28th April 2016

nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 16,489

THURSDAY, 28 APRIL, 2016

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NLC, TUC demand N56,000 as new minimum wage —P35

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Buhari seeks World You can't preside over Bank's help to repatriate my trial, Saraki tells $320m Abacha loot CCT chairman —P34 —P4

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PDP NEC may adopt new zoning formula today —P8

Ending Fulani herdsmen attacks now national priority —Buhari •Orders protection for communities under attack —P2,8 •Tasks armed forces, police to stop carnage •IGP in Enugu, orders arrest of policeman implicated in attack

Anisulowo, ex-minister, kidnapped in Ogun —P34

Senate raises alarm over INEC's failure to conclude elections in Rivers, others —P31

From left, Group Deputy Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer, Obinna Nwosu; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe; Chairman, Mosun BeloOlusoga and the Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, all of Access Bank Plc, during the bank's 27th Annual General Meeting, at Lagoon Restaurant, Lagos, on Wednesday.

PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

APC, Edo govt officials shun deputy gov's guber declaration —P31

2019 elections will be difficult for APC if... —Dogara —P34

2 news

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Ending Fulani herdsmen attacks now national priority —Buhari •Orders protection for communities under attack •IGP, CDS to investigate killings Leon Usigbe, Christian Okeke and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen and go after all the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country.

He vowed that his government would not allow the attacks to continue.

The president disclosed this in his address at the public presentation of a book, entitled: “Who will love my country: Ideas for building the Nigeria of our dream,” written by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in Abuja.

He condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the attack perpetrated on the Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State, on Monday.

Represented by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, the president expressed deep sympathy for all those who lost dear ones, as well as those who lost their properties in the attack.

“I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen and to go after all the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country. This government will not allow these attacks to continue,” he stated.

Also, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president said the menace of herdsmen attack had now become a national priority.

The statement, issued on Wednesday, to categorically condemn the act, noted that the president said the Inspector- General of Police and heads of other security agencies had already visited Ukpabi Nimbo on his orders to investigate, apprehend and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Following continuing reports of attacks by herdsmen on communities across the country,

particularly Monday’s attack on Ukpabi Nimbo in Enugu State, President Buhari assures all Nigerians, once again, of his administration’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country.

“President Buhari unreservedly condemns the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and other such acts of extreme violence against communities in other states of the federation.

“Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari-led administration’s agenda for enhanced national security and the

Armed Forces and the Police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.

“In keeping with the president’s directive, the Inspector-General of Police, the General Officer Commanding the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army and the Director of the Department of State Security in Enugu State have visited Ukapbi Nimbo, to oversee investigations into the attack on the community and ongoing efforts to apprehend the culprits,” the statement read.

It announced that Buhari would meet with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, to receive further briefing on the attack on Ukpabi Nimbo and

discuss additional measures to forestall similar attacks and restore public confidence.

He urged all Nigerians to remain calm and assured of his administration’s readiness to deploy all required personnel and resources to remove this new threat to the collective security of the nation.

At the book launch, Buhari said the author was right when he enjoined leaders to carry out programmes that would enhance the prosperity, happiness and living conditions of citizens, stressing the need for change in several areas, including attitudinal change.

He said for his government, the words propounded by the author

amounted to preaching to the converted.

According to him, the author demonstrated in the book that Nigerians could only build a Nigeria of their dreams if they make bold efforts to love her above their individual selves and narrow interests.

“Our mantra is change, starting with individual attitudinal change. That explains why this administration will soon launch a major campaign, tagged ‘Change begins with me’ aimed at getting Nigerians to realise that the change they so much desire starts with them. If we all change our ways for the better, the society itself will change.

“Our N500 billion Social

Intervention Fund, which is unprecedented, will, among others, create jobs for 500,000 unemployed graduates and 370,000 unemployed non-graduates; provide loans for one million Nigerians, including market men and women, as well as artisans, to start up small businesses; feed 4.5 million school children; ensure conditional cash transfers to the most vulnerable (not unemployed graduates) citizens and provide scholarships to students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics “When we put the public interest above our personal interests, the society benefits, but when the reverse is the case, the society suffers,” he said.

...IGP orders arrest of police corporal over alleged complicity Jude Ossai - Enugu THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has ordered the detention of a serving Police corporal attached to Adani Police Divisional Headquarters, for allegedly aiding the Fulani herdsmen in the attack on Ukpabi-Nimbo community in Enugu, last Monday.

Arase, who was in Ukpabi-Nimbo community on Wednesday, for an on-the-spot assessment, ordered that the police officer should be detained in police custody while the allegation would be properly investigated by the police, adding that if found wanting, he would face the music.

At Ukpabi-Nimbo community, the police boss, who addressed members of the affected community on Wednesday during his visit to the troubled area, assured that the police

would do everything within its powers to bring perpetrators of the barbaric act to book.

Arase, who was accompanied on the visit by top police officers from force headquarters, Abuja, as well as state commissioners of police in the South-East zone, described the incident as quite “depressing.”

He said: “I want to assure Nigerians that those involved in the barbaric act cannot go unpunished, they must be brought to book.”

The police chief also advised the people, especially youths of the area to remain calm and allow the police hunt for the suspects.

The IGP added that he came personally to the community, so as to enable him see things for himself and get first-hand information on the incident.

“I decided to come here

personally to get firsthand information on the incident, because of the conflicting media reports we have been getting on the attack,” he said.

The spokesman for the community, Dr George Ajogwu, had told the IGP that the incident could have been nipped in the bud if the police and other security agents had acted promptly on the pre-information given to them by the people a day before the attack.

Also speaking, the senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District,

Senator Chuka Utazi, who incidentally hails from the area, told the IGP that they were yet to get the accurate figure of those who died during the deadly attack.

According to the lawmaker, “up till yesterday, decomposing bodies were still being recovered from nearby bushes.”

The IGP and his entourage had, during the assessment tour, paid a courtesy call on the traditional ruler of the area, Igwe John Ako, as well as visited some injured victims at the Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsuk-

Military to intervene in herdsmen/farmers crisis Johnson Babajide - Makurdi CHIEF of Defence Staff, Major-General Abayomi Olonishakin has stated the need for military to wade into the constant crises between the herdsmen and farmers in

the country before it degenerates into national crisis.

Olonishakin, who spoke through the chairman, Defence Headquarters Committee on Persistent Crisis between herdsmen/farmers, Major-General Ed-

Activists caution against reprisal, plan to storm Aso Rock A human right activist, Mr Marcel Iweajunwa, has warned against reprisals aimed at retaliating the Monday attacks on some Enugu communities.

Iweajunwa, who is the Executive Director, New Nigeria Youth Organisation, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Owerri, on Wednesday, that attempting to get back at the supposed aggressors was not a solution to the

violence.

“I find the attacks condemnable, but resorting to self-help will be counterproductive,” he said.

According to him, “we are not at war and we do not intend to go into any now, but we should use proactive measures to get to the root of the problem.

“Some people can hide under any guise to perpetrate evil; if the motive is not discovered, it will be

ka.

Meanwhile, tension was heightened in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, on Wednesday, as youths in Umuchigbo community in Enugu-East Local Government Area of the state were rumoured to have repelled Fulani herdsmen’s attack on the area.

The Umuchigbo’s attack came on the heels of Arase’s unscheduled visit to Ukpabi-Nimbo community, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state, where Fulani herdsmen killed scores of natives last Monday.

difficult to get to the end of the problem,” he said.

The activist advised government to engage private investigators, security groups and civil society organisations to dig into why gunmen have continued to infiltrate the rural areas to cause havoc.

Also, groups of human rights activists in Nigeria have concluded arrangements to storm the nation’s seat of power, Aso Rock Vil-

la, to register their displeasure over the development.

Rising from their expanded meeting on the “state of the nation,” on Wednesday, leader of the group, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, disclosed that they discussed extensively on the ongoing massacre of innocent Nigerians by the Fulani herdsmen, particularly, the Agatu killings and Tuesday Enugu killings, where over 40 people were killed.

ward Nze, told newsmen in Makurdi, on Wednesday, that criminality had entered into the crisis.

Nze stated that the crisis which occurred barely on daily basis, was assuming national dimension, which he said needed to be tackled immediately before it turned to another terrorism.

He explained that the committee visited Nasarawa State on Tuesday and would be proceeding to Enugu aIl on a fact-finding mission to ascertain causes and analyse the crisis.

While stating that the committee would visit all the areas affected by the invaders in the state, Nze noted that there was need to see things and know how to handle it properly, so as to nip it in the bud.

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

E k’aabo si Ipinle Oyo

The Government and good people of Oyo State very warmly welcome our dear mother and sister, Her Excellency Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Ibadan, the capital city of Nigeria's pacesetter state.

We are most delighted to have been counted worthy of beneď€ tting from your life-saving Health Screening Programme for Women.

INITIATIVE While hoping you've had a very pleasant and enjoyable visit with us so far, we wish to thank you most heartily for your gracious gift to the women of Oyo State.

We pray God's abundant blessings for you and all yours.

E se gan ni, Ma.

THE GOVERNMENT OF

OYO STATE, NIGERIA

4 news

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Buhari seeks World Bank’s help to repatriate $320m Abacha loot Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has urged the World Bank to do all within its powers, to facilitate the speedy repatriation to Nigeria of stolen funds still being held by Swiss authorities.

He made the plea on Wednesday, while speaking at a meeting with the visiting Managing Director of the World Bank, Ms Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

He said the repatriation of the additional $320 million in Switzerland, which had been identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under the Sani Abacha-led administration, would help to ease the current economic hardship facing the country.

He assured the bank chief that his administration was taking appropriate steps to ensure that public funds were no longer stolen or misappropriated by government officials.

Buhari said: ‘‘We need the support of the World Bank for the repatriation of the funds.

“We are as concerned as the World Bank about accountability. If such repatriated funds have been misapplied in the past, I assure you that the same will not happen with us.

“Three hundred and twenty million dollars is a lot of

money and we will not allow it to be misappropriated or diverted.’’

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, observed that one of the conditions given by the Swiss authorities for the repatriation of the funds was that it should be expended on the implementation of social programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian people in an efficient and accountable way, guaranteed by the monitoring of the World Bank.

Buhari also assured the World Bank Managing Director that his administration would honour all agreements with the bank that would help to stimulate Nigeria’s economy and reduce the level of poverty in the country.

He said that Nigeria would welcome greater international assistance for the rehabilitation of damaged homes, schools, health facilities and other infrastructure in the North-Eastern states affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ms Indrawati told President Buhari that the World Bank was ready to use its knowledge, expertise and resources to help Nigeria achieve faster growth and development. ‘‘We will strongly support

Shi’ite/soldiers clash could have been avoided, but... —Shi’a leader Kola Oyelere - Kano FOLLOWING the lingering controversy behind the recent conflict between soldiers and Shi’ite members in Zaria, Kaduna State, Rasulul A’Azam Foundation (RAAF), Shi’a, an Islamic-based organisation, has said the clash could have been avoided if the Shi’ites’ leader had reminded his followers of the consequences of their action.

Spesking at a one-day interactive session on Wednesday, in Kano, between RAAF and the security agencies, president of the foundation, Sheikh Nuru Dass, dispelled the lingering impression that Shi’a was violent as being perceived by the general public.

However, in a paper presented by a renowned Shi’a cleric and Secretary-General, RAAF, a registered Shi’a organisation, Sheikh Saleh Zaria. entitled: “Shi’ism in Nigeria: Misconception, origin and history,” criticised leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiekh Ibrahim El- Zazzaky, for gross

disrespect for the rule of law and constituted authorities.

Sheikh Zaria said the sad episode, which led to the fracas between members of the Islamic Movement and the Army, left much to be desired.

you to create jobs and ensure prosperity in Nigeria,’’ the World Bank Managing Director assured President Buhari.

She also expressed the World Bank’s full support for the war against corruption being waged by the Buhari-led administration.

Speaking to State House corespondents after the meeting, Indrawati said the World Bank would assist the Federal Government in key sectors of the economy.

On the discussion her delegation had with President Buhari, she said: “We discussed both in terms of what is the area of priority, the mode of engagement and the operational details of how this is going to be used in the most effective way.

“We also discussed more in terms of the need to diversify the economy away from oil. We also discussed on how to improve the fiscal side with the Minister of Finance under her leadership and try to improve on the revenue side, whether to improve collection tax as well as to fight against inefficiency and corruption.

“That is one of the areas which is commendable. We would like to support all these objectives in order for Nigeria to have a healthy, stronger and transparent budget, which can be very useful and effective in addressing the issue of poverty and creating a healthier and inclusive growth.

“We also discussed about supporting the management of natural resources, especially the oil, which I think Nigeria has its own reform agenda to improve the governance and management of the oil sector.”

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Friday, 22 April, 2016

Court adjourns suit against Saraki, Ekweremadu till June 1 Sunday Ejike - Abuja

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he suit against senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, challenging the legality of the election that brought them into office as principal officers of the senate, has again, been adjourned till June 1.

Justice Evoh Chukwu of a federal high court in Abuja, hearing the case, adjourned hearing in the suit following the absence of four out of the six defendants in the matter.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Justice Chukwu adjourned the case following information that the four defendants were not served with hearing notice by the court bailiff.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Mamman Osuman, told justice Chukwu that Mr Patrick Ikweto, counsel to Ekweremadu, could not be located for the service of the hearing notice.

Osuman further told the court that findings by his legal team and from the court bailiff, indicated that Ikweto had relocated from his chambers in Wuse to an unknown destination.

Ex-commissioners, lawmakers dump PDP for APC in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

Ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State, the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, suffered a setback on Monday, as two former commissioners of the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, and two other lawmakers dumped the party for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The two commissioners are former Commissioner for Adult, Technical and Vocational Training, Mrs Kehinde Momoh and Mr Tayo Oluwatuyi who served as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Former members of the State Assembly, Bamido Omogbehin, Oyebo Aladetan and former political office holders including Kasali Obanoyen, Chief Ajani Oladipupo, Mr Yele Akinya and Segun Ogodo, were among those who defected from PDP to APC. Prominent among them are Chief Banji Kuroloja, Prince Oyebo Aladetan, Mr Kasali Obanoyen, Prince Olu Falolu, Mrs Kehinde Momoh (former Commissioner) and Chief Ayo Ojomo, among others.

The Board of pastors and elders, Christ Apostolic Church, Agbala-Itura(Worldwide) International Headquarters, Olode, Adegbayi, Ibadan.

APOLOGY LETTER We hereby apologise to the Board of pastors and elders of Christ Apostolic Church, Agbala Itura (Worldwide) about the video CD ‘ASIRITU’

by Evangelist Festus Emmanuel (A.K.A SMART) who lied against our father, Prophet (Dr.) Samuel Kayode Abiara.

We promise that we will not involve ourselves in such event again and we also promise to be good ambassadors.

We shall be grateful if our apology is granted.

May Almighty God continue to bless you sir.

Amen.

Yours faithfully, Mr & Mrs Emmanuel John Mr Fatai Ibrahim Mr Yisau Afeez Mr Olubode Wasiu.

Nigerian Tribune

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

N2bn required for 26 new ferries — State Ferry Services Chukwuma Okparaocha The Lagos State Ferry Services has disclosed that it needs about N2 billion to buy 26 modern ferries to help re-invigorate the state’s ailing water transport service, but that there is currently no budgetary allocation to fund such.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the agency, Mr Kalejaiye Paul, when the House Committee on Transport paid him and his team a visit as part of the committee’s oversight functions.

Speaking on their challenges, Paul, who explained that he just assumed office a month ago, stated that the major problem facing the agency was inadequate funding.

“Presently, we operate with zero budget, since the

The suspects with prison officials. PHOTO: TOLA ADENUBI

Two arrested with hemp wrapped in crayfish cartons

Tola Adenubi

T

wo suspects, Abdullahi Ismail and Valentine Malizu have been arrested by the men of the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for being in possession of 40 wraps of substances suspected to be Indian hemps concealed inside cartons of crayfish.

The seized drugs weighed about 43.4 kilogrammes with a value of N412, 300.

The suspects, who were also found to be in possession of over nine different SIM cards and assorted charms, have since been handed over to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to a statement signed by the Spokesman of the Seme Area Command of the NCS, S.K Taupyen, “The seizure was made possible by the Border Patrol Crack Team ‘A’ led by CSC Ozah M.O. After the suspects were arrested, they attempted to bribe the Border Patrol Officers, but their overtures were resisted.”

The suspects have been

handed over by the Area Controller, Seme Customs Command, Comptroller Dimka V. David to the Senior Narcotics officer of the NDLEA, Idris, D.U who represented the

Commander of the NDLEA, Seme.

After the handing over, the CS C reiterated that the tempo of aggressive patrol within the border would be

sustained by his vigilant officers and warned that all those involved in trans-border crimes should desist from the act or they will continue to face the full wrath of the law.

The NDLEA authority said that scientific analysis of the illicit drugs and the subsequent prosecution of the suspects in court will be the next line of action.

last administration in the state. Not having fund to work with is a great challenge for us. We want to purchase modern ferries, but this depends on the availability of fund.”

The chairman of the agency also requested for the relocation of the agency’s office to Mile 2, saying this was the root of ferry services in Lagos The Chairman of the House Committee on Transport, Honourable Mojeed Fatai, assured that the challenges raised by the agency would be addressed.

He, however, noted that failure by the agency’s former chairman to appear before the House Committee for Budget Defence in 2015, was the reason the agency did not get any allocation.

In a related development, officers of the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency have lamented that lack of operational vehicles and rivalry between them and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), are making things very difficult for them.

They therefore urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to intervene.

The General Manager of the agency, Mr Lateef Lawal, also told the committee members that they needed more fund to function effectively.

Students threaten to sue UNILAG over ban of student union Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Some aggrieved students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Yaba, have on Wednesday threatened to sue the University authorities if they refuse to re-instate the Students’ Union, to suspend all requirements of oath taking and undertaking and indemnity, as preconditions for their resumption, scheduled for May 2, 2016.

In a letter dated April 27, 2016, the students through their counsel, Ebun Olu Adegboruwa, also want the University to shift the dates of their examinations from May 9, 2016, in order to give room for students to settle down and prepare for their examinations.

It would be recalled that the authorities of the University announced a compulsory closure and forced all students to vacate the campus and their halls of residence. This was sequel to a protest by the students, to draw attention to the deplorable state of infrastructure and facilities in the university, leading to permanent blackouts and lack of water.

Following the development, the University imposed conditions upon the students, for their resumption, to subscribe to an oath of non membership of secret cults, indemnity and undertaking by their parents.

The students urged the University to dispense with these conditions.

They are stating that, the

students were not rusticated or expelled to warrant any oath for re-admission.

They are also stating that it is illegal to ask innocent students and their parents to subscribe to an oath not to commit a crime.

The students are also stating that they have already paid for their accommodation in their various halls of residence and they are thus entitled to the use and occupation of these halls for the current academic session.

They also added that they have also paid for their examinations and they are entitled to partake in the said examinations without any precondition.

The students stated that by virtue of section 40 of the 1999 Constitution and

Article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, they are entitled to freedom of association, to elect their leaders and to maintain a union, without any interference from the University.

Furthermore, the students maintain that they cannot be punished for the unilateral act of closure by the university, over deteriorating conditions in their campuses, that are not issues have not been addressed by the university authorities, before announcing resumption and the students fear that gathering over 27,000 students in a situation of total darkness, absence of water, etc, may lead to the outbreak of some epidemic.

Consequently, the stu-

dents have through their lawyer, written letters to the Vice-Chancellor and the Governing Council of the University, for the following demands.

Consequently, they were representatives into the Council, Senate and the Congregation of the University, to afford them the opportunity of being part of the decision making process, which may affect them, their parents, their future and their careers.

They also want immediate dialogue with the Students’ Union, for the purpose of addressing all pending issues affecting the students and the entire university. They have given the university up till April 29, 2016, to address these demands or face court action.

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

metro Okada union leaders, riders attacked us with broken bottles, Task Force officers alleges Bola Badmus

From right, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Grammy Award Winner, Mr Kirk Whalum and Brand Strategist, Runway Jazz, Mr Ajani Sandridge during a visit by groups collaborating with the government on the forthcoming Lagos International Jazz Festival to commemorate the International Jazz Day, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Wednesday.

Lagos International Jazz Day to hold Saturday Bola Badmus Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has expressed optimism that the activities lined up for the forthcoming Lagos International Jazz Day will go a long way to showcase the tourism potential of the state to the world.

The governor said this on Wednesday while speaking at the Lagos House, Ikeja when he played host to some of the groups collaborating with the state government on the forthcoming star-studded concert to commemorate the 2016 International Jazz Day. Some of the artistes billed to perform at the concert, include Dare Art-Alade, Yinka Davies, Lekan Babalola (two-time co-Grammy winner) with the Eko Brass Band, Herbert Kunle Ajayi, Bright Gain and Adeh.

Others are the Spectacle Band – Afrojazz guitar Supremo, Ubong Ntia, Sam and the Jazz Apostles, featuring Dera, Dotun Bankole Band, Victor Ademofe Band, Omolara, Dapo Fasuyi, Organic Jazz, among others.

Ambode said apart from the state being the financial and commercial hub of

Nigeria, his administration would work hard to equally transform Lagos to the tourism hub of Africa.

“We want to emulate and even surpass the International Jazz Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, and be on the world stage.

That is the significance of this collaboration that we have decided to go into.

During the electioneering campaign, we did promise that we will use entertainment and arts, tourism and sports to propel Lagos to the next level and this is one of the ways through which we hope to achieve that,” Ambode said.

The groups on the courtesy visit include Lagos International Jazz Festival

Group, Runway Jazz and Satchmo Jazz.

Leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Director of Inspiro Productions, Mr Ayoola Shadare, while speaking earlier, said Jazz had gone beyond just music, describing it as a veritable instrument that could be used to grow the economy if properly managed.

Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) on Tuesday said it arrested 32 miscreants, including hoodlums during a fracas involving motorcyclists at Agric Bus-Stop, Ikorodu.

The agency said the exercise, which met a lot of resistance, took place, while its officers were trying to arrest a motorcyclist for obstructing BRT lane along Agric bus- stop. It also impounded 54 motorcycles in the same area.

According to the spokesperson of the Agency, Mr Taofik Adebayo, motorcyclists and tricycles operators, including their union officials allegedly attacked police and paramilitary officers attached to the agency with stones and broken bottles, with the windscreen of one of the Task Force vehicles, smashed.

He said the fracas led to mobilisation of other security agencies, including Raid Respond Squad (RRS), who joined officials of the Lagos Task Force to subdue the motorcycle and tricycle riders who had allegedly mobilised their men from Ikorodu, Ogolonto, Irawo and Owode-Onirin for support.

Adebayo described activities of the motorcycles along Ikorodu to Ketu express including BRT lanes as worrisome, vowing that the agency was battle ready to implement to the fullest the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2012 which restricted motorcycles from plying highways across the state.

“You will recall that recently these miscreants and hoodlums attacked BRT passengers and damaged three BRT buses at Agric bus stop before security agencies curtailed the situations. All those arrested have been charged to Lagos State Environmental Courts for various offences,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Task Force has arrested a man, Ganiyu Tijani, who has been parading himself as a serving Army sergeant disturbing and harassing people around Ikorodu.

Ganiyu is said to have hailed from Regasa Town in Kaduna State and was said to have been forcefully collecting illegal fees from motorists and motorcyclists at Agric Bus-Stop in Ikorodu.

The culprit is to be charged to court for impersonation, collection of illegal levies and touting around garages and bus stops in Lagos State.

Relatives of our victim participated in his killing — Ikorodu cultist Olalekan Olabulo

Okegbenro a.k.a Rosco

Two suspects arrested in connection with the killing of one Olawale Adebayo, in Ikorodu last month, have been discovered to be his relatives.

Adebayo, before his death was a resident of Imosun Close in Ikorodu. He was murdered in March 2016 by a gang of cult members, who went on rampage.

The arrest of the two other members of the gang, Ahmed and Taoreed, who were identified as relatives of Adebayo, was facilitated by the confessional statement of the third member of the cult gang, 16-year-old Rilwan Okegbenro popu-

larly known as Rosco, who confessed that he participated in three killings in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Rosco was on Tuesday arrested by a combined team of policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and local vigilante members in Ikorodu. A total of 18 suspects were arrested in raids at criminal hideouts in Odonguyan, Sabo and Igbogbo areas of Ikorodu.

Rosco in his confessional statement to the police said that he was part of the gang that killed Adebayo around Wema Bank along Sagamu Road in Ikorodu and that the two other members of the gang, Ahmed and Taoreed also participated in the mur-

der.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest of the suspects to Lagos Metro and added that the police were on the trail of the runaway members of the cult groups.

Lagos Metro gathered that the police as part of the efforts to curb the rising menace of cultism in Ikorodu, involved the local vigilante in the area, popularly known as Onyabo in the arrest of the suspects.

She also confirmed that apart from the three cult members, 15 other suspects were arrested during the raids on suspected black spots in Ikorodu.

8 news

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

PDP NEC may adopt new zoning formula today

•Zoning arrangement agreed —Emmanuel •Nomination forms on sale now —Oladipo Leon Usigbe - Abuja

B

ARRING unforeseen circumstances, the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today, adopt the new zoning formula for the sharing of elective posts among its members towards the 2019 general election.

For several weeks now, the party’s Zoning Committee, led by Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State had been working to produce an acceptable formula and has now reached an agreement on all the positions at stake.

Governor Emmanuel announced after a meeting of the committee at the Transcop Hilton, Abuja, on Thursday, that a new zoning formula had been unanimously agreed by the committee, but would not be announced until first presented to NEC. He said: “I just want to tell you that we have con-

cluded our meeting of the zoning committee of the PDP, the largest party in Africa. And as I said during our first meeting, you could see the spirit of the PDP. Everybody came out smiling.

“It shows that oneness, unity that our party stands for.

“Also, let me repeat, for the first time, we have a meeting of this nature of any political party, not just PDP, that will just come out singing from the same hymn book and everybody just coming to one single agreement. It’s very uncommon.”

While noting that he could not announce the agreement reached, the Akwa Ibom governor thanked members of the committee and Nigerians in general, who he said had been waiting for a moment like this.

The committee had stirred controversy over its initial proposal which reportedly zoned the national chairmanship post

to the North when the party had already decided that its 2019 presidential would emerge from the region.

The proposal also indicated that the deputy national chairman would come from the North, while an additional post of deputy national chairman was zoned to North Central.

The national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff from the North-East was thought to be working to retain the position even though his tenure is scheduled to expire next month.

Others being proposed are national secretary (South-West), national treasurer (North-Central), national woman leader (North-West), national publicity secretary (SouthWest) and national organising secretary (South-East).

NEC meeting had been scheduled for today, to deliberate on the report of the Zoning Committee for possible approval.

Enugu killings: S/East senators call emergency summit Taiwo Adisa and Adetola Bademosi - Abuja SOUTH-East senators under the aegis of the South-East caucus in the National Assembly have condemned the Fulani herdsmen’s attack on Enugu community, leading to the death of over 50 indigenes.

The senators, in a statement made available on Wednesday by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also called for emergency meeting of the SouthEast/ South-South stakeholders to discuss the state of affairs in the geopolitical zones.

The statement warned of imminent danger and possible attack on the unity of Nigeria if the Federal Government failed to urgently address the Enugu massacres by the marauding Fulani herdsmen.

The South-East Senate caucus, which rose from an emergency meeting in Abuja, not only condemned the attack, which left over 50 people dead and scores displaced, it also called for a summit of South-East and SouthSouth state governors,

members of national and state Houses of Assembly, socio-cultural associations, traditional rulers and major stakeholders to immediately review the situation.

According to the lawmakers, the emergency summit would afford the stakeholders the opportunity to review and evaluate the “very scary situation and proffer a coordinated response that would ensure the security of lives and property of their people.”

Also, the South-East leadership caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, said President Muhammadu Buhari was working round the clock to stop the alleged bloodletting by suspected herdsmen.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, by the caucus’ spokesman, Mr Osita Okechukwu.

According to the statement, government was also working hard to ensure that masterminds, who equipped the herdsmen were brought to book.

“We appeal for calm and urge all to take solace on the truism that the Feder-

al Government of Nigeria under President Buhari, as he is quietly working round the clock to stop the bloodletting.

“We are working to fish out the culprits and the masterminds who equip the herdsmen with sophisticated weapons,’’ the statement read.

In the same vein, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has told the Federal Government to tackle the Fulani herdsmen’s menace with the same strategy used to combat the Boko Haram insurgents in the country.

In a statement issued by the group on Wednesday, in Abuja, and signed by its chairman, Mr Zikirullahi Ibrahim, it expressed concern that the herdsmen were now armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons.

While condemning the president’s reaction to the menace so far, it said: “It must be clear that scores of Nigerians are losing their lives on a daily basis on account of this menace.

The protection of life and property is the most fundamental responsibility of government.”

If approved by NEC, the new formula would be tabled before the party’s national delegates at the May 21, 2016 national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for final adoption.

Meanwhile, the party has commenced the sale of nomination forms for aspirants in the forthcoming ward, local government and state congresses.

National Secretary of the party, Professor Wale Oladipo, who confirmed this, also denied in an interview with reporters at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, that only one form was printed for each of the available posts.

There had been speculations that the party had predetermined aspirants, who such nomination forms would be given to, thereby sidelining other aspirants.

On the allegation, Oladipo said: “Absolutely wrong. Not true. We produced forms for all offices to be contested for.

“Sales of forms commenced on Monday eve-

ning. Actually, we started on Monday. We do not want to do things haphazardly. The new national chairman is a system person.

“We really had this planned so that all departments that are relevant to this will get on board; the office of the organising secretary, of course the national secretary office, the national chairman’s office, the national financial secretary office and the national auditors office.

“We only put a system in place that will ensure smooth running of the exercise and in particular, accountability to be fair to all and members of our great party.

“We want to be able to say this is the number of forms we sold, this is how much we generated and then the party will sit and decide on what to do with the funds for the advancement of the party.”

He confirmed Thursday’s meeting of NEC adding that it would be preceded by meetings of the national

caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT).

He said: “NEC is certain to hold today. Like I told you, committees are already sitting and working.

Luckily, every attention is focused in Abuja now and at very short notice, we can get the members of National Caucus, BoT and the members of NEC. “But do not forget that actually members of BoT are members of NEC actually, the two meetings can dovetail into one hour.

“Remember the causus is almost a sub-sect of NEC. It is the leadership of the party that constitutes the national caucus. These organs of the party are separate in theory but intertwined in reality.

“It doesn’t create any problem, we can do it in one hour.

“Anything we have to do, the national working committee will have to sit on it first, then pass it to caucus for advice, move to the BoT for consultation and then we move to NEC for approval.”

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businessnews

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Lagos completes restructuring of N167.5bn bond series •To reap N40bn in 5yrs Bola Badmus-Lagos

L

AGOS State government said it has successfully completed the restructuring of its N167.5billion Programme II, Series 1 and 2 Bonds.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinkunmi Mustapha, made this known on Tuesday in a statement made available to newsmen.

According to him, the restructuring which was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week, was achieved through the finalization of a process through which the state worked to reach an agreement with its bond creditors, on accelerating repayment terms.

The commissioner said the transaction which would generate savings in excess of N40billion for the state over the next five years was approved by 99.6 per cent of the state’s bondholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting a few weeks ago.

Mustapha said, “We thank all our bond creditors for their continued support of the State Government, in a difficult market environment. This restructuring completed entirely through domestic capital markets, once again underpins the strength of the Lagos State credit story.

“Aside the significant cash savings generated, it also creates additional borrowing capacity to enable the state continue its investments in physical, economic and social infrastructure.

“Much of the significant progress in Lagos State over the last 16 years can

be attributed to funding through the debt capital market. Our bondholders’ support of this restructuring confirms the level

of confidence the market has in the current administration and Lagos State did not partake in the recent bail-outs provid-

ed either by the Federal Government DMO or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”

Mustapha said the Cha-

From right: CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari; President Muhammadu Buhari and MD/CEO World Bank Group, Ms. Sri Mulyani, during an audience with the World Bank Group at the State House in Abuja.

Access Bank shareholders approve N100bn debt capital Kehinde Akinseinde-JayeobaLagos

SHAREHOLDERS of Access Bank Plc has given its approval to the board of Directors to raise additional debt capital of up to N100 billion via a public offering or a private placement.

At the bank’s 27th Annual General Meeting in Lagos on Wednesday, shareholders unanimously agreed that the capital could be raised through the issuance of non-convertible loans, notes, bonds and or any other instruments either as a stand-alone issue

or by the establishment of a Debt Issuance Programme.

Also at the AGM, a dividend of 30 kobo per ordinary shares was approved to shareholders whose names appear in the register of members at the closure of business on April 12, 2016.

Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, while noting that bid to raise equity capital through a Rights Issue in 2015 was successful, yielding a Tier I capital injection of N41.7 billion, he expressed optimism that the bank showed prospect

of future growth.

While noting that Access Bank was one of the most capitalised banks in the industry, Wigwe said Access bank’s capital adequacy ratio was at 20 per cent, as against 16 per cent given as minimum by regulatory body.

Commenting on the financial result of the bank for the year ended December, 2015, the CEO said,“We achieved record earnings of N337 billion, a 38 per cent increase from 2014, while profit before tax soared to N75 billion, up 44 per cent from 2014 with significant contribu-

KRPC to produce 2m litres of petrol daily —MD Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

THE Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Idi Muktar, has said that the company will be producing two million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily tomorrow, for onward distribution.

The new KRPC boss disclosed this while receiving the executive members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna Council, who paid him a courtesy visit.

He lamented that frequent vandalisation of pipelines is one of the greatest challenges militating against smooth running of refineries in the country.

According to him, Nige-

pel Hill Denham acted as Financial Adviser to the Lagos State on the restructuring transaction.

rians need to be educated on how to safeguard pipelines for continuous supply of crude oil to the plant.

“Without the pipelines, there is no way crude can come to the plant.”

He, however said, “Starting from Friday, we are going to distribute 2 million litres of PMS and that is the only evidence that everyone wants to see that KRPC is restreamed.

The MD blamed some bad elements in the society for the fuel scarcity, adding that “from March to April, we witnessed 13 infractions with the pipelines from Abuja to Kaduna. We are losing petrol due to activities of unpatriotic elements tampering with pipelines which

is unfortunate.”

He stated further that very visible efforts have been put in place to ensure constant supply of crude to the three plants in Kaduna, to help reduce the hardship Nigerians are facing due to fuel scarcity

in the state.

“Once we have crude oil, we will produce and distribute two million litres of the product every other day and that is efficient enough to restore consumer confidence and reduce the queues.”

tion from our securities trading business.”

He added that the Return on Equity (RoE) also increased by 390 basis points to 20.4 per cent, while earnings per share increased by 41 per cent to 265 kobo.

Looking into the future of the bank, Chairman, Access Bank Plc, Mosun Belo-Olusoga, said the bank was in a position of strength for the future as it has “a solid franchise that allows us to continue to succeed during difficult economic times.”

The chairman stated that the bank has a “conservative risk profile that has placed us in a position of advantage amidst the economic storm,” while adding that “we are investing for long term growth, which will allow us to capitalise on opportunities as we eventually emerge from the downturn.”

Naira depreciates slightly at parallel market THE Naira on Wednesday depreciated slightly, exchanging at N320.5 to the dollar at the parallel market.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the naira lost 50 kobo on Wednesday afternoon, from N320 it traded on Monday.

However, the naira traded against the Pound Sterling and the Euro at N457

and N361 respectively, weakening further against the Pound.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian currency maintained N197 to the dollar at the official Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) rate.

Traders at the market complained of low activities but however, expressed delight at the efforts by the executive and the legislature to resolve

issues surrounding the 2016 budget.

Industry watchers had also said that with the appreciation of oil at the international market, the nation’s revenue would increase and the naira would he strengthened.

NAN reports that crude oil was sold at about 47 dollars per barrel at the close of trading on Wednesday.

Nigerian Tribune

Arik Air launches ground transfer service for London passengers Shola Adekola-Lagos

ARIK Explorer, Arik Air’s leisure and packaged travel subsidiary, is launching a ground transfer service for Londonbound passengers from Heathrow Airport to destinations within London city. The ground transfer service is in collaboration with Puzzles Group and Hummingbird cars.

Under the development, all London-bound passengers departing Lagos will be able to book this service at Murtala Muhammed International Airport with the option to pay in Naira.

According to the airline; “With this service, London-bound passengers need not worry about having immediate access to foreign currency on arrival at Heathrow.

“The collaboration makes the services of a reliable and reputable transport company accessible to Arik Air travell ers from prices as low as thirty three pounds (£33) one way (or its Naira equivalent).

‘FG to provide local production for aviation fuel’ Ademola Adegbite-Lafia

MINISTER of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has disclosed that efforts would be made, in due course, to provide the enablers which would ensure local production for aviation fuel in the near future.

According to him, “the immediate action point for now is to meet with all the importers of aviation fuel, we want to understand the consumption pattern and also look at their cost to ensure that they are not profiteering excessively”.

He stated this, while receiving the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and his team of Directors during a visit to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Towers in Abuja.

Dr. Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of the corporation, explained that, though the refineries were not producing aviation fuel for now, efforts would be made for local production in the future.

businessnews Oil hits 2016 high due to falling output, weaker dollar 12

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IL hit its highest level on Wednesday, driven by a falling dollar and evidence of declining United States’ supply, putting the price on course for its strongest monthly performance since last April.

Brent crude futures were up $1.03 at $46.77 a barrel in early trading, having risen nearly 20 per cent in April, their largest one-month gain in a year.

The international benchmark earlier hit a 2016 high of $46.81. United States’ West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also rose 86 cents to $44.90 a barrel.

Brent received extra support from news that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait appear no closer to restarting their jointly operated Khafji oilfield, which produced 280,000 to 300,000 barrels per day.

The oilfield had been shut since October 2014 due to environmental problems.

The prospect of an agreement among the world’s largest exporters to limit production evaporated almost two weeks ago when a meeting between OPEC members and their non -OPEC counterparts ended in stalemate.

Since then, Brent has hit its highest since November and, aided by further evidence of declining output anywhere from the US shale basin to the North Sea, attracted fresh investment cash.

“There was definitely a bit of a turning point when we had the initial sell-off after the producer meeting,” CMC Markets strategist, Jasper Lawler said.

“That got reversed and went on to show that (a production freeze) was a fairly small part of what had been supporting the price and really, it’s the supply outlook for the United States coupled with the dollar that is really

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

driving returns.”

WTI was further bolstered after the American Petroleum Institute reported a

draw of nearly 1.1 million barrels in U.S. crude inventories last week.

Analysts had expected a

THE Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Honourable Dakuku Peterside, on Wednesday, unveiled plans to reposition the agency for effectiveness in its operations.

The former governorship standard bearer of All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State, listed some of the initiatives to include 48-hour registration of ships, Cabotage regime reform and accelerated certification programme within a short time, digital strategy transformation of all IT software platforms under one platform, efficiency in engineering, improved research and rescue pro-

currencies since the start of the year, even as US interest rates are expected to rise.

The Federal Reserve’s pol-

icy-setting committee meets on Wednesday but is not expected to announce any change in rates, leaving traders to scour the post-meeting statement for any clues on the outlook.

NB Plc kicks off 2016 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition Akin Adewakun -Lagos

From left, Sales Director, Public Sector, Oracle, Mr Saidu Abdullahi; Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Country Managing Director, Oracle, Mr Adebayo Sanni; Acting Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Dr Vincent Olatunji and Systems Sales Leader, Nigeria and Ghana, Oracle, Mr Ken Dibor, during the minister’s visit to Oracle in Lagos on Monday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

We’ll support Petroleum Ministry to grow oil, gas in Nigeria —World Bank Ademola Adegbite -Abuja THE Managing Director of the World Bank, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, on Wednesday, announced the institution’s readiness to support the Ministry of Petroleum Resources financially, as well as offer its technical support and advice so as to grow Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria.

Indrawati, who added that sound policy thrust was key in the areas of fiscal direction, gas flare out and gas to power, made this known when she visited the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Ibe Kachikwu in his office in Abuja.

She stressed that the 20 fixes introduced by Dr

Kachikwu to the NNPC business models have gone a long way to reform the corporation for profitability.

In a statement issued and signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mallam Garba Deen Muhammad, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, Indrawati lauded the minister for bringing transparency and accountability to bear on the operations of the NNPC and the entire Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria.

Responding, Dr Kachikwu said since assumption of duty in August last year, a lot of reforms ranging from the first phase of restructuring and the recent restructuring have served as enablers for the introduction

FG moves to reposition NIMASA —Dakuku Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

2.4-million-barrel build.

The dollar was down on the day, having fallen about 5 per cent against a basket of

Nigerian Tribune

gramme.

Peterside stated this in Abuja, during the 2016 budget defence held at the instance of the House Committee on Maritime Services, chaired by Mohammed Umar (APC-Kano).

He said “one of the components is resurveying and component transformation programme, where emphasis will be placed on coastal, port and safety of NIMASA. “We also have a digital strategy transformation programme where we bring all out IT software and platforms under a single platform. We are also going to look at efficiency engineering so that quality services can be delivered in timely manner. Looking at enhanced safety and rescue programme as well as consumer-centric stakeholder

engagement programme, where clients and customers will be at the centre of maritime safety activities,” Peterside said.

of new business models that have drastically reduced the losses recorded by the NNPC in the past.

According to him, “we first started with the softer issues which were transparency issues, governance, restructuring and that was going well when we went straight into the business model.

“For example when we came in, the NNPC was recording huge losses and we have been able to reverse that trend, and if we continue with that sort of trajectory, then we should be able

to record profit in the near future,” he added.

He explained that a lot of institutional framework, such as restructuring was still ongoing in all the parastatals under his watch.

“Infrastructure is the toughest gap as a lot of depots and pipelines need urgent attention and you need infrastructure, be it in the upstream and downstream sector, for you to deliver results but we will continue to throw solutions at them and try to get private sector participation.”

Shipping: National Carrier unnecessary, ex-Minister tells Amaechi Tola Adenubi-Lagos FORMER Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, has advised the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to shelve his plans to establish a national shipping carrier in the mould of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL).

Speaking in an interview with newsmen recently, the former minister who is a ship owner and Master Mariner, said the planned establishment of a new national carrier by government represents old thinking.

“It is absolutely unnecessary for anybody or government to be thinking along

Trial of NAMA MD, 6 others adjourned till May12 Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin THE trial of the Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Ibrahim Abdulsalam and six others who were charged with stealing the stench amounting to N6.8 billion, has been shifted till May 12.

The others accused are: Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Adegorite and two Ltd Liability Companies, Randville Investment Ltd and Multeng Travels and Tours

NIGERIAN Breweries Plc, brewers of the Maltina, non -alcoholic drink brand, on Wednesday, flagged off this year’s edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition, aimed at celebrating excellence among teachers in the nation’s secondary schools.

Speaking at the flagging off media briefing held in Lagos, the Corporate Affairs Adviser of the company, Mr Kufre Ekanem, explained that with the official commencement of the competition, teachers, both in the public and private secondary schools would be free till June, this year, to make their intention to participate in the competition known by obtaining forms for the competition and filling the necessary columns.

He added that the competition, which is in its second edition, had been amended to accommodate teachers in the private secondary schools, since events of the maiden edition had confirmed that teachers in the public schools could stand their own against any teacher from the nation’s private schools.

Ltd. They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). When the case was called yesterday, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that his witnesses were present in court.

He reminded the court that the case was adjourned to April 27 and 28 for trial, adding that the prosecution was ready to proceed with trial.

Meanwhile, counsel to the accused, Mr Wale Akoni

(SAN), opposed the prayer for commencement of trial on the grounds that he required time to discuss with his client. He also pointed out that he had not had sufficient time to peruse the proof of evidence so as to enable him prepare for trial.

He therefore, urged the court to grant an adjournment in favour of the accused in the interest of justice.

Consequently, Justice Babs Kuewumi, adjourned the case to May 12 for trial, while he vacated the previous date of April 28.

that line now.

“What is a national fleet?

They are ships that fly the Nigerian flag. They are not going to make anything out of that, except waste the nation’s resources.

“The Nigeria National Shipping line (NNSL) is a case point. Political factors set in to ensure it never existed as a commercial enterprise.

“The same happened to the National Unity Line, which went down because of interference of political factors,” Ihenacho said.

He added that the responsibility of the government is to provide support and the enabling environment for private sector operators to run shipping lines that will fly Nigeria’s flag.

“If experienced private sector operators were picked and empowered financially to set up a national fleet and run it as private commercial enterprises, it will work,” he said.

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editorial

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Drama and the CCB/CCT Act

HE Senate has recently announced that it has called off the efforts to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)/ Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act after many Nigerians and civil society groups denounced the amendment attempt. The condemnation came mainly because many considered the attempt unseemly given that the current Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, is at present undergoing trial under the same Act. It would then have looked like a special scheme on the part of the senators, as friends and colleagues of the Senate President, to use the powers of law-making to circumvent the current trial or make it end in nothing.

Given that Dr Saraki has always alleged that his current trial smacks more of persecution rather than a genuine prosecution of a war against corruption, it is not unlikely that his colleagues share this his sentiment and would prefer to use their lawmaking powers to decisively intervene in the trial. Yet the point has to be made that without prejudice to the sentiment expressed by the Senate President and many of his colleagues, a society running on the basis of the rule of law would frown at taking the laws into one’s hands as the attempted amendment by the Senate would have done. The suspicion that the trial could have been persecution would not justify taking the same kind of manipulation of the normal process of law making to offset the suspicion.

In any case, the fact that governmental processes are prone to manipulation because they are controlled by imperfect humans who could engage in persecution instead of normal prosecution is one reason the country’s judicial system has appellate provisions. And we would have expected the senators to have put their trust in the appellate system to vindicate the Senate President in the end if he is truly being persecuted. It must be stated that the Senate did itself a lot of disfavor by embarking on this rogue process.

Some senators have argued and insisted that there was indeed a valid reason for the CCB/CCT Act to be amended in order to make it more independent and not susceptible to the manipulation of any supervising organ. But this argument flies in the face of the cheeky way in which the Senate dropped the amendment proposal after the denunciation of many civil society groups. It is not just that the Senate has been in session for almost a year and there was no concerted efforts to amend the Act until now, suggesting that perhaps the senators would not have known about the need to strengthen the Act and make it more independent in the operations it envisaged if not for the trial of the Senate President under the Act now, which would say

a lot about the level of attention that the current distinguished senators have brought to the job they were elected to do.

There is also what is called the position of integrity on an issue which would not have succumbed to the denunciation from the civil society groups were the senators to be really convinced about the propriety of the intended amendments. Or would it be the case that the proposed amendments are no more critical simply because the civil society groups did not like the timing?

And what would be the place of proper enlightenment to inform and convince the public about the merits of the proposed amendments? It would seem that the way the Senate has gone about the whole episode of amending the Act justifies its being called to question about the propriety of the move.

To be sure, the impropriety remarked here relates to the entire circus surrounding the actions and counter actions that have been initiated with respect to the trial of the Senate President under the Act. For the Senate did not just stop at attempting to amend the Act, but also got its Ethics Committee to invite the Chairman of the CCT, Mallam Danladi Umar, to appear before it with respect to allegation of corruption leveled against him.

Though the invitation has also been shelved, in line with the logic informing the abandonment of the amendment effort, it is remarkable that Umar, himself a lawyer, did not countenance the powers of the National Assembly, through its Committees, to invite any Nigerian on any issue before the Assembly and even to compel appearance, before stating that he would not appear before the Committee. And when lawyers to the Senate President made allusions to the corruption allegation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wasted no time, indeed acting on the same day, in issuing a clearance from the allegation to him. This curious action of the EFCC is unjustifiable, to say the least. Nigerians were only forced to witness a huge drama, with every side enacting different episodes to outwit the other.

Evidently, this cannot be the objective of lawmaking and the use of law to combat corruption. This is an Act that has to do with how government officers and officials would be prevented from turning the holding of public office to a ticket for the amassing of wealth and the acquisition of property and it necessarily would only play this role when it is faithfully implemented. It would therefore be important to approach the issue of the Act with a higher level of responsibility from all concerned, rather than the current drama that speaks more to a deliberate circus show meant to lead to and achieve nothing meaningful.

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•Skillful!. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Attention, Buhari, PSC I want to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs and all concerned human rights activists to the plight of those of us who were unjustly retrenched from the police force in January 2007 under the guise of being overaged.

I want to reiterate that none of us was above 40 years of age when the retrenchment took place. It is unfortunate that some of us have died due to the suffering we experienced after the retrenchment, and till date, a majority of us are still jobless.

I am, therefore, using this opportunity to call on those in positions of authority, as well as well meaning Nigerians to call on the police hierarchy, particularly the Police Service Commission (PSC) to revisit our case.

We can still serve our fatherland despite what we went through. I hope something can be done on our case as soon as possible.

•Tijani Omeiza, 090990489907

Still on Fulani herdsmen, farmers’ clashes THE Federal Government should be careful with the manner it is going about the management of the Fulani herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in the country.

If nothing is done to curb the activities of the herdsmen, then it will ruin this country.

First, there will be shortage of food, as the cattle have destroyed large farms across the country. It will also result into reprisal attacks, as farmers would not just sit by and allow their lands to be infiltrated, their farms destroyed and their people killed.

Livestock farming is a big business all over the world, so why can’t the owners of the cattle buy ranches so that they can rear their livestock in enclosed spaces.

It is a good thing that the Federal Government is already talking about fastgrowing grass seedlings, so it will just sell to cattle farmers at subsidised rates, just as it is being done with fertilizer.

People are watching as the Federal Government is

not paying attention to the incessant clashes between these two groups, and many are already wondering if there is any motive

behind it.

If the Federal Government wants to assure Nigerians that it is not tactically encouraging these herds-

men, then President Muhammadu Buhari should condemn their activities publicly. He should then order security agencies to

deal ruthlessly with herdsmen who carry arms instead of sticks.

•Tumini George, 09095687489

eral Government should simply sell the refineries so that some people will not continue to feed fat on scarce national resources.

In advanced economies, private sectors determine economic growth, and it is better if we accept this also.

•Tayo Isola, 08062086668

Sell, not refurbish refineries JUST recently, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, said Nigeria would need about $700million to refurbish our refineries, and I want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government not to approve this money. For years now, the refineries have become drain pipes which fraudulent people use to steal money from government.

This is definitely the reason officials of the National Union of Petroleum and Energy Gas Workers (NUPENG) do not want the refineries to be sold. Can we really estimate how much that had gone into the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of these refineries?

Unfortunately, they have never worked at full capacities.

The idea that the refineries need another $700million to work will just be another way to give a cat fish for safe-keeping. The Fed-

Oil marketers as economic saboteurs PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari should come to the aid of the poor masses by solving the fuel scarcity in the country once and for all.

It is so unfortunate that a couple of weeks ago, Nigerians bought fuel for as high as N200.

With the efforts of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the scarcity ought to have subsidised, but we are already hearing of diversion to neighbouring countries.

It is high time relevant agencies focused on oil

marketers in the country who are out to reap where they did not sow.

It is not too hard for the licenses of marketers who divert fuel to be revoked, but because they work in tandem with officials of regulating agencies, they get away with their evil acts.

In short, oil marketers are the economic saboteurs who are ruining this country, and it is hoped that the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, will look at ways to deal with them.

However, they will continue to escape justice if they have accomplices in the nation’s monitoring and security agencies.

I really don’t know why we worship money in this country. We really don’t value national progress so far we can make money, and after we have made the money, we rush to developed countries of the world to enjoy it. If those countries had not developed their land, where will our corrupt people be going?

•Sanmi Adekunle, 08191143941.

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opinion

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: The way out

By Oluyemi Olagokun

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HAT the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been so mired in controversy of high magnitude, attracting so many interests, is because of its significance to the socio-economic life of the entire country. Incidentally, it is the only major artery to Lagos, handling more than 90 per cent of the entire human and vehicular traffic to the commercial capital of Nigeria. It is the only road accommodating the large number of articulated vehicles, among thousands of other vehicles, lifting fuel and other goods out of the port city of Lagos, even as almost all attempts made to revive the railway system of the colonial era have been frustrated. This explains the interests always generated when the 115-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is being debated.

In fact, the ante was upped in recent months because of the excruciating suffering of commuters and the sudden emergence of a company, Motorway Assets Limited (MAL), which claimed to be the new concessionaire of the road, seeking N150billion to complete it - even when we were told by the past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan that it had awarded the contract for its reconstruction to Julius Berger and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) at the cost of N167billion.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government also claimed that it carried out palliative measures to fix portions of the same road that had been purportedly concessioned to MAL. It is now abundantly clear that the shenanigans concerning the road were caused by the Jonathan administration, for political gains and selfish interest. It is also clear that the process of re-concessioning the road to Motorway after the termination of the concession to Bi-Courtney Highways Services Limited (BHSL), was far from transparent, as Nigerians were not aware of any calls for competitive bidding from competent companies for the road. It is obvious that it was an underthe-table deal, because Nigerians were also not aware when the purported contract to Julius Berger and RCC suddenly turned to a concession to Motorway, whose antecedents in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) were also not known.

Moreover, not a few are confused over the role played by the

Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), in the confusion. The ICRC, as we know, is saddled with the responsibility of regulating PPP. Therefore, for the road to become a world-class one on which travellers can have safe and smooth rides, there is the need for the Federal Government to revisit the concession earlier granted Bi-Courtney. Simply put, Federal Government can escape the legal and moral cobweb in which it has entrapped itself, by allowing Bi-Courtney to complete the reconstruction on account of the company’s antecedents.

No one can deny that Bi-Courtney, having spent three years maintaining the road with over $300million down the drain while its concession lasted, having acquired billions of naira worth of equipment in preparation for the work to begin, and having the technical manpower and the financial muscle to execute the project, has the wherewithal to execute the concession excellently. Bi-Courtney’s performance at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal II (MMA2) attests to its capability to handle projects of such magnitude anywhere in the world.

Recall that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had attempted to expand and improve the Lagos-Ibadan Road by concessioning it to BHSL under a Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) arrangement under the PPP mantra of his administration. However, the brilliant idea did not yield the desired result before Obasanjo left in 2007. The succeeding administration could also not do much, despite its good disposition to the project, before the unfortunate demise of President Umaru Yar’Adua. It is noteworthy to recollect

that officials in the Ministry of Works played an ignoble role by sabotaging Obasanjo’s concession idea with snail speed bureaucracy, vested interests, unbridled politicking and ignorance about how PPP works, all of which led to the final surreptitious termination of the concession by the Jonathan administration.

While Nigerians waited with bated breath for the commencement of reconstruction of the expressway by Bi-Courtney, which waited for about two years for the approval of its design by the Federal Ministry of Works, we witnessed routine maintenance of several portions by the company, as a way of minimising the incessant crashes and traffic gridlocks on the road, which the current concessionaire has refused to do because they lack the financial muscle and the technical capability to handle a project of this magnitude.

Although when Jonathan announced the termination of the concession in November 2012, it was celebration galore by a section of the populace simply because they did not understand what concession is all about; events in the last few months and the attendant confusion have shown that it is not yet Uhuru for the Lagos-Ibadan Road.

All over the world, concession is a major way of financing big projects, as various countries have embraced the PPP idea. But, such concessions are done transparently in other climes, while they are done deceitfully in Nigeria. From the Americas to Europe, Asia and other continents of the world, the idea of PPP has come to stay and Nigeria cannot be an exception in a global village. However, our country must do it right and with sincerity of purpose. Many companies are already involved in concessions, encouraged by their governments to provide jobs for their people and take the pressure of infrastructure provision off the government, but their concessions go to companies with the technical competence and financial muscle to execute such projects.

This is the beauty of PPP because it allows government to channel its resources to other means for the benefit of the citizens, and Nigeria with its current financial straits cannot be an exception.

•Olagokun lives in Ibadan.

Towards nurturing our democracy

By Wale Bakare LIKE many Nigerians, I am eager to see our justice system work. I want to see a situation where criminal cases are speedily adjudged with increased efficiency by the courts, followed by the conviction of members of the political and non-political class, if found guilty.

Unfortunately, it is an open secret that our judicial system is broken and nothing suggests that the pieces will be put together any time soon. A case in view is the structure of the current trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, over a 13-Count allegation bothering on false asset declaration.

It is important to note that the hiccups experienced in the build-up to the trial emanated from the fact that the Federal Government was eager to prosecute Saraki, while it failed to produce witnesses from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and also establish if it was dealing with a criminal case or false asset declaration, putting into the consideration that the Tribunal is a lower court and only quasi-criminal in nature.

One thing is clear: Nigeria’s justice system is also undergoing trial. While Saraki’s trial at the CCT is believed to be politically motivated, legal luminaries have, however, decried the danger such trend portrays to our democracy. Many have equally frowned at the Economic Financial Crimes Control (EFCC) for taking over the functions of the CCB/CCT by lining up witnesses from the anti-graft agency to testify against Saraki.

Recall that some news media reported a case of judgment racketeering involving the CCT chairman, Danladi Umar and some individuals serving in and out of government. The meeting between these three individuals was allegedly convened to perfect Saraki’s political demise by striking out his objection of denying him his right as provided by Section 379 of ACCJ to present statement to be attached to his charged sheet.

Ironically, Saraki’s travail may have been compounded by the decision of the Senate Committee on Ethics and

Privileges to invite the former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde to answer questions bothering on financial misappropriation during his four-year spell as the boss of the anti-graft body. Severally, Lamorde refused to honour invitations for questioning on funds recovered by the EFCC; rather, he unleashed his partner and lawyer, Festus Keyamo on the Senate committees. The picture becomes clearer when Lamorde discharged Umar who was embroiled in N10 million bribery scandal at that time and the charges were quashed by Lamorde based on selfrecognition.

EFCC witness, Michael Wetkas succeeded in raising to high heavens the hopes of his sponsor’s wish to expedite Saraki’s persecution and to a large extent sway public opinion with his revelations. His uncanny demeanour at being theatrical with mere documents yet to be ascertained or disproved by Saraki’s legal counsel leaves much to be desired.

In one of the allegations, Wetkas said: “On October 16, 2006, the defendant obtained a loan of N380 million from Guaranty Trust Bank. On that same day, there was a bank draft in favour of an implementation committee in the sum of N286.3 million.’’ In addition Wetkas also alleged that Saraki left office as Kwara State governor in 2011, but his account statement shows that he received salary up until the 31st of August 2015. “As of June 3, 2011, the sal-

ary was N291, 124. On July 4, there was another payment with the narration Kwara State Government, June 2011 salary. The amount was N572, 286. On August 29, 2011, there was another payment in the sum of N744, 002 from Kwara State Government.’’

Nothing suggests that the said lodgements contravene the CBN’S financial rule. The Kwara State government, at no point in time, declared that state’s fund was missing.

What the documents establishes at the moment is that most of Saraki’s properties could have been bought with repayable bank loans.

What happens to the said bank documents now admitted by the CCT, if both the EFCC and CCB fail to justify that the money in question was indeed used to purchase landed properties? The CCT needs to ensure that prosecution misconduct does not reign supreme, while false confessions and incriminating statements from untruthful testimony should not now be admitted as exhibits.

Now that the evidences are waning out, the CCT is looking to correct its errors by changing the narratives.

But correcting a major foundational error is not easy; it takes time and costs money.

How does one explain a scenario where an allegation of multiple cash lodgements within 24 hours without evidence or traces to property purchases made, which is the crux of the 13-count charge the CCB has based its charge on ab initio?

The missing gap in the system is uniformity in dispensing justice which invariably gives room for alteration in criminal cases. Nigerians are unanimous in their desire for a free, transparent judicial process that conforms to established judicial procedure devoid of interferences from external bodies. It is in this that our democracy can be nurtured without hindrance.

• Bakare is an Abuja-based writer and social media enthusiast with strong affection for politics, agriculture and the conservation of the environment.

16

Thursday, 28 April, 2016 Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

Lottery Commission moves against unsolicited SMS from telecoms operators Christian Okeke -Abuja

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HE National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has launched a new SMS Transactions Monitoring and Archival Platform (STRAMAP) aimed at ensuring live monitoring of lottery transactions on-

line and real time.

The initiative aims to consolidate all SMS-based lotteries, including those run by telecommunications companies, for online and real-time monitoring.

To that effect, the regulatory body has advised all operators and companies involved in any form of SMS-based lottery

to willingly migrate to the STRAMAP of face enforcement action.

Confirming this in Abuja, the Director General of the commission, Mr Adolphus Joe Ekpe, warned that the commission, together with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other enforcement agencies, would not fold its

A lotto winner displaying his dummy cheque.

Isoko indigenes cry out over marginalisation of Delta communities Christian Okeke -Abuja

INDIGENES of Isoko communities based in Abuja have cried out over alleged marginalisation of Isoko people in Ndokwa East Local Government of Delta State by the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

They alleged that no Isoko person in Ndokwa East had been appointed to any political position in the state.

Leader of Isoko community in Ndokwa East, Comrade Peter Egidi, while speaking in Abuja, stated that the action of the

state government not to conduct elections in five wards in Ndokwa East Local Government of the state had denied the Isoko -speaking communities representation at the grassroots level.

He recalled that in October 2014, local council election was conducted in Delta State by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DESIEC) and that of Ndokwa East was generally cancelled.

Egidi also noted that in November 2014, elections were re-conducted, but due to flood, the Delta State Independent Elec-

Ministry of power intensifies action against corruption Christian Okeke -Abuja THE Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, through its anti-corruption unit, has continued to adopt strategies towards curtailing corruption in the ministry.

The unit recently organised an awareness programme attended by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) where the Permanent Secretary, Engineer Abubakar Magaji, reminded the staff of the present administration’s commitment to fight corruption.

He noted that there were numerous control mechanisms already put in place by the government to guide public officers

in the course of discharging their duties.

The Permanent Secretary told the participants that the purpose of the interactive session was to give them proper guidance and advice on the principles and applications of the rule of law particularly with regards to transparency, accountability and judicious use of public funds.

Speaking, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, reminded the participants that corruption affected everybody, just as it is the responsibility of everybody to fight it to a standstill in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision.

He warned that the Commission would not spare anyone indulging in fraudulent practices.

toral Commission officials refused to convey electoral materials to the wards where elections were to be conducted, stressing that this singular action led to the cancellation of three wards.

He said: “The state electoral body in 2014 cancelled election in three wards due to inability to convey electoral materials to the affected wards. Also, the commission later cancelled election in two additional wards due to violence and reported cases of death.

“This brings a total of five wards in Ndokea East that was cancelled. Amongst these wards, two wards, ward 17 and ward 18, are Isoko speaking people in Ndokwa East.

“Since 2014 till date, all efforts to have the remaining wards election conducted have proved abortive,” he said.

Also speaking, Secretary General of the group, Mr Richard Okpe, used the occasion to remind governor Okowa of his campaign tour and townhall meetings in Ndokwa East, where he promised to conduct the remaining elections left over by his predecessor, Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan within three months when voted into office.

He urged the governor to keep to his campaign promises of conducting elections into the affected wards with a view to putting a stop to the marginalisation of Isoko people in Ndokwa East Local Government of the state.

arms and watch the lottery industry being over-run by illegal lottery operators or any recalcitrant licensee.

He noted that the mandate of the commission to create a level-play field for all lottery stakeholders was a stand it, more than ever before, saying it wanted to execute with utmost seriousness and commitment.

According to him, as a major step in ridding the industry of illegal operators and to strengthen its regulatory functions, the NLRC has developed an action plan for the development of the sector to ensure transparency, accountability and propriety as required.

He said the action would enable the commission to achieve optimal revenue generation for government.

Ekpe stated that the programme of mapping of all lottery agents and sub-agents embarked upon by the commission was to enable the commission have a clearer view of operations of licensees and also solve the issue of non-disclosure or under-disclosure of lottery proceeds by licensees.

The DG disclosed that the mapping exercise, which commenced in February this year, had ended since 31st of March 2016, stating that the commission, with the help of other collaborating agencies, would commence enforcement action on defaulting agents and sub-agents very shortly.

FCT administration to extend polio vaccination exercise to IDP camps, other high-risk communities Christian Okeke -Abuja AS part of activities for the 2016 vaccination programme against polio in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration is to extend immunisation services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and other high-risk communities in the territory with poor routine immunisation coverage.

It expressed commitment to extend the immunisation exercise throughout the territory in order to completely eradicate the disease in the area.

The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, while speaking at Saburi community, a suburb of Abuja, stated that the administration would also increase access to cost-effective vaccinations against preventable diseases and provide other critical health interventions in the territory.

He disclosed that the administration would double its efforts aimed at providing critical information on health for all the residents.

According to him, the FCT administration places top priority on the target of attaining Polio eradication and certification in Nigeria by 2017.

Ajakaiye warned that all the resources provided must be judiciously utilised for the purpose they were meant for.

17

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

•One of the photographs show students about to board a bus in Lagos. PHOTOS: ADEMOLA BAMIGBELU

•There are also dedicated bus services for New York students.

Lagos, New York: From the lens of a photographer

By Adewale Oshodi

A

FTER arriving New York, United States of America in March, 2012, Oluwaseun Adigun immediately discovered the similarities as well as differences between his new city, which is America’s biggest city, and Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city.

As a photographic artist, he saw it as an opportunity to share with the world what similarities and differences there are in these two cities, and four years after, he is back in Nigeria, showcasing the photographs he had taken in both cities.

Last week, Adigun had an exhibition at the Alliance Francaise, Ibadan, where he showcased his photography collection to visual art lovers.

Speaking on the occasion, Adigun said he left Nigeria after acquiring his Higher National Diploma (HND) from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, “and on getting to New York, I was struck by the similarities and differences between our biggest city, Lagos, and New York.

“While ordinary people may not be able to spot the similarities and differences, the artistic spirit in me made it possible, and over the years, I started capturing the photographs.

“One of the similarities is the way the governments of both cities dedicated buses for transporting students to and from school.

“The Lagos State government has dedicated special BRT buses to be transporting students to and from school, and the same thing happens in New York.

“We also have streets where artistic materials are sold in both cities; if

you go to 42nd Avenue in New York, the street can be described as the artistic capital of New York, as one is sure to find artists displaying their paintings, sculptures, among others.

“If you also go to the National Theatre, you are also sure to find artists displaying their creative products.

“As beautiful as New York is, you are also going to find waste dumps by the side of the road, and this is also common in Lagos. There are also several similarities between these two great cities.

“On the differences, when we look at the transport sector, New Yorkers rely mostly on the Subway; these are trains that travel underground, but we don’t have that yet in Lagos, although we have trains.

“Even the buses are always on time and are always neat; if one misses a bus, then

the time the next one will arrive will be stated at the bus-stop.

“I am happy with the developments we have recorded in Lagos, but we still have a lot to learn from New York,” Adigun said, while thanking the Alliance Francaise, Ibadan and the Kollectif Art for making the exhibition possible.

Earlier, the Acting Director of the Alliance Francaise, Ibadan, Mr Nicholas Michelland, said the French cultural institution would continue to support arts and culture in the country.

“We will continue to encourage creativity, and that is why we always welcome creative people who want to hold their exhibitions in our premises.

“Apart from visual arts, we also support musical and poetry performances, as well as the exhibition of rich African cuisines.

“We believe that when we appreciate

•The exhibitor, Oluwaseun Adigun (middle), flanked by the Acting Director, Alliance Francaise, Ibadan, Mr Nicholas Michelland (left) and the Administrative Officer, Mr Rufus Ayanbode, during the exhibition last week.

and value our host country’s culture, then people will also appreciate the Frence culture,” Mr Michelland said, while promising that his organisation would continue to support arts in Ibadan, and across the country.

In his brief remarks on the occasion, the President of Kollectif Art, Mr Nset Abasi Akpan, thanked the Alliance Francaise for making the exhibition possible.

“We will always remain grateful to the Alliance Francaise for its support for arts in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“We all know that Alliance Francaise is perhaps the only organisation that is giving its all to the promotion of arts in Ibadan.

“Many artists have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents through the Alliance Francaise platform, and we are grateful for that.

“I am also happy that Mr Oluwaseun Adigun is opening the exhibition of his photographs of New York and Lagos at the Alliance Francaise, Ibadan, before he exhibits in other parts of the country,”Akpan said, while using the opportunity to remember the loss suffered by his organisation when a member of the Kollectif Art, Mr Ayanwale Alayande, passed on earlier this year.

After the exhibition, one of the attendees, Chinwe Njoku, commended the photography artist, Adigun, saying despite the fact that she had not left the country, she could tell a lot about New York already.

“It is such a beautiful exhibition, and I already know how New Yorkers behave, as well as some important streets and places there.

“I also want to commend the Alliance Francaise for supporting this exhibition, as I have learnt a lot from it,” Njoku, a secondary school student in Ibadan, said.

18

arts&review

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

How far have we gone in our democracy?

A review of Professor S.A Olagoke’s book, Nigeria’s Democracy and Sustainable Development — The Journey So Far by by Olusakin Babalola.

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ROFESSOR Sabit Ariyo Olagoke, a Justice of Peace (JP), and a chief lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, could be aptly described as one of the erudite authors of our time.

Books authored by him cut across his discipline, which is engineering. They include among others: “Mechanical Engineering Science,” “Engineering Materials and Metal forming,” “Religious Harmony, Girl Child and Womanhood,” “Global crisis and Recipe for Peace: Religious Perspective Unwarranted Controversies” and “The Holy Spirit of God: Myth or reality.”

While Professor Wole Soyinka exposed corruption in Nigeria with his sophisticated writings, George Orwell used “Animal Farm” to discuss the Russian revolution with humour pervading the book, though retaining the central theme. Chinua Achebe in “A Man of the People,” highlighted corruption and the late Samuel Labanji Bolaji in his “Anatomy of corruption in Nigeria,” identified corruption as cancer in the Nigerian system, Professor Olagoke, in his new book, did not only discuss corruption as a hindrance to our political, social and economic development, he also sug-

gests the solutions to our challenges.

Odunbaku A.M, the General Manager, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Oyo, in his foreword, attests to this. He said “Professor Olagoke’s passion for his country and humanity generally is without equal. His respect for the founding fathers of Nigeria due to their intellectual warfare to gain our independence is very much profound in his love and respect for them.” Odunbaku added, “the book is, therefore, a strong account of a badly mismanaged nation that deserves every effort to salvage it.” He further ob-

serves that the author has been able to identify problems and offer workable solutions that demand for government’s intervention.

The book has 27 chapters which are of profound interest to inquisitive readers and scholars, most especially those who are interested in the success of democracy in the country. The chapters include “Nigerians’ Quest for Peace and Tranquility: The Way Out,” “Nigeria: Path to Peace and Tranquility,” “Swords of Debacle: Uprooting The Root Cause in Nigeria,” “Vision for Better Nigeria,” “The Fourth Republic and Democracy on Trial: Need for System Overhauling,” “Democratic Sustenance: Need for Divine Management of the Declining Day,” “Democracy and the Signs of the Latter Days: Be Cautious,” “Nigerian Democracy and the Need for Pragmatic Practicum,” “Nigerian Democracy and the Rest of Africa: Need for Role Modelling Approach,” among others.

The chapters are essentially a compilation of lectures delivered by the author between 1995 and 2014. The lectures highlight the struggle for democracy, the military incursion into the nation’s polity, ostensibly to purge the country of corruption, but at the end, leaving a more decadent society. The situation is summed up by the maxim that: ‘Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.’

Chapter One, “Nigerians’ Quest for Peace and Tranquility: The Way Out,” takes a critical look at the reasons the military took over government. He says, “perhaps it is against this backdrop that a young Nigerian soldier, the late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, who was

What made Papa Wemba so influential?

TRIBUTES have been pouring in for Congolese musician, Papa Wemba, who died on Sunday morning after collapsing on stage. Papa Wemba, or Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, was rebellious, prolific, a style icon, at times notorious and always innovative. He was well known as one of the pioneers of modern Congolese Soukous music.

But he was very clear about how he wanted to be remembered, according to the sleeve notes from his 1995 album, Emotion.

“When people talk about Papa Wemba, I don’t want them to say I am an African singer, or a world music singer,” he said.

“I would like people to say just ‘singer.’

Because that’s what I am. A singer. Full stop.”

Papa Wemba entered the competitive world of Congolese music in December 1969, 10 years after his country’s independence.

It had been a traumatic era of civil war, assassinations and political instability.

Yet, the music created there, a potent blend of Cuban, Latin American and traditional African sounds, made Kinshasa the music capital of the continent.

Rumba was all the rage; it crossed boundaries and swept across Africa with the likes of Franco and TPOK Jazz, Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr Nico driving its popularity, their big dance orchestras harking back to the euphoric days of independence.

Then Papa Wemba and a group of forward-looking high school kids formed Zaiko Langa Langa, a band that was to

•The late Congolese music legened, Papa Wemba revolutionise Rumba music and lay the foundations for the new era of Soukous to come.

Influenced by Western pop and rock combos of the 1960s, and no doubt a lack of money to buy instruments, Zaiko Langa Langa went against form, they stripped out the horn sections prevalent in the Rumba orchestras of the time and pushed the electric guitar and snare drum to the fore.

The band was hip rebellious and became legends of the genre.

They featured several singers singing in harmony and tinkered with the sebene the fast improvised instrumental section of Soukous music.

In 1974, a month after boxers, Muhammad Ali and George Forman, fought in Kinshasa’s Rumble in The Jungle, artistic differences and money squabbles prompted Papa Wemba, along with fellow band

members, Bozi Boziana and Evoloko, to leave the band and form the successful Isifi Lokole and later Yoka Lokole.

Massively popular at home in DRC, only one of his albums broke through internationally. But it was when he put together his band Viva La Musica in 1977 that Papa Wemba really came into his own.

Always innovative, he introduced the lokole into the mix, a traditional instrument made out of a hollowed out tree trunk and hit with sticks.

There was more emphasis on his distinctive mournful falsetto vocals which were inspired by his greatest musical influence, his mother, a professional funeral dirge singer.

He was amazingly popular at home, where his house became a hang-out for the cool youth who followed his music and style.

•Courtesy: bbc.com

unimpressed by the lackadaisical attitude of the political elite to governance, staged a coup on January 15, 1966. Some of the reasons he and his colleagues advanced for sending the Alagbadas packing six years after independence, he says include, ‘our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in the high and low places that seek bribes and demand ten percent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers and VIPs at least, the tribalists, nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before the international circle” Chapter two of the book, “Nigeria: Path to Peace and Tranquility,” also emphasises on the purported wind of change.

He says on page seven, “the absence of trust and lack of unity among politicians always bring in the military oligarchy.”

He carefully traces the history of coups and counter-coups by military adventurists who but ends up disappointing for the masses.

The author raises a rhetorical question in his sub-headline, “Poser for the Politicians: Are the politicians ready to close ranks and work in harmony, irrespective of party differences, to alleviate the sufferings of the common man?” He charges politicians to “see this country as belonging to every Nigerian and should realise that it is God who appoints leaders, irrespective of the process one takes.”

It is the conviction of the author that the Army should go back to their barracks and become more professionally-disciplined.

He also urges the judiciary “to fear God in the dispensation of justice,” adding that politicians too should close ranks and be more united in directing the affairs of the country.

The author, in the same chapter, does not hide his disdain for religious leaders and their followers. He admonishes “while the religionists should get closer to God and propagate their philosophies with due respect to the sets of divine laws in their scriptures, every Nigerian must live by example to move Nigeria to the heights of giant of Africa status as a force to reckon with in the comity of nations.”

Olagoke, on page 73, also comments on the continued visits overseas by our successive leaders. He believes “there can never be worthwhile economic and commercial development, no matter the level of response from foreign investors where avarice, corruption, poverty, diseases and violence characterise the environment.”

He further states that democracy offers mixed blessings of unlimited freedom which we are not yet prepared for.

Throughout the book, which as earlier enunciated, are recommendations on how Nigeria can come out of her under-development, brought about by corruption, bad leadership, insecurity and other vices.

A critique of the book reveals that it is neither written with pedestrian nor grandiloquent language. An average reader can easily grasp the main message of the author. It is a well-researched compilation as reflected in the bibliography on pages 392 to 394, where many authorities were cited to back up the main theme. There is no doubt that scholars and students of religious studies, sociology, political science and international relations will benefit immensely from having copies in their libraries.

19

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

education

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

8 UNIBEN professors appointed heads of tertiary institutions Banji Aluko, Benin-City

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IGHT professors of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) have been appointed heads of various tertiary institutions in the country in the last one year.

They are Professors Akii Ibhadode, who is now the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Delta State; Emmanuel Aluyor, who has been named the pioneer vice chancellor of the newly established Edo University, Iyamho, Edo State, and Sunny Onoheabhi, who is now the rector, Institute of Building Technology, Uromi, Edo State.

Others are the new vice chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Professor Frank Otunta from the Faculty of Physical Sciences of UNIBEN; Professor Austin Asagba of the Faculty of Arts, who has become the vice chancellor of Western Delta University, Ogharra, Delta State, and Professor Friday Okonofua of the School of Medicine (UNIBEN), who emerged the vice chancellor, Medical University, Ondo State.

This information was contained in a report presented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Faraday Orumwense, to the governing council of the university at its 145th Regular Council Meeting.

The report also listed Professor Samuel Aduwa-Ogiegbaen of the Faculty of Education as the new vice chancellor of Tayo Akpata University, Ekiadolor, Edo State, and Professor Emmanuel Ojeme of the Faculty of Education of UNIBEN who

is now provost of the College of Physical Education, Mosogar, Delta State.

Professor Orumwense, on behalf of the University Benin, congratulated the appointees, describing the feat “as a demonstration of the pedigree of UNIBEN,

which has reinforced its positive presence in the public domain globally.”

“If nothing else,” the report stated, “these appointments have gone a long way to demonstrate the testimonial of the university and reinforced the deployment of

quality service delivery epitomised by the appointments.

“This is a clear testimony of robust and undisputed quality service to the Nigerian nation in particular and the world at large.”

DELSU graduates 47 PhDs, 431 master’s degrees •As Okowa advocates review of tertiary institution curricula Ebenezer Adurokiya, Warri And Alphonsus Agborh, Asaba DELTA State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for a review of the curricula of tertiary institutions with emphasis on skill acquisition and entrepreneurial leadership development to drive the economic diversification of the country.

He made the call at the weekend during the 10th convocation ceremony of the Delta State University, Abraka (DELSU). He said that tertiary institutions should focus on raising entrepreneurial leaders, wealth creators and change agents who would drive the much-needed economic diversification.

“There is the need for a painstaking review of the curricula of our tertiary institutions with strong emphasis on skill acquisition, not certificate acquisition, and leadership development as against rote learning. A situation where billions of naira is spent by companies and government in retraining graduates from our universities is no longer acceptable,” he said.

A total of 47 people graduated with doctorates, 431 with master’s and 5,811 with bachelor’s degrees.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Victor Peretomode, who stated this in his welcome address, said the graduands of the 2014/15 session also included 243 postgraduate diploma, and 485 diploma holders.

Governor Okowa, who is the Visitor to the institution, in his address announced the offer of automatic employment to the best graduating student, Mr. Marcus Ossaiugbo from the Department of Mathematics, with a promise to sponsor his doctoral programme abroad.

Okowa observed that the school ranks 60th among universities in Africa and the 20th in Nigeria, and that apart from the faculties of Engineering and Law, all other faculties have been accredited.

He commended the governing council and management team of the institution for their commitment, infrastructural development and prudence in building a reputable university based on academic excellence and a culture of corporate governance.

“I am particularly impressed with your commitment to prudent management which has helped you to develop the

school and get licence from the National Broadcasting Commission to operate an FM radio station.

“You have not compromised your efforts to achieve set goals, enforce discipline and attain high academic standards in line with the expectation of the government,” he said.

He charged universities to carry out researches on the myriad of problems besetting the society for sustainable national growth, stating that since government alone could not fund education, tertiary institutions should establish endowment funds to boost researches.

Okowa advised tertiary institutions in the state to stop depending wholly on government to fund them, but to increase their internally generated revenue.

Meanwhile, the governor seized the opportunity to inaugurate various projects undertaken by the school with its IGR. The projects included internal link roads with drainage and solar lights, Physiology laboratory and gymnasium, 450 metres covered walkway and 200-seater capacity lecture theatre in the Faculty of Education.

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Conduct researches to impact Nigeria’s economy, Obong of Calabar charges FUNAAB dons

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HE new Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, His Royal Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon-Abasi Otu (V), the Obong of Calabar, has challenged researchers in the university to conduct researches that are development-based and capable of boosting Nigeria’s economy.

He gave the challenge during his maiden visit to FUNAAB. “For so many years now, well-meaning Nigerians have been telling the leaders of this country ‘don’t depend on this oil’, but we spent all our time depending on the oil, because it was easy to come by. There is the need for us to look inward. And where do we go now? It is agriculture.”

He said it was a good thing that Nigeria had universities of agriculture that could spearhead the devel-

opment of agriculture in Nigeria.

“This institution (FUNAAB) has to play a very major role in the development of agriculture.

We need to develop this university and make sure it affect the people, and not just by conducting researches that are not made use of. We need to look inward and (produce) graduates that will go straight to doing what they are supposed to do and not those who are merely looking for employment that will never come,” he said.

The Chancellor called for the support and cooperation of the governing council, management, staff, students and other relevant stakeholders in taking the university to greater heights.

He also commended the governing council, the vice chancellor and the management team for what he

Unity Schools’ alumni elect Odinkalu new president Clement Idoko-Abuja THE Unity Schools Old Students’ Association (USOSA) has elected the immediate past chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, as its new President-General to pilot the affairs of the association till 2018.

The election was held during the 30th plenary of the association at the Auditorium of the National Universities Commission in Maitama Abuja.

Odinkalu, in his acceptance speech, called on the federal government to properly secure Nigerian schools in order to ensure safety of schoolchildren and teachers across the country.

He pledged to support the effort of the federal government to reposition the 104 Federal Government Colleges.

Other officials of the association elected and sworn-in are: Muhammad Nasir Isah Wasagu, vice president-general; Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, secretary-general; Patricia Chinwe Ofili, treasurer; Katherine Kangyang Pam, publicity secretary; Ogunranti A Akindele, financial secretary; and Olumuyiwa O Olowokure, legal adviser.

While expressing con-

cern about recent attacks on some schools and kidnapping of schoolchildren, Odinkalu said USOSA would do everything to protect the country’s educational system.’

He said the safety of children was non-negotiable and that stakeholders must join hands with the federal government in tackling the challenge of insecurity bedeviling the nation.

described as their quality leadership.

The Vice Chancellor and President, Association of African Universities (AAU), Professor Olusola Oyewole, appreciated the chancellor for taking time out to visit, while the ProChancellor and Chairman,

Governing Council of the university, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, thanked the federal government for giving the university a chancellor of the calibre of the Obong.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Ololade Enikuome-

hin, who spoke on behalf of the Principal Officers, promised that they would work with renewed zeal towards fostering harmony and peace Meanwhile, traditional rulers in Egbaland have tasked the new chancellor to use his position to en-

The President, Women Arise for Change, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin (middle) being presented with an Award of Excellence by the Vice Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade (left) and Representative of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Mrs. Kemi Sonami. The event was organised by the South-West Students’ Parliament, TASUED Branch.

Kogi State College of Education gets full accreditation Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja THE National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has granted full accreditation to the Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, in the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes being offered by the insti-

tution.

The NCCE was said to have released the results of the accreditation exercise that was conducted last November and gave the college 100 percent accreditation.

A press statement by the Public Relations Officer

(PRO) of the college Mr Onalo Yunusa, said the commission had already conveyed the results of the exercise to the authorities of the college.

According to him, the result released by the commission indicated that the college presented

IBB varsity students shine at leadership tournament Adelowo Oladipo-Minna A team from the university also won three medals at the recently concluded 2016 edition of Students’ Leadership Development Tournament organised by the Leadership Empowerment Advocacy Development (LEAD).

The tournament, which took place at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, was organised in collaboration with Nigerian Students’ Union, United Kingdom and Human Capital Partners.

IBBUL won laurels in three categories of Most Peaceful, Most Visionary and Most Productive leadership contests, making

sure that FUNAAB attains a conventional status, as a foremost citadel of learning.

The call was made when the Obong paid a courtesy call on the monarchs, as part of activities lined up for his maiden visit to FUNAAB.

them ambassadors of the next edition of the tournament.

The Imo State University was declared overall winner of the contest; the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), the first runner-up, while IBBUL emerged the third overall winner.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, has congratulated the team for making the university proud at the tournament.

Earlier, the Dean of Students Affairs of the university, Dr. Aliyu Ishaq Ma’ali, who led the students to the tournament and presented the university’s contingent to the vice chancellor, thanked the school man-

agement for its support that culminated in the success.

Dr. Ma’ali explained that although 21 universities across the country registered for the tournament, only nine qualified to participate.

Meanwhile, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has given full accreditation status to the Accounting and Public Administration programmes of the Niger State-owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai.

A news bulletin issued by the university states: “The results of the accreditation exercise conducted by officials of NUC in January, 2016,

indicated that the full accreditation status of the two programmes has been restored.”

The document attributed the feat to deliberate effort by the management to boost the programmes with required calibre of faculty and modern learning facilities.

It noted further that the success of the accreditation exercise will now enable the university to admit fresh students into the two programmes for the 2016/2017 academic session.

Both Accounting and Public Administration programmes lost accreditation status during the 2010 and 2013 exercises, respectively.

11 programmes for accreditation during the course of the exercise and all the programmes were accredited.

The accredited programmes are biology, education, mathematics education, Integrated Science and Computer Education, Physics, Chemistry, fine and applied arts, technical education, agricultural education and physical and Health Education.

The statement quoted the provost of the institution, Dr. Awo Olajide Komolafe, as saying the result of the exercise was the testimony on the hard work and dedication to duty by the staff of the college and governments support to the college.

“It is the first of its kind for a new college to achieve the feat of clinching 100 percent success in accreditation outing among colleges of education in the country.

“It behoves on the teeming youths of the state and the country at large to take advantage of the new status of the college to enroll into the various programmes of the institution to be selfemployed and sufficient,” said Komolafe.

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Teachers can help in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping —TASUED VC Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

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EACHERS across tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been urged to help construct ‘defences of peace’ in the minds of Nigerians, especially students, to recognise and embrace peace rather than violence.

Professor Oluyemisi Obilade, the vice chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, IjebuOde, Ogun State, who made the call during the 8th annual national conference of the School of Arts and Sciences of the

Adeyemi College of Education, (ACE) Ondo, said violence and war are not biological or psychological necessities but culturally unlearned.

Delivering a lecture with title ‘Terrorism, Kidnapping and Climate Change’,

the TASUED vice chancellor said the responsibility of curbing terrorism, kidnapping and climate change should not be left to government alone but that teachers have the capacity and responsibility to make a change.

Obilade said: “Nigerian educators in all disciplines should promote the culture of peace and non-violence through their teaching. We are to espouse the principles and culture of peace in how we educate our students.

Yomi Otubela Foundation media trust launch Africa-wide scholarship scheme Naza Okoli - Lagos YOMI Otubela Foundation, a non-profit organisation, in association with Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust newspapers, last week unveiled a scholarship scheme which is intended to support schoolchildren in primary and secondary schools across the continent.

The founder of the foundation and proprietor of Lagooz Schools, Lagos, Mr Abayomi Otubela, said at a press conference in Lagos last week that his organisation had previously awarded different forms of scholarships to a number of secondary school students in the past.

He said even though the 2016 edition of the scholarship would target schoolchildren from Nigeria, the foundation had “set machinery in motion” for an all-Africa scholarship programme to begin in 2017.

He also disclosed that a qualifying examination which would be conducted at the six geo-political zones in the country would, this year, be based on the pupils’ performance in mathematics.

“We want to encourage schools to take the teaching of mathematics beyond what it is at present if we are thinking of rapid technological advancement as it is in countries like China, USA, Taiwan and the former USSR. We know that this is possible but its realisation depends on us, on our children and the teaching of a subject like mathematics in a way that will make the children admire and understand it,” he said.

From right; Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Commissioner for Higher Education, Engr Jude Sinebe and the Vice Chancellor, Delta State University Abraka, Prof. Victor Peretomode , during the Commissioning of Road, 450 Metres Covered Walk Way, Lecture Theatre, Physiology Laboratory and Gym, in Delta State University Abraka at the weekend.

“We are to model these attitudes, principles, perspectives, and values in our relationship our students, colleagues, our institutions and our society at large. We must use our privileged positions and education to promote the culture of peace, irrespective of our academic fields or discipline.”

Also speaking, the Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. Grade Ikuejube, said kidnapping, terrorism and climate change have serious implications for Nigeria’s sustainable development.

He noted that the limitation of Nigeria to be ranked among the best countries in the world could be traced to terrorism, kidnapping and climate change.

“What we have are monumental cases of terrorism, kidnapping and climate change. The constant occurrences of terrorism in northern Nigeria and the kidnapping in southern part of Nigeria have indirectly led to social vices. In fact, these have constituted an impediment to the flow of investment in the country,” she noted.

ABUAD not for profit-making, Afe Babalola insists •Honoured by US State of Georgia, Africa leadership magazine Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti LEGAL icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has reiterated that he did not establish the institution as a profit-making venture.

Chief Babalola explained this during a ceremony where he received the Congressional Commendation of the US State of Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and was also inducted into the African Leadership Magazine Hall of Fame.

Babalola was honoured by the two bodies for pioneering excellence and innovation in tertiary education in Nigeria and Africa.

He explained that the main thrust of establishing the university was to provide affordable education

Old students invest N4m infrastructure in alma mater Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta THE Old Students’ Association of Remo Secondary School (RSS), Sagamu, (74/79) set, says it has invested projects worth N4 million in its alma mater, as part of efforts to sustain high academic standard in the school.

Mr Lanre Solarin, the president of the set, disclosed this at the annual general meeting and awards ceremony of the set held at the school’s premises over weekend.

Solarin maintained that the school would have lost its pride, but for the contributions of the old students.

He said his set had donated a lawn mower to the junior school to reduce the stress of the students in cutting the large expanse

of the school’s land; renovated a five-classroom block and provided modern writing materials and boards.

“If you go round the school, you will see the extent of the impact of the old students in this college. This is one of the schools in the federation where the old students are very strong.

“If not for the old students, there will not be anything called Remo Secondary School. There is still a lot of work to be done and we are never going to be tired at doing it.

“If you total all we have spent altogether in trying to put things back and maintain infrastructure, we would have spent close to four million naira in the last four years.”

The president advised the state government to partner with old students associations to maintain existing structures in such schools.

The national president of the association, Mr Victor Babatunde Ajayi, disclosed that the old students were set to engage government in putting up new infrastructure that would enhance the academic performance of the students.

He urged other old students of the school to support the ideals of the association, which he said would affect the current students positively.

At the event, six alumni of the school were conferred with awards for their exemplary contributions to the development of the school.

to all categories of African children, especially those who cannot afford high cost of quality university education overseas.

According to him, the difficulties he encountered as a child of poor parents in his quest for western education formed part of the factors that compelled him to establish the university.

He recalled how he missed conventional schooling and got educated only through private studies right from the General Certificate in Education (GCE) Ordinary and Advanced levels of London, as well as the Cambridge School Certificate up to the University of London degree – all of which he passed.

“I grew up in a very modest subsistence family and community where the height of ambition was to inherit and work on my parents’ farms. In those days, our fathers believed that it was more beneficial to train their children on the farms rather than send them to school,” he said.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said his intention is to nurture the university up

to a level that it will provide the missing link in the nation’s education industry.

Besides, he said the university is out to entrench quality and functional education with the utmost aim of ensuring that Nigeria regains its lost glory in education.

He disclosed that within just six years of its establishment, the university has not only got several structures, but has also recorded full accreditation in all its 47 programmes.

Speaking on the occasion, the duo of former Gambia Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Angella Colleh, and the Publisher of African Leadership Magazine, Mr. Fidelis Okeke, represented by Dr Ken Giami, described Afe Babalola as an unusual Nigerian whose commitment to growth of education is unrivalled.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Michael Ajisafe, gave assurances that the institution would strive to ensure that the mission and vision of the founder come to fruition by maintaining its position as a model institution.

education TETFund has improved Nigerian varsities’ global ranking —Bogoro 22

Clement Idoko, Abuja

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HE immediate past Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro has said that the massive intervention of the agency has moved Nigerian universi-

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

ties up the ladder in global education standards ranking.

Bogoro, who spoke with Tribune Education in Abuja, said this feat was made possible by the impact TETfund made in the last four years as confirmed by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to him, apart from regular intervention, there were special intervention programmes that resulted in the upgrade of critical infrastructure in some beneficiary institutions to global best standard.

He said this was in addition to various staff devel-

opment programmes for lecturers in which many them were sponsored for their postgraduate programmes both at home and abroad. Bogoro, said this was also imperative in view of the shortage of qualified teachers to teach in Nigerian universities.

The agency has trained

and developed about 10,000 academic staff both locally and internationally, while about 29 institutions were supported to develop and publish research journals both locally and internationally, he said.

“When I first came to TETFund, my vision was to make Nigeria’s tertiary institutions rank among the best globally. I am glad we were able to achieve that,” Bogoro said.

Bogoro also recalled his

delight when on a visit to a university in the SouthWest to deliver a lecture some few weeks back, the vice chancellor took him round for an hour to show him the impact that TETFund had made in the institution.

He said he was glad that he got the privilege to put in his best in improving the standard of Nigeria’s educational system, and urged leaders to always deliver on their mandates.

Nigeria International Book Fair opens in Lagos NAZA OKOLI, LAGOS

The Provost of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Dr. Mojisola Oyarekua commissioning the new x-ray machine of the College Health Centre. She is flanked by the Director of Health Services, Dr. Ayodeji Aturamu (second left), the College Registrar, Mr. Gbenga Ojo and the Deputy Provost, Dr. Olu Aturamu (right).

THE 15th Nigeria International Book Fair will open on Monday, 9 May 2016, at the Multipurpose Hall of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

Mr Rilwanu Abdulsalami, the chairman of the Nigeria Book Fair Trust (NBTF), organisers of the event, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Lagos last week.

Idah Poly staff warned against indiscipline MEMBERS of staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, have been warned to desist from any act that could jeopardise the training and future careers of the students of the polytechnic.

The rector of the polytechnic, Mr. Matthew Itopa Akpata, gave the warning recently during the institution’s 29th matriculation ceremony.

According to a statement by the polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Job Ekele, over 2,800 students admitted into various programmes at both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels for the 2015/2016 academic session were matriculated at the event.

Mr Akpata said a memo had earlier been circulated to keep the staff abreast of the dos and don’ts of the polytechnic.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the deeds which constitute serious misconduct and punishable under extant laws of the polytechnic include but not limited to the following: arbitrary collection of levies from students for lecture materials, extortion from students at various points of registration, unauthorised sales of lecture materials or books, sexual harassment, and sale of grades,” he said.

Students of Christ The Redeemer Secondary School, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo State, during the ‘Cultural Day 2016’ held at the school’s premises recently.

Abdulsalami, represented by the vice chairman, Mr Babs Fashanu, said in spite of the discouraging economic situation in the country, the Trust worked hard to ensure this year’s edition would be a success.

An international conference on the theme ‘Book: The Untapped Entertainment Treasure in Africa’ will be held on Tuesday as part of the schedule for the fair.

The lead paper at the conference will be delivered by Hope Eghagha, Professor of English at the University of Lagos.

Also expected to attend the conference are the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

Participants are expected from the United Kingdom, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya.

Nigerian Book Fair Trust is an umbrella body for the Nigerian Publishers Association, Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigerian Printers, Nigerian Library Association, Association of Nigerian Authors, Nigerian Book Foundation, and the Association

‘Why skill acquisition training is key in COE Ikere-Ekiti’ SAM NWAOKO, ADO-EKITI THE Provost, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Mojisola Oyarekua, has said that the institution will not relent in academic excellence and production of competent teachers that will help address the education challenges in Nigeria.

Mrs Oyarekua said in Ikere-Ekiti that the college

had made steady progress since she assumed office last December “due to discipline among staff and prudent management of available resources.”

She noted that “the steady growth of this institution can be attributed to the laid down rules and policies put in place to guide and train the students as well as quality of leadership provided.”

According to the provost, the college has undergone much reengineering to be able to realise its set objectives, and “the college is committed to producing teachers that would help propel the growth of education in Nigeria.”

This she said informed the introduction of programmes that would make the students allround graduates.

“We have established skill acquisition centres to allow students learn at least one skill within three years of their programme, which they can set up later after leaving the college,” she said.

She also pointed out that an “anti-corruption unit has been set up in the college to deal with not only financial recklessness but also sexual harassment,

victimisation or any other form of malpractices.”

“The leadership of every institution has a strong role to play in its success or otherwise; and if one is focused and puts in place a benchmark in terms of quality and quantity as well as takes into cognisance the available resources, he or she will make things happen,” she declared.

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016 Editor:

health

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

Driving while on anti-malaria

•Riskier than imagined

For many people, popping over-the-counter anti-malarial drug while simultaneously engaging in day-to-day activities, some of which involves the use of dangerous machines is almost becoming a norm. VERA ONANA reports that these drugs, could aside treating malaria, expose the persons to danger.

H

ER hands were uncontrollably shaking after the car screeched to a halt. She felt the need to urinate and excrete at the same time all due to the mad rush of adrenaline.

As she got off the car, a little hysterical crowd had gathered and was commenting loudly.

Jumoke (not her real name) was petrified as the security guard and the driver of the water truck she almost collided with walked towards her. Such dangerous driving the security guard had scolded her asking if she wanted to end her life. She had lost control of the steering wheel because she got light headed from the anti malaria drug she had taken earlier in the day, her vision blurred and she swerved into the other lane, facing a water truck head on.

But for the swift reflex of the truck driver, who had to vandalise a gate to pass through without colliding with her car,

she probably would have been smashed into pieces from the force of the collision.

A bewildered Jumoke had pleaded with the security guard while stating that it wasn’t the first time she had got behind the wheels while on anti-malaria medications.

A lot of Nigerians are like Jumoke.

Though it is explicitly written as a warning on the packs of some anti-malarial drugs that these drugs may cause light-headedness, dizziness, blurred vision and other vision changes, people take light these warnings and engage in sensitive activities like driving, using of machines and others that could be very dangerous.

A 26-year-old secondary school teacher, whose name is withheld said “ my genotype is AA, so you can imagine how often I get sick. I use a combination of artemether and lumenfantrine and I go about my daily business which includes driving my

kids to school and teaching. I experience no dizziness. However, there was a time I took the drugs on empty stomach and it was almost a huge disaster but I learnt my lesson.”

For 34-year-old environmental geologist, it was an horrifying experience. “I drink beer. I have at least two bottles in a day and I drive myself home without a hit. Unfortunately for me, I felt feverish on a particular Friday, I was visiting the bar after work. So, I got an antimalarial from a pharmacy and swallowed it with my beer.

I became really weak and decided to go home but I almost crashed my Honda into an incinerator that was on the road.

My vision was blurry and every thing doubled. After I managed to park, I called a friend,” he concluded.

Pharmacist Simon Dazams, while shedding light on the chemical compositions of commonly used anti-malarial drugs and

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how they affect the human system stated that commonly used anti-malarial drugs contain aminoquinolones, pyrimethamines, sulfadoxines, artemether, lumenfantrine or sometimes, a combination of two of them.

He stated that all have side effects which could be negative and must not be taken trivially. “A lot of people have gotten so used to taking these drugs they buy overthe-counter, they seem to overlook most of these effects. Driving while on most of these common anti malarial drugs may be likened to driving under their influence, because the chemical constituents of these drugs can bring about certain reactions. However, a lot of people do not see it that way.”

Dazams said “stomach upset and blurred vision occurs frequently while a person is on an antimalarial that contains aminoquinolone. Though this can be lessened by taking these tablets with food, or taking half the dose on two occasions each week, it is not safe to be driving under such circumstances because anything could happen.

“Some people take drugs and forget to eat while some don’t even eat enough food while on medications. This may terribly upset the stomach and blur the vision. The result could be seemingly inconsequential or hazardous but one of either.”

Another very common one is a combination of artemether and lumenfantrine.

Over the years, Dazams said “we have advised people to take it with caution but the truth is, most people get these drugs overthe-counter and do not even understand the possible severity of its seemingly mild side effects. The truth is that in addition to its needed effect, which is treating malaria, some other unwanted effects may be triggered by the use of the drug.”

He stated that, “very common side effects may include abdominal or stomach pain, chills, cough, fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse, fever, headache, muscle aches, pale skin, right upper abdominal or stomach pain and fullness.

“Others are sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, troubled breathing with exertion, unusual bleeding or bruising and unusual tiredness or weakness. But the less common effects could be discharge or excessive tearing, dizziness or lightheadedness, sensation of spinning shakiness and unsteady walk shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet trembling or shaking of the hands or feet and uncontrolled eye movements but these are rare in most cases.”

Also, he added, “the dizziness caused by the drug may be worsened if taken with alcohol or certain medicines. Any combination drug therapy is meant to be used with caution but sadly, that is not the case.

People are advised not to drive or perform other unsafe tasks while using the drug, but how many people actually adhere to that advice even when it is explicitly highlighted on the drug pack?

“Some people don’t even read the leaflets enclosed in the packs to understand how drugs should be consumed and what should be done or avoided while on certain medications.”

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Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

In conversation with Augustine Akpeji

A

UGUSTINE was the subject of this column last week. I had called to inform him, as courtesy would demand, that he was to be the subject of my column and asked that he ensured he purchased a copy of Nigerian Tribune on Thursday. After the article was published, I called again to ask if he had read it. But Austin had no eyes. The two eyes were removed at the age of four, on account of the childhood tumour called retinoblastoma!

At the time, it was a painful decision for his parents to make. They had procrastinated and prayed for a miracle. They got the miracle, but didn’t understand at the time. “God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts.” It was only when the cancer had shown evidence of its anger that they eventually gave permission for the eyes to be removed to save his life.

Austin not only survived, he has become a credit and a great source of joy to his parents.

I was in a conversation with Austin, on WhatsApp after the publication of the article: Austin: “Good evening doctor. How was your day? If good, glory be to God. I just saw your WhatsApp message now because I didn’t have data since morning.”

Dr Ben: “Please tell us a little about yourself.”

Austin: “My name is Augustine Ayodele Akpeji. I was born into the family of Mr and Mrs Akpeji on August 27, 1997. I am their first child. I was told an unusual type of cancer of the eye was discovered in my two eyes at the age of five months. The doctor advised that they should be removed,but my

parents refused. It was only when my life was threatened that they eventually agreed to have the eyes removed. I was too young to know what was happening. To God be the glory, I am alive and as fit as a fiddle today.

Also, I am very happy that despite the fact that I am totally blind, I can read, write and do many other things like playing the musical instruments.

“When I was six years old, I attended Pacelli School for theblind and partially sighted children. There, I spent seven years for my primary education. In my seventh year, when I was in primary six, I was appointed the band/musical prefect/leader.

Also, I took the Common Entrance Examination choosing two choice secondary schools. I passed very well and I was given an admission to both Kings College and Federal Government College Ijanikin, both in Lagos.

“Somehow, I opted for Federal Government College, Ijanikin. I am very happy, but on the other hand, sad because my parents

But Austin had no eyes. The two eyes were removed at the age of four, on account of the childhood tumour.

are finding it difficult to cope with my school fees. My father is an Okada rider and my mother a petty trader. I have no sponsorship at all.

On october 1, 2011, (Independence Day), I was presented a laptop computer. I was very happy, not knowing that I wouldn’t even use the computer at all. On a glorious Monday morning, my dad came to me and said, “Austin, we are going to sell your computer so we can have some money for your education.” I couldn’t say, ‘No’ to my dad’s suggestion. I just said, ‘Yes daddy.’ And he did sell it!

“To God be the glory, as I am writing this, I am in SS2. Next year, I will write my WASSCE and UTME. I want to study either Law or Mass Communication. Mass Communication is my first choice. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me in one way or the other. I pray that the Lord Almighty, in his infinite mercy, will bless and grant you all your heart desires. Amen.

Dr Ben: “How are you able to read without eyes?”

Austin: “Yes I can read, but I can’t read the same book that you are reading. I read braille. So my reading materials must be converted to braille. I also write in braille with a material called the Marburg Braille Writing Slate and Stylus. This material enables the blind student like me to read and write. I was taught how to read and write when I was in Pacelli School - my primary school. Since then, I have been topping my class till now. I am now in Federal Government College Ijanikin, Lagos. I have had the privilege to represent my school at different

competitions especially in Mathematics and Government.”

Dr Ben: “How do you move about? You visited me in my office in Mokola, alone by yourself, all the way from Eleyele. I was really scared when you told me you came without a companion. I couldn’t believe my eyes watching you as you stepped out of my office unto the treacherous road where even those who have sight tremble to walk.”

Austin: “Yes I can move about with the help of guide cane, but the only thing, is that quite often, I am not well received. Why? It is because of the way blind people are treated. It is difficult for me to get a taxi, bus or an okada that will take me when I am ready to pay. It is very hard. Most of them feel, “He is blind, so we can’t carry him so that he won’t make us blind too.” Don’t they know that blindness is not an infection and it is not transferable from person to person?”

Dr Ben: “What are your major needs now?”

Austin: “I need a computer. I need help to pay my fees and reduce the burden of my poor parents. I have four other siblings.

Very soon, I will be preparing for my WASSCE and UTME. I need sponsorship for my education.”

As I read his message, I couldn’t hold back tears from my eyes. Not because he is blind.

He has overcome blindness! But because I feel that in this country of ours it shouldn’t be difficult to find helpers to lift up this bright young man to the highest possible height. Can you help? He has an account with Zenith Bank Plc. Account No. 211 072 9996.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you

info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

Recent advances in assisted reproductive technology (ART) SINCE July 1978 when Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe’s ‘miracle’ Louise Brown was born, assisted reproduction has come a long way. Great advances have been made in an explosive manner. These have significantly increased success rates, candidates eligible for infertility treatment and also brought in ‘fertile’ people into assisted reproductive technique (ART) for example techniques like cryopreservation. As we speak, advances are still ongoing or previous ones are being perfected.

Advances in ART Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation is one of the advances in ART. This has improved IVF outcomes even though it has increased the risk of Ovarian Hypertimulation Syndrome (OHSS) and multiple births which are preventable by minimal stimulation/low dose protocols (lower costs and comparable pregnancy rates and buserelin trigger and elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET).

Other advances include improved culture media, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), assisted hatching, optimised Embryo Transfer techniques. Probably the most significant in increasing IVF Success rates in the last 15 years is embryo culture media. Human tubal fluid was developed in 1985. Presently oxygen concentration and pH in embryo incubators are being optimised.

In Vitro Maturation (IVM) is advancement in ART and now immature eggs can be retrieved and matured in special culture media and using special IVM protocols and retrieval techniques. However, there success rates are lower. Benefits include lower Ovarian Hyperstimulation Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), lower stimulation doses or no stimulation at all for example in cancer cases. It however needs to be further explored and researched.

Cryopreservation is one of the very important advances in ART. In 1942 mammalian sperm cell was cryopreserved

and revived. In 1983/1986 1st IVF pregnancy/birth was reported respectively. Vitrification (1999) has now superseded slow freezing as the preferred method of cryopreservation.

Since 2005, 90 per cent recovery rates have been reported and similar pregnancy rates recorded with fresh ET. The benefits include the opportunity to freeze all in cases of OHSS, freeze excess embryos, Pre implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), more flexibility with IVF, fertility preservation (freezing eggs at an earlier age can help preserve fertility in persons not ready to start their families for several reasons), cancer patients (also unstimulated ovarian tissue preservation can be done) and there is no need to coordinate donor and recipient cycles (egg banks).

Evaluating Embryos for ET has improved significantly though it remains a challenge. Traditionally embryologists look and grade. But now with Pre implantation Genetic Diagnosis, specific genetic defects existing in parents such as Sickle cell disease can be detected. Similarly with Preimplantation Genetic Screening, testing for aneuploidy can be done. The first pregnancy from this was reported in 1990.

Before now Florescent In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) was done on Day 5. Later 9-14 chromosomes were analysed and Day 3 cleavage stage biopsies done. Now with Comparative Genomic Hybridisation (CGH), all 23 chromosomes can be analysed and trophectoderm biopsy (Day 5 biopsies) are

Cryopreservation is one of the very important advances in assisted reproductive technique.

done. The latter are adjudged better than day 3 biopsies.

Benefits of blastocyst biopsy (day 5) include larger number of cells can be taken, smaller proportion of embryonic mass taken and not taking cells destined to contribute to the foetus.

However there are drawbacks like short time for diagnosis, fewer embryos to test and ethical acceptance. Excellent pregnancy rates have been reported for instance in women with recurrent pregnancy loss. With the PGD/PGS techniques, gender of babies can be selected for the purpose of family balancing or avoiding medical conditions such as haemophilia.

It can also be used to avoid sickle cell genotype among couples who carry the sickle cell gene or to avoid such chromosomal anomalies like Down syndrome for instance among those at risk like women of advanced age undergoing IVF with their own eggs.

The compatibility genetic test (CGT) can be used even among fertile persons to determine genetic compatibility in rare genetic diseases. This can influence decision to get married, bear children or have IVF and PGS or to reconsider source of gamates for ART. Secretomics and metabolomics assess products in culture media released by embryos instead of biopsying embryos for information. They are non invasive unlike biopsies. Protein profile in secretomics is predictive of implantation and pregnancy potential (ubiquitin). In metabolomics nitric oxide metabolites indicate blastolation rates.

Time lapse imaging using special incubators with built in cameras observes early embroyogenesis and growth pattern in real time, predicts embryo development potential and maybe useful in selecting embryos. Images are saved and displayed in a computer screen and easily visualised without opening the incubators and disturbing the embryos.

To be continued

25

healthnews

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

How pharmacy can thrive in Nigeria’s ailing economy —Opanubi

By Sade Oguntola

N

IGERIAN pharmacists practising in the community have been charged to add value to the services they offer their clients to ensure that they remain relevant.

Mr Sina Opanubi, Project catalyst, Pharmalliance Network, gave the charge in his presentation on “Business Survival Strategies in a Declining Economy” at the monthly general meeting of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter in Ibadan.

Opanubi said this had become imperative with the dwindling purchasing power of Nigerians and the nation’s failing economy.

The pharmacist, who suggested that community phar-

macists need to re-strategise to drive traffic to their stores, said such a value addition strategy might include promotions to boost sales.

According to him, “In a failed economy, it is discount stores that work because people are looking at how to cut their expenses anyhow possible. So, pricing is key. The more money you want to make in your pharmacy is equivalent to the value you want to give it.”

Opanubi, who told the pharmacists that their shops are better run as business outfits to survive the nation’s declining economy, said a retail revolution was coming to Nigeria, saying this would also affect community pharmacy practice.

He declared: “community pharmacy cannot stay like it

is now. Some things cannot be changed, but certainly we have control over some.

Problems bedevilling community pharmacy that one cannot change include patent medicine vendors; overregulation of pharmacy practice, stiff competition, finance and fellow pharmacists. But attitude is onefactor that one can change.”

Opanubi also suggested that community pharmacists would also add value to their practice by expanding to veterinary pharmacy, compounding of drugs and dermatological products.

According to him, “Many conditions exist that doctors do not know that community pharmacists have the capac-

ity to solve by compound drugs for their treatment.”

Opanubi, who remarked that value of pharmacists had remained low despite Nigeria’s low ratio of one pharmacist to 100,000 Nigerians, said they should make effort to ensure they excel in retail pharmacy, which is the section solely

for pharmacy professionals.

“If you do not understand the demography, psychograph and geography of your business, sales may not be easy. People buy both for logical and emotional reasons. So you must be a professional, a manager and entrepreneur to run a successful business.”

Rotary donates 1200 birth kits to support safe motherhood IN support of safe motherhood, Rotary Club, Oritamefa, Ibadan has donated 1,200 birth kits to pregnant women attending four health facilities in Ibadan.

The club’s president, Mr Olayemi Olawale, who was accompanied by other members of the club to these health facsilities, said the birth kits were distributed to ensure that anybody to assist in taking their deliveries has sterile things to use, even in emergency situations.

He said: “we are all aware of the precarious situation of maternal health in Nigeria. We want to encourage them to always carry the birth kit with them so that when the time comes either expectedly or unexpectedly, they can come handy.

“You can never tell, some are so unfortunate that they deliver before getting to the hospital; some deliver their babies in the taxi and some at home. But the birth kits would easily come handy.”

Mr Olawale said some of the birth kits are also meant for distribution through traditional birth attendants and the four designated health facilities.

He added: “Occasionally, it will come useful in assisting indegent pregnant women during delivery since it has been emphasised to them that it should not be sold.”

One of the pregnant women, Mrs Atinuke Lawal at Aremo Maternity Centre expressed appreciation for the donation, promising that she would always carry it along in case she falls into labour unexpectedly.

The benefiting health fa-

cilities for the birth kits donated by Birth Kit Foundation Australia are Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital; Idi-ogogo Maternity health centre; Aremo Maternity Centre and Oniyarin Maternity Centre.

Honourable Minister of State, Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire (middle); receiving a publication from Director General NEMA, Alhaji Muhammed Sidi (left) while Director, Trauma Emergency Response,Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Dr Joseph Amedu and Dr Shuaib Belgore, look on.

MR Oladipo Ojeyinka, a Fish Farmer, has emerged March Star Winner in the ongoing Astymin Get Alert Promo after his number was randomly selected amongst all participating entries for the month of March.

Oladipo, who thrives in fish, livestock, and beehive

farming to feed his family, was visibly elated at the news of his emergence as the winner and could hardly hold back accolades for the Astymin brand.

He became the second Star-Winner in the promo, which had earlier produced a Microfinance banker, Mr

Fish farmer emerges monthly star winner in ongoing Astymin promo Michael Irabor as the first Star-Winner for the month of February.

Recounting his experience while participating in the promo, Oladipo admitted that he had to pray for God’s favour before sending the entry code because he frantically needed the expected

FG to involve mental health experts in health delivery in N/East THE Federal Ministry of Health is set to draft mental health experts from the Neuro – psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna to assist in the management of victims of emotional trauma in the North East.

The Minister of State, Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire made this known during an official visit to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) headquarters in Abuja.

In his speech, Dr Ehanire said that his visit was part of his effort to consult with all agencies involved in emergency response and disaster management for collaboration to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure effective deployment of assets.

He maintained that his visit would afford Federal Ministry of Health the op-

portunity to interact with NEMA which he described as a major player in emergency response with the hope of identifying possible areas of collaboration.

The minister hinted that health Ministry would render counselling on emotional issues, collaborate with local government authorities, encourage secondary health care givers and work closely with NEMA in terms of funding health services.

Dr Ehanire observed that there was need to create a response mechanism in Nigeria for proper synergy between all actors in emergency response. He added that this would help in coordinating relevant agencies and assist people get fastest response on emergency situations.

In his response, the Direc-

tor General, NEMA, Alh. Mohammed Sani Sidi, said that the Minister’s visit was a clear demonstration of his commitment to succeed as a minister of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Commending Dr Ehanire for being the first minister in this administration to visit NEMA, the DG assured that NEMA and Nigeria have the ability to handle all emergency situations if there was synergy.

The DG also commended the efforts of the Health ministry in collaborating with NEMA in the North East in terms of rehabilitation of victims of insurgency. He presented some publications of the agency to the minister with an assurance to take NEMA to greater heights in line with international best practice.

cash reward in order to take care of some urgent family demands.

He also expressed gratitude to Astymin for the cash reward, saying the brand has delivered beyond expectations, on his family’s health and wellbeing.

“In fact, this is a double blessing for my family because, while we are still enjoying the benefits of the product on our health, the company decided to put smiles on our faces with this N100, 000. I am so grateful to Astymin for this reward”, he expressed.

The Astymin Get Alert Promo which is billed to run until December 2016, has rewarded over 730 daily winners since inception in February and will continue to reward more Nigerians for their loyalty and support, in celebration of fifteen years of the brand’s existence in Nigeria.

General Manager, Marketing, Mr. Ola Ijimakin had earlier said during the launch of the campaign that part of the brand’s promises is to touch the lives of Nigerians and put smiles on their faces, through the delivery of quality product for good health. This the brand has been committed to achiev-

ing in the last fifteen years.

He, therefore, encouraged Nigerians to prioritise their health and ensure they lead a healthy lifestyle every day.

He said Astymin is committed to supporting healthy living amongst Nigerians, as the health of the people is the health of the nation.

Interested participants are to simply buy Astymin from any pharmacy, check the pack for the promo seal, scratch and send entry number to the short code 1393. Instant SMS reply will confirm the entry with further instructions.

Draws will be done daily and 10 winners will be selected by the system. The prize reward will be sent to the winners either through online transfer or hand collection at the Fidson Head office. Winners’ list will be published on the ASTYMIN website’s landing page, social networks.

The Astymin Get Alert Campaign is one of the ways the brand is inspiring Nigerians to be physically and mentally alert every day.

This is also in line with Fidson Healthcare Plc.’s commitment to adding value to human lives as expressed in its corporate slogan “…we value life.”

26

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Coconut water can boost fertility in women

By Sade Oguntola

I

T may not be mere coincidence that the tropics with their abundant population of coconut trees host more than 40 per cent of the world’s inhabitants. Experts have found that coconut water taken to quench thirst helps to correct irregular menses.

Researchers found that coconut water possesses sex hormone-like activity that can help to boost fertility because of its effect on the menstrual cycle.

In a preliminary investigation of the effect of coconut water on reproductive functions of female Wistar rats, they found that it supports the regularisation of irregular menstrual cycle and promotion of the onset of the proestrus phase of the menstrual cycle.

Coconut water is obtained from within the fruit of the coconut tree. Coconut trees, which are found in large populations within the tropics, have been described as the “tree of life” because every part of the plant is useful for purposes ranging from nutrition to art and science.

Coconut water contains amino acids, sugars, and several minerals which are nontoxic, pleasant tasting source of hydration both orally and parentally.

Although the many virtues of coconut water on health such as its blood cholesterol lowering effect, anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties have been extolled, the possible link between coconut water consumption and fertility has been overlooked.

Pregnant women in tropical countries drink coconut water every day in order to easy morning sickness and prevent vomiting. Coconut water contains electrolytes, chloride, calcium, potassium, sodium and riboflavin. Also, it is rich with vitamin which is needed during pregnancy.

In the same vein, when coconut water is applied to affected skin areas with acne, wrinkles, stretch marks, cellulite and eczema, it clears up the skin and gives it youthful smooth looking skin.

For the 2015 study, the researchers at the Department

Coconut tree of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, investigated the effect of coconut water on menstrual cycle and reproductive organs of 30 female Wistar rats over a period of 21 days. There body weights and menstrual (oestrus) cycles were monitored daily.

Some were fed freshly extracted coconut water daily while the control animals only had water. The study was published in the journals of the Archives of Basic and Applied Medicine.

At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and their internal organs such as the ovaries, brains, livers and kidneys assessed.

The researchers found that coconut water administration at different doses for three weeks produced significant reductions in body weight in a dose-dependent manner.

It also did not produce any significant effect on organ weights neither did it result in any visible alterations to the tissues of the ovary, womb and liver, suggesting that it was nontoxic.

natural

health However, there was a significant reduction in menstrual cycle length in animals treated with coconut water.

The researchers said that the reduction in the menstrual cycle length translates to more regular menstrual flow.

More regular menstrual cycle, they said could mean increased possibility of having an egg or ova for fertilisation.

“This hypothesis is being explored as it may yield a phenomenal breakthrough for fertility treatments,” they said.

The researchers, which included, Olufadekemi KunleAlabi; Opeyemi Akindele: Onowugbeda E.O; Adesina M.R and Raji Yinusa, said further studies are ongoing to reveal possible mechanisms for the fertility –enhancing effects of coconut water.

Also, Olufadekemi Kunle-Alabi and his co researchers indicated that coconut water can improve semen quality and testosterone levels in male rats.

In the 2016 study, published in Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) journal, they indicated that males showed a significant increase in sperm count, sperm motility and serum oestrogen concentration when they take coconut milk.

Previously, some research shows that consuming coconut water can help to prevent dehydration in children with mild diarrhoea. But there is no reliable evidence that it is any more effective than other beverages for this use.

Some athletes use coconut water to replace fluids after exercise. Coconut water seems to help rehydrate after exercise, but it does not appear to be more effective than sports drinks or plain water.

Rich in nutrients and vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and pyridoxine, and folates, coconut water has antiviral and anti-bacterial properties that can help increase the body’s immune system and fight viral infections like flu.

Also, some research suggests that drinking coconut water might lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

sex,sexuality

&your health Foods which kill men’s sex drive With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com THESE days more men suffer from a decreased sex drive, and some of the major culprits are as simple as what they put into their mouths. Foods can negatively affect your libido, especially as you age, so it is important to find those ingestible perpetrators and cut them down, or out, of your diet.

Testosterone levels affect sexual desire, so anything that depletes these hormones in men can eventually affect their desire for sex.

A lot of men spend countless hours in the gym working on their physique, aiming to improve their health and stay fit; and of course to improve their chances at a stellar sex life. Most of them, however fail to realise that, many factors affecting their sex lives are tied to their diet.

Simple things like skipping the drive-thru and drinking a little less at happy hour may drastically improve a man’s libido and radically boost sex drive.

Did you know that food has the ability to reduce testosterone, diminish sex drive, reduce sensitivity, and alter sperm production? Meanwhile, eating the right food can also do the exact opposite. Many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and spices can regulate testosterone, increase libido, and significantly improve sex drive. The bottom line is that what men eat affects their sex life. So, why not use food to your advantage?

Maintaining a healthy waistline is crucial to a man’s sex drive and overall sexual health. According to The Cleveland Clinic, “One study found that men who have a waist size larger than 40″ are more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men whose waists are smaller.”

Registered dietician Kristin Kirkpatrick says, “If you’re overweight, lose it so you’ll be more ready to use it.” Over eating can lead to weight gain, which can lead to a dwin-

dling sex drive.

Most people are aware that a healthy lifestyle is the key to a good sex life. However, small, simple changes can also affect libido and testosterone levels. For example, cutting out fast food can have a drastic effect on sexual health.

According to Medical Daily, “Indulging in greasy foods like burgers and fries is a no-no when it comes to healthy eating and sex. The adverse effects of consuming these foods include an increase in the amount of abnormal sperm production for men,” says Dr. Douglas Heise, a chiropractic physician.

Like fried foods, alcohol can have a negative effect on a man’s sexual health. According to Dr. Maryanne Fisher, psychologist at Saint Mary’s University in

Halifax, NS, Canada, “Alcohol decreases testosterone, which is the backbone to male sex drive, and can make vasopressin plummet, meaning it might be difficult to achieve an erection; alcohol also reduces oxytocin, so the sense of touch is not as sensitive.” Stick to one or two drinks to avoid these effects and maintain healthy testosterone and vasopressin levels.

Modest dietary choices often have drastic effects on a man’s sex life. Next time you’re considering that latenight snack or going overboard on the tequila, think again. Instead, incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, vitamins, and minerals into your diet for an instant boost in sex drive.

•Additional report from MensHealth

27

Thursday, 28 April, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

S/South senators not opposed to Lagos-Calabar rail project —Bassey Gershom Bassey is the senator representing the Southern Senatorial district of Cross River State in the National Assembly. In this interview with newsmen in Calabar, he bares his mind on the controversy trailing the 2016 federal budget, forthcoming congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defections from the party in the state, among other issues. ANTHONY UBONG brings excerpts:

T

HE zoning committee for the congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State was inaugurated a few weeks ago. As a member, do you think the committee can contain the internal bickering that often occurs during party primaries and congresses?

There will be no problem. PDP is one big happy family in Cross River State. We are all experienced politicians. We have zoned positions before and it is normal in PDP to zone, but you must take into cognisance the issue of federal character which is a law in our country. So, we will take that into consideration. We have always zoned and we will continue to zone. There won’t be any problem. Though the time given to the committee may be considered to be too short, we are working and, very soon, we will come out with our report.

What do you make of the LagosCalabar Coastal railway project in the 2016 budget which is still generating controversy?

That project was not even in the budget in the first place. There was nothing like that in the document. What was in the budget was a provision for the feasibility studies but there was no provision for the budget itself. That is probably because a project like that is not a one-year project; it is a project that is funded over several budgets, and maybe the executive thought that it will come when needed. The President, as you know, just returned from China and we understand that part of the funding is even from China. The story we now hear is that, having submitted the budget, the Minister of Transport came with a proposal somehow through the back door to include the project.

If such a thing happened (my colleagues said it happened) and members of his committee said it happened, then the procedure was wrong and our colleagues were correct to ask him to go back, and follow the proper procedure because our country is a country of laws and if you do things the wrong way, it is like entering the university and not having your JAMB. At some point, maybe on graduation, you will be asked to produce your JAMB result, and maybe you lose your degree.

If he has put it through the backdoor, at some point, somebody will go to court somewhere and you have a problem. So,

the minister was asked to go and follow the proper procedure. That is where we are. The Senate has said that if the President comes back with a supplementary budget with all those things in it, definitely, we will approve it. We senators from the area are saying that even if he comes back with it as an amendment when he is returning the budget, we will try to talk to our colleagues to get them to include it in the budget. I think the process is still on; the mistakes came from the executive but because we have a vested interest in the project, we the senators in the SouthSouth zone have decided that we will support it whenever it comes.

Talking about the deplorable state of federal roads in Cross River, what hope do the people of the state have that you and your colleagues in the National Assembly will cause the Federal Government to repair them?

It has always been in the budget. It was in the budget last year, and the members in the seventh and the eight National Assembly have continued to fight for that project. The Calabar-Itu road is in the budget. In fact, N6 billion has been earmarked for it. The road will be done.

The Akpabuyo road is in the Niger Delta budget; there is N400 million there for it in the Niger Delta budget, provided that the executive implements the budget faithfully.

What is your take on President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent foreign trips?

There is no way that you want to make an omelete that you will not crack the eggs. So, if the President wants to deliver dividends of democracy, he must move around the world. He can’t sit here and get those things done. There are certain bilateral agreements, there are certain multilateral agreements, there is certain goodwill that he needs in order to attract the type of foreign funding and private sector funding. He needs to move around to get those things done.

There is no President that sits down in his house, even Barack Obama, who is the President of the largest economy of the world, can’t sit down in America. You see him moving around the world because the world is a global village. We are not in an insular situation where you just sit down and feel the world around yourself. So, in

Bassey moving around, the President must move like a President. Can you picture your President flying in British Airways? That will be nonsense. Did we elect him to be President just to pull him down? No. He has to be presidential in his movement,so he must go in a private jet. He must go with even two private jets if he has to go with businessmen. He should be moving around not in an ostentatious fashion but in a manner of a President of his status.

The mistakes came from the executive but because we have a vested interest in the project. We, the senators in this zone have decided that we will support it.

It’s important, so I don’t worry about those things. Those are minor things, provided that the trips are bearing fruits. For me and the PDP, it is still too early to tell whether he is getting results or not because he has a four-year mandate and at the end of four years is when we will look at his report card.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, is currently facing trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau. What do you make of this?

He is a democrat, and he is a constitutional democrat. What does that mean?

It means that he is a man that follows the constitution and in following the constitution, there can be no humiliation. He is not humiliated because he is following the constitution. The constitution says that if there is a question for you to answer at the Code of Conduct Bureau, you go and answer it.

He has gone to answer it knowing full well that he is innocent. So, he is emboldened to go there and answer the question.

He is not being humiliated. Rather, he is setting a very good example for Nigerians that no one is above the law and when the law calls you, you go and answer knowing full well that you will be exonerated when the truth comes out.

politics&policy APC should face governance squarely —Odebunmi

28

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Honourable Segun Odebunmi is the only member of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with KOLAWOLE DANIEL, he shares his view on a number of issues in the polity. Excerpts:

W

HAT’S your take on this lingering fuel crisis as a lawmaker?

It is very pathetic that the vehicular queues are persisting at filling stations, but the truth is that it is not the making of the Minister of Petroleum Resources. The problem is that the system is collapsing either because of lack of trust by stakeholders in the system. I have been in the system for up to four years, and Nigerians know that we don’t refine oil; we only import. So, the moment there is a break in the importation of fuel, Nigerians will suffer. The present federal administration is exhibiting lack of trust in the system and I believe it has caused the current problem for Nigerians, which is man-made. It is made by those people in the system.

During former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure, a lot of those that are in the system now were always shouting that the subsidy on oil was too much. Having come on board, the new government wants to look for ways to reduce the money. In Nigeria today, there are up to 15 million cars plying the roads on daily. Even if you allocate 10 litres of fuel to each car, you can imagine the total volume of consumption each day. So, there is no way you think that you can reduce the amount being used for importation of fuel and expect the system to work. The government should allow those who know how to run the petroleum sector to do their work. The politicians should step aside a bit so that the career officers in NNPC can do their work. The control is getting too much; let us think of how to solve this problem before any other thing. Nigerians are suffering.

How would you rationalise the

it has no policies to serve as a guide. Yes, Nigerians are ready to go back to farming but what are the policies of the government? How will value be added to agricultural products? Is the government ready to take the products from farmers? That is the major thing. Diversification is very easy, I am a farmer and I have up to five hectares of land. But who will buy my farm produce at the end of the day? That is a very critical point.

There are no clear policies on this. The government should have a system, where even peasant farmers can sell their farm produce to it (government). Look at the Fulani people who rear cattle. They usually end up using it to make milk cake (wara) because they can’t sell. The best way is to have a design where they can deposit their farm produce. With that, the farmers are encouraged to go back to the farm.

Odebunmi

state of the economy?

Honestly, the journalists have a lot of work to do in propagating the need to diversify the economy. Nigerians have been crying for the diversification for the past five years. During the last administration, we clamoured for added value chain to our agricultural sector and thank God, we were able to achieve a little. Nigerians were asked to go back to the farm, cultivate and harvest cassava,, which they did.

But at the end of the day, it got rotten because there was nobody to buy the harvest.

The present administration is clamouring for the diversification of the economy but

What do you think Nigerians should expect from the present government?

At the beginning of this administration when ministers were announced, I was surprised that the ministries of Power,

How can just a single person handle three major sectors of the economy? We should not fool anybody.

Works and Housing were given to one man to handle. These three ministries are crucial to the economy of Nigeria. Power is major; everybody needs power to survive, even those at the grass roots. I want to say that the man in charge of these ministries can never tap the resources by the end of this administration. He has no resources to tap the available resources to do so.

Why can’t we give it to a professional in power to handle it? How it happens is not important to Nigerians; what they want to see is light on the streets.

How can just a single person handle three major sectors of the economy? We should not fool anybody. The little power we are generating is enough to stabilize but we don’t have the policy on ground to sustain the available resources. The time for promises is over; let us see what you are doing to build the Nigerian power sector.

What’s your take on the 2016 budget?

Mr President had earlier requested for the details of the 2016 budget. He is right to request for the details and now that the details have been translated to him, I believe he will sit down and do justice to it. But he should be aware that the budget cannot get back to him the way he brought it; this is the only power given to the National Assembly to appropriate for the various sectors of the economy. It is our duty; the only thing is that we will not change the direction of the budget. What I mean by direction is the thinking of the President. There are some things Mr President doesn’t even know are in the budget because he did not even prepare it himself. But in the National Assembly, various committees work on it. So, we have enough time, equipment and manpower to analyse and put the budget in order. Nigerians are waiting for the assent of Mr. President and I advise him that we should have a good implementation of the budget.

Who is afraid of Okonjo-Iweala?

By Temisan Jackson

IN recent times, the news space has been awash with news and opinion articles about the immediate past finance minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Most of the features have stemmed from people with questionable character and, unfortunately, the local media have been complicit in aiding their spread.

As if her continuous strides in the international horizon are touching old wounds, Okonjo-Iweala has been accused of too many things in recent times; from being the one behind the inability of the current administration to run the economy well to alleging that she blamed former president Goodluck Jonathan for not having political will. The latest of these is some silly report that she slams the change agenda of the Buhari government and claims that both Buhari and Obasanjo are only interested in oil blocs.

The impression these writers and their media partners are trying to convey is that Okonjo-Iweala is still immersed in Nigerian politics after May 29, 2015; whereas, in actual fact, the woman has moved on. After bowing out as finance minister, she has gone ahead to become the chair of GAVI, owned by multi-billionaire Bill Gates; she has also been appointed to chair the board of Lazard, a 168-year old financial advisory and asset management firm. She also chairs ARCapacity, a specialized agency of the African Union with focus on disaster risk solutions across member states.

Not to forget that she has received more awards and has been sighted everywhere

abroad and at home among the people that matter, and no one has pointed an accusing finger at her in any of those occasions.

You then have to ask, what is this obsession with Okonjo-Iweala amongst local crooks? This woman has left government about a year ago and is minding her business. Much unlike most of the political jobbers in Nigeria, she has a profession and she is busy exercising it. Why can’t she be left alone? Who is afraid of or obsessed with this lady? Is it the corrupt elements she fought to a standstill while in government? It is amazing that more than a year later, these corrupt people cannot let go and are still smarting from their losses which her process checked. But by attacking her on a daily basis they are only making her very famous as the world is astonished at their stupidity.

When the news of her accusing GEJ of lacking political will broke, knowing her as a tactful person, it was clear it was another legendary distortion. So I wasn’t surprised when Paul Nwabuikwu, her media aide came out with a forthright rebuttal. As she explained, and recent history confirms, it wasn’t lack of political will on the part of Jonathan, but the stubborn opposition of some governors who are now federal ministers and key members of the ruling government that hindered efforts to save when oil prices were high. That history is known to all of us, so there is no point doing the mischief of rewriting it. Such attempts only help to expose the motives of the peddlers.

Per the ridiculous feature which sev-

Okonjo-Iweala

eral websites have now published that she lambasted Obasanjo and Buhari as only interested in oil blocs and not change, it looks like one of those writs sponsored by people who have decided their mission is to tarnish her image, as the badly written story with tenses mixed up is another attempt to pitch OBJ and PMB against her.

This was the same tactic used in 2007 by a former minister, now governor, after she left the Obasanjo government. This man kept planting false stories about her in the media and in the hearing of Obasanjo, to the point that she turned the former president against Okonjo-Iweala until he be-

came wiser as to what was going on, and that was after she had publicly confronted the diminutive man about his mischievous activities.

The ludicrous thing about this development in our nation is that many of our local media gleefully published such spurious allegations without checking their facts. Perhaps, they do not know OkonjoIweala has successfully sued two media outfits before for such unethical practice as libel.

For those who are saying she is partly to blame for whatever failures of the last administration, why don’t they also blame President Buhari for the misdeeds of the Abacha government since he served there? Is Buhari to be blamed for the billions of dollars stolen by Abacha? These opinion hawkers are nothing but hypocritical. Someone who left her posh job at the World Bank and came to serve her fatherland, improving processes and building all the systems now in use by the current government should not be accused in such carefree manner as common in our media today.

The truth is that the level of OkonjoIweala has changed, but these vested interests and uninformed persons don’t seem to understand this. She has passed where she was when we knew her as finance minister. She has gone global and is waxing greater in profile. She is now an icon of our dear country and the world.

Haters should look for someone at their level.

Jackson writes from Warri, Delta State.

29

aviation

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

crucial moment With Shola Adekola

0803 365 4818

Why EFCC should step into FAAN/Arik Air debt drama FOR the greater part of last week, the country’s aviation sector was in another controversial mess courtesy of claims and counter claims being hurled at each other by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Arik Air over debts being owed by the latter.

While FAAN is claiming that Arik Airline is indebted to it to the tune of N12.5 billion, the airline has insisted that it is not any way indebted, maintaining that from its inception to date that it has remitted N18.9 billion to the coffers of FAAN. The debt issue which has been dragging for years now despite the fact that the case is before the court of law took a new twist last week when the FAAN workers led by the aviation unions did not only clamp down on the airline, but disrupted its early morning flights vowing not to leave until the airline paid N2billion out of the alleged debt.

Speaking for the union, the acting Secretary General of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye said, “Arik Air had not shown readiness to pay back some of the debts it owed FAAN,” while he noted that FAAN required money to upgrade its facilities, which people had been complaining were not up to standards.

According to Abioye, Arik Air had not shown readiness to pay back some of the debts it owed FAAN, noting that FAAN required money to upgrade its facilities, which the airline and some others had been complaining were not up to standards.

Speaking for the airline, its chairman, Sir Johnson Arumemi - Ikhide said that the airline had been paying its debts regularly to FAAN despite the fact that the authority had some amount of money to pay to the airline arising from the incident suffered by one of its aircraft at the Calabar Airport some few years ago.

Arumemi-Ikhide displayed a letter dated February 3, 2016 acknowledging the lodgments of N11.4 billion to the coffers of FAAN from the airline, but quickly maintained that since the commencement of operations by the airline in October 2007 that the airline had paid a total sum of N18.9 billion to FAAN. According him, all efforts made by Arik Airline to persuade FAAN to come forward for debt reconciliation failed as FAAN officials continued to be evasive.

“After the two weeks elapsed, FAAN again asked for another four weeks extension from the committee, which was granted, but unfortunately after the four weeks, FAAN refused to appear before the committee. We even wrote series of letters to FAAN telling them of our readiness to the committee, but there was no response from them.”

The most dramatic part of this is that each side continues to claim innocence even while there is a glaring case of mismanagement of public funds.

Besides this, since the airline maintained that it had paid N18.9 billion into FAAN’s account and the authority said it only received N11.4 billion, the simple thing here is for the duo to come together and compare notes on transactions so far made between them.

Unfortunately since the two cannot push self interest aside for the sake of national interest and since there is no way the embarrassing situation would be allowed to continue coupled with the failure of the court to mediate on the matter, the best option is for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently step in.

The need for the EFCC to come in is pertinent as it will help unravel all what seemed shrouded in secrecy particularly the actual amount that is in question which is N7. 5 billion being the difference between the N18.9 billion the airline said it had paid and the N11.4 billion FAAN acknowledged it received.

The questions calling for answers include; who is lying; where is the N7.5 billion difference hanging and why is it difficult for the two to sit down and reconcile all these.?

These are all the mysteries the EFCC is expected to help Nigeria unravel while any side found negligent should be dealt with as it will serve as a deterrence to others who like to fondle with public funds carelessly.

Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see how this drama will end, but in all honesty, the burden is on both sides to come out clean and let the public know the enemy of Nigeria.

At the end of the day, it is hoped that nobody is trying to play a smart game with the public funds. For if this turns out to be positive, then heads must roll.

From left; Lars-Henrik Thorngreen, Chief Operating Officer, NHV, Oostende, Belgium; Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, former Minister of Interior and Chairman of Integrated Oil and Gas Limited; Regis Magnac, Vice President and Head of Operational Marketing, Airbus Helicopters; Jimmy Ini, Commercial Manager of Atlantic Aviation and Shaf Syed, Managing Director of Atlantic Aviation after they all took part in a demonstration flight on the newly unveiled H175 series in Lagos.

Brussels attack: Expert emphasises importance of intelligence sharing Stories By Shola Adekola

A

security expert and a one time commandant of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retired), has cautioned that to avoid a repeat of the terrorism attack carried out at Brussels airport in Belgium, there was the need to coordinate intelligence gathering and information sharing amongst all agencies at the airport.

In a text message sent to the Nigerian Tribune, Ojikutu who is also a member of the Aviation Round Table (ART), declared that the lessons from Brussels Airport was beyond airport security even as he called for a national aviation security policy that will focus on the role of intelligence in the gamut.

According to Ojikutu; The

lessons from the Brussels terrorists attack is beyond airport security alone. It is more about national aviation security and the role of intelligence in the aviation security defence layers.

“It is about having names of valuable targets among the

home-grown terrorists, Boko Haram listed on watch list or no fly list. Remember, it took us about eight years before we could start putting faces on those within the domestic terrorist cell before the military started putting those faces and names on the watch list.”

Airbus Helicopters begin promotion of H175 plane in Nigeria AIRBUS Helicopters have embarked on the promotion of the H175 helicopter series through a demo tour in Lagos, from 20 to 22 April 2016 with several key oil and gas operators.

Speaking at the event heralding the coming and unveiling of the helicopter, the Vice President, Head of Operational Marketing, Airbus Helicopters, Regis

Magnac ,explained that the aircraft was designed with the support of oil companies and helicopters operators.

He further explained that the H175 offers cost competitiveness, performance and new standards of safety and comfort, adding that the aircraft is perfectly suited for oil and gas operators in Ni-

Virgin Atlantic will not pull out of Nigeria

DESPITE the news making the rounds that some foreign carriers had concluded plans to pull out of Nigeria based on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) forex policy which has prevented the mega carriers from repatriating over $600 million being the revenue they generated in Nigeria into their various home countries, Virgin Atlantic Airways has insisted.

The plans by some of the foreign airlines to suspend their services to Nigeria came after the Spanish carrier, Iberia Airlines announced last week to stop operations into the country from next month.

Speaking for the British flag carrier, the Marketing and Communications Manager, Virgin Atlantic Air-

ways, Mrs Kudirat Scott-Igbene had through a text message maintained that the airline would not close shop in the country.

She further explained that Nigeria remained a very important market to the airline, having operated flights in the country for

close to 15 years.

Scott-Igbene assured that the airline would remain in Nigeria and would continue to provide excellent services to its passengers.

“We have no plans to withdraw from Nigeria, which remains an important market for Virgin Atlantic.

geria.

The Vice President stated that the seven ton class H175 was developed

by Airbus Helicopters as its new-generation medium-sized rotorcraft, certified in accordance with the latest and most demanding regulatory requirements.

He listed the benefits of the helicopter to include: enhanced flight safety, more volume per seat for passenger comfort, mission versatility, simplified maintenance and cost effectiveness to match customer expectations.

Magnac pointed out that within its class, the H175 offers the best operating range in relation to the number of passengers.

SAA holds holiday workshop for Nigeria travel agencies SOUTH African Airways has sensitised Nigeria travel agencies on the need to sell complete holiday packages to South Africa and other destinations where the airline flies to during the first South African Airways holistic holiday workshop in Abuja.

In partnership with Legend Tours, a South African based travel management and tour company, the airline explained to the travel agencies

the importance of providing a complete travel package services to clients.

Speaking on behalf of the airline, Ohis Ehimiaghe, South African Airways Regional Manager, North, West & Central Africa, stated that the airline was working on an all-encompassing travel package to South Africa which will probably cost below N200,000 to encourage the travel agencies to sell

2016 IATA Aviation Day Africa holds in Abuja THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced its theme for the 2016 Aviation Day Africa as “Driving African Economies through the Power of Aviation.”

The conference will bring together regional stake-

“The question we must be asking the responsible authorities is; are those on the military watch list also on the watch list for aviation security or has the list been shared with responsible authorities at the airports on need to know?

holders to address current issues affecting aviation in Africa including the proliferation of taxes and charges, public-private partnerships, aviation, safety, security, next generation airports and market connectivity.

Aviation in Africa carries

over 70 million passengers a year, supports more than 6.9 million jobs on the continent and generates over $80 billion in GDP. Over the next five years the African economy is forecast to grow at a strong 4.7 per cent/year, well above the global average rate.

South African destinations and beyond.

“We at South African Airways are constantly looking for ways to improve our business strategy alongside our partners to ensure for a continuous win-win relationship at all times. It is in this vein that SAA is planning an all-inclusive travel package which will include flight ticket, hotel accommodation, ground transportation and tours that will cost about N200,000 (around $1,000),” Ohis stated.

He stressed the importance of the Travel Agencies in Abuja to the overall sales strategy of South African Airways in Nigeria which underlines the reason why the airline is holding its first holistic holiday workshop in the Nigeria capital city.

maritime N350,000 for a decade of service is slavery 30

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

—Disengaged dockworkers Stories by Tola Adenubi - Lagos

S

ome of the dock workers who have agreed to stop work at the ENL Consortium Terminal have labelled the endorsement granted by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on the N350,000 approved for them as terminal benefit by the ENL Consortium as slavery.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune exclusively, some of the workers led by Mr Gbenga Ajayi, wondered how N350,000 can be commensurate with 10 years of service.

According to them, “how can somebody work for 10 years and what he gets at the end of the day as terminal benefit is N350,000?

“In the reality of Nigeria’s current economic situation, what is N350,000? This is unacceptable. Ordinarily, if you multiply what we ought to be earning on a monthly basis at the ENL Terminal for 10 years, you will see that the N350,000 terminal benefit endorsed by NIMASA and the MWUN is rubbish.

“We were not expecting anything less than N3 million as terminal benefit for 10 years of our lives spent there. Workers at APM Terminal earn N120,000 as terminal benefits every year.

“If workers could earn N120,000 at APM Terminal on a yearly basis as terminal benefit, does that not amount to N1.2 million in 10 years? It is a shame that NIMASA, alongside the MWUN agreed to the sum of N350,000 for 10 years terminal benefit offered by ENL Terminal.

“It is a shame that even the MWUN that is supposed to fight for us have taken sides. It is our labour union that is killing us. We don’t blame the ENL Consor-

tium, we blame the labour union. If the MWUN does not see anything wrong with N350,000 for 10 years of service at the seaports, then we workers are all in trou-

problem in this country.

“Most of us are graduates and went into this kind of labour work at the ports because there were no jobs in the country,” they lamented.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Navy Training Command, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie; Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Musa Katisna; Commandant, NNS Quorra, Commodore Francis Isaac and other senior navy officials and police officers (seated) in a group photograph with the graduating police officers and men.

...Terminal benefit will be reviewed in May—MWUN The dockworkers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has assured protesting dockworkers that the terminal benefit for workers will be reviewed come May, 2016.

Disclosing this to the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive interview the President, dockworkers branch of the MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju, stated that the agreement in place is that every two years, the terminal benefit of workers will be reviewed upwards.

According to him, “in the past, there was nothing like terminal benefits or condition of service for workers at the ports. We at the MWUN was able to secure that for workers in 2014.

“The agreement we secured in 2014 is subject for

review upward in every two years. So we are set to review the terminal benefit come May, 2016. We were also able to secure for the workers condition of service which was unprecedented in the history of dock layout at the seaports.

“Again, there was nothing like pension in the past.

People work and get paid off after they retire or resign.

However, as I am talking to you, all over the seaports, dockworkers are pensionable.

“For the N350,000, we did not take sides in the whole process. It is basically a National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) agreement.

It is an agreement that is binding on all of us. However, the N350,000 is excluding their pensions. They

NSDP: NIMASA training pirates, sea robbers —AMES Maritime industry experts under the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) have condemned the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and its National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), saying that the agency is merely training pirates and sea robbers.

The experts expressed worry that the cadets being taken outside the country are not given jobs at the end of their programme and this is more harmful to the nation.

Delivering a paper titled; The Role of Regulation Compliance and Verification in Sustainable Maritime Development, a member of AMES, Mr Emmanuel Ilori, warned

ble.

“If loading 600 bags in one trailer for 10 years is allowed to be compensated with N350,000 as terminal benefits, then there is a

that if the cadets are not developed properly, they are useless to the country.

He harped on the need for the authorities to establish a progression plan for the development of cadets in order to build their confidence. He also called for linking their training with international centres of excellence.

Ilori who is also the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Ship-owners Association (NISA), expressed concerns about the aging surveyors and master mariners in Nigeria.

He said there is need to increase the quantity of Nigerian maritime surveyors, saying that the existing ones are getting old and this has created room for Indians and Philippines to take over

the industry.

According to him, “the present crop of cadets are received one of the best trainings in the world, but rather than continuing to develop the sector, we are spending millions of dollars sending cadets outside the country and turning them into pirates.

“We need to provide a developmental plan for our surveyors; this is the foundation that Nigerian maritime sector will last on. If you don’t develop these cadets properly, they are useless to the nation.

“They are even more harmful to us. You gave them basic training to go to sea, but you have not given them the jobs, therefore, you are only providing available human resources for robbers at sea.”

will get their pension as far as we are concerned.

“They are all pensionable and their pension administrator is Sigma. Since ENL started operations, Sigma has been deducting their pension. And there are guidelines for workers who wish to go.

“For the disengaged workers, Sigma will work hand-in-hand with the workers and ENL on how they (workers) will get their money.

“In the past, dockworkers have nothing like condition

of service or terminal benefits. We at the MWUN, stopped all that and secured condition of service and terminal benefits two years ago, and we are set to review that next month.

“The N350,000 is just a starting point. We will be reviewing this agreement every two years; and the workers can count on us to review it upwards every two years. By end of May, the 2014 agreement will be due for review. We have not compromised as some of the workers think.”

Nigerian Tribune

Demotion fever grips Customs Deputy, Assistant Comptrollers There is palpable fear of demotion currently pervading the top echelon of officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) due to the anticipated outcome of a circular dated April 15, 2016, which was addressed to all Deputies Comptroller General, Assistants Comptroller General, Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers, Comptrollers, Federal Operations Units, Marine Commands and Commandants, Customs Training College, Kano and Lagos and Heads of Customs units.

According to findings, the circular titled: ‘HRD/2016/19 Appointment and Certificate Verification Exercise of Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comptrollers,’ which was signed by the Deputy Comptroller General, Human Resource Development, Austin Warikoru, on behalf of the Customs Comptroller General, is aimed at demoting officers from the rank of Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comptrollers, whose educational qualification do not merit their rank.

Many senior Customs officers have started losing sleep over the outcome of the exercise as news have filtered around that some top senior Customs officers have been affected in the demotion exercise.

According to a senior Custom officer who spoke with Nigerian Tribune on the condition of anonymity, “we don’t know why the CG suddenly demanded for letter of first appointment, qualification certificate(s) at the time of employment and evidence of conversion/upgrading if any.”

AIG Maritime advocates continuous inter-agency collaboration to fight waterways’ crime

By Oluwatoyin Malik The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Maritime Police Command, Mohammed Musa Katsina, has advocated continued inter-agency synergy in the fight against crime and criminality along Nigerian waterways and riverine areas through trainings and collaboration, saying that such synergy would help in holistic protection of Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Katsina stated this last weekend at the graduation ceremony of some police and men who were trained by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Quorra in Basic Marine Operations Course.

The ceremony held at the Quorra Hall at the Naval Base, Apapa, Lagos State.

Describing the graduation as symbolic, AIG Katsina said it had further strengthened the synergy

between the maritime police command and the Nigerian Navy, which he said was necessary because police could not do the job of dealing with those he called “aquatic criminals” alone.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, who resumed duties at the maritime police command a few weeks ago, said that his major preoccupation had been to ensure that the existing structure he met on ground would be further strengthened.

“It was in pursuit of that we sent some officers, inspectors and other ranks to be with the Nigerian Navy to undergo intensive maritime training,” he stated further, adding that “it showed the need to work on collaborative platform to make sure we jointly deal with activities of aquatic criminals.

“Most of our duties are on the waterways and riverine areas. The police cannot do

it alone, the Navy has the capacity, and the training our men underwent will make you appreciate the efforts of the Navy in collaborating and in training our personnel.”

“The training has widened their scope and their mental horizon, as well as put them in a better position to overcome fear of the sea and to work with the Navy personnel whom they are going to interact with occasionally in the course of duty, to ensure security in the waterways,” he AIG spoke further, promising that women police would be involved in the next training.

Katsina also stated that the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase considered the training as very crucial and essential, just as he had been a strong advocate for inter-agency partnership, hence the reason he was asked to represent him at the ceremony.

31 news Reps stop N309bn FG bond for electricity Order immediate probe Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

T

he House of Representatives, on Wednesday stopped the move to raise a Federal Government’s secured bond of N309 billion to finance the outrageous shortfalls in the Nigerian electricity market.

The House also directed the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) to immediately stop the move to raise the bond.

This came just as the House mandated its Committees on Power, Privatisation and Commercialisation, Aids, Loans and Debts Management to investigate the usage of the N213 billion intervention fund provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2015, through the Nigerian Electricity Sector Intervention facility.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Honourable Edward Pwajok (PlateauPDP), which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara.

While moving the motion at the pelnary on Wednesday, Honourable Pwajok expressed deep concern that the planned massive borrowing was in spite of the intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in March 25, 2015 through the grant of a bail out.

According to the lawmaker, “the bail out was to the tune of N213billion through the Nigerian Electricity Sector Intervention (NESI) facility.”

“In spite of that intervention, the shortfall, instead of being wiped out, has continued to escalate at the rate of about N15 billion per month (equivalent to N500 million daily).rising to a total-market shortfall ofN400 billion as of December 31, 2015.

“A continuing incidence of market shortfall is a distinctive action for new investors to venture into the Nigerian electricity market, the implication being that the projected generating capacity expansion is an illustration since any increment in generating capacity would further escalate the market shortfall,” he noted.

Honourable Pwajok lamented that Distribution Companies (DISCOs), which collected revenues, failed to remit in full to other market participants without any measures put in

place by the NERC to block the leakages.

While noting that there were no penalties for defaulters, he expressed concerned that in spite of no noticeable improvement in the electricity sector, either in the area of generation, transmission or distribution, tariffs had been increased twice since 2013.

Contributing, Honourable Chris Azubogu said the NERC was not doing much, adding that year in year out it sought for bailout from the Federal Government.

Also another lawmaker, Honourable Johnson Agbonayinma (Edo-PDP), dewhile contributing, scribed the current situation as “a total failure to

the Nigerian people, which should be immediately tackled.”

According to him, “there are a lot of questions as to how the bail out, to the tune of N213 billion, was utilised, we need to call on the CBN Governor to come and explain what the N309 billion bond will be used for.’’

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

After several contributions from members, the House urged NERC to devise a monitoring mechanism to measure and enforce full monthly remittance by DISCOs, recoup all miss-appropriated funds that resulted in the accumulated market shortfalls.

According to the House, NERC should also apply

sanctions for any defaulter, including the threat to withdraw the licences of erring DISCOs. The House further mandated its Committee on Power, Privatisation and Commercialisation and Aids, Loans and Debt Management to investigate the matter and report back to the House within six weeks.

Senate raises the alarm over INEC’s failure to conclude senatorial elections in Rivers, others Due processes are followed —INEC Ayodele Adesanmi and Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja The Senate, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over pending senatorial rerun elections in six out of the 109 senatorial districts across the country.

This followed a Point of Order raised by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (PDP, Bayelsa East) during the plenary, stating that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owed the upper chamber explanations on why the pending rerun elections had not been conducted.

He noted that the non-representation of some states in the Senate violated Section 48 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which stated that: “The Senate shall consist of three senators from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

The lawmaker asked the Senate to take up the issue with the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmmud Yaqub, that the people of the affected areas which were, Kogi East, Anambra Central, Imo North, Rivers East, Rivers West and Rivers South-East had constitutional right to be represented in the Senate.

According to him, “We have not had representation in this chamber from Rivers State, part of Anambra, Imo, Kogi and some other states.

INEC concluded elections in one week in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but in these states, they have no representation here and it does not make any sense.

“It is a violation of the constitution; the people of these states have a right to have representation here. The INEC chairman owes us an explanation on why these elections have not been concluded” The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, explained that he was aware that INEC would meet to fix dates for the elections on Thursday.

He said: “It is clear in the constitution that INEC

should quickly conduct, within 30 days, bye-elections where vacancies exist and so it is far past 30 days when vacancies existed in some places. It is important that we urge INEC to ensure that these elections are conducted as soon as possible so that every part of the country, every state will have their full representation in the National Assembly.”

It will be recalled that on Tuesday, this week, people from Imo North senatorial district staged a protest at the National Assembly to call attention to the delay in conducting the rerun election of the senatorial district

by INEC. Meanwhile, the chairman of the National Electoral Commission ((INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu, on Wednesday, explained the rationale behind the numbers of inconclusive elections conducted by the commission in some of the parts of the country in the recent time.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, on Wednesday, Professor Yakubu stated that the commission, in declaring such elections inconclusive, followed due process in line with “the electoral Act, the INEC guidelines and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He explained that the fact that the elections were declared inconclusive should not be seen as if the commission was not competent to conduct free,fair and credible elections, but be considered as an improvement to what it used to be, and as well a sign that elections were getting better in Nigeria.

According to him: “To me INEC has done nothing wrong in the eye of the law, but has only strived to improve on the conduct of transparent elections where the votes of the electorate will count.”

“Nigerians have been praying for the day our votes will count today, I am very happy to say that vote counts and that elections

have now become more competitive.

“Secondly, Nigerians have been praying for a day when we would have two strong political parties and now we have two strong political, parties and there are others that are equally coming on strong and winning in areas where they have never won before.

“From all indications, elections are becoming very competitive and the margin

of victory are very tight in recent elections, most of the rerun elections conducted under my leadership has been keenly contested for.”

“Election in Nigeria is becoming better and votes are now counting. For instance, there used to be one strong political party that always win elections, but now, there are two strong parties.”

“Take the case of Kogi, for instance, in the last gover-

norship election, two strong political parties and candidates, a former governor and an incumbent governor, in Bayelsa State, two strong parties, two strong candidates, a former governor and an incumbent governor and the same scenario played out also in Rivers state where a former governor and an incumbent governor were the main actors even though they were not candidates in the elections.”

APC, Edo govt officials shun deputy gov’s guber declaration Banji Aluko -Benin City Edo State deputy governor, Pius Odubu, on Wednesday, laid to rest uncertainty over his governorship ambition, as he formally declared his intention to seek the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state governorship election fixed for September 10, 2016.

The deputy governor, who declared his ambition at his campaign office in Benin, declared the incumbent government of Governor Adams Oshiomhole as transparent, saying there would be no need to probe the governor as there was nothing to look out for.

The traditional visit to the APC state secretariat after similar declaration, however, did not take place, raising fear that the party may not be disposed to Odubu’s ambition, just like Oshiomhole, who is backing the chairman of the state economic team, Godwin Obaseki.

It was also observed that commissioners, special advisers, special assistants, executive directors and other political appointees in the Oshiomhole-led government did not attend the event.

When contacted, Edo State chairman of the APC, Anslem Ojezua, said he duly informed the deputy governor of the inability of the State Working Committee(SWC) to receive him on Wednesday, adding that the Odubu team was advised to pick another date for the visit.

At the declaration, Odubu said he was stepping into the race with a vision to harness the potentials of the Edo people and combine their intellectual capacities to run a service-driven government that would be committed to the welfare and well-being of the people.

When asked if he would tow the line of his boss by not paying bursary and scholarship to students, he said he was among the people who argued that it was difficult to differentiate between the children of the rich and the poor, adding that the challenge was in identifying in-

digent students.

He described as falsehood his alleged attempt to kill his boss, saying it “is an old and tired lie concocted to tarnish my image in the eye of the public.”

He debunked speculations that he was told to step down from the governorship race, saying, “my desire to contest has gone down well with all and sundry; stepping down is not in my calculation.”

He said as a loyal party man, he would accept the outcome of the APC primaries if he did not win as long as the primaries were free, fair and transparent.

Intervene in Oshiomhole/ Odubu feud, PDP tells Catholic Church Banji Aluko -Benin City The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Archbishop of the Benin Archdiocese, Most Reverend Augustine Obiora Akubeze, to call the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and his deputy, Honourable Pius Odubu, to order, over their recent outburst.

The party said the allegation by Governor Oshiomhole that his deputy wanted to kill him amounted to blackmail, describing it as a lie to defend the lack of coordination between the person of governor and his deputy.

State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih,

stated this when a governorship aspirant of the party, Chief Solomon Edebiri, visited the State Working Committee(SWC) of PDP to intimate them of his intention to vie for governor of Edo State, as well as to begin a tour of the local government areas of the state.

He asked why Governor Oshiomhole reasoned that his deputy wanted him dead at the twilight of his administration when the deputy would have benefitted more if this was done at the beginning of their administration.

He said it was a common knowledge that the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State after Adams Oshiomhole’s administration was a poisoned chalice.

32 news

Friday, Friday, 22 22 April, April, 2016 2016 Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Recruitment: PSC warns against monetary inducement Chris Agbambu - Abuja

T

he Police Service Commission (PSC) has warned that anybody caught giving or receiving money to facilitate recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted.

Already, arrests have been made in some parts of the country and the police are currently investigating the cases to establish the level of involvement of the culprits.

The commission has continued to receive reports of fraudsters soliciting for payment to help candidates either to obtain recruitment form or to assist them secure employment.

The head of press and public relations, Ikechukwu Ani, noted that the recruitment forms are free and filled online, adding that the commission’s paid advertisement on the recruitment also stated boldly that this form “is absolutely free.”

He said that the chairman of the commission, Mr Mike Okiro, warned that the commission will deal decisively with anybody who decided to extort money from applicants in the name of helping them to get the forms or secure employment.

He called on the public to report to the commission any body found undermining the exercise through il-

legal sale of the recruitment forms.

According to him, “the commission is irrevocably committed to discharging

this constitutional obligation of recruiting 10,000 policemen as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to the satisfaction of Nigerians and in-

sisted that the hands of the commission are not tied by anybody.

He warned the staff of the commission to resist the temptation of receiving money from

applicants or their sponsors, adding that any staff caught, will be dealt with in line with the public service rules and will also be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, as at 9.35 a.m today, (Wednesday), about 806,646 applicants have already submitted their applications.

Police arrest Yoruba Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe, in Osun Oluwole Ige-Osogbo There was mild drama in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Wednesday evening, when some policemen attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Osogbo, arrested a popular Nolly-

wood actress, Mercy Aigbe, for allegedly being in pressesion police cap in her car.

Aigbe, who was chauffeurdriven by a young man at around 4:20 p.m, in a Honda saloon car, was given a hot chase by the policemen after sighting the police cap

in the gold-colour vehicle.

The security agents eventually caught up with her at the popular Olaiya junction in Osogbo, while her car was thoroughly searched by the policemen, who shot sporadically in into air.

When Aigbe was ordered

N400m fraud: Metuh’s ill-health stalls trial Sunday Ejike - Abuja The trial of the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, over money laundering charges slammed against him by the Federal Government before Justice Okon Abang of a federal high court sitting in Abuja, was on Wednesday, stalled following his ill health.

Metuh, according to reports, was hospitalised at the National Hospital, Abuja, after a minor accident.

He was said to have slipped off from the swivel chair reserved for him at the inauguration ceremony of PDP caretaker committees for Borno and Kebbi states.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting for the Federal Government, had on January 15, arraigned the

PDP spokesman and his firm, Destra Investments Limited, for allegedly receiving sum of N400 million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki and used the sum for political campaigns for PDP. When the matter came up on Wednesday for continuation of trial, the court was informed that Metuh would not be able to stand for the trial because of his illness and the court consequently, adjourned till May 17.

Metuh told newsmen shortly after the case was adjourned that he defied doctor’s orders to be in court on Wednesday for the matter.

According to him; “If I am not here, my bail conditions may be revoked and I don’t want that; I was in court for about three hours before the proceedings of the day, my lawyers are well aware of

my health conditions, that is why they prayed the court for an adjournment”.

The adjournment was to allow the first defendant Metuh attend to his health.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Maimuna Maimuna Owagida Owagida Yusuf Yusuf now now MAIMUNA MAIMUNA YUSUF YUSUFMUSTAPHA MUSTAPHALAWAL. LAWAL. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Idris Idris Ladidi Ladidi Yakubu Yakubu now now MUSA MUSA LADIDI LADIDI YAKUBU. All former YAKUBU. All former documents documents remain remain valid. valid.

General General public public take take note. note.

out of the car, she obliged the policemen, just as her appearance drew a huge crowd of people to the scene, who jostled to catch a glimpse of her while being questioned by four policemen In the process, the actress’s vehicle papers and phones were confiscated by the policemen, a development which made the embattled actress to put a call across to someone who spoke with one of the policemen before the vehicle papers and phone were released to her.

Another team of policemen subsequently arrived at the scene, shooting into the air to disperse the crowd.

The policemen later arrested Aigbe’s driver, before ordering the actress to enter her car while one of the policemen drove them along with the police team.

When contacted on the telephone, the State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Mrs Folasade Odoro, said she was not around in the state to comment on the development.

33 news Court stops PDP’s ward congresses in Ogun Clement Idoko - Abuja

A

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ogun State Executive Committee, led by Mr Adebayo Dayo, from holding ward congresses of the party in the state, scheduled for Saturday nationwide.

Two chieftains of the party in Ogun, had dragged the national leadership of the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court, Abuja, over allegations on expired tenure of the Ogun State Executive Committee of the PDP. The plaintiffs, the state Youth Leader of the Working Committee and the Executive Committee of the Ogun State chapter, Alhaji Taofeek Oshundara and

Fashola woos foreign investors Christian Okeke - Abuja

MINISTER of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday, called on foreign investors to avail themselves of business opportunities available in the country, and invest in areas like road construction, power and housing.

He stated that the Federal Government was ready to partner with investors that showed interest in the area of infrastructural development in the country.

Speaking when the Ambassador of Italy to Nigeria, Fulvio Rustico, paid him a visit in his office at Mabushi, Fashola noted that the country’s market was big enough to accommodate any serious investor that sought genuine investment.

The Minister said government had resolved to evolve a national housing policy that would be tailored to the needs of citizenry.

According to him, there was the need for government to resort to local raw materials as against the imported ones, with a view to boost not just the economy but also to serve as an avenue to generate employment of youths, as well as encourage cottage industries.

Speaking earlier, the envoy said the Italian government was seeking collaboration between Nigeria and Italy, to fine-tune the gray areas that would be of great benefit to both countries.

Meanwhile, the minister also received the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo Sebastin de Erie, where he called on the government of Spain to invest in Nigeria, especially in the critical areas of road construction, power and housing.

Chief Moyo Agoro, had approached the court with a claim that the tenure of the party’s executives in the state, had expired, adding that they should no longer be recognised by the national secretariat of the party and INEC. Other defendants in the suit No. FHC/ABJ/ CS/185/2016 are Mr Adebayo Dayo and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo who are sued for themselves and on behalf of the Ogun State working

committee of the PDP. The Dayo-led Executives were also in court on Monday, to ask the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant them permission to hold the ward congresses of the party in the state. PDP had scheduled the conduct of ward congresses of the party nationwide on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

But Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who refused to grant them the prayers, said status quo should be main-

tained until the determination by the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, where the case was transferred to for hearing and determination.

Kolawole said in spite of the fact that the first and second defendants reside in Abuja, the case would be better decided at Abeokuta, for “convenience and quorum” since the issue according to him, involved is from the Ogun State chapter of the party.

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Prophet Oyelami for burial Saturday THE remains of Prophet Gabriel Adediti Oyelami, Deputy General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide (a.k.a. Baba Alasepe), who died on Friday, February 12, 2016 at age 105, will be interred at the Christ Apostolic Church, Alasepe Prayer ground (Ife – Ibadan Expressway), Ikire, Osun State, on Saturday, April 30, at 9.a.m. This will be followed by home service at the same venue.

Funeral activities had commenced since Monday, April 25, 2016 with commendation service at Amphi Theatre, Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan; CAC Alasepe, Olayinka Omiyale Street, Ejigbo in Lagos; CAC Oke Irorun, Ikire and all CAC district councils headquarters nationwide.

Song will be ministered

by the CAC Youth Fellowship, CAC Students Association, CAC Goodwomen and CAC Ordained Ministers Wives, from Tuesday, April 26 to Thursday, April 28.

Joint Christian wake and lying-in-state will hold on Friday, April 29.

Outing service and reception for guests follows immediately at the same venue at Ikire.

He was survived by wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. May his soul rest in peace.

Prophet Oyelami

Adeyefa’s turbaning

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh (right), exchanging pleasantries with Mr San Carlos (left), while the Chairman of Wells-San Carlos Agro Farms Limited, Captain Idahosa Okunbo (retd) (middle) and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, watch, during the visit of the Wells - San Carlos team, on Wednesday.

No resources for overseas medical trips –Buhari Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja

FEDERAL Government of Nigeria has said it would not provide resources to any government official to travel abroad for medical attention unless the case cannot be handled in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari made this known at the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual General Conference and delegates’ meeting of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) tagged “Sokoto 2016” held in the ancient city of Sokoto.

President Buhari, who was represented by the Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, said “while this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly

not encourage expending Nigerian hard earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria.”

President Buhari further called on the health professionals to discontinue with the inter-professional crises, which he said, had impacted negatively on the healthcare delivery system of the nation.

“We have seen the hazards that this unfortunate and highly preventable problems have caused to the quality of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. May I employ members of NMA to always imbibe the spirit of team work to ensure harmonious relationship with other health professionals, no profession can

Fire razes 95 shops at Kurmi Market NO fewer than 95 shops were razed by fire that gutted the famous Kurmi Market in Kano metropolis, on Tuesday night.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Mustapha Rulwan, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano, on Wednesday.

Rulwan said the fire which started around 10.p.m was believed to have emanated from a section of the market where empty plastic bottles were stocked.

“The fire was said to have started from the empty plastic bottles section. This is the information we got based on

our preliminary investigation,” he said.

He, however, explained that further investigation into the incident would reveal the actual cause of the inferno, adding that his men were still trying to unearth the cause of the incident.

According to him, the agency would soon come up with measures aimed at preventing future occurrence.

The director advised traders to always be vigilant while using fire so as to prevent fire outbreak.

NAN recalled that a midnight fire, on Tuesday, gutted the Kurmi market, destroying property worth millions of Naira.

effectively and efficiently function without the other,” he said.

Speaking on the welfare of the health professionals, being one of the contentious issues in the sector, the President said, “government will review all previous agreements and take reasonable decisions that will not infringe on the right of the workers.

This government will invest in programmes that will improve capacity of all cadres of health workers.”

THE turbaning of Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Adesokan Adeyefa Adefajo as the ninth Chief Imam of the central mosque of Odeomu land,at 10:a.m,will hold on Saturday, April 30,at Ansar-Ud-Deen primary school playground,OkeOdo,Odeomu,Osun State.

According to a release jointly issued on behalf of Adefajo Dynasty worldwide,

by Princes Adeolu Adeyefa and Tajudeen Adesola Adefajo, the 88-year-old Chief Imam, will be turbaned at the occasion, by the league of Imams in the State, under the leadership of the chairman,league of Imams and Alfas of Osun State, who is also the Chief Imam of Osogbo Land, Alhaji (Shaykh) Musa Animasahun Obatedo II. Personalities expected on the occasion include and not limited to the immediate past Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Wale Adesiyan,

former Minister of Youths, Sports and Culture, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi (SOAR), the Executive Secretary, SUBEB, the Osun State, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole (Koloo), Alhaji (Sheik) Tajudden Oke, Alhaji S.O. Adeyemi, among other dignitaries. All sons and daughters of Adefajo’s Dynasty home and abroad, as well as invited guests are enjoined to attend punctually.

by eminent Nigerians such as former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State, Honourable Toyin Ayinde; Pastor and Pastor (Mrs) Kalejaiye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG); Pastor P .S Oluwasekan, District Pas-

tor, the Apostolic Church Nigeria, Akoka District and the Human Resources Manager, Chevron Oil, Mr Sanjo Bankole. Deaconess NikeSope, started her musical career under the tutelage of Evangelist Toun Soetan, and has been in the industry over 20 years ago. She has ministered in so many Apostolic churches’ conferences and other Christian functions.

The maiden album will feature evangelist Opeoluwa Orobiyi a.k.a Omo’ ba Eledu.

Adeyefa

Album launch GOSPEL sensational musician, Deaconess Nike Sope-Bankole will launch her maiden album entitled: “Unchanging God” on April 30, 2016.

The event will hold at Chevron Club, Estaport Drive, Soluyi, Gbagada, Lagos, and will be graced

Mama Oluwakemi Sanni for burial Saturday WAKE keep for Mama Cecilia Ekorowiro Oluwakemi Sanni (nee Aigbovo), who died at

Mama Sanni

age 72 , will hold on Friday, April 29, 2016 at her residence, at 10, Ilupeju Estate, Aba Alfa, Akobo, Ibadan at 4:00 p.m.

The burial service will hold at Assemblies of God Church, Alegongo-Akobo, Ibadan, on Saturday, April 30, at 10:00 a.m. Reception follows immediately at Alegongo Community High School’s field, Alegongo-Akobo, Ibadan.

She was survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Sope-Bankole

34 news

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

You cannot preside over my trial, Saraki tells CCT boss Sunday Ejike - Abuja

S

ENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, told the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr Danladi Yakubu Umar, that he lacks the moral justification to preside over his trial on the allegation preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Also, the tribunal chairman, Umar, told the security details of the Senate President that they did not suppose to enter the tribunal venue with guns.

The development caused the security men to walk out of the venue voluntarily.

When the matter came up on Wednesday, the Senate President insisted that Mr Umar was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the same agency that allegedly filed the criminal charges against him on behalf of the Federal Government.

In a motion on notice argued by Saraki’s counsel, Rapheal Ajibola Oluyede, the Senate president claimed that since the antigraft agency was largely responsible for his trial and also responsible for investigation of the N10 million bribery allegation against the chairman of the tribunal, there was no way the chairman would be objective and impartial in handling his matter.

He claimed that since the “Sword of Damocles is dangling on the head of the tribunal chairman,” he would be tempted to dance to the tune of the EFCC, if only to rescue himself from the bribery allegation levelled against him.

Oluyede asked Umar to honourably withdraw himself from further participating in Saraki’s trial

in the interest of justice, insisting that available facts had proved that EFCC was largely responsible for the investigation of Saraki and that it was the same EFCC that filed the charge and allegedly deployed its main lawyer, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, to prosecute the matter.

He said a purported letter

by EFCC clearing the chairman of the allegation, after over one year indictment, could not stand in the face of the law, because it did not emanate from the Attorney General of the Federation, who is the appropriate au-

thority to issue such.

“We do not know what prompted EFCC to recount on the indictment of the CCT chairman when there are sufficient grounds for the EFCC to request for the call logs of the conversation between Umar and one Rashidi Taiwo who the N10 million bribe was demanded from,” the counsel said.

In his objection to the motion, the prosecuting counsel, Jacobs, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the motion for lacking in merit.

He accused the defendant of harassment, saying the

bill before the Senate was designed to whittle down the powers of the CCT chairman.

“The absurdity in this application is that the defendant here is still performing his duty as Senate president and still presides over the Senate as of today.

“He has been charged to court whereas the investigation of the CCT chairman by the EFCC remains an investigation. He has not been charged to court or convicted. It is the defendant that has been charged to court.

The issues raised in the ap-

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday, challenged All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure it delivers on its promises of “change,” as this will make re-election in 2019 a walkover for the party.

The speaker said this when he received a delegation from Delta State APC, under the umbrella of Delta APC Contact Committee, in his office, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Turaki Hassan, in Abuja.

Dogara noted that nothing

the application sought by the defendant, it will then means that your Lordship has un-wittingly taken over the functions of the Court of Appeal.

“If your Lordship upholds the application of the defendant, it then means that if an allegation is levelled against any judge, the judge will not sit over any matter.”

The tribunal chairman, after listening to parties’ submissions on the motion, adjourned till today to deliver ruling and for continuation of the cross examination of the prosecution witness.

I did not initiate $6m no-trial deal with suspect —Adoke Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja A former Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Bello Adoke, on Wednesday, denied initiating no-trial deal with any suspect while he was in office as the country’s number one law officer.

Reacting to a report in the media (not Nigerian Tribune) that the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the 2011 non-prosecution agreement executed between the Federal Government and Tidex Nigeria Limited, Adoke said it was the anti-corruption commission, under the chairmanship of Mrs Farida Waziri, that initiated the deal.

According to him, the anti-corruption commission nominated Mr Godwin Obla as its lawyer to represent its interest in the negotiations conducted under the auspices of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

“I would ordinarily have refrained from commenting on the issue, knowing fully well that the circumstances

surrounding the execution of all the Non-Prosecution Agreements signed in 2011 are known to relevant agencies of government, including the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the EFCC. “But, since the aforementioned publication hit the newsstands, I have been inundated with calls from genuinely concerned Nigerians, seeking to know what is responsible for these deliberate attempts to smear my name and bring me to public odium.

“My answer is simply that

the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation did not initiate these settlements. It was the EFCC, under the chairmanship of Mrs Farida Waziri, that initiated these settlements and nominated Mr Godwin Obla as the lawyer to represent their interest in the negotiations conducted under the auspices of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“It was when the negotiations were concluded to the satisfaction of all the parties that I signed on behalf of

could sell the party faster and wider than providing tools of empowerment for Nigerians to thrive in their businesses and daily lives, through provision of infrastructure and other needs as promised by the party.

While commenting on how Delta and other opposition states could be captured by the APC in 2019, the speaker said “a better way of getting there will be that in all the APC states, the APC controlled Federal Government is able to deliver on its promise.

“If we are able to do that, you may not even have to suffer, you may not even

the Federal Government of Nigeria and Mr Emmanuel Akomoye (then, Secretary to the EFCC) signed on behalf of the EFCC. “The copies of the agreements are in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and I believe with the EFCC as well,” the former Attorney-General of the Federation stated in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.

He noted that this was the process adopted in the settlements that were initiated by the EFCC in 2011, including those of Shell, Saipem,

KBR, JGC, among others, which infracted Nigerian laws.

Adoke assured Nigerians that during his tenure as Nigeria’s law officer, he conducted himself with utmost decorum and ensured the observance of due process, transparency and accountability.

“I am, however, confident that in due time, the dark cloud that bestrode the horizon will disappear and Nigerians will become aware of the truth and be able to make value judgment on all these issues,” he concluded.

Anisulowo, ex-minister, kidnapped in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta ARMED men, on Wednesday evening, kidnapped former Minister of State for Education, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, at Igbogila area of Ogun State.

Anisulowo, according to one of her younger brother, Kola Popoola, was abducted alongside her security aide, while she was returning from her farm.

The victim, who celebrat-

ed her 65th birthday some weeks back in Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewaland, represented Ogun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

Confirming the development, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the command got a report that Anisulowo was kidnapped this evening by armed men.

“Yes. We have the report that the senator was

2019 elections will be difficult for APC if... —Dogara Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

plication are matters of sentiment which has no place in law,” Jacobs stated.

The prosecution told the tribunal that Mr Oluyede, who moved the application at the proceedings on Wednesday, had never appeared for Saraki at the tribunal and that he was not a counsel on record as of the day and hour the motion was filed.

Jacobs accused Saraki of harassing the tribunal by filing what he termed frivolous application before various courts, adding that “if the tribunal decide

have to pool resources, you may not even have to campaign, it will just come automatically that these are crops of people who will deliver on the mandate and because it’s been done elsewhere, if we give them the opportunity in Delta State as well, they can replicate that.”

Commending the group for planning way ahead the elections, he noted that “without vision the people perish and maybe if we’ve been in opposition for too long and not able to wrest power from the mainstream, it may be that the parts were not well articulated.

“That is why I love the fact

that you are beginning to put your house in order well ahead of time. Because one thing with vision is that it gives you a destination and once you have a destination, you know the roads or the pathways that will take you to that destination.”

Dogara said the hardship and challenges currently being faced by Nigerians would soon be a thing of the past as the budget of change would be finally brought on stream next week, following meetings held with the president on Tuesday and subsequent ones scheduled to put final touches to the document.

kidnapped this evening by some armed men.

“The state commissioner of police, Abdulmajid Ali,

has despatched teams to Ilaro for the rescue operation. We will rescue her unhurt,” Adejobi said.

Fuel dealers close stations in Ondo, reject N86.50 per litre Hakeem Gbadamosi - A kure FOLLOWING the sealing off of about 10 filling stations in Ondo State by officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), owners of petroleum filling stations, on Wednesday, ordered the closure of all filling stations in the state.

Speaking on the development, chairman and secretary of the union, Prince Adefolajimi Adedapo and Michael Ale respectively, said they decided to embark on strike over alleged harassment and intimidation by DPR officials, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the police and the task force on petroleum in the state.

According to Adedapo, members of the association were being forced to

sell petrol at N86.50 by government agencies while many of their stations had been sealed off.

“Since we have not got the product at the approved price as we buy at depot between N135 and N145 per litre in Lagos and Warri, there is no way we could sell the product at approved price.

“We are in business to make profit and we are under obligation to pay taxes, we find it difficult to sell at a loss,” he said.

He called on government to enforce the regulated price from the depots all over the country and not at the outlets if government was really serious in enforcing the pump price.

He challenged the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to make public, the number of trucks approved for loading to Ondo State on a daily basis.

35 news NLC, TUC present N56,000 new national minimum wage to govt Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Workers have not fared well in the last one year —Wabba Soji-Eze Fagbemi -Abuja

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head the May Day celebration coming up on Sunday across the world, the organised Labour in Nigeria has presented a N56,000 new national minimum wage to the government, saying the present N18,000 minimum wage has long been eroded by the prevailing economic situation in the country.

The two Labour centres in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly presented the demand to the government on Tuesday.

In an interview with journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday, president of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the organised Labour had made a formal presentation and officially submitted the new minimum wage demand of N56,000 to the government on Tuesday.

He pointed out that Nigerian workers had not fared well in the last one year, due to combination of many factors such as non-payment of salaries and the general

poor state of the economy.

Wabba said: “On the issue of minimum wage, I can say authoritatively that as of yesterday (Tuesday), we have made a formal demand of N56,000 minimum wage to government.

“That demand has been submitted officially to the

Federal Government and we hope that the tripartite system will look at it and review will be put in place.

“Our argument is that: yes, it is true that the economy is not doing well, but the law is also clear that this issue must be looked into; and workers should not be seen to be

sleeping on their rights.

“These are processes, but when we come to the round table, we can then see the best way out. But I think it is obvious that since it is a product of the law, it is usually required that the tripartite process be put in place so that together we can look

at the issues.

“It is obvious that the workers have not fared well in the last one year, but we will not continue to lament.

What we try to do is to work out a process of engagement on how those issues can be addressed.”

On the financial crisis in

From left, wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari; the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Florence, during a visit of the president’s wife to the Olubadan’s palace, in Ibadan, on Wednesday.

19 political parties meet in Abuja, seek corrupt-free trial for Saraki Christian Okeke and Ademola Adegbite -Abuja A total of 19 political parties met in Abuja, on Wednesday, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene; not to stop the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), but to ensure that the process of the fight against corruption by his government did not end up being even more corrupt than the corruption it sought to eliminate.

The parties maintained that justice should not only be done in Saraki’s case, as well as any other case, but that it should be glaringly seen to be done.

Speaking on behalf of the parties, the national chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, insisted that the parties held the view that if it was true that Saraki was being tried because of the internal politics of his party, that in itself would represent an abuse of public trust and a grand act of corruption.

Tax payers’ money should not be wasted in settling political scores and the rest of the country need not be dragged into the APC internal squabbles,” he said.

The national chairman,

however, said if the trial was about strengthening probity and accountability in public office, the parties gave their support, even as they insisted that justice must be seen to have been done in the entire process.

According to him, the parties had sufficient reasons to believe that the Senate President was singled out for persecution because he emerged against the wish of his party leadership.

He said: “We want to put on record that we are solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption, a fight we believe is crucial to the survival of our country.

“We, however, wish to note that this is not the first time a president of this country would be declaring war against corruption. In fact, the reason corruption is still a primary issue for the Buhariled administration is that previous attempts have not been as successful as they should be.

“We aver that one of the major obstacles in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, over the years, is the way and manner it has been fought so as to give the impression that the fight is selective and targeted only at perceived enemies of government.

“Once an anti-corruption action is perceived as politically-motivated, then the entire war against corruption easily gets reduced to a means of settling political scores rather than genuine commitment to fighting corruption “We are afraid that if care is not taken, the President Buhari’s avowed commitment to fighting corruption may end up in the way of his predecessors.

“The manner that Saraki’s trial has proceeded at the Code of Conduct Tribunal gives us serious reasons to be concerned that there is the real possibility that justice may not be done.

“For avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate that we are not in any way canvassing that Saraki should not be tried. We are only insisting that the trial should follow the due process of law and be transparent. This is the only way the outcome would be credible and acceptable to all citizens and the rest of the world.”

Meanwhile, Nigerians in Diaspora Group for Rule of Law, on Wednesday, described the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, as a victim of persecution that was being made to look like prosecution for alleged corruption offences, saying the issues

were being deliberately confused to achieve the vindictive goals of some highly-placed individuals.

According to the group, “the supposed trial of Senator Bukola Saraki was already concluded and a guilty verdict passed in the media and court of public opinion before the Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting properly got underway.”

The group, therefore, countered those asking for his resignation, warning that critical national institution like the CCT might be irreparably damaged, if continually deployed as an instrument of oppression as opposed to anti-corruption assets that it was meant to be.

Apparently reacting to the several calls for Saraki’s resignation, including from another United Kingdom-based group, the group, in a statement issued and endorsed by Collins Achaluda, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, in Abuja, then urged Nigerians to demand prosecution of public officers that were being accused of corruption as opposed to their being persecuted.

It asserted that Saraki would not have been dragged before the CCT, if he had not dared to challenge the establishment’s attempt to impose another candidate as President of the Senate.

many states across the federation and how feasible such states could afford N56,000 minimum wage, the NLC president said it was a matter of the law and that any worker must not earn below what can sustain him in a month.

Wabba said: “First, you must understand the logic behind the minimum wage.

The logic is to ensure that no worker earns below what can be able to sustain him for a period of 30 days. You also know that when we negotiated the N18,000 minimum wage, you know the value in terms of exchange rate, it was almost at N110 to a dollar. Today, it has virtually reduced to nothing.

“It is also about the law. The law envisages that within a circle of five years, the issue of inflation will be there, the issue of purchasing power reduction will be there. Mind you, the challenges we are passing through in our economy, we don’t expect it to be there forever. It is something that is transient. Economies will always go up and down.

We are passing through a very turbulent time.

“The issue of minimum wage is not essentially for now, it is an issue we must take on board if we want to address the issue of corruption. Without taking proper care of the worker, it is very difficult. That is why I said it is a process and we are going to dialogue around that process. That is why collective bargaining is important.

“Remember that President Barack Obama increased the US minimum wage in 2008/2009 when the US economy was in recession.

Because his understanding is that people need to be empowered to have the purchasing power to buy.

If manufacturers are producing and nobody is buying, the economy will be at a standstill because people don’t have the purchasing power. And that is the situation we are in now. It is an argument.”

Judge withdraws from Abba Moro’s trial Sunday Ejike - Abuja The trial of former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, before a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, suffered setback, as the trial Judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere, handling the matter, withdrew from the case on personal reasons.

When the case came up on Wednesday, for commencement of trial after the accused persons were arraigned on February 29, Justice Chikere said she is returning the case file to the

Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment on personal reasons.

The former Minister of Interior is standing trial for allegedly defrauding immigration applicants of over N670 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had arraigned Moro along with a former permanent secretary in the Interior Ministry, Mrs Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia; a former director in the ministry, Felix Alayebami, and a firm, Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, on 11 count-charge over

their alleged involvement in the botched 2014 recruitment exercise of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), while Moro was a minister.

They were accused of defrauding 675, 675 graduate applicants of about N675,675,000, having been made to pay N1000 each as processing fees.

The four defendants were also accused of breaching the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 in the award of the contract for the organisation of the recruitment test to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited.

36

south-westnews

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Mimiko predicts bright future for Ondo PDP, lauds LG poll

O

NDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has predicted a bright future for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, following the overwhelming victory of the party at the Local Government election held last Saturday.

He said the election of local government chairmen and councilors will deepen the programmes of the state government at the grass-

roots level and put in place robust feedback mechanism for efficient service delivery.

Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, on Wednesday, Mimiko said the covenant he had with the people of the state was to keep working for them round the clock, adding that his government has been able to manifest the fact that government belong to the people through the various programmes of his adminis-

tration that have given the people of the state a good voice in the comity of states in the nation and beyond.

Describing his government as a responsible one, whose policy has translated to the upliftment of the lives of the people, Mimiko expressed optimism in a bright future of the PDP, noting that his administration has engendered the right confidence in the people through its people-

driven projects that spread across the state.

The governor urged the stakeholders to sustain their high level of commitment and love for the party and solicited their support in the forthcoming revalidation and registration of new members of the party.

Mimiko, who expressed satisfaction at the turn out of eligible voters and the arrangement put in place

by Ondo State Indepen-

dent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), during the local government election, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has performed well in all areas of development to always get the support of the people of the state in all elections.

He said the elected officers are very close to the people at the grassroots.

“What they will do at the local government level is to deepen what the party is doing at the state level because they are very close to the people. They will be in position to actually know exactly what areas they have to place emphasis on.

They will be able to put in place very robust feedback mechanism for them to know areas where there are gaps and they will be able to avail us very credible data on what we are doing and what we are yet to do,” the governor said.

Fayemi to deliver OAU lecture From left, Mrs Anne-Marie Adanna Kanuh, from National Council of Arts and Culture, Abuja; Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu- Executive Secretary, History and Culture Bureau, Kano State; Alhaji Kabir M. Dan’Asabe, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts and Culture, Niger State; Muyiwa Oladipo, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ogun State; Ambassador Dr (Mrs) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; Honourable Jonathan T. Vasta, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Niger State; Alhaji Garba Musa and Mr Adedara S. Oduguwa, historian and tourist expert, during a visit to the Awolowo’s residence in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State, by members of the Nigerian Drum Festival Group, recently.

Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu speaking with the visitors at the Efunyela Hall.

Oyo Legal Aid Council offers free services

By Alolade Ganiyu

OYO State Legal Aid Council is offering free legal services to residents of the state.

Making this known in Ibadan, capital city of the state recently, the coordinator of the council, Mrs Wumi Funmi Odutayo, said there is a government intervention for people to have access to justice, even as she appealed to people to take advantage of the offer.

Speaking during an awareness campaign at Bodija Market in Ibadan, Odutayo disclosed that the Legal Aid Council is a Federal Government parastatal, established to render legal aid and offer access to justice to Nigerian indigenes, especially those people who are low level cadres and low earners, to let them know that there is a government intervention in making access to justice easy and bring it to the grass-root, in order to sen-

sitise people of their rights.

The council, she said, will give voice to the voiceless because most Nigerians do not know their rights; they are too busy and allow things to go beyond repairs before they seek the help of a lawyer. Mrs Odutayo, however, wants the enlightenment campaign advocacy across the country so as to inform Nigerians on its activities and how they would benefit from it.

According to her, the legal Aid Council was es-

tablished to pursuit the promulgation of the Legal Aid Decree No 56 of 1976 to render legal and aid access to justice to Nigerians. The decree was amended by cap 205, 1990 Laws of the federation which later became the legal Aid Act cap 19 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.

She added that the council was partnering with the police, Law firms, NYSC, among other stakeholders, to ensure the speedy dispensation of justice.

MINISTER of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, will deliver the third edition of the Chief (Dr) John Agboola Odeyemi Annual Lecture, of the Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; on Friday, April 29.

He will be speaking on the topic: “Harnessing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage for National Development.”

According to a letter from the university, the Natural History Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was established in 1971 to conduct research into the vast natural and cultural history of Nigeria, among others.

The annual lecture is being organised in recognition of the need to preserve the country’s natural and cultural heritage and in honour of Chief Agboola Odeyemi, erstwhile National President of NACIMMA, for his immense contribution to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.

Aside the Institute Fundamental Afrique Noir in Dakar, Senegal, the Museum is the only Natural History Museum in West Africa.

The annual lecture, according to the Chairman, Planning Committee, Dr Adisa Ogunfolakan, will enhance town and gown relationship between this important research institute and the immediate environment as well as wider and remote communities in and outside Nigeria.

Nigerian Tribune

We’ll pull out of PDP en masse if… —Oke-Ogun PDP leaders LEADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oke-Ogun zone of Oyo State, have threatened to quit the party if the national leadership of the party led by its National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, failed to ensure “open, fair and accommodating congresses,” which will take care of all willing political parties and factions in the party.

This is just as they called on the leadership of the PDP to warn the present crop of leaders in Oyo State to desist from perpetuating themselves in office, alleging that plans were afoot to “manipulate the congresses.”

The leaders, in an open letter addressed to Modu Sheriff, dated April 26, 2016 and signed by Senator Gbenga Babalola, a former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Mudathir Sekoni and chairmen of the PDP in eight local governments in Oke-Ogun, among others, called on the national leadership of the party to “provide and encourage openness in the forthcoming congress, with the view to accommodating the other political parties that are willing and ready to work with the PDP in Oyo State.”

‘We must promote reading’

By Gbenga Olumide THE Chairman of Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr Adeniyi Adeagbo, has observed that government and nongovernment organisations must work together to promote the culture of reading.

He made the observation while declaring open this year’s reading programme in Otu. As part of the activities marking the 2016 edition of the programme, Read Across Nigeria (RAN) organised a reading competition between Baptist Grammar School and Muslim Grammar School, Otu. Speaking at the event, Mr Adeagbo enjoined the students to cultivate the habit of reading.

According to him: “Today’s programme is put together to encourage and promote the culture of reading. This is important because those who read more know more.

All great men and women are great readers.”

Commenting on the standard of education, the council boss noted that one of the ways of putting the country on sound footing is to improve the quality of education.

news One of dead Ekiti doctors buried 37

Thursday, 28 April, 2016

Focus on God, Fayose charges wife, children Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

C

OLLEAGUES, relatives, friends and clerics filled the Life Fountain Cathedral of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti Province 1, on Wednesday, as a commendation service was held for one of the Ekiti State doctors who died in an auto accident on Sunday.

The emotional service was also attended by the deputy governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola; the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Olurotimi Ojo; Head of Service, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, as well as many other top government functionaries.

Olusola, who represented Governor Ayò Fayose at the service, charged the widow,

Dr Bola Aladesanmi, as well as the children, to focus on God and remain steadfast with Him. He extolled the virtues of the late surgeon, describing him as a “man of the people,” saying “God in His infinite wisdom Who allows certain things to happen knows the end from the beginning. The enemy has not

succeeded.”

In his sermon, Pastor Stephen Omotayo of Ekiti Province 1 of the RCCG cautioned people against making derogatory remarks during sudden sad occurrence, saying “we should watch what we say when bad sudden things happen.”

Pastor Omotayo charged them to “focus on God, shut

out people who would make you lose focus on God and your children and remember Job who didn’t succumb to the devil.”

President of Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Kayode Obembe, said Aladesanmi imparted positively on people that came across him.

He was represented at the

church by the Ogun NMA Chairman, Dr Adenike Odewabi, who is also the South West coordinator.

He said, “Even though his life was short, it was impactable. We will defend the dream he lived for. We shall live with his principles and ideals. His memory will continue in our minds. He has lived a worthy life.”

Police parade 3 dismissed officers for impersonation OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

THREE dismissed police officers were on Wednesday, paraded by the police in Ogun State, over alleged impersonation.

Those paraded were a fake Superintendent of Police, Monday George Oliseh, Sunday Ekanem and Sergeant Victor Omoarevbokhai, in different parts of the state.

Oliseh was found in possession of 10 bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp valued at N400,000; while Ekanem was dismissed for allegedly extorting motorists along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway in police uniform. He was dismissed from the Force in 2009.

Also, Omoarevbokhai, was arrested over alleged highway robbery and was dismissed from the Force, last week, having served at the Lagos Anti-Robbery Squad.

The suspected criminals were paraded alongside 35 others for various offences which included, stealing, fraudulent conversion, cultism, among others, by the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, at the Command’s headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Oliseh, 64, during interrogation by newsmen, said he went into the business of drug trafficking following his dismissal from the police force in 2002 at the rank of a corporal.

The father of 23 said he paid N30, 000 for the police uniform to a friend, now late.

Widow of the late Dr Tunde Aladesanmi, Dr Bola Aladesanmi (third right), with colleagues of her late husband, Dr Patrick Adegun (to her right) and Dr Deji Ajayi, while his daughter, Tijesunimi (right) watch, at the commendation service for Dr Aladesanmi, held at the Life Fountain Cathedral of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ekiti Province 1, Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday.

Ogbomoso axis prone to yellow fever —Expert

By Sade Oguntola

AMID rising concern over a deadly outbreak of yellow fever spreading from Angola to other parts of Africa, Head, Malaria Research Programme at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, Dr Sam Awolola, has said Ogbomoso in Oyo State is prone to yellow fever outbreak.

Awolola, who remarked that the alert on Yellow fever, spread by WHO, was to ensure that all countries were prepared for any possible outbreak, declared that the Ogbomoso axis had monkey that serve as reservoir of the infection.

The expert, who declared that outbreaks of yellow fever had been recorded in the axis in time past, however, declared that work need to be done to ascertain the possibility of another yellow fever outbreak in the zone.

According to Awolola, “for now, it is only by sampling in the area that it is possible to tell if there would be another yellow fever outbreak in this axis.”

The expert, however, cautioned against overlooking WHO’s warning of the spread of the infection, saying, “it is an alert for everybody to be ready for any eventuality.”

Awolola urged individuals to be wary of handling all fe-

vers with levity, cautioning that yellow fever also causes high body temperature like malaria, Zika and Ebola fever.

“If you have a fever that does not go after treatment for three days, one needs to start to think of alternative infections,” he said.

Yellow fever is transmitted by the same mosquitoes that spread the Zika and dengue viruses; although it is a far more serious disease with death rates as high as 75 per

cent in severe cases requiring admission to hospital.

Angola’s outbreak has already spread to other countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and at least 11 cases of yellow fever have been imported into China in people travelling from Angola.

The WHO’s regional office for Africa said last week that yellow fever in people who travelled from Angola has been reported in China (11 cases), DRC (10 cases with

1 in Kinshasa) and Kenya (2 cases).

It said three further cases have been reported in Uganda, but these patients had no history of travel to Angola.

But experts are warning the world’s stocks of yellow fever vaccines are under severe pressure from the outbreak, with some calling for a radical switch in strategy to use a tenth of the normal dose and aim to cover more people.

Oyo pupils to receive daily school meals

By Wale Akinselure

PUPILS in public primary schools in Oyo State may soon begin to receive a meal per day as the state government, on Wednesday, declared its readiness to adopt the Oyo State home grown school feeding programme.

This came to the fore at the commencement of three days stakeholders’ workshop on the Oyo State home grown school feeding programme in consonance with the national feeding programme of the Federal Government, held at Western Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan.

In their different presentations at the programme, the stakeholders noted that the home grown feeding programme of the Federal Government aimed at providing meals for all pupils

in all public primary schools in all the states in the country, where meals were to be locally sourced in all states implementing the programme.

National Coordinator of the school feeding programme, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi, said the Federal Government was committed to implementing the programme nationally due to its ability to create more jobs, enhance the Internally Generated Revenue of states, boost local production, and improve the health and nutritional status of school children.

She noted that Oyo State, having shown willingness to key into the national feeding programme, was expected to start off the programme using its own specific model of implementation, while

awaiting FG grants to continue the programme.

However, Adesanmi noted that the programme had continued to suffer implementation in states, owing to challenges of financial sustainability, institutional capacity, monitoring and evaluation of the programme, multi sectoral capacity of the programme and involvement of the community in key decision making processes.

Lauding the programme, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, in his remarks, expressed hope that the home grown feeding programme will attract out-ofschool children to schools, enhance schools’ enrolment and pupils’ academic performances, and tackle malnutrition among school-age children.

Nigerian Tribune

Ogun govt warns TUC against inauguration of parallel association THE Ogun State government has cautioned the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to desist from its planned inauguration of the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) in the State.

General Manager of the State Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEP), Alhaji Ayo Ogunsolu, who stated this in a release, said that government was dissociating itself from the planned inauguration and activities of the body to further engender peace in the state.

Alhaji Ogunsolu disclosed that the Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (TORAN) is the only legitimate body recognised by the government.

The PAGADEP boss warned that government would not condone acts that can be injurious to peace in the state “While we are not against the fundamental rights of groups and individuals to form or belong to any association, we frown at a situation where such is done without due recourse to constituted authorities.”

Retired judges drag Mimiko, AG before Industrial Court Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

ABOUT 10 retired Judges in Ondo State have dragged the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the State Attorney General, Eyitayo Jegede, before the National Industrial Court, sitting in Akure, over the nonpayment of their retirement benefits and pensions.

The Judges, who alleged the state government of neglect, prayed the court to direct the defendants to pay them upward review by 96 per cent of their monthly pension from February 2007 in line with circulars issued in 2010 and 2015 by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

They also alleged that the state government had failed to give to them some of the entitlements meant for retired judges since they retired in 2007 listing the entitlements to include accommodation, four official domestic staff, medical care, and serviceable vehicles among others.

38

Thursday, 28 April, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Iorfa is not for sale

Record entries for ITTF Nigerian Open For the first time, the annual ITTF Premier Lotto Nigerian Open (Lagos 2016) has record entries of participants for this year’s tournament scheduled to hold from May 18 to 22.

Since its inception in 2013, the number of competitors has not exceeded 100 but from the list of registered participants for this year’s edition as at Wednesday April 27, more than 120 players have been confirmed for the tourney billed for the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

According to the Tournament Director, Ranti Olajide, the quality of players coupled with the number of entries is a reflection of the organisation and the standard of play.

“I must tell you that this year we are having more players coming from Europe unlike in the past.

Also players across the world are now beginning to realise that Nigeria is a mecca of table tennis in Africa considering the achievement of our local players taking a cue from Aruna Quadri’s global resurgence, which has now become a rallying point for all the players across the world,” he said.

Olajide, who is a certified ITTFcertified international referee, believes the presence of the top players from Europe would halt the rivalry between Nigeria and Egypt which has dominated the tournament in the last three editions.

—Wolverhampton boss

W

Iorfa

Oyo Province 1 wins RCCG Junior Regional Sports festival

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi The RCCG Oyo province 1 has emerged champions of the maiden Regional Sports Festival of the Junior Church of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Region 21.

The three-day fiesta which was concluded last weekend at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, saw Oyo Province 1 on

top of the table with six gold medals, while Oyo Province 12 came second with five gold and one silver medals, as Oyo Province 2 finished third with four gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

Some of the parcitipants who spoke with Tribunesport after featuring in the festival where football, chess, athletics, volleyball, table tennis, bad-

minton, basketball and scrabble were competed for, lauded the authorities of RCCG Region 21 for providing them with the opportunity to exhibit their skills.

Speaking with Tribunesport, Pastor Korede David who represented the Pastor in charge, RCCG Region 21, Pastor Dele Balogun said the essence of the festival was to further develop the youngsters through sports.”

From left, Pastor Elijah Olatunbosun; Pastor Enoch Tomoloju; Bale Ekotedo, Chief Taye Ayorinde; Pastor David Korede and Pastor Caleb Adegbite at the RCCG Junior Church Regional Sports Festival, held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

olverhampton Wanderers’ manager, Kenny Jacketts has insisted defender Dominic Iorfa will not be sold by the club.

The 20-year-old who is a key member of England U-21 squad has enjoyed a promising season in the Sky Bet Championship with 40 league appearances.

Crystal Palace, Arsenal, West Ham and Southampton are reportedly interested in the central defender ahead next season.

However, Jacketts insisted Wolves will not be letting Iorfa go anywhere.

“I personally wouldn’t want to see him go,” he told club website.

“I think we need players in to improve us, rather than letting players go. I’m sure everybody at Wolves feels the same way as I do.

“We haven’t had any bids and like everyone at Wolves we want to improve the team, and build the team around Dominic, rather than replacing him.

“Whenever you have players doing well, there’s always that type of speculation.

“I’ll be as determined as everybody at Wolves – we want to improve the team. Selling Dominic, we don’t think will help us.”

He added: “It’s difficult in football to predict exactly what’s happening and once you get into the realms of very, very big bids, it would be wrong to say it can’t happen, because we’ve seen it happen many times.

“It wouldn’t be my choice and for everyone at Wolves it is about wanting to build a team around Dominic.”

Enugu wins YSFON/CNS U-14 tourney ENUGU State last weekend clinched the 17th edition of the annual Chief of Naval Staff soccer competition for U-14 boys organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON).

The tournament favourites in an entertaining final decided at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, defeated their counterparts from Benue State 3-0 to claim the diadem at stake, while Edo State pipped the FCT team 6-5 via penalties in the third place match.

In the female category, FCT defeated Delta State 1-0 to emerge champions just as Benue State finished third.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Commodore, BG Gbassa stated that the Naval Command is proud to associate with YSFON in its efforts at developing football at the grassroots, adding that it will continue to sponsor the tournament which served as a platform for youngsters to exhibit their skills.

Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi, who was represented by the technical director of the Federation, coach Shuaibu Amodu expressed delight at the contributions of YSFON in talent discovery in the country.

He stated that the NFF will continue to encourage YSFON to achieve success in its noble objectives of discovering and developing soccer talents across the country.

In his remarks, National President of YSFON, Dr Nasiru Gawuna said the body will not relent in its efforts at discovering talents for the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, from where these products would graduate to other national teams in the upper cadre.

Okpekpe race: Amao named chief anti-doping officer One of Nigeria’s foremost sports medicine practitioners, Dr Akinwunmi Amao has been named as the chief anti-doping officer for next month’s fourth Okpekpe international 10km road race in Edo State.

Dr Amao, formerly head of the Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports will be in-charge of doping control at the race that will be conducted in accordance with the IAAF anti-doping regulations.

“The organisers of the Okpekpe international 10km road race is delighted to announce that veteran sports medicine practitioner, Dr Akin Amao who is also the

head/chairman of the Medical and Scientific Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) will be the head of the anti-doping unit for the race,” said Dare Esan, spokesman for the event.

“Doping issues are taking very seriously by the IAAF following recent damaging revelations and as a recognised stakeholder in the athletics family, it is our responsibility to align with the IAAF in the fight for a dope free sport hence our decision to look for a man of honour and integrity to be at the head of the anti-doping unit for the race in Okpekpe,” said Esan who stated that Amao’s name has already been sent to the IAAF.

39

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The enrolment fees still stand at N5, 000 payable to EKHOMU JOHN at Zenith Bank acc. No –2085795936.

Now pick two bankers from 10 + 18, 20, 31, 44 and add to the above bracket games. Goodluck says Dr. Jk Pools.

LUCKYMAN 08054352685 27 XBK PLUS 2 CERTAIN DRAWS COST N2,000 MTN CARD Take or leave it no 27 xbk must draw plus 2 certain draws to help you win on pools. Win something good for yourself before the season runs out a word is enough for the wise act now 27 xbk plus 2 certain draws.

SUNDERLAND SYSTEM 09038460009= 44 NAP 45 END OF SEASON RELEASE WK 40, 41, 42 4. Special draws N6, 000 wk 42 No 11x 20x 27x 28x= 4/4 4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 43 No Nap Nap Nap Nap = 4/4 4 Special Draws wk 44 No Nap Nap Nap Nap= 4/4 Two Bankers N3000 WK 40 No 11x 20x pair 27x 28x Two Bankers N3000 Wk 40 No Nap Nap pair Nap Nap wk 41 No Nap Nap pair Nap Nap Time to win Pool this wk 40 Sunderland System 4 special draws this wk 40 will play = 4/4. Correct hurry up to get your copy to day two Bankers cost N3,000 wk 38. No pair 35x 36F wk 39 No 10x 32x wk 40 No Nap Nap. Send MTN card 09038460009.

MID-WEEK GIVES (9-29) (08087176217) When the football season gradually nosedives to a halt, week teams normally behave in a strange form. Some obviously home banker games don’t play home. Look at Liverpool on 51 points drawing at home with Newcastle with 28 points or Middlesbro on 85 points drawing at home with 1 pswich on 61 points last weekend!

In the same vein, coupon Nos 9 & 29 will supply a draw. Add them to our 1BK and get your 2/3.

Our 1 BK still sells for N1, 500. 00, 2 Draws cost N3, 000. 00 and 3 Drs sells for N10, 000. 00. Be a winner!

EMIRATES FLY – 08087104491 20x 21X 25X 29X 33X37XXX. Free win at Emirate this week starting of our 3 weeks naps. Invest handsomely against next week nap/cost N100,000, make good use of this golden opportunity now .Good luck.

JOSEPH NAP – 08167278061 (20XX37) JUBILATION AT JOSEPH NAP = 4TH ROUND NAP Weeks 12, 22, 32 & 42 = 10/10 weeks assured winning.

Week 12- 12x 13x 14xxx 06x 09x 5/5 = 13draws Week 22- 12x 13x 14xxx 07x 10x 5/5 = 14 draws.

Super win of 5/5 in weeks 12 & 22 by number and plus one winning instruction. Weeks 32 and 42 slated naps on tabulation & calculation on Teams and Numbers WIn ! SURE! NAP! Week 32 -x x x – 8 draws – 20x 37x Week 42 - x x x – 9 draws – 37x 20x.

Congratulation to all winning desired stakers as our weeks 43 and 44 naps are equally on fixed matches from reknown Experts, N25,000 starts now.

SHADOW 08087670776 (7 PAIR 10) Your drawing in pool forecast shadow is out again this week 42 to give you 3 unfailing nap draws and a pair. The master will always remain the master forever. Just send to him N5000 MTN recharge card become a millionaire on Monday.

SIR MICHEAL NAP (UNFAILING PAIR,UNFAILING BANKER) (13 PAIR 23) 09091874579 Congratulation to all those that will get my release this week as the system that got 3xx,16xx,20xx,3/3, the pair 6f,8xx,making 4/5 will get it again this week, My weekly release cost just N15,000,call for acct no or mode of payment. Do not miss it. Good luck.

FOCUS NAP 28XX 7XX 42XX 8XX 16XX= 5/5 (08079171744) Congrats! Congrats!! Congrats!!! This week 42 pair 31x best 32x plus unique accurate Nap XXX to draw again cost N10, 000 only number to call is 08079171744. Count on us for your best fortune weekly. (31XX 32).

DR.M. M. PROMISE NIGERIA FOREMOST POOLS COMPILER 08037174526, PAIR 34.35 The one and only paymaster who last week scored 3X,46F 48X,pair 7X,41F,with his release is now set to completely enrich stakes again in weeks 42,43,44 end of season NAPS costN20,000 cash weekly. Payment is at UBA to Dr. Maxwell M Promise, account no 1003610591.

Week 41 XRAY Multiple win at Focus Nap, Mallam Bawa, Wisdom new contact sure win, faithful Nap and Mr. Solution Charity and The Bird/Adaba top our banker fixed rating while our pair expert excelled, the likes of Armstrong, Fortune Donor, Mr Solution, Sir Michael and Amuko & Asso. Narrow escape at Dr J K Pools, magic kingdom and Triple spice .Our Expert are now ready for redress and they promised good win to all stakers this week.

WEEK 42 STATUS EKO – 12 AND 24.

LKO – 01,47,48,49.

P.P.P – 02,14,16,34.

SUNDAY-04,06,08.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE POOLS PAGE

THE WINNERS CHOICE GET A COPY AND WIN

Thursday, 28 April - 4 May, 2016 MODUPE (08033566694) 08X 26X 46 — 2 draws.

Call for your guaranteed 3 draws now.

HOPE NAPS &CO 08107128449 WK42 BANK (NO47 &18) FOR XXX DRAW (NO47&18) The above pair must give you at least one Xbk call Hope for details wk 42, wk 43 &wk 44.End of year bonus.

Each wk cost just N10, 000 only pay to First Bank plc. Bank account no 3088328923 in person of Mr. Gbadebo Stephen A. while the wk releases will be sent to you on phone through text message. God bless 18x 47x.

SAM AYO NAP – 08109152433 WIN – 03,04,08,10,18,22 The above games is sure for winning line the 3 draws cost N5,000.

4 MEMBERS. 4 BANKERS. 4 MEMBERS 08162705220 WK 42 Oldham No 29xx plux 3 others N6,000 4 bankers N6, 000 wk 42 2016 Key Oldham 29x Nap Nap Nap 4 bankers N6, 000 Wk 42 Key Oldham 28x 29x 40x 42x 4 bankers N6, 000 Wk 42 2015 Key Oldham 31x 33x 34x 35x 4 bankers N6, 000 Wk 42 2016 Key Oldham 29 Nap Nap Nap Stakers try to get 4 member 4 Bankers this wk 42. cost N6,000. Key, every week 40 BLUE bank Oldham to draw wk 42 No 29. 29. plus 3 others.

MALLAM BAWA MUSA AGAIN 08052506287. HOT 5, 35 Last week my pointer pair for this week 42 special Nap scored 3X, and 7X, correctly. Nothing can stop this week special release from scoring 3/3 Nap correct come rain come sun. Cost only N10, 000 cash; payable at Access Bank. Call for account details.

PLEAID DE MAXWELL – 09099968585.

CAN MAN UTD HOLD THE UNSTOPPABLE LEICESTER? The assume 2016 premiership title holder Leicester city will be at Old Trafford this weekend to show case their unbeaten record. Last week Leicester mauled Swansea without Vaddy four goals to nil with Leonardo Ulloa scoring the second and third goals, Riyad Mahrez scored the first goal and Marc Albrighton had the fourth goal at 85minutes of play but the Man United recent trashed Crystal Palace two goals to nil through Damien Delaney and Matteo Darmian in 4mins and 55minutes.Is a draw likely? Stoke and Sunderland,Everton,B ournemouth,westbrom,Reading Rotherham stervenge, Wycombe & York on bar are draw region. B-B-B AT HOME 47,48,49 were draw gazett. Contact De Maxwell draws clinic for Goodwin. TOKEN MANAGER ISREAL BAIL OUT – 09085712800 WINNING POINTS WEEK 41 BAIL OUT ON M.M.M LEAKED PROMOTERS VAULTS. M.M.M = MIDDLESBRO, MANSFIELD, & MORTON. ALT – L & L = LEICESTER? LIVERPOOL = 03X = 08X 18X 48XXX – 03X = 4/4.

CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

DATES OF PLAY IN 2 MONTHS = LASTDAY & FIRSTDAY Week 16 = 31 & 1 Nov – 05x 26x 47xxx – 9 draws Week 42 – 30 & 1 May – x x x - 9 draws 2 Times winning scheduled for 2015/2016 season.

Preston pair Blackburn on 9 draws.

Join the winners now and be bailed out.

NB=We are not sure of 2016 Aussie involvement.

(TEXT MESSAGE WINNING TRANSACTION ONLY - N50,000).Goodluck STAKEHOLDERS LAUD NAZAR MASTER The leading pools company in Oyo state and environs, Nazar Master pools company limited, Ibadan has continued to receive commendation from stakeholders in the pools industry for its business model which has ensured that winnings are paid as and when due. The pools company made this known in a statement made available to TRIBUME POOLS during the week. According to NAZAR Master, “We are encouraged by the commendation we have been receiving from stakeholders in the pools industry. We have no choice than to continue to maintain the standard we have set and we shall never lower the benchmark. We shall continue to [pay big dividend on our treble chance odd, while winnings on fixed odd shall never be delayed”.

INNOCENT NAP (08095602590) = LEED NO 18 XX LEED NO 18 THE LILIES 08086944309 (40 X42) As we progress to the end of the season END OF SEASON RELEASE LEED NO 18 PLUS 3.0 OTHER. big jackpot await all our fans you must 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 42= 2016 Key Leed 18 Nap Nap Nap =4/4 hit big jackpot at the tail end of the 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 42= 2014 Key Leed 16x 20x 28x 40x =4/4 season, send N1500 mtn card for 3 un4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 42= 2015 Key Leed 17x 33x 34x 44x =4/4 failing jackpot xxs, you must win and 4 special draws N6, 000 Wk 42= 2016 Key Leed 18 Nap Nap Nap =4/4 win well before the season runs out.

Two Bankers N3000 wk 42 No Nap Nap pair 18. 18. 18 No Nap Nap Nap MISTER DRAW 08030415683 Key every wk 42 bank Leed to draw wk 42 No 18. 18. 18 plus 3 others cost N6,000.

York City to hold Bristol plus 2 conSend MTN Card 08095602590 the game will be sent to you by text message. firm super draws cost N2,000, MTN ­­­­­­­OBINYAN ASSURES STAKERS TO 2016 AUSSIE card winning is wonderful loosing on The indomitable 12x kingpin and chairman managing director of king and pools is so sure win now.

George group of forecast papers. PRINCE EHI WILLY OBINYAN reiterates at FORTUNE DONATES (10 X 9) the weekend that he set to put smiles on the faces of stakers to recover their (08099111828) losses to Aussie 2016 season he made this available during a chat with our We are in the last Cap. Things are POOLS EDITOR. He advised stakers to watch the sequences of draws in his moving right. Pick a draw from coupapers. The shoot pointer page 3 late news of late pair is very reliable that got pon Nos 9 & 10. Add them to our 1BK 2 games correctly in weeks 20,22,34 & 37 and other impressive weeks. Study and smile to your bank on Monday thoroughly & win. morning.

He therefore enjoined wise\winning desired stakers to buy and studty his forOur 1BK still sells for only N1, 500. 00, tune papers for regular winnings the papers are Pools Telegraph, Zeters Pools 2 Draws cost N3, 000.00 and 3 draws sell for N10, 000.00 on 08099111828.

Guild, Shoot Pointers, Murphy Sports, The New Dream and Final Result.

We are so sure this week. Join the winSTILL ON THE PROWL, AS TRIPLE SPICE OFFERS ning train now!

(10-15-44)-21/26. 08035324990 022 CODE 08059580326 There was narrow escape for the promoters last week as our texted games get 2/3 3 PAIR 7 WK 41=8XX16XX34XX on 8xx – 25 – 45xx with 33/ 34xx as pair scoring 3/5.

(27XX PAIR 28XX) Yes, we are not selling games this week as we want you to hit them well in the This is another promising week for remaining weeks. all pool stakers, especially those who Don’t doubt, just Nap well and perm well. Next week bumper costs N25, 000.00. are not master too know. This week the risk is worth taking by discerning minds. You have been told! 08035324990.

42,pool promoters will vomit all they have swallow to pool stakers. cost OLA CITY GOT TWO FROM THREE IN WK41 NOS 8X11X17F N10,000 cash. Call for details.

PROMISED TO GET 3 DRAWS CORRECT THIS WEEK42 PHONE MAGIC EXPERT EXCEL AGAIN 4/5 08140575314, 08085005634 WEEK 42 PAIRS 35XX37XXX. CONGRATS!!! CALL 08160742266 The complier of Ola-city international who got 2 out of his 3 draws in wk 41on (19X 20X) nos 8x11x17f assures stakers of his 3 fixed draws for this week42 and week43 WEEK 41 NAP 7X 27X 45X PAIR 10F cost N10,000 cash each week which will surely get all correctly.

42X= 4/5 Pay your N10, 000 cash to first bank plc to Olafenwa R. Ola-city account no Now get week 42 guaranteed Nap= 3033318854 and collect the draws on phone after confirmation of your pay3/3 with pair 19x 20x Nap Nap Nap= ment. Good luck 3/3 cost price is N20, 000 cash. PayWISDOM NEW CONTACT ENRICHES STAKERS 07088103080. able at First Bank plc to Victor Makpa, In Annual week 41 scheduled\fixed draws for 3 years of 2014, 2015 and 2016 as Acct No – 3041310631. For enquiries, stated in our winning ENCYCLOPEDIA. please call 08160742266 between WK. 41 2014 – 3X 32X 43XX 20X 27X 5/5= 9DRS Monday and Friday 5p.m for your sure WK. 41 2015 – 09X 16X 18XXX 20X 27X 5/5= 9DRS Nap immediately after your payment.

WK. 41 2016 – 07X 34X 42XXX 20X 27X 5/5= 12DRS Wishing all my fans best of luck. Miss OH YES! WE’VE DONE IT AGAINnot this end of the season operation!

Promoters regret winning contact is to rescue unfortunate stakers and to usher AMUKO & ASSOCIATES – them to promising 2016 Aussie season. He, who laughs last Best, wins again at 07014686970 (FREE 20 X 21) Wisdom Place. N50, 000 – for new client only. Congratulations.

Departed to Australia on a 2 weeks MBA EXPERT (08104694618) PAIR 27XX 46. tour – in preparation for 2016 Australian season. Our last Cup Nap left injuApart from science of numbers computation of week/dates of play, nos 27xx46 ries to promoters finances. Join you in also have a role on BAR settings. Two months of play are also involved. First week 45 till then. Goodluck. leg matches of weeks 20\22 are settings of week 42.Watch out for possible CHARITY NAP (08054325929) draws at Westbrom, Sheffiled Wed and The MBES. Good luck.

20 FIXED 22 FAITHFUL WINNING INTERVENTION – 07082899957 Continuity is the mother of compleSTAKERS WINNING REFUGE/FAITH WINNING PROJECT tion, We are ready to complete our SOUTHAMPTON AWAY NO 1 – WINNING INSTRUCTION assignment for week 42.In week 41 Called from our 2015/2016 intervention winning booklet. Referwe gave Nos 20xx as fixed banker ence to week 32’2013 and week 41’2015. draw last week. This week winning IPSWICH,BLACKPOOL,BARNET and YEOVIL galore nap cost N20,000 negotiable.

Good luck.

KEY – QUEEN ‘O’SOUTH on 48/49 – PAIR.48X49 VICTORIOUS V. 08126994034 WK 32 – 2013 – 6X 11X 22X 31XXX -49X 10X 15X 20X 25X 26X 40X WK 41 – 2016 – 8X 16X 28X 34XXX – 48X Get victorious free win to the end of CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN WEEK 42 is the return leg of week 20. the season. The 3 direct naps cost In the premiership the only 2 teams that stood on unchanged number is N5,000 now.

WESTBROM and WESTHAM –(KEY) another faithful winning spree at KAMARK– 08186673843 FAITH WINNING MISSION – ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ #50,000 – 1 MILLION. 13XX22XXSTRONG PAIR. Welcome to the faith winning crusade at faith mission. Goodluck.

Birmingham vs middlesborough in DR.JACKSON – 08156829811 PLACE YOUR ADVERT HERE blue colour.Call and win 3 draws.

18X 20X 33X 40X 46X Sure win at Jackson’s naps starting JACOBSON AUSSIE MANAGER: 07065292905 of our next 2weeks nap. Absolutely 6 WEEKS PRE-AUSSIE WINNING PROJECT DESIGNED TO free now. NOTE: Week 42 & 43 cost ENRICH STAKES TO ACTUALISE THEIR DREAMS. N100,000 - N250,000.

Our Aussie Booklet cost 1 million for 10 -12 weeks. Wks 40, 41, and 42.

ACHIEVER INTER 08034097902 WELCOME BACK TO NIGERIA 3 years ANNUAL WIN in 2014, 2015 & 2016. WIN TO AUSSIE 2016.

WEEK 42-48XX PLUS 3 OTHERS WEEK 40=2014-2016= CARDIFF X 21 X25 XX OLDHAM\BARNET The compilers of achiever inter & co.

2014 - 02X 21X 35XXX OLDHAM X BARNET have declared operation no mercy to 2015 - 09X 21X 35XXX 24X 44X pools promoters with the yearly orig2016 - 15X 21X 35XXX 28X 45X inal authentic life keys. Pools, stakWEEK 41=2014-2016 - QPR, ROTHERHAM, 27XXX NAP PAIR 3X7 ers should therefore wait for the sys2014- NAP 20X 32X 27XXX 03X tem booklet which will be published in week 43 as send off games for the 2015- NAP 07X 20X 27XXX 07X English season. Remembers our last 2016- NAP — 11X 27XXX 03X 07XX year wk 43 released 4 games to the WEEK 42 = 2014-2016-X X X X (ALT)LEEDS X 33. end of the season that scored 3\4 on FOLLOW THE EXPERTS INSTRUCTION TO WIN SURE NAP = numbers. 09x 10FF 23XX 3\4.This N70, 000 (Seventy thousand naira only). DIAL 07065292905 AND WIN. week 42, Nos 48x plus 3 others. Our AussIe 2016 systems booklet will be HINT: WK 42, 2014 LEEDS 16X, 2015 LEEDS 17, 2016. LEEDS 18. out in wk43 contain 2 original life key cost only N60,000 only. Call.

SOLOMON RESORT – 09091111800 19X 20X 29X 33X 37XXX. Congrats, am back with 3 weeks fare well nap to 2015/2016 English season with the above free games other weeks cost N100,000.

NO ADVERT NO WRITE UP

LOVE BEST = N4000 TWO BANKERS N4,000

WK 42 NAP NAP PAIR X44X X45X

WK 43 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

WK 44 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

MOVE FORWARD = N4000 TWO BANKERS N4,000

WK 42 NAP NAP PAIR X31X X32X

WK 43 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

WK 44 NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP

4 SPECIALDRAWS N25, 000 WK 40 NO 15X 20X 37X 38X = 4/4.

SEND MTN CARD=09038460009 & 08135888320.

VIC DESTINY WINNING STAR XXX CONGRAT!!! GSM: 09099813819.

WIN WITHOUT STRESS NAP NAP NAP= 3/3 JUST TWO WEEKS TO GO. WEEKS 42 & 43 WEEK 42 NAP NAP NAP = 3/3 PAIR 6 X 8X WEEK 43 NAP NAP NAP = 3/3 PAIR X BET X OUR STANDIZATION AND CREDIBILITY NAP COST N15,000 PER WEEK. CALL OR SMS ONLY. NO FLASHING. NO WEEKEND CALLS! THANKS. ISREAL BAIL OUT NAP REMAIN STAKERS CHOICE. 09085712800

ADABA/DOVE SEAL 09032584053.

Starting another 3 weeks operational Naps again. We release 16X27X34 Last week as starting Nap. Cost N15,000 each week. Call 09032584053.

HOPE NAPS & CO -08107128449 BANK (47X18) Don’t be left out in our 3 week to the end of the season BONUS win. Cost N10,000 each week.payable to Mr Gbadebo Stephen .A at first Bank plc Account no 3088328923. Your winning is sure.

MAGIC KINGDOM 08056753098/07085060512. 28X 32X 33XXX PAIR – 31 AND 45

OH Yes! We are starting our 3 wks operation this week as promised. Win now.

SIDELINES

no 16, 489

n150

THURSDAY, 28 April, 2016

It has been predicted that Nigeria is not one of the six African countries likely to eliminate malaria transmission by 2020. This is not a death sentence anyway. With the ‘cataract’removed from the coutry’s Vision 20:2020, who says apart from the projected economic boom, this health challenge cannot be overcome? Over to the authorities.

“It is clear that private universities in Nigeria are the cheapest anywhere in the world.”

A

S I stated last week, the incontrovertible fact is that some private Universities are performing better than most public universities in terms of staffing, training of teachers, learning, discipline and provision of infrastructure. Last year, students of the Afe Babalola University won the Imagine Cup Championship for Africa organised by Microsoft Corporation across world universities and as a result represented Africa at a larger competition which took place in Seattle, USA. Similarly, in 2016 Students from the institution together with their counterparts from Ajayi Crowther University and Babcock University scaled the semi finals to the finals of Unilever Idea Trophy Contest in Johannesburg, South Africa which they won and will as a result be in London to compete with the best minds from other continents in the Unilever Futures Leaders League.

Before the advent of Private Universities in Nigeria many well to do Nigerians took great pride in sending their children to foreign school such as Havard, Yale, Princeton, Cambridge and Oxford etc. The resort by many of these parents to these foreign universities was not due only to a need to give their children the best education available.

It was in most cases compelled by the need to safeguard their children from many of the ills such as incessant strikes, unstable academic timetables, cultism, drug and substance abuse and general moral decadence which at that time had become associated with public universities in Nigeria. In several of these respects, private universities in Nigeria have offered an alternative. It cannot be disputed that they do not suffer the same problems of strikes encountered by most public universities. This has resulted in stable academic calendars such that a student at the beginning of his studies can reasonably expect to graduate at the stated time for completion the completion of his studies. It is not a matter of unknown number of years as is generally the case with public universities.

What about moral decadence? To be certain, indices of moral decadence amongst students such as sexual promiscuity, drug abuse, cultism, stealing etc are not to be taken in isolation of the larger society such that their existence in the academic setting

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Private universities: The hope of Nigeria’s tertiary education (3) should not without more be taken as indicative of the failure of any particular institution of learning. However their prevalence amongst students has been most worrying for the simple reason that it portends a general failure of society and portends gloom for the future of the country as a whole. Nevertheless, Private Universities have put in place, with general high degrees of success, measures that have made it difficult for these vices to occur amongst their students.

In this respect, some private Universities embark on a closer monitoring of the activities of their students. While they generally allow an atmosphere of social interaction, without which there hardly can be any meaningful or effective learning, they actively guard against situations which will permit social vices such as drug abuse and cultism to take root in their institutions. Whilst there may have been a few instances in which students tried to beat the system, the huge successes recorded particularly in this area has endeared many parents and even their children to private universities.

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA ARE THE CHEAPEST IN THE WORLD It is against the above background that the great service being rendered by private universities in Nigeria must be gauged and appreciated. This is so as these universities offer their services at a fraction of what the same would cost in other foreign universities even in nearby Benin and Ghana and certainly at a cost lesser than that charged by some private secondary schools in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt, Ilorin etc.

For ease of reference, the following table shows the tuition fees in the eight universities in Ivy League converted into naira at N250 only to one dollar.

University Tuition Naira Equi @ N250 per Dolar 1.

Columbia University $53,000 N13,250,000 2.

Brown University $51,366 N12,841,500 3.

Cornell University $50,953 N12,738,250 4.

Princeton University $43,450 N10,862,500 5.

Dartmouth University $49,998 N12,499,500 6.

University of Pennsylvania $49,536 N12,384,000 7.

Yale University $47,600 N11,900,000 8.

Harvard University $45,278 N11,319,500 However, tuition fee in private universities in Nigeria range between N450,000 to N750,000 in liberal subjects while tuition fee in professional and technical courses like Law, Medicine and Engineering range between N750,000 and N1,500,000 only.

It is clear that private universities in Nigeria are the cheapest any-

where in the world. In spite of the obviously low tuition fee paid in Nigerian private universities, many private universities continue to receive commendations from stakeholders from within and outside Nigeria for the quality teaching facilities and modern equipments in these universities which compare favourably with what is available in the older and reputable overseas universities. Some of our private universities have infact been acknowledged as world class universities.

EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE All over the world, Education is an expensive enterprise. However the average Nigerian has come to believe that everything must be free and that government must provide all. Unfortunately, Nigerians were fed, by successive governments with wrong notion of who should fund university education. The first university i.e University of Ibadan was established in 1948 as a public university where almost everything was free. Other public universities that were established were then patterned University of Ibadan. Ever since, successive federal and state governments continue to make Nigerians believe that education could be made free and government alone can provide it. Many parents therefore send their children to public schools with this notion in mind. This perhaps accounts for the reason why some do not realise that private universities must charge fees commensurate to the quality of education and tutelage on offer at their institutions. This perhaps also accounts for the inability of some to realise that despite their inability, owing to economic realities, to charge these fees to the level that they should, they nevertheless offer standards comparable to what obtains in other developed countries of the world.

In this edition, I shall publish only two of the comments from readers due to lack of space: 1.Your article of today in the Tribune on Private Universities is well researched and well said. Congratulations. —Bola Ajibola 2. Dear sir, I read with joy your reaction to the article on perceived deficiencies morally and academically of private universities in Nigeria by one Mr. Laolu Harolds as prompt, with historical backup, robust analysis and sound statistics of events that lead to emergence of private universities. While highlighting his blanket exposition of the institutions’ weaknesses, he failed to recognize the rescue mission to avoid the total collapse of the country’s university system.

Congratulations sir. Kind and high regards sir. — Elder Ogungbade (The author appreciates your candid contributions.)

To be continued…

FIFA boss, Infantino plans North-South Korea friendly FIFA president, Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that he was willing to organise a football match between North and South Korea as a way of easing hostility on the divided peninsula.

On a visit to South Korea which coincided with a recent upsurge in tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang, Infantino said such a match would highlight the spirit of football as a game “beyond borders” that can unify rather than divide.

“We should bring everyone together around a football pitch... I’m ready to help and assist in whatever way is necessary,” Infantino told

reporters.

Military tensions have been running high on the peninsula following North Korea’s nuclear test in January and a ballistic missile test staged a month later.

Cross-border relations have sunk to their lowest level in years, with almost all official communications cut off.

The two Koreas last held a friendly match in Seoul in 2005. Before that they played two consecutive games in October 1990, in Seoul and Pyongyang, under the title “Inter-Korea Unification” matches.

Sporting exchanges pretty much halted,

along with other ties, as relations soured.

“Sometimes imagination can come true.

Sometimes dreams can come true. These things can become a reality,” Infantino said.

The FIFA boss also defended moves to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup to 40, beginning in 2026.

“I believe that it’s important to increase the number of teams on the World Cup because we have to be more inclusive,” he said.

“Eight more teams will be perfectly justifiable,” he said, adding he was considering six more berths for the Asia region.

Infantino

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. 28/04/2016.