Chime's absence by Advocate Nigeria

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Vol. 1 No. 12, Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

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Chime's absence CNPP, CLO, PAN want Dep. Gov sworn-in Lawmakers stopped from visiting Gov His absence is normal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Speaker Sack fever grips appointees By Ted Peters, Larry Onwuta & Uba Ani

new twist has emerged in the current confusion in Enugu State over the long absence of Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime from office. The Advocate gathered that the deft move by members of the State House of Assembly to visit the ailing governor to assess his true state of health had been scuttled by some powerful members of the governor's kitchen cabinet who allegedly directed the State

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2013 Anambra Guber Elections: Another crowded race Page 16

Sunday Onyebuchi

Gov. Chime

Engene Odoh

Ojukwu's will and battle for assets inheritance Page 22 & 33

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Continues from cover page Accountant General, Mrs. Eunice Ugwu not to release funds to the lawmakers for the tour. The Caucus of the State Assembly whose members are all from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, sources said, had met last week following the rumour that Governor Chime was dead and resolved to send a delegation on a fact-finding visit to the governor wherever he is. They were said to have communicated their decision to the members of the kitchen cabinet, who as we learnt, never opposed the move but after preparing a budget for the tour and forwarded same to the Account General to release fund for the oversea trip, she reportedly told them last weekend that there was no fund. The Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odoh and some principal officers of the House were said to have been angered by her response, which they regarded as an attempt to stop the lawmakers from visiting the governor. “The lawmakers met on Saturday and reviewed the development which many of them viewed as very disturbing. The leadership of the House after coming under severe attacks from members of the public for their silence over the governor's absence had decided to send a delegation to visit the governor and assess his condition but this is being frustrated by the refusal to release money to them,” the source revealed in Enugu on Saturday. There had been reports that some members of the House had expressed concern over the prolonged stay of the governor abroad arguing that even if the governor was sick as rumoured, they had the right to see him to determine whether he could continue with his duties or not. They expressed worries that they had not been officially briefed about the health condition of the governor hence the decision to visit the governor for an on-thespot assessment of the state of his health. A member of the State Assembly who pleaded anonymity, told The Advocate that he was not aware of the planned visit to the governor overseas as the matter was not brought to his attention even though he said that there was nothing wrong in embarking on such a visit to enable the House to ascertain the governor's true health condition.

How Chime left Enugu For almost 100 days, Governor Chime had been conspicuously absent from his official seat as he embarked on a prolonged vacation abroad. He left the Coal City on September 19 and the people of the State has neither seen him nor had the privileged of hearing his voice. Chime has never stayed outside the state for more than two weeks

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chime's absence since he assumed office as governor in 2007. Even before he ascended the post, he had served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and throughout his tenure he did not embark on any oversea trip as he is said to be very comfortable with Enugu environment. When his vacation exceeded one month, it became surprising to many people in the state that all might not be well with the governor, whom his aides said, decided to enjoy “accumulated leave” having served for upward of five years in office without embarking on vacation even for a day. Before leaving the state, Governor Chime had transmitted a letter to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odoh, informing him of his decision to embark on vacation and that his deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, would act as governor in his absence. The speaker acknowledged the letter which was merely to inform the legislature as provided in the constitution but the governor did not state how long he would stay. Controversies began to trail the governor's absence after spending two months without any official explanation as to his inability to return to the country. His Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, in a bid to douse the tension being created by the governor's prolonged vacation, had issued a statement insisting that Chime was enjoying his vacation in an undisclosed country. Then came speculations and rumours that Chime was battling with an ailment. Some persons who claimed to have link with him or his family members said the governor had kidney and liver failure while others said he might be suffering from leukemia also known as cancer of the blood. None of these had been confirmed either by the governor himself, his personal physician or his aides, who had come under heavy criticism for mismanaging the situation. It would be recalled that Chime shocked the huge Enugu crowd as he suddenly slumped and passed out on January 15, 2008 during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the popular Mike Okpara Square, Enugu, not so much concern and anxiety were expressed by the populace; at the same time, too, not much hideand-seek and "see less and talk less" was played out by the galaxy of his wise men - the special assistants, personal assistants, commissioners and all those "crowding the corridors of power” in Enugu State. Retrospectively, Governor Chime himself was sincere enough,

apparently, after some pressure or persuasions from his chains of personal aides, to let journalists into the "dramatic fall" or "sudden collapse" at Okpara Square. "I actually passed out at Okpara Square. Please, mind my language. I didn't say passed on; I said I passed out, and it was as a result of exhaustion,” Chime told the anxious reporters who gathered at the old Government Lodge, off Abakaliki Road, GRA, Enugu. That was in the evening of the same day. When he collapsed at the square, his aides quickly grabbed him and rushed him out of the venue. His doctor and his team immediately swung into action and gave him all necessary medical attention he needed at that material time. The “magic” worked like miracle and in the evening, the onceslumping-governor became "hale and hearty" once again to face a stream of reporters. "I wonder what you guys will write in your newspapers tomorrow," Chime said with a warm smile. For being able and sincere enough to tell the people the truth of what happened, the air of doubt, fear, anxiety, speculation, suspicion, rumour and gossips , was wellcleared by the governor; not his spin-masters. But in the current issue around Chime's health condition, there appears to be a high, brick wall built around his person by his "group of wise men" in such a way that they all seem to prefer the philosophy, "see less and talk less," or "see no evil, and speak no evil". Whether this "see less and talk less" philosophy has helped matters, only the aides can say! As the Enugu State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under the former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Chime reportedly had health issue that had to do with his "cardiac history". It was learnt that the then Nnamani government ensured that he was given one of the best of medical treatments. And like the cat with nine lives, Chime bounced back to life. However, nobody is certain of the real cause of this current issue that reportedly has to do with his health. Having spent three months overseas without any clear explanation as to his actual state of health or as to why he had been unable to return to Nigeria, tension gripped the state especially in the government circle. The Governor actually flew out of Nigeria on September 19 but it appears he did not make known to most people his destination. Before leaving Nigeria for the said vacation abroad, Chime actually handed over the mantle of leadership to his deputy, Mr. Onyebuchi, an Nkanu man, who

like Chime, served under the Nnamani administration. But whether the deputy has been given free hand by few powerful members of Chime's kitchen cabinet to pilot the affairs of the state or not, is a story for another day. But the duration of his long vacation seems to have elapsed without him being seen in his office. This development has raised so much debate and tongues are wagging rather endlessly in the state. The situation appeared to have worsened with the recent rumour of Chime's death in an Indian hospital. Only God can tell who

Commissioner, Mr. Ugwoke who said that Chime was doing well at the place he was spending his “vacation” and will soon return to the state. Chime's absence normal Speaker The Advocate learnt that some pressure had been mounted by certain stakeholders in the state on members of the State House of Assembly to invoke necessary sections of the constitution in respect of Governor Chime's long absence. Conversely, it seems the Assembly led by speaker Eugene Odoh is not in a haste to go that direction. Odoh is from Nsukka part of the state. In an apparent response to those accusing the House of abandoning their responsibility, the Speaker recently declared that the prolonged absence of Gov. Sullivan Chime from the state was

Gov. Chime was behind the rumour and where it originated from. But the rumour was strong that the governor passed out after failing to survive an “undisclosed ailment”. Although, his aides labored to clear the rumour by informing the public that the governor was alive, they however could not explain why he has not returned and why he could not appear on the television or internet wherever he was to say that himself. Many had argued that if the governor was in good state of health, he could have returned long ago or made a personal public statement to saying that he was hale and hearty. That would have erased the fear which gripped the entire state and at least save the clergy and other Men of God who had been spending worship time praying for him, though unsolicited, the headache. The state government later debunked the rumours officially through the Information

normal and constitutional. Odo told newsmen in Enugu that the constitution was very silent on the number of days a governor or president could be absent from duty. Governor Chime left Enugu about 84 days ago on September 5er 19 and has not returned to the state since then. However, Odo said that, there is nothing in the constitution that stipulates the number of times a governor could be absent from office. He noted that the constitution envisaged the possibility of a governor or president staying away from office, which led to the provision for the deputy governor or vice president who ordinarily stands-in for the former. “The governor transmitted a letter before proceeding on vacation and the letter was accordingly read on the floor of the House as against the various speculations written in the media on which of course I'm not ready to join issues

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chime: CNPP, CLO, PAN want Dep. Gov sworn-in Continues from page 3 resolution will be forwarded to the speaker who will then constitute a panel of physicians which will include the governor's personal physician, who will then investigate the matter. “If they are so satisfied and they so inform the speaker, the speaker will then publish it in the gazette of Enugu State and that will be the end of Chime's administration. “But politically speaking, it is like the Carmel passing through the eye of a needle for commissioners appointed by Gov Chime to declare him incapacitated.” Okwu said that if Chime did not show up in Enugu before the end of the year, “the Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria, an alliance of Progressive Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations which I coordinate will formally write to the Executive Council of Enugu State to do their job. We shall start the process from there.”

Lawyer justifies Chime's absence Sunday Onyebuchi with anybody. “So that is it. As regards what you are saying about the limit or number of days expected to stay, the constitution is very silent on that, so there is nothing in the constitution that stipulates the number of times the governor could be absent”. “But as it is in Enugu State, a letter was transmitted to the House where upon the House was asked to give necessary cooperation to the deputy governor, who is now acting as the governor. And accordingly, the deputy governor, who is now the acting governor has been acting; so the law presumes that once the governor is not there, the acting should be there, so that there will not be a vacuum in government and of course that is what is happening in Enugu State,'' Odoh explained. He urged the people of the state to cooperate with the acting governor to provide democracy dividends and protect lives and property since the state does not belong to any individual alone. But some groups including the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria, PAN, and Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, disagreed with the speaker saying the long absence of the governor from his duty post was affecting governance and should therefore be replaced without further delay. The CLO in a statement in Lagos by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, expressed concern over the continued absence of Chime from office, saying that this was adversely affecting governance in the state. The statement said: “The CLO is worried by the continued

absence from office by the governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, since September 19, 2012. CLO gathered that the governor had applied to the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo, for a two-week leave but has not resumed since then. “The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, was said to have been asked to act in the governor's absence in the said letter.” However, for three months now, the governor is yet to resume duties while the state Assembly has refused to appoint the Deputy Governor as the Acting Governor so that state functions and duties as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, be activated in the state. On his part, leader of PAN, Barrister Maxi Okwu, who is a lawyer, politician and rights activist, said though the Enugu Speaker was technically correct, section 190 of Nigerian Constitution which deals with the absence of the governor from office when there is permanent disability ought to be applied. As a lawyer, I know what the law says and I can tell you that the governor has spent over 90 days outside his office and it is really disturbing. Chime was last seen in public on 9th Sept and his absence is getting over extended. “Reading the constitution he is now assuming permanent incapacity to assume his office. When that happens, the law requires that the Executive Council of Enugu State by twothird majority should declare him incapable of discharging the functions of his office, the

An Enugu-based constitutional lawyer, Professor REX Achara, however, differed, saying those calling for the declaration of Governor Chime as” ‘incapacitated” as a result of his continuous absence from office have not properly consulted the constitution. He declared that the governor had not in any way breached the constitution. Achara said those likening the absence of Chime with that of the late President Umaru Musa Ya r ' A d u a a n d i n c u m b e n t President Goodluck Jonathan lacked knowledge of the stipulations of the constitution, adding that the situations were not similar. He stated that Section 190 of the 2010 amendment to the 1999 Constitution which was ratified in January last year allows any governor who would be absent in his state for more than 21 days to transmit a letter to his state House of Assembly conferring powers in acting capacity to the Deputy Governor while he was away. He said: "I believe that is exactly what the Enugu Governor did when he conferred powers to his deputy in acting capacity and transmitted the development in a letter to the state House of Assembly. "The House can only make resolutions conferring executive powers to the Deputy Governor to act when a governor is away if he (governor) fails to do so and has stayed away for 21 days. The fact that there is an acting governor suggests that the right things were done. So there is no real issue to talk about. People are making comments without consulting relevant sections of the constitution. "I also want to believe that government's activities are going on in full gear. It will have been a

different thing if governance has collapsed in the state. So I don't find any reason why people should be asking the state Assembly to declare him incapacitated." Achara explained that there was no comparison between the situation that made the National Assembly confer powers to President Jonathan when late Yar'Adua took ill, stressing that the lawmakers acted because "necessary constitutional procedures were not followed to back up his absence."

Government activities slow down The deputy governor had been acting in the absence of the governor since he travelled but it is clear that the tempo in the activities of government has obviously slowed down. The deputy could not take certain key decisions nor participate in functions that are not delegated to him either by the governor or by a certain functionary in the governor's kitchen cabinet, said to have recently locked the governor's office and kept away the key. It is believed that the governor might stay longer overseas to enable him recover fully from his reported illness that has not been disclosed yet to the people. But his aides have repeatedly dismissed such notion as false; they maintained that the governor is “hale, hearty and not incapacitated” in any way. Sources said the governor had recently called a top official of the state government informing him that he was undergoing “Chemotherapy” which a kind of treatment for cancer patients but this could not be officially confirmed. Some residents of Enugu believe that the governor is sick although no one is sure of what has been apparently diagnosed. Others are unhappy that neither the governor nor his aides were forthcoming with the truth; the whole truth and nothing but the truth about his present health status. This is quite unlike the first time he slumped and people were told the truth.

Anxiety continues in Enugu But following the prolonged absence of the governor from the state, anxiety has continued to increase among the people of the state. They want the governor's aides to give a clear explanation on the governor's whereabouts. While some people are anxious about his alleged ailing health, others are worried about his journey outside the country without telling the electorate who voted him into office; even as they are not sure of who is saying the truth. A one-time military governor who spoke briefly on the issue during the public hearing of the

constitution review held in Enugu last week, said “In this part of the world, it is against tradition to jubilate when someone is ill or visits his/her ancestors; in fact, it is seen as an abomination to glorify in such situation. But what should prick anyone's conscience is this: was it right for the governor to have left the state on a long vacation as we were informed without officially telling the millions who voted him into power?” The ex-military governor who pleaded anonymity added, “I am not bothered about whether he is ill or not; at least all of us do fall sick one time or the other; but was it ok for him to travel outside for so long without letting the citizens know ab initio? That is the point I am trying to make. I wouldn't want to talk more than this until I get clear details.” National Publicity Secretary of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said that it was wrong to hide the governor's state of health since nobody is above falling sick. According to Okechukwu, who hails from Udi area of Enugu state just like the Governor, “We are all human beings. We are prone to be sick; we are prone to be well. It is the alternative nature of life that sometimes we are sick and sometimes we are well. So, there is nothing to hide if he is sick and nothing to be ashamed of no matter the office anybody is occupying. “If you are governor or president you should let your people know where you are because as a public officer, they are interested in your welfare. As a governor you are the epitome of the people, you are their symbol of a father. Because of that, whether you are a governor or president, you must let your people know where you are because you are a symbol of a father. “We are saying that if Governor Sullivan Chime is sick, there is nothing to hide from his people because we are all human beings. It is odd for a governor to spend 60 days out of his state without the people knowing exactly where he is and his state of health. We thought we could have learnt from the late President Musa Yar'Adua's experience in Saudi Arabia and Germany.” Okechukwu, who was the governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in 2011 election in the state, further spoke on the obvious apprehension in the state, “There couldn't have been any apprehension because the 1999 Constitution as amended states clearly that when a governor or a president is out of the state for more than 21 days, the deputy automatically becomes the

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Two killed, one injured in Kano suicide attacks – JTF

he Joint Task Force, JTF has explained that only two suicide bombers were killed in what appeared to be coordinated attacks on telecom facilities in Kano, Saturday morning. Spokesman of the Military Taskforce, Capt. Ikediche Iweha said , ”a generator operator with the Airtel firm was injured and is on admission at an undisclosed hospital. Capt. Iweha stated that the suicide bomber forced his way into the Airtel office, opposite Malam Kato Square at the Central business district in the commercial city. He explained that JTF troops foiled a second attack on another mobile phone

operator, MTN , but the resultant suicide blast affected a car parked near the office. But, security sources had earlier said that four people died from the blast at the MTN office. The MTN switch located off Independent Way, by Mailari at Bomapai industrial estate, it was gathered, serves 13 northern states. However, Bayo Osho, one of the survivors of the Airtel attack, told reporters that two suicide bombers carried out the bombing of the telecom facility. According to him, “the first car forced its way into the premises, clearing the way for the second car, laden with explosives. He said that the driver of the second car jumped out of his car and engaged security agents in a shoot-out. “Then, what followed was a loud bang.”

Okada ban: Police arrest 60 okada operators in Abuja

he FCT Police Command has arrested 60 commercial motorcycle operators for operating within Abuja city centre. The Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, Mr Aderenle Shinaba, who led the operation, said the suspects violated the ban on operating in the metropolis. Shinaba said that 50 of the operators were arrested at Area 1, while 10 were picked up at AYA roundabout in Asokoro. The commissioner said the raid was part of

Name: Chidera Ezugwu Pet Name: Chesbon Date of Birth: July 12 School: Studies Parasitology @ Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Hobby: Travelling, Cooking, listening to Music, Praying Likes: Honesty, Neatness, Smart, Intelligent & God-fearing people Dislike: Lying, dishonesty and dirtiness

efforts to rid the city of hoodlums and criminals during the yuletide. He also said that it was part of efforts to ensure a crime-free Christmas and New Year celebrations. “It is our mandate to ensure that residents of the territory have crime-free Christmas,'' he said. T h e F e d e r a l C a p i t a l Te r r i t o r y Administration banned commercial motorcyclists from operating in the city centre, limiting them to the satellite towns

Yuletide: Lagos beaches wear new look B

each operators in Lagos said they had renovated and decorated the beaches so that the fun seekers would have value for their money. Mr Yusuf Elegushi, Managing Director, Elegushi Private Beach, Lekki, told reporters that his company had equipped the beach with safety equipment. “The safety of lives is paramount to the company; therefore, we decided to equip the environment with necessary safety equipment. “First aid materials, life jackets and caution signs are some of the equipment. “The safety equipment would assist in preventing any casualty that might occur during the festive period and after,'' he said. Mr Sola Oniru, Managing Director, Oniru Private Beach, Victoria Island, said that the management would maintain international standard of operations to make the beach one of the best centres for relaxation. “The ongoing development is to make the beach an attractive centre for fun seekers

and tourists. “Among the facilities provided are maximum security, eight more bars, two additional halls, four extra beach houses and more life guards. “We have provided the necessary equipment to safe lives in case of emergency, “ he said. Mr Lanre Ikujenya, the spokesman of Eleko Beach, Ibeju Lekki, said the management had put in place a lot of activities that would thrill visitors. He said that the beach would witness a higher level of patronage by picnickers compared to the Sallah holiday. Also speaking, Mr Effiong Ekanem, the Chairman, Tourism Committee of Lagos Bar Beach, said that the Beach had been undergoing rehabilitation to make it more user-friendly during the Christmas and New Year festivities. “The management would continue to ensure that the security network and safety of fun seekers at the beach were guaranteed.''

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chime: Lawmakers stopped from visiting Gov Continues from page 3

governor of the state. “He becomes an acting governor or acting president with full powers capable of convening Executive Council meetings and discharging other extant functions under the law. So, in the present case, Chime's deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi should assume full powers as governor in the absence of the incumbent until he returns.” But the Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the state, Mr Emeka Udeh, said that the prolonged absence of the governor was unhealthy for governance. Udeh said in Enugu that the governor was entitled to his vacation but that where it became too long, the people also had the right to be worried. “It is not healthy for the state. I don't know if the deputy governor has all the executive powers in his acting capacity. But what I want is that the state must be working,” he said. In his reaction, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezeugwu, asked the Enugu State House of Assembly to declare Governor Chime “incapacitated” and invoke relevant sections of the constitution to confer on his Deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, full executive powers. Chief Ezeugwu said having spent over 90 days abroad without any clear explanation as to why he had exceeded the six weeks vacation embarked upon since midSeptember, the constitutional provision for dealing with such issue should be applied quickly in the interest of the state. He told reporters in Enugu that the long absence of the governor from office was an indication that all may not be well with him, stressing that the continued silence of the lawmakers on the issue was not the best for the state. He said such was the situation when Nigeria had the last constitutional crisis when late President Umaru Yar'Adua was sick. He recalled that the Save Nigeria Group moved to the streets to rally support of Nigerians to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan was conferred with full executive powers. But again the commissioner for information said there should be no need for the people to express fear or anxiety since the state government was on course under the deputy governor. Ugwoke emphasized, “Activities have been on. There is no activity of government that slowed down because you realise that there is an acting governor who is fully incharge. Work is in progress at the new secretariat and on some ongoing road projects; so also with the rural development, where some communities are being connected to the national grid.”

an accumulated leave, and not present the budget would give a undergoing medication. dangerous signal that there is no How Enugu is being hope of the governor coming back. But when it became obvious that g o v e r n e d b e h i n d Chime may not return before the end of the year and it would Chime Although road and building a m o u n t t o b r e a c h i n g t h e contracts earlier awarded by the constitution if the budget was not a d m i n i s t r a t i o n h a d b e e n presented before the end of the progressing even with the absence year, it then fell on the Acting of the governor, there is a lull in the Governor to perform the annual activities of the government. The ritual. Mr. Onyebuchi therefore civil servants most of who were presented the state's budget to the displaced from the demolished State Assembly on Friday, state secretariat complex and are December 21, 2012. now squatting around some The governor's image makers had g o v e r n m e n t b u i l d i n g a r e continue to claim that the Deputy experiencing a decline in their Governor now acting as Governor productivity level. Besides, the had full powers to function, but State Executive Council no longer sources said that there are some meet regularly to take critical crucial functions he cannot decisions as it did when Chime perform on behalf of his principal. presided. Workers' salaries are Chime's Consolidated paid regularly and contracts Leave and the budgeted for are being funded but Conspiracy Theorists this year's budget presentation was delayed due to the governor's Let us all calm down and reabsence. examine this vacation matter. According to an insider, members Here are the facts. For five years of Chime's kitchen cabinet had and four months (that is since insisted that the 2013 budget, assuming office on May 29, 2007), which was ready since September Governor Sullivan Chime had this year, be kept aside for the never taken a vacation. But finally, Eugene Odoh governor to present whenever he on or about 20th September, 2012 They believed that The commissioner said the No official reason was given for returned. Continued on page 6 governor would return as soon as Ogakwu's removal but observers allowing the Acting Governor to his vacation was over. said she could be another victim of Gale of sack in Chime's power-play within the government circle, which became evident after absence Chime's oversea trip. Leader of Chime's kitchen cabinet Sources said many of the political who is regarded as the de-facto appointees in the state are now governor had continued to carry afraid of being sacked under the out some internal cleansing of current wind of change that is those she perceived to be disloyal blowing in the state. No official of to her since the governor left the the state government was willing 18th December, 2012 state. The first victim was the State to comment on the reason for the Public Notice Head of Service, Mr. Dennis Eze. removal of the appointees when Re: Restoration of Rono Industrial Layout He was relieved of his duty in a contacted. very controversial manner and the Chime's medical history: Did Planning Scheme, Approval No: A.S.L.N no official reason was given for his Underwent heart surgery in 2005 No. of 1977 sack. As tongues were still The Advocate reliably gathered This is to bring to the attention of the general public and all wagging over the treatment meted that Governor Chime had who may have genuine interest in the Rono Industrial Layout, out to Eze, another controversy undergone a heart surgery in 2005 Enugu that the Enugu Capital Territory Development arose at the Enugu State Universal while serving as Attorney General Authority intends to carry out restorative development B a s i c E d u c a t i o n B o a r d , and Commissioner for Justice ENSUBEB. The Chairperson, under Chimaroke Nnamani control works in the area. The purpose of the proposed works Mrs. Ethel Nebo-Ezeabasili and regime from 1999 to 2007. is to ensure that developments including roads, infrastructure members of her board were sacked This was revealed by some of his and buildings are in line with the state government approvals for allegedly refusing to surrender aides who pleaded anonymity. regarding this area. documents relating to the award of It was learnt that the governor's over N4 billion contract to some surgery was bankrolled by the then Consequently all those who may have any interest or property powerful public officers in Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, or development in the area are enjoined to ensure that all government. She has already who was said to have settled the developments therein are regularized with the Ministry of gone to court to challenge her bill to the tune of N7 million. Lands to be in conformity with the Rono Industrial Layout alleged illegal removal and N n a m a n i h a d s a i d , “ I Planning Scheme. Those who are unsure of their status should dissolution of the board. recommended to him the doctor Even as the dust raised by the sack who should lead the team of please approach the Ministry of Lands for verification. of ENSUBEB was yet to settle, the surgeons when he gets to America. General Manager of Enugu State I did this for him when he Notice is hereby given that the restoration, development Waste Management Agency, complained to me and I noticed he control works will commence twenty one days after this E S WA M A , M r s . C h i n y e r e was not feeling fine.” public notice. Ogakwu, was also relieved of her Unconfirmed reports said the a p p o i n t m e n t i n a n o t h e r present ailment being suffered by Thank you controversial circumstances. the governor had nothing to do Yours faithfully, Ogakwu, who hails from Chime's with his cardiac history. “He is in a Udi community, was appointed by hospital in India where he is the governor to replace Greg currently undergoing treatment for A n y a e g b u d i k e , w h o w a s Leukemia and renal failure,” said described as very hardworking but the source but the government's was edged out to pave the way for spokesman, Mr. Ugwok dismissed the governor's favoured appointee. this saying Chime was observing

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Chime: His absence is normal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Speaker Continues from page 5 Governor Chime left the shores of Nigeria to vacation abroad. Before his departure, however, he had duly transmitted a letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly through the Speaker Eugene Odoh informing it that he was proceeding on a consolidated leave. Via that correspondence he also properly handed over governance of Enugu State to h i s d e p u t y, M r. S u n d a y Onyebuchi. Having done all this Governor Chime fully complied with the requirements of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. Thereafter Sunday Onyebuchi became the Acting Governor of Enugu State and has been acting very competently as such. Governance has been proceeding as usual without any hitches. The Enugu State Government has continued to deliver government services to the populace in a very prompt and efficient manner. Governance has not suffered or slowed down in any way at all in Enugu State. Acting Governor Onyebuchi had directed and all members of the Enugu State Government understand that it is "FULL STEAM AHEAD", and as can be proven on the ground, the Enugu State Government has been powering on impeccably as usual. In the meantime Governor Chime is now on the 70th (or so) day of his well-deserved vacation. Since then some well-meaning citizens have expressed concerns (albeit uninformed). Of course the antiChime hate-cultists have also sought to hijack the bandwagon, camouflaging their familiar hate and venom as legitimate concern and constructive criticism. Be that as it may let us examine the concerns which are essentially two-fold. The first concern is that the number of vacation days that Governor Chime has taken so far is extraordinarily too long. But is it really? What is "too long"? First we must remember that for five years and four months (that is since assuming office on May 29, 2007), Governor Chime had never taken a vacation. All he had done for these last five years is work himself to the bone for Enugu State. The evidence is everywhere. Just try and remember Enugu State as it was five years ago and what it is now. To get from there to where we are now takes a lot of hard work and many, many sleepless nights. This is what Governor Chime has done for over five years. So can you imagine how tired the man is right now? Having satisfied all constitutional requirements, and with a competent Acting Governor in charge of Enugu state, do you not think that this Champion-Governor deserves as much rest as he needs? Well, while

Sunday Onyebuchi you may think that "90 days and counting" is "too long" for vacation for Governor Chime, some of us happen to disagree. In fact we believe that he deserves as many more vacation days as he is entitled to under the law, and not a day less. And there is no dearth of historical precedent (from within or outside Nigeria) of a state chief executive going on leave for more than 60 days. Erstwhile Republican Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney is a good example. When Romney was Governor of Massachusetts, he cumulatively spent more than a year (417 days) out of the state. More than 70 percent of those 417 days was spent on vacations, getaways, and personal trips unrelated to his job. In 2006 alone Romney spent 212 days out of his state more than four days each week, on average. But folks, Mitt was neither vilified then, nor were there any calls for his impeachment. Why then do we now vilify and use the "I" word for our Champion-Governor Sullivan Chime who for five years and four months worked very, very hard for Enugu State without taking a vacation, just because finally he has been resting and recuperating for approximately 90 days (not 212 days like Romney) ? Okay, do you want to talk about George W. Bush (LOL)! As President of the greatest, strongest , nation in the history of the world, George W. Bush spent 32% of his presidency on vacation. George W. Bush was on vacation for 1,020 days in an 8 year period. Folks, that is an average of 127 days of vacation per year. If Governor Chime were to follow Dubya's example, then Governor Chime would be entitled to 127 vacation days per year for those 5 years that he had not been on vacation. Folks, following the Dubyan example, Governor Chime would be entitled

Gov. Chime to 635 days of cumulative vacation! Yet we hiss and moan and use the "I" word for our Champion-Governor Sullivan Chime just because, finally, he has been resting and recuperating for approximately 90 days (after five years and four months of working very hard for Enugu State without taking a vacation). Now, what if George W. Bush were the Governor of Enugu State? What would you do then? Even President Barrack Obama has been on vacation for more days in 3 years than Governor Chime has been in 5 years! President Barrack Obama has been on vacation for 78 days from 2009 to 2011 (3 years). But in contrast, Governor Sullivan Chime has, so far, been on vacation for only 90 days from 2007 to 2012 (5 years). So President Obama has been on vacation for more days in 3 years than Governor Chime has been in 5 years! But has there been any vilification of President Obama or calls for his impeachment because of his 78 vacation days in 3 years? The answer is a resounding, a telling, a wise, and an informed "NO!" Yet we froth and fume, twist and shout, and peddle the "I" word just because our ChampionGovernor Sullivan Chime finally took a vacation after five years and four months of working so hard without taking a vacation. Is that fair? Here in Nigeria, many other Governors have spent more time outside their states than Governor Chime has. Some have even done this without handing over to an Acting Governor as Governor Chime properly did. Take Kano S t a t e G o v e r n o r, M a l l a m Rabiu Kwankwaso, as just one example. It is reported that his travel patterns for the year 2012 reveal that he has spent 60% of the time outside his state. It is also reported that for the months of

Engene Odoh February, March and April 2012, the governor has traveled out of Kano for 52 days of the 90 days. The Governor is also reported to have recently returned from a 20day trip to the USA, but shortly after his return he has left for Dubai and is yet to return. Now did he hand over to an Acting Governor as Governor Chime properly did? No, he did not. And we do not hear any "I" word being bandied after him? Yet some people are already calling the police on Governor Chime just because he has been resting for approximately 90 days after five years and four months of working so hard without taking a vacation. And this after properly handing over the reins of the state over to an Acting Governor as required by the Constitution! Is this vilification fair? Governor Chime's case is always different as is always the case of all performers who leave a lot of bitter opponents in the dust. That is the only reason why they vilify him now and flash the "I" word just because he has been on vacation after five years of no vacation. But the bottom-line is that Governor Chime's time out on vacation so far (90 days) is not extraordinary at all. In fact it is mild compared to some of the examples we have cited. It is also deserving considering that Governor Chime had not been on vacation for over five years. It is also not illegal because he complied with all the dictates of the Nigerian Constitution before proceeding on vacation. It is also not irresponsible because he, in fact, handed governance of the State to a very capable Acting Governor. There has been no vacuum, and governance has been proceeding handsomely. The other "concern" or more a point of agitation is an inexplicable and obstinate insistence (especially by our

resident anti-Chime hate cultists) that the Enugu State Government announce immediately that Governor Chime is very ill and undergoing medical procedures abroad. The proponents of this " s i c k " t h e o r y a r e t o t a l l y, vehemently, and almost violently convinced that Governor Chime is very ill and undergoing medical procedures abroad. But do they offer any proof of this at all. No! All they go by is their "feelings" and "beliefs" and crazy rumours, of an alleged medical situation. These people are essentially incurable conspiracy theorists. They erroneously believe that Governor Chime is very ill and that there is a cover-up of the truth by Chime's aides. Their brain tells them that an evil group is behind the whole thing, hiding the truth and milking the state dry in the process. Unfortunately these conspiracy theorists will accept nothing short of an immediate and total validation and confirmation of their fevered suspicions. They want an immediate announcement by Government that Governor Chime is very ill, even if this is a lie. These people reject the truth. They shun reality and simply cling on to their small gods of rumour and conjecture. But has the Enugu State Government not explained SEVERAL TIMES that Governor Chime is quite simply on his consolidated annual leave? And that before proceeding on his leave, and in strict compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, he had duly handed over to his deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi who is currently the Acting Governor, and who is fully in charge and has been discharging the responsibilities of that office quite competently and creditably? Has the Enugu State Government not reassured the people, SEVERAL TIMES, that Governor Chime will return to his duty post after his vacation, even as the Acting Governor has continued to effectively pilot the affairs of the state? Despite all these attempts at explaining the situation and reassuring the people, some people just will not rest their brains until they hear something bad about Governor Chime. Much like vultures they eagerly expect and even demand an immediate announcement by the Enugu Stare Government that Governor Chime is very ill and undergoing medical procedures abroad. Well, THERE WILL BE NO SUCH ANNOUNCEMENT. This is because at the end of his vacation Governor Chime will return to Enugu, ever more ready, ever more refreshed and ever more reinvigorated to continue to deliver on his 4-Point Agenda for the socio-economic development of Enugu State. End of story.

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

NEWS

ENSG approves N480m for MDG projects By Chinenye Amuna

he Enugu State government has approved the award of contract worth over four hundred and eighty nine million naira only (N489,000,000) for the executive of some MDG projects in three local government council areas in the state. The state commissioner for Information Mr. Chuks Ugwoke who disclosed this during a press briefing at the end of the state Executive Council Meeting presided over by the acting Governor of the state Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi said the three benefiting local government councils are Aninri, Igbo Etiti and Isi-Uzo. Ugwoke said out of the stipulated amount, the sum of one hundred and forty seven million, three hundred and thirty one thousand, two hundred and eighty four naira (N147, 331,284) was for the execution of some forty-four water project in the three council areas. He noted that the project will include construction of rain water harvesters, facilities and storage tanks in various location in the council areas as well as water boreholes and over head tanks. The commissioner further stated that the remaining sum of three hundred and forty one million, eight hundred and eighty six

thousand, one hundred and sixteen naira sixty -eight kobo (341,886,116.68) from the total sum was for the construction of civil works in eighty one educational institutions and health centres in parts of the three local government areas already mentioned. The state information boss told the Advocate that the sum of forty eight million, one hundred and ninety five thousand naira (N48,195,000) was also approved by the council for the procurement

of water treatment chemicals for the state water cooperation. The commissioner who was accompanied by his Culture and Tourism Counterpart Ozo Joe Mamel and SPA MDG Mr. Okezi Nwanjoku enumerated items to be procured as 180 tons of alum, 240 tons of lime, 120 drums of H.T.H Mr. Ugwoke said that the items would be used to purify the raw water from Ajalli water scheme before it is pumped for consumption by the people. He explained that the

council also approved the payment of the sum of three hundred million (300,000,000) to the state community and social development project (CSDP) as its counterpart contribution in the world Bank assisted CSDP in partnership with the state and federal government for the 20102012 project period. The commissioner explained that a total of eighty different project under the programme which cut across different sectors in education, water, electricity,

SOUTH-EAST MEMBERS OF THE NATIIONAL ASSEMBLY AND POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS VISIT PRESIDENT JONATHAN

health and roads had already been completed and commissioned while 40 projects are ninety five percent completed. The commissioner noted that with the payment of the said counterpart fund by the state government those additional 300 projects in 120 communities will be executed, in parts of the state. The commissioner added that the council at the meeting approved a draft bill for a law to establish the state Bureau of statistics for the purpose of collecting, completion, analysis, storage and dissemination of statistical information. He noted that the bill would be forwarded to the Enugu State House of Assembly for consideration and possible passage into law. The information commissioner said the council used the occasion to invite residents, friends and the people of the state to the forth coming state cultural and Tourism fiesta. He disclosed that the annual event which attracted sponsorship from both public and private bodies as well as Enugu State and 17 local government councils in the State will cost about one hundred million naira (100,000,000). He added that events involved in the fiesta included food fair, children's and teen's party, street carnival masquerade and wrestling among others.

ASTA set to introduce mobile Courts in Anambra By Eche Obasi, Onitsha

nambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA) has concluded plan to introduce mobile courts that its duty would be to try traffic offenders in the state. Also the agency has introduced a policy called operation push and deploy in a bid to ensure a smooth traffic flow. The Onitsha zonal commander, Obinna Ajaegbu during a chat in the commercial city of the state said the agency has started massive decongestion of roads in the areas especially along the notorious Niger Bridge, UpperIweka and Nkpor Express to toll gate Ogbunike axis in Obedience to the State Governor Mr Peter Obi recent directives that all obstructions hindering traffic and on-going Federal Government repair of the road be removed. He stated that in addition to that, that the agency has commenced dismantling of all illegal motor parks and other unauthorized parking space causing traffic congestion in various roads in the state. Obioma also noted that the agency has introduced a policy called operation push and a member of the team had been deployed in a

bid to ensure a smooth traffic flow. He disclosed further that already, that a partnership has been entered with other relevant agencies like Police, Army, FRSC, Civil defence and other Para military organization for

smooth control of traffic and assured that Anambra State will not witness traffic hold up during the Christmas season. On the notorious Niger bridge which used to be a nightmare to commuters during the yuletide season. Superintendent Ajaegbu

said his agency has mapped out new strategies to checkmate it and appealed to people coming to Onitsha not to entertain fear. Also speaking the agency director of operation Mr Ekene Chukwurah assured commuters that the agency will work round the clock to ensure that they don't

have problem. He said the major challenges facing the agency is non-chalant attitudes of most market union members who derive joy in parking their cars in unauthorized places and assured that the agency is on top of the situation.

Mark urges Nigerians to take decision on fuel subsidy

he Senate President, David Mark has said that the nation must make a decision now whether to continue with fuel subsidy or stop it if the Federal Government is unable to stop the high level of corruption being perpetrated under the scheme. Mark said this when the Senate passed the supplementary appropriation bill of N161.6 billion. The amount will serve as payment for fuel subsidy to oil marketers for 2012. President Goodluck Jonathan had already sent a request to the National Assembly to approve an additional N161.6 billion to ensure steady supply of petroleum products during the festive season.

The Senate president decried the high level of corruption being perpetrated under the fuel subsidy scheme, urging the Federal Government to stop the fuel subsidy if it was unable to stop the high level of corruption being perpetrated under the scheme. “It is not a secret anymore that there is so much corruption in the fuel subsidy industry in whatever system they are adopting. “The nation must make a decision now, whether to continue this or to stop it. The nation must make that decision sooner than later because we cannot carry on this way. “If they can't eliminate and stop the corruption in the system, then, the other alternative will be to stop the whole exercise of the fuel subsidy.

“We must take the one that is easier and the one that will bring less pain to Nigerians”, he said. Mark commended the lawmakers for supporting the quick passage of the supplementary appropriation, in the interest of the masses. He said the proposal should have been forwarded in good time to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians. “They should have anticipated that there was going to be a shortfall when they first made this presentation at the beginning of the year. “That did not happen. We are now shouldered with the responsibility of this additional approval. “We have done so in the best interest of this country”, Mark

added. The approval followed a motion by the Senate deputy leader, Abdul Ningi, that the supplementary budget be given accelerated passage “in view of the emergency nature of the bill”. All the senators expressed support for the passage of the bill, saying that it would alleviate the suffering of Nigerians, ensure peace and stability of the nation. Smart Adeyemi faulted the national economic team for the delay in the presentation of its request for additional funds. H e , h o w e v e r, s a i d , “ A s representatives of the people, we have to support this request because it would improve the wellbeing of the masses”.

THE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

NEWS

MTI Trains Artisans on Advanced Technology By Mathew Emenike

ational Metallurgical Tr a i n i n g I n s t i t u t e , Onitsha, an institute under the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has broken new grounds as the monotechnic has installed new machines capable of detecting faults and other mechanical problems in modern car technologies. The machines which were donated to the institute by the National Automotive Council of Nigeria were to improve on the technological breakthrough already recorded by the 31 year old institute. Such of the latest fault detecting machines had already been distributed to other institutes across the six geo-political zones of the country. Those who are targeted to benefit from the new technology are artisans such as mechanics, welders and fabricators who would be trained to man and operate the machines while other beneficiaries are car owners, professional drivers and artisans who are also expected to benefit immensely from a

seminar/workshop to be organized in Onitsha and Aba by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in three weeks time. Key experts from the National Metallurgical Training Institute and the Supervising Ministry are expected to deliver papers at the occasion. Some of the machines include: Break and Suspension test machine, gas analyzer, injector testing machine and lamp adjustment machine. The new technology which has already been installed at the mechatronics department of the institute has the capacity of detecting all faults in the vehicle through an inbuilt analyzer which would be displayed on the screen of the machines. Leading journalists round the workshop, the Director, National Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha, Engr. Joseph Ajamolaya disclosed that the wonderful technology would ease some of the problems encountered by motorists and urged the public to take advantage of the opportunity to service their cars with ease. Engr. Ajamolaya said that youth's empowerment was a priority that

must be tackled and enjoined youths and artisans to participate actively in the latest technology, noting that the institute would continue to encourage skill acquisition for industrial growth

of the country. Meanwhile the institute has upgraded its welding facilities to enable it carry out special welding activities. TIG, MIG and MAG have recently been

acquired to perform modern welding technology activities for technicians and technologists. It has also expanded its foundry operations by upgrading its forging and foundry equipment.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY GET FOCUS IN NEW NIGERIAN EDUCATION PLAN

CD faults insecurity and poor economic growth in South-East By Oguejiofor Martins

he Campaign for Democracy (CD), SouthEast Region has lamented the poor performance of the South-East in terms of human rights, economic growth, security and employment. This was contained in a statement issued by CD to journalists in Onitsha, Anambra as part of the group's assessment for the 64 anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The statement was signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor and Dr Jerry Chukwuokolo, who are Chairman and secretary of CD South-East Region. ``CD frowns at the economic down-turn and close down of hundreds of factories and workplaces in the zone as well as high rate of unemployment within the South-East, which is alarming. ``The contributing factors to these economic down-turn stems from epileptic power supply, insecurity of investors and expatriates as well as high rate of erosion. ``It had led to unprecedented security threat, which had resulted to new dimensions of crime especially kidnapping and sales of babies,'' it said. The statement also decried multiple forms of human rights

violation against members of the public in the hands of law e n f o r c e m e n t o ff i c e r s a n d government functionaries. ``The institutions included: SSS, police X-squad, IGP monitoring unit, anti-terrorist squad, vigilante groups and other security operatives in the zone.

``They have remained a serious thorn in the flesh of the SouthEast citizens.'' It said. The statement also stressed its concern over the dumping of people in Anambra SSS detention without trial; adding ``From inside sources, over 15 suspected kidnappers are languishing in the

SSS detention cell without being charged to court''. ``While over 40 are being detained in Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Anambra; while the same number of people could be found in Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi respectively,'' it said. The statement called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to overhaul police

formations and special units in Anambra in order to align with the present democracy. ``Where people's fundamental rights are violated through intimidation, extortion, torture and arbitrary arrest and detention with impunity,'' it said. The statement also urged the police service commission to make a minimum qualification of first degree for new entrants to the

How Okonjo-Iweala's mother was set free …N10m ransom paid

IX days after hoodlums kidnapped Professor M a b e l K a m e n e Ti t i Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at OgwashiUkwu, Delta State. The 82-year-old retired professor of sociology, University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, was released, by her abductors in Benin City, Edo State, after collecting between N10 to N11 million ransom. Suspect arrested was said to have been a young boy, suspected to have been used by the kidnappers as a “sacrificial lamb” to lead the old woman to safety after the ransom was delivered to them, the little boy has also been arrested by security agents to help in their investigations on the identity of the hostage takers. Professor Kamene Okonjo was

shepherded to her Ogwashi-Uku home by security agents, who kept the information secret. Journalists, who mounted siege in the country home of the Okonjos waiting for her to be brought home did not know that she was already inside until about 1.56 pm when they noticed movement in the compound. It was only then they found out that she had come back. Unlike December 9 when she was forcefully taken away, she was quietly led, from the house, to enter a vehicle for the airport, evidently on her way to Abuja, to reunite with her daughter, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The chartered flight that took her to Abuja from Asaba Airport departed at about 2.29 pm. Her son, Onyema, accompanied her. Soldiers, Police and Customs officials prevented

photographers from taking pictures throughout. It was gathered that because of the situation at home, her husband and monarch of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Chukwuka Okonjo Agbogidi, who travelled 24 hours before the queen mother was abducted, was advised not to return home yet. As it is, security would be beefed up in the palace and security agents, including soldiers deployed to the palace before the monarch would return to Ogwashi-Uku, a family source confided in Advocate. Her elated daughter, Dr. OkonjoIweala, reportedly called Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State to thank him for his immense support towards the release of her mother, it was also gathered that President Goodluck Jonathan was alerted as soon as Prof Okonjo was released. A source said President Jonathan was also happy with the news and

commended the governor for a job well done. Negotiation for Professor Okonjo's release was carried out by her son, Prince Onyema Okonjo, who spoke various times with the kidnappers on phone between Sunday, December 9, when she was abducted. Security agents monitored part of the negotiation with the kidnappers, but could not trace their exact location until ransom was paid. The Advocate in its effort to confirm if the security agents were put in confidence in the payment of ransom to the kidnappers, but it was obvious that they were not, as the ransom was dropped and coolly collected by the hostage takers. However, source close to this Newspaper at the time of this report was not emphatic on the amount paid, but he said, “Between N10 million and N15 million was paid as ransom”

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

EDITORIAL

The Spirit of Christmas

December 25th of every year is the birthday of our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was clearly predicted in many passages in the Old Testament and forerunner John the Baptist symbolized the baptism of our Lord in fulfillment of the scriptures. That baptism became the foundation of our Christianity and the true essence of our faith. Christmas means the spirituality of humanity's kinship to Jesus Christ depicted in the words...we are created in the image of the Lord. The significance of the birth of Christ to all Christians is profoundly Christendom. We are reminded of his humble beginning, the birth at the manager, the simplicity of his earthly origins, the total absence of grandeur and the signs that heralded his arrival. Children and adults throughout the world regard Christmas as a day of huge celebration, exchanging gifts and lavish meals, and generally feeling a mood of joy and happiness. Beyond these celebrative expressions the intended spirit of Christmas is fast turning into an economic explosion of marketing and selling that translates into mega billions of all currencies throughout the world. In the midst of all these the true meaning of Christmas has taken the back seat. In a survey of Christians, when the question is thrown as to the most of important date in the Christian calendar, a majority, 60% will tell you that Christmas is more important than Easter. In accepting the views of this vast majority, it is time that deemphasizes the drift to over commercialize the Christmas spirit and return to the spiritual tenants of the birth of Jesus Christ. Of course joy and happiness must accompany the birth of the symbol of our salvation. But the question on the lips of the deprived, the poor, the unemployed, the sick, the helpless and the have not, is how do they enjoy and be happy on poverty, distress and hunger? It is of vital importance that the first duty of good Christians is to eliminate poverty, ignorance and disease. That should be the abiding spirit of Christmas, a day that symbolizes the embodiment of the true essence of Christ coming and the message he brought along. The doctrine teaches the Christ coming and the message he brought along. The doctrine teaches that Christ came for our salvation and to teach us to follow his ways if we are to receive that salvation. That way is clearly shown that we must do good to our fellow men, that we must show charity and give forgiveness that we must treat others as we will like others to treat us. How can one explain this simple instruction if not by doing good? It is not Christina like, to turn our Nigeria society the way

we are experiencing it now. It is not Christian like, to live in the manner where those in position of power and authority do not care about the poor and the dispossessed in our society. The spirit of Christmas will be a sham if the vast majority is celebrating the birth of our savior in poverty and in hunger. For those that can bring change, let this Xmas of 2012 be the turning point in their quest to establish a working democracy where rather than show our ill gotten affluence, we provide jobs for the unemployed, rather than corrupt the system, we establish a level playing field, rather than acquire jets by men of God, we build schools and hospitals, rather than be a bad husband or wife we dedicate our faithfulness to our partner. Besides the merriment of Christmas, the spirit is of more significance than eating and drinking and dancing. These are for children and of course that is the way it should be. Our nation suffers today because we have lost our spirituality. Until we return to the path established for our

salvation we shall remain in the wilderness searching for the true salvation which the Lord Jesus Christ offered us with his coming. Can we will salvage if we continue in our ways of today. What in the world can justify a supposed pastor of the Lord, buying a jet valued at over 60 Billion naira when the very Lord Jesus Christ preached humility, simplicity and selflessness as a true way of life. Today in Nigeria the competition among the leaders of Christian Churches is the pastor with the most expensive jet plane. They started with the most expensive fleet of cares and they have graduated to the most expensive jet planes, No one knows what next. That is the reason that we remind those pastors of the Lord Jesus Christ whose message they are misinterpreting. 2012 Xmas is so significant if one draws any linkage to the fact that the Lord's disciples were twelve in number. Numbers have much meaning in our lives and that explains why we numbered our yearly months to twelve. The spirit of Xmas should transform us as Christians strive to

support our men in authority that is our men in government. The tragedy is that our men in government hardly deserve the support. If it is acclaimed that an average Nigerian is living on, less than 200 naira a day and people the very Nigerians elected to be their representatives award to themselves N1 million a day as their income, how in the world do we ever hope to establish an equitable society. How can a government that hardly have any housing programme for her people justify the building of a vicepresident's residence that will gulp N 16 billion. The spirit of Christmas is for Christians to take stock of their behavior and approach to their fellow human beings. The spirit is to relate fairly and equitable with others, to bear no false witness to our neighbours, to show charity and forgiveness, to love and not hate and to lend a helping hand when it is needed. These are spirits of the session. The Christmas spirit is not the blaring of sirens in the villages to show that we have “arrived”. The spirit is not to

intimidate our neighbours with our earthly power or wealth. The spirit of Christmas is sublime and not show-off. It is right inside with deep reverence to our Lord Jesus Christ for his sacrifice for our salvation. The spirit of Christmas is for the good we can do for our society and our community/. We are troubled by events of insecurity in our nation. Of all Christian doctrine the very one so difficult to understand is the teaching to love our enemies. But faith binds us to love our enemy. It is in the Christmas spirit to pray for our fellow citizens to have a change of heart in their hate and terror. They may break our bones, they may make us weary but our spirit they can never touch and at Christmas our spirit is high and mighty and we shall overcome the current tribulations of terror and hate. Our Christmas spirit shall surely triumph over agents of intolerance and terror. There is pervasive hardship in the land and that in many ways may dampen our Christmas spirit. We shall not let that happen rather our Christmas spirit shall lift us higher and higher. May we all join hands to pray for our nation, our families, and communities? Our Christmas spirit shall never dim. Lewis Uchendu

THE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

INTERVIEW

Chime: Enugu Assembly on wrong track – CNPP Chief Willy Ezugwu is the Secretary General of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP). In this interview with The Advocate, he takes a critical look at the activities of the Enugu State House of Assembly as it affect the absence of Governor Sullivan Chime, the face-off between President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo among other issues. Excerpts We have a situation in your home state now that I may describe as untidy. For about three months now the Governor has not been around and an Acting Governor is in place. But, nobody seems to know the Governor's whereabouts. How do you feel? Well, it is very sad. Like I said earlier, it is quite sad that when we say we are practicing democracy, we are not. Like what I said earlier,

state, he is the state property. The people ought to know. Where is their Governor? But it is not happening. Therefore, it is quite very unfair. It is unbelievable the kind of situation we find ourselves in this country where impunity works as if we have no decorum any longer. How do you see the role the State House of Assembly is playing in all these?

And where the House of Assembly is not doing anything, I will put people on the streets. We will overrun the place. And I will use this opportunity again to invite the National Assembly to invoke all the relevant sections of the constitution that concerns this question of somebody being sick and the constitution says, give this number of days and whoever is the Deputy not taking over.

Chief Willy Ezugwu what we are practicing is satanic democracy in the sense that what happened when Yar'Adua was sick is what is happening in Enugu State. I believe and I know quite well that every living human being can be sick but not when you are running public affairs and when the constitution has said that 65 days you are not in your office, the next person, being your Deputy should take over the affairs of the government. But you find a situation where people are lying. What stops people from coming up to say somebody is sick. There is no person that is sick. I can be sick, the President can be sick, the Senate President can be sick. The Speaker can be sick. Every person living can be sick. Why should it become a secret that somebody is sick, somebody who is manning a public office. And mind you, as far as he is the executive Governor of a

To m e , i t i s s u r p r i s i n g . Unfortunately, the Enugu State House of Assembly is just a merry club where is the President of the club. Anybody calling Enugu State House of Assembly, House of Assembly is making a mistake. It is not House of Assembly. It is just a club, a union, a fraternity. In fact, I use this medium to call on all the constituencies to recall whoever their representative in the House of Assembly is because those people are not supposed to be lawmakers of the state. You can't even be surprised that most of them never won an election. They were just their by appointment. That is why you see what is going on in Enugu state. Therefore, if by the time we wait and nothing happens, I believe that the people of Enugu State have the authority and the mandate to ask for the whereabouts of their Governor.

I do not know if you understand that the House of Assembly may not be guilty at this point going by Section 189 of the Constitution which says that it is the State Executive Council that should meet and write the Speaker that the Governor is incapable, based on which the Speaker will invite five physicians, including the Governor's doctor to investigate. So, where do we go from here? Excuse me; you talk as if you are not in this country. What happened during Yar'Adua? Did the Federal Executive Council write? Did the cabinet members write? No. The same thing is applicable here. Those people you are calling the State Executive Council are just mere houseboys to the Governor. You cannot write to sack your master. It can never happen. But, whereby they cannot write, that is

where the House of Assembly can come in. But, just like I said, we have no House of Assembly in Enugu. May be by name or guy name, what we have is a club. Let us compare this issue to the case of Yar'Adua. In the case of Ya r ' A d u a , t h e N a t i o n a l Assembly invoked what it called the “doctrine of necessity”. That is what I am saying that the Enugu State House of Assembly should invoke the same “doctrine of necessity”. Are you not aware that some people criticized the action taken by the National Assembly? Which people? The Nigerian Bar Association and others. It is the same people who are enjoying, just like what is happening in Enugu. Why do you think that people are being deceived? It is because people believe that government is a continuous process where they come to chop and if this Governor is no longer there, their own job has finished. Therefore, that is why we are witnessing what is happening in Enugu. So, where you know that the State Executive Council cannot do anything, it is time for the State House of Assembly to invoke the relevant laws or section of the constitution that concerns this question of abstentia in office. They are the lawmakers. If they are serious, they can even do something overnight that will save the situation. So, automatically, there is no two ways. As far as most of the laws are being made by either the National Assembly or State Assembly, the constitution empowers them to do something about something when the executive is not doing anything about it. There is this argument that even in the absence of the Governor; governance is going on, roads being constructed and other infrastructure being built. How do you see this argument? This is lay man's argument. Those things they are saying is just motor park discussion. It has no meaning to governance. All we know is that the governor has been in absentia from office for over 65 days or even 90 days. Therefore that section of the constitution must be invoked to be able to swear in the Deputy Governor. Therefore, I want to tell you that there is time we will wait and we will no longer

wait again. So, if our Governor is sick, come out and tell us that he is sick because the rumour they are peddling that he is dead or he is not dead or he is alive should not come up. He is a human being for God's sake. Every human being can fall sick at any given time. So, if you are sick and people will be carrying rumour that you are alive or you are dead, nobody is praying for anybody to die, but the most important thing is that the government must be run the way it is supposed to be run. The truth is that, if you have a chairman, you have a vice chairman, if you have a President, you have a Vice President, you have a Speaker, you have Deputy Speaker. It is because if A is no longer there, let B move in. But, this country makes it look as if it is your father's property as if without you, no other person can occupy the position. Where was he when he was not Governor? Did he come out to become Governor from the time he was born? Then, why can't he leave Governor. And the problem they have is when you learn that they are sick; you keep on wanting to grab power by all means, forgetting that health is a different thing to other things you are manipulating. So, people should know that if you are sick, you resign from your office and go and treat yourself. So, the basis of projects are going on or are not going on, has no business in what we are talking about as far as I am concerned because it is a lay man's argument. Those who are making that argument are reasoning from their anus. They have no business in governance. Tension seems to be growing in the country whether Jonathan will run in 2015 or not? So, how do you feel about the whole development? Well, it is quite unfortunate that in Nigeria, they have so much impoverished the whole system. Every person in this country, if you are not in government, you are poor. And because of this, they have decided to make corruption the order of the day whereby if they dangle N1 before anybody in this country, they jump to it. And that is why they are accumulating all the wealth they can accumulate because their future may be uncertain if they want to come back. But I believe that what you have done in office either in your first tenure or your second tenure should speak for you. You do not need to worry yourself. If you have nothing to show for it, you do not need to ask for the people's mandate. Yes, President Jonathan can easily manipulate things. If the constitution says he will run, he will run. He is a citizen of this country but I believe that it is left for Nigerians to decide. What has he done in his first tenure? Has he been able to move the country forward? This is between me and you. What has he been able to do in security and the economy? There is high rate of unemployment. There are so many killings. There is

Continues on page 33

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Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

FOREIGN NEWS Francois Hollande: Al-Qaeda behind Nigeria kidnap Curled from BBC

l-Qaeda, or an allied group, was probably behind the kidnapping of a French engineer in Nigeria, French President Francois

Hollande has said. A group of about 30 gunmen snatched him from a heavily guarded compound in northern Nigeria, police say. The attack occurred in Katsina

state, which shares a border with Niger, where al-Qaeda's North African wing is known to operate. Nigeria's Islamist militant group has not staged many attacks in

Katsina. Boko Haram, which is fighting to impose Islamic law in Nigeria, has killed some 3,000 people in numerous attacks across northern

Alexandria has already voted in a referendum that has split the nation

Egypt crisis: Fresh Alexandria clashes ahead of voting Culled from BBC

lashes have broken out in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on the eve of the second leg of voting in the country's constitutional referendum. Police fired tear gas thousands of Islamists were met by a smaller group of protesters near a large mosque. The Islamists back President Mohammed Morsi and his draft constitution. Opponents say the document has been rushed and does not protect minorities. Alexandria voted in the first leg of a referendum that has split the nation. The capital, Cairo, has also voted. Seventeen of the 27 provinces will cast ballots on Saturday.

'Redeem Islam' Islamists in favour of the draft had called for a large rally outside the Qaed Ibrahim mosque in the centre of Alexandria. They chanted "God is Great" and "With blood and soul, we redeem Islam". A smaller group of opponents chanted anti-constitution slogans and the two sides threw stones at each other. Police formed lines to keep the groups apart and fired tear gas, with the unrest subsiding after about 90 minutes.

The state news agency Mena quoted the health ministry as saying that 32 people had been injured. Last week an ultraconservative cleric was trapped in a mosque in Alexandria for 12 hours as his supporters battled opponents outside. Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to try to keep order during the referendum. Turnout for the first round of voting was reported to be low just above 30%. Unofficial counts suggested some 56% of those who cast ballots voted "yes" to the draft. The opposition has complained of a number of cases of fraud. Analysts believe Saturday's leg will favour a "yes" vote as the areas to vote are considered in general to be more conservative. Egypt's latest crisis began on 22 November, when Mr Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree, stripping the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions. The decree spurred protests and clashes between Mr Morsi's supporters and opponents. Under pressure, the president revoked much of the decree but only after a constituent assembly had voted through the draft constitution and it had been put to

the referendum. The opposition had demanded the referendum be postponed, saying the assembly had approved the draft despite a boycott by liberals, secularists and Christians, who

believe it does not adequately protect women, freedom of expression or religion. The opposition did not, however, call a boycott, instead urging its members to vote "no". If the constitution passes, elections must take place within three months. In the meantime, legislative powers would remain with Mr Morsi.

Nigeria since 2010, human rights groups say. But BBC Hausa's Aliyu Tanko says the group does not normally kidnap people. President Hollande told Europe 1 radio in France that the kidnappers were "probably linked to AQIM [Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] or the groups which are today in Mali". Islamist groups which are linked to al-Qaeda seized control of the whole of northern Mali, including the historic city of Timbuktu, in April. "We have to be firm when it comes to terrorism, while at the same time maintaining contacts to free" French nationals, Mr Hollande said. Groups linked to AQIM are also believed to be holding several other French nationals kidnapped in Niger and Mali. The engineer kidnapped on Thursday worked for a French company on a wind power project in the town of Rimi, about 25km (15 miles) from Katsina city, reports the AFP news agency. Katsina state police commissioner Abdullahi Magaji also told AFP he did not think Boko Haram was behind the kidnapping. Two security guards were shot dead in the attack, while a police officer was wounded, he said. Earlier this year, a kidnapped German engineer was killed by his captors during a failed rescue bid. It is thought the group holding him had links to AQIM. A British and an Italian hostage were also killed this year during a similar attempt to free them by British and Nigerian forces. There has been a spate of recent kidnappings in southern Nigeria, where the motive is usually a ransom.

Dawn breaks on Maya â&#x20AC;&#x153;end of days," world lives on Culled from Reuters

awn broke over ancient holy sites in southern Mexico to celebrations on Friday, ushering in the start of a new era for the Maya people that had been billed as a possible end of the world. A mix of mystics, hippies and tourists from around the world descended on the ruins of Maya cities to mark the close of the 13th bak'tun - a period of around 400 years - and many hoped it would lead to a better era for humanity. After the sun went up in Mexico and the world continued to spin, visitors to the Maya heartland gave thanks. "I'm just grateful to be here at all," said Graham Hohlfelde, 21, a student from St. Louis, Missouri. "I hope something happens to make me a better person. If I can get a little cosmic help I won't turn

it down." The end of the bak'tun in the 5,125-year-old Long Calendar of the Maya had raised scattered fears around the globe that the end is nigh or that lesser catastrophe lay in store. H o w e v e r, t o t h e p e o p l e congregating in the imposing ruins of the city of Chichen Itza, a focal point for the celebrations in Mexico, it was quite the opposite. "It's not the end of the world, it's an awakening of consciousness and good and love and spirituality - and it's been happening for a while," said Mary Lou Anderson, 53, an information technology consultant from Las Vegas. Fears of mass suicides, huge power cuts, natural disasters, epidemics or an asteroid hurtling toward Earth have circulated on the Internet ahead of December 21. A U.S. scholar said in the 1960s

that the end of the 13th bak'tun could be seen as a kind of Armageddon for the Maya. Over time, the idea snowballed into a belief by some that the Maya calendar had predicted the earth's destruction. A few minutes before the north pole reached its position furthest from the sun on Friday, a spotlight illuminated the western flank of the Temple of the serpent god Kukulkan, a 100 foot (30 meter) pyramid at the heart of Chichen Itza. Then a group of five Englishspeaking tourists dressed in white made their way across the plain, dropped their bags and faced the pyramid with their arms raised. As the sun climbed into the sky, a man with dreadlocks played a didgeridoo at the north end of the pyramid while a group of tourists meditated on brightly colored mats.

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

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HEALTH

Poor sperm quality: Major cause of infertility

here is alarm in reproductive health circles. Male infertility is on the rampage. All over the world, reports of declining sperm quality and increasing male infertility attributable to low sperm count and poor sperm motility and morphology are making the rounds. Indeed it is becoming more challenging for the typical African, Asian, American or European male to preserve his manliness and perpetuate his masculinity, particularly with regards to fertility and vitality. A man's sperms carry half the genetic material necessary to make a complete human being. A woman's egg holds the other half. Increasingly, experts are reporting incidences of men with genetically fragile sperms. Such sperm have fragmented DNA chains, which make them to be of low quality and less capable of fertilisation. Male infertility can be caused by

various factors such as hormone disorders, illness, injury to re p ro d u c t i v e a n a t o m y, obstruction or sexual dysfunction. These factors can temporarily or permanently affect sperm and p re v e n t c o n c e p t i o n . S o m e disorders become more difficult to treat the longer they persist without infertility treatment. But there is hope. The first step of any successful treatment is the proper diagnosis of the male infertility cause. But the same experts, who used to think the problem was only genetic in nature, are beginning to have a rethink as studies have shown that lifestyle issues are involved. They now know that the drastic reduction in men's sperm counts is being driven by a deadly combination of estrogenic (feminising) toxins in the food supply; harmful chemicals in the environment, and poor lifestyle. In Europe, records show that an average of 1 in 18 men has low

sperm count, and the numbers of men who are affected are rapidly increasing. The situation is no better in America, probably worse, and although there are no specific data, the numbers are not expected to be far off for Nigerian men. “We are seeing more men who are having bad sperms, weak sperms and abnormal sperms, and there is a real need to explore a suitable intervention to meet the growing proportion of men that need help in this direction,” noted Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a fertility treatment specialist, and Medical Director, Nordica, Fertiliy Clinic, Lagos, Asaba and Abuja. Lamenting the spate of declining male fertility, Ajayi, observed: “There are many things in the environment causing what is described as oestrogenisation of men. Things such as paint, exposure to petrol and even insecticides can affect sperm count. Men working in fuel stations, for instance, are known to suffer from low sperm counts.”

In the view of Dr. Richardson Ajayi, Medical Director, The Bridge Clinic, Lagos , “Our grandfathers had higher sperm count than our fathers who had higher sperm counts than our generation. There are many theories, but a common theory is that the male of our species is getting exposed to a lot more female hormones than ever, basically due to a lot of xerophenes in the atmosphere. This comes from plastics used for packaging; plastics used for computers etc. These xerophenes have female hormone oestrogenlike effects and exposure of males to them could be deleterious.” Clinical records show that in Nigeria, 25 percent of couples are infertile, and that half of the causes are due to male factor issues. An assessment of hospital data from the four leading tertiary health institutions revealed that over 90 percent of male infertility cases are either due to low sperm counts or poor sperm quality, or a combination of both.

To illustrate the continuing decline of male fertility in the modern world, French researchers in a brand new study published in the Human Reproduction journal, conducted a study on French men aged 18 to 70, tracking their average sperm counts across the country between 1989 and 2005. Their findings showed a drop in sperm counts among all French men in this age range, of about 1.9 percent per year on average, and by 32.3 percent on average over the course of the 16-year period studied, while the number of normally-shaped sperm dropped by 33.4 percent during the study period. “This constitutes a serious public health warning,” said Dr. Joelle Le Moal, an environmental health epidemiologist and one of the researchers. “To our knowledge, this is the first study concluding a severe and general decrease in sperm concentration and morphology at the scale of a whole country over a substantial period.”

Searching for an anti-HIV cream A

newly developed gel has been found to be effective as a first line of defence against HIV. "There's a dance between the virus and the immune system," says Dr Angela Obasi from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. "The more we understand about the virus, the more we understand that dance” This poetic description captures a grim reality - the behaviour of the HIV virus, like a complicated dance, is extremely difficult to predict and therefore tough to combat. "Every time you come up with a strategy to combat the virus, the virus comes up the strategy to overcome your strategy," explains the senior clinical researcher, who has been working in HIV research since 1996. The latest addition to the armoury of anti-HIV strategies is a gel that blocks the "keyhole" in the body's first line of defence - preventing the virus from entering cells. This gel, developed by an international team of researchers and published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, plays a clever trick on HIV - blocking the receptor that HIV latches onto in order to gain access to an immune cell. "The idea here is that you're blocking up that CD4 keyhole so the virus can't enter the [immune] cell," explained Dr Obasi. Lead researcher in the development of this gel, Loic Martin from CEA, a molecular research institute in Gif-surYvette, France, described the results as "promising". One advantage of this potential, he explained, is that this is an entirely new kind of compound

which is not currently used in HIV research. "It may prevent the spread of viruses that become resistant to current treatments," Dr Martin told the BBC. At this stage, though, the product has only been tested in nonhuman primates. It will be up to five years before it is tested on human patients. And efforts to develop similar anti-HIV gels, or microbicides, have presented a great deal of frustration in the fight against this global epidemic. The discovery that sparked the initial hope for microbicide gels came in the 1990s, when a longused spermicide gel called nonoxynol-9, which is still used in many brands of condom, was found to destroy the HIV virus in a test tube. But subsequent clinical studies revealed that, rather than protect against infection, the gel made it worse. "It caused inflammation," explained Dr Obasi. Immune cells that flood to the site of this inflammation are the very cells that the HIV virus "really likes to lock on to". "They're the ferries that take the virus into the body," she said. Even as recently as 2007, a product called Ushercell, which has made it to late-stage clinical trials, was withdrawn for the same reason - it made HIV infection worse. Michael Lederman, director of the Center for Aids Research at Case Western Reserve University in the US, admitted that tests of some of the first prospective anti-HIV gels had been problematic.

"Some early efforts at topical prevention [used] agents that had broad activities that did not target the virus specifically. Some had detergent activities that were toxic to the lining of the vagina," he explained. "Newer agents that target the virus more selectively are much more likely to prove effective and useful." According to the Microbicide Trials Network, there are currently nine different microbicide products in clinical

trials. Dr Obasi says that some are now showing genuine promise. "There's been a great amount of energy put into [developing these] creams or gels that a woman could put into the vagina before sex," she explained, "because so many women are powerless to protect themselves against HIV". In sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic is at its worst, more than 60% of all new HIV infections are women. Dr Obasi continued: "In many parts of the world - especially in

the parts of the world where HIV is most prevalent, there are gender status issues that make it very tricky for a woman to control the circumstances under which she is exposed to HIV." "So methods that are controlled by women give them a critically important power over the safety of their own bodies." Women in many sub-Saharan African countries face being stigmatized if they insist on using a condom - this is associated with promiscuity and sex work.

Trojan-horse therapy 'completely eliminates' cancer in mice

n experimental "Trojanhorse" cancer therapy has completely eliminated prostate cancer in experiments on mice, according to UK researchers. The team hid cancer killing viruses inside the immune system in order to sneak them into a tumour. Once inside, a study in the journal Cancer Research showed, tens of thousands of viruses were released to kill the cancerous cells. Experts labelled the study "exciting," but human tests are still needed. Using viruses to destroy rapidly growing tumours is an emerging field in cancer therapy, however one of the challenges is getting the viruses deep inside the tumour where they can do the damage. "The problem is penetration," Prof Claire Lewis from the University of Sheffield told the

BBC. She leads a team which uses white blood cells as 'Trojan horses' to deliver the viral punch. 'Surfing' After chemotherapy or radiotherapy is used to treat cancer, there is damage to the tissue. This causes a surge in white blood cells, which swamp the area to help repair the damage. "We're surfing that wave to get as many white blood cells to deliver tumour-busting viruses into the heart of a tumour," said Prof Lewis. Her team takes blood samples and extract macrophages, a part of the immune system which normally attacks foreign invaders. These are mixed with a virus which, just like HIV, avoids being attacked and instead becomes a passenger in the white blood cell. In the study, the mice were injected with the white blood cells two days after a course of

chemotherapy ended. At this stage each white blood cell contained just a couple of viruses. However, once the macrophages enter the tumour the virus can replicate. After about 12 hours the white blood cells burst and eject up to 10,000 viruses each - which go on to infect, and kill, the cancerous cells. At the end of the 40-day study, all the mice who were given the Trojan treatment were still alive and had no signs of tumours. By comparison, mice given other treatments died and their cancer had spread. Prof Lewis said: "It completely eradicates the tumour and stops it growing back." She said it was a "groundbreaking" concept, but cautioned that many remarkable advances in treating mice failed to have any effect in people. She hopes to begin human trials next year.

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Ojukwu’s will and battle for assets inheritance

Continues from page 23

written by Ojukwu, it was manipulated and it is not Ojukwu's Will. Ojukwu could not have neglected Sylvester in the Will.” Ezeonwuka did not mention those he suspected to have manipulated the Will, he appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, especially eminent Igbo personalities to endeavour to stop the internal squabble rocking the Ojukwu's family. He warned sycophants instigating the quarrel to move away from the family and allow Sylvester and his younger brother, Emeka, to reconcile their differences, saying: “For the people to say that Sylvester is not the son of Ojukwu is ridiculous. Whoever says that is an enemy of the Igbo people.”

On Ojukwu Transport Corporation, Ezeonwuka, said: “Ojukwu has no controlling power to Will the transport corporation to anybody in the family except his own shares as the company belongs to his late father, Sir Louis Odimegwu Ojukwu. “There are so many directors involved in the company any business must have board decision.” Well, the great man is no more and those who love materialism have joined forces to set family he suffered to build for many ablaze. But it will be a great shame if the Igbo leaders should allow Ojukwu's fence to be eating by the termites so the earlier the matter is resolve better for the overall interest of the family and the people of Igboland.

Ojukwu’s controversial Will

THE silent war between Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Directors of Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, who are brothers of her late spouse, has blown open as both parties have dragged themselves before High Courts of Lagos state to determine who controls the landed property belonging to the company. This came even as the family had concluded plans to mark the first anniversary of Ojukwu's death at Nnewi today. The former Biafran warlord died on November 26, 2011 at aLondonhospital at the age of 78. Late Odumegwu Ojukwu Crisis had been brewing between Mrs. Ojukwu and her late husband's brothers over the control of some property which were left by their late father, Eze Odumegwu Ojukwu, under his company's name, OTL, for decades. The late Ikemba Nnewi was one of the directors of the company and apart from living in one of the property at Ikoyi which he vacated and relocated toEnugu over 10 years ago, Ojukwu was also involved in managing some of the property. These property which were at a time compulsorily acquired by the Federal Government were later released to OTL and the late Dim Ojukwu continued to manage some of them until his demise last year. The property in contention The property include those situated at 58, Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Yaba, Lagos; 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos where Ojukwu once resided, 41 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, 14 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, 2A and 2B Park Close, Apapa, Lagos, 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos, Nnewi Building, 1/3 Creek Close, Apapa, Lagos, 120 Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos, 4A and 4B Park Close, Apapa, Lagos, 196 Igbosere Road, Lagos, 15 Oshodi Street, Lagos and 15/16 Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt. After the death of Ojukwu, the Ojukwu Transport Limited was left with six directors namely Professor Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr. Patrick Ojukwu, Arc. Edward Ojukwu and Lota Akajiora Ojukwu while an Estate Management Consultant, Mr. Massey Udegbe of Massey Udegbe & Company was appointed by the directors to manage the property. Bianca goes to court However, in a suit number LD/1539/12 filed at the Lagos High Court on October 9, 2012, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu's two sons, Afemefuna and Nwachukwu Ojukwu, claimed that they were entitled to the possession of the property known as 29, Oyinka Abayomi Street formerly 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos “until the harmonization of the management and administration of the assets of the 1st Defendant (OTL).” They urged the court to declare that the forceful ejection of the claimants from the said property was illegal just as they also asked the court to declare that they were entitled to the possession of the property known as 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; 32A, Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; 30, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and 4, Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, which they claimed, had been under the possession of their late father.

Mrs. Ojukwu, who sued on behalf her two sons, further sought an order of the court to restrain the defendants or their agents from interfering with the “Claimants' possession and control of 29, Oyinka Abayomi Street (formerly Queens Drive) Ikoyi, Lagos” as well as the aforementioned four property also situated in Lagos. …OTL, too But in a twist, the OTL filed a fresh suit number LD/1680/2012 on November 1, 2012 also before a Lagos High Court against Mrs. Ojukwu, claiming possession of the property known as 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos which comprised twostorey detached house in addition to the payment of N40 million being expected rentable value per annum of the said premises from September 27, 2012, until the defendant gives up possession of the property. In addition, the OTL demanded the payment of N100 million as damages from Mrs. Ojukwu as well as 21 per cent interest on the accrued sum until judgment was given and five per cent until the entire sum was fully liquidated. In a 15-paragraph statement of claim brought by its counsel, Ifeanyi Okumah, OTL claimed ownership of the property at 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, explaining that its agent appointed managing agent had asked Mrs. Ojukwu to handover physical possession of the property to him but she refused. The company said despite disclaimers published in some national dailies warning the general public to deal with the managing agent appointed by it, Mr. Massey Udegbe and subsequent letters to the occupiers of the property to vacate and hand over the keys to the owner (OTL) or its agent, the defendant (Bianca) refused to hand over the property, a development that has denied the company N40 million rent it would have collected on the said property. Tenants in confusion Following the two legal actions, some tenants of the said property were thrown into confusion as to who to pay their rents and this prompted one of the occupants of 30, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, West Africa Offshore Limited to drag Mr. Emmanuel Omuojine, the managing agent appointed by the late Ojukwu, Mr. Massey Udegbe, who was appointed managing agent by OTL and the company (OTL) itself before the Lagos High court. The company which claimed to have paid N40 million to Mr. Omuojine on behalf of OTL as five-year tenancy in 2007, sought an order of the court directing the payment of N24 million representing two years rent from March 16, 2012 to March 15, 2014 in respect of the said property and for same to be lodged into an interest yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the High Court pending the resolution of the disputes between the parties. By the new development, both Mrs. Ojukwu and the directors of OTL, would have to wait for the determination of the various suits on the contentious property before they could further benefit from them. Meanwhile, the first anniversary is expected to be observed at Ojukwu's family compound at Nnewi today though the family members are at loggerheads over who controls the property left behind by their late multi-millionaire father, Sir Louis Philip Odumegwu Ojukwu who died in 1966.

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

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FLASHBACK

Nigeria’s Founding Fathers (6) Ahmadu Bello Sir Ahmadu Bello (June 12, 1910 January 15, 1966) was a Nigerian politician, and was the first premier of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was the Sardauna of Sokoto and one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both of whom were prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent Nigeria. As leader of the Northern People's Congress, he dominated Nigerian politics throughout the early Nigerian Federation and the First Nigerian Republic. Early life He was born in Rabbah, Sokoto State. The son of a district head and heir to the Sokoto Caliphate, his great-grandfather was Sultan Bello, the founder of Sokoto and son of the revered Shaykh Usman Dan Fodio. Ahmadu Bello received his education first at the Sokoto Provincial School, the only modern school at the time in the Sokoto province. Then, he proceeded to the Katsina Teacher's Training College. After spending five years at Katsina, he was appointed by the Sultan to become a teacher at the Sokoto Middle School, his former school which had undergone rapid transformation. In 1934, he was made the district head of Rabbah, four years later, he was promoted and sent to Gusau to become a divisional head. In 1938, he made an unsuccessful bid to become the new Sultan of Sokoto. The successful sultan immediately conferred upon Sir Ahmadu Bello the traditional, now honorary, title of Sarduna, alternatively spelled Sardauna, and elevated him to the Sokoto Native Authority Council. In 1948, he was offered a scholarship to study local government administration in England. Ahmadu Bello took the scholarship sensing he needed to shore up his knowledge about the process of governance. Nigerian politics After returning from England, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly. As a member of the assembly, he was a notable voice for northern interest and embraced a style of consultation and consensus with the major representatives of the northern emirates: Kano, Bornu and Sokoto. In the first elections held in Northern Nigeria in 1952, Sir Ahmadu Bello won a seat in the Northern House of Assembly, and became a member of the regional executive council as minister of works. Bello was successively minister of Works, of Local Government, and of Community Development in the Northern Region of Nigeria.

In 1954, Bello became the first Premier of Northern Nigeria. In the 1959 independence elections, Bello led the NPC to win a plurality of the parliamentary seats. Bello's NPC forged an alliance with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's NCNC (National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons) to form Nigeria's first indigenous federal government which led to independence from Britain. In forming the 1960 independence federal government of the Nigeria, Bello as president of the NPC, chose to remain Premier of Northern Nigeria and devolved

the position of Prime Minister of the Federation to the deputy president of the NPC, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Bello's greatest legacy was the modernization and unification of the diverse people of Northern Nigeria. He was assassinated on 15 January 1966 in a coup which toppled Nigeria's postindependence government. He was still serving as premier of Northern Nigeria at the time. The Ahmadu Bello University is named after him. His portrait adorns Nigeria's 200 naira note, and he is survived by three daughters, one of which died in 2008.

Akintola Williams

Akintola Williams Akintola Williams (born 9 August 1919) was the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant. His firm, founded in 1952, later grew organically and through mergers to become the largest professional services firm in Nigeria by 2004. Williams participated in founding the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. During a long career, Williams received many honors. Birth and education Akintola Williams was born in 1919. His grandfather Z.A. Williams was a merchant prince from Abeokuta and his father Thomas Ekundayo Williams was a clerk in the colonial service who set up a legal practice in Lagos after training in London, England. He was the older brother of Rotimi Williams, who later became a distinguished lawyer. Williams attended the CMS Grammar School, Lagos. He went on to Yaba Higher College on a UAC scholarship, obtaining a diploma in commerce. In 1944 he traveled to England where he studied at the University of London, majoring in banking and finance and graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He continued his studies and qualified as a chartered

accountant in England in 1949.[5] While in London, he was one of the founders of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa society, with Dr. Oni Akerele as President and Obafemi Awolowo as Secretary. Accounting career After returning to Nigeria in 1950, Williams served with the Inland Revenue as an assessment officer until March 1952, when he left the civil service and founded Akintola Williams & Co in Lagos. The company was the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa. At the time, the accountancy business was dominated by five large foreign firms. Although there were a few small local firms, they were certified rather than chartered accountants. Williams gained business from indigenous companies including Nnamdi Azikiwe's West African Pilot, K.O. Mbadiwe's African Insurance Company, Fawehinmi Furniture and Ojukwu Transport. He also provided services to the new state-owned corporations including the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, the Western Nigeria Development Corporation, the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the Nigerian Ports Authority. The first partner in the firm, Charles S. Sankey, was appointed

Ahmadu Bello Premier of Northern Nigeria in 1957, followed by the Cameroonian Mr. Njoh Litumbe. Litumbe opened branch offices in Port Harcourt and Enugu, and later spearheaded overseas expansion. In 1964 a branch was opened in the Cameroons, followed by branches in Côte d'Ivoire and Swaziland and affiliates in Ghana, Egypt and Kenya. By March 1992 the company had 19 partners and 535 staff. Demand grew as a result of the Companies Act of 1968, which required that companies operating in Nigeria formed locally incorporated subsidiaries and published audited annual accounts. The drive in the early 1970 to encourage indigenous ownership of businesses also increased demand. In 1973 AW Consultant Ltd, a management consultancy headed by Chief Arthur Mbanefo, was spun off. The company acquired a computer service company and a secretarial service, and in 1977 the company entered into an agreemment with Touche Ross International based on profit sharing. Williams was also a board member and major shareholder in a number of other companies. He retired in 1983. Between April 1999 and May 2004, Akintola Williams & Co merged with two other accounting firms to create Akintola Williams Deloitte, the largest professional services firm in Nigeria with a staff of over 600. Public roles and honors Williams playing a leading role in establishing the Association of Accountants in Nigeria (AAN) in 1960 with the goal of training accountants. He was the first President of the association. He was founding member and first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He was also involved in establishing the Nigerian Stock Exchange. He remained actively involved with these organizations into his old age. At a stock exchange ceremony in May 2011

he called on operators to protect the market and ensure there was no scandal. He said that, if needed, market operators should not hesitate to seek his advice on resolving any problem. Public sector positions include Chairman of the Federal Income Tax Appeal Commissioners (19581968), member of the Coker Commission of Inquiry into the Statutory Corporations of the former Western Region of Nigeria (1962), member of the board of Trustees of the Commonwealth Foundation (19661975), Chairman of the Lagos State Government Revenue Collection Panel (1973) and Chairman of the Public Service Review Panel to correct the anomalies in the Udoji Salary Review Commission (1975). Other positions include President of the Metropolitan Club in Victoria Island, Lagos, Founder and Council member of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Musical Society of Nigeria. In 1982 Williams was honored by the Nigerian Government with the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). Following retirement in 1983, Williams threw himself into a project to establish a music center and concert hall for the Music Society of Nigeria. In April 1997 Queen Elizabeth II awarded him title of Commander of the British Empire (CBE). His CBE was awarded for services to the accountancy profession and for promotion of arts, culture and music through the Musical Society of Nigeria. The Akintola Williams Arboretum at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation headquarters in Lagos is named in his honor. On 8 May 2011 the Nigeria-Britain Association presented awards to John Kufour, past President of Ghana, and to Akintola Williams, with awards for their contributions to democracy and development in Africa.

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ODD WORLD

Formerly conjoined twin girls recovering well after separation

wins Amelia and Allison Tucker, born joined at the chest, met the world Thursday after a seven-hour operation successfully separated them. The formerly conjoined 8month-old girls are recovering well from their November surgery, surgeons at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia reported. The girls were born sharing their diaphragm, pericardium and liver, as well as the chest wall. “Both Allison and Amelia are doing well, and we expect them both to enjoy full, healthy and independent lives,” said Dr. Holly L. Hedrick, the pediatric general, thoracic and fetal surgeon who led the 40-member multidisciplinary team that carried out the complex separation early last month. It was the 21st time that The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has separated a pair of conjoined twins. Allison is home with her parents now, while Amelia remains in the hospital. "The separation was successful because of the bravery of the family and the team," Hedrick said Thursday. "I'm convinced

that Allison, the smaller twin, is the tougher one. She was the first to have her drainage tube removed and first to be discharged. Amelia also tough but a little more laid back. She's the larger twin but she's had a more challenging recovery. But she's improving every day." The sisters love being held and love being together, their mother said. "Once they are held they are happy. When they get together they are totally different babies. You can tell they are happy and relieved to be with their sister," Shellie Tucker said. She seemed to agree with Hedrick's take on her daughters' personalities: "Allison is the feisty one, like her brother... kind of loud. Amelia is laid back, very serious. But once she relaxes she welcomes you with smiles every time." Because the twins didn't share many internal organs, their prognosis is good, according to Dr. Joseph Losee, chief of pediatric surgery at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Closing the wounds can be difficult because extra skin and

Twin girls recovering after separation other tissues are needed to replace what was previously shared by the girls. Surgeons have come up with two ways to get around that problem, said Losee, who led a team that successfully separated a pair of conjoined twin girls in 2009. “One is by tissue expansion, where you put a little water balloon under the skin and keep adding water so that you slowly stretch out the skin and muscle,”

Losee said. “The other way is to put a catheter inside the abdomen and inject air. Then the skin and muscle stretch as they do in pregnancy.” NBCPhiladelphia.com: Surgeons separate conjoined twin girls The girls “should probably have a normal life,” said Losee, who is not affiliated with CHOP. Conjoined twins occur very rarely, estimated at about 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 births,

11-yr old girl gets pregnant for five boys

T was a shocking story to the parents and neighbours of an 11 year old girl and pupil of Ikorenim Primary School in Calabar, Cross River State, Ekamen Asuquo, when a pregnancy test that was conducted on her at the General Hospital, Calabar revealed that she was carrying a four-month pregnancy. The mother of the primary five pupil, who resides at 2, Pipeline

Road, Ikorenim had suspected p r e g n a n c y, g o i n g b y t h e symptoms exhibited by the teenage girl, who was sick for a while as she decided to take her to the hospital after she failed to get well, despite long period of self medication. The mother was rattled when it was discovered that the girl was pregnant after some tests. A neighbour, who spoke on

condition of anonymity, said “She has been at home for the past two months always complaining of one ailment or the other and the mother had to take her to the General Hospital after home medication could not heal her in the hope that she could be treated there.” The neighbour, said when the teenage girl was confronted by her mother, who allegedly sells hot

Spain arrests woman with cocaine breast implants

panish police arrested a Panamanian woman on Wednesday who landed in Barcelona from Bogota, Colombia with cocaine stuffed inside her breast implants. The woman was taken to the police at Barcelona's El Prat airport after her vague answers to questions about the reasons for her trip from Bogota raised suspicion at the border control, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Spanish authorities carry out rigorous checks of passengers arriving on so-called "hot flights" from Latin America, to fight drug smuggling. When border police discovered fresh scars and blood-stained gauze on the woman's chest she was taken to a nearby hospital to check her claim that she had

recently undergone breast implant surgery.

The implants were found to carry 1.38 kg of cocaine.

BREAST IMPLANTS STUFFED WITH COCAINE ARE SEEN IN THIS HANDOUT PICTURE RELEASED BY SPAIN'S

drinks and illicit drugs over who was responsible for the pregnancy, she mentioned one Tony, one of the boys that patronises her mother's hot drinking joint. However, the source hinted that when Tony was confronted, he said “He was the one who dated the teenage girl first but another customer, Jones snatched her from him and when Jones was confronted, he said he had since stopped dating the girl and mentioned another person, who when also confronted, mentioned another boy and at the last count, the number was five.” It was gathered that the mother was infuriated when her daughter confirmed that she slept with all the boys mentioned and could not actually tell who was responsible. It was also gathered that two of the boys mentioned were tenants living in the woman's house. Out of annoyance, “She has since asked the two young men living in her house to quit but they are asking for time to secure another accommodation before they can vacate the house.” When the distraught mother was asked what she was going to do with the daughter's predicament, tears rolled down her cheek, as she said “I leave everything to God.” When the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr John Umoh, was contacted, he said the incident had not been reported to the police.

although most are stillborn or die shortly after birth. Conjoined twins are more likely to be female. Hospitals in the U.S. perform separation surgery on conjoined twins about six times a year, according to doctors at Lucille Packard Hospital in Stanford, Calif. The twins' mother, Shellie Tucker, who has been tracking their development on a blog, wrote that she and her husband Greg didn't discover the twins were conjoined until an ultrasound at 20 weeks. In fact, parents of conjoined twins often don't get the news until late in the pregnancy, Losee said. Her obstetrician had never seen conjoined twins before, Tucker said Thursday, so they went to a specialist who recommended that she have an abortion. "We chose to get a second opinion," Tucker said. "Both of us have a lot of faith and in that situation I think you have to have it... we relied on that. No matter the outcome, we decided we were going to make it through." Video: Hospital news conference on twin separation surgery The twins were delivered by Csection at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on March 1, 2012. They've spent much of their first year in the hospital, appearing to the world as if they were in a perpetual embrace. “Greg and I are thrilled that our daughters have been given this remarkable gift by the amazing team from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,” said Shellie Tucker. “We are so grateful for the support and encouragement that the medical team, our families and our friends have given us during this long journey.” After the seven-hour procedure on Nov. 7, Tucker wrote on her blog: “Today started off with fear, anxiousness, nervousness, and excitement. Greg and I went into this knowing some facts but not all. We trusted our surgeons and hoped for the best. We never could imagine the outcome being as great as it was.”

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

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Anambra 2013 Elections: Getting it right

Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman BY Uba Ani

emocracy in Nigeria tends to bear a different definition as it cannot share anything in comparison with what obtains in places where it is truly in practice. The reasons are obvious given the glaring challenges factored on lack of democratic culture, corruption and most importantly as it leans on sentiments and ethnic cleavages. The long stay of the military authoritarian rule has over time permeated into all spheres of Nigeria's political life moreso where they (the army) forced on Nigerians a constitution that was neither articulated by the people nor based on their collective aspiration. These fundamental flaws have consequently not given room for the right things to be done especially in the process of electing leaders for public offices in Nigeria, thus, elections in Nigeria since this new democratic order has been subject of despicable catalogue of criticisms. Elections in Nigeria have over time been regarded by various authorities as mere selection. This is upon the fact that candidates who emerge from the political parties for the elections do so either by hook or crook; using the enormous financial resources at their disposal or contact with party stakeholders and godfathers. So lack of internal democracy has been the bane of smooth, free, credible elections in Nigeria and truly political parties are most often instrumental to majority of the crisis and consequent litigations that trail elections in Nigeria. Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the 2011n elections had been vastly criticized for inefficiency, lack of transparency and fairness in the conduct of national elections and in the last elections conducted in Anambra State by the Prof Maurice Iwu then led INEC, there were agitations and

petitions that were only determined by the courts. The question yawning for an answer is, what will become of the 2014 Anambra Governorship elections? In recent time, the Prof. Jega led INEC has brought about positive changes in Elections in Nigeria. The 2011 elections were adjudged better than earlier elections, hence there's no doubt that INEC conducted elections have progressed as evidenced in the Edo Governorship race where the incumbent Governor Adams Oshomole of the ACN was returned for a second term after an adjudged free and fair elections. Ordinarily one would have expected a hijack by the ruling party at the center, PDP, to hoist their candidate but the wishes and aspirations of the electorates as collated after the polls were upheld by the electoral body. In Ondo also the story was the same as Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, against all odds, which includes the enormous gang-up and big challenges posed by the ACN, PDP, CPC and other political parties, not only swept the polls but rode on a victorious Hercules for a second term in what was described as one of the freest and fairest elections in recent Nigeria electoral history. In the above two elections the expectations were high especially as it's generally believed that lack of credible elections in has been primarily instrumental to bad leadership in the country, as the choices of the people were thrown to the waste bin for others without vision or the dream to actualize the needs of the people, but the Prof. Jega led INEC has shown that better electoral process can be achieved in Nigeria. Anambra state created in August 27, 1991 by the erstwhile military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida in an alleged bid to assuage the Igbos and have their support for his self succession and

perpetuation bid; an action used drawn as Gov Peter Obi's second to hoodwink the people into term in office will wind up in the considering him as a political next 14 months. The jostle for the magnanimous and benevolent governorship position had since leader, has been plagued with begun both at the open and myriads of social and political underground but the question is on whose shoulders, this burden problems. The State known to be the home of leadership will rest? of the likes of late sage, Rt, Hon. The players for the top job of the Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Governor of Anambra state can Orizu, Pius Okigbo, Mbonu be divided into three groups. Ojike, Chuba Okadigbo, Emeka Some of the top contenders Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dr. Jerome include Chief Andy Uba, Udoji, (all of the blessed E v a n g e l i s t N i c h o l a s memory) Chinua Achebe, Dr Ukachukwu, Senator Annie Alex Ekwueme, etc, etc, is yet to Okonkwo, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, have a defined roadmap to Senator Chris Ngige, Prof. political stability; even as the Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Okey state is endowed with great Nwosu, Chief Obinna Uzor, human potentials in the fields of Iyom Uche Ekwunife, Chief academics, commerce and Alphonsus Igbeke and Senator Emma Anosike while the likes of industry. A popular maxim says that power Chief Obiora Okonkwo, Engr. is not given but taken, so the Emeka Nwawka, Ifeanyi Uba, recent clamour and demand by Princess Stella Oduah, Chief the people of Anambra North John Emeka, Chief Chinedu Senatorial Zone for a power shift E m e k a , N z e A k a c h u k w u may just be meaningless and Nwakpo and Emeka Nwandu are effort in futility if they fail to but pretenders. On the third level horse-trade for the support of the are some former big politicians other two zones; Anambra South battered but are seeking to reand Anambra central, just as the launch themselves for political tripartite political arrangement relevance which includes, Dr which the state stands on may as Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Chief well not be enough to woo the Ifeanyi Okonkwo and Joe sentiment of the other zones for Martins Uzodike. T h e them produce possible t h e n e x t picture of The State known to Governor of the t h e state after the be the home of the likes individua tenure of Mr. of late sage, Rt, Hon. l a n d Peter Obi. platform Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, The Anambra that will North's demand Nwafor Orizu, Pius Okigbo, take over is hinged on the a v a i l a b l e Mbonu Ojike, Chuba Okadigbo, from Obi statistics of the Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, i s s t i l l hazy and f o r m e r Dr. Jerome Udoji, (all of the surround Governors that e d i n blessed memory) had led the state uncertain at various times Chinua Achebe, Dr Alex ty but until that of Ekwueme, etc, etc, is yet m o s t Obi; all of who had come from to have a defined roadmap to recently t h e Anambra South political stability; even as Chairma and central the state is endowed with n o f zones. They A c t i on a r e : D r . great human potentials in the Congress Chukwuemeka fields of academics, o f Ezeife 1997-98 commerce and industry. Nigeria, ( S o u t h ) , D r. ACN, in Chinwoke Anambra Mbadinuju 1999-2003 (South), Dame Virgy State, Mr. Amechi Obidike Etiaba Nov.2006- Jan.2008 dismissed the PDP with a wave of (South), Andy Uba 17days hand and stated that, “The PDP is (South), Dr. Chris Ngige 2003- in a messier situation having been 2006(Central) and Mr Peter Obi, under spell of sorts since the crème of the party left with its 2006 till date,(Central). As the battle to succeed Governor soul to populate the ACN as Peter Obi rages on, quite foundation members. If there is lamentably is the fact that the one area we are sure the PDP will political gladiators in the state win the price, it is in having about don't seem to have an agenda that 100 candidates, only five of identify with the interest of the which will be the real contenders. masses whose common wealth The PDP has to resolve its over they are jostling for the mandate 400 court cases across four to manage, yet the masses are at factions to challenge the closemost times bamboozled into knit structures of the ACN in Anambra. Even then, the few buying into their projects. Now new battle lines are being credible ones in their rank will

“

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not get the ticket”. He said that even the ruling party APGA got to where they are because all was well, unlike now the Ikemba, Emeka Ojukwu is no more and there's a serious crack on the APGA wall which has created a big divide between the Party's National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, Mr Peter Obi and many other stalwarts of the ruling party in the state. So with this development it is difficult for the envisaged godfather role by either Gov. Obi or Sir Victor Umeh to hold any water, because as it is, the duo is presently pitched against one another in a fight to finish battle that will obviously mar the fortunes of the party. Chief Sylvester Nwobu Alor, former Special Adviser to Gov. Obi viewed the unity of the people of Anambra North to form a common front to achieve their aspiration, with some kind of skepticism. He contended that unless the North queue behind a credible candidate; a choice that will also win the support of people from other zones, it might even be more herculean to realize their dream as most of the gladiators who ran against Obi during 2010 election are even more optimistic to emerge as candidates of major political parties in the state. In a politically volatile state like Anambra, the gift of very willing participants is a great advantage that creates euphoria of high stakes. This tends to bring the modest players to the table with deep pockets enough to buy the electorates if only it will be a matter of price or what money can buy. More interestingly, Anambra politics seems to be moving into a period of suspense, name dropping, rumours and propaganda, all in attempts to gain wider acceptance and woo support from both politicians and non-politicians alike and that has resulted in series of controversies in the political goings-on in the State. But will democracy ever work in Anambra State where the political players believes that anything goes; where they are as glued as on the cross with the famous Machiavelli saying “that the end justifies the means”; where the players are mostly hungry for power and are desperate to control of same inoder to determine the economy; where various interest groups go out their ways to get the unconventional and wrong things to be the societal norm. The problem of Anambra state like the State of Chicago in the 1920s shall only be solved by a radical political change or a revolution of sort, as was in the case of Chicago during the brutal reign of the capones.

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

2014 Anambra Governorship Elections: Another crowded race

nambra aspirants are warming up to yet make another gamble with themselves, and the people of Anambra State if they are not careful shall be once again be the ultimate losers because they never seem to exercise their rights of free of choice of their governor. The question for Anambra is simply whether Anambrarians can free themselves from the self inflicted conclaves of the gubernatorial candidates, some self sponsored, some outside sponsored, some ghost sponsored, some trade sponsored

as they stale their lives just to be counted not necessarily by Anambrarians but by those agents of hate that mean no good for the common man and will disappear into thin air once the elections are over. This time following the remarkable development on the ground, Anambra State needs people who are genuine to provide essential leadership to solve the problems of common people. It is very sad and indeed troubling that at every gubernatorial election all kinds of governorship aspirants troupe out to disrupts

the lives of the people under difference guises whom they abandoned with their armament to join the alternative “profession” of kidnappers, hire assassins and armed robbers. It now time for Ndi Anambra to say no to this practice. They simply have got to change for the better. If not and like previous elections, the governorship contest will increase in robberies and kidnappings if Ndi Anambra are not careful this time. The consequence is that hard working men and women are continually denied of their hard earned

income making state permanently under siege. If we recall, twenty five gubernatorial candidates from twenty five political parties contested in February 6th, 2010 Anambra Elections, which the court voided because there was no vacancy. Again in February 6th, the PDP candidates especially found the courts veritable instrument to undermine, abused the wishes of themselves and the people. In the coming elections Ndi Anambra must focus on four important issues enlisted here below:Can the candidate be a good governor? Stated differently, does the candidate have the ability,

background and experience to provide good governance? What are the candidate education and training qualifications? Is he the kind of person that Ndi Anambra will be proud to accept as their governor when he speaks and represent them at state and national level, What kind of person is the candidate? Is he humble or is he the arrogant type who will turn his back on people after obtaining the votes? What are his antecedents? What is the candidate's vision of Anambra State? And can the candidate place his vision on the ground? For example can he solve the security and unemployment problem? Can he provide quality education? Can he fast-track the

Anambra 2013 Governorship contestants: Their Background, Strength and Weakness Compiled by Ted Peters

ANDY UBA

e is a serving Senator representing Anambra South Constituency (PDP). Born 14 December 1958, Uba contested the controversial 2007 Anambra gubernatorial election and was actually installed governor of Anambra State until he was removed from office by Supreme Court. Educational Background: Since he is a Senator, he is qualified to be a governor. However, apart from his secondary school education at the Boys High School Awkunanaw, Enugu, not much detail is available on his tertiary education. The best that is known is that he has first Degree and a Doctorate Degree from California State University and Buxton University respectively.

Strength: His greatest strength is that he is supported by strong PDP forces headed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and he is Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC. Weakness: Most Anambra grassroots resent the way he appeared to have been forced down their throats by the former president. Not much was known about him until Obasanjo brought him as his Super Powerful Personal Assistant on Personal Matters.

ANNIE OKONKWO

e has been a Senator and so he is qualified to contest the Anambra gubernatorial election. Born 23 May 1960, Okonkwo was elected Senator for the Anambra Central constituency on 29 May 2007 (PDP). Not much is known as to what he achieved or his contribution at the senate. Educational Background: Outside his Secondary School in Aba, he possesses Advanced Diplomas from USA and University of Lagos. Not much is known about his background apart from commerce. Strength: He seems to have re-invented himself with Committee 21 which he is the chairman and has changed party to APGA and hoped that his populist Igbo centric position approach will guarantee him the keys to the Government House, Awka. Weakness: The current problem in his chosen political platform APGA and the general feeling that Anambra Central had been on seat for a long time.

CHRIS NGIGE

orn 8 August 1952, Ngige was governor of Anambra State from 29 May 2003 to 17 March 2006. He is a member of the Action Congresss of Nigeria (ACN). He was elected Senator for Anambra Central in April 2011. Educational Background: A medical doctor by profession, Ngige graduated from the University of NigeriaNsukka in 1979. He immediately went into the civil service, serving at the National Assembly and State House clinics at different times. Strength: Popularity he garnered as governor for resisting political godfathers. Weakness: His Anambra Central has occupied the governorship seat for too long. Continue on page 20

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

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We want to be Independent – Speaker Right Honourable Eugene Odo, Speaker Enugu State House of Assembly advocates for a first line finance charge for the State Assemblies. In this Interview with our correspondent UBA ANI Hon. Odo blamed the problem of instability, corruption and security challenges on attitudinal problem inherent on the Nigerian people. He further called for change of mannerism so as to avoid the collapse of democracy in Nigeria. EXCERPTS What is your assessment of Nigeria's democracy from 1999? Democracy was properly institutionalized from 1999. Obviously it should be thirteen years old that we have practiced full fledged democracy. That is not to say that it has gone without hitches. If you recall, we were coming from a military regime and democracy between 1999 and 2003 was tainted with a lot of military mentality. There is a gradual projection in terms of progress between 2003 and 2007. And then of course basic infrastructures were provided across the entire 36 state of the federation as from 2007 till date. That is not to say the previous administration did not do anything but it garnered momentum as we progressed and it is hopeful that by 2015 upwards, we are believing that the future leaders then would do better than we are doing now. A look at the state of the nation, you find all forms of ethnic agitations, declaration of statehood by various groups, corruption and other forms of social vices and insecurity, would you say that Nigeria is due for democracy. Yes, there is nothing you will compare democracy with. The cost of freedom cannot be quantified in anyway. During military regimes, we were witnesses to decrees and edicts that were promulgated and made to have retrospective effects, at least we are rest assured now that such thing can no longer happen. The problem with country is not largely political or instability but that of attitude. Everybody has got a fair share of it. The Boko haram issue has nothing to do with politicians. It is just the attitude, the will-power of those in authority to really stamp their feet. You and I know that for each of the bombings that were sporadically exploded across the country, at least a Grand Cherokee jeep is lost and at the end of the day, some are arrested as the bomb shooters; it is not true. The bomb blast that took place at Okene, the perpetrator when arrested confessed that he was given N7,000. So that was the price to go and kill himself and waste the lives of innocent citizens. We believe that some people are behind the bombings and efforts should be made to unravel those behind those bombings. Once they are unraveled, the problem would have been solved because those who are perpetrating the crime

themselves can neither afford the cost of the bomb, let alone the corresponding facilities that are wasted alongside with it. But we believe that the consciousness of Nigerians should be geared towards attitudinal change. All of us are getting it wrong. Somebody who is meant to be in his place of work by 8 o'clock and by 10 o'clock he is still preparing to go to work, that is the collapse of the system! It has nothing to do with politics; it has to do with the way we do things. And for you to give somebody a civil service job now and for the person to enjoy it, what it simply means is for you to connive with such person so that he can abscond from duty. With the emergence of EFCC and ICPC, at least the political office holders can now operate with caution; it means that if he does not appropriate and expend public income effectively, something might happen to the person when he leaves office. That is for those who enjoy the immunity clause, but for those without immunity, nothing stops the law from taking its course. So you see that the level at which people squander public funds with impunity is gradually reducing. And we believe that it is part of what democracy can offer. Let us not lose sight of the fact that our nascent democracy is still fledging. It is very young and from the mistakes we make, other people will get to correct until we get to it. Don't forget that sometime in the US similar things happened. Judges were kidnapped along the streets, people appointed themselves mayors of the cities and today they are enjoying it because they passed worse situations that we are passing today. I believe that with the consciousness of our people, with the real attitudinal change imbibed in each and every one of us, we are still going to make a positive gradual process. People are wondering if there is no law against kidnapping probably upon the fact that not much has happened in terms of conviction of culprits. What is the legislature doing about this? Well it will be quite unfair, quite unreasonable for any one to say that there is no law on kidnapping. Don't forget what we did two years ago in Enugu State House of Assembly was to amend section eight one (81) of our criminal law code. The offence of kidnapping attracts under the Enugu State criminal law code an imprisonment after conviction of twenty-one years but the Houses

of Assembly have amended the same law to impose capital punishment on people who are found guilty of kidnapping. The law is there. The issue is not law, the issue is how do we go about providing security for the citizens of the state and then of course the citizens of the country. The issue is about how citizens imbibe creativity instead of being consumers in the economy. That is the problem all of us are facing. By the time we provide jobs for the people, by the time people thrive in their personal endeavours, we should be able to make progress. So I must tell you that there is a law on kidnapping in Enugu State. In fact, there has been a law on kidnapping from day one. All we did was to provide a stiffer punishment for offenders of this law. Why has the freedom of information law been a subject of controversy? Some states do not recognize it. What is your take on this? On the issue of freedom of information act, I think there is a mistake we should all know and get to correct. The bill on information has been passed and accented by Mr. President. The copies of the laws are everywhere. For it to be in operation, it need not be domesticated in the states. It is under the provisions of section 12 of the constitution, that is, as it relates to international charter which is to be domesticated, but in most cases I've heard people say that these people have not done this or that. Once there's a Federal legislation, under the doctrine of 'covering the field', you don't need to apply it to work. Before the criminal code law in Enugu State, we were using the criminal code act and offenders are being prosecuted. Domestication of laws is simply to tailor something down within the local circumstances it is found. That is just what it simply means but under the doctrine of covering the field, once the National Assembly does not make a corresponding law, the law takes effect. Don't forget that the National Assembly is legislating for the entire federation and who is this federation? The federation is the component and aggregate of the 36 states and Abuja. While the House of Assembly in Enugu has passed some good bills to checkmate security challenges in the state, yet at one point or the other, there are upsurge of crime especially in

Engene Odoh, Speaker Enugu State House of Assembly Enugu City. What is the way out? Well I must start by saying that the security situation in the country, in terms of the way the constitution of the country is factored, it does not domicile itself within the competence and jurisdiction of the states. And as such, the state House of Assembly cannot legislate properly on issues of national security. There is no security arm of this nation that rest itself in the states. That is why a lot of us are clamouring for zonal or state police so that we can be held responsible in terms of what happens in matters of security. And looking at the national police, we have an average of 500,000 policemen in a country of about one hundred and sixty million people. So what it simply means is that we have one policeman per 320 persons. Obviously, it is going to collapse. That is the situation we found ourselves, but what we are doing in Enugu State to complement the effort of Police is the introduction of community policing through the neighbourhood watch. We wanted to strengthen them so that they can even function like the conventional police known to us alone in Enugu State but somehow we ran into a ditch. As at the time we were making the law, we wanted to equip them with arms but there was an objection from some members that under the Nigeria police act, 'that unless you are policeman,

you don't have power to acquire gun'. That was what made us delete the aspect of handling gun by the neighbourhood watch. But even at that, they are assisting very well in the provision of information which security and protection basically needs. So we are trying our best. On the issue of proscribing motorbikes, don't forget that when we made law to regulate the operations and use of motorbikes in Enugu state, it led to the importation of the “highjack” brand and this “high-jack” brand runs faster than most fast vehicles you can think of. We now said okay, since these operators are using them to perpetrate crime; snatching people's money after they must have gone to bank and a whole lot of other ills; let us reduce the cubic centimeters so that it will not exceed 100cc engine capacity motorcycles, even at that, it appeared as if it got worse. We are not in any way ascribing all those using motorcycle as criminals, no! but motorcycle has been over time used as an instrument to perpetrate crime in Enugu State, which we are all witnesses to. And we now think that to showcase this experiment, it shouldn't be proscribed entirely in the state, what we should do is to proscribe it in the urban city and the urban city of Enugu comprises of three local

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We want to be Independent Continues from page 18 governments namely, Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South LGAs. Nothing stops anyone from plying 'Okada' in Udi, Igboetiti, and any other local government outside this territory. And that has brought about relative peace in Enugu. We as government are working toward providing succor. The House of Assembly summoned all the local government Chairmen recently for them to explain the procedures through which they have been institutionalized to reduce unemployment in their respective local governments. After that the commissioner of poverty alleviation also did same and explained what they have done to cushion the effect on those who lost their jobs as a result of the ban on Okada. And I want to believe as well that nothing can be equated with the loss of job in Enugu State, we are very sensitive about that. We recall that prior to the enactment of this proscription law, people were shot randomly in Enugu. We had incidents of not less than 28 persons that were shot and in

Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

most cases they are ascribed to cultism problems. It is not, these are bunch of criminals trying to occasion vendetta even where it is not necessary and for their own selfish ends as a matter of fact. The proscription of 'Okada' is with good intention. It has nothing to do with undermining the job of any individual. It has nothing to do with stigmatizing any set of people. It has to do with provision of basic security in Enugu State so that people can get home and sleep freely and then of course for the night life which Enugu is known for, to be restored. As the Chairman of Speaker's conference in Nigeria, what are the conference objectives and what's the philosophy behind it? Well let me correct this; I am not the Chairman of conference of speakers in Nigeria. I am the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers committee on constitution amendment. The Chairman of Speakers' Conference of Nigeria is the Speaker of Gombe State. In the executive arm of the body, I am the financial secretary but I was

made chairman on constitution review committee. The underlining issue about the conference of speakers is to have a common umbrella through which state legislators can voice their minds. That is the simple reason and we have had a lot of common issues that we've got to discourse, like the issue of autonomy of state legislature. That is essentially what we are working towards now. It is the thinking of the states legislatures in Nigeria that the states Houses of Assembly do have access to their funds through a first line charge and not at the pleasure of the executives. That is what we are thinking in the on-going constitution review. The previous one, it was inserted but at the same time killed by the states Assemblies themselves. So we are trying to persuade National Assembly through a memorandum we have submitted, so that it will be incorporated in the on-going constitution amendment, so that during ratification, we will sail it through. Beyond that, we have been able to advise our colleagues

on how best they should be able to work with their respective Governors and Chief Judges. The whole essence of democracy is how you better the lives of people; it is not to occasion squabbles. Nobody takes credit as a legislator in fighting. At the end of the day you may not be able to provide effective representation that you were elected for; you may not be able to contribute a quota in the state and of course the governor you might be quarrelling with might not even find his fit. At the end of the day the people still suffer. So we try to conduct trainings intermittently for ourselves on how we should work with executive without necessarily compromising our oversight functions. But while trying to educate them we see that there are some incessant and unnecessary demands that legislators use to make that precedes trouble as a matter of fact. So we caution them on what to do and what not to do. And where there's a face off between the executive and the legislature, the conference use to intervene to see the extent they can arrive at reconciling them. We did that in Niger state recently when in less than two weeks two speakers were impeached and the

third one was to be impeached as well but we intervened and pleaded with Honourable members because the constitution is very weak as regards the protection of presiding officers in respect to impeachment. When I say presiding officers, I mean the senate president, speaker of House of Representatives and of course the states House of Assembly. What the constitution simply said is that the speaker will be removed if the members of the Assembly can have 2/3 majority votes in favour of removing such speaker and it ends up there. So what it simply means is that wearing even a good shoe may constitute an impeachable offence. So the constitution has no protection and that's why we are clamouring for the amendment of the 1999 constitution. It is a constitution given to us by the military. Several amendments have been done but I think for now we've not been able to capture the real essence of what a constitution should be. I believe that in this ongoing amendment, we are going to true as much as possible to correct especially the contemporary issues that are bugging our nation and our federating states.

Anambra 2013 Governorship contestants: Their Background, Strength and Weakness Continued from page 17

OBINNA UZOH

SULLIVAN NWANKPO

awyer and Philanthropist. Successful businessman but does not practice as a lawyer. He contested the governorship election in 2003 and 2007. He has the urge to serve but the PDP ticket would be hotly contested.

ot much was known about him until he became Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck J o n a t h a n o n Te c h n i c a l M a t t e r s a n d Member/Secretary, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P) Committee. He is the immediate past Senior Special Assistant (Special Projects) to the President (2010 2011). He was the Secretary, Presidential Action Committee on Power that developed the Presidential Action Plan on Power. Played a major role in the election of Jonathan and that should make him strong contender in PDP. Educational Background: Has Degree in Philosophy having fully attended Seminary and many of his classmates are Reverend Father. Strength: He seems to have discharged every functions given to him diligently. Weakness: He has not contested any election and the real politick of policing votes will be difficult.

CHINWOKE MBADINUJU

orn 14 June 1945 was Governor of Anambra State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003 (PDP). He was the only governor in entire Nigeria that was never allowed to seek re-election. He wants to complete second tenure. His not completing his second tenure is reason why the South Senatorial zone is in the race today. Educational Background: He obtained a BA in Political Science, and a doctorate in Government from Cornell University. He gained a Law degree. Strength: May enjoy the goodwill built as governor in a few sector. Weakness: Too many internal party disputes resulting in a failure of effective government and insecurity

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Anambra 2013 Governorship contestants: Their Background, Strength and Weakness

Continued from page 17

STELLA ODUAH

CHINEDU EMEKA

NICHOLAS UKACHUKWU

orn January 5, 1962, is currently the Minister of Aviation. Not much known except that she is a successful entrepreneur in the Oil and Gas. She worked with NNPC before establishing the Sea Petroleum and Gas Company. Hails from Ogbaru but married to the former Minister for Works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi. Educational Background: Got her Bachelors and Masters Degree in the United States. Strength: Hails from royal family of Igwe Oduah in Atani, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra North and could get support of women. Weakness: Marriage outside Anambra State

orn on Christmas day to the royal family of Igwe John Emeka of Umueze Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area. Served as member representing Anambra West in the state House of Assembly (1991 - 1993) and Deputy Governor of Anambra State (1999 - 2003). Educational Background: After secondary school education, he obtained a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and master's degree in Computer Science from United States. He also hold PhD Computer Science from UNIZIK. Strength: Hails from Anambra North and favoured by zoning Weakness: Poor performance of Mbadinuju administration.

e has been a member of House of Representatives and he is qualified to contest for governor. He has been a serious political gladiator in Anambra State since 2003. Ukachukwu has been at daggers-drawn with the Uba Brothers in his effort to become Senator and Governor. Educational Background: He attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School and that is the best that is known about him. He was successful in Real Estate. Strength: Well funded and well oiled machinery. Weakness: The PDP machinery may not look kindly on him again.

ALEX OBIOGBOLU

EMMA ANOSIKE

EMEKA NWANDU

e attended Kings College, Lagos. A Medical Doctor and has contested all gubernatorial elections since 2003. Now in the race for 2013 election. Strength: He is from Anambra North favoured by zoning. Weakness: Funding

ails from Umueri in Anamba North Senatorial zone. He was running mate to Professor Chukwuma Soludo in the 2010 governorship election and therefore qualified to contest. He once represented Anambra North as senator before he was removed by the court. Strength: He is from Anambra North which has not produced governor since the creation of Anambra. Weakness: Funding of campaign.

ontested the last election. His educational background not fully outlined. He is a graduate of an American University but details are not known. He is a businessman but ventured into politics because he believes he can govern Anambra well.

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Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

5 gorgeous wedding dresses

ing with me; here comes the bride, here comes the bride. I am having so much fun doing this article. Weddings! The wedding is all about the bride, people see only the bride and just notice the husband a little, it's natural. Now what do you as the bride want people looking at you to see? A flawless beauty, perfect make-up , radiance and above all heavenly wedding dress, ladies can't just stop talking about the wedding dress that almost took their breath away. Chose the best wedding dress that suits your body and enjoy, feel like a queen coz you are. Here are 5 mermaid wedding dresses that I know will

make your big day memorable. Milanoo Mermaid Wedding Dresses Milanoo Coupons, Milanoo Mermaid Wedding Dresses Milanoo Coupons, Mermaid style wedding dress will make brides look extremely sexy and desirable. Make your man sigh in surprise with a beautiful silk or lace mermaid dress on your wedding day. Mermaid style wedding dress in soft materials like chiffon and lace is one of the costliest wedding dresses in the market. The dress gives the bride a perfect sculpted look when it is worn along with perfect body shapers. Go or it!! Its yours to take

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Ojukwu's will and battle The controversy over who controls the assets left behind by the Biafra warlord late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has continued to tear the family apart. The will is controversial due to the fact that some members of the family have risen in rejection of what they described as Bianca's formulated will. The Editor Larry Onwuta takes a critical look on the crisis and the colossal damage it might cause not only to the family but to the entire Igbo race.

he word Odumegwu Ojukwu symbolizes war especially to people who witnessed the Nigeria-Biafra civil war from the other flank. But the Igbo literary meaning or connotation refers “Odumegwu” as something terrifying and that might be some of the reasons why certain class of individuals feels jittery whenever the name is mentioned. Ojukwu's time and death in the world history remain concrete evidence to those who want to emulate true representation of a particular people. The Peoples General fought for his people to live, he also fought for the emancipation of the Igbo race. The Peoples General got a befitting state burial witnessed by eminent personalities in Nigeria, including President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders from various countries of the world. After the weeklong burial ceremonies; the traditional one year mourning began which ended a forth night ago. Barely five days after the mourning period which was concluded with a memorial service, a major controversy erupted in the Ojukwu's family over Ikemba's Will. Since the reading of the Will at the Enugu High Court, missiles had continued to fly with Ojukwu's widow, Bianca and Barrister Emeka Onyemelukwe, who prepared Ojukwu's Will, on one side and other members of Ojukwu's family on the other side. It will be ironical and completely damaging if the will said to have been prepared by the late Ezeigbo Gbulugbulu, the Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwo should delete the names of some members of his family. It will also be catastrophic if Ojukwu's will set his roof ablaze. And that could equally set a dangerous signal to the members of the society that what the Biafra warlord preaches is not what he practiced. This could mean that people who claimed to have taking over from Ojukwu in the family circle paid rip services as they are only fighting for materialism instead of protecting the name of Ojukwu that had been written in the Guinness Book of records.

It could be recalled that at the Enugu High Court that most of the children of the late Ikemba Nnewi were conspicuously absent during the historical event as only Bianca and Ojukwu's lawyer as well as few other relations were present. When the story of Ojukwu's will was brought to public knowledge, people expected it was going to be an interesting and peaceful will but on the contrary, Emeka

Emeka Ojukwu Jr to say that he did not know me and that I was not his father's lawyer, when I was the person that prepared the legal documents for Ojukwu's commercial property at No 26 Sokoto road, Onitsha yielding millions of naira, which Emeka Jr is managing and collecting rents and was the lawyer that handled Ojukwu's case against the federal government from the High Court to the Supreme Court.

Late Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu Ojukwu Jnr, who claimed to be the first son of Ikemba was the first to dismiss the Will, according to him, it was not his father's Will and vowed not to obey it. Onyemelukwe also give graphic details of how he sat with Ikemba to painstakingly prepare the Will and how he made efforts to persuade the Biafran leader to ensure that all members of his family benefitted. Backing his long standing relationship with the late Ojukwu family with documents, Onyemelukwe said he prepared Ojukwu's Will in July, 2005 and the CODICIL which gave details of the contents and corrections of what was missing on the original Will, with Ojukwu on 24th July, 2009. What perhaps angered him more was the statement credited to Ojukwu Jnr that he did not know him (Onyemelukwe). He said: “It was a blatant lie for

was Ojukwu's best man during his wedding with Bianca. So the pretence by Emeka that he was not informed about the reading of the Will did not hold water. “His claim that I was not his father's lawyer is also not true. On 24th July, 2009, I was the person that registered the power of attorney for Ojukwu for the property at No 7 Forest Crescent, Enugu. I am also in possession of the Certificate of Occupancy, C of

were writing the Will, I was doing it with Ojukwu in his library at the Forest Crescent in Enugu and we ensured that Bianca did not know what we were doing.” The lawyer also said that he was even taken aback by the decision of Ikemba to Will the mansion at Nnewi to Emeka Jr because that property was built due to much pressure mounted on Ojukwu by Bianca to build a house in Nnewi. That period, he said, was when

Silvester Debe Ojukwu, the eldest son of Ojukwu

“I was also the master of ceremony, MC, when Emeka Jr. wedded at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu to the daughter of the late Chief Cyprian Ekwensi, the novelist, and the reception was held at Nike Lake Hotel, with Justice Iguh formerly of the Supreme Court as the chairman of that wedding. “Before Ojukwu's Will was read last week, I was the one that sent text messages to all the parties concerned, including Emeka Jr. I got his two telephone numbers from Mr. Val Nwosu, Ojukwu's nephew. The text read: The Will of your late father will be read on Friday, 20th November, 2012 at the Probate Registry at the Enugu High Court. Kindly inform Okigbo and Mi Mi (Ojukwu's other children). “I also sent the text to Ebele who is Ojukwu's daughter from Stella Onyeador, Mark Ezemba who

O, of Ojukwu's landed property contained in the Will. “There were even other documents which Ojukwu gave me. In the Will, which I prepared with Ojukwu, the following persons were named as Ojukwu's children. - Tenni Hamman from North Eastern Nigeria (daughter), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Mmegha Odumegwu Ojukwu (daughter), Okigbo Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Ebele Odumegwu Ojukwu (daughter) Chineme Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Afam Odumegwu Ojukwu (son) and Nwachukwu Odumegwu Ojukwu (son).” Onyemelukwe also debunked the insinuation that Bianca had a preknowledge of the contents of the Will before it was read, adding “what I knew was that Ojukwu asked Bianca to bring all the documents when I was going to prepare the Will and anytime we

Ojukwu was managing toll gates during the regime of the late General Abacha and the person managing it for Ojukwu was asked to design and build the house at Nnewi. Before then, Ojukwu's bungalow had burnt down and Ezeigbo had no place to stay whenever he came to Nnewi. Onyemelukwe also spoke on the incident that happened at Nnewi a day before the one- year memorial service for Ojukwu. Bianca, according to the information, had sent some people to clean the house, only for them to meet a resistance from a group allegedly ordered by Emeka to chase them out of the compound. He said that Emeka even benefitted so much from his father, adding that the Sokoto street lock up shops which had

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NEWS

for assets inheritance

Continues from page 22

more than 30 lock up shops and was not contained in the Will is being managed by Emeka Jr and it yields millions of naira. According to him, by appointing Bianca to represent his interest in the Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, which is a commercial outfit, shows how intelligent the Ikemba was, adding that his argument was that Bianca's children needed to be educated like his other children who were all trained abroad. Besides, he knew the capability of all his children and what each of them was capable of doing when he (Ojukwu) was no more. But Emeka Ojukwu Jr. argued that with or without Will, his father's house naturally belongs to him according to Igbo tradition. Ikemba must have sensed the likely feud the ownership of the house might generate and so he gave it to Emeka Jr in the controversial Will. Though Ojukwu's multi million naira commercial property located at Sokoto road, Onitsha, which was given to him to manage while the Ikemba was still alive was not reflected in the Will, Emeka Jnr, however, insisted that the contents of the Will were subject to challenge at the law court as he was prepared to contact his own lawyer for any possible litigation on the issue. He argued that his late father's wife, Bianca and Barrister Emeka Onyemelukwe, Ikemba's lawyer who prepared the controversial Will, were playing games with the wishes of his father. He also picked holes with the statement by Onyemelukwe that all Ojukwu family members were invited before Ikemba's Will was read, saying the lawyer was only trying to find an excuse for the absence of Ojukwu's children at the court when the Will was read. He said: “The issue is not about struggling for my father's property. We, his children are all doing well. But there is need to point out attempt to subvert the wishes of my father. It is a matter of principle. I don't want to join issues with Onyemelukwe, but there is need to correct certain impressions. “I did not say that I don't know him (Onyemelukwe) as a human being. I said he is not the lawyer that wrote Ezeigbo's Will. I know many people who are not all lawyers. I know many lawyers and all of them are not Ezeigbo's lawyer. I know several of Ezeigbo lawyers and all of them did not write Ezeigbo's Will. The lawyer that wrote Ezeigbo's Will is not Onyemelukwe. “He claims to be the family

lawyer, yet he is attacking a member of that family. When he claimed that I was laying about Ezeigbo's condition when my father was sick, the events of last year proved that I was right and that indeed Ezeigbo was not recovering and exercising and did not return in March last year as Onyemelukwe promised. “He claims to be the family lawyer, yet he does not have our telephone numbers based on his own statements. It seems that the only number he didn't have to get from somebody- else is Bianca's number. Is it normal to invite people to the reading of a Will by a text message? “If I did not receive the text message, what of other family members who were also absent during the reading of the Will? Did they also not receive their text messages or are they lying also? When he allegedly sent the text message, did he receive any acknowledgment that they were received by anybody? “If he did not receive acknowledgment, what efforts did he make as the so called family lawyer to reach other family members? Did he send them registered letters? Did he visit them? “When in court that morning, he did not see any of Ezeigbo's children or any of his direct family members; didn't he have the option of adjourning and set another date to make sure that all who needed to be present have the opportunity to be there? They are obviously playing games.” Well, the most confusing aspect of the whole situation is the image of the eldest son Sylvester Debe Ojukwu, whom they claimed that the late Ikemba willed out or rather disowned as his son of the late Odumegwu. If one should be critical in his reexamination of the image of the late Igbo leader and that of his first son Sylvester, it appears inseparable because the two persons are identical. And the issue of great significant is whether the late Ikemba of Nnewi,Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu had in the past made it public either at the level of traditional institution or to the world that Sylvester was not his son and should not inherit any of his properties? If the answer is no then that is where the traditional institution and Ndigbo at large should come in as to avoid dragging the image of the late Igbo leader to the mould. As controversy trailing the Will which stated that the first son, Sylvester Ojukwu, has no place in his Ojukwu's multi-million property has raised more dusts than expected. While countering the content of the Will, Sylvester, who claimed

Bianca Ojukwu he is richer than his father, doubted the authenticity of the Will, saying that it was concocted. Sylvester affirmed, “even if it is true, I am worth over N3 billion, which is more than the assets mentioned in my father's Will”. Describing the Will as fake, the first son of the War lord said it appears too suspicious, “I am surprised, and I doubt that the Will was drafted by my father. It was a concoction. The Will seemed to have been drafted in a hurry by people desperate to achieve an aim. But, if it is the true Will of my father, I have no problem with that. After all, this is not the first time a first son is disinherited from his father's Will. If truly my father disinherited me from his Will, that does not stop me from being Ojukwu's first son,” he stated. It would be recalled that Sylvester once dragged his family members to court for not allowing him to perform the 'dust to dust' rites during the interment of the late Biafran leader. But fighting back at the present situation, Sylvester, a legal practitioner said that through a DNA test one could lose his paternity if it is proved that he is not the rightful child of his father. The most critical aspect of the crisis is that other members of the larger Ojukwu family have also joined forces to fight against the will. One of them is Mr. Ifeukwu Ojukwu a direct of OTL who based in the United States of America, USA, said that the company owned by their late father and grandfather, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu is a different property from the private property of late Ikemba Nnewi, arguing that Bianca cannot claim

Emeka Ojukwu-jnr

the trustee of the company as conferred on her in the Will. He described the appointment of Bianca as a trustee member of OTL as improper, Ifeukwu Ojukwu said: “Bianca was neither a trustee member, nor a director of OTL and it is good to note that OTL is a different property from the things late Ikemba Nnewi had because the directorship cannot be transferred through a Will. “I attended a meeting of OTL directors and Bianca was not there and she is not even a member of the board of directors and she cannot lay claim to that.” He explained that all the directors of OTL were in full support of Emeka Ojukwu (Jr.) as the head of the Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu's family, recalling that the late Ikemba told him that Emeka is his first son and the head of the family in the event of his death and added that members of the family would support him in whatever he decides to do over the matter. Chief Sunday Soto Ojukwu a member of the family said it amounted to an injustice for Ojukwu's Will to be read without recourse to the interest of the larger members of the family, regretting that he only read about the reading of the Will on the pages of newspapers. In his words: “How can one explain that the Will was read barely 24 hours after Ezeigbo's mourning clothe was removed? Is it not proper for the lawyers to call the family members to sit down and deliberate on reading of the Will? Did you see any of his sons there in the court? “His children who came down to Nigeria for the removal of his mourning clothe had gone back

overseas and you say you are reading his Will without informing anybody. Dr Ojukwu was not aware, Ikemba Jnr was not aware. What do you want me to say?” As the crisis continued, the issue of a paramount importance is how best to resolve the controversy though there are indications that some concerned persons, especially from Nnewi, have begun to deliberating on the issue but the outcome is being awaited. The omission of the first son of the great Igbo leader, Odumegwu Ojukwu has generated some mixed reactions from prominent leaders in the south East. The outcome of the will that was red in Enugu High Court is what the lovers of fate and consciousness should critically re-examine and come out with the true position of real issue in contention as to avoid destroying the image the most admired Igbo leader. Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, is one of the Igbo leaders and a traditionalist who has reacted positively to the controversial will, according to him, the alleged Will of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu, was manipulated to edge out the deceased's eldest son, Sylvester Ojukwu. Chief Ezeonwuka, the proprietor of Rojenny Tourist and Games Vi l l a g e , s a i d t h o u g h t h e relationship between the late Ikemba and Sylvester was not cordial, but “it is highest deceit for anyone to say that Ojukwu omitted the name of his first son in his Will. Ojukwu could never have done that.” In his affirmation: “The Will, as currently being paraded, was not

Continues on page 33

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Bridal make up tips Look like a more polished version of you with our top tips on applying bride make-up

Use a primer To ensure that your foundation lasts the whole day, using a primer as a base is essential. It prepares the skin for make-up and creates a protective base that foundation can 'grab ontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Choose foundation to match your skin tone The key to finding the perfect foundation to match your skin tone is to check the colour in natural, the wrong foundation can mess up your make-up and I am sure you don't want that, use the one that suits your skin perfectly, we all know how a white face and a dark body pisses us off.

Don't forget concealer Although foundation will definitely give you the coverage you need to even out any blotchiness, concealers do a better job at covering up blemishes, get a concealer a shade lighter `than your skin and apply on every spot then let it dry before you apply your normal foundation.

hen two decide to get married, a change occurs in their lives. While this change can be for the better, if people are not willing to place their partner/family above others and exercise every legal mean to protect it, it can lead to a devastating consequence, regardless of how wonderful the union. Friends are the people who have the greatest capability of destroying a relationship. Friends know that they are cherished and in a lot of cases can't seem to release their friend to spend most of their time with their spouse. That being said, friends will always be a vital part of life. Their advice and support will always be counted on as well as their shared joy during moments of triumph. The challenge comes when friendship interferes with marriage and a choice must be made. Some guys expect their newly married friend to be as devoted to hanging out and doing things together as they've always been. They feel let down when he declines to go out for whatever reason and they may begin to resent him for getting married In the first place, other times the resentment is directed towards, feeling she shouldn't have taken him away from his friends. In situation like this unless the married guy is able to explain the new facts of life to his friends, he will always feel caught in the middle between his wife and his friends, hopefully he will honour the latter commitment, though no one likes to lose a good friend either. Some women and men are famous for dropping in on a couple at sporadic moments throughout the day, demanding immediate attention or lingering around with no obvious purpose in mind for visiting, when couple don't get much time to themselves, it's easy for outside influences to gradually pull them

apart; a demand there, another there and then another one and before realizing it the couple time will be used up for the needs of their friends as opposed to tending to their own needs. They are often exhausted before the day is half over, even when a arise for multiple friends to visit they should consider leaving at a respectable time so the couple can get time to relax together at the end of each and everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. It's when these situations become a routine just when couples prepare to spend alone time together that damages sets in; on a personal note I don't like to be interfered when I am having a nice time with my man because I make out time to be with my friends and should be left alone at that intimate moment. When friends show no respect for their married friend's spouse, it creates strained relationship. When words are spoken even in jest, they can resurface in a spouse's mind later. A seed has been planted and if not cast aside will be watered more and more until a joke has created a monstrous problem. Friends should always show respect to their friend's spouses', if they can't they should simply stay away and remain quiet. When people chose to marry, often there is a compromise in certain areas. A woman doesn't want her husband drinking too often or vice versa so she would be uncomfortable with him drinking with his friends every night, likewise, a man doesn't want his wife going to the club alone or vice versa because she can always pour a drink at home and avoid possible temptation from outside. That being said, when a guy comes knocking on the door of a married couple's home demanding for the husband to come out and have a few drinks, the husband may be tempted to

give in unless he chooses to honour the promise he made to his wife concerning that very issue, as time goes on the right decision becomes easier to make but at first they can be very difficult. Also when a woman comes to the house demanding for the wife to join her at cocktail at a bar, the wife may be tempted to go, thinking she's just having fun with her friend, however she should honour the promise she made to her husband as she expects him to honour the promise he's made to her. The last thing a couple needs is to be constantly in the presence of people gossiping about others and friends are often a source of such poisonous situation. Even knowing how situations can be exaggerated the more they are related, some people tend to believe every word of gossip that falls on their ear. As if it isn't bad enough, if such friends have too much interest in the married couples lives they would start spreading stories about the couple as well. Too often, the other spouse gets blamed for talking when in-fact it was an observation made by a friend that initiated the gossip. Sadly, people who thrive on gossip don't know the difference between a friend and a stranger when it comes to keeping their mouth shut, so married couples beware!!! Stay clear from anyone who is constantly putting someone else down for whatever reason. Gossip ultimately destroys peoples' lives and marriages and yours could be next. In conclusion true friends will hold sacred the vows made between a man and his wife. They will respect the decisions made and act accordingly. if people are not capable of such respectful behavior, they were never really friends in the first place.

Use powder to set foundation It may seem like more makeup than you are used to, but it's a once in a life time celebration, am sure you will like smile after 20 year when you look at the pictures of your wedding. Use a compact/cake to set your foundation. Go for it, you deserve it.

Apply blusher To avoid looking washed out for photographs, make sure you apply a subtle blusher to the apples of your cheeks, blushers are good. It makes your cheeks glow.

Opt for darker eye shadow for dramatic look Some brides go for a darker eye shadow shade along the upper lash line, worn as close to the lashes for a sexy look and yet radiant, just don't apply it too much. Less is more.

Go for two coats of mascara Follow the eye shading by curling your lashes for a glamorous look and then apply two generous coats of mascara instead of for fake lashes that might end up hiding your naturally beautiful eyes.

Use lip liner that Use lip liner that matches your lipstick shade There are no hard and fast rules over whether to opt for a lipstick or a gloss on your wedding day. Try out different shades of lipstick before your big day or hire a professional if u can afford one because they've been trained to make you look better. Pink lip sticks never fail to make our lips kissable, you could stick to it.

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NEWS

Nollywood: Master tapes not bankable – AMAA By Uba Ani

xperts at the Africa Movie Academy Award have blamed the continued production of poor quality films in Nigeria on the inability of filmmakers to access loans from commercial banks. Speaking in Enugu during a road show to display some of its selected movies at the Genesis Cinema in Polo Park shopping Mall, Shoprite, the film experts

said the banks have remained unyielding in granting loans hiding under the guise that the master tapes containing the works of Nigerian film producers are of low quality. Before coming to Enugu, where it showcased a film called Adesuwa and several other films, AMAA had stopped over at Lagos, Oyo, and Benin cities for the same purpose. Its Executive Secretary, Mr. Tony Anih, expressed dismay on the

low standard of most Nigerian films, saying that why the master tapes are not bankable is because producers and directors are in a hurry to make money, thereby compromising quality. “As long as this continues, a situation where our local film makers continue to produce films in a hurry; sometimes in a matter of days, which result in so many errors, then our master tapes may never be bankable and cannot stand as collateral,” Anih said.

According to him, the cinema culture would help correct the lapses and enable owners of film works raise money to produce better films in the future. He said, “The cinema is helping or will enhance the quality of movies we make. That does not mean that we will pick just any film or any mediocre film for the cinema. We also have the AMAA, which will help structure the films.” Anih, however, argued that there has been some measure of improvement in film making recently, saying, that “It is a process. The old filmmakers have gone back to the drawing board and in the last two years; some Nigerians have done extremely good movies that have attracted individuals and corporate bodies

Tonto Dikeh

Nigerian Music Sensation: Iyanya

Mbuk. Winner of the 2008 edition of the Project Fame West Africa reality television music show, Iyanya is about the biggest n the past few decades, Nigerian music sensation now. Nigerian music has seen a The “Kukere Master” as he is rapid growth in both market widely referred to, Iyanya has share and value. That upward surge has also seen a lot more talents making entrances, stepping up to the challenge and contributing their quota to what is currently one of Africa's most successful creative industry stories. Forget about the fact that the growth of the industry hasn't been fully taken advantage of, there is at present a strong case to be made for giving the industry an investment injection and push it could do a lot better. That notwithstanding, the country continues to provide fine talents, who have become good at what they do, and command a worldwide audience. These days, the appreciation Nigerian music get all over the world, is refreshing and encouraging. One act, who is contributing to the increase in appeal of Nigerian music, is 26-year-old Iyanya

within a relatively shorter time, become relevant, commanding a base of his own, and gradually putting to test, his mainstream credibility. That Iyanya is currently one of Nigeria's most revered acts, is not in doubt.

he world of music and movies are very often intertwined. The Nigerian film industry popularly referred to as Nollywood is no exception. Many Nollywood stars have delved into music. The latest screen idol to venture into the world of music is Tonto Dikeh. Tonto Dikeh first dabbled in music putting some of her vocals on Kas song 'Iyawo Wind,' back in November 2011. Here Tonto Dikeh can be seen working with Kas in the studio. When Tonto announced that she was going to be taking music more seriously, the controversial actress rocked the internet with the announcement. Opinions were polarised, with the popular actress trending on Twitter for days on end. Her first singles were “Hi” and “Itz Ova” were released on the same day in mid-October. 'Hi' is an uptempo dance track that uses African drums as the pulse of the track. Listen to it here.'Itz Ova' has more of a reggae dancehall feel and features artist Snypa. Listen to Itz Ova here. Tonto has recently released another single Crazically Fit which is produced by and features the hugely talented and popular Nigerian producer and singer Terry G. You can listen to Crazically Fit here. Again the buzz surrounding the music had Tonto trending on Twitter. Tonto Hails from Ikwere in Rivers State. She was born on the 9th of June, 1985. Her journey to Nollywood started in 2005, when she left a TV reality show 'The Next Movie Star' as the first runner up. Tonto' s second movie Holy

who are willing more than ever before to part with some money.” He said, “Some of the good films that have come out from Nigeria in the last two years are there for you to see. There is Figurine, Through the Glass, Irapada, The child, The meeting, among others. These are very good films. They are not on Africa Magic. Some of them are not in a hurry to go to television; they want to exploit other market avenues. “When this is the case, the producers would have generated a lot of revenue to do better movies in the future without depending or hoping on the banks.” The AMAA executive secretary added that, if the current cinema trend continues, by mid-2013 there would be an explosion of very good films in the country.

Cross was the one that shot her into the limelight and since then her rise to fame has been meteoric. Holy Cross The Skeletons' are a secret cult on campus. When they come across a potential new recruit whose bravery and courage impresses them they are determined to initiate him into the cult by any means necessary. Starring: Tonto Dikeh, Pete Edochie, Jim Iyke & Nonso Diobi. Director: Ifeanyi Azodo Tonto Dikeh's role in the movie Dirty Secret has generated controversy amongst Nigerians, because the movie contained nude scenes. While some criticized her role as being untraditional and inherently un-African, many more insisted that she was merely being professional. Dirty Secret A girl who is the apple of her father's eye fears that his new wife may come between them and expose their dirty secret, however she soon becomes distracted by a handsome gigolo who comes with his own set of unimaginable fantasies. Starring: Tonto Dikeh, Jibola Dabo, Muna Obiekwe Director: Andy Ike Regardless of the controversy that surrounds the Tonto Dikeh she continues to rise in popularity and has an army of loyal fans. Other Nollywood stars that have ventured into music are; Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Jim Iyke, Patience Ozokwor, Nkem Owoh, Stella Damasus, Shan George, Gabriel Afolayan, Anita Joseph & Steph Nora Falana.

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RELIGION One year after, Madalla worshippers relive Gospel This Week black Xmas THE SECRET PLACE OF GOD’S

The Advocate JUDGEMENT

John 13:33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.” (NIV) Narration: Jesus called His disciples by the tender name ‘little children’. That word (in Greek) is strongly affectionate and reflects the deep trust between parents and children, teachers and their students (John uses it 7 times in his first epistle referring to Christians in the early church). Jesus knew He was going to the cross and wanted to reassure His disciples that His route to heaven and theirs will be different. Although many of the apostles would face a violent death, they would never face what Jesus suffered on the cross. His death was uniquely lonely. He was separated from Father God because He was bearing the sin of the world. The Son of God went through a unique agonising isolation because God’s judgement fell on Him instead of on us. The visible anguish in Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-44 ) was only a foretaste; so too was the mockery beating and physical pain of crucifixion. It was terrible for the Holy God, who cannot tolerate any sin, to bear the weight of every sin in the world (2 Corinthians 5:21 ). As an old hymn puts it, “We may not know, we cannot tell, what pains He had to bear, but we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.” (from ‘There is a green hill far away’). The crucifixion was certainly very public (Acts 26:26 ) but the judgement intensely private and immensely dreadful. Jesus promised the disciples they would not have to go through that agony, because He bore it instead of them. A part of the wonder of our salvation is that we shall never know the depths of Christ’s sacrifice. It is the same for little children in a family. They cannot comprehend what their parents may have to endure to provide for them. They know enough, but never so much that they can fully repay their parents. Likewise, neither can we repay the love of Christ for us. However, we can and must thank Him and worship Him to the limit of our understanding and serve Him to the limit of all the energy He gives us. And whatever hard times we have to go through, we can be certain that Jesus understands ( Hebrews 2:17-18 ). So, however busy your day, stop and know that it was for you that Jesus went to the secret place of God’s judgement: and give Him thanks.

Prayer: Dear Lord. Thank You that I will never have to endure the agony which Christ went through for me. I am sorry when I have not appreciated the cost of my salvation, and not treated Your love preciously. Please help me to value Christ’s sacrifice and express my worship in whatever way will please You best. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

lmost one year ago, Christmas celebrations were brought to an abrupt end when terrorists forced their way into the premises of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Suleja, Niger State, blew up the church and killed many worshippers. Hell was let loose at about 7:30 a.m. on December 25, 2011 as worshippers prepared for Morning Mass. No fewer than 40 people died and scores others seriously wounded in the attack. Although the incident has come and gone with numerous others trailing it nationwide, the attack on the church is still very fresh in the minds of the bereaved, while the scars on victims will perpetually bring to agonizing memory the grisly attack; especially as another Christmas beckons. Recently, the church held Holy Eucharist Mass to celebrate and pray for quick recovery of those that survived the homb blast that rendered many people orphaned, widowed, jobless, and traumatized. Speaking at the mass, the Parish Priest, Rev. Father Isaac Achi, said it was organized to pray for the departed souls, rapid recovery as well as the comfort of those who were not only injured, but also traumatized as a result of the attack. “Here we are to pray for comfort, pray for our lives, we pray God to grant eternal mercy to the departed souls. We also came to pray for those who were injured, so many were hospitalized, we want to pray to God for healing, pray for those that were not injured, but traumatized as result of the attack”, he noted. After a minute silence in honour of the departed souls. Achi told the congregation that though it was painful to lose loved ones, death is temporal; saying eternity is what people should build first by holding firmly to their faith in Jesus Christ. The cleric added, “We lost our relatives, parents, children, friends, but we need to understand that there is resurrection. By the virtue of our faith, we know that our people are being given a place to sit by God's side. They were killed in the course of service; but

you and I are not being put to shame; it is a way to tell the whole world that we still exist and we are not ashamed of Jesus Christ. “We pray God who had called them to himself to let their death be a blessing to us. I am sure a time to immortalize all those who died in the face of terrorism on Christians in the country will come and here may be the centre. They were killed because of faith and they shall not be forgotten”. At the service that saw the survivors going home with some clothing and food items as part of support from the church, Sunday Vanguard observed that some of them could not take part in the march by the congregation to the memorial cemetery within the church premises in honour of the deceased-victims as a result of severe injury. With the yuletide approaching, majority of people in the area called on government and well-meaning Nigerians to take a cue from their experience of last Christmas and be proactive on the growing insecurity in the country, to forestall recurrence of the ugly incident. Some of the survivors relived their experience of the black Christmas to Sunday Vanguard. Mr. Vitalis Ugokwe, a member of the Madalla Catholic Church, said he was sitting inside the canopy with his entire family when the unfortunate incident happened. “I found myself on the ground. I was in coma but immediately I regained consciousness, I shouted Jesus! Then, I began to see blood, dead bodies and everywhere badly shattered. “At the hospital, it was found that a threecentimeter iron had pierced through my waist and ran through my shoulder crossing my chest. The iron was there for a month, while my muscle was cut off. My whole body was paralyzed, but, by the grace of God, I started recovering at the hospital. I am still recuperating. “I am battling with neuropathy. My body produces some kind of burning sensations and, when I sit down too much, I find it difficult to bend my waist. I cannot move freely. Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, it will jerk; as I sit down now, if I want to move, I have to move with caution; if not, one of my legs will drift.

The reason for the season By Chioma jumbo

s it me or is Christmas not as exciting as it used to be. Am wondering why, is it that I am no longer a child? Because as children, our parents will make sure that we have the best of Christmas, the excitement lies in the fact that I am going to have new wonderful dresses, go to see Santa Claus, visit the cinema and then my wonderful parent will take us all to the village where the fun continues. I get to see all my cousins, the older ones, younger ones then the ones that are of the same age with me, I used to prefer my age mates coz they are the ones I play with, you should see them now, we are all grown up, some of them married with kids, we all move in different directions but its all for the best, the most important thing is that we are all happy doing our thing. Now I am very much aware of the reason for the season. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, before he came into the world he knew what his mission was, yet he came, that's the good news, he came! I am excited

still but in a very different way, am having a moment of sober reflection, such `love, such scarifies, such compassion, our savior came into the world that I might be saved. I rejoice, I celebrate, what would I have done if he hadn't come, where would I be? This time around my excitement has nothing to do with Santa Claus, etc, but everything to do with the mind blowing fact that he came that he might die and make my life easier. When we ask anything in his name, it comes to pass. We always pray 'in Jesus name'. What name would we be praying in if he hadn't come? I feel his love all over me as I write this article; show some love to your neighbors, your friends and to everyone around you, without this act, his coming will be in vain. If you are reading this article, congratulations! You made it to the end of the year. , WE SURVIVED, and not everybody did. Take out sometime, a quiet time and acknowledge the reason for the season. MERRY CHRISTMAS

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CRIME WATCH

Police raid emblem office, arrests criminal suspect P By Mathew Emenike

olicemen attached to Central Police Station, Onitsha have raided the office of an undisclosed Anambra State Emblem Contractor at the Former Ministry of Works

Premises, Onitsha and arrested one of the culprits suspected to have forcefully attacked a man in his vehicle and disposed him of his valuables The suspect whose names were not identified at the time of this report was alleged to have

participated in the crime of beating and dispossessing a man of his money and other valuables at the fly-over area of UpperIweka recently. According to a police source, a man who did not want his name on print while travelling from

Lagos to Owerri in his Toyota Tundra Jeep in company of other members of his family were accosted by the rampaging “emblem boys” and forcefully pushed him out from the vehicle after pretending to be requesting for Anambra State Emblem from him. Before the vehicle owner could realize what was happening he and other occupants of the car were pushed out from the jeep

after collecting all the money on him, though no specific amount of money was mentioned. As the emblem boys were driving in the jeep to their office unfortunately it hit another upcoming vehicle at Holy Trinity Junction, just adjacent to emblem office. According to the source when the marauders realized that they had attracted an unprecedented cost to themselves they all abandoned the Tundra jeep and took to their heels. However, the owner of the jeep reported the incident to the police and a manhunt for the fleeing emblem boys ensued. In the process one suspect was arrested while others escaped. When contacted the D.P.O of Central Police Station, Onitsha, Mr. Temitope Fasugba confirmed the incident and warned emblem contractors from applying uncivilized and barbaric measures in carrying out their “duties” as the police would not fold its arms and watch innocent Nigerians being molested by hoodlums. He requested the public to always give useful information to the police on the “barbaric” activities of emblem and ASTA boys for possible arrest and prosecution.

Policemen from bomb disposal unit display defused home made bombs made from cans of soft drinks in Kaduna

Nollywood actress Nkiru pays abductors N8m ransom Police

h e I m o S t a t e Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, yesterday disclosed that the abducted Nollywood actress and Special Assistant to the state governor on Public Affairs, Miss Nkiruka Sylvanus, paid N8 million as ransom to her kidnappers to regain her freedom. T h e c o m m i s s i o n e r, w h o addressed newsmen in the Command's Headquarters in Owerri, the Imo state capital, said the family of the actress defied the repeated warning from the police not to negotiate or pay any ransom to the abductors, adding that they did so outside the knowledge of the police. The police boss added that “initially, the family paid N7million to the kidnappers and the police who laid ambush swooped on them at the point of collection and recovered the money that was locked in the trunk of their car as they escaped. We brought a lot of pressure on them and they were jittery and could no longer contact the family members”. According to him, “after we returned the money to the family, they went behind us and paid

N8milliom to the kidnappers. Surprisingly I saw Nkiru in my office after she was released, and I was told they paid N8million to secure her release”. Bolanta, however, said that the fleeing kidnappers would be brought to book. “Let me assure you that this will not go unresolved like previous cases. Anyone involved will be brought to book. We have made some arrests, and very soon the ones that are at large will be apprehended”. Meanwhile, Governor Rochas Okorocha has ordered the release of N500 million as a Christmas package for security operatives in the state. Okorocha, who gave the directive during an expanded Security Council meeting at the Ahajioku Centre in the state capital, instructed that every security agent operating in the state should be given N10, 000 each from the largesse, saying that the gesture was to appreciate the security agencies for fighting crime in the state, especially the successful release of the kidnapped actress. Commending the state Police Command, Okorocha reiterated

the commitment of his administration in partnering with security agencies to stamp out crime in the state, especially kidnapping and other heinous crimes, reaffirming the earlier ban on the unauthorized use of vehicles with tinted glasses and siren in the state. The Governor also chided legal

practitioners in the state for aiding and abetting kidnappers by frustrating the efforts of the state to prosecute them. He said: “The lawyers are the worst enemies of Imo State. Every kidnapper has a lawyer he pays to wriggle him out when he is caught up with the law”.

Gunmen kill 2 Nigerians, abduct French national in Katsina By Our Report

eavily armed gunmen numbering about 30 who held Katsina suburb of Rimi hostage for about an hour, kidnapped a French national, killed two Nigerians and shot a mobile policeman before destroying the police station in the community with explosives. The suspected bandits allegedly came in no fewer than three vehicles struck Rimi in three formations in a Rambo-styled operation, Daily Sun learnt. The kidnapped expatriate, identified as Francis Colunp, aged 60, was said to have returned recently from France to resume work with S.A. Vergnet, the firm handling Federal

Government-owned 10 mega watt solar power plant, which had reached an advanced stage of completion at Rimi. The policeman shot during the tragedy was also feared dead, but the Commissioner of Police in Katsina, Abdullahi Magaji, who confirmed the death of two persons outside the residence of the expatriate, however said the cop survived the attack and had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital. According to dependable sources, the bandits set the Divisional Police Station in the town ablaze with explosives. The policemen on duty scampered for safety after several gunshots from the hoodlums. It was also learnt that the third formation of the gunmen kept the

town under surveillance to ensure an unhindered operation, but they neither removed anything from the affected house nor anywhere in the town, thus fueling speculations about their motives. The police boss, confirmed at Rimi yesterday morning that no arrest had been made, said one AK 47 rifle believed to be one of the sophisticated arms used by the bandits was recovered. The slain victims of the tragedy Abubakar Salele and Rabe Dan'Unguwar- were buried yesterday at Rimi after a funeral prayer attended by the Chairman of Rimi Local Government Transition Committee, Nasiru Ala Yatawa, and the member representing the constituency in the State House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Mohammed Rimi.

THE

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

BUSINESS

NJI, CIBN blame failed banks on poor documentation T

he National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria have identified poor documentation by bank officials as one of the problems of failed banks in Nigeria. Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, Chief Justice of Nigeria & Chairman Board of Governors, National Judicial Institute disclosed this at the 2012 National Seminar on Banking and Allied Matters for Judges organized by NJI and CIBN. According to her, we have noticed over time that a major problem with banking related cases is poor documentation by bank officials which have made the country gone through the bitter experience of failed banks in the time past. The country is still experiencing some of the consequences of that bitter era. Mukhtar who was represented by, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, Justice of the Supreme Court, said that to avert such crises in the banking sector bankers ought to follow due process, keep proper records and also keep all contractual agreement with customers. He also stressed the need for the

judicial to collectively collaborate with the financial sector in dispute resolution to promote public confidence in the banking industry. “But this is not just limited to settlement of disputes arising in the course of Banker/Customer relationship, but also for the purpose of setting standard, ensuring co-operate social responsibility and promoting

public confidence in the banking industry,” Mukhtar stated In his own comment, the President of CIBN, Segun Aina stated that the judicial system must adopt strategies for effective dispute resolution such as putting in place good dispute management policies and creating effective and conducive atmosphere. However, on delays experienced in the dispensation of justice on

banking related cases, Aina stressed the need to have fast track courts such that cases can be concluded within a period of three months as currently applicable in some African countries like Malawi, Ghana and South Africa. The CIBN boss said, “We are not unaware of the substantial resources some states such as Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Borno, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the Federal Government had committed to Alternative

Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a window for quick dispensation of cases that would have lingered on in the Courts. For instance, the Lagos Multi Door Court (LMDC) an initiative of the Lagos State Government, through its various programmes such as Lagos Settlement Week helps to administer ADR in Lagos State. Many cases involving banks and their customers have been amicably resolved through the instrumentality of LMDC.”

Diamond Bank rolls out mobile banking services

iamond Bank Plc has rolled out mobile banking services to its customers using its mobile banking truck, tagged Diamondin-Motion. The Bank , took the mobile banking service to the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos for a live Christmas shopping event organised by Lost in Lagos.com. Lost in Lagos.com is a website that helps people to discover Lagos, with the most comprehensive list of Lagos' restaurants, shops among others. The company organised a shopping event at the weekend which featured some major fashion designers and other vendors that attracted customers from far and near. Diamond Bank , last weekend,

was therefore on hand to offer banking services to various people who thronged the venue to shop for goods and services. Mrs. Ayona Trimnell, Head of Corporate communications of Diamond Bank told newsmen that “I feel very happy about our roll out of banking services to customers at the Federal Palace. I'm ecstatic seeing people using our first of its kind mobile banking truck in this country which we are starting with Lagos.” She explained that the mobile bank that other banks in the country have are only for ATMs but the Diamond-in-Motion is a mobile bank with full fledged facilities like a branch, adding that customers can actually do all banking transactions in it.

She said the introduction of the mobile banking truck was in line with the bank's vision to be in the best top five banks in the country in the next five years, remarking that they have a lot of plans and more of the trucks will be coming in soon so that they can get to where their customers are. “We intend to take banking services to the universities and bus stops as well as National Youth Service orientation camps, that is getting the bank's presence to every nook and cranny in the country in order to get new accounts through it,” Trimnell said. She said they would review its operations in the Lagos market by the first quarter of next year before it would be extended to

other parts of the country. Trimnell said at the roll out in Federal Palace, customers have opened new accounts, withdrawn third party cheques as well as paid in other banks' cheques, thereby getting instant value in a cosy environment. Diamond Bank recently launched the mobile banking truck in a bid to bring banking services to the door step of its existing and potential customers. The new service was launched by the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Alex Otti, at the corporate headquarters of the bank in Lagos. Under the service, customers can open new accounts, pay bills, saves money, use ATM and it can also collect deposit.

Nigeria records N38.6b transactions on PoS in 12 months

he country recorded a N38.6 billion turnover on the Point of Sales (PoS) terminals across the country within the last 12 months, from 2,078 transactions. Besides, the country's registered

PoS terminals moved from 31,378 in January to 185,330 last month. Disclosing these figures on Wednesday in Lagos was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria

Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc, Adebisi Shonubi, at the one-year anniversary of PoS adoption in Nigeria and the launch of two new bill payment solutions. NIBSS, which was mandated by

MEMBERS OF JONATHAN'S ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT TEAM

the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 15, 2011 to serve as the Payments Terminal Service Aggregator (PTSA) for the financial industry as part of the cash-less Lagos initiative, ensured that all PoS terminals operating within connect directly to it through the NIBSS Central Terminal Management System (CTMS). According to Shonubi, PoS transactions in the country grew by a monthly compound growth rate of 83 per cent and 89 per cent in volume and value respectively. He said this signifies gradual acceptance and adoption of PoS payment channels as an alternative to cash, stressing that the number of registered PoS terminals on the CTMS also increased on average of 18 per cent per month from 31,000 to 185,000 from January to November, 2012. Indeed, the NIBSS boss, said the level of growth in PoS adoption signifies the potential for vast acceptance of the payment channels towards delivering on the CBN's cash-less Lagos initiative, which has been successful in the promotion of epayment platforms. He posited that there are

numerous benefits of using eplatforms to merchants and cardholders including fast and efficient service, security and convenience of payment. “As we enter the yuletide season when spending is expected to increase, PoS transactions volumes, is also expected to experience significant growth, which would be continually monitored by NIBSS towards ensuring e-payment channels achieve the expected impact. “Therefore, cardholders and merchants are encouraged to take advantage of the convenient, fast and safe alternative to cash by processing their payments via available PoS payment terminals during and after the festive period”, Shonubi stated.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

WOMEN WORLD

3 Most powerful women in the world Sonia Gandhi (born Antonia Edvige Albina Maino, 9 December 1946) is an Italianborn Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi and belongs to the NehruGandhi family. After his assassination in 1991, she was invited by the Indian National Congress to take over the Congress but refused and publicly stayed away from politics amidst constant prodding by the Congress. She finally agreed to join politics in 1997; in 1998, she was elected as the leader of the Congress. Since then, Sonia Gandhi has been the President of the Indian National Congress Party. She has served as the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha since 2004. In September 2010, on being reelected for the fourth time, she became the longest serving president in the 125-year history of the Congress party. Her foreign birth has been a subject of much debate and controversy. Although Sonia is actually the fifth foreignborn person to be leader of the Congress Party, she is the first

since independence in 1947. Dilma Vana Rousseff (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈd(ʒ)iwmɐ ˈvɐ̃nɐ ʁuˈsɛfⁱ]} born 14 December 1947) is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff to the President of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The daughter of a Bulgarian entrepreneur, Rousseff was raised in an upper middle class household in Belo Horizonte. She became a socialist during her youth, and following the 1964 coup d'état joined various leftwing and Marxist urban guerrilla groups that fought against the military dictatorship. Rousseff was captured and jailed between 1970 and 1972 and reportedly tortured. After her release, Rousseff rebuilt her life in Porto Alegre with Carlos Araújo, who would be her partner for 30 years. Both helped found the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) in Rio Grande do Sul, participating in several of the party's electoral campaigns. She became the Secretary of the Treasury of the city of Porto

Dilma Vana Rousseff

Alegre in the Alceu Collares administration, and later the Secretary of Energy of the State of Rio Grande do Sul under both Collares and Olívio Dutra administrations. In 2000, after an internal dispute in the Dutra cabinet, she left PDT and joined the Workers' Party (PT). 002, Rousseff joined the committee responsible for the energy policy of presidential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who after winning the election invited her to become Minister of Energy. In 2005, a political crisis triggered by a corruption scandal led to the resignation of Chief of Staff José Dirceu. Rousseff took over the post, remaining in office until 31 March 2010, when she left in order to run for President. She was elected in a run-off on 31 October 2010. She is the first female elected President of Brazil, in addition to being the first economist to hold the office. Angela Dorothea Merkel (pronounced [aŋˈɡeːla doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛʁkl̩] née Kasner; born 17 July 1954) is the Chancellor of Germany and party leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Merkel is the first woman to have become Chancellor of

Germany. A physical chemist by professional background, Merkel entered politics in the wake of the Revolutions of 1989 and briefly served as the deputy spokesperson for Lothar de Maizière's democratically elected East German government prior to the German reunification. Following reunification in 1990, she was elected to the Bundestag, where she has represented the state of MecklenburgVorpommern since. She served as Federal Minister for Women and Youth 19911994 and as Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety 19941998 in Helmut Kohl's fourth and fifth cabinets. She was Secretary General of the CDU 19982000, and was elected chairperson in 2000. From 2002 to 2005, she was also chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary coalition.After her election as Chancellor following the 2005 federal election, she led a grand coalition consisting of her own CDU party, its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), until 2009. In the 2009 federal election,

Angela Dorothea Merkel

the CDU obtained the largest share of the votes, and formed a coalition government with the CSU and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP). In 2007, Merkel was President of the European Council and chaired the G8, the second woman (after Margaret Thatcher) to do so. She played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. One of her priorities was also to strengthen transatlantic economic relations by signing the agreement for the Transatlantic Economic Council on 30 April 2007. Merkel is seen as playing a crucial role in managing the financial crisis at the European and international level, and has been referred to as "the decider." In domestic policy, health care reform and problems c o n c e r n i n g f u t u r e e n e rg y development have been major issues of her tenure.Angela Merkel has been described as "the de facto leader of the European Union" and is currently ranked as the world's second most powerful person by the Forbes magazine, the highest ranking ever achieved by a woman.

Sonia Gandhi

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

NEWS

UNN graduates 85 radiography and radiological science students U Mattew Emenike

niversity of Nigeria, Enugu campus has graduated eighty five students in the Department of Medical Radiography and Radiological Science of the University. The historical induction was to empower the students, to re-engineer and reenforce their professional workforce in this highly specialized field of medical sciences in Nigeria. The Head of Department, Dr Charles Ugwoke while delivering his address during the induction said that the ceremony marked the culmination of a process which began five years ago and has now reached a successful conclusion. Ugwoke said the professional sub-specialty areas, all of which the department intends to gradually cover in the years ahead, include : Medical Diagnostic Radiography, Medical Ultrasound Technology (CT Scan) Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine, Medical Technology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography (CT Scan) Radiology Physics, including Radiation Protection and Radiological Health

Management and Education. He stated that the great rapid scientific and technological advances and the progress of the past decades especially in medical and radiological science and technology can only be fully and e ff e c t i v e l y h a r n e s s e d f o r optimum practical application and utilization with enhanced university level modern scientific technological education training. The departmental head expressed delight on the number of the inductees as the university has never recorded such high number in the past, stating that many of their colleagues who started the race with them and who may even have better opportunities were found missing in the exercise but challenged those who could not make this particular induction list following one reason or the other to take the responsibility and face the reality of life. Dr Ugwoke noted that the induction remains unquestionable evidence since our country being the highest black nation demands nothing than to train and produce qualified requisite resources to staff, equip and run the country's health sector. He expressed delight on the

UNN Staff and Students cutting cake during their induction Acting Registrar and the entire Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, RRBN, administrations for their effective leadership and administrative prowess through which they have propelled and repositioned their

profession to an enviable height. According to him, the enabling academic and studying environment provided by the University of Nigeria administration contributed enormously to the success the

school has recorded so far, urging the grandaunts to be the ambassadors of the great institution as the only way to distinguished themselves from other is to showcase the expertise any way they found themselves.

Igbo people are patriotic – IWYC Boss By Chuks Nweze, Enugu understand? That is part of our “If you are being appointed, the also have a little influence on you you will then prove you virility,” person that appointed you will but if you are a man of your own, Igwekani avers.

he President, Igbo World Yo u t h C o u n c i l a n d Coordinator Igbo Security Council, Bro. Ndubuisi Igwekani, aka, Agu Biafra- Lion of Biafra, has said that of all the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, the Igboman is the most patriotic of them all. According to Bro. Igwekani the other ethnic groups are not as patriotic as the Igbos, pointing out that the Yorubas were first Yorubas before they become Nigerians whereas the Hausas are first Hausas before they become Nigerians stressing that the Igbos first become Nigerians through their patriotism. Igwekani who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Nigerian the Advocate said if Igboman is given the opportunity to become the president of Nigeria, he would perform better because he would be patriotic and would be fair to every Nigerian irrespective of their ethnic origin. “The Yorubas seem to be better than us, the Igbos, because they are being Yorubas before they become Nigerians and the Northerners become Hausas first before they become Nigerians. “It is only the Igboman that becomes Nigerian first before he becomes an Igboman. Do you

problems,” the Igbo Youth leader avers. On who becomes the president come 2015, the Youth leader stated that it was the turn of the Igbos to produce the next president in 2015 saying, that was why the Igbos voted overwhelmingly for Jonathan so that it would be their turn in 2015. Asked what would happen should Jonathan indicate interest to contest for another term in 2015, Igwekani said when the time comes the answer ill come by itself. He however disagreed vehemently that the Igbos are being marginalized in Nigeria noting that the problems of the Igbos are caused the Igbos themselves as those who are in position of authority often fail to utilize their positions to better the lot of the people of their fatherland. This he said is because they tend to be more patriotic in almost utter disregard to the interest of their people. Since the Igboman is all that patriotic, would he deal fairly with Igbos if he becomes the president, the Igbo Youth leader said that would be a different ball game because by then the Igboman would be fully in charge and not in appointive position.

Delta Assembly passes 12 bills, assents 7, 5 awaiting By Eucharia Nzeabi, Asaba

elta State House of Assembly recently announced that it has passed 12 bills, 7 of which have been assented to while 5 were awaiting the assent of the state G o v e r n o r, D r. E m m a n u e l Uduaghan. The Speaker, Hon. Victor Ochei in an interactive session with journalists disclosed that the state Anti-Kidnapping and Terrorism Bill 2012 falls into a pending category, adding that 10 bills were pending before the House, while 7 were at the committee stage with 3 at the second reading. He stated that one of the bills was negative and withdrawn; adding that in working on the varied bills were spurred by the over-riding need to represent the people whose interest they were elected. According to him, “We have attended to a number of petitions from some sections of our society seeking justice for infringement on their rights; we will always do

this because the mandate given to us confers on us the responsibility that we cannot shirk”. Within the period under review, Hon Ochei disclosed that the House has carried out projects as approved in the budget, noting that standing committees within the House have been working in tandem with a view to inspecting projects, drawing attention to observe lapses across the state so that Deltans can have value for the money allocated to projects. He noted that beyond their primary functions, the Speaker posited that renovation exercise within the premises of the Assembly complex was ongoing, adding that the second phase involving the landscaping of the premises as well as complete rehabilitation of structures was part of the objective to enhance the beauty of the work of the environment including improving staff productivity. He said: “We have catered for staff welfare through prompt

payment of salaries and allowances in the area of staff training”, assuring that in 2013, the House would surpass defeat of 2012 being conscious of the expectations of Deltans in providing the legislative f r a m e w o r k t h a t would facilitate the delivery of good governance in the state. On the issue of insecurity, Hon. Ochei however, lamented the upsurge, pointing out that the entire country was a source of concern as no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere devoid of security, stressing that the manifest challenges of insecurity that has bedeviled the country in the recent times was kidnapping and terrorism that had become a thriving business. He added: “it was in response of this that we passed the Anti-Kidnapping and Terrorism Bill to adequately stem the tide of reoccurring malady, kidnapping is a manifestation of desperado which also makes it imperative to apply desperate measures to tackle it”

THE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

TELECOMMUNICATION

Improved power supply vital to telecoms growth – Abdelaziz

he Group Chief Executive O ff i c e r, A 3 & O , a n indigenous telecoms solutions provider, Mr. Sameh Abdelaziz, has said that improved power supply, is vital to continuous growth of the telecoms industry in Nigeria. Speaking during the company's 10th anniversary in Lagos, Abdelaziz said it was important for the Federal Government to ensure that power supply improved to avoid stunted telecoms growth in the country. He said this against the backdrop of the huge telecoms success

Nigeria had recorded in the past decade, which saw the number of telephone lines increasing from 400,000 in 2001 to over 100 million presently. Abdelaziz lamented that one of the greatest challenges facing telecoms operators in the country was poor power supply, adding that growth might elude the industry if the problem remained unresolved. He said A3&O offers end-to-end solutions in the telecoms sector ranging from value-added service, infrastructure, support, operations and managed services, but

lamented that deficit of basic infrastructure such as power had remained a threat to the company's operations. Abdelaziz ascribed the country's poor telecoms services to lack of basic infrastructure among other key factors, stating that the operating environment constituted a great challenge to mobile network operators. On what network operators could do to improve quality of service, Abdelaziz said, “The technology is here but the problem is the basic infrastructure. So, I think what we should focus on is the main infrastructure, which is power. Power is very critical to excellent service offerings. “Network operators have to run

generators to power their infrastructure and this is not good for growth. I think the main thing is to improve on basic infrastructure like power and I am sure Nigeria is going to grow faster than it had ever grown. From my own point of view, I think the most important thing is power.” Speaking on the company's 10 years of existence in Nigeria, Abdelaziz said A3&O had faced the challenge of delivering quality services/products in line with international standards due to unfriendly operating environment. “The biggest advantage of our company is that we care a lot about delivering quality, but the

operating environment is a major challenge,” he said. Though the company has been able to overcome some of its challenges, the A3&O boss insisted that the Federal Government must make the operating environment friendlier in order to ensure that the second phase of telecoms growth in the country was not jeopardised. He said A3&O was established in N i g e r i a b y M r. A d e w a l e Adeyinka, adding that it had extended its operations to Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia and the United Kingdom. On plans for the future, Abdelaziz said the company hopes to extend its presence to half of the countries on the African continent in the next five years.

Starcomms eyes $100m returns in 2017, plans wide broadband penetration  To migrate all existing Multilinks subscribers

HOUGH, currently faced with diverse operaional challenges, Starcomms Plc has expressed optimism in its new planned investment proposition, with the hope of earning over $100 million by the end of 2017. Starcomms, which currently shares 3.24 million active subscribers with Visafone and Multilinks, said it would be capitalising on its major strength, which is data services provisioning for improved earnings in the new scheme of things. Presently, the telecommunications firm is counting on its shareholders nod to acquire Multilinks and MTS, which will seal the $210 million, planned capital injection from its American investorCapcom. The shareholders and management board are expected to meet on December 28 in Abuja at the yearly general meeting to finalise the scheme of things. According to Starcomms, it's targeting two million subscribers through its data services in the next five years. Disclosing this in Lagos on Monday, the Capcom's Chief Executive Officer designate for Starcomms post transaction completion, Demola Elesho said the aggregation of spectrum allocations from Multi-Links and MTS, which is a contiguous 20MHz of spectrum in the 1900MHz range, the largest allocation of any telecoms provider in Nigeria will enable Starcomms to deliver a complete range of mobile broadband services using new generation IPenabled, high speed broadband 4G/LTE technology. Elesho, who said the new company will still maintain the

Starcomms brand until otherwise decided by the management, noted that parts of the plan was to attract more highly profitable data subscribers in the short term; launch high speed 4G mobile Broadband services in the next 1218 months among others. According to him, “Capcom's current business plan anticipates that the combined business will generate over $100m of yearly EBITDA within five years.” He disclosed that the company would also improve on its voice services across the country, stressing that under the new arrangement and on completion, Multilinks subscribers will be migrated to Starcomms. “The management and Board have evaluated the company's options and strongly believe that the proposed transaction with Capcom represents the only opportunity for Starcomms to continue to trade in the long-term. Capcom's significant cash and asset investment, as well as, the additional operational and technical expertise will reposition Starcomms for future growth. “Capcom's plan to establish Starcomms as Nigeria's leading 4G Broadband data provider draws on Starcomms current strengths and will make excellent use of Starcomms greatly enhanced spectrum post transaction,” he stated. In his contribution, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Olusola Oladokun, while narrating the ordeal of CDMA operators in Nigeria, where Starcomms operates, noted that the business environment has been a major factor in the declining of subscribers for players. Specifically, Oladokun, who listed some of the challenges to

include tough business environment, GSM dominated market, low financial muscle, hinted that the challenges have resulted in Starcomms operating with an unsustainably high level of debt and a stagnating operating performance.

He said as result of the challenges, Starcomms faces a severe liquidity crisis, which prompted the Board of Directors to consider options available to introduce new capital into the company, stressing that without this new capital the company will fail as a going concern and shareholder value will be lost. According to him, the company has reduced outstanding financial debt from N31.9 billion in Q1 2010 to N15.1 billion as at Q3

2012. “Starcomms has experienced significant challenges over the past two years, at the heart of which have been the changing competitive and operational dynamics of the Nigerian telecommunications industry, especially in the voice business. As a result, the Board of Directors has considered a number of options to re-position the company for growth”, he stated.

NCC to review telecoms interconnect rates

h e N i g e r i a n Communications Commission is to review the current interconnection rates set for the operators in the country, thereby ushering in a new interconnection rate for players in the nation's telecoms sector. As such, the commission had concluded arrangement to organise a regulatory forum on the high incidence of interconnection indebtedness in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry. The Public Affair Director, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the forum scheduled to hold in was part of the commission's exercise of its powers under the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. He expressed that “The forum is an effort put in place by the commission to effectively address and proffer solutions to the various issues causative to high interconnection indebtedness in the industry,”. The current interconnect rates regime set by the NCC for telecoms operators in the country will expire by December 31, 2012. It was learnt that the extant rates, which gave concessions to new entrants, will give way to unified rates for all operators.

Under the current regime, which kicked off in December 31, 2009, interconnection rates for mobile voice termination provided by new entrants irrespective of originating network were set at N10.12. The rates were designed to fall progressively to N9.48 on December 31, 2010; N8.84 on December 31, 2011 and N8.20 on December 31, 2012, from which date all termination rates will be symmetric. The NCC adopted this measure with the hope that the revised

interconnection rates would encourage new entrants in the sector to offer services at more affordable rates to subscribers. Operators not defined as new entrants were required to set a mobile voice termination rate of N8.20 from 31 December 2009. Fixed voice termination rates were set at N10.12 from December 31, 2009; N9.48 from December 31, 2010; N8.84 from December 31, 2011 and N8.20 from 31 December, 2012.

Mr. Tony Ojobo, The Public Affair Director, NCC

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chime: Enugu Assembly on wrong track – CNPP Continues from page 10 corruption all over the place, no infrastructure, no power; money is being embezzled here and there to the extent that transparency international has recorded Nigeria 35th in the world corruption rating. And you see the government side arguing that it is the Nigerian press. You want Nigerian press to lie because you are not doing well. You want them to say you are doing well when you are not doing well. So, if he wants to run as a citizen of the country, if the

constitution says he can run, he can run, but he has to tell Nigerians what he has done during his first tenure. He must say what he has achieved and where he has led Nigerians to. But within this particular period I am talking to you, all we have achieved in this regime is nothing but corruption as far as I am concerned. Except he changes tomorrow, except he decides to do well tomorrow, but for this moment, it is a zero point for him in terms of achievement. The other day it was reported in

the media that there is a rift between the President and Vice President, the kind of rift between Obasanjo and Atiku in their days. How did you receive the news? Well, in power, everybody has an ambition. Even if it a fowl you dust and give a better seat, the fowl will look for a bed too to go and sleep. After all, the two of them, where were they before? Jonathan was Deputy Governor from there, because of necessity he became Governor and from there he

Revealed: Ojukwu's controversial Will ‘ I, DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU… give all my moneys…to my wife Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu…' The late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, willed all his money to his wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu, according to the bromide of his will exclusively obtained by The Advocate. The 16-point will, prepared by the firm of Sir Emeka Onyemelukwe & Associates, is entitled, 'Codicil, Varying, Revoking and Adding to my Will', and dated, 16 December, 2009. The document was signed by the former Biafran warlord as the testator and two witnesses: Engr Mse Ezenuba and Sebastian Ray Afadi. It was the first codicil to the late Ikemba's will dated 9 July 2005. Paragraph 10 of the codicil states how Ojukwu envisaged that peace will reign among his brothers. He also explained why one of his properties, Nnewi House, in Lagos should not be sold. The Codicil: CODICIL DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU Prepared by Sir Emeka Onyemelukwe (KGS) (JP) PP. Emeka Onyemelukwe & Associates Legal Practitioners 17 Kenyatta Street, Uwani, Enugu. C O D I C I L , VA R Y I N G , REVOKING AND ADDING TO MY WILL I, DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU, EZIGBO-GBURUGBURU, of NO. 7 Forest Crescent, GRA, Enugu, formerly residing at No. 4 Isiuzo Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, declares this to be a first codicil to my will which bears date, the 9th day of July 2005. 1. By my said will I gave absolutely to my wife Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu, the real property, located at No. 7 Forest Crescent, GRA Enugu, Enugu State and property known as Plot No. 20 Cadastral B9, located in JABI DAM, Abuja and covered by Certificate of Occupancy NO. 4405. 1(a) I hereby declare that those two properties have since been transferred to my wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Ojukwu,

by a Deed of Gift (Gift inter vivos)) already registered. 2. In paragraph 5 of that will, I gave the property known as Jubilee Hotel on Jubilee Road, Zaria, Kaduna State to my daughter, Tenni Hamman. (a) I have since sold that property. 3. In paragraph 9, 10 and 11 of my will, I devised and bequeathed my one hector each out of my 6 (six) hecters of land, located at Umuezena, Umudim, Nnewi, to my son Nwachukwu, my daughters, Nmegha; Ebele; Chineme and two hecters to my wife, Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu. 4. In view of the current problem in that parcel of land at Umuezena, Umudim, Nnewi, I direct that on resolution of the dispute between Obi Umezena and the Youths, what ever acreage or number of plots of land given to me shall be shared in the same ratio used in my will. 5. By my said will, in paragraph 12, I gave and bequeathed my interest in my mother's property at Onwudiwe Street, Uwani, Enugu to my nephew Tom Bigger. (a) Tom Bigger is my nephew to whom I devise and bequeath my interest at 56 Onwudiwe Street, Uwani, Enugu. 6. Also in my will, in paragraph 13, I gave my interest in my mother's property at Thinker's Corner, Enugu,Enugu State, to my nephew Robert Bigger. (a) Robert Bigger is my nephew, to whom I gave all my interest in my mother's plot of land at Thinker Corner Enugu. That plot of land is registered as instrument No. 29 at page 29, in volume 478 of the land Registry, Enugu. 7. I gave all my moneys in my account in Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc. Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc. Garden Avenue, Enugu to my wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the up keep of our children and herself. 8. OJUKWU TRANSPORT LTD I hereby direct that on my demise, my wife Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu shall take over my seat on the board of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. She may nominate any person of her choice to represent her in her absence at board meetings. 9. My wife, Bianca Odinaka

Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu shall retain my interest at No. 29 Queen's Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, which I fought hard to secure from the clutches of Lagos State Government. 10. I have thought about how peace shall endure within my brothers on the Board of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. And I have come to the conclusion that the Real Estate properties and companies shares of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. Be shared, except NNEWI HOUSE, which shall remain, the legacy, binding us an generations to come. This property at No. 1-3 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos, shall still be owned by Ojukwu Transport Ltd. However, I suggest that my half brothers agree on one Estate Agent, who shall manage the property. Proceeds from that property shall be shared equally among the three sons of late Sir. L.P. Ojukwu yearly as a binding legacy for generations to come. 11. I hereby direct that on the sharing of the Real Estate properties of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. The shares accruable to me shall be shared equally between my children from Late Njideka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the children of Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu. 12. I also direct that my daughters, Ebele Odumegwu Ojukwu and Tenni Hamman, be given a share of the Real Estate properties accruable to me. 13. I also demand that all the company shares owned by Ojukwu Transport Ltd. Be brought to a common pool and shared amongst the directors of the company. 14. I devise and bequeath my bungalow, at Abuja under Federal Housing Authority, HSE 41, 1st Avenue, 1(A) Road, Lugbe Estate, Abuja to my daughter Chineme. She shall own the property exclusively. 15. I devise and bequeath to my son Okigbo Odumegwu Ojukwu, my plot of land known as plot 10, Block 1, Thinkers Corner Enugu. He shall hold and enjoy the land exclusively. 16. In all other respects, I confirm my said will as modified by this Codicil. IN WITNESS I have hereto set my hand this 16th day of December, 2009.

became Vice President and from there, President. Sambo was Governor and from there, out of necessity he became Vice President. What do you expect from him? And you know that the problem with Nigeria is greed. So, he (Sambo) wants to be President. Whether he is doing well or not it is none of his concern. But all he knows is that he can grab power. And he is very close to become the President. So, they do not have their country in mind, all they think about is their selfish interest. None of them there has the interest of the country at heart. Like when you say America, they say America is our country. Every person in Nigeria believes in what he can do for himself and that is why we can never move forward. If not, you cannot be thinking about an election that is about four years away whereas in your tenure, you have nothing to show for it. Both of them, the President and the Vice President are people of the same category. The never do wells in governance. For some time the issue of Capital oil, Coscharis Access Bank and AMCON has been raging in the media. What is your opinion on the entire saga? You see, what we are against today is when the government does not even know when to come in. and you cannot because of people's selfish interest, decide for the entire masses of this country to go to hell. Between me and you in Abuja, there have been long queues in filling stations and even during the days of fuel subsidy, they increased fuel to N140 per a litre but today we are buying it, N150 a litre. Now, tell me, where we are going. Then the Capital oil issue, government should be able to think of the people they are governing, than thinking about personal interest. And the problem in capital oil is that people want to take somebody's private business and when I talk about this, I mean, AMCON, Access Bank and Coscharis, these are the problems. Mind you, Capital Oil has 35 percent of downstream. When I mean downstream, I mean PMS and Kerosene and because of the closure of Capital Oil, that is why me and you are suffering, queuing on the line. The government does not look at it on passionate grounds. They do not even look at what it entails for the country to close Capital Oil, but rather, they try to play politics and selfish interests with certain things that concern the citizens of this country. If you watch the sitting of the committee that is looking into the Capital Oil matter in the National Assembly, you find out that almost 30 civil society groups are there because all of them want Capital Oil to be re-opened. Besides that, you cannot be a judge in your case. Aig Imoukede is the Managing Director of Access Bank. This is where all the subsidy money was paid up and the same man was brought to Chair the committee that investigated the fuel subsidy, outside the House of

Representative committee that has submitted their own report. And you find out that Okonjo Iweala, the Minister of Finance, instead of her to know what to do, they decided to subject Capital Oil to a situation where Capital Oil will not exist any longer. They do not think of how they are helping the economy. I am using this opportunity to call on the National Assembly-House of Representatives and Senate-to be able to look at the nitty gritty of this case I am talking about, the Capital Oil and subsidy issues because that is the only private business in this country that has shown that Nigerians can do what others do from outside. And from what we here, the same Access Bank that took over Inter Continental Bank, want to take over Capital Oil the same way, for doing nothing. Have you seen where the lawyer of AMCON is the same lawyer to Access Bank, is the same lawyer to Coscharis? There was a court issue in Nigeria before they now ran to London to obtain a court injunction to seize Capital Oil assets. Is that the way to do it? Whereas there was a case in this country, which means that our judiciary is no longer in order? If a court in this country will now accept that particular injunction from the London court, we are now doomed. In this case, two of the major gladiators are Igbos. Ifeanyi Uba and Coscharis. Does this not confirm what other people say about the Igbos? If you are talking about Igbos, if you watch out fuel subsidy issue, people who are mostly affected are from the South-East. Why should it be so? Where is Otedola, with the bribe he gave and he was caught red handed? Where are the other people who were mentioned? But no one can say today, this is why Capital Oil was closed. This is because of the selfish interest of Minister of Finance, Okonjo Iweala, Aig Imoukede who now became chairman of the committee. Now, the House of Representatives committee on ethics handling the matter has asked him to come. If you watched t, you see the navy was invited, the custom was invited, so many people involved were invited and all the reports they made were that Capital Oil brought in the products. That was given to them, they did not put it in their report. That will show you that you cannot be judge in your own case. And that is why CNPP stood up to call a press conference to tell them that we are aware of this. And we have asked the Minister of Finance to give us all the reports before her, so that we can look at them and tell Nigerians the truth. For now, as far as we are concerned, we have not received the reports. We requested for it based on freedom of information. We have written, and we gave seven days ultimatum, and yet we have not received any report. So, we are heading to court. May be, court will tell us what to do next.

THE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

NEWS FROM STATES

Commercial Motorist to face hard time in Cross River By Edem Archibong, Calabar

he Cross River State Department for Public Transportation (DOPT) has vowed that with effect from January, 2013 all commercial vehicle operators in the state would be subjected to driving retraining and re-certification exercise before they would be allowed to operate safely as a measure to checkmate the recalcitrant roads users in the state. The Special Assistant to the Acting Governor on Public Transportation, Barrister Edem Effiom Ekong stated this while delivering a lecture during the 2012 public lecture organized by

the Institute of Education, University of Calabar under the Chairmanship of Professor J a m e s E p o k e , t h e Vi c e Chancellor of the University of Calabar. Mr. Ekong, an ex student of the institution (Malabites) who spoke on the theme: “The Imperatives of Road User Education in the Nigerian Environment” highlighted the need for proper education and enlightenment of every person who needs to make use of the road either as a pedestrian, passenger, Driver, cyclist, traffic officer or enforcement officer. He said that adequate and comprehensive knowledge of the basic rules that guide the road is very necessary as finding

indicates that there has been a gradual deterioration and complete breakdown in the knowledge or application of the roads using rules and regulations. These reasons make it important to really awaken the people to imbibe this safety consciousness when making use of the public roads and therefore propose for the re-introduction of road signs, rules and regulations as a compulsory subject in both primary and post primary schools in Cross River State. Also he affirmed that such steps would form part of the University curriculum for proper impact. In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor James Epoke

r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e Vi c e Chancellor Academic, Professor Austin Obiezekwe said the institution's vision is to attain and maintain the highest form of excellence in teaching, research and service to emerge as a leading light in Nigeria. He explained that the public lecture is organized to rekindle the culture of creating an opportunity for members of the University community and the neighbourhood to brainstorm on contemporary issues that affect the society such as the emerging traffic jam challenges in the Calabar metropolis in recent past after the State Government abolition of the use of motor cycles for commercial transportation. Also speaking earlier is the Director of Institute of

Education, Rev. Professor Imo Umoinyang assert that the public lecture is one of the statutory functions of the institute of Education as a way of contributing to the solution of myriads of road problems that is witnessed daily on roads in Calabar metropolis. He recalled that since the establishment of Institute of Education in the University of Calabar in 1987, it has been on the lead in assisting to provide quality services to her immediate community such as the retraining of primary School Teachers in four States of the Federation as well as the retraining of primary School Teachers to rise from Associate level to Nigeria Certificate level in Education amongst others.

SEDI: Nwajagu Resumes Office set for latest technology chase By Uba Ani

he Director Scientific Equipment Development Institute, SEDI, Akwuke, Enugu Professor Christian Nwajagu said the Institute has made a giant stride through the development of a 100% locally made single cylinder Engine. Speaking to journalists at the complex in Enugu after resuming from six months suspension from office, the Chief Executive Officer of the establishment, Prof Nwajiagu said that the single cylinder engine is the result of commitment to the agenda of Government in the area of research and development in the country. He said that no society can grow without research and development, stressing that the establishment is working assiduously to ensure that the mandate given to SEDI is achieved and such goals are geared towards enhancing the advancement of technology in Nigeria. According to the metallurgical Engineer, “the single cylinder engine called 'Prime Mover' was developed through reverse technology strategy brought about by a long period of extensive research to serve various commercial needs of the Nigerian public, such as pumping of tyre, pumping of water, grinding and other domestic needs”. Nwajagu noted that technology cannot be developed without

funding because it is capital intensive, adding that the purpose of starting with that single cylinder engine is that it would help in reducing capital flight from Nigeria to other countries, from where the engines are presently being imported from. “Technology is a practical thing, it is not by just talking, if you start a project without equipment and funding, obviously it will be stalled”' he said He said that the establishment metamorphosed from Federal Scientific Equipment Manufacturing Centre to its present status where it has been repositioned to translate research products and make them available for public use. According to him, “What was a mere scientific equipment manufacturing centre changed in both nomenclature and scope, is now using the present mandate to fabricate spare parts and put down infrastructure that will enable us produce locally all means of production”. “Consequently, we have pursued aggressively equipment upgrading and we have to been able to acquire various sizes of Di-casting machines and Computer Numerical Controlled machines which are latest technology world over and with that we are able to build most of the components of the Prime Mover Engine” He revealed that the Institute has set up a retraining programme for engineering graduates from Nigerian Universities who as a

result of lack of relevant equipment in their institutions are unemployable due to lack of technical know-how adding that they have trained upwards of 300 graduates in automated engineering technology which include the operation and use of Computer Numerical Control, CNC, and the Dicast machines in the casting and fabrication of engineering spare parts. Nwajagu commended the Federal Government in the area of funding but urged them to make more fund available as no country can make a difference in technological development without infrastructure. Journalists were shown the round the multi faceted departments among which is the waste to wealth plant developed and built by SEDI where “used polytene and plastics are recycled for further use. He called for partnership from Nigerian investors to harness the existing research products that the establishment has to offer. On resumption to office, Nwajagu had meetings with various groups and departments in the establishment which included top management staff and workers unions, where he solicited for their support to move the establishment to a better and enviable height. He called on the workers to be steadfast and double their efforts and commitment to duty in order to achieve the establishment's desired goals, while pledging to evolve strategies to tackle the raised issues of workers welfare

and lapses on information management which he admitted had hitherto not been fairly handled. “I am back with the spirit of reconciliation to move this place forward; we need peace to do that, we will meet regularly to sort grey areas and fashion out ways to ensure that our workforce are kept in good condition, we will work in harmony to raise the standards here, we should eschew rancor and acrimony otherwise our vision will be submerged”, he

said. In their separate responses the Workers Union Leaders, Francis Idion, Secretary of ASURI, Henry Amadi, Chairman of NASSU and Tijani Wakili, all pledged their loyalty and support to the management on behalf of the workers for the realization of the establishment's goals but called for the review of information management strategies in the establishment in order to enhance good working relationship among the staff, as well as achieving optimum

NIGERIA: First plane crash site to become tourist centre

he location in Ikogosi in E k i t i We s t L o c a l Government Area of Ekiti where the first plane crash was recorded in 1942, is to be converted to tourist centre. The Special Adviser to the state G o v e r n o r o n To u r i s m D e v e l o p m e n t , M r. S e g u n Ologunleko, who inspected the crash site on Wednesday in Ikogosi-Ekiti, said the decision was to turn the state into attractive tourism destination in West Africa. Ikogosi town is also famous for being the home to warm and cold water co-existing together on the same spot. He said government's

determination to make the state a place where people could visit and see the relics of the airplane would complement the appeal of the warm spring in the area. Speaking on the crashed plane, one of the elders of the Community, who claimed to be an eye witness to the incident, Pa. Olu Adeniyi, recalled that the plane crashed on April 12, 1942 at about 8.15 p.m. According to him, it was a war plane that contained arms and ammunition, including explosives that went off with loud bang throughout the night. Visible at the site, were the relics of the two engines of the plane and other aluminium and metal

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

NEWS FROM STATES

I'll die a progressive – sen. Bukar Ibrahim By Oguejiofor Martins interest of those who believe in

enator BukarAbba Ibrahim, and two time governor of Yobe State, has said that he would rather die being a progressive politician than cross carpeting to other political parties as such character has been the stock-in-trade of most politicians in the country. Ibrahim affirmed that people who indulge in the practice of moving from one party to another purposely see it as means of expressing their grievances on how they were treated by their former party or rather to actualize their political ambition. Senator Ibrahim who made this known in Enugu while addressing the party supporters at a one day forum organized by the leadership of All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, to sensitize the people of the South East Zone about the party's renewed determination to clinch power from the ruling party, PDP in 2015 and subsequent elections. According to him, since he started partisan politics under the tutelage of Late Aminu Kano, he has never changed from one party to the other but remained to build and nurture his party for the

the same cause and for the overall interest of all Nigerians. In his words: “I have never changed my political party. I will die in my party. I am not a conservative. I have been a progressive and I will die a progressive,” Senator Ibrahim further traced his political journey from the PRP, SDP, and APP to ANPP pointing out that he would remain a progressive no matter what happens to his party. He described the ruling party, PDP as a monster and stated that in line with the mandate or terms of reference of the 21-committee members of the ANPP national rebuilding interparty contact committee headed by former presidential candidate of the party in the 2011 presidential election, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, who were in Enugu for the South East Zone sensitization, the best option at wrenching power from PDP, is to form a merger of the opposition parties. “All the progressives have to unite to chase away this monster, PDP by Merger as a means of having truly one united political party that has the interest of all Nigerians at heart. Senator Ibrahim spoke acridly

about the thankless and dastard acts of violence visited on the country by the Boko Haram insurgence and stated that it was only God or Allah that could help Nigeria to rid itself of the dreaded group called Boko Haram. Speaking earlier, the ANPP presidential candidate in the 2011 general election, Alhaji Shekarau who is the chairman of the 21member ANPP national rebuilding interparty contact committee stated that the party is now poised to wrench power from the ruling party by putting its h o u s e i n o r d e r . According to him, his committee has six months to find out the problems that bedevil the party and proffer solutions that could make ANPP regain its former glory where it won many governorship and national assembly elections. The committee chairman stated that to reposition the party, his committee was given a six terms of reference such as to generally look at the party and know how to move it forward. And the references are “to discuss extensively the issue of funding of the party from ward to federal level, to identify party leaders who left for other parties with a view to bringing them back”. To

sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim identify key political actors with a view to imploring them to join the party and to enter into merger discussion with parties and o r g a n i z a t i o n s . To ensure that the job of the committee is made easier, Shekarau explained that the committee was broken into 3 subcommittees to actualize their

objectives of making ANPP a great party to beat any day. The committee chairman was accompanied on the sensitization forum by prominent party members like Senator Abba Ibrahim, Nelson Alaba, Livinus Nwambe from Ebonyi State, and George Muoghalu, the secretary of the Committee among others.

2013 LG Election, Police Combat ready – Omire By philip Eke, Yenagoa

he Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Mr. Kingsley Omire has holistically stressed the readiness of police during the political party primaries in the local government

election slated early next year. Commissioner of police while addressing party officials, aspirants, and other stakeholders in an interactive session noted without missing word. Mr. Omire appealed to party aspirants who

147 Sanitation defaulters arrested in Yenagoa By philip Eke, Yenagoa

ast environmental sanitation exercise in Bayelsa State was adjudged poor participation by residents in Yenagoa, as our correspondent visited several streets within the capital city, few persons were seen working as most people adopted stay at home syndrome. Also at Ekeki motor park, the sanitation was hardly observed as youths stand in groups in dirty environment discussing and arguing European football,some of the stores were opened for business transaction. At Julius Berger junction, there was heavy road block by security operatives which shows little commitment of the exercise, which was also poorly observed as majority of Bayelsans did not observed the sanitation exercise as residents stay at home without cleaning their environments.

The Deputy Health director in the sanitation authority, Mrs. Adi Douglas Naigba while fielding question with newsmen tasks residents to always imbibe the culture of cleanness, stressing that the sanitation law is effective and defaulters would be squarely punished in compliance with the law. Naigba further noted that banks have their environmental sanitation day in cleaning, just as she tasks other business outfits to always come out enmas to participate and clean their business environment. Naigba who made the revelation while briefing the press on behalf of the state environmental sanitation chairman, Chief Abel Ebifemowei. At the end of the sanitation exercise one hundred and forty seven defaulters were arrested out of which eighty six were female, while sixty one were male that faced various sanctions ranging from payment of fines and other stipulated punishments.

are vying for elective positions to use their supporters positively. He also affirmed that security agencies would not condone atrocities during and after the election, even as the Christmas is around the corner. “Election is not do or die affairs, police is at your service”, therefore they have sued for synergy with the public in curtailing the crime rate to the b a r e s t m i n i m u m . Commissioner of police also thanked Bayelsans for the cordial

working relationship in his tenure as commissioner of police in Bayelsa state, which has been adjudged very peaceful. “I did not lobby for my appointment to Bayelsa State, it was a divine mandate”. He further stressed the security challenges in the various local government areas, noting that gun boats are inadequate to cover the water ways especially the creeks for constant police patrol. According to him, police will

Abubakar, IGP

monitor the distributions of election materials adequately, police is ready for trouble makers, he also bemoan the killing of innocent blood. “Peace is golden without peace no meaningful development will take place, appreciating the effort of the executive governor of Bayelsa State in his peace initiative in line with restoration agenda. Omire equally tasks youths, CDCs and community leaders to adhere strictly to directives of the constituted authorities in their various communities to avoid blood shedding or destruction of lives and properties. Commissioner of police further disclosed that several cultists have been arrested and would be squarely prosecuted in compliance with the law. During the interactive session several contributions were made, such as protection of election posters and banners from vandals, intimidation/molestation by opposition, protection of election materials from thugs among others. In a related development, the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) in a meeting with political parties, stakeholders and the security agencies in Yenagoa released the time table of the forthcoming local government's election, slated March 2013.

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

EDUCATION

UNN graduates 84 physiotherapists to boost healthcare By Chioma Junbo

HE Provost College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Basden Onwubere, has warned the newly graduated physiotherapists against unethical behaviours in the discharge of their duties saying the institution has mandated members of its alumni association globally to monitor their performance. Speaking at the 17th induction of 84 physiotherapists at the Enugu

Campus of the university, the provost, who was represented on the occasion by Prof. Mrs. Ngozi Onyemelukwe, threatened that the management would have no option than to withdraw certificates of its medical graduates who breached professional code of conduct anywhere in the world. He, however, urged them to see themselves as ambassadors of the university and must always maintain high standard for which their alma mater was known. According to him “my tenure has

particularly been favoured by history, as it is during this period that our medical students started graduating on record time and today we are graduating new set of physiotherapists”. Presenting the graduands to the registrar, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, Mr. Joshua Jagunola, for oathtaking, the head, Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology UNN, Dr. Emeka Igwe, said that the 17th induction ceremony was historic, as the one

in which the graduands were eager to conclude their programme and face the future. Dr Igwe, who disclosed that the department which commenced admission in 1986 with five students had produced several physiotherapy professionals who are in various parts of the world restoring humanity to form and function, noted that the department had since 2011, introduced new techniques of teaching to improve the quality of their graduates. He stated that as part of efforts to improve teaching, learning and scholarship, the research l a b o r a t o r y, r e h a b i l i t a t i o n

gymnasium, departmental library, classrooms and offices had been refurbished with modern facilities and new equipment. While calling for the expansion of clinical facilities at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, and other friendly health institutions in the state to take care of the large students' population, the head of department remarked that the earlier hostel accommodation was provided at UNTH Ituku Ozalla for students, the better, as they currently shuttle between Enugu and the hospital for lectures and clinical services.

ESUT declares academic emergency By Ted Peters

ollowing the unfortunate incident where three students of Enugu State University of Science and Technology were reportedly dismissed from the NYSC programme for falling short of standard required of a graduate the institution has declared an academic emergency in ESUT. The Pro-chancellor of ESUT Dr. Chris Offiah who spoke at an award ceremony to honour the 2012 best lecturer and best researcher in ESUT said the emergency measure starts from 2012/2013 academic year. In line with the emergency rule Dr. Offiah said the use of handout by lecturers is over just as he announced the prohibition of indiscipline and any form of inducement for marks which he says will attract summary dismissal to those involved. Also students whose academic average falls below 1.00 will be asked to leave the university as there will be no more 'let my people go' or upliftment of grades to help students to graduate. He further said that each student must read at least five novels per semester and write one page summary of each novel to be given to the Head of department; "this will help the student pass the Vice Chancellor's course, which is a pre-requisite to graduate. The vice chancellor of the university Professor Cyprian Onyeji in a remark said the award became pertinent because of the downward trend in the quality of teaching, learning and research blaming both teachers and students for the decline. He disclosed that management and the Governing Council have put measures in place to facilitate the upliftment of the standard of education in ESUT part of which is the establishment of the annual awards. He pointed out that academic excellence is also being promoted and encouraged among students

through the introduction of a University scholarship programme earned by students with CGPA of not less than 4.50 and sustained with CGPA of 4.10. In his speech the state

commissioner for education and chairman of the occassion stressed the need to return the institution to its enviable position as the best University of technology in Nigeria.

Dr. Uijam Amechi a lecturer in the department of Mechanical Engineering won the award for best researcher and was presented with a N3 million by Skye bank while Dr. (Mrs.) Abigail Alio of

the department of Technical and Vocational Education won the best lecturer award and was presented with a brand new KIA Sorrento car by First Bank PLC.

Mission schools: Amosun pleads for understanding

gun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has appealed to missionaries to be patient with the government on the return of the remaining educational institutions originally founded by them. Amosun said that the missionaries should show understanding with his government on its actions concerning the take-over of their schools. The governor stated this on Tuesday when he received members of the Old Students' Association of Ijebu-Ode Grammar School who visited him in his office. The old students were in Abeokuta to inform the governor about plans to celebrate the centenary aniversary of the school scheduled for January next year. He argued that returning the schools to their original owners at this time would defeat the original purpose and objectives of the founding f ather s of s uch institutions. He said it would not be proper to deny some children access to education because they could not

afford to pay tuition. Amosun commended the missionaries for laying a solid foundation for qualitative education in the state but said the government would hold on to some of their schools until the educational system is stabilisd. He however assured that all the remaining missionary schools still being run by the state government would be fully returned to their original owners as soon as the state completes its various mega projects. “We want to plead with the owners of the missionary schools to understand government's action. “We want to collaborate with you because we have one area of common interest which is to ensure that our children are educated,” the governor said. He added that government was trying to ensure that the schools provide quality education that would enable their products to compete favourably with their colleagues in other parts of the world. Amosun also identified the schools founded by the missionaries as those promoting

qualitative education and moral standard with their products faring better than those of the private schools. “Ogun State was the first port of call for the missionaries and that is why all good schools are in Ogun State. With the foundation obtained in some of these schools, the products are better than pupils of private schools,” he said. The governor described IjebuOde Grammar School as one of the schools in the state which has produced world class individuals that are doing well in various fields of human endeavour. The leader of the delegation, the

Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, Oba A. A. Oguntayo, in his remarks, observed that the essence of the forthcoming centenary celebration is to thank God as well as to seek support for the projects embarked upon by the former students. Oguntayo said that the celebration would hold next year with a week-long activiies, and urged the governor to support the activities lined up for the event. The Vice-President of Ijebu-Ode Grammar School Old Students' Association, Dr. Dipo Bailey, appealed to Amosun to honour them with his physical presence during the celebrations.

Senator Ibikunle Amosun

C' River to introduce Chinese language in public schools

he Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong Offiong, has said that the government is planning to introduce Chinese language in all the public schools in the state. Offiong, who disclosed this in Calabar while briefing the press on the activities of the ministry

for the year ending 2012, said this was in keeping with current global trend. “In order to key into global trend, the state has initiated discussion with the Chinese Embassy towards introduction of Chinese language in our schools,” he said. He also disclosed that over 9, 000 laptops would be distributed to teachers in public schools so as to

assist them to interface with the most recent development in their subjects. According to him, the facilities at the former French Language Centre in Calabar will be upgraded to accommodate the new initiative. Offiong said, “As a preliminary step, we have re-christened the centre. We have also initiated

discussion with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which is currently collaborating with the Chinese University on the teaching of the language in the institution.” He said that Cross Rivers State is open to foreign investment, adding that the Chinese Language is strategic for this purpose “and for the future of our children.”

THE

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Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

Mini-Olympics: Delta State records victory on 2012 Sports Festival Stories by Okey Anyichie

he 2012 All Nigeria sports festival otherwise “Eko 2012” came to an end last Sunday after two weeks of struggle for laurels by 36 states and federal capital territory of Abuja. At the end of this two weeks of sports vaganza, Delta state won the overall by bagging 114 gold 99 silver and 75 bronze medals to coast home to victory. Rivers state the defending champion of the last sports fiesta in Port-Harcourt came second with 76 gold, 71 silver and 70 bronze medals while the hoststate, Lagos brought the rear to the third position with 64 gold, 47 silver and 71 bronze medals. Thus Delta state reincarnated the then Mid-west state that swept the medals at the 1st All Nigeria sports festival in Lagos in July 1973, followed by the then Western state and the former Eastcentral state came in the third position. It was like history repeating itself as Delta state is part of the former Mid-west state, now demerged into Edo and Delta

states. Edo state even came fourth with 25 gold, 23 silver and 44 bronze medals, showing the pattern of sports higher development is still with in these areas of the country. Infact nothing succeeds like success which came as a result of hardwork and scientific planning. And in looking at this pace of sports development and youth mobilization in these two areas of the country, one has to give kudos to the former military governor of the then Mid-west state, Brigadier Osaigbovo Sam Ogbemudia who laid a very strong foundation for sports in these two areas by building sporting complex at Afuze, the first in the country in 1973. It was at this edifice of sporting excellence, where athletes from the then Mid-west wrought the miracle in sports that made then the primus interpares, (first among the equals) in the first All-Nigeria sports vaganza in Lagos in 1973. Like I did predict in my preview of the festival in the “Advocate edition 3-7 December, 2012 that the festival will at the end be a straight fight between

Lagos, Delta Edo and Rivers States. And from the way the sports vanganza ended, I have been proved right as Delta state came first, followed by Rivers state and Lagos came third with Edo state coming in the fourth position. Calabar, the capital city of Cross-River state will host the 2014 edition of the sports festival. The state finished in the eight position with 12 gold, 14 silver and 23 bronze medals. After looking ta the “trail blazers “in this “Eko 2012” what of the score-card of the teams from South-Eastern states, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo. It is very sad that the sporting ability of these five states had declined, otherwise how can it be explained that Ebonyi state bagged 4 gold medals followed by Imo state with 3 gold medals and Abia bagging 2 gold medals and Enugu had only one gold medal to show for it. Anambra State had no strength for gold medal. With this dysimal performance at “Eko-2012”, there should be a summit for sports. It is sad once again to see these five

Dr Uduaghan, the Delta State governor lifting the trophy his state won as the overall victors of “Eko-2012” in Lagos states that had set the pace in sports now taking back seat in sports now. It is unbelievable with what happened in Lagos. However, Delta state must be highly congratulated as the state has continued to keep the flag flying. Thus writing a very powerful story of how sports and

youth mobilization should follow the correct path to greatness and success. Equally Lagos that hosted the festival should also earn kudos for hosting a hitch-free sports vaganza. See you again in Calabar in 2014, “insha-Allah” and cheers to all the athletes that participated in the festival.

Africa Youth Championships in under 17 and under 20 set was the South American country for next year in Morocco and Algeria led by the present icon of soccer,

ith the draws last Sunday in CairoEgypt in the Africa Youth Championship in under 17 and under 20, the die is cast in this youth soccer championships in the two North African countries of Morocco and Algeria. In the draws for under 17 soccer championship in Morocco, the Nigerian “Golden Eaglets” will trade tackles with Ghana, Cote D'voire and Congo while in other group, the setting is between hosts, Morocco, Botswana, Gabon and Tunisia. In the under 20 group, the “Flying Eagles” of Nigeria are playing with Mali, Gabon and Congo Democratic Republic while hosts, Algeria square it up with Ghana, Egypt and Benin Republic. Based on the draws of the two age grade African soccer championship, eight teams will come out of the two youth soccer championship for the world youth soccer championship next year. The African youth soccer championship in under 17 will come off in Morocco in April 2013, while the competition in under 20 in Algeria will kick-off in March next year. The emergence of four teams in under 17 group will be the African flag-bearers in the world championship in 2013 in United Arab Emirate, while the other four teams will emerge in

under 20 championship to represent Africa in the global youth soccer fiesta in Turkey. Thus the die is cast for the two 2013 youth soccer championships that will expose the bests in Africa and world next year. This youth soccer championship in under 20 started in Tunisia, Africa, in 1977 and won by Russia and since then a number of countries had won the competition, but Argentina and Brazil had won the competition five times. In

the under 17 age-group, the competition started in BeijingChina in 1985 and Nigeria took the credit of winning the maiden edition of the competition after beating the then West-Germany 2-0 in the final. Since 1985, Nigeria had won the world championship in 1993 and 2007. But in the under 20 championship, Nigeria has failed to click in the competition since 1983, when the “Flying Eagles” qualified to play among the other qualifiers in Mexico,

but could not go beyond the group stages. However Nigeria raised very high hopes in 1989 edition in Saudi-Arabia after beating United States of America in the Semi-final by 2-1. Then in the final of the competition, the “Flying Eagles” failed to fly to a lofty height after being grounded by their Portuguese counterparts by 2-0. Nigeria again failed to scale over the mountain of the final competition by losing to Argentina in 2005 in Holland. It

Under 17 Lads from Nigeria, rejoicing after one of their victorious matches

Lionel Messi, that again made the effort of Nigeria in this youth soccer competition, a mission impossible. Argentina beat Nigeria 2-1 to cart off the trophy in the 2005 edition in Holland. Thus Nigeria, if the flying Eagles do very well in Algeria next year will trade tackles with the other qualifiers in Turkey next year and perhaps thaw the ice in this global youth soccer fiesta, that Ghana became the only African country that had won the competition. Ghana did Africa proud in the global soccer championship in 2009 edition in Egypt, after sending Brazil packing in the final of the competition, after penalty shoot outs. This is the position of A f r i c a i n t h i s u n d e r- 2 0 championship which is quite a contrast to under-17 soccer championship, that had been won more than once by Ghana and Nigeria. With the back-gound of these two youth soccer fiesta one expects to see the standard of the eight teams in these two age-grade soccer championships after the African encounters in Morocco and Algeria next year. Then the standard of the two competitions will show what the African flag bearers in the two competitions will look like in Turkey and

THE

Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

Malaga given European ban for unpaid bills

alaga have been banned from European competition for at least one season because of unpaid bills. The suspension will not affect the Spanish club this campaign, as they aim for the Champions League last eight, but any time in the next four seasons should they again qualify for Europe. The ban has been issued by football governing body Uefa, which is seeking to stop clubs spending beyond their means through Financial Fair Play. Malaga lie fourth in La Liga. A Uefa statement said: "Uefa's club financial control body has taken its first decision due to the presence of significant overdue payables. "Malaga is excluded from participating in the next Uefa club competition for which it would otherwise qualify for in the next four seasons." The club responded by claiming they have been made a "scapegoat" by Uefa. "Malaga wishes to express its total disagreement at the decision issued today by Uefa, and considers the intended actions against the club to be completely unjustified," said a statement. "The club believes they are being made a 'scapegoat' and an 'example of' by Uefa by this unfair treatment." Malaga were also fined 300,000 euros (ÂŁ244,000) and face a

further season's ban unless they can prove by the end of March that they have settled outstanding payments to other teams, staff and tax authorities. The fortunes of Martiricos, who face Porto in the last 16 of the Champions League, looked to have changed for the better when Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani of the Qatari Royal Family was named owner in June 2010.

Argentine defender Martin Demichelis, Brazil's Julio Baptista, Frenchman Jeremy Toulalan and Chile's Manuel Iturra have all been brought in by manager Manuel Pellegrini over the last two years as the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history. However, Malaga sold key players Santi Cazorla, who is now

at Arsenal, and Joris Mathijsen, to Feyenoord, last summer. And there was internal trouble with former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cazorla among a handful of players to threaten legal action over unpaid wages last season. The LFP (Liga de Futbol Profesional) had imposed a transfer ban in January after the club missed a payment to Osasuna

for Spain full-back Nacho Monreal. Meanwhile, five other clubs face similar one-year bans during any of the next three seasons unless they can convince the governing body they have cleared stipulated debts. They are Hadjuk Split and Osijek from Croatia, Rapid Bucharest and Dinamo Bucharest from Romania, and Partizan Belgrade from Serbia.

Alessandro Ballan badly injured in training crash in Spain

lassics specialist Alessandro Ballan is

facing a prolonged period off the bike after breaking his leg,

injuring his spleen and puncturing a lung in a high-speed training

accident in Spain. The 33-year-old Italian has

Juventus set record with victory

Juventus came from behind to set a new league record of 94 points in a calendar year thanks to a 3-1 win over Cagliari. Mauricio Pinilla put the Sardinians in front in the 16th minute, but a brace from Alessandro Matri, after Arturo Vidal had missed a penalty, turned the game around. Mirko Vucinic added a third deep into stoppage time while Cagliari ended the game with 10 men with Davide Astori picking up two yellow cards. Cagliari were on their travels again, choosing Parma this time as their base for the final match of 2012 after their Is Arenas home was once again denied a safety certificate. The proximity to Turin, however, meant that the majority of the fans inside the Stadio Tardini were officially supporting the away team, which became particularly evident when a penalty was awarded to Cagliari in the 15th minute. Vidal fouled Marco Sau inside the penalty area, and after a moment of hesitation and consultation

with the referee behind the goal, a penalty was given. Pinilla stepped up and sent his shot high into the top left-hand corner of the goal. At other end, a cross from Kwadwo Asamoah passed close in front of Fabio Quagliarella, who was not able to pounce from close range. Juventus had their own penalty claims, the first of which came in the 39th minute when Astori held Quagliarella, who went to ground. Their next appeal came in the 64th minute when Asamoah headed wide after receiving a nudge in the back, but again the referee said no. That chance came after Leonardo Bonucci hit the crossbar and Matri's shot was saved by Michael Agazzi. A minute later, Astori was sent off for a second yellow card, but it still took the Bianconeri time to make their pressure count. They got the penalty they were looking for in the 71st minute when Dario Del Fabro tripped Sebastian Giovinco, but Vidal wasted the chance, blazing the ball over the crossbar for his

second spot-kick failure this season. Juve finally drew level in the 75th minute through Matri, who pounced after Mirko Vucinic's shot was only parried by Agazzi. Agazzi made a stunning onehanded stop to push Asamoah's header onto the post and then kick the rebound clear in the 89th minute as it looked like 10-man

Cagliari were going to hold on. However, two minutes into stoppage time, Matri scored his second when Vidal blocked Nene's clearance and the ball fell kindly for the former Cagliari striker to slot in. Three minutes later, Vucinic made sure Giovinco's bundled shot crossed the line to seal one more win for Juventus in 2012.

already undergone one emergency operation to remove his spleen, but will need another to repair a displaced fracture of his left femur. The BMC rider was descending the Coll de Rates climb, close to Parcent, near Valencia, at the end of a four-hour ride on Thursday when he crashed. The impact also broke a rib, which consequently caused a small puncture of a lung. Ballan had been scheduled to race at the season-opening Tour Down Under next month, before embarking on a spring Classics campaign. The 2008 world road race champion was looking to improve on his performance in 2012, when he finished third in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, and fourth at Strade Bianchi. BMC Racing Team directeur sportif John Lelangue was unable to put a timescale on Ballan's recovery. He said: "Of course, his loss means a lot since Alessandro is one of our key riders for the classics. "But most important right now is that he can recover and just get back to his normal process. "We will wait for all the medical information before even beginning to think about what

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, December 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, December 30, 2012

Roberto Mancini happy Manchester City 'recovered' the game with improved a lot. We want to " O u r c h a r a c t e r i s s t r o n g . a lot of games like today. rock-bottom Reading recover so when we are losing we S o m e t i m e s y o u c a n w i n , "But it is more important to score

oberto Mancini was happy his Manchester City side 'recovered' the game with rock-bottom side Reading as they won 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. The hosts created numerous chances but lacked edge, in a game that looked to be heading for a surprise goalless draw. It was Gareth Barry's stoppagetime winner that saw off hardworking Reading, piling more woe on the Premier League strugglers. Mancini said: "I think we deserved to win but when you are in the last two or three minutes of extra time, it could be difficult. "These games, if you don't score in the first half when you have a lot of chances to score, I think they can be strong. "They played well, they defended well, for 90 minutes with all players behind the ball. We didn't find space to score. "When you have one chance, you have to score. In the end, I am happy with the victory but we had a big problem." The match was City's last home game of 2012 and they won it in a manner in keeping with the rest of the year, notably last season's title

decider. Mancini added: "In this we have

try until the end to score, to recover the game.

sometimes you can't but I am very happy because we have recovered

Shola Ameobi's late strike gave Newcastle acould1-0 win over not direct his back-post an 81st minute strike from header on goal and he then failed fellow strugglers QPR substitute Ameobi rewarded their to find strike partner Demba Ba

hola Ameobi netted a late winner as Newcastle's 1-0 victory halted QPR's recent revival under Harry Redknapp.

A first win of the season lifted the R's off the bottom last week, but struggling Newcastle were also in desperate need of three points and

dogged display at a damp St James' Park. The hosts went in search of an early opener, but Papiss Cisse

David Price keen to showcase his skills in 2013 after an explosive year

nbeaten heavyweight David Price believes his knockout run in 2012 has denied him the chance to show his full potential. Price has enjoyed a successful 12 months, earning the British and Commonwealth titles amidst impressive stoppage wins over John McDermott, Sam Sexton, Audley Harrison and Matt

he 2012 tennis season proved to be a breakthrough campaign for Andy Murray, who ended Great Britain's 76-year wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion with a famous victory in New York, as well as winning Olympic gold. There was also British success on the women's side with Heather Watson becoming GB's first WTA singles champion for almost a quarter of a century when triumphing at the Japan Open in October. Plenty of household names also shone during the calendar year, with the 'Big Four' in the men's game re-enforcing their dominance over the rest of the field by dividing all four majors between them, although David Ferrer staked a serious claim for player of the year by grabbing seven ATP titles. Novak Djokovic started and ended the year in style, picking up where he left off in 2011 with

before. If not, my heart is not strong.â&#x20AC;?

Skelton. But the Commonwealth Games gold medallist insists he is not just a knockout artist and is working hard to sharpen his skills as he prepares to face former world title challenger Tony Thompson on February 23. "I've not really had time to show the improvements I've been

making as a boxer because the fights have been so short, especially in my last two fights," Price told the Liverpool Echo. "It is in the sparring that I know improvements are being made but the fights will come where I will start to show them." Price has adopted a patient approach and hopes to take the European crown in 2013 on his path towards a shot at Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, who hold all the

world titles. "By the end of next year, I hope we are at least talking about me having won a European title," he said. "Possibly even me having fought in a world title eliminator. "Should I come through the fight with Tony Thompson then my world ranking should go right up. "My shot will come and every fight is massive for me next year and my philosophy has to be that every fight is my world title fight.â&#x20AC;?

Tennis Review of 2012 Grand Slam success in Melbourne and retaining his No.1 ranking for the second successive year with victory at the ATP World Tour Finals in November. Djokovic and Nadal contested an epic Australian Open final at Melbourne Park lasting almost six hours - the longest in Grand Slam history - before the Serb prevailed for his fifth major title. The performance and on-court celebration which followed from the Serb was truly herculean. At the same venue 24 hours earlier, Victoria Azarenka claimed the women's number one ranking after a stunning 6-3 6-0 demolition of Maria Sharapova. The Belarussian's 26-0 start to a WTA season was the best since Martina Hingis in 1997. The clay-court swing followed a similar pattern to previous years on the men's side with Nadal ruling in Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Rome and then the French

Open to claim a record-breaking seventh title at Roland Garros, ending a seven-match losing streak against Djokovic in the process. The undisputed 'King of Clay' continues to rule on the red dirt. There was a new name on the women's trophy, though, as Sharapova ended Sara Errani's dream run to become the 10th female to claim the career Grand Slam. It was to be the Russian's third and final title of the year, although she did add an Olympic silver medal to her trophy cabinet at Wimbledon. Talking of Wimbledon, the hallowed turf hosted yet another famous Federer triumph in June. The Swiss maestro reduced home favourite Murray to tears after battling back from a set down to win their final 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4. The win was a record-equalling seventh for Federer at the All England club and put him atop the

world rankings for the first time since 2010. Murray was to get his revenge, though, dropping just seven games to stun the Swiss in the Olympic final the following month. S e r e n a Wi l l i a m s b e g a n a sensational end to the season at Wimbledon, downing Azarenka in finals at SW19 and Flushing Meadows and Sharapova in the Olympic showpiece in between as she won 26 of her last 27 matches. Her heroics lifted spirits in her native America following Andy Roddick's retirement and a serious illness to Mardy Fish. But it was Murray's magical moment in the Big Apple which stole the year for British fans in late September. His stunning 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 victory over Djokovic on Arthur Ashe sparked wild celebrations in his native Scotland and finally confirmed his destiny as a Grand Slam champion.

with a wayward cross. Magpies winger Jonas Gutierrez was similarily wasteful when he overhit his centre from a promising position, while the R's gave a glimpse of their threat as Adel Taarabt's dangerous ball flew across the face. Newcastle were offering little attacking menace, despite decent spells of possession, and QPR's resolute defender Ryan Nelsen easily dealt with any hopeful balls into the box. Ba ballooned a free-kick hopelessly over the bar as the Magpies laboured on the increasingly sodden surface, but James Perch did raise the pulse of the home faithful with a shot narrowly wide. Following a quiet first-half, R's striker Djibril Cisse nearly made his mark moments after the restart as Tim Krul pushed his low drive into the side-netting. His namesake then went close at the other end as Papiss nodded over at the back post, while Vurnon Anita's dangerous low free-kick was pushed away by Rob Green. The Magpies were mounting a sustained assault on goal, but substitute Ameobi made a mess of a header before Ba nodded weakly at Green. Ameobi was far more assured shortly afterwards as he raced onto Perch's pass and curled an inch perfect shot into the far corner. The R's back-line was almost breached again minutes later when a low drive from Sylvain Marveaux was pushed away by the sprawling Green. Taarabt was handed the chance to give Rangers a last-gasp reprieve with a free-kick in a dangerous position, but his looping effort was held by Krul.

THE

Vol. 1 No. 12, Monday, December 24 – Sunday, December 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

SPORTS STAR Nwankwo Kanu

...for Equity and Justice

www.theadvocatengr.com

Back page comment

May it never be said of us that “These were once a decent and enlightened people” Being An After-Luncheon speech to” concerned professionals of Anambra State” delivered on Thursday 16th October 1997and reproduced by The Advocate because of its relevance till today By Prof ABC Nwosu, Ph.D (LOND.) D.I.C

e were taught in school that a long after-dinner speech is bad for digestion. Same for luncheons. We were therefore trained to adhere to Chinua Achebe's injunction that a good luncheon speech should be like a good ladies dress-not too long, for it would be clumsy, but short enough to cover the basic essentials. I shall therefore begin my not too long speech with a story. Once upon a time in October 1965, a student was admitted into the Part I B.Sc degree programme of the University of Ibadan. He was a Federal Government of Nigeria scholar. He had just completed the Higher School at one of the Government Colleges, where again he was Regional Government scholar. At the University of Ibadan, he shared a room with just one person, who he insisted was his “tenant”. He and his tenant remain the best of friends till today. They were served their meals in beautiful wooden trays, and did not need to present any meal tickets to be served. They were supposed to be gentlemen. Of course they had to be, being in Tedder Hall, University of Ibadan: for gentlemen only. The matriculation at Trenchard Hall was memorable and has ever since been permanently etched in the mind and psyche of that young man. How can he ever forget it? The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kenneth Onwuka Dike from Awka looked most dignified, almost superhuman, the lecturers resplendent in their academic gowns-scarlet, black, yellow, red some with stripes on their sleeves and almost all of them wearing berets with tassels. It was truly great. That young man and his friends rushed to Umunna photos for the customized 30 copies of their matriculation photograph which were rushed to friends, and especially to those girls who would not give them much time of their day, just to serve notice to these girls that they have arrived! Because within three years of matriculation, they (now undergraduates) would be visiting them as graduates, “senior service”, car owners! The feeling was awesome. Thirty two (32) year later that young man has aged but he still keeps his (Umunna's matriculation photograph to constantly remind him of those beautiful times, and to keep his hopes alive that some generation might yet discover and fulfill its mission in Nigeria. That young man of 1965 is standing before you now as the guest speaker. But that is now all that remains. Age is fast catching up with him. He is Professor Alphonsus Nwosu, letter known as ABC NWOSU. The village primary school that produced him St. Peter Claver's Catholic School Otolo Nnewi (Akwunweke) now breeds illiterate “sandwiched” teachers and

Prof ABC Nwosu pupils, the Government Secondary School (Afikpo) that he attended (one of the very best in the country) has fallen totally into ruins; and he has resigned from University teaching out of sheer frustration and disillusionment. And all these in a space of 40 years! less then a generation. What has gone wrong? Why were the first generation leaders able to provide schools that were excellent; public service including Railways that worked; test-tubes and reagents in secondary-school science laboratories, scholarships for especially poor but brilliant students; etc” why did our founding fathers not have failed contracts, or failed governments? What indeed has gone wrong with us as a people? In my view so much has gone wrong that it is difficult to know where to begin. Especially in Anambra State. Is it our warped and inverted values? Is it our penchant for always getting our priorities wrong- that is far doing first things last and last thing first? Is it our excessive greed lust for and corruption? Is it the total absence of political and economic direction? Or is it our utter money insensitivity to the plight of the common and the not-so-common Anambrarian? I do not wish to cause anybody indigestion but I merely wanted to show that we as a people have lost our soul, and the body Obo land Anambra State) suffers greatly. I am naturally an optimist and even though events conspire regularly in Nigeria to turn me into a cynic, I shall resist the temptation to become cynical. In this society it is much easier to be a “grumbling” and cynical Anambrarian than to be an optimist. Optimism is a good tonic to survive in Anambra State and in Nigeria. Like a smile it is easier on the body and the hormones, and it releases creative energies necessary to forge ahead. I therefore continue to keep alive those famous words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King JR:

“I say to you today, Even though we face difficulties today, I have a dream”. What is my dream? A dream I have nurtured from my secondary school days as I recall those once-upon-a-time years where scholarships were available and the driver's son, petty trader's son, Cook's son, and sons of pupil-teachers were enable to study alongside with the children of Honourable Ministers and powerful politicians at those excellent secondary schools, Grammar schools, Colleges and other excellent institution in old Eastern Region Onitsha with Christ the King College and Dennis Memorial Grammar school led the way. Onitsha was a seat of learning. Indeed most of the firstgeneration Professors and even later professors are children of non-literate mothers. They had become nurtured by an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY and EQUAL ACCESS environment created by dreamers and visionaries like the great Zik, Okpara and others and inspired by people like Oli, Abyssinia, Nwafor Orizu, Chike Obi, Pious Okigbo, Kenneth Dike, and others. And what have we their children become in Anambra State of today? A people bereft of dreamers and visionaries. A people of “My Mercedes is bigger than yours”. A people with cultic children as predicted by Chukwuemeka Ike in his 1990 book “Our children are coming”; and a people where “the beautiful ones are not ruling and “good governance” is elusive. Let me quickly stop here because I do not desire to give anyone indigestion! And as I had said, I am an optimist. So what must we do people of Anambra State: because our State should be one of the richest and most developed States in Nigeria as a result of especially our human resources like Japan. But where are we? Are we going forward or backward? In my view, we must go back to those values and ideals that created those good “once upon- atime” years. The values of honesty, hardwork, and service to the people. We must be frightened that a whole generation is growing up before our very eyes, with the notion that it is right to do anything to get money and once you have “arrived” begin to live a life of ostentation that offends and suffocates the masses. This just cannot continue. We must twin around to give back to Anambra, the land of our birth quality service and governance that will make our newly created State the envy of all Nigerians. This is our challenge as we Ndi Anambra march forward to the next millennium which is only three years away from now. We must not fail. So help us God. Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your attention.

Nwankwo Kanu, OON (born 1 August 1976), or simply Kanu, is a Nigerian footballer who is currently a free agent, having last played for Portsmouth. He was also a member of the Nigerian national team for 16 years from 1994 until 2010. Kanu is a member of the Igbo ethnic group; his name, Nwankwo, means Baby boy born on Nkwo market day in the Igbo language. Kanu has won a UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners Medals and two African Player of the Year awards amongst others. He is also one of few players to have won the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal. He holds the record for most substitute appearances in Premier League history, appearing from the bench 118 times. He is also a UNICEF ambassador. Early career Born in Owerri, Nigeria, Kanu began his career at Nigerian league club Federation Works, before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale. After a notable performance at the U-17 World Championships he was signed by Dutch Eredivisie AFC Ajax in 1993 for €207,047. He made his Ajax debut the following year and went on to score 25 goals in 54 appearances. Kanu also came on as a sub in Ajax's 1995Champions League final win over AC Milan. In 1996, Ajax sold Kanu to Serie Aside Internazionale for around $4.7 million that summer he captained the Nigerian team that won gold at the Olympics, and scored two late goals in the semi-finals against powerhouses Brazil to overturn a 23 scoreline into a 43 win in extra time. Kanu was also named African Footballer of the Year for that year. However, soon after returning from the Olympics, Kanu underwent a medical examination at Inter, which revealed a serious heart defect; he underwent surgery in November 1996 to replace an aortic valve and did not return to his club until April 1997. In interviews, Kanu frequently cites his faith as a Christian, and has often mentioned this trying time of his career as an occasion when he prayed to God. Kanu's experience also led to his founding the Kanu Heart Foundation, an organisation that helps predominantly young African children who suffer heart defects and whose work was expanded to provide aid for homeless children in 2008. Kanu is known throughout Africa for his philanthropic work.

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