17th November 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,635 THURSDAY, 17 NOVEMBER, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

Tribune at 67: We'll consolidate on strong legacies of Awo, HID—P2 —Management

Nigerian Tribune

FG orders NYSC to mobilise all eligible corps members —P2

@nigeriantribune

TribuneOnline

Police foil kidnap attempt on billionaire Otedola —P6

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Alleged N2.2bn diversion:

Trial of Supreme Court Chief Registrar, Accountant begins today—P5

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Eggs can reduce stroke risk by 12% —Study

—P26

Edo Assembly approves N200m houses for Oshiomhole, others •Ex-deputy govs to get N100m houses

—P2

Police arrest Yahoo Plus boys in Ibadan —P7

Nigeria may not come out of recession in 2017 —MAN —P29

Rasheed Gbadamosi dies at 72 —P5

15-hour lockdown on Lagos-Ibadan expressway as tanker explodes

•4 killed, 6 vehicles razed

—P2

Appeal Court reserves judgment in Ondo PDP matter •As Jimoh Ibrahim loses bid to be joined in Makarfi appeal —P33

2 news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Edo Assembly approves N200m houses for Oshiomhole, other ex-govs Ex-deputy govs to get N100m houses Banji Aluko - Benin

E

DO State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, approved the construction of houses for former governors and their

deputies, which should not be more than N200 million and N100 million, respectively, in any location of their choice.

The approval was sequel to the consideration of a bill for a law to amend the

existing legislation on the pension rights of governors and their deputies in the state.

Moving the motion for the consideration of the bill, the majority leader, Foly Ogedengbe, moved that

House rules 20, 27, 42, 43, 44 and 45 be suspended, to enable the assembly to consider the bill.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the motion was seconded by the deputy speaker, Mrs

Elizabeth Ativie.

Considering the bill as a committee of the whole, the lawmakers amended the law to read that a governor and his deputy shall be entitled to a house each, at any location of

their choice.

The new law will make the former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, get a N200 million house at a location of his choice in the state.

15-hour lockdown on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as tanker explodes •4 killed, 6 vehicles razed FOUR people died in a multiple accident involving six vehicles on Kara Bridge, of the Lagos /Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Wednesday.

Six vehicles, comprising a car, three container trucks and two tankers were involved in the accident that happened around 3.08 a.m.

The development led to a logjam as long queues of vehicles were observed on the road.

Most commuters had to disembark and trekked long distances, as there was no flow of traffic for almost 15 hours that the fire lasted.

A speeding trailer, loaded with petrol, eyewitnesses said, caused the accident when it rammed into others, spilled its content on the floor, exploded and caught fire, which extended to the others.

The accident, which occurred on the Lagos outbound lane of the bridge, forced several drivers to park, turning the scene into a spectacle.

Officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) quickly cordoned off the area to prevent further losses.

Residents of Ibafo, Mowe, Warewa, Prayer City area and Arepo in Ogun State, working or going to transact various businesses in Lagos State, also resorted to trekking.

Also affected were those travelling to Lagos from other parts of the country, as well as those travelling outside Lagos.

The gridlock that started from the Kara Bridge, close to the popular Julius Berger Bus Stop, stretched to Asese, a few kilometres away from the Redemption Camp as of

8.00 a.m.

Similarly, the queue formed by the Lagos outbound vehicles had stretched from the scene to Magodo, opposite the Lagos State Secretariat complex.

Many intending passengers who had wanted to travel to Lagos were

stranded at their various bus stops, because majority of the commercial buses that could have conveyed them were held in the traffic.

It took the combined efforts of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Lagos State Emergency Management

Tribune at 67: We’ll consolidate on strong legacies of Awo, HID —Management THE management of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, has pledged to continue to build on the strong legacies of Papa Obafemi Awolowo and Mama Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, by initiating and promoting nation building values as espoused by the sage.

According to the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the company, Mr Edward Dickson, who made the pledge on the occasion of the company’s 67th anniversary, in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, “ANN Plc will continue to promote and encourage values that deepen democracy and human enterprise.”

The Tribune, he said, symbolised the immortal and resilient spirit of the Nigerian project.

“It is a reflection of the

never-say-die attitude of Nigerians, our doggedness and collective aspiration as a people who can achieve the unthinkable given the right encouragement,” he added.

Dickson thanked the board of directors, management and staff of the company whose loyalty

and commitment had made the company a key player in the media industry.

He also specially thanked the generality of Nigerians, who in spite of the nation’s harsh economic realities, had continued to patronise the newspaper.

“We cannot thank Nigerians

THE Federal Government has directed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to mobilise all the eligible corps members for service year.

Director-General of the Scheme, Brigadier-General S. Kazaure, who stated this at a media parley in Abuja, on Wednesday, disclosed that as at that moment, the NYSC had the budget for only 86,000 corps members.

According to him, the Federal Government had directed the NYSC to mobilise all the eligible corps members, adding that there would be first batch in November 21, while the remaining batch

would be in January 2017.

The NYSC is to mobilise all the 170,000 potential corps members for the 2016 Batch ‘B’ orientation course, which would commence on November 21.

He said the cost implications had been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, who had assured them of his intervention.

Speaking on concessional postings for children of the rich in the society, the NYSC boss noted that the pressure which was almost smearing the image of the NYSC had been reduced since the online scheme started.

On the number of corps members that had been killed while on election duties, Brigadier-General Kazuare said so far, only

enough. Their absolute loyalty to the Awolowo legacy all these years have sustained and propelled us to greater heights.

“We will continue to be the voice of the voiceless and uphold our tenets of truth, courage and fairness,” he said.

was restored.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South-West Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NEMA, confirmed this in a text message to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Also, the South-West coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, in the text message, advised motorists on the LagosIbadan outbound route to take the Ikorodu route to avoid the gridlock.

Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, in a press statement signed by Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, said the whole stretch of the road witnessed gridlock as a result of the crash.

He said the incident had nothing to do with the ongoing construction work on the stretch of LagosIbadan Expressway.

Senate rejects Amaechi’s position, endorses maritime varsity bill As bill scales second reading Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja THE Senate, on Wednesday, rejected the position of the Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, when it passed the establishment bill for Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, through the second reading.

The bill, sponsored by Senator James Manager, is seeking the passing into

law of an Establishment Act for the Nigerian Maritime University at Okerenkoko.

Amaechi had recently condemned the establishment of the university in Okerenkoko, insisting that the location was awkward.

But the Senate, which received the bill moved by Senator Manager, decided to pass it through a second reading without objection.

FG orders NYSC to mobilise all eligible corps members Chris Agbambu -Abuja

Agency (LASEMA), Fire Service and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) about 15 hours to extinguish the inferno that ensued as a result of the crash.

Also the debris and obstructions created by the development had to be cleared before normal traffic

11 corps members lost their lives to elections, adding that the NYSC has done what the scheme prescribed in its laws, while the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) also paid compensation to the families of the deceased corps members.

The DG noted that since its establishment more than 40 years ago, successive managers of the scheme, with the support of government and other stakeholders, had kept alive the vision of its founding fathers, while deliberate steps had been taken with the aim of repositioning it for greater performance.

Also, in furtherance of

their partnership drive, the Bank of Industry (BoI), through the BoI-NYSC Graduate Empowerment Fund, is providing corps entrepreneurs with training and soft loans to establish their own business.

Kazaure said the NYSC management would continue to sensitize corps members on the need to maintain neutrality, honesty and commitment to their electoral duties, while they had been reaching out to key stakeholders, especially security agencies and traditional rulers, on the need to maintain peace and protect the corps members before, during and after each election.

Senator Manager told the Senate that the institution was aimed at addressing educational opportunity, being the first in the whole of West Africa, adding that the bill was seeking to provide legal framework for the university which actually took off at a temporary site at Kurutie in January.

The senator submitted that the maritime sector had huge potentials, adding that Nigeria should have a university for the purpose of producing capable manpower for the sector which, according to him, was currently dominated by foreign interests.

He further submitted that Nigeria, being a country with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1,141,081 square kilometres, and given its strategic Iocation in Africa, had the potential of being a major hub in shipping and other maritime activities.

He stated that in 2003, Goldman Sachs had identified Nigeria as one of the countries with potentials to rival countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China in the maritime sector.

Senators Gbenga Ashafa and Jibrin Barau also spoke in favour of the bill and enjoined their colleagues to back its passage.

When the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who presided over the sitting, called for voice vote, the bill was unanimously supported.

He, thereafter, referred the bill to the committee on Tertiary Education and Tetfund, with a mandate to report back within four weeks.

Amaechi, while addressing the Senate committee on January 19, announced the intention of the Federal Government to scarp the institution, saying that the location was not conducive for learning.

He cited incidences of insecurity in the area, adding that the project was a “misplacement of priority” because there are transport institutions in Zaria (Kaduna) and Oron (Akwa Ibom).

He later said in Uyo, AkwaIbom State on June 14 that the Federal Government lacked the funds to continue with the school and that unless the N13 billion spent on the procurement of the land for the project was retrieved, the project stood scrapped.

When contacted on phone by the Nigerian Tribune on the development, Amaechi, in a simple reply, said “I am not the education minister.”

3

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

4 news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

60 % of terrorists now are not Nigerians —Army Chief

T

HE Chief of Army Staff, LieutenantGeneral Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday, said judging by the current activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, 60 per cent of them were not Nigerians.

Buratai said this in Maiduguri, when he received the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, at the headquarters of the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, at the Maimalari Cantonment.

“Your Excellency, I want to bring to your attention that while the Boko Haram (insurgency) can be said to have started in Nigeria, by and large, as at today, I can say that almost 60 per cent of the insurgents are from our neighbouring countries.

“You can see that almost all of the recently surrendered insurgents are not Nigerians.

“This is a challenge that impacts more on the Nigerian side than the other countries. But by and large, our military is up to the task and we will continue to do our best to ensure that our country is secured,” Buratai said.

He said there was no doubt

that the terrorists had been defeated, but added that troops would continue with their operations until the insurgents finally surrender.

The army chief thanked the UN for identifying with Nigeria in its efforts to rout-out the terrorists and solicited additional support from the world body.

Speaking earlier, Dr Chambas said his visit was an expression of the UN’s identification with Nigeria in the fight against Boko

Haram and efforts to restore peace to the North-East.

He restated UN’s condemnation of the terrorists’ group, adding that“we are behind the Federal Government” in its efforts to defeat the terrorists.

Chambas noted that the immediate consequence of the insurgency was the “huge humanitarian crisis” in the North-East and assured him that the UN had stepped up efforts to

address it.

He called on the international community and donor agencies to come to the aid of Nigeria in addressing the crisis.

He said Nigeria had always been involved in UN peacekeeping missions across the world.

The UN representative used the occasion to commiserate with the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army and families of the late Lieutenant

Colonel Muhammad AbuAli, who along with six other soldiers, were killed by the insurgents on November 4.

He said their sacrifices and those of others who had died in the course of the war would not be in vain, as Nigeria would be supported to win the war.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, LieutenantGeneral Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday, said judging by the current activities of the Boko Haram terrorists,

From right, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir David Lawal and the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC), in Abuja, on Wednesday.

FEC okays bilateral agreement with Singapore, Qatar Leon Usigbe -Abuja THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the bilateral agreement between the Federal Government and Singapore, aimed at avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of physical evasion of taxes on income and capital benefits between the two countries.

This was made known to State House correspondents by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, at the end of the weekly meeting of the council in Abuja, on Wednesday.

She explained that the objective of the agreement was to facilitate more trade between the countries by ensuring that nationals or enterprises from either country were not taxed twice on income or profits derived from each of the countries.

The minister noted that the agreement would encourage more direct foreign investments into Nigeria, allow investors to know what their tax obligations would ensure sustainable tax regime for each country.

According to her, “The basis for which we choose to sign this agreement with Singapore is that Singapore is a major trading partner with Nigeria. They buy oil

from us. Petroleum export to Singapore for the last five years is about N264 billion and we import about N311 billion worth of goods from them. It is our major trading partner and we need to have this bilateral agreement.

It is basically to ensure that companies are not taxed twice, but it also ensures that companies cannot evade tax when trading between the two countries.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said FEC approved bilateral air service agreement with the State of Qatar, Singapore and Nigeria.

“Of course, Singapore is becoming the most efficient and the biggest hub around the far eastern part of our globe, serving New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia etc.,” he said.

He explained further: “We thought that in our efforts to also create a hub within Nigeria, the entire Africa, we will leverage on the opportunity to create air services between the two countries, and Qatar being in the middle east with robust aviation and strong carrier with ability to move goods and services in a very efficient and fast manner and also high value commodities by air, we saw the need to

sign some agreement so that it will define how we are going to do businesses between Nigeria, Qatar and

Singapore.”

Sirika disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had already

approved the air services agreement which would go to the National Assembly for ratification.

Arms deal: Court admits documents of payments for publicity as exhibit Sunday Ejike -Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted the documents detailing how former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, disbursed alleged arms funds for the 2015 general election.

The documents admitted in evidence by the court showed payments for advertorials in various media outlets made on the instruction of Metuh.

The document, which comprised breakdown of payment of the sum of N31 million to different media outfits for advertorials in the name of PDP, were tendered through the fifth defence witness, Richard Ihediwa.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, in a bench ruling, held that since the documents were relevant to the case, they were

admissible, adding that though no submission was made as to how the witness came across the document, the fact that it contained relevant evidence made it admissible.

He also ruled that being a legal document of account, it did not matter whether the witness was a maker or not, especially as he had knowledge of the inflow of the account.

The judge, quoting from the evidence in chief of the witness, recalled that the witness said his responsibility was to handle and place advertorial, including the payments of such advertorials.

He went further to recall how the witness claimed N31.5 million was paid into his account by the first defendants which, he in turn, disbursed to various media outlets covering them.

Stating that the issue was not whether the witness had

custody of the document or not, but of relevance, Abang said he was satisfied that the witness had personal knowledge of the documents from his evidence in chief and consequently admitted the document.

On the issue of relevance, Etiaba argued that since the prosecution did not raise the issue of relevance of the document, the defense counsel took it that the document was relevant at the first instance and consequently, should be admitted on that ground.

He, therefore, urged the court to admit the evidence and to discountenance the objection of the prosecution.

Justice Abang, however, adjourned the hearing of the matter till November 24 and 30.

He also ordered the defendant, in line with the rules of the court, to present the list of other witnesses it planned to call at the next adjourned date.

60 per cent of them were not Nigerians.

Buratai said this in Maiduguri, when he received the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, at the headquarters of the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, at the Maimalari Cantonment.

“Your Excellency, I want to bring to your attention that while the Boko Haram (insurgency) can be said to have started in Nigeria, by and large, as at today, I can say that almost 60 per cent of the insurgents are from our neighbouring countries.

“You can see that almost all of the recently surrendered insurgents are not Nigerians.

“This is a challenge that impacts more on the Nigerian side than the other countries. But by and large, our military is up to the task and we will continue to do our best to ensure that our country is secured,” Buratai said.

He said there was no doubt that the terrorists had been defeated, but added that troops would continue with their operations until the insurgents finally surrender.

The army chief thanked the UN for identifying with Nigeria in its efforts to rout-out the terrorists and solicited additional support from the world body.

Speaking earlier, Dr Chambas said his visit was an expression of the UN’s identification with Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram and efforts to restore peace to the North-East.

He restated UN’s condemnation of the terrorists’ group, adding that“we are behind the Federal Government” in its efforts to defeat the terrorists.

Chambas noted that the immediate consequence of the insurgency was the “huge humanitarian crisis” in the North-East and assured him that the UN had stepped up efforts to address it.

He called on the international community and donor agencies to come to the aid of Nigeria in addressing the crisis.

He said Nigeria had always been involved in UN peacekeeping missions across the world.

The UN representative used the occasion to commiserate with the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army and families of the late Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad AbuAli, who along with six other soldiers, were killed by the insurgents on November 4.

He said their sacrifices and those of others who had died in the course of the war would not be in vain, as Nigeria would be supported to win the war.

5 news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Senate fails to stop ASUU warning strike From Taiwo Adisa, Ayodele Adesanmi, Tunde Ogunesan, with Agency Reports

T

HE intervention of the Senate in the ongoing warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) failed to stop the strike on Wednesday, as the umiversity teachers resolved to continue the strike after a three-hour meeting.

The lecturers had kicked off a one-week warning strike on Wednesday, to drive home the nonimplementation of the 2009 agreement they had with the Federal Government.

The Senate, through a resolution on Tuesday, mandated its President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund to intervene in the matter and prevent a full blown strike.

However, after a meeting which lasted over three hours between the Saraki-

led intervention team from the Senate and the ASUU national executive led by its national president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, the warning strike, according to ASUU, continued.

“We thank the Senate for coming into this matter and we are ready to cooperate with them, but as things are now, the warning strike continues until we get across to the larger body of the union for any possible change of action,” ASUU president said.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and Tetfund, Senator Jibrin Barau, who was at the meeting, told journalists that resolution would soon be arrived at with the striking lecturers.

“We have had a fruitful deliberation and a way forward has been found by creating a sub-committee of this committee to sit and find out certain things in the Ministry of Finance, which

will bring us close to the resolution of this problem.

“We will start sitting by tomorrow. We are sure the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who has not been able to attend this meeting, will be here tomorrow along with the Director-General of the Budget Office.

“We have created a template about how to resolve this problem. You know ASUU is a democratic body, they have to consult.

So, it’s ongoing, it’s a work in progress,” he said.

Meanwhile, academic activities were paralysed in many of the tertiary institutions on Wednesday, as there was strict compliance of members to the directive by the national body of ASUU. At the University of Ibadan (UI), lecturers avoided classrooms.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the first casualty were students at the Faculty of Education, whose examinations could not

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, exchanging pleasantries with the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka. With them is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and her Ministry of Labour and Employment counterpart, Dr Clement Illoh, when the Senate met with representatives of the Federal Government and the National Executive of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Wednesday.

Alleged N2.2bn diversion: Trial of S/Court chief registrar, accountant begins today Sunday Ejike -Abuja THE trial of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Ahmed Gambo Saleh and two other senior officials of the apex court will commence today at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Jabi, Abuja.

Others arraigned with the Chief Registrar are Muhammed Abdulrahman Sharif, the Director of Finance and the Chief Accountant of the apex court, Rilwanu Lawal.

They are standing a joint trial on a nine-count criminal charge for allegedly diverting N2.2 billion belonging to the Supreme Court.

The three defendants would appear before Justice Abba Mohammed sitting at Court No. 28, FCT High Court, Jabi, Abuja.

The accused persons were alleged to have agreed

to divert N2.2 billion belonging to the Supreme Court into a personal bank account domiciled at the United Bank for Africa Plc, account No. 2027642863 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Act. The prosecutor alleged that the accused persons committed criminal breach of trust between 2009 and 2016, when they were entrusted with the property of the apex court.

It was alleged that the

accused persons obtained gratifications totalling N80 million, contrary to Section 10 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act. It was also alleged that N2.4 million gratification was obtained from Welcon Nigeria Ltd, N16 million from Dean Musa Nig. Ltd, N19 million from Ababia Ventures Ltd, all being private contractors who provided services to the apex court.

Rasheed Gbadamosi dies at 72 FORMER Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, is dead.

The 72-year-old indigene of Lagos State and former chairman of Petroleum Products Price Regulation Agency (PPPRA), died on Wednesday night in his

Ikorodu, Lagos home.

He will be buried today according to the Islamic ritesa at his 72, Sule Oyesola Gbadamosi Crescent, OkeOta Ona, Ikorodu, Lagos, by 2.00 p.m.

Before his death, he was the co-chairman of Lagos @50 Organising Committee.

hold as planned.

Although lecturers were around, they boycotted lecture rooms in faculties of Education, Arts, Sciences, Technology, Agriculture and the Social Sciences, with students seen in their various residencial halls while those on campus were heard discussing the strike.

The strike also affected holding of statutory meetings and supervision of students.

Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr Deji Omole, said the strike achieved more than 90 per cent success on the first day.

Lecturers of the Lagos State University (LASU) also complied with the directive.

Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, chairman, LASU chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that academic activities in the university had been paralysed.

Oyewunmi said LASU lecturers’ compliance to the strike directive was total.

He said that the chapter held a congress on Tuesday to discuss the strike and that a notice was sent to its members and the university management on the commencement of the strike.

Miss Stella Nwachukwu, a student of the

university’s Department of Microbiology, told NAN that the strike was unfortunate, saying that it would affect students.

The ASUU chapter of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi also joined the strike.

Mr Adamu Babayo, ASUU chairman of ATBU, told newsmen in Bauchi that part of the union’s grievances included the non -revitalisation of nation’s universities’ autonomy and shortfall in staff salaries.

Also, lecturers of the University of Lagos complied with the directive of ASUU to its members nationwide.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the university campus, reported that students were found milling around and idling away, as lecturers stayed away from classes.

Dr Adelaja Odukoya, chairman of ASUU, University of Lagos chapter, told NAN that he was impressed by the level of compliance of his colleagues to the strike directive.

According to him, the union would remain resolute in ensuring that the strike was total.

NAN also reported that lecturers deserted lecture

rooms at the University of Uyo (UniUyo) campus, its annex and the main campus of the university.

Students were seen in clusters discussing about the disruption of the academic activities due to the strike.

Speaking with newsmen, the branch chairman of ASUU, UniUyo, Dr Aniekan Brown, said members expressed their disappointment at the Federal Government’s attitude of paying them fractional salaries.

“The strike is total and comprehensive, no teaching, no examination and no attendance at statutory meetings of any kind (Senate, Council, College/ Faculty/Departmental Boards).

“Members are advised to obtain information in connection with the strike only from the chairman,” Brown said.

Also, the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, chapter of ASUU also expressed their support for the national strike.

The chairman of the union, Dr Biodun Olaniran, told the Nigerian Tribune that the chapter also complied with the strike because it believed in the cause being fought by the national body of the union.

6

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Metro...

Nigerian Tribune

crime, security, court

Case against land grabbers in Ibadan withdrawn

By Tunde Ogunesan THE case filed against some people alleged to be land grabbers in Ibadan ­— Prince Babafemi Adeoye, Ahmed Yakubu, Alli Sunbo and Kunle Adeniyi and others, who are still at large at a Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital has been withdrawn.

The officer in charge (OC) of Legal, from the office of the AIG, who told the Chief Magistrate, Taiwo Oladiran, that he received a call from his office when the court was about to sit, ordering him to withdraw the case immediately at the court.

The defendants were to be arraigned when the OC stood up and told the court about the development. Counsel for the defendants, led by Mr Bolarinwa Lawal, did not object to the withdrawal, but the OC did not give further explanation on the reason for the sudden withdrawal.

The OC told Metro to approach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in charge of Zone 11 for further clarification.

It was, however, gathered that the accused were arraigned in connection with forcible entry of a parcel of land at Aba Ori-Oke area, Elebu, Oluyole extension, Ibadan, which was actual possession of one Mr Samuel Oyetosho Ishola Ashamu.

The charge sheet stated that Prince Babafemi Adeoye (37), Ahmed Yakubu (40), Alli Sunbo (44), Kunle Adeniyi (32) and others still at large were to be arraigned on a seven-count charge, from conspiracy to committing felony, attempted murder, forcible entry, threatening violence contrary to section 516 of the criminal code cap 38 Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State Nigeria 2000.

The defendants were later taken away from the court premises in a stationed Toyota space bus, Sienna, with registration number LAW 04 8A. The counsel for the complainants led by Barris-

ter Sikiru Sanni and M. O. Lawal, however, described the development as strange and shocking.

He said: “It is strange and shocking because it was after the investigation by the police that they brought this without allowing the complainants to know about their intended action.

“They just withdrew the matter when the matter was called and when the defendants were to be arraigned.

“You see, the reason for the withdrawal is not known to anybody. We said we want change in this country, how do you get change if a policeman can say he is withdrawing a case from the court without any reason. No reason was given for the withdrawal. The OC Legal from the AIG Zone 11 just said they asked him to withdraw.”

Sanni, while condemning the action of the police, said the withdrawal was an attempt to cause unnecessary problems for the complainants who had received various threats from the defendants and their cohorts.

He said: “We are cut off. These boys can cause havoc with this development, the life of the complainants is also in danger.”

The suspects

Police foil kidnap attempt on Otedola Chris Agbambu - Abuja

A

N attempt to kidnap an oil magnate, Femi Otedola, has been foiled by the Nigeria Police.

The burst was achieved through coordinated intelligence gathering and deployment of technical investigative tools that spanned several weeks.

The principal suspect, one Ikechukwu (surname withheld), a 28-year-old

indigene of Imo State, who was the mastermind of the attempted kidnap, was rusticated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria due to his cult-related activities on campus in 2009/2010.

He also doubles as the Information Technology (IT) guru of the kidnap gang with mastery of computer applications.

Another member of the gang, 29-year-old Kayode (surname withheld), an alleged serving officer of the

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a native of Ojoo in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The suspect was said to have taken undue advantage of his office to obtain the GSM number and location of their would-be victim.

According to the police hierarchy in Abuja, he hatched the plan on how to kidnap the business magnate to make a demand of one billion naira ransom.

Police arrest 4 over alleged killing of boy for ritual in Nasarawa THE Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested one Mr Emmanuel (surname withheld) of Ushata village in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state for allegedly killing Isaac Joshua, his friend’s seven-year-old son for ritual.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Idrissu Kenedy, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia, the state capital.

Kenedy disclosed that the suspect was arrested following a report to the police by the father of the

deceased, Joshua Ebini, on the disappearance of his son on October 10.

He said the information from the suspect led to the arrest of three other suspects, while a fourth accomplice to the alleged crime was still at large.

Kenedy said the suspects, during interrogation, confessed to the crime, with each of them narrating his level of involvement.

According to the spokesman, the prime suspect, Emmanuel, confessed to have lured the boy away from the father’s house on a motorbike to a forest and

killed him with a stick.

He confessed that he removed the seven-year-old boy’s genital and right buttock as requested by his collaborators.

The spokesman said investigation revealed that the whole idea was muted

by Tunde (surname withheld).

He said Tunde made another suspect, Isah (surname withheld), to believe that his aged father in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, had the power to do money ritual for them, provided they could provide some human parts.

“Isah claimed not to be interested in taking human life in order to make money, but contacted Yohanna (surname withheld), who brought Emmanuel, the prime suspect, into the deal,” Kenedy said.

He added that the remains of the deceased were recovered from where it was dumped and buried by the family.

Kenedy said the police was on the trail of the other suspects, adding that all the suspects would be prosecuted as soon as investigation was concluded on the matter.

The third suspect, Temitayo (surname withheld), a native of Ibadan, Oyo State, who is the marksman and armourer of the gang, claimed to have been dismissed from 213 Battalion Maiduguri of Nigeria Army as a Private in 2015.

All the suspects made confessional statements revealing that they had successfully carried out several high profile kidnappings and two AK47 rifles loaded with live ammunition were recovered from them.

While efforts were being intensified to apprehend other members of the gang and extend investigation to their other criminal enterprise, the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, restated the commitment of the Nigeria Police to clamp down on all criminal activities across the country, reassuring law-abiding citizens that criminal elements would be eventually apprehended and charged to court.

The IGP urged Nigerians to avail the police of relevant information that would help in the crusade against crime, saying such information would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

7

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By Oluwatoyin Malik

08116954633, 08078891950 e-mail: tribunecrimedesk@gmail.com

Police arrest allegedYahoo plus boys in Ibadan

By Tunde Ogunesan THE Oyo State Police Command has arrested three internet fraudsters, who until their arrest, were into cyber crime, popularly known as “yahoo plus”.

This was made known by the Police Public Relations (PPRO), SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan.

According to Ajisebutu, “their arrest was made possible following a tip-off by members of the public.

“The suspects, Lanre (26), Sukanmi (28) and Opeyemi (26) were picked up from their hideout at Soka area, Ibadan, at about 6.30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 16 by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad.

“The suspects who had been elusive for some time now, were eventually arrested after several days of intelligence gathering and painstaking investigation carried out by the police.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to

being internet fraudsters and had defrauded many innocent victims they referred to as ‘clients’ of their hardearned money in Naira and foreign currencies. They also disclosed that they often use charms to facilitate their illicit business.

“This they did by hypnotising victims and ‘commanding’ them to part with their Dollars and valuable properties. They further disclosed that those who had fallen victims included foreign nationals and Nigerians.”

Ajisebutu revealed that exhibits recovered from them included four assorted laptops and charms.

The police image maker said the state Commissioner of Police, Samuel Adegbuyi, has directed that a discreet investigation be carried out about their other nefarious activities at the end of which they would be arraigned.

He, however, advised youths to shun crimes and engage in legitimate businesses, even as he vowed to prosecute unrepentant criminals in the state.

The suspected yahoo plus

6 killed as cattle rustlers invade settlement in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

T

RAGEDY struck on Monday in Kukkoki village, a Fulani settlement in Shiroro Local Government of Niger State, as some

suspected cattle rustlers, numbering about 100 and heavily armed with sophisticated weapons invaded the village, killing six people, among whom were four Fulanis and two Hausas.

And in the ensuing con-

Oyo NSCDC trains 75 Peace Desk officers

By Olaronke Jaiyeola OYO State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has trained 75 Peace Desk Officers in a five-day workshop organised by Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit of the command for the officers across the 33 local government areas of the state as Peace Ambassadors.

The state Commandant, Mr John Adewoye made this known on Tuesday during a closing ceremony of the workshop at the Command’s Headquarter, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

He advised the peace ambassadors to be more proactive by being incorruptible mediators, good listeners and disciplined officers.

“To be at peace is to learn to forgive and forget, hence, don’t be tempted with money,” he advised.

Adewoye called on the general public to visit NSCDC

office nearest to them to harness the opportunity involved in conflict resolutions by Oyo State NSCDC, just as he enjoined them to have positive attitude in doing things right by volunteering good and timely information to NSCDC on any strange thing or persons in their neighbourhood, in order to curb crime.

The commandant alsocalled on the media to support the Command by creating more awareness for the security summit organised at the grassroots to enlighten the public on the security challenges like kidnapping, illegal mining, vandalism of critical assets and cultism to mention but a few.

Recently held security summit, according to him included Ogbomosho North, Iseyin, Ibarapa Central and Egbeda local government areas of the state, adding that the summit would continue until it cuts across the remaining local governments in the state.

Police kill 1, arrest 6 in Calabar bank robbery THE Cross River Police Command said on Wednesday that it killed one suspected criminal and arrested six others shortly after some hoodlums robbed a micro-Finance bank in Calabar South Local Government Area, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Mr Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, the state Commissioner of Police, disclosed this in Calabar while briefing newsmen on the successes recorded by the command against the gang.

Ozi-Obeh, who presented the suspects at the command’s headquarters, said the robbery incident took place on Tuesday along Mayne Avenue on Inyang Street.

According to him, the surveillance team attached to Atakpa Police Division, received a distress call from members of the public about the robbery incident.

“On the 15th of November 2016, men of the surveillance team attached to the Atakpa

Police Division received a distress call of a bank robbery in Calabar South.

“My men immediately swung into action and confronted the gang in a gun battle which eventually led to the death of one of them by name Alex.

“We also arrested six of them and when searched, we recovered one black Toyota Camry without number plate; one locally-made pistol, laptop, phones, ATM cards and others.

fusion that enveloped the village during the invasion by gunmen who were said to have operated in a command-like manner, scores of people, including women and children suffered varying degrees of injuries in an attack which lasted about four hours.

Metro gathered that no fewer than 700 heads of cattle, goats and sheep were allegedly rustled by the invaders.

An eyewitness told Metro in Minna, the state capital, on Wednesday that the rustlers arrived the settlement at about 7.00 a.m. and started shooting sporadically into the air to scare away members of the community in the operation that terminated at about 11.00 a.m.

The source, who pleaded for anonymity, said the operation did not end until about four hours later, as every resident of the village and the neighbouring communities in the council areas were said to have run for dear lives.

“As a result, many of the villagers scampered into safety to nearby communities and bushes, and in the process, deserting their ancestral homes,” said the

source.

As of the time of filing this report, normalcy was yet to return to the affected Fulanis settlement and its environs, while the authorities of the Niger State Police Command were said to have brought the situation under control.

The police appealed to the people who were allegedly shocked and gripped with palpable fear of further attacks to return to their homes in the affected village.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana confirmed the incident, saying two of the suspected rustlers hadbeen nabbed, while efforts were ongoing to arrest their fleeing accomplices, with a view to bringing them to book.

DSP Elkana added that police presence had been increased in the community, even as the Police Commissioner, Alhaji Zubairu Muazu, had relocated to the affected village with some top officers of the command.

He, however, stated that the police was yet to have the actual figure of the rustled cattle, cows and sheep, just as he also confirmed the casualty figure.

8

news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Senate decries killing of FRSC personnel on patrol As corps generates N1.6 bn Clement Idoko, Abuja

T

HE senate has condemned the rising cases of some officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),who were being killed by hit-and-run drivers during their legitimate duties on highways in the country.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator Tijani Kaura, expressed the concern of the senate when he led the committee on oversight functions on a visit to the corps headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He, however, advised workers of FRSC to protect

themselves during patrol activities to avoid being killed by reckless drivers.

Senator Kaura said the committee was disturbed by the reports of patrol men being killed by reckless driv-

ers while performing their legitimate duties on the highways, warning that such acts by the drivers were unacceptable to members of the National Assembly.

He pledged the support of

members of the senate in the efforts by the management of FRSC to tackle the challenge, adding that staff of FRSC must on their own take necessary safety measures to avoid the risk of be-

...Summons FCSC boss over secret employment Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi, Abuja

THE Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, has summoned the chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Mrs Joan Ayo, over alleged secret recruitment ongoing in some agencies of the government.

The senate committee which issued the summon

during an oversight visit to the commission, said that the chairman of the commission is to appear before the senate committee over allegations of continuous secret employment being carried out by government agencies.

The FCC chairman will, according to the committee, provide concrete explanations with verifiable

documentations on why the anomaly has continued unabated under her watch.

The acting executive chairman of the commission, Shettima Bukar Abba, told the committee that virtually all government agencies have failed in their responsibilities to comply with the federal character principle.

He said that efforts by

Kidnapped Methodist priest regains freedom

By Tunde Ogunesan

A priest attached to the Methodist Church Nigeria ,kidnapped on his farm, at Kufi area, along Olorunda-Aba Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last Thursday, has regained freedom after five days in the kidnappers’ den.

The diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Cathedral, Ibadan, Right Reverend Amos Ajiboye, said Reverend (Dr)

ing killed by reckless drivers The chairman said that members of the committee were on oversight functions to FRSC national headquarters to enable them ascertain the level of implementation

Biodun Ogunbekun, was released on Tuesday but he did not give details of how he was released or how the kidnappers contacted the church and his family.

The bishop said “Our priest was released to us on Tuesday. We are grateful to God and all those that made it possible. We shall be making further statement soon.

He is resting after what he

had gone through in the hands of his abductors”.

Information made available to newsmen did not state if a ransom was paid to secure the release of the priest who is attached to Akobo-Ojurin branch of the church in Ibadan, or not.

However, a source who pleaded anonymity, said the kidnappers demanded for N10 million from the fam-

ily and the church before he could be released.

On the day he was kidnapped, he was on the farm with two of his staff.

The bishop said that when he was to leave the farm, a gunman forced his way in as the gate was opened. Four other gunmen also appeared and whisked away the priest into the surrounding bush on foot.

the commission to get the FCSC to comply with the federal character principle, as well as discourage secret employment in government agencies, were frustrated by the constant denial of the secret employment by the FCSC boss, even as the act persists to the knowledge of everybody.

Bukar Abba also revealed that Ministries, Departments and agencies of government, skewed projects in the budget based on regional sentiments as against even distribution as required by the principle of federal character.

“The chairman of the Senate committee on Federal character, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, said that the committee had resolved to summon FCSC boss over her failure to adhere to the provisions of federal character.

of the 2016 budgetary appropriations to the corps as well as familiarise themselves with its operations with a view to determining areas of support.

He commended the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, for the commitment he has shown towards road safety management in the country, adding that members of the committee will continue to render necessary support that could make the operations of the corps successful.

Dr Oyeyemi on the occasion, said though, FRSC is not a revenue generating organisation, it has through its patrol activities, generated over N1.6billion, which was paid directly into the Federation Account.

He informed members of the committee on the structure, functions, challenges as well as the funding needs of the corps.

He noted that as part of the implementation of the 2016 budget, FRSC is constructing permanent office accommodation in four states, all of which are in different stages of completion.

He commended members of the committee for their support over the years.

I started out in life with £15 my uncle gave me —Chief Bode Amao The Asiwaju of Ibadan, Chief Jacob Olabode Amao today, November 17, 2016, receives the Degree of Law (LL.D) (Honoris Causa) of the University of Ibadan at the institution’s 68th Foundation Day ceremony. The 84-year old Amao is renowned as a self-made accomplished entrepreneur, especially known as the sole distributor of Sony Electronics Products for West Africa since the early 1950s, and Chairman of Atlantic Carpet and Bode Foam. He speaks in this interview with WALE AKINSELURE about his journey in life.

Y

OU had a humble beginning yet turned out a successful entrepreneur.

I started my education at eight and a half years when my uncle offered to assist me in pursuing an education career. I began my primary education at St Peter’s Anglican Primary School, Aremo, Ibadan and then attended Ibadan Boys High School for my secondary education where I left in 1953. I was the enrolled for training with a German engineering company. After about two and a half years, I graduated from the German company as an Assistant Engineer and later returned to Ibadan to join Western Nigeria Trading Company. I had a flair for business, but didn’t have the needed capital. However, the German company presented me with an opportunity to represent the company either in Kano or Port Harcourt, and I chose Kano.

In 1958, my uncle gave me 15 pounds with which I travelled to Kano, rented a shop and started trading. In Kano, I was

trading in small engines, spare parts, electronics and bicycles. Owing to the civil war in 1966, I was compelled to leave Kano. I left for Lagos in 1967 but the sale of bicycles was lower compared to sales in Kano.

Then, I opted for electronics in the 1970s and was lucky to have the factory for Sony products.

These factories required petrochemicals for its operation because the country, then, had sufficient supply of petroleum.

I looked forward the government utilizing our petroleum to boost petrochemicals. It was however unfortunate that the country cannot boost of petrochemicals till today.

Till today, we continue to import petrochemicals.

At a stage, I ventured into banking. I was involved with Fountain Trust and Lead bank. This venture also was problematic. I must say that all these happened because I was not directly involved in management.

I was a director of the two banks and we hired people who could not efficiently run the banks, and therefore, we lost a lot of money. However, in spite of all these challenges, I am grateful to God for my existence till today.

Are the challenges you faced in business peculiar to you, or do you classify these challenges as the bane of industrialization of Nigeria?

It is difficult for the nation to be industrialized. We do not have electricity in Nigeria today for industry. Everyone uses generating set. The three most critical things to industrialise a nation are Iron and Steel, Petrochemicals and Electricity.

We are in a country where we have crude oil and produce it in billions and we don’t have a functioning refinery. Imagine the

Chief Amao amount we spend on importing and exporting crude oil, Is it sensible? The three said refineries are not refining to capacity.

For me, I hope Nigeria will not go back to those wasted years. If we don’t have competitive industries, how can we export refined oil? This is among the causes of unemployment, high dollar rate that we have today because of government’s inefficiency, corruption, indiscipline, over the years. We pray we never return to those wasted years. In Nigeria today, you must have generating set, you must have a borehole and to be in business, you must be a government of yourself. You have to work harder to be very successful, except you steal.

You are a successful entrepreneur and began business with 15 pounds.

However, there is so much unem-

ployment in the country. Would you attribute the high rate of unemployment to lack of entrepreneurial spirit in today’s youths?

Our youths are following the style of their fathers, grandfathers and they are living an extravagant life. I started with 15 pounds, not in Ibadan, but in Kano.

Agriculture should be another area of focus for today’s youths because a hungry man is an angry man. I never cheated anybody. What is the essence of our universities if they produce good graduates who only focus on money-making, by whatever means. And anytime God calls me, I will say bye to the world. Why do I have to cheat or steal? Rather, I remain truthful and of good character, and, these are virtues that our youths should imbibe. I enjoin young ones to possess good character and be truthful.

You are a recipient of the honourary degree of the University of Ibadan. What does the award mean to you?

I am very grateful to God. I have been offered several awards which I have rejected. You know you must have passion for the award you are to receive. The University of Ibadan is my first choice. I never played politics or lobbied to be nominated for the award. Apart from the University of Ibadan being the first, which it lives up to till today, I am endeared to the reputation and tradition of excellence of the university. In order of priority, I rank the University of Ibadan as first among other first generation universities in the country. I have observed overtime and I am proud to say that the products of the university are sound in character and learning.

11

south-westnews

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

We are ready to assist Senate to uncover how Aregbesola diverted bailout —Osun PDP

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State chapter, yesterday said it was ready to assist the Senate in its probe into how bailout collected by Osun State government was utilised.

The PDP, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said the state got the highest amount of money as bailout

but squandered it on phony contracts.

The party declared that Governor Rauf Aregbesola diverted the bailout, meant to pay workers salaries, to pay some Lagos-based contractors which also included a highly placed official in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

The statement reads: “relevant information about the bailout shows that Osun

got N38.9 billion which was only second to Kogi’s request. But Kogi, under the reign of PDP governor, Idris Wada, was never given the money.

“Before the figure was arrived at, a Lagos-based consultant, hired for the job by Aregbesola, used a benchmark of N3billion per month as the state’s wage bill. This figure, according to our findings, was over-

blown but the government claimed it was needed to pay workers’ salaries for over 10 months.

“However, workers were only paid full salaries for just two months after which Governor Aregbesola designed the “half salary” system till date.

“Shortly after the money was released, contractors were settled and they immediately returned to sites,

From left, guest lecturer, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi; Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe and the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka, at the 2016 convocation lecture of the university, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN.

UI Postgraduate School graduates 4,022

By Tunde Ogunesan IN continuation of its 2016 convocation ceremonies, the University of Ibadan, on Wednesday, conferred various honours on 4,022 candidates who have completed higher degrees and post graduate diplomas in various programmes from the institution.

This was disclosed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, in his remarks at the postgraduate convocation ceremonies, which was held at the International Conference Centre, UI, Ibadan.

It will be recalled that this year’s convocation ceremony started with the award of undergraduate degree on Monday, where 117 graduates bagged First Class Degree in various courses Meanwhile, the award of higher degrees, including Masters degrees. M. Phil/ MPH in the Faculties of Arts, Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Public Health, Dentistry and Law commenced on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre.

The breakdown of the figure, according to Professor Olayinka, revealed that 442 candidates bagged Ph.D, one candidate bagged M.D,

30 completed their MPhil, 93 MPH, 2,940 obtained Academic Masters, 407 Professional Masters and 109 Postgraduate Diploma degrees.

Professor Olayinka said: “Our new and existing postgraduate programmes are popular and acceptable. Eloquent testimony to this is the fact that a total number of 12,301 applications were received during the 2015/2016 academic session, while only 6,520 qualified candidates were

offered admission for various programmes.

“A total of 4,022 candidates will be receiving their respective higher degrees and postgraduate diplomas.

“A breakdown of the 4,022 graduands includes: Ph.D 442, M.D 1, MPhil 30, MPH 93, Academic Masters 2,940, Professional Masters 407 and Postgraduate Diploma 109.”

He further reiterated that the vision of the university is tied to the pursuit of the

national goals of development through knowledge creation and dissemination.

He added that the realisation of the vision is reflected in the commitment to the continuous development of teaching, learning and research programmes that would provide the required skills for internalising the development process and to serve as catalyst for the political, social and economic development of the nation.

Why we are giving free food —Ondo govt THE Ondo State government, on Wednesday, said its free food distribution programme, which is in its second phase, was put in place to ensure that the harsh economy in the country has less impact on families in the state.

Speaking with newsmen in Akure on the successes recorded so far with the distribution, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said there had been testimonies from homes since the first phase of the programme where over 100,000 women benefited.

Informing that the distribution team was received

by the people of Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South West and Akoko South East with enthusiasm, Akinmade said it would be the turn of Owo, Ose, Ifedore and Akure North to receive free food items today.

He said this was coming after successful outings in Ese-Odo, Irele, Ilaje, Okitipupa, Odigbo, Ondo East and Ileoluji/ Okeigbo among others..

Okitipupa, the headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area in the Southern Senatorial District, last Friday, witnessed the inauguration of the second phase of the

food palliative programme otherwise known as “Eto Igbe Ayo.” The commissioner said the programme was projected to benefit 70,000 women, adding that though the first phase was targeted at 100,000 women “we ended up giving out to more than the projected figure because of the overwhelming impact on the people.”

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the second tranche in Okitipupa, Governor Olusegun Mimiko had stressed that the programme was mainly for women in the state irrespective of their political affiliation.

which again has been abandoned. When we raised alarm, Governor Aregbesola called us alarmists.

“We are grateful to the Senate for deeming it fit to look into Osun’s book. We are ready for the probe and the first thing the committee should look into is how Osun State was able to get the bailout without meeting the necessary conditions such as State Executive Council approval, which Aregbesola does not have.

“We also implore the Senate committee to inspect the payment vouchers used by the government in paying the workers from the date of the release of the bailout till the point Aregbesola declared the funds had been exhausted,” the statement said.

The party also advised the panel to be diligent in handling the investigation, adding that relevant information from the banks paying the state workers should be collected.

Osun pensioners protest over unpaid pensions, gratuities OSUN State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on Wednesday said that it would continue to disrupt activities of the state government until their gratuity and pensions were fully paid.

Mr Ilesanmi Omoniyi, a former Chairman of NUP in the state, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after a rally to protest non-payment of their pensions, in Osogbo.

Omoniyi alleged that Governor Rauf Aregbesola intentionally excluded them from benefiting from the N34 billion bailout released to him by the Federal Government.

He said he was dismayed by the poor condition of members and which the state government had refused to attend to.

According to him, some of the pensioners cannot afford money to take care of themselves and this has led to the death of many.

Omoniyi called on the state government to come to their aid by paying their pensions and gratuities on continuous basis.

Mr Ojo Afolabi, a retiree who spoke to NAN, said the government had continued to promise retirees on payment of their gratuities and pensions, but all in vain.

Nigerian Tribune

Olaniwun’s death, a painful loss —Lateef Jakande

By Ibukun Adenuga ALHAJI Lateef Jakande has described the death of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi as a painful loss to the Yourba people and Nigeria.

This was contained in a condolence statement that he personally signed.

Jakande stated that Olaniwun was, in his life time, a respected icon in the legal profession and a leading politician in Nigeria.

He also mentioned his leading role in the Action Group and as an uncompromising follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“He was a leading member of the Action Group and a trusted follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

Jakande, therefore, prayed for the peaceful rest of Olaniwun’s soul.

NDE engages 40 in Graduate Attachment Programme in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure NO fewer than 40 graduates from Ondo State have commenced 12 months training programme, organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) under the Graduate Attachment Programme (GAP) scheme.

The state coordinator of NDE, Alhaji Mayowa Ali, who disclosed this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during a workshop to usher the young graduates, said the programme was designed to enhance the employability skills of the beneficiaries Aliu stated that the training was designed to provide skills and personal attributes as part of innovation to meet up with current realities.

He explained that the graduates were being posted to public and private organisations relevant to their field of study, saying that the graduates would be paid N10,000 as monthly stipends, while some of the organisations also pay the young graduates to encourage them He said “The programme is employability enhancement workshop and the essence is to make them employable. The problem we have these days is that we have a lot of graduates but employers found out that they are not employable because they lack certain attributes.”

One of the beneficiaries, Samuel Awolumate, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, described GAP as initiative to sell young graduates to potential employers.

businessnews FG recovers N4.2bn from collecting banks into federation account 12

T

HE Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) on Wednesday said it had recovered N4.2 billion in remittances from collecting banks into the federation account.

Mr Shettima Gana, the commission’s acting Chairman, said this while inducting the lead consultants and other auditors on the verification and reconciliation of revenue collections and remittances by the collecting banks.

The collecting banks collect excise duties and taxes on behalf of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

He said that the money was recovered during the exercise that was carried out on banks’ collections of these taxes and duties between January 2008 and June 2012.

Gana said that there was about N20 billion that was still outstanding but had not been recovered from the banks.

He also said that the success recorded in the first phase of the exercise made the National Economic Council (NEC) approve a second phase which would cover July 2012 to December 2015.

Gana said that the commission had the constitutional mandate to monitor accruals into the Federation Account and disbursements of the revenue.

“Several years ago , the commission observed discrepancies regarding the excessive charges, Commission On Turnover (COT) for collections and delayed remittances made by banks on behalf of FIRS and NCS,” he said.

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

The chairman said that the second phase of the exercise would involve about 109 consultants and two lead consultants as against the 53 consultants and one lead consultant in the first phase.

“From the first exercise we

realised that the work was quite enormous because the banks have branches all over the country collecting these revenues.

“It requires quite a number of man hours to go through all the records of the banks

The Chairman of the commission’s Non-oil committee, Mr Fagboyegun Ajibola, said that the exercise was important at this time to recoup all accruals that should be in the Federation Account.

From left, Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Joseph Nnana; Director-General, NYSC, Brig. Gen Sule Kazaure; Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Suleiman Barau; a beneficiary of Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Priscilla Okeja and the Executive Director, Lagos and SouthWest Corporate Banking of Heritage Bank, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, at the flag-off ceremony for disbursement of YIEDP loans in Abuja, recently.

RMAFC calls for wider consultation on IJVC Sanya Adejokun - Abuja

THE Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has called for wider consultations amongst stakeholders prior to the conversion of Nigeria’s Joint Venture Contracts (JVC) to Incorporated Joint Ventures Company (IJVC) to ensure the full protection of Stakeholders.

The Commission in a statement was reacting to a newspaper publication titled ‘’ Letter to my Countrymen”

by Atedo Peterside advocating for the replication of the successful NLNG model in the divestment of assets in the Joint Venture Contracts (JVC). In the said piece, Peterside opined that the JVC should be converted to Incorporated Joint Ventures (IJVs) where the Federation stake is capped at below 50 per cent across all the Oil Producing JVs. Giving highlights of merits and demerits of the two business models, RMAFC explains that revenue inflow

Oil producing states will support MADE to end poverty in Niger Delta —Imo govt THE Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, has reiterated the commitment of oil producing states to work with development partners to lift indigent Nigerians of Niger Delta extraction out of poverty.

Madumere gave the assurance when he received the Team Leader of the Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE), Mr Tunde Oderinde, who was in the state to officially launch the N80 million Technology Adoption Grant (TAG) to support palm oil processing, fish smoking and improve harvesting technologies in the region.

The Deputy Governor said the nine states in the Niger Delta; Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo,

to check when the money came in and when it was remitted and the various charges that were charged.

Now we want it done quickly and efficiently so as to get the funds into the federation account quickly,” he said.

Imo, Ondo and Rivers were ever willing to work with development partners, especially DFID in the quest to alleviate poverty in the region.

He said it was for the importance that the Imo State Government attached to the various interventions by development partners that it mandated the state’s Directorate for Employment and Job Creation to lways work closely with stakeholders to ensure that benefitting local governments and communities reap maximum gains from all interventions.

Earlier in his address, the Team Lead of MADE, Mr. Tunde Oderinde said the launch of the N80million Technology Adoption Grant (TAG), was meant to serve as intervention aimed at stimu-

lating performance in select agriculture value chains in the Niger Delta.

Oderinde said the TAG fund which is managed by Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE) programme of the DFID will be awarded to eligible individuals and enterprises with focus on palm oil processing, fish smoking and improving harvesting technologies through a competitive grant process.

He said the opportunity was open solely to individual businesses and enterprises domiciled and operating in the Niger Delta, explaining that successful bids can receive up to a maximum of N1,100,000.00 (One Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira) depending on the funding window.

into the Federation Account and its timing could change significantly if and when the Government decides to transit from the JVC to the IJVC noting that the JVs are currently being managed professionally and profitably.

The Commission further illustrates that under the JVC arrangement, the Federation receives its share of Equity Crude which represents 100% revenue and the Federation pays JV Cash Call which represents the cost of production, Equity Crude received less JV Cash Call is gross profit which is 100 per cent profit, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) which is presently at 85 per cent will still be paid from the 45 per cent or 40 per cent shares owned by the IOC’s while payment of royalties as required by law is common in both models.

In the case of IJVs, Equity Crude will no longer be received. Equity Crude which is 100 per cent profit will be lost as the IJVs will only pay taxes at 65% of operating profit since the IJV will be registered in Nigeria. The Federation will only receive dividends at the end of the financial year of the IJV companies commensurate with Federation holding which will be less than 50 per cent.

Interim dividends may or may not be paid during the financial year. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Federation will be receiving

dividends regularly as in the JVC which comes monthly.

However, in the case of IJVs, the Federation will no longer make Cash Call payments which have always been a burden on the annual Federal Government budget. The IJV companies will source for funds to finance their programmes.

Naira depreciates at interbank, parallel markets

By Chima Nwokoji-Lagos THE Nigerian Naira dropped N10 to trade at N465/$1 on Wednesday, November 16, as against the N455/$1 it was on Tuesday at the unofficial (black) market.

The local currency however stayed firm against the Pound Sterling and Euro to trade at N560 and N495 respectively, at the same unofficial market.

The local currency at the interbank market fell to N316.52 on Wednesday as against N315.25 to the dollar which it settled at on Tuesday.

The huge depreciation at the un-official market comes after operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided street traders and some offices of Bureau de change (BDC) operators last week.

It was gathered that the DSS raided currency dealers in some parts of Lagos and Abuja, arresting operators that sell above the exchange rate stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The clampdown followed a meeting between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the SSS and leadership of the BDC association aimed at finding solutions to the poor performance of the national currency against other international currencies, particularly the dollar in the money market.

But according to the local currency traders, the move

by DSS has instilled fear among street traders and some BDCs.

Scarcity of aviation fuel resurfaces As Arik Air scale down flight operations Shola Adekola, Lagos

PASSENGERS particularly on the domestic scene may have started experiencing difficulty in catching flights to their various stations following the fresh scarcity of aviation fuel.

The scarcity which started last week has started taking its toll on airline operations with some of the domestic airlines either delaying or canceling their flights due to the non availability of the commodity.

Raising the alarm over the fresh scarcity of aviation fuel otherwise known in aviation parlance as Jet A1 yesterday was Arik Air which had already alerted passengers of the worsening aviation fuel scarcity across the country’s airports.

Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest airline has alerted passengers of worsening aviation fuel (JET A1)

scarcity across the country.

According to a statement issued by the Communication Manager of the airline, Adebanji Ola, the aviation fuel scarcity started manifesting last week when major oil marketers began to ration supply of the product to airlines.

“One of the marketers issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Saturday alerting of non-availability of the product in Lagos.

Another marketer said it was running out of product in Lagos with limited supplies in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

“This development has started taking its toll on Arik Air due to the airline’s large scale operations, with flights being delayed across the country and in some cases cancelled especially for airports without airfield lighting.

13

editorial The sack of labour leaders in Ogun Thursday, 17 November, 2016

T

HE recent disciplinary action by the Ogun State government against some labour leaders in the state for alleged acts of misconduct raises fundamental issues about the kind of society Nigeria wants to be under the current democratic experiment. This is because the disciplinary action belies the attempt by the Ogun State government, just like virtually all the other state governments and successive Federal Governments mouthing democratic credentials since the return to democracy in 1999, to see the society and polity as subservient to the totalising control of the government in power. This way, disagreement with government or any of its policies is seen as heresy, punishable by all means, especially if those concerned are government or public officials.

We are of course aware of the time honoured requirement for civil servants and public servants generally to be apolitical in order for them to be able to effectively discharge their responsibilities. Yet, the point has to be made that this requirement also recognises the holding of political opinions and preferences by civil and public servants to the extent that they are permitted to vote, such that what is frowned at are overt political positions. And the rules recognise overt politicking as belonging to a political party and holding the party card. It stands to reason, therefore, that where clear rules exist such as this, it would be unnecessarily fastidious to want to read extra and other meanings into such rules in order to serve transient political interests.

The concerned labour leaders were alleged to have invited leaders of opposition parties in the state to the last celebration of the World Teachers Day where the opposition parties leaders publicly spoke against the state government and its policies in the presence of the representative of the state governor who was obviously invited as the special guest of honour. The state government thought that such an act by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) constituted a misconduct and set up an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the issue.

The panel, after its sitting and deliberation, recommended the dismissal of 16 civil and public servants and the suspension of 19 others it alleged were involved in the so-called misconduct.

Here, the issue is not whether or not the state government summarily punished the labour leaders or followed the laid down procedure in setting up the administrative panel. Rather, it is about the complaint itself and why it should constitute the basis of a misconduct allegation in a society that wants to run more than personal fiefdoms. It is, of course, true that even national leaders of the NUT have weighed in to condemn the action of the Ogun labour leaders with a pledge to apologise on their behalf to the state governor, relying on the benevolence of the governor in reversing the punishment.

Nigerian Tribune

We, however, see the position of the NUT national leadership as symptomatic of the totalising disposition prevalent in Nigeria, which disposition is not promotive of the full flowering of democratic potentials in the country. For the finer democratic argument is that it is impossible, within a democratic firmament, to want a disposition in which a political persuasion, no matter its transient ascendancy through the occupation of government and governmental structure, leaves no room for the existence and flowering of other political persuasions. In this case, the point has to be made that government is not society and the current opinion held in government does not exhaust the panoply of persuasions.

Thus, it is the responsibility of the society and government to demand and work for the promotion of all political opinions within the ambit of the law instead of treating government positions as sacrosanct.

To be clear, the leaders of the NUT and all labour leaders have a duty to be decent in the way they celebrate their activities.

Such decency demands that they treat the governor and his representative with respect on account of the invitation to their function. But the Teachers Day is an NUT function and it is at liberty (and perhaps under duty) to invite other political opinions to the celebration. If, in the way the ceremony was conducted, the governor felt embarrassed, it would be alright to complain in order for the organisers to know how to conduct future ceremonies, with the governor at liberty to refuse future invitations. But such complaint cannot be the basis of an allegation of crime against the organisers as there is nothing in the laws of Nigeria that says not giving deserved respect at a ceremony or inviting opposition political parties leaders to the same ceremony is a crime.

We must accept the reality that, under a democratic setting, it is the right of the opposition parties and their leaders to also vent their positions in all forums including at labour union functions even alongside the position of the government. The labour leaders would therefore be right to invite them to their functions and give them the platforms to canvass positions different from the government’s. The policy process is not a unitarian process, but admits of all kinds of opinions and celebrates differences by according and affording them exposures at all times. That is the hallmark of democracy and should not be turned into a crime, except Nigeria wants to continue with personalised rulership while calling it democracy.

Indeed, parliamentary democracy requiring the government to adequately fund the opposition to be able to counter and oppose its position. This is what Nigeria should strive to emulate and not the silencing of other views by punishing labour leaders for promoting such views. In that vein, because it is against the true spirit of democratic practice and aspiration, the Ogun State government should immediately and unconditionally reverse its sack of the labour leaders.

AFRICAN NEWSPAPERS OF NIGERIA PLC Founders: Chief Obafemi Awolowo GCFR, SAN (1909 - 1987)

Chief (Dr) H.I.D Awolowo CON (1915 - 2015)

Chairman Rev. (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran Co-Chairman Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Edward Dickson Controller (Business Development) Fola Oke Chief Accountant Oluremi Olufisayo, ACA

Ibadan Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08077227269; 08034135733 Lagos Office (Advert Hot Lines): 08055333067; 08033013177 South South Regional Office: No. 50 Ikwerre Rd., Mile 1, Diobu, P/Harcourt, Rivers State

Snr. Manager (Advertisements) Kayode Titiloye Sales Manager Omotayo Lewis, Ph.D Consultant/Director Segun Olatunji, Ph.D

GOT NEWS?

Abuja Office: Suites G2. 05-07, PEB04 Plaza, Plot 2027, Dalaba Street, Beside NAPTIP Headquarters, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja Advert Hot Lines: 08033199716; 08078891797 Kaduna Office: AN 20, Lagos Street, by Keffi Rd., Kaduna.

Ikeja Marketing Office.

Block C, First Floor, Motorways centre, Opp., 7up Alausa, Ikeja.

Contact: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com or call:08055069471, 08116954630

14

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

yournews

SEND YOUR SHORT MESSAGES TO: 08054005323, 08055001746

Developing a unique system of govt

N

IGERIA’S democracy should not be practised as it is being done in other countries of the world; we should be able to tailor ours to suit our multi-ethnic composition. I am thinking that we should have a situation whereby, we will have the president, who will be as-

sisted by five vice presidents from the other five geo-political zones in the country. After the president serves a term three years, he leaves, and another person from his region is voted as vice president.

Another of the earlier vice presidents would then become the president.

With this system, every

region will have the opportunity of producing the president. Why are we currently having tension in our political system today?

It is because some regions feel they are being denied the opportunity to produce the president. This system will eliminate that.

Sesan Ajibola, 08077023413

New Vehicles: Appeal to Federal legislators WHEN will our Federal legislators realise that the country is in the midst of a recession, and the decision to procure a N10million vehicle for each legislator is not fair at all.

The truth is that our leg-

islators are so rich and they can afford funding these vehicles from their private pockets, but using public funds to procure these vehicles is simply insensitivity of the highest order.

I want to appeal to our legislators to shelve the procurement of these vehicles for now until the economic situation in the country improves.

•Victor Oluwansebebe, 07060520065

Olubadan, focus on Ibadan State THE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, should focus on the creation of Ibadan State. This is what every Ibadan indigene wants;

the other two regional power houses in the decades gone by, Enugu and Kaduna, now have state status, and one wonders why the case of Ibadan is

different. If Ibadan is not made a state, it will continue to stiffle the development of the Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of the state.

•Jimoh Mumin, 08034435211

Renewed hope in the Super Eagles IT is not until when the 2017 African Cup of Nations starts that Nigerians will truly feel the pain of missing out of the competition.

Sport is the only sector that unites Nigerians, and it is so unfortunate that we won’t be at the competition

next year.

However, with a new coach, Gernot Rorh, and the fact that the Super Eagles are topping the table in the World Cup qualifiers in its group, Nigerians football fans are heaving sighs of relief.

I, therefore, want to

charge the coach and players not to lose focus. They have started well with six points in two games, but we still have a long way to go.

I hope the new coach can bring back the Super Eagles that we used to know.

Vincent Kadiri, 08030461538

In support of staggered elections in Nigeria NIGERIA is a huge country, and it is not easy for it to be policed at once. The reason we succeeded in curbing electoral malpractices in the last Edo State governorship election was because a huge number of security agents were present to monitor the election.

This will not be possible during the general election, which in most cases, leave room for malpractices by politicians.

If we want our election to be free and fair, I think there is need to adopt stag-

gered elections in the country. We can do this by holding elections in about two or three states per month.

This will make it possible for a large number of secu-

rity details to monitor the election in each state.

We can look towards the 2019 election if Nigerians agree with this suggestion.

•Tumini George, 09095687489.

•Strength? Creativity? PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Towards curbing corruption in Nigeria THERE are several families that need just thousands of naira to get by in life, and we have some people who were lucky to have held political offices siphoning billions of naira meant for the citizens of the country.

If we don’t strengthen our penal system, then corrupt politicians will be escaping justice.

It is important that those who have stolen from the

Nigeria will still be great WE may be facing some challenges, both insecurity and economic, but our country will definitely surmount all. Nigeria will be great again. We will once again become the envy of other nations of the world.

I am happy that Nigeri-

ans are not contemplating disintegration; before now, some prophets of doom had predicted that our country would break up in 2015, but how Nigeria overcame this is still a mystery to everyone. Therefore, if we can unite, there is nothing we

cannot achieve. The only thing left is for us to work together to lift the country out of the doldrums. With the right mindset, we can do it.

Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel, 08033733470.

country are punished by making them lose everything they have stolen, as well as those properties they had acquired legally.

After all these have been confiscated, then they should be sent to several years in jail without the option of fine.

It is also necessary that plea bargaining is phased out completely, as it doesn’t make those who have stolen from the country to get the punishment they deserve.

•Isola Tayo, 08062086668.

Attention, Gov Okowa I want to use this opportunity to call on the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to come to our aid on Chief Joseph Ndudi Ozah Street in Ogwuashi-Uku. The road on this street is just so terrible that it has affected economic activities in the area. With the bad road, the area is also prone to flooding, and with the rainy season, many residents are always scared

whenever it rains.

I am, therefore, calling on the governor to order the immediate reconstruction of the road, while also fitting it with drainages.

We believe Governor Okowa is someone who is after the welfare of his people, and we hope he will order the relevant agencies of government to see that this road is fixed without delay.

•Onyeajunwa Amoku, 08052212361

15

opinion

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Boko Haram: Demand for patriotism among Nigerians

By Bukar Raheem

M

UCH of the initial mysteries which beclouded Boko Haram terrorists’ operations in Nigeria have been cleared. It is now in the open how the deadly terror group acquires arms and ammunitions, how it recruits, its funding, its agents and links to other international terror sects around the world.

Boko Haram’s permeation of all segments of the Nigerian society, including the armed forces and para-military organisations is public knowledge. Intelligence experts also know of their presence in our security agencies, and their unassuming agents in the communities they most often tend to torment. Its tricks of disguised striking of targets, the manufacture of their explosive devices in some parts of the country and the extent of estrangement afflicting their residues at the moment is equally known.

However, the Nigerian state has made tremendous gains in taming Boko Haram terrorists in the country.

That it has been defeated is no fresh news. And that no Nigerian territory is under their control is a story long foretold. But what has remained intriguing is the fact that agents and sympathisers of these terrorists, who have mixed and blended so perfectly with a sane society, would not desist from inducing fright campaigns.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai, is a man of few words. He believes more in action than flippancy. This much can be gleaned from his handling of the Nigerian Army and the prosecution of the anti-terrorism war in the country.

But recently, Buratai made a striking statement that was more like invoking the conscience of Nigerians and the veiled agents and sympathisers of terrorism. It was a plea to reason and be of loyalty to one’s country.

Buratai had lamented: “We need to work together and synergise together, fighting insurgency in Nigeria is a situation whereby they have melted into the society and we have some elements within the society still supporting them clandestinely.”

The Army Chief vented his spleen in an interview during a two-day seminar on Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, with the theme: “Assessing the Threat of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria.”

Nothing can be further from the truth. It is glaring that some Nigerians have appetite for bad news, and it ap-

pears they go to bed every night, hoping to delightedly wake to confront the ugly side of the world. It is pertinent to presume that the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists occasionally tormenting Nigerians would long have been flushed, if all Nigerians were patriotic to understand that acting as agents of this cruel terror sect offends all certified standards of morality.

The feeling of the continued sponsorship of Boko Haram within was reinforced pungently with the November 4, 2016 carefully planned attacks on the Military Command Center of ”Operation Lafiya Dole” in Mallam Fatori, Borno State. The incident led to the death of five gallant soldiers of the Nigerian Army, notable among them was Lt. Col. Muhammed Abu-Ali. Some media reports pointed to leakage of information and strongly alluded to the possibility that the terrorists’ co-ordinated attacks must have been informed by information at their disposal on the military command center on troops movement.

The timing of insurgents’ attacks and the boldness in confronting the soldiers lent credence to the suspicion that an insider must have informed the terrorists about the withdrawal of an officer and 49 combatants by the Army authorities, or reduction in the number of troops in Mallam Fatori.

But beyond such posturing, one is infinitely amazed at the manner some Nigerians celebrate Boko Haram’s atrocious outings on the people in the traditional media and cyber space. They use superlative lexicons to qualify the terrorists, inflate or exaggerate their strikes on targets, sometimes, outrightly invent their incidents of terror-

ists’ attacks, just to create the psychological torment that the terrorists are very present and potent in the country, much like in years past.

Ironically though, the same characters display an overt reluctance in singing songs of defeat of the terrorists by Nigerian soldiers. When terrorists’ hideouts are punctured or raided by the military, it is not worthy of their attention; when soldiers foil any bomb blast attempt, they look the other way; when terrorists captured territories are reclaimed by soldiers, it infuriates rather than gladden their hearts, and when release of hundreds of Boko Haram abductees is effected by soldiers, they plot fresh schemes to publicise fake fresh incidents of abduction by the terrorists.

When they deviate a little from this path, these same elements blatantly politicise the anti-terrorism war, castigating President Muhammadu Buhari for failure to fulfill his campaign promises to crush the insurgency within a time frame. Or they take a swipe at the Nigerian military, accusing them of feigning control over the terrorists, while it smoulders.

This is the wonderful world of Nigerians. That’s how we feel about our own country, preferring it never extricate itself from the chains of terrorists. Americans tasted the bitter pill of terrorism before Nigerians, with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. America itself is yet to absolutely free itself from terrorists’ yoke. But hardly do we read acerbic comments from Americans which bear any imprint denoting support for the terrorists.

But wishes can never be horses; if they were horses, beggars too would ride. When General Buratai emerged on the scene of the terror war as COAS and bent on ending insurgency as directed by President Buhari, most Nigerians doubted him. He was not given a chance to prove himself. But today, he has proven that Nigerian soldiers under his leadership can do more than crush the terrorists.

Let these veiled agents bow to the power of conscience by openly appreciating Buratai and Nigerian soldiers for this rare feat of gallantry. Had his predecessors done an inch of what he has accomplished in the terror war, Nigeria would have buried the terrorists long before the arrival of Buhari.

•Raheem, a public affairs analyst, writes from Kaduna State.

Scornful captors, shameless custodians

By Michael O. Ogunjobi

2016. Human Rights Watch documented sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation of females living in seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

This raises many legal and ethical issues. Moreover, it confirms concerns that women in our polity may continue to be subjected to unequal treatment when compared to the male folks. Hence, the clamour for the passage of “Gender Parity and Prohibition of Violence Against Women Bill” into law may not be totally misplaced in view of the prevalent social pressures on females. Despite the meager resources for sustenance in IDP camps and appalling standard of living reminiscent of the slave trade, these camps are fast turning into baby factories, with increasing population daily. While we are celebrating the untimely rescue of some Chibok girls, why create another set of Chibok girls in IDP camps? The latter are worse-off since they are being abused by their supposed guardians.

Asides the penalty prescribed for professional misconduct by the extant laws regulating the officers found culpable, the Child Rights Act and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act should be applied where appropriate. The

Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) was passed into law in May, 2015 as an improvement on the penal and criminal code in relation to violence. It makes provision for compensation to victims as well as the protection of their rights, prohibit all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices, discrimination against persons and provides maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. Sadly by virtue of Section 47 of the Act, this law has limited application to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja only.

Though the Borno Police Command recently disclosed that it had deployed 100 female police personnel to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state, one wonders if these officers can be trusted not to shield their colleagues. Hence, independent counsellors and observers would have been a safer alternative. The rights of children to survival, growth, protection and effective participation in the society must never be undermined. We must never neglect the welfare of these vulnerable individuals who are victims of circumstances considering the enormity of violations perpetrated against the womenfolk.

There is an urgent need to make adequate provision for resettlement/after care programmes to secure the reintegration of victims into the society. Moreso, preventive measures are desireable to avoid a reoccurrence. A framework for sustained and coordinated ways for the country as a whole to combat this menace is required.

Furthermore, there is an overwhelming need for training of handlers of IDPs. Also, there is need for more public awareness campaign on the rights of the child, particularly the girl child.

THE role of government in any polity is primarily the protection of her citizens. This is a moral duty accorded legal cloak by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Consequently, government is obliged to take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to achieve the progressive realisation of a decent standard of living for Nigerians.

Similarly, government is to make provision for adequate legal frame work for protection of women, children and young persons, as vulnerable groups.

Whether the government is living up to Nigerians’ expectations is a query better appreciated objectively; though many will rather have this answered from the subjective point of view. As though the economic woes bedeviling our polity is not enough, with many Christian families not looking forward to Christmas, the Niger Delta militants are threatening to ground a recession-ridden economy. The indelible marks of this, as tribal marks, can never be erased by time, since casualties have already been recorded. Some have dropped out of school, some have lost their jobs, some have resorted to crime, some divorced, some bereaved, some lost, yet awaiting when the things that fell apart will take shape.

Coupled with the foregoing, the plight of many since the Boko Haram insurgency reared its ugly head has remained a tale of ‘cry your own cry.’ A disturbing news is the show of shame of some groups benefiting from the unfortunate onslaught of the Boko Haram terrorists that has led to the displacement of many by posing as intermediaries receiving aids and grants on behalf of victims of the insurgency, but diverting same for personal use.

But more worrisome is the revelation by the Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organisation in July,

*Ogunjobi, a lawyer, lives in Lagos.

16

Thursday,17 November, 2016 Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08158610216

maka nd’igbo

Widow dies few months to park into apartment JoeNwachukwuTribune-Owerri

A

78-year-old indigent widow from Umuchima in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, Mrs Mabel Okwu, passed away few months to receive the key of her two-bedroom flat built by the wife of Imo State

governor, Mrs Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha through her pet project.

Report reaching Nigerian Tribune from Umuchima said the widow expressed her joy waiting for the commissioning of the house and the subsequent handing over of the key of the flat.

Unfortunately, death did

not allow her to witness the official ceremony for the handing over of the wellfurnished building.

However, the 35-year old son, Mr Remigius Okwu, who represented her late mother at the official ceremony which attracted important personalities who came out to support Mrs Okorocha’s project, received

the keyon behalf of his late mother.

Speaking at the occasion, Mrs Okorocha regretted the demise of the widow, saying all would bow to death when the time comes.

According to her, this indigent widow was among those those screened by the committee set up for the exercise before the

commencement of the project and when she was to collect thekeys to the building, she is no more.

She immediately directed a fund-raising to enable

How I was kidnapped, stabbed for eyeing throne—Cleric Suzy Oruya-Onitsha A cleric, who is the General Overseer of Temple of God Mission, near Iyi-Enu hospital, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Prince Samuel Sidney Potte Amobi, has given a graphic account of how he was kidnapped and stabbed to die for allegedly eyeing to be the next traditional ruler of Ogidi.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of his abductors, he said: “I was sleeping in my house on that fateful day when about six armed men stormed my house in the wee hours, broke my door, stabbed me with a knife on the head and started giving me the beating of my life while ordering me to follow

The deceased son receiving key of the 2-bedroom flat from Nkechi Okorocha

Igbo youths appeal to FG for grants CelestineIhejirika-Umuahia IGBO youths,who participated in a 3-month entrepreneurship training programme of the Federal Government in Umuahia, Abia State Capital, have appealed to the government at the centre to offer them take-off grants.

Various speakers at the event agreed that the grant would enable them realise their dreams of self-

reliance.

The programme was organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), in conjunction with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), under the National Industrial Skill Development Programme The participants, who spoke on the gains of the training, described the programme as laudable and a

pragmatic way of making the nation's youths to become self-employed and employers of labour.

Mr Azubuike Okoronkwo (42), who trained in poultry farming, said that "government should assist us with take-off grants to enable us to set up our own business."

Okoronkwo, who holds an Ordinary National Diploma in Business Administration, said that he was excited about

the programme and that he did not waste time to enroll for the training.

He said, "Today, we can boast of acquiring the basic training in different vocations and we are now fully equipped with the knowledge to establish our own businesses.

"What we need now is the capital to take off," he said, and appealed to ITF to guarantee them to enable them access the N1billion

Child Abuse: Abia police assure orphanage home operators CelestineIhejirika-Umuahia THE police in Umuahia, Abia State have assured Southeast zonal headquarters of Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) of police collaboration to fight child abuse and protect the rights of all vulnerable children in the state.

State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, who gave the assurance while receiving award from the association alongside other five senior offices in his command, said police would continue to partner relevant agencies to sustain peace and progress of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, who was represented

by DPO Umuahia, Onyeke

Udeviotu, lauded the association for the initiative, as he promised efficient police partnership relation, otherwise known as community policing.

He said he was not surprised by the association’s resolve to honour the Nigerian Police, describing Ndigbo as people known for hardwork globally.

Oyebade urged members of the Association not to relent their efforts as the command would accord them the desired support to actualise their dreams.

Earlier, the Association's Social Taskforce chairman, Southeast, Akpuluonu Godson Edobor, said they were at the command to extend a right hand of

fellowship to partner the police in the area of combating the menace of child trafficking in the state.

Edobor further informed

the police of their intention to use the opportunity and urged the press to assist ASOHON in that direction.

facility.

He said that the participants might not afford the collateral that banks would require to offer them the facility, "if ITF fails to stand behind us.''

"ITF should help us by writing letters of attestation to confirm that we underwent its training and can recommend us for the loan.

"The letter should serve as a guarantee to enable us access the facility," Okoronkwo said.

He said that the loan would help them purchase the equipment and necessary materials, buy birds and construct pens for the birds and also meet other financial commitments for the take-off.

We are committed to projects with capacity to create wealth—Enugu Gov Jude Ossai -Enugu GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Uguwanyi of Enugu State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to implement projects that can inspire entrepreneurial skills in the people.

Ugwuanyi spoke at a civic reception organised by the seven communities of Eha Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in honour of the former Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of

Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Professor Hilary Edeoga.

He praised Professor Edeoga who, he said, used his position selflessly to "put smiles on the faces of many" and thanked the people of the council area for their support to his administration since its inauguration, adding that rehabilitation of the Ebonyi River bridge would commence soon.

The former vice chancellor described the

the 35-year old son of the late widow get married as soon as possible more than N500,000 was realised immediately at the ceremony.

reception as a gratifying experience, noting that Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration had similarly honoured him shortly after his retirement.

Describing the governor's works on infrastructural development despite the current economic challenges facing the country as impressive, Profesor Edeoga canvassed support for the administration and prayed for its continued success.

them immediately”.

“I pleaded with them to allow me to dress up since I was only putting on boxer and they agreed.

“I quickly dressed up and put money in my pocket and followed them to a waiting vehicle in front of my house and on entering the vehicle, I saw the son of my cousin in it” “It dawned on me from the entire indication that he was picked because they could not get his father who they believed was supporting me in my bid to be the next monarch”, he said.

“As we drove out, I knew it was all over for me because their mission was to eliminate me so that I would not be the Igwe since I am the rightful person to take the throne which has been divinely entrusted upon me.

“To be sincere, I didn’t know our destination until we stopped at a point for us to ease ourselves near an eatery being run by a woman”, he added further.

According to him, “I later realised that it was the expressway to Umuahia, the Abia State capital and I quickly told the woman to offer drinks and food to the whole people with me to soften their hearts because they were kidnappers and that they kidnapped my cousin’s son and me, and she did all I told her”.

He said that when the abductors saw the drinks and food he presented, they had mercy on him and told him that they were paid to kill him by a relation of his who was interested in becoming the monarch.

However, they continued their trip until they got to the abandoned and uncompleted building where the then Bakassi Boys Security outfit kept criminal suspects in Umuahia Metropolis close to the tower and abandoned the two of them there for six days with their hands tied to the back.

He said: “They never came back for us as we were left to die instead of simply killing us with their guns and machetes. It was what I bought for them that made them hear my own side of the story that it was an attempt to stop me from contesting the Igweship throne.”

17

Thursday, 17 November, 2016 With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

Palm-wine drinkard, follies and foibles of man in operatic enactment

By Hameed Olutoba Lawal

C

OMMUNICATION and aesthetic values of operatic mode of dramatisation was enacted when Kola Ogunmola’s Palm-wine Drinkard (Omuti) was staged as the convocation play of the 32nd convocation ceremony of the University of Ilorin on October 18, 2016.

The storyline of the play revolved around Lanke (Omuti), a drunkard, who decided to host his friends to palm-wine drinking spree. Midway into the party, they exhausted the palm-wine and his friends threaten to leave. Lanke called his palm-wine tapper friend, Alaba, to fetch fresh palm-wine for him. While Alaba was tapping palmwine, he fell from the palm tree and died.

Traumatised by this sudden exist of the palm-wine tapper, and the desire to sustain his obsession for palm-wine, Lanke, in a dream, strived to trace the tapper to the land of the dead.

The dangerous adventure took him to the abode of the spirit, the forest, the house of the cruel king and the town of the dead.

He married Bisi, his desperate lover in the dream world. Lanke (Olagunju Joshua)’s encounter in the strange towns with the strange creatures brought out the creativity of the director, cast and crew.

Directed by Rasheed Adeoye, realisation of Lanke’s adventure on stage was through operatic enactment that emphasized the use of folksongs, dances and mime to humanise fictional characters. This was backed up with the harmonisation of directorial concept of interpretation with that of the set designer, costumier cum makeup artist, the choreographer and music composer. The outcome of this unified vision was the captivating dramatisation of Lanke’s adventure into the world of the unknown in pantomime, songs and dances embelished with colourful setting, costuming and lighting for visual delight. This reincarnation of folkloric tradition of Yoruba opera which dates back to 1946 when Hubert Ogunde formed his theatre company affirmed the similarity of dance theatre or drama and opera in use songs and dances to replace dialogue in narration.

The high-point of the performance were

the acting, costuming, setting and lighting in the abode of the night spirit, the forest, house of the cruel king and the town of the dead. Realistic characterisation of the strange creatures in these scenes were enhanced with costume that made them

•A scene in the play dreadful and setting that made the environment natural. In the same vein, tension, mood and emotion were captured in expressive use of light in colours and specific illumination.

The replacement of dialogue which could

Cheetah-Man: Poems of courage and strength A review of Olumide Sowunmi’s poetry collection, Cheetah-Man: A celebration of the strong spirit of determination, boldness and success.

IN the final poetry collection celebrating outgoing United States president, Barack Obama, Olumide Sowumi highlights the strengths of the first black president in America. Most of the poems were penned when Obama was first elected, and they table before the US leader expectations from his continent of birth, Africa.

In Return of Aje, Sowunmi calls on Obama to: Shed light on our questions Brighten our shady future and Undo the shadows and confusing Illuminations of our age globally The King of glory Will boast your effort.

Obama, restore our shattered dreams.

In Gong of Knowledge, the poet highlights the fact that a black man has just been elected as the president of the United States, thereby, like the traditional town crier, he is out spreading the news of that historic moment: Gently sounds the gong Of the wise, people with gumption Dance to it, and the knowledgeable Enjoy the understanding of it…

Like a dutiful global crier Sound them the wise gonging As it is a shame to those who Swore never to give or See freedom given in your lifetime.

While President Obama’s predecessor in office, George Bush Jnr embarked on two wars during his reign, Obama’s decision to end the wars, while championing a world where peace reigns, is the focus of the poet’s Obama’s Tour de Force.

Here, Sowunmi commends the presi-

dent’s courageous stance to deviate from the path of his predecessor.

Also in I Will Sing Your Song, the poet so much believes in Obama that he says: Obama, if I believed in reincarnation, I would have taken you for Abraham Lincoln, One of America’s greatest icons Just like in the other two collections, this final part also celebrates the outgoing US president, and they are poems that follow freely from the poet’s mind, who is overjoyed by the fact that America has produced its first black president.

sometimes bore the audience or drag the action with thematic songs arrested the attention of the audience for proper understanding of the thematic pre-occupation.

At the surface level, Palm-wine Drinkard dramatised the follies and forbles of man in his desperation for trivialities instead of virtues that can transform his life. At the metaphorical level, it can be interpreted to imply man’s desperate search for affluence and influence as signified in the palmwine, even when he or she is not hardworkng. In the dramatic universe, Lanke, the palm-wine drinkard, spent his valuable time drinking palm-wine and yet dreamt of a blissful life.

Adapted from the novel of Amos Tutuola, The Palmwine Drinkard (Omuti), was first staged in 1963 at the Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan with Kola Ogunmola as Lanke. It is pertinent to note that, it was the play that shot Kola Ogunmola into limelight as an actor. When compared with the convocation play of 2015, Bode Sowande’s Tornadoes of full of dreams by the same director, the directorial concept are basically the same in terms of effective use songs, dances and spectacles in movement, costume, set and colours. The conclusion we can draw is the passion of the Professor of Directing for African theatre aesthetics of fusion of acting, dance and songs to prevent dull moment. This style of production in which the director’s vision, or concept dominates that of the playwright is called ‘concept production’ and such directors are categorised as ‘creative directors.’ Their characteristic trait is that of adding concepts, designs, or interpretations atop the playwright’s words that were never intended by the playwright. They can, therefore, mould any wordy script into a lively one.

Other plays that have been moulded into captivating enactment through Adeoye’s ‘concept production’ style are: Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Tewfik AlHakim’s Fate of a Cockroach, Wale Ogunyemi’s Queen Amina of ZauZau, Duro Ladipo’s Eda, The Smart Game and The Killers.

—Hameed Olutoba Lawal is of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo.

arts&review

18

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

35th ANA Convention: Partial weaning of Hill-Top Arts teen authors

By BM Dzukogi

T

O secure the future, somebody or some people must sacrifice their today. When Awwalu Sakiwa posted his picture, sandwiched

POEM

Undying flower

I have never seen a woman who flap due process fan When the fog form she never deform Bold as a lion gentle as a dove from zion Dressed in royal beeds and fervently engaging the weeds Bunch of amazon dominating every zone Up are so many thumbs because she is not scared of tombs High-pitched soprano judge yet no element of grudge The sun knows am ain’t joking and the moon knows am ain’t poking Far from disvirgined justice and gallantly drinking democracy juice Never hesitate to remove the wheat from the chaff then she must be a righteous staff I will pay a piper for a melodious tune Groove there and wear the golden vest where guarantee is given for eternal rest.

Ozovehe Aroke pasquare24@gmail.com

by Hauwa Shafi’i Nuhu and Deborah Oluniran at the 34th International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), which was held in Kaduna in 2015, he tagged it “Me and the future.” One thing was sure about that: Sakiwa didn’t take the shot be- •A cross-section of the teenage authors cause of the at our hands whose radiant destination is ‘future.’ He did it because he is a custo- to smoothly dip gloriously at the western dian of the future; the future of creative sky of Nigerian literature. writing in Nigeria as the Director of the The participation of the Hill-Top Arts Hill-Top Arts Centre, Minna, Niger State. Centre at the 35th ANA Convention was We all loved the caption. We love it be- the bumpiest of all the ANA conventions cause it summarises the philosophy of our we have ever attended. We, from ANA toils at the arts centre with the numerous Niger, along with ANA Lagos of the old teen authors we produce, annually. The established a reputation for going to contwo goddesses he posed with represent a ventions with anthologies and new titles brilliant future for writing in Nigeria. by members; a tradition that many chapSakiwa has been around with me at the ters like Benue, Ondo, Kaduna, Imo, Kano art centre since 2004 when it opened as an etc have come to copy. Lagos appears to institution where he became the custodi- have fallen apart. It is on record that ANA an of the facility and operations. I handed Niger has pioneered not less than five naover the centre to him when I was leaving tional anthologies for both teen and esHill-Top Model School for IBB Universi- tablished authors in the past. The last of ty, Lapai, in August 2006. Hill-Top Arts which was Beyond Limits (anthology of Centre was an experiment of the possibil- Nigerian teen authors) administered by ity of producing excellent writers through the national body in 2013. mentoring. We wanted to promote teen This year (2016), Niger did not attend authorship as an idea and a strategy for with any anthology (anthology is a deal achieving quality writing. Therefore, from done), rather, through the activities of the 1997 when our first book of teen authors Hill-Top Arts Centre, we brought out glarcame out to the 35th ANA Convention, ingly, the flourishing genre of teen author2016 when Halima Aliyu (one of the cen- ship we started in 2004. Six new teen and tre’s pioneers) took ten teen authors, six young authors flashed their titles to the of whom were published, to the ANA con- admiration of adults at the convention. It vention, the distant future we sought 12 was a momentous success for the propriyears ago, appears to be a brilliant sunrise etors and sponsors of the scheme at the

Abuja Writers Forum: A potpourri of thrilling words

By Mayo Adeyemi WORDS, spoken, sung and written, are a veritable garden of creativity that the organisers of the monthly Guest Writer Session have tended, nurtured and celebrated in all their fecund, and variated glory for the past eight years.

The October 29 evening’s stroll through that garden led us to the sharp sweet aroma of an author’s first flowering, through the earthy sounds of deep thinking, soul rocking modern folk music and on to the thorny cacti of desert-born poetry.

With her reading from “The Crippled Eagle,” her debut, Doris Malgwi gave warning of her determination to master the garish, often blood red petals of her chosen metier, the crime thriller also known as pulp fiction. A genre that makes little or no claim to elitist status, the crime thriller is typically fast-paced, high adrenaline ‘action’ homily on crime and corruption in high and low places and Mrs. Malgwi and her heroine , a Baju girl with guts named Kaingchat, delivered on all fronts.

It is not this writer’s place to give “The Crippled Eagle” a blurb but publishers Omojojolo Emotion Press packaged her opus quite elegantly and Mrs. Malgwi gave her yarn of derring-do and danger a sheen

that marks her as a name to watch out for.

It would be remiss of one not to point out that the novel shares a somewhat less savoury trait of the pulp fiction genre, less than perfect proofing and editing. It is not so bad as to mar the thrilling experience but a poodle popping up on the very first page where a puddle was meant to be is a distraction. The kind that will not show up we hope in here eagerly awaited sequel to her exciting debut.

No garden worth its name would be without song and on this stroll it was singer, composer, songwriter and baker, Ashida that wove the magic of impassioned folk song and social commentary into the ambience. Baritoned and deep thinking Ashida Dele brings to mind the hopeful subversives of the hippy era in a way that is young and fresh and now.

Much like the pioneer folk song Noble Laureate, this gift to the music industry from Ondo state layers his unique development-focus into the hybrid of highlife and what is best termed Middle belt soft rock. Indeed the strains of the high plateau on which he spent much of his youth were plain to be heard from his guitar play, and in the cadence of his vocals.

A true minstrel of his times, Ashida asks the deeper questions of us. In his rendi-

tion of his latest single “ Africans “ he asks us to reconsider the murky direction we seem to be charging towards and the frenzied pace we are scurrying nowhere with.

Then came the desert blooms. The impassioned poetry of Musa Idris Okpanachi transited the audience from the pondering of the errors of our ways as a society to staring bleakly at the agonizing consequences of not learning from our myriad mistakes.

His offering from the strikingly named collection of his poems “Music of the Dead” was a vivid blossom of the pain and triumph of parenting and persevering in the Boko Haram ravaged north-east.

The love song “Shareef” was emblazoned with the rich vocabulary of a doctorate in English language and spoke in intensely personal tones of a universal that is the bedrock of humanity. The love of parent for son, and the hope of one generation for the continuation of the lineage.

The intensity of his imagery misled a few in the audience to hear erotica in passion, to input the sensual into the paternal. Given the context of the poem that Dr. Opkanachi shared during the question and answer session the coquetry that they imputed to the poem most have hurt and inspired in the same breathe.

Abuja convention.

Journalists, state chapters, writers, patrons of the art, all acknowledged the progress of the vision to make future writers startout concretely from primary and secondary school age.

The Hill-Top Arts Centre proudly presented her 2016 published authors in Mustapha Gimba, author of Memoirs of a broken heart; Anas Dubanni, author of Whispers in the shadow; Peter Kwange, author of Deflowered; Priscilla Adesina, author of The After Party; Fidelis Obaseki, author of Chronicles; Victor Ugwu, author of Rhythms as well as Khadija Jagaba, Amina Umar, Gloria Zhiri and Miracle Attah whose books are in the works. The motherly and fatherly roles of Halima Aliyu and Saddiq Dzukogi are well in tandem with the philosophy of regeneration associated with ANA Niger.

For Saddiq, his annual perpetual sit on shortlist(three in five years) gives us the confidence that the future is ours at the art centre. Saddiq keep talking about Peter and Victor while Halima talks about Priscilla, Khadija, Amina and Miracle. I talk about Halima Sayyadi as much as Isyaku Bala (Nupe writer) talks about Gloria Zhiri. Let all of these represent one bundle of success for Nigerian literature, tomorrow.

Primary to our successful outing at the 35th ANA convention from 27th – 30th October, 2016 are the sponsors of our publications for the year. On hand was Aunty Teresa Oyibo Ameh who sponsored Fidelis Obaseki’s book. They met for the first time.

Teresa, a writer of children’s stories is from Kogi State, while Fidelis is from Delta State.

Voluntarily she asked me how much it cost to sponsor a book. I told her N200, 000, and she paid. Prof. Faruk is the Provost of the Niger State College of Education who was the first to come to our help in January 2016 with the publication of Mustapha Gimba’s book. Prof. Faruk is a patron of the art centre and my teacher at ABU Zaria.

Prof. Faruk is from Suleja, while Mustapha is from Bida, all in Niger State. Next was my boss, Prof. Nasiru Maiturare; Vice Chancellor, IBB University, Lapai who sponsored Peter Kwange’s book. The simple, amiable gentleman Professor readily approved our request for Peter without qualms. Peter is from Rijauwhile Maiturare is from Paiko.

Dr. Abubakar Dzukogi, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Bida published Victor Ugwu from Anambra State. Diego Okenyodo, a writer from Benue state is sponsoring Amina Umar from Niger state. Diego was at the launch of Saddiq’s first book at the arts centre in 2004. He was the first man to publish Saddiq in Young Trusters of the then Weekly Trust in 2000.

Two gentlemen (Gbagyi people) who have paid for two teen authors are Hon. Mikail Al’Amin Bmitosai (current Chief of Staff to the governor of Niger State) and Engr. Yahaya D. Daudu. The Chief of Staff paid for Anas Dubanni and Priscilla Adesina while Engr. Yahaya paid for Khadija Jagaba and Miracle Attah.

19

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

education

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

Osinbajo decries obsolete teaching methods in schools Clement Idoko - Abuja

V

ICE President Yemi Osinbajo has frowned at the use of obsolete teaching methods in schools, and urged teachers

“We expect that this conference will come up with approaches not only on how teaching and learning can be supported in emergencies, but also on disaster and risk reduction and rebuilding social cohesion and resilience,” he said.

On his part, the Minister of State for Edu-

cation, Professor Anthony Anwukah, said the present administration is poised to improve the quality of education, and in particular, that of teachers.

“This underscores the fact that teachers are key to the achievement of the educa-

tion 2030 agenda, whose central theme is ‘ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Life Long Opportunities for all’. We must therefore give premium to the status of teachers in our country.”

in the country to embrace new teaching technology.

He urged teachers to show more commitment to the teaching profession, which he said was highly revered in the past, saying there is no way quality education could be achieved without having qualified and upto-date teachers in the system.

Speaking at the Annual Education Conference 2016, in Abuja, the vice president said that education standards could improve in the country when new technologies are introduced.

Professor Osinbajo lamented that many children in the country do not know how to read and write due to poor teaching methods.

He also stressed the need for government to provide an inclusive and equitable education for all Nigerian children, irrespective of their family background.

The Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said one of the objectives of the forum was to evolve strategies to increase access, equity and quality as well as non-formal programmes to ease the trauma of children who have experienced conflict and have been forcibly displaced.

He noted that it would also provide an opportunity for communicating research evidence that would guide basic education policy and practice of the federal and state governments.

He explained that the conference would also provide a platform for stakeholders to in the education sector to exchange ideas on how education actors can best transform educational practices to provide quality basic education for all.

Representative of the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mrs. Tola Falaye; Sole Adminstrator, Lagos Island Local Government Area, Alhaji Nosiru Musa; pupils of Ansul-Ul-Deen Primary School, Lagos Island and their teacher, during the official presentation of school materials tagged ‘My Complete Student Initiative’ 2016/ 2017 session, held on Monday in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Over 2,000 Ekiti schools begin 'Spelling Bee' competition Sam Nwaoko- Ado-Ekiti THE 3rd edition of the annual Ekiti State Spelling Bee competition among students of public and private secondary and pri-

AAUA Radio debuts January ADEKUNLE Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, will inaugurate its community radio and begin transmission in January 2017.

The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, gave the hint in his office last week while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the project contractor, Sound Broadcast Communications Limited.

“The project has gone through the normal processes, including the approval of the State

Tenders Board. The university’s convocation, which is expected to hold in January 2017, will have among its programmes the inauguration of the university radio,” he said.

Professor Ajibefun, who expressed confidence in the capability of the contractors to deliver quality work, urged the company to do its best to ensure that the project is completed at record time.

He said, “We know your worth as a company that has handled similar work and delivered good results and I believe you will de-

liver on your promises.

I want to thank you for doing business with our university, and urge you to deliver the project as agreed.”

The project director, Mr. Friday Aizeboje, promised to deliver quality work, noting that his company had done a similar project for other institutions, including the University of Ibadan; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Lagos State University, Ojo; and the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State.

mary schools has commenced, with no fewer than 2,000 schools in the state taking part.

The deputy governor of the state, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, who declared the competition open at a ceremony held at Christ Girls’ School in Ado-Ekiti, said the competition was designed to boost students’ performance in the English grammar, sentence construction and vocabulary.

Dr Olusola pointed out that the competition would promote “healthy rivalry between public and private schools in the state,” and called on principals and head teachers of primary schools to organise similar competitions in their respective schools to prepare their pupils for greater challenges.

Olusola said the Ayo Fayose-led government would leave no stone unturned to propel education to enviable heights at both primary and secondary levels in the state.

Pointing out that education at those levels forms the bedrock for the future of any youth, Olusola declared that the government was ready to exploit every opportunity that could make it retain the first position the state recorded in the 2016 National Examinations Council (NECO) and also maintain the same feat

in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in 2017.

“The state government will give cash award as well as donate laptop computers to schools, teachers and students of schools that come first, second and third in the competition,” the deputy governor said.

In her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Princess Adekunbi Obaisi, advised participants in the competition to be diligent and dedicated so as to bring honour to their respective schools at the end of the contest.

Mrs. Obaisi said that the government of Mr. Ayodele Fayose was poised to promote all programmes and policies that would improve the standard of education in Ekiti State.

She however called on parents to join hands with government in its efforts to move the state forward.

The preliminary stages of the third edition of the competition for the Senior Secondary and Junior Secondary School categories had taken place at the seven designated centres, while the other stages of the competition would hold at the seven designated centres.

20

education

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Oyo govt ready to partner stakeholders to develop education ‑Dep gov

By Laolu Harolds

O

yo State Deputy G overnor, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo has reiterated the commitment of the present administration to partner with interested individuals and philanthropist organisations with a view of providing qualitative and affordable education to its citizenry.

Otunba Adeyemo disclosed this while speaking shortly after facility tour of the newly established Saf Polytechnic, located at Isheyin Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, “the establishment of the polytechnic will go a long way in meeting the yearning and aspiration of teeming youths of the state desirous of acquiring technological education at a time when emphasis is now being laid on vocational skill acquisition by government at all levels” He commended the proprietor of the school for sharing the vision of the current administration and for complementing its efforts in meeting the educational needs of the state particularly the inhabitants of Oke-Ogun.

While disclosing that the present economic situation in the country had limited the government from adequately financing the education sector, he called on other well-to-do citizens

and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to emulate the founder of the polytechnic, who invested his resources in meeting the quest for secondary and tertiary education by the youth in the state.

Speaking at the occasion, the chairman, Oyo state House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Hon Adeleke Abdulafeez representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju

state constituency said he was impressed by the state of the art facilities in the school, expressing the hope that the location of the school in Iseyin would fulfill the quest for technological education by the Oke-Ogun indigenes and beyond.

He promised that the state government would facilitate the acquisition of operational licence for the smooth take off of the

Three students of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Iheaturu Jane (500 Level), Osike Edward (500 Level) and Babajide Love (500 Level ) have won the 6th edition of the International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition held at Lagos State University (LASU).

The five-day competition, which was organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had the contenders go through preliminaries, debates and mock trials that were presided over by the panel of judges.

At the end of the day, BIU emerged victorious amidst stiff competition

of Oke-Ogun in particular and Oyo State in general.

Having started this our people equally requested for establishment of a technological institution to meet the thirst for affordable and qualitative tertiary education in the area,” he said.

He said all the requirements demanded by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the smooth take off of the

school had been met. We are now waiting for the final inspection, he said.

Those who accompanied the deputy governor during the facility tour included, the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Professor Olowofela, members of the education committee, Oy State House of Assembly, Honorable Abdulganiyu Oseni, Honourable Ademola Ige, Honourable Silas Okunlola, Honourable Lukman Balogun.

Group donates N.5m worth of books to Ondo State library board Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

From left: Vice chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun; executive director of Sound Broadcast Communications Limited, Mr Olusola Akinrinlola; registrar, Mr Sunday Ayeerun; and the project director of the company, Mr Friday Aizeboje, at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on AAUA Radio, in Akungba, last week Tuesday.

‘Why parents are critical stakeholders in education sector’ Adelowo Oladipo - Minna AN Educationist and Proprietor of Highpoint International Nursery,

Primary and Secondary School, Minna, Niger State, Honourable Usman Gimba has described parents as very critical

BIU wins moot court competition banji Aluko - Benin city

school.

Earlier in his speech, the founder of the school, Alhaji Folorunso Isiaq explained that he set up the polytechnic in response to the request of of Oke-Ogun people, who were craving for sound and affordable technological education.

“About five years ago we conceived the idea of establishing a secondary school of international repute to serve the people

from nine universities, which included, Lagos State University (LASU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Bayero University Kano (BUK), University of Benin (UNIBEN), University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), University of Uyo (UNIUYO), River State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), and University of Jos (UNIJOS).

Narrating how they conquered other universities, one of the contestants, Ihe aturu Jane said: “We faced a lot of challenges, we missed our way, got stuck in traffic, and had to take a bike in order to meet up with the registration deadline.”

She further said that

their success was a combination of grace and hardwork, pointing out though other schools were good, Benson Idahosa University was better.

On his part, Babajide Love said, “Prior to the commencement of the competition, we invested a lot of effort, time, dedication and prayers into the competition. Before our first appearance in court, we felt fear at the sight of students from other federal and state universities rehearsing to the extent that one of our counsels proposed that we also adopt similar modus operandi.

“We didn’t give in to intimidation because we had the affirmation within us that we were going to win the competition.”

stakeholders in the education sector in the country, particularly, in the day to-day running of private schools.

He said whenever this critical stakeholders fulfilled their obligations in terms of prompt payment of their wards’ school fees in their respective schools , that proprietors of such schools make some reasonable revenues to run the schools efficiently.

Honourable Gimba, stated further that many school proprietors in the country are at the mercies of parents, who sometimes withdraw their children from private schools because they could no longer afford to pay the school fees.

“At Highpoint International Schools , Minna, this has always been the trend. There have been situations whereby parents criminally withdraw their children or wards from your school after having enjoyed certain privileges of being al-

lowed to put the children in school based on undertaken to pay when condition improves for them,” he said.

“Since I started running a private school, which is about 10years ago, whether there is a recession or not, things have not been easy at all; school proprietors suffer in terms of the running costs and provisions of adequate infrastructures for the schools; ‘you are on your own .”

“And in view of this, it makes it critical for school proprietors to borrow money from the bank. And when you succeed in borrowing money, you end up paying with high interest rates,” he stressed.

Honnourable Gimba then appealed to the government to come to the aid of private schools owners by way of giving them grants, stressing that “it will go a long way to keep the labour market active in terms of making more employment opportunities available.”

As part of effort to develop education and encourage reading habit, a United States of America based association, Oyemekun Association of Southern California, USA, has donated books worth over N500, 000 to Ondo State Library Board.

Speaking during the presentation of the books to the management of the State Library Board, the President of the Association, Pastor Akin Akinwumi, said the gesture was borne out of the need to provide and encourage learning opportunities for the junior and senior secondary school students in the metropolis and neighbourhood.

He said: "We thought of what was going on in the state regarding the economic situation and we were thinking that the students might not have the necessary textbooks or not be able to afford them."

According to him, the association will further donate books to tertiary institutions in the state. saying that there was a shipment of more books meant for researches in colleges and tertiary institutions in the state.

The president disclosed that it had become an annual practice for members of the association in America to give to materials and gift to motherless babies home in Akure annually; saying that the association recently, donated computers, books and other gifts to schools in the metropolis.

21

education

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

My relationship with labour unions has been robust —AAUA VC

Professor Igbekele Ajibefun is the vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. In this interview with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI, he speaks on his efforts to turn around the institution in the last two years, as well as the seeming industrial friction between the management and members of the academic staff union. Excerpts

I

T’S been close to two years since you assumed the mantle of leadership. How has it been?

The last two years have been challenging but also rewarding. We’ve been able to make progress on what I met on the ground. On assumption of duty, I promised to build on that, and I want to say that God has helped me.

In specific terms, what are those achievements?

This university has been rated twice as the best state university in Nigeria. The first one was by the National Universities Commission; the United States Transparency International also rated the school as the best state university in 2014. In terms of academic development, this university is making connections and trying to build partnership with foreign universities. In 2015, I was able to sign memorandum of understanding (MOU) with four different universities in the United States and Canada, specifically with Troy University, Alabama State University, and Alborne State University (all in USA), and University of Winston, Canada. These MOUs come with a lot of benefits not only to the university but also to the students and lecturers.

How would you compare your products with others from other universities? How have they been faring both within and outside the country?

Our products have been doing greatly. In 2014, two of our products that made First Class in the Faculty of Law went to the Nigerian Law School, and they also came out with First Class. Not only that, they also took almost all the prizes that were won for that year. And I am glad to inform you that in 2016, the recent result that was released, our product also came out with First Class in the Nigeria Law School. Our Faculty of Law is ranked as one of the best (if not the best) in Nigeria presently. In other areas, we also have our products doing well. One of them, a student in the Faculty of Arts, won scholarship that will cover all his doctoral studies in the USA. The report came just last week.

Apart from academic programmes, in terms of infrastructure development, we have been able to make great progress.

Since I came here, I’ve been able to complete some projects. Such projects include the fully equipped Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, which was handed over towards the end of last year; and a 500-seater capacity lecture theatre, situated at the back of Senate Building. The Students Relaxation Centre was completed and handed over

Professor Ajibefun

about a month ago. We have the Faculty of Education project which has also been completed. In addition to these, we have also started the Faculty of Education Administrative Building with attached Lecture Theatre; the project is also ongoing. They are too many to mention.

Are you saying you don’t have any funding challenges, considering the number of projects you have executed?

We will continue to have funding problem because the money we receive cannot be enough to meet the needs of the university; but despite that, we are still making progress. Most of the projects that were delivered this year were TETFund and NEEDS Assessment projects through the federal government agencies.

How would you describe your relationship with the various labour unions since you assumed office as vice chancellor?

It’s been very robust. The objective of unionism is to improve the welfare of members, and the welfare of members of different unions have been improved greatly since I got here. The recent strike that came up from ASUU was not because of bad relationship, but members were agitating for their sala-

ries and they were at home for three months.

Although at the inception, I told them the reality that irregular payment of salaries is not limited to Ondo State alone; it’s all over the country. In fact, the federal universities also have that challenge. I told them from inception that going on strike would not solve the problem; it may even compound it. After three months of that strike, they discovered that the university had lost a lot and that the strike had not brought money from anywhere and they decided to call off the strike early October.

But recently, some of the leaders of the unions were suspended by you.

What led to this?

The suspension of some lecturers was not related to union activity at all; it was as a result of misconduct. When they went on strike, I did not make any effort to break the strike, because I saw it as something they started as a result of non-payment of salary; and up till now I have no problem with them as regards the strike. But after calling off the strike, we fixed Senate meeting (the highest academic body in the institution), and some individuals started sending text messages and WhatsApp messages to Senate members not to go to Senate meeting – which I see as confrontation against the authorities of the university. These individuals started

sending counter-instructions for people not to attend the Senate meeting. But people turned out for the Senate meeting, where two issues were discussed. One was the resumption of students who had been at home for three months; and second, was the students’ results.

What we also considered at the Senate meeting was that all lecturers must submit students’ results. The rule of the Senate is that three weeks after examinations, results must be submitted; but some would not do that. So, the Senate took the decision that all results must be submitted within one week.

These individuals, after having heard the decision of the Senate, put it on their WhatsApp group that no faculty or department should meet. If they do not meet, they cannot prepare for resumption of students and cannot upload the results of the students.

They did not stop at that; the following Monday, when the different faculties were preparing for allocation of courses and uploading of students’ results, these individuals put themselves inside ASUU bus in the name of union and went to Department of Earth Sciences. They called out the head of department, assaulted him and asked him why he called the meetings. He answered them that he was paid to do his job, and that it would be morally wrong not to do the job he was paid to do. These people disrupted the whole meeting. They also sent a text message to the Dean of Agricultural Science not to call any meeting of his faculty too!

When I heard of this, I quickly called extended management meeting and the cases of disruption of meetings were reported at their meetings (faculties, departments). As the vice chancellor, it is my responsibility to ensure that law and order is maintained. I looked at the law of the university and quickly took the necessary steps. Queries were issued; they refused to respond to the query, and they were then issued suspension.

There was this allegation of lopsidedness in the appointment of HODs and deans. You were also accused of bringing academics that are above 70 years into the university system.

If the VC is appointing HODs and deans, does any individual have the right to go and beat other people because the VC is not doing the right thing? Again, the people they assaulted, are they over 70 years of age? These are all lies. During the strike, the tenure of HODs and deans expired (on 31st July). By mid-July, we were begging the union leaders to find a way of resolving the whole thing so that the university could reopen. From day one, we continued to negotiate with them. It was these ASUU leaders that said they would not negotiate with people whose tenure had expired, and would not allow the meeting to continue. I made it clear to them that I invited them for that meeting and that anybody that the VC wants to attend the meeting, he can invite for such meeting.

C’River SUBEB promises prompt payment teachers’ salaries Anthony Ubong, Calabar THE Cross River State government says it has finalised arrangements to conduct a biometric exercise for primary school teachers across the state in order to ensure prompt payment of salaries.

Dr. Stephen Odey, the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told newsmen in Calabar, the state capital, that the biometric exercise would be carried out across the three senatorial districts of the state,

and that the exercise would also help eliminate the worrisome issue of ghost workers which had been bedeviling the state’s civil service.

The SUBEB chairman said, “The governor directed that payment of primary school teachers’ salaries should be handled by SUBEB. Before now, all we did was employ, discipline, but not pay salaries. There has been a lot of outcry about the non-payment of teachers’ salaries; and to get out of this quagmire, the governor directed that SUBEB take over such payment.

“Our focus is to ensure that we make the

system function effectively. The biometric exercise shall help to bring about best international standard for easy payment, and the biometric data capture will enable the board eliminate ghost workers, and give a clear data on the numerical strength of the teachers.”

Odey said in order to checkmate quacks in the teaching profession, the board had earlier conducted an intensive personnel audit of primary school teachers in the northern and southern senatorial districts of the state

and uncovered some teachers with fake certificates.

“The first exercise I conducted was personnel audit. I was shocked to discover that some teachers were very incompetent; they were unable to communicate effectively.

When we talk about the fallen standard of education, the quality of the teacher is the ultimate,” he said.

He also disclosed that the board was set to employ 1000 teachers to address the manpower needs in schools across the state.

Thursday, 17 November, 2016 22 education Kano initiates collaboration between North-West University, Spain KOLA OYELERE Kano

K

ANO State government says it has made moves to build collaborative relationship between the state-owned Northwest University and the Regional

Government of Cantabria, in Spain, towards boosting the educational status of the university.

A seven-member delegation comprising state government officials and representatives of the Northwest University, led by its prochancellor, Malam Sule Ya-

haya Hamma, who paid a working visit to Spain, held discussions on possible areas of collaboration between various enterprises of Cantabria Region and Kano State.

The team leader told officials of Cantabria Regional Government that as a young institution, the Northwest

University is embarking on expansion plan, and is particularly interested in tapping from the experience of the University of Cantabria in the areas of research, staff/students’ exchange as well as ICT deployment.

“We hope our visit would open a door that will trigger

a partnership with the University of Cantabria in the areas for capacity building for staff of Northwest University, deployment of ICT, library resource management and short-term Staff/ Students exchange programme,” he said.

The team initiated discussions with the University of Cantabria’s Faculty of Medicine towards the takeoff of the Public Health and Diagnostic Institute,

as well as the establishment of a Faculty of Clinical Sciences and a teaching hospital at the Northwest University.

Both teams also discussed potential partnership with the Hydraulic Institute at Santander, on technical assistance aimed at establishing a Faculty of Engineering with specialization in Water Resources Engineering at the university.

Osun Poly to graduate 14,000 students

From right, Dr. Nike Ajayi from the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Oto-Ijanikin, Lagos; Dr. P. Afaha, Liaison Officer HSN, Abuja office; President, Historical Society of Nigeria, Professor Chris Ogbogbo; Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Professor Olukoya Ogen; Professor Tijani, and Dr. (Mrs) V. Olugbemi from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, during the ‘Disarticulation of History from Social Studies Roundtable’ at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.

THE management of the Osun Polytechnic, Iree, says it will present about 14,000 graduands for the combined 5th Convocation coming up on Tuesday 29th November, 2016 According to a statement by the Media Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Tope Abiola, the graduands are students of the polytechnic who graduated between 2012 and 2015 sessions both at the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma levels, including full time and part-time programmes.

Abiola said the convocation programme would begin with

History necessary for national rebirth —Experts THE restoration of History as a course of study in schools in Nigeria has been described as an antidote to national rebirth and survival of Nigeria as a nation.

This was the submission of historians from different parts of the country, who gathered at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo recently at a colloquium organised by the History Department, in collaboration with the Historical Society of Nigeria on the disarticulation of History from Social Studies by the Federal Government.

Addressing the participants, the president of the Historical Society of Nigeria, Professor Chris Ogbogbo, commended the Federal Government for disarticulating History from Social Studies, describing it as a welcome development.

The Professor of History in the University of Ibadan said that “in line with the Federal government’s decision, the Society has developed a curriculum for the study of History from primary one to JSS three, and has also sponsored a bill to the Senate that would

make History compulsory in schools at all levels.

He lauded the members of the HSN for their perseverance, doggedness and unrelenting spirit during the struggle for the restoration of History to its pride of place in the school curriculum.

He lamented what he described as wrongful removal of History from the school curriculum, and its inclusion into Social Studies, saying the development had negatively affected the relevance of the subject in the eyes of pupils and students at both

the primary and secondary school levels.

While commending the provost of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Professor Olukoya Ogen, for his outstanding leadership qualities, passion and commitment to the progress and advancement of the HSN, he also expressed satisfaction on the level of physical infrastructure and manpower development in the institution.

He used the occasion to announce the conferment of the society’s award of excellence on Professor Ogen.

Incompetent leadership bane of Nigeria’s development —Don

•As Igbajo Poly set for maiden convocation OLUWOLE IGE - OSOGBO CHAIRMAN of the governing council of the Igbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo, in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State, Professor Olu Odeyemi, has attributed socio-economic challenges confronting Nigeria to incompetent leadership.

He lamented that most of leaders manning critical positions in the nation lack the necessary training and experience needed to deliver effective governance to the people.

Odeyemi made the com-

ments in Igbajo during a press conference to herald the first combined convocation ceremonies of the polytechnic.

The don, who won the 1990 award of Scientist of the Year, said no meaningful governance and development can be attained when leaders lack scientific and technological knowhow to ensure steady growth of the country.

He noted that the governance system inherited from the British was science-driven, and expressed regret that Nigeria mismanaged the system

by appointing incompetent people in positions that ought to be occupied by scientists.

“The people piloting affairs of over 180 million Nigerians, where were they trained? Even those scholars that are in government; what are their disciplines?

Someone that read Christian Religious Studies or Islamic Religious Knowledge and you are telling such a person you want to build a turbine. He will not be interested,” he said.

Odeyemi observed that despite the financial challenge facing the institution, Igbajo Polytechnic still offers the best of academic

training needed to produce middle class manpower that will drive the growth of the country, using science and technology.

While giving the breakdown of the graduands, the rector of the polytechnic, Dr Akinola Olaolu, hinted that the maiden convocation of the institution would involve students that graduated in the last 10 years.

According to him, 1,833 students will be graduating during the convocation; 105 of them with Distinction, and another 401 with Upper Credit.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Professor Ogen commended the HSN for its contributions to national development and resolve at ensuring that History is made compulsory in schools in Nigeria.

He expressed happiness over the decision of the association to choose ACE as the starting point in the South-West for the commencement of discussion on disarticulation of History from Social Studies.

He said the History Department in the College has high level of manpower with large number of PhD holders that could be rated better than their contemporaries in many universities in the country.

Also in their various comments, resource persons at the event, including Professor Ibikunle Tijani, vice president of HSN South -West; Dr V. Olugbemi from Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko; Dr Mrs Nike Ajayi from Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, OtoIjanikin, Lagos; and Dr P. Afaha, Liaison Officer HSN, Abuja office, stressed the need for government to continue to accord recognition to the development of History by making it a compulsory subject in both primary and secondary schools.

media tour of facilities executed by the institution’s management in the last five years, as well as a press conference to be addressed by the rector, Dr. Jacob Olusola Agboola, on Friday next week.

The convocation lecture, with the theme ‘Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education: A veritable Tool for Job Creation and Self Reliance’, is scheduled for Monday November 28 at the school’s auditorium, and will be delivered by a renounced entrepreneur, Mr Lucas Adeniji, under the chairmanship of Professor Olu Obafemi.

According to the statement, His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, and the Asiwaju of Iree land, Chief Ade Afolabi, will be conferred with the fellowship awards of the institution.

The visitor to the institution, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, is expected as the special guest of honour at the grand finale of the ceremony on Tuesday November 29.

School seeks Nasarawa govt, TETFund’s assistance Godwin Agwam, Lafia A private institution, Hill College of Education, Akwanga, Nasarawa State, has solicited for the intervention of the state government and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to boost its educational output.

The provost of the college, Musa Jwan, made the call when members of the state chapter of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists paid the management of the institution a courtesy visit.

Jwan said there is the need for the federal and state government to help the college since it is also training Nigerians and had been paying its tax.

The provost also disclosed that the institution had got interim accreditation for 23 courses that are currently being run under five schools.

23

Thursday, 17 November, 2016 Editor: Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

health

‘Millions of Nigerians do not know their diabetes status’

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to observe this year’s World Diabetes Day with the theme “Eyes on Diabetes,” health professionals in Nigeria and other countries of the world harp on the importance of screening to know one’s diabetic status and the significance of early detection of diabetes.

VERA ONANA reports.

H

OW can one be suffering from diabetes and not even know it? Sadly, statistics reveal that an estimated 5 million Nigerian adults suffer from diabetes with less than 50 per cent of these patients being aware of their condition. This, according to research, means half of the adults with diabetes do not even know they have it and late diagnosis can lead to serious complications.

According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), one person dies from diabetes every six seconds. WHO says “diabetes is becoming more common around the world and that is why prevention was the thrust of this year’s World Diabetes Day.” World Diabetes Day, WDD 2016 was tagged “Eyes on Diabetes” and marked around the globe on Monday, 14 November.

This year’s activities and materials focused on promoting the importance of screening to ensure early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and treatment to reduce the risk of serious complications.

Consultant Endocrinologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Dr Olufemi Fasanmade, explained that Diabetes mellitus continues to increase in prevalence worldwide and no country has been able to reduce the frequency. “There are between five to six million people affected among the over 180 million Nigerian population.”

The condition, Fasanmade stressed, is usually silent until complications set in. “In those lucky to have symptoms, these may include passing plenty urine, excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss and weakness. Others may notice poor vision and frequent boils on their body or poorly healing wounds. Pregnant women may experience miscarriages, still births or very large babies.”

Diabetes is one of the most common noncommunicable disorders today. It is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by high

levels of blood glucose. According to experts, a diabetic has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too elevated (hyperglycemia). This is because the body either does not produce enough insulin, produces no insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin the pancreas produces. This results in too much glucose building up in the blood. This excess blood glucose eventually passes out of the body in urine.

Symptoms associated with the disease as frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased appetite, weight loss among others.

Recently, at a media round-table organised

by Nigeria Health Online to kick off activities marking the 2016 World Health Day in Nigeria, the Minister of Health Professor Issac Adewole, recognised that diabetes is gradually becoming an epidemic worldwide and Nigeria remains one of the countries with a large number of people living with diabetes.

Adewole, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Professor Chris Bode, said “Diabetes is a silent killer, as a result of which many people in the country do not know they have the disease and continue to live without taking necessary precaution.

There is a great need for everyone in the country to join hands and prevent diabetes while those already diagnosed should adhere strictly to their doctor’s recommendations on control measures,” he urged.

As this year’s awareness campaign encourages people to get tested as soon as possible, health professionals in interaction with hundreds of diabetics in Lagos, urged other Nigerians to know their diabetes status. At the event held to mark 2016 WDD in Lagos, health professionals stressed that making

diabetes screening routine like high blood pressure would help in the early detection of large number of people living with the disease without knowing it.

The Medical Director, Rainbow Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Afoke Isiavwe said “diabetes is almost becoming an epidemic.” Isiavwe who is also the Coordinator, Diabetes Podiatry Initiative Nigeria, regretted that millions of Nigerians do not know their diabetes status.

Diabetes screening according to experts, means conducting tests to detect the disease even before symptoms appear. Screening helps in the early diagnosis of diabetes so that the appropriate treatment can be instated at an early date. It is medical fact that diabetes under control is usually associated with lesser complications than that which is not properly managed.

According to Fasanmade, “diabetes could bring about other health complications like blindness, kidney failure, leg amputation, strokes, heart attacks and erectile dysfunction.”

Therefore, “everyone should be encouraged to know their status by screening but most importantly, people at a higher risk for diabetes, like those with a family history should particularly undergo screening,” expert said.

The Acu-Chek Product Manager, Roche Products Limited Mrs Folashade OlufemiAjayi, appealed to government to make a policy that would mandate checking of blood glucose as routine just like blood pressure.

She said if this is made compulsory in hospitals, “we will be able to detect early people in their pre-diabetes stage or down with diabetes and this will reduce further progression into complications.”

Fasanmade added that the government

SEX, SEXUALITY&YOUR HEALTH

NATURAL HEALTH

Eggs can reduce stroke risk by 12% —Study Page 26

From delivery room to bedroom II

Page 26

has tried to limit the increased frequency of diabetes in Nigeria by encouraging exercise, discouraging excess food and drink intake and promoting regular screening programs.

All of which play important roles in the prevention of diabetes.

Exercise, experts say can help in weight loss, lowering blood sugar and boosting sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep the blood sugar within a normal range. Aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greater benefit comes from a fitness programme that includes both.

Also, nutritionists advise that people eat plenty of foods high in fibre such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Fibre in diet helps reduce the risk of diabetes by improving blood sugar control, lowering risk of heart disease and promoting weight loss. Whole grains may also reduce the risk of diabetes and help maintain blood sugar levels.

Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including bread, pasta products and many cereals.

Statistics from the WHO indicate that Nigeria has the highest number of people living with diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa. To this end, a consultant endocrinologist at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Dr. Biyi Adesina, in an interaction with reporters of one of the national newspapers, urged Nigerians to lead a diet revolution to avert an epidemic of diabetes that may hit the country in the near future.

“There is a greater epidemic coming our way in Nigeria when the children of today grow up tomorrow to be leaders: The diet they are consuming now is high in all sorts of sugar sweetened drinks, instead of fruits, and this will lead to increased incidences of diabetes.

“That is why the government should be in the forefront of a diet ‘ethical revolution’ for us to go back to the traditional African diet. There should be legislation on the quantity of sugar in the soft drinks, which is currently the equivalent of 15 cubes of sugar in a bottle. Pepsi Cola in USA recently did this. Children should be sent to school with water and oranges,” Adesina said.

24

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

Let’s join hands together to make Nigeria great again “I can’t understand what’s happening anymore!” lamented Dr. Johnson, an ophthalmologist who relocated to Nigeria from America a couple of months ago.

“Did you run away to escape the deportation order of Donald Trump when he becomes the President of USA?” I had teased.

Trump, during his campaign, had threatened to deport Nigerians from the USA if he became the President. “Why can’t they stay in their own country? They’re everywhere. “We can’t have that! If I become president, we’ll send them all home.” I could recall Dr. Johnson saying, “Do you think United States is Nigeria where anything goes? Trump can never become the President of USA.” Now that he has been elected, Dr. Johnson is very upset. Perhaps this is the cause of his pensive mood. He snarls at everyone, his driver, assistants and all.

Several people have taken a swipe at candidate Trump. I had taken him up, during the campaign, on his choice of words.

“Words are like atom bombs, handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs,” said Pearl Strachan. As distasteful and disgusting as we may feel about President-elect Trump, there are several truths in his words and he spoke the minds of 60 million Americans who voted for him. Let us ignore his style and concentrate on the merit of his words.

Why can’t we stay in our country? When

Ghanaians were relocating to Nigeria in the late 70’s and early 80’s, many Nigerians were unhappy and openly canvassed for their deportation. Ghanaians left hurriedly, in droves, because of the fear of molestation. Those who could not afford suitcases used raffia bags to pack their belongings. This is the origin of the Ghanamust-go bags. Immigration must be controlled in every country. Donald Trump is thus right. Imagine if USA were to open its doors to Nigerians, US Customs would find about 150 million Nigerians at its doors!

Trump went on to tell us the reason why Nigerians are running away from Nigeria to the US. Hear him, “Their Governments are so corrupt. They rob the people blind and bring it all here to spend and their people run away and come down here and take our jobs.” Isn’t that true? Let us forget about the messenger and pay more attention to the message. I have just come back from a visit to India and USA. It was the most depressing journey I ever made.

I met scores of Nigerians in the airports and on the plane, many in wheel chairs, travelling to other countries especially India in search of a cure for their ailments. In India, I ran into dozens of Nigerian doctors, some self-sponsored, others sponsored by NGOs and their state governments who had come to acquire surgical skills to improve their practice. What a sacrifice? But then, many had come before

them. What happened to them?

Like Dr. Johnson, “I can’t understand what is happening anymore.” Is it really true what I read in the papers that billions of naira and millions of US dollars are found in people’s homes? Is it true that things have gone so bad; that judgments had been for sale and that judges are being arraigned in court for trial for corruption?

I am a doubting Thomas and “except I see and feel” the evidence, I will not believe these hear says.

We can’t rely on newspapers and TV stations these days. This is what Trump said about journalists, “I hate some of these people, I hate ‘em.” Didn’t they prove him right? They said openly and authoritatively that he couldn’t make it. And he did!

Is it really true what I read in the papers that billions of naira and millions of US dollars are found in people’s homes?

Let us assume that these things are actually true. I have pleaded loudly and publicly for generous donations to transform Eleta Eye Institute, Ibadan to become the “Aravind” of Nigeria. Aravind Eye Hospital, India performs about 360,000 eye surgeries a year. It is only one of many eye hospitals in India. It does more! It trains ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals for its country and several other countries in the world. We have about 2million people in dire need of cataract and other sight preservation surgeries.

The total number of eye surgeries done in the whole of Nigeria is less than 100,000!

What happens to the patients?

A few years ago, when I made a request for one more doctor to be trained in some special surgical skills for us in Aravind Eye Hospital, I received this legitimate response, “Dr. Ajayi, we have trained about 60 people for your country. Why can’t they train others?” Trump has provided the answer!

President-elect Donald Trump has sounded the trumpet. His mission is to make America great again. Nigerians and all those who stand in his way will be sent back to their countries. He has challenged Nigerians abroad and at home; he has challenged the politicians and the government. Using DT’s slogan, let us join hands together to make Nigeria great again.

Then we shall earn respect in international circles.

Lassa fever: UI researcher develops rat baits from cassava waste

W

ITH an evidence of rat in the home, the first inclination may be to reach for the strongest rodent killer on sale. Wanting to ward them off has becomes a priority especially because worldwide, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases, including Lassa fever.

These diseases are spread to humans directly, through handling of rodents, through contact with rodent faeces, urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites. In fact, some of these diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through ticks, mites or fleas that have fed on an infected rodent.

But right choice of pesticide that is environmental friendly but also safe is always a concern because they can also be harmful to humans. Children particularly are especially susceptible to harm from pesticides, because their bodies and immune systems are still developing.

Now, researchers at the University of Ibadan have developed rodenticides from cassava waste. Bioplastics are made from the cassava waste and a toxic substance is embedded into it to make the rodent bait.

Most garri processing sites generate a lot of waste. Although some of the wastes generated are used in feeding animals, its starch residue is often thrown away. But these wastes are sources of starch that can be converted to biopolymers.

Dr Oladapo Okareh, a senior lecturer at

the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health presented the bioplastic rodent bait made from cassava waste at the Research Day 2016 of the College of Medicine, Ibadan, Ibadan.

The bioplastic rodent bait was produced using cassava waste, rodent attractant and an inorganic substance (Zinc phosphide).

It differs from others in the sense that it contains poisoned bait, which is packaged into the biodegradable film made from cassava residues.

The rodent bait was tested under laboratory conditions on 27 male Wistar rats using the bait having different concentrations of the poisonous inorganic substance.

After exposing the rats to various feeds, morphological changes and time of death of the animals were also assessed, the researchers found the bait very effective.

Although the project started with looking for alternative sources of bioplastic, Dr Okareh said he decided on developing bioplastic rodent baits when the bioplastic left in his office to dry were eating up by rats.

“We came back the next day and found that rats ate everything. So I decided that if rats can eat everything, if I put a poison there, then it can also kill the rat,” he said.

Okareh added that the attractants was added to make the bait more specifically to attract rats.

“The good thing about the product is that it is a rubber material and it is safer than the common rat killers in the market.

When holding it, you will not know that it is poisonous since it is a plastic material.

And rats eat it since cassava is something they like as food.

“Interestingly, in the course of our study, when we kept rat feed on one side of the

“The good thing about the product is that it is a rubber material and it is safer than the common rat killers in the market. When holding it, you will not know that it is poisonous since it is a plastic material. And rats eat it since cassava is something they like as food

room and our poisoned bait on the other side, the rats refused to eat their own food but fed on the poisoned bait. And within three hours, the rats were dead.”

He said work was ongoing to find an organic substance that can be used as poison in the bait as well as how to ensure its proper packaging.

Okareh, however, said the bioplastic rodent bait can be used for rodent control in different situations, adding “if it is for Lassa fever control, I will leave it as the size of rice granules but for more ferocious animals, it can be fed as pellets or the size of sweets or biscuits.”

The health and safety expert said he intended to patent the discovery, adding that scaling up this technology will provide economic opportunities and improved environment.

The Pest Control Association of Nigeria has said that to effectively combat the scourge of Lassa fever, which is caused by a virus borne by rodents, there should be active control of rodents.

President of the association, Mr. Ayo Ogunyadeka had also warned Nigerians against procuring rodenticides, which are brazenly displayed in roadsides and shops by quacks because these are toxic materials must be used with care.

According to him, all rodenticides can be toxic when eaten, while most are also toxic when inhaled and when they come into contact with the skin.

25

healthnews

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Health minister tasks state governments on revitalisation of PHCs

By Sade Oguntola

T

HE Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has advised state Commissioners for Health

in the South West to use the $1.5 million “Save One Million Lives” grant to revitalise primary healthcare (PHC) facilities to ensure an improved health status for the country.

Adewole gave the advice in Lagos at an awareness meeting on the operationalisation of the recently launched “Save One Million Lives Programme for Results” (SOML P for R) in

the zone.

At the meeting which had Commissioners for Health in Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo States in attendance, Adewole explained that

From left, Director General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos, Professor Babatunde Salako, Deputy Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Ademola Ajuwon and keynote speaker, Professor Oye Gureje at the event, recently in Lagos.

the Federal Government– led intervention effort was focused at improving maternal and child health through a result based partnership with States’ Ministries of health.

The Minister, noting the need for a paradigm shift in how progress is assessed in the health sector, stated “specifically, the SOML P for R is based on an approach to structure resources to pay for results rather than pay for processes.”

Adewole told the Commissioners for Health that the National Assembly, Nigerian Labour Congress and other bodies were interested in the proper use of the grant and that they could still have more later when properly used.

He added: “After one year, we will go back to access what has happened to its six pillars. If you recorded improvement over the last one year, then we give you extra based on progress.”

Adewole maintained that

Funding of health policies key to attainment of SDGs —DG, NIMR

By Sade Oguntola

DIRECTOR General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos, Professor Babatunde Salako has said that Nigeria needs to fund implementation of its many policies to ensure it meets the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) come 2025.

Professor Salako speaking at the 7th annual scientific conference stated that global progress in the last few decades in the field of information communication technology has shown that research and innovation is the only sure partway to sustainable development.

“Challenges will continue to exist and research will remain a tool in the process of overcoming challenges. Government has to be determined to fund implementation of policies that arose from results of research.

“It looks as if we are good with coming up with beautiful policies but we have not given it the financial attention that they require.

And where money is being spent, there is poor monitoring and evaluation to ensure that it achieve its goal.”

Professor Salako noting the institute’s core mandate was researching into diseases of public health importance and to establish structures for the dis-

semination of research findings, said the institute can boast of the largest HIV/AIDS clinical unit with 24,000 patients seen cumulatively till date Professor Oye Gureje, consultant psychiatrist, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, in a keynote address at the event, remarked that Nigeria’s health system was weakened by many challenges including chronic shortage of motivated and adequately trained staff, low budgets and high cost and irregular supply of drugs.

He, therefore, suggested system thinking approach to tackling these challenges, adding that the system must strive for equity, The expert, remarking that research is needed to drive health system strengthening and policy change, stated that this was also very weak in low-and middle-income countries because very few national researchers work on health policy and systems issues, and there is a lack of relevant training courses.

Former Chief Medical Director, Lagos University

Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Akin Osibogun, stated that although research may appear expensive, but on the long run it is cheaper.

Osibogun, declared that especially now, Nigeria needed more research to get out of recession.

According to him, “The solution to the recession is research because it gives information and evidence for decision making. Without information, you will just be guessing. You will be moving in circles.

Osibogun cited the policy

change at LUTH on delivery of babies whose mothers were HIV positive through Caesarean section based on a study carried out between 2007 and 2012 that saved roughly then N53million per annum.

The study recorded zero HIV transmission rates both through caesarean section and convectional prophylactic treatment given before delivery coupled with proper hygienic measures during delivery at the hospital, thus informing the hospital’s policy change.

the grant was not a substitute for health budget, adding, “states must be accountable to their people.

They must put in place budget for health and release the money.

He stated that state governments that budget for health and release the fund were to have 300,000 dollars as incentives.

According to him, “So the states must treat the people, but we will support them. Where they are weak, we will lift them up, when there is epidemic, we quickly intervene.

“We must work together. This money is extra to make extra mileage; create changes; make waves and make sure that things are better and the only way to get additional money is to put it in PHC system.

“Every life will count; we are also saying that every death will also count. We must operate under guiding principles of accountability, transparency and rule of law. We are seeking your cooperation as we build the health system of our dream.”

In his remarks, Dr. Benjamin Loevinsohn, a World Bank official, urged the Federal Government to place priority on immunisation coverage, maternal and child and disease outbreaks.

Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, the Chief Executive Officer, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, commended the Federal Government’s efforts in improving health indices in the country.

Umar-Sadiq said that partnership was key to tackling health challenges, and pledged the private sector’s collaboration with the government.

MBBS: FG set to introduce central Posting for housemanship programme

By Kehinde Adio

FEDERAL Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health is concluding a permanent arrangement to introduce a central posting for all Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery(MBBS) graduating students for their housemanship training programmes in all the registered Teaching Hospitals in the country from next academic session.

The Registrar, Medical and Dental Council Of Nigeria(MDCN), Dr Abdulmumini Ibrahim, gave the hint recently at an induction ceremony organised for the Bowen University maiden

Medical students, having completed their medical academic and research training programmes in the university.

According to him, the introduction of the central posting arrangement, courtesy of the Minister of Health, Professor Issac Adewole initiative is meant to address the difficulties associated with housemanship placement in the country.

MDCN Registrar, who attributed the challenges to poor funding of the programme by all concerned hospitals across the country, stated that the Minister has embarked on a special Fund raising project to execute the programme at the cen-

tral level, such that every medical inductees from all the MDCN accredited Colleges of Health Sciences, Public or private institutions in the country, will have equal access to housemanship training programme without any discrimination.

According to him, MDCN has the statistics of inductees and the available hospitals in the country, which he said would make dispatch arrangement stress free for the council, as the Minister is succeeding in his fund raising process for the programme.

Dr Ibrahim, who described Bowen University medical inductees as excel-

lent graduates, following MDCN’s confirmed experienced human resources and ultra modern teaching/ research facilities in the institution, enjoined the inductees to specialise in different fields of their interest in the medical world, stressing that first degree in medical disciplines is just the starting point in the medical profession.

“Your specialisation will increase your chances in employment opportunities and relevance in the medical sector, home and abroad,” he concluded.

Speaking in the same vein, The Vice Chancellor of the University, Profes-

sor Matthew Ojo reiterated the commitment of the institution to ensure its compliance with the accredited bodies’ regulations and standards for every academic and professional programmes in the university.

He said, as a faith – based Ivory Tower, the management will adhere to the vision and mission of the institution which is, to be the foremost institution for producing first rate graduates in sciences, health science, technology and humanities with qualitative, functional, morally sound education in the most cost – effective manner.

26

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

natural Eggs can reduce stroke risk by health 12% —Study

By Sade Oguntola

W

HETHER eggs are good for heart health has been a contentious issue for decades, but a new review of existing data covering around 300,000 people suggests eating up to one egg a day may lower stroke risk by 12 per cent.

The health effects of eggs have been debated for years.

Eggs, which contain cholesterol, were thought to increase risk of heart disease by raising cholesterol levels.

The review, part-funded by the Egg Nutrition Centre, looked at studies between 1982 and 2015, over 13 years, on the relationship between egg intake and heart disease with a total of 276,000 subjects and stroke with a total of 308,000 subjects.

They were from the USA, Japan, Australia, Spain and the UK and had varying follow-up periods ranging from six to 26 years.

Specifically, the review of the evidence on the link between eating eggs and the risk of stroke and heart disease published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition compared high egg intake of about one egg per day with low egg intake of less than two eggs per week.

The research team from the EpidStat Institute in Michigan and DLW Consulting Services in Utah, both in the US, also, found that daily intake of one egg does not appear to be associated with risk of heart disease.

The research supports the idea that eggs can be part of a healthy diet. However, it didn’t look at people’s whole diet, so we don’t know what else they were eating, or how the eggs were prepared.

Also, the researchers didn’t find that more was better.

There was no evidence that people reduced their risk in line with the number of eggs they ate.

Although the findings are unable to determine why eggs could have this stroke-busting ability, its lead author Dominik Alexander believed that eggs have many positive nutritional attributes, including antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.

He noted that eggs are also an excellent source of protein, which has been related to lower blood pressure, add-

ing however that more research will be needed to figure out which aspects of the egg may be ultimately responsible.

Eggs are a good source of nutrients like protein, folate, iodine and vitamins D, A, B2 and B12 as well as lutein and zeaxanthin in the yolk. Yet a single large egg also contains about 186 mg of cholesterol.

The American Heart Association recommends healthy adults limit dietary cholesterol intake to no more than an average 300 mg per day. Other recommendations have advised individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease to keep this below 200 mg.

Previously, researchers at Purdue University published a study indicating that carotenoid absorption from a salad that boasts a variety of colourful vegetables was improved by the presence of whole cooked eggs. Carotenoids are fat-soluble nutrients, so the fat in the eggs increased nutrient absorption.

Jung Eun Kim, a postdoctoral researcher in Purdue’s Department of Nutrition Science, in a comment in the 2016 edition of the Journal of Nutrition, stated, “We found Vitamin E absorption was four to seven fold higher when three whole eggs were added to a salad.”

From delivery room to bedroom II

How mode of childbirth affects a couple’s sex life continued from last week

In 2008, Swedish scientists reported a study of women's sex lives 12 to 18 months after delivering a first child: Episiotomyassisted childbirth did not affect arousal, orgasm, or satisfaction, but increased the incidence of painful intercourse and dryness. As against some of the warnings about vaginal birth, the previously mentioned 2005 Canadian study found that women who had given birth vaginally with an intact perineum actually had less pain during sex than the Cesareansection group after three months.

Assisted delivery: Another factor is the use of obstetric instruments such as forceps and vacuum.

Again, this is not always up to the mother. A survey of studies published between 1990 and 2003 concluded that assisted delivery led to painful intercourse, perineal pain, and delays in the resumption of sex.

Men's concerns: Because sexual dysfunction affects both people in a relationship, men should

Historically, the role of egg intake on cardiovascular health has been an area of controversy, with apparent scientific misperceptions but the researchers declared that a growing number of guidance committees suggest that there should be no restrictions on dietary cholesterol intake.

According to them, “Eggs are a nutrient-dense food, providing a good and affordable source of protein, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, choline, vitamins, and minerals. Thus, recommendations regarding the consumption of eggs should consider them as a whole food.”

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) said the review reinforced previous findings that eggs could be eaten as part of a healthy diet without increasing the risk of heart disease in healthy individuals. However, the foundation urged caution when interpreting the results.

BHF senior dietician Victoria Taylor, saying that importance should also be placed on how the eggs are cooked and what they are eaten with declared: “The fact that eggs can reduce your risk of having a stroke is interesting; however more research is needed to fully understand this association.”

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

at least be part of these discussions. There are stories of the "husband's knot"; an extra stitch after an episiotomy to create a tighter fit, which benefited the man at the expense of the woman, but this is not currently common practice.

However, men may share women's concerns about sex after vaginal birth, as they can feel tension in their partners' pelvic floor

muscles during vaginal intercourse.

Researchers in Turkey recently set out to explore whether men should be concerned about a slack pelvic floor in their partner after delivery. A study reported in the Journal of Sexual Medicine this year had new fathers fill out a sexual satisfaction questionnaire about areas of sexual functioning,

including frequency of intercourse, communication, and erectile function.

It even asked the question, "Do you ever happen to think your spouse's vagina is so loose that it affects your sexual pleasure?"

Their wives had either had an elective caesarean or a vaginal birth with an episiotomy (in Turkey the episiotomy rate is 100 per cent.) The bottom line:

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com The guys' complaints had among first-time mothers.

•During birth: Push no correlation with mode of delivery. But they can when you feel like it. Distill feel their wife's pain rected pushing refers to pushing and breathing empathetically.

Childbirth experience: when told to do so. In sponWhat about the effect of taneous pushing, the womwitnessing childbirth on an bears down when she a man's attraction to his feels the urge. Although partner? For some men, spontaneous pushing takes a very intimate body part longer, research shows it's can become completely more likely to preserve an desexualised. Or they see intact perineum.

•After birth: Do your someone they cherish draexercises.

Postpartum Kematically sliced open. In either case, they can then gels are beneficial, whether associate their partners after a cesarean section or with a disturbing and grue- a vaginal delivery. You'll be some scene. Occasionally more comfortable in bed therapists hear cases of without the fear of leaklost lust and flashbacks to ing gas or urine, and better control over those pelvic these experiences Four Tips for Improv- muscles just might intening Postpartum Play- sify orgasm.

During sex: Don't rush time into it. Trust your instincts •Before birth: Rub it in. A recent review of stud- with your own healing. Evies involving 2,434 women eryone is different. "The found that perineal mas- biggest message to give sage once or twice a week women," she adds, "is to for the last month of preg- feel free to use vaginal lube nancy reduces the likeli- and don't feel guilt over it hood of perineal trauma (a rip or the need for a cut)

Courtesy: Health

Women’s

27

aviation

crucial moment With Shola Adekola

0803 365 4818

The need to give planned concession of airports a chance SINCE the federal government through the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika announced plans to concession the country’s airports, there have been reactions from all sides.

While some throw their weight behind the idea based on what they described as the present embarrassing states of the airports in the face of infrastructural decay, others opposed the idea on the excuse that there was no sincerity in the idea.

The opponents cited some concessions done by past governments which fell short of expectation in view of the shoddy manners they were carried out.

It is no longer news that majority of the concessions or Public Private Partnership (PPP) the government entered into in the past with private individuals and companies defeated the original aim of going into such agreements in the first instance.

Top on such controversial concessions include: the ones between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) /Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, Maevis/FAAN and Chief Harry Akande’s ACI/FAAN. All these have become issues of litigation following the disagreement that erupted from the interest groups over allegations of insincerity and lopsidedness discovered after the agreements had been sealed and signed.

It is also not news that most of the concessions were put up without proper procedures in line with open transparency by the past governments who signed the agreements behind curtain without following the due process.

It is therefore no wonder that those who opposed the latest move have their points.

However, the good news is that the planned concession of the airports under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari may have refused to be caught up in the executive mess.

That the Buhari led administration is actually sincere with the plan and determine to be fair to Nigerians in making the plan achievable became obvious last week when Senator Hadi Sirika vehemently vowed to ensure that the concession plan will not only be made transparent but done in the interest of Nigerians and the private sector.

The joy in this latest planned concession is that the exercise will not tantamount to privatization or outright sale, rather, the airports’ facilities to be involved in the concession will still remain the property of FAAN, meaning that the deal will apart from bring massive development to the airports, shore up the country’s image, will make more money for the government even as the airports still remain its property.

According to Sirika: “Public-Private-Partnership and concession in the airports have never been done in a structured and transparent manner.

The contracts are not properly prepared, no risk analysis and no financial models. Consequently, it is not surprising that they ended in litigation.

I want to assure stakeholders that we will be transparent and the concession is in the best interest of the country.”

Following the pronouncement of the government through Sirika, it is certain that there is an element of sincerity on its part and this shows that all the fears stakeholders had earlier raised when the concession plan was announced by this government have actually been looked into.

Nothing is as good as for a government to listen to the yearnings of its people as this will go a long way in removing suspicion and subsequently guiding such government against making mistakes which the past governments failed to achieve in the past concessions.

Therefore, for those still opposing this deal, the time has come to shift ground and give this government the opportunity to revive the airports which are urgently calling for help.

Obviously, the ongoing economic hardship biting the government very hard has made it impossible for it to have the capacity to upgrade any of the airports to the expected standard and since the government can not fold it’s arms and watch the airport collapse, there is no other choice left than to concession the airports urgently without any sentiment.

While the government has the support of Crucial Moment on this, it is however hoped that the concession agreements will be entered into with private individuals/Companies that have the pedigree and credibility to make the airports not only better but conducive for travelers.

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

FG empowers AVSEC to now carry arms Stories By Shola Adekola - Lagos

D

ETERMINED to tighten security across the country’s airports, the federal government has granted approval to the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)to carry arms.

Dropping this hint in Lagos was the minister of State for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who added that the AVSEC officials will now be well-trained on the use of arms, whistles and other weapons like the American Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials.

Sirika speaking during his appraisal and presentation of the Aviation Roadmap to the industry stakeholders confirmed that very soon the face of AVSEC will change as the federal government has granted approval for them to carry guns.

According to him, the ministry was already working with the ministry of Interior to ensure that AVSEC officials are well-trained to bear arms and also to determine what kind of arms they will need for their duties.

He used the occasion to insist that the ongoing restructuring exercise in line with the call for proper placement at FAAN will not only continue in phases but spread to other sister agencies; the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and others.

The minister lamented that the agencies have over 88 general managers, which he said was not sustainable at all.

He described the meeting with the stakeholders as necessary to appraise the progress so far made in implementing the aviation roadmap and also to

address some of the issues raised by the unions and other stakeholders concerning the planned airports concession.

While acknowledging that there were challenges in the

minister observed that the enforcement of expatriates quota policy in the aviation industry becomes necessary to stop the foreigners from taking Nigerian jobs in the industry.

From right, Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika (standing), speaking on the ongoing efforts to concession the country's airports and other critical aviation issues while the Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau, (AIB), Dr Felix Abali (2nd right), the Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Engineer Saleh Dunoma (3rd right) and Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Captain Muhktar Usman (4th right) listen.

Etihad partners Spar Nigeria to reward loyal shoppers ETIHAD Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has joined with SPAR Nigeria to reward shoppers under its SPAR Reward Card loyalty programme.

This campaign runs on a monthly basis and will conclude with a grand finale in December 2016 when the SPAR Shopper of the Year will be announced.

SPAR Reward Card customers who spend N20,000 or more in a month will automatically

be entered into a grand finale draw, with the SPAR Shopper of the Year being rewarded with an all-inclusive visit to Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital city, including complimentary Business Class tickets and a four-night’s stay at one of the leading partner hotels.

Speaking on the development, George Mawadri, Etihad Airways’ General Manager in Nigeria, said:“We are excited to join with leading retail chain SPAR Nigeria on this

promotion, which gives Nigerian shoppers the opportunity to enjoy great discounts on tickets and ticket upgrades on Etihad Airways’ flights, when they shop with SPAR.” John Goldsmith, Head of Marketing, SPAR Nigeria, said: “With this promotion, Etihad Airways has again demonstrated its commitment to the Nigerian community, which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of our loyal shoppers in SPAR stores across the country.

Bielderman remains NAHCO MD —Board CONTRARY to the speculations making the rounds that the Managing Director of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company

Delta Air Lines celebrates five years of intern programme in Nigeria, Africa THE scheme offers a 12-month contract to postgraduate students in Lagos, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; and Nairobi, Kenya, to gain hands-on knowledge and experience of working for a multi-national company.

The programme according to the airline underscores Its commitment to Africa, by helping young people from underprivileged backgrounds acquire the skills they need to get ahead in business.

The interns work alongside the Delta sales team in each country, before attending a Delta conference in the Unites States.

industry ranging from problem of Foreign Exchange, the rising cost and scarcity of Aviation Fuel, Jet A1, waiver on aircraft spare parts, enforcement on expatriates quota, among others, the

Of the 19 people who have completed the scheme, two are still employed at Delta and the rest have gone on to find managerial positions in a range of industries, become teachers or are furthering their studies.

Commenting on the development, Bobby Bryan, Delta’s Sales Manager for East and West Africa declared: “It’s often difficult for graduates to get a break in the corporate world so offering opportunities like our intern programme can give them a real step up the ladder as well as learn about the complex nature of working for a global company.

(NAHCO Aviance), Mr Norbert Bielderman has been forced to resign his appointment by the board of the handling company, the managing director said the rumour was farther from the truth.

Bielderman had earlier attributed the rumour to a very few who did not like his rising profile as witnessed in how he been able to raise the bar at the handling company.

Supporting his position, the Board of Directors of the company has dissociated itself from what it also termed unfounded, malicious and false information to the effect that the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer has been sacked or forced to resign.

A statement from the Board said: “for the avoidance of doubt, Mr Norbert Bielderman remains the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the

Company.

He has not and did not at any point resign his appointment; neither did the Board of Directors request same from him at any time.

We are in full support of the MD/CEO and the great work he is doing. We therefore wholly endorse his various initiatives aimed at further consolidating the leadership position of the Company in the ground handling sub – sector of the Nigerian aviation industry.

“Also, he is not being investigated by the authority, law enforcement agency or anti-graft commission for any breach of the law.

We regard all attempts to lump or attach the person of the MD/CEO together with matters in which he was completely innocent and not a person of interest; as not only malicious, but also a manifestation of extreme wickedness”.

28

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

Recession: Uncertainty looms over Badagry, Ibaka other deep seaports Stories by Tola Adenubi - Lagos

I

NDICATIONS are rife that the Federal Government might not grant approval for all the planned deep Seaports that are being built across the length and breadth of the Southern part of the country due to the financial strain that is currently telling on the nation’s economy. This is even as experts have called for the consolidation of the nation’s resources in the building of just one deep seaport.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune exclusively, a source close to the Federal Ministry of Transport who declined not to have his name in print as he is not authorised to speak explained that not all the deep seaports will get approval for take-off after all.

According to him, “there are deep seaports being built in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States, but government is looking at focusing on just one for now.

Others might not get approval after all.

“With the State of the nation’s economy, the government is looking at consolidating resources in one deep seaport for now. The others will just have to wait and pray the economy picks up, before they can be granted approval,” When reminded that some of the deep seaports are Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement, he explained that government still has a role to play

financially.

“Yes some are PPP based deep seaports, but the public angle will be government driven. That will attract commitment in terms of financial obligations. We all know what the economy is saying right now.

“The economy is down and government cannot afford to be putting its hands in so many things at the same time right now.

“Both the Akwa-Ibom State

government and the Lagos State government are building deep seaports in Ibaka and Badagry respectively. Meanwhile, the Lekki deep seaport is there, all on-going at the same time. Government will only grant approval for one because there is need to concentrate efforts in one area,” he explained.

A former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) who also doubles as a Master Mariner, Capt Adamu Biu

had advised government during the World Maritime Day 2016 celebration that efforts should be geared towards just one deep seaport.

In the words of Adamu Biu, “I strongly advise that we get only one deep seaport off now because of current economic situation and even if we have private participation coming up for all these deep seaports, we know that the terms will keep changing,”

Lead Partner of BudgiT Information Technology Network, Oluseun Onigbinde and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman during the signing of the MoU on the agency’s budget implementation, recently.

...As trouble looms in Badagry over $2.6bn deep seaport project THERE is palpable confusion looming in the sleepy town of Badagry over the proposed location of the $2.6 billion Badagry Deep Seaport project. This is even as prominent indigenes have bemoaned the non-inclusion of locals in the planning and execution of the project.

Speaking to Journalists after the All Nigeria Maritime Journalists Retreat held in Badagry, the Mobee of Badagry Kingdom, High Chief Menu Toyon, explained that indigenes of the town are not being carried along in the deep seaport project.

According to the Mobee of Badagry Kingdom, “I am delighted about the prospect of maritime business coming to Badagry, however, we have not been carried along.

“From the arrangement on ground, the State government will be having 20 per cent, Federal Government will be having 20 per cent and APM terminal

will be having 60 per cent which is 100 per cent, what percent are they giving to the stakeholders, I mean owners of the land? Let the APM Terminal come and meet the stakeholders and talk to us.

“To build the deep seaport, they are going to use some peoples’ properties. They are going to dislocate some people lands, but I will tell you that when you light a candle and put a paper on top of it, there is bound to be fire.

“My grandfather was among the first farmers at the Gberefu beach land in the 1880s and till now, we the stakeholders have nothing to show that things are coming to Badagry. Good it has been approved by the Federal Government and the Lagos State government. Oil exploration is going on with crude being taken but the stakeholders (locals) living on the oil exploration area doesn’t have anything to show

for it, we are in the dark.”

On their expectation from government, he explained that, “In 1873, arbitrators were appointed on this axis, I have the document and everything is with me.

Now before starting anything here, there must be peace accord and amiable settlement between the locals and APM Terminals to avoid a repeat of what happened in Niger Delta.

“The deep seaport idea is welcomed in Badagry. It is going to bring influx of people into Badagry. It is going to provide employment opportunities for our children, even the yet unborn children but all the same, the stakeholders must be carried along. This is what I am emphasising on, we should be carried along and that is my submission.”

Senate Committee designates Onne oil and gas port-Intels THE Senate Committee on Marine Transport has insisted that all oil and gas cargoes should be carried out at the Onne Port Complex operated by Integrated Logistics Services Limited (INTELS).

According to a statement issued

by Intels recently, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Ahmed Yerima has assured that oil and gas businesses will be carried out at the Onne Port Complex since such transactions were meant to happen at the facility.

Yerima gave the assurance when he led the Senate Committee on Marine Transport on a facility tour of Onne Port Complex.

The Senator said that following the meetings of stakeholders within the Niger Delta and President Muhammad Buhari, oil and gas businesses will come here since oil and gas businesses are located in this port (Onne).

He also added that the tour was part of the oversight function of the committee and that the main purpose of the visit is to make an assessment of the performances of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), concessionaires and terminal operators and to know their challenges.

Yerima decried the low activities at the Onne Port Complex which he said was as a result of the current economic situation in the country and the activities of certain port operators who refused to adhere to the terms of the concession agreements.

“The chairman who was elated with the massive investment, high quality and giant infrastructural development, deployed by the port concessionaire, Intels Nigeria Limited, insisted that the Senate Committee would ensure that all revenue accruable to the government account were paid accordingly.

Insecurity, bane of Africa’s maritime development —AMJA PRESIDENT of African Maritime Journalists Association (AMJA), Mr Sesan Onileimo has asked African leaders to check the rising maritime insecurity if they intend to boost the continent’s economy.

Delivering a speech shortly after the Executive Committee of the association was inaugurated, he urged African leaders to work together to check the excesses of sea pirates and secure

their waterways.

The pioneer president of the association said it was not by chance that 38 out of the 54 African countries were coastal states.

“This is a calculated plan by nature to make the region a blue economy that can trigger economic advancement in other sectors.

“There is vast endowment in aquatic and non-aquatic resources, including oceans, seas,

coasts, lakes and underground waters.

“The rising insecurity in the rich Gulf of Guinea is scaring and can spur investor’s boycott of the region.

“Intra sub-regional trade is doing well to drive the cost of moving goods from one country to another in the North Africa.

“It will better if such trend is broadened in other African States,’’ Onileimo said.

29

news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Benue gov, Tsav trade words over project Johnson Babajide - Makurdi

G

OVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State yesterday fired back at those criticising his government for embarking on a cargo airport instead of settling the backlog of salaries owed workers.

Ortom spoke during an interaction with newsmen while commissioning six ambulances meant for Primary Health Care Centres at Government House.

He described those criticising him as not only envious of his political profile, but also his prudent utilisation of the state resources.

The governor specifically took on the former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, whom he said was planning to discredit his administration at all cost.

Ortom said, “Abubakar Tsav does not see anything good in my government.

What contribution did he make to the state when he was police commissioner?

Before I became governor, I have lots of industries and business outfits that engaged many Benue people.”

The governor said that, in line with his campaign promises, he had to carry out projects on Build Operation and Transfer (BOT) as well as Public Private Partnership, stressing that the state is not contributing anything to the airport project.

He added that the consortium had made adequate financial arrangement and even acquired the state’s 15 per cent equity which will be paid when the project be-

comes operational.

He further said the project, which is expected to be completed in 2020, has a 25 years life span for the state to pay its equity share.

“So, as far as I am concerned, anyone criticising this project is an enemy of the state. I am not going to listen

to them. I will go ahead. This administration is succeeding and will succeed.

“Salary is a global problem and we will get out of it. I am also not aware that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, criticised the projectt,” Ortom said.

Tsav had, on Tuesday,

slammed the governor on the cargo project and accused him of hiding under religion to deceive the people of the state, warning Benue to beware of the governor.

According to Tsav, “let me warn that it is dangerous to trade with God’s name and

From left, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Acting Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Waheed Olagunju and the Divisional Head, South, BoI, Mr AbdulGaniyu Mohammed, during the signing of memorandum of understanding between BoI and House of Oduduwa Foundation on N1 billion soft loan for youths, held in Ile Ife, on Monday.

Nigeria may not be out of recession in 2017 —MAN PRESIDENT, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Frank Jacobs, has said with the current economic situation, the country may not be out of recession in 2017.

Jacobs told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in

Abuja, on Wednesday, that there was the need to introduce policies and initiatives to control the economy.

Jacobs said that government needed to take steps to shore up the manufacturing sector by ensuring that the concessionary forex alloca-

tion to the sector was effectively implemented.

He also said interest rates needed to be reduced to not more than five per cent and more development banks be established, to provide long-term funding for manufacturers to encourage

Dasuki’s re-arraignment stalled due to dad’s death As Dogara leads House delegation to condole family Saliu Gbadamosi, Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

THE scheduled re-arraignment of the immediate former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd), before Justice Baba Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, on Wednesday, could not hold due to the death of his father, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, who was the 18th Sultan of Sokoto.

Dasuki and four others, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA); Aminu Babakusa, a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count

hinge on the name of men of God to perpetrate evil, especially where many are looking up onto you.”

Tsav, who spoke on the establishment of cargo airport near Makurdi, said he viewed the project as a white elephant that can never be achieved in near future.

charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13,570,000,000 before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf.

EFCC is prosecuting the former NSA and four others: Bashir Yuguda, a former Minister of State for Finance; Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto State; his son, Sagir and their firm, Dalhatu Investment, in another case of N13 billion fraud before Justice Peter Afem of FCT High Court 24.

Based on the request of lawyers involved in the case, the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, streamlined the two cases at two different courts and transferred both to Justice Baba-Yusuf.

Justice Baba Yusuf had, on October 21, 2016 when the cases were transferred to his court, fixed Wednesday, November 16 for the rearrangement of the for-

mer NSA and others before him.

However, the trial was put off at the instance of both prosecution and defence teams as a mark of sympathy for Colonel Dasuki (retd) over the demise of his father, who died in Abuja on Monday and was buried on Tuesday in Sokoto.

One of the former NSA’s lawyers, Mr Ahmed Raji, told journalists at the court premises that both sides in the trial jointly agreed to adjourn the trial giving the fact that the mood was not proper for Dasuki’s trial.

The former NSA, who has been in the Department of State Security (DSS) custody since last December, was for undisclosed reasons not in court on Wednesday but Raji told journalists that Dasuki was still mourning the death of his father.

The senior advocate informed that though the matter did not officially come up before Justice Yusuf, law-

yers from both sides in the case agreed that it was not proper to proceed with the trial at a time Dasuki was mourning.

They jointly agreed for an adjournment till Wednesday, December 7, 2016.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday, visited the family of the late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki in Kaduna, to condole with them over the late monarch’s death.

According to a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, the Dogara, who was accompanied by House Chief Whip, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa; Deputy Leader, Umar Buba Jibril and scores of members, extolled the virtues of the late monarch whom he described as a patriot and an elderstatesman.

more investment.

“One cannot say for sure that the recession will be over in 2017. Manufacturers are now patronising the parallel market for their forex requirements, but this is at a very high exchange rate.

“Unfortunately, after production, consumers may not be able to purchase such products, which may lead to the closure of some of the factories.

“I have not seen anything to suggest that, at least not from the perspectives of the manufacturing sector,” Jacobs said.

He said that from all indications, “it appears that the forex situation in the country had not improved.”

Jacobs said there seemed to be no respite in sight, considering the price of crude oil in the international market and the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.

Recently, economic experts predicted that 2017 would be tougher than 2016, adding that the economy might not recover until 2018.

The experts also said due to continued rise in inflation, Naira to Dollar might remain in the N450s.

It was also predicted that with liquidity squeeze, many more businesses would fold up, leading to job losses and more poverty.

Nigerian Tribune

Reddington Hospital partners GE to expand imaging technologies REDDINGTON Hospital yesterday celebrated the inauguration of its newly upgraded Purple Ray Diagnostic Centre that now offers the latest Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

The inauguration ceremony, in Lagos, was celebrated with General Electric (GE) Healthcare, which it selected as its key technology and services partner.

Through the N966.2 million investment, Reddington Hospital, with its mission to provide the highest standards of advanced diagnostic imaging services in Nigeria and West Africa, has added to its range of GE medical technology (available worldwide), including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MR), Computed Tomography scanning (CT), digital mammography and 4D ultrasound amongst other cutting edge equipment.

For the first time in Nigeria, GE Healthcare’s Signa Explorer MR system, now at Reddington, is designed to help clinicians scan virtually all patient types and clinical areas while delivering excellent image quality and improved workflow.

The Signa Explorer MR system can be configured with GE’s Silent Scan software that reduces excessive acoustic noise generated during a conventional MR examination, normally exceeding 110 decibel levels to near ambient or background sound levels, improving patient comfort and the overall patient experience.

The Reddington Hospital has been in the forefront of pioneering many breakthroughs in healthcare in Nigeria which include the first digital Cardiac Catheterisation facility in Nigeria, the first angioplasty and stent operation to be performed in Nigeria, the first closure of a hole in the heart in a child using non-surgical modern technology and the first hospital to acquire a 64-slice CT Scan in Western Africa normally used to image the heart and circulatory system..

CEO of Reddington Hospital, De Yemi Onobowale, said: “Since first launching the Purple Ray Diagnostic Centre five years ago, we have scanned many thousands of patients to become one of the leading providers of multi-modality imaging for both patients and providers with 24-hour service.

“Adding to these capabilities, the new MR Suite significantly expands our range of offerings reinforcing our position as the first and largest imaging regional reference centre for GE Healthcare in West Africa.”

30

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

PoliticsNews Executive-legislature relations healthy —Odigie-Oyegun Says Buhari won’t undermine separation of powers

By Moses Alao

T

HE relationship between the three arms of government, particularly the Executive and the Legislature is healthy and strong, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said.

He spoke against the backdrop of a statement credited to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suggesting a rift between the executive and legislature following the Senate’s return of the list of non-career ambassadors to the presidency for review.

The Senate had, in the adopted report of its Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, stated that the decision to return the list

followed petitions received on the nominations and went ahead to propose that the presidency review the ambassadorial list.

Oyegun decried the PDP’s attempt to give the

Senate action political colouration and other negative interpretations, saying such action was “unnecessary and misleading.”

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is a demo-

crat and does not subscribe to the idea of “controlling” the National Assembly as was the practice with the PDP during its 16-year misrule of the country.

“Respect for the principle

of the Rule of Law and the constitutional provisions of Separation of Power between the three arms of government is a best practice and also healthy for our democracy.

Orji Kalu defects to APC THE Founder of the Progressives Peoples Alliance and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has joined the All Progressives Congress.

Kalu proclaimed his defection to the APC in Abuja on Wednesday.

This is coming a day after he publicly declared his resignation from the PPA. However, Kalu did not state in his letter to the PPA the party to which he was defecting.

Kalu was on Wednesday formally received into the APC by the party’s National Working Committee, led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

From left, National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun; Abia State APC secretary, Dr Chidia Maduekwe; APC chieftain, Ambassador Sam Nkire; former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Kalu and former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, shortly after Kalu’s admittance into APC at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

PDP leaders, Seyi Makinde meet Ladoja, discuss coalition

By Dare Adekanmbi TOWARDS building a political coalition, some prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State and the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2015 election, Mr Seyi Makinde, have separately met with a former governor of

the state and national leader of Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

Some of the PDP leaders who met Ladoja behind closed doors at his Bodija residence are Senator Ayo Adeseun, Senator Hosea Agboola, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi and others.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Makinde was the

Edo poll: Tribunal halts PDP’s scanning of ballot papers Banji Aluko - Benin City THE Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin on Wednesday restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the September 28 the governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from utilising any equipment to examine, scan, or whatsoever interact with the ballot papers used in the conduct of the election.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the election, Mr God-

win Obaseki, had prayed the tribunal to do so, following which the prayer was granted by the tribunal.

The party stated that the integrity of the equipment PDP hoped to use for examination and scanning exercises should be demonstrated and cleared by the Tribunal beforehand.

After hearing the fourparagraph motion and the sworn affidavit of the APC, the Justice A. Badamasi-led Tribunal granted the application and ordered the PDP

and Pastor Ize-Iyamu be made to supply the names, models and serial numbers of the equipment they planned to use in scanning the ballot papers at least two days before the scanning exercise could take place.

The tribunal also ordered that the equipment should be demonstrated at the office of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in the presence of all the parties or their representatives with not more than five representatives each.

first to meet Ladoja and discussion between the duo was said to have included a review of the last elections in the state.

It was gathered that Makinde and Ladoja have met twice in the last three weeks and a chieftain of Accord, Chief Bisi Ilaka, was said to have attended one of the meetings.

The meeting between Ladoja and the PDP leaders, it was learnt, took place inbetween the two meetings the former governor held with Makinde.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that apart from the need to forge what a source called “an unbeatable coalition towards 2019,” the February 11 local government elections also came up during the parley.

It was gathered that the leaders have agreed in principle to use the council polls to test the workability of the proposed coalition and see what areas needs to be fine-

tuned before the real election in 2019.

A proposal in the various camps of the opposition parties in the state hints of each party fielding candidates in areas of its strength, with another proposal looking at concession of five geopolitical zones in the state to leaders who can deliver the votes.

The three meetings came within the period the governor of Anambra State and national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Willie Obiano, sent a high-powered delegation of APGA to meet Ladoja in Ibadan.

The delegation included Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and former Minister of Information, Mr LabaranMaku, among others.

It will also be recalled that Ladoja met with a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Lagos about two months ago.

Professionals urge NASS to give autonomy to AG, IGP’s offices NIGERIAN professionals, under the aegis of the Young Progressive Nigerian Initiative (YPNI), have urged the National Assembly to grant autonomy to the office of the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police, to protect both offices from political influence, and ensure accountability for their action and inaction.

YPNI is advocating the need to strengthen certain institutions of government by granting them autonomy to enable them effectively fight corruption and financial crimes in the country.

According to a statement

by Mr Adekunle Osibogun, leader of the group, the offices of the Attorney General and Inspector-General of Police are key institutions that must be strengthened, especially if the anti-corruption and financial crimes campaign is to have longevity and be successful.

He said: “It is pertinent for both offices to be autonomous and professional. The separation of the Office of the Attorney-General from that of the Minister of Justice will eliminate the apparent influence the executive has over the prosecution of cases, which will assist in building the citizens’ confidence in our democracy and legal system.”

The statement further stated that YPNI had captured its recommendations in a document titled - the Nigerian Charter for Constitutional Amendment, which enumerates fundamental amendments to the Constitution necessary for better governance.

It said: “The Nigerian Charter for Constitutional Amendment has been forwarded to the National Assembly and will also be forwarded to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 states of the Federation, for their consideration and necessary action.”

Corrigendum Dr Femi Majekodunmi, instead of Dr Femi Oladele, was wrongly listed as a member of the 12-man delegation that paid a condolence visit to the family of late Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, last Friday, in Isara Remo, Ogun State.

31

politicsnews

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

APC members in US call for vigilance, rally support for Akeredolu

By Kunle Oderemi

From right, Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir David Lawal; Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Judiciary ’ll resolve Ondo PDP logjam soon —Dickson Says PDP leadership at home with Fayose’s political roles Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

G

OVERNOR of Bayelsa State, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, has said that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was comfortable and pleased with the roles being played

by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, in the polity of the nation.

Dickson, who said he was in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Wednesday, to felicitate with Fayose on his birthday and to also inspect some projects in the state capital, said “Ekiti is fortunate to have Fayose as a governor when the level of his performance is considered.”

Dickson, who addressed journalists after inspecting the Oja Oba market under construction, declared that Governor Fayose’s critical appraisal of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, had helped in deepening of democracy and given hope to Nigerians.

Speaking on the coming governorship election in Ondo State and the confusion in his party, Bayelsa governor said the party “has a candidate in the election” and expressed optimism that the judiciary would soon resolve the logjam.

Dickson said: “We want to thank Governor Fayose for being the voice of the opposition. He has been the voice of the oppressed in the country and he has become a great party leader. We want our democracy to be protected, because we don’t want a situation whereby governance will be personalised.

“The judiciary and the legislative arms, the media and the rights of every Nigerian must be respected under democracy. Nobody,

under democracy must be disrespected and once this begins to happen, it is no longer democracy but autocracy.

“The PDP nurtured democracy in the country for 16 years and we didn’t ride on the opposition. We even lost a major election, which was last presidential election and we showed leadership and democratic credential by accepting our

loss. So, to us in the PDP, Fayose is doing a good job as the voice of the opposition.”

He described criticisms as “the bedrock of democracy,” saying Fayose had “naturally become the opposition leader in Nigeria” and “the PDP is enjoying his sterling leadership qualities.”

On the Ondo election, he said “the PDP family has every cause to thank God

and the people of Ekiti State whose support made the achievements possible.

And I believe that with your continued supports, more dividends of democracy are coming.

“PDP is very strong in Ondo State and in Nigeria.

It is our prayers that the judiciary will get it right for the PDP’s candidate to be restored before the election day.”

MEMBERS of the All Progressives Congress, United States chapter, on Wednesday, declared that the party’s governorship candidate of the party, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, remained the only candidate capable of restoring the glory of Ondo State.

In a statement issued on next week’s poll in the state, they specifically urged voters to reject the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by voting massively for Akeredolu.

The statement was signed by the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party in US, Mr Dele Alade, who is a US-based attorney and the national publicity secretary of APC in US, Professor Francis Onukwuli.

“Mr Akeredolu is an accomplished lawyer of high integrity, an ardent progressive, who will not short-change the people of the state. He is the only candidate left in the race that will fight against corruption and will implement the programmes of APC to bring rapid developments to the state.

We are committed to making the expertise of our members available to our party and APC governments at all levels in fur-

I am in race to fill the missing link —Oke Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE candidate of the Alliance Democracy (AD) in the next week governorship election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, on Wednesday, assured the electorate that the party had come to fill the missing link in the state Oke who stated this in Owo, Owo local government area, said AD remained the only party that could make life meaningful to the people.

He said the party remained the only platform where the people could heave a sigh of relief and experience good and transformative governance which had eluded the state in the last seven and half years.

He said retarded development, indebtedness, poverty, hunger, neglect and deteriorating infrastructure among others challenges confronting the state was occasioned by bad leadership.

He stated that it was imperative for the people to vote for AD, because of its people-oriented projects,

programmes and policies.

He added that the empty promises and hardship inflicted on the masses ow-

ing to the clueless leadership from the government at the centre and attendant skyrocketing prices

of goods and services and their anti-democratic tendencies were among reasons the ruling

therance of our patriotic duty to the country. We call on Nigerians to support the party, as it is the only progressive political party in the country that has the roadmap and path to Nigeria’s greatness,” they stated.

While calling for unity in APC towards achieving victory at the poll, the leaders said voters should “shun AD and PDP so as not to mortgage their lives and the future of their children, because apart from lacking progressive tendencies, those parties can only set the state back as they have no good intentions for the people.”

It added: “APC-USA will do everything possible to support Mr Akeredolu and ensure his victory. We will deploy our resources to monitor the election and expose to the whole world any acts of rigging or thuggery. We call on Nigerians, especially the people of the state to come out in large numbers to support and vote for Akeredolu.

We cannot afford to allow anti-people and anti-democratic to take over power in Ondo State.”

The party asked the people to be vigilant and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “not to succumb to any undue influence or intimidation or calls by some elements to postpone the election.

“INEC should not make it a habit of postponing elections as it makes the INEC, the Federal Government and the whole country look unserious, unstable and insecure.”

Ondo APC spokesman alleges death threat THE Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over an illegal threat to his life by unknown persons.

Addressing journalists in Akure, he said he had been receiving strange calls from some private numbers on

his cell phone threatening to “teach him a lesson” by silencing him from being a consistent critic.

He said apart from the strange calls, some armed men in police bullet-proof uniform, had in the morning of Wednesday, November 9, discreetly come to his house in Akure.

Adesanya said the men asked one of his neighbours for his apartment in the storey building.

“I was not at home when the armed men came to my house, but they met one of my neighbours, a heavily pregnant wife of a police officer, who relayed the message when l came back from

I’ll hand over to Akoko son - Jimoh Ibrahim Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, Mr.Jimoh Ibrahim, on Wednesday, assured that the people of Akokoland would not be sidelined if elected .

Ibrahim who gave this assurance during his campaign to the four local government area of Akokoland, said the area has been sidelined politically and in terms of infrastructural de-

velopment He said he decided to contest because of the decisionof the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, to pick his successor from the Ondo central senatorial district.

He promised to pass the baton of leadership to an Akoko son after his administration, stressing that Akoko would benefited more from his government.

He said “If a governor comes from the Owo/Ose part of the North now, that automatically put the Akoko at a tight corner, and this

part of the state will have to wait for another sixteen years before it rotates here again.

“If Mimiko had picked an Akoko man or woman as his successor, or someone from the southern Senatorial district, I would not have come out to contest.

“That is the fight we are fighting now; for equity, fairness and justice to every part of this state, and not that a district will hold on to power for sixteen years in a stretch. That is not good enough.’’

an early morning exercise.

“My neighbour said the three uniform men discreetly gained entrance into the compound and began searching into the storey building to identify my own rented flat.

“I was told they (uniform men) saw my vehicle inside the compound and asked after the owner of my car and apartment by pointing to my vehicle and asked ‘where is the owner of this car?

“That is the person we are looking for, but the woman told them I was not at home.

“She told me that the three armed men claimed to her that they are from the Police Area Command Office, Akure.’’

Confirming the report of the incident, the Area Commander in Akure, ACP Olatoye Durosimi, told the News Agency of Nigeria that investigation by the police revealed that the armed men were not officers of the command.

32

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

33

news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Appeal Court panel reserves judgment in Ondo PDP matter As Jimoh Ibrahim loses bid to join in Makarfi appeal Sunday Ejike - Abuja

I

N spite of the protest from the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the three-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal hearing the appeals emanating from the Ondo State chapter of the PDP matter on Wednesday heard and reserved judgement in the appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede, the governorship candidate of the Senator Ahmed Mohammed Ma-

karfi faction of the party.

This is even as the Sheriffled faction, represented by Belu Olisa Nwofor urged the court to stay proceedings as a notice of appeal against the November 10, 2016 judgment of the court has been entered at the Supreme Court.

Jegede appealed the October 14, 2016 ruling of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to substitute his name with Jimoh Ibra-

him as the candidate of the PDP in the November 26, 2016 governorship election in Ondo State.

Justice Saulawa’s announcement, reserving judgment in the appeal, elicited complaint from the camp of the respondents comprising state’s executive of the PDP in the South-West (loyal to the Ali Modu Sheriff leadership of the party), led by Biyi Poroye, Chairman, PDP, Ondo State.

Their counsel, represented by Beluolisa Nwufor, ar-

gued that Jegede’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, was allowed to adopt the appellant’s brief where the respondents were yet to file their responsents’ brief as required by law and to allow the court hear from both sides.

Nwofor had argued that the court cannot hear the substantive appeal in view of the pending appeal at the Supreme Court.

He told the Appeal Court panel that his clients had appealed its earlier ruling granting leave to Jegede to

FG files additional charges against Justice Ngwuta Sunday Ejike - Abuja

THE Federal Government, on Wednesday, filed additional criminal charges of money laundering and corruption against Justice Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, a serving justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, who is currently under investigation of the Department of State Services (DSS) and on suspension.

In an amended charge filed on Wednesday, by a principal state counsel, Hajarah H. Yususf, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Federal Government increased the charges against Justice Ngwuta from nine to 15.

It will be recalled that following allegations of corruption against Justice Ngwuta, the DSS commenced investigation into his activities which culminated in the execution of a search warrant

in his official residence on October 8, 2016.

Ngwuta, according to the charge filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, was alleged to have retained in his possession the sum of N35,358,000.00 contrary to the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).

It was alleged that the defendant also retained in his possession the sum of $319,596.00 (USD) and (GBP) 25,915, all of which, according to the prosecutors, formed part of the proceeds of unlawful act contrary to the Money Laundering Act. Several sums of cash were allegedly recovered, including N35.3 million, $319,596.00(USD), 25,915 pounds sterling and 280.00 EURO. The search, according to the prosecutors, also revealed four diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian pass-

FUOYE workers, authorities on collision path, as indefinite strike looms Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

WORKERS of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) are set for a showdown with the authorities of the institution, following what they said was a breakdown of negotiations in their request for improved working conditions.

The workers said they had already given the university’s management a 21-day ultimatum, which they said would expire tomorrow (Friday).

According to the workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technicians (NAAT) accused the management of the institution of “impoverishing the university workers.”

Secretary of SSANU in FUOYE, Babafunso Awe;

NASU secretary, Ganiyu Afolabi and NAAT secretary, Owoeye Adebayo, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti that “the workers are demanding payment of balance of 2013 earned allowance to the affected staff,” and also claimed that “no to remittance of pensions of the workers had been effected.”

They also demanded the “stoppage of ICT deductions from staff members’ pay” because according to them, “the services remain erratic and inefficient.”

The FUOYE workers also said they wanted an “immediate consideration and payment of all accrued allowances peculiar to the university workers as being enjoyed in other universities.”

They said these and other demands must be met by the management of the institution otherwise they would down tools.

ports, all in the name of the defendant.

The accused Justice of the Supreme Court was alleged to have obtained multiple passports contrary to Section 10 of the Immigration Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.

He was alleged to have made false statement to the passport office concerning his date of birth for the purpose of procuring an additional Diplomatic Passport for himself.

He was also alleged to have in his possession two valid diplomatic passports and thereby committed an offence under Section 10 of the Immigration Act. One of the counts read: “Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, “M”, 65 years of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme

Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, on or about the 8th day of October, 2016 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, retained in your possession the sum of N35,358,000.00 which sum forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).”

The case is yet to be assigned to any judge as at the time of filing in this report.

ADEBIYI

PUBLIC NOTICE

I, formerly Adebiyi Adunni now KAFAYAT. All documents remain GTBank and general take note.

Kafaya SALIU former valid. public

EGWUDA I, formerly Miss Egwuda Ibe Doris now MRS OKEME IBE DORIS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OSSAI

I, formerly Ossai Simon Awdu now OSSAI SIMON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

STREET NAMING

This is to notify the general public that the management of Ido Local Government has received an application form from Mr. Osundina Omotayo Bashir to name a street/ close at Elebu Area as Fadaimaahn Street under Ido Local Government Area, Ibadan. Any objection in respect of this notice should reach Ido Local Government Naming Committee within twenty one days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Secretary, Street Naming Committee, Ido Local Government

PROBATE PUBLIC NOTICE

PROBATE PUBLIC NOTICE

We, MRS ESTHER ADENIKE ODESOLA & MR CLEMENT ABISOYE ODESOLA c/o our solicitor, Tunji Aderibigbe Esq. of 188, Ilesa Road, Ile-Ife have applied to the Probate Registry of Customary Court of Appeal, Osogbo for LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION to administer the Estate of LATE MR TITUS OYEWOLE ODESOLA of Oluwatedo Area, Oke Otubu, Modakeke, Osun State who died intestate on the 20th day of May, 2016.

Any objection to this application is to be forwarded to the Probate Registry of the Customary Court of Appeal, Osogbo within 14 days of this notice.

I, MRS BOLAJOKO FATILE C/O her Solicitor OLUFEMI AMOKO Esq of Providence Law Chambers, F111, Ayeso Street, Ilesa, Osun State of Nigeria have applied to the Probate Registry of the Customary Court of Appeal Osogbo for letters of Administration to administer the Estate of late EMMANUEL BAMIDEDE FATILE of Alaafa Quarters, Sawmill Alfa, Ilesa, Osun State, who died intestate on the 20th day of July, 2011.

Any objection to the application is to be forwarded to the probate Registry of Customary Court of Appeal, Osogbo within 14days of this notice.

PUBLIC NOTICE This is to inform the general public that Voice of Faith Ministries (a.k.a Christ Chapel International Churches) applied to Ibadan North Local Government, to name a street at Ashi Bodija Road, Adjacent to the Deeper Life Road, opposite Total Petrol Station Ashi as Christ Chapel Street.

And also a Bus stop in front of Total Petrol Station Ashi, just opposite the Road going to Bashorun through Winners Way as Christ Chapel Bus stop.

Any objection to the application should be forwarded to the Chairman Street Naming Committee, Ibadan North Local Govt, Within 21days of this publication.

Signed: Chairman, Street Naming Committee Ibadan North Local Govt

appeal and that they had also filed a motion for stay of proceedings before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, counsel to Prince Biyi Poroye and others, Beluolisa E. Nwofor, while reacting to the development, said the implications of the decision of the panel is that his client had been shut out.

Nwofor, who tendered certified true copies of the record of appeal and motion for stay of proceedings, urged the court to abide by the long held tradition of deferring to a higher court once an appeal is entered and record of appeal compiled.

He argued that since their appeal was entered at the Supreme Court and a motion for stay of proceedings also pending before the apex court, the appellate panel has lost jurisdiction to proceed with the appeal by Jegede.

“We have asked this court to hands off and await the Supreme Court’s decision

on our motion for stay of proceedings. This court has lost the jurisdiction to proceed with this appeal. It should await the decision of the Supreme Court.

Appellant’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, faulted Nwofor’s argument and urged the court to proceed to hear his client’s appeal.

He argued that, for his client, time was of the essence because by the new provision of the Electoral Act, a person, who did not participate in all process of an election cannot challenge its outcome.

Justice Saulawa, however, overruled Nwofor, noting that the court had, on November 10, 2016 granted an accelerated hearing in the case, abridged the time within which parties are to file their processes and a departure from the rules.

Shortly after the judge spoke, Olanipekun adopted his client’s appellant’s brief and urged the court to allow the appeal.

34

news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

FG to spend $150m on rural electrification projects —Fashola

T

HE Federal Government, on Wednesday, expressed its readiness to spend 150 million dollars on rural electrification in the country.

The Minster of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babtunde Fashola, disclosed this in Abuja, at a business forum on “Financing Opportunities in the Nigerian Power Sector”.

He said government would use 44 tertiary institutions and small hydro dams in the rural areas as anchors for the electrification programme.

Fashola said the money would be deployed towards providing Independent Power Plants (IPPs) to supply

electricity to tertiary institutions and rural communities.

He said 37 out of the 44 tertiary institutions audited for the project were universities, while seven were teaching hospitals.

The minister said government would deploy 37 IPPs made up of nine gas plants and 28 solar plants with a combined generation capacity of 120 megawatts to power all the universities.

According to him, the 37 IPPs will replace 1,105 generators that were hitherto serving the institutions and

generating 210 MW of inefficient and unclean energy.

He said the amount would cover capital expenditure, operations and maintenance.

On financing opportunities in the Nation’s power sector, Fashola emphasised the need for financing and liquidity stability in the sector.

He said the Distribution Companies (DisCos) required financing for the supply of metres, upgrading distribution equipment like transformers, ring mains units, feeders for DisCos and

funding, especially in foreign exchange.

For the GenCos, the minister said adequate liquidity was acquired to procure turbines, parts and accessories which were largely imported.

“They (DisCos) need a lot of operating capital to buy metres, to change transformers that are old, to extend access to their customers, to replace transformers and so on and so forth,”Fashola disclosed.

Fashola said investment in the GenCos was also profitable, noting that when the market is settled and stabi-

lised, the return would be marvelous.

He said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would benefit from financing of its grid expansion programme if it could present a detailed prospect plan that would demonstrate investment needs and return potential.

The minister said solar, coal and other energy suppliers required investment to finance acquisition of photovoltaic panels, heavy duty equipment and related machines not made in Nigeria.

Cleric calls for change in religious orientation FOUNDER and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke, has advocated a change in the orientation of Nigerians toward religion, so that adherents could achieve their expectations which, among others, include the removal of curses and attainment of eternity.

Olagoke spoke at Wakajaye, the international headquarters of the mission in Ibadan, during the Shafaudeen New Generation Parenthood Association week.

“It is unfortunate to note that adherents of religions no more worship in their respective houses of God to identify with the cause of God through scriptural compliance.

“Mosque and Church goers, for example, do so for relief of burden borne out of either inherited jinx or curses from ancestral lineage or direct from parents’ misdemeanor. We therefore witness an era of atonement without repentance and without divine forgiveness and determination of avowed decision for real change,” he said.

Olagoke, who is also the President of Ajagun Esin Consultative Forum (AECF) Religion Warlord, noted: “Generational curses abound everywhere because mischief-maker appeared on land and sea because of the need that the hands of the need that the hands of men have earned that Allah may give them a taste of some of their deeds, in order that they turn back from evil.”

He recommended that there is a dire need to turn to God to be re-born. “Set thou thy face to the right religion before there come Allah the day which there is no chance of averting, on that day shall man be divided into two.”

From right, bride’s father and chairman of Newspapers Distributors Association of Nigeria (NDAN), Oyo State chapter, Mr Tunde Abimbola; groom’s mother, Deaconess Oluwafunmilayo Oketola; the bride, former Miss Damilola Halimot Abimbola; groom’s grandmother, Mrs Maria Oketola; the groom, Mr Oluwabukunmi Oketola; bride’s mother, Mrs Basirat Abimbola and the groom’s father, Elder Oluwaseyi Oketola, at the wedding held at the registry of Ibadan North-West Local Government Area, Onireke, Ibadan, on Saturday.

NASS entrance shut as youths protest against corrupt public officials THE main entrance of the National Assembly, on Wednesday, remains shut as youths protest against corrupt politicians enters the second day, thus, affecting vehicular movement through the main gate, while the lawmakers and

staff members access the complex through alternative routes.

The protest, it was gathered, led by a socialite and activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, is seeking a downward review of salaries and benefits

of politicians in the country by about 70 per cent.

The protesters are also clamouring for the sentencing to death of public officials found guilty of stealing public funds.

They are also seeking a cessation of state and local gov-

‘Budget office see railway workers as ghost workers’

As illegal occupants take over railway quarters Tola Adenubi - Lagos

MANY workers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) were on Wednesday shocked, when they were told at the corporations’ Quarterly Town Hall meeting that the Budget Office see many of them as ghost workers. This is even as the workers lamented that illegal occupants have taken over the corporation’s quarters.

Speaking during the NRC Quarterly Town Hall meeting held on Wednesday, at the corporation’s headquarters in Lagos, the Pension Manager of the NRC, Mr Sam Okwu, stated that many railway workers’ employment processes did not pass through the office of the Head of Service in Abuja.

According to Okwu, who

also double as a staff of the NRC, “It is true but very bitter to inform everybody here that the Budget Office in Abuja views many as ghost workers, as not all the employment processes passed through the office of the Head of Service.

“Many employments that were done in recent times were done with the approval of the NRC Management, but they did not get to the office of the Head of Service. That is why many are not collecting their monthly pension benefit remitted into their account.

“The employment processes of many of us have not been regularised, that is why some are not getting their pension remitted while others are getting alerts.”

Responding to the em-

ployment irregularities issue, the Managing Director of the NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria stated that the management is working towards regularising the employment processes of many of the affected workers.

“Yes, management is aware of the irregularities in the employment processes of many here and I can say we are on top of the issue. We are in discussion with them in Abuja over this and I can promise that it will be resolved shortly.

“For those not getting their pension remitted into their accounts, that issue will be resolved shortly,” he said.

The workers also raise the alarm over the takeover of quarters belonging to the NRC by people that are not working with the corporation.

ernment joint accounts.

One of the protesters, Miss Joy Amadi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the protest is a welcome development.

Amadi said the need for accountability in governance prompted her to join the protest.

“Occupy NASS is a protest against corruption, political criminality, and a long period of bad leadership.

“However, just as the current government stands out to fight corruption, we also want to join hands to make Nigeria a corrupt-free nation,” she said.

According to her, politicians have for a long time continued to milk Nigerians through fat salaries and frivolous allowances.

Another protester, Mr Ignatius Adeleke, stated that the campaigners are committed to the protest until the leadership of the National Assembly considers their demands.

“We will not leave this place until our demands are met; we have suffered for too long while our politicians are living in affluence.

“We will not take it anymore; there has to be a change in our attitude,” Adeleke said.

Lagos govt to provide 160,000 furniture deficit in public schools LAGOS State will provide the 160,000 furniture deficit in public schools by 2017.

The state deputy governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, who is also the state Commissioner for Education, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, on Wednesday.

“The last statistics for furniture in our public schools shows that we have about 160,000 furniture deficit.

“Already, we are working on 40,000; by the grace of God, and given the approval of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, we will have another round of 40, 000 by the first quarter of next year.

“It is my hope that by the end of 2017, the 160,000 furniture deficit would have been taken care of,” she said.

Adebule said providing the furniture was part of the state government’s efforts to bridge infrastructure gap, provide instructional tools and improve schooling environment.

Adebule urged school managers – principals and head teachers – to ensure proper maintenance of the furniture, when supplied.

ICPC commends Kano over anti-corruption law Kola Oyelere - Kano

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commended the Kano State government for being the only state among the 36 states that has so far domesticated the anti-corruption law in the country.

Disclosing this on Wednesday, while delivering a paper at a one-day Executive Interactive Session on Year 2017 Budget in Kano, the Head of ICPC Anti-Corruption Academy, Baba Ashiru added that apart from domesticating the anti-corruption law, it was commendable that Kano also established its anti-corruption commission.

Corruption, he said, has as of today, culminated in making nonsense of every genuine moves aimed at making livelihood of the people meaningful He, however, noted that until drastic measures were taken, the whole fight and efforts of the government would be wasted, adding that, “So, all hands must be on deck for us to defeat this cankerworm called corruption.”

According to him, though many states in the country have approached ICPC for support on how to domesticate their own anti-corruption laws, none have shown serious commitment to the project.

35

news

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Reps to probe Budget Office over forced N8bn remittance by FERMA Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel--Abuja

T

HE House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to investigate the Director-General of the Budget office of the Federation, Mr Ben Akabueze, over his directive to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to remit N8 billion out of the N10.3 billion released to the agency for its capital project in the 2016 budget to the treasury, Consequently, it resolved that an Adhoc-Committee should be set up to investigate the matter, and report back within the next one week.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved

by Hon Agbedi Frederick, PDP, Sagbama/Ekeremor Fed Constituency, Bayelsa.

Under matters of public importance, tagged: “Urgent Need to Curb Developing Trend Where the Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, Now Direct Chief Executives of Agencies of Government to Remit to The Treasury Capital

Funds Already Released to Them.”

While leading the debate, Agbedi lamented that “there is a worrisome developing trend where the DG, Budget Office of the Federation, directed the Chief Executives of FERMA, to remit treasury capital funds already released to them.”

Accordng to the lawmaker,

“the DG of Budget Office directed the MD of FERMA, to remit to the treasury N8 billion out of N10,339,549,201 already released to the agency vide warrant N0 W01/00006938, for the execution of capital projects leaving it with only N2.3billon “But due to the compelling need for FERMA to

repair and maintain dilapidated roads across the nation, the National Assembly graciously approved a total of N21,816,546,653, out of which only N10,399,549,201 was recently released this October to the agency for execution of some critical projects, which includes so many failed and bad roads across the country

“As it is, FERMA had already prioritised its capital projects, while it has advertised in line with the Procurement Act 2007 that contractors desirous to work, for the agency have spent earned monies to buy Tender documents which they are now bound to lose, by the directive from DG Budget Office.

THE Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), on Wednesday, kicked off a safe-route-to-school project for primary school pupils in Bayelsa State.

At the inauguration of the project, in Yenagoa, the state capital, Mr Alaye Dokubo, Government and Community Relations Manager, SPDC, in Charge of Bayelsa and Delta operational areas, said that safety was fundamental in the oil firm’s operations.

He said the company was committed to ensuring that pupils receive education in a safe environment.

Dokubo said that the company, in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), selected six primary schools for the project.

Abiara’s wife burial

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar holding Ibrahim, a child in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Yola, Adamawa State, when he visited the camp to distribute food items under the auspices of Adamawa Peace Initiative, on Tuesday.

Atiku at Zik’s lecture, advocates free education in Africa FORMER Vice President and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has called for primary and secondary education to be free and compulsory across the African continent.

Atiku made the call, at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, in his capacity as the chairman of the 2016 Zik lectures, hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the university. The topic titled “Crisis, education and Africa’s recovery.”

According to the former vice president, “free and compulsory education would enable every African child to acquire basic education, to help the continent produce an enlightened citizenry,” adding that free education is the norm in those countries that we (Africans), look up to as models for development.”

On a personal level, Atiku Abubakar also known as Turaki Adamawa reveals that, it was free and compulsory education that transformed his life and equipped him to play the kind of roles he now plays in society, rather than having to end up as a rural person, in the old Adamawa province of Northern Nigeria. For this reason, according to him, he has devoted much of his philanthropic endeavours to investment in education, which led to the establishment of an educational village in his native Yola, in Adamawa State, where stu-

Shell kicks off saferoute-to-school project in Bayelsa

dents, irrespective of their background and means are provided with quality education from kindergarten to University.

He says further, “in the educational village that I established in Yola, our focus is not just providing students with high quality education

from kindergarten to university. We are also focused on providing them with the skills to become leaders, in their various communities and countries. That is why we involve them in the lives of the surrounding community, so they become part of the solutions to the chal-

lenges those communities face. Thus critical thinking, problem solving and leadership development are integral parts of their educational experience.”

The Turaki pays tribute to the lecture organisers and the sponsor of the series, Senator Ben Obi. He also

pays tribute to the keynote speaker, Mr Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya, and all those, who in various ways have complimented government’s efforts, in expanding and advancing the frontiers of education across the continent of Africa.

Senate set to amend Companies Income Tax Act Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

THE Senate on Wednesday passed the bill for an Act to amend the company’s income tax and for other matters into law.

It was sponsored by Senator Andy Uba and was taken in on November 26, 2015 for the first time and specifically seeks to amend Sections 34, 36, 39 and 40 of the principal Act. In the lead debate, Andy Uba said the proposed amendments are to encourage investments in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy, in rural areas where ordinarily it would have been unattractive to invest.

He added, the Bill speaks directly to the issues of stimulating economic activities, through greater tax incentives, engendering Economic Development, promotion of industrialisation and job creation in Nigeria.

According to him “when the Bill is passed into law, it is expected that the economic activities that would be generated through tax

moratorium assured by the proposed Act, would generally provide the hitherto elusive employment opportunities for our qualified youths, who today are roaming the streets of the urban areas in search of non-existent jobs.”

This Bill he stated is one of the potent tools that could trigger the much-desired investments, in local manufacturing and industrialisation by both foreign and lo-

cal companies, adding that, it would also provide an opportunity for the development of rural areas and provision of infrastructure, by members of the private sector.

He reasoned, the expected economic activities to be generated by virtue of the provisions of the amendments sought, are to be concentrated in the rural and semi-urban areas, where

infrastructures are lacking.

The lawmaker however informed that, the new clauses in the Bill canvasses a tenyear tax exemption for a new company going into business, where infrastructures such as electricity, water, or tarred road are not provided by government, while companies with investment in the mining and gas industries, respectively would be exempted for five years.

Armed Forces remembrance: Traders association, FHP sign MoU to rally support for army Christian Okeke - Abuja

THE Fallen Heroes Project (FHP) and the National Association of Nigerian Traders, on Wednesday, in Abuja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), targeted at rallying improved support, for the armed forces as they battle insurgency.

It also aimed at ensuring that fallen heroes were not forgotten.

The agreement which was in furtherance to the official launch of the armed forces

remembrance emblem by the Presidency, on Tuesday, was signed by Kenneth IbeKalu and Edozie Ugwu, on behalf of both groups.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ugwu, said traders decided to give support to the armed forces, by partnering with the Fallen Heroes Project, in order to raise funds to take care of those who made sacrifices for the security of the country.

He disclosed that the leadership of the traders’ association targets selling the re-

membrance emblem to over 20, 000 traders in each of the major cities of the country.

Ugwu disclosed that national executive committee of the association, had approved to undertake the initiative, in order to boost welfare of the armed forces.

Earlier, the national coordinator of FHP, Ibe-Kalu, had said the organisation targets selling the emblem to over five million Nigerians, against about 17,000, who reportedly wore the emblem last year.

activities for BURIAL Prophetess Christianah Aduke Abiara, wife of Prophet (Dr) Kayode Abiara Abiara, the General Evangelist, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), (worldwide), who died on September 3 2016, will commence on Thursday, November 24, at (CAC) Vineyard of Comfort International Miracle Centre, 166 Rye Lane. SE15 4NB, London.

On Saturday, November 26, there will be service of songs, at Erinmo Civic Centre, by 10:00a.m While on Monday, November 28, there will be service of song praise celebration concert, at (CAC), Agbala Itura, Oke-Odo, Agege, Opposite Ile-Epo Bus Stop, Agege, Lagos, at 4:00p.m.

On Wednesday, November 30, there will be praise celebration concert at (CAC), Agbala Itura, City of Peace, New Ife Road, Olode, Ibadan, at 4:00p.m.

While on Thursday, December 1, there will be lying in state (Messiah Hall); Christian Wake / commendation service, at (CAC), Agbala Itura, City of Peace, New Ife Road, Olode, Ibadan, at 4:00p.m.

On Friday, December 2, there will be funeral service at (CAC), Agbala Itura, NewIfe Road, Olode Ibadan, Oyo State, at 8:00am, followed by interment.

On Sunday, December 4, there will be a thanksgiving service at (CAC), Agbala Itura, New Ife Express Road, City of Peace, Olode, Ibadan.

Prophetess Abiara

news FG, Italy sign criminals’ extradition pacts

36

T

HE Federal Government has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), bordering on mutual assistance in criminal matters, transfer of sentenced persons and an extradition treaty with the Government of the Republic of Italy.

Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said this in a press statement issued on Wednesday, in Abuja.

Isah said in the release that the minister signed the pact in Rome, the Italian capital, on behalf of the Federal Government while the Italian Minister of Justice, Mr Andrea Orlando, signed on behalf of his home country.

He said that the signing of the agreement was part of the outcome of the AGF’s official visit to Italy last week, going by the treaty document.

According to Malami’s spokesman, the pact was a demonstration of the determination “to improve the effectiveness of both countries in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, including crimes related to terrorism and tracing.”

He stressed that other areas include “restraint, forfeiture or confiscation of assets for financing of terrorism and also the proceeds and instruments of crime, through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters”.

On the extradition treaty, each of the participating nations, upon a request, is expected to “extradite to the other, any person who is in his territory and is wanted by the requesting state for the purpose of carrying out crimi-

nal proceedings or executing a final custodial sentence or any other measure restrictive of personal liberty issued against such person” It added that, the two countries also reached another agreement to promote effective cooperation on the transfer of sentenced persons for the purpose of facilitating their rehabilitation and social reintegration.

It will be recalled that the AGF, had, on August 4, 2016, hosted a meeting of an Italian

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Paolo Gentlioni Silveri, in Abuja, as part of preparatory steps towards enhancing cooperation on justice reforms between the two nations.

Malami, who is also the president of the 4th Assembly of State Parties of the International Anticorruption Academy (IACA), presided over the Assembly of State Parties (AoP), at the Vienna International Conference

Centre, Vienna, Austria between November 10 and 11 .

The AGF’s media aide added that while declaring the 5th Assembly of State Parties opened, the minister reiterated the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari -led administration to fight corruption in all its ramifications.

He also pleaded for more support of all member states in coming out with creative and workable ideas in that direction.

From left, chairman on the occasion, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye; the celebrant, Justice Babasola Ogunade; Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West, Anglican Communion, Right Reverend James Odedeji and his wife, Lydia, during the 80th birthday thanksgiving service and book launch, in honour of Justice Ogunade, at Archbishop Vinning Memorial Cathedral, Lagos, on Wednesday. PHOTO; SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

2016 budget: Senate, Reps consider Buhari’s request for N180bn virement From Taiwo Adisa, Ayodele Adesanmi, Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel

SENATORS, on Wednesday, cmmenced the debate on the request for virement of a sum of N180 billion in the 2016 budget.

The Senate at its sitting, on Wednesday, mandated its standing committees in charge of Appropriation and Finance, to do a thorough legislative work on the request by President Muhammadu Buhari for the virement.

The president had, in October, asked the National Assembly to approve the virement of N180,

839,254,439 from the N500 billion appropriated for Special Intervention.

Also, the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, commenced the consideration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the virement of N180,839,254,430 for the implementation of critical

capital projects in the 2016 budget.

The amount being vired, according to President Buhari’s request, is to be drawn from the N500 billion special intervention (recurrent and capital) fund, appropriated in the 2016 Appropriations Act The House, at the plenary,

resolved to refer the request to the Committee on Appropriations and other relevant committees to serve as subcommittees of the Committee on Appropriations for further legislative action.

The resolution followed the adoption of the motion sponsored by Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, the Majority

ABSU, Uturu, takes turn to host Glo Campus Storm ABIA State University, Uturu, will this Friday (tomorrow), take its turn to host Nigeria’s premium musical show for tertiary institutions, the Glo Campus Storm.

The show, which has entered its sixth week, was

held last Friday at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where it drew a huge crowd of both students and members of the university community.

The Abia State University edition of the show, will also feature major high-

lights such as dancing and singing competitions, the beauty pageants for the Glo Campus Data Dude and the Glo Campus Data Diva, which attract a cash prize of N100,000, for the winners in each category and N50,000 for other eight par-

EFCC re-arraigns Rickey Tarfa on amended charges Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Lagos THE embattled Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Rickey Tarfa, was, on Wednesday, re-arraigned before an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) amended its 27-count charge against him.

The commission re-arraigned Tarfa on a reduced 26 counts bordering on the

Leader of the House, who explained that the “request was necessitated by a number of reasons, including shortfalls in the provisions of personnel cost, inadequate provision for the amnesty programme, the need to sustain the war against insurgency and the depreciation of the Naira.”

same offences it preferred against him on March 10 and also substituted Section 38(2) on the charge for Section 39(2) of the EFCC Act, 2004.

However, before his plea was taken, Tarfa’s lawyer, Abiodun Owonikoko, objected to the reading of the amended charge on the ground that it will overreach the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Owonikoko argued that the Court of Appeal, will, on

January 19, hear the appeal filed against the ruling of the court.

He submitted that the amended charge raised constitutional issues that an accused person should not be charged twice for the same offence.

Owonikoko argued that the amended charge is a violation of Section 39(9) of the constitution, which prohibits a prosecutor from arraigning a defendant twice for the same offence.

But, in his response, the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo , argued that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), allows the prosecution to amend a charge at any time before judgment is given.

He urged the court not to allow the defence delay the trial.

In a bench ruling, Justice Akintoye dismissed Tarfa’s objection, adding that there was nothing wrong with the amended charge.

ticipants and music from up and coming artistes and top rated Nigerian superstars.

Artistes expected to perform at the ABSU show include, Kenyan diva Victoria Kimani, hip-hop act, Kach, Nigeria’s fast rising music sensation, Runtown and the ‘Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa’, Timaya. Ace comedian, Gordon, who is going to anchor the event, will be coming with his basket of jokes, just as the dexterous female disc jockey, DJ Lambo, will produce hit vibes from the juke box.

Enthusiasm for the show is high already in the university community with the Glo Campus Storm road show activation team ramping up excitement in the town with various activities geared at making the concert a tremendous success.

SMEDAN trains 10,000 in skills acquisition Jacob Segun OlatunjiAbuja THE Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has trained over 10,000 micro-entrepreneurs in 19 states and 57 centres across the country under its National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

The Director General of the agency, Dr Dikko Radda, said this in Abuja, on Wednesday, while addressing the participants at the end of the training programme under the NISDP, a subset of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDP).

According to Dr Radda, who was represented by the Director, Engineering, Technology and Infrastructure, Mr Abu Ozigi; “at the end of the exercise, which is running simultaneously in 19 states and 57 centres in the country, not less than 10,000 micro-entrepreneurs would have been trained.

He said that the training, which covered Agri-business, fabrication, Information Communication Technology( ICT), wood-work, building technology, electronics, leather work, fashion designing, hospitality business, among others, was targeted at reducing youths unemployment in the country.

Support Buhari, Lasun tells Nigerians THE deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Suleman Yussuff, has called on the people of Osun State and Nigerians in general, to give President Muhammadu Buhari the needed support in order to move the country out of its current economic crisis.

He said this at Ilobu Day celebration, in Ilobu, Osun State, at the weekend.

According to a release issued and signed by his political aide, Lekan Olawoyin, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, on Monday, he said that no nation in the world could develop without unity.

He appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and support the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in its quest to move the nation forward.

The deputy speaker, however, charged all relevant stakeholders to join in moving the nation forward.

37 tribunesport

Thursday, 17 November, 2016

Falcons set to retain AWC title —Omagbemi

Cameroon 2016: Pinnick pumps up Falcons’ spirit as team departs HOURS before the Super Falcons’ departure for Cameroon to defend the Women Africa Cup of Nations title, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Pinnick was at the team’s camp to offer words of motivation and encouragement.

Pinnick told the reigning African champions that the federation is fully behind them and that they are as important as any other national team.

“We are totally behind you and we cherish you as much as we cherish all other teams, and we are always proud about all you have achieved which remains a record in the continent of Africa. We are hope-

ful that you will remain the champions of Africa after the finals in Cameroon.

“I want to assure you that we respect you and will do all we can to meet your needs in spite of the financial challenges we have presently. We do not take you for granted. We will always treat you as the champions that you are and hopefully, our financial situation will improve very soon and we will be able to practically demonstrate how much we treasure you.”

President Pinnick then prayed with the ladies and reiterated that the Federation has great plans for them and Nigeria women football going forward.

A special place is already reserved in African football folklore for Florence Omagbemi as the first lady to lift the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations when Nigeria hosted and won the inaugural edition in 1998 in Abeokuta, South-Western part of the West African country.

Omagbemi spoke with CAFOnline.com ahead of Nigeria’s opening match against Mali on Sunday, 20 November 2016 in Limbe.

You were the first player to lift the African Women’s Cup of Nations in 1998. What memories do you have of that feat?

Oh! My God! I will start by giving glory to God for that privilege and opportunity as well as thank everybody who was involved, especially my teammates, some of whom I’m fortunate to be working together currently with the team now. It’s always a good memory and when you sit down to recollect some of those favourable times and see how it can be used to assist the new players we are working with; it’s always a great feeling.

Falconets players celebrating one of their goals in their 3-1 win over Canada, at the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea, on Wednesday.

Ibrahimovic, Smalling, Fellaini, 4 others to miss Arsenal match

M

ANCHESTER United could be without seven key players for this weekend’s crunch clash with Arsenal, with the entire first-choice backline set to be absent for the Red Devils.

Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling are sure to miss the tie

with injuries, while Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw are major doubts for the fixture.

The Telegraph reports that Jose Mourinho has called for a review of the team’s medical facilities following the injury crisis, with his team languishing in sixth spot after 11 games.

A loss against Arsenal for Mourinho’s men, his first against Arsene Wenger in the league, would be a massive blow to their chances of coming back in the title race.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be absent following a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season

FCT FA rejects NFF league board appointments THE board of the FCT Football Association has disassociated itself from the recent appointments made by the NFF into the boards of the various league bodies.

In a statement in Abuja, the chairman of the FCT Football Association, Alhaji Musa Saeed Talle, said the appointments were not acceptable by all the football stakeholders in the FCT as they were against all natural justice and fair play.

According to Alhaji Talle, “I want to state categerically that all football stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory did not accept all appointments made, which are against all tenets of the existing NFF statutes. The statutes of the Federation provide that membership of the league boards should be by election and not appointment, and we at the FCT FA cannot accept any illegality that is meant to satisfy some myopic and parochial interest.

“We want to categorically state that we are not part of this appointment, and have directed all our stakeholders to reject whatever appointment given to them in the league bodies.”

Alhaji Talle frowned seriously upon the relegation

of the former chairman of the Nigerian Women Football League, Chief (Mrs) Dilichukwu Onyedinma, to an Independent Vice Chairman of the body, saying that that is not acceptable and a serious injustice to all moral justice.

against Swansea City. Marouane Fellaini is recovering from a calf injury while Wayne Rooney missed England’s games in the international break after being dealt a setback on the injury front. The striker is a doubt for the weekend fixture and will be assessed on Friday before a decision is taken on his fitness.

Meanwhile, Antonio Valencia is back in training for the Red Devils, but may be short for the game against Arsenal, while Shaw has reported pain in the leg that he broke last season. Phil Jones is set to return to the first eleven and is likely to be partnered by Daley Blind at the back, who has previously been used at left-back in the absence of Shaw.

Messi will retire at Barca —Club boss BARCELONA president Josep Maria Bartomeu is convinced Lionel Messi will sign a new contract and end his career with the La Liga champions.

The Argentina international, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2018, has yet to agree new terms, sparking speculation he could leave the Catalan club.

Bartomeu, however, is confident the 29-year-old will remain at the Nou Camp.

Speaking at the announcement of a lucrative four-year sponsorship deal with Japanese technology company Rakuten, Bartomeu said: “I believe we’ve got a team with incredible players, all of

them.

“There is nonetheless a leader of course, Leo Messi, he is well known and popular all over the world.

“We’re all convinced, we’re all positive Leo Messi will

end his sporting career in Barca.

“All the members of Barca believe this is how it has to be, because he is the player that in the last few years has brought us sporting success.”

Congo sack Lechantre CONGO Brazzaville have sacked coach Pierre Lechantre with 17 months left on his contract with the Red Devils.

The Congo Football Federation (Fecofoot) confirmed his sacking on Tuesday, following the team’s poor recent results, the latest being a 1-0 defeat by Uganda in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on 12 November.

The Frenchman, who re-

placed his compatriot Claude LeRoy in January, oversaw the Red Devils’ shock failure to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

“After the meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 11:00 am, Fecofoot and Pierre Lechantre, coach of the national team, agreed an amicable breakup of the contract that binds both parties,” Fecofoot said in a statement.

Altogether, how many Women’s African Cup of Nations did you take part in?

Officially, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations started in 1998, but I was also part of the team that qualified for the World Cup in 1991 in China as well as the 1995 edition in the USA. Nigeria hosted the first edition of the Women’s AFCON in 1998 and I was opportune to captain the Super Falcons to win the trophy for the first time. I also captained the team to win in 2000 in South Africa and in 2002 in Warri in Nigeria; thereafter we went to the World Cup in the USA. What memories do you have of your last match for the Super Falcons?

I think that was after we qualified for the second Olympic Games in Greece; our first appearance was in Sydney 2000.

The last match I played for the national team was against the South African team in Abuja and that was the last phase of our qualifier for the Olympic Games in Athens; it was good and my impact was felt as we qualified for the Olympics.

Thereafter, my teammate, Mercy Akide and I took permission to return to our club in the USA because we had an important championship match. Unfortunately, I sustained an injury which kept me out for long. It was painful because I was looking forward to Athens as the opportunity to say goodbye to the national team. It was tough.

I really wanted to hang my boots in Athens after playing in three Women’s AFCON and four World Cups but it was not to be and that game against South Africa in Abuja happened to be my last for the Falcons.

You have made the transition swiftly to coaching, at what point did you decide to go into that?

I think the talent was there all along with me but it never manifested until somebody discovered it and pushed you into it. Sincerely, I was never looking towards this direction when I was playing but most of the coaches I worked with had always noticed the leadership qualities in me, both at the club and national team levels so they gave me much responsibility when I’m on the pitch to direct my teammates. So, I worked with them not as a coach but as a captain; and since I’ve been playing for the national team, I knew this opportunity will come one day because women’s football had always been my passion.

Nigeria is in Group B with Ghana, Kenya and Mali.

How do you fancy their chances, especially against bitterest rivals Ghana?

In my playing days, it was never easy games against the Ghanaians, though we usually had the upper hands. Nigeria and Ghana started women’s football at the same time and they have ideas and talents about the women’s game. So, the Black Queens and even the Cameroonians would naturally want to pose a challenge but we are going to take our matches one at a time because there are no smaller teams again in football. We are not under any pressure; we just want to retain our trophy as the defending Florence Omagbemi, Super Falcons coach champions.

38

tribunepools

DR. J.K POOLS – 07039275802

(29XX30) 10, 22, 34, 39, 41.

Time is fast approaching for most of the Pools promoters to face the real heat of paying winnings on loan.

The major reason is that I am now set to dish out hidden draw in the local coupon for the overall intrest of stakers in the country for it is going to happen in week 20?

Draws are built around stakers, the period of 3\3, 4\4 and 5\5 is here, This is the time to know who leads in pools world.

Now stakers pick two bankers from 10, 22, 34, 39, 41, and add to the above bracket games. Goodluck says Dr. JK Pools

LUCKYMAN 08054352685 (32 SURE 33)

Bank on 32 sulestx33 and call for 3 unfailing Sule arains to make you smile to your bank on Monday send N1,500 MTN card for 3 unfailing Sule arains 32surestx33.

THE LILIES 08086944309 (39 JACKPORT 40)

Stay with us and win big jackport on pools we are really set to help you win on pools stay with us and you be glad you did send N2000 MTN card for 3 jackpot x5 39 jackpot 40.

MISTER DRAW 08030415683 (16XX18)

Leeds superx Norwish plus 3 super draws cost N200 MTN card call now and win big fortune on pools.

SIR-BRAKA 08179667733

Mark 10xxx39 for No 3draws wk20 3Napable draws cost N5000 cash win big fortune on pools.

3 UK COMPILERS 08166222529= 30 NAP 29 09038460009 RELEASE WINNER MEMBERSHIP ENGLISH 2016 N50, 000 4 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 7 Red Key Bradford .C NO 23X 24X 26X 29X 4 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 11 Red Key Bradford C. NO 20X 21X 30X 31X 4 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 15 Red Key Bradford C NO 21x 29x 33x 34x 4 bankers N6, 000 Wk 19 RED Key Bradford C No 30 Nap Nap Nap Two bankers N3, 000 Wk 18 NO 17X 27X PAIR. Wk 19 No Nap Nap Pair XX KEY Every RED colour Bank Bradford C Todraw Wk 19 No 30 30 30 Plus 3. Others N6, 000 Send MTN 09038460009= 08166222529= No 30xxx.

PETAFE Week19, 19CBK 0805918i6433 Burton A , a way setting on top of 2nd bar Week 9 = 10x, 17x 21key.

Week14= 10x, 13x, 17f, 19key Week19= 19CBK x x x Cost N 10,000, cash per week or N 200,000 payment after Winning. Best of luck.

SHADOW 08087670776 (4 PAIR 5) Please run away from enemy of progress this wekk19,those that will tell you not to buy shadow 3 fixed draws and a pair this week19,. Your winning on pool staking is very sure if you can send me N5,000 MTN recharge card from poor to rich.

PETER NAP 03 OR 48 08076546261

Congratulations, last week release got 31xx, 32xx, 33xx the two bankers 3/3 this week cost ¦ 25,000.00 pay to savings acct no :- 3023114822 First bank in person of Mr Onoalapo Peter. And call on 08070546261.

Meanwhile 3 or 48 for x reg to club membership is 1.5m, part payment is allowed advert to be

JOHN SUPER TIPS 20CBK

Readers I command coupon No 20CBK to draw on Saturday plus 2, others make it 3 over 3 do not miss ity you must win avoid had I known cost N10,000 cash this week call 09050512097

SHORT GUN –23MUST 31 08050614477\ 08168241902

Winning at short gun this week we are now ready to gun 3 draw down for our registered and unregistered customers call for details good luck

GRACE LAND INTERNATIONAL NAP 09086459272 (PAIR 1X 12X)

Get week 19 NAP NAP NAP =3\3 plus above pair to contact unbeatable draws at N10,000 to qualify for my up coming operational release “WIN TO XMAS” and smile to new year. Please don’t miss it.

Best of luck.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE POOLS PAGE

THE WINNERS CHOICE WISE STAKERS DELIGHT GET A COPY AND WIN.

PLEIAD DE MAXWELL – 09099968585.

WATFORD – LEICESTER = 08XX

Time to win pools is at hand, Coupon fixtures this week look favourable for draws most especially in the premiership and the Conference League.

Middlesbro, Southapton, Stoke, Sunderland and Watford are premiership slot for likely draws. In the Championship League, Barnsley, Birmingham, Blackburn, Fulham, Ipswich, Leeds, Preston, QPR and Reading has draw potential.

Beware of League one where all the teams look like draws Winbledon, Charlton, Fleetwood and the 3s at home, Scunthrope, Sheff Utd and Southend. Walsall and Gillingham is another likely draw. League Two has Accrington, Barnet, Cambridge U, Mansfield, Cheltenham, Leyton. O, Notts Co. And Yeovil as draws region.

The Conference divisions is slated for at least 2 or 3 draws and is likely at Aldershot, Boreham W, Braintree, Chester and Dover. To have a good win, with the above analysis.

Contact De Maxwell draws Clinic for your sure draws after surgery.

TOKEN MANAGER.

JACOBSON – SURE WIN AGAIN – 07065292905.

2-2 YEARS HISTORIC WIN = ON SHEFF UTD AND SHREWBURY = 05MUST04. ON NUMBERS 29,30,31-2012-2014-2016. week 5 = 2012 =on No 30, week =30= 2014 = on No.31,wk.19=2016=No 29.

Week 5’2012- 01x 18x 34xxx 07x Week 30’2014 – 07x 23x 38xxx 06x Week 19’2016 - x x x -05xx04 Congratulations to all our last week winners on 4/4 years winning programe on – 08x 17x 31xxx 32xx on our promised and fulfilled ‘full payment’ = Another sure win our freshly served 2/2 years historic win of 3draws at rate of N50,000= strictly to new clients. Good luck

OBINYAN PROMISES BIG HARVESTS

The doyen of pools compilation in Africa and the managing director of king and George Group of papers, Prince willy Ehi Obinyan has promised to unfold naked draws for stakers during the coming yelutide period.

The Africa no 1 pools compiler said stakers should prepare very well and consult his group of paper for bountiful harvest in the weeks ahead His paper include Pools telegraph, Shoot pointer, New dream, Zeters pool guild, Murphy sport and Final result.

BEST BARGAIN INTERNATIONAL 08092621480

Week 19= 39 BK + OTHERS After an extensive consultation with the Bookmakers and the Pool Panel and after receiving the green light, our forecast is back with good tiding for staker. This week, coupon no 39 must draws with other classified games to enrich stakers. Our registration fee remains N250,000. This is a new deal and a new dawn. Call me on 08092621480 for further details and discussion.

3. OVERSEAS COMPILERS= 08103222635= 21X 20XXX BOLTON= 21XX

3 Special Draws N6, 000 WK 17 wk cup 1 No 10x 23x 28x PAIR 13x 14x 3 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 18 A Wk after CUP No 7x 17x 27x PAIR 27x 28f 3 Special Draws Wk 19 No Nap Nap Nap Nap with Nap Nap WK 19 NO CUP CUP CUP CUP Two Bankers N3000 wk 21 No 10x 23x No Cup Cup Wk 18 No 17x 27x Wk 19 No Nap Nap KEY Every RED Colour Bank BOLTON. To Draw No 21. 21. 21. Plus Two others cost N6, 000. 08103222635.

FORTUNE DONOR DONATES 4 - 24 - 25- 43/44 (08099111828) As the current English season progresses steady, team have stabilized, and draws are being choose out, compilers with good information will be able to assist their client in trapping the draws baring other unforeseen circumstances.

In this connection, printers are advised to go all out for 4- 24- 25- 43\44 for four good draws this weekend. Sam set cost N30,000.00 nest week don’t ignore please. You have won!

MALLAM BAWA MUSA EXPLODES AGAIN 08052506287, 09037208294

Week. 18 = 31x, 32x, 33x = 3\3 correct.

Week. 19 = BET. BET< BET, pair 17, 18 Three week of non stop winning NAPs continues in week 19,cost only N15,000cash payment at Access bank to Mallam Musa Ibrahim Bawa, accts no 0042075587.

NEW PROFESSOR HARRISON NAP 07069009601

BLUE TO RED WINNING SEQUENCE In week 7 Giillingham away 31, in week 6 opponent of Fleetwood was Bolton to pick Charlton at home for confirmed draw 24XX and other 3draws.

In week 19, Gillingham away 31, in week 18 opponent of Fleetwood was Povtrale to pick Charlton at home again for super draw 23XXX and other 3draws.

Week 7 –09X 14X 26XXX 24XX week19 – X X X X =23XX. Another winning at the New Professor Harrison draw gazette office – N50,000 =(adult only).

WITH CONFIDENCE. F.A. CUP. MASTER= 08166222529, 08139714848= 20XX 21XX Two Bankers= N5000 Wk 15 RED NO 21X 24 PAIR 28F 29X Wk 18 A Wk after 27X 37X PAIR 3F 4F Two Banker= N5000 Wk 16 A WK TO CUP NO 10X 40X PAIR 30X 41F Two Bankers N5000 Wk 17 NO 10x 28x Pair 26x 27f Wk 18 No 27X 37X WK 19 NO NAP NAP One Bankers= N2500 Wk 15 RED No 39x Pair 20x 21x Wk 16 30X PAIR 40X 41F One Bankers= N2500 Wk 17 F.A CUP NO 26x Pair 28x 29f wk 18 No 17X Pair 3F 7X WK 19 NO NAP NAP League Table Two Bankers= N3000 WK 7 RED NO 10X 4X WK 11 RED NO 20X 30X Wk 15 RED No 29x 39x Wk 19 RED No RED No RED RED Wk 20 No Nap NAP LEAGUE TABLE One Banker N2000 Wk 7 No 44x Wk11 RED No 31x Wk 15 RED No 20x Wk 19 RED No Nap Wk 20 No Nap KEY Every RED colour Bank Bolton to draw No 21 Game on top of Bolton to draw No 20. 21.

MADAM DE MADAM ARCHIVE WIN IS NOW TALK OF THE TOWN IN WEEK 16,17,18 FROM 2013-2016

= scored 5/5 last with 2 free bankers on 21xx must xx32xxx = 5/5 = of 11draws. 08023329191. (10XX 29) Congratulations, your winning coast is clears – on 2/2 years .

Yeovil and Colchester gazet.

Week 12 – 2012 = 01x 25x 34xxx 10x -4/4=11drs Week 23 – 2014 = 05x 29x 46xxx 39x- 4/4=12drs Week 19 – 2016 = x x x - 10xx39xx= At Madame De Madam of Mr. Joshua all readers and callers are winners. Welcome to the Madams point – call our long surviving media manager for your winning instructions. N50,000= 08023329191. (Promoters CRUX).

ATTENTION PLEASE! ALL ADVERTS ARE TO BE FULLY PAID

Thursday, 17 - 23 November, 2016 MODUPE NAP – 08033566694

XNAP – XNAP – 40XNAP

Winning galore continues at modupe the winner pay point. Call for details.

IBUKUN OLU NAPS 07026839837.

34XXXCBK.

The managing director of IBUKUN OLU NAPS has special release for this Week 19 and next week 20 my 3 gazette, draws cost N10,000.

Cash each week with a pair bank no 34XXXCBK plus 2, others call 07026839837.

DOUBLE SHUFFLE GIVES 4/5 (09052942626)

Let us put the general disappointment of last week behind us to enable us focus on this weeks fixtures which give brighter hope.

We settle for the pair of coupons Nos 4/5 for a good draw this weekend. Southampton vs Liverpool and Stoke vs Bnmth. The duo are the best pair on the cards this week use them profitably .

Add them to our 1Bk still sells for N1,500.00, 2 draws sells for N3,000.00, and 3 drs cost ¦ 10,000.00 on 09052942626 Be a regular winner!

BRADFORD.C. RED COLOR SYSTEM NO

30XX30XX= 08055230300 = 29XX30X

WK7 ERED KEY= BRADFORD.C. NO 23WX29X34X48 WK11. RED KEY= BRADFORD.C. NO 21X20X30X31X WK15. RED KEY= BRADFORD .C. NO 21X24X33X34X WK19 RED KEY= BRADFORD .C. NO 30X Nap Nap Nap Key every red color bank Bra ford.c. to draw No 30x30x30x plus 4 . other N6000 wk19 red No Nap Nap Nap . 30 following wk20 purple cost N6000 wk20 No Nap Nap Nap Nap = send MTN card + 08055230300.

MAITO AGAIN –

08030785634/ 09081226091 (10 MUST 11)

Your evergreen ace compiler the managing director of Maito & co. is here again to enrich all stakers to Dec. 2016 with big winning s call for details. Goodluck

OJIKUTU NAP – 09091672122 (39XX40)

Your winning is sure thus with our new discovery on current winning programe . call now for your nap details. Goodluck.

YEMA GAMES –07064660296 8 MUST 39.

The above married pair is voted as the beast pair of the week and other 3 fixed draws. Call for your NAP proper. Good luck.

LAWRENCE NAP (08160052769) NAP 5X20X34XXX Readers make use of coupon Nos 5x20x34 against next week 20 4 gazetted draws cost N100,000.

Cash do not miss this great opportunity Perm with 14xxx 36xxx call 08160052969.

MADAM FAJOBI IN TOP FORM BET 28,38 (08079826939)

WK.18= 7X,37X,37X all correct this week 19, shrewbury at Aaway No.29 metting letter ‘s’ at home is to control 3 automatic unfailing Nap. It is your chance to win. Please grab it now cost of Nap is N10,000 cash. Pay at First bank to Fajobi Gbenga, accts No. 3058742139.

HARMONY POOLS – 08185423496

PERM – 06, 32, 34, 35, 39.

Free win on the above game .call for the Nap details. Next week Nap cost N 20,000.

Prepare now. Good luck.

LEKE INTERN ATIONAL NAPS 09091798611 FREE = 10X 13X 39XXX Attention all stakers, please Nap 10, 29 , 39, this week as key to my special released of 3draws in weeks 20,21, cost N25,000cash each week call me now for details.

ALASE FIXED NAP – 09081716580 04XX 14.

Amazingly we’ve done it again, he who blow the pipper feel it, our mission is to enrich all our callers with our 3 fixed draws as directed from the source. Call for payment details N25,000.

WEEK 19 STATUS

L.KO – 7 and 15 SUNDAY – 03 and 16

NAP 26XX NAP26XX NAP26XX MRS HENRY 081707796223 & 08071554934

Attention! Attention!! Attention!!!

I have decided to released 3/3 to all registered and non registered member in WK19. So I am, calling on all stakers to win this week and smile to their banks. Also using this medium to congratulate all those patronizing despite not seeing the publication Key: FLEETWOOD at week of play in advance coupon, CARDIFF at No10 away, open to previous week, BANK ON COVENTRY. Cost price: N30,000 (thirty thousand naira only).

Call 08170779623 and 080715574934

DRAW COMMANDER

BEST ENGLISH MAGIC

TWO BANKERS N3,000

WK 19 X17X X27X PAIR X37X X38X

WK 20 NAP NAP PAIR 20 21

WK 21 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

TWO BANKERS N3,000

WK 19 NAP NAP PAIR X29X X30X

WK 20 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

WK 21 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

SEND MTN CARD TO 08095602590.

PETER NAP (03 OR 48) 08076546261 Congratulations, last week release got 31XX, 32XX, 33XX the two bankers 3/3 this week cost N25,000.00 pay to savings acct No:3023114822 First bank in person of MR ONOALAPO PETER. And call on 08076546261. Meanwhile, 3 or 48 for x. Registration to club membership is 1.5 million, part payment is allowed.

LOVE BEST

MOVE FORWARD

TWO BANKERS N4,000 WK 18

WK 19

X25X X32X PAIR X27X X28X

NAP NAP PAIR 20 30

WK 20

NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

TWO BANKERS N4,000 WK 18

X33X X37X PAIR X21X X22X

WK 19

NAP NAP PAIR 10 23

WK 20

NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

SEND MTN CARD TO 08166222529, 08095602590.

CHUBY POOL INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF JUBILATION. (08163631159) Dear lovely fans, I told you that computer Bolton Brown, said any staker who never build house should do so within these four week from this week 19, to wk 22. However, congratulations to our last week 3\3 on: 7, 17, 37, and our published 3 game for 2 draw which are 30, 31, 32.= 5\6. Remember, complier Bolton. Brown urge any of you who will read our advart this week 19, to buy your jeep and arrange you self with our solid 3 draw from this week. Don’t ever miss this opportunity just call with only N25,000 cash we have giving you the winning last week to afford this price so call for account details and grab your 3 draw upon – confirmation of your payment alert. 08163631159.

MAC – ANTHONY SCORED WK 18 NAP 4/5 CORRECTLY CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Week Week Week Week

19 20 21 22

set to draw 3/3 set to draw 3/3 set to draw 3/3 set to draw 3/3

Each week NAP cost N20,000 pay at UBA to ENGR. MICHAEL AKAM –2029382770.

Sure winning awaits you.

NJOROGE MR ASSURANCE – 08177474535

STAKERS RELIEF ON AUTHENTIC WINNING ADVICE WEEK 18 – SUCCESS – 07X 27X 37X 33XX ANNUAL WEEK 19 FIXED WIN WEEK 19 ’2013 - 10X 21X 34XXX 30X WEEK 19 ’2014 - 14X 23X 40XXX 30X WEEK 19 ’2015 - 11X 29X 46XXX 31X WEEK 19 ’2016 - X X X 30X 31X Note: annual week 19 result always recorded full payment of 10 and 11 draws Don’t be left out of our newly chilled and served menu for your winning pleasure and get out of the current economic recession.

Trust Mr Njoroge the winning Assurance that care for your winnings.

OUR PRIDE IS YOU Njoroge Assurance. N50,000 = free Nap win and standing win.

39

tribunepools

IKECHKUWU & BROS. CONFIRMED WIN 08168157259.

(34XXCBK 08)

OLDHAM ON RED COUPON ONLY Week 19 is the 4th red another assurance win as usual.

KEY– IN EVERY RED –Position of oldam plus code 6 to give a fixed banker draw Week7 – 8X 14X 34XXX – 29X. Week11–05X 20X 39XXX – 34XX Week15 – 01X 24X 48XXx – 33XX Week19 – X X X - 34 Week19 – X X X - 34X08 Your winning is sure. Note, we are on board to add value to your staking experience = N 50,000 – (08168157259).

SUNDERLAND SYSTEM= 19 NAP 30 09038460009ENGLISH SYSTEM BOOKLET OUT N30,000. MEMBERSHIP N50, 000 Wk 17 No CUP CUP CUP CUP= 4/4 4. Bankers N6, 000 Wk 16 NO 10X 29X 30X 40X 4. Bankers N6, 000 Wk 17 F.A. CUP I NO 10X 13X 14X 15F 4. Bankers N6, 000 Wk 18 NO 7x 17x 27x 30f WK 19 NO NAP NAP NAP NAP Two Bankers N3000 Wk 16 RED NO NAP 10X 30X Two Bankers N3, 000 Wk 17 NO 10X 13X PAIR 28X 29F WK 18 NO 17x 27x Wk 19 No Nap Nap Time to win pool this Wk 19 Sunderland system 4 special Draws this Wk 19 will play 4/4 correct hurry up to get your copy today two Bankers cost N3000 4.

BANKERS COST N6000 Send MTN Card 09038460009

BIG BROSS 07053681965 AGAIN BAMK 25 OR 44 WITH 2BKS + 1 ALT.

Yes! This is another week of fortune for both my registered members and the wise and lucky customers. If heaven is going to fall 25 or 44 must draw with another 2BKS and 1 free bk that must give us 3/3 and 4/5 on Saturday. Just try and pay N10,00 = into my acct and be in money on Saturday.

Delay is dangerous goodluck.

FINANCE SOLUTION= 08142362005= 08103222635= NO 20XX 30XX 20X 30X

New System set for wk 19. 20. 21 4. Special draws= N30, 000 Wk 7 RED Key 23x 24x 26x 29x= 4/4 4. Special draws= N30, 000 wk 11 RED Key 20x 21x 29x 30x= 4/4 4. Special draws= N30, 000 wk 15 RED Key 21x 24x 33x 34x= 4/4 4. Special draws= N30, 000 wk 19 RED Key 30. Nap Nap Nap= 4/4 4. Special draws= N30, 000 wk 20 No Nap Nap Nap Nap KEY Every RED Colour Bank Bradford C. to draw No 30.

30. Game under the second Bar to draw No 20, 20. Plus 4 otherBA Bank or First Bank= 081042362005= 08135637650.

SHADOW(4 PAIR 5) 08087670776

Please run away from enemy of progress this wekk19,those that will tell you not to buy shadow 3 fixed draws and a pair this week19,. Your winning on pool staking is very sure if you can send me N5,000 MTN recharge card from poor to rich.

AUTHORITY NAP -09030084552 10XX 46 MUST.

3 Authorized Nap for Week 19 with Boreham. W as alternative call Mr. Authority for your sure win. Goodluck wise stakers– N25,000.

CARMARK SUPER – 08186673842.

5X9X10X14- SURE WIN.

Crystal P VS MAN. CITY on No 1 Control week 19 special Nap. Call for your fixed 3 direct draws.

Cost N10,000 and N6,500 for permutation. Payment at IBTC Bank Stanbic number a/c No. 0001361916. To Mr. Odsola .S.b Call for details and Win.

SOLOMON RESORT BREAK SILENCE...

-09091111800 (23X26)

13X 25X 49XXX (10X free) break our silence last week cup CHALTON & COVENTARY -23XX26. Is the week 19 controlled master key to 3 fixed draws for your winning delight. History is only kept by the wise . Join the wise SOLOMON of our time on winning procedure -¦ 35,000=week 19 – win –sure –Nap =alt 23xx26. Call for the payment advice -09091111800. Good luck

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE POOLS PAGE

THE WINNERS CHOICE WISE STAKERS DELIGHT GET A COPY AND WIN.

M.B.A EXPERT (08104694618) PAIR: 21 XX39.

There were 3 dependable Nap draws at 9x25x43x last week. All the 3 games came via science of numbers pools computation. This 4th red colour fixtures of week 19 is no expectation with the same working formula.

The science of numbers pitches 21x39 more likely as 2 draws . so it happened in the last 2 Red . Both numbers are back by 19 and 20 and also 2 and 19 respectively.

Other prominent Nos favored include 6x33 both controlled by 30 which partnered 21 on week 11 with 33 following suit in week 15 as no 21 co traveler. Week 19 draws attract N35,000 only. Call or text Goodluck.

MR SOLUTION READY TO ENRICH STAKERS 08072974720. (08 MUST 23).

Southampton = LEICESTER/ WATFORD = FIXED WIN SOUTHAMPTON DRAW ANALYSIS. (Statement).

Week 5 – Southampton 1 – Watford 1 = x10xx Week 12 – Leicester 0 – Southampton 0 = x04xx Week 19 – Watford and Leicester = 08x The only compiler with the above illustration is Mr Solution the above winning Statement is the solution for your finance in this recession.

Week 5 – 19x 30x 31xxx – 10x Week 12 – 12x 34x 39xxx – 04x Week 19 – x x x - 08x Get Mr. Solution Nap to solve your financial implications. N35, 000 = Goodluck.

STAKEHOLDERS LAUD NAZAR MASTER WITH JUMBO PAY ON TRIBLE CHANCE.

The leading pools company in Oyo state and environs, NAZAR Master pools company limited, Ibadan has continued to receive commendation from stakeholders in the pools industry for its business model Which has ensured that winnings are paid as and when due the pools company made this known in a statement made available to TRIBUNE POOLS during the week .According to NAZAR MASTER,”we are encouraged by the commendation we have been receiving from stakeholders In the pools industry. We have no choice than to continue to maintain the standard we have set and we shall never lower the benchmark. We shall continue to pay big dividend on our treble chance odd, while winnings on fixed odd shall never be delayed”.

ZENITH HOME OF WINNERS 08146879314

7-7-7 STAND FOR COMPLETION= 10 – 10 WEEK WIN.

Week7 – 14X 23X 26XXX – 21X 23X Week17 – 14X 23X 26XXX – 21F 23X. Congratulation another 10 – 10 week NAP of week of 8S is sure again to enrich asll staker that misssed out last week Week8 – 7X 17X 33X (17X) Week18 – 7X 17X 33x (17X18X) GRIMSBY MUST HARTLE POOL = 17XX 18X. At Zenith the winners abode your winning our strength on 3 direct fixed Naps win –win –win = good luck Week 9 – X X X 40X Week19 – X X X 39X 40.

Zenith is now confirmed as the 2015\2016 award winner on people vote & merit. Lets take you to zenith of wealth and solve all money matters.

Recession fee win.

CRYSTAL P. AT HOME NO 1 . SYSTEM NO 26XXX 08142362005 =08103222635

Week 10 blue key coventry No 24x25x34x35 Week 16 purple key Coventry No 30x29x35x36x Week 19 red key Coventry No 26x Nap Nap Nap Week 20 purple key Birmingham .11. Nap Nap Nap Kaey crystal at home No1 Bank Coventry . To draw No 26.26.26 plus.4. others cost N7500. Wk19Red No No 26. Nap Nap Nap = 4/4 following week 20 Bank Birmingham to draw wk 20 No 11.11.11. plus .4. others cost N7500 wk20 No 11 Nap Nap Nap Nap 08103222635 the game will Send your text message

FAITHFUL – INTERVENTION = 07082899957. (20X30) 21XX 21XX N21XX 21XX – 08X 25X 37XXX = 4/4 Annual week.18 fixed draw since 2013-2016 read our last week advert for details also our last wek advert for details also our week 18 – winners on – 08x 25x 37xxx 21x Another annual week 19 sure win is set again.

Week 19-2013,2014,2015,2016= 2013 – 10X 15X 34XXX - 33X 2014 – 14X 19X 30XXX - 40X 2015 – 06X 29X 42XXX - 31X 2016 – X X X - 20X30X A.WIMBELDON X MUST BRADFORD.C. = 20/30 Congratulations again with last week 11 draws of full payment, it is now obvious that our 4 weeks operational 1 directed Naps is real stakers N35,000 – winners N50,000= Goodluck.

MID WEEK GIVES 43/44 (08087176217).

The juicy mid week international is working hard to help punters trap the elusive draws on weekly basis last week result won a disappointment but we remain undaunted .

He who laughs last laughs best, as the old adage says. We are sure to laugh last. All pools lovers should endeavor to include the prior of 43/44 in all entries this week.

Combine them with our 1BK this week and smile on Monday morning . our 1BK sells for N1,500.00, 2BKS cost ¦ 3,000.00 and 3BKS cost ¦ 10,000.00 on 08087176217.

AKIN MR. AKIN – 07067202291 (14XSSSX10)

BARDFORD.C HOME NO. 1 = 31x32x33xx21xx.

Week 18: 2013 – 21x 23x 24xxx. 21x.

Week 13: 2016- 11x 12x 14xxx 32x.

Week 18: 2016 – 31x 32x 33xxx 21x FOLLOWING WEEK WIGAN MUST BIRMINGHAM. Week 19: 2013 – x x x x – 10x.

Week 14: 2016 – x x x x – 09x?

Week19:2016 – x x x x – 10xx14x.

Glory to God our new contact is now yielding a good result. Your darling

JOSEPH IS BACK FOR GOOD (08167278061)

CONVENTRY 2WEEK WIN – 8X 17X 25XXX 32X (10MUST 11) B-on-B = BIRMINGHAM on BLACKBURN. KEY= WALSALL HOME ON BAR 31.

ANOTHER 2 WEEKS NAPS – in Week 19&20.

Week 19 – X X X – (10X 11) Week20 – X X X – (11X 10) Our Coventry 2week winning statement was superb in well on – 8X 17X 25XXX 31X32. In week 17 and 18.

Join the winning team and smile to Xmas N2016 = N40,000. Good luck.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH TEXT MESSAGE OF WRITE UP WITHOUT ADVERT IS REGARDED VOID . PLACE YOUR ADVERT FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLICATION OF YOUR FORECAST. THANKS POOLS EDITOR.

WEEK 18 FINAL POOLS RESULT 7, 8, 17, 21, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33, 37, 43.

Thursday, 17 - 23 November, 2016 MADAM DORCAS FREE WIN – 08163902330.

17X 18X 21X 32XXX 11F = 4\5 Confirmed free win with our introductory free win in our last week advert.

Congratulation our week 19, 20, 21, NAP is sure for new clients N50,000 = now call for your payment details. Strictly on cash. – Good luck.

TRIPLE OFFER 15 – 20 (08035324990) Your indomitable triple spice internation happily offers coupon No,15 &20 to all punters this week for a mandatory draw come Saturday. On form, the duo is due for 9 draw. On sequence the pair has passed all tests.

Don’t bother about their standing on the league table as only few point separate them. Add them to our IBK and get your 2\3. Our IBK sells, for N 1,500,00. 2 draws cost N 3,000,00 and 3 draws sell for N 15,000,00 on 08035324990. Good luck.

SIR MICHAEL NAP (10 XX 11) 09091874579

The four week setting that soft 7xx, 8xx 21xx, 3\3 in week 5 will set it again cost N15,00 no call for acct no or model of payment.

VIC DESTINY (WK18) CONGRATUNATE

WINNER 09099813819 (18x48) Shine your destiny with my Nap in weeks 19, 20 and week 21. Our weekly guaranteed Nap cost N20,000 cast to all interested pool lovers. Now is then big harvest time for you all to with jackpot from VIC DESTINY.

ALASE FIXED NAP –

09081716580 (04XX 14)

Amazingly we’ve done it again, he who blow the pipper feel it, our mission is to enrich all our callers with our 3 fixed draws as directed from the source. Call for payment details N25,000.

DR SAM-08084077244 11X 16X 30XX 9X 10X 19XX.

We care for your winning with our weekly free win - perm and win.

3 dreams cost N10,000 = again N100,000 weeks 20& 21 Naps. Good win.

HEAD MASTER 08032747136 NAP= 39, 41, 42X

Your chance to win the week of glory and happiness for stakers to celebrate Xmas & to prepare for weerk20, and week21 go to bank and play well. Good luck .

AUSTINE CHUKWU – 08054462577.

NAP- 09X 33X 34XXX – PERM – 14X 18X 31XX

Congrats, this is another odd week and I promised you all that I will remain unbeatable for the rest of the season. Therefore play the above two way Nap ban Perm accordingly.

INNOCENT NAP (08095602590) 20XX 23XX

English N30, 000 Winner Membership Group A. N50, 000 English System Booklet N30, 000= Wk 16 9x 10x 11x 12f= 4/4 with 28 29X 4 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 18 No 17x 25x 27x 38f Wk 19 No Nap Nap Nap Nap 4 Special Draws N6, 000 Wk 17 CUP 1 NO 13X 17X 18F 23X Wk 20 No Nap Nap Nap Nap Two Bankers Wk 17 NO 13X 23X PAIR 24F 25X WK 18 NO 25x 27x PAIR 9x 10f WK 19 NO NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP. Stakers try to get Innocent 4 special draw this Wk 19 a Red after cost N6, 000.

MAC – ANTHONY SCORED WK 18 NAP

4/5 CORRECTLY CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Week 19 set to draw 3/3 Week 20 set to draw 3/3 Week 21 set to draw 3/3 Week 22 set to draw 3/3 Each week NAP cost N20, 000 pay at UBA to Engr. Michael Akam – 2029382770. Sure winning awaits you.

MODUPE NAP – 08033566694

XNAP – XNAP – 40XNAP

Winning galore continues at modupe the winner pay point. Call for details

GREGS. NAP – 09095680491 (08xx39) Enough of weekly losses, now win the above Nap and Perm assurance win, starting of our 3 weeks operational directed Nap-week 19 cost N20,000 make use of this golden chance. Call 09095680491.

EDITOR’S PLACE

05 - 08

NEW PROFESSOR HARRISON NAP = 07069009601 SUCCESS IS GOOD. = WEEKS – 6&7 AND 18&19.

Gillingham away 31 in Red coupon go back to immediate Blue coloured coupon, opponent of Fleetwood is scheduled to pick Charlton at home for a super DRAW and other 3 calculated fixed draws = 12draws. N50,000.

DR. NICHOLAS –09066465222 BOREHAM. W –HOME 46 and DOVER. 49 home BLUE TO RED WIN = week 6&7 and18 &19.

4\4 super win. Call for your winning details= only the winner celebrate. N50,000 = Good luck.

ISRAEL BAILOUT REMAIN SOLID 09085712800 Welcome you to the winners’ world. Call and win.

IKECHKUWU & BROS. CONFIRMED WIN 08168157259.(34XXCBK 08)

OLDHAM ON RED COUPON ONLY Week 19 is the 4th red another assurance win as usual.

KEY– IN EVERY RED –Position of oldam plus code 6 to give a fixed banker draw Week7 – 8X 14X 34XXX – 29X. Week11 – 05X 20X 39XXX – 34XX Week15 – 01X 24X 48XXx – 33XX Week19 – X X X - 34 Week19 – X X X - 34X08 Your winning is sure. NOTE – we are on board to add value to your staking experience = N 50,000 –(08168157259).

PATRICK SURE WIN DAZZLES PROMOTERS AGAIN. 08154836338 (08XX 14XX)

On annual 4 weeks operational Naps for weeks 19, 20, 21 and 22.

Stakers to rejoice for the next 4 weeks, winning galore.

Week 19’2015 - 11X 29X 46XX 6X Week 20’2015 - 04X 20X 42XX 07X Week 21’2015 - 10X 22X 37XX 06X Week 22’2015 - 12X 21X 40XX 07X Now Week 19’2016 - X X X - 08X Week 20’2016 - X X X - 09X Week 21’2016 - X X X - 08X Week 22’2016 - X X X 09X Your winning is still Crystal clear this week again, as we are sure on our winning directive/instruction from our reputable Foreign Experts. Join the progressive winning forum. N50,000 Win! Win!! Win!!! Congrats.

ADEOTI SYNDICATE – 07051327960 KEY :CARDIFF AND HUDD’FIELD. (12X0-0 DRAW)

Take your current record. Open week 04. And week 06. Out of the above two teams anyone play draws in week 04 to repeat the draw in week 06(Third week) with 4 others they are Nos:- 14x19x26x. pair :- 02x 10f .

4over5. Check week 17 again F.A .Cup round one huddersfield play draw .to repeat the draw this week 19 (Third Week) with 4 others. They are Nos. 12x—. If you have interest on the games send your ¦ 10,000 cash to Ahmed Shafiri A/C Nos :- 2001788S431 Zennith Bank. Or MTN recharge card. And prepared for our next 3 weeks operation for xmas. Weeks 2122-23. (Ccardiff-hudd’field.12x12x12x0-0) Thanks good luck.

MADAM DORCAS WINNING OFFICE (08163902330) 21X 32X 27X 37= 11F= 4/5

Congratulations, our introductory free win on 11 draws is now on stakers lips nation wide, Promoters seek dialogue! No - Way. Stakers interest over-ride their plead. Sttay with Expert on sure winning information (NO RECESSION) Stay Blessed. N50, 000 - N100, 000.

Goodluck. (08163902330)

WEEK 18 XRAY.

11 super draws with bountiful harvest from our pools page compilers. Madam Dorcas introductory 4draws from free 5games put smiles to many of our readers faces on full payment. Our 2bankers compilers where rated high among equals Peter Nap, Madam De Madam of Mr. Joshua, Alase Nap and Akin Mr Akin Naps also Chubby fulfilled his 2 from 3 draws promised.

Draw is Draw at Best Bargain, John Super and Adeoti a draw in full payment week is equal to a free blank cheque with multiplied winning dividends.

Our pair Experts/compilers are always on song with their unrelented efforts to add meaningful to stakers/readers winning dividends and soccur to stakers with 2 bankers for assured winnings.

Zenith, Short Gun, Victorious Victor, Achiever, Big Bross, Joseph, 4members, Ikechukwu, Faithful intervention, Jacobson, Dr Nicholas and Dr B4 Dr were super pair managers our compilers are ready to enrich all our readers, so always buy you darling silent fortune Tribune pools for your weekly winning. Our compilers needed to be encouraged please never forget to show appreciation for their kind gesture. Happy week. YOU ARE A WINNER.

ATTENTION ALL COMPILERS, OUR POLICY ON NO ADVERT NO WRITE UP STILL IN PLACE —MANAGEMENT.

SIDELINES

NO 16, 635

N150

THURSDAY, 17 NOVEMBER, 2016

“There must be a conscious effort to improve the process and attract the best minds to the Bench. This can be achieved where Lawyers who are doing very well in private practice do not fear a regression in their earnings or standards of living should they abandon such lucrative practices for appointment to the Bench”.

T

HIS week, in continuation of my discussion on the factors responsible for the loss by the public in the justice delivery system, I intend to examine the process of appointment of judges with focus on the need for transparency in the process. The reason for this is simple. Judges interpret the law and perhaps are rightly seen as the face of the law. When the Justice delivery system of any country is questioned, Judges, as is presently the case in Nigeria, attract a lot of scrutiny. Most of the cases in which judges have been accused of corrupt practices are often as a result of judgments which confound the public. In reality, some of these instances occur not out of corrupt practices but sometimes out of laziness and poor approach to research or sheer incompetence. This can for example be the only explanation for the refusal of a Judge to deliver a ruling or judgment several months after conclusion of a matter. The NJC should therefore take further steps to ensure that only competent hands are appointed to the bench of the superior court of record. While it has commendably introduced measures to make the process of appointment transparent, it should nevertheless continue to seek ways to improve in this regard.

Appointment Of Judges By the provisions of Section 271(1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) the Governor of a State is empowered to appoint Judges into the High Court of a State upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC). Such a person must however have been qualified as a Legal Practitioner for a period of not less than ten years. The provisions of the Constitution appear to present the issue of the appointment of Judges to be a straightforward matter. However there exists a large pool of qualified Legal Practitioners from which appointments to the Bench could

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

Five state deputy governors are said to have described as falsehood, the prophecy made by a cleric that the deputy governors will have issues with their principals before the end of their terms in office. Good one, but we think this is needless as it is not automatic that prophecies, when made must come to pass. Action or inaction determines what happens.

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Justice: Loss of public confidence - Another look at the role of lawyers and judges be made. This therefore entails that a process be put in place to ensure that only the best hands and materials eventually make it to the Bench. In my estimation it is the strength or otherwise of this process that has the most profound effect on the Independence of the Judiciary.

Appointments In Days Gone Bye In the sixties when I began the practice of Law, appointment to the Bench was strictly on merit. At that time, appointments were by invitations. Judges were always quick to identify Legal Practitioners who possessed sterling qualities suitable for appointment to the Bench. Aside from sound knowledge of the law, integrity and honour marked out and propelled many Judges appointed in those days to the Bench. Indeed one of the foremost, most upright, courageous and incorruptible Judges to grace the Bench in Nigeria, the recently departed Honourable Justice Kayode Eso in his book “The Mystery Gunman” described how he was invited to the Bench. At pages 173-174 of the Book the late Jurist stated as follows: “Sit down please, I hope you are well?” he inquired.

The Chief Justice was already in his chambers. He had cultivated the habit of getting to court very early, to enable him sit at 9:00am prompt. Except he was ill, and he was not known to have been once, he would be in his chambers by 8:30am at the latest.

“Very well sir,” I answered, still with concealed trepidation.

“How long do you think this

case will take?” he asked. ............................................

“You had better finish today”, cut in the Chief Justice, very sharply, smiling rather mischievously. “For I have already recommended your name to the Premier for appointment as an acting judge,” the Chief Justice continued, without waiting for my reaction.

The reply to my recommendation arrived yesterday and the Governor will be ready to swear you in next week. The instrument is already prepared.” .........................................

You do not need to be grateful to me. It is your work that has done it. The Judges here have had an eye on you for some time. They report so favourably on your brilliant performance”.

Similarly in 1975, Hon. Justice Oyemade, the Chief Judge of Western State invited me to the bench. However, I politely rejected the offer.

I am certain that most Judges appointed at that time had identical or similar experiences. The advantages of this were obvious. Firstly as stated earlier, it ensured that only the brilliant and of proven integrity were so invited. Judges afterall would be able to distinguish between Lawyers who had a preponderance to offer them bribes or engage in other untoward practices to influence their judgements from those who would meticulously and diligently prosecute the cases of their clients

within the confines of the law and the rules of court. Secondly, it ensured that those who eventually honoured such invitations were those who were really interested in making a career on the bench and contributing their quota to national development. In some cases, as it was with Justice Eso, such appointees gave up thriving private practices to take up Judicial appointments. In doing so they found more motivation and inspiration in what they could give to the development of the law from the Bench.

At the present moment, appointment to the Bench is seen by many as an easy way out from the demands of private law practice. Some aspire to the Bench to enjoy the perquisites of judicial office without giving adequate thought to the demands and responsibilities of the position. Yet it is from this pool of persons that appointments must be made. Perhaps the general downturn in the economy has further made matters worse, but the reality is that no matter the thoroughness that goes into the selection process put in place by the Judicial Service Commissions of the States in conjunction with the National Judicial Council, the margin of error will remain high. Despite it there must be a conscious effort to improve the process and attract the best minds to the Bench.

This can be achieved where Lawyers who are doing very well in private practice do not fear a regression in their earnings or standards of living should they abandon such lucrative practices for appointment to the Bench.

To be continued...

AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup: Falconets overrun Canada 3-1 Minister hails team Nigeria bounced back from their opening day FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016 defeat by coming from a goal down to record a 3-1 victory over Canada in Port Moresby on Wednesday.

Gabrielle Carle had fired the Canucks into the lead at Bava Park on 15 minutes, but an equalising penalty from Chinaza Uchendu just before the break and second half goals from Joy Bokiri and Chinwendu Ihezuo gave the Falconets their first win of the tournament.

Both sides had slipped to heavy losses in their previous Group B clash and were looking to make amends. In an entertaining first half, Nigeria tested Canada early

on when Ihezuo shot narrowly over the bar on 10 minutes. The Canadians took the lead five minutes later when Deanne Rose received a long ball inside the box and played a neat pass to Carle, and the No10 made no mistake from close range.

Nigeria came close to capitalising on a mistake on 37 minutes when Hannah Taylor lost control of the ball in her box, allowing Rasheedat Ajibade – a veteran of the U-17 Women’s World Cup Jordan 2016 – time to pounce, but her effort was blocked by Rylee Foster.

The Falconets eventually restored parity just before half-time when Canada’s Bianca St Georges was penalised for handling the ball inside the area, with Uchendu

stepping up and converting the spot-kick.

With a spring in their step going into the break, Nigeria made an instant impact in the second half with Bokiri putting the African side into the lead immediately after the restart.

Peter Dedevbo’s side then doubled their advantage on 73 minutes when Ihezuo capitalised on a mistake by goalkeeper Foster and was left with an easy finish in front of an empty goal. Nigeria next face top-of-the-table Spain in Group B, while Canada next meet Japan on 20 November.

Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung has congratulated the spirited performance of the Women’s U-20 national team at the on-

going 2016 FIFA women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

In a message to the Peter Dedevbo-led team, Dalung said the 3-1 win over Canada was coming at the right time after the victory recorded by the Super Eagles in Uyo Cross River State on Saturday against Algeria.

“The result can’t come at a better time after the World Cup qualifiers victory against Algeria on Saturday in Uyo. It has once again given Nigerians home and abroad hope that the team can challenge for the title.”

Dalung commended the team for their resilience and ability to triumph in the face of adversity after bouncing back from a goal down to defeat Canada.

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. 17/11/2016.