30th October 2016

NO 2,070

SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER, 2016

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Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

SPECIAL 5 businesses you can start pg8 TREAT with N10,000

N200

Adenuga bags Ghana’s highest honour pg42

PROPOSED $29.96BN LOAN

OBJ draws battle line with FG

Ghana’s President, John Mahama, congratulates the Chairman of Globacom, Dr Mike Adenuga, after decorating him with the Companion of The Star of Ghana (CSG), Ghana’s highest national civilian honour, in Accra, on Saturday.

POWER:

Polity The

Return of the pg3 Kaduna Mafia?

•Says ‘Third Force’ will emerge soon

•The making of powerful interests pg19 who control Nigeria’s soul

Gunmen kill leader of Fulani herdsmen pg42 in Kogi

Zebra crossings may land Lagos ‘big men’ 4&8 s g p in trouble Mammoth crowd protesting against INEC’s substitution of Eyitayo Jegede, SAN’s name with that of Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in the November governorship election, in the state, on Saturday. PHOTO: HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

•One dies, 5 trucks destroyed as fuel tanker explodes in Lagos

ONDO: Protesters storm Deji’s palace Borno blasts: How female

over Jegede, demand justice

terrorist planned to pg3 bomb fuel-laden tanker

•As Appeal Court sets Nov 1, 2 dates for definite hearing on PDP’s governorship candidate pg5 •9 killed, 24 injured in twin blasts

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30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

news $29.9bn loan: OBJ draws battle line with FG 3

30 October, 2016

•Says a ‘third force’ will emerge

By Kunle Oderemi

F

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has kicked against the plan by the Federal Government to obtain a $29.96 billion foreign loan, Sunday Tribune has learnt.

Obasanjo was said to have phoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, shortly after the media reported the loan bid, which the Federal Government explained would be used to finance critical infrastructure deficiency between now and 2018.

But the Finance Minister, it was learnt, told an alarmed Obasanjo that she would pay him a visit to explain the rationale for the plan, which has triggered mixed reactions on the necessity or otherwise of such loan.

The former president, Sunday Tribune gathered, spoke on the proposed foreign loan when he received members of a political association, The National Patriots’ Movement of Nigeria (NPMN), led by the national coordinator, Chief Dosu Oladipo, at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Friday.

Obasanjo, it was learnt, not only opposed the loan bid, but also threatened to draw a battle line with the Federal Government should it go ahead to obtain the loan which he said could have far-reaching negative effects on the nation.

While some experts have advised the government to deploy part of the funds reportedly recovered from allegedly corrupt politicians

in the last political dispensation to such purpose, others claimed the loan could be raised internally.

Many others are concerned about the wisdom in such loan when the government was being weighed down by huge domestic debt to local contractors.

Obasanjo had successful negotiated with Western nations to write off $12.5 billion foreign debt to the Paris Club, a body of European creditors during his tenure.

In justifying the proposal for the N429.96 billion external loan, President Muhammadu Buhari, had in a letter to the National Assembly said, “The total cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing (plan) is $29.96 billion made

up of proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274 billion, special national infrastructure projects, $10.686 billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5 billion.”

But Nigeria’s foreign reserves have dipped lately, ostensibly owing to economic recession and intense pressure on Nigeria’s naira as a result of the scarcity of United States dollars.

OBJ speaks on third force At the meeting, which lasted for about five hours, were more than 70 eminent politicians drawn from all the states in the South-West.

The purpose of the meeting, Sunday Tribune

gathered, was to inform the former president of the aim of the group and seek his elderly advice.

The former leader used the occasion of the visit to bare his mind on the debate of the possible emergence of a third force, as the march towards 2019 general election progressed.

He was of the view that the precarious state of the PDP Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), coupled with the internal contradictions in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) was a pointer to a ‘third force’ emerging in the nearest future.

He restated his position that while the PDP was already in the hands of undertakers preparatory to burial, the APC was at an intensive unit because its internal organs were

seriously haemorraged.

He expressed delight at the calibre and integrity of the members of NPMN, which comprised former ministers, governors, members of the National Assembly, envoys, and other categories of professionals.

The three-time Nigerian leader said the initial report he got about the organisation was that it was being sponsored by a notable politician to prepare ground and serve as a launching pad for his (the Politician’s) presidential ambition.

Obasanjo urged NPMN leaders and members to neither be too slow nor too fast on the project they had embarked on but to sustain the tempo of their ongoing consultations and “footwork” before launching what he described as groundwork.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, (third left front row) with members of the National Patriots Movement of Nigeria during their visit to the former president in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday.

How female suicide bomber pursued fuel-laden tanker •9 killed, 24 injured Bodunrin KayodeMaiduguri A mass casualty would have been recorded if a female suicide bomber has succeed in carrying out her dastardly act in Maiduguri, Borno state on Saturday morning.

The female suicide bomber was in a tricycle with the driver pursuing a fuel-laden tanker apparently to detonate the bomb beside the tanker and cause massive explosion and destruction.

But before she could achieve her aim and get close to

the tanker the tricyle was blocked by an oncoming vehicle and within minutes, the bomb on her exploded.

All these happened very close to a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) fuel station in the Borno state capital.

About nine persons were feared dead, with 24 others injured in the blast and another one which rocked the city that morning .

Commissioner of Police, Demien Chukwu, in a briefing told newsmen that all the injured have been evac-

uated to various hospitals including the state specialist hospital for treatment.

In addition, some of the injured persons from the two scenes of explosions were also taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) due to the nature of their injuries.

When the Sunday Tribune visited the area after the blast, people residing around Damboa Road area of the state capital and Bakassi IDP camp said the explosion disturbed their early morn-

ing bliss at a time which they thought the security situation was getting better in the state.

According to Colonel Mustapha Anka who is the Public Relations Officer of the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army: “about 7.05 a.m this morning, there were twin simultaneous suicide bomb explosions at the entrance of Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp and NNPC area, Damboa Road, Maiduguri.

“At the Bakassi IDPs camp, a suspected female suicide

bomber ran into a group of men and women at the entrance while they were coming out of the camp, killing five men instantly and injuring 11 women.

“At the second explosion at the NNPC Area of Damboa Road, a female suicide bomber was said to have followed a fuel tanker in a tricycle with the sole aim of gaining entry to cause maximum damage and casualty, but was prevented from gaining access to the station by another vehicle.”

Sunday Tribune

He promised that he would continue to identify only with groups with altruistic intentions for the overall unity and development of the country, just as he reaffirmed his status as a Yoruba man.

The national coordinator, Chief Oladipo, in his remark, said it was a political movement comprising people of integrity and who felt it was time for them to stand up to be counted at this period in the history of the country.

There are 800 herdsmen in detention —Osinbajo Clement Idoko-Abuja

VICE President, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has revealed that security agencies in the country have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the nation.

Osinbajo made this disclosure in Houston, Texas, United State at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the Internet, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson Mr Laolu Akande.

Akande in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said Osinbajo fielded about thirty questions at the well attended townhall event moderated by Mr Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Prof. Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.

Asked about the issue of Fulani herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country and what the Federal Government was doing to curb the problem, the vice president said “the President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country, but any one of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.”

He added that “there are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The Vice President however decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system which is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects.

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news

Sunday Tribune

30 October, 2016

N’Delta dialogue: Civil society groups insist on

restructuring, resource control Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

C

IVIL society groups under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Civil Societies Group, on Saturday, canvassed for restructuring of the country, resource control and regional autonomy as the way out of the Niger Delta debacle.

The group is made of Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation (NDSWON); Ijaw Human Rights Monitors; Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) and the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FHRACC).

The group, in a joint statement signed by the various leaders in Warri, Delta State, expressed disappointment at the position arrived at during a parley by Pan Niger Delta dialogue team led by Chief Edwin Clark with the United States Undersecretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Homeland Rights, Dr Sarah Sewall, at the residence of Clark in Asokoro, Abuja.

It noted that if decision at the meeting would be the position of the leaders at the Tuesday dialogue with President Muhammadu Buhari, “the imbroglio and age-long injustice” against the Niger Delta people would persist.

“The issues canvassed at the parley seem to be a prelude to what our leaders will be presenting to the Federal Government at forthcoming dialogue convened by President Buhari.

“If that be the case, then we are totally disappointed in the position of our leaders. It appears to us that the Niger Delta dialogue team did not

appraise the concerns of the region.

“What Niger Delta people want is restructuring of the country which will usher in political autonomy and resource ownership to the components states,” the group said.

It noted that the provision

of infrastructure should not be in the front burner as it was government’s responsibility, saying that emphasis should be on restructuring and resource control.

“It is the responsibility of sensible government to provide infrastructure for its citizenry in any part of the

•Warn Clark, others

country.

“The twin issues of oil governance and restructuring of this defective country ought to be our priority. Any elder or leader having the intention to present to the president at the meeting total provision of infrastructure is not speaking the mind of the

From left, Former Benin Republic Prime Minister, Lionel Zinsou; Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; President Ernest Bai Koroma (Sierra Leone); Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony O. Elumelu and wife, Awele; Mrs Folorunso Alakija, Chairman, Rose of Sharon Group and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the Tony Elumelu Foundation Forum: Empowering African Entrepreneurs held at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, on Saturday.

One dies, 5 trucks destroyed as fuel tanker explodes in Lagos Akin Adewakun - Lagos

ONE person reportedly burnt to death and several trucks destroyed as a petrol-laden tanker loaded

lost control and burst into flames in Lagos State.

A statement issued by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) revealed that

the petrol tanker, fell while trying to navigate the Kirikiri road and, in the process, caught fire.

The fire was said to have affected one trailer loaded

•Govt fumes, calls for probe •We’ve arrested culprit-Police A policeman from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Bayelsa State command has killed a fouryear-old boy, Godgift Odoki, in the crossfire between the SARS team and a gang of cultists in the state.

The tragedy, which occurred on October 22, was also said to have claimed the life of another person in the gun duel at Ekeki area of the state capital, Yenegoa.

Reacting to the incident, the state government said such tragedy was becoming frequent, describing the killing as senseless and barbaric, while calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite, who

mount to failure on the part of Chief Edwin Clark-led team.

“It will be unforgivable if, like in the past, this opportunity is seen as a platform to negotiate personal gains.

“The focus must be on total liberation and not on issues that cannot address our agelong yearnings and aspirations,” it said.

FG establishes presidential council on ease of doing business

Anger as policeman kills 4-yr-old in Bayelsa Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

region,” it added.

The civil societies group called on leaders from the region who would not be able to articulate the issues that would guarantee total liberation of the region to back out of the dialogue team.

“Anything short of our long term demands will be tanta-

spoke for government and commiserated with the Odoki family, warned against sweeping the matter under the carpet, adding that the bereaved families must get justice.

Obuebite urged the state Commissioner of Police to read the Riot Act to his men to be more professional in their line of duty so as to avoid incessant killing of unarmed citizens.

He called for a summary dismissal of the offending policemen, while calling on the police hierarchy to ensure recruits into the force undergo mental, psychological and spiritual screening to curb the incidence of avoidable killings.

When contacted, the command said it condemned the killing of the boy and blamed it on unprofessional conduct.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Asinim Butswat, gave the name of the policeman that allegedly killed the boy as Dick Okoro.

He explained that the

culprit had been arrested, adding that investigation into the incident had commenced.

He assured the family of the boy that justice would be done.

with gas and three other containerised trucks in the area.

“One fatality has been recorded so far, an unidentified person completely burnt to death with the fire also burning about five trucks around the scene. “ However, the spread of the inferno to nearby cargo storage facility was halted by the Lagos State fire service, NPA fire service, the agency’s Emergency Response Team and the policemen on ground,” the statement read.

NDLEA vows to probe N2bn cocaine seized by customs SHOLA ADEKOLA - Lagos

THE Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has vowed to carry out a detailed investigation into the N2 billion worth of cocaine seized by the Nigerian Customs Service at Tincan Island Port, Lagos State.

The anti-narcotics agency said investigation had commenced into the seizure and details would be provided in due course.

The suspected substance handed to the NDLEA by

Customs tested positive for cocaine with a weight of 214.732 kilogrammes. The drug was concealed in eight bags each containing 25 blocks.

In another development, the Chairman Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crimes, Senator Joshua Lidani, has called for synergy among security operatives at the seaports.

Ladini gave the directive at the weekend in Lagos, during the committee’s visit to the agency.

The committee members, who were received by the Director General of the NDLEA, Mrs Roli Bode-George, at the Ikoyi headquarters of the agency, also inspected facilities at the Murtala Mohummed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos State and Tincan Island Port commands.

According to Ladini, “we have observed that there is friction and lack of synergy between the Nigeria Customs and the NDLEA at the seaports.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of Presidential Council on Ease of Doing Business to remove red tapes and other impediments associated with investment in the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Saturday, in Lagos State, at the 2016 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum.

The minister said the council would help to facilitate easy registration of businesses, clearing of goods from the ports, obtaining visa, paying taxes, obtaining land titles, among others.

He said that the government took the decision to encourage old and new entrepreneurs to bring in more investments into the country.

Mohammed said the administration was also taking measures to reduce fiscal and foreign exchange imbalances, boost dollar liquidity, curb inflation, lower interest rate and ensure lending to real sector.

He noted that the Buhari administration was moving the country away from a mono-product economy to a diversified one, and in the process opening up great opportunities for businesses.

“With the crash in oil prices, which has negatively impacted on our economy, we are left with no choice but to explore new possibilities.

“The areas we are targeting include agriculture, solid minerals and the creative industries. We are also engaging in massive infrastructural development,” he said.

He said agriculture is first plank of the economic diversification and revival strategy and the government is encouraging local production of rice, maize, sorghum, millet and soya beans for self- sufficiency.

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ondo2016

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Protest enters Day 2, as protesters storm Deji’s palace over Jegede

•Appeal Court slates Nov 1, 2 for definite hearing of appeals From Hakeem Gbadamosi and Sunday Ejike

T

HE protests over the substitution of the name of Eyitayo Jegede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State entered the second day in Akure, as supporters and members of the party, on Saturday, trooped to the palace of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo, to register their protestations.

The protesters, who had, on Friday, disrupted both social and economic activities across the state, converged on the heart of the state capital, Akure, to register their grievances against the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim.

Major markets across Akure metropolis were closed down, with market women and those sympathetic to the aspiration of Jegede trooping out as early as 8 a.m. to join the protesters in registering their grievances despite the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

The protesters, bearing different placards with various inscriptions, called on INEC to reverse its decision on Jegede.

The protesters, which included market women, youths, non-indigenes of the state and PDP leaders, moved from the party’s secretariat along Ijapo road to the palace of Deji of Akure, where the he addressed the protesters.

Speaking at the Deji’s palace, the chairman of the PDP in the state, Clement Faboyede, stated that “it is not the duty of INEC to determine who the candidate of a political party is, as that rests squarely with the members of the party.”

He told the traditional ruler and the chiefs that the visit to the palace became imperative in order not to take laws into their hands and also to prevent a repeat of the 1983 saga in the state where properties and lives were lost because of injustice done to the people of the state by the then Federal Government.

“Help us beg the Federal Government, courts and INEC not to cheat us. We did not say anybody should not contest election, we are not afraid to lose this election, but we don’t want underhand tactics in disqualifying our candidate. We don’t want anybody to rig for us or rig

us out,” he said.

Responding, Oba Aladetoyinbo commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct, saying that the constitution of the country gives room for such but warned them against destruction of lives and properties.

Oba Aladetoyinbo, however, warned against burning of tyres and promised to prevail on INEC to do the right thing.

“Whatever mistake they made would be corrected; we will convey your grievances to the president, the governor, Ondo State Council of Obas and INEC. Our judiciary should make sure everyone gets justice, we don’t want unrest.

Please there should be no unrest in the state,” he said.

Appeal Court slates Nov 1, 2 for definite hearing of appeals In another development, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Saturday, slated November 1 and 2 for the definite hearing of the appeals over the governorship tussle between the Senators Ali Modu-Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi factions of the PDP in Ondo State.

The court, in its proceedings, disposed of preliminary issues in the appeals filed by the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP and granted parties in the appeals extension of time to harmonise their processes and thereafter directed the parties to file and exchange their written addresses on or before November 1.

Eyitayo Jegede, SAN in appeal No: CA/A/551c/2016, is challenging the October 14 ruling of Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja, directing INEC to recognise Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP in the state ahead of next month’s governorship election.

The PDP is also challenging the said ruling, while the third appeal, between Markafi and Chief Benson Akingboye was withdrawn for being incompetent and was subsequently struck out by the three-member Justices of the appellate court sitting on the panel.

On the legal representation of the PDP in the appeal, which was an issue, the court held that it would be taken together with the substantive appeal, explaining that doing so at this stage “will preempt the substance of the appeal.”

The Makarfi-led faction of the PDP had informed the court that Mr. Clark Paiko and Co. had the mandate of the party to appeal against

the 29th June judgment and the October 14, 2016, ruling of Justice Okon Abang.

But in a counter affidavit to the objectors’ affidavit in support of the motion on notice of 27th October, deposed to by one Dolapo Kehinde, it was averred that Mr. Godswill Mrakpo, Olagoke Fakunle and Rapheal Oluyede had no iota of legal authority to challenge any of the processes filed on behalf of the appellant or appear on behalf of the appellant.

Justice Abang had, in the said judgment, upheld Sheriff as the authentic National Chairman of the PDP, having nullified Makarfi’s appointment as chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee.

Abang said the purported convention held in PortHarcourt, Rivers State, on May 21 by the Makarfi caretaker committee was a total violation of court orders.

It will be recalled that there was an order by a Federal High Court in Lagos restraining Makarfi’s caretaker committee from parading itself as the party’s executive while

another Federal High Court in Lagos also declared the Sheriff faction as illegal, a ruling upheld by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt division.

PDP lawmakers reject Ibrahim Earlier, the PDP members in the Ondo State House of Assembly addressed the media where the members said they rejected the listing of Ibrahim who did not participate in the party’s primary as the governorship candidate.

The lawmakers, on Saturday, said they rejected the choice of Ibrahim as the candidate of the party in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the 21 PDP lawmakers in the House of Assembly, the Speaker, Honourable Jumoke Akindele, stated that as statutory delegates of the party involved in the election of the party’s candidate, they never participated in the process that produced Ibrahim as the candidate.

Akindele, who specifically stated that Ibrahim was not a member of the party

in the state, noted that he never participated in the primary election of the party in the state.

She said: “On the 27th day of August, 2016, the delegates of the PDP, in a primary properly conducted in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic on Nigeria and the Electoral Act as amended, gave their mandate to Mr. Eyitayo Jegede but recent events showed that injustice is walking barefooted on our land.”

“The entire people of the

state are still in shock over the ungodly court order directing INEC to substitute the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, with an individual unknown to the party.”

The lawmakers appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow democracy, which is the hope of the common man, to be trampled upon, saying the protest embarked upon by the people of the state “was not orchestrated by any force, but the real reaction of the real people of Ondo State.”

Buhari to launch APC campaign in Akure on Thursday THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State said on Saturday that President Muhammad Buhari would launch the campaign rally of its governorship candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.

A statement signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, said the launch of the campaign was fixed for Thursday, November 3.

Adesanya added that Vice-

President Yemi Osinbajo, National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun; the National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu; the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives and all the APC state governors would be present.

He, therefore, noted that 30-man Local Organising Committee for the campaign had been inaugurated and is chaired by Mr Agboola Ajayi.

Sherrif’s S/West PDP chair, organising secretary differ over Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidature Bola Badmus -Lagos FOLLOWING the substitution of the name of Eyitayo Jegede, SAN with that of Jimoh Ibrahim as the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next month’s governorship election in Ondo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), cracks have emerged within the camp of the SouthWest zonal leadership loyal to the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff.

The zonal executive, led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, had, at the weekend, experienced clear disagreements over the candidature of Ibrahim, with the party’s Organizing Secretary in the zone, Chief Femmy Carrena, disagreeing with Ogundipe over Ibrahim.

Carrena, in a statement, informed Sunday Tribune that he disagreed with Ogundipe that the South-West he leads was in support of the decision by INEC to have Ibrahim listed as the PDP candidate for the Ondo governorship poll, saying he should be counted out of such decision.

The zonal organising secretary maintained that he took such position because he could not see himself supporting Ibrahim as the PDP standard-bearer for the coming governorship

election in Ondo State.

“My chairman sir, with due respect, I will have to disassociate myself from the exco sir, because I don’t represent that candidate.

So sorry sir,” Carrena said in the statement.

It would be recalled that Chief Ogundipe had, in a statement issued on Thursday, congratulated both Ibrahim and Mr Ebenezer Alabi, his running mate, on the coming poll, saying “it was time for

genuine members of PDP particularly in the state to put the past behind them and support the PDP ticket entrusted in the hands of Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as the legally recognised candidate after being validly nominated.”

Group begs judiciary to save democracy, prevent anarchy A pro-democracy coalition has appealed to the judiciary to “rise up in defence of democracy at a critical moment and prevent anarchy that could truncate another civil rule in Nigeria.”

The group expressed sadness that a major political incident that led to the fall of the second republic in 1983 is gradually building up in the polity, warning that only the emplacement of electoral justice could save the current democratic journey.

In a statement by the group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC), signed by its co-convener, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, the coalition said: “The failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to defend democracy and do what is right and just to political parties is creating serious tension in the land and threatening our democracy.

“With every sense of responsibility, we state that the latest electoral insurrection by INEC in illegally and wickedly substituting a validly nominated candidate for another.

“We feared that the rising tension in Ondo State, based on the 1983 experience, is capable of truncating this democracy, except the judiciary comes to the rescue.

“The onus is now on the judiciary to stand up for justice as the last hope of the people to defend this democracy, because what INEC has done, has painfully created a loophole for desperate and wicked politicians to explore to the detriment of our democracy and elections.

“If we allow this electoral travesty to stand, it will consume all of us and our democracy will fall. The bigger picture of what is happening in Ondo State will undermine civil rule and we don’t want this to

happen.

“We are sincerely urging the judiciary to redeem the situation in Ondo State and ensure that justice is done to the people on the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“INEC has acted wickedly by replacing a validly nominated candidate of the PDP, whose primary election it observed and approved, with another person,” it said.

CDNDC, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to caution INEC against sabotaging the electoral process, noting that the security implications of what the commission is doing is “a big burden on the nation and a major challenge to the President.

“Mr. President also has a sacred duty to prevent INEC from sabotaging our hard earned and hard sustained democracy.

We must never allow democracy to die,” the coalition said.

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30 October, 2016

crimereports

Sunday Tribune

edited by Oluwatoyin Malik 0807 889 1950, 0811 695 4633 praiseboy01@gmail.com

Callous friend!

Dismissed FRSC officer arranged killing of benefactor

By Tunde Ogunesan

A

dismissed officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nurudeen Ali, recently betrayed friendship when he arranged the killing of his friend, Yahuza Isiyaku Fatai, 32, who was until his death, an officer of the FRSC. Ali it was said, supervised the killing of Isiyaku Fatai at his residence, College road, Amejiogbe area, Oyo on October 14, 2016 around 7.40 p.m.

Ali, 32, informed that he was passing through difficult times since his dismissal from the FRSC, having been involved in what he described as “driver’s licence touting”. He said his friend had been assisting him to survive as a man, and had even promised to raise money for him to start his own business.

Unfortunately, as late Fatai was busy thinking of how to assist his friend, Ali had devised his own means to get money from Fatai.

In accord with another friend, the plan was to rob Fatai of his money and a Honda Accord car.

So, he employed the services of Mohammed Garba, 26, to attack Fatai in his house and get the money he promised from him.

At about 7.40 p.m, unsuspecting Fatai admitted Ali into his house. In his confession, Ali, who broke into tears, said he could not believed he masterminded the death of his benefactor.

Sources informed that Ali went with his partner in crime to Fatai’s house on that day and carried out the dastardly act.

According to the source, “they went there together, while at the scene, he received a call outside the gate while his friend was carrying out the action, as soon as he finished the call, he entered and completed the action.”

To corroborate this claim, Ali’s partner, Garba gave his account that it was Ali that invited him to Fatai’s house to threaten him and get the money from him before the date promised.

According to Garba: “the deceased was my friend’s colleague and promised to give Ali capital for business because my friend was having so many debts to settle. My friend now ad-

vised that we should attack him in his residence by way of just threatening (“shakara”) him. The operation, however, turned sour as we

mistakenly stabbed him to death. We mistakenly marked him with this dagger on his neck. We never knew he would die.

The suspects, Nurudeen Ali (left) with Mohammed Garba

“When I saw the blood, I was shivering and ran away. I only marked him once around the neck area and threw the knife on his friend (Ali) but I don’t know what happened thereafter, because I had left the place.”

Ali disclosed that the deceased was his benefactor who had assisted him a lot but could not comprehend why he took such action to get money from somebody that had always assisted him.

“He is my friend and had been assisting me a lot. A day before that day, he came to my house and gave me money (N1,000) the next day and asked me to see him. I later received a call while Garba was with him inside.”

Surprisingly, Ali busted into tears gasping “I don’t

How kidnappers abducted their mediators Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos

NINE members of a gang of notorious kidnappers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, revealed how they abducted two supposed mediators between them and the husband of one of their victims.

The nine suspects: Daniel Gabriel; Akeodi Adelemi , Ayinbimitei Livinus Alaso Igodo, Anikunka Anikunka, Biebele Elijah Daniel Lesson, Efiye Anda and Isaac Reuben were arrested by the operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence

Response Team led by Abba Kyari, a Chief Superintendent of Police.

Some of the exhibits recovered from the syndicate include: one AK47 rifle with bridge no.0731, four AK47 magazines with 42 live ammunition, four face masks and the syndicate’s operational vehicle; a green Mazda Salon car.

It was gathered that the arrest of the gang members was as a result of the confessional statement from 33-year-old Gabriel, who was arrested last week by the IGP team at Navy Market, Borokiri, Port

Harcourt.

The suspect was alleged to be responsible for most of the kidnapping cases recorded within the GRA Phase 2, Port-Harcourt main town, Borokiri General Area and YKC axis of Woji and as he confessed to about 15 Kidnapping cases in Rivers State.

One members of the gang confessed to have abducted Onyeka Ani and Pastor Okezie Akara, who had both gone to pay the ransom after the wife of a prince was abducted, according to police sources, on 10th of August, 2016,

where the gang kidnapped one Reverend Mrs Luis Ubah of 18 Creek Road Port Harcourt and one Chika Ezenwa, an engineer of No 9, Belgium Avenue, Egbelu Onyi-Igbo, Rivers State.

According to investigations, Mrs Ubah and Ezenwa were both abducted in Ubah’s shop and then whisked away to Indoki Estate Waterfront, but on their way, they had an encounter with a team of policemen and opened fire on the policemen, injuring one inspector known as David Ijosi, and one Corporal Dike Ledee in the

Bleak soap business led me into robbery —Bank Robber

By Tunde Ogunesan

“I am into soap making business, but because business was not booming again, my friend lured me into robbery to have a short cut.”

Those were the words of 58-year-old Moshood Adeniyi, father of three children, who was recently nabbed with three other suspects by officers of the Oyo state Police Com-

know how it all happened.

It was like a dream to me. I even planned to confide in some neighbours to report myself to the police. That however came too late as I was arrested in my house.”

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Samuel Adegbuyi, informed that the Atiba Police division was mandated to solve the case and arrest the suspects responsible for the dastardly act.

He said “as a result of diligent investigation carried out by detectives from the police division, two suspects were arrested in connection with the crime and the exhibit, a knife, used was recovered. The suspects confessed to the crime, and disclosed that their motive was to dispossess the victim of his money and Honda Accord car.”

mand, during an attempt to break into the vault of a new generation bank in Oyo, Oyo State, earlier in this month.

Adeniyi’s other accomplices are: Ismaila Olarinde 40; Ahmed Akande, 45, and Abiodun Adesanya, 44. The suspects were busy dismantling the doors of the bank on September 9, 2016 when the police, acting on a distress call swooped on them.

According to the soap manufacturer, he met his initiator, Saliu, who is still at large, during a football match at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan two months ago.

According to him, “it was Saliu that brought the job and invited me and the rest of us. After that, we moved down to Oyo from Ibadan.

When we got to the bank at about 1.00 a.m, we were making attempt to gain

entry into the bank when policemen came and were shooting sporadically and we ran away.”

Asked if there were no security officials manning the bank at that time of the night, Adeniyi said “there was no security official at the time we got to the bank and we did not work with any insider. The information we had was that when we get to the banking hall that we “will see money at

the counter, pack them and go.”

He further added that it is the same Saliu that provided the instrument to break into the bank.

“I knew him two months ago. I met him at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, when I went to watch a football match. He spoke to me and I agreed to work with him,” he stated.

process.

The policemen got hit by bullet on their legs and necks as the kidnappers escaped with their victims into the Isaka creeks in Okrika, from where they demanded a ransom of N50million from families of the victim.

Mrs Ubah’s husband, Bishop Prince Ubah, pleaded with the kidnappers and the ransom was reduced to N2.8million. He sent two of his brothers; one Onyeka Ani and Pastor Okezie Akara, to take the ransom to the kidnappers on August 25, 2016. But when the duo got to the drop-off point, they were abducted by the kidnappers, who released, Mrs Ubah and Ezenwa, and demanded another ransom of N1million from Bishop Ubah before his brothers would be released.

Sources confided in Sunday Tribune that the sum of N750, 000 was eventually paid to the kidnappers to free the mediators.

In order to forestall another episode, the money was dropped off at Idoki Waterfront before their victims finally regained their freedom.

7

30 October,2016

Sunday Tribune

8

specialtreat

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Recession: 5 businesses you can start with N10,000

By Rita Okonoboh

I

T is no longer news that many entrepreneurs thrive when the economy of any nation is in recession.

Food vendors, fashion stylists, event planners, provision store owners and even farmers, whatever the economic situation, many times, remain in business.

It is not even uncommon to find office workers involved in such businesses.

There is no fear of unpaid salaries or unexpected retrenchment.

With the current state of the economy, many Nigerians desire extra sources of income, and like the popular saying goes, ‘there is no time like the present.”

Whether you’re an office worker who wants to make more to cater for increasing expenses; a small-scale businessman/woman who wishes to invest more to get more; a graduate with some cash to spare, or among other categories of

persons, there is always something legal you can do to make money in the Nigerian market. Below are five businesses that can be started with N10,000.

Liquid soap Soap, in liquid form, is present in many homes, offices and even hotels.

They are easier to handle.

Their form makes them the ever-present companion for cleaning dishes, toilets, floors, bathtubs, windows and even appliances.

According to market survey, the ingredients required to make a 25-litre keg of quality liquid soap will cost about N2,500.

One five-litre keg of the finished product costs between N800 and N1,000.

As such, from N2,500, you can make 100 per cent profit by selling the 25-litre worth of liquid soap at N5,000.

Ground pepper Nearly every Nigerian home requires the use of

ground pepper, no matter how small the quantity.

However, if you intend to go into the ground pepper business, always ensure you provide quality. With even less than N10,000, you can successfully market ground pepper from your home and if the environment permits, the office. The plus side is that they take a while before they lose their flavour, so you have enough time to sell it. If you wish, you can also invest in packaging, and this can be done at home. You’ll require quality wrapping bags and a nylon sealer machine.

They are readily available in shops and even online markets and cost as low as N4,500.

Small chops With the recession in full swing, not many people can afford to make home cooked meals every day for the entire family. Besides, with the increase in the prices of packaged snacks

and sweets, home-made small chops may provide the better alternative, even with the increase in the price of flour. You may not even need to invest in an electrical deep fryer as a stove will work just fine.

You can make chin-chin, plantain chips (plantain is cheaper now), or even potato chips. For the best results, always ensure you use quality oil. These snacks can be supplied in schools, offices, construction sites, viewing centres and even churches (whether you’re a member or not).

Sachet/bottled water People consume water every day and even with the thousands of people involved in the business of ‘pure water’ sale, it would seem the supply is still much lower than the demand. A bag of sachet water costs between N100 and N120 from the main suppliers and now that each sachet costs N10, you would be selling a bag at

the sum of N200. If you have a freezer at home or in the shop, why not stock a few bags and advertise your wares. You can take it up a notch by adding bottled water and a few crates of soft drinks to the stock. You never know when a big event will take place in your area and it’s your chilled drinks to the rescue. Besides, you rarely have to worry about ‘best before’ dates. You would have sold out the stock before then for sure.

Small scale food sale Interestingly, the Nigerian market is a thriving environment for the sale of almost anything edible. For N10,000 or less, you can become the next noodles star cook of your area. The average price of a carton of noodles costs between N2,000 and N2,500. You can buy half/ quarter of a carton of a variety of noodles to start with (some customers may request a particular brand)

with two crates of eggs.

Fresh tomatoes and peppers are in season now, so that should not cost too much to add. You can also offer fried diced plantain as a side dish for the noodles with peppered meat chopped in small blocks, if you can afford this. Always invest in quality oil. And the shop you need doesn’t have to cost a fortune, if you require such outlets.

You can pair with another business owner and occupy a section of the shop.

You can also make the noodles at home and supply to schools, offices and other places. However, deliver quality at all times. Your food will go places and the quality will determine whether you wish for more customers or not.

Besides, even if you cannot cook and you have the space or the customers, with a friend or relative who knows how to work magic for the taste buds, by all means, invest in the business.

Zebra Crossings may land Lagos ‘big men’ in trouble Bola Badmus-Lagos Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile Court) has said that it is set to enforce compliance with the traffic law concerning zebra crossing, especially as it relates to ‘big men’ who violate the law in the state in order to ensure that wherever such signs are located, pedestrians must be allowed to freely walk across the road.

This was just as the agency disclosed that it had arrested about 5,000 traffic offenders in various locations in the state and also convicted over three quarter of the number, since it was launched in February 2016 by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Coordinator of the agency, Mr Femi Alabi, disclosed this at the weekend while speaking with newsmen in his office, saying that the body was planning, as a first step, to enforce the traffic law pertaining to the zebra crossing around government secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State, which has a lot of influential people.

According to Alabi, the mobile court intended to carry out enforcement to enable it to apprehend

some of these high-profile individuals notorious for violating traffic laws to demonstrate that government and laws are no respecters of anybody.

He also said the enforcement was to bring about attitudinal change, that wherever one found the zebra crossing signs, motorists must allow pedestrians to cross the road freely without molestation or running over such pedestrians.

“One of the things we are planning now is for us to have zebra crossings around Alausa where we have these big men. We intend enforcing this law, be-

cause we know that we are going to be able to catch a lot of these individuals.

“That will send signals to members of the public who are considered to be big men to know that yes, and indeed, the government and the law is not a respecter of per-

sons.

“We want to bring about this attitudinal change that wherever you find a zebra crossing, once you see a pedestrian about to cross, you are meant to stop and allow the person to pass by,” Alabi said.

It will be recalled

that last February, Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, inaugurated five mobile courts to try traffic offenders across the state, with the offences ranging from driving against traffic; parking in places not designated for such

Edo APC, PDP spat over tribunal proceedings A chieftain of Edo South Senatorial District of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, accused the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of making mockery of pro-

ceedings of the ongoing election petition tribunal by seeking to create a drama over a “fictionalised” evasion of service by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governorelect, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

The APC leader, Mr Oteghe Adams, at a press briefing, accused the candidate of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his party for the continuous campaign of denigration and attack on the will of

67 robbery suspects arrested in Delta in one month Ebenezer AdurokiyaWarri THE Nigeria Police, Delta State command, has disclosed that between September 28 and October 29, it arrested 67 suspects in the state.

Commissioner of Police, Mr Zanna Ibrahim, made the disclosure at the command’s monthly press briefing at the headquarters on Saturday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The police said the suspects were arrested over offences including kid-

to dropping and picking passengers on expressways, particularly, by commercial bus drivers.

The courts sit in Ikoyi, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Egbeda, among others, where, according to Alabi, people called and requested for their services.

napping, armed robbery, cultism, murder, cyber crime, among others at various parts of the state.

According to him, there were 12 armed robbery cases, seven kidnap cases, six cult cases and two cult-murder related cases, totalling 21.

Zanna noted that several arms and ammunition were also recovered from the hoodlums.

Rolling out the number, he said nine locally-made guns, four locally-made pistols, four pump action guns, one AK-47 rifle, one G3 rifle, eight live

cartridges, two expended cartridges, 73 rounds of live ammunition as well as two kidnapped victims and five vehicles were recovered from the suspects.

He decried the proliferation of arms and light weapons in the hands of hoodlums in the state, warning those with such weapons to surrender them to the police for peace to reign.

Zanna also expressed worry over the menace of Fulani herdsmen across the state, accusing them of breaching peace pro-

cesses through the continuous destruction of farmlands, intimidation, threats and sometimes outright killing.

He said the Delta State Police Command, which is much aware of the right to freedom of movement across Nigeria, sensibilities and cultural values of host communities, must be respected.

He warned that the command would deal with anyone, no matter how highly placed, who attempted to scuttle the relative peace in the state.

the electorate as expressed on September 28th.

The leadership of the Edo State chapter of the PDP had accused Obaseki of evading court services by going into hiding since the party filed petition at the state election petitions tribunal, challenging the outcome of the September 28 governorship poll.

The PDP also slammed the ruling party for allegedly shutting down its state party secretariat barring security agents and officials of the party from coming to office.

However, according to Adams, “the recent unfortunate drama about the purported ‘evasion’ of court summons created by the PDP was nothing but the figment of the imagination of the party. The PDP tried through Ize-Iyamu and Dan Orbih, to suggest that the APC and the governor-elect were evading the service of court summons.”

9

feature

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Rejected at 2 hospitals, sad end of lecturer who died day he was to get Ph.D Completing his Ph.D programme must surely have been a satisfying venture for Abdul Hafeez Adedimeji, being an academic himself, but dying on the day he was supposed to be conferred with honours for his academic achievement was a sad event for his family members. BIOLA AZEEZ and OLUWOLE IGE report on the final hours of the late academic.

W

HEN Abdul Hafeez Adedimeji, a lecturer at Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State ,started his Ph.D programme at University of Ilorin, he must have been looking forward to the day he would finish up and be proudly decorated with his degree having been found worth of it “in character and learning.”

He must have travelled dozens of times, shuttling between Osogbo and Ilorin as he pursued his academic honours with determination, going to see his supervisor and putting finishing touches to his thesis, especially as the programme began to wind down.

Unfortunately this was not to be as though he actually finished the programme, but was not able to partake in the ceremony of being conferred with honours. He gave up the ghost the very day he was supposed to be conferred with his Ph.D. degree.

News of his death threw the entire staff and management of the Fountain University into mourning and confusion. He was until his demise, the Head of General Studies Department of the institution, as well as the Chief Imam of the institution’s mosque.

Sunday Tribune gathered that before his death on the 22nd of October, Adedimeji, an indigene of Iwo, Osun State, had earlier had a surgery on a tumour, which grew on his thigh. He was said to have developed complications.

According to a source close to his family, “the deceased’s wife and a few others rushed him to Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo, but he was not admitted at the hospital.

He was later taken to another private medical facility, where he was rejected.

“By the time we rushed him to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Hospital, Jaleyemi, Osogbo, he was pronounced dead by the doctor. It was a terrible experience. There was nothing we could have done to save him,” the source remarked.

Some of his colleagues who spoke to our correspondents described the deceased as a nice and easygoing person who was always willing to help anybody who came his way.

Reacting to the demise of Adedimeji, the management of Fountain University, Osogbo, in a press statement signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ms Adebisi Fadilat, expressed sadness over the development. The statement said: “the management and staff of Fountain University, Osogbo formally announce the death of Dr. Abdul Hafeez Adeniyi Adedimeji.

“Dr. Abdul Hafeez Adedimeji, who was due to bag a doctorate degree at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, on the 22nd of October, 2016 died the same day at about few hours before the convocation ceremony, during a brief illness.

“Dr. Adedimeji obtained his Diploma, B.A and M.A certificates in Arabic Studies and Arabic Rhetoric at the Islamic University, Medina in Saudi Arabia. His doctorate degree was also in Arabic Language

Maingate of Fountain University

The deceased’s wife and few others rushed him to Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, but he was not admitted at the hospital

Adedimeji

with interest in English-Arabic translation from the Department of Arabic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.”

“The Islamic scholar was the Head of General Studies at Fountain University, Osogbo, and the Grand Imam of the

school till his death. A one-time lecturer at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, and a parttime lecturer at Osun State University.

“He was the Secretary General of the Centre for Arabic Research in Nigeria (NCAR), member of National Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies;

Member of Bamako-based Union of African Muslim Scholars (U.A.M.S); Member, Jordan-based international Forum for Moderation (I.F.M)” Sunday Tribune was also at the University of Ilorin where he studied for his Ph.D programme, to speak to those who worked closely with him at the Department of Arabic Studies, but his supervisor could not be reached.

However, the Dean, Postgraduate School, University of Ilorin, Professor Badmas Yusuf, spoke on the late scholar.

According to him: “As Dean of Post Graduate School, I present students, after they have been found worthy from their various departments. So, I will not have close relationship with them as such. So it’s difficult for me to say much about him. However, from what I gathered, he was a dutiful and Godfearing fellow.

“The death came as a sudden event. And it also came as a lesson for all of us that death is an ultimate end. It has no timetable to know when it’s one’s turn. That’s all I can say. I wish that his soul rest in peace.”

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feature

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Dying corps member’s last words to killers: God punish them Lawal Awwal Kontagora graduated from a Malaysian university recently and came home for the National Youth Service. He died at the hands of hoodlums while visiting his fiancee. Mohammed Sabiu reports that the young man’s needless death is a big loss to the family.

T

HE brutal killing of Lawal Awwal Kontagora, a 26-year-old corps member by suspected hoodlums over a week ago at Gambia Road, Malali, Kaduna, has continued to generate reactions. The question on the lips of sympathisers, family members and the deceased’s friends was: what was his offence?

Lawal had recently bagged a Masters degree from a Malaysian University and was observing the one year compulsory service.

According to one of the deceased’s siblings, Yusuf Kontagora, “the day my brother was killed, October 17th, 2016, will forever remain a black day for the family. My late brother was full of life. He did not show any sign that he would be leaving us that day. We ate and prayed together on that fateful day before deciding to visit his fiancée’s house at Malali.

“Later around 10.30 p.m, we received a call from his friend that my brother had been shot by unidentified gunmen and that he was now laying on the ground helpless, in a pool of his blood.

“I hurriedly contacted a military officer who is a friend of the family and we rushed to the scene of the incident. We saw him gasping for breath. Immediately, we took him to Garkuwa Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by the doctors who examined him.”

Narrating how Lawal was killed, one of his cousins who pleaded for anonymity told Sunday Tribune that the hoodlums met the deceased in his Peugeot 407 car with his fiancée and while they were still inside the car, his killers went to her side and asked the duo to alight from the car.

“When they alighted from the car, the hoodlums asked them to all kneel down and hand over their phones. They collected Murja (his fiancée)’s phone, but his own phone was inside the car. As he crawled to pick the phone, one of the killers thought he was trying to escape. So, he shot him at close range on his thigh. He fell down, another one brought out an offensive object and put it on his neck and forcefully dragged him to the ground, thus, damaging his skull,” he said.

When the Sunday Tribune visited the family house, located at Jabi Road, sympathisers were trooping in to commiserate with the bereaved family. Among the early callers was Senator Shehu Sani, who said he read about the murder of the young man in one of the national dailies.

While, condoling with the family, the senator promised to ensure that the perpetrators of the act were brought to justice.

“This sad event happened in my senatorial district and we must bring the wanton killings of innocent souls in my district to an end,” he said.

Also, reacting to the incident, the state coordinator of the National Youths Ser-

Late Lawal Awwal Kontagora

vice Corps (NYSC), Mohammed Mommoh described the death of the corps member as a shock and a big loss. “NYSC has confirmed the death of a corps member who was attacked by hoodlums at Malali.”

Mommoh further tasked the police and other security agencies to trail and fish out the perpetrators.

Lawal’s best friend, Umar Muhammad Muktaqa, also spoke on the event of that fateful night. Speaking with Sunday Tribune, Umar said: “Awwal was my friend. I have been with him for the past 15 years. For the past four years, we slept in the same room, we eat together, went out together. He was a kind person, somebody with a good character. He was reserved, cool-headed, in fact, I never saw him quarrel with anybody. He was a very quiet person.”

Umar stated that on that fateful day, he spoke with the deceased 40 minutes before his death. “We were supposed to go to his fiancée’s house together. But somehow, we missed each other. He phoned to tell me that he was already at her place.

“I wasn’t at home either, so I told him I was at Kinkino Road. So we both agreed to go to his fiancée’s house the following day.

But Allah knows best,” he told the Sunday Tribune.

Recounting her last moment with her son, Lawal’s mother, Hajiya Hafsat Lawal Kontagora, a Director at the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna, remarked that she was in a better position to speak on her

son.

“Since he was born, up Alh Lawal Kontagora, to the time father of late corps member he breathed his last, his dad, his step mother, his aunties, his brothers and cousins will tell you, he never quarrelled with anyone. In fact, he settled quarrels in the house. He was somebody with a large heart. Trouble was not in his dictionary.

“Two weeks before his death, he told me, ‘Mummy I don’t have this feeling of keeping malice or picking a quarrel with anyone.’ He said after all, what is there in this world.

“The night before the night he died, he was trying to fix my apple laptop with a Microsoft, but he tried in vain. He bought an Apple laptop for me. In fact he saved his school allowance to buy it for me. And when he brought it, I felt bad and promised to refund his money, which I eventually did.

“Unfortunately, when I travelled to Ghana, I lost the laptop he bought for me. He insisted I got another one, which I did. It was this one that he was trying to fix and it was getting late, I think around 11.30 p.m.

“I told him I wanted to sleep. The following day, he came to me, and he said ‘mummy I want to ask you for a little amount of money.’ He was just moving around and finding it difficult to tell me that he needed just N6,000 to give to the mechanic who fixed his car. We trusted him with money. When you sent him to get money for you, he would withdraw the exact amount. He doesn’t even care to know how much you have left. I told him, you have all my ATM cards and you are asking me for money. He said, ‘I know mummy, but I have to seek for your consent.’

“On that fateful day, I was to travel, I sent his cousin to collect my ATM cards, but he insisted that he would bring it himself to bid me farewell. I could recall when he came; he bent down to greet my driver.

He promised to call me when I got to my destination. He called around 2.30 p.m and later in the evening around 6.15 p.m he called again. That was the last time I spoke to him.”

The father of the deceased, Alhaji Lawal Umar Kontagora, was philosophical and calm when Sunday Tribune met him.

The man, who holds the traditional title of Danmalikin Kontagora paid tribute to his son.

“He was a nice boy. People around would testify to his character. All I would say is, we were lucky to have a son like him. We were blessed to have him. We spoke two hours before his death. I was sleeping when his step-mother woke me up to tell me that he had been shot and wounded by unknown persons. I went to the toilet and had my ablution. God being the kindest of all, I took everything as God’s will.

I could feel that he is gone. Later, his elder brother came to tell me that he passed on. When he was breaking the news to me, he fell on my body and the people around shouted do you want to kill our father.

“I was told that the cutlass they used on his head resulted in his sudden death.

According to his fiancée, when my son touched his forehead and saw blood on his palm, he said, ‘what have I done to them, God punished them.’ He knew from that point, he would not make it. May Almighty Allah have mercy on him.”

Meanwhile, the police have said it had arrested two people in connection with the murder. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, ASP Aliyu Usman, confirmed this while speaking with Sunday Tribune in Kaduna.

Investigation by Sunday Tribune revealed that one of the suspects, one Jamiliu, also known as Baba lado is a bus driver and resides in Kwaru in Malali Badarawa District of Kaduna North Local Government Area.

The second suspect, simply called Zaki is a bricklayer working at a site behind Badarawa Primary School, Kaduna.

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feature

Mysterious cross of Nasarawa

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

How Assakio, theatre of communal war became site of religious tourism By: Godwin Agwam - Lafia

I

T all started like a rumour when news emerged from Assakio, one of the communities in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, that a cross appeared on the ground. The cross, it was said, was even very close to a mosque in the village.

Many people, including this reporter, at first doubted the claim as one of the sensational tales people bear to draw unwholesome attention. But different stories kept coming from the village, which is about an hour drive from Lafia, capital of Nasarawa State.

However, on Saturday, Octobers 22, Sunday Tribune visited Assakio to get a firsthand information on the mysterious ‘cross’ that people kept talking about.

It took about an hour to arrive at Assakio. This was because the federal road passing through the village, which links Nasarawa and Plateau states, has become a death trap. The road is heavily decorated with potholes, thus making a rather short journey both arduous and hazardous. According to reports, many commuters, especially farmers who inhabit the area, have lost their lives on the road as a result of its terrible condition.

Assakio was indeed a hive of activities. The once deserted community was busy. No one would believe that this village was once engulfed in an ethnic crisis between the Alago and the Eggon tribes which led to loss of lives and properties. It was an experience that shook the entire state and indeed Nigeria as the death toll from the crisis increased by the day.

But it was a totally different Assakio that Sunday Tribune saw that fateful Saturday. Right beside a mosque and close to the house of the village’s traditional leader is the site that has generated so much attention. Christian faithful from far and near could be seen milling around the cross etched on the ground. Some worshippers knelt in supplication before the cross heartily sending their requests. Some of the stories that have been told since the cross’s mysterious appearance are those of miracle healings and wonders.

The cross, apart from bringing attention to Assakio, also brought other benefits too. The sleepy village was a big business haven when Sunday Tribune visited. The villagers had set up different businesses around the site of “wonders,” selling an assortment of goods to the visitors.

Ishaya Yakusamu, a brother to Hajara Hussani, the Muslim girl who discovered the cross, recounted to Sunday Tribune how the story of the cross began. According to him, “ it all started when little Hajara Hussani was coming out of her house a fortnight ago and saw rays of light coming out from the ground. She took a closer look and saw a cross emerge.

“She immediately ran to call our mother to come and see what she saw. But when they came they could not ascertain what they were seeing until people gathered and told them it was a cross,” Yakusamu narrated.

But the story did not end there, according to Yakusamu, attempts were made to cover the site, thinking it was nothing. “The people tried covering the site with sand, but the more they covered it, the more it became clearer.

It then became clear that the cross was not ordinary,” he said.

Yakusamu explained that Assakio instantly became a tourists’ spot the moment the information got out as

miracle-seeking people started pouring in to the village.

“Some white men even came to investigate if the cross was real and they also had a chat with the girl. But the truth is that our parents have taken her out of the village to Bauchi, because people were beginning to call Hajara Mary, mother of Jesus, and you know she is a Muslim,” he said.

One of the visitors, who gave his name as Frank, a resi-

dent of Abuja, said he came with his family on pilgrimage to the wonder cross.

“I heard about it and decided to come. From what we heard, we learnt that there was a crisis in this land before and a lot of people died. So, people are now saying that the cross is a sign of peace and reconciliation”.

On his experience at the cross site, Frank said: “All the rumours we have been hearing about the cross is true.

I specifically came here to pray for my healing and for Nigeria, for things to return to normal.”

Sunday Tribune also visited the tradition ruler of the village, the Ossakio of Assakio, His Royal Highness Osuola Inarigu, who confirmed the emergence of the cross and confessed praying before it. “ I was in the hospital when I got the news that a cross appeared in my land. When I was discharged, I visited the scene and saw the cross there. I knelt down to pray before it.

“Although, nobody knows the exact meaning of the cross but I have urged my people to continue to pray so that God can reveal its real essence to us,” he enthused.

However, efforts to get the Catholic Priest of St. Francis Catholic Church in Assakio to comment on the issue proved abortive. He said he could not comment as the issue is still under critical investigation.

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30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

foreignfeatures

In Bui, Nigeria, a crowd gathers for Mercy Corps e-voucher distribution.

Zulyatu (center),16, and her younger siblings rarely have enough to eat. Their father died during a Boko Haram raid and their mother left to seek health care from a healer.

This is what it’s like on the front lines of Nigeria’s unseen hunger crisis

By Ghilda Chrabieh

M

ILLIONS of Nigerians survived Boko Haram, but now a humanitarian catastrophe is putting their lives at risk again.

After her father died two years ago during a Boko Haram raid on her village in Yobe State, 16-yearold Zulyatu, her younger siblings and their mother, fled to Biu, a town in Northeast Borno State. A year ago, their mother left for another town to get treatment for high blood pressure from a traditional healer, leaving Zulyatu alone to care for her siblings, 12-year-old Abubakar and 8-year-old Amira.

Zulyatu said hunger affects every part of their lives.

They only eat once or twice a day and they often feel dizzy from hunger. In their home village, before Boko Haram came, their father was a butcher, so the family always had enough meat to eat. The hunger makes her long for her father, and Zulyatu said that if he were still alive, they wouldn’t be having this experience.

The focus on their struggle for food also leaves the siblings with little time or access for education. Before they came to Biu, Zulyatu was interested in studying to become a doctor, but they have been unable to attend school since the move. Sadly, experiences of hunger and desperation, like those of Zulyatu and her siblings, are the rule, rather than the exception, in conflict-weary Nigeria and in the greater Lake Chad Basin area.

The hunger has become so strong, that one woman recently told us that she had become so desperate to feed her children that she took to boiling grass.

Years of violence and destruction, combined with widespread and underestimated drought conditions, have created an ongoing crisis here. But as the Nigerian army retakes territory held by Boko Haram, another problem has emerged in the country - a horrific and massive humanitarian crisis is revealing itself. More than 4 million people are food insecure, not knowing from where their next meal will come.

In August, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reported that in Borno State, nearly a quarter of a million children are severely malnourished, and one in five will die if they aren’t treated.

But despite efforts from aid organisations, there are still 2.2 million people living in unreachable areas in Northeast Nigeria, with no contact to the outside world, and no guarantee of safe passage for aid workers.

Zulyatu,16, in the market with two bags of food she bought using her e-voucher card. She says there is enough rice in the bag to feed her and her younger siblings for the month.

But for now though, many of the people we come across are not smiling. “When I see the people in these communities, I see hunger and suffering in their faces,” Umar Shuaibu, our operations officer, said.

In our internal assessments this past July, we found that in the area of Damboa, more than 80 per cent of shelters were destroyed or partially destroyed, with no roof or doors. Of the people we interviewed, 97 per cent reported that they could not afford to buy food in the previous four weeks. Because of continued insecurity, many farmers cannot reach the land where they cultivate food to eat and sell. People in these communities survive by selling foraged firewood and begging or labouring for less than the equivalent of $1 per day. Others have resorted to transactional sex.

The Nigerian military must clear and secure new areas before aid can get in, to make sure humanitarian workers have safe passage and aid does not end up in the wrong hands. And we have also not seen the amount of funding needed to mount a response of this size. Right now, less than one-third of current United Nations appeals for the crisis has been funded, a shortfall of $542 million.

As a sovereign nation, Nigeria has a duty to provide for its people. It is ultimately responsible for leading the response to this emergency, establishing strong coordina-

tion and allowing for safe and organised access to deliver assistance to people in need. But it is also the humanitarian imperative of the international community to help people in crisis.

At Mercy Corps, we are working quickly to meet urgent needs. We know that the needs are massive, and are going unmet, and we are working as quickly as possible to scale up our operations. Already in the past several months we have shifted to new locations and tripled our financial and staffing resources to reach upwards of 100,000 people. But it is a herculean task for any single organisation to tackle on its own, and a risky one because insurgents could attack us unexpectedly. All organisations responding to this crisis in Nigeria face stretched capacity and daunting logistics.

But we aren’t giving up. Already we see the benefit of one small act. With the e-voucher she received during Mercy Corps’ first distribution, Zulyatu bought a month’s worth of rice and cooking oil in the local market. When asked what she hopes for the future, Zulyatu said, “I just want to see everyone happy. Everyone would have enough to eat and abundance.” We can make that hope possible, if we act urgently.

Ghilda Chrabieh is Director of Mercy Corps Humanitarian Programs for Northeast Nigeria

13 Continued from

T

30 October, 2016 last week

HERE was widespread resistance to the schemes, partly spontaneous and mainly instigated by the Opposition. But the Action Group Government had no iota of doubt in its mind that the schemes would fructify and mature in due time to the delight and gratitude of the vast majority of our people.

In concluding my speech on the motion for education and Health Levy in the Western House of Assembly on 23 January, 1953. I said something which now appears prophetic but which in actual fact exemplifies the clear vision and profound faith of the Action Group Government about the eventual and abiding success of the two epoch-making schemes: Finally Mr. President, we of the Action Group will press forward, and I make this solemn promise with a due sense of responsibility and resolution, we of the Action Group will press forward in the execution of the laudable projects which this House has unanimously approved and accepted, believing as we do, being Christians and good Mohammedans on this side, believing as we do that God Almighty, who sees our hearts and knows we are doing all these things to better the lot of our people, is on our side, and confident also that our beloved and trusting masses, when they begin to enjoy the delectable fruits of the education and health levy which they are now being called upon to pay, will now and in future years remember us with gratitude and adoration as their faithful and devoted servants, and as their only true friends and benefactors.

But incredulity and hostility towards the free education scheme were not confined to the Opposition and a good number of our people. All the senior Government officials—both black and white—and all the Nigerian intellectuals outside the fold of the Action Group were solidly opposed to the scheme. The then Director of Education in the Western Region declared that he did not believe that the Region was ripe for extension of primary education, let alone for free universal primary education. He thought it was a futile venture to embark on the latter.

The Financial Secretary for his part, thought that the whole business amounted to no more than an academic exercise; as, according to him, we needed to impose at least £5 not 10 shilling per capita to implement the free

Awo’s thoughts PATH TO NIGERIAN GREATNESS

On the campaign trail Innovations and progress in former Western Nigeria

education scheme alone.

Because of the official attitude to the scheme. Chief S. O. Awokoya, now Professor of Education at the University of Ife, had to prepare his white Paper on the scheme, based on the Action Group Policy Paper previously prepared

by Chief M. A. Ajasin, now Governor of Ondo State, and adopted at the Inaugural Conference of the Party at Owo. Later, I had to prepare the Exco Memoranda on the implementation of the scheme as it related to the Education and Health Levy, and the construction of low-cost classrooms.

Now, the offsprings of the old Western Region - Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Bendel States - are at it again. But this time on a much grander scale than we dared to essay in 1955. For, today in these five dynamic States, education is free not only at primary level, but also at secondary and tertiary levels as well. As we all know, by free education at these levels is meant non-payment of fees by whatever name called, together with free supply of textbooks to pupils and students.

Those who protested vehemently, some six months ago, that the introduction of this laudable scheme from October 1,1979, could not be accomplished because of non-existent difficulties which they imagined in their heads can now see how very wrong they were, and how muddled their

Sunday Tribune

thought processes had been. For the scheme is now more than three months old; and, in about five months from now, it will have completed one full academic session.

Here then in the five UPN-controlled States, a new historic pace has been set; a new revolutionary impulse has been generated; and, by God’s Grace, this new dialectical progression will not only endure its predecessor, but will also pervade the entire Federation of Nigeria.

It is not given to many a thinker or theoretician to see his ideas or theories practicalized in his lifetime; nor to more than a few pioneers to witness the fructification and ripening of their endeavours, and take part in the glorious harvest.

Today, it was exactly twenty-five years ago when I had the honour to launch the Free Universal Primary Education Scheme for the Western Region of Nigeria here in Ibadan on 17 January, 1955. Tomorrow will be the beginning of another natal cycle for the Scheme. The youngest of the founding pupils of the Scheme are now thirty-one years of age. It stands to reason, therefore, to say, that many of them now occupy important positions in all the spheres of useful activities throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Indeed a good number of our legislators in the five UPN-controlled States are products of that Scheme which was launched twenty-five years ago.

As ‘a matter of fact, the planners of these silver jubilee celebrations are products of the Scheme, and are mostly self-employed professionals and businessmen.

Today, my joy knows no bounds, as one of the planners and executants of the old’ Scheme, and as one of the planners of the Innouations and Progress in Former Western Nigeria and new Scheme which is now unfolding before us with unparalleled speed.

I seize this opportunity to congratulate, with all my heart, three classes of people: first, those products of the old Scheme who are alive today to witness these silver jubilee celebrations; second, our five governors - Chief M.A. Ajasin, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, Professor Ambrose Alli, and Alhaji L. K. Jakande - for the excellent manner and adorable despatch with which they have set about the execution of the UPN’s four cardinal programmes, with special reference to free education at all levels; and third, the lucky children of the five UPNcontrolled States who are now benefiting and who, from generation to generation in the years to come, will benefit from the new programme.

To be continued

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14

voxpop

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Can you ask for expulsion as a form of restitution?

Restituition as a concept in religious faith is mostly a difficult thing to do, as it involves losing several things including privileges at a go. FAUSIAT NASIR and DEOLU ADEMUYIWA ask people if they would be willing to take such risk.

OLUMIDE ADEWALE I can’t do that. We think differently, though. Imagine if an individual kills someone in the past, do you think he will reveal to the family of the person in restitution? I will prefer to further my education rather than restitute for my evil deed.

AYODELE DAVID As a Christian, I prefer restitution to going to hell. I have the chance to start all over again If I am rusticated, I can do another examination and apply to another institution.

ANUOLUWAPO JAMES

OROPO ABIODUN If am still in 100 level, it is okay. But If it is in 300 level, never. Such a thing cannot happen. Where do I want to start from? I think if I commit it to God, He will understand my situation and my sin will be forgiven.

BISOYE OTEGBOLA

No, I can’t! It is not easy now. In my current level, starting from 100 level is out of it. But if the spirit within me tells me to do it, I will. It all depends on the leading of the spirit in me. I have asked for forgiveness already, so why should I say that I want to do restitution? I have a clear conscience.

Do you know what it entails to start all over again? I can’t even imagine the reaction of my parents because of all they have spent on me to get to that level? I will rather keep on praying for forgiveness rather than opt for restitution. It is not easy to start all over again.

DADA BABALOLA

ADELEKE TEMITOPE

I cannot do a thing like that, I will finish before I tell my pastor and ask for forgiveness, I know all will be well.

I cannot because the sin had been committed back then.

All I need is to commit my ways to God. AYOMIDE OLASEGUN

ADEYEMO GIDEON I will not do that. Even though I am from a disciplined school, if I find myself in this situation, I can’t afford to be rusticated; I will rather continue and wait till I finish schooling and make my confession.

MICHELLE SULIMAN It depends on how the holy spirit directs me. If it says I should tell the school authorities to be forgiven, I will do that. But if it says I am okay, then I will just go to the church and ask for forgiveness of sin. That is if they do not find out.

OKOEGUALE JOSHUA IRORO I cannot tell the school authorities anything, but if they find out, I will take the punishment without complaint because I know I am at fault. I cannot waste my sleepless night and some other things just like that. It is not possible.

I don’t like malpractice, so I can never experience this. But if it happens, I prefer to be rusticated for the sake of clear conscience regardless of the level I am.

MONEY MOSES That should not affect my career.

The deed has been done; I will pray for the forgiveness of sins and move on with my education.

VICTORIA IGWE I will not tell the school authorities because it is their duty to check it before my admission. Giving my life to Christ does not mean it should affect my future. It is impossible.

ELIJAH TEMITOPE I will not tell anybody. All I need to do is to go to church and ask for forgiveness of sin. Why will I say such a thing to waste my parents’ money from 100 level to 200 level? It is not okay at all.

FAMOUS MICHEAL In the first place, I can’t do that. I won’t do what will implicate me, I can’t be a victim. To respond to the question. I can’t afford to start all over again. Will I go and restart or what? I will rather continue.

AKPA NKIRUKA CHIOMA I will tell the school authorities so that the Lord can save me. I think if I do not say it, I may not secure a job with my certificate and I may have to be punished for my sin. So, it is better for me to tell them and know where I am going to start from.

15

30 October, 2016

Being a

prophet M won’t stop me from

Gospel singer, Lanre Teriba, claimed he has now turned a prophet and insisted that he would not stop taking his music to the clubs. In this interview witH SEGUN ADEBAYO, the singer speaks on the controversy trailing his new calling and other issues.

singing at clubs —Lanre Teriba

I never asked anybody to vote for Buhari —Femi Kuti

Sunday Tribune

ANY people were not expecting you to contest for the position of Vice President South West of the Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria (GOMAN) but you did and won. How do you feel

now?

In the beginning of the year, I released a statement that people should expect a lot from this year, the other sides of Lanre Teriba that people don’t know and have never seen before. Let me just say that contesting for the VP South West of GOMAN is one of the things that people are beginning to see. Trust me, this is not the last they will hear about me. I can tell you that being one of the executives of GOMAN is a big responsibility and I am ready to serve. I won the keenly-contested election a few weeks back and we have been working on how to bring everybody on board in order to restore the lost glory of the association. I really feel great and I am ready to work.

Continues on pg16

At last, Obesere unites Pasuma, Osupa in new album

What I’ll tell Kaffy when I see her — Davido

16

glitz

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Continued from pg15

What are your plans for GOMAN? We have started unveiling the plans and our people can see what we have been doing. We are determined to establish annual events that will feature our peers across the globe. We want to take GOMAN to the next level and put it on the world map. We have suffered in silence for a long time because we didn’t do things properly but now that we have put everything in order, you will begin to see the difference in GOMAN. How do you feel when people say you are not a gospel musician?

I don’t want to talk about this matter again. I have said it before that I am sure of what I have been called to do and I won’t derail. I am very confident of God’s calling over my life and that is all that matters to me.

Your mountain, Oke Sioni, clocked one in September and many people were asking questions about what led to its establishment and how you want to run the place?

I believe that everyone needs a special place to commune with God. So, when it was time to open the place for God’s people to worship, who am I to say no to what God wants to do. I am just privileged to be doing what God has commanded me to do. If I don’t do it, He will raise another man to continue His job. Many people may not understand this, but in due time, they will realise what God has called me to do.

At the ceremony, you made some prophetic statements, could you tell us how you received God’s calling?

One never plans to become a prophet.

Only God calls you out of many people to work for him. I have heard a lot of people say that what has come over Lanre Teriba? How could he tell us he’s now a prophet. My response to those set of people is that they should keep watching and listening to every word that comes out of my mouth. I didn’t call myself. God called me and I am ready to do exactly what He has asked me to do.

Will this not clash with your commitment to music?

There will never be a clash with my musical career. My career in music continues without any hindrance. I am not going to sit on the mountain all my life. People can go there to pray. If I minister in the morning, then I perform in the evening and it is vice versa.

What’s your take on gospel musicians who charge churches for ministration?

It is a great thing and I encourage it. We gospel musicians and our band members have bills to pay just like everyone else.

I choose where I do charity. Where I do charity does not choose me.

Now that you are a prophet, how do you feel about your past experiences, especially your mistakes? Do you wish you could correct any of your mistakes?

There is nothing about my past that I want to correct. There is absolutely nothing to rewrite. Every mistake I have made came with a more valuable experience that has turned me to a better person.

I learn everyday and I am not immune

‘I have

weakness for cars’ against errors. When I make a mistake, I quickly look at the positive side of what may seem to be a mistake. I am very proud of the man I have become. So, I can tell you today that I don’t regret any of my actions in the past. But I thank God for making me a better person through some of the rough

moments of my life.

What would you like to cut down on now that a lot of people would look up to you?

I still remain a gospel entertainer as I have always been. That I am a prophet does

I still remain a gospel entertainer as I have always been. That I am a prophet does not change the fact that I will continue to reach out to the people from all walks of life through my music.

not change the fact that I will continue to reach out to the people from all walks of life through my music. I won’t stop preaching with my music. I have always said it that I am a gospel entertainer and that is not going to change. My music has no barrier.

I have featured Oritsefemi and I am still looking to feature more. Pasuma, Olamide and even K1 are the artistes I am planning to feature in my next album.

How do you think your followers will see it when they see you singing at clubs?

What you don’t seem to understand is that I have been doing this before now. I have said it before that nothing should restrict anybody who wants to win souls for the kingdom of God. As for my followers, what they think does not matter as much as what God is doing in the lives of the people.

I am not saying I would be sleeping at club houses, I will only visit if there is the need for me to do so. Clubs or not, my music must be heard and people must be blessed.

I know you love cars, has your love for cars reduced now?

I don’t think it can ever reduce. I have a weakness for cars.

17

razzmattazz

30 October, 2016

Chocolate City artiste, Koker, thrills in ‘Give Them’ video

TAF launches #ARAM to tackle malaria THEATREMANIA Africa Festival (TAF), has announced plans to launch its advocacy initiative tagged: Africa Rise Against Malaria (#ARAM).

This is just as its ambassadors including Akin Lewis, Norbert Young, Doris Simeon, Owen Gee (Nigeria), Thandekile Grace Maseko, Sibongile Maria Phakathi (South Africa), Zani Michelle Chiumia a.k.a Zani Challe (Malawi) and Uncle Ebo Whyte (Ghana), will join other hundreds of theatre groups across Africa to support the campaign and create awareness.

They will intervene in the movement against malaria in five African countries as part of the buildup activities for the TAF March, 2017 event.

The CEO and co-founder of TAF, Mr Alayande Stephen, said “according to the United Nations, every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. The Center for Disease Control And Prevention also states that 3.2 billion people live in areas at risk of malaria transmission in 106 countries and territories, putting Africa on the fore-front on that list.

“So, we at TheatreMania Africa thought to ourselves and said we have to contribute our quota to this effort; hence, we stepped up to tackle Malaria through our advocacy initiative christened Africa Rise Against Malaria (#ARAM).”

By Seyi Sokoya

Why I dedicated my first movie to God —Actor, Raphael Niyi

By Seyi Sokoya

I’m now a fulfilled musician —Laoye

By Seyi Sokoya JUJU musician, Wole Laoye who is also the secretary of the Association of Juju Musicians (AJUM), Ibadan Zone, has described himself as a fulfilled musician following the release of his debut album entitled: “Dance and Rejoice” which is currently enjoying airplay.

He added that the development was a fulfilled dream, adding that “a musician is incomplete without having at least a record. I am happy that the new album is a success and it will also spur me to do more.”

Laoye also admonished the new generation musicians that the only way to attain longevity and sustain their relevance in the industry is by preaching good morals to the people.

NOLLYWOOD actor, Raphael Niyi Stephen, who premiered his first movie “At the Darkest Hour” in Lagos State recently, has revealed that his decision to produce a gospel-like movie was towards fulfilling his covenant with God. According to him, “I have made a covenant with God that my first film would be a gospel movie and I appreciate God that this came to a reality.

I am dedicating it to Him,” Stephen revealed.

The movie, which teaches patience and faithfulness in difficult times, also emphasised that people must remain steadfast in God. He noted that the movie was culled out from his mentor and pastor’s book entitled: “At the Darkest Hour” to educate the people.

He acknowledged the support of everyone that contributed to the success of the project, especially the movie director, Segun Kayode (K-Factor) and Assistant Director, Ademola Ishola.

Emem Isong speaks on ‘Ayamma’

By Segun Adebayo NOLLYWOOD producer and director, Emem Isong-Misodi, is set to release her latest movie, Ayamma across cinemas come December 23.

At the exclusive screening of the movie, held at Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos State, last weekend, Majid Michel, Adesua Etomi, Wale Ojo, Emem Isong, Jonathan Ben-Bruce, Theresa Edem, officials from Bank of Industry, media and a host of select few were in attendance.

Billed for cinema release in December 23, Ayamma, is a cultural epic movie told with heavy musical thrust.

The movie has separate recorded music and has Adesua, the lead act who plays double role showing off her well choreographed dance steps.

Ayamma is the story of Prince Daraima, the charming heir to Obong Ikpaisong, repeatedly dreams of Ihuaoma, a poor but beautiful maiden whose beauty is

Sunday Tribune

matched only by her voice.

In Daraima’s dreams, flowers blossoms and birds gather when Ihuoma sings. He is in love with the girl of his dreams. In the real world, Prince Daraima readies to marry Princess Ama, the arrogant child to a neighboring monarch.

During a dance presentation to welcome Princess Ama to the kingdom, Daraima is shocked to see that one of the dancing maidens is Ihuoma--

a girl who hitherto existed only in his dreams.

Unknown to him, this is Iko, a poor maiden in the village who’s an exact replica of Ihuoma and strangely possessing the same singing genius. Princess Ama observes her groom-to-be captivated by Iko and resolves to nip this obvious threat in the bud.

Speaking on the movie, Emem Isong said Ayamma is an entertaining epic story told with contemporary skills.

“This is like bringing the old Nollywood back but this time around ‘an improved version’. We have put all the elements that made people love Nollywood in the first place, the only thing we have added is improved story line, 21st century technical works and suitable characters. People know me with certain qaulity and I can assure you that they won’t be disappointed.”

A

FTER releasing songs such as “Do Something”, “Fuji Gyration” and “Kolewek”, musician, rising star, Olayiwola Kokumo otherwise known as Koker, has continued to receive good credits after the release of ‘Give Them’, a video said to have been shot in London.

The Afrocentric singer has not slowed down in his bid to keep delivering good music.

The Creative Arts graduate of University of Lagos (UNILAG) displayed his talent in his new work with his dancing skills and musical prowess.

The new video was produced by inhouse Chocolate City Music producer, Reinhard.

“Things have been taking shape for me. I have been working hard in the music industry. Give Them is a feel good and danceable song. Koker stands for flexibility as you can’t put me in a box,” the singer said.

Goldberg felicitates with Erediauwa

By Seyi Sokoya THE management of a brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Goldberg Lager Beer, has felicitated with the crown prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, who was installed as the 39th Oba of Benin kingdom.

The coronation event displayed the rich culture of the state, as the new king trekked a distance of about 10 kilometres from his palace at Uselu to Eko-Ohae amid a large crowed, while he also climed a 500-year-old palm tree as part of the rites .

Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, said the company was happy to identify with the new king.

He added that “Oba of Benin is one of Nigeria’s most revered traditional rulers, and his coronation has to be befitting of such a high-standing ruler.

“As a brand that is rooted in the cultural ethos of the people, Goldberg felicitates with the traditional ruler and the entire people of Benin kingdom for this historic occasion in the ancient city.”

Polity The

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Borderless

Columns

19

On the Lord’s Day The other room My brother, and theory of Reuben Abati

otherness

p27

p29

POWER:

Return •of the Kaduna Making of powerful interests who Mafia? control Nigeria’s soul

KUNLE ODEREMI and MOSES ALAO give an insight into the powerful interests that have continued to influence and/or control political events in the country.

“

SOME people that are not politicians or professionals were brought into the government. They don’t even know what we said we want and what we don’t during the campaign…Everybody

knows them…I am pleading to them to have the people at heart and embrace everybody so that we can all move together… That is what I am saying, those that know they don’t have voter’s card, they should give

Economy: Most Nigerians are complaining —Onaiyekan

p24

chance to those that have, they are the ones that struggled and know what we want to do…Yes, it is surprising; nobody thought it was going to be like this. But now it is so.

Sometimes when one is doing something

wrong without him knowing, he/she should listen when people talk to them. Because in the future, whether he is going to contest or not, it is that same people that would vote for APC,” these words have, no doubt, become words on marble, quotes that have continued to resonate in the country. continues on pg 20

Man in the news Amaechi: Who will Transport these allegations? p23

20

thepolity

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

The cabal: A myth or a reality?

By Dapo Falade

U

NLIKE what obtains now, the term, ‘Kaduna Mafia’, was very popular in the nation’s sociopolitical circles, some 40 years back. It was said to have been coined by Mvendaga Jibo, the Benue State-born journalist, academic and politician who was a regular columnist with the Daily Times in the 1970s. Then, the term was derisive as the impression (either rightly or wrongly) was that a small group of people, based in Kaduna, the former capital of Northern Nigeria, were manipulating the levers of political power for their personal economic benefits and also in pursuit of the northern political and administrative hegemony within the Nigerian federation.

Many historians and social commentators alike also traced the origin of the Kaduna Mafia to the mid-1960s, following the first military coup that effectively put an end to the nation’s first attempt at democratic government during the First Republic.

The loss of many northern leaders in the failed Major Kaduna Nzeogwu-led military putsch was said to have prodded a group of civil servants as well as technocrats of the northern origin to rally people of like mind and oppose the new government of General Aguiyi Ironsi.

The group, later known as the Kaduna Mafia, was a diverse mixture of aristocrats and civil servants who were predominantly Muslims and was based in Kaduna. Two

Buhari common denominators in their coming together was having their base in Kaduna and having their education at the famous Barewa College in Zaria and the Government College, Keffi. To the pro-northern cause, members of the group demonstrated a level

Umaru Yar’Adua of intelligence and managerial competence higher than that of some of their older contemporaries.

Membership of the Kaduna Mafia consisted of people who were coordinated and highly efficient, working behind the

happened in the last days of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Power and authority are critical issues in the affairs of man. And the battle to acquire power has become fiercer because of variegated interests. The aura surrounding power has equally raised the stake beyond the definition of power by some theorists as the ability to influence or control of the behaviours of people.

Though there exists different power centres in the country, the general discourse about political power in Nigeria remains bifocal.

One class comprises members of the civil class, who congregate under party platforms to seek democratic power and authority. The second group consists of men of the military establishment who had undermined the laws of the land to usurp power and recruited a few members of the other category in a frantic bid to make ‘legitimate’ their illegality. In the course of all these actions crept in certain expressions that have continued to gain ascendancy in the lexicon of the Nigerian political architecture. The conduct, actions, groupings and utterances of the key actors translated into such names as Kaduna Mafia, Langtang Generals, godfathers and cabals and many similar expressions that convey the imageries of power and authority. These descriptions tend to confer awesome powers and influence on those believed to belong to the cliques. Through sheer political intrigues, members of the cliques are believed to dictate the pace of events, dominate and control the political space and corridors of power in the land. They are also perceived rightly or otherwise as constituting part of the greatest factors that determine power swing and equation and configuration as well as critical policies and programmes of government based on the doctrine of power.

In his narrative on the Kaduna Mafia, the late radical don, Dr Bala Takaya, traced the nomenclature to a political correspondent

scenes to dictate the political and economic climate of the nation. They were both feared and respected both within and outside the nation. Their members are made up of some of the most powerful and richest men in the nation and they all make Kaduna their stronghold.

Members of the Kaduna Mafia were known and more fearfully respected for their commitment to the traditional values and socio-political interests of Northern Nigeria.

They could be found in the various sectors of the national life, with many of them being bank directors, ministers, top military officers (the rank of the colonel being the highest during the formative years of the group), established business entrepreneurs and a growing class of intellectuals, all of northern origin.

Though of varied economic interests, their various professions and common educational background served as a major driving factor in their pursuit of a common goal, vis-a-vis the Northern agenda. The group was able to achieve much through an elaborate and effective network of power alliances among northern aristocrats and government sympathisers who were favourably disposed to the pro-northern and Islamic bent.

Using Kaduna mostly as their meeting point, members of the group were said to have been able to effectively network, spreading the gospel of the Northern agenda to the entire parts of the region. The cause was further helped by the fact that the Nigerian Army, after the Civil War, became populated predominantly by northern officers. The organic unity engendered by the fact that most of them were mates at the North’s few secondary schools of the 1950s and 1960s, greatly helped in making the former capital of the old Northern Region a fertile and veritable “centre for generating, refining, propounding, coordinating and disseminating the Northern agenda”.

The Aguiyi-Ironsi-led military regime, undoubtedly altered the existing geopolitical arrangement as the three former regions, Northern, Eastern and Western, were broken into states in 1967, while the six northern states were further broken into 10 states in 1976. This however did not

continues on pg 21

continues on pg 22

Return of the Kaduna Mafia? continued from pg 19 They are revelations that have brought the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari under a new searchlight.

But these were not words of historians or great writers who, following strenuous empirical findings about the goings-on in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, put pen to paper to criticise the government, they were words from the most unlikely quarter about what has become a common feature in government across the world—the unseen hands that hold the aces in government— or what many have called the cabal—they were the words of the wife of the president, Hajia Aisha Buhari, in a recent interview she granted the BBC Hausa Service.

Though there had been several other developments, including a ferocious response from the president and several attempts to manage the situation created by the First Lady’s jibe at the powerful figures whom she literally accused of ‘hijacking power,’ there can be no doubt as to the potency of her words in cutting open the underbelly of the ‘secret rulers’ in government, leading to discourses about how power mongers are shaping the administration of Buhari and how such forces have, in the past, shaped the politics of Nigeria.

The president’s wife had pointed out how these forces, whom she agreed following the prompting of the interviewer that they were very few. According to her: “...only for us to find out that the government is being operated by a few people. Very few...”

But watchers of politics have maintained that this development is rarely strange, pointing out how a group of covert individuals with immense power and clout have always hovered around the seats of power and called the shots in most instances around the world.

From the United States of America to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia

Obasanjo kingdom, examples have been made of how these forces, sometimes members of the aristocratic families, sometimes powerful corporations and sometimes a group of individuals drawn together by a common interest, maintain a strong hold on governments around the world.

Generally addressed as a cabal, this group of individuals seeks to tilt the balance of power in its favour or in favour of its unseen patrons, wherever it has interest, a development that often brings untold pressure on those occupying seats of power.

Therefore, with the exposé by Mrs Buhari, Nigerians have begun, again, to ask why these groups of individuals seek power, what they do with it and what “the two to three people,” according to Mrs Buhari’s statement, might do this time, given the ugly experiences the country has had in the past with powerful elements determining the happenings in government and sometimes even holding the country to ransom as it

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Mafia and power syndrome continued from pg 20 with the defunct New Nigerian newspapers. He was said to have coined the term “Kaduna Mafia” to describe a group centred on the political headquarters of the North. He had used the expression to refer to a group of Northern Nigerian power elite which was “seen as an enigmatic but invisible force” deploying intrigues to put it in good stead in the “control of sensitive positions in the nation’s key institutions like the military, parastatals agencies, government limited liability companies and ministerial organisations.”

Dr Takaya, had, in a book, on Kaduna Mafia, wrote that at least six discernible contextual forces gave rise to the birth of the Kaduna Mafia, some of which were, he said, external to the Nigerian socio-political system. He said the first was the emergence and dominance of a new socialist thinking in Britain which, by the end of the Second World War, had become a political force. The second factor that culminated in the birth of the Kaduna Mafia, according to Takaya, had to do with “global forces towards selfdetermination following the declaration of

the “Atlantic Charter.”

The last few years have seen the emergence of a number of power groups, whose influence has been exceedingly awesome. One of them is that of former Nigerian presidents and Heads of State. Their activities and actions constitute a compelling attraction for most Nigerians, especially during critical moments or issues in the political arena. Their regular meetings command rapt attention just as whatever decisions they take at such forums.

They form the arrowhead of a coalition or movement that consistently influence the establishment through representations, consultations and resolutions at the platform for all former Nigerian leaders with incumbent as chairman. It will be recalled that the role some of these leaders played in the return of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the corridors of power through the ballot box in May 29, 1999. Liaising with some power brokers belonging to different shades and levels of power groups, the former leaders were able to negotiate freedom for Obasanjo from prison to walk into the presidential Villa, thus becoming the first to have achieved the feat of serving as both a military and civilian leader of the

country. Suffice to say the staying power of the power bloc of the former Nigerian leaders is not necessarily about their status as former president or heads of state. It is more about their professional background, especially military background and es spirit de corp.

Paradoxically, the walls of such unity and camaraderie have often collapsed in the face of sharp disagreements, sometimes on issues bordering on governance, transparency accountability. For instance, the June 12 brouhaha split the ranks of the clique while the incapacitation of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, while in office became a major issue among the past leaders.

Beginning from the Second Republic, state governors have become another Political Mafia. Governors of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the Nigerian Peoples (NPP) formed the most critical power blocs. In the former, they engaged in an intense political battle with super ministers in the administration of NPN at the centre, because some of the ministers wanted to control or hijack the political space in the states. In NPP, the governors were indeed the alter ego of the party, as they made sure that the alliance between NPP

and the then Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) to confront the behemoth called NPN at the 1983 presidential election towards ending the rule of a clique that held the nation by the jugular did not work.

Since that era, state governors have sustained their desire to become a sort of mafia in the political arena, forming such blocs as Under-50 politicians, Forum of regional governors and the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). In the PDP, for instance, they became the powerful bloc to determine who picks the presidential ticket of the party, such as the situation that threw up a number of former governors as presidential contenders in 2007. That was before Obasanjo had his way in anointing the former governor of Katsina State (Yar’Adua) as the standard bearer of PDP. However lately, the quest for power within and beyond the precinct of NGF has become an encumberance towards asserting its hitherto awesome powers in the polity. The schism in the body has led to the emergence of factions along party affiliations with dire consequences on the NGF structures.

Two former military officers: Colonel continues on pg 22

The power cabals and their operational manual in the Fourth Republic The word ‘cabal’ became more pronounced in political discourse in the twilight of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration, when a handful of power brokers seized the reins of power owing to the prolonged sickness of the president. How have cabals operated in the democratic era thus far? Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, provides some insights.

C

ALL it a cabal, the caucus or the inner core of government, those who make things happen in every government, be it democratic or civilian are usually a handful. This is especially true of third world and developing nations.

Thus far, the experience of Nigeria this Fourth Republic has not been an exception.

The only exception to the rule is that the cabal, sometimes, finds itself out of the power circle and it then devotes all its energy that were back the most coveted seat of power.

In 1998, when the struggle for power was almost obvious between those that can be branded as the conservative caucus and the progressive class, the power brokers quickly reconstituted themselves and ensured they dictated the pace of the democratic elections that were held in 1999. The struggle for power was deafening after years of military rule which landed the country in the June 12, 1993 election fiasco. Following the tension generated by the annulment of that election, the civil society pro-democracy activists gained a loud voice. If elections were called at an instance, it was almost certain that one of the pro-democracy activists would have won the presidency.

But the usually conservative power brokers dug deep and invented the release of General Olusegun Obasanjo, a former military Head of State, who had been incarcerated by the regime of the late General Sani Abacha for alleged coup plot. Obasanjo was packaged and dressed as a democrat even against his will. His party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won a majority of

Jonathan

Atiku

parliamentary seats, the governorship seats and the Presidency.

Unlike the usual situation where cabals are rooted right at the seat of power, the situation that played out under the Obasanjo administration was quite modified. The power brokers who midwifed the administration remained outside the Government House and Obasanjo himself assumed the leadership of that government. He presented the face of a statesman and junketed all over the world. He left the practical administration of the government to his deputy, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Thus, under Atiku, who was chairman of the National Council of Privatisation (NCP) and headed the National Economic Council (NEC) where he interacted regularly with the elected governors, a new power cabal emerged. That was besides the cabal that believed it midwived Obasanjo’s ascension to power, which, incidentally was largely domiciled in the North.

As things unfolded under the leadership of Obasanjo, it appeared that the emerging power group was impatient and wanted power in 2003. One caucus was pulling from the Atiku end, leading to the push for Obasanjo’s impeachment by the National Assembly, while another caucus was pull-

ing from the Northern Elders’ Caucus’ end, which insisted that Obasanjo signed a single term agreement with them ahead of the election in 1999.

The two caucuses were pulling at different edges against Obasanjo’s hold on power with ferocious force, leaving the Ota farmer with no other option but to engage his native intelligence. First, his camp called a cream of top political writers whom they showed the document he (Obasanjo) was said to have signed at the behest of the Northern leaders. As the media went to town with details of the document, the persistent calls that the man should not seek a second term based on the secret deal got busted. But Obasanjo still had two more hurdles to cross to break the the will of the emerging cabals. The National Assembly was on his neck for alleged impeachable offences. He initially described the move as a “joke taken too far” but got shaken as the House of Representatives appeared determined to make the “joke” a reality. Week after week, the Rep members released Obasanjo’s alleged impeachable offences and as the mountains of sins grew, the former President had to look for diplomatic and ‘settled’ alternative to mow down the mountains.

He directly reached out to the House and the Senate, which was only waiting on the House to complete its assignment. After he had received assurances from the House on a peace deal, the former president had to face the hurdle of the new cabal, as constituted by the Governors’ Forum. The forum, whose members had got used to Atiku’s style, called Obasanjo “unelectable” and urged the vice-president to step in. But close to the primaries of the PDP in 2003, Obasanjo managed to triumph and secured the nomination for a second term.

During his second term, however, Obasanjo took hold of the entire structure of power and became the leader of the power cabal himself and everyone who wanted to be relevant in the system had to defer to him. Though Atiku was still number two, he ensured he stripped him entirely from power and even attempted to remove him from office through a technical process. The then vice-president sustained himself in office only through a plethora of court cases.

Obasanjo became Baba by the young and old and he was able to singlehandedly handpick a successor in the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The operational mode of the cabal under Obasanjo nearly repeated itself under the late Umaru Yar’Adua. The power cabal in the North wanted power back but they could not get one of their own. Umaru Yar’Adua was not a member of the Kaduna Mafia or the Northern Elders’ Caucus that had longed for return of power. He was at a time a leftist ideologue though his late brother, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua was a caucus member of the famed Kaduna Mafia.

His death at the Abakalilki Prisons, following his incarceration by the late General Sani Abacha, had dealt a big blow to the influence and power of the mafia. Abacha’s regime had decimated the mafia largely because of his conflict with Shehu Yar’Adua. Thus when Umaru Yar’Adua took over, there was only a little potency to its influence.

Yar’Adua took charge without visible reference to the mafia and constituted his cabinet without the usual pressure from that group. As fate would have it, however, continues on pg 22

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The cabal: A myth or a reality? continued from pg 20 diminish the aura of Kaduna as the political capital of the Northern Region. The Kaduna Mafia, through their established network and continued governmental patronages, all through the years, were able to maintain their meetings, pursuing the northern interest and agenda till the advent of the current democratic dispensation, and even beyond, with the unity of Northern Nigeria being the ultimate goal.

To lend credence to the myth and secrecy built around the group, names of members of the Kaduna Mafia are not often meant for public consumption. Nevertheless, some names do usually come up as the sponsors and proponents of the ideals and principles of the group.

Such names purportedly included Liman Ciroma; Adamu Ciroma; Musa Bello; Mamman Daura, Dr Mahmud Tukur; the late Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, Alhaji Tijjani Hashim; Hamza Zayyad; Alhaji Umaru Mutallab and Alhaji Aliko Mohammed.

Others allegedly included Dr Ibrahim Tahir; Ahmed Joda, Alhaji Ibrahim

Damcida, Alhaji Tatari Ali; Alhaji Audu Abubakar; Professor Ango Abdullahi; Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura; Alhaji Aminu Tijjani; a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ahmadu Ali

and Professor Jibril Aminu, while the like of the late General Shehu Yar’ Adua and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari were seen as the arrowheads of the military wing of the Kaduna Mafia.

Shagari

Shehu Yar’Adua

The operational manual of power continued from pg 21 he took ill midway into his tenure and had to be treated abroad in 2009. A new power configuration said to be under the control of the late president’s wife, Hajia Turai and peopled by some ministers and officials of the administration immediately seized the levers of power and neutralised the existing democratic structure.

Prior to the disappearance of Yar’Adua from the political scene on account of ill health, the president was largely in control. He was the leader who appeared to know where he was headed. While he did not attain the level of control exercised by Obasanjo, he still appeared to be in charge.

But his departure to Saudi Arabia on health grounds paved the way for the rise of the cabal. And as it happened during Obasanjo’s tenure, the original power bloc began operating outside of Yar’Adua’s government. Because of the crack in the operation of the Kaduna Mafia owing to the battle between the Yar’Aduas and the late General Abacha, the aafia could not immediately pull itself together as Umaru Yar’Adua assumed office.

Perhaps, it was still studying the grounds as Yar’Adua’s government grew in years.

From 2009, the power bloc inside Yar’Adua’s government took off in full force, with elements of that cabal reportedly including the former Minister of Agriculture, Sayyadi Abbah Ruma; the Chief Economic Adviser, Tanimu Yakubu and to some extent the current Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahaman Dambazzau (retd), who served as Chief of Army Staff at the time.

The cabal became so strong that the then Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was totally in the dark. He was unaware of the state of his boss’s health or his exact location for months. Insiders in the government confirmed that the former vice-president relied on briefings of foreign favourable governments who were monitoring the situation. In fact, Jonathan was unaware that Yar’Adua was being smuggled back to the country in early 2010, even though a full complement of the military was deployed for that midnight homecoming.

Just as it was with the cabals that operated under Obasanjo, that of the Yar’Adua

era was also interested in retention and control of power. The fear was that if power was allowed to get out of their circle, they could lose all benefits that come with it. Thus, despite reports that indicated that Yar’Adua

was medically unfit to continue in office, the cabal nearly swept off the whole nation with contrary propaganda.

Whereas the constitution expects that continues on pg 26

However, it will be out of place to claim that the Kaduna Mafia and its members represented the entire face of the North. A clear line of distinction was made between ‘Kaduna Mafia’ and the North’s political elite in 1983 when it was alleged that the late General Shehu Yar’Adua led the military wing of the Kaduna Mafia to oppose the successful bid of former President Shagari for a second term of office. And, for all intents and purposes, the term, ‘Kaduna Mafia’ became less heard from the early 1990s, only to be replaced by a new, phrase, “the Northern Caliphate”.

It will however be entirely wrong to assume that the Kaduna Mafia has died.

The fact remains that most of its members are still around and they remain active in shaping and determining the fate of the country. Their seeming silence may be due to some extraneous factors: One, Kaduna, though still regarded as the political capital of the Old North, has been overshadowed by the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja which, without any air of pretense, is the centre of focus in the scheme of things. But with unfolding events across the country, it may not be out of place to say that the members of the group are just lying in the shadows and monitoring the course of events and waiting to step, once again, into limelight and the corridors of power.

Another group which enjoyed almost same prominence as the Kaduna Mafia in the national political history is the Langtang Generals. Its members, included a rumoured clique of military men from continues on pg 26

The power elite and cabal syndrome continued from pg 21 Gabriel Ajayi and Colonel Tony Nyam said they acknowledge the existence of cabal in the country but it is not inimical to the Nigerian state. Nyam said: “There is always a cabal of recycled people.” He traced the existence to the Fist Republic and that except for President Muhammadu Buhari, most past Nigerian leaders owed their emergence to the political intrigues of some powerful forces. He said a lot of them had become politicians in military uniform and have continued to wield awesome influence after leaving service. He claimed that such powerful elements made sure that they dictated the pace of events during the era of Interim national Government (ING), following the June 12 debacle.

Colonel Ajayi gave more graphic details on the rise of the Kaduna Mafia and Langtang Generals. He traced the popularity of the Kaduna group to the activities of the political elite, intelligentsias and top functionaries of northern extraction in the federal and regional civil service following the first adventure of the military into political power. He recalled that the members felt it was imperative to protect the interest of the North. He said though the Kaduna group was a loose organisation, the members had a close-knit relation as per how to meet, forge a common front on critical issues and communicate its position to other stakeholders of northern extraction.

According to him, it became a convenient vehicle to galvanise the people for the collective interest of the region.

On the grouping called Langtang Generals, Ajayi explained that it was a coalition of forces in Plateau with a preponderance of military officers as core members. Their mission was to protect and promote the interest of the group.

June 12 debacle The use of the terminology cabal became

Amaechi most pronounced during the public outcry against the injustice meted to the Nigerian electorate by the military government of the day. Critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project backed their verbal assault on the military establishment for insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians through prolonged and sustained street protests demanding the reversal of the annulment of the election.

But a clique, which was famously ascribed as a cabal by the protagonists of June 12 and consistently blamed for the annulment, became a subject of vicious verbal attack and recrimination. While the June 12 apostles insisted on the sanctity of the poll, the powerful members of a clique in the military establishment worked out a counter operation, which included recruitment of members of the ‘fifth column’ among the civilian political class. These elements included notable politicians, businessmen, and professionals, some of whom rose to become ministers under military regimes in the course of the struggle.

The close-knit counter moves of the establishment were also targeted at the

under belly of the military structure. The innermost caucus launched an internal battle against some officers perceived to be loyal and sympathetic to the June 12 campaigners. Eventually, those categories of officers were eased out of the power, especially as the military prepared ground for an Interim National Government (ING).

The major hurricane swept through the system 10 days after there was a change of guard at the corridors of power in Aso Rock.

No fewer than 17 military officers considered as loyalists of the preceding military leader ended their career abruptly.

No doubt, the greatest victim of the syndrome of power play or the cyclic cabal seems to be the military. It has witnessed a huge turnover of retired or fired officers because of the frequent incursion into political power. The recurring issue of new leadership threw up new crop of power brokers, political godfathers and loyalists, an aspect that was fully interrogated

by Colonel Ajayi. He observed that intra-cabal power play, especially after successful putsch often came with a lot of career uncertainties because each situation threw up a new cabal, which soon fizzled out once there was a new leadership calculus emerged. In his words, “Many of the members will constitute a new super force. They are circumstantial in birth; they are not permanent; some call them adhoc cabals. They constitute a circumstantial mafia; no permanent belief but permanent interest, unlike in the United States where you have the Black Caucus or in Europe or Russia where they are altruistic.”

However, whereas he claimed that a semblance of a cabal dominates and controls the political space in the South-Western part of the country at the moment, that it will fizzle out, because it was not based on pragmatic and enduring state policies and programmes, that have direct impact on the lives of the citizens.

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news

Amaechi: Who will Transport these allegations?

By Dare Adekanmbi

U

NTIL he joined the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992 and became its scribe for Ikwere Local Government Area, nothing significant could be gleaned from public records about the Ubima-born politician and former governor of the oil-rich Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

His antecedent is encountered thus: Amaechi is a graduate of English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt. He prepared himself and probably sharpened his politics a la Nigeria skills at the university where he participated actively and was elected student union leader, just as he held a leadership position in the zonal chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

On completion of his mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, he jumped into the waiting arms of a man who later became his political benefactor, Dr Peter Odili, who employed him as the image-maker for his hospital. The relationship blossomed and in the process, Ameachi bridged the gap between political theory and practice under Odili’s guidance.

During the General Sani Abacha’s transition programme, Amaechi pitched his tent with the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), emerging as the Rivers State secretary. At the dawn of the Fourth Republic, he was elected into the state House of Assembly and later the Speaker of the parliament for two terms. Amaechi came across at the ‘political voltage stabiliser’ in terms of the relationship between the House and the executive arm headed by Dr Odili, his godfather of sort. It was not towards the end of the second term that the relationship broke down irretrievably.

Amaechi participated in the primary election to elect the governorship candidate for the PDP and won. However, his name was substituted with that of Celestine Omehia who was sworn in as governor. But Amaechi took the fight up to the Supreme Court and was affirmed as the rightful candidate and Omehia was consequently was sacked.

There was an attempt to resurrect the matter towards the end of Amaechi’s second term, but the fire was quenched at the Appellate Court which set aside the decision of a lower court in favour of Omehia.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was allegedly behind the removal of Amaechi’s name and the former governor later joined the bandwagon of the change mantra crusaders in the buildup to the last elections. Speaking at the inauguration of some projects in Rivers State, Obasanjo described the weapon he used against Amaechi as K-leg Theory and said he had no regrets over it. He insisted Amaechi became governor through awkward Supreme Court decision.

After surviving many battles, Ameachi, a Catholic, would probably have invoked the scriptures that “many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” He would have thought the strife done and the battle o’er. But not at all. He was entangled in yet another fierce battle with the then First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, over the issue of successor to the ‘throne’ of Rivers. Amaechi lost the battle and his nemesis, Nyesom Wike, succeeded him.

But Amaechi directed his choler against the then first family by jumping ship to the APC along with others. Before that, his leadership of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum became factionalised until he left for the broom party. He swore to thwart the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan and achieved it. For this, he earned the alias ‘slayer of GEJ.’ He was the Director General of the Muhammadu Buhari presidential campaign. He was speculated to have provided the war chest to prosecute not only the presidential but also the gubernatorial aspiration of five APC candidates.

A commission of inquiry set up by Wike to look into how some of the state’s assets were allegedly frittered under Amaechi indicted the former governor. Specifically, Amaechi was accused of having diverted N53 billion state

funds during his reign as governor.

Justice George Omereji, who headed the commission, said: “On the billions of naira said to have been stashed away in some places, there was the sum of N55 billion in the State Reserve Fund. Between 2014 and May 2015, they were able to remove N53 billion and we found out that the N53 billion was not used for the projects in the state. The money went to individuals. From the papers submitted to us, we also found out that the money was given to people they like. We went to the site of the Justice Karibi Whyte Hospital. We did not see anything at all.”

While Amaechi dismissed the allegation of funds diver-

All these allegations against the Minister of Transport could indeed have been trumpeted by his political enemies. But that verdict of innocence and/ or acquittal can only come when legal due process has been followed.

sion, the state chapter of the APC rose in his defence, accusing the commission and the Wike administration of crying wolf where there was none. The former governor accused his predecessor of manipulating the commission with a view to stopping his nomination as minister. Several protests and petitions urging President Buhari to rethink Amaechi’s nomination were ignored.

At an anti-corruption gathering in London, United Kingdom, this year, the then British Prime Minister, David Cameron, labeled Nigeria a ‘fantastically corrupt’ country.

President Buhari, who was part of the gathering which generated a rather global interest. Weeks later, a British tabloid went to town with a story headlined: Is Nigerian leader’s pal ‘fantastically corrupt’? Friend of African president accused of stealing £500million.

Amaechi was reportedly the subject of that report. The newspaper specifically accused him of “diverting £140m of state funds into Buhari’s presidential campaign.”

The latest on Amaechi came from two judges who alleged that overtures were made to them to derail justice in the governorship elections in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti states. The judges narrated how Amaechi made the attempts and even mentioned the names of witnesses to the proposed deal. Amaechi has since not only denied it, but has also threatened that the judges will have a date in court with him.

In the spirit of the campaign tagged ‘operation war against graft in every sector’ and being vigorously pursued by the Buhari administration, protesters have poured on the streets to demand that the judges step aside to prove their innocence of the graft charges against them. From media reports, there is high probability that judicial authorities might cave in to pressure from on high to have the judges prosecuted.

But where does this leave Amaechi? SERAP, a non-governmental group founded by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has asked Buhari to probe Amaechi over the judges’ claims. The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has also clamoured that Amaechi should step aside and be probed as well as the judges.

The alleged refusal or tardiness of President Buhari in endorsing the call for Amaechi and his colleague mentioned by the judges to step down and be probed has the potential of casting further shadow of doubt over his anti-corruption campaign which many already see as being one-sided. This is especially so coming after the British newspapers’ report as well as several other reports locally. Similarly, it may be interpreted that Amaechi is ‘being protected by the president’ as a further act of gratitude for a man who allegedly went all the way to get fund for his campaign.

A saying in Yoruba worldview goes thus: Today, we say the antelope has urinated in the forest. Tomorrow, we say it has defecated in the forest. Is antelope the only animal in the forest? The question being asked is why is it only Amaechi’s name that featured in the letters of the judges?

All these allegations against the Minister of Transport could indeed have been trumpeted by his political enemies. But that verdict of innocence and/or acquittal can only come when legal due process has been followed. The tragedy, of course, is that the anti-corruption crusade of President Buhari will thunder when it becomes obvious that some individuals both in his government and outside of it are sacred cows which cannot be slaughtered on the altar of justice because they enjoy maximum protection.

Buhari, speaking at the 10th memorial anniversary of Abacha in 2008, in Kano, gave the late maximum ruler a clean bill of health, despite allegations that Abacha stashed a humongous amount of Nigeria’s oil proceeds in Swiss banks and other western countries. But shortly after he was elected in March, one of the foreign diplomats who visited him was the Swiss envoy who pledged the commitment of his government to releasing Nigeria’s money stashed in Swiss banks when his government is inaugurated. As a follow-up to that, Switzerland, as recently as July, 2016, put the amount it intends to repatriate to Nigeria at $321m.

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Sunday Tribune

Economy: Most Nigerians are complaining —Onaiyekan

Former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Cardinal John Onaiyekan, in this interview with BIOLA AZEEZ in Ilorin, speaks with the return of 21 Chibok girls, the recent arrest of judges and other issues affecting the polity.

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wenty-one of the abducted Chibok girls were freed recently, triggering celebrations around the country and beyond. Do you think Nigerians should be celebrating the release of 21 girls?

Yes, of course. Every life is worth celebrating. It’s more than 900 days that more than 200 of our girls disappeared and were taken away. The whole world has been asking what’s happening. Twenty-one out of over 200 is not really a big deal any way but for the parents of those 21 girls, they can at least rest their shoulder that they’ve found their daughters. It’s worth celebrating. But the whole thing in itself is still a shame on our nation. And it’s still a greater shame that they are not explaining where the other girls are. Have they died? Have they given them to someone else? And the conditions for their release, I don’t know and we’re asking for the truth whether the government released their men or not.

But I am one of those who have always said that if what it takes to release those girls is to release some Boko Haram terrorists in detention, we should have let go of those criminals since. We should not have waited till now. Again, the problem with our government, something that has generated so much interest, not only in Nigeria but abroad, I hope the government would deal with it in a transparent way and tell us the truth about it. That’s the least we deserve to know, because it will not be wise to still be telling stories and playing games at this stage. If the government admitted that they released some terrorists, there’s nothing to be ashamed of, because the shame already on ground is big enough. So I am hoping that those who are advising government or speaking on its behalf will realise that the matter that has generated attention worldwide must deserve questions from people out there.

There were reports that the rest of the girls had been married off by Boko Haram terrorists or killed during air raid. Do you see an end in sight to this security challenge?

I wouldn’t want us to focus too much on the acts of omission or commission of our government in this matter in such a way as to forget that the main culprits in this whole affair are Boko Haram terrorists. They were the ones who kidnapped the girls for all this while for no just cause. So, whatever criticism we have for government should not block our minds to this major crime against humanity, which this group of people has committed, irrespective of discussion of Christian or Muslims. This means that anything Boko Haram is saying anywhere or on social media now, unless they come clean of everything, they are not just serious. They are not. And the onus lies on them to explain what has happened to the 200 girls they took away. If they’ve been sold out, they should give us a list of the children sold out. They should give us list of those they sold them to in Sweden or anywhere in the world. And these are no small children of two or three years old; these are young girls preparing for school certificate exams. They would be

Onaiyekan 17, 18 and now they are 20, 21. What part of the world are you now to go and you are married and no access to phone to call your father? If they are married out and they are wives and they are no slaves, there’s still a lot of explanation to make and I don’t think we should be demanding this explanation from our government. We should demand explanation from those who kidnapped the girls unjustly.

As for claims about trying to Islamise the country, in my own opinion, we have already passed that stage in the sense that Boko Haram claims not only that they want to Islamise the whole of the North-East, but the whole of Nigeria. That’s their claim. Fanatics make claims and they make atrocious claims; things that are absolutely unrealisable. We are not surprised that they are making such claims. What’s important for me is what do the Nigerian Muslims say? And from what I hear from the Nigerian Muslims, the recognised leaders of Islam in Nigeria, is that these people don’t represent Muslims. For me, that’s important.

Recently, there were calls for the sale of some national assets as a way out of the economic recession facing the country. What is your take?

This is one issue I believe government

must give Nigerians adequate information to be able to take an informed position. Furthermore, since this issue has been generating debates, I believe that’s one good reason that government must throw it open for clear enlightened and professional debates and discussion before taking any decision.

There are enough people, economists and so others who can let us know whether selling the assets is good for this country or not. Obviously, those who proposed it think it’s good for the country. Whatever reason they have for thinking it, they must be able to put it before us so we can see and agree with them or see and tell them why it does not work. I’ve seen those who are against it and I would say basically that national assets should remain national assets and should not be disposed of normally. If you are going to dispose of national assets, I do not think the reason will be to plug a hole in recession. It should be part of a comprehensive economic policy. It’s the same thing when government privatizes; it’s part of a national economic policy.

Some Nigerians have begun to fear that treatment of the Shi’ite sect and the eventual ban by the Kaduna State government might be another Boko Haram waiting to happen. What is your take?

The Shi’ite affair, in my own sincere and considered opinion, is sad. It’s very sad.

Don’t forget that this same group had, earlier last year, been subject of major clash during which we were told hundreds of them were killed and some said massacred and their dead bodies were allegedly thrown into mass graves. Nigerians generally kept quiet. And it’s a shame when this kind of things happen and the only complaint and the only outpouring we hear is from people outside, such as human rights international groups. And it’s this same group we’re talking about now that its leader is still under police detention in a condition that we’re not even sure of.

That’s why I say it’s very sad. Now, what advice do I give to government? My advice to government as a religious leader and a Christian is that in this country, there’s freedom of religion/worship. And what I understand by that is that any group can profess any religion that it wants to practise, provided they carry everything out within the ambit of the law of this country. My advice to government is that we should, first of all, respect the fundamental human and religious rights of anybody who wants to be a Shi’ite.

My understanding is that the majority of Nigerians belong to the Sunni group. And for a long time, we didn’t know there are groups within Islam. The only difference we used to hear about was that of the Ahmadiyya sect which has also suffered a lot of discrimination in this country and we kept quiet. I hope luckily they are beginning to be allowed to raise their heads now. And I believe if the government wants religion to serve positive and peaceful purposes, it should protect the religious freedom and rights of every Nigerian, which is why I thoroughly disagree with the decision of the Kaduna State government to ban the group. How can you ban a religion? I’m worried because, you see; the government might decide to ban the Catholic Church in Kaduna. So I’m shouting now so that when they start banning Catholic Church, at least it will be said that when they banned the Shi’ite, I shouted. It’s not right.

We have reached a stage in Nigeria when we should be able to accommodate different religions. Up till now, we have been talking of Christians/Muslims harmony. We’ve now begun to realise that we must also talk of harmony within our religions.

The raid on the houses of some judges and their eventual arrests by the Department of State Service (DSS) has been generating different reactions. Where do you stand on this matter?

Oh my God, another sad story. My answer will be a bit free and very short. First thing, it’s terrible and not good for our country for the news to go round the whole world that our judges are corrupt; that they steal money; that they take big bribes in order to pass bad judgement. And not just small judges like magistrates in the villages but Supreme Court judges. That’s bad news. Our friends abroad will be saying ‘what kind of country is that; where the judiciary is rotten?’ But there ought to be another way of handling that matter instead of the way it was handled.

Maybe this is not a matter of looking for continues on pg 26

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How Dogara blackmailed members into silence over running cost matter —Jibrin Honourable Abdumumin Jibrin was chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations who got suspended from the House for a period of 180 days as a result of his activism against the chamber on the budget padding issue. He insists in this interview with the Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, that he will not look back, despite his travails.

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HEN you were making a series of allegations against the leadership of the House, did it ever occur to you that you could be suspended?

I actually didn’t think about suspension as of then because in my own thinking, it would be ridiculous. I never thought that some members of the House would choose to act in a very reckless manner. I have never seen that sort of impunity in my life.

While I was dishing out the allegations, my impression was that by the time we resumed, of course my colleagues would do the right thing by insisting that the House investigate the allegations and also collaborate with the anti-graft agencies and the police and, of course, the DSS that have already commenced investigations. That was what I anticipated.

But to my surprise when we resumed, a motion was raised and it was referred to the Ethics Committee. I actually thought it was referring the issue in its entirety to the Ethics Committee so that one can go and discuss the allegations that were raised, only for me to read the other paper and discovered that the only item they were taking there is that I bridged the privileges of the members of the House. That was why I declined participation because it made no sense to me.

Are you seriously saying you didn’t think they were going to come after you? You’ve been part of that cult and you were going to expose them and you were expecting them to allow you get away with it?

A couple of people have asked me that question which also relates to the question he has just asked because the point is still on - didn’t you see this coming? As an insider, the point I’m trying to make is that I was so sure because the facts are out in a way that it has never happened in

this country. So, I will never have thought that they will decide to turn the other way, rather than looking at the focus of the issues. The difference from the case of the past is that you could have issues coming up as speculations, like somebody from outside the system saying running costs are being mismanaged, or that there is budget padding and so on. In that kind of instance, you could quickly look at a case of connivance or gang up or whatsoever.

But in a case where I said four principal officers did this and I clarified the allegations one after the other, there wasn’t anyhow I thought there was going to be a gang up, except under one condition and that I know in the course of our discussion I will get into that.

While you were making the allegations, there was a group called the Transparency Group in the House that appeared to be supporting your moves to probe the leadership of the House. When you were suspended, we thought they were going to rise on your behalf. But up till now, we have not heard from them. What happened?

All the three questions are related and this question gives me the leeway to open up the answer. Nigerians are surprised: is it that there is only one person that has conscience in the House of Representatives? At least, during the recess, you had the Transparency Group and the Integrity Group talking. Soon after resumption, of course, they continued to talk. But immediately after my suspension, everybody went quiet. I underestimated the extent that the cabal can go in protecting their interest. I have never thought in my life that the Speaker, the number four citizen of this country, can go into a meeting and blackmail his colleagues. I have never seen that happen all my life. Of all the experiences that I have had, it is only

in Speaker Dogara that I have seen someone come in because of the abundance of systemic corruption and he used systemic corruption to blackmail the whole members into silence.

The night before our resumption, the Speaker arranged caucuses which looked normal to members because we normally have such caucuses where we discuss how we are going to proceed after returning from recess and I went to the caucuses.

But when the Speaker came in, the first thing he said sent everybody into shock.

He said look, the issue that Jibril is raising, it is not only going to bring down Dogara; Lasun Yusuf, Leo Ogor and Alhassan Doguwa, it is going to involve the whole House because when they start this investigation, it will get to the issue of running cost and the issue of the running cost has become a systemic corruption in the House. Very few members are not involved in that scam. He just said it straight as simple as that. I won’t go down alone.

If you allow for these issues to be investigated. Of course, we have to open up the running cost issue and from that meeting, people started backtracking and that was why even you had a peaceful session on the first day because everybody was ready for a showdown.

But that night, he struck and he put the fear of running cost because the running cost will send hundreds of members to jail directly; you don’t need to investigate it. It’s fraud. It’s a huge massive fraud and I’ve never refrained from saying it. But Nigerians are just looking. Since I mentioned figures and everything, has any of the 359 members come out to say Jibril is lying? It will be 100 days on Saturday and nobody has come out to say Jibril is lying. So, he used that to blackmail members. But I said, I’m going all out, even if I am alone.

So how far do you think you can go alone in this battle?

Sunday Tribune

When I say alone, it doesn’t mean I’m actually alone. It actually means from the direction of the House I am alone. Of course, every day you see what is going on in the media, social media, Nigerians, public commentators, everybody is concerned about it. So, the context I am saying when I say alone, it means that if every member of the National Assembly will drop this issue, I will continue this matter and I will not drop it. I have repeatedly said I will never apologise. Rapprochements have been made and whatever you have and I said look, it doesn’t make sense to me to apologise when I know that the people I’m faced with are corrupt. So, why should I apologise? Maybe they feel the three years that is left for us is like 50 years. But because I have been in the system over and over again, I know three years is just like today and tomorrow. So, even if they will succeed in ensuring that I remain suspended, the maximum they can go is three years.

If you were not removed as Chairman of Appropriation Committee, would you have fought Dogara?

The issue is that my removal was just an immediate cause. There have been remote crises. I have reported several times in the media that I protested when I saw 2,000 projects worth N284 billion in the budget and I confronted the Speaker with it. I said I cannot allow this to happen.

We fought internally when the Speaker tried to get me to put in projects worth N30 billion in the budget and I said this is ridiculous. It has never happened and I’m not going to do it. I’ve put together all this evidence; I’ve given it to the antigraft agencies.

But we are also aware that why these seemed so difficult to resolve or to even take a standpoint is the fact that during the course of this crisis, documents have also come out indicting you of some projects that you allegedly put in your local government running into billions of naira. What are the facts surrounding that allegation?

That takes us to the issue of what is a budget offence. Let me say this very clearly: the National Assembly has the power to appropriate. The National Assembly has the power to add or remove projects and increase whatever you have and the rest.

But the point I have been trying to make and enlighten Nigerians is that over the years, that power has been used to commit fraud in the budget. For instance, if people of Kiru/ Bebeji need light and water was voted and the Chairman of the Committee felt in his own wisdom that it should be replaced with light, it’s understandable. But the point we are making is, for instance, if you are going to buy a transformer and everybody understands that that transformer should not cost more than N2 million, then a chairman of a committee, because he has power to appropriate decides to add N3 million on it and makes it N5 million, that is where the fraud comes in.

Then the second thing he could do again is everybody knows that transformer should cost N2 million, then he reduces N1 million, knowing fully that the remaining N1 million he’s leaving there cannot buy the transformer; it is sabotage against the country. Then the third scenario is when he even decides to lift the whole N2 million, delete that line item and that transformer is needed in a village, confirmed that he took it and when he took it, because he wants to steal the money, he just went and created an item and said purchase of wall sockets, just to steal the money. Wall sockets to put where? These are the issues.

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‘Nigeria must uphold freedom of worship, religion’ continued from pg 24 medicine after death, because the damage had been done.

After that, the rumour is all over the country that there are judges who are collecting big bribes for passing tainted kinds of judgement. And rumours of this kind are not good. Therefore, if I were a Supreme Court justice, I would insist that all these allegations be thoroughly investigated and transparently investigated and not what the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been doing in closed door discussions. Make it public and expose those judges who are corrupt and hold them accountable. I said if I were a just judge, I would demand that so the rest of us could go about our businesses in peace. If that’s not done and this cloud, not even a cloud, this stench of corruption is allowed to be floating around our courts, and I have a case in court and I see a judge there, I will begin to ask myself, ‘is that not one of them?’ Whatever judgement he passes, if I don’t like it, I will say ‘I know, he collected money now.’ I hope we know that this is serious. It’s going right to the root our justice system. The whole question about whether DSS did the right thing or not, I think we can handle that later. My advice is that let this thing be thoroughly investigated; the reason being that there are rumours which seem to suggest that something is actually happening. Not only are there rumours but we’ve heard of cases of certain judges that have been expelled recently.

Different suggestions have been advanced on how Nigeria can get out of recession. Do you have any suggestion too?

We have to admit that there are certain things, causes of this recession, that are outside our control and which will not change even if you bring the most brilliant economic gurus. A good economic team is not going to bring up the

Onaiyekan price of oil from 40 to 120 dollars. That’s a reality we have on ground; I’ve often said that if Jonathan had won the election, he would have had to face this problem of balancing a budget on income that has considerably reduced.

The issue now is that with reduced income, government needs to take measures that will balance the budget and at same time cause as less pain for ordinary people as possible.

Included in this also is that government should also look at all the areas where cost can be cut. The stories we are hearing, for instance, about the salary of ministers, members of National Assembly and extended down to Houses of Assembly and even local government councillors, not to talk of governors, are outrageous. The story we are hearing is that all these categories of people are completely immune to what we are calling recession. And so no matter what kind of economic team you put together, if those people in charge don’t feel the pain of recession, they can’t understand what we are talking about. They’ll be dealing with figures and coming out with rather theoretical solutions to the problem. They may even succeed in churning out figures showing that the economy is recovering, whereas people are suffering. So, I think that Buhari government should push this change thing much further than it is doing now. It’s not enough to have a change of offices in government. We need a change of government and governance; a change in the way government is run. And I think our president and all his teams should know that the majority of Nigerians are complaining that those who should be looking after their interests are immune to the consequences of recession and are overpaid.

Some people are overpaid twice over. I hear governors who are senators are still collecting their pensions. They collect pensions for being former governors and they are collecting huge salary and allowances as senators and nobody sees anything wrong in that. And of course, when it comes to that, there’s no APC or PDP. And you begin to ask, who is going to fight for us? They are supposed to represent us. Until we get a government that can face this head on, the talk of change is only cosmetic. Even if you reduce their salaries by half, they are not going to be hungry. And I am sure most of you’ll be happy with half of their salaries.

The cabal: A myth or a reality? continued from pg 22 Langtang in Plateau State who had variously held top and high positions of power in successive administrations in the country.

The group particularly gained prominence during the administration of the self-styled President Ibrahim Babangida, between 1985 and 1993. Prominent members of the group were said to include General Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro, General Jeremiah Useni, General Domkat Bali and BrigadierGeneral John Shagaya.

Langtang is a town in Plateau State. It was more commonly known as the home of the Generals, having produced the like of Generals Bali, Joseph Garba (deceased), Useni, Dogonyaro, John Shagaya, Jonathan Temlong, Musa Gambo, Ishaku Pennap, Air Marshal Jonah Wuyep and Air Commander Bernard Banfa. It also boasts of elder statesmen, including Chief Solomon Lar (the first civilian governor of the state and a former PDP national chairman), the late Chief Ezekiel Yusuf (the first chairman of Langtang Local Government) and Reverend Canon Selchang Miner. But unlike the Kaduna Mafia which was predominantly a Muslim grouping, the Langtang Mafia drew its membership from among Christians as Langtang is a Christian community, with some elements of adherents of the African Traditional Religion (ATR) and Tarok being the major tribe.

Following the footsteps of the perceived precursors of the terms, ‘mafia’ and ‘cabal’, are those who may be regarded as the young Turks who have taken over all aspects of the national life since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999 to date. This set of men and women have come to be seen as the “faces behind the new mafia that runs Nigeria”.

However, unlike the old order where the two afore-mentioned groups were regional

in nature, the new mafia holding sway in the country cuts across all the geopolitical zones, breaking all ethnic barriers and occupying the top echelon of all the most lucrative sectors. They are also described as hawks who can hold any government by the jugular to achieve their aims.

In the business sector there are individuals like Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Kano businessman once voted by Forbes Magazine as Africa’s richest man; Chief

Mike Adenuga, the introvert multibillionaire owner of Glo; Femi Otedola, who is an established voice in the nation’s oil sector; Abdulsamad Rabiu, the sugar merchant; Wale Tinubu, the CEO of Oando, and the current Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who, as a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), wielded an enormous power in the banking sector, just to mention a few.

These men have their women counterparts

who played very prominent roles in the life of the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration. They included former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah and former Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was a prominent member of the Federal Executive Council during the Jonathan administration.

The operational manual of power continued from pg 22 president to transmit power to the vicepresident whenever he was medically unfit or going on vacation through a letter to the National Assembly, Yar’Adua did not transmit such letter and it became the talk of the entire country. The civil society groups led by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) led series of street protests, while another National Assembly Group, the National Interest Group (NIG), also led the battle to secure signatures in the parliament for the invocation of Doctrine of Necessity, which eventually transferred power to Jonathan in acting capacity.

The coming of Dr. Jonathan as president, therefore, signalled a reversal of roles at the helm of power. It marked the arrival of power in the oil-rich South-South for the first time and another backseat role for the Northern political hierarchy, which only regained power after eight years of a Southerner’s rule. The North was, therefore, unhappy that power slipped off its hands through the death of Yar’Adua and would have loved a quick return. With the constitution taking its course, no one had an

answer to Jonathan’s ascension of office as president in May 2010, following the death of Yar’Adua.

What followed was the regrouping of the power blocs outside of government.

A number of theories were pushed out ahead of the 2011 election. The forces started with the indications that Jonathan should only complete Yar’Adua’s tenure in 2011 and leave the stage, since “age” was still on his side or allow the nomination of a Northern candidate who will pick him as vice-president. The theories went back and forth and eventually, Jonathan came to the conclusion that he would run for office. He won the election with massive votes but the power cabal never slept.

Immediately, the power caucuses in the North went to work just as the South-South was jubilating over its capture of power at the centre for the first time. The caucuses fixed meetings for outside the country where deep reviews were undertaken. The meetings as far back as early 2012 concluded on the need to get power back to the North in 2015. It also concluded on how to hijack the House of Representatives

through the defection of then Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and a possible takeover of the Senate through massive defections to the new mega party to be midwifed alongside parties in other geopolitical zones.

At the end of the day, it appeared that the PDP kept its eyes off the ball by allowing most of the predictions made at the Saudi Arabia strategic meeting of the Northern leaders come to pass. The All Progressives Congress (APC) came alive in 2013, with five governors of the PDP defecting to the party alongside a number of members of the House of Representatives as well as 12 members of the Senate. Speaker Tambuwal also defected to the APC along the line.

Though another insider cabal was emerging in the Jonathan government, as many believed that Chief Edwin Clark assumed the post of father of the nation, all focus remained on the power bloc outside of power.

Perhaps as a result of its determination and strategy, the cabal outside of Jonathan’s government succeeded in supplanting his government and giving victory to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 polls.

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S far as transparency is concerned, it is easy to convict the Nigerian National Assembly of wrong doing in the eyes of even the least informed Nigerian. The Assembly has cropped a bad name since the beginning of this democracy in 1999.

From the issue of furniture allowances in 1999 to jumbo pay of recent years and then the questions of bogus running costs raised by Honourable Abdumumin Jibril, the image of the National Assembly transparency wise has kept nose-diving.

And revelations from operatives of the Assembly have also not helped the image of that institution over the years. During the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, four presiding officers of the Assembly lost their jobs on accounts of allegations of graft and financial misdemeanor. Even those who retained their jobs within the period battled allegations of financial impropriety all through. Such allegations had claimed the likes of the first Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Fourth Republic, Salisu Buhari, former Senate President Evans Enwerem (now late), his successor, Senator Chuba Okadigbo (also late) and former Senate President Adolphus Wabara. The likes of Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, Speaker Umar Ghali Na’abba, Hon Aminu Bello Masari battled and Hon Dimeji Bankole all suffered allegations of financial impropriety in their tenures, while Bankole’s predecessor, Hon Patricia Etteh lost her job to such allegations.

In recent months, the former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Hon Abdumumin Jibril has been in the news with salacious stories of the alleged corruption in the House of Representatives. The member had alleged at one instance that he earned over N600 million as allowances.

But it appears that the 8th Assembly is not allowing the matter stay on the same spot. Senate President Bukola Saraki had in recent speeches advocated a transparent accounting system, while engaging civil society groups.

The coming of the new head of the National Assembly bureaucracy, the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori in August, has however coincided with the take off of some practical steps that could rid NASS its poor accountability image.

Two weeks ago, reports in the media indicated that the political and bureaucratic wings of the National Assembly have agreed to some measures aimed at enhancing accountability in the system.

It has been confirmed that a memorandum has already emerged detailing a new accounting procedures for the

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National Assembly. Insights into the document however indicate that the idea is not only to address the situation in the legislature but to ensure transparency and accountability across all agencies that enjoy First Line Charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

The document, titled: “Budget Transparency: NASS New Financial Manual,” indicated that a study was commissioned following “persistent outcry by the public and some legislators to disclose their wages, salaries and allowances.”

The memo indicated that the idea of transparency has started gaining acceptance among the leadership of the National Assembly leading to the adoption of new fiscal and monetary measures aimed at ensuring prudence of expenditure among the legislators and the bureaucracy.

According to the memo, the Management of the National Assembly has concluded plans to institute mea-

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sures to promote accountability and transparency in its budgeting procedures in the NASS, the Judiciary and INEC, the three agencies that enjoy First Line Charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

“Realising the importance and the need in line with the current administration’s drive and focus of President Muhammadu Buhari, management of the National Assembly, is putting together certain fiscal and monetary disciplinary measures to bring about the prudent and transparent approach to expenditure of legislators and the bureaucrats,” the memo read in part.

We have confirmed that the memo has already been endorsed by Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Chairman the National Assembly as well as the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, who heads the Bureaucracy.

Soon, it was learnt the implementation process of the “fiscal and monetary disciplinary measures” would go ahead of the passage of the 2017 appropriation bill. Reports also indicated that the initiative would see NASS putting in place a new accounting Manual to replace the current Charts of Account developed by the Executive and which is in use currently.

The memo on this initiative read: “The political and management arms of NASS observed that the National Assembly is still using the Charts of accounts developed by the Executive. This did not take into account the peculiarities of the National Assembly in relation to running costs and other accounting measures.

The new manual being worked on is said to directly reflect the peculiarities of National Assembly and other users of the First Line Charge.

In line with the planned manual, the Leadership of the National Assembly is also said to have concluded the plan to introduce a clause in the Procurement Act currently undergoing amendment in the two chambers to guarantee the development of the Procurement Manual by the Legislature.

Going forward, it has been confirmed that the leadership of the legislature have concluded to seek inputs of the offices of the Accountant General and Auditor General of the Federation to the proposed Manual to ensure there are no conflicts with existing manuals and operational codes.

When the legislature eventually puts in place the allimportant manual, it is expected that the initiative will help the Assembly out of the sorry image it has sunk in recent years.

opinion How to deal with haters of history

By Festus Adedayo IF you didn’t know the gravity of the offence committed by those who decreed history out of the Nigerian educational curriculum, when you read Femi Kehinde’s Of Rusts and Gold: Snippets of history, you will agree that they deserve to be arraigned by the public square and forced to drink a more poisonous variant of the Socratic hemlock. Indeed, they deserve ample pages in national book of dishonour. They are enemies of our past and enemies of our future.

Historians are concerned with the quest for an interpretation of the past as a vehicle for an explanation of the future. Historians can thus be likened to a smog-covered old man in the smithy who is labouring relentlessly to forge a true discourse of the past, as he deploys narratives and analyses of past events and occurrences to define the future.

The 249-page book is a historical nugget which tells you that the knowledge of the past is an invaluable chunk of a tripod of yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is a confirmation of the warning of a Jamaican political leader, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr. (17 August 1887 – 10 June 1940), that a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. The book provides the essential connect between today, yesterday and tomorrow by giving explanations of seemingly inexplicable and complex nuances of yesterday.

For instance, with traditional tales by the moonlight having gone into extinction, and the youth of today believing that the apogee of existence is wealth and political power, it is necessary to acquaint them with the story

of those who traversed this land with such mundane and warped reasoning but ended their lives tragically. For example, in any equation where wealth for personal aggrandizement and wealth for communal exhortation are in issue, the story of the duo of Ibadanland’s Sanusi Adebisi Giwa, also known as Adebisi Idi Ikan, an exceptionally wealthy man in the early 20th century and Salami Agbaje would serve some didactic lessons. While the former’s wealth held a conspicuous benefaction to the community – borrowing from the author’s language – the latter’s wealth was circumscribed round the narrow confine of self and immediate community. This provoked the refrain in the folklore, Ile Adebisi lati je malu tawo tawo, awa o je dodo nile Salami. You will find the details in Kehinde’s Of Rusts and Gold.

Decades after the demise of these two characters, in same Ibadanland, when the naive political world began to excoriate the Ibadan stormy petrel, Lamidi Adedibu at his exit, as a political hooligan, the common people were quick to come to his rescue by saying that that they could at least have access to Adedibu’s vast compound in Molete to eat a steamy hot plate of amala but could not even access the highly barbed wire fence of the home of another rich and famous kinsman of his at his Foot of Ishin Tree Compound in Ibadan. It takes historical troubadour to follow these tissues of history and thus access the empirical lessons in this book under review.

Of particular importance in the book as a historical work and at the same time a didactic piece of art is its retelling of the Agbekoya uprising story. The Agbekoya had held the Western Region government to ransom, in the mould of how the famous Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti – Fe-

la’s mother – held the town of Abeokuta spellbound with almost 20,000 women, in protest against the perceived conspiratorial collaboration between the Alake of Egba, Oba Gbadebo and the white supremacists of the time in exploiting the natives through high taxation. Tafa Adeoye had led the insurrection. Rumoured to be invisible and invincible, the authorities, after several months of their inability to get him arrested, merely entrapped him with a woman police detective whom Tafa fell in love with and “married.” His arrest thereafter was a fait accompli. This piece of history will warn off men in power today with concupiscent desire for Wole Soyinka’s Daughters of Discord.

Broken into different chapters that dwell on topics, Kehinde’s Of Rusts and Gold is an ‘unputdownable’ piece of historical research that will keep anyone interested in the strides of our recent forebears glued to it, until the last page is exhausted.

For instance, how many people know that right on the soil of Ibadanland; indeed, right at the University of Ibadan, many spousal engagements which resulted in famous marriages and renowned children, were sired? For instance, Kehinde’s Of Rusts and Gold reveals that Laide and Wole Soyinka’s marriage; those of Ayo and Adetoun Ogunseye; Ojetunji and Bimpe Aboyade; Chinua and Christy Achebe; Olumuyiwa and Bolanle Awe; Christopher Okigbo and Judith Sefinat Attah; Olusegun and Funke Agagu, and many more, had their spousal broths cooked right on the soil of the University of Ibadan. It is one of the nuggets of history that you will encounter in the book.

• Read the rest on www.tribuneonlineng.com

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30 October, 2016

F

OR reasons best known to the troubled ruling APC, it decided to cure the Timi Frank gaping sore when already gangrenous. Prescription for that belated cure points at a major surgery but those pushing to cut him and the political interests he represents off, would soon find out that final-stage cancer requires more than just excising the excess. The cancerous opening which Timi Frank grudge crusade symbolises in the party’s top echelon is a complicated one, which has progressed to the soul of the party. If the surgery primed to contain it is not handled with utmost care, the Union won’t survive it.

In a political party of ethos, Frank, APC’s interim spokesperson, should be in the lurch long before now. But is there any semblance of such in what is constantly playing out as partisan interests struggle to own what should be a commonwealth? If any other shenanigans aren’t in the public domain, the simple issue of transition when Alhaji Lai Mohammed moved on as Minister of Information is telling enough to know all could not have been well with a leadership who would prefer a vacuum to promoting a deputy to a vacancy up his level. Stopping Frank from succeeding Lai was a major misstep for those who currently own the party.

If you so brazenly tell a man he isn’t wanted, you should not expect him not to whistle to outsiders.

But those who worked and still working against his ascendancy and by extension, the promotion of his patrons and their political interests, can feel justified with the way Timi Frank has almost turned his protestation to the hilarious Frank Donga show. One major weapon his traducers are said to be using effectively in keeping him marooned is his perceived lack of maturity in handling the delicate job of speaking for the ruling party and by extension, the government at the centre.

Such an argument can be won or lost, depending on the carriage of the subject matter. Since discretion should ordinarily be a major part of the job, it would be difficult for anyone to recommend Frank. But the job is largely tucked under a supervisory structure of the highest decision-making organ of the party, which would even make a more extreme form of Frank suitable for it. It means the problem with Frank isn’t about him and his tempestuous idiosyncrasy, but the political interests he perceivably serves.

In the heat of certain political claims in President Muhammadu Buhari’s contentious biography, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo helped the nation in working out the arithmetic of godfatherism, without offending contending forces. “SomeNIGERIA is in a dire economic strait at the moment.

Most people continuously wear a very long look as the raging economic hardship continues to take its toll on the life of the average Nigerian. At times like this, to avoid the bubble bursting, something must of necessity happen to lighten the situation in order to save the people from running amok. Nature graciously picked the first family to give the most needed break two weeks ago. This happened when Mrs Aisha Buhari, while granting an interview to BCC Hausa service, made public her frustration with the way her husband was steering the ship of the nation by alluding to a hijack of the ship by some pirates in the presidency. Not to be seen as a weakling, the President wasted no time in telling the wife that it was no skin off her nose how he ran the state and that her business was restricted to the living room, the kitchen and ‘the other room’. Even when some zealous aides wanted to help the President manage the situation by explaining ‘what he meant’, he insisted in an interview in Germany that the wife’s assignment was as he stated. And the country had a laugh. What a laugh that was! The first family helped in no mean way to douse the tension in the nation with the comic relief.

Thank goodness that the first family seems to have put the issue behind them as Mrs Buhari, last week in Kaga, Borno State, while giving out relief items to displaced women in rural areas, said she was committed to seeing her husband succeed as Nigeria’s president. She made no mention of any cabal in government, neither did she speak of the over 15million people who had voted for the president asking any probing question. She said the administration had started making good the promises it made to the Nigerian electorate, and as far as she was concerned, that was okay.

But in spite of the seeming resolution of the first family’s disagreement, the issue generated by their faceoff has continued to simmer. Since the President spoke about ‘the other room’, it has become an anthem of sorts. People still laugh their head off whenever ‘the other room’ comes up for mention.

0811 695 4647

olanreade@yahoo.com

Frankly, Timi Frank

one, somewhere must nominate you.”

Someone, or somemany (my neologism) got the youthful Frank the job on the National Working Committee of a party that came into being as government-in-waiting. His travails are primarily tied to the “somewhere” his nomination came from but he has run the errands so badly that his own may have to think twice before giving him another opportunity elsewhere.

The comportment of Frank at the party secretariat, as known to almost everyone and how he goes about airing his insatiable grievances with loaded gun, firing at targets, particularly the national chairman, former governor John Odigie-Oyegun, with reckless abandon, is bringing misery to the party no doubt, but nearly all the corollary damages

With Sulaimon Olanrewaju 08055001708

lanresulaimon@yahoo.com

The other room and the theory of otherness

But it is a laugh at the expense of women because ‘the other room’ connotes something much more profound than the innuendo suggested by the coiner. In Philosophy, Sociology and most of the Social Sciences, referring to somebody as the other or saying somebody belongs to

Sunday Tribune

are his. Who would ever trust a likely inheritor who keeps open the door for the enemy because he feels cheated? Not even those egging him on, would trust him again, because he has, without knowing, told even his backers how damaging he could be when offended. Are there politicians who don’t offend one another, even as allies?

Timi is very much likely to get the boot, though his exit won’t close the pits in the party. With his public campaign against Oyegun and his team, becoming more strident, it would be foolhardy for the chairman who is obviously in the good books of Buhari, the real leader of the party, to help keep someone worse than a mole in the national leadership where crucial decisions regarding 2019 would soon unfold.

Timi has not proved to be a system person. The head is the head, though such head can be challenged if shaking and shaken anyhow. Oyegun is a politician and regardless of his much-vaunted credibility, his head couldn’t have straightened all these years in the saddle as the chairman. There have been open accusations of the pecuniary overriding larger party interest against him. His denial doesn’t translate into acquittal. Frank has obviously not delivered well on his crusade but the troubling issues are too visible to be denied. APC can throw the baby away, but the bath-water is going to be useful in this circumstance. The cleansing can start with it if the leadership is discerning enough. It could also be the tributary of the river that would wash APC away in 2019.

Reaction Hello Lanre, you are wonderful. I don’t miss your write-up. It is always intellectually sound.

You can however in the interest of your teeming readers and fans, make it more lucid and less of big grammar so as not make yourself another Wole Soyinka who mostly writes to communicate to himself alone. Thanks. Segun 07082412844.

I read your piece “Mummy G.O’s and Aisha Buhari’s tears. It is absurd for our president to have qualified his wife with these words (she belongs to my kitchen and bedroom). With this, he is saying women are servants. Is it because of same position Islam and Hausa men have put them? Such statement constitutes an embarrassment to the women of the 21st century where his guest in Germany is a woman. His statement is unfit for a president.

Wale Okekunjo, from Saki. 08028101629. the other is a serious insult because it is extremely derogatory.

According to Wikipedia, “The term Othering describes the reductive action of labelling a man or a woman as someone who belongs to a subordinate social category defined as the Other. The practice of Othering is the exclusion of persons who do not fit the norm of the social group, which is a version of the Self. Likewise, in the field of human geography, the action term to Other identifies and excludes a person from the social group, placing him or her at the margins of society, where the social norms do not apply to and for the person labelled as the Other.”

Put in plain terms, saying that somebody belongs to ‘the other room’ is saying that the fellow belongs to the other class, a class which is below the class of the speaker.

According to Zygmunt Bauman, the notion of otherness is central to the way in which societies establish identity categories. He stresses that identities are set up as dichotomies, “Woman is the other of man, animal is the other of human, stranger is the other of native, abnormality the other of norm, deviation the other of lawabiding, illness the other of health, insanity the other of reason, lay public the other of the expert, foreigner the other of state subject, enemy the other of friend.”

Stressing this point further, Simone de Beauvoir said, in The Second Sex, “Thus humanity is male and man defines woman not in herself but as relative to him; she is not regarded as an autonomous being… She is defined and differentiated with reference to man and not he with reference to her; she is the incidental, the inessential as opposed to the essential. He is the Subject, he is the Absolute – she is the Other.”

To buttress this point, the President could not even condescend to conferring dignity to that other room.

While he mentioned the other room by name, he left the world to decipher what he meant by ‘the other room.”

And do not forget that the President did not say ‘my room’ but ‘the other room’. Any wonder then why the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, gave our President that look?

29

30 October, 2016

ON THE

lord’sday

Sunday Tribune

With Bolanle Bolawole turnpot@gmail.com 07052631058

My brother, Reuben Abati

W

“

HAT is the problem with your brother?” “He was arrested by the EFCC” “I see! Was it in respect of the Dasuki arms money bazzar?”

“Nobody knows. We have not been told.”

“That must be the reason. Any politician arrested these days have one thing or another to do with the ONSA.” “But he is not a politician; he is a journalist who was in government to perform a professional duty as spokesperson to the former president.” “In that wise, he was a politician.

You cannot speak for a politician if you are not a politician yourself.” “In that sense, it will be difficult for professionals to work in any civilian administration.”

“I agree. How much did they say they traced to your man – millions or billions?” “I just told you we have not even been told his offence!” “But I just also told you it must have to do with the ONSA! Can’t you see that everyone arrested these days have their hands in the ONSA pie one way or another?” “Until they say so, I will not join in giving my brother media trial or mob lynching.” “I only wanted to know so I can imagine how to help you rally support for him.” “How do you mean?” “If the money is big, then, it will be worth everyone’s while; but if it is peanuts, he is on his own.” “That is weird logic. You mean the greater the crime, the better the opportunity for escape?” “Exactly! It translates to greater capacity to ‘settle’ everyone and still retire with the rest of the loot and live happily thereafter.”

“So what is worth doing at all is worth doing well is what you are trying to say?”

“You are a fast learner and I like that. Try to figure out how much was involved before you weigh in on the side of your brother.” “Whatever and however, brothers must be brothers...” “I don’t understand how you and Abati can be brothers: Are you not from Ondo and he from Ogun State?”

“Correct! But we are brothers all the same.” “My friend, say the truth; you have eaten from this man’s plate.” “Never!

We never exchanged as much as a text message while he was in the corridors of power.” “No one will believe that.”

“But that is the truth. We never spoke and we never met.

Not one naira is between me and that man.” “Then save your breath. Find something more worthwhile to do.”

“Thank you, but I will not; I consider his plight as being that of all of us.” “And who are the ‘us’ if I may ask?” “Journalists, writers and critics like him. No journalist will be able to do their job of speaking for their principals if we do not take keen interest in what happens to this man.” “I see!

It is a self-interest thing.” “More than that; the profession is a guild; we are members of the pen fraternity. Under no condition must any spokesperson be made to suffer for the legitimate performance of his duties.” “But not with the ONSA arms money.” “How would anyone know? The present spokespersons for Buhari, where do they know their budgets are coming from?” “That is a serious one. As an architect, I never ask my clients where the funds they pay me come from.”

“Besides, I have begun to miss Abati’s incisive commentaries.” “You don’t mean you still read that man?” “Of course, I do! He is as incisive and gifted as ever.” “I parted ways with him after he started writing those annoying defence of Goodluck Jonathan.” “I got pissed off, too, and after he returned to the media, I gave him the ignore, as the late lawyer to the late Fela, Kanmi Ishola-Oshobu, would say.” “You shouldn’t have returned to him; I don’t think he deserves it.” “I didn’t do it for him; I did it for me. If you love good writings and you don’t read Abati, you will be missing something.” “What will he be writing other than shamelessly defending Jonathan and his many shenanigans?” “You miss the point! I, too, reasoned that way until I grudgingly read a piece he sent to my box.” “And you said you were not buddies...” “Of course, email addresses are not trade secrets; moreover, we met at a meeting once or twice after he left office.” “I see! And you can vouch that the man can still be trusted as a conscientious writer?” “For

me, yes: I was surprised with the great efforts he has made to win back the confidence of his readers.” “You mean he has not been partisan?” “As much as is humanly possible, he has tried to keep his head above the waters of partisanship.” “I never would have known that. I have pigeonholed him where I thought he appropriately belonged.”

“You may want to give him another try; that is, if the EFCC experience will not ruin him.”

“Has he been released?” “Technically, yes; but as at the time of writing, he was yet to perfect his administrative bail conditions.” “Can you see what I mean? Big thieves don’t have issues meeting the most stringent of bail conditions; only small fishes wallow in shallow waters.” “His readers will miss him.” “But rest assured he will come back richer in his prose and syntax after his EFCC ordeal!” “When I think that the same ordeal ruined ex-PDP spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, I shudder. After tasting EFCC, he became jelly.” “Don’t mind that one; it has got more to do with his own personality than his EFCC experience.” “I agree; personal convictions have a lot to play on such issues. Men will always be men while boys will be boys.”

“But I don’t like the way they are treating Femi Fani-Kayode at all. Why arrest a man in October when you knew you will only charge him in court in November?” “It is

Survival first, other niceties later.” “That is serious but I find it very hard to believe a man who reportedly shipped billions of naira to others could not arrange a few million Naira for his own freedom.

abuse of power. They are leaving no one in doubt that they have an axe to grind with the man beyond any anti-corruption war.” “Can it be because he has refused to be silenced?

The man continues to hit them hard.” “I don’t think he will settle with them soon...” “And not they with him, especially after the EFCC bungled the attempt to get at him through his wife and son at Ado-Ekiti.” “That is true. The bungled effort was bad enough; but the man’s riposte that President Muhammadu Buhari should leave his family out of their tango and face him man-to-man completely blinded the whole matter.” “You are right. The enforcers of this regime will want to squeeze pepper into his eyes for that audacious statement.”

“You called a civilian administration ‘regime’?” “In actual fact, not much difference between the 1984\85 years and now.” “But for Governor Ayodele Fayose, Fani-Kayode would have been in hotter soup by now. With his dearly beloved wife and son behind bars followed with his own incarceration, how would he have borne it?” “How would any man have borne it, you mean to say?” “It’s a tough one, no doubt; to think that some human minds could fathom out such a dastardly plot!” “They go for special training; they go to such places as Israel and North Korea; when they return, they are more bestial than human.” “I see! So they can effortlessly ‘convince’ their victims to play ball?”

“They have a thousand and one ways of doing that. Have you read George Orwell’s ‘1984’?” “You mean “Animal Farm?” “No, not ‘Animal Farm’, even though I will also recommend that one for your reading; ‘1984’ is about the “Big Brother”, which is euphemism for ruthless dictatorship, and his many tactics of controlling the actions and minds of the populace.” “That is serious! Controlling the thoughts of man is not possible.” “Read ‘1984’; not only can a man’s thoughts be controlled, it can be seen and read like a book and it can be exorcised.” “By what means, if I may ask?” “By many means; the ultimate goal is to control the minds and thoughts of the citizenry.” “Such will no longer be rational beings but zombies.”

“Exactly! What Fela warned against decades ago in his song titled ‘Zombie’. When men who have been stripped of their own humanity lord it over others, they seek to reduce everyone to their own despicable status.” “You are beginning to get me frightened.” “You need not be; only have a sociological understanding of happenings around you.”

“Can this Sociology of your explain why a former Minister has been singing in EFCC cells?” “Again, read ‘1984’.

The first thing a man does once he falls into the hands of agents of “Big Brother” is implicate everyone he is asked to implicate.” “Even if they were lies?” “Were you not in this country when an officer implicated Obasanjo to his face that he plotted a coup?” “Yes, I remember; it happened under Abacha.” “And what did the same officer do after the coast cleared?” “He prostrated and begged for forgiveness from the same Obasanjo.” “Necessity is the...” “...Mother of invention, as they say.” “But this time around, we shall say ‘mother of survival’.

Survival first, other niceties later.” “That is serious but I find it very hard to believe a man who reportedly shipped billions of naira to others could not arrange a few million Naira for his own freedom.” “The tepid bail condition points to the fact that the goons were not really after the ex-Minister.” “You amaze me with your sharp-wits when it comes to discussing the polity.” “You are dealing with politicians; so, don’t put anything pass them. Most often, the more you look, the less you see.” “I see. But the man nailed the coffin of Fayose...” “Which coffin; and which Fayose: Someone received money from outside and spent part, if not all, of it on ‘stomach infrastructure’ for the people; others took money allegedly meant for salaries and pensions and spent on their own election; which of the two will the people salute as hero in the final analysis?” “Oro p’esi je!”

30

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

the

from NASS

This roforofo over CCT SENATE

By Taiwo Adisa

O

N a day the Court of Appeal in Abuja was deciding the fate of the Senate President Bukola Saraki in the appeal against his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the Senate hit the gavel hard on another matter also involving the CCT. The Red Chamber, which concurred to a bill already passed by the House of Representatives in May, brought the control of the Code of Conduct Bureau and its Tribunal under the National Assembly.

It was a contentious matter, but it is also one which the Senate knew will not remain under the table for long.

The move was first kick-started in April 2016 when Senator Peter Nwaoboshi sponsored a bill seeking to effect changes in the CCB/CCT Act. The senator had said that certain provisions of the Acts needed legislative intervention to conform to today’s realities. One of his objections was that the CCB/CCT, with quasi-judicial powers, was located in the executive arm of government rather than directly in the judiciary or the legislature.

But Senator Nwabaoshi was made to beat a retreat in view of what was called the mood of the nation at the time.

He withdrew the bill and waited to fight another day.

On Thursday, however, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions submitted a report on the bill forwarded to the Senate by the House of Representatives, seeking a concurrence. He said that the committee had done a ‘critical examination of the bill preparatory to concurrence of the Senate.’

He agreed that the political situation in the country forced the initial sponsor in the Senate, Senator Nwaoboshi to withdraw the bill when it was first introduced to the Senate.

The Senator listed the objectives of the bill to include the proposal to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap.C15 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 by Altering the tenure of the office of the chairman and members; proposal to amend entry age of the chairman and members by pegging the tenures of office; plan to transfer the power of control over the agency to the National Assembly instead of the President as well as the plan to further elaborate the provisions of the bill.

Just as it was viewed in April, some Senators viewed the attempt to proceed with the amendment as a ploy to get back at the executive in view of the trial of the Senate President at the CCT. But the debate of the bill clearly showed a division between the Like Minds Senators and the Senate Unity Forum. The Unity Forum is the group that received the backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hierarchy ahead of the election of Senate’s presiding officers in June 2015, while the Like Minds Senators are largely the supporters of Saraki. There are the Non-Aligned, who are however largely members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The tricky thing about the battle in the Senate is that anytime there is a clash between the SUF and Like Minds, the Non-Aligned usually side the Like Minds.

On Thursday, the roforofo panned out the same way.

Members of the Unity Forum tried all the tricks they could muster to deflate the amendment of the CCB/CCT Act but it was apparent they could not muster the number to withstand the Like Minds who were supported by the Non-Aligned.

The Senate brushed aside the advice of its leader, Senator Ali Ndume and the leader of Senate Unity Forum, Senator Ahmed Lawan and passed the amendments to CCT Act. While Ndume made spirited efforts to stave off the amendment, Senator Lawan put in a last ditch effort when he said: “The Senate is a moderator on legislation; this bill emanated from the House of Representatives and our colleagues there passed it. I agree totally with the submissions of some of our colleagues here that we have to tarry to pass it.

“We will be doing ourselves and this National Assembly a better service if we step down this thing and move on to some other things that will make this a better bill only.

We should go ahead only when we have convinced our-

selves that what we are trying to do is not for our sake.”

In passing the bill, the Senate made some statements.

It reinforced Section 3(D) of the Act, which now makes it mandatory for the Code of Conduct to get a written statement from anyone perceived of committing any infraction along the line of the Act, failure of which the allegation dies a natural death. The lawmakers also changed the se-

curity of tenure of the chairman and members of the CCT, by approving a term of five years renewable only once.

The ball will now relocate to the court of President Muhammadu Buhari to either assent to the bill or veto it. If he vetoes the bill, then the determination of the National Assembly will once again be put to test as to whether they can muster the number to override his veto.

Saraki

Abubakar Malami, AGF

As Reps probe FG’s multibillion naira insurance spending HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel IT is no longer news that the House of Representatives has commenced full investigation into the multi-billion naira allegedly expended on insurance covers of fixed and non-fixed Federal Government assets in the 2015 budget. The leadership of the House set up an Ad-hoc committee led by Honourable Adekunle Akinlade to investigate the multi-billion naira said to have been expended on insurance covers for government properties

by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Ossy Prestige, asking the House to compel the Head of Service of the Federation and other statutory government establishments that purchase direct insurance covers to provide detailed data that would cover premiums paid on group life and related government assets.

He alleged that for every N10 billion paid as insurance premium by government, N5 billion was returned to corrupt government officials. According to him, “Although the processes are presumably carried out in line with the Public Procurement Act, it is generally believed that some companies are unduly favoured during such bid.

The unduly favoured companies reciprocate by engaging in a fraudulent practice termed Return on Premium.”

Speaking further he said, “a percentage as much as 50 of the premium paid by government is returned to government officials as cash payback, thus creating the biggest recurring fraud in the public sector.

“To best appreciate the magnitude of fraud being perpetrated, for every N10 billion paid as insurance premium by government, N5billion is returned to corrupt government officials,” the lawmaker stated. At the commencement of the probe, the committee vowed to unmask the perpetrators. The chairman of the committee who read the riot act maintained that “no intention to witch-hunt any individual, group of persons or organisation but rather carry out its mandate within the ambit of the law, which is to establish that monies were paid to

civil servants.’

He, however, raised eyebrow over refusal of some government agencies to make submission to the committee.

The government agencies that failed to make submission to the committee according to the chairman include: Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Security and Minting Corporation among others.

Settling for the main business, the adhoc committee grilled the Managing Director of Standard Alliance Insurance, Mr Bode Akinboye. The committee, while questioning the Standard Alliance boss, frowned at the document presented before it saying that they were bellow of expected standard. Particularly, the committee was not comfortable with the figures presented by the company’s Managing Director, to the extent that at a point, it questioned the N625,000 invoiced as gross premium on a vehicle worth N12.5 million insured by a Federal Medical Centre.

The committee also queried another N30 million worth insurance done by the company for Ministry of Works where it was paid N900,000 as against the N150,075 premium due to it, leaving a difference of N749,000. At a point, Mr Akinboye admitted that there were typographical errors in the document he presented before the committee. He, however, maintained that the company applied the standard practice in insurance business for its dealings.

Another company, Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, represented by its Executive Director, Business Development, Mr Sammy Olaniyi and the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Akin Adelakun, was equally faced with conflicting figures in their presentation.

At this point the committee asked the companies to produce documents related to their insurance dealing with the Federal Government as well as the detail of individuals that was paid the brokerage fees and the list of brokerage firms that enjoyed the brokerage fees.

In his presentation, NICON insurance Executive Director, Technical Services, Mr Akinsola Ale told the committee that since the privatisation of the company in 2015 the company did not enjoy government’s patronage.

As the committee concludes its investigation, all eyes are on the committee as to what becomes of the probe it was asked to undertake, based on past experience of the previous committees set up for similar mission.

32

30 October, 2016

makeover

Sunday Tribune

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 tribunemakeover@gmail.com

B

Photo: www.askmamaz.com

EING plus-size is hardly anything to be ashamed of. In fact, curves form part of the important physical features that distinguish women from men. Whatever society thinks, the trick to being beautiful comes from the confidence with which you carry yourself. As American playwright and novelist, Elmer Rice, once stated, “If nature had intended for our skeletons to be visible, it would have put them on the outside of our bodies.�

However, for many plus-size women, there is the dilemma about being fashionable without drawing attention to their flaws. Below are a few tips to bring out the classy plus-size you.

Makeup Many curvy women concentrate more on finding outfits that make them appear slimmer, forgetting that the facial makeup contributes its own quota to making you appear fatter than you actually are.

Fashion stylist, Ms Justina Andrews of BeautyFul You, Lagos

Photo: www .pinterest.c om

Photo:

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liexpre

om ends.c utfitttr .o w w w Photo:

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Style tips for the plus-size diva

State, advises plus-size women to be less shimmery with the face.

According to Andrews, glitter or shimmer will only make

If nature had intended for our skeletons to be visible, it would have put them on the outside of our bodies

your face more pronounced, and as such, rounder. When applying foundation, always make sure you blend it in perfectly, even to the neck. Even those who are slim need to take this advice. Failure to do this will emphasisie your facial features and make it appear rounder.

Outfit Avoid tight clothing as much as possible, unless it is to decently accentuate your curves.

Try the maxi dress. They never fail to flatter your looks. However, when choosing the outfit, avoid bold prints as they will only make you look bigger. Dark and neutral colours work beautifully. And if you want to wear bright colours, try to tone down the look with a darker shade.

Know your body shape. Know which part of your body is your best feature and use it to your advantage. Always patronise expert fashion stylists. The important thing when it comes to clothes for plus-size women is fit, rather than snug. Always endeavour to look your smartest.

33

30 October, 2016

With Akintayo Abodunrin akinjaa03@yahoo.co.uk 08111813058

‘Nigeria, a federation of the angry’ Issues blighting the country’s growth are highlighted at the presentation of a book on the Civil War

I

T was an interesting intellectual jousting last Wednesday when newspaper columnist, Dr. Jimanze Ego- Alowes, presented his latest book, ‘How and Why the Yoruba Fought and Lost the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War’ at Best Western Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

A contrarian, Ego-Alowes also does not shy away from controversy as evident from his earlier works including ‘Minorities as Competitive Overlords’ and ‘Economists as Assassins’.

Though this latest work reflects on the civil war; and the roles of the major dramatist personae including General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), the late Chukwuemeka OdimegwuOjukwu, Professor Wole Soyinka and Ben Nwabueze amongst others (with the author blaming Gowon and some so called Yoruba collaborators as responsible for the war), one of the book reviewers, Olakunle Abimbola, took a different view. For the columnist with the Nation Newspaper, the Yoruba never fought the war for themselves but as part of the Nigerian Army against a rebel Biafra Army.

He also wondered how a people can be said to have lost a war they didn’t fight for themselves in the first instance.

Abimbola presented his review after

From left, the author, Dr Jimanze Ego Alowes; Eric Osagie; Ugochukwu Muotto; and Mr Goddy Uwazurike at the presentation.

Charles Okoh had earlier read his. Okoh noted how Ego-Alowes, a columnist with the Sun Newspaper, investigated the Yoruba alliance with the north and how it was consummated.

He added that though some might find parts of the work explosive, it is a “delightful and glorious read” Managing Director of the Sun Newspapers, Eric Osagie later stepped in as the peacemaker because Abimbola strongly countered some of Ego-Alowes points in colourful language. He congratulated the author and the two reviewers. Abimbola, he advised,

“should write a book like this so we can extend the frontier of knowledge.”

The book, Osagie added, provides another opportunity to examine the structural imbalances in Nigeria, noting that “tyranny of the majority is the problem of Nigeria.” He wondered why out of over 250 ethnic groups, we have just representations of the three major tribes on the naira.

“I belong to the minority, but I can tell you that one of the problems of Nigeria is tyranny of the majority. When you do currency and put three heads from the major ethnic groups

With Udiroko, Goldberg affirms love for cultural festivals Responding, Oba Adejugbe had commend- tion’s school curriculum. “Without the past, SLOWLY but steadily, Goldberg, one of the brands from the stables of Nigerian Brewer- ed the brand for its promised support and we can’t make out the future,” he said. ies Plc., is cementing its place as a major sup- recommended it to Ekiti people.“All over the Aside the speeches, indigenes and guests porter of cultural festivals across the country world, corporate sponsorship is trending and had their fill of scintillating cultural displays we are happy that Nigerian Breweries has showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ekiti but mostly in the southwest.

On the back of a successful outing at this keyed into the popular practice. While we are people at the palace’s amphitheatre. year’s Osun Osogbo Festival which it has commending the company for adopting the Instructively, what Goldberg did for the been backing in the last three years as offi- popular philosophy, we call on other organ- 2016 Udiroko, it has been doing for other cial beer sponsor, the brand recently made its isations to borrow a leaf from the company. festivals in the southwest including the Osun presence felt at the Udiroko Festival in Ado With this partnership, one is not in doubt Osogbo and Ojude Oba festival for some that there would henceforth be a special re- years now.The beer appears keen on celEkiti.

The ancient town was sent agog by Gold- lationship between beer lovers in Ekiti and ebrating human values and heritage through berg through its wholesale branding of the Goldberg,” Oba Adejuyigbe said sponsorship of cultural activities it knows Fittingly, it was a promise kept has Goldberg creates emotional connection between Ekiti State capital and series of well received activations in what appeared to be just the ic- made it a memorable Udiroko festival for Ekiti brands and the people.It has infact turned ing on the cake. The real pudding was the two people. Aside the usual activations where people this into a form of its own corporate social regala events held consequtively before festi- were availed the opportunity of winning prizes sponsibility, reiterating how this can deepen and enjoying their favourite brand, two gala brand equity. val’s grand finale.

When promoters of the brand had prom- events and the grand finale were the clinchers.

No wonder the Awujale and paramount Speaking at the main event held at the ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, ised during a visit to the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejuyigbe, days before the Ewi’s palace, state Governor, Ayo Fayose, commended Goldberg for its support for trafestival commenced, that they would back called for the return of history into the na- ditional institutions, typified by its backing of the festival, not many had paid them the 2016 Ojude Oba Festival.Oba attention. The Portfolio Manager, Adetona, had while receiving a Regional Mainstream and Stout team from Goldberg at his palBrands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Emace, noted that “nothing binds us manuel Agu, had explained that as a more in unity than celebrating brand that has been worthy partners our aged beliefs and values.”He with the southwest and catering for added that “Goldberg is, indeed, the cultural needs of the people, the a true brand for always recognizcompany is committed to championing who we are as a people and ing causes that add value to the culcelebrating with us.” tural heritage of the people. He had Last week, Goldberg realso assured that Goldberg would turned to familiar territory in support the community to ensure Benin City, Edo State where it that the 2016 Udiroko Festival had a participated actively during the corporate outlook. coronation of Oba Ewuare II. The Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejuyigbe with the Goldberg team.

on them and neglect others, that is tyrannical. When you reduce Nigeria to just three nationalities; that is unfair! Let’s do all we can not to offend other ethnic nationalities.

The author is provoking thoughts with this book; let’s understand our differences. Nigeria is suffering today because we have failed to face the facts; Nigeria is a federation of the angry, not just the three major ethnic groups.

“Let’s all look at the book as part of nation building. We need to give a forum to Nigerians to express their anger. Everybody is angry. So, it’s better to sit down and talk; that is the best way. We just had Brexit; they had their dialogue in a civilized way. The first duty of a writer is to provoke further response. Ego-Alowes is an intellectual; he may not always be right, but he has the right to have his say.”

Contributing, Mr. Goddy Uwazurike of Aka Ikenga, the intellectual arm of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, commended Ego-Alowes for his courage in taking on seemingly forbidden national issues in his new book. He explained that Nigerians have become largely sentimental and incapable of approaching national issues dispassionately. “Today, you must look dispassionately and see where power lies. People in government are not telling the president the truth about the hunger in the land,” he said while faulting the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

In his remarks, the author explained that he’s not just an agent provocateur trying to cause disharmony with issues raised in the work but simply trying to facilitate meaningful dialogue. He disclosed that he chose Abimbola, whom he had never met before on purpose to highlight the importance of dialogue across divides.

“I’ve always felt bitter that Nigeria is not being run on an inclusive basis but we need to confront our ‘enemies’ and speak about our issues. We need to speak across divides; must hold leaders accountable. Intellectuals should not subject themselves to politicians.

“It is only in this country that we allow politicians to think for us. No; they are artisans who merely lay the blocks of civilization over designs scholars have made. That is how the west attained civilization through Harvard, Yale and Sorbonne that laid the foundation of western civilization. Why can’t it be so here?”

34

30 October, 2016

children’sarena

Sunday Tribune

Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 0807 449 7425

Respondents are pupils of

1

3

2

4

Jubille Rose HighSchool, Odo-OnaElewe, Ibadan, Oyo State.

My most memorable day

1. Onayemi Feyisayo, SS1 My most memorable day was on 12th July, 2013. It was the day I fell from a Staircase while playing in the church. I missed my step and fell. The only thing I heard before I was unconscious was my mother’s scream. Not quite long after, I found myself on the hospital bed, my face was scratched, people who came to visit me were astonished. I can never forget the day.

2. Kolade Qudus, JSS3 My most memorable day was the day I joined XTOL dancers. Everything was fun and interesting because I met different celebrities. I was also taken to places that I had never been.

I was introduced to some dance steps that are very difficult to comprehend but they are interesting. It has been a great ambition; I’m happy to be a dancer.

3. Mojoyinola Daniel, JSS3 My most memorable day was the day I joined the International Red Cross Organisation. Red Cross is an organisation that cares about saving and helping humanity, because I always love to help people in need. I went through military training. When I attended my first camp, I was the only junior Red Cross officer. It was a great day I can never forget!.

SHORT STORY Bad temper THERE was once a boy who had a bad temper.

His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day, the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came

when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same.

When you say things

4. Opeyemi Taiwo, JSS2 My most memorable day was a very fantastic one. It was the first time I visited the zoo, I was very happy when the principal of my school announced that we were going for an excursion to the zoo.

I saw many animals that I had never seen before like the lion, gorilla, cobra and different types of reptiles.

Famous invention

T in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry. The wound is still there."

Compiled by Adeola Olalere

Brief history of cake

he birthday cake has been an integral part of the birthday celebrations in western European countries since the middle of the 19th century.

It is believed that the first actual birthday cake was made in Germany in the Middle Ages. The Germans would celebrate children’s birthdays with cake, calling the celebration Kinderfest.

Cakes originally were a coarse, bread-like product, and later became a much sweeter version, called Geburtstagorten.

In the 17th century, birthday cakes were made more elaborate with details like

icing, layers and decorations like flowers. However, these kinds of cakes were only affordable for the wealthy and upper class due to the high-priced ingredients.

In the 18th century, food and baking utensils became more accessible and therefore affordable. With that, the price of cakes went

down significantly and the number of cakes produced went up considerably.

ld eek i Ch e w th f o

Chameleons are not deaf but they don’t have ear openings.

• Chameleons vary in size.

Smallest chameleon is Brookesia micra, which reaches 0.6 inches in length.

• Chameleons also use their long tail when moving in the trees to grab a branch and secure their position.

• Chameleons have unique eyes, which can move separately from each other and achieve visual field of 180 degrees.

• Chameleons have very good eyesight and they are able to detect small insects that are five to 10 metres

away.

• Chameleons do not have ear opening or outer ears, but they are not deaf. They can detect sounds in the fre-

quency range from 200 to 600 Hz. • The best known characteristic of chameleons is their ability to change the colour of the skin. Most people believe that chameleons change their colours to blend with the environment.

• Another equally impressive feature of chameleons is their long and sticky tongue used for catching insects.

• Chameleons eat locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, mantis and stick insects.

Ayomide Adebayo-Alao clocked 1 Happy birthday and many happy returns

35

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Rita Okonoboh rosarumese@gmail.com 08053789087

tribunechurch

With God, Nigeria’s challenges not insurmountable —CAN

By Kehinde Adio “I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established me steps. He has put a new song in mouth.”

This was the biblical passage Reverend (Dr) Israel Akanji, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, North-Central zone and Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja, quoted at Bowen University,Iwo, Osun State last week to address Nigeria’s prevailing social and economic challenges.

According to him, if Nigerians, as well as the leaders, would comply with the scriptures, that is, God’s ordinance, the country’s problems were not insurmountable.

Addressing students and staff on the occasion of the university’s seventh commencement lecture, Rev. Akanji affirmed that God was waiting for any country like Nigeria that would repent and forsake all its ungodliness, saying that God would heal the

land.

Speaking further, he said: “Nigerians need a change of attitude.

Corruption and other vices must be put to an end to appeal to the mercy of God. God who visited

Samaria when there was no food to eat will also visit Nigeria.

“There is hope for Nigeria. If we can come together as a nation to seek the face of God and turn from our wicked ways, we shall

sing a new song in Nigeria. Promotion only comes from God. In view of this, people must wait for God’s blessing, and not engage themselves in ungodly activities.

Ibadan Anglican diocese donates to underprivileged

By Tolu Olamiriki

From left, representative of the Interfaith Mediation, Imam Nuraini Ashafa; President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Ayokunle; Undersecretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Sarah Sewall and Director, Administration, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Imam Isa Okonkwo, during an Interfaith Religious Leaders Meeting with Sewall, in Abuja. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

Shun worldy things, RCCG pastor urges Christian youths

By Olawale Olaniyan A Senior Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), King Court Sanctuary, Oyo Province 9, Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Pastor Olabisi Jolaoluwa, has urged Christian youths to shun worldly things.

He made the admonition while speaking at the beneficial award organised by K-Clef concept held at the RCCG Tower of Praise, Apete, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Pastor Jolaoluwa said it was necessary for all Christians to avoid running after material things and be more dedicated to the service of God. “We should be expectant. The events that are happening all over the world show that Christ can come any time. Now, all the things prophesied in Matthew 24, that is war, earthquake, strange sicknesses and diseases, we have witnessed them.

“Christian youths should, therefore, try as much as possible to avoid worldly things and be

Speaking in the same vein, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Matthews Ojo, stated that without God, no nation or individual could succeed in life.

vessels unto honour and I believe the church will get better.

“I want to advise all Christians that in everyday of our lives, we should live as if we will not see tomorrow because nobody knows the hour or the time that Christ will appear. This is because the Bible says the word of God will not go without being fulfilled,” he stated.

The cleric noted that “when one considers the lifestyle of the youth of this generation, one will observe that it would seem like we had embraced many negative things from foreign lands and they have become the norm.

Now, there is no decorum, people lack strength of character, and they dress anyhow.

“Jesus says ‘I know my sheep and my sheep know me.’ If a pastor preaches the true word of God, it will transform their lives and change them. The church is not meant for saints; the church is a place where we have different types of people with different characters but with the true word

Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North-Central zone, Reverend (Dr) Israel Akanji (second right); the Vice Chancellor, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Professor Matthews ojo (third right) and other senior staff of the institution at the 7th commencement lecture of the institution delivered by Reverend Akanji recently. of God, our lives can be transformed,” he said.

Leader of the Christ Chosen Vessels Dance Drama Ministry, Mr Femi Ajewole a.k.a. Alfa Sule, was honoured alongside the Deputy Rector, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mr Bayo Oyeleke; radio presenter, Adetoro Imoyosola

and Chairman, Ibadan North Local Government, Mr Yinka Akinbode.

In his remarks, the organiser of the programme, Sulaiman Olalekan, said the aim of the group was to be helpful to the youth in the society through entertainment and service to community.

As part of efforts to alleviate plights of the underprivileged in the society, the Diocese of Ibadan (Anglican Communion), last week, distributed foodstuffs to some of its members and the Juvenile Correctional institution/Child care unit, Ijokodo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking at the distribution of foodstuffs to members of the diocese at St. James’ the Great, Oke-Bola, Ibadan, bishop of the diocese, Most Reverend Joseph Akinfenwa, said that the effort was aimed at cushioning the effects of the current economic situation and urged the beneficiaries to continue to pray for the quick recovery of the economy.

Also, the Vicar of St. David Anglican Church, Ijokodo, Venerable Wole Ogunsehinde, on the occasion, averred that the foodstuff distribution was part of the activities slated to mark the 2016 Jesus Festival of the diocese and stressed the need for the beneficiaries to extend same to their neighbours who needed assistance.

The cleric, who charged them on unity, urged them not to underrate themselves among their contemporaries, adding that the event was to celebrate Jesus annually.

Also, at the Juvenile Correctional Institution, the delegation of the diocese, led by Bishop Akinfenwa, donated foodstuffs and cash to the institution to assist the underprivileged children and prayed for the quick reintegration of the children into the larger society.

Responding on behalf of the management of the institution and the state government, the officer-in-charge, Mrs Bolanle Ayanniran, commended the diocese for the donation and urged others to emulate the gesture of the diocese.

36

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 08074497425

churchnews

Expedite action on diversification of economy, church tells FG Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

B

ISHOP (Dr) Ezekiel Kupolati of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ijumu Diocese

of Kogi State, has tasked the Federal Government on the need to diversify the nation’s economy and boost agriculture.

He also said there was

the need for the government to stop paying lip service to the development of the country’s economy and show commitment to its promises on its revival.

He stated this in a communique issued at the end of the third session of the diocesan synod, held at Ayere in Ijumu Local government area of the state,

Declare 3 days fasting and prayers for Nigeria, Primate Ayodele tells presidency

By Kehinde Oyetimi Spiritual leader of INRI Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Lagos, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has called on the presidency to declare three days fasting and prayers for Nigeria, especially in the face of the current economic situation.

The cleric, who made this known in a release made available to TribuneChurch, called for prayers especially for those at the helm of affairs in the na-

tion.

“The president should declare three days’ fasting and prayers for Nigeria.

Both Christians and Muslims should pray for Nigeria and those at the helm of affairs as well as for politi-

cians, especially the ruling political party,” Ayodele stated.

While calling for urgent solutions to address the Niger Delta situation, he said the way out was dialogue.

Primate Ayodele urged government to listen to divine instruction on moving the country forward.

“God is angry with the nation and unless appropriate steps are taken, things will get worse,” he stated.

with the theme; “I will build my church.”

According to the communique signed by Ikupolati, many Nigerians were still suffering despite the high hopes brought by the President Muhammed Buhari-led administration.

He said it was important for government to initiate and implement policies and programmes that could alleviate the suffering of the people.

Apart from this, he lamented the rate of graduates and skilled unemployed youths roaming the streets with little or no

‘Evangelism, leading instrument to get closer to God’ Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia The Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia, Abia State, has tasked Christians on the need to evangelise more.

The priest-in-charge of the church, Reverend Bartholomew Onuoha, made this known during the presentation of his publication entitled “The Cure for a Dying World.”

The priest, who regretted that many Christians had deviated from the real essence of evangelism, observed that evangelism was the leading instrument to get closer to God. He encouraged believers not to be distracted by the quest for material wealth, saying as a minister of God for the past 33 years, he believed every need of those who work and obey God would surely be answered.

In his address, the book reviewer, Reverend Uche Ejike, who recommended the book for all Christian denominations commended the author, for his contribution towards the uplift of evangelism.

He said the book would go a long way to bringing Christians back to God.

President of the women’s organisation of His Fresh Grace Tabernacle, Deaconess Lape Omodehin (third left), wife of the founder of His Fresh Grace Tabernacle, Pastor (Mrs) Olumide Akinpelu (fourth left) and others, during the cutting of the cake at the women’s convention of the church, held at the church auditorium, Odo Ona Elewe, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Pastor Tunde Netufo, surrounded by other Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastors, cutting the tape to inaugurate the water project as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the RCCG, Winners’ Centre, Ketu, Lagos State.

‘Churches have role in provision of infrastructure’ PASTOR-IN-CHARGE of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province 36, Pastor Tunde Netufo, has reiterated the role of the church in national development, through the provision of infrastructure for communities.

The cleric stated this last Sunday at the 20th anniver-

sary of the RCCG, Winners’ Centre, Ketu, Lagos State.

Speaking at the event which featured the inauguration of two community-assistance projects – a 25-metre community road and a borehole water project, Pastor Netufo said: “We believe that government alone cannot solve all infrastructural problems

in the country. So, at some point, corporate organisations will have to come to the rescue.

“Notwithstanding, the RCCG is a church and, therefore, as a charitable organisation, we decided to take the bull by the horns by doing these projects for the community.”

Pastor Netufo, who was

accompanied by his wife, Yemisi, encouraged other churches and charitable organisations to follow the example of the RCCG. The Area Pastor and host, Pastor Demola Salami, revealed that the plight of the host community propelled the desire to embark on the two projects for the benefit of the community.

effort taken to tackle the situation by the government in power, and urged governments at all levels to take concrete measures to arrest the situation.

According to the communique, “government should balance the various appointments in accordance with the geopolitical zone and equally among all religions.”

The synod also lamented the conditions of state roads and urged government to see to its timely rehabilitation.

Christian leaders urged to stand strong in the face of challenges The General Overseer of Liberation House Ministries, Ikotun, Lagos Lagos State, Prophet Edward Nakireru, has called for Christian leaders to stand strong in the face of challenges.

He stated this as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the church.

According to the cleric, “that you are a Christian, pastor, evangelist or prophet does not mean that challenges will not affect you. How you handle challenges gives you edge over other pastors.

Challenges are meant to strengthen you, make you stronger and probably build your faith to depend only on God’s word.”

The cleric also stated that “the third year anniversary with the theme, ‘Manifestation of Great Grace,’ is a four-day programme which began on Wednesday, 26th October and will end today with a ‘Laughter Sunday/Anniversary Thanksgiving service’ which will feature artistes such as Victor Osuagwu, Dauda, Praise Machine, among others.”

In his advice to government, he called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to remain focused.

Prophet Nakireru

37 tribunechurch

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

We are taking bold steps to reunite CAC —Pastor Akinosun President of Christ Apostolic Church, Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun, at the recent pastors’ conference of the church held at CAC, FCC Headquarters, Garki, Abuja, spoke with newsmen on steps taken to restore the unity of the church. Excerpts:

Cac and plural leadership he Christ Apostolic Church was built on the foundation of the apostles. You know in the early church after the Pentecost, we heard about the activities of Apostles Peter, John, James, Phillips and others. The work of evangelism does not breed rivalry since everyone is working towards the same goal. But to answer your question, the CAC has a unique structure. Christ is the spiritual head. But administratively, the president is the overall head of the church. The General Superintendent is next in rank to him, followed by the General Evangelist. The General Superintendent oversees all issues affecting our pastors and our churches. The General Evangelist is the head of all evangelists and prophets in the church. He takes care of evangelism from grassroots level to the global level.

What you are trying to say is that some of our officers are better known than others. Yes, this is due to the assignment God gave them. You know nobody can occupy the office of the general evangelist except he is a Prophet by calling. In our setting, prophets, especially our general evangelists, are very high profile because from time to time, they are involved in evangelism within and outside the church and even outside the country.

Our first General Evangelist, Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, was more popular than even the first president.

Except for the fact that the first president, Oba I.B. Akinyele, was a first class traditional ruler, many people even think Apostle Babalola was the founder of the church because of his popularity. He was popular, but he put himself under the leadership of both the first president and the first General Superintendent, Pastor David Odubanjo, and they worked in harmony. So also is our present General Evangelist, Prophet S. K. Abiara. He is under the leadership of the authorities of the church. He has never presented himself in any fora as the overall head of the church. It is the media that always confuse the issue. Prophet Abiara would have been with me in Abuja now but for the fact that he is bereaved. You know he lost his wife recently and we pray that God would give him the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. The General Superintendent is also at another conference centre presiding over the affairs of the pastors conference there. As I am talking to you, our pastors in five different conference centres are holding their conferences. So, there is no confusion in the leadership of our church. We are one.

are being relieved of their jobs.

On the agitation for Biafra, I am of the opinion that God designed Nigeria to be one. We often blame the British colonialists for bringing us together but this is wrong. If it is not the will of God for us to remain as one united country, the Civil War would have succeeded. That would have given other ethnic units the gut to ask for their own country. Also look at other nations that have been balkanised in Europe and Africa. They never went through some of the conditions we are going through before they disintegrated. So, it is God’s design to keep us together.

Be that as it may, we have to listen to the reasons for the separatists’ agitation too. One way we can still remain as one nation is to review our federal structure.

Too much power has been concentrated in the hands of the Federal Government. The states also have seized all the powers that should go to the local governments.

What we have is a unitary federal government. In this wise, I want to urge President Muhammadu Buhari not to ignore the report of the National Confab, whether the one held during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aministration or the one held under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He should look into these reports and begin to devolve power to the regions. Luckily, we now have six geopolitical zones. These could be developed to regional standard. The Federal Government would take care of defence, external affairs, the economy and national institutions while the regions would take care of education, local policing and other items on the concurrent list. So, my suggestion is that we don’t need so much power at the centre as we have now. That is why the competition to be in the centre is very keen.

We can solve this agitation if we are very sincere with ourselves.

T

On peace and reunification in the CAC Let me correct you. There is no division in CAC. What we have is a section that has refused to abide by the law.

The Federal High Court in Lagos in 2011 stated clearly that the only authentic ruling body in the affairs of CAC is the General Executive Council (GEC). The appeal they filed is legally dead because the only litigant who took the case to the appeal court has died. They tried to replace the litigants, but the court ruled that they should have applied to do that at the high court. So, as it stands now, they have no appeal against that judgment. When the judgment was first given, we appealed to them to return to the fold without fear of losing their positions or ranking. We even proposed to appoint five persons from each side to see to a smooth reunion. But that has not been done. Only last month, God instructed us to pray together because as individuals, we didn’t have any quarrel among ourselves; it was the devil that was waging war against the church. Their leader, however,

refused. But we are still praying to God to touch their hearts. There is no way a Christian who is truly a Christian would flagrantly disobey the ruling of a competent court in the land.

On insecurity Some of these problems are politically motivated; some are due to the vagaries in the world oil market and others need just diplomacy. For instance, the issue with the militants is a political issue. I wouldn’t apportion blame here. But it was obvious that the fight against corruption embarked upon by the present government gave rise to the new set of militants who are bombing oil installations with a view to compounding the economic situation the nation is facing right now. While I am not saying the militants do not have their points, I only want to plead with them to go to the negotiation table with government. They may think they want to bring the government down, but in the long run, the environment of Niger Delta is being destroyed gradually with the crude oil spill that follows each bombing. Besides, their own people who are in employment in these oil companies

One way we can still remain as one nation is to review our federal structure. Too much power has been concentrated into the hands of the Federal Government. The states also have seized all the powers that should go to the local governments

On Nigeria’s economic situation The simple way to get out of recession is to take steps immediately to diversify the economy. By my own understanding, we are in recession because we are not earning enough from crude oil sale. We don’t export our locally manufactured goods because they cannot compete in the international market. Also, our people import more foreign goods than normal and our manufacturing base is under-producing. We shall get out of recession if we take steps to reverse the trends I enumerated above.

The easiest way to diversify the economy is to take unusual steps. If the government means business, let them acquire vast lands all over the country and drag unemployed youths into those lands as farmers. Let them grow cassava, potato, vegetables, cash crops, yam, maize, millet and what have you. The government should pay them salaries until their farm products began to yield fruition.

Thereafter, they can be left to take care of themselves.

This way, unemployment will be reduced and food security will be achieved as well. Then government can close the borders against rice and other food importation.

Government should also discourage importation of nonessential goods to control foreign exchange outflow. Let us be contented with what we have here.

It is unfortunate that government has not displayed the stark reality that we are in a recessed economy.

What I mean by this is that our government, both in the executive and the legislative arms at the federal and state levels is bloated. I call on the Federal Government to trim the cabinet size to, say, 19. Since retrenchment of staff would create more tension and unwanted consequences, I advise that genuine workers should be kept in their jobs but efforts at removing ghost workers should be intensified. But both the senior and junior cadres should make sacrifices of reducing their salaries by onethird. Political appointees should get two-thirds of their entitlements too. As for our legislators, I am in support of the suggestion by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, that they should serve on part-time basis. They should work through committees. The money spent on salary, perks and foreign trips by legislators and government officials could mend some dilapidated infrastructure in the land.

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Sunday Tribune

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

Seyi Sokoya seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08075166585

Femi Kuti: I never supported Buhari’s election AFROBEAT maestro, Femi Kuti, has denied that he supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

In a series of tweets which the music legend released on Friday, he made it clear that he never placed his support for any political party or politician.

Kuti was responding to a follower

who accused him of keeping silent in the face of the recession and accused him of supporting the government.

Kuti in one of his tweets, explained that Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo came to visit him during the campaign seeking for his support but he refused, saying he could never support a man who reportedly jailed his father.

The fan was quoted to have asked Kuti that “@Femikuti so you still have the strength this recession you and your clueless brother helped to bring on hapless Nigerians”.

According to Kuti, “Thank God the VP is still there and can confirm I vehemently said NO. Now where did I tell anyone to vote or support any political party?”

He added that he had to come out to clear the air so that many would not be confused, saying that “No paper reported that I gave my support. Remember they came to my house, I didn’t go them. They came to me to seek my support but I told no that I would not support a man who jailed my father.”

Jonathan Butler, MI Casa, A’rese thrill fans at ‘A Night at the Kazbah’

By Tayo Gesinde HEADLINER and South African guitarist, singer-songwriter, Jonathan Butler, Soulful house trio, Mi Casa and winner, Voice of Nigeria

reality show, A’rese, thrilled their fans to good music at the second edition of, ‘A Night At The Kazbah’ held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, last Saturday.

‘A Night at the Kazbah’ which was organised by Smooth 98.1 FM is a cultural exploration designed to bring good Nigerian, African and World music to the forefront of people’s consciousness and promote indigenous artistry.

At the event, music lovers from all walks of life had a swell time as each of the performers gave account of themselves.

Opening the show, A’rese was full of energy as she dished out one sonorous song after the other.

The Soulful house trio, Mi Casa, who had before the event warned ladies not to wear high heels, promising them that the night

was going to be a night for dancing kept their promise as their performance saw people jumping to their feet and dancing.

Jonathan Butler, who said he was excited to be back in Lagos as he always had fun whenever he was in the city, also delivered an outstanding performance at the show.

What I will tellKaffy

By Segun Adebayo

M

when I see her —Davido didn’t want any dancer to open the stage for him when he was about to perform at the 3thrones concert held at the Eko Convention Centre last week Sunday.

Angry Kaffy was seen in the video pouring out her mind on what she termed as unfair treatment dancers have continued to suffer in the hands of musicians who seek their services during video shoot or stage performance.

The dust raised from Kaffy‘svideo

ANY followers of happenings on the entertainment scene, on Thursday, woke up to Kaffy’s angry video accusing Davido of maltreating dancers in the music industry.

She was particulalrly offended about Davido’s decision to ditch the dancers who were about to join him on stage, only for him to tell them he

is the first cocktail to ever hold in Lagos and organizers have promised an unforgettable experience for consumers, guests and performers alike.

The festival will feature various attractions including music, comedy, a mix session with 2Baba who will

make his signature cocktail, “Implication Shakerato” for fans, a DJ face-off and other exciting activities.

The festival will then come to a close with a music concert headlined

by Campari ambassador, 2Baba, as well as performances from top superstars like 2Baba, 9ice, YCee, DJ

Nosey Parker

AFTER staying out of acting for months, actress, Bimbo Thomas has finally returned to the country.

The actress returned to Nigeria a few weeks ago after taking a break to deliver her baby in the United States.

It will be recalled that Thomas left Nigeria the moment she discovered she was pregnant and relocated to the US where she stayed till she was delivered of a baby boy recently.

When asked about her next plans on her return, Thomas said she would not want to rush back into acting as some of her fans have been calling on her to do so.

The actress who runs a wine store, disclosed that she returned to Nigeria to pick up from where she left.

“Yes, I am back and I am glad I did. Right now, I am just taking my time before I start shooting again. You know I just came back. As soon as everything is settled, I will be hitting the ground running,” she said.

Actor in trouble as wife catches him with girlfriend

Toyin Kolade plans big for mother’s burial

AS the saying goes, ‘there is time for everything’. Today, October 30, 2016 is a time for merriment and glass clinking for the staffer and management of one of Ibadan’s most reputable hospitality houses, Horizon Suites as they celebrate the hotel’s 10th anniversary.

Many people cannot forget the pomp and pageantry that trailed the opening of the hotel which was commissioned by the former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Alao Akala.

Horizon Suites through the diligence and hardwork of its sociable owner, late AIG Isaac Boladuro rose to become a hospitality haven of note

LAGOS socialite and business tycoon, Princess Toyin Kolade, has been in a sober mood in the last few weeks following the death of her mother, Madam Comfort Adejuyigbe.

Mama Alayeere, as she was fondly addressed, it was gathered, departed the world for eternal rest.

But for her daughter, the Iyalaje Apapa as many people would refer to her, it has been a moment of mourning and consolation as her mother was said to have passed away while she was in Ile-Ife for the Ooni’s 42nd birthday.

Condolence messages have con-

tinued to pour in even as plans to give Madam Adejuyigbe a befitting burial were said to have begun.

Those who should know in-

formed that Madam Adejuyigbe would have the honour of a funeral ceremony at her hometown of Ilesa, Osun State.

...with Lalacious

THIS popular actor in the Yoruba version of Nollywood seems to be swimming in trouble water if what olofofo told Nosey Parker is the truth and nothing but the truth.

We hear that this actor, whose surname sounds like one of the legendary juju musicians known for his miliki type of music, has fled home because his wife who he took from Mama Charlie country is threatening fire and brimstone .

According to the olofofo, the oyinbo wife caught her husband red-handed as he was in very compromising situation with the young lady.

The story we are hearing is that some amebos had earlier told this woman about the sexcapades of her husband and gave her expo on how she could catch the man live and direct.

Pronto, the oyinbo lady did as she was told and went to where the actor uses as his ‘hideout’. Lo and behold, as she got into the place, she saw her husband kissing and ‘doing other things ‘ with the lady.

For now, the woman has become so angry that the man, fearing the worst, has decided to abandon the home for now.

Actor denies having child out of wedlock

apparently directed at Davido has finally reached the latter who shared his thoughts on the the popular dancer and her accusation in an interview.

According to Davido, ‘I don’t have any problem with her, I was even shocked to see that. You know, I’m always used to being the victim.’

When asked how he would react when next he sees her, he said, ‘I’d be like ‘Hey, hello. What’s up? I hope there’s no problem.

SOME people will never mind their business sha. They have come again with all sorts of stories. This time, they are saying a very funny Yoruba actor has a child out of wedlock and he never told his wife who he married recently.

The olofofo told Nosey Parker that they are ready to swear by the graves of their parents that this actor, who was born in a south-west state known for amala and gbegiri, actually ate the yam of a young lady in the city and never knew that the lady went on a nine-month course until she finally put to bed.

But the popular actor has consistently denied having any child out of wedlock, wondering why anyone was out to tarnish his image and destroy his reputation.

According to olofofo, the actor, whose stage name has to do with a particular type of Yoruba cloth worn by men, said he knew nothing about the child, adding that he had never met the lady in question not to talk of eating her yam and sending her on a nine-month course.

But 0lofofo are insisting that the young lady is already fuming, threatening to tell everyone that the child actually belongs to the actor.

Remember, we no dey there o, na olofofo told us everything.

Jimmy Jatt, among many others.

2Baba has also revealed that he will be premiering his new video for the track, “I hate what you do to me” exclusively to fans at the Dare To Mix concert.

Party time at Horizon Suites and the favorite of many people in the city.

To mark the tenth anniversary, the new management headed by Jide Boladuro has put down different activities like an award ceremony for the hardworking members of staff of the hotel and also a disco party for their patrons.

Jide who took over the control of the Horizon Suites about some months ago revealed the plans of the new management to inject new customer-friendly ideas and the need to upgrade so the hotel can stand out among others weather the odds of the recession period.

Bimbo Thomas is back!

2Baba, 9ice, Dj Jimmy Jatt, others for ‘Dare to mix’ THE countdown to the biggest “Dare To Mix” cocktail festival in Nigeria has officially kicked off!

Premium spirit brand, Campari, has announced the rollout of its first-ever cocktail festival to hold on November 5 at the Ikeja City Mall.

The festival tagged, “Dare To Mix”

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Recession forces actress to sell her car

At last, Obesere unites Pasuma, Osupa

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HE president of Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN), Alhaji Abass Akande Obesere, has taken a great step to end the longtime supremacy war between Alabi Pasuma and Saheed Osupa.

Obesere, in a latest album he entitled “Daddy’s Talk”, used the opportunity to plead with warring Pasuma and Osupa to quench the burning fire of quarrel so that the industry could move forward and grow better.

He, however, recalled that supremacy war was not new, it also happened during the reigns of Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Omowura, Tijani Mukaiba, Yusuf Olatunji, down to the time of late Ayinde Barrister, Ayinla Collimation, and now passed to their own generation, but said it must end during their own genera-

tion because it had not done anything good to Fuji as a genre of music, rather dragged it back over the years.

Speaking in an interview, Obesere (PK1st) revealed what usually caused war among artistes, he said: “The fans are always behind most of the quarrellings, because they misinform and misinterprete what ‘A’ says and tell ‘B’ what A didn’t say and vice-versa.

“More so, when you sing in proverbs, fans instigate their favourite to reply just because they feel A intentionally dissed B. The truth is that insultive songs are not good for a talented musician, because later in future people would say such singer doesn’t know more than dissing people and as such looses respect and would have made no positive impact.

SHE is an actress in the Yoruba version of Nollywood although we cannot really point out any film she featured in the last one year.

She made headline early last year when she plunged into murky waters of politics. She wanted to be a member of the talk-talk house in a south western state but she lost woefully at the election and since then, she just went into oblivion.

Well the news we are hearing about this actress who has the same first name with the popular Jenifa actress is not a palatable one. After spending a lot of money on the election process and coupled with the economic recession, things are no longer rosy for her.

Olofofo told Nosey Parker that things are now so bad for this big-chested actress that she had to sell some of her possession, including her car, so as to be able to pay some bills.

In fact, those who promised the actress some money during the election campaign had to change tune when they saw the pattern the election was going, seeing that she was heading for a total disaster during the election.

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30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

42

news

30 October, 2016

Gunmen kill leader of Fulani herdsmen in Kogi

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HAIRMAN, Kogi State chapter of Wuro Miyetti-Allah Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar, has been murdered by gunmen who invaded his residence in the early hours of Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that about eight gunmen invaded the Peace Community, Road 3, Ganaja road, Lokoja residence of Abubakar, at about 2:05 a.m. to carry out the act.

Neighbours who spoke with newsmen said they heard gunshots from the residence of the chairman of Fulani socio-cultural group in the operation that lasted over an hour.

The gunmen were said to have passed through unfamiliar routes to the deceased’s residence.

A neighbour, who identified himself as Musa, said some strange faces were seen in the vicinity much earlier before the incident.

“Gunmen shot at the door to the room of one of the deceased’s two wives to gain access into the house, macheted the deceased and later shot him several times,” he said.

Dr Sam Alhassan of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, another neighbour, said he was in his room and suddenly I started hearing gunshots.

“Looking through the window, I saw a group of bandits in two lines, at least eight of them, who started shooting.

“A bullet hit the overhead tank and water started

running down. Later, the wife of the deceased came out shouting that they had killed her.”

Alhassan and his landlord went into the deceased’s house where they found him lying in a pool

of blood, with machete cuts and bullet holes in his body.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Williams Aya, told NAN that the command had got the murder report,

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said as far as its records are concerned, the state congress of Accord Party, which produced Alhaji Wahab Oyelade-led executive, is the only one known to it.

INEC said none of its officers attended the factional congress purported to have been held at the Olubadan Stadium two Saturdays ago, challenging the factional group to name INEC officers that attended the congress held at the Olubadan Stadium.

The electoral commission said the names of the party executives, which has Alhaji Oyelade as its chairman, had been forwarded to the INEC

PEACE Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Osun State command, has disowned a suspected rapist arrested at Saint Charles High School, Osogbo, declaring that he was not a member of the organisation.

Reacting, the comman-

From left, a media consultant, Mr Folu Olamiti; Pastor Emmanuel Ajao, the celebrant, former chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola; and Chief Olu Ambekema, during the 83rd birthday ceremony of Justice Ayoola held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday.

Izunaso, a dogged politician —Atiku FORMER vice president and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has felicitated with Senator Osita Izunaso, the National Organising Secretary of the party, on the occasion of his 50th birthday anniversary.

In a press statement released in Abuja, the former vice president described Senator Izunaso as a fighter and dogged politician who is not easily swayed from a political position once he is con-

vinced of the rightness of his cause.

Atiku recalls the manner Izunaso transited from membership of the House of Representatives to the Senate, a move which, according to Atiku, heralded a new political era in the senatorial zone of the senator in Imo State.

The Turaki Adamawa further described Senator Izunaso as a go-getter, astute politician and mobiliser who, as the National Organising Secretary of the

INEC rejects Accord faction list, affirms Oyelade-led exco

By Dare Adekanmbi

adding that the incident was an assassination.

Aya said investigation into the matter had commenced, but that the police were yet to make any arrest.

Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

headquarters in Abuja as the authentic list.

Spokesperson of INEC in Oyo State, Alhaji Ayodele Folami, who spoke with Sunday Tribune, said as of the time of preparations for the congress, only one state chairman existed in the party in the name of Alhaji Bashir Lawal, who wrote to inform the commission of the congress.

“No INEC officials attended the congress that a group held at the Olubadan Stadium. If anybody says INEC officials attended the Olubadan Stadium congress, let such person produce the names of such INEC officials and we will see if such names are genuine.

“As of the time they were making preparations for

the congress, there was only one state chairman that was known to us at INEC and that person is Alhaji Bashir Lawal.

“He wrote to inform us about the state congress, which was scheduled for Green Springs Hotel. So, it was that congress that we sent our officials to monitor.

Any other congress apart from this is not known to us.

“To the best of our knowledge, it was a single congress that was held. The directive given by our office is that we should send officials to Green Spring.

“We were there and monitored how the congress went.

We have since sent our report and the names of the party officers elected to INEC headquarters in Abuja in the course of the week,” he said.

then fledgling APC, played a prominent role in the victory of the party over

the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sunday Tribune

Suspected rapist not a Peace Corps cadet —Osun commandant dant of the Peace Corps in the state, Mr Paul Ayinde, alleged that the suspect burgled its office in the school before perpetrating the act.

While shedding light on the suspected rapist, Ayinde, who displayed the names of officers working with the corps in Osun State, said that no one bearing Imran Olalekan was recruited.

He attributed the mixup in the identity of the suspect on the existence of another organisation that is secretly sending security personnel to schools, even after the state government had restricted it from carrying out such service.

According to Ayinde, “the suspect must have burgled our office in the school and stolen uniform belonging to our officers there. The suspect said he was under training, but we don’t post those being trained to schools.

“We are not ruling out the possibility of an outlawed organisation being responsible for secretly sending the suspect to the school under our control,” he said.

news Adenuga bags highest national award in Ghana 43

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he Chairman of Globacom Limited, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. has bagged the highest civil award in Ghana on the strength of his contribution to the growth and development of telecommunications across Africa.

Dr. Adenuga was formally decorated with this honour

by President John Mahama on Saturday, at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana.

The president said the business mogul was se-

lected for the prestigious award of “The Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG)” in recognition of his immense contribution to the economic growth of Ghana and his continentwide investments.

“This Award is in recognition of your unique and outstanding contribution to business enterprise both in Ghana and the continent of Africa at large,” Ghana president said.

President Mahama said Dr. Adenuga has touched many lives through his cre-

ative exertions.

“You have provided employment for our teeming youths, artists, footballers and many more. I am particularly proud of you. This award is our way of saying a simple Thank You”, the president said.

Dr Adenuga’s citation commended his “transformational achievements in the telecommunications industry”, chief of which included the laying of the Glo 1 optic fibre cable linking several African countries including Ghana with

Europe and America.

President Mahama commended Dr Adenuga’s decision to be associated with Ghana by way of investment in telecommunications in Ghana since Glo Mobile’s launch. He lauded the massive capital investment. The president noted that Dr Adenuga, apart from his business investments, has been a very strong supporter of sports across the continent, noting that these have continued to earn him honours from all over.

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Medical, dental consultants ask FMC workers to resume work Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has appealed to staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign in the hospital.

It also said those with genuine grievances and complaints should follow due process in seeking redress.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen and signed by the President , Secretary and Publicity Secretary of the union, Professor Sani Garko, Dr Abdulkadir Rafindadi and Dr Kunle Adesokan respectively at the end of their meeting in Kaduna State at the weekend.

The statement noted that “It is pertinent to remind all concerned that health emergency is no respecter of persons and can occur at any time. It is therefore in the interest of all to get the hospital functioning again; and the time to do that is now.”

While condemning the continued protest by a section of the paramedical workers in the hospital over the recall by the Federal Government of its medical director, Dr Angela Uwakwem, It noted with dismay that ordinary people have suffered in the crisis.

MDCAN wishes to note that the escalating crisis in the hospital, a prime centre for specialist care in the state, continues to deprive the citizens and people of the Imo State access to quality health care.

“It is public knowledge that the Medical Director, Dr. Angela Uwakwem, who had been on leave to allow for detailed and unfettered investigation into allegations against her by members of this same union currently causing this crisis, was recalled by the Federal Government of Nigeria having been cleared of any wrong-doing by a high-powered federal government committee.

“MDCAN believes in the rule of law, which has been diligently followed in the instant case and totally condemns this resort to brigandage, lawlessness and attempt to force the hand of the government by some members of staff of the hospital.”

Ebenezer Christian Church holds thanksgiving service today

From left, Diocesan Youth Chaplain, Reverend Benson Omole; Diocesan Bishop of Ibadan Diocese (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Joseph Akinfenwa; his wife, Comfort, and other members of the diocese during the Jesus Festival Carnival rally held in Ibadan on Saturday.

PHOTO: D’TOYIN.

Enforcement of speed limit device on private vehicles begins in 2017 —FRSC The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Saturday in Lagos State, said the subtle enforcement of speed limit is only on commercial and fleet operators, while that of private vehicles will commence in 2017.

Mrs Ojeme Ewhrudjakpor, Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) Operations of the corps, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the enforcement on the speed limit “is not for private vehicles for now”.

“For now, we are not looking at private vehicle owners because we believe they can use their discretion in driving themselves and their family members.

“We have plans for signage on the roads and we are working with the Ministry of Works to build more signage on the road “We believe that with the signage, individuals cannot drive more than 100

kilometre per hour, while commercial buses cannot go more than 90 kilometre per hour,” Ewhrudjakpor said.

She said that the enforcement of the device on private vehicles would commence in 2017 with full enforcement on commercial vehicles too.

NAN reported that the FRSC boss said although out of about 57,000 registered commercial vehicle operators across the country, only 7,000 have installed the device in their vehicles.

According to her “by the time full enforcement commences next year,

there will be no excuse because all the transport unions have been carried along in the campaign of the device.”

Ewhrudjakpor also urged private owners to start getting the speed limit device installed in their vehicles and uploading them with the vendors.

Buhari hails Anike Agbaje-Williams at 80 Clement Idoko - Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has extended warm felicitation with ace newscaster, presenter and first African female to appear on television, Anike Agbaje Williams, on her 80th birthday.

Buhari said he joined Williams’ family, friends and the media profession in celebrating the broadcaster who had a sonorous voice that ruled the industry for more than 30 years, starting out early with the first

television station in Africa in 1959, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV).

Williams is one of the pioneer African television broadcasters, better known as “Africa’s First Lady of the Tube.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said the president believed the veteran journalist worked hard to inform, educate and entertain her listeners, and to also sustain the legacy of Chief

Ebenezer Christian Church, Oke-Isinmi Olode, Ibadan, Oyo State, will today, hold its 10th anniversary thanksgiving service, Olode village, Ibadan.

The programme, entitled: ‘O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His Mercy endureth forever’ will hold between 11:00 a.m and 6:00 p.m.

Mr Oluwafemi Adeyemi, will be the special guest of honour while Pastor J. O. Famojuro will minister at the occasion.

Rev. O. O. Adeoye and Pastor J. O. Famojuro will also be conferred with Competence in Ministry Award and Ethic Teaching in Ministry Award, respectively.

Obafemi Awolowo who established the WNTV as a “surrogate teacher.”

He commended the courage and persistent spirit of Williams who constantly pushed herself to improve on her God-given talent until she reached the pinnacle of her career, carting home many awards even after retirement.

President Buhari prayed that God will grant Williams longer life, good health and more strength in her newfound love of singing in the choir after retirement.

Rev’d (Mrs) E. T. Akinyemi

Army arrests fake soldier in Ondo The Nigerian Army has arrested an alleged impostor, Mike Ajulo, parading himself a soldier in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Captain Ojo Adenegan, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 32 Artillery Brigade, stated this in a statement in Akure on Saturday.

“A man, Mike Ajulo, from Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State who has been impersonating as an army officer was arrested on Friday.

“His arrest was as a result of reported cases of land issues and other criminal activities reported against him and confession to some of the crime,” he said.

He, therefore, said that the suspect was still under investigation and would be charged to court after investigation had been completed.

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news

Gov tasks new emir on state development Adelowo Oladipo -Minna

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IGER State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has called on the new Emir of Borgu in Borgu Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, to see his coronation as a call for renewed efforts and collaboration to ensure attraction of investors to the state as well as encourage his subjects to continue to support government’s initiatives towards alleviating their challenges.

He stated this on Saturday at the Sabuke Square, New Bussa, during the

coronation ceremony of the emir.

He said that Borgu emirate “is a talking point in terms of its abundant tourism and mineral resources ranging from the Kainji Lake, National Park, the Kainji Hydroelectric Dam Complex, the abundant deposits of gold, copper, limestone, columbite and tantalite,” among several other potentials the kingdom and, indeed, the state is blessed with.

Governor Bello reiterated the commitment of his administration to make Niger State a destination choice for genuine investors and people in search of peaceful and secured

environment.

He noted that he had enjoyed a cordial relationship with the traditional institutions in the state, while expressing the belief that the unity would only grow with the new emir.

The governor said: “It is, however, regrettable to say that the state has experienced its share of security threats in recent times, but I am happy to say that these unfortunate incidents did not escalate to a precarious situation owing to the understanding of the traditional leaders from these areas and the restraint of the security agencies.”

Speaking further, he said

opinion

Osita: Celebrating a smart chap at 50

By Kehinde Olaosebikan

advocated an urgent need for all well-meaning citizens and other residents in the state to be vigilant in accepting visitors especially those with questionable characters.

“It is on this premise that I call on all traditional rul-

Sunday Tribune

ers to be more interested in what happens in their communities. You remain security watchdogs in your domains and by extension the state. You must avoid any criminal connivance, as this is capable of ruining any leader,” he said.

Insurgency: Cameroonian Army commander commends Nigerian Army Chris Agbambu -Abuja THE Commander Sector 1 of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Brigadier-General Bouba Dobekreo, has commended the Nigerian Army for its gallantry in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

He said that such action has shown the determination of the Nigerian government to end the menace of Boko Haram terrorism.

He said the insurgency, since its inception, had affected the economy of Cameroon, especially as it concerned trans-Sahara trade.

General Bouba said this when he paid a visit to the acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu, at the headquarters of the division in Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Borno

State. He described the GOC as a strategist, professional and team player who believes in synergy and cooperation to achieve set objectives.

He thanked the GOC for all the support his troops enjoyed from his command, especially on information sharing, promising to maintain the existing synergy between the Nigerian Army and the Cameroonian forces.

Voice of Change harps on gender equality

I

was dictating my reports on phone (the mode which we used to send stories then) to Vanguard office in Lagos, sometimes in 1991, when a young smartly dressed chap was ushered into my office at “Fleet Street” in Area 3, Garki, Abuja. The street is officially named Jos but we called it Fleet Street because of the concentration of newspapers offices there then.

I offered him a seat while I continued with the dictation. But as this was going on, I saw the man surreptitiously jotting down the story but I pretended not to have noticed his action. Through with my story, he introduced himself as Osita Izunaso, the new correspondent of Jim Nwobodo’s Satellite newspapers just posted to Abuja.

I welcomed him and took him round the other newspapers offices in the three-storey building the government gave to the newspapers then. We met Camillus Eboh of the Guardian, Jide Olawuyi (late) of Sketch, Ebun Obadofin of Concord, Nike Adelegan of Punch, Hadiza Abdulahi of Triumph, Razak Mogaji of Newswatch, Innocent Nwobodo of Champion, Anselm Okolo of Tribune, Felix Onuoha of Reporter, Sherif Muhammed of Democrat.

Thereafter, he followed me back to my office where I entertained him. But as I was doing that, I asked him how he was going to send the story he just got. In bewilderment, he asked which story? And I told him the one he jotted while I was dictating. He burst into laughter saying that he did not know that I noticed him. I told him I did and that I love smart people.

From that day we became close pals.

Within days, Osita turned out to be the toast of all journalists, depicting a good understanding of the profession. In less than two months of practice in Abuja, the politician in Osita manifested, as he, against all odds, became the Financial Secretary of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria union of Journalists, FCT Council. As a member of the committee under my chairmanship, Osita was very diligent, committed and resourceful with a lot of great ideas.

Socially, Osita is very warm, amiable and extremely pleasant, a delightful company any day. Our mutual friends, His Royal Highness, Chief Emmanuel Nnabuife, Chief Pat Oramah, Josie Adokuru and Camillus Eboh usually refer to him as

“Niger State is the largest in land mass compared to any other state in the country and the rising influx of people to the state in search of greener pastures has become worrisome to us.”

The governor, therefore,

30 October, 2016

A nongovernmental organisation, Voice for Change (V4C), has advocated a more robust strategy of tackling issue of gender inequality.

At a pre-conference briefing held in Lagos,

the humorist in the house.

Out of journalism, Osita served as the Chief Press secretary to a Minister of Sports; SA Media to Speaker of House of Representatives; CPS to President of the Senate and SA Media to a state governor before he contested and won elections first to the House of Representatives and later to the Senate. He is at present the Chief Strategist of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) as the National Organising Secretary, performing excellently.

In two of the four places Osita served as aides, he eventually became a principal and served by aides. The two places left are a Federal Ministry and the Government House, Owerri. With his natural qualities and prodigious achievements, it is almost certain that he would be served by aides in these places too. The one that would come first is what one cannot say for now. And the good thing that is going for Osita is that he grows and matures with all the virtues I knew him with since our first meeting 25 years ago.

In all, the Almighty God has continued to increase him in wisdom, intelligence, knowledge and realism. His sense of humour too has deepened. While I wish Senator Osita Izunaso, my friend and brother a happy 50th birthday anniversary, I pray that God gives us smart children, like Osita. Omo bi Osita lo wu mi!

• Olaosebikan, Chief Consultant, Midas Communications Ltd writes through midas1062@gmail.com.

Denis Onoise, Output Leader and key influencer, V4C, disclosed the group’s readiness to bring together 300 Nigerian men to discuss issues on gender parity and inclusiveness in Lagos.

The idea of convening 300 men from different parts of the country is aimed at driving the message of gender equality, which still remains a challenge in this part of the world,” he said.

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30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

46

30 October, 2016

SUNDAY

Sunday Tribune

Editor: Wale Emosu tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08111813054

ABS, Gateway, Crown battle for NPFL ticket today

By Ganiyu Salman

A

Nigeria’s player (left) battles for ball possession during an international Beach Soccer Championship in Lagos.

LOC expresses readiness to host best AFCON Beach Soccer

By Niyi Alebiosu The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2016 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations has expressed its readiness to make the event the best in the history of beach soccer on the continent.

The tournament serves as a qualifier for the FIFA World Beach Soccer championship scheduled to hold in Bahamas next year.

Speaking on Saturday in Lagos at a media parley/ unveiling of the tournament’s logo, Chairman of the LOC and first vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi having lauded the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for accepting to host the tournament, informed that logistics have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free competition.

While speaking after he officially unveiled the logo, the chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission,

(LSSC), Mr Deji Tinubu pledged the support of the commission to the NFF and LOC to ensure the hosting of a world-class event.

“What we are witnessing today is in tandem with the vision and mission of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to make Lagos State a sport hub in the country and I want to say that with the effort we are going to put into the organisation of this event, Nigeria will in no distance time host the world beach soccer,” he said.

The Director of Organ-

isation for the event and initiator of Copa Lagos, Samson Adamu, while giving an insight into the event revealed that the aim was to make Lagos State a premium tourism destination.

He disclosed that Nigeria will play in group A of the tournament scheduled to hold from December 13 to 18 at the Eko Atlantic.

Other countries in group A tagged ‘death zone’ are Egypt, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast, while Senegal, Madagascar, Libya and Morocco will slug it out in group B.

s the final round of matches in the 2016 Nigeria National League (NNL) season holds today, ABS of Ilorin, Gateway United of Abeokuta and Crown FC of Ogbomoso are in the race to secure the group’s sole ticket to the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Gateway lead the log with 21 points and plus six goals advantage ahead of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) also with 21 points and plus five goals advantage, while Crown also boast the same number of points but with plus four goals advantage.

ABS FC will host Gateway today in an NNL match day 14 clash at the Kwara State Stadium in llorin. A win for either side could seal the promotion ticket.

Also today, a win for Crown against Bendel Insurance FC at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City could earn the Ajilete Boys a ticket if the tie in Ilorin eventually ends in a draw.

However, the General Manager of ABS, Alloy Chukwuemeka, believes his men will not disappoint today in Ilorin having come this far.

“We are sure of beating Gateway on our soil. The boys are in the right frame of mind ahead of this crucial match.

“We have 100 per cent home record, not even in the last match will slip. I have a special gift for the boys. I want to thank the chairman Senator Bukola Saraki for

his endless support for the team. He is a father figure, above all a mentor.

“We are going back to the league we belong in. You can remember in 2012 when ABS played in the NPFL, we played the best football,” Chukwuemeka told AfricanFootball.com.

Meanwhile, Crown FC head coach, Fatai Osho equally believes his team should not be ruled out of the race “We have remote chance to gain promotion to the topflight as victory against Bendel Insurance on Sunday [today] may not guarantee us a promotion ticket.

“However, I do not want to worry about what happens in other matches,especially

Etisalat U-15 School Cup:

Enugu, Akwa Ibom qualify for finals

By Niyi Alebiosu New Layout Secondary School, Enugu and West Itam Secondary School, Akwa Ibom have qualified for the finals of the Etisalat U-15 school Cup which will be held in Lagos later this year.

The Enugu team spanked Holy Ghost Secondary School, Ebonyi 8-0 on Thursday at St Patrick’s College, Emene, Enugu to top its group in the regional play-offs .

West Itam on the other hand topped group A after two wins and one draw to finish with seven points.

Injured Rangers striker, Egwim out of hospital Injured Rangers striker, Ifeanyi Egwim was on friday discharged from the National Orthopedic Hospital in Enugu after he was admitted four weeks ago.

Egwim fractured his leg during a final league game at home against El-Kanemi Warriors and he had to undergo two surgeries.

“He has been discharged and has already made remarkable recovery. He now moves around with the help of crutches and we believe in the coming days, there will even

among the teams angling for promotion, that will put the players under undue and severe pressure.

“We want to face our game squarely, take chance and claim the whole three points at stake against Insurance.

“Our focus is squarely on Insurance, if we win and the win proves adequate to guarantee us promotion ticket that will be all well and good if not, we would have satisfied our conscience that we did our very best in the circumstance.

“Already, we will consider the season a success, whether we gain promotion or not at the end of the day,” Osho, former Kogi United and Remo FC coach told supersport.com.

be more improvements,” said Rangers doctor, Emeka Onyia.

Rangers general manager, Paul Chibuzor was delighted the striker has now left hospital.

“We are all happy for Egwim,” he said.

The striker, who is in his second spell at Rangers, has received a lot of support from fellow players and officials since his injury.

Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi visited the player in hospital and presented Egwim on hospital bed .With him is Rangers Team Manager, Ameobi Ezeaku . him with a cash gift of a million naira.

The chief coach of New Layout School, Uche Lofty expressed happiness for being able to guide his wards out of their group, adding that they will take key learnings from the play-offs in preparation for the finals in Lagos.

“We will go back and intensify our preparation by concentrating on tactics and pace. We are going to put the team through the principle of football ethics, tactical discipline, team spirit and responsibility,” he said.

The coach of the Akwa Ibom representatives, Emmanuel Ebong described the tournament as a very good platform for discovering and developing new soccer talents.

“My boys put up a good show and played as a team, they connected seamlessly on the pitch of play, dominating the game with good ball possessions all through the game, so we are happy that we topped our group and are delighted to be going to Lagos for the finals,” he said.

47 sport

30 October, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Salami

Salami nets 15th goal in Finland One of Aguero’s goals against West Brom. PHOTO: DAILY MAIL.

City end 6-game winless run, spank West Brom 4-0

M

ANCHESTER City returned to the top of the Premier League in emphatic style as 4-0 victory at West Brom ended Pep Guardiola’s worst run in management.

City and boss Guardiola were without a win in six matches in all competitions, but Sergio Aguero flashed in Ilkay Gundogan’s through ball to give them the lead in the 19th minute.

The Baggies were flat and Aguero struck again in the 28th minute, punishing hesitant defending with a powerful, top-corner finish.

West Brom improved hugely after the break but failed to take their chances before Gundogan twice slotted home - first from Aguero’s chip and then after being found by

Kevin de Bruyne.

The win means City leapfrog Arsenal, who won 4-1 at Sunderland earlier in the day, into first place in the table with 10 matches played.

Tony Pulis’ side struck the post through Gareth McAuley late on and should have got one back at 2-0 through Salomon Rondon, but they slip to 15th and are now without a win in their past five games.

Aguero’s last goal for City came in the 3-1 league victory at Swansea on September 24, which was also City’s most recent win before Saturday’s game.

The Argentina striker’s first was rifled in brilliantly after his clever run was matched

by Gundogan’s quality pass into the space between West Brom’s two centre-backs.

His second was spectacular, but equally simple. McAuley and Jonas Olsson both should have cleared a loose ball on the edge of the box but hesitated, allowing the 28-yearold to set himself up and smash home.

That was his seventh league goal of the season - the joint best return with Chelsea’s Diego Costa - and ends a spell of six matches without a goal.

West Brom’s players were obviously deflated by Aguero’s two goals in nine minutes, so Pulis deserves credit for managing to galvanise his side into producing a spirited secondhalf display.

NIGERIAN international, Gbolahan Salami powered KuPS to a 1-0 victory over PS Kemi in the Finnish Premier League encounter on Friday night.

The former Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) forward, who recently broke club’s 15-year-old goal record, set by Ilja Venalainen (2012) and Peter Sampoalso (2001) with 12 goals each at the Kuopio Football Stadium scored the only goal of the game in the 13th minute, to bring his tally for the season to 15 goals.

Salami, it will be recalled, joined the Finnish topflight from Warri Wolves, after finishing the 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League season as the highest goal scorer with 17 goals.

Arsenal increase pressure on Moyes with 4-1 defeat ARSENAL increased the pressure on Sunderland manager, David Moyes with a comfortable 4-1 victory over a Black Cats side who remain bottom of the table and without a Premier League win this season.

Alexis Sanchez put the Gunners ahead when he got in front of defender Lamine Kone to head in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross.

The dominant visitors had a strong penalty appeal turned down after Sanchez looked to have been brought down before Jermain Defoe equalised from the spot after keeper Petr Cech had fouled Duncan Watmore.

However, Arsenal reasserted their authority and lead with three goals in six minutes and 20 seconds.

Olivier Giroud came on to replace Nigerian international, Alex Iwobi in the 69th minute to guide in a shot and then headed in a Mesut Ozil corner, while Sanchez’s close range effort was the signal for the home fans to start streaming out of the Stadium of Light.

The win initially moved Arsenal

top of the Premier League - but Manchester City’s victory over West Brom also on the day later knocked them off the summit.

“It was a mental test when we were at 1-1. We missed so many chances, so many opportunities, and I was worried we could lose but we have shown great strength to bounce back,” Wenger said after

the match.

“In the Premier League at 1-1 you can lose the game but it was about how we responded. Do we panic, give up, feel sorry for ourselves? We responded well and in the end it was a comfortable win.

“It was an important result for us.

We had six wins, then one draw at home, which was disappointing, and

a second draw or defeat would have been like we had dropped our level.”

On his introduction of Giroud, who then scored twice in the next seven minutes, Wenger added: “The manager has an easy credit when he has quality players on the bench and you don’t need to be a special manager to make this decision. It was 1-1 and we had Giroud on the bench.”

Sanchez... celebrating yesterday.

Messi, Neymar, others given new cars at Barca THE first team members of FC Barcelona received their brand new Audi vehicles for the 2016/17 season on Thursday.

During the event held at the Camp Nou, next to the 1899 Auditorium, Luis Enrique’s men took part in several fun games and activities alongside the new models of Barça’s premium partner.

Once Thursday’s training session had ended, the players headed to the Camp Nou where president Josep Maria Bartomeu and various directors of Audi were present to get things underway.

After that, it was time for the players to drive off, one by one, in their shiny new automobiles.

Each player was able to choose a brand new, really expensive luxury vehicle.

Take a wild guess who picked out the most expensive car out of the bunch. Yep, it was Neymar. The Brazilian drove home the Audi RS7, which is valued at around $164,590. The one Messi got, which many others did as well, starts at about $75,000.

The squad and manager Luis Enrique took part in a driving skills circuit set up by the club partner before receiving the cars they’ll drive

this season.

Here’s what each player picked, according to Globo.

•Lionel Messi: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Denis Suarez: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Aleix Vidal: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Luis Suarez: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Gerard Pique: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Ivan Rakitic: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Javier Mascherano: Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI (272 CV) •Jeremy Mathieu: Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI (272 CV).

SIDELINES NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

NO 2,070

30 OCTOBER, 2016

www.tribune.com.ng

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While the Sokoto State government announced the employment of 500 youths to evacuate refuse, the Borno State government employed 100 female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as street vanguards – both in the effort to ensure sanitation. Such moves at generating employment are commendable but government must ensure prompt payment of salaries so that these vanguards indeed remain on the streets to improve public health rather than contribute to public nuisance.

Ronaldo bags 350th career goal

World Cup qualifier

Eagles won’t respect Algeria’s new coach

Goalkeeper Ezenwa in action

—Ezenwa

S

UPER Eagles goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, has said Algeria’s choice of Georges Leekens as new coach will count for nothing when Nigeria host the north Africans in a 2018 World Cup qualifying match in November.

Eagles will host the Algerian Desert Foxes in an African group B 2018 World Cup qualifier on November 12 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo. The Belgian was handed a second spell by Algeria on Thursday to replace the ousted Serbia’s Milovan Rajevan.

But Ezenwa says the present crop of Eagles want to pick the World Cup ticket with a game to spare in the qualifying campaign.

“Georges Leekens’ appointment as Algeria’s coach does not scare us and will count for nothing when both sides meet on November 12.

“The body language and spirit among the players speaks volume of a side who want to pick the World Cup ticket before the last match.

“The mindset of the players is to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, so nobody will be considered too tough an obstacle to scuttle the lofty dream.

“Most of the players in the Eagles have not been to

the mainstream World Cup and they want to be there to have a true feel of what it looks like.

“I may have participated in the FIFA U-20 World Cup for me and others, but that’s a youth

Musa’s goal against Tottenham

By Ganiyu Salman NIGERIA international, Ahmed Musa on Saturday scored backto-back in the English Premier League as his goal helped reigning EPL champions, Leicester City secure a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur at the White Hart Lane.

Musa, who is the Foxes’ record signing, had also scored last weekend in his team’s 3-1 spanking of Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium.

The former CSKA Moscow forward equalised for Leicester after he cashed in on the assist from Jamie Vardy in the 48th minute.

The goal by the former Kano Pillars player was a product of a well-calculated risk as he al-

championship we want to experience the real World Cup. “Our minds are focused on beating the Algerians, irrespective of who calls the shot as head coach,” the FC IfeanyiUbah

keeper told supersport.com.

Nigeria lead the group on three points after a 2-1 win over Zambia in Ndola, while Algeria and Cameroon share one point in the group.

Musa grabs point for Leicester

most collided with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the process after taking a dive to connect Vardy’s cross.

Tottenham had shot into the lead in the 44th minute through Vincent Janssen from the penalty spot.

Meanwhile, Leicester manager, Claudio Ranieri has heaped plaudits on the vice captain of the Super Eagles whose goal rescued a point for his side.

He pointed out that with Musa’s heroics in the last two games, he is now getting used to the Premier League.

“Musa is a good player and slowly starting to understand the Premier League. He saw the ball arrive and was very strong,” Ranieri said in his post-match comments.

The Italian tactician stated that

Messi, Neymar, others given new cars

—Pg.47

the Foxes impressed him against Spurs.

“I’m pleased with the point, our performance and our spirit. We played together and we fought together.

“We always try to win. That’s the magic of English football – both teams giving everything to try to win.”

“We played well today against a good team. Our spirit often this season has been singular, but today it was squad spirit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musa, who came on as a substitute during the last World Cup qualifier against Zambia in Ndola, is expected to be named among the squad that will face the Desert Foxes of Algeria on November 12 in Uyo in another Russia 2018 qualifier.

Nets hat-trick against Alaves CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored a hattrick and missed a penalty as Real Madrid beat Alaves 4-1 on Saturday to increase the Los Blancos lead on the La Liga table.

The feat also took Ronaldo to another notable career milestone of scoring 350 goals in league competitions – with those efforts spread across spells with Sporting CP, Manchester United and Madrid.

Ronaldo netted three times in his native Portugal, before six seasons at Old Trafford delivered 84 Premier League efforts.

Another 263 have been added in La Liga, including two in the first half against Alaves, with that remarkable return coming in just 243 games.

His spot-kick against Alaves – which he added to later in the first half to take him to 351 goals in league competition - also means that the 31-year-old has netted against every Spanish top-flight opponent he has faced.

Deyverson gave Alaves an early lead but then gave a penalty away which was converted by the Portugal forward.

Ronaldo added a second before the break with a deflected shot but had a second spot-kick saved by Alaves goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco 10 minutes from time.

Alvaro Morata scored Real’s third before Ronaldo completed his treble.

Zinedine Zidane’s side are three points clear of second-placed Sevilla who were held to a 1-1 draw by Sporting Gijon earlier in the day.

Alaves were unbeaten at home in La Liga before this match, but once again Ronaldo’s impact on the game was decisive.

The 31-year-old confidently sent Pacheco the wrong away from the penalty spot to equalise after Brazilian forward Deyverson was deemed to have handled, then his long-range effort sailed into the top corner.

Pacheco guessed correctly to save Ronaldo’s second penalty, but Real’s record goalscorer would not be denied his hat-trick and fired home after he exchanged passes with Marcelo inside the area.

EPL RESULTS Sunderland 1 Arsenal 4 West Brom 0 Man City 4 Tottenham 1 Leicester 1 Watford 1 Hull City 0 Man Utd 0 Burnley 0 Middlesbrough 2 Bournemouth 0 C/Palace 2 Liverpool 4 POOLS: 3, 6, 9, 11, 16, 29, 30, 35, 36, 40, 42, 48, 49. TODAY’S MATCHES: 02, 05, 10

Ronaldo

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: sundaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR : SINA OLADEINDE. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 30/10/2016