Wednesday february 28, 2018 edition

Zamfara: Nobody is safe, nobody cares THE ORACLE TODAY COMMENT I F the killings in Birane villa in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State had been elsewhere, there would have been various speculations about governments’ ineptitude, askance, and disinterest in an attack that has claimed more than 70 lives.

It happened, and the most that the people have got from governments is a lethargic response.

THE President’s response was as mechanical as it has always been.

According to a presidential statement, “President Buhari restates his administration’s determination to put an end to the spate of senseless spilling of innocent blood in parts of the country, and calls for restraint to allow the na-

The VOX POPULI SACRUM

which means that there will be more soldiers for the formation.

The battalion in Gusau will be upgraded to a full Brigade and one of the battalions under the Brigade will be composed of Special Forces. The Battalion in Katsina is being upgraded to a full Brigade.”

WHAT is new in that? The President was personally in the North West in November 2016, when

tion’s security apparatus to stem the undesirable trend. The President prays that almighty God will receive the souls of the departed, and comfort their families,” the statement added.

“The President has approved that the army division in Sokoto be upgraded to a full Brigade,

he said a battalion of the Nigerian Army would move to the North West to check cattle rustling. What about the missions that the Nigerian Air Force embarked on from Kaduna to check cattle rustling?

Why is the interest more on cattle rustling than lives?

ACCUSATIONS of laxity of securi-

racle Contd on page 24

www.oraclenews.ng

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2018

Today

ISSN: 2545-5869 VOL.3 No. 8 N200

2019: Ndigbo must register now • Alarm on low Igbo numbers • Ohanaeze to mobilise people • Operation show voter’s card in Abia • Ndigbo need voting power for Presidency • People must register to vote • Too few/bad data capture machines • Poor work ethics of INEC staff From VICTOR NZE (Lagos), CHUKS EZE (Enugu), BONIFACE OKORO (Umuahia)

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COMBINATION of factors, including the iterant nature of the Igbo, which drastically reduces the number of qualified voters at home; apathy occasioned by poor governance; centralisation of registration centres; MASSOB’s anti-registration campaign in 2015 and “discouraging manipulation” of voter figures as well as the “implausibility” of the actual figures published by INEC, has been blamed for the low turnout of voters in the South East States for the

• Sen. Godswill Akpabio, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Governor Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Governor Udom Emmanuel at the PDP SOuth South Executive Committee meeting in Port Harcourt

Govt tasked on judicious use of resources From SOPURUCHI ONWUKA, Abuja

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EADERS of Nigeria’s petroleum industry have tasked government to deploy the country’s abundant natural resources providing citizens the energy required for social and economic development.

Several speakers at the ongoing Nigerian International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) dismissed explanations by Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that over-dependence

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on government isresponsible for poor infrastructure and other social amenities in the country.

Kachikwu who pointed at gaps in gas and power distribution infrastructure, petroleum subsidies and Niger Delta development as liabilities on government, told the audience that private investors are expected to play roles in solving the problems.

But industry leaders who sat in the panel session with the minister at the event dismissed his explanations as weak.

Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Eni affiliates in Nigeria, Mr. Massimo Insulla, declared at the event that government has no excuse for failing to provide adequate energy for citizens, saying the need to provide people with fuel and electricity has Continued on page: 2

Hate speech is terrorism - FG PAGE: 2

ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the country.

Figures reportedly released by INEC recently showed that of the six geo-political zones, the South East recorded the least number of registered voters.

According to the figures, the number of registered voters in the country by zone as of January 2018 stood at North West-18m, South West-14m, North Central-11m, South South -10m, North East 9m and South East 8m.

With 8m votes, the South East has a whopping 10m registered voters less than those of the North West and 6m less than the South West, the two other zones in the major language groups.

Although the 8m does not represent the number of registered voters of South East origin in absolute terms, as voter’s register does not indicate Continued on page: 2

Where is Kanu?, Court asks T

HE trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)that was adjourned last December to 20 February 2018, has been further adjourned to March 28. The central issue is the whereabouts of Kanu, who has not been seen since the military invasion of his home in Isiama, Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, on 14 September 2017.

Justice Nyako had at a previous sitting asked Senator Abaribe, surety for Kanu, to produce him in court, to which Abaribe responded that the army, which invaded Kanu’s home should bear the responsibility of producing him. He sued the army, in addi-

tion to filing an application to lift the burden of producing Kanu and continuing as his surety, from him.

The judge has given the adjourned date for Kanu’s sureties to produce him in court.

Abaribe last December brought a motion on notice pursuant to Section 6 (6) a) (b); 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, and Sections 177 (1) & 179 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Dated 4 December 2017, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, filed it on behalf of Abaribe.

The motion sought an order granting leave of court to visit and make Continued on page: 2

• Kanu

ECCIMA honours Chrisnak Group GMD

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS 2019: Register now Continued from Pg 1 state of origin or tribe of a registered voter, it is, nevertheless, the figure that will be used to determine the voting power and, therefore, the political weight of the South East whose ability to forge mutually beneficial alliances in political Nigeria will, in turn, be determined, to a very large extent, by the electoral advantage it brings to bear on such putative alliance.

Stakeholders who spoke to The Oracle Today are worried that rather than forge a system that would suit the Igbo itinerant lifestyle thereby encouraging their political participation, the Nigerian establishment seems to have been designed to permanently scheme the Igbo out of political relevance or, worse, “to punish them for travelling too much.”

“There is so much pretense in this country. You won’t allow state of origin or tribe as part of the voter’s profile in the voters’ register on the pretext that what matters is where one resides, yet at the end of the day, everything is calculated on the basis of tribe and state of origin. Sometimes, I cannot but wonder if the Nigerian system was not created solely to punish Ndigbo for our itinerant lifestyle,” lamented an Igbo politician who wouldn’t want to be named, in an interview with The Oracle Today.

“Tell me, why can’t they allow state of origin so that I can register say in Lagos and decide to vote wherever I find myself on an election day? What’s the use of an internet-based computerized system if we must be confined to a locality on an election day?”

However, spokesman of President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State, Malachy Ochie told The Oracle Today: “We have already set machinery in motion to move to various communities and political wards to urge our people to come out en masse and register or update their registration as the case may be. This is not about PDP, APC or any particular political party. It is about us – the Igbo Nation. So, we are determined to seize this window of continuous voter registration exercise to ensure that every eligible voter in Igboland is captured in the process.

“Be that as it may, Ohanaeze also hereby states that the Igbo are known for their demographic strength and so, we believe that the figures that INEC has published do not reflect the true demographic character of the Igbo Nation. So, we are not clinging to the INEC figures.

“While we view the INEC publication with serious concern, we also declare that the situation calls for urgent action on part of every Igbo patriot, to move into the grassroots and encourage out people to go out and register.

“We have also noted other serious challenges in the process, as regards the South East, which ranged from inadequate Data capturing machines, malfunctioning ones and reluctance of INEC officers to go into remote areas to capture our people, as well as allocation of little working hours to INEC staff, among others. We have already delegated a team that would discuss with INEC leadership on how to maximise that present opportunity for CVR.” Similarly, the Director General, South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF), Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya urged people of the South East to go out and register en mass and collect their PVCs: Said he: “My answer is that the present is partly a hangover from past experience. People still fear that their vote may not count even if it is counted. Our people must realize that

• Oseloka Henry Obaze, PDP governorship candidate in the 2017 Anambra State election, and speaker at the 2018 Nnamdi Azikiwe University Lecture with Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and journalists, Jude Atupulazi, first right and Onu Nwanosike. Obaze spoke on Political economy of cattle colony in Nigeria

speech is Where is Kanu?, Court asks Hate terrorism - FG

Continued from Pg 1

physical inspection of the incidences of the invasion and occupation of Nnamdi Kanu’s residence (at Isiama, Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State) from 11 to 14 September 2017, and the eventual arrest and taking away of Kanu by the Nigerian Army.

Abaribe predicated the motion on the grounds that Kanu was at his residence before and all through 11 to 14 September 2017 at Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, even during the period of invasion.

“Applicant’s agent has been severally prevented by agents of the Nigerian Army (6th respondent) as well as other security agents from accessing the residence of Kanu at (Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku) as to show the court the characters of the invasion and occupation of Kanu and the eventual arrest and taking away of Kanu by the staff and agents of the Army.

“The applicant is desirous of the court seeing and examining Kanu’s residence which has been stated as an evidence before the court.

According to Abaribe, “the application will help the court and indeed the applicant in the determination of his application before this court. The applicants application cannot be determined nor resolved by mere documents as described on the exhibits before the court but physical inspection of the said property.”

An affidavit in support of the motion, deposed to by Deborah Warrie, stated that, “that out of patriotic consideration of assisting the judicial process to defuse the high tension already generated in the polity and with full convictions that Kanu was carrying on his activities within the limits and confines of the Constitution, that Abaribe (applicant) offered to stand surety for Kanu and entered into a recognisance and executed the bail bond.”

The affidavit averred that since the release of Kanu from prison custody, he was last seen and known to be in his residence at Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State.

It was stated “that sometimes in 2017 or thereabouts, the Nigerian Army High Command on the instructions of the Chief of Army Staff announced publicly that they were going to commence a military operation exercise code named a operation a python dance in the whole of South East from September 15 to October 14.

“That although the invasion took place three months ago, there are still many physical reminders of the invasion and a site visit is the best and most expedient way to convey to this court the necessary information regarding

“the environs, spatial configurations, and physical character of the locations of the invaded property, which information cannot be adequately conveyed through the presentation of oral testimony or topographical maps” alone.

The deponent said that the forceful military invasion of Kanu’s residence resulted in frustrating the bail bond of Abaribe.

She added that a visit to locus quo would enable the court to get evidence surrounding the facts of the suit.

Aside the motion, Abaribe had filed an application earlier praying for an order compelling the Chief of Army Staff to offset all expenses he incurred in the cause of trial of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Also, Abaribe is demanding for an order for payment of damages of N10m to him for the psychological trauma he has gone through following the extra-judicial self-help actions of the Army Chief of Staff.

Abaribe is standing as surety for Kanu, having signed a bail bond of N100million to secure bail for Kanu, who is being prosecuted by the Federal Government.

“An order of the court compelling the Chief of Army Staff to produce 1st defendant/2nd respondent before the court and or to explain to the satisfaction of the court the circumstance surrounding his whereabouts.

“An order of court compelling the Chief of Army Staff to show cause why the Attorney General of the Federation should not be compelled to initiate contempt proceedings against him for his extra-judicial self-help conducts that have obviously frustrated the proceedings and course of administration of justice and which actions have brought the court to some ridicule and its power appears nugatory as well as placing the applicant in a fixed up position.”

On October 17, the trial judge, Justice Binta had ordered that Abaribe and the other sureties should appear on November 20, to show cause why a bench warrant of arrest should not be granted against them.

More so, the court held that Abaribe could only be relieved if he produced Kanu or forfeited the N100m bail bond.

From BONIFACE OKORO, Kano

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ATE speech has been identified as threat to national unity which requires concerted efforts by well-meaning Nigerians to halt its spread.

However, the Federal Government has threatened to deal with anyone promoting hate speech as a terrorist.

Speakers at the opening ceremony of second National Media Summit of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, held at the Coronation Hall in Kano State Government House, agreed that Nigerians should join hands to eliminate hate speech from the nation’s polity to enable the country to continue to exist as a united nation.

In his speech, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced that Continued on Pg 41 hate speech advocates will be treated in accordance with the 2011 terrorism Act. Mohammed reminds Nigerians Continued from Pg 1 geria was exporting refined kerosene, that the directive from National diesel and other heavy fuels up till 2003, Broadcasting Commission, NBC, become pressing.

Continued on Pg 42 According to him, Nigeria has consis- wondering why efforts are currently

Govt tasked on judicious use... tently failed to develop proper frameworks for fuel and electricity to reach all citizens.

He advised the country to evolve comprehensive energy plan to ensure connection of the entire population to sustainable sources of energy.

Pointing at several references by the minister to government’s reliance on world bank assistance in bridging power sector deficits, Mr Insulla insisted that government could afford to provide the citizens’ energy needs without external assistance.

He pointed out that it has become unacceptable paradox for Nigeria and other African countries to be exporting energy when the citizens cry out against acute shortages.

In a separate panel session with Dr. Kachikwu, former Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Gaius Obaseki, advised the minister to evolve working synergy with NNPC to permanently address fuel scarcity in Nigeria, pointing out that all structures currently on ground should make the system work.

He noted that fuel queues are business irritants that eat up production hours at times of scarcity.

He reminded the minister that Ni-

limited to large scale importation of all fuel products.

He lamented that the fuel and electricity crisis in Nigeria is hurting the economy, scaring away investors and killing industries.

In his remarks, Managing Director of Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Mr Austin Avuru, declared before the minister that Nigeria has continued to miss the opportunity of its oil and gas industry as economic enablers.

He said the country has failed to grow because of emphasis on oil revenue against provision of domestic energy security.

Avuru noted that the country’s oil revenue would continue to feed the nation’s huge import appetite until conscious efforts are directed towards domestic energy security.

He advocated development of the midstream and downstream petroleum industry which, according to him, would spark the required level of industrial activity to displace imports, support ancillary businesses and create employment.

He regretted the relapse into fuel subsidy and warned that the investments in domestic energy security might not flourish in a subsidy environment.

Journalist loses father

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he Asaba correspondent of The Oracle Today is bereaved.

Jonathan Awanyai lost his dad on Sunday 28 of January 2018.

The 71-year old man suddenly took ill and died at the hospital he was taken to.

His dad, late Maxwell Awanyai, a former athlete known in his hey days as “kilometre 101 for his exploits in the tracks was also the founder and Senior Pastor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Chapel.

Burial arrangements will be announced soon. His late father is survived by wife and two children and Jonathan is the only son.

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

• Prince Chris Igwe and his wife Mrs. Peace Ogechukwu Igwe arriving for the award

• Prince Chris Igwe and his wife, Mrs. Peace Ogechukwu Igwe

• Barr. Cecilia Ezeilo, Deputy Governor, Enugu State presenting the ECCIMA Keyman Award to • ECCIMA President, Emeka Udeze decorating Prince Igwe after the award with his wife, Mrs Prince Chris O. Igwe while Mrs Peace Ogechukwu Igwe watches.

Peace Ogechukwu Igwe.

• Mr Friday Abbas (2nd left), Barr. Okey Igwe, Chairman, Umunneochi LGA of Abia State (2nd right) and others at the ECCIMA Keyman Award in Enugu

• From left: Mr Friday Abbas, SA to Abia Governor, Barr. Okey Igwe, Chairman, Umunneochi LGA, Chief Fabian Nwankwo, Comm. for Science & Technology, Abia State, Chief Raymond Aliga, CEO, Good Seed Int’l Ltd, Mrs Peace Igwe, her husband, Prince Chris O. Igwe, (Keyman Awardee), Mrs Emelumgini, Mrs Igboko, her husband, Barr. Gabe Igboko, Commissioner for SME Development, Abia State, at the ECCIMA event.

Prince Igwe to Ndigbo: Let’s develop Igboland • As ECCIMA honours Chrisnak Group boss From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

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tatistics has shown that investments of Ndigbo outside Igboland are worth over N60 Trillion.

Let us think home and bring part of our wealth home. What we have can develop our region”.

That was the declaration of the Chairman and Group Managing Director of Chrisnak Group, Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, at the Keyman Award and Induction of new Members ceremony organised by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu.

Flanked by his amiable wife, Peace Ogechukwu Igwe,

Prince Igwe, who practically stole the show at the night event, further asserted: “If we can bring home 30 per cent of that sum (N60 Trillion), which is N13 Trillion, it is enough to develop the Igbo nation and there would be a lot of revenue; unemployment would be a thing of the past and marginalisation would be forgotten”. To that received loud applause and standing ovation!

Meanwhile, the event, which was attended by several dignitaries across business, political and other spheres, was graced by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Hon Mrs. Cecilia Ezeillo, who represented Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and a special delegation from Abia State, which was led by the State Commissioner for

Commerce and Industry, Chief Fabian Nwankwo and the Executive Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area, Hon Barr Okey Igwe, who is also Prince Igwe’s younger brother. Barr Mrs. Uju Catherine Ifejika, Sir Emmanuel Ndubuisi Mbaka, Chijioke Nneji and Chief Eric Umeofia all received Keyman awards at the event.

Other dignitaries included Chairman on the occasion, former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji; new President of ECCIMA, Sir Emeka Udeze; immediate-past President of the chamber, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, and several former past Presidents of the Chamber; Igwe of Cont’d on page: 42

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The Oracle Today

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Wednesday February 28 , 2018

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Help stop Benue killings – Ortom urges U.N

By VICTOR NZE

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ENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on the United Nations (UN) to intervene in the humanitarian crisis arising from the killings perpetrated by suspected herdsmen in the state.

Ortom made the call, Thursday,

Don’t stigmatize Fulanis - Okorocha

By COLLINS UGHALAA

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mo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has said that it is wrong to associate the Fulanis with the killer herdsmen, explaining that while the herdsmen who kill should be treated as criminals, they should not be used to stigmatize the Fulanis who have men and women that have largely contributed to nation building.

Governor Okorocha also explained that what is in the state is the Cattle Market at Okigwe and not Cattle Colony, noting that the State Government has encouraged indigenes of the state to go into the cattle business because it is lucrative, and that government would continue to support them through ranches.

He disclosed this recently when he received in audience national leaders of the Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim led by its Supreme Head, the Prelate His Eminence Solomon Alao, at the Government House Owerri, adding that most Nigerians who had spoken on the issue of herdsmen or Cattle Colony had done so out of emotions and not based on the facts of the matter.

“The fact remains that no one in this country has the right to take another person’s life in whatever disguise.

For herdsmen to kill anybody is not right and that must be condemned.

But it is wrong to stigmatize the Fulani race because of the actions of some of the herdsmen. We must call a criminal a criminal irrespective of where the person comes from.

“We cannot be calling Igbos kidnappers or 419ers or Niger Delta people terrorists or militants or Hausa people Boko Harams or Fulani people killer herdsmen because of the activities of few criminals from their areas.

“That is the issue. A criminal is a criminal irrespective of tribe or religion. We cannot allow certain sentiments to becloud our sense of reasoning”. Governor Okorocha also said that the major problem with the nation is not true federalism, resource control, restructuring, Christianity, Islam, zoning or tribalism but lack of wealth creation.

“We must create wealth in Nigeria because once wealth is created the noise about restructuring, resource control, true federalism and others, will cease. This noise will continue until we create wealth. The amount of wealth consumed in the country outweighs the amount of wealth created and that is what is called poverty”.

Leader of the delegation, Prelate Solomon Alao, in his speech said the Church and most Christians in the country are against Cattle Colony because it will not give the nation peace no matter the intentions behind it, adding that the Church and Christians prefer ranching.

when he stormed the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Abuja at the head of delegation which also included top government functionaries to make a presentation on the continuous killing of Benue people by rampaging herdsmen.

While thanking the UN for giving him the opportunity to avail them with first-hand information on the massacre which he said started in 2011, Ortom said the crisis has so far claimed thousands of lives with property worth billions of naira destroyed.

The governor further said the gathering that his administration has organised series of fora for dialogue in order to find a solution to the crisis without much success, which, according to him, informed

the the promulgation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. Ortom maintained that due process was followed in the making of the law, saying in addition to conducting public hearings which involved all the stakeholders in the three Senatorial districts of the state and Makurdi, a grace period of six months was allowed for people involved in livestock business to make adjustments.

Similarly, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Dennis Ityavyar made a presentation which detailed attacks including the number of people killed and property destroyed between 2011 and this year, even as he urged the United Nations to assist Benue State to overcome the chal-

lenge.

Remarking, the United Nations and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, expressed deep worry that the conflict between herdsmen and farmers if not checked would mar the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general election.

Kallon stated that already 19 out of the 36 states of the federation were engulfed in the crisis which he said was being driven by climate change, growing scarcity of resources and insufficient political reforms.

He decried the level of attacks and killing of innocent people by armed men, maintaining that he was personally involved in the roadmap to peace and had been calling on Government all levels to find a lasting

solution to the conflicts in order to stop the killings.

Kallon stated that he was represented in Benue at the mass burial of the seventy people killed by suspected Fulani militia in January where he called on the Federal Government to take firm action in investigating the attacks, bringing the perpetrators to justice and also paying compensation to victims in line with International Human Rights obligations.

He gave assurance that United Nations agencies would evolve intervention programmes to address the humanitarian dimension of the conflict, adding that schemes aimed at empowering both farmers and pastoralists were being considered.

Lagos APC Reps endorse Ambode for second term

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•Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai (m) together with the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar and his Adamawa counterpart, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow, awaiting the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the Adamawa Anti-Corruption Summit which held Tuesday, in Yola, Adamawa State capital, yesterday.

ANA gets N3m for 2018 Yusuf Ali literary campaign

By VICTOR NZE

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RITERS’ body in the country, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has secured funding for the 7th year running towards the ANA/Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign.

The association acknowledged the sum February 5 for the 2018 project from the donor, an Ilorinbased renowned legal practitioner, author and dedicated philanthropist, Yusuf Ali (SAN).

The Grant was first secured by the National Executive Committee in 2012 and all state chapters of the association received sub-grants of N150,000 at various times between 2012-2014 for local literary awareness campaigns involving secondary schools across the country.

In 2015, the grant was applied by the then National Executive Council of ANA to host a workshop on fiction writing in Abuja in which about 25 students, drawn from tertiary institutions across the country via

a competitive process, participated.

In 2016, the Denja Abdullahi-led National Executive Council of ANA took the literary awareness campaign a notch further by focusing on innovative literary awareness campaign among tertiary institutions across the country through the States’ chapters.

State Chapters submitted proposals on envisaged activities based on which they were assessed and sub-grants finally awarded to 16 Chapters that met the provisioned requirements. The competitive process was introduced to ensure greater compliance to the overall project vision and to improve on the process of monitoring, evaluation and reportage of the implemented activities.

The grant was used in 2017 to publish three (3) children’s literature titles under the Nigerian Writers Series(NWS) which have been distributed to chapters of ANA Nationwide to power ANA ‘s A-BookA-Child nationwide project that

was flagged off at the ANA ‘s 36th International Convention which held in Makurdi,Benue State in October,2017.

According to a statement signed

by Mr.Wole Adedoyin, the Publicity Secretary (South) for ANA, the year 2018, the Yusuf Ali grant for this year will be deployed to facilitate a comprehensive media supplement on the projects executed over the years since 2012 to date and a workshop for 15 selected chairmen of ANA chapters focusing on ‘innovations in contemporary literary awareness campaigns’ to deepen the execution of the project in the coming years.’

embers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in the House of Representatives from Lagos State, last weekend, formally endorsed the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term in office, citing the massive infrastructural development and giant strides in all sectors and sections of the State.

The APC Caucus in the House led by the Majority Leader, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, who presented a letter to the Governor at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja asking him to recontest in 2019, said the decision to unanimously endorse Governor Ambode for a second term was as a result of his brilliance performance in office in the last two and half years.

Speaking to Government House Correspondents after a closeddoor meeting with the Governor, Gbajabiamila said the lawmakers were indeed proud to associate with the achievements of the Governor so far, and would be supporting him all the way for another term in office.

“We are members of the House of Representatives APC Caucus from Lagos State. We all came into Lagos today to perform a very unique and sacred duty; something we did not take very lightly at all; something we deliberated over a couple of days ago and we spoke with one voice.

The House Leader, who described the endorsement as history repeating itself as the Caucus was the first to endorse the Governor for election in 2015, said it was instructive that there was not a single dissenting voice in the decision to support Governor Ambode for re-election.

He urged the Governor to see the endorsement as a call to do more for the people of the State come 2019.

Responding, Governor Ambode thanked the federal legislators for the honour done to him, saying that the endorsement would spur him to do more for the people.

“I am greatly humbled to receive the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives from Lagos State.

I am more delighted that this word of encouragement by way of this letter is to inspire me further to continue to render service to the good people of Lagos. I want to thank you so much for the honour you have done me.”

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Wednesday February 28 , 2018

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa paid highest ‘okada’ fare in January – NBS

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HE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says residents of Ondo State, Rivers and Bayelsa paid the highest per drop fares to commercial motorcycles, popu-

larly known as `Okada’, in January The NBS made the disclosure in its “Transport Fare Watch” report for January 2018 posted on its website.

•(From right to left): Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Bishop Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, and Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, at the Centre for Faith Leadership & Public Policy inaugural Flagship Lecture which held at the Yar A’dua Center, Abuja, last Thursday and hosted by Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah.

According to the report, residents of Ondo State paid N200.76 per drop, Rivers paid N200.12, while Bayelsa residents paid N193.75 per drop fares in the period.

The report stated that states with the lowest journey fares by commercial motorcycle per drop were Bauchi, N65.00, Jigawa, N68.82 and Katsina N70.00.

It said that the average fare paid by commuters for journey by commercial motorcycle per drop increased by 6.97 per cent monthon-month.

It also said that the average fare paid by commuters for journeys in the month increased by 27.37 per cent year-on-year to N120.01 in January 2018 from N112.19 in December 2017.

The report covers the following categories – bus journey within the city per drop, constant route and bus journey intercity.

It also covered air fare charge for specified routes single journey, journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop and water way passenger transport.

The bureau said that average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 7.31 per cent month-on-month and 49.69 per cent year-on-year.

It indicated that the fares increased to N183.86 in January 2018 from N171.34 in December 2017.

It stated that states with the highest bus journey fares within city were Abuja FCT, (N380),

Poor representation: Protesters storm Cross River Assembly From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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group of protesters from Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi federal constitu-

Ajimobi orders arrest, prosecution of gun-wielding herdsmen

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yo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has directed security agencies to begin the immediate arrest and prosecution of Fulani herdsmen caught carrying guns and other dangerous weapons across the state.

The governor gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at dousing the tension triggered by the incessant herdsmen-farmers clash, which was attended by the representatives of farmers, Fulani herdsmen, security agencies and other stakeholders, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Ajimobi also directed the immediate registration of herdsmen and possibly their cattle to separate genuine pastoralists from criminal-minded herders, as well as the convocation of a monthly stakeholders’ meeting at the state and local government levels.

Besides, the governor said that a surveillance unit would be created under the Oyo State Joint Security Outfit, Operation Burst, to curtail the menace of cattle rustlers, murderous herdsmen and farmers.

ency interrupted proceedings of the Cross River State House of Assembly over what they described as poor performance by member representing them at the National Assembly.

The protesters who were protesting the continued stay of member the Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Essien Ayi, demanded an end to his tenure and called on the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Joseph Bassey to assume that responsibility come 2019.

The protesters numbering hundreds interrupted voting on the amendment of the 1999 constitution which was ongoing at the house as at the time of their visit, as they insisted that the time was right for a young and ‘digital’ person from the area to assume that responsibility in order to attract democracy dividends to the area.

Responding, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly and member representing Calabar South 1 in the Assembly, Hon. Joseph Bassey thanked the people for conducting themselves peacefully and for making their voices heard.

He stated that everything that has a beginning must have an end and at some point in time, one has to move on so that a new person with fresh ideas can serve the people.

Also responding, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. John Gaul

Lebo commended the people for conducting themselves responsibly and stated that the assembly is a good preparation for anyone aspiring to serve at the national level.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State House of Assembly has approved autonomy for local governments in the country following a vote on alterations to the 1999 which was submitted to it by the National Assembly.

The vote which had an overwhelming support by all the 23 members who were present during plenary marks a significant milestone in the quest for local government autonomy in the country.

Other approvals which were granted by the house during voting on alterations to the constitution include abolishing local government joint account, immunity for legislators for words spoken during plenary, reduction of time frame for withdrawal of money outside appropriation act from six months to three months, altering the procedure for amending the constitution as well as change of name of the Nigeria Police Force to Nigeria Police.

However the bill for independent candidature did not scale through during voting as the bill to approve independent candidature in the country failed to scale through during proceedings.

Cross River (N303.57) and Abia (N250.00).

It also reported that states with the lowest bus journey fares within city were Bauchi (N96.67), Anambra (N112.67) and Borno (N120.00).

According to the report, average fare paid by commuters for intercity bus journey increased by 10.11 per cent month-on-month and 32.09 per cent year-on-year.

This, it said increased to N1, 889.69 in January 2018 from N1, 716.26 in December 2017.

The report said that states with highest intercity bus journey fares were Abuja FCT (N5, 625.00), Adamawa (N3,358.57) and Borno (N3,000.00), while the lowest were Yobe (N1,150.00), Bayelsa (N1,122.73) and Katsina (N1,114.29).

The average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey decreased by 0.99 per cent month-on- month and increased to 7.34 per cent yearon-year to N33,055.01 in January

2018 from N33,386.09 in December 2017.

States with the highest air fares were Abuja FCT (N49, 000.00), Edo (N41,000.00) and Lagos (N40,500.00), while states with the lowest air fares were Osun (N25,714.89), Taraba (N26,000.00) and Nasarawa (N26,000.00).

The report indicated that average fare paid by passengers for water way passenger transport increased by 1.03 per cent monthon-month and 7.65 per cent yearon-year to N638.04 in January 2018 from N631.55 in December 2017.

It stated that states with highest fare by water way passenger transport were Bayelsa (N1,962.50), Rivers (N2,100.00) and Cross Rivers (N1,877.78).

The report indicated that states with lowest fare by water way passenger transport were Abuja FCT (N250.00), Gombe (N180.00) and Borno with passengers paying N152.00.

‘1, 306 Nigerians died in road accidents in Q4’

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says no fewer than 1,306 Nigerians died in road accidents in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The NBS stated this in its “Road Transport Data for Fourth Quarter 2017’’ posted on its website.

The NBS said that 1,200 of the 1,306 Nigerians who died, representing 92 per cent of the figure were adults, while the remaining 106, representing eight per cent, were children According to the report, 1,019 male, representing 78 per cent died in the period under review, while 287 female, representing 22 per cent, died in road accidents in the period.

The report said that 2,489 road crashes occurred in fourth quarter of 2017.

It indicated that speed violation as the major cause of road crashes during the period and this accounted for 45.08 per cent of the total road crashes reported.

It said that loss of control and dangerous driving by motorists represented 10.08 per cent of crashes recorded in the fourth quarter.

According to the report, a total of 7,349 Nigerians got injured in the road accidents recorded in the period.

It stated that 6,855 of the 7,349 Nigerians that got injured, representing 93 per cent of the figure, were adults, while the remaining 494 Nigerians, representing seven per cent of the figure were children.

It also reported that 5,366 male, representing 73 per cent, got injured during the quarter, while 1,983 female, representing 27 per cent, were injured within the period.

The report said that a total of 214,256 national drivers’ licenses were produced in the quarter.

It stated that Lagos and FCT produced the highest number of drivers’ licenses, while Zamfara and Kebbi States produced the least numbers of national drivers’ licenses in the period.

No monthly meetings, no pay – Kebbi gov tells LGs

K

ebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, that, henceforth, no salary should be paid to any local government until minutes of council meeting is presented to the Government.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Mu’azu Dakingari said the Governor gave the order, weekend, during a combined meeting with local government chairmen and councilors.

Bagudu said it is was obligatory for all local government chairmen to hold monthly meetings, with councilors during which minutes must be taken on details of statutory reduction and other financial regulation to be presented to the ministry for local government before salary of any local government should be released.

Bagudu explained that the action was to regulate financial expenditure of local government council and afford an opportunity for local government chairmen to be interacting with their councilors.

The Governor also directed the Ministry of Local Government to forwarding details of federation allocation of each local government to enable chairmen and councilors comprehend what accrued to their areas.

9

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

POLITICS

Amb. George Obiozor: False claims delaying recState Police in Nigeria is ognition of my HIV drug long overdue – Ezeibe Pg 10

Pg 11

Wike-Abe political romance as shape of deal for 2023?

From Port Harcourt, NATH OMAME writes on the emerging political camaraderie between Rivers governor, Barr Nyesom Wike of PDP and APC’s Senator Magnus Abe representing Rivers South East Senatorial District in the 8th Senate. And he wonders: is this the shape of the deal against 2023?

G

overnor Nyesom Wike and Senator Magnus Abe were once chums, confidants and political associates of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. The role Wike played in Amaechi’s emergence as governor in 2007 is already captured in the annals of Nigeria’s checkered legal and political history.

Through the dogged persistence of Wike, a lawyer, in pursuing Amaechi’s legal challenge against the K-Leg Theory propagated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo against Amaechi’s candidature as the flagbearer of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers State, the Supreme Court, on October 25, 2007, delivered a judgment that has made the current minister of transportation the only politician that became governor without having his name on the ballot box.

According to the learned justices, having dutifully won the PDP governorship primaries, Amaechi remained the authentic candidate in the eyes and mind of PDP members in the state for the 2007 gubernatorial election. Many atrocious things happened to Amaechi at that trying point in his eventful and successful political career.

He vied for the position of the governorship at the twilight of his second term as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. So, expectedly, he was still occupying g his official residence as Speaker when he contested for the PDP governorship primary which he won, clearly. But, Obasanjo stuck his big K-Leg foot into the fray. All that transpired tested Wike’s loyalty to his friends.

No thanks to Obasanjo’s gargantuan ego and federal might at that time in history, even former Governor Peter Odili, Amaechi’s political godfather had to shift ground, leaving Amaechi without the guarantee of the usual officialdom of the levers of power.

But Wike was relentless. Some of those who stood with him for Amaechi were Senator Magus Ngei Abe and Dr. Adolphus Dakuku, now Director-General of the Nigerian Mari-

• Gov Wike

• Amaechi

• Sen. Abe

time Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA).

It was from telephone conversations with Wike, Abe and Dakuku that Amaechi later learnt how his personal effects were moved from his then official residence. However, Amaechi did not forget the support that his friends and confidants gave him when he was fighting for his political life. The first appointments he made after he was sworn-in as the governor of Rivers State were those of Abe as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Wike as Chief of Staff (COS), Government House.

Until recently, most Nigerians did not know how involved Abe was in Amaechis’s emergence as governor of Rivers State. The political dogfight between both former allies brought that to the fore. The Senator in an interactive session with journalists in November last year, disclosed that some days, Amaechi would call him up to five times a day while the former governor was on selfexile in Ghana.

Even at that, Abe was always unwavering in mentioning the role Wike played in the Supreme Court victory of Amaechi in 2007.

“Most people seem to forget or pretend to forget the role that Wike played in the emergence of Amaechi as the governor of Rivers State in 2007. We must not forget the sacrifice that our friends made for us in the

past,” Abe would always say.

Governor Wike also said much the same thing in October last year when the political feud between Amaechi and Abe blew open.

“As a grassroots man, I played the politics for Amaechi while Abe was the brainbox for Amaechi. Both of us stabilized his government. It is unfortunate that he has forgotten all that we did for him. I am particularly sad for Abe because I told Abe when I visited him at his home in Abuja, in 2014, that I wanted to go back to the PDP that he would be the next person to be victimized

by Amaechi. Now, you all can see that I was right. It’s unfortunate,” Wike had noted last year.

So, why is Amaechi falling out with his friends, confidants and political allies? Abe who spoke briefly at the Victory Thanksgiving organized by APC Stakeholders to celebrate the Court of Appeal victory of its lawmakers at the Senate, Federal House of Representatives and the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Saturday, February 10, recalled: “It was Chima Chinwe who gave me the idea to get the Senate to take over the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly. If not, that storm would have consumed the then Rivers State House of Assembly. But the same Chinwe is being vilified.

“There are some legislators who feel that

the Senate was moved to take over the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly because Senator Abe wept on the floor of the Senate. Whatever we did, individually, and collectively, is being wished away for whatever reasons that are still very strange for most of us to comprehend.”

President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also spoke on the same vein: “There should be only one APC event in Rivers State today.

What is wrong is wrong. We know those who would not have been minister from this part of the country if not for the appreciable role that Senator Abe played. But, Abe being a humble man does not blow his trumpet. He is loyal, humble and courageous.”

The array of APC bigwigs that attended the Victory Thanksgiving, on Saturday, February 10, at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Garrison, and the reception at the Port Harcourt Polo Field, has sparked speculations and somewhat political permutations that an expansive political realignment for elective political offices for 2019 and, subsequently, for 2023, may just well be the fulcrum of the wheel that is propelling the seemingly chummy political relationship between Wike and Abe, at the state, and Saraki, Kwanwankso and Abe at the centre.

Political watchers are asking: could it be that Senator Abe has entered into a gentleman’s that Abe should continue to give Amaechi an overdose of political headache to cause endemic political rancour within the APC, cutting the support of the party down the middle, and then move with his supporters to the PDP months before the 2019 general elections, so as to inflict maximum electoral damage to the APC? What about Senator Saraki? It is clear that he has been nurturing a presidential ambition for years. Could Saraki have assured Wike that he would decamp to the PDP to actualise his presidential ambition, and with Senators Abe rumoured decampment to the PDP with his supporters designed to shore up Wike’s and Saraki’s electoral for-

Until recently, most Nigerians did not know how involved Abe was in Amaechis’s emergence as governor of Rivers State. The political dogfight between both former allies brought that to the fore. The Senator in an interactive session with journalists in November last year, disclosed that some days, Amaechi would call him up to five times a day while the former governor was on self-exile in Ghana.

Cont’d on page 12

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

BOLD n BLUNT Amb. George Obiozor: State Police in Nigeria is long overdue

What is your view on the renewed calls for the establishment of State police in the country?

It is an excellent idea whose time has come-inevitably. As a country grows, it should develop infrastructures that should effectively manage its own dynamics. Believe it or not, the country was overdue for state police so long ago. It was being resisted for nothing because it is inevitable that if you have a vast country like Nigeria, with its cultural diversities and huge land mass like we have, you must find effective ways of getting the communities involved in their own security. Believe me, all the fears about state police were all politically motivated.

But today, it has dawned on everybody that it has become inevitable that state police be instituted cross the country. It does not do away with the federal police. The federal police would deal with trans-state offences and federal offences. But the whole issue is that it is a very good idea.

I was extremely happy when the el-Rufai Committee recommended it because it was an issue that was thoroughly debated and passed by consensus during the 2014 Constitutional Conference. But, for some political reasons, the Nigerian political elite cannot agree easily on a problem that could have been solved earlier before it becomes worse. Today, State Police has become inevitable and it is clear to everybody now that it requires no further argument.

There are fears that state governors could hijack state police and use it to muscle the opposition and as well settle political scores; what can you say about that?

The governors cannot use state police differently from the way the federal government is using the federal police. Or would you say, as a journalist, that you do not see the abuse of the use of the Nigeria police? Anything that is not well regulated and controlled by law, the constitution, or supervised by a superior authority, power tends to be abused.

So, what is required to do is to ensure that enforcement is free, fair and equitable to all. The opposition today could be in government tomorrow. People must always remember that today’s government may be tomorrow’s opposition. We have seen it happening in the country; at least peacefully, once. So, there should be no fear about the possibility of state governments hijacking state police.

As I said, State governments cannot use state police differently from the way the federal government has been using the federal police. Whenever there is abuse, as we have noticed about the federal police recently, there is public outcry against injustice. So, let us not fear. That excuse was just some psychological hoodwinking of the Nigerian masses. But now, it has become a reality beyond political shenanigan.

Another fear is the issue of funding since we know that many state governments have been struggling to cope with payment of salaries to their workforces; would state police not constitute additional burden on states?

Who is funding the Nigeria Police, as we speak; do you not know? Many states are funding the Nigeria police, in case you do not know. You should know that, as a pressman. We hear every day how various state governments are donating huge numbers of motorcycles, patrol vans and other security gadgets, including cash, to the police. And you ask: do the Police not have federal budget? The governor of Lagos State just did one recently, and it was in the news. So, the issue of fear about funding does not hold. If you have a need for something, you should find the funds for it one way or the other.

Are we going to compare funding to the need for security of human beings and property of human beings? We have all seen that concentration of power at the centre can no longer work in this country. We should, therefore, make haste to learn from other countries. Do you know how many levels of policing they have in a country as small as Malaysia? What about big and vast countries

Seasoned Nigerian diplomat, Professor George Obiozor has lent his voice to the resonating calls for the establishment of state police in the country. Obiozor, who is former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), as well as former Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Israel and Cyprus, tells CHUKS EZE that state policing holds the panacea to herdsmen/farmers clashes in the country and provides the roadmap to effective policing in the country.

• Amb. George Obiozor such as the Unites States; Canada or even Britain itself, which gave us the Nigeria Police that we have now? Have you not seen community policing across Britain?

You know, the Nigerian political elite are playing the ostrich over the nation’s tragedy that was foretold. These things that are happening in Nigeria today, especially in the area of security, were things that would have been long controlled from the beginning and managed better. When you leave such a problem with confronting it head-on, it becomes a national disaster and from national disaster, it would snowball into national catastrophe as we are seeing today.

Are you optimistic that state police can solve the problem of herdsmen/farmers clashes, the problem of cattle rustling and

other security challenges in the country?

Please, do not tell me about cattle rustling; tell me about herdsmen – unrestrained movement of armed herdsmen. Cattlerustling is not the issue here, please. That is not what is threatening Nigeria’s security today. What is threatening our security today is some herdsmen carrying AK47 freely and moving from one state to another, one region to another and nobody is stopping them or arresting them. We are just waking up to it now, when it is already too late, and too little, as far as I am concerned, to do anything about the threat of the herdsmen militia, or whatever they are called. This is really a dangerous development in this country and it was delayed action that led it to this level. It was controllable when it was new. If the herdsmen had reared their heads during

The governors cannot use state police differently from the way the federal government is using the federal police. Or would you say, as a journalist, that you do not see the abuse of the use of the Nigeria police by the federal government?

President Obasanjo’s regime, they would have been given hell and delivered on time too, and there would not be any damage to the nation’s security apparatus as we have today. So, I urge Nigerian journalists not to fall into the political propaganda associated with the present development; from those who feel that they have everything including imposing all kinds of things on the citizens such as 17th century rules on 21st century country. How can you allow a section of your country – economic sector at that – to carry guns with impunity across your country?

And we are told they are foreigners? When foreigners infiltrate your country, you deal with them and do not give excuses because we have our security too. That is why we are advocating state police because people know members of their communities. We are now hearing federal government’s message, by the Police on radio and TV: ‘If you see something, say something’. Whom do you say something to? Did the governor of Enugu State not say something to the DPO and the State’s Commissioner of Police? What happened? Did he not call Abuja severally?

What was the outcome of his efforts? You can see that state governments are called chief security officers only for formality, but in reality, they do not even have control of the Boys Scout! So, it is an insult to call them Chief Security Officers when they do not even have court marshals or Boys Scout, talk more of police.

We are all witnesses to the nationwide uproar against the Nigeria Police. They are doing their best but their best is not good enough, and they are overwhelmed by national responsibilities. And it is a pity that the Nigerian army has been reduced to doing police jobs which are not part of their mandate in our constitution. When we were young, the army was seen very rarely, not the way they are seen everywhere on our streets today. Sometimes you see men of the Nigerian army doing menial jobs, things they should not do. So, every Nigerian should support state police because it is time to have one.

What should be done now that the issue is a constitutional matter…?

Constitution is made for man and not man for constitution. Can’t the President send a bill to both Houses of the National Assembly for them to make the necessary constitutional amendment?

That is the Problem because many people do not trust the sudden disposition of the federal government. There is this popular notion that they are showing interest for State Police because 2019 election is around the corner; isn’t that possible?

The truth is that if the President wants to do it, he will do it; but if he doesn’t have the political will to do it, the crisis would continue. The thing is that if they show interest for whatever reason, it means they are responding to the needs of the people. The country and the people need state police; so, if politicians respond to the needs and aspirations or needs of the people, that is good politics.

There is nothing wrong if they play good politics. Therefore, if they choose to support it because of the forthcoming election, that is good for the country.

11

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Bold n Blunt

False claims delaying recognition of my HIV drug – Ezeibe

PROF. MADUIKE EZEIBE, Head of Department, Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), in this interview with Correspondent BONIFACE OKORO, in Umuahia, recounts what has transpired in the past one year when his invention for HIV/AIDS cure, which he named Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum Magnesium Silicate (MSAMS), was made public, disclosing that the federal government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to ascertain the veracity of his claim. However, he wants the federal government to expedite action on its investigation and commence commercialisation of his MSAMS, insisting that it would spin bigger revenue for Nigeria than crude oil. Maduike added that in the course of clinical trials, it has been discovered that MASMS can also be used to treat cancer and hepatitis B. Excerpts: It is about one year since the announcement that your team of researchers from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture has invented a drug, the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum Magnesium Silicate (MSAMS), which you commonly call the Nigerian medicine for curing HIV/AIDS. Controversies have since dogged the announcement. We want to know what has transpired in the last one year.

Yes, about this time last year, my university announced that we have discovered cure for HIV and since then, the controversy has been on. But, we did not run away; indedd, we decided to insist on proving our claims. We insisted that we are right, that what we are claiming is not a joke.

Following the controversy, the National Research Ethics Committee wrote the university, querying us. The accusation was that we did not follow ethical procedures. I imagined that what they meant was that I, being a Veterinarian, may have left my calling of treating animals to treat human beings.

We corrected them that that is not so; that what we do is that we cooperate between the physicians (that is medical doctors that treat humans) and I, the inventor. The Medical Centre of my university is even involved and that any person coming here will have to present a letter from his medical doctor.

Around May last year, I was invited to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos where I was interviewed by a group of people and there was no result of the interview. Last September or thereabout, I went back to the Senate and the Ministries of Health, Science and Technology, Finance, National Planning and Education where I submitted memos, asking them to come and carry out their own independent clinical trial towards the commercialization of this medicine.

In my letter, I requested the federal government to commercialize my medicine and if there is need for more clinical trials, let us do so.

So, on December 19, last year, I was invited to Abuja for interaction with the interministerial committee set up by the federal government, comprising mainly of the staff of Federal Ministries of Science and Technology, and Health After the inauguration of the committee by a representative of the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, I presented my case before the committee which has sent me minutes of that meeting and right now, they have invited me to be in Abuja on Friday, February 23, 2018, for further interaction.

So, I am expecting that we may end up doing a little more studies before commercialisation or go straight into commercialization.

Is setting up the committee an indication that your call on government to assist in the final phase of the clinical trial of MSAMS is yielding fruit?

What I know is that a committee has been inaugurated and I will wait for them to write

I don’t think that HIV is going down. I think that it is even increasing because as a social disease, many people don’t know or deliberately refuse to disclose their status. That is even why government’s claim on HIV prevalence may not be true because the people who report are only about 10 per cent. So, it is not going down. I don’t know why we don’t have enough confidence in ourselves because we have made it very clear what we are doing. If others who made claims in the past joked, we are not joking.

So those jokes may be the reason why Nigeria has not given us recognition. If government gives us that recognition and every doctor starts using the medicine that is when we can see that HIV will begin to go down.

But with time, like we have decided to be stubborn, insisting on what we are saying, we are going to prove our case and when we do that and government eventually recognises us, we can now use MASMS to force the disease to go down not only in Nigeria but the whole world.

• Health Min. Prof Adewole

• Prof Ezeibe

their report. I am hoping that we may end up by saying, okay, Ezeibe has done enough work, let us commercialise and go to market; or we need to do one or two more things, in which case we may fall back to those clinical trials which entail selecting people from local governments or states and treating them.

you know it, the money they gave me just finished because of the enormous number of people coming; some from outside the country.

Right now, I can tell you that on daily basis, we have an average of five new patients, that is about 25 per week and100 per month.

So, if you add the five new patients to old ones, we may be treating about 20 people daily. So, you can imagine what that means.

The only saving grace is that the medicine happens to be very cheap. If not, I would not be able to cope. A dose is N71.

If it was an expensive medicine, not even the rich could afford it.

Are you still treating patients for free, as you told us last year, and how many have you treated so far, apart from the 500 you mentioned last year?

Yes, we have been going on with the free treatment of patients. At a point, I ran out of money completely and started turning back some patients. Then the Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, called me and gave me some support, as half of the money he approved for me has been released. I also wrote to the Vice Chancellor who also called me and gave me some help. But before

Is the prevalence of HIV/AIDS increasing or decreasing because one is wondering why the delay by federal government in accepting your medicine so as to assist Nigerians living with the disease.

“If you are talking about delay, I also think it is because some people came in the past and made jokes. They were not serious about their claims to cure HIV. People now think that every other person that comes is just like them. But then, my only worry is that we have so many scientists even in government, why can’t they listen?”

You have been insisting that this medicine will contribute immensely to Nigeria’s economy by yielding more foreign exchange than oil. In what ways will this come about?

Remember that what we are talking about is not against HIV only. We say it is anti-viral.

There are many viral diseases, including HIV itself, Hepatitis B (which they say is incurable), ebola, bird flu, that are ravaging the whole world. So, if Nigeria has discovered the cure and has the raw material to produce the medicine, you can imagine how many countries that would be coming to Nigeria to buy this medicine.

Not only that, this same medicine has been known for many years as stabilizing agent, which means that pharmaceutical industries could add it to other drugs to make them work better. Dictionary meaning of stability includes to protect against destruction.

Now, what is drug metabolism? It is destroying the medicine. If you swallow medicine now, it will go to your blood. If you measure your blood, there will be high concentration of the medicine in your blood.

But, by evening, if you don’t take another medicine, that concentration will be going down.

Now, if there is something that protects the medicine from being rapidly destroyed (metabolism), the concentration will remain in your blood for longer period. Maybe, if you needed to take it three times in a day, you may now take it two times, or even once a day may be enough because something is protecting it from being rapidly destroyed.

That is what this MASMS does to other drugs, stabilising them. If the dosage of a particular medicine is 10mg/kg, if you stabilise it, you are prolonging its life span in the blood, making it work better. Now that 10mg/kg may become overdose. That will

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

POLITICS Cont’d from page 9

tunes in 2019, paving way for his governorship ambition in 2023, under the PDP, from where he and Saraki defected to the APC in 2014?

And could that also be the persuasive factor why the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who is also eying the presidency, attended Senator Abe’s Thanksgiving with the hope of benefitting from his supporters should he decamp to the PDP, on whose platform he is most likely to aspire for his presidential ambition, considering President Muhammadu Buhari’s willingness to vie for a second term in office on the platform of APC? From what transpired on Saturday, February 10, it appears Amaechi is far away politically from the APC governors and even the hierarchy of the party at the national level.

The Chairman of the APC governors’ forum, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, publicly endorsed Senator Abe’s governorship ambition, proclaiming that he is the “anointed one.”

Even feelers from the top brackets of the national power centre of the APC say Amaechi is not on the same page, politically, with the former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, whom Buhari has appointed the chairman of the presidential consultation, reconciliation and confidence building committee.

True, for Senator Abe to earn the APC governorship ticket in Rivers State, he needs Amaechi. And for Amaechi to show that he is still politically relevant in Rivers State, by establishing his electoral value, he needs Abe, who is sure at every electoral contest that he is involved to garner block votes from the electorate of the Ogoni extraction which is made up of about about 500, 000 voters.

As the sitting Senator of the Rivers East Senatorial District, Abe’s constituency covers seven local government areas: Khana; Gokana; Tai; Eleme; Oyigbo; Andoni and Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Areas of the state, has a projected population of 1,

• Sen. Abe and Gov. Wike in a warm embrace at an event 720, 790, with a total of electoral 88 wards.

Although, there are APC Senators in Rivers State, Abe and Andrew Uchendu, who represent the Rivers East with eight local governments consisting of Emohua; Etche; Ikwerre; Obio/Akpor; Ogu-Bolo; Okrika; Omuma and Port Harcourt, with a projected population of over two million in 2015, and well over one million voters, Abe is seen as having a far more electoral value for the APC should he vie for the governorship on the platform of the party.

Different names have been bandied as

likely candidates that Amaechi may likely endorse to run under the aegis of the APC in 2019. Tonye Cole, an oil mogul, and Dumo Lulu-Briggs, a lawyer and also a key player in the oil industry. Amaechi is said not to be favourably disposed to fielding the APC governorship candidate in the 2015 elections, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

As it is, there are feelers from the national leadership of the APC that the ward, local and state elective congress of the party that ended in a fiasco in August, 2017, because the leader of the party in the state, Amae-

chi, insisted it should be a non-elective election, which deprived many supporters of Abe from participating, will be conducted again to assuage Senator Abe and his supporters to forestall them from decamping from the party. But will Amaechi accept that? And should Amaechi have his way, will Abe decamp to the PDP with his supporters before the 2019 general elections?

Those are questions that time, sooner than later, will answer.

False claims delaying recognition...

Cont’d on page 15

then mean that you will have to reduce the dosage to 7.5/kg and that medicine will now work better while the cost of production will now be cheaper.

If we prove this and Nigeria advertises it to the whole world, can you guess the number of pharmaceutical industries in the world that will be coming to Nigeria to buy it, to make their medicine work better and at cheaper cost of production.

There is another problem that is bedeviling the world, not even HIV. The biggest problem the world has is the development of resistance against medicines. A particular medicine that is working today, after tomorrow, it no longer works. The organism now develops resistance to it . So, if you use this medicine to stabilise your medicine, it protects your medicine against those organisms that are developing resistance and that is even going to give more money than viral.

Remember that if you have to eradicate HIV, Ebola, Bird Flu in the world, you can imagine the dose of the viral that will be sold, plus now using the same medicine to make other medicines, including antibiotics, antifungi, anti-protozoans, to work better.

The principle we are preaching is that this is how our medicine is working, that it is using its electrical charges against opposite charges on HIV and other viruses. It is not only HIV that is electrically charged, cancer cells are also electrically charged. That means that MASMS is also anti-cancer.

And I want to inform you now that we have patients that have cancer who are taking our medicine and they are reporting progress in their healing.

If we prove this and Nigeria advertises it to the whole world, can you guess the number of pharmaceutical industries in the world that will be coming to Nigeria to buy it, to make their medicine work better and at cheaper cost of production.

It is already known in the whole world that cancer cells, hepatitis B, monkey pox are negatively charged viruses while HIV, Avian influenza are positively charged. So, this medicine has one end positively charged and is using all these positive charges against cancer, Hepatitis B, Monkey pox; while it is using the negative charges against HIV, Bird flu and other positively charged pathogens.

So, if you just use the medicine as anti-viral, there are so many viral diseases to eradicate in the world. If you now say, okay, I am not using it for treatment, let me use it to make other medicines work better, every pharmaceutical industry will require it to make other medicine work better because of cheaper cost of production.

That is why I am saying if we appreciate what we are talking about, this is an alternative or an addition to crude oil in Nigeria.

exactly what you are using and how it is working, unlike our traditional medicine people whose operations are shrouded in secrecy. The only thing you are entitled to is that you are duly protected by law, that is patenting it. If we patent it as Nigeria, they give us about 20 years when we will enjoy the monopoly of producing the medicine, thereafter others can join. Now, that we have not done. But I, as a person, have patented it in Nigeria.

I submitted another application for patenting in last September, within a month or so, President Buhari’s Government approved it for me. Nigeria as a country needs to patent it, to protect Nigeria as a country so that we can enjoy it for a number of years before other countries join. But then, as an individual, as God will have it, we have an equation which we developed that is only known to us.

Now that these things have been put out in literature, are you not afraid that other scientists will steal it and start producing the medicine?

That is why we have to make haste because orthodox medicine requires that you say

If federal government continues to delay in recognizing and commercializing this medicine, what will be your next move?

(Long breadth) Ehnn, I don’t have any plan now but when the time comes, one will think of what to do. But then, if you are talking

about delay, I also think it is because some people came in the past and made jokes.

They were not serious about their claims to cure HIV. People now think that every other person that comes is just like them. But then, my only worry is that we have so many scientists even in government, why can’t they listen?

As I have been asking, of all these other people who made these claims, did they ever tell you what they were using and how it is working? They never said so. This is the difference. Somebody says I am using this medicine because it has electrical charges, it is different from somebody saying herbal medicine and will not tell you which herb and how it works.

But, then we are also getting recognition from outside the country. In October, one laboratory in US celebrated me. That means we are being recognized. So, if there is need for us to look for help outside, with such recognition, we are likely going to achieve our goal. But for now, we are not thinking of that because if the government can set up interministerial committee, I don’t think they are joking. They must be serious.

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

POLITICS

2019: Buhari can’t stop restructuring, can only delay it – Eluemuno • Says no sane person will accept cattle colony • Urges Ndigbo to stick with PDP In this interview, ELDER CHRIS OSELOKA ELUEMUNO, a Chieftain of Ohaneze Ndigbo and currently the Deputy National Financial Secretary of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, speaks on Ohanaeze Ndigbo under Chief Nnia Nwodo, the clamour for restructuring of Nigeria, 2019 general election and other issues of national importance. He spoke with THEO RAYS, in Onitsha.

Of recent, we have seen a lot of pro-Igbo group spring up both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora all in the name of championing the Igbo cause while Ohaneze is there as the apex Igbo sociocultural/political organization. Does it mean that people, I mean Ndigbo generally don’t believe in Ohaneze?

Thank you very much. Igbo man is highly republican in nature and so it is very difficult to control him. When the White men came to Igbo land, it was difficult for them to bend the Igbo man.

In some places, they gave the Whites a fierce battle because they didn’t want to tamper with their culture, tradition and life style. That is the Igbo man for you. I agree with you that we have a lot of Igbo groups, but I can tell you that almost 90% of such groups are affiliated to Ohanaeze. They work hand in hand with Ohanaeze. These affiliate groups have quota when we have election in Ohanaeze. Under that quota, they have a number of people to send as delegates for election and they are carried along in other programmes of Ohaneze. So, we are aware of such groups but the more the merrier.

hands to work together and the focal point is restructuring Nigeria. The issue at hand is not about the cry over marginalization of Ndigbo, it is about putting Nigeria on the right track.

Personally, I don’t believe in the cry of marginalization because nobody can marginalize Ndigbo.

To me, Ndigbo don’t depend on the so called national cake to thrive. We know how to fend for ourselves. National cake or no national cake, we are flying higher.

Let me tell you something about the Igbo man. Few days ago, there was a publication on the internet that echoed the story of Biafra babies. Biafra Babies was airplane constructed

by Biafra Air Force in conjunction with Swiss Engineers for air raid and bombing during the war. It was used for air strikes during the war.

After the war the Swiss took Biafra Babies to their country and started using it as a training plane. The Swiss government later sold the plane to Saudi Arabia, but you cannot believe that Nigeria recently imported the plane for the fight against insurgence in the Northeast. Biafra Babies is an Igbo man’s brain child which is in the global market. Let me remind you also that as Biafra under 3 years, the Igbo were making You are deep inside Ohaneze, tell us what their own rockets and calculating the distances, Nwodo and team are doing towards taking distilling their own oil and making aviation fuel, Ndigbo to the next level. What are they doing creating their own chemical and biological towards realizing the Igbo Agenda? laboratories, developing new cures for cholera, The present leadership structure of Ohaneze is shaping their own spare parts and turning the okay by all standards, considering the calibre of entire southeast into a work shop. All these are the people involved. As you know, Nnia Nwodo, known facts and published everywhere on the the President General is a powerful person, a internet. lawyer and economist and a known voice in Nigeria who has worked as a Federal Minister in Many people are saying that the current union two different dispensations. In 2003, he aspired or alignment of Ohanaeze and Afenifere is to be the President of this county and that is to just a flash in the pan because the Yoruba had tell you the level at which he operates. Okworked against the Igbo on most occasions, para, the deputy to Nwodo is a retired Deputy are you saying that this time something differInspector General (DIG); the legal adviser is a ent will come out of the union?

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), I myself am a Listen to me. The present generation may not lawyer and a journalist and so on and so forth. understand the dynamics of politics in Nigeria.

So, we have a great team that is equal to the From history, I can tell you that the Yoruba are task. Interestingly, for the first time, Ohanaeze naturally favourably disposed towards the Igbo. has the support of the 7 governors in Igbo land. The Igbo man is open and good to everybody The governors have given us tremendous supbut the Hausa/Fulani or the Northerners so to port like never before. The President General speak have a way of poisoning the minds of is all over the place working tirelessly. So many people in other parts of Nigeria against Ndigbo. groups in the Diaspora are inviting him to come The Northerners always create impression that and see them, speak with them, tell them what Ndigbo are not good fellow and most times is on board and to let them know how they can people in other parts of the country believe come in and make their own input in Ohanaeze. them.

The other day he was in Makurdi, the Benue I give you some examples. During the time State capital along with Afenifere, Ijaw group ‘Northern’ soldiers planned to kill Aguiyi Ironsi, and their people from Niger Delta to sympathey trailed him to the residence of Col Adekunthize with Governor Ortom and the people of le Fajuyi in the West to kill him so as to create Benue State over the killing at Ukum and Logo the impression that the Yoruba killed him. Ironsi on New Year Day. Ohanaeze is working with as the Head of States travelled to the North and Afenifere, Ijaw group and others in the Niger they didn’t kill him there. Why did they prefer Delta and the Middle Belt towards restructuring to kill him in the West? That was the question Nigeria. For the first time, the Southeast, South Col. Adekunle Fajuyi asked the soldiers. Fajuyi South and Southwest leaders and the counter- was the governor of the Western Region when parts in the Middle Belt including the governors Ironsi visited the Western Region and they were are coming together for a common cause and together when the killer soldiers stormed the that is a welcome development. Ohanaeze has Presidential lodge and asked the soldiers why been working closely with Afenifere and their they preferred to kill him in Yorubaland instead groups. Since last year, we have had a series of the North? That was why Fajuyi said okay, if of meetings and we are forging ahead. It is not you want to kill him here kill me first and they about handshake across the Niger. Ohanaeze killed Fajuyi before killing Ironsi. and Afenifere have had several handshakes. The During the Civil War, the Northerners suchandshake was organized by Izu Umunaa, an ceeded in poisoning the minds of the Middle affiliate of Ohaneze. Izu Umunna has the right Beltans against the Igbo and they threw their to organize its own programmes. weight against Biafra. After the war, they again What I am saying is that Ohanaeze and poisoned the minds of Ijaw, Uhrobo, Itsekiri, the Afenifere and Niger Delta groups have joined Okirika and others in the Niger Delta. I was born

• Elder Chris Oseloka Eluemuno and bred in Port Harcourt and in those days, the Okirika people, the Ikwere people and all that, were in good terms with the Igbo people. But after the war, the Northerners sowed the seed of discord and made all them to believe that Igbo people are devil. So that is the problem we have. Major parts of River State are purely people who migrated from Igbo and are willing to associate with us. The first Amanyanabo of Bonny was an Igbo who migrated from Amaigbo in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State. The Northerners are our problem.

If you check history properly, the Yoruba are more favourable to Ndigbo.

During the era of National Congress for Nigeria and Cameron (NCNC) Zik had the support of the Yoruba people on a massive scale.

Zik contested in Lagos and won under NCNC. Zik was very popular and acceptable all over the place in Yoruba land but somehow Awolowo played politics of cross carpeting with the intention to gain relevance and that affected Zik. NCNC which was the ruling party turned out to be in opposition in the West because of what Awolowo did. In the Middle Belt the NCNC saved JS Tarka from being messed up by NPC and that is on record. When Zik formed Nigeria People’s Party (NPP), Yoruba people supported it. Adeniran Ogunsaya a Yoruba man was the national chairman of NPP. I was the Chief Press Secretary to governor of Old Anambra, Jim Nwobodo so I was on the campaign train of Zik and I can tell you how they supported NPP in the West. So, I think that what is happening now, I mean the alignment of Ohanaeze, Afenifere, the Niger Deltans and Middle Beltans towards restructuring is a welcome development. I am sure they have realized that Ndigbo are not bad people; the Northerners can longer poison their minds.

Observers say the Ohaneze and Afenifere union may not yield good results because some key Yoruba leaders like Tinubu, Akande and States governors are not on the card because of their position in the ruling party the All Progressive Congress (APC)?

Says who? There is no single Yoruba leader who is not in support of restructuring of Nigeria.

It doesn’t matter if Tinubu, Akande or the governors did not attend meetings; they are fully in support of restructuring and that is what Ohanaeze and Afenifere are pursuing. The only person who has spoken against restructuring in the whole of the Southern Nigeria is Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State because of his

interest in Vice President’s position. But Okorocha’s days are numbered in APC. He has no future in APC because his tenure expires next year and it is not going to be possible for APC to leave the Southwest to pick Vice President in the Southeast; it is not possible.

As President Buhari has spoken against restructuring, if he eventually runs for second term, do you think that he can survive the pressure being mounted by other regions for restructuring to win the election for second term?

Buhari is standing alone on the issue of restructuring and I can tell you that he cannot stop restructuring. He can only delay it. Now he has a year plus in office and if he runs and wins in 2019, he will rule for 4 years and leave Nigeria leadership scene. So, let’s say he could possibly delay it for about 5 years and few months.

But, what are his chances of winning election in 2019? It has become clear to everybody that Buhari has nothing to offer, so why should he remain there? His election in 2015 was magical and timely because the Northerners wanted to take the position by all means. Every other person from North could have equally defeated Jonathan because it was a collective decision to take the power back to the North. They want a Northerner to complete the tenure left behind by the late Umaru Yar’ Adua. After Yar’ Adua died Jonathan took over and completed his tenure and did for another four years so in 2015, they were hell bent on taking power back so Buhari became the lucky chap who benefited from that circumstance. This time the situation is a different ball game, PDP is going to bring a candidate from the north. So, it North vs North and with the colossal failure in the face of Buhari, I doubt his chances of winning. Even those governors who are supporting him against restructuring will fail elections in their States.

What is your take on the position of the federal government to establish cattle colony as a panacea to the killings by Herdsmen in the country?

No sane person will accept that because it is not cattle colony it is Fulani colony. Yes, it is Fulani colony because the Fulani will come and settle with their families, build homes, build mosques and expand because they marry many wives. And before you know it they will establish an Emir and a kingdom. That was how they entered into Hausa land in those days. So, no sane people will accept the proposal.

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Feature

Onitsha: Iconic city pushing for the next level

O

nitsha Ado N’ Idu as the natives call it, the most notable commercial city east of the River Niger, has really come of age as far as the quest for development and civilization is concerned.

This can be proved by the fact that for about a hundred years, the city has had everything required for development and civilization.

From eminent personalities to good schools, mega markets, multinational companies, industries, merchants, business tycoons, importers, manufacturers to traditional and religious sanctuaries, Onitsha has for long had all it takes to stand in the rank of a decent, magnificent mega city.

For instance, Onitsha was among the earliest towns in Nigeria to receive the colonial masters who came with or were followed by Christian missionaries who gave the city the required structures for development and civilization quite early. For instance, Onitsha produced a man who has remained Africa’s political role model in the person of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa), Nigeria’s first President who also held the reverred traditional title of the Owelle of Onitsha.

For eighty years, Onitsha has played host top ranking secondary schools in Nigeria.

Christ The King College, (CKC) Denis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) Queen of the Rosary College (QRC) and St Charles Borromeo are ever ranked among leading secondary schools in Nigeria. Needless, Onitsha harbours the largest market in the whole of West Africa.

Onitsha has produced and will continue to produce top-grade merchants, business tycoons and manufacturers or call them superrich men like Chief Augustine Ilodibe, founder of Ekene Dili Chukwu Group of Companies; Chief Mathias Ugochukwu, founder of Ugo Foam; Chief Vincent Obianodo, founder of Young Shall Grow Motors; HRM, Igwe James Mamah, founder Ifesinachi Group of Companies; Chief Godwin Okeke, founder G U Okeke (GUO) Group of Companies; Chief Paul Okonkwo, founder Pokobros Group of Companies and Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, founder Chisco Group of Companies, among many others.

For over 50 years, Onitsha has consistently produced importers who travel round the world-- from Taiwan to Hong Kong, Japan to Dubai, India to Pakistan, Turkey to China and so on-- to import goods to the city. Onitsha also commands the most popular and highly revered traditional institution East of the River Niger, which is the throne of the Obi of Onitsha.

Furthermore, in Onitsha there are two powerful age-long religious institutions namely the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha and the Diocese on the Niger Anglican Communion with big Church Cathedrals and other edifices in the city and its environs. With all these, Onitsha should be in the lead as a place of abode in terms of development and civilization, in terms of decency, modern life in all ramifications and a life of dignity and respect. But that is not the case as there are so many negative factors that not only militate against the optimum development and civilization of the city but also dent its name and image. Such negative factors include but not limited to old crime stories, government neglect and leadership failure on all fronts, menace of unemployed youth, ticketing and outright extortion by uniformed agencies, inadequate power supply and lack of a good network of roads.

A thorough investigation conducted by The Oracle Today revealed that Onitsha is being haunted by crime-related stories of the past.

At the moment, there is relatively adequate security in the city but the stories of how armed robbers and kidnappers terrorized the city in the years past still scare people away from the city. The negative side of the era of the dreaded security outfit known as Bakassi Boys introduced by the State Government then is apparently fresh in the minds of outsiders who by virtue of the tales they heard hardly come to terms with the fact that Onitsha is, indeed, good.

The popular commercial city, according to the findings of The Oracle Today, is also suffering from government neglect. There is total lack of presence of Federal Government

THEO RAYS writes about the push by Onitsha, the commercial city east of the Niger, or what Achebe called the Eagle on the Niger, to join the pantheon of the resilient cities of the 21st Century...

• ONICCIMA President, Mr Don Ebubeogu of Nigeria in Onitsha. Precisely in October 12, 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned the Onitsha riverport for business but ever since then, there is no function of business at the port.

While the Federal Government is nowhere to be found in the city, the State and its local governments are also not helping matters.

Onitsha is made up of two local government areas of the North and the South.

These two densely populated council areas are suffering from lack of good roads. Most worrisome is total lack of social order, discipline and control thereof. Onitsha is suffering from lawlessness orchestrated by motor park touts, crude revenue agents and uniformed agencies who harass, intimidate and molest members of the public for ticketing and other forms of levies as revenues--whether legal or illegal, nobody can tell.

These crude agents of revenue collection agencies made up of youth and uniformed agencies get away with all manners of lawless acts thereby extorting money from private motorists, commercial transporters like Okada riders, bus and keke drivers and even from truck and wheel-barrow pushers at will, without being questioned by the appropriate quarters. In most cases, the state and local government authorities deny that they never assigned such revenue agents.

The religious leaders have to share a larger percentage of the blame. These Onitsha religious leaders are very powerful in their own rights. In fact, they are the lords of the people in the city and enjoy very close relationship with the State but are more interested in erecting church cathedrals, schools, halls, event centers and hotels than addressing the negative trends that hurt the city’s image and appeal.

In an encounter with journalists in Onitsha recently, one of the notable religious leaders spent quality time to talk about the hall, event centre and a five-star guest house built by the church.

He made bold to observe that Onitsha is lagging behind in the area of hospitality following lack of big time hotels, adding that that the Church has made good effort to respond to the situation by establishing a five-star guest house and a world class event centre that can host all categories of events both local, national and international. He said that the

• His Majesty Igwe Alfred Achebe church is moving Onitsha to the next level but he never talked about the bad roads, extortion, lawlessness and massive youth unemployment in the city.

Indeed, one big factor militating against modernization in Onitsha is lack of jobs for the youth. From the decade of the 1990s, Onitsha and other towns in its environs like Ogbaru, Obosi, Nkelle Ezunaka, Nkpor and Ogidi are facing challenges of youth development and progress. Most of the youth developed interest in temporary jobs like land business, selling land and collecting levies from land developers, ticketing and other forms of (mostly illegal revenue drives). This trend left the youth without permanent jobs for sustenance.

In Onitsha, the Obi, His Majesty Igwe Alfred Achebe is making frantic efforts to address the problem of unemployment among the youth. Other towns like Ogidi and Nkpor are also trying to effectively deal with the challenge posed by youth unemployment.

Worried by the poor situation of things in Onitsha, the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) has declared that it is time to rebrand the city and move it to the next level where it deserves to be. President of the Chamber, Mr Don Ebubeogu in a get-together with journalists at the Chamber’s Secretariat in the city expressed the preparedness of the Chamber to dare the ugly scene of Onitsha and change it for the better.

Ebubeogu said it is unacceptable to see that Onitsha is lagging behind Lagos in so many ways, saying that all hands should be on deck to get Onitsha out of the hook and put it on the right track. According to him, the first and the key to this noble cause is to draw the attention of the Federal and State Governments to the challenges facing Onitsha. The Chamber boss began the rebranding journey immediately by calling on the Federal Government to, as a matter of importance and urgency, connect Onitsha with other parts of the county with rail track just like Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan and other cities are being linked by rail with other cities in the country.

Ebubeogu observed that Onitsha is nowhere in the railway architectural project of the Federal Government, noting with dismay that “Lagos-Kano standard gauge is on, Lagos-Ibadan sector ready in 2019, Kano-Kaduna

ready in 2019, the entire stretch ready 2021 and negotiation on for coastal rail covering 15 States from Lagos to Calabar.”

He wondered why Onitsha should be at the negotiating table when others have started reaping the benefits of the railway project saying that railway controversy in Nigeria will not go away until equity is applied to its design and implementation. On the issue of ticketing, extortion and other acts of lawlessness in Onitsha Ebubeogu called on the State and local government authorities to enforce law, order, discipline and control in the city.

He noted with admiration that in Lagos State, as large and populated as the State is, there is effective enforcement of law, order, discipline and control in Lagos.

“In Lagos, one can move goods in vehicle from Oshodi to Mile 2 down to Apapa without anybody blocking you for any reason, but here in Onitsha, you can’t move a kilometer without encountering different sets of people in mufti and uniform demanding one levy, or displaying one ticket or another or imposing fine on you. No, we cannot continue to accept such situation.

Ebubeogu reiterated the preparedness of the Chamber to transform Onitsha into a mega city, admitting, however, that the task of rebranding Onitsha is no mean task.

“We have the vision of transforming Onitsha into a mega city, but when you talk about a mega city, you put a lot of things into consideration: you talk about capacity-building, expanding the city structure, attracting more investments and all that. We know all these things and we are committed to getting there, but the key towards getting lies in the support from the key stakeholders and favorable policies from the powers that be. That is why we are calling on the State and Federal Governments to get closer to Onitsha and address the challenges facing the city,” he added The truth is that Onitsha has failed to make good use of its early exposure, good schools, big markets and all that and it is now looking for means to move to the next level. And while it would be admitted that Ebubeogu has started well, it behoves on all well-meaning leaders in government at all levels, religious leaders, market leaders, town union leaders and traditional rulers to lend helping hands to rid Onitsha of the many vices and move the city to the next level.

The Oracle Today

15

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

BU$IN£SS •Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

SAATM: Protectionism as safety net N

By VICTOR NZE

•MInister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika sit there and be lamenting.’ model that would bring money Sirika explained that Nigeria is for them and not the practice of among the first 11 countries that owing aviation agencies. went to Yamoussoukro and took “Look, there is an airline that a decision to liberalize the sec- owes one of the agencies N13bn. tor and open the skies for Africa, There is an airline that owes a tostressing that the African Open tal debt of N500bn which is the Skies deal ‘means growth, devel- collective indebtedness of that opment, creation of more jobs, airline. That airline crashed or at more security, more connectivity, least it is being taken over. more passenger experience and “Under this administration, it comfort.’ is not going to happen to allow “Now arising from that and Ni- them to continue to pile debt and geria being a signatory to that, go to the Villa and the debts are the Single African Air Transport either waived off or the debts are Market became the issue and post- dated. No Villa will call any Nigeria also joined to become airline. There is no door that is the first 23 countries to make open for them,” said Sirika. that solemn declaration on SinHowever, responding to the gle African Air Transport Market Federal Government’s position, (SAATM) and I think Nigeria with Managing Director of Air Peace, population of 173m people, half Mr Allen Onyema, last Thursday, the size of West Africa, would be explained that his colleagues the greatest beneficiary to this,” were opposed to implementaSirika said. tion of SAATM because of the abHe also advised Nigerian do- sence of a level playing field. mestic airlines to adopt business Onyema maintains that current-

CBN EXCHANGE RATES FEB. 20, 2018 Currency Buying(NGN) Central (NGN) Selling(NGN) YEN 2.8647 2.8694 2.874 WAUA 444.3599 445.0883 445.8168 YUAN/RENMINBI 48.0117 48.0909 48.17 RIYAL 81.3268 81.4601 81.5935 SOUTH AFRICAN RAND 26.1482 26.191 26.2339 DANISH KRONA 50.8206 50.9039 50.9873 SDR 445.2085 445.9384 446.6682 US DOLLAR 305 305.5 306 POUNDS STERLING 427.3355 428.0361 428.7366 EURO 378.627 379.2477 379.8684 SDR 440.4585 441.1808 441.9031

ly, the treaty does not favour Nigeria because other countries use high charges to discourage Nigerian airlines from operating to their cities, adding further when airlines from such countries come to Nigeria, they pay relatively less charges than what they levy Nigerian carriers.

The airline chief said what Nigerian airlines were demanding was observation of the principle of reciprocity by the Federal Government.

“When we say that this Single African Air Transport Market does not favour us, it is not because we cannot compete. It means that it does not favour us at this stage, except a level playing field is created.

This is not only happening in Nigeria; when Emirates was eroding the U.S market, the airlines in America cried out. Their government did something about it and put policies that tried to stunt the spread of the Gulf airlines into America.

“This is in order to protect their own. So, we must try to protect our own in this country. If we don’t protect our own airlines, they will continue to struggle,” he said.

President, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Mr. Bankole Bernard, opined last month during a media chat with tourism and aviation Journalists in Ikeja, Lagos, that the rest of Africa will not wait for Nigerian airlines to be ready before implementing the Open Skies agreement.

A position also shared by the Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Council (AFCAC), Ms Iyabo Sosina, who at the SAATM summit which held last month, in Lagos, said the issues raised by the AON were purely domestic and had nothing to do the African Open Skies deal.

Sosina explained that protectionism of local market share is not the way forward and that Africa needed to open its airspace within the continent.

IGERIA’S quest to implement the recently-launched African Union’s (AU) Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) may crash even before take-off unless the continued objection to the deal by the airline operators in the country is addressed.

This is also as issues bothering on provision of a safety net in the face of a hostile business environment form the basis of the objection now thrown up by the airline operators against the African Open Skies agreement evolved by the African Union (UN) with the Federal Government, a major signatory to the declaration set to commence implementation.

As it now emerges that the operators, under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) demand a form of protection for their businesses, which they posit is standard practice in the growing face of globalization, the continued insistence by Federal Government to go ahead with the implementation of the SAATM, against the backdrop of a seeming hostile business climate, may force the initiative to crash even before it takes off, according to experts.

While the airline operators have maintained that the operating environment in the country may put their businesses at risk if government decides to implement the agreement, the Federal Government however, faulted the operators which it accused of embracing poor business models that is responsible for their inability to grow their operations.

Speaking at the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos, penultimate Thursday, Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika restated that Nigeria is at a vantage position to take advantage of SAATM, as he further advised the airline owners to ‘get their acts together, focus, reorganise, re-engineer, take advantage and be futuristic, looking at the future by organising themselves to take advantage of the SAATM rather than to

Energy

Oil burst: Nigeria’s economy threatened by clean energy movement P20

Travel

Marriott to open 8 new properties in Nigeria P26

Insurance

Oyo Govt. approves compulsory health insurance for workers P28

Cont’d on Page 18

Stock Market Highlights As At 20th FEBRUARY, 2018

Summary ASI 42,148.40 DEALS 5,757.00 VOLUME 510,282,794.00 VALUE N4,631,186,039.87 EQUITY CAP N15,125,564,308,733.49 S/N

Coy (By Volume) Volume

FBNH JAPAULOIL DIAMONDBNK TRANSCORP FCMB YEN

115,507,233 97,258,167 41,388,420 30,532,715 28,528,199 2.7414

Value(N)

N1,253,379,149.35 N33,195,111.63 N103,127,176.40 N61,393,590.03 N68,804,302.43 2.74592.7504

5 Top Gainers Company

NESTLE DANGCEM NB GUINNESS INTBREW

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The Oracle Today

16

Wednesday February 28, 2018

BUSINESS

World Bank approves $486m to improve electricity in Nigeria

By VICTOR NZE

T

HE World Bank has approved an International Development Association Credit and an IDA Scale Up Facility Credit in the total amount of $486 million equivalent for rehabilitation and upgrading of electricity transmission substations and lines.

The investments under the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project will increase the power transfer capacity of the transmission network and enable distribution companies supply consumers with additional power.

Together with other investments and policy measures, the project will contribute to ensuring adequate and reliable electricity supply that is necessary for Nigeria’s continued economic development.

It will also support private sector participation, capacity development and better governance in Transmission Company of Nigeria and sector institutions.

“The Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenges in the public-owned transmission network and the financing being provided by the World Bank under

the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project power sector underlines this commitment. The Federal Government anticipates that private sector financing in the privately-owned segments of the value-chain will complement the government’s efforts in bringing better quality service to citizens,” said Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister for Power, Works and Housing.

This project is part of the Power Sector Recovery Program (PSRP) by the Federal Government, which is a comprehensive package of policy, legal, regulatory, operational and financial interventions that will restore the financial viability of power sector.

The measures that will be implemented through 2021 are aimed at improving transparency and service delivery and re-establishing investor •Wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki inaugurating the Women in the New Nigeria’s (WINN) Farmer’s Mart initiative at the Spirit and Life Bible Church, Ekenhuan Road Benin City, in Edo State. confidence in the sector.

“The Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project will help address key bottlenecks in the transmission network and improve access to affordable and reliable electricity service Speaking at the signing, the tination for investors, especially to citizens,” said Rachid Benmes- By VICTOR NZE Minister said the Nigerian Gov- with the Nigerian stocks having saoud, the World Bank Country Dirisen 12% this year, the highest glorector for Nigeria.

IGERIA and the United Na- ernment plans to use the oppor-

Nigeria, UNWTO formalize deal on CAF meeting

AfDB updates its African Bond Index

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he African Development Bank (AfDB) has updated its composite index available to Bloomberg Professional service subscribers via {BADB Index}.

The index, which is enriched with two sub-indices (BADBC and BADBX), was released in January 2018 to improve African debt market liquidity and transparency.

The new {BADBC Index} is the capped version of the African Bond Index (ABABI) with a maximum exposure of 25% per country, while the {BADBX Index} excludes South Africa. The enhancement of the composite index family will provide investors with more diversified baskets, thus reducing their exposure to one major country.

The African Development Bank

(AfDB) through the African Financial Markets Initiative (AFMI)[1] launched its AfDB/AFMISMBloomberg® African Bond Index (ABABI) in February 2015. Calculated by Bloomberg Indices, the composite index is comprised of the South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana and Namibia local currency sovereign indices. In April 2017, Zambia and Ghana were added to the composite index.

The AFMI works to deepen the continent’s local currency bond markets and strives to create an environment where African countries can access financing at variable terms.

By providing transparent and credible benchmark indices, the AFMISM Bloomberg® African Bond Index equips investors with a tool to measure and track the performance of Africa’s bond markets.

N

tunity of hosting the meeting to showcase the best of Nigeria to the world, saying Nigeria has comparative advantage and has taken the world by storm in the area of music, movies, theatre and other aspects of the Creative Industry.

He thanked the UNWTO and its member states for their confidence in giving Nigeria the hosting right for the meeting, and assured that the country would host a top class event. ‘’Nigeria does not take the confidence for granted and will not disappoint. In this regard, the meeting’s main organizing committee, as well as the sub-committees, are leaving no stone unturned to stage a highly-successful meeting. ‘’All delegates coming to Nigeria for the meeting are assured of Nigeria’s legendary warm hospitality and an exposition of the country’s sight and sound. We will showcase the best of our entertainment industry that has taken the world by storm,’’ Alhaji Mohammed asand the People’s Republic of Chi- sured. na have expanded on growing The Minister said the hosting of bilateral trade and strategic coop- the meeting is coming at a time eration. that Nigeria has become a top des-

tions World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), last Friday, in Madrid, Spain, signed an agreement on the hosting of the 61st UNWTO Commission for Africa (UNWTO CAF) Meeting 4-6 June 2018 in Abuja.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, signed for the Nigerian Government while UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili signed for the global tourism body at a ceremony at the UNWTO Headquarters in the Spanish capital.

The agreement, the signing of which was witnessed by the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Her Excellency Susan Aderonke Folarin, among others, contained the conditions for organizing the meeting as well as other details.

No jobs in China for Nigerians – Envoy

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onsul-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Guangzhou, China, Mr Wale Oloko, on Monday admonished young Nigerians aspiring to travel to China for employment purposes to look elsewhere.

Oloko told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that it had been and would continue to be difficult for unskilled Nigerians to secure even menial jobs in China.

The consul-general, however, said that it was only “exceptionally skilled’’ Nigerians in artificial intelligence, Information Technology and other areas that could be considered for employment in China.

“Nigerians wanting to travel to travel to China for employment must appreciate the fact that China currently has a population of about 1.4 billion people.

“And the Chinese government has to first be able to provide employment for the Chinese. And besides that, there is the language barrier for Nigerians wanting to

get employment in China to contend with.

“Let me, therefore, say that there are not many employment opportunities for Nigerians or other foreigners who want to travel to any part of China to do menial jobs,’’ he said.

The consul-general said that it was only those Nigerians who were ‘’exceptionally good’’ in some areas yet to be explored by the Chinese that were likely to be offered employment in China.

Oloko, who was visiting Nigeria so as to strengthen China and Nigeria relations, said that China was currently favourable to Nigerians who would be visiting for studies, tourism and business purposes.

He said that the over 70, 000 Nigerians that travelled to the Guangdong Province in 2016, had visited the Chinese province for business, tourism, education and healthcare issues.

The bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria

bally, and the fact that Nigeria has moved up 24 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, earning a place on the List of Top 10 in the world.

He also said Nigeria has started implementing visa on arrival for a certain category of foreign visitors, a development that he assured will impact positively on the country’s tourism sector.

Welcoming the Minister earlier, the UNWTO Secretary-General said the organization would assist Nigeria to develop and showcase its tourist attractions. ‘’We are glad we are coming to Nigeria in the summer. It is a good opportunity to showcase Nigeria,’’ he said, while urging the Minister to help identify Nigerian celebrities who can be appointed as the UNWTO’s ambassadors of tourism.

The delegations of the Minister and the Secretary-General later met to review the agenda of the 61st CAF Meeting, the UNWTO’s forthcoming Technical Support Mission to Nigeria and other issues related to tourism development in Nigeria.

SAATM: Protectionism as safety net Cont’d from page 17

“As we are aware, the better connected a country is by air, the greater its ability to unlock the economic and social benefits that air transport can deliver through mobility of people and goods to the traveling public, air carriers, airports, other allied service providers, the economy of member states and the continent as a whole.”

However, other experts have wondered the Federal Government rather than address the issues of concern raised by the airline operators has instead opted to question the business models adopted by the operators especially against the backdrop of infrastructure challenges that have forces countless domestic airline to close shop in recent times.

“The minister knows the problems challenging the industry, but has refused to acknowledge them by way of meeting with the airlines to evolve the so-called safety net canvassed by these airlines. As it is, Nigeria will be jumping from one foreign monopoly to another, and this time as African one. Government should encourage our entrepreneurs to dominate the African skies, not the other way round. It’s their money, their investment,” said Ola Bamidele, a ticketing officer with an indigenous operator.

It would be recalled that rising from a one-day sensitization workshop on SAATM which took place at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Annex under the theme: ‘Implementation of SAATM: Its impact on the Ni-

gerian Aviation Industry and National Economy,’ last month, AON, Captain Noggie Meggison protested that the airline operators were not carried along by either the African governments or the Federal Government as they have went ahead to sign off on the declaration’s implementation without putting in place a framework to facilitate operations of the domestic airlines and to compete.

Meggison wondered if the country was actually ready for the intra-African open skies and what the benefits are especially since the AON feels the playing field is not level and is skewed against Nigerian carriers with regards to how their neighbors tax and charge them.

“Nigerian airlines are at a disadvantage to

The Oracle Today

17

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

BUSINESS

NITDA, NCS bicker over IT contractor licensing

By SAMSON AKINTARO

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ECENT moves by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to start registration of Information Technology contractors in the country has drawn the ire of industry stakeholders under the aegis of Nigerian Computer Society (NCS).

The NCS, which is the umbrella body of all Information Technology (IT) professionals in Nigeria, in reaction to the reported move by NITDA, faulted the agency while insisting that the body (NCS) is the only entity that has the right to register or license IT professionals and contractors in the country.

In a statement signed by its President, Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, the NCS said any attempt for another agency of government to embark on IT registration would likely bring about conflict of roles and interest.

Part of the statement released

by NCS stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a policy statement released by National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Director General, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami on the 12th February, 2018 which on general principle is to register and license all IT contractors in Nigeria. Our position is that this is not part of NITDA’s mandate because as the name suggests this agency is to plan, promote and develop regulatory framework and guidelines as stated in NITDA Act 2007, section 6a.”

The statement further said that Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Act 49 of 1993 is saddled with the mandate to register, license, supervise and control the profession as stated in CPN Act section 1 (2).

“The said statement is capable of confusing the general public to create an uncoordinated approach to policy issues and both Acts of Parliament as stated earlier. NCS is of the belief that NITDA’s mandate is to ensure seamless cooperation and interaction towards the use of IT as a development tool for the country” it said.But NITDA in a counter statement insisted that it has the mandate contrary to the claims by the NCS. Reacting to the NCS’ argument on its role, NITDA in a statement signed by its Director General, Dr Isa Pantami, insisted that “the registration of IT Contractors and Service Providers by NITDA is in line with NITDA’s mandate as specifically stated in Section 6 (a, f) NITDA Act 2007, which mandates it to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, mon-

itoring, evaluation and regulation of information technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria; and to render advisory services on all information technology matters to the public and private sectors”.

Part of NITDA’s statement read: “The attention of the Management of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has been drawn to a publication attributed to the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) advising NITDA not to proceed with the registration of Information Technology Contractors and Service Providers as mandated by the Agency through a Press Statement issued 12th February 2018. NITDA acknowledges that the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria as a Council is mandated to have control and supervision of the (Computing)

profession as provided by Section 1(2) of the Computer Professionals (Registration council of Nigeria) Act. However, it is within the regulatory and developmental role of NITDA to ensure that IT contractual practises and project delivery in the public sector are done in accordance with best practices, within acceptable standards and in the interest of the development of IT in Nigeria. Furthermore, the Agency, as the clearance house for IT projects of the Federal Government, has the responsibility to ensure that IT projects are executed by professional firms. NITDA as a regulator will not relent in its quest to improve IT practises and expose projects that are ill conceived or poorly executed”.

“NITDA also wishes to assure all Nigerians that it will not allow substandard projects in MDAs being

•Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Commissioner Steve Ayorinde; Fola Adeyemi, Permanent Secretary; Director Tourism Research and Development, Mrs Yetunde Simpson and Director, Tourism Promotion, Mrs. Adama Oni, when members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) visited the Ministry, Friday.

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G

overnor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has directed that all taxes and levies due to the state government should now be paid through the banks and online banking platforms from March 1.

Ambode gave the directive, on Monday, shortly after paying his personal Land Use Charge at the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in Opebi area of Ikeja.

He said that this would reduce fraud and also encourage people to embrace the cashless policy.

“In order to ensure that government improves on quality of service to the people, effective from March 1, no payment of taxes will be made by cash anymore across the state. Tax payers should be able to pay every legitimate bills through all payment channels at their convenience.

“The transaction process is going to be everyday, anytime and no weekends and do not pay into wrong hands anymore,” Ambode said. He said that all the multi-layer platforms were to be deployed and used by all government ministeries, agencies, parastatals, associated companies and units henceforth.

“All local governments must quickly adjust their collection machinery to eliminate all leakages,” he directed. The governor, who described the payment of taxes as an investment for the future, urged all residents to perform their civic responsibility, pledging that every kobo paid would be judiciously utilised.

“I have just invested my quota by paying my land use charge and residents should join me by courageously making a decision for prosperity and pay all their due taxes.

Lagosians with your full support, there is evidence that every kobo paid in taxes has been productively utilised for infrastructural renewal and development of the state in last two and half years,” Ambode said.

The governor was immediately presented a certificate of payment for the land use charge.

Lagos Govt pledges partnership with tourism writers

By VICTOR NZE

T

he Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, has pledged the commitment of the ministry in partnering with writers of tourism in the pursuit of the development and promotion of tourism in the state.

The commissioner disclosed this during a meeting in his Alausa office between his management team and representatives of the tourism writers who were in his office to congratulate him, the Permanent Secretary, Fola Adeyemi and the Special Adviser to the governor on Arts and Culture, Mrs. Aramide Giwanson, on

SEC targets increased financial inclusion by 2020 know is to ensure that various (NAICOM) to talk about insurhe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says it aims to achieve increased financial inclusion of Nigerians by the year 2020.

Acting Director General, Dr Abdul Zubair, stated this during a financial inclusion sensitisation campaign in Abuja, a statement by the management said on Sunday.

Zubair was represented by Mr Abdul Bello, Director, Market Development Department.

He said that having recorded huge success in Bwari, Kuje Area Councils and University of Abuja, it became pertinent that the programme be extended to other communities to reach more Nigerians.

“Financial inclusion as we all

executed by companies that have limited or no capacities. The registration process will therefore ensure professionalism in IT service delivery, value for national investments in IT and to weed out quacks who may seek to take advantage of public procurements for selfish interests. The process will also provide a detailed database of indigenous IT capabilities in Nigeria to guide the government in planning IT projects and for the promotion of Nigerian content through appropriate use of public sector spend in IT. Furthermore, the process will lead to a review of failed projects with a view at curating knowledge on factors that may have led to failure. NITDA in partnership with other relevant authorities shall take appropriate action where fraud may have led to failure” the agency added.

Lagos Govt scraps cash payments for taxes, levies

products at affordable costs are made available to the excluded.

“This is why we have carried this enlightenment campaign to Karshi so that the excluded will have an understanding of the available products in the Nigeria Capital Market.

Our target is to have 80 per cent of citizens to be financially included by the year 2020.”

Zubair said because of the importance it attached to financial inclusion, sister organisations also partook in the campaign.

“Specifically, we have Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to talk to you about Money Market.

“National Pension Commission

ance and National Pension Commission (PENCOM) to give advice to the working class and general public on the benefits of investing in pension products.”

He reminded Nigerians of the free e-dividend registration currently going on till Feb. 28, urging them to approach their bankers or registrars to enroll, to enable them to receive their dividends.

Mr George Ogudu, a representative from CBN, told participants that with financial inclusion, they would be able to manage their money more efficiently.

They also have opportunities of accessing various loans to build their businesses.

He, however, emphasised that the loans were not free money

their recent appointments.

Ayorinde commended the body for their initiative and disclosed the readiness of the ministry in working with them as one of the strategic partners of the ministry in the realization of its mandate. According to him, ‘the ministry is going to associate with your team closely and but to assist small businesses thrive.

“The money is not free, it is a loan, but it is different from the one you have to go through cumbersome processes in the banks.

“Now government is giving out loans with little interest and you do not need a collateral. All you need to do is to form small market women groups or co-operatives, but you need to have an account to access the money.”

He said that with their mobile phone numbers and passport photographs, they could open an account, adding that there would be no need for utility bills and other forms of identification.

He advised them to open accounts and save money gradually, after which they would qualify to apply for a loan through their co-operative societies.

collaborate with you because you are one of the strategic partners that we will be relating with.’

While revealing that the ministry recognizes the challenge before it, he, however, pledged that the team is working assiduously towards attaining its mandate and that they would see a different ministry and tourism industry, disclosing that the work of the ministry is based on a tripod.

The first leg of the tripod, according to him is policy, programme and infrastructure development, which in the last two years the state government has pursued relentlessly across the various sections of the state, all in a bid to create an enabling environment for tourism and businesses to thrive.

The second angle, according to him, is engagement with stakeholders, as he said that the ministry is poised at identifying and capturing all the relevant stakeholders and operators in the sector with the aim of having periodic engagement with them while the third leg is that of strategic communication, visibility and branding.

The Oracle Today

18

Wednesday February 28, 2018

ENERGY

Oil burst: Nigeria’s economy threatened by clean energy movement

...Govt must shift to gas early – NLNG

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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LOOMY predictions about the role of hydrocarbon liquids in the global energy mix in the mid 2020s cast dim shadow for the Nigerian economy if government and industry stakeholders fail to evolve strategies for quick resource valorisation.

Managing Director of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, Mr. Tony Attah, who analyzed the implications of global movement for cleaner energy stated that the relevance of crude oil in the global energy equation might recede drastically with rapid development of efficient renewable options.

The Oracle Today reports that global influx of electric vehicles in the 2020s threatens more risks for oil dependent economies like Nigeria as crude oil revenue receipts will inevitably take a hit from shifts in market forces.

Export of some 2.3 million barrels of crude oil per day accounts for over 90 percent of government’s total foreign exchange income, over 75 percent of funding support to government’s annual budget and nearly 90 percent of the country’s total commodity exports.

The reliance of Nigeria’s economy on crude oil revenue exposes the country to the vagaries of market forces. Stronger demand for the commodity confers strength on the prices and translates to higher income to Nigeria while over supply in the market weakens prices and quakes the domestic economy.

Nigeria belongs to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) which has reached deal with 10 other resource dependent economies led by Russia to rescue oil prices from total impact of supply glut

by cutting production.

Already, other resource driven economies like Russia are deploying market forecast data in new economic plans designed to take consideration of expected sharp drop in oil demand when industrialised economies in Europe, America and Asia-Pacific optimise use of energy options to oil in powering transportations and power generation.

Russian central bank last week released an economic outlook which pointed at the looming fall in the country’s oil demand in the next seven years when most European and Asian countries expect to start phasing out petrol and diesel fired automobiles.

Given improving fuel efficiency and growth in electric car market, the bank said that peak oil consumption is likely to be reached in the mid-2020s, leading to lower crude prices.

In a different occasion in Lagos, Mr. Attah of NLNG told government and industry stakeholders that concerted global response to the threats of global warming has prompted alterations in earlier predictions on the role of crude oil in the global energy mix.

He added that concerns are high in resource rich countries over the long term demand projections, explaining that rapid valorisation of hydrocarbon resources has become imperative to avoid loss of value.

He pointed out that Nigeria and other resource rich countries currently find it difficult to export coal due to low demand associated with global call for cleaner energy as well as multilateral agreements on curtailing emission of greenhouse emissions.

In looking at the future, Mr. Attah warned that global demand for crude oil would fall if present conventions and deadlines meet targets. He said governments

•Tony Attah, MD, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Ltd.

around the world are pursuing environmentally friendly policies while technology developers respond with engines and batteries that meet the industry requirements for production of electric vehicles.

The Oracle Today reports that France and United Kingdom have set 2040 deadline for ending production of vehicles whose engines are fired with hydrocarbon liquids. Sweden is committed to 100 percent renewable energy by 2040 while Norway has set target for zero emission vehicles by 2025.

In total, some 11 countries of the European Union have committed to attainment of complete switch to renewable energy by 2020, while China is reported to have surpassed its solar 2020 power targets in 2018.

By 2040, according to Mr. Attah, renewable energy is forecast to account for over 31 percent of global electricity supply while improvement in electricity storage in rechargeable batteries will guarantee sustainability and attraction for electric cars.

He argued that the evolution of electric cars as well as the bundle of efficiency that comes with cars-without-fuel would take a huge toll on oil demand, pushing

it back next to coal in the global energy mix.

The Oracle Today reports that sharp drop in oil demand would translate to proportionate or even worse decline in the prices of the commodity in the international market where the automobile industry generates the biggest demand.

Mr. Attah argues that whereas electric cars and durable batteries could sharply cut oil demand, large industries and power plants across the world would still need gas in the foreseeable future. He stated that time has come for investors and government to pay greater attention to exploration, development and production of gas as the fuel of the future.

Mr. Attah pointed out that Nigeria must be in terms with the changing global energy mix by positioning the gas industry for bigger space in policy, strategy and investment. He said gas is abundant in Nigeria, acceptable to the global community and thrice cleaner and more efficient than oil.

In emphasizing the need for the country to balance out its resource portfolios, he pointed out that whereas the oil assets are nearing maturity, Nigeria is yet to start exploring its potential for over 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves estimated by geologists as trapped in different sedimentary basins in the nation.

Mr. Attah stated that NLNG would lead commercialization of the country’s natural gas with consistent capacity expansion for liquefaction and export, adding that the company has already perfected plans for final investment decision of its seventh processing train: NLNG 7.

When realized, NLNG-7 will add some 7.1 million tons of liquefied natural gas to current capacity of 22 ton per annum to a total of nearly 30 million tons per annum (mtpa).

Mr. Attah said the FID for NLNG-7 would be executed by the partners including Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell, Total and Eni by end of 2018.

The Oracle Today

19

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

ENERGY

Petroleum marketers demand dual price regime

I

NDEPENDENT Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on the Federal Government to adopt a dual price regime for marketers.

Chairman of IPMAN Western Zone, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, who made the call in Lagos, Monday, said that the regime required that NNPC retail outlets sell at N145, while other marketers sell at their own price.

“During a recent Senate committee meeting held with stakeholders in the oil industry, one of the suggestions from the Minster of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kwachikwu, was the introduction of dual price regime.

“If this regime can be adopted, it may be a way of solving some of our problems,’’ Ahmed said.

He claimed that presently the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) could not meet up with the nation’s petroleum consumption demand.

The IPMAN boss also suggested total deregulation of the downstream sector.

Ahmed, who spoke on the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country, further claimed that NNPC/PPMC depots within the western zone had no adequate petrol stock to

cater to meet the demand of motorists.

The IPMAN boss noted that IPMAN members in the zone were receiving 30 per cent of products supplied by the NNPC/PPMC, 20 percent to Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and 50 percent to NNPC retail outlets.

“The NNPC management should increase petrol allocation to IPMAN members rather than allocate excess products to NNPC retailers who have less than 25 outlets within Lagos.

“IPMAN has over 2,500 members and over 500 outlets across the South-West region, yet we are supplied only 30 per cent of petrol; this is against the 60 per cent we agreed on with the NNPC. “The situation is so bad that many of our members who are not able to get product supply have had to shut their filling stations,’’ he said.

He also complained that although private depot owners (DAPPMA) were meant to sell the petrol at a controlled price of N133.28k, they “are selling between N160 and N162 above the regulated price.”

RTI International awarded USAID Power Africa contract

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esearch Triangle Park, NC—RTI International has been named a prime contractor on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Power Africa indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (IDIQ). Power Africa seeks to increase the number of people with access to power across sub-Saharan Africa.

“By providing people with access to power and the opportunities that come with it, Power Africa is improving the lives and prospects of millions of people,” said RTI International President and CEO E. Wayne Holden, Ph. D. “Our team is eager to bring together our expertise in energy and development and our extensive experience in Africa to help USAID and Power Africa achieve their goals.”

Currently, more than two out of every three people in subSaharan Africa—about 600 million people—live without access to power. Power Africa, which began in 2013, is working to add

30,000 megawatts of power generation capacity and at least 60 million household and business connections.

RTI’s partners in the IDIQ are Fieldstone Africa, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Hatch Africa. The partners bring expertise in finance, legal, and engineering and each have more than 20 years of experience in sub-Saharan Africa.

Together with RTI, the team has access to more than 800 power sector experts with wide-ranging expertise in sub-Saharan Africa.

RTI advises governments around the world on reforms and partnerships that help countries build more stable energy sectors.

Click here to learn more about our energy work in developing countries.

The IPMAN zonal chairman, therefore, urged the Federal Government to intervene and compel private depot owners to sell at approved price to marketers.

He further urged the Department of Petroleum Resources

(DPR) to sanction defaulting depot owners.

“DPR only descends on independent marketers by closing their stations, yet, one can only sell what one buys; we are business people, for how long do we close down our stations since we

(From right to left): Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus and former Akwa Ibom Governor/Senate Minority Leader at the National Assembly, Chief Godswill Akpabio at the South South Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Zonal Executive Committee Meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt, Monday.

Petroleum Summit: NANS commends Kachikwu

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ational Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commended Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum, over Nigeria’s hosting of the International Petroleum Summit (NIPS).

NANS President Chinonso Obasi said in a statement issued in Abuja that the hosting a summit of such magnitude for the first time was a good omen for the Nigerian economy.

The theme of the maiden summit is “Deepening collaboration in the African Oil and Gas Industry: Challenges and Opportuni-

ties for Investment”.

Obasi said he considered it a unique opportunity to woo investors to Nigeria and Africa’s oil and gas sector.

“In the past, most Nigerian energy and petroleum industry players spent huge foreign exchange to attend the popular Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, U.S. “Today, Kachikwu has changed the narrative by conceptualising and hosting the new Nigeria OTC, that seeks to bring investors and players in the sector to

oping solar energy projects on the Volta Lake through the deployment of floating solar energy technologies, whereas the Memorandum signed with the Bui Power Authority is aimed at developing renewable energy projects to be implemented in the Northern Region within the Bui Power Enclave.

In both cases the initiatives would have utility scale, would result in a reduction of the level of CO2 emissions and the creation of economic value for the country and local stakeholders.

These activities are in line with the Government of Ghana’s strat-

egy that targets the increase in power generation from renewable energy sources, in order to rationalize the use of energy and to expand the use of renewable energy sources as a component of the country’s energy mix.

Also, they are part of Eni’s longterm business strategy to contribute to the transition of energy towards a low-carbon future, which involves promoting the growth of renewable sources and supporting their more extensive use in the countries where it operates, while encouraging research into new sources of energy.

Eni steps up renewable energy cooperation in Ghana

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anaging Director of Eni Ghana Giancarlo Ruiu has signed, at the presence of the Minister of Energy Hon. Boakye Agyarko and of the Executive Vice President of Eni Energy Solutions Luca Cosentino, two separate MOUs with the CEO of the Bui Power Authority Fred Oware and the CEO of the Volta River Authority Emmanuel AntwiDarkwa, on the joint development of power generation from renewable sources.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Volta River Authority is aimed at devel-

have financial obligations to the banks?

“Or has the Federal Government deregulated without the public being aware?’’

Ahmed reiterated that the dual price regime would solve some of the marketers’ problems.

Africa for the first time.

“I will also like to acknowledge the Minister of State for the opportunity given to NANS to be part of the unique event.”

He said he believed the opportunity provided by the summit would foster greatness for the Nigerian petroleum sector.

Kachikwu, had earlier at a break-out session of the summit on Monday, said that multinational oil firms would soon stop shipping out the crude oil they produced in Nigeria.

According to him, the government is planning to put in place frameworks for multinational oil and gas firms to build refineries in Nigeria, thereby processing a substantial amount of crude produced from its oil fields.

“We will get to a point where Nigeria, definitely, would be a major supplier of refined petroleum products. “It just has to happen. Nothing else makes sense. We are also saying directly to oil companies that a time would also come when we would not be open to see them move around all the crude oil they produce in Nigeria.

“We will like to see integrated refining and integrated processing here. It gives us more jobs and creates more investments,” Kachikwu said.

The Oracle Today

20

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

e-Platform Bumpy road to digital switch over

•Pinnacle Communications digital TV control room.

Despite starting the process eleven years ago, it is still uncertain how long it will take Nigeria to achieve nationwide digital switch over, SAMSON AKINTARO reports.

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UNE 2017 marked the second time Nigeria had failed to meet its self-imposed deadline to switch over broadcasting from analogue to digital, and of course, the third time, having missed the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) ratified June 2015 deadline. In its over a decade efforts, the country has been able to switch over to digital broadcasting only in four states and the federal capital territory, Abuja, thus casting serious doubt over the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)’s capability of achieving nationwide switchover even in the next one decade.

The beginning At the conclusion of 2006 ITU’s Regional Radiocommunication Conference (RRC-06) in Geneva, Nigeria, alongside 119 other countries signed a treaty agreement heralding the development of ‘all-digital’ terrestrial broadcast services for sound and television.

In the treaty, transition day for all members was fixed for June 2015. Incidentally, Nigeria started preparations for this journey early enough. In 2007, while appreciating the vital need to keep up with the rest of the world in this ITU-led global digitisation movement, the Nigerian government had approved June 17, 2012 as Nigeria’s transition date, three years ahead of the ITU mandate.

The justification then, according to the National Broadcasting Commission, was to use the three years (June 17, 2012 to June 17, 2015) to address whatever hic-

cups arising from the switch-over and perfect the mechanism before the final date. But that was where it ended, as the plans could not materialise due to what industry analysts described as lack of political will on the part of the government.

By October 13, 2008, the late President UmaruYar’Adua, inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) on Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting in Nigeria. The panel presented its report on Monday, June 29, 2009. However, no follow-up step was taken until April 4, 2012 when the Federal Executive Council released a white Paper on the report. Eventually, with the release of a government White Paper on the digitisation, the government in December 2012 inaugurated a 14-man transition Committee called DigiTeam Nigeria, with Engr. Edward Amana as chairman. The new team led

by Amana, set a fresh date of January 1, 2015 as the switch-off date from analogue broadcasting, with plans to conclude the digital switchover in Nigeria before the June 17, 2015.

NBC had drawn a phased rollout plan, beginning with the pilot city switchover in Jos, and it its plan was to complete other phases on or before January 1, 2015. The commission was able to ride on the backbone of NTA StarTimes to accomplish the Jos pilot city switchover, having designated NTA as the national digital signal carrier for the country. Unfortunately, all these efforts and plans

could not take the country to a point where it could be counted among the few African countries that met the digital switch deadline as at June 17 2015. Having failed for the second time, the NBC fixed another deadline of June 2017, which again was missed.

NBC explains failure With the third deadline missed, the NBC could not but offer some explanations to worrying stakeholders. Speaking at a forum in Lagos, the Director-General of NBC, Is’haq Modibbo Kawu had confessed that the DSO process remains a huge financial, technical and logistical challenge, stressing that switching on a huge country like Nigeria, requires tremendous financial commitment. He explained that upon his assumption of office in May 2016, he discovered that the process at the beginning was dogged by a host of controversies.

“First, the Second National Signal Distributor, Pinnacle Communications Limited had been in dispute with the NBC. They were in court, because of a host of grievances arising from the way that the contract with them had been handled by the NBC. Pinnacle Communications Limited had been the single biggest contributor to the DSO process, so it became imperative that we did everything to get them out of court, to return them to the DSO process. After several meetings, we reached an agreement, and Pinnacle Communications accepted to drop their litigation against the NBC. They returned to the process; were appointed as signal distributors for the Abuja DSO,” he stated.

According to him, Set-Top-Box (STB) manufacturers had committed resources to the importa-

tion of 850, 000 STBs from China, but because the EFCC had seized funds from the NBC, under the past regime at the commission, it could not meet the commitment, which totaled the sum of $26 million. Kawu, who was silent about how much and time it will require Nigeria to fully transit from analogue to digital transmission, explained that the commission hoped to have switched over by December 2017 in 12 states, but that still did not happen as the NBC was only able to add Kwara and Kaduna to Plateau and Abuja in 2017 and only this February it was able to switch over in Enugu State, making it just four states and FCT so far.

Long wait for digital dividends While the country may not have issue of signal interference yet after the failure to switch over even three years after the ITU deadline as neighbouring countries are also yet to switch over completely, Nigeria is currently missing the huge economic benefits that should have accrued from digital dividends. Digital dividend spectrum is released when television broadcasters switch from analogue platforms to digital only platforms; part of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been used for broadcasting will be freed up because digital TV needs fewer spectrums than analogue television.

With serious attention on broadband as a tool for economic development, the telecom regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been banking on the release of spectrum currently being used by broadcasting stations to drive broadband penetration post digital migration deadline.

Speaking on the expected digital dividends, Mr Segun Ogunsanya,

CEO, Airtel Nigeria said currently, GSM operators have only 15MHz assignment in 1800MHz band which is paired with 5MHz on the 900MHz. “With the 700MHz spectrum allocation, GSM operators can significantly increase their capacity, improve quality, and also reduce capital expenditure, and the savings from operating costs will translate to affordable telecommunications services. “There should be effective coordination between the NCC, NBC and National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to ensure that the 700MHz spectrum band is cleared and released for telecoms services as recommended by the ITU,” he said, pointing out that the release of more spectrum can potentially impact positively on Nigeria’s GDP and lead to creation of more jobs.

Also speaking on the importance of the digital dividends, a former President of the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. LanreAjayi, said releasing the spectrum bands to investors that will roll-out service on them will add a new fillip to the industry, especially now that the next revenue frontier of the industry has shifted from voice to data. He said: “It will be an advantage for the country if these spectrum bands are released by the appropriate authority for NCC to allocate to would-be applicants.”

Meanwhile, stakeholders have advised the NBC to do more in raising awareness about the switch, noting that majority of Nigerians are still oblivious of the move and its implications on them. They also urged the federal government to give the Commission necessary backing, especially in the area of funding, to ensure the DSO is achieved nationwide.

The Oracle Today

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Wednesday February 28 , 2018

e-Platform

Data centre operators seek decentralisation of ICT infrastructure Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

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ATA center operators in Nigeria are rooting for a massive investment in data infrastructure across the country to ensure even spread and interconnectivity of all the states of the federation.

Specifically, they said Nigeria will need at least 72 tier 3 data centres spread across the country, moving away from the current position where the few existing data centers are domiciled only in Lagos.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), the trio of Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO, Medallion Communications, Gbenga Adegbiji, General Manager MDXi, and Ezekiel Egboye, Director of Operations, Rack Centre, all data center operators, posited that the time has come for Nigeria fast with data center infrastructure to be able to manage the huge data in the country locally.

Nnamani noted that for Nigeria to boost her economy with technology, every state capital should have at least two tier 3 data centre.

While lamenting that 80 percent of the country’s ICT infrastructure and services are domiciled in Lagos, he said there must be conscious effort to spread these infrastructure across the country to achieve all round connectivity. “There is need for infrastructure deployment across Nigeria for intercon-

…Say 80% concentrated in Lagos

•From left: Sales Support Analyst, MTN, Ijeoma Akemegoh, Coordinator, M & E, MTN Foundation, Stephen Amuwa, Founder/Director, Bathesda Home of the Blind, Chioma Ohakwe, Rep of Hon Oluremi Tinubu, Mrs. Olamide Eshinlokun, Head Student, Bathesda Home, Queen Anuchaogu and Student, Bathesda Home, Chima Samuel, at the presentation of food and household items to the Bathesda home for the Blind in Mushin Lagos recently. nect and data center services.

Lagos represents less than 15 per cent of the entire country population, yet 80 per cent of the critical ICT infrastructure and services are domiciled in the state. This means

a large part of the country still need to be provided with adequate ICT services. This calls for data centers in all the 36 states of the country” he said.

Also speaking, Adegbiji said all

state governments must begin to see ICT infrastructure as tool for economic growth rather than seeing the deployment as a source of revenue, especially in the area of granting Right of Way (RoW). He

Oracle boosts customers’ SLAs with cloud warranty L

eading cloud services company, Oracle, has expanded its enterprise service level agreements (SLAs), in order to deliver a superior experience for its customers. Building on the strength of its recently announced, industry-leading 99.995 percent availability guarantee for Oracle Autonomous Database, the company has said it has unveiled “the industry’s first end-to-end financially backed cloud warranty for Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).”

“With these comprehensive SLAs, Oracle is now the only cloud infrastructure provider offering guaranteed service levels across performance, manageability, and availability: the three key characteristics defining how enterprises measure cloud infrastructure providers” it said.

“No cloud provider in the world can match what Oracle guarantees,” said Thomas Kurian, President of Product Development, Oracle. “Our competitors offer narrow commitments and countless exclusion in fine print while Oracle’s SLAs deliver an industry first: guaranteed performance, manageability and availability in the cloud.”

Oracle noted that enterprise customers require critical business applications to perform at consistent and reliable levels. “For example, they need to know back office applications are not going to bog down as they are trying to

terms of service. “By contrast, other vendors offer no guarantees around performance. Their cloud resources can be delivering 1 percent of published performance targets, and the customer must continue to pay full price for the degraded services. As the only cloud infrastructure provider guaranteeing performance, manageability, and availability within its SLAs, Oracle provides the most protection for customers and meets the needs of enterprises who want to shift critical workloads to the cloud today” Oracle said.

said this, specifically, referring to the challenges IT companies face whenever they have to deploy infrastructure in some states. According to him, governments should not be looking at the immediate gains of revenue from RoWs but the huge economic benefits that the infrastructure will bring to their state.

The MDXi data center manager said Nigeria is still scratching the surface in the area of data center.

As the world is increasingly exploiting information technology for innovative services and competitive advantage, the data center is playing a rapidly expanding role in job creation and preservation as well as the overall economic recovery.

Nigeria has witnessed significant investments in data centres being established in the country. And it has often been argued that the availability of world class Data centres in Nigeria is critical infrastructure required for the implementation of the country’s broadband initiatives.

close the quarter or doing strategic analysis. In addition, enterprises expect to have the ability to immediately add resources if they need extra compute power for urgent business intelligence or to handle spikes in demand”.

“Customers expect service level commitments for uptime to mean that their applications are not only available, but manageable and performing as expected, regardless of where that application may be located,” said Al Gillen, GVP, Software Development and Open Source, IDC. “Unfortunately, many

cloud SLAs don’t make that broad commitment. Oracle’s revised SLAs provide customers the guarantees they need to allow them to run mission-critical enterprise applications in cloud environments with confidence.”

Under terms of the new performance SLA, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure guarantees it will deliver more than 90 percent of published performance every day in a given month. If it falls below that level for even as few as 44 minutes a month, customers may claim service credits according to Oracle’s

harti Airtel International (BAIN), a subsidiary of India-based Bharti Airtel which runs the company’s Africa operations, confirmed it was investigating a potential IPO of the business.

Netherlands-based BAIN, which runs wireless and mobile money services in 14 countries across Africa, said in a regulatory filing it would initiate “nonbinding exploratory discussions” with various banks and intermediaries to evaluate the feasibility of listing its shares on “an internationally recognised stock exchange.” It added discussions were at a preliminary stage and no final outcome had been decided. The value of the potential stake to be sold was undisclosed.

The news follows a number of

Bharti Airtel mulls Africa business IPO

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reports in recent months questioning the future of Airtel’s operation in Africa. In December 2017, reports stated Airtel was set to exit three markets deemed unprofitable: Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. While he swiftly denied the rumours, Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal (pictured) admitted the company’s rushed entry into Africa in 2010 was one of the biggest regrets of his professional life.

In its latest financial statement – covering the three months to end-December – Airtel reported a 5 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue for its Africa business to $783 million. However, the company still faces issues

on the continent. It is currently embroiled in a row with authorities over its Tanzania operation

and in January dropped out of the running to acquire troubled Nigerian operator 9mobile.

•Bharti Sunil Mittal, Chiarman Bharti Airtel

The Oracle Today

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Wednesday February 28 , 2018

Travel & Hospitality Marriott to open 8 new properties in Nigeria Stories by VICTOR NZE

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NITED States-based global hotel chain, Marriott International says it has signed 8 new deals to increase its portfolios in Nigeria. The new properties will open in the next five years.

Following the acquisition of the U.S-based Starwood Hotel Group, in 2016, Marriott has become the biggest foreign hospitality chain in the country. This in addition to its reflagging of all South African-owned Protea properties in Nigeria.

Vice President, Global Sales Middle East and Africa, Vladimir Dabbah, who disclosed this at a Meet –andGreet forum for stakeholders in the industry which held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, also announced that the new hotels will be opening in the next five years.

This is also as the Marriott chief disclosed that the hotel chain continues to explore opportunities to grow

and expand its reach in Africa.

Vladimir noted that Nigeria remains one of the most strategic markets for growth within the Middle East and Africa.

“We have global relationships TMCs and we work with TMCs like America Express, BCD and others on a global level and in the local market, we localise that relationship with the same terms and conditions, with the same agreements that we have in place but the local connectivity is incredibly important.

“We are working with our owners in order to develop additional hotels.

We have signed 8 deals that will open over the next 5 years and we are continuously looking out for additional opportunities to grow. Nigeria is probably one of our most strategic markets for growth within the Middle East and Africa.

“Our goals are based on how we can add hotels within a certain country, bring them up to the level of tal-

Obiano assures on Golden Tulip Hotel March opening

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NAMBRA State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has assured that the Golden Tulip Hotel, Agulu, formerly known as Agulu Lake Hotel will open for business before his second term inauguration slated for March 17 this year.

Speaking during a facility tour of the hotel, last Tuesday, Obiano explained that both the contractor handling the project and the management of Golden Tulip Hotel Group had given him strong assurances that a grand opening of the hotel would be one of the highpoints of his upcoming inauguration.

“This beautiful place will be ready for use before my inauguration on March 17 this year. And the first retreat that my new executive council will have will hold in this hotel.

So, we have kept our promise. We carry out our programmes according to our budget,” the governor explained, pointing out that he remained focused on delivering on his promises to Ndi Anambra always.

Remarking, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Tulip West Africa Limited, Mr Amaechi Ndili stated that

the ambition of the hotel management was to open the hotel before Governor Obiano’s inauguration.

“Our ambition is to open this place according to the governor’s wishes. He has expressed his strong wishes to see this place opened for his inauguration. And that is the ambition that we have.

We are working to achieve that ambition,” Ndili emphasized.

According to Ndili, Golden Tulip had developed ambitious plan for its Agulu portfolio saying “we would like to use this place as a centre of excellence; to train our people from this area so that they can become experts in the hospitality industry.”

Ndili also assured that Golden Tulip had set its sights on delivering the highest quality in hotel services in the world to Anambra State and its people.

“This facility is going to be the leading hotel in Eastern Nigeria for many years to come. Working hand in hand with the government, we have transformed this place. Our ambition has always been to deliver to Anambra State and its people the highest quality in the world.”

Lagos to inaugurate first-ever tourism calendar

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HE Lagos State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Steve Ayorinde, says the state has concluded plans to inaugurate its first-ever tourism calendar.

Ayorinde said this at the 2018 Tourism Innovation and Development Advantage (TIDA) held in Lagos, Thursday.

The TIDA conference is an initiative of Skyview Communications with the theme: “Impact of Tourism Development on The Nigerian Economy”.

Ayorinde said the tourism calendar would showcase various tourism activities planned for the year.

“This is the first of its kind; the calendar will show plans, venues and dates of festivals, carnivals and

conferences. It will also provide guides on how tourists, visitors and the public can enjoy such events,” he said.

The commissioner said the idea behind the calendar was borne out of the need to encourage the development of tourism potential of the nation. “There is a lot we can do if we get a lot of mappings and communications right. Nigeria is a home of tourism and entertainment, but we are not ready for the business aspect of it, which includes availability of hotels in tourist locations.

This is a harsh reality.’’

Also speaking, the Ogun Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, said tourism had been relegated to the background in the country.

ent within that country so that they can be efficient and effective within the hotels. Its about how you can develop the talents within Nigeria so that the people working in the Nigerian hotel industry are Nigerians.

Whether it is junior level or senior levels, we want to see our general managers from Nigeria for example. But you have to start from the bottom educating and providing the right level of training so that the employees would then grow and take on additional responsibilities and become leaders within the industry in the property segment,” he said.

On his part, President, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA)and Managing Director Finchglow Travels and Tours, Mr Bernard Bankole who spoke at the event said there was need for greater corporation between Marriott and Travel Management Companies (TMCs) in the country noting with good synergy the organisations can maximise the opportunities in the travel and hospitality industry.

“The good thing about travel and hospitality is when we make provisions for those that have to travel somebody have to provide them with accommodation, the tour, where to buy things and so on. It

means that we constantly have to work together and that is the only way we can maximise the best out of this relationship,” said Bankole.

Bankole who stated that Nigeria remains an investment haven for investors, therefore, encouraged the Marriot Group to take advantage of the country’s population to expand its property in the country.

“One of the things that we are going to be benefiting in Nigeria of today is the fact that IATA has approved the use of card payments for settlement on the BSP platform and for passengers to use their cards to make payments. With that we are going to see more people showing interest in doing business in Nigeria.”

According to Bankole, with the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) last month by the Africa Union (AU), and endorsed by the Federal Government, the industry will experience surge passenger movement.

“Travel in Africa has not been really tapped, the last time I mentioned that in 2017 $1.4 billion was spent by Nigerian travellers. The truth is I see that figure going up this year, because a lot of people couldn’t travel like they would want to last year because there were some restrictions-

the airlines cut down on capacity, frequency was also reduced and that impacted on people’s movement.

“This year we are not going to have anything like that because the exchange rate has become stable, the ability to repatriate their funds has been made for them, so things are going to be a lot better in 2018.

So I see huge opportunity for travel business this year and what is going to happen is that we will see the figure that we saw in 2017 going up by 20 per cent to 30 per cent”.

On her part, Business Development Manager, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Doyin Ekundayo while describing the country’s tourism potential as ‘untapped’ said Nigeria’s huge population and an improved business environment make it a big investment destination in Africa.

“You cannot exhaust the investment opportunity that the country has. The beauty about Nigeria is that we have an untapped tourism industry and the market is so fresh.

We were ranked 169 in the global index of ease of doing business but towards the end of last year we scaled up to 145, we remain a big investment destination in sub-Sahara Africa”.

•(From left to right): Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the UNWTO’s Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, signing the Agreement on Nigeria’s hosting of the 61st CAF Meeting, in Madrid, Spain, last Friday.

Taraba Govt to conserve endangered hippos for tourism

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ACED with the threat of losing a rare pool of hippopotamuses at the Nwonyo Lake in Ibi Local Government Area of the state and the Gashaka Gumti Park, the Taraba State Government has disclosed plans to protect and conserve the animal species against extinction and for tourism purposes.

This was agreed upon during the presentation of findings and recommendations of the threats of hippopotamuses in Ibi council of the state, held in Jalingo by the Taraba State Ministry of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

A wildlife specialist from Zimbabwe, Michael La-Grange, had during the occasion warned that Taraba State was faced with ‘imminent extinction’ of hippos and therefore encouraged the government to protect the animal species.

La-Grange while delivering a power-point lecture to the participants, advised that a boundary needed to be established round the lake where the animals live. Other suggestions he gave were that: the government should consider restocking the Gashaka Gumti Park, address the ignorance of community members and send extension officers to the communities to

educate the people on how hippos behave.

The wildlife specialist also showed the audience the dwelling places of the animals using Google maps as well as the behaviour, population and threat the animals faced as a result of poaching and human activities.

In his opening remarks, the Taraba State Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Atosuma Gani, disclosed that due to the threat to hippos by humans at the Lake Nwonyo, the government had approached the FAO to investigate and give their findings on how to conserve the hippos in order to attract tourists to the State.

The Oracle Today

23

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

AVIATION

Air Peace commences Yola-Abuja operations Stories by VICTOR NZE

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NDIGENOUS carrier, Air Peace has commenced daily flight operations from Lagos to Yola via Abuja, as the airline’s Boeing

B737-500 aircraft, touched down at the Yola Airport, Thursday afternoon.

Represented at the inaugural flight by the airline’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr

Delta, AIB differ on emergency landing incident at MMIA

Chris Iwarah, Managing Director of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, said the airline was committed to serving cities and places where others were shying away from as part of its contribution to socioeconomic development.

He said Air Peace had a vision of making seamless connections across Nigeria a reality for individuals, businesses and corporate organisations.

“The launch of our Lagos-YolaLagos and Abuja-Yola-Abuja serv-

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NITED States-based carrier, Delta Air Lines may have downplayed the gravity of the incident involving its aircraft which Tuesday night, made an air return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) less than an hour after take-off later due to an engine fault.

This is also as the Ministry of Aviation’s Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) stated, Thursday, that it would investigate the incident in line with the Act setting up the bureau.

AIB had frowned at the American carrier’s failure to notify it of the incident involving its aircraft in line with Nigerian air safety regulations and international practice, while it had promptly notified the United States National Transportation Safety Board.

Although, Delta Air Lines has since apologized to AIB for not reporting the incident to it immediately after it happened, the agency said in a statement, Wednesday, that it considered it ‘a serious incident’ and has resolved to ‘investigate the incident in line with the Act setting up the bureau.’

While Delta reportedly notified the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the occurrence immediately in line with the U.S. laws, it failed to inform the AIB, as Nigeria is the state of occurrence and under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13, is responsible for investigating any aircraft occurrences within her airspace.

The State of registry of the aircraft and the airline may serve as observers.

A statement issued by the General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, Mr Tunji Oketunbi in Lagos, last Thursday, acknowledged Delta’s letter of apology which was signed by the airline’s Air Safety Investigation Manager, Miss Shannon Masters, even as the agency insisted on investigating the incident.

Masters, who led a team of the airline officials including the technical crew of the flight, and the airline’s Lagos Airport Station Manager to the AIB, expressed regret for the oversight, adding that it was not intentional.

“We sincerely apologise for the error and we promise to cooperate with AIB in the investigation of this occurrence,” Masters said.

Responding, Commissioner of AIB, Mr Akin Olateru, while accepting Delta’s apology said AIB had already commenced investigation into the serious incident and would welcome the airline’s cooperation.

“We look forward to receiving cooperation from Delta Airline as we work to determine the cause of this serious incident in the interest of safety.’’

•A team from Delta Air Lines led by Air Safety Investigation Manager, Miss Shannon Masters, at the AIB headquarters over the investigation of the emergency landing on Tuesday involving the airline’s A330-200, from Lagos-Atlanta which had an engine issue.

ices just days after the inauguration of our Lagos-Kano-Lagos and Kano-Abuja-Kano routes opens a new chapter in our spectacular flight operations.

“We are quite hopeful that our great experience will positively impact our plan to expand into other cities in the North of Nigeria and some other grossly underserved areas of the country in the days and months ahead,’’ he said.

According to him, the airline, with a fleet of 24 aircraft, is determined to deliver the best flight experience on Yola route and its 11 other domestic destinations.

Onyema said Air Peace was also expanding its operations in West Africa with the launch of its Freetown, Banjul and Dakar routes scheduled for Feb. 19.

Earlier, Airport Manager, Yola Airport, Mr Sheikh Adamu, thanked Air Peace for extending flight operations to Yola, urging the airline to be consistent and have on-time departure on the route, in order to gain the confidence of the travelling public.

He said FAAN and the other aviation agencies would continue to provide the needed support and cooperation that would enable the airline to have a seamless operation at the airport.

FAAN deploys more patrol vehicles to MMIA airside

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OLLOWING penultimate Thursday’s incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Runway 18R, involving indigenous carrier Air Peace report of a breach in its cargo hold compartment by suspected thieves, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has deployed 10 additional Hilux patrol vehicles to the airside of Lagos airport.

FAAN General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, who made this known in a statement in Lagos, Thursday, explained that the deployment of these vehicles was one of the measures being adopted by the authority to enhance operational efficiency and also boost security procedures at the airport.

“The authority will like to assure airport users and the general public that we will continue to upgrade our facilities, processes and procedures. This is in consonance with our core values of security, safety and comfort,” she said.

The measure is believed to be in response to series of complaints of alleged poaching on aircraft at the airport recently.

Recently, suspected burglars opened cargo hold of Air Peace Flight 7138 taxiing for departure on Runway 18R (A1) of the Lagos Airport.

Communications Manager, Air Peace, Mr. Chris Iwarah who confirmed the incident claimed that the culprits forced open the cargohold of the aircraft while it was taxiing to the runway, a situ-

ation which led to delay in the departure of the aircraft for close to two hours as security operatives attached to the airport carried out a comprehensive search on the airplane before being allowed to depart the airport.

“We are sincerely grateful to all our wonderful guests on board Flight 7138 for their support, patience and cooperation throughout the precautionary security checks conducted by Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) squad, Federal Air-

port Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC) and our security team after suspected thieves opened the cargo hold of our aircraft holding for departure on Runway 18R (A1) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at about 7.35pm on Thursday, February 08, 2018.

“Pilot-in-Command, Capt. Adesola Arasi had to contact control tower when he was alerted by the light that came on in the cockpit suggesting that the cargo hold was

opened for about 15 seconds and immediately shut.

“In line with our high security standards and the huge value we place on the lives of our guests and crew, Capt. Arasi insisted on having EOD squad check Flight APK 7138 before takeoff to be doubly sure nothing was deposited in the cargo hold by the suspected thieves to endanger the lives of our guests and crew,” said Corporate Communications Manager of Air Peace, Iwarah.

National carrier: AMG replaces Lufthansa as Adviser

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EDERAL Executive Council (FEC), Wednesday, approved substitution of the nation’s adviser on establishment of a national carrier, Lufthansa, with AMG (Airline Management Group) saying the move was aimed at avoiding a conflict of interest since the former (Lufthansa) is an appendage of an airline group.

Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, alongside Ministers of Communications and Interior, Mr Adebayo Shittu and retired Lt. Gen. Abdulrahma Dambazau.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in May 2017 appointed Messers Lufthansa Consortium and five other advisers to help it set up a national airline and develop its aviation infrastructure.

“Today Council considered a

memo from transportation regarding aviation. It was a memo that was brought to substitute a member of the consortium that will provide transaction advisory services for the establishment of a National Carrier.

“And that a member of the consortium is Messers Lufthansa consulting. Council considered and approved that substitution with another company called AMG (Airline Management Group) with Avia Solutions GE to join the other members of the consortium to continue providing the same services at the same cost; this is only substitution’’ he said.

The minister explained that substitution was made “fundamentally, in the wisdom of the council.

We felt that Lufthansa consulting is an appendage of the airline group and that might bring conflict of interests.

“Lufthansa themselves may

want to join, partner or help in the process during the procurement phase of this transaction. And of course they are members of Star Alliance, members of One World and members of Sky team, others may feel shortchanged. “(It’s like) the person advising us set up this airline which is going to be private sector driven, is a member of an alliance which they are not part of.’’

“Since we appointed the transactions advisers in various aviation projects in May 2017, about six of them, five of them have gone ahead, the one for construction of airport, the one for aerotropolis and the one for MRO and so on and so forth.

“Most of them have produced the outline business cases and we are on our way to doing the full business case. However, Lufthansa Consulting, did not accept the offer neither have they signed any contract.”

24

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EDITORIAL

Zamfara: Nobody is safe, nobody cares Cont’d front page 1

sibilities,” Governor Yari said.

“As such, I urge you security agencies to up the curity agencies have been mentioned in Enugu, ante so as not to lose this war. If you let us Kaduna, Benue, and Taraba States, where take issues on our hands, anarchy will reign, Fulani herdsmen killed farmers. Governors which is not what we hope for. and community leaders complained of secu“On this particular incident, we had intelligence rity agencies that ignored their warnings of reports 24 hours before it happened that the attacks. Why do the security agencies fail to bandits were grouping and ready to attack. respond? Are the answers in deploying more I alerted the security agencies, but unformen and materials or in eliciting the intertunately they sent inadequate personnel ests of those in charge? to confront these people from where they Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, where came from,” Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji most of the people were killed, said, “These Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari said in Zurmi. terrorists are known to us. Their major hide“I feel let down facing the people of this State out is in a village called Kagara, very close to whenever I remember the promise I made to Bafarawa in Sokoto State, and a few kilothem that when they elect President Muhammetres from Shinkafi in Zamfara State. But madu Buhari into power, these killings will despite several appeals to security agencies end.

But unfortunately, things are now getto storm the area, our appeals have failed. ting worse,” Yari lamented.

I need to state here that majority of the weapons used by bad people in this country THE most insensitive part of the responses was that like it happened in Benue State in Januare brought in from this area. I had reason ary, the President was receiving Governors to personally inform Zamfara State Director of the All Pr0gressives Congress, APC, and of SSS sometimes back of a large cache of days after the Zamfara attacks. Politics was weapons being brought into the country, placed ahead the lives of the people. Politics, but no concrete action was taken until the the elections in 2019, were more important containers were moved away.” than the lives of Nigerians which bandits, also “Whatever humanly possible that needed to cattle rustlers, (the Zamfara narrative) were be done, we as a government have done to wasting. mitigate this disaster. But it does appear that ZAMFARA State Governor Yari was in that Daura security agencies are failing in their respongathering that fawned over the President. Yari was not seen in Zamfara for days after the killings. He was in Abuja and ignored the people who elected him, though they were in danger. Among those laughing in a group picture was Yari.

WITH an established fame for long absences from his State, Yari, under the guise of working for the Governors Forum of which he is the Chairman, stays more in Abuja than Gusau.

Nothing seems to be capable of stopping his trips.

A YEAR ago, when meningitis ravaged the State, with more than 200 dead, Yari blamed it on the people and their sins.

“God now decided to send Type C virus, which has no vaccination. People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you see anyhow’ that is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concerned. There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured.

The most important thing is for our people to know that their relationship with God is not smooth. All they need to do is repent and everything will be

all right”.

THE scarcity of vaccine for meningitis Type C virus was responsible for the deaths, yet Yari blamed the people. In that instance, he was also returning from a long absence from Zamfara. Days after the most recent killings, his officials could not reach; some confirmed he was unaware of the killings.

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among many others, has condemned the killings.

“When human beings are falling like flies repeatedly, ambushed by savage mass murderers and killed in cold blood, I wonder what becomes of the sanctity of life”, he said, in a statement. “Apart from identifying, arresting and prosecuting arms suppliers, there should be an intensification of efforts by our security personnel”.

VIGILANTE groups saved the day. Accounts of the incident hold that the invaders arrived on 200 motorcycles with three persons on each bike.

They were well-armed. About 500 vigilantes that the village mustered fought the bandits.

With their attack repelled, the bandits vented their anger on travellers and other villagers as they retreated.

THE verdict is that nobody is safe. Nowhere is safe. Nobody cares about the safety of Nigerians, no matter their tongues, no matter their origins, no matter their regions, no matter their religions.

Governments’ management of the killings in Zamfara, like others, further confirms that lives of Nigerians count for nothing. It is another, in the long list of cheapening of Nigerians lives, though Section 14 2b of the Constitution still states, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, and government officials never forget to mouth it, just as the President did while meeting with people in Katsina on Sunday.

Our Vision TO BE among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of records that effectively caters to the information needs of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commercially viable, properly organised media business, which meets its obligations to society, government and the workforce.

Mission WE INTEND to contribute to the development of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually engender and sustain national debates that would ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national values--hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian people can see a bright light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. And we shall do all this in absolute trust in God who blesses good intentions.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

OPINION

There is anger in the land

By ANTHONY OLUBUNMI OKOGIE

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ate football commentator, Ernest Okonkwo, was fond of using an Igbo proverb while giving minute by minute description of football matches on the radio. Anytime there was an infringement that escaped the attention of the referee, he would ask his colleagues, Sebastian Ofurum or Tolu Fatoyinbo if they too saw the infringement. If they confirmed what he saw, he would say in Igbo: “What two persons have seen and confirmed to be a boa must not be mistaken for a piece of diamond.” One may apply that maxim to the situation in our country right now.

There is anger in the land. Many voices are echoing it. These voices of anger are so deafening that it can no longer be denied. The level of discontent in Nigeria at this point in time is like the proverbial boa sighted by even more than two persons. It would be unwise to mistake it for a piece of diamond. It has been sighted

by Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) who have spoken of the anger in the land in clear and unmistaken terms. It has been sighted by traditional rulers who have called the attention of government to it. It has been sighted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria when Bishops went into the corridors of power to speak to power, in the way Biblical prophets directly confronted kings in Israel. This can no longer be treated as the cry of “wailers”. Even leading members of the party ruling at the centre have demonstrated commendable candour by openly acknowledging that the hopes of 2015 have been shattered by the disappointment of 2019.

“Your worst enemy could be your best friend, and your best friend your worst enemy,” sang Bob Marley. But presidential aides in our country do not seem to grasp the wisdom in those words. By their own reckoning, anyone who raises doubts as to the rightness of government policies, actions and statements is an enemy of government. He or she is ridiculed as speaking because there is no more access to illgotten wealth. In other climes, a police officer,

who demonstrated unspeakable insolence on television by calling an elected state governor a “drowning man”, would lose his job. But, in Nigeria he keeps it.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria stood with and for democratic forces in this country during the dark days of military rule.

In 1984, when the current President was a military ruler, Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops went to him to inquire as to when he would restore democratic governance. During the lawlessness of military rule, Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops called for elections and called for the release of political prisoners. Interventions of Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops date back to October 1, 1960, the day Nigeria gained independence, when the Bishops addressed a letter to Nigerians.

Fifty years later, the same Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria addressed another letter to Nigerians, entitled “Growing a New Nigeria”.

That letter was presented to former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Cathedral on the First Sunday of Lent in 2011.

The Bishops have never failed to offer their

advice to successive governments in this country. Every line, every word of every intervention emanating from the Conference was chosen to offer frank and friendly advice. The Bishops did the same thing a few days ago, calling the attention of the President to the anger and disappointment in the land. At the end of their friendly exchange with the President, some of his aides and friends resorted to name calling and gratuitous accusations. Anyone who has a faint idea of how the Catholic Church is run would know that the Catholic Church does not run on tithes. She has never taught that God’s blessings depend on tithes. No Catholic Bishop in this country has a private jet.

Not even the Pope has one. But an uninformed state governor, notorious for being insolent, described the Bishop’s intervention as the wailing of religious leaders who no longer have access to tithes because of this government’s anti-corruption fight.

True friends tell each other the truth. There cannot be sincere friendship where there is no truth. Those who are telling our President the truth are his true friends. Those who are shield-

ing him from the truth while insulting those who tell him the truth are his real enemies. By insulting well-meaning Nigerians who happen to disagree with policies of government they are not winning friends for the President. They are in fact helping to grow the rank and file of the angry. Whoever loves this President would want him to succeed. Whoever wants him to succeed must tell him the truth. For if he fails, Nigeria fails.

The truth is: Nigerians are not happy. As we said early in this administration, Nigerians are hungry and angry. They are not happy because their lives and their belongings are not safe. They work so hard while the value of the money they earn cannot make them enjoy basic things of life. Nigerians are unhappy because the economy has been so mismanaged that some cannot pay the school fees of their children. Nigerians are unhappy because they have not got jobs. Nigerians are unhappy because, instead of hope, they are offered propaganda and insults by the President’s men.

Nigerians are angry because their loved ones are butchered by herdsmen while the response of government is woeful.

The issue at hand is more serious than getting re-elected. It cannot be resolved by way of a facile intra-party reconciliation. Before it can succeed, this government must admit it has failed. Before it can retrace its steps, this government must admit that it has strayed from the path of keeping the promises it made, promises that made Nigerians vote as they did in 2015. Apart from seeking intra-party reconciliation, this government must first reconcile with Nigerians by treating them with respect.

Despite the insolence of some of its officials, we still pray for this government: may this government not suffer the fate of the proverbial hunter’s dog that got lost in the forest because it obstinately refused to heed the hunter’s whistle.

His Eminence,Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie is Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos Catholic Archdiocese.

How to reduce shootings (in America) (1)

By NICHOLAS KRSITOF

I

nevitably, predictably, fatefully, another mass shooting breaks our hearts. This time, it was a school shooting in Florida on Wednesday that left at least 17 dead at the hands of 19-year-old gunman and his AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.

But what is perhaps most heartbreaking of all is that they shouldn’t be shocking. People all over the world become furious and try to harm others, but only in the United States do we suffer such mass shootings so regularly; only in the United States do we lose one person every 15 minutes to gun violence.

So let’s not just mourn the dead, let’s not just lower flags and make somber speeches.

Let’s also learn lessons from these tragedies, so that there can be fewer of them. In particular, I suggest that we try a new approach to reducing gun violence — a public health strategy. These graphics and much of this text are from a visual essay I did in November after a church shooting in Texas; sadly, the material will continue to be relevant until we not only grieve but also act.

America has more guns than any other country The first step is to understand the scale of the challenge America faces: The U.S. has more than 300 million guns – roughly one for every citizen – and stands out as well for its gun death rates. At the other extreme, Japan has less than one gun per 100 people, and typically fewer than 10 gun deaths a year in the entire country.

We have a model for regulating guns: automobiles Gun enthusiasts often protest: Cars kill about as many people as guns, and we don’t ban them! No, but automobiles are actually a model for the public health approach I’m sug-

gesting.

We don’t ban cars, but we work hard to regulate them – and limit access to them – so as to reduce the death toll they cause. This has been spectacularly successful, reducing the death rate per 100 million miles driven by 95 percent since 1921.

The liberal approach is ineffective: use a public health approach instead.

Frankly, liberal opposition to guns has often been ineffective, and sometimes counterproductive. The 10-year ban on assault weapons accomplished little, partly because definitions were about cosmetic features like bayonet mounts (and partly because even before the ban, such guns were used in only 2 percent of crimes).

The left sometimes focuses on “gun control,” which scares off gun owners and leads to more gun sales. A better framing is “gun safety” or “reducing gun violence,” and using auto safety as a model—constant efforts to make the products safer and to limit access by people who are most likely to misuse them.

What would a public health approach look like for guns if it were modeled after cars?

If someone steals my iPhone, it’s useless, and the same should be true of guns. Gun manufacturers made child-proof guns back in the 19th century (before dropping them), and it’s time to advance that technology today.

Some combination of smart guns and safe storage would also reduce the number of firearms stolen in the U.S. each year, now about 200,000, and available to criminals.

We also need to figure out whether gun buybacks, often conducted by police departments, are cost-effective and help reduce violence. And we can experiment more with anti-gang initiatives, such as Cure Violence, that have a good record in reducing shootings.

Fewer guns = fewer deaths

It is true that guns are occasionally used to stop violence. But contrary to what the National Rifle Association suggests, this is rare.

One study by the Violence Policy Centre found that in 2012 there were 259 justifiable homicides by a private citizen using a firearm.

But the problem is that lax laws too often make it easy not only for good guys to get guns, but also for bad guys to get guns. The evidence is overwhelming that overall more guns and more relaxed gun laws lead to more violent deaths and injuries. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that a gun in the house was associated with an increased risk of a gun death, particularly by suicide but also apparently by homicide.

In 2015, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas tweeted that he was “embarrassed” that his state was ranked second (behind California) in requests to buy new guns, albeit still with one million requests. “Let’s pick up the pace Texans,” he wrote. Abbott apparently believes, along with the N.R.A., that more guns make a society safeer, but statistics dispute that. Abbott should look at those charts.

Mass shootings are not the main cause of loss of life Critics will say that the kind of measures I cite wouldn’t prevent many shootings. The Las Vegas carnage, for example, might not have been prevented by any of the suggestions I make.

That’s true, and there’s no magic wand available. Yet remember that although it is mass shootings that get our attention, they are not the main cause of loss of life. Much more typical is a friend who shoots another, a husband who kills his wife – or, most common of all, a man who kills himself. Skeptics will say that if people want to kill themselves, there’s nothing we can do. In fact, it turns out that if you make suicide a bit more difficult, suicide rates drop.

Here are the figures showing that mass

shootings are a modest share of the total, and the same is true of self-defense – despite what the N.R.A. might have you believe.

America is moving in the wrong direction Yet while we should be moving toward sensible regulation, in fact we’ve been moving in the opposite direction. Gun laws have been loosened in many parts of the country.

KRISTOF wrote this article originally for New York Times

THE GROUP Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Ikeddy Isiguzo Editor Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Editor/Head, Lagos Bureau Sopuruchi Onwuka Abuja Bureau Chief Tony Ailemen Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Advert Manager Andrew Udeh Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today

26

Wednesday February 28, 2018

INSURANCE & PENSION

Oyo Govt. approves compulsory health insurance for workers Stories by VICTOR NZE

T

HE Oyo State Executive Council has made the enrollment for its health insurance compulsory for all civil and public servants, saying that the Executive Council’s decision is in line with the provision of Section 16, Sub Section 1 of the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) Law of 2016.

State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun who disclosed this, last Monday, explained that the compulsory enrollment of all civil and public servants from level 1 to level 12 will be the Standard Plan with Eight thousand naira (N8,000) as premium per annum inclusive of N200 registration / service while from level 13 and above will be on the Standard Plus plan of Thirteen Thousand, five hundred Naira (N13,500) premium per annum.

Arulogun said that the executive council also approved the compulsory enrollment of all students of Oyo State institutions on Students Plan with a subsidized premium of N2,800 per annum.

The Government spokesman said that the state government will also demand certificates of health insurance or evidence of same from individuals, groups, companies or institutions that intend to do businesses with Oyo State.

The commissioner stressed that such businesses shall include but not limited to Registration of

FBN Insurance Brokers gets new chairman

F

BN Holdings has announced the appointment of Mrs. Folake AniMumuney as the chairman of the Board of Directors of FBN Insurance Brokers.

The announcement was contained in a recent notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as well as shareholders and the general public.

The company also communicated the appointment of Seye Kosoko and Seyi Oyefeso as non-executive directors.

Folake Ani-Mumuney is head of Marketing & Corporate Communications and General Manager at First Bank of Nigeria Plc. She was previously Chief Marketing and Communication Officer at Dangote Industries Limited.

Mrs. Ani-Mumuney who is currently President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) also had a stint at British Airways where she had oversight over Brands Policies and communications .

She holds degrees in Philosophy and Law.

Hospitals and Allied institutions, schools and allied institutions, premises and companies, vehicles and all forms of procurement and supplies, Renewal of Certificates and license, Application for certificates of occupancy, rents and allied applications, saying that health insurance certificate shall also be part of pre-requisite to access loan or similar funds

from Bureau of investment by individuals and cooperatives societies.

“The payable premium by these enrollees, Public and Civil servants in the services of the state and local governments as well as students in the State Tertiary institutions will be directly deducted by the State’s Ministry of Finance and other relevant insti-

tutions, as the case may be, for direct remittance into the account of the Agency on Monthly basis as stipulated in section 19 (4) and 36 (1) of OYSHIA Law 2016,” Arulogun said.

He further explained that the health insurance scheme is meant to alleviate poverty through significant reduction in “out-of-pocket” expenditure on

•Director of Training in the Lagos State Ministry of Establishment Training and Pensions, Mr. Ayodeji Haruna; State Commissioner for Establishment Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Training, Mrs. Clara Omotilewa Ibirogba at a recent training organized by the Ministry in Ikeja, Lagos.

Police Pensions commences payment of investments to retirees

N

igeria Police Pensions Limited says it has commenced payment of the N400m saved annually from its investments to retired police personnel since January 2017.

Managing Director of the company, Dr Hamza Sule, made the disclosure in Enugu on Monday at a Pre-Retirement Seminar for Police personnel retiring between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2018 for the South-East zone.

Sule said that the N400 million was not part of their pensions as the pension entitlement would still be intact.

“The payment is purely a welfare incentive and not deductible from the Retirement Savings Account [RSA] balance of the retiree.

“Each retired police officer is to be paid a specific amount, freeof-charge, depending on his or her rank and the balance in the RSA upon completion of an application form,’’ he said.

The MD said that the retirees and intending retiring police personnel had been taught on how to process their pension and how to lodge a complaint.

“The seminar is to reveal the options and processes for processing pensions and other important questions they want to ask,’’ he said.

Sule, however, said that retirement was never the end of life “but the beginning of a new life.’’

“So, I will always advise retirees to get engaged with a business that would keep them active and still earn a living. The experience gathered for 60 years or experienced gathered while serving for 35 years should be made available for others to benefit from,’’ he said.

Some of the pensioners who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) described the initiative as `highly commendable’.

A retired Assistant Superintendent of Police from Ebonyi State,

Mr Akwara Okoronkwo, said the welfare initiative was a welcome development.

Okoronkwo said the payment would enhance their pensions and improve on their lives.

Another pensioner, Loveth Madu also commended the initiative and urged the company to extend the payment to pensioners in the zone.

Health and business start-up talks were also given at the event.

health by residents of the State and making quality healthcare affordable and accessible to every resident of the state.

The commissioner disclosed that the OYSHIA has taken delivery of medical equipment worth Seventy Four Million, One Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira (74,129,800.00) that will be used at accredited, adding that drugs and consumables have also been supplied to 42 OYSHIA accredited public facilities (both Primary Health Centres – PHCs and State/ General Hospitals).

Arulogun stated further that 21 private facilities were also accredited to participate in the scheme, saying that there is an on-going renovation of accredited PHCs at no financial cost to the government which demonstrates that health insurance will ultimately reduce government expenditure on health and fast-track the development of health sector.

He said that Caesarian section has been done under the scheme for 15 enrollees without any out of pocket payment, bringing immediate impact to the quest to reduce maternal mortality rate in the state.

Reps canvass medical, life insurance policy for civilian JTF

F

ederal House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to facilitate documentation of members of Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in North East with a view to providing them with medical and life insurance policy.

The members of the civilian JTF are volunteers who assist the military in fighting the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Representatives gave the advice sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Yusuf Yakub (Adamawa-APC) on Thursday at the plenary.

The green chambers who also urged the federal government to compensate the families of the civilian fighters who died in the battle field, recommended that the men who had paid the ultimate price be formally recognised as true heroes of Nigeria.

Earlier, Yakub described the contribution of the civilian JTF to the war against the insurgents as legendary.

“The members of the force were not professionally trained but had contributed greatly in the fight against insurgency in the North East.

“We must also note that these persons were not under any government pay-roll but have voluntarily put their lives at risk alongside men of the Nigerian Armed Forces’’, he said.

The Oracle Today

27

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

INSURANCE & PENSION

Over 90% of Nigerians not captured by NHIS

E

XECUTIVE Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Yusuf Usman, has said that over 90 per cent of Nigerians eligible for the scheme have not been covered.

Usman who disclosed this last Thursday in Sokoto State at a public hearing on a bill to provide for Contributory Health Care Management scheme organised by the state House of Assembly, noted that a lot need to be done to realise health for all Nigerians under the Universal Health Coverage.

The executive secretary urged the public not to be distracted by what they hear on or read in the media about his reinstatement by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Don’t be distracted by what you are hearing on the media.

The real thing, it is corruption fighting us and we will fight back to keep faith with our responsibilities to Nigerians. We are here to work for our people and the country, and anybody who think we are doing it for ourselves or our office that person is missing the point,” he said.

Usman further said that he would not in any way be discouraged in his efforts at providing the required services to Nigerians.

He commended the Sokoto State Government effort at creating a sister agency in the state.

He assured that NHIS would support all states of the federation to create similar agencies for the benefit of citizens.

The Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, represented by the House Leader, Mr Garba Bello, said the event was organised to collate the input of the public.

“This is to ensure that the bill is all encompassing as regards to the yearning and aspirations of the citizens before its passage by the Assembly,” he said.

He noted that the NHIS, which did not cover some major areas of health concerns, was primarily aimed at easy access of healthcare services at affordable cost.

“In line with our legislative responsibilities, we require an objective, factual and timely information for informed decisions

Cancer: Equity Assurance organizes screening for 200 women

N

o fewer than 200 women have benefited from the Cervical Cancer screening carried out by Equity Assurance Plc. Managing Director of the company, Mr Morouf Apampa, said, Thursday in Lagos, that the exercise which held at the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Surulere, on January 27, would enhance the well-being of women.

He said the Foundation provided technical support for the exercise, adding that it would go a long way in improving the quality of women workforce, community and the country at large.

Apampa, however, said the company undertook all expenses that included examination, test, procedures and comprehensive training.

He said the exercise was to further entrench the company as a safe haven for all Nigerians.

“The company’s business activities would always take place with sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility,’’ he said.

Apampa commended the women for not succumbing to old beliefs and customs that prevented them from seeking medical treatment.

“Such customs and beliefs barred the women from hospitals for childbirths and suggested the use of herbs. This had complicated women health issues in diverse ways,” he said.

Equity Assurance is a member of SUNU Group, an African Insurance Group, which operates in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Guinea,

Gabon, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo among others.

for the benefit of the electorate.

Therefore, the assembly deems it fit to ensure public hearing is conducted on every bill that affects the lives of the citizens.

“The scheme will cover all residents, all sexes and ages, all ailments and will be run from primary to tertiary health facilities

across the the state,” the speaker said.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, said that the state government was concerned with passion to deliver quality healthcare services for people in the state.

He said that the bill was timely

and necessary due to the health challenges and the need to provide easy access to facilities to the poor at low cost.

The commissioner disclosed that the state had earmarked N100 million for the take-off of the health contributory scheme fund.

•Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (m), in company of Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde at the official signing of three MoUs with Hessmac Industrial Limited, Agtho Merchants and Company Limited and Incorporated Trustee of Peace & Project for projects including the BOT of modern industrial park on 1,000 hectares of land at Obatedo /Omotosho –Ore, last Tuesday in Akure, the state capital.

AIG expands policies to include cyber coverage A

merican International Group Inc. said it would include cyber coverage to its commercial casualty insurance during the first quarter of 2018, a move that would boost rates but make it clearer how customers are covered if they are the victim of a security breach.

The change is part of the insurance giant’s effort to shift from issuing policies that do not specify whether cyber losses are covered, said Tracie Grella, AIG’s Global Head of Cyber Risk Insurance, while on the sidelines of a cyber-risk conference in New York on Thursday.

AIG is in the process of reviewing all types of coverage it offers to gauge its exposure to cyber risk, Grella said.

Cyber coverage is a mounting concern for companies worldwide as hackers increasingly take aim at their technology systems.

In September, Equifax Inc., a provider of consumer credit scores, disclosed that cyber criminals had breached its systems between mid-May and late July and stolen the sensitive information of 145.5 million people. The hack is among the largest to occur.

Many commercial insurers offer stand-alone cyber coverage, separate from other property and casualty policies, but cyber coverage is not yet a standard addition

to most other policies.

But insurers are also struggling to estimate their potential exposure to cyber-related losses amid mounting cyber risks and interest in cyber insurance.

Information from AIG’s review of existing policies will help the

insurer better understand the insurer’s overall exposure, Grella told risk managers and insurers at a conference organized by Advisen Ltd., an insurance industry data and technology provider.

AIG unveiled a property policy in April that specifically includes

cyber coverage, Grella said.

Adding cyber coverage to other types of policies will mean higher rates, Grella said. “When you buy affirmative cyber coverage, you should be paying for it,” Grella said.

also contesting his appointment, because he is not technically sound to run the NHIS. “Since his appointment, no single life (enrollee) has being added to the scheme. The NHIS stalled,” said President of HMCAN, Dr. Tunde Ladele.

Ladele, however, said there is hope for health insurance and that everything will get normal again, adding that HMCAN was constantly meeting with other stakeholders to chart the path forward for the scheme.

“We are considering meeting face-to-face with Mr. President and writing an open letter to him, if we cannot have audience with him.

HMCAN notes the assurances of government that investigations of allegations are ongoing. While noting the gravity of the allegations, HMCAN is mindful of the dictum that an accused person is innocent

until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

Meanwhile, a detachment of policemen, reportedly, stormed the headquarters of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Jabi, Abuja, last Tuesday morning, following continued protests by the NHIS workers over the reinstatement of Yusuf as executive secretary of the Service by the Federal Government.

The police officers arrived at the agency’s premises to checkmate the NHIS workers who have been protesting the reinstatement of the Executive Secretary, Prof Usman Yusuf.

Speaking at the NHIS, Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Razaq Omomeji, said police presence would not deter the workers from their peaceful protest and urged members not to be intimidated.

HMOs to contest reinstatement of Yusuf at NHIS

U

mbrella body of Health Management Organisations (HMOs) in the country, the Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN), has vowed to contest the recent reinstatement of the Executive Secretary of the National Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Usman Yusuf,

by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It would be recalled the embattled Yusuf was suspended by a panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), which indicted him of N919 million fraud and recommended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe the agency for diversion of funds and contravention of the Procurement Act. “We will contest it in court. You do not expect us to keep quite. We are already in court contesting some of the irrational decisions he took before he was suspended. We are

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

INEC lacks capacity for credible polls – Wike

R

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the capacity to conduct credible polls.

He called on the International Community to closely monitor the nation’s electoral process to stop INEC from manipulating the 2019 elections.

He spoke on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Shlagheck to the Government House Port Harcourt.

“INEC does not have the capacity to hold free and fair elections.

See what happened in Kano State.

INEC says it wants to investigate the under-age voting that took place last week.

“Who gave the children the voters cards? We will not allow anyone to manipulate the electoral

system of the country “, Governor Wike said.

The governor said that due to the failure of the APC, the party plans to use INEC and security agencies to create crisis and manipulate the electoral system .

He said that the cries over the order of elections by the ruling All Progressives Congress reveals their intention to manipulate the process.

Speaking further, the Rivers State Governor urged the German Ambassador to ensure that the Federal Government is committed to the development of the Niger Delta.

He said that despite resources produced in the Niger Delta, the people have been denied access to infrastructural development.

Earlier, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Shlagheck lauded Governor Wike for his in-

Ozubulu church massacre: Court adjourns ruling on bail application

By IBE NWACHUKWU

T

HE trial of four persons accused of shooting and killing some parishioners inside St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Amakwa, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state on August 6, last year, commenced yesterday at Nnewi High Court No. 3, presided over

by Justice F. I. Aniukwu.

Their trial kicked off with the immediate past President-General of Ozubulu Development Union, ODU, Dr. Ernest Chukwuka testifying as the first Prosecution Witness, PW1, followed by the second prosecution witness, PW2 and their cross-examination by both the prosecution and defence counsel.

The suspects who are standing trial for conspiracy and murder, include Great Chinedu Akpunonu, 44; Vincent Ike, 57; Chukwudi Ugwu, 30, and Onyebuchi Mbanefo, 46.

Testifying before the court, Chukwuka, the PW1 noted that few weeks after the incident, the President of ODU in South Africa Quintus Onyebinamma (a.k.a Obasanjo) returned home with a message from South Africa in connection with the church killings and consequently invited himself as PG then, his then executive members of ODU, the traditional ruler of Ozubulu, Igwe Nnamdi Oruche and the Obis of four Ozubulu quarters.

Chukwuka noted that in the message, Quintus mentioned the names of those who claimed responsibility for the shootings, adding that those who claimed responsibility said they still have unfinished business with Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu (a.k.a Bishop) and that more heads will roll if the matter is not settled as soon as possible.

The PW2, told the court in his evidence that one of the suspects who was declared wanted by the police had approached him sometime in July and offered to give him the job of a hit man so that he could join other hit men to invade Ikegwuonu’s residence and deal with him for owing him a whooping sum of N1 million

South African Rands, adding that when he rejected the offer, he later heard of the killings in August.

When cross-examined by one of the defence counsel, on why his evidence did not correspond with his statement to the police, the PW2 stated that the police recorded his statement up to three times, adding that he did not know whether it was the first, second or the third statement that they gave him to sign which he signed at a very late hour when both himself and the police officers were in a hurry to go.

After the cross-examinations of the two witnesses, counsel for the defendants, Festus Keyamo (SAN), tendered a written application for their bail, citing health condition and mere suspicion as his reason for the bail application.

Keyamo contended that the defendants are still presumed to be innocent until proved guilty, adding that assuming that they are innocent, it would be unfair and unjust for them to be languishing inside the prison custody while the trial lasted.

Praying the court to grant the application for their bail, Keyamo stated that as breadwinners of their respective families, it would not augur well for them to remain in prison custody suffering, while their family members are starving and possibly drop out of schools However, the prosecution counsel opposed the motion on the ground that the defendants could jump bail while the proceedings lasted, adding that such a high profile case should not be toyed with because according to him, what happened at Ozubulu on the fateful day was a sacrilege which had never taken place since after the civil war.

He suggested that rather than granting them bail, the court could go for accelerated hearing for quicker dispensation of justice in the matter, pointing out that the prosecution was even contemplating to involve International Police Organization, INTERPOL into the matter for further investigations and as granting them bail could jeopardize INTERPOL investigations.

vestments in infrastructural development.

He said that he was in Rivers State as part of his familiarization

tour of the Niger Delta. He said that he started with Rivers State because of the importance of the state in the structure of the region.

He called on all political stakeholders to work for the success of the 2019 General Elections.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (r) presenting souvenirs to the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Bernhard Shlagheck (l), when the latter paid a courtesy call to the Government House Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Ebonyi APC crisis: Onu loyalists responsible for attack on Okorie – Group

By CHINEDU NWAFOR

A

SSOCIATION of Ward Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has claimed that the attack on a chieftain of the party, Engr.

Paul Okorie, was perpetrated by members of the party loyal to Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnya Onu. Recall that last Tuesday, Okorie and Nnachi Okoro, the Ohaozara APC chairman, one John Ogbonnaya and two members of the party were attacked and brutalised by thugs numbering over 30 who invaded the venue where the party members were holding a meeting at Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara LGA of the state.

However, contrary to the speculations in some quarters that Okorie and other victims were attacked by thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, the group in a press statement signed by the Chairman,Nweke Joshua Friday and Secretary, Nworie Peter Sunday, which was made available to Journalists in Abakaliki accused pro-Onu’s group of being responsible for the attack.

Dr. Onu and Okorie are from Ohaozara local government area of the state.

The group explained that the duo were aspiring for the APC governorship ticket for the 2019 governorship election in the state; alleging that the desperation in their aspiration for power has created unnecessary tension that has resulted to attacks and counter attacks between loyalists of the two brothers.

According to the group, the attack on Okorie and others as widely reported was one of the intermittent clashes currently witnessed between the two

camps of the two desperate governorship aspirants.

The group equally attributed the pockets of violence witnessed in the rally organized by Eze Nwachukwu Eze led faction of the party to the alleged attempt of the faction to remove some constitutionally elected executives of the party at all levels.

Part of the statement read: “There was no Local Government Area where the APC rally took place in Ebonyi State that did not record domestic violence amongst APC members that were in attendance. More worrisome and gruesome is that anybody who objects to removal/ replacement of any ill-conceived APC executive member(s) at the venues of the rallies or pre-rally meetings was severely dealt with by armed thugs on ground.

“Cases in point include the beating and torture of Mr. Victor Umeh, APC Zonal Vice Chairman Ebonyi State South Zone by political thugs that were allegedly contracted by Hon. Aroh Nweke in Ivo Local Government Area, beating and torture of APC Members and destruction of vehicles at the residence of Loius Nwangbo at Ebonyi Local Government area during a pre rally meeting, mayhem at Ezza North Local Government Area prior to the commencement of APC rally on the D-Day by those that foresaw their removal or replacement should the APC rally take place.

“And above, the attack on Engr. Paul Okorie, a desperate APC 2019 Guber aspirant who decamped from Labour Party to APC but wanted at all cost to have his former Labour Party Members now in APC to occupy all APC executive positions in Ohaozara Local Government area of the state.

“He was attacked by core APC Members in Ohaozara LGA who are pro Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Hon. Minister for Science and Technology who equally hails from Ohaozara LGA and a super APC 2019 Guber National Aspirant in Ebonyi State.”

Ebonyi APC has been witnessing intractable crisis since 2015 leading to the emergence of two factions, one loyal to Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and another loyal to 2015 governorship candidate of the party, Sen Julius Ucha.

While the Ucha faction has Ben Nwobashi as its Chairman, the Onu group has Mr Ben Nwobasi’s Vice Chairman, Eze Nwachukwu Eze as its Chairman after they purportedly impeached Nwobasi in 2015.

The Nwobasi group went to court even before the purported impeachment and got a restraining order barring the party from effecting a change in the leadership of the party, that matter is still in court.

The group further accused the national chairman of APC, John Oyegun, of fueling the party’s crisis in the state, but expressed confidence on the BolaTinubu’s led reconciliation committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

30

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

CRIME

Banker, Importer arrested over illegal one other importation of tramadol worth N110m jailed for fraud A Stories by XAVIER NDAH

J

ustice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has convicted and sentenced a former Relationship Manager with the United Bank for Africa, UBA, Victor Onodavwerho, to one year imprisonment.

The convict was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering. Justice Buba found him guilty of all the charges and sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each of the four counts. The sentence is to run concurrently. Onodavwerho ran into troubles when he forged the letter-heads of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board and converted a sum of N20,000,000 belonging to the Board to build a hotel in his name. His bank petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and he was arrested and prosecuted. Thirteen (13) witnesses were presented against him by the rosecution Counsel, Kayode Oni. In the same vein, Justice Buba found one Emeka Edem guilty of two-counts of conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products.

He was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment. The sentence came with an option of fine of N200, 000 on each count. Also, a Mercedes Benz Truck, loaded with 30 drums of products confirmed to be crude oil, used by the convict to commit the crime, was forfeited to the Federal Government.

Edem was arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF) “Operation Restore Hope” with a Mercedes Benz Truck, with registration number Ebonyi XA 327 CHR, loaded with 30 drums of petroleum products confirmed to be crude oil. The matter was transferred to the Commission for further prosecution.

He was arraigned on 22 January, 2009 before Justice M.B.Idris of Federal High Court, sitting in Benin before the matter was transferred to Asaba division of the Federal High Court.

n importer has been arrested by men of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS)Apapa Area Command for importing drugs which are controlled and regulated from importation into the country.

The suspect names withheld was arrested on February 6, based on credible intelligence from the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) Apapa Command concerning the importation of the regulated drugs.

Disclosing this to The Oracle Today was Customs Area Controller of the command Jibrin Musa,in his office in Lagos, while rolling out the successes of the command last year.

Musa said the command on February 6, intercepted three by 40 foot containers loaded with different kinds of controlled drugs including Tramadol and Ibramol.

According to him, the intercepted controlled drugs has duty paid value (DPV) of over N110 million, adding that the drugs were being controlled due to security purposes and to avoid having negative impact on the larger society.

“The three containers with numbers: MRSU 3637149; MRKU 6196764 and MRSU 3516384 were imported by one VILLA GOLD PHARMACY from India. While on February 7, another one by 40 foot container with number MRKU 6058282, containing prohibited drugs, was also arrested

• Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command. Jibrin Musa (m), his Personal Assistant, Yusuf Saidu(L) Public Relation Officer, Nwala Ijioma (r) and other Customs Officers at Appa wharf while inspecting the ceased drugs by the command,” Musa said.

According to the CAC, the four arrested containers were loaded with 2,250 cartons of different types of Tramadol; 160 cartons of Dobumol Anagestic; 374 cartons of Col-cap; 330 cartons of Ibramol and other prohibited drugs.

“One person has been arrested in connection with the seizures and has been granted administrative bail while investigation is still ongoing,” he added.

Meanwhile the controller further

disclosed that it has generated over N31 billion as revenue into the Federal Government coffers in the month of January.

According to him, that the command’s revenue in the month under review grew by over N5.1 billion compared to N25.9 billion collected within same period in 2017.

He disclosed that the command has a monthly revenue target of N35.5 billion and annual target of N426 billion in 2018, adding that the command hopes to meet and surpass its

No resistance can stop us Customs boss warns smugglers …Seizes N1.61b contraband in one month

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he, Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) Mohammed Uba has vowed that no amount of resistance from smugglers and their mob accomplices will deter his zone from performing its statutory duties in suppression of smuggling.

He said this in an exclusive interview with The Oracle Today at the zonal headquarters in Ikeja.

Ali, warned all would be smugglers to desist from any act of illegal trade and invest their money in a legitimate business that will yield dividend on

their investment rather than thinking that they can pay their way through illegal means.

According to him the zone has recorded seized contraband with Duty Paid Value(DPV) of N1,618,177,661.50 between 1st and 31st of January, 2018.

The unit said it was able to achieve the feat after intensifying its antismuggling operational modalities aimed at meeting up with the current smuggling tactics.

Uba said “We have intercepted various contraband with Duty Paid Value(DPV) of one billion, six hundred

and eighteen million, one hundred and seventy seven thousand, six hundred and sixty one naira, fifty kobo only from 1st to 31st January, 2018”.

The seized items according to the controller include 31 assorted vehicles, 8,400 bags of foreign parboiled rice(about fourteen trailers), 1,652 cartons of frozen poultry products, 835 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 10 sacks(bags) of Indian hemp, 2,208 pieces of used tyres, 159 bales of used clothing among others.

Also two containers were seized while 1/20 ft container no. GA-

However, unsuspicious of the clandestine moves by the detectives to clampdown on them, the syndicate went for another operation and snatched a Lexus RX 330 Jeep, which was tracked down to the Pastor’s Iba residence in Lagos.

The “man of God” was consequently nabbed, leading to the apprehension of Animashaun, an active member of the three-man carsnatching gang According to the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, “On interrogation, Animashaun confessed that he and the two other members, now at large, snatched the Lexus jeep at gun point in Ajah area of Lagos and took it to the Pastor. He also revealed that the Pastor paid him a paltry N350,000 for the jeep, and had been using the car for two weeks before sending it to one of his regular buyers in Onitsha, who is still at large”.

Oyeyemi added that, Animashaun also revealed to the detectives how he once robbed someone of a Galaxy Samsung handset, of which the pastor took interest in and paid him N35,000.

Pastor Onwugbufor, who, according to the police image maker, initially claimed ignorance of Animashaun’s stock-in-trade, as an armed robber, had to give in when he was made to see one on one with Animashaun. It was then he attributed his involvement in the messy acts to devil’s temptation.

He informed the police that the snatched jeep had been sent to his

accomplice in Onitsha, but promised to cooperate with the police to ensure his arrest.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Iliyasu, has directed the FSARS operatives to intensify efforts to get all the fleeing members of the syndicate arrested, appealing to the public to always give necessary information to the police in order to rid the state of criminal elements.

‘It is the devils handwork’ robber pastor pleads

A

pastor of the Lagos-based church, God’s Favour Ministry in Iba, Daniel Onwugbufor, who has become a guest of operatives of the Federal Special AntiRobbery Squad (FSARS), Abeokuta in Ogun State, for being neck-deep in serial robberies has pleaded to be pardoned and attributed his actions to hypnotism.

Onwugbufor asked for forgiveness never to go back to sin as he has learnt his lesson although attributed his robbery involvements to the handiwork of his enemies who ‘hypnotized’ him with a spell so that his church will scatter.

The pastor’s role in the gang, Oracle Today’s investigation revealed, was to obtain snatched exotic vehicles and sell to his numerous buyers, spread across the country.

The pastor was arrested alongside one Israel Animashaun through technical intelligence by Uba Adams-led squad of Ogun police command.

Their arrests followed series of car snatching reports, of which the Police in Ogun State had been working round the clock to smash the syndicate.

target as expected by Customs headquarters.

To achieve this, Musa said that the command was ready to deploy the Nigerian Customs Integrated System (NICIS) 2 software, to enable the command block all revenue leakages and increase its revenue profile.

He however, called on all stakeholders to fully embrace the new application because it is faster, more efficient, and all-encompassing and will provide opportunity for seamless cargo clearance at the ports.

TUI32358/4 was seized for carrying 537 cartons of Indian Whisky as against yeast declared in SGD, 1/40ft container no TCLUI72184/3 was seized for carrying 60 pieces of used chest freezers and 570 bundles of gas hose as against condenser for steam polysomic. This is a clear case of false declaration which is tantamount to seizure.

“Just as I told you last year, it is our obligation to support the Federal Government policy on rice, encourage local rice farmers, the millers and patronize our own nutritional rice which by implication will create employment opportunities for our youth.”

He revealed that among the detained vehicles were four Rolls Royce, one Porch Premera, one Jaguar, one Bentley, two Lexus Jeep, two G Wagon, two Toyota Land Cruiser, five Toyota Corolla, seven Mercedes Benz among others which were mostly 2017 models.

“These 31 assorted vehicles alone have a Duty Paid Value of one billion, four hundred and twenty nine million, nine hundred and fifty three thousand, nine hundred and forty one naira, fifty kobo only.”

Comptroller Uba further disclosed that while some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, others were evacuated at various raids in Parkview Estate, Victoria Island, Banana Island, Alhaji Bankole Crescent, Ikeja and Tola Adewunmi Street, Mary land.

“We urged the owners of these vehicles to come forward with valid Customs clearance documents otherwise they will be liable to seizure and consequent forfeiture to the Federal Government in line with laws of the land. For the avoidance of doubt, our action is in line with the provisions of sections 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act CEMA Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004-power to search premises, section 158 of CEMA, Cap 45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria-power to patrol freely”.

31

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

Liam Payne calls in divorce lawyers to advise how to protect his £54m from Cheryl

O

Name: Jackie Appiah • If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS

ne Direction star Liam Payne has sought legal advice as friends claim he could split from Cheryl in weeks.

Liam, 24, has an estimated fortune of £54million while Cheryl, 34, is said to be worth around £20million.

The couple, who are not married but have a son, 11-month-old Bear, and live together in a Surrey mansion, are said to be considering going their separate ways.

Now it has been reported Liam has spoken to lawyers to see what a split would mean for their shared assets and the care of their son, according to the Sun. A source close to the couple told the newspaper: ‘Liam has sought some legal advice but he still wants to make it work.It’s just sensible to be prepared for all options.

‘With a young son and a number of assets between them there is more to breaking up than just parting ways.

‘He hopes it doesn’t come to it but he’s just being careful.’

MailOnline has contacted Cheryl and Liam’s representatives for comment.

The latest claims come just hours after a source told the Mail on Sunday that the pair’s romance is in trouble.

‘It’s very sad – they tried very hard to make it work,’ they said. ‘They’re desperate to make a go of it but it’s absolutely on the rocks.’

A source close to Liam added: ‘It’s very difficult for them and extremely sad. Things go from being very calm to being very tough.

‘The crux of the problem is that Liam has to be away a lot. Cheryl has always understood he would have to work hard and be absent but the reality is that it’s not an easy thing to deal with. This relationship is hanging by a thread. Both of them are devastated.’

Another source close to the couple said: ‘Both of them desperately

want it to work but it doesn’t look like things are going to end as they wished.

‘Their main concern is Bear and making sure that he remains the happy little boy he is.’

Liam has been away on tour frequently over the past year, promoting his new album while Cheryl is said to have stayed at home looking after baby Bear at their Surrey home.

Recently he has been touring the US and spent time in New York promoting his new single For You, a duet with Rita Ora. According to reports he has been flying between the US and the UK by private jet in a bid to spend more time with Cheryl, but the pair have not been seen together in public since October.

Cheryl and Liam confirmed their romance in February 2016, and went on to delight fans with a number of cosy social media snaps before pregnancy rumours began to swirl.

The pair never confirmed they were expecting - but announced the birth of their son Bear with a sweet Instagram snap in March.

Immediately after the birth, One Direction star Liam admitted the pair were open to having more children in the future.

Remaining mostly coy on the matter, he said of adding to their brood: ‘We have spoken about this. We will see what happens. We are in a routine now and loving life.’

Cheryl previously enjoyed a fouryear marriage to former England footballer Ashley Cole, before it ended in 2010 over his infidelity.

She went on to marry playboy restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, tying the knot at a secret ceremony in Mustique in 2014 after just three months of dating. They divorced in 2016 after Cheryl cited ‘unreasonable behaviour.’

Want to live to your 90s? Drink a couple glasses of wine or beer

I

t’s the sort of health news most would toast with a cheeky tipple – but it may have health fanatics choking on their carrot juice.

Drinking a couple of glasses of wine or beer a night – while adding a few extra pounds in weight – could be the secret to living into your 90s, a major study finds today.

The research, which looked at those who had lived beyond 90, identified modest alcohol consumption as one of five key factors linked to a long life.

It found that those who had around two glasses of beer or wine every day had an 18 per cent reduced risk of premature death compared to those who were teetotal.

Meanwhile, being slightly overweight – but not obese – also appeared to reduce the risk of early death, although only by around 3 per cent.

Professor Claudia Kawas, of the University of California, tracked data on around 1,700 people who were in their nineties in 2003 – called the ‘90+ study’.

Romantic Joke She said her work had found that modest drinking and carrying extra pounds were both associated with longevity. She also found that those who spent at least two hours a day on a hobby had a 21 per cent lower risk of premature death, while those who took between 15 and 45 minutes of moderate exercise a day had an 11 per cent lower risk. Drinking

about two cups of coffee a day gave a ten per cent lower chance.

Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in Austin, Texas, Professor Kawas said: ‘I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity.’

Continued on Page: 34

CAR DOOR If a man opens the car door for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: either the car is new or the wife.

32

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

True Confession

“I may be evil, but I’m not the cause of my husband’s mysterious illness” I love both Christians and Moslems but I believe in Ifa. I practice African Traditional Religion. I’m a Yoruba woman married to an Igbo man. I wedded in Church because that was what my husband’s family wanted.

However, before we got married, my husband promised not to forcefully convert me to Christianity.

He promised to give me my freedom to practice my traditional religion. And that freedom almost destroyed my marriage when my husband took ill some years ago.

My husband, Ifeanyi, never complained of ill health until he celebrated his 60th birthday. Shortly after that, he became seriously ill and several doctors were unable to identify the cause.

But rather than try to find a solution to the problem, my in-laws descended heavily on me with all their accumulated prejudices and intolerance of my religion.

They accused me of being responsible for my husband’s strange illness and issued me an ultimatum to leave my husband’s house.

The mouth of a crocodile is too short to threaten a tree in the forest.

I stood my ground and refused to succumb to pressure from my in-laws to pack and leave my husband’s house.

I told my sisters-in-law that I was in my husband’s house and so they too, should go back to their husband’s houses.

Even when my mother-in-law came with them to throw me out, I refused to move and called the police.

When the police arrived, they told my in-laws that they had no right to eject me from my husband’s house.

That was how police saved me from being thrown out of my husband’s house.

Next, my in-laws said I was possessed and dragged me to church. There, I asked my mother-in-law, “Mama, just because I believe in Ifa, does that mean I’m possessed?”

The priest was angry and told them to stop harassing me because I’m not possessed. He advised us to take my husband to a hospital to find out the cause of his illness.

My husband’s condition continued to deteriorate and I was determined to find out the cause of his illness in order to vindicate myself.

I spent all my money carrying him from one hospital to another until finally, my husband was diagnosed of cancer in a teaching hospital.

I was vindicated when my husband was diagnosed with cancer and my in-laws

now had to apologize to me for insinuating all along that I’d been responsible for my husband’s condition.

They were now sorry for treating me with so much disrespect and tried to find a way to pacify me after doing so much damage to my reputation and my credibility.

I told my in-laws that the fact that I believe in African Traditional Religion does not make me a witch or a wicked person.

Even if they think I’m evil just because I patronize native doctors, the truth remains

that I’m not responsible for my husband’s strange or mysterious illness.

It’s not everyone who goes to a native doctor that is evil. Some people go to native doctors for other reasons other than evil purposes. Sometimes, I go to a native doctor for advice concerning a particular situation that I’m facing, not to kill my husband. But no one believes me.

They may call me a witch, but I’m not responsible for all the bad things that happen in the family.

Some of the things that happen to a

man may even be caused by nemesis because of the bad things that he may have done in the past. But sadly, most of the time when bad things start to happen to a man, everyone blames the wife.

I pray my husband pulls through, but even if he doesn’t, I’m glad I’ve been vindicated.

Call or text your reactions to this story to 07031028714.

Email: ireto007@yahoo.com

Could THIS end the pain for millions of arthritis...

Continued from Page: 33 Previous studies have suggested that light alcohol consumption could lower the chances of a heart attack or heart disease. However, the latest advice from the UK’s Chief Medical Officer states that men and women should consume no more than 14 units a week – equivalent to six pints of beer or seven glasses of wine – and that drinking should be spread evenly over the course of seven days.

On weight, Professor Kawas explained that human biology was geared to adding weight later in life, adding: ‘The best mortality experience is to gain between five and ten pounds

per decade.

‘Underweight people had a 50 per increase in mortality. It’s not bad to be skinny when you’re young but it’s very bad to be skinny when you’re old.’

The research project, which began nearly four decades ago, looked at which factors were linked to a longer life.

On coffee she said: ‘The sweet spot for caffeine was 2-400mg per day, which depending on if you’re a Starbucks fan ... is two cups of coffee probably.’

The number of people over 90 in the UK is rapidly growing – more than 571,245 people in

2016, up from around 200,000 in 1986.

But Professor Kawas said while the tips could extend life, they would not guarantee the extended years would be healthy ones.

She stressed: ‘People should try to incorporate as many of these things into their day if they wish to give themselves the best chance of living to a ripe age.

‘Our data shows none of these lifestyle factors make any difference to the likelihood you will develop dementia.’

Stroke victims could regain their ability to speak by returning their brains to a childlike state, delegates at the Austin conference

were told. Dr Takao Hensch, of Harvard University, said drugs such as valproic acid may let the brain absorb information as easily as it did under the age of seven.

Meanwhile, inventor Takao Someya from the University of Tokyo described how his new ‘electronic skin’ patch could make it easier to monitor the vital signs of babies, old people and the sick.

33

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Love & Living

How to win any lady’s heart “You look so familiar”.

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hat starter for guys is easily the most abused and over-used of all.

Ladies hear that all the time and it’s now no more than an opening for guys who aren’t creative. In our time, trends are born and reborn daily and only the trendy gets to trend. Social relationships now require responsive dynamism and guys will find that “ancient toasting patterns” are hardly as effective. I should think that the men themselves are tired of telling every girl they fancy the same thing each other time. How boring! Just makes it seem that all girls are the same and will fall under the same unworthy words.

For men, striking the match could pose a huge challenge since there is no general template of what works; ladies differ and so should the approach. We also meet people at different places under varied conditions; this should also be taken into account when devising an effective approach. Most men insist that ladies are moved by what they hear and that’s why sharp guys do well to make an impressive intro on the very first meeting. But is this still the case? Does impressive rhetoric still stir the hearts of ladies these days? I think not, things are way different now!

When it comes to breaking the ice, there are no hard and fast rules; it’s all about leaving a good and lasting impression that gets her heart over to your side. So guys, now is time to rethink the whole approach to toasting. In truth,

Ify ARONU ifyaronu@gmail.com

The trend over the years is that February 14 spikes birth rate in places where it is an item like Nigeria. You can’t imagine how many November- December babies were conceived on that date. The statistic will blow your mind. In fact, if your birthday is like mine, which falls within that interval, your parents are suspect. those mind blowing lines you wrote down and memorized many years back have been overtaken by time. Times have changed and still changing, no one seems to have time to listen to carefully drafted lines aiming to impress. Typically, sure ladies easily get suspicious of the guy who tries to force a conversation.

If he’s just talking away then it means that’s all he’s got. We want no more

than a hint of what he’s about on that first day, not the whole lot. Ladies need tit bits that make them want more. That is why being straightforward about your intentions on the first meeting can harm your mission outright if the lady in question feels rushed and belittled.

Finding the right approach that fits the occasion is a worthwhile skill therefore, for men. Sometime ago, I hardly noticed

the young man by my side in a public vehicle as I was seeing a very engaging movie on my phone. Next thing I knew, he asked to share my earpiece. I obliged him easily since I least expected that; what’s more, that was the first time a total stranger would ask me for such.

It only dawned on me that he had just effectively struck the match when he finally asked for my contact. His approach was really strange and out of the box but it worked! Now that’s a sharp and creative guy who can find his way around with ease. It was so subtle that I hardly even noticed. It did take some effort for him to focus on a movie for about an hour, for all its worth, he may not have even enjoyed the movie but he made it seem like he absolutely loved it and did it pay off? Sure, he got my attention. The time it took to see the movie together may have seemed too long for quick guys that just want to rush things but in this case, this guy let the time work on my nerves, got me relaxed, it was so natural and effortless.

Ladies want to fall for something that’s unique and different. We want to know that our guy is dynamic and that he’s got a lot of pleasant surprises to spring at us. Whatever your approach, the surprise factor does the magic. Getting her attention boils down to doing it differently while keeping it natural and spontaneous.

Please email recommendations, commendations, and condemnations to ifyaruonu@gmail.com

Elections, women leaders, political machineries

W

OMEN make up 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population, and more than 75 per cent of its labour force in agriculture. These are great figures that show the importance of women in the polity? While these sound beautiful, with my eyes on the 2019 elections, I think that we can exploit our numbers.

The term “women leader”, is one very many of us from this part of the world are conversant with. I can’t categorically say when it started, but it has become a position many women vie to occupy, especially as it is almost a money-making industry during elections and during campaigns.

Women leaders seem to be very important people. Aspirants to that position could be more interested in the opportunities it provides than seeing the position as a call to service. At best, they see it as a call to serve themselves.

They deserve credit for excelling in self-service. Is that not service?

I remember, once during my national service days, when the countdown to the elections was on and many aspirants and contestants had to visit remote villages, to solicit votes. Everywhere was buzzing with the increased activities that the presence of politicians were bound to produce in his seasonal pilgrimages.

These visits were to villages some of them had never visited. It was almost guaranteed that their next visit would be during the next elections. They would most probably never visit again, but for the sake of garnering votes. If

M

e& ore

Maureen Alikor maureenalikor@gmail.com

Of recent interest, so many social media platforms have recorded the massive intrusion of politicians and would be aspirants on its streets, as many of them are now interfacing with the younger generation that have found themselves a new nation; the internet. Politicians know how to fit into the age of their audiences. they had a chance, they would send an emissary.

Are these visits to the people we serve not supposed to be a lifestyle? How do you serve people you do not know what their needs are? For them, eye service is the order of the day. They do not care what the people think about them, so long as it would not affect their chances of getting the votes.

During the visits to remote village, majority of the target audience is usually women, so as a result of these, the need for women leader for each place arose and had to be sated. Others give

some many other reasons for women leaders, another of which could be the 1995 world summit on women, in Beijing, China, where a lot of work was done on empowering women, including provisions for 35 per cent allocation of political offices to women.

The roles of these women leaders, in these villages, were to gather or recruit women who would become members of these political parties and subsequently serve as more campaigners and recruiters for their choice party. Some times it never mattered if they became members. What mattered was getting

the votes from them.

Now, this would have been a beautiful initiative, I think; if the choice to join these parties were not motivated or facilitated by the highest bidder. Other considerations include familial affiliations.

The level of hunger and deprivation in our nation is very high and it is the first thing many persons consider when making decisions on which political party to support. To them, the highest bidder wins their votes. Intentions and integrity are down the lists of their considerations.

Women leaders become a machine of mass recruitment for electioneering purposes. It is a pity that most of them do carry out this important assignment based on sentiments.

Mothers, women are the foundations of a nation, only remembering them when it is election time, goes a long way to show how far we have decided to evolve or develop as a nation. What happens after the elections? Why have the political parties found no programmes to fill the four-year election cycle?

Our women need to know they are nurturers, far too important to be reduced to political machineries, used every election cycle, dumped, to be oiled for used, next time.

If we use the numbers, we should e asking for more, for ourselves, especially for those folks in the remote villages.

Please send comments to maureenalikor@gmail.com

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

Why I’m still single – Agatha Amata Media mogul, movie producer and happy mother of two, Agatha Amata clocks 50 next year but she is blessed with looks beneath her years. Beyond that, Agatha also runs two vibrant media platforms namely, Rave TV and Trend FM 100.9. In this chat DOUGLAS OMOYOOMA in Lagos, the proud mother and entrepreneur opens up on the journey so far and why she is still single years after her divorce from actor, Fred Amata.

S

he told The Oracle Today in an exclusive chat: “Truth of the matter is that I am in a place where I am happy. I have found me, I know who I am. People make the mistake of saying you need somebody to complete you.

Nobody can complete you, they can only complement you. I am complete.

When I am ready to find someone who will complement me for the rest of my life, I will open up but there is no hurry in life.”

“I have been concentrating on my children because I don’t want any distraction for them. I wanted them to turn out right. I am also very busy. Marriage is a serious commitment. I have done one and it did not work even though Fred and I are besties,” she added.

Entrepreneur Beginning with Inside Out in the early 1990s, Agatha is today the CEO of Rave TV and Trend FM, two vibrant media platforms. What is the secret to her success?

She broke into a warm smile as she responded: “It might sound very cliche but it is God. The reason I say it is God is because I know that I am nothing without God. I think I have been very blessed. Knowing where I am coming from I know it is God and not hard work. I work hard, yeah… but there are people who work even harder but are nowhere so I have learnt that hard work minus favour is nothing.

“I have been favoured by God and I do not take that for granted, so for me, life is about giving back and I am constantly in a sate of gratitude. I seize any opportunity to help anybody I can and bring that person up. I do that happily because I know that I am a product of grace.”

What inspired Rave TV? She said: “I think it was the next logical step. I started Inside Out with Agatha in 1993 and five years later I had about four programmes running on TV. I had always known I wanted to do this but what I did not know was when it would happen. I was interested in TV and radio and by the time Inside Out clocked 15, I knew it was the next logical step to take. I had already applied for a licence and they were no more giving terrestrial licenses so we got a digital national licence. I had also applied for a radio licence in Lagos but we were not given so I traveled to Delta State and realised

there was a vacuum there so we moved our application to Delta State and got a radio licence. We are the pioneers in Asaba, Delta State. Trend 100.9FM runs 24-hour broadcast.

Turning 50 Agatha turns 50 next year. what is the secret behind her youthful looks?

“Please don’t flatter me,” she said jocularly. “Do I really look youthful?

Hmmm…if that is true, then I will say I am still trying to figure out what it could be because I am not into make up or spa. I eat junk food regularly. I don’t do a lot of water and I don’t exercise as regularly as I should.

Sometimes I sleep with make up on. I think God just loves me. When I analyse it, I think I am specially loved. My grand mum at 90 was very healthy, so I think it is a genetic thing.

“Wow! It makes me feel like ‘oh my God I am growing old’ (laughter). But I like growing old and I don’t feel 50. Before I thought that when one was 50 one would be so old but now it is different; I don’t feel 50. It is just another number; this is the new look of 50.”

Disguise Tell us about your first cinematic movie, Disguise which premieres soon?

Said Agatha: “The movie will be premiered with all pomp and pageantry on the 3rd of March 2018. Disguise attempts to answer the age-long question ‘What do women really want?’.

The movie was produced by me and directed by Desmond Elliot. It paints a non-fictional picture of what women really want, but fails to answer the question in specific terms because women are complex. It features IK Ogbonna, Nancy Isime, Chiagoziem Nwakanma and Stephen Daniel among others others.

“I like the fact that we were able to write the story without putting the blame on any gender and sending out the message that we all have our wants and our needs. The key is to listen to your partner, communicate with them because it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.”

• Agatha Amata

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Relationships and Love Advice

“My wife no longer wants to have sex with me”

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From Greg.

Dear Greg, could also be that she is scared of getting pregnant again after having given birth to six children already. Maybe she’s tired of child-bearing. If that is the case, you might need to assure her that you don’t want to have any more children & will ensure that she doesn’t get pregnant again

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36

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

The Law and You

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

Married women should be excluded in intestate succession of their father’s estate, except…

I t is a very known fact that every father loves their children equally whether males or females. Likewise, it is a very known fact that fathers’ prayers for their female children is to get married to responsible men who will take good care of their female children.

Fathers’ prayers are usually as in the biblical way of female children to live their parents’ houses, change their surnames, have children for the man, and assist their husbands to grow and gather possessions for their own children. This invariably means that those female children have changed their town of origin to the males and are not expected to come back to their parents’ houses to struggle or contest the inheritance of the parents’ estates. In reality, a man’s generation is the males that bear his name and blood.

Because they cannot claim that their children from the males will inherit the estates of their own parents and at the same time inherit that of the mother’s husband. A situation where the mother of a child is married to a man from ‘A’ village and gave birth to children for that man at ‘A’ village but wants to inherit the estate of her father from ‘B’ village properly as in common law for herself, her heirs, etc. and the law permits such an inheritance what becomes the position of the long standing customary law of the village.

Does it means that the children of the female child are from the village B and not village A? Will this create misunderstanding, quarrel and bad blood in a united and peaceful village? Also, will this type of law not make the female folks be dis-respectful, disobedient and insulting to their husbands simply because they know that when the husband quarrels with them they can simply pack their luggages and if possible their children back to the father’s house to be causing problems there too? I am not suggesting that the female children should not be recognized and protected by their brothers when it is very glaring that they are been victimized by their husbands. However, the male family members must ensure that any misunderstanding between their female members with their husbands are adjudicated properly but where there is no resolution then they should recall their sisters to their father’s estates. It is very important to point this out that female inheritance should not be made to be for her heirs, privy etc. as is done in the common law because our culture and that of the Europeans are not the same. And since the law does not underrate customs and traditions that are with good intentions to maintain peaceful and harmonious co-existence in a family, then the law should encourage and modify it but not to encourage the females to be misbehaving in their husbands’ houses. It is also a well-known fact that not all the females may get married. Some will marry and divorce; others may be ‘not married and not single, Ms.’ In any of these cases the customs of the various villages ought to protect them in allowing them the benefits of their late father’s estate for them to reside until their death and after their deaths the said estates should revert back to the males because the offspring of these females cannot claim to be indigenes of their father’s villages. Also, there is no problem in the female inheriting in the estates of the late father’s outside their villages or town and more so if the estates are sizeable enough to accommodate the males and the females without any compactness.

It is in line with these arguments and more that I wish to highlight the various customs of each of the tribes in Nigeria as well as some Supreme Court Judgements on these issues.

It is a known fact that the judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria is the final and nobody or Court can reverse it except its reverses it by itself. My submission is that the Supreme Court should please look into its earlier judgment which did not take into cognizance these areas of conflicts of interest that I have pointed out and correct or reverse its judgment if it pleases the court. I submit with the greatest respect to its decisions which are full of wisdom and experience.

Last time, my good friend, Nnamdi visited me in my office he was lamenting about the attitude of one of his sisters, Nkechi. Nkechi is their first daughter and she got married to a fairly well-to-do graduate who has his own estate and is from Umu-elu while Nkechi is from Umu-aron. Nkechi is a civil servant while her husband, Kelvin, has retired as a public servant. They have a son only but Nkechi believes that she can inherit from her late father’s estates; she kept on insulting, molesting and even walked away with the only son to her different location of work not even minding the ill health situation of her husband. Nnamdi further told me that his sister returned to their village at Umu-aron to demand for her own share of the small estate of their father as her own permanent share for herself, her heirs, privies, etc. and that her own son should now inherit it after her death probably to turn to become a son of Umuaron and not Umu-elu. His sister according to him is now author of confusion, disunity, troubles and problems in an otherwise peaceful, loving and united family because of the way she misunderstood the judgement of the Supreme Court in that regard. It is also in line with this narration and more that I wish to highlight some of the decisions of the Supreme Court on the procedures of some different tribes in Nigeria in this matter. Enjoy your reading.

An interesting scenario of the Supreme Court judgement on this type of issue is in the case of Asika v. Atunanya, 2008 ALL FWLR part 433, at 1294. In this issue, the plaintiff who are mostly mar-

ried women and daughters of the testator claimed against the defendant (a son to their brother, Fidelis) that they were entitled in equal shares to the property known as No. 25, American Road, Onitsha. The Will of their late father read in part as follows; “I give and bequeath in equal share unto my children namely; Paulina, Michael, Fidelis, Catherine, Cordelier and Felicia, all my possession” The defendant denied the claim of the plaintiffs to equal shares in their father’s property because they were all married women except one and that the native law and custom of Onitsha people, their home town, which according to the defendants applied to the parties only entitled married women the entitlement of their husband’s estates and not their father.

NOTE: As I had earlier in my column stated, there are two forms of estates of a deceased person namely; Testate and Intestate.

Testate is where the deceased made a genuine and perfect Will of how he wants his estates both moveable and immoveable partitioned and this must be upheld in law as in the scenario above that I am explaining. In the process of a Will, the dead speaks from the grave. Intestate is where a deceased died without making a will. In this case, native law and customs or if there was an existing statutory marriage which gives power of Administration of the deceased estates to first and foremost the spouse, the children, etc. will be affected. This case was not and is not applicable to the scenario above that I am explaining. If the lawyer of the defendant had advised him properly, he would not have refused to abide by the last Will of their father and receive the defeat he received, as we will see from the decision of both the lower Courts and the Supreme Court. Also, it is true that native law and custom plays a big role in succession but once there is a valid Will, the common law takes precedence. In the case in view at the lower Court, the claim of the defendant was dismissed in part. He appeal to the Court of Appeal and one issue that the court contemplated on was whether women were not entitled to inherit the estate of their parents as a result of disqualification by native law and custom irrespective of

It is also a well-known fact that not all the females may get married. Some will marry and divorce; others may be ‘not married and not single, Ms.’ In any of these cases the customs of the various villages ought to protect them in allowing them the benefits of their late father’s estate for them to reside until their death and after their deaths the said estates should revert back to the males because the offspring of these females cannot claim to be indigenes of their father’s villages.

provisions to that effect in a will. The court rules that “…………. the proposition by the respondent relating to the sharing of the estate in accordance with Onitsha Customary Law cannot prevail over the provision of the will”. He further approached the Supreme Court and lost.

My write-up is not on testate (Will) but on intestate (without a Will) and I still appeal for a reconciliation of the conflict of law between common law ideology and that of the native and customary law which is repugnant to equity, fairness and justice. Concerning the reasons for a review, there are more explanations of this kind of ruling of the Supreme Court which gives married women right to inheritance to their parental family estates as in the common law contract. I also will like to draw the attention of the authorities concerning the case of Ajibaiye v. Ajibaiye (2007) ALL FWLR part 359, 132 in which there was an existing Will which states; “I also direct and want my estate to be shared in accordance with the English Law and as contained in this Will having chosen English Law to guide my transaction and affairs in my life time notwithstanding the fact that I am a Muslim”. In this case, the Court of Appeal did not follow the English Law by Muslim Law applicable to Will’s law of Kwara State. I appeal that a review or explanation of the intention of this law on discrimination of women according to Section 42(1) and (2)of the Constitution of Nigeria should be reviewed to take into consideration the havoc caused by allowing married women to inherit the estate of their fathers and converting their children from another man in another father’s town who will probably be contesting for the chieftaincy positions and other cultural activities and positions with the uncles. As well as constituting nuisance in such villages/towns because they assumed the takeover of their supposed temporary inheritance of their mother which ought to terminate at the death of their mother or her being able to resettle herself to another location.

INTESTATE SUCCESSION ACCORDING TO YORUBA, IGBO, MOSLEM STATE The patterns of intestate succession under customary law in Nigeria are different in variation according to the different ethnic groups in the country but I shall only briefly discuss the Yoruba, Igbo and Moslem systems.

THE YORUBA SYSTEM All the children of the deceased are entitled to his real property to the exclusion of other blood relations. The landed property devolves on his children as family property. The children of the deceased have rights to the property but its management is under the control of Dawodu, the eldest surviving son.

There are two systems of distribution of the deceased states by Yoruba customary law known as IDI-IGI and ORI OJORI. In the IDIIGI system, the estate is divided per stripes that is, equally among the mothers in a polygamous setup with the children born by them taking their own portions. In the case of ORI-OJORI, the es-

Continued on Page: 38

• Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Call or send a text message to Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

It happened to me:

M

y best friend Julia and I lived together for almost eight years before she met her “one-and-only”, Richard, and got engaged. I felt nothing but happiness for her and gladly accepted the privilege of being her maid of honour.

The wedding was five months away but Julia spoke of nothing else. Every time she’d open her mouth it would be about how many tiers the cake would have or how stressed she was about losing the sufficient pounds to fit into her wedding gown. Most people around her quickly grew tired of all the wedding banter, but not me. We were best friends and I was almost as excited as Julia was.

That was until one Friday night when we went out for a couple of drinks at our favourite city drinking hole. Julia ordered a bottle of sparkling and we toasted her and Richard repeatedly. I have to say, there was a bit of craziness about Julia that night as she repeated “I’m getting married!” over and over again, not only to me but to any passer-by who’d listen.

She then decided that she would expound the benefits of being married, to me — now her only single girlfriend — and tell me how sad she was for me as I hadn’t had a boyfriend in over two years.

She then proceeded to advise me on how I could “pretty myself up” so as to be more alluring to the opposite sex and how Richard insisted she only wear certain brands of make-up that brought out the best in her lovely skin tone. There was much more to this diatribe but I blocked it out as I fumed inside.

I said little to Julia over the next few days. Although it is hard to avoid someone you’re living with, I did my absolute best.

It was when Julia came home almost in tears one day after catching a glimpse of her growing bottom in a shop window, the little devil on my shoulder gave me a great idea.

“I’ll help you lose weight”, I announced.

“Would you? That would mean the world to me!” was Julia’s reply.

I was working as a part time chef at a cafe at the time and did much of the cooking at home as well, as Julia was hopeless in the kitchen.

Night after night I produced meals that looked low-fat on the surface: fish dishes with vegetables, soups and salads. Julia was thrilled with the thought that she would soon be shedding the kilos as the wedding was months away and there would be plenty of time. I was waking early to make Julia breakfast and packing her a lunch as well, “to make sure all the meals are calorie-controlled,” I told her. She was so happy that her low-fat meals tasted so good and that she “wouldn’t have picked that they were low-fat if she didn’t know better”. Luckily she didn’t. I had been putting fairly generous quantities of olive oil

‘I fattened up my best friend for revenge’

and butter into every meal I cooked for her. I was also using double cream in some dishes (lying that I’d used low-cal condensed milk).

It was after a few weeks that Julia lamented about how she hadn’t seemed to have lost a single kilo — in fact she thought she had gained some weight. I had to work extremely hard to mask my pleasure in this as I provided a much needed shoulder to cry on.

I told her that maybe she needed to exercise more (knowing full-well that Julia was very nearly allergic to exercise using the excuse that she never had the time.) I told her it was probably just her metabolism re-adjusting to her new diet and that soon it would even out. She bought into my reasoning and I continued to fatten her up.

A month later and Julia saw that her ‘metabolic adjustment’ hadn’t happened yet. In

fact she had weighed herself at a friend’s house — something she was generally scared of doing — and she was certain she had put on at least five kilos. I reassured her and made up a few new excuses. I told her I would double my efforts (“Yeah, double the fat content,” I thought) and make sure that she won the battle of the bulge before her big day. I said I’d also exercise with her if she was willing and she seemed placated.

We started doing some very low-impact “pilates” (ie: a bit of stretching that I adlibbed) and I actually increased the amount of butter and other high-calorie ingredients I was using in her food.

A month before the wedding Julia threw a hissy-fit of nuclear proportions. She screamed that nothing was working and that she was going to a well-known weight loss establishment to help her. When they

told her that the amount of weight she wanted to lose to fit into her “already-purchased” and “obscenely expensive” size10 wedding gown would not be viable or safe, she broke down.

Julia cancelled the wedding and broke it off with Richard.

Their relationship only got going again almost a year later and for that I feel guilty. I had let my own personal hurt turn me into a monster and in turn hurt the friend who had always been there for me. Revenge isn’t always as sweet as it’s made out to be.

Picture: Getty Images. Posed by model.

Your say: Did this friend go too far for revenge? Have your say about this true confession. *Do you have a story or comment about this confession? Call 07031028714.

Married women should be excluded...

Continued on Page: 38

tate is partitioned per capita among the children of the deceased and not according to mothers. However, the preferred system by the Yoruba and according to the ruling in a case between Danmole v. Dawodu (1958) 3 FSC 46 (1962) 1 ALL NLR 702 (pc) is the IDI-IGI is for avoidance to litigations and not contrary to natural justice, equity and good conscience. It need be mentioned that an illegitimate child cannot succeed to the estate of the putative father until he is acknowledged by the father in Yoruba Customary Law. Likewise, a surviving spouse is not entitled to succeed in the estate of the other as in the case of Suberu v. Sanminu (1957) Vol. 11 PSC 33.

Also, at the death of the married daughter of the deceased, the estate does not move to her husband, or children but reverts back to the male children/family of the deceased as the estate of the deceased is not transferrable to another.

THE IGBO SYSTEM Under the principle of primogeniture, succession is through the eldest male in the family who is known as ‘Okpala’, ‘Diokpala’ or ‘Diokpa’. In the case of the nuclear family, succession is through the eldest male child of the deceased. With regard to the extended family, succession is through the eldest son of the ancestor and so on in that line irrespective of the fact that the ‘Okpala’ may in fact be junior in age to other members of the extended family.

On the death of the founder of a family, his eldest son succeeds him as the head of the family. A female cannot be the family head no matter her seniority in the family. He also inherits from the father, the father’s personal ‘Ofo’ and other objects of worship. Where a title survives the holder, the eldest son inherits the father’s title. He is also entitled to the insignia of the hereditary office which he has no right to sell, they being family property.

Under Igbo Customary Law, females do not possess the right to inherit land, that is, neither the daughters nor the widows of the deceased have right in respect of his real estate. The principle was brought out in the case of Ugboma v. Ibeneme (1967) FNLR 251.

The only exception to this rule seems to exist in parts of Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State where a daughter in respect of whom the ‘Nrachi’ ceremony has been performed inherits her father’s compound and other lands and houses. The Nrachi ceremony is usually performed where a man has only daughters and no son. In order to ensure the continuation of the family line, he persuades one of his daughters not to marry but to remain in the family with the hope of bearing a male heir. The rule that a daughter is not entitled to inherit her father’s estate is partly mitigated by her right to be maintained by the person who inherits her father’s estate until she marries or becomes financially independent or dies. Moreover, an unmarried daughter has a right to be shown a portion of her father’s land or family group farmland for her annual farming needs. This right lasts until she marries or leaves the family group or dies.

In Polygamous family, Igbos agree with the two systems; IDI-IGI and ORI-OJORI, but they prefer the first and women do not have any right and share in the estate except with accommodation till they sort out themselves or die and the estate reverts to the family.

THE MOSLEM SYSTEM The rights of succession under Islamic law are set out in the Koran.

Succession under Islamic law is to the net estate of the intestate after the payment of funeral expenses, debts, legacies and other charges. The share which are inherited are of the following fractions only – ½, ¼, 1/8, 2/3 and 1/6 of the estate.

If a Moslem dies intestate, his estate must be shared among his heirs entitled to share his estate under Moslem law. His male children must have equal shares and the female children half-share each. A child may only be disinherited of his legal share if he is not a Moslem, or if he kills his parents with the intention to inherit their properties. The rules of distribution are as follows. On the death of a man intestate, his widow is entitled to one-quarter of the estate. But if there are children or grand-children, her share will be reduced to one-eighth. Where there is a plurality of wives, they share the one-quarter or one-eighth equally between them.

One significant point in the Moslem mode of distribution is that the estate is divided per capita and not per stripes.

38

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

Entertainment

Toyin Abraham’s The Ghost and The Tout hits cinemas May 11 N ollywood actress and producer, Toyin Abraham, to storm cinemas come May 11th 2017 with her latest movie titled ‘The Ghost and the Tout’.

Following the wide acceptance of her blockbuster movie, Alakada Reloaded, which ranked as the highest selling indigenous movie ever in cinemas, Toyin Abraham will be premiering her latest movie, The Ghost and the Tout’ come May in cinemas nationwide.

The movie follows the story of a young and vibrant lady, Isila (Toyin Abraham), who grew up in the cores of a ghetto. An unforeseen event sends her world into a series of drama involving a murder case and a mystery from a forbidden spiritual event.

Left with no choice, Isila journeys on a mission to unravel the truth also to get her life back on track and in turn freeing a ghost from the restlessness of his soul.

Written by Toyin Abraham, Produced by Biodun Stephen and Direct-

ed by Charles Uwagbai, ‘ The Ghost and The Tout’ features talented actors like Chiwetalu Agu, Dele Odule, Femi Adebayo, Rachel Okonkwo, Sambasa Nzeribe, Chioma Akpotha, Omowunmi Dada, Chigurl, Ronke Oshodi-Oke and more. It also stars talented Instagram sensations like Josh2funny, Cute Abiola, Bobrisky, Lasisi Elenu, Oshisko Twins,Iya Ibadan and more.

Speaking with the actress she said; “This is not just an extremely hilarious and entertaining movie; it cuts across all spheres of our lives and realities. It deals with the several emotions that can be felt by any human and how we let these emotions define us.’

She further stated that as always, the movie is well cultured, morally inclined and deep rooted. ‘This movie has so much to give and it is suitable for everyone to watch, both old and young. This movie will blow everyone away and I am confident that the audience is going to love it ’, she said.

The Ghost and the Tout to screen nationwide come 11th May, 2018.

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he veteran actress revealed this while granting an interview with Saturday Beats and also talked about why she celebrated her son’s posthumous birthday.

“I have not removed my mourning clothes, neither have I opened my hair since the death of my son. I have only been wearing white since his demise and the reason I have maintained this

is because my son was a good boy to me; but he was mistakenly killed by the doctor. My son was not supposed to die. He was a very wonderful child. I decided to honour him by marking his 16th birthday posthumously the way we normally do.

“During our birthdays, we usually visited the motherless babies and show them love by donating some

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that is it,” she said.

“But in a culture where we are Nigerians and Africans, we should be able to respect those who were there before us and our senior colleagues.”

Ama added that she always arrives movie location on time, not minding that she is an old actor.

“But the new actors, they stroll in whenever they feel they should stroll in. Maybe because they tend to have the support of the producer or director on their side.”

But I feel that as a professional, you should be able to act as one

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ospel artiste, Aity Dennis is at it again as she drops her new music video, Call My Number. Described as very colourful, breezy and captivating, the new video captures the lively, bubbling spirit of the ever- smiling artiste testifying of God’s faithfulness to all and sundry.

Commenting, she said: “If God could end my over 20 years wait for a baby and turn me from Mama Nothing to Mama Three, then the impossible is possible, if you doubt it, Call my number!

“My life has become a living testimony, so the least I can do is to encourage people going through stuff in this life to hold on to God even when they are in dire straits.”

Beautifully dramatised and fun- filled with lots of dancing, Call My Number is a viewer’s delight. The video was directed by one of Nigeria’s most creative film makers, Oluyinka Davids of IFOCUS Pictures, while the music itself is produced by ace producer, Wole Oni.

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• Toyin Abraham

clothes and food to them. This year would not be any different from the previous ones we have celebrated.

I am going to do it the way my son and I had always done it and I would give out some of his personal effects.

Normally, when someone dies, you do not touch their things for about a year.

“For instance, if a man’s wife dies he is not expected to touch her things or dispose of them till after a year. Initially, I decided to do the same thing but I later changed my mind and that is why I donated some of his things to a government-owned motherless babies’ home and also to the boys at the Special Correctional Centre for the Boys. I am doing this because I am a humanitarian and to let the motherless babies know that we love them,” she said.

It would be recalled that Eucharia Anunobi visited the motherless babies home to celebrate her son’s 16th birthday, a tradition she said she would continue to maintain.

In another interview she granted, she also lamented on how she misses her late son and how his absence has made her house silent.

Eucharia Anunobi lost her son, Raymond to sickle cell anaemia, on August 22, 2017, he died at the age of 15 and was a product of the marriage between her and ex-husband, Charles Ekwu.

Most new Nollywood actors are disrespectful – Grace Amah

uring an interview with Broadway TV, Amah was asked about an earlier interview where she had said that most young Nollywood actors are disrespectful and don’t say hello to their seniors.

The actress repeated her statement, maintaining that majority of the younger actors are disrespectful and sometimes, unprofessional.

“Yes, I still maintain that. I’m just going to be fair to those who have that respect, but majority of them don’t even care if you are an older actor or you just came in yesterday.

They just see you as an actor and

• Dennis Unleashes Call My Number

Eghosa unleashes Young Girl

Eucharia Anunonbi says her son was mistakenly killed by doctors

• Eucharia Anunobi

My life is a living testimony – Aity

- when there is a call time, you get there on time. And some of them just stroll in at the time they want to stroll in and they expect that they should be attended to immediately.

So I think the disrespect still exists in recent times.”

Grace Amah made her acting debut as a 13year old character in the movie “Chains.” The actress who took a break from acting, made a return to the movie industry in 2014.

She is known for movies such as “Elastic Limit,” “Last Wedding” and “Day of Atonement.”

n December 2017, the act known as Eghosa released the audio and video of his hit single entitled Young Girl. Produced and directed by Bigtown International, the song is currently enjoying massive airplay and getting rave reviews.

Speaking, the Eghosa said: “I am glad to inform my fans and lovers of good music that my latest single, Young Girl has been on massive rotation both online an on TV and the response has been overwhelming!”

Formerly known as Wanblood, Eghosa Agho, the CEO and founder of Wanblood Entertainment a while ago rebranded and is now professionally known as Eghosa.

A statement from his management read thus: “Eghosa does a wide range of music. He has a Diploma in Law and a Pro-Diploma in Music. Eghosa’s first mix tape was recorded in 1990. By 1996, he teamed up with Funky a.k.a Don Scotch and founded The Blackhood and they recorded a MixTape entitled Step Into Fire but amicably both went separate ways due to individual commitments.

In 2003, he release a 10-tracker entitled One Nation.

Another Mix Tape was released in 2009 featureing two promotional singles.

Eghosa has collaborated with notable names like Righteousman, Ruffman of the Streetmonk fame, Trigger Ballet based in Europe, Carol Cee, Cyrus de Virus, Smooth Prync and Dapiano among others. He has also worked with great producers like Chris Okoro, Philtown, Dapiano, Mickey Blaq and Righteousman.

Find You is all about unconditional love – Djinee

• Djinee

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ward-winning vocalist, Osayamwen Nosa, aka Djinee, has released the video for his latest track entitled Find You (Nwanyi Oma).

According to the artiste, Find You, a song dedicated to lovers emphasizes the power of unconditional love to a partner at a time when life’s worst storms arrive at our door front and there seems to be nothing left to hold onto but a commitment once made in the promise of love.

A sysyement from his management said: “The soft, melodic tune will definitely tug at every lover’s heartstrings as it is the perfect track to reassure and comfort a loved one of an uncertain tomorrow. It will suit perfectly for any romantic occasion, he says.

“First of all I want to say thank you to God who made all of this possible, My family, My friends, My amazing and ever loving fans, blogs, members of the Press and and DJ’s. I feel so rejuvenated and i have so many stories I can’t wait to share with you. I have missed you all desperately; the wait is so almost over. Something is coming soon.

“I am excited and scared at the same time. I have poured my heart and soul into this record, I Love you all and hope to see you in the not so distant future,” the artiste.

The video is directed by Mex Ossai while the track is produced by Exo Magege.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

HEALTH

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world class hospital, Life international, complete with the state of the art facilities, has been commissioned and dedicated to God in Awka by the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano and the Presiding Bishop of Grace of God Mission, Bishop Paul Nwachukwu respectively.

The hospital, built by Mr. Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, will employ the use of modern scientific technology known as endoEYE View in the diagnosis and treatment of women-related issues as well as boost quality healthcare delivery for all citizens.

The commissioning and dedication was preceded by the 41st inaugural lecture of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, entitled ‘EndoEYE View of the Woman’ delivered by Prof. Ikechebelu in the university’s auditorium.

Ikechebelu explained that the hospital, which is of international standard, will handle fertility issues and other ailments in the area, thereby saving patients the burden of accessing medicare in Nnewi, Lagos, Abuja or even abroad.

Gov. Obiano, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, while commissioning the edifice expressed shock that an individual could have thought of putting in place such structure and modern technologies in diagnosis and treatment for the citizens and urged others to emulate him.

“This kind of think-home philosophy is what the governor has been praying and working for. I am impressed that the hospital also has a separate quarter for patient’s relatives so that they won’t be stranded while taking care of the patients. This is a pure touch of class and excellence and a gesture we all need to emulate,” Governor Obiano said.

“Government has done its own part of creating enabling environment for business to thrive; we want industrialists, investors and professionals to key into that by creating jobs for our youths. With this, people don’t need to travel to India, Canada, America and other places to access medicare. The only thing we ask Prof. Ikechebelu is to ensure that there is professional treatment of patients here,” he urged.

He said the state government’s security breakthrough and Think Home for investment Philosophy will ensure that the present administration will continue to create an enabling environment for more businesses to emerge and thrive.

In an interview, the Deputy Governor Okeke who commended the initiator of the project, said he was impressed by the touch of class and excellence evident in the facility.

Earlier at the inaugural lecture, Prof. Ikechebelu described women as a special breed and a carrier of godly environment such as the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes and pelvis but regretted that some factors like sexually transmitted diseases, uterine fibroid, tubal damage and peritoneal factors that distort the general environment in a woman could adversely result to infertility.

He further explained that EndoEYE system, available at Life hospital, is a high-tech system used to examine the woman’s abdomen (laproscopy) and uterus (hysteroscopy) that transmits light and has a small video camera that sends images and video to a monitor or screen.

According to him, EndoEYE view can be used for improved diagnosis and surgery, easy procedure recording, assessment and treatment of conditions relating to the reproductive environment in a woman, adding that with the technological innovation in assessing woman’s environment, reproductive issues like tubal pathologies, tubal blockage, peri-tubal adhesions and Salpingistis with or without hydosalpinx can be identified and treated with ease.

Dedicating the edifice unto God, the Presiding Bishop of Grace of God Mission, Dr. Paul Nwachukwu stressed that the project was brought to fruition by God, through man’s instrumentality, saying that just like the name of the hospital implies, when one is giving life, one is doing the work of God. Bishop Nwachukwu added that such project is the beginning of good things to come in the State.

In a comment, the traditional ruler of Umunya, who is the Chairman of Oyi Tradi-

Boon to women with fertility challenges • Prof Ikechebelu delivers 41st Unizik Inaugural Lecture on Made-in-Nnewi-Babies

As Obiano commissions Life International Hospital in Awka, OGE ONYEANUSI writes that at last, women in Anambra, Awka the state capital and environs in particular, now have a chance to combat their fertility challenges in scientifically effective ways.

• Anambra deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke flanked by other officials cut the tape to commission Life International Hospital in Awka tional Ruler’s Council, Igwe Kris Onyekwuluje said that Governor Obiano’s solid foundation of security has attracted many developments into the State, calling on more people to come back home and invest, as return on their investments is guaranteed in the State.

The founder and CEO of the Hospital, Dr Joe Ikechebelu promised service delivery to patients in the hospital, even as he said that the governor’s posture on development informed his investing in healthcare.

Others present at the inaugural lecture and commissioning of the hospital included the traditional ruler of Abagana, Igwe Mbamalu Okeke, his Umunya counterpart, Igwe Onyekwuluje, the CMD NAUTH Nnewi, Prof.

Anthony Igwegbe, the sales representative of OM surgical New Delhi, India, Rajesh Patil, Commissioner for health , Dr Joe Akabuike, professional bodies, management and senior staff of NAUTH, UNIZIK among others.

Since July 2010, Life Institute for Endoscopy (LIFE) was established in Nnewi to provide quality training, excellent treatment and enhance development of Minimal Access Surgery (MAS) in Nigeria and Africa for gynecologists, general nurses, and medical instrument technicians. It has held 22 basic courses, 6 advanced courses in MAS. It has provided made-in-Nnewi babies for helpless mothers.

LIFE Institute has trained a total of 134 doctors, 25 peri-operative nurses , 1 Anesthetist and 2 Biomedical engineers equipping them with standard MAS skills that can be obtained in any part of the world.

The Founder of Life Institute and a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu has established the biggest and best Private Endoscopy and Fertility facility east of the Niger in Awka capital territory. Both fertility centre and Life Institute for Endoscopy are incorporated in Life International Hospital Awka.

Prof Ikechebelu, a pioneer President of Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy of Nigeria (SoGEN) now known as Association of Gynaecological Endoscopy Surgeons (AGES) was excited that Council of the West African College of Surgeons approved post- Fellowship training in Gynaecological Endoscopy amongst other specialist areas in gynaecology.

Ikechebelu announced that since inception in 2009 to 2017, Life Specialist Hospital, limited Nnewi has done 642 Laparoscopic and Hysteroscopic surgeries with excellent percentage of successes.

The EndoEYE Surgeries performed by Life hospital were on Laparoscopic Adhesiolysis, Laparoscopic Myomectomy, Endoscopic Tubal Cannulation, Laparoscopic Cystectomy, Hysteroscopic Adhesiolysis , Hysteroscopic Myomectomy, Laparoscopic Salpingostomy, Hysteroscopic Polypectomy, Laparocopic Ovarian Drilling, Laparoscopic Salpingectomy, Laparocopic Endometriotic Ablation, Total Laparos. Hysterectomy&BSO, Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, Metroplasty for severe uterine Synaechia, Hysteroscopic Removal of retained fetal bone, Laparoscopic Appendectomy, Laparscopic Ovariectomy, Laparoscopic Retrieval of perforated IUD, Laparoscopic Drainage of Haemorrhagic Ascitis, Hysteroscopic Uterine Septum Division, Hysteroscopic Removal of missing IUD, Urethroscopy/Cystoscopy and Laparoscopic Bilateral SalpingoOophrectomy (BSO).

Prof Ikechebelu also an expert in Minimal Access Surgery and a Fertility Specialist, who thrilled his audience with oratory delivery of his ‘’EndoEYE view of the woman at the 41st inaugural lecture of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, said his fertility practice was not by chance but a calling from God. ‘’….To aspire to be best in my chosen field, one needed to be on the cutting edge of technology and knowledge. This informed my quest for further training abroad. Close to

the end of my residency programme in UNTH Enugu, I darted off to UK to sit for the MRCOG exams. This adventure did not go as planned as I was frustrated and broken. I remembered my experience on the cold winter night of February 1997 when I landed at Heathrow airport in London. This same God whom I serve whispered to me thus,’’ I have brought you to this land to see it and not to possess it; go back to Nigeria and take care of the people...’’

On answering the question, why EndoEYE view in Gynecology a.k.a Hystero-Laparoscopy, Prof Ikechebelu noted that the great advantage of the approach in medicine is that you can see and treat at the same time hence serving dual purpose of diagnosis (diagnostic) and treatment (therapeutic). He said the EndoEYE view of the woman offers a platform to see clearly and treat correctly most conditions afflicting the reproductive environment against the ‘’open and close’’ crude methodology of the past.

UNIZIK Vice Chancellor, Prof Ahaneku insisted that there is nothing like professor professing what they claim experts in and commended Prof Ikechebelu for standing tall among his contemporaries in giving back to the society in his area of specialty even as he urged other professionals who are already professors to practice what they preach.

He reminded the audience that as a professional working in Japan, he took home a monthly salary worth his 25-year salary in Nigeria, encouraging all professionals to stick to practice in research and practicals to improve society. He noted that as Prof Ikechebelu has set a standard without ever being in a public office, no one can attribute his success to illgotten wealth.

He commended Prof Ikechebelu for not only professing his skills, imparting knowledge, and transferring skills but also for saving women from agonies of reproductive system failures in the society.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

2019: Ejiogu rejects mock primary election in Imo APC

By COLLINS UGHALAA

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ORMEr Secretary to the Government of Imo State and governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sir Jude Ejiogu, Monday, rejected the scheduled endorsement and mock primary election by Governor Rochas Okorocha, insisting on the normal primary election approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a press statement he signed, the former SGI maintained that since the APC constitution does not recognize such exercise for contestants in the party, it would

Ebonyi governor’s wife targets 2023 to end FGM

By CHINEDU NWAFOR

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IFE of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Rachel Umahi, said she is targeting 2023 to eradicate the harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Ebonyi state.

She disclosed that the state has recorded a huge success with a sharp drop from 74.4% prevalence rate to 43.2% following the aggressive campaign against the ugly practice in the state.

Mrs Umahi disclosed this during a policy dialogue in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) held at Akanu Ibiam international conference centre Abakaliki.

“My target is to ensure that there is zero tolerance to FGM in Ebonyi state before I leave office in 2023. I want to ask for your collective support to achieve this”, she said.

Mrs Umahi recalled that when her pet project, the Family Succor and Upliftment Foundation, launched the campaign against the evil practice on Tuesday 5th July 2016, Ebonyi state was rated as the second most prevalent state in Nigeria and first in the entire South-East zone.

She said her Foundation was able to achieve the feat by carrying out advocacy to the traditional rulers council and other traditional institutions, political leaders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other relevant groups in a view to ensuring effective campaign.

“At that time, Ebonyi state was rated as the second most prevalent state in Nigeria.

The immediate task of the campaign was to identify those involved in this barbaric practice and why it has remained a challenge.

“In less than two years, we have recorded huge success in bringing down the prevalence rate of FGM in the state. There is clear evidence of the possibility to end FGM in Ebonyi state.

“I am glad to announce to you that today, the rate has sharply dropped from 74.4% prevalent rate to 43.2% and Ebonyi is also the research destination towards ending FGM in Nigeria”, she noted.

The first lady further added that her office also collaborates with development partners including UNICEF, UNFPA and USAID with a target to end FGM within a shortest possible time.

She also noted that the state government has passed a law prohibiting violence against persons commonly called the VAPP law, that has addressed the issue of female Genital Mutilation.

She commended her husband, the Governor, for supporting the campaign.

Governor David Umahi in his remarks applauded his wife and other development partners on the success recorded so far in the campaign against FGM and directed the state ministry of Education and their Health counterpart to join the campaign.

amount to stupidity for him to be part of such charade.

A group known as the Imo APC Stakeholders had earlier rejected the planned mock primary election being organised by the Governor, describing it as illegal.

Recall that the Governor had organised mock primary elections for the contestants in the APC in 2015 without any opposition.

Ejiogu was in government then as the Chief of Staff to the Governor. But Okorocha’s planned mock primary election for all the contestants in the party for the 2019 general elections has met unprecedented opposition from aspirants in his party.

Sir Ejiogu said he would be ready to slug it out with any individual during the party approved primary election as released by INEC, and advised anyone organizing what he described as jamboree and illegality to desist.

He enjoined aggrieved members of the ruling party to remain law abiding, expressing optimism that most qualified and credible candidate would be unveiled for the party during the constitutionally recognized party primary before the end of 2018.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha (r) presenting the 2017 Integrity & National Service Award to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Charles Udoh at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa on last Tuesday.

Umahi urges traditional rulers to collate data on herdsmen

By CHINEDU NWAFOR

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OVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi state has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed cattle colony as a strategy to ending farmers-herdsmen clashes currently being witnessed across country.

This is also as he urged traditional rulers collate data on herdsmen operating in their dormain with a view to identifying the killers among them.

Umahi who insisted that Ebonyi State Government has no resources to embark on any ranching or Colony being an agrarian state whose main stead is agriculture, said he has initiated measures on how to maintain peace between farmers and herdsmen across the State by fully engaging the traditional rulers and leaders of Miyati Allah in the area for continuous peace among the two groups.

To this end, Governor Umahi charged traditional rulers in the state to immediately embark on registration of herdsmen within their communities with a view to knowing them more as well as hold regular meetings to resolve their differences.

The governor stated this while addressing traditional rulers, presidents of town union and other stakeholders at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki.

He reiterated his administration’s resolve to sustaining peace in all parts of the state which he said was a panacea to achieving development.

“Part of the statement read: “The traditional rulers are not just custodians of culture and tradition but also part of peace building. They must ensure peace in their localities by first of all identifying the peo-

ple living in their communities especially the herdsmen. No herdsman is allowed to graze their cattle in our lands and in an event of that, the herdsmen pay the double value of crops damaged and on repeat of such, the herdsmen will be forced to leave the community.

“The cows are dear to the herdsmen same way the crops are dear to our farmers most especially our belief in sanctity of human life which has been wasted on some areas in the country.

“To ensure security and safety of our people and herdsmen who have lived peace-

fully with us all these years without problem and to ensure there is no infiltration of killer herdsmen from neighboring states and countries, traditional rulers are to collate data on herdsmen operating in their communities across the state for easy identification and maintenance of peace. The data should include herdsmen’s names, location and contact phone numbers of their leaders.”

“Traditional rulers should hold constant meetings with the herdsmen so that they can identify those from the Niger Republic and other areas that foment trouble”, he said.

Armed Forces laud FRSC on 30th anniversary

By CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

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he Nigerian Armed Forces and other sister security arms have lauded the contributions of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to nation building, safety on the country’s roads as the organization celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Speaking at an event organized by the FRSC in Yenagoa tagged; “FRSC at 30: The Journey So far”, AVM Stephen Onuh, Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Bayelsa Mobility Command of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) lauded the roles of FRSC in the past 30 years and urged them to sustain the tempo.

Onuh who was represented by Air Commodore Wale Ogunmedede, Command Logistic Officer, described the contribution of FRSC as giant stride in national growth.

“Looking at the history of the FRSC, you will see that road traffic crashes have re-

duced drastically. In 80’s people drove without license but with the effectiveness of the Corps since inception, people became conscious of rules on the use of roads,” he said.

On his part, Brig. Gen Kelvin Aligbe, Commander 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Bayelssa said the FRSC contributions, especially in safeguarding lives and property on the roads could not be over-emphasized.

Aligbe, represented by Lieutenant Colonel Olusegun Olenigbogbe, described safety on road as safety to mankind and also commended the FRSC on its achievement so far.

“The enforcement of safety rules and regulations for road users has been so significant to the society; we as military will continue to work and support the operations of the corps to ensure that the nation’s road are completely safer for drivers,” he said.

Similarly, Mr. Don Awunah, Bayelsa Police

Emir Sanusi, Miyetti Allah laud Fayose over anti-open grazing law

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he Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi 11 and the National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa, have commended the Ekiti State Governor, Chief Ayodele Fayose, for the enactment of the Anti-Open Grazing Law in the state, saying it is for the protection of all interest groups.

The duo said the law caters for the wellbeing of parties involved, especially the herders, farmers, host communities among others.

Also, amnesty has been declared for any armed herder who surrenders such arms to security agencies in the state.

They spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Monday during a stakeholders meeting held at the Government House Grounds.

In a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the Emir, who is a patron of the MACBAN, was represented by former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who is also the Sarduana of Kano.

Emir Sanusi also frowned at the situation whereby some criminal elements would hide under grazing of herd to perpetrate crimes.

“My mission is not politics and it is about peace and peaceful coexistence of our nation I am standing in here for the Emir and I am the Sarduana of Kano. The Emir mandated me to come over here with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and find out how we can work amicably. He feels that as a patron of the group he must ensure peace and lauded Governor Fayose

for promoting peace.

“The law Governor Fayose enacted is the best to defend the rights of farmers and cattle breeders. Whoever crosses the red line should be dealt with as the law provides.

That breeders should obey the rules of the communities they reside,” he said.

In his comment, the MACBAN President, Muhammadu Kiruwa, described the meeting as a great eye opener and one that would put an end to incessant clashes between farmers and herders.

“I am really impressed with the governor for organising this meeting. Some state governors would just sit in their offices and not being proactive like Governor Fayose. Some misconception that I personally had against the governor have been cleared now.

41

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

2019: Register now Continued from Pg 2

as the philosophers say, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. My advice is that our people must insist that not only should our votes be counted, they must also count. We can only change bad leadership by voting and we cannot vote if we are not registered. Therefore our people must go out and register.”

For his part, however, the traditional ruler of Umuanyi Autonomous Community in Uturu, Isuikwuato local government area of Abia State, Eze Cletus Uwadiegwu Ogbonnaya noted: “The Igboman’s individualistic nature is his undoing. Rather than worry about his political wellbeing both now and in the future in Nigeria, he is after his primitive daily struggle.”

Eze Ogbonnaya called on the political leaders in the South East to mobilise the councillors and traditional rulers to further sensitise and mobilise the grassroots to go and register, since voter card is their weapon to capture political power in future.

According to him, “the effect of the low voter population in the South East is that the region cannot dream of the Presidency any time soon. Buhari won with more than 2.5 million votes.

It was the volume of votes from the North that gave him the presidency.

Majority carries the vote.”

“Except the political parties concede it to the South East—and I doubt that the political parties would by 2019 or 2023 concede it to the South East-- but if there is any other Nigerian from any other part of the country, there is no way the South East can win the Presidency.

“I am happy that MASSB has changed its stand because in 2015, MASSOB told people of the region not to go and register, which was counter-productive. So, the new leadership of MASSOB, under Uchenna Madu, has now called on everybody to go and get their PVCs, if not for the 2019 elections, then for the Biafra referendum, if at all it will come up.”

According to Don Ubani, the Abia PDP spokesman, the Igbo are the most adventurous and itinerant in Nigeria. So, their voting population in Diaspora constitutes at least, 20- 30 per cent of the zones they reside.

“Because of our adventurism, that is why we have our people more in the Diaspora than at home,” he posited.

Ubani also noted that the time electronic registration consumes and faulty machines contribute to the apathy of the people.

“But then, that should not be the end of the journey; it shouldn’t be the solution to the problems of the Igbo.

We should go out en masse and register so that during the next elections, we can use our voting strength to join other Nigerians in changing this very hostile and discriminatory government of APC,” he said.

Taking a dim view of the figures released by INEC Chief Egwuatu Egbulefu, Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on Revenue Mobilisation said he doesn’t believe in the veracity of voter figures released by INEC in respect of the zones with the reported registration of under aged voters.

“In the South East, it is a taboo for under-aged children to register as voters, but it is a common practice in the North and there, they register in their millions,” he sneered.

On the issue of under-age voters, Ochie said: However, he also blamed low voter population in the South East on the nonchalant attitude of the people.

“People have been nonchalant on our own side due to bad governance, poor infrastructure and all that. People are like, what is on the ground?” he said.

On the issue of under-age voting, Ochie said: “Ohanaeze is also worried that despite effort to enthrone true democracy in Nigeria, certain individuals are still bent on frustrating the process. Such development implies that our commitment to deepening of democratic ethos in Nigeria is questionable. The constitution is very clear

about the process: If you are not 18 years and above, you have no business participating in the process; and whoever that aids or abates underage registration or voting, under any guise, has violated the law and punishment to that effect is also clear under the law. Ohanaeze is watching to see the outcome of investigation and official action on that matter.”

Although he has no confidence in the system because of “INEC’s antecedents, which do not inspire confidence, Barr Fabian Ugwuama – Enugu-based legal practitioner and public commentator urged Ndigbo to go out and register so they can vote in future elections: “Let the South East go and carry out more sensitisation and encourage all eligible voters to go and register.

INEC should also ensure that adequate functional machines are deployed to the zone for the exercise.

“Ndigbo have an intimidating population. That is why I personally doubt the INEC figures. If you go to Ogbete Main Market, in Enugu, Ariaria Market, in Aba and Onitsha Main Market, you would marvel at the number of people in just those three markets. So, it is either that INEC has doctored the figures or that they have not deployed adequate machines for the exercise in the South East.”

Amb, Chukwuemeka who is the State Coordinator of Forum of Non Indigenes Living in Anambra State argued that the Igbo apathy to political things is cultural.

“The problem is our culture. Our people don’t care about leadership both at community and state levels and the politics thereof because they believe they have different means of livelihood; they see politics as a career job in the sense that one can choose politics as a career just as somebody can choose to be a trader, mechanic, lawyer, engineer and the rest of them.”

But, having said that, he noted that as part of measures to change the narrative, relevant stakeholders should

device means to reach out to the people at their doorsteps to educate them on the need to register, obtain voters’ cards and come to vote during elections.

Former Assistant National Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Barr Emejulu Okpalaukwu attributed political participation in the southeast to the republican nature of Ndigbo, which does not have room for collective interest.

“People have to be educated on this issue of political participation. Politics is similar to business. If you put in much money in business, you expect much profit, but if you don’t sow, the result is that you won’t reap. So, for Ndigbo to fight their way through, they should put in more energy through voting and all it entails is massive political participation.”

Egbulefu urged Ndigbo to resolve to change the trend and enthrone good governance by getting their PVCs, noting that with the PVCs, the power would reside with them to vote in the right candidates who would deliver the dividends of democracy.

He commended INEC for decentralising registration centres, saying it would boost the registration exercise in Abia.

It is on account of the poor result being posted in Abia by INEC with regard to the registration exercise that the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) comprising all registered political parties in the state has resolved to embark on collective and massive sensitisation and mobilisation of the populace.

Chairman of IPAC in Abia, Chief Emeka Okafor said the massive sensitisation of those qualified to register would kick off next month.

“We want to improve on our voter strength because we are being shortchanged. Low voter registration will affect Abia in so many ways,” Okafor said.

It in response to the demand for decentralisation that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State, Dr

Where is Kanu?, Court asks

Continued from pg. 2

A SUIT that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, filed at the Economic Community of West African States’ Court, in March 2016, broadened the flanks in the legal battles between IPOB and the Federal Government. Kanu is asking for $800m compensation in that suit for unlawful detention and torture that he has suffered from the Federal Government.

The suit was adjourned to 7 February 2018, after the Federal Government filed new processes days to the suit.

The Court was not happy about the development.

One of the three judges on the allFrench speaking panel, Justice Alioune Sall reminded the Federal Government that the ECOWAS Court was an international court, and not a Nigerian court.

“The process of bringing new documents every day is not allowed here,” Sall said, referring to the new papers that the Federal Government filed.

Kanu’s counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor told the court that his team was ready for “today’s sitting for definite hearing.

Two days ago, my attention was drawn to a new process filed by the Federal Government challenging the authority of the court to hear the case.” Ejiofor said the new filing was a ploy to delay the hearing.

“We want the matter to be heard speedily as the court had earlier ordered. But we are sure they (FG) do not have any defence for the substantial suit hence the reason they filed this

new process to truncate the day’s hearing,” he said.

Ejiofor prayed a short adjournment for him to respond to the application and a punitive cost of N10 million against the Federal Government.

Maimuna Lami Shiru, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, who represented the Federal Government, said the application was to address a new issue, the proscription of IPOB. She asked the court to reject Ejiofor’s prayer of N10m cost against the Federal Government.

Kanu is seeking a declaration of the ECOWAS Court that his arrest and detention since 14 October 2015, torture and his incarceration in the Federal Government’s detention centre is in flagrant disobedience of several orders of court of competent jurisdiction, which directed his unconditional release, breached his rights under the African Human Rights Charter.

On 13 February, the court presided

by Justice Hemeye Mahdmadane announced its decision to make the further adjournment after entertaining a fresh application by the prosecution.

Mr. Mahmadane said the court’s decision to adjourn is based on the fact that motions brought before the court in November were yet to be translated into English language.

At the opening of session, the prosecution counsel, Maimuna Shiru, informed the court, that her client had a motion seeking to keep the court abreast of the recent developments in the matter.

According to Ms. Shiru, her motion seeks to inform the ECOWAS court that IPOB had already been proscribed and that the Federal High Court in Abuja had affirmed the proscription of the group.

Reacting to the recent application, however, Mr. Ejiofor accused the prosecution of making unnecessary motions aimed at preventing the case from succeeding.

The court, however, warned Mr. Ejiofor to desist from making such utterances in court.

The case was adjourned to May 30.

The Kanu trial is spawning more cases · In a separate application Ejiofor has asked that Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Lt. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, produces Kanu who has not been seen since the Nigerian Army invaded his residence on 14 September. · Benjamin Madubugwu (third defendant) and David Nwawuisi (fourth defendant), have pending applications for bail, on health grounds. · Senator Abaribe has two applications – N10m compensation from the Chief of Army Staff, for the trauma he has suffered since the invasion of the home of Kanu, for whom he stood surety; and for the court to discharge him of the suretyship since the invasion, he said, has put Kanu beyond his reach.

A member of Kanu’s team put the issues of his client’s whereabouts thus: “Nnamdi Kanu is on bail and they said he has violated his bail conditions. And they filed a motion asking the court to revoke his bail.

“We were waiting on the 17th (September) to hear that particular motion, only for them to come up on the 14th of September, 2017, with armoured cars, killing people, dogs, and everything that is a living being in Nnamdi Kanu’s house at Afaraukwu, Umuahia. Since then, up till now, we’ve not heard anything concerning Nnamdi Kanu.

“And in their counter-affidavit, they never denied that they did go to Nnamdi Kanu’s house on 14th September, they also never denied that they killed some people there, rather, they were saying that Nnamdi Kanu is not in their possession. But the irony here is that if he’s not in their possession, who is with Nnamdi Kanu?

Joseph Iloh, said the commission has adopted “a structured movement of INEC registration machines, which are deployed in public institutions and not private schools or homes, for purposes of boosting registration of voters in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Abia.

Iloh who frowned at the 1.3 million voter population of Abia, disclosed at a recent meeting with IPAC that over 150, 000 new voters have been registered, which he said was not encouraging. He said his target is to bring up Abia voter population to two million because, according to him, the negotiating strength of any state/ward/ group in politics lies in the number of voters in the area. He therefore enjoined IPAC to participate in the sensitisation of the people.

On the side of the political parties, they have placed jingles on radio and television stations, urging the people to come out en masse to register, reminding them that it is the tool they would use to enthrone good leaders.

For Abia state government, it is now a policy for every appointee to present his voter card before his appointment would be perfected.

Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, while responding, admitted that getting the Igbo to leave their business for politics could be a huge task for the authorities.

He, however, stressed that that it is incumbent on the leaders to ‘bring the exercise closer to the average Igbo man’ in order to engage his attention.

“There has to be a means of galvanising their enthusiasm about the exercise knowing that it is very important for their future. We must do the unusual, think outside the box,” Anikwe added.

Uche Okereocha, a grassroots leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Igando, Lagos said: “The Igbo man most times is torn between the economic struggles of daily life and politicking, where he fights to establish himself through hard work and expects that everybody else follows the same rule. But sadly, they don’t. Some people have been using the shortcut provided by politics to lord themselves over everybody else. But getting our people to get involved in the CVR is another matter. We must have to find a way of bringing the mountain to Mohammed, so to speak.”

Contributing to the debate, Deputy General Manager at Access Bank Plc, Dr Chukwujekwu Ozoemena, believes the issue is psychological not necessarily political and, as such, the various Igbo leaders of thought should find the appropriate solution to the problem.

“The Igbo man is not wired or defined by his political clout but by his entrepreneurial status. That’s cultural and also psychological. The Igbo leaders should find a way of bringing it (CVR) home to them. The problem is not just among the Igbo in the South East, it’s also everywhere in the Nigeria where they reside. They just face their businesses, and expect others to do the right thing, which never happens anyway,” Ozoemena said.

“I agree with the Igbo man and his business theory. It’s even such that the Igbo you see in politics, you tend to think that they are in it for the money, not for the power and opportunity to serve. And this is what is keeping us where we are today. The rest of the country is kicking us around,” lamented Mike Ezeugo, another PDP stalwart in Lagos.

42

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

...Let’s develop Igboland Cont’d from page: 4 Ogidi Alex Onyiudo. Most Rev. Dr. E.O Chukwuma was represented and Barr.

Mrs. Nma Ogbonna.

The night was not just about Keyman awards and induction of new members.

It also featured change of ECCIMA leadership baton, which took place before the Keyman award session, from Rev. Ugochukwu Chime’s reign as the Chamber’s top boss, to Sir Emeka Udeze, who was flanked by his first and second deputies, Sir Emeka Nwandu and Sir Uzodimma Mbagwu. Highpoints of the occasion were installation, decoration and handing over of medallion of the Chamber to the new President by his predecessor, as well as the awards proper.

Speaking after his award, Prince Igwe expressed profound gratitude to ECCIMA for finding him worthy of the honour. He stated that he was pleased with the award because ECCIMA was one of the chambers of commerce in Nigeria that are exceptional, and that that he had utmost respect for the Enugu chamber.

“I feel highly honoured with this award and I will take it home, to my family, my governor and Ndi Abia, with profound

pride and gladness. To me, this honour is encouragement for me to do more. It means that our people actually notice and appreciate what we are doing”.

Prince Igwe insisted that it is only Ndigbo that can develop the Igbo nation to their taste, and stressed that, “we cannot continue to complain and cry about marginalisation because what we have are enough to develop the South East”.

Chairman on the occasion, who also chairs the South East Region Economic Development Company, SEREDEC, Professor Bart Nnaji, had in his opening remarks, seized the opportunity to educate the audience on the efforts that SEREDEC, in partnership with South East Governors Forum, had been making towards achieving ease of doing business in the South East, harmonisation of taxes and levies across the zone, among others, stressed that the ultimate goal of the corporation was to attract investors to invest in the zone, fund key regional development projects and as well create enabling environment that would help to fast-track development across the entire region. He had also enjoined Nigerian businessmen to partner ECCIMA, which he also hailed for helping the organised private sector to grow; and urged busi-

• Nigeria: “Akure airport runway was invaded by cows because the Airport was built on cattle grazing route. Federal Government must relocate the airport” - Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Alli

CHANGE OF NAME

nessmen and investors, of South East extraction, to support SEREDEC to achieve her goals.

And to that Prince Igwe responded thus: “With this award, we have become part and parcel of ECCIMMA. I enjoin you to continue to promote industries in the South East. I am Igboman to the core and proud to be Igbo. That is why I am building my industry in Aba and more of our investments in the South East. I believe that is how to be Igbo; and I have no apologies to anybody for developing Igboland”.

Turning to the Enugu Deputy Governor and Prof. Bart Nnaji, Prince Igwe added: “I also assure our sister, who is representing Governor Ugwuanyi, and other organisers, that whenever there are future programmes geared towards development of the South East, such as regional projects, I would be willing to be part of it and I would as well bring in other businessmen and investors like me to key into the project”.

Igwe, who announced support for ECCIMA projects as a gold partner, to the tune of N10 million, further insisted that the way to go, for Ndigbo, was “for us to

Hate speech is terrorism - FG Cont’d from page: 2 to sanction any broadcast station which allows its airwave to be used as medium for hate speech promotion, wa still in place.

The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Grace Ekpe, said that government has continued to promote ethical standards and the core responsibility of the Journalism profession, but an attempt to circumvent its rightful position in the society could be inimical to the national cohesion.

“As gatekeeper, the media is expected in high hope to build responsible and lead vibrant societal development devoid of dangerous and hate speeches. The Federal Government will continue to promote and uphold ethical standard,”

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begin to think home and develop Igboland by ourselves”.

Meanwhile, according to Prince Igwe’s citation, as was read at the event before his award presentation, the sprawling businessman presides over a large conglomerate with business interests across virtually all scopes including oil and gas, farming, pharmaceutical services, freight forwarding, real estate, international shipment, civil engineering, housing and road construction among several others.

Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government, Hon. Barr Okey Igwe, who was at the event, described his brother, Prince Igwe as his role model and one who had carved a niche for himself through dogged hard work and dedication to his enterprise.

According to him, “I am here in a dual capacity, not only as the Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government, but I am also here as a member of the delegation that is representing the Governor of Abia State and my direct boss, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. But most importantly, I am happy to be here to encourage my brother”.

he said.

The Minister further said that the media as moulders of public view, has a huge responsibility of preserving national unity, public values and peaceful co-existence.

However, a former President of NUJ, and a member of themselves House of Representatives, Mallam Sani Zoro, was of the view that though there was need for legislative intervention, curbing hate speech in Nigeria needs multi-dimensional approach.

Zoro, who was Chairman of the occasion, said hate speeches polarise and undermine social cohesion of humanity. He stressed that curbing hate speech was not aimed at muzzling free speech.

Declaring the summit open, Kano State governor, Dr Umar Ganduje, urged journalists to always promote national unity and integration.

Ganduje said the theme of the Summit: “Hate Speech: Halting the tide before it is too late,” was apt, noting that Nigeria was still facing some challenges, just as it was also undergoing transformation.

Immediate past National President of NUJ and current Commissioner of Information in Kano State, Mohammed Garba, said the time was ripe to address the issue of hate speech which was a threat to national unity, expressing hope that the Summit would evolve an action plan to stamp out the cankerworm.

National President of NUJ, Comrade Waheed Odusile, cautioned against the use of hate speech in

the media.

“Editors should filter out hate speeches from information that should be provided to the public. Whatever information we give out must be factual,” he said.

“We need to exercise our responsibility as information purveyors with restraint,” he said, while urging journalist to stick age-long professional practice of crosschecking stories, especially those on the social media before publication.

He urged media owners to pay salaries of journalists in their employ and commended Kano state government for hosting the summit.

Earlier, in a lecture entitled “Why hate speech is not free speech,” Director-General of National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari, emphasised the need for journalists to be cautious about their reportage and guard against hate speech.

Members of the National Executive Committee of NUJ, comprising the Central Working Committee and Chairmen and Secretaries of State Councils as well as other delegates drawn from the chapels of the union, are attending the three-day national conference.

43

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

FEATURE

‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’

A TRENDING video of her dancing beside her SUV again shifted some conversation in cyberspace around MARIA UDE NWACHI. But the Ebonyi State House of Assembly blinked on February 15, gifting Maria Ude Nwachi a Valentine present in lifting her suspension from the House. Why did they go away from the obnoxious suspension that they increased by a further six months?

By CHIDO NWAKANMA

A

ssemblywoman Maria Ude Nwachi aka Nwanyi Afikpo is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. The story of her colourful past inflames passions. The former Ariana Uzo Egwu paid the price for her crimes in the United States. (http://www.nytimes.com/…/3charged-in-upper-east-side-prost….

She gets even more passionate approbation from the electorate in her constituency and young people across the South East and Nigeria for her Robin Hood transformation.

Since returning from America, she has been doing good works for her community - scholarships, empowerment of women and widows, and of young people. She spent her money to provide modern amenities in the market in Afikpo. She is a generous giver of phones, laptops, wigs and all the desirables for young people. She doles out cash and interest-free loans.

In 2017, she ran the Maria Unity Cup Tournament for young people in her area to play football. She also launched the Deborah Generation to empower women.

Her personal CSR and good works fetched her the seat at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly. On the campaign trail, she told the people “Your burden will be my burden”. She has lived up to the promise. In a speech on February 13, 2017, she extolled her constituents for breaking the mould in Nigerian politics by electing her outside of the mainstream political parties. She believes other constituencies would follow the lead of her Ehugbo people. She has been pushing for what the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe called “cultural resurgimento” among her people, beginning with a campaign to get people to bear Ehugbo names. She then moved it on to her Igboist group, insisting that prospects and members should bear Igbo names.

The context is that Afikpo and its mother Ebonyi State were for a long time some of the most challenged by development in the South East.

She told her people: “I started and completed major projects with my personal funds even before we were paid a dime. And today I have completed a bunch of solid projects. To be completed soon is the Eke Market state of the art toilet. There is also an ongoing project in Unwana; also near completion.

She added, “I have never seen my salary. I neither know what it tastes like nor what it looks like. If it is yellow or blue in colour I do not know. The tens of millions of my personal money I poured into projects for you was not enough so I used my salary to get a loan from a bank so I will be able to undo a lot of the damages that have been done through neglect. I awarded a couple of contracts with it. I am very satisfied with what was achieved with the loan. As I am talking to you, I am even owing that bank. If you see the insult one of the bank guys gave me one day, I nearly dug a hole in the ground and entered. I am doing my damnedest and best to clear it all up and it will surely be cleared up soon. Whatever I suffer, be it humiliation, embarrassment or otherwise, because of you; is worth it. You will even do 100 times more for me if needs be. That I know. That you have shown over and over and over.”

Maria Ude Nwachi deploys the social media purposively. She runs about five platforms on

Facebook including Igboist, Afikpo Chic, Best Chic Ever Liveth and two in her names.

Model, photographer, publicist and ex-doyen of the oldest profession in the world, Maria Ude Nwachi is a handful. She lent her skills and reach to serving as publicist and booster for the achievements of Governor David Umahi in infrastructure development in the State. She campaigns for him all the time.

The Ebonyi State House of Assembly suspended her for in their view bringing the Assembly into disrepute by carrying cameras around and doing the job of a photographer.

The suspension happened after the launch of her Deborah Generation, the football tournament and another round of expose of her past in New York trended on social media.

The House of Assembly increased the suspension because Maria used her platform to run a lottery that rewarded hundreds of followers with seven people winning N1m each.

Now, they had a legal basis. However, they drew more attention to her.

As with her Howard Stern show appearances, however, a large and overflowing hubris could be at the root of her current travails. Her sights are set on the Senate, no less. She believes, and her supporters agree, that her past is dead and not a prologue. She is writing a new chapter of love and positive engagement with her community and young people. If an election holds today, she will win from even a one-woman party against all the established parties.

“How do you solve a problem like Maria?”

This was the famous line in The Sound of Music for a less controversial character and namesake. The Ebonyi State authorities think that the stick rather than the carrot would do it.

There must be more than the stated reasons for the Ebonyi State challenge with their famous daughter. As stated, some thumb their noses on the basis of morality. Societies impose punishment for crimes, and once you pay the price, they wipe the slate clean legally. They may still hold it against the person in other ways. Is this double jeopardy the matter at stake? Has she continued the ring in other ways in Nigeria, in which case the law should take its course? Or is it a matter of the growing influence of this petrel building a political base away from the established parties? Does it have to also do with her gender?

The Maria Ude Nwachi story points to possibilities in the narrative of political participation and citizen engagement in Nigeria. It says that citizens can rally round an independent candidate and put the person in the office. Does that frighten some persons? What is at stake in Ebonyi State concerning Maria Ude Nwachi?

This strong character, positive or negative, may force the country to take a second look at a number of issues concerning the public space. What qualifies persons for office? Who should we disqualify and why? Should Senators and House of Assembly Members be free to give vent to their colourful social lives? Can we have independent candidates under the guise of any of the small parties? Is the Maria Ude Nwachi trajectory the route?

It is an evolving film worth the best of Nollywood. It is also a tale of our morality, citizenship, attitudes and political behaviour.

Mainstream media should be unravelling the matters for us. Meanwhile, grab your popcorn and notes on Nigerian political development as matters unfold.

• Maria Ude Nwachi

The Oracle Today

44

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

NEWS

I will complete my two terms – Wike From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

G

OVERNOR of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will complete his constitutional two terms as governor of the state, insisting that nobody can force him out of power.

“I will never plot any evil against other politicians, but I will complete my constitutionally defined terms as nobody can force him out of the leadership of Rivers State as stipulated by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”.

He declared: “Whether or not you like my face, for now, I am the governor of Rivers State. It is by the Grace of God that I occupy the office. I will not be the last governor of Rivers State. After me, God will also place another person in the same office. Therefore, we have no reason to disrupt the development process of the state. All of us must work on unity, as Rivers people to develop the state “.

The governor had two weeks ago in a live phone-in radio pro-

Police/NBA face-off: Ignore NBA’s call for transfer of DPO – PCRC

By IBE NWACHUKWU

M

embers of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Police Area Command, Onitsha, Anambra State have called on police authorities to ignore the call by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to transfer out the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in-charge of 3-3 Police Station, Mrs. Jane Mbanefo or met any punishment on her with regard to last week’s face-off between her and one Barrister Chiamaka Nwangwu.

Chairman of PCRC, Onitsha Police Area Command, Sir Vic Agubisi who made the call, Monday, in Onitsha, said on the contrary, NBA should suspend Barrister Nwangwu for her alleged unethical conduct at the 3-3 Police station,went there to take her client near Onitsha when she came to take her client on bail.

Agubisi who expressed disappointment that NBA, Onitsha branch took such a biased stand of calling for the transfer of the DPO or for her punishment without hearing from her first, declared: “the stand of the NBA is totally against the law of equity and fair hearing”.

“We all are in Onitsha and we know how arrogant some lawyers can be. It is totally wrong for a legal practitioner to go to a police station and fight the officers, including spiting on the DPO but instead of the lawyers to tender an unreserved apology just like what their member, (Barr. Chiamaka Nwangwu) did, they turned round to call for punishment to be meted out on the DPO, Mrs, Mbanefo, who was insulted in her office”.

Expressing his dissatisfaction further, Sir Agubisi called on the NBA not to allow unethical practice of the junior female lawyer to mar the cordial relationship between the police and legal practitioners, which according to him, both parties have been enjoying for a long time now.

gramme, Rhythm 93.7 FM, in Port Harcourt, alleged that President Mohammadu Buhari, had told him at the State House, in Abuja, that he was under pressure to declare a state-of-emergency in the state, following a spate of cult killings in the state.

He also alleged at the weekend that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the federal government and secu-

rity some security agencies were planning to cause premeditated violence in Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom States, so that the governorship elections in the three state would be inclusive, creating room for their cancellations and the concomitant haunting of the three governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), since their constitutional immunity would have elapsed.

He stated during the interview: “Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were saying it openly that a state of emergency would soon be declared in Rivers State because of the killings that were taking place in the state resulting from cult clashes among cult groups in some local governments.”

Wike who spoke during a reception after the Child Dedication of

Hon. Sir and Lady Marcus Nle-Ejji at the St Jude’s Military Church in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, advised politicians not to allow their political affiliation compel them to take actions that will negate the development of the state.

He reiterated his call on Rivers politicians to promote peace, unity and development of the state no matter their political affiliations.

Fire destroys 40 trucks, others at Nkpor spare parts

By IBE NWACHUKWU

N

o fewer than 40 Mercedes Benz trucks worth millions of naira were destroyed by fire at the Old Mercedes Benz Spare Parts market, Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state, near the commercial city of Onitsha.

Although no life was lost, the fire which sparked off from trucks depot near Tipper Garage within the market premises, Monday, overwhelmed a fire fighting vehicle from the Building Materials International Market, Ogidi and continued unabated for many hours.

General-Secretary of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS), Chief Chuma Eruchalu who was conducted round the scene of the fire by the Chairman of the market, Mr. Chukwujekwu Elobi described the fire as disastrous and devastating, having •Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, flanked by members of Akwa Ibom Christian Assembly dur- automatically rendered the victims ing a courtesy visit on the Governor at Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, yesterday. jobless.

C’River Assembly endorses Ayade’s N1.3trn budget

By ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

C

ROSS River State House of Assembly has approved the over 1.3 trillion Naira budget presented to the State House of Assembly for the 2018 fiscal year by the governor, Professor Ben Ayade.

The budget which was presented to the Assembly for passage by the governor on November 30, 2017 is tagged: Budget of Kinetic Crystallization is the largest in the history of the state and also makes the state the first to cross the trillion naira mark in fiscal estimates in the country.

Presenting the report of the Budget before the House, the Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee, Mr Jonas Eteng-Williams, said that the House interfaced with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies before considering the passage of the budget.

He disclosed that the various ministries, departments and Agencies in the state appeared before relevant house committees to defend their estimates and the house did a thorough job on the budget of kinetic crystallization.

He justified the humongous estimates presented by the governor stressing that the budget was designed by the governor to promote infrastructural and economic development in the state.

Giving some details about the budget, Hon. Eteng Williams said that to help conduct a successful Carnival this year 2018, the sum of N4.4billion was approved for the Carnival Commission with a view to enable the commission organise a successful carnival in 2018.

Speaking further, he said that the sum of N108.5 had been estimated for recurrent revenue, while recurrent expenditure is N136.6billion and personnel cost pegged at N34billion respectively.

“For rural roads, we have

budgeted the sum of N6.7billion to accelerate rural development through provision of basic infrastructure such as roads, portable water, health and others in rural communities. For Agriculture, the sum of N10.9billion has also been budgeted for the sector’’, he said.

Ahiara Diocese: Pope Francis loses out as Bishop Okpaleke resigns

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ope Francis has bowed to rebels of Ahiara Diocese in Imo state and abandoned Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke, after priests and laymen rejected his appointment for six years.

In a reaction, Okpaleke resigned from his post.

A Vatican statement said the pope had accepted the resignation. It said the position had been declared vacant and that a papal administrator would run it for the time being.

The embattled priest resigned after the Vatican failed to quell fierce objections over his nomination because he did not belong to the local clan of the Igbo ethnic group. Okpaleke is from Anambra State.

The Vatican announced the resignation of Okpaleke on Monday, six years after Pope Francis’s predecessor Benedict XVI named him to the post.

Okpaleke was never able to take up the post because the priests and laypeople of the diocese insisted that their bishop must be from their clan.

Pope Francis initially took a firm stand in defending the nomination, summoning Ahiara clergy to the Vatican in June last year.

He demanded “obedience” and gave the rebel priests 30 days to “ask his forgiveness” and accept Okpaleke’s appointment or face the sack.

Those who did not write such a letter would face suspension from the priesthood, the pope told them at the time. Francis also demanded that the rebellious priests write a letter of apology to Okpaleke.

But the row was not resolved, and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, archbishop of the Nigerian capital Abuja, has run the diocese as a temporary measure since July.

Fides, the Vatican’s missionary news agency, on Monday published excerpts from Okpaleke’s resignation letter, saying he had not been able to take possession of diocese or even live within its territory because of continuing “violent reaction and resistance”.

Fides said some 200 priests had written to the pope promising their obedience. But many had also told the pontiff that they had “psychological difficulty in collaborating with the bishop after years of conflict”.

The agency, which is controlled by the Vatican, said the rebellious priests should “reflect on the grave damage inflicted on the Church” through their “unreasonable actions opposing a bishop legitimately appointed by the Supreme Pontiff”. In his resignation letter, Okpaleke said remaining bishop in Ahiara would not be beneficial to the Church.

The Oracle Today

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Wednesday February 28, 2018

NEWS

2019: South-South PDP leaders vow to reclaim power

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EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) leaders from the South-South have resolved to work in unity to ensure the party forms the next Federal Government in 2019.

The leaders declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government has failed Nigeria, destroyed the economy, destabilised the nation’s security infrastructure and made the country to slide into unprecedented suffering.

Speaking during the PDP SouthSouth Zonal Executive Council Meeting at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, the PDP South-South Leaders declared that it is in the interest of the nation for APC to be shown the way out.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that the PDP leaders will do everything possible to ensure that the party emerges victorious in 2019.

“For us, what we want is free and fair elections for Nigerians to determine the future of the country. Nigerians are tired of the APC. Nigerians have seen that the so called social group that calls itself a Political party is a failure. The only political party in the country is PDP. APC took power

No new Lassa fever case in Abia – Govt

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he Abia State Government has moved to refute reports in a national newspaper (not Oracle Today) about more cases of the Lassa fever in the state, describing such statements as ‘mischievous distortion’ of the true situation.

According to a statement signed by Dr. John Ahukannah, the state commissioner for Health, Monday, the government stated that as at last Friday, no new cases of the fever has been reported inthye state contrary to the newspaper ‘s claim that ‘Abia effectively has cases of Lassa fever.’

“The attention of The Abia State Ministry of Health has been drawn to a newspaper publication…to the effect that Abia effectively has cases of Lassa fever.

“This is clearly a mischievious distortion of the news conference by the Hon Commissioner for Health to which Mr Udeaja representing Guardian news attended.

“The correct situation till date is that: (1). 7 suspected cases of Lassa Fever; (2). 4 of the suspects tested negative; (3). 1 suspect died, but test sample came back negative, (4). 2 patients did not meet the case definition for lassa fever and have since been discharged, alive and well.

“There is therefore no case of Lassa Fever in Abia State as at today,” the statementv read.

by deceit, but they cannot govern,” said Wike.

National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said that the country has collapsed, with the Presidential Villa in ruins, necessitating the solemn struggle to salvage the country in 2019.

“This crisis is no longer a laughing matter. The country is coming to an end and we must rescue the nation,” he said, adding that PDP Governors are the only performing governors, while their APC

counterparts have failed their respective states.

“Come 2019, Nigeria will be liberated from the hands of the APC. The APC has lost ground in all the six geo-political zones. We have to take one final step to sack the APC vengeance government “, Secondus said.

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson called on the party leaders to support Prince Uche Secondus as he works towards a PDP victory in 2019.

Also speaking, Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel said that the South-South forms the foundation for the revival of the country.

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio assured that the National Assembly will work with other PDP leaders to ensure that the APC is sent packing in 2019.

A minute silence was observed in honour of victims of the nationwide breakdown of security.

•Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom (m) making his presentation at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Abuja when he led a delegation of the state to the UNDP on the continuous killing of Benue people by rampaging herdsmen. With him are: United Nations and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon (l) and the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Dennis Ityavyar.

Obasanjo, Dickson eulogise late Akunyili

By CLEM ONYEAMACHI, Yenagoa took a facility tour of the health projects, said he was highly imORMER President of Niger- pressed by the level of commitia, Chief Olusegun Obasan- ment demonstrated by the Govjo, and Governor of Bayelsa ernor in providing world class State, Hon. Seriake Dickson have health facilities and services to the paid tributes to late Minister of citizenry.

Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, In his remarks, Governor Dickfor her contributions towards the son said, as part of his administrafight against counterfeit drugs in tion’s revolutionary intervention the country. in the health sector, government Obasanjo spoke, last Friday in decided to expand quality health Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capi- services to accommodate the avtal, during the commissioning of the Bayelsa State Drug Distribution Centre and other state-ofthe-art health facilities in Yenagoa.

While commending Governor Dickson for investing in the health By JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba sector, Obasanjo said the vision of the Governor was worthy of emulecturer at the Delta State lation.

University, Abraka, Dr SunThe former president comday Monye has urged the mended Governor Dickson for Independent National Electoral keying into the vision of the late Commission (INEC), to delist unDirector General of NAFDAC, Prof derage voters captured in its votAkunyili in the establishment of ing list ahead of 2019. the Drug Mart and Distribution Dr Monye who stated this in an Center, noting that the facility exclusive interview with The Orawould assist in curbing the men- cle Today in Asaba berated INEC ace of fake drugs and drug abuse. for the registration of underage Obasanjo who also enrolled in voters in northern Nigeria, particthe Bayelsa State Health Insur- ularly in Kano and Katsina States ance Scheme, making him an hon- while urging the commission to orary enrollee commissioned the ensure that children are not alBayelsa State Specialist Hospital, lowed to vote in 2019.

Drug Distribution Center and the Dr Monye’s call came amid picWorld-Class Diagnostic Centre. tures trending on the social media The former president who showing children between the

F

erage Bayelsan.

Acknowledging the contributions of late Prof Akunyili, Governor Dickson assured that, he would continue to identify with any worthy cause aimed at promoting the health of the people.

According to him, the state government decided to name one of the halls of the Drugs Mart and Distribution Center after Prof.

Akunyili as part of efforts at immortalizing her.

Youths protest firm’s treatment of distributor

By CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

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undreds of Igbo and Ijaw youth, Monday, stormed the Peace Mass Transit Ltd in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital, in protest against the alleged injustice and marginalization of the sole distributor of Peace Lubricants, a subsidiary of the transport company, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, who is also the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC), Bayelsa chapter.

The protesting youths alleged that some persons from the headquarters of PMT Lubricants had perfected a plot to reclaim the distribution rights of the products from Arthur-Ugwa through the back door.

The youths, who barricaded the entrance of the transport company at Okutukutu area of the state capital, claimed that the distributor suffered for over seven years to establish the products in the state.

Mr. Franklin Daniel, a youth leader from Epie-Atissa community who spoke on behalf of the protesters asked the owner of the company to wade into the distribution crisis and peacefully resolve the issue.

“If he doesn’t want the man’s services any more, call him and sit down with him, liaise with him, settle him and let him go. For this thing to cause problem in my Kingdom is not acceptable.

“The man (Arthur-Ugwa) has suffered for seven years building this distribution network. Now that is time for him to begin to enjoy his hard work, the company refused to supply him products.

Meanwhile, he has spent millions of naira to promote the products.”

He appealed to the company’s authorities to immediately resolve the commercial dispute in order not to allow it to fester into a major crisis in their area.

“I reported directly to our boss, that they were trying to take over this business from me and he asked me to allow him take charge of the situation.

‘2019: Registration of underage voters, disgrace to democracy’

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ages of eight and 15 voting during the recently concluded local government election in Kano State.

He also called on INEC to ensure that the process of registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards were not cumbersome, adding that if the process of registration was too difficult, Nigerians would be discouraged and ultimately might not vote in 2019.

“INEC should take all reasonable steps for democracy to work in Nigeria. It should not only promise what is right, it must convincingly be seen as doing so.

“One of the surest ways to go about this is by disinfecting the system from its moral virus by disallowing underage voters or by stopping aliens from neighbour-

ing countries from getting Permanent Voter Cards which, in most places, are not even accessible to eligible Nigerian voters,” she said.

Monye opined that, the videos and pictures showing underage persons thumb-printing ballot papers and casting their votes during the recent local government elections in Kano state is enough reason for Nigerians to lose confidence in INEC’s ability to ensure free and fair polls in 2019.

Monye who described INEC’s registration of underage voters as “a setback and a disgrace to democracy in Nigeria’’ advised that the Nigerian electoral process should not be allowed to derail its democracy

46

The Oracle Today Wednesday February 28, 2018

SPORTS

•Gianni Infantino

Rohr forecloses new players for Eagles Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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UPER Eagles’ Manager, Gernot Rohr has foreclosed invitation of new players to the national team ahead of 2018 FIFA World Cup because it will be pretty difficult for him to start working with new legs a few months to the Mundial.

So, there will be no new players will be brought into the team as the final phase of preparations for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 begin next month with two games against Poland and Serbia.

Rohr is looking after assembling the placement from his current pool of players and training them to meet World Cup standard and international tune of matches is expected to give the coach the opportunity to weigh all his options.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick believes the Super Eagles will advance to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup and go even very far.

“With the caliber of players we’ve got right now and with the team spirit that is embedded inside the national team; we believe we will not just qualify for the knockout stage, we would be making it very far.

“We are the youngest team currently going into the World

Cup, this team is very strong and coordinated with one goal, success,” Amaju declared.

It is optimism galore all over the country as everybody, from the Presidency to the National

Assembly and to the ordinary Nigerians are backing the Super Eagles to do well in Russia later in the year when the Mundial kicks off.

It is interesting to note that

one of Nigeria’s World Cup opponents in Russia, Iceland chopped up one of the greatest move of the FIFA February Rankings to all time position of No18 in the world, while the Super Eagles lost ground yet again.

Nigeria dropped one place in the latest FIFA Rankings released last week in Zurich Switzerland by the world soccer governing body. The Super Eagles are now ranked 52 in the world replaced in the 51st position by perennial foes, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. Eagles went down from 661 point to 606 at the latest FIFA Rankings Meanwhile, Iceland citizens are showing great interest for World Cup this summer with as much as 20 per cent of the country’s population having sent request for tickets. Iceland Ambassador to Russia Berglind Ásgeirsdóttir said last week.

“Iceland has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in its history. We are co-operating with the Russian authorities and asking many questions. Just think about it, about 20 per cent of Iceland citizens sent request to get tickets for the World Cup. This is an indication of great interest, we are proud to be participants of the tournament representing the least populated country in the history of the World Cup,” the Ambassador said last week.

Cross River stripped of National Sports Festival right

.To be staged in Abuja

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fter several years of delay by the Cross River State to play host to the 19th National Sports Festival, the hosting right last week, has been withdrawn from the state and given to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja).

The decision to strip Cross River the hosting right was taken at the National Council on Sports meeting which ended last Thursday at the General Hassan Katsina House, Kaduna.

A voting process was thrown open on the floor of the meeting by the Chairman of the meeting and Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Solomon Dalung, with state Commissioners of Sports, Directors of sports, Chairmen of state sports councils, sports policy facilitators and other representatives in the sports sector.

It is on record that no state has delayed the hosting of the National Sports Festival the way Cross River did. For six year, the State has continued to postpone the National Sports Council which was last held in Lagos in 2012 which was tagged “Eko 2012’.

Based on the unreliability of Cross River to play host to the 19th edition of the National Sports Festival, the National Council on Sports re-

solved that the continued delay of the hosting of the Festival was detrimental to the growth of Sports in Nigeria and therefore, withdrew the hosting rights from Cross River State while the Federal government will hold the 2018 edition in Abuja in November.

Other decision taken at the Na-

tional Council on Sports also include the reduction of the age of athletes eligible to participate in the National Youth Games from 17 to 15 years as upper limit of age for participants, while overaged athletes, their erring coaches and states will be disqualified and fined the sum of N250,000 per disqualified athlete.

The council also adopted a presentation to National Council on Establishment on Lateral Conver-

sion of Coaches to enable them to progress in their cadres.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports was also directed to embellish the draft Implementation Guidelines for the National Sports Policy and circulate to members for inputs while the revised National Sports Policy for 2018 was also approved by the National Council on Sports and will be reviewed every 4 years.

Tiger Woods optimistic of more tournaments

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iger Woods remains confident of returning to peak form as he gets more tournament rounds under his belt as he reflected on his early exit at the Genesis Open.

Woods admitted all aspects of his game needed “cleaning up” after he carded a disappointing secondround 76, hitting only four of 14 fairways and also struggling on the greens as he closed on six over par.

The 14-time major champion finished inside the top-25 at last month’s Farmers Insurance Open, the first time he had completed 72 holes in a full-field PGA Tour event since 2015, but his short game was not able to bail him out on day two at Riviera as he littered his card with eight bogeys against three birdies.

But Woods is staying patient in the early stages of his comeback from spinal fusion surgery last year, and he conceded it will not see him at his best until he regains his competitive sharpness.

“I need some tournament rounds,” said Woods as he looked forward to teeing up in next week’s Honda Classic, the first event of the Florida Swing. “I haven’t played golf in years, but I’m starting to come back and it’s going to take a little time. I am progressing. I’m starting to get a feel for tournament golf again. I just need to clean up my rounds.

“It’s nice to be back competing again and to be able to go out there and play, and practice after each round, that has been nice. It’s something I haven’t done in years, so I’ve just got to keep building.”

Asked for his assessment of his performance at Riviera, the 42-yearold added: “I really didn’t play well today. I missed every tee shot left and I did not putt well, I didn’t feel very good on the greens and consequently, I never made a run. I knew I had to make a run on that back nine, and I went the other way.

Cameroon stop Flamingoes from Uruguay 2018

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erennial rivals Cameroon have finally achieved their desire of stopping Nigeria’s Under-17 Women team, the Flamingoes from qualifying for the 2018 FIFA Under-17 World Cup which Uruguay will be playing to later in the year.

The Nigerian Under-17 Women’s team were denied the opportunity of featuring in the tournament for the very first time since the competition debut in New Zealand in 2008.

The Cameroon women did not leave anybody in doubt in their desire to change the narrative when penultimate week forced Flamingoes to 2-2 draw in Benin City.

Despite the second leg ending

in a 1-1 draw bring the aggregate score line in the two legged encounters to 3-3, the Cameroonians qualified based on the away goal rule have already played 2-2 in the first leg.

As a matter of fact, the Flamingoes edged out their Cameroonian counterparts, ‘Les Jeunes Lionnes’ to qualify for the maiden edition hosted in New Zealand in 2008.

Cameroon took the lead through Alice Kameni in the 16th minute before Precious Vincent drew Flamingoes level on 82 minutes which was not enough.

After the equaliser, the Flamingoes went in search of the winning goal but Cameroonians held on to pick the World Cup

ticket.

This would be Cameroon’s second appearance at the U-17 Women’s World Cup after qualifying for the 2016 edition in Jordan.

The news of Flamingoes inability to qualify for this year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup is not coming as a surprise to followers of the team because since they were not able to subdue their opponents from President Paul Biya’s country, many Nigerian knew it was a matter of time for them to bit the dust.

Of course the team had a disastrous outing at the 2016 World Cup in Jordan. It was the worst performance for Nigeria in the age-grade competition. Despite

the array of talents in the team, it was shocking the girls could not score a single goal in the tournament. They got a draw against England though, but that was not enough to guarantee them passage to the next stage of the competition.

Since that disastrous out in Jordan two years ago, nothing serious seems to have changed since that time and as a result, the football house and the team’s technical crew need to come to terms with the reality and proffer solution to the poor state of the team as it seems that they have not received adequate preparations. There is no option to adequate preparations.

The Oracle Today

47

Wednesday February 28 , 2018

SPORTS

Nigerian Football mourns Udoji .As former Enyimba captain dies at 28 Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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HIS is not the best of times for Nigerian Football as hardly any week passes without the news of one incident of death or the other of a member of the country’s football family.

As a matter of fact, Nigerian Football needs serious prayers to avert this incessant death of members raging from administrators to footballers.

Just as Nigerians try to come to terms to the reality of the fact that former chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission and Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Commerce and Industry, Deji Tinubu, passed on in active service as he slumped and died while playing football at the retreat organised for Lagos Commissioners and Special Advisers with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode present at the event in Epe, the news of former spokesman to the NFA now NFF filtered in.

As if that was not enough calamity to befall the Nigerian Football family, late Sunday evening news also filtered in of the death of former captain of two time African Champions, Enyimba International Football Club, Chinedu Udoji who died in auto

• Late Chinedu Udoji. crash after playing a league game with his former club, Enyimba in Kano a he now lace his boot with the Sai Masu Gida side.

Report has it that Udoji who played for Enyimba for seven years and in the processed captained the Aba millionaires for

four years played the entire duration of the match which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.

It was gathered that after the game, Udoji later went to Enyimba’s camp to exchange pleasantries with his former colleagues

after which he moved to another hotel to see one of Enyimba’s officials as the officials were not the same hotel with the players.

It was after seeing the Enyimba official on his way back to that he died in crash.

The centre-back captained Enyimba to win the 2014 Federation Cup and 2015 NPFL titles.

Meanwhile, Kano Pillars have expressed their condolences with Udoji’s family after hearing the news of his passing.

“Chinedu Udoji was involved in a car accident yesterday (Sunday) after visiting his former teammates at Enyimba,” the club tweeted.

“This tragic accident happened along Club Road in Kano.

Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fans, and football lovers all across the country.”

Chinedu Udorji was involved in a car accident yesterday after visiting his former team mates at Enyimba. This tragic accident happened along Club Road in Kano. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fans, and

football lovers all across the country. — Kano Pillars FC (@ pillarsfc) February 19, 2018 RIP Chinedu Udorji, 1989 - 2018 pic.twitter.com/K0kvBfVx50 — Kano Pillars FC (@pillarsfc) February 19, 2018.

Meanwhile, it has been an outpouring of grief since news filtered in on the death of Udoji as some NPFL clubs and individuals have reacted to the demise of the talented player.

According to the tweet by his former club @EnyimbaFC; “We are distraught at the news of the passing of club legend and former captain, Chinedu Udoji.

Our commiserations are with his family at this time.”

River United FC of Port Harcourt have also joined several football stakeholders to mourn the late footballer with this tweet.

“We commiserate with @ pillarsfc following the demise of centre half, Chinedu Udoji. Stay strong in these trying period,” @ RiversUnitedFC tweeted.

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

coaches.

But in swift reaction after being booted out of the club, Oliseh claimed that he was suspended for refusing the club’s demand that he should be involved in an “illegal activities” as the coach of the Dutch club, Fortuna Sittard.

It is recalled that Fortuna Sittard last week declared that Oliseh was suspended over his poor relationship with both players and officials but the former Super Eagles’ captain will not take that even as he declared that should his suspension be rescinded, he will not return to the club.

He explained that he would rather walk away along with his assistants than be jailed for going against the law.

In his words: “It is better to part ways like this. I won’t want to be in jail.

“My lawyers are handling the case now.

“We have to be compensated for what we are owed; it’s not only in Nigeria that they owe money.

“The Turkish owners also got the players to say they are unhappy with me.

“It has been 14 great months coaching this club, we set records like winning seven straight games, we are looking at the top league, but should my suspension be rescinded, I won’t go back to the club.

“We have made a name for ourselves, I believe there will be job opportunities and I pray it is something better than the last one.”

Oliseh vows never to return to Fortuna Sittard

CHAN 2018: Etoroma lauds Amaju F

Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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on. Ejiro Etoroma, a member of the immediate past Delta State Sports Commission is a down to earth sports administrator, who says it the way it is without minding whose ox is gored. The experienced sports administration in a telephone interview with The Oracle Today Sports commended his former boss in the state sports commission, Melvin Amaju Pinnick for his sagacity in the protection of the interest of the country since getting elected into the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Baring his mind in the recently concluded 5th edition of Africa Nations Championship, the Engineer turned sports administrator said the championship has exposed how the country was being shortchanged in the past since the exit of Dr. Amos Adamu who was a member of the executive committee of the continental football governing body.

He explained that Amaju’s hard work in CAF particularly his pro-

•Amaju Pinnick

ormer Super Eagles Captain and coach, Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh, who was recently fired by his second division club, not play well.

Fortuna Sittard over what the “As for me I can easily attribute club described as his poor relatheir making to the final to luck. tionship with both players and We were lucky during the championship and of course, there is a level that luck can take you to.

“For someone like me, I was not surprised that we lost scandalously to Morocco. They were far better than us in all the departments of the game and it would have been wrong or injustice had Nigeria won the competition at the expense of Morocco because they were outstanding during the competition.

“That notwithstanding, I would like to congratulate the boys for playing in the final thereby making history as the first Nigerian side to have played in the final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) since its inception in 2009,” Hon. Etoroma said.

•Sunday Oliseh

tection of the country when it comes to the high wire politics of the game was so glaring particularly as it concerns the officiating of the game.

“First and foremost, I must give kudos to the administration of the game in the country. I mean the Nigerian Football Federation “With what transpired during the championship, particularly in the issue of officiating, it shows that all these while we have not had anybody at that level, they have been shortchanging us.

“As for the poor performance of our boys at the international stage, it shows how poor our league is. It is as easy as that and I must tell you that it calls for serious worry. Their poor performance shows that we have a lot of work to do in order to reposition the league.

“Of course, this is the first time that we have played in the final of this championship since its inceporld 100m silver tion in 2009. Of course we do not medallist, Christian deserve to emerge champions of Coleman broke the Africa based on our performance 20-year-old 60m indoor world on that day.

“Morocco deserved their vic- record when he clocked 6.34 tory. The poor performance of the players is the true reflection of our league and it calls for all hands to be on deck in order to reposition it.

“The boys didn’t do well. It is not their fault. It is a reflection of how bad the league is; that is why I am saying we should go back to the drawing board to really revive the league. That they even played in the final was a big achievement. Some of us did not expect them to make it to the final during the competition because they did •Coleman

Coleman breaks 20-year-old 60m indoor record

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seconds at the US Indoor Championships in New Mexico.

His mark beat the previous record of 6.39 set twice by fellow American Maurice Greene, in 1998 and 2001.

Coleman’s time is pending ratification by world governing body, the International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF).

The 21-year-old clocked 6.37 at a South Carolina meeting last month; but it was not ratified for technical reasons.

That time beat his previous best of 6.45, which he recorded when he won the US Indoor Championship last year.

WEDNESDAY February 28, 2018

The

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racle Today

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GUEST COLUMIST

O

C. DON ADINUBA Ekwueme and place of values

NE of the most remarkable events at the funeral of erstwhile Vice President Alex Ekwueme was the announcement by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday, February 2, that the Buhari Muhammadu administration had renamed the federal university in Ebonyi State after Ekwueme. The declaration received a thunderous and sustained ovation at the solemn requiem service going on at St John the Divine Church in Oko, Ekwueme’s hometown.

The Anambra State Government, which went out of its way to honour the great statesman, had the previous day held an interdenominational service in his memory at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.

It is delightful that monuments and institutions have been named after Ekwueme, one of the most enlightened, accomplished, upright and refined persons anywhere, exceedingly committed to the public good. A polyvalent intellectual in the finest tradition, he awarded scholarships to thousands of people in Nigeria and overseas he barely knew, allowed a large number of his tenants in choice places like Ikoyi, Lagos, to live for years without paying rents because they were facing business challenges, forgave those who betrayed him at the most critical moment in his life, showed no bitterness whatsoever to those who incarcerated him unjustly and even alleged to the Nigerian people that he was at the centre of crude oil contracts when he was the Vice President whereas he knew absolutely nothing about such deals, and assisted the very people sabotaging his presidential ambitions.

It is apposite that a higher institution is named for Ekwueme. Despite earning degrees in fields as diverse as sociology, philosophy, law, history, architecture and town planning, Ekwueme, unknown to most people, was pursuing simultaneously the Master of Law degree programmes at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, and the Abia State University at Uturu when he rejoined politics in 1998. He was at different times the Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, as well as the Ebonyi State University.

He took each job seriously. When a new university was battling with accreditation from the National Universities Commission, he secretly made N200m available to the institution with a stern warning to the authorities not to disclose the gesture. He was so self-effacing.

A couple of years ago when Michael Peel of Financial Times was conducting research for a book on Nigeria and I helped arrange a meeting with the former Vice President, Ekwueme rejected all entreaties to accept personal credit for the establishment of the College of Arts and Science in the late 1970s at Oko, now a federal polytechnic. He rather insisted that the entire Oko community built it. The polytechnic, the Oko Community Hospital and the impressive St. John the Divine Church in the community are among

different projects conceived and executed singlehandedly by Ekwueme.

I am happy to disclose I played my own little part in honouring this great man in his lifetime. In furtherance of my belief that monuments, institutions, streets and roads should be named after truly exemplary figures so that they can serve as role models in society, I suggested in 1999 to then Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju that a major place be named for Ekwueme. The Governor chose to name the most important Square in the State for the statesman whom he served in the Second Republic as a Special Assistant and whose brilliant leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, enabled the nascent party to become the most acceptable political organisation in Nigeria as the military were retreating to the barracks in 1999, thus enabling PDP candidates like Mbadinuju to win easily.

Mbadinuju was not capricious this time.

Earlier in 1999 when Chinua Achebe was coming from the United States to deliver the annual Odenigbo Lecture of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri in Imo State - Achebe’s first visit since his auto accident of 1990 which confined the globally renowned author to the wheelchair - I suggested to the Governor to honour him by naming an important place for him.

Mbadinuju chose to name a road linking the House of Assembly, the State legislative headquarters and Government House for the man of letters who had brought so

much honour to the African world. I was over the moon. The Governor went with his Deputy, the Speaker of the State legislature and all the members of the legislature as well as all Commissioners to see Achebe in his Ogidi residence. On seeing Achebe in the wheelchair, Mbadinuju broke down, overwhelmed by emotions. He read out the letter proposing to name Anambra’s Three Arms Zone for the writer who graciously accepted. The event was covered by the media, which praised the Governor for promoting enlightened values.

But when some barely literate fellow suggested to Mbadinuju to name the same place Presidential Avenue to ingratiate himself with President Olusegun who was visiting the State, the governor heeded the advice of this controversial young government contractor! Despite all Achebe represents and all he did –and even continues in his grave-- to bring honour to Anambra State and the rest of the world, there is no street or road or institution or monument named for him in the State.

The situation would perhaps have been different if Chukwuemeka Ezeife had been Governor for more than 20 months. I held a meeting with Ezeife in August 1993, and recommended that Anambra indigenes who had won the Nigerian National Merit Award, NNMA, Nigeria’s most prestigious honour for artistic and intellectual achievement, be immortalised.

By this time, Anambra and Ekiti States

were competing for the first highest number of the laureates. Among the winners were Pius Okigbo (Economics), Ben Nwabueze (Law), Ben Enweonwu (Fine and Applied Arts), Chukwuedo Nwokolo (Medicine), Alexander Animalu (Physics), and, of course, Achebe who in 1979 became the first recipient in the country. I went a step further by suggesting that such internationally recognised icons as Olaudah Euiano, the first West African to write a book now entitled Equiano’s Travels; Kenneth Dike, the first African principal of the University College at Ibadan and later the first African Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan where he founded the famous Ibadan History School; and Chike Obi, Africa’s foremost mathematician, be immortalised.

Echoing the words of Okigbo, I argued that Nigerians should begin “to pay homage to education” rather than “calibrate everything in pecuniary terms”. I had hardly finished when Ezeife, who holds a Harvard PhD, jumped out of his seat and ordered that the tape of his broadcast on the forthcoming anniversary of the state be withdrawn so that he could include the government’s immortalisation of these personages. He did add the immortalisation part, but it was never implemented. Sani Abacha and his cohorts were to strike in yet another military coup d’etat three months later.

Both the Nigerian people and their leaders do not seem to appreciate that the type of people honoured in public places reveals everything about our value system. And many do not recognise the strong correlation between social values and economic development. Otherwise, the Kano State stadium would not have been named for Sani Abacha, and the Bayelsa State government would not have officially declared Deprieye Alamieyesigha, an ex convict, a hero, just as Delta State would not have been treating Ibori, another ex governor jailed for stealing humungous resources of his impoverished people and spending them on frivolities abroad, as an exemplary leader. To appreciate that societies with wrong values cannot develop competitive economies, I would like our researchers and scholars in particular to pore over books like Edward Banfield’s The Moral Basis of the Backward Society (1958), Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (1993), Francis Fukuyama’s Trust: The Social Virtues and Creation of Prosperity (1997), and Lawrence E. Harrison’s and Samuel P. Huntington’s Culture Matters (2000).

If by immortalising a man of tremendous values like Ekwueme the Nigerian government has signaled that it now wants to go in a new direction, it means that there is a ray of hope for our society.

Adinuba is head of Discovery Public Affairs Consulting

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