31st July 2016

NO 2,057

SUNDAY, 31 JULY, 2016

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Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

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What Kaduna Nzeogwu told me about 28 pgs27 & 1966 coup —General Olutoye

BUDGET PADDING

Reps’ war gets messier pg4

•DSS seals House Committee’s secretariat •Jibrin boasts Dogara, others ’ll be arrested soon

I regret

marrying many wives —Jide Kosoko

We have deal with FG to release Kanu, Okah, pg5 others —MEND

FLOOD ON THE EXPRESSWAY: Sango Ota axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway after a downpour on Saturday. PHOTO: OLALEKAN OLABULO

Militants strike in Lagos again, kill, abduct residents

pg5

Militancy: Involve elders in dialogue or be ready to fail, Ijaw elders tell FG pg5

Jailbreak: 13 inmates pg8 escape from Kogi prison

Impeachment threat: Pro, anti-pg4 Saraki forces set for showdown

•PDP Senate caucus reaffirms support for Senate President

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

feature

Long wait for a new carrier

In this report, SHOLA ADEKOLA speaks with some key players on why the proposed national airline is yet to take off despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives.

and after issuing a directive for the commencement of logistics, Buhari charged the then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, Mrs Binta Bello, to set up a 12man committee headed by the former Managing Director of Discovery Air, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalam, with the mandate of reviewing previous consultants’ submissions and recommendations on a national carrier, review the report on the failure of the defunct Nigeria Airways and other failed private airlines.

The committee was given four weeks to submit its report to the government. By September 2015, the committee submitted its report to the Ministry of Aviation, which was subsequently forwarded to the presidency for action.

Eleven months after the report was submitted, suspense and misery have dogged the report with no one having an inkling into what to expect from the government, even as other foreign carriers continue to monopolise the various routes.

N

EXT month will make it a year since President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Ministry of Aviation to commence action on the re-establishment of a new national carrier for the country, 13 years after the demise of the former carrier, the Nigeria Airways.

The directive elicited mixed reactions from stakeholders across the aviation sector, with some kicking against it on the premise that it had become old-fashioned for countries to fund, and own national carriers. To them, government had no business being in business.

Many stakeholders welcomed the government’s gesture, insisting that with the population of the country, there was the need for the country to have its own national carrier.

According to the supporters of the project, if other African countries like Ethiopia and South Africa could sustain their airlines, how much more Nigeria?

To these people, Nigeria deserved a national carrier which, they argued, would save travellers from the jaws of foreign carriers and the exploitative fares they charge.

The supporters, while defending their position, disagreed with the notion that floating another carrier at this period would amount to a colossal waste, in view of the experience of the defunct national carrier by laying the large chunk of the blame at the doorstep of subsequent governments and their officials for arm-twisting the management of the former carrier through undue interference.

Prior to the coming of the Buhari government, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan

President Muhammadu Buhari

made efforts to bring back another national carrier, but the effort did not yield much fruit, despite the huge amount invested.

The debate over having another national carrier would probably not have reared its head if the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also not worked towards liquidating Nigeria Airways.

Many of the reasons given by the then government for the move have since been described in various quarters as being exaggerated, and since then, things have not been the same with the entire sector, particularly the travellers. As such, hopes were again raised when President Buhari announced plans to float a new national carrier.

To show his intention to embark on the lofty project,

FG’s present position: To many in the sector, the body language from the government after the initial high hope, is giving room for suspicion as to whether government still intends to continue with the earlier plan.

Since the submission of the report of the ministerial committee set up to advise and recommend to the Buhari government on how to float the new national airline since last September, the government has kept mute on the report until March this year when, at a forum, Buhari finally declared that formulation of a national carrier for Nigeria was not a priority of his government for now.

Reactions The president’s declaration has attracted much criticism, with key players arguing that the suspension of the project would affect the growth of the sector. Those spoContinues on

pg 9

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news

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Budget padding: Reps’ war get messier

•DSS seals House Committee’s secretariat •It’s on my order —Jibrin •Says I’m confident EFCC, ICPC will arrest Dogara, others soon From Jacob Segun Olatunji, Kolawole Daniel and Dare Adekanmbi

T

HE allegation of budget padding levelled against some principal officers of the House of Representatives took a new dimension at the weekend as the office of the House Committee on Appropriation was reportedly sealed off by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

This is coming just as the former chairman of House Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Abdulmumini Jibrin, claimed responsibility for sealing off of the office.

But the new chairman of the committee on appropriation, Honourable Mustapha Dawaki, in Abuja, during a media briefing, claimed that the secretariat was safe and open, noting that all the documents in the office, including computers, were intact.

However, efforts by the Clerk of the Committee, Dr. Abel Ochobi, to show newsmen that the office was not shut were futile, as he was unable to gain access to his office.

He explained that the security beef up around the secretariat was on the orders of the acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.

Dawaki said, “When I called the Clerk of the committee to draw his attention to this publication, he told me that his attention had also been drawn to the issue and that he had already taken a proactive measure by writing the Clerk of the National Assembly and had copied my office.”

Commenting on report that principal officers named in the alleged budget padding had been invited, he said,”I am not aware of any invitation from the police and I cannot answer any question that is not in relation to what I have delivered here now.

“I am not aware that the sergeant-at-arms were given instructions to seal off the secretariat.

“What I heard from the secretariat was that nobody denied them access to the secretariat. They were in the secretariat this morning and nobody harassed them”, he stated.

A letter was written by the committee’s clerk to Ochobi on the subject matter and was entitled, “Alleged shutdown, seizure, packing/relocating of committee system

and records/documents and harassment of staff.”

The letter read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report, alleging shutdown, seizure and packing/relocation of the committee system and records/documents of the committee on appropriations, including harassment of committee staff.

“I write to confirm that the committee’s secretariat is intact and has not been threatened in anyway. All records are also intact and safe-both hardware and software.

“In addition, our archival set up is properly kept and in order.

“Furthermore, no staff in the secretariat of the committee has been subjected to any form of threat, intimidation or harassment from any quarter whatsoever.

“Any such reports along the lines of the above allegation should therefore be totally disregarded,” the letter concluded.

Meanwhile, Jibrin has expressed confidence that the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) will soon arrest the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and 11 others for prosecution.

Jibrin had, on Friday, in addition to visiting the headquarters of the DSS, submitted copies of his petition at the offices of the two anti-corruption agencies, to substantiate his accusation of padding of the 2016 budget by the leadership of the House.

The 39-year-old Kano State lawmaker, who disclosed this in a series of Tweets, on Saturday, promised to share the contents of the petition and also make “more shocking revelations” soon.

“I am confident that the EFCC and ICPC will effect the arrest of Speaker Dogara and the 11 others to commence prosecution in earnest.

“Speaker Dogara has resorted to blame the so-called external forces. Are those forces responsible for moving Federal Government projects to his farm?

“On the request of my lawyers, the security agencies have promptly provided protection for the appropriation secretariat, my office and house.

“I also responded to another show of shame by nine out of the 40-member appropriation committee that addressed the press yesterday [Friday].

“This has opened a rare opportunity for the anti-corruption agencies to decisively use this as a case study to send powerful signal.

“This is a defining moment in the struggle to cleanse the House,first time a member will drag 12 of his colleagues to the anti-graft agencies,” he said.

“Our petition to the EFCC and ICPC against Speaker Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa, Ogor and eight other members have been dispatched yesterday (Friday).

“The case against them ranges from corrupt enrichment, abuse of office to public trust, living above means, massive movement of funds

in budget “The members are Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor “Others include, chairman FCT, Honourable Herma Hembe, Chairman higher education, Hon Zakari Mohammed, chairman health,

Honourable Chike Okafor, Chairman power, Honourable Dan Asuquo, Chairman marine transport, Honourable mohammed Bago, Chairman Police, Honourable Haliru Jika, Chairman interior, Honourable Jagaba Adams Jagaba and Chairman House Services, Hon Babanle Ila.

Hajj: Airlift of pilgrims begins August 8 THE Federal Government has announced August 8 for the inaugural flight to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

Making the disclosure at the weekend at a Hajj stakeholders conference at the National Mosque, Abuja, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad, said the flight, which would commence at the Sokoto Airport, would see intending pilgrims from Zamfara State being airlifted first.

He also advised intending pilgrims to stick to the rules as set out by the Saudi Arabia authorities, specifically warning them against carrying kolanut and other products considered as contraband in

the Holy land.

Represented by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Sultan said; “in preparing for this exercise, there is need to look at several critical areas, especially in terms of movement from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia and other local runnings in the holy land.

“I advise all intending pilgrims to adhere to the regulations. Do not carry any type of kolanut or bitter kola in order to avoid hitches right from the airport. On August 8, intending pilgrims from Zamfara would be airlifted first from the Sokoto Airport.”

Impeachment threat: Pro, anti-Saraki forces set for showdown •PDP Senate caucus reaffirms support for Senate President T aiwo A disa - A buja FORCES loyal to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set for a major battle ahead of Senate’s resumption in September following indications that a former president had advised President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Senate leadership by all means possible.

Some online outfits reported last week that the visit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the Presidential Villa last week Centred on the need for the president to remove the leadership of the Senate to stave off distractions to his government.

Though there was no official confirmation of the discussions between Obasanjo and Buhari, it was confirmed that senators loyal to both sides of the divide are already weighing options ahead of the battle royale.

Sources close to the Senate said that the lawmakers loyal to Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu see an impeachment bid as a tall order but are not ready to take chances.

The Presidency has refused to patronise the National Assembly as a result of divisions within the ruling

APC over the emergence of Saraki as Senate President.

Sources in the Senate said that Saraki’s loyalists got a boost two weeks ago when the caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met and further decided to firm up a working relationship with Saraki.

But insiders in the National Assembly said that if the Presidency was ready to “roll out the drums” the support base of the Senate President and his deputy could get eroded.

“Right now, the support base of the Senate President and Senator Ekwer-

emadu appears solid. The executive has failed to treat the National Assembly as a partner and thus has alienated the lawmakers. But if the rule changes, we cannot be too sure what will happen,” a lawmaker said on Saturday.

Sources said that the Senate already had a fertile ground for opposition to Saraki with the existence of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF).

“Right now, it appears that very few senators will back Saraki’s ouster in view of the collateral damage they have suffered from the executive

in the last one year. The only game changer would come if the people see real changes,” another senator said.

Other members of the Senate, however, condemned the advice attributed to Obasanjo, saying it shows he doesn’t want the Buhari government to know peace.

“If it is true that Baba [Obasanjo] said President Buhari should impeach the leadership of the Senate, that would be counterproductive and doesn’t show the former president wants peace for the new government. We should find solu-

tions rather than heat up the polity,” a lawmaker of the APC said.

It was however gathered that loyalists of the APC hierarchy had mapped out measures aimed at getting at Saraki.

One of the measures is to draw up a list of those who could be reached with mouthwatering largesse from those who want the Senate President out.

“By September, both camps would be ready. I assure you it would be a big battle if the executive kickstarted it,” another senator said.

Famine looms in North-East, UN warns B y D are A dekanmbi THE United Nations Security Council has warned that famine is looming in the North-East part of Nigeria because of the toll of the Boko Haram insurgency on farming in the area.

UN Humanitarian coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, was reported by Huffington Post, a United Kingdom news blog, to have told the Security Council on Wednesday that a humanitarian crisis was likely in the area.

He said although the people of the region were known to have endured extreme hardship and explored

various options to survive, they appeared to have been pushed beyond the limit now.

“The suffering has pushed

them to the absolute limit. It is unlike anything they have felt before- humanitarian catastrophe,” he said.

Kano rerun: APC in early lead K ola O yelere K ano THE result of nine wards out of 11 in Minjibir House of Assembly in Kano State rerun election has shown the All Progressives Congress (APC) is having the upper hand against the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) .

With the results of nine wards declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), the APC is leading PDP and others by polling 15, 708 votes, while PDP scored 753 votes.

However, the APC candiate for the state bye-elec-

tion, in Malam Tasiu Minjibir, may be heading for victory over the candidate of the PDP , Malam Auwalu Ubale Minjibir, who withdrew shortly before to the election .

As of the time of filing this report, the results of the two wards were still being collated.

news We have deal with FG to release Okah, Kanu, others —MEND 5

D apo F alade - P ort H arcourt

M

OVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has said it has entered into a deal with the Federal Government to ensure the release of Henry

31 July, 2016

Okah, the assumed guerrilla leader of the group.

The group, in a statement issued on Saturday, by its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, also said the ongoing negotiation with the government had led to some other concessions and the release of some other notable detainees, including the Inde-

pendent People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze.

Jomo Gbomo, however, claimed that MEND was the only militant group from the Niger Delta region currently engaged in the dialogue with the government on how to resolve the lingering

crisis in the region.

He noted that MEND was on the dialogue table with the government through oil companies and security agencies, adding that the deliberations had, thus far, been fruitful.

“Various concessions and guarantees have already been secured; some of

Dialogue: Involve N/Delta elders or be ready to fail, Ijaw elders tell FG E benezer A durokiya - W arri ELDERS of Ijaw nation said on Saturday that any effort by the Federal Government to dialogue with agitating militants in the Niger Delta region without the inclusion of elders will fail in the long run.

Leader of the Ijaw nation, Chief Edwin Clark, made this position known during an Ijaw leaders’ consultative council meeting in his country home, Kiagbodo, Delta State.

In attendance at the meeting to reach a common ground on the renewed militancy and its effects on the Niger Delta and the country were Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson and Delta State deputy governor, Kingsley Otuaro.

“This is not the first time this kind of crisis is happening. In 2008 and 2009, similar incidents happened and Gbaramatu was affected. We elders and leaders intervened and we got Amnesty.

“Today, we hear that Federal Government is planning, already talking or negotiating with militants and nobody has consulted us.

That will not work.

These children are our children and we cannot fold our hands when they are being attacked and pretend not to notice. We must be involved in what government wants to do,” the octogenarian declared.

However, a communique at the end of the closed-door meeting called on Ijaw militants to shelve the proposed declaration of Niger Delta Republic on August 1.

The elders called on them to demand the restructuring of the country to ensure equity and equality.

“The elders and leaders of thought of the Ijaw nation call for the immediate restructuring of the Nigerian nation along the lines of peaceful federalism, and noticed that this is the panacea for the sustainable development in Nigeria.

“As a demonstration of sincerity of commitment to dialogue, Federal Government should immediately

withdraw the military from all occupied Ijaw communities, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom. The meeting also called on the Federal Government to immediately release the 10 arrrested innocent students of Gbaramatu kingdom.

“The meeting passed a vote of confidence in the Chief Boma Obuoforibo-led leadership of the Ijaw National Congress. We condemn the move to scrap the Nigerian Maritime University approved by the preceding Federal Government with temporary site at Kurutie and call for the immediate takeoff of the university,” the communique read in part.

“The non-inclusive policies of the present administration which has led to the alienation of some components of the federation, particularly the Ijaw nation, from the mainstream of national development. is noted. The meeting calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to redress this ugly state of affairs, the communique read.

Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has said there is no need for more wars in the Ni-

ger Delta, as the matter is not for war-war but jaw-jaw.

Speaking after the meeting, Dickson remarked, “I am delighted that our leaders are thinking in that same direction. This meeting is like a prelude to a larger, more comprehensive Ijaw meeting of all our leaders that the government of Bayelsa

State would host in no distant time.

“Our leaders, fathers and royal majesties of the Ijaw nation are gathered to show to Nigeria and the world that we indeed have leaders, people who can reason, organise our people and lead them on burning issues of the moment.”

which include, but are not limited to, release of Henry Okah, Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze; “Review of the life sentence handed to Mr Edmund Ebiware, based on a proposal put forward by the Aaron Team representative for Abia and Imo states, Senator Adolphus Wabara, conditional release of IPOB Leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu and others, if they renounced their agitation for a “Biafra Republic”; “That Mr Government Ekpemupolo shall not be arrested, harassed and/or intimidated whenever he makes himself available as a delegate of the MEND Aaron Team 2.

“That international arbitrator and conflict negotiator, American Dr Judith Asuni (sic) shall be accepted as the

Sunday Tribune

representative of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) on the MEND Aaron Team; that the criminal charges against Urhobo freedom fighter, Mr Kelvin Prosper Oniarah shall be reviewed; “That the life sentence, which was handed to seven soldiers in 2008 who actively supported the Niger Delta struggle be reviewed under the Presidential Amnesty Programme,” Jomo Gbomo said in the statement.

He went on to list the seven affected soldiers to include Major Suleiman Akubo; Sergeant Mathias Peter; Lance Corporal Alexander Nwaigwe; Lance Corporal Nnandi Anene; Lance Corporal Taatihi Emmanuel; and Private Caleb Bawa.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State Mr Godwin Obaseki flanked by Governor Adams Oshiomhole (right) and Honourable Philip Shaibu, Obaseki’s running mate at the Edo Central campaign kick-off of the APC held in Irrua, at the weekend.

Again, militants strike in Lagos, kill, abduct residents Opeyemi Owoaseye and Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos In spite of the military onslaught against militants in the creeks located in communities in Ogun and Lagos states, the militants attacked Yewa Phase 2 of Ikorodu community area at about 8.00 p.m., on Friday.

It was learnt that a resident simply identified as Daniel was kidnapped in the community.

Sunday Tribune gathered that when the police from Owutu community were contacted by the community members on Friday, the police and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) initially said they would not be able to follow the family members to the creek, if no members of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) would not follow them.

A source told Sunday Tribune that after the Community Development Association (CDA) meeting on Sat-

urday morning, the RRS and the police were again called but that they insisted they were not ready to go since the militants were in creeks.

He said, “After the attack, when we called the police, they said they would not be able to follow us since the militants were in the creeks.

“After some time, we observed three trucks of deployed troops of RRS and the police.

“The police later followed us, but waited at the water side, while the family members of the abducted person and OPC members went to the creeks through canoe to rescue the victims, and paid the amount of money which they had discussed with the family members. I don’t know how much they demanded.

“The OPC and the family were seen deliberating with the militants from afar but no one could near there since it was all on water.

“We saw three of the mili-

tants who came out of the creek. When they came out, they saw a large number of people and they sensed that something was wrong. That was why they seized the OPC’s boat.

“Surprisingly, one of them, whose name is Timi, also known as Big Fish removed his mask, but they (the OPC members) were not with any weapon. They were reciting incantations.

“When they collected the money for his ransom, they released him to his family members, collected the guns that were with the OPC members, shot two of the OPC members on their legs and went back to the creek.

“The police, could not shoot at them because they did not know the abducted person, and was careful so that the militants won’t fire gun at the victim who was about to be released.

“They seized the canoe that the OPC guys used to transport themselves to the creek.

Thank God the OPC members could swim. If not, we would have lost three lives there.

“When they got back to the land, the OPC members were immediately taken to the hospital. But one of them is dead.”

However, the state police spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, could not be reached as of press time.

Meanwhile, the onslaught on the base of the militants’ camps continued, on Saturday, in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

A resident of Igbo Olomu, who simply identified himself as Daddy Peace told the Sunday Tribune that “they (military) came again this morning and bombed the creek again.”

He added that “they attacked the place twice and the plane hovered in the air for a long time, before it disappeared; and it has not come back since then.”

Another resident, Sile, told the Sunday Tribune that

“the problem now is that these militants have penetrated some of the communities.”

Sile also stated that “one person was again kidnapped in the early hours of today (Saturday) at Yewa community and they also killed a security man.”

The resident urged the police in the state to complement what the military was doing by ensuring that they comb the communities and arrest some of the militants, who had invaded these communities.

Dare, a resident of Arepo also told the Sunday Tribune that the air raid also continued on Saturday in the area, as the military reportedly shot at the creeks as the plane hovered in the area.

Dare also stated that the shooting had continued to create fears among residents, who mistook the shootings for a clash between the militants and the military men.

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31 July, 2016

crimereports

Sunday Tribune

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

24 hours after employment, driver absconds with company’s vehicle

Inscribes ‘Big Boss’ on it to show new status Stories By Oluwatoyin Malik

A

30-year-old man, Jimoh Taoreed, who disappeared with a van used to distribute sachet water produced by his employer, the Anglican Diocese, at Bodija area of Ibadan, Oyo State, barely 24 hours after he was employed, has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command.

Disclosing the arrest of the suspect to Crime Reports during a press briefing last Monday, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, said that investigation revealed that the suspect had an ulterior motive when he applied for the job of a driver, as he gave his name as Saheed Popoola and said that he was an indigene of Eruwa town in Ibarapa area of the state.

It was however discovered that his real name is Jimoh Taoreed and he hailed from Irawo Owode in Atisbo Local Government Area which is in Oke Ogun axis of the state.

According to the police commissioner, Taoreed and his assistant, a mo-

tor boy, went to distribute bags of sachet water to buyers on June 30, but after carrying out the task, he deceived his assistant by telling him that he wanted to withdraw money from a bank in another location at same Bodija area.

After he parked the vehicle, the unsuspecting conductor also alighted to transact business in another bank, but before

his return, Taoreed drove the vehicle to an unknown place and was not seen again until his arrest, Oyebade stated further.

He added that after a report was lodged at Bodija Market Division, detectives attached to the station began investigation which led to the suspect’s arrest and recovery of the vehicle at Irawo Owode.

On recovery of the vehicle,

the police commissioner said that the suspect had removed the inscription that was originally on it and replaced it with Oga Nla (Big Boss).

The suspect, who confessed to the crime, told Crime Reports: “About three weeks ago, while distributing bags of water to customers, a spirit pushed me to drive the vehicle away. The thought was

countered by another spirit which told me not to do it. But at the end, I obeyed the first one that urged me to steal the vehicle.

“I left the person who was distributing the water bags and drove the van to my village. I went to pay for a bold sticker reading ‘Oga Nla’ (Big boss) and

Refuse truck driver kills okada rider, passenger in Oyo AN okada rider and his passenger were crushed to death in Ibadan, Oyo State after a refuse disposal truck driver ran over them along Ijokodo-Apete road at about 4.30p.m on Friday.

The incident which occurred very close to the gate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan which links Apete community, involved a truck with registration number V489 DEF and a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number KNR 890 QD. The okada rider was identified as Christopher Osadolor, from Delta State and the passenger, a young mother of one, was named Bose Abodurin.

Both reportedly died on the spot.

Information gathered

The suspect, Jimoh Taoreed

Arrested suspect was planning robbery with members —Oyo CP No, I was invited to join Eiye cult group —Suspect

THE determination of the Oyo State Police Command to put the activities of criminals in check

in the state yielded fruits about two weeks ago when one Omotayo Tunde (27), who was suspected to be

Omotayo Tunde (left) and Salawu Tunji.

an armed robber, going by a gun allegedly found with him, was arrested in Ibadan by policemen attached to Alakia-Adenubi Division.

Also arrested with him were six others namely Salawu Tunji (28), Ganiyu

Oladeji (34), Idowu Aderemi (31), Nurudeen Omotoso (35), Saheed Olalekan (25) and Ogunniyi Gabriel (35).

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, during a press briefing on Monday, July 25, the police-

Five other suspects arrested in connection with Tunde and Tunji’s case.

posted it on the van. Unfortunately for me, I was traced to my village and arrested. I was suspected by my family members that I stole the vehicle. I believe they were the ones who informed the police. I admit that my act is of the devil and I promise not to do so again.”

men who arrested Tunde was on stop-and-search duty when they discovered the gun concealed in a bag while his partner, whose name was simply given as Ola by Tunde, ran away.

Mr Oyebade, who said that but for the proactive step of the policemen, the suspect and others would have succeeded in executing a sinister plan, added that it was intensive investigation by operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad that led to the arrest of five other suspects in Oyo and Ogbomoso towns after the initial arrest of Tunde and Tunji.

Continues on pg7

by Crime Reports had it that the okada rider and his passenger were going out of Apete community while the truck driver, one Saheed Lateef, was taking refuse to a dumpsite along Apete-Akufo road when the accident happened.

A reliable source said that the driver claimed that he had brake failure.

Immediately it was noticed that the two people had died, the mob reportedly descended on the driver and almost lynched him to death.

But Sunday Tribune learnt that immediately the Divisional Police Officer, Apete Division, SP Godwin Mba, heard about the accident, he rushed there with his men, rescued the driver and took him to the station in protective custody.

The driver was later taken to hospital for medical treatment, it was further gathered.

But the mob was not yet done as it was reported to have set the truck ablaze before the return of policemen to the scene.

Though the DPO was said to have called the fire service from Agbowo Fire Station in Ibadan to the scene, the truck had been burnt beyond salvage, while its ruins were still at the spot of accident as of the time of filing this report.

Confirming the incident, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, a Superintendent of Police, told Crime Reports that the remains of the victims had been deposited in the mortuary at Adeoyo State Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan.

crimereports Niger police arrest suspected kidnappers who abducted, raped 17-yr-old girl, demanded N1 million ransom 7

31 July, 2016

Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

T

HE long arm of the Law has caught up with two Fulani men who allegedly specialised in kidnapping their victims for ransom as well as raping their female victims in Niger State.

At about 12:30 a.m on July 7, the two suspects, Husein Isah and Adamu Shehu Shade, belonging to different Fulani herdsmen camps, allegedly invaded the camp of one Lawal Bello, also a Fulani man, at Iwa Village and kidnapped his 17-year old daughter, after subduing Bello and

his family.

The suspects did not stop at that as they were alleged to have raped the girl after taking her to their criminal hideout.

Crime Reports further gathered that after the forced sexual intercourse, they made a telephone call to her father and demanded N1 million as ransom for her release.

It was further learnt that the suspects also threatened their victim’s father that they would eliminate his entire family if he failed to meet their demands on or before July 14.

A police source at the

Niger State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of Niger State Police Command told Crime Reports that after receiving the call, Mr Bello contacted the antikidnapping team attached to Suleja Divisional Police Headquarters. With the support of some Fulani vigilance group members, the police tracked the two suspects and trailed them to their hideout where they were arrested The suspects were said to have confessed to the crime during police investigation, just as the second suspect, Shade, told the police

The suspects

that the first suspect, Isah, introduced him to the crime.

In an interview with Crime Reports, the complainant, Mr Bello, said that the two hoodlums used their sticks on him and one of his sons, Abdullahi Bello, and inflicted injuries on them during the invasion of his residence.

Continued from pg6

tended Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, in Ondo State, who approached and asked me if I would like to join Eiye Confraternity, and I expressed an interest. He told me he would call me when time would be ripe for initiation.

“On July 16, he called that the initiation was holding in Ibadan. As we got to Iwo Road, Ibadan, he used my phone to call a friend of his, Tunji, to come and give him N500 to pay taxi fare to Apete area where the initiation was to take place.

“While waiting for the friend, we were approached by two policemen. They searched my bag and found my clothes and toothbrush.

As they invited Ola to search his bag, he dropped it and fled. I was held tight-

ly and when they searched his bag, they found a cut-to size gun.”

Explaining his involvement, another suspect, Tunji, from Osogbo, Osun State, told Crime Reports: “Ola and I met in Osun Polytechnic, Iree. He didn’t finish school and I also dropped out because of lack of a sponsor. I became a motor-boy to learn how to drive.

“On Saturday, July 16, Ola called me to assist him by giving him money for transport. It was when I came to do that that I was arrested. I have never joined a cult group.”

Also, one of the remaining five suspects, Oladeji, confessed that he was into hijacking of fuel-laden tankers and diversion of

on Friday.

Describing the incident as “very unfortunate”, the PPRO said that the suspects would be arraigned in court for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, rape and causing grievous harm on their victims after the conclusion of police investigation.

Serial burglar buys vehicle from N2m loot THE saying that a criminal can only run but cannot hide forever came to bear on 28-year-old Ganiyu Abass when he was arrested by the Oyo State Police Command and investigation revealed that he was a serial burglar who had once stolen N2 million from the house of one of his victims.

After stealing the N2 million, Abass became a ‘proud’ owner of a Toyota Picnic vehicle which he said he bought from his loot.

The suspect was said to have been arrested on July 15 after he drove suspiciously with suspected members of his gang in the vehicle with registration number LSD 68 EA along a road in Ido Local Government Area.

Crime Reports learnt that his manner of driving aroused the suspicion of vigilance group members keeping watch along the road which prompted them to call policemen attached to Ile Ido Division; and as the hoodlums took to their heels, the police

Arrested suspect was planning robbery with members —Oyo CP The police commissioner disclosed further that the five additional gang members specialised in hijacking trucks and diverting their goods to unknown places where they sold them to criminal receivers.

He also said that investigation into the activities of the suspects would continue while efforts were being made to arrest the fleeing suspect.

But in an interview with Crime Reports, Tunde, who said that he was an indigene of Ondo State and based in Ondo town, claimed that he was invited to Ibadan by his friend, Ola, for initiation into Eiye Confraternity.

The suspect, a tailor, said: “It was Ola, who at-

Crime Reports also learnt that the victims had since been taken to the General Hospital, Minna, for treatment of the injuries.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident to Crime Reports

Sunday Tribune

goods but stopped in 2011.

“I was arrested when I followed my brother-in-law to where a vehicle was parked and police came to arrest him. I was also taken along with him and when interrogated, I confessed my past deeds.”

Speaking on the crime he had been involved in, Oladeji said: “If I was told to load goods to, for instance, Kano State, I would not go there but would divert the goods to another place.

I would not also go back to where I loaded the diverted goods. I would throw the SIM card of the number they knew me with away.

“The last time I did it was in 2011 and I was arrested, but I did not go to prison as I was granted bail when arraigned in court.”

and the security men jointly pursued them and were able to arrest Abass.

Speaking on the suspect’s arrest during a press briefing in Ibadan, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said that during investigation, it was discovered that Abass had once broken into a house at Wire and Cable area of Apata and had carted away valuable items and N2 million.

He said that the suspect confessed to have used part of the criminal proceed to purchase a Toyota Picnic vehicle which he had been using to facilitate other crimes.

“The suspect with others at large had carried out series of burglary at Ologuneru, Apete and other places in Ibadan; and in all of these places, he robbed victims of their valuables including laptops, phones and electronics which he sold to criminal receivers in Ibadan metropolis,” the police commissioner added.

Exhibits recovered from the suspect include a Toyota Picnic vehicle, with registration number LSD 68 EA, a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number MEK 495 WT and an unregistered Bajaj motor-

Ganiyu Abass

cycle.

In an interview with Crime Reports, Abass, who confessed to the crime, said he was a driver before he went into burglary.

“It is true I broke into a house at Nigeria Wire and Cable area, Apata, Ibadan and found N2 million about seven months ago. I went there in the night but no one was around. I only saw scores of kegs of petrol loaded within the compound.

“I also burgled houses at Apete and Ologuneru areas of Ibadan, but what I got was insignificant compared with the N2 million.

I worked alone and had been committing the crime for about three years now.

“I was arrested when I went to my village, Akinwaare at Ido Local Government Area and my friends came to pay me a visit. I took them to another village where we went to have drinks. On my way back, I was already drunk and did not see a log used as a barricade across the road by vigilance group men. I rode over the log, raising the men’s suspicion. They took me to Ile-Ido police station from where I was transferred to SARS. It was at SARS that I confessed to my past criminal acts.”

8

news

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

TUC condemns shooting of workers in Nasarawa Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja

From left, CEO Cardinal Security Services Ltd, Mr Silvester Ibeh; the award recipient, President, Women Arise, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin and country representative, African Child Foundation, Mr Donnaldson Onosakponome at the African Child Foundation Presentation of Role Model Award to Dr Okei-Odumakin, as advocate of the masses, at Oriental Hotels, Lagos, on Saturday.

13 inmates escape in Kogi jailbreak Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

A

T least 13 inmates of the KotonKarfe Prison in Kogi State, on Saturday, escaped from the prison after they allegedly pulled down part of its perimeter fence.

The jailbreak came barely three years after suspected insurgents attacked the prison which led to the escape of many inmates.

The latest break was, however, an internal one as the inmates were said to have taken advantage of the lapses in the system to plan their escape.

Sources told Sunday Tribune that the incident, which happened at the new medium prison along Opareke road in Koton Karfe town, saw 13 of the inmates escape from the prison.

It was further learnt that the inmates without any resistance capitalised on the lapses on the part of the prison warders.

The medium prison was

inaugurated last year by the former minister of interior, Mr Abba Moro.

The Koton-Karfe jail break came barely 24 hours after four alleged inter-state armed robbers and kidnappers were remanded in the prison custody on the orders of Loko-

ja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Chief Magistrate Alhassan Husaini gave the order in Lokoja in his ruling on arraignment of the accused persons alleged to have carried out several highway robbery, kidapping operations in Kogi, Niger

and Kaduna states.

The accused, Shaibu Kabiru, Adamu Abdulmumuni, Saleh Haruna Salisu alias Auta and Shaibu Tukur all of Obajana trailer garage, Lokoja were alleged to have carried out sundry robbery attacks on travellers on the highways.

Many stranded, trapped as flood takes over expressway, homes in Ogun Olalekan Olabulo-Lagos MANY people were stranded on Saturday evening as the Sango Ota axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was flooded after a downpour.

Hundreds of residents of the buildings along the expressway were also trapped in their homes, while those who were outside could not go inside for hours.

Residents of communities along Igbala, singer, Ijako, Owode,

Ifo, Ewekoro, Itori were stranded, while those who were going to Lagos from the communities were also stranded .

Residents had to trek from Sango under bridge to Igbaka and beyond as commercial and vehicle owners parked their vehicles along the road.

Residents, who waded through the flooded road, urged the Federal Government and Ogun State government to find a lasting solution to the problem.

A commuter, who simply identified himself as Jamiu, said “this is very terrible and shameful. Many people are trapped and could not do anything.

The government should find a lasting solution to this problem. Let there be a proper channeling of the water to a central drainage system.”

Another resident, Sheu, also stated that “we cannot go into our houses. Our families are inisde. What will happen if this rain continues till tomorrow?”

PDP national chairmanship: Dokpesi’s visit causes stir in Osun PDP From Oluwole Ige and Tunde Ogunesan THE polarisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn in Osun State, on Saturday, when a chieftain of the party, contesting for its national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, paid a visit to a faction of the party in the state.

It will be recalled that the last state congress of the party produced two party executives led by Mr Soji Adagunodo and Dr Bayo Faforiji.

The PDP at the national level had zoned the national chairmanship post to the South, and Dokpsei as one of the aspirants for the position was in Osun State

to canvass for delegates’ votes ahead of the party’s national convention, slated to hold on August 17.

But, he only visited the faction led by Dr Faforiji at its party secretariat located along Gbongan-Ibadan expressway in Osogbo, the state capital.

The other faction, which has its secretariat along Otaefun in the outskirts of Osogbo had waited endlessly for Dokpsesi, who failed to show up for a reception to honour him.

Speaking on the development, the secretary of Adagunodo faction, Prince Bola Ajao, said “we are surprised that Chief Raymond Dokpsesi did not come to our party secretariat despite the fact that

he had earlier forwarded a letter intimating us officially that he was coming.”

Meanwhile, Chief Dokpesi has promised to unite all warring factions in the PDP, restructure and rebuild the party if elected as the national chairman of the party.

Chief Dokpesi stated this on Friday night when he visited the Oyo State party secretariat at Molete, Ibadan, with his team.

The team, which was led by the former Chief Whip in the Senate, Senator Kasim Oyofo, also had Honourable Henry Duke Tenebe in attendance, among others, and was received at the party secretariat by the PDP Chairman, Oyo State, Mr Yinka Taiwo, some party leaders in the state and

scores of party supporters.

In the same vein, a group of political leaders in Ekiti State, under the aegis of Ekiti Integrity Forum, has thrown its weight behind a former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran, as National Chairman of the PDP as the August 17 national convention of the party approaches.

Ekiti Integrity Forum’s support for Professor Adeniran, according to the spokesperson of the group, Chief Dayo Olanrewaju, out of the candidates vying for the exalted position, is necessary because the former minister stands out as a man of integrity, making him the most appropriate to reposition the party for greatness.

THE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned the shooting of workers by the police during a joint visit of the leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to Governor Umaru Tanko al-Makura of Nasarawa State, on Friday.

The shooting, allegedly carried out by the police stationed at the gate of the Government House, reportedly left a worker dead and injured two others.

The statement signed by TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and the acting Secretary General, Comrade Simeso Amachree, read: “We are distraught that labour leaders who were in the state to dialogue with the state government over the unlawful 50 per cent cut in salaries of workers in the state were confronted with such dastardly act. We are especially shocked that the incident happened while the new Commissioner of Police in the state was also there visiting the governor.

“It was certainly uncalled for because the workers were unarmed and their protest was very legitimate and peaceful. There is absolutely no reason bullets should be employed to intimidate and cow workers from insisting on their fundamental rights.”

Ondo gov: Jimoh Ibrahim to contest in PDP

By Dare Adekanmbi

CONTRARY to earlier impression that he will use the platform of Accord to contest the governorship of Ondo State, chairman of Global Fleet Group, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, will run for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Ibrahim, it was gathered, had approached former President Olusegun Obasanjo to prevail on a former governor of Oyo State and national leader of Accord, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to allow him run on Accord ticket.

However, in a text message sent to his associates and friends, a copy of which Sunday Tribune got, Ibrahim indicated to run on the platform of the PDP. He said he would join the race “in a strategic move”, hoping that his efforts and those of others would bring peace to the state chapter of the party.

“In a few weeks from today, I will be joining the race for Ondo State governorship in a strategic move. It is my hope that our collective efforts will bring that much peace we are looking for in our party and also in our great state.

“I will be running on the platform of our great party, PDP. Thanks for your support,” he said in the terse message.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Renaissance Forum (ORF), a group of professionals and academics from Ondo South Senatorial District, has declared support for the business tycoon.

The Secretary-General of the group, Mr Olufemi Aduwo, said ORF welcomed Ibrahim’s participation in the governorship race, adding that doing so would address the injustice done to the South district.

ORF, Aduwo said, would resist any attempt by “selfacclaimed godfathers” to impose any candidate from either of the remaining two districts, promising to disgrace such godfathers ta the polls.

“We are aggressively mobilising Jimoh Ibrahim who is from our district to ensure he becomes the next governor of Ondo State.”

Prisons chief solicits support for Kirikiri inmates Bola Badmus-Lagos DEPUTY Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Mr. Seye Oduntan, has solicited for more assistance from members of the public for prison inmates.

Oduntan made this appeal while receiving in his office the trustees of African Ultimate Human Development Trust (AUHDT), a non- profit and a non-governmental organization, led by its president, Chief (Mrs.) Oluwaseun Alli, who came to donate some materials, including mattresses and blankets, for the use of the inmates of the prison.

According to Oduntan, the inmates areas of need include skill acquisition, books for the library and vehicle to aid their movement to and back from courts so as to aid quick dispensation of justice.

The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, however, expressed his gratitude to the organisation, saying the donated materials would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the inmates.

9

feature

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Many are looking at the president to fulfil his promise on new carrier’

Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation Continued from

Dr Harold Demuren

Group Captain John Ojikutu

Mr Taiwo Adenekan

pg 3

ken to lamented the failure of the government to fulfill its promise of floating a new national carrier 14 months after it came to power.

Analysts in the sector have stated that if the government knew that the project would not be accomplished, then there was no reason to have wasted resources when it set up several committees which sat in Lagos, Abuja and even travelled abroad, in search of technical partners with allowances and other expenses paid.

Any attempt to jettison the project, they said, would encourage more capital flights out of the country by foreign airlines as they will continue to enjoy the several Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) the government has signed with over 78 countries without reciprocity from Nigeria.

Public opinion Despite the controversy over the national carrier, there are divergent views on why the Buhari government should either continue or discontinue with the project.

For Group Captain John Ojikutu (retired) and a former Murtala Muhammed Airport Commandant, government floating a national carrier, national airline or flag carriers in whatever form is desirable, but at this time of the downturn in the nation’s economy, “it is not advisable for government to exclusively venture into it. Moreover, it is not an essential need, just as it is old-fashioned these days for government to do it all alone. What is fashionable among most developed and developing countries today are flag carriers or national airlines which put majority of ownership and controlling shares in the hands of the public and private investors. Whatever would be government interest in such enterprise should not diminish the NCAA oversight functions or sanctions on the airline.”

According to Ojikutu, national carrier, flag carrier or national airline with substantial government investment cannot be the answer for gaining the benefits of the country’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) or Open Sky. He said to establish an airline with capacity to effectively and adequately compete with foreign airlines on the Nigerian international routes, would take three to four years or probably less with two or three airlines.

Such airlines would need a minimum of 30 medium and long range new generation aircraft to operate the available regional, continental and intercontinental routes.

NCAA would be expected to regularly subject the airlines operations to safety and security oversight, as it would do on private operators without any bias.

For him, to effectively compete with other airlines and join alliances with contemporary airlines on international routes, the national carrier would need International Air Transport Association (IATA) Safety and Security certification.

While government would need to recruit or train pilots, engineers, etc in sufficient numbers, there would be need to rationalise the operating international routes and frequencies of flights between the private operators on the existing routes and the new airline.

For instance, government may have to share the frequencies of flights on the London and New York routes between Arik, Medview and the new national airline.

“Because of the urgency of government to establish the

Whatever would be government interest in such enterprise should not diminish the NCAA oversight functions or sanctions on the airline. airline, government may have to convert the intervention funds given to some airlines by taking over their fleet as equity to establish two or three national airlines. It is with a view to obtaining 45 per cent equity for the public and government not having more than 10 per cemt of the equity. The balance of 55 per cent should be set aside for foreign technical investors and Nigerian investors while ensuring that the Nigerian investors do not have more than 10 per cent,” Ojikutu stated.

The Chief Executive Officer of Finum Aviation Services and a former engineer with the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways, Mr Sheri Kyari, described the suspension of the project as a big blow to many who had hoped that the return of the national carrier would boost technical expertise and generate employment for the industry.

Kyari declared that the return of the carrier would boost competition in Nigeria, especially as foreign carriers were gradually taking over the domestic scene from indigenous carriers, courtesy of the multiple entries they now flew into within the country.

Apart from the financial loss, Kyari further observed that young graduates from various aviation schools across the country and beyond would not be able to secure jobs in the sector.

To him, rather than suspend the project, the government should look at several models available to it in setting up a national carrier.

“We have been battling with foreign carriers’ incursion into multiple entries in the country and this has not been properly annexed to reduce capital flight. Everybody was looking at this national carrier as a tool to reducing capital flight out of the country and also for development in the aviation industry.

“I want to appeal to the government to reconsider its position and allow the project to continue. That is why some of us have been saying that the committee that worked on the national carrier should have given government at least three different models of a national carrier.

“The first should be whether the government would be able to finance the entire project, while the second should be looking for Nigerian investors for the project. The third is that it can involve other multinationals across the borders of this country. So, if government doesn’t have money, they should reconsider initiating this project and immediately placing it in the market to sell it to the public. I think that will do us a lot of good.”

Mr Sheri Kyari

The Managing Director, Amecon Maintenance Organisation, Mr Godwin Jibodu, an engineer, insisted that it was necessary for Nigeria to have a national carrier, but noted that the liquidation of the former carrier did not go through the National Assembly as recognised by the law.

He said that for the government to be successful in the formation of a new national carrier, it should embrace specialists within the country, organise a forum and allow them to input their ideas on how the carrier would function.

Likely challenges Even in the midst of the uncertainties, key players who have not lost hope in the ability of the government to float a new national airline have identified some issues that may frustrate the goal.

According to a former Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, lack of good corporate governance may hinder the establishment of a new national airline.

Demuren, while stressing that without good corporate governance the project would be a failure, equally cautioned that for the project to be a success, “there must be technical personnel and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities in place where all the categories of checks would be carried out,” warning that without this, the entire project would collapse.

“You can say ‘I am a minister, therefore that airline must employ my sister.’ Your sister is a feeding bottle lawyer, you make her the director of legal; we don’t operate that way, you won’t get it right. That is what happens every day in Nigeria.

“But, if you must have a national carrier, you must also have a first class maintenance facility; you must have flight training with simulators because that is what takes your money away. And you must have a good technical partner who will bring his expertise, knowledge, systems and also fund into the system. If you do that, you can make it.”

The Managing Consultant, PTD Consulting, Mr Taiwo Adenekan, said that it was necessary all the outstanding issues pertaining to the former national carrier were settled before the government came up with another carrier, warning that if not, the proposed carrier would die like the former.

Adenekan said all the outstanding benefits of the workers of the defunct carrier must first be settled, as any attempt not to pay off the former workers before the reestablishment of a new one would lead to labour crisis, which might not augur well for the country.

Another factor that may militate against the project is the lack of adequate policies that would protect the operations of the would-be airline which would prevent government officials or the political class from interfering in the new national carrier as it happened in the past.

The privilege given the foreign carriers, according to analysts, may work against the proposed carrier which includes multiple entry points and the lopsided BASA agreements.

The general belief in the sector, presently, is that President Buhari may have been caught up between its earlier position and the fear of economic burden in the face of the present economic hardship.

In the face of such uncertainty, it is Nigerian travellers that would continue to be at the receiving end, while other countries excel with their national carriers.

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news

Bayelsa gets another varsity

T

HE National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the establishment of the University of Africa for Bayelsa State, the 43rd state university in the country.

This was contained in a statement issued by Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, in Yenagoa on Saturday.

According to the statement, NUC handed over the letter of approval to Governor Dickson when he visited the commission in Abuja.

It quoted Dickson as expressing gratitude to Professor Julius Okojie, the NUC’s Executive Secretary, for the warm reception accorded him and his team.

“The approval of the university followed the formal presentation of relevant ga-

PDP chair: Poll favours Adeniran, says media director

By Dare Adekanmbi THE aggregate opinion of many of the leaders and founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) favours the emergence of a former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Professor Tunde Adeniran, as the national chairman of the party, his Director of Media, Taiwo Akeju, has said.

Akeju, who disclosed this while speaking with Sunday Tribune, said Adeniran is the leading contender on the strength of being an aspirant without any blemish, in and out of government.

He stressed that the outcome of nationwide consultations embarked upon

by the former minister of education had indicated that he is the aspirant to beat at the party’s August 17 convention, where a new chairman of the party will emerge.

According to Akeju, many of the leaders who left the PDP for others parties when impunity was the order of the day in the running of the party have expressed willingness to rejoin the party once Adeniran emerges.

“One strong point for the Ekiti State-born Professor Adeniran is that he does not have any EFCC or ICPC case and there is no record of malfeasance in the discharge of national responsibilities thrust upon his shoulders both as minister and ambassador,” he said.

zette law, academic brief, physical master-plan as well as the satisfactory report of the advisory resource assessment visit by the commission,” the Executive Secretary said.

Dickson explained that the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, was conceived as a public private partnership venture and designed as a first rate institution of learning to attract some of the best teachers from Africa and the world.

He said the university would be funded by private partners, while the government would only provide the enabling environment for its establishment.

“Our belief is that for a university to be sustainable, we must create room for private sector participation and involvement.

“The University of Africa is the first of its kind in this country to be established by government with private sector involvement.

“It will be strictly a fee paying tertiary institution that will attract students from across the continent and the globe,” he said.

Okojie congratulated the state, saying that, “the establishment of the university took effect from July 28, having complied with the basic requirements.”

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

11

interview

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Even best universities in the world produce half-baked graduates —Nigerian-born US varsity don Associate Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, United States of America, Nigerian-born Olufemi Ayadi, is an economist and also teaches Healthcare Economics in the School of Business. She is currently at the University of Ibadan, Department of Economics, as a scholar participating in the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme. She speaks with RITA OKONOBOH on the collaborative work she’s involved in, how standards of education compare in Nigeria and abroad, and how the Nigerian society can embrace quality and positive development. Excerpts:

I

Do you encounter Nigerian students in your class abroad? What is your opinion of them?

Yes. Every semester, there would be at least one or two.

However, I treat all my students as the same. Although if I see an unserious Nigerian student, I point it out to them that, whether they have wealthy parents to send them to such schools or their parents even borrowed to send them to the university. I tell them not to waste such opportunity. It is sad when I see Nigerian students abroad not taking advantage of every opportunity.

Educational background ’M a graduate of the University of Ibadan. I finished my first degree from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Faculty of Agriculture, in 1989. Then I went on to the United States of America and got my Masters and PhD in Economics from Georgia State University.

Why did you decide to leave Fisheries Management for Economics?

I wasn’t too excited about Fisheries Management and its options. I was more interested in economics. After my youth service, I did my internship with a non-governmental organisation, the Women International League for Peace and Freedom, on economic development in Geneva, Switzerland. After that internship, I got interested in learning more about economics formally, so I applied for my Masters programme. I became more interested in healthcare issues as it related to Economics, so I did my PhD thesis in healthcare economics.

How long have you been lecturing?

Over 10 years. Prior to going into academia, I worked for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a Federal Government public health agency, as a health economist. I’ve been outside Nigeria since 1991, about a year after I finished my youth service.

You’re coming to Nigeria at a time when the education sector seems to have a lot of challenges.

How would you advise government at all levels on making education a priority?

I’m appalled. I can’t understand why any worker hasn’t been paid salaries for months. Education is that area where you can’t afford not to fund. You think of those who have been out of school for months; that’s another loss. How do they catch up? And they don’t. They’re going to miss some things, and they may be promoted like that. The ones in some private schools are not so much better. It’s really sad.

Why did you read Fisheries Management in the first place?

It was the department to be in at the time. Fisheries sounded exciting because they spent six months of practical training at the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research in Lagos and another six months at Kainji Dam, Niger State. However, looking back, at the end of the day, the most important thing is getting an undergraduate degree from a sound university. Sometimes, you don’t really know what you want to do when growing up, until after your first degree, but that doesn’t mean you should sit around for four years. By the time I had the internship experience, I knew clearly that I wanted to study Economics.

So, what is your mission as a scholar in the University of Ibadan?

It’s a programme of the Carnegie Foundation, in collaboration with the Institute of International Education and the United States International University-Africa.

It’s called the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship programme. What they’re interested in is having Africans, who are in the academia in the Diaspora, particularly, in Canada or the United States, who are interested in coming home for a while to collaborate with some African universities. It works two ways. The African university expresses interest in hosting a scholar from the Diaspora, and the scholar expresses interest in working with an African university, so the programme does the matching up. In my case, I had contacted the University of Ibadan because I was interested in the institution. I applied to the Carnegie Foundation, University of Ibadan also applied to the Carnegie Foundation, and we were matched.

However, you don’t have to have a university in mind.

All you need to do is submit your details and what you’re interested in working on. The programme is focused on three areas – teaching, research and curriculum development.

How long have you been here and what has the experience has been like?

I’ve been here for six weeks. The experience has been great. I’ve interacted with several graduates and doctoral students, mentoring them on their thesis research. I’ve also interacted with some colleagues and we’re working on a research project with the hope of producing a couple of research papers with a newly released data from the World Bank on Service Delivery Indicators in Nigeria.

How would you compare teaching experience abroad and at home?

There is always room for improvement, specifically in Nigeria. As a product of UI, I am able to compare what I had back then and what obtains now. From my experience, I can say that students are students everywhere.

There are students who have meagre resources but are eager to learn. They push through the constraints and excel. There are students who have all the resources, but do nothing and fail to excel. So, you find that in Nigeria or abroad. The students I’ve interacted with are willing

Dr Ayadi to learn and if they had access to resources as students abroad do, they would go a longer way.

There is a popular notion that Nigerian universities produce a lot of half-baked graduates. With your experience, would you subscribe to that notion?

You can have half-baked graduates anywhere in the world, even among the best universities. It’s an individual thing. However, here, there is the challenge of access to resources; many challenges to overcome in effort to have an education. These challenges can be distracting. There is the power situation. People don’t have enough money to even buy books, so they rely on photocopied materials. There is no reliable and affordable internet connectivity, unlike in the United States where one can access free internet from any public library. So, the things that students have to face here, is a lot, but it is still doable. I would desire that universities had more resources. For instance, it would be nice that students could be in the lecture theatre and light doesn’t go off during examinations. Despite these challenges, people still come out of these universities top-rate and when Nigerian students get abroad, they excel because they have had to do the same things with less resources.

You can have half-baked graduates anywhere in the world, even among the best universities. It’s an individual thing

When you consider Nigeria’s healthcare industry, would you say hospital administrators are doing the best they can?

Hospital administrators, a lot of the time, are trained as clinicians. They are doctors, who now take up the role of administrators. And in their training as doctors, they might not have been trained in management. That’s the field I work in. Healthcare can be costly, and doctors are trained to save lives, not to think about economic cost.

So, we want to train administrators to understand that, as important as it is to save lives, there is a cost to it and we should make the best use of our resources within the healthcare sector. Who gets what and how much and how should we pay for healthcare? There is the issue of who should pay for healthcare. Should we leave it all for government? It is very clear that that is not the answer.

We have the middle class who do not really need to rely on government. That’s why the government has put together the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), that is, some sort of health insurance programme.

There are various health insurance programmes that can cater for various classes of people. There are even community-based health insurance programmes. Paying for healthcare requires some form of a risk-pooling model.

If the opportunity presented itself to relocate to Nigeria, would you take it?

Well, I would tell you that after about 25 years abroad, East or West, home is the best. Many people who have spent years in the Diaspora yearn to come home, but there is the issue of how best to do it. There are people who leave all they have in Nigeria and go abroad and realise they have made the worst mistake. There are also those who want to come back, but they don’t do it right and realise they’ve made a mistake. A lot of Nigerians abroad want to come back home to an environment where they can work. However, in the absence of that, they visit. For instance, I come home every year. I’ve been a Fulbright Scholar at Covenant University, Ota, where I spent eight months. I’ve also spent two separate summers volunteering at the University of Lagos under a programme initiated by the National Universities Commission. So, we all want to find a way to come home or give back to the country. Nigeria can be a very pleasant place to be, especially with the people, but we need to develop an attitude of excellence. Not everybody may have that, but the more people that have that, the better.

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

13 Continued from

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31 July, 2016 last week

body of experts consisting of representatives of former school proprietors or voluntary agencies will be set up to review existing government ownership of primary and secondary schools (including Teacher Training Colleges), and recommend what type of collaboration or partnership there should be between them and the government.

5. Medical and health facilities, will, as from next October, be provided free of charge to every Nigerian. The present policy, under which only a few persons enjoy these facilities, is discriminatory and not permissible under our new Constitution. The chief constraint on the implementation of this programme is the shortage of doctors, health officers, and ancillary workers. The training of this personnel will be pursued with vigour and a sense of urgency. Meanwhile, Nigerian herbalists, who satisfy certain criteria which will be prescribed, will be called upon to attend to certain classes of ailments at Government’s expense.

6. The modernisation of agriculture and the radical transformation of the rural areas will commence immediately after our accession to office. To this end, our opticom scheme will be established simultaneously in all parts of the country. It is envisaged that, within our first term of office, no farmer, however low his present income, will earn less than N2,400.00 net profit a year.

It is also envisaged that, during the same period, most of the wretched and disgraceful shelters which now abound in our rural areas will have disappeared, and that these areas would have become as habitable as our towns and cities. In particular, we will ensure a considerable increase in the production of food crops like rice, wheat, maize, and yams, and cash crops like cotton, rubber, cocoa, oil-palm produce and groundnuts.

7. The forces of nature are unruly. But man is ordained to conquer, tame and harness them for his own well-being and happiness. In order to conquer the aridness of most parts of the country, especially the northern parts, we will, as a matter of urgency, embark on extensive irrigation schemes with a view to making the fertile lands of those arid areas yield their fruits in abundance.

8. The development of agriculture will be accompanied by the processing of foodcrops: the conversion of cassava tubers into garri, of wheat grains into flour, of yams into powder for Iyan and Amala, of maize into Ogi and poultry feeds and of rice into Uncle Ben type of product.

9. The self-employed roadside mechanics, vulca-

Awo’s thoughts PATH TO NIGERIAN GREATNESS

On the campaign trail

The framework of national policies* nizers, and other allied operators provide very useful services to a majority of car users, lorry bus owners, and motor cyclists. But these technicians lack modern equipment as well as ideal premises for the prosecution of their trades. Early steps will be taken: (a) to assist them to organise themselves into cooperatives; (b) to provide them with workshops in suitable locations; (c) to procure modern equipments for them; and (d) to provide them where necessary, with managerial knowhow and advice.

The cost of all these services would be deducted instalmentally from their annual profits.

10. All petty traders of whatever description will be provided with decent markets in suitable locations to ensure easy access for all concerned.

11. Modern abattoirs will be provided in all our large towns and cities, and cold stores, for the use of meat sellers, will be provided on rental basis in every market.

12. Our Constitution stipulates that every Nigerian should be guaranteed a National Minimum Living Income to enable him to secure suitable and adequate food, suitable and adequate shelter, and, by necessary implication, decent clothing and reasonable comfort.

After a cursory investigation, we are satisfied that a monthly wage, salary or income below 200.00 cannot procure for any of us the basic necessities of life stipulated in our new Constitution. Accordingly, the UPN

Sunday Tribune

will take every necessary step to ensure, within our first term of office, that no Nigerian earns, as income or wage, anything less than this monthly minimum.

13. We already have a complete design of a threebedroom bungalow which does not cost more than 4,500.00. Within our term of office, we will ensure that most Nigerians own their own houses through a special mortgage loan scheme. With a minimum income of 2,400.00, any Nigerian who is willing should be able to take advantage of the special mortgage scheme.

14. Poll Tax, Community Tax and Jangali are oppressive and regressive imposts. Accordingly they will be abolished immediately after our assumption of office.

So also will tenement rates levied on houses in villages and hamlets in certain parts of the country.

15. All existing bans on imports and all restraints on commerce will be removed. Save that, with regard to certain countries to which we lose heavily in foreign exchange, we will insist on a complete reciprocity of trade; failing which we will be obliged to exclude imports from such countries from entering into Nigeria.

In other words, if reciprocity of trade is established with the exporting countries, import of stockfish will be allowed without restraint.

Simultaneously, with the lifting of bans on imports, a deferred payment system will be introduced as an interim measure, in respect of certain items of imports.

16. We will radically transform all our towns and cities, by constructing better and wider tarred roads with effective drains, and by keeping them free of refuse, filth and stench. Within the next two years, we should make all our urban areas objects of which every Nigerian can feel justifiably proud.

17. Our railways will be completely modernised. Our aim is both to attain a speed of more than 160 kmh and efficient management. The present policy of the FMG whereby a body of foreign experts are invited to improve the tone of our railway management will be continued, save that we will insist that the foreign experts should also have a capital-participating stake in the venture.

Furthermore, for a beginning, we will within our term of office, construct new, modern, and fast railway lines between Lagos and Kano: Lagos and Enugu; and Kaduna and Enugu.

18. Air travel is now very popular with our people.

But they are from time to time frustrated by delays. We will do all in our power to ensure regular and punctual internal and external air services.

To be continued

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14

voxpop

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

What is your view about a new wife living with her in-laws when her husband is abroad?

It is not uncommon in Nigeria for a new wife to live with her in-laws when her husband is outside the country for various reasons. AYOADE ADERINTO and TEMITAYO ILIASU sought people’s views on the practice.

OLAWALE TAOFIK OLADIRAN IT has both positive and negative effects but I would rather say yes, it is right for the wife to stay with her inlaws when her husband is abroad. But it should be based on the type of relationship that exists between the wife and the in-laws. The most important thing is that they should not share the same room with the wife because she needs her privacy and she should be treated with respect.

MARY WELLINGTON I don’t think it is right for a wife to live with her inlaws. Personally I love my privacy. I’m an independent person and will prefer to stay on my own, rather than stay with any in-law. I can live very close to them, but definitely not with them.

AUSTIN PETER When a new wife lives with her in-laws, it fosters good relationship between both. It also allows the wife to be of good behaviour, even in her husband’s absence.

SADE OWOEYE I think it depends, especially if the new wife has a healthy relationship with her in-laws. However, I won’t advise such for a new wife. It would be better for her to get a small apartment for herself, pending the time her husband comes back or she goes to meet him.

OLUWASEGUN OLUWATOSIN PAUL I believe the wife staying with her in-laws is old fashioned and therefore, I don’t believe such practice still exists. I believe such a wife should have her own apartment to avoid any trouble or anything that can cause quarrel between her and her in-laws.

PAUL OLATUNBOSUN LAWAL I don’t think it is right for a new wife to live with her in-laws while her husband is abroad because nowadays, women tend to misbehave when there is little space between her and her husband. I won’t advice such for a new wife. Rather, the woman should join her husband abroad.

CHRISTIAN NWOSU I think it is right for a new bride to live with her in-laws because this will build good relationship between her and her in-laws. It will also help to monitor the wife for the husband while he is away and create better understanding of her in-laws’ behaviours, likes and dislikes., etc.

TEMITOPE OKUNADE PERSONALLY, I think it is not right for a wife to live with her in-laws because it may cause conflict between her and her in-laws before her husband comes back. I will advise her to stay in her matrimonial home.

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31 July, 2016

children’sarena

How we will spend our

holidays ASEKOMHE SAMUEL, SS1, 15 YEARS: The holiday is going to be an i n t e r esting one and it is also go- ing to be an eventful one because m y siblings and I will be travelling to spend our holidays with our cousins. We will all have fun together as there will be lots of shopping, outdoor activities and most importantly, the electricity in the vicinity is stable. Also, the people in the neighbourhood are very nice so we will all have a nice time.

ABOUT • 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 frequency 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.

Tongue twister

birthday at her place and she took all of us to Osun grove and a restaurant 2 where we had a nice time. I have no doubt that the holiday is also going to be eventful.

SANNI BOLUWATIFE, JSS2, 12 YEARS: I always spend my holidays at my aunt’s place in Osun State. When i’m there, I play, eat, work and read. Her place is always very interesting because of her children. I celebrated my last

Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 0807 449 7425

Compiled by Temitayo Iliasu

4

1

3

Sunday Tribune

ATILOLA VICTORIA, JS3, 13 YEARS: I will still maintain my normal routine such as going to church, helping my parents with errands at home, helping with the chores and reading in preparation for my junior examination. I will also be attending a summer lesson near my home so as

Chameleon

not to spend the whole time playing.

5

EKUNDAYO FAITHFULNESS, SS1, 13 YEARS: I would like to spend my holiday in Ilorin, Kwara State, 6 because it will give me the opportunity to meet with friends and rela6 tives that I have not seen for a long time. I will also indulge myself in eating delicious food such as pepper soup, fried rice and lots of vegetables and there will also be lots of shopping for bags, shoes and clothes.

ADEDOJA SARAH, SS1, 14 YEARS: This holiday will be a long one. The first week of the holiday I will be resting, studying and assessing my previous examinations and I will also be free to visit friends and families.

I will also be attending holiday coaching in my school that will prepare me for next term. The last week of the holiday will see me visiting my maternal grandmother at her home town in Osun State, I will help her at her shop and this will be the best time to make new friends.

ADEBIYI MICHAEL, SS1, 14 YEARS: I am very sure that I will have fun this holiday as I will be reading and studying my books, I will also be going to the Ventura Cinema, the high court and the office of Nigerian Tribune. I am looking forward to the holiday .

Respondents are students of Talenty International School, Ajibode, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Famous invention

k ild ee Ch e w th of

A tree toad loved a she-toad Who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree toad But a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree toad tried to win The three-toed she-toad’s heart, For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground That the three-toed tree toad trod.

But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain.

He couldn’t please her whim.

From her tree toad bower With her three-toed power The she-toad vetoed him.

Full meaning of TRIBUNE

T­—Teaching students R—Restructing Economy I — Informing the world B — Building the nation U — Uniting tribes and religion N — Nigerian news faithful informant E — Educating the ignorant

By Oladokun Precious, S.S 1 Markscomprehensivehighschool, Gbopa, Ologuneru, Ibadan.

Cordless-screwdriver

T

Adedamola Moses Elegbede clocked Happy birthday.

1

HE first inventor of the screw is unknown, although people saw screw shaped tools as a very common item around the 1st century. That’s almost 2,000 years ago!

The first screwdrivers were used in for unscrewing corks on the wines, olive oil bottles, and for pressing clothes. They used to be made of wood, but now they are made of metal, for extra strength, durability, and stability. To accompany the screwdriver, the metal screws and nuts appeared to fasten two objects together, in the fifteenth century. In 1770, the English instrument maker, Jesse Ramsden, invented the first screw-cutting device. After Ramsden, other inventors were inspired. David Wilkinson, an American inventor, invented a machine used to mass produce metal screws. In 1908, the Robertson screw was invented by P. L. Robertson, from Canada.

The Philips head screw was invented by Henry Philips, in the early 1930s. The first inventor of the hexagonal screw of Allen key is unknown, but some believe that the first inventor was Gilbert F. Heublein. In 1744, the first bit for the carpenter was invented, which was the first simple screwdriver. Handheld screwdrivers started to be used after 1800. Now there are numerous numbers of screwdrivers, and vast varieties

clocked

recently. Many

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31 July, 2016

N

IGERIA is a praying nation. We need to pray more for Buhari and his administration. The last time, I submitted that there is no painless economic policy choice on the table for Nigeria at current low oil prices and at almost zero non-oil export earning, especially for a country that has wasted its previous oil windfall earnings. Therefore Nigerians need prayers.

Now that the administration has decided to float the Naira and appoint primary dealers for the single official foreign exchange market at the time, when the Central Bank of Nigeria remains the primary source of supply of dollars and the importations of goods have not abated, Nigeria needs prayers.

This CBN policy is audacious and laudable because it has gone towards liberalisation of foreign exchange market and it has also moved towards curtailing the opportunities for currency fraud.

However, it has indirectly devalued the currency by about forty (40) percent. This is in addition to the earlier policy to allow the selling price of fuel (PMS) to be cost reflective and the accompanying removal of fuel subsidies. These are strategic economic policies and strategy is simply about making difficult choices, we need to encourage and support him for his courage to confront the tough issues. Therefore, he needs our prayers much more.

The resultant effects of the above choices will be painful in the interim as Naira devalues, inflation continues to rise and the risk hedging mechanism, which is built into the new foreign exchange system means the Naira equivalent has to be provided upfront by the importers. This indirect mopping up of the Naira will make the interest rate and the cost of borrowing to go up. Naturally, CBN may want to raise interest rate to tame inflation, but this could impact negatively on the economy that needs growth to navigate its way out of economic recession. Tough time is here and definitely, the administration needs our prayers.

Nigeria economy has an unbounded space that defies many (if not all) economic theories, the reduction in importation is expected, after the devaluation of Naira but unfortunately, this may not materialize because the LAGOS and Ogun states have been subjected to series of brazen attacks by so-called militants in the past couple of weeks. Communities have been attacked and ransacked for no just cause, with scores of people killed, women raped and several families rendered homeless. Indeed the sudden lawlessness was so sudden that one could rightly say that the two states were caught napping. Residents were kidnapped with reckless abandon including a traditional ruler and a pastor. Before the abduction of the traditional ruler, the Oniba of Iba in Lagos state, the convoy of the deputy governor of Ogun state was ambushed. She had gone to one of the attacked communities to commiserate with them and to assure them of the determination of the government to protect their lives and property.

She was not allowed to finish her speech before she was literally chased out by these vandals. Her being successfully chased out of the community was a metaphor for the level of security in the state and other parts of the country.

It was thus a welcome relief last Thursday when the military bombarded the base of suspected militants in the Arepo area of Ogun State and some parts of Lagos State in a joint military operation, which lasted for more than one hour and which left some of the “militants” dead.

The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, who confirmed the operation, said, “The military only conducted its routine operation for the purpose of denying the vandals and other criminal elements from causing terror in the area.” The operation, codenamed, Operation Awatse, was initiated by the defence headquarters to dominate the area with a view to flushing out all manners of criminals including militants and saboteurs.

When these criminals linked to militants from the Niger Delta first attacked some communities along the Ibafo, Arepo axis some months back, the question I asked at that time was “are they really militants?”

Militants take up arms to fight for the rights they believe have been unjustly denied them. These ones are nothing but hardened criminals out to deprive others of those things for which they have worked hard.

Whatever name these people may decide to go by, they are simply terrorists and they deserve to be treated as

0811 695 4647

olanreade@yahoo.com

Nigeria needs prayers

Sunday Tribune

tinuous sabotage by militants in the Niger Delta region, whose activities have resulted to a loss of about 700,000 barrels per day of oil at peak and at times, when the pipelines are restored, 200,000 barrels per day of oil loss. The President used the end of the muslim prayers to call for Nigerians to help talk to the militants and he asked Nigerians to pray. The militancy activity with the fall in oil prices since 2014, means the country is operating with a quarter or less of what it earned two years ago. This has been the situation until last month, when revenues available for sharing spiked above 500billion unlike in the previous twelve months. Although, the devaluation has helped the Naira available from sales of crude oil, the reality is that the spike was attributed mainly to the increase in income taxes and custom collection, usually experienced in June, July and August. An indication that Nigeria is not out of the wood yet and to plug the revenue gap, the country needs prayer for the helping hands of its allies abroad on the recovery of billions of dollars looted in the past, much of this now stashed in foreign banks and assets.

•Wale Bolorunduro, Ph.D, Developmental Finance Strategist, Former Head of Infrastructures and Power Sector, Zenith Bank Plc and Immediate Past Commissioner of Finance, Osun

country lacks the capacity and the “will” to produce locally, finished goods or to process raw materials into industrial components. Local production is time-consuming for the rent-seeking Nigeria business men and it will prevent them from their usual capital flight. The President has made the clarion call by reminding the Nation that the era of free monies is gone. We need to work!!. Nigeria needs prayer to change our ways of doing businesses, to listen to the President and we need special prayer for God to raise economic enablers and not chronic capitalists to build this nation.

The revenues are still in crisis, as a result of the con-

frontrow with Toyin Willoughby Muyi 0805 500 1769 toyeenz@yahoo.com

Operation Awatse

such.

The way I see it, these people have nothing legitimate for which they are fighting; they simply want to continue their brigandage, which has been seriously curtailed in the delta region and which has also been curtailed by the sudden availability of fuel; a situation that has effectively truncated oil bunkering. Thus, they are into other “lucrative” businesses as abductions and armed robbery.

Many people have wondered how these non-Yoruba speaking vandals got to the southwest and how they were able to penetrate their host communities to the

Rev. Adesua’s book With the fecundity espoused in his last two books, my former boss, Rev. Sam Adesua is indeed inspired. The excitement generated by his autobiography is however nothing compared to his new effort “the clock of man’s life.” I also figure a kind of telepathy in its spiritual communication. Readers simply connected with the few paragraphs quoted penultimate Sunday.

From the day it was mentioned, readers have kept demanding copies. Finally, copies are now available at Tribune’s office, Motorways, Alausa. Those outside of Lagos will be linked directly with the Author.

I couldn’t put it down.

extent that they have become so powerful and so dangerous to these communities. One should not forget that our constitution allows free movement; and also allows bona fide Nigerians to reside wherever they wished. Apart from this, generations of non-Yoruba speaking Nigerians have always lived amicably with Yorubas. These ones are just strange ones and could easily have come from any of the many ethnic groups that make up Nigeria.

And as some Ijaw leaders pointed out, these people may not necessarily be Ijaws so it makes no sense to start attacking Ijaws in these states or to destroy their properties as some Yoruba youths were reported to have done. It is heart-warming though, that Ijaw leaders in Lagos, have taken steps to douse the apprehension arising from the situation. And one hopes that the Yoruba youth groups that recently threatened a reprisal attack on Ijaw indigenes resident in Lagos and other South West states would sheath their swords.

Two wrongs definitely do not make a right.

Having said this, perhaps one should ask this pertinent question, who is after Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria or, why the sudden shift of these vandals to Lagos and its environs? What are their motives?

Has it anything to do with Dangote’s refinery, which is billed to start producing later in 2018 and subsequent oil drilling which is set to begin off the South West coast? Could this be the explanation for the influx of these strange people? Whatever is the motive, one thing is certain the government must take adequate control of the coast lands; to this end, a well-thoughtout security plan must be put in place. And this must go beyond deploying police to arrest these criminals.

The latter is obviously out of the question for these are no ordinary criminals, they are high- tech gangs with well articulated modus operandi who at different times have gone out on operations with the sole intent to kill, maim, abduct and generally leave sorrow in their trail.

The action by the military high command is most welcome at this time that these criminals have taken the law into their hands, yet as welcome as the bombardment may be, the military must ensure that there is no collateral damage – no accidental shooting of innocent Nigerians going about their daily activities.

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I regret

marrying many wives Veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, would have been celebrating his 52 years of acting career, but the death of his wife, Henrietta, some weeks ago made him to shelve the plans. The former President of Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), who returned to acting days back, in this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, speaks on the loss of his wife, among other issues.

Y

—Jide Kosoko

OU just signed an endorsement deal with MeritAbode Limited, owners of Emerald Estates.

This is coming at a time when you are yet to get over the demise of your wife, Henrietta. Tell us about

the deal.

The deal has actually been on the table for some months now. It was borne out of the fact that the company is genuine and trustworthy. I am happy to be associated with them and I am ready to help the company achieve its aim of bringing me on board.

What did that deal fetch you in terms of cash and other benefits?

It is not in my character to reveal what a deal fetches me. You will agree with me that I don’t do such and this is not going to be an exception. The deal means a lot to me because this will help in ensuring that Nigerians think in the line of owning their houses. This is a way of enlightening the people who believe that what they receive as salaries or proceeds from the little businesses they engage is not good enough to build a house, but that is wrong. If people are really determined and they set their minds at it, they will become house owners. This will also help the country because the people will be happy to avoid getting into the usual controversial landlord-tenant tussle.

It is more than 41 days since you lost your wife, Henrietta.

It is on record that you have resumed work. How have you been coping with life without her?

When you say how I have been coping, honestly I don’t know how to answer that question. I don’t know if I should tell you I have been fine or otherwise. I can only say God has been my rock till this moment.

The truth is that I am yet to come to terms with the reality that she is no more. I don’t want to believe that she is gone. So many things have been coming up since she passed away and I know things will continue like that for some time.

What are the things that have been coming up?

Why do you want to know those things?

A lot of people are interested in knowing what has been happening to you.

What I can tell those who want to know is that God is in control. I Continues on pg20

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31 July, 2016 Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

Sunday Tribune

Seyi Sokoya seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08075166585

OBT: How I want to rule the music industry

J’Bryte unites with Ketchup in ‘Ayawa’ FAST rising musician, J’Bryte, has released another song, entitled Ayawa.

The love song which features reggae and dancehall sensation, Ketchup was produced by music producer, Dreybeatz.

The singer shows off his versatility in a smooth dancehall delivery that promises to leave its audience grooving for a long while.

The songster’s musical style has taken music lovers by storm with singles like Follow and his cover of Rihanna’s Work which he titled Chop.

J’Bryte officially began his music journey when he participated in the first edition of Nokia First Chance music competition many years ago.

He built on that experience to fully launch his music career. Since then, he has worked with some well known artistes, producers, directors, choreographers and more all in the entertainment industry in and outside the shores of the country.

9ice shines at City People award STORIES BY SEGUN ADEBAYO

A

WARD-WINNING singer, Abolore Akande, otherwise known as 9ice, was last Sunday honoured by the City People Entertainment Group.

The award was presented to him

by Ken Caleb Olumhese on behalf of City People Group for his contributions to the entertainment industry in Nigeria.

Speaking shortly after receiving the award, 9ice said :“It is a privilege for me to be here today. City People has been there for us. I appreciate everyone for supporting the brand ,

9ice. I urge my fans to keep supporting us. I will not let you down.”

Meanwhile, the Gongo Aso crooner thrilled his fans during the season 4 of Goldberg’s Fuji T’o Bam concert held at the Midas Arena, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, last week Friday. In what appeared like a special performance rendition, 9ice took to the stage with in a different way to surprise his fans.

He was joined on stage by Ibadanbased Fuji Star, Taye Currency as they both wowed their fans in an unusual duet perfromance.

At the middle of the show, Taye Currency invited 9ice on stage to perform with him. He did an excel-

ONE of the fast-rising hip hop sensation that is currently rocking the city of Lagos and its environs, Adigun Samson Adeyinka, also known as Omo Baba Teacher (OBT), is gradually establishing himself as a serious-minded musician, who is ready to give the established acts in the industry a run for their money.

Young and dynamic in the way he sings, OBT wants to make his stay worth the while hence his decision to keep his eyes on the big game. His debut single, Dance, which was produced, mixed and mastered by South African based producer, Dr. Jazz, has taken his budding career to another level.

“My new song is a feel good song that reminds people how important it is, especially in difficult times, to dance and merry.

The song is an absolute breath of fresh air and a break from the usual sound clouding the Nigerian airwaves.”

lent work singing Gogoro,Gogoro, a single from Malaika’s hit song. He also sang acapella of his hit songs with the fuji star.

Fans responded with positive gesture after the duo left the stage by praising him.

However, Nollywood Super Star, Odulade Adekola who was the master compere of the concert had earlier called 9ice on stage.

He dazzled with hit songs from Gongo Aso and Tradition albums: Street Credibility, Photocopy, Gbamu Gbamu, Nobi Mistake.

9ice, however, used the platform to unveil his new Alapomeji Ancestral Records (AAR) logo.

Agbaakin title controversy:

I don’t owe anybody apology THE director of Coporate Affairs of Saheed Osupa Organisation, Adeola Okunola, has condemned in strong terms a report which said the Fuji singer was in trouble over Agbaakin Omole title, which he was said to have claimed in a new video.

Okunola, in a statement, said Osupa did not owe the Omole community any apology, adding that the singer had never claimed to be the Agbaakin of Omole but that of Ojodu and he will not claim so, unless he is installed as such.

“To set the record straight, Osupa does not owe the community any apology. He has never claimed to be the Agbaakin of Omole but that of Ojodu. And he will not claim so, unless he is installed as such,” the statement said.

According to him, the marketer, in a bid to make quick sales

may have used the titled. “We all know how marketers do their work.

The monarch in the disc is that of Ojodu and not Omole. He sang it in his music?. They should go and watch the disc, again before coming out to spill unfounded lies.”

Osupa was said to have allegedly portrayed himself as Agbaakin of ?Omole and as such, had been asked to apologise before seven days or risk being sued.

Okunola stated further that the threat was laughable, urging those behind it to get serious with work. “It is laughable. If they are playing, they should stop the joke. While we are not saying that some people might have motivated them to issue such in order to malign the soaring popularity of our principal, we urge the community leaders and stakeholders to listen to the said album again. “

19

razzmatazz

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Blackface returns with ‘Defender’

By Seyi Sokoya

Femi Adeyemo drops ‘Igwe’ today GOSPEL singer, Femi Adeyemo, will today, drop his much anticipated single, Igwe.

Adeyemo, who is a gospel music producer and songwriter, is ready to push his career to the next phase with the new song.

Produced by CaseyBeatz, Adeyemo started his music career in 2012 with a music group but later moved on to establish a solo career that has seen him become one of the most sought after gospel singers among his comtemporaries.

According to him, the new song which drops today is a worship tune that will lift the listeners directly to the presence of God. “The song will revive a fire of revival in the body of Christ, bringing healings, miracles and diverse testimonies. The song was inspired by God when I was ministering through the keyboard as a member of the music team of RCCG,” he said.

Tiwa Savage inks new deal

By Segun Adebayo

WEEKS after news came to town that Mavin first lady, Tiwa Savage, was on the verge of signing a deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation, an American entertainment company founded in 2008, the deal has now been confirmed by the singer who shared it on her Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Savage, a mother of one went through some troubled moments months back after her marriage to former manager and husband, Tee Billz, hit the rocks, leaving their son, Jamil with the wife. Though, there were reports that the singer and her ex husband met at an undisclosed location recently, it remained to be seen what the outcome of the brief meeting would be.

Moving ahead, Savage does not appear ruffled by the

incident that almost dented her music career. She has come out of it stronger, focusing on her music career and breaking boundaries.

Savage, who is currently ona tour of the United States, had been confirmed to have signed the new deal in the US in the company of her boss, Don Jazzy, who said it was an amazing opportunity for Savage.

A tweet from Roc Nation’s handle read: “Welcome @ TiwaSavage to the #RocNation family! Click the link the bio to read more and watch “Bad” Ft.@Wizkidayo on @ TIDAL!.”

What the deal fetched her and how her career would be advanced with the new development has not yet been revealed but it is believed that Savage’s career will not remain the same again.

Temple Management raises hope for Nigerian talents

Lanre Balogun, Jaye Kuti to ignite familes with ‘Family First’

By Seyi Sokoya POPULAR actors, Lanre Balogun and Jaye Kuti who starred in the just completed first season of a family soap opera entitled: “Family First”, produced by the Rare Edge Media, have assured their fans that the production would not only entertain, but also correct vices and ills in the families and society at large.

According to Kuti, “I was excited to take this script because I discovered that it is a good one and will impact the society.

It is full of lessons and also entertaining. We need to remind people that we need to make things right from the four corners of our homes and this is

NIGERIAN raggae singer, Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, otherwise known as Blackface, a member of the defunct Plantashun Boyz, has proved that he still has a lot to deliver and also has the edge to fit into the new phase of the entertainment indistry.

The Benue State born muscian who was recently in the news following a face-off with some of his colleauges, has finally released his fifth album entitled: “Defender”.

The new album which has 20 tracks featured Azadus, Yungsix and Marvelous Benjy.

By Seyi Sokoya

one of the ways we can spread the message.”

Balogun, who played the lead role of a retired military officer, noted that he was impressed about the production as it will foster family values, love, good parenting, patriotism, loyalty and contribute to nation building.

The comic-like drama series, which is set to be premiered on August 16 in five cities will be used to address general family issues, adoption or self-procreation, mothers and their relationship with their children and husbands; their sexuality and social commentary issues as they affect the family.

The excutive producer, Mr Leye

Fabusoro, told R that the movie is unique and will educate a wide range of audience, while he also noted that the initiative was not to compete with others, but to add value to society.

“This sitcom will explore the role of the family unit in opinion formation, individual education, example pool and behavioural model from its place as the initial contact point for every member of the society,” he added.

The Line Producer, Tolu Fagbure, also stated that ‘Family First’ is about a family of five with different individual traits, but must still come together to share common goals and appreciate special moments.

THE Temple Management Company (TMC) is set to raise the bar in the creative talent management in Nigeria with the launch of a 360 management company.

At a time when there is global recognition and demand for the work of Nigerian creative talents, experts have said Nigerian creative industry needs better branding, access and positioning. They also pointed out that brands have failed to maximise their potential because of the sub-par representation they currently get.

TMC, which began operations in March 2016, primarily in entertainment, sports, media and art sectors,

is set to diversify and bring Nigerian talents to the same table with their international counterparts. Incorporated in Nigeria with strong international affiliations across Africa, North America, and Europe, TMC was founded by serial investor and art aficionado Idris Olorunnimbe.

The company set out with a mission “to continually improve on content, bridge the gulf between local talents and their foreign counterparts in line with international best practices.”

With a formidable team parading some of the brightest young professionals in entertainment, fashion, arts, finance, law and media, TMC is fully prepped to deliver its objective to raise the profile of local talents.

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Segun Adebayo &Seyi Sokoya tegbollistic@yahoo.com seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08116954644 08132577840

Continues from pg17

have a serious business in hand now. There are children to take care of, which implies that I have to double my efforts to make sure that I am strong physically and financially to take good care of everybody.

What can you say about her that people didn’t know?

She was everything that you can imagine.

Which one do I want to mention that is not important to me? I can’t start to explain everything to you in the course of this interview. I don’t even want to talk about it. I think we should let it be for now.

When she died, there were different reports about what led to her death. The most popular one was that she died of diabetes. Could you tell us what led to her death and your last moments with her?

You still won’t stop asking me questions about her.

Everybody knows what led to her death. It is already in the public domain. She died of complications arising from diabetes.

Why did her family insist that she should be buried in Delta State against the arrangement you had made for her to be buried in Lagos State?

That was the misconception that people had about the burial. Since the day she died, her family had wanted her to be buried in Delta. There were no issues about that at all. I was only trying to bargain for her to be buried in Lagos.

What kind of relationship did you have with her parents; did you receive their blessings before you decided to marry her?

Since the beginning of our relationship, her father did not hesitate to let me know that they had customs and tradition that must be strictly adhered to. The man told me that I am giving you my daughter but I am not releasing the rope. So when she died, I only proposed that she should be buried in Lagos but I am a man of culture and I respect tradition very well. So, there was no fuss about where she would be buried because we already knew where we were going.

Before she died, did she tell you about her dreams she could not fulfill?

What we were planning before she died was my 52 years of acting. That was the celebration we were both planning. I wanted to do something that would be different from what others have been doing. With what has happened now, I have nothing to rejoice about anymore. But somewhere along the line, I will launch my book, which I called a Warrior’s Lamentation. I wrote the book myself because I used my words to capture the message I am passing across to the people. People will have a lot to learn about my experience in life; my sojourn into the movie industry. I am going to bare it all in that book; I am not going to hide anything. Some names will come up in that book. These people have contributed to the rise and fall of the movie industry. I will also talk about our collective mistake that worked against the progress of the industry.

As things stand now, what are you doing to make sure that her memory is not forgotten?

I am doing everything possible to make sure that I immortalise her. She meant a lot to me and the movie industry. Apart from the foundation which I intend to put in place, there are other things that the children and I are still working on. Don’t forget that she has a son who is into music, and my primary assignment as we speak now is to make sure that he excels in the career he has chosen.

‘I leave those who said Henrietta’s death was not natural to God’ children at this stage is madness. Apart from age, If you hear that Jide Kosoko welcomes new baby tomorrow, I am sure you will say this man is mad. Am I going to be selling the children to make money?

How are you coping with the insinuation peddled in some quarters that losing three wives was not natural?

Segun, why are you asking me this question? I hope you don’t want us to discontinue this interview? I don’t want to start discussing all that. I don’t know what you expect me to tell you. Henrietta lived with me for over 20 years. I never expected or prayed that she would die. It saddens my heart when I hear people saying all sorts of things about her death.

We all come to this world at one point in time and our exit will happen one day whether we like it or not. God is the giver of life. He gives it and takes it when He likes. I wish I could stop Henrietta from dying. I believe she died at God’s appointed time for her. If it is my turn tomorrow, I will not exceed that day. It is in whose place to say that someone’s death is not natural? I leave them to their belief. I leave them to God. You are over 60 years old and you are blessed with children. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind for your family when you are no more?

You can easily call my family an entertainment home. I am happy to see my children taking after me. I am even more joyous that they are doing well for themselves. They don’t have to look up to me to live their lives the way they want. Already, the name Kosoko will remain a reference point in the entertainment industry and generations to come will know that there was a man who lived all his life in the theatre world. If you are talking about living properties behind for my children, then you might be missing the crux of my discussion. I am grateful to God that all my grown up children are graduates. I have about eight children who have graduated from higher institutions, which is good enough for me. I have those who are yet to secure admission into the university. I feel fulfilled already as a man.

Would you love to have more children?

That will be madness. Let me say this today for the first time, I never planned to be a polygamist. I found myself in that situation and I had to adjust to the system. I didn’t set out in life to go into polygamy. So for me, having more

Do you regret being a polygamist?

Let me tell you, I don’t pray that my enemy should practice polygamy. And, this should be a lesson to the young ones coming. I know some people will say their religion permits it, but the religion did not enforce it. I have serious business to do now.

I have young children to take care of.

As an authority in the movie industry and with the way things are going, what do you think will happen in the movie industry in the next 10 years?

I have written that answer in my book. You will read about it when I release it. I already know what will happen in the movie industry in the next 10 years.

What will that thing be?

You will get it when I release my book.

In your 52 years of acting, what is that thing you have not achieved?

As one of the strong administrators in the industry, I am sad that we have not taken the industry to the level that we want. I will be happy when the industry has been properly regulated. We have tried to have got to this stage, but we still need to speak with one voice. We need to guide ourselves with all the necessary ethics. I am part of the body that set up Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) and I will be grateful to God if it actually comes to be.

That is for your acting life, what about your personal life?

One problem with me is that my personal life and career are too interwoven; you cannot separate one from the other. I am happy with my immediate family. We are not static. Every member of my family is doing very fine.

What would you have been if you were not an actor?

Honestly, I don’t know what would have happened to my life. From the beginning of my life, all that has been in my head has always been acting. I am not sure I didn’t start acting from my mother’s womb.

What would you want God to do for you again?

I wish God could reduce my age to 10.

Why? I have many corrections to make.

I wish I could stop Henrietta from dying. I believe she died at God’s appointed time for her. If it is my turn tomorrow, I will not exceed that day.

What were those things you didn’t do rightly?

From the beginning of my life, I was never designed to have two wives. My major regret in life is that I went into polygamy. My second regret, which is not my fault entirely, was that I was lucky to be one of the pioneering members of ANTP. I and some few people did not guard the industry jealously. We opened the gate without ensuring that anybody that was coming in was trained. No matter how talented you are, you still have to be trained the rudiments of acting.

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31 July, 2016

PEOPLE

places&parties

with Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

Gani Shonubi in thanksgiving mood

Shina Peller’s son makes him proud IT has been said over time that only few men possess the wisdom to separate business from pleasure. One of such men who are blessed with this rare gift is Shina Abiola-Peller.

The Chairman of Aquila Group is gifted with an innate strength that defies notions of valour applicable to his peers and a heart of gold that has endeared him to both old and young.

Little wonder, his popular club on the Island in Lagos State, Quilox Club has become the toast of many celebrities and fun lovers. Peller hardly falls short in measure and competence while running his home and business.

Days back, his son, Sultan AbiolaPeller, a student of Woodland School, bagged the Great Warley Scholarship Awards, making him the first African to have won the award.

The proud dad who could not hide his joy said he was blessed the same way he has been humbly helping other children.

Sunday Tribune

THE past three weeks have been an usual moment of thanksgiving in the household of popular socialite and business man, Gani Shonubi.

The reason for his joyous mood, PPP gathered, is not unconnected with the miracle that made him escape in far away Nice, France.

Shonubi, who owns Gaso Furniture and Casa Lucio, was said to have checked out of a popular hotel in Nice called Le Negresco a few hours before the evil-minded Mohammed Lahouaieg Bouhlel ploughed through a throng of tourists and locals, who were celebrating the annual Bastille Day at Promenade des Anglais, killing many.

Recounting his experience on his Facebook page, Shonubi who is famously known as Gaso wrote, ’I was in this famous hotel (Le Negresco) in Nice. I checked out just some few hours before the attacks. I thank God. The attack was just right in front of the hotel.

Wonderful God.’’ Since the incident, his friends and relations have been celebrating with the man of style and means.

Angela Folarin’s quiet birthday

A

NGELA Folarin, wi fe of former Senate Leader and candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last govern or sh ip election in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, has been m issing in action.

By now, she would have known better that limelight isn’t as ple asurable as it seem s.

The lawyer-cum-bus inesswoman, who ad ded a year last week Sunday, has maintai ned a private life since he r husband lost the go vernorship election.

The powerful coup le have suddenly be en silent on the socia l scene where they once reigned. Unlike he r previous birthda ys when the high socie ty would have gath ered to celebrate with he r, the soft spoken wo man was said to have opted for a quiet 42 nd birthday celebratio n.

In her usual style, sh e didn’t allow the da y to pass without pa ying visits to the un derprivileged homes wh ere she spent time and gave out gifts to the inmates.

High society gathers for TOSFA’s one year anniversary FASHION lover and plus-size fashion enthusiast, Tobi Ogundipe, is enjoying every moment of her stay in the fashion business.

At a time when many plus-size women were looking for the right outfit for their body types, Ogundipe stormed the fashion scene with prints and cuts that flatter their curves. She offered women pieces that help them feel comfortable and stylish.

One year in the business and it seems she had been in the game for ever. Today, as her fashion outfit, Tobi Ogundipe Styling and Fashion Agency

(TOSFA) clocks one, high society, friends and family will converged on White Space, Raymond Njoku, Awolowo, Road, Lagos State, to share in her joy.

To mark the anniversary, there will be free cocktails, dessert/finger foods, Dress Up, raffle draws and up to 70 per cent discount on selected items and sales on most items in the store.

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31 July, 2016

makeover

Sunday Tribune

Body suit. Photo: www.dhgate.com

w o: w Phot

High waist cincher. Photo: www.bestwaisttrainers.com

s.com pres x e i l w.a

Photo: www.shapessecrets.com

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 rosarumese@gmail.com

‘Every woman that wants to be in shape needs body shapers’

Photo: www.small-tips.info

B

ODY shapers, the new grail of Nigerian fashion, seem to be here to stay.

Popularised in earlier times with the girdle, by 2010, the full figure shapers had found their way into the Nigerian fashion scene. With the new fad that is gradually taking over the Nigerian fashion scene, sometimes in the effort to achieve instant perfect figures, it is necessary to ensure that various issues are considered before adopting them as part of your wardrobe.

The history of shapewear dates back to early foreign history when the average woman was expected to have a slim figure because of her delicate nature.

In Nigeria, the use of shapewear was also popular in the early 90s, especially the girdle.

However, body shapers have evolved in contemporary times and perform various functions.

Below are some tips to keep in mind before getting a shapewear: Know your body shape It is absolutely important for a woman to, first and foremost, determine her body shape be-

fore investing in a shapewear.

Many women may not see this as important but only a seller who deals in quality will tell you thus.

Body shapes include triangle, round, rectangular, inverted triangle, oval, hour-glass, pear.

Pick the right colour Body shapers are common in three basic colours – white, black and nude. So, if you’re going to get a shapewear, pick the colour that works best with the majority of the clothes you wear out. Keep in mind that body shapers come in handy for office environments, red carpet events, weddings, among others. If possible, go for all three colours.

Know what you want Before you pick a particular kind of shapewear, determine the imperfection you want to work on and select the best option. For example, it would be absurd for a person with full breasts, flabby stomach and thin legs to go for a full shapewear. What such a person really needs is either a body wrap, a girdle, or something that works for the stomach.

Doyinsola Ola, Chief Operating Officer at Damidols, an outfit that deals in body shapers, located at 2, Osho Street, off Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos State, in an interview with Makeover, sheds more light on the peculiarities of body shapers.

Types of body shapers Waist cincher, waist trainer, butt lifters, body suits, anti cellulite shape wear, high waist briefs/ slips, full body shape wear, surgical or correction shape wear, vest /camisole shape wear, leg shape wear, among others.

Benefits Body shapers offer a range of benefits, some of which include: instant slimmer figure - lose inches instantly; it complements weight loss diet and fitness programmes; helps achieve better appearance; invisible beneath clothes; improves posture and helps train abdominal muscles.

Is the Nigerian market buying into the trend?

Yes, the demand for body shapers is increasing by the day

Factors to consider Comfort, fit, style, identify your troubled spot, don’t settle for ill-fitting shape wear, consider the features of the shape wear – shape wears are not meant for special occasions, build a body shaper wardrobe – one shape wear won’t go with all your clothes. Also, consider the control levels of the shape wear.

Does every woman need a body shaper?

Every woman that wants to stay in shape needs a shapewear. There is not necessarily any age range, considering the fact that shapewears’ support level varies from light control, moderate control, firm control and extra firm control. It can suit as many age brackets as possible.

On Nigerian men embracing shapewear I will not consider it a concern. However, it is very true that Nigerian men have also caught the shapewear bug. It is important to note that it is not all shapewears that are for fashion.

There are shapewears for post-surgical procedures/ corrections. A lot of men buy body shapers for figure concerns, posture and smart looks.

FOR SHAPEWEAR

CONTACT DAMIDOLS ON

Mobile: 08099702718 Email: sales@damidols.com; damidols@gmail.com BBM PIN: 5C2652B4 CHANNEL PIN: C0024FF23 Website: www.damidols.com

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Others who were also rescued

Nigerian boy (10), his sister (11) rescued in Mediterranean Sea after losing their mum A

10-year-old Nigerian boy was found trying to comfort his grieving 11-year-old sister after they were rescued from a capsized overcrowded boat in the Mediterranean. The boy and his sister, who were not named for security purpose said their mother had died in Libya.

According to the Daily Mail of UK, the Nigerian siblings were rescued from an overcrowded migrant boat carrying 150 people about 23 kilometres north of Sabratha, Libya, while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy.

Both children were pictured visibly distressed as they were transferred from the dinghy to a Spanish NGO’s boat.

A leading migration group says more than 3,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, nearly a 60-per cent increase from this time in 2015.

The International Organisation for Migration said on Friday that the dis-

(Pics up and down) The 10-year-old Nigerian (left) with his sister

covery of 39 bodies on Libyan shores last week raises the total, as of Wednesday, to 3,034 migrants and refugees who have died trying the crossing in 2016.

The figure marks the third straight year in which more than 3,000 people have died in such attempts.

IOM says more than a quarter-million migrants and refugees entered Europe, mostly to Greece and Italy, by sea this year. It noted in particular

Both children were pictured visibly distressed as they were transferred from the dinghy to a Spanish NGO’s boat.

a rising trend of Nigerian women arriving in Italy, pointing to a ‘sharp increase’ since the start of 2015.

The latest rescue comes after Italy on Thursday launched a hard-hitting campaign on the internet, TV, radio and social media to warn African migrants of the many dangers they face in trying to reach Europe.

Dubbed ‘Aware Migrants,’ the 1.5-million-euro ($1.66-million) campaign is targeting 15 countries in West and North Africa which have been big sources of the migratory wave.

It features migrants recounting their suffering at the hands of ruthless smugglers or enduring the perilous Mediterranean crossing.

Since 2014, more than 10,000 migrants have died or are feared to have drowned while attempting the journey to Europe by sea, most losing their lives in the central Mediterranean, according to the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

On Monday, it was confirmed the bod-

ies of 87 migrants had been recovered on a Libyan beach since the weekend.

The bodies began washing up on the city’s beach west of Tripoli on Friday, the official said.

On Saturday, 41 bodies were found by a group of volunteers trained by the city council and sent to a morgue for DNA testing before being buried.

Italy’s Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano, launching the project with the International Office of Migration (IOM) said an increasing number of migrants left for Europe to ‘pursue a dream, but ended up in a nightmare’ He recalled examples of women raped in front of their husbands in Libya, or people who witnessed seeing a loved-one die of thirst in the desert or drown at sea.

‘Did they know about all this before they left?’ he asked.

According to figures released by the interior ministry on July 2, 70,930 people landed in Italy between January and June this year. The full-year total of migrant arrivals for 2015 was 153,000.

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Sunday Tribune

Sunday Tribune

31 July, 2016

glamour t n a t r o p im t s o m e th t s u m y e h t p u e k a m wear—Miss Nigeria

G

ROWING up I grew up with my parents and siblings in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. I am 23 year-old.

Growing up was fun because I spent a lot of time with my siblings and cousins. I was a quiet child. I love to read and write.

I think that helped shaped where I am heading now. Being a quiet child, my interest in reading and writing grew and it is something I am following through. I did my primary and secondary education in Port Harcourt and studied Computer Science at the University of Port Harcourt.

Why I contested for Miss Nigeria I have always been fascinated with the idea of being a beauty queen and the glamour associated with beauty pageant.

Aside that, the platform that Miss Nigeria gives to you to be a leader and create change was what really attracted me because prior to the competition, I was involved in voluntary work. The platform is really big and it gives me wider coverage.

My parents’ reaction to contesting for beauty pageant My family supported me for the contest. The competition was held in Lagos.

Though they couldn’t be there physically, they supported me morally and we were talking constantly on phone. My family was a huge source of inspiration to me.

On whether I had contested in other beauty pageants Yes. I contested for Miss Ogoni in 2012 and I won. I also contested for Miss Niger Delta, I was the third runner-up, and was crowned Niger Delta Model 2014. Miss Nigeria was my third beauty pageant.

How I intend to change the perception people have about beauty

With Tayo Gesinde temiligali03@yahoo.com 08054727801

‘What we up-and-coming actresses experience at locations’

w o n k ’t n o d le p o e p t Mos

o was the winner of Leesi Pamela Peter-Vigbor lta nner-up of Miss Niger De Miss Ogoni 2012, third ru w vie geria 2015. In this inter 2014 and winner, Miss Ni ter s, the graduate of Compu go La in DE SIN GE YO TA e, with Port Harcourt, Rivers Stat Science from University of change the perception of ds to speaks on how she inten ns, among others. people about beauty quee

25

queens I believe for you to change anything, you have to reflect it first. Changing that perception starts with me pursuing my dreams and doing what I can on my part to become a successful woman because doing that alone will inspire other people that; she is a beauty queen and despite being in the beauty industry, she still has her goals and plans. Apart from that, I intend to use this Miss Nigeria platform to empower young girls, especially in the South where I came from.

My style I like to look good generally because it helps the way you feel too and improves your confidence. I like to look simple a lot. I don’t like to be overdressed. I like to keep it simple and comfortable. It is really about how I feel, I carry that through. I try to have the right mindset and smile. A smile is the most important make-up. If you make-up and wear a nice dress but you don’t have on a smile, your outfit is not complete.

What I can’t be caught dead wearing I have to think about that. Maybe a seethrough dress that will show all my private parts. Yes, I can’t be caught dead in that.

My favourite designers I don’t have one. There is one designer, Tope, who makes great jumpsuits. It is really nice, I like it. I like a lot of African wear. I buy them a lot.

How I handle my male admirers As a young woman, you will always have male admirers whether you are a beauty queen or not. I have been having male admirers for a while and I still manage it in the same way I have been managing it. I try not to do anything I am not comfortable with. That is basically it.

Advice to young ladies My advice to young ladies is that they should find themselves, embrace themselves and believe in themselves. You don’t have to be a beauty queen to be a queen. What is important is for every woman to find her confidence, find her happiness and from there, the sky is her limit.

Josephine Phillips, a graduate of Computer Science from Crown Polytechnic, Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti State, is an up-and-coming Nollywood actress. The young lady who hails from Auchi, Edo State, speaks with TAYO GESINDE on her acting career and fashion preferences.

GROWING up Growing up was great because I lived with my grandmother from when I was a year old.

She is a disciplinarian, she didn’t pamper any child. She brought me up in a very good way but there wasn’t time for fun. For instance, when you came back from school, you ate lunch, read your books and did house chores.

Foray into acting It started when I was working at Internal Revenue, Ebute Metta, Lagos. There was this aunty we called Funmi, who had a video club.

I used to rent movies from her but one day, I walked up to her and told her I was interested in acting. She introduced me to the chairman of the video club association who also introduced me to my boss, Mr Kamourdeen Saba, a.k.a Radical. My first movie was entitled Wakati Metta.

Challenges faced As an up-and-coming actress, you can’t expect to be treated like the stars when you go to locations. To get a room to sleep in or money to eat at locations is not usually easy. Most times, you don’t get paid at the end of the day.

If you are lucky, you will be paid N1000 for transport fare. Sometimes you are invited to

Sometimes you are invited to a location to play a certain role but the director will come and say you are not fair in complexion, you are too tiny or too chubby for the role.

a location to act a certain role but the director will come and say you are not fair in complexion, you are too tiny or too chubby for the role and would start looking for someone else to play the role.

Description of self I’m a simple person, God-fearing and fun to be with. I am very playful though I get upset so easily but not for long because I hate to see fools act smart.

Definition of style I believe your style should be distinctive and elegant. I don’t follow fashion trends, I put on any dress that I’m comfortable in. Most times, the event I’m attending determines my mode of dressing. I like to buy good things that peo-

ple will see and admire on me. I love clothes, jewellery and other accessories. I don’t buy designer labels, I haven’t attained that level yet.

Beauty regimen I have no beauty regimen. I bath and rub my body with cream, use facial scrub and cleanser. That is all I do as far as my beauty regimen is concerned.

Choice of accessories I love pencil and block heels. I also love pearl earrings and big bags.

Accessory I can’t do without Wrist watch.

Opinion on toning Toning brightens your skin a little. It is different from bleaching.

My take on provocative dressing Ladies should cultivate the habit of dressing well because the way we dress is the way we will be addressed. An actress wears a provocative dress in a movie when interpreting a role maybe a seductive role or acting as prostitute, nobody should use that to judge us.

Role models Joke Silva, Funke Akindele, Genevieve Nnaji, Opeyemi Ayeola, Yomi Fash Lanso, Muyiwa Ademola and Odunlade Adekola.

Greatest physical asset My portable arse.

Coping with competition in the industry I’m still an up- and-coming actress that is struggling to attain greater height, so, nobody will want to compete with someone like me.

Na where I don reach or wetin I don get? I just say to myself, Josephine it is well. It’s a matter of time.

Special treat I will go to the market and buy fresh fish that Yoruba people call eja odo and will make a good fresh fish stew and ewedu with amala.

That’s how I give myself a treat and sometimes, I go to a Chinese restaurant in Magodo.

Qualities I want in a man I want a man who is loving, caring and God-fearing.

How I handle advances from my male fans My relationship with my fan is platonic, no strings attached.

What I can’t be caught dead wearing I can’t wear a provocative outfit unless I’m on set working and it depends on the role I’m interpreting.

My take on cosmetic surgery I can’t do cosmetic surgery.

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31 July, 2016

With Akintayo Abodunrin akinjaa03@yahoo.co.uk 08111813058

The writer, critic and editor gives insights into her creative worldview at a reading organised by the Committee for Relevant Arts

I

T was an evening well spent for the literati who converged on the upscale book and arts store, Quintessence, Ikoyi, Lagos recently for a reading by writer Molara Wood.

Organised by the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) to kick start its annual Lagos Art and Book Festival (LABAF), the event was an engaging affair as Wood, a critic, editor and ex-presidential aide, not only read from her works but also shared socio-cultural and religious issues that influence her writing with the sizable audience.

The writer got into her strides after the opening formalities by CORA Secretary General, Toyin Akinosho who disclosed that ‘The Terror of Knowledge’ is the theme for the 2016 LABAF happening in November. Jahman Anikulapo, the body’s Program Chair, had more to say about the theme by evening’s end.

Travel writing Wood, who writes both non-fiction and fiction, chose to begin by reading two nonfiction works. Her first offering was ‘Farewell Juffureh’, a riveting travelogue about an almost disastrous boat trip up the River Gambia to Juffureh, the so-called ancestral village of Kunta Kinte that gave birth to Alex Hailey’s ‘Roots’ with her then nine-yearold son and others. “Hardly anything went right on that day,” Wood recalled as she started midway through the story.

“I intend to think that travel writing tells us about places and tells you about all kinds of issues,” she stated by way of introducing her second story, ‘Ol Ari Nyiro’, a 100-acre conservancy in Kenya owned by an Italian woman where she stayed during a Caine writing workshop in 2010. Wood added that reflections about race and not only the ownership of the expansive property came to her during the trip to Kenya.

The two stories, ‘Farewell Juffureh’ and ‘Ol Ari Nyiro’ are from ‘Route 234’, an anthology of global travel writing by Nigerian arts and culture journalists edited by winner, CNNMultichoice African Journalist Awards winner, Pelu Awofeso. Released some months ago and soon to be formally presented, the book contains stories by renowned arts writers including Jahman Anikulapo, Kole AdeOdutola, Olayinka Oyegbile, Tunde Aremu, Steve Ayorinde, Sola Balogun, Eyitayo Aloh, Olumide Iyanda, Ozolua Uhakheme, Funke Osae-Brown and Nseobong Okon-Ekong, all of whom Wood acknowledged.

Atrocious memory She thereafter moved to fiction, reading from her collection of short stories, ‘Indigo’ published in 2013 by Parresia Publishers.

The Ilase-Ijesa, Osun state born writer first read the title story, ‘Indigo’, about Idera, a childless woman who had to visit a Babalawo (herbalist) and the indignities she suffered.

Wood also read ‘In the time of Job’ set in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and which she said brings home the reality of a post Brexit world to Nigerians who are wondering about its effects on the country before reading ‘Girl on the Wall’, ‘Kelemo’s Woman’ and ‘Night Market’ at the request of some audience members.

I have an atrocious memory —Molara Wood

choose African Traditional Religion. When you go to the Osun grove, you see a lot of things, people. Babalawos are not aliens; they are around us. The way I portrayed the Babalawo is a combination of my reading, things I’ve seen and movies. It’s a combination of all of them. I’ve not gone to consult them but I know some. The way they are portrayed in Yoruba movies is unhelpful, it is clichéd but Kunle Afolayan’s ‘The Figurine’ which features Chief Muraina Oyelami is spot on in not demonising African Traditional Religion. All religions, even the dominant ones, have been used for good and bad.

All religions have their positives.”

On whether she decides on issues to write on, Wood said, “Not always. My primary goal at the beginning is to write a story that hangs together and interests the reader.” Returning to ‘Indigo’, she disclosed that it was something she heard about things women do in looking for children that inspired the story. “I was horrified. Society stigmatises women but what’s your business if someone doesn’t have a child? The idea is to write a story that means something. If people then get a message, that’s fine but it’s not about the message. We should let people be; whatever they believe in, let them be tolerant.”

Molara Wood

I’m a lifelong student of the Yoruba and I read all literatures about them.

Since questions are a main feature of such readings, the former Arts and Culture Editor of the rested NEXT Newspaper, dealt with her fair share at the event. Her friend, the multimedia journalist, Kadaria Ahmed, fired the first salvo. She wanted to know how stories come to the writer.

Wood responded: “I kept a diary as a teenager and I’ve always had that storyteller attributes. I have an ear for memorable lines; I have an atrocious memory. It remembers things that seem irrelevant; I always remember all manners of things so the filmic resonance hits me; it hits me at a higher resonance and later I begin to filter it. Then, London was such a great place to live in; it was a fertile place for stories because as you go on the tube, human theatre is all around you.”

To another inquisitor who asked about her foundations, the winner of the inaugural John La Rose Memorial Short Story Competition said: “I read so much when I was young. At a point I lived in the same house with an aunt who was headmistress

of a school and books were all over. Without consciously trying to live in the world of books, I started doing so. The books sparked something in me and I read a lot in English and Yoruba. There were lots of kids in the compound but I was the only one with my nose in books. No one is surprised in my extended family that I’m a writer; I’ve had a lifelong training to be a writer.”

Culture activist Having earlier read from ‘Indigo’ and how the main protagonist, Idera had to visit a Babalawo in her quest to have a child, it was inevitable that someone was going to seize on that and ask the writer if she patronises Babalawo or just see them in movies.

Wood answered matter-of-factly: “I’m a lifelong student of the Yoruba and I read all literatures about them. I’m a culture activist and I don’t want to demonise those for whom it’s an expression of religion; a faith.

It’s a manifestation of identity for people of those faiths. I defend the rights of people to

Masterful short stories Rather than get angry at a somewhat cheeky commentator that hailed her as a master short story writer but queried her ability to write a novel, Wood explained that it is not so and that no form of writing is superior to the other. According to her, “I’m working on a novel but I have left it for some months so I need to return to it. However, everybody doesn’t need to be a novelist; you can be a master of short stories. To be a good essayist is not a mean feat. I see absolutely nothing wrong in writing a short story but I’d advise stick to what you know. In fact, short stories are not easy to write; you have to be precise. The novel allows you to waffle but it’s not easy to write a good short story. I would hope that short stories are not looked down upon; I think they are masterful.”

Another profound question the writer dealt with was if she thinks stories change the world.

Pausing for some seconds to reflect, Wood eventually said: “I think stories can make the world easier to live in. I think they can make us more able to face life, I think stories are part of a process that changes the world. We are living in a traumatic world; I’m so grateful for art, books because it allows you to escape.”

Are you sad when writing, another person wanted to know. “No, I’m not sad. I’d like to think I’m full of life but if you are happy and upbeat all the time, you may not be a good writer. The introspection is vital for writing; I reflect deeply on life but thinking about life doesn’t make you a manic depressive.”

Writers Kunle Ajibade, Toni Kan, Victor Ehikhamenor, CORA patron Chinwe Uwatse, artists Ndidi Dike, Kelani Abass and Taiye Idahor, and the filmmaker Remi Vaughan were among those present at the reading.

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31 July, 2016

sundayinterview My role in the January 1966 coup

Sunday Tribune

—General Olutoye

Major General Olufemi Olutoye (retd.), who is now the traditional ruler of Ido Ani in Ondo State, is one of the first graduates to join the Nigerian Army. He was compulsorily retired in 1977 by the General Olusegun Obasanjo regime. The monarch shares the experience of the first coup in Nigeria with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI, his involvement, why the coup failed, among other issues. Excerpts:

H

OW was your growing up period like before joining the military?

I was born in Ido Ani, but I spent the early part of my days, elementary days, in Benin City (now in Edo State), where my father was a headmaster in Saint James School and from there, I went to Government College, Ibadan. I went to Government College in 1945 and finished in 1949 and went to University College (now University of Ibadan) in 1950 for a degree and left in 1954. I went to Cambridge University in 1965 and came back to teach at Ijebu Ode known as Olu Iwa College then, now Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode. I ran away from teaching to join the Army in 1957 till I retired in 1977.

What prompted you to join the army then because you said you were a teacher?

As a university graduate and with all my background, I reached the top of teaching, and nothing challenging to look forward to, though teaching is a little bit different now. Secondly, I wanted a bit of adventure. I taught in public school in England briefly and there was cadet corps, where young boys were given uniforms then. I said can’t we have this in any of our schools in Nigeria? I was interested anyway, and coupled with the fact that I had already reached the limit of teaching: I was principal of a school for a year. Maybe I would have continued, but circumstances made things impossible for me to continue. So, I had to abandon teaching.

Not that I believe that my reward was in heaven. I didn’t share that view because my father was a teacher who taught for almost 40 years. That’s how I got into the army and retired in March 1977.

The first coup in Nigeria was in January 1966 and you were in the army then. What was your level of involvement in the coup?

I hope I will have time to write a little bit about this, and I believe it won’t be too long. I’m presently doing something about this. Because that coup was led

by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, who was a major then. I was also a major then. So, I knew about it. I knew about that coup. I can say that now, but I couldn’t say that then, because the

an Igbo man replacing the Head of State, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa.

General Olutoye mere knowledge was a big problem, then. Nzeogwu informed me about the coup. When I inquired a little bit more of how Nzeogwu was going to carry out the coup, I told him to count me out because I did not join Nigerian Army to kill Nigerians. When I joined Nigerian Army, it was the West African Frontier Force that was part of the colonial army. I did not join to kill fellow Nigerian. So, I told him I would not be a party to any military exercises, that would result in the loss of lives of Nigerians. So, I was not involved in that coup. He informed me about the coup in 1964, but the coup was carried out in 1966, two years after. A few other things happened which we cannot say now until the time is ripe.

The coup was said to be targeted at cleansing some groups in the army. How true is this?

It turned out to be so, because the six majors are all Igbos except one, Adewale Ademoyega, who is from Remo division of Ogun State. But I want to assure you that that was not Nzeogwu’s intentions. As I told you earlier, the coup was planned as far back as 1964; but that was not his intention then. Maybe between 1964 and the end of 1965, he changed. But I don’t know because he recruited those who showed interest, but the entire people who participated turned out to be Igbo.

Even his utterances at the early part when the coup took place in January 15, 1966, he didn’t mean it to be an Igbo affair, but it turned out to be so, unfortunately with

Do you see the coup carried out by these six majors changing the Nigerian narrative then?

It would have changed the country because I happened to have known the whole genesis of the coup. Nigeria would have been a changed place by now. We would have been one of the top countries in the world because I asked Nzeogwu why he wanted to plan the coup and I even contribute if I may confess. I wrote some of the papers then, because I thought if you’d been to school the way I had been, you should let the country benefit from it.

So, when this young man approached me in India in 1964, when the idea gripped him, I asked very many questions before asking him to give me some days to think over it. Later, I brought him into my room and asked questions because I was a little bit more knowledgeable than him then.

He was junior to me though we were in the same rank. Then I was older, more educated, more exposed. Our plans for education then, industrialisation, economy and so many other things were superb, even our military would have been first class.

And when he told me that his plans involved the taking of lives, I said ‘sorry, I have no hand in this and will not be a party to it’ because when I was enlisted into the army, I did not do it with a view to being a party to the killing of any Nigerian. He said he didn’t see any way he could carry out the coup without loss of lives. That was where we parted ways and told him to count me out. Fortunately, when we came back to Nigeria at the end of the training in 1964, he was posted to Kaduna and I was posted to Lagos and we were separated. Unlike now that we can contact one another, there was no way to contact ourselves then and I believed I had convinced him not to carry out any coup and if he should, he must make sure there was no loss of lives. So, in January 1966, I just heard over the radio ‘Fellow countrymen’ and I recognised the voice and that was all. That was how the first coup came in. Then newspapers revealed that all those who participated in that coup, the ring leaders, were Igbo, except Continues pg 28

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sundayinterview

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘1963 census caused the 1966 coup’ Continued from pg 27 Ademoyega Can that coup be likened to the 1990 Gideon Okar coup?

No. Okar’s coup was against the North.

It was against the Northern oligarchy, but the Nzeogwu coup was not just northerners because they killed a lot of Yoruba, junior Yoruba officers and even the northern officers were killed without any offence.

What do think was wrong with the government of that time that prompted the coup?

It started with the outcome of the census exercise. There was no doubt then that we were fed with wrong figures. Even up till now, what is the actual population of Nigeria? Nobody knows, but we keep guessing. It all started from then. You tell one lie and you required nine more to cover the lie. That was what happened. It was one major default and defect in the running of the government and Nzeogwu didn’t like it at all. Then those who were in government, according to him, were not doing well enough. They lacked the art of management, beautiful semi-Illiterates.

Though some of them meant well, not all of them meant well, and he grew up in the North and knew many of them. He spoke Hausa language fluently because he was born there. So, he knew most of the people well, but that was not why he wanted to overthrow the government. He didn’t want to take over the government because he wanted to kill northerners. No. It was those who came and supported his effort who did that and not only that, it ended up by strange fate putting Ironsi as the Head of State. So, it looked as if you killed all the Yoruba and all the Hausa/Fulani and you’re replacing them with an Igbo man.

This was why Ogundipe did not succeed Ironsi, because it was a sergeant who told Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe that they were not going to take orders from him and that they would rather take orders from a captain who was a northerner.

But this is against the ethics of the military Which military when the whole structure had collapsed? There was confusion all over.

What was the feeling of the army then and after Ironsi was killed?

The coup was organised by a few of the people, a handful of people and when they succeeded, everybody fell in line.

Then, before Ironsi was killed, he brought about a lot of changes in the structure of the country. By that time, we had a federation of three regions. Ironsi cancelled the regions and this was made possible because of the events that followed and people saw this as bringing into fruition the idea that Igbo domination of Nigeria was a question of time, which one of the Igbo leaders had predicted some years before. Maybe he was in the state of inebriation or drunk at that time, but whether it was true or false, we don’t know. But this was what was read into it. So, the majority of those who were killed were northerners, though some top Yoruba officers were killed too. Then after killing all those people, they installed Ironsi who was an Igbo man and he surrounded himself with senior civil servants who were Igbo

General Olutoye too, permanent secretaries, technocrats and so on, who wrote most of these things which became very annoying to a lot of people, up to the cancelling of the whole idea of regional government, pursuing a central government or unitary government, which is what is still being practised now to the detriment of those of us who think otherwise.

In addition to that, you know we have many Igbo in the North, particularly in Kaduna, Kano, and so on. They were rejoicing and it would have not been right if they had done that secretly. But they believed it was an occasion for rejoicing that Sardauna was killed. They even started jeering at the people in the North, that this was the way we killed your leaders, which was annoying. This type of thing did not happen in the West because not everybody supported Chief S.L Akintola. I am sure if it had happened to Awolowo, it would have been a different story. In fact, what attracted me to Nzeogwu at the very early stages of the planning of the coup was when I asked him if he’s hoping to make himself the head of state after the coup, he said ‘No’ that he’s going to bring somebody, a civilian who was knowledgeable and who had a lot to show by his performance, when he was given the opportunity to rule. I asked him who was the man, and he said the man was in Calabar Prisons. So, I said Chief Obafemi Awolo-

wo and he said ‘Yes.’ So, I said if he’s going to bring somebody that’s knowledgeable, who is acclaimed to be more knowledgeable than those he’s removing, then it is alright. That was why I gave him my own support and blessing at the initial stage.

But when he said it would involve killing, I said ‘No, thank you.’

When General Gowon came on board as the Head of State, was he generally accepted within the army?

Well, that time we still have quite a number of Igbo officers. It was part of this that led to the exodus of Igbo from the North to the East, where they felt they were more secure because they were afraid that the northerners could attack them. Some of them lost their lives in Kaduna Railway Station; quite a lot of them were killed while trying to catch available train to the East. When a coup takes place, not everybody supports. It’s not possible for everybody to support. It’s just like when you have a change of government now, not everybody will support.

Can you compare the military then to what we are having now?

The military now is more educated. It comprises more educated people. Hardly can you see any senior officer now who is not a university graduate. All the senior ones that you see on the pages of news-

The Yoruba race, the Western region, would have been a nuclear power. There’s no doubt about that because by that time an atomic reactor was already envisaged in University of Ife

papers, some of them have two degrees in relevant disciplines. So, by any standard, they are not illiterates. You cannot compare then with the military now in terms of knowledge and wisdom because our military can compete with military anywhere in the world. In the past, if they ordered them to go, they would go without any question. But now, in terms of education, commitment and discipline, you cannot compare because when you’re educated, your mind is open to other ideas. Even when somebody tells you to go, in your own personal estimation, you put whoever tells you to go on the scale and weigh it. You can do that now but in those days, we didn’t do that and we didn’t have to do that. All the thinking was done for us, that was the training of a soldier. Again, we have more officers now than before, not just officers but officers and men. So, it was possible for a small clique to get together in those days.

It’s not possible now. The situation must be nationwide and you can’t have a good number of soldiers coming together, reasoning together to do something together to bring a change by force, because we still find some people who will argue that why must we use force to talk to them, they will ask questions that can’t we call them for a roundtable talk or conference. These are the type of officers we have now, they can think for themselves and not having somebody sitting somewhere thinking for them. There’s a lot of difference now.

Did you have any relationship with Adekunle Fajuyi? As a military officer, how did you feel when you heard about his death?

Yes, even though he was my senior, we were friends, good friends. When I learnt about his death, I felt very bad and sad as a military officer. I felt bad that a colleague of mine shouldn’t have been treated or killed that way. As a Yoruba man, I felt proud that here was somebody who gave his life in an attempt to save his guest because that was what happened.

He told those boys who came, the northern soldiers who came, that there was no way they could take Ironsi away because he was his guest. He was reported to have said that much. I’m sure there are some people who would say he looked the other way when Ironsi was being taken away.

You will find some Nigerians who would say that Yoruba man looked the other way but he was not that type of person at all. He was brave, there’s no doubt about that. He was one of the bravest soldiers we have then. He displayed bravery and valour in Congo and that was the reason he was awarded the Military Cross for his exceptional bravery in the face of enemies’ fire. He was the first Nigerian to get a military cross.

Why is coup not popular again, not only in civilised environment but also in Africa?

Generally across the globe, coup is seen to be old-fashioned and not only that the old school carry out coup and seize that opportunity to perpetuate themselves in office and very few coup plotters have done well, very few. The only one we can regard to have done very good and left a good mark is in Turkey. Is it Mobutu (Sese Seko) who is regarded as one of the richest men in the world? I know him very well. When I went to serve in Congo between 1960 and 1961, Mobutu was just a boy then.

Continues pg 30

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interview

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Why Obaseki will win in Edo —Iriase Hon Pally Iriase is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives and member representing Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House. In this interview, he speaks on the chances of the other contestants in the September 10 election in Edo. Excerpts:

H

OW prepared is the APC, ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State?

We are for Godwin Obaseki and I believe that he will win. It would be the best for Edo to have him as governor after Comrade Oshiomhole because Mr Governor has described Obaseki as the brain box of his government following his wonderful performance as Chairman of the Economic Team over the past seven and a half years. As SSG of the Oshiomhole administration, I know that the governor knows what he is talking about. I also know what Godwin brought to the table. The man is very cerebral and he has what it takes to make Edo a developed state.

On the other hand, Pastor Ize-Iyamu is my friend. We have come a long way and I believe he has his own positive aspect. He is a great mobiliser, but in terms of good governance, his pedigree and track record do not seem to score him very high. You will recall that at the advent of democratic governance in Edo in 1999, he was the Chief of Staff to Governor Lucky Igbinedion. In the second term of Igbinedion, he was elevated to the position of SSG. That he occupied those two powerful positions means that government relied very heavily on his person, but the PDP in ten years ran this state very poorly. There is no way anybody that influential will be exempted in the perception of the people.

PDP and the destruction of civil service I heard Ize-Iyamu is accusing the Oshiomhole government of destroying the civil service. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was the PDP government that nearly annihilated the civil in Edo. Another point he has made is that this government should be held responsible for running down the educational system. That is also a lie. Talking about the civil service, there is no way that we can forget that, in 2001, the PDP government, in which Ize-Iyamu was very influential, decided that the best way to handle paucity of funds and inability to pay salaries was not only to down size, but to also tinker with the Pension Act to reduce civil servants retirement age until recently when it was raised to 60 years. That happened in 2001 with a lot of us arguing against it because I led the House delegation, as the Deputy Speaker, to a meeting with Igbinedion and those involved know themselves. Ize-Iyamu was there too. We had come to complain that the planned compulsory retirement of several Edo people, under the new decision of retiring those who have done 53 years of age or 28 years in service, instead of 55 years of age or 35 years in service, was counter - productive.

How can we forget? The PDP government sent people prematurely away from the civil service. My argument was that it was against the law. They said no. I said, secondly, it will be penny wise, pounds fool-

ish because, at the end of it all, they will still have to pay gratuity and pension to the people that were being retired. They said ‘who told you we will?’ I was shocked. But that is what they did. And Ize-Iyamu was involved in all of all these against our people. So I know what I am saying. Those civil servants were retired without their gratuity and that was the beginning of this intractable problem of pensioners. So how can you now turn history and make it look as if the APC government did it.

And on the educational system, during the PDP administration, our schools were so dilapidated and were fit for only reptiles, rodents. Nobody can deny the fact that the Oshiomhole government has done so well in revamping and upgrading the infrastructural facilities in the educational system. If you talk about not having enough teachers, it is easily solvable, but the kind of money you need to fix schools the way Oshiomhole has done is more demanding. The PDP destroyed our education sector to the point that it was nothing to talk about until Oshiomhole came. And Edo College is exempted because it is the alma mater of some of the PDP leaders. What is going to determine the behaviour of the electorate is that they will remember that, in spite of the bad economy and the PDP- induced criminality in the Niger Delta, what do you find in Edo? The state is among the few states that are able to pay workers as and when due. I have been told that the contractor that is awarded the completion of Otuo General Hospital has been mobilized. You now wonder. What do the people want, what are their needs? All they need is just to have good governance and that is what APC has been doing. From Ring Road to Ugbowo, nobody is afraid

anymore to pass through there. People will never forget where we are coming from and, I am sure, with their vote, they will say ‘we will never go back to Egypt’.

The Edge Another issue is this idea of attempting to divert the campaign away from issues and going personal and I will urge both sides to stop it. What the people want to hear is what you can do for them and that is where Obaseki has an edge over Ize-Iyamu. Obaseki scores very high because you have not heard him go personal in his campaign. He is only telling Edo people how he intends to develop the state through agriculture. He is telling them how he will create jobs, industrialise Edo. You don’t need to be told how PDP made a mess of industrialization in this state. The cassavita factory at Uromi never worked. How can we forget the solid minerals and fertilizer company that never worked in Edo North? How can we forget the fruit juice factory that never worked in Ehor? A party that was in government and saw to the liquidation of few semblance of industrial standing in the state cannot just come to say they want to industrialize the state.

Okpella cement factory died in their hands, Bendel Breweries took the same path, Edo Line is dead. I am alive to tell the story of how PDP killed these industries. The reason I was suspended in December 1999 was that I attempted to stand against what I saw as sending Edo to economic doldrums by the PDP then. They borrowed capital to establish worthless ventures. You said you wanted to establish Edo City Transport Service.

My take was that the best bet would have been to take Edo Line, recapitalize it and go ahead to have a kind of compartmentaliza-

The reason I was suspended in December 1999 was that I attempted to stand against what I saw as sending Edo to economic doldrums by the PDP

tion. You have inter-city and intra-city, running side by side; so why would you go into the expense of establishing new buildings, new garage. And then, the PDP went ahead to say they were going to import Kombi buses. I said Kombi buses were ‘not known in this town; can we have Memoradum of Understanding to enable us, as representatives of the people, know what you are putting in the agreement that will ensure continuous supplies of spares, importation of manpower that will teach our people on how to make the buses road worthy?’ They said I was asking too many questions and I was sent on illegal suspension. That happened because I told them that the buses will not last three years and certainly they did not last two years. There is no Kombi bus anywhere in Edo again and they killed Edo Line. There is no bank that is not established in Edo because they see the state as a thriving economy. Only recently Dangote Group went to lay the foundation stone for a giant cement factory in Edo. Who is going to work there? Edo indigenes. Obaseki is in the fore front of this. And there are going to be many more. Obaseki has the blue print on how to turn our economy around through the solid minerals that we have in abundance in Edo North. He also has the blue print on how to partner with world class investors to turn Edo into an agrarian state, a state that will not only feed the nation but also earn good revenue to keep our economy buoyant. I know this and won’t go into the sentiment of personal friendship of supporting Ize Iyamu to succeed Oshiomhole because God is watching us; we need the best for Edo and that best is Obaseki, not Ize-Iyamu.

Allegation of marginalizing Edo Central Oshiomhole is not marginalizing Edo Central. Edo Central has had the highest number of ministers, Uromi in particular.

The question is, what have they done for their people? There is no deliberate attempt on the part of Oshiomhole to marginalize Esan people. It is just that the demographics did not support our party at this time to pick an Esan governorship candidate. And if you want to be good for Esan people, you will rather encourage them to wait for the appropriate time so that we all will now join hands and give it to them. Under the PDP, Esan land was completely forgotten except for the rehabilitation of the road to Ilushi, and the road has gone bad again. But in contrast, under Oshiomhole’s government, Irua-Shugbenu-Ugbegu Road has been constructed to world standard and not a pot hole has developed there several years after. If you have ever been to UgbegunEbudin road, people in that area were given the impression by the PDP that it was not possible to construct road for them.

Today we have Ebudin-Ujogba-Igueben Road. As we speak, the road from Igueben through Ewatto to Ohodua to Emu, except for the bridge which contract has just been awarded, is a delight to the people of Esan land. All these are things in Esan land and there are various schools that have now been cleaned up. What about the world class hospital at Ewohimi? But one thing that the elite that tell lies will suffer at the polls, if there is no rigging machinery, is that they will be saying one thing and the electorate will be saying another with their vote.

So, like I said earlier, Obaseki will beat IzeIyamu silly at the polls. All the propaganda PDP is doing will not work. We all know ourselves and you will see the result come September 10.

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interview

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

We are ready to correct abnormalities in Nigeria —DG, NEVACO Dr Emmanuel Adeoye is the Director-General, National Ethics and Values Compliance Office (NEVACO). In this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, he sheds more light on the duties and objective of the commission and his plans to make impact on Nigerians. Excerpts:

W

HAT are the aims and objective of NEVACO? NEVACO was established to correct the wrong, the evil vices ongoing in our country and society today. It is to make sure we do things the right way which we have not been doing in the country. Even the little child in Nigeria today wants to make money through wrong means. So, the aim of the commission is to educate people to be upright and sincere in whatever you are doing. For instance, you want to go to the ministry for something, you must have to bribe somebody to help push the letter, this act is wrong and we want to correct it. So, we are out to let everybody know whatever you are doing in the country, let it be ethnical, let it be done in the right way. Ethnic is to correct the abnormality in the society, to correct the misimpression by the outside communities.

Office. Compliance means we have to comply with the ethics of the land. I don’t want to say we are policemen but to correct the abnormality in the society people have been carrying out. We came to correct that notion, we are Compliance Officers. For instance, when you are running a cooperative society, we need to check if you are following the decree that established society in the country, who are the members and all that. We need to make sure people follow the laid down rules and regulations. To put it straight, we are here to correct the wrong in the society.

NEVACO cannot shy away from the fact that a good number of people have committed a whole lot of efforts to the projects of FAEV but I must say it emphatically here that NEVACO is miles apart in ways of conducting its business vis-à-vis FAEV but this is not to say that the previous endeavours are wasted.

As Compliance Officers, don’t you think your duties would conflict with that of the already existing agencies, like the police and Civil Defence Corps?

The police are established to act after the offence has been committed, the police arrest because you are a criminal. The DSS arrests you because you are a criminal but NEVACO is a compliance office, we are there to correct everybody; all Nigerians and to preach the change. We are compliance officers and make people adhere to the ethics and values of the land. We let people know their right from wrong.

Are there structures on ground to kick-start this programme, bearing in mind that it is a national agenda.

We are just forming the structure. As we go to the states we form structures. We are looking for credible people to take over not just anybody that would come to destruct the whole process. Like I always tell people, Nigerians are fond of two things; they like the uniform and titles. You can see someone who will tell you I am a chairman, I am a director, and you ask director of what? So, structures have to be on ground. Everybody must know their functions, not for a watch repairer to stand up and tell the whole world he is a managing director. In order words, we need to get the message of government to the grassroots; there must be orderliness and a structure for everybody to carry out their respective functions.

How come the Federal Government appointed a Director-General without a structure?

No, we have structures. If you would remember vividly how Ethics and Value was being run, the former administration appointed Mrs Sarah Jubril as Special Adviser on Ethics and Values and later my office was created. I am the first Director-General. So, based on this, what was in existence before was Foundation for Ethics and Value (FEAV). At the time, she was not given any fund; she had to use her NGO to carry the message, which to me was a good idea. She started it as a cooperative society to help the people within their communities. For instance, if there is cassava in a particular village, anybody can borrow money from the society and process the cassava, refund the money after selling and the loan will be

Dr Emmanuel Adeoye given to other people. That was how the structures were established based on NGO bases.

With what you said, NEVACO may still be seen as a cooperative society, how do you intend to correct this notion in the mind of the people?

It is a wrong notion; they were talking about Ethics and Values. This is National Ethics and Values Compliance

Don’t you think NEVACO would be viewed as a Buhari/APC agenda?

Any serious government all over the world must have ethics and values. Just take a look at the advanced world, its duties is to correct, train and enlighten the citizen. In Nigeria we are developing and as a developing nation, things like this will boost our need to stay together as one. Other organisations will come up in the nearest future that we are supposed to have. Even in the National Assembly at the moment we have a Committee on Ethnic and Values to check them.

How optimistic are you that the bill to pass National Ethics and Value Compliance will see the light of the day?

It will scale through. That is what the public is looking for. Everybody wants to correct the vices in the country right now and it is only ethics and value that can raise the moral; it is the antidote to corruption. So, everybody is looking forward to having the bill.

‘No alternative to fiscal federalism’ Continued from pg28

But when I went back on a visit, he was one of the leaders. There are many examples even in West Africa, even in Nigeria here because we are not an exception. So, that’s why majority of us, by virtue of our education, we look at coup as old-fashioned and anybody thinking of coup now belongs to the old school because they leave what should be done undone and coup is not the answer. Most of the people who plan coup these days don’t have anything upstairs to face the realities of nation building. That’s why I keep telling them what would have happened if there had been no coup in January 1966. We would have had three regions as they were then. The Yoruba race, the Western region, would have been a nuclear power, there’s no doubt about that because by that time an atomic reactor was already envisaged in University of Ife, which was founded by the Oodua states then. Look at our various developments, by now all these computers we are just being introduced to would have been a thing of the past and so many other developments would have been ours.

Look at our roads; look at the road linking Ondo, Akure

and Ijebu, it was done during Awolowo time when we have the Western region, that road is still one of the best.

Most of the big towns had electricity, water and other amenities. Even though we are complaining, those at the helms of affairs then listened to our complaints because they knew those complaints were genuine.

But now nobody listens to you. This is the reason why some of us will prefer re- organisation of the whole set up and I’m sure that some of the people who sat at the last constitutional [national] conference of 2014 in Abuja, which was convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan, are now in the House as lawmakers and I won’t be surprised if they don’t pass it. They will not want to pass the resolutions into law. If the consensus is that the proposals should be part of the contemplated constitutional amendment, Buhari will have no option because a number of politicians from the opposition side participated in the conference and a lot of people outside now, who were members are still very vocal. Fiscal federalism will make states develop what they have. If I find oil at the back of my house now, the following day I will be driven away from there and the Federal Government will

take over because that’s the rule. And we say we don’t want that. When Lagos State went ahead to establish power station around Ikorodu to produce electricity, the constitution we are running said that the Lagos had to feed whatever they had to the national grid and Lagos had to buy what they produce. It sounds ridiculous, but that’s what we are running now and some people have come forward to say this is not right. Look at Bitumen in Ondo State. The state has the second largest deposit of Bitumen in the world. I had the opportunity in the time of Pa Adekunle Ajasin, who was the governor then, out of sheer interest to study a little bit about bitumen, we have one these bright lads who was from Ondo and who did a research and submitted his findings about the bitumen. From bitumen, there’s hardly anything you cannot make from it, petrol, diesel, kerosine, tar and many other things. So, I went on my own, got a copy of what was published by that man to Canada to study how they do things over there. I was no longer in the army then. I was a retiree. We wrote a few things out and I even sent my first recommendations, but before I came back Papa Ajasin had been dismissed and that was the end of it.

opinion NASS: Still a misunderstood institution?

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31 July, 2016

By Yusuph Olaniyonu Last week, after the National Assembly adjourned to commence its annual recess in compliance with the provision of Section 60 of the Constitution, Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate, issued a statement published in the newspapers in which he called on the Accountant General of the Federation to deduct the payment for the period in which the federal legislators did not sit at plenary from their salaries. Mr Falana is a respected lawyer and public commentator whose views I hold seriously.

In the statement, without providing empirical evidence or giving us figures, he claimed that the Senators and House of Representatives members have not fulfilled the requirements of Section 63 of the Constitution which requires them to «sit for a period of not less than one hundred and eighty-one days in a year». Well, Mr Falana is a man who always gives out all facts to substantiate his position. So, I had expected him to give figures as to how many days the National Assembly actually sat and by how many days they were short of the constitutional requirement so that we can know how many days pay the Accountant General will deduct. When I did not see these details in the statement, I know something was wrong.

That was unlike the human rights activist/lawyer.

My deduction is that the statement by Falana is just another instance of how many Nigerians commented on the activities, events around and issues in the National Assembly just for the sake of knocking the federal legislature. The lawmakers have become the black sheep, Guinea pigs or the whipping boys for those who are not happy with the going-on in the country.

This may be because the legislature is the one that has stayed the least in our administrative structure since independence. Between and now, the legislature has only existed for about half of the time the two other arms -executive and judiciary- have been with us. To be precise, we have had full legislature for 28 out of 56 years of post-independent Nigeria. Thus, the legislature is the least known and least familiar to the people. With this situation, many Nigerians are still not conversant with the rules, procedure and process governing the operations of the institution.

In any case, it is easy to criticise the National Assembly with 469 elected members than the executive where only two people enjoy the people›s mandate while others hold offices at the discretion of just one man.

Also, since 1999, the executive arm has consciously and unconsciously contributed to creating a bad image for the law making institution, as part of the design to weaken and control it. That is why it is gradually becoming part of the democratic culture being promoted now, even by

the media, that the Presidency must have a say in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly and that its leadership must always be seen to be in the good book of the executive.

And some of the commentaries about the National Assembly fall into the different categories of those who do not believe nothing good can come from there, those who are eager to blame all the evils in Nigeria on the Assembly, the outright mischievous ones and those who simply comment out of ignorance. Mr Falana must belong to the first category.

To address some of the issues arising from the lawyer›s position. Section 60 of the Constitution which states that «Subject to the provision of this constitution, the Senate and House of Representatives shall have the powers to regulate its own procedure for summoning and recess of the House», allows the National Assembly to go on vacation just like every individual engaged in any type of work. It should also be noted that the National Assembly works through different fora. The sitting of all the members in plenary is just one of them and that is

Sunday Tribune

the forum that is suspended when the Legislature goes on recess.

Members of the National Assembly during recess continue to sit and work through committees. See Section 62 (1, 2, 3, and 4) of the constitution. They work through visiting the locus in quo in exercise of their duties under Section 88 of the Constitution. More importantly, they work through constituency engagements which are recognised by the constitution and other laws as a key duty of the legislators. All these other duties other than sitting as the committee of the whole in plenary usually go on undisturbed during the recess period. That is why expert commentators on the legislature agree that more legislative work is done in the committees than at plenary. In other words, much of the work on bills is done at committee stage. Same are oversight and consideration of public petitions by the committee so assigned the work.

That is why, despite the Senate being on recess, members of its committee met for several hours between last Tuesday and Thursday to hold confirmation hearing for over 40 ambassadorial nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari. Also, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has been resuming in the office since Monday to attend to foreign dignitaries, heads of institutions and bodies seeking to engage with the Senate about their activities and about laws that can have positive impact on Nigerians.

Therefore, apart from law making, the constitutional responsibility of Senators and Representatives include investigation or what is called oversight functions, advocacy, approval of executive appointments and relating with the constituents. A great aspect of these responsibilities takes place outside the plenary.

Today, the committees in the Senate are striving to meet the deadline given to them by the Senate President that all pending reports from various committee assignments or investigation must be ready for consideration after the recess. Also, many lawmakers utilise this period to hold various consultative and empowerment sessions for their people. An example of this latter use of the recess period was the July 23 event to announce scholarship awards and youth empowerment programme held in Ikeagwu, Enugu State by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

It is therefore wrong to think that once the federal legislature is on recess, members simply shut off, go to sleep and wake up to collect salaries and allowances.

Members of the National Assembly represent Nigerians and if we continue denigrating the Legislature, it can only translate to undermining the nation›s democracy.

Olaniyonu is Special Adviser (Media) to Senate President.

EDO: These legacies must be sustained

By Courage Inegbedion EDO State readily crosses the mind each time the failure and success of governance at state level in Nigeria are discussed.

Having had its share of both scenarios since the dawn of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the state qualifies to be used as the yardstick to measure the performance of government in key areas.

The years of former Lucky Igbinedion within the context of this analogy could indisputably pass for wasted years following its awful performance indicators.

Without dwelling much on those years of the locust, those wasted two terms left damaging consequences on the naturally vibrant state.

Nostalgically, we recall that those eight years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration was a colossal waste, as billions of allocation accruing to the state from the Federation Account were not used to improve the life of the Edo man.

Sadly, the state that was a model even under military leaders like George Innih, Samuel Ogbemudia, and Tunde Ogbeha, among others, was turned into a lame duck with the legacies of the past wasted through visionless governance.

The result was infrastructural collapse, hunger, unemployment and utter hopelessness.

It was in this precarious condition that Oshiomhole commenced his stewardship in 2008, bracing the odds to ensure that Edo was rescued.

However, through purposeful political leadership, Oshiomhole’s team transformed Benin from an abandoned ancient city to a 21st century city with the full complements of road networks adorned with street lights, walk ways and drainage; beautiful city centre with state of the art facilities; and improved traffic monitoring systems that work.

The urban renewal project, which cuts across the three senatorial districts with much focus on Benin City, Auchi, Ekpoma, Uromi and Abudu and impressive impact in all the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, show queue behind the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki, who can sustain these legacies and as well improve upon them.

His ability to do that is not doubt considering that he had been a key player in the mainstream decision-making architecture of the Oshiomhole administration.

The achievements, must not only be sustained by Obaseki, they should also be protected, and imbibed by all for the peace and development of Edo. The fact that the APC candidate is very passionate about transparency and accountability in governance, insisting that state funds belong to the people and must, therefore, be used to provide for their good, is quite gratifying.

His commendable and exemplary contribution to the prudent management of state resources, prompt payment of workers’ salaries, including state pension obligations; the massive infrastructural development in education, health, road, water, urban renewal and beautification, electricity as well as the ingenious tax administration and collection regime are indicators that the gains of this administration would be maximised.

Our people must look at the contenders, sift the focused from the pretenders, shun sentimental and primordial interests and focus on the serious issues of passion for the development of our state and the ability and capacity to harness and utilise most creatively the resources available to Edo. This is where Obaseki, who shares same vision and mission with Oshiomhole, stands the best chance of keeping hope alive that the legacies of the Oshiomhole administration of which he has been a significant part will be sustained.

Not minding what some may think, there couldn’t have been any better successor than Obaseki considering his prime contributions to the Edo success story in nearly eight years.

We must all now begin our work in our different ways as indigenes to give Obaseki total victory.

Inegbedion, a pastor writes from Ubiaja

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Tenure policy and the future of civil service in Nigeria

By Tunji Olaopa

R

ECENTLY, the news about the tenure policy in the federal civil service silently burst into the public sphere, and rather silently seems to have fizzled out like most significant issues that concern the progress of the Nigerian state. I however consider the issue one of rather immense significance, especially to the reform and transformation of the civil service in Nigeria, and so deserving of protracted debate and discussion that affects policy about how the civil service can perform and hence fulfil its mandate as a cornerstone of national development in Nigeria. My concern with this issue is, of course, not far-fetched. I have been a civil servant all my life; and my brief revolved around the reform of the civil service system in a way that backstopped Nigeria’s burgeoning democratic governance. For me, therefore, what is at issue is not the appropriateness of removing or retaining the tenure policy, but rather situating it within the overall wellbeing and performance capacity of the civil service.

There are so many things that are wrong with the Nigerian state. And the civil service system is one of the focal point of the inability to transit into a developmental state with the capacity to empower its citizens in terms of a democratic service delivery that concretises democratic dividends.

And the civil service system in Nigeria has been the focus of more than six decades of active reforms that targets almost every dimension of its operational modalities, from wages to staffing. Yet, these reforms have had ambivalent effect on the progress of the system. Let us cite one cogent instance. By the time the massive purge of the civil service by the Murtala/Obasanjo regime was completed in 1975, the system had been so eroded that civil service professionalism was effectively compromised, and the critical performance that would capacitate the system was effectively lost.

It was therefore most appropriate that the Phillips Report, which undergirded the Civil Service Reform of 1988, would essentially be concerned with restoring and enhancing professionalism and performance. Unfortunately, this Report politicised rather than professionalised the civil service elite corp. The wastage which ensued from this politicisation was the result of making permanent secretaries political appointees who mark time on a position for as long as the lifetime of the government which appointed them, and effectively ensured the erosion of cooperation and motivation.

When the tenure policy was established under the Yar’Adua government, one positive purpose it served was as a check against systemic demotivation to career progression officers who have always been in the Federal Service. No one civil servant would have the opportunity of sitting at the helms of affair in a ministry until s/ he attained to managerial level through rigorous pipelining and tested career progression. The reversal of this policy simply demonstrates the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which politics oftentimes trump policy and reform in Nigeria. I doubt if anyone would be able to seriously fault its

significance as a plank in any effort to take the civil service, and especially its senior level cadre, to the next level in terms of productivity and performance.

Let us put the discourse in a new light.

The tenure policy is not a stand-alone administrative policy; it does not exist or cease to exist for its own sake. On the contrary, its effectiveness or lack of it, in global administrative best practices, it tied to its specific function in the performance record of the civil service. All across the globe, from USA and the UK to the Netherlands and France, the tenure policy issue goes beyond the career progression of the civil servants; it has often been tied to the urgency of achieving a result-oriented civil service that is lean, economical, effective and efficient. Countries which have confronted the tenure issue have done so, therefore, within the context of a larger smart practice which performance management imperative actualized through the deployment of numerous human resources toolkits like flexible employment policies and performance accountability systems that draw any civil service into the service mandate of producing tangible results.

When Nigeria lost the golden opportunity presented by the Udoji Report of 1974, the Nigerian civil service system has been in a race against time to constitute the civil service into a policy implementation hub that efficiently delivers development outcomes through the effective circumvention of the policy execution trap which choke visions, development plans and policy outcomes. Since 1974, in other words, the civil service system has failed to achieve a shift from a system which manages input processes to one which supervises output outcomes. Mr Oronsaye cannot be blamed for his valiant effort at laying the foundation of the tenure policy. The real issue is why successive heads of services have failed to deepen the administrative implications of that policy as a performance game changer which not only tenure civil servants but ask for price

of the tenure in terms of accountability for results and outcomes within the context of rigorous and continuous annual assessment metrics. With the politicisation of the issue, and its eventual reversal, it becomes clear that we have on our hand a case of the system protecting its own top management in a manner that precludes accountability and results.

The tenure policy must be placed within the larger issue of cost of governance and the overbloatedness of the civil service in Nigeria. The reality in the civil service today is not only the existence of many deadwoods and ghost workers who shoot up the overheads of the service. This reality is complicated by the fact that government pay through its nose for the outsourced services of policy consultants and analysts. There is also the obscene surplus of special/personal assistants and special advisers as well as the frameworks of over-reliance on technical assistance from development agencies. All these have become the unfortunate dynamics by which the civil service cope with its own deficiencies, compromised by skills deficits, nepotism, lack of any re-professionalisation

The reality in the civil service today is not only the existence of many deadwoods and ghost workers who shoot up the overheads of the service

programmes that bring the civil servants up to date on current administrative skills, and wrongheaded industrial actions.

The civil service in Nigeria has a tough choice to make between remaining a lumbering bureaucratic contraption that circumvents Nigeria’s democratic governance and a lean, efficient and professional system girded around by values and procedures that compel performance and results. This is the dilemma that the adoption or reversal of the tenure policy places on us. While the objective of the civil service, according to the National Strategy for Public Service Reform (NSPSR) is fast moving, intelligent, professional, information-rich, flexible, adaptable and entrepreneurial world class civil service that is performance-focused, accountable and capable of creating the policy climate that will instigate a new productivity paradigm in the national economy, there are obviously many options that could take Nigeria to this objective. One of these numerous options is the concept of the Senior Executive Service (SES). This refers to a small, professional, non-political career civil service that would not only enjoy career protection, but would also enjoy a compensation package that serves as adequate incentive, especially in the face of private sector recruitment.

But the task of the SES goes beyond being retained in the public service. Specifically, it constitutes the nucleus of reflective innovation, leadership core and skills repository of the civil service. It is around the SES that the reform of the civil service can be achieved. Those recruited into this top echelon will be distinguished by a different pay package which is inevitably tied to a performance contract scheme.

Thus, the SES is more about administrative leadership, performance outcomes and accountability than about security of tenure. More significantly, the SES option ensures that the civil service system is constantly kept in check within the purview of the administrative requirements of the knowledge society and its reform imperatives. The Senior Executive Service becomes critical in its mandate to increase the intelligence quotient of the civil service at the strategic, tactical and operational levels.

According to the French ecclesiastic, Cardinal de Retz, “Nothing indicates the soundness of a man’s judgment so much as knowing how to choose between two disadvantages.” The present administration is faced with the weight of public opinions on the rightness of removing the tenure policy or not. The way out, I submit, is to insert the retention of the tenure policy within a larger framework that not only allows the civil service to press its top management into performance management, but also gives the civil service system a firmer footing within the comprehensive change agenda of the government. Tenure by itself makes no sense except within the context of how it facilitates the performance of the system. Or fails to do so.

• Dr Olaopa, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP), Ibadan, writes via tolaopa2003@gmail.com.

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opinion

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Nigeria’s third Mahdi and the last of the Amalekite kings

By Femi Fani-Kayode

F

ORGIVE me for my curious silence over the last few months but this was due to circumstances beyond my control. As you know I was locked up in President Muhammadu Buhari’s gulag and I was not allowed to write from there. Needless to say I missed all my readers. I have chosen to share my views about our nation today because I am aware of the fact that President Buhari has not finished with me yet and I may be picked up and thrown into detention on other trumped up charges very soon. This government will do and say anything to silence my voice but it will not prevail.

Whatever the case, my safety, life and future lie in the hands of God and not theirs.

Despite the obvious dangers and various warnings that I have received from both my persecutors and well-wishers, I shall continue to write as long as God gives me life and liberty. It is not what happens to me that matters but rather what happens to Nigeria and the millions of ordinary people that are suffering from the daily oppression of our modern-day slave masters. That aside, permit me to share my views.

A couple of weeks ago, a 73-year-old Christian grandmother was beheaded in Kano because she asked some Muslims to stop washing their feet in front of her door before their prayers. A few days later, a female pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was hacked to pieces by a mob of Muslims in the Kubwa district of Abuja simply for doing her morning cry of evangelism and urging the people to give their lives to Christ.

Not too long after that, 200 Muslim youths burnt down a Catholic Church and attacked worshippers in Niger State, claiming that they had no right to go to church on a Friday because it was the Muslim day of worship. A few days later, a Christian traditional ruler in Plateau State was macheted to death by a group of Muslim militants and Fulani herdsmen.

Such attacks are now common place in our country and they are no longer isolated events.

Worse still cases of institutional racism and religious bigotry are on the rise because our government is perceived to be encouraging it. Permit me to share one example. During my prolonged detention at the EFCC custody, a group of cell mates were conducting an all-night Christian prayer. All of a sudden, the cell guards burst in and screamed at them saying that this “nonsense” must stop and they must go to sleep immediately.

The inmates complied sheepishly out of fear and the prayers stopped. It was 1 a.m. I was in the opposite set of cells but I heard all the noise and warnings of the guards.

I sent for one of them and I asked him why he stopped the inmates from doing their prayer. His response was that that was EFCC policy because the prayers were too loud and they may be planning an escape. I told him that all he had to do was to ask them to lower their voices and that God and prayer was all they had. I also told him that if the inmates that were praying were Muslims he would not have ordered them to stop. He stormed off in anger.

The EFCC has become a tool of oppression in the hands of the core Muslim North which is using it to crush dissent and silence the opposition. This assertion is confirmed by the fact that 98 per cent of those that are detained by the EFCC for two days or more are southerners and Middle Belters, whilst 98 per cent of those that run the agency at the top are from the core Muslim North.

Worse still, the lingua franca of the agency is Hausa whilst the overwhelming majority of detainees are Christians, both at the Lagos and Abuja prisons of the EFCC. Core northern detainees are treated like royalty whilst Middle Belt and southern inmates are treated like filth.

Just as the Nigerian military was an institution that was designed and used to suppress and intimidate all the so-

called lesser ethnic groups in Nigeria between July 29, 1966 and May 29, 1999, so it is with the EFCC today. That is how emboldened the hegemonists in our midst have become and that is the level of barbarity that we have descended as a nation.

Yet, it gets even worse. Just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Internal Affairs told a bewildered nation that the Sultan of Sokoto (the leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria) “directed” him to declare a particular day of the week a public holiday. Without any hesitation, he complied with dispatch and, with pride, he announced it to the public. Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Nigeria where the Caliphate rules.

Is it any wonder that every single one of the numerous security and intelligence agencies in our country except for one is headed by a northerner? Whether it be the army, the navy, the air force, the police, the Department of State Service (DSS), the EFCC, the National Security Adviser’s Office or the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), they are all headed by individuals that are from the North.

The only exception to the rule is the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA), the agency which is responsible for

The heavy yoke of the last of the Amalekite kings must be broken.

The rulership of the third and last Mahdi must be brought to an end in a free and fair election. That is the challenge that we face today.

external intelligence and international espionage and which is headed by a southerner.

Can such a state of affairs be justified under any circumstances? Are southerners and Christians not Nigerians as well?

Are they not qualified to head more security agencies? Does the concept of Federal Character have any meaning in President Buhari’s Nigeria? For how much longer will our people tolerate such reckless impunity, nepotism and injustice from those who believe that they are the Boers and supremacists of what is fast turning into apartheidNigeria?

My father’s generation fought the battle for independence from our erstwhile British colonial masters.

It was indeed my father, Chief RemilekunFani-Kayode thatsuccessfully moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence in Parliament in 1958. The battle that must be fought today by my generation is the battle for independence from the sons of FutaJalon: our internal colonial masters who are relentless in their quest to subjugate and enslave others and who believe that they were born to rule.

This quest for expansion and domination and this insatiable desire to Islamise our nation is best reflected by the words and actions of the three Mahdis of the North.

The hegemonists must be stopped. It is our duty to either restructure or face the consequence and to ensure that Buhari is the last of the northern Mahdis through a peaceful and democratic process.

Consequently the prayer is no longer “God defend Nigeria” but rather “God restructure Nigeria.” It is no longer “God deliver Nigeria” but rather “God deliver us from Nigeria.” It is no longer “God preserve Nigeria” but rather “God redefine Nigeria.” It is no longer “God remember Nigeria” but rather “God dismember Nigeria.”

We must break our chains of oppression because no one else will break them for us. We must reject slavery. We must break the yoke of servitude and set ourselves free.

For this great cause no price is too high to pay. If it means laying down our lives or suffering the bitter pain of persecution, then so be it.

No mountain is too high to climb for attainment of freedom and the restoration of our self-respect and collective dignity. The heavy yoke of the last of the Amalekite kings must be broken. The rulership of the third and last Mahdi must be brought to an end in a free and fair election. That is the challenge that we face today. That is the great work that the Lord would have us complete. That is our duty and our calling: to bring the unbelieving pagans to heel and to pull down the evil structures of caliphate power.

Those that joined forces with the internal colonial masters and helped to enslave their own people shall pay a heavy price for their treachery, collaboration and betrayal. Our new nation has no room for such people. They will be herded into labour camps and ultimately deported.

They are a shameful eyesore.

Yet, blessed are the courageous and faithful who speak nothing but truth, who despise the oppressor and who champion the cause of the oppressed. They shall flourish like the palm tree in season and their seed shall excel. Blessed are those that are persecuted for their faith and that are regarded as the “hewers of the wood and the drawers of the water”: so-called ethnic inferiors in their own nation. They shall inherit the land and, in the fullness of time, they shall be liberated from their tormentors and they shall rule over their adversaries.

That is the promise of the Alpha and the Omega and the Ancient of Days. That is a sure word from He that is known as the Lord God of Hosts and the Man of War. That is the counsel of the God of all flesh: the Adonai, the Elohim and Jehova El Shaddai. None can resist Him. •Fani-Kayode is a former Minister of Aviation

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31 July, 2016

ON THE

Sunday Tribune

With Bolanle Bolawole turnpot@gmail.com 07052631058

lord’sday The ding-dong in Ekiti (III) In a period of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act – George Orwell, author of ‘Animal Farm’ & ‘Nineteen Eighty Four.’

F

ROM time immemorial, SouthWest politics has been laced with the poisoned chalice called treachery. I read this in History books as well as witnessed first-hand in my native Owo in Ondo State, first in 1964/65 and later in 1983, some of the gory consequences of “politics with bitterness.”

These included setting people and properties ablaze in what was called “Operation Wetie”, meaning “set them ablaze.” Many of the owners of properties wasted in this manner never recovered from their losses.

Inherent in politics is competition and the jostling for power, position, influence, relevance, and, of course, wealth. To ensure that “the game” is played within reasonable bounds, laws are made and processes prescribed; but these are oftentimes short-circuited by those cutting corners.

Use of coercion, reliance on the apparatuses of state power by the politicians who control them, and the counter-measure of employing private armies by those who feel shortchanged by the compromise of state power, are the sure recipe for mayhem. The earliest deadly struggle for power amongst leading South-West politicians was the one between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others on the one hand and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and others on the other, during the First Republic. South-West politics was never to remain the same again.

The political divide survived into the Second Republic with the like of AMA Akinloye, Richard Akinjide (Mr. 12 twothirds); Victor Omololu Olunloyo; and later, the turn-coats: Busari Adelakun aka Eruobodo; Sunday Afolabi and Akin Omoboriowo, all of the NPN, leading the challenge against the mainstream Awoist party, the UPN. Before the curtain was drawn in 1999 on a long period of military rule, Olusegun Obasanjo, an Egba man, had declared that MKO Abiola, another Egba man who had won a pan-Nigeria mandate to be president in the landmark presidential election of June 12, 1993, was not the messiah that Nigeria needed. Ernest Shonekan, also Egba, had sided with a military junta trying to rubbish Abiola’s mandate. Thereafter in 2003, we had the Obasanjo civilian “coup” against Afenifere leaders/governors of the South-West; only Senator Bola Tinubu, the then Alliance for Democracy governor of Lagos State, escaped the onslaught; after which Tinubu himself ambushed the Afenifere leaders and offloaded them from the driver’s seat of South-West politics.

Chief Bisi Akande versus Iyiola Omisore; Chief Bola Ige versus Afenifere leaders at D’Rovans Hotel, Ibadan; leading to the schism in the organisation that is yet to heal; Segun Mimiko versus Chief Adebayo Adefarati; Mimiko versus Obasanjo; Mimiko versus Agagu; Mimiko versus Tinubu; Gbenga Daniel versus Tinubu; Daniel versus Obasanjo; Fashola versus Tinubu; Amosun versus Tinubu –

we can go on and on. Treachery; lack of principles; politics of selfishness; use and dump politics; “my stomach, my belly” politics have all characterised South-West politics from time immemorial. But today, more than ever before, political prostitution has become an art; shorn of morals, politics is worse than banditry.

I have a friend. A couple of weeks ago, he called to fire barbs at Buhari/APC and said CHANGE has become CHAIN! After he had enjoyed a hearty laugh, I asked him what he was still doing in PDP when the man he was supporting had since “ported” to APC. “That is ‘egbon’s own cup of tea,” he said. I felt pity for him. Here was a man who went everywhere with a lorry-load of MTN call logs bent on proving that the Court of Appeal judgment that sent Olagunsoye Oyinlola packing as governor of Osun State was procured by illegitimate means. Sadly, however, he did not get as much as the courtesy of an advance notice before the main actor abandoned the field and ported. Stripped of the indispensable garb of what the law calls “locus standi”, he can be described, like a judge once described the late social crusader, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, for his ceaseless advocacy, as “busybody and meddlesome interloper.” In other words, he is crying more than the bereaved and trying to be more Catholic than the Pope – which the law does not encourage.

The South-West cries for leadership and yawns for direction; unfortunately, there is none on the horizon. In Ekiti and elsewhere, Yoruba leaders are busy tearing at one another. In the run-down to the last governorship election in Ondo State, Osun governor, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, campaigned vigorously for the ACN/Rotimi Akeredolu ticket on the platform of SouthWest integration. I jumped on the bandwagon. Anytime, I will support the integration of the South-West because that is the sure road to our economic prosperity.

But once the election was lost; Aregbe, understandably, mentioned “integration” no more! Where will a governor struggling to pay salaries\pensions find the resources and time to commit to the pursuit of integration; more so when other South-

West governors do not appear to be on same page? Sometimes, I feel Aregbe miscalculated going to Osun to be governor.

He should have tried Lagos. For one, he seems to have more of Lagos mentality than Osun’s. For another, the resources in Lagos are huge, compared to those in Osun, which, even at the best of times, was one of the poorest in the league of the country’s poor states. I have met a lot of governors; permit me to humbly submit that few are as politically conscious as Aregbe. Articulate, forthright, visionary, and passionate, Aregbe is a delight to discuss with. He has retentive memory and an uncanny devotion to details. I know many will then ask: How come the “State of Osun” suffered ship-wreck under his nose? That, I dare to say, is a tragedy on its own! But Osun is not alone in that quagmire. There are states whose condition is as bad, if not worse, than Osun’s.

What I have failed to understand, however, is why “hijab” became an intractable problem in Osun. Whence cometh this brouhaha and why did it take such a dangerous dimension in Osun? Between August 1976 and January 1978, I was an Auxiliary Teacher at Osogbo Grammar School, after which I proceeded to Ilesha Grammar School in February 1978 for “A” Level. I thereafter attended the University of Ife – all in Osun State. There was nothing like “hijab” controversy in those days.

Growing up at Owo, I attended Ansar-UdDeen Primary School; proceeded from there to All Saints Modern School where there were both Christians and Muslims; and later Owo High School, where Pa Adekunle Ajasin, staunch Christian; ex-governor of old Ondo State and ex-NADECO leader, was Proprietor/Principal. The school authorities made arrangements for Muslim students in the hostel to observe the Ramadan; no hijab controversy.

Until the hijab controversy reared its ugly head in Osun, it was alien to the SouthWest. Ironically, South-West is one zone where Christians and Muslims are too inter-twined to be separable. It is therefore clear to me that whoever is at the roots of the hijab controversy has found a joker

with which to destroy the South-West.

It is slow poison they have fed us with; a killer-punch to our glass chin; and an arrow struck at our under-belly.

Are there female Muslims in the Armed Forces, Customs, Immigrations, Police, Prisons, DSS, FRSC, LASTMA, Civil Defence and in the banks - why do they not wear hijab on their uniforms and or to work? Is their fundamental human rights not thereby encroached upon? If they can bear not wearing hijab for the period they are at work, why can’t others bear it for the period they, too, are in school? But each time I walk the street and see female who wear hijab, I wonder if they will accept water from me and drink if they knew me to be a Christian\pastor. Will they not think I could poison them? The enmity this hijab trouble is sowing in our midst will blossom and bear dangerous fruits in no-distant future if care is not taken. It baffles me that Christian leaders do not understand that the more they drag this issue, the more they make hijab popular and the more people will subscribe to wearing it. If they ignore it, it will peter out on its own accord. By the way, whose cause are we fighting? If it is God’s, please take note of the admonition of Gideon’s (Jerubbal’s) father. I once shoved my legs into the same trousers with Aregbe over this issue, writing the stirring “The ‘arogidigba’ Aregbe killed.” But seeing where this dangerous matter has reached; now is the time for everyone to backpedal in the collective interest of the South-West, the well-being, good health, peace, and prosperity of the Yoruba Commonwealth. Yoruba – in Ekiti, Osun, everywhere – UNITE! Events around the country, especially those of the last one year, recommend the inevitability of the unity of purpose and action of the South-West; and we need the spirit of give-and-take to forge it.

LAST WORD: Will petrol remain at the present prohibitive price of N145 for long?

The prognosis is that it will rise again; and possibly very soon or subsidy in trillions of Naira will return again. With dwindling resources, such that we have been told that even the 2016 budget cannot be fully implemented, where will government find the money to pay trillion-Naira subsidy to fuel importers? When N145 was slammed, the Naira exchanged for below N200 per dollar; now that a dollar exchanges for close to N400, can the importers sustain N145 fuel price? What will be the likely effects of another (unending!) subsidy removal? With the last removal, fuel consumption reportedly slumped by between 40 and 50 per cent. Sharp increase in the cost of goods and services followed, making life unbearable for the citizenry. The economy is the graveyard of governments all over the world. How efficiently the economy is managed to make life worth living is what matters most. Soon, people will get tired of how many thieves you caught and how many houses, trinkets, braziers and ear-rings you confiscated if it does not positively impact their living conditions.

And time, I dare to say, is running out!

CONCLUDED!

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Rita Okonoboh rosarumese@gmail.com 08053789087

tribunechurch

Christianity under siege —Ayokunle, CAN President

Reverend (Dr) Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the President, Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), and member of the executive committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), bares his mind on religious and national issues. RITA OKONOBOH provides experts:

H

OW it feels being CAN President By the grace of God, it’s a privilege and divine mandate. For the NBC, for the past 177 years of our existence in Nigeria, none of our leaders was given the privilege of serving at this level, although we have served at state level, as general secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria, which came on board before CAN. Though, I also served at the national level of CAN, this is a different ball game.

I think it’s a privilege for all Christians to be able to agree on one person to serve. It is also a divine mandate because I didn’t just plunge into it as adding office to office. The whole thing started in October 2015. I was in Houston, Texas, with my wife on vacation, and I saw a vision, in which I saw CAN election going on and I saw a bloc (I wouldn’t mention the name), voting en masse for me. I was wondering why they were voting for me, even as I was not from that bloc and I woke my wife and told her about the dream. She was really troubled about the vision about me running for CAN presidency, and was against the idea, because according to her, she didn’t want trouble for me. I calmed her down and we agreed to pray for God to take charge. I then decided that I would not help the situation, because I wanted to see how it would play out. At a meeting, they announced for submission of names to vie for positions. One of my officials kept troubling me to submit my name, seeing as I was qualified to run for president or second term as vice president.

When he saw that I was using delay tactics, he went ahead and submitted my name, after consulting with the Vice President (Finance) of the NBC. It was after the name had been submitted to the CCN and CCN had forwarded to CAN that they informed me.

I was surprised, but they said they were convinced. I was still watching to see how the vision would come to pass. The rest is history now. As I said, it’s a privilege given to me by God’s people and a divine mandate and I know God has something in mind for all Christians and for all Nigerians, by deciding to use me for His work.

Initial reluctance to vie for position

I fear failure. It is better not to start at all than to fail. I have a big assignment at the NBC. The NBC is a multi-organisation, with many commitments. To combine such huge assignment with CAN is intimidating, so the reluctance was out of the fear of failure. If you look at the past, men that God used were reluctant. It’s not about occupying positions, but about functioning properly.

Coping with the responsibility of leadership Being in leadership does not mean that you’re there alone. It involves team work. You can harness the resources around you.

The NBC runs a splendid system so the president doesn’t work alone. I have three vice presidents – the VP (Ministerial), an accredited theologian with a doctorate in philosophy; the VP (Administration and Human Resources) and the VP (Finance).

These people are experts in their fields. I also have directors, who are accredited theologians with doctorate in their various fields.

God has put me in the midst of abundant resources. I have been away for about a month and nothing is amiss because I have capable hands. I also delegate them for international meetings.

In the Baptist setting, we believe in the congregation making decision. We discuss and assign people to implement decisions. It is a collective process. So also, with CAN, there is a vice president and various directors.

CAN and internal crisis Before now, we’ve had groups going round to ensure unity.

I’ve also travelled around the country, meeting with those who matter within CAN to preach the gospel of unity, otherwise, the inauguration wouldn’t have been possible. We even met with expresidents of CAN as well. Those aggrieved presented their position and Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor presented his position and they were convinced that election followed due process. We are meeting those in court and those not in court and reconciliatory moves

Why Christians should avoid alcohol Pg36 —Pastor James

are ongoing. We need everybody because a house divided against itself cannot stand. What we are saying is that the enemies we have outside are more, and we shouldn’t be having crisis among ourselves. See how almost on a weekly basis Christians are being killed and it appears that nobody seems to care. Our consternation

‘Africans g37 take God, P Christianity more seriously than Britons’

is the attitude of those in authority. As I said in my acceptance speech, our leaders swore to defend us and to give us freedom to practise our religion. These are trying times, but we will confront these challenges headlong, within the confines of the law. It won’t be confrontational, but we will not shirk in our responsibil-

Bishop counsels Christians on quality service Pg36 to God

ity to ensure that everyone, irrespective of whatever religion he/ she practices, enjoys.

Advice on surviving economic hardship It is said that tough situations do not last but tough people do.

Blessed are those who endure tribulation and trials. People shouldn’t give up. Let us trust God who provided for over 600,000 people in the wilderness for 40 years without cultivating any land. We must allow the power of God to work in our lives.

For those in government, the people have their expectations.

There have been accusations of who caused what, but it is curious that after the previous administration left, within one year, it became so bad. If the economic policies are not working, we may need change. We used to be seen as a thriving economy but the story has changed. Something is wrong. We commend the present government for fighting corruption, but we want the fight to go beyond political leanings, and be on a broader perspective, so that when we have dealt with corruption, we will know that we have overcome an obstacle. We urge the president to remain on the anti-corruption track but while fighting corruption, the government should also focus on the people’s welfare. Pensions have not been paid, and those in active service are being owed seven, eight months’ salary arrears.

It has never been this bad, even during the military era.

We are the people that can tell them the truth because we get the feelings of the people as we lead them every Sunday. We know what they go through, so when we talk to those in government, they should endeavour to listen and that is how we can be partners in progress. If they live in their own political world, carrying out only parties’ positions, they will not be good servants of the people. We need economic experts to lead us out of the present economic situation.

On hijab ruling I am worried because there is a difference between what the law says and what common sense is, in terms of peaceful coexistence.

When Christian students decide to wear their Christian uniforms, why should anyone pick holes in that? That judgment opened the door for religious uniforms to be worn to schools. It is logical. We are not against the use of hijab, but nobody should be Continues on pg38

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31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 08074497425

churchnews

Bishop counsels Christians on quality service to God

By Olaide Sokoya

B

ISHOP of the Diocese of Jebba, Kwara State, Right Reverend S.T.G. Adewole, has called on all Christians to render quality service to God without which there can be no reward.

He also said that reasonable service had three essential attributes: being a living sacrifice; holy; useful and acceptable to God. Adewole said these during the second session of the sixth synod of the Diocese of Igbomina (Anglican Communion) which was held at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael, Esie, Kwara State.

He emphasised that such service was invariably from the heart and involved the willing use of the time, talents and treasure of Christians for God. Introducing the theme, the Diocesan Bishop and President of the synod, Most Reverend Olukayode Akinyemi, in his charge, made reference to the theme of the first session of the synod which was “Give God the First Fruits,” and pointed out that the theme for this year’s synod, “Reasonable Service” was a call to higher level of commitment and dedication which encompassed the total life of man.

The bishop impressed on all the need to do that which God was pleased with, which was to live a life of service and worship, exemplifying commitment to

take up the cross and follow the Lord Jesus.

The bishop also enjoined Christian politicians to be conscious of the fact that their call is of God. “There is therefore the ne-

cessity for them to be righteous, prayerful, accountable and uncompromising on truth and they must be prepared to forfeit their position for the faith, if need be, because reasonable ser-

vice emanates from good governance,” he stated.

He emphasised that the ‘change’ slogan of the Federal Government should translate to rendering of reasonable service to the

people in order to bring smiles to the faces of citizens.

On the state of Kwara, Bishop Akinyemi advised Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to be courageous

Ogun govt commends Wall of Praise Christian Centre on donation

By Olaide Sokoya WALL of Praise Christian centre, under the leadership of Reverend Samson and Pastor Abigail Adegboyega, has been applauded for its donation of seven units of modern toilets, borehole and industrial generator to Orile Oko Community School, Ogun State, and the community.

Representatives of the Ogun State government and the Secretary of Remo North Local Government,

Mr Sorinola Rasheed, during the inauguration of the project, remarked that Wall of Praise Christian Centre had done what would immortalise their name for ever.

“By donating the modern toilets and other items, Wall of Praise Christian Centre is the first NGO to donate such an edifice. The present and future students of the school will forever be grateful to the group.

Expressing his appreciation, the principal of

the school, Mr Ibraheem Oladimeji, recounted that similar gesture had been extended to the school by a youth corps member who once served in the school.

He, however, acknowledged the group as an organisation that was conscious of the future and believed in making lives worth living for others, especially the underprivileged.

During his address, Reverend Adegboyega stated that the donation was in

fulfillment of the vision that he had been working towards.

He noted that the donation was not to attract any political gains or as show of affluence but to give back to the society.

In his remarks, one of the trustees of Wall of Praise and General Overseer of Christ Disciple Faith Ministry, London, Apostle Stephen Popoola, lauded the initiative and described Adegboyega as a man who loved his community.

Most Reverend Olukayode Akinyemi (right) with other members of the legal team, during the second session of the sixth synod of the Diocese of Igbomina, Kwara State, tagged “Our Reasonable Service”, held at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael, Esie, Kwara State, recently.

Ayodele releases 2016/2017 book of prophecies, warns Buhari, Dogara, Atiku, others

By Kehinde Oyetimi FOUNDER and Spiritual Head of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, has released the 2016/2017 edition of his book of prophecies entitled: Warning to the Nations.

The cleric made the public presentation of the book during a press conference at the church’s headquarters at Oke Afa, Ejigbo in Lagos at the weekend.

While describing the body of revelations as contained in the book as the mind of God for the nations, Primate Ayodele said: “Let us have it at the back of our minds that a prophetic statement is not intended to intimidate or cause panic. Rather, such divine warnings should be

seen as God’s divine favour extended to man for corrective purposes.”

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to be careful in his dealings, just as he mentioned that “The president will be misled.

The administration may not

be able to meet the expectations of the people at this time, because some people with him may not allow him to achieve as expected.”

The cleric also called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara,

to be careful so as not to jeopardise his political career, just as he asked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to be wary of enemies within his political camp.

The South-West arm of the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) came under the scrutiny of the cleric when he said that a wrong choice of party leadership would bring instability to the party. He equally foretold a crack within the rank and file of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Baptist Conference charges members on completion of mission village

By Tunde Ogunesan THE Chairman, Men’s Missionary Union (MMU) OkeOgun Baptist Conference, Deacon David Abiodun Ajala, has charged members of the union to put in more efforts into rebuilding the damaged structure at the mission village in Kotogiri village, Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Deacon Ajala made this

known at the dedication of a church, chalets and other structures erected at the mission village during the first annual mission outreach, held recently.

According to him, “the storm which came from Saki/Igbeti axis affected many structures, including the mission building, almost dampened our enthusiasm. But miraculously, God raised an army of

builders among His people who gathered materials, men and resources to reconstruct the damaged building.

“This is highly commendable. I want to charge you, let us clothe ourselves with the garment of mission works like the missionaries of old,” he stated.

In his goodwill message, President, Oke-Ogun Baptist Conference, Reverend

(Dr) Olu Alade, urged the congregation to always put their trust in God, and always pray for people in positions of authority, “so that God can touch their hearts to do His will while in office.”

The Onigbope of Gbope, Oba Mathew Atoyebi, affirmed the readiness of the community to partner with the MMU for the propagation of the gospel.

and use his second term in office to render reasonable service to the people, not minding the consequences, to ensure that he left a legacy of good governance in the state.

Why Christians should avoid alcohol —Pastor James THE General Overseer of Glory Christian Ministries, Lagos, Pastor Iruofagha James, has condemned the misconception among today’s Christians on matters relating to alcohol and marriage.

Speaking on the church’s annual eight nights of prayer and praise, scheduled to take place from tomorrow till 8th with the theme, “The God of Signs and Wonders,” Pastor James frowned on what he described as incessant misunderstanding and abuse of the Bible’s position on drinking of alcohol and marriage, especially among some self-styled Christians.

He said: “in those days, the general practice was that everyone drank wine at meals and during festivities, but the only people the Bible forbade from drinking wine were the Nazarenes and the priests, people who separated themselves to the service of God’s people and people who had the responsibility of receiving God’s word and relating it to the people, including those in leadership positions with the responsibility of leading God’s people.”

Pastor James stated that getting drunk on alcohol was sinful, therefore, it was wise for Christians to avoid alcohol, due to its addictive nature, health reasons and disqualification from being exemplary leaders.

Referring to Deuteronomy 29:5-6 and Psalms 105:15, he said, not every good thing was necessary, noting that as wine might be good, it might not be beneficial for Christians because Christians were to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Speaking against divorce, he said God hated divorce and had created rooms for reconciliation and forgiveness under any circumstance. He then urged men to see their wives, irrespective of weaknesses, as jointheirs and not as conquered slaves.

37 tribunechurch

31 July, 2016

Africans take God, Christianity more seriously than Britons —Revd Ademuyiwa Reverend James Ademuyiwa is the Senior Pastor of In His Presence Christ Tabernacle Church, which has branches both in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. A trained Estate Surveyor and Valuer, he speaks with OLAIDE SOKOYA on the challenges of combining his profession and ministerial work. Excerpts:

I

BACKGROUND am an IT professional. I obtained my postgraduate certificate in Oxford University in United Kingdom. I went further to train as an estate surveyor and valuer, then joined the industry as a professional 15 years ago. I am currently a member of the National Association of Estate Valuers in the United Kingdom.

As an estate surveyor, how do you combine surveying with pastoral work?

Each profession has its own time. When it is time for the work of God, I put every other thing aside. I take the work of God more seriously than my profession. When it is time for my profession, I also do it diligently without compromise. Both do not clash.

With the many years you have spent as a minister, what are the challenges you have faced?

I have been in the ministry for almost 25 years but my church ministry started 16 years ago. So, I come to Nigeria every three months to monitor the church here.

The major challenge I am facing is shuttling between the two locations, and frequently too. However, I thank God for His grace and mercy.

How would you compare serving God in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom?

Christianity is the same everywhere in the world because the God we serve is the

same yesterday, today and forever. The God of those in the United Kingdom is also the God of Africans. But what I’ve observed is that people in the United Kingdom take God and Christianity with levity, while Africans take God and Christianity with seriousness.

How can Christians tackle religious crisis, especially in Nigeria?

Christians need to focus on God and not on man. If our focus is on God, there will be no unnecessary distraction. Crises will arise, whether within the religious sector or outside the religious sector, but if we focus on God alone and we have pure hearts towards our neighbours, we will definitely avoid crises. Crisis happens when someone feels cheated but the Lord God requires us to be at peace with all men. However, being at peace with all men does not mean that there will not be a situation for crises to happen, but we will find grace to handle

The Lord that ended the famine in Samaria within 24 hours will create a way for us in Nigeria

Anglican bishop condemns spate of kidnapping Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE Bishop of the Diocese of Owo of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Right Reverend James Oladunjoye, has decried the spate of kidnappings and robbery in the country.

Oladunjoye, who stated this in Ipele in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, while delivering his presidential address during the first session of the twelfth synod of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Ipele, called on Federal and state governments to create more employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.

According to the bishop, many people engage in the kidnapping business because of poverty.

He said: “it is observed

that many people are going into kidnapping in many parts of this country. Only very few have been reported by the newspapers; a lot of incidents are going on underground and I think this is because of joblessness.

“Some people have observed that it is because of the rate of unemployment that some people have taken to kidnapping because they believe they will become millionaires overnight.”

The cleric, however, called on the Federal Government to enact laws that would deal with kidnappers, suggesting that prosecuted perpetrators should be jail for life or sentenced to death.

Bishop Oladunjoye, who also called on Nigerians to continue to pray for Presi-

dent Muhammadu Buhari towards repositioning the nation’s economy, noted that the nation’s currency had deteriorated to “mere paper,” and said “we have to pray very well that God should give President Buhari the grace and wisdom to improve the economy.”

Oladunjoye urged Nigerians to embrace made-inNigeria products “so that we can do what is right for the good of the common people in this country.”

He also called on the people of the state not to see the November governorship election as a do-or-die affair, and appealed to the different parties to present credible candidates, so that the people can make informed choices, rather than imposing candidates on the electorate.

RCCG set for ‘Amen’ convention THE 64th annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is scheduled to begin tomorrow, and will run till next Sunday.

The theme of the convention is “Amen,” which

literally means so shall it be.

In his message, the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor E.A. Adeboye said: “‘Amen,’ as we all know, is one of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are

therefore coming into this convention to encounter the AMEN.” Members, delegates and non-members are expected from nations of the world where RCCG has presence.

situations that call for crises without creating crises.

What would you advise government to do regarding the current economic hardship?

I will continue to tell people in government to return to God. Any other solution will create further crisis. As you can

Sunday Tribune

see, we are moving from one problem to the other, that is why we should return to God like the people of Samaria. We will find out that somehow, someday, the Lord that ended the famine in Samaria within 24 hours will create a way for us in Nigeria and give us lasting solution that will surprise everyone. So, Christ truly is the answer.

You will be dedicating your ultramodern church here in Nigeria in a few days. How was the church built within a short period?

The church is another example of how God can do miracles; the church is a miracle. God provided the land; it is four plots of land and the church was built completely within seven months without my contribution. God also provided labourers that were used in the construction and God Himself gave us the inspiration and the idea to do the work. Today, the church is a beautiful auditorium and no man will take the glory except God. What is your advice to Nigerians, especially Christians?

My advice to all Christians is that they should wake up from their slumber; many Christians have slept off. Jesus is coming very soon, and the rapture will take place and will be a horrible time here on earth.

Nigerians should reconnect themselves to God and ensure that they are saved and born-again. They should endeavour to have cordial relationship with God. We have a beautiful nation called Nigeria.

Nigeria is a great and resourceful nation.

Nigerian is one of the best countries in the world. Though we are currently going through tough times now, I know we will come out of it soon. Let us seek the face of God and ask God to intervene in our land.

livingword

By Bishop David Oyedepo Call 7747546-8; or e-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Understanding vital keys to operating in the supernatural! (5) LAST week, we looked at Commitment to Meditating on the Word of God as one of the vital key that empowers us to operate in the supernatural. We also defined the act of meditation as pondering over issues through reasoning in a quest for solution.

In this concluding part, we shall yet examine two other definitions of meditation, which include: Meditation is reasoning through scriptures to find answers to the bugging questions of our lives: The Bible says: Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. …Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:13, 15; see also Joshua 1:8).

That means, meditation enhances our profiting in the things of God. It boosts our spiritual understanding, which triggers faith, to take delivery of our desired victory and put us in command of the supernatural. In other words, spiritual understanding is a product of meditation.

Remember, David said: I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation (Psalms 119:99).

Meditation also empowers our access to light for supernatural breakthroughs: The Bible says: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee (Isaiah 60:1).

“Light” here connotes spiritual understanding. That means, meditation engenders our access to spiritual understanding which in turn empowers us for supernatural breakthroughs in life (Psalms 119:97-100; Isaiah 60:1-22).

In addition, we must understand that

God has ordained every redeemed child of God to operate in the supernatural. However, until we engage the keys that unlock the supernatural, as discussed since this teaching series began, we cannot manifest same. Therefore, let’s engage these mysteries wholeheartedly for the flow of the supernatural not to cease in our lives. I pray that in the next three weeks, as you engage faithfully in Kingdom advancement endeavours, unimaginable signs and wonders will happen through your hands in the name of Jesus Christ! Remain ever blessed!

Are you born again or have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Walking in the Miraculous, Operating in the Supernatural, Releasing the Supernatural, Commanding the Supernatural and All you need to have all your needs met.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you.

Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

38 tribunechurch

‘Day my cousin lost her leg to herdsmen’ Continued from pg35

against Christians wearing their religious uniforms because it is their fundamental human right as well. When you encourage such a situation, you’re inviting confusion. I don’t know how wearing religious uniforms will affect positive performance in school.

Christians are not countering but implementing that judgment. It is simple logic.

Maybe God used the Muslims to win the battle for the rest of us that religious uniforms should be allowed in schools. That judgment opened the door of liberty for religious attire to be worn to schools. It is not just for females, but for all students because they all have fundamental human rights. So, when the Muslim students see their Christian counterparts wearing religious uniforms, they should not see it as antagonising them. We are simply telling them thank you for using the case to give students liberty.

The alleged plot to Islamise Nigeria Whether by Islamisation or not, there is a siege on Christianity in Nigeria. Can’t you see what is on ground? How can somebody claim that in the name of reform, Jesus Christ is not the son of God, did not die on the cross or rise from the dead, and it would be called Christian Religious Knowledge? Is it an attempt to provoke anger? Who drew up such curriculum? I need to commend the government for apologising over that because they realised that curriculum was in bad taste. I think the government needs to investigate the matter and whoever is found culpable should be queried and sanctioned. In fact, I think such individual should be dismissed. That person wants to set the nation on fire.

An ECWA pastor was murdered in Nasarawa State. There were incidents in which Christians were killed by virtue of their religious stand. There is the case of the woman killed in Kano because she protested against ablution in front of her shop; the Catholic Church opened for service in Niger State on a Friday attacked, among others. And those in authority have kept quiet as if nothing is happening. We will not allow them to rest until they speak out and take action. Let there be mutual respect for religions. We have coexisted peacefully before now. Let’s return to that time. Where has this spirit come from? I think it is the spirit of the end time. Placing Christianity under siege? We are too many in this nation to be overrun in a day. As long as God gives us breath, we will not allow any religion to be forced upon us.

Placing Christianity under siege? We are too many in this nation to be overrun in a day. As long as God gives us breath, we will not allow any religion to be forced upon us

The preparedness of Christians regarding Islamisation You know, some Christians, if not many, are naive and it is by allowing Christian leaders to speak out that we can awake their consciousness. In a documentary I watched, while two gazelles fought, a lion was lurking nearby. The lion moved closer till it attacked them. Thank God they were not two lions. I think that is what Christians are doing. They attack their leaders, and have no respect for them. When I was giving my acceptance speech, I told the people that now that they had elected me, they should pity me because leadership is a burden and I was not asked to serve to be subjected to ridicule on the pages of newspaper. It is not a paid position but of service to the church, so I asked them to love me. I think other religious adherents in this nation are teaching us how to respect our leaders. We wash our dirty linen in public squares, parading holier-thanthou attitudes; it’s naivety. I think I need to beg Christians to begin to respect our collectivity by respecting the people we have put there to serve.

Northern churches and the CofO challenge We will gather lawyers together to address that issue. For any church that is denied Certificates of Occupancy, we will get records and reasons for such denial and may have to challenge that in the court of law.

NIREC and its moribund state We will look at what led to that state of moribundity. I have told the national secretariat to send a letter to the Sultan of Sokoto to inform him that we have a new CAN administration on board and we will take it up from there.

On proposed grazing reserves and herdsmen attacks We have shown our opposition to grazing reserves. Ranches are better and let the herdsmen who are professionals in cattle rearing buy land with money from their pockets. After all, the cows are sold for profit. Why should the government buy land for them? Will they buy land for mechanics to practise their trade? Will they buy land for pastors to build churches? Our public funds should not be used for the benefit of private businesses.

On herdsmen attacks, my cousin’s leg was amputated. She was coming from the river in our village, and they accosted her.

As she tried to escape, unfortunately, she fell and her leg had to be amputated because of injuries sustained. So, for me, I am not prepared to offer land in my backyard to herdsmen. After that experience, I do not trust them any longer, at least for now. It was wickedness. It’s like they destroyed her life. Anybody is free to sell land to herdsmen, but it should be paid for from their own pockets.

Nigeria in the next three years Only God knows. However, by faith, I foresee a better Nigeria, if our leaders are committed to lifting the country. The fight against corruption is a step in the right direction but the government must listen now more than ever and more too. It is not everybody who criticises you that hates you. In fact, if you don’t have critics, you are going down the drain. I love people who question my actions. That’s one of the reasons I love my wife. She would question some statements I make and even the length of my sermon, and where necessary, I make amends. Listening is the hallmark of a good leader.

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

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tribunechurch

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

dawnofanewera sundaysermon

with Most Revd J.O. Akinfenwa Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese

with Pastor Sunday Adelaja Senior Pastor of the Ukraine based Embassy of God Church e-mail: pastor@godembassy.org

The laws of money (III): Why money won’t come THIS week, I shall mention some laws that are responsible for wealth and prosperity.

Unfortunately, we have been fed for so long with the wrong food when it comes to money. For example after I newly became a born again Christian, the impression that I had was that I only needed to be good, particularly to be a good Christian, to prosper. The impression in Christianity was that if you could serve God with all your heart, God was going to prosper you. Unfortunately, too many people are still believing in this theory and are writhing in poverty. It is not until much later in life that I discovered that it is actually the knowledge of the laws of money that is responsible for wealth. That is to say: 1. You don’t become wealthy because you are a good person. Otherwise, where are all the good people world over? Are they all wealthy? As a matter of fact, in most societies, most of the wealthy people are not the best people. I have actually heard many people complain that bad people were the only ones having all the money.

Some have even alleged that it is counterproductive to be good, because then you will be poor. The truth however is that money doesn’t come to either good or bad people. Money only comes to people who know the laws of money whether they are good or bad. In that sense we could say money is neutral.

2. Money doesn’t come to you because you do business. If that were true, how many business men do you know around you? Are they all filthy rich? No! Many people who do business, are not even aware of these laws of money. To me it is indeed pathetic that many people who have been involved in business for a few decades cannot even boast of a million US dollars. This is primarily because they are laboring without the necessary knowledge of the vital laws of money.

3. You don’t become rich because you are a Christian. Even though God promises Christians wealth and prosperity, that is only on the condition that they abide by the laws of money. The Bible says God gives us power to make wealth. Notice that God doesn’t give wealth, He gives the power to get it. Unfortunately, many Christians are still hoping and waiting

You don’t become rich because you are a Christian. Even though God promises Christians wealth and prosperity, that is only on the condition that they abide by the laws of money

that because they are Christians, God is obliged to give them wealth. No, sir. God gives you the skills that enables you to get wealth. He doesn’t give wealth, he gives you the power to go get wealth.

“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deut. 8:18.

Unfortunately, many teachers have led the body of Christ astray by teaching that if Christians would give, that will bring prosperity to them. Some even go to the extent of saying that the more you give the more prosperous you become. Well, experience and reality have shown that that doctrine is not totally true. Some have given and out-given themselves, leading them to poverty and wretchedness rather than prosperity and abundance. Regrettably, the scripture upon which this principle has been based is Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

That scripture was actually talking about judgment. It says we should not judge people, because if we do we get several folds of the judgment we are giving out ourselves.

Many have now made it to look like it is talking about money. Even though there might be some truth in that principle, but when it comes to money, you don’t just give and give hoping to prosper.

Other Christians, sad enough, are still waiting for when the wealth of the wicked will come to them. Yes, even though there is a scripture that talks about that, but the truth is, that is also taking the scripture out of context. The wealth of the world will only come to you if you are good enough in what you do. The Israelites were good at what they did in Egypt before the wealth of Egypt came to them.

Secondly, the wealth of the world will only come to you if you produce better products than your competitors; that is when you are a good representative of the kingdom of God and God will honor you for that.

Thirdly, for any wealth to come to you, you must be busy producing either goods or rendering services. If you are only claiming promises, you will end up been disappointed at the end of the day. For Christians to begin to enjoy the blessings of prosperity and wealth, it is high time for churches to begin to teach and educate their members, not just on how to give and sow seeds, but also in how to produce goods and services. There is no prosperity without goods or services.

4. Money does not come to you because you name it and claim it. After naming and claiming, you need to show diligence in your work. You need to show the virtue of hard work. You need to display your dedication to the principle of dignity of labor. For money to truly come to you, you must go ahead to prove your obedience to some other laws of money. Naming and claiming will not do it. (To be continued.)

The obligations of the pastor to the church Continued from last week A Pastor should be a man of Exemplary Composure (Heb 10: 34 — 36, Titus 2: 2).

He should maintain a good carriage and a dignified appearance. Although he must not overdo it, yet he should master appropriate gait, stride and body comportment for various occasions. He should avoid habits demeaning of his office (like biting the nails, picking the nose with fingers, etc.)

A Pastor should be a man of Exemplary Relationships (Matt 9: 36, 15: 32, 1 Tim 3: 7). In his day-to-day conduct, he shows that people are important to him. He cares genuinely, and shows compassion, especially to the needy and lowly. He does not spend all his time with only the rich and powerful amongst his parishioners. He inspires confidence and keeps trust. He will neither manipulate others, nor allow himself to be manipulated. He is guided (and limited) by his vision for living/ministry.

A Pastor must be an Exemplary Master of the Temper (1 Tim 3: 3, Titus 1: 7). It has been said that, “He is no pastor who has not conquered his anger”. A good pastor is assertive, but not disruptive. He is courageous yet composed enough to stand his ground without losing his cool, but he is also matured enough to say “I am sorry” when he is wrong.

A Pastor should have an Exemplary Family (1 Tim 3: 10 — 12, Gen 18: 19). The pastor’s wife should be a true help meet and vir-

tuous woman. His children should be taught of the Lord. They must be raised to become friends of their father, serving the Lord together with him. As much as possible, a pastor should influence even his in-laws and get them “tuned” to his calling.

A Pastor should have an Exemplary Prayer Life (lThess 5: 17, 1 Pet 4: 7, iPet 5: 8— 9, Col 1:9). Prayer is a core activity for pastors. He who cannot pray effectively has no place in the pastoral ministry. A pastor must be a man of private and public prayers.

He should master how to pray effectual, fervent prayers. In addition, he should always be inspiring others to pray.

A Pastor should be a man of Exemplary Faith (Eph 6: 16, lThess 5: 8). His work is to show people that God is real, so he himself must never doubt God. He should always be strong in faith. He should always be growing in faith, and must live as a staunch believer in divine possibilities. A good pastor sets targets of faith periodically, thus showing people by the accomplishment of these targets that God is active in the life of His church.

A Pastor should be Exemplary in Handling of Resources (Acts 20: 34 — 351 Pray 10: 4). He abounds, whether with plenty or little. He is a good steward of money.

He saves and invests; making himself in the process an example to the flock.

However rich he may become, he does not trust in riches, but in the Lord.

To be continued next week

theapostolicmessage

By Pastor (Dr) G.O. Olutola, JP.

Solution to unpleasant situations Continued from last week BY the time the sons of the prophets (students) saw him they observed that the spirit of Elijah was upon him yet they did not know he had been taken away. They asked Him concerning his master where he was as three days had already passed. They pressed him even when he said they needed not send anyone, till he was ashamed and had to succumb. So they sent a search party of fifty strong men; they looked for Elijah, but they didn’t find him. After the young prophets returned from searching for Elijah which took them three days, they realized that Elisha had been truly commissioned as a prophet. They recognized his authority, so they can lay their problem before him.

The Bible says; “then the men of the city said to Elisha, “please notice the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren” (2 King 2:19). Before then they all had been managing the water and the situation like that.

They told him the condition of the city of Jericho as known to them: The water is bitter and the land barren; what are they going to bring from the surface of the city?

They can’t bring anything. They have been drinking that water like that; they have been living in that situation. They knew it, they reported it to the servant of God; they knew he was going to represent them before the Lord. Was he able to represent them?

We find that the two main problems they are having are not beyond divine solution.

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD,

the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

The situation: The water is bitter and it is not good for drinking; the ground of the city barren. It means whatever they plant there cannot yield any good fruit. But with God’s intervention there was a reversal.

The solution And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. (2 king 2:20) There is no way you can tell me that somebody who scored 1/3 out of 300 whole number has scored a pass mark. Before he can get half he will have up to 150 and that is the half. Where are we going? Whatever you may need that will make you score a pass mark before God He shall bless you with it.

All those bitter waters my God will change it. The land that has been desolate will receive the word of God right now and change for better. The barren land will become fertile without any fertilizer. The power in the word of God will change it and make the land fertile.

The servant of God ordered for salt and they brought it. That same salt they had been using in their homes in that city since they were there. They didn’t apply it to that water before then. The applied salt to that water that day is the usual common salt.

“And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.” (Verse 21).

To be continued next week

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31 July, 2016

language&style

by Samson Dare 0805 500 1770 samsonadare@yahoo.co.uk

B

line

life

with Niyi Osundare

Of cost and cause II

EFORE we could finish the analysis of the excerpt being considered last week we had run out of space. Today, that excerpt is presented as sample 1.

Sample 1: “The president, in his remark, said over six decades, oil exploration in the region had caused the rural communities their sources of livelihood in the face of acute degradation of their land and water among other damaged biodiversity in the region…It smirks of attempts to gain recognition and position individuals for possible negotiations with the FG… The preferential treatment got by Tompolo, Atake, Boyloaf, Asari and other ‘Generals’ at the detriment of ‘Commanders’ and foot soldiers have been a cause of friction…They are hiding under a platform of underdevelopment to perpetuate these evils…He said there are 45 communities around the Benin River without portable drinking water…Gory tales of inhuman treatment and human rights abuses allegedly carried out by the military from the creeks is further alienating the Federal Government and the military in the region…”(Ogoni Clean up, the Struggle and the UNEP Report, The Nation, Sunday June 5, 2016) Last week, we illustrated the usage of the word cause as a way of clearing the confusion created by the reporter in his use of the word cost. We saw that the reporter had selected the word cause where he needed to have used cost.

Next, we illustrate the usage of the word cost. Please read the following sentences: 1) I would not want you to do anything that may cost you your job. 2) What the crisis has cost the two communities cannot be quantified. 3) About half a century on, the Nigerian nation is still computing how much the civil warcost it. 4) How much does that car cost? 5) The cost of living is intolerably high in that country. 6) The cost of the machinery must be calculated in dollars and not in naira. 7) Should the government bear in its totality the cost of educating every citizen? 8) The late General Murtala Mohammed’s attempt to rid the country of corruption cost him his own life. 9) There must be radical reforms in this country, whatever those reforms may cost us. 10) That single decision to reduce the workers’ salaries cost him his reputation as a respectable politician.

Next, we pay attention to the word smirk which occurs in the following context: “It smirks of attempts to gain recognition…” When a person smirks, he smiles contemptuously or self-satisfactorily. It can also be used as a noun.

That word, smirk, must have been confused with smack. The expression of interest is actually smack of. If you say something smacks of another thing, you mean it suggests it; it gives an impression of it; it gives a feeling of it.

The following sentences illustrate its usage: 1) The man’s suggestion smacks of jealousy. 2) The whole arrangement smacks of conspiracy. 3) The way the man and the woman interacted smacked of indecency. 4) The white man’s closing remarks smacked of racial prejudice. 5) The Governor’s address to the labour leaders smacked of selfishness and insensitivity.

6) This secretive way of handling things smacks of dishonesty.

Now we consider the word perpetuate which occurs in the following context: “They are hiding under a platform of underdevelopment to perpetuate these evils.”

It should be obvious to the enlightened readers that the word perpetuate has been used in confusion with perpetrate. The confusion must have arisen from poor spelling and pronunciation

Sunday Tribune

Random Blues

abilities.

The word perpetrates usually collocates with something bad or criminal. Please read the following sentences: 1) Three key officials of the ministry have been arrested for perpetrating a large-scale fraud. 2) The violence was said to have been perpetrated by people who are no more in the service of the establishment. 3) Undercover policemen are out to fish out those who have perpetrated one crime or the other. 4) The soldiers who perpetrated mutiny have been arrested, court-martialled, convicted and jailed. 5) Women should not give those men with warped minds the opportunity to perpetrate rape. 6) If those who perpetrate crime regularly escape sanction, then others would be encouraged to do same.

To perpetuate something is to make it endure, make it to be in existence for a long time, make it perpetual. Please read the following sentences: 1) The Bible is the chief documents perpetuating Jewish and Christian values. 2) One of the functions of the family is to perpetuate love. 3) We should find a means of perpetuating the positive aspects of our culture and discarding the negative ones. 4) The media have a duty not to perpetuate the divisive features of our national life. 5) Nature has a way of perpetuating valuable qualities and destroying less desirable ones. 6) Religions are known to perpetuate values regarded as dear to the Supreme Being.

Finally for today, we consider the grammatical status of the word have as it occurs in the following context: “The preferential treatment got by Tompolo, Atake, Boyloaf, Asari and other ‘Generals’ at the detriment of ‘Commanders’ and foot soldiers have been a cause of friction.” Many Nigerian users of English do not know the difference between the forms have and has.

Readers should please note that the subject of the verb presented as have is treatment, a singular noun. There are two alternative ways of viewing the error committed by the reporter: Either he does not know that the form have is plural (as against the singular has) or he mistakes the contiguous plural noun (soldiers) for the element that should determine concord. Actually, the form required in the context in which the form have occurs is has.

This error offers us an opportunity to revise our rules of concord which we revisited recently.

What is the difference between have and has?

Consider the following sentences: 1) I go to school every day.

2) We go to school every day. 3) They go to school every day. 4) You go to school every day. 5) He/Shegoes to school every day.

In each of those five sentences, the verb to go is in its present simple form. There is a correlation between the form of the subject and the form of the verb. In the first sentence, the subject is in its first person singular form. The assumption here is that there is a speaker who uses the pronoun I. The speaker is regarded as the first person. Since the speaker is only one person, the pronoun I is said to be a singular one. A first person singular pronoun I takes the form go when the tense is present simple.

The subject in sentence (2) is a first person plural pronoun, we.

Since it is assumed that two or more persons are speaking, we say that the pronoun is in the plural form. As it is with the pronoun I, the verb-form that goes with this pronoun is go when the verb is in its everyday form.

Readers should please note that the subject of the verb presented as have is treatment, a singular noun. There are two alternative ways of viewing the error committed by the reporter: Either he does not know that the form have is plural (as against the singular has) or he mistakes the contiguous plural noun (soldiers) for the element that should determine concord.

To be continued next week

If Life gives you a knife Look all out for the wisest wood Say, if Life gives you a knife Look all out for the wisest wood Let the whetstone lend you its sharpest wit Put the forest in the craftiest mood If Life gives you a leaking raft Mend it up with your sunniest smile Say, if Life gives you a leaking raft Mend it up with your sunniest smile History hardly ever remembers the gap Between the futile foot and the looming mile We sometimes measure the sea With a bowl from the desert’s kitchen Yes, we sometimes measure the sea With a bowl from the desert’s kitchen There is no lesson here and beyond That is absolutely strange to Life’s teaching The tortoise’s legs are short The giraffe knows not what to do with its won See? The tortoise’s legs are short The giraffe knows not what to do with its own One person’s pool is another’s puddle The flesh pays its tribute to The kingdom of the bone Durogii, ore* Think before you talk Ani, durogi, ore Think hard before youtalk If your tongue is faster than your brain You may run before you ever walk *Pause awhile, friend

41

news

31 July, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Ambode orders fencing of Lagos markets to stop street trading Bola Badmus -Lagos

A vessel laden with about 600,000 litres of alleged illegally refined diesel by oil thieves, which was impounded by the Central Naval Command, in Bayelsa creeks, on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN.

Navy arrests ship with 600,000 litres of stolen diesel

T

HE Central Naval Command, (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday, said it seized a vessel laden with 600,000 litres of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil also known as diesel.

This was contained in a statement issued by Lieutenant-Commander Edward Yeibo on behalf of the command’s Flag Officer

Commanding (FOC).

Yeibo said that two of the four suspected oil thieves were arrested loading the barge with diesel.

He quoted the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, Commodore Habib Usman, as saying that a barge and five wooden boats laden with about 600,000 metric tonnes suspected to be illegally refined Automated Gas Oil and two suspects were arrested.

Usman said the suspects were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship around Beama community in Nembe Local Government Area in the waterways within Bayelsa State.

The wooden boats were suspected to be used to convey the illegally refined Automated Gas Oil from the refining points to the barge for loading.

“As of the time of the arrest, one of the boats had

finished trans-loading its product into the barge.

“Consequently, the personnel of Forward Operating Base FORMOSO with gunboats and tug boat towed the barge to its jetty for further investigation.

“However, the wooden boats were destroyed, the two suspects are in custody for preliminary investigation and prosecution,” Yeibo was quoted in the statement.

Soldiers kill 2 Boko Haram members

Army relocates technology school to town retaken from Boko Haram TROOPS of the Nigerian Army, on Friday, ambushed and killed two fleeing Boko Haram terrorists.

It was gathered that one of the terrorists escaped with gunshot wounds.

Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman, in a statement, said the troops also recovered an AK-47 rifle with registration number S 77411, a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with registration number FN 131908, a motorcycle, a bicycle and five Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifle magazines.

Other items recovered from the terrorists include an AK-47 rifle magazine loaded with 28 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, 67 rounds of 7.62mm linked (NATO) ammunition and Tecno brand of mobile telephone handset with NEXTTEL SIM card, as well as sacks of foodstuff.

According to Usman, troops have continued their routine operations maintaining vigilance to prevent escaping Boko Haram terrorists from leaving of Sambisa forest through that axis.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environment Studies is to commence the 2016/2017 academic session with no fewer than 300 students in Biu, Borno State, after relocation from

Benue.

The Rector of the institute, Brigadier-General Clement Ojo, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Biu on Saturday.

Ojo, however, said it was only the School of Management that had fully relocated to Biu because of personnel and logistic challenges, adding that other departments would relocate later.

The rector noted that the movement of the institute to Biu was an indication that the challenge of in-

surgency in the North East was being overcome, adding that this would restore confidence in the people.

“The entire North East had been ravaged by insurgency; of course, this school would restore confidence to the people.

“It would create admission and job opportunities for them and translate to economic development of the area,” Ojo said.

He explained that the institute which had been in operation under the Nigeria Army School of Mili-

tary Engineer (NASME) in Makurdi, was relocated to Biu due to ongoing expansion of the institute.

In another development, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has assured that the military would restore full peace to the North East in line with the desire of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buratai gave the assurance while addressing troops undergoing training at the Nigerian Army Special Forces Training School at Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

Buhari begins moves to clean Ogoni, names board, governing council PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 13-member Governing Council and 10-member Board of Trustees (BOT), for the clean-up of Ogoniland in Rivers.

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, announced this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),

by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Bukar Hassan, in Abuja on Saturday.

The minister said the structures would ensure inclusiveness, accountability, transparency and sustainability of the exercise.

Mohammed acknowledged the concerns raised by stake-

holders on the perceived slow pace of the clean-up, saying “Nigerians have a right to voice their concerns,” but called for patience.

“We have responsibility to deliver. The launch was the first step in a 30-year journey. We will continue to make strides toward the implementation.

“We ask for patience as we lay solid foundations for the clean-up. The context is complex and stakeholders are diverse. All must be taken along”, Mohammed said.

According to her, Buhari remained steadfast in his conviction to see Ogoniland and other parts of

the Niger Delta cleaned up.

She said the ministry was working with the Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Niger Delta, NDDC and key stakeholders in implementing the UNEP report.

The minister said the exercise was a collective responsibility and urged all the Niger Delta communities, especially the Ogonis, to support the remediation and restoration efforts of government.

The UN report estimated that the cleanup of Ogoniland could take up to 30 years with the initial remediation taking five years and the restoration another 25 years.

LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has given a marching order to all the 20 Local Governments (LGs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to embark on fencing of markets in the state to curb menace constituted by market spillover.

Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, disclosed this on Saturday while monitoring the July edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Alimosho area of the state.

Adejare lamented the entrenched practice of leaving the market shop owners to trade on roads, saying such was currently causing traffic congestion around market areas in the state.

“It is the governor’s directive that all markets should be fenced. For instance, I shut Obele-Oniwahala Market in Surulere three days ago. We will fence the market and protect the infrastructure within it. We spent millions constructing the infrastructure but residents destroy them.”

Bayelsa sanitation authority arrest 37 defaulters Austin Ebipade -Yenagoa

NO fewer than 37 offenders were arrested for violating sanitation laws by the Bayelsa State Sanitation Authority, even as the management has arraigned them before the sanitation court for trial.

The Sanitation Authority also bemoaned the poor sanitary condition in the state, especially the heaps of refuse at the Tombia roundabout market in Yenagoa.

Honourable Robert Enogha, Chairman of the state Sanitation Authority, while speaking with journalists shortly after monitoring the exercise in the state, said that offenders, if found guilty by the sanitation court, would be liable to pay fine or be prosecuted.

Enogha said further that no stone would be left unturned to enforce compliance with sanitation laws because a clean environment is the bedrock of healthy living, which would in turn produce a productive workforce in both public and private sectors.

Bye-election: PDP candidate withdraws on election day Kola Oyelere -Kano THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Minjibir State House of Assembly re-run bye-election, Auwalu Ubale Minjibir has backed out of the election by announcing his withdrawal on Saturday (election day) on a local radio station.

This was just as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which reacted to the development through its Public Relations Officer in Kano, Lawan Garba, said the commission was not aware of Auwalu’s withdrawal.

Garba further disclosed that INEC had not been informed of the withdrawal of the PDP candidate, saying, “as I am speaking with you, the election is in progress and we assumed that all the 15 political parties were participating.”

Road safety education in schools will bring sanity on highways —FRSC

By Segun Adebayo IN line with its efforts to encourage road safety education in primary and secondary schools in Oyo State, the Chief Route Commander (CRC) and Unit Head of Operations in Mokola and Onireke units of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Anthony Osahon, has expressed the commitment of the FRSC to partner with schools in order to educate the young minds on the receptive culture on the highway.

Osahon stated that encouraging pupils of secondary and primary schools to be inducted into the FRSC was strategic to the success of the campaign for safer road environment in the country, adding that the action would strengthen the effort to catch the pupils young and make the roads safer.

He stated this at the end of the year party and inauguration of the FRSC in Rehoboth Children School at Wakajaye, Monatan, Ibadan, where over 24 pupils were inducted.

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65-year-old electrocuted in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

A

65-YEAR-OLD man, Adeyemi Ogunleye, was, on Saturday morning, electrocuted in Akure, Ondo State during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

It was gathered that Ogunleye, who was trying to make illegal connection from an electric pole very close to his house at 10, Oyemekun road, was found lying down on top of the roof of his house hold-

ing on a cable.

An eyewitness said the deceased was trying to make an electric connection from the pole into power his house without the approval of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company .

The eyewitness said: “We woke this morning (Saturday) to see him on top of the roof of the house. I think he was trying to illegally connect a wire from his house to the electric pole in front of the house because there

was no light in the area at that time. “ But in the process of doing this, BEDC supplied power to the area and he died instantly because we saw him holding a naked wire. Before anybody could get to him, he had given up the ghost,” he said.

Men of the Ondo State Fire Service who came to the scene, were said to have turned back and failed to assist the residents of the area in bringing down the corpse from the roof top.

Eyewitness account quot-

ed the fire as saying it was not their duty to work on electric poles. Later, the son of the deceased, Tope and other sympathisers, brought down the corpse.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident.

“The man was electrocuted when he was making illegal connection to the electric pole in front of his house . But we have started our investigation over the incident,” he said.

Sunday Tribune

4,000 get free medical treatment from Navy in Delta Ebenezer Adurkiya-Warri NO fewer than 4,000 residents of Alaka community in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, on Saturday, were give free medical examination and treatment courtesy of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The medical outreach included various medical examinations such as eye-check, blood sugar, blood pressure and malaria, among others, while drugs were also administered for free.

Commander NNS DELTA, Commander Joseph Dzunve, who addressed journalists at the Alaka Community Health Centre, said the gesture was another way of improving Navy’s relationship with its host communities.

He added that the programme, tagged “Raphsody,’’ was also one of the norms used by the Navy in promoting civil - military relationship.

According to him, the programme would be a continuous exercise in Warri and its environs. ‘’Some of our host communities do not have access to proper medical care.

That is why we deem it fit to organise this event. It is also one of the norms we use in promoting civil-military Relations (CMR).

Being gov, a rare privilege to serve my people —Wike Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt

From right, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo; celebrant, Chief Adio Obafemi Olopade; his wife, Feyitola and Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at the 90th birthday thanksgiving service of Chief Olopade at Chapel of Christ the Glorious King, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, on Saturday.

Assembly commends Mimiko over free food distribution THE Ondo State House of Assembly has commended the initiative of the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on the ongoing food distribution programme under the government initiated palliative (Eto Igbe-Ayo) scheme, where raw food stuffs are given to resident women in the state for free, even as the programme enters the third phase.

The programme had earlier been executed in the northern and southern senatorial districts, recording over 5,000 beneficiaries on flag-off day in Ikare, Akoko North East Local Government.

It moved to Ose and Owo council areas before the distribution of the food items in the southern district until Thursday.

Designed for the 18 local government areas and targeted at 100,000 women resident in the state, the programme moved to Akure North under the third phase on Friday.

In this phase, which would last till the August 2, 2017, Ifedore, Odigbo, and Ondo East would also be visited.

Groups and individuals have since the commencement of the programme, taken time out to commend the governor for the gesture, the latest being the state lawmakers and the coalition of youths in the state.

According to a ‘thank you’ letter to the governor from the Assembly and signed by Clerk of the House, Adeyelu Bode, “honourable members were not only highly elated by this development, but also acknowledged the fact that it is another land mark achievement of the state government under the

leadership of Dr Olusegun Mimiko.”

The letter read further that “as far as the honourable house is concerned, the programme will go a long way in assuaging the effect of the current economic hardship the people are passing through.

“It is against this background that the honourable house unanimously resolved to place on record her appreciation and commendation of the ingenuity and trail blazing accomplishment of Mr Governor in this direction.”

Also appreciating Gover-

nor Mimiko ,the umbrella body of Youths in the state, the Ondo Youth Coalition said the Governor has demonstrated his caring nature through the gesture.

According to the Coalition, in a statement in Akure yesterday and signed by the President, Secretary and Public Relation Officer, Adekanmbi Oluwatuyi, Michael Oluwole and Obanoyen Abiola respectively, the Coalition said by the gesture, Governor Mimiko has saved many from perpetual hunger.

Glo wows Nigerians with “buy data, get free smart phone” GRANDMASTERS of data, Globacom has energised the current promo that enables subscribers to buy a data plan and get a new smart phone worth same value for free.

The company said in a press statement issued in Lagos over the weekend that with the promo, a subscriber can buy a plan for N18, 000 and get a smart phone worth the same amount absolutely free of charge.

According to the company, a subscriber who purchases a data plan worth N18,000 gets 1.7GB data per month and a cumulative 21GB in 12 months, in addition to a free smart phone.

The network disclosed that the promo is for those seeking to upgrade their phones, first time data users as well as the youth and young professionals. It said the promo will create ex-

citement for the brand among Nigerians by giving exclusive offers which can be found only in Gloworld outlets.

“With this promo, we have once again demonstrated that we give our subscribers the largest data at any price point than competition. On top of that, our subscribers who buy this offer, will get a free Smartphone when they buy data,” the statement said.

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared that being a governor is a rare privilege to serve the people of the state, adding that he will give the position his best shot by laying down his life, if need be.

This was as he said that stealing the mandate of the people in an election was worse than armed robbery, adding that those planning to rig elections in the state would not succeed because the ever vigilant people would stop them.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike made this known during a breakfast meeting with the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), led by its president, Mrs Funke Egbemode.

“For me as a governor, this is a privilege to serve my people and I will give it my best shot. I am ready to lay down my life for the state. My commitment to the development of Rivers State is total. I will forever defend it,” the governor said.

Telecoms firm names Atiku Abubakar chairman

AGRICOM Field Services Network, a telecommunications company, on Saturday announced the appointment of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its chairman.

This was contained in a statement signed by Agricom’s Executive Vice Chairman, Adegboyega Olulade, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.

Olulade expressed delight that the former Vice President had agreed to bring his wealth of experience, both in agriculture and other successful businesses, to Agricom.

As a farmer himself and as someone who recently diversified into the production of animal feeds and fertiliser, “we are confident that our chairman will give Agricom focused and visionary leadership and also wish our new chairman a successful tenure in office,’’ it stated.

Buhari tasks Nigerians on unity, national integration PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday urged Nigerians to promote factors and issues that will unite them and foster national integration.

The president made the call at the late Gen. Hassan Usman-Katsina memorial lecture held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall in Kaduna.

Represented by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahaman Danbazau, the president said that national integration would enable Nigerians to realise the power of unity among various people living in the country.

He said the theme of the lecture: “Challenges of the National Integration and the Survival of Democracy in Nigeria” was not only apt but topical for this period of the nation’s challenges.

“Our history tells us that Nigeria is an amalgamation of many nationality relating from Lord Lugard which have since 1914 been on the journey towards nation building,” he said.

He said one of the key challenges of our nation that had been identified was the slow integration of the diverse ethnic nationalities in the country, especially in terms of unity of purpose.

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Abducted Lagos Oba still being held by kidnappers, says son

P

RINCE Saheed Oseni, the son of the kidnapped Oba Yushau Oseni, traditional ruler of Iba town in Lagos State, on Saturday, said the traditional ruler was still in the captivity of his abductors, 14 days after.

Oseni, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos following rumours that his

father had been released, said he was still with the kidnappers.

He, however, pleaded with the kidnappers to release the traditional ruler.

“Contrary to rumours doing the rounds that the monarch had been released by the kidnappers, he has not been released.

Rather, efforts are ongoing to ensure he reunites with his family members and

Iba community safe and alive.

“The Lagos State government (LASG) is also working to ensure his release and everyone in the palace is not relenting in their efforts,’’ he said.

Oseni, who hoped the rumour could become a reality, appealed to every Nigerian to also join the family and the community in prayers for the safe re-

turn of the traditional ruler.

Meanwhile, SP Dolapo Badmos, Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, told NAN that the command was working round the clock to ensure the Oba was rescued.

“With all we have on ground, we are optimistic he will regain his freedom in a short while,” Badmos told NAN.

Sunday Tribune

FG’s first graduate farmers’ scheme to boost food production, employment Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

THE Federal Government has assured that the flag-off of the first graduate farmers’ scheme will boost food production and provide job opportunities for youths.

The Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, inaugurated the empowerment scheme in crop production and fish farming at the Kampe Irrigation Scheme, Ejiba, Kogi State, at the weekend.

He said the scheme would be driven by the water ministry with collaboration from the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) across the country, adding that this would be modeled after Songhai Farm Nigeria Ltd. He explained that the scheme, which would be continued in batches of 50 and extended to all 109 senatorial districts of the country, would create jobs for over 5,450 Nigerians.

Oyo NSCDC tasks Oke-Ogun communities on security awareness

By Oluwatoyin Malik RESIDENTS of Oke-Ogun area in Oyo State have been charged by the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr John Adewoye, to be proactive in their approach to the issues of security in the area.

Adewoye gave the charge at the weekend during a town hall meeting with stakeholders and residents at the Legislative Hall, Otu in Itesiwaju Local Government Area.

The event was witnessed by the Oniro of Otu, Oba Sunday Adepoju, traditional chiefs and other security agencies in the area.

Adewoye urged the people to be vigilant and security conscious, pointing out that those who perpetrated criminal acts lived among them.

In his remarks during the Commandant’s visit, the Chairman of Itesiwaju Local Government Area, Mr Niyi Adeagbo, who highlighted his administration’s effort to curb crime in the area, berated the youths who recently disrupted a sports event organised by the council to promote peace and unity among the youths in the area.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Otu Division, Mr Joel Mayowa, stressed the need for supply of useful information to enable security agents fight crime effectively.

President, Oduduwa University, Ife, Osun State, Chief (Dr) Raymond Adegoke and his wife, exchanging pleasantries with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, during the dedication ceremony of the College of Environmental Design and Management Studies, in honour of late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, on Saturday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

Bello charges community over iron ore firm, as Kogi partners Bank of Infrastructure

Doctor declared missing in Kwara

Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

Biola Azeez-Ilorin with Agency Report THE Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kwara State chapter, has declared one of its members, Dr AbdulKareem Tunde-AbdulRahman, missing.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday, the chairman of NMA in the state, Dr Kunle Olawepo, said the missing member is a medical officer with the General Hospital, OmuAran in lrepodun Local Government Area.

Olawepo, who said the medical doctor was last seen last Sunday at 6:00 a.m. when he drove out of his residence in llorin, added that all efforts to find him had not yielded positive outcome.

In another statement, Dr Victor Iroha, the Secretary of NMA in the state, announced to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ilorin on Saturday, that AbdulRahman, a medical officer with Hospital Management Bureau, was posted to the General Hospital in Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

“AbdulRahman drove out of his residence opposite Federal Road Safety Commission Office, GRA, in his navy blue Toyota Corolla car with registration number BWR 532 RP and has not been seen since then.

His phone has also been unreachable and there has been no trace of either him

or his car,” he added in the statement.

He said the matter had been reported to the police and allied security agencies.

The NMA appealed to people with useful information to contact the nearest police station or his brother Rid-

wan on 08110709470 or NMA Kwara PRO on 08034086152.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police command, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, said he was yet to receive report on the missing medical practitioner.

Ooni Ogunwusi is a peacemaker —Ife prince

By Segun Adebayo ONE of the contestants for the throne of the Ooni, Prince (Dr) Raymond Adedoyin, has declared that he harbours no hatred against the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, describing him as a peaceloving monarch who is dedicated to fostering unity and harmony among Yoruba people.

Prince Adedoyin stated this at the official dedication of the College of Environmental Design and Management, established in honour of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who passed on a year ago.

Speaking at the event, which was held at the Oduduwa University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and had in attendance, dignitaries from all walks of life, Prince Adedoyin maintained that he was impressed by the presence of Ooni Ogunwusi, whose unexpected visit at the event confirmed that him as a peacemaker.

“The presence of Ooni Ogunwusi at this event proves that he is a peacemaker. It shows that he’s a peace-loving king. Yes, I was one of the contestants to the throne, but I came from the maternal side while he came from the paternal side, and that

was what qualified him for the throne. I am using this event to let the public know that there is no rift between Ooni Ogunwusi and I,” he said.

Speaking further, Prince Adedoyin said that it had been difficult to fill the vacuum created by the demise of Oba Okunwade Sijuade, who was the Chancellor of Oduduwa University.

“It has been very difficult to fill the vacuum created

by Oba Okunwade Sijuade’s demise. His inestimable contributions to the establishment, development, growth and stability of the university would remain evergreen,” Adedoyin stated.

AS private investors begin the running of the National Iron Oil Mining Company (NIOMCO) in Itakpe, Kogi state, the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has appealed to the communities hosting the project to support and cooperate with the investors to enable them bring life back into the company.

Apart from this, the governor said the state would partner with the Bank of Infrastructure for the development and rehabilitation of the infrastructural facilities in the state.

The governor, who said this on Friday after a meeting with the management of Global Holding Infrastructure Company Limited, said the organisation was expected to take charge of the Itakpe mine field and Ajabanoku mine field serving the mining company.

According to him, all arrangements had been concluded to ensure that the company commenced operations and embark on due diligence on August 2.

Adeleke university appoints new VC

By Kehinde Adio ADELEKE University, a private institution located in Ede, Osun State, has appointed Ekundayo Alao, professor of Mass Communication, as its new Vice-Chancellor.

At the inauguration ceremony of the new management of the university held at the weekend, Professor Alao, an immediate past Provost, College of Management and Social Sciences, Babcock University, expressed his readiness to serve the university with the determination to move the institution forward, in accordance with the vision and mission of the proprietor of university, which is to make qualitative university education accessible to all and sundry, irrespective of their financial background.

According to him, while unfolding his plans for the university advancement strategies, he said that efforts would be intensified to put God at the centre of learning in the institution for the character building process of the students.

Speaking earlier, the pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Dr Deji Adeleke, described Alao as a man of integrity and seasoned administrator who had the potential to drive the vision and mission of the university to fruition.

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31 July, 2016

FAJUYI’S GOLDEN REMEMBRANCE PROGRAMME

From left, Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti; Ambassador Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and Sir Olaniwun Ajayi at the Fajuyi’s golden remembrance organised by the Yoruba Think Tank at International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, on Friday.

Sunday Tribune

PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE

From left, Ondo State governor; Dr Olusegun Mimiko; Mr Yinka Odumakin and guest speaker, Professor Niyi Osundare.

From left, Alani of Idoani, Ondo State, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, his wife and Professor Osundare.

From left, General Alani Akinrinade, former Kwara State governor; Chief Cornelius Adebayo and Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

From left, Mr Odumakin; Ogun State deputy governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga and Mr Dele Alake.

Cheif Seinde Arogbofa (left) and Dr Kunle Olajide.

From left, Mr Yinka Odumakin; Ambassador Dr Awolowo Dosumu and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Chief Supo Shonibare (left) and Chief Tokunbo Ajasin.

Commissioner for Adult, Tech and Vocational Education, Ondo State, Mr Remi Olatubora (left) and Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade.

A cross section of late Fajuyi’s children and his relatives.

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31 July, 2016

SUNDAY

Sunday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Govt urged to use sports to arrest youth restiveness Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja GOVERNMENT at all levels in the country have been urged to invest in sports with a view to using same to arrest youths restiveness in Nigeria and take them away from social vices in the society.

The advice was given at Karshi, Abuja, by the Sarkin Karshi, Alhaji Muhammed Ismaila, during a reception held by the Karshi community for the players of FOSLA Academy, Karshi, which emerged first runner-up in this year’s NNPC/Shell Cup competition and second runner-up at the NFF/Copa Coca-Cola U-15 competition.

Ismaila noted that sports, football in particular, were veritable tools which could be deploy in engaging Nigerian youths positively, declaring that apart from this football was the only unifying factor that was capable of bringing Nigerians, irrespective of their religious and political affiliations together.

Ibrahimovic has charmed everybody at Man U —Mourinho

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LATAN Ibrahimovic is playing a pivotal role in creating a friendly atmosphere in the Manchester United dressing room, manager Jose Mourinho has said, adding that the striker should not restrict his role in the squad to goalscorer.

The 34-year-old forward made his first appearance for United in his home country during Saturday’s friendly against against Turkish side, Galatasaray in Gothenburg.

“With Zlatan you may see someone with a big ego, big self-esteem, but it is in a positive way. When he is with the group, he is humble and friendly to everyone – integration is good,” Mourinho told MUTV. “Zlatan is a fantastic player and, immediately in training, we could feel what I call ‘functional empathy’ – people looking to him, him looking to connect with other players.

“He is an amazing link player, an amazing

Oyerinde charges NFF on women’s football Ibrahimovic player. He could be anything on the pitch, not just a goalscorer.”

Mourinho has already begun rebuilding at United, having signed defender Eric Bailly and midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan as well as Ibrahimovic and, according to media reports, is nearing the capture of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

The 53-year-old Portuguese was confident his new recruits would not take long to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League as they did not have any language barriers with their teammates.

“Zlatan and Henrikh are fluent in English and in many other languages. They are good guys and experienced guys,” the former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager said.

“Eric doesn’t speak English too well. But he speaks French and Spanish which makes it an easy position in this squad with all his team-mates who speak those languages. He is coming up, step by step.”

By Olawale Olaniyan THE Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele) has charged football authorities in the country to focus more on women’s football.

He made the appeal while speaking at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Friday where he watched a female football match between New Team School and Old Team School.

The match which was organised by a former female football star in the state, Modupe Bankole (Lagbaja), was won 2-0 by New Team School.

Oyerinde said it has become necessary to give priority to women’s soccer too which is producing stars year in year out, by the country and has continued to raise Nigeria’s profile in the football world through the exploits of Nigeria’s teams at age-group global championships.

Kute community organises soccer, ayo-olopon tournaments THE Ifesowapo Central Landlords Association, Kute, Ibadan, under the leadership of Chief AbdulGaniyu Asekuntile, has taken sports to the next level in the town.

The whole town is now agog with the football competition among youths of the 25 zones between the ages of 15 and 23 which started a fortnight ago, while draught and ayo-olopon games among the elderly ones will start this week.

The initiative of the new president is first of its kind in the community. The aims and objectives of this initiative include to foster harmonious relationship among the zones which is fast going into extinction; to bring the youth together and integrate them into the society’s ethos and values.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Sports Committee, Pastor G.O. Oke, believed that it is high time the town was exposed to the

While lauding the proprietor of FOSLA Academy, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, a one-time President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), for establishing the Academy at Karshi community, Ismaila declared that the school had brought honour to the community by its achievements in soccer.

He then called on the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to extend its support to FOSLA Academy, considering the fact that it had brought honour to the FCT. The traditional ruler, however, urged the students of the Academy to face their studies and continue to work hard in their soccer career, saying that they must always remember the Academy and contribute to its development always.

He further assured the Academy of the continued support of the Karshi community, saying that he and his people were happy for happy FOSLA Academy in their community and also that it had brought honour to them.

“I have been following women’s soccer for years now and I think the authorities need to focus more on women’s football. We must give equal attention we gave to men’s football teams to women’s football too in the country.

“These girls I am watching today would go places if they get the necessary support because they play beyond my expectation and I think all stakeholders in football particularly at the federal level need to see to the development of women’s soccer right from the grassroots,” Oyerinde, who is also the South West chairman of NURTW remarked.

The initiator of the programme, Bankole said the motive behind the novelty match was to bring the glory of women’s football back to Oyo State.

“There is no female soccer team again in Oyo State which I think is not good for the state. I am a product of Oyo State female soccer team and I believe it’s time to give back to female soccer in the state and that is why we have organised this match.

“There are young girls who are willing to play but nobody is willing to support them. I give kudos to Alhaji Oyerinde for his words of encouragement to these young girls and for his presence and I believe with adequate motivation, this state is blessed with a lot of talents who can be groomed to play at national and international levels in the near future,” Bankole said.

outside world as far as soccer and other dairo, the sporting activities continue and games are concerned, saying that there are the community is looking forward to reuntapped talents in the community which ceiving people from all walks of life to harthe world needs at this material time. ness the discovered potential of the town He lauded Asekuntile for this lofty initia- during the events and at the grand finale tive of bringing unity back into the com- which would hold next month. munity and foster uncommon synergy between the old and the young through sports.

Asekuntile, in his remarks thanked God for the vision and appreciated the entire people of the community for watering the vision and making his dream a reality.

He believes that the seed would continue to grow and the talented ones would be exposed to the world, while appreciating the unalloyed commitment, untiring efforts and team spirit of the sports committee.

Eva and Mourinho Meanwhile, according to the secretary Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde ‘Fele’ (second left) presenting the winner’s trophy to the captain of the New Team School of the sports committee, Comrade S.S Fa- flanked by the organiser of the match, Modupe Bankole (left).

46

sport

31 July, 2016

Oduduru

Sunday Tribune

Okagbare

Rio 2016 Olympics:

Any medals hopes for Team Nigeria?

By Victory Oyeleke

H

OW fast four years have gone by. It seems like only yesterday when London was bustling with festivity for the Olympics and now in just a few days, the 2016 summer Olympics will kick off inBrazil as the world focus on Rio while she opens her city to Olympians and supporters from all parts of the globe.

Countries like United States, China, and Great Britain do not have to worry about not winning medals. For these countries; it is a matter of how many medals? Nigeria on the other hand has to worry because of team Nigeria’s unimpressive performance at London 2012 where they won no medal after winning four medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Competing in eight events with 86 athletes, Team Nigeria is competing in events dominated by outstanding athletes. Would Rio 2016 be the same as London 2012 or do we have a chance of bringing home any medal? And which athletes are we expecting to make us proud.

The Dream Team-is Nigeria’s representatives in the football event. They qualified for the Olympics by finishing as champions among the top three at the U-23 African Cup of Nations, Senegal 2015. Up till now, they have been to the Olympic games six times with their first appearance in the 1968 games in Mexico.

Their outstanding performance at Atlanta 1996 where they won their first Gold

medal in football caught the attention of the world. In Beijing 2008 they won silver but won nothing in London 2012. With stories of lack of funds, it is difficult to assess how prepared they are and what to expect. Hopefully with Mikel Obi leading the team, and using his experience and skills, they might do us proud.

Blessing Okagbare-the long jump and short sprints specialist has an extensive resume and awards to back her skills. She had a long jump annual best in Oregon in May. However she was fourth behind Brittney Reese, Ivana Spanovic and Lorraine Ugen. She is still a huge favourite to win a medal. As she is also competing in the relay, 100m, and 400m, Seye Ogunlewe:- Ranked at 915 and qualified for the Olympics with a 10.12 seconds run, Ogunlewe is the fastest man in Nigeria but the 28-year-old sprinter will be sprinting alongside Usain Bolt, and Justin Gatlin. Bolt ran 100 meters in 9.58 seconds in 2009, which led him to becoming the fastest man in the world. Gatlin ran a season’s best earlier this year of 9.8 seconds. 0.32 seconds quicker than Ogunlewe. Yohan Blake and Trayvon Bromellare also contenders who ran quicker than Ogunlewe this year.

Divine Oduduru:- the junior sprinter has earned his place in the senior team with silver medals in the All-Africa Games and World Junior Championships. How-

Ogunlewe ever, can he hold his own with a 19.19 seconds holder-running with the likes of Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Justin Gatlin might be a tough feat for Oduduru who qualified with a 20.47 seconds run in Sapele?

As per 2016 Olympic slogan, “A New World,” anything can happen and though our hope for a medal might look unachievable, in a new world underdogs do cause massive upset.

Wishing our Olympians a productive time in Rio! Go! Team Nigeria!

47 sport

31 July, 2016

Eagles don’t need a foreign coach —Ladipo

P

RESIDENT General of Nigeria football and other sports Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo says the Super Eagles will blossom under an indigenous handler rather than an expatriate tactician.

Since Sunday Oliseh’s resignation in February, the Super Eagles have been without a substantive handler with Samson Siasia and Yusuf Salisu given interim roles.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), had announced Paul Le Guen on

July 18, 2016 as technical adviser of two-time African champions, but the Frenchman turned down the offer claiming the NFF did not meet his term and conditions.

And with the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers set to commence later this year, gaffer of the supporters club thinks the Amaju Pinnick-led board should appoint an indigenous tactician as next Super Eagles’ coach rather than an imprudent chase of a foreigner who won’t stand the test of

time.

“When they [NFF] were searching for coaches, we told them our stand that we need a Nigerian coach but they didn’t listen,” Ladipo told Goal.

“Though a lot of people would say our indigenous coaches are sentimental, I agree with that but it does happen everywhere too even among the whites. At a point in time, a coach would have his plans, have his own players, knows where a player fits and what system he wants to play.”

Nigeria keeper, Ikeme, concedes 4 goals against Swansea

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi, with Agency Report SUPER Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme on Saturday, had a miserable afternoon conceding four goals as his team, Wolverhampton Wolves were battered by Swansea City in a pre-season friendly at Molineux.

Ikeme, who made his debut for Nigeria last September in the away 0-0 draw against Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, was a pitiable sight to behold as he was forced to bring the ball out of his net on four occasions.

The game also featured two other Nigerians, Dominic Iorfa and Hakeem Odoffin on the losing side.

Interestingly, it was a glorious day for another African Andre Ayew as his devastating form helped Swansea to the comprehensive victory.

Wayne Routledge opened the scoring with a 12thminute volley as the Premier League side asserted their superiority over their Championship rivals before Kyle Naughton doubled the

Ikeme

Fabiyi hits brace as Nasarawa thrashes El-Kanemi 3-0 NASARAWA United on Saturday improved its position on the Nigeria Premier League table as it thrashed El-Kanemi Warriors 3-0 at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja its adopted home ground after leaving the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, this season.

The Solid Miners climbed three spots up to sixth on 40 points from 27 matches, while the Warriors are placed 13th with 31 points.

Tayo Fabiyi netted a brace in the 32nd and 85th

minute of the game.

Former Enyimba forward, Abdulrahman Bashir was also on target for the ‘Solid Miners’ in the 75th minute after receiving a pass from Thomas Zenke inside the box.

It was Bashir’s 12th goal of the season.

Nasarawa ought to have scored in the 21st minute, but Esosa Igbinoba failed to put away his penalty kick after El-Kanemi goalkeeper, Kazeem Yekeen fouled a goal-bound player inside the box.

visitors’ advantage with a finish from a tight angle just before the hour mark.

Ikeme saved from Naughton as he sought to keep Swansea at bay, but Routledge added his second of the match—and his fifth of pre-season—soon after to kill off the contest.

Youngster Oli Mcburnie added a fourth in the 84th minute to cap off a miserable afternoon for Nigeria’s number one Ikeme and 21-year-old Iorfa.

The youngster was replaced midway through the first half—seemingly in some discomfort—and must be considered a doubt for Wolves’ Championship opener at Rotherham next weekend.

He was replaced by another Nigerian youngster, Odoffin, who joined Wolves from Barnet in January this year.

Ikeme’s performance may not have encouraged the Old Gold’s new manager, Walter Zenga—who replaced Kenny Jackett on the morning of the match—but as a former Italy stopper, the new man should have some valuable words of advice for the Super Eagles guardsman Another Nigerian, Bright Enobakhare, missed out on the match due to fitness concerns.

Ayew impressed as part of a busy Swans forward line before being replaced in the 70th minute.

PHOTOS: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

PRIZE GIVING DAY/VALEDICTORY SERVICE OF SEED OF LIFE GROUP OF SCHOOLS, NUR/PRY & COLLEGE, ONIREKE, ELEYELE, POLY ROAD, IBADAN IN PIX

From right, Proprietor of the schools, Mrs K.O. Runsewe (right), Pastor E. Oluseye, Engineer Tunde Runsewe, chairman of the schools, Pastor Bola Ajagbe, outgoing head girl, Miss Obisesan Toluwanimi, outgoing head boy, Victor Ajagbe, Dr (Mrs) Morenikeji Ojo and Pastor Oluyemi Akintunde cutting the anniversary cake.

Group photograph of graduating students of the college, class of 2016.

Cross section of parents celebrating with their wards during the event.

Proprietor of the schools, Mrs Runsewe (middle) with the graduating students of the college during the thanksgiving service, held at the New Covenant Church, Onireke, Ibadan.

Ibrahimovic scores on debut for Man U ZLATAN Ibrahimovic scored a bicycle-kick four minutes into his debut, as Manchester United beat Galatasaray 5-2 on Saturday in a pre-season game in Gothenburg.

Ibrahimovic, 34, met Antonio Valencia’s cross with a typically athletic volley which bounced kindly into the net.

The Turkish side then bossed the remainder of the half and led thanks to

goals from Sinan Gumus and Bruma.

But a much-changed United side were rampant after the break. A Wayne Rooney double, Marouane Fellaini header and Juan Mata goal sealed victory.

Jose Mourinho used 22 players and will leave Gothenburg with as many questions as answers as he ponders his starting XI for next Sunday’s Community Shield match against

champions Leicester at Wembley.

Ibrahimovic led the line in the first half, with Rooney behind him and Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan either side.

But half-time replacements Marcus Rashford, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard looked far sharper and led to United’s revival after a sleepy first 45 minutes.

Sunday Tribune

Group photograph of Seed of Life Nursery/Primary School 21st graduating students.

SIDELINES NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

NO 2,057

31 JULY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

N200

It seems padding has become part of us in this country. From shoulder padding, arm padding, chest padding to bum padding, we are very good at padding everything. In fact, padding is so interesting to us that we have taken it to the hallowed chambers.

We are now in the era of budget padding!

A brief lesson in Yoruba history and culture

T

HIS small lesson in history and culture is addressed particularly to the youths of the Yoruba nation. I hope they will enjoy it.

As all who have studied Yoruba history know, the Yoruba people have very well preserved traditions – much better than most African peoples. The reason for that is that, unlike most other African peoples, the Yoruba early developed the culture of living in towns. At the beginning of their history, they lived in small primitive settlements in the forests too, but by the 10th century AD (that is, about 1,200 years ago), they started to live in fairly big towns. By the time the first European explorers and traders reached the coasts of West Africa in the 15th century, the Yoruba already lived in very many towns, each town separated from the next town by only a short distance, and all connected by well-kept paths.

Each of the major ones among these towns was the hometown of an Oba (king).

From his town, each Oba ruled over a small kingdom consisting of his town and a few nearby towns and villages. An Oba was a great and gorgeous ruler, very proud of his position and his kingdom. Every kingtherefore took care to preserve the story of his kingdom. For this purpose, every kingdom had a chief who was like the town historian. The function of this chief was to stand before the large crowd of the people in the king’s palace during certain festivals and recount the history of their kingdom to them.

As a result every Yoruba town has its town history. The many towns were connected by very many things – by trade, by countless ceremonies, by inter-marriages, etc.

Thus, the Yoruba were one people with a common culture. Their living in towns was a major part of their culture. None of the other peoples of Black Africa developed the practice of living so much in towns; none had towns all over their country like the Yoruba. Yoruba people also had the practice of living under kings called Obas. Their Obaship system was virtually the same from kingdom to kingdom. In every Yoruba kingdom, the king was chosen in the same way. Each kingdom had a royal family, but when a king died he was not succeeded automatically by one of his sons; his subjects selected one of the princes. And the method of selecting the king was the same in all Yo-

ruba kingdoms. When a prince had been selected, the installation ceremonies and rituals were more or less the same in all the kingdoms.

Each king’s town was divided into quarters, with each quarter under the supervision of a quarter chief. In each town, the Yoruba people lived in large family compounds known as Agbo-ile. Early in the history of each town, the chiefs were appointed from certain family compounds – and each such family compound held its

high to be approached by people, and so they worshipped him through many lower deities. Each of these deities had a special function in the world and in the lives of people. All Yoruba people knew these deities, but usually, each town, each family, and even each person, freely chose the ones they wanted to worship. Each deity had his or her own rituals and festivals, and that meant that in a town or family compound, different persons celebrated different rituals and festivals. In the midst

chieftaincy title forever. When the chief died, he was not succeeded automatically by one of his sons. The people of the compound held meetings and selected one of themselves as the next chief – and then took him to the palace and gave him to the Oba to be installed as chief.

The dignity that an Oba was given, and the powers that he could exercise as king, were the same in all the kingdoms. The Oba met with his leading chiefs daily. It was only in these meetings (or councils) that the Oba could take decisions and actions of the government of his kingdom.

We say today that the government of a Yoruba kingdom was government by councils. Any Yoruba king who tried to do any act of government on his own, without his council of chiefs, was breaking the law.

All the kingdoms had the same well established procedures for removing such an offending Oba. In short, all the Yoruba had, on the whole, the same system of government – a system of government different from the systems of other peoples.

Also, the Yoruba had the same system of religion. Their religion consisted of belief in one almighty God who made all things and controlled all things. However, they believed that this almighty God was too

of all this, Yoruba people developed a unique attitude to religion – an attitude which recognized the right of each town or family or person to worship the deity of their choice. Nobody had any hostility towardsthe religious practices of hisneighbor. When the foreign religions, Islam and Christianity, came, Yoruba people accepted them in the same way. Today, Yoruba people are known worldwide as a people very tolerant and accommodating in matters of religion. In fact, many informed people all over the world now commonly say that, in the matter of religious tolerance and accommodation, the Yoruba are the most civilized people in the world. In all these things, the Yoruba were different from other peoples of Black Africa too.

The Yoruba lived basically the same pattern of community life. They lived in family compounds, married in more or less the same way, and raised their children in the same way. For instance, unlike most other peoples, Yoruba people ensured that their daughters became very mature (usually about 18-20) before marrying.

The people of an agbo-ile treated all the children in the agbo-ile as their common children. All the adults in an agbo-ile tried to ensure that each child grew up properly

– that is, that each child grew up to be an Omoluabi in the community. Omoluabi means a well-adjusted, trustworthy, and dependable individual. The Yoruba developed basically the same methods of farming and other occupations. They built large marketplaces in their towns. They became great artists – makers of the best naturalistic art in Africa.

And, finally, the Yoruba spoke the same language. It was their speaking one common language that, indeed, made them one people from the beginning of their history. Sure, they spoke the language in different ways from locality to locality of their country. Such different ways are known as dialects. But, in this, the Yoruba are just like all other large nations in the world. In England, the English people speak different dialects of the English language from locality to locality. The same is true of Russians, Germans, Spaniards, Indians, Chinese, etc. In each case, as in the Yoruba case, the dialects are roughly mutually intelligible.

All these common characteristics have made the Yoruba people a distinct nation for thousands of years – throughout their history. Some people are saying today that the Yoruba are not a nation because they did not have a common name for a long time in their history. Having a common name is not what makes a nation a nation. The Yoruba were culturally different from their neighbours, and naturally knew themselves to be culturally different from their neighbours, and as therefore one distinct people or nation – even if they did not have a common name for themselves. The same is true of nearly all other nations in the world. I will talk about this question of a common group name in my next message. But for now, let us close by asserting that, common name or not, the Yoruba have been one nation in the world for many thousands of years and are one nation today. The same is true of the Igbo, Hausa, Kanuri, Edo, Urhobo, Tiv, Ijaw, etc. Each is a nation.

This does not mean that our different nations cannot make a success of the one country, Nigeria, into which we were all pushed by the British. But it means that, if we seriously want Nigeria to exist and succeed, we must handle our different nations, and their expectations and opinions, with caution and respect.

I want to restore FIFA’s reputation —Samoura FIFA’s new general secretary, Ms Fatma Samoura, said her priority was restoring trust, including among the organisation’s corporate sponsors, with FIFA in “a very turbulent moment” after more than a year of scandal.

Samoura took over as the number two at world football’s governing body last month, after her appointment by President Gianni Infantino.

“The reputational damage that all the financial scandals have caused to FIFA needs to be repaired,” Samoura was quoted as saying in an interview with

FIFA’s in-house magazine.

“I need to restore the trust and confidence of our partners and our commercial affiliates,” she added.

Massive World Cup sponsors like Visa and Coca Cola were among the most powerful voices calling for sweeping reform as the graft that plagued ex-FIFA boss, Sepp Blatter’s administration came to light.

Samoura spent 21 years at the United Nations Development Programme before being hired by Blatter’s replacement Infantino in May.

Her two immediate predecessors in the general secretary’s job - Markus Kattner and Jerome Valcke - were both sacked over corruption.

Samoura has been tasked with day-today management of a massive reform

Ibrahimovic scores on debut for Man U —Inside

drive implemented by FIFA in response to a web of unprecedented scandals that have brought down the most powerful names in world football.

A key plank of the reform plan is boosting the role of women in football management.

“I’ll be personally having a much closer look at applications from women for senior positions in FIFA,” Samoura said.

Pools result:

14, 39. Today’s matches: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 26, 31, 49.

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