18th November 2015 by Nigerian Tribune

nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 16,373

wednesday, 18 november, 2015

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Atiku, govs, others in Ikenne today for HID's biography presentation

FG orders arrest of Dasuki, others

Ekweremadu escapes •Says he awarded phantom contracts to buy assassination Alpha Jets, helicopters, bombs —P15 —P15

Many feared dead as explosion hits Adamawa market —P15

From left, former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel; Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Ambassador Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran, Chief Supo Sonibare, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and others during the day of Orations/Tributes by Afenifere, YUF, YCE and Oodua Foundation, in Ikenne, on Tuesday.

S OTO E PH ES R O M AG ON P 47 4 2, ,

Yoruba leaders pay glowing tribute to HID Awolowo •Even in adversity, she was a pillar of support —Afenifere •HID, one of Nigeria's few heroines in the last century —YUF •She was light in our darkest hours —Oodua Foundation, US

—P5,6,8

Biafra: S/East govs meet, want agitation to be peaceful —P38

N25bn allegation:

Senate stands firm on TSA probe

•Talk is cheap, facts are sacred —FG —P9

CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015)

LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IKENNE

10 1. Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu during the orations/tributes for Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, at Efunyela Hall, Ikenne Remo. 2. The decoration of Efunyela Hall. 3. From left, former governor of Kwara State, Chief Cornelius Adebayo; former Minister of State, Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel. 4. From left, Mr Jimi Agbaje, Mrs Abimbola Akinola, Senator Femi Ojudu, Senator Gbenga Kaka and Honourable Niyi Owolabi. 5. From left, Justice Owolabi Sonoiki, Prince Adebuyiro Alonge and Senator Gbenga Kaka.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 PHOTOS: ALABA IGBAROOLA, YEMI FUNSO-OKE & Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TOYIN

6. From left, Mr Niyi Owolabi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and Mr Supo Sonibare. 7. From left, Director of Publicity, SDP, Ondo State, Mr Remi Olayiwola; Honourable (Mrs) Yetunde Adesanya; Afenifere Assistant Secretary-General, Adeleke Mabinuori and others. 8. Cross section of HID Awolowo Jerusalem pilgrim mates, 35 years ago, led by Chief Isaac Adetola Olabiran, with Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu 9. Ogun State NYSC corps members during a performance. 10. From left, Blossom Farogbe, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Blessed Farogbe, from Hillside School, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015)

LYING-IN-STATE OF HID AWOLOWO IN IKENNE

10 1. Cross Section of members of Afenifere on arrival at the Ikenne residence of the Awolowos. 2. From left,Mrs Abimbola Akintoye-Oguntunde ,Ambassador Tokunbo Dosumu, Rev (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and Senator Femi Ojudu .3. From left, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chief Dipo Jimilehin and Honourable Adegoke Moshood. 4. From left,Former Lagos State deputy governor, Chief(Mrs) Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Vice Chairman, Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), Right Reverend Emmanuel Gbonigi and Senator Anthony Adefuye. 5. From left, National Secretary General, Igbimo Agba Yoruba (YCE), Chief Idowu Sofola,

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 PHOTOS: ALABA IGBAROOLA, YEMI FUNSO-OKE & Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TOYIN

Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and Chief (Mrs) Bola Doherty. 6. From left, Admiral Akin Aduwo, Chief Emmanuel Adelana and Chief (Mrs) Bucknor-Akerele. 7. AIG Zone 2, Bala Hassan (left) and Ogun CP, Olayinka Balogun. 8. From left, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Right Reverend Bolanle Gbonigi, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran and Senator Femi Okurounmu. 9. From left, Professor (Mrs) Soyannwo Olaitan, Ambassador Awolowo Dosumu, Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Mr Soyannwo Oluwemimo. 10. Mr Iranola Ayodeji and Mr Ayo Subair.

HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015)

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Awolowo’s legacies not for sale —Bakare Clement Idoko - Abuja

RESIDING Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare, on Tuesday, said the legacies of Papa Obafemi Awolowo are not for sale for politicians. Bakare stated this during a short exhortation at a thanksgiving service, held at the Ikenne home of the Awolowos, in Ikenne, in honour of the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo. The cleric was making veiled reference to those

politicians and disciples who used Awolowo’s name to score political points, because of their selfish interest from the demise of Mama Awolowo. The service was attended by the wife of the vice president, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs Funso Amosun, Pastor of Trinity Church, Lagos, Ituah Ighodalo, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Diocesan Bishop of Remoland, The Right Reverend Olusina Fape, among other important dignitaries.

The cleric said he would have been a carpenter, if not for the free education policy of Awolowo, during his reign as the Premier of the defunct Western region. “If not for Awolowo’s free education, I won’t be here tonight. I am standing on the legacy of Awolowo. This legacy is not for sale. That legacy cannot be bought by men,” Bakare said. He urged the family to uphold the legacies of both Papa and Mama for posterity sake. continues pg6

HID’s biography for presentation today ALL plans are now in place for the public presentation of the biography of Chief HID Awolowo, scheduled as part of activities for her burial programme. One of the ambitions of the chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, while alive, was to publish a biography detailing her full history of life. Therefore, in her honour, the invited public are, here-

by, notified of the official presentation of the book, entitled: “In the Radiance of the Sage: The Life and Times of HID Awolowo,” today. The presentation will be held at the Awolowo’s residence, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, at 10.00 a.m. An excerpts from the book read: “Obafemi (Awolowo’s) methodical, comprehensive and thoughtful planning and mobilisation of resources blended with Hannah’s cal-

culated, determined, meticulous and patient shaping and projection of social capital in the struggle for influence and prestige. “She also (had) a matchless capacity for recollection and detail, an intrinsic facility for identifying and understanding the social order of things and a unique aptitude for tracking loyalty and treachery. “Therefore, within the continues pg6

HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015)

Awolowo’s legacies not for sale —Bakare continued from pg5

Pastor Bakare, who spoke on the theme: “The making of a God’s Jewel,” taking his text from Malachi 3vs16-18, described Mama as a heroine of an uncommon faith, a paragon of beauty and a woman of courage. He noted that Mama had gone through different challenges in life, but lived to the ripe age, because of her steadfastness and determination to overcome difficult times. He added that Mama merited being called a jewel of inestimable value, because she feared God and served her maker diligently till the very end. The cleric, who stated that Mrs Awolowo “fought a good fight and finished her cause,” urged the family to continue to sustain her legacies. Pastor Bakare said that Mama’s life ended well, saying everyone from the family, to the state and national level celebrate a life well spent.

“Those who constitute jewels of God are those who fear God. I am very confident that the moment everybody realises that God records all our deeds, especially behind the scene when we are tearing others down in confident whispers,then we will do away with evil,” he added. The first Bible reading of the service was read by Ambassador (Dr) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, while the second reading was read by Miss Funke Awolowo. There were songs of ministrations by different groups, which included Evangelist Funmi Aragbaiye, Trinity Church choir, Blossom and Blessed and the Chigozie and the Zion vioces, to the delight of the gathering, while prayers were offered for the Awolowo’s family. In her vote of thanks, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, appreciated all the ministers of God for upholding the family with prayers and promised that the Awolowo legacies would be sustained.

HID’s biography for presentation today continued from pg5

first five years of their matrimony, it was already evident that theirs was a perfect harmony that blended. For a few months short of 50 years, they were to enjoy a mutuality that melded so well as to become storied...” The chief presenter on the occasion is a former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, while the book reviewer is Professor Adigun Agbaje, former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan. The host governors are Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo; Dr Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti; Mr Rauf Aregbe-

sola, Osun; Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo; Mr Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Edo, while the chief host is the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015)

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Afenifere, YCE, YUF, NYSC pay glowing tributes to HID Awolowo

•Even in adversity, she was a pillar of support —Afenifere •One of Nigeria’s few heroines in the last century —YUF •She was light in our darkest hours —Oodua Foundation, US By Olayinka Olukoya, Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare and Dare Adekanmbi

EADERS of prominent Yoruba groups, on Tuesday, showered warm and superlative accolades on the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief HID Awolowo. The Yoruba groups, which were at the Efunyela Hall, Ikenne Remo, Ogun State home of the Awolowos to pay glowing tributes to Awo’s jewel of inestimable value, were the Afenifere, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) and the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF). Also in attendance to relive experiences with the departed matriarch were the Ogun State chapter of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), members of the 1980 batch sponsored on holy pilgrimage by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as well as individuals. Present at the tribute session were Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Idowu Sofola, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Senator Tony Adefuye, Jimi Agbaje, Senator Femi Ojudu, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Chief Supo Shonibare, Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo(retd). Others were Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Chief Dipo Jimilehin, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Chief Isaac Olabiran, Chief (Mrs) Bola Doherty, Princess Sade Sangodoyin, Honourable Salvador Moshood, Mr Emmanule Adelana, Alhaji Ademola Oduwole, among others. Leader of the Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who was first to pay tribute, described Mama Awolowo as an “irreplaceable, indefatigable, unforgettable mother, whose worthy deeds will be imperishable as long as the earth remains.” Fasoranti, whose speech was delivered by his deputy, Basorun Arogbofa, noted that there was no way the story of Chief Obafemi Awolowo would be completely told without reference being made to HID, Awo’s pillar of support. “Mama was a keen businesswoman and philanthropist, whose early ventures in trade grew into a business empire which generated fortunes which allowed her husband to devote himself to

politics as a nationalist and a great leader. “The fortress she thus provided enabled Papa Awolowo to return from abroad to concentrate on the task of his people for the ardous task of building the Action Group (AG), a critical intervention that changed the history of Yoruba people for good and for life. “But Mama Awolowo was not just a woman beside her husband in the days of prosperity. She showed the real woman in her as Papa’s first lady in adversity, as she never waivered in all his years of persecutions- the Coker Inquiry, treasonable felony trial and the period of imprisonment. “In fact, the death of Barrister Olusegun Awolowo in his days of travail was enough for any woman to pile pressures on her husband to quit politics, but Mama still went ahead to campaign for her husband in two unsuccessful bids for the national presidency in skewed electoral processes (1979 and 1983). “We cannot but thank God Almighty for blessing us with Awo and HID, who changed our lives, fired us to noble heights and directed us to the path of higher ideals. “With Mama’s exit, we have been physically robbed of these wonderful gifts of God, but we are consoled that the legacies left behind will be kept aglow by the nuclear godly children and us, the extended members of the family,” Afenifere said. In his own tribute, YCE President, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo, said the council, rather than mourn, would celebrate HID, who was the life matron of the body, adding that her fearlessness and love for the progress of the Yoruba nation would never be forgot-

ten. Speaking through Chief (Mrs) Bola Doherty, General Adebayo said: “When you see Papa Awo in heaven, tell him that Igbimo Agba Yoruba (YCE) still remains steadfast and fully committed to the great legacy of freeing the Nigerian nation from the shackles of oppression which he lived and died for. “She defied threats of harm and even death from some who claim to be custodians and defenders of the famous Awolowo legacy, who tried to prevent her from attending the Yoruba leaders’ summit. “Another demonstration of valour in this woman of indestructible spirit was the way she stoutly supported her husband during the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) presidential campaigns in 1978-1979. “Mama single-handedly looked after the children when Papa, in his struggle to build himself, travelled abroad, in harsh conditions, for the proverbial golden fleece. “When the tree of emancipation of the downtrodden, the Mekunnus and the Talakawas, through the adoption of the famous Awo legacy of education begins to bear fruits, your name will be etched in solid gold,” Adeyinka said. Speaking for the YUF, Senator Okurounmu said: “True heroines are like meteors. They traverse our celestial space once in a very long while, with their light brightly shinning upon all terrestrial existence. “It is most appropriate, if not an understatement, to describe Mama Awolowo as the quintessential heroine, one of only a very few that have emerged from within Nigeria in the last century. “By her life, she has dem-

onstrated the qualities of a truly virtuous wife and a dutiful mother. Papa Awolowo intended no hyperbole when he described her as his jewel of inestimable value. “Looking back into history, Mama Awolowo may be compared with Queen Isabella I of Carlisle, who with her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, unified the hitherto separate territories of Carlisle and Aragon and through their efforts, brought many improvements to what is now modern Spain. “Today, we speak glibly of the Yoruba nation, but many do not often realise that up till the early 20th century, what we now call the Yoruba nation was little more than an academic concept based solely on a common myth of origin of Yoruba. “The component parts of the supposed nation barely understood one another linguistically and were constantly waging war against one another, as they would, against total strangers and enemies. “It was the effort of Papa Awolowo and his colleagues, ably supported by Mama Awolowo, and using the instrumentality of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa, formed in London, in 1945, that forged these warring tribes and clans together into a nation. “The Nigerian Tribune, a newspaper founded by Papa and Mama Awolowo in 1949, is one of those means by which Yoruba unity and ideals were to be fostered. “The newspaper continues to play this role till date and is the longest functioning private newspaper in Nigeria, remaining profitable even almost three decades after Papa Awolowo’s transition, thanks to Mama Awolowo’s managerial and

business prowess.” Patron of the Oodua Foundation, United States, Professor Banji Akintoye, also saluted the bravery, courage, as well as the stoical qualities demonstrated by Mama Awolowo, during the travails of her husband in the hands of the power that were in the country from 1962. Akintoye, whose funeral oration was read by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, commended the departed matriarch for the hand of fellowship she extended to all, irrespective of creed and political affiliation. “Our nation saw your dignity and poise even more powerfully from 1962, after the Federal Government of Nigeria chose to foment a crisis in the Western Region and plunge our lives into instability and turmoil. “You were only 47 years old that year – though most of us are used to thinking that you were already a very old mother by then. To the shock and disbelief of all of us in the Western Region, our great leader and your husband was whisked from detention to criminal trials and then to prison. “Your son, Segun Awolowo, who belonged to the same age as many of us who are now members of the Oodua Foundation, died suddenly in the terrible storm. Most of us today in the Oodua Foundation, who were old enough to understand these devastations at the time, thought that our whole life was collapsing. “But through the darkest hours of it all, you stood like a rock behind your great husband, behind our father and leader, behind us suffering youths; behind the weeping and mourning millions of our people.

TASUED honours HID Awolowo with post-humous doctorate degree AS encomiums continue to pour in for the late matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, the Tai Solarin Universiy of Education, Ijagun, will confer a post-humous honourary doctorate degree in Business Education on her during the university’s 2015 convocation and the 10th anniversary ceremonies slated for Saturday, November 28. In a letter dated November 9 and signed by vice chancellor of TASUED, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade, the university said the decision to honour her was in recog-

nition of her passion for education, business acumen and service to humanity. The letter addressed to the Awolowo family, read in part: “We are delighted to inform you that the university governing council has approved the recommendations of the Senate to honour the matriarch, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, with the posthumous degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.Ed) (Honoris Causa) in Business Education of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun (the premier university of education in Nigeria) at the forthcoming 2015 convocation

and 10th anniversary ceremonies scheduled to hold at 10.00 a.m. on Saturday, November 28, at the university auditorium, Ijagun main campus. “This award is in recognition of her passion for education, business acumen and numerous contributions to the advancement of human race in Nigeria. The university takes special cognizance of her being a role model and legendary example of womanhood, leadership and family support. “The university joins wellmeaning Nigerians in celebrating the enviable worth

of Mama Awolowo and her outstanding legacy in the service of humanity. “We also congratulate you and your family on the noble achievement. May the Almighty God uphold the Awolowo family and keep them united.” It will be recalled that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo not only revolutionised education in the then Western Nigeria, with the introduction of the free education programme of his political party. He also praised the support of his wife, describing her as a “jewel of inestimable value.”

“In the pitch darkness of the time, the light which you held bravely up, reflected the great light from our great leader to all corners of our homeland,” he said. A former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, said he would miss everything about Mama Awolowo, because she was a special kind of person, with a special personality type. “She was my mother and we were very close. She confided in me and I, in her. So, I know the innermost part of her heart. It is something that we know will happen. And now that it has happened, we are already feeling the difference, but it is not easy. “But we are very proud and give thanks for how far she came. It is not easy to live up to almost 100 years, in spite of the stress she went through; that she could hold her own for long after Papa had gone, was a marvel. She held the fort admirably. We will miss her in every way for a long time. I have lost a mother,” Daniel said. Immediate past senator for Ogun East, Senator Kaka, highlighted the lessons that could be learnt from Mrs Awolowo’s life to the warm embrace she gave to everyone unconditionally. “It became a way of life for her to be at home with everybody around the husband. Most often, you will find men getting married to wives, who do not even know members of their husbands’ families, let alone political associates and social members.”

Olijagba eulogises HID Awolowo THE Olijagba of Ijagba community, in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Samson Adesanya, has described the late Yeye Odua and the head of Koyelu (Akarigbo) ruling house of Ofin, Chief HID Awolowo, as a jewel of inestimable value. The monarch said this during an interview with the newsmen at his residence in Sagamu, recently. Oba Adesanya said the late matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty had sustained the legacies of her husband, who contributed positively to the betterment of the people and society at large. He, however, prayed Almighty God to give the family fortitude to bear the loss.

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Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

N25bn fraud: Senate stands firm on probe of TSA

•Says we have letters from CBN, SystemsSpecs •PDP accuses FG of double standards •Talk is cheap, facts are sacred —FG From Taiwo Adisa, Jacob Segun Olatunji, Leon Usigbe, Bola Badmus and Ayodele Adesanmi

HE Senate, on Tuesday, said it would go ahead with the planned probe of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) being implemented by the Federal Government. The senators said no amount of intimidation would stop their resolve to probe the implementation of the TSA, especially the alleged payment of N25 billion to an online platform, Remita. Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who stated the resolve while reacting to a motion by the chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, said the Senate would remain focused on its investigation. Senator Dino Melaye had, in a motion, further to an earlier one he moved last week on the TSA, alleged that a newspaper article allegedly blackmailed the senators over the TSA probe. Melaye said the lawmakers were bent on unravelling the truth behind the implementation of the TSA, adding that he had letters from the relevant agencies and the company involved, which affirmed the Senate’s position. The senator, while raising the motion, expressed concern over a write-up in a national daily, which he said alleged that by raising the alarm over the implementation of the TSA, the senators were working against the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. He stated that the writeup was in bad taste, especially because the National Assembly had declared its intent to work with the president in fighting corruption. Melaye said: “The writer said we are against the change agenda of Mr President, because we raised the abnormality going on with the implementation of the TSA. “We did not, at any time in this Hallowed Chamber, implicate President Buhari of being involved in TSA fraud. “We will not stop carrying out our legislative duties for fear of being black-

mailed. “The motion moved last week, had two prayers. The first thing we did was to thank Mr President and commend him for the implementation of the TSA and for anyone to say the Senate is fighting Mr President is myopic, parochial and unacceptable. “I have a letter here that I am going to lay with this paper, written by the Director, Banking and Payment of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the Managing Director of SystemSpecs. “The CBN categorically stated that they should remit the one per cent that they collected. “I also have a letter here by the Managing Director of that company to the Accountant-General of the Federation and the governor of CBN that have completely buttressed and elicited our decision last week. “So for people to blackmail us as irresponsible, it is not acceptable to me and the Senate. “Never would we allow blackmail, political and economic bigots to destroy the people. We are for the people and we will stand in defence of public interest.’’ The write-up and letters cited by Melaye were referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which is expected to report in one week. The Senate had, on November 11, passed a motion seeking to probe an alleged payment of N25 billion in one day to the e-collection agent, Remita. The Senate had directed

its Committee on Finance, Banking and other Financial Institutions and Public Accounts to investigate the matter and report back in two weeks. Opposition Peoples Democratic PArty (PDP) also raised issues on the implementation of the TSA on Tuesday, saying that the flip flops by the Federal Government was an evidence of double standards. The party, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the Federal Government must come clean on the alleged fraud. The party said: “We also advised that in handling the affairs of governance, this administration should endeavour to be honest truthful and open in its dealing with Nigerians. “The PDP has watched with keen interest, some disturbing recent development, particularly the exchange of words between the National Assembly and the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Executive Council over controversies surrounding the handling of the remittances in the TSA, as well as the conflicting statements between the Presidency and INEC on the revelation of secret meetings between the two bodies on Kogi governorship election. “On the controversies trailing the operations of the TSA, the conflicting statements emanating from the federal executive, via the minister of information and the CBN, underscore the fear being raised by the Senate that there may have been underhand

deals in the process. “Whereas the Senate has ordered its Committee on Finance and Public Accounts to investigate the remitting and handling of N2.5 trillion into the TSA, the federal executive, through the Minister of Information, had earlier informed the nation that the sum of N1.4 trillion has been remitted, while the CBN put its figure at below a trillion and announced an estimated collectable amount of N1.2 trillion. “The PDP finds this discordant tune and Monday’s brazen attack by the Minister of Information on whistle blowers as completely unacceptable and contradictory of a government that rode to power on the garb of ‘Mr Clean’. “This is addition to the fact that the firm handling the TSA remittances has been given the leeway to rake millions of naira into unknown purses from fees charged MDAs for training of their personnel involved in the TSA. “The PDP challenges the present administration to show transparency and be bold and honest enough to come out clear on the remittances and operation of the TSA, instead of trying to use the veneer of politics to hide the rot already simmering under the APC administration. Talk is cheap, facts are sacred— FG The Federal Government said on Tuesday, that the funds accruable to the TSA account was intact. Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in

a statement on Tuesday, insisted that the funds that have accrued to the TSA remain intact and challenged anyone who has any fact and figure to the contrary to make such information public. The minister made the clarification in reaction to statement made by the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayode, accusing the Federal Government of not speaking on the matter and, therefore, not worthy of his position as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The minister, in the statement made available by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi, reiterated the fact that less than N2 trillion had accured to the TSA, hence the one per cent charges on the amount could not have been N25 billion. He said “apart from the resort to personal insults in the most undignifying statement ever credited to any state governor in Nigeria, nowhere in the statement did Governor Fayose controverted the facts that we stated concerning the TSA.” The minister went further to restate the history of the TSA, for the sake of Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, who had been following its debate. According to him, the TSA deal was initiated by the immediate past administration, but only enjoyed a new lease of life under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, because of his sterling leadership qualities of

accountability, transparency, uprightness and respect for the rule of law. He disclosed that any agreement on the TSA charges was reached long before the present administration assumed office, saying even if the agreement on the charges was one per cent, it could not have amounted to N25 billion, because the total amount of money that had accrued to the TSA was less than N2 trillion. “Even if one per cent was agreed as charges, whatever accrues therefrom was meant to be shared among the CBN, SystemsSpecs (the owner of the Remita software) and the commercial banks, hence, no single company could have collected N25 billion as charges. “As of the time the controversy over the TSA broke, the total amount of money in the TSA was less than N800 billion. “The TSA has neither been enveloped in any fraud nor has any money from the account been diverted,” the minister said. Speaking further, Alhaji Mohammed said the Senate’s investigation of the TSA issue was within its oversight responsibilities and was never a confirmation that the TSA funds had been diverted or that indeed one single company had made N25billion as charges. “These are the issues and we stand by them, irrespective of a rabble-rousing and demeaning statement from any quarter,” the minister said.

FG inaugurates 16-man committee on restructuring MDAs Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Federal Government has inaugurated a sixteenman committee to review the structure of the Ministries that were recently merged by President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to reduce the overhead cost to the government. Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, inaugurated the committee, which has the for Head of Service of the Federation, Engineer Ebele Okeke as chairman. President Buhari, had while constituting the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, 11th November, 2015,

announced a restructuring of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), reducing the number of Ministries from 31 to 25 and the number of Permanent Secretaries was streamlined from 42 to 36. The inaugurating of the committee is coming amid palpable fears that some Federal Directors might soon be retired from the service as well well as possible merger of some agencies and departments for administrative convenience. Oyo-Ita, however, said the mandate of the committee was to provide recommendations for seamless transition and operations of the affected

Ministries. She added that there was the need to establish effective structures for the Ministries, including proper absorption of their existing personnel as well as ensuring that they get running without much delay. Some of the terms of reference of the committee, which is expected to complete its assignment within two weeks from the date of inauguration include, to carry out a review of each Ministry’s functions and responsibilities and determine the appropriate functions to avoid overlap, duplication of functions and redundancy. The committee is also to assess the current organ-

isational structure of each Ministry and recommend an improved structure for efficient and effective service delivery. The committee is also mandated to examine the nominal rolls of the MDAs and make appropriate recommendations for effective deployment of staff as well as identify and align all the mandates of the 25 existing MDAs in line with government priorities and Change Agenda. The committee has three other former Heads of Civil Service of the Federation as members. This are: Professor A. O. Afolabi, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali and Alhaji Bukar Goni Ajir. Other members include

some retired Federal Permanent Secretaries-Chief A. Okafor, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed as well as some serving Permanent Secretaries and Directors. The Head of Service, emphasised that the primary concern of the Federal government was to reduce the cost of governance so as to free up resources for delivery of much needed services to the citizenry. According to her, the merger of some of the MDAs was to enable better coordination, improved service delivery and improved implementation of sectoral programmes and warned the members against being influenced by primordial sentiments.

10 news

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Character deficit destroys our change agenda —Buhari

As Sultan, Banjo receive UI honourary degree By Wale Akinselure

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has decried character deficit as bane of the change agenda of government and the future of the country. Buhari, represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, made this statement at the 67th Foundation Day Ceremony of the University of Ibadan, held on Tuesday. According to him, the nation was endowed with talents and leaders who were full of ideas, but the implementation of the change agenda was being destroyed due to dearth of discipline, doggedness, sound values among Nigerians. To arrest the trend, he intimated of the government’s change agenda encompassing national reorientation, starting from schools to the rest of the Nigerian populace. While restating commitment to responsive and responsible governance, he challenged educational institutions to live up to their duties as a home for birthing and propagating ideas,

concepts and inventions that would determine the country’s future. The future of the nation, he said, would be determined by creativity, technology and character, with character as utmost. “The future of our nation and world will be determined by creativity, technology and character. Creativity, because the limits of technology itself will be set by the profundity of human creativity; creative thinking— thinking outside the box will determine the position on the success scale for individuals and communities. Character, because it is the depth of human resilience, discipline and doggedness that determines that determines the quality and longevity of success. “Character is the most crucial of all of these necessities for the future of nation.Without sound values, nothing we do will endure, our country is full of talents, our leaders are full of ideas, but character deficit destroys most of what we want to achieve.” Noting the dynamism in technological advancement, Buhari called for a paradigm

shift, through uncommon creativity, innovation and courage, for African countries to address her challenges. He bemoaned that the country had failed to leverage on technology to deliver mass education evident in undersubscription to disciplines crucial to development, like Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering. On insurgency in the North-East, he charged intellectuals and educationists to come up with persuasive and enduring positions to challenge the morbid ideologies that guide terrorism. “The question for intellectuals and philosophers is how do we challenge the morbid ideologies that inform the terrorists movements all over the world, like ISIS, Al-Queda, Boko Haram and other extremist groups? What is the counter-narrative to perverse and devious ideas of those who falsely claim that somehow God is interested in the mindless and indiscriminate killing of the innocent in the market places and places of worship? This is because

these rabid ideas are finding disciples even among welleducated and positioned young people. It is our duty to present a counter world view that is both persuasive and enduring. “The times we are in calls for uncommon creativity, innovation and courage. There must be a rethinking of the some of the time long economic ideas and myths that held us bound to a few options. Do African economies not require a different paradigm? How can we trickle down paradigms work when half our populations are extremely poor? Do we not need attention to social investments, conditional cash transfers to the poorest segments, universal primary health care schemes, school feeding programmes, all that can energise local economies and create important multipliers in the economy? How do we address the huge challenges and implications of climate change when the technology available is not climate-friendly?” In his address, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who was installed as

the chancellor of the University of Ibadan, noted the imperatives of educational institutions to devote their expertise, experiences to the process of governance, with a view to moving the nation forward. Abubakar, who was conferred with the Honorary Degree of LL.D. Honoris Causa, decried insurgency in the North-East, charging educational institutions to also deploy its intellectual energies and resources to proffer well-researched and lasting solutions to arrest the menace and ensure national security. “It was the university system that deployed its intellectual energies and resources to find lasting solutions to this problem of insurgency in several countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Sudan, over 50 years ago. “Nothing shall prevent our institutions from doing so if they tackle the issue seriously, sincerely and assiduously,” he said. Calling for the involvement of educational institutions in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Abubakar called for realistic and beneficial

Nigeria must overcome deficit infrastructure —Afe Babalola EMINENT lawyer and educationist, Chief Afe Babalola, on Tuesday, identified six hurdles on the path of Nigeria, preventing the nation from achieving sustainable infrastructural development. At the yearly conference of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Akure, Chief Babalola fingered three main drawbacks as the negative influence of a corrupt and retrogressive political class; lack of proper funding and finance necessary to drive infrastructural development and overdependence on foreign technology, goods and services for local project. In a keynote address, founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), also listed the weakening of local infrastructural development and maintenance capabilities; erosion of a culture of technological innovation and research in our universities; and lopsided manpower deployment in engineering and technology institutions and ministries as the other hindrances to national infrastructural development. Chief Babalola, who has his first degree in Economics, said “infrastructural development is economically sustainable if it results in the growth of the economy, job creation and eradication

of poverty, as weak infrastructure affects economic growth. Difficulties accessing markets via crumbling roads or clogged-up ports and vast expenditure on generators required to avoid blackouts are regularly cited as the biggest challenges to investors in this country. “The focus of the governments must be to fund and support projects that could stimulate economic growth. Any so called infrastructure project that does not contribute to the goals of removing barriers to economic growth or support economic productivity is, in my opinion, a white elephant project and an unsustainable one.” Citing his experience while building the six-year-old ABUAD, the university administrator canvassed that national infrastructural development must be erected on economic, social and environmental sustainability. Chief Babalola, who spoke on how to make national aspirations realisable, praised the efforts in drawing the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, NIIM, and described the plan “as a necessary statement of intent that was line with global trends in infrastructural development.”

He said Nigeria was toeing the path taken by developing economies, namely Malaysia, India Singapore and China. He raised concerns on the implementation of the NIIMP with its $3 trillion budget. Specifically, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria picked holes in government’s commitment to the Public-Private-Partnership and noted that “very little is shown in terms of commitment to support and partner with the private sector. “The government expects the private sector to survive or perish at its own expense, without providing any support of functional climate for the private for the private sector to play meaningful roles in addressing infrastructural deficits,” he observed. While examining the plans, projections and execution of the National Infrastructural Master Plan unveiled last year by the Federal Government, Chief Babalola charged policy makers and engineers especially to “produce an implementation and position paper on NIIMP” to ensure that the nation quickly jump starts the realisation of sustainable economic development.

President, NSE, Engr Ademola Olorunfemi, described the shortage of infrastructure as a major challenge to economic development and an impediment to achieving national targets. “It is regrettable that we have in the last two decades lost a chunk of investments to neighbouring countries and the threat of losing more looms, on the account of decaying infrastructure,” he added. He said this year’s conference based on the NIIMP was designed “to provide government with a graphic picture of the state of affairs and the need to step up policies geared towards expanding our infrastructure base.” He described the NIIMP as Nigeria’s blueprint for accelerated infrastructure development to provide roadmap for building world class infrastructure that would enhance the quality of life of the people. Engr Olorunfemi also presented the 2015 Infrastructure Scorecard to the SGF for delivery to President Buhari. He described the document as a guide on choices for investment decisions in various sectors of the economy. He expressed confidence that the document would assist to give meaning

to NIIMP and its effective implementation. He promised that the NSE would review it every two years. Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, emphasised the need for durable infrastructure to ensure rapid development and praised the NSE for assuming its role in the quest for national development. He praised the efforts of the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration in giving the nation a longterm planning perspective contained in the NIIMP and urged engineers to ensure its proper implementation. Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, said the Federal Government had established the Infrastructure Development Fund to drive the implementation of the key components of the NIIMP and emphasised the role of the private sector in supporting its full realisation. Secretary to the Federal Government, Engr Babachir Lawal, bagged the NSE professional fellowship award, while Chief Babalola, Dr Mimiko and the chairman of Innoson Industries, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, were made honorary Fellows.

peace research and intervention projects which could sustain peace in communities and the country, at large. He avowed his commitment to ensuring that stakeholders realise and work towards educational advancement in the country. Educational institutions, Abubakar said, must never compromise on providing quality products that were creative and innovative which would impact upon the value of human capital in the country. He decried the triumph of quantity over quality in the nation’s educational institutions, calling for increased financial incentives. Without this focus, he posited that nation’s institutions would continue to deteriorate, thereby putting the country in jeopardy. “Any nation that is unable to support its tertiary educational institutions to undertake serious research would not be able to address the current challenges facing it, with any degree of efficacy or retain its relevance and competitiveness in the wider world. “The current malady where research is jettisoned in favour of routine teaching and administration should not be allowed to afflict University of Ibadan,” Abubakar said. Speaking, Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, called for attitudinal change. He urged universities to relate with their immediate community to promote the desired attitudinal change. Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, who received the Honourary Degree of D.Litt. Honoris Causa, noted the need for an urgent review of the structure and content of the nation’s education system. In his remarks, Banjo added: “A lot is spent to ensure that the schools meet minimal standards. A great deal of talents is buried in primary schools. We need a root and branch overhaul of our education system. Only a handful of primary schools meet minimal standards.” Outgoing vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, prided that the university still maintained its pride of place as high level human resources provider. To remain a key player, Adewole said the university had collaborated with over 200 universities around the world. 456 students were certified Doctor of Philosophy at the ceremony.

businessnews

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Nigeria’s economy grows by 2.84% Gbola Subair-Abuja

he Nigerian economy continues its upward trend as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown by 2.84 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms. A release by the National

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed that the GDP growth was higher by 0.49 per cent points from the growth recorded in the preceding quarter, yet lower by 3.38 per cent points

from growth recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2014. During the quarter, aggregate GDP stood at N24,313,636 million (in nominal terms) at basic prices.

Compared to the third quarter 2014 value of N22,933,144 million, nominal GDP was 6.02 per cent higher. Nominal GDP growth was also higher relative to growth recorded in Q1 of 2015 by 0.85 per cent

points. The Nigerian economy can be more clearly understood according to the oil and non-oil sector classifications. During the period under review, preliminary data on oil production reflects

Ikeja City Mall sold to S/African real estate firms Chima Nwokoji-lagos

The Ikeja City Mall, Lagos’ largest mall, has been sold to South African Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), Hyprop Investments Limited (Hyprop) and Attacq Limited (Attacq). Actis, a leading emerging markets investor, RMB Westport, a notable subSaharan Africa real estate investment management and development group and Paragon Holdings, a leading Nigerian investor group, on Tuesday, confirmed the sale to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-listed real estate capital growth fund. Ikeja City Mall is regarded as a world-class retail and leisure development mall located in Ikeja, a densely populated suburb of Lagos, with a population of 4.5 million people. Describing the mall in a statement, media consultants to the deal, Africa Practice, said Ikeja City mall comprises over 22,000 square meters (m2) and has a tenant mix anchored by Shoprite, offering South African brands, including Mr Price, Spur and MTN. Others are Markham and international brands including Nike, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, TM Lewin, Mango, i-Store, KFC and Max Fashion

From left, Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria; Ivie Okujaye; Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria; Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv and Okechukwu Ukeje, during the media launch of the DStv Upgrade Season Offer at Westown Hotel, Lagos, on Tuesday. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Vandalism reduces power generation to national grid by 480MW —TCN The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said vandalism of the tower number 62, along OkpaiOnitsha 330kV double circuit transmission line, had reduced the power generation by 480MW. This is contained in a statement signed by the management of TCN and sent to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja. According to the statement, the incident took place at Asaba Uchi, Ndokwa East Local Government and had resulted in the reduction of available power to the national grid by about 480MW. The statement stated that the construction of a new tower would cost TCN

millions of naira which it would have used to build more tower lines. It stated that the transmission line was used to evacuate power from the Okpai Power Station in Delta to other areas. The statement stated that on Nov. 10, the Okpai – Onitsha 330KV transmission line tripped and the fault was traced to tower No 62, which was found to have been vandalised. It added that the vandals cut the two of the four legs of the transmission tower which made it to hang dangerously. It said that the cutting was a threat to transmission grid integrity, adding that total collapse of the tower would bring down

other towers along the transmission line route. The statement stated that TCN’s engineers responded to the incident and mobilised an engineering firm to fix the tower temporarily to avoid total collapse. It said that TCN would soon energise one of the circuits on the tower to enable it to recommence partial power evacuation from the Okapi Power Station to

youngest markets in the world and presents a huge opportunity in terms of consumption,” he added. “The buying power of the African consumer is on the rise as the continent’s middle class increases exponentially. Despite infrastructure challenges, Africa has demonstrated impressive returns on foreign direct investment,” he said. Ford’s semi-knockdown (SKD) operation in Nigeria was established in partnership with the local Ford dealer group, Coscharis Motors Limited, and is based in Ikeja, Lagos State, approximately 750km south-west of Nigeria’s capital city Abuja.

Dr Cosmas Maduka, president of Coscharis Motors, said: “We have

the national grid. The statement stated that energising the circuit would be completed within two weeks, adding that TCN would construct new tower to replace the vandalised one. However the statement said that due to the swampy site, TCN could only start construction in the dry season when

Company Secretary and Legal Adviser of Dangote Flour Plc, Aisha Ladi Isa has, notified the management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), of the company’s change of name

worked hard and moved quickly to turn this dream into a reality.

to Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc. The new name is to better reflect the new ownership of the company as the change in the substantial ownership and shareholding of the company has been approved by the shareholders. In a letter dated September 2nd, 2015, the company’s secretary said the

Ikeja electric reiterates commitment customer care OlatundeDodondawa-Lagos

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Disco) has said it is committed to improve its customer care services to ensure ultimate service experience within its network. Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Disco, Abiodun Ajifowobaje, said the company had, post-privatization in 2013, brought its services closer to consumers through dedicated customer care channels. “Customers are increas-

vehicular access was possible. The management of TCN reassured its customers that it would continue to work towards a robust transmission grid in the country. TCN also appealed to its host communities to cooperate in fighting the activities of vandals in Nigeria.

Dangote Flour changes name to Tiger Branded Consumer Goods

Ford begins assembling Ranger trucks in Nigeria AS part of its expansion in Africa, Ford Motor Company has assembled the first Ford Ranger vehicle in Nigeria. The first Ranger to come off the assembly line was built in an existing facility with Ford’s Nigerian partners, Coscharis. “The facility will accommodate one shift and will produce an initial 10 units per day for the Nigerian market, creating approximately 180 direct and indirect jobs. Over time, this will gradually expand,” said Jeff Nemeth, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Sub-Saharan Africa region. “The main driver behind Ford in Africa is affordability. Africa is one of the

output at 2.17 million barrels per day (mbpd) up from production in the second quarter of 2015 by 0.17mbpd. Oil production was also marginally higher to the corresponding quarter in 2014 by 0.02 mbpd when output was recorded at 2.15 mbpd. (Figure2) As a result, real growth of the oil sector increased by 1.06 (year-on-year) in Q3 of 2015, higher by 4.65 per cent points from the corresponding quarter of 2014, and higher from the Second Quarter when growth declined by 6.79 per cent. Quarter-on-Quarter, growth also increased by 14.35 per cent. As a share of the economy, the Oil sector represented 10.27 per cent of total real GDP, down from the shares recorded in the corresponding period of 2014 by 0.18 per cent points and up from the share in the Second Quarter of 2015 by 0.46 per cent points.

ingly embracing and learning to trust for speedy resolution of various power issues,” he said. Ajifowobaje said the firm’s service channels are driven by robust technology and specially trained staff whose remit is to ensure the best possible solution to customer issues within the least time. “We now have four service touch points through which our esteemed customers can reach us. These are the call centre, e-mail, customer care units at our

business units, undertaking offices across our network and formal letters. “These channels have given our customers a voice of their own which we are always delighted to hear and promptly address in keeping with our resolve to serve with passion and utmost professionalism,” he assured. He said the company operates a multilingual call centre (English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba) that gives customers a real time platform for resolution of power issues.

change of name was in line with the special resolution passed at its annual general meeting (AGM), held in July 2015. She therefore requested the exchange to effect the change of name as well as use the new symbol of Tiger Branded Consumer Goods. The new name has been approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission. Tiger Brands, it would be recalled, acquired a 63.35 per cent shareholding interest in Dangote Flour Mills in Nigeria in 2012 for approximately R1.5billion. Peter Matlare, CEO of Tiger Brands, then said: “We are especially pleased with the successful conclusion of this transaction. We believe it will present growth opportunities for both organisations and be mutually beneficial. Dangote Flour Mills will add significant scale to Tiger Brands’ existing Nigerian businesses.”

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

France, Russia strike Islamic State in Syria Hollande, Putin to meet Nov 26

rance and Russia both staged air strikes on Islamic State targets in northern Syria on Tuesday as Paris formally requested European Union assistance in its fight against the group behind last Friday’s bloody attacks on the French capital. French warplanes targeted a command post and a recruitment centre for jihadists in the Islamic State stronghold

Russia’s President Putin

Putin confirms Russian plane downed by bomb, vows payback President Vladimir Putin has vowed to hunt down those responsible for blowing up a Russian airliner over Egypt and intensify air strikes against Islamists in Syria, after the Kremlin concluded a bomb had destroyed the plane last month, killing 224 people, Reuters reported. “We will find them anywhere on the planet and punish them,” Putin said at a somber Kremlin meeting broadcast on Tuesday. The FSB security service swiftly announced a $50 million bounty on the bombers. Until now, Russia had played down assertions from Western countries that the Oct. 31 crash was the work of terrorists, saying it was important to let the official investigation run its course. But four days after Islamist gunmen and bombers killed at least 129 people in Paris, Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB, told a late night meeting that traces of foreign-made explosive had been found on fragments of the downed plane and

of Raqqa in the second consecutive night of strikes ordered by President Francois Hollande, a military command spokesman told Reuters. A French government source said Russia hit targets in the same area, a day after Hollande appealed to Washington and Moscow to join in a grand coalition to fight the Islamist group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq.

French President Francois Hollande (left), welcomes US Secretary of State John Kerry upon arrival at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP.

on passengers’ personal belongings. “According to an analysis by our specialists, a homemade bomb containing up to 1 kilogram of TNT detonated during the flight, causing the plane to break up in mid air, which explains why parts of the fuselage were spread over such a large distance,” said Bortnikov at the meeting in footage released by the Kremlin. “We can unequivocally say it was a terrorist act,” he said.

Islamic State to feel greater pressure in coming weeks, Kerry says United States Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday the Islamic State group “will feel even greater pressure” in the coming weeks as the United States, France and other allies increase their efforts against the militants who claimed responsibility for the deadly Paris attacks. The VOA reported that Kerry spoke in Paris after meeting with French President Francois Hollande and discussing different

ways in which their governments can be more effective in battling the Islamic State group in the wake of the recent attacks in Paris killed at least 129 people and more than 300 wounded. Hollande will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington Nov. 24 to discuss ways to ramp up efforts to target the Islamic State group, according to a White House statement Tuesday.

The two leaders will discuss U.S. efforts to assist in France’s investigation of the attacks and further cooperation among the U.S.-led, anti-IS coalition, the White House said, adding, “This visit will underscore the friendship and solidarity between the United States and France, our oldest ally.” “We are absolutely committed to increasing our efforts in every degree possible and thoughtfully, carefully,” Kerry said.

otherNEWS

Britain to spend additional £2bn to fight terror British Prime Minister David Cameron has told how Britain must show the same resolve it displayed against Hitler during the Blitz in order to defeat the threat of terrorism. The message came as he

announced plans to spend an additional £2 billion on the SAS and other special units over the coming five years to improve their fighting capabilities. It is understood that the money will fund new weap-

ons and vehicles, possibly including helicopters, protective equipment, nightfighting kit and communications, and will not be used on a recruitment drive. In a high-profile speech to the Lord Mayor of London’s

Banquet, the Prime Minister, according to Mail Online said the additional cash will be delivered from the growth in defence budgets guaranteed by the Government’s commitment to spend two per cent of GDP on the military.

David Cameron

Rwandan Senate votes to allow third term for Kagame

Paul Kagame

The Rwandan Senate has endorsed constitutional amendments that would allow President Paul Kagame to stay in office for another two decades. The vote on Tuesday in

the Senate was unanimous. The proposed changes will be put to a national referendum, where they are expected to win easy approval, VOA said. Kagame, 58, has ruled

Rwanda since his army ended the 1994 genocide and ousted Hutu extremists from power. Under current law, he has to step down at the end of his second elected

term in 2017. But the proposed amendments would allow him to run for another seven-year term, followed by two five-year terms, potentially extending his rule until 2034.

In Brussels, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian invoked the EU’s mutual assistance clause for the first time since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty introduced the possibility, saying he expected help with French operations in Syria, Iraq and Africa. “This is firstly a political act,” Le Drian told a news conference after a meeting of EU defence chiefs. The 28 EU member states accepted the French request but it was not immediately clear what assistance would be forthcoming. Britain is agonizing over whether to join air strikes in Syria, while Germany is reticent about joining military action outside Europe. Meanwhile, Hollande will visit Putin in Moscow on Nov. 26, two days after the French leader is due to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington to push for a concerted drive against Islamic State, which controls swathes of Syria and Iraq. A French presidential source said Hollande also spoke by phone to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who backed calls for a united front against the militants. Iran is Assad’s closest ally. A manhunt was continuing in France and Belgium on Tuesday for one of the eight attackers who killed 129 people in shooting and bomb attacks on restaurants, a music hall and a sports stadium in the Paris region on Friday.

Emoji chosen as ‘Word of the Year’ The Oxford Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” is not even a word, it’s an emoji. Officially called the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji, it was chosen because it “best reflected the ethos, mood, and preoccupations of 2015,” according to an Oxford Dictionaries blog post. According to Oxford Dictionaries, “an emoji is a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication.” The word is Japanese in origin combining the word “e” (picture) and “moji” (letter or character). Oxford Dictionaries said it partnered with a mobile tech company, SwiftKey, to determine which emoji was used most around the world. In the U.S., the Face with Tears of Joy emoji accounted for 17 per cent of all emoji use, up from 9 per cent last year. “Emojis are no longer the preserve of texting teens,” according to the blog post. “Instead, they have been embraced as a nuanced form of expression, and one which can cross language barriers.” And what of the word emoji? The company said it has been in use since 1997, but that its usage tripled in 2015.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

news

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

FG orders arrest of Dasuki, others

•Says he awarded phantom contracts to buy Alpha Jets, helicopters, bombs Leon Usigbe -Abuja

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate arrest of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Dasuki Sambo (retd), who is being held under house arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS). This came after more facts emerged on deals said to have been perpetrated under his watch as NSA. The erstwhile NSA in the regime of former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have awarded contracts running into billions of naira, dollar and pound without execution. He was also accused of having transferred funds to a foreign company without contract award papers or specifying what the money was for. A statement by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, said the facts were unearthed in the interim report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari by a committee mandated to probe arms procurement by the Jonathan-led administration. With the development, President Buhari ordered the arrest and trial of Sambo and others said to be indicted. “On the authority of Mr President, a 13-man committee was set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date.

“While the committee, which was inaugurated on August 31, 2015 is yet to complete its work, its interim report has unearthed several illicit and fraudulent financial transactions. “As part of the findings, the committee has analysed interventions from some organisations that provided funds to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters and Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, both in local and foreign currencies. “So far, the total extra budgetary interventions articulated by the committee is N643,817,955,885.18. The foreign currency component is to the tune of $2,193,815,000.83. “These amounts exclude grants from the state governments and funds collected by the DSS and police. It was observed that in spite of this huge financial intervention, very little was expended to support defense procurement. “The committee also

observed that of 513 contracts awarded at $8,356,525,184.32; N2,189,265,724,404.55 and €54,000.00; 53 were failed contracts amounting to $2,378,939,066.27 and N13,729,342,329.87 respectively. “Interestingly, it was noted that the amount of foreign currency spent on failed contracts was more than double the $1 billion loan that the National Assembly approved for borrowing to fight the insurgency in the North East. “The committee also discovered that payments to the tune of N3,850,000,000 were made to a single company by the former NSA without documented evidence of contractual agreements or fulfilment of tax obligations to the Federal Government. “Further findings revealed that between March 2012 and March 2015, the erstwhile NSA awarded fictitious and phantom contracts to the tune of N2,219,188,609.50, $1,671,742,613.58 and €9,905,477.00. “The contracts which were

said to be for the purchase of four Alpha Jets, 12 helicopters, bombs and ammunition were not executed and the equipment were never supplied to the Nigerian Air Force, neither are they in its inventory. “Even more disturbing was the discovery that out of these figures, two companies were awarded contracts to the tune of N350,000,000.00, $1,661,670,469.71 and €9,905,477.00 alone. This was without prejudice to the consistent non-performance of the companies in the previous contracts awarded. “Additionally, it was discovered that the former NSA

the purpose they were meant for, thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would have been avoided. “Furthermore, the ridicule Nigeria has faced in the international community would have been avoided. It is worrisome and disappointing that those entrusted with the security of this great nation were busy using proxies to siphon the national treasury, while innocent lives were wasted daily. “In the light of these findings, President Buhari has directed that the relevant organisations arrest and bring to book, all individuals who have been found complicit in these illegal and fraudulent acts,” the statement read.

Many feared dead as explosion hits Adamawa market AN explosion suspected to be from an improvised explosive device (IED) occurred on Tuesday night at a motor park in Yola, Adamawa State. A witness, Mohammed Danasabe, told PREMIUM TIMES that the explosion

Ekweremadu escapes assassination DEPUTY Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday, escaped assassination attempt which occurred between the Apo Flyover and Dantata Construction Company’s yard, close to the old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters junction, at about 10.00 a.m. The attempt, which was made on Ekweremadu while on his way to the National Assembly, was made known to newsmen very late in the evening. His special adviser on media, Uche Anichukwu,, in a statement made available to newsmen around 7.00 p.m., stated that “the suspected assassins, who operated in an unmarked, tinted, new, white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63, were chauffeured by a man, who looked like a Middle-Easterner.” The development, according to him, had already been reported to the security agencies.

directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to transfer the sum of $132,050,486.97 and €9,905,473.55 to the accounts of Societe D’equipmente Internationaux in West Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America for un-ascertained purposes, without any contract documents to explain the transactions. “The findings made so far are extremely worrying, considering that the interventions were granted within the same period that our troops fighting the insurgency in the North East were in desperate need of platforms, military equipment and ammunition. “Had the funds siphoned to these non performing companies been properly used for

0700FLYMEDVIEW

was so loud it could be heard all over the city. He said many people were killed, but could not give a figure. “I am currently at the scene and we are helping to evacuate injured to the hospital.

There are many dead bodies all over the place,” he said. The scene of the blast is close to the main vegetable market in the town and the explosion occurred as traders were closing for the day and rushing home, Mr Dansabe said.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

tribune cartoons

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

Maryam Babangida

FUNOLOGY

• Born on the 1st of November, 1948 in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. • She was the wife of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who was Nigeria’s head of state from 1985 to 1993.

CHURCH BOY

• As first lady, she launched many programmes to improve the life of women. • She founded the Better Life for Rural Women Programme in 1987 which launched many co-operatives, cottage industries, farms and gardens, shops and markets, women centres and social welfare programmes.

SEGELUULU

• She championed women issues vigorously all over Africa. She reached out to the first ladies of other African countries to emphasise the effective role they can play in improving the lives of their people. • Maryam Babangida died on 27 December, 2009. Aged 61.

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Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

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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.

Fashola: Super minister, super expectations

UST before the presidential election, former Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, spoke at a conference in Lagos where he highlighted how he was able to generate electricity for the state. At the conference was Muhammadu Buhari, who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at that time. Fashola spoke eloquently on power generation that I felt he ought to be appointed minister if Buhari won the election. His announcement as minister of Power, Works and Housing could have been as a result of the speech he gave at that conference. The former governor did his best for Lagos State in eight years; he transformed many sectors, particularly transport, with the introduction of the BRT buses.

Now, as a Federal minister, it is hoped he would bring his experience to bear in his new assignment. Apart from power, he is also supervising the Works and Housing ministry; Nigerian roads are death traps. The Lagos/Ibadan Expressway is yet to be completed, as well as many other strategic roads in the country. It would be so unfair to say that the immediate past administration did nothing as far as road construction is concerned, I just hope that Mr Fashola will do more to consolidate on the achievements recorded in the last couple of years. Nigerians are already expecting so much from the ministers; we want to see the change through which the ruling party campaigned. Summing up Fashola’s

appointment, one can say he is a super minister, and with this comes super expectation. Already, Nigerians are looking forward to uninterrupted power

supply, and good road network in the country. I hope there will be glimpses of a new Nigeria by the end of the four-year tenure of this adminis-

tration. It is only these ‘glimpses’ that will determine if Nigerians have made the right choice by voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC). But

if one looks at the developments in Lagos during Fashola’s tenure, then there is hope for Nigeria. •Dr Taju Alalade, Ilorin.

Ministers: We will see a new Nigeria soon FINALLY, the new ministers have been named, and it is expected to boost the nation’s economy in one way. Until now, many people felt the lack of ministers was responsible for the slow manner in which the government was going. It is even evident with the way in which some were calling President Muhammadu Buhari ‘Baba Go Slow.’ The last president who was addressed as such was the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Now, with the new min-

isters, things are expected to pick up as soon as possible, as they (ministers) will now start approving contracts in their respective ministries. I, therefore, want President Buhari to have a quarterly scorecard for ministers. This will allow their performances to be assessed. When the ministers know they are being assessed, they will give in their best in the discharge of their duties. This government is one that Nigerians have a lot of expectations from; the

change mantra was why Nigerians voted enmasse for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and anything short of people’s expectations will be total failure. Nigerians cannot wait for too long before see-

ing the change, and that is why the president is being called Baba Go Slow. I hope this will be changed to ‘Baba Change’ soon. •Idayat Kassim, id_kassim@gmail. com

Appeal to govs on public schools WHEN one looks at public primary and secondary schools across the country, one will be shocked at their dilapidated state. How will pupils learn under these terrible conditions? It is so bad that some school buildings are only fit for animals, but here we are, having our future leaders studying under such unconducive environment. The condition of public schools is the reason private schools are thriving in the country. I know of people who will never take their children to public schools, no matter the incentives by government. Apart from the dilapidated school buildings, most of the schools also

lack teaching and learning amenities. The laboratories and libraries are nothing to write home about. Some schools don’t even have teachers for some subjects; it is that bad. However, in order to save the situation, the schools rely on the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), through which they raise money for many projects. But there is little that can be achieved with this system. It is, therefore, important that state governors do more to make public schools more conducive for learning. •Olaoluwa Fatoki, olasmart4eva@yahoo. com

Terrorism and aviation sector WE are living in such terrible times, particularly as terrorists are becoming more sophisticated with their evil acts. The bombing of a Russian airline recently shows that the aviation sector is still one of the favourite targets of terrorists. This is what was used to attack the World Trade Centre in New York, United States in September 11, 2001. In Nigeria, security agencies recently released a list of wanted Boko Haram members. The list contained over 100 names, with the leader, Abubakar Shekau being the first. Should we rest assured that one of these terrorists

would also not be thinking of targeting the nation’s aviation sector? Terrorists want maximum casualties when they strike, and the aviation targets give them that. Like in the Russian plane bombing, over 200 people lost their lives. Security agencies should give extra precaution to the nation’s aviation sector. Our airports should be adequately policed, and sophisticated detection equipment deployed by the government. •Yakub Aisha, Kaduna, Kaduna State.

editorial

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Of juicy committees and ministries

N the constitution of parliamentary committees and appointment of ministers, the strong preference for what has come to be known as juicy ministries has become a constant source of discord. Some members of the House of Representatives have rejected their appointment as committee chairmen while there have been complaints by interest groups about the ministries to which their kinsmen have been assigned. These expressions of dissatisfaction are not a matter of mindset about the status of certain ministries. They have resulted from the practice of treating certain ministries as special and superior to all others. For a variety of reasons, the critical question of competence, merit and ability have, more often than not, been relegated to the background in appointing people to man critical positions. In the name of federal character, the neophyte is, most of the time, elevated above the expert while the virtual nincompoop supervises the savvy. The competent ones have not been giving their best because they are frustrated and demoralised. This largely explains why the accomplishment of set targets has always been a herculean task. The pathetic situation in which Nigeria finds itself today has been brought about by incompetence in high places aggravated by a difficultto-fathom degree of corruption. Nigeria’s problems are being further complicated by actors on the political arena. They do not choose political associates on the basis of shared values. Neither do they align themselves with political parties because they are fascinated by the philosophy or goals of such parties. They simply jump on the bandwagon of whichever political group offers the brightest promise of taking them to their political destination. Their utmost concern is not the impact or difference they will make but the power and influence they will wield and the benefits that will accrue to them therefrom. They simply work to the answer. The culture of greed and self service that has become a way of life among legislators in the process of overseeing the operations of the executive arm of government has greatly bastardised the very essence and principle of checks and balances under a presidential system of government. It has for long become apparent that lawmakers do not see the exercise of oversight functions as a constitutional duty to check abuses. What has been made manifest by their performance and conduct is that they see that role as an opportunity to get their own cuts. There have been reports about committees which wrote

to government agencies being investigated to make funds available for public hearings on the activities of the agencies concerned. There have been reports about committees that collected money from ministries under their supervision for the purpose of attending conferences outside the country. The leadership of a committee was once said to have collected money from an agency under its supervision for a foreign trip that was never made. There were many more of such cases in which the process and exercise of checking abuse was itself subjected to abuse. As a result of the differences in the functions of the ministries, departments and agencies, there cannot but be differences in the financial allocations being provided for them to discharge their responsibilities. It is rather curious that the various government establishments have been grouped into categories on the basis of funds at their disposal and this has given rise to the idea of juicy or dry ministries. Should the size of their budgets be the source of attraction to lawmakers for oversight functions? The primary duty of the legislative committee is to ensure that funds given to government establishments are utilised for purposes spelt out in the annual budget as passed by the National or state Assembly. There can be no justification for the existence of a ministry or agency if it is not serving a useful purpose. The operations of some ministries are capital intensive while some others’ are not. The nature of functions of government establishments has to be correlated with the funds available and the services to be provided. The amount of money at their disposal should not be the attraction. The areas of core competence of legislators should determine the committees in which they should serve if they are to render useful service to the country. The desperation to serve in or chair the so-called juicy committees is a clear evidence of a sheer desire for self-service. It defeats the entire objective of oversight function. The leaders of the legislative assemblies have on their part been turning the constitution of the standing committees to an opportunity to dispense favours to their acolytes in the legislative chambers. It is an obnoxious practice that nullifies the raison d’etre of the committees and diminishes the effectiveness of the legislature. To avoid this pitfall, which is making it difficult for the country to get out of the doldrums, the legislature must be in tune with its constitutional responsibilities and stop bickering over ‘juicy’ committees or ministries.

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opinion

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Mama HID Awolowo: Exit of the Jewel By Bola Ogunrinade

FTEN, I hear people talk about ‘Jerusalem, iluogo’! They tell us all the streets in heaven are paved with gold. We are told that angels are praising God day and night and sorrow has no place in that happy milieu. Preachers at funerals will always assure us that the departed loved ones are in a better place. “No foreign enemies or domestic foes can touch them again,” they are set free from sin and the hassles of this crazy world. Fine! But none of us would really want our loved ones to transit to a place where we no longer have access to them, except in our dreams. Have you ever thought that whilst here, they always returned from any travels. With death, it is a final departure, a journey into a land of no return. So, Mama Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo, the matriarch of the Awolowo family, has gone to rest. She has gone to be with the Lord. She has travelled to a land of no return. It was the Sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo, her husband, who first referred to her as “Jewel of inestimable value.” By that appellation, she became a yardstick by which most Nigerian men rated their wives. Most women aspired to be like her, but her standards were quite high. Her life was woven totally around her husband. She had a sharp and analytical mind. She remained politically informed till the end of her days. Whilst her husband was the premier of Western region, Mama led the women’s wing of the Action Group and was a rallying point of support for his campaigns. Mama HID was also a successful trader – the first distributor of Nigerian tobacco products and the first importer of lace materials. I saw her on a couple of occasions during her lifetime. Once, I saw her at Liverpool Street shopping. She was busy sorting out lace materials of exquisite designs and matching headgears. That was about 32 years ago. But the encounter which stood out clearly in my mind was at WOCOM, Onireke, Ibadan in 1992, when her daughter, Mrs Tola Oyediran, was being ordained as a Reverend, and she invited my husband and I to witness the occasion. Mama HID had arrived in good time. Seated by the entrance, her keen, roving eyes watched as guests came in and took their seats. Delani, my husband, and I walked

in without knowing that Mama took notice of us. Delani, in his usual breezy manner, walked jauntily in front, with my humble self trailing behind. Mama promptly sent a gentleman after us. Little did we expect the lesson she imparted. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, she turned to Delani and said: “Young man, your wife is supposed to be going in front; you must always walk behind her to protect her. So, I walked majestically in front whilst my husband followed. Such was Mama’s firmness and courage of conviction. She believed that a woman should always be protected, but she in return, must remain fiercely loyal to her husband. And that brings me to the point of this discourse. Nobody ever heard that Mama took a fancy to any other man. She loved her husband with a passion unparalleled.

In life, and 28 years after his exit, she remained loyal to him and his ideals. Did I hear you say, he deserved it? Of course, he did. I never heard anyone point at his secret lover or mistress. Once Papa Awo married his jewel at an early age of 22 years, they stuck to each other for half a century. So, you can rightly say, “love begets love.” Tough call, you would say, in these crazy times! What lessons can we learn from Mama’s life? There are many. The ones that come readily to me include her tenacity of purpose, unalloyed loyalty to her husband and his political ambition, a keen business sense and love for her community and country. I believe it is time for us women to take stock of how we are living our own lives. You might say you are not married to a governor of a state, or the premier of a region. Remember that even the governor did not get there without passing through the mill. So, the support that can earn you the sobriquet, “Jewel of inestimable value” must start from the beginning of the union and continue all through the marriage. Sounds easy, but can only be done with prayers and total reliance on God. I believe it was not all that easy for Mama as she went through her own share of life’s vicissitudes. The “Jewel of inestimable value” was not given to aggravating her husband. She was a diplomat par excellence. On arrival at Jerusalem, iluogo’, she will savour her husband’s company for some time before discussing any political matters. Surely, they must gist and catch up on matters arising since their last meeting! Mama Awolowo will be missed, not only by her family members, but by her community and political associates of her husband. She will be missed by every woman who is committed to building a solid home and an enduring bond within the family – nuclear and extended. Mama would have turned 100 years on November 25, 2015. But God, in whose hands lies the power of life and death, decided to call her home 67 days before the grand event. Now, as she transits this earth, may her soul rest in perfect peace. •Mrs Ogunrinade wrote in via bola5053@ gmail.com

As economic recession looms By Ayo Oyoze Baje

THE essence of democracy is for the political office holders and policymakers to muster the capacity to identify and satisfy the needs, yearnings, aspirations, collective dreams and desires of the people. That is, as against satiating the pecuniary and obscene tastes of the political class, at the detriment of the led majority. But now, our economy is in a tail spin. The ship of state is currently caught in the eye of the storm. The oil-dependent economy which has long been besotted by the wanton waves of waste, profligacy and the hydra-headed monster of greed and graft is on the verge of being torpedoed into the vast ocean of recession. According to the World Bank, Nigeria ranks 169 out of 189 countries surveyed in terms of the ease of doing business. The parameters used include the ease of obtaining construction permits, access to electricity, enforcing contracts, registering property and trading across borders. But as the economy worsens, how prepared are we? That is the billion naira question, the answers to which may be farther than ever imagined. Interestingly, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had not too long ago given a warning signal that the country might be heading for an economic crisis. Going by the recent media interview granted by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, both the federal and state governments have been on a borrowing spree, just to pay salaries! And this has been going on for upward of two odd years. He said that while the Federal Government enjoys the luxury of long-term loans to be paid back over a period of 20 years, the states must make a refund in only four years. How does this sound to your eager ears? This sordid scenario however ignites the fundamentally

burning questions. How come that some of the same state governors who are unable to pay the long-suffering workers have no tangible infrastructural development projects or job-creation strategies in place to show for the billions of the federal allocation they have been collecting over the years? How can they justify the sad fact that some of them have been globe-trotting in expensive, state-owned jets in search of elusive foreign direct investment? What about those who have been throwing lavish, ego-tripping parties for their kith and kin, and others secretly building mansions, where they hope to rest after the odious deed has been done? Who, really is fooling who? Worse still, our sweet crude oil may no longer hit the benchmark of $120 per barrel, over the next two years. Between $70 and $85 may be more like it. Yari cites India and China where annual revenue from the rail transport alone equates to what Nigeria earns from crude oil sales. Some economic experts surely have their thinking caps firmly on in those countries. Still on the parlous picture painted about the economy, may we add that the stock market is far from being bullish. Investors are not laughing or smiling to the bank. Manufacturers are still groaning. In fact, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria,

Remi Ogunmenfun, says all is not well with the members and their huge investments. The steel sector is on the verge of collapse. Yet, it has the capacity to generate over half a million jobs if the long-prostrate Ajaokuta Steel Company is functioning effectively. According to Sanjay Kumar, the CEO of Steel Business, African Industries Group, four of the steel plants in the country have been shut down. Many are currently operating at 30 per cent capacity. The sick sector to which N100bn has been sunk, currently needs N60bn injection to survive. The challenge it faces is predicated on the continued importation of steel products thereby creating jobs for citizens of the exporting countries. This is in addition to the lack of input from experts on the sector before government’s policies are enunciated. Besides, government’s patronage is grossly lacking. Both Yari and Ogunmenfun are, therefore, canvassing the diversification of the economic base from oil to agriculture, solid minerals and infrastructural development. But we have heard this song before, have we not? What have we done with revenues from the maritime industry, the customs and immigration services, taxes from the surviving manufacturing concerns and the entertainment and tourism industries, areas which if properly handled could generate more proceeds than oil? Unfortunately, the persisting power structure skewed in favour of the political class is both fraudulent and unsustainable. Something drastic has to be done, to reverse this drift to turning Nigeria into the patronage of the favoured few. It will make the so-called “dividends of democracy” to benefit those they are meant for-the people. Only that will make the much-touted “change” mantra meaningful to the populace. •Baje is a media consultant and public affairs analyst.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 081 118 450 48

features

Ken Saro-Wiwa 20 years on:

Niger Delta still blighted by oil spills

•Amnesty says oil companies are not restoring land affected by oil spills Mark Dummett is a Business and Human Rights researcher at Amnesty International. He writes for CNN on the 20-year anniversary of writer and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa’s execution. Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists led the movement against Shell’s activities in the Niger Delta and were executed by the military in November 1995.

he sad truth is that twenty years after the execution of writer and environmental activist Ken SaroWiwa, Nigeria’s oil producing region remains a blighted land. There are hundreds of oil spills in the Niger Delta every year and Shell and the other oil companies operating there are still not doing enough to either prevent spills, or clean them up. The impact on the hundreds of thousands of people unfortunate enough to live next to the oil wells and pipelines where spills occur is catastrophic. Shell, the largest operator, likes to blame local communities for the pollution, accusing them of cutting open the pipelines to steal oil. This is indeed a problem, but Shell overstates the issue to deflect criticism of its own failings, such as the poor state of its pipelines, and its terrible record on clean-up. Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was hanged by the country’s military regime after a grossly

unfair and politically motivated trial, wrote that oil pollution had turned the Niger Delta into an “ecological disaster.” His claim -- described by some at the time as an exaggeration - was vindicated in 2011 by the United Nations Environment Programme. Its researchers found that the people of Ogoniland, Saro-Wiwa’s homeland, had “lived with chronic oil pollution throughout their lives.” This pollution had contaminated the fields where they grew food, the water where they fished and the wells from which they drank. Amnesty International campaigns for a proper clean-up of the Niger Delta because of this clear link between the oil pollution and the impact it has on the health and the livelihoods, and therefore the human rights, of the people living there. Talk to anyone over the age of 60 in the Niger Delta and they talk wistfully of swimming as children in the clean waters of the creeks, which meander through the region -- one of the world’s most ecologi-

cally-important wetlands. Visit these creeks today and you see signs warning people not to go close, you see dead mangrove trees lining the shore, and mud that is black with oil. The people are understandably angry, and have refused to allow Shell to pump any more oil from its wells in Ogoniland. But tragically, the pollution continues. Shell, which has been operating in Nigeria since the days of the British Empire, transports hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day along pipelines that cross the villages, fields and creeks of Ogoniland from neighboring oil fields. These pipelines are old and leaky. We know this because of internal Shell documents that the company was forced to disclose during a recent legal action in London. The court papers include an internal memo by Shell based on a 2002 study that states that, “the remaining life of most of the [Shell] Oil Trunklines is more or less non-existent or short, while some sections contain major risk and hazard.” In another internal document dated 10 December 2009 a Shell employee warns that, “[the company] is corporately exposed as the pipelines in Ogoniland have not been maintained properly or integrity assessed for over 15 years.” In August I travelled to the village of Kegbara Dere, in Ogoniland with colleagues from Amnesty International and the Centre for the Environment Human Rights and Development, which is based

in the Niger Delta. There, we visited a place called the Bomu Manifold. It is an important facility for Shell that is guarded by the Nigerian military. The manifold is a hub for the company’s pipelines which run from the oil fields to an export terminal on the coast. In 2009, there was an operational fault on one of these pipelines, which then exploded, causing a major spill. Under Nigerian law, Shell has an obligation to start cleaning up spills within 24 hours, whatever the cause, and return the affected land to as close as possible its original state. The company said it had completed this work at the Bomu Manifold in 2012. Yet in August we found that a wide area was still visibly contaminated with oil. A large area of land looked like a bomb had landed on it. There was no vegetation, but mounds of charred and oil encrusted soil. We saw streams spreading the contamination into a wider area, where people live and farm. We visited another three locations which Shell said it had cleaned-up but which also remain visibly contaminated. Incredibly, the pollution at one of these sites, Boobanabe, also in Kegbara Dere, dates back to a fire at a Shell oil well in 1970. One of village elders, Emadee Roberts Kpai, remembers the day when Shell first came to the area. “They promised that if Continued on pg38

features

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

My achievements speak for me

election? Apart from the fact that the time I spent in office was just too small for me to achieve my aim, I have good intentions for the people of my local government. Without mincing words, my achievements are speaking for me and that is why they accepted me when I presented myself to contest for the chairmanship seat in Ikole Local Government Area. After I was appointed the caretaker chairman by Governor Ayodele Fayose, immediately I assumed office, some of the projects I embarked upon included the renovation of borehole at the local government secretariat, which had been abandoned for over eight years. When we came on board, we discovered that the borehole at the secretariat, which served as the only potable water source for residents of Ilotin, Omodowa, Iwodi, Igbale and Iloka communities, was not functioning; we rehabilitated it. Also, there was no electricity supply in all of the community’s health centres including the local government secretariat in the last five or six years due to the bill incurred by the past administrations. But now, electricity problem has become a thing of the past in those places. Also, I was able to reconstruct a bridge, which was washed away by flood at Igbale in Ikole metropolis.

—Hon Adeyeye Mr Adeyanju Adeyeye is the former Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State. In this interview with GBENGA OLUMIDE, he speaks about the coming local government election, his chances, among others. Excerpts:

hat do you think is your selling point as a candidate? God, the people and the mission I’m coming to fulfill in politics. I rely solely on the extension of the good work which I did prior to coming into politics. Don’t forget that the people of my local government whom I have served in the past are the same people I will have to interact with. Why are you contesting on the platform of the PDP? I have been a registered member of the party for a very long time. Also, I was once a caretaker chairman of my local government on the platform of PDP. For me, there is no other party worth identifying with in the state. If I may ask, under which party do you want me to contest? Is it under the party that is moribund in Ekiti State? If you don’t know, I’m using this opportunity to tell you that aside PDP, there is no other political party in Ekiti State as of now. The agenda of the PDP in the state is crystal clear. What problems confronting your local government area have you

been able to identify,? There are lots of them. My intention was solely borne out of the desire to help my people and contribute my quota to the development of our great local council as well as the state. If you are familiar with the people of my area, you will realise that I have always been in service of the people. I thank God that our amiable governor, Dr Ayodele Fayose, has given me an oppor-

tunity to serve this local government for about eight months as a caretaker chairman and what I am trying to do now is consolidate on what I was able to achieve during my tenure as caretaker chairman. As a former chairman, do you think your performance when you were in office is enough for you to get the votes of the people in the coming

Oil pollution remains a huge problem in the Niger Delta Continued from pg37

they find oil here they’ll transform our community and everybody will be happy.” But the transformation was not what they had expected. Emadee’s farm and fish ponds have beendevastated by oil pollution from nearby Shell pipelines. Now, he says “We have no hope for our children in this community”. Whether Emadee’s bleak assessment of the future comes true or not rests not just with Shell, but also with the Nigerian government. So far, its record of holding oil companies to account has been woeful. But recently elected President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to restore the oilwrecked environment. As a start, he said his government will implement the UN’s recommendations from 2011.

That would be the best way of honoring the memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa. A Shell Petroleum Development Company spokesman released this statement to CNN in response to the allegations from Amnesty International: “The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has led the way on transparency in spills reporting in Nigeria and has been open about the challenges of conducting remediation in areas such as Ogoniland in which access to spill sites has often been restricted. SPDC has repeatedly highlighted the challenges of re-contamination at some sites as a result of criminal interference with oil and gas infrastructure. SPDC, as operator of the SPDC Joint Venture, is nonetheless committed to

Nigerian Tribune

cleaning up spills from SPDC JV facilities, irrespective of cause. This is equally the case in Ogoniland, despite the fact that we ceased producing oil and gas there in 1993. SPDC is also working with its Joint Venture partners, government, communities and NGOs to address areas of concern. Implementation of the UNEP report is part of a wider program of remediation, pipeline protection, community engagement and social investment activities being undertaken by SPDC with its joint venture partners, government, community and civil society. As the UNEP report stated, it is crucial to put an end to the widespread theft and illegal refining of crude oil, which adversely impact the environment. Ensuring longterm sustainability remains a challenge that will require coordinated and collaborative action from all stakeholders.”

Can you highlight some of the things you would have loved to do but couldn’t do due to time constraints and would do if you win the elction? Development of infrastructural facilities would be my priority if I am given the mandate in the coming local government election. Ikole Local Government is the largest among the 16 local government areas in the state in terms of land scale, but regrettably in spite of this, the council, with all due respect, is the most backward in terms of development. The local government is an agrarian, but what are we doing with our agriculture? . Nearly all the township roads across the local government are in bad shape. We have about 25 communities that are regarded as autonomous towns with about 350 villages, but we cannot boast of good road in these communities. It has always been a problem for farmers to transport their farm produce to the city after harvesting. If I am given the chance, my administration will look into all those abandoned roads. My administration will do everything possible to increase the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the local governent area so as to meet the hopes and expectations of its inhabitants. Also, in line with the vision of our governor, Mr Fayose, my administration will introduce the stomach infrastructure programme where many youths would be engaged in one way or the other to meet their pressing needs. Generally, what are the chances of PDP in the forthcoming general election in Ekiti State? Have you seen any election won by the opposition party in the state since June 2014? We have given the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the major opposition party in Ekiti State, 16 zero in all the elections conducted. So, people should expect the same in the coming election.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

by Wale Ojo-Lanre 0803 349 0986 waleojolanre@gmail.com

OPU flaunts Yoruba cultural-tourism assets in Senegal, The Gambia

By Wale Ojo Lanre

he determination of Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), being led by Otunba Gani Adams to rejuvenate and resuscitate and sustain Yoruba cultural tourism heritage among Africans in Diaspora is not only gaining global acceptance but spreading like a harmattan fire. Though OPU which has been launched in 62 countries added two other countries, Senegal and The Gambia to the stock of its influence from November 4 to 8, 2015, when the convener of Oodua Progressive Union, Otunba Adams led three traditional rulers, the Ajero of Ijero Kingdom kingdom, Oba Joseph Adewole, the Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun and the Onigbaye of Igbaye, Oba Joseph Moronfoye Okunlola and other dignitaries among who are Captain Adetokunbo Adesina, Otunba Olufemi Davies, Fashlanso Yomi, Olajide Sanni, OPU Europe Secretary – General, MC Kirikiri, Alhaji Ibrahim Sokoto. Mr Babs Oguntade and OPC Deputy National Secretary, Mr Lasun Ogunfowokan. The bright day for the OPU delegates from Nigeria opened up at the Banjul International Airport on November 4 when the Yoruba in The Gambia organised a rousing welcome Yoruba cultural display for the guests. This spectacular cultural entertainment displayed by the Yoruba cultural group attracted other airport users and travellers by The shouts of Yoruba Nigeria Yoruba sons and daughters joined the group in dancing. A Gambian national, Maria Tipoteh who claimed to have studied in Ibadan, Nigeria and was carried away by the Yoruba songs remarked “The Yoruba are especially culturally colourful and responsible ethnic group

which we have noticed is on the sliding trend with our people in the Diaspora. We are calling their conscience to re-embrace the ethos, ethics and cultural values of dignity of labour, respect, social interaction without, integrity and responsibility. All these will make them a worthy citizens of Nigeria in foreign land. And all will shape them up and earn them respect, shore up Nigeria’s image and ensure stability of relationship between them and host country.” Responding, Mrs Kane who was visibly impressed by the analysis of character reformation and upbraiding set by OPU for its members commended Otunba Adams allowing himself to be used by fate and posterity in revitalisation of core cultural values and norms for the glory of the country.” in Nigeria. She pointed out: f I used to staff o , “It does not matU P O the itan enjoy first ter whether it is enting unle Ogunp s e r p , ms un Adek class show of for the Yoruba or ba Ada eg these kinds Otunce to Mr Olusordinator. the other. Value o c ffi o U when I was at al OP is contagious. Seneg the University Good behaviour of Ibadan. They influences othhave special ers. This is words and lancommendable guage for respect, and worthy honour and age of emulation group. Wonderful for other set of people.” race or naThe cultural tone tions in set at the airport ruled Nigeria the wave of activities too.” of OPU delegates in She rethe Gambia and this marked: “what you are was exhibited at the Nidoing will further add value to the gerian House, Gambia, rating of the Yoruba who are the least probwhere Otunba Adams and lematic group in The Gambia. It is a fact that OPU delegates were hosted and received the Yoruba in The Gambia are best behaved. warmly by the staff of the Embassy. This cultural wakeup call will further up the Though the Charge d’Affaires, Mr ante. This is good and laudable.” Mansur G. Abdulkarim was not in the counThe change and improvement of betry, the OPU delegates were received by havioural pattern was emphasised at the Mrs H. Nelson – Udu –, Head of Chancery prestigious Officers ‘Mess, Kotu South, The and other staff of the Embassy; Mrs M. S. Gambia where Otunba Adams inauguEkanem, Consular, Mr Oko David, First rated Oodua Progressive Union, The Gamsecretary, Mr Mohammed Oladega, Mrs A. bia Charter on November 6, 2015. T. Ogunmilua and Mrs P. N. Ogbu Otunba In the presence of representatives of Ibo, Adams while addressing the diplomats said: Hausa and Edo communities and at the in“The essence of paying a courtesy call is in stance of the consular of Nigeria Embassy, line with Yoruba tradition of given honour Mrs Ekanem, attested to by three tradito those it is due. It is in the Yoruba culture. tional rulers from Yoruba land, Otunba You don’t work in a man’s compound with- Adams presented the OPU staff of office to out first intimating him your vision. This is Hon Akeem Babatunde Abdu with a stern what we are doing.” instruction of “showcasing with, integrity Otunba revealed: “We are here to stoke vigour and strength the pristine Yoruba the pristine cultural value of our forefathers cultural values which make the Yoruba why

they are who they are.” The president of Nigerians in the Gambia, Asiwaju Bashorun Ojikutu lauded Otunba Adams for the inauguration of OPU in the Gambia and assured that ‘we shall make Yoruba race proud and shore up the image of Nigeria here.” If the inauguration of OPU in The Gambia has been spectacular, the packaging of the Senegal chapter which was inaugurated at the Cultural Centre, Blaise Senghor, Dakar, Senegal on Sunday 8 November was not a pushed over as the Yoruba turned out in large numbers to showcase culture, values and dancing steps. Apart from the Nigerian cultural groups which dazzled the guests and members, the OPU Senegal brought in a Senegalese dancing cultural group which set heat of excitement on the environment. The group performance was not only spectacular but highly exciting with some kids who dazzled all with their stunning gymnastic display and frenetic dance with a calabash. Otunba Adams while presenting the OPU staff of office to Mr Oluwasegun Adekunle Ogunpitan tasked him to always be a leader who should show and lay good examples. “Let the pristine Oodua characteristics, the Omoluabi virtues be your testament and testimonial of behaviour. The essence of you being the leader is to by words of wisdom, proverbs and deeds whip your members back to the line of virtue that will encourage Oduduwa to smile at you from the ancestral stead.” Responding, Mr Ogunpitan assured that “this inauguration has placed a moral and physical burden on my conscience as the custodian of the Yoruba virtues and cultural mores. I will live beyond expectation and ensure that OPU Senegal is the cynosure of other chapters in good deeds and acts. And before the music and dance, OPU Senegal Coordinator, Mr Ogunpitan presented an award to Otunba Adams for “His firm commitment, perseverance and dogged spreading and reviving the Yoruba culture all over the world.” And capping it all, Oba Joseph Moronfoye Okunlola presented a trophy to the club which won the OPU Senegal Football competition. Mr Ogunfowokan , OPC Deputy National Secretary described the inauguration of OPU in Senegal and The Gambia “A milestone of events which will go a long way in improving the perception of Nigeria as a country by citizens of these countries and reshape the level of socialisation between OPU members , other Nigerian communities and the citizens of the host countries.” Otunba Davies said “It was two memorable events sandwiched with cultural tourism effects aimed at breeding a set of highly culturally responsible Yoruba people for the perpetuation and salvation of the pristine Yoruba culture from the abyss of forgetfulness.”

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

tribunetourism

The Tourism of The Awolowo Dynasty! Akinola Iwilade -Iwo

ourism and its activities have a lot to behold. It is alluring, historical, medieval, contemporary, appealing and very wonderful. Certain enigmas promote all these unknowingly. The enigmas are both manmade, natural, scientific and metaphysical. At rare situations, the enigmas could be of faith or partly spiritual. Example of such enigmas are: institutions, cultures, monuments, events, landmass, plants and animals and lastly but most important in this article People. Tourism and its business are largely dependent on these items. And as all products possess raw materials to which they are made so are tourism products not in anyway an exception. This article and research will be limited to the enigma of people. It shall form the subject matter of the article and it shall be the basis of the new tourism product I

titled: The Obafemi HID Awolowo Product. The General Thought of the People Enigma in Tourism. People generally possess instinctive and distinctive abilities in which if it is put to best use could turn basis for academic and tourism exploits. All over the world, certain individuals have been subject of many researches and items of tourism intrigues while they live and mostly often while they are no more. It is very interesting that even the research names are coined after such great men and women who have carved a niche for themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour. In areas that are most popular are politics, sports, oddities, metaphysics, sciences generally, arts etc. Examples of such people that have been subjects of research in modern time globally and the way their names were coined are : Nostradamus metaphysics, Gandhi study, Hitler phenomenon, Gani Law, Zikism, and our subject matter AWOISM. Some are also labelled with the fashion style of

such people to the extent that their fashion style are made the symbol of the researches or the admirers of such enigmas. For instance the ‘Red Cap’ in Kano, Northern Nigeria is a symbol from the fashion style of the great Aminu Kano who was credited to have lived a masses-friendly life through his development strides in politics for which he is being studied and admired. The Tourism of the Awolowo Dynasty! A product must have raw materials as I have written earlier and the raw materials shall be modified as original as possible and the raw materials for this product include but not limited to:Awo’s Mercedes Benz; which he drove round the country during 1979 and 1983 general elections respectively, a sword, various staff of authority, clothes including the one he wore on the day death visited, published books and his several speeches or policy papers on development etc. A product (The Obafemi HID Awolowo Tourism Product) is definitely going to be accepted immediately it is presented to various local and

international markets given the enigmas to which are the basis of the product. The enigmas represent Family success, national service and discipline in ideals of life. The loyalty of husband to wife and loyalty of wife to husband are legendary. The world must learn about these! It is no longer news that Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Former Premier of the Defunct Western Region is the designer and architect of modern western region which form Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, and Ekiti states which are obviously the home of Nigeria’s most developed manpower. However, this assertion may be contested by men of letters which I owe in high esteem in every area in the country. Even his worst critique accepts that obvious reality. In the runoff to the 1979 general elections, even the then military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, having agreed to the pedigree of Chief Obafemi Awolowo opined “that the best candidate may not win the election” apparently referring to the Sage. There were very many virtues that stood Awolowo out which are laden in his modesty and consistency in ideals. Aside his spartan life style, his dressing is of his brand which many nowadays, young and old, have taken to as a dress code. In such we have his much talked about round glasses which he wore even at his lying-in-state. The intrigues worth studying in this act of Awolowo is that of the reason why he wore such glasses, why he chose the round size and how he got the inspiration for the choice. Unfortunately, he is no more and his jewel of inestimable value who could have helped answer the questions have as well answered the triumphant call, so we are left with Reverend Tola Oyediran and Ambassador Adetokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu and probably Mr Segun Awolowo who may shed more light on the issues raised. Anyway, the inquisitiveness in tourism and various unanswered questions make the world of tourism and research great. Awo’s cap is another feather to his fashion sense. His trust in God, spartan life of self discipline and his amiable jewel of inestimable value are all the effects that make Awolowo what he was. Therefore for any tourism product on him it is Awo and HID or nothing. The Tourism of HID Awolowo. Between November 25, 1915 and the evening of September 19, 2015, when Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo nee Adelana lived, she had carved a niche for herself as first and foremost a responsible wife for which she was described as the jewel of inestimable value by her husband in his book My Early Life. Politically, spiritually and socially she distinguished herself and she is worthy not just as a role model for womanhood, but also a basis for research. Her personal effects are also needed for consumption by tourists. Spiritually and being a devout Christian as described by her pastors and reverends whose church she attended till death, a tourism phenomenon could be seen to have originated from her personal effects like: her Bible, church garments, hymn book, church notes (notes she wrote on sermons) etc. And finally, now that both Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his Jewel of Inestimable Value; Mama HID Awolowo are now in the great beyond, the culture of Awoism which symbolises selfless service to humanity, dedicated husband and wife, and life of devout Christianity and trust in God should be propagated so that the beliefs, lives and ideals of this great couple live forever in the hearts of tourists and might prompt leaders and youths live the worthy life of the sage and his jewel of inestimable value. Iwilade, a tourism researcher is based in Iwo.

Emirates super jumbo message against the-illegal wildlife trade Two massive Emirates A380 jets take to the skies this week, wearing special livery in support of United for Wildlife, a global collaboration that unites the efforts of the world’s leading wildlife charities in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. The beautiful livery, featuring some of the planet’s wildlife threatened by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, aims to raise awareness of the illegal wildlife trade and communicate the need for urgent action. The Rt Hon The Lord Hague of Richmond, Chair of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce said: “We welcome the efforts and commitment made by Emirates airline to combat the illegal wildlife trade. This is more than just an environmental issue. The illegal wildlife trade is now recognised as a serious and organised transnational crime. It drives corruption, is linked to money laundering and can damage economic development in many of the world’s poorest countries and communities. It will take a concerted effort, involving not only effective deterrents against poaching and smuggling, and vigilance in policing and punishing these crimes, but also efforts to increase consumer education to cut demand to protect these animals for the future.” Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Many animals, in particular African elephants, rhinos, tigers, and pangolins, are under extreme pressure because of an unprecedented spike in the illegal wildlife trade. The world is in a global poaching crisis, and everyone has to do their part to stop this, before it is too late. Emirates believes that the global transport industry, including airlines, can play a significant role to break the supply chain of illegal wildlife trade. And at Emirates, we are committing the resources to do our part.” Consumers too, can contribute in a big way, by boycotting products made from the parts of these endangered animals and discouraging others from doing so. Emirates’ two A380s will be operating flights this week. The first one departed for London (LHR) on November 2 and the second left Mauritius (MRU) on November 5, each wearing a different design featuring endangered wildlife. The decal on the first flight featured six endangered species, while the second flight will feature a decal with rhinos and elephants. Both designs cover the world’s largest passenger aircraft almost from nose to tail, spreading over the wings and under-belly of the plane. Approximately 40 per cent of the surface area of the A380 will be covered by the decal. The larger of the two designs span over 42.5 metres in length and 6.2 metres in width, and weighs 70 kilogrammes. Entirely designed, produced, and applied by Emirates’ in-house staff, both of these are the largest decals the airline has put on any aircraft, to date and took

a team of 28 people 2.5 days to apply the decals on one A380, or approximately 900 man hours per aircraft. In addition to its two A380s literally “flying” the flag for the cause, Emirates will run regular feature stories about wildlife protection in its inflight magazines, and showcase podcast interviews, wildlife programming and feature films on its award-winning ice inflight entertainment system. This subject

was the cover story in the October edition of Emirates’ Open Skies magazine. The airline is also collaborating with international organisations to train and better equip its ground and cargo staff to detect and deal with illegal wildlife products in transit. As the required paperwork for movement of some wildlife products is often forged, Emirates also made the decision to ban trophy shipments.

Mr Saidu Dibis, head of delegation, Arewa Youth Parliament, presenting a plaque to Mr John Kennedy, Executive Secretary, NCPC.

Arewa youth parliament honours Ncpc boss The Arewa Youth parliament, an umbrella of all northern youths have conferred on the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr John Kennedy Opara, an honourary award for selfless service to his fatherland, in recognition of his commitment and dedication. Mr Saidu Dibis, the head of the delegation explained that the essence of the forum is to promote unity among Nigerian youths by building synergy and strengthening national bond. He affirmed that the purpose of their visit was to honour the Executive Secretary for being a patriotic leader and also to take a leaf from his immense commitment, dedication and determination. In his words, “I am proud of this commission and so are Nigerians.” He commended the NCPC boss for the youth pilgrimage programme through which the youths of Nigeria are being empowered, and for the Christian Pilgrimage Lottery scheme which would avail less

privileged Nigerians an opportunity to go on pilgrimage at no cost. In his response, the Executive Secretary, Mr John Kennedy Opara, appreciated the Arewa Youth Forum for the great honour. He encouraged them to make good decisions that would move the youths of Nigeria forward and further strengthen the bond. In his words, “Decisions influence actions, therefore let your decisions inspire others and help in nation building.” He explained that the youth pilgrimage programme of the commission is committed to empowering Nigerian youths morally and financially through the Youth Pilgrimage Skills Acquisition programme. He commended the youths for living up to their mandate through which bridges are built across northern states and the country at large. The NCPC helmsman urged the youths to continually pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.

tribunebusiness

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

energy

anchor Tunde Dodondawa

m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

Experts proffer solutions to challenges of NNPC JV underfunding Inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to meet its cash-call obligations has been a source of concerns to stakeholders in the oil and gas industry. In this report, OLATUNDE DODONDAWA examines the effects of these challenges on the economy and the way forward. Excerpts:

Joint Venture (JV) agreement is a business agreement in which the parties (the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and International Oil Companies (IOCs)) agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the assets and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets between them. In the JV agreement between the NNPC and the IOCs, each of the partners contribute funding, otherwise called cash-call, based on their equity holdings in the JV company and also lifts crude oil in that proportion. Under current JV arrangements between the NNPC and the IOCs, the NNPC contributes about 55 per cent, in case of Shell and 60 per cent in cases of other IOCs, of the funding requirement while the IOC in question provides the balance. The IOC, as the JV operator, deducts the operating cost and also pays taxes and royalties to the government. The operator also prepares the budget, which it presents to other partners for approval at the beginning of every fiscal year. When the budget is approved, the operator will issue a cash call statement to all the partners for them to remit their contribution for the running of the venture. The operator is, however, empowered to borrow money at the international or local market if any of the partners fails to meet its cash-call obligations, otherwise the project will be scaled down within the limit of available funds. The challenges of JV operations One of the major challenges of the JV business model is the inability of a party to meet its cash-call obligations, in this case, the NNPC. While delivering his presentations at the

recently concluded Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos, the Chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Chairman/ Managing Director for the Nigeria Mid-Africa Business Unit for Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Company, Mr. Clay Neff, stated that funding level has not been sufficient and it has hindered the operations to pursue drastic growth opportunities in the crude oil explorations for the country. In his presentation entilted: ‘Implications and Impact of JV funding on the Nigerian oil and gas sector and the Nigerian economy,’ he stated that OPTS members were responsible for 96 per cent of crude oil production in Nigeria. “Proffering solutions to JV funding challenge which is confronting the country, the JV requires a direct ownership of participation and funding by NNPC and its partners in proportion to their equity interest. The JV is governed by JV agreement which stipulates the practices and governing operations for effective management. “We are aware that for the past few years, funding level has not been sufficient and it

Indigenous firm to construct N49.5bn petroleum storage facility P27

has hindered the operations to pursue drastic growth opportunities. What have been responsible for funding challenges are appropriation constraints. Our JV partner, NNPC, receives funding through Appropriation by the National Assembly. The National Assembly has not allocated sufficient fund for the NNPC and as a result, NNPC has not met its required share of the JV funding operations. The consequences are that over the past several years, the approved JV budget of NNPC has approximately dropped by 20 per cent. Put differently, NNPC JV funding drops by $3billion every year,” he said. The current crude prices have suddenly challenged the situation further. He stated that the second challenge is shortfalls in cash calls payment. “The delay in shortfall of NNPC cash calls payment. For several years, cash call payment by the NNPC has typically fallen short of the called-amount. As at January 2015, the arrears by NNPC were over $4.1billion not including $1.2billion to the indigenous companies. As at end of first quarter, 2015, the cash call deficit was up to $11billion. The underfunding of the JV is unacceptable to the industry. “The third is budgeting process and the timeline. The situation described is acer-

Nigeria loses $277.2m in 30 days to crude price decline P28

bated by delay in budget. Approval for budget is always received several years after the budget year. What is usually in the budget is significantly lower than what was agreed in the budget year. By the time budget is received for the JV operations, several programmes must have been performed by JV partners, making it extremely difficult to re-align the programmes as approved in the budget resulting in these arrears being created. “To understand the impact of under-funding of JV operations on the Nigerian economy, it is important we note that JV operations contribute about 65 per cent to the entire crude oil production. It has resulted into insufficient investment. Funds are not available to develop projects. Lack of JV funding is responsible for decline of crude oil production from 2.2million barrels per day in 2005 to approximately 1.1 million barrels per day today. Roughly about 50 per cent decline in the last 10 years. This challenge is compounded by decline in crude price at the international market. The decline in crude price has led to decline in government revenue which in turn responsible for inability of the government to finance Continues on

Kachikwu to represent PIB after review P28

P27

energy

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

How experts proffer solutions to challenges of NNPC JV underfunding Continues from pg26

its programmes with the Nigerian people in terms of building infrastructures, payment of workers salary and creation of jobs,” he reiterated. On his part, the President of Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production, Mr Ali Moshiri, raised the alarm that the total investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, which stood at $20billion in 2014 has dropped by 20 per cent in 2015. He said Nigeria accounted for $20billion out of the $600 billion investment in the global oil and gas industry in 2014. He, however, pointed out that in 2015, investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has dropped by 20 per cent. In Africa, Moshiri said Nigeria was the top producer of liquid hydrocarbon and number three in gas production, stressing however, that the country’s number three position in gas is because of lack of gas infrastructure and not because of gas resources. According to him, Nigeria has much more gas resources to the extent that the country could be number three or four around the globe, but added that the problem is lack of gas infrastructure. “But when you talk about investment, total industry investment in 2014 was about $600billion and Nigeria had around $20billion. After the price crash, there is tremendous reduction in global investment. Now the question you may ask: is that reduction because of cost efficiency or is that reduction because of investment? They are not doing the same thing they did before and it is cheaper. As you can see, investment in Nigeria has significantly dropped by 20 per cent,” Moshiri explained. Moshiri said Nigeria had tremendous capacity and resources to produce far above two million barrels of crude oil per day, but added that much investment would be required. He noted that $20billion investment would be required yearly for the country to replace its current production levels. Moshiri said many projects were locked up in Nigeria because of cost and identified Bonga South West project as one of the projects. He said the current slump in crude oil prices should not be a surprise to anyone as he had witnessed four of such decline in his 40 years in the oil and gas business. The way forward: Need to review equity stake of NNPC Proffering solutions to the challenges outlined above, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr Ojunekwu Austin Avuru, advised the Federal Government to reduce its cash call contribution through reduction in its equity stake, thereby allowing other partners with the needed financial muscle to increase their equity stakes by ensuring adequate financing of the projects. According to Avuru, whether the government reduces its stake or not, it is entitled to larger portion of the profit in terms of petroleum profit tax and royalties, education tax and other tax elements which will remain unchanged. For instance, if $100million is needed to explore a field after which $10 million is declared as profit. If 85 per cent goes to the government as Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and royalties amounting to $8.5million, the balance of $1.5 million is what would be shared based on equity contribution to the business. By implications, it means if the govern-

ment, through the NNPC, reduces its stake to 40 per cent while the IOC maintains 60 per cent, NNPC will take $600 million while its partner will earn $900 million. He said what this position would guarantee is adequate funding of the JV operations, adequate returns would be guaranteed and the government would not border itself about raising fund to finance its share of the business. It is of utmost importance to state that despite being the highest stakeholder in the JV, the IOCs with lesser stakes are the operators of the venture businesses. Alternative financing programme Recently, the NNPC secured a $1.2 billion multi-year drilling financing package for 36 Offshore/Onshore Oil wells under the NNPC/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture. The funding package which is being financed by a consortium of Nigerian and international lenders is an integral part of the Accelerated Upstream Financing Programme initiated by NNPC to address the perennial challenge experienced by the Federal Government in providing its counterpart funding of JV upstream activities. The Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, who also doubles as Minister of State of Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, was able to secure the facility because of his background as a technocrat. The NNPC said it envisaged that the initiative, apart from supplementing the CashCall commitment, would help in the maintenance of current production levels in the short term as well as replacing depleting reserves. Breakdown of the NNPC/Chevron JV deal which was executed at a signing-ceremony in London indicates that the $1.2billion is to be channeled into the development of 23 onshore and 13 offshore wells on OML 49, 90 and 95 in two stages over 2015-2018. Stage one, comprising 19 wells, is projected to deliver 21,000 barrels of crude oil and condensate per day alongside 120,000million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d) over 2015 and 2016. Stage two, comprising 17 wells, is projected to yield 20,000 barrels of crude oil and condensate per day alongside gas production of 7mmscf/d between 2016 and 2018. It is envisaged that both stages of the project would generate $2 to $5 billion of incre-

mental revenue to the Federation Account. Beyond the contribution to the national treasury, the projected peak incremental gas production of 127mmscf/d, which is the electricity equivalent of 400 megawatts, would help boost the Federal Government’s domestic gas aspirations with expectant positive effect on power supply. Kachikwu described the new alternative funding arrangement as the new contractual model in upstream financing which would serve as a template for future initiative to supplement the Federal Government’s Joint Venture Cash Call commitment. While commending the NNPC/Chevron Joint Finance Team and the Consortium of local and international lenders led by Standard Chartered Bank and UBA for a job well done, the GMD noted that the Corporation will not relent in the renewed effort to restore probity and transparency to the process of generation, collection and remit-

tance of crude oil proceeds. “I have always believed that issues of Federation Accounts must be left sacrosanct and not be toyed with. The Accelerated Upstream Financing Programme is designed to help us achieve this objective,” he said. Clay Neff, Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited pledged the readiness of Chevron to work assiduously with the NNPC to meet its set target in the project. With the completion of its financing, Project Cheetah stands as the pioneer project under the Accelerated Upstream Financing Programme of the NNPC. The project is operated under the NNPC/CNL JV which is owned on a 60-40 basis in favour of the NNPC. The NNPC/CNL Joint Venture is reputed as the 3rd largest producer in Nigeria. Project Cheetah is projected to achieve a peak incremental production of 61 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Indigenous firm to construct N49.5bn petroleum storage facility A leading indigenous oil firm, Pinnacle oil and Gas Company, said it is set to construct N49.5 billion storage facility at the Lekki Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Lagos. The company said it has finalised an arrangement to start the construction of 600,000 metric tonnes (MT) storage facility which is expected to start in January 2016. The project, which is expected to generate about 20,000 direct and indirect jobs both during and after construction, would also help to reduce the cost of demurrage of petroleum products because it would significantly shorten the turn-around time for vessels. Commenting on the development, the Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Oil and Gas, Peter Mbah, said that there would be two Mooring Systems, a Single Point Mooring (SPM) system for bigger vessels of up to 250,000 MT, while the other one would be a smaller Mooring System which is called the conventional system for smaller vessels of 20,000 to 50,000. According to him, the idea is long overdue in the country. “We have a situation in our country where we spend hugely on operational costs for importing refined products. This is unacceptable. Nigeria spends

about N9 per litre on a litre of petrol as operational cost. The project is conceived because the era of going to Lome in Togo or other neighbouring countries for transhipment of petroleum product is over. The project would eliminate the cost of hiring shuttle vessels.” He said the company was providing supply chain infrastructural solution, that is, marketers are able to bring their big vessels from anywhere whether you are buying the products from Dangote Refinery or any other refinery across the globe they will bring their vessel straight away to the facility without going to look for smaller vessels to lighten the cargo before they will be discharged. The Pinnacle Oil and Gas boss said with this development, the cost of transportation of the imported products would crash if other marketers should key into the projects, as there would be no more payment of demurrage because it would no longer be necessary. “It would reduce the operating cost of all tank farms and would bring down the prices of petroleum products because all cost associated to demurrage would have been eliminated,” he said.

energy

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

ExxonMobil launches Nigerian Geological Survey Agency maps Stories By Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

xxonMobil has launched seven new maps published by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) through the University Partnering Programme (UPP) of Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL). Speaking at the launch of the new maps during the recently concluded 2015 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) conference in Lagos, Andrew Ejayeriese, General Manager, EEPNL, said the new maps signified the outstanding success of an innovative social investment vehicle introduced to help improve on the quality of geo-science education in the Nigerian university system. “We are delighted that the seven new maps produced from the UPP field trips have passed the exacting scrutiny of the relevant authorities and have now been published, increasing the number of published maps from the programme to 16,” Ejayeriese said. He said ExxonMobil introduced the UPP in 2007 as a means of “supporting Nigerian universities in providing geo-science academic instruction comparable to their counterparts in the advanced economies,” adding that the programme had been extended to 14 Nigerian universities so far. According to Ejayeriese, the new maps illustrates “the remarkable productivity of the UPP, not just in terms of the invaluable knowledge the students must have gained in the course of field work analysis and mapmaking process, but also the significant contributions these maps will make to the provision of a quality and reliable database for Nigeria.” He explained the maps would be very useful for mineral exploration and other industry-relevant investigations and add relevance to oil and mining industries. He said the success of the programme had strengthened the company’s resolve to extend its partnership to every public university in Nigeria in due course in its determined quest to enable Nigerian geo-science graduates stand on “equal competitive foot-

ing with their counterparts from the best universities across the globe.” The EEPNL boss said that ExxonMobil affiliates had, through the UPP and the University Assistance Programme (UAP),

invested more than N9.2billion in the Nigerian university system and would do more for the overall benefit of the Nigerian university system. ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria have also,

Nigeria loses $277.2m to crude price decline Nigeria’s revenue has continued to dip due to the dwindling nature of crude price at the international crude market. The price of crude oil averaged $45 per barrel in the last one month, according to Average Platts’ Pricing, indicating that Nigeria may have lost $277.2 million in 30 days. Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, which depends largely on crude proceeds to service over 85 per cent of its budget, had benchmarked $52 per barrel for oil in its 2015 budget.

According to investigations by the Nigerian Tribune, at an average price of $45 per barrel in the last 30 days, there is an indication of a shortfall of $7 per barrel when compared with the benchmark of $52 per barrel as provided in the 2015 budget. Nigeria’s 60 per cent share of 2.2 million barrel oil equivalent production daily equals 1.32million barrels per day and it is being managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on behalf of Nigeria.

Kachikwu to represent PIB after review The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu, is set to represent the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) after review to the legislature for easy passage. Kachikwu said the bill, as well as increased oil production, monetisation of oil and gas, would be the fulcrum of his focus which is also in line with the present administration’s initiative to transform the industry. Kachikwu disclosed this recently at a luncheon on his honour by the Petroleum Club, Lagos. He assured his colleagues at the club that the government would pay more attention to increasing Nigeria’s crude oil and gas production within this period to earn more revenue. According to him, “the PIB which has remained dormant for years would be revived and represented to the National Assembly, albeit with new or reviewed terms.” He said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed him to change the age-long perception of Nigeria’s petroleum industry as being corrupt and opaque. He added that going forward, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources would have to imbibe new operational culture that is in line with standard practices.

according to him, invested “over N5billion in scholarship awards to students for study at secondary and tertiary educational levels both in Nigeria and in leading universities internationally.”

“The work in the Petroleum Ministry is going to be very intense. There is a lot to be done. I think we have lost a lot of momentum in this sector from the practices in the past and coupled with the difficult international environment that we now need to begin to sit down and map out very clear deliverables for us,” he said. He noted on the PIB that the National Assembly would be engaged by the executive arm of government to get the bill passed mostly by reviewing the controversial terms that had held it back from getting through the legislative processes. On gas, the minister said that the global blueprint encourages gas development and that it is key even though it costs money to get more gas to industries and homes. He said that the government would also concentrate on distributing stranded gas in the country by getting key partners to transport gas across the country, while getting the oil majors to commit to producing more gas for domestic consumption. The gas pipeline, according to him, is also key but government is yet to complete extant projects that would upon completion benefit other parts of the country. He said: “One of the key investment drives that I will focus on is how to get money to the gas environment. And how

to get money from the gas environment is drilling for gas and explore and find and development that will make us get the gas component.” Speaking on improving processes and controls at the NNPC, he said the government was analysing the country’s total fuel consumption in a day with a view to reviewing NNPC’s domestic crude oil allocation which currently stands at 442,000 barrels per day. In a meeting with officials at the Petroleum Ministry shortly after his appointment as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, he pledged to follow due process in his work at the ministry. He explained that within the next couple of months, the ministry and its personnel would have to work on keying into the government’s plan for the sector. “I will imagine that the first couple of months, we will get the heads of the various parastatals to work with us to understand what the agenda of the administration is but very quickly, we will also sit down to see if there are capacities that would be needed. I am not saying I am going to change people but we will absolutely require you to show an ability to deliver so that we can help finish the change processes that we have begun,” he said.

The NNPC controls an average of 60 per cent of its JV operations. By implications, when you multiply 1.32million barrels by $7, you will realize $9.24million daily. However, this will amount to $277.2million in 30 days. Reasons for decline in crude price are attributable to glut in the crude market. Crude supply has been higher than demand, amid discovery in shale oil in commercial quantities in the United States of America. However, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) revealed that the producer group’s current pumping rates would boost supplies by half a million barrels of crude daily by next year. This may be a confirmation that crude price volatility may continue beyond 2016. The OPEC oil output fell in October from the previous month with top producers such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq leading countries with lower supplies to the market, a Reuters’ survey has confirmed. The drops are not indicative of deliberate supply cuts to prop up prices, sources in the survey said, and the OPEC is still pumping close to a record high as major producers focus on defending market share. Specifically, the organisation’s supply fell in October to 31.64 million barrels per day (bpd) from a revised 31.76 million in September based on shipping data and information from sources at oil companies, OPEC and consultants. Even so, OPEC has boosted production by almost 1.5 million bpd since the November 2014 switch to defending market share. Despite the decline this month, output is not far below July’s 31.88 million bpd, the highest since Reuters records began in 1997. The OPEC increase has added to ample supplies, which have helped cut prices by more than half from June 2014 to below $50 a barrel. Still, with reductions in capital spending by oil companies expected to curb future supply, analysts see signs that OPEC’s strategy will deliver.

tribunebusiness

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Why power distribution remains a challenge —Bamidele Musili Alabi Bamidele, the National Trustee of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Electricity Sector, in this interview with BOLA BADMUS, highlights various problems facing electricity sector in Nigeria.

successor companies did was to lay those people off and went ahead and employed degree holders.

INCE power distribution companies took over in Nigeria, can you assess the situation of electricity supply in Nigeria? Has there been any improvement to tally with the dream of the Federal Government? It is totally no. How? In the sense that these people have failed us. At the initial stage, my intention was that when past administration said they wanted to privatise electricity sector, we thought they were to allow all to participate in the exercise, but now, it has been monopolised. It has been restricted to certain calibre of people in the country and that does not give room to people that are versed in electricity sector operation, especially its network and ethics. So they have jeopardised people’s hope. As a matter of fact, electricity is a utility which Nigerians are supposed to enjoy through government but to my surprise, it has become a yoke. Take for instance the issue of electricity metres, as a matter of fact, meters are supposed to be given free to every consumer in the country because that is where the distributor companies can get their money from. Consumers are not supposed to encounter any problem to obtain their metres. What they are supposed to do is to give the metres free and maybe ask the consumers to be paying back instalmentally for a period of six months or one year so that the impact would not be felt. Why do you think they are selling them to consumers? My belief is that these distribution companies are just here to make money, they don’t have the interest of the masses at heart because if they do, how can you lay emphasise on just money? For instance, how much did they buy the right of participation from the government? I believe the amount is so small that within three years our billing can pay it back.

Let’s do a reflection, when power generation, transmission, distribution were in the hands of the defunct NEPA, Nigerians were faced with same problems and government itself realised that its involvement could not make any meaningful impact, while people also cried out that something had to be done. That was why government invited investors and as you said, the problem still persists, so what do you think is the best solution? Thank you. I think to my mind, government has two options: it is either it retrieves the power sector from the distribution companies or get more investors to participate in the distribution of electricity in this country. Like now, these 11 companies that are currently engaged in the business are not enough, they are too small because the area of coverage for each of them is too large to maintain and for effective distribution, government should break the area of coverage to smaller units and hand them over to new investors. Can you let us in on the specifics of what you are talking about? Which

Shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari took over, there was an improvement in power supply and Nigerians began to celebrate that they were experiencing stable supply of electricity now, and a lot of people said it was due to body language of the new president. You know the reason why it so, it is because they believe that this new man that came, if you don’t do it the way it is supposed to be done, it is a problem. That was why there was a little improvement in power generation.

areas are the companies covering that make you think they are too large? Take for instance Ibadan Electricity Company, they cover as far as Ilorin; Ekiti, Oyo, Osun states. They even cover up to the boundary of Benin Republic. They also cover up to Agbara, in Lagos, imagine that. Their area of coverage also extends to SangoOtta, Itele, Aparadija, Ayetoro. These areas are too much for them to handle. Let me show you something in my paper here. For instance, this a 2-Feeder Pillar, this diagram you see is feeding two communities. Take for instance, Community A and B, different community on the same pole. Like this one now, there is no way an electrician that wants to work on this pole would not be electrocuted unless he puts off the two feeders, whereas it is wrong. By the time they are working on these two feeders now, Community A that does not have anything with this repair would not have light. If it is one week that would take to effect the repair, there would be no light at all to any of the communities and, therefore, all the power generated would be wasted. It means

I think the government has two options: it is either it retrieves the power sector from the distribution companies or get more investors to participate in the distribution of electricity in this country. .

all the consumers would remain in darkness, thereby jeopardising the government’s intention. And yet we will be complaining about a drop in electricity generation. So, what I am saying is that there is no amount of megawatts that we generate, if we don’t address this issue and other similar ones, including cutting tick bushes around the power line, we cannot move forward in this country. You appear to be saying that Nigeria is generating more megawatts than it is distributing… Although there is nothing bad in generating more electricity, we need to address the area of distribution. Take for instance the illustration I gave earlier concerning the two feeders on one pole, there is no way they want to work on one community that they will not isolate the other community that does not have anything to do with the fault. So, as a result of that, why can’t they separate them so that by the time Community A has fault on their feeder, they can clear it without affecting Community B, that is where energy that is generated and transmitted is lost. Earlier when you spoke, you appeared to be saying that even the investors that took over don’t have human capacity to run the business, what do you mean by that? I said this in the sense that the able hands had been laid off, that is, the people that know the networks and the terrain as well as the ethics of the profession. Though some of them may not have a degree, but they were not supposed to be treated in such a way. They should know that these people are good in certain areas and what they needed to do was to equip them further, why can’t they do that? Instead of that what these

You also believe so? Let me tell you something, there is a cabal behind this epileptic power supply. The cabal is benefiting from the rot, so they don’t want us to get stable power supply. The government, on its own part, also has its blame because how can they be using something that is our right to campaign, that ‘if you vote for me, there will be electricity and I will fix the roads’? All these are basic needs; they are our rights and entitlements, they don’t need to use that one as campaign issues during electioneering. If there is stable electricity, can we have problems again? But they know that if electricity is not stable, they can use that one to campaign for us to win our votes. There is one other thing. Some electricity distribution companies now call on customers to pay up huge debt owed so as to offer efficient services. What do you think is responsible for these huge debts? You know what? Before you can be a debt collector, you must be proactive, trustworthy and you must have the fear of God in you because on the consumer side, they will corrupt you. If you don’t have fear of God, you may not be able to achieve what you want to achieve. Which union do you belong? Nigeria Electricity Pensioners Union and I am the National Trustee. In which area does your association come to intervene in the problem of electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Nigeria? If they want us, we can intervene in so many areas. For instance now, there are many capable people among us, they don’t have anything to do. We have cable joiner, we have lines men, and people who are experts in fixing metres. Somebody like me I am not tired, that is why I say I want to be a partaker in electricity sector if government can give me chance. If they can carve some of these large areas now under some of these successor companies, I can be available for such a job, why not? If that is done for some many competent individuals and companies, we can celebrate an uninterrupted electricity supply in Nigeria. I hear government each time announcing that they have committed lot of billions to electricity sector, if they give me just N1billion out of the so- called intervention fund, I would declare a state of emergency in the electricity sector if I am given a chance.

politics&policy

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

How far can Fashola go?

Former Governor of Lagos State,Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has been described a super minister following his appointment as the Minister of Works, Power and Housing. TUNDE BUSARI examines the tasks ahead of the minister.

HE nomination, confirmation and eventual swearing in of the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola as the substantive Minister of Power, Works and Housing is a hard-earned victory over his critics. For weeks, such critics went on air with an allegation, which put to task the popularity that characterised his eight-year administration in Lagos. The social media was awash with the allegation that Fashola corruptly enriched himself during his tenure, a contrast to his Spartan disposition. But he was able to wriggle out of the controversy by making a number of clarifications laced in epigram. Some of his traducers also insinuated about his cordial relationship with his political benefactor, Senator Bola Tinubu. Though issues pertaining to the governorship race had created a stir in the All Progressives congress (APC) in Lagos, ahead of the April 2015 polls, the leaders appeared to have closed ranks as the election proper approached, thus the victory of the incumbent governor of the state, Mr Akinwumi Ambode. Nonetheless, some thought that the dust occasioned by the power play over governorship matter could spill over to the allocation of political appointments, especially at the federal level. The permutation became history as President Muhammadu Buhari did not only confirm his confidence in Fashola but also flaunted his faith in his competence by making him the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. His appointment has been described in various flowery terms by different people. As a ‘super minister’ by virtue of the three ministries collapsed into one, Fashola was indeed a star attraction during the swearing in ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. One important reason Buhari went ahead to shortlist him for his current position, some political analysts reason, was Fashola’s phenomenal performance in Lagos regarded as micro-Nigeria. It is on record that the administration, to its credit, effected an unprecedented physical transformation of the state in the areas of infrastructural renewal, public safety and security, education, as well as rural transformation. Fashola’s response to the killer Ebola disease, in particular, won him an ovation even among his political opponents. Former President Goodluck Jonathan could not but also praised him on the feat he achieved in checkmating the spread of the dreaded disease, which could have turned the whole na-

Fashola tion to a graveyard. It is argued that Tinubu’s vision, which he believed only a technocrat as Fashola could deliver in record time, was the template on which Fashola built his administration. Fashola’s personal commitment to translating the vision to a reality made Lagos State a model of good governance with Tinubu receiving accolade for laying the foundation. At the commissioning of the Mile 12-Ikorodu road and Bus Rapid Transit, Tinubu said, “You saw what happened when he was made minister yesterday (November 11). Lagos took the front seat. I am now a proud grandfather and I have no doubt he will succeed in that assignment,” he said. The publisher of Ovation magazine, Chief Dele Momodu has also attested to the competence of Fashola and also gave kudos to

President Buhari on his choice. Given this antecedent, Fashola looks good for a repeat performance, especially with his earlier declaration that electricity supply to every home is possible. On March 8, 2015, at the commissioning of the 1.2 kilometre Glover Road and 8.5 megawatts Pennisula Integrated Power Project (PIPP) in Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Council, Fashola challenged the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to yield some percentages of their concessions to him and see how he would, in six months, solve electricity problem. “So, let no one say that he has no money to deliver power to the entire nation. This is the limit to which the law allows us to do, but we have done this to make a statement that power can be generated. So, when they come with lies

This is the limit to which the law allows us to do, but we have done this to make a statement that power can be generated. So, when they come with lies that power is impossible, you can tell them we have power here, we make it possible.

that power is impossible, you can tell them we have power here, we make it possible,” Fashola said. To further prove his mettle, he wasted no time soon after he was sworn in as minister as he made it to his office where he was warmly received after which he held a closed door meeting with permanent secretary and directors of the Ministry of Works. Fashola was accompanied by his Minister of state, Alhaji Mustafa Sheuri. It appears that President Buhari, has deliberately watered the ground for Fashola and other ministers to succeed. The president is conscious of the role civil servants play in determining the fate of ministers, hence his retirement of about 18 permanent secretaries one week before the swearing in of the new ministers. Some political observers are of the view that the sack of the permanent secretaries is a right step to save the ministers of the obstacle the retired officials would have posed to achieving the vision of the administration. The experience of the late Chief Bola Ige was a reference point. Determined to cleanse the ministry of power to stabilise electricity distribution to the nation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo on assumption of office in May 1999, looked for the man he believed had the experience and capability to effectively undertake the task. Chief Ige fitted into his calculation and was appointed as the substantive minister for mines and power. Signs that Ige would succeed were first seen when he appeared before the Senate for formal presentation. He was asked to take a bow by the upper chamber of the NASS despite the fact that he did not belong to the PDP which controlled majority seats in the Senate. The honour propelled Ige to promise the nation that he would under six months make blackout a thing of the past in Nigeria. On account of his credibility as a detribalised Nigerian and man of his words, public expectation rose and the nation was in a frenzy of sort. But one year after, electricity supply even dropped to an embarrassing level. It was alleged that Ige’s good intention was frustrated by influential civil servants in the ministry, whose life depended solely on the rot in the ministry. Fashola’s youthfulness and attention to details is said to be an asset he could use to meet the expectation of his principal. Professor Wole Soyinka once described him as one who approaches his work in a very clinical mechanised fashion. “In other words, he diagnoses the problem and then goes at it like a skilled mechanic, looking at the pieces. The ones which work, he puts back and those that don’t work, he sets out to completely eliminate or transform them. And he does it ruthlessly because he is not a politician,” the Noble Laurel prize winner had affirmed. Regardless of this, heading three hitherto federal ministries collapsed into one with many parastatals and agencies is not a mean task. How far can Fashola go? Time will tell.

31 politics&policy

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Why NASS crisis persists —Giwa-Amu Gabriel Giwa-Amu, a Lagos-based lawyer and founder of the Stephen and Solomon Foundation, has successfully used it to the cause of awaiting trial inmates in prisons yards. In an interview with TUNDE BUSARI, he speaks about the Nigerian judicial system, prisons, police and politics.

28. But I am not happy that the government is embarrassingly slow and painfully weak. The so-called anti-corruption thing is a tabloid war as Chief Ebenzer Babatope rightly put it. How many people are in the prison now despite the noise being made on a daily basis? The truth is that Nigerian masses are hungry. What is your opinion on the power tussle in the Senate and House of Representatives? What do you expect from a president who says he belongs to nobody because he is for nobody? This mantra has permitted all sorts of interests to pursue their narrow objectives. We should not forget that those involved in what they called anti-party activities are core members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They are born PDP members, who only looked for a platform after a disagreement with their party. PDP runs in the veins of such people, despite being in the All Progressives Congress (APC). So, they know what they are doing. Nobody should be fooled that being in APC makes them APC members. They have interests and desires in conflict with those of APC. It is shameful that the leadership of APC is helpless to tame these desperate politicians in their party. It appears that APC has no manifesto. Otherwise, these PDP members should not have been accommodated.

HAT do you think is responsible for the large number of inmates in Nigerian prisons? First and foremost, it is the irresponsibility of our judicial system. Judicial officers, who are not competent to sit on the Bench, through the years, have been appointed to that exalted position. Judicial officers, who do not have and cannot apply sound judicial discretions, are appointed to the hallowed stool of being a judge or a magistrate. What I am saying is that abuse of judicial discretions has contributed in no small measure to the problem in the prison. So, prisons are bound to be congested. You go to court and find out that the magistrate will leave a message that he is not ready to sit because he is not feeling fine or because of traffic or he has taken his children to school. But that same magistrate, who gives such flimsy excuse, is seen at the High Court premises chatting with his or her friends, burning valuable judicial time. Secondly, my own constituency, lawyers, also contribute to prison congestion either out of incompetence or and unwillingness to do the job or and when they are not paid. Thirdly, the prison system itself encourages congestion of the prison because of corruption. Facilities needed to work are not there. They don’t have vehicles to take inmates to court. The most lucrative prisons in Nigeria are those of Kirikiri and Ikoyi, all in Lagos. Prison officers jostle to be transferred to Lagos. The more inmates you have in your yard, the more the ration you get from the authorities. Some state governments’ draconian laws also contribute to the problem. Environmental sanitation agencies of Lagos State have sent so many helpless Lagosians to the prison without trial. Removing awaiting trial inmates from prisons, what you see is an empty prison yards. The awaiting trial inmates make up 70 per cent of the population in the prison yards. How do you then describe the state of Nigerian prisons? The condition in our prison yards is inhuman. Contrary to the purpose for which prisons should serve, what we have in Nigeria is terrible. Except Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, I have toured all prison yards in the country. As a matter of fact, the prison officers also need to be rehabilitated. In spite of the flowery statements made by Nigerian Prisons Service that they are building new prisons, the condition of existing ones is deplorable. What I saw at Shagamu prison was an eyesore. I took breakfast with the inmates and almost passed away on my way back to Lagos. I stopped for more than six times before I reached Lagos. It was a bad experience. The barracks, where the prison officers live, are in bad shape. You will not even keep pigs in the barracks. This affects them, as they corner and convert donated items to their private use. My foundation has donated items worth N18 million to the NPS without receiving a thank you message. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)

Are you suggesting we have not even seen the end of the rancour in both chambers? The situation is like that of a Russian ship, which got lost, leaving the captain going to no particular direction. There is going to be a legislative coup that destabilise them all. Unfortunately, the president is not a politician. All he has is his patriotism and integrity, but his inability to play politics to meander through is his shortcoming. He needs to rise and give what it takes to be president of Nigeria.

Giwa-Amu

They are born PDP members, who only look for a platform after a disagreement with their party. PDP runs in the veins of such people, despite being in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

recently decried the activities of those it described as fake lawyers in the profession. How true is the claim? Who are the fake lawyers? In what way have those complaining contributed to the society? They are the ones who create room for the charlatans to operate. Fake lawyers are their touts. They only complain when they disagree. Lawyers are not made by suit but by competence. It will be funny to know that some of the so-called fake lawyers are more competent than the real lawyers. But I am not saying fake lawyers should not be arrested and brought to book. They have to be flushed out of our system, but our colleagues too need to show competence and

willingness to work as expected of them by the society. There is enough space for lawyers to make name and fame for themselves if they are very hardworking. But the quest for quick money and other material items has become a distraction to the pursuant of their profession. Has President Muhammadu Buhari met your pre-election expectations? He has not, and I am very disappointed. I don’t belong to any political party but I invested my trust in the integrity of Buhari. I thought by now Nigerian masses would have seen the change they spent their time and risked their lives to vote for on March

Don’t you see the PDP exploiting this to stage a comeback? In fact, if PDP brings out, as presidential candidates, great men like Donald Duke, Lyel Imoke, or if Professor Yemi Osibajo decamps to PDP, APC will be history. I observe that Nigerians now are quick in their judgment. The moment a government fails to meet their expectation, they switch allegiance. That was what happened to PDP and there is nothing suggesting APC will not have same taste if things continue this way. The magic former President Goodluck Jonathan failed to do was to fix the LagosIbadan Expressway. If he had completed the road, which Baba Olusegun Obasanjo could not fix in eight years, he would have won the votes of the South-West electorate in addition to those of other users of the very strategic road. If APC does not change. It will lose in 2019. What do you think is likely to be this problem if not managed well, regarding 2019 elections? If the crisis in APC is not managed well and quickly too, it will burn the party. If a party comes out of APC today, it is a victory to PDP. I am worried that Jagaban is silent these days. I don’t know him as one who would maintain such silence in the face of the goings on in the party. Things are not going on well. President Buhari should increase his pace, if he does not want to lose confidence reposed in him. If he loses the trust of the electorate, he will never get another chance to rule Nigeria again.

politicscommentary

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Leadership, change and national continuity

George

By Olabode George

HILE nations are sustained by permanent conflict of ideas and enduring debates, partisan politics is never eternal. Politics must always stop at a definite juncture to give room for a balanced clarity in the formulation of a national vision. I believe that is where we are today. And that is why the topic that has been chosen: Leadership, Change and National Continuity is very much relevant now to our present national journey. I have been told that this platform is not a partisan forum. This is not about partisan advantages or a contest about identifying flaws or merits of different political entities. Well, I do agree. I intend to fully respect this very orbit of proceedings. I must speak now in a nationalistic frame, without rancor or bitterness about the loss of my party at the last general elections and without unnecessary distortions about the status of our national union. It is in this clarity of mind and purity of philosophical purpose that one can then do justice to the essence of a unifying national leadership, the inevitable change in national pursuit and the continuity of our national ideals. The fundamental reality in our nation today is the immutable fact that there is a new government in the saddle of power. An election has been won and lost. We have new men in power. There can be no contentions on these observations. We must all respect this new reality. My position today is that we must move forward. Leadership is never frozen in time and place. The redeeming and progressive appreciation of leadership is always about new dreams; it is always about new challenges, new discoveries and new confrontations.

It is now for us to redefine, to rearticulate how we engage the new team. Do we withdraw into a permanent, indecorous and belligerent war of attrition, condemning everything, denouncing every aspect of the new administration in sweeping partisan venom? That cannot be right. That will not enhance our national growth. That will not contribute to a refinement of our values and a development of our national fabric. Mere, instinctive denunciation of an opponent’s position is not a legitimate debate. It is a yielding to vengeance and retrogression. It inhibits development. It distorts vision and civilized clarity.

The magic of the Swiss national continuity is anchored on a unifying leadership that sees far beyond the self, that perceives truth and redeeming value beyond the selfish prism of hallelujah chorus of a sycophantic gang or ethnic jingoists.

How then do we engage a new leadership without being perceived as an unthoughtful collaborator with a new order? As I have said earlier, no enlightened people or nation must be detained in perpetual partisan conflict. There must always be a natural and inevitable juncture where politics must cease for a more elevated and a more ennobling discourse about the national vision. Once an election has been won and lost, once a new leadership enters the fray, the greater good of the nation must then be the driving force of all contending ideologies. Debates will never stop. The contest of ideas, the storm and tempest of ideological differences must now be articulated in a new patriotic frame and national balance. I do not say the opposition should roll over and die. I do not say the opposition should withdraw into lethargic indifference and accommodate the new order without contemplative engagement. No! What I am suggesting is that every nation is about renewal and change. Every nation is always a perpetual work in progress. It is never about a permanent, conclusionary arrival. It is always in constant fluidity as political actors perpetually contest for public space and dominance. But the struggle for relevance is never in the same frozen structural frame. There is always a time to go back to the drawing board, to sift through the ashes of defeat, to examine the contributory flaws that led to a debacle, to redesign the internal configurations of a party, discard its weaknesses, strengthen its strong points and prepare with patriotic zeal for a new engagement. Take the seemingly endless travails of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. Since Baroness Margaret Thatcher defeated Lord James Callaghan in 1979, the British Labour party was flung into an unbroken 18 years in political wilderness .No doubt the several years in the political limbo would

have been full of severities and dramatic challenges for the Labour Party. But through the ebb and flow of the downward turn in the party’s fortunes, there was no insistence that without Labour that the country must be forfeited. There was no clamour that the nation must tumble into ruin and destruction unless Labour is restored! Labour was in perpetual vigilance and unceasing positioning of its ideals. Yes, the party never remains the same. It keeps evolving to attune to the confronting realities. Principled men and women remain forever at the political barricades, engaging the presiding Conservatives with the purest of motives and the noblest of patriotic vision. Again through unceasing hard work and deliberate persistence, the fortunes of Labour party was changed in 1997, when Tony Blair defeated the Conservative Prime Minister John Major. Here again, the conservatives too were locked out of power equation for 13 years until 2010 when David Cameron defeated the Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Thus, in this seasonal swing and turn of political fortunes, there is that perpetual steadfastness in upholding civilised engagement, in withdrawing to the drawing board with renewed vision, with patriotic grace and with deep refined contemplation to engage the new order with new insight and with alternative directions. There in the Developed world, politics is never perceived as some narrow personification of a provincial agenda. There is no dubious recourse that beyond self, that beyond the purview of a particular party, all else must crumble and disappear. No sir! That is not politics. That is not an enlightened participation in statecraft. The enduring leadership then transcends far beyond immediate personal advantages. Leadership is not about a restrictive personal agenda which is coloured by discrimination and biases. Whether in opposition or in power, the enlightened and developmental leadership must always be perceived in sweeping, unbiased patriotic affirmations. It must be seen in balanced, equitable logic. Leadership must be uniform to friends and foes in the shepherding of the state. It must not yield to favours, or lean to partisan prejudices. Leadership must be woven in the fulcrum of order and ethical signposts. Leadership must be believable, perceived in sweeping moral cadences. Here, in this thematic largeness, the true leadership, either in opposition or in the saddle of power cannot really endure if it has two conflicting prongs of engagement- one for friend and another for the foe. It is in this wise that a leadership can only endure in credible appreciation when its general agenda is wholly subsumed in unbridled patriotic firmness. It must not bend in partisan consideration at the forfeiture of a larger national interest. A national pursuit is not always about one agenda. A nation is always a simultaneous confrontation with several issues. We must now steer towards other grave issues like the decay in our school system, the degenerative state of our communities, the brazen larceny in the corporate circles, the general malaise among our youths, the deepening loss of hope in the redemptive totality of the Nigerian dream that is now driving thousands of our unemployed youths into the tragic hopelessness of foreign isles. My humble position is that an enlightened leader must erect genuine and enduring structures of a pan-national agenda where merit and the content of character will disContinues pg33

politicscommentary

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Swiss model and the Nigerian federation Continued from pg32

place the narrow parochialism of ethnic prejudice and religious bias, where atavistic bigotry will collapse amid a new engaging universal enlightenment. Along this path of new nation and national identity, I suggest that we strengthen the paramount idealism behind the National Youth Corps Programme, which is predicated on promoting national unity by compelling that all the major three languages – Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo are made compulsory at the secondary school level. This will not only strengthen mutual understanding but will equally deepen the cultural accommodation and unifying values among our people. In knowing each other, in gaining a better appreciation of our subtle differences, we can invoke and cultivate deep chords of national unity. For instance, the enduring vigour of the Swiss Canton System, which has been in existence for over 400 years, is established in a balanced mutual harmony that accommodates the four major ethnicity of the German Kanton, the French Canton, the Italian Cantone and the Romansh Chantun. In this healthy confederation, each Canton is like a sovereign state but whose aspirations and pursuits are restrained in civilised deference to the larger summative interest of the whole confederation. It is a system built on trust, sincerity of purpose, healthy competitiveness and the instinctive embrace of the greater national vision. The magic of the Swiss national continuity is anchored on a unifying leadership that sees far beyond the self, that perceives truth and redeeming value beyond the selfish prism of an hallelujah chorus of a sycophantic gang or ethnic jingoists. The enlightened leadership anywhere must always be overborne by the larger interest and the selfless progression of the whole. It cannot be restricted in partisan articulation, hindering the general expanses with a selective cordon of favoritism and parochial blindness. Equally important, there is no leadership that is woven in messianic perfection. There is no such leadership that is adorned in sweeping curative largeness. Even nature does not permit such eternal relevance. Every leadership is confined to a role and a time. Each must confront the challenges of his time with the constant reminder that he is but an ephemeral actor in the vast, permanent proportioning of national continuity. No man will be there forever. No man must presume himself in permanent residency of national relevance. Each leader must confront his own twilight and yield to a beckoning sun. That is the natural order of things. It was that Roman statesman and General of the 5th Century BC Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519-430BC), who best exemplified the truest essence of uncommon civic virtue and absolute selfless commitment to the general good. After his son Caeso Quinctius was convicted and flung into the executioner’s stake, Cincinnatus harboured no malice nor hate against the Roman State. Humbly, he withdrew into the solitary refuge of his farm, wrapped in a private grief. But soon after, an alien army ruptured the boundaries of Rome, threatening a massive invasion. Here, the Romans now hurried to the lowly farm of General Cincinnatus begging him to save the beleaguered nation. Without rancor or bitterness, without being detained by lingering venom, Cincinnatus took up the challenge. He led the Roman army to repel and destroy the invaders. Cincinnatus wielded the power with the purest of motive and with unswerving commitment to the greater good of the nation. He harboured no vengeance nor did he pursue those who executed his son in vindictive fury. To the surprise of all Romans, two weeks after the invaders had been driven into the sea and the safety of the Roman nation secured, Cincinnatus resigned and quietly went back to his farm. It was an extraordinary display of sacrifice and selfless articulation. Cincinnatus discarded all the power, all the mightiness and the majesty in the Roman world for the ordinariness and simplicity of a farmer! The Cincinnatus moral resides in leadership contentment, an uncommon heroic rectitude; that noble and rare personal awareness that every arbiter of the state must know when to quit the stage and must never perceive himself in indivisible attachment to national continuity. No man must say to himself: «Without me, the state dies!» Never true. Not true at all. Almost 1,300 years later in 1797, George Washington, the founding patriarch of the American Republic virtually rejected to serve a third term even when he had reluctantly conceded to run again for a second term in office. While he was unanimously re-elected for a second term because of his rallying leadership and selfless commitment to the new na-

George tion, Washington, like Cincinnatus before him, quickly hurried back to his farm in Virginia, insisting that the nation must try new hands and new vision. The great Nwalimu, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the humble teacher and revolutionary leader who wrested Tanzania from British rule was the first African leader in modern memory to define for his own people an ethical standard of leadership through demonstrated example. Nwalimu was a man of absolute humility and unwavering decency who led through the moral simplicity of his own example. He governed Tanzania from 1964-1985 through a set of moral principles known as Ujamaa. It is a predication on communal bond, societal discipline, hard work, moral guidance and national unity. Nyerere insisted that leadership is a public trust, a sacred stewardship that should be restrained from over-bearing ambition. The Ujamaa principles cultivated a selfless patriotism and national identity that elevated the collective interest of the state far above narrow ethnic agenda. It strengthened the civilian control over the military by inculcating strict professionalism and discipline in the army. Since the voluntary departure of Nyerere in 1985, Tanzania has sustained an unbroken democratic succession that is unequalled in Africa. Nyerere, also known as Baba wa Taifa (father of the nation), strengthened the chord of national unity by ensuring that all segments of the society were touched by the force of his own ethical idealism. His observable ascetic example both in public and private lives were the moral guide that fostered institutions like Tanzania National Youth Service

Should the ruling power resort to a sweeping triumphalism of a heedless victor, discountenancing the indices of balance and equity, contemptuous of justice and the fairness doctrine, the road would be rough and tragic.

Corps which Nigeria copied and various military and civilian academies that helped reconcile both the soldiers and civilians to a uniform national vision of service and sacrifice. While Nyerere was advised not to vacate power in 1985, he told the sycophantic chorus: “I am convinced that the national need for a change of leadership is much greater than the need for my continued service at the helm.” This is uncommon nobility of mind and action, a selflessness of purpose rare in our part of the world. Our own Mandela replicated this Iconic self restraint and incredible virtue when he walked away from all the fame and glory despite 29 years in prison, choosing to serve only one term in office. The nobility of all these examples from Cincinnatus to Mandela is the selfless heroic certitude which insists that the continuity of a nation does not stop at any leader’s table. The nation is eternal while leaders are transient actors, playing a defined role, latched to a temporary stage in the sun. Change must always come for renewal, for new truth and for new horizon. Change, then, is the most enduring value and constant illustration in the human ideal. Nothing stays the same. Nothing is frozen in rigid permanence. It is then how a leader accounts for his place in the sun that defines not only his legacy but the fortune of the nation. Our nation is now at a historic crossroads that is typical of all nations. A party has lost out of the power contest. There is a new vision and a new direction. We in the opposition will respect the rules of the game. We will engage this new reality with civilized articulation and purposeful firmness. We will neither withdraw into complacent capitulation nor seize upon the disruptive primitivism of the Samson’s Syndrome. We will always be vigilant and be alert, pointing out the ills, illustrating the flaws and offering corrective guidance amid the current ebb and flow of our national journey. It is in the engaging expanses of debate, it is in the constant healthy tussle of ideological conflict that nations are enriched in values, that leadership is restrained and curbed from messianic leanings and invariably the nation is nurtured in longevity and strengthened in corporate existence. The journey to this national continuity does not reside in a monolithic leadership alone. It is also in the commitment of individuals and groups to a common national vision where merit and the stride of excellence are not hindered by ethnic bias, where the narrow parochialism of religion does not usurp the legitimacy of truth and equity, where the crass resolve to nepotism does not supersede justice and ethical balance. In the end, while leaders must always arrive at some destined point, yielding place to a new presiding order, nations are often eternal, if well managed, subjected to infinite remolding and renewal, always changing and adapting to new challenges. It is in the faithfulness to the reality of constant renewal and change that a nation becomes deathless and eternal. We are presently on that road of change and national continuity. It is a two-way traffic between the presiding order and the opposition. The sustenance and the viability of the nation are hinged upon these two protagonists. Should the ruling power resort to a sweeping triumphalism of a heedless victor, discountenancing the indices of balance and equity, contemptuous of justice and the fairness doctrine, the road would be rough and tragic. And should the opposition equally be swallowed in bitter fury and storm, sworn to destructive configurations, the same wrack and ruin would be provoked. The middle way and the only way is what I have counseled earlier: We must engage each other with civility. We must all confront the challenges of the state knowing fully well that the nation is greater than all of us and that our collective vision must always be focused on the greatest good of all our people. This is how a good leadership and an enlightened nation endure. Distinguished guests, this is my basic submission. I hope I have thrown my humble insight into this discourse. There is no finality in my intervention. This is the essence of liberty and pluralistic dialogue. Let a thousand ideas bloom! Let healthy contentions flourish! Finally, I want to leave you with these words: Nations are not about the wild fancies and dubious spectacles of the moment. They are not about the unthoughtful magnified imaginings of power. Nations are long nurtured truths and verities. They are the enduring ideals, the constant selflessness and sacrifice, the graceful fixity on excellence, the focused vision on renewal and permanent rebirth. Excerpts of a paper delivered by Chief George, a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

news Kogi: Police uncover plans by thugs to use police uniform 37

HE InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, said police were aware of plans by some politicians in Kogi to clothe thugs in police uniform during the governorship election in Kogi, on Saturday. Arase, who made the disclosure on Tuesday, in Lokoja, at a stakeholders’ forum, said that the intention of the perpetrators was

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

to disrupt the election and cause mayhem. He described the action of those behind the act as “wrong and wasteful investment.” According to him, measures have been taken to properly identify 12, 000 policemen that will be on duty during the election. “We intend to dominate security space that day; if you want to test our strength, have a rethink,’’

PDP to COAS, IG: Call your men to order in Kogi Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

The governor of Kogi State and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Captain Idris Wada, has asked Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, to call their men to order in Kogi State ahead of the Saturday election. He said the call became necessary following findings by the party that soldiers and police are poised to be used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the forthcoming election for the ruling party. In a statement issued in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday, by Chief Communications Manager to the governor, Mr Phrank Shaibu, he also warned the candidate of the APC, Abubakar Audu, to desist from his current tactics of deliberately fomenting trouble to

brighten his poor electoral chances in the state. Mr Shaibu said the current threat of mass arrest of members of PDP, in the run up to the election by the APC using the military, and the connivance of the police, had already created tension and panic in the state. ‘’It is common knowledge that the ruling party has enlisted the support of the military and police to pick known stalwarts of the PDP. This is to weaken our supporters and members in Kogi State and give the APC an unfair advantage. This is a crude way of giving an unfair advantage to the APC,’’ Shaibu said. He said the people of the state wonder what message the military and police force would be sending to all Nigerians about their role in the election, if they could so easily allow themselves to be used to harass and intimidate the opposition.

he said. Arase said that 6,000 out of the 12, 000 policemen who would be on election duty would be drawn from police formations close to Kogi. He said that one unit of mobile policemen would be deployed to each of the 21 local government areas in the state “for effective

policing.” He said that the men and officers will be backed up by armour personnel carriers, vehicles and other security apparatuses, adding that restriction of movement would be strictly enforced. The police boss also said that police would be supported by the military, Civil Defence Corps, Immigra-

ing the 2011 election, even as Buhari used the same platform to launch his presidential bid same year. He also contested the August 2015 primaries of the APC in Kogi State, against the eventual winner, Prince Abubakar Audu, a two-time governor of the state. Against the backdrop of this longstanding and otherwise robust relationship with Buhari, it was presumed that Ocholi would be assigned one of the more challenging ministerial briefs. Addressing journalists in Lokoja, however, publicity secretary of the state PDP, Bode Ogunmola, described as “humiliating and condescending,” the position of junior minister allocated to the state.

officials, Arase said that nobody would be allowed to threaten or intimidate them. He said that Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 8, Mr Lawal Tanko, and three commissioners of police would be deployed to coordinate police activities before, during and after the election.

Bayelsa: PDP accuses APC of plan to rig guber election It’s the ranting of a sinking ship —APC Barely three weeks to the governorship election, the Bayelsa State Chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of carrying out a hatchet plan to rig the December 5 governorship election in the state. The PDP spoke through Governor Seriake Dickson’s Campaign Outfit, code named “Bayelsa Restoration Campaign Organisation’s director general, Honourable Jonathan Obuebite, in a media briefing at the campaign office, in Yenagoa. He posited that attempt

to infiltrate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at both state and national levels, was perfected by the APC as ploy to rig the election in favour of their candidate, former Governor Timipre Sylva. Accordingly, he noted that should INEC succumb, they would be asked to distribute fake result sheets at PDP stronghold areas, while the original would be with APC to execute the rigging, even as he noted that the APC has started cloning and buying Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) to falsify result

of card readers; and also compromise card readers distributed to PDP areas. Continuing, he posited that the APC was working with two northern governors in the presidency to rig the election, adding that they have planned to intimidate voters by sewing security uniforms for some of their thugs to disguise as genuine security operatives on election duty. Obuebite said further that they (APC) have planned to hijack both electoral materials and results sheets at polling stations across the state.

commission would deploy three national commissioners and 11 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the conduct of the governorship election in Kogi State.

Apart from this, Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, also assured the electorate in the state not to entertain any fear over the election, saying the force was ready for the protection of their lives and properties. The INEC boss and the IGP spoke at a governorship election stakeholders’ forum held at Lokoja, the state capital. Yakubu, who said the people would be deployed to monitor the conduct of the November 21 election in the state, explained that

The director general pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the clandestine plot to rape democracy in the state, even as they expressed confidence that he (Buhari) would allow the democratic process to prevail without interference. The APC swiftly responded, saying “the PDP is ranting simply because their ship is sinking and would capsize on December 5, 2015, even as they boasted that Bayelsans were leaving the PDP in droves because they love the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.

INEC deploys 3 national commissioners, 11 RECs for Kogi poll Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, on Tuesday, said the

Fallout of ministerial portfolio: APC has nothing for our people —Kogi PDP THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi State chapter, has faulted the portfolio allocated to the state in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. Ministerial nominee for the state, James Ocholi, was assigned the portfolio of junior minister in the newly-reconfigured Ministry of Labour and Employment. He is to assist Dr Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State and until the end of the seventh session of the Senate, senator representing Anambra South, in administering the ministry. Ocholi, one of the early followers of Buhari, was governorship candidate of the erstwhile Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Kogi State dur-

tion, Customs and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to provide effective security during the poll. He urged people in the state to feel free to come out and vote for candidate of their choice, saying a level playing-ground would be provided for all stakeholders. On the safety of electoral

Nigerian Tribune

According to Ogunmola, Kogi State never had it so bad under successive PDP administrations, saying the APC had demonstrated

that the state and its people could not have a fair deal under APC administration, particularly under an APC governor.

We never defected from PDP—Kogi reinstated council bosses Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

The recently reinstated local government chairmen in Kogi State, on Tuesday, denied the insinuation that 14 of them have allegedly defected to the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. According to a statement signed by Aloysius Okino, on behalf of the chairmen, the people described the publication as most embarrassing, lamenting that the man behind the said press conference, one Muhammed Ali, was not one of

the just reinstated chairmen in the state. The people added that he (Ali) was not competent to speak on their behalf. According to him, “For the avoidance of doubt, Muhammed Ali, is a former chairman of Dekina Local government Area. He was impeached in 2013 for alleged misconduct. Therefore, there is no sincerity in his claim. “It is not only misleading but deceitful for the same person who is not in our group to speak for us. We

therefore doubt the sincerity of his claim. It is also embarrassing that Muhammed, in his well circulated release, failed to mention the 14 chairmen who purportedly defected with him. May be those chairmen merely existed in his imagination,” Okino concluded. While expressing his belief that it is the right of any individual to associate freely as guaranteed by the constitution, the ALGON chairman pointed out that such decision must be carried out with sincerity and with high sense of responsibility.

the deployment was in line with the commission’s resolve to ensure free, fair and credible election in the state. According to him, each of the national commissioners would be based in each of the three senatorial districts, while the RECs would be in charge at the local government level. The INEC chairman said the commission was determined to make success of the Kogi poll, being the first to be conducted under his leadership, stressing that all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure conduct of free, fair and credible poll. Professor Yakubu noted that the Professor Attahiru Jega led INEC had raised the bar of the electoral process in the country and that Nigerians were anxiously waiting for an improvement in the process. He said all the non sensitive materials for the election had been deployed and the sensitive materials were already in safe custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), saying these would be deployed on the eve of election in the presence of all stakeholders.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 38 news Fasehun to S/East govs call on pro-Biafra agitators to be peaceful Jude Ossai-Enugu

one-day meeting of governors of the Southeast geo-political zone has ended in Enugu with a call on the pro-Biafra agitators to continue to toe the line of peace with a view to ensuring economic development in the zone. To this end, an emergency meeting of stakeholders, which would include all

National Assembly members, all ministers of Igbo extractions and traditional rulers, had been scheduled to hold in Enugu, on Sunday, November 22, to find a way forward. Addressing newsmen after their meeting at Government House, Enugu on Sunday, the spokesman of the Governors’ Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha of Imo State said that they would consult widely on

the issue of Movement for Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), adding that development unions, clergymen and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo would be involved in the forthcoming meeting. Governor Okorocha, who said that they are yet to elect a chairman for the Southeast Governor’s Forum, said they were concerned about the poor state of the Federal

Government roads in zone which include Enugu/Onitsha road, Aba/Ikot-Ekpene road, Owerri/Port Harcourt road, Enugu/Port Harcourt road, amongst others. “We have resolved to appoint a high level Economic Advisory Committee to harness the economic potentials of the people of the Southeast working together,” he said. Meanwhile, uneasy calm is building up in the South-

east Governors’ Forum following alleged leadership crisis that is said to be tearing the Igbo group apart. It was gathered that the absence of the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi at the Tuesday’s governors’ meeting in Enugu might not be unconnected with the perceived rumbles in the union. Responding to reporters’ question, Governor Okorocha, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, told newsmen in Enugu that there was no crisis in the Igbo Governors’ Forum. “We have no leadership problem. We are all equal. Anybody can preside. But if you (Journalists) want us to name a chairman, we can do so”, he said. It would be recalled that the immediate-past governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji’s emergence then as the Chairman of the Forum elicited emotion before he was picked by his colleagues.

Osun signs MoU with IITA on agric From left, Osun State deputy governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Dr Nteranya Sangiga and the Deputy-Director General, Partnership and Capacity Development, IITA, Dr Kenton Dashiell, during the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Osun State government and IITA, at Governor’s Office, Abere, Osogbo, on Tuesday.

Again, army warns pro-Biafra agitators Jude Ossai-Enugu

FOR the second time in two days, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Attahiru has warned proBiafra agitators against insecurity in the country. Briefing newsmen on Tuesday, in his office, on the activities of pro-Biafran demonstrators across cities in the South East and South South zones of Nigeria, the GOC stressed that as a reminder, the Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning to all and sundry, especially to “those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country.” “Committing treasonable felony and arson, as well as wanton destruction of lives and properties that once deployed, the Nigerian Army shall apply the Rules of Engagement (ROE) to the letter in order for peace to prevail. Agitators should know that there is a certain borderline they should not cross,” he warned. The GOC re-stated that when crisis situations, which obviously constitute threat to lives and properties arise, it becomes

necessary for the army to apply the ROE and code of conduct to ensure that normalcy is restored. He said in line with this, troops are duty bound to intervene in such situations to prevent breakdown in peace, stability or law and order of an area, where they are deployed. “It is therefore inexcusable for troops to stand aside and watch the security situation deteriorate leading to loss of lives or

damage to property without intervening. Such intervention, however, would be based strictly on sound judgment and exist within the ambit of the code of conduct for Internal Security Operations (ISO), while exhibiting responsive professional ethics,” Attahiru said. The acting GOC said the recent increase in the proBiafra agitations in some parts of the South East and South South zones of

the country by the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other similar groups was becoming worrisome. “In cities like Aba, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Abakaliki and Enugu, amongst others, cases of outright lawlessness, threat to lives and properties have been recorded during demonstrations and protests by these groups,” he said.

Ogun to commission 40 projects to celebrate 40th anniversary OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

NO fewer than 40 projects embarked on by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration will be commissioned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state. Nigerian Tribune recalled that the state was created on February 13, 1976. Disclosing this in Abeokuta, on Tuesday, was Governor Amosun at the town hall meeting on 2016 Budget, organised by the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto. Projects for inauguration include the ongoing model schools, roads, flyovers and ultra modern markets,

among others. Governor Amosun assured residents that all the ongoing projects would be completed, adding that President Buhari would not commission uncompleted projects. He lamented the effect of the dwindling allocation from the Federal Government, maintaining that the budget would focus on frugality and prudence. “The budget is on how to maximise all our opportunities to increase our internally generated revenue without unnecessarily inconveniencing the people,” the governor added. Governor Amosun added that the state, despite

financial challenges confronting the country, had been consistent in payment of workers’ salaries as and when due. The governor stated that the multi-billion naira light rail project, which the state had already, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm, was still on course and would be completed before 2019. In her address, the state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Ms Adenrele Adesina, said the essence of the town hall meeting was to sensitise people about government’s plans and priority projects for 2016 and also obtain their inputs.

Oluwole Ige-Osogbo

IN a bid to make agriculture the mainstay of the state’s economy, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The signing ceremony, which took place at the Governor’s office, will have the state release 204.39 hectares of land around Ago Owu in the state, to IITA for the purpose of conducting research and setting up demonstration farms for farming practices. IITA will also carry out cassava, plantain and other crops’ multiplication and train Osun youths on modern, commercial and profitable farming. Signing the MOU on behalf of the state government, Governor Aregbesola stated that, releasing the farmland to IITA will complement Osun agriculture programme, extend the agriculture value chain and create jobs for farmers, especially youths that are being attracted to farming. He also lauded IITA and its Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanging for being supportive of Osun’s flagship agriculture programme, Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme (O’REAP) in many ways.

Fashola: Avoid controversial projects By Aramide Shanu

THE chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Dr Frederick Fasehun has advised the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to embark on citizen-friendly projects as opposed controversial ones. In a congratulatory message to Fashola and other newly appointed ministers, Fasehun said Fashola should be humble over his tri-fold responsibility and ensure that the Federal Government made the welfare of the commoner top priority. He advised Fashola to shun projects like those that became controversial during his tenure as governor, including: the installation of toll gates on the highways and building of high-brow government houses that were priced beyond the reach of the poor. “We wish you well. May God give you the strength to succeed with these three solid ministries on your shoulders. As Lagos governor, Fashola came off with the reputation of an achiever because he embarked on massive reengineering of physical infrastructure in the state, especially in road construction but now, Fashola’s glory will be further enhanced if he embarks on mass provision of low-cost housing for the poor and other programmes that will improve the living standards of the average Nigerian,” Fasehun stated. He claimed that Nigerians had rejected the idea of installing toll gates on federal highways because the country had resources needed to build and maintain the existing network of trunk A roads. “If any road must need tolling, it must be purely brand-new constructions embarked upon in publicprivate partnership initiatives,” he advised. Fasehun said Fashola’s appointment into the three ministries showed the great faith which President Muhammadu Buhari had in him and he must not fail. In his words: “We always had the faith that with his achievements in Lagos, Fashola would someday attain service at a higher level, but we least expected it would be in the form of being overfed with three major ministries.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

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1 feared killed in FESTAC gun battle Olalekan Olabulo

esidents of FESTAC town were on Tuesday overcome by fear when a combined team of military men and police engaged heavily armed suspected pipeline vandals in a fierce gun battle. One person was feared to have been killed in the gun battle, but the police in the state insisted that nobody was killed or injured. The shooting which lasted for about 40 minutes, sent residents of the Lagos community into pandemonium with many of them taking cover in nearby houses. Many of the residents who spoke with Lagos Metro said that they had thought that the gunshots were from

3 factory workers kidnap man AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin Three factory workers have been remanded at the Kirikiri prison for allegedly kidnapping a man and hiding him inside the company’s premises. The suspects were named as; Kareem Oluwasheun, 28, Uzor reuben, 51 and Kolawole Okelola, 33. The three suspects, who work for a juice-making factory, were alleged to have kidnapped one Samuel Onikuli and held him captive within the company’s premises without the knowledge of the management. They were arrested and charged before Isolo Magistrate’s court following information obtained by the police. According to the police, the victim was kept in captivity before he was rescued by the Police. The victim was injured when he struggled with his abductors. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Adedayo granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

armed robbers who had come to rob banks in the area A resident of the area who simply identified himself as Sunday noted that it was similar to what they faced a

few weeks ago when some people were killed during a bank robbery. It was gathered that the suspected vandals were in FESTAC when they were confronted by the joint se-

curity men. It was further gathered that on sighting the vandals, the security forces opened fire on them and a gun battle ensued between the two groups.

A resident who identified himself as Sunday said the clash actually happened around the 7th Avenue but the effect of the shooting was felt in every part of FESTAC. The image maker in charge of the state police command, Joe Offor, while speaking with Lagos Metro denied that it was a robbery operation and also insisted

that nobody was killed in the gun duel. Offor stated that the policemen repelled some suspected pipeline vandals who were in FESTAC for operation . He also assured residents of FESTAC that the police and other security agents were on ground to prevent any break down of law and order in the community.

Lagos moves to clamp down on religious hate preachers Bola Badmus

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) arrest military and Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) members, driving on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) segregated lane along Ikorodu Road, on Tuesday.

The Lagos State government on Tuesday disclosed its intention to clampdown on hate preachers among religion leaders in the state, warning that it would not tolerate religious intolerance. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who disclosed at a meeting with members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), held at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, said that the

25-year-old attempts to sell 11-day-old baby for N30,000 Olalekan Olabulo A 25-year-old woman, Ifeoluwa Yekini, has been arrested by the police for stealing an 11-day-old baby. The suspect who confessed to the crime stole the baby from the mother in Ifo area of Ogun State. She also reportedly drugged the infant with adult sleeping pills so as to prevent the baby from crying. She allegedly confessed to being a member of a syndicate that abducts children to sell to those who need them. The suspect, who allegedly

The suspect

confessed to have stolen children, stated that she relocated from Soka in Ibadan to Ifo, when she was being short-changed by the buyers. She also told the police that she used to sell every stolen baby for N30,000 and that she wanted to throw away the rescued baby, when she could not get a good buyer. Lagos Metro gathered that the suspect, would have sold the baby but for the sharp disagreement between her and the expected buyer. It was further gathered that the suspect had on the day of the child’s naming ceremony tried to get acquainted with the mother as part of the plot to steal the baby. She returned to the home of the mother of the baby three days after the naming and pretended to have come to visit the new baby and to buy gifts for her. Lagos Metro also gathered that the suspect told the mother of the baby to come with her to the market so

that she could get some gifts for the new baby. The mother of the baby willingly agreed to the offer and even allowed the stranger to carry her new baby. When they arrived at the market and negotiated the prices of the gift, Ifeoluwa told the mother to wait assuring her that she wanted to go and get money from an automated teller machine. She left with the baby strapped on her back. It was after an hour that it dawned on the baby’s mother that her

baby was stolen. The matter was reported to the Police who swung into action and succeeded in arresting Ifeoluwa. She also confessed to the police that she and other members of her gang used to disguise as mad people. A police source at Onipanu police station, who spoke to Lagos Metro under condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident and also added that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

state government would as from next year begin an interface with religious conferences. According to him, the forum to be coordinated by NIREC will be where all religious bodies in the state, irrespective of their denomination, will meet to interact in achieving harmony and peaceful coexistence in the society. He also explained that the government was averse to religious leaders preaching hate messages that are capable of endangering people’s freedom. “Henceforth, we will start to monitor mosques and churches and ensure that clerics don’t engage in hate preaching,” the governor said. He also noted that the government has embarked on enumeration of mosques and churches in the state, noting that there must be identification of mosques and churches. “If a mosque or church is not captured in our list, it means such is not recognised by the government. We would give each and every one of them an identification number,” he said.

Govt to sanction owners of dirty schools Bola Badmus Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, on Tuesday paid an unscheduled visit to some public secondary and primary schools in Agege and Ifako– Ijaiye Local Government Areas, where she expressed dissatisfaction the unhygienic conditions in the

schools. Adebule, noted that owners of schools found to be dirty and below standard would be disciplined by the government. The monitoring exercise, according to her, was aimed at ensuring that infrastructure in public schools were being utilised by the management of the schools with a view to providing additional

ones so as to make teaching and learning more conducive. Adebule, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olabisi Ariyo, berated the head teachers of All Saints Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School and Bishop Oluwole Memorial Primary School over the dirty environment.

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I, formerly Miss Lateef Wuriwat Folasade now MRS. ADEBAYO FOLASADE ASABI. All former documents remain valid. Public and Private Organisations and general public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kembro-Issa now EMMANUEL FEMI SUNDAY All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Bruce Agbanah now TOBA AGBANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olumodeji Abimbola Ikeola nwo MRS BELLO ABIMBOLA IKEOLA. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, Obidiah Elekwa am the same person bearing Obi Elekwa now wish to be known and addressed as OBIDIAH ELEKWA. All former documents remain valid. UBA, Access Bank, Umuahia Branch, Abia State and general public take note.

I, formerly Isa Danjuma now DANJUMA TORO. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank, First Bank, Law Enforcement Agencies and general public take note.

I, formerly Tiamiyu Iyanda Muibat Adeitan now IYANDA MUIBAT ADEITAN. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Tajudeen Ayinde now TAJUDEEN ADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid. UBA Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Saheed Alabi now SAHEED OLUBUSE BUSARI. All former documents remain valid. UBA Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Olaniyi Olanrewaju Paul now AKINREMI AKINYEMI OLANIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyesiji Oyebola Abosede now MRS. AKANDE BOLA BOSE. All former documents remain valid. Public, Private Organisations, and general public take note.

I, Johnson Akilo am the same person bearing HENRY PETER ELAMEHBE now wish to be known and addressed as HENRY PETER ELAMEHBE. All former documents remain valid. Sumal Food Ltd, Access Bank and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Oladimeji Ajetomobi am the same person as Oladapo Ajetomobi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLADIMEJI AJETOMOBI. All former documents documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Salinsile Taiwo Kafilat now MRS GIWA TAIWO KAFILAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Raimi Sarafa Ajumobi now OGUNLEKE SARAFA AJUMOBI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ashiyanbi Funmilola Seun now MRS. OYEYEMI FUNMILOLA SEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Akinola Saidat Titilayo now ALABI SAIDAT TITILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Fashesin Kehinde now MRS. OSENI KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Busari Jimoh Olayiwola now SARUMI JIMOH OLAYIWOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Serifatu Wasiu now KASALI FALILATU ARINPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, AKANO RAHEEM OMOKEWU am the same person as AKAWO OMOKEWU RAIMI. All former documents remain valid. GTBank and general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Busari Olayide Folawemi now FAKUADE OLAYIDE FOLAWEMI. All former documents remain valid. GTB, Stanbic IBTC Bank, UNILAG and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeeso Ganiyat Abosede now MRS. SARUMI GANIYAT ABOSEDE (Nee Adeeso). All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Maduka Rupet Blessing now MRS. ANI RUPET BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Farotimi Sunday Adeniran now ADUNMOYE SUNDAY ADENIRAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Adebanwo Ibiyemi Dorcas now MRS. AKINMUYIWA IBIYEMI DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mr Amodu Ganiyu now ALABI HAMMED ADEMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adedayo Monsurat Kikelomo now DAUDA MONSURAT KIKELOMO. All former documents remain valid. General public/Authorities Concerened should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Olori Susannah Adebisi Erinle am the same person as SUSANNAH ADEBISI OSILESI. All former documents documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria, GTBank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Umar Mukaila now UMAR ABUBAKAR MUKAILA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Chukwu Justina Olanma now MRS. UDEOGARANYA JUSTINA OLANMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Alao Temitope Elizabeth now MRS. IBITAYO TEMITOPE ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Government and general public take note.

42 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 CHANGE OF NAME

I, Olaitan Adesola Elizabeth am the same person bearing Olaitan Adesola Elizabeth and Ilesanmi Bukola Adesola. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLAITAN ADESOLA ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ipigbe Esther Ochuwa now MRS. AKOMIRE ESTHER OCHUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Azeez Aminat Tolani now MRS. ABODUNRIN AMINAT TOLANI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Folorunsho Ismail Olaife now MR. AKINYEMI ISMAIL AWOLOWO. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Comfort Sylvanus Odoh now COMFORT UDOH BEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Paul Okafor now MR. PIUS NGOM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mumini Fatimo now OLAWALE FATIMO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Fowomola Olushola Emmanuella now EZEKIEL OLUSHOLA EMMANUELLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Henry Aifuohmokhan now HENRY IDAHOR OJIEMHEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Erhigbare Favour Ejiro now ERHIGBARE EJIRO JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aighwekoe Helen now MRS. IDEMUDIA HELEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olawunmi Ibijoke Awolana now MRS. OLAWUNMI IBIJOKE ADENUGBA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Owoeye Taiwo now MRS. KOREDE RITA TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Joda Oluwakemi Afolake now MRS. ADEJIMI OLUWAKEMI AFOLAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Omoboriowo Omolola now ADELANWA ABIKE KEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Yusuff Sakirat Omolara now MRS. MUIBI SAKIRAT OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Idowu Abolanle Adijat now OJO ABOLANLE ADIJAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olanrele Florence Alake now MRS. ADEBOLA FLORENCE SERIFAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Awotunde Oyebamiji Abideen now OJETUNDE OYEBAMIJI ABIDEEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Soyemi Mujidat Olaide now MRS. ALAYANDE MUJIDAT OLAIDE. All former documents remain valid. Sterling Bank, UBA Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluwaseyi Baqeeyat Oluwaseun Ramos now MRS. OLUWASEYI OLUWASEUN UMOGBAI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Sule Hairatu now MRS. SULAIMON ALIRAT. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adisa Rauf Adeyemi now ADELEKE ALLEN OLUYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aniwe Tolani Olaide now MRS. ADEMISETE TOLANI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Adeyemi Ruth Busayo now MRS. OKUNOLA RUTH BUSAYO. All former documents remain valid. OAUTHC and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Igbinosun F. O. Adesina now MISS ISAAC KATE NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ajigbotosho Abisoye Nurudeen now HAMZAT NURUDEEN ABISOYE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adebodun Feyisayo Deborah Ilesanmi now BAKARE FEYISAYO DEBORAH ILESANMI. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oluwatoyin Kikelomo Azeez now MRS. OLUWATOYIN MISITURA ADERIBIGBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Oladejo Bose Tayo now MRS. AYOOLA BOSE TAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Faluyi Deborah Oluwasola Oluwabunmi now MRS OLUWATAYO DEBORAH OLUWASOLA OLUWABUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Bakare Latifat Ajoke now MRS. SAHEED LATIFAT AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Elukanlo Ronke Bose now MRS. ADEGOKE RONKE BOSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeniyi Raimot now MISS ADENIYI RAHEEMAT OMOWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Muritala Azeez Owolabi am the same person bearing Muritala Olamilekan. Now wish to be known and addressed as MURITALA OLAMILEKAN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., Fidelity Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Idowu Olalere Bamidele now JACOB IDOWU BAMIDELE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Odunsi Temitope Seun now MRS. ABOGUNRIN TEMITOPE SEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr Johnson Akinsiroye now MR HAMMED YUSUF AKINSIROYE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Dairo Ibukunoluwa Olatomi now MRS. ODERINWALE IBUKUNOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. OAU, Ile-Ife, NYSC, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ibrahim Mariam now TAJUDEEN MUIBA ASAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Mr. Adio Kasaliyu Aiki am the same person bearing Mr. Kasaliyu Adio. Now wish to be known and addressed as MR. ADIO KASALIYU AIKI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc., First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, Oyebamiji Yinka Grace am the same person bearing Elebute Ronke Yinka and Oyebamiji Yinka Grace. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OYEBAMIJI YINKA GRACE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluwafemi Nike Bolanle now MRS. ORIADE TOSIN BUNMI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ejemi Perewei now ATILABO GELE. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Nigeria and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adewoye Modinat Toyin now MRS. ADEWOYE RUKAYAT ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc, Ikirun Branch and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Raji Ganiyat Bola now MRS. ABDULGANIYY GANIYAT BOLLA. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB, Osun State, NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oladapo Adijat Abimbola now MRS. ADIGUN BOSE ALAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Folorunso Olayemi now MRS. OLABIYI MARIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Oguntayo Rasidat Ayoke now MRS. SUNDAY RACHEAL AYOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Akanmu Olufunke now MRS. ISHOLA OLUFUNMIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Muraina Mutiya now MRS. MURAINA MARIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Musilim Rukayat now MRS AKANJI RUTH ASAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Bello Asiata Aderounke now MRS. OLABAMIJI ISLAMIA ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Tosin Olodo now OLODO MONSURU ADERIBIGBE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Jimoh Aremu now JIMOH GIDADO ALAO. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Salawudeen Azeezat Abiodun now MRS. ADENIRAN AZEEZAT ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Yunusa Basirat Ayobami, my name is wrongly written as Oladeji Idaha Ayobami now I want to be called YUNUSA BASIRAT AYOBAMI. All former documents documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abegunde Kehinde Akani now ABEGUNDE FESTUS KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mr Ganiyu Ogungbile now MR GANIYU ADISA. All former documents remain valid. FBN, GT Bank and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyelakin Bolatito now MRS ADEFIOYE BOSE FASILAT. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Balikis Oje Omowunmi now MRS. BADERA OYETUNDE OMOWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. Fidelity Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Samuel Olawumi Seun now MRS. DAISI OLAWUMI SEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Lagos Eninnidiwei Smart now ZEBLON ENINIDIWEI BIRIBOMOWEI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akanbi Jamiu Lambo now ABDULKADIR JAIYEOLA JAMIU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Akali Kayode Abiah now METOROWA AKALI ORIOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Okanlawon Mujidat Taiwo now MRS. ADELANWA MUJIDAT TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Olaosebikan Ibrahim Alasi now MR SAFIRIYU IBRAHIM ALASI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Iwo, Wema Bank Plc, Iwo and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Gbolagade Yusuff Olasunkanmi now GABRIEL GBOLAGADE OLASUNKANMI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Adeyemi Bukola Grace now MRS. OLURANTI BUKOLA GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Joseph Anawe, am the same person as Joseph Michael. I now wish to be known and addressed as JOSEPH ANAWE. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Rachael Gordon now RACHAEL ODJEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Salisu Ibrahim, am the same person as Ochochi Saliu. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, John Agbuyo, am the same person as Obro O. Ogrigbeni. I now wish to be known and addressed as JOHN AGBUYO. All documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Patience Onajite Eru, am the same person as Eke Favour Onajite. All documents remain valid. Ecobank and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Elizabeth Oluwatobi Adeleke now ELIZABETH OYETOBI ERUFA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Obriki Achojake Stephen, am the same person as Obriki Achojake and Obriki Stephen. All documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Siyanbola Florence Alaba now AKINTOMIWA FLORENCE ALABA ABIOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Blessing Ade now MRS. ADENIYI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Wilson Uba now MORDI CHRIST CHINWEOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Kefas Yobotoro and John Yobotor now JOHN YOBOTOR ODOLU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Adeniji Adegboye Ezekiel now MR OLUWANIMILO ADEGBOYE EZEKIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Apeikumor Michael now APEIKUMOR PRINCE KEMASOUDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ramonu Iyabo Adenike now AIKI FELICIA IYABODE. All former documents remain valid. Atisbo Local Government, Education Authority, Tede SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Foloki Samuel now THOMPSON SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

news

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

Edo women go naked, want govt to stop Igbinedion probe Banji Aluko-Benin City

ome women, who wore red dresses, took to the streets of Benin City to protest against the government of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. They protested under the aegis of Concerned Edo Women and had among

them few old women, who did not cover the upper part of the body. Among other issues, the protesters expressed anger at recent outburst of Governor Oshiomhole against the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. They said they could no longer fold their arms and watch

Governor Oshiomhole attack Chief Igbinedion and his son, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion, hence ,the need to express their displeasure by going half nude. They carried placards with inscriptions such as “ Oshiomhole, Go and beg for forgiveness.” The women, in their hun-

dreds, took their protest to the popular Oba’s squar, where they visited the Emotan shrine, and other parts of the Benin metropolis. The were received by the Chief Priest of the shrine, who spoke in the Benin language and praised the women for “resisting evil.” One of them, who spoke

in the Benin language, said, “we are women. As mothers, sisters and aunts to Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, we say no to any form of disrespect on the perdon of Chief Igbinedion. “As mothers, we cannot see evil in the land and support it. We are against the action of the governor, particularly on Chief Igbinedion and his household. We want the Governor to apologize to the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Igbinedion. All we are asking the governor is to stop insulting elders from Benin Kingdom so that we do not completely go naked and place curses on him.” He said the protest was a welcome one as nobody, regardlessly of position, should insults Benin chiefs and eldees, adding that whoever did was inviting the wrath of the gods and will not go unpunished.”

Promotions in civil service by merit —FCSC boss Clement Idoko-Abuja From left, Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal and Aare Afe Babalola, during the 2015 National Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), at the International Cultural and Events Centre, Akure, on Tuesday.

Oyo NAWOJ gets new exco •Commends HID Awolowo By Tunde Oguensan

THE National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Oyo State, on Wednesday, inaugurated new leadership headed by Foluso Lala. Other members of the executive sworn-in at a ceremony, at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, included Taiwo Olanrewaju, as vice chairperson, Jadesola Ajibola ,secretary and Alolade Ganiyu, as treasurer. The chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Oyo State, Mr Gbenga Opadotun ,commended the maturity of the immediate chairperson of NAWOJ, Mrs Kiitan Adeagbo, in allowing peace to reign throughout her tenure within the association in the state. He also admonished the in-coming exco to take off from where she left and tap from her pool of knowledge in taking the association to a greater height. In her address, Mrs Adeagbo said “the position I must say, brought out the best in me as it molded me into a more matured person while exposing me to greater challenges.” In her acceptance speech, the newly swornin NAWOJ chairperson,

Foluso Lala, expressed her determination to embark on training and retraining of members during her tenure. In her words: “this administration will embark on professionalism training and re-training programmes for members. Many women who are not financially buoyant are so because they are not creative and productive. To be of help, skills acquisition programmes

to empower our women both within and outside the enclave of NAWOJ, would not be overlooked. The programmes will spur them to be financially active.” Meanwhile, the newly sworn-in chairperson of NAWOJ in the state, has commended the late chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, Chief HID Awolowo, for sustaining the legacy of the

company till date. Foluso Lala made this statement while speaking on Tuesday, on “the role of media owners and fate of journalists in Nigeria.” She said the late cofounder of the Tribune titles must be commended for her management acumen which presented itself is the way she held the company together, in particular, during turbulent times after the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

German police train EFCC operatives, others Sunday Ejike-Abuja

Instructors from the German Federal Criminal Police, on Tuesday, commenced a training programme for operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other securities agencies on “Principle and methods of police evaluation”. A statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the training, holding in Lagos, is designed to strengthen the capacity of the commission and other law enforcement agencies. According to the state-

ment, other law enforcement agencies also participating in the training are Department of State Services (DSS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Iliyasu Kwarbai, Head of Operations, Lagos zonal office of EFCC, who declared the training programme open, thanked the German government and the BKA for their continuous support to the commission and urged the trainees to make ‘full use of the opportunity and digest as much as they can’. In his opening remarks,

Otto Simon, international coordination, BKA, said the federal investigative agency of Germany co-ordinate operations between the federal and state police forces, investigates cases of international organised crimes, terrorism and related cases of national security, amongst others. Otto said the training is meant to teach participants, “how to deal with information as police officers, how to structure them, how to prepare them, how to use techniques and instrument to make them readable for our mind, to understand the complex situation of police information, to go after the understanding.”

THE chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Deaconess Joan Ayo, has insisted that the last promotion conducted by the commission was strictly based on merit in accordance with the extant rules and regulations. While responding to allegations that the 2015 promotion exercise conducted by the commission was marred with irregularities, Ayo, said promotion in civil service was not a right but a privilege to reward and motivate hardworking officers. She spoke at a news conference on Tuesday to clear misgivings expressed in some quarters concerning the last promotion exercise, which some aggrieved civil servants have called for cancellation. Ayo, who noted that the challenge of the Nigerian civil service was attitudinal problem, added that since her assumption of leadership of the commission in 2012, FCSC had made commitment to discharge its constitutional mandate by ensuring strict adherence to rules and regulations, guidelines on appointment, promotion and discipline and extant circulars. She said given the general lapses in the service and resolve for zero tolerance to corrupt practices, the commission under her watch had worked hard to re-enacted the core values of the civil service, including meritocracy, political neutrality, integrity, discipline, professionalism, patriotism, impartiality, accountability and transparency.

Ogun assembly tasks health administrators on improved service delivery By Gbenga Olumide

Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Health, has charged the authorities of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, state hospitals, Isara and Ijebu-Ode, to continue to render qualitative and affordable healthcare services to the people. The chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Honourable Akinpelu Aina, gave the charge while receiving the heads of the hospitals on a budget performance assessment. Akinpelu said the nation’s socio-economic challenges notwithstanding, healthcare services remained crucial to the society as part of social responsibility of government in promoting a healthy living. He challenged the managements of the hospitals to step up measures towards complementing government’s efforts in promoting efficiency in health care delivery to the grassroots as a healthy environment remained a priority of the Senator Ibikunle Amosunled administration.

Oranmiyan president, Awofisayo, bows out The President-General, Oranmiyan Group, a campaign outfit for the governorship ambition of Mr Rauf Aregbesola, Prince Felix Awofisayo, has bowed out of the leadership of the group. Awofisayo announced his decision to vacate the seat while declaring open, a one-day seminar on leadership skills for members of the group in Osogbo, Osun State, saying he would from time to time offer useful pieces of advice that can assist the group. Oranmiyan Group, is a political movement, inaugurated in 2005 to canvass for Governor Aregbesola political ambitions. Awofisayo, who has been leading the group since its inception, said he had decided to quit to ensure that another leader emerge to run the group in another way, with a view to achieving the desired goal. He lauded members for the roles they have played “in thwarting the efforts of ballot snatchers, thuggery and intimidation during the first and second term elections of Aregbesola.”

news Don’t end amnesty programme in Dec, Bayelsa elders caution Buhari 44

Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

HE Bayelsa Elders Council (BEC), a committee of elders and traditional rulers in Bayelsa State, rose from a consultative meeting on Sunday, and resolved to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the planned termination of the Amnesty programme in December 2015. The BEC, in a statement by their chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola (MFR), chairman and the publicity secretary, Chief TKO Okorotie(OFR), said that ending Amnesty programme in December, would have serious security implications for the Niger Delta area. In a four-point communique released at the meeting with Governor Seriake Dickson and his deputy in

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

attendance, the elders also welcomed the decision to deploy soldiers for the December 5 polls, adding that they would not oppose the move as far as the soldiers were deployed for “lawful security duties.” The BEC stated in the communique that “Council also resolved to advise against the proposed dissolution of the Amnesty programme by December 2015 by the Federal Government as such a move will have far reaching security implications in the Niger Delta Region.” The BEC also blessed the governorship ambition of Governor Seriake Dickson,

after he had presented his Restoration Agenda to the council. The communique further read: “In the interest of peace and security of the state, council urges all political parties to ensure that their candidates, leaders and followers to be of good conduct in accordance with the Peace Accord signed between the candidates and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and not to disrupt the prevailing peace in the state, before, during and after the election of December 5, 2015. “Council welcomes deployment of soldiers to Bayelsa State for the De-

cember 5, 2015 elections provided that they are soley for lawful security duties. “His Excellency Hon. Chief Henry Seriake Dickson presented the Restoration government’s scorecard, himself and his deputy for a second term. Consequently, council blessed them in a short ceremony by the first class traditional rulers led by the chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers.” The Elders, who attended the meeting included the chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola, (MFR) the chairman, Bayelsa State

Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM King Alfred Papapriye Diete-Spiff, their Royal Majesties Kings Joshua Igbuguru, Joshua Igbagara, Jonathan Kubor, G.A Lawson, Mala Sasime, Napoleon Orianze, amongst other royal fathers, Chief A.M. Aduba, Deputy Cghairman of the council, Senator Inatimi Spiff, Sen J.K. Brambaifa, Prof. T.T. Isoun, Hon. Chief T.K.O. Okorotie, OFR, Dr. Georgina NgeriNwagha, Chief Alex Ekiotenne, High Chief J.A. Eseimokumor, Major Andrew Oputa, Hon. Augustin Lugbenwei, Elder Zee Debekeme, among others.

Appeal Court reserves judgment in suit challenging Mark’s victory JohnsonBabajide-Makurdi THE Court of Appeal in Makurdi has reserved judgment in the case between the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Daniel Onjeh and former Senate President, Senator David Mark. Onjeh had filed Notice of Appeal against the decision of the national and state assembly election petition tribunal, which upheld the election of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) David Mark. Mark, PDP and INEC, however, while adopting their briefs, urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit. According to Mark’s lead counsel, Mr Kenneth Ikonne, where figures or scores of an election is challenged, such evidence must come from officers at the election in line with Section 126 of the Evidence Act, adding that it was not the case in the instant subject of appeal. He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the appeal with cost and affirmed the election of Mark. While counsel to the PDP, Chris Alechenu drew the attention of the Appeal Court to issue six of Onjeh’s brief which he said was deemed abandoned since same was not argued, urged the court to dismiss the appeal for want of merit.

Professor Osundare loses mum Mother of Professor Niyi Osundare, Mama Lydia Fasimia Osundare, is dead. She died on Monday, November 9, 2015 at the age of 96. She is survived by Professor Niyi Osundare, Dr Foluso Osundare and Dr Abiodun Osundare, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Album launch AN album entitled “Breakthrough” by Adebayo Amos a.k.a Mr Melody Oganla is slated for launch and dedication on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at Genesis Event Centre, Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo State, at 1.00p.m prompt with a red carpet by 12noon. The chief launcher at the event is Otunba Rotimi Ajanaku while the chairman on the occasion is Mr Adekunle Aminu. The album launch will also feature Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma a.k.a Oganla ( ljoba). Other invited guest artistes expected at the event are Yinka Ayefele, Tayo King (Mr Toaster), Femi Fadipe (Femolancaster), Yinka James (Adonai), Tiri Leather (Oyinlomo), Demola Famose (Osha), Phaddy blaze and 2bush.

From left, Chancellor, University of Ibadan and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, an awardee of honorary degree; Professor Ayo Banjo; representative of the Minister of Education, Professor Julius Okojie and the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, at the convocation of the University of Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Revenue collectors’ clash claims 10 in Edo Banji Aluko-Benin City Clash between two groups of tax collectors in Edo State left about 10 people injured in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Tuesday. The clash was between a group led by the chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Osakpamwan Eriyo and a private revenue collector called Destiny Enterprise. The two groups are both laying claims to the right to collect revenue on behalf of the state government of Oredo Local Government Council. It was gathered that trouble started when the Eriyo group stormed the Oba Market located within the premises of the Oba’s Square at about 11.30 a.m; where they met men of the Destiny Enterprise on ground collecting revenue. There was pandemonium on Wednesday, at the Oredo Local Government secretariat area as well as Ring

Road, following a clash between the two groups of revenue collectors in the local government. Youths armed with dangerous weapons, participated in the ensued fracas before policemen were deployed to the location. Edo State Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike, told journalists that some

of the youth sustained injuries, and appealed to the state government to resolve the crisis. “One of the groups said it has the authority of the state government; one said it has the authority of the local councils. Some people were assaulted and I have asked my DCO in New Benin to investigate

the matter and go after the suspects who assaulted those people. Chief Executive Officer of Destiny Enterprise, Shaba Adams, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, accused the leader of the transport employees’ union of encroaching on a task which he said was contracted to his company.

Reps donate N10,000 each to fallen heroes JacobSegunOlatunjiand Kolawole Daniel - Abuja The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, resolved to dole out N10,000 each for the Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem as contributions to the efforts of Nigerian soldiers who died while fighting for the country. The House resolution was sequel to a motion moved by the House Leader, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, where he proposed the said sum. Honourable Gbajabiamila while moving his motion noted that President Muhammadu Buhari launched

the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem on Monday, at the Presidential Villa with N10 million on behalf of the Federal Government, adding that it was good that the lawmakers emulate the president in supporting the fallen heroes. According to him,“just yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem. Mr Speaker, I can see the emblem on your chest too. I want to move that we join hands with the president to recognise the efforts of our fallen heroes. “Mr speaker, the president

donated N10 million for the launch and I therefore move that the House collects N10,000 from every member and the speaker to make it up to N5million. We should also observe a minute silence in honour of all the fallen heroes,” he stated The motion was unanimously adopted when the Speaker Honourable Yakubu Dogara put the motion to voice vote. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Army has pledged its readiness to work with the Nigerian Army in order to increase its strength and modernise its operations.

Adebayo Amos

CHESTRAD to present ‘I will give’ to Nigerians THE Centre for Health Sciences Training, Research and Development (CHESTRAD) International, a Pan-African notfor-profit development institution, will next month (December), formally present ‘I Will Give’, an innovative platform for the mobilisation of resources for social development in specific areas to the Nigeria public. ‘I Will Give’ platform, is a unique solution to expand domestic financing through organised private giving in support of social development and key activities in education, health, youth development and women empowerment.

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015

FAYOSE AT 55

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7 1. Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose and his wife, Feyisetan, cutting the 55th birthday cake of Governor Fayose, at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti. 2. From left, former Minister of Aviation, Mr Tunde Omotoba; former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Mrs Feyisetan Fayose; Governor Fayose, Prince Akintunde Ayeni; former deputy governor, Chief Paul Alabi and Barrister Afolabi Ojuawo. 3. Governor Fayose flanked by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju (right) and other traditional rulers. 4. Governor Fayose and his wife, Feyisetan, flanked by the deputy governor, Dr Olubunmi Olusola (right); his

8 wife and the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Kola Oluwawole. 5. Governor Fayose and his wife flanked by member of the House of Representatives from the state, Segun Adekola and members of the state House of Assembly, Cecilia Dada and Olayanju Olarewaju. 6. Governor Fayose and his wife with members of the state assembly, Olayanju Olarewaju, Wale Ayeni and Cecelia Dada and the state Commissioner for Works, Kayode Osho and others 7. Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewumi; Chairman, SUBEB, Senator Bode Ola and the state PDP Chairman, Idowu Faleye. 8. The cake donated by teachers to Governor Fayose

47 CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) SERVICE OF SONGS AT IKENNE

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015 PHOTOS: ALABA IGBAROOLA, YEMI FUNSO-OKE & Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TOYIN

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9 1. From left, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran, Ambassador (Dr) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Olaniwun Ajayi. 2. Presiding Pastor, Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare; Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu; General Overseer, Trinity House, Zion Centre, Lagos, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo and Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran. 3. Bishop Olusina Fape with Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran and Ambassador Awolowo Dosumu. 4. From left, wife of the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs Seun Adekunbi; wife of the Ogun State governor, Mrs Funso Amosun; wife of the vice president, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and wife of Ogun SSG, Folashade Adeoluwa. 5. Bishop Fape, Pastor Bakare, Pastor Ighodalo and the Vicar, Our Saviours Anglican Church,

10 Ikenne, Venerable Samuel Oladele Enike. 6. Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Chief Adebanjo and Mrs Wemimo Anifowose. 7. Grandchildren of Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, from right, Mrs Osinbajo, Mrs Ayotola Ayodeji, Mrs Wemimo Anifowose, Mrs Kemi Aderemi, Baby Iyanuoluwa Anifowose, Mr Yinka Awolowo, Mrs Yejide Badmus, Funke Awolowo and Mrs Yemisi Subair. 8. Mrs Iyabo Omisore and Pastor Gbolabo Ogunsanwo. 9. Evangelist (Dr) Funmi Aragbaye (left) with Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran. 10. The choir of Trinity House, Zion Centre, Lagos, ministering at the event.