18th December 2015 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,395

FRIDAY, 18 DECEMBER, 2015

www.tribuneonlineng.com

El-Zakzaky no more in army custody —Buratai

Ajimobi, Amosun win at Appeal Court

No king on •Northern •Ladoja vows earth is above govs meet to go to S/Court God —Ooni —P10

—P34

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, presenting the 2016 budget to the Lagos House of Assembly, on Thursday.

tomorrow—P14,3

Abacha loot balance now $26.4m, £19m —FG •Asks states to adopt its MTEF for 2016 budget •ECA now $2.257bn

—P4 28,768 results withheld as WAEC releases Nov/Dec 2015 —P6

Soldier, 4 others die, as IPOB —P36 members jubilate over Kanu's release Budget: Buhari summons emergency FEC meeting today —P5

Members of the Tribune mass choir, during the Christmas Carol held at the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan, on Thursday. MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 2.

Diezani alive —Associates —P5

2 TRIBUNE CHRISTMAS CAROL

From right, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson; his wife, Bunmi and the Chief Accountant, Mrs Oluremi Olufisayo, at the Christmas carol held at the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, on Thursday.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE & ALOLADE GANIYU

From left, Controller, Business Development, Mr Fola Oke; Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai and the Editor, Sunday Tribune, Mr Sina Oladeinde.

Cross section of Tribune mass choir with the management. Regional Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Oyo State Region 21, Pastor Dele Balogun (left) and Consultant/ Director, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji.

The coordinator, Mr Femi Olukunle, directing the choir.

Manager, Human Resources, ANN Plc, Mrs Bukola Ezeamaka and the Deputy Manager, Mrs Ijeoma Adesanya.

Associate Editor (News), Tinuola Ayanniyi (left) and Associate Editor (Women), Mrs Yemisi Aofolaju. A cross section of members of staff at the Carol.

The instrumentalists.

Another cross section of the choristers.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Naira now N264 to a dollar By Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Chima Nwokoji, Akin Adewakun and Tunde Dodondawa

IXED reactions trailed the continuous fall in the Naira exchange rate, as the local currency fell to a new range of between N264 and N274 on Thursday. In volatile dollar trades across various spots of the unofficial market in Lagos, the Naira recorded the lowest hit since 1973, even as banks cut the amount individuals travelling abroad can spend on their bank cards. Commercial banks in Nigeria, this week, cut the amount individuals could spend abroad to between $100 to $150 per day or $12,000 annually, down from $50,000 set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in April. This is even as traders said scarcity of dollars will continue because the CBN, on Wednesday, cut the amount of dollars it sells to retailers weekly to $10,000, down from the $30,000 it usually sell to them. Reacting to the recent pressure being faced by the Naira, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Yemi Adeola, on Thursday, said the issue of foreign exchange (forex) is a tough one, adding that the situation had left monetary authorities with two options. "You can only spend what you have and if our reserves are at $29.4 billion as of December 16, they would barely fund four to five months of import. There is no regulator that would not be worried at that level. The options are usually either to adopt capital control as a strategy and focus on key sectors. In other words, you determine where the forex go to if you want to curb wastage. "You don’t want a situation where people use the forex market for speculative purposes and you want to control it. And that is what is happening now. But it is a double-edged sword, because when you adopt capital controls, investors are reluctant to come in, because if they bring their money in at N200 per dollar, at what rate are they going to buy the dollar when they want to go out? So, you shut your door to new monies coming in and I don't think it is a desirable option," Adeola stated. He further explained that it is a supply issue and a function of what the country can produce, stressing that it would be difficult to

sustain capital controls for so long. "Another thing to do is to let the Naira find its true value. Another tough question is to ask what is the true value of the Naira? "Some have argued that the true value of the Naira is the unofficial rate, while others say it is the official (CBN) rate. "The true value of the Naira should be between the parallel market rate and the CBN rate. But there is a way we can find the true value of the Naira and devalue to that extent. If people are sure that they are getting the true value for their dollar, then the dollars will come in. And that will be our view as far as foreign exchange is concerned," he stated. To Mr Ayodeji Ebo, head of research at Afrinvest West Africa Limited, on the back of refusal of some Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to render returns

to the CBN, a number of BDCs were excluded from this week's intervention. "Foreign exchange illiquidity has been a major issue currently facing individuals and businesses in Nigeria as the CBN kept its foreign exchange policy on a tight leash. Consequently, official exchange rate has remained within the range of N196.97/$1.00 and N197.00/$1.00 since 21 July, 2015 till date," Ayodeji stated. Also, insufficient dollar supply from the CBN, it was gathered, had brought the Naira exchange rate to the current level. "The local currency fell 1.5 per cent to the new low on Wednesday, after the CBN rationed dollar supplies this week," traders said. Aminu Gwadabe, acting president of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), in a telephone chat

with the Nigerian Tribune, said though the apex bank cut the amount it sold to each of the 2,270 Bureau De Change that participated in Wednesday's weekly sale to $10,000, down from the $30,000 each it sold last week, the dollar exchange rate is gradually coming to N275 per dollar because the "market is resisting the escalation in price. It offered $84.5 million at a similar sale two weeks ago." According to him, if nothing reasonable is done to save the local currency, "I don't see it making any reasonable recovery. There is dollar scarcity right now ... the CBN has shrunk supplies despite increasing the number of BDCs at its window," Gwadabe said. On the official interbank market, the currency has been pegged since February and closed at N196.97 on Wednesday. As a result, the spread

between the parallel market rate and the interbank widened further on Thursday, to close at a high of N270 to N280.00/$1.00 depending on demand and the location of retailers. Also, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, the former Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mustapha Chike-Obi, said the problem with exchange rate of the local currency was that the Nigerian economy is not growing fast enough, because of low productive base and absence of import substitution. He said the only way to permanently save the Naira from continuous fall is to increase value-added production that will cause increased growth, substitute import and earn more foreign exchange. Increased domestic production itself can only thrive in a low interest rate regime.

Oluwafolajimi Ayomikun Ayodeji with his parents, Mr and Mrs Iranola Ayodeji and his aunt and wife of the vice-president, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo (second left), when he was called to bar on December 16.

Abacha loot balance now $26.4m, £19m –FG

•Urges states to adopt FG’s MTEF for 2016 budget •ECA now $2.257bn –NEC Leon Usigbe -Abuja

THE Federal Government, on Thursday, revealed that the balance from the loot recovered from late former head of state now stands at about 2$6.4 million and £19 million. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the monthly meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the revelation formed part of the briefing given to NEC by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris,

during the meeting. Ortom said the amounts given was the position of the balance of the recovered loot as of November 2015. At Thursday’s meeting, NEC also urged state governments to adopt Federal Government's Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) already approved by the National Assembly since both tiers of government work under a single economy. According to National Planning Minister, Udoma Udoma, who spoke on the matter, states were en-

couraged to develop their annual budgets using the criteria. “The presentation urged the states to adopt the MTEF and FSP which has now been approved by the National Assembly, the only body that can approve it. “But we urged them adopt it as a basis for the developing their annual budgets. We also emphasise the need for states to be guided by the assumptions of the MTEF and also the need for states to be conservative in their expenditure and their expenditure projections for

2016-2018, in view of the declining oil price. “We also urged states to look towards enhancing their IGR and blocking financial leakages in the system and generally, we emphasise the need in planning for the economy for the federal and state government to work very closely with government because we are dealing with one economy,” he said. Speaking on the briefing of NEC by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Udoma said the reports highlighted the Continued on pg5

"The problem in my own perspective is that our economy is not growing fast enough and we are not productive enough. If we can address those two issues, then the naira will eventually start getting stronger," the former AMCON boss stated in an earlier interview. In its reaction, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries identified three factors for the continual crash of the currency. According to its DirectorGeneral, Muda Yusuf, in a statement on Thursday, the factors are the collapse of crude oil price, which had weakened the capacity to fund the forex market; the decision of the CBN to cut down on the forex supply to the BDCs and the exchange controls introduced by the CBN. “The official exchange rate of N199/$ fixed by the CBN is major source of distortion in the foreign exchange market. The CBN has fixed an exchange rate which the economy lacks the supply capacity to support. It has, therefore, resorted to rationing of forex to users and this has created severe crisis in the economy. “A major problem of liquidity has been created which is currently having considerable negative consequences for investors and the economy. The exchange controls also impeded the inflows of foreign exchange into the economy from autonomous sources. “The truth is that the CBN management of the forex market has worsened an already bad situation. The implication is that investors’ confidence is being eroded; operating costs are escalating, sustainability of many investments is at risk.” The continuous crash of naira against the dollar is a major source of concern to fuel marketers across the country, according to a marketer who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the condition of anonymity. “At an exchange rate of N280 to a dollar, the depreciation of the naira against the dollar will lead to high cost of fuel importation. "Although most of us get it at official rate of N197 to a dollar through the CBN, further depreciation will also imply increase in crude proceeds to the Federal Government. "By implications, cost of subsidy will also rise. As of today, the landing cost of petrol is N92.15 per litre. If the PPPRA adjusts the exchange rate to the parallel market rates, landing cost will be at about N110 per litre," he said.

news Xmas beyond decoration on streets, houses —Pastor Balogun 5

Friday, 18 December, 2015

As Tribune holds maiden Xmas carol By Joseph Ajayi

EGIONAL Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Oyo State Region 21 and Professor of Philosophy, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Pastor Oladele Balogun, has said beyond decorations on the streets and of houses, wearing of red Christmas caps, eating and drinking, singing Chrismas carol, among other activities to celebrate the birth of Christ, the essence of Christmas is to tap into the saving power of Jesus. Pastor Balogun said this

at the first ever Christmas carol of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Publishers of the Tribune titles, at the company’s headquarters in Ibadan, on Thursday. Reading from the book of Mathew 1:20-23 and Luke 2:10-11, Pastor Balogun noted that Jesus came to the world to redeem His people, adding that the occasion provided an ample opportunity for people to tap into His saving power. In his Christmas message, entitled: “The Essence of Christmas,” the academic cum preacher highlighted

Ex-Petroleum minister, Diezani, alive —Associates By Tunde Ogunesan CLOSE associates of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has debunked death rumour of the first female president of Organisation of Petroleum Countries (OPEC). The social media was awash with speculations of her death rumour on Thursday evening, but her

adviser while in office, Mr Kevin Alanso and lawyer, Oscar Onwudiwe, debunked the claim. In their separate declarations, Alanso dismissed the rumour, saying “she is undergoing chemotherapy in a London hospital for a malignant cancer.” In his own way, Onwudiwe took to his Twitter handle to clear the air on the issue. He wrote “#diezani is indeed alive.”

the benefits one could derive from the season to include the ability of Jesus to save from power of sicknesses, collapse in businesses, defeat in battles, sorrow, shame, sudden deaths and power of sins. The carol, featuring interesting Christmas songs in both English and Yoruba by Tribune mass choir, led by the Associate Editor, Mr Femi Olukunle, had in attendance the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Edward Dickson; Consultant/ Director, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji; Chief Accountant, Oluremi Olufisayo; Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai; Controller, Business Development, Mr Fola Oke; Editor, Sunday Tribune, Mr Sina Oladeinde, other management and staff members. While the first lesson was read by the Chief Accountant, Mrs Olufisayo, the second and third lessons were read by Mr Oke and Pastor Sulaimon Olanrewaju respectively in-between carol songs, which were sublimely rendered by the choir. The Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief, Mr Dickson, in a general remark, described the carol as won-

Budget: Buhari summons emergency FEC meeting today AN emergency meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has been scheduled to hold today. The meeting, to be presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to consider and approve the 2016 budget, to enable the executive arm of government to forward same to the

legislature. Buhari is expected to present the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday. When asked on Thursday whether the president would submit the budget personally to the National Assembly or send it through a minister as was done in the

recent past, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, said the details would be made public later. The FEC had, at its last meeting, approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) which was forwarded to the National Assembly.

Reps adopt MTEF for 2016-2018 fiscal years Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja THE House of Representatives, on Thursday, adopted the recommendations of its Joint Committees on Finance, Aids, Loans and Debt Management on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, prior to his formal laying of 2016 budget proposal before the National Assembly on Tuesday. The House adopted 12 out of 14 clauses in the recommendations of the joint committee and constituted a conference committee to liaise with its Senate counterpart to fine-tune areas of discrepancies of the report earlier passed by the upper chamber. In the MTEF report, the presidency had presented to the House a budget template predicated on daily crude oil production of 2.2000mbpd and benchmark of $38 and exchange rate of N197/$1

for the 2016 budget. Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Honourable Babangida Ibrahim, in his debate, said the joint committees met several times and deliberated on the report before coming up with the 14 recommendations in the MTEF document. He urged the House to adopt the recommendations so that the Federal Government would adequately implement its policies in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and diversify the economy and so make it more productive. While adopting the recommendations in the report, the House approved that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should initiate measures that would close the gap between the parallel market and the official exchange rate. It further approved in the MTEF document a crude oil benchmark price of $38 per barrel and a proposal of

N5,720.34 billion for nonoil revenue for the 2016 budget. However, the House leader, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and the minority leader, Honourable Leo Ogor, raised issues in the report and rejected two clauses viz: that the implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) be sustained with e-collection platform and another clause on sustaining the arrears of 2015 payment of fuel subsidy for domestic consumption. In adopting the MTEF, the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, who chaired the report consideration, co-opted the chairmen of Legislative Budget and Research and National Planning Committees in the Joint Committee, urging them to harmonise with the Senate on the MTEF document. The committee is expected to turn in its report on Monday, December 21, for further legislative inputs on the budget document.

derful, saying it was an experience the staff would not forget in a hurry. He said the sublimity of all the renditions by the choir reminded all the Tribune staff that after all, there was a great life outside journalism. He specially thanked Pastor Balogun for honouring Tribune’s invitation, saying

his message refreshed Tribune as a family. While expressing gratitude to the founders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, for handing down and sustaining an enduring legacy in Tribune, the Editor-inChief also thanked all the staff of the company for doing a great job in the outgo-

ing year. In what he termed “excellent delivery by all staff of Tribune,” Mr Dickson said all the staff members were the human agents God had used and still using to move the company forward, adding that what the staff did during the burial of HID Awolowo was particularly exemplary.

Abacha loot balance now $26.4m, £19m —FG Continued from pg4

government's fiscal policy strategy and direction for the next three years. He added that NEC was also briefed about government’s revenue and expenditure projections for the next three years. “We briefed council about our view in terms of the global outlook and micro-economic framework and the key assumptions underlining our projections,” he stated. NEC also revealed that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) now stands at $2.257 billion. According to Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, who briefed reporters on the issue, the Accountant General of the Federation reported a

slight change against the previous balance. Ishaku said the meeting was also briefed on the report of the Federal Government agencies that were collecting revenue in foreign currency and remitting the monies in Naira equivalent into the Federation Account, “which is not allowed.” He added: “So, the Ministry of Finance is working on the details to pass it to the council with a comprehensive report on the agencies that are involved, which will be later be made known to the public.” In his contribution, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, gave an update on monetary policy mea-

sures on foreign exchange strategy and “he told the council the challenges being faced by many countries as a result of the global economy recession.” Tambuwal added: “He also reported that the drop in the oil prices has caused serious pressure on Nigeria's reserve which currently stands at $29 billion. He also briefed the Council on monetary policy among others as follows: “The deduction of cash reserve ratio from 25 per cent to 20 per cent; the measure on forex market and BVN, considering the introduction of debit card for travellers instead of cash exchange demands to reduce cash for illicit businesses, and also looking at option to diversify the economy away from oil.”

news Senate backs Buhari’s anti-corruption war 6

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Urges FG to revive Ajaokuta Steel

TaiwoAdisaandAyodeleAdesanmi - Abuja

HE Senate, on Thursday, announced its readiness to back the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari. The lawmakers, who passed a motion to that effect also called on the Federal Government to take measures to revive the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company. The decision to back the anti-corruption war was the aftermath of the passage of a motion by the Deputy Senate Minority Leader. Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, which was widely debated on Thursday Bwacha, in his motion entitled: “The need for legislative support to government‘s anti-corruption drive,” called for Senate’s total support for the war in view of enormous damages corruption has done to the development of the nation. According to him, “corruption has brought untold hardship to millions of Nigerians who are living below poverty level, some of whom have been rushed to their early graves aside putting us as a people and a nation permanently at the backward position in terms of development in the comity of nations.”

The lawmaker added that given the economic recession confronting the country due to the fall in the price of oil at the international market, there is a craving need to give legislative support to the efforts of Mr President in his drive towards wiping corruption to a zero level in order to boost the economic profile of Nigeria. He, however, called on the Senate to direct its committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to review all matters relating to economic/financial crimes and corruption, towards achieving speedy dispensation of justice. The senator also urged the committees on Information and National Orientation and Education, to embark on a deliberate civic education for the citizenry. Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in his ruling on the motion said that the chamber was fully in support of the war against corruption by Mr President describing corruption as one of the major challenges facing the nation. While adopting another motion by Senator Dino Melaiye on the need to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company, the Senate asked the Federal Government to take quick steps to revive the company. Senator Melaye said that

Christians charged to love their neighbours CHRISTIANS have been advised to use the Christmas period to felicitate with their neighborhoods rather than merry making. This was disclosed yesterday in a message delivered by the Assistant Chaplain 1, Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan, The Very Reverend Olufisayo Oyelade, during the 4th Christmas Carol and Service of Songs of the Oyo State Judiciary Christian Fellowship, held at the High Court of Justice Premises, Ring Road, Ibadan. Oyelade said that people have taken Christmas as one of those things but that it is a season of love where everybody needs to celebrate with the less privileged and make them happy. He said “Christmas is a season of love and when we are talking about season of love, we are trying to remind ourselves of the fact that the Lord God came down in His mercy to dwell in our midst in per-

son of Jesus Christ. “It was the love of God that all should be saved and to demonstrate this, we should all go out and celebrate the love of God among ourselves. This period goes beyond eating and drinking like people do today. We need to extend love to people around us and when we do that, we are doing the will of God,” Oyelade said. In his address, the Cordinator/Pastor-in-charge, Oyo State Judiciary Christian Fellowship, Pastor Michael Olawore, disclosed that “Christmas is a season to rejoice and to understand better the love of God to mankind. We as followers of Christ should also express this kindness to our neighbours. “Although, things may not be all that easy, economy may not be that favourable, but one thing I know and understand is that at our various levels, we have a reason to praise the Lord.”

in spite of huge amount of money expended on the project by successive governments over the years, the Ajaokuta Steel Compa-

ny is still bedeviled by multifarious challenges. The senators called on the Federal Government to undertake the immediate re-

habilitation of rail line and dredging of the water ways linking the Ajaokuta Steel. The red chamber also directed its committee on

Power and Steel Development to undertake holistic assessment of why the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and Steel plants in Nigeria are not working.

President Muhammadu Buhari with his aides during a birthday visit to him at the Aso Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

Buhari urges W/African leaders to fast-track sub-regional integration process Christian Okeke - Abuja

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, stressed the need to fasttrack the integration process in West Africa, telling leaders in the sub-region that the most effective way to do so is through accelerated and focused investments in key development sectors including but not limited to energy, transportation, as well as road and rail networks. Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, the president advised the leaders to push existing initiatives and adopt new ones, even as he identified insufficient power supply as a major obstacle to investments in the region. “As we make individual efforts to boost power supply in our respective countries, we should accelerate the implementation of critical infrastructure such as the West African gas pipeline project, while remaining committed to the promotion of alternative and renewable energy sources,” he told the leaders. Buhari maintained that urgent steps needed to be taken to encourage intraregional trade among member states in order to boost employment generation and trade relations. On the consequences of climate change, he said that the leaders must continue to coordinate their actions with other African countries including through the

African Union, in working with the rest of the world to reduce global warming without compromising industrial development drive. He said, “Our region continues to be confronted with the daunting scourge of transnational organised crime including arms trafficking, drug trafficking, as well as piracy and criminality at sea. Equally worrying is the rising scourge of violent extremism and terrorism. All these constitute serious threats to peace and security in the region, and therefore require sustained focus and concerted actions. “We must enhance cooperation with other regional

and continental organisations such as the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), and the African Union particularly in the fight against violent extremism, terrorism and piracy. “As we celebrate today, let us not forget that beyond politics, the economic integration of our region must remain the fundamental objective of this organisation. “We need to accelerate our efforts toward achieving monetary union by meeting the convergence criteria while member–

states should strive to key into the Common External Tariff, which came into being this year. “Accountability and doing more with less should be the hallmark of the ECOWAS Commission. The ECOWAS Parliament needs to be empowered to make laws rather than operating as an advisory body, while the ECOWAS Court of Justice should be strengthened to enable it deliver on its mandate,” he said. Speaking, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, expressed optimism that the challenges in the sub-region would be tackled headlong.

28,768 results withheld as WAEC releases Nov/Dec 2015 Naza Okoli - Lagos

THE West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the result of the November/December 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (Private). The result was announced by the new Head of the National Office (HNO), Mr Olutise Adenipekun, at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday. According to the breakdown, a total of 237,154 candidates sat for the examination, consisting 124,512 male and 112,642 female candidates. It also indicated that 37 of the total number were visually-challenged candidates.

Adenipekun said: “Out of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 235,542 candidates, representing 99.32 per cent have their results fully processed and released. 1,612 candidates (representing 0.68 per cent) have a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors, traceable mainly to the candidates in the course of registration or writing the examination.” Adenipekun further disclosed that 79,490 candidates (33.51 per cent) out of the total number of students who sat for the examination obtained six credits and above. He added: “113,573 candidates, representing 47.88 per cent obtained five cred-

its. In addition, 146,253 candidates, representing 61.67 per cent obtained credits and above in four subjects, while 175,718 candidates, representing 74.09 per cent obtained credits and above in three subjects. A total of 200,304 candidates (84.46 per cent) obtained credits and above in two subjects.” He said 28,768 results had been withheld “in connection with various cases of examination malpractices.” The HNO, however, did not disclose the number of candidates who obtained credits in five subjects including English Language and Mathematics, stressing that the November/ December Examination is a “makeup” examination.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

CoalitioN For the rule oF law 39b ibrahim taiwo road, ilorin kwara State tel: 07082258379 email: cofolaw@gmail.com

THE DASUKI ORDEAL: Why This Witch-hunt Must Stop!!! “Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently; that Nigeria will return to its stabilizing role in West Africa; and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy...” All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari speaking at Chatham House, UK, February 26, 2015.

without sparing a thought on the damage such is sure to inflict on our psyche and national security infrastructure.

In all sincerity, after this probe, which institution will be willing to take up any assignment from the NSA or any other of our security agencies? Given that security is often classified, which security expert or consultant would be willing to do business with any of the security agencies in These indeed are interesting times. During the last Nigeria? presidential electioneering campaigns, the APC presidential candidate (as he then was) Muhammadu In the course of this national frenzy, virtually all media Buhari made a minimum of 81 promises. Sadly, seven houses and former heads of state have been fingered. And months into his tenure, Nigerians are still waiting for the list is endless. Who else to be named is your guess. President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill at least one of Now, imagine the consequences of all media houses in the the 81 promises. If anything, the world now has all the country refusing to deal with our present and future NSAs cause to worry about Nigeria. The world is inundated with and other security agencies out of fear that they could be reports on how Boko Haram terrorists have been killing smeared in future. soldiers by the dozens; of soldiers opening fire on peaceful demonstrators in Onitsha, Aba, and most recently, on As a people, we need to take a break and think of the harmless muslim faithful in Zaria, among other disturbing immense damage this wild goose chase couched as “probe” has done to our national pride. The morale to execute stories. security assignments has, for sure, been damped by the Apparently confronted by the reality that talk is cheap, witch-hunt. Otherwise classified security information President Buhari seeks to divert attention by treating has, under the Buhari presidency, become public property. Nigerians to a theatrical probe of the Goodluck Jonathan presidency using the office of the National Security Adviser Nigeria predates President Muhammadu Buhari. By God’s (NSA) as a spring board. Expectedly, some hired guns grace, Nigeria shall outlive this administration. We urge have turned cheerleaders. They seem to have forgotten the all patriotic Nigerians to stand up against this self-serving time-tested maxim “when you point a finger at someone, attempt to rubbish our national security. Government is the other fingers are pointing back at you.” The revelation a continuum. President Goodluck Jonathan did his best that President Buhari got two jeeps as “gifts” from the under the circumstances he found himself. Today, he is no same man he is probing has suddenly wiped the smiles off longer the President. We implore President Muhammadu the faces of the cheerleaders. In a bid to nail Col. Sambo Buhari to channel his energies towards revitalizing the Dasuki at all cost, the office of the NSA has been subjected nation’s economy. In case he doesn’t know, the people to a never-before-seen ridicule. While the frenzy of the are hungry. Most of the gains recorded by the Jonathan probe appeared to keep some unsuspecting Nigerians busy, administration are being rubbished all in the bid to cut the other discerning ones have since realized that the measure nose to spite the face. is nothing short of subjecting our national security to The Naira has slid to N270 to the US Dollar. In several international ridicule. parts of the country petrol sells for over N200 per litre, In every nation, the security infrastructure depends on even as global crude oil prices tumble‎ to less than $35 per the private sector and stateless institutions for cooperation barrel. Nigerians have never felt so insecure. Civil servants and assistance to keep country safe. These include the as well as contractors are owed for months on end. The media, hi-tech companies, mass followership individuals, people are hungry. construction and engineering companies, religious Meanwhile, Nigerians are tired of stories. They need food organisations, etc. on their tables. They need good roads, potable water, stable Very few people have paused to ponder how, after the power supply. They want to be safe and feel safe. Nigerians current probe of the ONSA, private organizations or want a government with a human face! individuals might respond to requests for technical Long live Nigeria! assistance from our security organizations. As a country, we must excercise caution with what we cheer Signed: at today. This will hunt us tomorrow. We are cheering Ndaba Ndakogi because it is convenient to demonize Goodluck Jonathan National Co-ordinator

news We’ll fight to ensure one Nigeria, one destiny —Gen Olonisakin 8

Friday, 18 December, 2015

•As JTF arrests suspected militants, pipeline vandals in Bayelsa Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

he Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin has assured that the Nigerian military will continue to ensure that Nigeria remains one and an indivisible entity. General Olonisakin made the declaration while receiving the Commander of French Forces in Senegal, Brigadier General Pascal Facon, when he paid courtesy call at Defence Headquarters, Abuja in furtherance of the French Government’s bilateral cooperation with the Nigerian Armed Forces. General Olonisakin, who maintained that no matter the several forces who are bent at entrenching disunity in some section of the country, the Nigerian military is capable of ensuring that the country will come out clean and even stronger. He further applauded the Nigerian military for the successes made against the terrorists and assured of his country’s readiness to support the Nigerian Armed Forces in the areas of training and intelligence to defeat the terrorists and other maritime criminalities. Meanwhile, the Joint Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested suspected militants and pipeline vandals during their operations in the region. JTF troops also stated that they recovered guns and ammunition including explosives which the suspects allegedly used to blow off pipelines. The arrested suspects and the recovered arms and ammunition were paraded at headquarters of the OPS on Opolo Road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The Commander, OPS, Major General Alani Okunlola, said during a news conference that the apprehension of the suspects and recovery of weapons was made during raids on militant camps. He said the feat was achieved during their operation along Benin River and adjoining creeks in Itagbene, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State last week. The suspects’ names according to Okunlola are Mako Ajagidi, aka Sorsor; Godspower Alebi and Okiti Ariri and the items recovered during the operation were one light machine gun, five AK 47 rifles, one G3 rifle and one LAR rifle. Others, according to him, were 20 AK 47 magazines, two LAR rifle magazines, 145 rounds of 7.62mm X 39mm special, 299 x 7.62mm NATO

ammunition, 273 rounds of 5.65mm ammunition, 10 dynamites and bundles of two detonating cords. Okunlola said, “The recovery of arms and ammunition is as a result of the raids on suspected

militant camps. The operation is a continuous one aimed at recovering all illegally acquired arms that have found their way into the Niger Delta region.” The OPS commander called on the people of the

Niger Delta to key into the outfit’s zero tolerance campaign against illegalities in the region. He also urged the people to give useful information that would aid the troops of the Joint Force to track and

arrest hoodlums. He reassured the people of the command’s vigour and determination in the fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta.

A crowd cheering Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Thursday, upon his arrival to the state after the Appeal Court judgment.

Nullification of my election, temporary setback —Wike Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt With Agency Reports

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has described the nullification of his election as a temporary setback, saying that God’s will and the mandate of the people will prevail at the end of the day. Addressing thousands of Rivers State people, who thronged the Port Harcourt International Airport to receive him on Thursday, Governor Wike urged the people to remain peaceful as the state remains Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the contrived situation at present. He assured the people

that his lawyers have already started the process of Appeal to the Supreme Court, noting that after the Supreme Court, the PDP will work with whatever judgment emanates from the apex court. The governor said the PDP is ready for the National Assembly elections as ordered by the Appeal Court, but warned that the people will resist any attempt by the Federal Government to use soldiers and policemen to manipulate the elections. The governor stated that Rivers State people are peace loving, but they hate injustice and intimidation. all PDP He advised members in the state to

commence unit to unit and ward to ward campaigns for the National Assembly elections. Meanwhile, Wike has also alleged that there is a grand conspiracy to take over the state. He made the allegation while speaking during the commissioning of an ultra modern multipurpose hall and a one-day seminar for party officials and government functionaries held at the Rivers State PDP Secretariat, Port Harcourt, on Thursday. The governor told Rivers State people to look beyond him to stop the alleged evil wind of enslavement being propagated by the

Inspiration FM lauds, seeks partnership with Tribune By Segun Adebayo

The management of Inspiration FM in Ibadan has lauded the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of Tribune titles for the role it has continued to play in ensuring that the society gets better by the way of its consistency, passion for truth and balanced coverage of activities affecting Nigerians, indicating its readiness to establish a work relationship with the company. The General Manager of the radio station, Mr Lawrence Olisa, on behalf of its chairman, Dr Erastus Akingbola, made this disclosure when he led other members of their management team to the Tribune House at Imalefalafia Street, Oke Ado,

Ibadan, on Thursday, on a courtesy call, adding that for Tribune to have survived for 66 years in the newspaper industry showed that it has remained truthful to the vision of its founder, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Olisa, who described the station which came on air about six months ago in Ibadan, as a family radio, said he hoped that Inspiration FM would be as successful as the Tribune newspaper, adding that it played a big role during the burial service of Chief Mrs HID Awolowo with the live streaming of the event from Ikene, Ogun State. Tasking the radio station on the need for it to remain steadfast in the niche it has carved for itself as a family radio, the Managing

Director/Editor-in-Chief of the Tribune newspaper, Mr Edward Dickson charged the management of Inspiration FM to constantly cross-check itself by the way of doing content analysis in order not to deviate from the niche it has been known for, adding that the marriage institution is being threatened worldwide because of the ill in the society which a family radio station could help to correct. “If you want to affect the society, the quickest way to do it is through the radio, because a lot of people pay attention to what they hear and that’s where Inspiration FM comes in. You have a critical role to play in moulding the society to an egalitarian one that we all crave for.

conspirators. He said anyone detailed by the conspiring forces to rig election in the state would face dire consequences “as Rivers people will never be enslaved by political groups only interested in stealing her resources. “There is a grand conspiracy to take over Rivers State for reasons that are known to all of us but God will disappoint them. “I pity any Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC) officer who will want to be funny; such an officer should be prepared for the consequences. “We will use the National Assembly re-run elections to prove to the world that these unpopular politicians have been lying about Rivers State all this while. “If you know anyone planning to rig the Rivers State National Assembly re-run elections, tell him to have a rethink. “You cannot rig in a place where you are not popular. Those planning to rig for pecuniary reasons are not popular in this state. We shall return all our National Assembly members. “I call on Mr President to use the National Assembly to institute the change he has talked about with the National Assembly elections. “Rivers State is a PDP state and we cannot be shaken in this state because the party is deeply rooted. We cannot be intimidated with the use of soldiers and policemen during any election,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune

Bayelsa: INEC fixes Jan 9 for Southern Ijaw reschedule election Jacob Segun Olatunji –Abuja

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed January 9 for the election in Southern Ijaw and other polling units where elections were cancelled. This was contained in the daily bulletin from the commission which was made available to newsmen in Abuja. “Following a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties who fielded candidates in the Saturday, December 5 Bayelsa governorship election and the candidates who contested the election at the INEC headquarters this afternoon, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the election in Southern Ijaw and other polling units where elections were cancelled for Saturday, January 9, 2016,” the statement read.

Bauchi governor slashes MDAs from 28 to 16 Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, on Thursday, approved the reduction of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) in the state from 28 to 16. This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser, Media, to the Governor, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed in Bauchi. The statement said the action would invigorate governance and transform the civil service in the state. It said the decision was part of the recommendations of the Management Consultancy Firm engaged by the government three months ago to assess and reposition the state civil service. “Under the new dispensation, Bauchi State now has, in addition to the Ministries, 73 Directorates with 18 of them in the Governor’s Office, 136 Commissions, Departments and Agencies,” he said. The statement said the new ministries include Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mines and Power, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Education, Information, Culture and Tourism, Religious and Community Relations. Others are Finance and Economic Development, Health, State Planning Commissions, Justice, Rural and Community Development.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Lagosmetro Ambode presents N665.588bn proposal to Lagos Assembly for 2016 •To commence a-meal-a-day programme, distribute Ibile tablets

Bola Badmus

agos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday presented a N662.588 billion as budget proposal, for the 2016 fiscal year, to the Lagos State House of Assembly for passage into law. Governor Ambode, while making the presentation to the 40-member parliament presided by Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, said the budget as proposed was focused on building new infrastructure, while maintaining existing ones, even as he disclosed that the state government would commence the “A-Meal-a-Day Programme” in the state Public Primary Schools, from next year. The programme, according to him, will be done in collaboration with the Federal Government, who will provide 60 per cent of the funding, while the state government will match it with 40 per cent. “This programme promises not only to improve the daily nutrition of our children, it will also create an economy of its own, with opportunities for job creation, income generation, poverty alleviation, and so on.

“I am happy to inform you that in 2016, we will develop our e-Curriculum, leading to the distribution of Ibile tablets to students in our public schools. This revolution, at the secondary school level, will set a new standard in our educa-

tional system, and further enhance the knowledge of our children to enable them compete effectively with their peers in developed countries,” the governor said. Governor Ambode said his government was also

resolved to giving attention to wealth and employment creation as it commenced the implementation of the Employment Trust Scheme for which N25 billion had been set aside for the next four year. Ambode, who gave a

breakdown of the budget, disclosed that a sum of N278, 909 billion was for Recurrent Expenditure, while N383, 678 billion was for the Capital, adding that, “Our Capital to Recurrent ratio is 58:42 as against 51:49 in 2014 and 2015.”

Junior Secondary School (JSS) one students of Apostolic Faith Secondary school, Anthony, Lagos, during their Christmas carol.

We will thoroughly scrutinise the N662.588bn 2016 budget — Obasa ChukwumaOkparaocha-Lagos The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has said that the House would thoroughly scrutinise the N662.588 2016 budget proposal which was presented to the House by the State Governor on Tuesday. In his remarks, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa said,

“we have all listened with rapt attention to how the wealth of our state will be utiliSed for our common good in year 2016. The responsibility is now on the members of this Honourable House to do the needful, and I assure you that we will meticulously perform our constitutional duty. “We are all hopeful and expectant that this coming year will witness more of

democracy dividends for betterment of Lagos and Lagosians.” According to him, the 2016 Appropriation Bill is significant in that it is the first budget proposal to be presented by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as well as the first to be received by the Speaker of the House. Obasa, who noted that emphasis should be given to job creations and education,

urged that residents should be given more access to the dividends of democracy dividends, through the budget. “I must confess that some of our people still live in abject poverty. In treating this budget, we will not forget that we are trustees for the people. A lot has indeed been done in the area of job creation and economic empowerment of Lagosians,” he said. Obasa further noted that

the reordering of the 2015 budget by the governor was a testimony of his desire to give the people necessary infrastructure which would engender socio-economic growth. The speaker, who commended the governor on road infrastructures and procurement of mass transit buses, urged Ambode to do more on road infrastructures to ensure traffic flow.

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647 Juju scare forces LASU Admin, Senate buildings under lock-and- key for 9 months The fear of objects alleged to be Juju or charms has continued to keep the Lagos State University (LASU) Administrative and Senate buildings under lock-and-key, as well as deserted for the past nine months. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the buildings, which house the office of the Vice Chancellor and other principal officers of the institution, had been shut since March 16. The alleged charms were said to have been found around the buildings sequel to a rift between the former vice-chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa and the four staff unions of the university. During the rift, the unions were insisting that the then Vice Chancellor, Professor Obafunwa, should throw in the towel. NAN gathered that this development led the former Vice Chancellor to relocate his office to the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja campus from where he was presiding over the day-to-day administration of the university till the end of his tenure. Following the elapse of the tenure of Obafunwa on October 31, the state government through LASU’s Governing Council led by Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, on November 7, appointed Professor Fidelis Njokanma as the Acting Vice Chancellor. Professor Njokanma, since his assumption of office, has been operating from LASUCOM instead of his office at the Ojo Campus. Dr Adekunle Idris, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU chapter, however, told NAN that it was wrong for anyone to say that the staff union placed any charms within the university’s administrative buildings. Idris said that the buildings were locked by the LASU workforce because the demands of the unions were yet to be met by the university authorities. “The unions knew nothing about whether charms were placed within or around the buildings,” he said.

news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Appeal Court affirms Ajimobi’s victory •We are studying the judgment —Ladoja, Accord By Tunde Ogunesan, Wale AkinselureAndDareAdekanmbi

HE Federal Court of Appeal, Ibadan, on Thursday, dismissed the applications filed by Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Accord, challenging the victory of Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, in the April 11 governorship election and ruling of a three man tribunal delivered on October 27. The five-man panel of Judges were unanimous in their decisions, stating that the appeal lacked merit and that the evidence of the principal witness in the appeal, Bimbo Adepoju, tagged as PW1, is inadmissible. A three-man election petition tribunal on October 27 had affirmed the electoral victory of Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Not satisfied with the ruling, Senator Rashidi Ladoja approached the Court of Appeal for a redress. His lead counsel, Chief Robert Clark, in a suit number CA/IB/EPT/ GOV/31/2015, prayed the court to dismiss the judgment of lower tribunal against his client on the basis that it excluded the evidence of his clients’ principal witness while Accord lead counsel in CA/

IB/EPT/GOV/31A/2015 in another brief prayed the court to declare Senator Rashid Ladoja the winner of April 11 election. The judges were led by Justices H.M. Ogunwumiju, Haruna Simeon Tsammanani, Uchechukwu Oyemenam, J. Olubunmi Oyewole and M.L. Shuaibu. The Appeal Court Judges in their ruling affirmed the victory of Senator Ajimobi and dismissed Ladoja and Accord’s appeal on the ground that the “the totality of evidence presented by PW1 is an opinion” and could not be considered because it was not that of evidence. The judges further hinted that the principal witness was an interested party and such evidence could not be relied upon. Citing section 68 (1) of evidence act, with reference to pages 192, 201, 203 and 214 of the lower court judgment, the court submitted that PW1 evidence “does not contain statement of fact” because he is not competent to give such report.

All the panel of Judges agreed on the dismissal of Ladoja’s appeal and affirmed Ajimobi’ victory. In their separate delivery, it was unanimously agreed that PW1, who was the main witness in the case because he is a card carrying member of Accord, an interested person, queried why he should render an opinion when he is not an expert, only an expert can make opinion in cases and it will stand according to the constitution. They also made references to inconsistency in the evidences which he could not explain under cross examination that lasted five days at the lower tribunal. The court even emphasised that the PW1 discredited himself during cross examination as he confessed to “wrong” at a point in time. They further submitted that the claim of violence and manipulation in areas mentioned could not be established. In the second appeal - CA/ IB/EPT/GOV/31A/2015, which was also dismissed, the judges further corrobo-

rated tribunal’s position. “Tribunal was right to state that the document of PW1 was inadmissible” and that his evidence was a mere opinion. The lead Judge, H.M. Ogunwumiju further added that there was no proof that non-compliance to the guideline of election affected the outcome of the election. She also posited that the appellant “put all their eggs in one basket and the basket is a leaking one.” Reacting after the ruling, counsel to All Progressives Congress (APC) Wole Aina, said the team is not surprised on the outcome of the appeal court ruling. He said “We actually saw it coming.” But counsel to Accord, Prince Aderemi Olatubora, said the outcome was not what they bargained for. He said the team thought otherwise because the case in Oyo State was so similar to that of Rivers State where the election of Governor Nyesom Wike was nulli-

fied, promising that they were ready to prove that at the Supreme Court. In its reaction, the APC in Oyo State said, “it was high time Senator Rashidi Ladoja accepted the reality of his defeat at the polls and subsequent failure in various courts.” APC in a statement signed by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, advised the candidate of Accord in the 2015 gubernatorial election, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to forget about his dream of returning to Agodi Government House with the outcome of the April 11, 2015 polls Sadare said, “As days rolled by and all efforts to unseat Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the governor of Oyo State by Ladoja prove abortive, it is imperative for the former governor to save the time of the government and good people of the state who feel distracted by the needless political horsetrading after a globally acclaimed mandate had been delivered to the rightful winner.

Appeal Court upholds Amosun’s ruling, dismissed PDP’s appeal By Tunde Ogunesan

Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, on Thursday, upheld the election victory of Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. The ruling was read on behalf of the four man panel of Judges by Justice Haruna Simeon Samali, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Adegboyega Isiaka. The panel ruled that the appeal lacked merit and that the appellants’ star witness was not qualified enough to analyse election results. The court further stated that the star witness was not an expert and could not give expert opinion that the tribunal could rely on, adding that his opinion was reflected in his evidence. Thus, the court submitted that the witness, being an interested party as a member of PDP, could go to any length to ensure that his party won.

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (left) and a former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, shortly after the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, upheld the election of the governor, on Thursday.

Alao-Akala and I have formed the most formidable force —Ajimobi •We are dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s —Alao-Akala By Wale Akinselure

For the first time since his reported membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has remarked that he was set to finalise the processes of joining the APC. This is just as Governor Abiola Ajimobi has described Alao Akala as a

formidable force, noting that the coming together of both of them would make them the most formidable force in the politics of the state. Alao-Akala, speaking just after the Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan, reaffirmed the victory of Governor Abiola Ajimobi at the April 11 polls, said he was “dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s.”

Ajimobi noted that the partnership meant that any other opposition was inconsequential. “Former governor Alao Akala is a formidable force. He is a force to be reckoned with in the politics of Oyo state and in Nigeria, in general.” “An elephant in Ibadan when he goes to London will remain an elephant. An elephant in PDP, La-

bour will remain an elephant when he comes to APC.” “Mention the big guns in Oyo State today; you will mention Ajimobi, AlaoAkala, Ladoja. We are the first 11. So his coming is good. If I now have an arm joining and we are one, who else is left? We don’t need to tell anybody that we are the most formidable.”

“Having lost the electoral campaign by failing to convince voters to queue behind again after the 2003-07 disappointment, the candidate of the APC (Ajimobi) was handed down a field day on April 11, 2011. All the candidates of opposition parties, except Ladoja, accepted their defeat in good fate and threw their weight behind the jinx breaker. “Truth is constant and now that it has been substantially established that Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the APC won fair and square, we urge the leader of Accord and his handful sympathisers to put all that happened before, during and after the 2015 general elections behind them and join hands with Governor Ajimobi to move the state forward.” Sadare said. In his reaction, Ajimobi said, “We owe the victory to God and to the people of the state for the support we received, and to the teeming population of Nigeria for wanting change and for reflecting it in their voting. Whatever we are today is God’s making. It is my turn today; it might be someone else’s time tomorrow.” “I appeal to Ladoja and others. I have told my brother Ladoja to concentrate on being the Olubadan. Let him join us than proceeding to Supreme Court. I am sure he will come around and we will work together.” Former Governor Christopher Alao- Akala said, “I am here to rejoice with my brother for the court ruling. We expected what we got and we thank God. He is the leader and I know he will put smiles on the faces of the people. “He is in charge; God has put him there, so we should support him. The opposition or aggrieved should bury the hatchet and support him because Oyo State is greater than all of us.” Reacting, Ladoja said he and his party would study the verdict and make their views known on it after a meeting with various stakeholders. In a statement by his media aide, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo, Ladoja expressed his gratitude and that of his party to the people of Oyo State, thanking them for their unflinching support, prayers, steadfastness and understanding. Senator Ladoja enjoined the people of the state to remain calm and go about their lawful duties, warning against harassment of his supporters.

businessnews

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Growth target: Nigeria needs $100billion investments in 4 key sectors Gbola Subair - Abuja

f Nigeria is to meet its annual growth targets and become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020, it has to invest over $100 billion in just four key sectors of the economy through the public-private-partnership (PPP) in the next few years. Some of the investments to be provided by private finance include; power ($1820 billion), railways ($10 billion), roads ($14 billion), oil and gas ($60 billion). The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr Aminu Diko, disclosed this at a breakfast meeting with the media at the Commission’s head office in Abuja on Thursday. According to him, PPP initiative is necessary because of the wide infrastructural gap, declining government resources, need to urgently fill resources gap and increasing private sector participation in infrastructure development. While distinguishing PPP from conventional procurement and full privatisation, the Director General said the ICRC plays strictly regulatory role and that the Commission does not; initiate PPP projects, does not develop projects, does not approve PPP project and does not enforce court judgments over PPP transactions. Mr Diko said previous public-private-partnership arrangements in infrastructure development which completion has been put on hold for different reasons include; the Lagos Interna-

tional Trade Fair Complex, the Tafawa Balewa Square Complex, the Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, and the Murtala Mohammed Domestic Airport. He listed some ongoing PPP projects in the country

to include; the Trans Nigeria Gas Pipeline project owned by the NNPC which is a subset of the Trans Sahara Gas Pipeline, the 6-lane dual carriageway 2nd Niger Bridge, the Lekki, Ibom and Badagry Deep Sea

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), again, licenced eight companies with a combined capacity to generate 1,648.25 Megawatts electricity. The licences were a mixture of on-grid, off-grid, embedded generation and distribution of electricity. In a statement issued in Abuja by the regulatory commission on Thursday, One of the licensees, Ossiomo Offistes and Utilities/ Ossiomo Power &Infrastructure, based in Edo state will engage in electricity distribution and in embedded generation of 55

Others include concession granted over Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro hydo-electric power plants on which ICRC has commence regulatory compliance with the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

From left, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Mr Kayode Lawal; Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr Yemi Adeola and Executive Director/ Operating Officer, Mr Yemi Odubiyi, all of Sterling Bank Plc at the bank’s annual end of year MD’s Press briefing held at the bank’s Head Office, Marina on Thursday in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

FG restates commitment to economy diversification Gbola Subair - Abuja The Federal Government has restated its commitment to diversification of the Nigerian economy as a way of mitigating the harsh effect of dwindling resources occasioned by the slump in the world oil prices. Dr Okechikwu Enelamah , Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, stated this while presenting a paper at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Summit going on in Kenyan. The Minister, in the pa-

per hinted of the Nigerian government’s plan for continuing to foster the diversification of the economy which he said is predicated on three major underlying elements vis-a-vis – implementing the country’s industrialization plan, improving the ease of doing business and building out both hard and soft infrastructure. He insisted that modern and efficient infrastructure is key to promoting diversification and economic growth pointing up

NERC licenses 8 companies with 1,648MWs power generation capacity Adetola Bademosi - Abuja

Ports, Re-development of the National Arts Theatre in which 65 hectares out of the 134 hectares land space will be used to build a fivestar hotel, office building, leisure park, shopping mall and overhead car park.

Megawatts gas power electricity. Meanwhile, Anambra state Independent Power Generation Company Limited, located in Onitsha, an on-grid gas-fired plant has the capacity for 528mw capacity. Others are; Cummins Power Generation, Nigeria Limited (NBC) Ikeja with a capacity for a 3.5mw capacity, off- grid. The company also has licence for a 1.7mw to serve A&P Foods, in Agege, Lagos. Sinosun Investment Limited, based in Jibiya, Kastina state is for an ongrid, solar power generation of 100mw capacity. In the same vein, LR-Aaron

Power Limited, located in Gwagalada has licence for 100mw solar powered electricity generation. Lafarge Africa Plc for an on-grid, gas-fired 260 MW in Ewekoro, Ogun state. For Azikel Power Limited, the on–grid licence is for 500MW power plant, located in Obunagha in Bayelsa state. While Middle Band Solar One Limited from Kogi State, was granted an on-grid licence for 100mw. The licence is categorised falls into three; namely embedded generation (55MW), two off –grid generation(525 MW) and six on-grid generation (1,588 MW).

that industries require a steady supply of electricity to function optimally, just as agricultural and mining products require robust, efficient and cost – effective transport networks to reach markets. Nigeria, he revealed, was creating an ambitious natural infrastructure fund to complement the existing infrastructure component of the Sovereign Wealth Fund. This, the Minister disclosed, is consistent with Nigeria’s national infrastructure master-plan, aimed at catalyzing economic activity. The minister stated further that “deeper economic diversification is an urgent necessity to undertake structural transformation; buffer the domestic econ-

omy from externally transmitted shocks and accelerate growth accompanied by job creation in Africa”. He told the gathering that the task ahead of further diversification of the economy is enormous pointing out that Nigeria shall be strategic about economic diversifications. Dr Enelamah in a speech titled “Diversifying Africa’s largest economy” apprized the world body with a few of the country’s strategic steps at economic diversification, namely the Telecommunication Sector where Nigeria witnessed a phenomenal rise of 400,000 lines in 2001 to 140,000, 000 lines to date and attributed this to the deregulation policy of the government.

Nigerian Tribune

Union Bank unveils 4 branches in Lagos Chima Nwokoji - Lagos Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has unveiled four of its recently redesigned and more modern branches in Lagos state. This is in its bid to continue to deliver superior banking experience to diverse customers. Union Bank said the redesigned branches located at Oba Akran, Allen, Alausa and the Agege areas of Lagos are part of the Bank’s plan to offer “simpler and smarter” banking solutions to customers and prospects. The branches have been exquisitely designed and furnished to wear a sophisticated look. Speaking to journalists at the unveiling ceremony, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr Emeka Emuwa, noted that the newlook was in line with the bank’s rebranding objectives. “This is aligned with the new Union Bank brand identity that we launched six weeks ago,” he said. “What we’ve tried to do here is to give our customers a more contemporary environment in our business locations but still retaining the old Union Bank tradition, and then making sure that the branch’s layout is geared towards helping our customers access their services much more efficiently. “It is basically a continuation of the new brand identity that we launched, which is more modern, energised, vibrant and contemporary. The technology you have in this branch is the same everywhere else. Back in April, we upgraded our core banking systems, and the benefits are visible. Customers should simply expect simpler, smarter, service,” Emuwa explained.

LIRS closes 3 firms for N6.02 million unpaid taxes The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) closed down three companies on Thursday for failing to remit a total of N6.02 million personal income taxes of workers to the state government. Mrs Oshodi-Sholola, the Head, Distrain Unit of the LIRS, disclosed this after a state-wide tax law enforcement exercise in Lagos. Oshodi-Sholola, who led the enforcement team, said that two companies’ liabilities were for 2012 tax audit year, while one were for 2005 to 2010 au-

dit years. She said that the tax liabilities of the cosmetics company amounted to N2.26 million, the security firm N851, 573, while the engineering company was N2.91 million. According to her, LIRS sealed the companies because they did not pay the tax liabilities debited to them by the LIRS nor objected to them. She said that the three affected companies were a cosmetics company, a hospital and an engineering firm.

Oshodi-Sholola advised corporate organisations to always notify the service of any change in their companies’ name and address for proper records at LIRS office. She said that such notification would enable LIR to have valid and up-todate information on the organisations. According to her, many companies in the state have relocated to unknown destinations, changed addresses or moved out of business without the notice of the LIRS.

businessnews

Friday, 18 December, 2015

We are going to focus on price modulation, not Subsidy removal —Kachikwu

he Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said the Federal Government would focus on price modulation of petroleum products to ensure efficiency and provision of the products. Kachikwu said this while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja. He said the price modulation had nothing to do with the removal or existence of subsidy. “There is too much emotion around subsidy issue, but our focus is that the Federal Government should not spend as much as it spends every year on subsidy. “First, it is an issue of irresponsibility; this year we have spent about one trillion and given the state of the finances, we have to save money from every means. “What I am trying to do is to make sure that whatever we do, the poor people will not be affected. So whatever we are going to do will be intellectual,’’ he said. On the way forward, the minister said that the NNPC would review the template of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and achieve reduction in the cost for clearing goods. According to him, foreign exchange provisions will be looked into, to ensure stability in the system. He added that efforts were being made to ensure more allocation to the oil industry to ensure certainty in the system. He said that Nigeria consumed below 40 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day, add-

ing that a reduction in smuggled products would put the level of consumption between 35 and 36 million per day. “If we take this analysis, we can deliver products today with the price of oil

where it is and also sell close to the prices we have today. “It is not that we have removed subsidy but the application of market forces will enable you to sell products as close to the prices we have today.

“Is it going to be between N87 and N90; we will have to get PPPRA to do those templates and at 35 million (litres) we may sell products at N87; by the time we consume 36, we may be selling at N90 or N91,’’ he said.

From left, Principal, Federal Government Boys College, Apo, Mr Jonathan Mbaakaa; Business Manager, Education Vertical, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr Matthew Iwundu; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan; Corporate Social Value Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mrs Abosede George-Ogan and Director, Information Communication Technology, Ministry of Education, Mr Ikechukwu Orji, during the Samsung Smart School launch at the Federal Government Boys College, Apo, Abuja on Wednesday.

Chima Nwokoji - Lagos Barely 10 years after the seamless merger of five legacy financial institutions, the asset base (including contingents) of the Sterling Bank has increased from about N110 billion in 2006 to about N1 trillion in 2015. The legacy banks include: Magnum Trust Bank; Indo Nigeria Bank; Trust Bank of Africa; MBM Merchant Bank and NAL Merchant

Bank to produce Sterling Bank Plc. Disclosing this in Lagos on Thursday at the annual press conference of the Bank, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank, Mr. Yemi Adeola also revealed that the Bank expanded its branch network by 135 from 50 in 2006 to 185 in 2015. He added that plans were on to ensure that the Bank is ranked among the top six banks in the country by

year 2020. Besides, Mr Adeola stated that the deposit liabilities of the Bank grew from N75 billion in 2006 to N583 billion in 2015 while equity rose from N26 billion to N88 billion. Similarly, the Bank’s customer base rose from 200,000 in 2006 to 1.4 million in 2015. Mr. Adeola who was supported by the Executive Director, Corporate & Investment Banking, Mr Kayode Lawal and the Executive Director/Chief Operating

Amoye Bank introduces policy on poverty alleviation through microcredit By Gbenga Olumide Amoye Microfinance Bank Ltd, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, in collaboration with Partnership for Economic Policy, Canada (PEP), and the Initiative for Evidence Based Development and Empowerment, Nigeria (IEBDEM), has introduced a policy on how microcredit can be used to reduce poverty and increase women empowerment. According to the communiqué issued shortly after a workshop in Ikere-Ekiti recently, the policy is targeted at policy makers, customers of the bank and other stakeholders. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akanle Lateef Oluwole,

We supply 22-hour electricity to Ota —IBEDC OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has said that it has commenced providing Ota axis of Ogun with about 22 hours of electricity supply daily. The area, which houses over 1, 000 companies, has been regarded as the state’s industrial hub. IBEDC Principal Manager, Ota Business Hub, Mr. Paul Peters, disclosed this shortly after a corporate customers’ engagement forum held in Ota on Thursday. Peters stated that despite the meager quantity being transmitted to IBEDC from the national grid, the company was determined to provide commercial electricity at cheaper rate. He added that the company was working at providing more numbers feeders that would serve the area towards further boosting the economy of the state. “We are also determined to offer added value by mobilising partners and allies

Sterling Bank’s assets base hits N1 trn in 10 years Targets top 6th position by 2020

representing the chairman of the bank, Mr Feyi Ogoji, said the essence of the workshop was to sensitise participants to the various products available in the bank to drive small and medium enterprises, and create understanding of how the microcredit can be used as a policy instrument to reduce vulnerability to socio-economic shocks and empower women. In his paper delivered at the conference, entitled: “Impact of microcredit on household vulnerability and women empowerment: Evidence and policy implications”, the CEO and Research Coordinator, IEBDEM, Dr Damilola Olajide, highlighted some of the inherent risks in loan dis-

bursement and their overall impact on household vulnerability and women empowerment. The presentation of the research findings was followed by discussions on the policy implications, particularly the multidimensional nature of vulnerability and empowerment outcomes, and the need to consider how institutional factors may affect the outcomes. Some of the participants, especially customers, explained that the amount of loans granted them is often too small to meet their business needs. Representing the policy makers, Mr Lawrence Ogunmolaji, explained that microfinance banks always consider the conditions of

customers in making decisions on microcredit and that there is limit to the amount the banks can loan as microcredit.

Nigerian Tribune

Officer, Mr Yemi Odubiyi also explained that the Bank, within ten years had deployed 801 ATMs nationwide when it had none in 2006. Speaking on the major activities of the Bank in the current year, the Bank’s Chief Executive said that “the outgoing year has been a beehive of activities and we have good reason to celebrate. The Bank was involved in a lot of activities that added value not only to our customers but with great impact on all Nigerians”. Some of the major activities for the year according to Mr Adeola included the organisation of the first Sterling Micro, Small and Nedium scale Enterprise ( MSME) Academy.

to provide industrial stabilizer and reduce production cost. “So instead of sacking staff, they will have more money to keep them for the benefit of the society. “We have also engaged in strategic corporate customer relationship management and we want our bills paid on time so as to help move the chain of power generation, transmission and distribution faster,” he said.

CBN cautions customers on BVN The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned customers to beware of fraudsters trying to defraud them in the name of Bank Verification Number (BVN). This is contained in a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communication of CBN, Mr Ibrahim Muazu, on Thursday in Abuja. It said the warning was given following repeated complaints from bank customers over unsolicited mails and text messages. It said customers should beware of messages, alerting them to deactivate or suspend their bank accounts due to uncompleted Bank Verification Number (BVN) registration process. “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again cautioned customers to beware of fraudsters,’’ it said. According to the statement, the apex bank has cautioned individuals against revealing their personal details with which the fraudsters intend to defraud them. It recalled an earlier statement that neither the CBN nor commercial banks would request customers to provide their passwords, card details or personal identification number (PIN).

Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol gets Glo backing This year’s Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol Festival has received a massive boost with the sponsorship support of the Next Generation Network, Globacom. The event is scheduled for the Uyo Township Stadium on December 19, 2015. In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday, Globacom said that it would bring its excellent track record in event and festival sponsorship to bear on the celebration, promising that its sponsorship of the event would

make a huge difference in the already popular Carol Festival. The statement noted that it was proud to identify with this year’s edition of the Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol Festival which it said had become a historic event and a rallying point for Nigerians around the world during the Christmas season. “We believe that the Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol festival has become a national asset worthy of our support to make it even grander,” Globacom

declared. The Festival will feature top International and Nigerian gospel artistes including two Grammy Award winners, Donnie McClurkin and Shirley Caesar from the USA. Shirley Caesar is an American Gospel musician, songwriter and recording artist with a career spanning over six decades. A multi-award winning artist, with a eleven Grammy Awards and seven Dove Awards to her credit, she is known as the “First Lady of Gospel Music.”

news Military panel: PDP faults APC, says ‘Fayose didn’t send emissary’ 13

Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has faulted a claim by the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Governor Ayò Fayose sent emissaries to the military panel on Ekiti and Osun elections, describing the claim as “cock and bull stories.” PDP, which spoke through a statement by its publicity secretary, Jackson Adebayo, said Governor Fayose had nothing to fear with the military panel, saying the “APC should stop crying over its

Friday, 18 December, 2015

electoral misfortunes in the state.” The PDP, which was reacting to a statement credited to spokesperson of Ekiti APC, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, in which he claimed that Governor Fayose sent emissary to the military panel investigating the role of the military in Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, alleging that such “could not have come out of a sound mind.” Adebayo said: “Governor Ayodele Fayose and the PDP have nothing to fear about the military panel. Right-thinking Nigerians know that the stock in trade of the APC is that whatever they failed to get,

no matter how good, they will make all efforts to rubbish it. For the records, the military maintained peace during the Edo, Anambra, Ekiti, Osun and many other governorship polls some of which were won by the APC. “To the APC, nothing was wrong with the military’s presence in the states it won. Also, all the courts in the land, including the Supreme Court, held that Governor Ayodele Fayose duly won the June 21, 2014 governorship poll and defeated APC and its candidate, even in their bedrooms. “The military panel can never sit as an appellate court on what the Su-

preme Court has decided on. As a party, we only drew the attention of the panel to some impostors, who went before it and claimed to be members of our great party. Such members were expelled in accordance with the constitution of our party and we never wanted them to mislead anybody.” The statement said “the

Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja THE Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, said on Thurs-

NUT demands upward review of 18,000 minimum wage THE National Executive Council of Nigeria Union of Teachers, has demanded for upward review of the N18,000 national minimum wage, saying this minimum wage benchmark enacted in 2011 has lost its value to hyper-inflation witnessed in the country. The council equally condemned some governors agitating for the reduction of the current national minimum wage “using the untenable argument of dwindling oil revenue.” This was contained in a communique issued on Thursday in Abuja at the end of a National Executive Council meeting of the union and co-signed by the National President of NUT, Comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya and the union’s Secretary General, Comrade Obong J. Obong.

The teachers declared their unwavering support to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in the fight against planned reduction of the minimum wage. “NEC-in-session applauded and fully supported the prompt reaction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the anti-people plan of the governors and pledged the union’s unalloyed cooperation with the labour centre in the fight against these unwholesome agitations,” NUT said. NUT, also blamed the rot and decay witnessed in the school system in Nigeria on the use of quack teachers who were employed under unevaluated policies of the past governments in the country. In the same vein, NUT expressed concern about the future and welfare of its

members and called on the Federal Government to ensure that the responsibility for the payment of teachers’ salaries be removed from local government councils and placed on the state governments in line with the Supreme Court judgment of 2002. The communique reads in part: “The NEC-in-session viewed as most unfortunate and unpatriotic, the unwarranted agitations by governors to reduce the legislated N18,000 National Minimum Wage, using the untenable argument of dwindling oil revenue. “The NEC-in-session viewed the proponents for the reduction of the already bastardised minimum wage as lacking in ingenuity to resolve the massive socioeconomic problems of the Nigerian society without

affirmed by the Supreme Court. We challenge the APC to come out with the names and other evidential proof of this their latest falsehood so that the people of the state could measure the mentality of the leaders of the opposition party in Ekiti State with their words and actions,” he noted.

3 million Nigerians living illegally in UK —Senate chair

From left, Lagos State Secretary, Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), Mr Seun Thomas; a member of AWDROP in Oyo State, Mr Bayo Salami; National President of AWDROP, Mr Michael Ale; Commissioner for Water Resources (Delta State); Sir Okenmor Fidelis Tilije and a member, House of Assembly (Delta State), Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, at the ongoing annual Convention and Exhibition of Groundwater Practitioners (NGWA) in Las Vegas, United States of America.

Clement Idoko - Abuja

PDP has therefore advised the APC to stop cooking lies and fabrication,” saying “the PDP is consolidating its hold on the state and crying over spilled milk amounts to nothing.” The statement reiterated that “We don’t see Governor Fayose having any problem with the mandate bestowed on him by the people of Ekiti State and

Nigerian Tribune

causing further afflictions to the suffering masses. “The NEC-in-session noted with regret that, whereas many state governors have already flagrantly flouted the extant laws on Minimum Wage by either refusing to implement the wage or by percentage implementation, particularly for Nigerian teachers, the current agitations for the reduction of the minimum wage is tantamount to the proverbial ‘adding of salt to injury. “The NEC-in-session observed with dismay that Local Government Councils are still saddled with the responsibility of paying salaries of primary school teachers in the country despite the apparent display of lack of will and capacity on the part of the councils over the years to carryout the responsibility.”

day that no fewer than three million Nigerians are living illegally in the United Kingdom. The senator, who stated this after a consultative meeting with officials of the Nigerian Immigrations Service, said that officials of the service confirmed the figures to her committee. She stated that it was also untrue the claims that the United Kingdom plans to deport 29,000 Nigerians who are living illegally in the country. The senator also stated that the 48 Nigerians who were recently deported from the UK were those who have gone to jail and completed their jail terms. While briefing newsmen after the interaction with officials of Immigration Service, the senator said: “The Assistant Deputy Comptroller-General, Investigations, Intelligence and Enforcement of the Ni-

geria Immigration Service, Mr T. A Hundeyin, just confirmed to us now that it is not true that 29,000 Nigerians are being deported from the United Kingdom or that the United Kingdom government intends to deport 29,000 but that only 48 Nigerians and he had shown us their names and records that actually confirmed that they had all served their prison sentences. “He also said that about three million Nigerians are illegally living in the United Kingdom and that if three million Nigerians are living there illegally, and they are only removing just 48 people confirmed to have committed crimes and jailed, then the situation is not too bad. “We will not relent in our efforts on checking and doing our oversight functions. If it requires us to go there and visit them, and to ask questions, we won’t mind to go there.”

Mimiko orders payment of leave bonus ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has ordered the immediate payment of 2015 leave bonus to all categories of civil servants in the state. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, in a statement issued in Akure, on Thursday, said the governor ordered that both workers in the state civil service as well as those at the local government must be paid their leave bonus immediately. He said the order was in line with the caring nature of Dr Mimiko-led government in the state, adding that the instruction became imperative as a result of the governor’s determination to ensure that workers in the state experience a memorable yuletide with their families.

“The state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, this morning ordered the immediate payment of leave bonuses to all civil servants in the state including those serving at the local government level. “The decision is in line with the governor’s determination to further demonstrate that the welfare of workers in the state is of great importance to the government,” the statement read in part. Imploring the people to promptly pay their taxes, the state government said the new year would see it do more in the areas of infrastructure provision and maintenance, adding that the ongoing road construction and repair projects being applauded by the people will be accelerated in the new year.

14 news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

El-Zakzaky no more in army custody —Buratai

HE Chief of Army Staff, LieutenantGeneral Tukur Buratai, said on Thursday, that the arrested Shi’ite sect leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zak-Zaky, is no longer in the custody of the army. Buratai said this when he met with a delegation from the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), at the Army Headquarters, Abuja. The army chief, who was responding to the request by NSCIA to meet with the sect leader, said that ElZak-Zaky had been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. According to Buratai, lawlessness must not be tolerated in the society, especially, when a part of the country is confronted with terrorism. “As a responsible and law abiding organisation, we will do all that we can to always safeguard lives and property. “As for the whereabouts of the Shi’ite leader, he is not in our custody; he has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution because we don’t prosecute. “What happened was avoidable and unfortunate, we followed the rules of engagement as enshrined in the constitution but what

happened still happened,” he said. Buratai dismissed claims in some quarters that the army was after members of the sect. He said that the army was only carrying out its constitutional duties.

He urged members of the public to disregard information and pictures contained in a section of the media, describing them as a false reflection of what happened. Earlier in his remark, the leader of the NSCIA, Pro-

fessor Daud Noibi, said the group was at the army headquarters on a factfinding mission. Noibi expressed the concerns of NSCIA on the Zaria incident and reaffirmed the commitment of the council to return peace

to the area. He appealed to the army authorities to allow the delegation to meet with the arrested leader of the sect. Noibi said the NSCIA would make efforts to douse the tension that had engulfed parts of the North

Nigerian Tribune

following Saturday’s incident in Zaria. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Noibi was accompanied on the visit by the Secretary General of the council, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

...Members hold peaceful procession in Minna •SERAP seeks UN intervention •’300 Shi’ite women in detention at Jaji’ From Adelowo Oladipo and Muhammadu Sabiu MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, the Shi’ite sect, on Wednesday, in Niger State, demanded unconditional release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and the corpses of perceived innocent Muslims said to have been killed in Zaria. The controversial Islamic cleric was arrested with his wife last weekend following a face -off between his members and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State. In a statement signed by the leader in Niger State chapter of the sect , Rabiul Awwal and obtained by the Nigerian Tribune, in Minna, said they were joining their counterparts

across the world over effort to demand for justice and the release of their leader. According to Awwal: “hundreds of our members have been killed, countless injured, Islamic sites desecrated, structures raze down and Sheikh Zakzaky arrested along side his family members . “We want the release of our leader and the corpses of the over hundreds of innocent Muslims killed by the Nigerian army. “These atrocities are being perpetrated by the Nigerian Army in utter disregard for the sanctity of human life, days after this heinous act, the Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has not addressed the nation on the murder of innocent citizens, despite its local

and global consequences. “In the light of this, we want to let the world know that the Nigerian Army is still in control of our religious sites, despite having demolished them and holding corpses of our martyred brothers and sisters”. Meanwhile, the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has sent an urgent appeal to Mr Christof Heyns, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, requesting him to “use your good offices and position to urgently investigate allegations of attack by the Nigerian military on a Shia Muslim group in Zaria, Kaduna State, and the alleged killing of numerous people after a military convoy got

stuck by a march.” The urgent appeal dated December 17, and signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, reads in part: “SERAP is seriously concerned that the allegations of extrajudicial executions by the Nigerian military amount to serious violations of the right to life, guaranteed under article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.” However, the Shiite sect has alleged that there were about 300 women of the movement currently in detention at at Jaji cantonment. The spokesperson for the group, Mallam Ibrahim Musa, made this known in a press statement issued and made available to the

Nigerian Tribune, in Kaduna, on Thursday. ‘There are many other members of the movement facing the same calamity at the Operation Yaki Station along Constitution Road, Kaduna, apart from those detained in army barracks in Zaria. More so, the Mobile Police in Kaduna had attacked a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday by the members of the movement calling for the release of their leader, and condemning the genocide embarked upon by the army on the members. “This has led to the killing of four members of the movement and the arrest of many with several others also seriously injured, including women and children.”

Friday, 18 December, 2015 PHOTOS: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

BOOK LAUNCH, 70TH AND 60TH BIRTHDAY CEREMONIES OF CHIEF AND CHIEF (MRS) ADEBISI ADESOLA

Chief and Chief (Mrs) Adebisi Adesola cutting their 70th and 60th birthday cake, assisted by former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, at Bashmol Event Centre, Old Ife Road, Ibadan.

From right, Chief Alao-Akala, Admiral Sode, the celebrants, Chief Adebisi Adesola and Chief (Mrs) Ronke Adesola, Professor Ayo Banjo, Justice Olu Ariwoola, General Oladayo Popoola and others, at the event.

From right, Mrs Adeoti Dada, Chief Segun Gbadegesin and Mr Taiwo Adesola.

From left, the book reviewer, Dr Bayo Adebowale; Chief Adebisi Adesola and his wife, Ronke.

Former Head of Service, Oyo State Civil Service, Mrs Bola Obileye with the Editor, Saturday Tribune, Mr Lasisi Olagunju.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Some recent activities involving Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, who will be installed tomorrow, Saturday, December 19, 2015, as the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland

1. From left, Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola; the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola. 2. Alhaji Akinola and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III. 3. Alhaji Akinola and friends 4. The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari (second right), Alhaji Akinola and others, at the Emir’s palace in Ilorin. 5. From left, Alhaji Akinola, the Sultan and the Alayemore of Ido-Osun and Secretary General, Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria... and others. 6. From left, Secretary-General, League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States, Sheikh Ahmad

Aladesawe; the president of the League, Sheikh Bello Jamiu Keulere; the Sultan and Alhaji Akinola, at the Sultan’s palace in Sokoto. 7. Alhaji Akinola and Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Secretary General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). 8. From right, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, Alhaji Akinola and the Sultan of Sokoto. 9. Alhaji Akinola with the Iyalode of Ibadanland, Alhaja Aminat Abiodun and Dr Kamil Koyejo Oloso of the University of Ibadan. 10. Alhaji Akinola and the Sultan with a group of eminent Islamic scholars during a visit to the Sultan in Sokoto.

May your reign be eventful by the special grace of Allah. At the instance of friends

Friday, 18 December, 2015

N Sunday, December 6, 2015, a former governor of Kaduna State during the second republic gave a published interview in the Sunday Sun newspaper: Alhaji Balarabe Musa who was impeached by an NPN dominated Kaduna House of Assembly said certain things that must be of supreme interests to politically informed Nigerians. These matters were all concerned with events of second republic politics. Alhaji Balarabe Musa in the interview said I (Ebenezer Babatope) never supported the Presidential bid of our leader and benefactor Papa Obafemi Awolowo as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1983. On that 6th of December, I had attended a Church Service at the Wesley Methodist Church Ikoyi, lagos. After the church service, I received a text message from one of the readers of my Political Panorama column informing me of the Sunday Sun’s Alhaji Balarabe Musa interview. Mr. Kola Adegoke had said inter alia in the text message:“Sir, please read page 46 of Sun newspaper today for Balarabe Musa’s allegation against you”:I had thought it was simply an expensive joke. Balarabe Musa had said the following in the interview under the caption “Babatope didn’t want Awo as Presidential candidate in 1983”. “When UPN was trying to unite progressive parties of GNPP, UPN, NPP and PRP, a stage was reached when we met in Lagos, when all the political parties agreed to nominate one presidential candidate and we thought, for that to succeed, we should support one of the parties, either NPP represented by Zik or UPN represented by Awolowo. It didn’t work because the younger elements in the parties didn’t want either Awolowo or Zik. They wanted one of them and one of those responsible, I will mention him, because I regard him as somebody that I have no regret for isolating him and that is Ebenezer Babatope. I isolated him because of the negative role he played from that time to date. He was one of those who didn’t want even Awolowo to be nominated as the presidential candidate; he would rather have someone else because he couldn’t cope with the discipline of Awolowo. Babatope of all people (am diverting a little) let me tell you the attempt we made, when we couldn’t agree with either Zik or Awolowo”. About 2p.m on that December 6, 2015, I received a phone call from Lanre Banjo who was one of the young Nigerians then based in the United States of America that had been militant supporters of Papa Obafemi Awolowo. Lanre Banjo who in recent times has been a consistent member of the Gani Fawehinmi led National Conscience Party (NCP) had equally directed my attention to the Balarabe Musa’s Sunday Sun interview. It was after that, that I made up my mind to give a reply to the above hallucinations of Balarabe Musa. Me!, opposed to Papa Obafemi Awolowo’s Presidential bid in 1983? What an arrant nonsense. I was in 1983 the National Director of Organisation of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) founded and led by Africa’s hero of all time, Papa Obafemi Awolowo. With the late Chief M.C.K. Ajuluchukw u, we directed the affairs of the National Secretariat of the UPN at Abule-Ijesa, Yaba, Lagos at that time. We were keen enthusiasts of UPN. I state with the fear of God that there was never an attempt by us (in the National Secretariat of the UPN) to subvert or sabotage the political interests of the Avatar. I say it clearly that I could never have been involved in an anti Awo Action. Never. In 1982, Nigeria had reached the zenith of the progressive Governors meetings that were clearly leading the anti-NPN struggles of the time. The governors of the UPN, PRP, GNPP and NPP had decided to come together to put a stop to the activities of the ruling NPN to disturb the progressive movement of Nigeria. The progressive governors as they were known and called then had championed the idea that there should be a joint Presidential candidate of the progressive parties against the NPN’s Alhaji Shehu Shagari in the 1983 Presidential elections. The meetings of the progressive governors could not achieve this great move because of the stance of the Papa Nnamdi Azikiwe-led NPP to the progressive alliance. There are documented materials to prove the above historical assertion on how and why the NPP at that time refused to go along with the Progressive Governors to have a single presidential candidate for the election. No one will ever forget the 1982 meeting of the progressive political parties at the Marina Guest House of the Lagos State Government, Lagos where the NPP delegation had kept the progressive parties leaders waiting for a long time without showing up. Eventually the meetings of the pro-

With

Ebenezer Babatope

0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)

Balarabe Musa and his hallucinations

Alhaji Musa

gressive political parties on the 1983 elections collapsed. All the involved political parties (UPN, PRP, GNPP and NPP) went different ways. Balarabe Musa should dispute the facts above and should justify his hallucinatory conclusions that some young elements never wanted Zik or Awo as Presidential candidate. Nigerians should appeal to Mallam Balarabe Musa to historically gather himself together and name those youths of his imaginations and particularly produce true records of his account that I (Ebenezer Babatope) never supported Papa Obafemi Awolowo in the 1983 Presidential struggle. The UPN eventually in 1983 signed a political alliance and accord with the Dr. Datti Ahmed led Northern group called the Committee of Concerned Citizens. It was a formidable alliance that had cemented the unity of the Nigerian people. It was the Dr. Datti Ahmed-led group that had produced the late Makaman Missau of Bauchi State (Alhaji Mohammad Kura) as the running mate of Papa Obafemi Awolowo in the 1983 Presidential election. The NPN manipulated the 1983 election and eventually destroyed the second republic. I say it with due respect to Nigerians that there was no talk of replacing Papa Obafemi Awolowo as Presidential candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1983. There were definitely political gossips particularly surrounding the activities of the progressive governors of that time. They were, however, no gossips or backroom political talks that could lead to the strange Balarabe Musa allegation that even “youths (the younger elements in the parties) didn’t want either Awolowo or Zik. They wanted one of them”.

The facts of history can never be distorted. The history of the second republic will for ever remain evergreen in the minds of Nigerians. Anyone who wants to distort those facts of history will eventually destroy himself. How can I ever be accused by Balarabe Musa as not being a supporter of Papa Awo for the 1983 Presidency? As an official of the UPN, I was never in any of the progressive governors meetings arranging for a joint ticket of the progressives for the 1983 elections. How then can I ever be accused of the kind of allegation Mallam Balarabe Musa is now putting on my door-step. I ask Balarabe Musa today to name the presidential candidate preferred by the youths in 1983. Balarabe Musa now says he cannot remember the name of the so-called preferred presidential candidate. I say again that I have never in my political life attended any political meeting with Balarabe Musa. I have never sat down in any political meeting with Balarabe Musa where political arrangements are arrived at. Where then, Mallam Musa, is the record of my being anti Papa Obafemi Awolowo in 1983? I say it again that I have never been involved in political conspiracies against my mentor and benefactor, Papa Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo. I will by God’s grace remain an irredentist follower of Awo until I too answer the supreme call. Mallam Balarabe Musa has historically misfired. If Balarabe Musa is not careful, it is his current political hallucinations that will destroy him. The uncoordinated interview he had with the Sunday Sun has gone a long way to justify this assertion. It is a great pity. EBINO TOPSY –0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)

18 LETTERS TO THE

Friday, 18 December, 2015

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08078891826. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Celebrating President Buhari at 73

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari clocked 73 on December 17, 2015. The president has reasons to be grateful to God for where He has led him in his life sojourn, particularly for achieving his lifelong ambition of ruling the nation democratically, despite the orchestrated plot by various stakeholders in Nigeria to thwart the ambition. For a whopping twelve years, the president was in the wilderness of life before God Almighty showered his mercy on him and granted him his desire. Therefore, if the president organised party for people as our leaders love to do, or special prayers, calling all men of God to join him in praising the Almighty; it will not be too much. This time last year, the president has just won

the keenly contested presidential primaries of the nascent All Progressive Congress and preparing for hectic electioneering campaign which culminated in his becoming president today. As usual, detractors had gone to town with campaign of calumny in bold attempt to thwart his ambition as they had done in his previous attempts. Islamic chauvinist, ethnic bigot, living corpse, darkness personified and dictator, are some of the label put on Buhari. Even his constituency, the military, was not left out of the plot to make him unmarketable. The military authority denied that Buhari, with all his accomplishments had no school certificate! Upon all, the electorate showed their preference for Buhari’s change mantra after years of PDP administration and

attempt to bribe its way back to power failed. In my own view, the best way for Buhari to appreciate God and millions of Nigerians who made the victory possible after years of toiling is to strive to turn things around for the nation positively in the area of security, economy, power, infrastructure, fuel, education, health and employment so that his die hard supporters. Meanwhile, save the fuel scarcity which any way

is not Buhari’s making, his six months in the saddle has shown that a new day is here in the affairs of the nation. Corruption is being tackled headlong, Boko-Haram insurgents, in spite of pockets of resistance are numbering their days. Security nationwide is improving drastically; the image of the nation is improving internationally and the structure of the federal executive council unveiled few weeks ago. The caliber

of people appointed into the executive show that Buhari meant well for the nation. As a matter of fact, Buhari had shamed the detractors who sold the dummy of his turning the nation to Islam. Six months into his administration, there is no evidence of islamisation or northernisation agenda. Also, his hard tackle against Boko-Haram insurgents disproves all claims of detractors that Buhari was the sponsor of the dreaded organ-

isation. Instead of being harbinger of darkness as his traducers wanted people to believe, Buhari’s action have been illuminating the nation from the darkness imposed on her. Instead of dying, Buhari is going from strength to strength to the consternation of his enemies who declared fatwa on him before the election. •Adewuyi Adegbite, Ayekooto05@gmail. com

Don’t take the social media away from us SOCIAL media is not just an electronic playground but a ubiquitous cultural frontier where our lives play out in the theatre of the future. Since its inauguration in June, it is safe to say that the Nigerian Senate has

been on a roller coaster of gaffes in the course of discharging its duties. What is not certain is if these series of errors have been committed as a deliberate affront to the people of Nigeria, or if they are a reflection of innocuous mistakes

made by a “teething” Senate. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Hence, the social media gag bill is an infringement on the constitution of Nigeria. We have the right to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom to petition the government, It will amount to colossal error of parliamentary exercise, should members dare to pass a law like that. In this day and age where information and

free speech is encouraged, why should some people contemplate stifling the voices of the people? In the first place, why should a servant of the people be averse to criticism? The ordinary man who is not in government gets criticised daily. As a matter of fact, whether a person is in the private or the public sector, it is virtually impossible to live a life that is devoid of criticism, and even insults from time to time. It’s the way the world works! Anyone who desires to do anything tangible or make a significant contribution to humanity must be ready to face opposition. •Balogun Emmanuel Funsho, University Of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Buhari, redenominate Nigeria’s currency I strongly believe that if the present administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari can redenominate Nigeria’s currency, thereby making N200 the highest denomination, then life will be more beautiful for the people. I could remember that a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Professor Charles Soludo, tried to redenominate our currency, but it didn’t work. Today, it has been done in Ghana, and their economy is doing fine. It will also make more sense if government can fix

the prices of house rents, transportation, while also giving more attention to agriculture. When this happens, the prices of goods and services, as well as food stuffs, will be affordable for everybody. There is also the need for government to focus more on employment generation, so that the youth can have something doing. •Omobolanle Buruji, Dept of Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.

editorial

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos Joint Task Force allowances

HE report that the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was allegedly tampering with the allowances payable to its officers attached to the Joint Task Force monitoring the traffic gridlock on the Apapa-Wharf Road is yet another reminder that corruption in Nigeria is not only in high places, but has to be confronted in all aspects of life in the country. One of the officers shortchanged in the payment of the allowances, particularly after noticing the allowances received by members of the same task force from the army and the police and other security agencies taking part in the special assignment, cried out leading to exposure of the alleged tampering with the allowances. And it is instructive that immediately after the exposure, the Lagos Command of the NSCDC decided to raise the allowance it paid its officers taking part in the task force from N10, 000 to N25, 000 a month, to suggest that the payments for the earlier months must have really been tampered with. Fortunately, it has also been reported that the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Abdullahi Muhammed, has indicated interest in getting to the root of what actually transpired with respect to the payment of the allowances. We commend this interest and wish to state that the outcome of the investigation into this issue should be made public in order for all to benefit from it. It is important to let the public know that infractions such as tampering with the allowances of junior officers will not be tolerated under the current war against corruption such that those who are eager to continue with the old ways will learn to restrain themselves. We are aware that it is the usual practice for junior officers to be shortchanged even when they must have sacrificed to deserve whatever is due to them. But it is clear that this is part of the corrupt tendencies and actions that are inimical to growth and good living in

the country. The way to go, therefore, is not only to make sure that senior officers stop this act of tampering with allowances of junior officers or shortchanging them, but to ensure that deliberate steps are taken and procedures put in place that would make it impossible for the senior officers to engage in such act. One possible way of preventing this shortchanging act is to be transparent in all dealings and make known all the allowances due to officers for any engagement. When everybody knows about the nature and amount of allowances, it would be difficult for anybody including the senior officers, to play games with the payment of the allowances. In this regard, it would be important for the Lagos State government which is in charge of the task force to make public what is the level of funding for the task force and what allowances are due to members of the task force. It is high time Nigerians realised that corruption thrives when processes are not transparent. Nothing is going to be gained by keeping information from the public as there is nothing that could endanger and undermine security in the nature and amount of allowances payable to members of security special task forces. Rather, when information is kept away from members of the task forces and the public, the danger even exists of members becoming disgruntled and not putting enough commitment into their tasks, which would ultimately imperil the assignment and objective of the task forces. This is what has happened in the present situation with the Lagos State Command of the NSCDC changing the allowances payable to its officers from one month to the other, and we would expect the authorities to not only get to the root of this development but also use this to send appropriate signals that such inappropriate act will no longer be tolerated.

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opinion

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Of humans and materialism By Ahmed Dodo

HE current refugees’ flight from Syria and other parts of the earth have once again exposed our claim to be the most intelligent creature in the world as mere fallacy of the human imagination. The daily migration of human species is a sign that all is not too well on our celebrated planet; because unlike the few fortunate ones amongst us with roofs over our heads, clothes and steamy food to grub on our tables, other humans like us are daily trekking through thick and thin to survive under the sun; thus exposing a compelling sketch of the reality of the battered world we live in and the glaring truth on the ground. The veracity is the fact that upon all our intelligence, celebration of power, position and intellectualism we are yet to put life in the right gear. We have failed to glance back to the past and comprehend the reality before us that we are slowly sneaking onto another form of modern slavery, fascism and other glaring realism of class, colour and economic segregation. We are yet to really gawk at our existence in this temporary space that everything under the sun is all illusion that must one day melt into ruins. Our celebrated great nations and fortified countries are mere fallacy which would in the future be a topic of discussion among the next generations in classrooms as part of history, just like the stories of King Pharaoh and his failed realm, the now once upon a time great Roman Empire, the futile human degradation of Africans called slavery, and the illusive Aryan dream of Hitler. Presently we are all witnesses to another historical tragedy playing before our eyes, as we selfishly gaze at other human beings like us, kids and innocent children struggling across the Atlantic to have a better life in this temporary world some of us are greedily holding unto. We are playing ‘a –look- and -sleep attitude to this present modern day tyranny, allowing a power hungry dictator like Assad send millions of men ,women and children scampering like beasts across the globe, while we merely keep on discussing and talking politics as innocent children and their parents daily drown on high seas on a daily basis. Thank God there are still thoughtful human species among us today that are boldly standing up to this human degradation. Great motherly women like German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, whose sole compassion as a true

human being makes her voice and her personality, in my view and I believe in other prudent minds, the indisputable number one woman in our ephemeral world. Gratefully we are also witnesses to the tremendous role she has been playing against this human disgrace. Her voice so far is the loudest and the most comforting since the beginning of this idiocy. Her mind has remained the most generous and her hands the most warmly and safe. This woman’s frame and image is no doubt currently the most outstanding among us today, and I believe the fate of life would be kind to her and place her among saints. She has dared to give from her shelter, while others have closed their barns and hid their keys. She is standing boldly and daily addressing this blight, while men and women in positions like hers or greater are daily chickening out to hide under the comforts of their vanity and materialism. It is my belief therefore that when the time comes for those who stood up against this current human depredation Angela Merkel shall stand tall like an Iroko tree among men and women. Syrians and the other hundreds of refugees from other oppressed nations who are fortunate to be alive today through her kind motherly gesture would stand up bold tomorrow to remember her kindness and their children and grand children would be proud to sing her folklore. The fact that we have long abandoned the famous Geneva agreement of freedom and equality to all races and the reality that we are now more self-centered and enmeshed in cheap materialism worship and preservation as witnessed across Hungary, Snovia, Croatia, Bulgaria and other not-so-friendly nations who brazenly closed their gates to these traumatized humans no doubt has cast a shame on us as the most intelligent species on earth.

It is a shame that we are holding on voraciously to the free geographical land created by God and daily dehumanizing one another over border crossings and mercilessly maiming innocent lives over shelter and other materialistic comforts that would in the long run metamorphose into ruins and eyesores. Again the verity that the so-called super powers like America, Russia, France and Germany who have long folded their hands but are now waking up underscore the fact that they had all hitherto been playing politics with the lives of millions of endangered humans across traumatized countries while their nations continue to burn in flame through the selfish ambitions of few greedy men and women. This made nonsense their artificial grip on world’s affairs and exposed their weakness as modern colonists with sole interest in wealthpilfering and plundering. The celebrated richness of Europe and its vast web of different nations and various lands have remained obscure in this current human migration as the daily internal squabble among them on ideology and the best sensible way to arrest this pathetic situation has a remained a mirage to them. Thanks to Angela Merkel, whose sole voice has remained firm and audible amidst other squeaking voices of European leaders; the situation could have been worse and greater catastrophe would have befallen these helpless fleeing human beings among us. While the Arab world itself has failed its Arab neighbours, their back-stab they should comprehend would someday hit them on the face. The fact that they folded their hands while Assad and his cohorts lighted the dangerous flame in Syria and watch the IS take over their land should not be viewed as a distant fire that could not reach their lands, because common sense has taught us that a raging fire knows no bounds. They should be ready to face their own blaze alone when the flames spray dangerously over their fortified nations. There is no doubt that we can still prove ourselves to be that species of creation with the most intelligent caring minds and helpful hands if we can stop playing politics with the lives of other human beings like us and give assistance promptly to these deserving men and women, children and the elderly whose only desire is to live peacefully and resourcefully in their lands until that final day that they will definitely and naturally bid farewell to this materialistic world, just like all of us, someday. •Dodo is a public affairs analyst.

Biafra: Let’s make Nigeria work By Damilare Jagunmade

IT is pertinent to state that this write-up is just my personal opinion on the recent Biafran jingoism which you might agree or disagree with. However, I will strive to be as objective as possible. The clamour for the republic of Biafra dates back to May 30, 1967. The movement was then led by Late Odumegwu Ojukwu. And after a civil war that led to the death of an estimated 2million people, the Biafran forces surrendered and Biafra was re-integrated into the Nigerian State. Although, no act of war or attempt at disintegrating an entity like Nigeria is laudable, I must say that the then Biafra struggle was highly selfless, rational and justifiable. Considering the events that preceded the declaration, It was more an act of patriotism to one’s people, self-defence, self determination and self expression. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the renewed Biafran agitation which recently gained momentum under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu about 40 years after the civil war. It all began with inciting broadcasts from the controversial Radio Biafra, owned and controlled by Kanu. I see it as a misplaced priority and a display of bitterness. With some of the clueless protesters going to the grave length of burning down a mosque, which makes them no different from the deadly Boko Haram terrorists. What message is IPOB and MASSOB trying to pass across? The following are my conclusions on the renewed Bi-

afra struggle: It possibly emerged as a reaction against the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the expense of their favoured candidate. Or how else could one explain the coincidence. There was no talk of being marginalised throughout the tenure of the former president. Now that Buhari is president, Kanu and his fellows have suddenly realised that the Igbo are being marginalised. I was privileged to be in the Eastern part of the country during the last general election, and I could easily perceive the great level of contempt many Igbo people nurture towards Buhari. So, the Biafran struggle might as well be a way to score a cheap political point against his presidency. It is a selfish and parochial agenda. Any ethnic group or geo-political zone can easily stake claim to being marginalised. We all know equality is a myth. Mobilising hundreds of youths who ought to be engaged in productive and positive ventures to go on a protest that eventually led to the death of some of them all in the name of being marginalised is mean and selfish. I think a few influential people who aim to use the avenue to boost their chances of emerging as president in 2019 might actually be behind this very deceptive struggle. - It is a case of misplaced priority. At this crucial junc-

ture of our existence as a State, a juncture characterised by a stunted and receding economy, political unrest, unemployment, corruption and the gravest of all, terrorism. The least we need is this jejune movement in the guise of self determination. This is a time where we should come together in spite of our differences and take the ailing country to a height we all aspire. Secession shouldn’t be our priority, even after secession, what is the assurance that a certain group of elite among the Igbo would not dominate the socio-political arena in the proposed Biafra republic. Personally, I don’t think the fact that North has produced more presidents in the history of Nigeria has actually translated into any socio-economic growth or development in the region. Since it doesn’t improve the standard of living of the common man on the street, what is the fuss? What is the assurance that having an Igbo president will have a positive influence in the lives of the Igbo. The fact that most Ndi Igbo groups and royal fathers have distanced themselves from the renewed agitation for Biafra shows that the agitators are just pursuing their personal interests and not the interest of the entire Igbo nation. Therefore, instead of wasting precious energy and time protesting over a futile and utopian cause that led to the death of millions between 1967 to 1970, we should endeavour to unite as one to clamour for more responsive and accountable governance in Nigeria. •Jagunmade lives in Alakia, Ibadan.

fridaytreat

2016 movies that would

‘blow’ your mind Nigerian Music Video Awards postponed Idris Elba storms Lagos for ‘Beasts of No Nation’

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636

fridaytreat

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

MUSIC BUSINESS 101

Building an Economic Relationship with Music Consumers via the Digital Platform By Toyin Adeniji

ISTORICALLY, music has always played an integral and important social and cultural role in the human community. Since human beings do not exist or live in isolation, music has been an instrument for building social and cultural relationships between humans and their communities. So, the root of music-making has always been connected with the development and exchange of socio-cultural values within human communities which forms the basis of relationship building within human societies. Music at the beginning served to foster the development of social and cultural relationships in the society; today music is still about building relationships between the creator of music and the consumer of music. The commercial element or characteristics of music is not a recent phenomenon borne out of modern civilisation as it were; it has always been there from the inception of the human race serving as a means of exchange of social, cultural and human activities/values. Having an understanding of this point will help artistes/musicians in the 21st century to make sense of music-making as primarily a cultural activity that is about building an ongoing economic relationship between the creators of music and the consumers of music. In order to succeed as artistes/musicians in the 21st century music industry/business, it is necessary to re-think your notion of what you think the music industry/business is all about. Artistes/musicians in the old music business model typi-

cally depended on the sales of music as a physical product or commodity, so artistes focused on selling physical products in commercial quantity in order to generate profit. But in the new music business model, the focus is no longer on just selling physical music products; it is on building and selling a continuous economic relationship with the consumers of music. Artistes must change their disposition about the way they see and interact with the Internet, social media and digitalisation. The approach of most artistes towards the use of the Internet and social media channels has been that of another tool, another strategy or that addition of that extra-special ingredient to the mix. However, it is very important to realise that our human lives has transited and evolved into another era or age that is defined and ruled by digitalisation, hence the reason it has been called the digital age. There has been a cultural and social evolution in the way we create and consume music redefined by digitalisation of music and other cultural products. The implication for artistes/musicians is to conceptualise and imagine your musical career in the context of the realities of the digital age, accept and adopt these new realities wholly. According to Andrew Dubber, the new model is about starting an ongoing economic relationship with a community of enthusiasts. It’s about attention and repeat engagement. It’s about letting go of the idea of the individual transaction and the ‘lost sale’ of a pirate download. CDs and mp3s are increasingly souvenirs of an engagement with a musical experience, rather than the occasion for the expe-

Fabulous Pizzy drops Sabali video Pop sensation, Fabulous Pizzy, has had a good year no doubt. After dropping many singles which have enjoyed steady airplay, the talented musician has dropped a new video for his song ‘Sabali.’ According to Pizzy, “Sabali, which means patience, is a song which talks about why people shouldn’t let their worries weigh them down. Life is too short,” he said. The video, directed by one of the fast rising music video directors, Lucas Reid, sees Pizzy telling his story of patience, while also trying to woo his sweetheart. It has enjoyed heavy downloads online and is currently showing on terrestrial and satellite TV stations.

rience itself. It’s about the conversation. It’s about connectivity. It’s about relationship. It’s not a top-down, one-tomany distribution model. It’s not a customer off the street happening by and exchanging money for a product. This is about trust, recommendation and reputation. This is a many-to-many dialogue, and the money goes where the attention lies. The onus is on artistes/musicians to learn and master the fundamentals of how to build and sustain business relationships with music consumers using the new platform of digitalisation. The objective of any artiste that wants to build a successful and sustainable musical career in the digital age must be to wholly embrace the reality of adapting socially and culturally in the digital landscape. The new music business model is all about engaging music consumers in a continuous conversation aimed at building sustainable economic relationship. The good thing about this economic relationship with your fans/audience is that its benefit is not only limited to the exchange of musical products/services alone, but to every other kinds of value that are both music-related and non-music-related which can be exchanged between the artiste and the music consumer. However, the foundation of the economic relationship remains the artiste’s mastery of his/her music and the ability to present your music in ways that positively resonate with your audience. Although technology has changed, evolved and is still changing, music’s primary function however, has not changed through the ages, it still remains a tool for building relationships and exchange across social, economic, religious and cultural existences.

Ike Chuks, Britain’s Got Talent winner delves into music AWARD-WINNING UK-born Nigerian artist, dancer and actor, and 2009 ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winner, who is also a part of popular dance group, Diversity, Ike Chuks, is proud to release his brand new Afrobeats single titled ‘Play Like Play.’ Premiered and championed by DJ Edu on BBC 1Xtra and DJ Neptizzle on Reprezent Radio, ‘Play Like Play’ lands on iTunes on December 20. With six UK and Ireland tours including three arena tours, plus performances at Wireless Festival, T4 On The Beach, and the MOBO Awards, all under his belt as a member of Diversity, Ike Chuks has also starred in British 3D film ‘StreetDance,’ while his early forays into music, have received support from the likes of BBC 1Xtra and Kiss TV, among other UK tastemakers. Ike Chuks’ new single ‘Play Like Play’ is the first official Afrobeats single from the UK-based Nigerian entertainer. Produced by TwoSeven, who has worked with the likes of Tinie Tempah and Stormzy, ‘Play Like Play’ is an infectious rap track, which sees Ike Chuks in confident mode, as he speaks of his life journey to success, while offering inspiration for his listeners to chase their dreams.

Biodun Fashogbon, a.k.a Fashie Fizzie, and some of the models at the party he held with his friends after a charity event at Bayse One, Jericho, Ibadan recently.

society

Friday, 18 December, 2015

...celebrating the people

Nigerian Tribune

For Booking, contact Alaba Igbaroola alabaadewale01@gmail.com 08155975474

Faces at wedding ceremony between Hannah Odubanjo and Immanuel Olayori

From right, Chairman of the occasion, Dr Abayomi Sutton; Chief (Mrs) Ayo Odusi and Mrs Bimpe Odutola-Osinaike.

The couple

The groom’s parents, Elder Gabriel Abulude and Mrs Christiana Olayori.

Bride’s parents, Mr Micheal Olusegun Odubanjo and Mrs Ruth Oluseyi Odubanjo.

Chairman, DE Gong Hotel, Mr Dele Falolu and his wife Funmilayo.

Bride’s parents, Mr Micheal Olusegun Odubanjo and his wife, Mrs Ruth Oluseyi Odubanjo and Mr Yomi and Mrs Folashade Odubanjo.

From left, Anuoluwapo, Ayomikun and Maria Odubanjo.

2016 is going to be an action packed year for Hollywood. With back to back films promising an edge-of-seat thrill, get ready for some real adrenaline rush. While many are sequels, some will take their franchise one notch higher. Here’s a list of some of the biggest films which are all set to strike hard at the box office. Wear your seat belts, for it’s going to be a roller coaster ride.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636 twitter: @rotifizzle twitter: @fridaytreat

fridaytreat

Nigerian Music Video Awards postponed

Captain America: Civil War HEY have fought together as Marvel’s Avengers. But what happens when they stand against each other? We are sure you’re equally excited to see Captain America fighting against Iron Man. Whose side are you on? Batman vs Superman And giving equal fight to the Marvel world quite literally, will be DC Comics with its biggest characters fighting it out too. Yes, your favourite superheroes feature in the same film, and that too with shades of grey. Much said!

the novel Allegiant. Tris must escape with Four and go beyond Chicago, the only place they have ever known, to find a peaceful solution for their embroiled city. But old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths.

Finding Dory From the studios of Pixar, this cute 3D adventure film is a sequel to 2003’s Finding Nemo. Six months have passed and Dory suddenly recalls her childhood memories. Watch it in June 2016 to find out what happens next.

Deadpool One more from Marvel Comics about the character with same name. In an effort to cure his cancer, former special forces operative Wade Wilson was subjected to an experiment that leaves him with a disfigured body and an unstable mind He begins to hunt down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

X-Men: Apocalypse After the immortal Apocalypse awakens from millennia, it is disillusioned with the modern world and recruits a team of mutants to “cleanse” humanity and create a new world order. The superhero film from Marvels is the ninth instalment in the X-Men film series. Kung Fu Panda 3 The 3D American-Chinese action comedy will see Po reuniting with his biological father and travelling with him to a secret sanctuary of pandas where, to his surprise, he does not fit in. Now You See Me 2 The American caper thriller follows the events one year after the first film which came out in 2013. Arthur Tressler’s son Walter, seeks to bring “The Four Horsemen” to justice, after his father’s imprisonment. Suicide Squad The superhero film is based on the DC Comics antihero team of the same name. It is intended to be the third instalment in the DC Extended Universe. It stars Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie among others. Independence Day Resurgence It took two decades for the squeal to arrive. The sci-fi will have actors Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica Fox and Brent Spiner, reprising their roles. The international community builds up Earth’s defenses using technology salvaged from remains of the alien forces. But the aliens emerge stronger. Watch and find out why. The Divergent Series: Allegiant It is the first of two cinematic parts based on

Popeye The adventures of Popeye, the strongest seafaring sea dog sailor return with this 3D animation.

2016 movies that would

‘blow’ your mind

The Conjuring 2 A sequel to the 2013 film, it has paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren reprising their roles. The Warrens travel to England to investigate paranormal activity at a council house in the London Borough of Enfield.

It took two decades for the squeal to arrive. The sci-fi will have actors Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica Fox and Brent Spiner, reprising their roles. The international community builds up Earth’s defenses using technology salvaged from remains of the alien forces.

John Wick 2 The action thriller starring Keanu Reeves is again a sequel to its 2014 film. And, well, it follows the continuing adventures of the former hitman, John Wick. Alice Through the Looking Glass It is the second part to Disney’s 2010 adventure-fantasy film Alice in Wonderland and stars Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Sacha Baron Cohen. The Legend of Tarzan Drawn around the fictional character Tarzan, who left the jungles of Africa to live a gentrified life in London with his wife. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 The science action comedy is based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters and a sequel to the 2014 film. It will release in June 2016. Minecraft A film adapted from a video game quite literally. Reportedly it will tell one of the countless possible stories from Minecraft’s build-it-yourself game world. Ride Along 2 Ben Barber is now a full fledged Atlanta P.D. cop, and wants to make it as a detective. Before Ben is able to marry Angela, their boss assigns them a case in Miami, to bring down a powerful drug lord. The action comedy releases in January. Doctor Strange Can we call 2016 a year of Marvel Comics? Well, we can. Stephen Strange, the world’s top neurosurgeon, is injured in a car accident that ruins his career. He then sets out on a journey of healing, where he encounters the Ancient One. The Finest Hours

This disaster drama is loosely based on the true story of the Pendleton rescue mission attempt in 1952 by Coast Guard ships, wherein two oil tankers were split asunder by a nor’easter.

King’s illegitimate infant son, which half the kingdom wants to see dead, is guarded in secrecy by two men. It is a story which changed the course of the country’s history. The film is also called The Last King.

Warcraft It is based on the Warcraft video game series and novels set in the world of Azeroth. The American epic fantasy film portrays the origin story of the initial encounters between the humans and the orcs.

The Jungle Book It is a 3D animation adventure fantasy film from the Walt Disney. It is a CGI-live-action remake of the 1967 animated film of the same name.

Iron Sky: The Comic Race A follow-up to the 2012 film Iron Sky in which Nazis plan to take over the world after lying dormant in a secret military base on the moon. Birkebeiner In the year 1206 Norway is raged by civil war. The

London Has Fallen The action thriller is a sequel to 2013 film Olympus Has Fallen. The British Prime Minister has died under mysterious circumstances and his funeral is a must-attend event for leaders of the Western world. What starts out as the most protected event on Earth turns into a deadly plot to kill the world’s most powerful leaders.

THE Nigerian Music Video Awards, NMVA which prides itself as the most credible, attractive and highly respected awards in Africa and which also rank as one of the most consistent in the Nigerian calendar has been postponed. The event which was scheduled to hold on Thursday December 17th, 2015 at the Eko Hotel & Suites will now get a new date. Speaking concerning the postponement, the founder of the awards, Mr Cally Ikpe said the postponement is inevitable. “Due to Circumstances beyond our control, it has become inevitable to postpone by a few weeks the 9TH edition of the annual Nigerian Music Video Awards earlier fixed for December 17th, 2015. A new date will be communicated shortly. We deeply regret all inconveniencies”. The Nigeria Music Video Awards is a project that seeks to project the cultural ideals of Nigeria, via music as represented with music videos. It debuted as Nigeria’s first ever music video awards in 2007.

Elba

Idris Elba storms Lagos for ‘Beasts of No Nation’

THE premiere of the hugely publicised ‘Beasts of No Nation’ starring international superstar, Idris Elba, was held recently at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos, and guests were hosted to an after party, which held at the Scarlet Lodge in Victoria Island on Saturday, December 12. The event was hosted by Idris Elba and Abraham Attah, the two lead actors, and Uzodinma Iweala, the Nigerian-American author of the book the film is based on. With DJ Caise on the wheel of steels, guests present include Genevieve Nnaji, Toolz, D’banj, Ik Osakioduwa, Yvonne Vixen, Juliet Ibrahim, Emmanuel Ikubese, Show Dem Camp, Emma Nyra, Victoria Kimani, Beverly Naya, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and more.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

travelpulse&m.i.c.e Ayade to light up Carnival Calabar with innovations As Samba dancers, others return in style

By ’Wale Olapade

HE Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, has intensified commitment to make tourism development and promotion not only a mainstay for the people of the state but also to better the lives of it citizenry through different innovation to sustain the biggest street party in Africa, Carnival Calabar. Prof. Ayade made the promise at the launching of the 2015 carnival theme at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ayade who made the speech after an electrifying display of talent, colours and rendition of what to expect at this year’s carnival by notable musicians and different carnival queens, said his administration will continue

to scale up the content of the carnival to not only attract patronage but also create employment opportunities for Cross Riverians. “Our carnival has become an envious model for other states who are now having car-

‘We designed leisure, shopping packages for Nigeria Market’ The Director, Tourism International, Gambia Tourism Board, Ida Jeng-Njie, in this interview with ‘Wale Olapade spoke on special attention for Nigeria tourists, root festival, home stay packages, Exerpts. ROOT Festival The Root Festival is celebrated every year in The Gambia. As you know, our president is passionate about culture. So, he is the pioneer and sponsor of the festival. The next festival will hold from May 6-13, 2016. Preparations are already in place since last year. I was in the United States of America in April, May, August and September this year all because of promoting the road show of the Root Festival. We have other agenda in the pipeline for the Nigerian market to attend the festival. We are planning a familiarization trip sometime at the end of February/ March 2016 for tour operators, travel media and other relevant bodies for the Pre-Root fam trip. Retracing roots at the festival The number of people retracing their roots is increasing. Kunta Kinte, the slave boy, was taking from The Gambia to a city in America called Annapolis. When you get to that city today, they have a testing machine to know where your roots are from. We are going to work with the city of Annapolis so that the black people from that area would come and be able to trace their roots. The number of people making effort at tracing their roots is increasing and some of them are promising to come to The Gambia for the forthcoming Root Festival. The Root Festival is also for The Gambians and other Africans in the Diaspora who do not know anything about their culture to come and experience it first hand in The Gambia. Embedded in the Root Festival are other mini festivals and events that are meant to encourage African Diaspora and those living abroad, especially the youths to know and embrace the African culture. Holiday packages We have many exciting holiday packages for our Nigerian market. We have honeymoon, wedding, beach, resort, business among other packages because the Nigerian

market is very big. Yes, it is so big that we cannot concentrate on one market. We have golfers coming to play golf in The Gambia, footballers, and also have banks coming to do their retreats because most of the banks that are in Nigeria are also in The Gambia. However, the most popular package for the Nigerian market is the leisure. I think our strength as Gambians is of the people. We are friendly with lots of smiles, the country is very relaxing, and you can feel the ambiance. Hence, Nigerians go for the leisure. Fashion also woos them because lots of Nigerians come and buy the traditional outfits and souvenirs. Security The Gambia is blessed. We say we are the most peaceful country in West Africa. However, we do not take chances with security. We have tight internal security and border control. We have the Tourism Security Unit (TSU), an internal security network that makes sure all tourism hotspots are secured.

of repeat visitors means we need to change our products, and add more products. Since then, we have new products, such as Coco Ocean, Ngala has also expanded, there is another project called the Nemban Home Stay. Yes we are African, but the Europeans want to see our culture. The Nemban Home Stay gives them another dimension of our culture, which when you visit the country, you stay where the locals are. You wake up in the morning and join the locals in their daily activities such as cooking, farming, running errands, fetching water among others. Beyond, Coco Ocean, we have new hotels. There is also fishing competition, which started about two years ago where participants can win up to £2000 for catching the biggest fish. We also have food and beverage festival and we are having the first ever Bird Festival in The Gambia next year.

New offerings The Product Development and Investment Sector of The Gambia Tourism Board is equal to that task. Our recent survey discovered that out of 100 percent, 35 percent are repeat visitors. That figure is telling us different things. First, that we are doing something right, that was why we had that great number. Secondly, the increasing number

La Palm Royal Beach Hotel offers Christmas giveaways By ’Wale Olapade THE all new La Palm Royal Beach Hotel has packaged varieties of goodies to leave memories, fun and merriment to families this yuletide season. Christmas at La Palm is a Season of Giving with a special gift rate for single or double companion. According to the hotel, “with a special rate for the season, customers can enjoy a package, which include luxury accommodation, complimentary airport transfers, welcome drink on arrival and early checkin ( Subject to Availability). Others are full English buffet breakfast; surprise Christmas giveaways, complimentary Wifi and access to all leisure facilities.

la Palm Christmas Day Carvery Lunch comes on December 25, with a mouth-watering feast plus lots of fun at continental Restaurant for your family and a complimentary welcome drinks & Surprise gifts from Santa The kids are not left out in the yuletide celebrations as the La Palm Festive Kids Party will give the youth at heart a swell time on Saturday, December 26, at the kids corner with bouncy castles, face painting, games and competition plus exciting kids menu and bubbly drinks to sync the kids into the Christmas season. On December 27, 2015, there is a Special Sunday Lunch Buffet with close up performance from Ghana’s very own renowned musician Kwabena Kwabena.

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

nival as an event and that show how proudly we are committed and the level we have taking tourism to in Nigeria. “The carnival has moved from buying costume from abroad to creating a creative industry where we now employ people to do the costumes here at home. “This move has not only create capacity building for new apprentice to be engage but also created jobs for many of our youths.” Ayade who is fondly called the digital governor because of his express attention and urgency to proffering solution to pressing issues said all hands will be on deck to scale up the carnival through innovative activities that will proudly promote domestic tourism in the state. The Digital governor reconfirmed its outstanding bid for the promotion and encouraging of talents by naming two performing guest artists at the unveiling of the carnival theme, Inyanya and another entertainer as the newest ambassadors of the Cross River State with a monthly packages for their upkeep. He said their long standing as entertainers and notable musicians has carved a significant niche for them in the Nigeria music industry and in that regards, honoured the duo as the faces of the state which they have yo promote to the later. Also in his passionate appeal to Cross Riverians to join force with him at taking the carnival to the next level of innovation, Professor Ayade launched a new carnival band christened ‘the Governor’s Band’, which composes of the various categories of beauty queens. According to the governor, I am creating a new band called the Governor’s Band and i will mobilise and set up a high power committee to recruit and train contingent to meet up the parade and showcase of the 2015 Carnival Calabar.” Ayade who has fervour for innovation also announced the introduction of the Power Bikers float, which he described as a growing interest group with burning passion to display their skills and at the same time entertain the carnival enthusiasts. “I am also an ardent lover of Power Bike and the increasing interest of this group has spoured me to give them a platform to express, entertain and encourage others who are keen at becoming a biker too. The governor confirmed that 10 out of 16 counties who signified interest for the 2015 edition of the carnival have confirmed attendance as the popular carnival band in Brazil, the Vai Vai Samba will return after its 2012 sensational appearance in Calabar. “Also billed to be in the Nigeria’s leading tourism event is the Flamenco of Spain band, a group that parades a bevy of Spanish beauties for the spotlight. “The bands will be slugging it out with several others, as part of the International Carnival Band competition introduced into the carnival calendar by Governor Ben Ayade. “Also in the list is Italy, the Land of the Azurris, which will also take part in the carnival. The Italians will be represented by the impressive and exciting Flag Twirlers. There is also the Circus Oasis of France and the Carnival Troupe of Belize from Europe. “From Asia, the Henan Province of China will put up a show at the Carnival. To achieve this, it is sending its acrobatic band to the Carnival. The Drumming Wonders of Burundi, the Urukerereza of Rwanda as well as carnival bands from Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya will lead the charge from Africa.” Governor Ayade had while unveiling the 2015 Carnival Calabar theme in Lagos recently promised to introduce new events into the carnival calender to add more flavour to it.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

By wale Ojo Lanre

f it worked in Dubai, London and USA, it can work here in Nigeria. And if it has been successfully planted in Sydney, Paris, Frankfurt, South Africa, it can be a success here in Nigeria too. Thus, Nigerians deserve the best in tourism sites, entertainment spots, fun rendezvous and recreation heavens. It is either the best is here and nothing but the best. This must have been the rationale behind the planting of what is going to be the best Theme park tourism planet in West Africa being engineered and propelled by Solution Media and Info Tech. Though on the very last stage of completion, the 185, 000 square metres theme park which is being planted on kilometre 20 Lagos–Ibadan Expressway (Ibadan bound ), opposite Mountain Top University, Lagos, is not only going to place Nigeria in a conspicuous page of the compendium of countries with international tourists sites, but will give Nigerians the pride of having a place worthy of visiting for relaxation and fun at its peak. The uniqueness of Hi–Impact Planet Theme Park is its abiding faith and strict adherence to international regulation, standards, rules and prescription of installation of such an intercontinental alluring and tourists hosting park. It is the concerted effort of one of the best teams in entertainment industry with prodigious testimonies of performance on the global stage and enviable precedence of record breaking in entertainment and theme packaging in UK, Dubai and Asia. It is also about standard in fixture and fittings, contemporaneousness in facilities, intercontinental uniformity, and quality at its best and most excellent. There is no way for compromising global standards, ethics of installation, latitude to crowd control, carrying capacity, security, health, conveniences, sanitation and seamless physical comfort. Everything about Hi-Impact Planet theme park has passed through hi–impact consideration in terms of standards and relevance for purpose and sustainability. The location has an insight of blessing the long Lagos–Ibadan Expressway with a Theme Park of immense irresistible urge of must visit and of most consequent is planting the facilities where it is secured from the vagaries of the element of corrosion from sea water, salt carrying waves and breeze. Victoria Odimba, of the Marketing Department of Solution Media and InfoTech who exhibited intellect of being a thorough bred and well travelled staff sequentially exposed the purpose, function and concepts of each of the structures and facilities within the 185,000 square metres HI–Impact Planet . The facilities, the rides, the devices are all tailored to the comfort, use and service and satisfaction of kid, young, old and the physically challenged who are desirous of having the best of fun. Though of intercontinental facilities and state of the art games, HI–Impact Planet is presented in African setting which the animatronics enclave and village square being the first encounter of a would be visitor. At this enclave, it is exciting and interesting seeing the dummies interacting as if they are real humans while the lions roar and the six metre-high gorilla grunting, emitting smoke as if the animals are real, real at war with others. Hi-Impact Planet is sequestered into

Hi-Impact Planet Theme Park debuts in Lagos five distinctive platforms: outdoor; indoor; luxuriously serviced apartments; food court; and multipurpose hall with all the ancillaries’ and allied necessities like bank, ATM, a full functional clinic with beds for admission, UK certified surgeon, ambulance not only for visitors or occupiers of the apartments but for the community as part of her Corporate Social Responsibility. The outdoor is dominated by an array of state-of-the art facilities majorly manufactured by and procured from reputable world class Zamperils, the world renowned amusement park company, Moser Rides, Sega and Feretti International. The outdoor include enterprise, which caters for lovers of speed as the ride will spin and turn, moving circularly and vertically with a thrilling motion that always bring delight in riders; Hoopla, a new flight experience for brave people; Mexican fiesta, dream machine freestyler; jump around; Rio–Train; Zambia Balloon; Convoy; kite flyer 12; Water mania which enables those who love water game to shoot at themselves while rotating around a central axis; Haunted House; King of the Jungle; the Jungle; Vertical Swing and Spring ride. Each of these offers special and unique thrilling experience and sensation. Each of the outdoor facilities has its separate staff who monitor from their sheds constructed at the sphere of each rides. If the outdoor facilities are fantastic, lovers of indoor games and activities have been adequately taken care of by Hi-Impact Planet which dazzles with 5D cinema, a facility that will definitely sweep tourists off their feet as they will engage their senses and virtually feel every nuances of the movie world. Also, The BOEING 777 will take fun seekers to the sky letting them having a real sensation and feel

of taking a flight from Lagos to London! Adding value to indoor activities lovers is the ICE Rink for those who love skating on the ice; the bumper cars for racers on the ground while those who love water should be prepared to do the bumper boats. Others are Big Buck Panorama, Aliens Armageddon; Transformers Deluxe; Packman Smash; Combat Pump It up Fiesta and numerous games. Hi–Impact Planet has planted a functional multipurpose Hall which can accommodate over 6000 people. The hall can host laser light display, film shows as well as musical concerts. It is an acoustic complaint hall with the latest version of mobile stage and mystery exit and entry doors for guest artistes. Four food courts are waiting for the culinary demands of visitors; these courts serve both continental and local cuisines with attention to visitor’s demands while the souvenir shop beckons on tourists to take home an item in memory of a memorable stay at Hi–Impact Planet. For a tourism site with capacity of host-

Everything about Hi-Impact Planet theme park has passed through hi–impact consideration in terms of standards and relevance for purpose and sustainability.

ing 2000 fun seekers at a time, two essential facilities must be on ground; functional conveniences and parking lot. Thus, in fixing these, Hi-Impact has aligned with international ethics and regulation by providing 45 toilets for male and another 45 for female making a total of 90 toilets interrupted in all, each with borehole system to ensure water supply while a parking lot which has the capacity for only 2500 cars has been made ready for fun seekers. Being a mass patronised planet, High– Impact Planet, lays emphasis more on security, apart from the private security men on ground any visitor to the site should expect a warm thorough body search while his personal effects will be scanned. A multi -capturing CCTV and security camera are hidden and placed at strategic spots to record every moment of the guests and ensure their security. Complimenting this is a 100-luxuriously serviced apartments purposely to service tourists, travellers, holiday makers and public who love to hibernate and rest within a planet of tourism haven. Capping it all, the planet is not connected to the national grid. It rests and depends solely on Independent Power Project. IPP, which comes in via generators which are installed for each ride and facility and by inverters as support to the generators in case of any eventuality. According to Dorado “Here at Hi–Impact Planet, we have conquered the issue of light. We have planted and installed hi–tech ride and games.We have made this planet conducive enough for the realisation of fun seekers’ dream. It is a tourism ElDorado fit you, fit for your children and fit for your friends. Join us as we will be setting a standard today, Friday 18 December 2015 when Nigeria’s tourism history will be opening a new chapter”

Friday, 18 December, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

The battle for Ekiti local councils Ekiti State is set for its first local government election since 2008. SAM NWAOKO reports on the polls and sundry issues.

KITI State is set for its first local government elections in about seven years and the people are currently being primed for the polls billed for this Saturday, December 19. Already, the state’s electoral body had expressed its readiness for the polls and with an Ado Ekiti high court dismissing a suit filed against its composition by the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, the hurdles against the conduct of the polls seem to have been removed, pending the appeal promised by the APC. Interestingly, the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) had also noted that various political parties in the state had set machinery in motion towards the elections. Conversely, the body observed that some of them, including the main opposition party in the state, APC, seem set to shun the polls. The APC in Ekiti State had gone to court to challenge the composition of EKSIEC. The party claimed in its suit that the chairman and members of the commission were allegedly members of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. However, long before the APC came up with the suit against the composition of EKSIEC, it was assumed by most observers that since its woeful performance in the June 2014 governorship election, which brought Governor Ayodele Fayose to power, the party’s body language had given enough signs to show that it is currently not interested in political activities in the state. Apart from what many have come to describe as division in the party along leadership fault lines, the party has also been acting muted in many parts of the state. It was also a common discussion in most quarters in Ekiti that the APC, normally, had to recover from the electoral misfortune. But while it was normal for the party to recoil to re-strategise, the people’s expectations that the party would bounce back in no time seemed not being met because many of its leaders literally moved out of the state while the others went underground, all in the aftermath of the election. Part of the aftermath of the governorship election was also the trouble in the state’s immediate past House of Assembly that was dominated by APC members. The thinking in many political quarters in the state was that the lawmakers, led by Dr Adewale Omirin, would provide leadership for the members of the party so as to give it direction and verve. Rather, Omirin led the APC members of the House of Assembly into an extreme battle with the new Fayose government and this, according to many observers, further demoralised Ekiti APC members. It was the opinion of many that the Assembly’s onslaught against the new government even appeared to have united the people of the state against them as the war raged.

Fayose

While the APC has gone back to plan its next line of action following the court judgment, other political parties are said to be working to achieve victory in the election.

Thus, when the APC boycotted an interactive forum earlier organised by EKSIEC for the political parties on the local government elections, it did not come to many as a surprise. None of its officials participated in the event nor were they available for explanations on the action. Following persistent enquiries, the party came up with a statement, about a week after, signed by its publicity secretary in the state, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, in which it announced that it had gone to court to challenge the composition of the electoral body. He stated in the release that APC’s counsels, Abiodun Fasakin and Tajudeen Akingbolu, filed the suit on the party’s behalf. He said the party believed that the composition of EKSIEC “contradicted the constitutional requirement for a non-partisan electoral body that wanted to organise credible and acceptable elections.” He explained that in the originating summons before the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti, in which the state Attorney General and House of As-

sembly were joined, “the party wants the court to determine whether a member of a registered political party having interest in a pending election to local councils, is eligible to be appointed as member(s) and/or chairman of the electoral body for the purpose of conducting local councils elections in Ekiti State.” He added that the APC “also wants the court to determine whether the electoral body could be reconstituted in view of the pending matter involving the EKSIEC before the Supreme Court in APPEAL NO: SC.695/2013 : PDP & ANOR vs EKSIEC & 8 Ors.” One of those joined in the suit, the state’s Attorney-General, in a response to the suit, said: “Yes, we have been served and we have joined issues with them in court. But it is subjudice; I as Attorney General cannot comment on what should be the decision of the court. But what I can say emphatically is that there is no order of court to stop the state’s electoral commission from continu-

ing their job. So, if the staus quo remains without any injunction or order of court, the local government elections in Ekiti will hold as scheduled.” While the APC has gone back to plan its next line of action following the court judgment, other political parties are said to be working to achieve victory in the election. A statement credited to Progressive Party of Nigeria (PPN), African People’s Alliance (APA) and KOWA reiterated their participation in the election and explained that they had finished plans to participate in the polls. Before the statement credited to the above parties, the United Progressive Party (UPP) had earlier announced that it would participate in the election. Also, a statement credited to Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of all political parties in the state, also lauded Governor Fayose for ensuring “peaceful and smooth running of local governments in the state.” In their separate statements credited to the chairman of Kowa, Pastor Ade Ogunkolade; publicity secretary of APA, Victor Adebisi and chairman of PPN, Ilesanmi Omolayo, the parties which are also members of IPAC, said “Governor Fayose has done well for allowing for a smooth local government administration in the state.” The parties also said they would participate “because of implicit confidence they have in the State Independence Electoral Commission ( EKSIEC) led by Justice Kayode Bamisile (rtd).” They advised EKSIEC “to continue in the path of honour by providing a level playing field for all political parties taking part in the eleccontinues pg30

politics&policy

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Federal apologists cause collateral damage to S’East —Umeh Chief Victor Umeh, a former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) contested with Senator Uche Ekwunife representing Anambra Central Senatorial Zone in the last National Assembly poll. He reflects on the syndrome of godfather, federal might in Nigerian politics, as well as the role of the judiciary, among other issues during an interview with journalists. JUDE OSSAI provides some excerpts:

HE Appeal Court sitting in Enugu nullified the election of your opponent, Uche Ekwunife of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district. How do you feel about this judgment? I will first of all say that I am happy that the Court of Appeal did not sustain the electoral heist that took place in Anambra State early this year. By coming with a decision that election should be repeated, at least, is an improvement from the previous impression being bandied about that the election was good, and that Honourable Uche Ekwunife, won the election. I cried out from the onset that the election was marred with recklessness impunity. I also pointed out that the environment under which that election was conducted was skewed against other candidates in the poll, other than the PDP candidate. Its candidate submitted a list of all the ad-hoc staff employed by INEC for that exercise and during the election proper, the military were deployed to her full use and we were pushed out of the election. But, we managed to hold on to that election and of course, garnered votes that actually won that election. But, through the manipulation of the PDP and INEC-they first of all announced a scandalous figure, 101,548 for the PDP and myself, 77129. Ngige got 20,000 votes-the candidate of APC. Of course, we were very distressed by the outcome of the exercise as announced by INEC and the only thing to do, like I have always done, was to go to the Tribunal to seek redress. And at the Tribunal, we were able to show that the result announced by INEC was false, because we recalculated the figures we saw on the certified true copies of the results given to us by INEC and saw instead on addition that PDP got 93, 860 on the face value instead of 101,548 and my votes on the face value was 85,898 instead of 77,129. So, it immediately cast a total doubt in the election. And when we filed our petition, they accepted that the result announced by INEC was wrong. That instead, what we added up was the result but they accepted it, claiming they are still leading, even at that. Were there other issues you took to the Tribunal? Another issue we took to the tribunal was

Umeh I think she has shut up her mouth now.

I am not a stranger to wrong decisions of lower courts. In Nigeria, I think I have been able to use the judicial process to show that most times, the lower courts lack the courage to dispense justice according to law.

that she was not validly nominated. You are aware that the PDP in Anambra State has been factionalised in the past 12 years. And before the primaries started, internal squabbles in the PDP took a heavy toll on the party, necessitating that Uche Ekwunife and her group became candidates without going through any primaries or any process as provided by the Electoral Act. These are the issues we took to the Tribunal, because the Tribunal agreed that the election result announced by INEC was false and said nothing beyond that. If those figures were wrong, it must have obvious consequences on the election, because election is not a rule of thumb business. You must be precise and accurate in figures you allot to candidates in an election. You don’t just say this man got 200,000 and tomorrow, you say he got 150 and you expect somebody who is a judge to accept that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act. It cannot be. So, these were the things we brought to the Tribunal and of course, because they were there to do a hatchet job, they turned their eyes away from the matters that we brought to Court. I proceeded to the Court

of Appeal. What motivated you to go to appeal, considering the skewed judgment delivered by the Tribunal in your petition? I am not a stranger to wrong decisions of lower courts. In Nigeria, I think I have been able to use the judicial process to show that most times, the lower courts lack the courage to dispense justice according to Law. So, when we got to the Court of Appeal, the obvious thing happened. That election was nullified. For me, I thought they should have declared me winner out right. We were able to prove that she had an invalid nomination. Even though the text of the full judgment will come out in two days time, we will look at it and see the reasons for arriving at nullification. Be that as it has happened, we are still grateful to the judiciary that they didn’t allow the fraud to stand in favour of the PDP candidate. So, we are grateful to the judiciary for coming to this just decision, that at least she did not win that election, unlike what she has been telling people everywhere, prancing around that she defeated Victor Umeh silly.

How ready are you for the repeat elections? I am somebody who is an unrepentant believer in the use of the machinery of judiciary to pursue justice. When that happened, because I have not been used to inciting people to take to the streets to demonstrate, people thought that I had given up. But quietly, I continued doing what I know how best to do and we thank God that they have been revived now. If you go to Anambra now, particularly in my senatorial zone, Anambra Central where the election was nullified, people are still jubilating over the victory. That senatorial zone is the strongest senatorial zone in Nigeria. Any place you go to engage the strength of the people in a senatorial zone, Anambra Central is the centre point of politics in Anambra State. So, it was keenly contested. It was hotly contested. There were people of influence in that senatorial zone and when this thing (electoral fraud) happened, the place went silent and now, they are celebrating that they now have another opportunity to express their will. So, I am ready, ever ready. APGA has always advocated the use of ballot box to elect leaders without manipulation. You know, the party has gone through very strenuous trouble to enthrone a democratic order in Anambra State and in Nigeria, by extension. All that we have done, we have done from the point of the underdog, to wrestle power from the super brats. We have not been used to bullying anybody. Instead, they have been bullying us. So, now that this election will be conducted under a very new template, we continues pg30

politics&policy

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Expectations of prospective voters continued from pg28

tions.” However, none of the parties in IPAC announced the names of their candidates, nor are their campaign posters seen around the state. But one of the IPAC members, who wished to be anonymous, said they were not obliged to print posters, and explained that “local government election is a grassroot activity in which I am expected to go to the homes of people in the communities to convince them to vote for our candidates, rather than making a show in the city.” He said his party was fielding candidates in “most of the 177 wards in the state and we are set to carry the day.” But the PDP, despite the schism that rocked the party at some point this year, which led to the announcement of the expulsion of its secretary, Dr Tope Aluko and some other state executive members, has largely remained the most visible in the run up to the local government elections. The party’s secretariat was a beehive on Monday, as Governor Fayose and the acting chairman of the party, Chief Idowu Faleye handed flags to the 16 chairmanship candidates of the party and the 177 councillorship candidates. The governor used the occasion to reiterate his call on all state governors to conduct elections into the local government councils, saying it was time they moved away from the unconstitutional attitude of running the local governments through caretaker committees. He said: “Not every person can have the opportunity to see the governor, but many people can see the chairman of a local government. So, I want to appeal to my colleague governors to move away from anti-democratic way through which local governments are run. A governor is elected

to do what is right and that we must do.” He described the local government as the closest to the people and insisted that caretaker committees constituted an aberration that should not be tolerated. On the occasion, Governor Fayose used the opportunity to take a swipe at the APC, which he said was boycotting the election. He said: “In the local government polls in Ekiti, we won’t conduct inconclusive elections. I appeal to our people to come out en masse and vote. APC decided to boycott the election because they know we will give them 16-0 in the chairmanship, and 177-0 in the councillorship elections.” He had also announced that his intention to conduct the elections on December 19 was borne out of his “desire to ensure that Ekiti moves away from the era of anti-democratic and pseudodemocratic tendencies through the use of caretaker committees to superintend over council areas.” The publicity secretary of PDP in the state, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, said: “The PDP is fully prepared and ready for the elections. The people are eager and have expressed their desire to vote for our party’s candidates in the chairmanship and councillorship elections, now that the governor and leader of

our party has handed the flags to the candidates.” Adebayo said “the death of the councillorship candidate in Ward Six, Ado Ekiti Local Government Area, a development which could have been a setback for the party in the local government, was resolved with the usual PDP maturity. His son was nominated to replace him.” He also charged the people to “come out in their numbers to vote for the PDP because we are sincere with the people and we do not have hidden agenda.” He said the people were now “in a better position to explain that politics aside, governance has been pro-people since Governor Fayose of PDP assumed office.” The candidate of PDP in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government is Mr Dapo Olagunju; in Ado Ekiti Local Government is Mr Deji Ogunsakin, while Mrs. Sade Akinrinmola, popularly known as Sade Gbonyin is the candidate for Gbonyin Local Government Area. The party also gave its flag to Bola Alonge, Ikere; Lanrewaju Omolase, Ekiti South West; Olumide Falade, Ise/ Orun; Kolawole Omotunde, Ekiti West; Bolaji Jeje, Efon; Samuel Adeniyi Adekunle, Ekiti East; Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo, Ido/ Osi; Tayo Ogundare, Oye; Taiwo Oguntu-

Not every person can have the opportunity to see the governor, but many people can see the chairman of a local government.

ase, Emure; A. A. Adeyanju, Ikole; Ganiyu Bakare, Ilejemeje; Abiodun Dada, Ijero and Adeniyi Adebayo, Moba. Many of them have been airing their campaign jingles in the local radio and television stations, and have been making promises to the people of the local governments, who are mostly farmers. They have also been charging the people to conduct themselves peacefully during the elections because “Ekiti is for all of us and we must ensure peaceful conduct during and after the elections, to drive home the message that we are the winning party with Governor Fayose as our leader.” The people of the state appear set for the polls. Some told the Nigerian Tribune that they would vote because it was their right to choose who runs their local government areas. “I am going to vote. It is better to have an executive chairman than a caretaker chairman because we can make demands of the elected chairman rather than the caretaker who is often limited by the instructions from those who appointed them,” Mr Yemi Aliyu said in an interview. There are those who have said they’re not interested but maintained that the election was desirable. “I’m not going to vote. All the politicians act basically in the same way so, I will not bother myself on Saturday because in the end, it’s still the same people doing the same thing,” Mr Segun Ogunmola, a university student said. The campaigns are at their denouement and the electoral umpire has announced its readiness. To some observers, Ekiti, with a successful outing on Saturday would have set a standard for many states in the country. The people appear determined to see a successful conduct of the polls and the government has also announced its determination. The world is watching.

‘Why Ngige should face his ministerial job’ Continued from pg29 are very hopeful that the votes of the people will be what will be counted to declare somebody winner. There will be no godmother, there will be no godfather. There will be no presidential might, which has been the greatest source of political corruption in Nigeria; the use of presidential power to suppress the will of the people to win elections and elements. The PDP have been culprits in this habit. Every time there is an election in Igbo land, federal apologists will return home to decimate the people and leave them desolate after every election. I think PDP that has been using that process, particularly in the South-Eastern Nigeria, which has fallen from the power. You said this is a new template, but we are aware that the rerun will include your former opponent, Chris Ngige, who is now a Minister of the Federal Republic. Do you not envisage there could still be another federal might because of the APC government at the centre? No, I don’t think so. APC came with a posturing of change in Nigeria. Before it became a consolidated party, the ACN and the other parties that merged to form the APC were in a vanguard of struggle with APGA against the ruling party in terms of muscling the opposition. And with opposition party now taking over the leadership of the country, I do not expect that no mat-

ter how they try it, that they want to muscle the electoral process. What is happening in Bayelsa now is a pointer to what is going on. Elections have taken place in seven local governments. PDP has won six local governments and those (their) victories have been declared for PDP. APC is the Federal Government. If it were to be the other way round, PDP being at the centre, they would have rigged the Bayelsa election. Without looking at anybody, you won’t see result sheets and they would have announced somebody winner. So, the change we are talking about is already being experienced. APC has a moral burden, not to repeat what PDP did to opposition parties before they were unseated. You can see developments in Bayelsa. Sylva won only one local government and he is still hoping to win with one outstanding local government when he has lost six local governments out of eight. If it were to be the PDP regime, Sylva will not see any result sheet and they will declare any of their own winner and you go to Court. That has been their style. What PDP did to Nigeria in their 16 years of rule was the greatest disservice to democracy. PDP promoted democratic banditry; electoral banditry in Nigeria. For quite some time, I have not joined the public commentary because I was in the process of pursuing my appeal and all that but when I saw PDP crying wolf in the television, I was laughing at them. There is something we say in our place. The cup, with which you give somebody

grain, will be the cup you will use to receive the grain when the table turns. The PDP that was known for no due process at all in electoral process is now crying against the APC. So, they are hypocrites and as far as I am concerned, the PDP time has just ended. It is a political party that should be dismantled. They should be dismantled because if they had any serious commitment to democracy, Nigeria would have been a very strong democratic nation. But, through the use of police, army, it is a federal operation all the time. Any place they decide, they will go there and ransack the place and then impose anybody on the people and go away. It is no longer possible, so they are now weeping. Yet, the APC has not been brutal like they (PDP) were. It is only here in the South-East that date for election will be fixed and on the day of the election, you will not see anybody but in the evening, results will be announced. And no matter how you complain, nobody listens to you. The next thing you see is that they will be arranging people to come on solidarity visit to congratulate the winner and they will be dancing in an election that never took place. These were the sort of things we saw in Nigeria and they are now trying to say that APC did that; the party didn’t do that. They are just lucky. I am happy that the present government is taking the issue of corruption very seriously. PDP promoted corruption in Nigeria. They thought that it is going to continue that way. I mean, he who has committed no offence has no reason to be afraid of any probe.

Look at the revelations coming out now, the way monies were shared; the PDP should bury its head in shame. If not for the principle that people should be allowed to express their views and opinions, PDP should be banned from speaking. Nigerians don’t need to be hearing incoherent statements, coming from the PDP as an opposition party. They think they are making any impression on anybody. Nigerians hold them in great contempt for the way they desecrated this country and our democracy. So, if there is anybody that will talk to APC, it will certainly be a political party, other than the PDP. They need to go on probation. For how long should the PDP go on probation? PDP needs to go on probation in Nigeria for about 12 years or more, so that we see if we can repair the damage they have done to our national psyche, both the economy, the polity, our democracy and our rule of law; Everything! So, what if Ngige decides to run? As to whether Ngige will run the election, he is my brother; he is my friend. He is now a Minister of the Federal Republic. I don’t think he needs to gamble; to leave what he is holding now to go for the unknown. You know, it is only within 90 days. If he leaves his ministerial appointment and comes to pursue a senatorial seat, it may be late for him when he is going back to go and ask for his seat back at the federal cabinet.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

hers

Editor: Yemisi Aofolaju yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com 08055001741

Is it Merry Christmas? It is that time and season of the year when people prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is called Christmas. Typically, it a festival for Christians; but of course as Africans, there is the belief that once you are alive, either you are a believer or not, every celebration is worth it because there is the reason to thank God for life. The yuletide is here and everyone, both old and young is getting ready to celebrate in few days. Everyone has expectations but the question is, are these expectations fulfilled? Monica Taiwo went to town to feel the pulse of the people; they have these to say about the yuletide.

Adetoro

Adebola

Paul

Jumoke

Kayode

Oluwapelumi

atricia Maurice It is obvious that another Christmas is here; everywhere you go, you find the red and white drapes all over used for decoration. But sincerely, only children celebrate Christmas. This is because these days adults are too preoccupied with the austere situation in the country to celebrate. But parents will want to make their children happy and give them a sense of belonging. When we were young, our parents met our needs for Christmas by buying clothes, shoes and other accessories for us. Today, it is our turn to do so for our children. This notwithstanding, some adults buy new clothes and other needs, but sincerely the situation in the country today does not give room for excesses. People are learning to make do with whatever they have. Those who shop for Christmas buy only the necessary. There is no room for excesses any longer. I pray that things will get better in the country so that we can live the way we should. Oluwapelumi Osilaran: As far as I am concerned, Christmas celebration is no longer what it used to be. These days, Christmas is more in our hearts than in the environment. Nigerians’ purchasing power has reduced greatly. There is no money anywhere. When you go to the market, you find a lot of people moving up and down, but at the end of the day when you analyse your sales, you discover you have made little or no sales, so you ask what these people come to do in the market. Majority come to window shop; looking around as against the time they will have money to come and buy. Only children get new clothes and shoes these days and this is not because most parents are buying for Christmas, but because whatever they get is added to their wardrobe; necessities not luxury. There is no money and we all know that, so though there is celebration in the air, people are not celebrating.

Adebola Oloko: The Christmas I used to know is no more. When we had fun and enjoyed ourselves.

Our parents are the Santa Claus that we know and if they don’t have enough money, then, Christmas cannot be what we used to know.

Patricia

money. I desire a better Nigeria where we will have abundance. God help us.

Before now, people moved from one town or city to the other to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. Today, money is a militating factor. There is little or no money in circulation. People keep the little they have for very important things. Everything is based on opportunity cost these days. Look at the situation of fuel in the country, either we like it or not, this has affected other aspects of our lives. This year’s Chirstmas is really going to be low keyed. Although people are trying, but its just not what it used to be. For instance, on Christmas day, instead of staying at home to enjoy the day with family and friends, some people will have to work to make ends meet and make quick

Kayode Bioye: A lot has changed in our society; unfortunately, celebrations and Christmas celebrations not left out. No water, no electricity, no fuel and no money. Santa Claus who will bring gifts cannot move if there is no fuel. He cannot buy anything if he does not have money. Our parents are the Santa Claus that we know and if they don’t have enough money, then, Christmas cannot be what we used to know. Others may have a different opinion, but as far as I am concerned, this year’s Christmas is the worst, no thanks to the economic situation in the country. If I had a voice that could be heard, I would have pleaded with the Federal Government to

put in place things that will make life a little easier for the common man on the street. We need it. Jumoke Akinlabi: Though, personally, I will say this year’s Christmas is a little off the track. No money in circulation and the general atmosphere is dull, but people are trying to make ends meet. It will be difficult to have celebration as usual. But business wise, I am of the outfit did better than our output last year. And I believe that we will make more sales during the Christmas and New Year week. Adetoro Odukoya: Obviously, everything has changed and Christmas celebration has been affected too. Adults don’t have to celebrate, but those who have kids will definitely try to give their children the best during the yuletide. This is because the celebration is meant for children and they should be allowed to enjoy it. Paul Aroso: Generally, things are hard. So, Christmas celebration will be affected. More so, the fuel situation. The funny thing however, is that a lot of people will capitalise on this and refuse to take up their responsibilities. My concern is about the children, they should be allowed to enjoy the celebration in their own little way.

32 hersay

Teach your children about discipline ou may assume and automatically think I am going to talk about punishment. Punishment is not the same as discipline. Discipline is a code of conduct by which you live your life. Punishment is what happens to you when you deviate from the code of conduct. However, it is important to understand that much has to happen before you ever get to the point of punishing a child for her behaviour. Code of conduct Establishing a code of conduct within a household is the responsibility of every parent. There has to be a set of rules by which all members of the family must live. Businesses have a code of conduct. The military has a code of conduct. Even churches have a code of conduct. Families must also have a code of conduct Sometimes the code of conduct is a written set of rules. Sometimes the code is an “understood” set of rules. “For instance, you would not think of walking into a beautiful cathedral and spitting on the floor or cursing. Refraining from that kind of behaviour does not reflect your religious beliefs as much as it reflects your understanding that spitting and cursing in a church is inappropriate behaviour. You simply know better. Can you simply do me a favour by simply writing your name as .....Fill in your name Code of Conduct. e,g We never lied to each other. We stuck up for each other. We never let anyone else put a family member down. We expected the best of each other. We believe in each other. The family union was based on honesty, integrity, love, responsibility, trust and humour. Any code of conduct you establish will be challenged. That’s what kids do—they challenge authority and push the limits. Prepare yourself by knowing that sometimes the code of conduct you establish will be broken. When that happens, punishment for breaking the rules should be imposed. But before I talk about punishment, let’s look at two more elements of the family dynamics. Chain of Command There is a chain of command within a family. It works like this and it is very simple to follow: parent, child. Period. See?

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Parenting

The host of Straight Talk! With Olufunke Adetuberu cryonmenow@yahoo.com 08023242389

Teaching your children the importance of reading (II) I told you it isn’t complicated. The parent is in charge. The parent is the boss. The parent should be in control. The parent makes the decisions and the kid lives with the decisions. The parent is the leader, the manager, the decider, the one in charge . . . NOT the child. This is a simple chain of command that is in effect from the moment the child is born until he packs and moves his stuff into his own place that he is paying for with his own money. If there are two parents in the home, then the chain of command works like this: The one who is closest in proximity is in charge. Not the daddy or the mother, the one who is closest to the kid physically. One of the worst things you can do to a kid, in my opinion, is to abdicate your role and say something like, “You just wait ’till your father gets home!” The kid shouldn’t have to wait; you as the parent who is standing there should deal with it right there. So many great opportunities for discipline are lost by asking the kid to wait until later. The same goes for the father who says, “Ask your mother.” No, your kid asked you; be a man, be the father and deal with the issue ! My roof—my rules Somehow this idea became passé. It shouldn’t have. If I feed you, clothe you and let you live in my house, then you live by the rules I establish. Those rules exist to protect you and take care of you. I have made those rules because I love you. When you are of legal age and can feed yourself, clothe yourself and provide your own shelter out of your own earnings, then you can establish your own rules to live by. What’s wrong with that? It’s fair. It makes perfect sense, it is grounded in love, caring and respect and it reinforces the

chain of command. ‘Because I said so’ Didn’t you hate that line when you heard it from your parents if you are from a heathy functional home not a dysfunctional one? I know. You wanted an answer and an explanation for everything. You wanted to know why you couldn’t go out with your friends. You wanted to know why they got to do things and I didn’t get to do those same things. You wanted answers. Sometimes you got them. But many times you hear words from your parents: “Because I said so.” Know what? It’s a good line. Not every issue needs to be explained, discussed or debated. Sometimes, the appropriate answer simply is “Because I said so.” Your family is a kingdom, not a democracy. Your decisions about your child’s welfare are not up for a vote. Yes, you will take some lip from your kids over it. You will hear things like, “You don’t love me.” The appropriate response is, “Yes, I love you enough to make sure that I always do my best to take care of you. I love you enough to take care of you, look out for you, protect you and keep you’’ Will your kids hate you for punishing them? Of course they will—but not for long. You may even hear the words “I hate you.” In fact, that might be an indicator that you are doing a good job as a parent. If your kid doesn’t hate you for imposing your will, then chances are you aren’t doing much of a job imposing your will. When hearing these words from their little darling, many parents will crumble and say they are sorry. Big mistake. Never apologise to your child for wanting the best for her. Never apologise to your child when she is the one who broke the rules. You only enforced the rules. So, don’t crumble when little girl screams, “I hate you!” She’ll get over it. Don’t retaliate either by screaming back, “I hate you, too!” I have seen this happen. Great, now we have two emotional out-of-control babies. Let your kid scream and gripe and get it out of her system. Then make her apologise to you for saying she hates you or for screaming at you. Let her know that you have no intention of tolerating both her bad behaviour and her disrespect “Be the bad guy when the situation calls for it. Remember, you are the parent; it’s your job to be the bad guy. She will respect you for it in the long run.

LEAH foundation poised to stem cancer scourge By Yemisi Aofolaju It has been acknowledged that increased attention to the health and wellbeing of the adolescent girl, including her sexual and reproductive health is a necessary condition for success in any given society. It is in line with this assertion that the wife of the Executive Governor of Kwara State and Founder, LEAH Foundation, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed at the commemoration of the 2015 United Nations International Day of the Girl-Child brought to the fore the need to intensify efforts to ascertain that the adolescent girl is listened to, identified with and given her right of place so as to maximize her God-given potentials, even as the theme for this year’s event is ‘The Power of the Adolescent Girl’. So many factors are identified as impediments to the fair competitiveness of the girl-child with her boy peer, this is not because the girl-child is not as endowed as her boy peer, but because the way nature moulded her and the way the society sees her makes her more susceptible to different forms of abuses, intimidation and sexual and reproductive health concerns. To address the highlighted issues, the founder of LEAH Foundation at the commemorative event, assembled seasoned resource persons to guide these budding women on how best to conduct themselves when faced with daunting challenges and how not to be submissive in the face of any kind of abuse, even as it was pointed out that their rights are enshrined in the laws of Nigeria (child rights act 2003 Nig. 2006 Kw.) Grooming these young girls to be enviable mothers of tomorrow brought to the fore sexual and reproductive health concerns as Deaconess Ahmed used the avenue to admonish the girls to abstain from any form of premarital sex as she observed that early exposure to sex is always accompanied with attendant risks, even one that can cut a blossoming life short. It is this view that necessitated the move to keep the girlchild abreast of the menace of breast and cervical cancer that led to the inauguration of the LEAH Cancer School Club for girls in secondary schools across the state. 57 sec-

Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed (fifth from left), with students of Government Day Secondary School, Shao. ondary schools are the first beneficiaries as a pilot to this scheme that is aimed to over time cover more schools. Having in mind that curbing cervical cancer entails getting young people informed of its existence and how it develops, though a vaccination had evolved for cervical cancer but not readily available in this clime, hence the need to intensify the awareness about the disease among the younger folks became imperative, thus helping nip this in the bud. The LEAH Cancer Club will enable the girls know their statuses still stand as a platform for the girls to get counseling from professionals on matters affecting them and also afford them the opportunity to involve their friends in the drive to stem the scourge of breast and cervical cancer. The cancer school club initiative of the LEAH Foundation had earlier taken the crusade to the University of Ilorin where at the instance of the vice chancellor, the institution’s clinic created a screening space for LEAH’s team to screen the young women. It was also posited that when screening of breast and cervical cancer is taken seriously, the way for its

extinction is being paved, as early detection stands to be the foundation’s only resolve. Speaking during the Foundation’s courtesy call onthe varsity’s Vice Chancellor, represented by Professor Sidikat Ijaiya commended the Foundation for the initiative and also expressed the institution’s readiness to partner with LEAH while calling for more sensitisation in the fight against cancer. In her remarks at the inauguration of the LEAH Cancer Club at the varsity’s auditorium, the Vice President of Unilorin Students Union, Comrade Imam Umulkhaeri pointed out that the university is the first to host campaign against breast and cervical cancer. In her words “that the Students Union is coming out for the first time to showcase absolute commitment to the wellbeing of female students and staff is amazing”. It would be recalled that the LEAH Foundation, had over the years been a prominent player in the sensitisation and awareness campaigns aimed at getting people informed irrespective of their locations of the menace of cancer and how being abreast of their status through screening can help.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

With Yemisi Aofolaju yemiaofolaju@yahoo.com 08055001741

thekitchen Start celebrating with

Xmas cookies

Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

aking this year’s Christmas a special one requires going the extra mile in preparing for the D day in terms of what to treat the family and friends with. Now that schools are already closing for the festive period, the children will appreciate if they are taken through some Do It Yourself recipes that will make their Boxing Day’s box full of different recipes of cookies to entertain friends and family members with. Mothers, your children will be eternally grateful to you if you could spare time to guide them through these lessons, thereby relieving you of the stress of having to scout for snacks and extra spending.

This recipe has just three ingredients. It’s fast, easy and the cookies are wonderful! It’s great for kids who are just learning to bake. Ingredients: I cup peanut butter I cup white sugar I egg Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for six to eight minutes. Do not over bake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.

Classic Christmas Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Easy Christmas Snickerdoodles Ingredients: I pouch (11b 1.50%) Sugar cookies mix 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 egg 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Red and green decorating icings Directions: Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and egg until

dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets. If desired, roll tops of warm cookies in additional sugar-cinnamon mixture. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired using icing.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups icing sugar 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1 egg 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Select candy sprinkles, nonpareils or coloured sugars, if desired Frosting 2 cups icing sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons milk or half-and-half

tar. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours. Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured, cloth covered surface, roll each half of dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters, or cut around patterns traced from storybook illustrations. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top with end of plastic straw. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake seven to eight minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food colour if desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired with frosting and coloured sugars.

Life Hack

Ice Cream

Directions : •In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tarPut ice cream in a ziploc baggie to keep it soft and scoopable.

Give your powerhouse a facelift (2) continued from last week

Upgrading kitchen countertops The next step to giving your powerhouse a facelift this season is the replacement of the countertops. There are many choices of countertop materials available today, which depends mainly on how your purse is. Some of the choices include: Laminate countertops, solid surface countertops, concrete, natural stone among others. Laminate surface made of plastic has been found to be attractive, durable as they come in countless but attractive colours and designs. In putting this in place, you need the assistance of an expert for installation. The other option is solid surface countertops which are solid in nature and are equally durable; this allows for creativity in looks and designs as they come in array of colours. Engineered stone is a relatively new top which gives the natural beauty of granite

and it is almost stain resistant. The tops derived from the engineered stone, are said to be less likely to break than granite as its chemical makeup is more pliable. Natural stone, otherwise known as granite, is more resistant to heat and scratching. Its natural look of stone makes its beauty unparalleled. It is recommended that an annual sealing is crucial because

of its porous nature. Concrete countertop has been found to be the in-thing in kitchen countertops today. Providing a warm, natural look, concrete fits well with the increased popularity of materials like wood, stone, and brick. The beauty of this material is also, to some extent, its drawback. One benefit of concrete is its versatility in terms of shape and design.

Replacing kitchen faucet The last step to upgrading the kitchen is the faucet change, which will lure your holidaying children, to want to assist in washing the dirty dishes. When choosing a new faucet for your kitchen, make sure you look for the style and finish that go with your cabinet hardware and the overall design of your kitchen.

news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Ondo Christian Pilgrims board scribe lauds NCPC

From left, Pastor Elvin and Pastor Joseph from Rwanda, Bishop and Mrs Taiwo Adelakun and Evangelist Henry from Uganda, at the recently concluded REHOBOTH programme in Ibadan.

No king on earth is above God —Ooni Oluwole Ige -Osogbo

HE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Thursday, berated those criticising him for kneeling in church to worship God, saying “no king on earth is above God.” An online newspaper had criticised Oba Ogunwusi for kneeling while worshiping God during a thanksgiving service marking the end of his installation activities.

The week-long coronation activities for the Ooni was climaxed by a thanksgiving service on Sunday, December 13, 2015, at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Ile-Ife. Reacting to the online newspaper report, in a statement signed by his Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Ile-Ife, Comrade Moses Olafare, Ooni emphasised that “it is an unacceptable sacrilege to equate Ooni’risa or other

king to the almighty God.” The statement read in part: “God is the Creator of mankind and it is God that made it possible for the enthronement of any king. God remains the highest King of kings, who has kept all king alive and had made it possible for me to be crowned as the king of the source of Yoruba civilisation. “I have no regret whatsoever for kneeling down to exalt the Almighty God who did not only create

me, but also kept me alive, saw me through all the storms in my life journey and eventually crowned me as the custodian of Oodua race. “This act of equating me to God of gods, King of kings and the sole owner of the universe is a wicked sacrilege planned to embarrass the the throne. “My emergence as Oba has been made possible only by the almighty Olodumare to whom I remain eternally grateful.”

PASTOR Rowland Adekunwa, the Executive Secretary, Ondo State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, has commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) for the smooth operation of the ongoing Christian pilgrimage in Israel. Adekunwa, in a statement, made the commendation when Mr John-Kennedy Opara, the NCPC Executive Secretary, paid oversight function to the Ondo State pilgrims in Israel. A statement signed by the Head of Media, NCPC, Mr Celestine Ogugua and made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Thursday, said that Opara was accompanied by some

NEMA receives 1,187 Nigerian returnees from Cameroon THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday, said it received 1,187 Nigerian returnees from the Republic of Cameroon between Monday and Wednesday. It said the returnees were received at the Fufore Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Adamawa State. This was contained in a

Fire razes building in Ibadan By Tunde Ogunesan VALUABLES worth hundreds of thousand of Naira were destroyed when fire razed a storey building and two shops belonging to a carpenter and a printer around SW8\576, Lodge street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Thursday. An eyewitness informed the Nigeria Tribune that the fire sparked off as a result of small refuse heap on fire by

the side of the carpenter's shop around 8.20 p.m. The source further disclosed that the occupants of the shops had closed for the day before disaster struck. By the time Nigerian Tribune visited the scene, men of Oyo State Fire service were already on ground to put out the fire. Nobody was ready to speak with the press on situation of things as of the time of filing this report.

8th Assembly continues constitution amendment project •As Speaker names 47-member ad hoc committee. Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, constituted a 47-man ad hoc committee for the review of the nation’s constitution which started by the Seventh Assembly The committee is to be headed by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Yusuff Lasun, while representatives of interest groups like the media, the bar association, labour and the civil society organisations would be announced later. Efforts of the seventh assembly at further review-

ing the 1999 Constitution failed as former President Goodluck Jonathan withheld his assent over concerns on the processes adopted in arriving at certain amendments to the document. Both chambers of the National assembly had, however, amended their rules, with the assurance that the document would be resurrected, cleaned up and re-presented for the adoption of their committees of the whole,and subsequent transmission to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, without going through the entire process of public hearings any more.

members of the National Assembly during the visit. Adekunwa specifically commended Opara for taking pains to travel to Israel to witness the pilgrims’ experience in the holy land. He added further that the opportunity afforded the state pilgrims to meet with the members of the National Assembly, while he expressed optimism that the state pilgrims would be completely transformed spiritually by the end of the pilgrimage. In his remark, Senator Clifford Ordia, one of the legislators on the entourage, advised the state pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Nigeria throughout their stay in the holy land.

Fire fighters putting out the fire, at Lodge Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Thursday. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

statement signed by Mr Sani Datti, NEMA Senior Information Officer and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. NEMA said the returnees, comprising men, women and children, were thoroughly screened and profiled by security agents before registration by NEMA and the Red Cross who received them. It said after registration, the returnees were provided food and basic needs, which included mattresses, buckets, plates, cups, mosquito nets and soaps, amongst other items. The statement said another batch of about 15,000 returnees were expected at the Nigerian-Cameroon border through Mubi in the next few weeks. It disclosed that 18,600 Nigerians had been returned and received by NEMA and other relevant stakeholders so far. NEMA said thousands of Nigerians who fled the country to Cameroon as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency had been returning home since August.

We’ll support Lagos to become Africa’s entertainment capital —Glo THE next generation network, Globacom, has assured the Lagos State government of robust assistance to achieve its aim of turning the state to the entertainment capital of Africa. Globacom’s Senior Manager, Events, Mr Sola Mogaji, who gave the assurance at the launch of “One Lagos Fiesta,” held at the Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos, on Tuesday, said Globacom would bring its wealth of experience in entertainment event packaging to bear on the fiesta. “Our participation in this noble entertainment proj-

ect is our way of reinforcing government’s efforts at creating commercial value within the entertainment industry. “Lagosians should expect the premium Glo treatment that promises optimum fun with the full complement of our iconic brand ambassadors who rank among the best in the industry,” Mogaji added. He said the company would create an experiential corner to give Lagosians a memorable endof-year celebration in all the five locations where fun-seekers would further interact with the brand as they had been doing in the

last few months through Glo Laffta Fest and Slide ‘n’ Bounce shows. He commended the Lagos State government for extending the show to all ‘IBILE’ headquarters to give Lagosians across the state more sense of belonging and recognition. Welcoming guests earlier, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Folorunsho FolarinCoker, had explained that the concept of Lagos Countdown was being expanded to enhance the experience of Lagosians during the festive occasion, adding that the broader concept of ‘One Lagos Fi-

esta’ will give arts and culture better footing in Lagos State. He said about 50 artistes would perform simultaneously in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Agege and Bar Beach from Sunday, December 27 to Thursday, December 31, as the first step towards branding Lagos as the entertainment capital of Africa. Some notable artistes like African China, 9ice, Sound Sultan, Baba Dee, May Dee, Y Cee, Jaywon, Dr Sid and Ara creatively introduced by the compere, Gbenga Adeyinka l, gave teasers to whet the appetite of guests.

news Ajimobi presents 2016 budget Tuesday 35

Friday, 18 December, 2015

•As Oyo Assembly forms 23 standing committees By Wale Akinselure

YO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, will next Tuesday, present the state’s 2016 budget to the House of Assembly. Speaker, Oyo Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, made this disclosure at Thursday’s plenary, as contained in a letter sent to the assembly by Governor Ajimobi. Adeyemo also announced the formation of 23 standing committees of the House. Reeling out the heads of the committees, Adeyemo announced that the Committee on Public Petition and Human Rights will be headed by Honourable Olagunju Muideen, while Honourable Olukayode Akande oversees Judiciary and Justice. Others are Public Ac-

Glo to unveil winner of

Dance with Peter this weekend

Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

GLOBACOM-sponsored dance reality television show, Dance with Peter, will this weekend, reach a climax after ruling the airwaves for over three months, since August even as speculations are high in expectation of who will wear the crown out of the final seven. Next generation network, Globacom, disclosed on Wednesday, that the winner would be unveiled this weekend as a finalist will emerge from the final seven. The finalists in the show included two incredible female dancers, Amazing Amy (523) and G-Xtreem (507) who will be trading tackles with five equally talented male dancers, Julius Faktah (520) the only contestant from Ghana, C-Fly (524), Da Octopus (503), Kelvin (521) and Mali Hot Boy (511). The top prize bankrolled by the telecommunications operator is a Toyota RAV 4 SUV, a N3 million cash and a rare opportunity of featuring in the next P-Square music video while the first and second runners up will cart away a brand new Honda Civic car, N2 million and a brand new Kia Rio car with N1 million, respectively, in addition to a chance to feature in a top Glo Ambassador’s music video.

counts, Finance and Appropriation headed by Honourable Bolanle Agbaje; Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Honourable Bolaji Badmos; Inter parliamentary Relations and Legislative Compliance, Honourable Oguntade Samson; Solid

Minerals, Honourable Jimoh Akintunde. Also Honourable Oyebamiji Joshua will head the Special Duties/Development Committee while Honourable Afeez Adeleke is in charge of matters relating to Education, Science and Tech-

nology. Honourable Olawumi Oladeji is charged with the responsibility to oversee Women Affairs and Community Development while Honourable Micheal Sangodipe leads the Works and Transport Committee.

Honourable Peter Oyetunji (Lands, Housing and Survey); Honourable Adeoye Niyi (Culture and Tourism); Honourable Olalere Safiu (Agriculture); Honourable Kehinde Oloya (Commerce and Cooperatives), among others .

Prime Minister of Mauritania, Mr Yahya Ould Hademine, flanked by the Ministers of Agriculture, Mrs Lemina Mint El Ghotob Ould Moma and Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Mrs Naha Mint Moknass, respectively, during the R4D meeting, recently.

IITA\SARD-SC project wins 2014 IITA Excellence, Outstanding Team awards Mauritanian govt commends project for improved wheat varieties THE Support to Agricultural Research and Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) project has won the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) 2014 Awards for Excellence. The award was conferred on the project for being an Outstanding Team by the IITA Board of Trustees, who appreciated and commended the tremendous work a complex and multi-national CGIAR –led SARD-SC project is doing to enhance food and nutritional security in 20 select African countries. The awards were announced during the IITA Town Hall meeting held during the recently concluded R4D meeting on Friday, November 27, 2015. Project Coordinator, Dr Chrys Akem received a certificate and a plaque on behalf of the SARD-SC project. Dr Akem articulated the significance of the award, saying,“This award tells me that persistent hard work does pay off. We are dealing with a very complex project involving a number of institutions, crops and partners; it has been a challenge uncomplexing the project. Thank God we have demonstrated that this can be done and also appreciated by colleagues who voted the project as the most outstanding at IITA for 2014.”

The award, according to him, is an indication that project staff’s hard work and diligence in implementing project objectives are appreciated by the executing agency. Therefore, according to Dr Akem, “The award is really a morale booster to the whole project team. They feel rewarded for a job well done in delivering on project outputs. It gives the team the confidence to start looking towards and working hard for a second phase of the project in order to upscale and out scale outputs of the first phase of the project.” He commended his staff for

the award, saying “I could not have been working with any better team in the world than the current team that has been working very hard to achieve project outcomes and in the process got recognised with the best team award for IITA in 2014.” Meanwhile, the Mauritanian government has commended the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) wheat project for introducing improved wheat varieties into the country. The high yielding wheat variety, introduced by the project, known as Norman, is capable of producing up to

6.3/ha and this has greatly improved the cultivation and production of wheat in Mauritania, where it is considered very important to their diet. As a result of this development, the government registered the new wheat variety in their national catalogue in 2015. The Prime Minister of the country, Mr Yahya Ould Hademine eulogised the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the SARD-SC wheat project for varietal improvement of wheat generated by the project’s technological innovations.

Ogun bans movement of logs outside the state THE Ogun State government has banned haulage and movement of logs outside the state, the state Commissioner for Forestry, Mr Kolawole Lawal, disclosed this at a press conference, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. He said the ban of logs from the state become imperative and an offence for any wood merchant to move logs from the state to another, especially the neighbouring states. Lawal said the ban was necessary in order to curb the smuggling of illegal logs at night, and even dur-

ing the day to neighbouring states, adding that the ban would also ensure that only processed wood, such as sawmilled planks were transported outside the state. He said the measure would no doubt keep the numerous sawmills in the state working, adding that it would also improve the state economy with more job opportunities for the teeming youth in the state. Lawal further stated that the ban on conveyance of logs at nights within the state, remains an offence, noting that loggers

and drivers of timber lorries conveying logs, should possess all necessary documents covering the logs being conveyed to avert embarrassment. He also enjoined all stakeholders to support the state government’s initiative by complying with the directive of the Ministry of Forestry. He also urged timber merchants conveying logs in the state, to abide by the rules and regulations, saying relevant government agencies and officials had been directed to ensure strict compliance with the directive with immediate effect.

60 inmates regain freedom in Ogun

Olayinka OlukoyaAbeokuta

Sixty inmates serving various jail terms in six prison formations across Ogun State have regained freedom. The inmates were released by the state Chief Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, during her visit to Ilaro, Oba, Ibara, IjebuOde and Sagamu prison yards, last Tuesday and Wednesday. The CJ said those released were inmates on awaiting trial list, under the Jail Delivery Exercise conducted on quarterly basis. The exercise accorded the chief judge the opportunity to move around prisons in order to examine case files of awaiting trial inmates for consideration for pardon. The chief judge disclosed that 13 inmates were released from the Ilaro Prisons, 28 at Oba, five at Ibara, nine from Ijebu-Ode, while five inmates were released at the Sagamu prisons. He added that trial cases that had been pending for long, minor cases, cases without case files, among others, formed the basis for the release. Justice Olopade noted that the essence of the exercise was to address the problem of prisons congestion in the state and the country at large.

Osun State Poly 2006 set holds AGM Dec 19 THE 2006 set of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State, of the Faculty of Management made up of Business Administration and Management Studies, Marketing Department and Purchasing and Supply, hereby extends our invitation to the 2006 Old students to its 2015 Annual General Meeting, coming up on Saturday, December 19, at the AIT Motel, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, at 11.00a.m

news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Northern govs to meet on Shiites killings tomorrow

HE governors of the 19 northern states under the auspices of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, have summoned an emergency meeting to discuss recent happenings in the region. This is particularly, as it relates to the recent fracas between a detachment of the Nigerian Army and Shi’ite followers in Zaria,

Kaduna State. The Shiites, who are members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, claimed that over 1,000 members of the group were killed in the clash. The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, who doubles as the chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, said

on Wednesday night that the governors will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday (tomorrow) in Kaduna. The venue and time of the meeting had been communicated to members of the forum, he said. Shettima’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, said in a statement that the decision followed consultations among the governors on

through the major streets of Enugu, the Enugu State capital, the pro-Biafra groups were joined by some youths as they marched to the Holy Ghost, Kenyatta Roads.

Police Division in Kaduna. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state Police Command, Zubairu Abubakar, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kaduna. Abubakar said the police had arrested the 10 suspected members of the movement when they allegedly attacked the Tudun Wada Divisional Police Office in Kaduna, on Tuesday. He alleged that the suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, long knives and devices suspected to be substances for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

people injured. It was gathered that members of the union invaded the street as early as 7.00 a.m on Thursday, to protest over the continue stay in office of the chairman of the union in Ikare Akoko The protesters, who were armed with dangerous weapons, including guns, moved around the town threatening the peace of the hilly community hindering vehicular movement in the town.

It took the intervention of the military personnel in the area to restore normalcy and prevent the complete breakdown of law and order Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) ,in charge of the area, Mr Musiliu Sogbade ,said inormalcy has been restored in the area and commended the synergy between the security operatives for their quick intervention in restoring peace.

Wednesday night. Gusau said the governors were worried by the situation and hence, their resolve to wade into the matter, with a view to frontally addressing it. Meanwhile, the Police on Thursday began investigating 10 members of the Sheik Ibrahim el-Zak-Zaky-led Islamic movement for their alleged involvement in the attack on a

Soldier, 4 others die, as IPOB members jubilate over Kanu’s release From Sunday Ejike and Jude Ossai JUSTICE Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the immediate and unconditional release of the detained Pro-Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Following the release of the Director of Radio Biafra by a high court in Abuja, on Thursday, members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) , at the Onitsha end of the Niger bridge, clashed with soldiers as the IPOB members were jubilating his release resulting in the death of a soldier and four IPOB members. Trouble started for the IPOB members when on hearing about court’s favourable verdict on Kanu, converged on the statue of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu for procession. According to an eyewitness, Mr. Festus Uyanna, a timber trader at BridgeHead Market, Onitsha, it all started when the IPOB members were asked by the soldiers to stop their procession towards the Ni-

Prayer meeting THE Word Bible Church, Palace of Healing, 1, Ganiyu Close, Ajelogo Ketu, Lagos, will hold the December 2015 edition of its all purpose prayer meeting, tagged: “My season of joy” The three-day event will come up between Monday and Wednesday, while the programme will start by 8.00am and end at 1.00 pm daily. The Presiding Pastor and Founder of the Church, Prophet Babatunde Kumoluyi and other anointed men of God will minister at the programme.

Prophet Babatunde Kumoluyi

ger Bridge, but the group refused and continue to advance towards the bridge. All efforts to get police reaction failed as the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charged of Fegge police station, Mr Rabiu Garba, was said to have travelled out of Onitsha and the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr Ali Okechukwu phone not reachable. Delivering ruling on Kanu’s bail application on Thursday, Justice Ademola, held that the continued detention of Kanu without arraignment in a court of competent jurisdiction, was contrary to section 34 of the 1999 Constitution and he then ordered for Kanu’s “unconditional release by the SSS.” The trial magistrate in the ruling, discontinued the trial of Kanu, following an application to that effect filed and argued by the SSS’s counsel, Mr Moses Idakwo. Usman’s ruling was in line with the request by the SSS to drop the charges against the Biafran activist in order to enable them pursue his trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja that has original jurisdiction on terrorism. The SSS had argued that the Magistrate Court lacked the jurisdiction, since they had obtained the Federal High Court order to detain him for 90 days based on terrorism charges. The fact of the case, according to SSS report, was that the accused formed an unlawful society with the purpose of bringing into being a Republic of Biafra. He was alleged to have proclaimed himself as the leader of the Republic of Biafra and established a radio of Biafra. Meanwhile, members of the pro-Biafra group, including the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign

Burial PA Babatunde Olumide Aregbesola is dead. He died at the age of 75. The former Executive Director of Nigeria Airways, died on the December 12, at his residence in Lagos. Burial arrangements will be announced later by the family.

State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenes People of Biafra (IPOB), on Thursday, jubilate in Enugu, over the release of the Director of Radio Biafra. The demonstrators went

2 feared dead, 10 injured in Ondo NURTW clash Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure AT least, two people were feared dead during a fracas involving members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State. The melee, which was caused by the leadership crisis within the union in the area, also left more than 10

SATURDAY, 19 DECEMBER, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Beheaded man: Police begin investigation in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

MEN of the Ondo State Police command have commenced investigation to unravel the killing of a middle-aged man, whose headless body was found in Famese community in Akure South Local Government Area of the state. The lifeless body of the man was found in the early hours of Wednesday at the base of a mountain by worshippers, who were returning from the mountain after prayer. According to a source, the headless body of the man which was found by the worshipers, prevented them from holding the usual midweek service at the mountain top, while the incident was reported at the Ijapo Police station. He said the police from the Ijapo area responded swiftly and the remains of the man was deposited at the State Specialist Hospital in Akure. He, however, said the community has been deserted following the indiscriminate arrest by men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that invaded the area.

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Cholera kills 7, strikes 540 in Kenyan refugee camp amid heavy rains

cholera outbreak has sickened more than 540 people in Kenya’s largest refugee camp and killed seven in the last few weeks, the medical charity, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said, warning the epidemic could worsen due to heavy rains. Reuters said MSF has set up a cholera treatment centre in the sprawling Dadaab camp, which is home to some 350,000 refugees, mostly Somalis and South Sudanese who have fled neighbouring civil wars. “The rains are exacerbating an already precarious hygiene situation,” Charles Gaudry, the head of MSF in Kenya, said in a statement. “After each heavy rain, we

Donald Trump

Putin endorses Trump, calls him an outstanding, talented man

Residents gather to collect water at a contaminated reservoir. PHOTO: REUTERS. see an increase of patients in our treatment centre.” More than 8,000 people have been treated for cholera across Kenya since December 2014.

Cholera, which spreads through contaminated food and drinking water, causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. It can be fatal if not treated, though most patients recover

if treated promptly with oral rehydration therapy. It spreads easily in crowded camps with poor sanitation like Dadaab, where most refugees live under tarpaulins.

Niger arrests 4 senior military officers, reasons unknown Gendarmes in Niger have arrested at least four senior military officers in a troubling sign of potential unrest in the West African nation, just two months before elections, military sources and family members of those detained said on Thursday. The arrests were made on Tuesday. Among those taken into custody were the former military chief of staff, General Souleymane Salou and Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Haoua, the head of the air force base in the capital Niamey, Reuters said. Nigerien authorities have

Vladimir Putin

given no reason for the arrests. “It’s said they are suspected of wanting to carry out subversive activities, but nothing is clear for the

moment,” said a relative of General Salou. Political tensions are on the rise in Niger, a major uranium producer and an

President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger.

important Western ally in the fight against regional Islamist militants including Nigeria’s Boko Haram. The government on Tuesday fixed Feb. 21 as the date for presidential and parliamentary elections. President Mahamadou Issoufou is heavily favoured to win re-election, but the opposition accuses him of a campaign of repression ahead of the vote. Issoufou’s 2011 election marked the restoration of democratic rule after a military coup toppled his predecessor Mamadou Tandja a year earlier.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday described United States Republican presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, as a talented and outstanding man, welcoming his stance on Russia. “He is a very outstanding man, unquestionably talented,” Putin told journalists after his annual press conference in Moscow. “It’s not up to us to judge his virtue, that is up to US voters, but he is the absolute leader of the presidential race,” Putin added. AFP reported that Putin said Russia is ready to work with the United States no matter who is elected president next year. “We are ready to work with any president chosen by the American people.” Putin said that Trump’s comments on Muslim ban from US to his domestic audience while on the campaign trail were not Russia’s concern, but added that he likes the Republican hopeful’s statements on Russia.

IMF boss, Lagarde, to face French trial over $434 million deal

A French court has ordered Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to face trial over her role in a pay-out of some 400 million euros ($434 million) to businessman Bernard Tapie, French media said on Thursday. Magistrates at the Cour de justice de la Republique, which judges ministers for crimes in office, were not immediately able to answer requests for comments, Reuters said.

France’s main prosecutor recommended in September that magistrates drop their investigation into Lagarde for alleged negligence with regard to the affair.

Christine Lagarde

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Libyan factions sign UN deal to form unity government Delegates from Libya’s warring factions signed a United Nations-brokered agreement to form a national government on Thursday, a deal that Western powers hope will bring stability and help fight a growing Islamic State presence, Reuters re-

ported. Four years after Muammar Gaddafi’s fall, Libya is deeply fractured with two rival governments a self-declared one in Tripoli and an internationally recognised one in the east each backed by coalitions of former rebels and mi-

litias. The U.N. deal calls for a presidential council to lead a unified government, but hardliners in both factions reject it and questions remain about how it will be implemented in country where rival armed factions are key to power.

Libyan General Khalifa Haftar, chief of the army loyal to the internationally recognised government. PHOTO: REUTERS.

Chants of “Libya, Libya” erupted as representatives from both parliaments signed the accord along with local councils and political parties in the Moroccan coastal town of Skhirat, after more than a year of hard-scrabble negotiations.

Vietnam builds military muscle to face China Vietnam soldiers during a parade programme. PHOTO: REUTERS.

Vietnam’s military is steeling itself for conflict with China as it accelerates a decade-long modernisation drive, Hanoi’s biggest arms buildup since the height of the Vietnam War. The ruling Communist

Party’s goal is to deter its giant northern neighbour as tensions rise over the disputed South China Sea, and if that fails, to be able to defend itself on all fronts, senior officers and people close to them told Reuters.

Vietnam’s strategy has moved beyond contingency planning. Key units have been placed on “high combat readiness” - an alert posture to fend off a sudden attack - including its elite Division 308, which guards the moun-

tainous north. The two countries fought a bloody border war in 1979. The likely flashpoint this time is in the South China Sea, where they have rival claims in the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos.

news

Friday, 18 December, 2015

PDP chairman’s sack: PDP, Secondus ask Appeal Court to set judgment aside Sunday Ejike-Abuja

he acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Uche Secondus, who was ordered to vacate office by an Abuja High Court and his party, have asked the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, to set aside the judgement.

In the appeal dated December 16, 2015, and filed by Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN), the party urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the entire judgement of the high court. The party and its chairman argued that the lower court erred in law when it held that the defendants’ preliminary objection was incompetent.

The plaintiffs had argued in the objection that the suit concerned and touched upon the internal affairs of the party, adding that the plaintiff failed to pursue and exhaust the domestic remedies available to him before approaching the court. They urged the court to set aside the judgement and hold that the plaintiff

Appeal Court reserves ruling in APC, PDP, others’ guber election cases in Edo State Banji Aluko-Benin City

The Benin division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday, reserved ruling to an unannounced date in an

appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor (APC) against the judgements of

You performed well in handling election matters, CJ tells judges Sunday Ejike-Abuja

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, on Thursday, said Judges of the court fared well in the handling of election matters, before and after the 2015 general elections. Speaking at the end of this year’s retirement and merit awards ceremonies of the Federal High Court, Justice Auta, commended federal high court judges for the way and manner they handled cases in the previous election. According to him, “There was no incidence of grant of exparte orders of injunction or any pronouncement which threatened the conduct of the elections, qualification and or disqualification of any candidate.” The CJ said he was hap-

py that election cases were handled with soundness of mind and the law, which he noted created a level playing field for all candidates and also urged the judges to ensure that all cases concerning the 2015 general election, still pending should be concluded. Speaking earlier, the Acting Chief Registrar of the Court, Mr Emmanuel Gakko said, the court will take the welfare of staff very serious, adding however that any act of indiscipline will not be condoned by the management of the court. While applauding the CJ for considering him worthy of appointment as Acting Chief Registrar of the court, Gakko added that he will not betray the trust and called on staff of the court to ensure better service delivery in the coming year.

GIS director tasks stakeholders on national development Oluwole Ige-Osogbo

The project director of the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a Federal Government intervention programme, Mr Peter Papka, on Thursday, tasked the stakeholders in the labour sector to harness youths’ potential for the national development of the country. He gave the charge in Osogbo, capital of Osun State during a weeklong training programme under the auspices of GIS for employability skills, career development and entrepreneurship funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance, where 400 unemployed graduates participated. Speaking at the opening

and exit ceremony of the event which was held in two separate locations in the state, capital, Papka re-emphasised the need to properly harness the enormous potential of youth for national growth. He said the increasing rate of unemployment, especially among the youth was unacceptable to the government, contending that the key to solving unemployment in the country lies in concerted efforts by all stakeholders, especially the private sector. According to Papka, “the objectives of the training include enabling graduate interns utilise the period of the training to develop useful skills and positive work habits.”

the Delta State Election Petition Tribunal, which declared Dr Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the governorship election. The same court also deferred ruling to the future in an appeal filed by Labour Party and Chief Great Ogboru against the declaration of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa by the election tribunal in Asaba. The APC and Olorogun Emerhor had filed 11 grounds of appeal through his counsel, Chief T.J.Okpoko (SAN), following the validation of Okowa’s election by the tribunal. Okpoko (SAN), after adopting his brief of argument, urged the appellate court to dismiss the cross appeal as it lacked merit and upheld the applicant’s appeal. Some of his grounds of appeal included that, “the Learned Justices erred in law in resolving against the appellants that the Petition was incompetent on the ground of non-compliance with the procedural rule in paragraph 4 (3) (b) of the 1st schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). On the averments by the respondents/appellants that the appellant never pleaded for a re-run of the election at the lower tribunal and was now asking for it at the appellant court, Chief Okpoko said that they were relying on the old Section 140 of Electoral Act of 2002, saying that section 33(b) of the Electoral Act as amended simply stated that the power to order a re-election was based on the tribunal. However, Dr. Alex Iziyon for the 1st respondent argued that the relief sought by the appellant asking for a re-run should not be granted because it was not asked for at the lower court. He added that the appellate court was not a Father Christmas, saying the status must be followed as laid for the granting of such relief.

does not have the locus standi to institute the action. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal. It will be recalled that an Abuja High Court had, in its ruling on the suit filed by former Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on politi-

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Ejiofor Nnamdi Damian now MR. EJIMMADU PRECIOUS OBINNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

cal matters, Ahmed Gulak, said Chief Secondus was occupying the position of the acting National Chairman of the party illegally. The trial Judge, Justice Hussein Baba, in his judgement held that the position of the acting National Chairman of the party was zoned to the North-East and therefore, could not

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olusajobi Ireoluwa Dammy now MRS. SAMUEL IREOLUWA RHODA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

be occupied by Chief Secondus. He ordered that Chief Secondus should vacate the office within 14 days and said that the plaintiff or any other party member, worthy of that position should assume the position of the acting National Chairman of the party.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Oke Yetunde Mofoluwake am the same person as Akanni Yetunde Mofoluwake and Oke Yetunde Ajoke. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OKE YETUNDE MOFOLUWAKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olupitan Olufunmilayo Titilope now MRS. OLADIMEJI OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOPE. All former documents remain valid. Adekunle Ajasin University, NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Gbadebo Moyinoluwa Monisade now MRS. POPOOLA M O Y I N O L U W A MONISADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Nwachukwu Uchechukwu S. now MRS. IGWILO UCHECHUKWU S. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olowookere Adeleye now MRS. FOLORUNSO ADELEYE TITI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Anyaora Benjamin Chibueze am the same person bearing Anyaora Benjamin Chukuemeka. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ANYAORA BENJAMIN CHUKUEMEKA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyelaja Ololade Sarah now MRS. OJO OLOLADE SARAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Akinmurele Adewunmi (with date of birth 12/6/1970 in my Zenith Bank Account) am the same person as AJAGUNWA FALILAT (in my UBA Bank Account). All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc., UBA Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Isunmaila Olasunkanmi Arabambi now MR. RAJI SUNMAILA OLASUNKANMI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ifabiyi Blessing Funmilayo now MRS. ADENIYI FUNMILAYO BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Odetayo Remi Omolabake now MRS. JINADU REMI OMOLABAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adewumi Serifat Bola now MRS. ONI SUSAN BOLA. All former documents remain valid. Osun State Government and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aderemi Tawakalitu Odunayo now MRS. AHMED TAWAKALITU ODUNAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Abiodun Abosede Bunmi now MRS. DADA ABOSEDE BUNMI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Odelola Victoria Foluke now MRS. BADA VICTORIA FOLUKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

39 CHANGE OF NAME

Friday, 18 December, 2015 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Omiyale Adegboyega Moses now OMIYALE ADEGBOYEGA KABIRU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Ismaila Hamzat am the same person bearing Ola Muhammed. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLA MUHAMMED. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Inakwu Blessing Iyede now MISS INAKWU BLESSING OHEKURU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Olawale Ojolo Joseph now AGBOOLA OLUFUNSO JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid. Yale Food Ltd., Zenith Bank Plc., Crusader Sterling Pensions and general public take note.

I, formerly Gabriel Akinola now FADEYI ABIODUN EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. Yale Food Ltd., Zenith Bank Plc., Crusader Sterling Pensions and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Daodu Talabi Theresa now MRS. OSASUYI TALABI THERESA. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adesunloye Oluwaseyi now MRS OLASUPO OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, First Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc, GTB and general public take note.

I, formerly Ubani Helen Onyinye now ADESOKAN HELEN ONYINYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mukoro Monica now MUKORO MONICA UWEVI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Fatimo Oluwaseun Iyabode Salako now FATIMO OLUSEUN IYABODE OSHINAYA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Ajibola Isaac Alabi am the same person as Salaam Ajibola and Salami Isiaka Ajibola. Now I wish to be known and addressed as MR. AJIBOLA ISAAC ALABI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. UBA, Skye Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Taoreed Omolola now IBRAHIM TAOHEED ADEREMI. All former documents remain valid. UBA and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oloyede Sidikat Oyeronke now MRS. LAWAL SIDIKAT OYERONKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly Miss Lawal Afusat Adebola now MRS. ABDULFATAI AFUSAT ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyeleke Esther Olubanke now MRS. AKINLADE ESTHER OLUBANKE. All former documents remain valid. Seventh-Day Hospital, Ile-Ife and general public take note.

I, formerly Adaramaja Sikiru now YUSUFF SIKIRU OLATUNDE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Usman-Oloro Hamudat Temitope now MISS. USMAN HAMDAT TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ogundare Olabisi Modupe now ADESHINA OLABISI MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Vincent Okeke Chibueze now VINCENT OKEKE EMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Alade Olasumbo Fatimo now MRS GBADAMOSI OLASUMBO FATIMO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adesoye Omotolani Oluwaseun now MRS ADEDOKUN OMOTOLANI OLUWASEUN. All former documents remian valid. Adeleke University Management, Ede, Osun State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adebukola Janet Oyeyinka now MRS AJAYI JANET OYEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Saminu Muideen Adeniyi now ADENIRAN MUIDEEN ADENIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Adelakun Adeyeye now OLADEJI BAMIDELE OLUSEGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Adetunji Stella Iyabo now FAKEYE ADENIKE AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Balogun Oluwaseun Florence now AMEYINOGE OLUWASEUN FLORENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olawale Oluwatosin Olawunmi now MRS. EMMANUEL OLUWATOSIN OLAWUNMI. All former documents remain valid.NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Sikirullai Kudirat Ajani now SIKIRULLAI KUDIRAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olaewe Adepoju Matthew Ademola now OLAEWE ADEPOJU SAMSON ADEMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mr Taiwo Quadri Ade now MR ABUDULAH ADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Miss Rahmat Adunni Lasisi now MRS RAHMAT ADUNNI OYANIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Rev. Irohinmikaye Jacob Obaniwa now REV. IROHINMIKAYE ISREAL OBANANWA. All former documents remain valid. ECWA Worldwide and general public take note.

I, formerly Adeleke Adeola Alimat now ADEGOROYE WAKILAT OMOLABAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aminat Bunmi Okeowo now MRS AMINAT BUNMI ADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ajao Raimi Muritala now RAIMI MURITALA KEWULERE (IMAM). All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Alimi Abimbola Salimot now MRS. ONI ABIMBOLA SALIMOT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Badmus Olanike Falilat now MRS. IBRAHIM OLANIKE FALILAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Liasu Bilikis Folasade now MRS. SALAMI BILIKIS FOLASADE. All former documents remian valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Quarm Abiodun Yusuf Esther now MRS. BABALOLA ABIODUN ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Stephen Ademola Idowu now MUSIBAU LAMIDI. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Opayinka Olusheyi Dorcas now MRS OGUNDIPE OLUSHEYI DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. Forestry Research Institution of Nigeria and general public take note.

I, formerly Olayemi Bayo Olabamidele now OYEBAMIJI BAYO. All former documents remian valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aderonmu Rasidat Adenike now MRS AROWOLO RASIDAT ADENIKE. All former documents remian valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Aderibigbe Olushola now ODEKU JAMES OLUSHOLA ADERIBIGBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Adewale Basirat Olubunmi now MRS. KOIKI BASIRAT OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, Idih Sunday am the same person as Idih Samuel Ibedefu. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as IDIH SUNDAY. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Bamidele Abimbola Toyin now OLUBODUN ABIMBOLA TOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OGUNDELE: I, formerly Miss Tolani Tomilola Ogundele now MRS TOLANI TOMILOLA OLATUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akindapo Akinrinade Nusirat now MRS NUSIRAT OYEYEMISI BELLO. All former documents remain valid. Ministry of Education and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aina Oluwatoyin Racheal now MRS ADEBAYO OLUWATOYIN RACHEAL. All former documents remain valid. Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, NOUN and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Miss Ima Gabriel Ata am the same person as Mrs Rose Ata Itomo. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ROSE FRANCIS ITOMO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Access Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Ogunniran Samson Oluwaseun now AJIBOYE SAMSON OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Balogun Queen Esther now MRS AYODELE QUEEN ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akinbami Gabriel Mayokun now OGUNMADE MONDAY EZEKIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Gbenle Omoyeni Theresa now MRS KOLEOSO OMOYENI THERESA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Patience Ndidiamaka Progress Chimamaka Sarah Echefu now MRS PROGRESS CHIMAMAKA OKANLAWON. All former documents remain valid. General Public Note.

I, formerly Egbu Raymond Onyema now EGBUHELU CORNELIUS RAYMOND ONYEMA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public note.

I, formerly Miss Ogunrinade Oluwatoyin Dorcas now MRS POPOOLA OLUWATOYIN DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ayodola Ronke Mary now MRS KOLAWOLE RONKE MARY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Sanni Temitope Adekunbi Daniella now MRS SANNI-AKINWUNMI TEMITOPE ADEKUNBI DANIELLA. All former documents remain valid. General Public Note.

I, formerly Jayeoba Moruff now TIAMIYU MORUFF. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

I, formerly Babatunde Modinat now BOLA OLAREWAJU . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Alabi Dupe Oluwadamilola now ALABI ADIJAT. All former documents remain valid. General public note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME I, OLASHINDE DURODOLA BAYONLE am the person bearing OLASHINDE BAYONLE KEHINDE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adepoju Yemisi Adebola now MRS. OLANIRAN YEMISI ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adekunbi Itunu Yetunde now MRS. OGUNYOMI YETUNDE ITUNU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Chukwuka Cecelia Uzoamaka am the same person bearing CECELIA LOVETH SAMSON. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Johnson Samuel Oluwagbemiga now FRANCIS ABEM EWHENJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeyeye Temilade Victoria now MRS. OYASOPE TEMILADE VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Babatunde Kehinde Seun now MRS. OBAYEMI KEHINDE SEUN. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Aina Moriamo Jayeola now MRS AMSAT MARYAM AINA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olayinka Toyin Modupe now MRS LAWAL TOYIN MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Muyinat Titilope Lasisi now MRS MUYINAT ASAKE TITILOPE DAUDA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Akinyemi Yemisi Ladoke now AKEREDOLU YEMISI LADOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyinleye Oluwatoyin Afolake now MRS. AKEREMALE OLUWATOYIN AFOLAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aramide Mary Oluwatoyin now MRS. ADETUNJI MARY OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olajubu Oluwabukola Folakemi now MRS. ADEDIGBA OLUWABUKOLA FOLAKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, OGUNJOBI ISAAC BAMIDELE am the same person bearing BAMIDELE ISAAC. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Lawal Tawa Abiodun now MISS ADELORE ABIODUN TAWA. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly David Ayemi now AYESAN DAVID. All former documents remain valid. UBA and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adebayo Serifat Omoyiola now AYANLEYE SERIFAT OMOYIOLA. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank, First Bank Plc., National Population Commission, Osun State Ministry of Education and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ilufoye Deborah Funmilayo now MRS. ADEBAYO DEBORAH FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Awonle Taofeek Olawale now AYINDE OLAWALE JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Benjamin Simon now MR. AFOLAYAN EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

40 CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Temitope Oreofeoluwatofunmi Bakare now MRS. TEMITOPE OREOFEOLUWATOFUNMI IDOWU-DAVIES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Friday, 18 December, 2015 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Adebayo Adegoke Oyeleke am the same person bearing Adeboye Adegoke Oyeleke. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO ADEGOKE OYELEKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. EcoBank, INEC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Busayo Elizabeth Oluwakemi Adebajo now MRS. BUSAYO ELIZABETH OLUWAKEMI TOPE SOREMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ibiyemi Esther Oluwatoyin Afolabi Esther Oluwatoyin now AFOLABIIBIYEMI ESTHER TOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ekpo Olivia Abidemi now MRS. IKUMAPAYI OLIVIA ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Sani Salisu now SANI IBRAHIM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Beauty Beatrice Ekenesenarienrien Iyare now MRS. BEAUTY BEATRICE EKENESENARIENRIEN OSAHON-OBASUYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Zacharia Gana now ZACHARIA SIMON HUSSAINI. All former documents remain valid. The Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojobe Deborah Olukemi now MRS. IJABUMOYE DEBORAH OLUKEMI. All former documents remain valid. The General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adewumi Rachael Funmilayo now MRS. TOLOBASE RACHAEL FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olajubaje Kemi Marvellous now MAJEKODUNMI KEMI HANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Efieseimokumo Macdonus now JOB MACDONUS ODUMAH. All former documents remain valid. Keystone Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Paul Onyebuchi Uzuma now PAUL ONYEBUCHI UBANI. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc., Access Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyelakin Olufunke Olukemi now MRS. ADEFARATI OLUFUNKE OLUKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

I, formerly Ola Janet Olarinde now OLA JANET OYINADE. All former documents remain valid.UBA Plc., First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluchi Ugochi Nwaiwu now MRS. OLUCHI FAVOUR CHUKWUEZI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Awonusi Rizqat Oladunni now OLOKO RIZQAT OLADUNNI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly James Harry now NOBLE SIYEFIYEMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Sanusi Sadiat Omotayo now MRS. ADEOSHUN SADIAT OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Idiat Bolanle Awosola now MRS. IDIAT BOLANLE MAKINDE. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Thansu Gabriel Nugboyon now DANSU GABRIEL NUGBOYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Olasupo Gbadebo Omotunde am the same person as Olateju Gbadebo Omotunde. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLASUPO GBADEBO OMOTUNDE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Wema Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Olayiwola Muritala Akiije now MR. OLAYIWOLA MURITALA OLAPOSI AKIIJE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Faluyi Timothy Oluwaseun now SAMUEL TIMOTHY OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Fasasi Bolaji Adijat now MRS. BADMUS KADJAT BOLAJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Abass Adeniji now BOLARINWA SAMSON OGUNLEYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ilori Oluwafunmilayo Ruth now MRS. IDOWU OLUWAFUNMILAYO RUTH. All former documents remain valid. State Universal Basic Education Board and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ogunleye Afolabi Benson now BENJAMIN OGUNLEYE AFOLABI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olaniran Muraina now OGUNDEJI MURAINA OLANIRAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Suraju Ojebiyi Tunde now BABATUNDE ROTIMI RASAKI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Emmanuel Deborah now MISS AJALA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. Stanbic Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Olanrewaju Rukayat now MISS ADESHINA OMOLARA RUKAYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Chukwu Janet now MRS. JANET EMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Isaac Gbolagade Oladepo am the same person bearing Ashiru Isiaq Gbolagade Oladepo. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ASHIRU ISAAC GBOLAGADE OLADEPO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Mr. Godonu Segun am the same person bearing MR. IGODONU SEGUN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olaniyan Aminat Omolara and Mrs. Opeyemi Aminat Ibrahim now MRS. OMOTUNDE AMINAT OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

My correct name is OLUSANYA GBEMISOLA OLUSOLA and not OLUSOYA GBEMISOLA OLUSHO as incorrectly stated in my Permanent Voters Card issued to me. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, Mr. Yesiru Adebowale Onafowokan am the same person as Mr. Yesiru Adebowale Alimi-Ballam. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as MR. YESIRU ADEBOWALE ONAFOWOKAN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Idongesit Esther Akpan now MRS. IDONGESIT ESTHER IDIODEMISE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Afun Tonbra now AFUN TONBRA DAVID DAMEJI. All former documents remain valid. UBA and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Asekunowo Margaret Oluwatoyin now MRS. MUSA YAYI MARGARET OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Kehinde Adebisi Olaiya now MRS. JENRADE ADEBISI OLAIYA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajuwon Racheal Oluwaseyi now MRS. AYANDEJI RACHEAL OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid. GTBank and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olubukola Mercy Ogundele now MRS. OLUBUKOLA MERCY AKANBI. All former documents remain valid. University of Pretoria, South Africa and general public take note.

I, Mrs. Hammed Ronke Temilade am the same person bearing MRS. HAMMED MUTIAT RONKE TEMILADE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public take note.

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

I, formerly Miss Babajide Ifeoluwa Kehinde now MRS. ONIGBINDE IFEOLUWA KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid. F.C.E (Special), Oyo and general public take note.

I, formerly Segun Olatunde now SEGUN KANIMODO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Olodo Abdulrahman Oyebamiji am the same person as Olodo Ramoni Oyebamiji. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLODO ABDULRAHMAN OYEBAMIJI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Supreme Court of Nigeria and general public take note.

I, formerly Agboola Christianah Opeyemi now MRS. AGBOOLA CHRISTIANAH AKINLOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Sandra Toyin Lampy now OBEISUN OMOBOLANLE RITA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Olatubosun Radeke Marufat now OYEBAMIJI RADEKE MARUFAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Moruff Alagbe Oladipo now MR. MORUFF OLADIPO ADEKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Osanaiye Kehinde Caroline now KEHINDE OSANAIYE OSIFESO. All former documents remain valid. The Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olubukonla Afolashade Adekoya Olunubi now MRS. OLUBUKONLA AFOLASHADE MATESUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Awobade Bolatito Adeshina now MRS. ADESHINA RASHIDAT BOLATITO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Awogbami Mayowa Grace now MRS. ADENIYI-IDRIS MAYOWA GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Tolulope Toyin Olumide now MRS. TOLULOPE TOYIN EDEMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

I, formerly Wisdom Okonkon now JOSEPH PETER. All former documents remain valid. F.C.M.B, Bodija, Ibadan, Institutions and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adelakun Oluwashola Mary now MRS. AJIBOYE OLUWASHOLA MARY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ebilabor Peter now IZOUKUMOR AFEDOLOR MOSES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Okagbare Egwonor Charity now MRS. AKPOVWOVWO OKAGBARE EGWONOR CHARITY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Prayer Sanky now EBIORORO OGHIRENBAGHA JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Timadi Eyenemin now TIMADI SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Emmanuel Eroro Rachael am the same person as Fiakpa Eroro Rachael. Henceforth, I wish to be known as FIAKPA ERORO RACHAEL. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ezebri Ebimi Boye now OLOYE EBIMI BOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Zaccheous Wilcox now UBEBE POWEI ZACCHAEUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Pouke Kingsley now KINGSLEY ODIETE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Kana Damou now ELAYE KALU. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Osas Amafor now OSAS PETER. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Stanley Indoro now AYANGOR GOODLUCK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olatinwo Michael Mukaila now MUEBI OLA JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Sunday Mala now SIMON THOMPSAN SEIWEI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Forcados Godspower now BURUTU ZIPUMONE GODSPOWER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olawore Olanike Iyabode now MRS. AJAO OLANIKE IYABODE. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, Karimu Akanni Emiola am the same person as Kareem Emiola Akanni. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as KARIMU AKANNI EMIOLA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Aleibiri Daniel now ALEIBIRI MOSES DENYEFA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Jerry Ubebe now UBEBE STEPHEN AREREPADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oniovosa Festus now SMITH AMANAH JIM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Ukpai Otah Eke am the same person as Harrison Otah. Henceforth, I wish to be known as UKPAI OTAH EKE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Oladosu Rashidi now MR. OLADOSU LAWRENCE OLALEKAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

eyesof islam

Saheed Salawu yinkadejavu@yahoo.com 0811 695 4643

The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland: Islamic

title laden with heavy responsibility By Saheed Salawu

HE Muslim Ummah in Yorubaland is set to make history tomorrow in the ancient city of Ibadan. They will be doing for the second time, something they first did 35 years ago. They will be installing as the Aare Muslumi of Yorubaland, another man deemed dignified enough to wear the toga of that office. The philanthropy and devotion of the renowned businessman, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola-Alao, to the cause of Islam and humanity had inspired his conferment with the prestigious title, which was introduced by the Ulamah in 1980. Arisekola-Alao won honour and prestige for the maiden title for 34 years. He died on June 18, 2014 at the age of 69. In August 2015, the League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States chose successful merchant, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, popularly known as De-Damak, to fill the void created by Arisekola-Alao’s death and assume the honorary religious title. Conferment of Islamic titles on illustrious Muslims in appreciation of their contributions to the Deen, scholars believe, is not utterly a novel idea in Islam. They have traced the origin of religious titles to God. Besides making Prophets the leaders (Imams) of their communities, they say Allah conferred on them, titles in recognition of their strong devotion to their missions. In one of his writings, a historian and scholar, Dr Ibrahim Abdul Ganiyu Jawondo, keeps the conferment of such titles in perspective. He identifies the Prophets conferred with titles as Ibrahim (Khalilullah, friend of Allah), Musa (Khalimullah, one to whom Allah speaks), Isa (Al-Ruhullah, the spirit of Allah) and Muhammad (Habibullah, beloved friend of Allah). Among women honoured by God, Dr Jawondo said, were Asiat, the wife of Pharaoh (the confidant of Allah) and Mariam (as-Sidiqat, the woman of truth). According to the scholar, during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, the practice of conferment of Islamic titles became well entrenched. He conferred titles on people for their high sense of devotion to God, justice and fair play, goodness to people and moderation in dealings, continence, selfsacrifice and contentment. The Prophet, he said, conferred the title of Muezzin (prayer caller) on Bilal, while titles such as as-saddiq (the trustworthy), al-Faruq (the just), Dhu-Nurayn (possessor of double stars) and Asadullah (the lion of Allah) were conferred on caliphs Abubakar, Uthman and Ali respectively. Among the Yoruba, the practice of conferring Islamic titles on individuals is believed to have started in the 19th century. Mosques, Muslim organisations and even influential individuals are actively involved in the practice. The titles are said to be aimed at recognising and appreciating the significant contributions of their recipients. They are intended to encourage the recipients to do more in view of their exalted positions. The titles are also said to be a way to retain their recipients within the fold of Islam. As such, the ennobling recognition accorded

The title holders have remained the centre point, to which the Ummah recourse in a time of need or difficulty. They contribute individually and collectively to the advancement of the society politically, economically and most importantly, religiously.

Akinola them gives them a good sense of belonging. Islamic title holders in Yorubaland are numerous. In Ibadan alone, there are said to be as many as 30 Islamic titles. The title holders have remained the centre point, to which the Ummah recourse in a time of need or difficulty. They contribute individually and collectively to the advancement of the society politically, economically and most importantly, religiously. They sponsor Islamic programmes on the radio and television and in the newspapers and as well mobilise people for religious activities. The name “Abdul Azeez Arisekola-Alao” is prominent here. Alhaji Arisekola-Alao reigned prominently not only in Yorubaland but all over the world. He spent to assist the masses and embarked on numerous community development projects. He built the Abdul Azeez Arisekola Mosque in Iwo Road and the facility is still being utilised till date. Yearly, he sponsored Muslims, especially from among the masses, on holy pilgrimage to Mecca. Furthermore, many Islamic title holders have used their influences to assist the unemployed to secure employment at all levels of government and at private firms. The titles conferred on these individual Muslims have socio-political and economic relevance not only within their immediate communities but also in Nigeria and beyond. In fact, people respect them wherever they go and see them as ambassadors of their communities. The positions give them the opportunity of being known and heard in the society. They enhance their personal, social, political and religious status and those of their families. People associate with them and desire relationships with them and their families,

in order that their social status too would be enhanced. Little wonders then that the installations are usually characterised with pomp and ceremony, as the case is expected to be tomorrow at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, venue of the turbaning of Alhaji Akinola as the new Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland. After his appointment was ratified, in August, Secretary-General of the Rabittah, as the League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States, is otherwise known, Sheikh Ahmad Olagoke Aladesawe, had described Alhaji Akinola as deserving of the honorary religious title. He expressed confidence that his reign would mark a renaissance for Muslims in Yorubaland. The President of the League, Sheikh Jamiu Bello Keulere, charged Alhaji Akinola to discharge the duties that come with the office of the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland conscientiously. In a remark, Alhaji Akinola had described his appointment as a call to service. He called for prayers and the support of the entire Muslim Ummah to render the service successfully and meet the standard set by Alhaji Arisekola-Alao. “I never believed I could be chosen as the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland as I felt I have not done enough to deserve this esteemed position. However, I believe I should not reject the call to serve Allah, as this is an avenue for me to improve on my service to humanity and for further propagation of Islam. The late Aare Abdul Azeez Arisekola-Alao laid a high standard for this office. I, therefore, need the prayers of all to meet and surpass the standard. As I whole-heartedly accept this offer as the Aare Musulumi

of Yorubaland, I solicit for your support and prayers at all times for me to record an enviable success in this responsibility,” Alhaji Akinola said. Earlier in the week, the chairman of the Ibadan Muslim Community, Alhaji Adebayo Oyero, said in an interview that when Aare Arisekola-Alao passed on, many Muslims were at a loss as to who would be the next holder of the title that had been exalted by the philanthropist. “In fact, one Muslim dignitary said that the late Aare Arisekola-Alao did not leave any shoes; that he had gone with his shoes because the shoes were too big. One was, therefore, very pleasantly surprised but delighted that De-Damak accepted to take over the mantle of the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland. “I must say with all sense of responsibility and candour that he did not apply for this job. He did not struggle for it. The League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States thought he was the best of the candidates around. I was particularly happy the day I heard of his appointment on radio. I immediately called and congratulated him and prayed for him. Prior to his installation, he has been playing the role of the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland. “I beseech Allah to endow him with everything that he needs for him to carry this heavy responsibility as the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland. Indeed, when we talk of Yorubaland, he is the Aare Musulumi of the South West, Edo and Delta states – eight out of the 36 states in the federation. It is no mean task. It is no mean responsibility. But by the grace of Allah, he will be endowed with the wherewithal – good health, abundant resources and every other thing that he needs – to succeed in the responsibility. I pray that Allah will also keep his family for him, endow him with wisdom and a lot of intelligence and patience to cope with whatever responsibility he has to carry out as the Aare Musulumi. May Allah prolong his life and continue to endow him with monetary and other resources,” said Oyero, who is the chairman of the organising committee of tomorrow’s installation ceremony.

42 islamicnews

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Take your health seriously, medical experts advise Muslims

Abdul Afeez Taiwo, his cousin, Alimat Taiwo and Abdul Afeez’s parents, Mr and Mrs Mursiq Taiwo, during their Walimot Qur’an held on Elbow Field, Berger, Lagos State, recently. PHOTO: SEYI SOKOYA.

Akinola for inauguration as Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland tomorrow ALL roads lead to the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State, tomorrow for the ceremony to install Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola as Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland by League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States. A statement by the chairman of the organising committee, Chief Adebayo Oyero and chairman

of the sub-committee on programme and publicity, Kamal’deen Akintunde, said the occasion, which kicks off at 10.00 a.m., will be presided over by a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Amirul Mu’minin, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for

Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, is the special guest of honour, while former President Olusegun Obasanjo is the father of the day. Governor Abiola Ajimobi is the chief host and his counterparts in the South West and Edo and Delta states are special guests. The Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abdul Ganiy Abubakri Agboto-

mokekere, is the spiritual father of the day. The royal host is the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I and Sheikh Jamiu Bello Kewulere, President-General, League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States, the host. The statement added that other eminent Nigerians from across the country and beyond are expected to grace the occasion.

Shi’ite killings: NSCIA calls for probe By Saheed Salawu

FOLLOWING days of clashes between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the military that have led to death of scores of people, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called for the immediate setting up of a commission of inquiry to look into the matter. The NSCIA, at the end of its fifth emergency Expanded General Purpose Committee (EGPC) meeting, on Wednesday, in Abuja, presided over by the Sultan of Sokoto and President of the organisation, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, condemned the crisis and called for cessation of hostilities. The outcome of the meeting was announced by the Secretary-General of the council, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who told journalists that a seven-man committee had also been set up over the crisis. “We expressed concern about what is happening in Zaria and called for restraint on the part of all stakeholders in the interest of peace and security. “The council also decided

that an impartial and independent judicial commission of inquiry be set up to include, for credibility sake, all stakeholders, including the NSCIA, and that if possible members of the group concerned also be represented on the commission so that whatever you come out with will be seen credible and impartial,” Oloyede said. He said the meeting decided to set up the sevenman contact committee to meet with all parties and

call for caution. “The council also decided that Friday Jumat be utilised to call on all Muslims for prayers for this country and caution all persons, including the aggrieved. “We call on the government and citizens of this country that the best way to solve grievances or infractions is to follow the rule of law. We should always seek the rule of law as a solution to any problems we have rather than self-help either on the

part of the government or on the part of the citizenry,” he said. He named the Executive Secretary of the Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN), Professor Daud Noibi, as the chairman of the committee and Musemil Hanga; a retired Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav; Professsor Ibrahim Sulaiman, Yusuf Ali (SAN), Ustaz Abubakr Sideeq and Professort Ishaq Oloyede as members.

Oyo picks 10 for national Qur’an recitation competition

ONLY 10 out of the over 500 participants from Oyo State will participate in the 30th edition of the National Qur’an Recitation Competition slated to commence in Nasarawa on Thursday, 7 January, 2016. The Oyo State Coordinator of the programme, Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Abdul Salam, said in Ibadan that 10 participants from the state would take part in five categories of the competition. He said the screening process in Ibadan witnessed the attendance of over 500 delegates from all the six zones in the state,

Saki, Ibarapa, Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Iseyin and Oyo. Abdulsalam said the state contingent would participate in five out of the six categories. He said the committee in had prepared the participants, especially the best 10, to represent it at the forthcoming national competition. He listed the categories as memorisation of Juz Ammah, five Juz, 10 Juz, 20 Juz and the whole Qur’an with its Tajwid (science of Qur’an recitation). Speaking on the eligibility for the contest, Abdulsalam said a reciter

must be a Muslim who has memorised a good part or the Qur’an and must not be above 25 years except females who have no age limit. He said a participant must not be a child of any of the judges and must not contest for more than one category at the same competition. Abdulsalam assured the people of the state that the contingent would not disappoint them at the national competition just as they did not in the 29th edition, held at Auchi, Edo State, where one of the female participants won the overall best in a category.

Muslims have been advised to take care of their health in line with the Islamic requirement to place premium on cleanliness and good living. The advice was contained in the submission of health professionals at one-day lecture organised by Bodija Muslim Youth Forum (BOMYOF), entitled: “You and Your Health,” in Ibadan, Oyo State. Delivering the lecture, the Chief Nursing Officer at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Alhaja Basirat Giwa, urged Muslims to ensure that they clean themselves and their environment. Giwa stressed the importance of regular exercise of the body and moderate eating, saying the practices strengthen the soul and the body. Quoting from the Holy Qur’an, Giwa said all acts of worship in Islam have to do with cleanliness which fosters a closer relationship with Allah. While advising Muslims to check their Body Mass Index (BMI) regularly to determine their weight and height, Giwa implored Muslims to take the issue of their health seriously. Speaking on preventive measure, a food scientist, Alhaja Kafayat Adebayo of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ibadan Office, said a healthy Muslim is preferable to a weak one. Adebayo said in line with Islamic best practices, Muslims should not joke with their healthcare but sustain good living in all ramifications. She urged Muslims to take more vegetables and fruits and have self-control as regards the kinds of foods they consume.

Scholar bemoans lack of qualified Islamic Studies teachers Biola Azeez -Ilorin

A scholar and cleric, Shaykh Jubril Sahban, has bemoaned lack of qualified teachers of Islamic Studies in schools across the country. In an interview in Ilorin, Shaykh Sahban, the Proprietor of Muhyideen College of Arabic Studies said that the development had affected quality of graduates that are being churned out. Shaykh Sahban, who said that many teachers of Islamic Studies in the country started with different lines of studies before venturing into the Islamic field, added that they could not be compared with those teachers that studied Islamic education from primary to tertiary level of education. He said that education stakeholders had not accorded Islamic Studies the proper recognition like other forms of education despite its importance and relevance to worship, considering the large population of Muslims in the country. He also said that Islam attaches importance to education, adding that all forms of learning, “be it medicine, architecture, accounting, engineering, law and vocational skills, are derived from the Holy Qur’an. Prophet Mohammad also enjoined Muslims to seek knowledge as much as possible. This is to underline the importance that Islam attaches to education.”

AMP charges Islamic organisations MUSLIM organisations have been charged to place emphasis on recruitment and active participation of their youth in their activities. The charge was given during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP), held in Lagos. According to the association, the prospect of continuation of Islamic organisations depends on the involvement of the young ones in their activities. This realisation was responsible for the formation of the youth wing of AMP. It, therefore, appealed to members to encourage their children to take active part in the activities of the youth wing. Speaking of the activities of the organization in the year under review, the AMP President, Alhaji Kamarudeen Oladosu, expressed optimism that the association’s building project would commence in the coming year, while appealing to members to redeem their pledges. The AMP also organised lectures, Itikaf and guidance and counselling during the period. Expressing the commitment of the AMP to the plight of the underprivileged, it announced its intention to work with its lawyer to secure the release of about 30 inmates of Ikoyi Prison on light charges. The AMP is an association of Muslims in various professions, established by some Muslim graduates of the Obafemi Awolowo University, in 1988.

communitynews

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Vincy Froebel School donates food to motherless home, others by gbenga olumide

Pupils of Vincy Froebel Model School, Alapata, area, Ibadan, during their visit to Ibadan Home for Motherless Babies, Omolewa Street, Yemetu, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday. PHOTO: GBENGA OLUMIDE

Members of staff of Ibadan Home for Motherless Babies, Omolewa Street, Yemetu, Ibadan, Oyo State, were in happy mood on Tuesday, when pupils and tutors of Vincy Froebel Model School, Akufo Road, Apete, Ibadan, paid them a courtesy visit. During the visit, the pupils donated foodstuff and other items to their host as a way of celebrating Christmas with them. Speaking during the visit, the school Administrative Officer, Mr Peter Mensah, said that their coming to the Ibadan Home for Motherless Babies was to associate with babies, who lost their mothers during

Lagos lawmaker laments neglect of Bariga water plant bola badmus-lagos

agos State House of Assembly member, Honourable Rotimi Abiru, has lamented the neglect of the mini water works at Bariga by the state Water Corporation, urging the management to quickly come up with a proposal on how to resuscitate the plant for the benefit of residents of the area. Abiru, who is the Chief Whip, expressed this displeasure when he paid a fact finding visit to the water plant alongside some community leaders in the area. Addressing top management of the corporation, Honourable Abiru, who represents Bariga area in the assembly, said he was disturbed by the level of decay of the water plant occasioned by many years of neglect. According to him, the current state of the plant has prevented it from serving its original pur-

pose which, he pointed out, was meant to be a source of water supply for residents of Bariga and environs. Abiru explained that the visit was sequel to the se-

ries of complaints he had received from residents of the area which, he said, were further emphasised at the Town Hall meeting organised recently by the House across the 40 con-

stituencies in the state. “The residents of this area have continued to complain about the non- functional water plant, which is denying them one of the essential

Sina Awelewa Foundation hosts 1,000 children at Xmas show sam nwaoko-ado-ekiti

No fewer than 1,000 infants and children drawn from all the communities in the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State, have been hosted to lunch and fanfare by the Sina Awelewa Foundation in the 2015 edition of its Father Christmas Show. At the elaborate event held in Ilawe-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti SouthWest Local Government Area of the state, the mostly indigent children were feted and given gifts to mark the Christmas season. Founder and promoter

of the foundation, Mr. Sina Awelewa, in his remark at the event, called on well meaning individuals to “always strive to better the lot of the uprivnderileged in the society.” Awelewa, who is a former Director-General of Ekiti State Broadcasting Service (BSES), hinted that more scholarship and welfare programmes would be injected into the annual event. An highlight of the event was the presentation of gifts and cash to some physically challenged persons. Delivering the gifts to the physically challenged at

the event, Awelewa promised to assist them with more wheelchairs in subsequent editions. At the event, which was also attended by Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) BSES chapter, Kupuluyi Atere, the Vice Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikere Branch, Dr Adeniyi Adedoyin and the Chairman, Dr Adedoyin commended the initiative of the foundation, but urged him to take his gesture to other communities in Ekiti. The NBA chief noted that

SURE-P, NACA provide medical services for Ibadan communities by nurudeen alimi

SUBSIDY Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and Agency the National for the Control of AIDS (NACA), on Wednesday, began free medical services for residents of Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of Oyo State. Speaking with Community News at Oja’ba, venue of the programme, representative of Excel-

things of life. As a representative of the people, I cannot fold my arms and watch hence, our visit to the plant to find solution to the challenge,” Abiru said.

lence and Friends Management Care Centre, an NGO working in collaboration with SURE-P, Dr Obinna Oleribe, said:”We are here to provide health care services to the people of Ibadan South-East Local Government Area. “This is a programme funded by SURE-P through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and we are among the few local NGOs that were selected and empowered by

NACA to come to this local government and provide integrated health care services to the people of the commnunities in the local government. “Our programme is quite different. Before now, people will just come and do HIV test. But we discovered that that is not what people need most, people are sick . They have malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, diabetes among others. So, we are here to provide inte-

grated services, including HIV test, malaria and thyphoid treatment, screeing for hypertension, diabetes and child deworming.” Oleribe, further informed that the programme will hold for four days, saying: “Our target is to reach 7,000 through diagnosis and 50, 000 through health care. We, however, hope the local government will take over what we are doing now to move these communities forward.”

“Nigeria needs genuine philanthropists like Awelewa in this critical moment of economic depression,” pointing out that “this gesture would no doubt cushion the effects of economic hardship in many homes in many communities in the state.”

or after birth and also to give them Christmas gifts. “We are here to contribute our quota by making these children who are motherless happy at this Yuletide period and hope that our gifts would be received wholeheartedly,” Mensah said. Speaking on behalf of the babies, Assistant Matron of the Home, Mrs J.A. Oke, thanked the pupils and their teachers for the love they have for the motherless ones. Mrs Oke also used the occasion to charge pupils to always appreciate their parents, especially their mothers, adding that they are the luckiest for having parents. According to her, “we really appreciate your coming and the gifts and the love you have for us and I pray God would reward you abundantly. “I want to urge you pupils to always respect your parents, appreciate them, I’m saying this because you are lucky to have them.” In the same vein, the pupils also visited Congregation of the Servants of Charity, House of Province, Alaadorin Yemetu, Ibadan, to celebrate Christmas with mentally challenged children. Also, they donated food items, comprising a bag of rice, noodles, drinks, among others. Speaking on behalf of the congregation, Reverend Father Johnson Emmanuel, said what the pupils did was beyond his imagination. Reverend Emmanuel, who was represented by Sister Hellen Dodoh, said that their presence and gifts were part of Christmas celebration.

Offa old students renovate school hall biola azeez-ilorin

The 1961-1965 set of Offa Grammar School, Offa, Kwara State, has renovated and handed over the rehabilitated school hall to the management of the school. Speaking during activities marking the golden jubilee anniversary of the set, the national president of the Old Students Association of the school, Chief Yemi Olagunju, said the project would contribute to the physical development of the school. Chief Olagunju, who is Otun Jagunmolu of Offa, urged other sets to emulate the gesture, saying the development would go a

long way to complement individual and group efforts in developming the old secondary school. He also asked students of the school to maintain the structures. Also speaking, the principal of the school, Alhaji Abdulwahab Ibiyeye, who lauded the contribution of the old students, said such contributions had made the institution to be what it is. In his contribution, the coordinator of the 61-65 set, Engineer Moshood Owoade, said the old students had provided scholarship to the needy and deserving students and repaired Oyun Water Works, among others. He appealed to all old students to always remember the school.

Friday, 18 December, 2015 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 08111845048

features

Nigeria will reap greatest benefit from telecommunications industry —Shittu Since his appointment as the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu has made it clear that the communications ministry will get a new face. Speaking with journalists at the grand reception organised for him in his hometown, Saki, Oyo State, recently, he highlighted his agenda for the ministry, among other issues. DOYIN ADEOYE provides excerpts.

ix months after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, are we still on the right track? Perhaps I should ask you, have we deviated? You would agree with me that President Buhari has shown clearly that things would no longer be the same with regards to the level of impunity in the country. Within weeks that he came in, electricity improved considerably and it has not ceased from improving since then. Also, civil servants are now more vigilant and dedicated, knowing should they misbehave, there would be consequences. Also what happened to MTN is a classical way of saying that things will no longer be the same. These infractions never started recently; they had always been there and nobody called MTN or other operators to task, but now people are being called to task. The point has been made that the new government in place will not groom corruption. Again in the fight against corruption, a lot of people are now being investigated. Prior to this time, people stole money and they walked free. Also within the last one month, the federal cabinet put in place is taking its time to study the situation on ground and I believe that in the next few months, people will see greater, better and more productive happenings. The opposition is of the opinion that the anti-corruption fight is basically to witch-hunt their members. The people in government now were not in government for 16 years. Even if they wanted to steal government’s money, they were not in the position to do that because they did not have access to federal funds. It is those people who had access to federal fund and mismanaged it that would necessarily be questioned. What the opposition is saying is the mere ranting of a drowning people; people who had opportunities for 16 years and messed up. It is time for them to account for it. If a policeman, for instance, arrests me and says that he wants to take me to court, if I have not committed any crime, then I have no reason to be afraid because those who take me to court will be shamed in court. But what the opposition wants is that even where you see evidences of corruption, you should keep quiet. In whose interest is the reduction of the fine of the network provider, MTN? It is in national interest. There is no doubt that MTN had committed a lot of violations of the law, with regard to registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards and they were punished duly. However, when they were punished with the appropriate relevant and lawful fees to be paid

a programme for them. I think we should be sympathetic with many of our governments and pray that the economy will soon improve. Things will improve by way of diversification of the economy. Previously Nigeria only relied on oil wealth, but now this government is looking into the direction of agriculture as an alternative revenue earner. And for me as the Minister of Communications, I am also looking at the telecommunications industry as perhaps another better revenue earner for Nigeria. We are putting in place processes and a new agenda to ensure that Nigeria reaps the greatest benefit from telecommunications so that perhaps the income from it will even be greater than what we currently earn from petroleum. What do you have in mind concerning your ministry? Because of the diverse nature of the ministry, particularly in relation to its mandates, my plan is to organise a retreat of all resource persons by January 7, 2015, with a view of formulating a national agenda capable of touching the lives of every Nigerian. And hopefully soon, I will address the nation on the content of the agenda and what Nigerians should expect from me and from the ministry of communications.

in view of what they had done, they wrote letters and made presentations to the government, stating that first, they accepted that they had committed the violations; secondly, they apologised for those violations; thirdly, they committed themselves never to allow such to repeat itself again, and fourth, they begged for a review of the sanctions. So the government in the interest of the nation said that if it imposes a fee on them that it eventually becomes difficult for them to pay, that means they may have to close down in Nigeria. And if that happens, it means that their services will no longer be available to their 62 million subscribers. A lot of our citizens who are employed in MTN directly or indirectly would also lose their jobs and that certainly will not be in the interest of the nation. The government decided to review this, while also making it known that it would no longer tolerate such and at the same time, government decided that MTN deserves to live and that was why there was a reduction in what they were required to pay. How does your new administration intend to arrest many unfinished projects? It is common knowledge that various levels of government in Nigeria today are in trouble because oil prices at the interna-

We are putting in place processes and a new agenda to ensure that Nigeria reaps the greatest benefit from telecommunications so that perhaps the income from it will even be greater than what we currently earn from petroleum. tional market which is the main revenue source have gone down by more than 50 per cent. If I was earning N20,000 in a month and suddenly it reduced to N10,000, my expenses would definitely be affected. So it is common logic that the economy is on the downturn. It was not caused by us; it is an international factor for which Nigeria does not have control over. I am not saying that some governments have not also engaged in white elephant projects which became

Many of these network providers through their supposed tariffs exploit Nigerians. What is the ministry doing about this? We are looking into all of these and that will be part of what is most likely coming up at the conference in January. What is the situation on ground as regards the nation’s telecommunications giant, Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL)? As regards NITEL which has been sold to private entrepreneurs, as of today, there is no petition on my table on the NITEL issue. I cannot act on NITEL or MTEL without a basis. As a lawyer, I would rather hold on till I get information from concerned Nigerians if there are as to whether there had been unfair factors in the field. If I get enough evidence about this, I will look into it and certainly take action. I will be very active in my mandate, and like I’ve always said, I never paid a kobo to be appointed as minister, and I don’t need anybody to give me a kobo to do my job as a minister. All that I need is that there must be facts and basis for action. I am not saying that any other authority within the Federal Government may not have received anything, but as of now, I, as the minister of communications have not received anything; nothing has been reported to me. And until that is done, I will like to keep my cool.

features

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Wakajaye celebrates improved police presence

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, cutting the tape during the commissioning of a new police station in Wakajaye. By Oluwatoyin Malik

akajaye, when translated to English language, simply means ‘Come, let us enjoy life’. But living in the community hitherto held no reason for relaxation that could translate to enjoyment for the residents of Wakajaye Community in Monatan area, Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State. But recently, they had cause to come together for celebration. And there was no other reason but for the construction of a police station which was recently commissioned by the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Leye Oyebade. Before the police station was put in place, the residents of Wakajaye community most of the time had tales of woe, with the incessant robbery incidents that bedeviled the community for many years. Numerous cases abound that really unsettled members of the community. The story of the killing of one Miss Folajomi Agunbiade, a 300 level student of Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko on August 22, 2013, readily comes to mind. Home with her grandmother because of a six-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Folajomi was shot dead on the fateful evening by one of the armed robbers who invaded her grandmother’s house where she was staying with her elder sister. Her only offence was that she started speaking in tongues when the armed robber put a gun to her sister’s head after dispossessing the entire family of their valuables. As armed robbers made the community a place of frequent visits, the Wakajaye residents continually had sleepless nights. They even went as far as constituting themselves into different vigilance groups who took shifts to join the police in patrol-

ling the area. All the Divisional Police Officers posted to Monatan Division, under which jurisdiction the community fell, had a task to keep crime at bay, and they were reported to have tried their best with frequent night patrols. But as if the armed robbers were always on the watch-out, they would strike shortly after the patrol vehicle of the police must have left to patrol other areas. But now, the story has changed. Wakajaye residents have a cause to smile, as a police station, which even beats the Monatan Division in terms of size and aesthetics, has been constructed, and was commissioned on December 2, 2015 by the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Leye Oyebade. In his comments at the occasion, Oyebade expressed his delight to be commissioning the Wakajaye police station, remarking that it was one of the gains of community partnership. He added that it was the practicality of what had been preached that everybody has a role to play in policing. “There is no doubt in my mind that Wakajaye Community has distinguished itself as friend of the police that believes in police/community relations to stem down incidences of crime and criminality in the environment,” the police commissioner said. He disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, approved the commissioning of the police when it was mentioned to him. “He is giving us his total support and we are going to post more men here as well as a patrol vehicle whenever they are made available to the command,” the CP stated further. He praised the DPO Monatan for the transformation he has brought to his division since he came there few months before the commissioning of the new police station at Wakajaye, urging him to keep

There is no doubt in my mind that Wakajaye Community has distinguished itself as friend of the police that believes in police/ community relations to stem down incidences of crime and criminality in the environment the flag flying. He noted the unity among the residents of Wakajaye community which made it possible for the police station to be put in place. He advised them to maintain a strict vigilance of the community, as policing is the job of everyone. CP Oyebade congratulated the community for bringing the police to their doorsteps, imploring them to continue to support the new station and the police personnel that would be working there. Saying that they could apprehend a criminal if one is sighted in the community, he cautioned them over jungle justice, adding that such a criminal should be handed over to the police. He presented the DPO that would be in charge of the new police to the community, asking them to give him full cooperation. In his welcome address, the chairman of Wakajaye Community Development Association, Chief Peter A. Alabi, pointed out

that the decision to build a police station in the community arose in 2013 when the peace of the area was seriously threatened by night marauders. “While the police rose to the security challenge, we resolved to put in our efforts to complement and enhance police work by bringing their services nearer to us. That was how the idea of constructing a police station was conceived,” Chief Alabi said. Appreciating the presence of the police commissioner to commission the police station, the residents’ association chairman praised past and present Area Commanders in charge of the area and the DPOs of Monatan Division, who he said all contributed to the success that was being celebrated. He said that the Monatan Division had always responded swiftly any time the services of its personnel were required, despite the distance from the Divisional Headquarters and the rough terrain characterised by poor road network. He appreciated the bale of Ajagba land, Chief Adeleke who assisted in securing the land on which the police station stands, as well as the financial and moral commitment of Baales and residents of the community who were levied for the construction. Chief Alabi promised the community’s continuous support any time the need arises. In the Commissioner of Police’s entourage were the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP Sanusi Buba; Area Commander, Agodi, ACP Aloysius Chimezie; DPO, Monatan Division, CSP Odetunde Adeola; and other senior police officers. Among those who witnessed the commissioning were the Chairman, PCRC, Monatan and other distinguished personalities.

features

Friday, 18 December, 2015

Wakajaye celebrates improved police presence

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, cutting the tape during the commissioning of a new police station in Wakajaye. By Oluwatoyin Malik

Friday, 18 December, 2015

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Ibadan City Polytechnic honours Oyo deputy gov, Farounbi, others

Tuesday, December 8, 2015 was day of joy for both students and lecturers of Ibadan City Polytechnic located at Alakia Isebo, Ibadan, Oyo State. The governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi who was represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Alake Adeyemo, ac1. 2. 3. 4.

knowledged the school management on their contribution to the growth of education in the state as well as service to humanity. The proprietor of the institution, Mr Amos Ajanaku, noted that the management of the school was leaving no stone

unturned in commencing full operation in the citadel of learning so as to reduce the high rate of admission challenges in the state and the country at large to barest minimum. During the commissioning, the institution honoured the deputy governor of Oyo

State, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo with leadership award; Ambassador Akinyemi Farounbi with the most impactful and education friendly personality and the deputy speaker of Oyo State, Honorable Abdul Wasiu Musa with award of most impactful and education friendly personality.

Oyo State deputy governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo cutting the tape to officially commission Ibadan City Polytechnic, Ibadan, while others look on. Chief Adeyemo, being presented with the award for his outstanding vision and support for qualitative education in the state. Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Abdul Wasiu Musa, also being presented with an award. Former ambassador to The Philippines, Ambassador Akinyemi Farounbi being presented with an award of excellence.

Stakeholders set agenda for social work practice in Nigeria The National President and Chairman of Council of the Institute of Social Work of Nigeria, Iyeme Efem, has emphasised on the importance of social work as a profession, as well as its necessity in developing countries. This was contained in a speech delivered at sixth Annual International Conference of Social Work with the theme: “Setting a new agenda for social work practice in Nigeria” at the Institute of Church and Society, Samonda, Ibadan, Oyo State. The conference was a yearly forum for social workers to come together to discuss and review the activities of social work practice in the country for the next 12 months.

Iyeme Efem (right) addressing the inductees at the event

The president, who was represented by the Executive Director of ISOWN, John Emiamo, challenged all members to build more knowledge and research more through capacity development programmes from the institute so as to prove their differences with the freelancers. According to him, “In 2009, this institute came into limelight with the aim of training people to be professional in social work to improve the quality of life and enhance well-being of individuals, groups, families and communities through research, policy planning, community development etc” “The Institute has been trying to realign members to

understand that the change the government is trying to preach to the populace cannot be achieve if all social workers in the country are not up and doing because everything about change is to provide a better sense of livelihood and living for people, only social worker has the responsibility of making this happened. “The populace needs to understand the kind of social worker we have in place in the country now and if government works directly with their policy promises, we are going to have a better Nigeria. “Presently, there are numerous challenges in the country that require the attention of social workers but our governments are not recruiting competent hands in the right position to carry out the responsibility of social worker to the populace. “Social workers has play an important roles in the pursuit of social justice and the well-being of oppressed and marginalised individuals and communities and empower them to find solutions to life’s challenges.” In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of ISOWN, Kemi Ottun said, “ISOWN have been able to differentiate between holders of social work certificates and professional social workers. We have been able to establish our standard like what is obtainable anywhere in the world. “We have closed our gate against people who cannot sit and pass practice examination like what is obtainable in other serious professional bodies in Nigeria. ISOWN has also made it a culture to recognize efforts made by individuals and organizations in promoting and addressing social welfare concerns nationwide.” Ottun congratulated ISOWN members on their steadfast and consistency in upholding a healthy social work practice in Nigeria. She, however, challenged members to the need to constantly remain on top of social work issues. She also challenged the government at all levels to begin to consider the need for employing and placing professional social workers registered with ISOWN on vital social work positions in Nigeria.

Friday, 18 December, 2015

SIDELINES

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After winning the African U-23 championship in Senegal, the chief coach of Nigeria’s U-23 team, Samson Siasia said the team did not deserve to win the competition. He is only saying the obvious and most importantly, Nigerian football fans don’t mind how their national teams win any competition, even if they wobble and fumble into the final.

Siasia eyes Ighalo, Musa for Rio Olympics

Mourinho (right) with his albatross,Eva Carneiro, the team doctor he dropped after the EPL game with Swansea at Stamford Bridge had ended in a 2-2 draw this season.

NIGERIA’S U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia has hinted he is looking at the possibility of getting the Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa and striker, Odion Ighalo to feature at next year’s Rio Olympics as overage players. Siasia, it will be recalled, last weekend led Nigeria’s Dream Team to win the 2016 Olympics ticket while the team also won the African U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal with a 2-1 defeat of Les Fennecs of Algeria in the final. The Olympics allow for three players outside the eligible age of 23 years to star at the tournament proper.

Chelsea star, Mikel Obi who missed the Beijing 2008 Olympics reportedly declared his interest to be part of the team to Rio Olympics. Siasia while speaking on a television programme said he hopes to draft players who are playing regularly for their European clubs for the Olympics to hold next August. “I’m still undecided on the areas that the overage players would be needed, but I’m happy that the likes of Ighalo Odion, Ahmed Musa, are in top form now and I hope they will sustain it until the Olympics,” the man who coached Nigeria to win the silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics said.

Mourinho sacked BY GANIYU SALMAN

OSE Mourinho’s second stint with Chelsea FC which began in the summer of 2013 ended on Thursday after he and the mangement of the English Premier League side parted ways by mutual consent. This came barely seven months after he won the EPL title with the Blues. Mourinho, it will be recalled, resigned his appointment in his first spell with the with Chelsea in September 2007. The embattled 52-year-old Portuguese manager has been having a troubled season after

the Blues for the first time in recent times lost nine of the 16 EPL games this season including four home defeats at Stamford Bridge. His last game was the 1-2 loss on Monday night to Leicester City at The King Power Stadium. A statement on the official website of Chelsea on Thursday confirmed the departure of Mourinho from the west London-based side. “Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today (Thursday) parted company by mutual consent. All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution since he returned as manager in the summer of 2013,” reads the statement on the Blues website.

“His three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League Cup wins over two spells make him the most successful manager in our 110-year history. But both Jose and the board agreed results have not been good enough this season and believe it is in the best interests of both parties to go our separate ways. “The club wishes to make clear Jose leaves us on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea. His legacy at Stamford Bridge and in England has long been guaranteed and he will always be warmly welcomed back to Stamford Bridge.”

... As Hiddink set to replace him GUUS Hiddink looks set to take over at Chelsea until the end of the season after the club sacked manager, Jose Mourinho on Thursday. Hiddink, it will be recalled, once coached the west Londonside in 2009, and would be facing his baptism of fire tomorrow when the Blues face Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho paid the price the dreadful start to the season as the defending Premier League champions have won just four of their 16 matches in the top flight, with nine defeats highlighting a drastic problem among a squad that six months ago won the title. Hiddink is currently out of

work having been sacked himself from his role with the Netherlands national team earlier this year, and he is being heavily tipped to take up the vacancy at Stamford Bridge in a role similar to his spell in charge of the club back in 2009. Hiddink was appointed shortterm manager following the dismissal of Luis Felipe Scolari six years ago, and the Dutchman went on to lift the FA Cup with the Blues before leaving at the end of the season. Both Brendan Rodgers and David Moyes are also out of work at present and could see their names thrown into the mix given their Premier League experience,

while former Tottenham manager Juande Ramos emerged as a surprise candidate earlier this week.

Hiddink

Ighalo (left) on duty for Nigeria.

FIFA’s bank accounts in Switzerland frozen MILLIONS of Swiss francs in bank accounts belonging to world soccer’s governing body FIFA has been frozen, the Swiss justice ministry has said. US officials believe “corruption money” may have been transited through the frozen accounts, the ministry claimed. Between 50m and 100m Swiss francs ($50.1m-100.2m; £34m-£67m) has been frozen, media reports say. Meanwhile, suspended FIFA president, Sepp Blatter is appearing before the organisation’s ethics committee. Blatter, who is due to depart from FIFA on February 26 when his successor will be elected, arrived at the governing body’s headquarters in Zurich in a

chauffeur-driven car accompanied by one of his lawyers. He is strongly pleading his innocence over corruption allegations being heard in front of the committee, made up of four judges. They are expected to make a ruling early next week. The ethics investigation was launched following the decision by the Swiss attorney general to instigate criminal proceedings against Mr Blatter over a $2m (1.34m; €1.84m) payment to European soccer chief Michel Platini in 2011. Both men deny any wrongdoing. Along with Platini, Blatter was suspended in October from participating in all soccer-related activity for 90 days pending a full inquiry into their conduct.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 18/12/2015.