23rd November 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,639 WEDNESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

Protesters clash in Benin over N200m house for Oshiomhole —P37

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Senate summons One dies, 2 arrested Kachikwu over as Agbekoya, police $95bn oil deals clash in Ibadan with India, China •They are robbers —Police —P38

—P33

Ondo: S/Court lambasts Sheriff's PDP lawyer —P2,3,5

•Orders him to pay N9m to 3 Appeal Court justices

•Refuses to disband Appeal Court panel •Anxiety as politicians, voters await court rulings •Police to deploy 26,000 personnel, 3 helicopters, 12 APCs, 20 gunboats CBN tells FG to pay up huge local debts

•Retains 14% interest rate •Says monetary policy alone can't solve economic problems —P11

FG, Dangote sign N11.5bn contract for concrete road project —P38

TODAY'S SPECIAL

5 habits that will increase your productivity level

Ondo State women protesting the removal of Eyitayo Jegede's name from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) list as Ondo PDP governorship candidate, in Akure, on Tuesday.

EVERYONE wants to get more done and feel a sense of accomplishment as each day comes to an end. There are a million different productivity tips out there, but here are five ways to increase your productivity levels that have worked wonders in many lives.

Continues pg4

2 news Supreme Court lambasts lawyer over Ondo poll

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

•Orders Poroye’s lawyer to pay N9m to 3 Appeal Court justices •Refuses to disband Appeal Court panel •Anxiety as politicians, voters await court rulings From Lanre Adewole, Sunday Ejike and Hakeem Gbadamosi

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HE Supreme Court, on Tuesday, slammed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Beluolisa Nwofor, counsel for the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with a punitive cost of N1 million to each of the justices on the appeal court panel on each of the three motions in which they were unlawfully joined as respondents.

THE court, also on Tuesday, gave the lower court the go-ahead to deliver the judgment in appeals arising from disputes over which of the two factions of the PDP should present candidate for the Ondo governorship

election slated for Saturday.

The court held that judges enjoyed immunity in the conduct of their official duties and could not be sued individually or collectively, while he slammed a total cost of N9 million on Nwofor for “his misconduct.”

The Jimoh Ibrahim faction, an offshoot of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction and led by Poroye had, last Friday, filed a motion against the three Appeal Court justices handling the matter, accusing them of bias and betrayal of their oath of office in the way and manner they were handling their appeals.

Nwofor, representing Poroye, asked the Supreme Court to invoke its disciplinary power against the panel of justices of the Ap-

peal Court for sitting on the Ondo PDP matter, with appeal already entered at the apex court.

He also asked the court to set aside the November 16 proceedings of the Court of Appeal for being a nullity and argued further that the apellate court ought to have stayed proceedings on the matter, having been notified of an appeal against its decision at the Supreme Court.

Nwofor also prayed the court to disqualify the appeal court panel for holding parallel proceedings with the Supreme Court.

In the ruling delivered by the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, the apex court refused to disqualify three justices of the Appeal Court from hearing the appeals

relating to Ondo PDP governorship candidacy tussle.

Onnoghen said the prayers of the Jimoh Ibrahim faction brought before the Supreme Court was in bad taste, as it was aimed at scandalising, criminalising and intimidating the justices in the process of carrying out their official duties.

The acting CJN said it was unprofessional and un-ethical for the counsel for the applicants to have joined the three Appeal Court justices as defendants in the motion when the law forbade joining justices from being made parties in the matter they were handling.

“Judges enjoy immunity in the conduct of their official duties and cannot be sued individually or collectively,” he said.

Ondo assembly, Yoruba group call on INEC to extend governorship election date THE Ondo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the November 26 governorship election as a matter of urgent public importance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the assembly, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Fatai Olotu, unanimously voted in favour of the extension of the election date.

Olotu said the extension would not have any adverse effect or offend any electoral law.

“It is necessary that all the pending matters in court concerning all political parties participating in the election be resolved.

“The outstanding court cases have generated a lot of security threats to the extent that tension is now palpable in the city.

“Elections are meant to be free and fair, and conducted in an atmosphere devoid of tension,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Olusiji Akindiose, representing Ondo East, moved the motion on the need to extend the date for the governorship election.

He said INEC and the highest authorities had to listen and see the danger in the fact that the election shouldn’t be rushed.

“It must be done with feelings that people are safe and the assurance that votes will count.

“Out of 28 political parties participating in the election, 20 are agitating for an extension, which I don’t think is too much,” he said.

The Deputy Majority Leader and member representing Ese-Odo constitu-

ency, Mr Vincent Obadiah, seconded the motion.

Similarly, the assembly confirmed and ratified three persons as members of the Ondo State House of Assembly Service Commission.They are Messrs Yekini Olanipekun, Henry Akinsuroju and Afolabi Akinsiku.

The three persons were former members of the assemby.

Earlier, Bode Adeyelu read the message from Governor Olusegun Mimiko requesting for the confirmation of the appointments.

Obadiah, who is the chairman of the assembly committee on selection, submitted the report of the screening and said the three persons were qualified for the post.

Responding on behalf of other members, Olanipekun promised to justify the confidence reposed in the members to perform their jobs diligently.

Also, The Oodua Renaissance Movement (ORM), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be unbiased in the conduct of the governorship lection slated for Saturday, November 26, 2016, in Ondo State and to tow the path of honour by postponing the election date to allow for proper preparation among the contestants.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos after an emergency meeting of its members, ORM Convener, Gboyega Adeoye, said the group’s stance hinged on the sensitivity of the election and the setting of precedence in Edo State, where election was postponed for two weeks to avert break down

of law and order.

According to the group, the need for the shifting of the poll becomes imperative in view of the intra party battles that characterised the contest, which left no ample time for candidates to sell their manifestoes to the electorate, just as the group is of the opinion that the opinion that the electorates would have so much to lose under the present arrangement as there is no clear cut promise from the candidates to galvanise a principled stance among the voters.

Reporting that no less than twenty political parties have already signified interest in the postponement of the Saturday election, this the group said raised suspicion that there could be a stiff reaction to the action, should the election umpire go ahead with its plan.

“We are all aware of what happened during the last INEC conducted election in Edo State, where election was said to have been postponed as a result of perceived security threat.

It beats one hollow that the same INEC has kept sealed lips on the Ondo election up till now. The silence, to us in ORM, is evil and should be discouraged.

“Those with sense of history should know the sensitivity of Ondo State and their kind of politics. Ondo State is strategic and very sensitive when it comes to responses to political issues. This is why the INEC must tread with caution and do the needful in this case,” the group said and therefore recommends a three week extension of the election to INEC, to al-

low candidates do a proper campaign for the electorates to be in proper spirit to decide who should call the shot for them.

“As we speak, the case between Jimoh Ibrahim and Eyitayo Jegede, of the Peoples Democratic Party, is just forming shape after a legal abracadabra deliberately designed to usurp the earlier endorsed candidate by those who are specialists in the art of cutting corners. It will be funny to think that the people are not aware of the subterranean intrigues and would react at the appropriate time.

In the same vein, the Yoruba Solidarity Forum, (YSF), has called for the postponement of the state’s election.

Speaking through its General Secretary, Kasali Olaosebikan, the group warned of a dire consequence should the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), goes ahead with the conduct of the election billed for Saturday, without taking due cognisance of lingering tussles tailing the contest.

The trailing called on “the Federal Government to, within 48 hours order the INEC to postpone the dates of the election by at least three weeks to allow for fair play and justice because we have witnessed so much political bloodshed in Ondo State in the past and we cannot allow another one this time,” .

The group also called on all agitated citizens of Ondo State to be calm as it assured that the INEC would be left with no option than to postpone the election in view of current realities.

He held that the type of practice of scandalising was irritating, as it could bring anarchy for the country’s democracy and, therefore, dismissed the appeal.

“I found no merit in the application, I consequently dismissed it with a cost of N500,000 to each of the respondents, except the three justices of the Appeal Court, Justices Ibrahim Salauwa, Ignatius Agube and George Mbaba,” he ruled.

The acting CJN ordered Poroye’s counsel, Nwofor, to personally pay a punitive cost of N1 million to each of the justices on the appeal court panel on each of the three motions in which they were unlawfully joined as respondents.

Justice Onnoghen, who was furious with the ways and manners the appeal court justices were turned to defendants in the matter before them, stated that the appellants or anyone had no right to box a court to a corner and turn around to scandalise same court.

While the hearing was ongoing, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was seen storming out of court.

Earlier, the CJN had asked Nwofor of the record of proceedings of the Court of Appeal he wanted the apex court to set aside.

Nwofor said, “My Lord, forgive me I did not file them.”

Justice Onnoghen said: “Nwofor, there was only one judgment by Justice Okon Abang. There is a total of 14 appeals from a ruling of Justice Okon Abang.

Nwofor, your intention is to cause confusion and rubbish the judiciary.”

A member of the panel, Justice Mohammed Tanko, said “Nwofor, you and your people have blackmailed all justices that had handled these matters at the Court of Appeal. Now if all other lawyers behave like you, what will become of the legal profession?”

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had fixed last Friday for the judgment before its attention was called to the motion brought by a faction loyal to Alhaji Sheriff at the apex court, seeking to disqualify the lower court panel from going ahead with the matter.

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee is backing the candidature of former Ondo State Attorney-General, Eyitayo Jegede, while the Sheriff faction is supporting billionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recognised Ibrahim, following a judg-

ment of a Federal High Court, which became the central subject of dispute at the Court of Appeal.

Following the apex court ruling, clearing the path for the lower court to deliver its judgment, rumours were rife on Tuesday that the judgment would be delivered almost immediately after the go-ahead order by the highest court in the land.

Nigerian Tribune, however, learnt last night that the exercise was impossible because the enrolled order of the apex court must be officially communicated to the appeal court, before the latter could re-commence its suspended proceedings.

It was gathered that the enrolled order was delivered to the appeal panel on Tuesday.

Though there were unconfirmed reports that the judgment could be delivered today, the usual preparation before such delivery was yet to be perfected as of Tuesday night, as revealed by Nigerian Tribune findings.

As of Tuesday night, parties in the matter at the Court of Appeal were yet to be served hearing notice for the judgment.

A source within the system said it was not possible to serve the hearing notice today (Wednesday) “even in the morning and expect all counsel to be there. Though it is not a must for senior counsel to be present for judgment delivery, but you know this is a very different matter.”

A senior counsel representing one of the parties in the matter at the Court of Appeal (names withheld) told the Nigerian Tribune last night that their expectation was that the judgment would not be beyond tomorrow.

The senior counsel also confirmed that hearing notice had not been received from the Court of Appeal management.

On Tuesday, the apex court ordered the Court of Appeal to hear and determine all the appeals that emanated from the Ondo State governorship tussle between the two claimants and their factions.

A five-member panel of Justices of the apex court, headed by the CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, which heard the matter, also struck out 10 motions for stay of proceedings filed against the Court of Appeal, following an application for withdrawal by Prince Biyi Poroye’s counsel, Nwofor, which was not opposed by other counsel in the matter.

Justice Onnoghen directed the three-member panel Continues pg4

3 news Why Akeredolu was absent at Ondo 2016 governorship debate Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Akeredolu to facilitate establishment of refinery, sea port, if elected From Sunday Ejike and Hakeem Gbadamosi

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HE candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has said he regretted his inability to be present at the debate organised and aired on Monday evening by a Lagos-based television station, Channels TV, for candidates standing for the fast approaching election.

In a statement signed by the Secretary, Communications committee of his campaign organisation, Mr Kunle Adebayo, Akeredolu said it was unfortunate that the debate came at a time that his grassroots rallies were at their peaks.

The statement read: “We regret the inability of Mr Rotimi Akeredolu to attend today’s governorship debate organised by Channels Television.

“It is unfortunate that the debate is coming at a time when our grassroots rallies are at their peaks.

“As we write this, Akeredolu is tucked in the deep riverine communities of Ilaje Local Government, most of which have no access to electricity to watch television.

“In view of the demand of this hectic campaign schedule, we, therefore, regret our inability to honour Channel TV’s call for debate within the remaining time.”

Meanwhile, the Ondo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has pledged to facilitate the establishment of a refinery and seaport in the state, if elected on November 26.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the candidate made the pledge on Monday, during a campaign rally in the oil-rich Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

Akeredolu also pledged to relocate the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) from Akure to Igbokoda, to serve the people better.

He said he would push the Federal Government to undertake more projects in the state, so as to create more jobs for the people.

The APC candidate said he would attract foreign investment to develop the state’s agricultural and natural resources.

“The riverine area in our state is blessed with crude oil and have the largest coastal line, we will relocate the OSOPADEC to Igbokoda to facilitate the citing of refinery and seaport.

“We will bring in foreign experts to help explore our natural and agricultural re-

sources, which, will in turn, create jobs for our youths and boost our economy,” Akeredolu said.

He urged the electorate to troop out and vote for the APC on November 26, to enable him to execute his plans

to positively turn around the state within a short time.

Earlier, the Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom, Oba Lawrence Omowole, urged Akeredolu to fulfil his electoral promises to the people, if elected governor.

He appealed to supporters of the candidate not to engage in do or die politics, but accept the result of the poll in good faith.

Also, the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Obateru-Akinruntan, urged

Akeredolu to uphold peace before, during and after the election.

Meanwhile, Mr Bolaji Odidi, a representative of the Association of Ondo State Indigenes in the Diaspora, UK chapter, has backed Ak-

eredolu, saying he has all the qualities of a good leader.

“We support Akeredolu for his fearlessness, uprightness and truthfulness, he can be trusted with the leadership mace, this we can assure Ondo indigenes,” Odidi said.

Crowd at the final rally of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Ondo State gubernatorial candidate, Chief Olusola Oke in Akure , on Tuesday.

Ondo 2016: We will not postpone Ondo election —INEC chairman Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

THE chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, on Tuesday, said the governorship election in Ondo State would not be postponed, saying there was no justification for its postponement.

Yakubu, who stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a stakeholders’ meeting on the state governorship election, said the commission would be ready to comply with any superior court order on the candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.

He said: “I wish to reiterate that INEC has no plan to postpone the election this weekend. We are fully prepared. We see no reason to activate the provision of Section 26 or Section 36 of the Electoral Act and there is no other ground in law to postpone an election.

“I wish to assure you of INECs preparedness and neutrality. We are not unaware of the partisan insinuation of bias in the nomination of candidates by one of the political parties. However, where an intra party dispute becomes the subject of litigation resulting in specific orders of court,

INEC shall obey such orders until they set aside superior court. We remain guided by this principle.

“INEC has no plan to postpone the Ondo State election and we are fully prepared for the election. So far, about 140 elections had been conducted by the commission and not one election nullified by any court of law, including Kogi State, that we are not guided with electoral law.”

The INEC boss disclosed that the commission had put in place every step to ensure successful conduct of the governorship election, saying the stage was set for eligible electorate to choose the next governor of the state from the list of 28 political parties participating in the election.

Yakubu said eligible voters shall be accredited and immediately, thereafter, receive the ballot paper

and proceed to vote without any delay, saying the only means of accreditation remained the use of smart card reader.

He, however, said no voter, including politicians, would be entitled to security protection during the election, while he pleaded with political parties, politicians and their supporters to eschew violence and intimidation before, during and after the election.

Jonathan’s aide, Kuku, backs Oke Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja

BARELY three days to the governorship election, a new twist was added to the contest, as a former presidential adviser on Niger Delta and chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Honourable Kingsley Kuku, formally endorsed the ambition of Chief Olusola Oke of the Alliance For Democracy (AD).

Kuku is of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), a party he had effectively funded while in office before his ordeal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) that forced him into self exile in the United States of America (USA) and was also a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP.

Oke was also the National Legal Adviser of the PDP and only dumped the party after the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, lost the 2015 presidential election.

The former lawmaker, from the Ijaw speaking Ese-Odo Local Government Area of then state, was also the major financier of Oke’s governorship project in 2012 when he ran against Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, as well as Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, then of the Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN).

Akeredolu now runs as the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Although, it could not be confirmed officially, an associate of Oke confined in

the Nigerian Tribune in Akure, that there were insinuations that Oke, as of Tuesday, was considering returning to the PDP if he won this week’s governorship contest.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that Kuku, who had distanced himself from the two warring factions of the PDP in August was reported to be among those who pressurised Oke to go the way of the AD after he lost out in the September 3 APC governorship primary.

Already, posters of both Oke and Kuku have flooded Ese-Odo, Kuku’s local government, a few days to the poll. With the inscription: “It pleases God Almighty to fulfill this unfinished work. I was with you, still I am today.”

Also, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, expressed the readiness of his men to ensure law and order during the election.

Idris, who disclosed this during the stakeholders’ meeting, said over 26,000 additional conventional police officers had been drafted to the state for the election.

According to him, three helicopters, 29 gun boats, 300 Hilux van, 12 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) would be used to cover the Ondo governorship election, saying this was to guard against security challenges during the election.

He said the police had established synergies with all other security agencies to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election.

The police boss disclosed that movement would be restricted on the election day, while all the borders would be closed on Friday, November 25, saying the borders would be handled by men of the military operatives in the state.

He said: “Organisers of violence should have a rethink. Don’t allow yourself to be used as we have put everything in place to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in Ondo State.”

4 news

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

5 habits that will increase your productivity level Continued from front page

1. Arrive early, stay later Living in a congested city, I have found out that if I start my workday before everyone else, I can save time by beating traffic and getting to my most important tasks right away. Sitting in traffic will do nothing but frustrate you and set a negative tone for the rest of your day. The same goes for when the end of the work day rolls around.

Your ability to save these extra hours will not only increase your productivity levels drastically, but help you become one of the highest paid and most productive people in your field. Arriving early and staying a little bit later could make all the difference in the world.

2. Plan each day the night before This is a total game changer. If you spend just 15 minutes before you go to bed the night before creating your to-do list and prioritising it, you will have a head start on your day when the morning rolls around.

After I create my to-do list, I pick the most important tasks and put a little star next to them reminding me that these are the tasks that need to be done to push me forward with achieving big goals.

3. Leave the office for lunch This is something so small that can have such a powerful effect on how you work for the remainder of your day. Getting out of your work environment for lunch can ease stress levels, refresh your creativity and help you to re-focus for when it’s time to go back to work. I often take a short walk to clear my head and think about how I want the rest of my day to go.

4. Minimise distractions This seems self-explanatory, but in this day and age, distractions are everywhere. If

you work from a computer, as most do, there is the temptation to check social media and surf the Internet, among many other things.

When it’s time to work, work! If possible, close your door and have a “do not disturb” sign hanging on the door so your co-workers know not to bother you.

Every company has those employees that love to talk about what was on TV the night before instead of actually getting important things done. Don’t let these average achievers hold you back. Set boundaries and try your very best to abide by them daily. Your ability to minimize distractions as much as possible can single handedly increase productivity.

5. Keep your goals in sight at all times After setting extremely big and exciting goals that you want to accomplish, keep them in sight at all times. I keep a list of my goals in my phone, a note card that I carry in my pocket and in a spiral notebook. The main objective is to keep your goals in a place where you will end up seeing them many times throughout your day. When I glance down at my goals, my motivation level to get things done goes through the roof.

Start to picture yourself as the most productive person in your field. How does it feel? What tasks are you spending the majority of your time on? What is your philosophy on personal performance? Be in competition with yourself to see how much you can get done. Have fun with it. Make it a game.

Always try to beat the person you were the day before. Keep track of your results and work every single day to be a highly productive individual and watch the small daily victories begin to transform your life.

Courtesy: https://www. entrepreneur.com

Supreme Court lambasts lawyer over Ondo poll Continued from pg2

of Justices of the Appeal Court constituted by the president of the court, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, for the matter, to immediately hear and determine the appeals in view of its urgency.

Already, the Appeal Court panel, led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, was to deliver judgment last week in the appeals but had to put it off because of the motions pending at the apex court.

The Supreme Court, while delivering its verdict in the appeal, also awarded a cost of N250,000 against Biyi Poroye and others that brought the motion before the court.

Justice Onnoghen ordered the appellate court to resume hearing of the cases forthwith, “because they are pre-election matters and because of the urgency they deserve.”

The court slated tomorrow to hear the substantive appeal, challenging the Court of Appeal ruling granting leave to Eyitayo Jegede to appeal the decision of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja as an interested party.

With just four days to Ondo State governorship election, residents of the state are anxiously waiting with bated breath, the outcome of the appeal filed by the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, to reclaim his candidature as the party’s standard-bearer in the election.

The Court of Appeal will likely decide the lawful candidate of the PDP for the election tomorrow, Nigerian Tribune learnt Tuesday night.

The ruling of the appellate court will definitely have its effect on parties vying for the election, including the PDP, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), as it would determine voting pattern in the state.

Supporters of Jegede would hope to get judgment in favour of their candidate for the election and if it happens, APC, AD and other parties may have to return to the drawing boards on their strategies for the election.

A Jegede candidacy will definitely knock off the candidacy of the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of PDP, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, in the election.

Meanwhile, there was jubilation in Akure, Ondo State, following the pronouncement of the Supreme Court, ordering the Appeal Court to continue on the hearing of the appeal of Jegede.

The campaign office of the Eyitayo Jegede at Ijapo came alive on Tuesday morning after hearing the ruling from the Supreme Court from Abuja, with many of Jegede’s supporters trooping out to celebrate the ruling.

The women wing of the party who were heading towards the office of INEC to protest non-inclusion of Jegede’s name turned back to the campaign office upon hearing the news.

Some of the supporters, however, took to the streets, moving from the Jegede’s campaign office down to the popular Oba Adesida Road in Akure, reassuring the people of the state that Jegede would contest Saturday’s election.

Speaking at the campaign office, an aide to the party’s candidate, Olumide Ogunkua, commended the people of the state and members of the party for their loyalty and thanked God for the outcome of the ruling so far.

5 news Akeredolu’s Campaign DG, Olabimtan, raises the alarm, alleges death threat Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

T

HE Director-General of the Akeredolu Campaign Platform, Honourable Victor Olabimtan, has raised the

alarm that some politicians from Lagos and Osun states have paid for his life to be eliminated before the November 26 governorship

election in Ondo State.

Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the election.

In a statement personally signed by him and made available to newsmen in Akure, Olabimtan said he remained unshaken, unmoved

Police to deploy 26,000 personnel, 3 helicopters, 12 APCs, 20 gunboats THE Nigeria Police said that it would deploy 26,000 personnel, three helicopters, 12 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and 20 gunboats for the Novwember 26 governorship election in Ondo State.

According to the News

Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the InspectorGeneral of Police (IG), Mr Ibrahim Idris, said this on Tuesday, in Akure, during a meeting he held with INEC officials and representatives of the political parties in the state.

“Twenty-six thousand police officers will be deployed in the state, and five officers will be at each polling unit during the election.

“Also, 20 gunboats will be deployed in the waterways to ensure maximum secu-

AA collapses structure into AD Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

THE camp of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), on Tuesday, received boost as one of the governorship candidates in the forthcoming election in Ondo State, Yinka Orokoto, collapsed his structure and the Action Congress (AA) in the state into AD, to ensure victory for Oke in the election.

The national secretary of AA, Kenneth Eze and Orokoto, who announced the movement, called on the people of the state and the electorate to discountenance the name of AA on the ballot paper and vote for the candidate of AD, Chief Olusola Oke. The national secretary of the party said the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party had given their blessing to the union of the two parties, to support Oke in the governorship election.

Oni leads 6-member team to coordinate APC situation room Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

THE Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Segun Oni, will lead a six-member team from the party’s national leadership to coordinate the party’s situation room for the November 26, governorship election in Ondo State.

The decision was reached after a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Tuesday.

Other members of the team are the National Vice-Chairman (South-West), Chief Pius Oluwole Akinyelure; National Vice-Chairman (North-West), Inuwa Abdul-Kadir; Zonal Youth Leader (South-West), Adedotun Oluwasegun; Zonal Woman Leader (South-West); Kemi Nelson and a party chieftain, Honourable Acho Obioma.

The party’s situation room is expected to liaise with the Control Centre which will be situated at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking after the grand rally, Oke said the decision of the AA was borne out his popularity as the candidate to beat in the election, saying his candidature showed his acceptability among the electorate in the state.

Oke warned against rigging and manipulation of votes in the Saturday election, saying the people of the state were more than determined to vote for him in the next election.

He promised to rehabilitate all the moribund companies, create employment and ensure regular payment of salaries if elected as governor of the state.

The candidate promised to ensure that all the programmes of former Governors Adebayo Adefarati and

Olusegun Agagu continued if elected into office.

Oke lamented that Ondo State was today under the yoke of rising debt profile and the associated service cost; lack of deliberate effort by the present administration to lead in industrial drive, poor and deteriorated road network across the state and wrong priority in education and human capacity development.

Oke noted that the present administration in the state had, through a centralised health service system, denied people of the 18 council areas local access to health facilities in addition to breakdown of social service system and general neglect of agriculture and the attendant wealth creation.

rity along the riverine area while three helicopters will be patrolling at each of the three senatorial districts of the state,” he said.

Idris added that three commissioners of police would be in the state for special operations during the election, while 12 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) would be deployed in some strategic areas.

The police boss, who warned all security agents to always attach their name tags to their uniforms; threatened that anyone caught disobeying the order would be arrested.

He also said the security personnel should restrict themselves to their designated posts.

He, however, warned the electorate to shun violence before, during and after the election, and urged the public to cooperate with security agencies in ensuring a peaceful conduct of the election.

“We cannot do it alone because security is the responsibility of all,” he said.

and unruffled by the dastardly and desperate moves of the politicians, whom he said, had nothing to offer the state, to silence him.

“This is to alert you of the brutal, cruel and impious plans being made by the most desperate and vicious amongst our opponents in the fast approaching contest for the soul of Alagbaka Government House.

“I have been reliably informed by impeccable

sources that the politicians in an unholy collaboration with some politicians from Lagos State, have contracted some men of the underworld to assassinate me before the election day.

“They are jittery and envious of the common sense revolution currently being led by me in Ondo State.

Those who want to enslave my state are not happy by my move so they want to send me out of circulation.

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Nigerian conjoined twin girls separated successfully in US

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he conjoined twin girls, Miracle and Testimony Ayeni, whose case had raised serious medical concerns about a year ago, have been successfully separated after a surgery at the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. A release issued by the Founder of the Linking Hands Foundation, Mrs Efe Farinre, said the highly complex and extremely risky procedure which took 18 hours to perform, was carried out by a team of Medical experts, who carried out the operation without charging any money.

The release stated that, while the girls will require further surgeries, the hospital is about their long-term prognosis and this has restored joy and hope back to the family of the Ayenis, whose nights of trauma and anxiety had been resolved by this medical exploit.

The Ayeni twins were fused together at the lower half of the body, a condition which medical experts say occurs in only one in 200,000 live births.

The conjoined twins were born in Enugu State, on the 16th November, 2015. The father, Samuel Ayeni, is a building supervisor while the mother, Mary, is a fulltime house wife.

The two parents who are from Kogi State had been in

a dilemma, about how to resolve the complexities of the uncommon medical condition, as well as raise the sum of over one million dollars, which was required for the surgery, before the Linking Hands Foundation took over the matter in January, as part of its “Every-ChildCounts Initiative.”

While the foundation made several efforts to get financial and other forms of support, for the separation of Miracle and Testimony, two Nigerian volunteer medical advisors, who are in the diaspora, Dr Opesanmi Esan and Dr Uzoma Ben Gbulie, facilitated

a contact with the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Tennessee, USA, which eventually agreed to carry out the operation pro bono in May. The Linking hands Foundation disclosed that, the Kogi State Government donated a sum of 3 million Naira for the upkeep of the twins, while the surgery lasted just as Arik Air offered free return tickets to the children and their parents, in order to facilitate their travels to the United States of America.

While commending the generous compassion and commendable professionalism of the President of the

Le Bonheur Children Hospital, Ms Meri Amour, and the surgical team, led by Dr Max Langham, Mrs Farinre said the successful separation of the Ayeni twins was a demonstration of what organisations and individuals can do together, in furtherance of corporate social responsibilities in the overall interests of less-privileged members of the society.

She said the Linking hands Foundation looks forward to sharing the “whole story” of how in the “Spirit of One Nigeria”, “everyday Nigerians” did their “bit” such that we have this “big” today.

Speaking after the successful separation of the twins, the father, Samuel Ayeni said “Without faith things wouldn’t have worked out.

When you give everything to God and believe, He will give you peace. I have the faith that He is helping us, and we are giving all of this to Him.” The Linking Hands Foundation expresses hope, that the “testimony” of this “miracle” encourages and provokes Nigeria to take decisive action towards world-class medical competency, as well as improved health care for all Nigerian children, regardless of class, tribe or status.

Collins Nnabuife - Abuja The twin girls after the operation on them at the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States.

….as CIBN lauds gov’s ingenious traffic, security management strategies Bola Badmus- Lagos

Efforts to diversify the Bayelsa State economy beyond oil and gas is on course, as the state government has established an aqua-culture village, accommodating over 500 fish ponds, situated at Igbogene in the outskirts of the state capital.

Speaking with newsmen, while inspecting some ongoing projects, Bayelsa State governor, Mr Henry Seriake Dickson said, the agricultural policy was targeted at empowering young men and women, towards boosting fish production and wealth creation.

He urged the potential beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity provided by government, by linking up to the Ministry of Agriculture and the team that is in charge of the project.

Commenting on the facilities at the fish farm, Governor Dickson said, the farm was equipped with storage facilities, processing plants, hatchery and every necessary facility required to make the farm a success.

FG sets standard for agro products, non-oil exports

Lagos critical to Nigeria’s recovery from recession —Ambode Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, said the state has a critical role to play, in taking Nigeria out of the current economic doldrums, even as he harped on the need for partnership between government and the private sector, to address strategic challenges confronting the nation.

Governor Ambode said this on Tuesday, at the Lagos House, in Ikeja, when he received on courtesy visit members of the Governing Council of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), who came to notify the governor of the hosting right of the 22nd World Conference of Banking Institute, to be held in Lagos, in April 2017 and other activities of the Institute.

The governor said Lagos, as the economic hub of Nigeria and the West African region, contributes about 70 per cent of the financial services in the country, and as such the state was in a good stead to lead the nation out of recession.

He said the visit by the CIBN Council, led by its president, Professor Segun Ajibola, was apt as it came at a time that Nigeria was undergoing recession.

He, however, said the

Economic Diversification: Bayelsa sets up aqua-culture village

cheering news was that the country was abundantly blessed with a group of people that could actually help the country out of recession, to which many of them were members of the Institute.

The governor, therefore, harped on the need for partnership between the government and the private sector, saying: “This is like a clearing call; we need this partnership to take us out of the doldrums.”

“Irrespective of the fact that Lagos contributes about 70 per cent of the financial services in this country and if there is anything that can take us out of recession,

it has to start from us and from Lagos,” he added.

Besides, Governor Ambode said the story of the growth and development of

Lagos could not have been completed, without the huge contribution of the financial service industry, adding that the sector remained a veri-

Reps express worry over poor funding of primary healthcare Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel —Abuja

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, expressed worry over poor funding of Primary healthcare services by the Federal Government.

To this end, the lawmakers called for improved funding for the primary healthcare sector to perform optimally.

The Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, who declared a two-day public hearing, on financing healthcare and revitalisation of primary healthcare system in Nigeria, said that primary healthcare financing was still characterised by low investment by Federal Government.

The Speaker who was

DAME holds Silver Jubilee edition Dec 4 The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) will hold its 25th edition on Sunday, December 4, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki.

In a press release by the programmes officer, Femi Babatunde, it will be a fitting climax to a journey that began on March 20, 1992, when the first edition of the awards was held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

Earlier in the year, entries were received, followed by a rigorous assessment of the entries, by a panel of judges drawn from the pool of expe-

table vehicle that had been able to drive professionals, to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.

rienced journalists, academics and discerning members of civil society.

DAME is a not-for-profit media, Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), which focuses on enhancing responsibility in the media, through training and rewarding outstanding performance in the mass media, through an annual awards scheme. By so doing, DAME encourages a spirit of healthy competition among media professionals, which has been acknowledged, as leading to a continuous im-

provement in media practice.

DAME has grown in stature as Africa’s most consistent media awards programme, by providing a platform to assess media performance, reflect on progress made and serve as a reunion of media professionals and consumers of media messages.

DAME also holds an annual “Widening the Pools of Excellence” training in Lagos, to intimate journalists with new challenges in reporting and deepens their news judgment.

represented by the Minority Leader, Honourable Leo Ogor, said that there was need for Federal Government to come up with plans on how to raise funds on primary healthcare.

Chairman of House Committee on Health Services, Honourable Chike Okafor, also decried the state of primary health care at the grassroots, saying, “currently, there are 774 Local Government Areas with 9,572 political wards in Nigeria.

At least, each of the LGAs has one primary healthcare centre (PHC) that is not functional.

He added that, “most of these PHC centres lack drug supplies, basic health infrastructures and cannot boast of good number of medical personnel. In fact, patients accessing these PHC centres can hardly afford the cost of transportation or cost of subsidised drugs in these centres, due to the economic hardship of most rural dwellers.”

The inter-ministerial technical committee, formulated and saddled with the responsibility of tackling the matters has submitted its recommendations, which stipulates a benchmark for all exporters of agricultural commodities.

This move will save Nigeria from further embarrassment, over the international market rejection of its agricultural commodities and other non-oil exports.

The Committee, which was chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, reiterated government’s determination to achieve zero reject of the country’s agricultural commodities and other non-oil exports at the global market.

This was made known on Tuesday, in Abuja, at the high level meeting on the validation of Nigeria’s strategy for a single quality control management system and plan for zero reject of agricultural commodities and produce/non-oil exports.

According to the Minister, Nigeria cannot afford to have a different standard of quality control, than what the global benchmark is.

He affirmed that, henceforth, every agricultural commodity meant for export will be subjected to measures that have been worked out, to ensure that the country is not further embarrassed by the global community on account of substandard exports materials.

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Nigerian Tribune

CBN tells FG to pay up huge local debts Retains 14% interest rate Says monetary policy alone can’t solve economic problems Endorses security raid on parallel market Sanya Adejokun- Abuja

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HE Monetary Policy Committee of Central Bank of Nigeria rose from its bi-monthly meeting in Abuja on Tuesday telling Federal Government to settle the N10.6 trillion domestic debts as a way of reflating the economy and save banks from collapse.

The committee also voted to retain Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 14 per cent; Cash Reserve (CRR) of banks at 22.5 per cent; Liquidity Ratio at 30.00 per cent; and Asymmetric Window at +200 and -500 basis points around the MPR. It also reiterated the limitations of monetary policy in reversing the current stagflationary condition in the economy, which it traced to supply and demand shocks.

Briefing the press on the outcome of the meeting, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele said “MPC urged the Federal Government to urgently assess the extent of its indebtedness to domestic economic agents and develop a framework for securitizing the debts in order to settle its outstanding domestic contractual obligations which cuts across all sectors of the economy.

“These accumulated debts have slowed business activities of economic agents; most of who are indebted to the banking system, thus compromising the integrity of the financial system.

“The MPC urged the Federal Government to urgently assess the extent of its indebtedness to domestic economic agents and develop a framework for securitizing the debts in order to settle its outstanding domestic contractual obligations which cuts across all sectors of the economy.

“These accumulated debts have slowed business activities of economic agents; most of who are indebted to the banking system, thus compromising the integrity of the financial system.”

He explained that after assessing relevant risks to the global and domestic economy, MPC concluded that the risks to the economy remained highly elevated on two fronts of price and output.

“However, considering the importance of price stability, and being mindful of the limitations of monetary policy in influencing output and employment under conditions of stagflation,

the Committee decided unanimously in favour of retaining the current stance of monetary policy, thus keeping the MPR at 14.0 per cent alongside all other policy parameters.”

According to Emefiele, MPC reiterated the limitations of monetary policy in reversing the current stagflationary condition in the economy, which it traced to supply and demand shocks.

“Members stressed the need for a robust and more keenly coordinated macroeconomic policy framework that would restart output growth, stimulate aggregate demand and rein in inflation expectations.

“Consequently, the MPC welcomes efforts at resuscitating planning, noting the progress made in developing the medium term eco-

nomic recovery plan”, and called for an enrichment of fiscal and other sector initiatives and interventions towards resolving the growth challenges in the economy in order to promptly revive confidence in the economy.

While commending security agencies for clamping down on hawkers and illegal foreign exchange operators, the committee urged a continuation of the exercise.

“MPC believes that the Security agencies should sustain their checks on the activities of illegal foreign exchange operators in order to bring sanity to that segment of the market. The Committee reiterated that the extant foreign exchange regulation outlaws the trafficking of currency on the streets as some unlicensed operators currently do.

Thus, to evolve an appropriate naira exchange rate that stabilizes the foreign exchange market, BDC operators must strictly observe the terms and conditions of their license”, the Governor reported.

It then warned that outlook for growth and inflation in the medium term continues to be challenging.

“Growth is expected to remain less robust given the absence of sufficient fiscal space while the current tight stance of monetary policy and improved agricultural harvests are expected to contain further price increases and moderate price expectations as the trend has already revealed”, he declared.

Also, the CBN THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday endorsed the

crackdown on parallel market traders by the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) across the country.

Emefiele, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the end of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja.

According to Emefiele, the foreign exchange regulation in the country forbids trafficking in currency.

He said that the DSS had the rights to enforce the law and make sure that currency hawkers were forced out of the “illegal trade.’’

The governor, who noted that it was demeaning for traders to hawk currency on the streets, urged the traders to legitimise their business by applying for Bureau De Change (BDC) licence.

NAN reports that officials

From left: Executive Director/CEO of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo; Technical Advisor to the CEO, Maureen Ideozu; German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Schlagheck and Director, Policy & Strategy, Sidi-Aliyu, during the ambassador’s official visit to NEPC Head Office, Abuja, on Tuesday.

CeBIH retreat to examine disruptive technology, future of payment Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Adebayo Adelabu and chairman of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Ibukun Awosika, will lead banking and electronic payments executives to examine the impact of disruptive technology and future of payment at the 2016 annual retreat of the Committee of Electronic Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH).

The theme of the retreat is: “Disruptive Technology and the Future of Payment”, and will hold from Thursday 1st to Friday 2nd December 2016, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

While the CBN Deputy Governor, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu and Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance & other Financial Institution, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, are the Special Guests of Honour, Chairman of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika is the Keynote Speaker.

The retreat will feature presentations by chief executives of leading electronic payment service providers in Nigeria and the United Kingdom including Mr. Risto Savolainen, Managing Director, iAxept United Kingdom Limited; Mr. Ade

Shonubi, Managing Director, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc; Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, Group Managing Director, Interswitch Nigeria Limited; Mr. Agada Apochi, Managing Director, Unified Payments Services Limited; Mr. Valentine Obi, Managing Director, eTranzact International Plc; and Mr. John Obaro, Managing Director, SystemSpecs Limited.

Other speakers are: Oluwole Oyeniran, Technology & Digital Leader, West Africa- Akintola Williams Deloitte; Mrs. Adia Sowho, Digital Director, Etisalat Nigeria; and Mr. Ade Ato-

batele an e-Commerce Expert.

Speaking on the purpose of the retreat, CeBIH Chairman, Mr. Dele Adeyinka said: “The retreat is aimed at examining the impact of the various technological innovations and advancements in the field of payments are having on how payments and banking are done today and in terms of what is to be expected in the future.”

This, he added, “will help the various stakeholders in positioning themselves for the opportunities that technology has brought to payments.”

of the DSS had raided the parallel markets in Lagos, Abuja and Onitsha over alleged arbitrary sale of forex.

The raid, which worsened dollar scarcity at its wake, had forced the naira to settle at N465 to a dollar.

Earlier, members of the MPC unanimously voted in favour of retaining the Monetary Policy Ratio (MPR) at 14 per cent, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 22.5 percent and the liquidity ratio at 30 per cent.

The governor said that the members of the committee took the decision after a critical assessment of the risks to the economy.

INTELS pays $184.6m to NPA, BPE as concession fees INTELS Nigeria Ltd. has so far paid 184.6 million dollars (N56.3 billion) between 2006 and 2016 as Concession fees to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The company indicated this in a report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

INTELS said the fees are: Commencement Fee $10.3 million; Lease Fee $68.4 million; Throughput Fee $35.7 million; and Land Industrial 0Area fee $79 million.

According to the report, prior to the concession exercise, INTELS tailored its services, facilities and operations to support activities in the oil and gas industry.

“The highly technical facilities required to support oil and gas related operations also require special equipment and highly skilled manpower to manage such operations, which, therefore, leads to higher level of investments

by INTELS relative to competitors.

“The logistics and equipment infrastructural needs of the terminals concessioned to INTELS requires much higher investments and specialised skill in contrast to other terminals.

“This consequently was projected to yield higher returns to the concessionaire a well as the government.

“This informed the basis for fixing a higher throughput fee per ton for these terminals to be paid by concessionaires of terminals located in those ports (INTELS) at that time of concession,’’ the report read in part.

businessnews Ikeja Disco invested N11bn on network expansion in 3yrs 12

Olatunde Dodondawa Lagos

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HE management of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric) has stated that it invested about N11billion on network expansion projects within the zone in the last three years, while stressing that elimination of billing based on estimation is unrealistic in the short run.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the challenges militating against stable power supply post privatization, the Managing Director, Ikeja Electric, Mr. Anthony Youdeowei, stated that funding is one of the main challenges due to the fact that gas is priced based on international gas pricing denominated in dollars.

He said in the last three years, the company has invested about N10.6 to N11billion on customer enumeration, metering of distribution transformers, asset mapping and advance metering infrastructure (AMI).

He argued that estimated billing will persist for now until all customers are metered. According to him, “it is my interest to meter all my customers. But it wasn’t easy because had it been it is easy, old NEPA would have metered all customers in the past. But that didn’t happen. We have been focusing on metering the trading point. Most of our distribution transformers are metered.

“In a community with 25 households out of which 10 have meters. The 15 do not have. The reality is that the people who don’t have meters are more than 15 households. There are around 30 other households still consuming what is meant for the 25 people. Because I don’t know them, we will distribute the charges to the people who don’t have meters that we know. This is where estimated billing came into effect.

“So if all the consumers are identified, even if they are not metered, what they get eventually will be small.

So we are focusing on the metering points and counting the people within our network. I’m happy that people are now saying the quantity of the estimated billing is coming down. This is because we know that we cannot meter people at the rate that people expected.

We cannot just afford it and until all customers are metered, estimated billing will persist.”

He also stated that the military and government agencies including government ministries and agencies are owing the company

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

N6billion.

Besides, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Mr. Aigbe Olotu, argued that “status quo metering which is trading point metering, consumer metering, advance metering infrastructure

(ami) metering, asset mapping, and all the consumer meters including replacement of vandalized equipment gulped about N11 billion.”

On specific amount that was spent to replace vanda-

lised equipment, he posited that “It is difficult to estimate what has been spent on replacement of vandalized equipment. What vandalism does is that it increases cost of maintenance and replacement; 50

per cent of what we spent is on replacement of vandalized equipment. If my total maintenance gulped N6-N7billion in the last three years, half of it went to replace what has been vandalised.”

From left, Chairman, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Babatunde Abayomi Savage; Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki; Deputy Governor, Edo State, Hon. Philip Shuaibu; Secretary to the Edo State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, and Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, at the commissioning ceremony of the new Guinness Spirits Production Line at the Guinness Benin Brewery, Ikpoba Hill, Benin, on Tuesday.

Equities market loses N13bn in 8 days Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba - Lagos

DEPRECIATION prevalent in the equities market extended to the 8th consecutive session, at the end of trading today, as the All Share Index (ASI) lost 0.15 per cent to close at 25,461.34 points.

Market capitalisation recorded a decline of N13 billion to settle at N8.765 trillion, while the year-todate losses increased to -11.11 per cent.

Investors’ appetite, remained negative as market breadth closed with 11 gainers paired against 17 losers.

Forte Oil led the declining stocks by 9.74 percent to close at N74.62 per share, this was followed by Livestock Feeds Plc and Total

Plc that shed five per cent each to close at 76 kobo and N255.58 per share respectively.

Neimeth Pharmaceuticals and Nascon Allied Industries likewise dropped 4.88

and 4.77 per cent each to close at 78 kobo and N7.19 per share.

On the other hand, Champion Breweries led the gainers chart with an 8.41 per cent appreciation to close at

UBA bags CFO, other awards THE United Bank for Africa Plc, on Saturday, won the CFO of the Year, Financial Innovation Project of the Year and Finance Team of the Year awards.

This is the second time the bank will be winning awards at the Nigeria CFO awards, in its second season.

Ugo Nwaghodoh, UBA’s Group Chief Finance Officer was ahead of other nominees

in the banking category, to emerge CFO of the year.

According an emailed written statement from the bank, the bank’s finance team of the year was also given to the finance division of UBA for their exceptional performance in the year under review, which the organiser say resulted in the bank emerging as one of the resilient performers in the

‘Nigeria’s cash-call debt to be paid off in 5yrs’ THE Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, says the discounted 5.1 billion dollars cash-call debt owed International Oil Companies (IOCs) will be paid off within five years.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Kachikwu said this in Abuja on Tuesday while speaking to newsmen after declaring open the National Council on Hydrocarbons.

Known as the Joint Venture Cash Call (JVC) debt, the nation owed the IOCs 6.8 billion dollars but got a

N2.45 per share. Flourmills followed with a five per cent growth to close at N17.85 per share, while Africa Prudential Registrars recorded a gain of 4.91 per cent to close at N2.78 per share.

discount of 1.7 billion dollars leaving a debt of 5.1 billion dollars to be repaid.

According to the minister, the agreement states that the payment from incremental oil production will not affect Nigeria’s budget production benchmark of 2.2 million barrels per day.

“The first concession obviously is the fact that the country got a discount of 1.7 billion dollars, and that is going to be paid over a period of five years.

“It will be paid from incremental volume of production

and so we are not lynching into our 2.2mbpd to be able to pay for that.

“I think literally when you look at it, it almost translates into fiscals of N8 billion in savings for the government which is very good,” he said.

He explained that the responsibilities of the newly-inaugurated council would be advisory.

He said the council would act as a fact and ideas gathering team where all stakeholders would contribute to the policy-making processes of the region.

Nigerian banking industry, despite the economic downturn.

Receiving the awards, UBA’s Group CFO thanked the organisers for the recognition which is coming, second time in a row, noting that he couldn’t have done it alone and that he is delighted to be working with the best finance team in the Nigerian banking industry.

“We are further encouraged by these awards but speaking the minds of my colleagues, this presents new challenges to us, as we will intensify our commitment towards setting benchmarks for the industry, particularly in our strategic roles beyond financial reporting and performance management,” Nwaghodoh said.

Also speaking at the awards night, the Chief Executive Officer of Instinct Business magazine, Organisers of the CFO awards, Akin Naphtal, explained that CFOs are integral to the successes of organizations as their expansive financial perspectives help fuel growth.

Nigerian Tribune

Obaseki commissions new Guinness factory Banji Aluko, Benin City

GUINNESS Nigeria Plc, on Tuesday, in Benin City, Edo State, added locally manufactured spirits to its portfolios, making the company the first Total Beverage Alcohol (TBA) company in Nigeria.

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Guinness factory located at Ikpoba Hill in Benin, commissioned the spirits production line with a capacity of 1,200,000 cases at an event that was attended by his deputy, Comrade Phillip Shaibu, the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Mr Osarodion Ogie, and top echelon of Guinness Nigeria including the chairman of the board of Directors of Guinness, Mr Babatunde Savage, and the president of Diageo Africa, Mr John O’Keefe.

Savage in his address shortly before the commissioning, described the event as historic in the annals of beverage production in Nigeria, disclosing that locally produced spirits and hitherto imported ones were now being produced by Guinness Nigeria.

Some of the locally produced spirits that Guinness has started their production are McDowell’s VSOP Brandy, Smirnoff X1 Chocolate Vodka, Smirnoff Extra Smooth Vodka, Gordon’s Dry Gin and Royal Challenge Premium Whisky among others.

“Today, we add to that strong heritage with the commissioning of our spirits production line in Nigeria – a first for Guinness Nigeria. With this line, we are now able to produce previously imported spirits locally. What this means is that we are able to offer a wider variety of products to our consumers at a more affordable price point,” he said.

Speaking, Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki said his government hoped to partner with companies such as Guinness in order to fulfill his electoral promise of creating 200,000 jobs, promising that his government would create an atmosphere for local production of raw materials used by Guinness.

He described Guinness as an innovative company, charging it to continue to do more in its corporate social responsibilities.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The exit of Ibrahim Dasuki

HE death of Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, at the Turkish Hospital in Abuja on Monday, 14th November, 2016 no doubt marks the end of an unforgettable era. The late Sultan, an accomplished traditional ruler and public servant, lived a life worthy of emulation.

He was a kind-hearted and benevolent ruler who exemplified, without blemish, the core Islamic principle of submission to the will of Allah.

Born in Dogon Daji, Sokoto, to Haliru Ibn Barau, Sarkin Yamma and district head of Dogon Daji, Dasuki started Koranic education in 1928. He later attended Dogondaji Elementary School, Sokoto Middle School and Barewa College, where, in 1943, he completed secondary school education on a sponsorship from the Sokoto Native Authority. He was to later serve as a clerk in the treasury office of the Sokoto Native Authority, before proceeding to Gaskiya Corporation, a publishing outfit, in 1945.

He also served in the Northern Region civil service, worked as private secretary to Sir Ahmadu Bello, and as council deputy secretary, before becoming Nigeria’s pilgrimage officer at Jeddah. In addition, Dasuki served as permanent secretary in the regional Ministry of Local Government and later the Ministry of Commerce. In 1984, he was appointed chairman of the Committee for the Review of Local Government Administration in Nigeria, and was a prominent member of the 1988 Constituent Assembly.

Appointed the Sultan of Sokoto on December 6, 1988, Dasuki made frantic efforts to improve the educational sector in his domain, building 10 Koranic schools and establishing an adult literacy class. But it was in the days of adversity that his character shone through. Deposed in 1996 over some personal differences with the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, regarding some properties allegedly held in trust for the Head of State but then being managed by the Sultan, Dasuki was banished to Jalingo. Not a few Nigerians believed that the charges preferred

against him, such as ignoring government directives and travelling outside his domain without obtaining approval, were trumped up. Indeed, sensing that his spirit had remained unbowed despite the intense persecution to which he was subjected, the military government dragged him before the Failed Banks Tribunal established to tackle the corruption in the banking sector. But the case was eventually dismissed when no credible evidence surfaced to nail him.

As the hoopla over his continued incarceration worsened, the Abacha junta then told the nation that he was being held under the infamous Decree 2, and it was only after Abacha died in 2008 that Dasuki was allowed to travel abroad. Being the first Sultan of Sokoto from the Buhari line of the house of Dan Fodio, a close associate of Sir Ahmadu Bello and an influential founding father of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Dasuki was certainly a very powerful monarch. Yet, and quite significantly, he did not fight his deposition.

Rather, as a true believer in the doctrine that Allah knows best, he preferred to live a quiet life and shun the allure of office, thus becoming a powerful study in submission to Allah and equanimity. Not even the developments in Gwandu, whose Emir successfully upturned his deposition at the Supreme Court, could make Dasuki change his mind. He considered the interest of the Sokoto Caliphate superior to his personal interest, and launched no attacks on his successors.

A bridge builder, Dasuki made significant strides in his efforts to unite the Muslim ummah through the reorganisation of Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs(NSCIA) and contributed substantially to the appointment of Alhaji Lateef Adegbite as the first Yoruba Secretary General of the NSCIA. Dasuki will be sorely missed. We commiserate with the Sokoto Caliphate and the Nigerian Muslim Ummah on the passing of the great icon. May Allah forgive him his sins.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

editor

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by the full name and address of the writer.

Kidnapping: NASS, come to our aid

I

want to urge members of the National Assembly to start the debate for the legalisation of the death penalty for kidnappers in the country. This is the right thing to do at this moment considering the frightening dimension kidnapping is taking in the country.

I want to commend the Lagos State House of Assembly for passing the law to make kidnapping punishable by the death penalty. This will go a long way in bringing about a reduc-

tion in this crime. Nigeria has a peculiar issue on its hand as far as crime is concerned, and the earlier it is taken with all seriousness, the better. Nobody is safe in the country any longer, as anybody can be abducted any time. Just last week, it was reported that a gang of kidnappers was apprehended while it was still planning to abduct billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola. What is shocking in the whole scenario is the fact that a security officer was among the suspects, with

the claim by the police that this security official was the one monitoring the movement of the billionaire. The gang had planned to obtain about $3million from their victim if the operation succeeded.

Today, we should realise that some people have

Pension Bureau by some retired permanent secretaries who retired in 2014 and had earlier collected half of their package to pay their balance at our own expense.

For fairness and justice to prevail, we believe that payment of gratuity should be based on ‘first retired, first served.’

Some of our colleagues

ate further.

The recession in the land, the high rate of unemployment among the youth, and the quest to make money fast are among the factors fuelling this illegal act.

It is, therefore, necessary for the National Assembly to start the debate

on punishing kidnappers by the death penalty. It is also hoped that the signing of the death warrant after a suspect is convicted will not be delayed so that convicts can quickly be punished for their crimes.

•Nugwa James, Lokoja.

If our people cannot manage the camps effectively, then the government should call on the United Nations to take over its administration.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices

and other related offences Commission (ICPC) must embark on a massive investigation of those administering these IDP camps.

Corruption is not only about political office holders, but about every Nigerian.

•Yusuf Maida, ABU, Zaria.

IDPs need more care from govt I want the Federal Government to focus more on the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Amosun, please pay our gratuity I will like to use this medium to appeal to the executive governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to please pay our gratuity.

We have been on the waiting list since November 2012 without any ray of hope.

Information at our disposal is that there is pressure being mounted on the

now taken kidnapping to be their ‘business,’ looking for high-profile people in the society as targets. The abduction of several highprofile people in the society should serve as a pointer that if nothing is done now to tackle this menace, then the situation will degener-

have died while waiting for their unpaid gratuity, while those with failing health have no money to buy drugs.

I wish to use this medium to appeal to Governor Amosun to please accelerate payment of our gratuity so that we can reap the fruits of our labour.

•Ayo Salawu, Iberekodo, Abeokuta.

in the North East. There have been several reports on some government officials working at the camps but who are diverting the items meant for these helpless people.

This is definitely not how to treat people who have gone through tragedies in their lives as a result of insurgency in their region.

I, therefore, want the Federal Government to specially focus on the situation in the camps, as it is incomprehensible that people could be starving in the camps when the government has provided everything for these people to live on.

Of DSS and BDC operators IT was widely reported that the officers of the Department of State Security (DSS), last week, swooped on some Bureau de Change (BDC) operators in Lagos for hoarding and artificially inflating the dollar against the naira. While some section of the society have condemned this action, I want to commend the DSS for this intervention. It seems the BDC operators are intentionally

manipulating the naira, thus the reason for its free fall against other world currencies.

I believe any action is legitimate so far it will bring about sanity into the forex system.

I want to appeal to the national leadership of the BDC to warn its members on the need to act with the fear of God. •Kayode Ikotun, Lagos.

Need to return to agriculture AFTER all we have experienced with oil, I believe that we can still retrace our steps and return to agriculture; in fact, we have no choice than to return to agriculture. It is often said that agriculture is the largest employer of labour in Nigeria, and it can still absorb all our unemployed youths; so if this is the case, why don’t we reorganise this sector to our advantage.

We can begin to work towards overcoming Ivory Coast and Ghana as the world’s largest exporter of cocoa; we can develop our cashew industry, thereby becoming the biggest cashew exporting country in the world. The same thing goes for other agricultural produce, and we can imagine how many jobs would be created when we focus only

on agriculture. What we just need are visionary leaders who are ready to direct the country and her people on the right path.

Therefore, we should not lose hope, but we should believe that with more hard work, we can achieve our dream for a better Nigeria.

We should see the opportunities in the challenges we are facing at the moment to re-strategise on the right path to follow, and to me, that right path is agriculture. We cannot compete with the Asians in vehicle production, or with the Germans in machinery, or with the Indians in services, but we can become the leader in agriculture, and through that, we can achieve a prosperous Nigeria.

•Edwin Onome, onomeone@gmail. com

opinion Nigerians and the support for war against corruption 15

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

By Niran Adedokun

N

IGERIA has recently embarked on something which its leadership describes as a war against corruption. I do not know whether it is by design or by mere happenstance but the series of events which government and its agents fly as posters for the success of combating corruption are unworthy of what a people, having any hope for an enduring change in ethos, would give more than a token of credit to.

But Nigerians love drama and this administration, due to either its own deficient grasp of the issues or a deliberate effort at exciting the people, is providing nothing beyond quality entertainment in the naming and shaming without repatriation that we have seen in the case of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He is the alleged mainspring for most of the sleaze that characterised the immediate past administration, became a resident in one government custodial or the other for about 16 months now.

Now, virtually everyone recently accused of complicity in corrupt practices in the country sourced their lucre from Dasuki’s overflowing pool.

Yet, this case has gained no motion in over one year, while the trials of a lot of his beneficiaries have progressed significantly. Although none of the high profile corruption cases initiated by the Buhari administration has reached determination, it is worrisome that the matter involving the originator of it all has, like water in a stagnant pond, become stale and stench, and this is an irreconcilable irony.

But government has an off- the-rack explanation for the slow pace of these corruption trials. A justification borne out of self-deception and resulting in the willing suspension of much needed introspection. Since we have conveniently allocated the blame to the slow judicial process, a falsehood further lubricated by the fact that the judiciary itself is being portrayed as largely compromised, government would have lost every drive to seek creative solutions to the problem.

One of such manifest problems is the patent incapacity of investigating and prosecuting bodies. Apart from the burden of insufficient funding that these bodies grapple with, there is the incessant failure to build the capacity of their officials to respond to modern challenges of economic crimes.

The immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice

Mahmud Mohammed, drew attention to this when he hosted the National Electronic Fraud Forum in November 2015.

Mohammed spoke about the need for investigation-led arrest and not arrest-led investigation, which would assure that an agency already had a case before moving on a suspect. The former CJN stressed that for anti-graft agencies to successfully nail accused persons, they must, at least, call a witness on each count in the charge.

Of course, the premeditation that the judiciary stalls the war against corruption would dispirit government from considering these suggestions, which are fundamental to the effectiveness or otherwise of the war against corruption.

Government also rushed into this war without getting to the roots of the problem. It is like tackling a problematic tree by cutting it from the top; this tree would, of course, sprout again! While corruption has always been part of human nature, its current national ubiquity is symptomatic of deeper problems part of which is the crushing level poverty in the land.

As is said of former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, when he was confronted by extraordinary corruption, there is an overriding need to wipe out corruption from the public service, which is the engine room for the running of government and every kind of political corruption.

Any country intent on seriously fighting corruption must pay public servants fair and realistic wages benchmarked to private sector earnings. This is the only way a society can demand the highest standards of integrity and performance from its workers. In a country where public education, health care and housing have gone to the dogs, civil servants, teachers, doctors and policemen should be well-paid and reoriented to avoid the temptation to abuse their office.

The truth is that while we are making public spectacle of

those accused of political corruption, it is business as usual in several government institutions in the country. The story is not much different in the private sector. So, the President is in Abuja, congratulating himself for a job well done, but those who make the machinery of government move manipulate their ways to survival. How many of them do you hope to arrest in eight years?

The other thing is that corruption is a societal problem that cannot be fought and won by the President and a select group of trusted wise men from the North alone. If the President desires to leave a Nigeria where people abhor corruption, he must win foot soldiers and convert people to his side from across the nation?

Nothing stops this government from speaking with the leaders of the other arms of government, having a meeting with members of the other political parties, set up machinery to get faith based leaders, professional organisations and parents on board this war. Success would be easier were the President to make this a war owned by all Nigerians. That aloof, only-me can do it, self-righteous disposition without consensus building will only end as another fleeting initiative that no one will remember.

In addition to the foregoing, President Muhammadu Buhari must pursue a reform of the anti-corruption agencies and propose an amendment to their enabling Acts such that these bodies will have total independence from the influence of the executive. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) deserve to be empowered to investigate any person no matter how highranking.

The President himself needs to shun all nepotistic inclinations. Nigerians need to see that the era of political patronage is over in spite of insinuations that lucrative public institutions have been handed over to people known to have been instrumental to the emergence of this government.

Therefore, what we need to do is get the support of every Nigerian and attack the evil of corruption from its roots. And this is more than that joke of a programme called: ‘Change Begins With Me.’ •Adedokun is a public affairs analyst.

Change as a social philosophy

By Oladele Osunbote

IF one shall cast a superficial look at change as merely a mantra coming from one of the politicians, or one recent flow from neologism, then there is the need to bother less, saving the sweat for another day when there shall be expediency. There could be a different view if the mantra is coming from a political theorist.

However, if one would look at it with the eagle’s eye, naming or describing it as a social philosophy, then it must come up and proclaim an intellectual content.

A social philosophy which is supposed to perform a historic function and thrill gigantic crowd of followership must have the instrumentality and properties that are of great necessity.

It must be a mobilising force. I am to be thrilled by any issue which has intellectual content. Any piece of thought, writing, speech, or action which has no intellectual content is like a river whose biotic community is dead, or like a soup without salt.

What makes an issue to have longevity of life is what can be seen as the magnetic force which has the capacity to produce reverberations.

If a lamp is made to produce light during a whole night, it must be sufficiently fuelled in order to last the period. If one must cause change of, and in the environment, either culturally, socially, or politically, one must first answer the questions relating to the faults of that environment before one goes to analyse the chronic cultural degeneration of the society. The environment is controlled by two powerful forces: The government is a micro group but powerful because it has the kinetic power whether active or latent.

The society is the macro group and it also has the finality of judgment and power, whether activated or latent. A latent power can be objectively evaluated and progressively reactivated for the common good or the wellbeing of the people of the country. If the fundamental answers can be adequately applied to some fundamental questions the nation may be there before the scowler’s rage. Without giving adequate intellectual descriptions to the two forces in the field of play, nothing can be changed. One must answer the question where we are now and where are we really heading to: the historical antecedents and a near infallible prognosis. Who are Nigerians, and how have they

come to be here, probably around ninth century: What assistance that can be received from an anthropological research and evidence? If the two groups have no fault, then there is nothing to change. Independent critics who are operating, talking and writing from a plane of neutrality would have seen the faults of the government because everyone who is a member of the powered must have come from the society and, therefore, they are likely to be part of the gigantic structure which must change.

This micro but powerful group must willy-nilly divest itself of the cultural degeneration which has been imported from where it is coming. In the millennia of human history and struggles, it has not been possible to arrive at cultural conformism and internationalism because humans come from diverse ethnic, racial, and sociological origins. People must behave differently but the question on the ground is that they must behave according to the rule of the game.

The process of election as it is studied and known all over the world may not be able to identify and elect the one who is truly and thoroughly above board. It is likely to be over-bloated or insidiously hyperbolic if a human being is described as infallible because there is none. It is only a cultural revolution which can do that and that is for a while because a particular qualitative changes will inevitably always preparing its own negation through the on-coming social contradictions. For the purpose of this subject, the government can adopt fire fighting approach in the name and spirit of election promises and as it is able to do that, it would be drawing on a subterfuge before the people of Nigeria.

I want change to be seen as a true and well-founded social philosophy, and that is when it would continue to enlarge into the future. In that vein, I would not wish that it be derided as a Buhari ideology. It could come to the plane of a national ideology, more so as Nigeria has no ideology or philosophy. It is open-ended. Change has become a great necessity in human life to the extent that life becomes meaningless without change. People sleep and wake every day.

Man struggles to achieve a feat yesterday, today, and will be so tomorrow. The same thing has been replicating itself for one century and man is bound to be tired and bored. There is a human conflict in the way of all what a man intends to achieve in Nigeria. There is corruption, wickedness and poverty everywhere. People ask questions every day: What kind of life is this? What type of society is this? What kind of rulers are these? And so on.

The legendary Ahmadu Bello stated on Page 233 of his biography that: “As I drive along the roads and see the simple villagers in their farms, I see what lot there is to be done to raise the standard of these good people to what it should be. I see the men working in their farms with the same kind of hoes that their fathers and their grandfathers used before them; they are bent double over their work in the blazing sunshine and their wives and children come and help them. What can we do to make things easier?” What percentage of Nigerian agricultural lands is under mechanisation, electrification and automation?

Nigerians are still being fed by the type of methodology which Ahmadu Bello mentioned in his biography. Change, in its horizontal and vertical equation, must go paripasu with the social and economic wellbeing of all the people. Many a time, one has to look at the correct attitude as being controlled by economics and the welfare of the people.

Government has been trying hard in the area of social amenities and the provisions of employment to the millions of schoolleavers, but it should still continue the campaign more vigorously until many more are gainfully employed. Simultaneously, people must be mobilised in the name and for the real change.

Change, therefore, becomes imperative in the interest of the people of the country.

•Osunbote, a social commentator, lives in Ibadan.

16

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

inside

nigerdelta

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

Youths threaten to shut down cement firm over marginalisation Anthony Ubong - Calabar

Y

OUTHS from host communities of Lafarge Holcim, a cement company operating in Cross River State, have cried out over alleged marginalisation by the company, just as they issued a 14-day ultimatum to the company to accede to their demands or have its cement plant shut down.

Their grouse is that youths from host communities of Akamkpa and Akpabuyo had been denied the opportunity to work in the company while those from other parts of the country are given employment even when they are not qualified.

To drive home their demands, the youths num-

bering over one thousand, last week stormed the premises of Lafarge Holcim located in Akamkpa, to protest the alleged marginalisation and deprivation by the company.

The protesting youths, who carried placards with various inscriptions and chanting songs were, however, denied access to the Greenfield cement plant as they were effectively intercepted by a combined team of the army and police.

The protest, however, came barely few months after unknown gunmen killed a driver and abducted four contractors of the company.

It is, however, one in the series of protests by youths of host communities.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of irate youths, Youth President for the

host communities, Ernest Awor said they would not hesitate to shut down operations of the cement company if their demands were not met within two weeks.

Reading a protest letter to the hearing of the Chief Security officer of the company and other security agents at the gate of Lafarge Holcim, the youth leader said, “We are tired of the injustice and mar-

ginalisation done to host communities. We want the office of financial director.

We also demand that Human Resource Director be an indigene and nothing else.

“We want “80 per cent of job opportunity to be given to youths from host communities. We also want 65 per cent managerial positions to be given to host communities and Cross

Riverians.

“We demand for 80 per cent local content in terms of job opportunities as it is in Ogun State and in other states where Lafarge Holcim has its cement plants.

We are here to remind the company that failure to implement our demands will force us to shut down the company.”

Reacting to the development, Director of Commu-

nication and Public Affairs of Lafarge Holcim, Mrs Folashade Ambrose said: “We appreciate the cordial relationship between the company and host communities. ‘‘I have heard all their complaints. I shall take their messages back to the management of the company and we will get back to the host communities soon’.”

Use cooperatives to create wealth for Niger Deltans, elderstatesman tasks NDDC Anthony Ubong - Calabar

AN elder statesman, Chief Wilfred Inah, has tasked the newly inaugurated board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to establish cooperative societies across the Niger Delta region as a means of eliminating poverty in the region.

Chief Inah, who stated this in an exclusive chat with the Nigerian Tribune in Calabar, said the formation of cooperatives could be used as a veritable means of impacting on the lives of the people in various communities of the region.

He also said the formation of cooperatives was fastest and reliable means of creating wealth, thereby eliminating poverty which had become endemic in the Niger Delta region.

Inah, a former Head of Service in the Old Cross River State, said: “I will recommend to NDDC the formation of cooperative societies in all the nooks and crannies of the Niger Delta region and get to reach the individuals, improve their personal development and wealth through these cooperative societies as against the expectations of some people that you would just call them and start distrib-

uting cash for them. ‘‘They should develop individuals, enrich people and make them feel happy that the resources that are derived from their area are used judiciously for their own good. ‘‘If you are targeting individuals, it is a beautiful thing - first you target the communities. If you build hospitals, schools and roads for them, those are in the communities. What about the individuals living in those communities, what do you want to do for them? ‘‘I suggest that the individuals in the communities are grouped into cooperative societies- cooperative for agriculture, cooperative for fishing, cooperative for rice production, cooperative for plantain- everything.

Cooperatives like that can now be used by NDDC to reach the people, they are not reaching the communities only in terms of pipe borne water, but you are now targeting the individuals. ‘‘When an individual knows that he has money to pay his school fees, pay his health bills, pay his electricity bills and then drive on good roads and send their children to school, all in that area, I think there will be satisfaction among the people.’’

Niger Delta youths in one of their protests to press home their demands.

Incorporate teaching hospitals into TETFUND —UCTH CMD urges NASS Anthony Ubong- Calabar

OWING to the challenges of funding in Teaching/ Tertiary Hospitals across the country, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Dr Thomas Agan, has appealed to the National Assembly to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Act of 2011 to incorporate teaching/tertiary health institutions.

Dr Agan, who made the appeal during a press conference in Calabar at the weekend, said it had become absolutely necessary to integrate teaching/ tertiary hospitals in TETFUND for effective healthcare delivery, training and research.

The UCTH CMD, who decried poor funding of teaching hospitals and tertiary health institutions across

the country, noted that no budgetary appropriation had ever been made for the training and research needs of tertiary hospitals, a situation he said was seriously affecting healthcare delivery.

Agan further lamented that most tertiary institution’s overhead allocation was unable to pay for monthly consumed public power supply to the institutions, not to talk of paying for a truck load of diesel, servicing backup generators sets as well as taking care of other subheads meant for the allocated overhead funds.

He said that universities, polytechnics and colleges of education had improved their infrastructures, training needs and research through TETFUND, adding that tertiary health institutions were also educational institutions that required

upliftment to better the health of Nigerians.

The UCTH CMD said: ‘’I wonder why proponents of TETFUND did not consider it necessary to recognise teaching/tertiary hospitals as tertiary institutions. A teaching hospital all over the world is considered both tertiary health institution as well as tertiary training institution. The activities in a teaching hospital are obvious and can therefore be ascertained. ‘’ Section 3(1) of the act established the fund for the rehabilitation, restoration and consolidation of tertiary education in Nigeria.

The teaching and tertiary hospitals can be called the workshop of the universities because 80 per cent of all students graduating through medical school of a university must have their training through teaching

or tertiary hospital. ‘’ Adequate evaluation of the mandates of the Trust Fund reveals a genuine relevance as it pertains to the development of teaching and research by the teaching hospitals in Nigeria.

The teaching hospitals are supposed to benefit from the activities of the fund considering their area of coverage. ‘’ The question now is, based on the mandate of the fund, can a teaching hospital be categorised under tertiary institutions?

The answer is yes ,considering its mandates. How then can one juxtapose the mandates of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and that of a hospital? A careful inquisition into the teaching hospitals reconstitution of boards, Cap 463 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 is therefore necessary.

17 insidenigerdelta

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Ember months: Society charges Nigerians to take safety, security serious Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

A

HEAD of the Yuletide hustling and bustling, Nigerians have been charged to always take safety and security issues as serious business in order to minimise the number of casualties in ev-

ery facet of the society.

The admonition was given by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Nigerian Chapter, at the weekend during the society’s bi-monthly General Meeting held at the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, Warri, Delta State.

President of ASSE, Nigerian Chapter, Herbert Nwaka, observed that an average Nigerian thought safety and security were the business of oil and gas workers, adding that the non-challant attitude had resulted in a lot of avoidable deaths and injuries in the country.

He said it was disheartening to notice that the average Nigerian man did not take safety issues seriously.

According to him, the only sector where safety was visible was in the oil and gas industry, which he noted, was not good enough for Nigeria.

He maintained that it

was high time safety issues were taken seriously in the country because people encountered safety in their everyday life.

Nwaka stressed that Nigerians must begin to practise safety from their homes and also train their children and families on the need to be safety conscious at all times.

“I just came back from the Global World Safety Summit where all the world safety leaders met in Chicago two months ago and it was an eye-opener and fulfilling.

From that gathering, I discovered that, we are just

beginners when it comes to practice of safety.

In Nigeria, safety is only practised in the oil and gas industry and we have not achieved even 65 per cent.

There is safety in the home, the hospitals, law firms and everywhere. We have a lot of jobs in our hands.

We have to make people understand that safety is not all about oil and gas.

You need to start the practice of safety from your homes. You have to teach your children about safety.

I will say that Nigeria has a long way to go when it come to safety,” he declared.

Senate committee rates BEDC high, commends management Banji Aluko - Benin-City

Members of American Society of Safety Engineers in a group photograph after their general meeting in Delta State.

Avengers: Be patriotic, vigilant, CNS tells naval personnel EbenezerAdurokiya-Warri WITH the resumption of hostilities by militants in the Niger Delta, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral I.E Ibas, on Monday, cautioned personnel of the force to be more patriotic and vigilant in securing oil and gas facilities in their domain.

He gave the charge when he visited the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) and other bases and units of the Central Naval Command in continuation of inspection of platforms and formations for the evaluation of their state of readiness.

Ibas, who also visited the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele and Nigerian Navy Logistic Command, Oghara, said personnel must be patriotic and diligent in their job to sustain the oil economy of the country.

The Navy boss said: “We are aware of the current security challenges we are facing in the country, especially in the Niger Delta area, and the impact on the economy of Nigeria.

I am using this opportunity to talk to officers of different units in the Niger Delta area and the need to be more patriotic.

I have also used the opportunity to visit some of our IOCs to find out the challenges they are facing and the need to ensure that there is proper security to provide enabling environment for production levels

to be improved on.

He also commended officers of various units in the command for their great contributions in ensuring their maritime domain is free from criminal elements.

He, however, hinted that the Naval University at Ibuzo, in Delta North Senatorial district would soon take off.

Meanwhile, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Rear

Admiral Muhammed Garba, said that the Navy was ever ready to maintain security in the Niger Delta region, especially as it related to fight against pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

Military foils robbery attempt, rescues abducted victims in Niger Delta Austin Ebipade, Yenagoa

COMMITTED to safeguard national assets, properties and human lives, the Joint Military Tasforce, code named Operation Delta Safe’s troops of sector 1 in Delta State foiled an armed robbery attempt and rescued 6 civilians returning from market along Bomadi Agadama road by Ohoro Junction in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, while the suspected armed robbers fled into the bush on sighting troops.

This is contained in a statement by the Coordinator of the Joint Military Campaign Centre, Lieutenant Colonel Laolu Dauda and made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Yenagoa.

The OPDS Spokesman, Dauda, said further that troops of Sector 2 while on anti–illegal bunkering patrol around Imiringi General Area in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, arrested one Mr Ebi Youbodha in a Nissan Sunny vehicle with registration number Rivers AJ 252 NCH, and items

recovered included, 33 jerricans of substance suspected to be illegally refined Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPR).

The suspect is undergoing preliminary investigations.

OPDS also conducted a raid on Sea Pirates’ hideout in Kasabubou Forupa Waterways, Southern Ijaw

Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and rescued 3 persons namely; Peter Atijera, Lukeman Balogun and Pious John and recovered a speedboat mounted with Double Engine 115/80 Horse Power, 2 Binoculars and one Motorola radio in the community.

AS the Senate Committee on Privatisation and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) crisscross the power sector to assess the industry and get acquainted with its numerous problems, the Management of Benin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) has been commended for being innovative and well-run in spite of industry challenges.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, gave the commendation when he led members of the committee and a team from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on a fact-finding visit to BEDC. Senator Bruce, who acknowledged the myriad of challenges facing the power sector, observed that BEDC under the leadership of Mrs. Funke Osibodu had done well since it came on board, especially in the areas of community relations, payment platforms and customer services.

“We have seen the excitement of staff at the training

Bayelsa govt lauds efforts to ascertain revenues accruable from non-oil sector Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

THE Bayelsa State Government has described the ongoing nationwide monitoring exercise embarked upon by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to ascertain sources of revenues accruable from the non-oil sector to the Federation Account, as a step in the right direction.

Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Retd), made commendation while speaking with newsmen shortly after a team by the Commission paid him a courtesy

call in Government House, Yenagoa.

Rear Admiral John Jonah, who implored the team to do a thorough job, expressed optimism that the exercise, if properly conducted, would open new vista of opportunities to all the state governments to discover and harness alternative sources of revenue.

While expressing the belief that every state was endowed with mineral resources, he said the current economic recession was worsened by the long period of over-dependence on revenues accruing from the oil sector and the lack

of political will to explore and exploit other natural endowments, including agriculture to boost the nation’s economy.

The deputy governor, who assured the team of the state’s support, urged them to engage the appropriate government ministries, agencies and departments, as well as other stakeholders in the course of the exercise, with a view to identifying alternative potentialities of the state and possible means to harnessing such resources, in line with the present administration’s policy of economic diversification.

programmes of BEDC, an enabling environment and air of camaraderie among management staff, which we have not seen in other places, which goes to show that the company is wellrun, and we had expected no less a good environment given the pedigree and antecedents of your CEO”, Senator Bruce remarked.

“During our visits so far, we have seen privatised companies that are wellrun, some average, while some are badly run, but with what we’ve seen so far about BEDC, I congratulate your management for being one of the well-run companies” he said.

The chairman, Senate Committee, said he was familiar with some of the problems of the industry, but pointed out that he was surprised about how the industry was being owed about N900billion even when power generation was very low, saying that he was also in the know that the Federal Government was yet to fully honour its obligations to DISCOS and that they could not collect tariff at prevailing market rate due to high foreign exchange rate.

The Senate Committee Chairman said he was not in favour of outright cancellation of power sector privatization but was interested in assessing how it had fared as a tool of government in terms of failure or success in its entirety.

Earlier, Managing Director/Chief Executive of BEDC, Mrs Funke Osibodu, had enumerated series of challenges confronting DISCOS, stressing the need for the committee to impress it on the Federal Government to dollarise the Naira price for gas; the raw material for electricity production for the power sector and also subsidise tariff for lower class residential customers in like manner the Indian government did for its electricity companies.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

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

T

HE potency of tourism as an essential economic enhancer and prodigious alternative to oil as revenue source for the nation was exhaustively extolled at the formal opening of Aenon Suites in Osogbo, Osun State on Saturday, 19 November, 2016.

The formal opening ceremony of the luxurious hospitality dispenser in Osogbo was not just for the pomp and ceremony, but was beautifully packaged as the event exposed the invited guests to the culinary and hospitality expertise of the hotel as well as enriched their knowledge with the import of tourism and its economic advantages to the nation.

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who was the special guest of the day, but could not be there due to an emergency party assignment despatched Alhaji Olalekan Adeoti, Secretary to State Government to represent him. Honourable Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Najeem Salam, former Governor of Osun State and member of the Senate, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke who was represented by Otunba Olumide Lawal, Mr Femi Adefila, CEO, FM Radio, former Secretary to Osun State government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Director Bureau of Public Communication of the state of Osun, Semiu Okanlawon, Mrs Bola Akintonde, a senior officer at the CBN, Professor Wale Oladipo, Professor Alabi were among other eminent personalities that graced the occasion.

The Oluwo of Iwo, His imperial Royalty, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi led a powerful delegation of other traditional obas and Chief from Iwo kingdom, the Olobu of Ilobu and another delegation of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty , Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II to make the opening a glorious and befitting one.

Revealing the driving force for the day’s event, Mr Adedapo Ademola exposed that the hospitality outfit was borne out of necessity to plant a world class and intercontinental hotel where the service, facilities, standards, ethics and operational brand will not only be equal to none in Nigeria, but of a global excellence.”

In his welcome speech he said “It is my desire to ensure that visitors and travellers to Osogbo, Osun State have a place to consummate their hospitality dream no matter the degree of their taste and of luxurious expectation.”

He revealed two embarrassing united situations of when he came back from the States and could not find a standard hotel of intercontinental standard in Osogbo and also, when some British Council team visited the state on official assignment and had to travel back to Ibadan late in the night under the cover of security when they could not get a befitting hotel to stay and “I decided that enough is enough. Thus the determination to plant this hotel and which God allowed us to do within two years.”

Mr Ademola pointed out the unique facilities in the hotel which include the installation of CCTV on the door of each room for guests to scrutinize and control visitors, a well equipped sauna bath spa and a remote notification for hotel attendants.

The governor of the state, Ogbeni Aregbesola who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Adeoti commended the management of the hotel for the bold initiatives and harped on the need for maintenance, payment of tax and other dues as well as retaining its leading position in the hospitality sector in the state through

Aregbesola, Oluwo, Osun Speaker, Adeleke extol tourism at Aenon Suites’ inauguration

From right: President, Aenon Suites, Mr Adedapo Ademola and wife, Speaker, Osun - State of Assembly, Alhaji Najeem Salam, Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdurasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu 1, Secretary to Osun State Goververment, Alhaji Olalekan Adeoti, a guest, Director Bureau of Public Communications, Osun - State, Alhaji Semiu Okanlawon and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, former Secretary to government of Osun - State. quality services as well as good customer relations.

“We are happy that good brands in the hospitality sector are now springing up in the state of Osun and this cannot be disconnected from the fact that the Ogbeni Aregbesola-led Administration has created a conducive atmosphere with good infrastructural facilities that enhance business in all forms.

We have also tapped into the development and promotion of culture and tourism so as to create market and opportunities for hotels and others in the hospitality sector to thrive.”

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Salam could not also hide his excitement about the edifice and the aesthetic of the hotel, just as he called on the management to maintain the structure, standard and the services. “The State of Osun deserve quality investment like this in the hospitality sector like AENON SUITES and others.

Also, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi, in his speech said he was happy that such development is coming into the state from an illustrious son of Iwo during his lifetime, “I have been to the Royal suites and I can tell you everything about it speaks royalty, everything about this hotel is of quality and international standard and I am recommending it to everybody coming to Osogbo for one thing or the other.

“I would have preferred this hotel is situated in Iwoland, but I know Osogbo is bet-

ter, I am sure the next one you are going to build will be in Iwo,” said the Emperor of Iwo Kingdom.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke who was represented by Otunba Lawal said “ I am personally challenged by the aesthetic and breath taking edifice christened AENON SUITES, the idea behind the conception construction and completion of AENON SUITES is indeed worthy of every steps taken all the way. The investment is in the right direction and worthy of emulation by all patriotic men and women instead of diverting our hard earned foreign exchange to already developed economies of the world, in form of capital flight, this singular effort by the promoters of AENON Suites will go a long way to improve the socio-economic fortunes of its immediate catchment area and by extension the overall progress of Osun State, through provision of employment opportunities for tens of graduates, among other helping hands.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, AENON Suites has come to stay and by the grace of God will outlive its proprietors, permit me to assert and very strongly that one major problem with Nigeria businesses is maintenance culture, this is one aspect of business rudiments that the management of AENON Suites should look critically into and provide innovative solution. We have no other people to develop our dear Osun State except ourselves and our friends from other lands, who think of us.”

He concluded his speech with an advice to the staff of the hotels to make honesty and integrity their watchword “Let me advise all those who are going to work in AENON Suites to make honesty and integrity their watchwords, they should count themselves lucky to be part of this fantastic venture particularly when there were others equally or better qualified applicants that sought after working at AENON Suites. All eyes are on them to give first class services from their various cadres to esteemed customers of this hotel, they have no excuse to fail themselves and proprietor of AENON SUITES.” Also Mrs Bola Akintonde, a senior staff of Central Bank of Nigeria who represented the CBN Controller at the event said “Though I have not slept in the rooms when we came for inspection from CBN, we concluded that AENON Suites have all it takes to compete with most of the hotels in London, America and other parts of the world, the rooms are cosy and well furnished with modern facilities and the are excellent.”

In his closing remarks, Alhaji Semiu Okanlawon, said “This hotel is one of the huge investments which was attracted to the state by the conducive economic atmosphere, infrastructural build up and the transformation of the state by Ogbeni Aregbesola led administration. The quality is in tandem with what we are doing in Osun State, AENON SUITES value more that cost and the facilities are world class which can conveniently compete with other international brands anywhere in the world. “Capturing the totality of the splendour of the hotel, the Master of Ceremony, Obama, after a tour of the facilities remarked “I am sure this hotel is a replica of heaven on earth. Everything here is not only cosy, classic, classy and classical but awesome. Aenon Suites is the heaven on Earth in South West. I will prefer to pass here to heaven.”

19

tourism

THE driver of Motherland Beckons, a back to the root agenda for Africans in Diaspora, Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye has designed and developed a multi- billion dollar bailout tourism drive revenue for the nation.

Ambassador Akinboboye who has just signed an MOU with MUSIAD of Turkey in Konya, Meran on intercontinental multipurpose business relationship has designed a platform of cultivating over 10 billion dollars annual revenue from tourism to the coffers of the nation.

Capitalising on experience and opportunities of the pull and push factors of Motherland Beckons, Ambassador Akinboboye designed the ‘The Children and Friends of Nigeria: Salvaging Nigeria’s Economy through Tourism “a package aimed at fa-

Lawmaker appeals to Abia govt on tourism repositioning

By Celestine Ihjirika Umuahia THE member representing Ohafia South State Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu has appealed to Abia State government to reposition its tourism industry to generate revenue for the state.

Uchendu made the appeal at the 2016 Pan Ohafia New Yam Festival tagged “Ekpe Ohamo Oha” at Achichi Ohafia (Square), Elu Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area , which was sponsored by him.

He said this had become neccessary as governments across the country are diversifying their economies to expand their revenue base following reduction in their statutory allocations from the federation account.

The chairman of the House committee on Lands and Survey assured that he would continue to offer quality representation to the constituency and add innovations to future occasions of the event.

In his address, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu commended the people for show-casing “such rich cultural heritage which could be transformed to tourism industry in line with our moves to diversify our economy.”

Represented by Chief George Nnanna Kalu, the governor, who was honoured with the chietancy title of Ochi Oha 1 of Ohafia pledged to remain focused on addressing the challenges facing the state.

Similarly, the Speaker of the House, Hon Martin Azubuike, who led other members to the ocassion, desbrbed it as symbolic and an attestation of the cultural afirninity and cohesion among the people.

According to one of the leaders of thought of the clan, Chief Uche Uche-Ohafia, such cultural festivals are not as fetish as some say, maintaining that a people without culture have lost their root.

Expressing happiness to be associated with the ocassion, which he said could not had come at a better time, he added that it had reawakened the cultural linkage among the people.

In his opening remarks, the chairman of the ocassion, Chief Okwara Osonwa Okwara, said it was epoch-making in the sense that after several years, the people came together again in that manner.

His words:”New yam festival and igba ekpe ohamoha is our way of thanking the Almighty God for a successful farming season, emphasising our community, and extending our joy to friends and neighbours.”

The Ezieohamaoha of Ohafia Udumaezema and Chairman Council of Ohafia Monarchs, His Royal Paraomuntcy, Professor Emmanuel Imaga commended the lawmaker for reinventing the event after seven years.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Akinboboye floats $10bn bailout tourism revenue drive for Nigeria

•Inaugurates Children and Friends of Nigeria in Diaspora package cilitating a mass business cultural-tourism leisure migration from Europe to Nigeria According to Ambassador Akinboboye “The template of the mass business tourism for economic rejuvenation of Nigeria is honed on the statistics of the 17 million Nigerians in Diaspora and over 985 thousand Motherland Beckoners worldwide who have to be enlightened about how the tourism beauty and potentialities in Nigeria could be of interest to their personal influence” He revealed that the template was not a rocket science but “a pragmatic business economic strategy leveraging on the aura of Motherland Beckons, the authenticity of the African natural business tourism environment and the inherent cultural affiliation of the Nigerians in Diaspora who are to be incensed by the need to shore up the economy of their mother’s land not by donation or fund raising but by investing in themselves and on themselves in Nigeria for the sake of Nigeria” Ambassador Akinboboye unveiled the strategy “This package is geared towards Nigerians in the Diaspora, who are well over 17 million according to the Nigeria in Diaspora organisation, NIDO, database, and their friends and acquaintances who love Nigeria. These set of people are being beckoned to come visit Nigeria for two major programmes which will be chaperoned by Motherland Beckons via Leisure Tourism and Business Tourism.”

He explained that ‘the Leisure tourism programme is of two brands, which will entail two million out of the 17 million Nigerians in Diaspora paying 1000 dollars for a four-day tourism package in Nigeria of tourism sites of their dreams via religious, cultural, heritage and eco-tourism while the second brand is of the five million of Nigerian descent who are in Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and those whose DNA have located them to Nigeria.

Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye The seven million will pay only 1000 dollars for a trip to Nigeria and for a 4–day memorial tour of their motherland. The direct revenue to be generated which will be front loaded ex–flight expenses to Nigeria in a year is seven billion dollars. This will be in exclusion of the private pocket money meant for souvenirs, drugs, social activities and other incidentals.”

Ambassador Akinboboye disclosed that the second leg of the Children and Friends of Nigeria package is for Business tourism “this is a business brand aimed at networking another two million Nigerians in Diaspora and their friends with investment

and investible opportunities and openings with only 10 000 dollars in Nigeria. Motherland Beckons will be the guarantor and the platform of coordination for the investor, investments and their interest.”

He disclosed that Motherland Beckons has earned the global confidence of Africans in Diaspora when it convoked the convergence of World Conference of Mayors in Lagos when Marlon Jackson and other Africans in Diaspora visited Gberefu Port in Badagry which is the Point of No Return for the Nigerians sold into slavery in those years.

Ambassador Akinboboye revealed “The packaging of Children of Nigeria and their Friends is one of the outcomes of that singular event when Marlon Jackson and others mayors of the world proclaimed the Point of No return as their Point of Reconnection ad Home Coming.”

He declared “This package has got a global acceptance, approval, embrace and acknowledgement by the World Mayors, the Global Council of Motherland Beckons and lately by the MUSIAD of Turkey which has 50 00 members , 11 000 companies and in 175 locations all over the world.”

Ambassador Akinboboye further explained The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi who is the Grand patron of Motherland Beckons is spreading his royal banner at ensuring the mass mobilisation of Children of Nigeria and their Friends at injecting just a thousand dollar on themselves to shore up the economy of Nigeria.”

He pointed out “All we need is classical sensitisation of this project which is currently receiving positive nods and acclamation from Children of Nigeria and their friends. It is a potent strategy, well defined, honed and conceived from the tourism sector to bail out Nigeria from recession.”

NTDC partners Linas International THE Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Sally Uwaechue-Mbanefo has thrown her weight behind the proposal by the Linas International to partner with the corporation for the establishment of a state-of-the-art, 4-in-one tourism project that will turn around Nigerian tourism industry so that it becomes a centre of attraction for Nigerians and beyond.

“We are taking up a 4-in-one tourism project: the ‘Grand Tourism Award’, which will be instituted to honour and encourage outstanding achievement in all areas of the Tourism Value Chain. ‘Culture Village’ will as well be established in every state of the federation at sites that host historic natural monuments.

“Global Road Show’ is also aimed at encouraging tourists’ traffic across and beyond the country, while ‘Host Family Scheme’ will focus on creating a relaxing atmosphere for tourists to feel at home while away from their homes,” the DG stated this while inaugurating the committee that would see to the actualisation of the project in Abuja recently.

Mbanefo stated further that the Project Tourism has fallen in line with the corporation’s mantra of promoting domestic tourism while acknowledging that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has been very practical and supportive “of everything we do to

promote domestic tourism.”

She therefore tasked the inaugurated committee members to take the project to

Sally Uwaechue-Mbanefo

their hearts so that, “by the time we finally present the end result to Nigerians there would much applause.”

Mr pointed out that partnering with Linas International will create jobs for Nigerians, because government alone cannot provide jobs for all. She therefore urged private sector to come up with projects that will encourage Nigerians to promote their rich cultural heritage.

In his remark, the Chairman of Linas International Limited, who was represented by Dr Mbanefo OnyekaNwokolo, expressed optimism that by the time the programme is rolled out, Nigeria would be one of the tourism destinations to look out for whenever one wants to travel for vacation. He said: “Linas International is ready to put its own economic muscle as much as it could to drive this wonderful initiative so as to explore the economic potentials in the tourism industry chiefly because the sector has been scarcely under-explored. “We are really committed to this project that is why we are partnering with NTDC and we are lucky that at this time, NTDC has a director general that shares the same vision and drive towards upholding our domestic tourism potentials.” Nwokolo therefore called on other private sector organisations to come on board and work with the vibrant and energetic Mbanefo as she understands the power of domestic tourism.

20 anchor

Tunde Alao

m:08025602831 e:tunalao@yahoo.com

FG to complete Cameroun/Nigeria border highway Tunde Alao - Lagos The Federal government has reiterated its commitment to the completion of NigeriaCameroun border highway and also to ensure that bridges on its highways across the country receive necessary attention.

The Nigeria – Cameroon Multinational Highway and Transport Facilitation Programme for the Bamenda – Enugu Road Corridor was conceived as far back as 2002 to strengthen relations between Cameroon and Nigeria through the easier movement of people, goods and services across the border at Mfum/Ekok.

The project was also intended to facilitate growth of trade between countries of the ECOWAS sub-region with those of the ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) sub-regionand is being undertaken with funding assistance from development partners such as African Development Bank (AfDB) World Bank.

Speaking on progress recorded so far, Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, last week, sais that bridge is a common project to Cameroon and Nigeria, with both countries have equal funding responsibility to the bridge.

“Loan Border Bridge and Joint Border Post projects are common to Nigeria and Cameroon. The project when completed would be provided by a single border check, whereby if a passenger is checked in Nigeria, would not necessarily be subjected to another check when getting to Cameroun and vice versa”, he said.

He added that: “Another area of infrastructure which is dear to us in 2017 is how to put bridges on federal highways in a better condition, because many of them had suffered neglect in the past and now under severe stress.

He stated that inspection showed that Federal Bridges nationwide are in unsatisfactory condition, and reasons for this may be attributed to destruction by insurgents, willful damage

21

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

property

Otodo-Gbame demolition: Many questions begging for answers Chukwuma Okparaocha -Lagos

T Fashola by illegal under-bridge squatters, vandalization of bridge members and lack of routine and periodic maintenance, and so on.

How land title can transform villagers’ life style, eradicate crisis —Surveyor Tunde Alao - Lagos INCESSANT cases of land grabbing that have been leading to loss of lives and properties in some states across the country and communal clashes associated with land matters may be eradicated without propagating draconian laws that may not be sustainable.

In an interaction with a Lagos-based Surveyor, last week, Oluropo Olajugba, Head, Lordsfield Limited, said effective land administration that is technologically based will not only eliminate crises involving land matters, but would also make it easier for government to provide titles for land owners at a reasonable time frame, especially in the villages where people traditionally holds the land without evidence of the size and boundary of such lands.

According to Olajugba, “it’s time for governments, both at the state and federal levels to invest massively on infrastructure of mapping, and open offices in all the local government within their domain where land owners cases would be attended to.”

According to him, with such development, each family will be in possession of their lands, rather than be at risk to the would-be trespassers.

HE last has definitely not been heard about issues that led to the demolition of over 500 houses in Otodo-Gbame Community in Lekki area of Lagos State, especially with residents estimated at around 30,000 rendered homeless.

While thousands of the hapless residents of the water community are demanding for justice, the Lagos State government has distanced itself from demolition exercise, while the United Nations (UN) is asking questions that demand answers.

It will be recalled that last week, the Lagos State government’s seat of power, The State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, was brought to a standstill when scores of residents, including children, youths and the elderly, as well as nursing mothers stormed the Lagos State Government House and the State House of Assembly, both in Alausa, to protest the demolition of their houses by security agents and hoodlums believed to have the backings of certain ‘powerful’ people in the state, including one of the commissioners in the Akinwunmi Ambode-led government.

Following the outrage that greeted the demolition exercise, which is believed to have ultimately led to the death of no fewer than seven people, the UN has since waded into the unpleasant development demanding answers to what is believed in some quarters to be one of the lowest scores of the present administration in the state in the past 18 months.

Tribune Property recalls that on Thursday, last week, the United Nations Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Leilani Farha, demanded an explanation from both the Lagos and Nigerian government over the forced eviction last week

Otodo-Gbame residents protesting demolition of their homes. of inhabitants of Otodo Gbame, a waterfront slum community on the edge of the Lagos lagoon.

According to the Justice and Empowerment Initiative, a non-governmental organization that had worked extensively with the community people, almost 30,000 people were rendered homeless.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing is a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context.

“It has been brought to my attention that the evictions may have involved the extreme use of force and fire by the Nigerian police force and Lagos State Government, leaving individuals and families scrambling in the middle of the night to find safety and shelter,” Ms. Farha had said, insisting that the mass displacement and reports of deaths were “deeply disturbing.”

More worrisome to the UN, according to Ms. Farha, is the fact that the methods used in the demolition were at variance with international human rights law.

She had also questioned whether the community was given adequate notice or alternative accommodation, as required by international law.

“What makes these evictions particularly concerning is that they were carried out in blatant disregard of a court order and have completely ignored international human rights guidelines on forced evictions,” the UN Special Rapporteur said.

Needless to say, the Lagos State Government had dissociated itself from the whole demolition exercise, when the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde said in a statement that the government did not authorize the burning down

of the community.

The Commissioner said while the Otodo Gbame shanties clearly fell within the prime waterfront areas where Lagos State Government would prefer to have better development befitting of a prime area in a mega city, it was mindful of the fundamental rights of the various residents living in the area.

According to Mr. Ayorinde, while government was not

What makes these evictions particularly concerning is that they were carried out in blatant disregard of a court order.

unaware of the legal tussle over the areas and the rights of citizens to stage peaceful protests, relevant agencies of government had since been deployed to provide succour and lessen the pains of the displaced people.

But the whole development begs the question: who truly authorised the demolition of over 500 houses, which was done in such an inhuman fashion that security agents were said to have joined hoodlums in pouring petrol in houses that still had people’s property in them, and setting them on fire?

Residents of the community have alleged that the demolition was part of a grand plan by some “powerful” people in the state to acquire land in the community with a view to converting it into personal properties that would be sold for millions of naira in years to come, just like what happened in Maroko, Lekki, years back.

It is not an usual thing for the government of any country to take over certain properties or parts of a community for over-riding public interest, or simply to create an avenue for the government to make more money, such as what happened in Maroko.

It will be recalled that Lekki which has emerged as one of the most expensive places not just in Lagos State, but in Nigeria as a whole, once played host to Maroko, one of the most popular slums in Lagos over two decades ago.

The government of Lagos State at the time, had, in a surprising move, mapped out Maroko for other plans, and despite public outrage that greeted the move then, the government soon began to carry out massive demolition of Maroko slum. Massive sand dredging exercise soon followed, and in a few years, the ‘new Lekki’ was born out of the slum of Maroko, where a piece of land was sold for several millions of naira for the super rich in the country.

Though, as earlier explained, the Lagos State government has denied having anything to do with the demolition in OtodoGbame, but in the past, the government is also known to have taken over lowly-rated markets and kee-clamps in the past only to set up ultramodern markets that could only be occupied by the rich only in their place.

Bearing all these in mind, the fear and alarm raised by residents of OtodoGbame of the grand plot by some ‘powers’ to take over their community cannot just be treated with kid gloves, and while the government maintains its innocence in the whole development, it is noteworthy to restate the need for everyone, to truly know who ordered the demolition of Otodo-Gbame Community.

‘Investment in modern technology key to solving housing deficit’ Chukwuma Okparaocha -Lagos ONLY investment in appropriate technologies that will reduce the cost of building without any comprise in quality can truly lead to the provision of low cost mass housing in the country.

This was the view of a seasoned estate surveyor and valuer, Mr Osita Okoli, in a chat with Tribune Property.

He noted that an example of such technology was EPS which strangely had been in use in advanced countries for about four decades.

“If anybody in Nigeria desires to provide quality mass housing, apart from the issue of title which is being dealt with on a national level, he must strive to reduce the cost of construction which depends mostly on the cost of building materials.

“Because of the kind of technology that we use in this part of the world, which include mortar and tensile steel, much is expended on the acquisition of materials alone.

“But there are a lot of savings that can be made with the use of appropriate technology. There is a technology called EPS (Expanded Polystheren), which is a major technology that has been adopted in the US and other parts of the world for over 40 years.

“In my interactions, I have seen that the technology helps to achieve strong and durable houses. This technology, takes use of various materials that are expertly enmeshed together,” he said.

Lagos commences Dubai-Marina Epe waterfront project As property owners protest, say ‘we’re not ready to forfeit our heritage’ Tunde Alao -Lagos BARRING any unforeseen circumstance, the Epe Waterfront Project, an initiative by the Lagos State government could be completed on schedule, as the first phase already began.

As at last week, the entire stretch of Aiyetoro market to Marine Police post end, had already been sand filled, with tractors still working on other ends.

Named “Dubai-Epe Marina Waterfront”, the concept, according to the officials, is to replicate what is happening in Dubai, Singapore, Disneyland in the United States of America (USA) among others, where tourism, entertainment, amusement and relaxation had gotten to the higher level.

The project is planned to have following facilities and infrastructure: civic centre for special purposes, food venue, museum aquarium, boat club and boating services, dock amusement, arcade and landscape playing ground, retail shops, sport bar, amphitheater and band shell, among others.

The project would occupy nine kilometres on the Lagoon side, with about 60 metres inward on the other side.

The Dubai-Marina project, according to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, is going to be the “first of its kind in the Sub-Sahara Africa, where tourism would ranked in the same dimension of what is operating in Dubai, Singapore or Disneyland in Florida,

Dubai Marina 3D Model United State of America.”

To ensure the smooth execution of the project, a stakeholders’ meeting was conveyed last week to iron out what officials described as “grey areas” between government and the property owners that their buildings may be affected.

Although, officials had given assurances that no building would be demolished, they said where such exercise would take place, adequate compensation would be provided, and possibly, relocation at government’s expense.

The meeting, held at the Epe Local Government Secretariat, Orita Marun, last week, was attended by traditional rulers, political office holders, government officials, women and youth groups was marred with protest over the rumour of number of buildings that

Pension Funds can solve mortgage problem —Expert Chukwuma Okparaocha -Lagos A housing expert and Managing Director of a primary mortgage bank, Sun Trust Bank, Muhammad Jibrin, has suggested that the use of pension funds could help solve the nation’s mass housing deficit by serving as a long term funding for primary mortgage institutions.

Jibrin made this disclosure recently in a chat with the media, where he pointed out that when judiciously put into such use, pension funds could help by providing funds to

bridge the acute shortage in the supply (particularly those targeted at the low income to middle class).

“Due to its capital intensive nature, housing development can hardly be financed from the private savings of intending home-owners and real estate developers, without recourse to providers of finance,” he said.

Also according him, in the recent past, most homebuilders sought finance from informal sources such as traditional thrift societies, cooperatives, friends or

family. “These sources generally did not require collaterals, relying more on third party guarantees, and peer pressure as well as moral suasion to ensure repayments,” he added.

Speaking further, Jibrin noted that many of the housing corporations in the states and agencies established for housing provision usually sourced their funds from the money market, the commercial banks, at market determined rates, a development which he insisted was not good for the sector.

would be demolished.

In his address at the meeting, Commissioner For Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowoshe, urged the indigenes whose property may be affected to cooperate with government, assuring them that adequate compensation would be paid, “that is only any building would be affected at all.”

He added that, “the development will enhance property value whereby you’ll be making money from rent because by the time we finish the project, people will be willing to stay in Epe.” However, property owners in the affected area insisted that they were not ready to forfeit their heritage for any development.

The bone of contention was the proposed 60 metres inward on the left side of the lagoon, that was designated for multi-purpose building, which the community said is too much.

As expressed by one of them, Kabiru Etti, “we are not favourablly to the proposed 60 metres inward, to grant such request is an attempt to dislodge us from our source and forfeit our heritage.”

But assuring them that they woudld not be shortchanged, Sole Administrator of Epe Local government, Olu Oguniyi and a political leader in Epe, Chief Shakiru Seriki, alias Bamu, assured them that a workable solution would be provided.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tunde Dodondawa m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

ExxonMobil emerges best CSR company in West Africa

From left: Umunna Chukwuma, Quality Assurance Manager A-Z Petroleum; Dikanna Okafor, Executive Director Corporate Services of the company and Ameachi A. Chukwu, Head, Marketing, Research and Development of the company, at the 10th Oil Trading and Logistics Expo, in Lagos recently.

EXXONMOBIL has again been recognized for making significant contributions to the socioeconomic development of Nigeria.

The company was recognized by the Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs) as the Best Company in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Sustainability West Africa category, based on the cumulative impact and reach of its community enhancement projects in 2016, which included the establishment of science libraries, solar boreholes and virtual labs projects in several states across Nigeria.

ExxonMobil’s community projects were nominated in nine separate categories: Best Company in Climate

IPMAN crisis: Faction threatens legal action against Capital Oil Stories by Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

C

RISIS rocking the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) worsens as Chinedu Okoronkwo-led faction threatened legal action against Capital Oil and Gas Company for using IPMAN brand on its tank farm.

The group’s threat was contained in a communiqué issued after the National Executive Council meeting of the Okoronkwo-led IPMAN in Lagos at the weekend, signed by Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo and Alhaji Danladi Pasali, the factional National President and National Secretary respectively.

According to the communiqué, the National Executive Council issued a 7-day ultimatum to Capital Oil and Gas Limited to urgently remove the association’s name branded on its tank farm or face the full wrath of the law.

“If IPMAN name/brand engraved on the Capital Oil and Gas tank farm is not removed, the executives of the association would not hesitate to sue the company,” he said.

The executives however warned IPMAN members

and the general public to be wary of doing business with Capital Oil under the IPMAN brand as the executives were not aware of the agreement.

According to the communique, “we hereby bring to the notice of our members and the general public of the purported agreement signed with one Mr Ifeanyi Ubah of Capital Oil & Gas Ltd and some acclaimed members of IPMAN without the knowledge of the National Executive of IPMAN. “Therefore, members should beware of this intended deceit. More so, IPMAN as an association must

be bound by the laws of the land. Hence Ifeanyi Ubah and Capital Oil & Gas with their infamous Kero-Direct wherein IPMAN members were short changed should not come under any guise whatsoever to deceive and rip off members of the association again.”

The communique stated that its was mischievous act and was done in a gruesome attempt to deceive the general public, international investors and other IPMAN stakeholders.

It may be recalled that recently, IPMAN announced a reconciliatory meeting

whereby it was announced that all the internal crisis rocking the association has been resolved. And it was also announced that IPMAN, in partnership with Capital Oil and Gas Limited, now has its own tank farm with IPMAN’s inscription on the three tank farms formerly belonging to Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

At the reconciliatory meting, the Chairman, House Committee on Downstream, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, applauded the association for ensuring that all stakeholders are brought together to ensure unity.

“Some of us were concerned due to divisions in IPMAN. People have taken advantage of the division in your association. You may find it difficult to negotiate the welfare of your members when divided.

It is important to remain united and focus going forward.

I urge other members to cue into this unity all across the nation,” he said.

In his reaction, the chairman of Capital Oil & Gas Ltd, Ifeanyi Ubah said he only recognises Obasi Lawson-led executive as the authentic executive that can legally deal on behalf of IPMAN.

Action, Best Company in Education, Best Company in Stakeholder Engagement, Best Company in CSR/Sustainability West Africa, Best Company in Provision of clean water & Sanitation, Best Company in affordable & clean energy, Best company in infrastructural development, Best socially responsible company, Best Company in Partnership for Development.

The projects submitted for consideration in each of these categories targeted specific areas for development: ExxonMobil funded the development of E- learning centers to equip pupils with the foundations of modern information technology and enhance their ability to compete effectively in today’s IT driven world; The Back to School program provides children in primary schools with essential school items; the Science libraries improve student interest and enhanced performance in STEM related subjects; solar powered boreholes allow underground water in various communities to become a major source for drinking water and irrigation, providing a reliable and readily available water supply.

These nominations, in addition to the Best Company in CSR/Sustainability West Africa award received by ExxonMobil, acknowledge the extensive projects executed in the areas of education, sanitation, economic empowerment and local capacity development across several states in Nigeria.

SNEPCo donates modern test laboratory to Nigerian Institute of Welding SHELL Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and it co-venturers (ExxonMobil, TOTAL and ENI) have donated facilities including a modern test laboratory to the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW) at Imasabor-Ologbo, Benin City, in what has been hailed as a significant boost for the development of welding technology in Nigeria. The laboratory is for Non-Destructive Test and Destructive Test of materials, enabling users to obtain

computerised information on materials tested.

“The test centre has huge potential to build and retain the much-needed welding capacity for the oil and gas industry,” said Osagie Okunbor, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director of The Shell petroleum Development of Company of Nigeria Ltd. Represented by General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, SPDC, Chiedu Oba, Okunbor said Shell Companies in Nigeria

are committed to Nigerian content development and will continue to pursue opportunities to develop and deploy more locally manufactured products in their operations.

His remarks were echoed

by SNEPCo’s Managing Director Bayo Ojulari, who commended NAPIMS, the co-venturers, the NIW and the community for their support in the implementation of the project.

NCDMB Director of Planning, Research and Statis-

tics, Patrick Oba said the effective collaboration among the different companies and organisations showed that Nigerian content can only be developed in the industry if all stakeholders work together to achieve set objectives.

The President of the Nigerian Institute of Welding, Solomon Edebiri thanked SNEPCo and her co-venturers “for this great service to our country.” He appealed for more support for effective utlisation of the NIW in the promotion of welding

technology and practice in Nigeria. Stakeholders who presented goodwill messages at the commissioning of the laboratory included, Total E & P, Nigerian Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, Nigerdock Limited, Dorman Long Nigeria Ltd, Ladol Nigeria Ltd, Industrial Training Fund, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Petroleum Training Institute, EffurunWarri, University of Lagos and Chief Oliha, the Oliha of Benin Kingdom.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Shell takes cleaner energy campaign to Kenya Stories by Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

H

AVING successfully launched GravityLight in Rio Janeiro, Brazil, from Nigeria, the multi-national oil giant has again taken the advocacy for cleaner energy to Kenya.

This is part of the company’s policy to promote usage of energy-saving and environmentally-friendly energy to fight climate change challenges.

In December, 2015, Shell launched the first Africa’s human and solar powered football pitch at the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos. The pitch was one of the latest initiatives from Shell’s #makethefuture programme which puts bright energy ideas into action to bring benefits to local communities around the world.

In September 2016, the #makethefuture initiative kick-started a global energy relay showcasing seven bright energy ideas from around the world, starting with the Insolar project in Rio De Janeiro’s Santa Marta Community.

Shell posited that “working together we are turning gravity into light, coffee into energy, cooking oil into fuel, footsteps and roofs into power sources and roadside turbulence into electricity. Communities in Brazil, Kenya, China, the USA and the UK will experience, first hand, the benefits of these new sources of energy. And we will all see how a different future is possible, a future that is in our hands to create.

“Because we believe that by working together, we will transform lives and bring more and cleaner energy to communities, everywhere.

For #makethefuture, we collaborate with inventors, local communities, engaged citizens and global celebrities to transform lives by putting bright energy ideas into action.”

Shell and GravityLight

Foundation are the first time bringing more than 3000 of the company’s lighting devices to families in Kenya, where almost 80 per cent of the population live with no access to electricity.

GravityLight was created with the aim of solving the energy and health problems associated with other fuel sources such as kerosene lamps to light millions of families in Africa.

The low carbon innovation does not need batteries or

sunlight and costs nothing to run. It works by connecting an elevated bag filled with 12kg of rocks or sand to a pulley system. Each time the weight descends to the ground, it powers a generator to create 20 minutes of light.

The light created by GravityLight is a cleaner more financially and environmentally sustainable source of light than kerosene lamps.

“We would like to see GravityLight is integrated into

the energy mix in the typical Kenyan home.”

GravityLight promoters, Jim Reeves and Martin Riddiford, stated that the technology uses combined simple engineering principles with increasingly efficient LEDs to turn the energy produced by a falling 12kg bag into electricity for a light. It also provides cheaper and safer alternative to kerosene lamps for estimated 1.2billion people worldwide living without

access to grid electricity.

Shell is helping GravityLight to upscale their operation and is supporting entry into Kenya which will be the first developing world market to commercialize the GravityLight.

To expand the GravityLight business, Shell is taking the invention to a 50-day roadshow across Kenya to raise awareness of its benefits and offer families and community centers the chance to improve their

From left: Acting Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission Lagos, Ahmed Bashir MBE; Director, Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Sanyade Okoli; Chairman, Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Dr. Timi-Austen Peters and Head of Energy and Department for International Trade, British Deputy High Commission Lagos,Ola Sorunke during a facility visit to Dorman Long Engineering Limited Idi-Oro, Lagos.

health and wellbeing by having the clean affordable devices installed.

However, Yemi Alade, one of the six global ambassadors, will see homes where the lights are being fitted and visit Daraja Academy which provides education to Kenyan girls, to highlight how GravityLight will enable pupils in the country to study into the night.

According to her, “#makethefuture initiative is a way of giving back to the society by identifying and encouraging young entrepreneurs to think out of box to make the continent a better place.

“It’s a good thing to ensure that these ideas do not go to waste. It warmed my heart to know that right now we can use some things to provide light that would not cost anything. It is a matter of using what you have in the environment to generate energy which doesn’t corrupt the climate.”

She stated that she was happy to be representing Africa at such an event. However, she said she would be bringing to Nigerians the fact that there is a technology called ‘GravityLight’ because “I remembered my days in school when I have to burn candles to read for examinations. Now we can just use anything that has weight and it will just generate light.

Though it sounds ‘crazy’ but it actually works. I will like to take this Bach home.”

UK boosts DormanLong’s quest for expansion UNITED Kingdom have boosted the quest for DormanLong to expand its operations. This is because a team of senior officials from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade (DIT) led by the Acting British Deputy High Commissioner, Ahmed Bashir MBE, paid a visit to DormanLong Engineering Limited.

Ahmed was pleased to see the DormanLong name still alive and doing well, be-

cause the “parent company in the United Kingdom was formed back in 1875 and was part of the fabric and history of his home town of Middlesbrough; the company later became part of British Steel.”

Ahmed went on to commend the present Board and Management of DormanLong for continuing to build on the legacy of the DormanLong name, for using the company to make a difference in Nigeria and for

continuing to make this now Nigerian company a part of the fabric and history of Nigeria.

Ahmed further offered the help of the Department for International Trade to support the expansion efforts of indigenous companies in Nigeria. He spoke about the capabilities of British businesses that could add value to DormanLong’s expansion plans by way of some sort of partnership or other associa-

tion and he also mentioned the possibilities of funding via the DIT’sfinance arm – UK Export Finance.

The Acting Deputy High Commissioner expressed his pleasure at the fact that in spite of the present challenging business climate Dorman Long Engineering continues to produce quality fabrication work. He disclosed that the British Deputy High Commission looks forward to building a

Enugu Free Zone attracts N240bn FDI, to create 20,000 jobs THE Federal government’s economic diversification programme may have recorded a head-start as investment groups gather for the ground breaking ceremony of the Enpower Free Trade Zone (ENPOWER FTZ) scheduled to be hosted

by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on November 24.

The ceremony which holds at the Akanu Ibiam Airport site of the Free Zone is expected to attract up to

Nigerian Tribune

$500 million dollars (N240 billion) worth of foreign direct investments (FDI) from leading global manufacturing companies. Activities of the industrial clusters hosted in the free zone are also expected to create over 20,000 jobs across three major regions in the country.

Licensed by the Federal government to operate as a free trade zone in December, 2015, ENPOWER FTZ is a Public-Private initiative with

the Enugu State government offering international and domestic investors the benefits of connecting to business opportunities from the South-Eastern cluster, which according to Canback & Company and the McKinsey Global Institute, is the second largest economic cluster in Nigeria, outside of the Lagos Cluster.

Governor Ugwuanyi and his government’s private project developersare positioning the free trade zone

project as the biggest private sector investment support to the government’s economic recovery efforts.

Enpower is affiliated, as a full voting member; to the Dubai-based World Free Zones Organization (WorldFZO) and the Africa Free Zones Association (AFZA) respectively. It intends to function as a certified SMART-SUSTAINABLE & SAFE free trade zone.

The investment promoters intend to provide un-

interrupted power supply via an embedded power arrangements, certify the free zone’s infrastructure and operations to globally accepted standards, operate the free trade zone as a onestop investment destination by integrating all free zone operations with the documentation and cargo handling, customs, immigration administration processes to achieve an Ease of Doing Business rating equivalent to that of Dubai.

closer relationship with the company andhelping it to have an even greater impact specifically on the Nigerian infrastructural landscape and general economy.

Dr. Timi Austen-Peters, Chairman of the company was appreciative of the Acting Deputy High Commissioner’s commendation and expressed his delight at theopportunityto explore collaboration with the DIT. According to him, “Although DormanLong Engineering began as a British company, it is now proudly and fully Nigerian. Nevertheless, we are happy to maintain a close association with British enterprise from which we received our original company DNA. “We are aware that the British Deputy High Commission has a renewed focus on commerce in Nigeria and is keen to lend support to suitably qualified companies in Nigeria. The company is delighted to be working with them to explore a few potential opportunities.”

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

PoliticsNews

Kunle Oderemi kunleoderemi@gmail.com 08116954635

Ogoni killings: Rivers PDP condemns Abe’s refusal to honour Reps’ invitation

By Dapo Falade

R

IVERS State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the failure of Senator Magnus Abe to honour the invitation extended him by the House of Representatives on the alleged army invasion and killings in Ogoni communities.

The House of Representatives Committee on Army, as it continued its hearing on the alleged invasion and killings, on Monday, had extended an invitation to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the legislative rerun election in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

However, the former lawmaker, in a statement,

turned down the invitation to attend the public hearing, alleging that the exercise was at the instigation of the PDP-led government in Rivers State.

This was as he also asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara to refrain from further action he alleged was designed to influence the outcome of

the forthcoming legislative rerun in the state.

However, Rivers PDP chairman, Mr Felix Obuah, in a statement issued by his media aide, Jerry Needam, on Tuesday, said “When the carnage and pogrom committed by the Nigerian Army at the instance of certain Ogoni opposition politicians against the Ogoni communities, par-

ticularly the Yeghe people, in the wake of the recent inconclusive re-run elections in Rivers State was made public, not many believed it.

“To some people, it was a fairy tale. And to others, it was yet another political gimmick to stigmatise certain persons and, or politicians for the purpose of currying political sympathy.

“Not until this evil and inhumanity to man was forced to the notice and sensibility of some respon-

sible Nigerians and the National Assembly by concerned persons and groups that it was considered giving a little attention.

“It only took a few video clips of the heinous actions of the so called soldiers of the Nigerian Army against innocent children and women, including pregnant women murdered with careless abandon as though they were fighting in a battle field that the conscience of most Nigerians was pricked” Obuah said.

LG election: Accord petitions police over impersonation By dare Adekanmbi

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike (left), with the Senate Minority Leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during a visit to Governor Wike, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

ACCORD Party, Oyo State chapter, has petitioned the state police commissioner, Mr Samuel Adegbuyi, asking him to arrest one Honourable D. A Lawal and his colleagues for parading themselves as executive members of the party.

In the petition signed by the state secretary of the party, Dr Nureni Adeniran, the party said its National Working Committee (NWC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had confirmed that there “is

INEC ready for bye-election in Ifako/Ijaye federal constituency

As Reps aspirant warns APC leaders against imposition Bola Badmus - Lagos with Agency report THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Lagos State, on Tuesday, said that it was prepared to conduct the forthcoming December 3 bye-election in Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency.

The commission’s Administrative Secretary, Mr Clement Oha, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos shortly after visiting Ifako-Ijaye.

Oha, according to NAN, said that he decided to come to the local government where the election would hold to assess level of preparations.

He said that the preparation by the commission’s staffers was “satisfactory and encouraging.”

“We have made adequate provision for staff and their training as well as for the election materials. We have been sensitising the people and parties.

“We have also been liaising with the security agents and we will be meeting them very soon.

“If I am to assess our preparations, I will say that we are now 95 per cent ready for the poll in Lagos.

“We have all our logistics ready; we have prepared twice the number of card readers needed,” Oha said.

INEC also stated that six political parties would be contesting in the election, including Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), African Democratic Party (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Meanwhile, aggrieved aspirant to the vacant House of Representatives’ seat for Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Mr. James Owolabi, has cautioned some party leaders trying to impose their choice candidates to stop peddling the name of the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, to perpetrate their negative act.

He maintained that the act was capable of hindering the

growth of internal democracy in the party.

Owolabi, who said the party should rise above such negative culture and embrace internal democracy, maintained that it has since been discovered that Tinubu had nothing in connection with what those leaders were doing.

The APC chieftain, who contested the primary, which he lost to Honourable Nuru-

deen Akinwunmi, made this call while addressing newsmen at his Ifako- Ijaiye campaign office.

Owolabi, who recalled that he had been in the progressives’ camp for the past 32 years and had been made to step down about three times for choice candidates, said: “Many of these developments, I am sure our national leader, Tinubu, would never be a part of.”

no faction in the party.”

Adeniran described members of the group claiming to be a faction of Accord as “fifth columnists whose sole objective is to cause a breach of public peace.

“You will recall that we recently wrote you complaining about the activities of this group and further to say that we also sent you a copy of the list of authentic chairmen of the party in the local governments in the state.

“Contrary to the decorum and in total disregard of the party’s constitution, the group has been expanding to the local governments with a view to causing a social mayhem and public disorder,” the letter read in part.

It said: “We, therefore, call on you to do the needful before they cause a serious breach of public peace as they went to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to claim being the executive committee of Accord in the state last week.

“Impersonation is a serious criminal offence and hence security agencies should not fold their arms and watch helplessly,” Adeniran said.

Aggrieved chieftains call for sack of LG APC chairman Bola Badmus - Lagos FOLLOWING the crisis that erupted in the ApapaIganmu Local Government chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which left seven people badly injured last Thursday, some leaders of the party have called for the removal of the party chair-

man, Alhaji Moruf Gbadamosi, alleging him of running a one-man show, among others.

The leaders, including the party secretary, Dr. Akintunde Taiwo Sodiq, Honourable Sheriff Tomori, Prince Kayode Obadia, Alhaji Saubana Adeniji, Alhaji Afis Olalekan, Alhaja Folasade, ex-Women

Leader, Alhaja Osifeso, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Isiaka Lawal, among others, made the call while speaking with newsmen.

The party scribe, Sodiq, who recalled that the crisis currently rocking the party dated back to last year October, due to alleged poor leadership style exhibited by the

party chairman.

But speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the embattled chairman, Gbadamosi, insisted that the Sodiq group, whom he said was being sponsored by a former local government chairman, had no wherewithal to call for his removal, because they remained just a group that should be ignored.

25 politicsnews

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

No reconciliation without justice in Kogi APC —Faleke Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

H

OPES of reconciliation in the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dimmed on Tuesday, as the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the last election, James Faleke, said there could not be any reconciliation without justice.

Faleke said he had never been involved in any reconciliation process with the state government because of the injustice perpetrated by the party.

The member of the House of Representatives spoke in Ogonicha, Ofu Local Government Area of the state, at the one year remembrance service held for the late former governor and the governorship candidate of the APC at the November 21, 2015 governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu.

According to Faleke, the logjam in the party in the state could not be resolved because of the way and manner the national leadership of the party handled the issues that came up after Audu’s death.

“There can never be any reconciliation in a situation where somebody works from first day to the last day of the month and another person collects his salary, what can only be the basis for reconciliation is for the salary to be returned; that is the only reconciliation?

“We are prepared to go hungry for the next four years but I can tell you that God, sparing our lives, the song will change surely.”

Speaking further on the crisis rocking the APC in the state, Faleke said every right thinking man “knows that it was the fallout of the faulty manner in which the national secretariat of the party handled the crisis after the demise of Audu.”

He noted that the development had affected the party in the state, lamenting that

its fortune had nose-dived.

“The architects of the crisis in Kogi State started the imminent downfall of our party, APC. The way and manner the issue was han-

dled was least expected of a political party. I have heard that one of the cabals said that APC was just a gathering of some people, not yet a political party.

“I want to say that, as far as what happened in Kogi State is concerned, and how it is affecting the party, I am sure those in government in the state can confirm that all

is not well within the party in the state, because when you worked and some people are benefitting or reaping the fruits of your labour, they will know that all cannot be

Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga (left), with the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debt, Senator Shehu Sanni, during the visit of the latter to the National Assembly.

N200m mansion: PDP asks Edo gov not to assent bill Banji Aluko - Benin City THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has described as satanic an amendment to the Edo Pension Law for former Governors and their Deputies, which among other benefits, approved N200 million worth of house to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and N100m house to his former deputy, Dr Pius Odubu.

The PDP called on Governor Godwin Obaseki not be cowed to assenting the bill, challenging him to demonstrate his avowed commitment to the welfare of the Edo people The party also challenged Obaseki to disclose to Edo people the state of state treasury inherited from former governor Oshiomhole in the spirit of accountability and probity, adding that such is the usual practice in

other states and Edo must not be an exception.

Chairman of the party in Edo State, Dan Orbih, while addressing journalists in Benin on Tuesday, said such request coming at a time when hundreds of pensioners who have retired from the state civil service were yet to be paid their entitlements, was a

clear demonstration of the insensitivity on the part of the APC-led government in the state.

Orbih said: “It is shameful and disgraceful to note that a former labourleader could go the way of Oshiomhole.

How can a man who served the state for eight years and at the end of eight years has a guaranteed pay package

of his full salaries for the rest of his life, three official vehicles of his choice, two cooks, a personal assistance and on top of this, he is going to get a house valued at N200 million?

“To me, those who are looking for a living example of greed need not look further; they should take Oshiomhole as a classic ex-

THE chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) for Offa Local government area of Kwara state, Mrs Bolaji IbiyeyeAdisa, has described emergence of TIC members across the 16 local government areas of the state as an affirmation of democratic process in the All Progressive Congress (APC) in

the state under leadership of Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Speaking with journalists in Offa at the weekend, Mrs Ibiyeye-Adisa, who is also the Iyalode of Offa, said that contrary to what Saraki’s opponents used to say, the process for selecting members of the TIC was democratic.

The council chairperson, who said that the process was left to the decision of

ample of what greed is all about.

“What is more troublesome outside the known package is that the man who took over office from Oshiomhole has not been able to move into his official quarters, because even the carpet on the ground was moved and the entire house was stripped bare.”

Benue deputy speaker dumps PDP ‘He’s a liability to us’ Johnson Babajide - Makurdi THE leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level took its toll on the Benue State chapter of the party, with the deputy speaker of the Benue House Assembly, Honourable James Okefe defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress

(APC).

Okefe, at the sitting of the House, on Tuesday, tendered his defection letter to dump the PDP. In a letter read on the floor of the Assembly by the speaker, Honourable Terkinbir Iyanger, Okefenoted that the crisis and divisions in the PDP were his reasons for jettisoning the party.

“Following the crisis rock-

ing the PDP, with its attendant division, which has trickled down to Benue State, where we have two executive committee members, I have decided to dump the crisis-ridden party and pitch tent with the ruling APC,” the letter read.

Welcoming the new Okefe, the majority leader of the House, Honourable Benjamin Adayin, assured him of

‘Emergence of Kwara TIC members democratic’ Biola Azeez - Ilorin

well and that is why they are not getting their feet right.

“It is one year after Audu and nothing seems to be moving, it has taken the state more than eight months to do screening and pay salary. People have died through queueing or waiting for their names to be screened and those that had been screened have not collected salary since January this year.

“When people work and at the end of the month, they are not paid, you can be sure that nothing can go well, so whatever that goes on in the civil service in the state is also affecting the party.

“What happened to us during the case and when we lost our leader one year ago and all the battles we went through in the legal process, the way and manner the court judgments came, the issues that were determined, have shown that we are not in a party yet, as far as am concerned, until the party at the national level wakes up.

party members in each council area, debunked claims that the TIC members were handpicked by Saraki and governor AbdulFattah Ahmed.

“It is only under a democratic process which somebody like the Senate President and Governor Ahmed supervised that somebody like myself could have emerged as TIC chairman in a council area like Offa

because the Senate President being the political leader of the state would always insist that whoever emerges must do so from the community level and not because he knows such a person”,she said.

She commended all Offa APC ward chairmen and the local party executives for their support and the trust reposed in her and promised that their confidence in

choosing her and her team would not be disappointed.

Recalling that Offa used to be in opposition to the Saraki political structure, the TIC boss said the commitment of the Senate President to transparent processes in appointments from Offa as well as the developmental strides being witnessed by residents over the years had now endeared Saraki to the people of Offa.

“a blissful association in the new party.”

But the minority leader of the house, Honourable Sule Audu, has described Okefe as “a liability” to PDP, saying “he had been a liability to us in PDP. Since he rode on the back of PDP to the House, he has never attended our party’s caucus meeting. We thank God for relieving us of the burden and wish APC good luck.”

Meanwhile, the speaker of the House of Assembly, HonourableTerkimbiIkyange, has vowed that the Open Grazing Prohibition Bill pending before the Assembly will be passed before the end of the year.

The executive bill has passed through second reading and is awaiting public hearing, with Ikyangenoting that the little delay in passing the bill was to allow for public hearing, which will afford critical stakeholders the opportunity of making inputs due to its sensitivity.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

FUNOLOGY

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

CHURCH BOY

Peter & Paul Okoye aka P-Square •

Born on Wednesday, 18 November, 1981 in Anambra State, and later relocated to Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

•

P-Square is a Nigerian R&B duo of identical twin brothers, Peter and Paul. They have been very active since 2003 till date.

SEGELUULU

•

P-Square began in St. Mulumba Secondary School, a small Catholic school in Jos, Nigeria. Peter and Paul joined their school music and drama club, where they began singing, dancing, and mimicking songs

by MC Hammer, Bobby Brown and Michael Jackson. In 1999, they were admitted to the University of Abuja to study Business Administration.

•

In 2007, they released their best selling album so far, Game Over. It has sold 8 million copies worldwide.

•

P-Square has won several awards, both locally and internationally.

•

In 2010, P-square won the Best African Artiste award at the KORA All African Music Awards held in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso. They also won BET award in 2011.

•

Some of P-Square popular hits include: Game Over, E No Easy, Chop My Money, Onyinye, Personally, etc.

THERE ARE 10 DIFFERENCES IN THE CARTOONS BELOW. THE DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE MARKED IN B

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

A

B

27

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016 Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

Minister seeks Diaspora support to retrieve stolen funds

By Christian Okeke MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has sought the support of Nigerians living abroad as well as international nongovernmental organisations for stolen assets starched in foreign countries to be returned from foreign host governments.

This came as he announced that the Federal Government was to offer incentives to those who provided useful information that could lead to recovery of stolen or illegally-concealed public assets.

Speaking while receiving the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, in his office, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said an inter-agency Presidential Committee on Asset Recovery headed by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had been created to coordinate collation and categorization of recovered assets from 2015-2016.

He said that the committee was set up following the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Council Against Corruption to over-see the anti-corruption agenda and coordinate asset recovery process.

According to him, part of the mandates of the committee was to verify the records and status of physical assets such as buildings recovered under previous administration and set up framework for management of recovered stolen assets to avoid relooting and mismanagement

of the assets.

The minister said that an asset register had been created for recovered stolen assets and other government assets to avoid a situation where former or even serving public officers carted away government assets.

He said that the measures would strengthen the ongoing fight against corruption.

Alhaji Mohammed noted that the Federal Government was determined tPo recover all assets illicitly acquired by public officers and other politically-exposed persons, and noted that new measures were underway to enhance recovery of illegally acquired assets which would be announced from time to time.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed (left) and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, when the UN Official paid a courtesy visit to the minister in Abuja, last Friday.

FCDA yet to recruit technical staff since 2003

By Christian Okeke

F

EDERAL Capital Development Authority (FCDA) is yet to carry out recruitment exercise in the past thirteen years in different professional fields like engineering, quantity surveying, urban and regional planning and architecture.

To that effect, there is now manpower gap in the technical section of the authority.

Immediate past Executive Secretary of the authority, Adamu Ismaila, who disclosed this during his formal sent-off organised by the FCT Administration, however, commended the man-

agement staff of the FCDA for their professionalism and dedication to duty.

He urged the staff to maintain high-standard of infrastructural development in the territory.

He said: “For 13 years, there is no recruitment into the FCDA and this has affected the capacity of FCDA. But I have managed to, at least, get about 290 staff recruited.

“Many staff had retired from 2015 till date. So, the FCDA is becoming empty now. Therefore you should start to recruit more staff otherwise there will be problem.

“I am part and parcel of

the FCT Administration for life and I plead with all those I have offended to forgive me as such offence was not intentional,” he said.

In his remarks, FCT Minister, Musa Bello, noted that the present leadership in the FCT administration came on board when so many

things needed attention ranging from environmental management to streetlights maintenance.

Welcoming guests to the ceremony, the FCT Director of Establishment and Training, Mr. Salihu Mohammed noted that the former FCDA boss rose from Resident

Hajj Commission continues vetting, licensing of state pilgrims welfare boards

By Christian Okeke THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has continued with the processes of licensing State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare

Boards/Commissions/ Agencies across the country.

The action was in furtherance of its statutory function as contained in Section 4 subsection 1 (a

FCT minister clocks one year in office, records successes

By Christian Okeke AFTER assuming office on 11th of November 2015, the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Musa Bello, embarked on delivering on his mandates, which included execution of development projects in the territory.

This came after giving an assurance that his administration would block all financial leakages to generate the needed funds for development projects.

He subsequently embarked on visits to several project sites including the Abuja Light Rail and the jinxed

Karshi – Apo – Arah road.

Included also was nocturnal tour of the city to have firsthand information on the functionality of streetlights in the territory.

The minister also paid an unscheduled visit to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) as he prepared to battle the heaps of refuse and clean up the territory.

It was during the visit that the minister got the wind of and vowed to recover the N10.5 billion owed the Board.

But this was after an immediate sack of all departmental heads of the board.

Still on environment, Bello, introduced FCT Household

and Community Sanitation Exercise in Area Councils and satellite towns of the territory.

As a form of assistance, he gave out the sum of N1.6 billion as bailout to the six Area Councils to settle outstanding salaries owed their staff. The gesture came at a time when majority of states across the federation were unable to raise funds to pay debts owed their states workers.

In the area of provision of potable water, Bello, visited FCT Water Board and the Lower Usuma Dam, where he promised to improve on the supply of clean water to the residents.

Under his watch, Bello

Engineer in 1982 to the pinnacle of his career as the Executive Secretary of the authority till he retired on October 5, 2016.

He urged the staff to continue to support and cooperate with the minister in the great task of developing the territory.

moved the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) to Karshi to bring the agency closer to the rural people that the department is meant to serve and to decongest the city centre. He also paid out N324 million to the contractor handling the Karshi-Apo-Ara road.

The minister, in his one year in office, set machinery in motion to sanitise processes of allocating land in the territory. To this end, he announced that the FCT Administration would, henceforth, allocate plots of land in the Abuja industrial zones to genuine manufacturers with requisite capacity to develop

them.

It was on record that the minister did offset the over N2 billion owed cleaning and maintenance contractors by the previous administrations.

Also, contractors owed various sums below N20 million were paid, and that amounted to over N6 billion while over N19 billion was paid to multinational contractors to enable them return to sites.

In the first quarter of 2016, the FCT administration released the sum of N5,744,835,928.38 to various development partners, being counterpart funds for projects they were executing in the territory.

and i) of the NAHCON Establishment Act 2006.

The Commission had constituted a committee to visit all the state boards to inspect their office accommodations, facilities and manpower which were prerequisites for issuance of licenses to them.

The delegation was headed by Alhaji Muhammad Usman Liman.

Spokesperson of the Commission, Uba Mana, who confirmed this said that over seven states have been covered in the exercise.

He noted that the general assessment of the visited states was encouraging while each individual state was scored according to the laid down guidelines.

“The inspections concentrated on the office accommodation and its facilities, as well as the manpower of the boards,” he said.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Police Service Commission gets kudos over promotions

By Jacob Segun Olatunji

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HE newly-promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Henry Adebayo Fadairo has expressed deep appreciation to Police Service Commission, the Police high command and the federal government over promotions in the force.

He said that his elevation to the position of an AIG came to him as a surprise.

Fadairo spoke in Abuja at a reception organised in his honour by his kinsmen and retired Permanent Secretary, Mr Olu Adekunle, following his elevation to AIG. Fadairo, who until his elevation last month, was Commissioner of Police in Charge of Jigawa State Command, commended his immediate and extended family members for their support for his career in the force which had taken him to 21 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, during which he said he hardly stayed at home with them.

He said, “in the Police when you enlist as a corporal or as a cadet, you will earn your promotions up to the position of a Commissioner of Police. The remaining three steps, that is, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) are political appointments “To be candid, I never knew I would be an AIG. I joined the Police 33 years ago as a Cadet ASP, I studied Political Science at the University of Lagos, I am not a politician and I never talked to any politician to lobby for me, I never joined politics.

“I never knew how they came about my name and elevated me to the position of AIG. It is a political appointment, that is why I said

it was a surprise to me even as I speak to you now “Once you reach this level in the force, the next thing left for you is to start packing your loads because it is ether they make you the Inspector General of Police or you are retired,” he said.

Speaking earlier, former Ekiti State Governor and Deputy National Chairman

of the All Progressives Congress (South), Segun Oni, who was the chairman at the occasion, commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the honour done to the state through the elevation of one of its worthy indigines to such exalted position in the force.

Oni, who spoke through

his then Head of Service while in office, Mr Femi Adewumi, urged Fadairo to see his elevation as an opportunity to render more services to his fatherland as several of his colleagues enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force at the same time had dropped by the way side while others still in the service might not have such

opportunity in life Speaking at the occasion, the National President of Igede-Ekiti Progressive Union (IPU) and Abuja chapter of the Union, Barrister Ola Oluwa and High Chief Rotimi Dada respectively described Fadairo as a worthy ambassador of IgedeEkiti, the state and the country in general.

From left, Permanent Secretary, FCT, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye; Retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr Goke Adegoroye and the newly appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr Bayo Fadairo at a dinner party organised by some friends to celebrate Fadairo’s elevation to AIG, in Abuja.

THE Nigerian Tribune has won an award of excellence in road safety reporting for the year 2016.

The award was presented to it by driving instructors in the country under the auspices of Association of Driving Instructors of Nigeria (ADIN.) It was presented on behalf of the association by Reverend Dr Gloria Chidile, who is woman leader/South West Secretary of ADIN, at the grand finale of the first

By Christian Okeke THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed shock over the carting away of various sizes of electric cables worth several millions of Naira along Murtala Muhammed expressway in Abuja by vandals.

The incident has thrown over six kilometers of the expressway into darkness.

Acting Executive Secretary of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Umar Jibrin, who inspected the sites of the vandalism, was visibly shocked at the level of destruction.

He described the action of the vandals as sabotage and deplorable, capable of slowing down development of the territory.

Jibrin urged residents to continue to support the FCT administration by exposing all criminal elements within their immediate neighbourhoods and report any suspicious movement of persons around public utilities to security agencies.

ANCOPSS pushes for more teachers, schools for FCT

By Christian Okeke

From left, Mr Chukwuemeka Obi; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing ( Works and Housing Section), Engineer Abubakar Magaji and the Director, Engineering Services, Mrs Esther Ukogha, during enlightenment campaign for code of conduct officers at the ministry, in Abuja, recently.

Tribune wins 2016 award on road safety reporting

By Christian Okeke

FCTA expresses shock over vandalism of street-light cables

international conference of the group held in Abuja.

The conference had as its theme, “Fast-tracking Safety on West Africa Roads through Quality Driving Education.”

Speaking at the award ceremony, the national president of ADIN, Jide Owatunmise, said that the association was taking note and recording contributions as it called for support in ensuring safety on roads.

He raised the alarm over what he described as disgraceful conspiracies go-

ing on at the various driver licencing centres where he alleged that applicants for licences were not compelled to go through conventional driving schools for requisite theory and practical training, describing the fraud as being responsible for the alarming rate of road crashes in the country.

Owatunmise said that it was worrisome that a larger percentage of drivers did not know traffic signs and defensive driving techniques as well as implications for violating traffic rules.

He stressed the need for government to ensure that no applicant, no matter the status, obtained driver’s licence without going through the mandatory trainings in accredited driving schools.

Owatunmise urged vehicle inspection officers in the states to establish and implement well-structured theory and practical tests as obtained abroad.

According to him, it should be made mandatory that only those who passed structured and transparent tests qualified for driver’s licences.

The president advocated for current holders of licence to be made to attend certified refresher training in a drving school as a precondition for renewal of licence.

He argued that banning tricycles and motorcycles from operating on highways was not solution to the accidents caused by them.

He suggested that such operators be made to go through accredited driving schools for riders education as a way to reduce accidents associated with them.

PRINCIPALS of secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the aegis of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), have made case for recruitment of more teachers and establishment of more schools to meet the demand for school enrolment in the territory.

They urged FCT administration to complete perimeter fencing projects in schools yet to be fenced in order to improve on security of the schools.

The principals made the call at the mandatory continuing professional training programme for North Central zone.

President of the association, FCT chapter, Mohammed Ladan, while speaking at the event noted that the call had become necessary in view of the death in teaching profession in the territory.

He, however, commended the FCT Minister, Musa Bello, for regular and prompt payment of teachers’ salaries despite the recession.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

1,000 housing units ready for occupation in Lagos —Ambode Bola Badmus - Lagos

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AGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, said that his administration has injected over 1,000 additional housing units into the state, which he said were now ready for occupation by interested residents.

Governor Ambode said this on Monday during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in the eastern axis of the state.

According to the governor,

the official inauguration of the allocation of the housing units will commence December 9, saying that interested residents of the state do not need to know anybody before applying.

At the Sir Micheal Otedola Housing Estate in Odoragunshin, Epe, Governor Ambode was briefed by the Commissioner for Housing, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, who said the estate was part of the schemes earmarked for the rent-to-own policy of the

state government.

Lawal said the 336 housing units comprised of 180 units of room and parlour; 90 units of one bedroom apartment and 80 units of two bedroom apartment.

The commissioner said 20 per cent of the entire units had equally been earmarked for rental housing, adding that the social welfarism policy of the present administration necessitated the need for the rent-toown policy.

Lawal added that as part of the people-friendly gesture of the Ambode-led administration, the prices of the units had been reduced, thus the two bedroom which was hitherto N7.2 million had been reduced to N3.5 million, while the one bedroom which was N4.3 million had been reduced to N2.3 million.

The room and parlour unit, he said, had also been reduced to N1.5 million.

Responding, Governor

Ambode said due to the economic recession and as a responsive government, his administration felt the great need to review the housing policies which had always existed in the state.

“We think it is better that people can just come in and pay one month rent and continue to pay their rent on a monthly basis. These housing units are for the people and we want the people to have access to them.

“If Lagosians are interested, they don’t need to pay any down payment, they should just approach us and

apply. They don’t need to know anybody also. It will be open to everybody. This is more about the people.

As we speak now, we have over a thousand units that are going up for rentage and as we proceed, we will add additional units, some in partnership with the private sector.

“We are going to have new schemes coming up in Ajegunle, Badagry, Alimosho and other areas. The whole essence is to increase the purchasing power of Lagosians,” Governor Ambode said.

Ado Poly workers take protest against rector to highway

I will apply no-work no-pay rule —Rector Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

Chairman, 1949 - 1954 classmate, Ibadan Grammar School, Justice Nurudeen Adekola (fourth right); secretary, Chief K.O. Latunji (third left); treasurer, Chief Joe Eyitayo (right); assistant matron, Oluyole Cheshire Home, Ibadan, Mrs Victoria Yinusa and other members of the association, during the presentation of food items to the homes, in Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

Ajayi Crowther varsity to honour Alaafin, Gowon, Alakija, others Nov 30

By Gbenga Olumide

SIX eminent Nigerians would be awarded honourary doctorate degrees at the eighth convocation of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU) slated for Wednesday, November 30.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Dapo Asaju, disclosed this during a press conference held at the Senate Chamber of the ACU, Oyo, as part of activities marking this year’s convocation.

According to him, personalities to be honoured are the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; Professor Emeritus O.O. Akinkugbe; Executive Vice Chairman, Famfa Oil Limited, Chief (Mrs) Folorunso Alakija; Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko and former Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Timothy Oyeyipo.

Asaju further said that a total of 319 students would be admitted into their first degrees and awarded the certificate of the university, having successfully fulfilled the requirements for the award of the degrees of the institution.

While congratulating the students and their parents, Professor Asaju said that 16 of the students graduated with First Class honours, 66 with Second Class Up-

per Division, 126 in Second Class Lower Division while others bagged Third Class Division.

Highlighting the achievements recorded within the one year he assumed office, Professor Asaju disclosed that numerous projects had been put in place such as construction and tarring of campus roads, installation of street lights, staff quarters, construction of a block of 10 lecture rooms with a block of 12 toilets for the students, renovation of 45 existing buildings which included T. Y. Danjuma Library, Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management Sciences, auditorium, residential quarters, among others.

The vice chancellor said the university had been able to achieve all these through the grace of God in spite of the fact that the school receives nothing in terms of grants or subventions even from the owners of the faithbased university.

He said: “Despite economic recession, Ajayi Crowther University is progressing.

We pay our workers’ salaries on the 25th of every month and we are not incurring any debt.”

He used the occasion to appreciate the governing council and management team as well as parents and well-meaning Nigerians, who have contributed to the development of the univer-

sity.

Meanwhile, the fiveday 2016 convocation ceremonies kicked-off on Tuesday with a press conference, as Sunday, November 27, will be for Holy Communion and thanksgiving service.

The Alumni lecture holds Monday, November 28, at 11:00 a.m. while the convocation lecture tagged: “Go the extra mile” will be delivered by Chief (Mrs) Folorunso Alakija, on November 29.

On Wednesday, November 30, convocation and award of honourary and undergraduate degrees will take place at Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Law Faculty Auditorium.

THE lingering crisis at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, took a new dimension on Tuesday as the striking workers took their protest to the highway, after disrupting activities in the institution.

The workers went on strike October 10, 2016 over alleged mismanagement of funds by the Rector, Dr Theresa Taiwo Akande, as well as her alleged “fraudulent practices and non-payment of some allowances.”

The workers blocked the Ado-Ijan-Ikare-Akoko road, thereby creating a traffic snarl on the road.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), led

by Mr Tunji Owoeye and the Senior Staff Association Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP), led by Dr Oluwole Ayeni, spearheaded the protests, during which they held a prayer session on the major road for hours.

The workers, who brandished leaves and rained curses on the management for threatening to invoke no-work-no-pay rule to coerce them to resume work, also disrupted a seminar for agricultural services providers holding on the campus.

The ASUP and SSANIP chairmen said they had written to President Mu-

Ooni unveils Moremi statue, urges govts on youth engagement THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Tuesday, unveiled a uniquely designed Moremi Statue of Liberty, with a charge on governments to meaningfully engage the youths.

A statement signed by Mr Moses Olafare, Director of Media and Public Affairs in the palace, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that Ooni dedicated the statue to the economic liberation of the

African youth.

Olafare said the historic unveiling event was witnessed by over 5,000 youths, adding that the Ooni extolled the virtues of “Moremi” Ajasoro, a celebrated historical heroine in Yoruba culture.

He said that the Ooni also described youths as the greatest accessories for the development of any nation, who must be given utmost attention by the various African governments.

According to him, the monarch decried the redundancy of youths, blaming it on patronage of foreign goods and services.

“These Nigerian and African youths are naturally endowed. With the level of their education or training, they are the materials needed to develop this country and the continent of Africa.

“It surprises me that our governments across Africa still encourage capital flight by always giving the jobs to

foreigners at the expense of our youths, several of whom are more qualified and competent to do the jobs.

“I am proud to say that this project is the first of its kind; 100 per cent indigenous; involving about 200 youths and all the materials used were sourced locally from the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“I want to stress that Nigeria has manpower that can create, construct, and build standard and original goods.”

hammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the fraud allegations levelled against Dr Akande.

They said: “We want the Federal Government to set up investigative panel on all these allegations and when they come, all those concerned must step aside in the interest of fairness. This polytechnic is broke and if a business is liquidated, the CEO must resign. Our management must be relieved of the positions.”

However, Dr Akande, who reacted to the allegations, described them as “frivolous,” and insisted that she had not breached any law to warrant her resignation from office as demanded by the striking workers.

According to her, she stopped payment of CONTISS 15 and 50 per cent cooperative deduction, the workers had alleged were embezzled, because there was no financial backing to implement such.

The rector said: “They only wanted me out for selfish desires. I didn’t employ any member of my family as alleged. I had always deferred to all the unions in taking critical decisions. In fact, I regret starting CONTISS 15 for 14 months here, even when government has not approved money for it.

“I have the highest records of workers’ promotion in history and all the budgetary provisions to us like the capital, personnel and overhead costs are fixed and cannot be padded by anybody. So, the allegation of budget padding is ridiculous and sad. No rector can pad the budget of any polytechnic.

“Some people are after me and they want me out at all costs. I won’t resign based on threat from workers. If Mr President said I should leave today, then I will bow out,” she said.

news Troops, airforce attack B/Haram, kill many insurgents 30

Chris Agbambu and Collins Nnabuife - Abuja

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OLLOWING reliable information about the movement of remnants of suspected Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 118 Task Force Battalion, 7 Brigade, laid an ambush for the terrorists on Tuesday morning.

The Nigerian Air Force fighter jets also attacked a number of Boko Haram terrorist locations in the Northern part of Borno State, killing dozens of insurgents.

The troops laid the ambush about three kilometres away from Goneri town, South West of Kukawa Local Government Area, Borno State, where they encountered the unsuspecting terrorists in two gun trucks as well as on motorcycles and engaged them.

An unconfirmed number of the terrorists escaped with gun shot wounds, abandoning one Buffalo Landcruiser gun truck mounted with an Antiaircraft gun, 1,600 rounds of 12.7mm Armour Piercing Incendiary (API) ammunition, 563 rounds of

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

7.62mm (NATO) ammunition for General Purpose Machine Guns and 57 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

The troops further recovered one motorcycle, seven jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO), a pair of Nigerian Army uniform, two Cameroonian telecommunication service providers SIM cards, as well as a pair of the Boko

Haram terrorists special forces uniform.

They also recovered one Samsung Galaxy Tablet and assorted drugs such such as Climax Oxytocin, Tetracyclic HC1 Ointment, Drips and Springe, among others.

The Director of Air Force Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, in a statement in Abuja, Tuesday, confirmed that last Wednesday, an Intel-

ligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft reported a gathering of Boko Haram Terrorists under a tree at Kadari.

According to him, an Alpha Jet on armed reconnaissance was called in to strafe the location, thus, killing a number of the insurgents and causing survivors to flee in different directions.

Again, last Friday, a NAF fighter jets carried out a

series of coordinated air strikes against Boko Haram terrorists locations at Ngoshe.

Meanwhile, in order to appreciate the gallantry of the armed forces in tackling security challenges in the country, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has donated N10 million to support the recently instituted Nigerian Army’s ‘Thank You For Service Initiative’.

From left, former Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor Grace Alele Williams; Ph.D. graduand, Monday Philips Ekpe and Professor Festus Adesanoye, during the 68th convocation of University of Ibadan (UI), last week.

Proposed strike: Senate committee, ASUU may reconvene tomorrow Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

CHAIRMAN Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Jibrin Barau, on Monday, disclosed that the ad hoc sub-committee set up

by Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the ASUU/ Federal Government delegations may reconvene on Thursday to thrash out the only outstanding issue yet to be agreed upon by the university lecturers and government representatives.

Barau, who is the head of the Senate Intervention Subcommittee mediating between ASUU and the Federal Government, noted that Senate has made tremendous progress in its intervention to prevent the proposed strike, having reached agreement on five out of

the six key issues raised by ASUU. While informing newsmen at the National Assembly on the outcome of the sub-committee’s meeting with the ASUU and Federal Government’s delegation, he said: “We had about six issues and all of them were very well discussed. We deliberated and agreed on all of them except one, and that one has to do with the earned allowances.

“Now, they (ASUU) are asking for about N62 billion.

Initially, N30 billion was given to the universities in 2013 and the agreement as signed between the Federal Government and the ASUU clearly specifies that upon the receipt of any payment, before any new payment is made, the last payment has to be accounted for.

“The Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) clearly wrote in one of its letters to the Ministry of Education that it is not satisfied with the level of ac-

countability on the N30 billion.

“So, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Finance since March that the forensic audit to account for that money

FG vows to sanction private varsities for violating NUC guidelines Issues operational licenses to 8 new varsities Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Federal Government, on Wednesday, issued operational licences to the proprietors of the new eight private universities, with a warning against unwholesome practices and violation of the National Universities Commission’s (NUC), guidelines.

The eight private universities were approved by the Federal Executive Council

(FEC), on November 2.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who issued the licences to the promoters of the institutions at a brief ceremony in Abuja, warned that government would not hesitate to withdraw the licence of the university found to have breached any of the conditions of the approval.

The names of the new universities are: Anchor

Destruction of evidence: Absence of judge stalls continuation of Metuh’s trial Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja

THE continuation of the trial of a former publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, on Tuesday, could not go on as scheduled.

The former PDP spokesman, was dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a twocount charge bordering on destruction of evidence.

At the last sitting on

Tuesday, October 11, 2016, Metuh’s counsel, Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu , cross-examined a prosecution witness, Mr Saed Junaid, an investigative officer with EFCC, who was among the team which investigated the former spokesman’s alleged N400million fraud.

Metuh is also being prosecuted by EFCC before a Federal High Court, Abuja, over the alleged fraud.

The presiding judge, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, who is the Chief Judge of FCT High Court, had adjourned

has not been done. They said no other further disbursement can be made except the money that was given is accounted for as clearly spelt out in the agreement.

the matter till Tuesday, November 22, 2016, after the prosecution had closed its case against the defendant.

The defence was expected to open its defence in the case.

However, the absence of the Chief Judge in court on Tuesday, prevented the case from continuing.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt that Justice Bello, was attending the ongoing All Nigeria Judges Conference in Abuja being organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI), for judges in lower courts.

During his cross-examination by the defence counsel, Ikpeazu (SAN), Junaid had told the court that since the former PDP spokesman could write, he (Junaid) only wrote the cautionary word and not the statement.

He, however, told the court that Metuh, who he said, had the right to cancel what he had written, tore the third page of his statement, adding that he told the defendant to stop doing that.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to January 24, 2017.

University, located in Ayobo, Lagos State, the university is promoted by Deeper Christian Life Ministry.

Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River State, promoted by Clitter House Nigeria Limited, Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia State, promoted

by Seventh Day Adventist Church, Coal City University, Enugu, promoted by African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu.

Others approved by the FEC on Tuesday,are CrownHill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara State, promoted by Modern Morgy and Sons Limited, Dominican University, Ibadan, promoted

by Order of Preachers, Nigerian Dominican Community, Kola Daisi University, Ibadan, promoted by Kola Daisi Foundation and Legacy University, Okija, promoted by the Good Idea Education Foundation.

Adamu was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwukah.

8,863 ghost workers uncovered in Kwara Biola Azeez - Ilorin

KWARA State Personnel Database Development Committee has said it has uncovered a total of 8,863 suspected ghost workers on the payroll of both the state and local governments.

Speaking while submitting the committee’s report to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in Ilorin, the state capital, on Tuesday, the alternate chairman of Kwara State Personnel Database Development Committee, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, said the 8, 863 personnel could not be verified in the just concluded staff biometric verification exercise, adding that the development could potentially save both the state and local governments a sum of N437, 500, 513.56 monthly.

Alhaji Gold, who said that as at the time of commencing the verification exercise, the total number of staff on the payroll of both the state and local governments was 81, 446, added that only 72, 583 of the workers and pensioners scaled through the verification process.

Nigeria dear to U.S. —Official THE United States of America (USA), places high premium on its diplomatic ties with Nigeria, an official of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, has said.

Mr Aruna Amirthanayagam, the new Counselor for Public Affairs in the Embassy of USA, said this when he visited the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, in Abuja.

The counselor, who said he has had extensive career in the U.S. Foreign Service, said he also admired the people and culture of the country.

“Nigeria is very dear to my heart,’’ he said.

Amirthanayagam said the visit was to enable him “learn a little bit more about the agency and all the good work it is doing’’.

While expressing happiness that he will serve in Nigeria for the next three years, the official solicited for a more robust relationship with NAN. Responding, the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said that the agency, which became operational in 1978, provides content for a number of newspapers, radio and television stations across the world.

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Metro...

crime, security, court

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By Oluwatoyin Malik 08116954633, 08078891950

e-mail: tribunecrimedesk@gmail.com

New acting GOC takes over in 2 Division, Nigerian Army, harps on training, retraining of soldiers

By Oluwatoyin Malik

The outgoing General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Kasimu Abdulkarim (left), handing over the flag to his successor, Brigadier-General Chukwunedum Abraham, at the Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday.

One dies, 2 arrested as Agbekoya, police clash in Ibadan

By Tunde Ogunesan

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HERE was a mild drama on Tuesday in front of Ogbere Onilanta Police Station along Akanran, Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, as professional hunters, popularly known as ‘Agbekoya’ clashed with officers of the Oyo State Police Command, who were at checkpoint in front of the station.

Metro gathered that hell was let lose when a member of the team of the Agbekoya, which was coming from Lagos and headed for Akanran community where they usually held their monthly meeting on Tuesdays, was alleged to have slapped a police officer.

The incident, according to eyewitnesses’ accounts informed Metro that the peace of the community was disturbed around 10.30 a.m, leaving residents, transporters and passersby to scamper for safety.

Some of the eyewitnesses said “the Agbekoyas were coming in some vehicles, including a black Pathfinder Jeep.

“Some policemen who were at the checkpoint in front of their station stopped them and challenged them for recklessly driving.

“In the process, one of the Agbekoya men got down and confronted the police. While that was on, he slapped the policeman. Later, we started hearing gunshots, with heavy sound of shooting from both sides.

“We learnt that the bullets gunned down one of the members of Agbekoya. The crisis was so much that every-

body was running helter-skelter to avoid being caught in the fire,” he recounted.

Other sources informed that some members of staff of a public secondary school in the area, Elekuro High School, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the shooting was so heavy that some policemen had to rush into their compound for cover.

They added that “some police officers ran into our school premises and removed their uniforms, changing into mufti to avoid being identified by the Agbekoya men. Some of us also took refuge under tables and in stores, covering ourselves with any object we deemed fit.”

It was also learnt that when the Agbekoya men ran away from the place, their black

vehicle was left behind.

Within about an hour that the turbulence lasted, more policemen and men of the Operation Burst were drafted to the area to maintain peace. An Armoured Personnel Carrier was equally stationed in front of the police station with other police vehicles. Armed policemen and soldiers were positioned at different locations within the community watching to forestall reprisal from the the men.

The Police Public Relations Officers (PPRO), Superintendent of Police, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the development.

According to him, “some suspected robbers, later identified as Agbekoya militants in three vehicles attacked policemen on ‘stop and search’ duty at Ogbere

and attempted to snatch a rifle from the police, but were repelled. The hoodlums fled only to regroup and launched a deadly attack on the Ogbere Police Station, advancing to the armoury, shooting their way in. The police again repelled their attack and in the process, one of the hoodlums was fatally injured.

“Two suspects were arrested. The injured suspect later died on the way to the hospital.”

THE new acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Chukwunedum Martins Abraham has stressed the importance of training and retraining of officers and soldiers to help them tackle the challenges of terrorism, economic sabotage and insurgency in Nigeria.

Brigadier-General Abraham also enjoined the officers and soldiers in his Division to brace up on the challenges ahead in the pursuit of the vision of the Chief of Army Staff.

The new GOC made the statements at the Division headquarters, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, Oyo State, while taking over from the erstwhile GOC in a brief ceremony on Tuesday.

Abraham, who was the Director, Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency, Abuja, took over from Major-General Kasimu Abdulkarim, who had been redeployed to the newly established 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port

Trial of farmer accused of impregnating teenage daughter begins Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos A 53-year-old farmer, Yesiru Onajobi, who had sexual relationship with his teenage daughter will be rearraigned

before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

He allegedly started having sex with his daughter after the death of his wife.

It was also alleged that the accused intimidated

Traditional ruler’s son, brothers to die by hanging for murder Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos SON of a traditional ruler in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos State, Ibrahim Omilade was on Tuesday sentenced to death by hanging by an Ikeja High Court for murder.

Also sentenced to death by hanging for the same crime were two brothers, Shola and Kayode Oni. Justice Kudirat Jose pronounced death sentence on the three young men after she found them guilty of the conspiracy and murder of one Suleiman Afolabi during a fight on Christmas Day in 2012, at Eyin Ogun Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos

State.

Suleiman was hacked to death with a machete.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Jose said: “I pronounce the defendants guilty in respect of the charge of murder and conspiracy and sentence them to death by hanging by the neck until their death.”

She, however, cautioned youths to learn from the ordeal that befell the convicts, noting that young ones should be careful of attacking people to settle scores.

Trouble began for the trio on December 25, 2012 during a fight at the deceased’s house, where they were invited by a neighbour to celebrate the

Harcourt, as the GOC. He said that though the South-West was more peaceful than other parts of Nigeria, “we cannot rest on our oars, as we need to support other Divisions in carrying out the fight against terrorism, militancy and other security issues being faced by the country.

“If we don’t get the soldiers ready, it will be a problem. We want to make sure soldiers are ready to carry out their assigned roles and responsibility; hence the need for training and retraining. We can’t fold our arms and allow the saboteurs to continue. We have a responsibility to this nation and we must carry out the responsibility,” he added.

He also praised his predecessor on his achievements during the period he held sway, promising to build on the successes he attained.

Meanwhile, the erstwhile GOC also promised to tackle the challenges of pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering and kidnapping among others, which are prevalent in the Niger Delta area.

Christmas with him.

According to the trio, while they were celebrating, a young boy came in and informed them that the brother to the deceased, Akeem Afolabi, had threatened to deal with them.

They claimed that they went to inquire the reason for the threat, but while discussing, Akeem ordered them to get away.

He was alleged to have gone inside the house to get a cutlass with which he tried to attack one of them, an attempt, they said one of them tried to block with his hand and got injured.

The convicts further narrated to the court during trial that it was while they were

trying to dodge and plead with the berserk Akeem that Suleiman, a younger brother to the deceased was hit on the waist.

They said they got to know some days later that a doctor had pronounced him dead.

But the judge said their testimony before the court sounded rehearsed and polished, hence she relied on the evidence before the court, which was presented by both the prosecution counsel, Mr Babatunde Owo and Mr Olarewaju Ajanaku, as well as points of law to pass judgment of death for the murder and 12 years for conspiracy counting from the day there were arrested.

and repeatedly had forceful carnal knowledge of his daughter, who eventually became pregnant for him.

Onajobi is being prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) and is standing trial on a two-count charge of having unlawful carnal knowledge of his teenage daughter.

Onajobi, who spoke in Yoruba and pidgin, informed the court on Tuesday that he had no legal representation and would want to stand in his defence.

When count one was read to him, he retorted “I no understand.”

Following this development, the trial judge, Justice Muslim Hassan, then ordered that a Yoruba interpreter be provided for the accused to take his plea on the next adjourned date.

He then fixed December 19 for rearraignment.

34

south-westnews

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Amosun proposes N221.1bn budget for 2017 Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

T

HE Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Tuesday, proposed a budget of N221.129 billion for the 2017 fiscal year before the State House of Assembly.

The appropriation bill is about 10.45 per cent increase from the 2016 budget put at N200.20billion.

Amosun, while presenting the bill at a ceremony attended by the former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; the doyen of Accountancy in Nigeria, Mr Akintola Williams; former military administrators of the state, traditional rulers and other eminent citizens of the state, explained that the recurrent expenditure is N102.82 billion which represents 46.50 per cent and capital expenditure put at N118.30 billion representing 53.50 per cent.

He said that the overall budget performance of the 2016 budget was 56.2 per cent as at 31st October.

The budget tagged ‘Budget of Repositioning’, according to the governor, would be driven solely by the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accrued to the coffers of the state.

He noted that the state, despite the economic challenges, had navigated the trying economic times with relative success far above other states in the country.

In the proposed budget, education, which is the key cardinal programme of the administration, would gulp N47 billion which represents 21.28 per cent; rural and infrastructural development/ employment generation N44.2 billion, representing 19.99 per cent; housing and urban renewal N28.5 billion which represents 12.92 per cent; health N15.1 billion, representing 6.83 per cent and agricultural production, N11.6 billion, representing 5.25 per cent.

The governor explained that the budget is expected to be funded with the IGR at N114.34 billion representing 51.71 per cent and federal allocation, N41 bil-

Women’s Guild calls for prayers on economy

By Tolu Olamiriki

THE leadership of the Women’s Guild, Ibadan Diocese (Anglican Communion), at the weekend, urged Nigerians to continue to pray for God’s intervention on the country’s economy.

The leadership of the guild said this through its president and wife of the bishop of the diocese, Mrs Comfort Akinfenwa, during the 2016 annual conference, tagged: ‘Aanu to n sogo lori idajo’, at the Anglican Church of the Messiah, New Bodija, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

She said that the topic was apt and suitable, bearing in mind the current situation in the country, adding that the nation as well as individual homes needed the mercy of God to develop.

“If we look at the nation today, we will observe that there is the need to give glory to God. We shall not leave to beg for survival. God will revive the nation like what He did in Samaria in those days,” she said.

Akinfenwa, however, urged members of the guild to be good ambassadors of Christ.

She added the need for them to seek the face of God through fervent prayers and fasting, humility, love for others, obedience and assisting the poor.

The wife of the bishop, however, said that God would pass through Nigeria and revamp its economy.

Earlier, the chairman on the occasion, Adebola Adebamiro, had urged parents to give solid education to their children.

Oyo APTAN educates members at forum

By Saheed Salawu

THE Artisans, Peasants and Traders Association of Nigeria (APTAN), Oyo State, organised its inaugural forum last weekend in Ibadan where it enlightened members on their legal obligations and fundamental rights.

The state chairman of the association, Comrade Abdul Lateef Are, in his address at the forum tagged “APTAN Day”, said the aim of the association was to revolutionise trade unionism in Nigeria and strengthen the capability and welfare of members.

Are, who urged members to place premium on competence and job perfection, asked them not to compromise moral values in order to gain the trust of their customers.

A guest lecturer at the event, Mr Abdul Rasheed Attah, appealed to members of the association to familiarise themselves with the country’s constitution in order to know their civic responsibilities and protect their rights as a union and as individuals.

lion which represents 18.54 per cent.

He said, “We are convinced that what we have been able to achieve in the past five and a half years will soon pale into insignificance when compared

RAFATU

I, formerly Rafatu Olaniran now KASALI RAFA RHODA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria and general public take note.

AYOOLA

I, formerly Ayoola Titilayo Noheemot now OLAWALE AYOOLA TITILAYO NOHEEMOT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

to what is yet to come. We will leave no one in doubt about our genuine intention to work for the development of our dear state.

I strongly believe that God willing, with determination and our collective effort, we

OSUOLALE

I, formerly Mr. Osuolale Tajudeen Makinde now OSUOLALE TAJUDEEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SHOLA

I, formerly Shola Adesanmi Edward now OWOEYE ADESANMI EDWARDS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

shall succeed in the desire to sustain the growth of our dear state.”

The Speaker, Honourable Suraju Adekunbi, said that the legislature would intensify effort towards the passage of the bill.

SULAIMON

Nigerian Tribune SALAMI

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Salami Nureni Olanrewaju am the same person as Lanre Salaam.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as SALAMI NURENI OLANREWAJU. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

LASISI

I, formerly Lasisi Samson Olutunde now MOSES SAMSON OLUTUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AZEEZ

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, formerly Sulaimon Arowodujoye Bamidele now AROWODUYE SULAIMON BAMIDELE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Azeez Basiru Ademola now LASISI BASIRU ADEMOLA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Awe Olusegun V. now AWELEWA OLUSEGUN VICTOR. All former documents remain valid. GTB and general public take note.

I, formerly Ajirotutu Mojisola Comfort now SAMUEL MOJISOLA COMFORT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AWE

ABIOLA

AJIROTUTU

SALAU

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, formerly Abiola Adisa Mustapha now ADISA MUSTAPHA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank, SUBEB and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, formerly Salau Yekini Adebare now SALAU YEKEEN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank, SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adejide Janet Oriola now MRS. MESILEYA JANET ORIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

EHORECON and general public take note.

I, formerly Fabiyi Oluwakemi Victoria now AYOOLA OLUWAKEMI VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEJIDE

MONSURAT

I, formerly Miss Monsurat Lateef now MRS. MONSURAT TIAMIYU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PRECIOUS

I, formerly Miss Precious I. Nnam now MRS EGBO JAMES PRECIOUS IFEOMA. All documents bearing former name remains valid. General public take note.

ADENIYI

I, formerly Miss Adeniyi Oluwabunmi Oluwakemi now MRS. AKALA O L U W A B U N M I OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

FABIYI

JIMOH

I, formerly Jimoh Ismail Ademola now IDOWU ISMAIL ADEMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

YUSUF

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Yusuf Maroof Oyebanji my name on some of my documents were wrongly stated as YUSUFF MAROOF OYEBAMJI. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as YUSUF MAROOF OYEBANJI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

AJIBADE

I, formerly Miss Ajibade Aminat Opeyemi now MRS. AKINDELE OPEYEMI AMINAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

35 classifieds OPEYEMI

I, formerly Miss Opeyemi Kehinde Aliu now MRS OPEYEMI KEHINDE ABOLADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

SALAM

I, formerly Salam Bilikis now ADEBAYO BILIKIS. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank, GTBank and general public take note.

AKANBI

I, formerly Miss Akanbi Yetunde Ayoade now MRS AJIBADE YETUNDE AYOADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OYELAKIN

I, formerly Oyelakin Damilare Joseph now SAMSON DARE JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public take note

ODEBIYI

I, formerly Miss Odebiyi Raliat Motunrayo now MRS IBRAHEEM RALIAT MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OJO

I, formerly Miss Ojo Olufolake Grace now MRS POPOOLA OLUFOLAKE GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLASUNKANMI

I, formerly Mr Olasunkanmi Moses Omotayo now MR OLASUNKANMI MUSA OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

ADEDOYIN

WALTER

I, formerly Walter Obiora Anichebe now WALTER ONYEBUCHI ANICHEBE. My correct date of birth is 11/06/69 and not 03/03/67 as was wrongly written in some of my documents.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Jemine Leme now BIEYE HENRY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyedele Kunbi Esther now MRS ADEYEMI KUNBI ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CORRECTION OF NAME/ DATE OF BIRTH: I, BRAMOR BLESSING EBIKABOERE, my name was wrongly written as Bramor Blessing Ebika and my date of birth as 19/01/1987 instead of 19/01/1988. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Abe Ifedolapo Mercy now MRS. OGUNGBEMI IFEDOLAPO MERCY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Omotayo Aboja now MARY ABOOJA KOLADE. My date of birth is April 3rd, 1961 instead of April 3rd 1950. All former documents remain valid.

Fidelity Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Omirinde Babatope John now OMIRINDE EZEKIEL BABATOPE. All former documents remain valid. All Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Rahma Oluwatosin Daramola now MRS. AKOREDE RAHMA OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid .General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Adesina Omolara Adedunyi am the same person as Adedunyi Omolara Agbeke and Adedunyi Omolara.

Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADESINA OMOLARA ADEDUNYI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank, First Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly lmmuetiyosa hope aghamiegbe now ETIOSA ETIOLA OLAMIDE OLABUMOYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OYEDELE

OMOTAYO

ADESINA

ADETORO

I, formerly Miss Adetoro Adenike Mary now MRS OLADELE ADENIKE MARY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

SADIKU

I, formerly Miss Sadiku Nusirat Tanwa now MRS AOGO SARAH TANWA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, VCN and General public take note.

ABOLARINWA

BRAMOR

OMIRINDE

IMMUETIYOSA

ADEGBITE

I, formerly Miss Adegbite Halimat Omotola now MRS. OLLA HALIMAT OMOTOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AKANDE

I, formerly Akande Musilimu Akanfe now AKANDE MUSILIMU KABIRU AKANFE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

MOHAMMED

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Abolarinwa Wasiu Babatunde am the same person as Abolarinwa Babatunde. Henceforth, l want to be known and addressed as Abolarinwa Wasiu Babatunde. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Mohammed Iyabode Bolajoko now MISS FASETIRE IYABODE BOLAJOKO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Lawal Suliyat Abiodun now MRS O L A G U N J U - L AWA L ZULAYKHO ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Usman Muraina Ogunlade now MURAINA ALADE UTHMAN. All former documents remain valid. Management of Skye Bank Plc., Ila Orangun Branch and general public take note.

I, formerly Ashiru Gafaru Adebola now ADEBAYO ADEBOLA JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adamo Sefiyat Adekemi now MRS. FATAI SEFIYAT ADEKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adewuyi Ruth Folasade now MRS OLANIYAN RUTH FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aderemi Naimot Adenike now MRS SARAFADEEN NAIMOT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LAWAL

ADAMO

AYANSINA

I, formerly Miss Ayansina Kafayat now MRS AYANSINAAROGUNDADE KAFAYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLUMIDE

I, formerly Mrs Olumide Omowumi Ruth now MRS OYEBAMIJI OMOWUMI EMIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

HILARY

I, formerly Hilary Ahamefula Njoku now HILARY NJOKU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADISA

I, formerly Adisa Tajudeen Abioye now ABIDOYE TAJUDEEN ADISA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

KOLAWOLE

I, formerly Kolawole Morufu Ishola now KOLAWOLE MORUFU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

JEMINE

I, formerly Miss Adedoyin Adebola Bukola now MRS OYETUNJI ADEBOLA BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State and general public take note.

USMAN

ADEWUYI

ADEDEJI

ADEBAYO

ADEREMI

OLAYIWOLA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Adedeji Waliya Asake am the same person as ADEDEJI WALIYAT. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADEDEJI WALIYA ASAKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olayiwola Fatima Olaide now MRS BELLO FATIMA OLAIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr Ibraheem Saheed Ayofe now MR OYENIYI TAIWO SAHEED. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and general public take note

I, formerly Miss Ismail Marufat now MRS. ADEGBIJI MARUFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Abdullahi Musa now ABDULLAHI MUSA ADAMU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Atinuke Mary Ahmed now MRS. ATINUKE MARY ALUKO. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

IBRAHEEM

ABDULLAHI

SALAUDEEN

I, formerly Salaudeen Afusat Omowumi now TIAMIYU AFUSAT OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANI

I, formerly Ani Hyscent Nwachinemere now ANI CHARLES NWACHINEMERE. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc, Ecobank Plc., authorities concerned and general public take note.

ISMAIL

ATINUKE

ISIAKA

I, formerly Isiaka Saheed Ishola now ISIAKA SAHEED ALAO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

JIMOH

I, formerly Jimoh Abdulrasaq Adigun now DJIMA SITTOU ABDREZAK. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABE

EYENGHO

I, formerly Eyengho Adanoritsewo now EYENGHO ADA EDDY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

KOMOLAFE

ONOYIBO

I, formerly Onoyibo Ovie Urhomeyoma now ONOYIBO ASIVWENETA OVIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FAPOHUNDA

CHANGE OF MIDDLE NAME: I, formerly komolafe Olalekan A. now KOMOLAFE OLALEKAN ADELOWO. All former documents remain valid. All Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Fapohunda Kehinde Ruth now OBAFEMI KEHINDE RUTH. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Onasile Morenike Bukonla now BOLATIWA MORENIKE BUKONLA. All former documents remain valid. Remo North local Government Authority, Isara and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Abdul-Malik Abdul-Rasaq, my name was mistakenly written as Abdrasaki Abdmalik. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ABDUL-MALIK ABDUL-RASAQ. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GT Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ibitoye Mutiat Oluwakemi now MRS. BABATUNDE MUTIAT OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeagbo Sadiat Omodasola and Adeagbo Heleemat Moronkeji now MRS. ADELABU SADIAT OMODASOLA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria, NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajisefini Aminat Bolaji now MRS. ADEGBITE AMINAT BOLAJI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ashaolu Temitope Stella now MRS. OLADEJO TEMITOPE STELLA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Rasaq Aminat Kofoworola now MRS. SALAWU AMINAT KOFOWOROLA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Balogun Simbiat Omotoyosi now MRS. KAJOGBOLA SIMBIAT OMOTOYOSI. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH: I, Osita Abuchi Awusiobi, my name was erroneously written as Awusioi Ifeanyi Abuchi instead of Osita Abuchi Awusiobi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OSITA ABUCHI AWUSIOBI. My correct date of birth is 20/4/1978 and not 24/7/1978.All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Oladeji Nimotalai Adenike am the same person bearing Mrs. Yusuf Adenike and Miss N.A. Oladeji.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLADEJI NIMOTALAI ADENIKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olanisebe Funmilola Janet now MRS. IYIOLA FUNMILOLA JANET. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

RAHMA

IBITOYE

ASHAOLU

OSITA

AYO

ONASILE

ADEAGBO

RASAQ

OLADEJI

ADESETENIKAN

ABDUL-MALIK

AJISEFINI

BALOGUN

OLANISEBE

BABATUNDE

I, formerly Ayo Folorunsho Ajibuwa now AYO FOLORUNSHO FRANCIS. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank, United Bank for Africa, First Bank and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Adesetenikan Bamijoko, my name was mistakenly written as Adeokan Bamijoko instead of Adesetenikan Bamijoko. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADESETENIKAN BAMIJOKO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc., Unity Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Ayinla Aderonke Mariam now BALOGUN ADERONKE MARY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajala Comfort now MRS. ADEDOKUN COMFORT ABEKE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Local Government Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajani Oyemomilara Comfort now MRS. AJANI OYEMOMILARA COMFORT. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Local Government Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Raimi Ibraheem now RAHEEM IBRAHIM OLUBORI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Khalid Mariam Asake now MRS KHALID ALAKA MARIAM ASAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

AYINLA

OLAWOYE

I, formerly Miss Olawoye Lucia Motunrayo now MRS OLABODE LUCIA MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

RASAQ

I, formerly Rasaq Jamiyu Adeleke now JAMIU ADELEKE RASAKI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

WAHAB

CORRECTION OF NAME: That my name was variously written in all my credentials as Wahab Abdul Rasaq,Wahab Rasaki, Abdul Rasak A.wahab. Wahab Abdul Rasaq. Wahab Abdul Rasaq. Abdul Rasaq Wahab and Abdulwahab abdulrasaq Adeniyi. I remain MR WAHAB ABDUL RASAQ. First Bank Plc.,Oyo SUBEB and the general public take note.

ADEBISI

I, formerly Mrs. Adebisi Maria Gboyelade now MRS. ADEBISI MARIA GBELADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ARINGBERE

I, formerly Aringbere Oluwafunke now BABALOLA OLUWAFUNKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABDUL

I, formerly Abdul or Abd Lateef Mutahir Ajagbe now LATEEF MUTAHIR AJAGBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AJALA

RAIMI

DAUDA

I, formerly Dauda Akani Adebisi now DAUDA AKANI MUSTAPHA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

YUSUFF

CORRECTION OF NAME: That my name was wrongly written as Yusuf Saliu Adediran. I remain YUSUFF SALIU ADEDIRAN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., INEC and general public take note.

OMODEMI

I, formerly Omodemi Wasiu Aderemi now OGUNDIJO ABDULWASIU AYINLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LAWAL

I, formerly Lawal Usman Shaggy now BALA USMAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FATAI

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Fatai Moses Raifu, my name was wrongly registered as Fatai Raifu, Fatai instead of Fatai Moses Raifu. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as FATAI MOSES RAIFU and my correct date of birth is 03/06/1980. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Babatunde Oluwadamilola Elizabeth now BABATUNDE DAMILOLA ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AJANI

KHALID

YUSUF

I, formerly Miss Yusuf Zainab Abisola now MRS. AZEEZ ZAINAB ABISOLA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

RAHEEM

I, formerly Miss Raheem Fatima Bisola now MRS. MEMUD FATIMAH BISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ARIYO

I, formerly Ariyo Rasaq Olatunbosun now ONIWINDE RASAQ OLATUNBOSUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EVBUOMWAN

I, Evbuomwan Osaretin Paul wish to be known and addressed as EVBUOMWAN OSARETIN OMORODION PAUL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEBAYO

I, formerly Adebayo Mujidat Bolanle now SALAAM MUJIDAT BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

36 classifieds LATEEF

I, formerly Lateef Saheed Dayo now SAHEED W. OGUNS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OGUNJI

I, formerly Ogunji Taiwo Oluwatosin now BELLO TAIWO OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

YUSSUF

I, formerly Miss Yussuf Surajat Abiola now MRS. YUSUF-ADELEKE SIROJAH ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

GLORIA

I, formerly Gloria Rosevelt Ekpolo now GLORIA OLUBISI OYEDEPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ABOKEDE

I, formerly Miss Abokede Adeola now MRS. ADEKANBI MONSURAT ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLANIYAN

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016 ADELEYE

I, formerly Adeleye Margaret now MRS. ADELEGAN MARGARET. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OYETUNDE

I, formerly Oyetunde Pascal Aliu now OYETUNDE IYANDA ALIU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADIGUN

I, formerly Adigun Olugbemiga James now ADIGUN GBENGA JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LAWAL

I, formerly Lawal Adewale Ademola now MUHAMMEDHAWAL ADEWALE ABDUL RASHEED. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

HAMMED

I, Hammed Najeem formerly known and addressed as Najeem Hammed now wish to be known and addressed as HAMMED NAJEEM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLASILOLA

OWADARA

I, formerly Miss Owadara Morenike Comfort now MRS ADIGUN MORENIKE COMFORT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AYODELE-ADEGOKE

I, formerly Ayodele-Adegoke Florence Adesola now AYODELE FLORENCE ADE. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

ABDURRASHID

ADEYEMO

I, formerly Miss Adeyemo Adetayo Adeoti now MRS BABARINDE ADETAYO ADEOTI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

MUSA I, formerly Musa Ayisat Joy now ESEIGBE AYISAT JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ALADE

I, formerly Azeez Rafiu Ogunrin now AZEEZ RAFIU YADAFI. That my correct date of birth is 23/10/1975. All former docments remain valid. Union Bank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria and general public take note.

I, formerly Olaniyan Lateef Adeola now AKINYOLA LATEEFATU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Ikemefuna Fidelis now FIDELIS URAMU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ibrahim Omirinde now OMIRINDE ADEDAPO IBRAHIM and my correct date of birth is March 5, 1992.. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLANIYAN

OLATUNJI

I, formerly Miss Olatunji Ifedolapo Opeyemi now MRS ADEYEYE IFEDOLAPO OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHIKA I, formerly Miss Chika Charity Dimonyeka now MRS CHIKA CHARITY ANOLIEFO All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADEKUNLE

IKEMEFUNA

SALIU

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Saliu Akeem Oluwasegun mistakenly written my name as Saliu Kenneth Shegun with wrong date of birth 5/5/1992. Now, I am SALIU AKEEM OLUWASEGUN born on 13/5/1996.

All documents bearing these names remain valid. Union Bank and general public take note.

BABADELE

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Lumpkin Emmanuel Adebowale am the same person bearing Adebowale Lumpkin. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as LUMPKIN EMMANUEL ADEBOWALE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeleke Olubunmi Omotayo now MRS. ADETUNJI OLUBUNMI OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adekunle Eunice Adenike now MRS OLABOYE EUNICE ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Taiwo Sakirat Adeola now ADEKUNLE SHAKIRAT ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oni Ibukun Remilekun now MRS. ADELEYE IBUKUN REMILEKUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Ooda Cornelius Ikechukwu am the same person bearing Ooda Cornelius. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OODA CORNELIUS IKECHUKWU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinloye Dasola Sakirat now MRS BETIKU DASOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Isola Olubukola Zaynab now MRS BRAIMOH OLUBUKOLA ZAYNAB. All former documents remain valid.

University College Hospital, Ibadan and general public take note.

I, formerly Ijaduola Aramide Tawakalit now MRS. ADEBISI FOLASHADE TAWAKALIT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Fowowe Ruth Olufunmilola am the same person bearing Oladipo Ruth Olufunmilola.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as FOWOWE RUTH OLUFUNMILOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Makinde Moriamo Adewumi now MRS ADEWUYI MORIAMO ADEWUMI. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Adebayo Esther Oluwabunmi now MISS ADEBISI ESTHER OLUWABUNMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Sola Ojebode now OLUWANISOLA NURUDEEN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ONI

IJADUOLA

BALOGUN

I, formerly Miss Balogun Taiwo Olamide now MRS. MEDUPIN TAIWO OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABIMBOLA

OODA

FOWOWE

ADEBAYO

BAMIGBADE

AKINLOYE

MAKINDE

SOLA

OLAPADE

I, formerly Mrs. Abimbola Elizerbeth Adegboyega now MRS. ADEGBOYEGA ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public take note.

I, formerly Bamigbade Bukola Rita now OMOLEYE BUKOLA RITA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, hereby declared that my correct names is OLAPADE SAMAD OLAYODE and not Olapade Mahmud Ayoola. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as OLAPADE SAMAD OLAYODE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Omolara Motunrayo Ajala now MRS. OMOLARA MOTUNRAYO OSUNKIYESI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Lawal Ganiyu now GANIYU AKANNI LAWAL. All former documents remain valid. General public and authorities concerned take note.

LAWAL

ADANIJO I, formerly Adanijo Dorcas Iyabo now OSIKOYA DORCAS IYABO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OSARO

OMOLARA

ADAMA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Adama Desmond Emmanuel Ejike am the same person bearing Adama Desmond Ejike. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADAMA DESMOND EMMANUEL EJIKE. My correct date of birth is 30/3/1973 and not 27/3/1973. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

ALABI

I, formerly Miss Alabi Elizabeth Adebola now MRS EGBEYEMI ELIZABETH ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

EMERUEM

I, formerly known Miss Emeruem Lauretta Chioma now MRS AMADI LAURETTA CHIOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ABDULRAHEEM

I, formerly Miss AbdulRaheem Jelilat Bisola now MRS SAHEED JELILAT BISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AZEEZ

I, formerly Alade Funmilayo Adeola now ALADE OLUFUNMILAYO PHOEBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ARRANGEMENT OF NAME: I, hereby declared that my correct arrangement of my names is Olasilola Adejoke Rebecca and not Adejoke Rebecca Olasilola. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLASILOLA ADEJOKE REBECCA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

ADELEKE

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Mrs Adegbola Oluwanike Olubisi am the same person bearing Miss Olurinde Oluwanike Olubisi and Idowu Olunike Olubisi. Henceforth, I wish to be known as MRS ADEGBOLA OLUWANIKE OLUBISI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Abdurrashid Adejuwon Asana now ABDURRASHID JIBRIN ASANA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olaniyan Olubunmi Olawunmi now MRS. AJUWON OLUBUNMI OLAWUNMI. All former documents remain valid.

Sterling Bank, First Bank Plc., GTBank and general public take note.

LUMPKIN

FEMI I, formerly Femi Alabi now SONEKAN ADEBAYO JACOB. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADEGBOLA

I, formerly Miss Babadele Omolola Gift now MRS INUFIN OMOLOLA GIFT. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

TAIWO

ISOLA

DAODU

I, formerly Miss Daodu Modupe Oluwatoyin now MRS MODUPE OLUWATOYIN AJAYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANN I, formerly Ann Chinyere Ogugua now ANN CHINYERE OKWUOHA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

TAIWO

I, formerly Taiwo Asanat now OJO TAIWO ASANAT. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank and general public take note.

SONUBI

ADENIYI I, formerly Adeniyi Modupe Ajoke now ADESINA MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

OGUNTONA

I, formerly Miss Oguntona Julianah Bolanle now MRS SIYANBOLA JULIANAH BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

OYELAMI

I, formerly Miss Oyelami Oyebisi Folaranmi now MRS ABDULQADIR OYEBISI FOLARANMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ODETUNJI

I, formerly Miss Odetunji Funmike Ronke now MRS DARE FUNMIKE RONKE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

AKINADE

I, formerly Miss Akinade Titilade Muibat now MRS WILLIAMS TITILADE MUIBAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

BALOGUN

I, formerly Balogun Oluwaseyi Newton now BALOGUN WASIU OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BABATUNDE

I, formerly Sonubi Titilayo Tooro now ATURU TEMITOPE BEATRICE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Babatunde Mutaleeb Idowu now OLUWAJOBA BABATUNDE IDOWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adepoju Mayowa Folasade now MRS OYELERE MAYOWA FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Adekunle Asimiyu Alade am the same person bearing Imuran Adekunle Asimiyu. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MURANA ASIMIYU ADEKUNLE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Wema Bank and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Joshua Moses Oluwadamilare am the same person as Joshua Oluwadamilare and Joshua Moses Omotokunbo Oluwadamilare. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as JOSHUA MOSES OLUWADAMILARE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Afusat Kehinde Ajani am the same person as Afusat Azeez. Now, I wish to be known as AKIN-BELLO KEHINDE AFUSAT. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank, Diamond Bank and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Asande Bilikisu Adeoye am the same person bearing Adeoye Bilikisu Omoriyeba. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as ASANDE BILIKISU ADEOYE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

OYEDEJI

APATA I, formerly Apata Oluwabukunmi Titilope now APATA TITILOPE CHRISTIANA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AFOLABI I, formerly Miss Afolabi Yetunde Odunola now MRS ADEGOKE YETUNDE ODUNOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

BANKOLE

ADEPOJU

AFUSAT

I, formerly Miss Oyedeji Opeyemi Atinuke now MRS ADEYANJU OPEYEMI ATINUKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

NAPOLEON

I, formerly Napoleon Micheal Rotimi now OMOTOYE MICHEAL ROTIMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BELLO

I, formerly Osaro Ozubu Patrick now GODSWILL OZUBU EBHOHON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bello Billy Omowumi now MRS OLAOYE BILLY OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and general public take note.

I, formerly Bisiriyu Muibat Yetunde now DASAOLU MUIBAT YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Akinlabi Janet Aduke am the same person bearing Janet Olanipekun and Janet Funmilayo Akinlabi.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AKINLABI JANET ADUKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

BISIRIYU

IBRAHIM

IGE

I, formerly Miss Ige Oluwatosin Abimbola now MRS OYEBAMIJI OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank, FCMB and general public take note.

AKINLABI

ADEKUNLE

ASANDE

I, formerly Bankole Oluwakemi now BANKOLE RACHAEL OLUWAKEMI. All other documents bearing both names remain valid. GTBank Plc, Bodija Branch and general public take note.

BEYIOKU I, formerly Miss Beyioku Grace now MRS ADEYEMI GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

The Nigeria Police and general public take note.

JOSHUA

MURAINA

CORRECTION OF NAME: I, hereby declared that my correct names is Muraina Aderemi Usman and not Murino Aderemi Usman. Now, I wish to be known as MURAINA ADEREMI USMAN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

OLUWAFUNMILOLA

I, formerly Miss Oluwafunmilola Oluwatoyin Akinbode now MRS OLUWAFUNMILOLA OLUWATOYIN DAIRO. All former documents remain valid.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

RAJI I, formerly Raji Alimot now ADESOKAN SULIYAT ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LUKMAN CONFIRMATION OF NAME: I, Lukman Oduola am the same person bearing Lukman Ishola. Henceforth, I wish to be known as LUKMAN ODUOLA . All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

OLUWATOYIN

I, formerly Oluwatoyin Olanrewaju Ajibewa now MRS OLUWATOYIN OLANREWAJU ALUKO-AJIBEWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

37

news

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Protesters clash in Benin over N300m homes for ex-gov, dep

P

RO-GOVERNMENT and antigovernment protesters clashed in Benin on Tuesday, over an alleged plan of the Edo government to build N300 million retirement homes for former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the pro-government group and members of some civil society organisations (CSOs) fought at the Ring Road in Benin, when the latter marched through the streets over the amendment of the law for the pension of the governor.

Edo State House of Assembly, last week, amended the 2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law to include the provision of a building valued N200 million for a former governor and N100

million for his deputy.

Dr Justin Okunobor, the Speaker of the assembly, had said the new provision was justified as there was an existing law on pension benefits for former governors and deputies.

NAN stated that the civil society groups had claimed that the amendment would ensure the provision of a N200 million house for Oshiomhole, and another N100 million house for his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu.

The anti-government protesters, under the aegis of Edo Civil Society Organisations, had converged on the museum ground in Benin as early 8:a.m, and marched toward the Anthony Enahoro House of Assembly Complex, to announce their rejection of the new pension benefits.

The civil society groups were confronted by those who supported the amendment and

prevented them from gaining access to the major entrance of the building.

The challenge resulted in the CSO members running away, while security operatives who had taken position at strategic positions around the assembly premises watched.

Some protesters sustained injuries during the fight which lasted about an hour, while some vehicles and public address systems used by the CSOs were vandalised.

As a result of the fight, passersby scampered to safety.

The spokesperson for the civil society groups, Osazee Edigin, claimed that his members were attacked by thugs allegedly sponsored by the government.

“They mobilsed thugs to attack us and we are trying to revive a guy who fainted, the thugs have taken over Ring Road,’’Edigin said.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to Edo Governor, Mr John Mayaki, said the state government recognised the rights and freedom of citizens to express their opinion on public issues and would not do any-

Court declines making order on frozen $15.5m linked to Patience Jonathan JUSTICE Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court Lagos, on Tuesday, refused to restrain a brother judge from taking steps regarding the frozen $15.5 million dollars allegedly belonging to Patience Jonathan.

Idris declined an application by counsel to the former first lady, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe, who sought an order to restrain Justice Babs Kuewumi from taking further steps on the frozen sum.

From left, special guest of honour, Mr Femi Babalola; Provost, College of Medicine, Professor Oluwabunmi Olopade-Olaopa; guest speaker, Professor Toyin Arowolo and Professor Oyedunni Arulogun, during the conference on Environmental Health Science - Ibadan 2016, by the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, held at Ibadan Supreme Management Training Centre, Bodija, Ibadan, on Monday. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

Environmental experts meet on pollution control, call for joint action ENVIRONMENTAL experts on Monday converged on Supreme Management Training Centre, Ibadan to brainstorm on pollution control in the country and ways of sustaining the control through modern technologies, calling for concerted efforts from government, industries and individuals to fight a variety of pollution negatively affecting Nigerian society.

The experts variously spoke at the 4th Annual Conference on Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) and 5th Anniversary of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, with the theme: “Pollution Control and Sustainable Technologies”.

In his address, the Special Guest of Honour, Mr Femi Babalola, said to have a sus-

tainable pollution control, there was the need for stakeholders to look at the financial end of the exercise.

Citing refuse disposal and water systems which, he said, were not working well as there were still heaps of

refuse all over the environments, Mr Babalola said sustainability of pollution control became difficult without financial commitment.

Delivering his address on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka,

the Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Oluwabunmi Olopade-Olaopa, said the theme of the conference was important because of the sensitive nature of the environment which affected all and sundry.

My father’s shoe too big for me —Gov Audu’s son Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

ONE year after the death of the first civilian governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, his first son, Mohammed on Tuesday, said the shoes left by his father were too big for him to step into.

He also dispelled the rumour doing the rounds that there was a crack in the political family left behind by Audu, saying those that believed in the former governor were still

intact.

Mohammed, who spoke during the remembrance prayer for his father, at his country home in Ogonicha, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, said it had been difficult managing the members of the political family after the demise of his father.

He, however, said he was learning the rope faster, adding that he would continue to sustain the values and ideals for which his

thing to infringe on their freedom.

Mayaki said there was no iota of truth in the claim of the CSOs as government would not in any way attempt to gag the people’s freedom.

father was known.

Speaking on the perceived crack in the political family of his father, he said, “I don’t necessarily think so because I believe that a crack can come from people who do not believe in him but if you believe in him there won’t be any crack and I have not seen any crack.”

The junior Audu said one thing important for him was to ensure that the structure left behind by his father is intact.

Adedipe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), had urged the court to stop Kuewumi from making any forfeiture orders, regarding the said sum, which was frozen by the EFCC, until the determination of an interlocutory application on the subject.

It will be recalled that Jonathan had instituted a fundamental rights suit against the EFCC, claiming the sum of 200 million dollars as damages for inconveniences suffered.

In her suit, she had joined the EFCC, Skye Bank Plc, and a former aide to expresident Goodluck Jonathan, Warampo Dudafa as respondents.

Also joined in the suit, according to the NAN, are four companies namely: Pluto Property Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd. Representatives of the four companies, which the EFCC claimed were used by Dudafa to launder the said money, had all pleaded guilty to the offences.

The said 15.5 million dollars, is the same sum which the former president’s wife claimed belongs to her as sole signatory to the accounts of the companies.

When the case was called on Tuesday, Justice Idris acknowledged a letter from counsel representing Skye Bank, Mr Lanre Ogunlesi, stating that he was indisposed and could not attend the court.

The judge added that since Ogunlesi has requested for a new date to enable him appear in court, the hearing of the application on notice cannot proceed.

Meanwhile, before the court could adjourn the case, Adedipe had urged the judge to direct the EFCC not to tamper with the subject matter of the case, pending the hearing of the interlocutory application.

In response, counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that the accounts which housed the money had been frozen.

The case has been adjourned till December 7 for hearing of the main application.

Nigerian Tribune

A’Ibom gov tasks FG on infrastructure development THE Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has called on the Federal Government to speed up the development of infrastructure that would facilitate the distribution of electricity in the country.

Governor Emmanuel made the call when the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, called on him at the Government House, Uyo. He pointed out that the Ibom Independent Power Plant has generated enough power, saying it is awaiting evacuation by the distribution companies.

Governor Emmanuel expressed delight at the assurances by the Honourable Minister that the Federal Government was working out modalities for reimbursement of funds expended on federal assets, saying his administration would use the funds judiciously in the development of infrastructures.

The Governor particularly lauded the Minister’s commitment to ensuring that the various electricity sub-stations are not only completed but energised.

Assembly orders DG to vacate office ChukwumaOkparaocha-Lagos THE Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Hakeem Olaogun Dickson, has been ordered to stop occupying the office until he is cleared by the State House of Assembly.

This was sequel to the observation of the chairman of the House Committee on Special Duties and InterGovernmental Affairs, Honourable Akeem Shokunle.

Shokunle had informed the House that Dickson was occupying the office without the approval from the House of Assembly against the law, which established the commission and the normal practice, adding that it is a wrong step that should be urgently addressed by the House.

This was supported by Honourable Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, who said people were watching what was happening, saying whoever would occupy such an office ought to be cleared by the House.

Also commenting on the matter, the Chief Whip of the House, Honourable Rotimi Abiru, and Honourable Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, emphasised that the Governor of the state, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, should be directed to ask the DirectorGeneral to report to the Assembly for proper screening.

38 news Senate summons Kachikwu over $95bn oil deals with China, India Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

T

HE Senate, on Tuesday, summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to shed more light on the $80 billion oil deal with the Chinese government and another $15 billion memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India.

The Senate, which adopted a motion in respect of the oil deals on Tuesday, said it had become imperative to examine the MoU entered into by the Nigerian government on one hand and the Chinese and the Indian governments on the other hand.

The development is sequel to the adoption of a motion, entitled: “The need for a detailed explanation of the $15 billion proposed investment with Indian government and over $80 billion MoU signed by the Minister of State for Petroleum with Chinese firms,” sponsored

by Senator Clifford Odia.

According to the Senate, the minister must come up

with detailed explanation on the MoU he made Nigeria to enter into with China and India.

The minister is expected to appear before the committee on Petroleum Upstream, Gas and Foreign Affairs and

brief them on the details of the more than $80 billion MoU he signed with Chinese firms.

Senator Ordia told the Senate that the minister negotiated a $15 billion investment deal with India where

the government would make an upfront payment to Nigeria for crude oil purchase.

He also said that the two countries had agreed to sign an MoU to facilitate investments by India in the Nige-

rian oil and gas sector and specifically in areas such as refining, oil and gas marketing, upstream ventures, development of gas infrastructure and the training of oil and gas personnel in the country.

From left, Esaie Diei, Head, Mobile Money Financial Business of Globacom; Joe Obogo, Principal Manager, Banking and Payment Systems Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; and Adebisi Shonubi, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, at the launch of mCash in partnership with Globacom and other telecom companies in Lagos.

NASS moves to save Nigeria’s foreign missions, condemns cases of jungle justice Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

THE Joint Committee on Appropriations in the Senate and the House of Representatives appeared to have arrived at the decision to save the Nigerian Missions abroad from financial misery, following the decision to increase the funds due to them through the virement request.

The joint committee had been reviewing the N180 billion request for virement, made to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to sources at its meetings, the committee concluded on the need to jerk up the request for funds

for the Missions, in view of the discovered financial needs.

“The Joint Appropriation Committees of the National Assembly has decided to come to the rescue of the nation’s embassies across the world by ensuring that they have sufficient funds to operate successfully and give quality representation to Nigeria’s interest,” said a source at some of the meetings.

The source said that one of the decisions taken at the joint meeting of the committees during the review of the virement request was the need to increase N14.6 billion provided for the Missions in the 2016 budget.

It was gathered that the

FG, Dangote sign N11.5bn contract for concrete road project DANGOTE Group, on Tuesday, said it had signed Government for the construction of a 42.5 kilometre ObajanaKabba Road in Kogi.

In a statement by the Regional spokesman of the conglomerate, Jibrin Abubakar, in Abuja, which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), work would commence in full on the project after signing the document in Abuja.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Magaji Gusau, signed on behalf of the Federal Government, while the Adviser to the President of the Dangote Group, Mr Joseph Makoju, signed on behalf of the group.

Makoju said the exercise

was a milestone in the history of Nigeria.

The rigid pavement is to be built by the AG Dangote Construction Company. The project will cost the group N11.5 billion, but the job was awarded to the group on tax concession basis at N5.24 billion.

The difference of N6.2 billion is part of the corporate social responsibility of the Dangote Group.

Managing Director of the AG Dangote, Mr Ashif Juma, said the contract duration was 24 months, adding that the group had set a target for its completion at 16 months.

It will be recalled that Dangote Group commissioned the 26 kilometre Itori-Ibese concrete road in Ogun in June.

lawmakers believed that the embassies should be well funded so that they could hold their own against other foreign missions in their country of assignments.

“Now that we are trying to attract investors and build investors’ confidence in our economy, our embassies must be put in a pole position to coordinate the efforts aimed at reviving our economy,” another source said.

It was further gathered that the lawmakers were also planning to introduce some clauses in the appropriation law, to ensure that funds approved were promptly released to the particular agencies.

Meanwhile, the Senate, on Tuesday, asked the Nigeria Police to immediately investigate reports of a attack on a child in Lagos State, following what it called alarming cases of jungle justice in the country.

The Senators asked the Police to fish out perpetrators of the Lagos attack if it was confirmed to be true.

The development was as a result of the adoption of a motion by Senator Gbenga Ashafa, in which he expressed dismay at “the rising cases of jungle justice by mobs that have arrogated to themselves the power to condemn others to death and execute judgment without recourse to the law courts in different parts of Nigeria.”

Ashafa said the case of a young man recently lynched in Orile area of Lagos State for alleged stealing was horrifying, regrettable, adding that such barbaric acts

should not go unpunished.

The Lagos Senator also recalled the massive destruction of four boys in Aluu community in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in 2012 and similar cases in Ondo, Benin, Uyo, as well as the recent gruesome murder of 74-year old Mrs Bridget Agbahime by an angry mob in Kano.

He said the indifference shown towards the killing of Agbahime by Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice was disheartening adding that mob actions violated Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution, which he said, guaranteed the right to life.

The motion was supported by Senators Ali Ndume, Mao Ohuabunwa and Shehu Sani.

The Senate thereafter asked its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to urgently accelerate the passage of Anti-Jungle Justice Bill that

is before it, while also tasking the Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami and the Attorneys General of the states, as well as the Police “to show greater sense of duty in the diligent apprehension and prosecution of this kind of offenders.”

In another motion moved

by Senator Fatai Buhari, the Senate called on the Federal Government to urgently begins the immediate repair of three bridges which haD almost collapsed along OyoOgbomoso-Ilorin and Igbeti-Ilorin federal highways.

While moving the motion, Senator Buhari said the bridges were no longer passable, explaining that Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin highway was the “only available road for the commuters moving between Northern Nigeria and South-Western Nigeria since the dual carriage way of Oyo-Ogbomoso.”

The senator further said the minister also carried out a road-show in China, where he said an MoU worth $80 billion was signed.

He said that the agreement entered into with the Chinese, which is expected to last five years, was to ensure investments in oil and gas, pipelines, refineries, power, facility refurbishment and upstream financing spanning.

Senator Odia listed the Chinese firms involved in the MoU to include China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO Group), China Cinda Asset Management Company Limited (CINDA), China National Offshore Oil Corporation, China Petroleum, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation/Addax Petroleum and International Chamber of Commerce/China National Development and Reform Commission.

He observed that outside the MoUs for $80 billion investment, the two largest oil companies in China, Sinopec and CNOOC, signed investment MoUs with the minister, committing the companies to further investments in the country’s upstream oil sub-sector to the tune of $20 billion.

Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume, in his contribution, asked whether the minister had the power to endorse any MoU involving billions of dollars without the participation and endorsement of the National Assembly or not.

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, however, explained that what the minister did was “a mere intention that has not matured.”

He noted that when the deal matures, the National Assembly would be brought into the deal.

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who rounded off the discussions, thanked the lawmakers who moved the notion for drawing attention of the Senate to the MoU. He said the essence of the motion was to ensure transparency in a matter that involved future investment in the oil and gas sector of the country.

Why we are sacking teachers —Private school proprietors Clement Idoko -Abuja

PROPRIETORS of private schools in Nigeria, on Tuesday, disclosed that most schools across the have been constrained to reduce the number of their staff as a result of the current recession in the country.

The proprietors, under the auspices of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), said a large percentage of parents had been unable to pay school fees of their children.

President of NAPPS, Dr Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko,

spoke in Abuja while briefing newsmen, as part of activities marking its 10th Education Conference, scheduled for today, to review the performance of private schools and the efforts to enthrone international best practices in the country.

Adukwu-Bolujoko, however, advised all the estimated over one million members of NAPPS nationwide not to increase school fees because of the recession.

Justifying the sack of some teachers by the proprietors, she said the cost of running the schools were enor-

mous, including the burden of multiple taxation by the government.

She stressed that there would be job losses because globally, recession comes with job losses.

She also called on the Federal Government to establish Education Bank like the Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture, to support private school owners.

Adukwu-Bolujoko, speaking further, said most private schools in Nigeria could only access bank loans with higher interest rates, ranging from 25 to 30 per cent.

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Dalung, Ajimobi for Oyo SWAN Sports summit

lmc proposes Dec 18 for league take-off The League Management Company (LMC) has now proposed a new kick-off date of December 18 for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

“Our target now is to start December 18 and end July 9, while our Super 4 will be between December 5 and 11,” disclosed LMC chairman Shehu Dikko.

“We also plan to start the 2018 season by the end of August 2017.

“All the clubs already have the schedule and planning.

“We want to align our calendar to Europe’s by the end of the 2017 season, which would be hugely beneficial for us both in terms of organization, planning and even finances.

“This will get our clubs going in CAF competitions as they will play at least 13 to 15 games before the start of CAF competitions in February 2017.”

This past season ended on October 2.

B

Ibe wants to play for Nigeria

ournemouth winger Jordon Ibe is ready to turn his back on England by pledging international allegiance to Nigeria.

Former Liverpool ace Ibe initially snubbed pleas to play for the Super Eagles but is now ready to make a U-turn.

A source close to the Ni-

geria Football Federation said: “Jordon is willing to listen to what we have to offer.

“We are hoping he finds the project enticing enough to dump England where he is a youth international and play for Nigeria at senior level.”

Ibe has played for England at all levels from under-18s

and has four under-21 caps.

The Cherries star was reportedly the victim of a £25,000 robbery earlier this month.

The ex-Liverpool winger was understood to have been hit by a vehicle containing four men, who threatened Ibe with a knife before taking off with his watch on November 6.

The Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalung and the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi are expected at the maiden Oyo SWAN Sports Summit scheduled to hold on November 30 at the Wallan Hall 2, D ’Rovans Hotel, Ibadan.

Othe r s expected at the summit aimed at repositioning the state of sports in the state are the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Gbenga Adeyemi, the Oyo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Barrister Yomi Oke, the chairman, House Committee on Sports, Honourable Niyi Adesina, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, among others.

According to the chairman, Sports Committee of Oyo SWAN, Mr Samson Akindele, the News Editor of Fresh FM, Mr Gboyega Makinde, the acting General Manager, Oyo State Sports Council will talk on sports in the state, while Mr Steve Akadiri, a renowned insurance and sports marketing guru will talk on sports marketing and its benefit to the growth and development of sports in thestate.

This summit, Akindele said will not only help in reshaping sports in the state, but will put Oyo State on the international map.

Owolabi wants school sports in Ogbomoso revived The visionary of SAYO (Sports And Youth Orientation) Initiative, Sayo Owolabi has advocated the return of the glorious era of school sports in Ogbomoso and Oyo State at large.

He stated this at the justconcluded Sayo Owolabi Table Tennis Tournament which his initiative organised for secondary schools in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. He recalled how inter house sports competitions and inter school football, relay and other sports competitions used to be the order of the day in the 80s and 90s but have in recent times suffered a dearth.

The lawyer-cumsportspreneur further stated that discovery of sporting talents at a young age will not only be a tool for youth engagement but

also a means of establishing and empowering those who are to pursue a career in sports which is now a multibillion dollar industry worldwide.

The Sayo Owolabi Table Tennis tournament, a two-day affair featured 16 students with eight each in the junior and senior categories and at the end of the of the final day all

the students were awarded one-year full scholarship and also got academic support gift packs as they were admonished to study well and still keep doing sports.

Owolabi also made a presentation of table tennis equipment to the host school, Ogbomoso High School, prior to the grand finale which had the principals of Ogbomoso High

School, Mr. Ladipo and Ogbomoso Baptist High School, Revd. Dada in attendance, alongside other officials of the schools.

Sports And Youth Orientation (SAYO) Initiative was conceived to discover, develop and deploy talents in sports, academics and the creative industry in Ogbomoso and beyond, for global exploits.

Visionary S.A.Y.O. Initiative, Barrister Sayo Owolabi (fourth right), flanked by the principal of Ogbomoso Baptist High School, Reverend Dada (third right) and the principal of Ogbomoso High School, Mr Ladipo (middle), alongside other officials at the just concluded SAYO Owolabi Table Tennis tournament in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Meanwhile, chairman, Oyo SWAN, Mr Niyi Alebiosu, assuring of a well organised event, says the summit will involve all major stakeholders in the state like coaches, association secretaries, athletes, former footballers, 3SC management, Crown FC management, supporters and corporate bodies.

“This is to bring everyone together, to X-ray the problems facing sports and find solutions to them with the sole aim of presenting a communique which will be presented to the appropriate quarters,” the SWAN chairman said.

fct Principals Cup enters semi final stage Government Secondary School Tudunwada Wuse Zone 4 will today lock horns with Government Secondary School, Yebu, in the second semifinal of the ongoing 2016 FCT Principals Cup competition.

To qualify for the stage, the boys from GSS Tudunwada defeated their counterparts from GSS Kwali by two goals to nil, while GSS Yebu in Abaji Local Government Area outscored the Government Secondary School Tungamaje in Gwagwalada Area Council by the same goal margin.

The first match of the day will be between the Government Secondary School, Mpape, against the defending champions, FOSLA Academy. GSS Mpape had an easy sail to the semi-final as their opponents in the quarter-finals Government Day Secondary School Wuse 2 did not turn up.

On the other hand, FOSLA Academy whitewashed their opponents, Government Secondary School, Lugbe, by six goals to nil.

The Mpape boys will surely have enough to chew as they try to curtail the FOSLA boys who have so far scored 18 goals conceeding only one, with their striker Firday Ali scoring 10 goals.

All the matches will be played at the Old Parade Ground Area 10, Garki, starting from 1.00pm.

The final of the 2016 FCT Principals Cup holds on Wednesday, 30 November.

SIDELINES no 16,639

n150

Wednesday, 23 NOVEMber, 2016

Abdulmumin Jibrin described the acquisition of N3.6bn exotic cars for lawmakers as wasteful. As the one who chaired the House’s Committee on Appropriation, he deserves to be heard on issues of propriety. Politics is interesting: While Jubril may insist his outburst is a genuine national concern, his traducing house mates will conclude that he is miffed by the politics of exclusion.

GLO-CAF award list

Mikel, Musa, Iheanacho dropped

By Wale Emosu

Y

ET again, the winner of the 2016 GLO-CAF African Footballer of the Year award will not be a Nigerian following the pruning of the initial list of 30 players.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday released the list of five players from the original 30 and none of the three Nigerians in the 30-player list – Kelechi Iheanacho, Ahmed Musa and John Obi Mikel made the cut, deflati n g the hope of a Nigerian bei n g crowned the best footballer on the continent in the outgoing year.

Former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, is the last Nigerian player to win the diadem.

Kanu’s emergence in 1999 was his second after he was named the winner in 1996, on the back of his sterling contributions to Nigeria’s gold medal effort at that year’s Olympics football event in Atlanta, USA. Left to contest for the 2016 title are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is the current holder of the title. The Gabonese plays club football for Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga; Senegal and Liverpool player, Sadio Mane and Egyptian Mohamed Salah, who currently features for AS Roma of Italy. The two others, incidentally from Algeria are Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani both of whom play for Leicester City in the English Premiership.

Nigeria have also lost out in the race for the award for the African Footballer of the Year (Based in Africa) with the exclusion of Mfon Udoh and Chisom Chikatara from the fiveplayer shortlist also released on Tuesday.

Ndidi (right) on duty for Genk.

AWCON RESULT Cameroon 1 South Africa 0

Genk reject Leicester offer for Ndidi

By Olawale Olaniyan ENGLISH Premiership champions, Leicester City, have been asked to make an improved offer in order to land Nigerian youngster,

Adekuoroye, Adeniyi make Golden Grand Prix

By Ganiyu Salman Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 All Africa Games gold medallists, Odunayo Adekuoroye and Aminat Adeniyi are the only wrestlers who will represent Nigeria at the 2016 United World Wrestling Golden Grand Prix scheduled to kick off tomorrow in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The duo were scheduled to travel out on Tuesday night for the global championship alongside Purity Aku, the coach.

President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (MWF), Daniel Igali, who disclosed this to Tribunesport by phone on Tuesday, said the two wrestlers however, sponsored themselves to

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES Arsenal Ludogorets Besiktas Napoli B’M’gladbach Celtic FC Rostov Atlético Madrid

vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs

Paris Saint Germain FC Basel Benfica Dynamo Kiev Manchester City Barcelona Bayern Munich PSV Eindhoven

the competition as well as Akuh.

He stated that the remaining two wrestlers, Blessing Oborududu and Amas Daniel, who are also qualified for the Golden Grand Prix could not make the trip due to unavailablity of funds.

“They spoke with me a few hours ago that they were able to source for money to buy tickets and they will be travelling tonight [Tuesday].

They bought return tickets for N530,000. Coach Purity is also making the trip. It is pathetic,” Igali, a former international wrestler said.

He disclosed that despite the development, the other Nigerians who didn’t make the trip to Azerbaijan will have to pay fines in line with the regulations of the Golden Grand Prix.

Wilfred Ndidi.

On Monday, Leicester City offered Genk £16million for Ndidi’s services but the Belgian side said it would only commence negotiation with £20million on the table.

The story in Belgium is that Genk are not likely to keep the midfielder following impressive spells in continental and international matches this season.

Ndidi is being eyed

by Claudio Ranieri as a suitable replacement for Ngolo Kante who left the team this season to join Chelsea.

Kante’s exit is believed to have adversely affected Leicester badly this term with Ghana’s George Armantey unable to slot in to Kante’s big shoes. Armantey, a wingback was drafted into an unfamiliar midfield position as Kante’s direct replacement, Nam-

palys Mendy, acquired in a £13m deal last summer has failed to recover from an ankle injury.

Already, Ndidi’s compatriot, Ahmed Musa is on the bill of Leicester.

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. 23/11/2016.

Nigerian Tribune

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Ronaldo has spoil James t —

Fa stino Aspriu lla

By DIPO OGUNSOLA ) 08116954641 ogunsolaoladipupo@yahoo.com

I regret not playing under Guardiola —Pirlo

It's a surprise

Chelsea overlooked Moses —Conte

Falcons, Black Queens reignite rivalry

TYSON'S REIGN OF TERROR I can't be Sir Andy yet —Murray

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Nigerian Tribune

I may still mess up, I’m not ripe as ‘Sir Andy’ —Murray

T

ENNIS world number one Andy Murray has said he is “too young” for a knighthood.

The 29-year-old, who beat Novak Djokovic in the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday, has been tipped to be named in the New Year honours list.

However, the Wimbledon champion and successive Olympic gold winner said he could “still mess up” and “make mistakes” in his career.

Murray was previously honoured with an OBE after winning the US Open in 2012.

In order to receive an honour, the names of nominees must be put forward by members of the public or government departments before being considered by a selection committee.

Their assessments are then passed to the Queen through the prime minister, who then informally approves the honours.

Murray became tennis world number one at the beginning of November after a year which saw him reach 12 finals in 13 events

and achieve an impressive 24 wins in a row.

Among those calling for him to be recognised are businessman and TV personality Lord Sugar, while former prime minister David Cameron said back in 2013 that he could not think of anyone “more deserving” than Murray of a knighthood.

Speaking about the possibility, Andy Murray said: “Obviously it is the highest honour you can get

Murray in this country. I don’t know, I feel too young for something like that.

“I don’t think about that stuff much, really. When I win any award or am presented with anything it is nice because it is recognition for what you have given

Ibra becomes Swedish god THE statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be erected in Stockholm, the Swedish FA (SvFF) have announced.

The monument, which will be built outside the Friends Arena in Sweden’s capital city, comes as the giant striker won the Golden Ball award for the country’s best male player for the tenth year in a row.

The 36-year-old Manchester United forward played 114 games and scored 62 goals for Sweden before retiring afterEuro 2016.

His national team highlights included a spectacular four-goal salvo in 2012 against England in the first game at the stadium where he will now be immortalised.

Ibrahimovic

It’s a surprise Chelsea under-estimated Moses —Conte ANTONIO Conte has questioned how Victor Moses was overlooked at Chelsea for so long after seeing him develop into a key member of his table-topping side.

Moses spent the three previous seasons on loan at Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham after moving to Stamford Bridge from Wigan in the summer of 2012.

It was thought the 25-year-old would seek a permanent transfer last summer, but he has shone in Chelsea’s 3-4-3 formation, making the right wing-back position his own.

Jose Mourinho deemed Moses not good enough for the first team during his second spell in west London, but Conte insists he spotted the former Crystal Palace winger’s ability almost immediately.

“I could see his potential from the first days of the summer training camp,” Conte said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Moses has important qualities: technique, physical strength, the ability to cover 70 metres of the pitch.

“I find it incredible that someone like him has been underestimated.”

Moses has started each of Chelsea’s last six Premier League games, helping his side win each

your life to, up to now anyway.

“I am still young and there are still a lot of things that can go wrong, I could still mess up and make mistakes. Do stuff wrong. I am just trying to keep doing what I am doing, working hard, and achieving stuff.”

of them without conceding a goal to move top of the table.

Conte has also praised the impact of Pedro during his side’s recent good run, and lauded the contributions of top scorer Diego Costa and October’s Premier League player of the month, Eden Hazard.

“Pedro? He has qualities of absolute excellence. He’s perfect for the

3-4-3,” Conte added.

“As for Diego Costa, he is one of the best strikers in the world. For us it’s not just important that he’s a goalscorer, but that he works for the team.

“Eden Hazard? Eden’s talent is beyond question, he’s a world class player and a great lad. He has a surprising maturity for his age.’

Ibrahimovic has now won the Golden Ball a record 11 times since its inception in 1946 no other player has won the award more than twice - and his contribution to the game will be honoured with the 2.7 metre statue.

Accepting the award, Ibrahimovic said: ‘It feels unreal.

Many are thinking “Why him?” and so on, but after all the hard work over 15 years in the national team and 20 years in my club career, it feels like it’s being appreciated.

‘You usually get this after you die, but I still feel alive. When I die, this statue will live on forever.’

At the ceremony Ibrahimovic also received a specially recorded video message from David Beckham to congratulate him on his achievements.

Beckham, who was a team mate of Ibrahimovic’s for six months at PSG, said: “You’re an amazing person, an amazing player of course, but I have also have the pleasure of playing with you.”

Gerrard turns to boxing STEVEN Gerrard is making sure he keeps his fitness levels high after leaving LA Galaxy, by undertaking a boxing based workout in his native Liverpool.

The Reds legend is back on Merseyside after publicly announcing his time on America’s West coast is officially over.

Gerrard is yet to confirm what his next venture will involve, but the central midfielder has clearly prioritised keeping in shape as he got stuck into a boxing based ‘Rip and Ride’ workout session in 30 degree heat.

The 36-year-old took to social media platform Instagram to post a picture of his energetic endeavours after throwing himself into the action.

Captioning the image, Gerrard wrote: ‘Great double session @ hotfitgym this morning. Back to back Rip and Ride sessions in 30 degree heat’.

The Liverpool icon was all smiles and showed, despite his aging years, his fitness levels still remain primed.

The midfielder has so far remained tight-lipped regarding what his next move in football will be.

Though that in turn has served to send the rumour mill into overdrive, with Gerrard being linked with new ventures on a daily basis.

This week a link was made between Gerrard and the FA, who are believed to wish to speak to the former Liverpool man regarding a potential coaching role as the England national side enters a new era.

Moses (right) Gerrard

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Nigeria Professional Football League WITH OLAWALE OLANIYAN 08170772333

Rivers Utd can win treble next season —Ovoke

Amoo (right) addressing players at the screening. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

3SC screening was a success —Amoo

R

ETURNEE technical adviser of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Fatai Amoo has said the open screening they concluded last week was a success as they discovered no fewer than 25 players who can be groomed to hit stardom in no time.

Speaking with Tribunesport at the team’s training ground on Tuesday, the for-

mer Sunshine Stars coach said the Oluyole Warriors are ready to go into close camping to prepare well for the upcoming 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Amoo, who is handling 3SC for the third time, stated that some of the players discovered will be drafted to the 3SC Team B which will play in the amateur league.

He revealed that the man-

agement of 3SC may go for known names to beef up the team if funds are available.

“At the first phase of screening on Saturday, we selected five outstanding players from about 200 players who showed up and on Monday, some new players came in and we now have 22 players in all and we want to start here.

“For me, we have resumed our normal training this

‘We won’t disappoint Maikaba’ AKWA United striker, Ubong Friday has said his teammates will rally round the new head coach, Abdul Maikaba to achieve successes with the top-flight side.

Maikaba tinkered Wikki Tourists in the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Friday said the side are enjoying new treatment as well as a refreshingly different style of training under the new manager.

“Everything is working out perfectly well under the new head coach, Abdul Maikaba.

“I believe everybody is enjoying his new style of doing things as he tries to carry everyone along.

“I’m certain he will bring out the best in each of us which will go a long way to make our task easy in the upcoming topflight.

“We have vowed to make him proud by rallying round him and to ensure he achieves landmark suc-

cesses during his tenure.

“We are happy to have him as our coach and together we will certainly win titles in the upcoming football season,” Friday told supersport.com.

The Promise Keepers have been engaged in

rigorous pre-season programmes for the past weeks and will shortly head for neighbouring town, Calabar for closed camping.

The dethroned Cup holders finished the last season in the 14th position with 47 points.

morning [Tuesday] and 16 members of last season’s squad trained with us. We are not looking back.

“As I said, the open screening gave us an opportunity to pick from a wide range of players and I believe this idea by the management is a good one.

“Very soon we will go into close camping and design programmes that would put the players in good shape towards having a successful season.

“We have a mind of recruiting established players but our financial status will determine that. If we check very well that we can afford the cost, I am sure the management will not hesitate to endorse the move to sign ‘known players’. We want

to compete with other teams favourably and at the same time, we are mindful of the financial situation this club is grappling with,” Amoo, a member of the Dream Team’s technical crew which won bronze for Nigeria at the Rio 2016 Olympics said.

Meanwhile, Seun Akinyemi, Sylvanus Ebiaku, Moses James, Henry Uche, Charles Tambe, Olabisi Samuel, Ebitimi Agogo and Mohammed Afolabi are among the old players still with the Oluyole Warriors ahead of next season.

Gombe United will survive NPFL heat —Manu Garba GOMBE United coach, and youthful players will enManu Garba has said he be- sure his team stay up in the lieves a mix of experienced Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Gombe are back in the topflight after they won promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) this past season.

2016 was a disappointing “We hope to bring both season for us because we experienced and youthful did compete well but we lost players together in order to concentration at the crucial have a team who can survive stage of the season where the heat of the NPFL,” said we needed to pull through,” former Nigeria U20 coach Ali told Goal.

Manu.

“However, lessons have “We are moving into camp been learnt and antidote has immediately because of the been offered. time frame. I would have “An experienced coach in started earlier but due to Kadiri Ikhana is in charge my assignment with the naand a couple of signings tional team, which kept me have been done. The team away.” is looking good and preManu was officially unseason activities is going in veiled as the new head coach fine.” of Gombe United after the Kano Pillars finished sevformal signing of contract enth on the NPFL 2015/16 terms. season table.

Pillars have learnt lessons —Rabiu Ali

Ali

DESPITE their disappointing season, Kano Pillars midfielder, Rabiu Ali, is confident that his team can deliver a silverware come next season.

Ali optimistic that Kano Pillars can do a clean sweep of available trophies next season.

The four-time Nigerian champions had a disappointing season in 2016 but the midfielder believes the Masu Gida have the capacity to lift the two trophies available next season.

“Last season is gone and we learnt a whole lot.

Though I won’t admit that

BERNARD Ovoke has set his sights extremely high with Rivers United ahead of the commencement of the 2016/17 season.

The winger who finished as top scorer of the club last season wants an encore and says there is no reason Rivers United should not target winning three titles in the upcoming season.

Ovoke says going one better in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and having a decent crack at the Federation Cup and CAF Champions League is among priorities he is looking to achieve with the Port Harcourt club in 2017.

“First, I want to thank God for making it possible for me to have a successful 2016 season and by his special grace, I hope to do more in the upcoming campaign.

“This season, we are looking at winning three titles; the League, Federation Cup and the CAF Champions League.

“It will not be easy because there are a lot of strong teams in those competitions but the objectives of this football club is always based on hard work and discipline which we believe will see us achieve success,” he told the club’s official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

him.

“He now has the same gestures as Ronaldo when he doesn’t get the ball. Ronaldo makes gestures at everyone when he doesn’t get the ball, and James is doing the same with Colombia.”

Asprilla picked out one scenario when the former FC Porto man threw his arms up in frustration after not receiving a pass from teammate Eder Alvarez Balanta.

“Near the start of the game he gave out to Balanta because he didn’t pass him the ball,” Asprilla said.

NEW York City FC midfielder Andrea Pirlo says he rues missing the opportunity to have played under Pep Guardiola, during the Manchester City manager’s time at Barcelona.

Pirlo emerged as a target for Guardiola’s side back in 2010, but AC Milan would not allow the now 37-year-old to make the move to the Nou Camp.

And Pirlo says he was tempted to make the move when he became aware of Barcelona’s interest.

“How did I feel when he wanted to sign me?

How could you not want to go there?” he told Marca Plus.

“We were facing the best team in the world [in a preseason friendly at the Camp Nou] and he told me he wanted me in the team. He met me in his office after the game, we spoke for a long time.”

If the former Italian international had made the move to Spain he would have worked alongside who he regards as the best manager in football.

“Pep as a coach? He’s No. 1, without a doubt,” he added.

“Look at what he did with Barcelona and also Bayern Munich. Above all, he’s a person I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, I admire and respect. We speak quite often now,” .

I regret not playing under Guardiola —Pirlo

Isco

REAL Madrid midfielder Isco has credited manager Zinedine Zidane’s change of formation for his exceptional performance in Los Blancos’ 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.

The 24-year-old Spanish international flourished behind Cristiano Ronaldo in a 4-42 formation at the Vicente Calderon.

Following the match he told reporters: “I feel more comfortable there, but that is not an excuse (for other games).

“I always try and do the best I can.

“I am happy with my work and the team’s work. Winning 0-3 here is difficult and it is something to be proud of.

“We got back to defend very well, and it was a very complete game.”

Isco comfortable with Zidane’s methods

Mourinho

•West Ham hope defender Reece Oxford, 20, will finally sign a new five-year deal within the next 10 days - after interest from Manchester United and Manchester City.

(Sun) Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton are eyeing a move for 16-year-old South American striker Gustavo Viera. (Sun) Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri is considering dropping 25-year-old winger Riyad Mahrez to help the reigning PFA Player of the Year rediscover his best form.(Telegraph) Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has not ruled out former Blues midfielder Frank

Coutinho

English Premiership Team P GD Pts 1 Chelsea 12 18 28 2 Liverpool 12 16 27 3 Manchester City 12 16 27 4 Arsenal 12 13 25

Serie A Team P GD Pts 1 Juventus 13 19 33 2 Roma 13 16 26 3 Milan 13 4 26 4 Lazio 13 12 25 Bundesliga Team P GD Pts 1 RB Leipzig 11 14 27 2 FC Bayern München 11 17 24 3 Borussia Dortmund 11 14 21 4 1. FC Köln 11 10 21 French League 1 Team P GD Pts 1 Nice 13 16 32 2 Monaco 13 24 29 3 Paris Saint-Germain 13 19 29 4 Lyon 13 5 22 La LIga 1 Real Madrid 12 24 30 2 Barcelona 12 19 26 3 Sevilla 12 5 24 4 Villarreal 12 11 22

EUROPE’S TOP 4

Diego Costa Chelsea 7 Romelu Lukaku Everton 6 Michail Antonio West Ham United 5 Sergio Aguero Manchester City 5 Theo Walcott Arsenal 5 Spainish La Liga Lionel Messi Barcelona 7 Luis Suarez Barcelona 7 Antoine Griezmann Atlético de Madrid 6 Aritz Zubeldia Athletic Club 5 Gerard Balaguero Espanyol 4 German Bundesliga Anthony Modeste 1. FC Köln 8 Pierre Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund 7 Vedad Ibisevic Hertha BSC 6 Javier Hernandez Bayer 04 Leverkusen 5 Robert Lewandowski FC Bayern München 5 Italy Serie A Edin Dzeko Roma 7 Carlos Bacca Milan 6 Ciro Immobile Lazio 6 Gonzalo Higuain Juventus 6 Jose Callejon Napoli 6 French Ligue 1 Edinson Cavani Paris Saint-Germain 9 Alexandre Lacazette Lyon 7 Bafetimbi Gomis Marseille 6 Martin Braithwaite Toulouse 6 Mevlut Erdinc Metz 6

English Premiership

TOP SCORERS

FORMER Barcelona midfielder Xavi believes Liverpool’s Philipe Coutinho is one of only a few players who could improve the Catalan giants.

Coutinho has been in fine form this season, and has been linked with a possible move to Spain and Xavi says the Brazillian international could fit into the Barcelona side.

Coutinho is a player I have always thought is special – but under [Liverpool coach Jurgen] Klopp he has gone up another level. On form there are not any better midfield players in Europe,” he told Goal.

“He is playing under one of the most intelligent coaches in Europe. Klopp has a lot of experience at developing world-class players, so it is a good club for him to be at.”

“When you play at the level he is there is always going to be talk, but for now he needs to ignore all that and stay focused, because I think Liverpool have a real chance this season.

“There are not many players that can improve Barcelona, but if you are asking me if he is one of them, on this form, I think he is. Technically he is very good. He would suit Barcelona’s philosophy well.”

Coutinho could improve Barca —Xavi

king diego..gracias amigo.with you,with my family,with other friends,with my players and with utd amazing supporters…monday i will be ready again!!!????”

5

Manager Jose Mourinho is set to hand 35-year-old midfielder Michael Carrick a one-year contract to extend his Manchester United career into a 12th season.

(Daily Express) •Defender Jon Flanagan, 23, has his sights set on regaining a place in Liverpool’s starting XI when he returns from his loan spell at Burnley. (Liverpool Echo)

Lampard, 38, returning to the club in a coaching capacity if the ex-England international decides to quit playing. (Daily Mail)

that was signed in February.

While speculation that Daniel Levy is unwilling to meet the player’s demands of a more than £100,000-aweek could put a roadblock in the negotiations, Kane claims that he will not ask for anything unreasonable to remain in North London.

“I’m happy at the club. A lot of people are going to speculate about contracts but I am happy — you saw me out there today,” he said after Sunday morning’s game.

Transfer rumours

HARRY Kane is confident that he will reach a new deal to remain at Tottenham for a number of years to come.

The 22-year-old hit the net twice in the final minutes of the weekend’s derby against West Ham to earn Spurs a 3-2 win, now having recorded five goals in his last four Premier League outings.

After claiming the 2015-16 Golden Boot and cementing his role in the English national team, Tottenham wanted to improve on his five-and-a-half-year contract

I wish to stay long with Spurs —Kane

Nigeria’s Uche Agbo of Grenada (left) vies with Celta Vigo’s Chilean Forward, Fabian, in last weekend’s La Liga Fixture which ended 1-1

AUSTINO Asprilla has said that Cristiano Ronaldo is a bad influence on James Rodriguez, evoking “ugly gestures” that disrespect his teammates.

Ronaldo and James have played together in the Spanish capital since the latter’s arrival from AS Monaco in 2014, forming a friendship that has become “damaging” to the Colombia international, according to Asprilla.

Speaking after the nation’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Argentina, Asrpilla told reporters: “James is my friend and I love him a lot.

“But I can see that his friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid is damaging

F

—Asprilla

Ronaldo, a negative influence on James

•Harry Kane has urged Tottenham to sort out his contract, with Manchester United among the big clubs monitoring the 23-year-old striker’s situation after talks over a new deal were put on hold last week. (Mirror) •AC Milan will make a move for Jack Wilshere, who is on loan at Bournemouth from Arsenal, in the summer when the 24-year-old midfielder will have one year left on his Gunners contract. (Daily Star) •Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly keeping tabs on Santos midfielder Thiago Maia, 19, but could miss out to Paris St-Germain.(Calciomercato via Daily Express)

Kondogbia

INTER Milan midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia says any questions about his future need to be directed to him, and not his agent.

The comments came after his agent Jonathan Maarek said Inter was simply a stepping stone to some of the world’s biggest clubs.

“During his career he has done nothing but progress since the beginning,” Maarek told France Football.

“His arrival at Inter was another step towards getting to one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“That was the plan and it still is.”

And the 23-year-old says he will be the one to make a decision on his future, not Maarek.

Don’t discuss my future with any agent—Kondogbia

BAYERN MUNICH defender Phillip Lahm says it remains possible he could be set to retire at the end of the current season.

Lahm’s contract is set to expire in 2018 and the former German international says he could be forced into an early retirement if he can no longer meet the demands of professional football.

“Of course, retiring at the end of this season is something you can ponder. I cannot rule that out,” Lahm told Sport Bild.

“I already said nine months ago that I could retire in 2017 and this has not changed.

“The season still has seven months or so to go and a lot can happen in that time. My future does not depend on how many titles we win, it depends on how my body feels, and then I will make a decision on my future.”

Lahm hints at retirement

ARSENAL goalkeeper Petr Cech has publicly stood by striker Olivier Giroud, claiming the striker is still an important cog in the team despite losing his starting place.

Speaking to SFR Sport after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in which Giroud netted a dramatic late equaliser, the 34-year-old highlighted the striker’s importance.

“Sometimes, I think people don’t realise Olivier’s qualities, because he works for the team,” the former Chelsea and Czech Republic international goalkeeper said.

“He’s useful when he starts games, but he’s also useful coming off the bench. He can make the difference.

“He’s a very important player for us. He showed again today that even though he didn’t start the game, he’s ready.”

Arsenal sit fourth on the Premier League standings, three points adrift of leaders Chelsea who won 1-0 away to Middlesbrough on Sunday.

James

MANCHESTER United boss Jose Mourinho revealed that he received a consolatory phone call from Diego Maradona in the aftermath of his side’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Juan Mata’s goal had United primed for a crucial victory, only for Olivier Giroud to equalise for the visitors with Arsenal’s first shot on target in the 89th minute.

The result was heartbreaking for the playing group and manager in particular, who labelled his side as unlucky in recent times.

Mourinho published a photo of the pair together on Instagram from a previous event with the caption: “?????? after a great perfomance but a bad result i had a phone call from

Maradona rang me after Arsenal draw —Mourinho

European Football Giroud can make the difference —Cech

4

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midweek

sports

HIRTY years ago, exactly, Michael Gerard Tyson became the youngest world champion in heavyweight history, a distinction he holds to this day.

This he achieved by reducing a strapping Jamaican giant far larger than himself to quivering jelly.

All the tortured angst of Tyson’s ruinous childhood in a New York crack house, all that venom stored from the abuse inflicted upon him in a juvenile institution, came prowling into the ballroom of the Las Vegas Hilton hotel.

The boxing fraternity had grown increasingly aware of Tyson as he mowed down 25 of his first 27 victims, no fewer than a dozen of them in the mere 10 months leading up to the evening of November 22, 1986, on that neon Strip in the Nevada desert.

Tyson entered the ring in his work clothes, the simple white towelling top with black shorts and black boots which would become his trademark.

Berbick arrived via his victory over Pinklon Thomas at the onset of a tournament contrived by the WBC, WBA and IBF to answer public demand for a unified heavyweight champion.

Tyson’s knockout record had established him as the marginal favourite in the casinos. A late rush of money in the minutes before the first bell tightened the odds still further as Berbick was seen to be avoiding his challenger’s malevolent gaze.

The punters would be rewarded. Promptly.

A hesitant Berbick managed to land one hefty blow early in the first round. But when he saw it had no effect on Tyson he became more overawed.

Not without justification. It was not only the thunderous power but the lightning speed of Tyson which rendered so many opponents impotent.

So quick was the jab and so fast his combination that his co-manager Jim Jacobs remarked: ‘Berbick looks like he’s fighting in slow motion.’

The end came just as rapidly as the punches. A vicious left hook to the temple sent Berbick crashing to the canvas.

Tyson, in his case, was at the not-so-tender age of 20 years, four months, three weeks and two days.

Tyson’s first words to Jacobs: ‘Would Cus have liked that?’

Thus he dedicated his first world title to the memory of the late Cus D’Amato, to whom Tyson was paroled from juvenile detention at the age of 14 and

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

’s n o s y T e ik M w o H reign of terror o g a s r y 0 .3 .. n a g be

who became not only his trainer but also his legal guardian.

D’Amato took the young Tyson

into his sprawling house in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York and told him that de-

spite his comparatively small stature – he never measured close to the 5ft 11 ½ touted in

Nigerian Tribune

the statistics – he could become the heavyweight champion.

His new home also offered a safe haven for Tyson’s pigeons.

He had begun knocking out bigger men when, as a boy, he turned on a gangster, in his crime-ridden Brooklyn neighbourhood, who had ripped the head off one of his beloved birds.

Now, with the felling of Berbick, the legend of Iron Mike was born. Along with it a new, dark, brutally menacing era for prize-fighting as he said: ‘I was out for blood tonight.’

Onward he would storm to wrap up that unification tournament, defeating James Bonecrusher Smith and then Tony Tucker to become the first heavyweight to hold the WBC, WBA and IBF belts.

A one-minute and 31 seconds demolition of Michael Spinks – a petrified testament to Tyson’s aura of psychological intimidation - added the Ring Magazine and lineal title to his collection.

Another unique distinction, still undisputed.

There were mighty troubles ahead. The greatest of all upsets

by Buster Douglas in Tokyo four years later was but the first.

A rape conviction – one of several run-ins with the law – put him behind bars for what should have been three prime years of his fighting life.

And these are by no means the half of his turbulent misadventures.

When he re-joined the society he sometimes frightened, he regained a world title with his second stoppage of our own Frank Bruno. Bu then came the biting of Holyfield’s ear in the second of two back-to-back defeats by the great Evander.

His career petered out into three defeats in his last four fights, peculiarly against men from these isles - Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.

But by then the power and the glory, the speed and the will had faded.

Gone, too, was all the money.

We watched and worried as this innately likeable but bipolar man of considerable but uneducated and therefore unformed intelligence blew $300million.

Iron Mike is now a devoted husband and loving father who earns a reasonable, steady living from the one-man stage show in which he recounts quite brilliantly the story of his triumphs, trials, tribulations and eventual salvation.

Courtesy-The Daily Mail

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

MTN/Kaduna International Polo’2016:

EL-Amin bags 13th Georgian Cup title

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HE 2016 edition of the MTN Kaduna International Polo Tournament came to a pulsating end with high flying EL-Amin walking away with the most prestigious trophy of the tournament - the Georgian Cup. The Abuja based team defeated neighbours, Abuja Guards Rubicon, 10-8 in a tense final game to win the Georgian Cup, the oldest polo trophy in Africa, for the 13th time. The Kaduna-based side also won for themselves the Argentine Ambassador Cup in the competition.

El-Amin’s winning streak came to an end after they suffered a shocking defeat from a selected MTN side in the Sarduana Cup, played in honour of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

The glittering EL-Amin Cup, also a major trophy in the competition, was carted away by Katsina Gobarau, who saw off stiff challenge from 25 other participating teams. They snatched a 7-4 victory against former champions, Bauchi

Kari in the final.

In other games, Kaduna Sublime defeated three other teams to win their first ever Emir of Katsina Cup title while Sadiq Wali’s Terra P&E’s side from Kano finished runners up. Interestingly, it was the Kano team’s first attempt at

the tournament’s second most coveted prize.

Kano Titans, yet another Kano State based team, defeated Amana Insurance from Kaduna in a hotly contested final to win the NCC Cup. It was not all gloom for Kaduna State though as Kaduna In-

surers surged past BSC team from Yola in their final clash, to win the Kere Ahmed Cup. Speaking of the competition, the patron of the El-Almin team, Mohammed Babangida praised his players and also appreciated their fans for their unflinching support.

From left, President, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Mr. Solomon Ogba; Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; Managing Director, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr Sunil Sawhney and the Consultant to Lagos City Marathon, Mr Bukola Olapade, at the press conference to announce the second edition of Lagos City Marathon in Government House Alausa, Ikeja on Sunday.

Salami wins Elizabeth Adesola Akinjide Memorial Golf tournament

By Olawale Olaniyan

A member of Tiger Golf Club (TGC), Tunde Salami has won the eighth Elizabeth Adesola Akinjide Memorial Golf tournament, held at at the Tiger Golf Club, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan.

Salami, with Net score of 69, clinched the title ahead of last year’s winner, Adesina Bello and Godwin Idoko on count back.

Lekan Ogunbameru of Ibadan Golf Club won the Gross with a score of 77 while a member of David Mark Golf and Country Club, Otukpo, J. Igbetua won in the lady

category.

Hannah Obadina emerged victorious in the Gross in the lady category.

“I really trained hard for two competitions—Elizabeth Akinjide Memorial and Tiger Open —but I have succeded in one and my focus is now on the Tiger Open which I

Etisalat U-15 school cup national finals begin in Lagos THE eight teams that qualified for the national finals of the third season of the Etisalat U-15 School Cup have begun their quest for the tournament’s grand prize at the Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi, Lagos State.

The quarter-finalists are Socrates Secondary School, Ilorin; Sultan Bello Secondary School, Sokoto; Niger College, Benin; FOSLA Academy, Abuja; Asegun Comprehensive Secondary School, Ibadan; New Layout Secondary School, Enugu; General Hassan Usman Kastina Unity College, Bauchi and West Itam Secondary School, Itu, Akwa Ibom.

In the opening fixtures billed for Tuesday, Kwara State, represented

by Socrates Secondary School, Ilorin, will lock horns with Niger College, Edo State, while Sultan Bello Secondary School, Sokoto, will square up to FOSLA Academy, FCT. In the remaining fixtures of the day, General Hassan Usman Kastina Unity College, Bauchi, will come up against West Itam Secondary School, Akwa Ibom, while New Layout Secondary School,

Enugu, will face Oyo-based Asegun Comprehensive Secondary School, Ibadan.

According to the Director, Brand and Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Ogiemwanye, “The key objective of the competition in 2016 is to connect and unite football lovers from different parts of the

country using the universal language of football. For us at Etisalat, football goes beyond winning goals; it is all about the friendship and connection it brings. It is also a good platform to teach these students life values such as team work, discipline, tolerance and sportsmanship.”

From left, Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani; Ex-International and former Super Eagles striker, Victor Agali; Secretary, Nigerian School Sports Federation (NSSF), Olabisi Joseph and the Director, Brand and Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Ogiemwanye, at the press conference/ match fixtures draw for Etisalat School U-15 Cup National Finals held in Lagos, on Monday.

hope to win as well.”

The son-in-law to Akinjide, Ibukun Fakeye, said the tournament would be sustained.

“It is in memory of Chief Akinjide’s wife, our mother and it has been on for the past eight years because of the passion daddy has for the game of golf,” he said.

Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Chris Nzekea, in his remarks said: “The tournament has been on a geometric progression commensurated with sponsors’ progressive increase in the sponsorship budget.

“I thank the Akinjide family for their commitment to immortalising this great woman of virtue through this annual event.”

Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General K.I Abdulkarim, who is also the patron of TGC said the annual tournament has continued to increase in terms of glamour and standard.

“I am immensely happy that we have been able to keep the event rolling over the years. It is my belief that the Elizabeth Adesola Akinjide Golf Tournament will last longer in order to fulfil the expectations of the sponsors.

“I’m impressed by the huge turn out and the spirit of sportmanship amongst the participants. It is an indication that the tournament is gaining more ground.

“I commend the organisers of this tournament whose tireless effort and competence have made this occasion a resounding success,” he said.

He said: “Winning the Argentine Cup and Georgian Cups took a lot of hard work and commitment so I want to appreciate my team for making this happen. We also want to say ‘thank you’ to our fans and supporters because they got us to where we are today.”

Also speaking, the Sponsorships & Events Manager, MTN Nigeria, Okundola Bamgboye praised the winners for their sportsmanship and discipline. Bamgboye also congratulated the organizers of the tournament for a successful competition.

“I want to specially appreciate the government, our royal fathers, Kaduna Polo Club, polo enthusiasts and most especially the good people of Kaduna State for their loyalty to the MTN brand and for making this tournament the biggest and the most glamorous polo event in the country,” Bamigboye declared in his closing remarks.

Union Bank shines at national t/tennis tourney By nurudeen alimi THE Union Bank table tennis team, last Friday returned home with five silver and three bronze medals from the 2016 national table tennis championship which was held in Lagos.

Fifteen state teams and 12 club representatives took part in the championship, with over 100 contenders participating in various events in the cadet, junior and senior categories.

Union Bank’s table tennis team, led by coach Samson Ajayi, took the centre stage as the team narrowly lost the gold in many events.

The team’s overall performance was described as outstanding as they finished with 5 silver and 3 bronze medals in the cadet, junior male and female and senior male and female events as well as a silver medal in the national team event.

Eight players (4 male and 4 female) to represent Nigeria at an international tourney were also selected during the championship and Union Bank’s Rilwan Akanbi and Alimot Ayinla are among those selected.

The players are scheduled to depart for South Africa to represent Nigeria in the World Junior Championship to be held from November 28 to December 5.

Speaking with Corporatesport, Union Bank’s sports manager, Peter Okoro, lauded the bank management for its outstanding corporate support in sports adding that the spirit to garner more from this support is envisaged.

midweek

The Super Falcons

By Dipo Ogunsola

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HERE is no bigger spectacle in African football than a Nigeria/Ghana match.

Age group, friendly or competitive, the match-up is more than just the scoreline; the national prestige is at stake.

As far as women football is concerned, Nigeria have gone a bridge far ahead of their rivals but let it be said that it was the Ghanaians, who more than anybody else, threatened Nigeria’s nearly impeccable record at this level.

Since 1991 when Nigeria have been playing at the African level, the country have lost four games, three of which were masterminded by Ghana’s Black Queens.

The summary is that as dominant as the Super Falcons are in Africa, anything can happen when they play against the Black Queens today in Limbe in a second Group B match of the ongoing Africa Women Cup of Nations, (AWCON), in Cameroon.

Nigeria’s coach, Florence Omagbemi was there when on February 16, 1991, the Falcons whipped the Black Queens 5-1 in Lagos as the Ghanaian ladies had their first ever game. It is a story she would gladly recall but it is also obvious to her that the opponents have become emboldened by the fact that they have bridged the gap ever since.

They are the current All Africa Games gold medallists.

With players like Asisat Oshoala (Arsenal Ladies, England), Ngozi Ebere, (PSG,

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Wednesday, 23 November, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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8

The Black Queens

Super Falcons, Black Queens’ rivalry hots up France) and Esther Sunday (Trabzonspor, Turkey), the Nigeria team has a lot of quality to call on.

Ghana, meanwhile are blessed with a younger team with an average age of 23, while the bulk of the team is drawn from the country’s Police and Immigration teams to ensure solidity But for the draw, this is a game organisers would have loved to see at the elimination stage of the competition

WORDS BEFORE WAR

“Ghana are going to be difficult. What we have in front of us does not suggest an easy game. We have been told we have not done enough even after spanking Mali 6-0 in our first game. I am looking forward to this game because every match against Ghana is like a cup final.” —RITA CHIKWELU, Falcons’ captain

Oshoala

CREW: Ganiyu Salman

me, I have nothing to fear at age 39. Anything goes for me in football.” —GRACE ASARE, Black Queens defender “We have one commitment – the ultimate. Notwithstanding, we have to respect every opponent since the best way to beat an opponent is by respecting them.

It won’t be easy but trust Ghana to rise up in the end. Nigeria is always a different ball game. They massacred Mali 6-0 but it doesn’t mean that they will massacre Ghana. Let the day come and we will see what happens.We have learnt from our mistakes of 2014 [where Ghana failed to go past the group stage] and it won’t happen again. We want to write our own piece of history by winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.” —YUSIF BASIGI, Ghana’s head coach

“We won convincingly against Kenya and that is to tell you that we mean business. Nigeria also won very well against Mali but I can’t see them doing that to us. We have studied them well enough and for a player like

“We are here to defend our trophy. We are in the process of finding our feet. We are looking forward to Ghana. Our focus is to defend our trophy and we have just started. I brought the best players at my disposal here and I have told them they need to forget the 6-0 spank-

Omagbemi

Basigi

Niyi Alebiosu Nurudeen Alimi

ing of Mali, no two games are the same.I’m honoured to have played in the competition [1998, 2000, 2002] and now back as coach. It has been a long journey when we started and I can say women’s football in Africa has made great progress. There are a lot of talents but still much to be done.”

—FLORENCE OMAGBEMI, Nigeria’s coach “Anybody can score, I am not here to stop anybody’s ambition but what I want is a win over Nigeria and we have stepped up training. We have to be more alert and see that we do not concede the first goal the way we did against Kenya, we are positive against Nigeria. —PATRICIA BOAKYE, Ghana striker I won’t go out of my way to impress anybody. I think more about the team. I know a lot is expected of me after scoring four against Mali but that is not important now, we have to beat Ghana and relax for the third match.

—ASISAT OSHOALA, Nigera’s striker

Boakye

Olawale Olaniyan

Oluwabunmi Ajayi