Wednesday june 21 edition

The

The Oracle SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

VOX POPULI SACRUM

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T started with hate speeches earlier in the year.

TuFace had spoken in support of a march that would have spoken the truth to government in ways that would reflect how Nigerians felt. TuFace was shouted into a retreat.

All types of accusations were made against him in caustic language. He was

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Today Today

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WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017

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events have signposted the descent of the country into ends that hardly serve any useful purposes. Whether in comments people make on social media, on in the traditional press, there are evidences that hate speech, mischief, and obvious attempts to cause Cont’d on Page 24

Does anyone hear the war drums? called names and reportedly threatened.

People ripped through his personal life and used it as a basis to abrogate his rights to comment or par-

ticipate in expressing his feelings about the government. It was as if it was an offence to express a view on anything that was contrary to what those who

thought they had a louder voice wanted.

After the incident, which showcased the various ends at which feelings were running, series of

Osinbajo meets Northern leaders

• Warns against hate speeches

From TONY AILEMEN, Abuja country.

The Acting President, who HE Acting President has noted that the past few weeks warned against inciting have witnessed actions that violence in the country, are capable of heightening posaying that the Federal Gov- litical tension across the counernment is fully prepared to try, announced that he would bring down the full weight of be meeting with Igbo elders on the law against anyone found Wednesday in Abuja as part of causing trouble. the consultative engagement Osinbajo stated this when with Nigeria leaders. he hosted Northern Leaders Present at the meeting were of thought at the old banquet the Senate President Bukola hall of the Presidential Villa Saraki, Speaker House of Repduring the week. resentative, Yakubu Dogara, Osinbajo who said the feder- Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gaal government would not shy briel Olanishakin, Chairman of away from its responsibilities Arewa Consultative Forum and of protecting lives and prop- former IGP Ibrahim Comassie erty of Nigerians, also warned and Spokesman of the Arewa elders and opinion leaders to Consultative Forum (ACF) Prof. desist from actions that are Ango Abdullahi, likely to inflame passion.

Others were the former govHe said the meeting with the ernor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Northern Leaders of thought Wamako, former deputy govwas the first in the series of ernor of Plateau State, Pauline consultative meetings he Tallen, Publisher of Leadership •Business mogul and Chairman of Ibeto Group, Chief (Dr.) Cletus Ibeto (Omekannaya Nnewi) reads The Oracle Today during would be having with leaders the burial of Madam Josephine Nwamalumbia Okeke at Otolo Nnewi, Anambra ... last weekend. PHOTO: Modestus Igudobi. of other major groups in the Continued on Page 2

T

Fears persist...despite assurances From NATH OMAME (Port Harcourt), CHUKS EZE (Enugu), CHRIS EZE (Yenagoa), CHINEDUM NWAFOR (Abakaliki), JONATHAN AWANYAI (Asaba), IBE NWACHUKWU (Onitsha), COLLINS UGHALAA (Owerri).

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HERE are fears in the land that despite assurances from constituted authorities that Nigerians are free and safe to

• Quit order has no basis in law –Ezeife • Referendum is the answer –Bishop Chukwuma

go about their lawful businesses anywhere in the country without fear of molestation, there may be untoward consequences for the country from the Igbo-must-leave-

the-North notice by Arewa Youths, when the ultimatum expires on October 1 this year.

These fears have been heightened by the failure of the author-

arrest.

In fact, not only have they not been arrested but they have also been freely going about making even more provocative statements.

For instance, asked recently by a national newspaper (not The

ities to arrest leaders of the Arewa Youth Coalition, whose “quit notice” to Ndigbo in the North has caused the prevalent tension, even after Governor Nasir el-Rufai of kaduna State had ordered their Cont’d on Page 2

PIGB to boost insurers’ GPI by 65 percent

Page 17

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

Fears persist...despite assurances Continued from Pg 1 Oracle Today) if he was sorry for his group’s statement which has generated tension in the country, Shettima Yerima, President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum said he was not in anyway sorry for the Igbo quit notice given by his group.

Yerima maintained that the statement issued by the youths on Tuesday, June 6, was designed “to aide the quick achievement of Biafra faster for Ndigbo”, insisting that he has no apology for issuing the leave-the-north order that has received condemnation from all over the country.

According to The Oracle Today investigations, the seeming lack of firm position by the government is making people react to the frightening development in a multiplicity of ways.

In a statement issued Sunday after a meeting at a secret location in Port Harcourt, Niger Delta Militants said they would declare “a sovereign and independent Niger Delta Republic on October 1” if the coalition of Arewa Youths carries out its threat to force residents of Igbo extraction from the North on October 1.

The Niger Delta militants also threatened that should the Arewa Youths go ahead with their threat to forcibly drive Ndigbo from the North, then, Northerners leaving in the Niger Delta will also be asked to leave.

In addition, the militants demanded that all oil blocks held by Northerners be returned to the Niger Delta, and that the region must have total control of oil and gas resources in the Niger Delta.

The statement signed by leaders of groups stated in part: “A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in Port Harcourt to review the recent call by the Arewa Youths groups that Ndigbo should vacate all the Northern states within three months.

“We see the declaration by Arewa Youths as a declaration, which the northern elders, leaders, political elite, security heads from the North and governors are fully aware of. We demand 100% control of our resources.

“We demand that the FG hand over all oil blocs owned by northerners to Niger Delta indigenes. All the companies operating such oil blocs/wells should vacate within three months.

“The FG should immediately relocate NNPC and all the offices that have to do with oil/gas sector back to Niger Delta States and immediately replace the Group Managing Director with an indigene of Niger

• Chukwuemeka Ezeife Delta.

“All northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other board that has anything to do with oil/gas should be sacked with immediate effect. We demand an independent and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta.

“Our money has been used to fund Boko Haram, a problem created by the Northerners in order to use it as conduit pipe to siphon the resources of Niger Delta. On October 1, 2017 we shall declare our independence come rain, come shine.”

The statement was signed by representatives of eight groups representing the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, namely: General John Duku, for Niger Delta Watchdogs; General Ekpo Ekpo for Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam, for Niger Delta Warriors; Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete, for Niger Delta Peoples Fighters; Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw, for Bakassi Freedom; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall, for Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson, For Niger Delta Fighters Network; and Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams, for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate.

The Niger Delta Militants’ statement came on the hills of an earlier statement by the South East Governors’ Forum, which assured Ndigbo of their safety in the North and urged them to stay put in their places of residence in northern Nigeria.

In the statement signed by its chairman, Engr. Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi State, the South East governors called on “all our Igbo sons and daughters resident in Northern Nigeria to go about

Osinbajo meets Northern leaders Continued from Pg 1

Radio/Television, Tijani Ramalan, the Editor in Chief of Newspapers, Sam Ndah-Isa- Daily Trust, Dan Ali and former iah, Paul Unongo, AVM Mur- Chief of Army Staff, Martin Lukar and Chairman Liberty ther Agwai, among others.

their lawful daily engagements without fear of intimidation, hindrance or molestation,” adding that “the rumour being peddled on conventional and social media platforms that the governors had agreed to mobilize vehicles and cash for the expatriation of Ndigbo resident in the North” is just what it is: a rumour.

Similarly, Chairman of Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa has urged Ndigbo to remain law abiding and peaceful across the nation.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in an interview in Yenagoa said there is no basis for the “purported quit order” and urged Ndigbo to disregard it as “Ndigbo are an integral part of Nigeria.”

“The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo under Chief Nnia Nwodo is on top of the situation and there is no cause for alarm,” he said. “Following assurances from Northern leaders, our people have no need to fear.

“In the coming days the leadership of Ohaneze will take a position but we in the youth wing of Ohaneze urge our people to refrain from panic because there is simply no need for it.

“The Ohaneze Ndigbo has been working tirelessly to strengthen the bond of unity amongst Ndigbo and their hosts across the country and that has yielded to peace and harmony across ethnic divides.

“Further assurances have also been given by the Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau. (Rtd) that there is no cause for alarm,” the youth leader said.

For his part, the leader of the Hausa community in Asaba and Chairman of the Arewa Community in Delta State, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagero III described the quit notice as an act of cowardice on the part of the notice givers.

While strongly condemning the development, Babagero III assured that nobody can divide the country.

“It is a shameful idea to suggest secession after over hundred years of living together. The Arewa and the IPOB will be held responsible if anything goes wrong in Nigeria, the North and South will suffer the consequence. Some of us have lived in the East for over a hundred and fifty years. My grandfather migrated from Kano to Asaba in 1889 and I was born in Asaba. So, where do they expect us to go if the country divides?” he said.

Also, the leader of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), in Bayelsa State, Nuhu Ibrahim has condemned the quit order given to Ndigbo residing in the northern part of the country by Arewa youths.

In a telephone chat with The Oracle Today, Ibrahim called for restraint on the part of the Northern youths and other persons or groups that may be sharing similar sentiments with the Arewa youths against the Igbos in the north.

He said the ACF, Bayelsa’s position tallies with that of the elders in the north who have condemned the development and sued for

greater unity in the country.

“We speak one word with our elders and our position is that we condemn the quit order in its entirety. A good child is supposed to listen to his father, and we have listened to our elders,” he said.

In Abakaliki, the leader of the Hausa community in Ebonyi State, Alhaji Danjuma Mahmud Gambo described the quit notice as ‘not worthwhile’, saying he and his group are not making any plans to return home in line with the directive of the Coalition of Northern Youths.

His words: “Our prayer is that the country should be more united.

Just of recent, I heard that some Northern youths said Igbos should quit from North but I tell you, this is a riddle, because we cannot live in this country without one another.

“Igbos cannot live without Hausas and Hausas cannot live without Igbos, the same way Yorubas cannot live without Igbos and Igbos cannot live without Yorubas and Yorubas cannot live without Hausas and Hausas without Yorubas.

“You can see for yourself, everybody is relaxed doing his business here, because we don’t regard the order as anything. We know, that is not going to happen in this country. Nobody here is going anywhere.

Nobody is doing us anything.

We are not afraid and we are going about our lawful businesses.

Those people spoke their minds, just like the Biafra agitators.”

Foirmer Governor of Anambra Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, in an exclusive interview with the Oracle Today, dismissed the threat by the northern youths as illegitimate, and pointed out that it lacks any known legal or constitutional backing.

He said the Igbo cannot be forced out of the north and called on northern religious and political leaders as well as various security agencies to control the youths to avert the danger that such move portends to the country.

The Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Emmanuel Olisachukwuma also frowned at the action of the coalition of Arewa Youths.

Chukwuma aligned with Chief Ezeife and urged the Igbo not to rush home but to stay back and watch the federal government’s disposition and action first. He said the Igbo should not embark on rash decision of abandoning their hard-earned investments and property to rush home because of the regrettable threat of the northern youths. He said that the present situation has made the need for a referendum on the continued existence of the Nigerian marriage more it imperative, adding that those who used to think that Nigerian unity is non-negotiable have seen that it is actually negotiable and yearns for re-negotiation.

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, also condemned the action of a coalition of northern youths.

“I am utterly disappointed

with the Arewa Youths. Nigeria is a very fragile country at the moment and people should be very mindful of the things they utter through their mouths. The quit order given Ndigbo by the so-called coalition of northern youths is the height of insensitivity, rascality and irresponsibility, and it shows that they do not stay close to their parents who would tutored them on the implication of such action, However, the General Overseer of Christ Foundation Miracle International Chapel, Lagos, Prophet Josiah Chukwuma Onuoha has urged all Igbo resident in all parts of the north to urgently bring their wives, children and valuables home without further delay.

Disagreeing with the governors’ call on Ndigbo in the north to remain put there, Onuoha said: “Their threat is not a joke both physically and spiritually! I want to state categorically here that any meeting that holds at Arewa House is authentic. People should disregard all the northern leaders that are rebutting the evil declaration because those are mere attempts to cover up the consensus agenda. I plead with Ndigbo that are residing in any part of the north to vacate and either return home or relocate to any other place outside the north. They should start by sending their wives, children and other valuables home immediately. But whosever that refuses to return home should be ready to bear the consequences of his action at the end of the day.”

National President of the OYC (Worldwide), Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, described “the ultimatum was a call for war and should be treated as such by security agents,” pointing out that that was how the civil war started.

“They (North) are at it again and this is a sad reminder of the civil war,” Isiguzoro said, adding “this is how it started as a joke and before we knew it, a coordinated and simultaneous attack was launched against the Igbo in the North in the 1966 pogrom.

He declared: “We, however, wish to state unequivocally that Igbos are not cowards. We are not afraid of Arewa youths.

“Ndigbo want to make it categorically clear that we are ready for them; we cannot be intimidated by his ranting. The era of taking properties belonging to Ndigbo by force is gone. We won’t let that happen again.

In his own reaction, the Ogirisi of Igboland, Chief Rommy Ezeonwukasaid that the quit notice served on Ndigbo resident in the north, by a group who identified themselves as Arewa Youths Consultative Forum to leave on or before October 1, this year, should be given the amount of seriousness it deserved.

He said this is no longer a time to ignore any youth organization because youths are the high-tension wire of all the ethnic groups in the country.

“I have been telling Ndigbo not to put all their eggs in one basket by investing massively in the north or west, but to distribute their wealth and invest more in the South East. I even thank God that the Arewa youths have put people on notice with long time frame of three months.”

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The Oracle Today, Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Katsina Governor wants June 12: Ambode, Tinubu more empowerment preach true democracy schemes for women

From SAMSON AKINTARO, Lagos

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agos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the National leader of All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have called for practice of true democracy in Nigeria. The two in separate messages commemorating 24th anniversary of the June 12 1993 annulled presidential election, believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola, said Nigeria must entrench a viable democracy as a way to immortalize Abiola through the practice of true federalism and conduct of credible and fair elections.

Ambode noted that 24 years after, the ideals of June 12 commemoration were worth celebrating, describing the day as one of the most defining moments of the country’s political history which has positively shaped its democratic rule. He said: “June 12, 1993 is a day we must not forget in the annals of our democratic history. Our present democratic experience may still be far from the ideal but we must all make concerted efforts to entrench fiscal federalism which is the only way to achieve true nationhood.” Continuing, Governor Ambode said part of the enduring lessons of June 12 elec-

tion is that it imbued the patriotic and nationalistic zeal in all Nigerians to speak with one voice to make a political choice devoid of ethnic, racial or social sentiments. “On June 12, 1993, majority of Nigerians across all divides demonstrated through the ballot box that irrespective of class or ethnic sympathies, the Nigerian people are united and would always join hands to promote our unifying values,” he said.

Governor Ambode said though the peoples’ hope was dashed with the annulment of the elections by the military junta, the lessons of the elections cannot be wished away despite subterranean efforts by many to do, describing June 12 as the real Democracy Day in Nigeria.

Tinubu in his message entitled ‘What June 12 Taught Us’, said: “The annulment was a bitter pill to swallow, especially for the millions of people who expended so much time, energy and material resources to help ensure victory for Chief MKO Abiola. “The annulment was meant to halt the unstoppable and irresistible march to deeper democratic practice in Nigeria. That objective failed woefully.” “That annulled free and fair election taught us once again to organise. It tutored us new tactics and strategies of confronting and ul-

timately overcoming forces of dictatorship. It revealed to us the imperative of forging working relationships and diverse networks across ethnic, religious, regional and partisan divides if we were to move forward”.

“It is this invaluable experience we gathered in the struggle to enthrone democracy and retrieve our country from the grip of dictatorship that emboldens us today to warn those directly or indirectly threatening our democracy through another military intervention to perish the idea’’. “The lessons of that election still speak eloquently to us today despite the utter lack of vision in governance between 1999 and 2015 that has fuelled the revival of separatist agitations and deepened distrust among the component parts of Nigeria. One enduring truth that June 12 demonstrated is that given inspirational, visionary and sincere leadership, Nigerians can rise above divisive primordial sentiments to demonstrate high patriotism and a belief in merit in their voting patterns, ” he said.

Tinubu also used the occasion to appraise two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration, saying that it had already taken impressive strides in addressing the country’s challenges.

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ov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has called on elected officials, agencies and other initiators of empowerment support schemes to allocate not less than 60 per cent to women. Masari made the call in Bakori while launching distribution of 30 cars, 100 motorcycles, 70 sewing machines and 20 generating sets as empowerment items donated by the representative of Bakori/ Danja Federal Constituency, Rep. Amiru Tukur.

The governor explained that women faced enormous challenges, especially in the rural areas, where they were mostly bread winners, sponsoring children’s education and other burdens. He said women always ensured that their earnings went to family upkeep more than men. Masari commended Tukur for the gesture and urged other lawmakers to emulate him to empower the people in accordance with the All Progressives Party (APC) manifesto and election promises.

He advised party officials to ensure fairness and level playing ground for both old and

new party members in the spirit of democracy. “People are willing to defect to APC from various platforms at national and local levels, such movements should be welcomed.

“There is no basis for sideling members on account of period stay in the party as individual members have different contribution to make to the party’s progress,’’ Masari said.

Earlier, Tukur said the beneficiaries were from the 22 political wards in the constituency and added that the empowerment scheme was a continuous exercise through which others had benefitted in the past. The Katsina State APC Chairman, Alhaji Shitu Shitu, commended Tukur for the gesture and urged other lawmakers to emulate him.

He said that empowerment schemes were desirable in the communities. Some of the beneficiaries, Sahabu Bade, Haruna Garba, Garba Tandama and Hauwa Iro, expressed gratitude for the gesture and added that Tukur had lived up to the expectations of his constituents.

Lagos has the highest crime rate in Nigeria —NBS From SAMSON AKINTARO, Lagos

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atest statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed a prevalent of criminal activities in Lagos State in 2016 as it recorded the highest crime rate in Nigeria in the period. According to the statistics released on Monday, Lagos has the highest percentage share of total cases reported with 36.08 per cent and 45,385 cases recorded.

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Delta State came second and third in the crime rate as they followed Lagos with 10.48 per cent and 13,181 and 6.25 per cent and 7,867 cases recorded respectively.

Katsina State has the lowest percentage share of total cases reported with 0.10 per cent and 120 cases recorded. Abia and Zamfara States followed closely with 0.29 per cent and 364 and 0.38% and 483 cases recorded respectively.

Crime Statistics on reported offences reflected that a total of 125,790 cases were reported in 2016. Offence against property has the highest number of cases reported with 65,397 of such cases reported, while offence against persons recorded 45,554 cases reported while offence against lawful au-

thority and local acts recorded the least with 12,144 and 2,695 cases recorded respectively.

Describing the various categories of criminal offences, NBS defined offence against persons as those offences against human beings e.g. murder, manslaughter, infanticide, concealment of birth, rape and other physical abuse while offence against properties are those offences against human belonging, properties of any kind e.g. stealing, receiving stolen properties, obtaining property by false pretence, robbery, burglary and house breaking. “Offences against lawful authority is any offence commitment against any establishment of the law e.g. failure to pay your tax (FIRS) amounts to an offence against lawful authority and Offences against local acts are those offences committed against laws that we cannot enforce outside Nigeria” it said.

Meanwhile, the State Government has blamed over population and influx of people from all walks of life to the state as the reason for high rate of crime. The government said, being a cosmopolitan bursting city that rarely goes to sleep, Lagos, has peculiar security challenges. “The special status of Lagos as the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria and, indeed,

West Africa, understandably poses a great threat to public security as diverse people from sundry parts of the world and for different reasons migrate into Lagos on a daily basis. With a population that is close to 24 million out of the country estimated population of 180 million, security challenge in the state is peculiar and therefore needs peculiar solution. Consequently, successive administrations in the state had evolved various strategies to tackle the menace of criminal activities”.

“Recently, it was discovered that the high rate of crime in the state is not just as a result of unemployment but there are even more crimes committed by illiterate touts who do not have what it takes to be gainfully employed in the society.

Identifying these deficiencies, the Lagos state government through the Ministry of Education takes another turn of tackling the crime in the society through a programme aimed at reducing illiteracy in the society. In line with this, the state government launched the educational scheme named EKO N KE KO (Lagos is learning) which is targeted at educating the artisans, tradesmen, commercial motorist and early school dropouts residing in the state” the government said.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

Family battles bishop over will execution F From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

AMILY of late Chief A.O. Ezeoke led by Dr Sylvester Ezeoke has dragged the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese in Anambra State, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, to court over their father’s will.

They also alleged among other things threat to their lives, intimidation, oppression, injustice, disregard for the rule of law, and character assassination.

According to Dr Ezeoke, the Bishop as the principal executor of their father’s will was not coming straight and had been playing games suggesting that he did not want to divest their father’s property to them as the bona fide beneficiaries.

They therefore on behalf of the family dragged the cleric and his counsel, Rev Fr Chukwujekwu Obiora, to court seeking to get back what was theirs.

“On behalf of my other siblings, I’m making this presentation for the world to hear our cry of supplication about the intimidation, oppression, injustices, disregard for rule of law, character assassination, threat to my life and that of my brother -Celestine Ezeoke, confiscation of

properties that lawfully belong to me and my family, being meted out to us by the Catholic bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor through his agents led by Rev Fr (Barr) Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora...”

Ezeoke pointed out that, “Our father was a very close confidant of Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor of Awka Diocese to whom he frequently paid visits and sought counsel and advice.

WIFE of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to improve the lives of women and children across the country, especially victims of insurgency in the North East, received a big boost, with a donation of N60 million by the People’s Republic of China The fund was received on behalf of the wife of the President

by Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo Sani.

She expressed the first lady’s appreciation for the support and goodwill, plaedging that the donation would reach its intended beneficiaries.

Dr. Hajo also took time to highlight the effort made by wife of the president to raise funds to support Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria as well as refugees and other victims of insurgency across the West African sub-region, especially

Change of Name

This is to certify that ODOH DAVIDSON ALPHONSUS IKECHUKWU and ODOH ALPHONSUS IKECHUKWU is one and same person now wish to be known as ODOH DAVIDSON ALPHONSUS IKECHUKWU. Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Change of Name I formerly known and addressed as NWANKWO CHIBIKE LIVINUS, Now wish to be known and addressed as NWANKWO CHUKWUNWEIKE LIVINUS All former document remain valid BANKS and general public take note.

what had befallen us; we also asked him if there was any financial help he could offer to us as we knew he had access to our father’s accounts.

He told us to go and borrow money if we don’t have money to bury our daddy.

“At a meeting, he (bishop) told us that our father had left a will with him and that he was not experienced in dealing with such matters, that he would hand over our affairs to his legal department headed by

•Acting President Yemi Osinbajo being welcomed by Governor Obiano in Anambra

China lifts Mrs Buhari’s ‘Future Assured’ with N60m From TONY AILEMEN, Abuja

“During his last days, he told us to see Bishop Ezeokafor as his friend and confidant, that if we need any help or advice when he was gone, we should always go to him.

“That he left a very important message and our belongings in his care to hand over to us when he is no more.

“When our father died, I took my siblings to see Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, to inform him on

among countries of the Lake Chad Basin. She said the donation would transcend the borders of Nigeria.

Presenting the donation, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Lin Jin, said Future Assured had made tremendous impact in promoting the health and wellbeing of women, children and the vulnerable, and succeeded in making a difference in the lives of these people. This, he said, was worthy of emulation.

“The embassy pays great attention that its bilateral relationships should benefit people from all walks of life.”

Mr. Jin said Future Assured needed to be supported in order for its activities to reach more beneficiaries.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of the cheque to Dr. Hajo Sani.

Change of Name I formerly known as MISS ANAEBONAM ANNA UCHECHUKWU now wish to be known as MRS ANNA AMAKA NWOYE . Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Change of Name This is to certify that ONWUDINJO MARTINS ANNE NGOZI and OARTINS ANNE NGOZI is one and same person, now wish to be known as ONWUDINJO MARTINS ANNE NGOZI . Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Rev. Fr. Barr Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora .

“We got invitation to the probate a few weeks later and on getting there, the probate registrar mentioned the existence of two wills, an earlier one deposited by our father and another one deposited by someone a few days after his death and that she would read the latter one.

“After reading the will to us in the presence of Bishop Ezeokafor and his agents, we applied for a certified true copy of the will, which we got, but I and my brother noticed that my father’s signature on it had been transplanted or scanned unto the will.”

Ezeoke alleged that the family and its businesses had been under constant threat, resulting in repeat police arrests and intimidation.

However, when contacted, the Bishop’s lawyer, Rev. Fr. Dr Obiora, said the matter was already in court, and that it would be prejudicial to discuss it in the press now.

He rather advised journalists to “tell them that the matter is in court that they can’t talk on it.

He also quipped, “The people that addressed you are two out of the 11 children of the late Chief Ezeoke; asked them where others are?

Methodist Church backs S/East Development Commission bill From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia METHODIST Church Nigeria has called on the National Assembly to revisit the South East Development Commission bill thrown out by the House of Representatives.

The church says the passage of the bill into law would give people from the zone a sense of belonging in Nigeria.

The church also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill establishing the Nigeria Peace Corps to provide jobs for teeming Nigerian youths.

The church, which made the call at the end of the 35th Council of Bishops held in Umuahia, expressed happiness with the leadership style of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

In a 17-point communiqué issued at the end of the Council, the church voted against any form of borrowing by governments at all levels, suggesting that monies recovered from looters should be deployed to shaping the economy

and making life better for Nigerians.

The communiqué was presented by the Secretary of the Conference, Dr Samuel Akinwale, during a press conference presided over by the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Emeka Kanu Uche, at the Methodist Theological Institute, Umuahia.

While calling on the National Assembly to revisit the South-East Development Commission bill, the church recalled that at the end of the Nigeria civil war, the federal government proposed a plan for Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. “Non-implementation of this project has obviously led to the rise in agitation of various forms of in the South-East.

Council, therefore, urges the National Assembly to revisit the bill on South-East Development Commission as a way of making the zone feel that it belongs to Nigeria.”

The Council condemned the quit notice issued to Ndigbo living in the not, insisting that it should be treated as a treasonable matter.

On the Peace Corps, the Council said it appreciated efforts by National Assembly in passing the Peace Corps bill and urged “the President to quickly give assent to the bill as it will provide jobs for young people.”

The Council urged the political class, particularly, members of the Federal Executive Council, to give Osinbajo “sincere support” as he holds forth the leadership of Nigeria in order to move the nation forward.

The Council warned against unnecessary loans, adding that looted funds should not be misdirected into private hands.

The church leaders urged the Federal Government to deal decisively with rampaging herdsmen across the nation by conducting thorough investigation into who their sponsors were.

The Council enjoined Nigerians to pray for quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari, urging them to live in peace as God has made Nigeria “a sovereign, indivisible nation,” saying it should “remain so.”

Dangote announces milestone in sugar project From Ojoachele Ejigbo, Lagos

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resident of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, in a series of tweets announced a milestone in the Tunga sugar project. The Tunga Sugar project is a sugar plantation of the Dangote Group in Nasarawa, in March 2017, the group invested N217bn into the project.

“Today we celebrate another milestone that will transform our

economy. Our Tunga Sugar project will create the largest sugar plant in Africa. This project will further diversify our economy, create employment and help achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production” said Aliko Dangote.

He thanked everyone who has contributed to the project, including the Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Al-Makura and CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele. “Our profound gratitude to our host, H.E

the Gov. of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Al-Makura & the good people of Nasarawa State for their support.

The CBN Gov., Mr Godwin Emefiele, for his contribution towards reviving the nation’s agricultural sector. Hon. Min. of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh for transforming the Agricultural sector. and the the Min. of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah, a constant factor in increasing our confidence in the Nigerian economy” Dangote added.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Transition

…And the Amazon goes home in a blaze of glory As they say, every man or woman’s death diminishes us. But, when a person dies at a ripe old age, the mourning often turns to celebration as was in the case of Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia Okeke, recently writes RAPULUCHUKWU UDECHUCKWU

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RHE NNEWI commercial city came alive last weekend when the last remains of Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia Okeke was committed to Mother Earth. The casket, which was conveyed in an APAMS chariot, was accompanied by a motorcade that snaked through Ekene Dilichukwu Road, Igwe Orizu Road cum St. Cletus expressway Ndiakwu Otolo Nnewi, Anambra State.

The event started as early as 8:30 am on Friday from Nnewi Diocesan mortuary with a convoy of exotic vehicles and Horse-riders in tow, as well as trumpeters dressed in red and black attires and dancing and singing with profundity. The children of the deceased-Paul, Tony, Hyacinth, Emeka, Theresa, Virginia, Anna--were in black and white clothes looking mournful inside the vehicles while the mammoth crowd lined by the roadside and waved their hands in sympathy.

And the weather was clement--devoid of rainfall. Ezinne Okeke was given a befitting funeral. It was a carnival that attracted people from far and wide. Indeed, it was an occasion for the Okeke family, especially Arch (Dr.) and Hon (Mrs.) Hyacinth Okeke to test their societal value as friends and associates from Abuja thronged the arena to pay their last respects to the departed matriarch of the Okeke family.

The arrival of Ezinne’s corpse at exactly 10:20 am provoked sad memories from the children. Even Chief Paul Okeke, the eldest son could not hold back tears as he bent down and mourned, despite the ripe old age of his deceased mother who died at 95. But then, the sermon from officiating priest, Rev Fr. Hyginus Aghaulo of St. Cletus Catholic Church Otolo Nnewi, was a soothing balm.

“This is an ample time for God to be glorified,” he stated. “Mama knew where she was going during her life on earth. She prepared very well with outstanding character anchored on God’s will, and her dexterity in church activities was exemplary. She was not only a devotee but a role model for other members of the church. Our concern here today is simply to pray for her soul towards God’s redemption. The large crowd here is a testimony of her virtue and smooth run while on earth. We are now obliged to borrow this fascinating insight and make amends.”

The solemn mass attracted over 20 catholic Priests from Nnewi and beyond, even Anglican and Pentecostal worshippers were not left out. Rev Fr. Patrick Unegbu represented Bishop Hillary Okeke of Nnewi Catholic Diocese. Members of Women Christian Organization (CWO), Men Christian Organization (CMO) of St. Cletus Catholic Church and numerous others were present.

The traditional ruler of Nnewi town, Igwe Kenneth O. Orizu III, Chief Jacob Ikejiuba (Oranyelugo Nnewi) and other traditional Chiefs came to the arena. Top government functionaries, Dr Nkem Okeke, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Hon. Engr.

Chris Azubogu of Nnewi Federal Constituency, Hon Chukwudi Orizu, the former Deputy Speaker and now Sole Administrator of Nnewi North Council were all in attendance.

Bank officials from UBA, FCMB, as well as White Clergy from Europe and America were at Nnewi to pay homage.

The climax of the funeral was when the corpse was being lowered into the grave.

Over 20 gunshots heralded the arena as people scrambled for safety due to the thunderous ovation. It was a clinical departure of a humble soul cherished by the multitude. It was indeed a programmatic exit of a woman who gave all to make people happy.

Testimonies abounded. People really poured out encomiums on Ezinne Josephine Okeke. Her sojourn on earth was very eventful: she visited Israel on Christian pilgrimage, toured the Lourdes in Spain and explored so many cities in Nigeria.

In her special tribute, Mrs. Theresa Ajagu, the deceased’s first child said: “Our mother was an epitome of life. She was kind, loving, caring, generous and sociable. She never hesitated in helping the needy and gave advice wisely if need be.”

Chief Paul Okeke, the first son added: “I take solace for it was the will of God. You tried your best and I believe that you are in the right place with God who loves you more.”

Arch (Dr.) Hyacinth Okeke (Ifezuora Nnewi) said: “A woman of wisdom, strength and determination has gone. Mama symbolized a true Amazon, My reference data, encyclopedia and spiritual guide. Rest in peace in the bosom of the lord, till we meet to part no more.”

Hon Justice Anulika, Arch. Okeke’s wife lyricised: “Death changes everything, time changes nothing. I miss you mama, a mother-in-law like no other; you were the best. I miss the sound of your voice, the wisdom in your advice, the stories of your life, and the calculations that reel from your brain. We need your strength; we need your wisdom to carry on with the baton. May God grant you eternal rest, and may His perpetual light shine upon you.”

Engr. Chukwuemeka Okeke was philosophical: “Mama, do people expect me to cry without stopping? Why should I continue to cry for a saint who peacefully gone home?

Should I continue wailing for a saint who is welcomed home in heaven? No! I would rather cry to God to help me diligently run my race to make heaven at last and see my mother. For life is like a cash register in which every account, every thought, every scale is recorded. I therefore strongly advice those who have not made peace with God to do so now while the blood of Jesus avails. This will make you see the Lord, the saints and my dear mother on the last day.”

Anna Chinyere and her husband recalled: “There was a girl child born in Okofia Otolo Nnewi. Her parents rejoiced and called her

Nwamalubia. Yes, her parents acknowledged she came at the right time. O’ yes, she grew and was nurtured in that countryside and by stroke of destiny she got married to Sylvester Okeke of Ndiakwu Otolo Nnewi.

Think about this wonderful and divine arrangement, Okofia and Ndiakwu- a big bush and the people of the forest. What a quiet and serene conviviality of destiny! We have been slow to realize that man is a spirit and that his spirit nature is his basic nature.”

Mama’s eulogies were multiple, even the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano condoled the Okeke family.

“As humans, we are bound to be sorrowful at the death of loved ones. It is proper to grieve and brood over deaths so touching as a loving mother’s. Yet, I would urge Okeke family to reflect on the transience of human life and find relief in the good life that your mother lived worthy of emulation. The loss of our beloved ones should affect us all to come to terms with the fact that the will of God is supreme at all times,” Chief Obiano philosophized.

Dr Cletus Ibeto, CON, noted that Ezinne Okeke lived a worthy life and long enough to witness the incredible successes attained by her children. He, therefore, averred that mom was a virtuous woman and loved her children very much.

“As someone who had a selfless disposition towards others, Mama reflected a life replete with virtues of humility, generosity, love, kindness and service to God and humanity touching many lives positively,” Chief Ibeto said.

Chikwado Ejimbe of Chidovas Global Ltd urged Okeke family to bear the loss like people of good faith, appealing to them to continue exhibiting the good behavior of their mother.

In appreciation, the Okeke and Obiasogu families expressed sincere gratitude to all their sympathizers for the love, prayers, presence and contributions towards the successful burial of their beloved mother, Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia Okeke. They jointly wished them God’s protection and blessings as they departed to their various destinations.

6 Burial of Late Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia Okeke at Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Photos by Modestus Igudobi

•Chariots bearing the corpse of late Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia during her burial ceremony at her hometown, Ndiakwu-Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

• A trombone player, part of the band that escorted the corpse.

• The deceased’s son, Arch (Dr.) Hyacinth Okeke, and wife, Justice Agatha Okeke.

• Granddaughter of the deceased, Barr. Adachukwu Mbadugha, taking the first reading at the mass.

• Body of late Ezinne Nwamalubia Okeke lying in state at her compound.

• Chairman of Ibeto Group, Dr. Cletus Ibeto, (middle) arriving for the burial.

• Officiating priests at the burial Mass.

Traditional Ruler of Nnewi, HRH Igwe Kenneth Orizu III (1st right) and other sympathizers at the burial.

• Members of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of St. Cletus Catholic Church, Otolo, Nnewi, at the burial.

• The officiating priest, Rev. Fr. Hyginus Aghaulo delivering the homily at the burial mass.

• Members of the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) of St. Cletus Catholic Church, Otolo, Nnewi, at the burial.

7 Burial of Late Ezinne Josephine Nwamalubia Okeke at Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The Oracle Today, June 21, 2017

Photos by Modestus Igudobi

• Choristers performing at the burial.

Daughter-in-law of the deceased, Justice Agatha Okeke (2nd left), Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke (2nd right), Hon Melie Onyejepu (left) and a sympathizer at the burial.

• A friend of the family, Engr. Simon Obidike (Onowu Nando) and his entourage arriving for the burial.

• A cross section of sympathizers at the burial.

• A son of the deceased, Rev. Tony Okeke of Save the Lost Mission, looks on during the interment.

• Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) life members of St. Cletus Catholic Church, Otolo, Nnewi, at the grave side.

• Family members at the graveside during the interment.

• A son of the deceased, Engr Emeka Okeke, reading the funeral oration at the graveside, while Arc. Dr. Hyacinth Okeke listens.

• The deceased’s first son, Chief Paul Okeke, performing the dust-to-dust rite.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

Nation’s insecurity self inflicted, says Osinbajo From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

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CTING President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has observed that most of the security problems facing the nation today were self-inflicted, blaming it on the failure of the state and the elite to create an inclusive society.

The Acting President, who made the observation in Awka at the opening ceremonies of the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers’ conference holding at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, wondered whether the legal system of the nation would survive and serve its purposes to society without serious and incisive reconsideration.

According to him, the Boko Haram menace in the North East, militants’ attacks in the Niger Delta and the herdsmen’ and farmers’ clashes nationwide were as a result of poverty.

He saw their agitations and anger as centering around alleged failure of the state to create an inclusive society; a failure to guarantee the security of lives of all by the agencies charged with that responsibility, and to build trust around the rule of law and system justice of administration.

Osibanjo believed that the lack of provision of basic needs to the people remained the greatest source of tension in the country today just as unemployment made the youths vulnerable to being recruited by kidnappers, anti-social conducts and violence of all sorts.

He blamed the constant agitations on political elite who failed the people by wastage and embezzlement of their funds while manipulating the system to create the impression that the deprivations suffered by the masses were due to their ethnic identity. He argued that it was apparently the failure of the state to deliver on the basic needs of the people that made individuals run to their tribal groups for succour as a way of agitation.

He said that it was the business of the executive, the judiciary and the legislature to provide the enabling environment for the quality of life the people expected.

On the conference, Osinbajo described law conference as the forum for law teachers to interact on the fundamental issues and ideas that bound them together. He said it was time to step back and rethink in order to come back with more solutions and innovations about the process.

The Acting President disclosed that since 1981 when he became a law teacher, he had always looked forward to Law Teachers’ Conference as an opportunity to meet and interact and improve on the system of law and justice.

He charged those trusted with the power of delivering justice not to abdicate it under whatever disguise.

Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, frowned at the rate criminals charged to court were granted bail. He therefore called on the participants of the conference to find solution to the unfortunate development.

Group protests continued detention of Ifeanyi Ubah From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

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ORE groups have joined their voice to the call to end the incarceration of the Executive Chairman of the Capital Oil and Gas Industries Group, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, by the Department of State Services (DSS) since May 6, 2017.

A group, Nnewi Sports Club, had insisted that the DSS refusal to release Ubah even at instance of a competent court was a dent on the security agency’s image, serious threat to democracy, and a clear breach of his fundamental human right as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

According to them, since what the capital oil boss was accused of was a bailable offence, the agency should release him as ordered by the court, and or charge him to court if not satisfied.

The placards-carrying Nnewi Sports Club members led by its President and Secretary General, Engr. Nwabueze Udezue and Mr. Anthony Nduka, respectively, marched to the Nnewi Police Area Command, the Central Police Station, Nnewi, the Otolo Police Station, and through the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Igwe Kenneth Orizu III, singing freedom songs.

The placards had various inscriptions some of which stated, “Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah deserves justice”, “Let rule of law prevail”, “DSS obey court process, release Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah” and “Is there no justice and fairness in Nigeria?” etc.

In his address to journalists, the club President, Nwabueze Udezue, appealed to the Federal Government to consider the fate of the over 10,000 direct employees and hundreds of thousands of other numerous indirect workers employed by Ubah as well as his other contributions to the economic growth of the country, and set him free to keep on with his good job.

“Our fear is that the continued detention of CEO of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, without trial, will not only lead to the sack of over 5,000 workers directly and indirectly engaged by his companies but will also send frightening signals to investors in Nigeria. We believe that no serious foreign investor will like to invest in a country with history of detention without trial,” Udezue said.

“The refusal of DSS to respect court order is disastrous and picks holes at the very foundation of our legal system”, he added.

• Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Air France Manager, Jean Raoul Tauzin and French Consulate, Laurent Poloneceaux during an event to mark the 20th of Air France flights into Port Harcourt International Airport .

HOSTCOM leader commends Senate for passing PIGB bill From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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OSTCOM Chairman for Isoko ethnic nationality, Comrade Morrister Idibra, has lauded the leadership of the Nigerian Senate for passing the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), urging the Senate to hasten the passage of the second aspect of the bill, which is the HOSTCOM Bill that has already passed

through the first reading.

Idibra made this commendation in Ozoro while addressing newsmen on some of the problems affecting Isoko HOSTCOM, noting that the passage of the HOSTCOM bill would help to defuse tension in the Niger Delta and hasten development in the region.

He added that the gas prohibition bill proposed by the Senate, if passed into law, “will bring development to the region because jobs will be cre-

ated for the people. The health of our people will be restored because the illnesses caused by the gas flare would have gone”.

Commenting on the funding of DESOPADEC by the Delta State Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, Idibra decried that the activities of the board had been undermined in the present administration in the state, saying that “The law setting up DESOPADEC is emphatic that half (50 per cent) of

13 per cent derivation fund accruing to the state’s coffers from the Federation Account is to be paid directly to DESOPADEC for the development of the oil bearing communities.

“Development is going on in some quarters in the state while some are being neglected yet what ought to come to DESOPADEC can’t be seen.

The people are getting tired of some of the stories given by DESOPADEC for not performing,” he said.

Community leader accuses Delta of stalling NOUN centre take-off From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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RSTWHILE Sapele Okpe Community Chairman, Mr. Moses Ogodo, has lampooned the Delta State Government for allegedly stalling the take-off of the Sapele Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Briefing journalists recently, Mr. Ogodo disclosed that notwithstanding the efforts of Sapele Okpe Community in providing land and other infrastructure that had received the approval of the university authority, the state Ministry of Higher Education, according to him, continued to delay the commissioning of the centre.

“We (Sapele Okpe Community) donated the site, land and renovated four standard bungalows as well as equipped them to standard that received NOUN’s approval and subsequent handover, but to our chagrin, the study centre remains un-opened till date for reasons we cannot conjecture,” Ogodo claimed.

“The delay is worrisome, as teem-

ing prospective university seekers in Sapele and neighbouring towns are moving outside to undertake study in other study centres away from Sapele.

Even with infrastructures in Sapele more befitting than others that were approved alongside Sapele, but to our surprise all the others are now functional,” said Ogodo.

He said notwithstanding the effort of a former Higher Education Com-

missioner, Professor Hope Eghagha, to see the centre open for the benefit of the area, the successors had not done anything towards its opening, lamenting that the situation was worrisome especially given the huge cost of transportation and risks taken by the people in seeking university education outside Sapele.

The former community chairman therefore appealed to Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa to investigate the cause of delay in the commissioning of the study centre and speedily set the ball rolling for its take-off, adding that it would alleviate the hardship being encountered by students seeking admission in the area, save parents high cost of transportation and provide a lending hand to the Ministry of Education in improving education in Delta State.

June 12 a stolen mandate, rape on democracy – Group From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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CORES of Deltans have staged a peaceful protest over what they called the stolen June 12 mandate, insisting that the struggle would not be wished away.

The protesters numbering about two hundred, made up of youths and the aged as well as students, carried placard with the inscription “June 12 mandate stolen by former military president General Ibrahim and his co-

horts is a rape on democracy”.

The protest, which did not last up to one hour, caused a lot of gridlock even as idle hands and urchins capitalized on the rowdy situation to cause trouble.

The leader of the group who was identified simply as Ola told The Oracle Today that they wanted the whole world to know about the crooked way in which democracy is being practised in Nigeria. “We are sick and tired of the oppression and intimidation the downtrodden are facing on daily basis,” he said.

The group appealed for calm over the quit notice issued by Arewa Youths to Igbos in the North to leave their land, describing it as immature, uncivilized and an insult.

According to them, Igbos, like any other Nigerians, have the right to live in any part of the country, explaining that Nigeria belongs to us all.

They however prayed for the repose of the soul of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, his wife Kudirat and others who laid down their lives for democracy to strive in the country.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS Army arrests 24 suspected Boko Haram members in Auchi

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is Royal Highness, Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh, the Otaru of Auchi Kingdom, in Edo, on Monday announced the arrest of 24 suspected Boko Haram members in the community by the Nigerian Army. The monarch disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in his palace at Auchi, headquarters of the Estako-West local government area of the state. He said the commandant of the Nigeria Army School of Engineering, NICOHO, near Auchi, informed him of the arrest of the suspected insurgents in his palace.

“Shortly before you came, I had audience with the commandant. He informed me about what they are doing and the arrest of some 24 suspected members of Boko Haram operating under the guise of Fulani herdsmen in the community,’’ he said.

The Otaru said: “the commandant also informed me that the suspects would be transferred to Benin’’. He commended the commandant for taking proactive steps to have taken the fight to the suspected insurgents in the forest, saying that the “issue of security needs careful planning and execution’’. The Otaru, who described the activities of the herdsmen in the area as worrisome, said “we have asked farmers, especially the women, to stop going to the farms for now.

“We gave them some grants to enable them to engage in petty trading in the meantime, to avoid the incessant attacks on them. “The traditional council is collaborating with the army, security agencies, and some vigilance groups, and we have recently incorporated the hunters to help to evolve lasting solutions to the problem,’’ he added.

Veterinary association to regulate sale of drugs in Ebonyi T

he Veterinary Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, has said it would embark on a statewide campaign aimed at regulating the sale of veterinary drugs. The association also said it would use the opportunity offered by the campaign to find solutions to treatment failure in domestic animals.

The Chairman of the association, Dr Nwenyi Okoro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday that the enlightenment campaign should help relevant actors in the sector administer drugs more appropriate-

ly. Okoro said the campaign would involve relevant stakeholders, including pharmacists, veterinary drug vendors, representatives of poultry farmers and officials from the state Ministry of Agriculture.

The chairman said the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) would be fully represented to oversee the programme and share experiences in drug administration.

He said incidences of drug resistance had become worrisome, adding that efforts needed to be made to address the issues. According to him, some of the factors responsi-

ble for drug resistance and treatment failure, include wrong storage of drugs, wrong prescriptions as well as self-medication.

He said cases of drug resistance could be due to the maladministration of drugs on animals. “Sale, use and administration of veterinary drugs will henceforth be regulated in the state as specified under The Animal Disease Control Act. “Veterinary practice regulation ensures that drugs are handled appropriately to avoid treatment failure and the spread of disease resistance in animals. “The purpose of the meeting is mainly to sensitise

2017 Hajj: Kaduna extends payment of Hajj fares to June 16

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mended Nigeria for its multi stakeholder approach in implementing the SDGs, which he says has enabled the country to set up structures which will support the engagement of the private sector, civil society and other non-state actors.

The UN Chief congratulated Nigeria for being a candidate country in the 2017 Voluntary National Reviews of the SDGs, a global process through which national implementation of the SDGs are reviewed. He says it is

an indication of Nigeria’s openness and commitment to implementing the SDGs. Earlier, Orelope-Adefulire, emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to faithfully implement the SDGs and ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.

She disclosed that Nigeria has continued to commit funds through allocations in two successive budgets, to the SDGs and into social investment programmes, in spite of the current economic realities.

he Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has extended deadline for payment of Hajj fares by intending pilgrims to June 16. The extension is contained in a statement by Yunusa Abdullahi,the Public Relations Officer of the board, made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Monday.

It indicated that the extension followed appeals by intending pilgrims unable to meet the initial deadline. The board had earlier announced that those who had failed to register before last Friday’s deadline, would forfeit their chances of going on the pilgrimage. The statement said that the Overseer of the board, Imam Hussaini Tsoho urged the intending pilgrims to complete the payments as there would be no more extension.

It explained that completing the payment on schedule would allow the board process visas and pay off its balance of the fare to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The statement stressed that pilgrims from the state would pay N1.53 million as Hajj fare this year.

“Registered pilgrims in the state have already made deposits of between N800,000 and N1.2m with the Board. “About 6,327 intending pilgrims are expected to perform the 2017 Hajj from the state,” the statement added.

he Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike has said that the state was becoming safer for investors on a daily basis due to the state government’s investment on security. The governor stated this in Port Harcourt at a dinner to mark the 20th Anniversary of Air France’s first flight to Port Harcourt International Airport.

He said that the state government would do all in its power to build on the confidence of investors to conduct business in the State. Wike said that wooing investors remained

critical to the development of the state, because it would generate employment. “It is a priority for us to attract investors for our people to be employed; that is why we make security a priority,” he added.

The governor claimed that Rivers was safer than Lagos, Kogi, Kaduna, Benue and Kano states “where kidnappers and murderers terrorized residents as reported daily”. “Investors are coming to Rivers regularly and they are talking about insecurity.

Look at what is happening in Lagos, Kogi, Kaduna and Kano and you will

realize that this state is the safest,” he said.

In his remarks, French Consul, Mr Laurent Poloceaux, stressed that French investments were doing well in Rivers, with schools, businesses and Air France. Air France Manager, Mr Jean Tanzin, said that the airline became the first international airline to fly into the Port Harcourt International Airport 20 years ago. Tarzin stated that Air France had gone through challenges to deliver quality services to Rivers and other Niger Delta states.

Change of Name

I formerly known as IDEH MICHEAL CHUKWUEBUKA now wish to be known as IDEH MICHEAL EBUKA. Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Change of Name I formerly known as GODWIN GREAT CHUKWUEMEKA now wish to be known as AMAEFULA ISREAL CHUKWUEMEKA. Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Change of Name I formerly known as CHARLES JOY ESOMCHI now wish to be known as EBEDE JOY ESOMCHI. Former documents remain valid, general public take note

Change of Name

I formerly known as SAIDU IBRAHIM now wish to be known as SHAIBU IBRAHIM. Former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Change of Name I formerly known and addressed as UZOBUENYI OLUCHUKWU FAUSTINA now wish to be known as ANIAKOR OBIAGELI FAUSTINA . All former documents remain valid, First Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and general public take note

and to carry out a consensus building before the stakeholders as to enable them remain potent and operate better.’’

He said during the exercise, participants would agree on timeline specifications for veterinary pharmacy provision for effective investment which would enable vaccines to remain effective. Okoro said stakeholders also needed to be briefed on the implications of prompt reportage of drug resistance cases which would help to generate data for the authorities to act on.

•R-L: Facilitators Dr Oyawale Olawale, Dr Fadeyi Muse, Dr Abdul-Razaq Hussein, Ms Jumoke Dairo and Mrs Pat Akinyera (mid 2nd row) of Marien Hospital, amongst other participants at the workshop organised by Global Cumulative Partnership & Damien Foundation to eradicate TB, leprosy & buruli ulcer in Lagos.

UN pledges to support Nigeria’s SDGs From OJOACHELE EJIGBO, Lagos

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lobal director of the United Nations SDG Action Campaign, Mitchell Toomey, has pledged its partnership and support to Nigeria to deliver on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Toomey made this pledge in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the senior special assistant to the president on the SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire in her office.

Although the poor performance of the Millennium Development Goals was caused by a slow start in the implementation of the programme, it seems Nigeria has learned from its mistakes and has moved quickly in starting off the implementation of its replacement, the Sustainable Development Goals.

These quick moves to take policy, institutional, and financial steps to establish a conducive environment for the implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria, has attracted commendation from the United Nation SDG Action Campaign. Toomey com-

Wike assures investors of security in Rivers T

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The Oracle Today, June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

Press statement by the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, in respect of the threat to Ndigbo by Arewa Youth

• Gov. Dave Umahi

• Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu

• Gov. Willie Obiano

• Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

• Gov. Rochas Okorocha

1. The attention of the South East Governors Forum has been drawn to the widely publicised ultimatum, credited to a coalition of 16 northern youth associations or groups, demanding that Nd’Igbo resident in Northern Nigeria should vacate the region within 90 days or before the 1st day of October, 2017; and equally urging northerners resident in Igboland to return to the North within the same time spectrum.

2. Typical of our preferred modus operandi, we have carefully considered the contents of the highly provocative statement and reflected on its implications for Nd’Igbo specifically, and for the status of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a viable and sovereign nation generally.

3. This public statement is intended to accomplish a couple of objectives, one of which is the expression of our deep appreciation to all Nigerians, including the Presidency; the reputable socio-cultural group, Afenifere; the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Dr Bukola Saraki; His Excellency, Alh. Atiku Abubakar; our brother Governors particularly His Excellency, Alh. Kashim Shetimma (the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum); Rtd. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (the Honourable Minister of Interior); His Excellency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF); the security agencies and many others who have declaimed the dangerous threat by the misguided northern youth, and thus underscored the unity and oneness of this nation.

4. The South East Governors Forum has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to and preference for the existence of a virile, united, prosperous and progressive Federal Republic of Nigeria where justice, fairness, equity, mutual respect and equality of opportunity to all citizens regardless of creed, ethnicity or gender will reign supreme under the inflexible rule of law. We have had occasion recently to take this position publicly in response to the agitative but peaceful actions of some Igbo youth. We will continue to take a similar stance in response to any action that might threaten the cohesiveness of this nation or designed to cause its rupture.

5. The lives and property of law-abiding citizens of Igbo extraction are as precious as the lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of the region of their abode within this Republic. These must be guaranteed and defended against all forms of threat and aggression, both domestic and external, by the security forces/agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We the Governors of the South East are collaborating effectively with the security agencies to ensure that no harm of any description is visited upon any law-abiding Nigerian citizen resident in the South East of Nigeria, including those from the

North of Nigeria.

6. We must call on all serious minded patriots, particularly the religious leadership in Northern Nigeria; the leadership of other sociocultural groups in Northern Nigeria apart from the aforementioned; the Nigerian Governors Forum; and all the service branches to rise up with voices of peace and wisdom to counteract the mischievousness and exuberant excesses of the northern youth. The ugly lessons of history are too grim to be stoked with carelessness. As leaders, we must exert the full measure of our powers and influence to forestall a repetition.

8. The rumours being peddled on conventional and social media platforms that we, the Governors of the South East, have met and agreed to mobilize vehicles and cash for the repatriation of Nd’Igbo resident in northern Nigeria must be disregarded, as they are nothing but tissues of lies. No amount of provocation would lead us to such a precipitate and irresponsible action at this time. Those exploiting such vacuous tittle-tattle as a basis for divisive rhetoric in public spaces are simply playing juvenile politics and we urge them to cease and desist.

7. We call on all our Igbo sons and daughters resident in Northern Nigeria to go about their lawful daily engagements without fear of intimidation, hindrance or molestation.

Signed: Engr. David Nweze Umahi Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of SEGF

9. Long live Ndi Igbo! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

Introduction Early last week, a group of people under the aegis of Coalition of Arewa Youths, held a press briefing at the prestigious Arewa House, Kaduna, the very house where the late Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello lived. At the briefing, Spokesman of the group, Shettima Yerima said his group was giving Ndigbo residing in the North until October 1 this year to leave the zone or face the consequences of ignoring the quit notice.

Since then, there has been a deluge of reactions to the development. While many say the quit order has no basis in law and should be ignored, many others say it should be treated with all the seriousness it deserves. Fears of the unknown have especially heightened in the wake of the police failure to arrest leaders of the youth groups as ordered by the Kaduna State governor and the Inspector General of the Police. In fact, not only that none of the leaders of the groups has been arrested, they have become even bolder in their assertions with their spokesman, Shettima Yerima insisting that he stands by his groups’ declaration that Ndigbo must leave the North or be forced out—with all the untoward consequences.

It’s really a combustible situation that has raised more questions than answers. But, what is clear from the following reports is that the situation is confused still but in the midst of the confusion, there seems to be a consensus that all hands must on deck to nip the looming inferno in the bud.

Sabre-rattling as mixed reactions trail quit notice to Ndigbo up North Confusion as Northern Youths recant their eviction order to Ndigbo and reaffirm it, even as their governors and elders are at odds over what has been described as the greatest threat to Nigeria’s fragile unity since the end of the Civil War. OLIVER UDEOGU writes that from the Igbo standpoint, the eviction threat is real and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

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he quit notice given, by some overzealous Northern youths under the aegis Coalition of Arewa Youths Congress, to Ndigbo living in the Northern part of the country, is no longer news. Expectedly, the development has continued to generate lots of controversy in the country, with several other sections of the country condemning it in its entirety, despite the assurances of governors of the 19 northern States the Ndigbo living and doing business in the region that Ndigbo have nothing to fear.

The Arewa Youths, in a press release signed by its Spokesman Abdulazeez Suleiman after the meeting of the body held at the Arewa House in Kaduna, stated that the region is no longer comfortable being part of a union with the Igbo people and as such, gave the Igbo up till September 30th to leave the Northern region entirely. The Arewa youths said effective from October 1, it would begin what it called a peaceful mop-up operation and occupation of properties of stubborn Igbos who are still resident in the area. The Arewa Youths also asked Northerners living in the South East of the country to start coming back home.

The Northern Youths cited the successful sit-at-home exercise on May 30 embarked upon by Ndigbo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Biafra and remember their fallen heroes during the Biafra Civil war, as a breach of the fundamental rights of non-Igbos living in the South East who were subjected to mental torture and thereby denied their fundamental right to free movement as citizens of the country.

Mallam Nasir El Rufia Governor of Kaduna State and his Borno State counterpart Kashim Shettima have, however, asked Ndigbo to disregard the Arewa Youths’ threat and ordered the arrest of any one that tries to foment trouble in their States, a stand the Arewa Youths have described as selfishness on the part of the governors, whom they accused of wanting to “become Vice Presidents.”

Similarly, the IG of Police Ibrahim Idris also ordered the arrest of the Arewa Youths’ coordinators. In all, Ndigbo seem to be watching the developments with keen interest as no single person has been arrested in connection with

the pronouncement by the Northern youths.

To say that the ‘Arewa House, Kaduna Declaration has generated tension in the land is to belabour the obvious. In point of fact, since the development, there has been palpable fear in the land over the development, which many Nigerians see as capable of plunging the nation into anarchy.

In Igbo communities across the country, the quit notice has generated, and is still generating, a lot of mixed reactions. In Onitsha, the commercial/industrial city on the Niger, for instance, The Oracle Today spoke with a cross section of traders and students on the trending issue.

“For Arewa youths to ask Igbo people to leave their region, means Biafran Republic is at hand. God has ways of doing His things and this is definitely one of those ways, Mr. Maduabuchi Otti, a trader at the Onitsha main market, said, stressing that there is really no cause for alarm as “God is at work”.

“But, I would wish to tell the Northerners that 1967 is not and can never be the same as 2017 because these are different times.

There have been advancements in all spheres of human endeavors today. We fought a civil war virtually with nothing in 1967 and how long did it take the federal forces to contain the Igbo people.

It was a war the federal forces thought they could win in three months but nearly lost it, according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent statement.

Mr. Benjamin Iroegu, another trader at the main market, said: “We are not afraid of the threats by Arewa Youths to evict the Igbo people from the North.

If they try that, this nation will burn to a frightening degree. Let them try that and see. Igbo people are not known to be cowards anyway. We are not going to leave our properties for them to occupy. They want to reap where they did not sow. They have failed in this antic because we have told our brothers and sisters living in the North to stay back and defend themselves there. They will see the shock of their lives if they embark on anything sinister,” Iroegbu fumed.

At the Relief Market, Onitsha, Ichie Andrew Onyeanusi brought another perspective to the controversy.

“Let me tell you people what is going

• Ag. Yemi Osinbajo on,” he began. “They (Northerners) are sensing a Yar Adua scenario and are trying to create a set-up that will invite the military into governance once again, for a selfish status quo to be maintained at all cost. But, there they will meet their waterloo, because any military coup in Nigeria will spell doom for the entire nation. We will resist that as we are watching events with keen interest.”

For his part, Mr Nkem Onochie contended: “Nigeria is gradually sliding into anarchy. We welcome the threats of the Arewa Youths and are prepared for eventualities, regardless of the safety assurances by the Northern Governors for Ndigbo in the North. We are waiting to see whether the Arewa youths will be arrested and tried as they have said. We shall know how serious the threat of the Arewa youths is when their own people start leaving our place.

Some Students interviewed at the Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe condemned the recent threat by the Arewa youths. One of the Students of the Institution Ifeanyi Ejiofor said “if the threat of the Arewa Youths is anything to go by, it then means our people studying in the Northern part of the country will have to abandon their studies and come back home, and their own people studying in our place would

do the same. Their threat, if implemented, will be the deathblow to the unity of the country.

The Oracle Today investigations revealed that Ndigbo are not taking the Aewa Youths’ threat lightly, despite the ruling party, the APC describing the threat as a free speech that was taken too far, but are getting ready for any eventuality in the form of reprisal attacks not only in the South East, but in the entire Southern Nigeria.

The Middle Belt Forum, the Niger Delta States and some prominent Yoruba have all condemned the Arewa Youths threat. Shortly after the eviction notice, the Middle Belt asked the Igbo people to relocate their businesses to their region if they are evicted from the core North, while former Aviation Minister Femi Kani Fayode said there would be reprisal attacks in the Southern States, should any Igbo be slaughtered in the North.

Meanwhile, the South East Governors Forum and the South East National Assembly Caucus have called on Ndigbo living in the north to disregard the eviction threat by the Arewa Youths, urging them, however, to be cautious and calculating in everything they do, say or everywhere they go henceforth in their places of abode in the North.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

Ohanaeze Youth Council, Arewa Consultative Forum, Bayelsa condemn Igbo-must-go notice From CHRIS EZE, Yenagoa

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hairman of Ohaneze Youths Council (OYC) in Bayelsa, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa has urged Ndigbo to remain law-abiding and peaceful across the nation.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in an interview in Yenagoa said that preliminary investigations indicate that the purported quit order has no basis and should be disregarded as Igbos are an integral part of Nigeria.

“The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo under Chief Nnia Nwodo is on top of the situation and there is no cause for alarm. Following assurances from Northern leaders, our people have no need to fear,” he said.

“In the coming days, the leadership of Ohaneze will take a position but we in the youth wing of Ohaneze urge our people to refrain from panic because there is simply no need for it.

“The Ohaneze Ndigbo has been working tirelessly to strengthen the bond of unity amongst Ndigbo and their hosts across the country and that has yielded to peace and harmony across ethnic divides.

“Further assurances have also been given by the Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd) that there is no cause for alarm,” the youth leader said.

He described the quit notice as a distraction to Ndigbo who have a history of peaceful co-existence with their host communities in every part of the country.

Ugwa spoke as the leader of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, in Bayelsa State, Nuhu Ibrahim also condemned the quit order given to Ndigbo residing in the northern part of the country by the Arewa youths.

In a telephone interview, Nuhu called for restraint on the part of the Northern youths and other persons or groups that may be sharing similar sentiments with the Arewa youths against Ndigbo in the north.

He said the ACF in Bayelsa is speaking in the same tune with the elders in the north who have condemned the development and sued for greater unity in the country.

“We speak one word with our elders and

• Chief Nnia Nwodo our position is that we condemn the quit order in its entirety. A good child is supposed to listen to his father, and we have listened to our elders”, he said.

In a related development, Governor of

Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has condemned in strong terms, the quit notice handed to Ndigbo living in Northern Nigeria by the Arewa Youth Coalition.

The governor said it is a shame that, even

Mixed reactions trail quit notice in Abia From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he quit notice issued to Ndigbo living in the North has been received in Umuahia with mixed feelings.

While some say it is a welcome development and the shortest route to the Promised Land of Biafra, others say that Ndigbo should not step an inch out of the North.

Also while the youth wish the Igbo to leave the North, the elders who witnessed the civil war are nursing fears over the future of Nigeria. Even some say that what is happening is a replay of the build-up to the 30-month long civil war that claimed over three million Igbos, from 1967 to 1970.

In the vanguard of those who believe that Ndigbo should not leave the North is the Ohanaeze Youth Council, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the pan-Igbo socio-cultural group.

In its reaction to the quit notice and threat to forcefully eject Ndigbo should they fail to leave at the expiration of the ultimatum, OYC said Ndigbo would not abandon their over N44 trillion property and investments in the North.

OYC called on Ndigbo resident outside the South East “to stay put wherever they are across the country,” urging them “to get ready to defend themselves in the event of any provocation and attack by the Arewa Youths.”

National President of the OYC (Worldwide), Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, described “the ultimatum as a call for war and should be treat-

ed as such by security agents,” pointing out that that was how the civil war started.

“They (North) are at it again and this is a sad reminder of the civil war,” Isiguzoro said, adding: “This is how it started as a joke and before we knew it, a coordinated and simultaneous attack was launched against the Igbo in the North in the 1966 pogrom.

“This is a sad development considering efforts being made to unite this country; this is a sad commentary considering the sacrifices the Igbo have made in this country.”

He declared: “We, however, wish to state unequivocally that Igbos are not cowards. We are not afraid of Arewa youths.

“Ndigbo want to make it categorically clear that we are ready for them; we cannot be intimidated by this ranting. The era of taking properties belonging to Ndigbo by force is gone. We won’t let that happen again.

“To this end, we are calling on our people in the North not to shift any ground; they should remain where they are; this country belongs to all of us. Any attack on our people shall receive commensurate reaction.”

However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Abia State chapter, has described the quit notice as a welcome development.

“I like it so much,“ said the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Abia State chapter, Mazi Ogbonnaya Akoma. “Our people should come home and develop our area. Look at what is happening at Nnewi. Nnewi was nothing but today, people have developed it and it is now a

leading market in Africa. Nnewi is the way it is today because people came home to develop it.”

He said Ndigbo should pack their baggage and head home with the next available means of transport.

Ikechi Nwankwo, an unemployed youth, said Ndigbo should not see the threat as a joke, otherwise, the Arewa people will take them by surprise. Nwankwo said Ndigbo are not prepared to lose their loved ones to another round of mindless killings. He, therefore, urged Ndigbo resident in the North to return immediately without waiting for the expiration of the ultimatum.

For the Methodist Archbishop of Aba Methodist Archdiocese in Abia State, Most Rev. Andrew Chile Okenwa, the quit notice was issued out of ignorance.

“I don’t think they mean what they said because they don’t know the implications,” he said. “I don’t take them seriously; it is when they begin to implement their threat and that would be frightening.

“Frightening in the sense that it may lead to a military coup that will topple this government and it is an ill-wind that blows no man any good because it can go to any direction,” Bishop Okenwa said.

Similarly, the 35th Council of Bishops of Methodist Church Nigeria, which held at Umuahia, condemned the ultimatum, saying it should be treated as treasonable felony.

Rising from its five-day meeting, the Bish-

after fighting a needless civil war some 50 years ago, even with the relics and scars of the ‘‘war still staring us in the face,’’ some people would deliberately build up hate against fellow Nigerians, similar to the buildup to the civil war in 1967.

He said all Nigerians are guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution to live in any place of their choice and pursue their legitimate means of livelihood without molestation.

Governor Dickson said the country is getting too divided, stressing that it is high time the Federal Government deliberately showed leadership by designing a comprehensive master plan to reconcile all citizens irrespective of tribe or religion.

The governor, who spoke in an interview said the federal government must deliberately build confidence amongst all the peoples, give a sense of belonging to all component parts and deliberately return sovereignty to the people to stem the tide of quit notices to Ndigbo and agitations for secession by the Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB), which the governor said are threats to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He, however, noted that ‘‘breaking this country is not in the best interest of anybody or ethnic group.”

“Our strength as a country lies in our diversity and population,” he stressed. “We are better off, if we continue to live together as one people. This is why the Federal Government must urgently show leadership and deliberately reconcile all sections of this country and address legitimate questions.

Only leadership can put to rest the tension and hate in this country!”

While commending the Northern Governors and their Eastern counterparts for rising in unison to condemn the quit notices and hate comments, Governor Dickson said the Nigeria Governors Forum is worried about the state of the country and has consequently set up a committee of which he is a member to intervene, give hope to the peoples of Nigeria and resolve conflicts, wherever they raise their ugly heads, including the farmers/herdsmen clashes, which, he contended, are a major security threat. ops, in a 17-point communiqué, said: “Council condemned in strong terms, the threat by the Northern youth that Ndigbo in the North should leave the North or face annihilation.

This is a hate speech and a threat that should be seen as treason and punishable under the law of the land. God has made Nigeria a sovereign, indivisible nation and it should remain so.”

For the Civil Liberties Organization in Abia, the lawmakers of Igbo extraction in the National Assembly should take up the matter urgently and place it on the front burner of national discourse.

Chairman of Abia CLO, Barrister Pedro Azuogu said the threat and the supporting impetus from Alhaji Ango Abdullahi did not come to him as a surprise and he urged lawmakers from the East to be “sharp.”

“Our National Assembly representatives should rise to the occasion and make it a burning national issue. Quit notice, whether issued formally or informally, at the point of implementation, you will not say you were not told.

Ndigbo should be on the guard,” Azuogu said.

Efforts to reach the Sarkin Hausa in Abia State, Alhaji Yaro Danladi, were unsuccessful as he did not pick calls placed to him. But a visit to Eket Street in Umuahia where many Hausa do their businesses, showed that everywhere was calm as the people went about their normal businesses.

Umuahia has continued to remain calm since the threat was issued but no one can predict what would happen if the Arewa youths fail to withdraw their ultimatum.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

Ignore South East Govs, return home now – Prophet Onuoha

The General Overseer of Christ Foundation Miracle International Chapel, Lagos, Prophet Josiah Chukwuma Onuoha has urged all Igbo resident in all parts of the north to urgently bring their wives, children and valuables home without further delay. Chukwuma, who is had made several published accurate predictions in the past, also condemned the public statement credited to governors of the South East, where they purportedly declared that they would not be part of the call for the Igbo resident in the north to return home. According to the vocal pastor, “the governors acted selfishly by playing good boys because they are more interested in protecting their political offices and insuring their future political ambitions than their sworn obligation of protecting the lives of their endangered citizens”.

Onuoha tells CHUKS EZE in this interview that danger looms over Ndigbo resident in the north, adding that the assurances by given by the Police as well as some northern political and religious leaders are no insurances that the brewing crisis has been abated.

What is your reaction to the quit notice issued the Igbo resident in the north by Arewa youths tagged the Arewa Declaration?

First, I have to condemn the position of the South East Governors Forum, who I hear have released a public statement urging Ndigbo in the north to remain there. The governors’ action is regrettable as far as I am concerned. Can any of them leave his parent, brother, sister or child there? Let us be sincere to ourselves. They governors chose to act selfishly by playing good boys because they are more interested in protecting their political offices and insuring their future political ambitions than carrying out their sworn obligation of protecting the lives of their endangered citizens. Let me tell you; before the so-called quit notice was issued, God had already shown us a sign when Zuma Rock recently went into mysterious flames?

I was in Abuja when that occurrence took place. When I prayed over it I noticed that a deadly crisis was brewing. I then announced it in church and urged the faithful to be vigilant and pray fervently for the country.

I specifically asked people to pray for Nigeria from this month of June to the first week of September – precisely September 5, and pointed out that the crisis would start from the north and unleash doom upon the nation if it is not handled carefully and tactically. I repeated the announcement during our Sunday service at my church, penultimate Sunday (June 4), and warned them not to joke with the prayer request because what I saw in the spiritual realm was not pleasant at all.

And that is still my message to Ndigbo.

Did you get message whether the Igbo should return home from the north or whether they should stay back, pray and fight for their rights, since such quit order is unconstitutional?

What constitution are you talking about?

Do those that issued the threat regard or respect the constitution? I am urge all Igbo who reside in the north to return home as a matter of urgency. Let nobody feel that those northerners were joking; their hate quit notice is a product of an earlier clandestine consensus by powerful forces in the north, which most northern leaders were privy to.

Their threat is not a joke both physically and spiritually! I want to state categorically here that any meeting that holds at Arewa House is authentic. People should disregard all the northern leaders that are rebutting the evil declaration because those are mere attempts to cover up the consensus agenda.

I plead with Ndigbo that are residing in any part of the north to vacate and either return home or relocate to any other place outside the north. They should start by sending their wives, children and other valuables home immediately. But whoever that refuses to return home should be ready to bear the consequences of his action at the end of the day.

I heard some northern elders say that the cause of the Kaduna Declaration by the socalled coalition of northern youths was be-

youths have strong backing and sponsorship of some powerful northern elements plus international influence. Those asking Ndigbo to stay back and go about their normal legitimate businesses should also remember that it is only the living and not the dead that can do business. The Igbo are known for making money and using it to develop wherever they reside, without bothering that it is not their state or village. But unfortunately, they are always greeted with hate treatments by their host communities.

• Prophet Josiah Chukwuma Onuoha cause the Igbo said they want freedom and conducted a very successful seat-at-home exercise. But we all know that it is an open truth that the reason for the agitation of Ndigbo is because they are feeling marginalised, neglected and suppressed under the present political atmosphere in a country, which some people purport as One Nigeria. The truth is that if the Igbo had been treated fairly and allowed to enjoy their full rights as co-heirs of the nation’s resources, nobody would be talking about secession, self-independence, self-determination and all that. The One Nigeria mantra exists only on papers. They say we are one Nigeria, but are our leaders acting as if they truly believe in one Nigeria; are the Igbo being treated as co-heirs? It is unfortunate that the same problem that compelled Ojukwu to declare Biafra is still here with us, unchanged. Nobody would have peace in his house and would want his family to split.I urge our people to take urgent steps and come back home because the plan of those people is to commence surprise slaughtering of Ndigbo even before the expiration of the so-called deadline. To be forewarned is to be forearmed!

Can Nigerians ever sincerely live as one in this country?

The problem is that a particular section of the country wants to colonize the common rights of the entire citizens; the Igbo decide to demand for their rights, and you say they are notorious. I have never seen anywhere in the world where somebody asks for his right

but rather than giving it to him or negotiating how to give it to him you kill him instead. It is a general notion among the Igbo that they are both hated species and endangered species in this country. But the truth is that no matter the good you do to somebody that hates you, that hatred would still be there.

That is the case of the Igbo in Nigeria. If not for the prayers of some committed men of God and some Christians, Nigeria would have collapsed irreparably about 8/9 years ago. Several people are offering consistent prayers for God to keep the country. And for the country to be calm and trouble-free our leaders must treat every section transparently equally. That is all. It is an abomination for the glory and fortunes of our nation to be slanted to one section leaving other sections neglected and abandoned like slaves.

What is your view about the public condemnations of the quit threat by some northern political and religious leaders, as well as security agencies with assurances that they are on top of the situation?

That was how it started in 1966; the youth started it and people were saying that nothing would happen, until it became too late.

Based on what God revealed to me, no Igbo should still be in the north by the first week of September, 2017. Let them not say they were not warned. The watery rebuttal and assurances of some prominent northern leaders and police are no guarantee of calmness and peace because the declaration emanated from a clandestine consensus, and the

What happens to the massive investment of Ndigbo that are scattered everywhere in the north when they all return home?

Did the north ask them to build those structures in the first place? How many Hausas have permanent structures or edifices in the South East or even South South? Even the Yoruba, how many mansions do they have in the south east and south south? But there is no state and major city in this country that you would visit and not find multi-million naira structures built by the Igbo. Who then is the real true Nigerian who believes and works for the oneness of the country? Ndigbo should not consider their investments in the north. They should relocate the ones that they can and ignore the rest. After all, we had nothing after the civil war, and the savings that the Igbo had in the banks were practically taken away from them. But somehow, through the mercy of God, Ndigbo gradually gathered themselves back again.

The God that did it for the Igbo after the civil war is still alive and able to do it again. They should not lose their lives over properties that they can still acquire again afterwards.

The Kaduna declaration had been conceived and concluded before the meeting, and the utterances of some of their leaders, such as Ango Abdulahi and others are pointers that to the fact that the so-called coalition of Arewa Youths did not just wake up and started acting. Our people should not listen to those asking them to stay back and fight for their right. They have where they come from. When somebody says, ‘leave my land for me,’ why don’t you leave first and be alive to watch the situation. Why can’t Ndigbo use their God-given talents appropriately? The Igbo are a highly gifted people. Like I always say, Ndigbo are like cocoyam; they go out empty-handed but come back with plenty offspring. Let them decamp first, so that if the people realises the need for Nigeria to be one afterwards, we shall all know. We shall then weigh the action of the federal government, the north and everything to determine how we really want to be one Nigeria. I admit that Ndigbo would suffer the harsh effects of such withdrawal but that would just be for a while. We have very massive virgin lands across all states in the South East, which have been lying fallow through the years. We shall be forced to develop those idle lands to sustain ourselves, and people would marvel at what the South East would turn into after just two years.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

It’s an act of cowardice – Muktar

Return home directive not worthwhile — Gambo, Ebonyi Hausa community leader

From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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he leader of Hausa community in Ebonyi State, Alhaji Danjuma Mahmud Gambo, has said that Northern people resident in Ebonyi State do not regard as worthwhile, the return-home directive given to all northerners resident in the South-East region of the country by a coalition of Northern youths.

Northern Youth Coalition comprising 16 youth groups recently issued a three-month ultimatum to all Igbo in the 19 northern states to vacate the region and called on northerners living in the South-east region to return home.

Alhaji Gambo who disclosed this on Monday when our Correspondent visited Hausa community in Ebonyi to ascertain the readiness of the northerners living in the State to comply with the returnhome directive, described the order a product of idleness by unemployed youth.

He said Northerners resident in Ebonyi state are very relaxed and are going about their lawful businesses without fear of any kind, insisting that the said northern youth coalition only exercised their rights to freedom of speech and nothing more, just like the pro-Biafra agitators.

Gambo noted that those bringing unnecessary sentiments to the existence of Nigeria would not succeed, because those who are committed to peaceful co-existence of Nigeria would continue to over-power them.

His words: “Our prayer is that the country should be more united. Just of recent, I heard that some Northern youths said Igbos should quit the North but I tell you, this is a riddle, because we cannot live in this country without one another.

“Igbos cannot live without Hausas and Hausas cannot live without Igbos, the same way Yorubas cannot live without Igbos and Igbos cannot live without Yorubas and Yorubas cannot live without Hausas and Hausas without Yorubas.

“Because, we don’t know more than God that created us; those people that are being sentimental will get tired at the end because I know they are not going to succeed. Those of us who want peace to reign will continue to over-power them.

“You can see for yourself, everybody is relaxed doing his business here, because we don’t regard the order as anything. We know, that is not going to happen in this country. Nobody here is going anywhere. Nobody is doing us anything. We are not afraid and we are going about our lawful businesses. Those people spoke their minds, just like the Biafra agitators.

“The people of the Southeast are not thinking about secession, only miscreants that want to use that opportunity to rob and commit all sorts of crimes that are thinking about that. And by the grace of God, they (Biafra agitators) also will never succeed. The Nigeria we are today, God knows why he is keeping us together and he will continue to keep us together until when God himself decides to divide us.

“I feel the cause of these is that the youth have nothing doing. Some of them do this so that they will be called by leaders and given something to keep quiet. If every youth has something doing, you won’t be hearing all these, because they will not have the time to be discussing nonsense. So, I am calling on government to help engage the youth, so that all things will not come up again. “(So), let’s remain in peace and united in Nigeria.

For us in Ebonyi, we are living in peace with our host community and the state government. The biggest luck we have is living in peace in Ebonyi State. We don’t have problem in Ebonyi State. We eat and wine together and we inter-marry.”

“If you come to fight me, you are almost fighting your brother or your in-law,” he surmised.

• Gov. Nasir El-Rufai

Quit notice to Ndigbo in the North: Niger Delta Militants to declare Independence Oct 1 …Demand Resource Control … Return of Oil Blocks Controlled By Northerner …Ask Northerners to Leave Niger Delta From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

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coalition of Niger Delta militants who met at a secret location in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, at the weekend, has threatened to declare “a sovereign and independent Niger Delta Republic on October 1” if the coalition of Arewa Youths carries out its threat to force residents of Igbo extraction from the North on October 1.

The Niger Delta militants also threatened that should the Arewa Youths go ahead with their threat to forcibly drive Igbos from the North, then, Northerners leaving in the Niger Delta will also be asked to leave.

In addition, the militants demanded that all oil blocks held by Northerners be returned to the Niger Delta, and that the region must have total control of oil and gas resources in the Niger Delta. The statement signed by leaders of groups stated in part: “A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in Port Harcourt to review the recent call by the Arewa Youths groups that Ndigbo should vacate all the Northern states within three months.

“We see the declaration by Arewa Youths as a declaration, which the northern elders, leaders, political elite, security heads from the North and governors are fully aware of.

We demand 100% control of our resources.

“We demand that the FG hand over all oil blocs owned by northerners to Niger Delta indigenes. All the companies operating such oil blocs/wells should vacate within three months.

“The FG should immediately relocate

NNPC and all the offices that have to do with oil/gas sector back to Niger Delta States and immediately replace the Group Managing Director with an indigene of Niger Delta.

“All northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other board that has anything to do with oil/gas should be sacked with immediate effect. We demand an independent and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta.

“Our money has been used to fund Boko Haram, a problem created by the Northerners in order to use it as conduit pipe to siphon the resources of Niger Delta. On October 1, 2017 we shall declare our independence come rain, come shine.

“We shall take our destiny in our hands and free ourselves from the slavery of the North as they are tired of one Nigeria. From October 1, 2017, we don’t want to see any northerner close to (the) Niger Delta; any attempt to penetrate shall meet fierce resistance. This time, we are not going to play defence, but attack.”

The statement was signed by representatives of eight groups representing the coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, namely: General John Duku, for Niger Delta Watchdogs; General Ekpo Ekpo for Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam, for Niger Delta Warriors; Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete, for Niger Delta Peoples Fighters; Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw, for Bakassi Freedom; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall, For Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson, For Niger Delta Fighters Network; and Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams, for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate.

he leader of the Hausa community in Asaba and Chairman of the Arewa Community in Delta State, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagero III has strongly condemned the eviction notice to Ndigbo in the North by some northern youths, saying nobody can divide the country.

Why expressing dismay at the tension caused by the eviction order by some northern youths, he said: “It is a shameful idea to suggest secession after over hundred years of living together. The Arewa and the IPOB will be held responsible if anything goes wrong in Nigeria, the North and South will suffer the consequence. Some of us have lived in the East for over a hundred and fifty years. My grandfather migrated from Kano to Asaba in 1889 and I was born in Asaba. So, where do they expect us to go if the country divides?” he said.

In contrast, when The Oracle Today encountered one Alhaji Musa Jubril, a cow seller at the popular Hausa Market, Abraka bus stop in Asaba, he expressed joy at the eviction notice to Ndigbo in the North, saying he had packed his bags and was ready to leave as he had nothing to lose.

“If the government does not take any action and allow the Igbos to be evicted, it will be an opportunity for some of us that live in huts here to own bungalows at home,” he said.

“For instance, there are over 3m Igbo in Kano while we are just 50,000 here, so there will be sufficient accommodation for us if they leave.”

Founder of Holy Ghost Prayer Ministries International and a member of the minister’s wing of IPOB in Delta State, Pastor Uzo Chukwuma, described the quit notice as a welcome development. He said the ministers’ wing has been praying for this to happen and the eviction notice is a step towards the actualization of Biafra.

“This eviction will create room for those outside Biafra land to concur with the idea of Biafran restoration,” he said.

He opined that the Northern youths were considerate for giving the Igbo a 3-month notice, which is enough time for the Igbo to prepare and return. He stated this is in line with a revelation he had over 10 years ago that the country would divide in four places and Nigeria would cease to exist.

The Senior Special Assistant to the governor of Delta State on Non-indigene issues, Muktar Usman told The Oracle Today that such eviction order is an act of cowardice on the part of northern youths.

He further opined that the statement on eviction of the Igbo is capable of inciting a war and the youths who are mostly under the age of thirty do not have any war experience and as such do not know what it means. He, therefore, urged them to denounce such statement.

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Quit Notice Crisis…

Arewa Youths quit notice: Ohaneze Youths Council sues for peace

Arewa youths quit notice to Ndigbo should be taken seriously –– Ogirisi Igbo

From CHRIS EZE, Yenagoa

A

gainst the backdrop of the quit notice given to Ndigbo in the North by the Arewa youths, Chairman of Ohaneze Youths Council (OYC) in Bayelsa, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa has urged Ndigbo to remain law abiding and peaceful across the nation.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in an interview in Yenagoa said preliminary investigations indicated that the purported quit order had no basis and should be disregarded as Ndigbo are an integral part of Nigeria.

“The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo under the Leadership of Chief Nnia Nwodo is on top of the situation and there is no cause for alarm following assurances from Northern leaders, our people have no need to fear,” he said.

“In the coming days the leadership of Ohaneze will take a position but we in the youth wing of Ohaneze urge our people to refrain from panic because there is simply no need for it.

“The Ohaneze Ndigbo has been working tirelessly to strengthen the bond of unity amongst Ndigbo and their hosts across the country and that has yielded to peace and harmony across ethnic divides.

“Further assurances have also been given by the Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau. (Rtd) that there is no cause for alarm,” the youth leader added.

He described the quit notice as a distraction to Ndigbo who have a history of peaceful co-existence with their host communities in every part of the country.

•This is opportunity to allow Ndigbo go --community leader

By IBE Nwachukwu

T

he Ogirisi of Igboland, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has said that the quit notice served on Ndigbo resident in the north by a group who identified themselves as Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, to leave on or before October 1, this year, should be treated with all the seriousness it deserves.

Ezeonwuka said this is no longer a time to ignore any youth organization because youths are the high tension wire of all the ethnic groups in the country.

Reacting to the quit notice, Ezeonnwuka declared: “It is the youth that made Boko Haram strong. It is the youth that made IPOB or MASSOB strong. Therefore, in terms of suicidal activism, elders have little or nothing to contribute and so, whether the northern elders are aware of the quit notice issued by their youths or not, it is immaterial.

“I have been telling Ndigbo not to put all their eggs in one basket by investing massively in the north or west, but to distribute their wealth and invest more in the South East. I even thank God that the Arewa youths have put people on notice with long time frame of three months.

“We should not take this threat lightly because we fought the war and got one Nigeria and it is no longer feasible to tell Ndigbo to park out of Nigeria which they are co-owners. I think that threat has to do with hatred for Ndigbo for their enterprise and hard work and I must warn that this threat will bounce back against the north because they can’t do without Ndigbo.

On whether the threat would make the agitation for Biafra hotter, the Igbo leader retorted: “ In the first instance, why should we be agitating for Biafra when we are already in Biafra land? Has anybody dismantled infrastructures done in Biafra land? Is it not the investment Ndigbo did in the north that will be destroyed or forfeited? Has the customs seized any product stamped made-in Biafra.

So, we are already in Biafra land and there is not need to agitate for Biafra.

In his own speech, a community leader, Nze Dozie Nweke declared: “ If they want ndigbo to go, let them go now. After all, Ndigbo already know that there is no unity in Nigeria. There is marginalization. There is amateur politics going on in this country and as such, I am not surprised that Arewa youths are telling Ndigbo to go.”

Nweke who is also the President General of Aboji Akanano Union, Oba, Idemili South Local Council of Anambra State, further declared: “If they really want us to go, we shall go. After all, we are the developers. How many Hausa or Yoruba properties are located in Igboland? We are not afraid to go and mind you, this quit notice is in line with agitation for Biafra restoration and whether they like it or not, we shall eventually go one day.”

• Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka

‘Exodus implied in ultimatum should be negotiated’ • As Anglican priest commends pro-Biafra agitators From COLLINS UGHALAA, Owerri

A

prominent lawyer in Imo State and a pro-Biafra agitator, Barr Emma Chukwuka has described as unrealistic Northern Youths eviction notice to Ndigbo, who have been ordered up to October 1, this year to leave the north or face the wrath of the youths of Northern Nigeria.

In an interview with The Oracle Today in his office in Owerri, Chukwuka assured the Igbo living in the North of their safety, telling them not to be afraid of losing their properties and investments in the North because they would not lose any of them.

He said that even if the investments and properties are taken over by the Northerners or destroyed by their governments, they would have to pay compensation at the appropriate time. He said that if the ultimatum by the Northern youths is to corner the properties and investments of the Igbo living in the North, they are mistaken.

Describing the ultimatum as provocative, he said it is nonetheless good development for the Igbo. He lamented that “the same old problems are being stoked again”, adding that the exodus implied in the ultimatum should be negotiated if the North means that the Igbo should leave their region prematurely.

According to him, the ultimatum is good, “but the original MASSOB does not support exodus. So we don’t support the exodus part of the ultimatum.”

“The motto of the original MASSOB is non-violence, non-exodus. If you say exodus it means the people should abandon whatever they are doing and their property and return home. The ultimatum is creating panic and it is provocative.”

He advised the South East governors not to send any vehicles as reported in the media that the South East governors planned to send some buses to the North to convey the people back home to their states. He noted that sending the buses would mean playing into the hands of the Northern youths as they would use the opportunity to begin to kill the Igbo who are on their way home.

“They (the governors) should not send any vehicles, rather the people should begin to come back home gradually. We believe we can have Biafra and any Igbo man who wants to be a Nigerian can take the oath of allegiance to Nigeria, and any Nigerian who wants to be a Biafran can do same. If they choose, they could still remain in Biafra land and retain their nationalities as Nigerians, and same can happen to Biafrans who remain in Nigeria, and all can do their businesses legitimately based on the laws of the different countries.”

He warned the Northern youths to the effect that as the Igbo leave and leave their physical investments in the North behind, “they move in their droves with the know-how and finances, and it is the North that would suffer it, because physical properties are not all there is to investment. Even if the Igbo leave behind their

machineries which are very expensive, they leave with their brains and can replicate whatever investment they had in the North elsewhere, especially at home”.

In a related development, an Anglican cleric Venerable Dr. James Onyekwelibe, has commended the people of South Eastern Nigeria for speaking with one voice and adopting a peaceful strategy in their on-going agitations for political independence.

The cleric said this recently in a sermon during this year’s celebration of the Feast of Pentecost at St Mark’s Anglican Church Amakohia Owerri, Imo State, and likened the commitment and unity among the South Easterners on 30th May this year to that of the early church during the Pentecost, which he said made the apostles receive the Holy Spirit.

In his own contribution, an Owerribased legal practitioner, Emperor Iwuala, said: “I am surprised that some northerners (people from northern Nigeria) are asking the Igbo to leave their place. This shows that this set of Nigerians is not remorseful for the millions of Igbo killed during the Nigerian-Biafran War. “They are happy at the massacre and are not ready to do anything to compensate the Igbos for the loss. No wonder the marginalization of the Igbos is currently done with all boldness and without regrets. I commend my people for coming together on 30th May 2017 to speak with one voice. The message has gone to the whole world and in due time, the injustice and inhuman treatment will stop.”

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

POLITICS

Anambra 2017: Zoning as a critical factor in APC’s choice of flag-bearer THEO RAYS writes that several important factors will determine how the political pendulum will swing come November this year when Anambra goes to the poll to elect a new governor. He identifies ZONING as a very critical factor in the whole equation.

A

HEAD of the November 2017 governorship election in Anambra State, it is obvious that the issue of who emerges the flag bearer of the national ruling party, the All Progress Congress (APC is among the highlights of events in the processes leading to the election.

Going by the upsurge of followers of the party in Anambra in recent time, and the number of politicians aspiring for the party ticket ahead of the governorship election, political watchers who are enthusiastic about developments and affairs of the national ruling party in the State ahead of the election are apparently still hard put to understand how the party would pick its candidate and who the lucky chap would be at the end of the day.

With about 13 politicians currently aspiring for the ticket of the party, watchers especially those who are keenly interested in these aspirants for personal gains are concerned about the intrigues, power play and of course the factors that would guide the leaders of the party to make a perfect choice in picking a candidate who is credible and popular enough to win the governorship poll in the Light of the Nation.

The questions on the lips of watchers following the bewildering scenario are: what are the major issues that would inform the decision of the party on who to choose? Is it zoning or credentials and popularity of aspirants or long standing membership of an aspirant in the party or the vision of the aspirant for the state or the choice of an overbearing godfather?

Some of these factors have attendant ills of bearing negative influence on the party yet they are part of the game and cannot be overemphasised. It is therefore the duty of the party leaders to carefully put them in check ahead of the primary election so as to protect the party against any negative factor capable of derailing its chances at the poling booths on the Election Day. Going by the current political situation in Anambra State where the sitting governor, Chief Willie Obiano looks formidable with notable groups like Town Unions and Market Unions throwing their weight behind him, APC leaders have to ensure that the party is devoid of negative factors and most importantly go for a credible and popular candidate who has the vision and capacity to convince Ndi Anambra that Obiano has done well but he would do better.

To avoid negative factors and get a credible and popular candidate capable to oust Obiano, APC leaders should consider the issue of zoning and rotation of power and consequently zone the ticket of the party to Anambra North Senatorial District. Going to the poll with the potential to win, the leaders of APC have to consider going to the North so as to toe the path of zoning on a balance note.

Analysts and observers say that going by

the large followership the APC commands in the state now, the leaders must follow the 2014 constitution of the party as amended and put the issue of zoning into consideration to be able to utilise the large popularity and acceptability of the party at the polls.

The APC constitution 2014 as amended clearly supports zoning and rotation of power. Article 20 (v) of the constitution of party clearly states that “all rules and regulations and guidelines shall take into consideration and uphold the principle of federal character, gender balance geopolitical spread and rotation of offices as much as possible to ensure balance within the constituency covered.”

A current affairs analyst Dr Ejike Nwangwu is of the opinion that with aspirants from all the three senatorial zones in the State, leaders of the party who have conspicuously set their eyes on the Government House in Awka have a daunting task to pick a candidate from the senatorial zone who could enhance the chances of the party at the polls.

More so, Nwangwu said that the APC leaders in Anambra have to emulate other States in the South East to embrace and practise zoning and rotation of power as, according to him, zoning and rotation of power is being practiced in Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi States while Imo State is set to join the bandwagon in 2019 with the Imo State governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha indicating that the APC will zone the governorship seat to Owerri in 2019.

Going further with enthusiasm on zoning Nwangwu gave a detailed analysis of the chances of APC ahead of the November election following zoning thus: Anambra Central zone Coming in as an emerging political force to reckon with in Anambra, APC should realise that the immediate two past governors of the State namely Dr Chris Ngige and Mr Peter Obi are from the central zone. Ngige and Obi were in the Government House for 10 years and 10 months May 29, 2003- March 17, 2014) Nwangwu is of the opinion that it will amount to marginalisation of the south and north zones by the APC if the party concedes the ticket to an aspirant from the central zone. Although there is no politician from the central zone who has clearly indicated interest in the race, the party has to note that the central is not a favourable zone for choosing a candidate for the election.

Anambra South zone The battle of the APC ticket is between the south and the north when it comes to equity and fair play. However, the party has to consider the one that could be more favourable at the poll. But those from the north are laying claim to it because according to them, the South has produced the likes of Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Dame Virgy Etiaba and Andy Ubah respec-

Chike Obidigbo tively.

Chief George Muoghalu who is a leading contender of the ticket from Nnewi has consistently said that it is the turn of the south zone to occupy the Government House in Awka because the zone has to complete the four-year vacuum left by former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju from Ihiala.

Moghalu, currently the national auditor of the APC, has been quoted as saying that “if we talk about zoning, it is clear that the south has to be given chance to do the second term left by Mbadinuju, so other zones have to wait for the south to complete its own version of eight years.”

The national auditor who is largely banking on his long standing membership in the party to clinch the ticket is making a good point but a large chunk of the people of the south from old Aguata axis comprising Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South Local Council have already endorsed the incumbent Governor Willie Obiano for a second term with a view to having the governor support old Aguata in the next dispensation.

That means that if APC concedes the ticket to south, the votes have to be shared among the supporters of Obiano. This could enhance the chances of Obaino because he has the full support of the home front in the north. Certainly, Obiano will coast home to victory in the north if there is no candidate of a popular party from the north.

Anambra North Zone Analysts say it is better for the party to pick a popular person from North who has the capacity to share the votes of the north with Obaino. This will definitely enhance the chances of the party at the polls.

APC has to go North for its flag bearer in the November poll and at the same time assure the south of taking over in the next dispensation. It has been said that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) under

the leadership of Chief Ike Oye has zoned the ticket to the South after Obiano tenure.

Speaking on the issue, Dr Chike Obidigbo, a leading contender of the APC ticket said that zoning the ticket to Anambra North has attendant benefits of seeing national ruling party oust Obaino and also stabilise the Anambra polity for smooth and peaceful conduct of subsequent elections in the State. Dr Obidigbo assured the party that the North is willing to do one more term to complete Obiano’s second term and then hand over to the South in the next dispensation to make sure that the zoning formula stands.

Dr Obidigbo, a foremost industrialist, said that former Governor Peter Obi was the pioneer champion of zoning and rotation of power in Anambra State by zoning the seat to Anambra North in the last dispensation and he embraced it along with Anambra North stakeholders, adding that, Obidigbo, would not violate the arrangement he was instrumental to establishing.

He added: “Zoning was the brain child of Peter Obi and of course one the legacies he left for us and I bought into it and championed it in collaboration with the stakeholders of Anambra State and eventually Obiano emerged as the governor, bearing the flag of the North.

It is my wish and the wish of every wellmeaning Anambrarian to see that the issue of zoning is embraced by all and sundry because it will always help us have smooth and peaceful electioneering process and even save the cost of election.”

The industrialist who was the factional candidate of APGA in 2014 governorship election assured that if given the ticket of the APC and he emerges the governor eventually, he will do one term and hand over the baton to the south to maintain and keep the issue of zoning intact in Anambra State thereby keeping the zoning arrangement in Anambra intact.

O

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

BU$IN£SS •Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

PIGB to boost insurers’ GPI by 65%

By CHRIS EBONG

J

ust like the Local Content Development Act 2010, the Petroleum Industry Governance bill (PIGB) when passed into law will provide the insurance industry with enormous opportunities for the operators to grasp as the bill seeks to enthrone transparency in the operations of the sector and encourage retention of local capacity. This will also curb the illicit practice of capital flight that has been the bane of the sector overtime even though the manipulations by unscrupulous and unrepentant players and Nigerians are still in display within that sector, according to industry experts.

Challenges of haphazard or nondisclosure of vital information and lack of database on the account of crude oil production and other transactions that could have bettered the lives of Nigerians overtime has been the modus operando of the oil sector. But experts are of the view that if the above bottlenecks are removed and the bill finally sailed through the legislative hurdles, various industries that have business synergy with the oil and gas sector would be better for it.

For instance, insurance industry through its risk management mechanism that provides insurance protection is one of the sectors in the economy that will benefit immensely from the new law.

Although there is no statistics to convey the quantum of business transaction between the two sectors, but it is a known fact that the industry have a very strong partnership powered by various statutory enactments.

While the Local Content Act 2010 has increased insurance companies’ participation in the oil and gas sector from a meagerly less than 1 per cent Gross Premium Income (GPI) of some insurance companies in the oil sector in 2005 to about 15 per cent GPI coming from that class of insurance, it is estimated that if the PIGB is finally passed into law the insurance companies’ GPI will grow to about 65per cent.

Speaking exclusively to our correspondent on the issue, the Chief Executive Officer, Universal Insurance Plc, Mr. Ben Ujoatuonu said though the oil industry’s activities are shrouded in secrecy, the bill when passed into law will help insurance industry to do more in that sector. He added that with

the proposed new capital regime that will emerge in the Risk Based Supervision era the operators who are well positioned will benefit from the new Act. Mr. Ujoatuono, however, acknowledged the dearth of insurance expertise that will drive the underwriting of oil and gas insurance as an issue to tackle, saying that building of human capital in the sector is crucial to harnessing the potentials that would accompany the new law. He said: “When the bill is finally passed into law it will go a long way in helping insurance business because one of the challenges we have in the oil industry is the fact that a lot of things are shrouded in secrecy. One does not understand what happen there.

The level of assets and those production activities even the quantity of barrels produced daily too are not disclosed.

“If the law will bring about transparency in operations within that region I think it will also enhance the area of insurance patronage and businesses. Yes, the oil and gas industry is moving but then things need to be done right.

The local content law… fine. That would also come to play meaning that it will help to domicile a lot of our transactions and instead of sending the businesses and the forex away, and use local infrastructures in terms of human capital and the rest of them. But that has to also look at the capacity building to effectively handle the market issues. Even within the insurance, there is still a skill gap so training and retraining of manpower that will also enhance skill capacity in oil and gas insurance underwritings is important. I think it is a good development”.

Ujoatuono is optimistic that apart from building human capacity, the law will also provide enough resources to be able to sustain that level of risk within the economy instead of taking them all outside the country. He stressed that as the bill seeks to reform the oil and gas industry there is also need to look at improving on the local capacity to be able to handle the challenges and the enormous opportunities that will come with it.

According to him, insurance industry, overtime, has been positioning itself for that purpose in terms of building capacity, noting that what the industry now have is far better than what used to be the experience in the past even though there is still a lot of a gap.

CBN EXCHANGE RATES JUNE 9, 2017 Currency

US DOLLAR Pounds Sterling EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA Yuan/Renminbi RIYAL S/AFRICAN RAND DANISH KRONA SDR

Buying (NGN) 304.6 388.2127 340.421 313.3745 2.7578 0.5017 44.8084 81.2137 23.6796 45.7612 422.267

Central Selling (NGN) (NGN) 305.1 305.6 388.85 389.4872 340.9798 341.5386 313.8889 314.4033 2.7623 2.7669 0.5117 0.5217 44.8824 44.9564 81.347 81.4803 23.7185 23.7573 45.8363 45.9114 422.9601 423.6533

•Tourism

Energy

SERAP in court to enforce prepaid electricity billing P16

e-Platform

•Senate President Bukola Saraki “I think the law will throw up a lot of challenge to us as the operators in terms of building human capital, also position ourselves by having enough financial capacity in pricing such risk”, he noted. Adding: “Also considering the new capital regime of Risk Based Supervision it will help through what the commission is doing to ensure that every operator is positioned understanding that these opportunities come one has to position himself to take advantage of the opportunities that will come” the Universal boss added.

For him, if the bill addresses all the anomalies and transparency is enthrone in the oil and gas operations then it will help every other sector that is doing business with the industry and both the operators in the oil and gas industry and every other person that will come around to do business with them, it will improve the economy.

Insurance Researcher and Consultant, Mr. Obinna Chilekezi, on his part believes that the Act will spur up economic activities while advancing the insurance growth by 65 per cent. He said: “In the first place, it is assumed that the Act will galvanize economic activities in the country which will stimulate economic growth in the country.

In this way, it will rub off on the growth of the Nigerian insurance industry.

In the same way, it may have positive impact on the industry the

Computer Village: The intrigues of a tech market relocation way the Local Content Act did to the industry. I just did a little study on the impact of the Local Content regime on the industry and found that there were companies in 2005 that had less than 1per cent of their gross premium income coming from oil and gas insurance which today have over 15per cent of the gross premium income coming from that class of insurance” he said.

Chilekezi hopes that the OIGB will help operators to achieve at least 65 per cent of the gross premium income from the oil and gas insurance business. “PIGB covers institutions, regulations and command structure and the implementation of its provisions remains sacrosanct to the yearnings of the stakeholders including insurance sub sector.

But how long it would take the two houses to harmonise their various views on the bill remains another issue in its entirety” he said.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives on Thursday dismissed the bill saying that it was not pleased with the piecemeal approach to treating the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) adopted by the Senate Chamber. The lower house had cited non-incorporation of the concerns of the host communities as a major reason for the differing stance, while host community phase of the bill ought to be given accelerated hearing and passage for the much expected reform in the petroleum industry.

P17

Aviation Orderliness returns to MMIA as FAAN enforces compliance

P20

Insurance PFAs invest N4.56trn in FG securities

P23

Stock Market Highlights As At 12 June, 2017

Summary

ASI 33,235.28 DEALS 6,635.00 VOLUME 501,081,775.00 VALUE 6,111,783,952.33 CAP 11,489,620,398,061.92 Most Traded S/N Coy (By Volume) Volume

Value

5 Top Gainers Company Last Close Current Change OKOMUOIL 60.63 63.66 3.03 PZ 21.95 24 2.05 ASHAKACEM 11.6 12.77 1.17 NB 156 157.01 1.01 STANBIC 29 29.49 0.49

Top Losers Company Last Close Current Change 1. ACCESS 65,358,510 705,342,306.70 NESTLE 964 924 -40 2. FCMB 60,377,048 85,869,932.33 TOTAL 282 271 -11 3.

GUARANTY 58,682,768 1,965,983,675.31 7UP 94.54 90 -4.54 4. TRANSCORP 45,525,968 74,556,228.36 INTBREW 32.23 29.45 -2.78 39,697,944 270,549,472.86 SEPLAT 468.56 466.39 -2.17 5. FBNH

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

BUSINESS FEC to submit 2018 budget proposals by October, 2017

By VICTOR NZE

S

enior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, has disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has resolved to submit 2018 budget proposals by October, this year, while the National Assembly would conclude the Appropriation process by December 2017.

Garba made the disclosure, Monday, when he also announced that Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, late Monday, signed the 2017 budget of N7.441 trillion into law.

The event, witnessed by Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, among other top government functionaries, took place in the Aso Presidential Villa hours after Osinbajo was directed to sign the budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, currently on extended sick leave in London.

Buhari, according to Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, observed that it is in the interest of the nation’s economy for Acting President Osinbajo to sign the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that “the signing of the budget by the acting president would further buttress unity at the highest level of government.”

“Following the receipt of full brief on the 2017 Appropriation Bill as passed by the National Assembly, and to buttress the unity at the highest level of government, President Muhammadu Buhari has indicated that it is in the interest of the nation’s economy for the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to sign the Appropriation Bill into law.

“The President also said he was pleased by the joint resolution that the Executive would submit next year’s budget proposals by October 2017.”

FG to boost CMD capability

T

he Minister of Budget and National Planning Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, has said that the Federal Government would assist the Centre for Management Development (CMD) to increase its capability for institutional capacity and human resources development.

CMD is an agency under the Ministry of Budget and National Planning with the mandate of providing services in the areas of management training and development, economic management and administration, and research. Udoma said this in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, James Akpandem.

Udoma, who gave the assurance when he visited CMD in Lagos, noted that the government would support the centre to aid effective delivery of its economic plans and national management objectives.

He said that Nigeria was blessed with a lot of human and natural resources which needed better management to harness their full pot entitled. ”As an institution set up by government to provide management training, the CMD has an important role to play in improving the quality of management in Nigeria,’’ Udoma said.

DISCOs clarify NERC’s directive on estimated billings

…Say residential customers not included

T

he Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) says directive by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to consumers not to pay estimated electricity billings only applies to Maximum Demand (MD) customers and not residential. The Chief Executive Officer of ANED, Mr Azu Obiaya made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

Maximum Demand (MD) customers are commercial and industrial customers who consume high levels

of electricity and contribute substantially to the revenues of distribution companies. The consumption threshold for MD customers is 45KVA. MD meters are connected on the 11Kv (High tension wire) electricity lines, mostly on dedicated transformers. The customers include heavy users of electricity like commercial business plazas, large films, and small scale industries among others.

NERC had in June 2016, issued a directive to distribution companies for all MD customers to be metered

by November. 30, 2016. Following the expiration of the deadline, it further directed that MD customer that was not metered by March 1, shall not pay any electricity bill presented by a distribution company on the basis of estimated billing methodology. It also said that no distribution company shall disconnect any MD customer that was not metered by March 1, on the basis of the customer’s refusal to pay a bill issued after the compliance deadline on the basis of estimated billing methodology.

•LR: EVC NCC Prof. U. G Danbata, Minister of Communications Honorable Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu and Chairman Digital Africa Global Consult Mr. Evans Woherem at the opening of 2017 Digitalafrica Exibition ground in Abuja.

The commission had also urged any MD customer not metered by March 1, to notify the commission directly. To this end, Obiaya said, “we recognise that our residential consumers will be interested in this notice thinking that it applies to them. In their need for meters, and we recognise that everyone will like to be meter, we are working towards that. But this time, that notice by NERC is specific for maximum demand customers”. “Yes, it is a challenge, but we are working hard to ensure that we meter all the MD customers to eliminate issues associated with estimated billing that those customers have.”

He said that the DisCos had substantially metered MD customers, adding that the mass metering of residential consumers was on–going. He said it was also in the interest of the DisCos to meter all MD customers and other categories of customers in the country. “So our expectation is that the metering of MD customers comprehensively is been completed at this time. I know in my various discussion with the DisCos, with respect to the deadline we have been given by NERC , it is in our interest to essentially meter all of our MD customers.” The ANED CEO called on Nigerians to support the DisCos to comprehensively meter all residential customers by fulfilling their obligations of payment of electricity bills. He said that the DisCos were committed to delivering quality electricity supply to all category of customers. “We would urge them to please meet their obligation as residential customers, we will also like to say to them, we understand the need for them all to be metered . The DisCos had continued to work very hard to meter all their customers, but we must all fulfill our own responsibility as residential customers by meeting our electricity payment obligation” he said

NSE hosts CEO Roundtable to seek end to recession

By SAMSON AKINTARO

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in collaboration with Bloomberg is set to host the third annual NSE Bloomberg CEO Roundtable on Friday, June 16, 2017 at Stock Exchange House, Marina, Lagos.

The NSE in a statement disclosed that this year’s NSE Bloomberg CEO Roundtable is themed, “Innovating out of Nigeria’s Recession: Exploring New Paradigms for Nigeria’s Economic Growth. This event, it said, would address the topical issue of resource dependency and the alignment of the economic recovery

plan and roadmap to insulate the Nigerian economy from the shocks that come with it.

“The forum will bring together thought leaders with a wide range of perspectives on the economy, from the financial, agriculture, manufacturing, academic and public sectors, and will be headlined by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun. The programme will feature a keynote presentation, panel discussions and insightful research and analysis on the Nigerian Economy from a Bloomberg economist” the NSE said.

According to the organisers, con-

firmed speakers for the event include: Oscar N. Onyema OON, CEO, NSE; Dr Doyin Salami, Senior Lecturer, Lagos Business School; Funke Opeke, Founder and CEO of Main One; Dr Demola Sogunle, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Selloua Chakri, Head of Market Structure Strategy, MEA, Bloomberg L.P.; Mark Bohlund, Senior Economist, Africa and the Middle East, Bloomberg Intelligence; Ngozi Adebiyi, Lead Consultant, Outside In HR; Graham Hefer, Managing Director, Okomu Oil Company Plc.; and Haruna JaloWaziri, Executive Director, Capital Markets Division, NS.E Speaking on the event, Oscar N.

Nnorom appointed Group Chief Executive of Heirs Holdings

By VICTOR NZE

T

he Board of Heirs Holdings has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Nnorom as Group Chief Executive Officer. Nnorom previously served as chief executive of Heirs Holdings’ affiliate Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc. The appoint which took effect from 1 June 2017, will see Nnorom join the Heirs Holdings’ Board, reporting directly to the Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu. As Group CEO,

Nnorom will provide day-to-day leadership at Heirs Holdings and be responsible for execution of group strategy for the proprietary investment firm, whose portfolio of investments includes power, oil and gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate and medical services, with a Pan-African footprint of 20 countries.

“Emmanuel is a highly respected member of the Heirs Holdings executive management team and his success at Transcorp, with its multi-

sector portfolio and his broader knowledge of Africa and commitment to our Pan-African vision, gained at UBA, make him uniquely qualified for the position. “Equally important, the creation of a CEO role at Heirs Holdings, demonstrates our continuing commitment to institutionalizing effective corporate governance and ensuring that our investment in human capacity matches our ambitious growth strategy,” said Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu.

Onyema OON, Chief Executive Officer, NSE, said “As the Nigerian economy begins to manifest its potential to rebound out of recession, it is important to sustain important dialogues around innovation and diversification of our economy. Our collaboration with Bloomberg was envisioned to engender dialogues that will provide practical solutions for private and public sectors in Nigeria. As with previous editions, the forum will be highly interactive and we look forward to robust engagement”.

“We’re delighted to partner with the NSE again to convene a prestigious group of business leaders for what will no doubt be a fascinating and informative discussion. Bloomberg is working closer than ever with key financial institutions and stakeholders in Nigeria and across the continent to not only bring more transparency to capital markets, but to help tackle economic challenges and support opportunities,” said Selloua Chakri, Head of Market Structure Strategy, Africa and the Middle East, Bloomberg.

The annual NSE Bloomberg CEO Roundtable is a platform that ensures continuous dialogue with key stakeholders and provides strategic solutions to economic issues for follow up implementation

by The Exchange in its capital market advocacy role.

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

BUSINESS Deloitte partners SAP to accelerate digital transformation

By SAMSON AKINTARO

I

n its bid to help clients rapidly develop capabilities for addressing some of tomorrow’s most complex challenges, Deloitte has teamed with SAP to build a new suite of services for enabling digital transformation.

In this partnership, Deloitte and SAP are expected to co-innovate on the development of offerings that will help organizations benefit from the expanded SAP Leonardo portfolio — to automate processes, gain deeper insights for decisionmaking, and deliver innovation and value throughout the enterprise. In short, to intelligently connect people, things and businesses!

SAP Leonardo is a Digital Innovation System that combines machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, blockchain technology, analytics, and big data on SAP Cloud Platform to enable rapid innovation that can scale across the entire organization. The SAP Leonardo innovation platform is enabled by the speed and agility of SAP HANA, whilst maintaining the balance between open access and managing security and intellectual property.

Deloitte and SAP also intend to create new “micro-services” that extend the capabilities of SAP Leonardo, with an initial plan to focus on offerings that address evolving machine learning, analytics, and IoT needs in finance and throughout the supply chain.

“As businesses strive to adopt digital business models, they are seeking trusted technology that enables them to operate with more agility, to deliver more effective results and to simplify their operations,” said Frank van Niekerk, Deloitte’s SAP Director for Africa. “With SAP Leonardo, we are delivering industry-specific innovation capabilities and services that integrate with core business applications, so that clients can build a seamless bridge between operating and innovating. Working closely with SAP, we expect to develop truly innovative digital solutions.”

The first solutions planned to launch under the new co-innovation initiative will provide clients with “Lights Out Finance” and “Live Factory” capabilities. With Lights Out Finance, clients might deploy cognitive and robotic extensions to help automate financial processes, including shared services. Live Factory will be aimed at helping organizations connect the shop floor through SAP Leonardo, enabling predictive decision-making to help improve throughput and reduce bottlenecks.

“These solutions are just the beginning. Through this collaboration, we’re building a foundation—a set of co-innovation practices and processes—that will help position Deloitte to continuously develop and refine digital solutions for clients across industries,” said Mohammed Gause, Deloitte’s Technology Leader for Africa. “By working together to invent digital solutions that address tomorrow’s finance and supply chain needs, SAP will leverage Deloitte’s in-depth business process knowledge and innovation approach to how organizations will use digital technologies in the future. In turn, we are gaining from SAP deeper insights into the art of the possible with the power of SAP Leonardo and upcoming enhancements to SAP S/4HANA.”

Nigeria partners South Korea on e-governance

By SAMSON AKINTARO

T

he Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into a partnership with the government of South Korea to adopt and implement e-governance. Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, who disclosed this at a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) conference in Lagos said when e-governance fully start starts in the country, businesses would be able to transact with the government with ease.

According to Shittu, the partner-

ship, which is now in its final lap has an e-Government Master Plan which is now before the Federal Executive Council for approval to serve as the national working document to guide the process.

“As soon as it is approved, e-Governance activities will commence in earnest and in the process, business outsourcing opportunities will begin to emerge, the very reason why setting standards for the BPO sub-sector at this material time has become even more imperative” he said.

The Minister noted that BPO is

an emerging green-field activity in Nigeria, which has the potentials to grow the nation’s economy by more than 10 per cent and create an estimated 1,000,000 jobs alone, if well harnessed. “To harness the potentials, it is pertinent we have to do what we are supposed to do – opening up the sub-sector for business activities to flourish. And to open up the industry, we must first provide proper guidelines that would regulate the conduct of the players which, to my mind, is the import of the theme of this conference”.

“Incidentally, just a few weeks ago, the Federal Government launched three Executive Orders, one of which is on Ease of doing Business – Executive Order 001 (EO1) which is the most relevant to what we are trying to do here today. I am therefore obliged to acknowledge the aptness of this theme and the timely prosecution of this conference; and to commend the organizers of this event for a well-thought-out agenda at this critical moment of our national economic recovery drive” he said.

Forte Oil to raise N20bn for expansion

F

L –R: Emmanuel Nnorom, CEO, Heirs holdings; Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Executive Director, Capital Markets Division, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); and Adim Jibunoh, CEO, Transcorp Plc at the Closing Gong Ceremony to introduce the new management of Transcorp

Chukwurah unveils Nogle Travels online platform

By VICTOR NZE A new addition to the rapidly expanding online travel agency (OTA) market has been unveiled in the country with the official launch of Nogle Travels, which according to the management team, offers clients an innovative platform for cheap flight tickets, hotel reservations, visa processing services and tour packages.

Managing Director of Nogle Travels, Mrs. Ifechukwu Chukwurah , during the official launch ceremony, recently in Lagos, said the company has come on board to give Nigerians a brand new experience with the way they search for and book their flight ticket online to any destination around the world.

“The agency is offering Nigerians a set of tools that will allow them purchase travel packages that would meet their requirements and budget. The website is user friendly, secure and safe

for transactions, hence Nigerians are urged to feel free to make their flight bookings and be rest assured that their transaction is secure while they enjoy the best travel deals on offer.

“Clients can make their bookings within seconds without experiencing any hitch while Nogle Travels has also made it possible for people to make last minute changes to their flight and hotel bookings at little or no extra cost.

According to Chukwurah, apart from the agency being the newest OTA in Nigeria, Nogle is also the fastest growing and very reliable online travel agency in Nigeria, adding, ‘we are really excited with the degree of acceptance by Nigerians since we opened. She pledged, on behalf of her agency to continue to be top notch in the travel industry, form more strategic partnerships with both local and international airlines, and also be a-one-stop-shop for all travel needs.”

Nogle Travels, located in Abijo, Lagos, was launched to complement the advancement in travel technology in Nigeria’s changing travel environment and run by seasoned professionals, it is an online travel agency, that provides affordable travel options and independent flight comparisons between major international airlines and low fare airlines. On his part, Director of Business Services, Mr. Frank Dibia said: “Nogle Travels is like a dream come true. It’s a company that was conceived to offer unique services, after years of strategic planning, with cutting edge technology development, as well a conscious effort at learning the behavioral pattern of Nigerian customer. “We are open to support you make the right travel decision. At Nogle Travels, we have a mission to give every client the best service at an affordable rate without compromising quality, simply because we Care about you”.

orte Oil Plc is concluding plans to raise about N20 billion from the equity market to support operation and drive diversification strategy. Forte Oil Group Executive Director, Finance & Risk Management, Mr. Julius Omodayo- Owotuga, who stated this at a news conference in Lagos, said the proceeds realised from the fund raising exercise would be used for business expansion, enhancement of working capital and downstream businesses, among others.

He noted that the company had already approached the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for the equity raising exercise. Omodayo-Owotuga said that the company had the mandate of the shareholders to raise N100 billion fresh capital.

He added that the company had already raised N9 billion through debt capital in 2016, adding that the capital raising would be in tranches depending on the business opportunities opened for the comapny. The GED added that the company had identified five growth pillars aimed at driving revenues and enhanced value creation to all its stakeholders.

He said that the company would focus on high margin businesses such as lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and power to drive revenue generation.

According to him, the company grew its lubricants business by 62 per cent in 2016 to 21 million litres from 13 million litres posted in 2015. Omodayo-Owotuga added that a total of 90 million dollars was used for rebranding of the companies LPG facilities at Apapa, Abuja and Kano.

He said that the company would also strengthen its balance sheet through enhancement of working capital and efficient management of inventory and trade account receivables. The Executive Director said that the company was looking at the right offshore asset to acquire at the right price to revenue base to increase market share. He said that the company would optimise distribution channels and would partner with telecommunication firms and financial institutions for effective distribution of its services.

20

The Oracle Today WednesdayJune 21, 2017

ENERGY

SERAP in court to enforce prepaid electricity billing Sopuruchi Onwuka

T

he Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects has sued the federal government for poor commercial regulations in the Nigerian Electric Power market, saying government and its agencies failed to enforce accountable power consumption metering system.

SERAP prays the court for an Order of Mandamus directing the Minister of Power “ to enforce his directives to electricity distribution companies to provide free prepaid meters to all Nigerians, and end the use of patently illegal estimated billing; and for such order or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

The group stated in its claim that government failed to compel electricity distribution companies to provide free pre-paid meters to Nigerians.

In the application with suit number FHC/L/CS/906/17 filed at the Federal High Court Ikoyi SERAP averred that, government was implicitly promoting the use of unjustifiable estimated billing, and increasing cost for consumers.

The suit brought pursuant to Order 34 of the Federal High Court Rules and the inherent jurisdiction of the court, was signed by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale.

The group argued that use of estimated billing was pushing Nigerians to extreme poverty, disproportionately affecting women, children and the elderly, and increasing their vulnerability to discrimination.

The group specifically accused the Minister of Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola of failing to enforce his directives to DISCOs comply with regulations on prepaid meters.

In suing both government and the Power Minister collectively, SERAP stated that “their collective failure, refusal and/or negligence to enforce their own directives to electricity distribution companies, DISCOs, to provide free prepaid meters to all Nigerians and end the use of patently

illegal, arbitrary, unfair and discriminatory estimated billing across the country.”

SERAP insists that in addition to giving instruction to discos to provide free prepaid meters to all Nigerians, the minister has the responsibility “to decisively enforce such directives and end the use of estimated billing.”

In justifying the suit, SERAP said “unless the reliefs sought are granted, Mr Fashola and the Federal Government will not perform their constitutional and statutory responsibilities to enforce the directives to DISCOs to provide free prepaid meters to all Nigerians. It is in the interest of justice to ensure strict enforcement of directives, deadlines and regulations on provision of free pre-paid meters to all Nigerians, and an end to estimated billing.”

Arguing that access to regular elec-

tricity supply is a prerequisite for satisfying basic human needs, improving living standards, maintaining good human health, alleviating poverty and facilitating sustainable development, SERAP argued that it is unlawful for DISCOs to disconnect electricity supplies on the basis of unpaid estimated bills.

“Electricity provides a safe means of cooking (through electric stoves) and food preservation (refrigeration).

Electricity is therefore essential to agriculture and a prerequisite for food security. Electricity can also be employed to realise the human right to access clean water. Electric power operates pumps and sanitation systems so that drinking water is within the safe physical reach of all individuals and accessible by households, educational institutions and workplaces.”

“Excessive billing of customers is

arbitrary, unfair, unjust, unreasonable and exploitative of millions of socially and economically vulnerable groups.

The apparent failure by Mr Fashola to exercise due diligence and effective regulatory oversight on DISCOs to ensure full compliance with the directives to provide free pre-paid meters to Nigerians has denied millions of customers regular and uninterrupted access to electricity.”

“For several years after the country’s power sector was privatized, millions of Nigerian households particularly the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population continue to complain about outrageous bills for electricity not consumed, and poor power supply from distribution companies.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

fforts by the Federal Government to boost electric power generation in the country may soon yield the required dividend following the sustained increase in gas supply for power generation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The March 2017 edition of the monthly Financial and Operations Report of the Corporation, released today in Abuja, said the average national daily gas production for the period stood at an impressive 226.918 billion cubic feet, bcf, which translates to over 7.319 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, mmscfd.

However the daily average national gas supply to gas power plants increased to 689mmscfd or the equivalent to power generation of 3056 mw.

The March 2017 figure is an improvement on the previous month’s record which stood at 582 mmscfd.

The supply is also over 29 per cent higher than the corresponding sup-

igeria LNG Limited’s (NLNG) has declared that it has no outstanding dividend payments to government, saying it discharges its financial responsibility to all stakeholders in time at all times.

Spokesman, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, said in a public statement that the gas liquefaction and export firm has continues to conduct its business in accordance with regulation and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The statement came in response to reports in some dailies quoting the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) call to the House of Representatives to probe the alleged loss of 15.9 billion dollars dividend accruing to the Federal Government.

Dr. Eresia-Eke stated that NLNG is aware that NEITI had previously stated publicly in 2016 that records indicate that NLNG duly made the applicable dividend payment to the NNPC as representative of Government’s interest in the venture.

He added that NEITI’s 2017 Policy Brief document specifically details dividend payments by NLNG to NNPC between 2000 and 2014 and confirms that NNPC acknowledged receipt of same.

“NLNG like every responsible corporate entity supports the principles and objectives of NEITI, including the promotion of transparency in payments by extractive industry companies to Governments and Government-linked entities.”

SPDC raises Marine Engineering Centre in Rivers Varsity S •Minister of Power, Raji Fashola

Gas: Operators pump 226.918 bcf in March

E

NLNG denies owing FG N

ply record for March 2016.

However, pipeline sabotage in the country increased from 49 downstream pipelines vandalized points in February 2017 to 94 in March 2017. This represents over 91 per cent increase relative to the previous months despite Federal Government’s and the NNPC’s continuous engagement with the stakeholders. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable improvement compared to corresponding period of March 2016 which posted 259 cases.

Also, in the downstream sector, NNPC has in stock, a robust inland supply of over 1.2billion litres

of petrol sufficient for more than 34 days forward consumption.

On Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, and Aviation Turbine Kerosene, ATK, NNPC continued to import to supplement AGO local refining and the Central Bank has released foreign exchange to marketers to import AGO and ATK. The report notes that the inaugurated 497.2 km System 2B petroleum pipeline network which was achieved within the period under review has helped the NNPC to sustain the gale of uninterrupted supply and distribution of products throughout the country.

Only recently the Nigerian Nation-

al Petroleum Corporation Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, noted that the Corporation’s re-commissioned Mosimi and Kano depots had impacted positively on highways across the Country.

Dr. Baru had stated that the two depots had relieved the impacts of long haulage of petroleum products on the roads, saving the nation of serious environmental consequences of bridging to motorists, settlements along highways and the general ecosystem in the country.

The March 2017 NNPC monthly Financial and Operations Report is the 20th edition.

FG sanctions Lekoil’s OPL 310 transfer L ekoil received approval from Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum for the transfer of its original 17.14% participating interest in OPL 310 to Mayfair Assets and Trust Limited, the company’s sub-

sidiary.

“We are delighted to have received ministerial consent on our original 17.14% participating interest in OPL 310. This is an asset with tremendous potential and I am

delighted that we have achieved this significant milestone,” Lekan Akinyanmi, Lekoil’s CEO said.

OPL 310 contains the Ogo discovery made in 2013 with the drilling of the Ogo-1 well.

hell which operates a joint venture with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Total and Eni says it has established an engineering center of excellence in Rivers State University, The company said it donated the multi-million-naira facility in furtherance of its contributions to top-quartile learning and research in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The Centre is stocked with modern hydrodynamic equipment and accessories for post graduate education in related disciplines including Marine Engineering (Power Plant), Naval Architecture as well as Offshore and Subsea Engineering.

“At SPDC, we recognise that the challenges in our industry – in Nigeria and globally – provide us opportunities for participation and innovation.

This collaboration with the Rivers State University will serve as a graduate studies centre and develop quality graduates for potential employment in the oil and gas industry and related sectors,” Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor said at the inauguration of the Centre recently.

The Centre of Excellence, apart from building teachers’ capacity, will run 18-month Master’s and Diploma programmes. The academic package covers classroom lecture, practical sessions, term project modules and a 6-month internship in the oil and gas industry. A Board of Trustees made

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

FOCUS

Why child labour, trafficking are on increase in Delta Despite the Child Rights Act in the State, many school-age children are still seen on some streets in Asaba hawking while their mates are in school, writes JONATHAN AWANYAI

A

S CHILDREN in Nigeria join their counterparts across the world to celebrate the World Day Against Child Labour, residents of Delta State have recently been bemoaning the cases of street begging and hawking by children on the streets of Delta particularly in Asaba, a practice which was hitherto very minimal in the state.

These children who hawk by the roadsides usually suffer from fatigue, irregular attendance at school if they were enrolled at all, lack of comprehension and motivation, improper socialisation, exposure to risk of sexual abuse and high likelihood of being involved in crimes, among others.

Roadside trading, especially by children of school age, is a negation of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and also not in accord with the laws of the State.

Some parents and guardians in Delta State still involve their children and wards in child labour. Despite the fact that all the primary and secondary schools in the state resumed for the third term session long ago, some children, who should be in school, were seen hawking on the streets. And this runs counter to the Child Rights Act, which the State adopted in 2008.

The Oracle Today visited some parts of Asaba where it was gathered that Ibusa junction, Ogbogonogo and Summit junctions are areas with the highest concentration child hawkers and beggers in the state capital.

Investigations also revealed that children who are within the age range of five to 11 are mostly involved in the business. It was also learnt that most of them are from neigbouring Anambra, Benue and Ebonyi States.

When questioned on how long he has been in the business of hawking sachet water, Chigozie Okeke, a seven-year old boy said that this is the third year now and that whatever he makes at the end of the day will be taken to his mother who sells hot drinks along Koka bus stop. He disclosed that the amount he makes daily depends on the weather. According to him, he sometimes makes as much as N1,500 from the sales of sachet water daily. Chigozie who said his ambition is to be a pilot expressed unhappiness over the lack of opportunity to be in school like his mates.

The Oracle Today traced his mother, Chinyere Okeke to Koka junction in Asaba where she sells hot drinks. Although the mother of four was reluctant to speak to The Oracle Today at first, she latter fumed that the problem can be traced to her husband who hails from Aguata in Anambra whom she said allegedly abandoned them for over five years.

However, cases of children trafficked to Delta State from other States in Nigeria may have increased in the last few months, an investigation by The Oracle Today has shown.

Many of the cases in which parents of the victims are asked to part with their wards, especially sick ones, it was gathered, are mainly from Ebonyi, Enugu and Benue States.

A child trafficking racket with a network in the three States, The Oracle Today gath-

• Beggars in Asaba. ered, has been approaching parents of sick children, especially those with external ailments, promising them medical treatment if released to the network.

Many of the sick children are later moved to the streets of Warri, Asaba and Agbor in Delta State, where they are made to beg for alms during the day and deliver a certain amount to the leaders of the racket after the day’s job.

Apart from the ring, the police are said to be complicit in the handling of the cases, as those arrested in connection with the cases are released without being charged to court.

In one instance, one Benjamin Tengu, from Benue state, about nine years old, later discovered to have come from Tarka Local Council, was trafficked to Warri, by two men and a woman who claimed to be the mother of the child.

Tengu, who has a mouth infection, which pushes his tongue continually outside his mouth, was first used as a beggar in Port Harcourt, Enugu and later in Warri, where the racketeers would collect his alms for the day and share it among themselves. “ They claimed the child had cancer and that they are raising funds for his operation, but they could not present any medical documents to confirm or support their claim’’, Joshua Omorere, President Nigerian Child Welfare Fund, told The Oracle Today.

The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which prompted the arrest of the suspects using Tengu for child labour took the young boy to the hospital where medical examinations carried out showed that he only had a mouth infection and not cancer.

A medical report signed by one Dr Arisi A.A, Consultant Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon at the Warri Central Hospital, showed that the boy was likely infected with a medical condition known as bilateral parotitis, resulting in the swelling of the mouth.

The woman, who posed as the boy’s mother, however got the shock of her life, when the little boy, who could hardly communicate in English, told an interpreter that he lost his mother years back. It was learnt that the child was later handed over to an orphanage run by the wife of a prominent Deltan.

After their release on bail, the suspects disappeared into thin air, prompting the NGO to write the police in the State on the issue.

In another instance, a six-year old child who was trafficked to Asaba from Imo State by another gang was apprehended and handed over to the authorities A senior police officer who handled the case, touched by the plight of the young boy, gave out N50,000 to the child and ordered that he should be returned to Imo State immediately.

However, a senior police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted: “I am a father, so I feel for the plight of the children that are victims of trafficking and child labour. We find it very distasteful. Therefore, we are not taking the issue lightly” However, there is a divergence of opinions on what should be the response of government to street trading, Rev. (Mrs) Omatsola Williams, the commissioner for women affairs, Delta State has said that the State government will not tolerate any form of child labour, trafficking or those who are taking advantage of the plight of the children.

According to her, the Ministry in its effort to discharge this vital responsibility has put in place a lot of arrangements in order to ensure that children in Delta State survive, feel protected and develop like their counterparts all over world. Adding that children in Delta State, like their counterparts worldwide, have an inalienable right to be protected from all forms of abuses and exploitation and inculcated with the right societal values and norms so as to realize their

potentials.

The commissioner stated that children are not in any way supposed to be a source of the family income. “ Parents bring children into the world, and so, they should be able to cater for their financial, educational, material, health, emotional, psychological needs, and in any other way the child needs assistance. Children are not supposed to be labourers”.

She added that” the children are tomorrow’s leaders. However, they cannot be true leaders and future champions if they are denied their right to quality education, and are turned into child labourers. A child will certainly not be happy seeing his or her mate dressed every morning for school to learn, while he or she dresses for work. As a parent, you should go the extra-mile for your children; ensure that you get a job to see them through school, rather than exposing them to various kinds of jobs to provide for the family” Mrs Ikwueme Elizabeth, the principal of Carol Standard Convent, Ichi, Anambra State while responding to a question on the cause of child labour in the country, she opined that It is indeed an undeniable fact that poverty is a major reason for child labour in Nigeria. “Parents, who cannot provide for the family, put the care of their children in the hands of relations. This is prominent with parents in the village. Most times, these relations promise to take very good care of these children, and even sponsor their education.

However, they end up doing the reverse, by turning these children into child labourers, sending them to work throughout the day and even at night to earn money for them. These children are exposed to all kinds of hazards. Their employers usually maltreat them because they are children, even the “relations” ill-treat them at home, and they are at times beaten, starved and denied food to eat” she said

22

The Oracle Today, Wednesday June 21, 2017

e-Platform

W

hen the Lagos State Government recently announced its plan to relocate the popular Computer Village, a tech market dubbed as Nigeria’s Silicon Valley, it was greeted with hullaballoo, which of course, was not unusual as the relocation issue even predates the current administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. But it seems end may not come to the relocation palaver, until the government demonstrates the political will to take the action that has been in the pipeline for years.

As a matter of fact, traders in the market—beyond the fears of uncertainty in a new environment— are wary of repeated government pronouncements that raise tension, yet with no implementation.

Some of the traders, who spoke in confidence to The Oracle Today, expressed their frustration at indecisiveness of the government, even though they would like to remain in the same environment they are and where their customers are used to. “You know this is not just coming, we have been hearing this since the days of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the Governor, it continued under Fashola but nothing happened. Ambode has just said his own and we don’t know if the government is really ready to do it this time or not” one of the traders said.

But the Assistant Public Relations Officer of Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), Mr. Presley Ibadin, said the current administration in the State seems serious about the relocation this time. I can tell you that the government is serious. We just met with the Commissioner in charge of urban development and he made us realize that the relocation had to be done, with a promise the the leadership of the traders would be carried along. But still, it is not an immediate thing as we were made to believe earlier, it is going to be in about two or three years’ time” he said.

Relocation that never happened The relocation of the Computer Village became a more pressing issue under the immediate past administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola. The administration in its determination to clean the Lagos environment, believed the market in its current location was an eyesore and the proper thing was to relocate it to a well-structured and planned modern ICT Park to be constructed in Katangowa in Agbado/Oke Odo Local Government of the state.

All these plans culminated in the State Government setting aside N500 million for the relocation project in 2014. The N500 million planned to be spent in the relocation was included in the 2014 budget by the state government and it was expected that the relocation will take place before the end of March same year. Commissioner for Science and Technology as at that time, Adebiyi Mabadeje said then that all major players in the Information Technology, IT, industry would be moved to the 15 hectares of land, saying it would generate jobs for hundreds of Lagos residents when it finally kicked off.

“We are working towards the first quarter of this year (2014). We are discussing with all stakeholders in the market to ensure the success of the project. All the traders at the market will be fully carried along in the project”. “The new market will

Computer Village: The intrigues of a tech market relocation Reactions have continued to trail moves by Lagos State Government to relocate the multibillion naira tech market at the heart of the city. But beyond the desires and fears of the market players, a number of forces may have been the cogs in the wheel, yet, the government says it is very determined this time. SAMSON AKINTARO reports. be a modern standard market that will serve as one stop shop for IT industry. This will further enhance business in a friendly and enabling environment that will add value and ensure accessibility,” he explained”,he said. But the plans, despite being budgeted for, never materialized until the end of the Fashola’s administration in 2015.

New relocation plan At a press briefing in April this year, the State’s state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Wasiu Anifowose, said State Government had concluded plans to relocate the popular Computer Village from Ikeja, before the end of 2017. Indeed, the Commission admitted that previous administration had failed in that bid but in this case, “It is a done deal; we have held a stakeholders’ meeting with the traders and they agreed to the relocation plan. It is an 11year project that different administrations attempted to undertake but the present governor is a go getter; the relocation will deliver a world class computer and allied Activities Park. The process leading to the commencement of the development is in the concluding phase,’’ he said.

Fear of revenue loss It is believed that part of the

reasons past governments did not succeed in the relocation efforts was the fear of revenue loss by the Ikeja Local Government, where the market is currently situated. According to sources, if the relocation succeeds, the Local Government would be losing about N60 million levies, which it was gathered, are collected annually from about six thousand different categories of shops in the market. In addition to this, is the fear of several landlords in the area who would be losing millions in rents from the thousands of traders in that area. Indeed, some of the traders are also concerned that their patronage might not be as high as it is, given that the new area is a suburb of the state.

CAPDAN’stand The President of CAPDAN, Ahmed Ojikutu, is however, of the view that the State Government should make the relocation of the market a long term plan, in order to ensure that it would not bring division in the market. Such a long term approach will also not lead to loss of revenue on the part of the traders, whom he said are involved in legitimate business. Ojikutu also revealed that the Government has assured traders that it would carry them along in the planning process since they are the major stakeholders. “If a holistic ap-

proach is not taken, it could lead to total destruction of the Ikeja market master plan. Sudden relocation would affect so many things; there are so many markets, organisations, and businesses within the locality of the market that might suffer, if there is no better coordination and management of the market. Government should take a clue from the Silicon Valley in the U.S., which was developed over a long period of time. I think, in all, the State Government should consider a long term approach in the relocation plan, such would make us and other stakeholders prepare adequately,” he said.

NCC bags ESQR award in Europe The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for the second consecutive year, has won the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) award. The Commission, who walked away winners in the Platinum category award for Quality Achievements 2017 held in London, expressed its delight to win an award which is “in recognition of its outstanding commitment, support and efforts to endorse and approve achievements in Quality Management”.

The awards which were hosted by the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), an affiliate of the European Union (EU), drew in applicants from over 60 Countries who

all participated in various categories.

Every year the ESQR convention awards selected organisations, Public administrations and companies from Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Australia in recognition of their outstanding commitment and results in quality management strategies.

There to receive the award, for the NCC, at the glamorous event was Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director Public Affairs, NCC, on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta. The award follows the NCC having won at last year’s event held in Brussels, Belgium where they were rated in the Gold category.

One of the driving forces behind the NCC winning the award, according to the organizers, is their management style which has had a huge impact on the community that it serves.

The professional manner which the NNC carries out its regulatory activities in supervising a sector that contributes immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria were also mentioned as some of the other considerations for the award. The organisers highlighted the effect that investors’ confidence in the Nigerian Telecommunications sector and pointed out the NCC efforts in ensuring a transparent regulatory system as the key factor.

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

e-Platform

FG to launch nationwide ‘Smart City Challenge’ Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

T

he Federal Government has announced plans to launch a nationwide Smart City Challenge as part of efforts to drive its smart city initiative across the country. The Smart City initiative is aimed at making existing cities and villages more efficient and more effective, using the technology available.

The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, who disclosed this at a press conference on the ‘Smart Cities Nigeria Summit’, said the idea of a Smart City Challenge was to encourage Local Governments, Cities, State Governments, and the built industry to take revolutionary steps to go to the level of digital technology.

While noting that the journey to a smart Nigeria might not be an easy task, Shittu insisted that steps towards achieving it are being taken. “We know that going smart would not be easy. In fact, it is a huge challenge, given the lack of critical infrastructure in the country.

Non-availability of constant power, for instance, is a major challenge for any smart city initiative for the country”.

“Cheap, clean and dependable power supply is the bedrock of any smart city project. So also, is effective broadband penetration and affordable data service. The Nigerian ICT Road Map 2017-2020, the National Strategic Plan 2016-2024, the Broad Band Policy and the new Power Sector Reforms of this administration, are some of the ways Government intends to address these challenges” he said.

According to the Minister, there

L

•Communication Minister Adebayo Shittu is never a time to be fully ready for a unique challenges, and emerging solusmart city project. “It is a process in tions necessary for a sustainable smart the wheel of city urbanization and recity initiative for the country. “Additionnewal. Nigeria is ready and eager to ally, the summit will offer huge business embark on that process. This does not opportunities for providers of smart mean building only new smart cities, it city technologies to exhibit and pitch also means making our existing cities their solutions and products to Federal, and villages more efficient and more States and Local Governments top offieffective, using the technology availcials, and private real estate developers able at our disposal. Again, doing simwho are all expected to attend the sumple things the smart way, one step at a mit” he said. Shittu also disclosed that time!” he said. letters of invite had been extended to Speaking on the Smart Cities Nigeria Foreign Governments, States and Local Summit scheduled to hold in August Governments, foreign embassies, bilatin Abuja, the Minister said the two-day eral organizations and the private sector multi-stakeholders international sumwho are all expected to share their exmit would, among others, take a critiperiences and suggestions towards the cal look at the level of preparedness, Nigerian Smart City Initiative.

MainOne commits to Data Center development in West Africa W

est Africa’s premier Connectivity and Data Center Solutions Company, MainOne has reinforced its commitment to building out West Africa’s Data Center capacity at the Data Center Africa Summit recently held in Monaco. During the event, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Funke Opeke was nominated as one of 50 top influencers transforming the data center and cloud landscape in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The DataCloud Europe conference which has attracted over 1800 Data Center and Cloud executives from more than 60 countries as well as

•MainOne CEO, Funke-Opeke

PayU to connect businesses to Nigeria’s N200bn online payment market

over 90 exhibiting companies, is the foremost networking event for data center players in EMEA. During the conference, Gbenga Adegbiji, General Manager of MainOne’s MDXi Data Centers, joined an expert panel on the Africa Data Centre Leadership to discuss strategies for achieving improved Data Center and Cloud penetration across the continent. The panel started with a review of the challenges of Data Centers across the continent in comparison to other markets, highlighting low demand as the biggest constraint, due to offshore data hosting of content. With improved access to Internet

services on the continent, leading content providers are finding that the high latency experienced with serving Africa from offshore does not effectively engage the market and have started establishing beachheads for content in data centers on the continent.

In his comments, Adegbiji asserted that despite the limitations, the opportunities for data center growth are enormous given the upsurge in the use of ICT services and mobile broadband, the migration towards a digital economy with Internet underpinning a lot of services across the region, better adoption of e-Governance, e-Health and e-Commerce initiatives and businesses looking to host their growing digital information locally. According to him, MainOne is anticipating the growing demand and has started building its second Tier III+ data center in Sagamu, a blooming industrial cluster in South-West Nigeria.

Adegbiji also highlighted MainOne’s efforts at improving transit traffic in Nigeria with its partnership with the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), and its new interconnection service OpenConnect, which facilitates increased interconnection, collaboration and peering for telecom operators, ISPs and content providers within its data center. According to him, this service would enhance local internet performance, lower costs and minimize traffic bottlenecks for Internet

eading online payment gateway, PayU, has rolled out strategies to intensify efforts to connect businesses to Nigeria’s online payment market. Annual online payments in Nigeria is estimated to surpass N200 billion this year from N167 billion in 2016.

Country Manager of PayU Nigeria, Ms Juliet Nwanguma, said, “In order to pursue PayU’s aggressive expansion in the online payment market in Nigeria, we have identified businesses that can benefit from our global expertise across 16 markets where we offer over 250 payment options.”

With over 2.3 billion users world-wide, PayU is confident it can help businesses grow their market share and help them to achieve their business objectives.

Data recently released by the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) showed that 5.5 million transactions worth N46.7 billion were generated through online sales in the first quarter of 2017. This is an increase in the quarterly average of 3.5 million transactions worth N33 billion in 2016. This 58% growth is a clear indication of the increased confidence and preference for online sales amongst Nigerians.

The double digit growth, according to Nwanguma, is far below the potential of the market for online payments in Nigeria.

Nwanguma noted that in a country of over 180 million people, consisting of 61 million active bank customers and where e-payment transactions are worth N56 trillion in a year, the potential for online payments in Nigeria is huge and waiting to be tapped. She disclosed that the mission of PayU is to leverage on Nigeria’s 97 million active internet users to popularise and increase online payments in Nigeria.

“At PayU, we believe that with the deployment of appropriate strategies and products which are designed to encourage more businesses to adopt online payment, the market in Nigeria can record triple digit growth in both volume and value of online payments. This is the driving philosophy of PayU’s operations in Nigeria” she said. Since last year when we entered the Nigerian market, we have used our globally tested products such as tokenisation, recurring payments for subscription services and single click payments for faster checkout.

Our range of services according to different business categories especially the PayU Easy service allows start-ups to start selling online instantly without the need of a bank account or trading history. ” “PayU has succeeded in successfully assisting small, medium and large organisations with their online payments. In particular, the robust and flexible features of PayU Plus and PayU Enterprise have assisted merchants to grow and expand their online payment business.”

• PayU, MD, Juliet-Nwanguma

24

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

VOX POPULI SACRUM

www.oraclenews.ng

EDITORIAL

Does anyone hear the war drums?

Cont’d from Front Page confusion are brewing.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Yusuf Tukur Burutai’s warning to politicians, who he claimed were having meetings with soldiers, was another pointer at possible true.

“Any officer or soldier of the Nigerian Army found to be hobnobbing with such elements or engaged in unprofessional conducts such as politicking would have himself or herself to blame,” an official statement from army spokesman Brig-Gen Sani Usman, quoted Burutai as saying. The Nigerian Army was committed to upholding the nation’s Constitution and, therefore, asked officers and soldiers to stay out of politics.

The statement on 17 May was another pointer to the fact that the polity is oscillating towards unexpected instability. After 18 years of democratic rule, Nigerians thought they had passed a stage where anything to destabilise the polity could be contemplated.

Matters were rested at that point.

Yet nothing concrete was done to show that government would not tolerate such situations. We expected arrests of the civilians and soldiers involved in the meetings, unless there was no substance t0 the statement. If investigations were on, the outcome should also have been made public to assuage fears that something was brewing that would not be in the interest of the

public.

Nothing has been done. It is still not too late to do so.

On May 29, this year’s Democracy Day, Mr. Femi Falana, a lawyer, said at a birthday event in Lagos that politicians were provoking soldiers with their conduct. He was reacting to the cases of money some people allegedly stashed away.

“If somebody has to keep $9.7 million in a dump site, I am sure you all know that is provocative. Or somebody steals $43 million…a government official; I am sure these are all provocative actions that can even incite, you know, violence,” he said. He gave no reasons for thinking that the violence would be by soldiers, and not the public, whose funds had been stolen.

None of these situations compares to calls for separations from diverse groups. The calls assumed a new dimension after the May 30 stay-at-home order that the South East observed in honour of those who lost their lives in the Civil War. The date also was the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra. The memorial, at the instance of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), crippled economic activities in the South East, with consequences for other parts of the country.

Reactions have varied from those who support the restructuring of Nigeria to address the injustices different of the country claim to those who appear determined to keep the statusquo. The South East has been more strident on the issue.

It was the theatre of the Civil War. Several obnoxious policies, after the war, have targeted the region.

The most startling reaction to the May 30 incident came from a coalition of Arewa Youths, who, at a press briefing in Kaduna on June 6, asked Ndigbo to leave all parts of Northern Nigeria by October 1.

Many have been dismissive of the statement, including the South East Governors Forum, which issued a statement asking Ndigbo in the North to go about their businesses without fear of molestation. The statement said the law would protect them.

People are more discerning about the import of the statement, made in Arewa House, the revered house that has been uninhabited since the Saduana Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello was killed there in the 1966 coup. It is only used for important political meetings of the North.

The fact that the statement was made from Arewa House conferred official status on it. No precedents support the position of the governors, which reminds some of a similar position of the Eastern Nigeria Government in 1967 that made many Ndigbo remain in the North where they were later to be

massacred.

Top political officials from the North doused the tension with statements and suggestions that the youths be arrested. The Minister of Internal Affairs and the Inspector General of Police have made statements guaranteeing safety of Ndigbo in the North. The assurances have not changed many minds.

Days after the suggested arrest of the youth, they restated their position. There have been no arrests. The prompt support that Professor Ango Abdullahi, a strong voice in northern affairs, lent the Arewa Youth restored the tension. Neither the youth nor Abdullahi has been arrested.

Those who know about the pogrom that claimed lives of thousands of Ndigbo in the North, 50 years ago, remember that similar threats preceded the killings. Nobody has been punished for the killings to date. There is no certainty about where the country is heading.

Without firm political leadership directing the country, without moral leaders in control of the youth in different parts of the country, with various issues that remain unaddressed, with the pretence that everything is in order, the country is drifting from different points.

The political authorities have to halt the slide.

Anarchy beckons from many fronts. The restive Niger Delta has sprouted different groups that are agitating for independence. Should they not be taken seriously? Maps of a divided Nigeria is no longer imaginary, it is becoming a clearer picture in many minds.

Something worse than these is the threat to lives. The threats are mostly to Ndigbo. Constitutional rights to life and other liberties, including those to live in any part of Nigeria of one’s choice, are nothing unless the authorities enforce them.

Anarchy, if unchecked, has consequences that nobody can foresee.

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.

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

OPINION

Any unity with Ango Abdullahi type of Northern leaders?

By OGU BUNDU NWADIKE

B

Y EVERY standard of measure, Prof. Ango Abdullahi qualifies as an elder statesman.

He is a septuagenarian, former vice chancellor of the great Ahmadu Bello Univerity (ABU), Zaria. Today, he stands as the Secretary of the very powerful and very influential Northern Elders Forum (NEF). Both while he was in service at the ivory tower and now that he is a pensioner, Prof.

Ango Abdullahi has remained a strong voice of the north. Hence, within our parlance as journalists when the likes of Ango Abdullahi speak, you better listen because the north must have spoken.

Since the seemingly deliberate eviction notice served southerners in the north, the utterances reportedly accredited to Prof. Ango Abdullahi in his capacity as the Secretary of NEF instead of leaving much to be desired have further lent credence to the idea that, indeed, the north wants the south to depart from Nigeria. And for that reason, the people of the south in the north should better listen for the north has spoken and not merely Arewa Youths, as we are being told. From the linguistic mannerism of the northern spokesman, every good communication analyst will not hesitate to establish a discordance between what Gov. Nasir El’Rufai of Kaduna has said and that of Ango Abdullahi. Every student of the politics of northern Nigeria will underscore that while El’Rufai may not be confident of his reaction, about which the so-called Arewa Youths have reprimanded him anyway, the same may not be said of the pointed remarks by Ango Abdullahi.

Under a very sensitive situation like the “Kaduna Declaration”, it is most telling for Ango Abdullahi to reveal why the order has been issued as being to punish south for not appreciating how the re-

sources of the north were utilized to develop the south. The retired egghead went on to refer to the granting of the right to Dr. Alex Ekwueme to become the vice president in 1979, soon after the end of the Nigeria-Biafra as a mark of love and accommodation of the southeast by the north. Ango swore that that was the first time a person from a section of a country that ignited a war was soon accepted and accommodated in the mainstream of the country that section plunged into a war. It is then necessary to wonder whether the quit notice purported to have emanated from the Arewa Youths is actually an act of youthful exuberance or a case of an errand by the northern political organogram.

In other words, if the coalition of northern youths did not secure official permission of the north to hold their very crucial meeting at the almighty “Kaduna House” to come up with “Kaduna Declaration”, then what about the utterances of Prof. Ango Abdullahi as the voice of the north? Perhaps, that is “northern elders’ exuberance”?

It is most unfortunate that while every wellmeaning entity, including foreign interests, has been condemning the quit notice and proffering wise counsel on how to douse the tension, the Secretary General of Northern Elders Forum, in the person of Prof. Ango Abdullahi prefers to pour petrol into the raging inferno ignited, again, by the north as was the case in the First Republic.

Is Ango Abdullahi the elder statesman they say he is? Indeed, is he as lettered as they report?

Otherwise, why would he be claiming that it was the Igbo that sparked the Nigeria-Biafra civil war? Agreed, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu may have led other Igbo, Hausa, Tiv and

Yoruba soldiers in assassinating Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa and others. But, how could Ango Abdullahi and those that think like him, hang the military action on innocent Igbo in the north only to massacre them in their thousands? Could the ordinary Igbo civilians on the streets of Kano and Kaduna and elsewhere in the north have had the capacity to influence the coup?

So, it is the height of mischief for Ango Abdullahi or anybody else to aver that the Igbo ignited the civil war. The question is, what does Ango stand to gain by recounting these aspects of the history of Nigeria in the heat of an insensitive quit notice from a section of a country to another section? Is that not a disguised testament of secession by the north?

However, as somebody has suggested, both the eviction notice and the fuelling of it by the Ango Abdullahis of the north are turning blessing in disguise. This is because many now feel that the threat was not a display of youthful exuberance but a decisive position of the north. As stated earlier when the Ango Abdullahis of the north speak about the north, better listen for the north is speaking. What that translates to is that whether the southerners like it or not, the north has decided to secede from Nigeria. It will be a dangerous gamble to sweep it under the carpet as a costly joke. Anybody who regards the quit notice by the north as a child’s play does so at his own risk. When the time matures on or before the deadline on October 1, this year, the north begins to show that

Abiola and story of June 12 @ 24

By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

N

EXT JUNE will mark the Silver Jubilee of the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. Such anniversary serves supposedly as an occasion for revelry rather than as a platform for soul-searching on what went wrong with a well-ordered balloting that received global acclaim.

The past 24 years have not been able to bring to a close the cancellation of the franchise adjudged as the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria’s electoral contests.

The reason being that those who annulled the poll, then self-styled Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and his cohorts, were and still unable to give verifiable and convincing explanation for their unconscionable action.

The excuse of “widespread irregularities” at the election was an afterthought sprung on the ever-gullible public to achieve their sinister motive of not handing over power to Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, a renowned businessman-turned politician, who was “friends” to the military apparatchik of the time, and who won the election.

However, perhaps unknown to Abiola, chiefly addressed as ‘MKO’ and the politicians of that era - as events were later to indicate, the Military wanted to use them as guinea pigs, and a test-run for the elongation of their hegemony over the people.

Hence, they continued to shift the goalposts in the electoral process.

Of particular mention, the Military had no real appetite for an Abiola presidency, and this showed in the way and manner of abolition of the election in its entirety - by first suspending midway the announcement of the results after two days of the voting, and finally annulling the outcome eleven days later.

Abiola’s campaign slogan of “Bye, Bye To Poverty” caught on as a wide fire. It was a reflection of his philanthropic attitude to helping the needy not just to “give them fish” but to also “teach them how to fish.”

He was a man with a large heart, who empowered thousands, if not millions of Nigerians of all ethnic backgrounds through scholarship awards to students to study locally and overseas, and grants to farmers and petty traders to ply their trades; built mosques and churches for adherents of the faiths; sponsored marriages and pilgrimages to the Holy Lands; and generally put many non-privileged and physically-challenged persons on monthly stipends, even as he opened his house for guaranteed daily meals for many others.

It was no surprise that Abiola, a Muslim, who also paired with a Muslim on the ticket, was very popular across the country, and thus rewarded with hundreds of chieftaincy titles from virtually all the tribes. Of particular mention was the one he received at about 5am at Ekpoma in Edo State, during the homestretch of his campaign for the presidency in early 1993.

It has been argued - and without definitive contradiction - that Chief Abiola, armed with his universal popularity and an unlimited war chest, would have won the presidential election standing as an independent candidate, were Nigeria’s Constitution to sanction it.

Thus, his winning of the election on the back of such popularity, and his promise to banish poverty from the system, probably rattled, and indeed, infuriated the Military to swing into action.

From there on, events sometimes moved in slow but steady stream, and in other times in rapid motions. From the conduct of the election to the suspension of its results and eventual cancellation; from the mass protests of the Military action to the abdication of office, coined “Stepping Aside” by Gen. Babangida and handing over the reins to a hand-picked Interim National Government (ING); from the sacking of the ING by Gen. Sani Abacha, as the new helmsman to fleeing into exile of prominent pro-democracy activists to avoid being hit by statesponsored killers, to Abiola going overseas and returning later to declare himself as

the duly elected President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and his arrest and detention by Abacha; from the killing of Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief Abiloa, Pa Alfred Rewane and other pro-democracy activists and supporters, to Abacha trying to form political parties (dubbed “Five leprous fingers” by Chief Bola Ige) and organise sham elections to blunt agitation for June 12; and from the sudden death of Gen. Abacha in a bizarre circumstance and to the equally dramatic and unexplainable death of Chief Abiola under the watch of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, as successor to Abacha, everything was giddy in form and substance, thanks to the Military mishandling of the aftermaths of the June 12 that ended in an unmitigated disaster.

The totality of the series of events is why Abiola and June 12 have remained as symbols ingrained in our psyche for the past 24 years, especially as the current 18-yearold democratic experience in the country came on the coattail of the struggles to actualize the people’s mandate and the supreme sacrifice Abiola and many pro-democracy activists and ordinary Nigerians paid for Nigeria to live as a single entity.

As we remember Chief MKO Abiola, June 12 and those who suffered unjustly for its sustenance, we must say no to latter-day converts: fifth columnists parading as our saviours when they did not participate in the battle for June 12, and yet are the major beneficiaries of its epoch; socalled patriotic military officers and their civilian collaborators, and ethnic irredentists, who want to continually divide us.

Collectively, Nigeria’s real patriots - the masses and peace-loving citizens - must reject the evil machinations of these people masquerading as do-gooders. June 12 has no place for their nefarious utterances and actions.

• Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

they no longer believe in “One Nigeria” and go about doing what they know how to do best-killing innocent but carefree southerners--had I known would become the big brother of mister late! To be forewarned is to be forearmed! A stitch in time saves nine!

It is not enough to hinge hope on what the police and military have promised by way of providing security to southerners who should go about their legitimate businesses. It is not also about what the governors of the southeast and ohaneze have said, urging Ndigbo to remain in the north and go about their businesses. Such promises were made in 1966 and 1967 but soon after the promises were made, thousands of Ndigbo would be massacred. Instead of waiting in the north and going about their businesses, Ndigbo and indeed all southerners and middlebelters should seize this opportunity to demand the restructuring or outright dissolution of Nigeria. That should be the only condition on which any southerner should remain in the north from henceforth.

Fortunately, the north has advised that the Nigerian government with other relevant international organizations like ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nations should set in motion the process of a referendum to activate the dissolution of the country. Thank God it is the north that is again spearheading another secession (ARABA) just as they did in 1966 and 1967, leading to the assassination of Major General Aguiyi Ironsi because he was preaching “One Nigeria”.

In fact, historically speaking, has the north ever wanted to be part of Nigeria? No! Not only were they the last region to endorse the final document for Nigeria’s independence, they openly protested against Ironsi’s unitary system of government for which they assassinated him. Is it, therefore, surprising that the north want out of Nigeria? They must, however, stop presenting the dummy that it is the Igbo and other southern nations that are the problem of Nigeria. Are Boko Haram Islamic terrorist insurgents populated by Igbo? Are dare-devil herdsmen Igbo? Are these two northern force groups not the greatest problem of the unity of Nigeria today?

Therefore, let Prof. Ango Abdullahi accept the blame and blessing for pouring petrol into what was thought to be the misguided ranting of some wounded Arewa Youths. He has given impetus to southerners to depart from the north because sooner than later, the north will strike and massacre the southerners that may defy the quit order. To avert any bloodshed and shame the north, let southerners begin a steady pull out from the north. That should be sustained until the north accepts to restructure Nigeria or dissolve the country.

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 Production Editor Henry Duru Business Dev. Manager Amaka Onumajulu Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu ADVERT MANAGER Andrew Udeh Circulation Manager Felix Oti

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The Oracle Today, Wednesday June 21, 2017

Travel & Hospitality

Rescue Ogba Zoo from vandals, Management begs Obaseki

Stories by VICTOR NZE

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anagement of the Ogba Zoo and Nature Park, in Benin City, Edo State, has called on the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to intervene over what it described as the destruction of the company’s facilities by vandals in addition to the ‘conversion of the land for private development.’

This is also as the zoo’s management accused some members of the state House of assembly, in their individual capacities, of complicity and for being responsible for acts which it said were ‘in violation of a subsisting Arbitration judgement.’

During a media conference called by the firm, Wednesday, at its facility in Benin City, Director/CEO of the Ogba Zoo & Nature Park, Mr. Andy Osa Ehanire, also urged Governor Obaseki to set up a panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss of nearly 70 per cent of the company’s land to land grabbers.

“We seek the intervention of His Excellency the Governor of Edo State, to set up a special investigative panel to look into the destruction of the Zoo Staff quarters and the conversion of the land for private development, in violation of a subsisting Arbitration judgement.

“This investigation should naturally extend to the scandalous incursions and destruction of nearly 70 per cent of the zoo, since we currently hold the unenviable record of being the most vandalized Zoo in Nigeria. We have absolute confidence in the integrity of the Governor to do justice to these disturbing issues plaguing Ogba Zoo, as only a panel set up by the Governor can guarantee neutrality, rather than the intended investigation by the House of Assembly,” said Ehanire.

Ehanire who said the call for the state governor’s intervention followed a petition recently tabled before the state House of Assembly which accused it of trading off all the

animals kept in its custody, thereby seeking an investigation of the zoo management by the lawmakers.

“It was alleged in the so-called petition that the Zoo animals had all been traded off and that the Zoo is now worse off from our management intervention, so much so that we are to be subjected to an investigation. It was expected that at the receipt of such a petition, the Honourable House would seek to bring such to the attention of the Zoo Management, being partners in progress, since the Zoo is a foremost tourism asset of the State, as well as a conservation heritage.

“We would have expected that the Honourable House would have even brought the petition to the State’s Ministry of Environment that has competency as a regulatory au-

thority over the Zoo. We would have expected to be invited by the appropriate Committee of the House in charge of Tourism or Environment to underscore a latent consummation of liaison and synergy.

“We were not accorded any of these privileges stated above or even the benefit of doubt, but these disturbing issues were thrown into the public domain to the effect of misleading the public as to the State’s tourism standing and creating a negative or perverted image that has caused severe harm to the Zoo, its Management and its clientele. Schools on excursion, as well as other visitors come daily from as far as Delta, Bayelsa, Anambra, Ondo and Kogi States, on account of this facility that provides conservation education and recreation to chil-

dren, scholars, our teeming youths and those of all ages; so such negative signal being put out in the public domain will unwittingly dissuade them from this important tourism circuit, thus causing further stress to the economy of Edo State,” he said.

According to Ehanire, the Ogba Zoo, as a privately managed facility, was ‘rescued by us after it had suffered prolonged atrophy and extensive decay under Government, we can at least reveal that all the physical improvements and animal collections in the Zoo now are all from private efforts and not what can be brought under any charge of misappropriation or mismanagement of any kind.’

On his frustration with the lawmakers over the problem of landgrabbers, Ehanire said: “It is a com-

•R-L: Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, presenting an children’s school bag made from the Adire fabric to the Chinese Cultural Counsellor, Mr Li Xuda, when the latter paid a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, recently.

Destination Abuja Writers’ Village to be ready in December M ore than thirty years after it was allotted to the umbrella body of Nigerian authors, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), the now-famed Writers’ Village may now ready for use before the end of the year, according to the developer managing the project.

Chief Executive Officer of Korlie Mobs Venture Limited, the developer in charge of building the Abuja Writers Village, Mr Kolawola Shaw, has assured that the project will be ready and delivered for use by December.

Shaw who gave the assurance in Abuja, said work was being intensified to ensure completion of the village. “Among the structures in the writers’ village are guest houses, conference hall, archives and others. By December this year, it will be completed. Other structures will also be up by then; it is realisable and by God’s grace, we will get them done and delivered.

“I believe that Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and writers around the country would find the place interesting”, Shaw said.

The land on which the village is being built was donated to the Asso-

ciation of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in 1985 by the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory under the administration of now late Maj.-Gen Mamman Vatsa.

When completed, it would house the national headquarters of ANA, a 50-room hotel, residency chalets, 500-seater auditorium, archives and other facilities befitting a writers’ resort. It would be recalled that National President of ANA, Malam Denja Abdullahi, had last month disclosed that his administration had already concluded arrangements to begin the construction at the Abuja Writers’ Village at Mpape, in Maitama extension of the FCT. Abdullahi explained that the project had been on the drawing board since a piece of land was allocated to the association by the late Vatsa, then Minister of the FCT. “Since then, ANA has been trying to develop the land, but due to paucity of fund and lack of assistance, the land remains undeveloped.

But about four years ago, we did a groundbreaking ceremony and with the aid of a developer cleared the place and do other earthworks on the land.

“After the ceremony we entered into the process of development plans and getting approval for the building plan; we have been trying to do a lot of things. The things that preoccupied us for the past four years were infrastructure-based, building drainage to control flood, and all that.

“Now we are set to commence effective development of the Writers’ Village that can be seen. This is what we want to do and will happen on Friday,”Abdullahi said.

The ANA president said that if completed, the structure would house the National Headquarters of the association, which is currently at National Theatre, Lagos.

“We also want to use the foundation laying ceremony to embark on some developmental models which we already have. Similarly, we want to use the opportunity to appeal to state governments in the country to donate a building each and name it after their States or a writer from their states.

“We also want to call out to national and international bodies towards assisting ANA to achieve the dreams of Vatsa, a writer and a soldier who

was so passionate to donate the land to the association in 1985. “ANA is the sole owner and has a legal right to the land even though it has gone through attempts by some people to take it away, “Abdullahi said.

mon charge we make that zoos lack institutional support in this clime, as the Ogba Zoo has been thoroughly vandalized by land grabbers in recent years and we have not received any solution from this honourable House. Rather, this House spent more than three years (2012 -2015) investigating the demolition of some illegal structures on the Zoo land and at the end of it all, the Zoo lost almost 70per cent of its entire expanse to land grabbers, only for some of its Members to be found to be complicit in the very same act.”

Sheraton Abuja Hotel introduces new pastry chef

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heraton Abuja Hotel has announced the latest addition to its associate family, Pastry Chef Maroof Ahmed.

Maroof who is presently creating sparks with his compelling pastries and desserts hails from Bangladesh with a track record of extensive experiences in the world of Gourmet desserts, menu designing and planning in addition to large volume/high profile banqueting.

Chef Ahmed is equally a specialist in the world of sugar chocolate and bakery products amongst others.

Ahmed comes with a knowledge base from several trainings in Pastry, a BA. In Arts alongside a Level 3 award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), United Kingdom.

In his capacity, Maroof previously worked with renowned hotels such as the Four Points by Sheraton Hotels in India and the United Arab Emirates, other brands in the Middle East and Africa such as InterContinental hotels, Rotana and Radisson Blu, and others.

He speaks four languages including; English, Portuguese, Bengali and Hindi.

At the Sheraton Abuja Hotel, Maroof will support and add versatility and inspiration to the Kitchen team operations while offering eclectic and tasteful snacks adding to the dining experience of patrons.

His Innovative Pastry creations can be found at the Lobby Bar of Sheraton Abuja Hotel.

FTAN readies for 2017 AGM U mbrella body of travel and tourism practitioners in the country, the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has stepped up preparations ahead of its forthcoming 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The planned AGM, an elective one, will see the election of a new executive to take over from the outgoing Chief Tomi Akingbogun committee that had completed two terms.

Speaking on the event, which is scheduled to hold June 29 at NANET Suite, Abuja, Akingbogun, the President of FTAN said in a media forum with members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET, that the AGM will be ‘a milestone event in the annals of the federation and Nigeria tourism industry.’

According to him, all the federating associations, including government officials and private operators in the allied industries are expected to attend the event which is organized under the theme: ‘Financing as a catalyst to a sustainable tourism development,’ with key speakers slated to address the issue of funding for tourism, which he said is the bane of developing and marketing the tourism industry.

Akingbogun, also disclosed that he would use the occasion to give account of his leadership of the federation in the last four years having served two terms of two years each, adding that a lot of achievements were recorded during these four years despite the challenges that the federation had to contend with.

The Oracle Today, June 21, 2017

AVIATION Executive Order: FAAN enforces orderliness at MMIA Stories by VICTOR NZE

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igeria’s foremost gateway, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, has since Thursday, recorded a high level of compliance with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on ‘the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.’

Sequel to the order, the airport’s manager, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), had as part of the reform, banned the manual search of passengers’ baggage by the officials of the various security agencies and had also removed all tables by the check-in counters of airlines.

The agency had also directed that the physical examination of passengers should be stopped forthwith.

An official of FAAN Aviation Security (AVSEC) at the airport terminal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said only the AVSEC personnel were at the entry and exit points of the terminal, as directed.

The official said that touting inside and outside the terminal had been reduced to the barest minimum.

He said that the taxi drivers that used to loiter inside the arrival hall to look for potential passengers had been asked not to move close to the exit point of the terminal.

“Bags and luggage are being checked by the scanning equipment at the entry point and also the body scanner is being used only on travellers,’’ the official said.

It would be recalled that theManaging Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, had during a meet-

ing with the various stakeholders on Tuesday sued for their support and co-operation in ensuring full compliance with the order.

The participating agencies were: the Nigerian Police Force, Directorate of State Security, Quarantine Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and FAAN Aviation Security.

The order which was signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, is expected to ease doing business at Nigeria’s airports by streamlining the activities of various agencies and reducing interface between

passengers and airport security personnel.

Meanwhile, Group Managing Director of Dana Air, Mr Jacky Hathiramani, has lauded aviation agencies for their swiftness and commitment shown so far in the implementation of the Executive Orders as signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

Hathiramani who gave the commendation while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, Wednesday, said: “The recently signed Executive Orders by the acting president is a welcome development. It underscores President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment towards

creating a favorable environment for businesses, particularly local businesses to thrive, and promoting our made in Nigeria goods and services.

“Apart from the fact that aviation industry is critical to the economy of our nation, I believe the executive orders will take away unnecessary bureaucracies at the airport.’’

According to him, it will also provide solutions to a lot of anomalies in the system and open a vista of opportunities not just in the aviation industry but all sectors of the economy.

Hatharimani said the aviation

viation infrastructure firms and aircraft manufacturers, Springfountain, and the Boeing Company USA have signed a strategic agreement that would lead to a $20 billion investment in the Nigerian aviation industry within the next few years.

The agreement was signed, last Monday, in Lagos by Mrs Tokunbor Fagbemi, Managing Director, Springfountain and Mr Larry Tolliver, Head of Sales, West and Central Africa, the Boeing Company.

Speaking at the ceremony, Fagbemi said the proposed investment would be carried out through the African Aircraft Leasing Company (AALC), OEM Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Centre, African Aircraft Spare Parts Company (AASC) and Aggregated Services Solutions.

Fagbemi said it would cover aircraft leasing, maintenance, repair and overhaul, spares logistics and supply, as well as aggregated services solutions, further noting that the absence of such facilities and services in Africa were some of the major challenges faced by the Nigerian airlines and the aviation sector.

“We, as dynamic Nigerians and as patriotic citizens of this great nation have made Nigeria our first

agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had already shown commitment towards its implementation.

“We also need to commend our aviation agencies for the swift reaction in carrying out the order. Aviation is a key sector like I said earlier and the progress and commitment shown so far by our agencies are exemplary. What is now left is for us to see how these changes will have a positive impact on the operations of domestic airlines in the country,’’ Hathiramani said.

Ethiopian wins African Airline of the Year again

E •L-R: Representative of Minister for State of Aviation, Director of Operation and Training of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Sidi Abdullahi; Sales Director, West Africa Commercial Airplanes, Boeing, Mr. Larry Tolliver; Executive Director, Spring Fountain, Mrs. Tokunbo Fagbemi; Special Guest, Chief Femi Olopade and Chairman, Air Peace, Mr. Alen Onyema, during the Seminar on 2017 Expanded Horizon Conference which held under the theme of: ‘Aviation Education Infrastructure Challenges and Potential,’ in Lagos

Springfountain, Boeing to invest $20bn in Nigeria A

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port of call to situate, subject to provision of all the necessary enabling environment, free of the risk of expropriation.

“We believe that through this venture, we would have added our quota to ensure that Nigeria does not lose out, as African aviation is gathering momentum and countries within Africa are repositioning, developing culture, business, economy and so on, around aviation and increased intra-continental air connectivity.’’

“We, therefore, call on govern-

ment to facilitate the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD) and the African Union Declaration 2063,’’ Fagbemi said.

She also urged the government to create an enabling environment for the projects to take off by way of policies and waivers, as well as investment in aviation education, skill building and skill development.

Also speaking, Tolliver said the partnership was aimed at improving Boeing’s services to its clients, adding that Springfountain had demonstrated sufficient commit-

ment towards making it a success.

On his part, Sen. Hadi Sirika, Minister of State, Aviation, represented

by Capt. Sidi Abdullahi, Director of Operations, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), congratulated Springfountain on the attainment of the strategic relationship with Boeing.

Sirika said the partnership was expected to bring in innovative solutions that would assist in solving major issues bedeviling the Nigerian aviation industry.

Aviation accounts for 63m jobs, $2.7trn economic activities – IATA

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nternational Air Transport Association (IATA), , says about 63 million jobs and 2.7 trillion dollars in global economic activities depend on aviation.

According to a statement by the body, made available in Abuja, the IATA Director-General, Mr Alexandre de Juniac, made this known at the opening of IATA’s 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Cancun, Mexico.

“It is fitting that we are holding the 73rd AGM and World Air Transport Summit in a city that welcomes

around five million visitors every year.

“Cancun is a brilliant example of the transformative powers of air transport because aviation fuels its robust, vibrant and growing tourism economy. And that’s part of a compelling story of aviation’s benefits.

About 63 million jobs and 2.7 trillion dollars in economic activity depend on aviation,” he said.

According to the statement, hot topics on the AGM agenda include finding alternative means to keep flying secure without the inconven-

ience of the current laptop ban and combating human trafficking “It also includes implementing the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and modernizing air cargo processes.

“Other sessions will focus on the future of globalization, disruptive innovation, trade facilitation, aviation security and the environment. This is the third time the IATA AGM is being held in Mexico after two previous editions in Mexico City in 1966 and 1994,’’ IATA stated.

thiopian Airlines has won the African Aviation ‘African Airline of the Year’ Award for 2017, for the second consecutive time, during the 26th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference & Exhibition held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The award was presented to Ethiopian in recognition of its continued rapid growth, increased profitability and its outstanding contribution to aviation development in Africa.

Receiving the Award Mr Meseret Bitew, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said: ‘’We are pleased to win the “African Airline of the Year Award for the second time in a row; a testimony of our commitment to serve our beloved continent Africa.

“The commendable success of Ethiopian Airlines attributes to the visionary leadership of Ethiopian management and the hard work of thousands of Ethiopian employees who work hard around the clock with unity of purpose.

“Mobility and air connectivity being the economic engine of growth and development, we shall continue to play vital roles in connecting African countries with their major trading partners around the world and realize an economically liberal Africa.”

Announcing the Award, African Aviation CEO, Mr Nick Fadugba, said: “In the past 12 months, Ethiopian Airlines has further expanded its route network, modernized its fleet, inaugurated three new aircraft maintenance hangars, as well as a new world-class in-flight catering facility and has strengthened its airline joint ventures in Africa. In addition, Ethiopian Airlines has achieved a record financial turnover and profitability in spite of various industry challenges.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION

NDIC set to bridge skill gap in banking industry

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HE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has stated its resolve to enhance capacity building and bridge skills gaps in the banking industry and to take a lead in the Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS) in Africa.

The NDIC’s Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, made this remark during the accreditation ceremony of the NDIC Academy as a training service provider for its staff and the banking industry by the Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos weekend.

According to a statement, Ibrahim said; “with the NDIC Academy’s new status, it was positioned to fulfil the corporation’s goal of serving as a centre of academic excellence for capacity building on the DIS for countries in the sub-Saharan Africa.

He added that the corporation prides itself on establishing high standards of professionalism and competency among its staff through the corporation’s NDIC Academy and other human capital development initiatives, including the Chartered Banker/MBA programme of University of Bangor, Scotland in partnership with the CIBN. The NDIC CEO emphasised the importance of continuous high level training in order to achieve the corporation’s core mandates of deposit guarantee, bank supervision, bank distress resolution and bank liquidation. The ultimate goal, he said, would be to enhance depositor protection and public confidence in the banking system.

In his earlier address, the President and Chairman, Council of CIBN, Prof. Segun Ajibola, commended the corporation for its consistent efforts towards meeting high standards for the benefit of the banking industry and larger economy.

Ajibola described the NDIC’s readiness to subject itself to the rigours of the accreditation process as a testimony of its management’s commitment towards capacity development in order to equip its workforce with critical skills to enhance their performance and productivity

PFAs invest N4.56trn in FG securities

Stories by CHRISTOPHER EBONG

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he National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said that a total of N4.56trillion out of the N6.3trillion Pension Assets under Management has been invested in federal government Securities by the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) as at the end of February this year, the figure represents 72.36 per cent of the entire AuM managed by the industry.

The Commission who stated this in its summary of pension fund assets as at February 28, 2017 noted that N3.71 trillion was invested

curities; N9.19 billion in open/close -end funds; N9.96 billion in Reits.

Real estate properties got N216.88 billion; private equity fund got N17.82 billion; infrastructure fund received N2.33 billion and cash and other assets N33.58 billion.

Also, the Commission revealed in its quarter 2016 report released last week that PFAs in during the third quarter of 2016, paid out N4 billion to 12,464 disengaged workers who have Retirement Saving Account (RSA) and under 50 years but were unable to get another job within four months of their disen-

gagement.

According to the report, the private sector accounted for 95.43 per cent which amounted to 173,578 of the disengaged workers, while the public sector accounted for 4.57 per cent which is 8,305 worker, while a total of N56.90 billion has been paid to 181,883 disengaged workers since inception of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

It said N1.84 billion was also paid as death benefits to beneficiaries of 532 deceased employees within the quarter under review.

IEI Anchor Pensions partners Inspen on empowerment programme

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•L-R: Dr. (Mrs) Tonia Smart, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, York City Consulting Limited, Mr.Wale Banmore, Managing Director, CEO, Royal Exchange Prudential Life Limited, Nkechi Naechi, Managing Director/CEO, BusinessToday Communications and Mr. Rotimi Hussein, former Director General, Lagos State Pension Commission at the 2016 BusinessToday Online Award held in Lagos last week.

50th Anniversary: LASG pays retirees N1.05bn Pension Right T

•Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim

in Federal government’s bonds, while N851.42 billion went into investment in treasury bills.

While N469.17 billion was invested in domestic ordinary shares; PenCom stated that N88.95 billion was invested in foreign ordinary shares; N82.44 billion in agency bonds (NMRC & FMBN) and N150.37 billion in state government’s securities.

Other investments are: N258.34 billion in corporate debt, N12.35 billion in supra – national bonds; N367.89 billion in banks; N16.76 billion in commercial papers; N5.18 billion in foreign money market se-

HE Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode said that the government has released about N1.05billion to pay accrued Pension rights of retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The fund, according to LASG, is meant for civil servants in the State’s Public Service including Local Government Councils and Local Government Development Authorities.

According to the Governor, employees who have served and are now retired deserve to be specially recognised and also be in the celebration mood for the Lagos at 50 celebrations thus the release of the sum of N1.05 billion in the month of May to a total number of 241 retirees.

Speaking at the 39th Retirement Benefit Bond Presentation Ceremo-

ny, in Ikeja, last week, the DirectorGeneral – LASPEC, Mrs. Folashade Onanuga advised the beneficiaries not to look for quick gains, as the higher the returns, the higher the risk.

According to the DG; ‘At the noon time of your life, you should not take risk that would aggravate your old age health challenges’.

She further explained that even though there are two options available for receipt of Pension entitlements i.e the Programmed Withdrawal and life annuity options, for now, retirees who want to access their retirement savings account will only be able to draw pension under The Programmed Withdrawal module.

The reason for this, she said because the regulators of Pension and Insurance in the country, the National Pension Commission Pen-

Com and National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) are yet to fine tune the annuity option in the new dispensation.

“When all arrangements are completed, and the Annuity window is opened, you can move, as the Programmed Withdrawal option is very flexible”, she counseled.

Adding; “Take good care of your health by going for comprehensive check-ups, eat healthy and desist from frivolous spending”. The LASPEC boss also warned.

The retirees in their response commented on the various activities embarked on by the Governor and good human relations exhibited by the staff of the Agency.

They were particularly happy at the fact that despite the Governor’s busy schedule in building up Lagos, he was also interested in their wellbeing.

EI Anchor Pensions Managers Limited, one of the foremost Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) in the country is partnering Inspen Media, the producer of Retirement Mata on 102.7 Naija FM on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to empower the public especially retirees.

The Partnership will provide an opportunity for listeners to the pidgin Radio Programme – Retirement Mata, which is aired every Friday between 5:00 to 5:30 PM to get free mobile phone recharge cards.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, IEI Anchor Pensions Managers Limited, Mr Glory Etaduovie, speaking on the corporate social responsibility, said the firm is highly committed to empowering the citizenry for their contributions toward the progress made by the company since it commenced operations and by extension the nation.

According to him, the firm derives satisfaction supporting the aging with good service, as well as prepares them for graceful retirement.

He called on the public to use the airtime from the recharge cards to seek knowledge on operations of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), adding that knowledge is key to all human endeavours.

“Interesting and exciting. Our operations are a form of social service. You also derive strong satisfaction when you support the aging with good service, as well as prepare them for graceful retirement,” he said.

He noted that the company esteems the use of Information and Communications Technology ( ICT), stressing that it has deployed much of the needed ICT needs and that presently, it has focused on this for further improvements and action. “This enhances customer service, enquiries and enhanced interaction for better satisfaction.

People want constant up-dates as to the safety of their money and what the money is doing,” he said.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Inspen Media, said the partnership will go along way to impact lives, especially individuals who want to seek knowledge on the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION

NAICOM’s revised RBS guidelines under way soon Stories by CHRISTOPHER EBONG

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he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has said it’s working towards the release of the revised priority guidelines on Risk Based Supervision (RBS) for insurance operators soon.

Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari made this known to reporters at the just-concluded African Insurance Organisation (AIO) Conference in Kampala, Uganda.

Kari said the Commission had commenced migration of the insurance sector into the RBS regime when it introduced Enterprise Risk

Management (ERM) and Code of Corporate Governance guidelines, among others.

He said the Commission was set to conduct one of the principal programmes in the RBS regime which is the mandatory training for directors of insurance firms. According to him, the training is billed to commence this Thursday.

He said: “We have since commenced migrating the sector into a RBS regime by the guideline we gave by the ERM and code of corporate governance. These are risk based. The only thing we have not come out with before is one of the

principal programmes in the risk based, which is the mandatory directors’ training. This will hold on June 1 and 2. ‘’These are programmes for risk based and the training is to show that it has already started. Priorities guidelines have been reviewed and copies will be released to the operators.

NAICOM said the guidelines would set the model will require the classification of assets of the insurance companies to ascertain their capabilities to underwrite various risk portfolios in the industry.

Earlier, the commission launched

the sensitisation to educate operators on the need for a switch from rule-based regime to risk-based supervision for insurance to play effective role in the economy.

According to the Commissioner, the consolidation does not mean just an additional capital; but may redefine the type of insurance business the companies want to operate.

“Today, we have capital as the only basis for operation and if you meet the minimum capital, you can operate. For instance, underwriting any cover without consideration to the obligation to stakeholders and that is why we have

infractions in the industry, explaining why we have many players in the industry that do not add value to the services they provide both in the intermediary and insurance sectors.’’

“For companies to underwrite risk, they must have enough assets to cover the risks being underwritten. So, risk-based is being able to identify what is your financial capability. If your financial capability does not guarantee you to insure oil because of the huge capital layout involved in terms of obligations, you will not be allowed to insure the risks.”

•Left-Right: Mr. Oluwabiyi Ezekiel (Group Head, Non-Life Retail/SME Business - AIICO)Mr. Adebowale Banjo (General Manager, AutoGenius) Mr. Adewale Kadri (General Manager, Non-Life Business -AIICO) Miss. Abimbola Owolabi (Client Service Executive, AutoGenius)Mr. Uche Okafor(Operations Manager, Taxify)Mr. Nonso Onwuzulike (Operations Manager, Taxify)Mr. Joseph O. Oduniyi (Deputy General Manager, Non-Life Corporate Business - AIICO)Mr. Felix Ehumadu (Relationship Officer, Non-Life Retail Business - AIICO).

AIICO Partners, AutoGenius on “Taxify Cover” T

AXIFY, the fastest growing ehailing and ridesharing app has announced a unique insurance policy designed to increase driver and rider safety as well as improve the confidence of their user base.

“Taxify Cover” was launched in partnership with AIICO Insurance PLC, a leading insurance provider in Nigeria and AutoGenius, Nigeria’s 1st Digital Insurance platform.

Speaking at the launch, the General Manager, Non-Life Business, AIICO Insurance, Adewale Kadiri, said “This indeed is a realization of AIICO’s constant aspiration and purposeful pursuit at supporting business initiatives through provision of risk based solutions. While AIICO provides the Underwriting service, AutoGenius provides the channel and technological platform for the distribution of the product.

We are indeed optimistic that this initiative will further expand the insurance market in Nigeria and increase market penetration.

Taxify’s Comprehensive Motor Insurance is a special motor insurance product (bundled products) that is customized to provide all the benefits of a comprehensive motor insurance with extended passengers’ liability, loss of personal effects and personal accident

covers with a single premium.

The features of this product amongst others include the provision of compensation for: Own accidental damage, third party bodily injury/ property damage, theft and fire damage to the vehicle, death/ disability/ assault to the driver and rider, passengers’ liability and Loss of personal effects for both the driver and the rider. The uniqueness of this product is also evident in the flexibility of payment op-

tions. The payment plan has been structured to suit customers’ pockets and convenience.

Today is a very special day for us and we are super excited that after weeks of strategizing and deliberating, the “Taxify Cover” is finally here. With this partnership, along with offering convenient and affordable rides, we will add an extra level of safety as AIICO Insurance will insure against liabilities to both the riders and the driver-partners

during any ride on Taxify in Lagos”, says Operations Manager of Taxify Lagos, Uche Okafor.

This is the first time insurance is playing an active role in the daily commute of riders and drivers using any ride hailing app, and we are happy to be at the helm of it. This is line with our commitment to improving the quality of transportation in Lagos” The General Manager, AutoGenius (Taxify’s official Insurance Partner),

Adebowale Banjo, was quoted as saying, “In addressing the apparent and diverse risks in the e-hailing business, it was necessary to develop a digital, sophisticated and holistic product that not only secures riders and passengers but also their assets.

Taxify Cover is a first in the industry and it caters to all attendant risks, providing maximum protection for drivers, riders and also the tools of service delivery. It is indeed a new dawn for this sector.”

Staco gets official nod to hold AGM

T

he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has approved the 2016 audited financial statements of Staco Insurance Plc for publication and to conduct its AGM. This was disclosed in a statement released by the insurer that the apex regulatory has given its nod for the firm to conduct its 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM), adding that; “With the regulator’s approval, the company was at liberty to publish the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 in the national dailies.

The approval was granted after a confirmation that Staco Insurance had substantially complied with the commission’s regulatory requirement, the statement explained.

From the approved 2016 financial statements, the shareholders fund of the company rose from N3.4bn in 2015 to N3.8bn in 2016, representing an increase of 10.33 per cent with a positive solvency margin.

The company, at the end of 2016 financial year, recorded a decline in profit to the tune of N1.8bn. This,

according to it, is as a result of foreign exchange fluctuations arising from unfavourable exchange rate of the naira to the dollar on the company’s dollar denominated liabilities – both contractual and operational.

The insurer said it paid claims in the 2016 operating year to the tune of N1.99bn, of which a substantial part was paid in dollar denomination.

Despite the short-comings resulting from the high exchange rate, the company’s management reaffirmed its commitment to turning

things around for the better by continuously delivering value and positively affecting the lives of its stakeholders and leveraging best practices.

The company revealed plans to embark on strategic expansion aimed at exploring and capturing new frontiers, pursuing and driving micro insurance concept for a better share of the market and increasing market value.

Staco Insurance was established in 1994 to provide cover under the general insurance and special risks business.

30

The Oracle Today WednesdayJune 21, 2017

The

racleToday www.oraclenews.ng

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31

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Export Platform

By CHINYEMIKE TORTI

The rise and rise of Sesame exports

Sesame seeds ready for export

G

IVEN the robust cross boarder trading activity posted on sesame seed within the last few years it is safe to aver that, after cocoa beans; sesame is poised to carve a niche for itself in the heroic book of export success.

During the previous, trading season Nigeria earned around $50 million accruing from over 50,000 tons of sesame seed exports; to Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Syria, Netherlands, UK, Singapore etc.

With market demand leapfrogging from China and other sundry European countries, the central bank of Nigeria cash register scooped over $50 million in the season under review. According to projections from deep industry sources it is estimated that within the next 3-4 years over $750 million dollars will fall on our laps, via sesame exports trading activities.

Nigeria is the second largest producer of the crop in Africa after Sudan. Given the potentialities of the sesame belt in Nigeria it is expected to hit 1 million tons. The sesame seed plant is an annual with a branched stem that grows to a height of 0.6 1.2m (2-4 feet). The small seeds vary in size up to 3.5 mm (1/8 inch).

Color may range from yellowish white to red, brown and black. Hulled sesame is pearly white and has a rich, nut-like flavor when roasted. Hulling or decorticating is the process of removing the outer husk. India, Mexico, Nicaragua, Sudan, Guatemala, Venezuela, China, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Nigeria are the major exporting countries. In India, October/November are the harvest times while in Nigeria/Sudan/Ethiopia/CentralAmerica/ Mexico –November/December is pay back period.

In the western world; hulled sesame is best known as a topping for hamburger buns and is widely used in Asia. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Its high protein content makes sesame popular with the health food industry.

Sesame seed is rich in fat, protein, carbohydrates, fibre and some minerals. The aroma and taste of the seed are mild and

delicious. It has a nut-like slightly sweet flavour. It is used mainly as a food ingredient in whole, broken, crushed, shelled, powdered and paste forms.

The whole seed is extensively used in middle eastern cuisines. A typical halvah is made from crushed, roasted and sweetened seeds. Some people believe that due to the considerable presence of niacins (8.9 mg per 100 grams), the seed assists against ageing of the human body.

Liquid sesame product is prepared and drunk by both, men and women, in the middle east for rejuvenation of the human system elsewhere.

Sesame seed oil is distinguished by its stability and resists oxidative rancidity even after long exposure to air. It is used in cooking, salad dressings, pharmaceuticals and lubricants. It has uses in cosmetics and skin care industries.

For getting better prices and enhancing the market share, right image-building is necessary. Higher quality of the product should be maintained. Only scientifically treated, properly cleaned, washed, dried, colour-sorted, size-graded, impurities-free seeds with appropriate oil contents not less than 40% packed according to international standards may be exported. Over-commitment should always be avoided.

There is a world of difference between the prices of raw sesame seeds and the oil. The private sector entrepreneurs may, therefore, set up sesame oil extracting plants in the country to ensure that a large portion of crop is exported in higher value added form.

A whole range of sesamum varieties and grades are peculiar to the region where they are grown.

Buyers may choose between unhulled and hulled product. Today, sesame seeds are appearing on and in countless products. Bakeries, health and snack-food manufacturers use natural sesame seeds for baked goods. For applications where the seeds coat a product, natural seed often sticks better. Unhulled sesame

seeds also can prolong shelf life by keeping the oil stable, and because there is no processing, natural seed is less expensive. Hulled sesame seed is used widely in the United States on hamburger buns, and other bread and cracker products.

It also is used to make tahini paste, and is the principal ingredient in the Middle Eastern sesame specially confection, halvah.

Specifications for natural sesame should concentrate on color, cleanliness and dryness. Color should be as even as possible. Mottled hulls are fine for oil extractions, but not desirable as toppings.

When buying pale-colored seeds, fewer dark seeds equates to higher quality.

And if purchasing natural seed for hulling, bigger equals better.

Hulled sesame is white, clean and by without any oily residue (something that can occur after processing). And again, the fewer dark seeds, the better. However, it is regarded highly in Japan and China for its flavor. Mexico and Latin America produce “sweet sesame” varieties, and U.S. candy makers are the prime customers for this product.

Natural sesame seed will keep well at ambient temperatures for up to two years. Hulled seeds, however, have a much shorter shelf life. In hot weather, they may be cold-stored to guard against rancidity, but for typical food-manufacturing needs, storage life should not be a problem. Sesame oil is exceptionally stable, resisting oxidation and rancidity better than many vegetable oils. Sesame seeds for export should conform to the following specification.

Sun dry purity 99.9% Min moisture: 6% MAX. FFA: 1.5-2%. ADM: 2% Packing: 50kg Poly bags.

Minimum Order- 1x20ft FCL Quantity per 20’ Container: 18-19 tones.

In Nigeria there are two types of sesame seed, the Kano (golden) and the Benue (white) both accepted in the international market. Nasarawa state is reputed to be the biggest producer and

may before long become one of the biggest areas of productions.

Contact information of overseas buyers of sesame seed Company name: Huachenghang Trade Co., Ltd. Contact person: Wangyang Address: 310 Taihua Street, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province.

China Zip: 050071 Telephone: 86-311-87814058 Fax: 86-311-87810029 Company name: Kannas Texile Ind. And Trade INC Contact person: Mr. Ayhan Kanisli Address: Cakmak Mah. Cabi Ali Sok. No 5, Gaziantep, Tr Turkey.

Zip: 27400 Phone: 90-342-3230110 Fax: 90-342-3243183 Company name: IKM Species Co. Contact person: Ikmspices Address: Hukumet CAD. She Edibali CAD. B. Blok No: 8/B Kahramanmaras Country: Turkey Phone: 90-344-2158396 Fax: 90-344-2158398 Company name: Ohk Export & Import Contact name: Hkayiso Address: Alemdag CD. Abide Sk No: 12 Asagi Dudullu Umraniye Phone: 90-537-4215607 Fax: 90-212-2969526 Company name: Meteksan Foreign Trade Ltd. Contact person: Mr. Fevzi Isgor Address: Mucahitler Caddie 19/2 Merkez Bankasi Arkasi, Mersin, Turkey Phone: 90-324-2331731 Fax: 90-324-2331733 • CHINYEMIKE TORTI, is Chief Executive Officer, Federation of Nigerian Exporters, Alumnus,World Bank Institute, Washington DC Resource Person ITC/WTO, Geneva-Switzerland. Moderator, EXPORT ADVOCACY GROUP exportgazette@gmail. com

32

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Love And Living racle Girl 0f the Week

••• With Ireto Temofeh

LOVE NEWS Ring that Pablo Picasso designed to appease his angry lover

•Pablo Picasso designed a ring to appease his angry lover when she threw her old jewellery in the River Seine during a row goes on sale for £500,000

I

Name: Elizabeth Tel: +234 9093174930 •Do you want to be our next Oracle Girl? Send your photos to ireto007@yahoo.com and call 07031028714

t is going under the hammer at the Sotheby’s Actual Size sale on June 21 following the sale of her estate.

Curator Thomas Bompard said: ‘Picasso has depicted a world on a scale so intimate you can hold an entire artistic vision on your finger.

‘Sometimes the smallest of things can contain a universe of thought and emotion, and so it is with this ring - an intimate piece that allows us a captivating glimpse into secrets that might otherwise not be shared.’

Dora Maar was by no means the only woman who became involved in the the famed artist’s colourful life, as Picasso struck up relationships with a number of mistresses during his 91 years.

But there’s was a troubled albeit passionate affair that was never meant to last.

The pair were introduced to one another while Maar was working as a set photographer on the Kean Renoir film, The Crime of Monsieur, in 1935.

Picasso had already married to Olga Khokhlova - a ballerina - in 1918 but the pair separated around 1927, though they remained legally married until her death in 1955.

On meeting Maar, Picasso was still involved in an affair with Marie-Thérèse Walter, whom he had met when she was 17, in 1927.

Maar and Picasso remained together for around nine years and, though she remained nothing more than a mistress, served as an integral part to his artistic life.

She would document, help and photograph Picasso in his attic studio in Paris - ultimately leading to the creation of his masterpiece, Guernica, in 1937.

Maar would also feature in a number of Picasso’s paintings and, notably, Weeping Lady.

But the artist’s bohemian lifestyle led him onto meet a young art student named Françoise Gilot, in 1944, when she was just 23 and he was 63.

Though incredibly close, his and Maar’s relationship was also one fraught with tension and dispute because Picasso continued to see his former lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter.

They separated in 1943 and Picasso went on to have two children with Gilot - who would also separate from the artist years later.

Odd News

Sugar could be worse for your blood pressure than salt, shock new research reveals

S

ugar - not salt - is to blame for high blood pressure, US researchers claim.

They argue that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise.

The scientists from New York and Kansas also highlight a recent study of 8,670 French adults which found no link between salt and high blood pressure. For years the public have been urged to slash their salt intake and guidelines state it should be restricted to a teaspoon a day.

Experts say it increases the risk of strokes by a quarter and it has been blamed on 3 million deaths worldwide annually. But in an article in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers led by Dr James DiNicolantonio state ‘It is sugar not the

salt that may be the actual causative factor for high blood pressure.

‘This notion is supported by meta analyses of randomised control trials (large-scale studies) suggesting that sugar is more strongly related to blood pressure in humans than sodium. ‘Encouraging consumers to hold the sugar, not the salt, may be the better dietary strategy to achieve blood pressure control.’

Around a quarter of adults in the UK have high blood pressure and it greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart disease.

This research is further evidence of the health risks posed by eating too much sugar. In June, officials issued new guidelines urging the public to limit themselves to between five and seven teaspoons a day over concerns it is causing obesity and type 2 diabe-

tes. The American researchers believe that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain called the hypothalamus which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise.

They also think it may cause our bodies to produce more insulin, a hormone, which may also speed up the heart rate.

Dr DiNicolantonio, a heart disease research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City also contradicts experts who claim reducing salt consumptions will lower levels of obesity and heart disease.

He adds: ‘We argue the opposite, a reduction in salt intake may lead to an increased intake in processed foods (and added sugars) and, thereby, increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.’

The reasons are complicated but

it is thought that low salt levels increase the amount of certain fats in the blood. Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, a campaign group, said the public health risk posed by sugar had been underestimated.

He added: ‘We know that sugar does not provide any nutrients and there is growing evidence it is an independent risk factor for many diseases. But Professor Graham McGregor, an expert in cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary, the University of London, said the evidence blaming sugar rather than salt for high blood pressure was ‘incredibly weak.’

He said that research spanning several decades had shown a strong link between salt and high blood pressure.

Guidelines from Public Health

England, the agency responsible for tackling obesity, in June stated that women should have no more than five to six teaspoons of sugar a day and men seven to eight.

But the average adult consumes 15 teaspoons largely due to the high levels of hidden sugar in fruit juice, muesli, yoghurts, sandwiches and ready meals. Some experts want the Government to impose a sugar tax on fizzy drinks although ministers have so far rejected these calls.

The Government’s chief advisor on obesity, Professor Susan Jebb, has also urged parents to ban fruit juice and fizzy drinks from the dinner table and stick to water.

Experts are also worried that sugar is behind an increase in tooth decay in children and could affect their ability to learn.

33

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

True Confession

‘My wife’s childlessness made me love her more’ Like the skies can’t stop being blue, I can’t stop thinking about you

S

tella and I got married in a quiet ceremony in church and our marital life began with great expectations. But against our expectations, months turned to years, and we remained childless.

After six years without a child, my relatives and members of my immediate family began to question my manhood. “Osas, are you sure you’re okay?” my eldest sister asked me. “If you know you cannot impregnate your wife, I think it is better we see a fertility specialist or a doctor.” I swore that I wasn’t going to consult anybody and that I was man enough to impregnate any woman in the world.

After waiting for two more years to have a child in vain, my eldest sister advised me to marry a second wife. I totally rejected the idea of my marrying a new wife.

I maintained that in Europe and America, childless couples remained like that without children

and lived happily ever after. But my sister reminded me that we were Africans and that an African man was incomplete until he had a child, especially a male child.

I went ahead and married a second wife. But to my horror, soon after my second wife came to live with us she began to show her true colours. First, she fought my first wife and injured her on the head. Then she started stealing my money and whenever I confronted her over it, she heaped insults on me, saying that as my second wife, she had the right to take my money without my permission.

My second wife soon became pregnant. But six months into her pregnancy, she had a miscarriage and she accused Stella, my first wife of being responsible. The next thing she said was that she didn’t want to see my first wife again in the house. She insisted that I must send away my first wife if I wanted

us to live together. She also said she didn’t want to see any of my relations too in the house, because according to her, some of my relatives could be colluding with my wife to harm her.

It made me feel so sad. I knew that Stella, my first wife, was a gentle and loving person who couldn’t hurt a fly. My relations also were nice people. So, for my second wife to say that she didn’t want to see my first wife and my relations was too much to bear. I advised my second wife to learn to live in peace with all. But rather than heed my advice, she continued making trouble and fighting with my first wife and my relations.

In her folly, my second wife thought she’d come to stay and so, could do as she pleased. But she was wrong. I sent her packing last month. And Stella, my relations and I, now have peace of

mind. I’ve come to realize that life is not all about children. Our happiness & peace of mind are equally important.

Although we have no children, my wife is still the loveliest woman in the world because she brings me joy. Some people think that if you’re a childless couple, you must either marry a second wife or adopt children. That is African mentality. But we don’t reason that way. It’s not compulsory we adopt a child or take a second wife just because we have no kids of our own. My wife and I have decided to remain happy together even without any child. The nightmare of marrying a second wife is now a thing of the past.

•Your say: Have your say about this love confession.

Call 08131161840 or 07031028714

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

Relationships and love advice ‘My husband left me’

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Ngozi, 25, fair, chubby, lives in Onitsha, needs a responsible, buoyant man from 40 years and above who can take good care of her. 08147538320.

Lilian, dark and sexy, in Lagos, needs a hot and sexy sugar daddy. 07064482338.

Nkechi, 38, graduate, seeks a matured man and also a devoted christian from 40 years and above for marriage. 08112063224.

Loveth, 27, residing in Kaduna, wants a sugar daddy from Abuja. 09062373928.

Princess, 29, from Anambra, in Lagos, HIV Positive, needs a decent, working, healthy, HIV Positive guy from 30 years and above from Anambra for marriage.

09090675833.

Rosemary, 29, from Anambra based in Abuja, self employed, good looking & homely needs an educated God fearing, comfortable man from the East between 32-45 years strictly for marriage.

09092942483.

Dear Love Doctor, My name is Agnes and I am heartbroken. I have been married for the past six years and living with my husband and two children. Unfortunately, my husband lost his job last year and started acting funny six months after losing his job. He met a single lady who is rich and has a good job. The lady lured my husband with money to marry her and now he has abandoned me and gone to live with the lady in her house, although they haven’t yet got married. What do I do in this kind of situation?

Love Doctor’s Advice: There is more to life than money, and family is more important than riches. Family is family, and therefore should not be traded for anything in the world. I think your husband needs counseling to make him come back to his senses, because his actions could probably be caused by frustration, depression, despair and/or loss of his self-esteem as a result of the loss of his job.

However, take heart and don’t worry, because everything will be alright and he will return to you in the end when he finds out that all that glitters is not gold. In the meantime, however, keep making sincere and genuine effort to reach him, especially through members of his family and yours too.

Don’t give up on him, because you never know

when the tables will turn and he will come back to you.

Also, if you’re legally married to him, you can seek legal counsel from a good lawyer and explore your legal options. A lawyer will help you safeguard your rights in the marriage. Also consult your priest, pastor, spiritual director, marriage counselor, psychologist or anybody who he listens to such as members of his family, to have a serious talk with him with the aim of making him return to his family.

Your husband has no reason to lose hope and abandon his family because of this temporary hardship, because he can still struggle and get another job or do a business, without having to abandon his family to date another woman for her money. No condition is permanent. And with God all things are possible.

Buy An Apartment For You And Your Loved One •Do you want to buy an apartment for you and your loved one?

There is a 3-Bedroom flat for sale at Iba Housing Estate, Ojo, Lagos.

Call 07031028714, 0816 201 6410.

Note:

Lora, graduate, works, HIV Positive, based in Jos, wants a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage. 08090925014.

E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs.com.ng. Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840 for Counseling, fertility problems & Direct Hookup.

E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs.com.ng. Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840 for Counseling, fertility problems & Direct Hookup.

From Agnes.

Dear Agnes,

Rosemary, 31, from Anambra based in Abuja, self employed, good looking & homely, needs an educated, godly, comfortable man from the East between 32-45 years strictly for marriage. 08161186244.

If you have fertility problems like childlessness, inability to conceive or get pregnant, miscarriages, fibroid, low sperm count, STDs, or need a male child or female? Call 08153536405, 08122352054. Love Doctor can help you succeed in your marriage/relationship.

Men seeking relationship/ marriage Rexos, from Enugu, needs a loving and caring sugar mummy of 35 years and below. 08096374374.

Desmond, HIV Positive, from Anambra, living in Lagos, needs a pretty, HIV Positive woman for marriage. 09092935581, 08127618536.

Goodheart wants a tall, fair, beautiful, working class Yoruba, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi or Port-Harcourt lady for marriage.

08030725296.

Love needs a mature lady in Lagos for companionship. 08077821830.

Daniel, 25, student, needs a sugar mummy or a single mum in Minna, Abuja or Kaduna who can take care of his educational finance. 08167627446.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

It happened to me I put a spell on you, Because I can’t live without you.

“Mama, I’ve made my choice.

Precious is the one I want to marry and nothing will make me change my mind.” That was how I forced my mother to agree to my marriage to Precious eight years ago.

My mother gave her blessing to the marriage, though she observed that Precious acted strangely.

My mother said that she couldn’t wait till the next nine months for Precious to give birth to her grandchild. But to our disappointment, years passed, and still we remained childless.

After five years without a child, my relatives began to question my manhood. “Ben,” my eldest sister said, “if you can’t impregnate your wife, why not see a fertility specialist?” I went to see a fertility specialist.

But the doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and my wife and that maybe our problem is spiritual.

After waiting for two more years to have a child in vain, my eldest sister advised me to marry a second wife. My mother supported the idea, and it was left for me to inform my wife about it.

However, to my greatest surprise, Precious totally rejected the idea of my marrying a new wife. I reminded her that we were Africans and that an African man was incomplete until he had a child, especially a male child. But she swore that any woman who married me would have herself to blame.

I went ahead and married a second wife. But to my horror, from the very night my second wife moved in, she started suffering spiritual attacks.

She said that in the middle of the night, evil forces would press her down and try to suffocate her.

There was this particular night that my second wife almost died in her sleep and I had to take her to church.

At the church, the pastor saw a vision that my first wife is a witch and is responsible for the bad things that have been happening to my second wife. I told the pastor that I had to marry a second wife because I suspected that my first wife is a witch.

I told him how it had been revealed to me in the former church I was attending that my first wife’s witchcraft is the cause of our childlessness, because she had sacrificed her unborn children at the witches’ coven.

With prayers, the attacks stopped for some time. Three months later, my second wife became pregnant and I thought we had finally overcome.

But six months into her pregnancy, the spiritual attacks started again and she had a miscarriage one night and lost so much blood in the process that I feared for her life.

Her relatives accused my first wife of masterminding the attack.

They came and took my second wife away from my house, claiming that I couldn’t guarantee her safety.

The child that refuses to let its mother sleep will also not sleep.

‘My wife’s childlessness made me love her more’

Precious, my first wife is still acting strangely. I know she is out to ruin me. But I’ll make sure she doesn’t succeed in preventing me from having a child by my second wife.

The witch can’t bear me a child, yet she won’t let someone else do it.

She keeps fighting me all the time and wants to wipe out my name from the face of the earth when I die. But I won’t let her succeed. I’ve told her to move out of my house before the end of this month or else...

Romantic Joke

Boxing Match

A guy and his wife are sitting and watching a boxing match on television. The husband sighs and complains, “This is disappointing. It only lasted for 30 seconds!” “Good,” replied his wife. “Now you know how I always feel.”

•Comments: Call 07031028714.

•Sent from my iPhone with love. You can reach me via +2348131161840 or +2347031028714. Email: ireto007@yahoo.com. Thank you very much. May God bless you.

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

The Law and You

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

RAPE (Part 1) This edition’s topic –rape- is one of the social evils that have been eating deep into societies today and most people fail to report the crime because of so many reasons such as the destruction of the image of the victim, the young girl, the relationship between the perpetuator of the crime and the victim of the crime. This type of crime in criminology is termed “victimless crime”. Do not call me a pastor or minister of God but you should not forget that one of the greatest impacts the Law profession has on Lawyers is that it makes them “ministers in the temple of Justice”. Yes, we are always for truth and those who do not want to understand it turn it the other way round. Coming to the topic in question, rape is rampart in this country as most perpetrators have not been taught the consequences of their actions. Some if not most of them (the perpetrators) see it as a plus to their achievements in life. “Oh! Boy!! I don nak this one-o-o”, “Ah! Dis one get figure 8 and I must show-am” are some of the slangs used by these perpetrators before

and after committing this social evil. Most of our higher institutions are not left out.

Young and intelligent boys who are sent to school with hard earned money by their parents as soon as they enter make bad friends or make bad friends with the sole aim of harassing and molesting innocent female colleagues of theirs, and in so doing commit a crime of which they do not know the consequences of jail term as to be discussed below and even worse the shame, disgrace, ridicule and in most cases resultant death of the parents of both sides and in some cases death of the victim who was psychologically, morally and physically subdued to death. In some cases, the perpetrators even organized parties or take out or give out drugged drinks to the innocent victim and perform this act believing it is not a crime in Law. Some being more masculine and stronger than the female partner used force on them and even tore their pants and/ or soaked their dresses in water to make it impossible for the victim to leave their houses or rooms or hostel in school and

CASE 1:

‘Is it rape to fondle my girlfriend’s breasts while she is sleeping?’

compelled them to un-consorted sexual intercourse. Even while the victim is shouting “Stop! Stop!! Stop it!!!” they continue not knowing that the crime they are committing under the name of enjoyment is to lead them to life imprisonment of suffering. There are more of such cases and these prompted this very important topic in this edition.

Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape

What is sexual assault?

The term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include:

What is rape?

Rape is a form of sexual assault, but not all sexual assault is rape. The term rape is often used as a legal definition to specifically include sexual penetration without consent.

Using the USA as an example, for its Uniform Crime Reports, the FBI defines rape as “penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” Every country or jurisdiction including Nigeria has its own legal definition of rape and other forms of sexual assault. *To be continued next week.

Attempted rape Fondling or unwanted sexual touching Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body

•Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Call Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840.

Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

Sexual Assault Sexual assault can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the victim’s fault.

CASE 2: ‘My ex wife is threatening to report me for rape’

Dear Lawyer, Please I fondled the breasts of my girlfriend when I entered her room one night and met her sleeping. But I didn’t have sexual knowledge of her or penetrate her vagina.

Can I be charged for rape?

From Peter, Owerri, IMO state.

Dear Lawyer, I divorced my wife about five years ago but anytime I see her moving and shaking her bottom I feel moved. One day, I took courage and sneaked into her residence and begged her for sexual intercourse and she refused, but I forced her and penetrated her vagina. She threatened to report me for rape. Please is she right?

From Abiodun, Ibadan, Oyo state.

Lawyer’s Answer: Dear Peter No. In rape there must be sexual intercourse without the consent of the victim. Also, penetration into her vagina is necessary to prove. However, what you did could constitute sexual assault and/or attempted rape, sexual abuse, gross indecency, etc; because you touched her (while she was sleeping) without her consent. Next time, don’t touch anybody without the explicit consent of that person because the victim can accuse you of attempted rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, etc. Stop taking advantage of people sexually, especially when they are sleeping, because it can get you into serious trouble.

Consult any lawyer around you or call me for more explanation.

Lawyer’s Answer Yes; you committed the crime because it was done by force and without her consent as an ex husband. Consult any lawyer around you or call me for more details or legal assistance.

Call Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com Call Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

Sent from my iPhone with love. You can reach me via +2348131161840 or +2347031028714. Email: ireto007@yahoo.com. Thank you very much. May God bless you.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

My Love & Life

Confession: I and Daddy were in love I

HAVE never really fancied being extremely hairy because it keeps attracting unneeded attention. I am by no means anti social but I find it offensive when people just spot me on the streets and pass dry comments about the hairs on my body. Some even take it a step further wondering how bushy the “other region” would be. Imagine hearing such in smooth flowing Igbo and you would understand my predicament. But that’s been my plight all life long and still counting and I’m living with it.

Many times I really wanted to scrape every single hair off me and be free to rock short clothes without raising dust. I would ask around for the best means to rid my body of all hairs and never to return but I never got around to doing the wipe mainly because the king of hairs himself so loved the fact that I took after him in that regard. On those fine evenings when we sat outside the house, he would share interesting stories about the past and to relax, I would place my legs on his laps. Daddy would suspend his right hand on my legs or hair while we chatted and laughed.

Our love was open. Once, my elder sister accused him of loving me more than the others. He saved the day by reassuring of his equal love for all but we knew better, I was his favourite. He would turn to his wife, my mum, and say “hope you know that my mummy is prettier than you are”. Knowing better than to contest it, mum would make a fine joke of it and leave it at that. Because he adored me that much, I am yet to believe that I am less than anyone. It made me reach for the top in all I ever did knowing he would be there to celebrate me and tell the world that his love is the best. When I finally put Jamb in its place that year, I couldn’t wait to hug daddy and tell him I did it. And when my sisters first child died, on hearing the news, I couldn’t wait to hug daddy and have him and tell me we will be OK. I was so used to his reassuring arms of support and seven years without him has been but a dream. No one has taken that place... His love for me was so pure and clear, it left me with no single

bad memories of him.

I learnt something different though during my service year in Ibadan.

I interacted a lot with this particular couple who just had their first baby, a girl.

The wife once revealed that she was never at rest leaving her baby in her husband’s care to avoid stories that touch.

She said that in such occasions she would keep praying for her daughters safety until her return.

I was not too surprised to hear that, just saddened by how horrible things are. I tried to understand her position given the prevalent cases of incest and sexual abuse by fathers on their own daughters putting them on a life time journey of shame.

Many mothers can’t trust their husband’s to not contemplate or actually rape their little girls. It is no longer strange to hear of fathers who even regularise the beastly act, most only get caught after impregnating the helpless girls.

If only we had more discerning fathers like mine who knew that love exists in categories and that each one is expressed differently. If only we had loving fathers like mine who loved me to the moon and back without any betrayal. If only we had super dads like my sweet dad who did all to solidify my sense of self worthworth and self esteem. If only most fathers would love their babies like daddy loved me, life and living would be more interesting.

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The Oracle Today Wednesda June 21, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Day I broke down in tears –Chioma Obiadi, Miss Nigeria

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urrent Miss Nigeria, Chioma Stephanie Obiadi, a 300 level Student of Geography and Meterology in this chat with Oracle Today opens up on her challenges as a beauty queen and pet project, Green Girl Project among other interesting issues. From Douglas Omoyooma, Lagos Six months into your reign, what’s the experience been like?

It’s been an overwhelming experience. People think it’s just about the glitz and glamour but it’s been a lot of serious work because we have been writing a lot of articles, reaching out to a lot of people and focusing mainly on my Green Girl Project.

Tell us about Green Girl project and what inspired it?

From the name Green Girl you should know what it is all about. Green stands for the environment while Girl represents the masses. It’s an environmental project aimed at increasing sustainability in the environment. Today, in our environment there are a lot of issues but then we tend to neglect them because we don’t know how they impact us negatively.

Could you shed light on these issues?

What we do under the Green Girl Project is reach out to people and explain how environmental issues affect them personally. For example, in the eastern part of the country, lives and property worth millions of naira are lost to erosion annually. In the northern part of Nigeria, about 350 hectres of land is lost to desertification annually. In the S/South we have a lot of health issues with children being born with defects and women and men getting terminally ill because of gas flaring. Talking about water pollution, about 40 million people are affected by diarrhea and cancer annually and these are just some of the problems we have. I did not mention flooding which affects almost every part of the country because of bad drainage and improper waste disposal and these we could solve by ourselves because most of them are man-made. If a father could understand that just because of the liter he throws into the gutter , the street could get flooded and he and his family could die in the event of a flood, then we would have achieved a lot. We have to understand that it is not Nigeria’s problem but my personal problem.

That is what we do; we try to personalise these issues.

Did you believe you were going to win when you entered for Miss Nigeria?

Yeah, I have always been a very confident person with a lot of belief in myself. As a matter of fact, there was a time someone told me I was overly confident. But I guess that has to do with the up-brining I got. I was the only girl so I did not have to struggle for a lot of things so I kind of believed I could get it once I set my mind to it.

Which of your parents did you get your looks from?

My grand ma says I look like my grand-

• Miss Nigeria (right) during the press briefing father. I am as tall as my dad and I kind of look like my mum; I have her eyes, so I think I pretty much grabbed a lot from different people.

Has it always been your dream to be a beauty queen?

It’s always been. Growing up I had the attitude of a queen from what my mum said so they christened me Agbani Darego but I wasn’t able to pursue the career because my dad, being a typical Igbo dad would not let me go into modeling until I attained certain level of education so I had to wait until I got into the university and that was when I started my modeling career. My mum gave me her full support but dad was reluctant at first. Of course he was being a protective father and with the reputation a lot of pageants have not just in this part of the world but across the world generally, he wanted to be sure I was not getting into anything that would be harmful to my future so we had a family meeting and rubbed minds before he gave me the nod.

Is this your first pageant?

No, it is not. I have a plan. I had six stages I wanted to go through to fulfill my dream in the pageant world. It was supposed to be from Miss Jomet to Miss FESSA (Faculty of Environmental Sciences) both which I won in year one.

In my Year One I also contested for Face of Miss Unizik and won. I was like wow!

Three out of six, everything’s going on well. So, in my Year Two I went for Miss Anambra and it was heart breaking for me and very challenging because I kind of got used to winning all the time so the fact that I did not win was bad for

me. I cried from the stage and my aunty came to console me. My entire family came to watch me and they told me to stop crying that I will always be a winner.

They were like ‘it doesn’t matter you lost today, just take the lessons you have learnt from here and learn from them.’

What were you fears when you contested for Miss Nigeria?

Not winning, and that was because at that point, a lot of people especially in my school looked up to me. So, one of my biggest fear was disappointing them.

They had placed me on a pedestal and I just couldn’t afford to disappoint them.

How has Miss Nigeria impacted you, how have you handled the glamour and glits?

Well, when it comes to all of that I don’t think it has been much of a problem although this is a bigger platform but it has not been that challenging.

That is the good thing about having steps because it kind of prepares you for the bigger picture. I kind of flowed with the glamour and don’t forget that Miss Nigeria has a very experienced team, people that have been models before and are way older so they can work you through it so you don’t fall into ditches and all of that and it has helped me a lot because it kind of made grow up really fast because there are a lot of things I know now that I would never have known had I not been Miss Nigeria. It helped me grow intellectually and become a better woman and know more about my country and love my country more.

Tell us about growing up?

Growing up was not easy. I was born into an average family. I had three brothers. I was the first and only girl so growing up was exciting and quite tough because though I was older, my brothers could be very naughty so when we were growing up we used to fight a lot because I am very opinionated and always wanted to do things my own way and they always disagreed with me.

So it was just me against the three of them but when we got older, we kind of understood ourselves more. they kind of realized that ‘Hey! She is our big sister and we have to listen to her a lot more’ and I also came to understand that they are mature now and I can’t always have my way with them.

Okay, six months to go, what should Nigerians expect from you?

You should expect more of Green Girl Project to be in your faces everywhere.

I need Nigerians to take environmental issues very seriously.

What has been your happiest moment as Miss Nigeria My happiest moments are those I spend with kids. I don’t know but I have a kind of connection with kids because of how innocent, happy and accommodating they are. I kind of connect with them naturally; those are my happiest moments.

Tell us about your love life?

Presently as Miss Nigeria, because of my commitments I am cannot accommodate a lover. There cant be two kings at a time so I have to sacrifice my love life. So I sacrificed my love life to serve my country.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Nollywood pay tribute to late actress, Moji Olaiya O

n Tuesday, June 5, theater practitioner converged to pay their last respects to fallen actress, Moji Olaiya, at Blue Roof Multipurpose Hall, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event attracted the crème de la crème of Nigerian entertainment. The high point of the evening was when popular actor, Yomi Fabiyi who played a vital role in bringing back home her remains wept profusely as he paid his tribute: “I feel bad because I wasn’t there for her when she needed me most. We were very close and shared so many memories and secrets. She was a friend indeed! She has defended me on several occasions; Moji was dear to me.

“It’s because of these I stood firm to ensure she was given a befitting burial as a colleague. If I were to be in her shoes, she would surely do more for me.,” Fabiyi added.

It’s a pity we lost her at her prime-Adebayo Salami aka Oga Bello Moji was a very calm person, very respectful and always ready to give her best in interpreting her roles in any given script.

It’s a pity we lost her at her prime.

God knows best-Tayo Oduneke, a.k.a Sikiratu Sindodo Moji was indeed a pleasant person. If God says I should get pregnant now, I will give birth to my baby in Nigeria. I feel if she had given birth to the baby here, there would be a lot of support for her than over there.

That’s my thought though! God knows best Her death is still a shock to me-Ronke Ojo a.k.a Oshodi oke I spoke with her for like 20 minutes some days to her death and she never complained of anything and was so full of life.

I still can’t believe she is dead! I will always miss you.

Who knows who will die next-Shade Omoniyi aka Lepa Shandy Moji can say sorry times without number, we had issue like two times but she was always the first person to say sorry. I could remember the day she died, my husband

• Late Mrs. Moji Olaiya called me to appeal to me on my temper and how I get upset easily. This could have happened to anybody so we should just make sure we live our lives to the full. Today Moji is no more, who knows who will die next.”

Moji was part of my success story-Muyiwa Ademola I was on a location when someone called to know if it was true Moji is no more. I quickly called Faithia Balogun and when she picked it she couldn’t say a word, she was just crying. I dropped and then call actress Bimbo Oshin, she was crying also.

Moji was part of my success story. Rest well Moji.

I am still in shock-Mercy Aigbe I saw the post on social media but I couldn’t believe my eyes but today, it’s a reality! I pray God grant her eternal rest.

She was a wonderful woman with a meek heart-Bimbo Oshin Moji has gone to rest! She has done her best, she was a wonderful person with a meek nature. So many people in the industry loved her because of her carriage, meekness and selflessness. Rest well Moji, you will be greatly missed.

Moji Olaiya, who passed on recently in Canada, after childbirth was buried last week Wednesday at The Ebony Vaults, located within Ikoyi Cemetery, Lagos, amid tears and encomiums.

Nigerian Afro Hip-Hop act Blixxy seals international management deal, releases new visuals with Oritse Femi

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ood things are bound for Nigeria indigenous music sensation Blixxy, After carting away various awards in 2016,realising jaw dropping videos and topping musical charts in Nigeria is set to make his international presence in the America music scene.

is international bookings,branding and promotions.

Fully focused management has handled American rap star lil cease,late notorious BIG Junior mafia /bad boy records protege and recently Uncle murder, currently signed to 50cent’s G-Unit label.

The irionor this year, mumu & magodo crooner penned down an international management deal with America based fully focused management.

The details of the deal is yet to be be made known but from what we can gather, they would be handling

The talented musical act recently released a collaborative videos with the self styled musical Taliban Oritse Femi,the song titled “tomorrow carry belle” is currently enjoying massive rotation on both television and radio stations nation wide.

• Blixxy

All set for Miss Nigeria @ 60

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he stage is set for the 60th anniversary of Nigeria’s most prestigious beauty pageant, Miss Nigeria which comes up later in the year. This was revealed during a press parley at Daily Times Corporate Headquarters, V.I, Lagos, on Tuesday, June 6.

Speaking, Executive Director, Miss Nigeria, Dr. May Ikeora, said: “We are proud to inform you that all is set for the hosting of the 60th anniversary of Miss Nigeria.

In 1957, Miss Nigeria was founded to promote Peace and Unity in Nigeria. As Miss Nigeria celebrates 60 years, it introduces a more structured pageant that will restore the glory of pageantry in Nigeria. The pageant this year will wow its audience promoting beauty and brains.”

Ikeora added that from the very first pageant in 1957, Miss Nigeria has always represented noble ideals: a combination of beauty, grace and intelligence and today, Miss Nigeria Pageant has evolved to become a more structured organisation. And will continue to be a shinning beacon of true Nigerian womanhood by representing her country on international platforms as a goodwill ambassador.

Meanwhile, call for entries is now open.

Applicant can visit the Miss Nigeria website at www.missnigeria.ng to fill and submit their forms after paying the sum of N5000 to Heritage Bank.

According to her, to make sure this year’s edition is a resounding success, a seasoned production expert, Edi Lawani will produce Miss Nigeria @ 60 and he promises that this year’s Miss Nigeria would be world class.

Jenny O unleashes Agaracha

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inger Jennifer Obi, also known as Jenny.O, is a young lady, who knows what she wants and goes for it. The Public administration graduate recently released a song titled Agaracha, which featured a guitarist Fiokee and produced by 2JO. Singer Jennifer Obi, also known as Jenny.O, is a young lady, who knows what she wants and goes for it. The Public administration graduate recently released a song titled Agaracha, which featured a guitarist Fiokee and produced by 2JO. The singer said she has always had passion for music, which informed her decision to release song like Shomara. “I have always loved singing as I have started singing almost the same time I began my sojourn into broadcasting. I sing because I’m able to express myself before a larger audience, communicate and pass a message across through my lyrics.”

She added, “I started singing professionally in 2007 but took a break to harness my skills as a broadcaster. After establishing myself as a broadcaster I decided to come back to the music world.”

On where she gets her inspiration, Jenny said, “I look at what’s happening around me and address them through music. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a personal experience; I listen to people’s story and write about them.”

She described her style of music as Afro pop, adding, “I dabble with other sounds as well. So, I don’t restrict myself to a particular sound. I’m excited that my music is well received by fans and promise to give my esteemed fans good music.”

Aside singing, she is a TV presenter, a writer, a producer, a reporter, a voiceover artiste (The familiar voice on HIP TV news), a content developer, a blogger and an entrepreneur.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

ENTERTAINENT Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial just started, and he already has a strategy Compiled by Nnamdi Alex Chukwu With Agency Reports

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HE day has finally arrived. Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial began on Monday morning. The trial, which is expected to take about two weeks, is already being closely watched by the press and public alike.

Cosby is clearly already trying to gain favor with the judge and jury by painting himself in a sympathetic light. By arriving at the Norristown, Pennsylvania, courthouse with a former Cosby Show co-star Keshia Knight Pulliam, Cosby made it known that he had big supporters in his corner. Rumor has it that Cosby’s TV wife, Phylicia Rashad, will be making an appearance later at Cosby’s trial.

According to Cosby’s spokesperson, his defense team will be making good use of wit-

nesses who praise his character. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, whose fundraising gala was attended by Cosby in 2013, will show up in the form of its president, Johnny Taylor. Ahead of Taylor’s court appearance on Cosby’s behalf, Cosby’s spokesperson told the press why Taylor was involved.

It’s important for him to show that support and say ‘Thank you’ because he has not been found guilty of anything,” Cosby’s spokesperson said. “They’re coming in to hear the truth.

(Knight-Pulliam) feels the same way. She’s not here to proclaim guilt or innocence. She’s here to finally hear the truth for herself in the courtroom. She wants people to stop listening to the sensationalism and come hear the truth.”

Cosby has a lot to overcome. He’s been accused of sexual assault by some 60 different women, though only Andrea Constand and one other will be allowed to testify at his trial.

Jurors will, however, hear parts of a damning 2005 deposition from a prior settlement with Constand in which Cosby admitted to drugging women for sex.

The 79-year-old comedian and actor faces up to 10 years behind bars. If convicted, that means Cosby could very well spend the rest of his life in prison.

Bill Cosby’s criminal sexual assault charges from an alleged 2004 encounter will not be thrown out. According to Page Six, documents filed on Wednesday in a Pennsylvania court

Janet Jackson splits from husband Wissam Al Mana 3 months after giving birth to 1st child Compiled by Nnamdi Alex Chuks With Agency Reoports

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ANET Jackson and Wissam Al Mana have called it quits.

The legendary singer and

youngest sibling of late pop superstar Michael Jackson, split from her husband, Page Six reports. The outlet claims that while one source said it was an amicable split another source says that Jackson felt that Al Mana had gotten too controlling during her pregnancy.

Jackson, who was previously married to James D e Barge a n d René Elizondo, Jr., quietly w e d the Qatari businessman in 2012.

They welcomed son Eissa, now 3 months, this

past January.

“Our wedding gifts to one another were contributions to our respective favourite children’s charities,” the former couple told ETOnline in 2013.

Al Mana and Jackson, 50, have proven to be notoriously private, opening up about their family life only every so often. In October, the “Dammn Baby” songstress shared a baby-bump photo exclusively with PEOPLE by way of confirming her first child on the way.

“We thank God for our blessing,” the star told PEOPLE exclusively.

In February, a source told PEOPLE that Jackson and her new baby boy are doing “really good,” and that “she absolutely loves” motherhood.

The singer was spotted out and about during a shopping trip in London a little over three weeks after giving birth to Eissa, of which an onlooker told PEOPLE, “Janet looked great. She was in the shop for around half an hour and just went about her business. She was really relaxed and healthy.

“She didn’t look tired at all,” the onlooker continued. “She just looked around at some little socks and various other knickknacks and then went on her way.”

revealed that Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill denied Cosby’s motion to dismiss the charges against him, following his lawyer’s claims that the actor’s due process rights were violated.

The motion was also reportedly denied without prejudice, allowing the defense to raise it as an issue in the future.

Cosby is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault of Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee. The assault allegedly happened at Cosby’s Philadelphia home in 2004, where Constand claims he drugged and molested her. Cosby says the encounter was consensual.

While more than 60 women have come forward with claims of sexual assault against Cosby, Constand’s case, according to Deadline, is the only criminal one.

More: Bill Cosby’s new defense will only work if the legal system fails us Judge O’Neill reportedly also denied a defense request for as many as 13 women who have claimed Cosby sexually assaulted and/or drugged them to undergo “competency tests” before being allowed to take the stand for the prosecution.

Cosby’s lawyers have filed a motion stating that the actor’s blindness, caused by “end-stage glaucoma,” has rendered him incapable of assisting his defense team.

According to Page Six, Cosby’s lawyers, Brian McMonagle and Angela Agrusa, wrote in filings made public Wednesday that “11 years ago, Mr. Cosby still had the right and ability to inspect faces, documents and other visual clues that could trigger his recall of alibis to or exculpatory details of the alleged encounter with the Commonwealth’s witnesses.”

“But now, consigned to blindness, Mr. Cosby is forced to sit idly by, entirely unable to assist in his own defense or to recall and provide exculpatory details that he may otherwise have been able to retrieve.”

Iyanya

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

Hon Member empowers constituents

By OLIVER UDEOGU

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he Member representing Anaocha Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Hon Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo last weekend gave out cheques of N50,000 to over N100 participants in the Ferdinand Nwankwo empowerment skills acquisition 2017.

The participants were drawn from across the three local councils of the Constituency Anaocha Njikoka and Dunukofia.

The colorful event was held at the Njikoka Local Council headquarters Abagana.

The participants comprising youths and the elderly were trained on production of commodities such as detergent, germicide, air-fresher, car wash, after-shave, shampoo and other products.

Certificates were given to each of the participants at the end of the event, with cheques given to them by the Honourable Member.

Three participants representing each of the councils in the Constituency had recited the production processes of the various products given to them before the gathering.

They included Mr Chinedu Ibeanugo who spoke for indigenes of Anaocha, Miss Ijeoma Onwudiwe and Mr Izuchukwu Nwoye who spoke for Njikoka and Dunukofia respectively.

The Traditional Ruler of Abagana HRH Igwe Patrick Okeke extolled

the philanthropic gesture of the Honorable Member whom he said is God-sent to the area.

“He is doing what God has asked him to do helping the needy, which I think gives him Joy. This is usually a rare gift that comes to mankind in a long time.

I wish him well in all his endeavors,” the traditional ruler said.

Hon Nwankwo used the occasion to appeal to the people to vote for the incumbent governor

of the State Chief Willie Obiano during the governorship elections in the State on November 18th.

“I urge you all to get your voters’ cards ready because that is the power you have and turn out en masse, and return our amiable governor by November this year.”

The Rep decried the epileptic power supply in the country, describing it as an impediment to industrial growth in the State.

“I was privileged to be on the

entourage of the Ag President Yemi Osibanjo with our own amiable governor Chief Willie Obiano recently when the Ag President visited some industries in Nnewi.

With what was on ground in our State, if there is constant electricity supply, we would advance to a high degree, because the Igbo are blessed with ingenuity as we can learn and also adapt easily.”

Hon Nwankwo promised to build an ICT Centre, for which a

piece of land has already been acquired, and equip it with about 250 sophisticated computers also already ground, to enable people of the constituency to be abreast with modern technology.

He asked the beneficiaries of the empowerment to use the money judiciously and should not hesitate to come to him for further assistance if they can prove that they have managed the fund well.

• Hon Nwankwo presents a certificate of participation to one of the beneficiaries of the Constituency Empowerment Programme PHOTO: Modestus Igudobi

THEO RAYS, The Oracle Today Correspondent drops three titles

By ROSWITHA CHUKWUMA “The future of the world depends on telling optimistic stories and letting them be known” Pete Seeger On Wednesday June 21, 2017 all roads lead to Leophine Residency Hotel, Ogidi in Anambra State for the public presentation of three books written by Theo Rays Ejikeme, a journalist and correspondent of The Oracle Today newspaper.

The books, which are referred to as “the Books of Solution” with optimistic stories with the titles Beyond Darkness, End of Crises and Desert Storm.

According to the author, the books are aimed at proffering ‘comprehensive’ solutions to the challenges facing Ndigbo, Nigerians and other parts of underdeveloped Africans individually and collectively from Christian perspectives.

He explained that two of the books Beyond Darkness and End of Crises dwell on Christian perfection with emphasis on uplifting Christians into a stronger level to face and overcome the challenges of global evangelism.

The author observes that time has come for Christians to, in theory and practice, “dare and conquer” the negative vices bedevilling the society, most especially in those places where Christians are predominantly the inhabitants like Alaigbo (the Southeast part of Nigeria) by addressing the challenges the people face.

He added that the books are meant to empower the atmosphere of Christianity and enhance it to more effectiveness.

Rays, a resourceful political reporter, revealed that the other book titled Desert Storm dwells on the Nigerian situation as a case study thereby pre-

senting the ugly scene of the world’s most populous black nation as a conspicuous mark of the failure of Africans to enthrone good leadership, eliminate corruption, eradicate poverty, hunger, suffering, diseases and wickedness that have continued to ravage the continent for so long.

The book according, to the author, presents an elaborate analysis on the Nigerian situation revealing the root causes of the many challenges facing the country and proffering solutions with ideas for good governance, mechanism for nation building and strong leadership at all levels of human setting as a family, rural community as villagers, tribes, states, regions and how to eliminate corruption and achieve corrupt free society.

He explained: “Desert Storm is a war slogan applied by America’s Allied Forces to flush Iraqi forces out of Kuwait during the Gulf War. Here, it is not a war slogan, instead it is a composition of good ideas to fight bad leadership, corruption and other ills ravaging lives in the world of underdeveloped Africa with Nigeria as a case in point. Nigeria portrays a typical case of a failed man, failed family, failed Community, failed tribe, failed region, and failed state or nation, so the solution to the challenges facing Nigeria serve as solution to the challenges facing an individual, a family and all levels of human setting.”

He explained that the books are focused on expanding the human view in Christian perspective for attainment of perfection adding that the books are all about creativity for perfection with emphasis on realising and unleashing religious power of Jesus Christ.

He described religious power as the

key to every other thing needed for human salvation, development, unity, peace and progress politically, socially, economically and other wise.

He attributed the failure of some African tribes to live up to their potentials, particularly the Igbo, to lack of religious power, observing that Ndigbo are largely suffering as victims of poor

atmosphere of Christianity.

He observed that Islam is formidable with Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Championing and defending the cause of Islam globally, but Christianity is not because churches are strongly divided along denominational lines.

He contends that the problem facing the world today lies in the inability

of Christians to realise a high degree of God power and expose people into it insisting that time has come for Christians to join forces with intent to secure God’s supernatural power to move the world to the next level towards that day when every shall bow and all tongues confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

of the capacity of government for the development and implementation of programmes, strategies and policies focusing on investment in youth to reap demographic dividend.

Kongnyuy also advised governments at all levels to address issues of adolescent reproductive health, education, economy and job creation to empower youths in the country.

A representative of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Mr Kabiru Sheme, also appealed to the government to invest more in youths to curb youth restiveness in the country.

Sheme said that youths needed quality and functional education and gainful employment to make them useful citizens.

The Country Director of Population Council, Dr Sylvia Adebajo, explained that Nigeria has a lot to benefit from its young population if they are meaningfully engaged.

She said that empowering the youths with reproductive and sexual education as well as relevant skills would ginger national economic growth.

The Chairman, National Population Commission, Eze Duruiheoma SAN, said government was ready to commit more resources on youths toward nation building.

He called for a more robust collaboration with development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations and the media to drive the process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting attracted delegates from the 36 states and FCT, as well NGOs. Line ministries and parastatal agencies, including the Ministries of Youths; Health; Education; National Planning and Budget; Labour and Employment, Foreign Affairs, Works/ Housing and Power, as well Information also attended the forum.

Demographic dividend: Stakeholders want FG to invest more in youths

By ROSWITHA CHUKWUMA (with agency reports)

S

takeholders at a pre-summit meeting have called on the Federal Government to invest more in youths to reap the country’s demographic dividend.

The stakeholders, including development partners, civil society organisations and youth development officers from across the country, made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja.

They spoke at a forum organised by the National Population Commission (NPopC) sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Office of the Acting President.

They identified the key multi-sectoral investments in health, education, employment, entrepreneurship and good governance.

Dr Eugene Kongnyuy, the UNFPA Deputy Representative and Officerin-Charge, called for strengthening

42

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

ONICCIMA decries exclusion of S’East from railway project • Warns against ethnic injustice, maltreatment, marginalization

By IBE NWACHUKWU

T

he Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) Tuesday expressed concern over what it termed wilful exclusion of the South-East Zone from the recently released plan for a nation-wide railway modernization project across the country valued at $5.851 billion.

ONICCIMA said it is ironical that only South East zone of the country was excluded from the proposed railway line project which no doubt, would surely unleash tremendous economic and social benefits on the nation, from the benefiting Zones when implemented as envisaged.

In a press statement issued in Onitsha and signed by its President, Pharm. Uchenna Apakama FPSN, ONICCIMA contended that out of the six geo-political zones in the country, it is only the South/East Zone that was not included in this strategic project plan.

According to the statement: “To the Chamber, this is a clearly designed effort aimed at crippling the economic and development potentials of the South-East region for no justifiable reason other than political.”

The statement queried: “How could the Minister of Transport or the Federal Government defend this sheer disregard, through the denial of the rail project, of the South-East which is noted world–wide for its prowess in industrialization, trade and commerce?”

“This, therefore, seems as a calculated setback and slight on millions of the Organized Private Sector, OPS operators in the Zone, in particular, and the entire citizenry of South East in general, whose businesses and lives will, invariably, be negatively affected in no small measure due to this singular exclusion”.

“We wish to recall, with the same sadness and disbelief, similar action of the Federal Government against the socio-economic interest of people of the South-East, such as the Onitsha River Port Complex, which has remained decrepit since 2012, when it was commissioned – because the Federal Government is yet to fund the concessionaries.”

“What of the 2nd Niger Bridge, which is yet to take off, despite repeated assurances by this administration? What of the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway and many other Federal roads in the South/East, which have become perpetual death traps?”

“Again, it is only the South-East Zone that has only five States and the least number of local council than any of the other zones throughout the country. In fact, the list of these acts of marginalization of the Zone is endless and the Chamber is, therefore appealing to the Federal Government to reconsider its decision and include the South-East in the rail project, without any second thought, as a matter of equity, justice and fairness.”

“No part of this country should be marked out for designed ill-treatments and marginalization – as the South-East Zone has been witnessing. Moreover, it will be to the eternal credit of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the father of the nation, if he could see all parts of the country as his single constituency, without political, religious, tribal or any other personalized considerations”.

“No nation has ever attained her greatness in the face of grave injustice, maltreatment and aberrant exclusion of a significant part of its own, as the South-East Zone has been experiencing in this country and as already noted here, excluding only the South/East zone from the railway project, as it is now, can never at any given time, pass integrity test of social justice, fairness and objectivity”.

Newborn babies suffer at Anambra teaching hospital due to absence of electricity ... as pregnant women protest hike in antenatal fee From RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka SITUATION at the neonatal section of the post natal ward at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, could be described as pathetic as newborn babies face hot environment due to absence of electricity supply.

Investigation regarding the welfare of the infants revealed that the babies cried their eyes out due to the hotness of the ward while their mothers and visitors impro-

vised hand fans to fan the babies in order to cool their temperature as the entire place was stuffy.

When our reporter visited the hospital, there was no electricity supply and mothers busied themselves with fanning their babies using makeshift hand fans while also breastfeeding them.

Some of the nursing mothers, who shared their ordeals with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said they were facing harsh realities at the hospital.

One of them who had her baby

boy through a cesarean section said it was a horrible experience especially at night. She said the babies would cry for hours at night because the hospital never provided electricity and the babies would grapple with heat and mosquito bites.

The source also disclosed that the sanitary condition in the hospital was nothing to write home about. She explained that the toilets in the neonatal ward were a horrible sight and as such patients were reluctant to use them for

• From right; Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umokoro, during the 2nd Anniversary of the 6th Assembly thanksgiving service, at Living Faith Church, Delta State.

fear of infections.

She revealed that the most pressing issue was the exorbitant hospital bills. According to her, most people patronised the hospital in the belief that it was a government-owned hospital and the services would be subsidised.

But on the contrary, she said, most people in the neonatal ward including herself had been discharged but were unable to leave the hospital due to the exorbitant bills they were asked to pay.

It was equally gathered that pregnant women also protested hike in antenatal fee at the teaching hospital. It was said that pregnant women who came for antenatal at the hospital paid 300 naira each before they could see a doctor on duty, but it was a chaotic situation on Friday last week as pregnant women who came for antenatal protested hike in the consultation fee as they were compelled to pay 1000 naira each before they could be attended to by a doctor on call.

When contacted over the developments, Chief Medical, Dr. Lawrence Ikeako, said that the management of the hospital spent huge sums of money in powering generating sets in each of the wards.

Ikeako said that issues concerning exorbitant hospital bills would be reviewed at the management meeting while warning that issues in the hospital should not be politicised.

Anambra 2017: APGA NWC reassures Obiano From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

G

OVERNOR Willie Obiano of Anambra State has reiterated that the current division in his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was a mere political tonic required to make the party stronger, advance its frontiers and break new grounds.

The governor, who made the assertion when he hosted the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by the embattled National Chairman, Victor Oye, who paid him a condolence visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka, expressed happiness at the focus and unity in APGA despite the turbulence.

He pointed out that the collective resolve of the members was being put to serious test and that only the determination of members would thwart all the negative devices of detractors.

In the governor’s views, APGA leadership had favoured the state so much that it would be a great disservice for any citizen of the state to contemplate floating any other political party.

According to him, he saw the governorship contest as critical to the survival of APGA as a political party, averring that the victory of the party would reaffirm its relevance in the nation’s political arena especially with the inroads it would consequently make into other states in the country.

The governor urged all the party

faithful to remain loyal to the leadership under Oye, while expressing optimism that the present turbulence in the party would be over sooner than expected.

He thanked the party leadership for commiserating with him over the death of his mother, late Mrs Christiana Obiano.

He assured that under his watch, the party would continue to break new grounds.

Chief Oye said the party had built a formidable and indefatigable house that would be difficult for anyone to pull down, adding that of all the political parties in the state, APGA was the only one with a clean bill of health.

While informing the governor that their meeting was peaceful, Oye pointed out that the attendance of 100 members of the NWC to the meeting clearly pointed to the fact that the party was focused ahead of the November 18th election and no machinations of the opposition would prevail as the members were solidly behind him.

NLC calls for sanctions on Discos, Gencos From Raymond Ozoji, Awka

N

IGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) has called for stiffer sanctions on power generation and distribution companies in the country over what it saw as inefficient service delivery in the power sector .

The organised labour posited that investors in the nation’s energy sector were duty-bound to pump more money into the sector as well as procure equipment to make power generation and distribution more efficient before they would consider profit-making, stressing that purchasers of a privatised government parastatal must first invest in it before looking for profit.

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Anambra State, Comrade Jerry Nnubia, stated this during an exclusive interview with our correspondent at the NULGE House in

Awka .

Nnubia said that the organised labour had protested the inefficiency in power distribution thereby calling for pre-paid metres to enable consumers pay exactly what they consumed and not imposing estimated bills that did not reflect what was used on them.

He explained that the issue privatisation of the electricity sector in Nigeria was not working and that it behoved on the government regulatory agencies to regulate and sanction power distribution companies over inefficient service delivery, pointing out that regulatory agencies should prevail on the distribution companies to enable them do the needful by procuring equipment needed for proper power generation and distribution in the country.

Nnubia also observed that companies had shut down because they

could not break even due to the amount of money expended running their generating plants as well as other alternative sources of power, stressing that most multinational companies in Nigeria were shutting down and relocating to neighbouring countries where there is efficient power supply.

The NLC chairman, who also doubles as the president of NULGE in Anambra , stressed the need for government to accord priority attention to electricity supply, adding that for industries to thrive and grow the nation’s economy, electricity was key .

He however stated that government had a critical role to play in regulating the activities of private investors in the energy sector, pointing out that the idea of independent power plants was worthwhile so as to create healthy competition in the nation’s power sector .

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

NEWS

Okowa cautions group against violence From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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OVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called on those behind the group, New Delta Avengers, to toe the line of dialogue rather than resorting to threats in resolving issues.

The Governor, who was reacting to a publication by the group threatening bloodbath in the creeks of the Niger Delta, stated that it was unfortunate that at a time when everything was being done through due process in a democratic atmosphere, some persons were still resorting to threats as the best way of achieving results.

According to the Governor, who briefed the press in Asaba through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Charles Aniagwu, “at the moment, the Governor is interfacing with the people of the state by holding a town hall meeting after the commissioning and inspection of projects in each of the 25 local government areas of the state, where the people are given free latitude to bare their minds to speak up about what they want the government to do and what they believe that government may not have done satisfactorily, in which case, nobody is being gagged. So, for anybody to want to blame the media, civil society or the opposition of not living up to expectation is very far

from the truth.

“If indeed this new group is desirous of having government develop the creeks, is desirous of having us live in peace, is desirous of having us protect the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters who live in these oil bearing communities, they cannot be talking about bloodbath because bloodbath will affect most likely those who live in that environment much more than anyone else and so, you cannot begin to raise arms against those that you claim to protect,” he said.

“If indeed their desire is for the development of the creeks, we cannot take actions that are capable of further polluting the creeks. If indeed

their actions are to bring prosperity to the people of the oil bearing communities, you cannot go and destroy the infrastructure that will bring dividends of democracy to our brothers and sisters who live in these areas.

But most importantly, this government is already constructing roads in Okerenkoko. Today you will see that work is ongoing in Ogulagha where internal roads are being tarred. If you go to a larger part of Burutu, you would never even know that we could get a road that will be up to 18km within the creeks that is being constructed by Governor Okowa’s administration…

“We want to believe that these individuals are not Deltans because

Wike inspects Rumuokoro market, park

We will always protect Shell investments – Wike

..says project will dislodge criminals from community

From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

G

OVERNOR of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that his administration will continue to protect investments made by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in the state.

The governor stressed that there was no need for the SPDC to relocate out of Rivers State, as the action would negatively affect the economy of the state and Nigeria.

Wike, who spoke when he granted audience to the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on SPDC Relocation, said: “If anything happens here, it will have negative social implications.

“The relocation will not just be a loss for Rivers State, it will be a loss for Nigeria. The negative impact it will have on the Niger Delta and Nigeria will outweigh whatever challenges that Shell is facing.”

The governor said that his administration was always willing to take measures to ensure that businesses thrive in the state.

He told the House of Representatives that investments in the security framework of Rivers State had forestalled the sabotage of major national economic assets.

“I thank the Speaker of the House of Representatives and members of the Ad-hoc Committee on SPDC Relocation for taking measures to stop the relocation of SPDC.” Governor Wike further debunked claims by the ministry of finance that the federal government released N34billion to Rivers State Government as the Paris Club Refund.

He insisted that the Federal Government released N14billion as Paris Club refund to Rivers State. According to him, after protests that the state had been short-changed, the Federal Government released another N3billion to the state, bringing the total to N17billion.

Earlier, the chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on SPDC Relocation, Hon Ibrahim Isiaka, said that it was necessary to stop relocation of SPDC because of the effect it would have on the Niger Delta economy.

He said that the committee was set up following a motion moved by Hon Kingsley Chinda. The Federal lawmaker praised Wike for his development efforts that had transformed Rivers State.

Deltans are very peace-loving, they are people who yearn for development because they are developmentminded and anybody who wants development cannot begin to speak the way that this particular group is speaking. But if it happens that they are from Delta State, we plead with them to give peace a chance because it will help everybody, it will help our brothers and sisters in the creeks because what touches them also touches us all. We plead with them to embrace dialogue at all times, more so, now that there is a platform made possible through the town hall meetings where there is a no-holds-barred session between the government and the people,” he stated.

From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

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• From left; Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori; Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi and Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuri during the 2nd Anniversary of the 6th Assembly thanksgiving service, at Living Faith Church, Delta State.

Obi of Onitsha tasks NITP on urban renewal

By IBE NWACHUKWU, Onitsha OBI of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has urged the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, to proffer solutions to the challenges of urbanization in Anambra State with particular emphasis on the commercial city of Onitsha.

Achebe, who made the call when a delegation of NITP officials paid him a courtesy visit at his palace in Onitsha, expressed concern that the beautiful old city of Onitsha had become “one big ghetto” and lost to commercial activities.

The monarch contended that the Government Reserved Areas, GRAs, were also gradually turning into an eyesore with the indiscriminate citing of commercial structures and motor parks without proper planning.

“The streets of Onitsha in the 1960s had trees on them. Nkwelle mmili, markets and even the clay streets were clean. There are pictures to show for this. But today, we are suffocated with garbage in places like Fegge which used to be very clean. It is a terrible

place today”, he lamented.

“Onitsha market was built by colonial planners. Vehicles could pass through the markets to discharge goods. The roads were all well planned, the toilets, everything. Today, where you see public toilet, there is a shop on top of it”, he lamented.

The monarch said Onitsha markets had become an “organized confusion… some markets need to be destroyed and rebuilt or relocated to somewhere else.”

Achebe, who is the incumbent chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council, noted that new markets were springing up but were being built in the same old manner, “so one would ask; where are the town planners and architects?”

Earlier, the National President of NITP, Mr Luka Achi, explained that the visit was to foster relationship with the monarch on plans for the urban renewal project in Onitsha.

Achi said Onitsha and its satellite towns were covered by a structure plan prepared by the UN-Habitat, although not implemented.

He expressed concern over the indiscriminate citing of markets along the express road without provisions for motor parks and car parks.

“The greatest problem of Onitsha is provision of critical infrastructure, quality space and inadequate urban infrastructure, management of urban solid wastes, provision of reliable urban water supply and ensuring maintenance of these critical urban facilities and infrastructure”, Achi stated.

Achi, who was represented by the First Vice National President, Mr Lekwa Ezutah, urged the monarch to advise government to seriously review and implement the structure plan for Onitsha and other urban towns.

In an interview, the state chairman of NITP, Mr Joachim Ulasi, said the institute had commenced sensitization of town union Presidents-General on the need to map out layouts for undeveloped plots.

He also advised the state government on the need to commence the implementation of the structure plan

by UN-Habitat for urban areas in the state.

June 12: Don calls for new anthem From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

A university don and public affairs analyst at the Political Science Department of the Delta State University, Dr. Charles Etadafe, has described the victory of Chief Moshood Abiola in the June 12, 1993 presidential election as the first time that the largest majority of Nigerians agreed on something positive for the country irrespective of religion, region or class.

He said that Abiola’s defeat of his

opponent in his home state of Kano marked the first time in Nigerian history that the claim in the country’s old national anthem “Though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand” was affirmed.

Etadafe disclosed that the possibility of actual nationhood in Nigeria and not mere statehood was to be actualised on June 12 1993, adding that it was the first day in the calendar of the country when Nigerians of different faiths and tongues united in their expression of a

belief in the possibility of a truly united, prosperous, egalitarian and development-oriented federal republic.

He suggested that June 12 should be a declared as a public holiday across the country so that “we as a country can reflect on the past and chart a new course. A new anthem that will reflect true national unity with emphasis on the efforts of our heroes should also be considered to replace the present one as a solution to the nation’s crisis.”

OVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has expressed satisfaction with the quality of work at the Rumuokoro Market and Park which were recently completed by the contractors handling the twin projects.

The governor, who spoke during his inspection of the market, noted that the park would help to decongest traffic along that route.

The market project was started by Wike to check street trading along the area.

He said his visit to the market was to ensure that contractor executed the key project in line with approved specifications.

The Rumuokoro Market and Park has 608 open stalls, 91 lock up shops and a modern park for transporters.

It will be recalled that Governor Wike in February, 2017, explained to the leaders of Rumuokoro why he started the construction of the market and park.

The governor had earlier explained to the street traders why they would be relocated by his administration .

Speaking when he granted audience to the Nyeweli Rumuokoro, Eze Allwell Ohwonda, and Leaders of Rumuokoro Clan at the Government House, Port Harcourt in February 2017, he stated that building the Rumuokoro Market and Bus Station was a step towards stopping street trading in that axis.

He said after the completion of the two facilities, nobody would be allowed to trade on the major road, adding that illegal parking of commercial vehicles on the road would also be discouraged.

He noted that criminals operating along the road would also be dislodged and the Rumuokoro clan made more secure for business and residential purposes.

The governor noted that his administration would continue to promote community development across the state, pointing out that project execution was one of the ways to appreciate the people for their loyalty and support.

The governor also inspected the rehabilitated Government Girls’ Secondary School, Rumuokwuta.

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The Oracle Today, Wednesday June 21, 2017

Crime

Sickness and debt forced me into trafficking in drugs –Suspect Stories by XAVIER NDAH

A

56- year- old suspected drug trafficker Nnaji Ikenna Austine ,now in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has pleaded for mercy stating that sickness and debts forced him into drug trafficking.

The suspect said he has spent all his savings on hospital bills to enable him get well but to no avail and this led him into debts and when the offer for drug business came his way he couldn’t resist it.

The suspect who is a contractor, was apprehended on his way to New York along with a 41 year-old safety officer, Nnaji Ikenna Austine going to Qatar at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos in connection with drug trafficking.

The suspects were intercepted during the outward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight to New York, United States and Ethiopian airline flight to Doha.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said that while Okechukwu Oparaji Joseph was under observation, he excreted 1.105kg of brownish substances that tested positive for heroin.

The second suspect, Nnaji Ikenna Austine was found to have concealed 11.540kg of cannabis and 490 grammes of tramadol in his luggage. The suspects are currently being investigated by a team of narcotic officers.

Okechekwu Oparaji Joseph who lives in Surulere, Lagos in his statements said that challenges of life forced him into drug trafficking.

“I am sick and in debts. I did not smuggle drugs deliberately. Since 2015, l have been living in abject poverty to the extent that l cannot take care of my family. This is the handiwork of the devil and regret everything now”. Okechukwu hails from Imo State.

Nnaji Ikenna Austine who hails from Enugu State said that he was given the luggage containing drugs by a friend. “l work as a safety officer in Qatar and I came to Nigeria to visit my parents and make arrangements for my marriage. My friend in Qatar called me and asked me to assist him in bringing some foodstuff. When the bag was given to me at the airport, I almost rejected it because it was too heavy. Unfortunately, the drugs were detected by NDLEA officers”.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) said that the Agency had perfected strategies to detect hidden drugs. According to Abdallah, “drug traffickers attempting to smuggle drugs through the airports, seaports and land borders are walking in troubled waters. The Agency has perfected strategies to detect hidden drugs, arrest and prosecute offenders”.

Abdallah further disclosed that the suspects will soon be charged to court.

•Col. Muhammad Mustapha Addallah (rtd) Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

•Parcels of cannabis found with

•Okechukwu Oparaji Joseph

nnaji ikenna austine

•Nnaji Ikenna Austine after the arrest

•Concealed Tramadol tablets

Boy 20 nabbed for raping deaf and dumb

M

en of Ogun state police command has arrested one Nurudeen Akintoye 20, for forcefully having unlawful canal knowledge of an 18- year- old deaf and dumb girl(name withheld).

Police said the incident happened at about 9.45 pm when the suspect who lives in Ajura a community in Obafemi owode local government area of Ogun state lured the victim into a bush and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.

The victim, whom the parents claimed was a virgin before the incident

was bleeding profusely from her private part, the sight of which enraged the people of the area and they try to apply jungle justice on the suspect.

The timely intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Owode Egba division Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Sheu Alao who led his men to the scene safe the situation as the suspect was rescued and arrested while the victim was taken to the general hospital Owode Egba for immediate medical attention.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Po-

lice, CP, Ahmed Iliyasu has directed that the suspect be transferred to anti human trafficking and child labour unit of the state Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and possible prosecution of the suspect.

The CP also warned members of the public to desist from applying jungle justice on anybody suspected of committing any crime, as all suspects are presumed to be innocent until a court of competent jurisdiction state otherwise.

45

The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

SPORTS

•Gianni Infantino

Eagles’ defeat most unfortunate –Etoroma •Says “defeat calls for support for Rohr, team”

By MADUABUCHI KALU

F

ormer member of Delta State Sports Commissioner, Hon. Ejiro Etoroma has described the Super Eagles’ home defeat on Saturday in the hands of visiting South African national team, the Bafana Bafana in their Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying game as most unfortunate.

According to Hon. Etoroma, nobody saw the defeat coming particularly when the Eagles have not lost a match under the current gaffer, Gernot Rohr. He, however, explained that the result of the match was a true nature of the round leather game as it is unpredictable.

Going Biblical, Hon. Etoroma said whatever happens we should give thanks to God because who know, it would have been worst.

Etoroma bared his mind in exclusive telephone interview with The Oracle Today Sports. The Engineer turned sports administrator urged Nigerian not to write of the team due to the defeat saying the team must have learnt their lesson as he was of the view that Eagles must have underrated the South Africans before the game.

“I am just coming out of the shock that Eagles’ defeat game. I shut down after the game on Saturday because I was shocked to the marrow,” Hon. Etoroma began.

“I must confess to you that nobody saw this coming. Everybody had already given the Eagles the maximum points before the game.

“The defeat was most unfortunate I must tell you. Of course we have our reasons for believing that Eagles will triumph over South Africa. The first reason is the fact that since this new Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles came on board; Eagles

I

have not lost a match.

“Secondly, Nigeria have never lost a competitive game against South Africa in our previous encounters. So that was the confidence with which most Nigerian gave the Eagles the maximum points even before the game was played in Uyo,” Etoroma explained.

Speaking further, Etoroma said: “Any way, what happened on Saturday is the true reflection of the beautiful game of football. It is unpredictable.

“In sports, what happens in Uyo is normal in the sense that sports is a game of win some lose some or draw some.

There are only three outcomes when it comes to sports which are win, lose and draw. There is no game that will be played that the end result will deviate from the three mentioned outcomes.

“I would want to say that in every situation, we have to glorify God because that is Biblical injunction. Yes, we have to glorify God because who knows; the situation would have been worse.

“Meanwhile, I would want to urge Nigerians not to crucify the coach or the team rather what we should do is to encourage them.

“They need our support at this point in time and not vilification.

It is not over for us because this the first match of the Afcon qualifiers. I trust that the team will bounce back and we will qualify for the Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“We can’t afford to miss out of Afcon again, God forbid. We will not only qualify for the Afcon we will also qualify for next year’s World Cup tagged ‘Russia 2018’,” Etoroma enthused.

However, Bafana Bafana coach Straut Baxter has lampooned Nigerian strike force for being weak saying had it been that they are strong, they would have beaten them even as he declared

that he is happy the way his boys responded.

“We are still relishing that result and it is good that we won. I am so happy because I just joined the team back and it is good we start well for the AFCON qualifiers.

“I will still say kudos to the Nigerians because they stretched us and made some dangerous movements. But if I may sound very respectful and modest, their attack was not the very best they could have presented.

“They were without quality front-line, otherwise, they could have scored in the early exchanges but like I said earlier, it is good that my players responded very well in the match,” Baxter declared.

It is recalled that before the crucial Afcon Qualifier on Saturday, Baxter had boasted that his side had the capacity to beat Eagles in Uyo saying that they have watched Eagles’ previous games and they are going to get them on the counter which they did.

Enyimba to return to Aba soon

t is no longer news that two time African champions and seven times domestic league champions have been playing their home games in away from home in Calabar but what is news is that in distant time they are likely going to return to Aba, for their home games all things being equal.

It is recalled that in the past two seasons the people’s elephants as the Abia State financed side are called made Calabar their home following the renovation of the stadium which involves the regressing of the pitch and other sundry matters.

The likely return of the two time African champions to the Enyimba Stadium was confirmed by pitch expert,

Ebi Egbe who revealed that the pitch will be completed soon.

Speaking further, Egbe, who is also in charge of the Samson Siasia Stadium pitch, stated that the People’s Elephant new look turf will be 95% natural.

According to him: “As for Enyimba International Stadium Pitch, their consignment should reach the shores of Nigeria in 25 days from now, so we should have the materials to start work and work should be completed soon,” the pitch expert informed told Goal.

“The Enyimba pitch will be 95 per cent natural, they would have one of the best pitches in sub-Sahara Africa,

but it’s unfortunate that the structure of their stadium may not be able to host top international matches but it should be able to host the Super Eagles for training purposes.

“As for the Samson Siasia stadium, it should be ready in three months’ time,” Egbe declared.

There is no doubt that playing outside Aba for their home games have impacted negatively to the most successful club side in the country because all their matches are played away from home.

When the renovation work started in 2015/16 season, many had thought that it was something that was going to be completed within a space of

three to four months but at a point, work on the stadium grounded due to lack of funds.

In the past two seasons, the two time African champions have been playing their home games in cities like Port Harcourt, Umuahia and Calabar.

This piece of information certainly going to gladden the hearts of many fans of the club in and around the commercial Town of Aba who have been denied the opportunity of watching their darling trade tackle at the Enyimba Township Stadium.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

SPORTS Nadal now No 2 in ATP rankings R

How England emerge FIFA U-20 world champions •As manager dismisses ‘golden generation’ tag Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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or the first time in 50 year, fans of English football have reason to be happy and celebrate for being world champions following the junior Three Lions’ victory in Korea over Venezuela in the final of this year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup. The Under-20 Junior Three Lions defeated the Venezuela 1-0 in a thrilling encounter on Sunday, thereby bring to end, a 51 year wait for world trophy. It is also noted that Sunday’s final was the country’s first appearance in global tournament since their World Cup victory 51 years ago.

About five Nigerian teenagers were among the Junior Lions that made history in Korea with England. The Nigerians helped no small measure in ensuring they brought the long wait for global trophy to an end. The Nigerians are still eligible to play for their fatherland, Nigeria if they wish because they can still switch allegiance to Nigeria as they are yet to be capped in the senior team.

Meanwhile the coach of the team, Paul Simpson has declared that it is ‘too early’ for the golden generation tag being suggested by many English Football stakeholders. According to him England does not need any more songs talking about 50 years of hurt referencing the song Three Lions.

“We don’t need anymore songs talking about 50 years of hurt,” said Simpson The song, with its signature lyric “30 years of hurt”, was first released for England’s Euro 96 campaign and fans have changed the lyrics for each subsequent major tournament.

The victory over Venezuela did not come easy as Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first-half goal was enough for victory in South Korea, with Newcastle goalkeeper, Freddie Woodman making a second-half penalty save to preserve the lead.

“Let’s enjoy what we have done; it is a wonderful achievement from them. We are the world champions at Under-20 level which isn’t easy.

“Let’s see what comes next and hope they

continue to develop. We hope we can lead them and guide them through these next stages to get the football they need and they can go on to be successful.”

He added: “This will be an incredible experience for them to take forward whatever they go on to do. They will remember this for the rest of their lives and get confidence from this and hopefully the whole of the country can enjoy their achievements.”

The former Manchester City and Derby winger, Simpson however, paid tribute to Aidy Boothroyd, who had managed the side before his promotion to the Under-21s in February.

“There have been years of preparation and planning and I can’t believe I have been given the task to be head coach of this group to take through to the World Cup,” added Simpson, 50, who also managed Preston, Stockport County, Shrewsbury Town and Northwich Victoria.

“To finish with a gold medal round my neck is a wonderful feeling,” he declared.

afael Nadal moved up two spots to No 2 in the ATP rankings, his highest placing since October 2014 after making history by winning his 10th French Open title. Nadal climbed to No 2 after his French Open win against Stan Wawrinka.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, slid from No 2 to No 4 in the new rankings, his lowest status in 7½ years.

He lost in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, where he won the title a year ago to complete a career Grand Slam. That was also his fourth consecutive major championship, but he failed to defend any of those titles.

Andy Murray retained his No 1 ranking after a semifinal exit in Paris, while Stan Wawrinka stayed at No. 3 after losing to Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in Sunday’s final.

Roger Federer is still No 5 after missing the French Open for the second year in a row.

Nadal’s victory in Paris gave him a record 10th trophy at the clay-court tournament and ended his threeyear drought without a Grand Slam title. He now has 15 major titles, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras for second place among men on the all-time list behind Federer’s 18.

“I am playing well. I am in a good position. I just won the most important event of the year for me, so that’s the only thing that matters today, no?” he said. “Winning these kind of titles, then you have chances to become any number (in) the ranking.”

Newcastle join in race for Onyekuru

N

ewly promoted English Premier League club, Newcastle United Fc have joined the race for Nigerian red hot striker, Henry Onyekuru who is currently with the national team in Uyo on national assignment.

Report from England has it that the club of former Nigerian leftback, Celestine Babayaro have joined the like of Arsenal, Bournemouth, Liverpool, West Ham United, Middleborough and Anderlecht to solicit for the services of the young Nigerian who helped KAS Eupen of Belgium gain promotion to the Jupiter League last season and helped to keep them in the Belgium

elite league this past season.

It is recalled that the Onitsha Anambra State born Onyekuru is joint top scorer at the just concluded 2016/17 Belgium Jupiter League with 25 goals in all competitions, hence the scrabble for his services by various clubs to beef up their strike force against next season which starts in the middle of August.

It was earlier reported that he had signed for Arsenal for 6.8million pounds and that he is likely to earn N15.3million weekly. However, with the barrage of suitors coming to seek for his services, it looks like

there was no iota of truth in the earlier report that Arsenal have captured him.

It may be that the two parties have not sorted out certain things that have made it possible for other interested clubs to have the boldness to still ask for his services.

Arsenal’s London neighbours, West Harm United threw in their hart in the ring in the fight for Onyekuru’s services and as if that is not enough, hours later, report from England also had it that newly promoted side, Newcastle United have joined in the race for his services.

Nigerians may still hear of other clubs who may still join in the quest for Onyekuru’s signature. Would you blame them, who does not like success? It was reported earlier that the young striker had told some Nigerian sportswriters that he had left everything concerning his transfer in the hands of his agent who is to handle all the issues relating to it.

He was quoted to have explained that his priority at the moment is on the national assignment as it relates to the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against the visiting Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday June 21, 2017

SPORTS

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ristiano Ronaldo has chosen to keep mum so far over the report that he has fathered a twin boy and girl via a surrogate mother in the United States.

The children, a boy and a girl called Eva and Mateo, were born on Thursday according to Portuguese TV channel SIC. There was no immediate official confirmation of the news from the footballer or his agents. On both his Twitter account where he commands 54 million followers and Instagram, where he has 104 million followers, Ronaldo is yet to respond to the news that has gone viral.

But Portuguese websites and newspapers including leading Portuguese daily Correio da Manha were running the story. So were British newspapers and tabloids.

A UK newspaper reported in March Ronaldo was due to become the father of twin boys.

It said a surrogate mother on the west coast of the US was heavily pregnant and was expecting the babies “very soon.”

Ronaldo’s family has always refused to discuss whether his son was born to a surrogate mum, despite claims by a former nanny that the footballer’s sister, Katia had told her he had two Mexican mums.

Carer Maria Manuela Rodriguez, who worked at Katia’s house in Moita near Lisbon for 10 months, told leading Portuguese tabloid, Correio da Manha in August 2011: “Once I saw a newspaper article saying the child’s mother wanted him back.

Katia said: ‘That’s a lie, because the mum is Mexican and she didn’t even see if it was a boy or a girl, because she was a surrogate mum” adding that she told her Cristianinho was the “child of two mums.”

“She even told me the child had two mums, that the eggs were from one and another carried and gave birth to the child. And that both were Mexican.”

Tiger Woods checks back into Rehab to keep his Kids

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Ronaldo mum over twin babies She added: “The child was born in a private clinic and the mother didn’t even see him, because she was covered up. The baby was born and she doesn’t know anything about him.”

The Real Madrid striker took legal action over the article, claiming the newspaper had intruded into his private life.

A court in Lisbon ruled in favour of the footballer and fined a newspa-

per exec, the former nanny and the two journalists who wrote the story.

An appeal against the decision is understood to be ongoing.

Bolt ends career with ‘Salute to a Legend’ race

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amaican fans were treated to one last show from Usain Bolt, as he won the ‘Salute to a Legend’ race in Kingston on Saturday.

Olympic legend Usain Bolt raced competitively in his native Jamaica for the final time, picking up 100 metres victory at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston.

The event was dubbed ‘Salute to a Legend’ as eight-time Olympic gold medallist and world-record holder Bolt bade farewell to his compatriots on the track.

Naturally, Bolt won - and in typical style too, bursting clear in the race’s final phase - crossing the line in 10.03 seconds, as fireworks greeted the sprinters at the finish.

The 30-year-old will retire after this year’s World Championships, looking to swell his collection of 11 gold medals.

Fellow athletes David Rudisha and Mo Farah were there to celebrate with Bolt - Farah won the 3000m event - and Bolt was in a reflective mood after his victory, which follows the death of his close friend, former Team GB sprinter, Germaine Mason.

He is quoted by the Jamaica

Gleaner: “After my friend’s death it was really hard for me, I have never been through something like this.

“I had to take some time but I knew what I had to do and I knew Germaine would want me to do

this. This was special.

“There are no words, from World Juniors the support that I have been getting from Jamaica has been remarkable. “I could not have done this without my parents, my friends,

my best friend NJ, I want to thank Jamaica, I never expected this.

“It’s big to see everybody turn out, it shows that they appreciated what I did and it was a honour for me.”

iger Woods has headed back to rehab after his humiliating DUI arrest, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.

The shamed star, 41, secretly arranged a 28-day rehab stint in a bid to retain custody of daughter Sam, 9, and son, Charlie, 8.

According to informants, the fallen links legend, who was busted in the wee hours of May 29, has reserved the entire male inpatient unit at the Jupiter Medical Center near his Florida mansion.

“Tiger visited the hospital with his children on June 2, then went alone two days later to complete paperwork and his assessment,” an insider exclusively told Radar.

According to that clause, “if Tiger gets caught up in a scandal, he could face losing the 20 per cent custody he currently has,” the insider spilled, adding the disgraced athlete’s treatment will focus on his addiction to prescription pills.

As the National ENQUIRER reported, Tiger entered The Meadows treatment center in Wickburg, Ariz., in 2010 to battle addictions to the powerful painkiller Vicodin and the sleeping medication Ambien.

That rehab stint followed Tiger’s six-week treatment for sex addiction at the Gentle Path facility in Hattiesburg, Miss.

He was forced into treatment after National ENQUIRER exposed his affair with a New York City party girl in late 2009, leading to a procession of mistresses to come forward.

The cheating scandal ruined Tiger’s squeaky clean image, cost him millions in endorsements and virtually ended his glittery golf career.

Since then, Tiger’s undergone several surgeries for golf-related injuries, and his reputation took another hit when Florida cops found him asleep at the wheel of his dinged-up Mercedes SUV. A woozy Tiger failed a sobriety test, admitted to taking a cocktail of prescription drugs, including Vicodin, and was charged with DUI. The troubled athlete’s drug woes have prompted Elin to consider going back to court for temporary full custody of their children, sources said.

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Wednesday June 21, 2017

Dogara affirms again – I’m anti-APC M

ANY wrong reasons have been projected in the fight over the rejection of a South East Development Commission bill in the House of Representatives. There have mostly been attacks on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who some should know is a Christian, and should not be said to hate the Christian-dominated South East, that stood with him when his party opposed his headship of the House.

Yakubu was severally told to step down for a party-favoured candidate.

He refused. One of the arguments in his favour is that he could balance the religious divide that two leaders of the National Assembly coming from the North would mean.

Though the candidate the party wanted instead of Dogara was from the South West, the more critical point against him, outside supposed affiliations with outside influences that could run the House, was that he was a Muslim. Things have really changed for the worse.

Our new politics lack the accommodations that we saw in 1979-1983. Religion was not a dominant issue. Joseph Wayas (Christian) from Cross River State, former Eastern Region was President of the Senate; Edwin Ume-Ezeoke (Christian) from Anambra State, the same former Eastern Region was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Wayas’ deputy, Victor Wash-Pam from Plateau State, former Northern Region, was a Christian. When batons changed after the 1983 elections, Wayas was still Senate President and Benjamin Chaha Biam (Christian) from Northern Region (Zaki Biam, Benue State) was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Let us stretch it a bit. Dr. Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, Vice President of Nigeria, then, was also from Anambra State. It would be inconceivable today for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Vice President to emerge from the same political zone, not to mention the same state. These show how much our politics has shrunk in 38 years. Most people blame the politicians, but I blame the military for the recession they brought to the conviviality our politics was adopting. The 1983 coup shredded all these.

Where does Dogara fit into all things?

Nowhere, and that is the major challenge that a main arm of national political confluence faces. The House of Representatives is usually vivacious, with a verve that has adequate pretence to common concerns. There are 360 people with different pitches of voices, including the voiceless. Sometimes, the aspirations result in ground breaking marks, like the ‘we the people’ Constitution that the previous session almost midwifed. Dogara is a part of only things that benefit him.

The stiffness with which we abide with regional, religious, and regular balancing threw up the likes of Dogara. His party

• Yakubu Dogara, Speaker House of Representatives the All Progressives Congress (APC), has never stopped showing its disagreement with Dogara being in the saddle.

Unsuccessful attempts to remove him were followed by series of scandals, the most noxious of which landed Hon. Abdulmumuni Jubrin, 180 days’ suspension. He accused the House leadership, under Dogara’s watch, of padding the 2016 budget, the lexicon for inflating the budget for the benefit of some leaders of the House.

Dogara came out of the allegations smelling like roses. He has increasingly felt comfortable at various public fora to speak about corruption, but never about the incidents that marooned the 2016 budget. He still enjoys the confidence of House members who are not in doubt about the powers of the Speaker

(ask Hon. Jubrin) and his readiness to use them.

His messianic dispositions on issues lack any depth that is not for his personal gain, no matter how the gains come.

He is self-serving, blinkered in his views, and so parochial that those who think he loves the North East, his zone, fail to realise that he was merely exploiting expediency. He is his own man for himself.

He is comfortable in any garb that the present throws on him. He has survived countless subterfuges in the House.

They have only emboldened him. He believes that he can survive anything, as he tags along with the Senate President.

How does one explain his askance as the bill for the establishment of the South East Development Commission was thrown into the refuse bin? It is

not actually fair to accuse Dogara of being indifferent to the bill. He saw to its death. The voice votes sounded in favour of the bill. Dogara behaved as if he was presiding over another session. For him, “the nays have it”. His gavel confirmed the decision.

The decision of the House of Representatives which Dogara piloted was his final confirmation that he was never, would never be a member of the APC, the party on whose platform he won his election into the House of Representatives. He is against APC. His latest display should not be lost on anyone.

APC’s manifesto states boldly that it would create six regional economic development agencies. Was Dogara unaware of that when he threw out the bill on the South East Economic Development Commission?

The promise of APC in its manifesto is to “balance the economy across regions by the creation of 6 new Regional Economic Development Agencies (REDAs) to act as champions of sub-regional competitiveness”. In other words, there would be North West Regional Development Agency, North Central Regional Development Agency, South West Regional Development Agency, South South Regional Development Agency, and South East Regional Development Agency. Dogara’s North East already has its own agency. Why was he against the South East? Why would he sabotage the manifesto of his party?

APC promised more. It would, “put in place a N300bn regional growth fund (average of N50bn in each geo-political region) to be managed by the REDAs, encourage private sector enterprise and support to help places currently reliant on the public sector”.

How does Dogara plan to explain his disposition towards denying the South East the N50bn that APC has promised for the regeneration of the economies of the regions? Would he also throw out the bills for the establishment of the agencies for the other regions?

Dogara’s obduracy strengthens the case of the South East. While Dogara thinks he is dealing with one region, he is actually against another five regions, that he is telling that only his North East would benefit from the promise of APC to establish six NEW economic agencies. He is also against his party, APC. It is time we started asking who Dogara represents since he is neither for his party, nor for the good of majority of Nigerians. The best apology that Dogara can offer Nigerians, not the South East, is to align with his party and establish the remaining five Regional Economic Development Agencies.

For the final time he should be reminded that he is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a federal concern, and not Speaker of the North East Regional House of Representatives.

The Oracle Today is published by The Oracle Newspapers Limited, 116 Awka Road, Onitsha, Anambra State. ISSN: 2545-5869 Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com, Twitter: @oraclenews.ng Facebook: oraclenews.ng@facebook.com Website: www.oraclenews.ng Advert hot lines: 09078310060, 09061836916. Editor: FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU.