18th January 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,416

MONDAY, 18 JANUARY, 2016

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Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

Attack on oil facilities Armsgate: Soldiers comb FG to freeze bank accounts creeks for militants •Mount surveillance in Tompolo's of prime village suspects, •JTF threatens to hold host organisations communities responsible —P3

—P2

N150

PDP senators, Reps meet in Lagos •May change name, merge with parties —P4

Budget controversy

Saraki orders tight security at NASS

—P2

•Presidency to formally withdraw altered document tomorrow •Ministers of Finance, Budget to address media CHANGES IN BUDGET

•Allocation to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President was in•BMW cars reduced from N3.6 billion to N340 million.

•Fresh allocation of N3.9 billion for routine maintenance of the pres- creased by N25 million from N2,258,000 to N27,258,000.

•Allocation to the Office of the Chief Security Officer to the idential villa.

•Allocation for State House reduced by N99 million from original President increased by N25 million, from initial N3,177,380 to N2,063,951,770 to N1,963,951,772.

N28,177,380

Stock investors lose N1.8trn in 10 days —P10

Lassa: FG summons emergency national council of health meeting —P39

78 YEARS AFTER, OONI VISITS ALAAFIN. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (left) with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, during the visit of the Ooni to the Alaafin, to mark his 45th coronation anniversary, at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Oyo, on Sunday.

House Rule: 11 APC Reps take Dogara to court —P3

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Attack on oil facilities: Soldiers comb creek for militants •Mount Surveillance in Tompolo’s village •JTF threatens to hold host communities responsible Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

MEMBERS of the Joint Task Force (JTF), ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, have launched a reprisal on former militants involved in bombing of oil installations in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State.

Reports had it that the soldiers invaded Okpelama community in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of the state, obviously in search of the former militants.

The soldiers were said to have stormed the community with gunboats at about 10.45p.m. on Saturday, breaking into houses of the villagers, while many of the villagers were said to have bolted into the woods to for cover.

Sources said the soldiers also mounted surveillance on Kurutie community, country home of former lord of the creeks, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo and Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom.

The solders were said to have invaded the area based on information gathered, that the miscreants masterminding the mayhem on oil installations were taking shelter in Okpelama.

An Ijaw activist, Comrade Austin Ozobo, who confirmed the invasion to Nigerian Tribune on Sunday, said the implication of Tompolo in the bombings of oil installations was the handiwork of two politicians from Delta and Bayelsa, who were hellbent on dragging Tompolo against the Federal Government for not supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just-concluded Bayelsa governorship election.

Ozobo, who is the national president of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, said: “There is military presence in the creeks. We are not happy that miscreants are after Tompolo and bombing oil installations. They should allow Tompolo sort out issues with the Federal Government. “ We condemn the invasion, as it will give us Ijaws a bad image. The destroyed oil installations will further jeopardise the economy.”

Authorities of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) and ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ could not be reached for comments on the invasion.

Meanwhile, angered by the recent bombing of oil and gas installations in some parts of Delta State, the Joint Task Force (JTF), codenamed ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ has threatened to

hold community leaders responsible for any damage done to oil and gas pipelines in their territories.

The JTF Commander, Major-General Alani Okunlola, handed the threat on Sunday, as he inspected the recent pipeline explosion in Egwa 11, Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State.

Okunlola, who led other security personnel to the explosion site, said the incident happened on Friday.

The army boss warned that extant law banning the use of outboard engines with 200 HP and above would henceforth be enforced in the region.

He enjoined government officials and community leaders to furnish the OPS and other security agencies with useful information that would lead to the the arrest of the miscreants.

“This warning is coming as a result of the recent multiple attacks on oil facilities and platforms by suspected militants in the Niger Delta,” he said.

Okunlola described the act as economic sabotage, while assuring that his boys would smoke out miscreants involved in the renewed

destruction of oil and gas installations.

He also described the present situation in the region as capable of heating up the polity, as well as undermining the security fragility of the region.

According to him, “there is no way we will fold our hands and allow the criminals to get away with it.

“It is a massive sabotage and critical to national assets; we must fish out those responsible. We don’t have our men on ground in the area, that is why they were able to carry out the act,” he acknowledged.

Okunlola warned the perpetrators to desist from further destruction, adding that the JTF was already closing in on them.

He assured Niger Delta residents of JTF’s determination to wipe out illegalities in the region, just as he requested intelligence gathering from members of the communities.

Other security personnel w ho accomp anie d t he JTF Commander on the inspection included the Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Farouk Yahaya; Commander 3 Battalion, Igwe Omoke;

Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS Delta), Commodore Raimi Mohammed and other high profile officers from the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

In a related development, former lord of the creeks, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, has cried out on an alleged gang-up against his life by defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta and Bayelsa states.

This was as he said the lawyer prosecuting the case preferred against him by the EFCC did not have the moral fibre to prosecute him in court.

Tompolo made these known in a letter he signed and forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari, which was made available to Nigerian Tribune on Sunday, in Warri, Delta State.

He said the PDP defectors, now members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, had resolved to link him to the renewed vandalism of oil installations in the state.

The Ijaw chief also alleged that

the young APC new entrants were planning against him in connivance with a lawyer attached to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who is also a member of the APC. “The crux of this letter is to let you know that they are dubious, mischievous, desperate, pretentious, manipulative and corrupt.

Therefore, they do not share the same vision and mission with you, as well as do not believe in good governance,” he averred.

Narrating his orde al further, Tompolo said: “The leader of your party in Bayelsa State approached me shortly after my meeting with you in Abuja that I should accompany him to meet you and plead for him to be appointed as Special Adviser and chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Committee, which I refused to do.

“It was thereafter, he forced his way into the governorship election of the state, which almost tore the state apart with violence, beginning with the party’s primaries in which he demonstrated a high level of desperation as was recounted by the chairman of the committee and governor

of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

“As for the members of the party from my local government area, Warri South-West, they have been involved in illegal bunkering and oil theft activities over the years,which I have been fighting because of love for country.

“They know me as a nononsense person. There is this particular one from the same Gbaramatu kingdom with me that has sworn to kill me because I refused help him with some chieftaincy issues when he was not even qualified for it. And so, he looked for any opportunity to deal with me.

Tompolo also denied his involvement in any graft to the tune of N34 billion as being bandied in the media.

“The truth of the matter is that I do not know anything about the N34 billion EFCC is talking about. First, it was N13 billion issue; now it is N34 billion. I am not a signatory to any of the companies mentioned in the said N34 billion case, so I do not know where this one is coming from. I know God, in His infinite mercy, will see me through in this critical moment,” he concluded.

Budget controversy: Saraki orders tight security at NASS Presidency to formally withdraw controversial document tomorrow Ministers of Finance, Budget to address press Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

S

ENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, ordered tight security around the precincts of the National Assembly, to forestall what he called a breakdown of security in the complex.

Though a statement on behalf of Saraki by his Senior Special Assistant(Media), Chuks Okocha, did not make direct reference to the budget imbroglio, it was learnt that the leadership of the National Assembly was uncomfortable that a document already in its custody could be surreptitiously withdrawn and altered.

The statement by Saraki quoted the Senate President, who is also the chairman of the National Assembly, as ordering his special adviser on security, Major-General Saleh Maina (retd), to immediately review “all security arrangements in the National Assembly, to keep the institution abreast

of the current challenges in the country, especially now that the Boko Haram insurgency has receded.”

The statement indicated that Maina was to undertake the review as part of the periodic plans to ensure better protection of lives and properties, as well as improve on the existing arrangement.

It quoted Maina as saying that in carrying out the directive of the Senate President, heads of all security agencies present in the complex and other officials whose portfolio had to do with security had met at different times to devise a common and water-tight plan.

“Following the meetings, it has been decided that henceforth, it is compulsory for all legislators, staff and visitors to the National Assembly to wear identity tag,” Maina said.

He also said as part of the review of the security arrangements, there would be no loitering within and around the National

Assembly by visitors and staff, adding that all vehicles to the National Assembly must be parked at the appropriate designated parking lots.

Meanwhile, the Presidency, it was gathered, would, today, clear the air on the controversy dogging the 2016 budget, with statements expected from the Minister of Budget and Planning, as well as Finance.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who is at the centre of the controversy, is also expected to address the media briefings.

It was gather that the president had signed a copy of the letter meant to retrieve the “doctored” copy of the budget from the National aAssembly before his trip to the United Arab Emirates.

A source in the National Assembly said the two chambers would get the letter seeking to withdraw the budget submitted

by President Buhari on

December 22.

It was also gathered that the National Assembly, on Sunday, got hold of the soft copy of the original version of the budget, thus making comparison easy.

Fundamental changes, it was observed, had been effected on the new budget document submitted to the Clerk, Senate Committee on Appropriations by Senator Enang.

Some fundamental changes were made to the recurrent expenditure of the Presidency, which was considered the source of embarrassment to the Presidency.

The Senate plenary on Thursday had blamed Enang for “doctoring” the budget document, following an investigation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Priviledges and Public Petitions.

An online media outfit, The Cable, also on Sunday, presented a table indicating all the changes effected through the backdoor on the budget.

The new document indicated a reduction in the planned purchase of BMW cars fixed an N3.6 billion to N340 million.

A fresh allocation of N3.9 billion was, however, included for routine maintenance of the presidential villa.

Allocation for State House headquarters was reduced

by N99 million from original N2,063,951,770 to N1,963,951,772, while allocation to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President was increased by N25 million from N2,258,000 to N27,258,000.

The allocation to the Office of the Chief Security Officer to the President also got an increase by N25 million, from initial N3,177,380 to N28,177,380; State House medical centre increased from 3,865,629,221 to 3,890,629,221. The overhead cost of the State House Liaison Office in Lagos, which was N126,727,005, increased

by N25 million to N151,727,005.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

78 years after, Ooni visits Alaafin

By Tunde Ogunesan and Oluwole Ige

C

OMMITTED to ensuring unity in Yorubaland, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), on Sunday, paid an unscheduled visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi, at his palace in celebrating his 45th coronation anniversary on the throne.

Seventy-eight years after Ooni of Ife visited the Alaafin of Oyo, the Ooni stormed Oyo. The atmosphere inside the Methodist Church, Apaara, Oyo, venue of the anniversary thanksgiving became charged as soon as the news filtered that Oba Ogunwusi’s convoy was already in Oyo, Owode to be specific.

Ooni Ogunwusi’s convoy was led into the premises alongside some traditional white officers in his black Bentley car. Immediately the car entered the premises, he was received by the Alaafin of Oyo as the two first-class traditional rulers went inside the church and sat on the same seat.

The arena, thereafter, became a centre of attraction, as scores of photographers struggled to have the shots of the two reverred traditional rulers sitting together in public domain for the first time in many years.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service, Oba Ogunwusi, though uninvited, emphasised that his topmost agenda as he ascended the throne of his forefathers was to unify all Yoruba sons and daughters across the nation and all over the world.

According to him, “I am here today, though not invited, but as the Arole Oduduwa, the onus is on me to felicitate with all sons and daughters wherever they are and to show my solidarity for any of them.

“I am ready to damn any consequence or insinuation from anywhere; my mission here is to preach peace among nations of Yoruba both home and abroad and I am ready to work with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi to project the unity and love we believe existed in the days of our forefathers.”

Ooni of Ife, accompanied to the 45th thanksgiving service of Alaafin by over 100 monarchs across all Yoruba land, expressed optimism that with the support of all obas in the Yor-

ubaland, there will be unity in Nigeria and by extension, all over the world.

Earlier in his speech, Oba Adeyemi expressed joy at the presence of the Ooni and all obas in Yorubaland, maintaining that if every monarch in Yorubaland unites, there will be tremen-

dous progress in Nigeria.

He stated that “this special visit was done last in March 1937; that was the first time the kings in Yorubaland met in Oyo town and today, history is made with the visit of the Arole Oodua, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and I feel delighted to host

you and to reassure you that I will be ready to work with you.

“I have a tight relationship with Ooni Adesoji Aderemi and I did not want to relent my bond with any Ooni of Ife that assumed the post, but everybody has his own little differences.”

In his sermon, the Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Right Reverend Titus Ilori Omoniyi, emphasised that the unity among Yoruba nation would bring progress and development and this would ultimately lead to unprecedented progress in all nations.

“Ooni has made an unforgettable visit in history of Yorubaland and I laud your points which centred on youth empowerment programmes and cultural drive and implore all Obas to emulate the Arole Oodua and eradicate poverty and crime,” he said.

Armsgate: FG to freeze bank accounts of prime suspects, organisations Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja AS investigation into how the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki, to former President Goodluck Jonathan shared $2.1 billion meant for arms procurement to fight insurgency in the North-East to individuals and political parties continues, the Federal Government is said to be considering freezing bank accounts of all individuals and organisations already mentioned in the scam.

Presidency source told the Nigerian Tribune that the action became necessary, in order to prevent a situation where the suspects would move out the money en masse in order to beat the law.

It was gathered on Sunday that the office of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation “is to co-ordinate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in carrying out the exercise in ensuring that due process is followed to the letter.”

The source told the Nigerian Tribune that all the bank accounts of the suspects, both personal and their companies as well would remain frozen pending investigation and until final judgments were delivered on the cases preferred

against them by the antigraft commission.

According to our source, “it has been brought to the notice of the Federal Government, through the EFCC and other security sources, that some of the suspects, whose huge amounts of meney were traced to their bank accounts and the accounts of their companies are making massive withdrawal in such accounts, we have no option than to instruct the Minisrty of Justice to take necessary steps to stop the illegal actions.

“We want to ensure that due process is followed, so that people will not start shouting rule of law or fundamental human rights again.

“The government is also unaware that several billions of naira and US dollars were given out in cash to individuals and organisations; we will also get those involved, the investigation commission, the EFCC and other security agencies are on the tiop of the situation.

They have the comprehensive list of those involved with the various amounts against their names. There will be no hiding place for anybody in whatever guise,” the source further stated.

Apart from the various disbursements by the office of the former NSA discovered by the EFCC and the Department of State Services, a one-time chairman

of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, wrote to the EFCC, acknowledging the receipt of the sum of N260 million from Dasuki, out of which he reportedly gave Chief Olu Falae of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) N100 million and Senator Rasheed Ladoja of the Accord Party N100 million, while Brigadier Jafaru Isa of the APC had also refunded a sum of N100 million.

In a related development, a one-time acting national chairman of the PDP and now the acting chairman of the BoT of the party, Dr Haliru Bello, is facing trial over the sum of N300 million he allegedly collected from the loot, while the spokesman of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, is also facing trial over a sum of N400 million he reportedly collected from the same source.

Also, the founder and a one-time chairman of

DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is facing trial over an alleged N2.1 billion his company believed to have collected from the same source, while the publisher of this Thisday Newspapers, Uduka obiageni, was also being investigated over the sum of N650 million he reportedly collected from the likes of the former Governor Bafarawa and Chief Bode George, a sum of $30,000, which they had since denied.

Abia: Why Supreme Court’s verdict’ll be in my favour —Ikpeazu Bola Badmus - Lagos ABIA State governor, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has expressed great confidence that the Supreme Court will deliver judgment in his favour in respect of the governorship tussle between him and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr Alex Otti.

Ikpeazu said this on Sunday, in Lagos, through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Godwin Adindu, who addressed a news conference, contending that the Supreme Court, as the apex body, whose judgment was seen as a reference point, not only in Nigeria, but all over the world, was not going to succumb to extraneous pressure or forces.

“Our expectation is that at that level of the court, the Supreme Court, they are insulated from extraneous forces. I would believe that at that level of law in Nigeria, the Supreme Court stands to defend the law to its letters, because whatever they say at that point becomes a law, not only for Nigeria, it is for the entire world, as it becomes a reference point.

That is our confidence.

“At that point, we are not going to have this extraneous pressure, we are not going to have extraneous forces. Our court is going to be insulated from extraneous forces and disconnect themselves from all pressures, stand and look at the law,” Adindu said.

The governor’s spokes-

person, while expressing confidence in the Supreme Court, said his stand was reinforced by judgment delivered by the Apex Court in respect of Zamfara State, which he was equally on issue of over-voting as it occurred in Abia State in the last governorship election.

“Now, there are standing as the last hope of not just Abians, but Nigerians because what they declare, what they judge would become the law as regards the electoral issues in Nigeria and that is our confidence.

And since we know that what the Appealate Court did in misinterpreting overvoting cannot be the law, so we are confident that the Supreme Court will redress that anomaly.”

Nullify new House standing rule, 11 APC members ask court Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja ELEVEN All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Representatives have approached an Abuja High Court to declare the new standing orders of the House null and void, as well as unconstitutional, saying it contravenes the constitution.

The aggrieved lawmakers had dragged Speaker of the House, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, the House and its Clerk, Mr Sani Omolori before an Abuja High Court over certain clauses in the

new standing orders it approved for House proceedings.

The aggrieved lawmakers, led by Honourable Ali Madaki (APC, Kano) included Honourables Mohammed Musa Soba (APC, Kaduna); Yusuf Bala Ikara (APC, Kaduna); Abubakar Lado Suleja (APC, Niger) and Lawal Yahaya Gumau (APC, Bauchi); Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos); Aminu Ibrahim Malle (APC, Taraba); Sunday Adepoju (APC, Oyo); Ahmed Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina); Philip Shuaibu (APC, Edo); Abubakar and Chika Adamu (APC, Niger).

It will be recalled that the House had, on October 8, 2015, adopted the report of its ad hoc committee to review the House Standing Orders, 2011.

The House had, among other things, given the Speaker powers to suspend any member who approached the mace with whatever intent.

The Speaker, in the new standing order, was also vested with power to suspend a member for 30 plenary days for failing to obey the presiding officer’s directive for such a lawmaker to assume his seat during plenary.

In the course of the eighth Assembly, some members had made attempt to snatch the mace during the heat of political drama that ensued in the House after the election of presiding officers of the House.

The lawmakers, in summons written by their lawyer, Mr Ahmed Mahmud, dated December 2 and filed on December 14, 2015, prayed the court to restrain the Speaker, the House or any of its agents from exercising “the purported amendments” vested on them in the new rules pending the determination of the matter.

The lawmakers also prayed them to declare as “repressive, susceptible to abuse and breaches” of their constitutional rights the powers granted the Speaker to present any proposal for the suspension of any member.

The House spokesman, Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas, when contacted on the matter, said: “Although I have not seen the court papers, but since the matter is in court, it will amount to contempt of court for me to say anything. All I can say is that the court should be allowed to do its work and determine the matter.”

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

PDP govs, senators, Reps meet in Lagos

•May change name, merge with parties •Nigerians now know better —PDP From Lanre Adewole , J acob Segun Olatunji and L eon U sigbe

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LECTED governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commenced an extraordinary meeting in Lagos, on Friday night, to open new frontiers regarding the party’s future.

The emergency meeting was originally called by the National Assembly caucus of the party, reportedly extending a delayed invitation to governors elected on the party’s platform.

Caretaker national executive council of the party was also said to be involved in the convocation of the meeting.

A source at the meeting told the Nigerian Tribune that problems besetting the party formed the nucleus of the crisis meeting.

One major issue being pushed by stakeholders attending the meeting is a new identity and nomenclature for the party.

“As it is now, it is very easy

to blackmail the party and the identity with all these alleged corruption probes,” the source, an elected public office holder on the party’s platform, told the Nigerian Tribune.

He further added “I will be pushing for a new name and identity for the party.”

Many of the top shots of the party were said to be pushing for a merger with other smaller opposition parties to form another mega opposition party.

The source volunteered that the planned merger could only result in a new name and identity, even if leaders of the party are not currently enamoured of the growing call for a new identity.

Another troubling issue reportedly addressed at the meeting was the perception by elected public office holders from other geopolitical zones that South-South and South-East leaders were acting as if they own the party.

A governor complained loudly that such a posture could push more bigwigs out of the party.

He condemned the idea of National Assembly caucus

and the national executive mainly peopled by SouthSouth elements to call a meeting and fix the agenda before asking sitting governors to attend at the last minute.

Efforts to dig more into decisions taken at the meeting were not successful as of press time, as many leaders of the party contacted by the Nigerian Tribune did not pick their calls.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the PDP, on Sunday, said not even the agenda of the current Federal Government

to decimate it would succeed, as the party “is coming up stronger, because Nigerians now know better.”

In a statement signed by its national secretary, Professor Adewale Oladipo, made available to newsmen in Abuja, the party said the “APC, having realised that it lacked what it takes to deliver its numerous bogus campaign promises to Nigerians, has ignobly resorted to intimidation and harassment of the opposition through its set-out witchhunt policy.”

It pointed out that “in a desperate mood to cover up its obvious lapses and the clear lack of governance direction in the last eight months, the APC administration has plunged all its energy seeking imaginary PDP faults.”

According to the PDP, “in all democracy, viable opposition is recommended for stability and growth of society, but the APC is seeking to decimate opposition in order to foist its dictatorial agenda of installing one party state without eco-

nomic direction and where the rights of the citizens are trampled under-foot.”

It lamented that while the government continued to harass PDP leaders and abuse their rights, obvious corrupt cases involving notable APC leaders had been brushed aside.

The party, however, reiterated its support for the fight against corruption, but insisted that its conduct must have integrity, must be fair, credible, just and must follow due process and rule of law.

Shiite demands full protection before appearing at inquiry

By Tunde Ogunesan THE Islamic Movement in Nigeria has requested full assurance that members that will give evidence will be fully protected before it can appear at the commission of inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government.

This, among others, were stated in a statement issued and signed by the president, media forum of the movement, Ibrahim

Musa, a copy which was made available to journalists.

According to Musa, “while the movement has called for the setting up of an impartial and independent judicial commission of inquiry, made up of independent persons and members of the international human rights community to unravel the circumstances that led to the pogrom in Zaria and its environs, it believes that

the events of December 12, 2015 that led to the massacre of its members, the maiming of hundreds, the detention of its cadres and destruction of its properties are premeditated and that the Federal and Kaduna state governments are in a face saving measure regarding the gross human rights violations that it deliberately perpetrated.”

The sect asked for unconditional release of its lead-

er, full disclosure of the number of persons in their various detention centres, full disclosure of the number of persons they took to various hospitals and the location of the hospitals, for the lawyers to get access to them, preparatory to the inauguration of the commission.

It also asked for protection of its members that would appear to give evidence before the commission of inquiry.

news My ordeal in kidnappers’ den —Ondo ex-speaker 5

Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

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former speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Victor Olabimtan who was kidnapped on his way to Abuja last week, gave shocking details of his ordeals in the hands of his abductors, saying he was made to walk several miles in the bush on empty stomach.

Olabimtan, who spoke to journalist in his home in Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State capital after his freedom from his captives, expressed the need for the Federal Government to step up security to prevent kidnapping.

Olabimtan explained that he was travelling to Abuja with his driver when they ran into his abductors who dragged him and three others into the bush, shooting sporadically to scare people away.

According to the former speaker, he thought the armed men in military uniform were exchanging fire

Monday, 18 January, 2016

with police but later discovered that they were armed robbers.

“When they got to my vehicle, they asked for what I have and I gave them what was on me, not much and they left. They said we should lie down and we obeyed. Within a twinkle of an eye, some of them came back and said where is Oga?” He said when they identified him, they dragged him into the bush and that when he tried to resist, “they gave me a dirty slap and my eyes turned blue.”

He said they walked all

through the night till midnight and said they started moving again around 4:00a.m., trekking for about another seven hours before they were put inside a pit.

He noted that the kidnappers always rest during the day while they have to trek all through the night to avoid being tracked down by security agents.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant in the state said further that he had to hide his identity after they demanded one million Naira as ransom from his family.

“The group leader said my ransom is N20 million. For another person they said his own is N10 million while for another person they said N5 million.”

Olabimtan, who confirmed that ransom was paid, did not however state the amount paid to secure his freedom, said “ransom was paid, but I don’t know how much was paid. There were lots of negotiations. I don’t know how much was paid.”

He said “I was there believing in God that by His grace, we are going to be released. I was very fervent in

my prayers.

“Around 4:00p.m. on Wednesday, came the news from them that “your ransom has been paid and the ransom of the Chairman, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.”

He commended the security operatives in Abuja over their effort in securing their release and disclosed that some of his abductors have been arrested, one killed while the police are on the trail of others.

He said “My experience showed that in terms of security, our government needs to work harder.”

Gunmen abduct wife of Bauchi assembly member Isaac Shobayo - Bauchi GUNMEN suspected to be kidnappers swooped on the residence of a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly representing Lame Constituency, Honourable C. Nuhu, over the weekend and abducted his wife, Hajiya Suwiaba.

A statement signed by the state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed, at the weekend, pointed out that the incident occurred at about 1:47p.m. on Friday when the gunmen stormed Zalau Village in the state.

“On the 15/1/2016 at about 23:47 hrs, unknown gunmen stormed Zalau Village under Lame District and abducted one Hajiya Suwaiba, aged 45 years, wife of one Honourable C. Nuhu, member representing Lame constituency in Bauchi State House of Assembly,” the statement stated.

It said “Police patrol teams rushed to the scene but unfortunately the hoodlums had fled. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to rescue the victim and apprehend the fleeing suspects.”

According to the statement, seven expanded ammunition of 7.62mm were recovered at the scene and urged members of the public to assist in providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel (sixth left); Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry, Emmanuel Enoidem (second right); Chairman, Committee on Foreign Direct Investment, Mr Gabriel Ukpe (fourth left); Secretary of the committee, Victor Bob (left); representative of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Mathew Edevbia (fourth right); Mr Zhang Loohang (fifth left) and directors of Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited (MSMSL), after a meeting with the state governor, at the Government House, Uyo.

3 escape death for stealing 17 goats in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti THREE men narrowly escaped being lynched in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, when they were nabbed at an accident scene for allegedly stealing 17 goats.

The suspects were arrested at the Okeyinmi area

of Ado Ekiti, following an accident in which their vehicle collided with a commercial motorcycle and the numerous goats in their car attracted curiosity.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the suspects’ vehicle, a Honda Accord car, with registration num-

ber LAGOS AJ 798 BDG in which the animals were packed, had rammed into a commercial motorcycle and the people in the vicinity including Oke Ila, while trying to intervene in the accident, suspected the occupants of the vehicle to be thieves.

Over 20,000 physically challenged have benefitted from MTN Foundation —ILP CEO

By Lanre Akinmoladun THE people living with disability have commended the MTN Foundation for empowering them to live a meaningful life, just as over 20,000 of them have benefitted from the foundation’s assistance.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Independent Living for People with Disability (ILP), Mrs Foluke Idowu, gave the commendation recently while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Ibadan.

She said the MTN Foundation gives between 3,000 and 5,000 assist-

ing devices in each of the phases of its assistance in partnership with the ILP, adding that 12 states were captured in each of the phase with over 20,000 beneficiaries.

Mrs Idowu, who had been on the wheelchair for the past 30 years as a result of road crash, said with the assisting devices, some of the physically challenged could get employment, start their own businesses like shoemaking, selling recharge cards and being able to further their education while some could get married.

Speaking on her partner-

ship with the foundation, Mrs Idowu said she wrote a proposal intimating the foundation of many physically challenged lacking mobility aides and appliances such as wheelchair, tricycle, crouches, Braille machine and walking sticks, adding that after many evaluation and assessment, the proposal was accepted and expanded to cover all the states in the country.

“One thing I could say I have achieved was to shift the focus of MTN Foundation’s corporate social responsibility to the need of the physically challenged.”

The goats’ mouths were tapped while two of the animals had died in transit.

Inquiries by the mob, made up mainly of commercial motorcyclists and sundry young people, did not elicit satisfactory answers from the suspects and they descended on them.

The suspects were eventually rescued by the police.

The suspects were taken to the Okesa Police Station while the car was left behind with the okada riders keeping watch on the damaged vehicle.

The commercial motorcycle riders claimed that members of the syndicate had a ‘godfather’ they alleged would stand for their bail, a reason they didn’t want the suspects to be taken to any police station.

Spokesman of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, confirmed the arrest and said they were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the town for injuries received.

Vigilance team arrests 5 robbery suspects in Kwara Biola Azeez - Ilorin A gang of five armed robbers, who specialised in stealing artefacts, have been arrested by men of the vigilance team in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Sunday.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the alleged grand design by the five robbery suspects to steal some historical artefacts from National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Esie, in Irepodun Local Government, was foiled by the swift response of men of vigilance group in the area.

It was learnt that the suspects had arrived in the museum in the early hours of Sunday in a taxi-cab with colour suspected to be from Ogun State and attempted to cart away the valuable items when they were intercepted by men of the vigilance team in the community.

The museum, first to be established in Nigeria in 1945 by the Federal Government, houses more than 1,500 soapstone images, said to be largest in Africa.

It was gathered that men of the vigilance team swooped on the suspects while trying to escape with their loots, mostly historical figures.

Herdsmen, farmers adopt compensation to stem hostility in Plateau Isaac Shobayo - Jos AS part of the efforts to stem hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Plateau North of Plateau State occasioned by cattle rustling and destruction of farm land, the two groups have adopted compensation approach to arrest the ugly trend.

Just as the Fulani herdsmen in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, over the weekend, paid a compensation of N380,000 to farmers in the council area whose farm were destroyed by cattle.

The major cause of hostility in the zone, especially in Barakin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of the state, have been cattle rustling and encroachment of cattle into farmland.

Speaking with newsmen, Commander, Operation Safe Heaven (OPSH) in charge of Barkin Ladi, Colonel Valentine Okoro, said the OPSH was able to bring the two parties to the negotiating table and the level of destruction valued at about N380,000.

6

Monday, 18 January, 2016

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7 CHANGE OF NAME

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Monday, 18 January, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

8

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

9

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Lagosmetro

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

A bad section of the Kofo Abayomi Street by Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Footballer stabbed to death two days to foreign trip Olalekan Olabulo

P

olicemen from the Lagos State police command are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a footballer who was stabbed to death by some suspected cult mem-

bers in Ifako area of the state.

The footballer, Owawu Samuel, was until his death the goal keeper of Ifako United Football Club and he was killed over an argument on procurement of soft drinks.

Lagos Metro gathered that the deceased Samuel was last Friday killed just two

days before he was to travel abroad.

A friend of the deceased Samuel, who identified himself as Salami Jimoh, insisted that the duo of Ajose Isah and Adebayo Ahmed stabbed him to death.

According to Salami, the duo of Isah and Ahmed had

early on Friday invaded the deceased residence at Oyemekun area of Ifako and demanded for bottles of drinks.

Salami stated that “Samuel was not around when they came and I told them to come back. They insisted that he must buy drinks

5,000 UNILAG students trained on safe date Bola Badmus Over 5,000 students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) were at the weekend engaged on Sexual Assault Prevention sensitisation, safe date and enlightenment campaigns by Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

Coordinator of the DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, disclosed this in a statement made available to Lagos Metro, saying that the drive was in line with the mandate of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

According to her, the Sexual Assault Prevention Drive for Higher Institutions was organised in partnership with the Pastor Bimbo Odukoya

Foundation, saying it was aimed at addressing issues of sexual harassment, date rape, safety on campus, the role of a bystander and prevention.

The first drive, she said, kicked off on Wednesday, January 13 which coincided with the orientation session for new students.

“UNILAG students were given tips of how to avoid being victims of sexual assault.

They were also informed of how to stay safe in social settings, some of which include making a plan B for emergency exits from a place, protecting their drinks, avoiding clubs or parties that charge men but let women enter and drink for free,” she said.

She said that students were

also informed and educated on the legal implications of committing sexual assault offences and were surprised to hear that these crimes carried up to life imprisonment.

“Conversely, students were informed of their roles as bystanders, in intervening and assisting to prevent sexual assault. They were taught to CARE- Create a distraction, Ask directly, refer the matter to an authority and enlist others and for their fellow students.

“Students were also given tips on how to date smart, some of which include setting limits and being clear on them, being mindful of behaviours of their partners some of which include

degrading mannerisms, extreme jokes or language, violent tendencies, and controlling or overbearing tendencies,” she said.

The DSVRT coordinator said most importantly, the males were charged to refrain from rape, thereby changing the narrative and shifting the responsibility on the male folk who statistics revealed were the perpetrators of these crimes.

She disclosed that a manual on sexual assault prevention which encapsulates all the issues raised at the interaction was prepared by her team and distributed to all the approximately 5,000 students that were in attendance.

Nigerian Tribune

for them, because he had bought for some of his friends the previous day.

When Samuel came back he collected N1000 from me and went out to buy drinks for them.”

He also added that “some minutes after he went out, one of his friends rushed to call us that he was fighting with some people.”

The deceased Samuel was said to have been stabbed with broken pieces of bottle

by Ahmed and Isah over an argument between them.

Samuel died at the Ifako General Hospital, where he was rushed to by his friend and good Samaritans around the scene of the incident.

One of the suspected killers, Adebayo Ahmed was arrested by residents of Ifako and handed over to the police at Pen Cinema divisional police station.

Efforts to speak with the image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmus, a superintendent of police, failed as calls to her mobile phone lines were not answered.

Native doctor docked over illicit sex

Police to monitor new railway coaches

Ayomide OwonibiOdekanyin

Bola Badmus

A native doctor, Babatunde Ajisoloye, who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman, has been arrested and charged to court.

The incident happened at Marvina Hotel in Abule-Egba.

According to the police, Ajisoloye sexually assaulted a woman (name withheld) by removing her clothes and rubbing an unknown substance on her body.

According to the police, he then proceeded to have an unlawful sexual intercourse with the victim without her consent.

The offences according to the police contravened Sections 258 (1) and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, which state that any man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman or girl, without her consent, is guilty of the offence of rape and liable to imprisonment for life.

Ajisoloye however pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate court.

Justice Kudirat Jose ordered that a pro bono counsel should be provided for Ajisoloye as he was not represented in court and adjourned the case till March 9 and March 10 for trial.

The arrested suspects.

I robbed to afford diabetes treatment —Arrested ex-convict Olalekan Olabulo Twenty-two-year-old Phillips Tochile, who was a few days ago arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS ) has blamed his involvement in armed robbery on his sickness .

The suspect claimed that he had no option than to

take part in robbery operations in order to raise money to buy the prescribed drugs for his diabetes.

Also arrested by the police are: Salifu Abbey and Idris Sulyman, while attempting to rob a cab operator around Ijora area of the state.

Tochile, who confessed to the crime, explained that he went into robbery to raise

N17, 000 to procure his prescribed drugs.

The suspect, an ex–convict, who was released from Kirikiri prison in July 2014, said “This entire thing is like a temptation”.

He also added that “With my condition, I am not expected to be found in a situation like this. I was sick. I went to health centre. They

Stop street almsgiving, govt tells residents Chukwuma Okparaocha Lagos State Government has asked residents to stop giving alms to beggars on the streets.

This is to ensure an end to street begging in the state, as plans are being put in place to rid the state of street begging.

One of the ways it hopes to achieve this is by exposing members of the public to ways they can work with the government in ending the trend in the Lagos metropolis.

The State Government

affirmed this in a statement made available to Lagos Metro through the Head of Public Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Kemi lkotun-Adekusibe, where it said it had begun to sensitise members of the public on its zero tolerance to street begging and the prevalence of destitutes within the state.

Lagos Metro reliably gathered that members of the public had thus been implored to cooperate with the state govern-

ment in this regard by desisting from giving alms on the streets. Rather, alms are now expected to be given through faithbased organisations as well as recognised non -governmental organisations/homes all of which would be expected to handle such donations responsibly.

“The menace of beggars and the destitute on our streets has reached an alarming dimension despite the regular rescue operations carried out by the rescue team of the re-

habilitation department,” the statement said.

The government, in the report, further argued that it was taking this step because the presence of beggars and the destitute of different categories on Lagos streets over the years was having a negative effect on traffic management and security on major roads. It further added that some of the beggars had even been found to be accomplices in crime, as they sometimes serve as keepers of arms for robbers.

said I am diabetic and that my sugar level was 475 milligram. The doctor prescribed some drugs worth about N17, 000.00. I was told at the health centre to go and get the drugs and come back for further test.

“So, I invited my friend, Salifu Abbey, and I explained to him my situation. I sought his cooperation and he agreed to assist me to raise the funds. I got the gun that we used in Yaba Railway yard.

“The gun was wrapped with a polythene bag by cart pushers. I picked it with two live cartridges and we mapped out our plans.”

Phillip also confessed that “I told Salifu to wave down a taxi cab. Our plan was for the cab to take us to a desolate place where we could rob and dispossess the driver of all his day’s earnings.”

The suspect also said that, “We told the driver that we were going to Ijora, and that we would alight at two separate points. I would alight first while Salifu would alight later.

“I sat at the back seat with Salifu in front beside the driver hiding a locally made long gun in his rain jacket.

We were close to my bus stop when the driver, apparently frightened asked for the fare.

“Salifu and I started arguing on who should pay the fare, which was part of our plan. Unfortunately, Salifu was pulling out the gun when RRS men approached the vehicle to see if everything was alright with us but he noticed Salifu was trying to hide something. They searched the vehicle and found our gun, a knife on me and two live cartridges.”

Another of the arrested suspect , Salish Abbey said “Although the gun was found on me but it was given to me

by Tochile. He told me he was returning the gun to the owner in Ijora while he was on his way to his girlfriend’s house.

“He begged me to help him conceal the gun. Because he was looking frail and emaciated, if he had a gun on, people would spot it,” he said

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said it has completed refurbishment of three air-conditioned coaches and 90-seater standard class coaches and deployed them to the Lagos-Kano intercity passenger train service, to meet up with the increasing number of passengers on the route.

The corporation’s Managing Director, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, made the disclosure at the weekend during an inspection tour of the refurbished coaches and its security formations in Lagos, saying that the refurbished air-conditioned coaches and 90-seater standard class coaches were meant for the comfort and safety of passengers.

Sijuwade, who expressed satisfaction, said the coaches having been coupled, were now on Lagos-Kano intercity passenger train with adequate police security, restaurant and first aid facilities for the comfort of passengers.

Sijuwade assured that quite a number of security measures had been all over the route, starting from the Iddo Terminus, which he said was the NRC flagship station.

According to him, armed policemen, Man O’ War, including the corporation’s own security outfit, have been deployed and would be involved in scanning all passengers before boarding all the trains.

He said all the goods and luggages would be scanned and checked properly before being loaded into the NRC luggage vans.

He commended the efforts of other directors and management staff for their support in repositioning the corporation, assuring the corporation’s teeming commuters of more coaches and better services in 2016.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Stocks investors lose N1.8trn in 10 days As stocks end week bearish with 13% WoW on selloff KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), over the last tenday trade in the year 2016, has lost a total of N1.763 trillion, a sharp descent in the bear trend it closed year 2015 with.

According to its daily report, the NSE Market Capitalisation, which tells the value of the stocks on the exchange opened the year at N9.850 trillion on Monday, January 4 and closed trading on Friday, January 15, 2016, at N8.087 trillion having dropped by N1.763 trillion.

Also, the All-Share Index, which measures the aggregate value of listed stocks equally dropped by 4,856.28 basis points to close at 23,514.04 as against 28,370.32 points it opened trading for the year 2016.

Last week, all 12 indices of the Nigerian bourse closed negative with the exception of NSE ASem Index that closed that added a bit of 0.07 per cent to its value.

An analysis of the report showed that most highly capitalised stocks with strong liquidity such as Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, West African Portland Cement Company Plc (WAPCO), among others have been shedding weight since the stock market commenced activities for the year in the last ten days.

For the year 2015, the Nigerian bourse recorded a year to year loss of 23.80 per cent, as the All-Shares Index lost 6,014.90 points or 17.36 per cent to close at 28,642.25 from the 34,657.15 it opened the year with.

The market capitalisation, which opened for the year at N11.478 trillion, lost N1.628 trillion to close at N9.850 trillion on Dec 31, 2015 due to huge price losses by some blue chips.

The NSE continued its descent with a sharp selloff bearing to 13 per cent weekon-week as the All-Share Index and Market Capitalisation, the major indicator, close the week at 23,514.04 and N8.087 trillion respectively.

NSE Chief Executive Officer, Oscar Onyema, has however, allayed fear noting that the performance at the Nigerian Bourse was a reflection of the start of the economy which would improve shortly as all hand are on deck to bring a turn around to the situation plaguing the country.

However, analyst believed the federal government need to take a proactive step in diversifying the economy as the fall in global oil price had been the doom of the Nigerian economy.

According to the Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Limited, Garba Kurfi, government needs to pursue economic and monetary policies that would bring back both foreign and local investors to the market.

Kurfi said government should look for other sources of revenue, noting that the market had lost over N2 trillion so far because of

the country’s mono product with oil as the major source of revenue.

Last week, a turnover of 1.459 billion shares worth N14.165 billion in 15,164 deals were traded on the floor of the exchange in contrast to a total of 899.604 million shares valued at N7.669 billion that exchanged hands last week in 14,164 deals.

The financial services industry, measured by volume, led the activity chart with 1.287 billion shares valued at N8.953 billion traded in 10,020 deals; thus contributing 88.17 per cent and

63.20 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The consumer goods industry followed with 59.832 million shares worth N3.072 billion in 2,165 deals.

The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 56.606 million shares worth N152.949 million in 695 deals.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith International Bank Plc and First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc. accounted for 693.443 million shares worth N7.719 billion in 5,960 deals, contributing

47.51 per cent and 54.49 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

All indices on the Exchange finished lower during the week, with the exception of the NSE ASeM Index that increased by 0.07 per cent to close at 1,204.49.

Seven equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 17 equities of the previous week. 56 equities depreciated in price, higher than 50 equities of the previous week, while 127 equities remained unchanged, higher than 123 equities recorded in the previous week.

From left: Chief Executive Officer, Spectranet 4G LTE, Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole; David Venn and Chairman Intercontinental Distillers Ltd, Dr Ishmael Igbani, during the inauguration of Spectranet office and commercial launch of Spectranet brand in Port Harcourt.

NNPC begins retail outlets expansion OlatundeDodondawa-Lagos

In its efforts to address logistics challenges confronting efficient fuel supply, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it has commenced nationwide consultation with stakeholders aimed at drumming support for the planned expansion of its retail outlets across the country.

In a statement by the corporation signed by its spokesman, Ohi Alegbe, it said “under the expansion plan, NNPC is seeking to expand the market share of its retail business to an appreciable level from the current 12 per cent by building a mega station in every Senatorial District in the country in the months ahead.”

Speaking during the flagoff of consultation at the weekend with a visit to the Governor of Kaduna State,

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment, Dr Babatunde Victor Adeniran, who was said to have led the NNPC delegation stated that “the purpose of the visit was to

solicit for the support of Kaduna State Government to provide lands for building new NNPC petrol stations in the state.

“Our mission is to build three mega stations, one each in the three senato-

rial districts of the state. We need about five thousand square meters for each of the station. Each station will have six pumps including that of Liquefied Petroleum Gas which is cooking gas,” the GED said.

Non-Interest capital market: S/West to kickstart 2016 regional roundtable KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos

Following its successful first public enlightenment on Islamic finance last October in Kano, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has intimated plans to commence the 2016 regional roundtable on the non-interest capital market in the south west.

The Director General, Mounir Gwarzo, while briefing the media on the outcome of the Capital Market

Committee (CMC) meeting, disclosed that the event may hold either in February or March 2016, noting that the objective of the workshop is to encourage states to explore the alternative model for financing infrastructure projects through Islamic capital market products such as Sukuk.

According to him the market had been briefed on the first outing in Kano, where robust and comprehensive public enlightenment was done on

the need for government firms and other agencies to come to the market and utilise the window of noninterest finance via the issue of Sukkuk or other instruments.

“The public enlightenment was very successful.

We intend to move to the South West any time in February or March. The idea is to move from one geo-political zone to another to propagate the gospel of taking advantage of that instrument,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune

Ngige commends NURTW as pivotal to economy Explains conditions for paying N5,000 stipend

Soji-Eze Fagbemi -Abuja The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has commended the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for their immense contribution to the development of the Nigerian economy, describing road transport as pivotal.

The minister gave the commendation when the NURTW executive led by their President, Alhaji Najeem Yasin paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

He stated that road transportation carries the largest volume of passengers especially in the Nigerian economy, adding that it accounts for about 85 per cent in the transportation of persons and goods in the country.

The minister stressed the importance of road transport, describing it as a necessary tonic to the economic development of Nigeria which the Federal Government cannot afford to neglect.

Meanwhile, the minister has explained the conditions attached to the promised N5,000 stipend to unemployed Nigerians.

He said the money would only be paid as allowance to people who enrolled under its various scheme to undergo any of the skill acquisition programmes.

Ngige said the government would not be paying N5,000 stipend to people who are indolent and unproductive, adding that the money is to encourage skill acquisition, diligence and productivity.

He pointed out that the money to be paid varies between N5,000 and N15, 000 depending on the level and type of training; adding that while some people will be paid N5,000 under the cash conversion scheme, some will get N10,000 while other may get as much as N15,000 or even more.

Some of the trade to learn, according to him included bricklaying POP designing, building, welding, electronics repairer and Mecha-tronic, repair of vehicles, automobile carpentry, painting and fabrication of all sorts.

Ngige explained further that they would be certified after their training, while some of those who went through such training would later get employed by either the states or federal government.

businessnews Enforce rules, review dollar policy, BDC operators tell CBN

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Chima Nwokoji -Lagos

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he executive council of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Mr.Godwin Emefiele to enforce foreign exchange (forex) rules as stated in the bank’s guideline for operation in the forex market rather than stoppage of dollar supply.

This is even as the naira exchanged for N297 to the dollar at the parallel market on Sunday at Marina, Lagos. A currency trader Usman Zaria told the Nigerian Tribune that said demand for the greenback over the weekend was not as high as it was last week.

The naira exchange rate was, however, stable at N197 to the dollar at the official market on Friday.

The CBN Governor had said the new dollar policy was to stop “rent seeking activities” in the market.

The association believe that suspension of foreign exchange dealership of operators involved in malpractices or cancellation of operating licenses of BDCs found wanting are better ways of dealing with operators, rather than criminalizing the business and stopping its dollar supply to the whole sector.

Nigeria’s central bank also said, on Friday, that it would no longer hold dollar auctions on a daily basis, a move that came four days after the bank halted dollar sales to BDCs in a bid to conserve its dwindling foreign reserves.

In a press briefing intended to formally state the position of the association regarding the cancellation of dollar sales, the executive council of the body said it was not totally surprised by the decision, but takes exception to some allegations leveled against the entire sector by the Governor .

“We urge Governor Emefiele to do what Chief Joseph Sanusi as CBN Governor did in 2001 when he suspended the foreign exchange dealership of 21 banks for foreign exchange malpractices. We also urge him to do what his immediate predecessor, now the Emir of Kano did in 2013 when he cancelled the operating license of 20 BDCs including FBN BDC for round tripping of foreign exchange” ABCON executive stated.

According to them,there would always be bad eggs in every group or industry, and

Monday, 18 January, 2016

the foreign exchange market is not an exception. It added that given the huge demand for foreign exchange, the inability of the CBN to meet genuine demands, and the concomitant widening of the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rate, there will be individuals who will not be able to resist the temptation to engage in rent seeking and round tripping.

“These individuals are not limited to BDCs but also include banks and other participants in the foreign exchange market. The only way to deter such illegalities is to impose heavy sanctions including cancellation of their operating license.

“But the CBN would rather criminalize the whole BDC

subsector instead of doing the work of enforcing its regulations through appropriate sanctions. We take exception to these.

“We however believe there are better ways of addressing the challenges in the foreign exchange market,” Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, Acting president of ABCON stated.

He emphasized that BDCs are solutions to deep rooted problems in the money market namely: activities of illegal foreign exchange operators and the wide gap between the official and the parallel market exchange rates. And they have performed creditably well in these regards.

Also, Gwadabe noted that with about 3,000 operating licenses issued by the apex

bank, no economic sector in Nigeria has such record at the corporate affairs commission and closing that sector will directly unleash an army of unemployed people into the labour market.

According to the Association,the Governor complained about increase in the number of BDCs and number of applications received per month. This it viewed as a deliberate policy of the CBN to license as many BDCs as possible.

For example, in 2014, when the CBN increased the capital base of BDCs to N35 million and caution deposit of N35 million, there was a drastic reduction in the number of BDCs, as out of the 2,500 BDCs in

existence then, only 1,800 BDCs were able to meet the new capital requirement.

ABCON believes the CBN at this point should have suspended or stopped granting new licenses.

“The management of the CBN for reasons best known to them however chose to continue to issue licenses to new BDCs. The question is, why complain about proliferation of BDCs when you are the one granting the license?

“There was a time when the CBN suspended issuance of banking licence, why not do the same in the case of BDCs. Thus Governor Emefiele should stop complaining about a problem he and the CBN created,” Gwadabe reasoned.

From left: Chief of Staff to Plateau State governor, Mr John Dafaan; Head of Mission, FADAMA III Additional Financing, Dr Adetunji Oredipe; Plateau State governor, Honourable Simon Bako Lalong and Professor Madukwe Michael Chukwuneke of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, during a visit by the FADAMA team to the governor, in Jos.

‘Food, imported drinks increased inflation to 9.6% Dec 2015’ Gbola Subair-Abuja

Inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased from 9.4 per cent in November 2015 to 9.6 percent in December 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed.

The NBS, in the December CPI released at the weekend in Abuja, indicated that the increase in the headline index was driven in part by higher prices within key divisions which contributed to the index.

The NBS said imported food items within the food and non alcoholic beverages divisions, alcoholic beverage, tobacco and kola; clothing and footwear and transportation divisions all impacted the index.

According to the NBS, the food sub-index increased to 10.6% (year- on-year) during the month, 0.3% points from rates recorded in November.

All major food groups which contribute to the food sub-index increased at a faster pace during the month with the exception of the milk, cheese

and eggs group, while increases in the “all Items less farm produce” or core sub-index rose at the same rate for the third consecutive month at 8.7 per cent.

The NBS said the core sub-index was weighted upon by slower increases in major divisions as housing water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and furnishings

and household equipment maintenance continued to weigh on the index.

On a month-on-month basis, the report showed that the headline index increased at a faster pace for a second consecutive month, increasing by 1.0 per cent, 0.3 per cent points higher from 0.7 per cent in November.

Strike is inevitable in varsities —Ugwoke Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja Varsity workers across the country are already gearing up to commence a strike action over the decision by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Salaries Income and Wages Commssion to unilaterally disregard the provisions of the 2009 Agreement signed by the Federal Government

with all the university based unions.

Any moment from now, the non-teaching staff will embark on strike, if the President, Muhammadu Buhari failed to call to order the NUC and stop the planned removal of the university staff schools from the payroll and budget of various federal universities.

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities

(SSANU) President, Samson Ugwoke, said at the SSANU headquarters at the University of Abuja that the union has already mobilised all its members from the states to Federal level to prepare for strike.

The NUC had came out with a circular directing the authorities of all federal universities to stop the funding of staff schools, classifying them as private schools.

Nigerian Tribune

Employees’ compenation scheme: NSITF seeks NNPC compliance Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Umar Munir Abubakar, has again called on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to register the employees of the corporation in the employees’ compensation scheme, saying it is a right of the employees.

Abubakar, who made the call at an advocacy visit to the headquarters of the NNPC in Abuja, told the corporation that the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010 empowers the NSITF to pursue legal actions against any employer who fails to comply with the Act. He added that no other existing scheme beats the ECS, and explained that it is a very important scheme put in place by the federal government to ensure, promote and enhance the welfare of workers.

He pointed out that, as a major government institution, the NNPC would serve as a vehicle to drive its subsidiaries and other government and private institutions to key into the scheme.

He said the leadership of NSITF revisited the NNPC because it would be embarrassing for sister parastatal to resort to legal actions to settle a matter they can amicably resolve through negotiations.

He said he was aware of the welfare packages the NNPC already had in place for its employees, but he noted that the ECS would be an addition to the numerous laudable insurance schemes the employees in the sector enjoy.

Responding, the Group General Manager, Human Resource of NNPC, Adekemi Akintoye, who stood in for the Group Managing Director, said the corporation was aware of the benefits of the scheme as well as the various legal implications of noncompliance.

She revealed that the NNPC had already accepted the scheme as a first line charge; but appealed for their understanding to enable the NNPC resolve some logistics that precluded it from complying with the scheme.

She assured further that the corporation would soon come on board, and comply fully with the scheme. The meeting agreed to constitute a joint committee with members from each side to forge a way forward.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

NITEL/MTEL roll out lines in Abuja, Lagos and P/Harcourt by March —Natcom boss •Injects over $1bn for restoration of operations Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

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elephone users in the country will soon smile with the assurance of the liquidator of the dead Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) and its sister company, Mobile Telecommunication Limited (Mtel,) Natcom Development & Investment Limited to roll out its lines in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt by March this year.

The Chairman of Natcom,the new owner of the telecommunication company, Olatunde Ayeni, gave the assurance while presenting the company’s work-plan before the joint Committees on Telecommunication Communications and Commercialisation & Privatisation of the House of Representatives investigating sale of the moribund companies,chaired by Honourable Saheed Akinde Fijabi,Chairman of House Committee on Telecommunications.

Ayeni said following the planned roll-out of its lines by March this year, the company would create 4,000 jobs of various cadre as a start as well offered 4G/LTE services which would address 3G customers’ needs for mobile broadband services.

This came just as the chairman of the joint committees, Hon.Saheed Fijabi and other members expressed concern over the long delay in the take off and the resuscitation of the dead NITEL and MTEL by the new owner The lawmakers, while commending the efforts put into the privatisation of the two companies by the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises BPE, Benjamin Dikki, said government had no business in doing business, rather than to provide conducive environments to investor to operate.

Ayeni further disclosed that with the acquisition of NITEL/Mtel, Natcom had gained access to 40MHz of 900/1800MHz spectrum that was previously used to provide 2G/GSM voice services, while the new owner further acquired 7.5MHz of 1900MHz spectrum whose prior use was in a trial CDMA network, to be launched as NITEL. He told the lawmakers that a whooping sum of $1 billion had so far been injected into the revival of the former Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) and its sister company, Mobile Telecommunication Limited (Mtel), acquired by NATCOM under guided liquidation.

Ayeni revealed that the interest acquired by NAT-

COM included: assets and licenses of NITEL and Mtel and percentage interest held in South-Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) consortium as well as identifiable assets capable of generating viable business units.

He explained that the company had so far disbursed over $10 million on SAT-3 system alone since it was handed over, paid its quarterly dues to the consortium and cost of overall system’s expansion and

upgrade (Upgrade 5).

He added that Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) had proceeded to assign another set of microwave frequency ranges to Natcom upon request, at a pro-rated N176.8 mil-

lion, computed on the basis of 800 base station network in the first instance stressing that “NITEL/ Mtel did not have to pay for the use of the frequencies for which they enjoyed exclusive assignment.”

From left: Business Executive, Corporate Banking, Sterling Bank, Adegboyega Adegun; Executive Director, Corporate & Investment Banking, Kayode Lawal; Assistant General Manager, Turkey Export Import (EXIM) Bank, Alaaddin Metin and Business Executive, Corporate Banking, Sterling Bank, Mojisola Bakare, at the formal signing ceremony of $40 million facility from Turkey Exim Bank secured by Sterling Bank Plc.

Investment experts recommend Tier-1 banks’, industrial stocks As massive panic sell-off mode continued at the Nigeria equities market,some investment bankers have advised investors to take advantage of the low prices and invest in dividend paying industrial and banking (Tier-1) stocks while hedg-

ing their exposures.

Investors dumped shares last week in what analysts described as panic sell-off mode at the Nigeria equities market.

This was attributed to the continuous slide in crude oil prices which heightened

investors’ apprehension on the macroeconomic fundamentals, operating environment and financial performance of companies.

Consequently, many investors rushed for the exit in a herd pattern with most blue-chip prices and trad-

Nigerians can now withdraw foreign currency abroad

commercial Nigerian banks told customers on Sunday they would allow deposits of foreign currency to be transferred abroad from their accounts, just days after the central bank announced it was easing restrictions on foreign cash deposits.

Africa’s biggest economy and top oil producer has been hit hard by the drop in crude prices since it relies on oil sales for about 95 percent of its foreign reserves.

The central bank last week announced that it would allow commercial banks to accept cash deposits of foreign currency, reversing a restriction imposed last year when such deposits were banned to curb speculation.

Its policy shift came days after International Mon-

etary Fund head Christine Lagarde told Nigerian lawmakers that the IMF did not support foreign exchange restrictions.

Stanbic IBTC and Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank) were among two commercial banks which sent emails and text messages to customers informing them that transfers of foreign cash to accounts in other countries, which had also been prohibited, were now acceptable.

“You can now transfer foreign currency cash deposits made into your GT Bank domiciliary account(s) via internet banking, Mobile App or at any of our branches nationwide, subject to a daily cumulative limit of $10,000,” GT Bank said in an email.

The central bank’s an-

nouncement also halted dollar sales to non-bank foreign exchange operators, a move that leaves Nigerians struggling to find dollars on the parallel market amid tight liquidity.

The naira NGN=D1 is pegged at around 198 to the dollar on the official interbank market but slid to a record low of 305 on the parallel market last week amid low FX reserves.

Central bank governor Godwin Emefiele said foreign reserves in January stood at around $28 billion compared with $37 billion in June 2014, making clear the impact of reduced oil revenues.

Members of parliament’s upper house, the Senate, have summoned Emefiele to explain the currency’s plunge on Tuesday.

ing volume of securitie with significant portfolio exposures sold off at record low prices.

Records from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that the market closed sharply negative on all the trading days last week, bringing weekly and year to date (YTD) decline of the benchmark All Share Index (ASI) to13.0 per cent and 18.0 per cent as the index closed at 23,514.04 points (pts).

“We would rather suggest that investors with a long investment horizon (+2 year) should take advantage of some of the opportunities in high dividend paying industrial and banking (Tier-1) stocks while hedging their exposures with an overweight exposure to fixed income securities and urge short term investors who are risk averse to play more in the fixed income market,” investment bankers at an investment research company stated in a not to investors.

“While we perceive the sell-offs as currently overdone, we do not see a short term rebound as most of the debilitating factors are still evident,” the investment experts noted.

Nigerian Tribune

2016 Budget: Revive local industry, NUTGWN urges Buhari Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja The National Union of Textile Garment Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGWN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the over N6 trillion budget for 2016 is disbursed effectively to help revive local industry.

Rising from its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Kaduna, the union warned that the huge budget should not be spent to finance frivolous imports and perpetuate unemployment.

The union held its first CWC in the year and deliberated on the report of activities from the zones and area council across the country. It discussed on the situation in the textile sector with regards to the economic and trade union rights of workers and the state of the nation.

In particular, the CWC reviewed the current state of the Nigeria textile industry and re-affirmed its position that the government must provide the enabling environment for the revival of textile industry in the country.

Access Bank sponsors Passion to Portfolio Passion to Portfolio, the CNN International series about entrepreneurs harnessing their passion in the global marketplace – aired as a special 30-minute special programme last Friday.

The high-profile show is the first of four special Passion to Portfolio programmes airing in 2016.

In addition to the extended shows, Passion to Portfolio segments will continue to air fortnightly in the CNN International business show World Business Today.

Passion to Portfolio segments and the extended shows are sponsored by Access Bank, one of Nigeria’s largest and fastest-growing full-service banks headquartered in Lagos. The Access Bank advertising and sponsorship campaign originally launched in November 2014 and spans CNN International’s TV and digital platforms.

The special show aired on 15 January featured successful innovator Daymond John, co-founder of the global clothing label, FUBU, and host of the hit US TV show, Shark Tank. Recognised as a branding and marketing expert, John gave CNN viewers insights into what it takes to succeed in business.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Monday, 18 January, 2016 14 news Anambra No link with Bayelsa election violence —Presidential Central rerun: amnesty programme Ekwunife, Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja

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he Presidential Amnesty Programme has denied having any link with the violence and fraud witnessed during the just concluded elections in Bayelsa State, saying that the attempts by some commentators to link the electoral violence to the

Amnesty Programme was specious.

A statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Media and communication Consultant, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Owei Lakemfa, stated that such claims which flow from the flawed assumption that beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme are criminals,

“is a display of ignorance about the programme.”

He described it as a cheap attempt to stigmatise the beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty in the Niger Delta.

Lakemfa said: “The issue of electoral violence is not a crime peculiar to Bayelsa State. Rather it is a nationwide challenge which is

punishable under our electoral and criminal laws.

“Contrary to claims that the electoral violence in Bayelsa is an indication that the Amnesty Programme has failed, the programme has actually met its objectives. It was established primarily to end the armed insurrection in the Niger Delta,

President Muhammadu Buhari being received by the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed (right) and Ambassador of Nigeria to UAE, Ibrahim Auwalu, at the Presidential Wing of the Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.

NHRC expresses worry over 4,000 displaced persons abandoned in Taraba Sunday Ejike-Abuja

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Bem Angwe said the commission is worried about the abandonment of 4,723 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at various locations in Taraba State.

Speaking during an official visit to Taraba State in continuation of his tour of the North Eastern States to assess the state of camps and facilities hosting IDPS over the weekend, Professor Angwe noted that the situation in Taraba is highly deplorable and requires urgent attention.

A statement made available to newsmen on Sunday said Angwe said, despite the fact that most of the IDPS have spent well over two years in their settlements, neither the government nor relevant agencies showed concern about their plights.

At Gullong, one of the settlements with over 259 IDPS, the Executive Secretary observed that there were no foodstuffs, mattresses, provision of security or medical facilities for the displaced persons and their children.

“The children were roam-

ing about without any form of education programme.

The government of Taraba State and indeed relevant agencies have obligations and responsibilities to protect and provide for these people because they are Nigerian citizens,” he said.

Angwe called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to move in immediately and help the situation and promised to liaise with Presidential Initiatives on IDPS to intervene and

bring succour to the IDPS. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, Taraba, Nugalga Dan-Habu disclosed that the state Government was not aware of the presence of the IDPS whom he said integrated themselves with their host communities.

He promised to intimate the governor about the issue. The leader of the Gullong IDPS settlement, Emmanuel Bulus, while conducting the executive

secretary and NEMA Inspection Team round the centre disclosed that apart from NGOs and some Faith-Based organisations that support them, the IDPS in the Camp have remained on their own.

He said they have not witnessed any government support or presence.

Professor Angwe promised to return to Taraba State to see whether there has been any positive action taken to redress the situation.

Dickson proposes N150bn appropriation bill for 2016 fiscal year Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Friday, presented a N150billion Appropriation Bill tagged Budget of Transition for the 2016 fiscal year, as against N250 billion passed into law in 2015 to the State House of Assembly.

The recurrent expenditure as presented to the State House of Assembly for passage into law stands at N43 billion and capital expenditure, N25.4 billion.

In his presentation, the governor said the budget would be committed to the completion of ongoing

projects in the state.

The projected statutory allocation from the Federation Account, according to the governor, is put at N82.3 billion, capital receipts of N51.2 billion, independent revenue sources of N11 billion, which make up the expected total revenue.

The recurrent expenditure as presented by the governor, is having the highest allocation of N43 billion. This would enable the present administration to keep faith with the payment of workers salaries, regardless of the sharp drop in revenues occa-

sioned by slide in crude oil prices.

Other expenditure items include, consolidated revenue fund charges N61.8 million, overhead of N20.2 billion, while capital expenditure was put at N25.4 billion.

Governor Dickson, who described the provision for capital expenditure for the current fiscal year as the least he has ever presented throughout his first term, however promised to review the allocation in the event of any positive change in the revenues accruing to the state.

ensure unhindered oil production and restore peace as a prerequisite to investment and sustainable development of the region.

“These three basic objectives have been met and what the Amnesty Office is engaged in now is the last phase of the programme which is to sustainably reintegrate the beneficiaries back into society.

“The Presidential Amnesty Office also categorically denies the false accusation that some of its officials are selling education or training slots under the programme.

No payment whatsoever is required to be eligible for any programme under the amnesty project.

“Members of the public are therefore advised to be wary of fraudsters parading as officials of the Presidential Amnesty Office or purporting to be representing the office.”

He added that the Amnesty Office is continuing the biometric verification of beneficiaries and is taking steps to exit those who have been successfully reintegrated into society.

Air Force set to recruit fresh 2,100 personnel Chris Agbambu-Abuja

THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is set to recruit about 2100 personnel this year.

The plan, which aims to surpass previous enlistments, is targeted at doubling the number of fresh intakes to be recruited in 2016.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, made the disclosure in Enugu where he went to assess the state of facilities at the International Helicopter Flying School (IHFS) and 95 Helicopter Combat Training School (95 HCTG) among other NAF establishments in the state.

Speaking, Air Marshal Abubakar noted that the NAF recruited between 1000 to 1200 airmen and airwomen in previous years, noting that the NAF was adopting a multiprong approach to achieve both immediate and long term training objectives.

He stated that the strategies being adopted include collaboration with other countries in the area of training, facilities expansion and upgrade, as well as curriculum review in NAF training schools with a view to enhance their capacity to provide quality training for more personnel locally.

Ikpeazor warms up for APC primaries Suzy Oruya-Onitsha

Ahead of February 16 re-run election for the Anambra Central Senatorial district, Senator Uche Ekwunife and Sharon Olive Ikeazor, who recently declared interest to participate in the race under All Progressives Congress (APC), has proved readiness ahead of the party’s primaries.

Ikeazor, who spoke with Nigerian Tribune, while declaring her interest to contest, at the APC party secretariat in Awka, Anambra State maintained that with her experience in politics, she’s better to represent APC in the forthcoming senatorial election.

According to her, “I have the zeal to represent my people at the federal level.

This is because I know the desires of my people and with my experience in partisan politics, I will speak their mind.”

Ikeazor, a lawyer with 30 years of experience also vowed to represent the interest of the party with pride and great honour, promising to make laws and policies that will be in line with the belief and principles of President Muhammadu Buhari in his fight against corruption.

Akure division should produce next Ondo gov —AYCF president

By Moses Alao

The National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, has thrown his weight behind the Akure Division of Ondo State’s clamour to produce the next governor of the state.

Shettima in an interview with Nigerian Tribune at the weekend called on other divisions in the state to support “Akure division’s agitation in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice and the division should be allowed to produce the next governor of Ondo State.”

Shettima, who made this position known to Nigerian Tribune at the weekend, said, “it is probably only in Ondo State that the state capital would be so marginalised that it has never had any of its people occupy the governor’s seat.

“Looking at the arguments of the Akure division, all men of reason will just have to appeal to others to allow the division to produce the next governor of the state.”

15

Monday, 18 January, 2016

news Grant presidential pardon to soldiers convicted of mutiny, Falana tells Buhari 16

By Wale Akinselure

N

IGERIA’S prominent lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to grant presidential pardon to men of the armed forces convicted by the immediate past leadership of the Nigerian Army for mutiny and sabotaging the counter-insurgency operations of the Federal Government.

Making reference to the conviction of the soldiers by

Monday, 18 January, 2016

the immediate past army leadership, Falana, in an open letter to the president, said the recent revelation of the diversion of $2.1 billion and N643 billion set aside for the purchase of equipment for counter-insurgency operations by the office of the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), had shown that the soldiers suffered lack of facilities to effectively wage war against insurgency.

Also quoting President Buhari’s interview aired by

the BBC Hausa service on December 28, 2015, where Buhari remarked that the immediate past Goodluck Jonathan-led government sent soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition to battle insurgency, Falana said this was enough evidence that again showed that soldiers were handicapped in the battlefield.

Furthermore, he said the arms procurement panel instituted by President Buhari had confirmed that another sum of N42 billion and N69

billion for procurement of arms for the Nigeria Air Force was equally diverted by serving and retired military officers and their civilian accomplices.

He, therefore, urged Buhari to exercise his prerogative of mercy in favour of all the convicted members of the armed forces, pursuant to Section 175 of the nation’s constitution.

On the involvement of the current Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai, Falana said the decision to pardon and reinstate

some soldiers had been biased, not yielding to appeal not to confirm the findings of the court-martial in the case.

Falana said Buratai failed to lawfully prove that the convicted soldiers committed mutiny evident in commuting the death sentences passed on 66 out of the 70 of them to 10 years’ imprisonment and ordered the recall and reinstatement of 3,002 soldiers who were alleged to have been illegally flushed out of the army by his predecessor.

According to him, Buratai should have equally pardoned and reinstated all convicted soldiers alleged to have committed the same offence.

We may drag Ogun government before ICPC over N3.5bn debt —Contractors We’ll pay soon —Govt Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

From left, Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Iyalode of Egbaland/Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, during a session between the monarch and the Oyo Metro Community, as part of activities marking his 45th coronation anniversary, in Oyo, on Saturday.

TSA: Sokoto uncovers N1.5bn in 100 idle accounts Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

TWO weeks after the formal introduction of the Treasury Single Accounting (TSA) system in Sokoto, the state government said it has uncovered the sum of N1.5 billion lying idle in 100 redundant accounts belonging to it in various commercial banks in the country.

The state commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Umar Saidu, stated this in Sokoto, Sunday, while giving an update on the system’s implementation.

He said government is determined to trace and close down all dormant and inactive accounts operated by it.

Saidu said since the introduction of the TSA, there has been a massive improvement in the reconciliation of public finance figures between the government and commercial banks.

This, according to him, has reduced risk of errors in reconciliation processes and has enhanced timeliness and quality of the fiscal figures from such accounts.

The commissioner said

the introduction of the TSA has now enabled government to regularly monitor public cash balances while at the same time ensuring higher quality cash analysis from all accounts hitherto operated by the state government and its agencies.

He said the full benefit of the new accounting sys-

tem would be felt when the implementation of the 2016 budget starts.

The document is currently undergoing legislative action with state House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, Sokoto governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sunday, approved the posting and redeployment

of new permanent secretaries and directors-general in the state civil service.

A statement issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, showed that 23 permanent secretaries were redeployed while 11 director generals have been sent to various departments and agencies in the state.

Sardauna was a first class administrator —Lai Mohammed Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

THE Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, has said the late Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, was a first class administrator who rendered selfless service to his people.

Alhaji Mohammed said this while he was the special guest at a roundtable discussion on the topic: Sir Ahmadu Bello, The Man, His Vision and Imperatives of Good Governance, held at Arewa House Banquet Hall, at

the weekend.

The Minister, who also praised the Premier for promoting a united Nigeria during his days, described him as a selfless leader who gave all his time and resources to ensure unity, progress and development of all northerners.

He said it was these good leadership virtues of the late Sardauna that created the opportunity for him and other non Hausas in the North to acquire sound education, secure good employment and other privileges.

“I was one of those that

benefited from the cheap and quality education provided by Sardauna.

He was obviously a true and detribalised leader. 50 years after his demise, people still talk of his legacies with passion,” he added.

According to him, under Sardauna, government was for all those in the North irrespective of tribe, religion and social status.

He, however, urged the present crop of northern leaders, not to only talk about Sardauna’s legacies but also emulate his good leadership quality and kind nature.

THE Ogun State government may be dragged before the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) by contractors over N3.5 billion debt.

The contractors numbering about 150 were employed to handle the renovation, construction and provision of furniture in some schools across the 20 local government areas of the state.

In a statement signed by Mr Rauf Adeniyi on behalf of the contractors, stated that series of letters had been written to the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over the development.

The contractors said that the contracts were awarded to them in 2014 under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) projects for 2010/2011.

When contacted, the state chairman of SUBEB, Alhaji Mufutau Ajibola, confirmed that government owes the contractors, and that the governor had pledged to pay the debt.

Ajibola said, “It is true that we owe the contractors, but, the governor has promised to pay them soon.

“You know we did not pay our counterpart funding, we only got our bailout.

The governor has assured them that he will pay very soon.”

Nigerian Tribune

NMA wants FG to make NHIS mandatory Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

PRESIDENT of Nigerian Medical Association Dr Kayode Obembe, has asked the Federal Government to make health insurance scheme mandatory for every Nigerian.

Dr Obembe stated this at the weekend, in AyedunEkiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, while speaking at the official flag-off of novel Ayedun Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme.

The NMA President said it was impossible to achieve universal coverage through insurance scheme when enrolment was voluntary as it is under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He noted that to make the scheme practicable, Dr Obembe also urged the Federal Government to increase its expenditure from the present five per cent to 15 per cent as pledged by African leaders in 2000, at an international forum, saying this would help to achieve universal health coverage in Nigeria.

He also charged the Ekiti State and Ikole Local Government to ensure the payment of their counterpart fund to the insurance scheme.

Ayedun community became the first town in the South West to have the NHIS since June 6, 2005, when it was kicked off by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

N224m debt: NUPENG to picket LASG Jan 19 THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Sunday said the union was set to picket Lagos State Government (LASG) on January 19, over non-payment of N224 million debt.

Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West chairman of the union, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Korodo alleged that the N224 million was for payment for the supply of diesel and kerosene to the state government for execution of direct labour projects in Ojodu between October 2014 and May 2015.

The chairman said the contract was financed by Skye Bank and the bank had been asking for repayment of the loan.

Korodo explained that the union would go to the state Secretariat in Alausa with about 1,000 petroleum tankers and picket the Governor’s Office, House of Assembly and other ministries.

17

INSIDE LAGOS

Monday, 18 January, 2016

pixmart

Chairman, Drivers Union, Oando, Wasiu Sadik; overall winner, Oando Drivers’ Award 2016, Quadri Olawale; Chief Operating Officer, Oando Marketing, Olaposi Williams and Head of Operations, Oando Marketing, Adeboye Temidayo, at the Oando Marketing Drivers’ award ceremony in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Alaba Igbaroola: 08155975474

sylvester okoruwa: 08115708541

From left, Lagos State Deputy Commissioner of Police (Admin), Mr Lawal Ado; Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Owoseni Fatai; President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and the widower of the late Comfort Indongesit Udoh, who was killed by a police officer, Mr Sunday Udoh, during the presentation of scholarship to the deceased’s children by the Lagos CP, at the Lagos Police Command, on Monday.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (middle); Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh (fourth right); Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni (4th left) and other top shots in the education sector, during a meeting to improve security in the state’s public schools, held at the Deputy Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.

The president of Izy Air Ltd, Alex Izinyon II, receiving a certificate for the airline from the Director of Operations and Training, NCAA, Captain Abdullahi Sidi.

Ace artiste and MTN Ambassador, Tiwa Savage (middle), registering an MTN subscriber at the MTN Mega Registration Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday.

Chairman, Conference 57 & Executive Secretary, Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Kolade Alabi, addressing journalists on the commencement of construction of 114 roads in Lagos State by the Conference of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday. With him are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government & Community Affairs, Mr. Babatunde Sanuth (left); Commissioner for Local Government & Community Affairs, Alhaji Muslim Folami and the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Monday, 18 January, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08055001747 or 08054005323.

It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Need to cap tuition at private varsities

O

NE of the things I want the new Minister of Education to do this year is to cap the tuition at private universities in the country. The high tuition is creating a class system in Nigeria, and this is not healthy for our children.

A family that earns just N800,000 per annum will never dream of enrolling his children at private universities because the tuition for just one session is what the family earns in four years.

However, if government can introduce a cap, then it will make it easier for chil-

dren of the poor to attend private universities.

The government can do it in several ways; however; first, it can ensure that private universities charge what public universities charge, and government can be supporting the private universities with subventions.

Government can also offer scholarship for children of the poor who have gained admission to study at private universities.

If nothing is done to regulate the tuition being charged at private universities, then we will have many young people not be-

ing able to acquire university education. We should not forget that these private universities were established to create spaces for the huge number of admission seekers in the first place.

Also, the private universities, some of which are faith-based, should also

We should, therefore, support the president to cleanse this country of corruption, as future political office holders will now thing twice before mismanaging the money

It now seems that these private universities are just revenue-generating organisations; I remember an official of a private university that raised it tuition recently saying that the university had no choice because of the falling rate of the naira.

I hope the Federal Gov-

ernment will do something about this fast because the high tuition in these private universities is negating the reason they were given licenses to operate in the first place.

the money value of the items by the wares, and people would buy and put the money there, and in the evening, the seller will come and take the money.

This is definitely not possible again today. Everybody is looking for the opportunity to steal.

It is this same value that makes our judges a sentence criminal who has stolen a mobile phone to 10 years imprisonment, while a public office holder who has stolen billions is allowed to negotiate his

punishment through plea bargaining.

However, it is high time something was done about this negative attitude of ours.

•Demilade Agboola, Sango-Ota, Ogun State.

For Nigeria to be great again ONE thing that I discovered about Nigerians is that for our country to develop, we need to change our mentality. We have come to see corruption as

Stop politicising war on corruption SOME members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been politicising the Federal Government’s war on corruption; they have been shouting on top of their voices that President Muhammadu Buhari is only after their members, which is not true.

What we should ask ourselves is whether those currently standing trial for various financial crimes collected money meant for other purposes.

While it is the responsibility of the court to pronounce guilty verdicts on those charged, I think it is unfair that the fund allocated for the procurement of arms was being diverted when our soldiers were dying on the battle field.

In some countries of the world, a guilty verdict will have a death sentence as its punishment, but here we are in Nigeria, politicising the whole situation.

We have all identified corruption as our biggest challenge, but now that we have a leader who is ready to tackle it, some people are shouting that the government is just using it to hound political opponents.

I am happy that the president has said that there would be no sacred cow in his government, and that anybody found guilty of corruption, irrespective of political affiliations, would face the law.

offer scholarships for the wards of their members.

Today, many members of some organisations that own universities cannot send their wards there because of the tuition, despite contributing financially and physically during the building of the universities.

put in their care since they don’t know how another government will react.

•Ajayi Adekunle, Ajayi278@yahoo.com

a way of life such that we don’t see any big deal when someone steals from coffers of the country. It has reached a situation whereby those who are criminals are celebrated as long as they can part with money.

We have turned money into a god which we worship; we have forgotten the values instilled in us by our forefathers. I could remember that my grandmother once told me that in the olden days, sellers don’t need to stay with their wares. They just put

•Esther Ajakaiye, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

DPR, come to our aid in Ibadan PERMIT me to call on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to start monitoring filling stations in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. With the exception of a few, the others still sell above the official pump price approved by the Federal Government.

What is more worrying is the fact that the filling stations shut their gates during the day, while selling very early in the morning or late at night. With this, they sell fuel for N120 and above instead of N86.50.

Officials of the DPR in Ibadan should be proactive; those fuel marketers who are not complying with government’s directives are economic saboteurs and they should be punished.

On several occasions, we have heard that some filling stations had been shut, but before the following morning, they would be open again. Is this not a case of connivance between the law breakers and law enforcers.

If DPR officials are not with the law breakers in short-changing the people, then scapegoats should be made from those who have fuel but are hoarding it.

•Alhaji Saheed Olaoluwa, Ibadan.

19

editorial

O

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

FG’s new fuel price template

N 29 December, 2015 the Federal Government, through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), announced a new regime of prices for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

The revised pricing tem­plate for PMS for the first quarter of 2016 indicates that fuel will sell at N86.50 per litre at filling stations operated by major and independent marketers. This is a reduction of the pump price by 50 kobo from the then prevailing N87.00 per li­tre. Retail outlets owned by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will sell the product for N86.00 per litre, constituting a reduction of N1. The new pricing which reflects the open market policy of the government means that the Federal Government will no longer pay subsidy for the prod­ uct.

To achieve these price levels, the Federal Government cancelled the traders’ margin of N1.47/litre. It further reduced Lightering Expenses from N4.07/litre to N2/li­tre, Jetty Throughput Charge from 80/litre to 40k/litre and Stor­age Charge from N3/li­tre to N1.50/litre. Other prices reviewed included the retailers’ margin, transporters’ margin, dealers’ mar­gin and bridging fund. These led to an ex-depot price of N77, down from N77.66 per litre, while the pump price became N86.50k per litre in line with the prevailing market trend. The NNPC price is N86 per litre because there is no financing cost in the NNPC template.

The government has cautioned all marketers to adhere strictly to the approved ex-depot and pump prices.

It is curious that the Federal Government is announcing the end of fuel subsidy while at the same time regulating prices in terms of the margins of the key actors in the PMS import business. This is a contradiction if the goal, as government had stated time and again, is to instil competition and stabili­ty in the downstream petroleum sector. The contradiction is further buttressed by the fact that the government has announced a quar­terly review of the price template.

According to the PPPRA, if there is a major shift, the minister may call for a review either upwards or downwards, depending on the market. Indeed, the Federal Government has announced that there will be a Pricing Adviso­ry Committee made up of industry technocrats which will meet regularly and advise the PPPRA on price movements. The focus of government’s liberalisation is to allow the international market to determine oil prices. The margins of local actors and marketers remain regulated as described above.

As would be expected, markers have challenged the government’s decision, insisting that they cannot sell at the

stipulated price of N86.50. They claim that the margins are too small and therefore unsustainable. They deplored further the unilateral manner in which the decision was taken by the government. Some of the marketers claim there was no consultation with the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA).

Naturally, the prices of fuel in the various filling stations have varied from 85.60 to N130.00. There are usually long queues in a few of the filling stations run by the major oil marketers where the product is sold at N86.50. Many filling stations where the product is sold for between N100 and N120 witness either short or no queues. In general, the new price regime has largely been observed more in the breach. Perhaps with only the exception of Lagos and Abuja where the new prices hold sway and even to a limited effect, most fuel stations have continued to carry on selling at prices of their own, choosing far above the recommended retail price.

Although the regulatory agencies have announced their intention to enforce the new price regime, we believe that will not solve the problem. Even when the price was N87.00 per litre, it was often sold at a higher price. The truth is that the regulatory agencies simply lack the enforcement capacity. The root of the problem is that Nigeria is dependent on imported fuel. Price adjustments, no matter how well-intended, cannot address the current inequitable regime of pricing because they address the symptoms. The government must take bold measures principally to address the domestic supply gaps and the industry’s obsolete refining and distribution infrastructure.

The price modulation that the government has adopted will ensure initial slow price increases by regulating the components of fuel price such as taxes, freight, margins, transport, storage and bridging. But it will not eliminate the corrupt oligopoly in the fuel market. The cost of corrupt practices will continue to be passed to the masses.

Finally, the current regime services the international market of refined oil. It helps Europe to mop up its surplus of refining capacity of gasoline production at the expense of the Nigerian market. Nigeria consumes about 40 million litres of PMS each day, while the rest of West Africa imports refined petroleum products in significant quantities due to increasing car ownership. Nigeria needs to rebuild its refining and distribution capacity to take advantage of the West African market, rather than remain dependent on imports for its own needs.

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20

opinion

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Telephone conversation: Lasisi Olagunju Lasgunju@yahoo.com (08111813053) “Hello, Hello, this is Sokoto calling. Is that Katsina?”

“Yes, Katsina here , barka da. Can I help you?”

“It’s about my son. You know him, the one you are holding...”

“Me? Holding your son? I can’t understand. I hope you are not saying I’m a kidnapper? Or that I am dandaodu?

That is not my lot.

“No. Hemm...I’m talking about the one in your trouble...

“Abeg leave me alone o, Alhaji. I’m not holding anyone.

Walahi I am just doing my own job my own way. See my hands...”

“Ah, Alhaji. How can you say you are not holding anyone even when the whole world knows he is in your cell. And we are even supposed to be in-laws. If you are treating your own in-law like this I wonder what outsiders would get...”

“Listen. We are in-laws, yes. But you have not told me this your matter is a matrimonial matter. Or is it? I can’t understand why you are mixing Tuwo masara with Tuwo shinkafa. If you wan maize, eat maize, if na rice, abeg, go for rice. I can’t see any nexus between being my in law and the issue at stake...”

“Alhaji, I’m not saying you are a difficult man. What I’m saying is that the reason we have you there is to do us favours. We all danced the day you were elected. But don’t you think it is unthinkable that our own son is the one doing this to his own brother? If the singlet boys so loved and gave this boy so much powers why should it be you - of all people - to put him down? Why? ...

“I’m I really holding your son or your son is holding himself? Ask him if he is not guilty of the sins killing him now?

Ask him. You are asked to look after a hundred heads of cattle by the village and one by one the whole lot disappeared into the dark backyard of powerful chiefs. Who do we hold, you or who? Answer me?

“Hmmmmm...you know he was just a messenger.”

“Hmmmmm is not the answer to my question. Now, if the village gets enraged and now takes you to the market square, does it lie in your mouth to say the village head asked you to donate village cows to the big men? The person caught with the head is the one who cut it. That is the logic here...”

“If that is the logic, then holding my boy is illogic. You didn’t catch him with the head. You trailed the blood to the big men’s bedrooms where the head was found kept in their deep freezer. I don’t even know whether those can-

Sokoto calls Katsina

nibals used juju for that boy. How can you distribute free meat without putting at least one in your own mouth? All the noise we’ve been hearing does not say he kept even one cow for himself. They all went to the witches and wizards ...”

“I thought witches were females?”

“Yes. You wan marry one...?

“Are they looking for me? Your boy didn’t give anything to anyone in skirt or wrapper. Na men’s man or maybe he is even a wizard sef.”

“If he was one he would take care of himself. None of these succulent pieces of meat is in his mouth. That should convince you that he is not a thief...”

“Wait. Wait. What did you just say? Is it every man that chews meat before swallowing? For some, you won’t even see their fingers there. It will just land in their stomachs gbammm. You need a very powerful telescope to detect it...”

“Ah haa! You don come o. How do you eat meat without using your fingers. Even if you use fork ‘n’ knife you will still hold them with your fingers...”

“Alhajiii, but you can use other people’s fingers na” “Allah Sarki! Gaskiya. Is that what my boy did?”

“Noo. I haven’t said so. It will be too early to say that. We are still investigating.”

“Still investigating after convicting him in the market square. There is God and he will judge every one of us.”

“You are angry, Alhaji.”

“Angry? No. I’m just surprised you are this difficult. Don’t you know that this village is not as good as you are taking it. Even if you sacrifice your mother for them, they will still betray you. That is why you must never kill your brother to please the rabble. They are not your people. They are no one’s. They belong to everyone in power. Think!”

“Meanwhile, how is Hajia?”

“Which Hajia? The one you are denying the warmth of her husband or the one you are holding her son.”

“Whichever. I expect you to understand. If it is what I could help, I would. But this one is ...”

“Is what? You are just wicked. We thought you had changed...very sad.”

“Now, listen Alhaji. Put yourself in my situation. You are the driver of a vehicle and the passengers say their lives are in your hand. Won’t you do things that would make them safe?”

“And is looking forever at the rear view mirror a safety measure? Any driver that is glued to the mirror will kill his passengers, walahi. Stop looking at the past, face the future.

That is where the passengers paid you to take them to.”

“Really? But looking at the past is looking forward, you don’t think so? If you don’t take care of the past, the future is doomed.”

“Henhennn! For you, looking at the side view mirrors (whether concave or convex) is the same as looking at the windscreen? Toor. Allah ki ya ye. God will grant you safe journey.

“Concave or convex? Meaning?”

“Sorry, I forgot Katsina didn’t have a physics teacher during your time. Sorry.”

“Are you sure you are not wasting your airtime too much... this conversation is getting rather too long. Can we call it a day? It is even time for salat.”

“Toor. Remember to say astagfrullah as you say your prayers because as a believer, you are supposed to listen to your elder, but see how you have treated me today.”

“Well...goodnight Alhaji.”

Glo CAF Awards: Projecting Nigeria to the world

By Seyi Sokoya

T

here is no other way to describe the recentlyheld Globacom CAF awards in Abuja than classy and topnotch, compared other award ceremonies. Without prejudice, this was a memorable event all organisations and corporate bodies should take a cue from.

Every bit of the event, right from the outset to the end, was excellent. It was so engaging that the participants and guests remained glued to their seats even after the anchors had drawn the curtain on the event. Indeed, this year’s event will go down in the history of Globacom’s events as the mother of all. With the gathering of the whole of Africa and from beyond at such a colourful event, Globacom arguably reaffirmed that Nigeria is, indeed, the Giant of Africa.

The event would have been shy of perfection if it was not hosted in the heart of Africa, Nigeria. This would also register in people’s minds that we no longer compete with other continents, but are ready to take the lead going forward through subsequent events. Good times are here for Nigeria because aside from the fact that this event has stepped up our game, it has, one way or the other, contributed to the growth of the country’s tourism industry, culture, telecommunication and entertainment. Kudos also goes to the organisers who refreshed the memories of the audience with first-class musical entertainment with numbers from legends in the entertainment industry across Africa.

The event also featured unique collaborations among artistes from across the continent, which also added colour to the event. The anchors, Juliet Ibrahim and Robert Marawa of Super Sports also made the event tick. Though

it was a night to celebrate and reward sporting excellence, the event, sponsored by one of the leading telecommunications companies in Nigeria, Globacom, showcased outstanding entertainers across different parts of Africa, including Shatta Wale (Ghana), Ahmed Soultan (Morocco), Salif Keita (Mali), Awilo Longomba (DR Congo) and Nigerian’s King Sunny Ade, D’banj, Dija, Korede Bello, Flavour, Omawumi, Bez and Ego. The crème de la crème of football administration around the continent were in attendance. Notable ministers, including sports, communication, aviation, petroleum and mineral resources ministries were also present at the event. Senators and House of Representatives members with assignments related to sports and communication

also made the event a mind-blowing experience. The awards, no doubt, went to those that really deserved them. No hanky-panky! Gabon striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was crowned CAF African Player of the Year for the first time, truly deserved the recognition, just as others who won awards have been found worthy.

This development would serve as a catalyst for the nation at the global level and also encourage other African footballers to work harder to reveal their hidden qualities. The event also fetched Nigeria more recognition and confidence to say that we are up to the task of handling historic football events without any hicup.

The award presented to President Muhammadu Buhari which was received on his behalf by the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalong, will go a long way in spurring the government not to rest on its oars, but continue to foster the development of sports in the country.

With all sense of modesty, the vision of this sophisticated ‘telecommunications village,’ which has not only saddled itself with producing airtime for profit, but also providing job opportunities to millions of people, has projected Nigeria and Africa to the centerstage of the world and also taken the lead among its peers in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Globacom, Michael Adenuga Jr, (GCON) and everyone that has contributed to the success of the event deserve an accolade for making Nigeria proud and sending a positive signal to the rest of the world that Nigeria is not all about insurgency.

Sokoya is a staff of the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor

tribune

business

Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

Nigerian economy will not go into recession if…

— Prof Adeoti

John Adeoti is a Professor of Development Economics at Economic Policy Research Department, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER). In this interview with SULAIMON OLANREWAJU, he speaks on the ongoing battle to save the economy and the currency in the face of dwindling oil revenue and depleting foreign reserve, among other topical issues.

W

hat are your views about the state of the economy?

My own view is that the economy is currently oil-dependent, because oil has been the major source of revenue. The sudden crash in the oil price, which started since last year, the end of which we are yet to see, has made us to be panicky; but I’m happy that the government is up to the task. You can see from the 2016 budget that the government is working towards the diversification of the economy. For the first time, non-oil revenue estimate is higher than oil revenue estimate, and that is how it should go. We cannot continue to depend on oil. If there is anything we should learn from the current shock, it is that we must work harder. Nigeria must look elsewhere, we must look into productive sectors, we must make our industries to produce in such a way that they are competitive locally and internationally. In the early 1960s and up to late 1960s, the major sources of revenue in Nigeria were agriculture and solid minerals. But we abandoned them when we found oil. We must know that they are still useful sectors if we are serious about diversifying the economy and shoring up the value of our currency. We also need to get our people to work. In a nation where people do not work, there is no way we can feed ourselves, there is no way we can limit rate of crime, there is no way we can build for the future. So, we must ensure that we get Nigerians back to work. That is the message.

I think this current government is getting that right. The government is working seriously on how we can create jobs, how we

can ensure that our industries are functioning. Look at the issue of the naira, one major reason why naira devaluation should not be accepted, especially in the short term, maybe in the medium term you can adjust it but not now, is because when you do that you are killing production because production in Nigeria is import-dependent.

Production in agriculture, solid minerals and industry are all import-dependent and when you devalue the naira, it makes the input expensive because we bring in machineries from abroad. The intermediate goods you need for production are all largely from import, when you devalue the naira, you make all these expensive and it will make people who are producing to begin to scale down production. Their products will become expensive because most of the inputs are from foreign sources. At the end of the day, production will dwindle, and industry will cut down on jobs. At the end of the day it returns us to 1986, when we opted for SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme),

There’s no developing economy in the world that can leave its currency purely to market forces.

which killed our industries and warehouses became churches. We don’t want to go back to that. We should encourage the government to grow the economy so that most Nigerians can really gain from the growth experience.

But shouldn’t the value of the naira be determined by market forces…?

There’s no developing economy in the world that can leave its currency purely to market forces. Because we have weak institutions and to make matters worse in a country like Nigeria, we also have bad behaviours; people who are involved in making decisions don’t make the decisions in the interest of Nigerians, there is too much of personal interest driving major economic decisions. So, with weak institutions and bad behaviours, if you allow market forces to control the system, you find out that such system constrains the market; the political economy in Nigeria constrains the market to give the wrong signals, to bring about outcomes that are not what the market should normally produce.

In a developing economy, there should be a strong government that will not just allow the currency to be determined by the forces of demand and supply. If controlling the value for a while will limit bad bahaviours like people taking forex from government sources at government rate to the parallel market to sell it with a wide margin, so be it. A developing economy like Nigeria cannot afford to leave the determination of the value of its currency to market forces.

There must be a strong government to keep an eye on the supply and demand and ensure that the value of the currency is held in

such a way that production is not adversely affected.

The major gain from devaluation is that you are exporting; let’s ask ourselves what Nigeria is exporting. We are not producing for the export market, we produce for local market. If we have high quality products to export, devaluation will make a lot of sense.

But our industries are still struggling. If industries will have steady power supply from the national grid, that will affect production positively; it will help in bringing down the cost of production, it will help them to compete among themselves, it will help them to upgrade the quality of their products, so that a product from a Nigerian company is of good quality like the product of a company operating in Europe, Japan or the US. Through this, they will become internationally competitive. By the time our economy gets to this level, if we are now talking about devaluation of naira, it will make a lot of sense because as a result of the devaluation, our goods become cheaper to export and they will buy those goods in foreign countries. We will be able to produce more and this will improve and enlarge the industries. If we devalue the naira and Nigerians in Nigeria are the one buying the goods, the goods will be expensive.

Does it make economic sense to deplete the foreign reserves just to save our currency?

Depleting foreign reserves does not make sense but we are now under pressure and we may not be able to do anything about it now. What we must ensure is that the Continues on pg22

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tribunebusiness

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

‘VAT should go up to 10%’ VAT is a consumption tax, when you increase VAT, it’s the big guys that will pay more and that will help bridge the revenue gap. My own recommendation is that we should double it and make it 10 per cent; the ordinary citizens will gain because government will have more money to spend for the benefit of the poor. State governments will particularly gain more because federal government takes only 15 per cent of VAT.

Continues from pg21

threshold should not go below a given target like $25billion threshold. We can borrow like we have it in this year’s budget. The unfortunate thing is that in the past our leaders borrowed money and the money was not used for right purposes.

The government has projected to earn N820b from the sale of crude oil. But what do you think will happen now that a barrel of crude is about $30?

Some of us knew that the international prices of crude would go so low. In fact, as far back as six months ago, there were projections that it could go as low as $20. The prices of crude in the international market are highly volatile and it is a cycle. Before now I had mentioned it in one the official fora that anything not lower than $40 per barrel is something Nigeria can work with.

With what has happened now, it means that we have to be more prudent; we have to learn to manage our projects very well in line with the available resources. We should plan ahead, where we stop this year, we pick it up next year. The National Assembly should be working on the budget now, there shouldn’t be any delay. We should not worry too much about the international commodity prices, rather we should worry more about how prudent we are and we should be original in our thinking. We know the limit of our own economy, we know that our economy is oil-dependent, so we have to ensure that we go back to production, in agriculture, in solid minerals and even in construction. Nigerians are not lazy, but unfortunately when we got the oil money we all went to sleep; we left all other sectors. The Dutch disease caught up with us and we were all surviving on rent; the public sector became the major factory, everybody wanting white collar job, access to government contracts, etc. We abandoned agriculture, solid minerals; we abandoned thinking. People are not getting innovative and inventive again. Most Nigerians who want to think go abroad where they will be allowed to think. But we have a new opportunity with the new set of people who believe that there must be a change; and if we are all committed to that change, we must ensure we encourage production that is based on innovation, we must do things differently; that is how we can be competitive as a nation.

If you are not a country of producers, you are weakened politically. What we need is to grow our economy innovatively for the benefit of all. Let us create jobs, let us grow the kind of industries that our children will need tomorrow, not like those we have today, industries with upgraded technology. For example, the refinery Dangote is building should not be same as the one in Port Harcourt, Warri or Kaduna, it should be a state of the art, comparable to the best anywhere in the world. That’s how we can compete with the world. Our leaders should think competition. Recently, one of the ministers was talking about import substitution. I was not disappointed because he’s not an economist. Our industries are not exporting but our psyche should think export promotion.

How do you get there? You organise your manufacturing enterprises now; from micro to medium from medium to large so that they will be competitive among themselves.

We have a large market and we must take advantage of the market for internal competition. For example, if you take soap makers, if they are all producing soaps, at a stage, if there are right policies and incentives for them, some soap makers will get out of the

The CBN just announced that it has stopped selling forex to bureau de change operators. What is your view on that?

My view is that it is a very good step. People who have warehoused dollar, pound sterling etc, will bring them out. Government will be more focused on making the available dollars work for all Nigerians. Government will give our dollars to people doing things in the interest of everybody. So, people who need dollars to buy cloths, tooth pick, exotic cars should go and get their dollars elsewhere.

market whether because there are cheaper soaps that make them unable to sell or there are higher quality soaps in the market. Either way, it has to do with innovation. The one who is selling at a cheaper rate in the market has worked on its own to produce at a lower cost, the one who has a better soap in the market has worked on its production system to produce a soap of a higher quality. By the time they are allowed to compete, the weaker ones would have gone out of the market, and the stronger ones will be strong to face any competitor from Malaysia, India or Germany. At the end of the day, your products will be sold in those countries. It is not only in the traditional productive sector that all these things apply, it applies also in the service sector, even in the creative industries. Everybody must learn to innovate, doing things differently because what we call a knowledge-based economy is innovation-driven, and our leaders must know that nations are competing.

The IMF MD visited us four years ago and she was also here recently. That tells us that all eyes are on the Nigerian economy. They know our potential. We cannot continue to be a country with potential, we must be potential-realised; and if that will happen, our psyche must be oriented to encourage production. If Malaysia is producing vegetable oil from the palm tree, our leaders should be thinking about what we need to produce more than vegetable oil from the palm tree.

Let me tell you, we have Nigerians who can think, we have so many research institutes all over the place, but unfortunately many of them are carcasses now, the best brains that are supposed to be working there are not there. They are elsewhere outside Nigeria, all because our leaders are yet to realize that nations are competing and that there is no way we can make our economy competitive without encouraging innovation, investing in science and technology, creating an environment where the people will produce in higher quality and quantity.

How do we ensure that we implement this year’s budget with oil price that is not so certain and we don’t know yet how low it will fall?

Taxes are another area we should really

look into. We must work to broaden the tax base, many people are not paying, those who are paying are not appropriately taxed.

There’s no developing country which has broken the jinx of poverty without having a strong government. The National Assembly should be strong in the sense that they are there not for personal interest. It is not a place to go and become millionaires. Why are they called honourables, it is because we believe they will have our interest at heart, that they will go there to speak for us. Government being strong is not about the executive alone, legislature should also be strong. They should be there working for us, they should be there pushing bills that will make corruption more difficult. Making government strong means everybody is in government for the business of the governed, not for their own personal interests.

The same for the judiciary; it should note that fighting corruption is not for the executive alone. The NBA (Nigeria Bar Association) should find ways of cautioning Nigerian lawyers defending corrupt people with passion. I think our lawyers in this country need to learn a lot of moral when it comes to fighting against corruption and they should know that none of us is going to live here forever; whatever we do our children will reap it.

Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director, during her visit said we need to increase our Value Added Tax (VAT) rate. How do you see this?

Our VAT is one of the lowest in the world.

There’s no developing country which has broken the jinx of poverty without having a strong government.

What is your take on the removal of subsidy by the government?

Some of the researches we have done here show that there are 10 reasons subsidy should be taken out and five reasons why it should not be taken out. The fact is that having subsidy on fuel does not help the poor.

But the government needs to work out communication strategies to educate Nigerians that subsidy is not to the benefit of ordinary Nigerians. So, the government should be strong and bold to announce its removal, and the National Assembly should not play politics with it, they should amend relevant laws.

But should the government regulate the prices?

When subsidy is gone, there will be no regulation of prices, just go and get your dollar anywhere and bring the product.

The prices will be market-determined. DPR (Department of Petroleum Resources) and PPPRA (Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency) have templates already for the expected open market price (for example PMS), which could be a guide and that provide enough margin for the sellers. Strong government comes in to ensure that there is a margin you can’t cross. If we give you 2-5 naira margin and you want to make 10 naira, government should close your fuel station. Even developed economies don’t leave everything to the market. In the US, there’s antitrust, if your company is trying to take advantage of the market, they will take you to court and fine you heavily.

There are concerns that the economy is going into recession. Do you share this concern?

The economy will not go into recession if we do what is right. What has happened is largely due to our own bad behaviours more than the crash in crude oil price. When Obasanjo was leaving the government, what he left in the reserve was in excess of $60billion.

By the time the previous government was going, the reserve was as low as about $30billion. If we were a serious country, the reserve should be above $100billion now.

The truth is that the Nigerian economy is highly resilient, the opportunities are vast.

All we need to do to guard against going into recession is to be prudent about the management of the available resources. As bad as the situation appears to be at the moment, if we will manage what we have prudently and intelligently, our economy will not go into recession.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

+ entrepreneurship quote

I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance — Steve Jobs, Apple CEO

anchor Ruth Olurounbi

m:0811 695 4637 e:ruth.olurounbi@tribuneonlineng.com t:@Olurounbi

+

Mobile, an entrepreneur’s best friend —P24

I want to raise next generation of Nigerian entrepreneurs — Ogunbowale, ICT consultant

Olugbenga Ogunbowale is the team leader, Epower (www.epowerempowers.com, a ICT acquiring and a consultant firm for startups and established brands on designing top-notch graphics, intuitive websites, creative presentations and exceptional videos.

In this interview with TUNDE OGUNESAN, the graduate of Psychology from Obafemi Awolowo University, shares his dream of placing Nigerian youths on global map.

A

s a fresh graduate, at what point did you think you can get people to get job when you haven’t experience any yourself?

I started way back when I was an undergraduate student at the Obafemi Awolowo University. I was admitted to study chemical engineering and you know

as a science student, the cliche was medicine, chemical engineering and other courses that are regarded as fantastic and handsome courses. So, when I was

Nigerian Tribune

admitted, I was coping and was doing well, at least my GP by my first year was over four points.

Continues on pg32

24

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

+ entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is not a job title, but a state of mind But some youths complain about government not giving them the opportunity, thus blaming government for their woes.

Yes, a lot of youths are blaming the government but the first thing we have to understand as youth of this great nation is that we are in charge of our own lives. We are actually in charge of our destiny.

Government is not in charge of your lives, your parents; teachers are not either, so, you are in charge of your life! As youths, we need to actually wake up and say, oh yeah, what I can do, because there is something that every youth can do.

When I finished my secondary school education, it was not as if my parents had a lot of money, I paid for my own computer training myself. How did I do it? First of all, I went to teach in a nursery and primary school for six months. I knew I was going to do computer engineering and desktop publishing, so, I saved my salaries and went for desktop training for another six months and also went for computer engineering training.

By the time I was admitted into the university, I had skills. Even when I was not even thinking business, I was making money by helping people repair laptops, design graphics. I was so good that people will come to me and I started billing people around N5,000 and to my surprise, they were paying. It gets to a point that I stopped asking money from my parents.

I say this because some of my fellow youths just believe that somebody must send money to them somehow. No, wake up; there is something you can do. If I saved money from teaching in a primary school, then, others can do. There is raw energy in us. The best time to be alive is when one is young.

Continues from pg23

But it’s not a matter of whether I had problem with my course, I just looked at myself, my strength and my future and I asked myself. Do I wish to be an engineer? Definitely not, because I prefer working with people than machine. And I realised I wasn’t clicking, knowing full well in my heart that I was in a wrong place. So, I changed my course to psychology and I found out that my new course is about studying human processes, about people, about mental processes and human behaviour, then I fell in love straight with it. Then, I found out that psychology as a course gave me a gift, the opportunity to use my free time. With that, I began to engage myself in deep thinking, go for training and discover myself more and got to a point that I know this is the way. The way to raise a new Africa, the way to raise a new generation is to actually inspire people, and to actually teach people skills.

Mobile, an entrepreneur’s best friend

By Ruth Olurounbi There were three billion internet users worldwide in 2015, what are you doing with the numbers? In the last 25 years since the internet came to the world, the world has been reshaped beyond recognition. The current state of the web, as highlighted in an extensive report by Singapore-based social marketing website We Are Social, reveals an unprecedented, compelling amount of data showing how people are accessing the internet and how it is constantly evolving.

These data show how the world has gone mobile, and how entrepreneurs can find their own space in the digital world.

For instance, according to We Are Social, half a billion new users got connected to the web in 2014, an increase of 20 per cent, bringing the total number of web surfers to three billion worldwide.

Internet users across the world At the start of 2014, just 35 per cent of the world had access to the internet – but this figure increased to 42 per cent in January 2015, statistics show. In “Western Europe and the U.S., more than 80 per cent of the population have access to the Internet, but in East Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, connectivity is between 50 and 60 per cent. South Asia comes in last position with just 19 per cent,” the report showed.

Internet users in Nigeria In Nigeria, between 2000 and 2013, internet penetration grew from 0.06 per cent to 38 per cent, but currently stood at 95 per cent. According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), number of internet users on Nigeria’s telecoms networks hit 97.21 million, up from the 95.37 million recorded in August, 2015.

NCC broke the figures down to the network carriers and their users and the facts show that as of 2015, MTN had 41.84 million subscribers browsing the internet on its network, while Globacom has 21.89 million in September, growing from 20.77 million in August; Airtel had 17.73 million internet users in September as against 17.49 million customers recorded in August and Etisalat had 15.59 million customers who browsed the internet in September.

Transactions According to a World Payment Report, mobile payment transactions grew 58.5 per cent yearly to 28.9 billion transactions in 2014; and e-payments, as demonstrated by trends in e-commerce, grew by 18.1 per cent yearly in the same period to a total of 34.8 billion transactions in emerging markets, especially in the African region.

In 2014, Nigeria recorded over $2 million worth of online transactions per week and close to $1.3 billion monthly, with a promise of 25 per cent growth an-

How did you manage to do that?

When I was in school, I was that kind of person that loved playing with computer. I used to spend hours in front of my computers. When I was an undergraduate, I had the privilege of the being the best student who designed powerpoint programmes.

I think it all started with my relationship with an organisation while I was an undergraduate student, University Joint Christians Mission (UJCm). I used to design slides for them and I said to myself, so I’m this good. That means I can do something with this and that was how I was inspired to do so many things. nually, going forward.

By 2015, Nigerian Interbank Settlement Systems (NIBSS) said mobile platforms in Nigeria accounted for 608 per cent growth, while internet saw 117 per cent growth, third party transaction witnessed 97 per cent growth and bank teller accounted for 87 per cent within a year.

How we use mobile Mobile phones by far remain the most popular device to access the internet and use content, research has shown. Ericsson, in an Internet Goes Mobile Country Report 2015, 82 per cent of mobile phone users access the internet with their device on a daily basis and 44 per cent of tablet users do the same.

According to the report, more than 90 per cent of mobile broadband users access mobile broadband on smartphones

In Nigeria, between 2000 and 2013, internet penetration grew from a paltry 0.06 per cent to 38 per cent but currently stood at 95 per cent.

as the availability of good network and voice quality drives up consumer satisfaction.

Research has also shown that Nigerian consumers prefer mobile devices communication, entertainment, obtaining information and, even, online shopping.

In fact 67 per cent of those surveyed by InMobi Africa cited their mobile phone as their primary or exclusive means of online access. 63 per cent of those surveyed also pointed to mobile technology as the primary influencer of their purchasing behaviour. Ease of use (47 per cent) and privacy (31 per cent) are the two primary reasons mentioned for this preference for mobile online technology.

Numbers of mobile devices in Nigeria (2012-2015) In 2012, Nigerians spent an average of N92 billion ($566 million) acquiring 1.82 million mobile devices, according to a Bloomberg report. The report added that at the end of 2012, there were over 100 million mobile phones in operation, 10 percent of which were smartphones.

In 2015, Nigeria had 23.1 million smartphones, according to NCC, a figure projected to increase to 34 million in 2018.

That same year, Nigera ranked 17th in a global ranking of countries using smartphones.

The question then is: could entrepreneurs leverage on these data to drive their business growth? The answer is yes. Another question is: would they want to?

How did you get your first computer?

I saved a lot of money to get my computer in year one. That afforded me the opportunity to learn a lot of things. In between the break when I finished my secondary education and my admission, I attended many computer training programmes though I didn’t have a laptop. When I eventually got a hold of one, it became my very good partner and I found out that I was naturally good at these things and could help other people.

And the idea began to flow?

Yes. I started as an undergraduate with crazy ideas, sometimes. The world is just waiting for somebody with a crazy idea, and the moment that person is able to come up with one; others will follow because they have been actually waiting for that one person to start it. Some people are scared to bring out ideas because they feel it’s just crazy and people will think I’m being crazy, so when they see one, they are always quick to join. Then you see mass movement in that direction, At what point did you take it as a serious business?

During my final year, I decided I was going to take this more seriously even though I had attended several trainings, but I wasn’t serious because I was changing names anyhow. I was also organising nice trainings with appreciable attendance and most importantly, I was making little profit as well. When my graduation was approaching, I became more serious with the reality of life after graduation. So, I decided that I was going to take this very seriously. Meanwhile, job offers were already beckoning on me but I said ‘no, I am going to pursue this vision, I am going to train people on skills and I am going to raise Africa’s next generation of entrepreneurs; people who are

passionate about ICT, people who want to make a difference, people who want to put Nigeria and Africa on a global map.’

The truth is that we are far behind in the ICT world. We are consumers. Just take a look at computers in your office, it is imported. In this age, everything we use in Nigeria is imported.

Few weeks ago, one of our ministers said Nigeria will start manufacturing pencil in two years.

What does that mean? It means we cannot even manufacture pencil in this country. So, we are actually far behind, a lot of things are wrong in this country. However, we cannot change the status quo by complaining about the situation, the way to change it is to empower people. That is actually my driving force, my motivating factor. I want to see a better Nigeria; I want to see a Nigeria where the youths are making impact.

Over a four-year period, we have been able to train about 2,800 people in different centres across the country.

Where are you now?

I have started my own company, while we are trying to set up a physical office to break new ground in 2016. That is our goal. We are combining office operation with online. We are coming up with a lot of seminars this year, so we’re preparing ground for that.

What type of training have you been able to organise that you can showcase as track record?

We have several of them. After graduation we have done so many. Just last October, we organised the “escape the rat race” seminar. This is a true punk approach. The objective of the seminar is when we teach people to be self reliant.

Escape the rat race is a concept popularized by Robbertio Sachi where your parents tell you to go to school, get a good grade, get a good job and die hopefully someday. That’s the rat race. Now, the truth is that times have changed. Robots are replacing human being now. The jobs are no longer easy to get as in those days, so, that formula doesn’t work again.

This formula is about teaching people to be professionally certified. It involves ICT skills and branding. People need to understand who they are, that is, personal brand. They need some standard to leverage on their strength as people. There is what they called SWOT analysis. People think it is just for business, no. You can actually do a personal SWOT analysis for yourself.

At this point, you can say you want to build your career on a particular field. If you say you are a HR person, there is a certification for that, so you have to understand that there is certification for every single course. That could be the difference between a certified graduate and his other coun-

terparts. That is what we are into; professional certification, ICT and branding because the world is going digital.

Can you rate your performance in terms of people you have trained and the worth of your firm now?

Over a four-year period, we have been able to train about 2,800 people in different centres across the country. We started from OAU campus; Kogi State where I served as a member National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and some mini training in Lagos and some other places. And in value, we worth over a million naira. That is the journey so far.

What’s your next target?

From where I started as an undergraduate, the vision still remains the same: to empower people, those that will also empower people. This, I am determined to achieve. Don’t forget that I told you I have a target to raise the next generation of Nigerian/African entrepreneurs who will put the continent on a global scale, put Nigeria in its rightful place in the committee of nations and change the history of the world. I have a big dream. These are people who will reshape the entire economy because they’ve been empowered and they are going to empower people. So far, some recognition has been coming our way.

I was honoured by the Nigerian government under the auspices of the of the National Youth Service Corps merit award (2015), I also won the national speaking contest: the Orators (2015), as well as Gbenga Sesan’s Paradigm Initiative Nigeria digital-jobs contest (2014). I am currently a fellow of Africa’s leading democracy & leadership training academy, DESPLAY Africa, and a fellow of the entrepreneurship accelerator, League of Extraordinary Young People (LEXY).

These are part of the process of getting recognition and building our track record, and that was why I applied for these competitions and as a company, we also apply for these opportunities to get people to discover that it’s more beyond just going to school, getting a good job, getting married and die. Your life is special and precious.

The future for e-power as a company is to raise change agents. So, in the next 10 years, we want to see a new Nigeria, a new Africa where people will be innovative. Change is never driven by politicians but entrepreneurs who are tired of status quo. Entrepreneurship is not a job title but a state of mind of people who wanted to alter the future positively. That is what we’re trying to do at e-power.

Advise for government?

The government should realise that there is no representation for us (youths) without us. For instance, the youngest governor in Nigeria now is a governor who did not even contest. Although he contested for the primaries but . . . What I’m saying is, we should consciously give youths a chance, especially those that are showing promise. We have good representatives like Toyosi Akerele of Arise network and Chude Jideowo of Red media who handled the social media campaign of President Buhari. They are young and have proven that they can do it at the highest level. The government have to give the youths a chance and focus more on youth development and capacity building.

Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. The government must increase the skills set of our youths.

26

tribunebusiness

Mr Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

By Chima Nwokoji

W

hen the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) banned 41 items from the nation’s foreign exchange market, importers and other stakeholders had thought that at least, the apex bank would be able to meet demand for legitimate items even in the official foreign exchange market.

But the continuous slide in crude oil prices which has dried up dollar revenue, heightened investors’ apprehension on the macroeconomic fundamentals, operating environment and financial performance of companies have led to the inability of the CBN to meet demand for foreign exchange for legitimate items.

This is what is fuelling demand at the parallel market and depreciation of the naira in the money market.

Analysts believe that this is the reality which the CBN Governor Emefiele did not want to acknowledge to the world. Instead, the bank has resolved to solve the problem by resorting to more bans. Before this time, there was ban on the use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) abroad.

A top banker, who pleaded for anonymity, explained to Nigerian Tribune that “banks stopped customers from using their payment cards when they travel abroad because a large number of them have created settlement problems for us.

“We have huge bills to pay in forex because many of the customers who are traders and importers are using multiple ATM cards to incur heavy forex liability for us in China and Dubai and some African countries,” he explained.

The result, according to a recent report

by Rencap, is that Nigerian banks are battling with dollar obligations in excess of $5 billion. CBN stopped selling dollar to BDCs, which is said to be less than 10 per cent of what it sells to banks. While operators reason that the decision to stop dollar sales to BDCs would only worsen the situation, the central bank again said it would no longer hold dollar auctions on a daily basis. The move came four days after the bank halted dollar sales to retail currency outlets in a bid to conserve its dwindling foreign reserves.

Prior to the latest change, commercial banks were required to pre-fund bids which were submitted to the central bank on a daily basis for the allocation of dollars.

Also before now, CBN, in line with its resolve to calm the strong volatility in the forex market as well as save the naira from further depreciation, Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 increased the weekly supply of dollars to bureau de change operators from $15,000 per BDC, to $30,000 per BDC. It later reduced it to $10,000 and now stopped it completely.

Financial experts and other stakeholders have put forward their views; some are sympathetic to the plight of the CBN, while others accuse the apex bank of plotting to position a foreign company to take over the business of retailing forex to end users which they said have great implications.

More ban and implications Senior Associate and Head, Investment Research, Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo, observed that the CBN’s unfriendly restrictive policies on forex which are targeted at preventing further depletion of the reserves was further compounded by depletion of the reserves.

According to him, CBN should bring in

Monday, 18 January, 2016

As dollar restrictions, fear of Travelex unsettle forex market some form of clarity around forex because the Nigerian economy and financial market appear to have taken a turn for the worse in the new year.

The level of external reserves has persis-

On the understanding that there is increased risk and uncertainty in the land, worsened by falling oil prices, forex uncertainties, monetary policy volatility, poor corporate earnings and global concerns, investment decisions should be structured for long term horizon.

tently declined, shedding 0.7 per cent last week to close at US$28.7billion as against US$28.9billion week before last he observed.

“The result has been the widening gap between demand and supply for the greenback,” Ebo said, leaving the apex regulatory institution with no option but to try several measures.

During the week, the CBN reneged on its earlier policy, announcing its decision to allow commercial banks accept foreign currency deposits but was not clear on whether foreign currency transfers or withdrawals can be made. The apex bank also announced its resolve not to sell foreign currency to BDCs anymore stating that operators deal more as wholesale traders rather than serving the retail end of the market. The result was a further weakening of the naira by 8.3 per cent (closing at N300.00/US$1.00) at the parallel market in the week.

On the understanding that there is increased risk and uncertainty in the land, worsened by falling oil prices, forex uncertainties, monetary policy volatility, poor corporate earnings and global concerns the team of analysts at Afrinvest advised that investment decisions be structured for long term horizon.

Nigerian Tribune

They believe that solution “would be a rebound in oil prices and some form of clarity around forex.”

Mr. Bismarck Rewane, a renowned economist and Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, in an earlier comment attributed to him also urged the CBN to make forex more readily available by devaluing the local currency.

He said, “The moves by the banks are obvious signs of rationing and restriction by the CBN. I am not surprised. The solution is to let the exchange rate change.

“How long can we hold it? The forex is not there. So, the only thing is to allow the exchange rate to go. I think a combination of devaluation of the naira and some restrictions will save the situation.”

The Acting President of ABCON, Aminu Gwadabe, wants the CBN to review the policy. He also warned that handing over BDC business to a foreign company poses great danger to the Nigerian economy.

“We believe the main reason is to make Travelex the only official outlet for retailing foreign exchange transactions in the country,” Gwadabe said.

According to ABCON, handing over the retail transactions to Travelex portends great danger not only for the forex market but the economy as a whole. It stated that as a foreign company, the intention of Travelex is to dominate the retail forex segment in Nigeria.

“Most of the profits of Travelex will be repatriated abroad, a development that undermines the nation’s foreign exchange dynamics. Secondly, Travelex has been found to contravene forex regulations,” Gwadabe alleged.

For example, he added, Travelex BDC was one of the BDCs suspended for not submitting the BVN of its directors as required by CBN (apparently because four out of its five directors were British).

ABCON further said that previous attempt by Travelex to hijack the retail forex segment through direct sale of travellers’ cheque to the public was fraught with malpractice which led to the sacking of 150 of its staff, and the eventual suspension of the scheme by the CBN. “That is the company that Governor Emefiele wants to hand over billions of the nation’s scarce foreign exchange resources,” the ABCON’s scribe stated.

He further expressed concern that “Given the import dependency of the country and the inability of importers to access dollars in the official market, the increased exchange rate would aggravate the inflationary pressure in the economy, as prices of goods and services will rise in response to the continued depreciation of the naira.

“For the BDC subsector, the decision might lead to mass retrenchment as some BDCs find it difficult to generate enough revenue to meet their running cost. In addition, the depreciation of the naira in the last two years translates to 50 per cent loss in the value of the N35 million the CBN collected from each BDC as caution deposit.”

Travelex Travelex is a global foreign currency exchange specialist, best known for supplying foreign currency online, in major airports, cities, financial institutions, shopping malls and tourist areas.

Registered in Hong Kong, Travelex also offers Airport Express tickets, Disneyland Park tickets, travel insurance, phone cards, Western Union Money Transfer, MasterCard CHIP + PIN Cash Passport and CUP Cash Passport.

27

Monday, 18 January, 2016

moneymarket

anchor Chima Nwokoji

m:08032637535 e:chimatitus@yahoo.com

Bond yields to rise as auction holds Wednesday Stories by Chima Nwokoji -Lagos

T

here are expectations that bond yields may likely rise marginally this week as the government is set to borrow N80 billion.

The recently released Debt Management Office (DMO) Bond auction calendar shows that the instruments comprising of N40 billion of February 2020 and another N40 billion of a new January 2026 bond (to be issued) is in the debt office’s first 2016 auctions this Wednesday.

Giving current market situation as highlighted above, “we expect a rise in marginal rates for these instruments, while bond yields may likely rise marginally in the week in anticipation of the auction,” one dealer said.

Against the backdrop of the various domestic macroeconomic and global headwinds, investment bankers at Afrinvest stated that their investment case Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Discount

14-Apr-16

4.19

4.23

-0.00

04-Jul-16

7.63

7.92

0.65

05-Jan-17

8.00

8.00

0.00

3.69 3.72 7.13 7.39 0.65▲ 7.50 8.09 0.00

NIFEX January 15, 2016

Bid Offer Change (%) Spot($/N) 199.0000 199.1000 0.00

NIBOR January 15, 2016 Rate (%) 1.0833 8.0593 9.5996 11.2356

Change (%) -0.38 0.19 0.57 0.53

NITTY January 15, 2016 Tenor 1M 2M 3M 6M 9M 12M

curve to ride on market fluctuations and price swings,” they advised.

The 2020 debt is a reopening of a previously issued

Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun

Change %

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

in 2016 favours more of the bonds market.

“We advise investors to stay active while taking advantage of the bond yield

Rate (%) 1.3736 2.5871 4.3124 8.4244 8.7232 9.9015

Change (%) -0.06 -0.30 -0.35 0.25 -0.10 0.03

Government Securities Auction Date

1/11/2016

Security Type

OMO

Tenor

220

Auction No

11-01-2016-220Day

Auction

OMO

Maturity Date

8/8/2016

Total Subscription

85323.82

Total Successful

60000

Range Bid

7.9000 - 9.0000

Successful Bid Rates 7.9000 - 7.9000 Description

Issue

Rate

7.9

True Yield

8.4682

Amount Offered (mn)

40000

weeklyreview

bond, while the 2026 debt is said to be a fresh issue. Results of the auction are expected the next day. Nigeria has proposed a plan to issue N260 billion to N390 billion in five, 10 and 20-year naira bonds in the first quarter of the year.

The country said it will borrow about N900 billion locally to finance part of the N2.2 trillion deficit in its 2016 budget.

It will be recalled that the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) last week sold N136.24 billion in treasury bills with maturities from three months to one year at its first T-Bills auction of the year, at higher yields than previously.

The Central Bank also sold N55.4 billion of threemonth paper at 4 per cent, up from 3.62 per cent at a sale on December 23.

It also sold N25 billion of six-month debt at 6.99 per cent against 6.19 per cent, and N55.84 billion of one-year paper at 8.05 per cent compared to 7.45 per cent. Total demand stood at N311.5 billion compared to N226.97 billion last time.

Diamond Bank named best SME Bank in West Africa Diamond Bank Plc has been named and awarded the Best Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SME) Bank in West Africa by the famous Banker Magazine in the 2015 West Africa Awards. The bank also emerged as the Best Microfinance Bank in West Africa.

According to the awarding institution, the awards are in recognition of the bank’s high value addition to the growth of micro businesses in West Africa and its leading role in stimulating the productive capacity of the Small and Medium Enterprises as the engine

that drives industrialisation and sustainable economic growth and development.

A message from the awarding institution as reflected in the award certificates signed

by Robin Amiot, Chief Executive Officer and Georgina Continues on pg28

CBN Rates as at 1/15/2016 Currency US DOLLAR POUNDS STERLING EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA WAUA YUAN/RENMINBI RIYAL

DANISH KRONA SDR

Buying(NGN) 196 281.2992

Central(NGN) 196.5 282.0618

Selling(NGN) 197 282.7344

213.8164 194.9861 1.6699 0.3063 270.7573 29.7615

214.3619 195.4835 1.6742 0.3163 271.448 29.8378

214.9073 195.9809 1.6785 0.3263 272.1387 29.9142

52.2597

52.393

52.5263

28.6428 271.166

28.7159 271.8578

28.789 272.5495

CBN Bills Date of Auction Security Type Tenor Maturing On 11/13/2003 2/20/2003 11/21/2002 9/19/2002 Amount Offered (N mn) Subscriptions (N mn) Tot. Successful (N mn) Net Sales (N mn) Range of Bid Rates Successful Bid Rates Marginal Rate

Nigerian Tribune

5/15/2003 CBN Certificate 204.7868 91 180 180 180 26.7127 82227 37767

2/25/2002 CBN Certificate 205.4112 170.7672 1.4001 0.3028 240.1376 26.7946 15000 4161

11/26/2001 CBN Certificate 206.0355 171.2862 1.4044 0.3128 240.8675 26.8765 5000 2740

17019

4161

2740

0

20.5

20.5

9/24/2001 CBN Certificate

1155 1155

19.5

Foreign Exchange Review and Outlook Activities in the Nigerian foreign exchange market was a bit ‘interesting’ last week. This was following the shift in the forex stance by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after it had stayed unrelenting for quite some time. After placing a ban on domiciliary deposits in 2015, the CBN lifted this ban and ordered banks to begin accepting deposits into customers’ domiciliary accounts while also discontinuing sales of foreign exchange to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators.

The CBN noted that against the reason for establishing the BDC market (to meet the retail demands of customers), operators have become wholesale merchants; hence, the bank advised them to get forex from autonomous sources. This came against the backdrop of rent seeking activities of BDC operators in total disregard for the objectives upon which they were created as well as the challenges the Apex bank is currently facing with the fast depleting forex reserves. Consequent on this, Afrinvest West Africa Limited said the Naira in the parallel market went to a high of N297.00/US$1.00 during the week having closed at N280.00/US$1.00 last week.

Notwithstanding this pricing in the parallel market, the CBN continued to exchange the local currency at N197.00/US$1.00 while interbank rates equally stayed at N199.10/US$1.00 on all trading days in the week.

“This calls for a quick response of the monetary authority given the huge margin between the official and parallel market rates. With foreign reserves at lows of US$28.7bn and oil prices at US$29.47/b, a compelling argument to devalue the Naira at the next Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting cannot be jettisoned,” the company stated in a note to investors.

Money Market Review and Outlook In a typical manner, activities in the Nigerian market last week was defined by movement of liquidity levels in the financial system on the several trading days during the week. Consequently, after the CBN’s forex intervention refund and the Treasury Bills (T-Bills) maturity that hit the system late last week, liquidity in the financial system opened the week at N1.0trillion on Monday. Following this, Open Buy Back (OBB) and Overnight (O/N) rates closed 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent lower on Monday to settle at 0.9 per cent and 1.2 respectively. However, as the CBN embarked on an Open Market Operation (OMO) mop-up worth N85.3billion on Tuesday, money market rates trended higher to 1.8 per cent (OBB) and 2.1 per cent (O/N) while average Nigeria Interbank Offered Rate (NIBOR) settled at 8per cent.

According to Afrinvest, upon OMO maturity worth N250.0billion on Thursday, OBB, O/N and average NIBOR rates flipped lower to 1.6 per cent, 1.2 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively. Similarly, as there were no significant outflows from the system, OBB settled at 0.8 per cent while O/N closed at 1.2 per cent for the week.

The comapany said that performance of the Treasury Bills market was mixed last week. Given the rise in liquidity on Monday, average yields fell to 6.0 per cent from 6.3 per cent recorded in the previous Friday.

Nonetheless, against changes in liquidity levels, average Treasury Bills ended the week at 5.9 per cent, down 0.4 per cent week on week (W-o-W).

Notwithstanding the Treasury Bills maturities this week, “we expect the credit from the Debt Management Office (DMO) January bond auction to shrink liquidity levels. Consequent on this, we expect a marginal rise in money market rates and Treasury Bills yields next(this) week,” said Afrinvest.

Bond Market Review Performance of the bond market was generally bearish last week as most trading days saw a rise in average bond yields. Afrinvest said there was a general increase in average bond yields to 11.2 per cent, a 0.5 per cent rise from the 10.7 per cent it settled at on Friday. Average bond yields further rose to a high of 11.6 per cent before eventually closing at 11.4 per cent on Friday.

28

moneymarket

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

FCMB unveils e-invoicing solution for SMEs

Skye Bank MD, Timothy Oguntayo

Financial service provider, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, has introduced the first tracking and reconciliation solution with electronic invoicing capabilities in the Nigerian banking industry.

Known as ‘FCMB E-invoicing,’ the solution is a unique payment offering, designed to help SMEs keep track of their cash flow, especially as it affects payments, receivables, reconciliation and other financial transactions, through internet banking, cards and other channels.

In addition, this value added offering from FCMB combines basic inventory management and accounting (with electronic payment) services. This provides SME customers

with tripartite advantages of convenience of receiving payments regardless of the bank’s card used; the ease of generating and sending invoices to their customers, and the means to be competitive in their business space.

In a statement, FCMB’s Retail Banking Divisional Head, Mr Olu Akanmu, said that “This offering is to demonstrate the bank’s value as a helpful financial institution and further amplify our commitment to enhance the operations and fast-track the growth of SMEs. We understand that one of the best ways to grow SMEs is to offer products and services that are simple, convenient, secure and at the same time, add sig-

the CBN, the CBN sold $4.4 billion to BDCs, while it sold $43.65 billion to banks through the Retail Dutch Auction. This reveals that out of the $48.09 billion sold by the

CBN, less than 10 per cent was sold to BDCs. “Yet, Governor Emefiele wants the world to believe BDCs are buying most of the nation’s foreign exchange,” Gwadabe lamented.

BDCs’ deposit with CBN exceeds N100bn Stories by Chima Nwokoji -Lagos

T

here are indications that N35 million cautionary deposit mandated for Bureau De Change (BDC) operators by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has exceeded N100 billion.

Acting President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, who revealed this in Lagos over the weekend, observed that this has tied down the capital of many BDCs, hence the operators are calling on the apex bank to review downwards the N35 million caution fee, or review upwards the 3 per cent interest it attracts.

However, Nigerian Tribune’s checks revealed that as at December 31, 2015, a total of 2,839 BDCs had been licensed by the CBN, bringing the total N35 million cautionary deposit with CBN to N99.365 billion.

However, while the governor of the Central Bank expects any operator that was not satisfied with the bank’s policies to bring his license and withdraw the cautionary deposit, Gwadabe said the reality is that foreign exchange inflows have fallen sharply, due to decline in crude oil price and denying BDCs forex cannot solve the problem.

He said the inability of the CBN to meet demands for foreign exchange for legitimate items is what is fuelling demand at the parallel market and depreciation of the naira in the market.

“This is the reality Governor Emefiele did not

want to acknowledge to the world. This is a reality that cannot be solved or wished away by stopping dollar sales to BDCs because as indicated above, what the CBN sells to BDCs is less than 10 per cent of what it sells to banks. Hence, the decision to stop dollar sales to BDCs would only worsen the situation,” he stated.

The result, according to a recent report by an international private equity firm Renaissance Capital (Rencap), is that Nigerian banks are battling with dollar obligations in excess of $5 billion.

The above reality according to the ABCON scribe is, however, compounded by the haphazard approach of the CBN to addressing the issues.

The import dependent nature of the economy he added, means that there will always be demand for foreign exchange for genuine business transaction as against for speculation and portfolio investors.

Incidentally, the policies so far introduced have created huge volumes of unsatisfied demand for foreign exchange for legitimate transactions, which have succeeded in enhancing patronage of parallel market and continued depreciation of the naira.

“The approach so far employed has only succeeded in aggravating the demand and supply dynamics of the foreign exchange market, and enhancing patronage of parallel market activities.

“While there are over 3,000 licensed BDCs, how many of them does the CBN sell dollars to on a weekly basis? In the last

one month, the CBN has been rationing dollar sales to BDCs, with less than half accessing the dollar windows, “Gwadabe observed.

According to the quarterly economic reports of

Diamond Bank named best SME Bank in West Africa Continues from pg27

Gongs, Managing Editor, stated that Diamond Bank’s success in the fiercely contested award categories by a lot of nominated banks in West Africa, is in recognition and reward for the quality of its financial products purely tailor-made to stimulate the productive strength of the SME sector and the unrivalled excellence in services to customers.

“The publishers of Banker Africa understand the importance of best-in-class benchmarks and growing a dynamic and successful regional finance industry.

Your institution’s success in the Banker Africa: West

African Awards as category winners for Best SME Bank West Africa and Best Microfinance Bank West Africa, reflects Diamond Bank’s superior creative vigour that has stamped her as a dominant financial house in the region,” it stated.

Winners in each of the award categories emerged after nominated financial institutions were subjected to a rigorous and transparent voting process by registered website users across Africa.

According to Uzoma Dozie, Diamond Bank’s CEO, the investment and focus on the MSME segment is strategic and predictive. In his view, the future of sus-

tainable banking in Nigeria is retail, therefore it is necessary to grow and consolidate its strength in the segment.

Commenting on the success of the bank in growing the SME sector, Ayona Trimnell, Head, Corporate Communications Division, stated that the award is a huge testament of Diamond Bank’s strategic growth plan to see the SME as the hub of economic activity in the country, noting that an area in which the bank has moved ahead of the pack is in the designing, management and delivery of SME stakeholder-orientated banking products and services.

nificant value to their businesses.

“We are excited to pioneer this initiative. It is another testimony of our unequalled commitment in offering exceptional offerings. We always want to go the extra mile to satisfy our customers and this is sustained by investing in initiatives that enhance customer experience and best practices as an inclusive lender,” he said.

Mr Akanmu further stated that “FCMB supports its SME customers with collections and payments’ platforms that are convenient, easy to use and helps to manage their receivables and collections effectively with their customers, ensuring that our SME customers maximise the full potential of their business opportunities.”

Also speaking, the Group Head, SME Banking, Mr George Ogbonnaya, said, “With the introduction of the FCMB e-invoicing solution, we have taken our alternate channels to another height.’’

He explained that apart from the flexible nature of the platform, it has other features such as instant invoice generation, the ability to bill clients instantly, track and monitor payments, reconcile receivables and allows businesses make payments conveniently to their suppliers. The group head also disclosed that signing up to FCMB e-invoicing is at no extra cost to SMEs. Mr Ogbonnaya added that FCMB e-invoicing solution provides various benefits to users including enabling customers keep tab on their daily sales and cash flow, reconcile daily receivables, including those by cash, card or credit sales, customers who need to electronically present invoices to their clients, as well as to those who are comfortable to receive payments via alternate channels, among other transactions.

3 Skye Bank branches resume operations in Osogbo The three branches of Skye Bank Plc invaded by the agents of Tuns Farms Limited in Osogbo on Thursday resumed normal business operations on Friday.

Tuns Farms had led its agents to disrupt operations at the branches in breach of the judicial process, as appeal notices and stay of execution orders were ignored by it after they had been duly served on it by the bank.

Customers trooped into the branches for normal banking transactions, just as the bank reassured

them of continued and uninterrupted services following the illegal action of the plaintiff.

Meanwhile, the bank has described as an abuse of the judicial process and lawlessness the action of a customer, Tuns Farms Limited, which illegally disrupted its operations, despite a pending Notice of Appeal and application for stay of execution which has been filed and served by the bank against an Oshogbo High Court judgement in favour of the customer.

According to a statement

issued by the bank, Tuns Farm abused the judicial process by approaching the High Court of Oshogbo, whose judgement has been appealed against, for an enforcement order on the bank, and procured a writ of attachment, even when the High Court clearly no longer had any jurisdiction over the matter, the case having been transferred to the Appellate Courts.

The bank stated that a Notice of Appeal and an application for Stay of Execution had been filed and served on Tuns Farms since May

2015. Tuns Farms has in fact filed necessary papers in response to the pending court processes. The bank was awaiting hearing date for the application when Tuns Farms invaded its banking offices in Oshogbo with thugs, criminals and area boys to disrupt its operations and loot its assets.

The bank has taken necessary steps to protest the obviously criminal action

by Tuns Farms to the relevant law enforcement agencies, being an action that is capable of breaching the peace.

29

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

corporatefocus NB Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc target better 2016 performance months improved compared to the first six months of the year. With our focus on cost leadership and market leadership, the board is confident that the company remains in a strong position to take advantage of any upswing in the market.”

The shares of NB Plc were admitted to trading on the floor of The Nigerian Stock Exchange on 5th September, 1973. Currently, NB Plc is the second most capitalised company on The Nigerian Stock Exchange.

With about 114,566 shareholders as of 30th September, 2015, the authorised share capital of NB Plc is N4billion, divided into 8 billion shares of 50kobo each.

The issued share capital as of 30th September,2015 stood at N3,964,550,444 divided into 7,929,100,888 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each. Heineken N.V has a majority shareholding of approximately 54.29 per cent while 45.71 per cent is held by Nigerian

Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

W

ith the depreciation of the naira, high interest rates and unfavorable foreign exchange policy by the government, manufacturers in Nigeria are finding it difficult to grow earnings/profits and create wealth for their shareholders.

Companies that are heavily dependent on importation of raw materials have run into losses due to sudden cost increases which they cannot pass onto their consumers.

As investors and shareholders await full year results to be released any moment from now, we take a look at the results of Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc released in October 2015.

The key financial ratios to be used for the comparison are profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, debt/equity ratio and earnings per share.

From the analysis, the two firms were able to generate fair profit from their shareholders’ investment. While Guinness Nigeria Plc posted ROE of 16.15 per cent, NB Plc posted 15.38 per cent.

The same fair returns were also recorded as ROA. Guinness Nigeria Plc posted 6.4 per cent while NB Plc posted 7.22 per cent.

However, despite the harsh economic environment in 2015, the managements of both firms were able to drive the companies’ policies toward profitability and also ensured their various brands maintained their market share. Guinness Nigeria Plc posted a gross margin of 47.17 per cent while the Nigerian Breweries Plc recorded 46.85 per cent.

Moreover, the NB Plc performed better in areas of cost reduction in administrative expenses and overhead costs. It recorded an Operating Margin of 19.92 per cent while Guinness Plc recorded 13.25 per cent.

NB Plc also recorded a net profit margin of 12.19 per cent while Guinness Plc recorded 6.6 per cent. This shows the share of gross margin kept as net income.

Both firms were fairly liquid when taking into account their liquidity ratios. Guinness Plc’s ratio was put at 0.73 while NB Plc’s ratio was put at 0.46.

One of the most crucial financial ratios is the gearing ratio and both firms performed excellently well because of their debt ratio to their shareholders’ equity. Guinness Plc has debt/equity ratio of 1.53 while the NB Plc has 1.13 debt/equity ratio.

While commenting on the performance of the Nigeria Breweries Plc, the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Uaboi Agbebaku, stated that “during the period under review, the operating environment remained challenging with reduced consumer purchasing power and increased cost of doing business mainly due to worsening inflation and devaluation. Nevertheless, the revenues in the last three

and foreign individuals and associations.

According to a statement by the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale, on the website of Guinness Plc, the company stated that: “The softening macroeconomic context is impacting consumer confidence and disposable income. Further volatility can be expected in the foreign exchange markets which will put pressure on costs. Competition will remain strong and the opportunity to take price limited. Nevertheless, we have strong plans to help us win in the market, increase brand investment, strong innovation portfolios and expansion of our routes to consumers. Strong focus on supply operating efficiency and ensuring we have the right talent at all times.”

In conclusion, investors can choose either of the firms for long term and short term investment strategies because of their strong fundamentals.

Return on Equity (ROE) This is a ratio that measures the ability of a firm to generate profit from its shareholders investments in the company. It is calculated as Net Income/Shareholders’ Equity.

Guinness Plc 7,800,000,000/48,300,000,000=16.15%

NB Plc 26,200,000,000/170,400,000,000=15.38%

Return on Asset (ROA) This is the ratio of annual net income to average total assets of a firm during a financial year. It is calculated as Net Income/Total Assets Nicolaas-Vervelde, MD, Nigerian Breweries

Guinness Plc 7,800,000,000/122,200,000,000=6.4%

NB Plc 26,200,000,000/362,800,000,000=7.22%

Gross Margin This shows the profitability of the company’s products. It indicates how much it costs to produce these products. It is calculated as Gross Profit/Net Sales Guinness Plc

NB Plc 55,900,000,000/118,500,000,000=47.17% 100,700,000,000/214,900,000,000=46.85% Operating Margin This takes into account costs of producing the product that are unrelated to the direct production of products such as overhead and administrative expenses. This is calculated as Operating Profit/Net Sales Guinness Plc

NB Plc 15,700,000,000/118,500,000,000=13.25% 42,800,000,000/241,900,000,000=19.92% Net Profit Margin This looks at how much of a company’s returns are kept as net income. This is calculated as Net Profit/Sales Revenue Guinness Plc

7,800,000,000/118,500,000,000=6.6%

NB Plc 26,200,000,000/214,900,000,000=12.19%

Current Ratio This is the ability of the company to meet to short term obligations as they fall due. It s calculated as Current Assets/Current Liabilities Guinness Plc

33,500,000,000/46,100,000,000=0.73

NB Plc 70,060,000,000/153,400,000,000=0.46

Debt/Equity ratio is a financial ratio that indicates the relative proportion of shareholders equity and debt used to finance the company’ assets. This is calculated as Debt/Equity.

Peter Ndegwa, MD/CEO, Guinness

Guinness Plc

73,900,000,000/48,300,000,000=1.53

NB Plc 192,300,000,000/170,400,000,000=1.13

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

labour We’ll embark on mass registration of the unemployed

Let us focus on the unemployment crisis in the country now, how huge is the challenge?

Unemployment in Nigeria is huge. Even without going specifically into statistics which we asked the National Bureau of Statistics to give us, the facts and figures, we know ourselves, individually how many people we take care of in our families and extended families. Everybody has between one and five of them. Unemployment is huge in the country. Unemployed varies in definition. For me, if you don’t have a living wage, you shouldn’t count that as employment.

You should be able to take care of your basic necessity before you count that as employment. So, unemployment problem in Nigeria is very huge but the solutions are there within our system.

The Acting Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kunle Obayan, in this interview with SOJI-EZE FAGBEMI, speaks on the readiness of the NDE to key into the agenda of President Buhari led-administration on job creation and social safety net programmes.

What are the solutions?

For the solution to employment, you have to first know actually what the problem is. Some people are not employable because of the skill mismatch. You have training in something, and you are looking for job in that area and your competent level is lower than what is expected, so you need to make up that gap. Some people are in a wrong field, that is, they have trained for something that is actually not in demand. You’re supposed to set up training where demand will be required, it is supposed to be demand driven. If you want carpenters, you train carpenters only for that area, if you want plumbers, you train plumbers but if you trained electricians where they need plumbers, they would be redundant, they would not be able to work. So, these are some issues we have within the system.

Second, some people don’t want the jobs that are available, they want some other jobs. So, they would rather not work until they get what they want. All those things you have to look at. So, what you need to do when people come to the job centres, you either give them a skill or find them a job. When you find them a job, it may necessarily not be a job they want but if you are giving them a stipend, they have to go to where you send them to go. It is not too different from the youth service, you don’t have a choice when they sent you to where they want and you are paid that stipend for that period. If you are paying them that stipend, you send them to where you want them to work and it will be helping the economy. They will be engaged and will be out of armed ways in terms of getting into problems and being recruited for negative activities. If they are on training, stipend will be given to them but if they refused to go to where they are sent, the stipend will be stopped until they comply. Those are the ways for the people to get engaged generally. The jobs will now come. I know that we have infrastructure problem of power, hence we have the real sector with issues coming up. That is true. But before power actually gets on going, something must be going on.

— Obayan, NDE Acting DG

G

iving the policy direction and agenda of the present administration, which appears to be more focused on job creation, how prepared is the NDE to drive the agenda?

I believe that this administration is very serious on job creation. They are not only talking about it but have put the money in the budget in line with the promises they have made when coming in. We in NDE are ready to bring all our strength to bear in working on this mandate and the mantra of change. The NDE has been the apex employment agency of this country for three decades, and we have experience on our side. For this administration to utilise the NDE is an excellent decision, especially in the area of payment of N5,000 to the unemployed. But this is mainly some form of social safety net projects. You should realise that the NDE programmes are for social protection, they are to ameliorate the problem of employment that resulted from the downturn in the economy, target at the unemployed. We are an intervention agency set to reducing the problem of unemployment. So, our programmes are to protect, as well as have these aspects of social Safety Net in them.

How do you think the N5,000 social safety net programme can be achieved?

For the N5,000 social safety net proposal, my suggestion would be for the Federal Government to direct all the possible recipients of this stipend to NDE. The way to do it is for them to come in to the job centres. NDE has job centres all over the country, in every state as well as the FCT. The purpose of this is for them to be captured. Number one, there will be statistics to know the people that we have taken care of, that we have attended to. Second, you would be able to find out the issues that they have, why they are unemployed. Third, we will be able to know if they are under-employed or unemployed. Some of them will have job, but want better job, some of them may even have a job and still want to get the N5,000. So, that is where we resolve all these things at the job centres. We need to come in to the job centres as a pool, from there you separate them.

Some of them will go for skill training in our various training centres that are all over the country. We have over 100 of them, though some of them, we still need to fix them up and get them ready when the time comes.

Currently, we have 74 of them running fine, we have about 26, which need to be remodelled and renovated.

What I am saying is that when they come in there, some of them will go for skill training, some will go for marketable skills, since they are unemployed; and some of them will get job directly. Like I mentioned in the past, we will embark on the mass registration of unemployed and that would culminate into establishment of job exchange where you have unemployed people as well as the employers talking to one another.

They will be able to pick from a data bank of appropriate unemployed people for their vacancies. From there, some people will get jobs directly, and some people may still need to get some set of skills before they can engage in any kind of work or set up enterprises of their own.

You have just taken over the leadership of NDE less than two months, specifically what are we looking at from you and the agency?

In 2016, we are looking at a lot of things, especially new things that are coming up in the area of extensive job generation, with the fact that there are additional monies compared to the previous year, which hopefully would be approved this year for capital projects.

We have lots of schemes in addition to our traditional schemes that are: vocational schemes training, special public works and rural eEmployment generation. In those various departments, we have new schemes and those new schemes can absolve huge people. We have real huge absolving capacity like in the area of agriculture. For example, we have the agricultural works guarantee scheme. In this area, anyone that is interested in working, we guarantee them employment for a certain period of the year. Most especially during the raining season, though in some parts of the country we will have irrigation farming. They would be there to plant, they would be there to weed and they would be there to harvest. Anyone that is interested there, in any part of the country, we will capture them.

We have other schemes as well, sanitation gang, neighbourhood watch gang and so on, as well as individuals in areas that were formed into group for the labour based aspect of road maintenance which we are proposing under the special public works department.

We also have empowerment of small, small businesses, micro enterprises where we can give them small grant or small fund for them to expand the scope of their businesses. With this, they can take care of their family and may be add one or two more people to expand their business and also create employment. We have several of them going on but that is just to mention a few of the programmes coming up this year.

Did you involve the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in your programmes?

Definitely! You know that we worked with them last year; we trained them in IDPs camp in Borno. Right now, in Abuja, we have been working with a group. It is an inter-face with a group of Christian and Muslim leaders. We are working with them and we are going to train them in IDPs camp here, we are bringing in a school on wheel to train them in their various camp. That is a project that is almost completed right now and we are getting ready to roll it out.

You are saying that power is one of the most critical factors confronting employment generation in the country?

Yes, it is, because it is not allowing the real sector to have diversified areas of business that would engage all these unemployed people. The more they extend and produce, the more people they would need and engage. Our textile mills are down, but if they are producing you know the number of people they use to employ in the past. They employed in batches; morning, evening and night shifts, that is the way they were running then.

The government is working on power, but it is not going to come overnight. What we can do before then is to go into an area that does not require power immediately, such as agricultural production. Agricultural processing may require power, but production does not. So, if we start doing that production, we can still consume quit a number of that production and reduce importation. We know all the various things we want to do but we cannot do them in one day.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Balewa

Akintola

Bello

Armed Forces Remembrance Day: What are the lessons?

By Kunle Oderemi and Dare Adekanmbi

T

HE Nigerian Armed Forces have indeed come a long way. From what looked like a relic of the colonial era came unarguably one of the greatest institutions in the country. It derived its root from the then the elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force when Nigeria attained independence from Britain in 1960.Records indicate that the actual journey began n 1956, as the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force(RWAFF) was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces. From that point, gallantry of its men and officials began to place it above its peers. Its involvement in peace operations in countries in different parts of the world drew accolades and laurels from reputed international organisations and institutions.

Remembrance Day In the past, the Armed Forces Remembrance Day was commemorated on November 11 to correspond with the Remembrance Day for the World War II veterans in the British Commonwealth of Nations in Nigeria the Federal Government adopted January 15 as Armed Forces Day, also known as Remembrance Day, to commemorate the end of the three-year civil war on January 15, 1970. It was the date Biafran troops capitulated to the Federal troops, thus preserving the sovereignty of the country. Officers and men of the Armed Forces have also been called to duty over a number of upheavals in the country with the concomitant loss of lives and destruction of invaluable property especially before such military intervention.

President Muhammadu Buhari eloquently brought this to the fore during this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day commemoration held in Abuja.

The theme of the 2016 celebration is Motivating the Nigerian Armed Forces for Effective Service Delivery, and most Nigerian leaders used the occasion to raise two critical issues: the essence of the commemoration and if indeed Nigerians have imbibed the underling spirit of honouring both the living and deceased gallant members of the Armed Forces.. For instance Buhari noted: “In their arduous task to keep Nigeria safe and united, some of these gallant officers and men lost their lives…. It behoves us who are living beneficiaries of their sacrifice to contribute towards the welfare and sustenance of their dependants. Our modest effort will go a long way to demonstrate our depth of gratitude and ameliorate their present condition.”

1966 coup Killed in the putsch were Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa; Chief SLA Akintola (Pre-

mier, Western Region); the Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello; Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (Federal Commissioner for Finance); and others. The sparing of the Eastern Region, Chief Michael Opara, in the military revolt against the political class, tarred the coupists led by JTU Aguiyi Ironsi as being ethnically biased. This ethnic suspicion did not make Ironsi stay in office beyond six months. And subsequent coups followed.

It will be recalled that in a counter-coup by another group of military officers, General Aguiyi-Ironsi was killed, and the then Army Chief of Staff, General Yakubu Gowon became the head of a new military regime.

To avert further sliding into deeper crisis and encourage a sense of belonging, in 1967, Gowon split the existing four regions in the country into 12 states. But, the then military governor of the Eastern Region, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, rejected the splitting of the Eastern Region, and declared the area as an independent Republic called Biafra. This led to the civil war from June 1967 that led to the loss of more than

We were our brothers’ keepers. But we are no longer our brothers’ keepers. Things have gone astray. We used to respect our elders and the constituted authority. But today, the respect is no longer there.

one million lives. To heal the wounds of the war, the Gowon administration introduced the slogan “No Victor, No Vanquished,” through the vision of rebuilding the country via the three R’s – Rehabilitation, Reconciliation and Reconstruction.

Drums were last week rolled out in celebration of these fallen leaders not to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the killing of these leaders, but to showcase their political ideals against which political leaders after them have been measured. In Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his predecessor, Adebayo AlaoAkala and the Second Republic Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) led other dignitaries to celebrate Akintola at a programme put together by his family. In Kaduna, the political headquarters of the North, President Buhari led the Sardauna of Sokoto, Saa’d Abubakar III, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammad Sanusi II, Alhaji Maitama Sule, northern governors to pay tribute to Ahmadu Bello and extol his political principles. There was a book presentation in honour of Okotie Eboh to mark the golden anniversary.

The President, who was represented by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, tasked the political class to take after the virtues and enduring legacies of the late Sardauna stood for in order to move the country forward.

Buhari commended Ahmadu Bello for his accomplishments in the northern region as well as his contributions to national development, adding that his legacies would continue to be a reference point for successive continues pg32

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politics&policy

Monday, 18 January, 2016

The challenge before the present leaders continued from pg31

governments.

Another highlight from the president’s remarks was the fact that the late northern leader lived and died a poor man, but was yet committed to the unity of the North and the country.

Immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammad Sanusi II, came down hard on those he said were parading themselves as victims of the 1966 coup when they were, according to him, actually instigators and beneficiaries of the putsch. Although he did not make direct reference to it, Sanusi spoke against the background of agitation for self-determination by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

“Now this has happened, and the events that followed are known but sad. We have gone over them. We have moved on to become one country. But 50 years later, before our very eyes, this history is being re-written and those who killed are claiming to be the victims. It is important that we keep history truthful. Even if we forgive and forget, we should never allow history to be re-written.

This is because what is happening in Nigeria today is a new story, a new narrative.

Sardauna was not a victim, Tafawa Balewa was not a victim; they were the cause of the problem – we cannot accept this.

“The North and Northerners would not want to open old wounds as everyone has been hurt, offended, marginalised, lost people, produced good and corrupt leaders, and no one has the monopoly of power, corruption or oppression. So, people should learn from history.

Sanusi noted that great as these fallen leaders were, they had their foibles as politicians and leaders, adding that they were, however far better than what the country had produced in leadership positions after their exit.

Alhaji Maitama Sule, who is a former permanent representative to the United Nations, observed that there was unity in the North in the days of Premier Bello. He stated: “We were our brothers’ keepers. But we are no longer our brothers’ keepers. Things have gone astray.

“We used to respect our elders and the constituted authority. But today, the respect is no longer there. Today, there is chaos in politics, immorality in the society. We need leaders, not rulers. If we follow the philosophy of Sardauna, Nigeria will be better for it. However, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for a better Nigeria,” the former diplomat said.

Speaking at the ceremony for Akintola in Oyo State, Governor Ajimobi described Akintola as a leader who manifested unparallel love and respect for Yoruba tradition, an attribute he said earned him the prestigious title of Aare Ona Kakanfo.

He recalled how Akintola analysed national issues with great insight and offered great ideas with immense contributions to national discourse. “He was a nationalist, frontline politician and crowd puller whose contributions to national development were unquantifiable. This late icon was an unsung hero, not only because of his unprecedented achievements as a politician, a parliamentarian, an astute administrator but also because he was a bridge builder in Nigeria’s search for national integration,” the governor said.

Ambassador Abayomi Akintola, in his remarks on the occasion, gave a vivid account of how his father was assassinated by the assailants in the wee hours of January 19,

Buhari 1966. “About 50 soldiers invaded our house.

My father was in a room within the house with us and we begged him not to go out. We shielded ourselves with the big wardrobes in the room, as the soldiers began to shoot sporadically. At a stage, my father told us he wanted to go and meet them, but we begged him not to. Like the hero that he was, he told us he would prefer to go and face them and damn the consequence than allow them to wipe out his family if they continued to hide.” According to his son, Akintola went to take the bullet of the attackers and was left in the pool of his own blood after having died from the several gunshots fired at him by the soldiers.

Dr Ajoritsedere Awosika, who is the sixth child of the late Chief Okotie-Eboh,said it was immaterial whether the Federal Government deemed it necessary to immortalise her father and others that were killed with him on the fateful day and perpetuate their remembrance. “We remember him every day but hold a memorial event annually.

Fifty years after his death, his principles and the issues he fought for still need to be examined. Fifty years after his demise, there is a need for history to make room for him as an enigma.

“My father should be remembered as somebody who was brave, honest and made his money from hard work. This is a country where people believe that anybody who has money stole it. My father was raised by poor parents and he worked very hard for his country. He never stole Nigeria’s money; rather, he gave his money to the country. Before he became a minister, he owned shoe, plastic, cement and rubber factories.

Federalism as the way forward The sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in the forefront of advocacy for federalism in Nigeria. His legendary feat as the first Premier of the defunct Western Region,

coupled with his intellectualism depth as depicted through his works/books amply demonstrated his understanding and appreciation of core issues bedeviling the country for decades now. He believed the way forward lies in running a federation based on the peoples constitution. Nonetheless, he said: “It must be generally agreed that the making of a constitution is not an end itself.

It is a means to the welfare and happiness of the people, the foundation of which, in a material sense, is economic prosperity.” He added that such goal can only be attained through guaranteed political stability, because “without it, natural resources, manpower, and capital, whatever their quantity and quality, plus technical knowledge, will avail very little. He said such political stability rested on a tripod: type of constitution; form of government and the calibre and character of political leaders in and outside government.

The position of the sage is accentuated by a foremost legal luminary, Pa Olaniwun Ajayi (JP), who has seen it all as a nationalist. An inimitable authority on Nigeria, the elder statesman has consistently offered useful advice on how the country could free itself from seemingly daunting challenges.

“The solution to the problem of the country, as advised in this book (Nigeria: Political Power Imbalance), is to go back to do what we failed to do, but to recognise and concretise the six geopolitical zones; give to Nigerians true fiscal federalism and abandon the Unitarianism under a monarch which Nigeria has been operating for some decades all to the agonies of the citizenry.”

What are the lessons?

No doubt, those leaders that lost their lives during the January 15 coup paid the supreme prize for the unity of the country.

They laid down their lives in the quest by the

nation to attain nationhood, especially as it freed itself from the shackles of colonialism.

But, to what extent have Nigerians, particularly the elite internalised and imbibed the essence of the uncommon courage and supreme sacrifice paid by those leaders, so that the ‘labour of our heroes shall never be in vain”? Has the country been able to rise above encumbrances arising from ethnic heterogeneity? How successful has been Nigeria’s efforts at evolving the right political leadership that promotes a culture of inclusiveness to obliterate or douse the cry of marginalisation among the constituents units of the federation?

In a treatise with the caption, Leadership and Immortality, an eminent scholar, Professor Pat Utomi, dissected the issue of leadership and asserted that the country has a lot of work to do in the area of re-educating the citizenry. He said the new generation would need to re-tool on values that exalt a nation. He said: “To find leadership is to re-educate in Nigeria. We need an environment in which children will grow up wanting to be like certain figures in history and not necessarily the fellow with the longest Mercedes in town.

“To do that, we must now begin to write history and write it differently than we do presently. Then, we shall have to turn to making our children read this new history.

It will be a history that identifies resourcefulness and the achievements of individuals.

It will be a history that builds real heroes and reflects contemptuously upon people who abuse public trust for personal benefit.”

While alive, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, who led the Biafran war, had spoken widely on the imperative of unity among the components of the federation. Writing in his book, Because I am Involved, he stated: “When I call for unity, it is not a stratagem, nor a renunciation of my past role. Rather, it is an affirmation of my long-held belief that: Nigeria needs unity; the definition of a nation includes ‘a people who can together choose a leader, and the improvement of the quality of the citizen’s life.” He claimed that “in Nigeria, we fear realism; hence, we hate the truth. Because we hate the truth, we cannot tolerate criticism.” He blamed part of the hiccups in the Nigerian federation on the leaders that succeeded the colonial masters. “I must, however, in the interest of fairness, state that the elite or leaders of postindependence Nigeria were the best that Nigeria could field….That they obtained independence without bloodshed was a great achievement,” Ojukwu said.

In March 1996, a Constitution lawyer and rights activist, Dr Olatunji Abayomi founded what he called The Nigerianity Movement. The main goal of the pan-organisation was to uplift Nigeria to a historical era, where each citizen will derive much pride in the fact that he is a Nigerian, rather than of a particular ethnic stock. Nigeria, he says, needs to triumph over the evil forces of ethnic intolerance through the building of national integration. In his words, “The best our people owe to their nation was and has always been to work hard, under sound and responsible leadership. The duty that government owed to our people was to lead justly, with superior foresight and in doing so increase peace, harmony, commerce, leisure and opportunities. Unfortunately, while our people kept their own part of the contract, the government has, in large measures, abdicated its responsibility such that today, the faith of our people has been weakened and their influence shattered in their motherland.”

politics&policy PDP must account for its stewardship —Osun APC chair

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Chairman of Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr Adegboyega Famodun speaks on the on going war against corruption, the opposition party and other issues. In this interview with TUNDE BUSARI, he speaks on the progress made by the party in the state and nation as a whole.

R

egular movement from one party to another, regardless of ideological content, makes Nigerian politicians unpredictable. Would you agree with this argument?

When we are talking of dealing with different people of different characters and ideas, it is difficult to predict them. There are some variables you can envisage and calculate. Yet, there are many you cannot just predict. So because of these variables and most importantly clash of interests, it is not easy to predict political actors.

Can you reflect and say APC under your leadership is living up to expectation?

We are doing quite well here running a transparent, all-inclusive party, result of which is seen in the past elections. We are a party that is concerned about the welfare of the people. We have restored peace in the state.

We are a party that is determined to improve the state beyond how we met it. And the evidence is everywhere with the physical transformation the State of Osun has witnessed. But sincerely we are not free from the general problem affecting the entire country in terms of the economic downturn. The distress in global market regarding the free fall of crude oil price is taking a toll on the Federation Account and by extension the states. This is what has slowed the government down a bit. President Muhammadu Buhari had to come to the aid of states. But I can say it that we have tried to deliver our pre-election promises, completing and commissioning projects. We are also repositioning the economy of the state to cushion the effect of the lean federal allocation.

APC is alleged to be a party living on propaganda; that the projects it claims are on the pages of newspapers.

Of course, one should not search far to know the direction from where this allegation is coming from.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not prepare for the position it is now. So, it lacks the needed capacity to play a decent opposition party without making frivolous allegations. School we are building and commissioning are everywhere in the state. They are not even concentrated in the state capital. The roads we constructed are also there to see. At the federal level, we came at a difficult time when the economy is near dead after 16 years of plundering. We had to study the depth of the problem with a view to understanding how to fix the problem.

The handing over done a week to exit was clumsy. It is so voluminous and when we went through it, it was empty.

It did not reflect anything but a mere academic exercise.

We had to talk a lot to let the nation know what we met how deep was the mess and what it would take us to fix it.

We are doing these explanations to save Nigeria another calamity in future and 16 years of misrule.

It is also alleged that ACN members are sidetracking other members of the alliance that brought about APC. It is not true. ACN had the strongest even though it did not go beyond South-west and Edo State. We decided to allow CPC to have the presidency despite its small size.

CPC had a good result in the North. Politics goes with understanding, sacrifice and compromise. It is give and take. There is nothing like sidetracking other parties in the alliance. We are a strong party formed with a strong mindset to rescue our nation from bankruptcy it was heading. Regardless of the plot of PDP to sell lies to the public, we remain a strong party. That is why we put our best in front. Go through the list of our ministers and see what I mean. We are a focused party blessed with the best materials a nation can be proud of. There is no doubting the capability of the team to deliver the nation and move

Famodun

us forward.

Can your party boast of the same goodwill that ushered it into power in 2010?

To be honest with you, you cannot compare the enthusiasm of then and now because of political variables. But I can tell you with all sincerity that we are still enjoying the support of the masses of the state. They know and appreciate what we stand for and what we have done so far. Evidence of their support and belief in us is the result of the past elections. In the three elections we held in 2011, 2014 and 2015, they voted massively for us. How can anybody say the goodwill is not there? But when you have a bad loser making unfounded claim, you better ignore them to remain focused. Their game plan is to distract you but they know we are wiser because we are truly formidable party. There are some fundamental services we render which the masses are most happy with. For instance, feeding of school pupils, maintaining a clean environment to shut out epidemics, employment of youth under O’YES scheme. We still give unemployed youth stipends. We are maintaining our reputation as a government which means well for the people with our services. Interestingly, our people have connected with these services and showing appreciation with their support for the government. Once we have achieved that whatever the opposition is saying matter less because we know they are only seeking relevance. And I can say it that we are resolute and determined to continue with this

For instance, They make noise that their members are being witch-hunted by the EFCC, whereas the agency is only doing its statutory duty. Isn’t it hypocritical that a party, which ruled alone, is looking for a scapegoat in the opposition?

service despite the state of the economy. We are working hard to get out of it soon.

Is your party not scared of PDP in the future elections?

I don’t even see them as opposition. The best among them are now with us. When we were in opposition, the whole world saw how we comported our-self and went about dislodging them. APC is a party made up of tested politicians. What they do now is a clandestine opposition using union because there is nothing to oppose. They are not a serious opposition to us and that is the truth. They were used to electoral fraud, hooliganism and divideand-rule tactics. But we had our blueprint long before we won the election. That shows we know what to do with power unlike those who only seek power for the sake of it and then misuse it. Our is how to serve Nigerians well, provide enabling environment for every Nigerian to live a decent life and become whatever he or she desire under a peaceful atmosphere. And that is all governance is all about anywhere in the world.

To what extent has the National Assembly issue affected the cohesion of your party?

We have handled the matter and the rest is history. In politics, conflicting issues must come up. But ability of the party to manage and resolve the issues is what is most important. As you can see we have moved forward and business of governance has commenced. We saw the role the opposition played in heating up the polity with it. But because we are a more purposeful party, we used the best crisis management skill to douse the tension and put it behind us.

But has this removed suspicion in the relationship between the Presidency and the NASS? You can see that each branch of government is working as expected of it. They are working differently but harmoniously. When it comes to the interest of the nation, nothing, should be spared to give it all that is needed.

Unfortunately, the opposition does not see things that way.

For instance, they make noise that their members are being witch-hunted by the EFCC whereas the agency is only doing its statutory duty. Isn’t it hypocritical that a party which ruled alone, is looking for a scapegoat in the opposition? PDP must account for its misrule.

It should not distract the public with the song of selective investigation. Nobody is witch-hunting them.

Their action, during their tenure, is what the EFCC is investigating. And I am happy Nigerians know better now.

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politics&policy

As February 5, 2016 date set aside by the Supreme Court for judgment in the suit filed by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki approaches, the key issues for determination which include the constitutionality of the CCT continue to generate discussions in the political circle. YEJIDE GBENGAOGUNDARE reports.

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Saraki vs CCT: Issues before the Supreme Court

W

HEN the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) started the trial of the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on September 18, 2015, over allegations of under-declaration of his assets as the Governor of Kwara State in 2003, many people expressed the opinion that it was going to be a fierce legal battle that wouldl span various jurisdictions and courtrooms. And indeed, with the application filed

by Dr Saraki before the Supreme Court after an unfavourable outing at the Court of Appeal, they have been proved right.

From the period that the EFCC dragged him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on a 13-count charge bordering on allegations of false declaration of assets, the battle had traversed different court rooms of diverse jurisdictions for adjudications. Indeed, incidents trailing the high profile matter has made it a legal tussle with a different dimension and new events not known to law; from the large number of almost 30 defense lawyers, to the large entourage of escorts, various attempts to stop the trial through applications to courts of higher jurisdictions and a staged walkout that thwarted continuation of the trial by defense lawyers at the CCT. The defence had filed a matter before the Court of Appeal to stop the trial at the CCT and on October 21, 2015, the Justice Danladi Umar led tribunal had to adjourn till November 5, 2015, to enable the appellate court give a ruling on Saraki’s application.

This effort failed in a two-to-one split decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which on October 30, 2015 dismissed Saraki’s appeal against the competence of the tribunal and the charges against him. And consequently, the Senate President took the matter to the next level; the Supreme Court which is the last point in this legal battle. This move he stated was not only to challenge the judgment of the Court of Appeal on his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) but to also test the positions of the Court of Appeal at the higher court to determine if it will stand the test of time.

With the fierce battle now at the Supreme Court and judgment day drawing near rapidly, there is anticipation and tension in some quarters on which way the decision of the Supreme Court would tend in regards to pending issues bordering on the legality or otherwise of the criminal trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and issues of jurisdiction. The anticipation and interest in the judgment of the Apex court is due to the power it wields and the fact that whatever decision it arrives at cannot be changed by any other court due to its jurisprudence and importance as the last resort in the judiciary.

The matter before the Supreme Court consequently throws up some questions on which various provisions of the law can be used to defend or contradict. The main issues that crop up in this adjudication which the panel of Justices of the court must determine to put the matter to rest finally include the interpretation of paragraph 15 (1) of the fifth schedule of the 1999 constitution which

Saraki

The position taken by the apex Court in the saga will assist a public assessment of where the problem lays; the politician, legislature, the executive or the judiciary. The Constitution must be made to develop to get the law and society beyond rural level. deals with composition of the tribunal.

A major factor is also the determination of whether the CCT is a court of criminal jurisdiction and giving interpretation to the issue of whether a lawyer in the office of the Attorney General can file charges at the tribunal without the express authorization of the Attorney General as contained in Section 174 (1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

Further, in view of the magnitude of constitutional issues being raised in the matter, the Supreme Court has decided to empanel a full court of seven justices, based on a request by Saraki’s counsel, J. B. Daudu (SAN).

What does the law say and what is the basis of the argument? Paragraph 15 (1) of the fifth schedule of the constitution as amended provides that the CCT shall consist of a Chairman and two members; “there shall be established a tribunal to be known as the Code of Conduct Tribunal which shall consist of a Chairman and two other persons”. Section 20 (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and tribunal Act, in respect of the number of persons making up the tribunal was emphatic by using “consist of” not “quorum.” Thus, the split judgment of two to one of the appellate court on October 30, 2015, which forms the subject of appeal, needs to be considered. The majority judgment as delivered by Justices Moore Adumein and Mohammed Mustapha dismissed

the appeal and held that the above provisions merely provide for the establishment of the tribunal and its composition. “There is no provision on both the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 2004, specifying the minimum number of members of the Tribunal who must be present before the tribunal can validly undertake or conduct its judicial business, proceedings or sittings. Therefore there is a lacuna in the constitution and the Act. In a situation like this, the interpretation Act becomes a very useful piece of legislative ingenuity to fill the gap or lacuna”.

This throws up the importance of Section 28 of the interpretation Act which states that; “Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act or any other enactment, the quorum of any tribunal, commission of inquiry (including any appeal tribunal established for the purpose of hearing any appeal arising there from) shall not be less than two (including the chairman): provided that the chairman and the member shall be present at every sitting of the tribunal, commission of inquiry throughout the duration of the trial or hearing”.

According to the Justices, Section 28 is applicable to this case, meaning, the tribunal made up of chairman and one member is properly constituted as decided by the ap-

pellate court. But in a dissenting judgment, Justice Joseph Ekanem JCA, did not align with the position of his colleagues, rather he raised a point, “Speaking for myself, it is my view that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is not a court strictly so speaking and so it cannot be described as a ‘Court of criminal jurisdiction. It is my view that it is not a superior court of record as envisaged in Section 6 (3) and (5)(a)-(i) of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). It is not included in sub - section 5 (a)-(i) as one of the superior courts of records in Nigeria.”

Some legal experts also disagreed with the submissions in the lead judgment of the Appeal Court; some stated that the Interpretation Act cannot supersede the provisions of the constitution, particularly since the constitution as enunciated in paragraph 15 (1) of the fifth schedule used the word “shall”, which signifies that it is mandatory for the tribunal to be composed of three members as stated in the constitution. According to them, if the Chairman and the second member have dissenting view on an issue, what will the tribunal do; adding that that those that put the constitution together must have thought of this when they insisted the tribunal must have three members.

There was also no meeting point among lawyers. Some aligned with the Court of appeal, while others averred the learned judges did nott interpret the law well. In his analysis of the trial, a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice A.G Karibi-Whyte said it appears from the enabling law that the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal is confined and limited to the conduct clearly outlined in paragraphs 1 – 13 of the Fifth Schedule. According to him, “the conduct proscribed has been stated in considerable detail and appears to be exhaustive. These are the only powers it can legally and lawfully exercise.” He added: “It is pertinent to observe that the laws which enable the CCT to try persons who have contravened the provisions of the Code have carefully avoided the use of the expression criminal to describe the conduct so punished. It does not contemplate any other conduct. Epressio unius est exclusio alterius. Rather, it provides in paragraph 18(3) that the sanctions in paragraph 18 (2) may be imposed, without prejudice to the penalties in any law where the conduct is also a criminal offence. Its jurisdiction is limited to the subject matter listed therein and a prescribed by the National Assembly.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has not been vested with exercise of criminal jurisdiction even by implication of the scope allowed in the sanction it can impose.”

He added:”Where a court does not have jurisdiction, there is nothing before it to adjudicate. The limits of its authority as in this case may be prescribed, as it has been prescribed by stature under which the Court or Tribunal is created – concisely stated jurisdiction means the authority which a Court has to decide matters contested before it, or to take cognizance of matters presented in a formal way for its decision, see National Bank v.

Shoyoye (1977) 5SC.18. The CCT in this case is not properly constituted to try any case whatsoever. Its effort if allowed to continue will result in a nullity. It should discontinue and wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal on the issue of Jurisdiction. CCT should not, as it cannot as an inferior court continue proceedings whilst its jurisdiction was being challenged. The CCT is not vested with the exercise of criminal jurisdiction.”

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 081 118 450 48

features Ibadan chieftaincy

Its uniqueness, allure Otun dan Oluba Osi Olubadan

Ashipa Olubadan Ekerin Olubadan

Ekarun Olubadan

By Laolu Afolabi

J

.P. Clark’s ‘Ibadan’ tells of a city at peace with itself. Dignified, subdued and lacking any sense of urgency, Ibadan captures the essence of history and the burden of memory. The city has a widely acclaimed republican system of Obaship and succession without rancour. The Olubadan is the royal title of the king of Ibadanland. Ibadan was founded in the 16th century, but its present people only took control around 1820. By 1850, they had established an unusual succession principle, which

It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through stages of chieftaincy promotion.

The development means any male born title-holder of the metropolitan is a potential king.

is quite different compared with other traditional Yoruba rulers in that it alternates between two lines.

It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through stages of chieftaincy promotion.

The development means any male born title-holder of the metropolitan is a potential king.

The longest serving Olubadan in history, Olubadan Okunola Abass, spent 16 years on the throne. Chief T. A. Akinyele, the Bobajiro of Ibadanland, in an article, said each time an Olubadan is to be crowned, many people who do not know the background history and the nature of the chieftaincy system in Ibadan have always wondered why Ibadan people choose to have very old men as their Oba and consequently almost every 10 years, a coronation ceremony occurs.

It took the late Olubadan, Oba Yunusa Bankole Ogundipe, a total of 35 years from being Jagun Balogun in 1964 and becoming Olubadan in 1999. Similarly, the present Olubadan, Oba (Dr) Samuel Odulana, started the journey as Jagun Olubadan in 1972. Except for Oba Yesufu Kobiowu who was under 60 years of age and reigned for only six months in 1964, most Olubadans are usually about 80

Abese

Bal ogu n

OLUBADAN

Otun Balogun Osi Balogun

Ashipa Olubadan Ekerin Balogun Ekarin Balogun

noyears of age on ascension to Abese v a the throne. The recently eltion evated Balogun of IbadanMaye Ekefa b e land, Chief Saliu Adetunji, came a became Mogaji (the head of Agba-Akin Ekefa regular the family) in 1976. He befeature came Jagun Balogun (the Aare-Alasa Agba-Akin whereby, first line on the Balogun t h e r e rung) in 1978! He is now Aare-Alasa evolved two over 80. separate The republican sysIkolaba chieftaincy tem of Obaship in lines, namely: Ibadanland was beAssaju the Baale line lieved to have been and the Balofirmly established Ayingun gun Isoriki line. in 1851, when The Baale title Oyesile OlugAare-Ago gave the holder bode became the mainly the civic reBaale of Ibadan Lagunna sponsibility, while and Ibikunle the Balogun line became the Oota comprised of war Balogun; SunAare-Egbe-Omo chiefs who held purely mola Laamo Aare-Egbe-Omo military titles. The two became the Gbonnka lines produced the next Otun Baale, Baale or Olubadan in w h i l e Aare Onibon a sequential order. PerOgunmola sons in the male lines, in was inBada order to become an Olustalled badan, must go through a t h e Ajia step by step system of chiefOtun Jagun taincy promotion to reach the BaloAjia throne. gun.

The Jagun Continues on pg36 i n -

Ikolaba Assaju

Ayingun Aare-Ago

Lagunna

Oota

Gbonnka

Aare Onibon Bada

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features

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Continued from pg35

The title Olubadan was later adopted, but it was known as Olori (leader), Aare Ona Kakanfo, Baale, Basorun and Balogun. The Egbe Agba, which was Olubadan line as it is called now, were originally not more than eight, whilst the Balogun line, which represented the line of the warlords, had seven.

There is another line of Seriki in the Ibadan system. The line is believed to be that of leaders of scouts or spies of the Balogun of Ibadanland. The Seriki is the Chief Scout, with other lieutenants under him. They are usually five in number with the leader making six. It was gathered that before adventure into any war or engagement in warfare, the Serikis will first spy the land to be captured or engaged in war. They will, thereafter, report back to the Balogun. Serikis are spies for the warlords (Balogun) in the time of war or even peace. Their observation would help in the tactics to use to conquer such lands or to detect conspiracy. The Seriki line has never produced an Olubadan till date, but there is a recent provision that the Seriki would move to the fifth position on Balogun line (Ekarun Balogun) if and when there is a coincidental death of the top echelon of Olubadan and Balogun at the same time.

There is also the Iyalode line. The Iyalode line, however, cannot rise to become the Olubadan, since the line is of the females, though it has its 23-rung ladder as well and the Iyalode of Ibadanland, the zenith of the ladder, is a prominent member of the Olubadan-in-Council.

According to Reverend Samuel Johnson, in his book: The history of Yorubas: From the earliest times to the beginning of the British Protectorate, the Traditional Council (Egbe Agba), before the advent of the colonial administration, was the supreme organ of state while in the exercise of power, the Baale was the chief executive. The colonial government inaugurated the Ibadan Town Council in August 1897. Between 1897 and 1901, the council comprised the Baale, Otun Baale, Osi Baale, Balogun and eight to 12 other High Chiefs traditionally regarded as the most powerful.

A number of changes were introduced in 1901 as a result of the Native Council Ordinance of 1901 initiated by Governor (Sir) William MacGregor. The Baale became the president of the Council. Rulers of Ibadan were generally referred to as Baale until 1930, when the title of Olubadan was resuscitated and substituted for that of Baale, because the title of ‘Baale’ was seen to be common. In 1946, the Ibadan Native Authority made a declaration under the Native Law and Custom regarding the appointment of a new ruler of the town that Balogun eventually ceased to be the only successor to the Baale. Part of the Declaration made in 1946 read thus: “The holder of any title in either the Olubadan line or the Balogun line in the rank of senior chief shall be eligible for the post of Olubadan, but the two lines shall succeed in turn. In the event of a vacancy occurring, chiefs in the line from which the late holder was promoted shall not be eligible.” The Chieftaincy declaration was incorporated into the Chiefs Law of 1957 section 4 (3).

Ibadan’s unique system The traditional chieftaincy system that produces the Olubadan of Ibadanland essentially consists of two approved lines Otun and Balogun lines. Now, the Balogun line has a 23-step rung, while the Baale line is 22-step rung before the eventual emergence as Olubadan in a promotional system that abhors supersession unless there is an exceptionally grave circumstance.

The making of Olubadan The coronation ceremony of the present Olubadan, Oba (Dr) Samuel Odulana Odugbade I. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE It is worth telling that Ibadan started as a camp for warlords from many places. Leadership was recognised on the strength of war captives, prowess and even mystical power.

The situation then, as it is now, is that leadership must be rotational. The next to Olubadan and most senior on both lines are the Otun Olubadan and Balogun, who, under the Western Nigeria Law, are recognised as second class traditional rulers. Others are the Osi Olubadan, Asipa Olubadan, Ekerin and Ekarun, as well as Otun Balogun, Osi Balogun, Asipa Balogun, Ekerin and Ekarun Balogun.

The 11 high chiefs that formed the Olubadan-in-council, apart from the Seriki and Iyalode, are recognised as the traditional head of each of the 11 local governments in Ibadanland. Each of them has a palace from where they control their local government. Successive Olubadans had made their places of residence their palaces on ascension to the throne. A reason Ibadan has many palaces where such Olubadans

The candidate might also have done something worthwhile for his community or Ibadanland as a whole, while his wealth, which he had used for the uplift of the downtrodden, could be another consideration.

ruled. The current Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Lana, has his palace situated at his house in Monatan. The palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, built at Oja’ba in Ibadan, had been left unoccupied for so long. Oba Yesufu Asanike engaged the use of the palace to receive important dignitaries when he was on the throne. Now, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the apex organisation of Ibadan indigenes, has planned to construct a befitting palace for the Olubadan at Oke Aremo.

The Olubadan is the paramount ruler of Ibadanland and, upon his approval, Baales are appointed for provinces and communities. According to Baale Taye Ayorinde, the Baale of Ekotedo, “A Baale could only appoint his chiefs for the community only with the specific approval of the Olubadan, being the prescribed and consenting authority.”

The making of an Olubadan Every family and clan in Ibadanland has a Mogaji. Mogajis are family heads. They control the affairs of their family and ensure law and order. They are made Mogajis by the Olubadan after they have been so appointed and the family written to formally inform the Olubadan and the Council. In Ibadan, there are over 2,500 Mogajis or family heads as present. The installation ceremony of Mogajis is often performed at the palace of the Olubadan with pomp and fanfare. A Mogaji is a potential Olubadan in waiting if he eventually succeeds to join the ladder.

It takes a whole lot for a Mogaji to become Jagun, the lowest rung of the Olubadan ladder, as there are competitions from other Mogajis.

To become Jagun, however, Baale Ayorinde said there are three things to consider. A prospective candidate could be from an historical Ibadan warrior family or

having done valiantly to save the land in one form or another. The candidate might also have done something worthwhile for his community or Ibadanland as a whole, while his wealth, which he had used for the uplift of the downtrodden, could be another consideration.

When there is vacancy for the Jagun position, the Olubadan-in-council would consider the prospective candidates and hereby appoint one to the Olubadan line or another to the Balogun line, depending on where there is vacancy. The appointees would now become Jagun on either and or both lines.

The promotions of such Jaguns are not, however, random, as they are promoted in a sequential and orderly procedure. Upon vacancy in any of the lines, the title holder of a lower rung is promoted to the next rung of the ladder. The Balogun line has 23 rungs while the Olubadan line has 22 rungs. The next Olubadan alternates between the Balogun and the Otun Olubadan.

The promotion in the line of Balogun follows this pattern: From Jagun – Ajia – Bada – Are-Onibon – Gbonnka – Aare Egbe Omo – Oota – Lagunna – Are-Ago – Ayingun – Asaju – Ikolaba – Aare-Alasa – Agba-Akin – Ekefa – Maye –Abese – Ekarun Balogun – Ekerin Balogun – Ashipa Balogun – Osi Balogun – Otun Balogun and eventually to Balogun. The journey from Jagun to Balogun will take a prospective candidate through a 23-rung ladder, and, having reached the top of the ladder, he becomes Balogun and would, therefore, wait for his turn to emerge the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The promotion in the line of Olubadan follows the same pattern, but is 22 rungs : From Jagun – Ajia – Bada – Aare Onibon – Gbonnka – Aare-Egbe Omo – Oota Continued on pg37

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features

Nigerian Tribune

Monday, 18 January, 2016

C The abandoned Olubadan’s palace.

Baale Ayorinde gave English meanings of some of the titles thus: Otun – second in command/Commander of the right wing; Osi – third in command/ Commander of the left wing; Asipa – Leader of the Vanguard; Ekerin – Fourth in Command; Ekarun – Fifth in Command; Abese – Superintendent of foot soldiers; Maye – Stationary Veteran Soldiers; Ekefa – Sixth in command; Agba-Akin – Chief of the Brave; Aare-Alasa – Chief of the Squire; Ikolaba – Sango’s apron man; Asaaju – Front ranker (front liner); Ayingun – Official war wager; Aare-Ago – Overseer of Blood Relations; Laguna – Swivel Lance Comptroller General; Oota – Sharp Shooter; Aare-Egbe-Omo – General of the Youth Wing; Gbonka – Dignified war wager; Aare-Onibon – Brigadier-General of Gun Combatant Shooter; Bada – Chief Spy; Ajia – Commissioner; Jagun – Warrior/Defender of the ruler.

When death occurs of any member on the ladder, there has to be installation ceremony to the next rank for affected candidates not less than 21 days after the burial of the last occupant. The Olubadan, upon notification of such death, will approve the promotion of others and perform installation ceremony for them at the palace. This is one of the reasons Ibadan chiefs are called Agbotikuyo (someone who rejoices at the death of another candidate).

The coronation When an Olubadan dies, the next occupant of the stool is already public knowledge. Such would, however, not be crowned and given staff of office until a date set aside for such ceremony, to make it glamorous. The Olubadan-in-council will write to the governor of the state, informing him of the death of the immediate past Olubadan and the need to install a new one. The name of the new Olubadan would also be

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I drew a very large crowd of eminent personalities to his domain for his coronation last Saturday. It was indeed a day to remember for the sons and daughters of the ancient town.

TUNDE BUSARI reports.

Of royalty, precision Continued from pg36

features

Pomp as Oluwo receives staff of office

Olubadan:

– Lagunna – Are-Ago – Ayingun – Asaju – Ikolaba – Aare-Alasa – Agba-Akin – Ekefa – Maye – Abese – Ekarun Olubadan – Ekerin Olubadan – Ashipa Olubadan – Osi Olubadan and finally to Otun Olubadan. The nomenclature looks the same with that of Balogun, until when the prospective candidate finally gets to the Ekarun Olubadan. Upon emergence as the Otun Olubadan, the candidate is set to emerge the next Olubadan of Ibadan land on his turn.

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sent along in the letter. The date fixed for coronation would be agreed upon by the governor and the council. Before the date, however, certain rites would have been carried out according to tradition. The new Olubadan is hereby fit to occupy the throne. He will be presented with the staff of office and certificate, symbols of his authority. This makes the Olubadan the head of the council. Other members of the council, as listed earlier, are the Otun Olubadan, Osi Olubadan, Ashipa Olubadan, Ekerin Olubadan, Ekarun Olubadan, Balogun, Otun Balogun, Osi Balogun, Ashipa Balogun, Ekerin Balogun, Ekarun Balogun and the Iyalode of Ibadan.

Honorary chieftaincy titles Ibadanland is cosmopolitan. It has as inhabitants, people from different cultures and tribes. Yet, the city shows hospitality to and rewards people. Aside the promotional chieftaincy which leads to the Olubadan, indigenes and non-indigenes who distinguish themselves in trades, commerce, political and entrepreneurial acumen are honoured by conferring on them honorary traditional titles of the land. These traditional titles are conferred upon such individuals after the approval by the Olubadan-in-Council. There are no limits to the titles.

They are according to the discretion of the council and approval of the Olubadan who is the only prescribing and consenting authority.

However, these titles could be revoked if the holder denigrate the council, violates the laws of the land or take the Olubadan to court for any reason whatsoever.

Also, the titles could be retrieved upon death of the current holder and conferred on another person. The titles could also be made to look promotional. There are cases of these honorary titles with prefixes of Otun and Osi. The decision to confer titles and perform such ceremony rests solely on the Olubadan of Ibadanland. The late Olubadan Asanike again, it was, who jocularly conferred on a prospective honorary chief a title of Oyetan (Title is Finished!). The man was said to have approached the Olubadan that he would have loved to be made a chief but that with the rate at which chieftaincy titles are conferred on people, it seems there cannot be any title again, as the titles have finished! The Olubadan, in his jovial attribute, was reported to have replied him that “Oyetan, oye naa ni” (meaning “title is finished is even a title”).

List of Olubadans 1 Lagelu 2 Olori Maye Okunade 1820 – 1826 3 Are Ona Kakanfo Oluyedun 4 Olori Lakanle 5 Bashorun Oluyole 6 Balogun Oderinlo 1850 7 Ba’ale Opeagbe 8 Ba’ale Oyesile Olugbode 1851-1864 9 Basorun Ogunmola 1865-1867 10 Balogun Akere I 1867-1870 11 Ba’ale Orowusi 1870-1871 12 Are Ona Kakanfo Obadoke Latosa 1871-1885 13 Balogun Ajai Osungbekun 1885-1893 14 Ba’ale Fijabi I 1893-1895 15 Ba’ale Oshuntoki 1895-1897 16 Basorun Fajinmi 1897-1902 17 Ba’ale Mosaderin 1902-1904 18 Ba’ale Dada Opadere 1904-1907 19 Basorun Sunmonu Apampa 1907-1910 20 Ba’ale Akintayo Awanibaku Elenpe 1910-1912 21 Ba’ale Irefin 1912-1914 22 Ba’ale Shittu Latosa (son of Are Latosa) 1914-1925 23 Ba’ale Oyewole Foko 1925-1929 24 Olubadan Okunola Abasi 1930-1946 25 Olubadan Akere I 1946 26 Olubadan Oyetunde I 1946 27 Olubadan Akintunde Bioku 1947-1948 28 Olubadan Fijabi II 1948-1952 29 Olubadan Alli Iwo 1952 30 Olubadan Apete 1952 – 1955 31 Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele 1955-1964 32 Oba Yesufu Kobiowu July - December 1964 33 Oba Salawu Akanni Aminu 1965-1971 34 Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde II 1971-1976 35 Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe 1976-1977 36 Oba Daniel ‘Tayo Akinbiyi 1977-1982 37 Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike I 1982-1994 38 Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde I 1994-1999 39 Oba Yunusa Ogundipe Arapasowu I 1999-2007 40 Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I 2007 - Date Culled from Iwe Itan Ibadan written by Oba Akinyele, with addition from the article written by Chief T.O. Akinyele

hairman of Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his deputy, Oba Governor Aregbesola presenting the staff of office to the Oluwo.

Adekunle Aromolaran led a galaxy of traditional rulers across the length and breadth announcement of the monarch as the Oluwo in Novemof the Yoruba nation to the coronation of the Oluwo of ber 2015 did not come as a surprise to his friends and Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi on Saturday. associates in Canada, most of whom respected his rich The Ooni, who arrived the Reality Television premises views on issues. venue of the coronation at 3 42 pm with his very large enFor very important dignitaries to have been detained at tourage in different state-of-the art automobiles, practithe entrance to the venue of the occasion, owing to the cally electrified the entire venue. heavy vehicular traffic, shows the class of the coronation His retinue of aides, including praise singers, drummers which can arguably go as the best the town ever witnessed and others was also a cynosure of eyes as the security opin its history. eratives who manned the entrance and turned many cars Expectation was high following the media reports that back, were virtually carried away as they flung the gate former President Olusegun Obasanjo would grace the wide open for Oba Ogunwusi’s team. coronation. He was, however, represented by the former The monarch’s step into the canopy interrupted the progovernor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. ceedings and was greeted with a loud ovation as guests Oyinlola was in the right gathering as a member of the rose from their seats to catch a glimpse of the monarch ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with Osun State who also received his own staff of office on December 19, government officials one after the other paying obei2015. The cheers were spontaneous and the Ooni acknowlsance to him under a friendly ambiance. edged them with a smile.

Mr Wale Babalakin was the chairman of the occasion, It was a day of glitz, glamour and showmanship with a variety of gaudy cars competing for attention of the massive crowd.

The governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola arrived at 2 50 pm and added spice to the tempo when he melted into the rhythm of the late Ayinla Omowura’s song and burst into an admirable dance to the wild applause of the audience.

His wife, Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola did not allow the fun to pass as she gently complimented her husband.

This was followed with a few announcements by the comperes of the event coordinated by Alhaji Oyesiku Adelu of the Reality Television, Iwo. The introduction of dignitaries heralded the arrival of Oba Akanbi at 3 15 pm. Save for the tight security Oba Akanbi would have been Cross section of traditional rulers. mobbed by the jubilating crowd of guests.

Dressed in flowing white agbada matched with red bead on his neck, it was indeed Oba Akanbi’s glorious moment, especially with the long attendance list of the crème-de-la-crème of the society from Africa, America, North America and Europe.

A delegate from Canada bestowed Oba Akanbi with Ambassador of Nigeria in the Diaspora.

Before the presentation of the award, former chairman of the Joint Task Force for the election of the Canadian immediate past Prime Minister, Sola Agboola, impressed the audience with the accomplishment of Oba Akanbi .

He described him as a successful entrepreneur whose love for Nigeria was widely acknowledged in the Diaspora, adding that the Cultural performance

observing the proceedings with calmness and keen interest just as different cultural groups thrilled the audience with superlative performance.

Traditional drummers were also not left behind. They all gave a good account of themselves to the amazement of the guests who watched them dishing out panegyrics of notable personalities off script.

All speakers at the occasion showered encomium on governor Aregbesola for what they unanimously dubbed his wisdom in approving the appointment of the Oluwo.

They prayed for continued wisdom to steer the ship of the Osun State despite the inclement economic weather in the country.

The chief promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) and national coordinator of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams expressed his happiness at the cultural performance commending the integration of various groups in the programme.

Adams said such display would always afford the non-Yoruba guests at such occasion the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Yoruba culture.

“Yoruba culture is not something you hide under roof. We have the best culture, which the white are acknowledging now. I have known the Oluwo as a king who would promote Yoruba culture they way it should be. And we shall also give him our support from our end at the Olokun Festival Foundation. We wish him a peaceful reign,” Adams said.

It was a media affair of sorts as the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) and London-based BEN Tv and Oodua Voice streamed the event live. Major hotels in Iwo and neighbouring communities recorded boom from Thursday till early hour of Sunday.

The success of the coronation notwithstanding, security agents almost provoked chaos with soldiers physically beating the enthusiastic crowd.

Some members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Iwo local government chapter, nearly responded to the treatment but were prevailed upon by their leaders.

“We know what to do to this provocation but we will not do anything because it is our day.

Kabiyesi would not be happy that we are linked to any problem on the day of his coronation.

But what these soldiers did is very wrong. Must they beat our people before they maintain law here?,” a member who declined his name, told our correspond shortly after his group was turned back at the entrance.

39 news Lassa: FG summons emergency national council of health meeting Monday, 18 January, 2016

HE Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has summoned

an emergency National Council on Health meeting over the outbreak of Lassa fever for Abuja tomorrow.

The minister convened

the emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

The meeting will also

witness the inauguration of the National Lassa Fever Action Committee aimed at curtailing the spread and prevention of further outbreak.

The special meeting will take place at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by 10:00am.

To attend the meeting are all health commission-

THE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on government to improve existing response mechanism to ensure rapid response in cases of disease outbreaks in the country.

Dr Muhammad Askira, President of the association, made the call at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja on the recent outbreak of Lassa fever.

Askira said the disease had so far claimed 43 lives in 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

He decried the emergency response arrangement set up by the government to tackle outbreak of any

epidemic of this nature.

Askira said that such outbreaks do not require ad hoc arrangements or committees; rather, there should be an existing strategy to cushion the effect in any emergency or epidemic situation.

According to him, it will, in no small way, reduce the death toll arising from such cases.

He said that there should be already well structured strategies from the local, state and Federal Government to ensure that prompt attention was given to such situations.

“There should be on ground, at any given point, well structured strategic

system, from the local to the Federal Governments, from the primary healthcare level to tertiary healthcare, whereby the team is already on alert for prompt and effective response to this type of epidemic.

“We should not wait until there is an outbreak before we start rushing to address the epidemic.

“This involves a lot of logistics which comes from the society, healthcare providers and the government itself.

“It can be in the form of financing, appropriate equipment and facilities, well and adequately trained manpower to handle suspected and confirmed cas-

es, and so on.

“So, whenever these are not adequate or properly applied, we have pockets and periods of epidemic of this nature,’’ he said.

Regarding the death toll being higher than the case of Ebola, Askira said that the rodent transmitting the virus was endemic, while Ebola was imported to the country.

The president called on all state branches of the association to take leading roles in safeguarding and protecting the health and lives of Nigerians.

According to him, this can be achieved by setting up emergency teams in all the branches and collaborating

with all federal and state health facilities to ensure effective and prompt referral networks, among others.

Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja

T ...Resident doctors demand improved rapid response

Ekiti, proof that Nigeria can conquer it –Speaker THE Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Kola Oluwawole, has posited that the example of the state gives the nation a hope of winning the war against hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa, currently posing threat to the nation’s health sector.

Oluwawole made this declaration on Sunday shortly

after the Sunday worship at his RCCG church, Adehun, Ado-Ekiti, when he charged health workers in the state to “maintain the tempo of success you are recording in the health sector, particularly on the issue of rampaging Lassa fever, for the benefit of our people and success of the Ayo Fayoseled government in our dear

state.”

According to a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, Oluwawole maintained that “the fact that states that are more buoyant than Ekiti economically, such as Rivers, Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Oyo and a couple of others in the East and the North have

Kwara prepared to contain disease —Commissioner

By Moses Alao

FOLLOWING the outbreak of Lassa fever in some states across the country, the Kwara State government has expressed it preparedness to contain and tackle the disease in the eventuality of it being discovered in the state, noting however that there was no record of the disease in the state.

Making the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulaiman Atolagbe Alege, noted that the state had embarked on an aggressive awareness campaign to educate the people about the disease and how its spread could be controlled.

Alege, who advised the people of the state to help in spreading relevant information about the disease, said the step had become imperative because cases of Lassa fever had been recorded in neighbouring states, “which naturally leaves the state vulnerable.”

The commissioner disclosed that the government had taken required steps to

collaborate with relevant agencies at the federal level such as the Centre for Disease Control to seek for support, saying “We already have the drugs used in treating the disease. We have procured the protective jackets and the equipment required to handle any situation. We have written to the Centre for Disease Control for other supports.

“For now, there are no traces of Lassa fever in the state and we fervently pray we don’t record any but as a responsive and responsible government, the health of

Kwarans is very important.

So, we are well prepared ahead of any development.

We are watchful and already have the response team in place in the epidemiological unit of the ministry.

We have also directed all health facilities in the state to promptly report any case of malaria or fever to the appropriate quarters and we have made necessary arrangements in General Hospitals in Ilorin, Kaiama, Omu-Aran and other places for proper monitoring and evaluation of the situation,” he said.

recorded cases of death and infection with Lassa fever and we don’t have and will never have any of such here, speaks volume.

“Here, we don’t joke with our monthly sanitation exercise; it is a standing law that every citizen must obey. If you have been following the media since this government came on board, you will agree with me that Ekiti takes sanitation matter with the seriousness it deserves. I believe the success of that is what we are enjoying today.

“While we are not making mockery of the states that have recorded fatalities over this national malady, we are only trying to point out that the nation needs to copy our model of enforcement of sanitation laws. We don’t joke with it.

Some people would argue that they were travelling from other states where the sanitation was not holding, during the monthly exercise. It is not an excuse.”

Sokoto has not recorded any incident —Commissioner SOKOTO State Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Shuni, has refuted reports of an outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.

“Sokoto has not registered any case of Lassa fever; we have not recorded any case of the dreaded rat-related disease,” Shuni told newsmen in Sokoto, on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reported that Shuni, who was reacting to the reports, declared the

speculations as “untrue”.

“The story is not true, but we are not resting on our oars; the state government will not be complacent.

“The Ministry of Health has trained 3,450 health personnel from the 23 local governments in readiness for any emergency measures on Lassa fever.

“They were trained on measures to take in case of any possible outbreak of the deadly disease.

“We have also established

special isolation units fully kitted with all requirements in all hospitals, should any need arise.

“The state government has also provided ambulances and other needed specialised outfits in case of any unforeseen circumstances,” Shuni stressed.

The commissioner said that residents were being sensitised to ensure proper personal and environmental hygiene to keep rats and other rodents at bay.

ers, Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of tertiary health facilities.

The Federal Government has directed that all CMDs and MDs as well as other related stakeholders must be in attendance.

The outbreak of Lassa fever has now affected about 15 states including Lagos and the FCT.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Al-Makura tasks traditional rulers on peace sustenance Ademola Adegbite - Lafia

N

A S A R A W A State governor, Umaru Tanko Al - Makura, on Sunday, warned traditional rulers and other stakeholders to ensure sustenance of peace within their territories, saying government will henceforth make traditional rulers face severe penalty for any violence in their respective communities.

In a statement issued and authorised by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ahmed Tukur, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Lafia, the state capital, the governor expressed worry over the renewed violence in Odeni Magaji village in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

The governor also stated that his government would not fold its arms and allow individuals or group of persons to cause disharmony which might lead to loss of lives and property without recourse to the law, promising to evacuate cattle from the areas which did not belong to them.

Al-Makura, who warned farmers to desist from taking laws into their hands, also added that government would continue to ensure inclusiveness in its approach in ensuring peace across communities in the state, which according to him, would involve all traditional rulers and stakeholders who would

be held responsible in the event of breakdown of law and order in their areas.

The governor said government had concluded plans to create cattle routes across the state to

prevent farmers/herdsmen clash, adding that anybody caught poisoning cows or killing them would be dealt with.

He assured that government would assist those

affected by the recent violence in Udeni-Gida, Odeni Magaji, Kpana and surrounding villages to return to their abode.

It will be recalled that scores of persons were

Kano State governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Speaker of the state Assembly, Honourable Kabiru Alasan Rurun, inspecting progress of work at the Kano Independent Power Project, Tiga, on Friday.

NYSC denies sitting on N23.5m for physically challenged ex-corps members Adetola Bademosi-Abuja National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied sitting on a sum of N23.5 million donated to about nine disabled ex-corps members under the Hope Alive Scheme.

The money was donated to the youth under the

NYSC's Hope Alive initiative, a public-private sector-partnership, through which corps members, who in the course of service year, sustained permanent disabilities, receive succour.

At the 2014 NYSC President's Honour Award, the Ibeto group and a former

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio promised N5 million each, while the Heritage Bank pledged N1.5 million each to the beneficiaries bringing all the donations to N23.5 million.

However, according to reports on a national daily, not the Nigerian Tribune,

Lasun assures Nigerians in Malaysia of better conditions Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff has assured Nigerians living in Malaysia of better treatment.

The deputy speaker, who stated this during a meeting with Nigerians living in Malaysia, admonished them to look for ways of building Nigeria as an enviable nation of our dreams Honourable Lasun seized the opportunity of his presence at the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Sabah, Malaysia, to meet with a delegation of Nigerians in the Diaspora, against the backdrop of inhuman and derogatory treatment Nigerians are made to go through in the country.

The deputy speaker was also deeply concerned about the number of Nigerians allegedly in Malaysian prisons, of which one

killed, while several houses were razed in the recent hostility between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu farmers in the local government area.

is on death row with other younger ones that were lured into the country by prostitution rings, under the guise of getting them jobs or to acquire academic diplomas.

Honourable Lasun also alluded to the state of our institutions as being the

main reasons why the drift to Malaysia became attractive to the vulnerable Nigerians, noting that Malaysia and Nigeria were both on a par in the early eighties. He added that they got it right with a national development plan that successive governments were commit-

ted to, but Nigeria veered off track, and saddled with leaders without articulate vision for the country.

The number two citizen of the green chamber, however, allayed fears and assured Nigerians that it is a renaissance that the Buhari years would take the nation to.

We'll soon begin renovation of schools, Ganduje assures Kola Oyelere-Kano Kano State government has accessed N1.7 billion Universal Basic Education (UBEC) counterpart fund to renovate primary schools across the state.

The state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje made this known on Sunday while briefing journalists He said the state government had since released its own commitment to the counterpart funding ar-

rangement, which was further strengthened by his recent visit to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, in Abuja.

“This development underscores our desire to revitalise education from the grassroots and we are going to use part of the money to put in place instructional materials that will help our children to acquire good quality education, ” Ganduje stated.

Dr Ganduje also disclosed that he met with the Gover-

nor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele to facilitate release of the N3 billion soft loan to small and medium businessmen in the state, revealing that the CBN boss had agreed to expedite action on the issue.

“We also rubbed minds on how the state government can be assisted to complete its two Independent Power Projects, as well as evacuation of the energy generated to end users,” he added.

the report had alleged that the ex-corps members are yet to receive the donations.

While reacting to the allegation on Sunday, in Abuja, the Director of Public Relations, Mrs Bose Aderibigbe told the Nigerian Tribune that the allegation was false.

According to her, out of the three organisations that promised monetary donations, only former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio had redeemed his pledge of N5 million while Heritage Bank and Ibeto Group are yet to do same.

She maintained that the money received from the governor had since been shared among the nine excorps members, adding that Nigerians could confirm from other groups who are yet to fulfill their promises.

The Director of Press Unit said the source of the report was questionable, as the allegation was deliberately aimed at tarnishing the image of the NYSC. She further said that the writer of the report failed to cross check information and seek NYSC side of the story to ensure a balanced report.

Aderibigbe recalled that the nine ex-corps members on the part of the Federal Government were promised automatic employment which it had been fulfilled.

Senator Adeola empowers 500 indigent UTME applicants As part of his educational empowerment programme for his constituents, Senator Solomon Adeola has purchased and distributed 500 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) forms to indigent students in 10 local government areas that comprise the largest senatorial district in Nigeria.

Addressing the prospective university graduates, during the registration programme, Senator Adeola said the free UTME forms distribution has been part of his educational empowerment initiative for his constituents, dating back to his day as a state legislator, adding that he would continue to encourage educational development of his constituents in all areas.

“The forms you are receiving free of charge is part of my contribution to educational advancement of our people. This was supposed to be part of a composite educational empowerment that comes up with other empowerment programmes during my proposed Town Hall meeting, but I had to bring this forward as the JAMB examination registration is time barred,” he stated.

FUD scores 80% in NUC assessment —VC Adamu Amadu-Dutse Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Dutse (FUD), Professor Jibirilla Dahiru Aminu, said the institution has scored over 80 per cent marks in the assessment made by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on facilities and academic effectiveness.

The vice chancellor, who made the disclosure at the weekend, during his speech at the university's maiden convocation ceremony, noted that the university took off with 205 students in 2012, adding that it is currently having 3,200 students studying various courses.

He explained that out of the 71 graduands in different disciplines, five of the figure graduated with first class honours, adding that “105 postgraduate graduands completed post-graduate diplomas in various fields."

He, however, expressed gratitude to Jigawa State government and the host community for their kind support and cooperation which he said, helped the speedy progress recorded by the university.

news Navy hands over N11m diesel-laden boat to EFCC 41

DapoFalade-PortHarcourt

T

he Nigerian Navy has said it handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),a vessel and wooden boat ladened with about 10,000 litres of suspected stolen diesel worth N11 million.

Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Commodore Sanusi Ibrahim, made this known in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

According to the statement, signed by the Base Information Officer of the NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, Leiutnant Commodore Hamman Ahmed, the vessel, MT Purity, was arrested while transporting the petroleum product without permit.

Commodore Ibrahim said two crew members of the vessel were also handed over to EFFC to commence further investigations and possible prosecution.

According to him, naval troops, during a routine patrol of creeks and waterways, early last December, accosted the vessel carrying the diesel believed to have been illegally refined.

“During investigation, we discovered that the vessel, manned by two crew members, had no competency to justify them serving onboard the vessel.

“Similarly, the vessel had no authorisation from both the Navy and other relevant government agencies to move petroleum products”, he said.

Ibrahim added that the Navy would continue to

Monday, 18 January, 2016

maintain its zero- tolerance on crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and piracy across the country’s maritime environment.

He urged the public to con-

tinue to assist the Navy and other security agencies with information that would lead to arrest of oil thieves and other economic saboteurs.

According to the statement,

Head of Counter-Terrorism and General Investigation of the EFFC in Rivers State, Mr David Iyang, took delivery of the vessel, wooden boat and suspects.

From right, Mr Gboyega Isiaka (GNI); Managing Director, GlaxoSmithKline, Mr Lekan Asuni; Mr Yemi Okanlowo; Mr Biyi Otegbeye; Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Rahman Bello; Venerable Shola Ladipo-Ajayi; Mr T. Akinola and others, after receiving Achievement Award of Distinguished Sons and Daughters of Yewaland, in Ilaro, Yewa, Ogun State.

LG election: Niger SSG appeals for love Adelowo Oladipo - Minna The Secretary to Niger State Government(SSG), Alhaji Shehu Umar Danyaya, has appealed to the people of the state to always extol the virtue of love, peace and tolerance among

one another, irrespective of political, religious or cultural affiliations.

Danyaya made the plea shortly after monitoring the local government election, last Saturday, in Minna.

According to him, democracy can only thrive in

an atmosphere of love and tranquility, hence, the need for all citizens to eschew violence and thuggery for the survival of the nation’s nascent democracy.

He assured the people of the state of the current administration’s continued

Ondo 2016: Southern senatorial district agitates for PDP slot HakeemGbadamosi-Akure Towards the next governorship election in Ondo State, members of the People Democratic Party (PDP), from Ondo South senatorial district, are set to press home their demand to produce the governorship candidate for the party in the forthcoming election.

This declaration was made in Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, during a stakeholders meeting, organised by the Southern senatorial district chairman of the party, Senator Omololu Meroyi.

Speaking during the meeting, the convener, Meroyi, said the meeting was called to put the house in order towards the next local government election noting that council poll is a harbinger for the governorship race.

He charged members of the party in the area to put all necessary machinery in place to ensure that the party wins 100 per cent of the chairmanship and

Iyang assured that the commission would carry out through investigation, adding that, if found guilty, the suspects would be arraigned in court for trial.

councillorship seats in the area.

He said winning all the slots in the forthcoming local government election in the districts, will be of advantage to press home their demand and agitation to produce the next governor of the state.

The stakeholders and party leaders, who were drawn from the six councils of the district, however, issued a six-point communique at the end of meeting.

The communique read: “Ahead of the local government and governorship elections scheduled for this year, it is imperative that the PDP, as a matter of urgency, put itself together, especially in the South Senatorial district which is the home of PDP in Ondo State.

“The decision by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct local government election in April , is a welcome development and an eloquent testimony of the commitment of Gov-

ernor of Ondo State ,Dr Olusegun Mimiko, to the democratisation of governance at the grassroots.

To this end, we shall as usual mobilise our people to ensure the success of our party at the polls.

Don’t use govt to settle scores, VC tells Kogi gov-elect YinkaOladoyinbo-Lokoja The Vice Chancellor of the Sokoto State University, Professor Nuhu Yaqub, has called on the Kogi State governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, not to use his administration to settle scores with perceived opponents.

Apart from this, the don also charged Bello to constitute a crack team of planners to prepare the road map for his administration.

Yaqub made the call as a guest speaker, during a public presentation of a book tagged “The events of my time”, authored by Pastor Joseph Suleiman, a senior lecturer, at the Federal College of Education, Okene.

He advised the governorelect to assume office with the sole purpose of governing the entire state and not a section of it.

Professor Yaqub in his lecture titled “ Beyond the euphoria of success: Mobilising Anebira for the emerging political realities in Kogi State”, stressed that the incoming administration should not be vindictive in its approach to governance.

Yaqub charged Bello not to only accept the report of such crack team, but make sure that there is no bobby trap contained in it.

He added that Bello should pursue the agenda and programme very vigorously if he is sure that such report would change the conditions of the people.

determination to protect lives and property, which is fundamental obligation of government, hence, the need for people to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the programmes and policies of government.

Meanwhile,the Minister of State, (Mineral Resource), Abu Bawa Buwari, has attributed the postponement of the last Saturday Local Government election in Suleja Local Government of the state, as an attempt to prevent the break down of law and order by politicians in the council area.

He said this in an interactive session with newsmen last Saturday, while casting his vote at the Estu Buwari Palace polling station in Buwari, Tafa Local Government area of the state.

According to the minister, the election in Suleja Local Government Area, was postponed in order to forestall break down of law and order, saying that the only guarantee to progress and development is peace, just as he called for peaceful co-existence among the people of the state The Nigerian Tribune, findings at the weekend, however, revealed that elections were conducted in over 260 wards of 24 local government areas of the state last Saturday, while it was, however, postponed only in Suleja Local Government Area.

Abducted RCCG pastor regains freedom Yinka OladoyinboLokoja The abducted pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Obajana junction, in Lokoja, Kogi State, Pastor Ayo Rapheal, has regained his freedom.

The cleric was said to have been released unhurt last Friday evening, after spending six days in the kidnapper’s den.

A source, who is a member of the church, said on Sunday that Raphael was left off the hook without paying any ransom.

The cleric was said to have joined the congregation at the Sunday service to the excitement of the parish members.

It will be recalled that hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers, had penultimate Sunday morning, invaded the church and took the presiding pastor away while preaching on pulpit.

They were said to have forcibly taken away Raphael bare footed while the congregration was ordered to lay face down in the church.

The abductors later opened line of communication with the elders of the church and demanded for N50 million before he could be released.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Williams Aya, could, however, not be reached for reaction as the calls put on his mobile phone were not through.

Group wants NDDC boss to reform commission Collins Nnabuife - Abuja The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, has urged the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Mrs Ibim Semenitari, to hit the ground running in reforming the commission to deliver on the mandate for which it was established.

It also appealed to her to keep her inaugural promise of better days ahead for the agency and the people of the Niger Delta, describing it as a promise from someone with a grasp of what needed to be done at NDDC. Reacting to the recent changes made by the Presidency, at the commission that saw the exit of Dr Henry Ogiri, as the Executive Director, Finance, and Tuoyo Omatsuli, as the Executive Director, Projects in NDDC, the centre said Semenitari, now has the free hand to bring about the much needed change in the commission.

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Monday, 18 January, 2016

Ilaje nation decries marginalisation

I

laje Parapo Forum (IPF), the umbrella body for all Ilaje communities in Ondo State, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come to their aid by urgently addressing the age-long injustice and marginalisation they have been facing as a people, despite being the only oil-producing local government area in the state and the South-West geo-political zone of the country.

The call was made recently in Lagos at a press conference organised by the forum and addressed by its president, Mr Foluso Ajimuda.

Speaking at the event, Ajimuda regretted that the people of Ilaje had been maginalised among oilproducing communities in the country, especially as it relates to the sharing of resources and distribution of social amenities.

According to him, “despite the fact that Ilaje nation produces 8.3 per cent of the total output of Nigeria’s oil, the level of development in all the communities that make up the nation, is nothing to cheer about as there are no good road networks, no drinkable water and no noticeable government presence that is commensurate with the input of the local government to the country’s GDP.”

“We are being oppressed. We are not recognised by the Federal Government, especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), that was set up by government after the

dissolution of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC). The NDDC does not reckon with Ilaje people. Yet, we have not resorted to armed insurgency to press home our

demands. We have not resorted to kidnapping.

We have not resorted to blackmailing the country. But we can no longer keep quiet. We have to speak out.We are making

our demand in a peaceful and legitimate manner with the hope that the Nigerian government, President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire world will listen to us.”

A falling ceiling in one of the classrooms at Muslim Primary School, Oke-Ife, in Ijebu-Ife, Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State. Photo:OLAYINKA OLUKOYA

Cultism: Owo youths protest illegal arrest, extortion Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

Youths from Owo community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State have staged a peace-

ful protest to condemn what they described as indiscriminate arrest, extortion of money and harassment of residents

especially youths of the town by men of the State Police Special Anti-Cultism Squad.

The aggrieved youths in

their hundreds, who converged on the major street of Owo as early as 8 a.m. on Thursday, marched to the palace of the mon-

C’River senator empowers widows, youths Anthony Ubong-Calabar

The senator representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Gershom Bassey, has put smile on the faces of thousands of widows, youths and the underprivileged as he donated bags of rice, cows, medicated eye glasses and millions of naira to empower them economically.

The widows and youths drawn from the seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district, at the weekend, converged on his campaign office at the State Housing Estate, Calabar to receive the gifts.

Speaking at the event, Senator Bassey said he was making the donations because he was conscious of the difficulties most of them were passing through after the demise of their husbands and the rain surviving without jobs.

Ajimuda, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the full implementation of the law that established NDDC so as to ensure that Ilaje is given its due.

He said he was making plans for a holistic medical programme and educational scheme that would provide grants for the education of children of widows in the senatorial district in 2016 .

“I know the pain many of you are going through and I feel I should make my contribution towards your well-being and the

education of your children and to this end, I have initiated a holistic health programme for you and educational grants for youths, including your children,” he said.

He also said that he had initiated an empowerment package for the people of the senatorial district and that the women would be the major

beneficiaries of the package which would equip them with skills and provide funds to undertake their own businesses.

“I know there is high rate of unemployment among youths and I am making plans to ensure many of them are gainfully employed while the rest acquire skills that would help them to do their busi-

nesses and women would be the major beneficiaries of this scheme,” Senator Bassey added.

Senator Bassey further assured the people of quality representation at the Senate and called on the people to continue to support the governor of the state, Senator Ben Ayade and the Mohammadu Buhari-led Federal

Monarch lauds FG for siting naval base in Oghara Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

The traditional ruler of Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty Noble Eshemitan Orife III, has lauded the Federal Government for siting the headquarters of the Nigeria Naval Logistics Command in his domain.

The royal father said the gesture has pushed crime, which was prevalent before the coming of the headquarters in the area, to the

background.

The traditional ruler, represented by his Uzi (second-in-command), Chief Samson Takpor, made the remarks at the 2015 celebration of the Naval Ceremonial SunSet, at the headquarters of the Nigeria Naval Logistics Command in Oghara.

The traditional ruler said: “We the people of Oghara will remain ever grateful to the Federal Government for siting

this command here on our land. It is a gesture that has done us a lot of good, particularly as it has helped to check the high rate of crime.”

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the command, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik, who presided over the ceremony, said there was a slight shift in the date of the celebration owing to circumstances beyond their control.

“This command had to

shift the 2015 celebration from December 2015 to January, 2016, owing to unforeseen circumstances and particularly following the demise and subsequent funeral rites of one of our trusted officers, Seaman Prince Oyibicha, which sad event occurred late last year,” he lamented.

The Naval Ceremonial SunSet is an annual celebration of a time of rest, nationwide, for all naval men, ratings and officers.

arch of the town, Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, chanting anti-police songs.

They were armed with placards bearing various inscriptions.

While alleging that men of the Special Anticultism Squad had been using the platform to intimidate, harass and extort money from innocent youths of the town who are being wrongly accused of belonging to secret cults, the protesters demanded investigation of the activities of members of the special squad by police authorities.

The protesting youths further alleged that the arrested youths were detained but released after parting with large sums of money.

Addressing the protesting youths in his palace, the Ojomo of Ijebu Owo, Oba Kofoworola Oladoyinbo, appealed to them not to allow the protest lead to a breakdown of law and order with a pledge to intervene in the matter.

All efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Femi Joseph, proved abortive.

43

communitynews

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Ajimobi approves appointment of Aare of Ago-Are

By Dare Adekanmbi

O

yo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has approved

the appointment of Prince Bodunrin Oyetunji as the new Aare of Ago-Are in Atisbo Local Government Area of the state.

A release made available

to Community News by the Information Officer of the local government, D.O Aderogba, on Sunday, said the council’s Head of Local Government Adminis-

tration, Alhaji K.O Aleem, delivered the letter of approval to the Oba-elect.

Ago-Are, an agrarian community in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, had been without

a traditional ruler since the death of Oba Jubril Oyesiyi Oladoke in 2015.

The Oba-elect emerged victorious from among 15 candidates that indicated

Amere rejoices with Iwo monarch on appointment

The member representing Iwo/Ayedire/Olaoluwa federal constituency of Osun State in the House of Representative, Honourable Akintayo Amere, has felicitated with the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdul- Rasheed Adewale Akanbi Ilufemiloye Telu 1, on his official presentation of staff and instrument of office from Governor Rauf Aregbesola, at the weekend.

According to Amere, Oba Akanbi is a monarch, who has the love of his people as well as the development of Iwo land at heart.

“Within a few months that the monarch ascended the throne of his forefathers, Iwo and its environs have started wearing a new look in terms of development projects such as investments by foreign and local investors. He has been using his personal money to provide social amenities in the community, encouraging sons and daughters of Iwo living outside to come and contribute their quota to the development of the town, assisting unemployed graduates to secure employment among others,” Amere stated.

Amere also used the medium to express his gratitude to all the people that came to grace the occasion with them starting from Governor Aregbesola, the deputy governor, Mrs Titi Laoye Tomori, among others.

Delta royal fathers to get 3% royalties Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

Outgoing chairman, Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), Lagos chapter, Mr Monday Edetalen (middle), presenting life patron award of the association to the Chairman/CEO, Balamark Engineering Limited, Alhaji Bola Azeez (left), while the National Financial Secretary, LECAN, Alhaji Ayoola Yusuf, watches, during the recent celebration of outgoing executive members of LECAN, at the National Educational Research and Development Council Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos.

Lassa fever: C’River takes campaign to 1,500 rural communities Anthony Ubong-Calabar

The Cross River State government has said that it had concluded plans to take the campaign against the spread of Lassa fever to 1,500 communities in the state.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Primary Health, Dr Betta Edu, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Calabar, on

Thursday, said the sensitisation campaign is aimed at educating members of the public as part of measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the state.

Edu, who said all the 18 local government areas of the state would be reached, added that the public would be sensitised on the symptoms and mode of transmission of the viral disease.

She said the state gov-

ernment had already distributed anti-viral drugs to all the 1,013 community health centres across the state.

She urged members of the public to promote good community and personal hygiene by making their environment clean, covering their food and other consumables as well as washing their hands regularly with soap and water.

“We have commenced

Speaker advocates change of perception about the physically-challenged Biola Azeez-Ilorin

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Honourable Ali Ahmad, has emphasised the need for government and the public to change their perception about the physically challenged.

Ahmad said caring for the physically challenged would give them a sense of belonging and make them feel safe in their im-

interest in the stool from the Edu Ruling House whose turn it was to produce the new king.

Oyetunji, 57, was until his appointment, a director in the federal civil service and he is also a doctorate degree holder.

The release from the council congratulated the Oba-elect and prayed that his reign would bring growth and development to the ancient community.

mediate environment.

The Speaker, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Matthew Okedare, made these remarks during a courtesy visit of the Emirate Physically Challenged Association to the assembly.

He counselled that the federal, state and local governments should devise ways through which the disabled would be giv-

en adequate care .

He cbserved that such gesture would encourage and enable them to contribute their quota to the growth and development of their immediate environment and Nigeria as a whole.

Ahmad equally admonished the physically challenged not to feel inferior to their able bodied counterparts by resorting to for alms begging.

Rather, he stated that they should be determined to live a better life and impact positively on the society.

Earlier, the chairman of the association, Alhaji Ahmed Agbaji, had expressed appreciation to the lawmakers for their support and called for assistance from government and the public to enhance their well-being.

community to community campaign as part of the preventive measures by the state government and the governor is at the driver’s seat in ensuring that Cross River State is Lassa Fever-free.

“We are grateful to God that so far, we have not had any case of Lassa fever in Cross River State .We are aware of the outbreak in some states in the country, but Cross River state is taking proactive steps to ensure that there is no outbreak of the disease in the state.

“One of the steps we have taken as a state is the massive campaign we have rolled out and this will cover at least 1,500 communities across the 18 local government areas of the state.

“It will interest you to know that the governor has approved the distribution of Lassa fever drugs to all the 1,013 community health centres in the state, so we are prepared and we are on top of the situation,” she said.

The Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor, has set out modalities for the disbursement of the three per cent due to traditional rulers in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30 as spelt out in the GMoU between the oil bearing communities and the National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

He made this known this at a meeting he held with traditional rulers in OML 30 Communities in Delta State.

The meeting, which was attended by the concerned 29 traditional rulers drawn from Ijaw, Urhobo, Isoko, Okpe and Itsekiri Kingdoms, was held at the Governor’s office, Warri.

The Attorney-General, who was represented by the Director, Department of Peoples’ Rights, Mr. Omamuzo Erebe, while welcoming the traditional rulers, said the negotiation which culminated in the GMoU which was midwifed by the Delta State government through the state Ministry of Justice, provided for three per cent of project funds to be paid to the royal fathers in OML 30.

Earlier, the traditional rulers, who expressed dissatisfaction with the three per cent set aside for them, which they described as meagre, called for an upward review of the amount.

They also appealed to the management of the company to liaise with them directly in future negotiations rather than sidelining them.

44

Monday, 18 January, 2016

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

Burkina Faso attack: 28 killed, scores freed after

Al-Qaeda hotel siege

•Govt declares 3 days of national mourning

French first responders tend to wounded people during the attack in Ougadougou. PHOTO: AFP.

S

ecurity forces were hunting Sunday for any possible surviving gunmen from an attack on a top hotel in Burkina Faso that left at least 28 people dead and showed the expanding reach of regional jihadists in west Africa.

Naming of Libyan unity government delayed by 48 hours The body tasked with naming a unity government for Libya under a United Nations-backed plan to resolve the country’s political crisis has delayed the planned announcement of the government’s members by 48 hours.

According to Reuters, the Presidential Council said in a statement released late on Saturday that it had made “great progress” since beginning discussions on Jan. 1 but needed two more days to complete its work.

Libya has been racked by political divisions and violence as numerous factions and militias have competed for power following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since the summer of 2014 the country has had two rival governments, one based in the capital Tripoli and the other in the east.

A United Nations-mediated deal struck in Morocco on Dec. 17 aims to heal the divisions and help Libya tackle a growing security threat from Islamic State militants. It gave the Tunisbased Presidential Council one month to name a Government of National Accord.

The drama saw Burkinabe troops, backed by French special forces, battle militants who stormed the fourstar Splendid Hotel, which is popular with foreigners and United Nations staff.

At least 13 foreigners are among the dead, according to a government toll. Burkina Faso has declared three days of national mourning following the onslaught.

Attackers raid of a luxury hotel in Burkina Faso which bagan on Friday lasted till Saturday night, shooting some and taking others hostage in a siege that lasted hours and ended with 29 people dead.

An al Qaeda-linked ter-

rorist group claimed responsibility for the assault at Splendid Hotel a popular meeting place for Western diplomats in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The attack began on Friday night and dragged on under the cover of darkness.

Security forces circled the perimeter to assess the situation before they stormed in hours later, CNN said.

“Everyone was panicked and was lying down on the floor. There was blood everywhere, they were shooting at people at point blank,” said Yannick Sawadogo, who survived the siege.

Security forces entered the hotel early Saturday and

Daniel Dion, the older brother of pop singer Celine Dion, died on Saturday, just two days after the death of the entertainer’s husband, Rene Angelil, The Associated Press said.

Celine Dion’s representative Kim Jakwerth released a statement that Daniel Dion, 59, died Saturday sur-

rounded by his family after battling cancer for several years. The statement said he died at a palliative care center in Terrebonne, Quebec, outside Montreal.

The family is “remembering a gentle and reserved man of many talents,” the statement said.

The announcement fol-

freed 126 hostages, half of whom were hospitalised, according to Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Alpha Barry.

President Roch Marc Christian Kabore told the nation 28 people were killed and 54 others wounded.

The injured included two Burkinabe police officers, one soldier and one service member from France.

It was unclear whether the death toll included the three attackers that Kabore said were killed.

‘We could them talking’

hear

Survivors described horrific scenes as the attackers paced and fired in the hotel Friday night.

“We could hear them talking and they were walking around and kept shooting at people who seemed alive,” Sawadogo told CNN affiliate BFMTV. Sawadogo said he escaped through a broken window, and could barely see because of smoke.

The West African nation’s forces received logistical support from American and French troops. Shortly after the forces stormed the hotel, the sounds of gunshots faded.

Hotel popular with diplomats The assault appeared wellplanned, with some of the attackers coming to the hotel during the day and mingling with guests, authorities said. When darkness fell, more attackers joined them.

Before the hotel assault, they attacked the Cappuccino café across the street, which had about 100 people, according to the state broadcaster.

They then took off to the Splendid Hotel, where they seized hostages.

Witnesses said the attackers wore turbans and spoke a language not native to Burkina Faso, a former

Celine Dion (left), her brother, Daniel (right), aged 59, who died just days after after the top entertainer lost her husband, René Angélil (inset) to battle with cancer. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES/REX SHUTTERSTOCK.

Victims included 9-year-old

Two French nationals were among the dead, BFMTV reported. Canada said six of its citizens were killed.

Four of the dead came from the same Ukrainian family and included a 9-year-old girl. Two of the deceased were from Switzerland, that nation’s Foreign Ministry said.

The United States said one American died.

“We extend our condolences to the family of Michael James Riddering. “

otherNEWS

13-year-old Palestinian could face maximum sentence for attempted murder The trial of Ahmed Manasra, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, charged by an Israeli court with two counts of attempted murder, is expected to resume today in a Jerusalem court. Manasra could

Celine Dion’s brother dies days after losing husband lows the death on Thursday of the 73-year-old Angelil in suburban Las Vegas after a long ballet with throat cancer.

Angelil was Celine Dion’s manager for decades, molding her from a Frenchspeaking Canadian ingénue into one of the world’s most successful singers, best known for the smash hit “My Heart Will Go On,” the theme from “Titanic.”

Daniel Dion, the father of two daughters, was the eighth of 14 Dion children.

The Dion siblings, including Celine, performed at their parents’ small piano bar called Le Vieux Baril (“The Old Barrel”) in the town of Charlemagne, Quebec.

Viewing will take place next Saturday, a day after Angelil’s funeral is set to take place at Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica, the same church where he married the singer in 1994.

French colony.

Ahmed Manasra, aged 13, on hospital bed, struggles to understand the gravity of what is happening. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES.

face the maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, his lawyers said.

“The allegation against him (Manasra) is not that he stabbed anybody, but that he had the intention to kill,” said Lea Tsemel, Mansara’s lawyer. “We will have to prove he did not have that intention, but rather to cause pain and frighten,” Tsemel told Al Jazeera.

Israel’s Jerusalem District Court indicted Manasra on charges of attempted murder on October 30, following an attack on two Israelis on October 12 at the illegal Pisgat Ze’ev settlement.

Email may derail case against Bill Cosby A former district attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, claims he agreed more than a decade ago that his office wouldn’t use a civil deposition given by Bill Cosby in any criminal matters, an email obtained by CNN shows a revelation that could call into question the viability of the criminal case against the comedian.

Bill Cosby

The 2015 email sent by former District Attorney Bruce Castor to successor Risa Vetri Ferman details an apparent verbal agreement the prosecutor had a decade earlier with Cosby’s attorneys for Cosby to testify in a civil sexual assault case brought against him in 2005.

In the email, Castor writes that his intent in making the deal was to create an atmosphere in which Cosby accuser Andrea Constand would have the best chance of prevailing in her civil suit against the 78-year-old comedian by removing the prospect of Cosby invoking his 5th Amendment right.

45

foreig naffairs

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Iranians jubilate as President Rouhani hails lifting of sanctions •US imposes new sanctions over missile test

I

RANIANS have greeted with jubilation the end to a decade of financial stringency under sanctions after western officials formally lifted a complex network of punitive measure as the landmark nuclear deal was implemented.

The Guardian said President Hassan Rouhani hailed a “golden page” in the country’s history and a “turning point” in its economy as he delivered his budget before the Iranian parliament on Sunday, promising internal development and more stability in the region.

“We should use this opportunity for the country’s growth and development and people’s welfare, as well as the security and stability of the region,” Rouhani told

Iranian parliamentarians.

“This would not possible unless we all unite with each other.”

“Everybody is happy about the nuclear deal, except for Zionists, those who are seeking division in the Muslim world, and a small extremist group in US”, he added, referring to the Israeli government and Republicans in the US Congress who have opposed to the nuclear accord signed last July.

Sanctions were lifted on Saturday after confirmation from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Tehran had complied with the nuclear deal.

It came after an extraordinary day during which four

otherNEWS

Extremist Jews vandalise Christian holy site in Jerusalem A landmark Christian holy site in Jerusalem was vandalised with Hebrew graffiti in what appears to be the latest attack by extremist Jews.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said anti-Christian slogans were found on Sunday on the outer walls of the Dormition Abbey, a Benedictine monastery located just outside Jerusalem’s Old City and where Christian tradition says the Virgin Mary died.

The graffiti included threats of violence, messages degrading Jesus, and a call for Christians to “go to hell,” The Associated Press reported.

Police were investigating but suspicion immediately fell on Jewish extremists who have for years vandalised Palestinian property, as well as mosques, churches, the offices of dovish Israeli groups - and even Israeli military bases.

INDONESIAN police said they have arrested 12 people suspected of links to the Jakarta bombings, as the death toll rose to eight after a third civilian succumbed to wounds, the Guardian reported.

An Indonesian man who was shot in the head when two attackers fired into the crowd died at a hospital late on Saturday, Jakarta police spokesman Col Muhammad Iqbal said on Sunday.

The assaults by suicide bombers and gunmen on Thursday targeted a Starbucks and traffic police post

in bustling central Jakarta, leaving eight dead, including three civilians, and more than 20 wounded.

It was the first major assault by militants in Indonesia since 2009. Police said the attackers were tied to the Islamic State group through Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian fighting with Isis in Syria.

The national police chief, Gen Badrodin Haiti, told reporters the 12 arrests were made in west and east Java and in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo Island.

Indonesia arrests 12 over Jakarta attacks as death toll rises to 8

Children paying tributes to victims of bomb explosion in front of a shopping mall in Jakarta. PHOTO: JEFTA IMAGES.

dual nationals, including the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, were released in a prisoner swap with the US. All nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the US, the EU and the UN were lifted, including an embargo on imports of Iranian oil, but other sanctions related to human rights and terrorism remained in place.

Iranians reacted by congratulating each other on social networks such as Facebook and Telegram and the Tehran stock exchange performed strongly. The end to sanctions dominated Sunday’s front pages in Tehran. “Sanctions are gone,” proclaimed the headline of the reformist Aftab-e-Yazd.

“The morning without sanctions,” said Etemaad, while the front-page of the staterun Iran newspaper read:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

“Sanctions dissolved.”

The declaration of the “implementation day” was welcomed internationally, including by the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and the UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond.

President Barack Obama

Meanwhile, the United States has imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals over a recent ballistic missile test.

The new sanctions prevent 11 entities and individuals linked to the missile pro-

gramme from using the US banking system.

The move came after international nuclear sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of a deal hailed by President Barack Obama on Sunday as “smart.”

Americans in Iran prisoner swap lands in Switzerland A plane carrying three of the four Americans freed by Iran as part of a prisoner swap has landed in Geneva, Switzerland. The wife of one of the Americans, Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, confirmed the arrival via Twitter.

A Swiss plane believed to be carrying the group landed, but government officials did not confirm who was aboard. The group will board another plane headed to a United States base in Germany, CNN said.

A plane carrying three of the four Americans freed

by Iran as part of a prisoner swap has taken off, the men’s families said in Sunday statements.

White House officials said earlier Sunday that recently detained student Matthew

Trevithick, who was released but not as part of the prisoner swap had left Iran.

There were no additional details.

The fifth prisoner, identified by U.S. officials as

Nosratollah KhosraviRoodsari, decided not to leave Iran, senior White House officials said.

“It’s his free determination” whether he wants to stay in Iran, one official

said. “We don’t make that judgment.”

A statement from a senior administration official did not name specific prisoners and provided only sparse details.

Middle East stock crash wipes £27bn off markets as Iran enters oil war STOCK markets across the Middle East saw more than £27bn wiped off their value as the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran threatened to unleash a fresh wave of oil onto global markets that are already drowning in excess supply, BBC reported.

All seven stock markets in the Gulf states tumbled as panic gripped traders. London shares are now braced

for a second wave of crisis to hit when they open on Monday morning after contagion from China sent the FTSE 100 to its worst start in history last week.

Dubai’s DFM General Index closed down 4.65pc to 2,684.9, while Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index, the largest Arab market, collapsed by 7pc intraday, before recovering to end down 5.44pc at

5,520.41, its lowest level in almost five years.

The Qatar stock exchange, fell 7.2pc to close at 8,527.75, and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange shed 4.24pc to finish at 3,787.4. The Kuwait market returned to levels not seen since May 2004 as it slid 3.2pc lower, while smaller markets in Oman and Bahrain dropped 3.2pc and 0.4pc respectively.

Pope condemns violence in name of religion, visits Rome synagogue POPE Francis made his first visit as pontiff to a synagogue on Sunday, where, in a reference to Islamist attacks, he condemned violence in the name of religion.

Reuters said amid chanting of psalms in Hebrew and speeches underscoring the remarkable advances in Catholic-Jewish relations in the past 50 years, Francis became the third pontiff to visit Rome’s main synagogue, after popes John Paul and Benedict.

The temple is just across the Tiber River from the Vatican, and is rich with symbolism of the past persecution of Jews, who

for nearly 300 years until the mid-19th century were forced to live in the adjoining quarter still known as The Ghetto and make compulsory payments to the popes.

Security was exceptionally tight in the area, with

Pope Francis

even journalists going through three separate checks in the space of less than 100 meters. Anti-terror police patrolled both sides of the riverbank, which was closed to the public.

“The violence of man

against man is in contradiction with any religion worthy of this name, in particular the three great monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam),” he said in what appeared to be a reference to attacks by Islamist militants.

“Conflicts, wars, violence and injustices open deep wounds in humanity that call on us to strengthen or commitment to peace and justice,” he said. “Neither violence nor death will ever have the last word before God.” The Jewish leaders who addressed him were more specific in their condemnation of Islamist violence.

46

Monday, 18 January, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

CHAN 2016:

Oliseh optimistic as Eagles battle Niger today

Van Gaal

Why I don’t go to touchline —Van Gaal

Nurudeen Alimi With Agency Report

C

An action recorded during the match between DR Congo and Ethiopia

OACH Sunday Oliseh has said that the Super Eagles are ready to do the Nigeria proud as they begin quest for glory at the African Nations Championship against Niger today.

According to Oliseh, the players are in top shape for the opening game against the Mena, assuring that the boys are ready to take the championship by storm.

“The camp mood is very good, right from the beginning the boys have been focused and cohesion among them is great,” Oliseh told Goal.

“We are building a team, our objective is not just about winning the championship, but for the team

to get better and also build a solid team.

“If you notice the team, the players are very young and we plan to integrate some of them to the main team for the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.”

Speaking further, the coach said the team is better than when they arrived in Pretoria for the pre-tournament camping and will continue to get better as the competition progresses.

He also added that the technical crew is not missing any player as they cannot bring all the league players to Rwanda.

“The players I love to have in my squad are here in Rwanda, we picked the players that qualified us for the Championship.

DR Congo thrashes Ethiopia 3-0 DR Congo got off to a flying start at Chan 2016 with a 3-0 comfortable win over Ethiopia on Sunday afternoon at a fully packed Huye Stadium.

Guy Lusadisu opened the scoring at the stroke of half time to give the Leopards a deserved lead hav-

ing dominated possession for the most part of the opening 45 minutes.

One minute into the second half, Heritier Luvumbu doubled the lead for Florent Ibenge’s side to punish the Walias who were completely outplayed in the one-sided

game.

Ethiopian coach Yohannes Sahle introduced Samson Tihalun to provide a spark for his side but the Congolese were too strong for the Walias who then sat back to defend.

Elia Meshack’s goal in the 55th minute sealed the Leopards win to

send them top of Group B ahead of Angola and Cameroon who play the next game at the same venue.

DR Congo take on Angola in their next fixture on January 21 at the same venue at 3pm before Cameroon face Ethiopia at 6pm on the same day.

MANCHESTER United boss, Louis van Gaal has defended his absence from the touchline.

Van Gaal has baffled fans with his insistence on staying seated throughout games. But he says a moment early in his career changed his approach.

“I did a high tackle in the air because I showed the assistant referee what the player on the pitch [Marcel Desailly] had done to Jari Litmanen,” recalled LVG. “It was a penalty in my opinion, but the referee did not whistle! I think the referee [Ion Craciunescu] still remembers my name and what I did.

“You cannot influence from the line. I don’t think the referees in England are influenced by the managers or the fans.

“I think it [not being in the technical area] is also to control your passion. I know that a lot of fans like a manager who is showing that, but the effect is more important than showing that.”

Australian Open 2016: Djokovic, Serena, others begin quest for honour

Djokovic

NOVAK Djokovic will look to extend his sensational run of form at this year’s Australian Open which begins today,while Serena Williams begins her quest to equal Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 Grand Slam titles All eyes are on the world No 1 Djokovic and his bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam after he fell just short during his brilliant 2015 season.

The 28-year-old is yet to drop a set this year and his performance in the Qatar Open final was described as “perfect” by his flummoxed opponent, Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic could even pick up the first ever men’s ‘Golden Slam’ if he manages to unite the four major titles and be crowned Olympic champion at Rio de Janeiro in August.

He opens his Grand Slam season against South Korea’s Chung Hyeon and

is already having to play down his chances of what could be an historic year.

“It’s only the beginning of the season.

It’s too early to talk about what I can or can’t do later in the season. I’m here to focus on Australian Open,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

Following a dominant 2015, Williams is gunning for a seventh Australian crown adamant that she is over the knee problems that hindered her during the latter half of the year and during her Melbourne Park build-up.

She has been preparing for a tricky first-round encounter with Italian Camila Giorgi, the highest ranked non-seeded player in the women’s draw.

Williams is in a tough half of the draw with Russia’s Maria Sharapova, seeded five, potentially awaiting her in the quarters.

Serena

47

tribunesport

Monday, 18 January, 2016 UNSTOPPABLE: Liverpool captain, Henderson could not stop Rooney.

W

Rooney’s strike sinks Liverpool at Anfield

a y n e Rooney’s late strike settled a scrappy encounter to give Manchester United and manager Louis van Gaal a vital victory at Liverpool.

In a game that was a pale shadow of previous meetings between these two Premier League superpowers, Liverpool had the better

chances and United keeper David de Gea kept his side in it with fine saves from Adam Lallana and Emre Can. Jurgen Klopp’s side wasted other opportunities and paid the price 12 minutes from time when Rooney fired United’s first shot on target high past Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet after Marouane Fellaini’s header came back off the bar.

Van Gaal’s position had been under scrutiny after only two wins in United’s previous 11 games - but victory at Anfield is the perfect tonic and United are now in fifth, just two points off the Champions League places.

Rooney’s status as United and England’s main man is often questioned - but once again he proved he remains, along with the outstanding

Chinese club dangles £10m offer before Yaya Toure

Yaya

YAYA TOURE is the new target for the cash-rich Chinese Super League.

Reports in China claim Jiangsu Suning are ready to pay the Man City midfielder an incredible £230,000-a-week after tax.

Jiangsu are also prepared to offer City £10m for Toure, 32, who is under contract at The Etihad until the end of next season.

The billionaire-backed club have already offered £15m for Inter Milan’s Colombia forward Fredy Guarin, 29.

And a similar deal is on for AC Milan’s Brazil striker Luiz Adriano, 28.

Doubts have been expressed again about Ivory Coast powerhouse Toure’s future at City as Pep Guardiola is expected to take over at the club in the summer, having sold him when he was in charge at Barcelona.

City have links with China after a recent £265m investment in the club from a media company.

De Gea, one of Van Gaal’s most crucial players.

The 30-year-old lifelong Evertonian relishes winning at Anfield, and his delight was plain to see after he hammered home his winner.

It was further proof he is undergoing a rejuvenation after criticism earlier this season, scoring twice in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle Unit-

ed and the winning goals in the third-round FA Cup victory against Sheffield United and the league match with Swansea City.

The question may be asked again soon - but there is still no evidence to suggest the Red Devils are a better side without Rooney than with him.

Liverpool have shown signs of promise in two big games at Anfield this week - but only earned a point against Arsenal with an injury-time equaliser and were beaten here.

Arsenal tops EPL despite goalless draw Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League but their Britannia Stadium hoodoo was extended with a goalless draw against Stoke City on Sunday.

A point was enough to take Arsene Wenger’s side clear of Leicester City on goal difference but it was another afternoon of frustration in the Potteries for the veteran French manager.

His side have now failed to win at Stoke’s home ground in six attempts -- a sequence that dates back to a 3-1 success in February 2010.

That victory became infamous for the sickening broken leg suffered by Gunners midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who was again singled out for some unsavoury abuse by Stoke fans during his 250th Arsenal appearance.

Bolt, Fraser-Pryce eye more success in 2016 Newly crowned RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of 2015, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, say winning the prestigious title means a lot to them, adding they will be looking to represent Jamaica well, and seek more global success this year.

The RJR Sports Foundation’s annual awards ceremony was held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel last Friday night.

Bolt won his sixth Sportsman of the Year award, after copping titles in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, while Fraser-Pryce, who also won in 2012 and 2013, lifted her third Sportswoman of the Year title.

Bolt

Last year, Bolt returned from an injury-plagued start to the season to dominate the men’s sprints at the IAAF World Championships. He won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium where he had previously set world records in the 100 and 200 metres.

“Six-time athlete of the year in Jamaica is always an honour,” Bolt told reporters.

He pointed out that he is looking forward to a stressfree year, but was mindful of the demands ahead.

“It’s just about trying to stay focused this year and staying on top of things and making sure everything runs smoothly ... pushing myself, but also being aware of everything that is going on around me,”

he added.

Meanwhile, Fraser-Pryce, the three-time Sportswoman of the Year, also received the Sagicor Iconic Award at the function.

The MVP Track Club star won gold medals in the 100m and 4x100m at last year’s World Championships in Beijing, China, as well as copping the Diamond League 100m title.

“I am feeling blessed and I am feeling honoured,” she said.

“For me winning an award is a signal that you did something right in 2015, and I am really honoured and blessed and grateful to be able to collect a third Sportswoman of the Year Award here,” Fraser-Pryce said.

Fraser-Pryce

SIDELINES

no 16,416

MONDAY, 18 january, 2016

L

et me state urgently that on the question or matter relating to the respective winners of African and world footballers’ awards in the 2015 football calendar, I am no illusionist – neither a small nor a big one. Perhaps you may be right to call me a cynic. Yes, you may be right and correct to call me a cynic – because the process that informs, inspires, engineers the selections of the eventual winners is erroneous and decidedly flawed. Clearly, different kinds of sympathies that are obviously and not obviously ridiculous severely come into play in the selection process.

Football is an art, and an accurate taste in football, as in the other arts, is an acquired faculty, which can only be brought forth by rigorous thought, and a prolonged communication/exchange with the best rules and models of constitution.

One can play football excellently well, even if one is not well-schooled or wellknowledgeable. Ultimately, however, the one and only one who can deliver an un-erroneous judgment on the subject of who are the best practitioners and models of the art in the field of play in any given year are those who time and well-earned knowledge have bestowed with the spirit of correct analyses and critical distinctions.

But I am not saying this with no sense of acknowledgment of/for the feelings and sentiments of the most inexperienced spectator, audience, analyser and reader of the sporting art.

And there’s the rub in the eventual decision to award the annual diadem(s) to the best player(s). Those who possess faculties of superior judgment do not necessarily win in the end. Their choice(s) may not in the end come to fruition. Their judgment, many a time, is apprehended by the politics and sentiments of number emanating from inferior analysers, readers and spectators of the art.

Some years ago FIFA bestowed the diadem of player of the century (twentieth century that is) on the one and only King Pele of the one and only Brazil, and on Argentina’s Maradona of the “Hand of God” notoriety. FIFA, in its well established code of un-wisdom, appointed the general public, so to say, the executors of the diadem. When the votes were pouring in, Maradona seemed to be overtaking Pele. FIFA suddenly realised its error of allowing football’s hoi polloi to be the judges of such a highly significant

n150

When the dreaded Ebola virus disease came into the country from Liberia, it was quickly curtailed. Now we have this homegrown disease called Lassa fever which has claimed more lives than Ebola did. Hope Lassa fever is not using the home advantage and therefore, proving more difficicult to contain?

in&out with Tony Afejuku

08055213059

Politics of best players of the year awards crown. It wisely requested its technical committee that consisted of people of remarkable discerning minds to be part of the selection process. Without qualms, the technical committee of superior judgment rightly dignified Pele with football’s regal power. The hoi polloi of sentimental characters and inferior taste were pleased to elect Maradona. That’s how Pele and Maradona came to be joint-players of the century. And you know what? Racist politics and sentiments especially from Asian and Arab countries dreadfully descended into the delineating passions of the hoi polloi.

The 2015 CAF and FIFA respective awards of players of the year induced me to enquire by what species of criteria the winners in the different categories were chosen. I won’t query the choices of some winners, for example CAF’s choice of Gabon’s Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang who rightly dethroned Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure who questionably had won the African player of the year award on four previous occasions. Answer me: in the years, especially the first year, he won the award, was Toure (who has just revealed himself as a poor loser) better than his national team’s captain, Didier Drogba?

Answer me still: how come our one and only Jay-Jay Okocha, easily the best and greatest of his generation never, ever won CAF’s player of the year award?

Let me keep CAF in abeyance and consider FIFA. In 2013 or so when Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal beat Messi of Barcelona and Argentina to the FIFA award, the main argument

My argument is simply that the politics of selecting the best players was at play once again in the 2015 CAF and FIFA awards.

tendered in favour of the winner was that the award was for an individual player whose personal achievement was such that eclipsed other players’, including his closest rival’s – it didn’t matter if the individual player didn’t win any trophy, minor or major, for his club or country.

In other words, the award wasn’t meant (to be) for the collective. If so, why has Ronaldo been by-passed in the recent award? Of course, he had a trophy-less 2015 – unlike Messi whose Barcelona team amassed five trophies. But Ronaldo scored far more goals (67 or so goals) in all competitions than any player in the world in the football year in question. Clearly, Messi won the 2015 crown (now for a record fifth time) because of the number of trophies his team won. If this was the main reason adduced for Messi’s success

(and for Ronaldo’s failure), we must ask: why was Neymar of Barcelona and of Brazil not placed second after Messi? Like Messi, he amassed five trophies in 2015 and he also exhibited scintillating skills that fetched him and Barcelona great goals, but the sentiments and passions of the selectors looked at the direction of Ronaldo in deciding the next to the selected number one player in the year in question.

My argument is simply that the politics of selecting the best players was at play once again in the 2015 CAF and FIFA awards.

And this politics was couched in different sentiments and passions agreeable to the pleasures of CAF and FIFA – as it has always been – devoid of established codes of transparent objectivity – that were always red-carded when it mattered most.

(But CAF was superior to FIFA this time).

By the way, why did FIFA not establish young players’ or promising players’ awards? The simple answer: No player in the mold of the dazzling ruthless finisher and destroyer of defenders and defences called Victor Osimhen of Nigeria was available in Europe or South America or Latin America to be considered for the award. Here I must thus commend CAF for the honour done Osimhen and Etebor Oghenekaro, the rocking gazelle who always rocksand-rolls to goal.

Against my wish, I must halt here.

But I must hum it loud and clear: these awards are devoid of eloquent and oratorical logic.

China ‘85 Eaglets to get N2m each

Buhari

THE Nigerian Golden Eaglets who won the maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup in China will be rewarded with N2million each, presidency sources have informed AfricanFootball. com In 1985, President Muhamadu Buhari was then a military head of state when Nigeria led by Nduka Ugbade made history by becoming the winners of the first U-17 World

championship in China.

The Golden Eaglets, beat Germany 2-0 in the final to become the first African team to win a FIFA tournament.

Buhari then promised the players scholarships, shares in major companies, among other things.

But several of these promises were never fulfilled.

Buhari, now a democratically elected president, has agreed to make up for these unfulfilled promises when he receives the history-making team again at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday,

January 21.

Other sporting heroes including the Eaglets Class of 2015 who won a fifth U-17 World Cup in November as well as the country’s Olympic team will be honoured on the day.

RESULTS English Premier League Liverpool 0 Stoke 0

Vs Vs

Man Utd 1 Arsenal 0

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Telephone: 08165728976; 08073598322. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribune.com.ng 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. 18/1/2016.