21st July 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,550

THURSDAY, 21 JULY, 2016

Kaduna has 1 million malnourished children —UNICEF

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N80bn electricity debt: Why estimated billing may persist Senate to now screen ambassadorial —Investigation

—P34

—P34

nominees

—P35

Threat to impeach Buhari

Anenih wants Makarfi to stop PDP lawmakers •Says it's an ill-advised adventure

—P4

FG okays 3-year agric road map

MELAYE VS TINUBU: PROTESTERS BLOCK NASS GATE: Women activists protesting at the National Assembly gate, Abuja, on Wednesday.

PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

Dogara removes Appropriation Committee chairman —P35 •I resigned voluntarily —Jubrin

NLC wants govs probed over —P11 bailout fund

•To deploy civil defence against herdsmen •Hands over federal roads to Kaduna govt —P6

Zenith Bank is most customer-focused bank —KPMG —P12

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Threat to impeach Buhari: Anenih wants Makarfi to stop PDP lawmakers Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja

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OLLOWING the alleged threats of impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, has flayed the threat, urging the chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to dissuade the PDP caucus in the National Assembly from participating in the alleged “ill-advised adventure.”

According to a four-page letter to Makarfi, dated July 15, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Wednesday, Anenih said he was persuaded that the time was neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the president.

Chief Anenih tasked Makarfi to, as a matter of urgency, personally lead the process of consultation with PDP members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.

The letter, entitled: “The PDP caucus in the National Assembly and the threat to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari” read: “I am constrained to write this letter by my love for our great country and my long years of involvement in the pursuit of peace, co-existence and national development.

“I am concerned about the noises coming out of the National Assembly to the effect that some of our distinguished senators and honourable members are contemplating a move to impeach the president.

“I feel even more disturbed that the PDP caucus is being rumoured to be actively involved in this plan to “go for the jugular” of the Executive. The rumoured role of the PDP caucus is, indeed, the main reason I have chosen to write this letter to you.

“I wish to appeal to you to use your noble office as the chairman of the Caretaker Committee of our great party to dissuade our party members, in the National Assembly, from embarking on or participating in this illadvised adventure. I am persuaded, Sir, that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the president.

“I do not doubt that the National Assembly may have its grouse against the president, but I am sure that the options of consultation, dialogue and negotiation have not yet been exhausted. We should all assist in persuading our mem-

bers to persevere in the pursuit of these options.

“I do not believe an attempt at impeachment, at this time, is in the best interests of the party, or the country. Such a move will create tension, instability and even crisis in our body-politic. It will unleash all those fissiparous forces which, in the last few months, have begun to gain momen-

tum.

“Fundamentally, as the main opposition party, I believe the PDP should concern itself with an inward review of why Nigerians lost faith in us and in our party’s vision for Nigeria; our focus should, therefore, be on trying to figure out how we can once again regain this trust.

“As a party in opposition,

what I expect is constructive criticism of the ruling party when it goes wrong. Playing an active role in the internal power struggles between factions of the ruling party is an unnecessary distraction, and an exercise that appears to promote personal agenda rather than national interest.

“I am not unaware that the

times are hard; that Nigerians are groaning under the weight of unpaid salaries and astronomical increases in the cost of living, that ballooning security problems are increasingly threatening to rip apart the fabric of our national existence, and that Nigerians feel more divided today than they have ever felt, but it would be unfair to

From left, chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Wahid Jubril; former chairman of the PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor; former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during a solidarity visit by the BoT to the PDP Senate Caucus, on Wednesday.

2016 Budget: Senate furious over Adeosun’s absence Minister to appear before senators today —Aide Taiwo Adisa -Abuja THE Senate, on Wednesday, expressed disappointment over the failure of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, to appear before the lawmakers, to brief them on the state of the nation’s economy.

Adeosun was expected to appear before the senators on Wednesday, after the lawmakers had received the briefing on the state of the nation’s economy from the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday.

At the sitting on Wednesday, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, however, informed the Senate that the minister, based on latest message received from her, could not appear before the lawmakers.

He said that based on the last message he got from the minister, she would be attending the Federal Executive Council ( FEC) meeting holding at the Villa, on Wednesday.

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in his reaction, said that the minister was guilty of act of omission, wondering why she did not remember that the FEC meeting would take place on Wednesday, when she assured the Senate of her readiness for appearance.

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was equally disappointed by the minister’s failure to appear, saying it was very pertinent that she took the Senate summon seriously.

Saraki, in his ruling, ordered that the minister should un-

failingly appear before the Senate on Thursday.

He said: “The minister must unfailingly appear before us today, before we proceed on long recess, because the issue at stake centres on monetary and fiscal policies being adopted by the Federal Government to salvage the current economic situation.

“As remarked by the Minority Leader, the minister should not have assured the Senate of her appearance on a day she knows that FEC meetings take place.

She must definitely appear tomorrow ( today), so as to brief us on what and what measures or strategies being taken to remedy the economic problems at hand.”

However, the Special Assistant to the Minister, Festus Akanbi, told newsmen in a telephone interview that his boss would appear before the Senate on Thursday.

He said: “The Minister of Finance, Mrs Adeosun would appear before the Senate on Thursday (today) to brief the senators at plenary on the state of the nation’s economy.”

Akanbi explained that Adeosun would have appeared on Wednesday, but for the weekly FEC meeting.

He added: “The minister actually rushed to the Senate immediately after the FEC meeting, but unfortunately, the plenary had been adjourned.

“She, however, met with the Senate leadership and pleaded with them to give her today to brief the senators on the state of the nation’s economy.”

The Senate had, on Tuesday, hosted the CBN Governor, Emefiele, in a closed-

door session, during which he highlighted the state of the economy to the lawmakers.

blame this President or this Government for all of these problems.

Instructively, none of these problems was floated as justification for the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly.

“On the economy, it is a well known fact that all oilproducing countries are suffering from an economic downturn because of the radical drop in the price of crude oil. As a mono-product economy, dependent on crude oil, there is no magic bubble that could have insulated us completely from the systemic shocks caused by the attendant loss of revenue.

“Rather than seek scapegoats, the situation demands that all our institutions, political parties and leaders should set aside all partisan interests, and work together to wade through these difficult times.

“It is, therefore, my wish and prayer that you, personally, lead the process of consultation with our members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.

“May God continue to bless you with the wisdom to lead our party to its manifest destiny.”

Women block NASS gate over Melaye, Tinubu matter Saraki in closed-door meeting with feuding lawmakers Christian Okeke, Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja ABOUT 46 women rights groups, under the aegis of Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women (LACVAW), on Wednesday, made good their threat to stage a protest at the National Assembly over the recent altercation between Senators Dino Melaye and Remi Tinubu, and temporarily blocked main access into the parliament, forcing those leaving the place to take alternative gates.

While the situation lasted, staff and visitors trying to gain entry into the National Assembly were left stranded, while security personnel were overheard asking them to turn and use SGF’s gate.

The protesting women carried placards with various inscriptions.

When their effort failed, they opted to occupy the gate, shouting “Saraki, where are you? Come out.”

It was gathered that a petition was dispatched ahead to the NASS leadership, but the women said they would not disperse until the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki came and addressed them, and to officially receive the petition against Senator Melaye.

The women remained highly organised and peacefully resolved to achieve their aim of storming NASS throughout the time the protest lasted.

Four senators, who included Senate Deputy Whip, Senator Biodun Olujumi, Barau Jibril and Foster Ogola were dispatched to address the protesters.

Speaking, Olujumi said the Senate had not reacted to the altercation between both senators, because it believed that what happened during the closed-door session did not deserve the media hype it generated.

She expressed sadness that the media carried the issue far.

According to her, the two senators involved in the saga would address the press on the reconciliation within the week.

Also speaking, one of the protesters, Kemi Nelson, said the protest was against impunity, wondering why women were being scared of their rights in an age where women were presently leading the United Kingdom and Germany.

In the same vein, chairperson, Board of Trustees of LACVAW, Dr Charmaine Pereira, said the protest was about taking stand.

She said the women could not afford not to take stand

on the issue.

Pereira condemned the recent killing of a woman in Kubwa, saying none of these were acceptable.

In her reaction, a human rights activist, Dr Abiola Akiyode Afolabi, said the protesters would disperse with the hope that the Senate did not institutionalise impunity.

Meanwhile, as part of the initiative to ensure a peaceful Senate, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, met separately with Senators Tinubu and Melaye to resolve the feud between the duo.

Sources in the Senate told the Nigerian Tribune that the Senate President held separate meetings with Senator Tinubu and Melaye in his office in the Senate new wing.

Saraki, at the meeting with Tinubu, which was said to have lasted two hours, was said to have pleaded that the woman sheath her sword and allow peace to reign in the chamber.

Also, the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa, led other members to the National Assembly on Wednesday to protest the alleged attack of Melaye on the wife of their benefactor, Senator Bola Tinubu.

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FG okays 3-yr agric roadmap

•To deploy civil defence against herdsmen •Hands over federal roads to Kaduna govt Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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HE Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, launched a new agriculture roadmap called “The Green Alternative”, designed to boost food production in the country for self-sufficiency and export.

The three-year plan is an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, alongside Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Al-Hassan, announced this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over

by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

He explained that “The Green Alternative” hopes to, among others, increase agriculture’s share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 23 per cent, share of labour force to 70 per cent, increase agricultural activity mix by 85 per cent in crop production, with a 15 per cent increase in livestock and other non-crops.

It also seeks to enhance the country’s foreign exchange earning capacity through agricultural exports with an intent to grow the agriculture’s share of Non-Oil Exports earnings to 75 per cent.

Similarly, it is intended to facilitate the government’s capacity to meet its obligations to Nigerians on food security, safety and quality nutrition, increase agriculture’s share of the budget by 2.0 per cent.

The minister stressed that the “Green Alternative” was an agriculture roadmap to guide Federal Government’s policies in the sector over the next three years, with a view to making agriculture the next alternative revenue earner for government.

“This will reverse the trend of heavy reliance on imported rice, wheat, eggs, and other foodstuff into the country, with the resultant pressure on scarce foreign exchange,” he said.

Responding to questions, Ogbeh expressed worries that the activities of herdsmen were inimical to the drive for foreign investment and, therefore, revealed that government had resolved to deploy personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect farms and agricultural investments across the country.

He said this was so, be-

cause farmers, who were not licensed to bear arms were powerless against AK47- wielding marauders, unlike the civil defence officers, who could bear arms.

The minister added that government was pressing ahead with its programme of establishing cattle ranches across the states that were willing to accommodate them.

He stated: “I had a meet-

ing with the Minister of Interior. We were looking at security situation in agriculture. Sometime last year, some gunmen went to Olu Falae’s farm, a Nigerian in status, in age and ranking and took him away and marched him around, forced him to trek 10 kilometres, even carried him on their backs.

“Many more farmers are coming in, including for-

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir David Lawal (second left); Minister of State, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan and the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting at the State House, Abuja.

OAU Senate to pick acting VC today Oluwole Ige - Osogbo BARING any unforeseen contingency, members of the Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, will today meet to pick the acting Vice Chancellor (VC) for the institution.

The development followed Monday’s directive issued

by President Muhammadu Buhari to the university Senate to recommend an eligible person, who would be appointed acting VC, pending the appointment of substantive VC. The university has been embroiled in crisis as a result of the appointment of

Professor Abayomi Salami as the VC, a development which triggered series of protests from members of Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Associations of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and indefinite closure of the institution.

Confirming today’s meeting of the university Senate to the Nigerian Tribune, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of OAU, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, said “the members of the Senate needed to be informed 72 hours ahead of the meeting,” disclosing that the Senate, comprising the school’s serving professors, have been duly noti-

fied.”

He said the university community were anxious to know the would-be acting VC, saying arrangements had already been made for the meeting today.

According to Olanrewaju, “there is uneasy calm on campus because the Senate will meet today, Thursday, July 21. But the campus is peaceful like graveyard.

The law of the university says that the Senate must be given 72 hours notice of meeting.

“President Buhari gave the directive on Monday and the 72 hours notice will lapse on Thursday, for adequate convergence of the

All set for coronation of Oba of Benin Banji Aluko - Benin City THE Benin Traditional Council, on Wednesday, announced that His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’Uselu, has successfully performed all the required traditional rites,

eign investors and they stand the risk of being subjected to this kind of humiliation.

“So, we are talking with Ministry of Interior that we have to put measures in place.

“These things are happening in other countries too, where the civil defence corps may have to train a special department to protect huge investors and in-

including Emwinekhuan (royal funeral rites).

The announcement was made by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, who explained that the conclusion of the rites “complete all the requirements” by the Crown Prince “to ascend to the throne of the Oba of Benin.”

Consequently, the Benin Traditional Council further announced that as part of preparation for the coronation of His Highness, three committees have been inaugurated.

They include Coronation Planning Committee, which has Professor Gregory Ak-

enzua as chairman, Finance Committee with Dr Greg Ero as chairman and the Government Committee, which has Chief Oseni Elamah, as chairman.

According to the Iyase, the coronation programme would be announced shortly.

meeting. All professors will meet and pick one of them with high profile and integrity as an acting VC. “After the meeting, the name and profile of the man chosen will be forwarded to the Minister of Education for onward transfer to President Buhari for approval and consequent announcement to the public,” he added.

Olanrewaju, however, hinted that the administrative block was still shut by the workers and no one had been allowed access to it since the exit of the immediate past VC Professor Bamitale Omole.

“The situation is dicey, workers insisted that they will not open until acting VC is announced. The workers said they would open the Senate Building for the new acting VC as a mark of honour.

“Although the workers have been dancing and jubilating, despite the fact that they have not been paid their salaries, they still lay siege on the campus, preventing officers from gaining entrance,” he stated.

vestment in their farms for a fee, because kidnapping will not stop.

“From the security point of view, we have to take measures to make sure that people who invest are protected.

“In other countries of the world, you may have noticed that people live on their farms. You hardly see a farmer who lives in the city. He lives on the farm with his family; you cannot do that here. They will come and take you, your wife and children in the name of kidnapping.

“We have to stop it and we have to use the legitimate instrument of state to do it legitimately because the farmer has no right to buy an AK47 to protect himself.”

He said a programme would soon commence in Abuja, to plant good grass seeds to curb the indiscriminate movement of cattle, reiterating that government would not impose cattle ranches on unwilling states.

According to him, “eventually and in the next one year, I hope we shall move most of our cows into ranches and reserves, depending on different terminologies people want to hear.

“Some people don’t want to hear about grazing reserves and government has no intension of forcing anyone to surrender one inch of land. Some states are willing, we shall develop these things in their domain, cows will move in there, there will be given best grass for cattle.

“Most of these grasses contain 18 per cent protein and amino acid, so the cows can feed well, have the good water to drink and give us the best milk and beef.”

FEC also approved the transfer of portions of two federal roads in Kaduna to the state government, following a request from Governor Nasir el-Rufai to fund their rehabilitation without asking for refund.

The roads are the 18-kilometre Nnamdi Azikiwe road (Western Bypass) and the 19-kilometre Ahmadu Bello Way. Al-Hassan who briefed journalists on the matter, explained that the state governor requested for the action following Federal Government’s inability to effect prompt repairs of the roads.

The Federal Government urged other states with the wherewithal to maintain federal roads in their domain to emulate the Kaduna State governor.

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Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Abducted Lagos monarch: We are

ready to pay ransom –Olori Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin

Expectant mothers with the baby products donated to them by wife of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and founder, Hope for Expectant Mothers Foundation, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN

Chinese lovers set Lagos hotel ablaze while smoking at 2 a.m.

Opeyemi Owoaseye

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WO Chinese lovers, Zhen Zhen (47) and Leo Jian Feng, (41) were arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for allegedly setting ablaze a Lagos hotel.

The suspects were alleged to have set the facility on fire while smoking and were subsequently arrested and arraigned on two counts.

The charge read in part, “That you, Zhen Zhen and Leo Jian Feng, both Chinese, on July 5, 2016 at about 2:00 a.m. at Bamishele Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: arson.

“That you did wilfully and unlawfully set fire to burn part of Ernest Hotel on Bamishele Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, valued at N17, 864, 900.”

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against them.

The Magistrate, M.O. OpeAgbe, called the representative of the hotel, Muhammed Shubero, who was present at the court to explain how it happened on the day of the incident.

Shubero said, “At about 2: 00 a.m., one of the hotel attendants the smelt of cigarette from the room where they lodged. She went there

immediately, warned them, telling them that smoking was highly prohibited in the premises. She told them she was going to call the police if they continue.

“They refused to listen to her, so, she left.

“The attendant and the security guard then called me in the morning that the hotel was on fire. When I got there, I was surprised to see that there was nothing left in the hotel.”

Shubero said the hotel at-

tendant and the security guard were ready to testify in court. He added that the hotel management was not aware that the matter would be charged to court on Wednesday as a meeting had already been fixed for 4:00 p.m. at the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID) between the management of the hotel and the Chinese Embassy.

However, the defendants, who spoke via an interpreter, denied being responsible for

the fire that gut the hotel.

Leo, in his defence, said he never smoked in the room.

He said, “I had slept off when the hotel caught fire, I only discovered that the hotel was on fire when I woke up and I fled for my dear life.”

However, the Magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Ope-Agbe, granted the defendants a bail of N2 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

The case was adjourned till July 22, 2016 for mention.

ONE of the wives of the kidnapped traditional ruler, Oniba of Iba land, Oba Yisau Oseni Goriola has on Wednesday lamented that the kidnappers were yet to contact them.

Alhaja Nafisat Oseni, stated that the Oba’s family was also ready to pay ransom if the request was made by the kidnappers. She lamented the lack of information from the creek regarding the condition of the Lagos traditional ruler.

She disclosed in a telephone interview with Lagos Metro that the family and friends are eagerly awaiting information from the assailants on what to be paid, in exchange for his freedom.

Alhaja Oseni denied the rumour making the rounds that one of the wives of the monarch who was shot during his abduction was dead.

According to her, the woman is in the hospital responding to treatment.

She urged Nigerians to refrain from such rumour, requesting that they should remember the family in prayers so the monarch would return home safely.

She further said that they are hopeful and prayerful that the Oba will return to them in good health, while appealing to the security operatives to do more in order for the Oba to return safely.

Father keeps teenage daughter as sex-slave for 3 years Impregnates, aborts for her Olalekan Olabulo A 13-year-old girl (names withheld) has been impregnated by her father in Mende area of Lagos State.

The suspect, Kennedy Michael has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Command, while the daughter is now in the protective custody of the police.

The step-mother, Maria Kennedy and the nurse, who performed abortion on the victim, have also been arrested for interrogation by the police Investigations by the police revealed that Kennedy’s amorous relationship with his daughter started in 2013, when the daughter was just 10 years old. The daughter was reportedly

conceived out of wedlock and the mother is separated from the father. So, the girl was placed in the father’s custody.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the incident. “Investigations revealed that he started having sexual intercourse with

his daughter since 2013 until she got pregnant.”

The Lagos police image maker also added that “at the discovery of the pregnancy, the suspect and his wife, who happens to be the stepmother of the victim quickly, took her for abortion.”

She also confirmed that

“the case is under investigations. All the accomplices including the nurse and the stepmother are undergoing investigations, while the victim is under protective custody in a shelter.”

Badmos assured that “at the conclusion of the investigations, the suspects will be charged to court.”

Officers who fail alcohol test to be dismissed –Police Olalekan Olabulo “POLICEMEN in Lagos now undergo drunkenness test as part of the efforts of the state police command to curb incidence of extra judicial killings by policemen in the state. Any policeman that tests positive to alcoholism while on duty in Lagos State now risks being dismissed from the force.”

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos stated this in an interview with Lagos Metro, on Tuesday.

The Lagos police image maker also stated that the measure has helped greatly in reducing cases of extra judicial killings by policemen in the state.

The Lagos Police image

maker, while reacting to a question from Lagos Metro on what the police are doing to arrest extra judicial killings, said, “when last have you heard that a policeman accidentally killed anybody?”

She continued that, “before now, almost every week you hear of such things but now you may not hear any. We have put a lot of measures in place.”

It would be recalled that the monarch was kidnapped five days ago by masked gunmen who stormed the palace and in the process killed one of his orderlies and also injured one of his wives.

Mob batters recharge card thief Olalekan Olabulo A man narrowly escaped death early Wednesday after an angry mob descended on him for allegedly trying to swindle a recharge card seller.

Some residents of the area prevailed on the angry mob, who eventually handed the suspected thief to the police at Bode Thomas Police Station.

An eye witness, Ayodeji Olayinka said that the man was “apprehended after trying to play a fast one on a lady who sells recharge cards at Bode Thomas area in Lagos.

His attempt to steal recharge cards worth N44, 000 was foiled after the seller caught up with him while trying to run away.

“The middle aged man was caught in my office complex today claiming to a young lady selling recharge cards that he owns an office in the complex and one of the SUVs parked in the complex premises. He then, told the lady to bring all her recharge cards and told her to sit somewhere in the compound to calculate the total amount while he informs his secretary to bring her the money estimated to be around N44, 000.”

The eye witness added that, “He even sent the security guard to get him five pure water, that they needed satchets of water in the office. After, he climbed the stairs into the building, he returned and told the young lady to wait for his secretary for her money.

“Then, this same man advanced to the gate and jumped into a Keke Napep but luckily for the lady who was highly observant, she grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him off the keke and screamed for help.”

A source at the Bode Thomas Police Station, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the arrest of the man to Lagos Metro.

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N500m poll fraud: EFCC quizzes former Bauchi deputy speaker, two others From Lanre Adewole and Saliu Gbadamosi

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S part of its probe of the funding of the 2015 election campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan, interrogators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday quizzed a former Deputy Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honourable Sace A Dumba and two others over the sharing of N500 million among the 20 local government areas in the state.

The former legislative boss was quizzed in the Gombe zonal office of the anti-graft commission alongside the former caretaker chairman of Dass Local Government Area of the state, Mohammed Suleiman Rabo and former chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the local government area.

A source in the Gombe office of the commission informed the Nigerian Tribune that the N500 million was dished out to PDP stakeholders across the state by the Commissioner of Finance during former governor Isa Yuguda’s tenure, Garba Dahiru.

It was gathered that the trio told their interrogators that they signed and collected the said amount from Garba with the mandate to deliver same to PDP in all the local government areas of the state.

They were also said to have told operatives of the anti-corruption commission that the money was shared based on the population of each of the local government.

Bauchi Local Government Area was said to have collected N48, 020, 000, while Toro LGA and Ningi LGA collected N32,490,000 and N28,250,000 respectively.

In another development, the acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, on Wednesday, assured the Association of Forensic and Investigation Auditors of EFCC’s continued support.

Magu stated this in his brief remark while receiving members of the association who paid him a courtesy visit in the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the anti-corruption Czar, the ongoing war against corruption in the country could only be won with the collaboration and

support of all stakeholders.

Earlier, the President of the association, Victoria Enape, who was in company with other members, including Anjorin F. Abraham (Secretary); Philips O. Salawu; Uchehara Chris Chigo; Crawford C. Oti; Anugwo C. Jonathan; Uche Chinedu; Joseph Enape; Anauche M. Chima and Jonathan Rosemary, called on EFCC to sustain its assistance in training of its members on the practical aspect of forensic auditing with a view to effectively tackling corruption in Nigeria.

She noted that the country’s anti-corruption commission had the necessary wherewithal to provide her association the support it

required in tracking and tackling corruption in the country.

“The commission has all it takes to provide the needed support to meet the modern day challenge in tracking and tackling all shades of

THE Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has lamented the shortage of tractors in Nigeria when compared to farmers’ population and size of farm operations. The minister made this known on Tuesday, in Abuja while inaugurating the committees for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding

As Ayokunle assumes duty as President THE newly-inaugurated President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle, on Wednesday said that the association under his watch would not be antigovernment and at the same time would not patronize the government.

Ayokunle said, CAN would be a partner in progress but would not fail to speak against the excesses of political leadership, even in unfavourable to truth.

Ayokunle, who spoke on various issues, also called on the government to take decisive steps, against those religious fanatics, who were attacking Christians, describing them as threats to the unity of Nigeria.

According to him “We are committed to supporting the governments of the day in Nigeria, both the federal and state, in all ways to achieve noble goals that would lead to development in the nation.

Ayokunle stated that the church was in the world to improve it and shine as light in the world. The New CAN, who chronicled the recent attacks on Christians across the country, “called on the government of the day to take decisive actions over these occurrences as it was their constitutional duty to do so.

“We shall not stop crying out for the government to do justice until we see that justice is done. Inaction by those in government would to make the Christians

She also used the opportunity to inform the EFCC boss of the Association’s first international conference coming up in November, urging him to be present and sponsor some EFCC staff to attend.

Ogbeh regrets shortage of tractors in Nigeria

We are not anti-govt —CAN Collins Nnabuife - Abuja

corruption in the country,” she declared.

She appreciated EFCC for the support it had rendered to the association in the past, especially in the area of training of its members at the EFCC Academy.

not have confidence in the goverment.”

Ayokunle, also called on Christians and the past leadership of CAN, to forgive each other and work for the unity of the Country, adding that the support of all and sundry was imperative to the survival of the new leadership.

“Without unity in CAN, there cannot be progress.

Let us embrace one another as members of God’s family where is there is no North, South, West or East,” he noted.

While speaking, the immediate past President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, recalled that his most challenging period was when the Christians, who he was defending, turned against him.

(MoU) between the federal government, participating, state governments and the China-Africa Machinery Corporation (CAMACO) on agricultural mechanisation system.

CAMACO is a venture funded by the China-African Development Fund (CADFund) as a strategic partnership built and developed between China and Africa, with the purpose of encouraging and supporting Chinese enterprises to invest in Africa.

Ogbeh said “there were less than 30,000 tractors in Nigeria and we should at least, have a million. He stated: “This partnership with CAMACO, is an attempt to catch up with our shortfalls in tractors and

increase our mechanisation to make it easier for agriculture to take place. Increased mechanisation, is more important now that we are trying to encourage the Youth to embrace agriculture. This is a very important programme that has been on the drawing board.”

The programme, designed to increase Nigeria’s stock of tractors and improve on mechanisation through the supply of tractors to be assembled locally, would be implemented in Adamawa, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states. The partnership, will involve credit partnership with farmers to obtain and pay over a period of seven to eight years at a single digit interest rate.

LG election: Makarfi withdraws letter from OGSIEC Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

CHAIRMAN, National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has withdrawn a letter earlier sent to the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), asking it to recognise Honourable Sikirullahi Ogundele, as the state party chairman.

Makarfi, had in a letter dated July 14, informed the electoral body to accept Ogundele-led state executive, saying the authenticity of the exco was supported by an order of the state High Court by Justice Mobolaji Ojo. The party, in the state, presently has three different chairmen because of the lingering leadership crisis rocking it.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Party Primary for 2016 Ondo State Gubernatorial Election Introduction: In compliance with the stipulations of the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) Time-table and Guidelines of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The following is the Time-table of activities for conducting the Governorship Primary in Ondo State as approved by the National Caretaker Committee: S/N0 ACTIVITY 1 Sale of Aspirants' Nomination Forms Venue: 13, Thaba-Tseka Street, British Village, Wuse II, Abuja.

2 Last day for submission of completed forms Venue: 13, Thaba-Tseka Street, British Village, Wuse II, Abuja.

3 Screening of Aspirants Venue: State Party Secretariat, Akure, Ondo State 4 Screening Appeals Venue: State Party Secretariat, Akure, Ondo State 5 Congresses for 3 Ad-Hoc Ward Delegates to Gubernatorial Primary 6 Gubernatorial Primary Election 7

Appeals from Gubernatorial Primary

Senator Abdul Ningi Member, National Caretaker Committee For: Organization & Mobilization

DATE Friday, 22 July - Mon. 8 August, 2016 Tuesday 9 August 2016

Thursday 11 August, 2016 Saturday 13 August, 2016 Thursday August 18, 2016 Monday August 22, 2016 Thursday 25 August, 2016

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news

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

NLC wants govs probed over bailout fund •To invade Kogi with 2 million workers Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

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RESIDENT of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, on Wednesday, asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to probe state governors over bailout funds granted to states of the federation.

Apart from this, he also said no fewer than two million Nigerian workers would be mobilised to Kogi State in four weeks if the state government failed to resolve the industrial crisis in the state.

This was just as the Labour leaders in the state said they had abandoned their houses, following threats and intimidation from unknown persons since the commencement of strike in the state.

Wabba said this in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, while addressing workers of the state who had been on strike for almost four weeks.

He said the situation in Kogi State was different and pathetic, noting that urgent steps should be taken to salvage the situation.

According to him, there was the need for the Federal Government to probe the application of bailout funds to states since it was obvious that some of the states did not adhere to the regulations guiding the disbursement.

The NLC boss added that it was wrong for the Kogi State government to have disbursed the N20 billion bailout fund part-payment without the committee expected to draw its membership from the workers, security agencies, the executive and other bodies.

He said the president should gather the will and courage to investigate the

alleged mismanagement of the bailout funds by some governors in the country.

He said: “Some situations are very terrible, but that of Kogi State is pathetic, since bailout is a loan that states will have to pay back, so there is the need for the Federal Government to set up a high-powered committee to probe the application of the fund.

“If the situation in Kogi continues and not resolved by government, we will mobilise two million Nigerian workers and occupy the entire state, the organised labour can also declare a national action on Kogi’s

problem.

“It is an ungodly act for one to work for seven months and not paid, it will amount to an act of cruelty for workers to work and not get paid.

Workers are fighting a just cause and we will not relent.

“It is worrisome that Kogi’s bailout is not transparently utilised, we don’t know why it is different in Kogi, it is unacceptable.”

Wabba also condemned the decision of the state government to force the workers on its payroll to open salary accounts in only two banks, saying

THE Federal Government, on Wednesday confirmed that Nigerians living and working in Diaspora remitted $21 billion to the country in 2015.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, who made this known in Abuja, said their remittances under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) was a major contribution to the nation’s economy.

Lawal spoke at a news conference to mark the 2016 Diaspora Day conference scheduled to hold from July 24 to 26 at the International Conference

overcome the situation. No worker should be treated as a slave. Nobody should hide under any pretence to perpetrate evil against workers.”

The state chairman of NLC, Onuh Edoka, said government had been using propaganda to paint the leaders of the workers black, saying about 70 per cent of the workers were yet to be paid.

He also claimed that the screening exercise embarked upon by government was bungled because government discovered that the cleared workers were more than what it

wanted.

He said the workers did not know the situation with the bailout of the state as the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, did not set up the committee to implement the disbursement.

Troops nab suspected suppliers of fuel to terrorists in Borno Chris Agbambu-Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari with the Speaker, House of Representatives, Niger Republic, Ousseini Tinni, accompanied by the Speaker Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Why we want to impeach Gov Yari —Zamfara Assembly ZAMFARA State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, listed six impeachable offences allegedly committed by Governor

Abdulaziz Yari, which prompted it to mull impeachment proceedings against him.

A statement issued in

FG confirms remittance of $21bn by Nigerians in diaspora in 2015 Clement Idoko-Abuja

this was against the fundamental human rights of the workers.

According to him, the move was a very cruel one and corruption on the part of government, alleging that it was an attempt by government to service certain interest.

He, however, said a personal letter would be written to Buhari on the situation in Kogi State, describing it as one different from those of other states of the country.

Wabba said, “By the time we are coming to Kogi, no force on earth can stop us, with our number, we will

Centre.

Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will on July 25 declare the conference open and the Ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs are expected to make presentations at the event.

SGF noted that the conference, which was an annual event, provided opportunity for Nigerians in the Diaspora to interact with the Federal Government and state authorities to address challenges in the country.

Ambassador Olukunle Bamgbose, a permanent secretary in the Office of the SGF, briefed newsmen on behalf of Mr Lawal, disclosing that NIDO branches were virtually in

all the major countries of the world.

Lawal said the organisation was particularly strong in Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America and in Singapore.

According to him, the 2016 Diaspora Day conference would be diametrically different from past experiences where participants come home to highlight the challenges that confront the country.

He said: “The government and citizens of Nigeria at home are not ignorant of our challenges as a nation, what our nation requires are solutions to specific problems.

Gusau, by the chairman of the assembly’s Committee on Information, Alhaji Mannir Gidan-Jaja, accused the governor of misappropriating billions of naira from the state coffers.

It listed the money allegedly misappropriated to include N11 billion bailout fund, N1 billion agricultural loan released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “corrupt abuse of local government funds’.”

The assembly also accused the governor of failing to remit funds deducted for pensions and gratuities to pension fund administrators as provided by law.

According to the statement, the governor had also ignored a resolution of the assembly not to appoint Alhaji Murtala Jangebe as chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board.

It said the assembly had passed a vote of no confidence in Jangebe, after

he was allegedly found to have misappropriated over N1 billion belonging to the board in 2014.

The statement accused the governor of frequent foreign trips which have had negative impact on the day-to-day running of government, apart from imposing financial burden on the state.

The lawmakers condemned the arrest of the Speaker, his deputy, majority whip and supporting staff of the assembly by the Department of States Security.

The lawmakers described the arrest as a clear interference in the functions of the legislature as enshrined in the Constitution.

The statement urged President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the DSS against further interference in the matter. ``We are also demanding the unconditional release of our principal officers who are currently under detention with the DSS in Abuja.’’

THE Quick Reinforcement Force (QRF) of 251 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison, on routine checks, has arrested a truck loaded with 25 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other goods covered and concealed at Molai check point, on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo, to explain.

He too denied supplying terrorists fuel and other items, but claimed to be a mere trader that supplied goods to customers in Damboa, based on demand.

However, preliminary investigation revealed that he had been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa as alleged.

Although investigations are still ongoing, it is suspected that it could be the means through which he had been supplying the terrorists with dire logistics in Sambisa forest.

This is more so that there is a ban on the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers such as that within the theatre.

Both suspects and the exhibits have been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigations.

In a related development, a dead body was dropped by unknown persons and found by Civilian JTF at Ruwan Zafi MM Ali Filling station opposite NNPC Mega Station, on MafaDikwa Road.

The deceased, whose name was given as Abba Aminu, aged between 35and 40, was married with four children.

He was stabbed with a knife on his chest by his assailants.

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businessnews

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Naira stays down at 292/$ —Agency report

Investors hold on upon uncertainty

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AIRA was stuck at a record closing low of 292.90 to the dollar on Wednesday after just one transaction was carried out, with the supply of dollars drying up and no intervention by the central bank, traders said.

On the black market, the naira was quoted at 368 on Wednesday.

The naira was unchanged from Tuesday’s close after one transaction worth $380,000 was made on Wednesday. That trade was done at 1150 GMT, more than three hours after the market opened.

The interbank market had seen just $300,000 traded on Tuesday, again in one transaction.

Traders had expected the central bank to intervene to ease dollar shortages, but that did not materialise.

Commercial banks had been quoting to trade the dollar as low as 295.50 naira on Wednesday.

“Recent FX reforms have been enough to re-open the investment case for Nigeria, but there is still some uncertainty about the functioning of the market,” Alan Cameron, economist at Exotix said.

“The absence of volatility at N283/US$ was interpreted as a sign that administrative controls were still in place; it remains to be seen if those will be fully removed.”

Banks had been quoting the dollar at 281 to 285 naira after the central bank lifted its 16-month old peg of 197 naira to the dollar last month.

But the lack of liquidity has curbed activity, leaving the central bank as the main supplier of dollars, traders

say.

On Monday, currency traders introduced a maximum resale premium on dollar trades to try to boost liquidity after a transaction made without spreads sent the naira tumbling to a record intra-day low.

Investors have welcomed

the removal of currency controls but many are still steering clear until Africa’s biggest economy shows signs of a concrete recovery.

“Most investors would like to see a more liquid FX market before resuming purchases of local assets,” said Samir Gadio, head of Africa

has been sold in futures contracts ranging between one month and one year. A onemonth contract for $26.7 million due on July 27 was sold at 279 naira.

In non-deliverable forward markets, the one-month naira-dollar forward was quoted at 314.50.

From left: Former General Manager, Ogun / Osun River Authority, Mr Jimi Omoliki; President, Ibadan Business School (IBS), Yinka Fasuyi; Mr Tokunbo Obayan and Fara Fasuyi of IBS, at a training programme for CEO Master class Programme of Ibadan Business School, recently.

NEITI says Nigeria lost over $5.9bn in 2013 to oil theft MR Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said that Nigeria lost over 5.9 billion dollars in 2013.

Adio told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a forum on Tuesday in Abuja that 4.7 billion dollars was lost to oil theft and pipeline vandalism from the 5.9 billion dollars.

He said that N20 billion was lost due to delay in pay-

ment made by NNPC and its subsidiaries.

“NNPC and its subsidiaries were given 90 days to pay N20 billion, though they paid the amount but could not meet up with the credit grace period given to them by the government.

“If we calculate all the money that the country lost and put in fixed deposit at 12 per cent rate, on one transaction the country lost N13 billion and N7 billion on the

Lack of production responsible for low volume of non oil export in 2016 —NEPC EXECUTIVE Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo, has said that the low volume of non oil export in the first half of 2016 was due to low production in the country.

Awolowo stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the country moved from almost three billion dollars in 2014 to less than 1.6 billion dollars 2015, adding that it would be much lower in 2016.

“We are not improving, the statistics in figure are very low and we are moving from almost three billion dollars in 2014 to less than 1.6 billion dollars in 2015; it is going to be lower in 2016.

strategy at Standard Chartered Bank.

“Given the significant discount of naira-settled futures, a number of offshore financial institutions and hedge funds could be tempted to get involved in the foreseeable future.”

A total of $579.3 million

“The factors responsible for this are low oil price and then manufacturing is almost dead, if you do not produce you cannot export.

“It is what is produced, manufactured and grown in Nigeria that we can export,’’ Awolowo said.

He said the country was not replanting cocoa and cashew trees, adding that such would affect exportation of the products.

Awolowo said to address the challenges, the council started a programme called ‘Zero Oil Plan.’

He said the plan identified 21 priority countries as markets for Nigerian products (termed “Export 21”).

Awolowo added that the plan also identified 11 strategic export products with high financial value to re-

place oil.

He said the strategic ones are Petrochemicals, Palm Oil, Cocoa, Soybeans, Rubber among others.

“To achieve this, Nigeria must scale up domestic production to levels unprecedented and create competitive channels to move cargo and get goods into foreign markets,’’ he said.

Awolowo said the plan would facilitate export intermediaries to source products from millions of micro, small and medium enterprises, thereby providing employment for millions of youths across the country.

Awolowo said the country must increase its productivity, productive capacity and improve the industries as well as look at the value chain to boost exportation.

other hand,’’ he said.

He also said that 600 million dollars were under paid due to under assessment, as a result of non renewal of expired MOU with some oil companies.

“We signed MOU with some oil companies that expired and because we did not renew the MOUs, the oil companies used a particular pricing methodology called realisable price.

“Government wanted oil companies to use official selling price; if we calculate the difference between official selling price and realisable price, the country lost 599 million dollars in one year.”

He said the money was lost due to under payment and under assessment because the oil companies were using realisable price instead of official price on expired MOUs. Adio also recalled that the country lost 5.18 billion dollars to crude oil for Product Swap and Oil Shore Processing arrangement in one year.

“It means that we give them crude and they give products, and then calculate the value of the product received, processing allowance, cost of freighting, clearing, demurrage.

“We calculated the value of products received and compared to crude given to

them, then we realised that 518 million dollars was lost.

“Based on our recommendations, the present government has cancelled the arrangement to save money.’’

On non remittance of 3.8 billion dollars by NNPC, he said that the company divested eight assets owned by the country.

“The country owned 55 per cent of the assets and Shell owned 45 per cent; the country’s assets were valued at 1.8 billion dollars from it 55 per cent and Shell 2.72 billion dollars from its 45 per cent.

“As if that was not bad enough, they divested the assets to NPDC and it paid 100 million dollars out of the 1.8 billion dollars.

“The proper value of what Shell got from its own 45 per cent would have been 3.4 billion dollars, meaning the assets were valued at discounted price at a loss of almost 50 per cent.

“And 100 million dollars out of 1.8 billion dollars was paid and NPDC took full ownership of the assets.’’

He recalled that NNPC collected 1.29 billion dollars outstanding from NLNG in 2013 and acknowledged receipt but did not remit the fund to the government.

However, he said that NEITI was not keen in embarrassing and sending people to jail but things should be done in proper manners.

Nigerian Tribune

Zenith Bank is Most Customer -Focused Bank—KPMG ZENITH Bank Plc has again been rated Nigeria’s most customer-focused bank by the leading Advisory and Consultancy firm, KPMG. In the 2016 edition of the annual banking industry Customer Satisfaction Survey recently released, Zenith topped other Nigerian banks in the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) with a total of 74.6 points to clinch the prime position in the retail banking category; thereby re-enacting the feat it achieved in 2013 and 2014.

Guaranty Trust Bank came second with 74.1 points closely followed by Diamond Bank and Stanbic IBTC with 73.5 and 73.1 points respectively.

The survey, launched in 2007, draws responses from customers across the retail, SME and corporate banking segments on customer preferences, levels of satisfaction and expectations from their banks.

Zenith Bank has featured prominently in the survey since it was launched 10 years ago, according to organisers; “to heighten consciousness of service delivery among Nigerian Banks.”

In 2014, the bank cleared all three categories: Retail, SMS and Corporate Banking; having similarly won two of the three categories but SME the previous year.

The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) measures customer satisfaction with banks, and are ranked based on the perceived level of satisfaction derived by customers surveyed from the different categories.

The key factors considered by CSI include convenience, product/service offering, executional excellence, value for money and customer care.

Zenith Bank is one of Nigeria’s strongest financial institutions with a shareholders base of over one million and the largest bank in the country by market capitalization and tier- 1 capital.

The Zenith brand has also maintained a consistent track record of performance in several parameters including profitability and liquidity managerial competence.

The bank’s impressive growth and performance over the years have earned it excellent ratings, recognitions and endorsements from local and international agencies and institutions; some of which include: Best Customer Service Bank Nigeria 2015

by Global Banking and Finance, Best Corporate Governance Bank Nigeria 2015 by Global Banking and Finance and Best Bank in Corporate Governance 2012, 2014 and 2015 by World Finance.

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editorial

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Thursday, 21July, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The lingering OAU crisis

HE Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been in the news in recent times for the wrong reasons. The Federal Government, on Monday July 18, directed the Senate of the university to appoint an Acting Vice Chancellor for the institution. This was the latest of bizarre developments on the crisis which started with the commencement of the search and selection of a new vice chancellor for the 55-year-old federal university by its Governing Council headed by Professor Rowland NdomaEgba, a renowned orthopedic surgeon. Initially, allegations of financial impropriety were levelled against the then outgoing vice chancellor, Professor Tale Omole, who then tasked his challengers to go to court or petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if they had any facts to substantiate their claims. Until his tenure terminated, however, nothing concrete was done in that direction.

It was no wonder then that the eventual selection of Omole’s deputy in charge of Academics, Professor Ayobami Salami by the Governing Council was seen as an attempt to continue with the old order and met with stiff resistance, not by the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), but by its Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) local branches which constitutionally have no role whatsoever in the appointment of a vice chancellor. They alleged that Omole in his desperation to install his crony compromised the process to favour Salami. They therefore called for the dissolution of the Governing Council and the selection of another vice chancellor.

They proceeded to court to halt the process but the university’s Governing Council also went to court to obtain an order, under whose cover it ensured the selection of a new vice chancellor and the winner received due official documents and was in fact congratulated by the authorities as the new vice chancellor.

Naturally, the academic calendar of the OAU is lagging behind that of its counterpart federal universities due to the crisis that has bedeviled the university and this ought to be a great source of concern to all stakeholders, including members of alumni and parents. The intervention of the Federal Government in the aftermath of the sit-out being held by the NASU/SSANU members at the University Secretariat directing Senate to appoint an Acting VC after dissolving the University Council and suspending the process of the selection of the vice chancellor left many key questions unanswered.

Who will call the Senate to order where the choice will be made, seeing that there is neither a VC nor Council in place?

Even salaries have not been paid since there is no one to

order and sign same. We think that the restoration of order should have been ensured before the Federal Government intervention. Or are the NASU/SSANU members so powerful that they can muscle a sitting government to do their bidding?

When did the appointment of a vice chancellor become the job of NASU/SSANU? Indeed, how do you whimsically suspend a process that has been concluded? Has the congregation of professors who voted denied selecting Salami? The intervention of the Federal Government is an aberration, given that federal universities have been granted autonomy by the Federal Government.

What is more, the agitation that attended the selection of the new OAU vice chancellor is not novel. To take just one recent example, in the case of the choice of the current Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole as the vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, there were also protests and it took the intellectual wizardry of the then Governing Council headed by Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to resolve the imbroglio.

The OAU is not the first place where a DVC Academics has succeeded the incumbent vice chancellor.

The national body of ASUU should not watch what is the gain of several months of struggle go down the drain. This is not about Salami. It is about the due process. The choice of an acting VC will further compound the extant problems, as precluding former contenders from participating in the new process is not justiciable. Again, the courts are there to adjudicate in situations like this, such that the lives of young ones in school are not allowed to go to the ruins while workers flex muscles. There are processes for removing incompetent vice chancellors. Salami has already been appointed and given a letter to that effect. He should be allowed to resume and then evaluated and removed if the need arises, but it must be based on facts rather than trumped up charges. The cases in court should be allowed to run their course while the school calendar runs as scheduled.

To say the least, the manner of the announcement of the sack of the OAU Governing Council and its University of Port Harcourt counterpart is demeaning, and may discourage competent citizens from taking up such responsibilities in the future. Those in positions of authority both at the federal and university levels should aim for peace. This is the only condition under which this citadel of learning which has produced great minds can continue to play its role in engendering development, earning accolades and recognition in the comity of varsities globally.

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The plight of pensioners

•The search for water.

States’ endless request for bailout THE Federal Government’s ill-advised decision to dole out N90billion loan to the states has generated some dust among Nigerians. It is like struggling to meet up a problem you can’t solve. It is not different from a drunk fellow offering a helping hand to an already intoxicated colleague; it is sure that both

of them will land in a gutter. States should be encouraged to paddle their own canoe, while the Federal Government should do everything possible to stimulate the economy through inclusive growth.

The economy of the states as it stands at the moment is worrisome. Just last month, a non-govern-

Curbing Nigeria’s population explosion I want to appeal to the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, to do more to curb Nigeria’s population explosion. At 180million people, the country is over-populated, considering the infrastructure we have on ground.

If nothing is done on time, by 2030, Nigeria is predicted to be the fourth most populous country in the world, and we can only imagine the effect of that on our bad infrastructure.

In order to save the situation, the government should start orientating Nigerians on the problems over-population can bring to the country. Government should also let the people know the benefits of having the right number of children.

When a family has few children, they will be able to take care of them well, while giving them the best of everything.

•Oladejo Taiwo, 08035505314

mental organisation, Economic Confidence, in its investigation, revealed that 15 states of the federation may go bankrupt as their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), in 2015 were far below 10 per cent. Lagos State alone was said to have swallowed 32 states all put together.

The poorest southern state is Ekiti, which is the only state from the South to be among the 10 lowest IGR earners, while the rest in the category and bottom of the ladder are Northern states. From the above scenario, we don’t need a soothsayer to tell us that there is fire on the mountain.

Also, it seems we have

quickly forgotten that some state governors are financially reckless in spending, since they always believe that monthly allocation will come from Abuja. It is puzzling that while some existing states inevitably appear to be struggling financially due to their inability to stand alone, some are very much clamouring for the creation of other states. I don’t

think this agitation is born out of patriotism, because if it is, it would have been a positive thought towards ameliorating the problem.

I think it is high time we structured our federalism.

There is need to go back to the drawing board. If advanced countries like Canada, Australia, Britain and others are still operating the parliamentary system; this system believes in giv-

provided strong opposition to Federal Government policies.

The truth is that there was not a policy government took that it didn’t think about what the opposition APC would say.

Therefore, when the PDP lost federal power, I expected it to also provide strong opposition to the APC. It is so painful that it is at this time that PDP members are fighting supremacy battle over who

ing power to the regions to develop and compete and not necessarily concentrating power and resources at the centre as it is in Nigeria today.

The Federal system of government we are operating is too expensive, it is porous and full of linkages.

•Alifia Sunday, 08035850876

Agony of Kogi civil servants KOGI State civil servants are passing through the most trying period in their lives due to the nonpayment of their salaries.

Before the last administration left, the workers were

owed three months salary arrears. However, when the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello came on board, it promised to tackle the issue of ghost workers who have been feasting

PDP, put your house in order WHAT is happening in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today should give lovers of democracy cause for concern. We may not support the party, but a nation that has only one strong party is not a democracy; such country can only be likened to China, which practices one-party democracy.

When the PDP held federal power, everybody knows how the All Progressives Congress (APC)

I want the government to see to the plight of pensioners across the states of the Federation, especially as regards the issue of the minimum wage.

Today, the official minimum wage is N18,000, but it is shocking that some pensioners in the states still earn below that amount. I, therefore, want to charge the government that whenever it wants to approve the new minimum wage for civil servants, it should do same for pensioners immediately so that our senior citizens won’t be living below the minimum wage.

•Azeez G.A, 08132278905

controls the structure of the party.

If the PDP fails to put its house in order, then it will go the way of other extinct political parties in Nigeria’s history.

I, therefore, want to appeal to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, and other PDP leaders to dump their personal ambitions in order for the party to survive.

As it is now, the party is heading for the rocks.

At a time when members of the party should be strategising for the 2019 general election, they are busy fighting among themselves.

If the PDP fails to settle the differences among its members, then it is a matter of time before it goes into extinction. This is the time for members to come together as one.

•Tumini George, 09095687489.

on the state’s finances. The workers cooperated with the governor and were going for the screening exercise until they had a misunderstanding with the committee. Consequently, this led to a labour dispute with the state government.

Today, civil servants are not having it easy, especially with a situation whereby they get alerts of payment, but they actually don’t find anything in their accounts.

Another painful part is that civil servants, particularly teachers, are made to accept just 60 per cent of their full salaries. This is not good enough and I hope that Alhaji Bello can find a lasting solution to these problems facing civil servants in the state.

•Bala Nayashi, 08033559403

opinion Why Nigeria must not lose the Igbo 15

By Tony Osborg

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facturer, is also Igbo owned. There are several industrial breakthroughs the Igbos have made in Nigeria than I can presently count.

On the level of trade and retail businesses, Igbos are the most successful traders and retailers in Nigeria, and possibly around the world. Across every Nigerian city, they do not only control the major retail markets, but they equally dominate small and medium scale industries, and are synonymous with the description of being ‘importers’.

Their natural inclination towards economic activities has driven them across the globe in search of opportunities.

There is hardly a country in the world where you don’t find an Igbo man doing one legitimate or illegitimate form of business. The Igbos have proven to the rest of Nigeria beyond reasonable doubt that they are not lazy people.

In literature, the father of modern African Literature is an Igbo man by the name Chinua Achebe. His work, Things Fall Apart has remained one of Africa’s most read book, which brought international attention to Nigerian literature. Chinua Achebe remains an inspiration to most African writers.

In politics, the Igbo are the only nationality to have successfully executed Nigeria’s first and only political revolution, with the subsequent military coups being merely revenge ploys and schemes for political power.

In 1966, a group of senior Igbo officers forcefully took over power and wiped out a set of corrupt politicians in a bloody putsch. While the Igbos laid the foundation for political revolutions in Nigeria, today they are demanding for an independent nation. The Igbos like to fight for what they believe in and they always do while damning the consequences of this.

The Igbos control a fair share of the oil and gas servicing industry in Nigeria. The biggest indigenous oil servicing contractor in Nigeria today is Igbo-owned. The first indigenous and independently (without any shred of government funding) owned gas power plant was built by an Igbo in Aba – the Geometric Power Limited.

From haulage to logistics, procurement to real estate, finance, sports, entertainment, manufacturing, engineering to medicine, science, etc., the Igbos have been making Nigeria proud, locally and internationally. The Igbos might be arrogant and even exploitative in their quest for profits and expansionism, yet Nigeria can ill-afford to lose them from the union. They technically control the formal and informal sectors of Nigerian economy and they are everywhere making progress, with or without political patronage.

I was surprised to find out sometime last year that Igbos still engage in rural-riverine-onshore trading across the remotest villages of the Niger Delta. In this remote village near the Atlantic ocean in Bayelsa State which is only accessible through water and the air, these entrepreneurial Igbos have designed a floating market. They bring in their goods, dock their big boats once in two weeks, make sales and move to another village along that dangerous terrain – a business idea the indigenes of that area have never considered venturing into. The Igbos are definitely risk takers!

In this community where I have stayed for the past few months in Anambra State, the number of modern houses in this non-industrial, non-commercial small Igbo village is more than I have seen in all the oil communities I have visited in the Niger Delta put together. The Igbos are that successful and they always remember to invest in real estate in their home states.

The Igbo influence in the Roman Catholic Church worldwide is amazing. An Igbo, Cardinal Arinze, was once rumoured to become the first black Pope! The Igbos have a strong affinity with the Roman Catholic church and they have made a mark on the church globally.

Anyone who thinks the Igbos cannot survive as an independent nation might need to have a rethink., and it will be in the interest of Nigeria if they stay.

have tried to measure the contribution of Igbos to the development of the Nigerian project and the conclusion I have reached is that Nigeria must do everything possible to get the Igbos to remain within the Nigerian union. They (Igbos) have contributed unprecedentedly to the development of the country in every sector. They are an exceptional nationality, comprising ‘born’ entrepreneurs, industrialists, academics, adventurists, etc.

A Nigeria without this set of people and their drive for economic success might be boring and uninteresting.

In terms of their industrial spirit, the Igbo are probably the only nationality that has built several industrial estates across Nigeria. In 1997, an Igbo engineer, Ezekiel Izuogu, produced Nigeria’s first indigenous prototype car in Imo State. Africa was excited by his ingenuity. However, due to financial constraints and dirty Nigerian politics, the Izuogu Z-600 model could not hit the Nigerian market as a mass produced car. His workshop was later vandalised and his efforts destroyed. The dream died.

Few decades later, another Igbo, Innocent Chukwuma, has launched Innoson cars, making him the first indigenous car producer in and from Nigeria. Anambra and Enugu states alone have over six indigenous estates. By indigenous, I mean industrial estates built by indigenes, and with little or no government support. Nigeria’s first indigenous car is made in one of those estates – in Nnewi precisely.

The industrial estates are hosts to several other indigenous manufacturing companies, including one of the biggest plastic manufacturing plants in Africa.

One would be pleasantly surprised to see what the Igbos are producing in their industrial estates. It will not be wrong to say that Igbos are driving the indigenous manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy with little or no government support. The first indigenous Nigerian company to produce an internationally certified brand of computers, Zinox, is Igbo, by the name, Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh from Imo State. The Igbos dominate the electronics market and have built a series of ‘computer villages’ across the country. Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical companies – Emzor, Juhel, Orange, Rico, etc. – are Igbo owned.

Anabel Mobile, the first indigenous Nigerian phone manu-

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

•Osborg is a public affairs analyst.

Shinkafi: Goodnight to a silent benefactor

By Gani A. Adeniran AN English poet , John Donne seems to have captured my mood over the recent death of Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi when he wrote that the death of every man diminishes me because I am involved in humanity. More than being diminished, I can say I am terribly devastated over the passing away of this rare breed for I know that we still need him more than the heaven does.

As I watched on Friday, July 8, 2016 from a distance how the remains of Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, Marafan Sokoto were lowered into the grave at the Hubbare where Uthman Danfodiye and other great men of the Sultan Caliphate were interred, I literally crashed and substantially betrayed emotions, weeping like a baby. Earlier same day, I stood at attention as his body was being brought out of the Arik plane, not from the first class seat in which he usually travelled but from the luggage compartment. And so my friend, my brother, my father, my benefactor and a benefactor of the University of Ibadan where I work has gone to the great beyond! May Allah grant him Aljenah Firdaus.

A lot had been written and said about his life, education and career as a policeman, federal Commissioner, national security expert, family man, technocrat board guru and politician of huge proportions. My tribute is on his life time when the elements had already been well formed in him and the structures well mixed in the matter such as the nature can rightly say as in Julius Ceaser “This was a Man.” I came close to him about 20 years when I was Warden, Sultan Bello Hall, University of Ibadan from 1996-2001 although I had heard and read of his large heart and wide social networking through the indomitable late Are-Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao arguably his soul mate in the South West.

Determined to make a difference in my new assignment as Warden beyond the routines of room allocation to students, shop/kiosk to hawkers, students discipline including running after squatters and other mundane assignments, I decided to float a Sultan Bello Distinguished Lecture series in memory of the 2nd Caliph in whose memory the hall was named and who was largely regarded as the founder of modern Sokoto Caliphate after Uthman Danfodio. The first in the series of the lecture

which was held on 04 July, 1997 entitled “The Life and Times of Sultan Muhammadu Bello of Sokoto” was delivered by Dr. R. A. Adeleye, former Federal Commissioner of Industry and a renowned authority on the Sokoto Caliphate, and formerly of our Department of History.

The then Sultan, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido was the guest of honour. He publicly remarked that by naming lecture series after Sultan Bello and not any other thing, we have kept alive his memory and what he cherished most- education and the spread of knowledge. The occasion was witnessed by many dignitaries including members of the Sultanate such as Magayin Gari, Magayin Rafi and the Waziri Sokoto. Although, Alhaji Shinkafi could not attend the inaugural lecture in person, he was the prime mover behind it success and he equally got the Sultan to attend in person. Needless to say that the occasion garnered donations far in excess of N2milllion of that time. I later became a regular visitor to Ribadu Road, Ikoyi, Lagos residence of Marafa Sokoto and we used to drop letters meant for “Sokoto people” in his house .

Alhaji Shinkafi was the Special Guest to the hall at the 1998 edition of the Lecture. A mild incidence happened in the hall on that day. Everybody that we had invited failed to honour our invitation probably because the Sultan did not come. Only Alhaji Shinkafi and his few friends were there. Noble Bellites wore grim faces; . It was obvious that the year’s edition was not going to be as glorious as the previous year’ edition.

When it was time for Alhaji Shinkafi to make his speech, he announced a donation of N500,000 of that time on behalf of himself and those that he invited and did not come!! He said he

would “punish” them for not coming!! Noble Bellites and our Hall Master, Professor Adetoye Faniran roared in joy. Noble Bellites started dancing. A week later, Alhaji Shinkafi redeemed the pledge with allocations of different amount to his friendscorporate and individuals such as his law firm, Chief Harry Akande, Alhaji Shehu Mallami, Alhaji Dankabo, Oba Otudeko, Chief Tunde Olojo, just to mention a few.

The University published the benefactions in the bulletin and the Vice-Chancellor wrote appreciation letters personally signed by him to all the benefactors. Alhaji Shinkafi equally raised money from his friends and associates for Queen Elizabeth Hall’s week activities to the tune of N750,000 in 2012/2013 session when my daughter was the Hall Chair.

Alhaji Shinkafi was a well-organised person, you do not have to see him personally or hang around him or sing his praises before meeting your expectations. He has a fully functional office with retinue of efficient and courteous staff. All you needed to do was to write and your letter would get to him and you would be notified of his decision.

By the time I left the office of Warden in 2001, three other editions of the Sultan Bello Distinguished Lectures were delivered

by Professor J. F. Ade-Ajayi, Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN and Professor Adele Afigbo. Alhaji Shinkafi was always there to provide the link between us and the Sultanate and his other friends and associates.

I maintained close relationship with him till he breathed his last. On the morning of the day he passed on, July 6, I received a Sallah message from his daughter only to be shattered by news of his death later same day. He was a man of candour, diligent and respect and always seeking the best for people. He was always a man of his word. Right in his house or office, he made contacts and got things done without making noise. I doubt if he kept records of how much his non-financial influence had helped to maintain justice, fairness and equity in our body polity. Shinkafi died in London from an undisclosed illness on July 6, 2016.

•Dr Adeniran is of the Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Ibadan.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Day National Hospital got sealed off over debts Christian Okeke -Abuja

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T was a day of anger and frustration when National Hospital’s main entrance was sealed off by the taskforce of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) over environmental debt owed the board by the hospital.

The drama over the shutting of the hospital’s main entrance gate by the board took the hospital’s management, patients, motorists and other passers-by by surprise.

Abuja Xtra observed that while the commotion was going on at the gate as the Board arrived to shut down the hospital using its taskforce with retinue of security personnel, the hospital, which was caught unawares, quickly opened its alternative gate for patients and other emergencies, unknown to the task team.

Speaking exclusively with Abuja Xtra over the incident, spokesperson of the hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said management of the National Hospital

viewed the action of AEPB as an embarrassment, unheard-of, painful and disturbing.

He said that the board only came to embarrass the facility, its management, patients and other passers-by with its action.

Haastrup said the delay in making the payment was not the fault of the hospital as efforts to make transfers to the board through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) were unsuccessful as it did

National Hospital, Abuja.

SMEDAN to assist states on small, medium enterprises development Tyavzua Saanyol -Abuja THE Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, has promised that the agency will assist state governments in developing their small and medium enterprises.

Radda spoke while exchanging views with the Governor of Plateau State, Solomon Lalong, in his office in Abuja where

he noted that the agency was well positioned to assist state governments in developing and promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), considering the strategic importance of the sector to wealth creation and poverty alleviation.

He said the agency was doing all it could to formalise MSMEs so that they could access funds and other benefits.

The DG explained that the agency was being repositioned to meet the challenges of the present times.

“SMEDAN will assist the state in key areas of business development services and entrepreneurship training. Furthermore, I congratulate the governor for establishing the state small and medium enterprises development agency.” he said.

Responding, the Plateau State governor, Solomon Lalong, noted that SMEDAN remained key to actualising one of his agenda for youths and women in the state.

Group seeks release of intervention fund to varsities Christian Okeke -Abuja

A non-governmental organisation, Citizens for Leadership, Education and Development (CFLED), has urged the Central Bank to immediately release intervention funds accruable to universities in the country.

It recalled that N1.3 trillion was earmarked in 2013 as intervention fund to upgrade and develop critical infrastructures in higher institutions, and noted that the non-release of the fund had hindered implementation of ongoing projects across the universities. Coordinator of the group, Sylvester Ugochukwu Ezenwa, who made the plea in Abuja, recalled

that the Federal Government had, during a negotiation with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) to end the then five month-old industrial action, agreed to set aside the funds for implementation of projects in the schools.

He, however, noted that since the agreement was reached between the two parties in 2012, only about N100 billion had been given to the institutions, a situation he observed led to the abandonment of projects by contractors. According to him, such development was inimical to the growth of the educational sector. He noted that out of the N1.3 trillion, the government was expected to release about N220 billion

yearly to the universities.

He said: “These schools were asked to submit NEEDS assessments projects after which it was agreed that an account should be opened with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where the funds will be kept. The Federal Government is yet to release over N700 billion covering a period of three years and the balance of 2013 respectively to the institutions.

“We reliably gathered that an industrial action by ASUU, which would paralyse academic activities at the university campuses, was imminent as the Federal Government has since reneged on the agreement.”

appear the board was still using commercial banks for its operations, contrary to the order to revert to the TSA. The spokesman admitted that the hospital had the accumulated sum to pay to the board, but noted that when the initial effort to transfer the money on TSA platform failed, it quickly dispatched a team which went to the board to make explanations and was given an alternative account which, again, failed to accept TSA transfers.

According to him, the hospital had about N11 million as monthly electricity bill as well as its water bills, yet was not owing the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and the FCT Water Board and wondered why it could be assumed that it did not want to offset its environmental bills.

He said, “Sure, we owed, but we made attempts to transfer the money to them because we are already on TSA platform, but because it seemed they are not on TSA, it did not go through “It is embarrassing that AEPB can come and lock up our gate. Assuming we have emergencies and ambulances bringing in patients, imagine what they would have encountered?

We had to open an alternative gate for people to come in because we cannot afford not to attend to patients “I think that they are still using commercial banks for their operations and that is why the thing was not going through. If they are using TSA, we won’t be having this problem and if you must seal up any institution over debt, is it an institution of this nature, a National Hospital?

“We are working now. They just disturbed our work. We know the implications of locking up the gate of the hospital when we have emergencies and ambulance cases,” he said.

Minister makes case for people-centred leadership Adetola Bademosi-Abuja MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has made case for national leadership that centres on the people, as a way to pull Africa from under-development.

He lamented while delivering the fourth convocation lecture at the Nigerian Turkish Nile University in Abuja that many Africans risked their lives while heading to foreign lands in search of better life.

The minister further lamented that while citizens of other continents arrived Africa for resources to develop their various nations, African leaders should use same resources in their various homes to develop their own countries for the happiness and prosperity of their people.

He said, “Such leaders stop at nothing to weaken and if possible strangulate the opposition. This is more so in multi-party democracy where there are many political parties.

“They move very quickly to weaken and emasculate all other institutions of state.

With weak institutions, they find it easier to deny their citizens the protection of their fundamental human rights.”

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016 With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

Juju: The stagnation of a musical genre From I.K Dairo’s refreshing contribution, to King Sunny Ade and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey’s reign, this piece traces the evolution of a musical genre which spanned the oil boom of the 70s, as well as the draconian period of economic austerity occasioned by military rule in the 90s, while lamenting its current gradual decline.

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HE origin of the name juju is an interesting one. Early juju musicians played an array of instruments majorly drums, guitars and their voices. It was not unusual for singers to sing and beat the tambourine.

And sometimes in the heat of the groove, they would throw their tambourines high in the air and catch. The translation of the verb throw in Yoruba is “ju” and Yoruba, being a tonal language, repetition is often used to lay emphasis, hence the doubling of the verb throw which is “juju”. This brand of music derived its name from the showmanship of performers who beyond singing throws the tambourine with the view to catch and thrill the crowd. Although the tambourine is not much a consequential instrument tied to the sound of juju music as a whole, it also gives insight to the roots of juju music especially in the early African church.

Juju music is believed to be a syncretism, a marriage between traditional practices and western instruments like highlife and in some places, it is believed to be highlife. The idea that highlife is actually a genre of music on its own is quite bothersome, especially as it is more of an aesthetic than it is a definitive sound.

After the influential West African tour of Ghanian Highlife maestro, E.T Mensah in the 1950s, it became possible to musicians that a cocktail of their culture can be made using western instruments and highlife music of this era could be identified by the substrate of the culture from which it was drawn. The highlife of the Ijaws is markedly differently from the Yorubas and the Igbos too had their own sound.

In this same vein, juju music could easily be referred to as the south-western Nigeria’s derivative of highlife but again this declaration is problematic in its simplicity. Juju’s early precursors —ashiko as well as agidigbo — did not so much as have Western influences in their sound. Those sounds remain distinctive today, even if its practitioners are aged and dying off.

The bail-out will be that modern juju music is a close variant of south-western Nigerian highlife. With practitioners like Tunde King, Tunde Nightingale, as well as the influential & Kehinde Dairo, juju music became updated to the modern status of a highlife sound. I.K Dairo, an Ijesha man who had worked as an itin-

•Chief Ebenezer Obey erant cloth-seller and barber, formed his band called the Blue Spots band, which played a distinctive role in the invention of modern juju music. With his background in the early African church of Cherubim and Sepharim, he introduced Christian hymns into juju music. He was also said to have mastered the accordion which he also brought into juju music. His falsetto was not so much a new addition or his tendency to sing in his dialect or his demure style of praise singing, but he updated juju music by refreshing it to aspire to the standard of highlife music. His mastery of the rpm records also helped him to cut short tracks and ensured his fame as the first juju superstar.

It will not be unusual today to draw blanks when you mention the name I.K Dairo. The more likely response will be to mistake the father for his son, Paul Play Dairo, a decent Nigerian rhythm and blues singer who has scored quite a number of hits remaking some of his father’s old tunes.

Forty plus years after the Nigerian civil war and the boom of juju music (along with oil sales in Nigeria), the juju superstars that linger on our lips are King Sunny Ade (KSA) and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, both one-time apprentices of Moses Olaiya, the musician/comedian, and Fatai Rolling Dollar, the agidigbo music maestro respectively.

Their musical journey was that set for greatness even though they started from a humble scratch. King Sunny Ade, born

The rise of Juju music coincided with the oil boom of the 70s, so that praise singing became a prominent aspect of the music.

•King Sunny Ade into both royalty and poverty in Ondo Kingdom, had a love for music so intense that he was more willing to sing than to get a western education. His sojourn to Lagos led him to the highlife band of Moses Olaiya. He would break away from this apprenticeship to start his own band, first called Green Spots band, a name curiously reminiscent of the influential I.K Dairo. Ebenezer Obey’s journey is quite similar, even though it began about five years earlier than Sunny’s ; his apprenticeship with Fatai Rolling Dollar’s band culminated in his forming the International Brothers who became the Interreformers after they switched their initial style of music from juju-highlife to the definitive juju that characterised Obey’s oeuvre.

As time would have it, the rise of juju music coincided with the oil boom of the 70s, so that praise singing became a prominent aspect of the music. This ensured that KSA as well as Chief Commander, honey-tongued griots, became not only superstar musicians but millionaires. Hugely talented and prolific, it is best to imagine them as the ying-yang of juju music. Whilst KSA is the graceful entertainer with nimble feet, Obey’s music is more reflective and philosophical— both are accomplished guitarists. As one would expect of music made for dance, KSA’s music is sometimes fast-paced and suffused with innuendoes that conflate dancing prowess with sexual activities.

Obey’s closest attempt to a booty call was from his early numbers and his most successful love song, Paulina is at once a sultry appeal and a lover’s prayer.

If the 70s was for oil boom and mirthmaking, the 80s was a very unsettling period in Nigeria’s politics and economy, fraught with coups and countercoups.

Music and precisely juju music was one of the casualties of this era, the tune of the music moved away from merriment to more reflective and meditative themes, however this was after KSA signed a deal with Island Records. In the wake of Bob Marley’s death, Island Record’s attempted to raise yet another global superstar and the easy charm and charisma of KSA

had drawn them to his sound which they re-engineered into a sonic masterpiece which became characteristic of King Sunny Ade’s music. It is this remake that Rolling Stone Magazine referred to as “gently hypnotic, polyrhythmic mesh of burbling guitars, sweet harmony vocals, swooping Hawaiian guitar, and throbbing talking drums” Whilst KSA was moving his frontiers into the international market, Ebenezer Obey had made an influential album that took care of all ceremonial events known to the party-loving Yorubas. Weddings, birthdays as well as naming ceremonies were part of his all inclusive long-playing record which is still played or covered till date.

Of course there were other musicians doing juju music. A good number of them released influential albums, the likes of Kayode Fashola, who was at a risk of sounding too monotous; Dele Abiodun, Segun Adewale, who was in duo with the less-speaking and more guitar-strumming Shina Peters, but the soil was stifling as the competition was keen and way above their heads, it was covertly between Sunny and Obey.

Names like Dayo Kujore, Mico Ade, Dele Taiwo cluttered the juju musicsape in the 90s, a draconian period of economic austerity occasioned by military rule. In the face of unrestrained hunger and hardship, by all means, culture is one of the early casualties. In this period ironically, juju music enjoyed the fresh breath of Sir Shina Peters(SSP). His triad albums Ace, Shinamania and Dancing Time were so successful in south western Nigeria that the widespread popularity trekked to Midwestern states and dared to cross the River Niger!

Shina Peter’s strategy to the juju of his forebears was quite enthralling. As with every genre of art, individual talent and insight was important and what Mr Peters did differently was to quicken the pace of juju music with a column of heavy percussion like the music had never had. His nimble feet and love for sexual innuendo was very reminiscent of King Sunny Ade but his percussion pattern was deliberately different. Even his snare drummer brought a distinctive sound that juju had never known. His percussion seemed to aspire to American rock music and Shina did not pursue this sound with guitar strums; he had little interest in the Hawaiian guitar that KSA had brought into juju music presumably after his contact with the sonic alchemy of Island Records.

Shina Peters would go on to release a slew of albums and notably his climax was after “Dancing Time” with a music video with video clips of his huge concert at the Obafemi Awolowo University.

However, that juju music has not produced a single influential practitioner since SSP is a reason to assume that the genre has remained stagnant for about two decades. This does not take away from the continual practice of this style of music by local bands and even by its former practitioners, or the thousands of LPs of the albums churned out still enjoying its fanatic audience till date.

•Dami Ajayi is an entertainment journalist.

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arts&review

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Using entrepreneurship to tackle youth unemployment

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NTREPRENEURSHIP has become a major buzz word in Nigeria, and that is not for nothing.

Most of us are aware that youth unemployment has gone beyond just an economic problem to also become a social problem. The issues of pipeline vandalism, terrorism, thuggery, electoral violence, kidnapping and sectional agitations are hugely due to the fact that these young ones (majority of them graduates) are not properly engaged.

Those clamoring for entrepreneurship have also come up with different approaches for tackling this, the most notable of them being skill acquisition.

Kachi Ogbonna has however done something completely different. As much as he believes in entrepreneurship and skill acquisition, in his new book, “How They Started,” he argues that the solution to unemployment in Nigeria must begin with a fundamental mind shift.

He believes that Nigerian youths are talented enough to tap into the numerous opportunities that exist in the country, but they must first of all believe that they can. They must first accept that those opportunities are there because, according to him, no one can feature in a future that he cannot picture. The author is an entrepreneurship and youth empowerment consultant. From his many years of mentoring young entrepreneurs and growing startups he discovered that the ‘entitlement mentality’ and the ‘blame game’ has become about the biggest hindrance to the realization of the full potential of Nigerian youths. He insists that everyone is ultimately responsible for his or her own success or failure.

The author argues that the solution to graduate unemployment in Nigeria is not rocket science. He maintains that if the universities can focus more on how to produce job creators rather than job seekers then unemployment will soon become an issue of the past. He insists that each problem in this country provides a great business opportunity for those who are willing to add value to the society.

In showing how Nigeria has always been a land of opportunities, the author traced how businesses that started decades ago are still waxing strong. He also gave examples of how other businesses that were launched just about four years ago have grown to become multinationals today.

He profiled 25 innovative brands cutting across different sectors including technology, the Internet, entertainment, learning and development, manufacturing, restaurants, health and transportation.

Artmosphere to host 2 writers ARTMOSPHERE, one of Nigeria’s leading culture, music and literature events, will host two great writers in the city of Ibadan.

Tanure Ojaide, poet laurete and scholar, and Sam Omatseye, writer and columnist.

The arts event curated by Artmosphere Nigeria has been encouraging arts, conversation around literature and culture since 2015.

The July edition of Artmosphere, with the theme ‘Writing Back to Home’, will engage the writers at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan on Saturday, July 23, 2016, at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

Through these, he showed that opportunities abound in almost every sector of the Nigerian economy. His efforts in securing one on one interview with the founders of these brands also goes a long way to validate the information in the book. Each of the founders shared his own unique experience of what it takes to start, the challenges faced and how they handled them, how they funded their businesses and most importantly every one of them has words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

This book couldn’t have come at a better time than a period when the Nigerian economy has plummeted to an incredible low. It couldn’t have been more appropriate than at this time when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently reported that 4.3 million jobs were lost in just 10 months. Maybe that is just a mere coincidence, yet government and citizens alike will benefit immensely from the latent force of possibilities the book ignites as we seek to drag ourselves out of the present mess.

A review of Kachi Ogbonna’s book, How They Started: Innovative Nigerian Brands by APEH OMEDE. Perhaps for the first time, someone has embarked on the important task of documenting how Nigerian brands started in a country where there is little or no regard for history (by the way, I heard History has been removed from the Secondary School curriculum) and credible data is difficult to come by. Maybe not for the first time, but in a very unique way, someone has told the story of the best of Nigeria.

In my opinion, this book provides a very good roadmap for producing a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Book review: Monitoring the clock of one’s life A review of Reverend Sam Adesua’s book, The Clock of Man’s life: From Starting Point to Zero Hour by ADEWALE OSHODI. IN his new book, The Clock of Man’s life: From Starting Point to Zero Hour, Reverend Sam Adesua dwells on the life of man right from birth to his transition.

The opening chapter explains how man is created by God, who distinguishes him from other animals created.

The author explains that man has a purpose for being created, unlike animals that cannot think beyond what to eat for survival, man has the capacity to think about tomorrow and plan for it in order to make it pleasant.

Apart from thinking about the future, man also has the capacity to think about his Creator and the need to be accountable to Him, both here on earth, and in the life after, “and this is the source of all religions in the world. This is why religion is basically seen as human efforts to please his Creator or the Supreme Being to attract His favour.

“Therefore, religion is full of morals; it is about dos and don’ts designed to make the religious adherent acceptable to his Creator.” (P4) However, the author laments how religion has been modified in today’s world to suit the lifestyles of different religious faithful. It is unfortunate that some faithful now see religion as a means through which the Supreme Being can be persuaded to act in their favour, especially in their day-to-day needs and challenges, and also in their fights against perceived enemies — real or imagined.

“So the issue of trying to please the Supreme Being appears to have been relegated to the background by many who claim to be adherents of religions. Emphasis appears to be more on what to derive or enjoy from the Supreme Being than what to do to please Him.” It is as a result of this that the author wants the people of the world to retrace their steps to doing the will of the Creator, rather than using religion to suit their lifestyles.

It is also to enlighten people and encourage them to live their lives with the consciousness of the brevity of human life, and particularly that sooner or later, everyone will reach the zero hour of life,

a point where he will give account of how he spent his life to his Creator. However, for those who still don’t believe that there is life after death, the author juxtaposes scientific theories on how the world is created and the Biblical aspects of same.

Reverend Adesua explains the Charles Darwin’s theory that life on the planet evolved over a long period of time, till it got to the stage it is at the moment, and this is being used by atheists to dismiss the record of creation in the Bible.

However, the author reveals that both the Darwin theory, and the Big Bang theory, which highlights that everything that can be seen with the naked eyes, and even those that can only be seen with the aid of powerful telescopes and microscopes, emerged from matter that was at the initial stage concentrated in a very large mass, are non-issues, as they are mere products of human limited knowledge or

thinking.

The author takes a powerful Bible verse in 1 Corinthians 1 vs 19-21, to back up his claim. The verses read: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

Adesua then takes a critical look at the Bible’s version of the creation of the world, while explaining that the clock of man’s life begins to tick at the time of conception in the womb. It is, however, God who winds and stops the tickling of the clock of man’s life.

The book’s fourth chapter focuses on life after death, while explaining that some people believes that once a man dies, then that is the end, while others believe that there is the after-life spirit world. Both views are, however, disputed by the author, who says the Bible reveals that, “then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

The author, therefore, explains that whatever the Bible says on any issue is the right thing, and other contrary views are just developed using human’s limited knowledge, while emphasising the reality of heaven and hell, and man is bound to end up in one of these two places.

Consequently, the essence of this book is to remind people of the tickling of the clock of their lives, while bringing them back to Christ Jesus, who will determine the world’s fate at the fullness of time.

One positive thing about this book is that it is not targeted at those who profess the Christian faith alone, but by everyone who believes that this world is a ‘market place’ and everyone will return ‘home’ one day to give account of his deeds.

The author, Reverend Adesua is a senior pastor in the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

education

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

‘Nigeria’s school system promotes exam malpractice’ Biola Azeez - Ilorin

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deputy vice chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Nike Ijaiya, says Nigeria’s educational system promotes enslavement of the mind and examination malpractice.

Speaking at the 2016 graduation and prize giving ceremony of Roemichs International Schools, Ilorin on Wednesday, Mrs Ijaiya said that intellectual debates and individual presentations are limited in Nigeria’s educational system, and that “thus new ideas or critical thinking are severely limited.”

“Nigerian educational system that emphasises completion of syllabus, objective questions at the expense of critical thinking skills, lecturing rather than group discussion, fixed chairs and desks, lecture theatres instead of loose-sitting arrangement that are movable for group discussion and assignments can only promote regurgitation of facts presented by the teachers and examination malprac-

tice,” she noted.

Professor Ijaiya advised government and the people to promote quality education above enslavement of the mind, saying that deprivation, inflation, unemployment, and poverty being complained about by Nigerians are not caused by the increase in the price of petrol (PMS), but are symptoms of a chronic disease called ‘enslavement of the mind’ “by the minority elite, of the ignorant and gullible masses who have resigned to their fate; and rather than open their eyes wide enough to see things clearly (they) would prefer to blame others and look for one-man ‘messiah’.”

Mrs Ijaiya said that Nigeria needs ideas to ‘fight’ enslavement of the mind, adding that, “an educated person should not be gullible but critical in his thinking. We need unity, intellectual solutions to our national challenges; and above all, strict laws that will curb the cheats in our nation.”

“Today, the world is ruled by new ideas and innovation. Youngsters across the globe are doing great things with technology. Can our students compete globally? How can they participate in the technological development rather than be consumers? Even when some have the ability (and we have seen great invention by some youth in this country), have

our leaders given them encouragement to develop and patent them?”

The professor of Educational Psychology also called on government to return History subject to its past glory in the school curriculum, adding that it should also make reading association mandatory in all secondary schools.

“Education is the best investment and the foundation of any meaningful development, and teachers are the pivot around which its quality revolves. Unhappy teachers cannot deliver quality education, as one can force a horse to the river, but cannot force it to drink water,” she said.

Bogoro canvasses more funding for tertiary education Clement Idoko - Abuja THE immediate past executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman Bogoro, has called on the federal and state governments to increase funding support for public universities, colleges of education and polytechnics. He also called for more focus on the children of the less privileged in the society.

Professor Bogoro made the calls in Abuja after receiving the Special Recognition award at the 6th African Achievers Awards.

He noted that despite the huge intervention efforts of TETFund, many public tertiary institutions in Nigeria still lack requisite teaching and learning infrastructure to deliver the desired quality education and development of cutting edge research.

Increased funding, he said, would help deepen researches at those institutions and in turn help to solve the nation’s numerous societal challenges.

Bogoro said improved interventions from TETFund under his leadership led to improved ranking of Nigerian universities in the world.

He said, “I still hold the vision that through the financial support of TETFund for our public tertiary institutions in Nigeria, we will be able to make our institutions compete with the very best in the world. We tried to do that and the ranking of our universities have improved significantly over the last two years.

“It is our desire that if the funding support for our public tertiary institutions continues, it will contribute to deepening an aspect that is so important to my heart and that is research, particularly applied research; so that the university researcher and professor can solve the problem of society in economy and technology from their desks and laboratories etc. That is my vision for our tertiary institutions.”

From left, South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni; Chief Executive Officer, Elpasso Farms, South Africa, Mrs Brylyne Chitsunge, who delivered the convocation lecture; Chancellor, Landmark University, Bishop David Oyedepo; and the vice chancellor, Professor Aize Obayan, during the university’s third convocation ceremony in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, at the weekend.

LASU suspends 25 students over examination malpractice Naza Okoli THE management of Lagos State University (LASU) last weekend said it had suspended 25 students who failed to appear before a panel set up to investigate allegations of examination malpractice levelled against them during the 2015/2016 academic session.

According to a statement, the decision was made by the university’s senate “on the recommendation of the Committee of Pro-

vosts, Deans and Directors on Examination Misconduct.”

The statement further said that the affected students would be expelled if they fail to honour the panel’s next invitation.

It said: “The students remain suspended pending their appearance[s] before the panel within a period of one month from the receipt of their letters.

“Failure to appear before the panel of investigation on the next invitation will lead to

expulsion in accordance with existing regulations of the university; “By the suspension, the concerned students are not to participate in any activity, academic or otherwise, of the university until the suspensions are lifted.”

The affected students are of the departments of Banking, Business Administration, Computer Science, Political Science, Public Administration, Sociology and Economics.

education ‘Govt must review primary school curriculum to improve standard of education’

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OlayinkaOlukoya,Abeokuta

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ORRIED by the falling standard of education in the country, the National President of the Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), DrYemisi Bamgbose, has called for the review of primary school curriculum.

He said the step would serve as good foundation for pupils to build on in their academic life.

Bamgbose made this call at the inauguration of a two-block of classrooms with a computer room and headteacher office, which he donated to his alma mater at African Church Primary School, Ilogun-Orile in Abeokuta North Local Govenment Area of Ogun State.

He noted that basic primary education is important to secure the future of the pupils for the greater task ahead.

The RATTAWU boss identified lack of regular trainings and workshops

UI holds World Adult Education Conference THE Adult Education Department of the University of Ibadan is to set hold its third World Conference on Adult Education.

The five-day event, which will take place at the International Conference Centre of the institution, begins from August 8, 2016.

The theme of the conference is ‘Repositioning Adult Education for Greater Relevance in a Globalised World.

According to a statement by the Head of Department of Adult Education, Professor Deborah Egunyomi, the aim of the conference is to develop mechanisms and frameworks that will strengthen the effective integration and collaboration of all stakeholders towards building a sound intellectual and knowledge base for the discipline across the world.

The department had successfully hosted a similar conference in 1991 and 1995.

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

for teachers at primary school level, as one of the major factors militating against education development, hence appealed to all concerned to address this

issue.

Bamgbose said: “If we can change our orientation, attitude to work, motivation for teachers, review our curriculum,

operations and if we have seriousness and discipline, regular attendance, training and retraining of teachers so that they can meet the yearnings of the day,

then, I think public schools will be better.

“If you look at the professors and scholars of today all over the world, they didn’t attend private

From left, Professor Oludayo Soola, Emeritus Professor Abiola Odejide and Professor Festus Adesanoye cutting their birthday cake during colloqiuum in honour of the Professors at their 70th birthday organised by Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan held at Trenchard Hall, U.I on Tuesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

3 UI Communication dons honoured at 70

•‘Mass Communication should be renamed Communcation Studies’

By Wale akinselure EMERITI Professors Abiola Odejide and Festus Adesanoye; and Professor Ebenezer Soola of the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, were last week Tuesday honoured on their 70th birthday in a colloquium organised by the department.

The colloquium, held at Trenchard Hall of the university, emphasised the relevance of language arts skills of writing, reading,

speaking and listening in the communication training curriculum of departments in the country.

In his remarks at the colloquium themed, ‘Relevance of Language Arts in the Communication Studies Curriculum’, acting Head of Department of Communication and Language Arts, Dr Ayo Ojebode, emphasized the need to create good communicators in the country, noting that language arts skills remained the vehicle through which communication takes place.

Former Dean of Arts, University of Uyo, Professor Des Wilson, in his speech, urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to consider renaming Mass Communication departments in the country as Communication Studies departments.

Wilson argued that the Mass Communication curriculum actually covers the print and broadcast and does not include the Public Relations, Advertising, Language Arts skills.

He, therefore,canvassed the term ‘Communication

2016 MaltinaTeacher of the Year entries extended

By Rotimi Ige ORGANISERS of the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative say they have extended the deadline for submission of entries for the award to tomorrow, Friday, 22 July, 2016.

This followed appeals by secondary school teachers across the country for more time to enable them file their entries for the coveted prize worth over N50 million.

Disclosing news of the extension in Lagos, Mr Kufre Ekanem, Corporate

Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc stated that entries have been received from teachers in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. “We have extended deadline for the submission of entries for Maltina Teacher of the Year because of the overwhelming appeal by teachers across the country who pleaded for the extension.

“This initiative is for teachers; we believe it is just fair for us to take their interest into consideration.

As a company, we always

listen and take the view of the people into consideration in our decision making process,” he said.

Interested teachers are advised to download application forms from the Maltina website: www. maltina-nigeria.com.

Nigerian Breweries Plc has extended the scope of this year’s edition of the awardto include privatelyowned secondary schools in the country. The initiative is to reward commitment and diligence to duty by exceptional teachers across the country.

Studies’, which covers language arts skills, indigenous communication, modern mass media/traditional mass media, community relations, advertising and marketing communication, new information and communication technologies.

“If we adopt the name ‘Mass Communication’, which is restrictive, then it means we shall lose the beautiful contributions of Public Relations, Advertising, and the arts of communication. But if we must have an all-inclusive name, that name should be ‘Communication Studies’. By their various names, each university programme is buoyed by its vision and mission statement,” Wilson said.

In her speech on ‘An Evaluation of Relevance of Communication Skills to Students Of Mass Communication’, Professor Victoria Ajala of the Department of Mass Communication, Bowen University, Iwo, recommended that language arts skill be taught from junior secondary school, while Nigerian graduates should be ‘soaked’ in high quality communication skill.

schools, they attended these same public schools and they are brilliant people”.

He emphasised the need for stakeholders in the education industry to support government at all levels in developing the nation’s educational system.

On what informed his decision to give back to the school, he said, “primarily, it is just to secure the future of the incoming generation. You never can tell what anyone can become in the future and it is better you guide those that are coming behind you so that they can achieve more than what you have achieved today.

“From that background, I felt that since we haverealised that the government cannot do it alone, the best thing we can do is to give back to the community, so that we can secure the future of the younger ones”.

The National President of RATTAWU noted that he equally provided furniture set for the classroms, and that of the headteacher office with necessary facilities and also a computer sets with a standby generating set.

He appealed to the Parents-Teacher-Association (PTA) of the school to maintain all infrastructures in the overall interest of the pupils.

“We have made the parent-teacher-association realised that the parents must also contribute their quota and not depend totally on government.”

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji OlatundeOkewole, said education remains the best legacy any parent can give his\her children for a good life.

Okewole said that quality education cannot be provided by government alone, calling for support from private and individuals to corporate with the government, adding that the government would continue to do its best in providing quality and education to the people and made it also affordable for all.

Okewole who commissioned the project lauded the kind gesture of Bamgbose and described him as a good ambassador, he therefore urged the old students to give back to the schools so as to help and add value to the system.

education Government College, Ughelli, old students donate to alma mater 21

AlphonsusAgborh-Asaba

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HE 1978 set of Government College, Ughelli, Delta State, has donated eight pneumatic manual water pumps worth over N4 million to the college.

They also donated over 100 copies of the books ‘Innovative Leadership’ and ‘How to Become a Millionaire” written by Mr. Jude Kakpobvia and Utoh Ohworieha, two members

Peak Milk rewards school cooking contest winners Naza Okoli-Lagos PEAK Milk last weekend presented cheques to winners of the recently concluded Peak Milk Cooking Competition for Secondary Schools in Lagos State.

The contest, which had 10 schools competing in the final, was one of the activities initiated by the milk brand to commemorate the 2016 World Milk Day. The students who won the competition are Miss Auwal Aisha and Miss Anene Nmesoma of the Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos (first prize); Miss Abdulrazak Jemilat and Master Bashiru Olalekan of Ojota Senior Secondary School (second prize); and Master Miebi Borisibe and Miss Akinbile Ebunoluwa Elizabeth of Well Spring College, Omole, Lagos (third prize).

While receiving the cheque for the first prize of N500,000, on behalf of her school, the principal of the Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, Yaba Lagos, Mrs. Ijeoma Ugorji, said she was “impressed by the level of integrity displayed by Peak Milk for keeping to its promise.”

She said: “We are surprised that they kept to their promises. There are many organisations that made similar promises in the past but never kept them. So, we are glad that they kept their promise.

The vice principal of Ojota Senior Secondary School, Mr. Oguntoye Ayodele, received a cheque for the sum of N250,000 (second prize); while the principal of Well Spring College Omole, Mrs. Oloriade Oluwayemisi, received the third prize of N100,000

of the Class of 1978, to the college, and sister schools, Anglican Girls Grammar School and St. Theresa’s Grammar School, Ughelli.

The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, who performed the inauguration of the water pumps, commended the old students of the college for their contributions to the development of the school.

Ebie, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Pius Omubaye, stressed the need for old students of schools to contribute towards the growth of their Alma Mater, saying government alone cannot do it all.

Also speaking, chairman of the Class of 1978 of the school, Dr. Akpor MudiagaOdje, said the project was embarked upon in the spirit of giving back to the school which he said had given so much to them.

He said: “This was where our educational umbilical cords were buried; and in retrospect, our fathers and mothers at that time, saw the light of Government College, Ughelli and they knew it was a school of unmatched and impeccable educational standard.

“While here, there were some things we were indoctrinated about, regarding the issues of culture, selfdiscipline, education, integ-

rity, honesty and steadfastness. And having built all these things in us, we were pushed into the world and we saw how these virtues enabled us to soar and tower above our challenges.”

He explained that the reason for embarking on the manually operated water pumping system was as a result of the epileptic power supply.

On his part, President of the Warri Branch of the Government College, Ughelli Old Boys Association, Dr. Richard Obiuwebvi, reiterated the determination of the old boys to bring the school back to the standard it was during its golden era.

From left, Revd (Dr) Fred Odutola; wife of late former governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Alhaja Sarat Adeola Adesina; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade; proprietress of the school, Dr (Mrs) Ayoyinka Babatunde; chairman of the occasion, Professor Kayode Idowu; Asipa Olubadan of Ibadan Land, High Chief Eddy Oyewole, and others cutting the 15th anniversary cake of De Ayo College, Old-Ife Road, Ibadan, last Thursday.

Minister tasks parents on children’s education

By Oyeyemi Okunlade THE Minister of Interior, Lt.-General A. B. Dambazau, has called on parents to invest more in their children’s education, as these are the future of the nation.

Represented by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, as the special guest of honour at the 15th anniversary celebration and valedictory of De Ayo International College, Ibadan, Oyo State, last Thursday, the minister charged the management and staff of the school not to rest on their laurels, expressing the belief that products of the school would become first class leaders of the nation tomorrow.

He also encouraged the graduating students to be prayerful, so they can become successful leaders

tomorrow.

The chairman of the occasion, Professor Kayode Idowu, in his address, asked parents to train their children so they could enjoy fruits of their labour.

He also urged every parent not to abandon their children to university and polytechnic lecturers.

“Our children need our mentorship and prayers.

Therefore, when they gain admission to higher institutions of learning, visit them occasionally without announcing your visit,” he said.

The guest speaker on the occasion, Dr L. A. Balogun, charged the students to always talk positively about themselves, hold tight all virtues they have acquired in the school.

Dr Balogun also harped on the need to acquire entrepreneurship skill, and

to see possibilities where others see emptiness.

The proprietress of the school, Dr (Mrs) Ayoyinka Babatunde, expressed gratitude to everyone who had supported her vision and mission in nurturing lives through quality and standard education.

She also commended the government for introducing trade subjects in the Senior Secondary School curriculum, pointing out that if the subjects are properly handled by experts, the problem of unemployment would be solved to a large extent in Nigeria.

She therefore called on the government to provide adequate personnel and equipment needed to teach these subjects, without which the programme could “end up giving students negative exposure.”

Thursday 21, July 2016

perspective

Nigerians must give towards education ByTunde Olofintila

Frontline legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has called on the National Assembly to amend the country’s tax laws to engender tax credit to individuals and corporate bodies who make donations to educational institutions or organizations that spend 75% of their charity budget on interventions in the education sector for Nigeria’s education sector to be up and running.

This way, such individuals and corporate bodies will be able to channel charitable giving towards education institutions, thereby augmenting the pitiably low government budgetary allocation to education.

Babalola who has always maintained that education is too important and expensive business to be left to governments alone, decried a situation whereby the 2016 budget of Stanford University in the United States of America is far in excess of the pitiable and unpalatable N392,263,784,684 which Nigeria budgeted for over 200 universities, polytechnics and colleges of education and the UBEC within the same time frame.

With this scenario, he held that it would be impossible for Nigerian universities to compete favourably with any of the top universities in the world, let alone drive innovation and maintain qualitative levels of delivery without donations, endowments or gifts from sources other than government.

The lesson from the Stanford University, he noted, is that Nigerians, corporate bodies and Rotary must contribute generously to education in accordance with international best practices.

His words: “Improving education is a social issue that affects the potential competitiveness of any economy. Social improvements in this area can only lead to socio-economic benefits generally.

“Education is so important because it helps us acquire knowledge of the world around us and changes us for the better. It helps us form opinions on many aspects of life; it converts information to knowledge and changes the social status of humans who acquire it. It solves problems and equips man with the ability to solve his problems…examples of outstanding American universities best illustrate the benefits of giving to education.

“Education is the best legacy that can be given to citizens of a nation. For total growth, the legacy of education should be embraced for total growth and development of persons. Educational institutions are pivotal to the development of all other social institutions. Education redefines the individual by teaching, empowering, and exposing him to various skills which enable him to handle problems and manage other legacies.

Babalola spoke on the subject ‘Imbibing a Vibrant Philosophy of Philanthropy as a Catalyst for Driving the Provision of Qualitative Education in Nigeria: The Role of Rotary International’ at the investiture of the 8th District Governor of Rotary International District 9125, Nigeria, Rotarian Bisi Adegoke, in Osogbo over the weekend.

He said: “It is a notorious fact that Nigeria has never funded its tertiary educational institutions properly and it never can, given the attitude of Nigerians to endowments, donations and gifts as well as the enormous social and economic challenges which the government is always faced with, the limited and scarce resources which it has to apply and the attitude of Nigerians to donation or giving.”

He quickly pointed out that the staggering revenue of some American and British universities running into billions of naira is due to generous donations, endowments and gifts from selfless individuals and concerned organizations, a practice that appears alien to most Nigerians.

Babalola called on Rotary International and Rotarians to assist government and non-governmental organizations with their resources from national and international sources to help return Nigeria to the path of progress.

Specifically, he encouraged Rotary International to contribute to the education sector in Nigeria where poor or lack of education has been the catalyst to most of its developmental problem so that governments and founders of private educational institutions are not left alone to solely fund the education sector.

He observed that while Rotary has embarked on numerous laudable projects such as eradication of polio and fighting disease, youth exchange and development of leadership skills as well as saving mothers and children, some of which affect the educational sector, it is not yet Uhuru, stressing that a comparative analysis of the endowments available to Universities in the USA and UK such as Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and London with Nigerian universities reveal that there is a wide abyss in the area of funding and endowments.

• Olofintila wrote from Ado-Ekiti

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education

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Buhari committed to empowering youths —Adeshina Bags FUPRE students’ award

Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

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HE Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Monday, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to empowering youths in the country.

Adeshina, who bagged a Monumental Award from the students of Four Square Gospel Fellowship of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun, Delta State, urged the students to take their studies seriously.

The award, which was given to Mr. Adesina on the occasion of the 2016 Four Square Gospel Fellowship Students Week programme, was in recognition of his distinguished service to the nation as a professional in the media industry and his positive impacts in the lives of youths in the country.

Mr. Adesina, who was represented by Mr. Emmanuel Ogoigbe, thanked the students for considering him for the award along with prominent Nigerians, including the senator representing Delta Central District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

The media aide urged the students to be worthy ambassadors of the nation anywhere they find themselves.

He reiterated President Buhari’s resolve to empower 5000 youths across the country in the next two years, through the current employment programme of the federal government.

The special assistant to the president also noted that the decision by the federal government to scrap post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) was aimed at making admission to tertiary institutions less cumbersome for Nigerian youths.

He said, “I wish to express my profound gratitude for considering me for this award. It is indeed a worthwhile honour. As you all know, the nation is going through a process championed by President Mohammadu Buhari, whose tireless effort to redeem Nigerians from the shackles of oppression, corruption and all forms of criminality should be encouraged by all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the FUPRE 2016 Students Fellowship Week

programme, Mr. Onni Joseph Yusuf, who presented the award to Mr. Adesina,

said the students in FUPRE have been monitoring his activities for a

while, and that they had found him worthy of the award.

Teachers and pupils of Crown of Glory Schools, Iyana Arapaja, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan during their excursion to Tribune House, Imalefealafia Ibadan, recently.

Teachers and students of Talenty International School, Balogun, UI, Ibadan Oyo State during their excursion to Nigerian Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, recently.

FG reiterates commitment to improving Unity Schools Celestine Ihrejirika, Umuahia

THE Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to repositioning Federal Unity Colleges across the nation.

This was disclosed by the Director Basic and Secondary Education Department, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Anne Okonkwo, who was represented by the Deputy Director (Unity Schools), Mrs Angelina Obiageli.

Speaking during the 39th annual speech and prize giving day of the Federal Government College, Okigwe, Mrs Okonkwo noted that the Federal Ministry of Education required the collective will of all and sundry to move the education sector forward.

She said Unity Colleges across the nation have remained reference points of academic excellence in secondary school education, and that many old students of the school have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour.

Mrs Okonkwo congratulated the principal, manage-

ment, staff and students of the college for living above board, and urged them not to relent on their efforts, just as she said the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of education would continue to provide the enabling environment for the college to achieve its

set goals and objectives.

She noted that the FGC, Okigwe, has distinguished itself because of its several landmark achievements.

In her speech, principal of the college, Dr. Mrs J. A. Ezemoka, gave a brief history of the college, noting that

FGC Okigwe has continued to maintain zero tolerance for indiscipline.

She lauded the Federal Government and members of the Parent-Teacher Association, as well as old students of the college for their contribution to the college.

AAUA appoints registrar, bursar THE Governing Council of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, has approved the appointment of Mr. Michael Sunday Ayeerun and Mrs. Veronica Olubunmi Ologun as Registrar and Bursar of the institution respectively.

The appointments, which take immediate effect, were approved after considering the reports of the interview panel for the positions at an emergency meeting of the council.

Mr. Ayeerun hails from Ifira-Akoko, Akoko South East Local Government of Ondo State. He obtained a B.Ed. (Hons) degree in Adult Education and Political Science from the University of

Ayeerun Calabar in 1987; M.Ed. in Educational Management from AAUA in 2006; Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM) from AAUA in 1996; and Certificate in Management of Higher Education Institutions from the Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, GIMI, 2013.

Until his latest appointment, Mr. Ayeerun had been

Ologun the acting registrar of the university since January 1, 2016.

Mrs. Ologun hails from Ikaram-Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

She holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Accounting from Imo State University in 2007; and M.Sc. in Accounting from the University of Benin in 2010.

Nigeria can create wealth from agricultural byproducts —FUTA don A university don, Professor Babatunde Ajayi of the Department of Forestry and Wood Technology of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has advised Nigeria to transform the many benefits of agricultural by-products to create wealth and sustainable development.

He made the remarks while delivering the 77th Inaugural Lecture of the institution, saying that adequate use of the byproducts would help reduce the exploitation of forests biodiversity, increase efficiency in wood resources utilisation, and prevent environmental degradation.

According to Professor Ajayi, making use of the byproducts will also help alleviate poverty, mitigate climate change and increase raw material base for construction work.

Speaking on the topic: ‘Adding Value to Biofibre Wastes: A Lesson from Creation’, Ajayi said various manufacturing processes of new products open up a large vista of opportunities for job creation, new products development, healthier environment, commerce and sustainable chains of profitable activities.

He described fibrous wastes as materials considered to be of no economic importance which are derived from the processing of fibrous materials such as wood, wood climbers, shrubs, bio composite panel products and any agricultural farm produce.

Ajayi listed the benefits of the use of agricultural residues to include reduced pressure on forest resources biodiversity, increased innovation in products manufacturing, poverty alleviation, increase in farmers’ income, and increase in raw materials supplies for construction industries.

The Professor of Wood Products and Biomaterials Technology lamented that the mismanagement of forest resources has given rise to enormous wood wastes generated in every forest, which he attributed to over-exploitation of timber resources without skillful harvest techniques, and inadequate modern technology in wood wastes management.

On the way forward, he emphasised the need for the government and all stakeholders to bridge the technological gap in intensive commercialisation of research products, particularly in tertiary institutions.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016 Editor:

health

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

Fruits for diabetes: All you need to know Many patients with diabetes suffer because they are ignorant of the exact diet to take.

Experts, in this report by SADE OGUNTOLA, say that it is necessary for patients to understand what, how, when and why they should eat fruits.

E

ATING fruit is a healthy way to satisfy hunger and meet daily nutritional needs. However, most fruits contain sugar, which raises questions about whether they are healthy for diabetics.

Is fruit unhealthy for people with diabetes? Certainly, fruits consumption is healthy and it should be part of everyone’s balanced diet to provide enough energy and help to maintain a healthy weight.

Some fruits such as mangoes are high in sugar, but can be part of a healthy diet as long as not too many are eaten. But, the consumption of some fruits is restricted in persons with diabetes whose blood sugar control is bad.

Fruits for people with diabetes to eat or avoid “Not all fruits should be consumed by persons with diabetes, especially those with very sweet taste, because of their glucose and fructose content,” said Dr Adebowale Adewunmi, a consultant nephrologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

“This is not saying that they cannot take a whole orange or apple a day because they equally need vitamin C and other nutrients present in these fruits. But we do not encourage intake of fruits like pineapple that has very high sugar content,” he said.

He said diabetics with poor sugar control are always asked to stop consuming fruits with sweet taste such as oranges and banana, till they achieve a good blood sugar level control.

Dr Adewunmi, however, said there is no restriction in amount of fruits such as African garden egg, cucumber, carrot and grapefruit that can be consumed.

Cucumber Professor Abayomi Akanji, an endocrinologist at Quinnipiac University, Connecticut, United States of America, declared as incorrect the notion that diabetics should not take all kinds of fruits. “Many people essentially eat what they could find. So in general, persons living with diabetes are only asked to avoid intake of simple sugars, adding sugar to their tea, coffee or food; oily foods as well as junk foods.”

Also, the mode of preparing the food is equally important. Steamed or grilled foods are healthier than fried foods.

Amount of fruit to take For decades, five serving of fruits is recommended per day for every individual. The size of a baseball or a small piece of orange, apple or half the size of a medium sized banana is equivalent to a fruit serving.

In persons living with diabetes, the quantity of fruits consumed is also important. Moreover, Professor Akanji said fruits cannot be taken as a meal by a diabetic. While vegetables can serve as a meal, fruits are supposed to be

If the patient is hungry, he should go for garden egg and cucumber which serve as the best snacks for him.

like desserts.

Professor Akanji added that coloured fruits, in particular are very good because they contain chemical substances such as carotene that are important for body functions such as good eye sight.”

He cautioned however that consumption of fruits that have sweet taste should be in moderation, urging that people stay within the limit of five servings of fruits a day.

“Calories from the recommended five servings of fruits per day are not too much.

Staying within this limit will not cause a spike in blood sugar level compared with say rice or bread,” he said.

Eating fruit plays a role in managing diabetes Professor Akanji said that fruit consumption is good not only because they contain vitamins, but also antioxidants that can actually delay the progression of some complications of diabetes.

“So, I am not going to prescribe that you do not take orange, apple and so on, but that the intake of fruits should be in moderation and within the specification that your doctor or dietician has given you,” he said.

Also, he declared that fresh fruits are better than fruit juices that most times are sweetened.

Intake of fruit smoothies or homemade

juices, he said must also be within limits.

“Fruit smoothies, which is blended fruit, has high fibre content and it is going to actually help to reduce blood sugar level,” he declared.

Interestingly, garden eggs and cucumbers were the best snacks for diabetics. Jummai Abdul, a dietician with Wuse Hospital, Abuja, said “If such a patient is hungry, he should go for garden egg and cucumber which serve as the best snacks for him.”

Abdul also recommended a little quantity of unripe paw-paw and grape which she said cannot increase patient’s blood sugar level.

According to her: “Patients should take all classes of nutrients including carbohydrate, protein, mineral, vitamins and vegetables such as green, pumpkin leaf, spinach, and steamed cabbage.”

She, however, warned that it was important to apply limitation in the consumption of the items.

“The quantity of food to be taken by a patient depends on the Body Mass Index (IBM) of an individual and the blood sugar level.

Safe fruits for diabetics •Strawberries: Its antioxidants support good for eye sight by preventing diabetic retinopathy and diabetic cataracts.

•Apples: Aside helping to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels and bowel function, its anti-inflammatory effect can help diabetics to recover from infections faster.

•Pears: Pears is rich in vitamins and minerals and a good source of fibre to help regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and improve digestive health.

•Grapefruit: This great source of vitamin C also contains chemical substances, which can increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin and helps to maintain a healthy weight.

•Oranges: Aside its high content of soluble fibre, oranges help to keep blood sugar levels under control and lowers blood cholesterol levels.

•Guavas: Guavas are very low in GI and helps to keep your blood sugar levels steady and energy sustained.

SEX, SEXUALITY&YOUR HEALTH

NATURAL HEALTH

Ginger, nature’s protection from colon cancer —Don Page 26

Reignite the passion in your relationship Page 26

24

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

The secret behind my new dark glasses

“Ladies and gentlemen, I must apologise for the sudden interruption of my presentation following the commotion we experienced last week. We all ran for safety.

The incident stirred up in me memories of how I lost my eyes,” said Tamuno.

He continued, “I also have memories of a similar real life encounter while in the company of a pastor-friend. Our mutual friend had died and the pastor was chosen to preach the sermon at his wake. He preached a beautiful and touching sermon about death and heaven.

“You must all work and walk towards heaven,” he had said and concluded with that beautiful song, “Seeking Heaven Alone Brings True Happiness.” Finally, he asked the audience, “Raise up your right hand if you want to go to heaven.”

Every hand was up! He beamed with smile, looked right and left and asked them to lower their hands. Then he asked again, “If you would like to go to heaven right now raise up your hand?” No one raised up his hand. Suddenly, as if on cue, without any warning, there was a loud explosion. The pastor dived and I dived under the table. He passed out. I sustained severe knocks on my eyes and saw stars.

Everyone else was standing unperturbed! It turned out that a young man had filled an empty water sachet with air

and suddenly compressed them between both hands leading to the explosive sound!

It was a practical joke which only the two of us fell for. When the pastor came round a few minutes later, he said remorsefully, “I was turned back at the gate of heaven by an angel. He said my time was not yet up.”

“Many, especially children, have asked me the secret behind my new dark glasses.

Some have asked me to remove them so they could see my eyes!” It has remained my secret. A secret is something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others. Why should I share it with others? It is my business and not their problem!” I had surmised.

It’s a painful reminder of my past - my folly - and it has been very difficult to accept the finality of it all. You may ask, “Why have you changed your mind and

These glasses are my eyes. Without them I see nothing

decided to share it with members of the United for Vision Club now?” “Simple! I had a rethink – others must learn from my experience.”

Tamuno raised his hand as if he was going to remove his glasses; hesitated; dropped his hand to his side and smiled.

Then raised up his hand again, pointing at his glasses, said, “These glasses are my eyes. Without them I see nothing.”

Everyone was very attentive and focused on his glasses.

For the first time, I saw some special features that I had failed to see before.

They are not ordinary sunglasses! Definitely, he wasn’t seeing through them!

It occurred to me that what looked like lenses were actually electronic plates with microchips. This is a mini camera/ computer, I concluded.

Immediately, I was even more curious than before. What is behind these glasses?

I would like to see his eyeballs to be able to appreciate how the contraption worked.

“You may recall that I obtained my first pair of glasses in my first year in the university because of short-sightedness (myopia). I saw the world as never before. I had them changed many times later.

But just a few weeks to my 41st birthday, I began to have difficulty punching out numbers on my mobile phone or reading the Bible with my glasses. I was told I had presbyopia - the effect of age on my eyes

and given a pair of progressive glasses.

Then suddenly, like a thunderbolt, I had a painless loss of vision in my right eye and a few days later in my left. My doctor told me I had tears in my retina it could be due to a combination of previous trauma and fairly high myopia for which I had been using glasses. The tears had progressed rapidly to a detachment of the retina in both eyes.

“The retina is the light-sensitive inner coat of the eye. Light rays pass through the pupil and are focused onto the retina.

The rays falling on the retina are then converted into impulses that travel through the optic nerve to our brain, where they are interpreted as the images we see. A healthy, intact retina is key to clear vision. Once detached, it degenerates and loses its function.

“The ophthalmologist advised me to have surgery to save my eyes. Reluctantly, I submitted to the surgery. It was done, one eye at a time. The outcome was great and within weeks regained full vision in both eyes. But several weeks after, something went wrong. It was all my fault.

Sadly, I lost both eyes!” Tamuno removed his special glasses to reveal his eyes – the secret behind his dark glasses! At the grisly sight, we all screamed! Why did we scream? Find out next week.

FG launches rapid result initiative for better health THE Federal Ministry of Health has launched Rapid Result Initiative programme tagged “Better Health for all” designed to produce quick and visible impact that would affect the lives of every Nigerian especially the most vulnerable and poor in the society.

Briefing the press, in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said that the set targeted goals are ambitious, but certainly doable and would keep the top management of the Federal Ministry of Health on their toes in the next 100 days of implementation.

He said that the Rapid Result Initiative would be deployed in seven major areas that would conform to both local and international health priorities.

On revitalisation of Primary Healthcare Centres, Adewole said under this project that the Federal Ministry of Health would work to revamp 110 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) within the next 100 days, one in each senatorial district including a facility in Fuka Local Government in Niger State.

The Minister said that Fuka community suffered high case fatality from Lassa fever due to cultural interpretation of the cause of the disease.

“During my unscheduled visit to Fuka, I noticed that there was no functional PHC to offer basic health care and I promised that the Federal Government will provide a functional facility, today as we speak the Fuka PHC is ready for commissioning,” the minister said.

Adewole said that the ministry was to also inaugurate Mutual Health Associations at community level to improve access to affordable and qualitative health

care.

The Mutual Health Associations are either privately or publicly incorporated body registered by the National Health Insurance Scheme solely to access health care service through health care facilities accredited by the scheme, he explained.

Speaking on malnourished children in North – East, the Minister said that Rapid Response Initiative would focus on treating 200,000 Severe Acute Malnourished children who are under five years of age in the North-East region of the country.

Speaking on its surgical intervention component, Adewole explained that 10,000 surgeries, including cleft lip and palate repairs, myomectomy, hysterectomy, Vescico-vagina Fistula (VVF) amongst others would be carried out in 46 federal tertiary institutions for indigent patients.

In a bid to operationalise the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, he said that the initiative was to have at least one laboratory in each geopolitical region including the Federal Capital Territory.

The designated hospital as laboratories were University of Port Harcourt Teaching

Hospital; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano; University Of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State; University of Enugu Teaching Hospital, Enugu State; Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Jos University Teaching Hospital; and Asokoro/ Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, FCT. On screening of Nigerians for Major Diseases, he said that Ministry is partnering with Novo Nordisk to screen about 500,000 Nigerians for diabetes and they would be appropriately referred to facilities that would cater for their needs if that warranted.

Dieticians petition National Assembly over controversial bill Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure THE Institute for Dietetics in Nigeria (IDN) has petitioned the Senate President and the National Assembly over the passage of a bill titled Dietician Council of Nigeria Bill 2016 into law calling on the lawmakers to halt the controversial bill.

The IDN call was contained in a petition addressed to the Senate President and signed by its Secretary, Tajudeen Olutope and copied the Clerk of the Senate, the Upper Chamber Legal Department and a Member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, Hon Odebunmi Dokun and the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Health.

The controversial bill according to the petitioner had already passed through the First and Second Readings at the House

of Representatives, saying only the Senate can stop it from becoming a law.

The IDN said while having a law that would regulate the practice of dietetics in Nigeria had been its top priority over the years, the current situation whereby a faction of the professionals in the field would be the one championing the move for selfish reason is worrisome.

The Dieticians stated in the statement “We discovered that the proponent of the controversial bill was a breakaway faction of dieticians from our professional body formerly known as Nigeria Dietetics Association of Nigeria (NDA) which metamorphosed into IDN and to which all members subscribed to.

“At the moment, dieticians from the entire Northern Nigeria and the other remaining two zones are in the main IDN and those who do not share the ideology of the factional Dieticians Association of Nigeria (DAN) and its leadership.

“DAN as an association of dieticians is restricted to a section in Nigeria. It is not a national association and it is not the national umbrella of the dieticians in Nigeria,” the petitioner said.

The dieticians said apart from the fact that majority of the practitioners in the country have no input in the bill under consideration, saying the bill was outside the control of the Minister of Health who should ordinarily galvanise support for the implementation of the bill whenever it becomes a law like other professions in the health field.

“In Nigeria, it is the minister of health that breaths life into any law that regulates any of the health professions.

“In the case of instant bill, the duty and powers to be exercised by the president/ minister of health were arrogated to the sectional DAN,” it lamented.

25

healthnews

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Anambra launches health insurance policy, free eye screening Newton-Ray Ukwuoma-Lagos

G

OVERNOR of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has announced the launch of a Public-Private-Partnership driven health insurance policy for citizens of the state.

The governor, who made the announcement while commissioning a newly renovated Guinness Eye Hospital in Onitsha, said that the health insurance scheme will be funded by

Kogi govt wins World Bank health project THE Kogi State Government has been awarded $1, 500, 000 by the World Bank to meet set health targets.

The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Haruna Audu, received the award on behalf of Kogi State at the ceremonial launch event for the first disbursement of funds to states on the “Saving One Million Lives Program for Results” (SOMLPforR).

While assuring all that the programme’s set objectives would be achieved, he declared that Governor Yahya Bello commitment to honouring memoranda of understanding, fulfilling counterpart funding and making sure that whatever fund or donation, received is used strictly for the purpose it is meant for.

The SOML-PforR is an initiative aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality rates in the country by providing financing to the states based on the results they achieve.

It is a response to the slow progress witnessed in the past in an attempt to curb this alarming situation of child and maternal death.

That has been chiefly attributed to the focus being on the input rather than the results achieved there from.

The programme is supported by a $500 million credit from the World Bank, which rewards states with an untied fiscal transfer (grant) from the Federal Government when they achieve improvements in the coverage and quality of key maternal and child Health (MCH) services.

On the overall, 82 per cent of the funds would be available to states based on their performance in four continuous disbursements, implying that any state that does not attain improvement at the end of the year would not receive any further funds from the Federal Government.

the government and citizens of the state in diaspora and will ensure that medical workers get paid for treating patients.

Obiano also unveiled the state’s plan to organise free eye screening services for citizens at the re-commissioned Guinness Eye Hospital.

Commending Guinness Nigeria for revamping the eye hospital, the governor admonished people of the state on the importance of eye screening, urging them to regularly check their eyes to prevent visual impairment and blindness.

He said, “This auspicious project is an important subject which ties into one of the key enablers of my

government. I would like to heartily commend Guinness Nigeria for their huge investment and commitment to providing world class eye care solutions across the country. As a testament, this facility and the equipment which Guinness Nigeria Plc has bequeathed to the Eye Hospital ranks among the very best in the

world. Therefore, Anambra indigenes do not need to go abroad again to get treated for eye problems”.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director, Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Professor Anthony Igwegbe, stated that the rebuilt Eye Hospital, which formerly treated over 850 people yearly, can

now cater for over 15,000 patients with a manpower system of 144 members of staff.

He noted that the hospital has enjoyed continuous support from Guinness Nigeria through subventions such as financial contributions, state-of-the-art optical equipment and various infrastructural upgrades.

How to solve Nigeria’s health problems —Adewole

By Sade Oguntola AS dignitaries celebrate the life and times of Professor Joshua Adeniyi, the pioneer dean of the Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, in Ibadan, Min-

ister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has stressed the need for an interdisciplinary approach to solving the many health challenges faced by Nigerians.

Adewole spoke at a faculty lecture in honour of late

Professor Joshua Adeniyi, the pioneer dean of the Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, in Ibadan.

The minister, who spoke through Professor Akin Osibogun, a community

From Left: Professor Olabode Olorunsogo, Deputy Provost, College of Medicine, UI, Professor Ademola Ajuwon; University of Ibadan’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Eminiolorun Ayelari; Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, UI, Professor Olusegun Ademowo; Professor Abayomi Akanji at the meeting recently in Ibadan.

Justifying Nigeria’s investment into pneumococcal vaccine may be difficult —Expert

By Sade Oguntola GLOBAL Director Scientific Affairs, GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, Belgium, Professor Richard Adegbola has expressed concern on Nigeria’s ability to justify inclusion of the newly introduced pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into the nation’s immunisation schedule, saying the nation lacks adequate data to do so.

Adegbola made the submission in a guest lecture he gave at the 5th Unibadan Conference of Biomedical Research entitled on “Disease surveillance for Generation of Evidence for Public Health” in Ibadan.

According to him, without baseline knowledge of diseases in Nigeria overtime, ensuring an impact

In his goodwill message at the ceremony, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa, who made a donation of a five million naira worth of eye equipment to the hospital, remarked that the re-commissioning of the eye hospital was to sustain excellent eye care service delivery in Nigeria.

assessment of the newly introduced vaccine in a bid to justify monies spent on it to policy makers could be difficult.

The expert, who decried Nigeria’s lack of accurate data, said the fact that Nigeria is not sure of its exact population also makes planning for appropriate health interventions like pneumonia very difficult.

He declared: “If you are not sure of the actual population of Nigeria, then you cannot accurately determine the extent of the problem or the amount of money to set aside for it, remember there are other things competing for that same money.”

The expert said different modes of surveillance can be done, and that each has its merits and demerits, adding that this was a rea-

son for many health conditions that remain unsolved for decades.

According to him, countries that had better data collection had been able to negotiate better prices of drugs and other interventions to tackle problems in their countries.

He assured “disease surveillance is crucial to public health decisions. For it to be useful, it needs to be ongoing; systematic and regular interpretation of the data is important. Those that need the data should have access to them.”

Professor Abayomi Akanji from the Quinnipiac University, Connecticut, USA, who earlier spoke at the conference, said Nigeria needs to adopt technologies as biotechnology to improve healthcare and agricultural production in

Nigeria.

Akanji, who spoke on “Biotechnology and health, a strategic vision for Nigeria” said biotechnology must be domesticated in Nigeria, adding that this would require a robust infrastructural development and funding to ensure it works well.

Professor Oladapo Walker, a former World Health Organisation’s representative to Uganda, also described biotechnology as a driving force behind public health interventions and advancement.

According to Walker, “without biotechnology, we would not have the methods, the know-how to be able to have new interventions in public health. So we must develop our own methods and approaches.”

health physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, stated that the problem confronting the health of the populace can never be solved by a single discipline.

According to Adewole, “the root cause of these problems are generally multifaceted and therefore can only be successfully tackled using an interdisciplinary approach.”

While appreciating late Professor Adeniyi’s efforts and foresight at promoting interdisciplinary public health, he urged that public health experts in the country come up with innovative ways of improving health of Nigerians.

Earlier, the guest lecturer, William Brieger, a Professor of Health Systems Programme at The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health highlighted many interdisciplinary public health interventions that Professor Adeniyi was involved in to better health of people at the community level.

While public health promotes the health of people and the community, Brieger said good health at the community is only achieved when multiple disciplines come together to work as a team.

According to him “while Joshua will be very much missed, his legacy will live on in the colleagues and students from many disciplines that his life has touched.”

A foremost public health expert, Professor Oladele Kale also described late Professor Adeniyi as an epitome of public health and a man of exceptional quality, who had been a great mentor.

He added, “If he had failed in this quest, probably there would be no Faculty of Public Health at the Ibadan College of Medicine today.”

Eminent health experts and groups in attendance, included Professor ABOO Oyediran, Professor Abiodun Ilesanmi, Dr Diran Olabisi and members of the Oke Ogun Development Council.

26

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Ginger, nature’s protection from colon cancer —Don

natural

health

By Sade Oguntola

A

biochemist and molecular toxicology expert, Professor Ebenezer Farombi has said that ginger was much more than a spice that adds taste to foods, but one that is also protective against colon cancer.

Professor Farombi spoke at the fifth Unibadan Conference of Biomedical Research with the theme “Biotechnology for Health and Sustainable Development”.

Farombi, a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Toxicology at the University of Ibadan, stated that researchers have shown ginger to contain chemical substances that can help to reverse, mitigate or abrogate stages of cancer development.

The expert, saying that man is still losing the war on cancer and that its prevention remains the best option, described ginger as a chemo preventive agent to be tapped into in stemming increasing cases of cancer.

The use of such naturally occurring substances as chemo-preventive agents, he said can help reverse, mitigate or abrogate cancer at its different stages of development; adding that many people were not aware of the health benefits of this spice.

The expert linked ginger’s cancer protective benefits to substances in it that has anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties, two conditions that activate processes that can lead to cancer.

Farombi declared that use of chemopreventive agents like ginger had become imperative because more and more people are getting exposed to things that predisposes to cancer.

The expert, who mentioned Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa or zobo) and fruits also

as help for cancer prevention, stated that gingerol-6 a substance in ginger also protects against colitis-associated colon cancer.

“Studies have shown gingerol-6 anti inflammation and oxidative stress effect to be comparable to that of conventional drugs and as such qualify as a new product for chemo-prevention of colon cancer.

“If a person is to develop cancer at the age of 30 and such starts to take such a chemo-preventive agent, then longevity can be ensured and shifted to say 80 or 90 years. This is what chemo-prevention is all about.”

Also, Dr Mayokun Olajide, a pharmacologist at the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom, speaking on natural products, drug discovery in Nigeria and issues around it, emphasised the need for a paradigm shift from identifying active ingredients from plants in drug discovery to that driven by molecular biology.

Given that extracts of natural products

cannot be patented but can only serve as a lead to developing newer drugs, he said the knowledge of molecular biology is imperative in the discovery of new drug.

“It has taken us from a situation of groping in the dark; now we try to understand what we are dealing with by targeting the problem at its root,” he said.

Olajide also canvassed scientists putting more efforts at drug repurposing, which he said was also an aspect of drug development that entails looking for new ways of using an old drug to treat different health problem.

He cited the use of anti-malarial drugs like Artemisinin that had been rediscovered useful in the management of Alzheimer’s disease.

Olajide, who also mentioned pomegranate fruit as helpful in preventing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, said getting new drug leads from natural product through research in Nigeria had many challenges.

While researchers can deal with such challenges as low yield and, seasonal and environmental variation of natural product extract on their own, he urged that government tackle others such as funding, policy, poor infrastructure, inadequate skill and competency to develop natural products drug discovery.

Olajide also stressed team work as important in new drug discovery as well as the academia-industry partnership, saying such a partnership would also help to drive product-oriented research.

Cancer is one of humankind’s greatest modern scourges. However, there are several studies that have shown that an allnatural remedy made of ginger root could be more effective against certain types of cancer than more harmful interventions like chemotherapy and radiation.

In 2007, the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine published a study that demonstrated ginger’s ability to combat ovarian cancer, which is the most deadly cancer of the female reproductive system. The ginger works by blocking the cancer from growing, limiting its ability to spread.

Another study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Centre discovered that ginger actually caused the death of ovarian cancer cells in a laboratory. Since cancer that is treated with chemotherapy has a tendency to recur and can build up resistance to it over time.

If ginger can kill the cancer outright, then that’s a far better solution.

In addition, another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2012 found that ginger also shows extraordinary effects against prostate cancer, a leading cancer in men.

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com

Reignite the passion in your relationship IT is a fact that you can never forget the passion in your relationship when you first met each other; when you spend all day, simmering with longing... looking forward to nightfall when you could see your partner and rip his clothes off. Those were the days. But today, if you want to get hot, you may need to lean against the stove.

Women, especially shut down sexually after being with a man over time, because, sometimes, their heart gets wounded and the man doesn’t know how to heal it. A woman’s heart is connected to her womb.

If her heart is wounded, it will close. If her heart is closed; then, her legs are closed.

Staying sexy and keeping the romance alive is intrinsic to making it last. These are few tips on how you can keep the fire of romance alive in your relationship.

Leave a love notes: Leaving a note for your partner is a thoughtful and easy way to let him know that you are thinking of him.

You can leave a little note on the bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or in his briefcase; short thoughtful words like; “Have a good day!” or “I can’t wait to see you tonight” or even “Will be thinking of you today.” This unexpected find can not only brighten his day but remind them that you love him.

Surprise dinner: Instead of cooking just any meal, plan once in a while to make his favorite meal, remember the saying that the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; make good use of this. You can

take a step further by doing the presentation and eat it with the television off. Light candles lay the table with the good china wares that you rarely use, and get a nice bottle of wine. Make this for just the two of you with the kids in bed. The time you put into it is what makes it special.

Send an e-card: There are lots of sites that offer free e-cards and all it takes is a few minutes during your lunch break to pick one, personalise it and send it to him. It is a welcomed interruption to his work day.

Put on a lingerie fashion show: You can do it all in one night or for an entire week. Try on different pieces of lingerie and do a little runway walk or sexy dance. Keep changing outfits while he admires your body in each one. Before doing this, you can even encourage him to pick out some lingerie items that he wants to see on you!

Sexual adventure: Instead of leaving kisses in the shape of a heart on the bed, try chocolate body topping. Make it romantic and sexy by taking your time licking it off his body from top to bottom. When you spend time adoring his body, you let him know that you truly care about him and his pleasure.

Don’t wait: Don’t wait for a special occasion to do something romantic. It is almost expected on those times and therefore loses some of its meaning. You want to surprise him with something small but thoughtful that expresses your love in a different way than usual. Reminders of your feelings for your lover won’t go unappreciated.

Whether you are married for years, have children or just feel the spark is waning, it is important to reignite that spark.

27

Thursday, 21 July, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

My succession plan—Fayose party chairman. I never knew such a thing was going on until it got to a point that people started saying that he told them that he would contest the position of president and make me vice president. Everybody realised it at the same time. That meant that the same way we were then trying to help him move from the temporary three months in office to substantive chairman, if we were not careful, he would become our presidential candidate in 2019 and we would become helpless. So, this problem is even better now. If you look at his antecedents and all he has been doing, you will ask: is this a life and death issue?

Have you tried to reach out to him since the crisis started?

No! I can’t because I am a very straightforward man. When I realise the facts in an issue, I step back. You cannot talk to somebody who doesn’t want to see reasons.

Don’t you want to become the vice president?

That is a different issue. Even the governorship position that I am occupying now, it is God’s will for me. I have never seen a man come back after eight years. So, who knows what will happen tomorrow? If you want me to become vice president, it is only God that will make such happen. And you should realise that nobody vies for the office of the vice president. It is only providence that can put you there. They started talking about vice president when I was just barely a year in office. How can you be eating and still be looking into the pot?

I want to tell you that even after this position, I am not contesting for anything. I am not going to the Senate like most of my colleagues.

Fayose

Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, met with some media men in Ado-Ekiti recently, where he spoke on a range of issues. BOLA BADMUS, presents some excerpts:

H

OW do you react to the belief that you were among those who brought Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the PDP and, therefore, should be held responsible for the leadership crisis in the party?

When you are travelling in a vehicle and it has an accident and has broken windows and tyres, if you want to drive that car again, it won’t gain momentum at the same time. You need time to get spare parts to put the car back in shape. That was exactly what happened to the PDP and gradually, the party is picking up.

Let me tell you, if the party does not get to this level, rebuilding it will be very difficult.

A party that has been in government for 16 years suddenly had accident like that; it is not going to be easy to pick the pieces. Direction

has not been an issue for the PDP because we had the president, good leadership, but we lost direction and leadership and everybody has become a lord. How can somebody say that a governor is not the leader of the party in the state but when they need money, they run to the governor? That is part of the fallout when you lose power. But it is not a bad situation because when you are alive, you can still get it right. A lot of people were members of the PDP because of the benefits they derived at the time the party was in power. They are political jobbers, people who want to be relevant and remain in control of the party.

On the issue of Sheriff, I did what I did in good faith. When you ask me to go and look for somebody, I can only look for someone who is right in my opinion. I am neither a perfect person nor someone who can see beyond my eyes. There are physical parameters; Ali Modu Sheriff is a former two-term governor, a former senator, so I feel that did the right thing. When you recommend me and I fumble, it is not your fault.

I had to confront Sheriff when the issue of Sheriff/Fayose ticket came up. I had to ask how Sheriff and Fayose presidential speculation came about when Sheriff wanted to be

Some people believe that you are always at the centre of controversies when it comes to Nigerian politics and as a result, it affects your ability to govern. How do you react to that?

Nobody follows a politician without knowing that he or she is able to deliver. For me to come back as governor eight years after I left office shows that I have virtues others don’t have. For me to defeat an incumbent in an election shows that I have virtues that others don’t have. Delivery of democratic dividends is the simplest thing one can do when one has the support of the people.

Most leaders today cannot come to the level of the common people but because I come to that level, I am loved by the people. You would

During Jonathan’s time, some of our leaders insulted him, but heavens did not fall and he didn’t muscle them.

be amazed by the level of support I get when I walk on the streets. Can the people continue to support a man who is not performing? If the All Progressives Congress has people in Ekiti State, it should put its house in order and be ready to defeat me in the 2018 governorship election.

I have a track record. When Fayemi contested against Segun Oni, I supported him and he won. That shows that I am the issue in Ekiti. All the landmark projects in the state were done by me. Where I left Ikere-Ado Ekiti dual carriage way was where I came to pick it from. All the dual carriageways in the state were done by me. I opened up Ekiti. There was no carriage way when I became the governor in 2003.

The state didn’t have a fire service office until I became governor, but I did one on coming to power. Seventy per cent of constructions in Ekiti Government House were done by me. So, people can’t love you for the fun of it. Despite the fact that there is no money in the state, I am sure my people appreciate the job that I am doing. The noise that is aimed at turning the people against me is not working because it is like pouring water on an egg. Politics is not speculative or imaginative. It is like sitting in the front of a mirror.

Are you not troubled about what would be your fate after your tenure given the troubles that you are going through at the moment?

Forget about that because nobody knows tomorrow. I will support somebody because it is my right to do so, and I will consult widely. I am going to present three or four personalities before the people to make a choice. There is no one who is part of the process of the emergence of a candidate who will not vote for him in the governorship election. My identity is the common man’s identity and that is why the elite don’t like me. They feel insulted that Fayose is leading them despite all their grammar. It is not their fault and I don’t blame them for that but to whom God has chosen, He has anointed and to whom He has anointed, He has chosen.

At what point are you likely to stop castigating the President?

We are not talking about castigating the president. I talk about Nigeria. It is not personal. You will recall that there have been times I commended him for some of his actions. There are fundamental things that connect us a people. We can be angry with each other but we must eat, pay our bills and fuel our vehicles.

When Dr Goodluck Jonathan was president, as bad as you may want to paint him, the exchange rate was at N220 to the dollar, look at what it is today. Even if you want to buy newsprint for your newspapers, how do you do that?

How do you pay your children’s school fees?

What I am saying about Buhari is not personal because he did not take my wife. During Jonathan’s time, some of our leaders insulted him, but heavens did not fall and he didn’t muscle them. It is the same presidency and the same power. So, we must all fight for a Nigeria that all of us would be proud of. If you are looking at my issue with the president on a personal note, tomorrow, most of you will be proud that I stood up to be counted.

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politicscommentary

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

The root cause of corruption in Nigeria

By Tony Nyiam

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ORRUPTION has without doubt become systemic in Nigeria. The political-economic system has been so soaked in the blood of graft that even the social and cultural ways of many Nigerians have become corrupted. In other words, apart from the institutionalisation of corruption in the Nigeria political-economy, many Nigerians have also become socio-culturally corrupt.

Powerful Nigerians in the corridors of power have indeed become the ironic role models of bent officials. They have been the culprits that have led us into the deep end of corruption which the average citizenry finds him or herself in almost every facet of Nigerian public and private institutions have become compromised.

The challenges which are confronting President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) in the war against corruption beg the question: What’s more appropriate: the Legal or the Legitimate means of fighting the War? This I intend to address in the form of a series of answers to the following questions: 1.

What’s the root-cause of the institutionalisation of corruption in Nigeria? 2. How has the institutionalisation of the graft been sustained? 3. How are Nigerians to be liberated from one of the world’s most corruption engendering national constitution and its legal system offspring?

The root-cause of graft, and its institutionalisation, is traceable to fundamental fact that the processes and practices of governance in Nigeria have always been pre-determined by what could be described as a ‘419 constitution’.

What else would an ernest enquirer call the existing 1999 military decreed constitution of a supposedly democratic Nigeria? I intend, here, to illustrate the falsity of the claims of the 1999 constitution. As a body of fundamental laws of a nation-state which lay down the system of government, the 1999 Constitution is neither a Federal nor a Republic’s constitution. There is nothing ‘Federal’ in its definition of the Federal-States fiscal relations: the distribution of financial powers between the Federal and the states. What is currently in operation in Nigeria is ‘Fiscal Centralism’, period.

False claims There is an obvious lack of fiscal federalism in the way the Federal Government relates to the governments of the federating states. Apart from this, there is in the horizontal relationship which exists amongst the three major pillars of government at the Federal, States and Local government levels, a lack of adequate constitutional provisions for the judiciary, for example, to be independent. The Executive arm is in control of the other two arms of government. Take for example, the Nigerian Electoral Commission it is independent only in name. An indepth examination of the 1999 constitution leaves the examiner with illustrations of numerous examples of the falsity of its claim of being a Federal Republic Constitution.

The opening affirmation of The Preamble of the 1999 Constitution which makes the claim: “We the People” is as false a representation as any big-lie can be. The fact that the military regime imposed constitution, as shown above, lies to itself and to the Nigerian people, clearly qualifies it, to be seen as a fraudulent constitution.

Being a military dictators’ regime imposition on the Nigerian people, the 1999 Constitution would have in other truly democratic countries, been rendered illegal. The South American countries of Argentina and Chile precedents are there for our learning. The legality of the extant Nigerian Constitution remains questionable. This affirmation is informed by the fact that the legality of the 1999 Constitution was, and remains; only a covetous claim. Lest it is forgotten, the legality of the present constitution arose from an unconstitutional case of a successful military coup d’etat not only begetting its own legality but imposing the legal order on subsequent supposedly, democratic governments of Nigeria. Only in Third World country like Nigeria, that such an illegality becomes legal.

While the legality of the 1999 Constitution remains doubtful, what is, however, undoubtful is the fact that the constitution is illegitimate. My grounds for saying so have to do with the process of making the constitution. It was not subjected to the due process of the universal precedent of plebiscite, for example. Without the consent of the people to whom sovereignty belongs, the acceptability (that is the ‘constitutionality’) of the 1999 Constitution remains questionable.

The well travelled routes of referendum need to have been treaded.

Narrow interests The cause of justice, equity, balance and the overall public interest is not being served by the extant constitution. The 1999 Constitution was imposed by a cabal of self-serving

Domino effect The crafty legalisation of what in civilised societies would be an abuse of the inalienable human right of people is the progenitor (the Mother) of most corruption and fraudulent (419) activities in Nigeria. This is in fact one of the major reasons and catalysts of the institutionalisation of graft in Nigeria.

What are the inhuman laws I am referring to? They are the Petroleum Act 1969, the 1971 Off-Shore Oil Revenue Decree, and the 1999 constitutions-Sections 44(3) and 62(2) and item 39 of the Exclusive list. These were the laws which were utilized to completely destroy any iota of fiscal federalism the Nigerian State had. The introduction of these profiscal centralism laws was and remains plan of the cabal of oligarchs, deliberate socio-polities-economic hegemonic grand strategy.

The consequences of the domino effect of this robbing of the North Central and the three Southern geopolitical zones to give advantages to the NW and NE, the Nigerian majority can see clearly. This FG stealing is the action which more than any other act, has caused several other institutionalised corruptions to happen one after the other.

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military officers. Self-serving indeed, as the coup plotters never served the corporate interests of the Nigerian Armed Forces. They were actually not better than rogue military officers. They were, in actuality, what I have over the decades, described as ‘professional politicians in military uniforms.’

My reason for saying that the military coup plotters were self- serving, is evident in how self-serving is the 1999 Constitution which they bequeathed to Nigerians. The makers of the imposed constitution ensured that unfair advantages were given to their own two geo-political zones, and in turn their kinfolks.

The 1999 Constitution was used as a fundamental legal instrument to legalise the shortchanging of the North-Central (NC), South-West (SW), South-South (SS) and South-East (SE) zones’ people. By creating more states and local government areas in the NW and the NE than they deserve (when compared to the NC, SW, SS and SE), they favoured their own ethnicities, particularly in the sharing of national revenue. The South-easterners and their brothers in the SouthSouth, remain the most disadvantaged by the constitution.

Systemic corruption The seed of the institutionalisation of corruption in Nigeria was sown when the resources of the crude oil producing communities, the coastal sea ports of Delta, Rivers, Cross River and Lagos States and the Value Added Taxes (VAT) collection of most southern states, were illegitimately usurped by the Abuja ‘powers that be’. This robbing of ‘Peter to pay Paul’ must not be allowed to continue. The legalisation of the stealing by subterfuge of the Niger Delta people’s endowed natural resources and the coveting of the VAT payments of residents of the South was put into effect through the imposition of the 1999 Constitution.

This camouflaged thievery by the usual parasitic elite suspects, using the Federal Government as cover, is always going on in the heart-core of the government’s revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal activities. The loot from the, as it were, conquered peoples of the Middle Belt and the Southern geo-political zones has become a kind of no-man’s money to be stolen by the parasitic elite. The corrupt political class ensures that its members’ kinsfolk are often nepostically favoured. Such example of garbage in, do of course, results in the garbage out of malpractices in many areas of the Nigerian nation-building.

The root-cause of the institutionalisation of corruption.... is traceable to the fraudulent nature of the 1999 Constitution.

Election malpractices Take for example, the institutionalised examination malpractices in many Nigerian educational institutions. What’s more discouraging is that the examination cheating goes on even at the foundation level of the Nigerians children education. This is observable during for example, the common entrance exams into Federal Government secondary schools. Anyone blessed with the discerning ability to make the necessary linkages would have seen that many Nigerian leaders have not the moral right to fight the war against corruption involving Nigerian children examinations cheating.

This has been so for over three decades. This is because, as has been well rendered, “he who comes to equity must do so with clean hands”. What do you expect from school kids whose (public officers) role models lack integrity? Over 70 per cent of Nigerian political elected officials got to their position through electoral malpractices.

The makers of the constitution went further to make almost impossible to be amended. The cabal of internal colonisers did indeed ensured that the Nigerian people will never have a say in its making or amendment. This was rubber stamped when they were allowed to exclude from the constitution any provision for referendum.

Many of the consequent challenges, which the Nigerian nation-building is facing, are as a result of the Federal Government disobedience of two of the biblical 10 Commandments: “Thou shall not steal” and “Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s house…, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:15-17). What the Nigerian State is today reaping is what its former rogue military leadership had sown.

Hence, I am humbly advising (as I have in other forays pleaded) that PMB’s agenda of Change is likely to end up as a temporal panacea, if the envisaged transformation does not extend to constitutional reforms. There is a clear strategic necessity for PMB to go beyond the superficial ‘leaveslike’ changes to the more strategic root and trunk of the tree of the Nigerian systemic corruption.

The necessity There is a clear strategic necessity for the operationalisation of the Change Agenda to go deeper, go beyond the superficial. A superficial change of the outer-most sheath of the many layers would not be sufficient. The arrests and convictions of corrupt public officials, necessary as they are, are no more than the changes of the leaves of a tree. Just as how leaves come and go, public officials-be them the Chief Executives or the public servants-come and go too.

The President needs to go beyond the superficial (leaveslike) changes to the trunk of the tree which supports the branches that carry the twigs and leaves. The ‘trunk’ here represents both the public and private institutions. We cannot begin an impactful resolution of the recurring national problems, without a restructuring of the institutions whose failures are responsible for the persistence of the challenges.

And for a worthwhile reformation of public institutions, PMB cannot avoid climbing down and indeed, digging deep to the root of the tree of the Nigerian systemic corruption.

The root-cause of the institutionalisation of corruption, like the root-causes of other recurring challenges we face as a nation, is traceable to the fraudulent nature of the 1999 Constitution.

Col. Nyam (retd) was a delegate to the 2014 National Conference.

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Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

with Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

Medview crucial Airline Chief moment W S A bags aviation 0803 365 4818 personality Nigeria’s airports not yet ripe award for privatisation ith

The Managing Director/Chief Executive, Medview Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole (left) receiving from Tourism Ambassador, Ikechi Uko, the “Aviation Personality of the Year 2016 Nigeria, Balafon Award, at the second Weizo travel and tourism conference and exhibition in Accra, Ghana.

Delta Airline deploys baggage tracking process in Nigeria Stories by Shola Adekola

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ELTA is deploying Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across its system, including Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

This is just as the airline has also reported a pre-tax income of $2.4 billion for the month of June 2016 quarter.

The technology which spreads across its entire system, according to the airline, will provide Nigerian customers with improved real-time tracking of luggage throughout the travel experience.

Delta remains the only United States’ carrier to operate nonstop service between Nigeria and the United States, offering hun-

dreds of onward connecting opportunities via Delta’s Atlanta hub.

While the RFID will replace barcode hand scanning, which is the industry standard since the early 90s, with this new technology, scanners use radio waves to capture highly accurate and consistent data stored on an RFID chip embedded in the luggage tag, driving superior tracking and increased transparency.

Through RFID, customers will see their bags on and off the aircraft during their journey via push notifications to the Fly Delta mobile app beginning in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Speaking on the innovation, the Commercial Manager for West and East Africa, Delta Air Lines, Bobby Bryan, said “RFID is another example of our investment in the Nigerian marketplace. It offers cus-

tomers clear visibility of their checked bags and will set a new standard for more transparent, interactive tracking on the Fly Delta mobile app.

“Delta’s daily nonstop flight between Lagos and Atlanta has gone from strength to strength and we continue to be focused on offering the best experience for our customers,” he said.

Better baggage handling processes and enhanced technology have already shrunk the airline’s mishandled bag rates by 68 per cent over the past 10 years, establishing Delta as the leading US-based global airline for baggage performance.

Also, adjusted pre-tax income for the June 2016 quarter was $1.7 billion, a $42 million increase over June 2015 quarter. Adjusted net income was $1.1 billion or $1.47 per diluted share.

THE Managing Director/ CEO of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, has bagged the Balafon Aviation Personality of the Year 2016 in Nigeria award, at the just concluded second Weizo Travel and Tourism conference and exhibition in Accra, Ghana.

Presenting the award, the organiser of WEIZO, Mr Ikechi Uko, commended Alhaji Bankole for his effort so far at reducing the pains of Nigerian travellers, who had been at the mercy of foreign airlines.

Uko said Medview Airline’s strong presence in the aviation industry in Nigeria is what had endeared Bankole to travellers, who through online process voted him as the Aviation Personality of the Year.

He expressed delight that a Nigerian carrier was championing the crusade to uplift the aviation industry.

In his acceptance speech, Alhaji Bankole thanked the organisers of WEIZO and noted that the industry was undergoing a metamorphosis, pointing out that from an initial over 20 Air Operating Certificates (AOC), that the industry was now down to a one digit AOC. Bankole said what has kept the airline going was its dedication to duty in ensuring that travellers get the value for their money.

Gov Okorocha commends NAMA on safety THE Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has been lauded for effectively enhancing the safety of air travel within the nation’s airspace.

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, while commending the agency at the venue of the recently concluded Airspace Managers’ Forum which held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, expressed delight that through its

commitment to excellent service delivery, NAMA has attracted a lot of goodwill to the country.

“Because of the strategic role played by the agency, I can simply define Aviation as NAMA and NAMA as Aviation.”

Okorocha who was once a Board Chairman of the agency, however, lamented that due to the invisible but critical nature of its services, “NAMA does all the

work, yet it is the least recognised in the system.”

He revealed that as part of efforts to fast-track the takeoff of Imo International Cargo Airport in Owerri in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the state government recently awarded contracts for the construction of some airport structures including a perimeter fence round the facility to forestall security

breaches along the runway.

Earlier in an address, the Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Mr Emma Anasi said “the essence of the quarterly Airspace Managers’ forum was for top echelon of the agency including Airspace Managers across the nation’s airports to brainstorm on critical issues of civil aviation and also design a road map for enhancing safety of air navigation in the country.”

hola

dekola

RECENTLY, the Federal Government announced its plan to privatise the four international airports in the country.

Speaking through the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, the government said the planned privatisation/ concession of the four airports was to guarantee efficiency and good management in view of dwindling resources from the government for infrastructural development in the aviation industry.

According to investigations, the airports to be privatised are: the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; the Port Harcourt International Airport and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

It is no news that the four airports in question are the most viable and source of revenue generation not only for the government, but pillars to other 18 inviable airports spread across the country.

Since the announcement was made, there have been reactions from key players in the country with many raising questions as to the justification behind singling out the most viable of the airports for privatisation or whatever.

Latest of the reactions came from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch, which has described the move as selfish and capable of aiding capitalism at the expense of Nigerians.

Equally, the pensioners raised the alarm about the security implications inherent in privatising the four airports which they said could be explored by dangerous elements to unleash havoc on the country. These and various other questions have continued to be raised by key players in the sector.

This is not the first time the idea of privatising the major airports has been mooted, but each time it was raised in the past, among such questions always raised was the sincerity and level of preparedness of the country towards it.

While the government has the right to come up with ideas that can make the airports more viable, certain things need to be considered before taking any step.

People often claim that there are countries that have had their airports successfully privatised, but they have failed to realise that such countries went through a thorough process which include patriotism, security, finance and labour issues.

Obviously, there are 22 airports being managed on behalf of the government by FAAN and it is on record that out of the lot, only four are viable with Lagos Airport being the most economically viable while Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano trail behind.

In other words, it is revenue mostly generated from the four that are used to service the inviable ones.

The question now is if the ‘four pillar’ airports are removed, what happens to the unviable ones? Who will continue to fund the inviable ones and of what economic benefits will they be to Nigerians?

Why privatise viable ones and why not inviable ones or why not pair two or four of inviable ones with one viable one for the so called privatisation?

Besides, who takes charge of security at the airports or is it wise to leave the security of any of the airports in the hands of individuals at this critical period when the country is fighting enemies all over? Again, which process or due diligence has been put on ground for the so called privatisation process and who are those involved?

These and many other questions are waiting for answers from the government, because presently, many key players believe that Nigeria is not yet ripe for the policy, believing that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well.

Government needs to listen to all sides on this as this will go to correct the insinuation that government wants to sell the juicy airports to its cronies leaving the inviable ones for Nigerians.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

‘Nigerian ports are very porous’

The port concession of 2006 was expected to block all unauthorised loopholes leading into the ports. In this interview with TOLA ADENUBI, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Tony Nted explains that nothing has changed. Excerpts:

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an you give us a scorecard of your administration as President-General of the MWUN? The current interaction the MWUN enjoys with the critical stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime sector, that is the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the shipping companies and the terminal operators is a living testimony to what has been achieved under my leadership of the MWUN. This is unprecedented in the Nigerian maritime sector.

Today, if you go to the ports, you will find out that the dockworkers now believe in dialogue. Gone are the days when everybody wants to shut down the ports over issues that can be resolved amicably.

Again, these dockworkers respect and believe in their leaders because we have been sincere with them over burning issues. We have been able to bring peace to the maritime industry.

Aside this, we also do what we call Dockers’ restoration; that is we teach them about being religious.

We encourage them not to pilfer cargoes when containers come into the ports. We have made them to understand that those who come to the ports to pilfer and break containers will be expelled from the ports. This has brought total peace to the Nigerian maritime industry.

Aside kicking against pilfering and breaking of containers, how has your members benefited from your leadership?

We have done more many training programmes for our members, both locally and internationally, and we are still going to do more within the short period we have remaining. Our members who are the dockworkers, NPA staffs, shipping company’s workers and sea men have all benefited from these training programmes. We have taken more than 500 people abroad for training and also conducted training locally for more than 5,000 people here in Nigeria.

Also, I have been able to achieve a

minimum standard of payment for dockworkers. What used to happen in the past was that dockworkers would work without a clear cut direction of their benefits during and after working at the ports. There was no pension allowance for dockworkers back then, but under me, we have been able to achieve that for the dockworkers. Now dockworkers enjoy pension, gratuity, terminal benefits and redundancy benefit. These were achieved under me and many more are still to come.

In the midst of these achievements, were there challenges?

Yes, we had a lot of challenges and some of them are still there till date. If you travel world over, you will find out that dockworkers are organised in a pool. There is what is called Dockworkers pool. However, such is not the case in Nigeria and this makes it very difficult to control the workers.

During the era of Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC), the dockworkers pool was organised, but after some times, JOMALIC transferred this role to the stevedoring companies and the terminal operators. And that was how the whole process collapsed.

That is why today, the port is very porous. If you go to the ports, you will see every Tom, Dick and Harry that wants to come inside the ports.

It is so bad that people that are not dockworkers are paid to work inside the ports. How those people got into the ports in the first place is unexplainable. In the quest for a dockworkers pool, the terminal operators have a role to play because they run the ports.

Also, the NPA, NIMASA and the shipping companies also have a role to play. If each of them contributes just one per cent towards the welfare of dockworkers, it will be a welcome development.

As regards the agitated dockworkers that recently disengaged at ENL, some of them claimed they are being underpaid. Can you shed more light on this?

The problem with the agitated dockworkers is that they don’t un-

derstand the pattern of their employment. For dockworkers’ employment, we have three types of employment pattern namely: time related wages employees who are permanent workers; tonnage payment employees who are casual workers; and unit payment by container employees who are also casual workers.

For the permanent employment, it is time related. These sets of workers are salary earners.

They get paid at the end of every month. They were given condition of service agreement before they were employed. They were duly interviewed by the company before they started working.

For tonnage employment, which is what is done majorly all over the world, the employees only work when a vessel tonnage berths at the port terminal. This set of workers will stevedore the tonnage when it comes. They work as fast as they can because the more work they do, the more money they get paid.

Whatever they work on the tonnage is what they get, no additional benefit.

The unit payment by container employees work on containers. The amount of containers they are able

We have taken more than 500 people abroad for training and also conducted training locally for more than 5,000 people here in Nigeria.

to discharge is what they get paid for. The agitated dockworkers were employed on the tonnage payment employment and unit payment by container employment basis. They were employed to discharge rice, wheat, sugar etc. But they want to collect what the permanent dockworkers collect. It’s not possible.

They should go to Salaries and Wages Commission for better understanding of their working employment.

How did all these problems start?

The genesis of this problem started when APM Terminal declared redundancy and asked some dockworkers to leave due to a lull in cargo throughputs at the ports. The affected dockworkers were on Time related wages which is the Permanent employment. So because they are permanent employees, APM Terminal paid them all their benefits as it was stated in their employment handbook. We negotiated with APM Terminal and made sure these dockworkers got additional incentives aside their full benefit because it was APM Terminal that asked them to leave, not that they demanded to leave.

So when the casual dockworkers who are still working heard of the amount APM Terminal paid their colleagues, they then demanded to leave, thinking they too will get such amount. That is where the confusion set in.

They demanded to leave because they taught they will get about

N5million that their colleagues got at APM Terminal; but they forgot that their colleagues at APM Terminal are permanent employees.

They also failed to realise that their colleagues at APM Terminal did not demand to quit their jobs; they were severed by APM Terminal due to lack of work to do. So the casual dockworkers demanded to quit their jobs and expected to get about N5 million. That’s impossible. We tried to explain to them but they refused to listen to us. That is why all they got was N350, 000.

Is there a new development on the Tally Clerks issue at the NPA? The NPA has succeeded in terminating the contract of the Tally Clerks but the MWUN is saying they don’t have such right. The only people registered by law to tally cargoes when they arrive at the seaports are the Tally Clerks.

Cargo surveyors cannot tally cargoes, what they do is to calibrate cargoes and reveal their tonnage, even though the figures they give are not always correct. But the Tally Clerks do the tallying of the cargoes one after the other.

Through this, if there are arms and ammunition concealed inside a cargo, the Tally Clerks will detect it. If the Cargo is underdeclared, the Tally Clerks will detect it. So since NPA announced it will be cancelling the Tally Clerks contract, they (Tally Clerks) have dragged NPA to court. The case is currently in court as I speak to you.

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

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Thursday, 21 July, 2016

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news

Wednesday, 20 20 July, July, 2016 2016 Wednesday, Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Peace Mass Transport not blacklisted —FRSC Clement Idoko - Abuja

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HE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclaimed reports in a section of the media that it blacklisted the Peace Mass Transport Company.

The FRSC denied that it had indicted or blacklisted any major transport operator in the country for accident related- issue.

The Head, Media and Strategy of FRSC, Mr Bisi Kazeem, said this on Wednesday, while reacting to a report that the corps had blacklisted “Peace Mass Transit Operator” for involvement in accidents.

He, however, disclosed that the FRSC was concerned that the company’s vehicles had been involved in 10 road accidents in the last six months which claimed 22 lives and not 37 lives.

He said the corps had an interface with the PMT on the incidents, saying it was a routine interface when the corps noticed upsurge in road accidents involving the fleet of any company and which is not limited to PMT. “We came out with a statistics to show that about 22 people were killed in accidents involving PMT in recent time.

“But, unfortunately, when we sent the press release out, there was an error where 37 were mentioned. It is actually 22.

“As a responsible and responsive organisation, we felt, we should correct the mistake because we are not here to spoil business for anybody. Our own concern is safety and way forward,’’ he said.

He further stated that once FRSC observed a trend, may be a particular fleet operator is getting more involved in crashes

than expected, where more lives are being lost, such organisation is invited.

He noted that this was being done through a department in the corps,

Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS), being supervised by the Corps Transport Standardisation Officer (CTSO).

Johnson Babajide - Makurdi THE Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State capital, on Wednesday, reserved judgment between Honourable Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former

Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Federal Government has denied the allegation that Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) and Christian Religious Studies (CRK), subjects in secondary schools, have been merged.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has accordingly, directed that the teaching of the two subjects in secondary schools must be done as separate subjects.

The minister said the directive has become necessary following weeks of speculations in the social and conventional media networks across the country that the two subjects have been merged into one.

This was contained in a statement by the deputy director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education , Abuja.

The minister clarified that there was no compulsion in the study of the two religions and that secondary school students are at liberty to choose any of the two subjects, depending on their religious leanings.

According to the minister, the confusion was created by a publisher, who produced a book on the subjects, combining Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) and Christian Religious Studies (CRK), which is being used in some private secondary schools.

For the avoidance of

doubt, the minister said CRK and IRS, have remained separate subjects in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and

Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja

H

UNDREDS of workers at the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO), under the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees

We will spill our blood to reclaim Bakassi —Militants Anthony Ubong - Calabar

MILITANTS under the aegis of the Bakassi Strike Force have vowed to fight with the last drop of their blood to reclaim the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular which was ceded to the Republic of Cameroon.

Leader of the group, General Simple Benjamin, who stated this in a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune in Calabar, on Wednesday, said though the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had ceded Bakassi to Cameroon, they would stop at nothing to reclaim the ceded territory.

He, however, called on the Federal Government to revisit the issue of Bakassi, by putting up a realistic resettlement plan for the displaced people, who, ac-

cording to him, had been going through severe hunger having been relocated from their ancestral home.

“Let it be on record that we would not leave Bakassi to go like that, we will fight to the very last drop of our blood to make sure that our land is reclaimed.

“If government says they cannot reclaim our land, then let them come forth and do the right thing, by making sure that a proper resettlement approach is made for the people.

“We need to go back to wherever they want to relocate us to. We cannot remain in Cameroon and they stay in Nigeria, it is not possible. What can we say about our inheritance, what will we tell our children about our heritage-our generations to come.

retariat at Sogunle, Ikeja, PDP deputy chairman, Chief Shakiru Ola Apena, said the call became imperative as the status of the present occupants designated as Sole Administrators, did not exist in the constitution of the Federal Republic.

Apena, who spoke at a wellattended press conference by party executive members, however, asserted that the PDP was fully prepared in anticipation of the council poll, saying structures had already been put in place in all the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

Reacting, spokesperson of the All Progressives Party

(APC), Mr Joe Igbokwe, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on phone, assured that the state government would hold the election anytime this year, saying what the State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) was doing currently was to create new wards and polling units for ease of the exercise.

This was just as he lashed out at critics, who he said, were of the view that the exercise might not hold until next year, adding that they (critics) could only talk while the government through LASIEC, would take the real action in terms of fixing the date for the exercise after new wards and polling units

the National Examinations Council (NECO).

The minister, therefore, advised members of public to ignore the false information.

Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company workers protest unpaid salaries

“We would fight from start to the finish. The Bakassi issue must be revisited; something must be done for the people of Bakassi. We are not fighting for our selfish interest; we are fighting that government should come back and revisit the issue of Bakassi. They should look into the plight of our people.

We are human beings and our voice must be heard,” Benjamin said.

Expressing optimism that the ICJ judgment can be reversed, he said, “If you have been following events, there are fresh facts which have come out concerning the ruling of the ICJ. In litigation when there are fresh facts you have the right to revisit issues. We want them to first listen to some of the issues which have been put on the table.

Election ‘ll hold this year, APC assures

LAGOS State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to put in place without further delay, processes that will lead to the conduct of a free, fair and transparent local government election in the state, saying it will mobilise residents of Lagos, through civil society bodies, to force him to hold the poll at the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum it had since issued.

The party, it will be recalled, had issued the ultimatum last July 10 which would expire on July 31.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, at the party sec-

senate president, Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the February 20 rerun.

FG denies merger of Islamic, Christian Religious Studies

Ambode should hold LG poll without further delay —Lagos PDP Bola Badmus- Lagos

Rerun: Appeal Court reserves judgment on David Mark, Onjeh

had been created.

“It (election) is going to hold but their own is to talk, but our own is to take the real action. As I speak to you now, we are creating new wards. So we need to finish all these before we fix our elections.

“We will create new wards, and we will now use them to create new polling units or polling stations. Like my area, I was in Agunbiade ward before I moved to another place, now that Agunbiade ward has been split into two. This is what is going on. These people don’t know what is going on so they continue to talk, talk and talk,” he said.

(AUPCTRE), on Wednesday morning, locked the entrance to the company on Abuja Kubwa Express -Way and demonstrated over unpaid five months’ salaries.

The workers, who carried placards of various prescriptions, stormed the company as early as 8 00a.m in the morning, demanding for immediate payment of their five months salaries.

The protest, according to the workers, will go on for two days, after which they will commence an indefinite strike., if the management of the company failed to yield to their demand and immediately pay the salaries.

Detachment of policemen, led by Dangama Tino, were quickly dispatched to the place in three police patrol vehicles to ensure maintenance of law and order on the premises and prevent the protest from degenerating into major crisis.

CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE

I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Beyioku Beyioku I, Grace Oluwapamilerin Grace Oluwapamilerin now MRS MRS ALUKO ALUKO GRACE GRACE now OLUWAPAMILERIN. All OLUWAPAMILERIN. All former documents documents remain remain former valid. General General public public take take valid. note. note.

CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE

I, Obayori Obayori Folashade Folashade Yemisi Yemisi am am I, same person person as as Deborah Deborah Morka.

Morka. same Henceforth, I wish to be known, Henceforth, I wish to be known, called and and addressed addressed as as OBAYORI OBAYORI called FOLASHADE YEMISI. YEMISI. All All former former FOLASHADE documents remain remain valid. valid. First First Bank Bank documents Plc., UBA UBA Plc Plc .,., FCMB FCMB Plc., Plc., CBN CBN and and Plc., general public take note. general public take note.

The APC senatorial candidate had challenged the June 30, 2016 ruling of the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal, which dismissed his petition on the ground that it was filed out of time.

The counsel to APC senatorial candidate, Mr Adetunji Oso, while adopting his written address, urged the Appeal Court to upturn the judgment of the lower court and remit the petition back to the tribunal for continuation of the proceedings.

In his own submission, counsel to David Mark, Mr Ken Ikonne, after adopting his brief, urged the Appeal Court to “be bound and extremely persuaded by the Supreme Court judgment in the case between Okechukwu vs the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and dismiss the appeal for lack of merit.

Ikonne, in his argument, maintained that Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution, was clear that the day of declaration of an election result should be included in the days allowed for the filing of a petition before a court.

In his own submission, the PDP counsel, Mr Chris Alechenu, described the appeal by the appellant as an academic exercise and urged the court to dismiss it on the premise that the appellant’s failure to file replies to the responses filed by the second respondent.

CONFIRMATION OF OF NAME NAME CONFIRMATION

I, Adisa Adisa Titilayo Titilayo Oyefunke Oyefunke am am I, the same same person person bearing bearing Adisa Adisa the Selimot Titilayo.

Titilayo. Henceforth, Henceforth, II Selimot wish to to be be known known and and addressed addressed as as wish ADISA SELIMOT TITILAYO. All ADISA SELIMOT TITILAYO. All documents bearing these names documents bearing these names remain valid. valid. SkyeBank SkyeBank Plc., Plc., and and remain general public public take take note. note. general

CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE

I, formerly Oluwafemi I, formerly Oluwafemi Morountodun now now OKUKU OKUKU Morountodun MOROUNTODUN. All MOROUNTODUN. All former documents documents remain remain former valid. General General public public take take valid. note. note.

CORRECTION OF OF NAME NAME CORRECTION

I, Olufunke Olufunke Victoria Victoria Azeez Azeez am am the the same same I, person bearing bearing Funke Funke Victoria Victoria Azeez Azeez and and person Funke Femi Azeez.

Henceforth, I wish to Funke Femi Azeez. Henceforth, I wish to be known known and and addressed addressed as as OLUFUNKE OLUFUNKE be VICTORIA AZEEZ. AZEEZ. All All documents documents VICTORIA bearing these these names names remain remain valid. valid. bearing Stanbic Bank; UBA Bank and general Stanbic Bank; UBA Bank and general public take note. public take note.

34

news

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

N80bn electricity debts: Why estimated billing may persist —Investigation Sanya Adejokun - Abuja

D

ESPITE promises to the contrary and stipulations in the power purchase agreements, electricity distribution companies (Discos) have no plan to meter every customer now or in the near future.

Discreet but extensive checks by the Nigerian Tribune at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), in Abuja, revealed a general agreement among the stakeholders that current electricity charges are still below commercial rates despite multiple increases in recent years.

Although efforts by the Nigerian Tribune to obtain copies of Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) between the companies and BPE was unsuccessful, as they were said to be confidential documents, an official said the Federal Government has actually not adhered to its side of the bargain, thus, making it difficult for regulators to also insist on strict adherence to the agreements by the investors.

The source admitted that part of the deal was for distribution companies to progressively minimise power losses by ensuring that every consumer is captured in the revenue sheet and meters provided, but said that it was equally agreed that government ministries, departments and agencies in the federal and sub-national levels must pay off their accumulated debts.

“However, a memo suggesting that the debts be deducted from source was sent to the Minister of Finance, who in turn forwarded it to President Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan approved it, but nothing happened until that administration ended and since the present government came in, nothing has also been done about it.

“Right now, customers especially governments are owing the companies over N80 billion and they cannot even go to banks to borrow money because they have used their facilities, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N200 billion loan that is inadequate, to solve their challenges,” the source explained.

Another official in another agency said “Discos prefer to purchase their meters from offshore sources because there, they have opportunity of credit facilities whereas Nigerian meter manufactur-

ers insist on cash payment.”

The source said depreciation of naira has made the N49,000 meter price grossly unrealistic even as the Discos have not been allowed to transfer the increment to customers.

Nigerian Tribune further gathered that the fixed charges that was removed from monthly bills shortly before the 2015 elections was a political decision because the industry was not ripe for such removal.

It was further learnt that the Federal Government

was also responsible for a substantial part of the woes in the industry by not expanding transmission facilities as agreed thus suppressing expansion of electricity generation by Generating Companies (Cencos).

Some of the Gencos have doubled their capacity since private investors took over but since transmission capacity is less than 6,000 megawatts, such Gencos are being asked to produce less than their capacity.

Meanwhile, there is serious lobbying by senior civil

servants, politicians and businessmen for government to review the power privatisation.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that civil servants and politicians believed they have lost great sources of making extra money and appointments while powerful businessmen who lost out during the privatisation process are pushing for its cancellation so that they could also partake.

However, an official told the Nigerian Tribune that there are some clauses

in the SPA that make it difficult for any rash decision “because if the cancellation comes from government without the companies being in default, treasury will, aside returning their purchase fund, calculate the profits that they would have made over a period of five years and pay the companies.

“But if it is proved that the companies were the ones that failed to meet the terms of agreement, government will re-purchase the company for just US$1.”

Nigerian Tribune

Buhari names new MD, chairman for NDDC Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has nominated new Managing Director and chairman for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The president, according to sources, has sent letters seeking the confirmation of Mr Nsima Ekere, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State as the new Managing Director of the commission and the former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, as the chairman of NDDC. Though the Senate was yet to read the letter, it was confirmed that the Presidency had dispatched it and that it could be read at the Senate plenary today.

Missing bulletproof car scandal rocks Tin-Can Customs command Allegation not true —Spokesman Tola Adenubi - Lagos

From left, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yusuf Lasun; Vice -President Yemi Osinbajo; Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Honourable Victor Nwonkolo and the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, during a national stakeholders’ summit on legislative framework for Petroleum Industry Reform, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Kaduna has one million malnourished children —UNICEF THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Wednesday, said Kaduna State has the highest number of malnourished children with over 1.6 million children.

UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist, Dr Florence Oni, disclosed this while presenting nutrition intervention score card in the last six months in the state during a two-day 2016 mid-year review meeting in Kaduna.

According to her, these children are suffering from one form of malnutrition or the other which is responsible for the death of 50 per cent of children under five years in the state.

“Currently, over 900,000 children, representing 57 per cent children in the state are stunted; meaning six out of every 10 children less than five years in the state are stunted due to malnutrition.

“Also, over 750,000 children are wasted, which implies that 47 per cent of the children are suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and are 10 times more likely to die.”

However, she said that the state government was already doing something about it, adding that much needed to be done if the epidemic would be addressed.

“So far, the state government has released about N37 million to treat just about 3,060 children, and

UNICEF had equally supported the government with same amount to treat additional 3,060 children.

“When you add up, it will give you just 6,120 children that are being treated. This is a very insignificant figure when compared with the over 1.6 million malnour-

ished children in the state,” she said.

She added that UNICEF, in collaboration with the state government, rolled out Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) in March this year as part of efforts to address the problem.

Edo 2016: Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu trade words Banji Aluko - Benin City

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says a factional gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is desperate to become governor because he wants to get immunity from prosecution for his role in the Dasuki arms deal scandal.

Oshiomhole stated this at the APC campaign inauguration for Edo North at Auchi, on Wednesday, The governor, who said he has records of how the past PDP government looted the state resources, said the PDP has no project to point to in Edo North in 10 years.

On how the PDP looted the

state treasury, Oshiomhole said there are records of how many projects purportedly completed in the books, but not actually done.

The APC candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki, promised to attract more investors to the state and create jobs for the youths, saying his government would continue to develop the state from where the present administration will stop on November 12.

Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is working on a plan to rig the September 10 governorship election in the state, calling on government institutions and security

agencies to beware.

The party, at a campaign rally for its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in Uzebba, challenged Governor Oshiomhole to tell Edo people how much a company, Afrinvest, allegedly owned by the APC governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, invested in the Edo University, Iyamho (EUI).

State chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, made the remarks.

Also speaking, Ize-Iyamu described as sheer wickedness the total neglect of Owan people by the government of Oshiomhole and promised to focus his attention on proper development of the locality if elected.

THE whereabouts of a seized Toyota Salora car which a pistol and four rounds of ammunition where allegedly found inside at Five Start Logistics Terminal in Tin-can Island Port, Lagos, is currently unknown.

This is even as the image maker of the Tin-Can Island Customs Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Chris Osunkwo, denied such allegation.

According to findings, dockworkers at Five Star Logistics Terminal, Tin-can Island Port, discovered a pistol and four rounds of ammunition hidden in a Toyota Salora car being discharged from a ship, M. V. XEBRING Express, with voyage No. 16SE05.

The offensive items, which were concealed in the Toyota Salora that was falsely declared as a Toyota Camry, was allegedly handed over to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, Tin-Can Command The vehicle and the items had beaten the first check on board the vessel before it was discovered just before it was to be driven to the terminal.

A source at Five Star Logistic said that both the NCS and police unit at Tin-can Island Port are presently trading blames about the whereabouts of the seized items.

Responding, Tin-Can Island Customs Command image maker, Chris Osunkwo, stated via text that, “there is no iota of truth in the missing vehicle allegation. I hope to get back to you with the facts as soon as possible.”

35 news

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Dogara removes Jibrin as Appropriation Committee chairman I resigned voluntarily, he says Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

C

ONTROVERSY, on Wednesday, trailed the exit of chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Though the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, had, at the tail end of the plenary session, announced Honourable Jibrin’s replacement to be Honourable Mustapha Bala Dawaki, the former chairman of the committee confirmed that he formally tendered his resignation letter after due consultation with his family members.

Honourable Dogara, after announcing his replacement, thanked Honourable Jibrin and the entire Appropriation committee for doing a proper scrutiny on the 2016 Budget.

Nigerian Tribune, however, gathered that the lawmaker was sacked as a result of allegation of budget padding levelled against him by some of his colleagues in the House.

It will be recalled that in the heat of the controversies that trailed the passage by the National Assembly and assent by the President on the N6.066 trillion 2016 Budget, the Appropriation committee chairman was alleged to have inserted N4 billion worth of constituency projects in his federal constituency project.

While briefing newsmen after the plenary session, Honourable Jibrin said “let me first apologise to members of the appropriation committee. They are shocked and they are not aware that I have stepped down as chairman.”

He said the resignation

was “a personal decision that I took and I actually planned to notify you this afternoon that is why I invited you to this meeting.”

According to him, “the work of the parliament is a continuous process that we

have put in motion. Tomorrow there is supposed to be an engagement with the budget office.”

He then pleaded with his colleagues to continue the work of the committee and that of the National Assem-

bly.

“I will continue to be a member of the National Assembly and I will continue to participate in the activities of the House,” he said.

Speaking on the budget, he said “I have always main-

tained that as chairman of appropriation committee, I did my very best.

“If anybody has anything that amounts to an abuse of my office or illegality, it should be brought forward and reported to the authori-

Senate to now screen ambassadorial nominees Asks Buhari to submit final list Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja THE Senate, on Wednesday, directed its Committee on Foreign Affairs to commence immediately with the screening and eventual confirmation of the 47 career ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the chamber

by President Mohammadu Buhari on June 8.

The lawmakers had shunned the consideration of the list before the resolution on Wednesday, following objections to the list by some senators.

The senators had raised issue of imbalance and lack of compliance to Federal Character principle contained in the Constitution.

They had also openly protested that non- inclusion of nominees from some states was an embarrassment, despite the fact that all the states had qualified kinsmen in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Four states, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ebonyi and Plateau, had no nominees in the 47-man list of career officers sent to the Senate on June 8.

The Senate, however, summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachi David Lawal and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, to explain the irregularities and the lopsidedness in the nomi-

nation of the career ambassadors.

A report by the committee on Wednesday, read by Senator Shehu Sani, said the committee found out that states whose indigenes were not featured in the list was because they did not meet

the criteria for the nomination.

He informed that it was recommended that the “Senate and the executive arm of government should, as a matter of urgency, facilitate the screening and confirmation hearings of all

the career and non-career ambassadorial nominees as well as the process of postings, to quickly fill the vacuum in all Nigerians Missions abroad.”

While it concluded that the nominees were meticulously selected in line with

THREE members of the House of Representatives accused of sexual misconduct, on Wednesday, maintained their innocence against the allegation levelled against them.

They also threatened to commence legal battle against the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle.

This came just as the chairman of the joint committee probing the allegation, Honourable Ossai Nicholas and the co-chairman, Honourable Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, expressed displeasure over

failure of both the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and the outgoing US Ambassador, Mr Entwistle, to appear before the committee.

The minister had, however, written the committee that he would not be able to attend the hearing because of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The accused lawmakers alleged that with the way the events turned out to be, aftermath their sponsored trip to the United States, it appeared that there was a pre-determined motive for selecting the 10 lawmakers who went for the leadership programme.

due diligence, the committee advised the president to expedite action on the submission of the list of the non-career nominees which, he said, was expected to balance the perceived lopsidedness in the nominations.

Malnutrition at IDP camps: Senate urges FG to release money Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja WORRIED at the high rate of malnutrition at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the country, the Senate, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, release money to the affected place from the Victims Support Fund, in order to curtail the situation.

The lawmakers equally tasked the government on the need to raise funds from the private sector, with a view to supplementing the money from the T.Y. Danjuma-led Presidential Victims Support Fund.

The Senate also urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance, to immediately release necessary funds to arrest the developing situation, by freeing up a strategic framework for the release and distribution of money from the service wide vote appropriated for

lDPs in the 2016 budget.

Consequent upon this, it directed its Committee on Special Duties, States and Local Governments to carry out a fact finding visit to the troubled states like Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to find out the challenges facing the lDPs. This was sequel to the motion sponsored by Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, entitled: “Challenges of food security and malnutrition of chil-

dren in the IDP.” Senator Garbai, in the motion, explained that he was moved to bring up the issue before the legislature because of alarming report by UNICEF that between January and May 2016, it admitted and treated 47,423 children from three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe of acute malnutrition under the same period.

According to him, the report had indicated that

According to the lawmakers, they later learnt that their invitation did not pass through proper diplomatic channel.

The three accused lawmakers were Honourables Mark Gbillah, Samuel Ikon and Mohammed Gololo.

They were among the 10 lawmakers selected to attend the International Visitors Leadership Training Programme held between April 2 to April 13, 2016 in Cleveland Ohio, United States.

Addressing the committee, Honourable Gololo denied his involvement in the alleged sex scandal, while describing it as a weighty and unsubstantiated allega-

it would take just about $349.9 million to adequately provide the affected population with basic living condition for at least three months.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged those who pledged assistance to the victims support fund project to redeem their pledge, so as to solve the problems of malnutrition confronting the IDPs across the country.

Dikwa now ready for habitation by IDPs Bodunrin Kayode - Maiduguri FORMER Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma, on Wednesday, commissioned the General Hospital, council secretariat, police station and 37 other public structures in Dikwa, Borno State, to set stage for the return of internally displaced persons to Dikwa town, headquarters of Dikwa Local Government Area.

Dikwa, which is about 80 kilometers from Maiduguri, used to be one of the strongholds of the insurgent Boko Haram before it was finally liberated by Nigerian troops.

The town is equally important for international trade within Nigeria and Chad, which is why the opening up of the town by civil authorities will mark the recommencement of international trade between Dikwa and Ndjamena, the Chadian capital, which is just 177 kilo-

Sexual allegation: We’re innocent —Accused Reps Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

ties, for internal disciplinary action of the House to take its course.

“As it is until date, no one has brought anything against me, that has been the case when I was chairman, finance committee for four years.”

tion against him by the US envoy to Nigeria.

He also maintained that he never met let alone discuss with any hotel attendant in the course of any official visit to the US. According to him, at no time during the US visit did any lady hotel attendant enter into the Reniassance Mariot Hotel in Cleaveland Ohio, where he and nine other lawmakers were lodged.

On his part, Honourable Gbillah, who betrayed emotion while giving his testimony, said he never at any time during the visit engaged with a car park attendant in a hotel to arrange a prostitute for him, even as

he described the allegation as baseless.

He threatened to sue the US Embassy in a law court and claim damages over the allegation.

The third accused lawmaker, Honourable Ikon, also said he was not involved in any discussion with any hotel car park attendant during the visit.

He added that his health condition at that time could not have allowed for such randy behaviour as soliciting for sex and also threatened to sue the US authorities over the matter.

The committee, after listening to their testimonies, adjourned sitting till today.

metre away.

The Victims Support Fund chaired by General Danjuma had, two months ago, gone into a pilot partnership programme with the Borno State government towards the donation of building materials worth N200 million and cash of N50 million for labour to rebuild some of the towns.

“We gave Borno building materials worth N200 million and cash of N50 million for payment of labourers and other coordinating items to reconstruct 24 public buildings we identified in Dikwa, but to our pleasant surprise, the Borno State government used the same materials and money to reconstruct not only the 24 public buildings to standard but added 16 others. This is remarkable,” Danjuma was told by Professor Sunday Ochoche, Executive Director of the VSF. While commissioning the 40 projects, General Danjuma said he was impressed with the “judicious use of resources by Shettima,” noting that with the attitude displayed by the governor, the Victims Support Fund had decided to make intervention on reconstruction of Bama town, the worst affected by Boko Haram occupation.

36

South-westnews

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Multiple accident on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway

By Tunde Ogunesan

T

WO automobile accidents claimed many lives within 24 hours on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The accident of Tuesday night, it was learnt, claimed many lives, while there was in casualty on the accident which occurred on Wednesday morning.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the first accident which happened on Tuesday night around South Energy spot on the expressway, involved a Mack trailer and a Lagos colour commercial Danfo bus, with registration number Lagos AGL 866 XA, en route to Ibadan, while the second one, “a minor,” happened early Wednesday morning.

According to the Public Relations Officer, FRSC Oyo State, Tunde Onijala, “it happened that the Danfo bus had a head-oncollision with the Mack truck, leading to accident with all the passengers in the vehicles burnt beyond recognition.”

He said the carcass of the vehicle and the charred bodies of the victims had been removed from the scene to allow free flow of traffic.

Onijala noted that all occupants, which number had not been confirmed as of at the time of filing this report, were burnt without recognition.

He added that another

accident, on their way to Lagos, which happened very early on Wednesday, along Guru Maharaji village, did not record any casualty.

“The second accident was minor; it was not fatal as initially speculated. What actually happened was that the driver was trying to overtake an articulated

vehicle, but having taken off; he could not sustain the speed and had the side of the vehicle bumped into the long vehicle, with only the driver sustaining mi-

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and some of his aides, during the inspection of various ongoing projects in the state, on Wednesday.

Court of Appeal to deliver judgment on ban of hijab in Lagos today Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin —Lagos

THE Lagos State arm of the Court of Appeal has slated Thursday to deliver judgment in a suit filed by Muslim students against the Lagos State government on the ban of wearing of hijab.

The court would determine whether or not students in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos State should be allowed to put on hijab (Muslims headscarf) with their school uniforms.

The special panel of the Court of Appeal set up to hear the case had on May 27 re-

served its judgment on the matter.

During the panel hearing, the presiding justice, A.B. Gumel, had asked parties involved in the case to update their defence documents.

Other justices in the fiveman panel set up by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab

Our new LCDAs ready to take off—Aregbesola Hakeem Gbadamosi— Akure

GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, on Wednesday, said his administration was ready to breathe life into the newly created Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) with the submission of the report on boundary delineation and assets sharing by the various committees.

He maintained that a team that would make an official presentation of the newly created councils to the National Assembly was already working to ensure that an approval was given and to make it part of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Aregbesola made these disclosures in his office while receiving the reports of the committees set up on the boundary delineation and adjustment as well as the report of the assets sharing committee for the newly created LCDAs and area offices.

He explained that the old and new local government areas must be presented

nor injury.

The FRSC officer then appealed to road users to drive with caution, especially when on the highway.

formally to the National Assembly, saying that as soon as this was done it would not only be a local affair, but nationally recognised and accepted which will be the first in Nigeria.

Aregbesola stated that all the necessary processes have been diligently passed through, expressing confidence that an approval for the establishment of the local councils would be given by the National Assembly.

According to him, “with this exercise, we are almost concluding the exercise of local government creation, we are fully now ready to breathe life into the various grassroots both political and administrative structures that we have created.

“I urge the head of service to quickly push this through for gazzeting. I am happy that at least for the purpose of institutionalising the LCDAs as well as the old ones we followed the structure of the law enacted by the House of Assembly and assented to by me, we can be sure that within the state, we have fulfilled all righteousness,”

Aregbesola remarked.

Presenting the report on the boundary delineation and adjustment, Chairman of the committee, Hon Justice Akin Oladimeji, who highlighted the challenges faced by the committee, said most of the challenges were instru-

ments of creation.

He said “we thank God that we were able to do a thorough work despite the challenges faced by my committee on the field as a result of the instrument used in creating most of the Local Government Areas.”

Bulkachuwa are Justice M. Fasanmi, Justice A. Jauro, Justice J.S. Ikejegh and Justice I. Jombo Ofor.

The case is between Asiyat Kareem (minor) suing through AbdulKareem Raji; Mariam Oyeniyi through Mr Sulaimon Oyeniyi; and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, and Lagos State Government (LASG).

Justice Amina Augie had on May 3 ruled that granting Muslim students the right to wear hijab in Lagos State schools needed constitutional interpretation.

In the case, the appellants want the judgment of the lower court to be reversed.

Ajimobi affirms commitment to 2035 Ibadan city master plan

By Wale Akinselure

OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has restated the state government’s commitment towards actualising the Ibadan City Master Plan by 2035.

He affirmed this resolve at a workshop organised by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development for representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and stakeholders towards getting required data for the preparation of Ibadan City Master plan.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Waheed Gbadamosi, at the event held at

Ibadan Business School, Ibadan, on Wednesday, Ajimobi held that the 20year project of an Ibadan city master plan would positively affect physical growth, development pattern and the aesthetic look of Ibadan.

While noting the funding support of the World Bank for the project, consequent upon the August 2011 flood incident in Ibadan, he noted that the project would cover flood risk identification, prevention and preparedness measures, flood risk reduction and project administration.

Permanent Secretary (General Administration) and Chairman, Techni-

cal Committee on Master Plans, Mr David Oyewole, said that the project was aimed at gaining an understanding of the current status of Ibadan metropolis, enhance acquisition of primary and secondary data and the development of strategy supporting the master plan from 2015 to 2035.

According to Oyewole, the Ibadan City Master Plan would ensure improved socio-economic development, coordinated physical growth, enhanced living standards of residents and better service delivery that would make the city resilient to flooding and responsive to natural disasters.

Ondo 2016:

PDP releases timetable for primaries Hakeem Gbadamosi, Akure

AHEAD of the governorship election in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released the time-table and schedule of activities for the conduct of the primaries of the party in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the member, National Caretaker Committee, Organisation and Mobilisation, Senator Abdul Ningi, who said the announcement was in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines and party guidelines.

He said “In compliance with the stipulations of the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Time-table and Guidelines of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the following is the time-table of activities for conducting the primaries in Ondo State as approved by the National Caretaker Committee.”

Ningi said in the statement that sale of forms for the aspirants would commence on Friday, July 22 till Monday, August 8, at No 13, Thaba-Tseka Street, British Village, Wuse II, Abuja, while the last day for submission of completed forms would be on Tuesday, August 9 at the same venue.

NDE trains 50 Ekiti women in crafts Sam Nwaoko, Ado Ekiti

THE National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has embarked on a training of 50 Ekiti women in arts and crafts in line with its mandate to create jobs for all.

The programme, which is expected to last for one week, according to the NDE, is targetted at willing trainees who had applied from all the 16 local government areas in the state and added that they would be trained in bead-making.

The Ekiti State Coordinator of NDE, Mr. Manoah Babatope Akinyemi, who also gave them the message of the agency’s acting Director General, Mr. Olakunle Obayan, charged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunity and make the best use of the exercise.

He said Obayan charged the trainees to “be bold enough to take initiatives and to take on self-employment and become employers of labour.”

37 communitynews

Thursday, 21 July, 2016

Dethronement: Odo-Ayedun monarch appeals judgment sam nwaoko-ado-ekiti

T

he Owa of OdoAyedun in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Oba Solomon Ilesanmi Ajibade, has filed a stay of execution and an appeal against the judgment of an Ekiti State High Court which ordered his dethronement.

One of the princes in the community, Adekunle Adeniyi, had challenged his selection and appointment as the Owa of OdoAyedun and his prayers were granted by the state’s High Court sitting in IkoleEkiti.

According to a statement

by Oba Ajibade, since he had filed a stay of execution and an appeal at the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Court of Appeal, he still remains the Owa, saying “there is nothing to celebrate by the petitioner in the judgment given by the lower court.”

He, therefore, urged the people of Odo-Ayedun to remain peaceful and calm, noting that the peaceful coexistence of members of the community was paramount to him and it should be so to every member of the community.

Oba Ajibade said law enforcement agents had been mobilised to deal with persons who might want to capitalise on the kingship crisis to cause chaos and anarchy.

The traditional ruler also warned against unauthorised installation of chiefs in the town, insisting that he still reserves the powers to appoint chiefs.

He said: “We are aware of the recent development in

our community, as a result of the judgment delivered by a High Court in respect of the obaship of OdoAyedun-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area.

“We have appealed against that ruling at the Court of Appeal and we have also filed a stay of execution of the judgment delivered by the lower court.

“Therefore, there is nothing to celebrate about the judgment given at the lower court.

“Since there are grounds for appeal up to the Supreme Court, the petitioner should know that he is into a long haul.

“I, therefore, appeal to all and sundry in OdoAyedun community to be

the authority of the Kabiyesi.

“I, HRM Oba Solomon Ilesanmi Ajibade (JP) Ajigbotoluwa 1, the Owa of OdoAyedun-Ekiti, hereby appreciate all the traditional rulers both in Ekiti and outside, who came to visit me. I also appreciate my chiefs, youths, elders and leaders from all walks of life.”

Oyo State Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Adeyemo (middle); Honourable Dada Awoleye, representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives (in glasses) and a beneficiary, Mr Kola Adeyemo, at the inauguration of constituency projects, distribution of empowerment tools and donation of cash by Honourable Awoleye at Housing Estate area, Bodija, Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja dispute: Panel commends communities for good conduct alphonsus agborh-asaba

The Chairman of the Panel of Inquiry instituted to survey and demarcate the boundary between Udu and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State, Professor Abednego Ekoko, has ex-

pressed satisfaction with the conduct of Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities when members of the anel visited the communities for identification of claims.

During the exercise that lasted three days and which took the committee to various points on land and

‘Proposed demolition of mud houses will phase out indigenous technology’ An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert, Mr Jide Awe, has said that the Federal Government’s proposal to demolish mud houses would amount to phasing out the country’s indigenous technology, if implemented.

Awe, who is the Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Conferences Committee, made the assertion while speaking with newsmen, on Sunday, in Lagos.

Awe was speaking against the backdrop of a statement credited to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, that the Federal Government was planning to demolish mud houses across the country.

law-abiding. Our peaceful coexistence is of paramount importance to me as the crowned king of Odo-Ayedun-Ekiti.

The obaship constitution gives the Oba the power to elect any chief he wishes to. There are serious consequences for anybody in any community who instals a chief without

It was learnt that the minister made the statement on July 9 when he visited the Nigerian Buildings and Road Research Institute, Nnewi in Anambra State.

Onu was quoted as saying that a research was ongoing that would facilitate the influx of cheap building materials in the country to enable Nigerians build decent and affordable houses.

“The mud houses in some parts of the country reflect the country’s indigenous technology even though it is not suitable for the 21st century.

“It is our heritage, a result of the creativity of indigenous people and as such should be preserved.

“There is need to improve

on it with what we see on the internet so that we can benefit from it and not just discard it as something that is useless.

“Demolishing the houses will amount to phasing out the historical benefits attached to them,’’ the ICT expert said.

water, the elders, community leaders and youths, according to Professor Ekoko gave the committee members maximum support while conducting them round their claims.

He said “with what we have seen, the panel can now address terms of reference number two which the extent of land in dispute between the two communities”.

On the panel’s observation when it visited Ogbe-Ijoh, Professor Ekoko noted that the land in dispute is clearly defined and expressed confidence that his committee would come out with recommendations that would be satisfactory to both parties.

“I can see a win-win situation for Ogbe-Ijoh and

Aladja. I am very confident that both communities will live peacefully and harmoniously at the end of our assignment. When they live in peace, there will be progress and development,” he said.

Members of the panel were conducted round six boundary points by the people of Ogbe-Ijoh which cut across land and water through the creeks amid tight security while the Surveyor-General of the state, Okeoghene Osiawa, who is also a member of the panel and professional surveyors from his office were seen using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) gadgets to establish the various points alleged to be Ogbe-Ijoh traditional boundaries.

N/Delta communities appeal to FG over coastal erosion Residents of communities located near the Atlantic Ocean and the coastline in the Niger Delta region have appealed to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to save them from the devastating effects of coastal erosion.

The affected areas are Forcados and Ogulagha in Delta State; Anibeze, Peremabiri, Famgbe, Anyama Ijaw, Anyama Ogbia, Twon-Brass, Sangana, Ekeni and Ezetu in Bayelsa State.

Also, Kula, Soku and Bonny in Rivers State and Queens Town in Cross River State are being threatened by the Atlantic Ocean surge.

Henry Otonye, an indigene of Sangana, said the community was gradually disappearing from the surface of the earth, having lost substantial part of its ancestral land to ocean encroachment.

Alagoa Morris, an environmentalist and indigene of Southern Ijaw, in Bayelsa State, warned that apart from the imminent disappearance of communities, there is the threat of increased inter communal clashes due to scramble for space.

“People are now relocating from most of these communities. Communities have lost roads, church buildings, school buildings, among others.

“When you go to areas on the fringes of the Atlantic Ocean such as Brass, Sangana, Odioma, Koluama, even graves and ancestral homes are now inside the water.

“Homes are being deserted. You can see that this can lead to communal crisis when people begin to shift inwards to lands where they are in contention with their neighbours,” Morris said.

He called for concerted efforts to halt the encroachment of the Atlantic which is worsened by rising sea levels due to increased oil exploration activities.

Princess Elizabeth Egbe, a human rights activist, said in spite of the 13 per cent derivation fund, coastal communities were neglected.

Tree Planting: ‘Natural way of ensuring sustainability of life’ Barrister Rotimi Ogunwuyi, the Sole Administrator of Mosan Okunola Local Government Area of Lagos State, has described the planting of trees as a natural way of ensuring the sustainability of life.

Speaking at the annual Tree Planting Day, organised

by the Lagos State government, Ogunwuyi said: “The initiative is aimed at saving the earth. Ultimately we’re securing the continuous existence of humanity.”

Ogunwuyi promised that his local government would continue to work with the state government and its

relevant ministries, departments and agencies on the annual Tree Planting initiative.

“In addition, the local government’s monitoring team will see to the maintenance and growth of the trees planted till date. This we intend to achieve through

a synergy between the council’s environmental department and the community development associations,” he noted.

Ogunwuyi stated that the effect of tree planting is significant to the world, adding that, “Aside its aesthetic appeal, it creates a friendly and safe environment for all.”

38

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39

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Thursday, 21 - 27 July, 2016

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Family releases Keshi’s burial timetable

Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

T

he family of the late Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has released the timetable for his burial, just as Delta State government has expressed its commitment towards ensuring a befitting burial for the fallen soccer hero.

Keshi’s final resting place in his community Illah, Delta State is also ready.

The local burial committee is made up of Keshi and Aburime family members, Illah development union, Oshimli north local government council and the Delta State government.

Tribunesport reports that Keshi’s personal house where he will be interred is wearing a new look following renovation work carried out by the state government and the family.

The roads leading to Keshi’s house and the church are also being rehabilitated by the state direct labour agency.

A member of the commit-

tee and Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, told Tribunesport that the state government’s commitment towards making the burial a success was irrevocable in spite of what the national committee has mapped out.

Meanwhile, Ukah, revealed on Wednesday that the burial ceremonies will hold between Thursday, July 28, and Sunday, July 31, 2016.

According to him on Thursday, July 28, 2016, there will be a requiem mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 30 Airport Road, Benin City, from 9:00 am, followed by Lying-in State at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, by 11:00am, while a novelty match by All Stars and tributes will also take place at the same venue.

The same day, his remains will depart Benin City for Asaba, Delta State from 1:15pm. On arrival, there will be Lying-In State at Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Indoor Hall, Asaba, from 3:15pm, followed

by a novelty match by All Stars and tributes at Keshi Stadium,from 3:30pm.

The service of songs/vigil mass will hold at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Illah, Delta State by 6:00pm same day.

On Friday, July 29, 2016 the body leaves Asaba for Illah by 7am, and there will be a brief stopover at the Ogbelani Palace for traditional

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Giwa insists on Yusuf as Eagles coach

rites as a Palace Chief by 8:00am, followed by Lying in State at his family home, Ukpologwu Quarters, Illah, from 8:30am.

The requiem mass will take place at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Illah, by 10:00am after which interment will hold at his family compound, Ukpologwu Quarters, Illah, from 12:30pm.

Factional president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ambassador Chris Giwa insists coach Salisu Yusuf is competent enough to handle the Super Eagles successfully, as the crisis which the appointment of Frenchman, Paul Le Guen generated ranges on.

The Plateau State-born soccer administrator pointed out that it will amount to a colossal waste should Nigeria begins to pay a foreigner for a job which an indigenous trainer can as well do.

He noted that given the level of exposure and investment in local coaches in recent times, any decision to hire a foreign coach for the Super Eagles is unhelpful moreso given the state of economy of the country.

“I have said it before now that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which I lead does not have the plan to hire any foreign coach to manage the Super Eagles. We said we believe in the ability of our local coaches to handle the Super Eagles if given enough encouragement and support. And in view of that, we have employed Salisu Yusuf as the new Super Eagles coach,” he stated .

D’Tigers captain, Oyedeji withdraws from Rio Olympics The captain of Nigeria national men’s basketball team, Olumide Oyedeji has announced his withdrawal from the D’Tigers squad preparing for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Oyedeji, dropped the bombshell via his official social media page on Wednesday, citing personal and family reasons.

Oyedeji said while he has fond memories of making it to the London Olympics four years ago, he has chosen to allow others fly the green and white flag in Rio. “One of the most exciting memories of being a part of

the Nigeria national team is qualifying for the London Olympics – the first time ever for the male basketball team, it still feels surreal. It is also a privilege to have led the team to win its first ever Afrobasket Championship, qualifying for the Rio Summer Olympics,” he said.

He continued: “However, I will not be a part of the Rio Olympic Olympic team due to personal and family reasons.

“For over two decades, I have invested in the national team on and off the court. And as I have evolved and grown

as a player, with the needs of the team always paramount in my heart, my role has evolved over time. This, lately has been

Oyedeji, (left) .

more off the court. It is thus paramount at this time that the Olympics Team be led by someone other than me.”

SIDELINES

no 16,550

n150

THURSDAY, 21 july, 2016

T

Gathering people for protests in Nigeria in recent times is becoming a norm, as the number of volunteers will even exceed the figure expected by the conveners. Perhaps, shouting for two, three hours and getting paid at the end is worth it in a country with a troubled economy. After all, sitting at home will not lead to anything but starvation.

“

o describe this as a recommendation of seismic proportions would be an understatement. It would force many politicians who at the moment view membership of the national assembly as a means of wealth acquisition to have a rethink. It would make membership of the national assembly less attractive for such politicians. Further it would ensure that only persons who are truly interested in public service vie for such offices. It would also reduce the huge cost of governance in Nigeria”.

Last week I stated, relying on the principle that true sovereignty lies in the people and not their elected representatives, why I consider that the recommendations of the last Constitutional Conference should be taken to Nigerians in the form of a referendum. Aside from this, there is also the point that many of the issues troubling Nigeria are just too fundamental to be left to the National Assembly alone. In reality, it may be difficult for members of the National Assembly to dispassionately address some of them without being influenced by extrinsic considerations such as their own political futures pecuniary interest. To bring home this point, I will highlight some of these issues.

HIGH COST OF GOVERNANCE I have over the years stated the problems associated with Nigeria’s over reliance on oil revenue vis-à-vis the high cost of governance in Nigeria. I have delivered lecturers and written articles on the issue.

I also, during the siting of the Constitutional Conference itself devoted several articles in these series to discussions of how best the cost of governance could be reduced.

Nigeria at the moment operates a bicameral legislative system comprising of the Senate and the House of Representatives. At the state level, there are 36 Houses of Assembly and 774 local governments. The executive at the Federal level comprises of the President and a high number of ministers. At all levels, there are special advisers, personal assistants, secretary, orderlies etc. Owing to constitutional requirement that each state be represented on the federal cabinet, some ministries have too ministers assigned to them. Interestingly, the Federal cabinet in the United States of America consists of about 20 persons much less than the

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Report of national conference: Need for a referendum (4) number in Nigeria.

The states are also not left out as each state has an equally high number of Commissioners. At the federal level, the judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal High Court, and National Industrial Court. In addition each State has its own High Court comprising of a Chief Judge and a number of High Court Judges.

The effect of the above is that the cost of running government in Nigeria is astronomically high. It is reported that the Senate of Nigeria with 109 members has 54 committees and that the House of Representatives with 360 members has 84 committees.

However, the Senate of the United States of America with 100 members and the House of Representatives with 435 members have only 21 committees each. Yet in Nigeria, each committee receives funding for its activities including salaries and emoluments for the members. It is estimated that it costs about N320 million to maintain a legislator per annum. According to a former minister, Federal legislators and their support staff at the National Assembly spend about N150 billion a year. Addressing this point, Ray Ekpu, a veteran journalist and a member of the Conference Committee on Politics and Government was reported to have stated as follows: “I will like to vote for unicameral legislature because at present, we are already overburdened. We have 774 parliaments in the local government. We have 36 States Houses of Assembly. And we have two at the national level. I am advocating the scrapping of the House of Representative. I will vote for having the Senate. We can increase the number of Senators to four per State. In that case, we will have 144 Senators plus one rep-

resenting the FCT. We will reduce the cost.

We will reduce the friction that currently occurs between the House of Representatives and the Senate,” he called.

RECOMMENDATION OF CONFERENCE FOR PART TIME LEGISLATORS Although the Conference failed to recommend an abolition of the Bicameral System of Government it nevertheless made a very profound recommendation at page 187 of its report wherein it is stated as follows: “Elected members of the legislative arms of all the tiers of government should serve on part-time basis;” In summary, the Conference by the above, recommended a situation in which membership of the legislative arms of government would no longer be considered to be a full time employment. All persons elected to the legislature would thus be expected to have regular jobs and would only sit in the hallowed chambers of the national assembly on occasions that require legislative business. To describe this as a recommendation of seismic proportions would be an understatement. It would force many politicians who at the moment view membership of the national assembly as a means of wealth acquisition to have a rethink. It would make membership of the national assembly less attractive for such politicians. Further it would ensure that only persons who are truly interested in public service vie for such offices. It would also reduce the huge cost of governance in Nigeria. Avenues for drain of the public purse such as constituency grants may well become a thing of the past.

The question that must be asked is how

members of the National Assembly are expected to consider such a recommendation dispassionately without giving consideration to the fact that if adopted, it will make a fundamental shift from what they have become used to?

PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT ITSELF The same consideration applies to the recommendations of the conference which touch on the Presidential system of government as currently operated in Nigeria. As I will discuss, though the Conference did not expressly recommend an abandonment of the system, it nevertheless made recommendations which if adopted will make its continued operation less cumbersome on the nations finances.

To put this point in proper perspective it is again necessary to highlight the pitfalls of the current system.

In foisting the Presidential system on Nigeria, the military had little regard for the peculiar nature of the country. It has been argued, albeit lamely, that in deciding to jettison the parliamentary system of government put in place by the founding fathers of the country, that the military wanted to avoid a situation in which the two heads of state, one ceremonial and the other executive (as exists in a parliamentary system) would work at logger heads leading to unnecessary ethnic or tribal strife if they hailed from different sections of the country. However events in Nigeria since 1966 continue to show that the decision to adopt the Presidential system was not well thought out.

Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, CON, OFR

To be continued

NFF gives tech committee 1 week to recommend another Eagles coach Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Wednesday ordered the Barrister Chris Green-led technical and development sub-committee to recommend another candidate for the post of the Super Eagles technical adviser within the next seven days.

The instruction, which was part of the resolutions of the NFF board after its meeting in Abuja, followed rejection of the job by Frenchman Paul Le Guen, who was on Monday rec-

ommended by the sub-committee.

Barely 24 hours after his recommendation, Le Guen had rejected the offer, citing ‘contractual disputes’ as the reason for his action.

Tribunesport, however, gathered that the Frenchman cited alleged insecurity in the country as part of reasons he rejected the Eagles job.

“Executive Committee instructed the technical and development sub–committee to, within the next seven days, recommend a candidate for the

post of Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles.

“It noted that the refusal of Mr Paul Le Guen, earlier recommended by the sub–committee, to accept to be given targets as well as unwillingness to live in Nigeria, made his candidature unacceptable to the Board.

“Committee also disapproved of Mr Le Guen’s desire to come to the job with two assistants, which would make Nigerian coaches redundant.

“The Committee noted that it was the desire to show transparency that made the technical and

development sub-committee to make public its recommendation in the first place.

“The Committee further resolved that any candidate that would be so recommended by the Technical and Development Sub –Committee must have accepted to be handed targets and must

also be willing to live in Nigeria.

In addition, such a candidate must agree to undergo other internal evaluation,” said the statement signed by the chairman, communique drafting committee, Honourable Suleiman YahayaKwade and made available to Tribunesport.

>>>Inside

D’Tigers captain, Oyedeji withdraws from Rio Olympics

Keshi’s burial timetable released

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. 21/7/2016.