26th August, 2016

nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 16,576

FRIDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2016

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Collapse in oil price a blessing —Soludo

n150

•Nigeria saved N1.4trn from oil subsidy —Osinbajo •Unbundle potentials of states for economic growth, Ambode tells FG —P30,31

Without aid, 49,000 children will die this year in North East —UN •Hungry IDPs on the rampage in Maiduguri • Buhari, Alaafin meet on Niger Delta, Boko Haram •Buhari must act now on Niger Delta —Soyinka —P4,6,10 Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, during his visit to Attakwu community, where the killing took place, on Thursday.

Fishermen pulling the body of one of the World Bank contractors from the Egbe dam, Ekiti State, on Thursday.

Again, Fulani herdsmen attack Enugu 4 World Bank contractors community, kill Catholic seminarian drown in Ekiti dam —P6

—P33

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

88 “K-a-a-b-i-y-e-s-i!� to the

Olubadan

His Imperial Majesty,

Oba Saliu Olasupo Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I

Olubadan of Ibadanland

As you celebrate your 88th birthday today in the land of the living, we the people and government of Oyo State join your family, friends and well-wishers to celebrate God's continued grace upon your life.

May your reign be long, peaceful and prosperous... May your days continue to rise and shine under the generous care of the Almighty Allah.

Agba yin a tubo d'ale o...

Happy Eighty-Eighth Birthday, Kaabiyesi!!!

Senator Abiola Ajimobi Governor, Oyo State

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news

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Without aid, 49,000 children will die this year in North East—UN Says 1.4 million children victims of Boko Haram

By Ruth Olurounbi with Agency Report

N

EARLY half a million children around Lake Chad face “severe acute malnutrition,” due to drought and a seven-year insurgency

by Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, in North-Eastern Nigeria, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday, Reuters reports.

Of the 475,000 deemed at risk, 49,000 in Borno State will die this year if they do not receive treatment, according to the United Nations’ agency, which is appealing for $308 million to cope with the crisis.

However, to date, UNICEF said it had only received $41 million, 13 per cent of what it needed to help those affected in the four countries – Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon - that border Lake Chad.

At the start of 2015, Boko Haram occupied an area the size of Belgium, but had since been pushed back over the last 18 months by military as-

saults by the four countries.

Most of its remaining forces are now hiding in the wilds of the vast Sambisa forest, south-east of the Borno pro-

vincial capital, Maiduguri.

UNICEF said as Nigerian government forces captured and secured territory, aid officials were starting to piece

together the scale of the humanitarian disaster left behind in the group’s wake.

“Towns and villages are in ruins and communities have

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, during Oba Adeyemi’s visit to the president, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

Buhari, Alaafin in closed-door meeting over NDA, Boko Haram Leon Usigbe -Abuja

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari met behind closeddoors with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, over the various crises bedeviling the country, including the renewed militancy, spearheaded by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and the lingering Boko Haram insurgency in the NorthEast.

In what looked like a new attempt at consulting with critical stakeholders in the country on the problems of the country, Buhari met with the royal father in his office, after which the Alaafin disclosed that the meeting was over the crises.

He had recently met with former Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Speaking with State House correspondents, the Alaafin said the president requested traditional rulers to provide him their suggestions in writing.

He said: “As a Nigerian and one of the topmost traditional rulers in the country, I sent a memorandum to the president, which he acknowledged and he asked me to come and endorse those things I have written.

“I think it is time for me to use the proper channel to reach the president for suggestions and advice. Where he deserves commendation, I should also do that, especially as it concerns the multi-dimensional problems Nigeria is facing; the Avengers and the bombing of oil installations, MEND and the Boko Haram insurgency in the

North-East.

“One major diplomatic point the president scored recently was the visit of the United States (US) Secretary of State, John Kerry. America does not usually send top officers for such visits if they have not used certain parameters to gauge the country’s performance.

“I have met with the president and offered some suggestions. We are losing huge resources to the activities of

the Niger Delta Avengers.

“Coming close to that is the infiltration of the militants to Lagos and Ikorodu, where in the last three weeks, 10 landlords were massacred.”

Speaking specifically on the infiltration, the royal father noted that the Federal Government responded promptly to deal with the threat, saying normalcy had since returned to Ikorodu and Arepo area.

The Alaafin further stated:

“If they had successfully spread their activities to the South-West, there would have been more destruction; Lagos is the economic heartbeat of the nation.

“The president listened attentively and asked me to pass the information to other traditional rulers in my domain to assist the government by giving advice, because he is a good listener, but that such advice should be put in writing, so that

he can then relate it to the problems affecting Nigeria.”

He pointed out the dangers of allowing people to remain in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps for too long, saying there could be issues of criminality.

“We want all IDPs back home on May 29, 2017. The sooner the camps are closed down, the better. No matter how good the situation is in the camp, there’s no place like home,” he said.

Niger Delta monarchs list 6 conditions to stabilise region MONARCHS of Niger Delta coastal states, on Thursday, gave six conditions for the Federal Government to achieve and sustain the peace in the region, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Chief Williston Okirika, Bolowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, read out the conditions on behalf of the chiefs when they visited the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Thursday.

“We wish to state here that, as a matter of urgency, the Federal Government should appoint or constitute a Federal Government Dialogue Team.

“Release 10 innocent school children arrested by the Nigerian Army on May 28th in Oporoza and others in detention on trumped up charges.

“Return the Golden Sword, being the symbol of authority of the Gbaramato traditional institution,” he said.

Other conditions he said included, return of the three traditional council speed boats in custody of the Nigerian Army.

He added there must be cessation of hostilities perpetrated by the military in the Niger Delta region.

“Equally important, the

Federal Government should make a categorical statement about the opening of the Maritime University- Okerenkoko, Delta, for academic activities in 2016 /2017 session,” he said.

He assured that the monarchs would continue to support every effort that would help bring peace and sanity to the region.

Responding, Dr Kachikwu commended the monarchs for the visit and said restoring peace in the region was imperative.

He said the ceasefire announced by the Niger Delta Avengers was a welcome development, adding that every effort must be made to sustain it.

He said it was unfortunate that after the announcement, it was heard that pipeline in Nembe community was vandilsed and the country lost about 150 barrels of oil and a high quantity of gas.

“This inability to stay steadfast creates military intervention, because government cannot sit and watch production go down.

“The president has shown a lot of patience and believed that engaging the communi-

ties is the best model.

“You should continue to reach out to others to ensure total ceasefire, because as production goes down, it affects both states in tackling the financial burdens,” he said.

Kachikwu said the Federal Government had spent about $40 billion in refurbishing the region in the last 10 years.

He said there was need for the money to be applied in

the proper way to ensure development.

He urged the people and royal fathers to ensure that monies were channelled in the proper way for the region.

He said government was ready to always support a positive cause for the region, as it had lost 50 per cent of its revenue to drop in oil price, worsened by militants’ operations.

no access to basic services,” UNICEF said in a report.

In Borno, nearly two thirds of hospitals and clinics had been partially or completely destroyed and three-quarters of water and sanitation facilities needed to be rehabilitated.

According to Reuters, despite the military gains, UNICEF said 2.2 million people remain trapped in areas under the control of Boko Haram, which was trying to establish a caliphate in the southern reaches of the Sahara or were staying in camps, fearful of going home.

In north-eastern Nigeria alone, an estimated 20,000 children had been separated from their families, the agency said, adding that about 38 children had been used to carry out suicide attacks in the Lake Chad basin so far this year, bringing the number of children used as suicide bombers since 2014 to 86.

“A major humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin, where the spiral of violence has left 1.4 million children trapped behind conflict lines,” UNICEF said in a blogpost on Medium, the link which was shared on the agency’s Twitter timeline on Thursday.

The agency, which catalogued stories of some children whose lives had been impacted by Boko Haram attacks in the blog post, said “children between seven and 15 years, risking it all, had to cross forests, deserts and swamps with or without shoes,” in an attempt to escape Boko Haram-related violence in the countries.

UNICEF, quoting Tahar Mohamed, eight-year-old Chadian returnee from Niger, as saying: “We are nomads. We were not in the camp when it was attacked by Boko Haram. I was out riding a camel with my father and saw people running away. He told me to start screaming if I saw any danger. The first night I slept on a tree. I was too scared.”

Buhari leaves for Nairobi to attend TICAD VI Leon Usigbe -Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja, on Friday, to attend the twoday sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya.

The conference begins on Saturday and will end on Sunday.

It is being co-organised by the government of Japan, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the United Nations Development Programme, the African Union and the World Bank.

It will focus on promoting structural economic trans-

formation through diversification and industrialisation; promoting resilient health system for quality life and promoting social stability for shared prosperity.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja, on Thursday, during the conference, Buhari would participate in plenary sessions on TICAD in alignment with African Development, the dialogue with the private sector, as well as the global launch of the second Africa Human Development Report.

The president will also

hold a bilateral meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. The statement added that no fewer than 35 African leaders were expected at the high level summit, which would also be attended by leading private sector companies from Japan.

This will be the first time TICAD is being held in Africa since its inception in 1993.

It said Nigeria had played a prominent role at the forum, aimed at forging international partnerships for Africa’s transformation and prosperity through economic growth, agriculture and social stability.

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

UNIVERSITY PRESS RC.25783 PLC AUDITED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 2016 Revenue Cost of sales Gross profit Other operating income Marketing and distribution expenses Administrative expenses Profit from operations Finance income Finance expenses Profit before taxation Taxation income/(expense) Profit for the year Other comprehensive income: Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss Revaluation surplus on property, plant and equipment Capital gains tax on revaluation surplus Gains on disposal on revalued property, plant and equipment Actuarial (loss)/gain on defined benefit plan Items that will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss Total other comprehensive income Total comprehensive income for the year Profit attributable to owners of the entity Total comprehensive Income attributable to owners of the entity Basic earnings per 50k share (kobo)

...the foremost publishers

2016 N’000 1,471,938 (680,240) 791,698 19,994 (371,862) (408,133) 31,697 38,510 70,207 3,069 73,276

2015 N’000 1,728,123 (761,535) 966,588 62,350 (390,809) (464,493) 173,636 25,564 199,200 (62,806) 136,394

145,939 (14,594)

-

(30,247) 101,098

4,336 23,795 28,131

101,098 174,374 73,276

28,131 164,525 136,394

174,374 16.99k

164,525 31.62k

2016 N’000

2015 N’000

1,365,108 22,520 36,741 1,424,369

1,220,385 19,846 49,560 1,289,791

1,159,557 85,613 55,171 414,474 1,714,815 3,139,184

1,056,211 217,768 102,578 179,225 1,555,782 2,845,573

187,148 379,310 99,221 23,219 688,898

25,194 334,721 38,029 76,415 474,359

90,481 779,379 2,359,805

99,501 573,860 2,271,713

215,705 149,397 1,442

215,705 149,397 1,442

971,621

840,276

15,174 1,006,466 2,359,805

45,421 1,019,472 2,271,713

UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC AUDITED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 MARCH 2016 Assets Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment Deferred tax asset Retirement benefits Current assets Inventories and work-in-progress Trade receivables Other receivables and prepayments Cash and cash equivalents Total current assets Total assets Equity and Liabilities Current liabilities Trade payables Other payables and accruals Unclaimed dividends Income tax liability Non-current liabilities Deferred taxation Total Liabilities Net Assets Equity attributable to owners of the entity Share capital Share premium Capital reserve Property, plant and equipment revaluation reserve Reserve on Actuarial valuation of gratuity Revenue reserve

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 23 June 2016 and signed on its behalf by: Dr. Lalekan Are

Chairman FRC/2013/IODN/00000003565

Mr. S. Kolawole

Managing Director FRC/2013/ICSAN/00000003248

Mr. G.A. Adebayo

Executive Director(Finance) FRC/2013/ICAN/00000003250

Three Crowns Building, Jericho, Ibadan.

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UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC RC25783

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Thirty-Eight Annual General Meeting of members of UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC will be held at KAKANFO CONFERENCE CENTRE, 1 Nihinlola Street, Joyce B Road, Off Ring Road, Ibadan on THURSDAY, 29th September, 2016, at 11.00 a.m., to transact the following business: ORDINARY BUSINESS 1.

To receive the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st March, 2016 and the Reports of the Directors, Auditors and Audit Committee thereon.

2.

To declare a dividend.

3.

To authorise Directors to fix the remuneration of Auditors 4.

To approve the remuneration of Directors.

5 To re-elect/elect Directors 6.

To elect Audit Committee members.

PROXY A member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his/her place. A proxy need not also be a member of the Company. Executed proxy forms should be deposited at the Office of the Registrar, GTL Registrars Limited (formerly Citadel Registrars Limited), No 2, Buma Road, Apapa, Lagos, not later than 48 hours before the time fixed for the meeting. A blank proxy form is attached to the Annual Reports.

NOTES (i) DIVIDEND If the dividend of 5k per share recommended by the Directors is approved by members at the Annual General Meeting, the dividend warrants will be made available for collection on Thursday, 29th September, 2016 to all shareholders whose names appear in the Register of Members at the close of business on Wednesday, 31st August, 2016. Shareholders who have completed e-dividend Mandate Forms will receive a direct credit of the dividend into their bank accounts on the date of the Annual General Meeting, while dividend warrants for shareholders who have not completed the e-dividend Mandate Form shall be posted on 30th September, 2016. (ii) CLOSURE OF REGISTER OF MEMBERS The Register of Members and Transfer Books of the Company will be closed from Monday, 5th September, 2016 to Friday, 9th September, 2016 ( both days inclusive), for the purpose of payment of dividend. (iii) AUDIT COMMITTEE In accordance with section 359 (5) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAP C20 LFN 2004, any member may nominate a shareholder for election as a member of the Audit Committee by giving notice in writing of such nomination to the Company Secretary at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting. (iv) RIGHT OF SECURITIES’ HOLDERS TO ASK QUESTIONS Security’ Holders have a right to ask questions not only at Meeting, but also in writing prior to the Meeting, and such questions must be submitted to the Company on or before 29th day of September, 2016. (v) UNCLAIMED DIVIDEND WARRANTS AND SHARE CERTIFICATES A number of dividend warrants and share certificates have remained unclaimed or are yet to be presented for payment or returned to the Company for revalidation.

Affected shareholders are advised to contact the Registrars, GTL Registrars Limited (formerly Citadel Registrars Limited).

DATED THIS 23RD DAY OF JUNE, 2016

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

O. A. Binitie Aboyade-Cole FRC/2014/NBA/00000008468 Company Secretary/Legal Adviser Three Crowns Building Jericho, Ibadan

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

Again, Fulani herdsmen attack Enugu community, kill Catholic seminarian •Ekweremadu condemns attack From Jude Ossai and Ayodele Adesanmi

F

EAR of uncertainty has gripped residents of Attakwu community near Enugu, following Fulani herdsmen attack on the village.

A Catholic seminarian, whose name was given as Lawrence Nwafor from Imo State, was killed while four others were severely injured during the invasion that took place on Wednesday night.

Reports from the area had it that trouble started on Wednesday morning when some of the villagers chased herdsmen and their cattle away from their premises to prevent the cows from destroying their crops.

The herdsmen were said not to be happy with the action of the villagers, prompting them to invade the community at about 2.00a.m with guns, knives and other dangerous weapons.

It was learnt that the people of the area were caught unawares and before they could gather to fight back, the herdsmen had taken to their heels with their cattle, leaving only their tents which they built on the outskirts of the community.

Nigerian Tribune observed that panic set in the Coal City and its environs, as security was beefed up in strategic areas to forestall any breakdown of law and order, even as some people were already preparing for reprisal.

Apparently to calm the situation from escalating, the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, with his aides, promptly stormed the Attakwu community on Thursday, to assess the state of damage, as well as to console the families of the victims.

Addressing the people of the community, Governor Ugwuanyi condemned, in its strongest terms, the invasion of the community by the suspected herdsmen, saying government would do everything necessary to bring the culprits to book.

“This morning, I received a report of an attack on Attakwu community by suspected Fulani herdsmen, during which one person, a seminarian, was killed and four others injured; they are in the hospital at the moment.

“Even though the police have not conducted investigation into the matter, I hasten to condemn this act in the strongest terms and in its entirety, as govern-

ment will not tolerate wanton destruction of lives and property anywhere in the state by any one or group under any guise whatsoever.

“I have already sum-

moned the Fulani community and relevant security agencies this afternoon to review the situation and determine the appropriate action to be taken.

“It is, indeed, unfortu-

nate that this is happening just a few days after the commission of inquiry into the Nimbo killings submitted an interim report and is about to complete its assignment.

“I wish to, on behalf of the state government, sympathise with the family of the deceased and I assure them that government will do everything necessary to ensure that the culprits are

Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, addressing children in Bama IDP camp, while Alhaji Tijani Tumsa, representing General T.Y Danjuma, Chairman, Presidential Committee on North-East Intervention (PCNI) watches, at the World Humanitarian Day, on Thursday.

brought to book.

Earlier, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, His Lordship (Dr) Calitus Onaga, told newsmen that few weeks ago, both the clergies and the laity gathered and showed their anger over the activities of the Fulani herdsmen.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday, condemned the attack on Attakwu, Akagbe Ugwu community.

This was even as he commended Governor Ugwuanyi and security agencies for their gallantry in busting the robbery attack on Independence Layout, Enugu, on Wednesday.

Ekweremadu said the incessant attacks on parts of the country by suspected herdsmen posed a grave threat to the peace, security and economy of the country. He called on the Federal Government to take decisive steps to put a full stop to the ugly incidents.

He said in a statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu.

Hungry IDPs on the rampage in Maiduguri •Borno govt stops central feeding system for IDPs Bodunrin KayodeMaiduguri

HUNDREDS of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, blocked highways early Thursday, to protest poor feeding in their camps.

They IDPs, later, in the evening, however, suspended their protest after the government disbanded its committee responsible for feeding them.

The angry IDPs, mostly women and children, had earlier mounted barricades of stones, sticks and tyres which caused massive traffic jam on the Kano-Maiduguri highway, the main entry point into the city.

The IDPs, who defied all pleas and entreaties from soldiers and police officials, insisted they would only remove the barricades and vacate the highway if the government supplied their food and attended to their other demands.

“We are being treated like slaves here in the camp,” said Zakari Modu, a 32-year-old man from Marte.

“We are only given a bag of rice to be shared among 15 people and that is to last for a month. Every three days, the feeding committee will come and make tea and give each household just a cup to share. This is inhuman and we feel we

deserve better treatment,” he added The IDPs said they were now better informed on the happenings of government.

They said they had been monitoring the news via radio receivers recently distributed to them by a new radio house that opened office in Maiduguri and they have details of all food allocation to Borno State.

Meanwhile, the Borno State government, on

Thursday, stopped the central feeding system for IDPs in the 16 recognised camps in the state.

The decision of the government is sequel to a peaceful protest of some aggrieved IDPs on some major roads in Maiduguri, the state capital, over their feeding system.

The state deputy governor, Usman Durkwa, accompanied by the state police commissioner, Demian Chukwu, who was returning from another

IDPs camp in the state capital, where he supervised their feeding, announced immediate suspension of the central feeding committee at the camp and the introduction of household feeding.

He said each family would, from this week, receive their ration of foodstuff from the state government and cook for themselves rather than rely on the central feeding system in which some heartless people stole part

of the day’s condiments home.

Addressing newsmen later, the deputy governor noted that the government had already moved trucks of food to the camp to jump-start the household feeding, which had already commenced in Bama.

He revealed that the introduction of household feeding in other IDP camps had been successful with nobody selling the products, but given to the traumatised IDPS.

EFCC’s detention facility one of the best in Nigeria —Magu Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja

THE acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has described the detention facility of the anticorruption commission as one of the best, even as he says there is still room for improvement.

Speaking shortly before conducting journalists round the detention facility at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, the anti-corruption Czar stated that compared with what obtained at other security agencies, the facility at the commission was the best.

The tour came on the heel of an editorial by a national newspaper, enti-

tled: “The Death of Citizen Nunugwo,” calling public attention to the sudden death of a suspect, Desmond Nunugwo, who died on June 10, 2016, a few hours after being detained by the commission.

Nunugwo was being investigated for allegedly fraudulently obtaining N91million from an acquaintance after tricking her into believing that he had high net worth business associates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), who were to buy Nicon Insurance and convinced her of their disposition to help her stock fish business.

Magu stated that the investigation of any suspects by the commission was non violence, declar-

ing emphatically that, “we don’t torture anyone here.”

According to the chairman, before the commission invited anyone to answer any question, it would have done a lot of background checks on the suspects, saying that at that level, facts would be presented to such suspect.

“If EFCC invites you, we have done some background checks. By the time you come here, facts would be presented before you,” he said.

The EFCC boss declared that the anti-graft commission was working for the interest of the country, submitting that, “the interest of Nigeria is above any other interest.”

While priding the commission with the best de-

tention facility among other security agencies in the country, Magu, however, stated that despite what it had on the ground, there was still room for improvement.

Journalists were taken round the cells, interrogation room and clinic, all at its Idiagbon House. Some of the detainees were seen reading newspapers in their cells.

Speaking with journalists, one of the detainees in the cells, Godday Okene Didianma, informed that they were being treated well by the commission, adding that, “we are being fed three times a day.

There is a medical facility here that any one who is sick get treated. Even we drink bottled water provided for us.”

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Man who named pet 'Buhari' gets bail Olayinka Olukoya

M

R Joachin Iroko, the man who named his pet dog "Buhari," on Thursday, regained freedom, having perfected his bail condition terms.

Iroko, 40, who appeared before a Magistrate Court sitting in Ota Division of the state, last Monday, had spent three days in detention at the Ibara Prisons, Abeokuta.

Speaking with journalists after he had perfected his release condition, Iroko said he had no regret naming his dog "Buhari."

The father of two was charged before the court for an action likely to cause breach of public peace.

He said his action was misconstrued by some people, saying he had other dogs which he named after his role models.

"I have no regret for my action, it only happened that some people misconstrued my action.

"I am so happy for having a splendid life again, it is a thing of joy to me.

"I think I have three dogs, one bears Obama, one bears Joe, my full name and the third is Buhari.

"I named these dogs after my role models, and the late dog I had bore Nelson Mandela, I don't just give names to my dog, I give reputable names to my dogs. It is the love I have for Buhari, who is my role model.

"Buhari is not only the

president of the North, he is the president of Nigeria, I see no reason why Northerners should be angry, Nigeria is one.

"I see no reason why they

will be intimidating me.

Why? What is the meaning of a noun?

"It is my right to name my dog any name that is just.

Thank God, I have regained

my freedom.

"The most painful is the way they treated my dog. It

Jobless man allegedly stabs friend during fight Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin AN unemployed man, Jamiu Abdul-Rafiu, has been accused of allegedly stabbing his friend with a broken bottle during a fight.

32 year-old Jamiu allegedly committed the offence on July 30 at Ajegunle Bus Stop in Ikorodu.

It was gathered that Jamiu used a broken bottle to stab his friend, Mr Obatola Oyinbile, on his left armpit.

“The man is still in the hospital receiving treatment,’’ the police said.

Jamiu however denied stabbing his friend when he was arraigned before an Ikorodu Magistrate Court.

The Magistrate OshodiMakanju granted the accused a N150,000 bail with two responsible sureties who must show evidence of tax payment.

The case has been adjourned till September 2.

Scenes of the Ikorodu Road accident in Lagos, on Thursday.

One dies as container falls again, in Lagos ONE person reportedly died in the early hours of Thursday, in Lagos, in an accident involving a fallen container truck and a Toyota Camry at the Onipanu area of Ikorodu Road, in Lagos.

The accident, was said to have happened, when the driver of the truck, lost control, tumbled and blocked

the entire expressway, thereby making the Toyota Camry, coming behind to ram into the truck, killing the suspected truck motor boy.

The driver of the Toyota Camry was said to have escaped without any injury.

The trapped dead body was extricated by men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Team and taken by officials of the

State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) to the Mainland Hospital mortuary.

Confirming the incident, the General Manager, LASEMA, Michael Akindele stated that the agency received an alert via its emergency number 112/767 at about 5:28am, on Thursday, regarding the incident.

‘This prompted the

She added that "on the day of the incident, she called my cousin that he was coming to Lagos for a birthday party, but my cousin was not around."

Atinuke also said "my cousin called me to go and see him in FESTAC and he took me to a hotel, where he told me that the birthday party would take place."

She also added "when we were at the hotel, he gave me a drink but I told him that I don't take alcohol, but he lied

to me that the drink did not contain alcohol.

"I took the drink and slept off and when I woke up, I discovered that he had slept with me and when I confronted him, he begged me. He later stole my phones and ATM card," Atinuke explained.

The suspect confessed to have committed the offence, but blamed it on his desire to raise money for the hospital bill of his wife and son ,who had been in the hospital for

three weeks.

He said: 'I promised her N30,000 before we got to the hotel. It was while we were at the hotel that my wife called me to get the money for her hospital treatment.

"It was at this point that I decided to take her phones and ATM." The state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Lagos Metro.

Akin Adewakun

Why I target ladies on Facebook —Serial rapist, robber Olalekan Olabulo A man, who had been hiding under social media platforms to rape and rob unsuspecting ladies in FESTAC area of Lagos State has been arrested by the police .

The suspect, Faloseyi (surname withheld) however attributed the act to his wife and children's ailment.

Faloseyi was reportedly tracked by two of his victims ,before he was arrested by the police.

is painful they killed my dog while I am in detention," he said.

Atinuke, the last victim of the suspect told Lagos Metro that Faloseyi invited her to a phoney birthday party in FESTAC and took advantage of the situation to sleep with her.

The victim also said that the suspect made her to drink alcohol and got intoxicated, before committing the act.

"It was my cousin that actually knew him . He lied to my cousin that he was a bank manager in Abuja," Atinuke said.

immediate response of the Agency's ERT (Emergency Response Team) to the scene of the incident.

"According to information gathered at the scene of the accident, it was revealed that the container driver lost control and tumbled blocking the entire expressway, while the Toyota Camry coming behind rammed into the truck killing the suspected truck motor boy, while the driver of the Toyota Camry escaped without any injury.

"The trapped dead body was extricated by the LASEMA Response Team and has been taken by officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) to the Mainland Hospital mortuary," he stated.

While advising motorists to always obey traffic rules and regulations to be able to avoid such incident, he, however, assured that proper investigations were being conducted on the incident.

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Kerry’s visit to Nigeria discriminatory, divisive —CAN Chris Agbambu -Abuja

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HE Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), on Thursday, described the visit of the United States (US) Secretary of States, Mr John Kerry, to Nigeria as discriminatory.

While in the country, Kerry had visited only the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, met with the 19 northern governors, with just three out of them being Christians.

Reacting to the historical event, the CAN president, Reverend (Dr) Olasupo Ayokunle, condemned Kerry’s action in strong terms, for lack of respect to the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, while openly favouring northern Nigeria.

He told Kerry to “stop interfering in Nigeria’s af-

fairs,” even as he went further to argue that the

visit was a complete flop, as it showed Kerry’s shal-

low knowledge of Nigeria’s unity in diversity ideology,

From left, Board member, Wole Soyinka Foundation, Professor of Gender Studies, Folabo Ajayi-Soyinka; chairman, Apple and Pears Limited, Dr Habib Jaafar; founder, Wole Soyinka Foundation and Director of Programmes, Professor Wole Soyinka and Mrs Folake Soyinka, at a press conference to announce the Wole Soyinka Foundation Lebanese-Nigerian partnership “The SAIL PROJECT STUDY ABOARD IN LEBANON”, held at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Thursday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Soyinka to Buhari: Respond to militants’ outreach, end N/Delta crisis Ajibola Abayomi -Lagos NOBEL laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to respond positively to the outreach by the militants, in order to put an end to the hostilities in the Niger Delta region.

He made the appeal in Lagos during a programme organised by the Wole Soyinka Foundation, in collaboration with the Notre Dame University, Lebanon, which had enlisted five students from different universities in the country to benefit from cultural exchanges and international collaboration between Nigeria and Lebanon.

The exchange programme was facilitated by Dr Habib Jafar, a Lebanese Nigerian-based businessman.

Soyinka, who would not

hide his displeasure at the recent education policy that excluded History as a subject from the school curriculum in Nigeria, lambasted those who took the decision.

He said: “I don’t know why they removed History from the school curriculum. That has left me with the option of asking what is wrong with some people’s heads. History is life. Yet, these people are involved in governance and go to places.”

He said the Wole Soyinka Foundation collaborated with the Lebanese institution to address a specific issue and to contribute in small way to the body of knowledge in Nigeria.

Baring his mind on the Niger Delta crisis, the Nobel laureate was sad that in recent times, he had been misrepresented in the media and pleaded with the

media practitioners in the country to make accuracy their watchword.

“I was involved in the action to resolve the Niger Delta issues based on pleas from some elders, who approached me to intervene.

We have been on this for years. What I demand from the media at this point in time is accuracy of report. There can be no second guessing. If that is not done, it would affect confidence and would lead to lack of confidence.

“I take exception to the statement claiming that I am part of an international organisation mediating in the Niger Delta crisis. That group is not existing. The report went on to say that the group had already contacted President Muhammudu Buhari. Such group doesn’t exist.

“There is no international group that I know of or I am

part of that is mediating in the crisis. Can two entities meet without one of them existing? From the discussions I have heard with the aggrieved militants, they felt that the government of President Buhari has not responded positively to their outreach.”

Soyinka then went on to plead with Mr President that: “I want to now make an appeal to President Buhari to respond positively to their outreach and let us see where it would end.

Buhari should respond positively to the peaceful overtures from the militants, so that we can have an end to the insurgency in the Nigeria Delta region.

“The militants have been complaining that the president is not responding to their agitations. Since the

Investigate anyone who has link with Boko Haram, Sheriff tells FG JacobSegunOlatunji-Abuja

One of the parents of abducted Chibok girls, Hawa Abbas, speaking during a protest by members of #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) at the gate of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

days of former President Goodluck Jonathan, I had been approached to serve as interventionist, to see how the problems of the Niger Delta could be resolved. I have been doing that on my own, but not as a member of any international agency or group.

“I want to state emphatically that I am not speaking for any international group and I am not yet a member of any international body mediating in the Niger Delta crisis at the moment. May be one international group will be formed on that, I don’t know. This is purely a plea from Wole Soyinka, not United Nations, eminent persons or United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),” he said.

which had been sustaining it against all the odds that could have wiped it out of existence.

“Why did he meet with some northern states governors without southern governors? Is Nigeria north’s alone? Why did he go to the North alone?,” the CAN president queried.

“If US Secretary of States was coming on a private visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the Sultan’s palace become another State House? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan?

“We have 36 states in Nigeria; he only selected northern governors to meet with. It was a visit to the North, not to Nigeria. If they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs.”

Ayokunle also threw his weight behind the meeting of northern CAN leaders holding today in Maiduguri, and was optimistic that the church in Nigeria would survive the ongoing persecution.

“I am in full support of the meeting holding today in Maiduguri by the Northern CAN leaders. The national CAN is in support of that meeting. We are together and those who are killing our members will be exposed and disgraced by our God. CAN is against the killings of our members; we are against their persecutions and every discriminatory policy of this government in strong terms.”

He tasked the security agencies to wake up to the challenges since “Nigeria is not an Islamic state, where the rights and the safety of non-Muslims are not guaranteed.”

FACTIONAL national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to investigate anybody who may have links with the notorious Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Sheriff, who was reacting to the statement credited with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Borno State, Mallam Kaka Shehu, during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Port Harcourt, said he should be arrested for allegedly sponsoring the terrorist group, giving the state government seven days to withdraw the statement or

face legal action.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Mallam Inuwa Bwala, in Abuja, on Thursday, Sheriff stated that this was not the first time officials of Borno State government would be casting aspersions on him over the sect’s activities.

According to him, “this one coming from somebody who supposed to know the law. It is going to be one allegation too many, because Sheriff has already initiated processes of slaming N10 billion suit against the Attorney-General and Borno State government, unless he proves otherwise what he said is backed with evidences.

“That is to say, the Attorney-General may have to

face us in court to explain why he got the fact of his statement from.

“We are going to join the state government in the suit if they do not apologise within the next seven days.

“Instead of admitting their failures, which is obvious in the face of diversion of relief materials in IDP camps in Borno, they decided to embark on this rascally mischievous adventure and campaign of calumny against the person of Sheriff.”

He pointed out that this was the opportunity he had been waiting for, adding that all those who made similar allegations against him in the past have links with Borno State government.

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businessnews

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Bank earmarks N100m for NEPC ‘zero to export’ trainees •As Nigeria-Ghana partner to foster cross-border trade

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N a bid to support diversification of the Nigerian economy through export, Providus Bank has allocated N100 million grant to 38 trainees in Batch 3 of the Zero to Export Capacity Building Programme organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

Disclosing this on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Director of the newly lunched Commercial Bank, the Providus Bank, Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo informed the participants that the bank will reserve N100m to support the Zero to Export initiative, and advised the trainees to be part of cooperatives in order to access the funds.

Addressing the passing out trainees, the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo said the Zero to Export Programme has been part of the Council’s efforts to reposition the non –oil sector, re-write the narrative of the Council through job creation and inclusive growth, thereby making it a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria.

He assured that the Council will continue to create opportunities for Nigerians to imbibe the culture of exportation through capacity building training as the Council celebrates the graduation of 38 trainees in Batch 3 of Zero to Export Capacity Building Programme.

“There is no doubt that the essence of our gathering today underscores the crucial role that non-oil export sector is expected to play in the present administration’s effort at diversifying the Nigerian economy away from over reliance on oil as its mainstay, especially now that the continuous fall in price of oil has thrown the World economy in recession” Mr. Awolowo noted that, recent development on global commodities market have triggered a wakeup call on the need for Nigeria to accelerate the diversification of its economy and move away from over dependence on oil as the country’s main source of revenue.

He assured the graduates that “NEPC will continue to encourage Nigerians to take advantage of the diversification process of the Federal Government through the promotion of non-oil export activities”.

The Zero to Export initiative is one of the flagship programmes of the Coun-

cil that focuses on creating new generation of Nigerian exporters through practical and theoretical training of business executives, bankers, civil servants, unemployed graduates and even retired citizens with interest in export business. The

Programme is anchored on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement led by the consultant, Mr. Kola Awen of XPT logistics International Limited, with support from Fidelity Bank.

So far, the programme has trained and graduated over a hundred partici-

pants from the Lagos and Abuja centres. Most of the trainees have formed registered cooperatives and are already exporting. The three graduates have registered the Integrated Exporters Cooperatives Society Limited.

It is hoped that the pro-

gramme would bring about a high level addition to non-oil products and services in the country at a time when the nation needs to revive its manufacturing, agricultural and industrial sectors.

Meanwhile, trade promotion agencies from Gha-

James Tiigah CEO of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (left), with Mr Olusegun Awolowo, Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, during a recent cross-border collaborative meeting in Ghana to improve Intra-African trade.

Naira at record black market low, stocks sink as FX bans weigh THE Naira was quoted at an all-time low of 409 to the dollar on the black market on Thursday, compared with 402 the previous day, after the suspension of some banks from forex trading made dollars even harder to obtain.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) suspended nine commercial banks from forex transactions on Tuesday for failing to pay money owed to the government - although one was

later readmitted. Shares in some of the banks hit dropped by up to 7.8 per cent.

Reuters reported traders as saying that the local currency fell due to the impact of the suspensions, compounding the dollar shortages Nigeria has been suffering due to the slump in the price of its oil exports.

“The suspension of some banks from transaction in the forex market has really increased pressure on

Jim Ovia supports NCS with N16m scholarship fund

By Bode Adewumi

BANKING and telecommunications’ guru, Mr Jim Ovia has redeemed his pledge to support the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) scholarship scheme with N16 million worth of scholarship, which will be distributed to benefiaciaries during the upcoming NCS annual National Information Technology Merit Award in November.

Ovia, the Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc and Cyber Space Ltd, who is also a distinguished Fellow of the NCS, had during last year’s edition of NITMA announced to the attendees of the event, which

included the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir David Lawal, the largesse of scholarship awards to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

He also promised automatic employment in Zenith Bank Plc and Cyber Space Ltd to whosoever graduated with second class upper division in ICT. This, according to hm, is to be done annually.

President of the NCS, Professor Adesola Aderounmu, in a statement thanked Mr Jim Ovia, Zenith Bank Plc and Cyber Space Ltd, for the generousity.

the market,” said Aminu Gwadabe, president of the bureaux de change association.

Bank executives have been meeting central bank officials to resolve the forex issue as investors continued to dump their shares second day.

Skye Bank fell the most of those suspended from foreign exchange transactions, shedding 7.81 per cent, followed by Fidelity Bank down 3.0 per cent.

FBN Holdings shed 1.9 per cent while Diamond Bank and FCMB were down 0.8 per cent.

The falls pulled the main index down 1.8 per cent.

On the interbank market, the currency gained 0.2 per cent to close at N305 to the greenback with traders attributing the rise to CBN dollar sale to prop up the unit. The bank has been selling dollars almost daily to boost liquidity.

However, currency forwards put the naira at 344.50 to the dollar in one months’ time.

On Thursday, the central bank settled $152.48 million of naira futures contracts it sold in June at an exchange rate of 279 naira per dollar, further draining its reserves, which is at its lowest in more than 11-years.

na and Nigeria have agreed to put in place measures that will facilitate crossborder trade, with the view to improve both countries’ economy.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, who led a delegation of officials including Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) representatives on a crossborder collaborative visit to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) on Thursday.

The delegation was received by James Tiigah, the CEO of GEPA andGeorge Blankson CommissionerGeneral of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The counterpart agencies underlined the difficulty in formal inter-African trade, citing lack of operational synergy, duplication of functions by enforcement Agencies as major factors affecting inter-African trade. Other noted inhibitions include numerous check-points, poor transport systems, road infrastructure and nonfunctionality of ECOWAS Trade Scheme.

Awolowo noted that “all Africa needs is in Africa but without proper integration between nations States enormous trade benefits are lost. As Number 1 formal trade partner in the West African region Nigeria has much to gain from and give back to Ghana.”

For instance, he said as top three producers of cocoa Nigeria, Ghana and Togo have a lot in common to share in harnessing the product to become one of the major foreign exchange earners in the world.

While welcoming the idea of collaboration among both countries, Tiigah acknowledged that non-oil exports alone make up about 12 per cent of Ghana’s GDP amounting to $2.5bn a year.

$82.8m Novate Lekki mall commissioned TWENTY one months after its ground breaking ceremony, the multi-billion Naira Novare Lekki Mall was on Thursday officially commissioned and opened for normal business activities.

The N31.5bn mall, described as the biggest in Nigeria is a retail market with 22,000 square metre that promises fresh, comfortable and convenient shopping experience.

The retail market in Nigeria, despite the challenges in the economy, has enjoyed considerable

interest from both local and foreign investors who, in the past 10 years, have investor over $3 billion in this market and delivered close to 200,000 square metres of retail space to the market.

“The retail facility is strategically located in Lekki area of Lagos and is the largest so far in the city” said the Chairman of the Novare Group, Fabian Ajogwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), noting taht the mall is driven by foreign direct investment (FDI) valued at over $83 million (an equivalent of

R1.245 billion and N31.5 billion), and is funded by a mixture of equity and debt financing.

Ajogwu, at the Commissioning attended by the Governor of Lagos State,Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by his Special Adviser for Commerce, Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo, noted that Novare Lekki Mall is a development of the Novare Africa Property Funds which has a mandate to develop and manage modern retail and commercial facilities across sub-Saharan Africa.

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businessnews

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Recession: 3,000 port workers have been sacked —Labour •2,000 others on NPA sack list Tola Adenubi-Lagos

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HE Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has revealed that since the country’s economy plunged into recession, about 3000 workers have lost their jobs while about 20 shipping companies have left Nigeria’s maritime domain. This is also has the association revealed that another 2000 port workers are already on the sack list of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, the President-General of the MWUN, Anthony Emmanuel Nted, said the ban on some essential commodities by the Federal Government of Nigeria has left more than 3000 port workers jobless.

“We wish to state that as a result of the government’s policy which has banned the importation of some essential commodities into the country, about 3000 port workers, who are our members have been retrenched by shipping companies, terminal operators, and Logistics companies operating in the nations maritime sector. Also about 20 shipping companies have left the shores of the country due to very low traffic,” he said.

On the 2000 pencilled down for sack by the NPA, Nted explained that, “today, we lament the action of the NPA management in attempting to sack another 2000 dockworkers who are mainly Tally Clerks and Onboard Security men despite the relevance in port operations.

“Their importance is critical to the re-occurring scourge of tonnage underdeclaration and its negative impact on the nation’s

economy. The leakage of revenue through underdeclaration of tonnage should be seriously tackled.

“In this regard, we reinstate that the Tally Clerks and Onboard Security Men should be reinstated to

continue their critical job of uncovering and discouraging under-declaration of tonnage which is often done with the unholy collaboration of the NPA, Shipping companies/ Agents, and Terminal operators. The Tally Clerks

the misery and poverty this has brought on their dependent.”

On advise to the Federal Government, the union stated that, “we therefore call on the FG to review the policy on the ban on importation of some es-

Guest of Honour and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Zonal Controller for Ibadan Zone, Banji Ojo, inaugurating the Smile Communication’s new shop at Bodija, Ibadan. He is flanked by the General Manager, Sales and Distribution of Smile Communications Kenneth Esenwah; Femi Opatunmbi representative of Oyo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Kofoworola Akinbode, who represented the Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

UBA earns N166bn, makes N40bn profit UNITED Bank for Africa Plc has announced its audited 2016 Half Year Financial Results for the period ended 30 June 2016 showing gross earnings of N166 billion, net operating income of N109 billion and profit before tax of N40 billion.

The bank also recorded a significant growth in total assets, rising 20 per cent to N3.3 trillion, crossing the three trillion mark. Following the performance, the bank’s board recommended the payment of N0.20 interim dividend

on every ordinary share of N0.50 each.

Speaking on the results, Kennedy Uzoka, the GMD/ CEO, UBA Plc, said the results had been achieved amidst waning economic fundamentals.

“We delivered profit in excess of N40 billion and grew balance sheet by 20 per cent, with our onbalance sheet total assets crossing the N3 trillion mark. Even as Naira depreciation and inflationary pressure increased the cost of doing business in Nigeria, we leveraged our eco-

Bank chiefs to partner CBN to resolve forex crisis BANK chief executive officers have promised to collaborate with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with a view to addressing the issues that resulted in the barring of some banks from participating in foreign exchange transactions.

CBN, on Tuesday, barred nine deposit money banks from participating in foreign exchange transaction for not remitting $2.1bn belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into the Treasury Single Account according to the directive of the federal government.

The bank chiefs, who met on Thursday on the platform of the Body of Bank Chief Executive Officers, promised to intervene in the matter “in a manner that will protect the stability of the industry, as well

are capable of doing this through their independent physical tallying process.

“Over 2000 Tally Clerks are involved. Their reinstatement now will go a long way in reducing the numbers of unemployed Nigerians, and also reduce

as to ensure proper conduct in the optimisation of the foreign exchange market.”

According to a statement signed by Seye Awojobi, Registrar/CEO, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the body, which was formed under the auspices of the CIBN and comprising of the key operators in the banking industry, stressed that “as professionals who understand what is at stake, it would work towards ensuring that the concerned banks comply with the directive of the apex bank as soon as possible to avoid negative impact on the economy.”

The statement added the bank CEOs clarified that there was no concealment of the exposure in any form as the banks had always dis-

closed the fund in their returns, noting that the situation arose out of the maturity mismatch of funds found in certain strategic sectors.

nomics of scale, enhanced operational efficiency and Group shared service structure to moderate our cost-to-income ratio by 90bps.”

UBA achieved several strong positives in its performance for the half year. The bank’s net loan position rose 29 per cent to N1.29 trillion partially boosted by the depreciation in the value of the Naira.

The bank also recorded 16 per cent growth in deposits to N2.41 trillion already surpassing the 15 per cent target growth in deposits set at the beginning of the year. Another positive for UBA was a drop in cost to income ratio to 63 per cent as at half year compared to 64 per cent in same period of 2015.

UBA also maintained its strong asset quality, with non-performing loans ratio at 2.4 per cent well below the CBN set limit of 5 per cent.

Uzoka assured that; “UBA will sustain its culture of keeping a healthy balance sheet, with strong liquidity and capitalization, as reflected in the liquidity and BASEL II capital adequacy ratios of 45% and 18% respectively.”

He further stated; “notwithstanding the current slowdown in economic activities, we see bright spots ahead, especially as we see strong prospect to grow market share across all chosen economies, through our enhanced dedication to customer service”.

sential commodities such as Wheat, Vehicle spare parts, and industrial machineries until we are able to produce for local consumption.”

Arla Foods, FG sign MoU on Nigeria’s dairy sector FOLLOWING months of partnership discussions, Arla Foods, maker of Dano Milk and one of the world’s largest dairy cooperatives, has entered into a strategic agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide enabling organisational structure and training that will facilitate the development of the dairy industry in Nigeria.

The two parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday in Abuja in a move that reaffirms Arla’s commitment to support the Nigerian government with the development of the local dairy sector in Nigeria.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the MoU was a signage for Nigeria’s critical need to develop the dairy industry, not just as a business but as a development program.

The minister welcomed objectives of the MoU, including support from EU, knowledge-transfer, partnership with farmers and technical training programs.

“What you’re doing excites me a lot because Nigeria is at a critical time in its development. The population is growing extremely fast. We have a large number of children malnourished, almost 27 per cent. We have a school feeding program and dream of a day when every child should have sufficient meals per day.

Financial illiteracy, cause of corruption in Nigeria —ACCA country head

By Ruth Olurounbi

THE Country Manager, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Oluwatoyin Ademola, has said financial illiteracy is responsible for high rate of corruption in Nigeria.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune at the ACCA Polytechnic Connect, organised by the organisation for polytechnic students in Ibadan and its environs, held in Ibadan, on Thursday, Ademola said weak

ethical standards, as well as financial illiteracy was responsible for corruption in the country.

The ACCA Polytechnic Connect, according to her, was organised to train to help the students to overcome the polytechnic degree bias, take steps towards a successful career in accounting and finance and to get ahead with globally organised qualification.

To curb corruption, Ademola said there was a need to strengthen ethical standards in governance and to

put the right people, who are educated in particular positions.

“Nigeria in itself is not corrupt, it’s the individuals in the government that are corrupt,” she said, adding that “I always talk about this; there is a difference between being educated and going to school.

“Being educated is that you can apply the knowledge you learnt. One of the reasons that there’s so much corruption in Nigeria is because don’t understand financial management. Peo-

ple don’t understand that they don’t need to embezzle N10 billion to be rich and it is that lack of understanding that is responsible for embezzlement.

“Lack of financial awareness is the cause of this and that’s why we are also supporting the Central Bank of Nigeria in trying to do financial literacy and we believe that financial illiteracy is a lead cause of corruption.

What we want to do is work with the government and the CBN in strategic solutions, not tactical solutions.”

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editorial

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The Lagos law on land grabbers

HE Lagos State government, last week, blazed the trail in combating the menace of land grabbing. Notorious in Lagos but equally pestilential in so many states of the federation, land grabbers, locally called Omo Onile in Lagos, appear in different forms with varying names and degrees of notoriety, and have come to dominate the land and property sphere in many parts of the country.

The land grabbers’ notoriety was inherited from their parent irritant widely known as Area Boys, a set of miscreants who preyed on the absence or haphazard enforcement of law and order to inflict pain and agony on the people. Mutating from the initial mode of harassing politicians for money on the streets, Area Boys graduated into more combative and confrontational crimes, stamping their authority of lawlessness on the places they besieged. It was from this parent form that land grabbing grew.

The modus operandi of land grabbers is to storm lands when construction work has just begun, and demand outrageous and unlawful payments from the land owners, refusal to do which is met with unqualified violence and limitless brigandage. In another form, land grabbers storm lands that do not belong to them with commando-like violence and drive away their legitimate owners, demanding that a re-purchase be made from them and asking for exorbitant and illegal payments. At other times, they even demand remuneration when a landlord is undertaking major repairs on his or her home.

The resultant effect of this violent possession of lands by miscreants cannot be overemphasised. They scare away investors, stall growth in the real estate sector and promote the ascendancy of violence and inequity in the property sector of the economy. Indeed, land grabbing slows down the wheels of progress in society and promotes the Machiavellian concept of might is right and the Darwinian survival of the fittest. Indeed, that the most obvious impetus for the rise of the phenomenon is the absence of law enforcement is very obvious. For under normal circumstances, the owner or rightful possessor of land who has authentic documents that proclaim authority over the property does not need to be troubled by an adverse claim to land ownership or the benefits therefrom. A mere presentation of documents of ownership is the only requirement needed by law enforcement agencies to smoke these violent trespassers from their illegal activities.

In the same vein, once a property owner has conformed to all the relevant rules on land ownership, he or she should

ordinarily deafen his or her ears to all illegal demands from individuals or groups. In both circumstances, the property owner should receive the rightful protection of the law.

However, the failure of law enforcement and the complicity of various strata of society in this notorious and nefarious endeavour have ensured a festering of the menace in the land.

With the signing of the Lagos State Properties Protection Law, which stipulates a 21-year jail term for convicts of land grabbing, the rug seems to be leaving the feet of the notorious dealers in this unhealthy business and their patrons. While signing the law, Governor Akinwumi Ambode had said that its enactment was borne out of the gross discouragement of investors from the state by the activities of land grabbers which, according to him, hindered the ease of doing business in the past. A number of potential property owners whose property development would have enhanced the economy of the state, he added, had suffered untold harassment from exploitative land grabbers. “The law will eliminate the activities of persons or corporate entities who use force and intimidation to dispossess or prevent any person or entity from acquiring legitimate interest and possession of property, ensure that the Special Task Force on Land Grabbers works with all security agencies to ensure enforcement of state government and private property rights in the state, and ensure proper coordination of the efforts of the various agencies of government charged with enforcing the state government’s rights over land in Lagos,” Ambode said.

While we reckon that there are a number of extant laws that deal with land grabbing, we commend this renewed focus on the need to smoke the miscreants out of Lagos. We call on the government to fully implement the law and not rest on its oars until the evil is fully extirpated. More fundamentally, government must dislodge all the artificial grid locks erected by corrupt agents and agencies on the process of obtaining certificates of occupancy. Absence of this certificate lionizes land grabbers in a way.

We also acknowledge that because Lagos is becoming too hot for the land grabbers, they are migrating to contiguous states like Oyo and Ogun. We call on the helmsmen in these states to take a cue from Lagos and face the menace and its patrons headlong. If only the dislocation, tears and sorrows that land grabbers sow in several homes were factored into the social disequilibrium plaguing society, governments would be more than inclined to arrest this pest with all the energy at their disposal.

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Health begging: Attention, Oyo govt

I

N different strategic places of the city is the blatant display of gory sight of children and teenage girls and boys infected with tumor, and chronic cancer in the mouth, head, and eyes, with the retinue of ablebodied men and women begging the public to donate towards their medical

assistance.

The effect of this sight is contributing to the environmental threat in the form of psychological torture of the public, and this may lead to health hazards.

One is worried because of the swarm of flies around the wounds and offensive odour oozing out of the wounds.

Imagine

the psychological trauma to the innocent citizens on the streets.

To what extent do we prove that the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) behind this approach are not using the helpless victims for commercial purposes alone?

Are those able-bodies who solicit for funds for

these victims doing it in genuine service or for ulterior motives?

One needs to sympathise with the families and relatives of the sick people, and the courage of those who are assisting them to raise financial assistance. Mention must be made of the daily contribution of the concerned

bers of the public, particularly depositors, that the bank is liquid and there is no cause for alarm.

Having assured us of the state of health of the bank, I think it is also important that the CBN takes the issue of retirees from the bank since 2000 seriously.

We hope the apex bank can order the new management of the bank to look into our case.

Pensioner representatives had met with the last management of the bank

on our entitlements, which we have been demanding for years, and all we got were assurances.

We, therefore, hope that with the new management, our entitlements will be released to us without delay.

I believe the CBN will discuss this with the new management to come up with steps it will take to settle the retirees’ entitlements.

•Ogunsakin Babalola, Ilesa, Osun State.

Skye Bank: Kudos to CBN THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deserves a pat on the back for assuring Nigerians on the state of health of Skye Bank Plc. A report from the

media about the bank recently had shattered public confidence in the bank.

It was, however, a good thing that the CBN has come out to reassure mem-

How states can increase their IGRs THERE is no doubt the fact that Nigerians are passing through hard times, occasioned by the slump in the global price of oil. Many families can no longer boast of good living; workers are the worst hit since government, particularly the local and state governments, are owing several months of salaries. This non-payment of salaries has trickled down to other sectors, and it is affecting everybody in the country, including artisans, market women, businessmen and private organisations.

Despite the bailout fund from the Federal Government, many states in the country continue to struggle to pay their workers’ salaries. The dwindling federal allocation, poor innovation on internally generated revenue (IGR), bloated workforce and fraud-riddled workers’ payroll, are the main reasons behind the inability of these states to pay workers’ salaries.

As a result of this, many Nigerians have been contributing their opinions on how to overcome the situation. What I want to suggest is the need for the governors to improve their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), while also curbing the menace of ghost workers, which jerk up salaries astronomically.

I must admit that many states, according to recent

report in the media, do not have flourishing economic activities that can boost their IGR. However, in order to generate more from taxes, we need citizens who will be willing to go to the government to pay their taxes. Unfortunately, the country’s history of corruption and inefficiency is the major impediment towards realising this. Many Nigerians look at their environment — no good roads, no standard school system, no healthcare centres, among others, and feel it does not really make sense to pay taxes since the funds will be stolen.

With this, Nigerians are skeptical of their obligations to states’ taxes and levies. States can generate more revenues and wealth through levies and taxations, but the people need to see what government does with their money.

In essence, the people will only be committed to a government that is also committed to their welfare. In the midst of the misappropriation of funds that we are hearing everyday, no Nigerian will willingly go and pay his tax if he is not sure the money will not be stolen.

•Nafisat Suleiman Muhammed, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State.

public to this noble cause.

Beyond this, one thinks there are other approaches the concerned families or NGOs can adopt to address this ugly issue.

One of the approach is sending a high-powered delegation to the honorable members of the Oyo State House of Assembly to see to the plight of the victims in the area of medical and financial help.

It is essential to note that the milk of human kindness is flowing in the veins of some members of the House, and they will willingly assist the patients.

Another approach is the passionate appeal to the print and electronic media in the city, urging them to take up the Save Our Soul (SOS) campaign. An individual philanthropist could also be contacted through these methods in order to spon-

sor the medical expenses of these young lives that are being ravaged with terminal diseases.

Another spiritual approach is writing letter to religious organisations to intensify prayers to the supernatural force towards the healing. The cause of this problem may have the demonic factor.

The concern of this writer is that a flippant display of deadly diseases in public places does not only portray us as a society that is insensitive to the needy to the outside world, but questions the drive of the Oyo State government to make environment in Ibadan clean physically. Psychological cleanliness is also next to godliness.

•Rev (Dr) Diran Ajao (080692904783) ajao.joshua@yahoo. com

15

opinion

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Divided nation: Is the press to blame?

By Ayo Olukotun

N

IGERIA is increasingly polarised and divided along ethnic lines with the press fanning the embers of division and separation.

– Olusegun Obasanjo, August 17, 2016.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is not famous for speaking in whispers, low tones or coded language when it comes to public affairs. Rather, and characteristically, he comes forth in bombshells, high decibels and unforgettable descriptions, leaving you in no doubt where he stands or what he stands against. His Keynote address delivered last Tuesday to the National Summit of Nigerian Journalists, and from where the opening quote is drawn, brims with trademark audacity and brutal frankness. Taking on the media, Obasanjo expressed disquiet about what he sees as their tendency to privilege sensationalism above national unity; warning that such a posture could trigger a Rwandan type civil war, and possible dissolution of the Nigerian state.

It is difficult to fault Obasanjo when he says that at no other time since the civil war has the country been so divided as it is today, citing as evidence close to 20 hot spots across the country. What is doubtful, however, is his apportioning of blame to the media, which he holds responsible for “fanning the embers” of disunity and ethnic conflicts. The media are best viewed as interlocutors, facilitating conversations between the state and society on the one hand, and among the components of society on the other. In this respect, the Nigerian media have, in keeping with their constitutional responsibility of monitoring governance, reported and commented upon the increasing fracturing of the state along ethnic and religious lines. They cannot be accused fairly of manufacturing these conflicts, or even of sensationalising them beyond drawing attention to them and the need to manage rather than sidestep them. It is not helpful, in this writer’s opinion, to shift our gaze away from the numerous ways in which political actors create or foment ethnic and religious conflicts and how discriminatory official policies such as lopsided appointments and a veering away from the

politics of inclusiveness have further divided the nation in recent times.

If we bear in mind that even in the best of times and in the most lucid moments of the official mind, Nigeria is a nation waiting to be built, then we can better appreciate how chipping away at the tender cords that bind us together can easily ignite feelings of alienation and exclusion. Blaming the media or scapegoating them for sins of commission and omission of key political actors can only divert attention from the resolution of these problems, or from holding an honest conversation about their causes and solutions.

It is not often realised that the media, as businesses have a stake in national unity, which provides them with expanded market for their products. In like manner, newspapers and the electronic media, like other businesses, suffer severe losses in times of upheavals or breakdowns in law and order. There is no rational reason, therefore, why the media should invest in uproar by inciting ethnic divisions or hatred.

The bone of contention, however, is that the media have rejected a superficial unity that pays lip attention to federal character while denying its essence through official policies. It is in this context that several newspapers have repeatedly drawn attention to the dangers of a northernisation policy in federal appointments as

well as a return through the back door of the politics of northern hegemony. In this respect, the media owe no apology to anyone for speaking truth to power.

Genuine nation-building cannot be carried out by media that are little more than the “Men Friday” or the stenographers or those that are temporarily in power, rather it connotes the cementing of national bonds through enhanced legitimacy rooted in healthy statesociety relations defined inclusively in a geographic sense and in a social sense to carry along disadvantaged groups. It is for this reason that in recent times, the media has blazed the trail in situating the call for a national conference on the national discourse agenda. It is edifying that many elder statesmen and social groups have bought into this in the belief that it is the best way by which the component groups can renew their federalist vows.

In doing this, we recognise that the advocacy for a national conference runs against the grain of a military mindset with its mantra-driven approach underlined by the slogan that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. If we ask the question: Why have fracturing and divisive tendencies increased in recent times? The answers could possibly be that official policies and body language have increasingly neglected the federalist safeguards of our delicate unity in diversity; and because the economic crisis and the impoverishment of the states have exposed the bankruptcy of unitarist arrangements self-advertised as a federal structure.

Certainly, the media cannot be held responsible for any of these failings, or for the poor overture skills of our leaders who do not seem to understand that real unity must be based on consent and governance mechanisms that elicit support and loyalty of every stratum in the nation vertically and horizontally.

Obasanjo can use his immense clout to draw the attention of our leaders to those areas where they are falling short of advancing national unity, and more importantly, by lining up with the unstoppable momentum of advocacy for a national conference as a vehicle for true and proper federalism.

•Olukotun is a professor of political communication.

Of blacks and modern slavery

By Michael Ogunjobi LAST Wednesday, August 23, 2016 was the day for the remembrance of the slave trade and its abolition. This day was set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in recognition of centuries of man’s inhumanity to man during the transatlantic slave trade. Remarkably, the origin of this event is traced to the night of August 22-23, 1791, when certain African slaves challenged the status quo (the slave system) in an outstanding display of the power of will to obtain freedom and independence for Haiti, gained in 1804.

We draw reference from the Olympic Games, to assert that change is constant. It confirms the status of blacks in our world today; tale of newfound freedom which unites different people, regardless of race. Not forgetting that the most powerful nation of the world, United States of America is being ruled by a black man. Oh, what an audacity of hope! This is the legacy of slavery. The values of these freedom fighters, too many to mention lives forever!

But, who would have believed this could happen during the transatlantic slave trade. However, despite the lingering bitterness, resultant of the pains, we must not fail to praise the gains. The slave trade era is over, but its memories live forever. There are innumerable relics of the slave trade. For example, the name of the coastal town by the lagoon in Lagos, ‘Badagry’, evolved from the dual corruption of Agbedegreme (which means Agbedeh’s farm in “Ogu” language) to Agbedagari and Agbedagari to Badagry

by Yoruba settlers and European slave traders respec-

tively.

Remarkably, Badagry is unique in Nigeria’s colonial history. It has the first primary school, St Thomas Primary School, which was established in 1845. Similarly, the Agia Tree was the first place Christianity was preached by Rev. Birch Freeman of Methodist Church.

These are good seeds sown courtesy of the slave trade era.

Of note, despite concerted efforts of the international community, the principal objectives of United Nations, to wit: combating racism and racial discrimination, have not been attained. So many human beings remain victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. This was brought to limelight by the latest incident of #BlackLivesMatter, the eponymous movement leading demonstrations for criminal justice reform in USA. Succinctly, this has renewed tensions on the vari-

ous issues ranging from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It has been plausibly argued in some quarters that the greatest threat to black people are other blacks due to prevailing corruption, terrorism with high levels of extreme poverty, starvation, child mortality, strife and tribal differences prevalent in our motherland.

Looking forward, the role of the Republican nominee in United States, Donald Trump, who is overwhelmingly unpopular among African Americans due to his stance lately, on relations between police and minority communities and unalloyed support for law enforcement agencies, despite evident shortfalls and accusing the #BlackLivesMatter as primarily responsible for divisions over race, comes to the fore. No doubt, the uniqueness of his ideologies has raised palpable fear on what the future portends for Africans in the Diaspora post-slave trade era.

In view of the foregoing, we cannot but hope for reinvigorated efforts to curb racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance serving as obstacles to the full enjoyment of all human rights locally and internationally. But, it all begins with individuals.

Little conducts such as maltreating domestic servants only buttresses the point that neo-slave trade has become the order of the day in our world. Needless to mention harsh economic conditions that has befallen many in our fatherland, making them not better than slaves though without physical chains.

•Ogunjobi is a Lagos-based attorney and public affairs commentator.

16

Friday, 26 August, 2016

T

RIBUNE was a newspaper in perpetual war-footing from 1949 up to the early 1990s. Yet, the paper had its critics who saw it as an ethno-regional champion and unerring defender of Awolowo and the Yoruba. Hotline, the defunct pro-north, news magazine once published a sub-cover story in which it proclaimed: “Nigerian Tribune vs. Nigeria”. Indeed, there was a definite fierceness to the paper’s tone matched only by its undeniable conviction that it was on the right side in the historical battle to build a country based on democratic freedom, justice, equity and fairness. Few newspapers fully embody the spirit of what Odia Ofeimun once described as “the Ngbati press” than the Nigerian Tribune.

This Ngbati press, argues Ofeimun, is “a press that is voluble if not cantankerous, a press that is buoyed by a no-holds-barred approach to matters of national interest, and with a capacity for advocacy and adversarial haggling against those it considers guilty of malfeasance objective.”

From its modest Adeoyo one-story building, the paper grew to open a much bigger office in Imalefalafia. Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

In later years, the newspaper company would grow more robust with additional titles such as Sunday Tribune, Tribune on Saturday, Iroyin Yoruba, Sporting Tribune, and Aura (magazine), the last three of which have since been rested. In the early 1980s, Tribune rebranded while the company was re-energized to meet the demands of the democratic era. While there was only one university graduate in Tribune in the paper by the end of the 1970s – as was the case in most newsrooms in Nigeria at that point – more than twenty graduates were recruited in the early 1980s, with more than half of them having or later acquiring second degrees.

Thus, the horizon of the newspaper was expanded while the language improved tremendously. There were tensions in the company and even the Board of Directors at different times which led to vigorous debates, but the newspaper remained strong under the chairmanship of H.I.D. She was the first and only Chairman of the Board of any major newspaper company in Nigeria.

Undeniably, the survival of Tribune over the years is a tribute to Obafemi Awolowo’s vision and ideological convictions and Hannah’s doggedness as the Chairman of the company. No newspaper established before Tribune in Nigeria is still on the stands today. And every newspaper that constituted a political rival to the paper has collapsed. In the first category are highly successful newspapers such as Daily Times, West African Pilot, Nigerian Citizen and Daily Service, which all preceded Tribune. They all disappeared many years ago. The second category included newspapers such as Western Region-owned Daily Sketch, the Northern Region-owned New Nigerian and Moshood Abiola’s National Concord. Sketch was started on March 31, 1964, particularly to neutralize Tribune attacks on the embattled Premier Samuel Ladoke Akintola-led NNDP administration. New Nigerian was started in 1966 by the Sir Ahmadu Bello-led NPC administration to defend the interests of the Northern Region and respond to southbased newspapers. Millionaire businessman, M.K.O Abiola started Concord in 1980 in the Second Republic on behalf of the leadership of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) to challenge Tribune’s (and therefore Awolowo’s) hegemony in the states that hitherto constituted the Western Region. At that point, Awolowo’s

With

Ebenezer Babatope

0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)

Wale Adebanwi on Mama HID (12)

•Mama HID Awolowo

Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) constituted a formidable opposition to Abiola’s NPN. Sketch, which was inherited by the five successor states of the old Western Region – Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo states – collapsed in the first few years of the Fourth Republic due to a combination of crude mismanagement, corruption, lack of clear editorial focus and neglect by the owner-states. New Nigerian, even though it was taken over by the Federal Government in 1975, appealed to a section of Nigeria (the north) with a very low newspaper patronage. It collapsed and was revived, but collapsed again. Concord could not survive the ordeal and death of its founder.

Unlike Sketch, New Nigerian and Concord, Tribune weathered all the storms, including proscription and the political crisis in which its founder was engulfed in the 1960s and the Second Republic. Even after the death of its founder, H.I.D, who co-founded the company with her husband, has continued to keep the business not merely afloat, but stronger and more vibrant. It is a measure of Awolowo’s recognition of his wife’s contribution to the founding and sustenance of the company that he ensured that she chaired the board of company until he died. She continues to do so, even in her twilight years. Hannah too recognizes how much the newspaper and the company meant to her husband

such that she has done everything to keep the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc strong. She is always telling people that she will be happy to report the vibrancy of the company to her husband whenever they meet in the hereafter….

Barely a decade after Tribune was founded, it became an important voice in the negotiations for Nigeria’s Independence, fiercely supporting independence in 1956, as proposed by the Action Group. When that was unrealized, the paper continued to agitate for 1960 as the terminal date of colonial rule. As Nigeria moved toward independence, Nigerian leaders engaged in debates and discussions on the terms of independence. Awolowo, as Premier of Western Region, led the region in the Constitutional Conference held in London in 1957 to finalize the process and date of Independence for Nigeria. On that trip, he took his wife along. It was also an opportunity to see their son, Segun, who was by then studying at Cambridge. She really enjoyed the trip and cherished the opportunity to see her husband first son in the U.K. THE EXPANSION OF HANNAH’S BUSINESS into a formidable enterprise should not have surprised her husband given his knowledge of her heritage and her industry. Yet, he couldn’t have imagined that her business would become that big. While he made money as a lawyer,

he also watched her become a woman of considerable means. Her success in business became more evident as Obafemi Awolowo was elected into office as Leader of Government Business and Minister of Local Government and later Premier. He could no longer earn money directly from his legal practice, even though the chambers remained in business. His income as Premier was so meager that he decided to be paid quarterly, so he could earn the salary when it was a bit substantial. The family was relying more and more on Hannah’s significant income.

To complement the wholesale textile business, the sale of ladies’ items such as hats, bags and shoes, before Awolowo entered government, Hannah had added the distributorship of Coca-Cola to her continually diversifying business. This tremendously increased her profit. Then, she decided to expand further by taking up the distributorship of the products of the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC). Here, Obafemi Awolowo thought a line had to be drawn. He had abandoned smoking many years earlier because he was convinced that it was not good for his health. How could his wife now be engaged in encouraging people to smoke? Hannah’s response was that it was a legitimate business sanctioned by law. If he thought smoking was not good for him, as a democrat, he should not stop others who were persuaded that it was good for them. The argument about human freedom did it. He relented.

Thus, Hannah became the first distributor for the NTC. She was initially in charge of the Remo Zone. She hit gold with this distributorship. Yet, she decided that she could expand her business further still.

So, she moved into beer distributorship.

Again, her teetotaler husband opposed this. She used the same argument she had used regarding the distributorship of cigarettes. Again, she won.

With all these, Dideolu Stores Limited was no longer sufficient. She had to start Ligu Distribution Services Limited to handle other emerging areas of her business. However, the attempt to broaden her business into the distributorship of cement through the West African Portland Cement was where Hannah experienced her husband’s complete disapproval. For him, it was a matter of fundamental principle. The company was established by the government in which he was serving and he was the one who commissioned it. It would be seen as conflict of interest and nepotism if his wife became a distributor for the company. As long as he remained in government, his wife would not distribute cement. Hannah conceded. Until Awolowo resigned as the Federal Minister of Finance and Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council in the General Yakubu Gowon regime in 1971, she never distributed the products of West African Portland Cement.

•EBINO TOPSY – 0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE).

17

Friday, 26 August, 2016

eyesof islam

Saheed Salawu yinkadejavu@yahoo.com 0811 695 4643

2015 stampede: Saudi is poised to host safe Hajj this year —Med-View boss, Bankole The Chief Executive Officer of Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, spoke with journalists last weekend during the annual Hajj seminar for pilgrims going through Med-View Travels Konsult, held at the airline’s corporate headquarters in Lagos. SAHEED SALAWU presents excerpts from the interview.

W

HAT has been the experience since MedView began airlift of pilgrims on August 8?

We give thanks to Almighty Allah. We are grateful at Med-View Airline that for the past 10 years, we have been fully involved in Hajj operations as one of major carriers in Nigeria. Also, Allah has been assisting us to help our brothers and sisters in the West African region and some other parts of the world. We believe that this is a journey Allah has ordained for us, because it is not easy when you look at all the things that go into it.

You need to go through the process of getting your approval from the Saudi authorities.

You need to go through the process of aircraft inspection. And you need to go through the process of putting your team together, as well as the logistics in all the stations you are operating from. This year, we are operating from the Lagos Zone which, Alhamdulillah, we have closed, having airlifted a total of 9,500 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. We have pilgrims from the South-South/South-East whom we will probably take on one flight.

We are also operating out of Mali. We have been able to move some pilgrims out of there.

We have equally been contacted by the government of the Federal Republic of Niger to support their national airline in terms of logistics. God has given us fulfilment anytime we got involved in this exercise. It has been very interesting and fulfilling.

With the commencement of the international operation by Med-View Hajj Consult, what should the pilgrims expect from the company?

One good thing that God has given us is that we are the only Nigerian air carrier that operates directly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We have right to four flights weekly.

Our partnership with AON [Airline Operators of Nigeria] and NANTA [National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies] has made it easy for intending pilgrims here to go directly, non-stop, to Jeddah. So, our pilgrims should expect the best of service this year.

What would you say is the remarkable achievement you have achieved so far in this year’s Hajj operation?

This year’s Hajj operation has been about giving of thanks. It has been about telling God that we are grateful and letting those who have patronised us over the years know that we appreciate them. This year is remarkable. Med-View Airline has involved in Hajj exercise for 10 years consecutively. We have airlifted close to 300,000 pilgrims. We operate more than 100 flights in every exercise. So, we give it to Allah Who has made this possible. Let’s also give it to members of Med-View Airline who have worked tirelessly and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria who believe in us. We equally give it to the Saudi authorities who recognise

Given your vast experience in Hajj operations, what measures would you say the Saudi authorities have taken to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy of last year?

I want to say with emphasis that Saudi Arabia is my second home. I have lived in and out of that country for 30 years. I can tell you confidently that lots of measures have been put in place to protect pilgrims against possible undesirable events. The incident of 2015 was an unfortunate one. We must recognise the fact that it is not easy to accommodate over two million people every year. Over the years, they [Saudi authorities] have tried. For the Jamaarat issue, they have done it in such a way that you have four, five floors with elevators. They have so many conveniences there. But whatever Allah wills to happen, there is nothing anybody can do about it. We pray Almighty Allah to make this year’s Hajj memorable for all of us.

Med-View. This is an achievement to all of us here. It shows that somewhere, somehow, people appreciate you.

You recently re-echoed the concern of stakeholders in the aviation industry about the availability of aviation fuel in the country. What is the situation now?

Honestly, this is not something we should be negotiating. Definitely, there are

lots of issues before the president to address, but the people he has given the assignment should see to it that two or three of our refineries are able to produce Jet A-1 to reduce the hardship. In the past three or four months, it was N105 [per litre].

Today, it is N200. Out of Lagos, up to Yola and Maiduguri, it is about N240 and it is unfortunate. This is an issue that the government should address quickly.

Saudi Arabia is not the only country with laws; every country has got its laws. Pilgrims have been warned time after time not to carry banned drugs and kola nuts to Saudi Arabia...I urge those who are still intending to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj to heed this warning, because once you are found culpable, you pay the price. It is not a game; you have to pay the penalty.

What have been the reactions of states you have rendered service to this year?

I know they are all fulfilled. You can see it on their faces. The time at which we promised they would leave was when they left.

And it was the same in Medina; our teams were on hand to welcome them and extend them all our courtesies. I use this medium to appreciate the regulators, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and other agencies of the government, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, for their contributions to the smooth Hajj operation we have witnessed so far this year. We commend the Ministry of Health and all other stakeholders who have done well, in spite of the economic hardship in the country, which we hope, by the grace of Almighty Allah, will end soon. I pray Allah to help the president and all our leaders. It is not easy. There is a lot of work for them. We pray God to guide them.

It was learnt that some Nigerian pilgrims were yet found with kola nuts and some other banned substances. How would you react to this?

You have no business violating the laws of any country. When they say something is a crime, it is a crime; there is no negotiation. Saudi Arabia is not the only country with laws; every country has got its laws.

Pilgrims have been warned time after time not to carry banned drugs and kola nuts to Saudi Arabia. Nigerian pilgrims have been cautioned against involvement in activities that could harm the image of Nigeria and cause the country to lose respect. I urge those who are still intending to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj to heed this warning, because once you are found culpable, you pay the price. It is not a game; you have to pay the penalty.

18 islamicnews

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Ahmadiyya Movement thanks Tribune with award

By Nurudeen Alimi

T

HE Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Nigeria (AMIIN), Ibadan Mission, has honoured the Nigerian Tribune with an award in appreciation of the newspaper’s contributions to its cause and Islam in general.

Presenting the award on behalf of AMIIN at a programme, in Ibadan, to celebrate 100 years of the Movement in Nigeria, the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Rilwan Akanbi, who was a special guest at the event, commended the Nigerian Tribune for what he called the newspaper’s unbiased presentation of news on religion.

“I must commend the owners and the management team of the Nigerian Tribune. To the best of my knowledge, ever since the inception of the company about 70 years ago, the Nigerian Tribune has been known for balanced, wide coverage of religious activities be it Islam or Christianity.

“For the benefit of those who do not know, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the founder of the Nigerian Tribune established the Hajj Board in the SouthWest region. I must also state here categorically that Baba Awolowo, in his life-

time, never discriminated when it comes to religion.

Therefore, once again, I want to commend the Nigerian Tribune for their support for the Ahmadiyya

Movement.”

Responding, Alhaji Nurudeen Alimi, who received the award on behalf of the Nigerian Tribune, thanked the Ahmadiyya

management team and entire members of the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, I thank you for this award.

“We use this opportunity to assure the Ahmadiyya Movement of our unalloyed support. Once again, we say a very big thank you,” Alhaji Alimi said.

Jail breaks: FG should improve prison conditions —MURIC

The chairman on the occasion and member of the Senate representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Rilwan Akanbi (left), presenting a plaque to a staff member of the Nigerian Tribune, Alhaji Nurudeen Alimi, for the conferment of a merit award on the newspaper by the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Nigeria, Ibadan Mission, at a ceremony held to commemorate the 100 years of the Movement in Nigeria, in Ibadan, last weekend. PHOTO: D’TOYIN.

Akinola donates buses to FOMWAN, mosque, visits Ooni THE Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dawud Akinola, has expressed commitment to his pledge to sustain the legacy of his predecessor, the late Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola-

Alao, for the promotion of the welfare of Muslims and advancement of Islam.

He made the remark while presenting two new buses to the Oyo State chapter of the Associa-

Winners receive prizes in ZSF business competition EIGHT persons have emerged as the overall winners in the second edition of the entrepreneurship development project organised by the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF), tagged “Business Plan Competition,” to reward young Nigerians with outstanding business ideas.

At the presentation of prizes and plaques, in Lagos, last week, ZSF Operations Manager, Mallam Ahmed Ma’aruf, said the initiative was aimed at empowering young Nigerians with business ideas either at conceptual level known as “Idea track” or transitional stage known as “Business Growth.”

ZSF Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, said the competition was an aspect of ZSF entrepreneurship development project embarked upon last year with a view to bringing together business-minded Nigerian youths to compete and showcase their creative ideas and business plans.

Movement for recognising and appreciating the contributions of the newspaper to the development of the body.

“On behalf of the owners,

Olagunju said N15 million was expended on the competition.

“The economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians, which has been worsened by increase in youth unemployment, Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, militancy/terrorism in the Niger Delta, kidnapping/armed robbery in the South-East and South-West and the high cost of living confronting the Nigerian youths can be effectively eradicated by designing and implementing appropriate entrepreneurial programmes to engage them productively.

The EDP was also meant to empower the Nigerian youths with adequate seed capital and appreciate the role of Nigerian youths in nation building.

“The tree we planted together just one year ago has grown up favourably and it has started yielding beneficial fruits that gave us more impetus to continue this competition despite low sponsorship.

“The number of participants increased from 128

last year to 165 this year.

This increase in number of participants made our consultant and his team to spend more time in screening the participants. The consultant and of experts did a marvellous job to produce the winners we are rewarding today,” he said.

Prince Olagunju urged all the beneficiaries to use the fund provided by the foundation to take their businesses to the next level to justify the confidence reposed in them by the team of experts.

Chairman on the occasion, Ambassador Adamu Babagida Ibrahim, said there was no better time to encourage the ZSF noble and lofty project than now.

Ibrahim said: “Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation’s intervention at this auspicious time is a welcome development that should be supported by well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations in order to complement the efforts of government in the delivery of socio-economic welfare services to the underprivileged Nigerian youths.”

tion of Muslim Women’s Organisation in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and Akorede Central Mosque, Bola Ige International Market, Gbagi, Ibadan.

At the presentation ceremony, held last week, at his residence in the Ikolaba area of Ibadan, Alhaji Akinola said he stood by his pledge and appealed to organisations, student bodies and private individuals who had requested for assistance to be patient.

While urging the beneficiaries of the brand new buses to make the most of the vehicles, he expressed the hope that his gesture would bring about a good relationship between “your religious organisations and the office of the Aare Musulumi.”

Responding, the Ameera of FOMWAN in the state, Alhaja Simiat Ogundiran and the chairman of Bola Ige International Market, Alhaji Mukaila Adebayo, thanked Alhaji Akinola for his magnanimity at this austere period.

They described the successful merchant as a cheerful giver and prayed Allah to grant him wisdom, good health, prosperity and longevity to serve humanity.

Alhaji Akinola thanked the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for his support for him since he assumed his religious position in 2015 and pledged his support for the governor in his resolve to transform the state.

The ceremony was attended by traders, businessmen and women and eminent Muslim personalities from across the state, including the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abdul Ganiyy Abubakri Agbotomokekere and popular preacher, Sheikh Muyideen Bello.

Prior to the ceremony, Alhaji Akinola paid a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his palace in Ile-Ife, as “the father of the Yoruba race.”

Alhaji Akinola sought the support of the traditional ruler in advancing the cause of humanity and the Yoruba race in particular.

He said: “As the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, we need royal fathers in whose domains Muslims, Christians and people of other faiths reside. May Allah (SWT) continue to grant you the wisdom to lead the people of Ile-Ife and further unite the Yoruba race.”

In his response, Oba Ogunwusi thanked the Aare Musulumi and his team for the visit.

He described Akinola as a businessman of repute and a philanthropist who never discriminates against religion, tribe, race or colour.

The traditional ruler said he was prepared to collaborate with the Aare Musulumi in his desire to ameliorate the sufferings of the downtrodden.

He prayed for Nigeria to come out of its present economic woes.

IN view of the incidence of jailbreaks in the country, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the federal and state governments to embark on decongestion programmes for prisons.

It said a radical prison reform and pragmatic legal aid scheme should also be introduced.

MURIC, in a statement by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, expressed worry about regular jailbreaks in the country lately, describing them as a testimony to the porous nature of Nigerian prisons as well as the poor security arrangements in them.

“We lay the blame for the frequent jailbreaks squarely on the doorsteps of the Federal Government, Nigerian prison authorities and the country’s slow, unresponsive and archaic judicial system.

“A government that cannot accommodate prisoners and detainees or arrange speedy trials for those apprehended has no moral right to arrest more suspects. Our prison system merely serves the interest of crime rings and their leaders as it provides them easy access to fresh recruits. The onus is, therefore, on the Federal Government to rise to the occasion.

“We commend state governors and chief judges who have freed large numbers of awaiting trial prison inmates.

“We reiterate our earlier suggestion for the introduction of courts in prisons.

Courts-in-prisons system enables government to build courts inside prisons, thereby bringing courts to those who need them most. This will eliminate logistic problems usually faced by prison authorities when attempting to arraign suspects.

“The Federal Government should improve prison conditions. More prisons should be built to accommodate enough inmates.

The federal and state governments should enter into partnership with civil society to set up probe panels for investigating all cases of awaiting trial in the country,” MURIC’s statement read in part.

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

fridaytreat

Rotimi Ige rotimiige@yahoo.com 0811 695 4636

Nigerian Tribune

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Artiste of the week

I was paid

N800 for my first show —KennyBlack

SINESS

ENTERTAINMENT MEETS BU

Meet ‘Topside’

Otolorin Kehinde is a fast rising comedian popularly known as Kenny Black. In this interview with ARAMIDE SHANU, he talks about his struggle to stardom, among other things.

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HE journey so far I am Otolorin Kehinde Peter, the funny and hilarious guy popularly known as Kenny Black. My journey started in August 9, 2008, that was when I got on stage for the first time.

Somebody had told me that, “Kehinde, why can’t you start doing stand up comedy?”. At that time, I had no answers but I started to watch people do it. Later, I was invited to do a rally called ‘Miss Ejigbo’ in Lagos and after the rally they called me again that they were having a comedy concert and they want me to perform.

I had never been on stage performing as a comedian but I had been on stage acting and singing, so I said no problem because everything starts one day.

That day, I went on stage without a stage name but the organisers insisted on one for me so I told them that I didn’t want a name that would be far from my real name, a name that people could easily interpret. So, I looked at my facial appearance and saw how dark my skin was so I decided to choose Kenny, the short form of Kehinde and my complexion, black. That was how Kenny black became my stage name. The first wedding I was invited to as a comedian was in 2009 and I was paid N800. To me, at that time, it was a lot of money because I had not been paid that kind of money.

You sing also...

I have a music band and we do music/comedy together because my jokes involve music.

What are the most embarrassing thing a fan has ever done to/for you?

One tried to kiss me in front of everybody; I went for a show in one of our institutions but

for security purposes, I will not mention the name of the school. A fan came to me and said, “Oh Kenny Black!”. Before I knew it, she started hugging me, trying to kiss me. I tried to calm her down and had no other choice than to leave the place before she tried any other thing. After then, I said to myself, “Kenny, I don blow”.

What are your messages through comedy?

I try to preach the fact that one is not too young to be who one wants to be. You are not too young to create a brand. I see a lot of my friends taking alcohol, smoking from morning till night but they need to wait to get to a certain age for them to be who they want to be. When I started my career it was a challenge to them. So, I believe you don’t have to do illicit business before you can be successful in life.

What are your challenges?

My size, and the fact that I’m young. When I started, people would look at me and think, “this boy thinks its child’s play, how come a boy of this stature and age wants to crack jokes”.

My stature was very challenging for me but I do tell people not to judge books by their cover.

What is your relationship with other comedians?

My relationship with other comedians is something I didn’t expect. I couldn’t believe that they would appreciate me, I’m getting love from all the comedians unlike before when they didn’t know what I

could do. I am like the favorite comedian now especially from the music artistes because I use their songs in my jokes. They would be like Kenny Black, you are making our songs popular.

How are you now coping with the competition?

It’s not been easy but I’m making sure I don’t compete with anybody. All I need to do is to rehearse more and focus on my craft, if competition comes you face it.

Most memorable events?

There are two memorable events for me; I was at an event where I was not supposed to perform and I had just gone there to enjoy myself. All of a sudden, the sound went off and nobody wanted to go up stage without a microphone. So after a while, I met the event planner to find out what the problem was. Discovering that the sound would be out for a while, I went on stage acting like Mr Bean, the mounted the drum set beat it to get attention. Then I signaled to the event planner and he said I could continue and before I realised what was going on, I had spent

more than 45 minutes on stage without a microphone. Around me, people were laughing and that is very risky because if I wasn’t funny at that point, people would be disappointed and so, I was able to save that show without a microphone.

Imagine nobody on stage for 45 minutes! The audience would have left and you know how big the Muson Centre is. I was able to arrest everybody’s attention and I got a standing ovation from everybody in that hall. The second one was an event where there were only three slots for comedians and the program was almost ending.

Most of the audience wanted music and dance but the organisers called Senator and me without anybody introducing me or lights coming on. Immediately I got on stage, everybody started shouting ‘Kenny Black’. It was an amazing moment for me.

Asides being a comedian, what else are you engaged in?

Yes, I have something I’m working on, it is something out of entertainment but I want to keep my fingers crossed because I like surprising people.

Name: Adedeji Temitope Olamide.

DOB: February 14th Education: C.A.C primary school, Olode, Ife, Osun State, Samwagba comprehensive college, Ore, Ondo State, The Polytechnic of Ibadan (Public Administration (ND), University of Ado Ekiti (B.Sc Marketing).

Temitope Adedeji, better known as ‘Topside’ is one of the very popular men who spice up the night life in the city of Ibadan. Before venturing into the hospitality business, Topside started off as an auto/carmart owner in 1999 in Ore, Ondo State. He would then open the popular Topside lounge and bar started in 2008 along Akinyemi, off ring road which metamorphosed into a club in 2012 and moved to Oluyole. He has since redefined the art of clubbing in the city and has become one of the major players in the city. Known for hosting celebrities often, hence the name ‘Playboy’s Paradise’ which his club is now referred to, Topside remains one of the most visible faces in Entertainment in Oyo State.

His hobbies include table tennis and driving while his favourite dish is plantain and beans. A Chelsea fan, he is married with a daughter. He is a native of Ilesha, Osun State and wishes to become a politician in the near future.

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

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

fridaytreat ‘Why Add More’ campaign breaks Stories by Rotimi Ige

A

MSTEL Malta, a malt brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc recently launched a new credential campaign tagged ‘Why Add More’.

The campaign, which is currently enjoying huge publicity across the country, was introduced to re-inforce the brand’s positioning as the premium malt drink, with an original formulation that contains less sugar and is enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.

The campaign leverages relatable metaphors and humor to portray the idea that adding more unnecessarily, could spoil the balance.

The TV commercial shows a wedding reception scenario, where the best man gives an eloquent speech which should have ended with a toast to the bride and groom but instead decides to add more, unnecessary entertainment, which did not go well with the celebrants and guests.

In referencing the campaign, The Portfolio Manager, Non Alcoholic Drinks, Nigerian Breweries, Mr.Olayinka Bakare said “The ‘Why Add More’ campaign, touches on a fundamental truth about our esteemed consumers and the Amstel Malta Brand. The campaign is truly world class and will further re-enforce Amstel Malta’s place as the Premium Malt Drink, with an Original formulation that contains Less Sugar and is enriched with vitamins and minerals”, he stated.

Through this campaign, the brand educates consumers on the delicate balance of its original malt formulation, which contains less sugar but with all the full taste theycan enjoy.

It also strengthens the brand’s positioning, of “Being the Best One Can Be”, in unique and truly distinctive way.

Analyzing the campaign message, as it relates to everyday fashion, style editor, Ruth Osime, expressed the importance of building internal confidence rather than placing too much emphasis on the outlook.

Osime said, “Your inner confidence is a reflection of how you look outside. You do not have to wear large overbearing accessories before you can tell your fashion story. It is important you stay happy inside you.”

Ngozi Princewill-Utchay, CEO,

Artelier Lifestyle Consultants, advised against over-indulgence or excessive eating. She opined that “our body knows when we have had enough…but many people do abuse their bodies by over-indulging.” In her concluding note, she emphasized that less is indeed more and there is no need adding more unnecessarily.

According to Mr Chidike Oluaoha, the Senior Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, “The ‘Why Add More’ campaign re-enforces the less sugar

positioning of Amstel Malta compared to other mainstream malt brands, whilst emphasising the importance of not adding more unnecessarily. Knowing the right balance is a vital fact of life as is the case in fashion, style, wedding, sports, etc.” he said.

Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser pointed out that the target of the new Amstel Malta ‘Why Add More’ campaign is to inspire consumers towards enhancing their overall wellbeing.

Movie Review: The Arbitration

By Joan Omionawele THE movie is centred around a young CEO man and a lady who work with a software company, interwoven in a story of love and rape which called for an arbitration.

The film, however, deviated from the typical female rape story to unravel the mystery behind a young CEO who was about to lose his company over a rape allegation by Dara ( Adesua Etomi) who was his most brilliant and productive worker and mistress.

Shot on a small set of an office which was directed by filmmaker, Niyi Akomolayan, viewers are thrown into a state of confusion with different sides of the story told by both parties. The arbitrator in the person of Sola Fosudo, was chosen to preside over the issue and eventually got to the root of the matter, with the input of the bold Lawyer, Ireti Doyle.

Although With Dara claiming that she was raped, the filmmaker could not hide the fact that she was not saying the truth because of the visible chemistry between the duo (Adesua Etomi and OC Ukeje), which kept the cinema audience whispering in hushed tones, ‘it’s a lie, she obviously wanted to sleep with him”.

At some point, Dara (Adesua Etomi) confesses that she slept with him to protect her shares and all that she had worked for, which was about to be taken from her by her boss, Gbenga Sanni (OC Ukeje). This depicts the nature of human relations, as one will do anything to survive a meltdown when he or she sees it coming.

The filmmaker however did well to introduce another twist when a former secretary who got pregnant for Mr Sanni died . Then came the brilliant Chijioke (Gregory Ojiefua), a deputy manager of a software company to testify against OC Ukeje, although he was faulted for being in love with Adesua Etomi, and viewers where confused about his character, “comical or geeky?

The sound quality was impressive as well as continuity although the focus at some point was blurry. The performances of most of the characters where stellar, while the script surely depicted that the filmmaker had a sound and brilliant background of Law.

Etisalat- Sponsored ‘Kids Say the Darndest Things’ 2 set for nationwide broadcast

From left, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Ruth Osime, Editor, ThisDay Style; Mrs. Ngozi Princewill-Utchay, CEO, Artelier Lifestyle Consultants; Chidike Oluaoha, Senior Brand Manager, Amstel Malta; at the official launching of Amstel Malta’s new campaign, Why Add More held in Lagos.recently

POPULAR children’s television series, ‘Kids Say the Darndest Things’, sponsored by Cliqlite from Etisalat Nigeria, has been announced to commence nationwide airing from the 20th of August of the Season 2 edition for the viewing pleasures of families.

The nationwide airing of the series will be on both terrestrial and satellite TV stations and will provide a gateway into the minds of children, featuring enthralling views on topical issues, rib-cracking imitation of parents’ mannerisms and insights into their future among others.

Speaking at a premiere of the second season of KSDT held at Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Lekki, Manager, Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Orah Egwu, promised that this new season will be a

the brand is very visionary with its approach to supporting traditional institutions. We see their placards everywhere around town and they are very visible. I think the makers of the beer are really wonderful; it is similar to what we have in China during our cultural celebrations.’

Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Regional Mainstream and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, in an interview at the sacred grove during the festival said that it is the brand’s position to make people have a feel of who they really are in times of celebration like this.

‘Simply put, Goldberg represents culture and traditional institutions; when we think of who we are as a people, what become vital are our enduring legacies which we must celebrate and sustain and that is why Goldberg is here to create that affinity.’ He also thanked His Royal Majesty, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II, the custodian of the age long festival for commending Goldberg as worthy partners in the preservation of the tradition of the people.

‘I am more pleased with the fact that the city is busy with all sorts of activities going on to promote business,

social and cultural activities, just like the Goldberg beer village,’ says Aisha Wilberforce, a member of an international body representing the Yoruba community in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Mrs Wilberforce hinted the fact that sustaining age long traditional legacies like the Osun Osogbo festival could be a big challenge if activities that would add splendor and interesting interactions between people are not present. He gave kudos to Goldberg for bringing new and fresh outlook to boost economic and social activities during the festival lauding the

ducer, Disc Jockey and America’s favorite sidekick on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Tony Okungbowa. Okungbowa starred in, and produced the film, “Mother of George”, “Restless City” and the soon to be released, “Echo Park”

which was an official selection at the Los Angeles Film fest 2014.

The television show, which has enjoyed popularity and rave reviews in various markets like Australia, Singapore, India and Italy, was launched in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2015.

Chocolate City announces music announces global digital deal with AFRICORI IN a bid to further the international recognition and appropriate compensation for their artistes, Nigeria’s leading record label Chocolate City Music and Entertainment Company has signed a deal with Pan-African music company AFRICORI to handle worldwide digital distri-

bution.

Africori Music Group (AMG) is the leading pan-African digital music company on the continent, with offices in JohannesGoldberg as truly ‘a culturally inclined brand,’ she said. burg and London Akeem Jamiu, an indigene of the state of Osun said and representation that the Osun Osogbo Festival is getting bigger and in Nigeria, Ghana, better every year. He attributed the growth and success Kenya, Tanzania, of the festival to brands like Goldberg who make conZimbabwe, Zamscious effort to light up the city and create ambience for bia, Uganda and the cultural celebration. ‘I am very happy that we are having more people who truly place emphasis on our culture and promote our tradition.’ He lauded Goldberg for being supportive in the course of the festival.

Members of the international body representing the Yoruba community in Europe, Asia and America also came to witness this year’s festival, as well as representatives of Government Ministries and parastatals like Information, culture and tourism, thereby giving it a more befitting outlook.

Osun Osogbo: Goldberg’s beer village gets multicultural commendation THE grand finale of the 2016 Osun Osogbo festival attracted a multicultural crowd from 5 continents around the globe who trooped to the Sacred Grove, Isale Osun, Osogbo, on August 19th, 2016, to witness the heralding of a new year of the state of Osun through the 600 year old tradition of the people, as Goldberg, the official Beer sponsor, receives commendation from visitors present.

The visitors received the prayers of Iya Osun, accompanied by Adi Olori Isa with other priestesses who went about offering prayers to the people in the sacred grove. It has been decreed to all as a year of prosperity, abundance and unity for the state of Osun and the world in general.

Speaking with a female Chinese visitor, Wang Xiu Ying, on why she has travelled thousands of miles to grace the festival, said ‘We give culture top priority in China, and we as humans in general are cultural beings, so we must do everything possible to preserve age long traditions of people around the world.’ Ms. Ying further stated that to preserve cultures and traditional institutions, it takes commitment from culturally responsible people and corporate entities, and she gave kudos to the corporate bodies behind the Osun Osogbo festival, particularly to Goldberg Lager Beer, as she revealed that she is a beer lover. ‘I cool off at the beer village since my arrival two days ago before the festival and I think

blockbuster of exciting moments.

She also spoke about the introduction of a new segment primarily dedicated to celebrating exceptionally talented children.

The second season of KSDT will be anchored by actor, pro-

Rwanda.

Founded in 2005, Chocolate City is widely regarded as one of the biggest and most successful record labels in Africa and has pioneered Nigerian hip hop in West Africa and around the globe. The label has released music from acclaimed recording artistes including; M.I., Femi Kuti, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, DJ Lambo, DJ Calse, Victoria Kimani, Dice Alles, Koker and Pryse to name a few.

AFRICORI provides digital music solutions and services to artists, producers, publishers and record labels in Africa. Their key activities are digital distribution of African music, licensing of African catalogue music to advertising agencies, film and TV production companies, and worldwide revenue collection.

AFRICORI represents a range

of prestigious African artistes including Sauti Sol (Kenya), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania) (Becca (Ghana) and Sean Tizzle (Nigeria), and a number of key record labels in the shape of Essiebons (Ghana), African Cream Music and Family Tree (South Africa).

Founder and CEO of AFRICORI, YoelKenan, “Chocolate City is undeniably one of the most influential labels in Africa. We jointly aspire and share common visions and goals. The digital music business in Africa is evolving rapidly. Therefore it is only a natural progression that key industry players join forces to improve and leverage the best opportunities for the artistes. We look forward to working with Jude ‘M.I.’ Abaga and his dynamic team in promoting and distributing the best music from Africa around the world.”

MUSIC BUSINESS 101

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

travelpulse&m.i.c.e The General Manager, Swiss Spirit Hotel and Swiss Alisa Suites, Accra, Ghana, Mr Yusuf Olela, in this interview with WALE OLAPADE, shares his experience in West Africa, ways to improve domestic sourcing of raw materials as well as investing in capacity building among sundry issues.

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HAT is your experience like in the hospitality sector?

I have almost 20 years experience in the hotel industry and my experience has been in Kenya and East Africa; my experience also span years in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and now in West Africa as a general manager.

This is your first visit to West Africa, how would you assess your experience in Ghana?

The experience has been very fulfilling.

The people have been very friendly and it was very easy for me to integrate with people in the community. The cultural diversity is not too different from where I come from in Kenya, so I felt much at home within a very short period of time. When it comes to the industry and what I do, I want to find huge opportunity, huge in the sense that there is so much to be done in the industry; the industry is not as developed as what we have in Kenya, where I come from options are limited, the capacity issues are still there, because the industry is not supported by so much training facilities that will make people deliver the expected services in the industry.

Are you speaking specifically about Ghana or generally in West Africa? I am speaking of Ghana as a whole, but the industry, the capacity is still something which has to be worked on, we need to expand our training institutions and net up the curriculum to fit into what the industry needs. The other challenge apart from capacity is the raw materials that you need in the hotel, which is a problem when you talk of sourcing for them, because a lot of items are imported, which means you cannot get everything entirely fresh. Import means the control of qualities are not in your hands.

Import means that things will be relatively expensive and that is why you found out that West Africa as destination and Ghana specifically is relatively more expensive when compared with other countries where similar items are being produced locally.

Is there any hope for Africa becoming producing continent?

I think there is an opportunity for such reality, but I think the market must be sensitised and the ministry and the respective industry like the ministries of Tourism and Agriculture need to map and say what can the country produce which we are importing? When this is done, things will take shape. Also, if today, you started giving people statistics of how many kilogrammes of beef are imported to this country and we decided to set up a ranch and work with different investors, it will happen, but it also depends on the fiscal policy and I think Africa’s economy entirely is still very young and needs to be protected. And when I say protected, it means that you have to ask yourself why? And one of the reasons I think Africa’s economy is not protected is because

Nigeria is a big market for West Africa to explore —GM, Swiss Spirit Hotel , Ghana

you found out that imported items still come into Africa and even cheaper than what is being produced here. So this scenario exposed the economy because the buyers will be looking at the best bargain, which will drastically reduce home-grown products. However for this thing to be produced locally there is need for incentive to encourage patronage, including what some people considered to be subsidy. The question remain, why would a product like imported rice imported be cheaper than what is produced here? It means there is something wrong with our production processes, the system and the cost of input in the production chain. So I see a lot of opportunities, especially now that the focus is shifting from oil and gas to the non-oil sectors. This is an opportunity where I see a lot of interest in people participating in different service solution to the industry and one of them is agriculture.

What informs your coming to West Africa?

Actually, what inspired me was the huge opportunities that have not been explored in West Africa as far as the hospitality industry is concerned, because the West African economy has not been driven so much by hospitality, but that is changing. If you look at statistics of the industry that recorded the fastest growth, it is the service industry and hospitality business falls into this group. Secondly, it is to share my experience in an industry that has not been well developed compared to Kenya or East Africa because in East Africa, tourism as an economic segment of the government is considered as one of the leading foreign exchange earners which is not the same when you look at Ghana and Nigeria, but you will find out that with time this is still

the area that has a lot of potential. The other time I was checking at the last statistics here in Ghana, tourism in the last few years have not been growing as expected by economy planners, but it is almost bypassing cocoa in terms of foreign exchange, so, basically what happened with cocoa is probably what happened in other African countries where when you produce cocoa and you don’t add value to it goes out as a raw cheap materials and comes back as a finished product more expensive. This is exactly the scenario in the oil

’Wale Olapade 08055201323 wale11g3@gmail.com Winner, NMMA, Tourism Reporter Of The Year

industry, we are the major oil producer, but sometimes you are extremely broke.

What led to the transformation of Alisa Hotel to Swiss Spirit?

Alisa started in 1999 with only 14 rooms and later the owner got another space for 25 rooms which is the heritage block and another space, the Landmark for 68 rooms then the Pegasus building with 100 rooms and also harnessed resource to put up another 99 rooms he christened the Village which made a total of 267 rooms. This is really hard work for a company that is proudly owned by a Ghanaian and was built from scratch to its present stage. When I came to the hotel, my first task was to concentrate on why I actually came to Alisa Hotel, which was basically to evaluate the facilities and services we are offering here and to compare with what the market has and the clienteles that come from different international communities, within and outside Africa. I realised that we needed to reposition ourselves for service delivery and product, we started working on this and we developed the standard and procedures, we looked at the structures to make sure that they align with what we want to achieve, we launched a preparatory procedure, we assisted the managers to set objectives and all the basics that it takes to run an organisation successfully. Then I asked myself what next after all these? And what came to my mind is sustainability, how do we keep our services and standards the way they are supposeed to be as long as we run this institution and that was where the idea of an international chain came in. The reason we brought in the international chain is to help us match our services with international standards because there is a quality assurance compliance expectations we must achieve, then it develop the people in terms of training needs and exchanges that take place, which actually integrate us with the global e-commerce platform that makes sure that our products and services can easily be accessed by someone who have not visited Ghana. So with the international chain, the brand equity come in which makes people to easily associate with the business that will give them a similar brand in Ghana.

That connectivity was missing and that was why the management decided that it will give the hotel a leverage and long term goal of sustainability to get into a partnership with an international chain. We began the search and met with different international brands before we finally considered Swiss international.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai goes trendy with Secret Garden Brunch RENOWNED for its creation of truly unforgettable moments, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah will launch the Unforgettable Secret Garden Brunch on September 2, 2016. The new brunch concept will create a secret garden experience, allowing guests to escape the Dubai heat and enjoy seasonal ingredients with live entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere.

Inspired by the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah’s bold approach on sustainability and the recent launch of the property’s organic garden, the brunch will feature live cooking stations with fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Upon arrival, guests can enjoy a specially summer menu in a family-style garden setting. Culinary delicacies include a colourful pickled vegetable bar and a freshly prepared organic, green salad made from herbs and flowers from the hotel’s own garden.

Brunch classics such as seafood, grills, and Waldorf salad will also be on of-

fer, complemented by a grand selection of French raw milk cheeses and freshly baked pies such as rhubarb, peach, and cherry.

Guests can sip fresh summer drinks such as the Waldorf Summer Cup - a classic medley of fragrant spirits and fruits - and home-made lemonade, and experience the water bar with creative combinations such as rosemary and peach, cinnamon and apple, and strawberry with basil from the organic garden - all whilst listening to the live acoustic sounds of the resident guitarist.

To raise awareness about organic produce among the younger guests, Executive Chef Jens Muenchenbach and his team will help children discover the Waldorf Astoria Secret Garden, giving them the opportunity to touch, taste, and learn the names of all that grows there.

Each guest will also receive a complimentary basil plant to look after and remember the Waldorf Astoria Brunch.

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politics&policy

Friday, 26 August, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

Akeredolu

Boroffice

Abrahams

Ondo 2016: The fear, anxiety over APC ticket

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI in this piece, highlights the intense power play going on in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its governorship ticket ahead of the November 10 poll in the state.

T

HAT the primary election initially slated for tomorrow to determine the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 26 poll in Ondo State was postponed to next Wednesday was envisaged was not in doubt. Events in the last few weeks were pointers about the pervasive apprehension and fears within and outside the party.

The shove among the main stakeholders had become a push with the ripple effects on the rank and file of the party, even at the national level. Though the issue of nomination form technically pruned the number of those who had expressed interest in the ticket from 45 to 24, the race has taken frightening dimensions. Some forces went beyond mere agitation against perceived plot to shortage their principals by resorting to actions capable of engendering trepidation and fear in the APC. At the beginning, the wrangling among the stakeholders was over power shifting to a particular senatorial zone.

The governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) eventually chose an indigene of Akure in the person of the erstwhile Attorney general and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as its candidate to settle the hide and seek between PDP and APC on it (power shift). But in a way, it became a nagging problem in the opposition party, as the different power blocs began to fire on all cylinders.

The problem of ego also served as another form of gun powder in the supremacy contest among the power blocs.

None of them appears ready for compromise. This crisis of mutual suspicion led to the raging controversy over allegation of a plot by some powerful forces to impose their anointed candidate on the party. This has given rise to the emergence of a coalition of aspirants, who have promised a fight to the finish in their demand for a level-playing field based on the consistent promise of APC leadership

at all levels. The coalition is opposed to what it perceives as the expansionist agenda of a certain external power bloc. The agitation of the group had led to altercations between some members of the coalition and an APC top notch.

Preparations Before the postponement of the primary election, there were indications that the 24 aspirants will individually be battling to secure the mandate of more than 3,000 delegates. However, the uncertainty surrounding the primary was underscored by the fact that nobody knew exactly the venue with about 48 hours to the crucial event. The secrecy behind it was because of the apparent inability of the APC top hierarchy to resolve the acrimony created by speculations of the endorsement of one of the aspirants, Dr Olusegun Abraham by the party’s National Leader, Chief Bola Tinubu. The crisis almost ‘consumed’ the state

Some forces went beyond mere agitation against a perceived plot to shortage their principals by resorting to actions capable of engendering trepidation and fear in the APC.

Olabimtan chairman of the party, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, who some supporters of the aspirants alleged was backing Tinubu over the purported endorsement. The controversy led to party to choice of three chairmen of the party within a week, though the APC national leadership has since returned Kekemeke as the authentic party chairman. It also generated to accusations and counter- accusations by the supporters, and an emergency meeting of all the aspirants with the APC national leadership in Abuja. The latter however said that endorsement did not translate to imposition and promised to organise a free, fair, transparent and credible election to produce the party’s standard bearer.

Findings in the party showed that Tinubu was said to Continue on pg 25

24

politics&policy

Friday, 26 August, 2016

PDP is a victim of judicial politicking —Adebutu Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu, representing Ikenne/ Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, is the chairman, House committee on Rural Development. In this interaction with journalists, he sheds light on the wrangling in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), attempt by some individuals to hijack the party structure, among others.

WOLE EFUNNUGA brings the excerpts:

H

OW would you describe the recent botched convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt?

I will describe the scenario as one with the unseen hands of the third columnists. I wish to state that the disruptions of the National Convention of our party in May and August 2016 respectively were as a result of certain desperate party members of Ogun State extraction who desired to lord it over everyone through the manipulation of judicial process and other institutions.

I appeal to all fellow party members and our supporters to remain resolute and stand united as we relentlessly pursue justice, fairness and equity. In the end, the PDP, Ogun State and Nigeria will be better for it if we all do that which is noble, honourable, reasonable and patriotic. I cannot but mention the dastardly physical assault on my person during the just-concluded convention in Port-Harcourt. It is interesting to note that as a ranking member of the National Assembly (NASS) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who had the privilege to serve for the first time in the Third NASS, and now presently serving in the Eighth NASS was attacked by a Senator. I wish to use this forum to rededicate myself to the challenges, struggles and victories ahead. My supporters and I will continue to remain firm and unflinching in our loyalty and support for the national leadership of the Party under His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party; the Ogun State Executive Committee of the PDP under the leadership of Honourable Sikirulai Ogundele, and all party institutions, organs and leadership at the national, state and other levels.

I remain firmly committed to the ideals and visions of the founding fathers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Ogun State in particular.

Your party has been going through difficult times since the loss of the 2015 general election without any solution in sight. Why is this so?

This is due largely to factors within the Party on the one hand, as well as needless and desperate orchestration and manipulation of internal frictions within the PDP by the ruling party, and also the active connivance and complicity by certain overzealous Judges of the Federal High Court and some officious police officers.

Could you shed light on this?

The crisis in the national body of the PDP has a lot to do with the mismanagement of internal crisis in the Ogun State Chapter and needless introduction of ‘Judicial Politicking’ to outsmart fellow party members in Ogun State by a self-styled politician, now a Senator from Ogun State. This process resulted in judicial bondage of the party. The Senator joined PDP in the year 2010 on the pretext

Federal High Court has no jurisdiction in political matters; and despite the fact there is a Federal High Court in Abeokuta (assuming Federal High Court has jurisdiction). Even in the Abia case, decided few days ago, the Court of Appeal reiterated the fact that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction. It needs to be pointed out that, most times, (if not all the times), the controversial rulings and judgments of these questionable Judges are upturned on appeal (if the adverse party demonstrates enough courage- if exigencies of times permits, to test the ruling or judgment on appeal.

The recent Abia case is a classic example. The Court of Appeal in Ibadan had also reversed the removal of former national secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was removed in a controversial ruling procured by the maverick Senator.

However, Prince Oyinlola has since moved on.

Can’t the party find a way of resolving most of these issues out of court?

No matter the dialogue you have with people, there can’t be amicable solution when people have all manner of injunctions in their pockets, they become impossible to talk to. When there is a compelling order that cannot be wished away by goodwill, you have no option that to let the process go through.

That is part of what we are managing.

The truth of the matter is that we are now going through this but I can assure you that after one year, we will be better for it. Power is power. It is not easily given. That is the reality of it.

Adebutu

of humanitarian assistance, through a foundation. He would routinely tell party members that he was not interested in contesting any elective position; not even the post of councillorship, as (according to him), he had no paper qualification to contest election. Dissatisfied political actors and leaders in Ogun State PDP were coerced to embrace him and the rest is history. The party broke into three or four political parties, namely: Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), PDP, Labour Party and some defected to ACN and others. This disintegration gave the Senator the latitude to hijack the party (PDP) structure in the State by appointing his puppets into the Executive committee, thus making it impossible for true reconciliation even af-

ter dissatisfied members were prevailed upon to return to the party (PDP). Subsequently, party nominations became highly ‘commercialised’ by the Senator.

Your party has a chain of cases at various courts. How healthy is this for the party that is supposed to be a vibrant opposition?

Yes, that is true but one also keeps wondering why almost all cases involving Ogun State PDP that were filed by the law firm working exclusively for the Senator are done in Lagos (and sometimes Abuja) and always assigned to particular judges despite the fact that the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court have held (times without number) that

The truth of the matter is that we are now going through this but I can assure you that after one year, we will be better for it. Power is power. It is not easily given. That is the reality of it.

Is the status quo going to remain like this for the next one year when elections into Edo and Ondo States would have been conducted?

As true democrats, we remain committed to the task of democracy which thrives on effective and efficient opposition politicking. We have been at the receiving end of injustice perpetrated by some powers that be. While we remain resolute, we wish to state emphatically that we’ll do all reasonably possible to pursue and continue to pursue justice and rule of law in Nigeria no matter the inconvenience of doing so. We seek to provide the people of Ogun State with credible alternatives. We aspire to instill confidence in governance and alleviate the sufferings of the good people of Ogun State. We undertake to continue in hot pursuit of fairness, justice, rule of law and enthronement of democratic values.

What does Ladi Adebutu want in politics, considering his background and the comfort zone where he comes from?

That is a very good question that people had asked me times without number. The truth is that if good people run away from politics, bad people will take over the governance of the nation and the consequences will be disastrous. Some are into politics to amass wealth, some are there because they do not have any other job while some are there to bring joy and happiness to the people. My mission in politics is to bring smiles to the faces of my people.

25

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politics&policy

AST Monday, I had to do a little research to know who the United States Secretary of State is. Of course, I know he is John Kerry at this moment, but a development that day, cast some doubt in my mind concerning his status as I wondered whether he was much more than the Foreign Affairs minister as that position is known in most countries.

Before I go any further, I found in my little search that under the U.S. Constitution, the Secretary of State is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department and the Foreign Service of the United States. The Secretary among other related functions, conducts negotiations relating to U.S. foreign affairs; grants and issues passports to American citizens and exequaturs to foreign consuls in the U.S; and advises the President on the appointment of U.S. ambassadors, ministers, consuls, and other diplomatic representatives. These are not different from the responsibilities bestowed on our own Minister of Foreign Affairs.

But on the day in question, the eve of Kerry’s arrival for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, the office of the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) issued a media advisory that was essentially how State House correspondents were expected to behave when Kerry was in the house. We were told that the meeting would be closed to the media even though cameramen could take establishing shots on his arrival at the villa forecourt while only the President’s official photographer and video cameraman were to have access to the venue of the meeting, also to take establishing shots and get out.

Oddly, correspondents were to steer clear of the path of the Secretary who would not be granting press interview.

We were requested to avoid the corridors where we normally hang around to wait for events and in stead, asked to sit back inside the press briefing room until Kerry departed. The explanation for that was that Kerry would walk through the corridors on his way to another briefing room where he was scheduled to meet with some northern state governors. Essentially, on his way to that room, he was not supposed to come in contact with reporters.

Beyond what was contained in the statement released after the meeting, not much was revealed about the encounter between Buhari and Kerry since reporters did not have the privilege to interrogate the visiting Secre-

Friday, 26 August, 2016

inside

aso rock WITH LEON USIGBE

08078891838 leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.uk

Clearing the house for Kerry tary on his mission as is normally the case. The statement indicated that Buhari used the occasion to pledge his commitment to the anti-corruption crusade in the country which he said would be deepened and institutionalized to last beyond the life of his administration.

His government, he said, would be putting the necessary structures in place in the public service to ensure that they struck to administrative and financial instructions as disobeying them would no longer be tolerated.

Apparently conscious of the criticism trailing what has been regarded as a political and one-sided war against corruption in some quarters, Buhari promised Kerry that in prosecuting the war, he would be fair and just to all

If there was a media clear out for Kerry’s sake at this time, what will be the case if ever President Barack Obama himself visits?

s

concerned.

The message that was disclosed on Kerry’s part was that he lauded Buhari’s courage on the drive to rout corruption as the Secretary believed that corruption “creates a EON WITH L ready-made playing field08078891838 for recruiting leonusigbe@ yahoo. co.ukextremists.” “You inherited a big problem, and we will support you in any way we can. We will work with you very closely. We don’t want to interfere, but will offer opportunities as you require,” he was also quoted as telling the President.

It was difficult to understand what was different about that Kerry’s visit. The Villa is no stranger to high profile visitors including presidents, prime ministers and other foreign envoys and apart from the normally closed-door sessions, State House correspondents have mostly had the opportunity to cover the visits, many of which are accompanied by joint press briefings between the president and his guests.

Kerry came as the emissary of the most powerful individual in the world, the leader of the free world, President of the U.S. Perhaps, that was why he was treated differently. But as far as I can recall, none of the visits by even foreign leaders themselves to the villa has generated the sort of palpable tension felt in the case of Kerry. Not even when his predecessor in office, Hilary Clinton came calling in 2012 in the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. If there was a media clear out for Kerry’s sake at this time, what will be the case if ever President Barack Obama himself visits? I’m just wondering.

aso rock

The horse trading continues continued from pg 23

have opted for Abraham on three grounds, which include his loyalty to the party. He reportedly explained that the he (Abraham) was in the forefront during the race to win the same ticket in 2012, but ‘lost’ to Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN). Notwithstanding the development, Abraham was said to have worked tirelessly during the campaign of Akeredolu. Also, Tinubu was said to be attracted to the entrepreneurial acumen of Abraham, noting that the state needed a professional businessman at this critical stage of the national economy.

Another factor said to have attracted the APC National leader to Abraham is that he belongs to no particular political group in the state. He only has structures that have remained intact in the state even after losing the ticket to Akeredolu in 2012. His perceived neutrality in terms of grouping will enable him to concentrate on governance rather than serving any narrow political interest.

At the close of nomination, 24 aspirants had scaled the first hurdle in their quest to grab the APC ticket at the primary election. The list comprises Akeredolu, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Dr Abraham, Chief Olusola Oke, Victor Olabimtan, Tayo Alasoadura, Jamiu Ekungba, Boye Oyewumi and Bode Ayorinde, among others.

The reason for the large number of aspirants is not farfetched. The victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the last general election and the resounding victory recorded in the state accounted for it. Some members of PDP in the state hardly waited for the result of that election to be announced before dumping the party for APC. Apart from this, the party is seen as an alternative to the ruling PDP in the state and therefore turned to a beautiful bride with many suitors.

Again, looking at the aspirants, a large number of them hail from the Ondo North senatorial districts and there were insinuations that the party may zone its governorship ticket to the area, considering the zoning arrangement in the state.

The leadership of the party has said it repeatedly that the party’s ticket will not be zoned to any particular senatorial district. But considering the body language of the party, the governorship ticket will likely go Northward.

Former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA),

Rotimi Akeredolu is one of the top contenders for the ticket from the North senatorial district, in the ancient Owo town. He was the standard-bearer of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2012 governorship election in the state. Though, this gives Akeredolu an edge over other contenders, he was alleged to have disappear from the state political radar, after the 2012 election in the state, only to reappear to join in the race to Alagbaka.

But Akeredolu is said to look good to win the primary with his grip on a large percentage of the delegates who will participate in the shadow election and he has built statewide machinery that can be mobilised to win the primary election. Aketi, as fondly called, though on a familiar terrain, is said to have little knowledge about Ondo politics. Again, he is said not to be in the good book of some party leaders both at the national and the state.

Former Speaker of the Ondo House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan, former PDP legal adviser and aspirant in the 2012 governorship election, Olusola Oke and the Senator representing Ondo central, Senator Tayo Alasoadura who are all of PDP extraction in the state are also seen as

The APC leadership has said it repeatedly that the party’s ticket will not be zoned to any particular senatorial district. But considering the body language of the party, the governorship ticket will likely go Northward.

strong contenders.

Alasoadura joined the party in the days of ACN after parting ways with PDP in 2011, while Olabimtan also dumped PDP after the marriage of inconvenience of PDP and Labour Party in the state in 2014. But Oke who stayed in PDP till after the 2015 Presidential election hardly waited for the announcement of President Buhari as the president-elect before he joined the APC and quickly positioned himself as a governorship aspirant.

The three former PDP members hail from the three senatorial district in the state. Oke from the South, Olabimtan (North) and Alasoadura is from the central. Despite being new in APC, Oke commands a great respect in the party because of his antecedents. He is a great politician with his tentacles spread across the state. He is a member of the House of Representatives during the aborted Third Republic, a former Commissioner on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) who later became the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

Some political analysts believe Oke would have been the preferred candidate of PDP if he had remained in the party. Despite this, many believe he is the only politician in the race that can give PDP a good fight.

Olabimtan, another PDP chieftain, who joined the APC at the wake of 2015 general election is also aspiring to become governor of the Sunshine state. The former House of Assembly Speaker is one of the few politicians in the state that understand the state’s political terrain and hail from the Northern districts where many believe APC will pick its candidate but like Oke, Olabimtan may suffer the same fate from the leadership of the party.

Olusegun Abraham is another contender whose aspiration is now causing stir in the party. Abraham, a businessman and politician contested for the ticket of ACN in the 2012 governorship election in the state before Akeredolu was picked by the party leadership then.

He is an ally of the leader of the party and hails from Ikare-Akoko in Akoko North East local council. Abraham was one of the three contenders considered for the ticket in 2012 but decided to step down for Akeredolu.

26

communitynews

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Emir of Ilorin marks 21st coronation anniversary, solicits prayers for leaders biola azeez-ilorin

THE Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has urged the people of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State at large to continue to pray for Nigerian leaders and the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.

The monarch made the call during a special prayer marking the 21st anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

Sulu-Gambari thanked Allah for taking him thus

Nasarawa CP inaugurates forum to tackle communal clash gdwin agwam-lafia

THE Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, Abubakar Bello, has inaugurated “Eminent Persons Forum” to tackle communal clashes in the state.

The commissioner, who inaugurated the forum, recently in Lafia, said the initiative is one of the blueprints of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to boost community policing.

He explained that the policy is a modern-day strategy employed to tackle security threats by encouraging members of the public to complement police efforts in securing the society.

“It is worthy of note that the IGP has placed high premium on this programme because if Nigerians are carried along in securing their environment, it will go a long way in resolving issues such as communal clashes”, Bello said.

The commissioner also disclosed that the forum comprises traditional rulers, union leaders, retired public servants, religious leaders and market men and women associations who will assist the police in mediation and social control whenever security challenges occur.

far and ensuring that Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State continued to develop since he took over the royal mantle.

He also noted that his experience during his days as a judge had prepared him for the stool of his forefathers, adding that the job of traditional rulers required wisdom, patience, tolerance and perseverance.

While leading other Islamic scholars in the prayers, the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi AbdulHameed, prayed Allah to grant the monarch long life and good health.

He said Ilorin Emirate had recorded numerous achievements in the last 21 years and urged the emir to be steadfast in prayers for his subjects and the nation at large.

From left, Secretary to the Rivers State government, Mr Kenneth Kobani; representing the state governor, Gombe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwanbo; Ekiti State governor/Chief Host, Mr Ayodele Fayose; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, his wife, Olori Bosede Aladesanmi and others, during the 2016 Udiroko Festival in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday.

Udiroko: APU excited about Fayose’s strides in Ekiti

A

S the people of Ado-Ekiti marked the beginning of a new year by celebrating the annual Udiroko Festival, the various developmental efforts of the state

government under Governor Ayodele Fayose have been acknowledged as steps in the right direction.

Speaking on the occasion on Tuesday, at the palace of Ewi of Ado-

Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111, the President-General of Ado Progressive Union (APU), Chief Obafemi Ojo, said though the APU, the umbrella body of all associations in Ado-Ekiti, is

Traditional council urges Benekruku to parley with Chevron ebenezer adurokiya-warri

THE traditional council of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has urged leaders and members of Benekruku community to sheathe their swords and parley with oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Ltd. Acting secretary of the council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, made the appeal on Wednesday in Warri.

Chief Gbenekama, who spoke on behalf of the council, appealed to elders, leaders, youths and executive members of Benekruku, host to Abit-

eye Oil Field, to lay down their swords in spite of the expiration of the ultimatum given to Chevron to resolve their grievances.

He pleaded with the community to give the oil company a chance for dialogue in resolving pending issues particularly at a time the security situation in the Niger Delta region is fragile.

He, however, appealed to Chevron to immediately initiate the dialogue process with its host in order to resolve issues raised by leaders of the community to avoid further impasse.

“We are appealing that a conducive environment be

created for Chevron to operate so that there can be negotiations.

“Chevron is also working frantically to hold roundtable discussions with leaders of the community on the issues,” the Benemowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom stated.

It will be recalled that leaders of Benekruku community, host to Chevron’s Abiteye Oil Field, had given the company seven days ultimatum to redress the issues of employment and contract awards to members of the community in consonance with the the Local Content Policy.

The ultimatum expired on Wednesday.

Odun Iyan: Alake charges Buhari on agric development olayinka olukoya-abeokuta

THE Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to make agriculture one of the cardinal policies of his administration.

He said this during the opening of the annual Odun Iyan at his palace in Abeokuta.

The monarch while addressing the people, in-

cluding Egba Chiefs, clerics, market men and women as well farmers from within and outside Egbaland, maintained that every part of the country is blessed with all-yearround-arable land for diverse agricultural produce for domestic consumption and export.

He noted that a nation that could not feed its citizens could not be regarded as economically stable and

buoyant, saying that the Federal Government had all it takes to provide a conducive environment for agriculture development and making it the front burner of its drive towards economic independence as against crude oil and gas.

Oba Gbadebo pointed out that the federal and state governments should see the present economic downturn as a blessing and an opportunity to diversify

the economy by making it agriculture and manufacture based.

He also called on Egba farmers to take advantage of the structured support offered by both the federal and Ogun state governments to boost their output.

He promised that an agricultural competition would be organised during the festival in the nearest future to promote agriculture in Egbaland.

non-partisan, there was no way the union would not commend Fayose for the various projects being executed in the town.

Ojo, who is also the Bobajiro of Ado-Ekiti, described Fayose as an extraordinary person.

“Maybe, it is necessary to state that the Ado Progressive Union (APU), is nonpartisan. I am neither APC nor PDP. The truth is, this governor is not an ordinary person. In our culture, he can be described as ‘Akanda eniyan’ (extraordinary person). It is not common for a person to be elected as a governor a second time. He is a performer by every standard.

“We, Ado sons and daughters, are appreciative of your various achievements in Ekiti and AdoEkiti in particular. Your name will be from generation to generation on the amphitheatre in Ewi’s palace, we hereby say thank you for your contributions to Udiroko 2015 and 2016,” he said.

Speaking in the same manner, Oba Adejugbe said Governor Fayose was, indeed, God-sent to Ado and Ekiti State in general.

“I am indeed very grateful to the government of Ekiti State led by Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, a pragmatic, committed beacon of excellence and a hardworking governor for the massive road construction work and other infrastructural projects being undertaken in Ado metroplolis such as Onala/Tinuola Road, DeHead (Bawa Estate)-Adetiloye Road, Awedele-Secreatiat Road dualisation,

Adunni Olayinka Women Development Centre, OjaOba Erekesan ultra-modern market which is under construction, and the flyover under construction, just to mention a few, all within 18 months of assumption of office.

“The ongoing flyover project deserves commendation. It is highly commendable that the government has equally extended its developmental programmes to other parts of the state.

It is my fervent prayer that Almighty God will give His Excellency the enablement to complete all the laudable projects he has embarked upon for the overall development of Ekiti State.

“I’m using this medium to sincerely thank the governor for the completion of this royal gallery (amphitheatre) of Ewi’s palace. The community was getting fed up with the slow pace of the project when he wonderfully came to our rescue.

Ado-Ekiti shall ever remain grateful to you,” the Ewi said.

The Chairman of Ado Local Government Area, Mr Deji Ogunsakin, stated that the people of the town would not forget Fayose’s contributions to the development of their community.

“Ado people are behind you. You have performed well. You have stabilised the political arena and made life conducive for us all, including our royal father. You have achieved a lot despite the poor finances of the state and the huge debt profile you inherited from the previous administration. I thank you on behalf of Ado people,” the local government boss said.

27

Friday, 26 August, 2016

Monica Taiwo monicataiwo@yahoo.com 08055001724 @taiwomonica

heartcopy D

EAR TAIWO, My heart is very heavy as I write to you. I don’t know what to do or who to trust any longer. This world is not a place where you trust people, especially people close to you.

I am so disappointed and disillusioned. What do I do? My mother and younger sister are trying to shield me from hurt and heartache. They refused to tell me what they saw. but I heard everything they discussed. They thought I had slept. Fortunately, I was not sleeping. I am yet to let them know I heard everything they discussed that fateful day, two weeks ago.

How do I handle this situation?

What do I do with my husband I trusted so much? A man who is my world and my love? A man I gave all the love in my heart, who decided to cheat on me with my cousin; someone who I equally trusted and I thought was the best thing that could have happened to me. I thought she was God sent. I saw her as the angel God sent to me to help during my illness. I never knew she had other motives.

My husband and I met during youth service and started our relationship which later led to marriage. We waited on the Lord for the fruit of the womb for seven years after marriage. And when the blessing came, it was one sickness after the other during the first trimester of my pregnancy that I had to resign my appointment with the company I worked, so that I could take care of myself. I was not stable until I was about seven months gone, and then, there was no point going back.

Unfortunately, I fell ill again after I gave birth to my baby; a lovely baby girl, God’s blessing to my husband and I. It was as if Oreoluwa; my daughter, knew the circumstances on ground, she really is a peaceful and loving baby, never asking for too much attention or giving any problem.

I was very sick that and I stayed in the hospital for over three months. At a stage, my baby was discharged. Of course, my mother had to take her to her place. My husband, at about that time, was transferred to the Port Harcourt branch of his office. He works with a telecommunications company. So, once in a while when he came home, he would go and see Oreoluwa at my mother’s place.

My cousin, Toyosi, had lived with us since she was 12 years old, we are about the same age and practically grew together.

She was at hand to help me.

Mother raised us like sisters and outsiders would never know we

Picture: Google

I’m shocked by their betrayal, I can no longer pretend I didn’t know

were are not siblings. She raised us together. She would have been married before me, but her fiancée disappointed her a few weeks to the wedding day. He ran away with a former girlfriend of his.

Her sorrow at that time was one shared by every member of my family and we all stood by her to make sure that she got on her feet again. I really don’t understand why she chose to pay me back this way.

While I was in the hospital, she stood by me and really helped in taking care of my daughter.

When I was discharged from the hospital, I had to go and stay at my mother’s because as at then, I could not stay at home alone.

That weekend, my husband came home and he also decided to sleep over at my mother’s house, because according to him, he had no one to go home to. I was very excited because I felt he really loved and cared about me.

I never knew he had other agendum.

I usually slept in my mother’s room, but because my hus-

band was going to stay over, my mother said we could sleep in the guest room. I went to take a shower and got ready for bed in my mother’s room and by the time I went through my toilet routine, I became very tired and dozed off.

I didn’t know the time, but I guess it was late. I felt my mother and younger sister crept into the room and they were talking in hushed tones. Initially, I thought something happened to my baby, but I felt her beside me on the bed, breathing. They kept

glancing at me to confirm if I was sleeping.

Their attitude made me suspicious, so, I pretended I was sleeping. I overheard them talking about Toyosi and my husband. What I heard shocked me; mother caught Toyosi and my husband having sex on the terrace in our house.

It was very hot as there was no light. Our generating set was faulty, so they could not put it on. They all went on the terrace to enjoy fresh air. Mummy and my sister came down to take care of Oreoluwa, leaving Toyosi and my husband.

Mummy said she thought they must have gone into their various rooms and left the door unlocked. She wanted to lock the door so she could wake me up to go and sleep in the guest room with my husband.

On a second thought, she wanted to double check, she climbed the staircase; lo and behold, she caught them right in the act. They were so engrossed in the act that they did not hear her coming. She also listened to their conversation; it was there she learnt that they had been doing this for some time now, even before I was discharged from the hospital. She did not keep quiet; she made them know she saw them by calling their names.

She confronted them with all she heard.

They, however, pleaded that she should not tell me what she saw and heard. This was very overwhelming for her, that she needed to tell someone.

I overheard everything she said. I was too shocked to react, there and then. I, however, refused to go and share the bed with my husband that night. He also did not force me. He came to ask and I refused. Mother, didn’t even speak with him.

I am too shocked and sad to discuss this with anybody. My mother and sister haven’t told me either. They have been treating me with extra care since then.

Toyosi, however, does not know that I am aware of the whole saga. I noticed she’s been avoiding my mother too and whenever she is with me when my mother was not there, she tries to be extra nice.

She would bring different gifts for me on her way from the office. I can’t continue to pretend I did not hear or know what happened. Please, what should I do? I can’t stand my cousin anymore. I can’t continue to pretend with my husband any longer and I want to relieve my mother and sister of the burden.

What should I do?

Deola, Lagos.

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

Lagos: State of shimmering lights

By Kunle Oderemi

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RS Caroline Fregene had taken a commercial bus from Oshodi to Orioke bus stop in Ejigbo to spend the weekend with her grandchildren. When the conductor led the elderly woman out of the bus at her destination, she looked around and told him she had not got there.

“I told you I was going to Orioke,” she said. “This is Orioke,” the conductor replied. “No,” the elderly woman insisted.

“There are no streetlights in Orioke that I know.”

“Mama, Ambode don bring street lights,” he told her and jumped into the vehicle.

Dramatic exchanges such as this are becoming routine in the transport corridors of the towns and cities of Lagos State, where shimmers of street lights welcome citizens home from work every evening and see them off every morning. The streetlights are chasing darkness out of neighbourhoods and putting pimps and pickpockets, who lurk in corners to waylay citizens out of business.a Commercial drivers are earning more by extending their business hours till late in the night and unemployed drivers on standby for colleagues who close early, target the night shifts. More factories now run shifts at ease, assured that security of their workers in the small hours is available.

Renowned economist, Professor Pat Utomi, who doubles as founder of the Lagos Business School, was returning to Lagos when he looked through the window and beheld the city in shimmering splendour. Speaking at a book launch recently, he said: “It is as if you are in London.”

Community leaders in Lekki, Ikorodu, Badagry where communities in darkness for decades are stepping into light share the sentiments. They are waiting for the metering of their homes so that the light can lighten the burden of living. Gradually, the dream of making the state a 24-hour economy where production, exchange, distribution and consumption take place round the clock is looking real.

So far, networks of roads totalling 600 km have been lit and the Electricity Board restored lights in 366 locations.

Driving through Third Mainland Bridge, Ikeja and environs, Berger to IyanaOworonshoki, Murtala Muhammed Airport Road, Okota through Isolo to Ikotun, Sango to Onipetesi at night comes with renewed vision and security. But it is not an urban phenomenon. Communities in Lekki, Badagry, Alimosho received over 100 transformers to ensure efficient distribution of power to their homes.

To make this dream come true, the state government relies on five gas-powered Independent Power Projects located in Akute, Alausa, Mainland, Island and Lekki Peninsula to supply energy to the streetlights and other public facilities.

Looking for energy to keep Lagosians ahead has also led to the deployment of solar power in schools and primary health care centres across the state under the Ambode administration.

The journey, says Akinwumi Ambode, governor of Africa’s fastest-growing business capital, has just begun. The future is to provide energy security for Lagos State by providing the state’s electricity needs internally and cutting reliance on the national grid.

College Road, Ogba, Lagos That assignment is the task before Wasiu Oluwo, the Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources and the Advisory Committee on Power, a public-private think-tank of industry leaders. Soon, the dream of an independently powered Lagos, which Bola Tinubu, the pathfinder who set the state on this course as governor between 1999 and 2007, saw, shall come to pass.

Business nests on the time value of money. The state government knows this and makes it happen by improving conditions conducive to commerce and industry. So, decongesting perennial gridlock at junctions is one of the ways to deliver this value. Flyovers being built at Abule-Egba and Ajah will reduce hours spent in traffic. A multi-layby facility at Oworonshoki and the expansion of road to fasten traffic at Alapere has already cut bumper-tobumper movement from two hours to 40 minutes on Third Mainland Bridge and improved productivity.

New highways are emerging. The dual carriageway from Epe to Itoikin will end 30 years of anxiety. The Fourth Mainland Bridge project set up by a consortium of investors at more than N500 billion will keep Lagosians in productive motion. To reduce human obstacles to traffic flow, more footbridges are springing up and the old ones are being fixed at Berger, Mile 12, Oko Filling, Olopomeji, Anthony among others. Commuters are safer and better.

From the highways, construction and rehabilitation continues to the major roads. The roads include Ajasa Command, Ago Palace Way, Ejigbo-Idimu, Meiran, Okota-Isolo-Ejigbo, Ajara-Erekiti-Badagry, Mushin- Isolo, Freedom Road, Lekki, LASU-Iba and the network of major roads in Epe Township. Indeed, the inner roads, which empty commuters to the highways daily, appear to be getting the greatest attention of the administration, as no fewer than 360 inner roads have been restored.

Traffic management is taking a leap with the on-going construction of Oshodi interchange which will provide three terminals and shopping area while distributing movement of passengers and vehicles efficiently to other parts of the megacity. And

The future is to provide energy security for Lagos State by providing the state’s electricity needs internally and cutting reliance on the national grid. to prepare the grounds for more intermodal traffic, the state is building more jetties. The Ibeshe Terminal has been completed and new jetties are being built at Ebute-Ero and Oworonshoki.

Domestic air traffic is also emerging as a part of the Lagos reality with the decision of investors to build two airports in the Lekki axis of the state.

Projects coming on stream include Epe and Badagry Marina, waterways infrastructures, Ilubirin Mixed Development, Thomson Reuters GIS platform, first DNA Forensic Laboratory in West Africa and the first Medical Park in the country.

Governor Ambode’s decision to invest in communities as the closest tier to the citizenry has begun a revolution and changed the calculus of power. In October, 2015, he established the Office of Communities & Communications with the mandate to encourage the communities to take ownership of government. This clarion call has woken up the 3, 241 community development associations, the 57 community development committees and myriad of residents’ associations across the state. The litmus test is the monitoring of the 114 road projects being built across the 57 council areas in the state by the concerned CDAs. On the occasion of his first anniversary, he held a great reception for people with disabilities and appreciated the contributions of persons who have excelled in

their chosen professions undeterred by the physical limitations of birth or circumstance. It is now state policy to give room to persons living with disabilities on public transportation. It is a cardinal rule of employment to accommodate persons with disabilities in the civil service. A N500m fund to empower the disabled has been launched.

As soon as Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, the newly –elected governor of Lagos State took the oath of office on May 29, 2015 with a promise to protect every Lagosian and bring prosperity to every home. A massive roll-out of anti-crime equipment to enable the police and other security forces combat the criminal gangs on air, at sea and on road raised the level of vigilance and displayed the coercive capacity of the state to return fire for fire.

The first set of equipment, which cost a whopping N4.765billion, included 100 four-door saloon cars, 55 Ford Ranger Pick-Up vans, 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-Ups, 115 power bikes, Izuzu trucks, three helicopters, two gun boats and 15 Armoured Personnel Carriers. All the equipment were fitted with revolving lights, siren and public address system, vehicular radio communicators and other security gadgets. To motivate the men, the government procured bullet proof vests, uniforms and expanded the insurance and death benefits of security officials.

The second set, launched on the administration’s first anniversary cost N1.85billion.

Another interesting development is the inauguration of the Emergency Rescue Management Centre, mobilized with heavy duty equipment that can respond and manage disasters at short notice.

The preparedness has made it easier for the government to confront the new wave of economic crimes such as bunkering of petroleum products and extortion-based activities such as militancy, kidnapping, land grabbing and cultism. A committee to track land-grabbers works round the clock to nab them in the act. The anti-kidnap teams in the police has busted several incidents most notably the case of three students of Barbington Macaulay College.

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Friday, 26 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Relief as tech firm conducts free cardiovascular screening As part of its corporate social responsibility, a technology company, Secure Electronic Technology (SET Plc) engaged foreign cardiologists to conduct a free screening exercise on cardiovascular and other health related diseases for residents of Ijora-Badia in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area of Lagos. YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports.

I

t was a time of relief for residents of IjoraBadia in Lagos when over 1000 people comprising women, men, including the elderly were examined by a cardiovascular disease specialist based in Philadelphia, United States of America, Dr Sabu George, on the bill of Secure Electronic Technology (SET Plc) in conjunction with the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area and some other nongovernmental organisations.

The exercise which not only involved screening but also free treatment was SET Plc’s way of giving back to the society that has supported its business activities over the years.

The company through it charitable arm, NSL Foundation, has over the years devoted its corporate social responsibility to free medical missions by leveraging on its close ties with allies in the field of medical mission all over the world for the benefit of Nigerians most in need.

Chief Executive Officer of SET Plc and Chairman of the NSL Foundation, Dr. Odunlami Kola-Daisi, while speaking on the reasons behind the location for the treatment explained that his attention was drawn to the area because of the high population of indigent people living in the local government according to United Nation Statistics, adding that apart from the three-day free screening and consultation, the organisation also provided the beneficiaries with seven to 30 days free drugs supply and in serious

From left, Intervention Cardiologist, Lower Bucks Hospital, Pennsylvania, Dr George Sabu; Sole Administrator of Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Mr Olumide Olayomi and NSL Foundation Chairman, Dr Odunlami Kola-Daisi. cases onward referral to state specialist clinics.

Kola-Daisi explained that a major aspect of the exercise was dedicated to capacity building and development of local doctors and nurses on basic cardiovascular health issues by the foreign specialist, adding that as a trained medical doctor, he recognizes the important of good health to productivity.

“The expert will teach our doctors and nurses on the basic cardiovascular health issues and how to use and read data from the Electrocardiography machine (ECG or EKG) provided for the LCDA medical centre and we will ensure that other parts of the country have access to the periodical medical mission.

The cardiologist, Dr George is an Indian citizen, born in Nigeria and attended the University of Jos, where he was trained as a medical doctor before moving to America 25 years ago. He stated that, “cardiovascular diseases

are a silent killer and if not detected at the early stages, the sufferer is at high risk and can lead to sudden death. It is more expensive to treat the ailment and cheaper to prevent it by maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, checking cholesterol, avoiding too much of carbohydrates and sugar.

“I saw over 200 people whose blood pressure was above 200, I saw cases which most people only read in textbooks. The gratitude from the beneficiaries and the staffs is overwhelming, it is the kind you can hardly get anywhere else in the world,” he added.

He said there were plans for him, Dr Kola-Daisi and seven other international renowned medical specialists to come back to Nigeria next year and expand the programme.

On his part, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, represented by the Director, Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Dr Eniola Erinoso, urged residents of the Apapa/ Iganmu council to undergo regular medical tests for diabetes and hypertension.

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Collapse in oil price a blessing —Soludo Muhammadu Sabiu, with Agency Report

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ORMER Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has said the collapse in the oil price is a blessing for Nigeria to start a new beginning and a clarion call to press the restart button and begin afresh.

Soludo, delivering a lecture at the fourth Progressive Governance Lecture Series of the Progressive Governors Forum, called for a coalition of economic policies that could deal with desperate socio-economic issues in a systematic and sustainable manner, for the country to get out of the present challenges.

Noting that Nigeria’s economy in terms of dollar had collapsed by about 50 per cent, he said no state could develop sustainably if the overall governance and economy were in crisis.

“Inclusive and sustainable growth cannot be achieved without conscious efforts to deconstruct the dynasties of poverty and maximise states and Nigeria’s comparative and competitive advantage,” he said.

The former CBN governor, in his lecture, entitled: “Building the Economy of States: Challenges of Developing Inclusively Sustainable Growth,” said the country at the moment was dealing with political, economic and social shocks, adding that growth in the country and states would not be inclusive if the dynasties of poverty were not broken and comparative and competitive advantages maximised.

“We are facing unprecedented and tremendous political and economical challenges with global and local dynamics.

“Regardless of these challenges, opportunities and possibilities abound if we address some fundamental issues. The key to achieving this is to have a development plan that is anchored on realising inclusive and sustainable growth,” he said.

Proferring solutions, he recommended the restructuring of the economy from consumption-driven to production-based and consistency in micro economic policies.

He asked the government to encouraging fiscal federalism in ways that allowed states to have greater con-

trol of their resources and the evolution of a master plan for mass exportoriented industrialisation that answers the economic questions and realities of today.

He charged the ruling party states to develop a peer review mechanism to

track, measure and share knowledge and experience, in order to achieve shared values that would distinguish APC states from others.

“There is the need for communication strategy that effectively communicates change in a forward

looking and inspiring manner for the citizenry. This is important for building consensus for development, and there should be a coordinating mechanism for developing the 2017 budget,” Soludo said.

He maintained that though agriculture could

provide the way out of the present crisis, it was not enough to sustain the nation’s growth and development.

Soludo noted that commercial agriculture must be supported by ensuring that the teeming youths had opportunity to acquire

From left, Country Director, Plan International, Dr Hussaini Abdu; former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai; Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, at the lecture in Kaduna, on Thursday.

FG saved N1.4trn from oil subsidy —Osinbajo Kola Oyelere -Kano VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has said in an effort of the Federal Government to stabilise the economy, it had saved N1.4 trillion as proceeds from oil subsidy.

Osinbajo made the remarks at the 15th meeting of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning in Kano, where he urged Nigerians to restore confidence in the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, insisting that soonest, the current economic problems would become a thing of the past.

The vice-president also assured Nigerians that very soon, the foreign exchange market would stabilise, going by some radical policies already introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He said the Federal Government had released total capital releases of over 50 per cent to MDAs for the execution of various projects in line with this commitment.

Osinbajo said the national strategic planning was critical to the attainment of structural transformation and sustainable development in the country.

“Strategic planning generally provides direction, coherence and coordination and they are veritable

frameworks for guiding the activities of all stakeholders towards achieving a common goal,” he said.

The vice-president said the strategic planning for SDGs entailed partnership, as enshrined in Goal 17, which emphasised the need for working with states for economic development.

He said the Federal Government had adopted zerobased budgeting policy to allow for deployment of resources to areas and sectors of greatest needs.

Osinbajo said the Federal Government had also used short-term strategic implementation plan to guide the implementation of the 2016 budget.

He said the current administration also accorded top priority to agriculture for self sufficiency and food security.

This, he said, was aimed at reducing the financial burden and pressure on foreign exchange, resulting in importation of foods that could be produced locally.

“The mixture of support instruments and incentives would be used bring about growth in sectors that are critical for economic revitalisation, especially in agriculture and agric business, among others,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, urged states to

complement Federal Government’s effort in the area of agriculture and solid minerals development.

He said this was necessary in view of the fact that the country was endowed with arable land for massive production of food.

He said “we have also launched a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) for the effective implementation of the budget, broadly speaking, the SIP focuses on key six.”

These are based on governance, transparency and security, economic diversification into agriculture, industrialisation, solid minerals, entertainment and tourism.

“The states may wish to target some selected crops for massive production of such commodities.

“They can boost production through the formation of farmers’ cooperatives for easy access to loan facilities,” he said.

He said the state could also undertake infrastructural development, such as roads, to ease evacuation of farm produce.

“This will promote economic growth through the creation of job opportunities for the teeming number of unemployed youths in the country,’’ he said.

He said the Federal Government was committed to restructuring of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA), to enable

it to give loans at single digit interest rate.

Also, the Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who was represented by his deputy, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, said the state government would collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to implement the recommendations of the meetings.

education, while health facilities should be developed.

Also speaking at the event held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said the economic crisis facing the country is not insurmountable, as, according to him, the country had the capacity to be a great nation.

Osinbajo, in his keynote address, said no country in Africa had the human and material resources like Nigeria, stressing that “but the challenge is for Nigerians to make a difference.

“Without us taking responsibility for our problems, little could be done.

We have a few years to transform this country and I believe those of us seated here are the ones that can make the difference.”

The vice-president, therefore, noted that though some of these problems would take some months and even years, but time had come for us to make things done.

Speaking in the same vein, the host governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said the country was passing through an unprecedented economic crisis, which could be attributed to both the past and present circumstances.

“So, we need a fundamental shift from what we are doing. I believe the guest speaker will help us to have solutions to these problems,” he said.

Unbundle potentials of states for economic growth, Ambode tells FG Bola Badmus -Lagos LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has said the Federal Government has a critical role to play in unbundling the potentials of each of the federating units, as a way of addressing the fundamental structural challenges undermining sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the states of the federation.

Governor Ambode said this in Kaduna, on Thursday at the fourth Progressive Governance Lecture Series organised by Progressive Governors’ Forum.

The governor said the Federal Government must allow the states to develop the natural resources within their domain and create the necessary infrastructure that would attract investors.

Ambode, who spoke on the Lagos experience of de-emphasising reliance on oil, said governors must also be encouraged to tap into multiple streams of income within their domain, especially with the Federal Government allowing the states to develop their potentials.

He lamented the situation whereby governors had power over the land in their domain but could not tap into the resources under the land and even the water, saying that such must stop so that they could have power over both the land and resources underneath, thereby unbundling the potentials of the states.

“We need to start looking at some changes that we need to make within and among ourselves as a govContinues pg31

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Unbundle potentials of states for economic growth, Ambode tells FG

Ogun LG Service Commission tours Ado-Odo/Ota LG Aug 30

Continued from pg30

ernment, irrespective of whether it is federal, state or local government - that will now unbundle the potentials of each state which is the cornerstone of the whole message we are talking about.

“There is a great need for all of us to decide once and for all to unbundle the potentials of each state; take the comparative advantages of each state and fuse them together for the needs of our people.

“Governors are the owners of the land in their states, but underneath the land and even inside the water, the Federal Government is structured in a way that it controls those potentials.

In a situation where the states are being spoon-fed, because I call the Federation Account more or less like spoon-feeding. The Federal Government collects total revenue on Value Added Tax (VAT) and various revenues on behalf of all of us and make us to come to Abuja and more or less share it to us as peanuts, thereby not allowing us to reach our potentials as competitive states individually,” Ambode said.

The governor, while alluding to the fact that insignia of progressivism in Nigeria should be first seen in the APC states, said all critical actors must work together in the common interest of the people.

“There is just one economy in this country and so we need to first of all accept the fact that there is nothing like private sector as against public sector; there is nothing like Federal Government as against state government.

“We are collaborating together to drive the economy of this country. So if that describes what Nigeria is and what it ought to be, we also want to say that government should be seen as an enabler; a platform that more or less creates the enabling environment for the public sector to thrive...

“We all must be in one set and whatever that we are doing in terms of policy, we should now focus on people and then we should be people-friendly. That is the only way we can create that inclusive growth,” he said.

From left, Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Kwara State governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed; Minister of State for Works, Power and Housing, Mr Mustapha Baba Sheuri; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power and Housing, Mr Magaji Abubakar and others, during the fifth National Council on Housing and Urban Development at the state Banquet Hall, Ilorin, on Thursday.

2016 budget will work if ... —Fashola From Biola Azeez and Wale Akinselure

M

INISTER of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has warned that intent of the 2016 budget to promote inclusion and employment would be defeated if Nigerians continue to patronise foreign goods rather than locally-made ones and abdicate their responsibilities as builders to foreigners.

Fashola, speaking at the fifth meeting of National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said the budget would only succeed in pumping N1.8 trillion into capital expenditure, but the money would be transferred to foreign countries and their factories, where imported goods are made.

He, therefore, maintained

that building professionals would only partake in the benefits of government’s economic policies if they were willing to act, work and get their hands dirty by blasting rocks, moving sand, cement, iron rods, etc.

Speaking on the theme, “Building Adequate Capacity of Professionals, Artisans and Tradesmen in the built environment,” Fashola said the plan of the Federal Government to boost and stimulate the economy back to growth was evident in the commission of N1.8 trillion in the 2016 budget to capital expenditure.

“In 2016, about N1.8 trillion is planned for capital spending with a commitment to fund it. But, I must advise that inclusion and employment will not happen if the people for whom the budget is made abdicate the responsibility for building to foreigners, or prefer

foreign goods to locallymade ones “What will happen is that the budget will work, the money will be spent, and the benefit will be transferred to foreign countries and factories where the professionals reside or where their imported goods are made.

“So one objective of this council meeting and its theme is to emphasise to all members of the built environment that it is only those who are willing to act, who are willing to work and who are willing to get their hands dirty, by blasting rocks, moving sand, cement, iron rods, making doors, molding blocks, pouring concrete and so on that will readily find inclusion in this economic process,” he said.

On efforts of the ministry to ensure that Nigerians take up jobs in the country and build capacity for their inclusion, Fashola said the

Troops arrest suspected kidnappers in Bauchi Chris Agbambu -Abuja FOLLOWING a tip-off, troops of 33 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Forward Operation Base (FOB) Toro, Toro Local Government Area (LGA) of Bauchi State, on Thursday, arrested two suspected kidnappers at Badiko village, on Gumau road, Bauchi State.

The troops also recovered a bag containing the sum of N439,000 and some personal items from the suspects.

Preliminary investigation showed that the amount was their share from a paid ransom of a recent kidnap incident.

Similarly, another suspected kidnapper was arrested same day at Magama, also in Toro Local Government Area of the state by the troops.

Preliminary investigation confirmed that he escaped

from their den at Jenge, following the military Operation Forest Kunama at Lame-Burra Forest recently.

It was further confirmed that he frequently supply alcohol and other stimulants to the kidnappers.

In a related development, troops deployed at “Kano 2” checkpoint, near Durum, in

Bauchi Local Government Area, also arrested a suspected armed bandit found to be in possession of eight rounds of 7.62mm (special), two mobile telephone handsets and local charms.

All the suspects were being interrogated before their eventual hand over to other relevant security agencies.

Buhari congratulates David-West at 80 Leon Usigbe -Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, congratulated eminent academic and former Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tamunoemi Sokari DavidWest, as he turns 80 today.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja, President Buhari recalled “with

fond memories, his longterm relationship with the elder statesman, when he served as Minister of Petroleum between 1984 and 1985.”

The president commended his “steadfastness and forthrightness on issues of good governance, democracy, human rights and the unity of Nigeria, especially when some seem to easily give up on the project of building one great nation.”

ministry continued to encourage the use of locallymade meters, wires and galvanised sheets for transmission equipment.

“Not only are we aggressively pursuing our roadmap of stable and ultimately uninterrupted power, the ministry has encouraged the use of locally-made meters, wires and galvanised sheets for transmission equipment and we are seeing some positive if not yet sufficient responses.

This is the way to keep jobs at home and build capacity for inclusion,” he said.

“Our road construction is also based on achieving our economic objectives of growth through critical sectors in the short term.

Therefore, with limited resources, we have chosen roads that connect states, roads that evacuate goods from sea and airports, roads that transport agricultural produce and roads that bear very heavy traffic.

“While we cannot cover all the roads across the country, you will agree with me that roads like Sokoto-Kotangora-Makera, Kano-Maiduguri, JebbaIlorin-Bode-Sadu, Ogbomoso-Oyo; Lagos-Ibadan; Loko- Oweto, second Niger Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt roads fall within this category,” Fashola added.

Also speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, who said lands, housing and urban development sector was vital to the transformation of the nation’s economy, added that “it is a key indicator of economic well-being, besides its other enormous economic potentials.”

He said as population grows at an exponential rate without an approximate growth in urban infrastructure, the current housing deficit of 17 million was certain to expand, adding that this would give opportunities for lucrative investment and critical jobs.

IN continuation of its statewide tour of all 20 local government areas in Ogun State, the Local Government Service Commission will, on Tuesday, visit AdoOdo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.

A press released issued and signed by the council’s Director of Information, Mr Oloyede Oyeniyi, indicated that the chairman of the commission, Rotimi Rahman, is expected to lead the entourage which will include all the four full-time commissioners, namely: Chief Kayode Sodiyan, Alhaji Yusuf Adegbenro, Chief Lekan Akiode and Prince Bolaji Aretola.

All the heads of local government in the four departments in the commission and some principal officers are also expected to be on the entourage.

According to the release, the importance of the working visit was to provide a forum for the commission to interact with political functionaries and the career officers, with a view to appraising their challenges and operational circumstances at their duty posts.

Soyinka to deliver UNIBEN 2nd eminent lecture Banji Aluko -Benin City AUTHORITIES of University of Benin (UNIBEN) have concluded arrangement to host the second Eminent Lecture series of the university, to be delivered by Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The lecture series, entitled: “Culture at Risk,” is at the instance of the vice chancellor, Professor Faraday Orumwense, and would be delivered at Ugbowo main campus of the university on September 1.

A statement by the public relations officer of the institution, Mr Michael Osasuyi, said “the choice of the topic is not just apt, but significant in the history and culture antecedent of ancient Benin Kingdom.”

Former United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Walter Carrington and his wife, Dr Arese Carrington, delivered the first eminent lecture series.

“The risk factor and attendant issues of cultural aberration will not only be dealt with astutely but intellectually demystified,” the release stated.

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Nigerian Tribune

Police rescue 6-year-old orphan caged by foster parents Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

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OLICEMEN in Ondo State on Thursday set free a six-year-old girl, Precious Michael, who was allegedly caged for five months by her foster mother, Mary (surname witheld), under the guise of being possessed of witchcraft.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mrs Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, who disclosed this during a press conference at the command headquarters in Akure, the state capital, said aside being caged, the suspect also tied

her hands and legs with rope and beat her with cane on daily basis.

Harrison explained that his men were hinted by people in the neighbourhood.

She explained that the little girl was at the point of death when she was rescued by policemen at Imafo village near Akure before she was taken to a hospital and had to be transfused with blood before she regained consciousness.

The police boss, who described the action of the 28-year-old mother of six

as cruel and ungodly, said she was moved to tears following the inhumanity done to the toddler by her foster mother, when she saw the girl in her pathetic state.

She said “when I saw the little girl, I had to be strong as an officer; but my emotions took over my body because I didn’t even know she would survive. Even as a non-professional, you would know that she was at the point of death.”

She explained that the girl has bounced back, looking robust, after feeding her well for a week.

According to Harrison, the suspect said she suspected the little girl to be infected with HIV following signs of swollen legs and hands, claiming that the girl’s parents died of HIV. “The suspect said the little Precious was brought from Enugu after the death of her parents to be schooling in Ondo State. The foster mother decided to keep her in the cage in order not to infect her children.

“The pregnant woman explained that she took the steps after informing her husband and decided to

The place where she was caged. PHOTOS: HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

LG election: OGSIEC recognises Makarfi-led faction candidates’ list THE Ogun State Independent National Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) said it will recognise the list of candidates forwarded by the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the October 8 local government/Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) election.

Addressing newsmen in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, the chairman of the Screening Committee, Mr Mutiu Agboke, said the electoral body arrived at the decision, based on an injunction of the Ogun State High Court delivered by Justice Mobolaji Ojo, on May 26.

Agboke, who is the Commissioner III of the electoral body, said that the Sikirullahi Ogundele faction of the party would participate in the election.

Agboke said the State High Court specifically addressed the issue of giving recognition to Ogundele’s faction, as against conflicting judgements of Federal High Courts of Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt on the crisis rocking the party.

He said that the order of

police officers that have since been taking care of her as her mother, told the suspect that she lied.

Precious attributed her swollen hands and legs to the maltreatment from her aunty and the husband, saying that they tied her with rope and lacerated her flesh with knife.

The police commissioner, however, said the victim would be taken to the state welfare home, while the suspect would soon be charged to court for child abuse.

Oyo partners Australia on agric, mining, education

Precious Michael at the police station, on Thursday.

OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

cage her for months where she was fed and also defecated,” the police boss said.

The suspect, while speaking with journalists, denied caging the little girl saying she separated her from the family members not to infect them with HIV. Mary, from Enugu State, said she would have taken her to the hospital for treatment but had no money to pay for the medical bills and denied the allegations of maltreating the girl.

The little girl, Precious, who identified one of the

the high court had not been set aside by any appellate court, hence the decision of the body to abide by it.

He added that it would not be right for the commission to shut its eyes on the order in the interest of the election.

He said, “This commission is not here to sit as an appeal court over the various existing court judgements and unfortunately the judgements have not assisted the commission. In one breath, they appeared conflicting.

“A faction submitted a court judgement to us, the ruling of my Lord, Justice Mobolaji Ojo of Ogun State High Court and the order of the court is so clear and the order, as filled in that case, specifically was given to give recognition to that faction of the party in the state.

“By the virtue of the order of Honourable Justice Mobolaji Ojo in Ogun State, we are going to declare the Sikiru Ogundele-led faction of the PDP as a faction to be

recognised and eligible to contest for the election.

“We are going to recognise the list of candidates that has been put forward by Sikiru Ogundele-led faction of PDP and we are going to release the list of eligible candidates to the faction.

“For us, this will put to rest the question of which of the factions of PDP to recognise in the state. The order of Lord Justice was delivered on May 26, 2016 and that order is very clear.”

FUNNAB crisis: I will be vindicated —VC OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta THE embattled Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB), Professor Olusola Oyewole, on Thursday, said that he would come out clean over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, leveled against him in a petition filed before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He equally sued for peace among the agitating labour unions and the students body as a whole.

Oyewole who spoke with newsmen in Abeokuta, described the crisis rocking

the university as “internal politics”, insisting that he would be given a clean bill at the end of the anti-graft agency investigation into the matter.

Nigerian Tribune recalled that three members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrades Salaam Sobour, Lasun Somoye and Emmanuel Bankole were suspended indefinitely by the VC, which resulted into a protest by members of the union on Wednesday.

He argued that the suspension of the affected SSANU members followed due pro-

cess in accordance with the university regulations.

The VC said he did not want to comment further on the ongoing investigation, saying he believed that the agency would do a thorough job.

The union also called for the immediate removal of Oyewole and other members of the Governing Council from office.

However, the VC said that the students unrest that happened last Thursday, could not have been unconnected with some external interest that wanted to bring the name of the university into disrepute.

THE new agriculture initiative of the Oyo State government has received a boost with the proposed investment by an Australian agro-processing company, which has already acquired 50 hectares of land in the Oke Ogun area of the state.

The new entrant had thus swelled the list of Australian companies that had entered into partnership agreements with the state government in mining, agriculture, education and vocational training.

The state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, disclosed this while receiving the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Leymann, in his office, on Wednesday.

To fast-track the implementation agreement and memorandum of understanding, the governor said that his administration had put in place necessary machinery and the enabling environment for the businesses to thrive.

Ajimobi said, “We have signed an agreement with an Australian company on mining, agriculture, educa-

tion and vocational training. We have also allocated 50 hectares of land to one of the companies in Australia for agro-processing.

“With your visit today, the relationship between Oyo State government and Australia will be further fortified. Oyo is the most advantageously-positioned state and it is best suited for agriculture being a savannah region.

“Oyo is potentially a state of logistics, with a savannah temperate region and with the highest concentration of research institutes for sustainable agricultural development.

In his remarks, the high commissioner applauded the efforts of the governor to turn around the fortunes of the state through aggressive wooing of foreign and local investors and diversification into agriculture and other untapped gold mine.

Lehmann acknowledged that the governor’s visit to Australia had brought about fruitful agreement between his country and the state for mutually beneficial returns.

...To establish Shea butter production centres GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that all machinery have been put in place to establish and package Shea butter across the state for global transaction.

He stated this during a town hall sensitisation meeting on Shea Butter production with the representatives of Shea butter producers in Saki West, Saki East and Atisbo local government areas, held at Saki West Secretariat, recently.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Bureau of Investment and Public Partnership, Mrs Folakemi Akinleye, Governor Ajimobi said it was imperative to turn available natural resources into wealth.

He implored the tree fellers to desist from cutting

Karite Shea butter trees and palm kernel trees, adding that they should rather support the government in its preservation programme.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Mr Oyewole Oyewumi, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Victor Atilola, noted that the programme was meant to expose Shea butter producers to modern ways of production.

Mr Oyewumi urged the Shea butter producers and other stakeholders to utilise the opportunity by identifying genuine land to be allocated to individuals/groups that are willing to invest in the state.

south-westnews 4 World Bank contractors drown in Ekiti dam 33

Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

F

OUR persons have drowned in Egbe River in Egbe community of Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

The four people were said to be on a World Bank assessment mission to the river.

They were said to have come from Development Dams and Irrigation Schemes, Kaduna State and had died when the boat in which seven of them and their equipment were allegedly sailing, capsized.

Sources said four of the occupants of the boat, who didn’t wear life jackets, died while three others survived.

The bodies of the dead were fished out by local fishermen, who were said to have been mobilised by the chairman of Gbonyin Local Government Area, Mrs Folasade Akinrinmola.

Mrs Akinrinmola told the Nigerian Tribune on telephone that she was notified of the incident by the traditional ruler of the community.

She said: “We immediately mobilised a rescue team and an ambulance.

Those wearing life jackets were rescued. The rescued people were the ones who told us that others were in the water. Their bodies were later retrieved by the local fishermen.”

On their mission to the river, the council boss said “we believe that they were there based on some of the proposals we had written on the dam.”

She described the incident as “unfortunate” and said their bodies had been deposited at the mortuary in Ode-Ekiti, headquarters of the council area.

The public relations officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, confirmed the incident, saying “they must have come from the Federal Ministry because dams are owned by the Federal Government. Their boat capsized. Four of them died while three survived.”

The state government confirmed the death of the four World Bank officials at their project site at Egbe Dam and described the incident as “unfortunate.”

A statement by the state’s Commissioner for Public Utilities, Mr Ayodeji Adesua, on Thursday, said the state government also “commiserated with families of the four experts that lost their lives, during an

Friday, 26 August, 2016

accident that occurred at Egbe Dam, in the course of discharging their duties.”

According to him, “the consultants were engaged to carry out a survey and

data analysis of our dams in line with the developmental projects and agenda of Ekiti State government when the unfortunate incident occurred.”

Mr Adesua, who described the incident as “unfortunate”, maintained that Ekiti State government was determined at making potable water

Rescuers carrying one of the victims, after the boat mishap in Egbe dam, Ekiti State.

available to the citizenry.

Nigerian Tribune gathered at Egbe community that the deceased were Bamidele Waheed Alayande, Tirimisiyu Alaran, David Malu and another member of the team identified simply as Albert.

According to sources, those who survived and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital are Charles Ehinlaye, Bukky Ajet and Yahaya Mohammed.

Meanwhile, members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have commiserated with the Federal Government and the World Bank over the death of four officials of the World Bank who drowned at Egbe dam on Wednesday.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Speaker, Stephen Gbadamosi, the assembly, at its plenary on Thursday, observed a one-minute silence in honour of the members of the World Bank assessment team.

The assembly also passed into law a bill for a law to regulate and control cattle and other ruminants grazing in the state, after the Chairman, Joint Committee on Agriculture and Environment, Mr Ayodele Fajemilehin, submitted its report on the floor of the House.

Fayose is symbol of PDP —Gombe gov GOMBE State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, has described his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr Ayodele Fayose, as the symbol of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said this in Ado-Ekiti while laying the foundation of a new hall in the palace of the Ewi of AdoEkiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi.

In a statement in AdoEkiti, on Thursday, by the Chief Press Secretary to

the state governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Dankwambo also expressed satisfaction with the developmental projects and programmes being executed by the Fayose-led administration.

“We are all behind Fayose, he is not alone. He is a symbol of our party. I am a member of the PDP and I will continue to be one.

He is a great man and he means well for his people.

I don’t just follow people. I am a man of my own who

rose to the top of his career. I was the AccountantGeneral of the Federation for six years and whatever I say about anybody, I mean it. Please, support Fayose to take Ekiti State to a higher level.

“Ekiti and Gombe have things in common. The two states were among the six states created about 20 years ago. What I saw during the Udiroko Festival really impressed me and by next edition, God will-

Olubadan urges production of more

historical films THE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has called on Yoruba film producers to “produce more historical films that teach useful lessons about our language, values and culture.”

Oba Adetunji gave this advice at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan palace, while welcoming Eleni Film Company, led by Abiodun Lat-

inwo Eleni.

The monarch, who is also a doyen of the entertainment industry, noted that “there are sufficient lessons in our history for film producers to use to teach the present and future generations.”

According to him, despite the economic challenges facing the country, people still watch movies, adding that only quality films and

movies would survive the test of time.

The first class monarch stated his readiness to support good works of art.

Earlier, the company’s Chief Executive had informed Olubadan that historical films are best for the society at a time like this, urging the Olubadan to assist them in realising their dreams.

ing, I will come with more people from Gombe to celebrate with you people.

I will also adequately support this hall project and hope to be here when it will be inaugurated,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Fayose said the sons and daughters of Ado-Ekiti as well as friends of the town would help in building the hall.

He stressed that the project was not state project and would not be funded by the state, adding that the sons and daughters of Ado Ekiti, as well as friends of Ewi had resolved to fund the project.

Fayose challenged all well-wishers of Ado-Ekiti to rally support for the project, saying “whatever anybody does is for posterity.”

On the Udiroko Festival, the governor said subsequent editions would be planned in such a way that people could come days before the grand finale and still enjoy the celebration.

Nigerian Tribune

Creation of LCDAs in Oyo misplaced priority —Accord

By Dare Adekanmbi THE Oyo State chapter of the Accord Party has described as a misplaced priority, the creation of 39 local council development areas by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government at a time when people of the state have not felt the essence of the existing council areas in the last five years.

The party noted that no consultation or referendum was conducted by government before “the policy was breathed down on the people of the state.”

A statement by the party’s publicity secretary, Dr Nureni Adeniran, said the “unnecessary duplication of bureaucracy” by Governor Abiola Ajimobi under the guise of bringing government closer to the grassroots was deceitful, because “there has been no governance at the council level since 2011.

“Nothing further explains the absence of a third-tier government in the state since the advent of the APC government than the comatose state of primary healthcare centres, primary schools, local government roads and non-availability of other municipal services.”

Osun assembly receives 4 bills OSUN State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, received four private member bills sponsored by Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, representing Obokun Constituency.

The bills are, Cattle Trading and Grazing Bill 2016; Forestry, Natural and Mineral Resources Development Agency (Establishment) Bill 2016; Mandatory Usage of Standardised Measure and Weight Bill 2016; and Special People’s Bill 2016.

At the plenary on Tuesday, the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam, informed members of the presentation of the bills and read the covering letters to the members.

According to the letter, Cattle Trading and Grazing Bill 2016 was a bill to make provision for the regulation and granting of permit for cattle trading and grazing and the establishment of control posts in the state.

The bill, he said, when passed into law, would sanitise the business of cattle trading and grazing, prevent frequent clashes between cattle rearers and farm owners, and bring in more revenue to the coffers of the state.

34 CHANGE OF NAME

Friday, 26 August, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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35 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Friday, 26 August, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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I, formerly Adanlawo Tope now ADANLAWO EMMANUEL OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc., Zenith Bank Plc. and general public take note.

I, formerly Olowo Tunde Kareem now BABALOLA OLATUNDE SOLOMON. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora and general public take note.

I, Alayo Bolanle Olayemi am the same person bearing Hamzat Adebola Olayemi and Alayo Bolanle.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEPOJU ALAYO BOLANLE. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Aderonke Abiodun Adeseye now ADERONKE ABIODUN KARUNWI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Odekanmi Mary Ifedolapo now MRS. AWODELE MARY IFEDOLAPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Oginni Titilayo Yomi now OGINNI TITILAYO OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Tietie Martha Mamus now MRS ADEDIGBA MARTHA MAMUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Tajudeen Balikis Oyedemi now MRS AKINSOWON BALIKIS ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Ahmed Waliu Adekunle now FOLARANMI WALIU ATANDA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ayorinde Toluwase Emmanuel now SANDERS TOLUWASE YOUSSEF. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Samson Dennis now DENNIS OKOH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Omolola Ebunlomo I. Olaleye now OMOLOLA EBUNLOMO I. IFEWEKWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Paulina Ogeyi Wonah now MRS. PAULINA OGEYI AKPAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Titus Goodluck now AKINTUBUWA ORIRE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., FCMB Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Tuagha Joyce Ogheneovo now MRS. JOYCE OGHENEOVO OKORO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Odeli Prince Napoleon now ABOYOWA PRINCE UROMIYAGHAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyeye Elizabeth Ibukun now MRS. ADEBAYO ELIZABETH IBUKUN. All former documents remain valid.

National Hospital, Abuja and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adedayo Adebusuyi now OWONIFARI ADEBUSUYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Balikis Malik now BAMIDELE BILIKISU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Mrs. Folashade Idowu Abayomi am the same person bearing Shade Idowu Akinola. Henceforth, I wish to be known as MRS. FOLASHADE IDOWU ABAYOMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc, and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajala Oluwaseun Omolola Mary now MRS. ODUNAYO OLUWASEUN OMOLOLA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ariyeye Ebenezer Alade now ARIYEYE JIMMY ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Immigration Service and general public take note.

I, formerly Lawal Rasheed Adijat Kuburat now LAWAL ADIJAT. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Imoru Bola now UMORO BOLA EMMANUEL TUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Fadirepo Babatunde Samson now OLUDIREPO BABATUNDE SAMSON. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Ajagbe Saudat Opeyemi am the same person bearing Ajadi Saudat Opeyemi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AJADI SAUDAT OPEYEMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Saliu Monsurat Bolanle now MRS. ADENIRAN MONSURAT BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Hospital Management Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Emosu Adeniyi Donnutty now EMOSU ADENIYI DAVID. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ojo Zachariah now OJO ZACHARIAH OYEDEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adekanmbi Kudirat Adedoyin now MRS. AKINDELE KUDIRAT ADEDOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Busayo Aderonke Ojo now MRS. OYEBAMIJI BUSAYO ADERONKE. All former documents remain valid.

SUBEB, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Iliya Yusuf now AMADU YUSUF. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Maryam Ozohu Yusuf now MRS. MARYAM OZOHU MU’AZU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ayodele Delight Joseph now AJALA OLALEKAN LAWRENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akintayo Oluwatoyin Omowumi now MRS. AKINWALE OLUWATOYIN OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Uyanneh Samson, Samson Samson Uyanneh and Nyanne Samson Ifeanyi, now, I want to be called, known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA SAMSON IFEANYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Olaoluwakunlemi Olamigoke Oladimeji now MR. OLAKUNLE OLAMIGOKE OLADIMEJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly identified as Sheik Kazeem Musbaudeen, Khalifat Musbaudeen Dozeem, Qozeem Musbaudeen Olawale and Kazeem Musbaudeen Tashoolo in my account with Skye Bank Plc., Access Bank Plc., UBA Plc., and EcoBank Plc., am the same as Kazeem Musbaudeen Olawale. Henceforth, I wish to be known as KAZEEM MUSBAUDEEN OLAWALE. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Aromofe Ayodeji John now AYODEJI JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Mercy Oluwadunsin Aro now MRS. MERCY OLUWADUNSIN OMOIFO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Teriba Olufunmilayo Franca Olowookere now MRS. LAYO FALOLU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ADDITION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Giwa Saratu Adenike am the same person bearing Mosudi Sarat Adenike, Adenike Aforiti. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as GIWA SARATU ADENIKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Yusuff Selimot Olajumoke now MRS OLAYINKA SELIMAT OLAJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid.

SUBEB, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Amos Taiwo Ashiru now AMOS ODEBIYI ASHIRU. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Olayinka Damilola Abiodun now OLAYINKA O L U WA D A M I L O L A OLADIMEJI. All former documents remain valid.

GTBank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Amusan Iyabo Odunayo now MRS F U N M I L AYO - A M U S A N IYABO ODUNAYO. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwafunmike Florence Ogundeyi now MRS OLUWAFUNMIKE FLORENCE ADEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Agboola John Olusola now AYOOLA JOHN OLUSOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Awolola Opeolu Funmilayo now MRS AKINTOLA OPEOLU FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

Oyo State Hospital Management Board and general public take note.

I, Mrs Bilikis Aduke Oladejo but was mistakenly written as Bilqis Abiola Oladejo. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as BILIKIS ADUKE OLADEJO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinbolagbe Adelola Beatrice now MRS BANKOLE ADELOLA BEATRICE. All former documents remain valid. LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwaseun Aderonke Adelakun now MRS OLUWASEUN ADERONKE ADELAKUN POPOOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Lowen Modupe Funmilayo Abosede now LOWEN ADESUYI MODUPE FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Babatunde Joseph Ayodeji now BABATUNDE JOSEPH ALEX. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Aworemi Victoria now AWORENI VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oyeranmi Akinsola now OBABIYI SEMIYU. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Pensions Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Gbadamosi Sadiat Omolara now MRS OLAPADE SADIAT OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Onwochei Anthonia Nkiruka now MRS. AZUKA-SAMUEL ANTHONIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Afolabi Ayobayo Biodun now AFOLABI AYOBAYO SAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME AND CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly Miss Olaniyan Yetunde now MRS ADETOYINBO YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oche Mohammed now ONCHE MOHAMMED. My correct date of birth is 1/10/1995 and not 10/10/1994.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Babatunde Adejoke Rebecca now PHILIP ADEJOKE REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Olaniyi Labake Damilola am the same person bearing Adeshina Omolabake Damilola. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as ADESHINA OMOLABAKE DAMILOLA. My correct date of birth is 29/11/1981. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Milton Kunle Adebambo now REV. (DR) MILTON HOLA ADEBAMBO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Akintola Olunike Tope now AYANNIYI OLUNIKE TOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Bolarinwa Kashif Ololade am the same person bearing Bolarinwa Kashif and Bolarinwa Kashif Ololade and I wish to add Ololade to my name on my savings account at Skye Bank Plc and Bank Verification Number.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as BOLARINWA KASHIF OLOLADE. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

Skye Bank Plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Akinjinmi Emmanuel Oluwasegun now AKINJINMI OLUWATOSIN AKINTAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mohammed Mobolaji now ADEAGBO MOBOLAJI MOHAMMED. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Ikeoluwapo Omolara Fayomi now DR (MRS) IKEOLUWAPO OMOLARA FAYOMIAWODELE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Salami Mutiat Adeyinka now MRS SAKA MUTIAT ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid.

Oyo State SUBEB, LGUBEA Ogo-Oluwa and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Ayoade Abiola Kayode now GBOLABO AJADI AYOKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Osikomaiya Iyabode Asake now OSILAJA IYABODE ASAKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

36

news

Friday, 26 August, 2016

World Humanitarian Day:

FG reopens 8 satellite prisons in Bauchi

Saraki sends technical committee to Borno

Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja AS part of activities marking the 2016 World Humanitarian Day, the senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, has sent a technical team to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to conduct interviews with domestic and international stakeholders working in the Internally Dispaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps in the state.

The purpose of the visit, according to Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Special Adviser to the senate president on media, was to collect information about emergency relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the state.

The team, he said, were directed to review the coordination between the Federal Government and non governmental organisations (NGOs), the capacity of service delivery programmes and receive feedback from the IDPs At the camps, the statement added that the team interacted with groups of committed officials and volunteers of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), who said that the government was doing all it could to aid and secure the IDPs.

Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (fourth left), leading Delta North participants, during a cultural parade to mark the 25th anniversary of the state, in Asaba, on Thursday.

Lawyers caught writing examination for law students —NLS DG DapoFalade-Port-Harcourt

T

HE Director- General of the Nigerian Law School (NLS), Professor Olanrewaju Onadeko, has revealed that some lawyers were caught writing examination for students at the school.

He made the allegation while speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on

Thursday, at the presentation of the report of the school at the ongoing 56th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“Some lawyers were caught sitting as surrogates for students at NLS. In other words, they were caught writing examination for students at the school”, he said.

Though, he did not dis-

close the number of lawyers and students caught in the act, Professor Onadeko added that the students involved had been sent to NBA for appropriate actions.

He also urged NBA leadership to take serious and drastic actions against such erring legal practitioners to serve as deterrent to others who may want to follow

Rivers rerun: PDP, APC disagree over court order DapoFalade-Port-Harcourt A court order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from announcing result of the suspended legislative rerun from Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, has become a subject of controversy and discord between the state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, had granted an interlocutory injunction stopping the national electoral body from generating, compiling or announcing any results of rerun for the local government area.

The court ruling was subsequent upon a legal action taken by PDP on June 29, in suit number FHC/PHC/ CS/523/2016, seeking to restrain INEC from “announcing any results or figures whatsoever purporting to be result of the rerun in Tai”.

While PDP insisted that INEC was bound by law to obey the ruling of the court, APC described the court ruling as worthless, adding that only an election tribunal was competent to rule on matters concerning elections.

Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, the PDP candi-

date for the rerun in Eleme/ Oyigbo/Tai Federal Constituency, Dr Jacobson Nbina, said there was no election in the affected local government area on that particular day.

He said the re-run did not commence in the local government area and was not conducted in any way before it was called off by the INEC electoral officer in charge of Tai, Mr Emmanuel Eborty.

Also addressing newsmen, on Thursday, the Rivers State PDP publicity secretary, Mr Samuel Nwanosike, said INEC would be acting against the rule of law should it go ahead and announce the result of an election that did not hold.

He specifically admonished INEC national commissioner (Operations), Mrs Amina Zakari, not to declare the Tai election results, “INEC must obey the court order or go to a higher court to vacate the order. If APC is saying that the order is worthless, that means that the party is not ready to obey the rule of law.

“A court of competent jurisdiction has given an order and it behoves INEC to obey the order or vacate it (order) at a higher court. Zakari has no reason to declare a concocted result of Tai Local Government Area election.

Reacting, however, his

APC counterpart, Mr Chris Finebone, said the Electoral Act forbade any court from questioning INEC in any manner other than by petition to a tribunal or court to complain of undue election.

Describing the court order which restrained INEC from announcing the Tai results as worthless and inconsequential, he said PDP was just embarking on an ego trip, using the courts.

“In any case, the Electoral

Act 2010, Section 133, Sub 1, forbids any courts (sic) from questioning INEC in any manner other than by petition, complaining of an undue election or undue return presented to competent tribunal or court.

“Definitely, the Federal High Court, PDP purportedly obtained its order did not qualify to issue such an order. It is, indeed, a worthless court order as far as APC is concerned”, he said.

similar path.

Also speaking on the incident, Mr Rotimi Jacob, a legal practitioner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at such an occurrence.

Charging NBA to take serious punitive measures against those lawyers caught in the act, he said, “such lawyers should be punished after due process had been followed”.

In his reaction, the outgoing NBA president, Mr Augustine Alegeh, also condemned the attitude of such legal practitioners, but added that the Bar had not received such a report in the past two years.

Alegeh ,however, said such a practice was not in the best interest of legal education in the country, adding that the matter would be handled by an appropriate committee when the report was eventually received.

Kogi fights insecurity with 104 vehicles, 1,000 bikes I won’t repeat past govt mistakes, Bello says Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja KOGI State government, on Thursday, said it has acquired about 104 Hilux vans to be distributed to law enforcement agencies operating in the state in its bid to combat kidnapping, robbery and other social vices.

This is just as the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said he was not ready to repeat the mistakes of past governments, adding that his administration would ensure infrastructural development of the state.

The vehicles to be distributed as part of activities marking the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state would be given to the Nigeria Army, Police, Ni-

geria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the State Security Service (SSS,) among others.

The governor, who spoke through his special adviser on media and strategy, Abdulmalik Abdulkareem, who stated this at a press conference to herald the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state,said the government also procured 1000 motorcycles to be distributed to security agents and vigilance groups to deal with criminals in the state.

He described the silver jubilee as a special one that coincided with the muchneeded positive change in the state, adding that his emergence was divinely arranged to change the fortune

of the state for better.

He said the staff screening exercise embarked upon by his government was meant to clean the payroll and make more money available for projects that would positively affect the people of the state.

According to the governor, he did not want to run the state like past governments that struggled to pay staff salaries and ended up without developing infrastructure.

According to him, the non- existence of major infrastructure across the state after its creation was worrisome, pledging to correct the situation with the “New direction” approach of his administration.

Clement Idoko - Abuja THE Federal Government has reopened eight out of the nine satellite prisons in Bauchi State, which were closed down in 2012 in the wake of Boko Haram insurgency.

The Controller-General of Prisons, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, who said this on Thursday, in Abuja, said the prisons were reopened after securing the approval of the Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd).

This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), of Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr Francis Enobore.

The satellite prisons are: Alkaleri, Burra, Darazo, Katagum, Shira, Tafa Balewa and Toro.

According to the statement, the prisons were reopened on Monday, August 15, adding that Gamawa, the ninth satellite prison would however, remain closed till it becomes conducive enough to receive prisoners under safe and humane conditions.

The CG said the prisoners were drawn from main prisons that had borne the burden of accommodating inmates in the state while the insurgency lasted.

NAFDAC seals off 2 shops, seizes goods worth millions of Naira in Benin OPERATIVES of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has sealed off two shops and seized products worth millions of Naira suspected to be counterfeited and fake in Benin City, the Edo State, on Thursday.

The team of the agency’s officers in company of mobile policemen and journalists, led by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement and chairman, Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome regulated Products, Mr Ejiofor Kingsley, stormed the Mission Road in Oredo Local government Area of the state, to conduct inspection on assorted drinks, with many marketers scrambling to prove authenticity of their products to avoid arrest.

The team conducted series of tests on different wines and other assorted drinks, which eventually led to the closure of two shops belonging to one Mrs Oluchi Peters and another unidentified, who had fled before the arrival of NAFDAC team.

In a chat with journalists, Mr Ejiofor, during the operation, said NAFDAC as a law enforcement agency, owe it to the public to protect and preserve lives, stressing that the number of fake goods in the market shouldn’t be on the increase.

news FG Seeks $125m loan from World Bank to fight Polio

37

Friday, 26 August, 2016

FCT to arrest, eject residents who reject immunisation Ayodele Adesanmi and Christian Okeke

T

HE Federal Government, on Thursday, disclosed that it is seeking for $125 million loan from the World Bank for provision of vaccines against polio epidemic and other communicable diseases in the country.

This was even as the Federal Government had released the N9.8 billion budgeted for that purpose in the 2016 budget to the Ministry of Health.

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole told the Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, that the loan facility became imperative as a result of the expensiveness of vaccines against polio virus and those of other communicable diseases.

He explained that $60 million out of the $125 million loan facility, would be used for vaccination against polio alone in six rounds, while the remaining $65 million would be used for preventive vaccination against outbreak of any other communicable diseases.

The minister disclosed “Since the polio vaccine is quite expensive, Nigeria plans on obtaining a $125 million loan facility from the World Bank,$60 million will go to polio while the remaining $65 million would be used for procurement of vaccines against possible outbreak of any other communicable disease.

You should expect that the borrowing plan will come through you.”

According to him, any

case of polio is considered as an epidemic, which made the two recent cases in Borno i.e, Jere and Gwoza, to be considered as an emergency situation not only within the affected areas but in the entire country and countries bordering it around the place of outbreak.

Adewole made it known that comprehensive curtailment plan against the epidemic had been put in place

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of new cases of wild polio outbreak in the country, residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who reject immunisation would henceforth be arrested and ejected from the territory.

It was disclosed on Thursday, that the administration would henceforth work in collaboration with security agencies to compel both

residents and visitors to the territory, to accept the polio immunisation or leave the area.

To enforce the new immunisation programme, the administration, on Thursday, inaugurated a 35-man taskforce to coordinate the polio eradication and routine immunisation, with a warning that anybody who intended to reject immunisation should leave the terri-

Bid for 2016 federal road projects commences in Abuja Christian Okeke - Abuja

PROCUREMENT activities for projects provided for in the 2016 Appropriation for the works sector have commenced at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and

Housing, in Abuja.

Various projects were listed for bidding and were sub-divided into three categories.

Category A had one slot, Category B had 14 slots while Category C had 9

slots.

Representatives of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders attended the bid-opening ceremony.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary

in the ministry in charge of works and housing sector, Mr Abubakar Mogaji, warned contractors bidding for the various projects against submitting fake documents.

He noted that verification

INEC to deploy 18,511 personnel for Edo governorship poll THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said it would deploy 18,511 personnel for the conduct of September 10 governorship election in Edo State.

This was contained in the commission’s daily bulletin issued on Thursday, in Abuja.

The number, according to the commission, would comprise one Returning Officer, 18 Local Government Area Collation Officers, 192 Registration Area Collation Officers and 263 Supervisory Presiding Officers.

Others are 2,627 Presiding Officers, 12,036 Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) I, II and III; 2,530 Assistant Presiding Officers and 728 Reserve

Motailatu choir holds fiesta THE Mass Choir of Motailatu Church, Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), will on Saturday, celebrate its annual fiesta at 12:p.m.

It will hold at the international headquarters of the church on Lekki-Epe Expressway besides Lead City University, Ajah, Lagos with the theme: “The God of perfection”.

A statement by the choir which recently released an album titled: “Spiritual Calling (Ipe Emi)”, said choristers from Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere district and Oko Oba district; Zion International voices; C & S

by his ministry out of which 800,000, children under the age of five in five local government areas of Borno State, had been immunised against the polio virus.

Round two of the curtailment plan against the epidemic according to him, is the immunisation of children under the age of five currently going on in Borno,Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe states.

Movement, Abeokuta; Lagos State Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa; World New Jerusalem, among others, would participate in the event.

The General Evangelist of MCCSW, who is also the vice president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Elder (Professor) Joseph Otubu is the preacher.

Dignitaries, including chairman of the Lagos CAN, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola are expected at the fiesta.

Host is Prelate of MCCSW, His Most Eminence, Baba Aladura, Elder (Dr) Israel Akinadewo.

APOs. Also on the deployment list were 19 LGA Supervisors, with one ``Headquarters Reserve’’ and 97

Registration Area Cluster Supervisors as well one headquarters reserve.

Edo which is made up of 18 local government areas,

has a total of 1,925,105 registered voters, 192 Registration Areas, 2, 627 Polling Units and 4, 011 Voting Points.

tory, instead of staying back to constitute a risk.

The committee which has the FCT Permanent Secretary, Babatope Ajakaiye as chairman, and the Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, Rilwan Mohammed as Secretary, is also to oversee preparation of budgets for immunisation activities and ensure judicious use of all allocated funds for the purpose.

exercise for the documents would be carried out, noting that any contractor that perpetrated any fraud would face prosecution according to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Mogaji, who was represented by the coordinating director, Highways, Mr Bala Danshehu, insisted that the ministry would adopt principles of fairness and openness throughout the bidding exercise, and so solicited for the contractors’ cooperation.

38

Friday, 26 August, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

US election: Trump calls Hillary Clinton a ‘bigot’

Clinton (left) and Trump. PHOTO: EPA/AFP

R

EPUBLICAN presidential nominee Donald Trump has accused Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of being a “bigot” in his latest appeal to minority voters.

Speaking at a Mississippi rally, he said his opponent “sees people of colour only as votes not as human

beings worthy of a better future”.

Mr Trump added that Mrs Clinton and the Democratic party had taken advantage of the African-American community.

Mrs Clinton fired back, saying “he is taking a hate movement mainstream”.

The Democratic presidential nominee

called out Mr Trump for questioning the citizenship of President Barack Obama and for failing to disavow former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, adding that he was “peddling bigotry and prejudice and paranoia”.

Mr Trump took aim at Mrs Clinton during a campaign stop in

Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, where he was joined by Britain’s outgoing UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

Mr Farage, who is viewed as a major force behind the UK’s exit from the EU, told Trump supporters to “get your walking boots on” and begin campaigning.

In recent days, Mr Trump has attempted to court African-Americans after failing to gain support among this key voting bloc.

Only about 2 per cent of black voters say they will vote for the New York businessman, according to current polls.

It’s a standard part of the American political playbook not just to try to exploit your campaign opponent’s weaknesses, but also to diminish his or her perceived strengths.

President Buhari sympathises with Italy over deadly earthquake PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy with Italy over

Clinton on foundation attacks: I know there’s lot of smoke, there’s no fire HILLARY Clinton slammed Donald Trump and issued a strong defence of the Clinton Foundation Wednesday amid the Republican nominee’s claims that she used public office for personal gain.

Speaking to CNN in her first national news interview in nearly a month, Clinton pushed back against Trump’s accusations and issued perhaps her most succinct answers on her use of a private email server during her time leading the State Department.

What Trump has said is ridiculous,” Clinton said.

“My work as secretary of state was not influenced by any outside forces. I made policy decisions based on what I thought was right.”

She added: “I know there’s a lot of smoke, and there’s no fire.”

Trump has recently upped his attacks on Clinton and her family’s namesake foundation, saying that foreign governments and business leaders gave primarily to get something in return.

the deadly earthquake that claimed more than 200 lives in the central parts of the country.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Buhari said the government and the people of Nigeria shared the grief of Italian citizens over the disaster.

“My heart and prayers go out to the people of Italy at this time of national mourning, caused by the devastating earthquake.

“President Buhari told the Italian Prime Minister,

Mr. Matteo Renzi, that his family, the government and the people of Nigeria shared the grief of Italian citizens over this deadly natural disaster,’’ Garba said.

The President prayed to God to comfort the families of the victims and grant them the fortitude to overcome their grief at this emotionally challenging time.

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari (right), in an hand shake with Italian PM, Mr Matteo Renzi.

Tehran warns US to stay out of Iranian waters in Gulf TEHRAN has warned Washington against deploying warships in Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf, after a close encounter earlier in the week between Iranian and United States naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Defence Minister, Hossein Dehghan, said on Thursday that every US ship that entered Iranian waters would first be warned, but if the intrusion was considered an invasion, there would be a confrontation.

“If an American ship enters Iran’s maritime region, it will definitely get a warning.

We will monitor them and,

if they violate our waters, we will confront them,” he said in a statement reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency.

The warning follows an incident on Tuesday when a US warship and Iranian

John Kerry

ships faced off near the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf, Al Jazeera reported.

A US defence official said that four vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted a “high-speed intercept” of the warship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The official said two of the Iranian vessels came within 300 yards of the USS Nitze in an incident that was “unsafe and unprofessional,” underlining the tensions that remain more than a year after Washington and other Western powers reached a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and lifted sanctions.

other NEWS Kenya athletes angry at Rio shanty accommodation KENYAN athletes are stranded in a Rio shanty town where gunshots can be heard, following the closure of the Olympic village, the team captain says.

Officials delayed their return home as they looked for a “cheap flight”, said Wesley Korir, a marathon runner who is also an independent MP. He posted images on Twitter of dilapidated buildings in the area where he said they were

forced to stay.

Team Kenya has been dogged by allegations of mismanagement at Rio. Sports Minister Hassan Wario says the government has responded by disbanding the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and ordering an investigation into the problems the team faced in Rio, BBC reported from the capital, Nairobi.

Mr Korir said athletes had experienced “hell” and he would demand action when he returned home.

Kenya athletes at the Rio2016 Olympics

Somalia hunts for fake-cash bank teller A bank teller at Somalia’s central bank is on the run after allegedly stealing $530,000 (£402,000), the bank’s governor Bashir Issa Ali has said.

Senior cashier Muhidin Mohamed Hassan was behind the scam to exchange United States dollar notes with fake bills, he said.

Police and security agencies were hunting for him and several other staff at the bank were being questioned, the governor added.

The Central Bank of Somalia has been hit by financial scandals in the past.

In 2013, a UN Monitoring Group on Somalia said it had become a “slush fund” for political leaders.

Yussur Abrar, who was appointed governor in the wake of the scandal, only stayed in her job for a few weeks, alleging there were corrupt practices at the bank.

The money was taken from a bank safe and swapped with fake notes. PHOTO: ISTOCK

France warns of Muslim stigmatisation amid burkini ban FRENCH Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve warned against stigmatising Muslims as a furore over the banning of burkinis grew with the emergence of pictures of police surrounding a veiled woman on a beach.

“The implementation of secularism, and the

A woman wearing burkini, jogging on a beach. PHOTO: REUTERS

option of adopting such decrees must not lead to stigmatisation or the creation of hostility between French people,” said Cazeneuve on Wednesday, after a meeting with the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM).

According to Al Jazeera, dozens of French towns and villages, mostly on the Cote d’Azur, have banned beachwear that “conspicuously” shows a person’s religion, a measure aimed at the fullbody swimsuit dubbed “burkini” but which has also been used against women wearing long clothes and a headscarf.

39

Friday, 26 August, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Rio 2016 star, Usman claims Vitoria Setubal offer R IO 2016 Olympics star, Usman Mohammed has revealed that he has received an offer from Portuguese outfit, Vitoria Setubal after he terminated his contract with another Portuguese club Uniao Madeira.

“I got an offer from Vitoria Setubal at the Olympics. My agent and I are now studying it,” Usman informed AfricanFootball.com Should he take up the offer, he will move as a free agent after he cancelled his contract with Uniao Madeira.

Oyo pledges support for referees THE Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Abayomi Oke has assured the Referees Council in the state of government’s support towards the development of sports in the state.

Oke gave the assurance in his office recently when members of the referees council paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, “the present administration in the state is ready to work with all the relevant stakeholders for the development of sports in the state. We are ready to reorganise and restructure Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Crown FC and other sports in order to ensure that Oyo State excels in competitions at all times.

“We will not do this restructuring alone, we need all stakeholders to be part of it. We are taking sports to another height and we want to know that our Pace Setter status is not a fluke. We will set the pace in football, basketball, tennis, boxing and other sports. We cannot do this alone; hence, we need you the referees and other stakeholders to make sports interesting and attractive in the state.”

Oke noted that lots of programmes have been put in place to boost the sporting activities in the state, such as secondary school competition for the ages of 13 to 15, table tennis competition among various age groups, basketball competitions among secondary schools and volleyball competitions for all.

Usman Mohammed (back) fights for the ball possession with a Japanese player during the just-ended Rio Olympics.

The former FC Taraba midfielder featured in all six games as Nigeria won a bronze medal at the justended Rio Olympics.

Another Nigerian midfielder, Mikel Agu, is on loan at Vitoria Setubal from FC Porto.

In January, the former

Raptors win VGC basketball tourney

VGC Raptors have emerged winners of the FC Taraba skipper signed has now announced the 2016 VGC Basketball a two-year contract with midfielder is free of this championship as they Uniao Madeira, who contract and so he is a free defeated Team Cavaliers 65 to 59 points in the final were then playing in the agent.

It was on account of these decided last weekend in Portuguese top-flight complications that he did Lagos. league.

The league which had However, as a result of not make his official debut complications surrounding for the club, who also have six teams named after the the contract, world football another Nigeria star, Shehu NBA franchise started on July 2 after eight weeks of governing body FIFA Abdullahi, on their books.

30 regular season games, Raptors were crowned champions following their comeback victory on to attain enviable positions that Kano State government Sunday at the VGC sports in all major games in the has customised some of its complex. forthcoming 19th National teams under the brand name The recreational league ‘Kano Pillars’ to pave the put together by Siji Sports Festival.

The former president of the way for more community Sanwola, the host and Nigeria Football Federation participation in sports commissioner for the (NFF), Galadima disclosed development. league, was borne out of his passion for the game. The championship amongst other objectives was to promote the game her coach, Adeyemi international coaching and foster camaraderie Abiodun Johnson to an course. among the residents.

Galadima begs Kano govt for more funds to develop sports Kola Oyelere-Kano THE chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, has appealed to the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje to assist the commission through provision of funds which would aid sports development in the state.

Galadima, noted that the commission is faced with critical challenges such as funding, slow progression of inherited sports contracts and lack of a befitting office complex.

He made the assertion during the presentation of trophies and awards won by Kano Pillars Basketball team, Kano Pillars Para-Soccer team, as well as individual and corporate awards won by some players and the state government, to Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.

Galadima noted that involvement of the private

sector in sports “would allow companies and organisations to capitalise on the popularity and devotion many fans feel towards their favourite teams and athletes”.

He stated that the commission is doing its best to take sports to the grassroots in the state to fish out talented but obscure sportsmen, even as it is making concerted efforts

Kwara boosts Omotayo ahead US trip KWARA State government has approved and released the ticket fee for Omotayo Abolaji Oluwaseun, the state’s athlete who bagged full scholarship from South Lane University, Texas, US. The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Kale Ayo Nuhu disclosed this, adding that the state government has approved over N600, 000 for the ticket fee for the 100m Youth Commonwealth champion, who is expected to jet out of the country next week.

He commended the state government for the gesture, even as he

charged the athlete to reciprocate the gesture by being a good ambassador of the state and the nation at large during her stay in the United States.

Kale stated that the state government will continue to encourage sports participation and also support athletes that distinguished themselves by making the state and country proud.

Omotayo, it will be recalled, after representing Nigeria and winning gold in 100m at the Youth Commonwealth Games, was received and honoured by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who also promised to send

Captain Captainof ofMatthias MatthiasPrimary PrimarySchool, School,Okesha OkeshaAdo AdoEkiti, Ekiti Master Laolu Akinola receiving the winners’ trophy of the National National Primary Schools PrimaryCricket SchoolsChampionships Cricket Championships (South West) (South from West) Mr Musa from Mr Ehizogie, Musa Ehizogie, the media thedirector mediaof director NigeriaofCricket the Nigeria Cricket Federation Federation at the end at the of final end the match finalwith match Hardings with Hardings PrimaryPrimary School atSchool Christat Schoo,l ChristAdo Schoo,l Ekiti,Ado recently Ekiti, recently.

SIDELINES

FRIDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2016

N0 16,576

N150

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it lost 560,000 barrels of crude oil to vandals in five months. Well, those paid to prevent this hemorrhage had better sit up, lest the vandals steal too much and there be no money to pay them!

Injured Iheanacho gets greenlight for Tanzania clash

A player of D’Tigers attempts to make a basket during their clash with Lithuania at the just-ended Rio Olympics.

Fallout of Rio Olympics:

Senate to inviteSports Minister,NOC Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

T

HE Senate Committee on Sports has indicated its intention to probe the roles of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung and the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) over the poor performance of Team Nigeria and the activities of the country’s contingent to the just-ended Rio Olympics.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Joe Obinna Ogba, disclosed this on Thursday, during an interview with journalists at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Ogba who informed that he was part of the official delegation to the Rio 2016 said a lot of factors ranging from funding to logistics contributed to Nigeria’s no-show performance at the Games.

He stated that the Senate will look into the circumstances which led to the unimpressive performance of Team Nigeria in Brazil when it resumes from recess next month.

“My committee intends to invite the NOC to come and brief us on the Rio Olympics. Apart from the late arrival of our athletes’ kits, you can see that even our national anthem at the opening ceremony was the wrong one. So, all these, we are going to find out what happened when we resume,” Ogba said.

On the donation of $390,000 to

the Dream Team VI by a Japanese plastic surgeon and football enthusiast, Dr Katsuya Takasu, the federal lawmaker said it was wrong of the team to receive the money because its source was unknown.

“I don’t think it was nice for our

country to accept such money given the happenings around world now. Money is good but it’s not every money that comes your way that you collect. So, I associate myself fully with the stance of the President of the Nigeria Football

A scan on Thursday afternoon has cleared Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho and so he will be available for next week’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2017 qualifier against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.

Iheanacho was forced out of Wednesday’s night UEFA Champions League clash against Steaua Bucuresti from Romania, after he suffered what appeared to be a nasty muscle injury and had to be stretchered off the pitch.

“The scan has cleared Kelechi and he will be okay to play against Tanzania,” a source close to the striker disclosed.

“Even by the time he came off the pitch, he was ready to return, but the doctor preferred to play it safe and now the scan has shown there was nothing to really worry about.”

Iheanacho is one from a big squad of foreign pros called up by new Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr for a dead rubber AFCON qualifier against Tanzania in Uyo on Saturday, September 3.

Rohr will use this match to prepare for a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia on October 3.

Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick.”

However, according to Ogba, the calls for the resignation of the Sports Minister were alien to Nigerian culture as only the President can hire and fire a minister.

Rohr not good enough for Nigeria —Adamu NEWLY-EMPLOYED Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr is not good enough and he will “damage” Nigerian before walking away from the country, according to ex-FIFA and CAF executive member, Dr Amos Adamu.

Franco-German Rohr has signed a two-year contract that will pay him $47,000 a month to lead Nigeria through the 2018 World Cup qualifiers beginning with an October 3 clash in Zambia.

However, Adamu, who was the sole administrator of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) when the country qualified for their firstever World Cup in 1994, said Rohr does not have the pedigree to handle the Eagles and he is doomed to fail.

“He does not have the pedigree, I don’t know him,” Adamu told Hot FM Abuja.

“For now, we do not have a coach.

He will just damage us and then he will leave.”

He also questioned how the 63-year-old coach was recruited by

the NFF leadership.

Adamu equally said he does not expect NFF president, Mr Amaju Pinnick to resign despite the clamour for him to do so on the back of a litany of failures by the various national teams.

“It is not in our culture to resign even if it is the right thing to do,” he said.

“He should take responsibility for his action, but it won’t happen. Who will enforce? Who is in that ministry to enforce it?

“We are also suffering from a cul-

ture of poverty and so people asking for him to resign will be bought over and before you know it, they will be singing a different song.”

Iheanacho

Ronaldo wins UEFA award again REAL Madrid and Portugal forward, Cristiano Ronaldo has lifted the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award for a second time.

Ronaldo enjoyed a sensational 2015/16, winning the UEFA Champions League with Real

2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage draw Group A: PSG, Arsenal, Basel, Ludogorets Razgrad Group B: Benfica, Napoli, Dynamo Kyiv, Beşiktaş Group C: Barcelona, Man City, B/Mönchengladbach, Celtic Group D: Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Rostov Group E: CSKA Moskva, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Monaco Group F: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting CP, Legia Warszaw Group G: Leicester, Porto, Club Brugge, FC Kobenhavn Group H: Juventus , Sevilla, Lyon, Dinamo Zagreb

Madrid before leading his country to UEFA EURO 2016 glory.

The 31-year-old beat off competition from club-mate, Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid striker, Antoine Griezmann to land the award he first picked up in 2013/14.

“It’s a great honour. My teammates are the key – they are the key every year. I work hard myself but without their help this would not be possible. Thanks to my team-mates from Real Madrid and Portugal. [Winning EURO] was different because I’ve won the Champions League three times now. To win something with Portugal was the highlight of my career,” an elated former Manchester United forward said.

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. 26/8/2016.