22nd December 2015

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,397

TUESDAY, 22 DECEMBER, 2015

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

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Retraction and apology: 'Buhari is not sincere with corruption fight —Sagay'

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HE Sunday Tribune published an interview in its December 20, 2015 edition with the headline: "Buhari not sincere with corruption fight —Sagay."

We hereby retract the entire interview which was wrongly ascribed to Professor Itse Sagay as captioned above. We also tender unreserved apology to the highly revered Professor of Law, members of his family, his friends and associates and, most importantly, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidency and, indeed, entire Nigerians.

Issues have since cropped up on that interview with the supposed

interviewee disclaiming it through an online medium. We have done a preliminary in-house investigation into how the interview was conducted and on what could have gone wrong with it.

The fact of the matter is that the interview was done through telephone by one of our politics reporters on Thursday 17th December, 2015 calling the interviewee on TELEPHONE NUMBER 08023137144. The normal introductory formalities, according to the reporter, were observed before the interview commenced.

In the course of the interview, the person on the other side answered

all questions even when he was addressed as the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti- Corruption.

Online reports quoting Professor Sagay as denying granting the interview were, therefore, received by us with a shock. We consequently listened to the audio recording of the interview and, regrettably, discovered the voice not to be that of Professor Sagay.

While we are continuing our investigations on who the person on the other line actually was and what could have gone wrong along our own line of editorial control, a number of disciplinary actions has

been taken against our key members of staff involved in the publication. Specifically, the reporter has been dismissed from the employ of the company and the Editor, Sunday Tribune placed on indefinite suspension.

We have no reason whatsoever to put words in the mouth of the respected Professor Sagay. Once again, we apologise to him. We equally apologise to President Muhammadu Buhari and all other persons who were variously attacked in the publication. Our apologies also go to our esteemed readers. There was no deliberate action on our part to mislead

our readers. We have an enviable pedigree and a long history of pioneering, in this country, a brand of journalism that upholds the truth as inviolable at all times. We have an institutional rigorous process in place that hitherto ensured this kind of unfortunate slip never took place. How this happened, escaping the control system, is part of issues we are addressing. We are taking a firm, corrective look at that mechanism again.

Once again, we promise our readers that this unfortunate incident will not happen again in our operations.

—Management.

Fuel scarcity: Nigeria paying for sins of Jonathan's govt —FG •Arms procurement under last administration shady —Buhari —P6

NERC approves increase in electricity —P12 tariffs, removes fixed charges We used ladder to douse passengers' —P10 agitation —Aero

From left, co-chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; chairman, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran; company secretary, Mr Ayodele Akinmoladun and the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Edward Dickson, at the 39th Annual General meeting of ANN Plc, held at the Awolowo Residence, Ikenne Remo, Ogun State, on Monday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Shareholders commend ANN Plc over performance

•As new chairman takes over —P11

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

39TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ANN PLC

PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE & D’TOYIN

From left, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson; Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and Consultan/ Director, ANN Plc, Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji, at the 39th annual general meeting of ANN Plc, held at the Awolowo residence, Ikenne Remo, Ogun State on Monday.

From left, Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran, Mr Ayodele Akinmoladun and Mr Dickson.

From left, Mr Dickson, Pastor Olatunji and Chief Adebayo Odubona.

From left, Mr Adebayo Lasabi, Mr Moses Adeyemo and Mr Ademola Oyende.

A cross section of shareholders on the occasion.

From left, Mr Oyende, Chief Emmanuel Osibona and Chief (Mrs) Comfort Olutunda.

Dideolu scholarship beneficiaries: From left, Miss Azeezat Olaide Bakare, Miss Sekinat Adunni Ogunkunle and Miss Adebimpe Omilola Omoniyi.

Another set of shareholders at the meeting.

Shareholders receiving the Monday edition of the Nigerian Tribune.

Another cross section of the shareholders.

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

news Boko Haram: Child suicide bomber kills self, 9 others in Borno 5

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

•Troops kill 12 terrorist leaders ByChrisAgbambu,Christian Okeke and James Bwala

A

suicide bomber, aged between eight and nine, blew self and nine others in Benisheihk town of Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday at about 8:00p.m., had brought back the old memories of suicide attacks in the area.

Benisheihk is about 75 kilometres from Maiduguri, on the Maiduguri-Damaturu road where Boko Haram slaughtered over 300 travellers in 2013.

The suicide bomber, in company of two other accomplices aged between 10 and 15, was spotted by the civilian JTF. However, it was gathered that while the civilian JTF was in the process of screening the suspects, the carrier detonated the IED, leading to the death of nine people, while 24 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

According to Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, the security and emergency management agents have been mobilised to the scene.

“The bodies have been evacuated and all those injured are receiving medical attention. The security agencies have intensified patrols and security checks in the area. While we condemn this dastardly act and commiserate with the families of those that lost their lives and the injured, it is

pertinent to reiterate the need for more security consciousness and vigilance by all especially during the yuletide and New Year holidays,” Usman stated.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to rid the society of all known Boko Haram enclaves and hideouts, troops of 25 Task Force Brigade conducted a fighting patrol on Damboa-Njaba-Bale Road in Borno State.

The troops encountered and killed three suspected Boko Haram terrorists that had been terrorising the communities around Sabon Gari and Damboa. Among those killed was the Boko Haram Ameer (leader) in Bulayaga.

The Ameer has been terrorising Bale, Wass and Mufurundi villages.

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel S.K. Usman, in a statement in Abuja, said the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle with its magazine, 43 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one grinding machine and five dane guns.

Other items recovered included seven motorcycles, 21 bags of grains and two Boko Haram flags hoisted.

He added that in a related development, troops of 7 Division Garrison on patrol at Mainari Village in Mafa Local Government Area had an encounter with Boko Haram terrorists.

The encounter led to the killing of nine terrorists and recovery of weapons which included four AK-47 and one pump action gun while the patrol teams have

How B/Haram gets targets —Defence HQ Chris Agbambu - Abuja DEFENCE Headquarters, on Monday, said it has come to its knowledge that Boko Haram terrorists have now devised other means of inflicting harm on innocent citizens to further their terrorist cause.

It said some of such tactics included crying and feigning pains and shouting to attract sympathy from unsuspecting public.

“When a lot of people of goodwill gather to render help, in the process, the suicide bomber detonates bombs which they conceal under their clothes. The recent suicide bombing in Damaturu is instructive,” it said in a statement.

In the statement, the Defence Headquarters said suicide bombers used monetary incentives and other

inducements especially in crowded places to lure innocent citizens in order to cause colossal damage to both lives and property.

The Defence Headquarters, therefore, advised citizens to be wary of such antics of the terrorists who are losing out in their former enclaves and are now desperate to remain relevant by using any means to perpetuate fear in the minds of the populace.

The Defence Headquarters also warns citizens to be extra vigilant and weary of terrorist malevolence in such places as parks, worship centres and recreation spots particularly in this festive period.

“Citizens are advised to report suspicious persons or objects to security agencies for prompt action,” the statement reads.

continued to dominate the respective areas.

British Secretary of Defence, Michael Fallon, has announced his country’s willingness to assist the Nigeria military with the required equipment to end terrorism in the country.

Fallon spoke yesterday after a meeting with the Defence Minister, Muhammadu Dan-Ali, at the Ministry of Defence, in Abuja.

He said: “We have discussed defence equipment again, how Britain can do more to help, not simply in providing equipment but in assessing Nigeria’s needs and matching the equipments with the capabilities that are required to deal with Boko Haram.”

Fallon added that: “In Britain, we want to do more to help here. We want to increase military training, help the Nigerian army deal with Improvised Explosive Devices, help with battle field medicine and training in air field defence.”

He said that he also discussed with the minister on how to tackle terrorism across the board, and to improve coordination between the agencies, not simply to push the terrorists out, but to hold and secure the ground that is liberated.

In his remarks, Defence Minister, Muhammadu Da-Ali, commended the British government for its long history of military assistance to Nigeria Dan-Ali said that presently about 150 personnel of the British armed forces have been on and off giving training, direction and reforms to Nigeria’s armed forces.

He added that recently after a request by the Nigerian government, 13 experts were sent by the British government to as-

Nigerian Tribune

•Britain to supply equipment

sist with the menace of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

“Like he rightly observed, we have discussed a lot of issues like the reform of our armed forces, including the equipment platforms that we require for the successful conclusion of the insurgency as soon as possible,” Dan-Ali stated.

Military to protect construction workers

In a related development, the Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has said that the 300 kilometres trans-Saharan Road project initiated by his administration, cutting across the northern part of the state bordering the Republic of Niger, will be completed before the end of the current dispensation in 2019.

The governor, who inspected the road project at the weekend, expressed satisfaction that the first phase stretching from Kanamma- Kafiya, a distance of 55 kilometres, has been completed.

Gaidam who took a ride along the Phase II and III under construction, covering a distance of 70 kilometres from Kafiya through Yunusari to Yusufari, said he decided to embark on the capital intensive desert road project because of the neglect the communities have suffered over the years.

The project, he said, would give the inhabitants a sense of belonging and stimulate economic activities within the various communities who are predominantly pastoralists and farmers.

Residents along the route thanked the governor for given them sense of belonging.

Governor Gaidam also inspected the 77-kilometre Damaturu-Buniya-

di-Madgza Road at the outskirts of Damaturu metropolis awarded for construction by the state government in 2013 but suffered serious setbacks because of the attacks by Boko Haram.

Speaking after inspecting some portions of the road under construction, Governor Gaidam said the military had accepted to provide a special security cover to the contractors, workers and the engineers to help them complete the project in good time.

Decimated B/Haram fighters broke, hungry –Minister Also, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the decimated Boko Haram terrorists are so hungry, broke and desperate that all they can now do is to clutch at straws.

This is even as he described as a hoax the figures being bandied by ISIS concerning the number of attacks carried out by Boko Haram and the number of people killed by the terrorists in Nigeria in the last two months.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Alhaji Mohammed, said the imaginary figures were part of the ISIS’ strategy to shore up the morale of its dispersed and defeated fellow-

terrorists in Nigeria.

He said that he was at a loss where the terrorists have been carrying out their so-called spectacular attacks as indicated by ISIS when indeed the capability of the fighters has been so degraded that all they can do now is to target innocent women and children using equally innocent children and women as their bomb carriers.

He said, “Apart from these fake figures, we are aware of the planned release of old videos of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria through the terrorists’ preferred channel to give the impression that they have continued to carry out spectacular attacks. Those videos are neither recent nor genuine.

“The ISIS/Boko Haram propaganda is being deliberately timed to coincide with the December 31 deadline issued to the military by the president to decimate the terrorists, and is also aimed at distracting the military and striking at its all-time high morale “But the truth of the matter is that the capability of the military has improved drastically, and there is a higher level of awareness among Nigerians concerning the war against terrorism, which has led them to increase their support for the troops on the frontline and to also own the war.

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news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Fuel scarcity: Nigeria paying for sins of sin's of Jonathan's govt —FG As FCE okays budget for presentation today Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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HE Federal Government, on Monday, blamed the current petrol scarcity on the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, which it accused of not making adequate provision for subsidy.

Addressing State House correspondents after an emergency meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) summoned to approve the 2016 budget, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said only the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was currently importing

petroleum products into the country, as oil marketers had since stopped.

He said the present administration was doing its utmost to provide solution to the problem, including ensuring that NNPC imported a greater percentage of the product than marketers.

Arms procurement under last administration shady—Buhari Campaign against Boko Haram will last for years –Defence Minister PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has explained how procurement of arms for the nation’s armed forces was compromised under the last administration, saying his administration was taking urgent and appropriate actions to restore order, due process and probity to the processes.

Speaking at a meeting with the British Secretary of State for Defence, Mr Michael Fallon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, he said the process had become open to corruption and shady deals under the last administration.

“They just put foreign exchange in a briefcase and travelled to procure equipment for the military. That is why we have found ourselves in the crisis we are now facing,” the president said.

He welcomed the offer by the British government to assist Nigeria in defence procurement, intelligence gathering and training.

President Buhari restated his conviction that the international community must collaborate more and work with greater unity of purpose to overcome global terrorism.

“Terrorism has become very sophisticated now. If developed nations can be attacked and hundreds of lives lost, how much more developing countries?

“In the West African subregion, Nigeria is the main

battleground of the Boko Haram insurgency. We have made a lot of progress against the terrorists, but we will welcome more assistance from our friends and the international community,” he said.

In his remark, Mr Fallon said he was in the country to see what more Britain could do to support Nigeria in battling terrorism and violent extremism.

“Groups like Boko Haram don’t believe in democracy and freedom of choice, so it’s a common fight for us all,” he said.

In an interview with State House correspondents after the meeting, the British Secretary of State for Defence explained that he and the president discussed what could be done to help Nigeria to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Boko Haram and its way of life needed to be defeated.

So, we have been discussing today what probably we can do to step up Nigeria in the area of full training on how to deal with improvised explosive devices ...and what can be done to improve the intelligence you need to deal with terrorism,” he said.

He noted that Britain, which already has about 130 military personnel in Nigeria helping to train the Nigerian Army, would more than double the number to offer training and particularly to improve the army’s

resilience to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) left behind by Boko Haram.

On the rehabilitation programme for the areas affected by insurgents activities, he said: “we want to do more to help stabilise those areas once the terrorists have been driven out.

“That means sustaining them with not only reconciliation but economic development, providing security for this place for them to go back to their villages, with the knowledge that they need to be protected and the infrastructure there to be repaired.”

Also speaking to correspondents after the meeting, Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan Ali (retd), said the December deadline given to the military was only a time line, as the campaign against the Boko Haram insurgency would last for years.

Asked whether the deadline given by President Buhari would be extended, he responded: “time line is for those in the military. We had a time line in December, but December is not the end of the operation. It is a campaign. Campaign lasts for years, not dates.”

On whether terrorism has come to stay in the country, he said: “No, no, no, remember in Afghanistan, Iraq, it took sometime. So we are on it and we are almost there.”

Buhari sacks Abia as NDDC chairman Semenitari takes over PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, sacked the Managing Director and chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Bassey Dan Abia.

The president also appointed Ibim Seminitari as acting head of the commission.

Seminitari served as Commissioner for Information in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State.

Abia, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.

There was strong opposition to the choice of Abia, who was believed to have enjoyed the backing of Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State and former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum.

Responding to a petition which his opponents sent

to the presidency, Abia said: “those writing petitions against me should be bold enough to state clearly what they claim I did wrong while serving on the NDDC board or shut up forever.

“My records are very clear and I am ready to defend them at any point in time.”

Before he was chosen to lead the commission, he had served two terms as the representative of Akwa Ibom State on the board.

When asked what the government would be telling Nigerians in view of the lingering fuel scarcity, Mohammed said “what I will be telling Nigerians is that what we met on ground is such that we are paying for the sins of the last administration. I am being very serious.

“You remember that about two weeks ago, we had to go to the National Assembly for a supplementary budget of N674 billion. Of that figure, N522 billion was for arrears of fuel subsidy which was incurred as far back as August last year.

“One of the reasons for the fuel scarcity was the inability of the last government to make adequate provision for fuel subsidy.

We do face some other logistic problems but majorly, we are paying for the sins of the last administration.”

On the solution to the crisis, he said “the first thing we have done now is to make sure that unlike before when the marketers used to import the major percentage of the fuel, NNPC has been involved in importation, because some of the marketers

had stopped importing for a couple of months.

“If you see any fuel anywhere today, it is imported by the NNPC. We also inherited the vandalism of the pipelines which has made it impossible for us to even transport the fuel. In tanks today, we have 14 days reserve and off tank, we have 10 days reserve.

“The issue is not nonavailability of the product, it is the distribution, because of pipelines that have been vandalised and the gridlock in Lagos. It takes about five days for anybody to take fuel with tanker in Lagos.

“As of two days ago, this matter has been resolved.

The Mosinmi pipeline has been secured and it has led to the improvement in the distribution.”

Speaking on the FEC, the

minister revealed that the council considered and approved two memoranda including for 2016 budget presentation to a joint sitting of the National Assembly

by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday and one presented by the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, for a review for the extant taxation laws, “in order to improve the legal framework and enhance compliance.”

Explaining further, Mohammed said government had noticed some inadequacies in the current tax regime and “these inadequacies have been exploited by both individuals and corporate organisations to evade tax which has led to loos of revenue to the government.

The review aims at plugging these loopholes.”

Pastor Adeboye in Ibadan tomorrow THE General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, will be visiting Ibadan on Wednesday, 23 December 2015, to shower end of the year blessings on all Nigerians.

The venue is The Re-

deemed Christian Church of God, Covenant Sanctuary, opposite Zartech, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.

Nigerians who attend may be given an opportunity to ask for Christmas and New Year gifts from God. Time is 7.00 a.m.

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news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

We are committed to N18,000 minimum wage —Ahmed Biola Azeez - Ilorin

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overnor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has said that his administration remained committed to the payment of the N18, 000 minimum wage, despite the persistent slide

in revenue earnings by the state government.

Governor Ahmed gave this assurance at the commissioning of the Auditorium Project of the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, on Monday.

“The state government is

committed to the security and welfare of its workforce.

Hence, despite the current controversy about the proposed downward review of the minimum wage to workers in Nigeria, due to dwindling monthly allocations from the federation account, occasioned by falling

crude oil prices in international market. I am happy to announce that the state government is still committed to the continued payment of the minimum wage as it is,” he said.

The state government, according to the governor, was also set to introduce Con-

tributory Pension Scheme in order to guarantee that the state’s workers do not encounter post retirement pension challenges.

He said it was becoming increasingly impossible to sustain the present pension model where the state government is solely respon-

ICPC stops firm from fleecing 1,379 job applicants of N5.2m Set to make refunds to affected applicants Plans by a firm (names withheld) few months ago to pocket the sum of N5.2 million from 1,379 applicants in Nigeria through tempting international job offers has been halted through prompt intervention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Before the intervention of ICPC, the company, through newspaper advertorials, had raked in the huge sum by offering job seekers mouth-watering remunerations through internship with foreign multinational companies and manufacturing industries.

According to ICPC media consultant, Mr Folu Olamiti, many applicants had rushed to apply, each paying the sum of N3, 500 demanded as non-refundable fee.

The company initially succeeded in enticing desperate job applicants by claiming that it was in partnership with the then Federal Ministries of Power, Youths & Sports Development and that of Trade and Investment to arrange the recruitment of Nigeri-

an youths for international job opportunities.

The company, however, ran out of luck when the former Ministry of Youths Development disassociated itself from its antics on job offers and published a disclaimer in some national dailies, which eventually attracted the attention of ICPC. Findings have revealed

THE lawmaker representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Abiodun Awoleye, has pledged to facilitate more people-oriented projects in the interest of development and progress of Ibadan land.

Awoleye made this known on Sunday, shortly after the conferment of Distinguished Fellows Award on him by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), which was part of the Ibadan Cultural Festival 2015/ 2016 held at the Ibadan Civic Centre, Idi-Ape, Ibadan.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain declared that the award has showed that the people of the city, Oyo State and Nige-

Federal Ministry of Power in its disclaimer had stated that it never authorised it to advertise and charge fees from Nigerian youths on the initial assignment given to it.

In the same vein, the ministry insisted that there was no communication from it to other ministries who were listed as partners.

On prompt intervention,

We won’t return to work, LAUTECH striking doctors dare Aregbesola Oluwole Ige - Osogbo Striking doctors of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, on Monday, vowed not to resume duties, just as they dismissed sack threat

by Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, describing it as a “huge joke.”

Medical doctors in all Osun State medical facilities have been on strike since Monday, September 28, 2015 to push for the implementation of CONMESS and relativity payment among other demands.

But, Aregbesola, through

CCII award: Awoleye pledges support for Ibadan development

By Nurudeen Alimi

that although the Federal Ministry of Power appointed the company to undertake and drive its initiative for building the capacity of youths in six geo-political zones of the Federation, it was never part of the plan to recruit and collect monies from applicants for unverified international job offers.

According to ICPC, the

rians in general appreciate what he has been doing and therefore has spurred him to do more.

He used the occasion that the motion he moved in the Seventh Assembly made possible the rehabilitation of Ibadan Airport and that he is already pursuing the completion of the rehabilitation work.

He also asserted that he was the one that moved the motion for the compensation of the victims of the 2013 fire incident at Omitowoju area and the need for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to quickly respond to incidents.

He also hinted that he will soon stage a football competition that will unite all youth and adults alike in the whole of Ibadan and reward winners handsomely.

a statement issued by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Human Resources and Capacity Building, Mr Sunday Olajide, over the weekend, gave the striking doctors till Friday, December 25, 2015 to return to work or be sacked.

However, while addressing journalists on the issue at the premises of LAUTECH yesterday, the chairman, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr Owolabi Adeyinka, said the allegation against the doctors that they were being paid salaries, despite being

on strike, was untrue.

He contended that resident doctors were last paid full salary in June, adding that since then, they have been receiving stipend that was not even up to half of their monthly pay.

According to Owolabi, even when the state government has not been paying its doctors with the Federal Government approved adjusted CONMESS and relativity payment; it has been using a tax table meant for the state paying CONMESS to tax them.

however, ICPC decided to freeze the account of the company after they had agreed to refund the monies it collected to affected applicants through ICPC Recovery account.

ICPC has advised affected applicants to make formal written request for the refund of the fees which they had paid into the company’s First Bank Plc account by letter addressed to the Chairman (Attention: Head, FIU), ICPC, Plot 802, Central Business District, Abuja or send an email to info@icpc.gov. ng stating their full names, address, bank account and BVN numbers, telephone numbers and amounts paid.

sible for workers’ pension.

According to the governor, the contributory pension scheme is result oriented and affordable as it is easy for beneficiaries to invest and get interest on their deposits.

“It is therefore necessary and in fact beneficial to adopt the more sustainable model of contributory pensions in Kwara State. This is where both employer and employee contribute certain percentages to the pension fund and this is not only affordable, but results in an increase of benefits and places beneficiaries in a better off pensions.”

The governor urged workers in the state to embrace the contributory pension model as it will be beneficial to them and help the government in the judicious management of scarce resources.

The Director-General, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Ilorin, Dr John Olanrewaju, in his speech said the institute has been playing critical role in capacity development of the country’s labour force through various educative programmes.

news Buhari presents N6 trillion 2016 budget proposal today 8

By Taiwo Adisa, Ayodele Adesanmi,JacobSegunOlatunji and Kolawole Daniel

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HE joint session of the National Assembly is set for President Muhammadu Buhari for the presentation of N6.07 trillion 2016 budget proposal today.

The presentation had earlier been agreed for last Friday but was shifted to today at the instance of the presidency and this has subsequently compelled the legislators to shift the earlier plan to proceed on Christmas break to Tuesday.

However, all staff of the complex and organisations running private businesses within the premises have been directed to stay away from the area today.

This was sequel to a circular from the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, on Monday, stating that the directive is to prevent any form of rowdy atmosphere during the budget presentation.

The circular, which was signed by the Director, Personnel Management, Mamud A Abubakar, on behalf of the Clerk, exempted staffers of the National Assembly working in any of the two chambers and security personnel from the stay away instruction, just as it warned that appropriate punishment would be meted out to any staff found flouting the order.

Business organisations

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

affected by the stay away order included all operators of banks, eateries, airlines, insurance outfits, telecommunication centres and the National Open University Office (NOUN).

The statement entitled “Presentation of 2016 Budget to National Assembly

by President Muhamnadu Buhari” reads “The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is presenting the 2016 Budget to the National Assembly on Tuesday, December 22, 2015.

“In view of the above, all staff of the National Assembly as well as the operators of business outfits in the National Assembly Complex with exception of those on essential duties e.g, Chamber, Security and Medical Staff are directed to stay away from the NASS complex on 22nd December, 2015.

“Any staff found to have violated this instruction will face appropriate disciplinary action.”

However, Monday evening, security operatives were seen at the premises of the National Assembly just as last minute preparations for the event were seen being carried out by staffers of the National Assembly The preparations included laying of the red carpet from the main entrance into the White House to the House of Representatives Chamber where the joint session would hold for the presentation.

The budget presentation

is coming after the Senate and the House of Representatives have both approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

FORMER Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said decency requires that he keeps quiet and watch events unfold as the new government carries on with governance of the country.

He said having served as Minister of Information when he spoke vibrantly in defence of the policies of the last government, it was only proper to let Nigerians hear other voices.

Maku was, on Monday, asked to make comments on some unfolding developments in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration but he declined, saying that it was too early for him to make such comments.

The former minister said he has his views about everything going on currently but said, “When I feel that

I have respected public decency enough, I will make my views known.”

Maku, however, expressed sadness that having fought for democracy, escaped jail by whiskers and risked his life, he was now being made to suffer in the hand of a clique which he alleged has vowed that he will not rule Nasarawa State.

He said his failure to get justice at the levels of courts he had so far approached had nothing to do with his legal team, but with the judicial process, saying that he will continue to cry out to Nigerians that the country should be ran on equity and justice.

According to him, his party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), was sad with some of the rulings so far given on electoral cases involving its candidates, especially in Abia and Na-

The N6 trillion expenditure proposal is the highest in the history of the country’s fiscal plans.

However the $38 per barrel benchmark is the

lowest in recent times. In 2011, it was $62 per barrel; $67 in 2012; $79 in 2013; $76 in 2014 and $53 per barrel in the current year.

Kachikwu deploys NNPC staff to fuel stations for monitoring Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

IN an effort to ensure total eradication of queues from fuel stations across the country, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has ordered the deployment of NNPC staff to filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the distribution system.

However, in a continuation of the special intervention fuel supply for the Yuletide season, another 567 trucks have been dispatched nationwide on Monday Speaking at an emergency meeting with senior staff of the corporation at the NNPC Towers, Dr Kachikwu said though there were a number of challenges in the supply and distribution system that hamper efficient distribution of products across the country, it was time for NNPC to rise above the challenges by ensuring that the special intervention supplies are not diverted or hoarded.

According to him “This calls for effective monitoring of the supply system, especially at the end points, to ascertain that what is trucked out from the depots is delivered at the designated fuel stations and dis-

Why I won’t comment on Buhari’s govt now —Maku Christian Okeke - Abuja

The N6 trillion budget proposal for 2016 budget is predicated on $38 per barrel oil benchmark; N197 exchange rate and 2.200 oil benchmark.

Nigerian Tribune

sarawa states and said that the party cannot accept the situations.

Maku noted that for the new administration at the centre to show any modicum of movement forward, what he described as brazen robbery of victories should be returned to those who won the elections.

pensed to the public in the most efficient manner. We need you to be out there to help achieve this; we can’t be at ease while Nigerians are going through so much pain to get fuel,” Dr. Kachikwu stated.

The Group Public Affairs Manager, Ohi Alegbe, in a statement challenged staff to volunteer for the monitoring exercise, adding that standing up to provide creative solutions to challenges was what the new NNPC is all about.

The minister urged the staff to work towards

achieving zero-queues at their respective stations as soon as possible, adding that they should be ready to sacrifice their Christmas break if need be.

The Group Executive Director, Commercial & Investment, Dr Victor Adeniran, called on staff on monitoring duties to work closely with the Rapid Response Team by reporting any situation that needs urgent intervention such as low stock, delayed arrival of trucks or any underhand dealing.

Taraba guber: Appeal Court reserves judgment Sunday Ejike - Abuja

THE Court of Appeal, in Abuja, on Monday, reserved judgment in the three appeals and cross appeal that emanated from the judgment of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which sat in Abuja because of the security concerns in the North Eastern region of the country.

The tribunal had, in its judgment, sacked the governor of the state, Mr Darius Dickson Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that he was not sponsored by any political party as required by law.

The unanimous judgment of the Musa Danladi Abubakar-led tribunal, in a petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Hajiya Aisha Jumai Alhassan, held that the purported nomination of the sacked governor

by PDP breached Section 85 of the Electoral Act 2010 and ordered the governor to vacate office.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ishaku filed an appeal, asking the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal which dismissed

him from office and handed the governorship to his opponent, Aisha Jummai Alhassan.

When the matter came up yesterday, Chief Kanu Agabi, representing Governor Ishaku, in his appeal urged the court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal, adding also that the appeal ought not to have come up because it was not attached with any valid witness statement.

Agabi said there is nothing to show on the deposition of the witnesses that any fee was paid and not a single of the deposition was signed by the Commissioner for Oath.

According to him, “When a petitioner alleges that an election was marred by irregularities and he goes ahead to claim victory, that petition ought to have been dismissed.”

He said a star witness of the petitioner admitted before the tribunal that the appellant (Ishaku) was sponsored by his party, PDP and prayed the court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the tribunal.

Counsel to Aisha Alhassan and her party, the APC, Abiodun Owonikoko,

Rep member calls for re-classification of federal roads Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

IN view of the political restructuring and economic transformation of the country, a member of the House of Representatives has called for the re-classification of federal roads in the country.

Honourable Johnson Olamide Oni, who made this known, informed that since the Act was enacted in November 26, 1971, 33 years

Dr Adeniran said the Rapid Response Team is made up of PPMC staff and representatives of law enforcement agencies that can adequately handle any challenge, adding that so far, about 200 trucks of the special intervention stock have arrived Abuja.

He called on the staff deployed for monitoring duties to be vigilant and ensure that all the petrol designated for their respective stations is delivered and dispensed to members of the public in a most efficient manner.

ago, the power to classify roads into either federal or states was exercised only three times- December 17, 1971; October 1, 1974 and April 23, 1982.

Oni, who is representing Efon, Ekiti West and Ijero Council areas of Ekiti State Federal Constituency, wondered that for about 33 years since the enactment of the Act, the power has not been exercised by any successive

minister in charge of works.

Oni believed that review of state roads declared as federal roads is imperative.

According to him “some state roads which displayed the character of ‘national roads’ in the new states like Ekiti, Osun, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Yobe, Ebonyi, Gombe, Taraba, Kogi among others are integrated into the list of state roads declared as federal high ways.”

submitted that there was no primaries by the PDP to elect the appellant as its candidate in the election, a submission he said was affirmed by the tribunal and urged the court to uphold the judgment of the tribunal.

Replying on point of law, Chief Agabi said there was evidence that there was a primary election by the PDP which produced Governor Ishaku as its governorship candidate in the Taraba election.

The five member panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboky, reserved ruling of the court on a date that will be conveyed to parties in the matter.

Similarly, the court also reserved ruling in the appeal brought before it by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the appeal by the PDP as well as the cross appeal by Hajia Alhassan, after parties adopted all their processes.

INEC, represented by Joseph Daudu, told the court that the electoral commission validly approve the sponsorship of Governor Ishaku.

But, Owonikoko submitted that INEC has no power to approve the nomination of any candidate of a party, saying that it is either the tribunal or the court that has the power to do that and prayed the court to dismiss the appeal.

Chief Solo Aku, while adopting PDP’s briefs in the appeal said, it is only an aspirant of a party that can challenge the issue of primary election of the party and added that APC and its candidate lack the locus to challenge the conduct of primaries of the PDP.

9

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Lagosmetro

Edited By Lanre Adewole

08037863902 | olanreade@yahoo.com

$330,000: Ex-registrar sentenced to 10-year imprisonment for defrauding Bamaiyi

A

former court registrar in the Ikeja High Court, Mrs Oluronke Rosolu has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for defrauding a former Chief of

Unemployed man docked for allegedly stealing Indomie

Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) of $330,000.

Rosolu, a widow, was a former court registrar to Justice Joseph Oyewole.

She was convicted for aiding Mr Fred Ajudua, a onetime Lagos socialite to defraud Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison between November 2004 and June 2005.

Justice Lateef LawalAkapo of an Ikeja High Court while sentencing Ro-

solu said, “The representation that she never collected $330,000 from the complainant is deceptive.

I find the accused guilty as charged. On count one, I sentence the accused to 10 years imprisonment and on count two I sentence the accused to 10 years imprisonment. Both sentences are to run concurrently.”

Rosolu’s lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, pleaded with the court.

“My Lord, my client is a first time offender without any criminal record and she has four children as her dependants.

“She has been on suspension from the judiciary for over a year and she is on the verge of retiring next year after 34 years of active service in the judiciary,” Bamidele said.

Counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr E.E

Iheanacho, had however requested that Rosolu receive the maximum sentence.

He said, “the crime for which the accused is being charged carries a mandatory sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

“In the circumstance, we will be urging the court to sentence her accordingly.”

The fraud occurred while Ajudua and Bamaiyi were remanded in Kirikiri prison for different offences.

AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin An unemployed man, Chibuzor Ebele, has been charged before a Badagry Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing six cartons of Indomie noodles valued at N7,800.

According to the police, Ebele had on December 10 at the Agents’ Complex, Seme Border, stole six cartons of Indomie noodles from the shop of one Margaret Adaha.

It was gathered that the accused came to buy something from the complainant’s shop.

When the owner of the shop went to look for other denominations to balance him for what he had paid for, he allegedly took six cartons of noodles from the complainant’s shop into his car and drove off.

He was apprehended before he could get away with the stolen items.

The offence according to the police contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.

The counsel to the accused, Tayo Bello, however, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail since investigation into the matter was still ongoing.

He assured the court that his client would not jump bail.

The magistrate, Mr Abiodun Etti, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N20, 000.

The magistrate adjourned the case till January 26, 2016 for further hearing.

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left), with executive secretary, Oshodi Local Government Area, Hon. Adeola Olajobi Dawood (left), site supervisor, Lobrics Construction Company, Mr. Baha Zidan (3rd left), during the governor’s inspection of the street in Oshodi, on Monday.

Court remands alleged killers of MD, Lekki Free Zone, pending advice from DPP Four people arrested in connection with the death of the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Mr Tajudeen Disu, have been remanded in prison custody by an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused — Dele Jaiye (40), Tunde Ismaila (27), Shakirat Agbaje (40), and Olalekan Oshinowo (30), are facing a 12-count charge bordering on assault, murder, conspiracy, attempted murder and unlawful gathering.

Magistrate Mrs Folashade Botoku had ordered that the accused be remanded, pending legal advice from the Office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She then adjourned the case to Feb. 15, for the DPP’s advice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Disu was allegedly killed on Oct.12, during an uproar between the management of the Zone and the indigenes of one of its host communities.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Chinalu Uwadione, alleged that accused persons had on Oct.12, at about 9: 00 a.m., at Dangote Refinery Company, Lekki Trade Zone, conspired to commit the offences.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 44, 45, 409 and 410 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Cultivate relaxation habit for healthy living, gov’s wife tells residents The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, has stressed the importance of relaxation for healthy living, just as she urged Lagos residents to embrace such in the interest of living healthier and longer.

Mrs. Ambode said this at the 2015 Christmas Family Fun Share organised by the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency

(LASPARK), noting that much as Lagos residents loved their jobs and businesses as hardworking people, it was equally important for them to cultivate the habit of relaxation in order to live longer and healthier.

The programme, which took place at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Mobolaji Johnson Avenue in Ikeja, was organised by LASPARK in

conjunction with Ourkraft Ventures.

The governor’s wife, while declaring the programme open, said as the people were relaxing and having fun especially in this festive season, they should be vigilant and keep an eye on their belongings, especially their children.

Mrs. Ambode recalled that LASPARK came into being a few years ago to

transform the landscape of the state, as well as the relaxation habit of residents, adding that the agency had effectively and diligently carried out its mandate.

“After the hustle and bustle of these months, it is only necessary that we unwind and relax with members of our family, hence this Family Fun Share. To us, family means putting your arms around each

other and being there for each other,” Mrs. Ambode said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of LASPARK, Dr. (Mrs.) Titi Anibaba, thanked Mrs. Ambode for coming out to mark the event with the children, just as she urged residents to take out time during the yuletide period to share happy moments with their families and friends.

10 news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Arms purchase scandal: Court grants Dasuki, Yuguda, Bafarawa, others bail Sunday Ejike - Abuja

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N Abuja High Court, on Monday, granted former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd); a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; a former director of finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu and four other accused persons bail in the sum of N250 million each with a surety in like sum.

The four other accused

persons granted bail yesterday by Justice Peter Affem were a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir, and two firms, Dalhatu Investment Limited and Jabbam Ada Global Services,

who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged criminal breach of trust and of obtaining stolen property.

Other conditions for the

bail of the accused persons, according to the trial Judge, was that the surety must be a civil servant, serving or retired and not below the rank of a director, that the accused persons should submit their

passports with the court registrar and that any travel arrangement outside Abuja by Dasuki and his co-accused must be conveyed to the court.

The accused persons were arraigned by EFCC on a

FRSC promises hitch-free Xmas, New Year celebrations Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has said it has put all necessary measures in place to ensure a hitch-free Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country.

Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, has accordingly commenced nationwide monitoring of traffic situation on the Nigerian roads, particularly accidentprone areas in some states of the Federation.

Oyeyemi, was at Enugu State on Monday, where the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Mendie, assured him that road users were guaranteed of safe and obstruction-free yuletide.

Head of Media Relations and Strategy, Mr Bisi Kazeem, in a statement in Abuja, said the Corps Marshal who was in the state in continuation of his monitoring activities towards a hitchfree Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country pledged to review the deployment profile in states in order to make the operations more successful.

Meanwhile, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has directed that 50,000 personnel be stationed in strategic locations nationwide to ensure a very smooth and peaceful yuletide season.

The helmsman who gave this directive at the Corps National Headquarters, Abuja, beckoned on Christians to continue to walk in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From left, British Secretary of State for Defence, Mr Michael Fallon; President Muhammadu Buhari and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday. Photo: nan

22-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

All the accused persons, the Judge held, are to be remanded in Kuje Prisons, Abuja pending when they meet all the conditions for their bail.

The anti-graft agency had accused the former NSA, Yuguda and Salisu of stealing N5.05 billion between April 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015, while Yuguda, Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Bafarawa, and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited are accused of receiving stolen property amounting to N4.633 billion from the office of the NSA. It will be recalled that Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of another Abuja High Court had, last week Friday granted bail to Dasuki, and four others in another case in which they are facing a 19-count charge of money laundering and criminal breach of trust.

Bauchi airport fiasco: We used ladder to douse passengers’ tension —Aero Shola Adekola - Lagos THE controversial use of a ladder to disembark passengers on board a chartered Aero Airline aircraft at Bauchi airport last Saturday, has continued to generated controversy even as the airline on Monday, announced temporary suspension of the use of Boeing 737 aircraft for chartered flights into the airport.

Aero management has also insisted that it was not deliberate on its part to disembark passengers with a ladder at Bauchi airport, but embarked on the flight op-

erations because the Bauchi airport manager had assured the airline of serviceable facilities severally before they embarked on the trip.

Speaking on behalf of the airline management on Monday, the Managing Director of Aero, Captain Russell B. Lee Foon, declared that the result of the investigation it set up following the scandal that arose from the use of a ladder to disembark passengers from its aircraft at Bauchi International Airport could anytime from now lead to changes in its operational procedures.

Captain Russell, speaking

at a briefing at the airline’s office in Lagos, stated that the decision to perform any further charters to Bauchi was suspended on B737 equipment, but would consider charters into Bauchi on Q400 or Dash 8-300 aircraft, a smaller airplane.

Crew on board the controversial flight according to Russell were: Captain Nikcevic Vlado, First Officer Adeoye Ajibola, Purser, Joy Lawson, Cabin Crew, Christie Anne Bassey, Arit Tom Aton, flight dispatcher, Eunice Kantiok.

According to him, prior to leaving Abuja on the day in

Sh’iite clash: Group holds one million- man solidarity march today Adetola Bademosi - Abuja FOLLOWING the recent clash between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (Shiites), Groups under the auspices of New Nigeria Agenda (NNA), The Nigerian Project (TNP) and the Support Our Troops Initiative (SOTI) have expressed shock over incessant negative comments passed against the Nigerian Army.

This is even as it disclosed plans to lead a one million

man solidarity march to the National Assembly (NASS) today, in support of the Nigerian military.

The groups stated this in Abuja, on Monday, at a joint press conference, convened and addressed by Mr Chinedu Okpalanma (TNP), Mr Ogochukwu Ezeaku and the coordinator, SOTI Campaign, Phil Roberts, respectively.

According to them, the attack was not only an infringement on national security, but also an attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieu-

tenant General Tukur Buratai.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has inaugurated a five-man panel to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Shiite Islamic sect in Zaria.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Bem Angwe, said that the investigation became necessary following a complaint tendered before the commission by the COAS.

question, the airline’s flight dispatcher contacted the airport manager at Bauchi to advise that the aircraft was taxing out and he confirmed that they were ready to receive the flight.

The airline chief explained that on December 17, 2015, a charter was booked and confirmed from Abuja to Bauchi on a Boeing 737 -500 series aircraft, adding that the charter was booked by a group of young people who were going for a wedding event in Bauchi.

His words, “On December 18, 2015, confirmed arrangements were made by our Head of Ground Operations, Mr Peter Omata, for the handling of the flight through the airport manager of Bauchi, Mr Abubakar.

“He confirmed on many occasions the availability of the air stairs and cost. The aircraft to be used for the flight was 5N-BLG, a Boeing 737-500 series aircraft.

This aircraft was positioned into Abuja on the evening of Decmber 18, 2015.”

According to Russell, after parking the aircraft in Bauchi on landing, the captain waited for up to 10 minutes for the stairs to be brought to the aircraft but no assistance or stairs came to the aircraft, a situation which made the Captain informed

the passengers of the situation as they were beginning to get agitated.

“What was not known to the crew at the beginning of the flight was that the groom of the said wedding was on board the flight. The wedding was to start in another 20 minutes. At 10:57 the crew called the controller to inquire as to why there was no one to position the stairs for the aircraft and he was told then that the stairs had just broken down and that the fire services were making provisions to sort it out.

“The group insisted that he cannot keep them on board the aircraft and he considered that their anger was becoming potentially threatening for the crew to take them back to Abuja. The alternative which the Fire services provided was a ladder which the passengers took as an option and on their own free will decided to use the ladder to disembark against the wishes of the Captain and crew.”

Also, as intrigues over the controversial use of a ladder to disembark passengers at the Bauchi airport on Saturday, continues, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Monday said it has distanced itself from the incidence, saying the ugly issue did not have anything to do with it.

businessnews Shareholders commend ANN Plc over performance 11

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

•As new chairman takes over

By Femi Ibirogba

S

hareholders of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, have commended the board of directors, management and staff of the company for putting in their best which resulted in the superlative performance recorded by the company at the end of the last financial year despite hostile business environment.

They said this during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company at the Efunyela Hall of the Awolowo home in IkenneRemo, Ogun State, which also saw the emergence of Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran as the new chairman of the company.

While unveiling the new chairman, the company secretary, Mr Ayodele Akinmoladun, said in accordance with the will of the founding chairman, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, there would be a collegiate chairmanship comprising the children of the former chairman with each of the members of the chairmanin-council taking a turn of two years to head the company, starting with the oldest surviving child.

Reverend Oyediran, while presenting the operating results of the company for the 2015 financial year, said, “The year under review was very challenging for the Nigerian economy, the general business environment and our operations. These challenges included an unstable foreign exchange market, high input cost, fierce competition, and security difficulties in some parts of the country.

“Poor infrastructure, high cost of fuel and unreliable power supply were among the challenges of doing business in Nigeria,” the chairman said.

However, Reverend Oyediran added: “I am pleased to inform you that in the year under review and in addition to our other projects, our company commissioned a new printing machine and recorded a favourable result for the year.”

On the capital expenditure in the year under review, the chairman said a new printing machine was acquired and installed in the head office of the company, adding that the company had also acquired a piece of land with the construction of a befitting office and printing press nearing completion in Abuja as part of efforts to take the company to a

greater height and ensure superb returns on shareholders’ investments.

The new chairman said the Dideolu Scholarship Scheme, started by Chief (Mrs) H.I.D. Awolowo, would be continued.

A shareholder, Chief Adebayo Odubona, commended the company on its performance in terms of higher profit after tax,

acquisition of new printing machine as well as the ongoing construction project in Abuja.

He also lauded the new chairman for declaring the continuity of the scholarship programme and the approved dividend, saying it was uncommon in this era of loss and poor performance of corporate entities as a result of the challenging operating en-

vironment.

Member of the Chairman-in-Council, Dr (Mrs) Awolowo Olatokunbo Dosumu, commended shareholders, other board members, management and staff of the company for their support over the years. She urged them to continue to support the new leadership of the board just as they did when her mother was at the helm

of affairs in order to ensure the continuity, success and prosperity of the company.

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of ANN PLC, Mr Edward Dickson, also commended shareholders, board of directors, the management team and staff of the company for the success recorded so far.

He reiterated that the scholarship scheme is for all eligible children of

shareholders who have already been admitted to either a government approved polytechnic or university with evidence, including admission letters and confirmation letters from authorities of the institutions.

Three undergraduate students already on the scholarship scheme were each presented with a N100,000 cheque.

Uyo applaud Globacom for Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert

Ajjampu Ghanshyam, India High Commissioner to Nigeria; Noel Tata, Managing Director, Tata International Limited; Mr Bitrus Elesa, President, Tractors Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) and Rudraruo Moitra, Head of International Business, Tata Motors, at the launch of the TATA showroom in Lagos, recently. PHOTO: ALABA IGBAROOLA.

Rehabilitate historical sites to enhance tourism —Akpabio By ’Biodun Awolaja

President of Nanet Hotels and Suits, Mr Ini Akpabio, has appealed that the Federal Government give a facelift to historical sites in the country as this would attract tourists.

Akpabio disclosed this recently in Lagos during an industry event.

He noted that it was pertinent to uplift the status of the sites as it would help in repositioning the tourism sector as well as boost its foreign exchange earnings.

He said: “Nigeria was blessed with numerous historical sites that could be improved, to boost tour-

ism revenues and create new jobs. Some of the sites as the Ibeno Beach, the Obudu Mountain Resort, the Tinapa Free Zone Resort and the Osun-Osogbo Grove.

“Others are the Queen Amina Wall, the OkeIdanre Hills, the Ogbunike Caves, the Nana Living History Museum, the New Afrika Shrine and the Kainji National Park.The Tourism Sector is capable of generating billions of Naira for the nation. The industry is also the second largest employer of labour globally; it is capable of employing millions of people

Dollar maintains N270 at parallel market The naira, on Monday, continued to exchange at N270 to the dollar amidst expectations that the apex bank would inject 90 million dollars to stimulate the parallel market.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the naira had on Friday rebounded after weeks of record low at the market, exchanging for N270

to the dollar at the parallel market.

At the official interbank window, the naira exchanged for N197 to the dollar.

Traders at the market were hopeful that the naira would experience some stability after the Central Bank of Nigeria said it had stimulated the market with 90 million dollars.

and alleviating poverty,’’ Akpabio said.

He further stated that it had become important that government should refurbish abandoned historical monuments, hotels, as well as tourism sites across the country, to boost earnings from the sector. ``This was because there are lots of abandoned government hotels, monuments and tourism sites that are no longer in good condition. This is because the country is blessed with enormous tourism and hospitality assets”.

He disclosed that current

administration does not need to spend money in establishing new tourism sites or monuments, but to reactivate the abandoned ones.

While urging the government to take the sector seriously because there were lots of opportunities in it that the governments were not fully aware of, he hinted that tourism had aided many countries like Kenya, South Africa, Gambia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, France, Germany, Brazil, the UK and the U.S. to grow their economies.

IT was an evening of fun and entertainment for residents of Uyo as the premium music concert Slide n Bounce, sponsored by Globacom, hit the Akwa Ibom State capital on Thursday.

Top-rated artistes and Glo ambassadors, including MI, Korede Bello, Sammie Okposo and P Square thrilled the audience who revelled in excitement.

DJ Jimmy Jatt dished out hit tracks of the performing artistes to the pleasure of guests who filled the auditorium to maximum capacity.

Local aspiring and talented young artistes were given the opportunity of showcasing their skills in singing and dance before the commencement of the show.

Glo ambassador and famous Nollywood comedian Okon Lagos got a standing ovation when he appeared on stage to the delight of his fans.

Gospel singer, Sammie Okposo heightened the tempo with his gospel hit tracks rendered in vernacular and English. The enthralled audience chorused along and even participated in the singing competition.

Mavin Records singer Korede Bello was overwhelmed by the applauds from the crowd as he appeared on stage taking the entertainment decibel to new levels as he sang his popular “ God win” song and other tunes.

2016: Capital market operators task FG on friendly foreign exchange policies The Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), on Monday, urged the Federal Government to pursue friendly foreign exchange control policies that would stabilise economic activities in 2016.

Mr Emeka Madubuike, ASHON’s president, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the nation’s capital market had been under undue pressure due to un-

friendly foreign exchange policies.

Madubuike said that the government needed to strengthen security issues in the country and ensure transparency in its activities to boost investors’ confidence.

He said that a government should also pay more attention to the development of the capital market in 2016 through the introduction of tax incentives

to attract people to seek listing and source for fresh funding.

Madubuike said that infrastructure challenges should be funded through the capital market, noting that companies and the government in the past focused on money market for long term projects.

“You cannot use shortterm money to fund capital project, this cannot work,” he said.

12

businessnews

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

NERC approves increase of electricity tariffs •Removes fixed charges FromOlatundeDodondawaand Gbola Subair

T

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has increased the charges for electricity consumption across the country.

In a statement issued by the commission, NERC announced the removal of fixed electricity charges, saying consumers would now have to pay for “only what they consume.”

The development came less than a week after the House of Representatives asked NERC to halt the plan of increasing tariffs.

“Although, the new tariff regimes come with an increase in energy charges, all electricity consumers (residential as well as commercial) will no longer pay fixed charges, so their total bills will depend on the electricity they actually consume and may be reduced when they conserve electricity,” the statement quoted Sam Amadi, chairman of NERC, as saying.

This is good news for electricity consumers who have long asked for a more just and fair pricing of electricity. The regulatory commission had promised to address all the complaints against fixed charges through a regulatory process that promotes investments in the electricity industry without unfairly burdening electricity consumers.

“This is in line with NERC’s mandate to be fair in all its regulatory intervention.

“Consumers will no longer be spending money every month to pay for fixed charges even when they do not receive electricity in their homes and

business. The objective of the new tariff is to enable prudent consumers to save money on electricity bill as they can now control their consumption and not pay monthly fixed charges.

“For instance, residential customer classification (R2) in Abuja Electricity Distribution Company will

no longer pay N702.00 fixed charge every month.

Their energy charge will increase by N9.60. Also, residential customers (R2 customers) in Eko and Ikeja electricity distribution areas will no longer pay N750. 00 fixed charges. They will be get-

ting N10 and N8 increase respectively in their energy charges.

“Similarly, the burden of N800.00 and N750.00 fixed charges would be lifted off the shoulders of Kaduna and Benin electricity consumers. These consumers will see an increase

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has advised its customers to be conscious of their safety while using electricity during the Christmas and New Year celebration.

IBEDC also reiterated its commitment towards ensuring availability of efficient power supply during the Christmas holidays and beyond.

The company covering Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Kwara states and parts of Ekiti, Kogi and Niger states also pledged to remain open for business throughout the holiday for payments, complaints and enquiries.

Deputy Managing Director of IBEDC, Mr John Ayodele, who gave this

Their energy charge will increase by N12.08 and N13.35 respectively.

“In line with the transparent disposition to its operations, full details of the new tariff regime would be advertised in major national dailies and commission’s website within the next 24 hours.”

‘Customers must be metred in 2 months’

Master Samsudeen Ajayi, 500-level student of Ladoke Akintola University (left), receiving award from General Manager, Dangote Cement, Ibese, Abdulmalik Shehu, at the Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, during the presentation of scholarship awards for 2014/2015 session to the Ibese community.

Forte Oil to increase Geregu power plant to 435MW OlatundeDodondawa-Lagos

Forte Oil Plc has announced it will complete major overhaul of Geregu Power Plant, which it owned 51 per cent, to restore the plant to the installed capacity of 414MW and add additional 21MW in order to bring the total capacity to 435MW. The company also stated that it planned to grow its

profit after tax for the financial year ended December 2016 to N11.09 billion.

The company also targets profit before tax of N12.84 billion for the same period, while the revenue for the period is expected to settle at N22.30 billion.

The Group Managing Director, Mr Akin Akinfemiwa, who spoke at the Investors’ Conference in Lagos, said the major driver of the expected finan-

cial objective would be the company’s involvement in lifting crude oil in the country, a development, he said, was not reflected in expected financials of 2016.

The Forte Oil boss explained that going into 2016, the company would pursue organic and inorganic expansion, saying that it hoped to acquire additional 30 strategic retail sites in key business

IBEDC sensitises customers to safety precautions during Yuletide

By Femi Ibirogba

of N11.05 and N9.26 respectively in their energy charges.

“The new tariff is also good news for commercial consumers. For example, commercial customers’ classification C2 in Ibadan and Enugu will no longer pay fixed charges of N17, 010 and N22, 141.

assurance in a Christmas and New Year message at the weekend, educated customers on basic safety precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable festive period.

According to him, “The festive season comes with a lot of activities prone to hazards or imminent mishaps. To avoid acci-

dents or incidents involving electricity, we urge our customers to switch off all electrical appliances and unplug from the mains when not in use and when they are leaving the house.

“Outdoor and open air cooking should not be done close to or under any power (low and high tension) line; and always en-

sure the fire is completely put out after cooking,” he said.

He added that customers should “Avoid overloading of electrical sockets; indiscriminate changing of electrical cutouts once there is power outage, as this leads to loose contacts and ultimately can lead to fire outbreak.”

Dangote Cement awards scholarships to 14 host communities The management of Dangote Cement PLC, Ibese Plant in Ogun State, at the weekend, announced a fresh multi-million naira scholarship awards for secondary school and tertiary education students from its 14 host communities in what is now an annual activity.

Leaders and youths of the host communities to the company were sent into

celebration mood when the company presented cheques to some 49 students of higher institutions and secondary school spread across the country.

His Royal Majesty, Oba Gbadebo Adesola Oni, the Olu of Imasayi, who was the Royal Father of the Day, commended the cement company’s management for the gesture which

he said had been running for some years since Dangote started production in Ibeseland.

He stated that the communities’ leaders appreciated the fact that there had always been an improvement in the number of the benefitting community members, urging the company not to rest on its oars.

areas, as well as develop five retail centres with convenience stores.

He further stated in pursuing increased profitability, Forte Oil plans to introduce more product offerings (Bitumen, LPFO and LPG), and “will conclude plans with four reputable partners to roll out 70 brand new redesigned lube bays nationwide under our brand name ‘FO Quick Fix’.”

Akinfemiwa informed the investors that the company would commence the roll out of the new lube bays in January 2016 as well as launch its e-commerce site – FO Quickbuy – to allow customers make purchases online.

According to him, “Forte Oil will deepen focus on high margin products by increasing lubes and throughput per station. We will also exploit LPG business particularly, LPG retailing and bottle refilling and optimise and expand the Geregu Power Plant assets.

“We will also diversify into upstream space through profitable acquisition of upstream assets, harness partnerships with convenience stores, financial institutions and telecommunication firms and increase footfall to our station.

Meanwhile, NERC has directed the electricity distribution companies (Discos) to immediately begin massive metering of customers which must be completed within two months.

According to the commission, “henceforth, every disco should meter all its customers. The metering policy will be strictly enforced. For those willing electricity customers who paid for meters under the Cash Advance Payment Metering Initiative (CAPMI) but are yet to be metered within the allowable 60 days would no longer be billed by the electricity distribution companies under the new tariff regime.

“And the discos will not disconnect them. There is zero tolerance for overbilling of customers. An unmetered customer who is disputing his estimated bill would not be expected to pay the disputed bill. He would pay his last undisputed bill as the contested bill go through the dispute resolution process. This is a departure from the old practice which prescribes that customers should first settle the bill while dispute resolution is in process.”

NACCIMA kicks against new tariffs

The National Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has cautioned the Federal Government on the increased electricity tariff.

The National Vice President of NACCIMA, Prince Billy Gillis-Harry, who gave the warning in Abuja, said that there was the need to involve the stakeholders in deciding what the consumer would pay.

Gillis-Harry said that it was not proper for the government to just wake up and said “this is what the consumer would pay on electricity without involving them.

“The decision should come from pool of opinions. Every stakeholder should be part of it because the negative impact would be on all, looking at the economy, that is.”

13

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

14

news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Kogi poll: Faleke challenges INEC’s decision on inconclusive poll

Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

T

HE deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, James Faleke, on Monday filed a petition before the Election Tribunal challenging the outcome of the governorship election in the state.

The petition, which is novel in the history of election in the country, was received by the Secretary of the tribunal, Mr Akanji Akinlabi, at about 12.20 p.m.

The petition, according to Faleke, was challenging the declaration of the governorship election of November 21 inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The petitioner, who was flanked by the son of the late governorship candidate of the party, Mohammed Audu and other party chieftains, said the petition was meant to challenge INEC’s decision on the election.

Faleke, who expressed

his confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice, said he did not join APC, his party as one of the respondents, adding that the petition dragged INEC before the tribunal to challenge its decision in declaring the election inconclusive since the election by all standards was concluded and won by the APC Audu/Faleke ticket.

The running mate said he had nothing against the leadership of the party, adding that he decided to drag the electoral umpire

to court as a result of the process that produced Alhaji Bello as governor.

Faleke stressed that his late boss, Prince Abubakar Audu and him won the election conducted on November 21, maintaining that the supplementary election of December 5, this year, was completely unnecessary.

He assured that if they get justice at the end of the day, everything humanly possible would be done to fulfil the electioneering campaign promises, which

they made to the people of the state.

However, when pressed further on the content of the petition, the Secretary of the tribunal said he could not disclose the grounds and prayers of the petition as it was yet to become public document.

The premises of the state High Court, which is the

Police comb creeks in search of Dickson’s abducted sister, commissioner Austin Ebipade-Yenagoa

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose (right), swearing-in the newly elected local government council chairmen, at the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti, on Monday.

SEQUEL to the abduction of the younger sister of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, and a serving Commissioner, the police command have deployed its men into the creeks in search of the victims to secure their freedom and to equally apprehend the perpetrators of the criminal act.

It will be recalled that Nancy Dickson was abducted on Saturday, at her shop located at Okaka suburbs in Yenagoa Local Government Area, while Mrs Sarafina Otazi, Commissioner for Women Affairs was abducted on her way to Ewoi community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

The police in an earlier statement said: On 20/12/2015, at about 1530hrs, one Honourable

No funds to steal in council, Fayose tells newly swor-in LG chairmen Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has administered the oath of office to the 16 local government chairmen in the state elected on Saturday, stating that there are no funds to steal in local government council areas.

The governor, who also urged them to take the issue of internallygenerated revenue (IGR) serious, warned the new local government chairmen that there is no such funds in the council areas that might end up in their pockets.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, during the inauguration of the chairmen, the governor said, “If anyone of you have the intention of going to steal in the council you should erase that immediately from your mind. There is no money now. The economy is seriously in trouble in Nigeria. The huge debt left by APC government is still there now for this government. I advise you to cut your coat according to your size.

“You must have love for

the people, you must be available to be seen and spoken to, visit them in times of distress, everything is not all about money, even if you don’t have money to give them, show love to them. Don’t just pass by and wave to them.”

The governor also said in line with the policy of empowering people at local level, each councillor and chairman would use N20, 000 out of their monthly salaries to empower two persons in their wards.

He described the election that brought the chairmen “successful conduct of the local government election,” and described it as “a landmark achievement.”

The newly-sworn in chairmen are: Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government, Mr Dapo Olagunju; Ado Ekiti Local Government, Mr Deji Ogunsakin; Mrs Sade Akinrinmola, Gbonyin Local Government Area; Bola Alonge, Ikere and Lanrewaju Omolase, Ekiti South West.

Others are: Olumide Falade, Ise/Orun; Kolawole Omotunde, Ekiti West; Bolaji Jeje, Efon;

Samuel Adeniyi Adekunle, Ekiti East; Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo, Ido/Osi; Tayo

Ogundare, Oye; Taiwo Oguntuase, Emure; A. A. Adeyanju, Ikole; Ganiyu

Bakare, Ilejemeje; Abiodun Dada, Ijero and Adeniyi Adebayo, Moba.

Passengers groan as fuel scarcity bites harder Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

PASSENGERS have begun to groan due to the heat of the lingering fuel crisis as transportation fares have jacked up.

This is as a result of the over a-month-old fuel scarcity, which has compelled large number of drivers to

resort to buying black markets.

Nigerian Tribune gathered on Monday in Abuja, that passengers now groan as the cost of transportation is increased by N50.

The long queues at the various filling stations have also led to massive traffic along major roads.

Lawson’s dynasty celebrates 2015 Christmas party Sylvester Okoruwa-Lagos

THE Lawson’s Dynasty on Sunday gathered at the home of the head of the Lawson Dynasty Mrs Christiana Adebanjo (Nee Magnus Lawson) to celebrate the family’s annual reunion Christmas Party in a special way.

Mrs Christiana Adebanjo is also the oldest member of the family. She and her husband, Chief Ayo Adebanjo hosted the Christmas Party.

She told Nigerian Tribune that the Lawson’s annual Christmas reunion party has been an age long

tradition for the family to gather together every last Sunday before Christmas to have fun, interact and learn more of the family’s tradition.

The Lawson’s a royal dynasty from Aneho, Togo came to Nigeria in the 18th century through their father Willams Lawson, who had three children; Magnus, Tychus and Body, which has now produced four generations of Lawsons descendents.

His Royal Highness Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, Togo joined the family to celebrate this year’s party.

venue of the tribunal sitting was however besieged by further reports that hundreds of APC members and supporters converged to witness the submission of the petition.

Also speaking, Audu’s son said his support for Faleke was in line with the decision of elders and family of his late father.

A visit to the Total Filling station and Conoil opposite the popular NNPC towers, revealed long queues even as motorists patiently await their turns.

Mr Peter, a motorist who spoke with Nigerian Tribune stated that the lingering crisis seem to be getting unbearable especially for drivers, who solely depend on transportation as a source of livelihood.

He stressed the need for the Buhari-led administration to find lasting solution to the menace especially during the yuletide period.

“We don’t even know what is happening, nobody is saying anything. All we are just hearing is that by January next year that they will start selling petrol for N97.

“Buhari should do something; after all he is the Minister of Petroleum. He should help us do something because Christmas is here, people cannot travel because of this fuel scarcity,” he said.

Serifinah Otazi, was abducted by six unknown gunmen, along EwoiOtuoke Road, in Ogbia LGA. The unknown gunmen escaped with the victim through Onuebum Waterfront.

“Also, on December 19, 2015, at about 1450hrs, four unknown gunmen in an ash coloured Lexus Jeep, trailed one Nancy Dickinson to her shop at Okaka road, Yenagoa, and abducted her and her sales girl to an unknown destination.”

Our check revealed that the police have spread their dragnets to communities in Brass, Nembe, Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw area, where several criminal hideouts and camps are located to ensure the safety of the victims in the hands of their abductors.

Our leadership will not let down workers —NLC president NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC), will defend and protect workers interest in all issues relating to their welfare and will not let them down, its President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, has pledged.

Wabba made the pledge on Monday in Maiduguri in his remarks at a reception organised in his honour by Borno State Chapter of the union.

He said that the union would also strive to protect the interests of the downtrodden in all issues.

Wabba however declined comment on issues relating to minimum wage, petroleum products and others.

“Our actions will naturally be guided by what we consider are in the best interest of our members, the Nigerian people as well as the overall interest of our fatherland,” he said.

The NLC boss commended the Nigerian Army for its efforts to defeat Boko Haram insurgents.

15

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015 PHOTOS: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

LAWSON’S DYNASTY CELEBRATES ITS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS REUNION PARTY

From left, Bunmi Lawson, Mrs Gloria Magnus-Lawson, Mrs Christiana Adebanjo, Mr Jimmy Sadare and Mr Kenneth Lawson.

Great, great grandchildren of the dynasty.

From left, Sade Adebanjo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, his wife, Christiana, Mrs Ade Azeez and Mr Segun Adebanjo.

All the generations of the dynasty.

From left, (front row) are the dynasty’s elders, Dr Adam Lawson, Lloyd Lawson, Lidgy Lawson and Spencer Lawson.

From left (back row) Epi Lawson, Kayode Delonye, Loveth Lawson and Victor Lawson.

His Royal Highness, Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, Togo (middle) with first generation of the Magnus Lawson generation and their spouses. From left, Bodunrin Magnus-Lawson, Mrs Margaret Allen, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mrs Christiana Adebanjo, the head and the eldest of the Lawson dynasty, Dr Samuel Benjamin Magnus –Lawson and wife, Gloria.

His Royal Highness, Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, Togo (middle) with Chief Adebanjo, his wife, Christiana with the king’s entourage.

His Royal Highness, Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, Togo (middle) with second generation of the Lawson dynasty.

His Royal Highness, Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, (middle) with third generation of the dynasty.

His Royal Highness, Togbe Ahuawoto Zankli Savado Lawson VIII of Aneho, Togo (second left) and his wife, Madam Lucy (left), presenting a Christmas cake to the head of the dynasty, Mrs Christiana Adebanjo, while Chief Zankli Lawson (second right) watches.

16

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Femi Ibirogba adefemi2007@yahoo.com 0811 695 4646

How local content, cassava flour policies helped agro-allied fabricators 窶年obex Tech boss

Mr Idowu Adeoya, Managing Director of Nobex Technologies Ltd, in this interview with FEMI IBIROGBA, speaks on policies helping agro-allied equipment fabrications, impacts on food processing and security, as well as the challenges, among other issues. Excerpts:

W

HAT influenced your decision to specialise on agro-allied equipment fabrication?

When I was in secondary school, I had longed to go into fabrication of food processing equipment, because I love doing what creates job opportunities for people and I think direct fabrications and the industrial use of the fabrications do create a lot of jobs.

Again, my father was a crop production farmer and most of the crops he produced were underutilised and wasted due to lack of preservation technologies and processing equipment. So, I decided to go into food equipment that can bail out people like my father by adding value to their crops and hence, reducing wastage. Cocoa can be dried in the raining season with no loss or wastage at all. He was actually a cocoa farmer. So, that was what brought me into agro-allied equipment fabrications.

Since you started in 1994, what were the challenges you encountered and how did you overcome them?

Challenges we initially encountered were in how to attract, satisfy and retain customers and how to get raw materials for fabrication. We were using fairly used metal and other materials from the open market because new ones were expensive then. The electrical motors were also expensive too, so we used fairly used imported ones from Europe.

to participate in the discussions in the cassava processing project. We looked at the current situation of the existing dryers and we looked into how to improve on, modify and adapt them to the environment. They also invited experts from University of Ibadan and other universities. We were given some materials to work with, including documents and drawings on flash dryers. That was where I got some materials I am still using till today. Recommendations from participants have helped us a lot.

How were you recognised and invited to such a life-changing project?

I told you earlier that we started as fabricators of agroallied and food processing equipment. We fabricated equipment for a processor in Akure which he used to dry cassava flour and starch, as well as fryer he used to make garri. In the course of taking data of cassava processing equipment in Africa, some experts came across the machines and asked the processor about who fabricated the equipment, and we were contacted eventually. He was supplying Flour Mills of Nigeria and his contact was tracked from there. They came from the University of Greenwich, and they told me they were on a project to take samples of cassava and food processing machines available in Africa, working under Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA) funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates

We also know that Greenwich University gave you an award. Was it based on the equipment they inspected in Akure?

It was not because of that. They tested all flash drying equipment they could see in Africa to know the level of efficiency and our machines were adjudged as the best.

That was the reason for the award. They told me the machines we made were the best, though there was room for improvement.

Will you say agro-allied fabrication is a sustainable business?

Yes, it is because we are growing. We are not there yet.

Recently, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture acquired 25 units of flash dryer from us, indicating that the government has been seeing the impacts of our machines.

Do you specialise in flash dryers or you produce other machines?

We produce other equipment other than flash dryers, but we have realised that the major problem of food processing and processors in Nigeria is drying. Drying reduces the moisture content and this is the technique to preserve food, eradicate wastage and ensure food security.

That is why I decided to stick to fabricating mainly dryers.

Other machines we do well are oil extractors, threshers, fruit processors and feed milling machines.

How does the average farmer who cannot afford these machines benefit from your technologies?

If they form cooperatives, it will be better for them to have access to the machines, because they can pool resources together through contributions or ask for government or non-governmental assistance to acquire the processing machines.

If you mean real business, you have to acquire machines that can turn out two to three tonnes of the product in a day, but they are a bit expensive.

How did you feel getting honored as the Most Innovative Agro-allied Fabricator of the Year Award by the Oyo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)?

I felt good and recognised, indicating that Nigerians do appreciate the efforts I put into agro-allied technologies and that the impacts are being seen on the fields. This will give us more encouragement to do what we are doing better and affect more lives positively by boosting their incomes, and by adding our quota to the food processing and security efforts.

How were you able to overcome these?

During the first term of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, he encouraged us and made things easier with the local content policy. The second factor was the inclusion of cassava flour in bread and confectioneries baking. These policies made things easier for us because raw materials we needed for agro-allied equipment manufacturing were allowed to come in, combining with locally available materials and technologies.

You mean local content and cassava inclusion in bread policies have helped people like you in stabilising your businesses?

They made the environment conducive for fabricators to some extent, especially in the area of access to raw materials. The flour processors then found it difficult because importing flash dryers from abroad was very expensive and duty payable was equally high. The flash dryer and other equipment used before then were designed and produced for those processing cassava from abroad. They were not machines you could get in the open market in China or Europe. That was why they were expensive. Again, these crops are ours; we understand them better than foreign companies producing the tools.

So, we were able to adapt and modify equipment with the help of these policies. Cassava flour inclusion also increased demand for our equipment by processors.

How were you able to earn the trust and loyalty of individuals, firms and government as your customers?

When we started then, there was a programme called Integrated Cassava Project (ICP) during the Obasanjo-led administration and it was supervised by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan and then I was invited as one of the fabricators of flash dryers

Foundation. That was how we started relating with them.

Do you think graduates from colleges of agric, universities and polytechnics can do this and become employers of labour?

Yes. It is all about passion. If they are passionate about it, it is really sustainable. They can do better than what we are doing if they are willing to do it.

What do you think the government or NGOs can do to encourage agro-allied technologies and fabrications locally?

We would want the government to facilitate soft loans to fabricators for materials and fabricating machines.

The government should also encourage food processors by facilitating cheap and quick loans to them to acquire efficient and quality equipment for food processing.

Mr Adeoya

What is your relationship with West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) Nigeria?

I am fabricating dryers for WAAPP Nigeria to dry fruits, especially, mango, pawpaw, pineapples and banana.

We collaborate to produce these machines for onward distribution to those processing mango and other fruits used for juice concentrates in commercial quantity.

17

agriculture

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

FG, FAO build capacity of trainers on nutrition for women Collins Nnabuife – Abuja

T

HE Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, is building capacity of trainers on the Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) for women.

The Assistant Country Representative of FAO in charge of programmes in Nigeria, Rabe Mani, while speaking with

journalists in Abuja, said the programme was training-thetrainer workshop on the new indicator to measure progress being made on nutrition.

According to him, “One of the missing links is how to monitor the progress being made within the individual household, aggregate data that will point what is being done at the community or state level.

“You will realise that until recently, in all developing

countries, nutrition has been looked at from the angle of health. That is really not normal.

It should be looked at also from the food aspect, so that you don’t just eat food but you eat nutritious food. That is why we are mainstreaming nutrition in every work we are doing,” he said.

Dr Mani further said that the idea was to have nutrition-foodsensitive agriculture, adding that it was within FAO’s mandate

to ensure that nutrition is mainstreamed in the work the organisation was doing in term of national food security.

Also, Dr Mawuli Sablah, FAO Chief Technical Adviser on Food and Nutrition, said nutrition for women was a top priority.

He said that in sub-Sahara Africa, Nigeria, DRC and Ethiopia contributed 40 per cent of stunted growth rate by virtue of their population size.

“When you look at the statistics,

Nigeria alone has half of the population in West Africa and so Nigeria is a priority country for us,” Sahlah stated.

ILWAC project has empowered over 3000 farmers —IAR&T Director

By Femi Ibirogba

From left, Managing Director, Universal Quest Nigeria Limited, Sotonye Anga; Technical Committee Member, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Mr Fatai Afolabi; General Manager, Lagos State Agricultural Inputs Supply Authority, Mr Bolaji Balogun; President, Nigeria-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Oye Akinsemoyin, at the BusinessDay Annual Agric Summit at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.

CFIL, IITA to launch corporate farmers’ reality TV show

By Femi Ibirogba CORPORATE Farmers International Limited (CFIL) is partnering with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, to launch the first agribusiness and ‘agro-tainment’ reality TV show in Nigeria and Africa, entitled ‘Corporate Farmers Reality TV Show’ to take place within the premises of IITA. Boason Omofaye, Head of Communication and Strategy, CFIL, said the concept of the reality TV show is aimed at attracting young and educated farmers into the agro-allied sector of the economy in the face of the escalating rate of youth unemployment.

“The concept… is to showcase opportunities for business and research solutions to the challenges in agriculture, and provide information and knowledge sharing opportunities in agriculture and agribusiness in an entertaining manner. The IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) is hour host and technical partner in the project,” he said.

According to the organisers, the event would select 20 contestants, aged between 18 and 35, within the six geo-political zones of the

country through an audition.

“The contestants will compete with each other on various agricultural enterprises for a period of six weeks in a farm house. At the end of the show, only one participant will be selected as the Corporate Farmer who will be Nigeria’s first Agriculture Ambassador that has gone through training and passed the eviction process to finally emerge as the winner in the first season,” CFIL said.

Director-General of IITA, Dr Nterenga Sanginga, said agriculture, which is the only hope of the world to revive crumbling economies, is going to be driven by the educated youths, utilizing technologies, innovations and research solutions emanating from agricultural institutes and universities around the globe.

He said Togo and Nigeria have the highest number of arable hectares of land in Africa, but agricultural productivities in the countries remain at the low ebb because of overdependence on oil, saying unfortunately, Nigeria produces a barrel of crude oil with $30, selling the product for around $38 at the international market now.

Deputy Director General of

IITA, Dr Kenton Dashiell, who is also the project implementation chairman, expressed confidence in the African youths, saying given the right environment and education; they could perform excellently in any given tasks, including agriculture and agroenterprises.

The winner, the firm said, would go home with over N5 million

Agric Minister, Audu Ogbeh

with opportunities to get further oversea training, equipment and more support. Other 19 contestants would not go emptyhanded, as they would be trained and given consolation prizes.

The take-off time, according to the organisers, would be the first quarter of 2016, calling for the government and philanthropic support for the project.

THE Integrated Land and Water Management for Adaptation to Climate Change (ILWAC), a comprehensive land, water and nutrient rehabilitation and management scheme for semiarid regions of West and Central Africa, consisting of Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, has recorded achievements in the last three years, stakeholders have said.

They said this at the event hall of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), venue of the closing workshop for the project in Nigeria, recently.

The Danish Trust Fund sponsored and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) executed project, according to Professor James Adediran, Director of IAR&T, had empowered over 3000 (30% of who were women) farmers with various land rejuvenating and dry-season devices and seedlings in the three countries.

5,000 kilogrammes (kgs) of maize foundation seed; 75kgs of pepper; 75kgs of okra; 225 bags of 50kg each of organic fertilizer; 300 cutlasses; 100 pairs of boots; 100 knapsacks sprayers and 64 water pumps had been distributed to the farmers, according to Professor Adediran.

The number of hectares cultivated under the project had it 2500, with crops ranging from maize, okra and pepper to green amaranthus in Nigeria alone.

It was also disclosed at the winding down ceremony that 11 check dams (six in Nigeria, four in Cote d’Ivoire and one in Burkina Faso); two water pans; 48 tube wells and 1 open well in Nigeria had been constructed as of 2015.

A notable gain of the project, Professor Adediran said, was increased availability of water from check dams/water pans, making the extension of cropping into dry seasons (after rains had stopped) possible.

The potential overall effect of the project is the up-scalability of land rejuvenation and water availability for rainy-dry season farming elongation, capable of increasing household productivity, alleviating poverty, and creating sustainable means of livelihood.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

editor

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

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

FG should caution regulatory agencies

I

T seems some regulators are working very hard to attract the attention of the Buhari government. Unfortunately the way they are going about it raises serious questions. It is either a handful of regulators do not understand their roles or are simply mischievous, if not downright insincere, to say the least.

Recently, Consumer Protection Council (CPC) stormed the office of Multichoice and, according to news reports, confiscated computers and sealed the office. Why? Because they say they need the information on subscribers.

Do they need information on customers to do their jobs? If they say DSTV is short-changing customers, is this the best way to help customers, by asking for their private information and sealing up an office in Gestapo fashion?

This was the same agency that was claiming N100 million from Coca-Cola a few months ago because a bottle of soft drink was not full.

Not to be outdone, Financial Reporting Council, another quasi regulator that sees itself perhaps as important or more important than the Central Bank, without even following laid

-down procedure, released a damning but self-indicting report full of errors and poor understanding of how companies run, on one of the banks, Stanbic Bank.

Pray, does FRC oversee the Nigerian capital market?

Since when has it taken over the function of the Central Bank as the regula-

own refineries.

Stopping the subsidy payments will create other opportunities for the country.

The government can also tempt foreign investors

Nigeria so good at taking one step forward and five steps backwards? On the strength of this “fine,” investors all over the world, are losing money.

President Buhari should put these shenanigans in check as soon as possible.

In an attempt to please the new government and

create the impression that they are busy, they are causing havoc in capital markets across the world and creating a very negative impression of Nigeria and Nigerians. They are an embarrassment to this government.

• Boluwatife Ajakaiye, Sango-Ota.

Appeal to Buhari on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway PERMIT me to use this opportunity to call on President Muhammadu Buhari not to forget the LagosIbadan Expressway, as it is in such a terrible state at the moment.

Former President Good-

Economy: Stopping the subsidy regime THE price of crude oil has gone down drastically in the international market, and this is affecting Nigeria’s economy.

The recent increase in the exchange rate of the United States dollar against our is another issue and at the moment, the Naira is trading at about N270 to $1.

With all these, Nigeria’s economic outlook is so bleak.

President Muhammadu Buhari now needs to work harder than any of the country’s past presidents or Heads of State if we are to overcome this economic crisis.

As an economist, the solution to our problems is diversifying from crude oil to other areas of the economy. However, having said this on several occasions, it is high time the president assembled a team of local and international economists to chart a way forward for Nigeria.

In my own opinion, the first solution is scrapping the fuel subsidy regime.

This is the reason Nigeria is having to withdraw money from our foreign reserves to pay oil importers.

The government must let the labour unions and Nigerians know why the subsidy regime has to go.

We cannot continue to pay this money, as it will not allow the importers concentrate on building their

tor of the banking sector?

MTN was also fined over $5billion by the National Communications Commission (NCC). What sort of “regulator” fines an operator $5billion? What is the purpose of the fine?

To close the company down and send thousands to the job market? Why is

to come to the country to build refineries. We can offer them about 10-year tax holiday. This is tempting enough.

•Fidelis Agbor, Port Harcourt.

luck Jonathan started the rehabilitation of the road, and we thought the plight of people who ply the road would come to an end as soon as possible until this new government came on board.

The rate at which work is being done now is not encouraging at all. Nigerians, including people of the South West voted enmasse for President Buhari, and part of the dividends of democracy is to have good facilities, including roads.

I am, therefore, urging

President Buhari, to as a matter of urgency, pay the companies so that work can continue in earnest on the expressway.

I hope the minister in charge of Works, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, can quickly let the president know of the importance of this expressway.

The truth is that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is the busiest in the country, and those who use it are finding it difficult because of its present condition.

Nigerians will be happy

if the road is completed on time.

•Tunde Adigun, Oluyole, Ibadan.

Advice to unemployed graduates IT is high time unemployed graduates looked beyond white collar jobs, and focus on skills that would make them selfemployed.

I want to suggest small scale businesses like tailoring, barbing, dry cleaning, rentals, shoe making, carpentry, and many more.

These are businesses that will make them employers of labour, especially with the education they had acquired. Nigeria is a country which gives more attention to paper certification; this is why our country is not developing.

It is high time we moved away from paper certification to real vocational skills.

This will enable young people establish their businesses. For our country to develop, we need as many businesses as possible.

The government’s responsibility is to provide conducive environment for such businesses to thrive by making sure that there are facilities, like uninterrupted power supply, good roads, among others, while the banks should assist with the granting of loans for business startups and expansion.

•Nelson Ekwale, University of Benin, Edo State.

19

editorial Fashola’s road rehabilitation programme Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

N

O sooner had Babatunde Fashola (SAN) taken the oath of office as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing than he hit the ground running by unveiling his programme in respect of his ministry’s tripartite occupation. Obviously prompted by public expectations from the ministry in respect of road infrastructure, and perhaps the recent comment of President Muhammadu Buhari that most of the nation’s federal roads are in shambles, Fashola highlighted what Nigerians should expect in terms of road rehabilitation and construction in the country.

In his maiden press briefing in Abuja, the minister said that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which has been under construction, and the second Niger Bridge are of great importance to the current administration, and thus, would get urgent attention. The minister further disclosed that work would soon commence on all roads that link the 36 states of the federation, adding that construction on major roads which had been suspended due to paucity of funds and are vital to socio-economic activities in the country would be quickly revisited.

In his words, “Our short term strategy will be to start with roads that have made some progress and can be quickly completed to facilitate connectivity. We will prioritise within this strategy by choosing first, the roads that connect states together, and from that grouping start with those that bear the heaviest traffic.”

Fashola also gave assurance that the nation’s federal roads would be made safer by executing the ministry’s plan of reclaiming the full width and setback of all the roads which represent 16% and are about 36,000km of Nigeria’s road network.

Fashola’s unveiled plan is worth being acknowledged as good ambition and a strong indication of his acquaintance with public outcry against the persisting problem of appalling road networks in the country, and the consequent need for putting a stop to untold hardship and losses of all kinds that the horrible state of many of our roads had been causing Nigerians.

We endorse the ambition of the minister in view of the fact that our country is undoubtedly rich in human and mineral resources, yet a number of its roads are in a deplorable state.

To say that most roads in the country are in a horrendous state is an understatement. The countless potholes and irritating ditches and detours which are on the roads are the architects of a myriad of accidents often registered on the roads with

Nigerian Tribune

resultant loss of lives. Most of the highways across the country have gradually metamorphosed into deathtraps for many travelers; meanwhile there is no year that billions of naira is not budgeted for rehabilitation of bad roads and construction of new ones by the government. Disturbingly, Nigeria ranks among nations with records of development-thwarting and discomforting road networks due to lack of maintenance and misappropriation of funds meant for road maintenance.

The traffic congestion occasioned by indiscriminate parking of trucks along the country’s major highways is another infuriating situation that road users often face. Several precious hours that could have been used for productive service of humanity are frequently wasted on our roads because of obstructive parking and consequent despicable delays. Given the country’s record of road disrepair and attendant negative impact on the citizenry, the need for spirited and concerted commitment to road infrastructure becomes very expedient.

Be that as it may, given the honourable minister’s apparent enthusiasm which is irrefutably in tune with the change mantra of the current administration, we see the plan to improve road infrastructure across the country as a realizable ambition if sufficiently funded and followed up with concrete actions that are public interest-driven.

However, we urge the honourable minister to expand the spectrum of his priorities and short term plan to include some other road networks in the country that are in horrendous conditions but which the minister did not mention in his briefing as warranting immediate attention.

For instance, the Oyo to Ogbomosho axis of the Ibadan to Ilorin express, the Shagamu to Ore part of the Lagos-Benin road, the Onitsha to Enugu road, the Calabar to Itu road, the Ilorin to Mokwa road, driving through Bode Sadu and Jebba, Abuja to Kaduna road, Zaria to Kano road, Kano to Dutse road, Okenne to Lokoja road, Jos to Bauchi road, and Makurdi to Gboko road are just a few examples of the numerous inter-state roads that are in bad shape and thus require very urgent attention.

Provision of good roads is a strong indication of good governance; therefore, we impel Fashola to be committed to the course he has charted, as having good road infrastructure in the country will reduce rates of accidents, enhance betterment of life and remove the stigma which the existing bad road networks have put on our national image.

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20

opinion

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

veracity

…then, why have a baby?

H

E just wouldn’t stop talking! He commented on virtually everything- a ditch on the road, thick dark fumes from dying engines, long petrol queues, a deserted NNPC mega station, black markets by the road side…. He just kept on. I had targeted the first cab so I could do some brooding in the 45mins to about an hour it would take to get me to my destination, but it became crystal clear as the car barreled up the expressway that ultimately, I would have to kiss that dream goodbye and I did.

In my frustration, I began to wish that I possessed the same powers as, Hera, wife of great Greek god, Zeus. Hera had used her powers to cast a spell over Echo, the loquacious mountain nymph, who was having an affair with Zeus but would often engage Hera in long-winded conversations, giving Zeus enough time to evade her whenever Hera invaded Mount Kithairon in search of Zeus.

When Hera realised this plot, she cursed her, reducing her speech capacity to one that could only repeat the last words another person just said.

In my silent outrage, I could have cast the same spell on the middle-aged man if I were a Greek goddess. Au contraire, I could only sit quietly and with a grimace on my face, endure the rest of the ride.

Ironically, I didn’t wear that grimace for too long because a little while after fuming, his words subtly began to arouse my curiosity and a treacherous smile started to play across my lips. I did everything mortally possible to extirpate it but the wild beast was not to be tamed. Instead, it broke into an ebullient laugh, leading the cheer for the middle-aged man’s fans club. He smiled in acknowledgment, geared up to fire on while I waited for his next words with fervid curiosity but his phone rang and it was his grown up son…

Man: “hope you are doing good great? I am on my way home, we will finalise the issue when I get there. How is the young lady?”

Son: “She is doing alright, but she is nervous, she fears you may not like her enough as a daughter-in-law” Man: “that depends on whom and what she is, but make sure you don’t get her pregnant. Times have changed. She must be bringing something to the table- a career or a skill.

If you marry a liability, you are doomed to a miserable lifetime of poverty, you will have babies you can’t feed” Some mental lightening struck in my head and the nerves in my brain picked up a higher voltage as he spoke the words

“babies you can’t feed” but as the lightening subsided, an epiphany widened before my eyes.

When we consider the problems of Nigeria, when we chew on the carcinogenic bane of our mother land, words like lawlessness, unemployment, epileptic power supply, terrorism, crime, environmental degradation, decaying economy and the most ubiquitous of them all, corruption easily sweeps into our mind.

As a matter of fact, in Nigeria today, corruption is considered the greatest enemy of the state and must be annihilated at any cost. Since PMB took over the reins of this nation, all his administration has done is witch-hunting. Like King Uther of Merlin’s Camelot, who swore not to allow any form of sorcery in the city, PMB and his crew declared a clampdown on corruption from day one but has this turned our national fortune around? Recently, the hunter became hunted as the dissemination of the billions meant to purchase arms for a nation under terrorism siege came out in the open, but that is not the crux of today’s matter.

The question that has condemned my grey matter to a fierce state of entropy is this: Is corruption really Nigeria’s greatest problem? I emplore us to consider this with grave insight. Is corruption really the substratum and the vertex of our national woes? I thought the same till the scales fell off my eyes, thus, I beg to posit the contrary.

In 1960, Nigeria had a population of 45,211,614. Those who lived in the periods after independence indeed ate the good of the land. They tell juicy tales about those that displayed inexplicable brilliance being given opportunities to

with Vera Onana

veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688 study at the best universities abroad on government scholarships. Those who went to federal universities were treated like kings. Between 1972 and 1985, a naira was equivalent to a dollar and graduates were sent employment letters in their homes. That was our country.

Today, with an estimated population of over 183,000,000, growing at about 2.8 per cent per annum, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with a prediction of her population running into over 300 million by 2050. Country men, that is precisely three decades and five years from now.

We seem not to understand the enormity of the consequences that is already, as a matter of fact, trailing our sprawling population. All we chant is change and what do we point our tainted fingers at? Corruption.

Perhaps, if we try to examine this conundrum with our mind’s eye, we may begin to peel off the wool covering our physical eyes layer by layer like the onion sheds its skins.

Our biggest problem in Nigeria is not corruption, yes, it is one of our numerous other problems, but it is not the root of our multifarious problems. Nigeria’s undoing is her unchecked population growth stemming from indiscriminate procreation. Why do we keep having babies we cannot feed?

Based on UNICEF statistics, in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, the cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 is estimated at US$16,200 (N4,212,000) yet a man who works a menial job in Nigeria has a dozen children or even more.

How won’t we have an increased rate of crime with unfed babies? They would in time learn to fend for themselves somehow, won’t they? How can terrorism be curbed when millions of children are uncared for and have no roof over their heads? Environmental degradation is inevitable in a society where population size far outgrows our rapidly depleting natural resources; unemployment will definitely be on the rise when over one thousand people have to compete for one spot, money –laundering, stealing from public coffers will not cease as long as people act individually, damning the best collective interest out of avarice and a desire to feed too many and more unborn babies.

In 1983, late king of pop, Micheal Jackson, released the single “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin”, three decades later, his lyrics poignantly addresses our national problem “If you can’t feed your baby, then don’t have a baby, you will be always trying, to stop that child from crying - hustling, stealing, lying…”

Traditional rulership: Following the Alaafin example

By Agboola Sanni

F

OR some time now, the relevance of traditional institution in modern day politics had been in focus. This should not be unexpected going by flamboyancy of a section of traditional institution leadership in the country.

This can be traced to the superfluity of getting the socalled constitutional role for traditional rulers in the country. The search for the phoney constitutional role had led to the formation of the so-called National Association of Traditional Rulers in the country to the point that traditional institution turned itself to a trade union organisation with the holders of such exalted office turning themselves to ‘comrades’. Those questioning their relevance cannot be totally blamed. The situation in which traditional rulers are competing with politicians for power in the name of constitutional role leaves much to be desired.

It is uncharitable for traditional rulers to be competing with institutionalised interest groups like political parties and trade union movements for parcels of land to build national secretariat at Abuja. It is no wonder, therefore, that given his forthrightness and focus-oriented disposition, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi had taken serious exceptions to the glamour for the so-called constitutional role for traditional rulers in the country. For the Alaafin, although the operations of traditional rulers are subject to the laws of the land, some of them are not the creation of the modern day constitution.

Some of them had existed before the amalgamation of Nigeria as a single political entity.

The question, therefore, is what role were they playing then and how did they establish their relevance? In days past, traditional rulers were the closest to the people in terms of welfare of their subjects and socio-infrastructural developments of their domain.

Unfortunately today, however, the search for national relevance had taken some obas especially in Yoruba land away from their people to the extent of not minding the development levels of the communities over which they preside. No wonder why some of them are totally alienated from their grassroots.

In the case of Oba Adeyemi however, he is first and foremost the Alaafin of Oyo. that of course makes to him narrow his searchlight for development to his ‘immediate constituency’ i.e. Oyo and its environs.

In his quest for the infrastructural development of Oyo and its environs, he had in the past been called all kinds of names.

What had been the guiding principle of Oba Adeyemi in the last forty-five years on the most exalted Yoruba throne had been cooperation with all relevant governments both at the centre and state levels without minding the political colours the gladiators wear.

That explains why in 1979 the Yoruba nation pitched its tent against the NPN controlled Federal Government, he did not allow that sentiment affect his policy of cooperation with constituted authorities at all tiers of government. Even a section of the Oyo political elite did not spare him.

He was called all kinds of names even by his own peo-

ple with partisan interest in Oyo. But he remained undeterred. As far as he was concerned, while people of partisan values were free to use any method to advance themselves including calling him names, if the situation demanded it, he, however remained focused on his goal for the development of Oyo. What is however instructive is that those Oyo elite who used Alaafin negatively to advance their political cause in the past by calling him names are today his best friends.

Some of them even in their advanced age realised that the style may be different but they are on the same page with Kabiyesi as far as development of the ancient city is concerned.

Even to those who (among the elite) have died, their children had had cause to reconcile their families with the palace. This is because they are living witnesses to the development which Oba Adeyemi’s subtle but dogged diplomacy had brought to Oyo from the Federal, state and private sector.

Today, under Oba Adeyemi, Oyo can boast tertiary institutions like the Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo; Alayande College of Education as well as the Ajayi Crowther University owned by the Anglican Church of Nigeria, among others.

This could not have been so under a turbulent crisisprone environment as was witnessed in some parts of Yoruba land. For forty five years, Oba Adeyemi had presided over a peaceful community without any kind of violence or war, whether religious or ethnic.

He had always been passionate in adjudication on all disputes without minding whose ox is gored. His counsel and admonition against religious fanaticism had pitched him against some religious fanatics in the past.

If only traditional rulers in Yoruba land can keep themselves busy at home in search for the welfare of their people and development of their domain, the white elephant chase for a National Conference of Traditional Rulers will be of no consequence.

21

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 0806 516 7178,

How residents survive in Shishimpe without basic amenities

Residents fetching water from the stream that serves as the only source of water for them. delivery. Protection of infants against diseases also posses a challenge.

To bridge the gap, Abuja Xtra observed that some elderly women in the community volunteered to be midwives, although operating under unhygienic environment and without delivery tools.

One of the volunteers, Mrs Grace Dandi, who spoke with Abuja Xtra, narrated an experience when her daughter in-law went into labour, saying the only experienced medical practitioner around was a chemist who could not help the situation.

She said: “That day, I had to ask her to bend down on the mat and the baby came out so I used razor to cut the umbilical cord before I washed the baby.”

By Adetola Bademosi - Abuja

S

hishimpe is a community in the outskirts of Mpape town in Abuja. It is a small community under Bwari Area Council with agrarian population estimated to be between 200 and 500, comprising children of various ages.

One striking thing about Shishimpe is how community members strive to live their normal life without basic social amenities such as adequate health care facilities, potable water, good roads and power supply.

Apparently, the Federal Government has, under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), constructed a primary health care facility and staff quarters in the community with the aim of delivering adequate health care to the residents. However, the facility is far from functioning as expected.

In Shishimpe, residents, especially pregnant women, complain that the facility had not really served its purpose.

According to them, it is better not to have such facilities.

While on an investigative visit to Shishimpe, Abuja Xtra observed that women, in their numbers, some with babies strapped to their backs and others pregnant, got water from the only source of water in the community which was a dirty stream.

The stream is located down a bushy path and is about two kilometres from the main village. This is where the wom-

Children returning after fetching water from the stream. en get water to drink, cook and wash.

Asked if there are any health effects arising from consumption of the rather brownish water, the simple response was “we are used to it.”

Abuja Xtra gathered that there used

to be other water sources which had shut down.

Be that as it may, greater concern is that owing to the lack of effective healthcare system, expectant mothers find it difficult undergoing ante-natal care to ensure safe

Boko Haram: 50 displaced persons graduate in skills training

Consumers groan as fuel scarcity bites harder

—Pg.22

—Pg.22

Continued on pg22

Crew 1. Christian Okeke chidiabujatribune@ yahoo.com 08030947856 2. Clement Idoko idokoajiga@yahoo. co.uk 08034412281 3. Kolawole Daniel kolawoledaniels@yahoo.co.uk 08030763782 4. Adetola Bademosi gloriaadetola@ gmail.com 08182214290 5. Collins Nnabuife chideraacollins@yahoo.com 08039521408 Abuja Xtra email & GSM: abujaxtra@ gmail.com 08054501406

22

abujaxtra

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Boko Haram: 50 displaced persons graduate in skills training Sunday Ejike-Abuja ifty internally-displaced persons camped at Pegi, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have graduated from skills

F

acquisition programmes organised by TY Danjuma Foundation in conjunction with All Children Charity International Foundation.

The training, which lasted three months, was in bead-making, shoes-making and

clothing, among others.

Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Dr Sunday Udoh, in his speech at the occasion, commended the trainees for successfully completing the course.

He stated that the foundation was happy

How residents survive in Shishimpe without basic amenities Continued from pg21

When Abuja Xtra visited the clinic, there was no sign of activities going on.

No nurse was in sight while the various offices including the laboratory, file room, wards and the doctor’s office were accessed at will. The entire facility was literally covered in dust as the floor was littered with used syringes and obviously expired drugs.

A walk round the staff quarters also revealed lack of activities as weeds already outgrew the surroundings. All through the time that Abuja Xtra was at the facility, there was no one who could pass

for a medical practitioner around the clinic.

A resident, who simply gave his name as Jonathan, lamented the situation at the clinic.

He said: “Sometimes when our people come down with sickness, they don’t meet any doctor. Government should send doctors to us.

“This hospital is fine, but we don’t have doctors and we don’t have nurses.

The doctor here comes once in a week, which is not good. The only time he tells us he is coming is during immunisation day so that our children can come out,” he said.

Also speaking with Abuja Xtra, the

village head, Chief Daniel Gmagma, said government had been less responsive to the plights of the residents. He said that many infants had lost their lives over inadequate healthcare service.

He said: “We advise government to come to our aid. As you can see, here is closer to town, yet we don’t have good roads and facilities.

“If you go to our river, even to fetch the water to wash your leg is a serious risk. So we need clean water.

“We have not lost a pregnant woman here, but we have lost so many children.

If somebody is sick, it is difficult for us to take him to town because there is no good road.”

to contribute its quota towards empowerment of the internally-displaced persons through skills acquisition training and urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the skills acquired during the programme.

Also speaking, the founder of ACCIF, Barrister Ronte Daudu, urged the public to patronise the goods produced by the trainees, describing them as being high in qualities.

He said that there was no need importing goods which could be produced locally.

According to him, “one of the ways to encourage this is patronage and rebranding. The displaced persons came into this camp depressed, but today they have acquired skills that will make them self-reliant.”

A beneficiary of the training, Pastor Jacob Ndirmbula, said he would embark on free training of people to reciprocate the gesture and advised other displaced persons to strive to be self-reliant.

Highlights of the events included presentation of work tools to the trainees, fashion parade, exhibition of the products made in the camp as well as presentation of certificates to the trainees.

Consumers groan as fuel scarcity bites harder Christian Okeke-Abuja

The abandoned Shishimpe clinic

Christmas rush begins in Abuja Christian Okeke-Abuja Last-minute rush ahead the yuletide has commenced in Abuja.

Abuja Xtra observed that hustling and bustling have increased, with many residents thronging markets to make lastminute purchases.

Even in markets at satellite towns, residents rushed to buy goods they would need for Christmas before the prices go completely out of hand.

Kubwa market in Bwari Area Council, for instance, was a beehive at the week-

end, with many families buying food stuffs, clothes and other necessities.

Many supermarkets also witnessed large number of customers, many of whom told Abuja Xtra that shortage of money in circulation would force them to make the celebration low key.

They said they had to visit the shopping centres to yield to pressure from their children who did not appreciate the hard times.

A resident, Kingsley Eluwa, told Abuja Xtra that he was at the supermarket to see what the meager amount he had would allow him to buy for his family.

He said: “The worst thing is that children do not want to hear about the bad economic situation, lack of money, no salary and all that. Their own is that they must wear new clothes and they do not want to know if you will borrow money or not.

“Honestly, I do not know when Christmas will come without stories. I can recall that during the last Christmas, there was this kind of hardship and everybody hoped that the next one, which is this one, would be better, but see where we are,” he lamented.

Frustrations and groaning have continued in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as fuel scarcity lingers.

Many residents lamented that the current situation has never been witnessed before, with queues stretching kilometres.

It was a situation that had created confusion and hardship among the residents.

Abuja Xtra witnessed many petrol stations without the products, with some complaining that they ran out of stock almost in a twinkle.

It was also observed that black market petrol business continued and was much more than ever before.

Many residents, who spoke with Abuja Xtra, could not tell what had caused the prolonged scarcity.

They alleged that authorities were not doing enough to frankly explain and address the situation.

Some even said that no explanation would suffice from government, urging for quick intervention by government and resolution of whatever was the problem.

They lamented that the scarcity was going to worsen the tempo of the yuletide season.

Civil servants beg Buhari for early salary, palliatives Christian Okeke-Abuja Some civil servants have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to loosen up on the economy, effect early payment of December salary and support the public servants with some palliatives for the yuletide period.

The plea came amidst non-receipt of salaries yet to enable the civil servants get the necessary things they require for Christmas.

Some of them spoke with Abuja Xtra under condition of anonymity and lamented that the economic situation of the country was too harsh on them.

They recalled that salaries used to be paid before festive periods to ease the difficulties faced by the civil servants, while food items such as bags of rice, groundnut oil and even cartons of milk were shared to categories of workers.

According to them, even if the government will not continue with the sharing of the item at festive periods, there was the need for it to effect early salary payments to workers.

They observed that such a step was necessary so as to encourage the workers to live by their pay and avoid the temptation of being pushed to the wall to engage in corrupt practices.

One of the workers said: “You see, there is a way you will push people to the wall,

they begin to do things they never planned to do. How can a man be hungry, yet he is working for government with family, including children, to cater for?

“Obviously, in this kind of situation we are in now, it will be hard for a worker to be productive and corrupt-free while hungry and in an event they won’t buy us rice, we go and celebrate with our families.

Please help us to tell them to pay our salaries before Christmas day. It is not asking for too much.”

23

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

leadership &

management with Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

Leaders and challenge of success management

Jose Mourinho, former Chelsea Manager

Quote Leadership

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

J

The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.

ose Mourinho, the self-styled Special One, has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous in just seven months. The former Chelsea sweat merchant, who led the team to win the 2014/2015 league title in May and consequently securing a fouryear deal that was to see him retain his job with the club till 2019, could only struggle to stay above the relegation zone after losing nine out of 16 league matches in the current season. This did not sit well with the board of the club who gave him the boot last Thursday.

— Brandon Sanderson

Continues on pg24

The 60-second

—P25

business coach —P25

Leaders’

forum

—P25

24

25

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

leadership&management How leaders can sustain success Continued from pg23

Mourinho’s fall was an anticlimax because under his leadership, Chelsea secured its first topflight domestic title in 50 years, setting a string of English football records in the process, including the most points ever achieved in the Premier League (95), and the fewest goals conceded (15).

He was so successful in the club that despite quitting in 2008 following the non-renewal of his contract, the club owner, Roman Abramovich, pulled out all the stops to pull him back to the club.

He did not disappoint the confidence reposed in him as he won the league in the second year.

But Mourinho, who is one of the most celebrated football coaches

in the world, could not sustain the success as the club had to struggle to stay above relegation waters. One of the things going for Chelsea was the respect most of the other clubs had for both the players and the manager. But all of that was lost under Mourinho.

Rather than being feared, the club became the whipping team of the premiership as nearly all of the clubs approached every match against Chelsea with the belief that they had the capacity to beat it.

How could a club that paraded the same manager, the same board and largely the same set of players that had put up a sterling performance a few months earlier slide from the zenith to the nadir?

What turned the league champi-

THE 60-SECOND business coach

Leadership lessons from Santa Claus

As we finish out 2015 and look forward to 2016, let’s reflect on the leadership lessons we can learn from Santa Claus. Here are the top ones.

Engage with a vision The elves aren’t being paid a bonus to get all those presents done.

Instead, Santa relies on the vision of fulfilling dreams to children around the world. Elves aren’t simply employees – they’re dream makers. Your employees aren’t simply employees either – what are they?

Have audacious goals Let’s face it – having a simple goal that’s easily achieved is really no better than having no goal. Flying around the world and dropping presents at every house in a single night is an audacious goal that requires a detailed plan. What’s your goal?

Build a strong team Santa has nine reindeer (eight + Rudolph), and he’s responsible for making sure the team is in top shape before that audacious goal can be achieved. Make sure that your team is in top shape – knowledge and skills are in alignment – before you ask them to strive toward the goal.

Know your strengths

Santa’s strength is employing Christmas magic – how else can he shimmy down chimneys? Rudolph’s strength is lighting the way.

The elves are great at building toys.

Everyone has their own strengths.

Make sure you know what the strengths are of your people.

Build your network Santa can’t be everywhere at the same time. That’s why he has all those helpers sitting in malls listening to kids’ wishes. Make sure you build your network so you can learn what the wishes are of your employees and colleagues.

Be sensitive to others Santa is aware of customs and cultures around the world and makes sure that he addresses those cultures and customs. Do you do the same thing?

Never forget your impact Santa has the ability to change peoples’ lives. I’ve never forgotten the wonder at coming home from church as a seven year old and seeing presents from Santa under our tree. I’ve never forgotten the VP who took time from her schedule to mentor me. Know that you have the ability to impact others – positively or negatively – it’s your choice.

Santa may not be real to everyone, but his leadership lessons certainly are.

BOOK

ons into one of the league’s laggards in a matter of weeks? What turned a starstudded team into a lowly-rated side?

How did Chelsea lose its winning edge and its bite?

It is a matter of leadership failure.

Mourinho failed to manage the success he recorded in the 2014/2015 season and he had to face the wrath of his employers. Could the coach have had a better outing? Sure, if he had done things differently.

A thought about champions A champion is not a person who wins occasionally or sometimes. A champion is somebody who wins and keeps winning. A person who wins once and fails to reenact the feat is regarded as a former champion; he is referenced in past tense. So, remaining a champion requires winning continuously. The world as a whole is afflicted with short memory. Great feats of the past are easily forgotten and sparingly mentioned; only the current ones come in to reckoning.

Boards and employers are not thrilled by outstanding performances of yesterday; they want a continuous reenactment of the feat.

That is the only thing that guarantees retention. As it is said in the game of football, a coach is as good as his last match. If he had a string of losses in a row after putting up spectacular performances, all the silverwares he won in the past will be inadequate to speak in his favour.

Mourinho, according to Chelsea, “is the most successful manager” in the club’s 110-year history winning for Chelsea three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and the League Cup thrice. But did all these matter when it came to the crunch?

Mourinho’s faux pas The Portuguese tactician became a bit tactless after the 2014/2015 league victory and this changed his story at Chelsea. Let’s take a look at what he could have done better.

From promoting vision to self promotion Mourinho at his first coming in the club scouted for the best legs around the world to build a formidable club because his vision then was to build a winning squad. Not only did he get the best legs that Abramovich’s money could attract, Mourinho also provided the kind of leadership that was needed to promote creativity in the players by not allowing his personality to interfere in the footballers’ delivery.

He did not stifle creativity among his players; he allowed each of them to be the best he could be by providing the right guidance and the necessary motivation. This resulted in the kind of suc-

By Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

Juliet Ehimuan, Google Nigeria Country Manager cess the club had not experienced before.

Even on his return to the club, that was still his style, hence, he was able to win the league in his second year. But after winning the league, the coach moved from working for the vision to working for himself. He got rid of some players because he did not like them not because they were not good.

This caused disaffection in the club because the players felt that it was not their skills that would retain their job but the mood of the coach. This is why they ganged up against the coach. Even one unnamed player said the team would rather lose than win for Mourinho. How sad!

The moral in this is that leaders should refrain from seeing themselves as the essence of their organisations. The leader, even if he is the visioner, is not the vision.

When the leader begins to see himself as the vision, he slides into the error of Louis XIV of France when he said, “l’état, c’est moi” meaning I am the state.

This is tantamount to sowing the wind and getting ready for the whirlwind.

Mourinho definitely sowed the wind but he thought he was too rooted in Chelsea to harvest the whirlwind. He has just found out how wrong he was.

Poor people skills Mourinho, everyone including his most ardent critics will admit, is a good coach but his people skills are poor. A leader that

Abiodun Ajifowobaje, MD, Ikeja Disco will succeed must learn to get along with people. This is a skill Mourinho has to develop. The coach has had issues with nearly everyone. He had issues with the club’s former doctor, Eva Carneiro, his players, referees and other club managers, among others. With Mourinho, it is either his way or the highway.

But what he failed to realize is that there is a limit to which the tantrums of even an exceptionally skilled person could be tolerated by those who hold him in awe.

The moral is that to succeed, a leader must learn to work with people by honing both his people and social skills.

One common characteristic of leaders is that they take responsibility for the failing of their teams while sharing the credit for the successes recorded.

Mitchell Elegbe, CEO, Interswitch Blame game One common characteristic of leaders is that they take responsibility for the failing of their teams while sharing the credit for the successes recorded. Even when it is glaring that an individual or a group is responsible for the dismal performance, great leaders are reluctant to point a finger at the failing member, rather they take the bullet for their subordinates. Their refrain is “If it will be, it is up to me.”

But that is not Mourinho’s style, not only does he flay a failing team member, he also fries him.

Commenting on the falling performance of his players after losing to Leicester City Football Club, the sweat merchant said, “One possibility is that I did an amazing job and brought the players to a level that is not their level and now they can’t maintain it.”

While his team was sinking Mourinho was looking for who to heap the blame on, not what to do to stop the slide. He was more concerned about salvaging his image than saving the club. If he had taken the time to get to the root of the matter and had done the right thing by eating a humble pie, he would not only have saved the club, he would have also saved his career.

Moral: If leaders are more concerned about salvaging their ego than saving the ship when things go awry, not only do they stand the risk of having their ego further

Hakeem Ogunniran, MD, UACN Property Development Plc bruised, they may also lose other things which they hold dear.

Resting on his oars The time to work the hardest is when one is at the top. The reason is that after getting to the top, only two things can happen; sustaining that position or going down. To remain at the top, the leader has to keep working and improving his output. The saying that the higher you go the cooler it becomes may be true with respect to Geography, but is not true about leadership. The higher a leader goes, the hotter it gets. The higher he rises, the harder he has to work.

That is the kernel of Marshall Goldsmith’s book, What Brought You Here Won’t Take You There. A leader that wants to remain relevant cannot rely on old strategies to get new results. So, the onus is always on the leader to be creative enough to generate new ideas with a view to getting new results. Apparently, Mourinho did not take cognizance of this. He believed that after winning different leagues across Europe, there was nothing new for him to learn. He has since discovered that he was wrong.

Moral: For a leader, it is always too soon to stop learning. It is only through unwavering commitment to learning that a leader can find ways of reinventing his organization. That is how to remain relevant and respectable.

After studying the multifaceted field of leadership for decades, bestselling authors and teachers at Santa Clara University Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have discovered many secrets to establishing a lasting leadership legacy. For example, when leaders focus on their own legacies and make choices according to how they will be regarded after their time at the helm is over, they have a greater chance of having a lasting impact that is intentional and valuable rather than haphazard and short-lived.

Kouzes and Posner are famous for their previous book The Leadership Challenge as well as its spin-off handbooks and training tools. In that book, which has sold more than a million and a half copies, the authors wrote a clear review of the fundamentals of leadership.

In their book A Leader’s Legacy, the authors expand their vision for better leadership by exploring the basics of building a positive and enduring legacy as a leader. In more than 20 brief, concise essays, they address the long-lasting impact a leader can have on the people he or she leads, and show how our daily actions fit into the larger context of our long-term relationships, plans and goals.

According to the authors, creating a great legacy “requires an appreciation of others.” It also requires a realization of the consequences of our actions and taking responsibility for the decisions we make. The authors explain, “A heartfelt quest to leave a lasting legacy is a journey from success to significance.”

By caring about what we leave behind for others, they explain, we plant better seeds for the future.

A Leader’s Legacy offers readers dozens of experiences and stories that personalize its encouragement to consider a lasting legacy while making the most mundane and daily decisions. By exploring “the choices you make as you walk your path to greatness,” the authors shed light into deep leadership concepts such as significance, relationships, aspirations and courage. Their insights offer succinct reminders of our hidden powers and the many people affected by our actions.

The authors write that great leaders consider the tangible and intangible aspects of themselves that others experience when they think, speak and act. When we consider that the triumphs of those we serve are our greatest achievements, we gain a deeper respect and understanding of how we can do the hard work of leadership. The authors write, “Leaders who see their role as serving others leave the most lasting legacies.” They add that when we invest in helping others grow, we are also helping ourselves develop the skills of exemplary leaders.

The authors explain that success in leadership is about more than tangible results. It is also about the pain and suffering involved in solving problems and meeting people’s needs. Being concerned about the welfare of others and putting their needs first creates a direct path to establishing the loyalty between leaders and their constituents that leads to lasting and positive impressions. The authors point out that sacrificing, serving others and sharing the burden are the actions a leader can take to make a significant contribution to others.

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leadership&management

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Tope Popoola is a Human Capital developement Consultant and Pastor. Please feel free to send questions, feedback comments on this column to

topheritage@yahoo.com or visit http//turbochargedforsuccess.blogspot.com

Of Christmas and shoe-boxes Today is my birthday. The month of December is a special one for me. There are more reasons than one for my thrill every December. My wife was also born in December. My Dad was born on Christmas day. I also have a sibling that was born in the same month. The icing on the cake for me is that it is the month that the birth of Jesus is celebrated worldwide. Such an honour and privilege. Although there is no historical record to show that the birthday of Jesus falls in December, the fact that that month was picked to celebrate it is enough for me. As a matter of fact, my Mum told me that after I was born, no other baby boy was born in that hospital until after Christmas. So they named me Baby Jesus. Although the reality of a relationship with Him did not occur until I was almost thirty years of age, I have never regretted the decision to have that relationship for one moment ever since. It is a relationship I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending to any and everyone.

The spirit of this season is that of celebration, goodwill and festivity, even though the economic situation, worsened by unpaid salaries in many states and the free fall of the Naira is a veritable threat to the festive side of the season. However, it is more important to recognize that the essence of the season is not just about the eating and drinking. It is about family, about celebrating the love and care that we share; our common bond with the rest of humanity. The devotion to the things that unite rather than the things that divide.

The joy of being alive to witness the possibilities inherent in the coming year even as the current year is ebbing out. The joy of a Saviour who sacrificed His life so that humanity may learn to really live. We give and receive gifts, not because we lack but because we have something inside us that wants to connect with others. There is an intrinsic dimension of us that feels fulfilled with the presence and love of those who mean a lot to us.

Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. One particular

year a few days before Christmas, he came home looking for the family’s only roll of expensive gold wrapping paper.

He searched everywhere for it but had to give up the search when he could not find it. He was very angry when he later discovered that his five-year-old daughter had used it all up.

He did not hesitate to punish her heavily for such act of indiscretion.

Because of the harsh financial condition of the family what he made was barely enough to feed the family with little or nothing left over for savings - he did not know where he would get enough money for another wrapping paper of that quality. While trying to figure that out, he became even more upset when on Christmas Eve he saw that the child had used all of the expensive gold paper to decorate one shoebox she had put under the Christmas tree. He also was curious about where she got the money to buy what was in the shoebox.

The day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day, when family members exchanged gifts, the little girl, filled with excitement, brought the gift box to her father and said, “This is for you, Daddy!”

As he opened the box, the man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction. Feelings of regret welled up inside him.

He wished he had not punished her.

He was however excited to open the box. But when he opened the shoebox, much to his chagrin, he found it was empty. This time, his anger practically boiled over. He decided it was time to give the little girl a piece of his mind.

“Don’t you know, young lady,” he said harshly, “when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside the package!”

The little girl looked up at him. Her eyes glistened with the tears that had welled up in them. With sad tears rolling from her eyes she stuttered, “Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was all full.”

The father felt crushed. This time, he was the one crying. As

the tears cascaded down his face, he fell on his knees and put his arms around his precious little girl. He begged her to forgive him for his misdirected and irresponsible anger. Little did anyone know that it would be their last Christmas together.

A few months thereafter, the little girl died in a car accident.

The shoebox became the item that the father treasured most as a memorial to his daughter. He kept this little gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. Whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems, he would open the box, take out an imaginary kiss, and remember the love of this beautiful child who had put it there.

As we celebrate Christmas therefore, salary or no salary, money or no money, food or no food, everyone of us has something to give to others. It may not be an expensive present but a responsive presence. It may not be a big gift but a big heart. A smile may be the tonic that does the magic. Whatever you get or have to give, recognize that the most valuable things in life cannot be bought with money.

All of us have been given a box filled with the unconditional love of God and the love of those who we love and who love us.

Instead of focusing on what we may think we have lost in the course of the outgoing year, we should learn to concentrate on the so much that we have left. If you still have a mouth to complain, think about others who wish they could even speak at all.

You have no shoes? Think about those who have no feet. Your parents or your spouse didn’t buy you what you wanted for Christmas? Think of the several people who have no parents or spouse!

We all have something to be thankful for if only we would reflect deeply and focus our attention on those who God has blessed us with and the love they have for us.

I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and a fulfilling New Year. My Christmas gift to you? Check the box. I filled it with appreciation. Just for you. For letting me invade your world for so many years!

Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!

Rinse out your social circle As this year is gradually and steadily retiring to bed as an old woman, I will be sharing with you some inescapable, obligatory and fundamental steps you will need to take, on the condition that you truly desire to have a different and successful next year. Remember, you cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again and be expecting different domino effect. Also, one truth and legitimacy you need to be pleased about early in your life is: your life is not going to change on its own. Nothing changes on its own. But the question is: do you want your life changed? If the answer is yes, then get ready to deliberately change a few things about the way you live your life in the year that is about to be born.

A moment ago, I read through the biography of Michael Alden. Something changed his life forever when he clocked sixteen. One of his friends made a decision that took the life of a young girl. This decision ruined his life as well as many others. And because Michael was part of the neighborhood circle of bad boys he grew up with, the murder brought him back in, and the media and others lumped all of the kids from his neighborhood into one basket. The media unjustly crucified all of them as bad kids. It was such a difficult time for him, but he was fortunate to be able to discuss the horrific situation with many of his coaches and teachers. Their message was clear; they all told him that he had great potential and that it was time for him to rinse out his social circle.

Following their advice, he decided to refrain from hanging out with kids or other people who were a negative influence.

It was this crucial step that brought greatness out of him.

Today, he is a man of both influence and affluence.

In 2016, I recommend and propose that you refrain and quit from hanging out with people who impact on your life, leadership and livelihood negatively. Without sever-

ing yourself from people, who are impacting on your line of business negatively, the success and greatness you are pregnant with cannot be put to bed. If you are going to become anything significant and successful next year in leadership and business, you will need to fob watch and observe the association and alliance of people you are keeping right now. The company of people you keep will either conceal and mask the greatness you are loaded with or uncover and unearth it.

Additionally, in order to grow personally and professionally, one of the most difficult but important things you have to learn about in business is having to fire people. I do not know many people who actually enjoy the act of letting an employee go, but if you do not make the tough decisions, your business suffers and in some instances, fails. When it pertains to your personal life, you must do the same. Remember, it is not the people you hire that destroy your business, but the people you refuse to fire.

As well, for you to become successful in the coming year and beyond, make sure you always surround yourself with successful people, who want you to become successful. The reason you will need to surround yourself with successful people is because not everyone wants to become successful and it is not everyone who wants you to become successful in life. Move away from those who want to kill your dreams and aspirations and start sharing your walk with those who will celebrate and help you to realize your dreams.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Oh, do not mind him, he has a vivid imagination,” or “He has an overactive imagination?” Though there are many factors to success, I cannot stress enough the importance of imagination. Your imagination is one of the most powerful tools available to the hu-

man mind. Encourage imagination and utilize it and always run away from people who discourage it. Remember, there is nothing like an overactive imagination. You need in your life those who will help you to use your imagination some more in 2016, not those who will stop you from using it. Any religion that discourages the use of imagination wants to enslave and keep you in poverty. It is not anti-God to use your imagination! In the coming year, you will need to use it more than you have been able to use it this year. This is non-negotiable, if you want to be either successful or more successful in the coming year.

Imagine this—what if Leonard DaVinci’s parents told him that he should stop imagining things? Or what if Steve Jobs was told to stop imagining a better computer? Do you think we would have the Mona Lisa or the iPad if their imaginations were suppressed? Leonardo DaVinci built a robot in 1495! Steve Jobs modestly said he never invented anything, he just imagined a better versions of what was already out there. There were hundreds of MP3 players in the market before the iPod, but which device revolutionalised the music industry? As a result of the iPod, the iTunes store was created and literally changed the way we listen to and pay for music. Your imagination is very powerful!

Lastly, to think outside the box simply means that you are to use your imagination. To be more successful next year, you will need to brainstorm some more creative and imaginative ideas and you will need to join the company of those who brainstorm creative and imaginative ideas. This will propel your life, leadership and business in the coming days. And make sure you do leave the company of those who are not using their imagination. Rinse out your social circle and watch yourself go up in life, leadership and business.

27

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

property

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Gbemi Solaja

m:08186819081 e:expensivsolaj@yahoo.com

Expert identifies ‘government assistance programme’ as solution to housing deficit Stories BY Gbemi Solaja

A

real estate professional, and executive at MV Professional Solutions, Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja has said that a well targeted government assistance programme would solve the housing challenge in the country.

Joining other stakeholders at a real estate forum organised by 3Invest recently, she maintained that the most effective tool for affordable housing was a targeted government assistance programme for certain home buyers and development projects.

Speaking on strategies to reshape the real estate future, she hinted that would induce long term, low risk investment: standardising operating systems, training on international industry standard and developing compliant programmes accommodated to Nigeria’s unique culture would facilitate real estate growth.

According to her, creation of functional database systems like credit, appraisals, deeds and mortgages would erase the challenge of accessibility to databases which posed a serious threat to real estate growth in the country.

Similarly, Tola Akinhanmi, an executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, speaking on trends and opportunities in the Nigerian real estate space, stated that outlook for real estate development remains positive, however, decrying that issues of land, financing, management, construction, had limited real estate assets with increased interest rates and restricted ability to leverage on cheaper USD funding due to new CBN regulations.

She pointed out that emerging trends and

opportunities would include a shift from luxury to middle income housing, affordable housing schemes through PPP arrangement, increase in influx of international brands and retailers from Middle East, America and Europe, convenience centres and regional malls in excess of 30,000sqm, dynamic tenant mix with entry of new international anchors and evolution of local retailers, among others.

Managing Director, FHA Mortgage Bank Limited, Roland Igbinoba, said that Ni-

geria‘s real estate market would be driven by demographic trends and urbanisation, adding that unprecedented shifts in population would drive changes in demand for real estate.

According to him, Africa is becoming much more populated, creating more demands for assets; and real estate assets constitute 54 per cent of the world’s wealth, Africa’s population is rising rapidly at a time when population growth is slowing in other global regions and this will drive the demand for

real estate.

“UN projection suggests that the population of Africa will almost quadruple to more than four billion by 2100, with nearly one billion of the people in Nigeria alone.

“Nigeria is projected to be 440 million by 2050, and third most populous country in the world, hence the recent burgeoning middle-class urban populations will need far more housing and the influx of migrants into Nigeria will drive house appreciation,” he said.

Ogun commissioner urges prompt processing of building documents THE Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Ogun State, Basorun Adebola Adeife, has urged the Zonal Planning Officers to make good use of Public Relations strategies to satisfy the desires of the people of the state in processing their title

documents.

He made this known during his working visit to Ayetoro, Ilaro, Ifo, Mowe-Ofada, Ogijo and Sagamu Zonal Planning Offices.

Basorun Adeife said the Zonal Planning Officers are the ambassadors of the state

Structuracasa unveils Ibadan homes STRUCTURACASA Nigeria Limited, an Ibadan-based real estate company, has unveiled its new range of homes.

In a press release made available by the company, it said Ibadan Homes is a new platform to bring alive the dream of simple but good quality and housing in Ibadan.

“This is a stage from which springs inspiring designs and thoughtful construction of modern homes for discerning buyers. It is a new platform through which we deliver simple sophistication and quality home designs and construction for discerning clients.”

According to the company, Ibadan, one of the largest cities in Nigeria, is fast becom-

ing a haven of rest for many families who currently live and work elsewhere. The city does not only have relatively affordable accommodation, good schools and a serene lifestyle but also, modern amenities such as parks, shopping malls and entertainment.

“It is a platform that provides high quality homes at lower cost than could be found in higher cost cities such as Lagos, Port-Harcourt, and Abuja.” the release stated.

The homes offer detached residences, semi-detached duplexes and urban town houses in well planned estate developments within high-brow government reservation areas in Ibadan.

government in their respective zones across the State advising them to treat their clients with utmost respect to establish good relationship between them and the state government.

The Commissioner said his visit to these zones was to familiarise himself with the officers while at the same time acquaint them with the expected roles to play in the discharge of their duties.

“I am out to sanitise you, know one another better, encourage you to do more, see to your pains and challenges and see what can be done to alleviate the pains if there is any, but most importantly to acquaint you with your expected roles in the mission to rebuild embarked upon by his Excellency, Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a better state’’ Basorun Adeife said.

The Commissioner, however, encouraged the officers to be punctual at their duty posts, shun corruption and join hands in keeping the fire of good governance burning in the state.

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

brands& marketing

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Akin Adewakun

m:08054683584 e:akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk

Airtel targets under-privileged with Xmas campaign

From left, Co-ordinator, Zero to Export Initiative, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr Kola Awe;Director, Office of the CEO, NEPC, Mr Olajide Ibrahim and Director, NEPC, Mr Babatunde Faleke, during the graduation ceremony of second batch of Zero to Export trainees in Lagos recently. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

ONE of the nation’s telecommunications services providers, Airtel Nigeria, has announced the commencement of its Christmas charity campaign tagged5 Days of Love, designed to uplift the less privileged in its immediate communities, during the yuletide season.

The 5-day long campaign, expected to wind down few days to Christmas, is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions of the telecoms service provider under its Employee Volunteer Scheme (EVS).

During the period, employees of the organisation will embark on series of humanitarian activities including donations of Items such as foodstuff, bedding materials, sanitary materials, clothing,

2015 and some events that shaped the IMC industry Stories By Akin Adewakun - Lagos

W

ITH 2015 gradually getting set to wind down in another few days, not a few within the nation’s integrated marketing communications space, have hinged the uniqueness of the outgoing year on some of those events thrown up in the year, and which have gone a long way in determining the course of the IMC industry.

Being an election year, not a few practitioners had looked forward to the year as one that would keep them engaged and, to a large extent come with its financial benefits. Curiously, many of the practitioners are still of the firm belief that though the general elections eventually came with its usual hype, only a negligible few from the advertising clan actually made a fortune from campaign activities.

Those that really benefitted were not even from the nation’s advertising clan. They were non-professionals. The politicians saw it as that opportunity to sort out their cronies. Contrary to stakeholders’ expectations, only very few practitioners in the industry, actually benefitted at the end of the day.

The eventual resolution of who occupies the Chairmanship seat of the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON), was not without its positive effects for the industry too. For instance, the industry had been embroiled in crisis over the appropriateness or otherwise of the appointment of Price Ngozi Emioma, a non-practitioner, as the nation’s number

one advertising practitioner, contrary to the Act setting up the regulatory body.

The coming on board of Udeme Ufot, the Chief Executive Officer of S.O&U, after months of impasse, was no doubt seen as a welcome development by practitioners who believed that the leadership crisis at APCON was having far-reaching effects on the industry generally.

Unfortunately, the coming on board of a new government at the centre and the blanket dissolution of the boards of federal government’s parastatals and agencies, was however seen by stakeholders as another huge setback for the industry.

A new information minister Another event considered by many as critical to the industry in the last few months, is the appointment of a new Information Minister. Besides heeding stakeholders’ call for a professional on that seat, the appointment of Alhaji Lai Mohammed was also seen by many as a development that would see to the quick resolution of the crisis the current dissolution of the APCON council seems to be generating in the industry.

“We believe since the new man is a professional, he will definitely know where the shoe pinches and would therefore not delay in sorting out some of those problems plaguing the industry,” argued a practitioner, while reacting to the appointment.

Fines and infractions Of note in recent times is the

new spirit the regulatory bodies seems to be using in discharging their duties, a development that had seen some notable brands incurring the wrath of these agencies for infractions. For instance, not too long ago, a foremost telecommunication service provider, MTN, was fined $5.2billion for infractions, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

While some analysts were of the view that this might scare off foreign investors from the country, others would however see this as a positive development since it simply means it is no longer business as usual, especially for those who are not ready to play by the rule. Interestingly, the question on stakeholders’ lips is whether the latest development will shrink the brand’s advertising spend in the coming year.

New LASAA boss Quite expectedly, the coming of a new administration in Lagos, brought with it some changes at the helms of affairs of the state’s ministries, agencies and parastatals, a development that saw the appointment of Mobolaji Sanusi, a columnist at The Nation Newspaper as the new man at the Lagos Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA). Nothing would have been unusual about the appointment, but for the drama witnessed in the first few days of his resumption at the Alausa Office of the agency. For instance, his first day in office saw a sizable number of the agency’s workers locked out for coming late to work.

LAIF and the emerging cre-

ative trend The recently-held Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF), no doubt provided the opportunity for stakeholders in the industry to have an idea of where the pendulum of creativity is likely to swing in the next few years. For instance, against the all odds, a relatively new creative agency, Noah’s Ark emerged the winner of the Grand Pix at the Award, organized by the Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria (AAAN) to reward creativity in the industry.

Reacting to the development, a practitioner in the industry, who would not want his name in print, believes the recent feats achieved

by Noah’s Ark and the X3M Ideas are signs that of the emerging trends in the industry.

“It is an indication that it is no longer business as usual. It simply means that all these relatively new agencies are not disguising the fact their intention of giving the established ones a run for their money,’ stated the practitioner in a chat with Brands & Marketing.

Besides shaping the industry in the outgoing year, stakeholders are of the firm belief that some of the events may have reaching effects beyond the year.

“Effects of some of these events would definitely go beyond Year 2015, they go a long way in dictating the pace of the industry in the coming year. That is why stakeholders believe they are very unique, and are of serious significance to the industry,’ argued Yemi Selong, a practitioner, while stressing the uniqueness of the events.

and toys among other items, to identified orphanages and charity homes across the country.

A statement issued by the company explained that the company’s employees in the Western part of Nigeria will host children of Daniel Akintunde Model School for Children with Special Needs, Adigbe, Abeokuta in Ogun State, to a Christmas party. The Airtel team also plans to make donations to the school.

Airtel employees in Lagos will take the ‘5 Days of Love’ campaign to the Arrow of God Orphanage at Oke-Ira, Ajah, Lagos to express love to the orphans by spending quality time and donating relevant items and supplies to enrich the lives of the children.

Also within the week, the North Region is expected to visit the Wuse General Hospital, Zone 3, Wuse, Abuja and the Defence Medical Centre, Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja while Airtel employees in South Region will round off the programme by visiting the Gidan Begge Motherless Home, Markurdi Benue State.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, expressed the company’s commitment to touching the lives of the underprivileged persons in the society as well as empowering stakeholders in the communities where it operates.

“As a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian society, Airtel is passionate about uplifting the less privileged and providing support for the vulnerable as this aligns with its overall CSR theme of touching lives and improving the standard of living of the less privileged,” he said.

Nobel Carpet rewards creativity LUCKY Fibres Plc, manufacturers of Nigeria’s floor covering Nobel carpets and rugs, has again demonstrated its passion to continuously inspire young creativity individuals by rewarding three lucky winners in its just concluded creativity contest.

The Nobel Carpet contest which began in October sought to reward creative youth who could draw up unique and beautiful rug design.

Speaking at the award presentation to the three lucky winners at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, the General Manager, Lucky Fibres Mr. Jitesh Pamnani expressed the company’s delight at presenting the awards to the three young individuals who Continues pg29

29

brands&marketing

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Anambra to commission first shopping mall in 2016 Stories By Akin Adewakun - Lagos

O

NITSHA, the largest commercial and trading centre in South East Nigeria, is set to witness increased tempo of activities as the first shopping mall in the area opens for business in the first quarter of 2016.

Onitsha Mall, a joint venture project by African Capital Alliance and the Anambra State Government, is located off Awka Road in the GRA part of the city.

The mall, which boasts of over 60 shops and easy access from all parts of Onitsha and surrounding towns, is about 95 completed and is expected to open to business by February 2016.

According to the developers, African Capital Alliance (ACA), Shoprite and a number of big retailers offering fashion accessories, sports equipment, banking services, telecom and ICT

software and hardware services had already secured space in the mall.

ACA believes the new mall facility would signal a new dawn in the life of the city that had

grappled with a dearth of quality recreational and modern lifestyle-enhancing amenities in the last few years.

ACA’s real estate fund manager, Obiora Nwogugu, noted that the

Giant Beverages emerges finalist at 2015 Global Water Congress

Nobel Carpet rewards creativity Continued from pg28

had distinguished themselves by their act of creativity.

“This is the first edition of the contest and we are impressed by the kind of artistic designs these young talents have put forward,” he added.

The first place winner, Miss Ayobami Odekunle was rewarded with a plaque and a full wall-to-wall home rug worth N100, 000; the second prize winner, Miss Hanna Dennis, a young secondary school leaver was rewarded with a plaque, a Samsung smart phone and a centre rug, while the third place winner, Henry Sochima got a plaque and a centre rug.

Receiving the award, Ayobami Odekunle an interior designer and the first place winner said his winning design, which were mathematical symbols, was inspired by a client who requested a makeover for his children’s room.

He expressed optimism that the award would go a long way in boosting his creative thinking.

From left, Mr Mike Owope, Executive Director, SIFAX Off Dock Nigeria Limited; Mr John Jenkins, Managing Director, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited; Mr Markus Brinkmann, Managing Director, SIFAX Shipping Comoany Limited; Mrs Afolashade Afolabi, Chairman, SIFAX off dock Nigeria Limited; Mr Rizwan Kadri, Chief Operating Officer, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) and Dr Fola Rogers, Executive Secretary to the Djibouti Honorary Consul in Nigeria, at the media launch of the SIFAX Group new brand identity, in Lagos, recently.

Aisha Buhari canvasses for more women radio stations Sheu Bello - Lagos THE wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has said the country needs to establish more women radio stations, to help generate more focus and attention on women and children’s welfare.

Mrs Buhari, who was the speaker at the launch of the first women radio station, WFM 91.7, dedicated to airing women and children’s programmes, over the weekend, in Lagos, was represented by a former House of Representatives member, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The nation’s First Lady commended the owners of the sta-

tion for coming up with the idea; noting that this would go a long way in spearheading advocacy for women development in every ramification.

Besides giving attention to the feminine gender, the first lady argued that such initiative would help address the issues of domestic violence, economic justice, rights and enhancement of healthcare for women.

“Let me use this medium to stress that several efforts are being made by my humble self, targetted at the six geo-political zones in the area of improving maternal and child health, as well as interventions to help the Internally Displaced Per-

Cussons Baby launches first Toddler Talent Contest AFTER successfully completing two editions of Cussons Baby Moments, a flagship platform of Cussons Baby brand, the brand has launched yet another novel project that would give toddlers between ages 2 and 5 the opportunity to exhibit their talents in singing, dancing and poetry.

The first ever toddler talent contest in Nigeria tagged ‘Cussons Baby Toddler Grow and Shine,’ will have sensational and contemporary music stars in Jude Abaga popularly known as MI, Waje Iruobe and Chidinma as judges of the toddlers.

Present at the unveiling ceremony of the judges of the programme at PZ Cussons in Lagos were Head of Category and Channel Manager, Jimi Taiwo,

mall would provide ample social, life-style and entertainment facilities for all categories of people.

“It boasts of adequate security and parking space, thereby making it an ideal place to shop, entertain and meet up with friends and family. We have also placed a premium on the use of modern equipment and methods to ensure the safety of our shoppers,” Nwogugu stated.

Category Marketing, Family Care, Mildred Bagshaw, Category Manager, Family Care, Faith Okoli, Brand Manager, Oluwaseun Ayeni, Assistant Brand Manger-Cussons Baby, Tobi Adetunji and MI, and Waje.

According to the Category Manager, Family Care- Mrs. Mildred Bagshaw, the initiative is as a result of a direct response from the consumers-basically parents, who have said through their feedbacks that the brand should move a notch higher by introducing a talent contest for the toddlers.

‘The motivation for the brand came from the consumers. They are the ones that we are here for and this is a direct response to the feedbacks that we have

got from the two editions of the Cussons Baby Moments, where some parents wanted us to take it a notch higher and include children that were older than the target audience, which we are looking for in the photo competition,’ she stated.

An elated MI who spoke on behalf of other judges said that the team is passionate about the new assignment and will put in everything to ensure that the kids are properly judged.

‘We are going to use that experience to sit down and look for something exceptional, somebody that is very talented. That would not be so difficult but managing the parents’ emotion could pose a bit of challenge,’ he added.

sons.

“I want to appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians to put in their best in this direction for the good of the Nigerian women and children,’ she stated.

The First Lady however called on the owners of the radio station to sustain the tempo to enable the station achieve the objective for which it was set up.

‘A radio station for women is not just for women, it’s for the whole family, for the men, for the children and all lovers of women,’ she added.

“I want to advise that more of this type of station be established in every part of the country as a platform to advocate for improved welfare for women and children,’ she added.

Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, in her keynote address, titled’Women Development in the 21st Century, advised to shun all tendencies that portray them as weaker sex, while urging them to strive toward selfdevelopment and self-reliance so as to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the nation’s economy.

She lauded the contributions of women in all spheres of life, saying “the world cannot ignore the contributions of women to the advancement of society in the 21st century.”

The station’s Managing Director, Mrs Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, said the station is designed to empower and inspire women, while also serving as a platform to mobilise and sensitise them to their rights and roles in national development.

IKORODU-BASED beverage company, Giant Beverages Limited, was named amongst the top three finalists at the 2015 Global Bottled Water Congress and Awards held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The awards formed the highlight of the 12th Global Bottled Water Congress, organised by Zenith International, a world leading food and drinks consultancy in conjunction with media partners BeverageDaily.com, Beverfood and the International Bottled Water Association.

The feat is coming on the heels of the recent unveiling and introduction of Valmont, a super-premium water brand, unique in both content and packaging by Giant Beverages into the Nigerian market.

The awards attracted over 100 entries from 22 countries in 11 categories, demonstrating creativity, innovation, marketing, community initiative and environmental best practice.

Speaking on the feat, Marketing Manager of the company, Mrs Bose Ogunyemi described as an honour to have a new product from Nigeria compete at the highest global level and come out tops.

“We believe it is testimony to the attention to detail, quality and packaging of our product.

We will not rest on our oars as we strive to ensure that Valmont and our other products make the needed impact in the Nigerian market,” she stated.

She pointed out that Zenith international is a commercial and technical consultancy with 20 years market intelligence and conference services that have helped shape the global food and drinks industry.

“For our brand to have made a strong showing with more established global brands shows that we started on a strong footing. I can assure Nigerians that Giant Beverages, as a responsible corporate citizen, will contribute its quota towards the production of quality products,” she added.

30

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

infotech

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Bode Adewumi

m:08055001765 e:bodekafi@yahoo.com

Broadband’ll become cheaper in Nigeria with time — Coker, Data Centre boss Mr Ayotunde Coker is the Managing Director of Rack Centre, a leading data centre company in Nigeria. In this interview with BODE ADEWUMI, he speaks on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in the country and the role of his company in it.

C

AN you tell us your area of core business?

Our core business is providing technology collocation for ICT platforms. Any industrial economy has to have a decent collocation capability and must be enabling by ICT. By this, you need a reliable internet and therefore you need a reliable data centre. We were the first in Nigeria to get a tier three gold certification of sustainability from the Uptime Institute. To get that certification, you have to be concurrently maintainable such that if you take a component out at different levels of the data centre, you can service them, and not bring the data centre down, so that the services can continue.

To achieve that, there are sets of design criteria that have to be met. The Uptime Institute comes in, looks at the systems and structures and makes sure that the centre meets the minimum requirements for standard concurrent maintenance across board.

Our maximum level of downtime here is eight minutes, but we haven’t had a second of downtime since we begun. We have top notch security here. Your assets are secure here at Rack centre. Those are skill sets you don’t really need to build because we focus on providing the best.

How are you faring in the industry?

We are the recognised leader in the country as we are creating the new industry in the country and making progress. Also, the development we have with respect to the demand for IT in the industry clearly drives people’s understanding of the need for proper boosting of the IT system and that plays into what we deliver in the industry.

We are growing, as we have grown 100 per cent from last year to this year and we see that growth continuing and we are very optimistic about the take up that is happening with technology and also of our services in the country.

What would you say about ICT industry in Nigeria? Would you say it is developing at the rate it is expected to develop?

It’s developing in some instances quite remarkably well and needs to speed up in some cases in the way it develops. I hope the new ICT Minister would drive the agenda for enabling broadband penetration. It is proven that significant broadband and internet penetration drives GDP growth, not only in terms of the GDP contribution, but the ICT industry can make to the economy much better, but ICT also helps all the other sectors of the economy.

Nigeria is very well located in Africa from the latitude and longitude points of view in relation to the rest of the world; the United States, Europe and Asia. We also speak English, which is our official language and that puts us in the best position not only from

pricing issue, it is a value issue in terms of reliability and capability that we offer. We keep working on creating the awareness with all the stakeholders in the industry and we also need to have efficient capital availability because it is capital intensive.

We have to invest in that capital as well as get the return on investment for shareholders because we have to create an economic environment that makes it efficient. A few challenges, but by and large, we see significant opportunity and a growing industry in that space. Rack Centre is the heart of the internet in Nigeria and with the growth and internet we see it as really enabling transformation in the country.

What are the things that are expected to be done to increase penetration?

Having mentioned teledensity, which is the percentage of penetration that you get, in absolute terms it is quite high in that about 96.3 million users are here, but what you notice is that not a lot of that is actually on high speed connection, which are 3 G or 4 G connection of broadband. A lot is still dependent on connectivity, but looking at what some companies like Main one, Glo 1 and others are doing will broaden broadband.

People still complain about the high tariff of internet in Nigeria; what do you have to say about that?

What we find is, with penetration, adoption and hauling, the unit cost will start to come down, looking at the pricing related to consumption of the volume, data and penetration as we get much broader base of penetration in the country, the unit cost will come down and you then find access to the information age hopefully would be much higher.

Coker operational point of view but also in terms of the skill we can deliver; develop applications, creativity and innovations that can come from ICT. Although, we need to push very quickly to get broadband penetration

In absolute terms, 96.3 million internet users we have in Nigeria is actually more than any country in Europe, which has now superseded United Kingdom and Germany.

and the convergence in technology which would allow us realise some of the opportunities through ICT. Teledensity is not that high as you would expect. In absolute terms, 96.3 million internet users we have in Nigeria is actually more than any country in Europe, which has now superseded United Kingdom and Germany. Russia has got the highest number of internet users in Europe now but I believe we would pass that, although the absolute numbers and opportunities are significant but there is still a lot more for us to do and that is a great opportunity for the new minister.

What are the challenges your company is facing in the industry?

We need to drive awareness and we are making some progress. It is also a realisation that if you are going to experience the highest quality of what is available in the industry and the value we deliver is not the

How do you see regulation in the industry?

At a recent conference, speakers spoke about some of the upgrade that needs to be done with respect to regulation in convergence of technology and information; I think what needs to be considered is how to work out the right solution for Nigeria’s maturity from a regulatory point of view.

We have seen the impact of the right regulatory framework in transforming mobile telecommunications in the way it is growing significantly in the country in the last ten to fifteen years.

I think we could make the right decisions with respect to the regulatory framework and with the new government in place, we would see the positive impact, although, I cannot be specific, but I really do hope that we could make the right ones that would have a positive impact, not just on technology, but on the delivery of the contents and information to the end users.

31

infotech

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

ICT stakeholders urge retailers to upgrade Computer Village Stories By Bode Adewumi

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HE Computer Village Expo 2015 has raised the need for the Africa’s biggest technology market as speakers have urged the retailers to embrace the internet and other technological apparatuses to reinvent the market.

The three-day maiden #CVExpo15 tagged #OtigbaRising and organised by the Technology Times in Lagos, attracted the attention of technology users, mobile consumers, business professionals, the media, entertainment stars and other delegates, who were unanimous in their views that technology retailers in the market must innovate to leverage the online space and remain relevant in the present era.

Mr. Godfrey Nwosu, president of Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDAN), said that statistics show that over 20 million phones are sold in the Computer Village monthly. He recalled that the present location of the market was a residential area until late 1999 or early 2000 when internet technology became a household name in corporate Nigeria.

He said knowing that a major industry was about to spring forth, savvy businessmen took position in the most vantage location of Ikeja – Otigba Street to commence trading in IT equipments and devices. By 2003 a year after GSM services were introduced to Nigeria, computer village had become a household name among telecommunication users, especially small businesses and end users.

Mr. Femi Awoyemi, president, Online Publishers Association of Nigeria and Chief Executive Officer of Proshare Limited said that several business dynamics are currently impacting the market as it is losing grounds to other African markets.

According to him, to retain the relevance of the market which the National Bureau of Statistics said contributes two per cent o the national GDP, government ought to make deliberate policies to protect local investors and OEMs. Mrs. Adenike Shittu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mojoy Computers, said that, before now Computer Village was a toast of other West African markets, but that the evolution of online retailers has led to the decline of patronage by customers, coupled with neglect by local authorities.

But, Ojikutu Adeniyi, principal partner, Pacific Network Solutions Limited, said that solutions to Computer Village revolve around operators in the market creating values to lure customers. Adeniyi argued that instead of seeking help from either the government or other market segments, operators at the market must embrace technology, close ranks among themselves and engage technical partners to update to improve their skill sets in line with technological advancements.

“We need to embrace the inter-

net. Today, Yudala is taking charge because we do not even have anything like Computervillage.com, where people can search and obtain first-hand information about the market. How do we measure our successes and failures? The ultimate thing is to close ranks and maintain standards. By the time people visit computer village and

are satisfied, they will try to visit again,” Adeniyi said.

Earlier, Mr. Shina Badaru, Chief Executive Officer of Technology Times, said that the exhibition was converged to showcase the Computer village (Lagos) Nigeria as the computers and computer accessories market with incredible potentials.

He said :“This is the biggest technology market in Africa where you can find a wide array of branded computers and cloned PCs here.

The market is also host to a multitude of digital cameras and camera accessories, and mobile phones and accessories. This is market awash with computer technical gurus.”

From left: Ojikutu Adeniyi, Principal Partner, Pacific Network Solutions Limited; Adenike Shittu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mojoy Computers; Ejovi Ekakitie, Manager, Corporate Sales at Yudala and Godfrey Nwosu, president of Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDAN), during the Computer Village Expo 2015 held in Lagos, recently.

Samsung Smart School set to train 10, 000 teachers IN furtherance of its commitment towards sharing innovation to build a better society, Samsung Electronics West Africa has launched the Samsung Smart School for Teachers at the Federal Government Boys College in Apo, Abuja, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education Abuja.

The Samsung Smart School for Teachers in Apo will be the first of five to be launched in Nigeria, with others planned for Ogun, Rivers, Delta and Imo states. This will result in a collective 10, 000 teachers receiving training as primary beneficiaries, and a further 5, 000 students impacted as secondary beneficiaries, over a five year period.

“The Samsung Smart School concept is implemented in urban schools with the infrastructure, but not the skills needed to use IT for teaching and learning,” explains Mr. Brovo Kim, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa. “In line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to improve education, we believe it is essential to equip teachers with basic computer literacy, as well as the tools they need to use ICTs for curriculum development and more impactful teaching; and the Samsung Smart School for Teachers is an important step in achieving this,” he added.

With the launch of the Samsung Smart School for Teachers at the Federal Government Boys College, teachers will receive training to empower them to access digital content, share it with students, monitor students’ progress and conduct assessments. The initiative is part of Samsung’s global ef-

forts to use technology to increase the quantity of students who have access quality learning materials and facilities, as well as to improve the quality of education given out by tutors.

Representing the Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan expressed her excitement about the impact this will have on education in Abuja. She recognised and applauded Samsung’s effort and contribution towards ICT development within the country. “We are indeed grateful to Samsung for tapping into the goal of the ministry of education to train quality teachers. We encourage all beneficiaries of this project to take full ownership of the project and let the improved quality of teaching reflect in our students’ results,” she said.

Mrs. Yemi-Esan urged all stakeholders in the education sector to

partner with the ministry of education to salvage the country’s educational system. Concluding her remark, she added, “As ICT becomes more and more entrenched in our lives, it is essential that our students are exposed to it, guided by teachers who can use technology to add real value to the learning experience.”

Expressing his gratitude, the principal, Federal Government Boys College, Apo, Mr. Jonathan Mbaakaa added that for relevance in the digital age, teachers must do a lot in the area of ICT knowledge and application, if the teaching profession is to transform to global level of relevance and competitiveness. “With the help of this Samsung Smart School, I believe we will be well on our way to ensuring just that even as our teachers will not have the opportunity to easily access quality teaching resources and in return impact our students with quality knowledge,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune

MI, PSquare, Okposo, others excite Uyo as Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce ends GLOBACOM’S music ambassadors, PSquare, Jude Abaga (MI) and Sammy Okposo, on Friday night in Uyo led other artistes on the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce team to deliver what was a superb curtain raiser to the Yuletide week.

The event which was held at the Emerald Event Centre, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, also featured Marvin Records act, Korede Bello, and popular disc jockey, Jimmy Jatt.

It was a highly charged atmosphere as the venue was filled to the brim with Glo subscribers as well as subscribers to other networks who trooped out to savour the fun.

As has become customary with Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concerts, the show began with an opportunity being given to up and coming acts from the host area to showcase their singing and dancing abilities. The raw talents pleasantly surprised the audience. Comedian Okon Lagos also made a surprise appearance on stage to the delight of fans.

After the display, Jimmy Jatt kicked off the main event with a rich blend of old and new sounds from his turntable.

This was followed by a performance by Sammie Okposo who added a gospel dimension to the stage. This was appreciated by the audience who cheered and sang along with him the mix of vernacular and English songs. The singer also got some members of the audience to participate in a singing and dancing talent hunt which the audience found quite entertaining.

Next was Korede Bello who got a standing ovation from the crowd.

He took the evening to new levels as he sang his popular “ God win” song and other tunes. Rap artiste M.I. was next and by this time, the guests were standing on their chairs. M.I was simply at his best as he interacted with the fans who also sang along with him.

M.I.’s turn on the stage came to an end even as the audience clamoured for more. But the fans’ thirst was assuaged as PSquare came on stage. The twins held the audience spellbound for about two hours with their energetic dance steps and vocal delivery.

Gionee introduces Gionee S phone in Nigeria GIONEE, a renowned and global Chinese phone manufacturer, has introduced a new phone into the Nigerian market.

The new phone, Gionee S plus, aligns with the aspirations of consumers to own a phone that provides tailor made solutions. The new brand is a very sleek and unique brand in a class of its own.

It comes after the Gionee EliteS5.1, which is the slimmest smartphone around.

Mr Frank Chenlei, Present Director Gionee for the Africa Region, says the brand is a major output of a research and consistent con-

sumer engagement. Gionee, according to him, is poised to not only meet but also surpass consumer expectations.

The designs according to him are unique and they will resonate with the Nigerian audience who love innovative and unique mobile devices.

The arrival of the Gionee S Plus is a product of ingenious progressive brand development that started 5 years ago and by 2014, Gionee was the slimmest smartphone in the world with the Gionee Elife S5.1 whose body is only 5.1mm thick.

Gionee S plus is aimed at simpli-

fying communication for consumers who are continuously on the go.Gionee S Plus is elitist in design and a classical fashion statement for mobile users. It is indeed a true work of art as it performs functions beyond the Android phone.

Its aesthetic design makes it a distinct phone in its class. The phone also aligns with the lifestyle of phone users as it is sleek and defines the social status of the user through its innovative designs and mobile functions.GiONEE S Plus comes equipped with a new feature that is safer and more convenient then pattern and digit password.

32

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Biafra: One issue, multiple approaches Jude Ossai - Enugu

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“

NY narrative, which propounds that Ndigbo cannot prosper within the Nigeria political landscape is dead wrong as well. Ndigbo as an ethnic nationality is one of the most prosperous in Nigeria. We are widely travelled, settled and accepted, hence our investment in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, etc.”

Those were the words of Osita Okechukwu, the spokesman of the South-East leadership caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when he was thanking Junior Chamber International (JCI) for the honour they bestowed on him in Enugu. In accepting the award because of what he described as the immortal goals of the Jacees as espoused 100 years ago by the founder Henry Giessenbier in St Louis, Missouri, USA on 13th October, 1915, took time to join in pleading for the release of the detained Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamadi Kanu even as he pointed out that his (Kanu) narrative was vile and condemnable.

“Kanu’s negative propaganda shows that he neither does not care about the strides Ndigbo made nationwide nor the lives of Ndigbo in Dutse, Potiskum, Mubi or Akure.

My humble self fought in Boys Company in Biafra and knows the danger of Kanu’s negative narrative,”Osita stated. To the APC stalwart, the young man should embark on wide consultations with leaders of the igbo race across the country on his agitation once he regains his freedom. “We must desist from throwing away the baby and the bath water. In this vein, one will advise that when Kanu comes out, he should visit Eze-Igbo in Akure and other Ezes scattered across the country, consult them and assess their living conditions.” He added: “History is not a witness to Kanu’s narrative. There is no nation state one can point at that didn’t fight one civil war or the other, or is not a mere geographical expression. United States, India, United Kingdom, China, Germany, etc all fought at various times. What happened is that they healed their wounds and moved on.”

For weeks now, the issue of pro-Biafra agitation has been a major concern in the South-East and across the country. the agitation has taken the form of street protests in a number of major towns particularly in the zone. The protests have led to a seeming clampdown by law enforcements on the agitators with the attendant casualties.

Nonetheless, the agitation has persisted with the protesters demanding the release of Kanu from incarceration. Even when a court granted him bail last week, the spontaneous jubilation among his sympathisers turned bloody in Onitsha, Anambra State. Generally, the issue of Biafra remains a touchy matter among Ndigbo. That is why even among those who share in the philosophy of the pro-Biafra groups, the issue of how the issue should be approached tends to differ.

For instance, the hitherto leader of MASSOB, Ralph Uwazurike believes in the principle of passive resistance. But his approach has pitched him against some members of

Ekweremadu

Okorocha

Metuh

the group, thus the crack in the organisation. Perhaps, it is against this backdrop of that major stakeholders in the South-East have initiated a multi-pronged mechanism to address the inherent core issues in the agitation. Within a month, governors from the zone have met twice in an attempt to resolve the riddle. One of such meetings involving the governors and other stakeholders took place in Enugu, which a source said also centred on security, economic and infrastructural development of the zone. Unlike in the past, the leaders failed to issue a communiqué at the end of the meeting.

However, the source said the forum considered how best the member-states could pool resources together to tackle core challenges in the South-East, especially security matters and infrastructure. The governors, who also met with other elected political office holders, reportedly deliberated on their earlier decision to send a delegation to the Presidency to discuss the deplorable state of infrastructure in the South-East. But more importantly, the leaders expressed their desire to discuss the best way to approach the recent protests by pro-Biafra agitation, sparked off by the detention of the Director of Radio Biafra (Kanu), while urging the group to maintain their cool. A source at the meeting claimed that the governors watched a video projection by development experts on an economic blueprint to boost

the economy of the South-East. Only Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State alongside the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu were at the meeting. Others were the deputy governors of Anambra and Imo states: Dr Nkem Okeke and Prince Eze Madumere. Such Igbo leaders as Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chief Amechi Mbazulike, Dr Dozie Ikedife, Chief Gary Igariwey and Dr Joe Nworgu, who are the current president-general and secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo respectively, were absent.

Many other stakeholders in the zone believe the importance of the meeting cannot be over-emphasised, given the emerging chain of political events in the South-East.

Aside the challenges of restiveness among the youths, near collapsed infrastructure and security are issues of equity and fairness by the centre to the zone. These issues have generated anger and anguish from stakeholders in the South-East. For example, Senator Ekweremadu took the opportunity of a South-East PDP caucus meeting in Enugu to address many issues, including those affecting the national , which he said might collapse if the authorities should fail to take some proactive measures. He said the poor state of the economy could lead to the collapse of major business activities within the next six months, if nothing was

done to arrest the current drift. Ekweremadu opined that the APC had shown not to be a good manager. He declared: “There has been an unchecked downfall in our currency; Naira has depreciated to the point of N260 to a dollar. It has never happened in the history of this country. So many people are worried over the situation of Nigeria in the hands of the APC. I don’t know what will happen between now and 2019. Unless APC changes their style, Nigerians will be begging PDP to come back.” Ekweremadu also chided the federal administration over the war against sleaze. He accused the government of adopting a selective-approach in its anti-corruption war. “The fight against corruption is selective; most of them are media orchestrated. We are prepared to join hands with the government to fight corruption but it must be done in a very civilised way. Even the international community is no longer taking us serious,” he claimed. But, he called on the government to urgently address the complaint of injustice in the country, stating that “there is no way injustice and peace can co-exist. Government should address complaints no matter where they are coming from. The government should ensure that everybody has a sense of belonging.”

Also speaking, PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh accused the APC of running a government of falsehood and propaganda, which he said was bound to fail. He criticized the government for allegedly engaging in what he called “imaginary convictions,” stressing that “You cannot convict people in the media; the people who have refunded money should not only be named but should be tried publicly and jailed.” On pro-Biafra protests, Metuh urged security agencies to respect the people’s rights. He observed that the right to peaceful protest was guaranteed under democracy.

Aside the challenges of restiveness among the youths, near collapsed infrastructure and security are issues of equity and fairness.

33 politicscommentary

By Bolaji Akinyemi continued from yesterday

What is the way forward?

Firstly, Nigeria is a complex country to manage. It is not a simple state. It is a State of nationalities, many nationalities. Some have suggested that we have about 360 nationalities. Others have suggested 450 nationalities----typical Nigerian hyperbole. Every village is now being called a nationality. Managing such a complex enterprise is going to call for compromises and an understanding that mistakes will be made and that when mistakes are made, they should be addressed.

And it is important to begin from a historical perspective.

That Nigeria is a multi-ethnic state is a fact that cannot be denied. The following are the most populous and politically influential – Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% (Nigeria Fact Sheet, United States Embassy). It is counterproductive for anyone to deny his or her ethnic identity. But admitting one’s ethnic identity is one thing, while asserting that identity to the detriment of other ethnic identities is the problem. In other words, assertion of an ethnic identity is ethnicity and is acceptable. But a behaviuor based on an assertion of one’s identity as if that is the only identity in a multi-ethnic state is ethnicism and unacceptable.

But I must emphasise from the beginning that the fact that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic state is not unique to Nigeria or unique to Africa. It is not a negative phenomenon. Take a look at Europe: Black British, Asian British often consists of South Asian and East Indian peoples, Chinese British, various other Common-wealth Citizens and other Europeans. The interesting thing about this is that Europe which we all think of as a white undifferentiated continent, turns out to be a variegated continent with each country being a rainbow of nationalities.

The next issue to confront is what is often characterized as the artificial creation of Nigeria. This is in reference to the 1915 amalgamation of Nigeria by Lord Lugard.

Underlying this negative perception of the amalgamation is the mistaken belief that before the colonial intrusion, groups in Nigeria lived in splendid isolation. It is mistaken because to use Lagos as an example, long before the British colonization, you had the Nupe settling in Oshodi, the Epe settlling in Epetedo and the Ijesas settling in Ijesatedo.

As regards the issue of the artificiality of the Nigerian nation, the 2014 National Conference, in a Report adopted without dissent paid tribute to the efforts of the colonial authorities in clubbing together the disparate nationalities into what is now called Nigeria when the Conference said that it was “persuaded that when the administrations of the Northern and the Southern Protectorates of Nigeria were amalgamated in 1914, the framework of a potentially great nation was laid”, and called on all Nigerians “to ensure that the amalgamation achieves its full intendment of building a fully integrated nation”. This was a Report adopted by 460 representatives of the Nigerian people.

Again, the artificiality of Nigerian boundaries is not a Nigerian phenomenon. Apart from Islands such as New Zealand, Australia whose boundaries are natural, all boundaries in the world are artificial, being determined by wars, conquest and treaties. European boundaries have been determined by a series of conferences namely; the Peace of Westphalia, 1648, Congress of Vienna, 1815, Versailles Peace Conference, 1915, and the post-Second World War, not to mention the civil wars following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The frontiers of the United

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

National Reconciliation and Integration as Catalysts for Sustainable Development

Prof Akinyemi States were formed as a result of wars between the British and the French authorities over the Canadian/United States border, and wars between the United States and Mexico to define the southern frontier.

The net effect of my submission is this: while admitting that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic state and that its boundaries are artificial, that should not pose existential threats to Nigeria. I am not saying that they could not because obviously, they can and have posed existential threats in Nigeria and in other places in the past. But it is like fire. It can cook, and it can burn.

This then leads me to ask a pertinent question: Should Nigeria have the free for all political system which we operate? During the First Republic, we had three major political parties: the NPC from the North, the NCNC from both the East and the West even though in public perception, it was regarded as an Eastern party and the Action Group was from the West. All the other parties were just ancillary parties. During the second Republic, the pattern was repeated. The NPN was basically a Northern party, the NPP was basically an Eastern party, and the UPN was basically a Western party. All the other parties were again ancillary parties.

The putative Third Republic was the only exception. The military regime decreed a twoparty system. There was no Northern party, no Eastern party and no Western party. All of us had to find room in one party or the other rather than to keep setting up ethnic parties.

Each African state shaped its own response to multi-ethnic politics. But I have attempted some sort of classification into four groups.

The first group is made up of those states who adopted a One-party system as a solu-

tion. Examples are: Theoretically, a one-party system did not recognise the rainbow variety of the state.

But in actual fact, in the allocation of offices, both elective and appointive, it practiced affirmative action.

But by the 1990s, Africa enjoyed its democratic spring when hundreds of new political parties sprung up especially in those oneparty states.

The second group can be classified into those states that run a fully functional open space system with an open multi-party system. Nigeria between 1954 and 1966, 19791984 will be an example of this. Between 1954 and 1966, there were three major parties in Nigeria, namely the Northern Peoples’ Congress,(representing the North), the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (with a national spread, but with the catchment area being in Eastern Nigeria) and the Action Group (representing the West). But there were also several mini parties. Between 1979 and 1984, there were the: Greater Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP), National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Movement of the People Party (MPP), of which the GNPP, NPN, NPP and UPN were the major parties, while the others were marginal The third group will be those who run an open space system with a restricted multiparty system. States which typified this system are states which originally ran a one party-system but on opening up the system, used their original position to maintain a dominance of a contrived system. Examples are the Movimento Popular de Libertação

The biggest disservice done to Nigerians unity was the abolition of the two-party system in the 1999 Constitution.

de Angola, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, the Parti Démocratique Gabonais or the Rassemblement Démocratique du Peuple Camerounais) The fourth group comprises those who run an open system which is restricted to a two-party system. Nigeria ran this system under the first Babangida electoral system which resulted in the annulled Abiola election. The Babangida military regime decreed the existence of two political parties, the National Republican Convention (NRC) which ideologically was slightly to the right and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), slightly to the left.

The main issue which confronts ethnicity in the electoral conundrum in Africa is how to build an inclusive electoral system which turns the ethnic kaelodoscopy into a positive factor. Even though we tend to slide into the “one man one vote” mantra when we think democracy, the practice of democracy worldwide is not based on one man one vote. Countries that practice the Presidential system come closest to the “one man one vote” paradigm. But those countries which practice a joint Presidential/parliamentary system, a straight parliamentary system and proportional representation are very far from the “one man one vote” mantra but close to the Lincolnian definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people and for the people”. The critical factor is the definition of the people. A system that recognizes the plurality of the constituents of the population, be that plurality, be one of gender, religion, ethnic or any other come fairly close to the essence of democracy. It is the failure of the African political system to fully interrogate the ethnic conundrum that still constitutes the major stumbling block to nation-building The biggest disservice done to Nigerian unity was the abolition of the two-party system in the 1999 Constitution. I know that there are those especially from the Human Rights community who argue that there should be freedom of choice in forming as many political parties as there are married couples.

Given Nigerian penchant for ego tripping, I consider this to be a recipe for anarchy.

Being a multi-ethnic nation calls for the acceptance of certain imperatives. Firstly, it was and it is important to give every grouping of nations the feeling of belonging. Those who started earlier on the steps of the ladder have to accept that supersession would have to take place. That is the sacrifice they have to make for the sake of nation-building. But those who are implementing the exercise of supersession and those who are beneficiaries of the supersession need to show an understanding that those superseded hurt and needed to be respected. Those understanding and respect have been missing. And that is why in the Charter for National Reconciliation and Integration adopted by the 2014 National Conference, states that the cumulative effects of all of these is “resentment, nurtured bitterness and sustained distrust among Nigerians against one another” Being a multi-ethnic nation calls for a deliberate policy of even dispersal of economic development. What often fuels disharmony in a nation is the competition for jobs. Even in uni-ethnic countries, scarcity of jobs could lead to massive unemployment and corruption. In multi-ethnic states such as Nigeria, favouritism along ethnic grounds accompanies the corruption. The economic dispersal may not make economic sense but it is a desideratum for national integration.

Concluded

34

news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

I believe in self-regulated media —Saraki Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

S

ENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Monday, said he will never support any attempt by the government to regulate media activities in the country, adding that he strongly believes in a self-regulated media.

Speaking while receiving the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Waheed Odusile and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), during a visit to his office, Saraki said the eighth Senate would support all programmes of the NUJ, aimed at responsibly repositioning

the media to perform its constitutional duties.

According to him, “The things you have said this afternoon are the things that are very important which we must address if we are serious about the role that journalism and the press play in our society, because the change we want to bring to the country is not just on the economic or social aspect but even in the moral and ethical structure of our democracy. The press has a key role to play. And if the press has not got their own house in order, it is very unlikely that they can play that role.

“For the first time, I am hearing an NUJ President saying that they have problems which we have always known that you did, but nobody was ready to say you had problems.

“The first thing you talked about is for a law to recognise that journalism is a profession. You are indeed professionals, but unfortunately as you said many people have joined this profession and in the process they have done more harm than good to the profession.

“In my own profession, if you are a quack doctor, you cannot last

because the system would get rid of you, but unfortunately in your profession, the quacks even last more.

What are those laws that we need to pass to make the press more efficient?

I am happy with what you said that there must be laws to help journalists to regulate journalism practice and I want to say one thing, I will not support any government regulation.

“I think you should be self regulated. You should self-regulate yourself, but I agree with you entirely that we must have those laws that will provide

that enabling environment for self-regulation.

Speaking, the NUJ President, Odusile said the reason for the visit was to brief the leadership of the Senate on the activities of the NUJ since the election of the new executive in July this year.

He added that the meeting was also to seek the support of the Senate for a new legislation to professionalise the journalism profession, and also to empower the NUJ to regulate the practice of journalism in the country.

Hair transplant is safe – Expert

By Gabriel Oshokha

MISCONCEPTIONS about hair transplant was recently debunked by a Senior Consultant cosmetics Surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Indraprastha, Delhi, Dr Shahin Nooreyezdan, who asserted that there is a solution to hair loss, which he said, is fast becoming the biggest panic creator among the young population.

According to Dr Nooreyezdan, hair transplantation is a surgical technique that relocates resistant individual hair follicles (follicular units containing 1-4 hairs) from back of the head, called donor site to the balding part on top of the head, called recipient site.

He stated further that donor hair can be harvested through Strip Harvesting whereby a strip of scalp is removed from the back (occipital) of the head and Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE Harvesting, whereby individual follicles of hair are removed with a motorised instrument.

Casting light on the procedure for hair transplant, the cosmetic surgeon said: “at first consultation, the surgeon analyses the patient’s scalp, discusses his preferences and expectations, and advises him or her on the best approach (e.g. single vs. multiple sessions, strip vs FUe or both combined) and what results might reasonably be expected.

Fire guts lawmaker’s house in Asaba Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

THE official residence of a member representing Warri South Constituency II in the Delta State Assembly, Hon. Godwin Abigor, was on Monday gutted by fire.

The duplex house No.18 in the Assembly Complex, Asaba, was said to have caught fire at about 1.oop.m without any established cause even by his neighbours.

It was gathered that nobody was in the house when the fire started.

The state Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Chika Ossai told newsmen at the scene of the incident that fire fighters from the state fire service, prevented it from spreading to the ground floor.

All efforts to reach the lawmaker proved abortive, as he was said to be out of town.

Stolen 7-month-old baby rescued in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya- Warri

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, exchanging pleasantries with the National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abdulwaheed Odusile. With them are the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Aliyu Sabi (left) and the Deputy National President of NUJ, Mukhtar Gidado, during a courtesy visit by the executive of NUJ to the Senate President, on Monday.

Wike assents to Rivers 2016 budget RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has assented to the 2016 budget passed by the Rivers State Assembly.

The governor signed the budget at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House, Port Harcourt, in the presence of the leadership of the State House of Assembly, members of the House and members of the State Executive Council.

The state Assembly, last week, passed the budget of N307 billion sent by Governor Wike .

In his remarks after giving his assent to the 2016 budget, Governor Wike commended the House for the accelerated consideration given to the budget.

He said with the passage and assent of the budget, his administration would now settle down to focus

on the consolidation of the gains attained in the last seven months.

“I assure the people of Rivers State that this administration will diligently implement this budget. We shall complete ongoing projects

and initiate new ones for the good of the people.

“I am happy that the Rivers State executive council and the state House of Assembly have forged a common front to massively develop the state. We are partners in

progress.”

Earlier, while presenting the budget to Governor Wike for assent, Majority Leader, Martins Amaewhule, said the budget would help in advancing the course of development in the state.

Akwa Ibom Assembly gets new speaker The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has elected a new Speaker following the nullification of the election of the former speaker, Mr Aniekan Uko, by the Court of Appeal.

The new speaker elected on Monday is Mr Onofiok Luke.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that 24 members, out of 26 were present during Monday’s session.

In the same vein, the House Deputy Leader, Mr Aniefiok Dennis (PDPEtinan Constituency) was replaced by Mr Aniekan Bassey (PDP- Uruan Constituency).

The replacement of Dennis followed the Court of Appeal’s nullification of his election.

The former speaker’s election was nullified a week ago by the Court of Appeal

sitting in Abuja and a re-run ordered.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the sitting, the new speaker said that he ascribed his emergence to the will of God. “We ascribe everything that happened today to God. Only God should take glory,” Luke said.

He promised to work for the unity and progress of the state.

A seven-month-old baby has been rescued from its abductor by operatives of the Delta State Police Command.

The suspect, a 22-yearold Ifeoma Ekoma, has been arrested by police operatives from B-Division, Asaba.

She was said to have snatched the baby from one eight-year-old Chinemere Chigbogu, at Omnigboma on December 14.

Parents of the baby, Mr and Mrs. Simon Okechukwu of Omnigboma, were said to have intimated the police at B-Division, Asaba of the theft of their baby.

A relation of the couple was said to have found the suspect, and immediately raised an alarm that resulted in her arrest.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the baby had been handed over to its parents while the suspect is undergoing investigation.

35

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

tribunelaw

For enquiries, Lanre Adewole - 0811 695 4647 olanreade@yahoo.com

Law enforcement agents and the power of ‘reasonable force’ In Nigeria, agencies saddled with the responsibility of upholding the rule of law are accused of flouting the rules with impunity using the law as a defense. What part of the law covers force and who determines when the reasonable force has gone beyond its power? YEJIDE GBENGAOGUNDARE reports.

Unless the person actually shows intention by action or any overt act to resist arrest or escape from arrest, the police officer need not touch or use physical force in effecting the arrest.

T

here was mild drama on Monday, December 14, 2015 at the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos when security operatives and officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arrested a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, outside the premises of the court. He was forcefully re-arrested as he stepped out of the court after meeting his bail requirements of N50m. The manner of arrest was shrouded in controversy as he was manhandled, bundled up, forced into a waiting vehicle and whisked away while his lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), looked on helplessly.

Since his arrest, various people have condemned the manner in which Akpobolokemi was arrested, describing it as a violation of his fundamental rights and an aberration under the law. This is however not a new system in Nigeria as over the years, many situations abound of maltreatment of suspects during arrest especially in the court premises.

84-year-old Pa Joseph Fakayode, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State on Friday, August 8, 2014 (eve of the Osun state gubernatorial election) was visited with savagery and brutalized by security forces in his home where he was mourning the death of his 40 years old daughter and people who came to sympathize with him were not left out of the vicious battery.

On January 24, 2012, there was rumble at the Imo state high court sitting in Owerri as lawyers were forced to ditch their gowns and wig and abandon their cases to defend their colleague, Lagos based Barrister Emeka Ozoani who was being illegally arrested within the court premises where he had gone to argue a case, they took on men of the Nigerian Police in a combat that had all the characteristics of a fight for all Wrestle mania to defend one of their own that was being treated like a criminal. Then, it took the intervention of the Chief Judge of Imo state, Justice B.O Njemanze to quell the pandemonium and put an end to the madness after which the lawyer ended in the hospital for three weeks.

On April 4, 2012, Magistrate Aderonke Oshoniyi of a Lagos magistrate court sitting in Ikeja ordered the arrests of about 13 journalists covering the Lagos state judiciary while they were carrying out their duties within the court premises. The journalists were beaten and forcefully arrested as well as detained for over two hours while their cameras and phones were also taken and pictures of the assault deleted from the memories. It took the intervention of two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Deacon Dele Adesina and Sebastine Hon as well as the Chief Registrar of the Lagos state judiciary

who is now a judge, Gafari Safari and the Chairman of the Ikeja chapter of Nigeria bar Association and its secretary then, Adebamigbe Omole and Adesina Ogunlana including Joseph Oteh of Access to Justice to get the journalists released.

Few weeks later, on April 16, 2012, another drama ensued at the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja when operatives of the EFCC held a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Robert Clarke to ransom for two hours with armed police officers in a bid to arrest his client, Funmi Ademosun, who was standing trial alongside some others in a suit instituted by the anti graft agency. Operatives of the EFCC and armed policemen had swooped on Ademosun who was about to enter his lawyer’s car and demanded that he follow them to their office without a warrant of arrest. Chief Clarke had volunteered to drive his client down to the EFCC office for whatever reasons he was needed but the EFCC operatives insisted on riding with him in his car which he also declined. The drama continued for over two hours until the team of armed policemen from EFCC came to escort Chief Clarke and his client in a convoy of armed security escorts.

A court of law is seen even by all as a place where the rule of law is respected and the judiciary has indeed been aptly described as the last hope for the common man. Thus, the sanctity of the court is expected to be sacred but in Nigeria, people that are supposed to be enforcers of the law are found breaking the rule and in spite of outcries and condemnations, many enforcement agents still commit this aberration.

Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo had in 2012 condemned the activities of the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in harassing Chief Clarke within the court premises while trying to arrest his client, Ademosun, holding that it was wrong for anyone to be harassed within the court premises on whatever ground and that such acts is a serious offence that is tantamount to contempt of court “The whole of the court premises is in my jurisdiction and any misbehavior there is liable to contempt of court. I firmly believe that it is wrong and it has become my issue, I will not just let it go like that. An issue should be made out of it to prevent future

occurrence. An application should be made to the court and the court will rule on it as the law provides,” Justice Onigbanjo concluded Also, the Chief Judge of Imo state, Justice Njemanze during the matter, lashed out at the police officers for their unlawful action, warning against the desecration of the court premises where justice must be maintained always.

The attitude is so common that many people already believe that maltreating a suspect is part of the arrest process and many are not conscious of their rights. The fact that a suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty under the law does not stop these officers from maltreating the suspects to the extent of wounding them. Many know the law but find it difficult to exercise their right in order not to be accused of resisting arrests and end up getting harmed severely by law officers.

That law officers are trained the right way to treat suspects and most know it is wrong to assault them has in no way stopped them from perpetrating this crime and the fact that they know the law and are aware that they are flouting it makes it more serious as it gives people the wrong idea that some people are above the law.

Many are the questions that arise from this and lawyers have a lot to say on the reason why officers that are saddled with the responsibility of upholding the law knowingly flout rules and tear the sanctity of the court into shreds. The position of the law is also a major factor to consider.

Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 deals with fundamental rights and in Section 34 (1), it says that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly in (1) (a), it says that no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.

The Constitution also empowers the Nigeria Police Force to arrest any person on reasonable suspicion of commission of a criminal offense using reasonable force if necessary and informing the person of the reason for his arrest. This most often is not the case in Nigeria, the Nigeria Police arrest persons indiscriminately and beat those who resist unlawful arrest.

The Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) states

that in making an arrest the police officer may actually touch or confine the body of the person to be arrested, unless there be a submission to the custody by word or action and a person arrested shall not be handcuffed, otherwise bound or be subjected to unnecessary restraint except by order of the court unless there is reasonable apprehension of violence or of an attempt to escape.

In essence, unless the person actually shows intention by action or any overt act to resist arrest or escape from arrest, the police officer need not touch or use physical force in effecting the arrest.

In Nigeria, policemen arrest innocent persons indiscriminately without informing them of the allegations against them and apply force even when they aren’t resisting arrests. There is a disciplinary procedure for the for erring police officers in Nigeria like the Penal Code which provides for punishment of two years imprisonment for public officers who are found guilty of abuse of their authority to commit an arbitrary act injurious to rights but really, few get punished for such acts.

Speaking with Tribune Law, Barrister Olusayo Adeleye stated that though the law allows the police to apply a little force if there is resistance to the arrest, the manner in which security operatives in Nigeria do their work is a violation of the constitution of Nigeria.

Barrister Dave Ajetomobi, former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja had a divergent view. He stated that, “From what I know of EFCC of today, they have been complying with the law secretly.

My client was detained beyond legal limit; I wanted to challenge it only to discover that they have gotten court order to extend his detention period. They may have the order of court to arrest him, even if not, they have the power to arrest anyone they have a case against. Obviously they have several issues against the ex DG, they are allowed to use reasonable force to arrest anyone resisting arrest. I don’t think they have used more than reasonable force. I saw the clip, he was actually resisting arrest.”

With the provisions of the law, the term reasonable force seems to be the cause of contention and until the law expatiates on the depth and extent of reasonable force, there will continue to be contradictions and trouble in determining whether a right is violated or a policeman is still acting within the ambit of the law.

36

law

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Justice Yaya Jinadu: A toast to courage

By Olusegun Kehinde

W

hen people talk about heroes, Judges don’t readily come to mind. But in 1984, a Nigerian High Court Judge was celebrated in several newspaper editorials for his courage as he chose to sacrifice his career when the powers that be tried to break him because he refused to bend and pervert the course of justice.

Retired Justice Yaya Abiodun Olatunde Jinadu, who clocked 90 on November 16, 2015, has always been celebrated as an upright and forthright Judge with uncompromising attitude on the issues of independence of the Judiciary.

In ‘Salute to Courage’, a book written by a newspaper columnist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, Justice Jinadu was described as a “Judge who would refuse to listen to a female counsel, whose stylishly braided hair did not allow the wig to stay properly on her head”.

According to the book published by Nigerian Law Publications Ltd in 1989, “Justice Jinadu was very strict and meticulous. He was a Judge who would strike out a motion simply because the lawyer made a minor mistake in his affidavit like, for example, omitting a word. Many lawyers did not like this. They believed he was too iron-fisted. But Justice Jinadu was relentless. He believed that before lawyers come to court, they had to do their homework thoroughly. He was a judge with an obdurate opposition to interference with the Judiciary.

He was fiercely independent minded and iron-willed.

He possessed a remarkable consummate knack to seek justice no matter who was involved and damned the consequences. With this kind of strict background, it was inevitable that he would be on collision course not only with lawyers but with some of his colleagues as well”.

Justice Jinadu apparently didn’t realize how complicated the Judiciary could be, until the wheels within wheels began to turn against him in 1983, when he took charge of a case over the death of two persons in a fire incident at the 37-storey building of the Nigeria External Telecommunication (NECOM) in Lagos.

The fire-fighting team that handled the situation was led by the Chief Fire Officer of the Federation, Alhaji Adamu Akokhia, assisted by the Divisional Fire Officer at Onikan Fire Station, Mr. Saidu Garba.

About 600 lives were saved during the exercise.

But, six days after the incident, the officers were arrested and charged to court for murder along with 19 others.

The dramatis personae at the centre of the chain of events that followed included Mr. John Oyegun, who was then the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Justice Adetunji Adefarasin, the Chief Judge in Lagos, who had some differences with Justice Jinadu over procedures on Judges’ vacation and the attempt to empower Court Registrars to hear motions as Judges do.

The powers-that-be wanted Justice Jinadu to hands off the case that was becoming an albatross on the neck of Oyegun, who was accused of disobeying court orders. He refused. He frowned at how the Chief Judge had queried the way he was conducting the proceedings in court. He saw it as a dangerous precedent and he stood against it, because he felt that the independence of the Judiciary would be in jeopardy.

The Sketch put it succinctly in its editorial of August 9, 1984, ‘Public Officers and The Court’ as captured in Akinnola’s book: “This newspaper has been following with keen interest proceedings in the contempt case involving Mr. John Oyegun, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The case is before a Lagos High Court.

The permanent secretary was alleged to have terminated the appointment of Federal Fire Officer Saidu Garba, while the latter was pursuing a case in court in respect of his suspension from office. The court felt Oyegun’s action was contemptuous and ordered him to appear before it for contempt. He was tried and found guilty. But instead of the court punishing him, he was cautioned and discharged but asked to withdraw his letter terminating Garba’s appointment. Mr. Oyegun flouted this order in spite of several ultimatums given him by Justice Yaya Jinadu who was presiding. Then, on August 3, the Judge disrobed Mr. Adio, the Legal Adviser from the Federal Ministry of Justice representing Mr. Oyegun, for his failure to comply with the court’s earlier order that he should file a return to the summons issued by the court on Mr. Oyegun. And on Tuesday, August 8, a crowded court heard that the case file had been withdrawn from Justice Jinadu’s court. The Sketch is unhappy about this turn of events. But we will not jump into conclusions. We strongly feel however that the Federal Attorney General

Jinadu

Justice Jinadu was described as a “Judge who would refuse to listen to a female counsel, whose stylishly braided hair did not allow the wig to stay properly on her head

and Minister of Justice, Mr. Chike Ofodile SAN owes the nation an explanation on this matter. He is Nigeria’s Chief Law Officer and head of the Official Bar. A Statement from him is important at this stage because what has happened is capable of casting doubt in the minds of the public about the preparedness of public officials to respect the courts. Perhaps it is necessary to make the point that while laymen can sometimes be excused for behaving in a manner contemptuous of courts, the lawyers, more so, those of them who are public officers, just have to set good example in upholding the dignity of our courts.

However, we hope that the Oyegun contempt case is not terminated by the purported withdrawal of the relevant file from Justice Jinadu’s court. The nation is waiting to hear from Mr. Chike Ofodile.”

Another Editorial, entitled “CONTEMPT FOR LAW”, in the Sunday Tribune of August 12, 1984 says: “To describe the ignominy with which a Lagos High Court was treated last Tuesday, August 7, in the contempt case against Federal Permanent Secretary John Kenneth Oyegun, as revolting is to make an understatement.

It was far worse. Permanent Secretary Oyegun was convicted of contempt of court for failing to withdraw the letter of dismissal he wrote to a Federal Fire Officer, Mr. Saidu Garba. Mr. Garba was fighting his suspension following the NECOM fire last year, in the High Court, when Mr. Oyegun dismissed him. Justice Jinadu felt that was contemptuous at his court and tried him accordingly.

He was convicted but he was only cautioned, and ordered to withdraw the letter. For whatever reason, Mr. Oyegun, who is Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, did not comply. Summons issued to compel him to appear in court could not be served by the court bailiff. The court then sought the assistance of his counsel, Mr. M. Adio, a legal adviser in the Federal Ministry of Justice. He too treated the order with levity and had to be disrobed in the open court for arrogance and disobedience. He was again ordered to file returns to the court order on Tuesday, August 7. That Tuesday the series of flagrant disobedience got to the climax. Neither Mr. Oyegun nor Mr. Adio was in court. And to worsen things, the case file had been withdrawn from the court, by the Chief Judge of Lagos State.

“If we are to preserve our Constitution, nobody, no matter how powerful, is competent to disobey or refuse to enforce any order made by any of (the) courts. When courts are disgraced and Judges trying persons for

contempt are ‘convicted’ of contempt by the powerful, it is the rule of law that is convicted. Courts are normally helpless since they possess no coercive powers. But when so flagrantly disobeyed, they are further weakened, and the aggrieved finding no succour there may seek it elsewhere. That is the danger to the Constitution, the powerful and the country.”

Justice Jinadu once said during his hours of travail: “A judge does not take an oath to serve any government.

His oath of office is to the state and God, to do justice without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. A judge must have certain qualities apart from the knowledge of law - Fearlessness, Courage, Honesty, Integrity and Incorruptibility.”

When Justice Jinadu embarked on Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca, his traducers moved against him and the authorities set up Advisory Judicial Committee that curiously condemned his actions and asked him to make written and verbal apologies.

Sensing that they were out to humiliate him, Justice Jinadu tendered his resignation letter on his return. He gave the required 60 days notice, but they wanted him out immediately and they got the Military government of General Muhammadu Buhari to force him to resign with immediate effect and move out of his official residence straightaway. At that time, he was yet to complete a house of his own.

In his letter of resignation, Justice Jinadu concluded: “I believe the Judiciary has an important role to play in this country as it is the last hope of the common man. The Judiciary has to be firm, fair and courageous and must not employ any form of double standards. It is not right in my view to regard or treat the Courts of Justice as an extension of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“Above all, your letter asked me to apologise in writing and in addition to appear before you, the President of the Court of Appeal and the Attorney-General of the Federation to apologise verbally. This verbal apology appears to me to appease the lawyers in the Federal Ministry of Justice through the Attorney-General of the Federation; otherwise, what is the necessity of a verbal apology after a written apology? I cannot be a part to this humiliation and disgrace to the Judiciary and as no condition is permanent, I have done the only honourable thing for a reasonable, upright and disciplined Judge to do. I categorically deny the allegation made in your letter against me to the effect that I lied.

“I wish to emphasis very strongly that I did not tell any lie and I do not tell lies. Accordingly, I cannot see how I can continue to serve as a Judge under such a system. I have already given notice of my retirement from service.

I cannot condone any attempt to destroy the judicial system in this country using me as a scapegoat. May Allah guide us right.”

Justice Jinadu was later vindicated, when the Supreme Court eventually reinstated Garba to replenish confidence in the Rule of Law. The Republic Newspaper editorial of March 1, 1988, says: “That judgement has also proved that by stoic endurance and perseverance, justice will always prevail over diabolical forces of oppression...

“In spite of the glaring external pressures to influence the decision of the court, Mr. Justice Jinadu displayed a kind of courage which is in short supply to the bench by ordering the reinstatement of Mr. Garba…

“We salute the unparalleled devotion of Justice Jinadu to the rule of law for resisting all attempts to pervert justice and for being courageous to sacrifice his exalted office so as to uphold ethics of his profession.”

37 news

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Ajaokuta steel company’ll commence full operation soon —Fayemi Collins Nnabuife - Abuja

M

inister for Solid Mineral Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday, said that plans are on ground to fix Ajaokuta Steel company for it to commence full operation in no distant time The minister also said that the legal issue and financial issues stopping the Ajaokuta Steel company from working on full capacity is being addressed currently.

Fayemi made this known at the inaugural press conference at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the minister: “I am very confident that before the first quarter of 2016, we will have a direction as whether we are taking it over and running it ourselves or resolving the legal issues involved and allowing this to determine who gets to run Ajaokuta.

The minister further stated that regarding the infrastructure and the financial commitment made in Ajaokuta Steel, there is need to get it running again.

“I was in Ajaokuta last week, it’s a whole city, it has an airport, seaport, 60 kilometres of internal rail, it has a rail from Ajaokuta almost down to Warri, it has another 60 kilometres rail linking it to another location. How do you invest this amount of resources and then you walk away from it? It is unacceptable to any sane human being and that is why for us, we just have to fix Ajaokuta.

Unfortunately, the figure being quoted for fixing it is not a figure that the Ni-

gerian state can come by easily, so, we are going to figure out a creative and innovative way of ensuring that we partner with people who can make it happen so that we can begin to deliver liquid steel and products to our country.

When asked on the amount needed to fix Ajaokuta Steel company, the minister said “fixing Ajaokuta is not the matter of the plants alone, it is also the matter of the infrastructure that will make Ajaokuta perform better, you can not bring in cooking coal which is what is need-

ed in the manufacturing of steel except you do so by the seaport, even when you produce the steel, the central rail line that we have is only stopping in Abuja and Kaduna now, you need the central rail line to also move from Abuja to Lokoja and then, develop spur lines that will join the existing standard gate rail that have been put there.

“So even if I were to give you a figure for putting Ajaokuta in shape to run, that does not mean it will start running, for example, Ajaokuta has a 110 megawatts power plant in it that

could supply the whole of Kogi, possibly Ekiti next to it and still have enough for its operations internally, but it’s there wasting, so we need to do a total costing of this and determine precisely what it is”.

Also, the minister said that the main focus of the ministry is to re-position mining activities in the country and ensure that the sector contributes a double digit growth to the economy within a decade.

Aside this, any current holder of mining licence who failed to use it would forfeit such starting by

Ogun State police command, on Monday, paraded a ‘fake soldier’, one Emmanuel Abiodun, who has been parading himself as an officer of the Nigerian Army.

It also paraded 34 other suspects, who have committed various offences, including alleged armed robbery, cultism, murder and kidnapping.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, while speaking with newsmen at the command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, also warned against the use of explosives such as bangers, crackers, fireworks and crackers during the yuletide period.

According to Ali, “Anyone caught in possession of any of the aforementioned explosives either for use or sale, will be arrested and prosecuted.”

CAC ordains 1,230 pastors Authorities of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) worldwide, last Thursday, ordained about 1,230 as pastors at the CAC Babalola Memorial International Miracle Camp, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State.

The president of CAC worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun, at the event, urged the newly ordained pastors to work for God with undivided loyalty; faithfulness; endurance; love and obedience to make it to the end.

Pastor Akinosun admonished them to shun provocation in all ramifacations, adding that their wives, children, as well as relations, may forsake them in the cause of the new assignment but they needed to follow Jesus Christ, who will never neglect them.

He urged them to take the pastoral job in their mind with sincerity of purpose as they follow Christ, saying that the superior pastors may annoy them while discharging their duties, but they should not worry and called on all relevant stakeholders in CAC to support them to succeed in their new job.

Abandoned babies Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi (middle); Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Istifanus Fukur (left) and the Minister of State, Mr Abubakar Bwari, during an inaugural press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.

Why fuel scarcity persists in Ilorin —Kwara govt Biola Azeez - Ilorin Kwara State government has said that fuel scarcity persists in Ilorin, the state capital and its environs because it supported regulatory agencies to discourage sale of fuel above official rate.

The Nigerian Tribune

gathered that the officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the task force set up by the state government had prevented filling stations in the state to sell fuel above N87 per litre, the situation which had reportedly made only few

filling stations to dispense the product necessitating the scarcity.

Speaking with journalists on the outcome of the state executive council meeting, on Monday, the state Commissioner for Information, Mallam Tunde Ajeigbe, said the government could

Police parade ‘fake soldier’, 34 others in Ogun OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

March next year when the ministry would start enforcing the “use it or lose it” doctrine as enshrined in the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act. Although the minister noted the global decline in prices of mining products, he said the good news is that Nigeria has a great deal of domestic demand for industrial minerals and metal.

Similarly, he said the ministry would also conclude arrangement for the establishment of Mines Police in line with the relevant guidelines stipulated in the Mining law.

Nigerian Tribune

He urged groups, societies and associations to notify the police of any of their activities in order to monitor and provide adequate security.

While rolling achievements of the command since July 2015, the commissioner said the command recovered about N6 million, arrested 980 sus-

pects for various offences.

490 cases charged to court, 621 suspects prosecuted while 48 cases were convicted.

Ali added that the command also impounded a truck loaded with 297 bags of cannabis suspected to be Indian hemp.

The driver and another occupant of the truck,

which was intercepted along the Ajuwon/Akute Road, were said to have fled and left the truck on sighting the police.

Speaking with newsmen, the suspected soldier disclosed that he was a graduate of Political Science from the Federal College of Oceanography, Lagos.

PlateautorepositionMinistryofLandsforrevenuegeneration Isaac Shobayo - Jos As part of efforts of the Plateau State government to boost its internally generated revenue (IGR), the state Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Festus Fuanter, has said the government is set to sanitise the ministry for effective land administration and make it a veritable source of revenue for the state.

Fuanter, who stated this while interacting with the

staff and management of the ministry, said with the dwindling oil revenue, coupled with the shortfall in monthly allocations from the centre, there is the need to look inward and boost the (IGR), adding that the ministry is in a best position to achieve this if well positioned.

According to him, to make the ministry more viable, there is the need to sanitise the system and remove all bottlenecks that might hinder the transformation and

as well, introduce transparency.

“Governor Lalong is determined to better the lives of citizens of the state, we are to work and cooperate with him to achieve this. The only way for the current administration to succeed is to harness all the avenues that will enhance the financial status of the state, the era where government depend solely on oil is almost gone and every government has to look for alternative.

not be seen encouraging regulatory agencies to sell above pump price.

He noted that those states where petrol is being dispensed above the approved pump price are simply encouraging illegality, a development Kwara State would not be part of.

The commissioner, who said that the state had little or no influence over activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its agencies, however, expressed hope that measures taken by the Federal Government to repair refineries, import fuel and pay money owed oil marketers would ensure availability of the product.

He said the state government was concerned with the development, particularly, the hardship people had to undergo to get fuel, adding that the state government would not allow illegality like in such areas where governments look the other way when fuel was sold above official pump price.

Mallam Ajeigbe also said that the state government had approved the establishment of Directorate of Re- orientation to promote synergy between the existing religions in the state and ensure harmonious relationship among the people.

Adeola Amosun, a baby girl of about a year plus, was abandoned in an uncompleted building at AgoIgbala area, Ibafo, Osun State, on October 26, 2015, at about 09:00hours.

Oluwagemiga Amosun, a baby boy of about 10 months old, was abandoned at Isaga-Orile cementry, Isaga-Orile, Ogun State, on July 27, 2015, at about 01:56hrs.

Anyone with useful information on the whereabouts of their mothers and relatives should, please, contact the nearest police station or the Director of Social Welfare Services, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

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\\b\users\public\izzy\ features opening pensioners Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

features

Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 081 118 450 48

For pensioners, it’s regret, starvation in retirement A 60-year-old retiree who slumped and was revived during a protest by pensioners in Lagos.

Every salary-earning worker looks forward to retirement, basing their expectations on a realistic pension scheme. However, for the Nigerian pensioner, it has been one long night of frustration. VERA ONANA, in this report, claims that despite the Pension Reform Act not much has been achieved.

I

t is every worker’s dream to retire someday and begin to enjoy the benefits of fervently working. Sadly, however, the expectations of several retirees nationwide do not see the light of the day as they struggle after retirement, fighting tooth and nail to receive what naturally should have been given to them.

The failures of pension schemes in the country have been attributed to poor pension fund administration, outright corruption, embezzlement of pension fund, inadequate build-up of funds and poor supervision.

Nationwide, pensioners are languishing as their allowances have not been paid in months.

The Pension Reform Act There was hope when the Pension Reform Act was enacted in 2004. But the nightmares of the pensioners worsened as two major employers of labour—private companies and state governments— were discovered to be the major defaulters following their refusal to fully implement the Contributory Pension Scheme.

However, inasmuchas the retirees are being made to suffer untold hardship by their employers, some government officials make living even harder for pensioners by diverting funds meant for their payment. In Nigeria, pension scams are fast becoming normality as perpetrators are left unscathed by the sword of justice.

A while ago, the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission, (EFCC), declared Mr. Abdulrsheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, wanted.

The commission, in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said Maina was wanted for his role in the fraudulent biometric contracts through which himself and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, and two others allegedly stole over N2 billion of pension funds.

Pensioners die during verification exercise Recently, the Adamawa State branch of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners confirmed the death of three of its members during the Local Government Pension verification in Yola.

The state chairman of the union, Samson Almuru, said that the deceased slumped and died during the exercise, while some other members also collapsed.

He said: “We lost three of our staff at the ongoing Local Government Pensioners verification exercise and many people also collapsed.

“The exercise is the fourth of its kind this year and there has not been any significant result from the previous verifications.”

This month, Nigerian Tribune visited one of the numerous monthly meetings organised by the 2011/2012 pensioners forum, which operates under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners. Those present at the forum spoke at length about their sufferings due to the inability of gov-

A cross section of pensioners at a verification exercise. ernment to pay their allowances including gratuities as and at when due.

‘I am owed 32 months pension allowances’ C.A. Kafidiya, a member of the forum, stated that “I retired as a principal in 2008. I spent 29 years in the teaching service. I have an accumulated pension of 49 months but the government owes me 32 months out of the 49. All of that sums up to a little more than N2 million.

“It has been extremely hard to survive.

My wife is also a retiree so you can imagine the severity of my plight. I still have dependants both within and in the extended family.”

‘Our arrears are being paid in fractions’ Bosede Ayunbi, another retiree who served in one of the state governments

for three decades lamented bitterly. “I retired as a school principal. I am being owed several months. I retired in December 2012 and for most of us that retired at that period, we were not placed for about 11 months. When we finally got placed, we were forced to open accounts with EcoBank so that all our arrears would be paid.

“Unfortunately, the arrears are being paid in averages of 40, 50 and 60 per cent as the case may be. The rest is yet to be paid. Under normal circumstances, if one retires today, one should immediately start receiving the allowances as and at when due but at the moment, that is not the case. The debt keeps piling.”

‘Many of us are languishing in hospitals’ For Gbolahan Olufidipe, another penContinues on pg38

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

communitynews 5,000 benefit from SURE-P/NACA free medical outreach in Ogun community

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OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

T

he Subsidy and Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), have provided free medical services to residents of Ifo area of Ogun State.

The four-day programme, which kicked-off on Monday, at a Primary Health Centre in Ifo Local Government Area of the state, was also carried out in collaboration with a non-government organisation, Omamurhomu Foundation.

The services covered the check of blood pressure, blood sugar, provision of drugs, free doctor consultation, as well as deworming of children.

The Prevention Officer of the Ogun State Agency for the Control of Aids (SACA), Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Ojo, disclosed that about 24 medical counselors, four nurses, four laboratory scientists and eight body mass index experts were on ground to offer medical assistance to patients.

Ojo, who expressed satisfaction with the level of turnout, advised residents of the state to always engage in regular medical checkups.

“I think, we expect much but for today, we are okay

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

with the turn-up. The observation is that we have more people turning up for the test. The awareness is very great and people are willing to know their HIV status.

“I will encourage them to willingly come out because if you know your status, you will be able to care for yourself,” she said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Omamurhomu Ofurhie, said that the targeted patients were put at 5, 000, adding that NACA would be footing the bills for the outreach, while the NGO was in charge of coordination.

“The organisation and coordination is done by our foundation, while the funding is done by the government through NACA. “For patients, who are tested positive for HIV, we have referrals that will handle cases like that although we have counseling section here.

“If anyone is found positive here, especially for the first time, we have counselors who will counsel them and they will go ahead to see the doctors.

We also have some retroviral drugs that we will give out free. And if need be, treatment continues from there because it is not a one-day thing,” she

added.

Ofurhie urged Nigerians to always consume balanced diet, engage in exercises and eat more of fruits.

One of the beneficiaries,

Executive members of Bashorun Estate Residents Association with the outstanding winners of the zone for the year, from left, Dr Musa Oshodi, Mrs Adetayo Dada, Chairman of the estate, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan; Alhaji Rasheed Badmus; vice chairman, Mrs Abimbola Tewe and the Assistant Secretary, Miss Mofoluwake Akinfenwa, during the annual thanksgiving of the association on Sunday.

Ginuwa residents commend BEDC for fixing dangling cable Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

Residents of Ginuwa Junction, Warri-Sapele Road, Warri, Delta State, have lauded staff members of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for saving them from imminent electrocution by fixing a high tension cable posing threat to residents

and road users.

Community News had, on Monday, reported the looming danger posed by the cable dangling over the Ginuwa road near Nigerian Tribune Office to the management of BEDC, Warri office.

It was learnt that in less than 12 hours, staff of the company were despatched to arrest the

situation as the dangling wires were fixed to the admiration of shop owners and residents of the area.

The BEDC team sent to fix the dangling cables was led by senior officials, who simply identified themselves as Engineer Chris and Engineer Dan, who eventually uncovered another high tension cable

that was at the edge of being severed.

Community News also gathered that before, there was usually palpable fear anytime articulated trucks, including fuel tankers loaded with goods meander through the road as they usually find it difficult to go under the cables without a hitch.

PINDS recruits 40 young farmers in Ondo communities hakeem gbadamosi-akure

About 40 prospective farmers from various communities across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State will benefit from the Chevron Corporation initiative to encourage youths participation in agriculture.

The Chevron Corporation subsidiary, known as Partnership for Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), has however, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ondo State governrment through the Wealth Creation Agency (WECA).

Speaking during the signing of MoU in Akure, the PIND Programme Director, Dr Dara Akala, said the partnership became imperative in order to encourage youths participation in agriculture.

According to him, the initiative was one of the ca-

Oladunwo Oladipupo, commended the organisers and enjoined other well-meaning Nigerians to regularly organise such programme for the people.

pacity training programme designed to keep young graduates off the street and also, to encourage them in farming.

He stated that the 40 young farmers would be trained on cassava production and assured that more young graduates will also benefit from the programme in 2016.

Akala said the partnership was borne out of the four cardinal points of PIND namely: peace, capacity building, economic, analysis and advocacy programmes, which will considerably catalyze the development of the nine oil producing states in the country.

He revealed that the organisation, PIND, which was established in 2010, will engage 40 Ondo State youths to cultivate 100 hectares of farmland for cassava production and processing at the Ondo State Agric Village situated at Ore, in Odigbo Local Govern-

ment Area of the state.

Speaking before the signing of the MoU, the chairman of WECA, Mrs Bolanle Olafunmiloye, lauded the organisation for collaborating with the state government to enhance agricultural revolution at the critical moment of depression of oil doom.

Olufunmiloye, while highlighting some of the achievements of the agency, she disclosed that over 2,000 young farmers have passed through the training in the last few years She stressed the need to revive agriculture in the country, adding that the state government has taken a bold step towards the development of agriculture.

“It is our past, we left it behind and we have realised that it is the only way forward out of the present depressing oil recession,” she said.

Olafunmiloye stated that the agency was restructured in 2015 to accommodate more youths, saying over 2,000 youths and 400 graduates have been engaged in the four Agro Business Cit-

ies (ABC) across the state.

The chairman affirmed that the 40 new PIND cassava farmers were thoroughly screened and selected across the 18 local government areas of the state.

Miss Blessing, who works with a courier firm, said: “thank God tragedy has been averted in this street.

Each time articulated trucks loaded with goods make use of the road, the conductors usually looked for a long wooden pole to push up the cables for the vehicle to pass under to avoid electrocution.”

She thanked the management of BEDC in Warri office headed by one Mr Adebayo, for acting fast to save lives.

Meanwhile, some residents and users of the Ginuwa Road have appealed to the authorities of the Warri South Local Government Area to discourage double parking of vehicles on the road to avoid accident.

Okitipupa monarchs partner law enforcement agents over security Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

Traditional rulers from Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State have expressed their desire to partner security agents in the area to forestall breakdown of law and order during the forthcoming festive period.

The monarchs, which include the Rebija of Osooro, Oba Shadrack Bajowa, Jegun of Idepe, Oba Micheal Adetoye and Halu of Aye kingdom, Oba Williams Akinlude, among others said this in separate interview with Community

News, at the weekend.

The royal fathers said necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that the festive period is crime free in the local government area.

Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, Oba Bajowa said: “We have met with some of the security agents and we have been assured of adequate security of life and property before, during and after the festivals “We are strategising with the police and we are optimistic that peace will reign in the land during and after Christmas and New Year cel-

ebrations.”

He called on Ondo State Police Commissioner to fortify the police division in the area with the necessary equipment and communication gadget to combat crime in the area.

The Divisional Police Officers in the area, however, promised to work hand in hand to ensure safety of life and property.

They appealed to residents and people of the communities not to take laws into their hands, urging them to report any suspicious movement at the nearest police station.

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Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

China searches for 91 missing in country’s ‘worst’ urban landslide

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escue workers in southern China are still digging through rubble from an enormous urban mudslide, searching for 91 people missing in Sunday’s disaster at an industrial park in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, VOA reported.

Authorities said a huge pile of construction debris had collapsed at a former stone quarry, sending tons of material hurtling toward more than 30 buildings in the park below.

There have been no confirmed deaths, while more than 14 people have been reported injured.

The mudslide occurred at around 11:40 a.m. Sunday and covered more than 60,000 square meters at the Hengtaiyu Industrial Park in the city’s Guangming New District.

Making matters worse, a nearby section of the arterial West-East Gas Pipeline exploded, staterun China Central Television reported.

Liu Guonan, a researcher from China Academy of Railway Science, told a media briefing Monday afternoon there is no precedent in China for Sunday’s devastation.

“This has been the worst landslide I’ve ever seen in the past three decades after I entered the

profession. The disaster, triggered by such a large scale of landslide, has been rare in the country’s history.”

According to state media, 14 factories, two office buildings, 13 low-rise buildings and three dormitories were among the buildings

flattened. And by Sunday evening more than 900 people had been evacuated from the site, official Xinhua reported.

Rescuers look for survivors after a landslide hit an industrial park in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, on Sunday.

PHOTO: AP.

Zimbabwe says China to cancel $40m debt China will cancel about $40 million worth of Zimbabwe’s debt due to mature this year and Harare hopes to facilitate use of the yuan currency in its economy as bilateral trade increases, the Southern African country’s finance minister said on Monday.

Reuters said China has become the largest investor in Zimbabwe, which has been shunned by the West over its human rights record and is struggling to emerge from a deep 19992008 recession that forced the government to ditch its

own currency in 2009.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said China and Zimbabwe were negotiating the final amount of debt to be cancelled.

“They (China) said they

are cancelling our debts that are maturing this year.

Right now, preliminarily, we are coming up with a figure of $40 million,” Chinamasa said in a statement.

Jimmy Carter breaks grandson’s death news in church Just hours after his 28-year-old grandson died, a shaken former President Jimmy Carter broke the news to his Plains, Georgia, church and then taught Sunday School according to the church’s minister.

The grandson, Jeremy Carter, had not been feeling well and laid down to take a nap Saturday, Maranatha

Baptist Church Rev. Jeremy Shoulta told CNN. The younger Carter’s heart stopped, the minister said, and the family tried CPR and rushed him to a hospital.

Despite the tragic loss, the former president taught Sunday school as he has for many years, Shoulta said.

Indian supreme court rejects appeal to keep rapist in custody Members of Indian student organisation, ABVP, protest the release of a juvenile convicted in the fatal 2012 gang rape that shook the country in New Delhi, India, on Sunday.

PHOTO: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.

India’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal to keep a young man in prison. He was one of six males who brutally and fatally raped a young woman in 2012.

The court, according to VOA said Monday that, “under the present law, detention cannot be extended beyond three years.”

Five of the men were sent to prison, but the youngest, who was 17 at the time, was sent to a correctional facility for three years; the maximum term allowed under Indian law.

The Delhi Commission for Women filed the petition to keep the young man, now 20, in custody.

Republican’s Lindsey Graham drops out of 2016 presidential race

Chinese President Xi Jinping walks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during a recent state visit in Harare, Zimbabwe. PHOTO: REUTERS.

otherNEWS

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

Graham told CNN while he is dropping his GOP bid, “I’m not going to suspend

my desire to help the country. I’ll probably to go back to Iraq and Afghanistan and get another update.”

“Today, I’m suspending my campaign for president,” Graham said in a short video posted to YouTube.

Rwanda’s president thanks nation for supporting his tenure extension

Rwanda President Paul Kagame being guided by polling assistants as he voted in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, on Friday. PHOTO: REUTERS.

Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame thanked the nation on Monday for voting in a referendum last week that overwhelmingly backed constitutional changes to let him extend his rule beyond 2017, but he did not say if he would seek re-election.

Friday’s referendum, in which 98 per cent of those casting bal-

lots voted “yes,” drew criticism from Western powers who worry about the growing list of African leaders who have been seeking to extend their time in office.

Kagame has been president since 2000 but he has effectively been in control since his rebel force marched into Kigali to end the 1994 genocide. The change

would allow him stay until 2034, if he chooses, Reuters said.

In Burundi and the Congo Republic, the issue of extending presidential terms has sparked unrest. Rwanda has been calm.

Rights groups acknowledge Kagame has broad support for rebuilding the nation, but accuse the authorities of stifling the me-

dia and opposition voices, charges the government denies.

The United States, which has long praised Kagame for transforming the nation since the 1994 genocide, said the president could best serve his nation by stepping down in 2017.

“When the time comes to transfer responsibility from one public

Miss Puerto Rico suspended after anti-Muslim tweets Miss Puerto Rico 2015 has been suspended indefinitely for posting a series of anti-Muslim messages on Twitter.

Destiny Velez tweeted filmmaker Michael Moore last week after he launched a campaign that encouraged people to make signs saying “We are all Muslim” and post photographs of themselves holding

the signs online.

Her Twitter page has since been taken down, and Velez has apologised.

CNN obtained a screen grab of the page, and among the messages she originally sent were: “Muslims use our constitution to terrorise USA & plant gas stations,” “there’s NO comparison between

Jews, Christians & Muslims.

Jews nor Christians have terrorising agendas in their sacred books, and “all what Muslims have done is provided oil & terrorise this country & many others!!!!!!.”

The Miss Puerto Rico Organisation issued a statement over the weekend distancing itself from her comments.

“In regards to Miss Puerto Rico, Destiny Velez’s, recent actions and conduct; the Miss Puerto Rico Organisation feels that her words do not represent the integrity and esteem of our programme, nor that of our board members, our sponsors and partners, or the National Organisation,” it read.

Miss Puerto Rico Destiny Velez

communitynews 5,000 benefit from SURE-P/NACA free medical outreach in Ogun community

45

Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta

T

he Subsidy and Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), have provided free medical services to residents of Ifo area of Ogun State.

The four-day programme, which kicked-off on Monday, at a Primary Health Centre in Ifo Local Government Area of the state, was also carried out in collaboration with a non-government organisation, Omamurhomu Foundation.

The services covered the check of blood pressure, blood sugar, provision of drugs, free doctor consultation, as well as deworming of children.

The Prevention Officer of the Ogun State Agency for the Control of Aids (SACA), Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Ojo, disclosed that about 24 medical counselors, four nurses, four laboratory scientists and eight body mass index experts were on ground to offer medical assistance to patients.

Ojo, who expressed satisfaction with the level of turnout, advised residents of the state to always engage in regular medical checkups.

“I think, we expect much but for today, we are okay

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

with the turn-up. The observation is that we have more people turning up for the test. The awareness is very great and people are willing to know their HIV status.

“I will encourage them to willingly come out because if you know your status, you will be able to care for yourself,” she said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Omamurhomu Ofurhie, said that the targeted patients were put at 5, 000, adding that NACA would be footing the bills for the outreach, while the NGO was in charge of coordination.

“The organisation and coordination is done by our foundation, while the funding is done by the government through NACA. “For patients, who are tested positive for HIV, we have referrals that will handle cases like that although we have counseling section here.

“If anyone is found positive here, especially for the first time, we have counselors who will counsel them and they will go ahead to see the doctors.

We also have some retroviral drugs that we will give out free. And if need be, treatment continues from there because it is not a one-day thing,” she

added.

Ofurhie urged Nigerians to always consume balanced diet, engage in exercises and eat more of fruits.

One of the beneficiaries,

Executive members of Bashorun Estate Residents Association with the outstanding winners of the zone for the year, from left, Dr Musa Oshodi, Mrs Adetayo Dada, Chairman of the estate, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan; Alhaji Rasheed Badmus; vice chairman, Mrs Abimbola Tewe and the Assistant Secretary, Miss Mofoluwake Akinfenwa, during the annual thanksgiving of the association on Sunday.

Ginuwa residents commend BEDC for fixing dangling cable Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

Residents of Ginuwa Junction, Warri-Sapele Road, Warri, Delta State, have lauded staff members of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for saving them from imminent electrocution by fixing a high tension cable posing threat to residents

and road users.

Community News had, on Monday, reported the looming danger posed by the cable dangling over the Ginuwa road near Nigerian Tribune Office to the management of BEDC, Warri office.

It was learnt that in less than 12 hours, staff of the company were despatched to arrest the

situation as the dangling wires were fixed to the admiration of shop owners and residents of the area.

The BEDC team sent to fix the dangling cables was led by senior officials, who simply identified themselves as Engineer Chris and Engineer Dan, who eventually uncovered another high tension cable

that was at the edge of being severed.

Community News also gathered that before, there was usually palpable fear anytime articulated trucks, including fuel tankers loaded with goods meander through the road as they usually find it difficult to go under the cables without a hitch.

PINDS recruits 40 young farmers in Ondo communities hakeem gbadamosi-akure

About 40 prospective farmers from various communities across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State will benefit from the Chevron Corporation initiative to encourage youths participation in agriculture.

The Chevron Corporation subsidiary, known as Partnership for Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), has however, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ondo State governrment through the Wealth Creation Agency (WECA).

Speaking during the signing of MoU in Akure, the PIND Programme Director, Dr Dara Akala, said the partnership became imperative in order to encourage youths participation in agriculture.

According to him, the initiative was one of the ca-

Oladunwo Oladipupo, commended the organisers and enjoined other well-meaning Nigerians to regularly organise such programme for the people.

pacity training programme designed to keep young graduates off the street and also, to encourage them in farming.

He stated that the 40 young farmers would be trained on cassava production and assured that more young graduates will also benefit from the programme in 2016.

Akala said the partnership was borne out of the four cardinal points of PIND namely: peace, capacity building, economic, analysis and advocacy programmes, which will considerably catalyze the development of the nine oil producing states in the country.

He revealed that the organisation, PIND, which was established in 2010, will engage 40 Ondo State youths to cultivate 100 hectares of farmland for cassava production and processing at the Ondo State Agric Village situated at Ore, in Odigbo Local Govern-

ment Area of the state.

Speaking before the signing of the MoU, the chairman of WECA, Mrs Bolanle Olafunmiloye, lauded the organisation for collaborating with the state government to enhance agricultural revolution at the critical moment of depression of oil doom.

Olufunmiloye, while highlighting some of the achievements of the agency, she disclosed that over 2,000 young farmers have passed through the training in the last few years She stressed the need to revive agriculture in the country, adding that the state government has taken a bold step towards the development of agriculture.

“It is our past, we left it behind and we have realised that it is the only way forward out of the present depressing oil recession,” she said.

Olafunmiloye stated that the agency was restructured in 2015 to accommodate more youths, saying over 2,000 youths and 400 graduates have been engaged in the four Agro Business Cit-

ies (ABC) across the state.

The chairman affirmed that the 40 new PIND cassava farmers were thoroughly screened and selected across the 18 local government areas of the state.

Miss Blessing, who works with a courier firm, said: “thank God tragedy has been averted in this street.

Each time articulated trucks loaded with goods make use of the road, the conductors usually looked for a long wooden pole to push up the cables for the vehicle to pass under to avoid electrocution.”

She thanked the management of BEDC in Warri office headed by one Mr Adebayo, for acting fast to save lives.

Meanwhile, some residents and users of the Ginuwa Road have appealed to the authorities of the Warri South Local Government Area to discourage double parking of vehicles on the road to avoid accident.

Okitipupa monarchs partner law enforcement agents over security Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

Traditional rulers from Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State have expressed their desire to partner security agents in the area to forestall breakdown of law and order during the forthcoming festive period.

The monarchs, which include the Rebija of Osooro, Oba Shadrack Bajowa, Jegun of Idepe, Oba Micheal Adetoye and Halu of Aye kingdom, Oba Williams Akinlude, among others said this in separate interview with Community

News, at the weekend.

The royal fathers said necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that the festive period is crime free in the local government area.

Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, Oba Bajowa said: “We have met with some of the security agents and we have been assured of adequate security of life and property before, during and after the festivals “We are strategising with the police and we are optimistic that peace will reign in the land during and after Christmas and New Year cel-

ebrations.”

He called on Ondo State Police Commissioner to fortify the police division in the area with the necessary equipment and communication gadget to combat crime in the area.

The Divisional Police Officers in the area, however, promised to work hand in hand to ensure safety of life and property.

They appealed to residents and people of the communities not to take laws into their hands, urging them to report any suspicious movement at the nearest police station.

46

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Ejidike hails Dream Team The Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu-Ejidike has congratulated the Dream Team on its victory at the just-ended African U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal.

The Samson Siasiapiloted team pipped Les Fennecs of Algeria 2-1 to lift the trophy after clinching one of the Rio 2016 Olympics tickets.

Ejidike in a statement by his aide, Prince Olayioye Ajide described the victory as unique, just as he traced the team’s success to the revitalisation of the game as manifested in the administrative acumen of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“The Nigerian U-23 squad played well even though at a stage it was dicey, but with determination they surmount all hurdles which resulted in their victorious performances. I really commend the players and the technical crew for their dedication and commitment which was crowned with the success we are now celebrating,” he said.

Wikki denies offering Maikaba N1.3m as monthly salary Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja

Dream Team will be dangerous at Rio Olympics —Ajayi jnr

N

igeria’s U-23 team striker, Oluwafemi Ajayi Junior has expressed optimism that the Dream Team will be the team to beat at Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Dream Team VI defeated Les Fennecs of Al-

geria 2-1 to win the justended U-23 Africa Cup of Nations early this month in Senegal.

“We are happy that we have qualified for the Olympics. I am also sure that by the time our technical crew works on this team and finalizes on the

team for the Olympics, we will not only be raring to go, but will be dangerous to play against in the competition,” Ajayi told Goal.

The former Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) striker also reflected on his performance at Senegal 2015 where he scored two

Eagles won’t lose form after Xmas —Alloy Agu Super Eagles goalkeeper coach, Alloy Agu has ruled out loss of form from their charges upon return from the Yuletide break.

The Eagles are expected to embark on a Christmas holidays on Wednesday (tomorrow) to come back on Saturday to continue with their preparations for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kigali, Rwanda in January.

Agu said the players are professionals and will not lose focus on the daunting task at hand while with their respective families.

“I want to believe that they players know what is at stake, I equally believe they have Nigerians at heart as well as their expectations at the forthcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

“We understand that family is important especially this festive period that’s why we are allowing them few days to celebrate festivity with their families.

“We agreed on the need

to stay focused, while the Yuletide holidays last and to come back better players to continue on the programme on good representation at CHAN. “They are core profes-

sionals and we do not expect them to abuse the rare privilege.

“We hope to come back on Saturday, December 26 to intensify work on the task at hand,” the former

Nigerian keeper told supersport.com.

The Eagles are expected to reconvene to head for Pretoria, South Africa for final preparation ahead of the hostilities at CHAN.

goals in Nigeria’s opening 3-2 win over Egypt.

“I think I am pleased with my performance because I was playing off position and as a footballer you are expected to play anywhere if the need arises. I will not say I am happy or fulfilled, but rather relieved that after the tournament every player’s effort was worth it,” he said.

The CS Sfaxien of Tunisia player said coach Samson Siasia is like a father to the players and they loved playing for him in order to get results that made him happy.

THE management of Bauchi State government-owned Glo Premier League side, Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi has denied a report in some section of the media that the club offered to pay its coach, Abdu Maikaba, N1.3 million monthly salary in the coming 2015/2016 season.

Wikki’s administrative secretary, who is currently overseeing the affairs of the club, Alhaji Tijjani Sulaiman, stated that there was never a time the club and the coach settled for such amount as salary.

Speaking through Wikki media manager, Usman Abbas Shehu, in a press statement made available to Tribunesport, Sulaiman stated that in view of the lean resources of the state government, the meeting between management and Maikaba resolved to increase players’ salary based on their category, saying that the players were being paid far above the League Management Company (LMC) approved for the least category of players.

FCMB reiterates commitment to sports

By Wale Olapade First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has restated its commitment to support initiatives geared towards youth, sports and overall national development.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of FCMB, Mr Ladi Balogun, gave the assurance, while speaking during the 2015 COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament which ended last Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, the involvement of FCMB in the area of sports is aimed at developing the minds, body and abilities of the populace, especially youths, to contribute significantly to the growth of the country.

“The COPA Lagos Beach

soccer tournament provides a platform to bring our customers, Nigerians, soccer fans, families, players and other stakeholders

together in an atmosphere of relaxation, excitement and bonding which are very important to healthy living and nation building.

“This tournament has become one of the most exciting events not just this festive season but during the year,” Balogun said.

The CEO of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr Ladi Balogun (third from left) with the victorious beach soccer team of Cote d’Ivoire during the finals of the COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament in Lagos on Sunday.

He added: “Beach Soccer is becoming more popular in Nigeria. We believe that our sponsorship of the tournament in the last five years has helped to raise the profile of the game going by the large turnout of spectators and other dignitaries that have been watching the football matches and other lifestyle events associated with the tournament.

“We will continue to remain a strong supporter of initiatives that will create opportunities and equip our Nigerian youths for a bright future.”

Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire retained the trophy it won last year, while Nigeria’s Super Sand Eagles finished second, just as Ivorien Koblan Assouan was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.

47

Tuesday, 22 December, 2015

39TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ANN PLC

PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE & D’TOYIN

From left, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran.

From left, Chief Bayo Fadoju, Chief Adebanjo and Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu.

From left, Chief Adebanjo, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu and the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson.

From left, Mr Akinmoladun, Chief Adebayo Odubona, Mr Dickson and Pastor (Dr) Segun Olatunji.

From left, Chief Fadoju, Mr Gbenga Alo, Chief Adebanjo, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu and Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran.

Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai (right) and the Group Business Editor, Pastor Sulaiman Olanrewaju.

From left, Senior Manager, Human Resources, Mrs Bukola Ezeamaka, Purchasing Manager, Mr Samuel Afolabi, a guest and Associate Editor, Mr Femi Olukunle.

From left, Manager, Internal Audit, Mr Peculiar Adegbite; Senior Manager, (Advertisements), Mr Kayode Titiloye, Controller, (Business Development), Mr Fola Oke and the Chief Accountant, Mrs Olufemi Olufisayo.

A cross section of members of staff, Tribune on the occasion.

Another set of Tribune staff on the occasion.

SIDELINES

no 16,397

n150

Tuesday, 22 DECEMBER, 2015

In justifying the hike in electricity tariff, the Nigerian Electricity Regulations Commission (NERC) said the new tariff regime would result in greater reliability in electricity provision as more people would gain access to the grid and more meters deployed. Very good point. But what happens if the DISCOs do not deliver on these promises?

UNITED BY FATE: Blatter (left) with Platini

Blatter, Platini banned •I'm not ashamed for 8 yrs • I will apply for damages

E

—Blatter —Platini

MBATTLED president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss, Michel Platini have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities following an ethics investigation.

They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011.

The FIFA ethics committee found Blatter and Platini had demonstrated an "abusive execution" of their positions.

"I will fight for me and for FIFA," said Blatter, 79, at a news conference.

"I am not ashamed – I regret, but I am not ashamed," he said. "I am ashamed about the committee's decision - and that they don't go to the evidence. I tell you they have no right to go against the president. The president of Fifa can only be relieved of his activities by the FIFA congress.

"At the next congress, the 27 February, before the

election of the new president, even suspended I am president and the president must be first relieved of his duties.

"I am a man of principles.

I repeat: Never take money you have not earned, pay your debts. Now they are telling me that I tried to buy through Michel Platini, votes for the 2011 elections. No." Platini said the decision was a "masquerade" in-

tended to "dirty" his name.

Both men continue to deny wrongdoing and intend to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Swiss Blatter and 60-year-old Frenchman Platini have also been fined £33,700 ($40,000) and £54,000 ($80,000) respectively.

FIFA boss since 1998, Blatter had already announced he was quitting

with a presidential election in February 2016.

Platini was tipped as a future leader of football's world governing body and is a three-time European Footballer of the Year.

He is also a former captain of France and has been in charge of Uefa - European football's governing body - since 2007.

"Parallel to going to the Court of Arbitration

for Sport, I am determined to apply, at the right time, to civil courts to obtain damages for all the prejudice I have suffered over very long weeks. This decision does not surprise me.

"I am convinced that my fate was sealed before the hearing of December 18 and that this verdict is just a pathetic cover-up for a desire to eliminate me from the world of football.

"On the football field and in the exercise of my mandates, my behaviour has always been irreproachable and I am at ease with my conscience," Platini said.

Meanwhile, UEFA has issued a statement, revealing it is "extremely disappointed" with the decision.

It added: "Once again, UEFA supports Michel Platini's right to a due process and the opportunity to clear his name."

Watford made me —Ighalo

By Mojisola Adewunmi

RED-Hot Nigeria international, Odion Ighalo has attributed his goal scoring exploits with Watford FC to team work.

The former Udinese of Italy player has scored 28 goals in 2015 to remain the best striker in English football’s top four divisions.

Ighalo, last Sunday at Vicarage Road grabbed his 12th goal of the season in the English Premier League when he got a brace

in the 3-0 demolition of Liverpool.

“The first goal was down to all round team performance right from the first minute.

“The coach (Quique Sanchez Flores) told us before the game that we had to go out there and play without fear.

“He said Liverpool would be the ones to fear us as we were coming into the game on the back of three straight wins. It motivated us and we are very happy that we won the game.

“It was a good thing that I scored but it was really all about the team’s performance from start to finish,” the Edo State-born striker told SkySports.

Ighalo (right) celebrates after scoring. Inset: He was joined by Watford's mascot in celebration.

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. 22/12/2015.