I can spend over N500,000 - Enugu Ag. Gov by Advocate Nigeria

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Vol. 1 No. 14, Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Presidency: Nobody can stop Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015 – Edwin Clark ag e 2 P

N150

Oil revenue: I'm resolute – Ezekwesili As Cameron asks Jonathan to account for N15.7trn oil revenue in 2012 Page 4

I can spend over N500,000 –SaysEnugu Ag. Gov “Chime properly handed over to me” A By Ted Peters, Uba Ani & Patrick Okolie

Travelled on health ground - PDP SEG gives Speaker 7 days to produce Chime's letter Why Chime won't return for now

CTING Governor of E n u g u S t a t e , M r. Sunday Onyebuchi, in his first official comment on the controversies trailing the over four months absence of Governor Sullivan Chime, dismissed as untrue claims by some groups in the state that the governor gave him an approval limit of N500,000 before embarking on vacation. Onyebuchi, who has successfully piloted the affairs of the state since the absence of his

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Woman strangles Lover’s four children to death Page 24

SPIRITUAL EMPOWERMENT - ANOINTED TO RULE? Anglican Bishop of Enugu and Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, South East Zone, Rt. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma recently anointed Enugu State Acting Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi during a Special Prayer Session held at Government House, Enugu. The Bishop said the ailing Governor Sullivan Chime, who had been absent for over four months, has overstayed his leave and that the Constitution should be applied.

Boko Haram declares cease fire Why we're sheathing our sword – Commander

Page 3

All is fair in war and love?

Writes Mazi Chike Chidolue

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Presidency: Nobody can stop Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015 – Edwin Clark By Uba Ani

HE Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, yesterday, declared that nobody can stop President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking a second term in office saying only the Nigerian electorate can decide his fate in 2015. Speaking with newsmen shortly after the opening of the Southern Leaders Conference in Enugu, Chief Clark said that it would be wrong for the South to return power to the North in 2015 when the incumbent president has all the rights to re-contest. He said that since the North had ruled the nation for 38 years and the South had done only 13 years, there was need, for the purpose of equity, justice and fairplay, for power to still remain in the South His words: “The Constitution provided for two terms. In 1979, Shehu Shagari from the North was president until 1983 when he got his second term but Buhari for reasons best known to them, they thought that at the end of his second ruling he will hand over to Ekwueme or to Akinloye. They then staged a coup and drove him (Shagari) away and imprisoned all the politicians. Who took over? Another Northerner. “Then Ibrahim Babangida said we have had enough. He took over from Muhammadu Buhari. Babangida handed over to Ernest Shonekan, he didn't even rule for only three months and Sanni Abacha overthrew Shonekan. Even when MKO Abiola was elected in 1993 he was not allowed to rule even one day. MKO Abiola was driven away and killed - one of the wealthiest men in Africa. Abdulsalami Abubakar also ruled after Abacha died. “Then Obasanjo came and ruled for eight years and Umaru Yar'Adua was also going to rule for eight years. Why would Jonathan not be allowed to rule for eight years? If he wants to rule for eight years and Nigerians don't want him may be because he did not perform well, leave it for the people of Nigeria to decide not one individual, not a group of people no matter where they come from. “Well, that is not what we have come here to discuss but quote me, the Constitution of Nigeria says a president will contest election for two terms and remain in office for eight years, four years each. Jonathan came in as president because his master (Yar'Adua) died. And somebody has to feel that position and you don't count that period as if he has contested election. Swearing-in has nothing to do with that provision of the election. Jonathan has every right

to re-contest in 2015 to complete his eight years. Nobody can stop him.” Also speaking at the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) attended by over 120 delegates from the South East, South West and South South, the convener and Chairman of the forum, Dr. Alex Ekwueme enumerated the gains of the meeting, the second of its kind, to include collective bargain and speaking with one voice in the nation polity, just like the monolithic north does. Ekuweme recalled that after the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates on January 1, 1914, the Northern Nigeria continued to be administered as one unit whereas the Southern Nigeria was constituted of the colony of Lagos, the western and Eastern provinces, respectively. The second republic Vice President further narrated that part of the reason why he was denied the Presidential candidate of the party he founded in 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was because of his “hard-line posture” in securing power shift and 13% derivation for the southern states during the General Sani Abacha's midwived Constitutional conference of 1994-1995. Ekwueme said that during the conference, the northern delegates summoned a meeting amongst them where they resolved to maintain status quo of retaining power in the north and he took a proactive step to ensure that the southern delegates sojourn to the conference was not a sheer waste of time and so he summoned a counter southern delegates meeting. He said: “I therefore took immediate step to organize a Southern delegates' caucus. In this initative I had the support of late Dr. Tunji Otegbeye and High Chief Dr. Emmanuel Nsan all under my leadership and chairmanship. The immediate task of the southern delegates' caucus was to devise a strategy that would prevent continuation of the status quo, that is, continue retention of power by the Northern elements on return to civilian rule. “We mounted a proposal for constitutional provision for alternating or oscillating the presidency of Nigeria between the North and the South after each five-year single term, a provision more popularly referred to as rotational Presidency. The proposal was strongly resisted by many northern delegates who eventually accepted it provided it was enriched in the political parties' constitutions rather than in

the national constitution. The unworkability of the political party constitutional provision arrangement was then demonstrated beyond all doubt. “When opposition to the rotational presidency persisted, it was pointed out that if the purpose of the 1914 amalgamation was to ensure that the south was always under the leadership of the north, then it might become necessary to consider the option of deamalgamation. With this show of brinkmanship, both sides opted to retreat in the interest of Nigeria continued existence and unity and rotational presidency was endorsed by consensus and became part of the draft 1995 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Ekwueme further traced the history of power rotation, saying the first hiccup was which zone, North or South, would produce the Presidency to start with, adding that since the idea of rotation was muted to check the prolonged northern rulership, it made sense to start with the South. “At that point we changed our sloganeering from rotational presidency to power shift so as to put the question beyond doubt. It was this power shift that the subsequent leading party, the PDP, entrenched as one of its cardinal objective principles and which ensured that northern aspirant sought the presidential nomination of the party at the return to civilian governance in 1999; and which made it possible for General Obasanjo to become the Presidential candidate of the party in 1999,” said Ekwueme. He further narrated that with the problem of power shift settled, the next was the percentage to be ascribed to derivation. Again, the north was said to have insisted on 3% but with the agitation and doggedness of the Southern delegates, 13% minimum was finally settled for even after the group wanted 50% as was the case in the 1963 constitution. “It was suggested to me that my so called hard-line posture in successfully securing power shift and 13% minimum for derivation were contributory factors to my inability to obtain the presidential nomination of the party I founded and nurtured to success. Be that as it may, I have no regrets as long as my guiding principles were a search for justice, equity and fair play,” said Ekwueme. Chairman of the South East Governors' Forum and Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, urged the Southern leaders to endeavour to set things right both in the zone and in the entire nation saying Nigeria was fast drifting

President Jonathan from the right path. He commended the conveners of the meeting for their commitment towards ensuring the unity of the entire south, adding that the importance of the meeting made him to contribute meaningfully to its success. “People are no longer shocked when dozens of their citizens are gunned down and bombed. In his speech, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, Leader of the Yoruba Unity Forum, called for immediate national dialogue of various sections expressed serious concerns over the challenges plaguing the country on behalf of Yoruba delegation, said that corruption, insecurity, inequitable and problematic constitution have compounded the problems, stressing that such ugly trend had continued to play negative impact on the progress of the country. He said that the security situation of the country had continued to deteriorate; stressing that kidnapping for ransom had become rapidly blooming business as army of youths and unemployed swarm across villages and cities by the Boko Haram. The massacres have become routine. It is not clear what government's policy is towards Boko Haram. Is it dialogue or is it the use of force? It has become unconvincingly to call the terrorists faceless because recent developments show that they are known by our rulers”, he said. Expressing disgust with the call on the president to dialogue with the Boko Haram as well as monetary compensation to their leaders and families, Gbonigi said it was akin

to setting wrong standards and raising fundamental question as to whether every group needed to resort to violent acts against other citizens before they can attract government's attention. “There are groups in Nigeria today who believe that the mode of national revenue sharing is unfair to them, or that their part of the country is grossly marginalized, or that the constitution we operate is oppressive and disadvantageously constructed against them, or that it stifles their self realization and development. Must the government wait till all these groups mount their own insurgencies before it listens to them, and will it then proceed to have separate dialogues with each, accompanied by monetary compensation? If it is acceptable to dialogue with the Boko Haram, why can't we have a dialogue that embraces all Nigerians once and for all, for all grievances to be expressed and mutual accommodation reached? Such a national dialogue is clearly what the nation needs, and is long overdue”, Gbonigi said Among personalities from the three zones in attendance were Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Edwin Clark, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Alabo Toye Graham-Douglas, Chief Ralph Obioha, Senator Rowland Owie, Chief Olu Falae, Dr. Walter Ofonagoro, Dr. Okwy Nwodo, Dr. Silas Iloh, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Ofia Nwali, chief John Oyegun, Senator Sylvester Ngele and Dr. Sam Egwu.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Boko Haram declares cease fire Why we're sheathing our sword – Commander By Our Reporters

FTER 42 months of ceaseless attacks during which it killed about 3000 Nigerians, the Jama'atul Ahalis Sunna Lida'awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram Islamic sect, yesterday, agreed to lay down its arms for peace to prevail in the country. The cease-fire was reached after a marathon meeting between some leaders of the group, which has been terrorizing some states in the North, particularly Borno since July 2009, and the Borno State Government. The peace deal came after unknown gunmen killed 13 people in Gajigana town, a remote part of Borno State last weekend. Those killed included three JTF operatives. Also, a security man attached to AIT/Raypower in Bauchi State was shot dead Sunday night by a gang of suspected armed robbers. The agreement between the Borno State government and the sect was reached after a closed-door meeting between suspected members of Boko Haram and Governor Kashim Shettima with other top government officials and religious leaders from the state in attendance. Spokesman for the Joint Military and Police Forces in Maiduguri, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram's campaign, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the attack on Gajigana town but did not give further details. Meanwhile, an official of the Federal Government said last night that the government would critically study the group's cease-fire terms before responding. saw eight bodies– Eye witness Modu Bukar, a trader in the town, saw the bodies after the attack, which sent panicky residents fleeing, adding that he had heard gunshots during the attack. “I saw eight bodies afterwards three of them young men, and another five who were heads of households,” he said, adding that he did not know who was behind it. Borno State, which shares porous borders with Cameroon, Niger and Chad, on the threshold of the Sahara, has suffered increasing lawlessness since Boko Haram launched an uprising against the government in 2009. A general breakdown of law and order in the areas where the sect operates has also created space for armed criminal networks and ethnic militias with scores to settle, both of which sometimes kill dozens in overnight attacks.

Why we're sheathing our sword -Boko Haram commander Briefing newsmen after the marathon meeting in Maiduguri, Sheikh Abu Mohammad Abdulazeez Ibn Idris a commander of Boko Haram in-charge of North and Central Borno, said after due consultation with the leader of the

sect, Shiekh Abubakar Shekau, as well as intervention and pleadings from respected individuals and groups in the state, we “have all come to terms and agreed to lay down our arms.” The Boko Haram Commander, however, insisted that government should immediately release all their members from custody unconditionally, re-build their places of worship and compensate them among other demands. Sheikh Abdulazeez said that, the sect observed that during the

the leadership of Imam Abubakar Shekau, as well as some of our notable followers agreed that our brethren in Islam, both women and children are suffering unnecessarily; hence we resolved that we should bring this crisis to an end. “We therefore call on all those that identify themselves with us and our cause, to from today lay down their arms. Let every member who hears this announcement relay it to the next member who hasn't heard. “We have met with the Borno State

Jihad.”

It's a welcome devt

How AIT man was killed -Borno

State govt Reacting to the development, Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima on Communication, Alhaji Isa Umar Gusau, said it was a welcome development, noting that the state government under the leadership of Shettima, since inception, had opened its doors for dialogue to end the hostilities which had disrupted economic activities and peaceful co-existence in the state.

Boko Haram Islamic sect lingering insurgency, a lot of Muslim women and children had suffered untold hardship, adding that, they also decided to lay down their arms for peace to reign in Borno and the country at large. “I am appealing and calling on all our members through this medium to lay down their arms henceforth, till further notice,” Abdulazeez stated. On the wanton killings, especially the slaughtering of eight people in Gajigana town of Magumeri Local Council of Borno State on Sunday and burning of public buildings, he disassociated Boko Haram from the acts, insisting that the atrocities were committed by criminals hiding under the guise of Boko Haram. Abdulazeez's comments read in part: “I am Sheikh Muhammed Abdulazeez Ibn Idris, the second Commander in-charge of Southern and Northern Borno after Imam Abubakar Shekau of Jamaatul Ahjlil Sunna lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram. “We the members of Jamaatul ahlil sunna lidawati wal jihad otherwise known as Boko Haram recently had a meeting and dialogue with the government of Borno State where we resolved that giving the prevailing situation, there is the need for us to cease fire. “We, on our own, in the top hierarchy of our movement under

Government on two occasions and the fallout of the meeting is to ceasefire. Presently, we are going to comply with the cease-fire order and by the time we are done with that, then government security agencies can go ahead to arrest whoever they find carrying arms or killing under our names. We are very much aware of the fact that some criminals have infiltrated our movement and continued attacking and killing people using our names. “We have also told the government to try to live up to our demands that our members in detention should be released.We hope the government will not betray us this time around because we all know that it was because of the continued detention of our members that this crisis continued for this long. And if government fails to do as it has promised, then this conflict will never have an end. “Of course there is a faction within us, but the larger faction of our movement is the one in support of this cease-fire moves. Moreover, once top members of our group including Imam Abubakar Shekau are in support of the need for ceasing fire, other smaller factions can be dealt with easily. This message, by the Grace of Allah, comes directly from the office of Imam Abubakar Shekau, the supreme leader of Jamaatul ahlil Sunna lidawati wal

Meanwhile, The Advocate gathered that the AIT/Raypower security man identified as Malam Idris Yusuf was reportedly killed sometime between 10 and 11pm when he had closed from duty and was going home. The robbers who were said to have stolen a car asked him to help them with petrol as their tank was empty and they were without money. It was learnt that when the owners of the stolen car who were trailing the robbers sighted them and raised an alarm, late Idris held the arms of one of the suspects as he was about to escape with his colleagues not knowing that the suspect had a gun. He was said to have been shot in the abdomen by the robber in the ensuing scuffle but he died on the way to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, ATBTH, where he was being rushed to by good Samaritans around 4am. The Head of station of the AIT/Raypower Mr. Terver Tsav who was at the hospital described the deceased as “a good Samaritan who wanted to use his money to buy the fuel for the stranded men not knowing that they had stolen the car.” Deputy Police Public Relation Officer, Muhammad Auyo denied any knowledge of the incident, pointing out that the state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ladan, was in the best position to speak on it.

Origin of Boko Haram Contacted, Borno State Commissioner for Information, Inuwa Bwala, said he was just arriving from the burial of his first cousin who was killed last Thursday and did not have details of the meeting.

FG to study their conditions The Federal Government is to critically study the conditions given by the Boko Haram sect while announcing its unilateral cease-fire before making a pronouncement. A highly placed government official, however, said in Abuja, that government was not in a hurry to jump at the offer being made by the sect. The official who pleaded anonymity because government has not taken a formal position on the matter noted that “from our experience, the sect is not reliable and their words cannot be taken at face value. All facets of governmental apparatus would be consulted before a final decision would be taken on the matter. We are not in a hurry to jump at their offer.” The official noted that while government was committed to dialogue, it was not going to negotiate with any group on a position of weakness and proactive security measures would continue to be taken to safe-guard the lives and properties of Nigerians.

Boko Haram, which figuratively means 'Western education is sin' was founded in 2002 in Maiduguri by Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf. The sect o p p o s e s n o t o n l y We s t e r n education, but Western culture and modern science as well. In a 2009 BBC interview, Yusuf stated that the belief that the world is a sphere is contrary to Islam and should be rejected, along with Darwinism and the theory that rain comes from water evaporated through the atmosphere. In 2004, it moved to Kanamma, Yobe State, where it set up a base called “Afghanistan”, used to attack nearby police outposts, killing police officers. Yusuf was hostile to democracy and the secular education system, vowing that “this war that is yet to start would continue for long” if the political and educational system was not changed. In Bauchi, the group, which includes members who come from neighbouring Chad and speak only in Arabic was reported as refusing to mix with local people.

Clash with the state In July 2009 the Nigerian police started investigating Boko Haram, following reports that the group was arming itself. Yusuf, the leader and others were arrested and on July 30, 2009 allegations were made that

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

The

Oil revenue: I'm resolute – Ezekwesili

Name: Angelic Tonton Date of Birth: Jan 17 Hobby: Singing and Traveling Dislike: Lies Occupation: Communication Executive Officer Phone : 07038413663 E-mail: addy-enibokuntonia@yahoo.com

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ORMER Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, said Monday, that she was resolute in her demand for a full disclosure of oil revenues earned under the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan even as British Prime Minister, David Cameron asked President Goodluck Jonathan to account for $100 billion (N15.7 trillion) oil revenue which accrued to Nigeria last year. Ezekwesili who was a cabinet member of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's government challenged the current administration to account for accruals into the Excess Crude Oil Account and the Foreign Reserve Account. In a statement in Abuja, she repeated her earlier allegations that the $67 billion which the Obasanjo government left in the Foreign Reserve and the Excess Crude account was brazenly misappropriated by those who succeeded him. Ezekwesili, also a former Vice President of the World Bank urged the Federal Government to accept her challenge to a public debate, as according to her, it would demonstrate a healthy democratic culture of responding to citizens. Describing allegations of misappropriations against her by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, on Sunday, as “careless” the exminister said the N458.1 billion in reference was the entire budget of the education sector, including statutory bodies which funds sitting ministers had no access. The statement reads in full: “I remain resolute in demanding full disclosure and accountability by the Federal Government on the poor management of oil revenues, especially the Excess Crude Account and the Foreign Reserve Account. The recent reaction by the spokesperson of the administration failed to respond responsibly to my demand for accountability. In my convocation lecture at the University of Nigeria, I had stated concerning the poor management of oil revenues as follows : “While these countries moved up the manufacturing and economic development ladder in my 50 years of existence all I can say for Nigeria is that during the same period I have known at least five cycles of commodity booms that offered us rare opportunities to use revenues generated from oil to transform our economy. Sadly, each cycle ended up sliding us farther down the productivity ladder. The present cycle of boom of the 2010s is however much more vexing than the other four that happened in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. This is because we are still caught up in it even as I speak today and it is more egregious than the other periods in revealing that we learned absolutely nothing from the previous massive failures. Furthermore, it is happening back-to-back with the squandering of a significant sum of $45 billion in foreign reserve account and another $22billion in the Excess Crude Account being direct savings from increased earnings from oil that the Obasanjo administration handed over to the successor government in 2007. Six years after the administration I served handed over such humongous national wealth to another one; most Nigerians but especially the poor continue to suffer the effects of failing public health and education systems as well as decrepit infrastructure and battered institutions. Where did all that money go? One cannot but ask, what exactly does Nigeria convey with this level of brazen misappropriation of public resources? Where did all that money go? Where is the accountability for the use of both these resources plus the additional several hundred billions of dollars realized from oil sale by the two administrations that have governed our nation in the last six years? How were these resources applied or more appropriately, misapplied? Tragic choices! Yes.

Our national dignity continues to be degraded by cycles of stagnation because of the terrible choices my generation and those before repeatedly make as a result of free oil money. The wealth and poverty of a nation never found a better Symbol!” Public debate “I have already asked the Federal Government to a public debate of the facts raised in my speech. Such an open debate of facts and figures of oil revenue since 2007 would help situate public accountability as the center-point of our democracy. In accepting to publicly debate the questions raised in my speech, the Federal Government would model the democratic culture of responding to citizens' demands for accountability, especially at a time when the general public is eager for improvements in the good governance records of the administration. Maku cannot tarnish my image I wish to reassure Nigerians that my integrity and transparent record in public office can never be tarnished by baseless allegations regarding my 10 months as Minister of Education. Citizens who follow education sector closely will know that the education sector budget which the government's spokesperson carelessly referred to represents the consolidated direct budgetary allocation by the National Assembly to the 22 parastatals plus all the Federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country. At no time does a sitting Minister of Education have access to the budgets of statutory bodies under her ministry. The records are at the ministry for the relevant National Assembly committees and the general public to scrutinize. British PM, David Cameron on oil dealings in Nigeria Meanwhile, British Prime Minister, in his address at the G8 Economic Summit in Davos said, “last year Nigerian oil exports were worth almost $100 billion, more than total net aid to the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. Put simply, unleashing the natural resources in these countries dwarfs anything aid can achieve and transparency is critical to that. “I want this G8 to lead a big push for transparency across the developing world. To illustrate why, let me give you one example. A few years back a Transparency Initiative exposed a huge black hole in Nigeria's finances, an $800 million discrepancy between companies' payments and government's receipts for oil. “So we're going to push for more transparency on who owns companies, on who's buying up land and for what purpose, on how governments spend their money, on how gas, oil and mining companies operate, on who is hiding stolen assets and how we recover and return them. “Like everything else in this G8, the ambitions are big and I make no apology for that. 30 years ago more than half the planet lived on the equivalent of $1.25 a day or less. Today it is around a fifth. This amazing story of human progress shows what's possible. We can be the generation that eradicates absolute poverty in our world. But we'll only achieve that if we break the vicious cycle and treat the causes of poverty, not just its symptoms.

Ezekwesili

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Kidnap suspect killed in Delta, victim rescued

pprehension, yesterday, enveloped Agharho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, as a suspected kidnapper was shot dead by men of the state Police Command while rescuing a kidnap victim. It was gathered that the kidnap victim, Mr. Omamuyovwi Oseri, owner of a popular hotel in the area, was whisked away in a Toyota Camry car by one of the suspected kidnappers, while one other escaped with bullet wounds. It was learnt that the suspected three kidnappers, forced their way into the hotel premises and ordered the staff and visitors to lie on the floor as the hotelier was bundled into the waiting car. Briefing newsmen on the incident, Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Agbarho Police division, Mr. Paul

Audu, said the police swung into action after a distress call was received from the management of the hotel and accosted the other two kidnappers, who were already escaping in a Jeep they had snatched from the bishop of one of

the churches in the area. Audu added that on sighting his men, the suspected kidnappers opened fire and in the ensuing gun duel, one of the kidnappers was killed while the other escaped with bullet wounds. He explained that the Toyota

Camry car conveying the victim had sped off into a nearby bush moments before the police arrived the hotel, adding that a ransom fee was demanded. He said a search team comprising the Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS, Agbarho vigilante group and his men went

into action and later rescued the victim. He added that the vehicle plate number of the Toyota Camry car used by the kidnappers was different from the number engraved on the body and wind screen of the car.

Abductors of 73-yr-old woman in Imo demand N70m ransom

bductors of the 73-year old mother of an Nnewibased industrialist kidnapped at Uruala in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, have demanded a ransom of N70 million from her son, Mr. Chika Emenike. The victim, Mrs. Patricia Emenike, was kidnapped on January 10, 2013, by gunmen in a Toyota Camry as she was returning from the market.

It was the second time Madam Emenike was kidnapped. In 2011, the septuagenarian was also kidnapped and released after the family paid ransom that ran into millions of naira. Her industrialist son, Emenike, who is the chairman and chief executive of Kotec Group, manufacturers of motorcycle parts and makers of Tummy Tummy noodles, told reporters in N n e w i Tu e s d a y t h a t t h e

kidnappers established contact with the family some days ago and demanded N70million. H e s a i d , h o w e v e r, t h a t negotiations were ongoing. According to him, the family is worried because the woman is diabetic and hypertensive. He added that three days after his mother was kidnapped, she told him on phone from the kidnappers' custody that she was not being fed. Emenike said: “We have not even

gone for thanksgiving after her abduction and release in 2011 because of her ill-health. Now they have abducted her again and we are worried because of her health condition.” He said the incident had since been reported at Uruala police station and office of Imo State Commissioner of Police, stating that the police had made a firm promise to track down his mother's abductors.

2015: PDP Asks Court to Join it in Suit Seeking to stop Jonathan By Our Reporter

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to join it as one of the parties in the suit filed by a Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner and PDP card carrying member, Henry Amadi, seeking a court order to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from putting himself forward or participating in any process for election to the office of the President at the end of his current term of office in 2015. Amadi only named Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the 1st and 2nd defendants respectively in the said suit. The plaintiff contended that Jonathan is no longer viable to contest in 2015 on the grounds that by so doing he would be spending more than the maximum period of two terms of four years envisaged by the 1999 constitution. However, in an application seeking to join the ruling party as necessary respondent in the suit, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a body, asked the court to make an order joining it as a defendant in the suit. The joinder application was filed by the PDP National Legal Adviser, Mr. Kwon Victor and has also prayed the court to make consequential orders directing the plaintiff to amend his originating processes to reflect PDP as a defendant and cause same to be served on the PDP. In the 4-paragraph and 10-subparagraph affidavits in support of

its application, PDP argued that from the reliefs sought by the plaintiff in this suit, PDP's right to sponsor Jonathan for the office of the President in the 2015 presidential elections is being challenged. The Kwon contended further that the PDP will be directly affected by the outcome of this suit taking into account the reliefs sought by the plaintiff from the trial court. According to the party, “this action cannot be effectually and completely be determined without joining the applicant herein. By the very tenor of the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, this suit questions the right of the applicant to sponsor one of its members (Jonathan) for the 2015 presidential elections. “The applicant herein seek to protect its interest in the present action by this application. Having been sponsored by the applicant (PDP) for the 2011 election and Jonathan been a member of the PDP who is capable of being sponsored for the 2015 presidential election, the PDP will directly be affected by the outcome of the decision of this court one way or the other," it stressed. Justice Adamu Bello has fixed February 26 to hear the PDP's application following the plaintiff's lawyer, C.N.Eke's argument to oppose the application for joinder. Eke had informed the court that he would like to file his preliminary objection to PDP's application for joinder before the next adjourned date. President Jonathan had earlier

responded to the suit, saying that contrary to the provision of the 1999 constitution, an incumbent President's tenure of office can extend beyond four or eight years, depending on the circumstances. The suit is similar to another one filed by a chieftain of the PDP, Mr Cyriacus Njoku on March 20, 2012, pending before an Abuja High Court asking it to stop President Jonathan from contesting the Presidential Election in 2015 on the grounds that he is already in his second term in office. Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi had earlier fixed November 13, last year, to delivered judgement on the Njoku's suit but subsequently adjourned indefinitely without advancing reasons for the sudden adjournment. Amadi also asked the court to direct INEC not to accept Jonathan's nomination as candidate of the PDP by 2015 because by so doing, Jonathan will hoist illegality in the polity since the oath of allegiance and office he will take if he wins will violate the two oaths of allegiance and office stipulated by the 1999 constitution. But in the counter-affidavit filed on his behalf by Ade OkeayaInneh (SAN), Jonathan said that court should dismiss itself of jurisdiction to entertain Amadi's suit saying the plaintiff is an ordinary individual who is not qualified to request court to stop him from contesting 2015 presidential election. Jonathan said Amadi failed to disclose reasonable cause of action and that the plaintiff's claim is hypothetical and academic. Jonathan averred that he took the first oath of office on May 6, 2010

following the death of erstwhile President Umaru Musa Yar'adua. “The question that arises for determination is whether, having regard to the facts of this case, he is in his first or second term. In other words, given that the constitution prescribes a maximum of two terms of four years each totaling a maximum of eight years as President, is he eligible to run for re-election in 2015? “If yes, that would mean that, if he wins, he would be in office for a period of more than eight years. On the other hand, if the answer is no, that would mean that he, for no fault of his, would be constrained to serve for a period of less than eight years. “Given that between May 6, 2010 and May 28, 2011 he held office for the unexpired term of office of Yar'adua following the death of the later. Does the constitution

contemplate that the period of about one year and three weeks would constitute his first term, a period of less than half of the constitutionally prescribed period of four years”. Okeaya-Inneh went further averred that, ''in resolving this issue, the court is invited to make a determination whether the period of May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011 wherein Jonathan occupied the office of the president can in law be regarded as one term of office and relevance of the oath of office Jonathan took on May 6, 2010 in computing the tenure of office of Jonathan in line with sections 135 (1) and (2), 137 (1)(b), 140 (1) and (2) and 146(1) of the 1999 constitution. He argued that it is better with the political situation of Nigeria for Jonathan to spend nine years in office than to spend less than eight years.

Nkire tasks members on PPA restructuring

he National Chairman of the Progressive People's Alliance PPA, Chief Sam Nkire advised the six Zonal and thirty six State Chairmen of the party, including Abuja to take serious interest in the current restructuring going on at the ward level. Chief Nkire who spoke at the end of the party's NWC meeting in Abuja said there would no longer be an extension of time, adding that defaulting chairmen would be made to face sanction at the end of the current extension of time. According to the National Chairman, every member of the Progressive People's Alliance

would be able to access his or her ward chairman or executive committee via PPA website before long. On the 2014 Anambra State governorship election, Chief Nkire said the party had learnt a bitter lesson from its 2010 experience in the state, adding that PPA would give preference to long-suffering, loyal and popular members the next time around. Chief Nkire regretted that his party lost the last governorship election in Anambra State which it ought to have won, adding, '' bad history will not be allowed to repeat itself in 2014 ".

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

I can spend over N500,000 – Enugu Ag. Gov Continues from front page by the State House of Assembly health problems of elected have the people of the state been leadership and government principal in September last year, also said that Chime duly transfered power to him before he travelled via a letter he transmitted to the House of Assembly. The Acting Governor made the clarification even as the Save Enugu Group, a group of some concerned indigenes, gave the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo, a seven-day ultimatum to make public the letter which Governor Chime wrote to the House notifying it of his vacation or he would be dragged to court. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, on its part, condemned the non-disclosure of the governor's health status and the lies that had been peddled by his officials to deceive the people on the true situation of things. But in a quick response also for the first time since the governor's absence, the national leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, informed Nigerians that the governor travelled abroad on medical ground. This, however, was contrary to the position of the state government which had repeatedly said that Chime was enjoying his accumulated vacation and was hale and hearty wherever he was. The Acting Governor, who spoke at an interactive session at the end of a tour of projects in the state by the national good governance team that visited the state between Sunday and Tuesday, denied reports that his expenditure limit has been fixed at N500.000 in the absence of Governor Chime. He explained that he would not have been able to pay the salaries of workers and contractors if it were true that his spending limited was pegged at half a million by the governor. Onyebuchi affirmed that Governor Chime duly transferred power to him before he travelled via a letter to that effect he transmitted to the House of Assembly, adding that he had since been running the state without hitches and with the full cooperation of government officials and ministries. He did not speak further on the issue. SEG gives Speaker 7-day ultimatum, threatens court action The Save Enugu Group, SEG, in a reminder letter sent to the Speaker, threatened to drag him to court for his refusal to tell the people of the state the whereabouts of Governor Chime. In the letter signed by its leader, Barrister Maxi Okwu, the SEG threatened to drag the Speaker to court if he failed to make public, a Certified True Copy (C-T-C) of the purported letter written by Governor Chime concerning his purported annual leave, which the Speaker claimed was discussed

before they transmuted power to Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi. The letter stated: “We had written to you on 21st January 2013 a letter titled as above of which the tenor was clear as simple English. The three point demand we made in that letter was essentially for you to make public or show evidence of having done so the contents of the letter purportedly served on you by His Excellency Sullivan Iheanacho Chime our Governor, pursuant to section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). “On the floor of the hallowed chambers of the State Assembly on 22nd January 2013, rather than answer the specific questions we

officials in secrecy, and again calls attention to the need to do things properly to advance the nation's democracy rather than personal interests. In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Ahaji Lai Mohammed, the party also criticized the choreographed visit to Gov. Chime in London by a delegation of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), which was apparently designed to reinforce the lies being peddled by Gov. Chime's supporters rather than keep the people of the state better informed of the true situation of things. It said there is no doubt that the reason behind all the shenanigans is the desperation by public office holders to hold on to power at all

denied the dividends of democracy by this unnecessary controversy? "These are the issues that should be of interest to all lovers of democracy, not the antics of some Governors who are frittering away tax-payers money by gallivanting to London to see Gov. Chime and thereafter releasing a picture showing a 'hale and hearty' Gov. Chime, dressedup like a Soviet-era spook, which has now generated even more controversy." Chime away on health ground PDP Apparently responding to the ACN's statement, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party disclosed that the governor travelled abroad on

Enugu state Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime flanked by some members of the Governor's forum, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom state (l) and their Rivers state counterpart, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi recently.(Photo: Enugu Govt House) had raised, you inter alia went on a costs, even when it is clear that medical ground. The party v o y a g e o f d i s c o v e r y a n d their health has failed to such a disclosed that the much soughtmanufactured a curious 'Doctrine level that they are better off after Chime travelled on medical of Necessity' which we never stepping down so they can attend ground, just like his counterpart, mentioned in our letter and to their health problems. "We do Governor Dambaba Suntai of answered the examination you set not have details of what is wrong Taraba State, promising that soon, for yourself. with Gov. Chime and honestly they would be back to their seats. “We are therefore constrained to that is not the reason behind our PDP also commended the write to you again, and make a intervention. leadership of the party in Enugu much more formal demand. We "Our concern is that the and Taraba states including the hereby formally demand that you conspiracy of silence being A c t i n g G o v e r n o r s , p a r t y make available to us a Certified perpetrated by the state governors chairmen, Speakers of the Houses True Copy (CTC) of the said letter who are reported to have taken ill of Assembly, state caucus which you claim was addressed to and abandoned their duty posts, as members, members of the you by H.E. Governor Chime well as their supporters especially National Assembly from the b e f o r e h e p r o c e e d e d o n the NGF, does not serve the states as well as government interest of our democracy. ”In the appointees in the states for leave/vacation. “Take further notice that should case of Gov. Chime, how can a holding forth and ensuring you not make available to us the man who is purportedly on smooth running of government CTC of the said letter seven days vacation disappear for over 135 affairs in the absence of their from the receipt of this notice, we days and the people who voted governors. shall be left with no other option him into office are not expected to National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh in a but to seek remedies from an ask questions? appropriate High Court to compel “Does the constitution provide for statement, said the fact that such a long 'vacation' without government activities have been you to do so”. ACN seeks full disclosure, slams consequences? Is Gov. Chime's going on smoothly in these states deputy, whom he reportedly s h o w e d t h a t t h a t “ P D P Governors' Forum The Action Congress of Nigeria handed over to, given enough governments have direction and also condemned the poor latitude to adequately preside focus in line with the manifesto of handling of the reported illness of over the affairs of the state. If not, the party to ensure the welfare of Gov. Chime, saying it fits into the how has this affected governance the people at all times. growing pattern of shrouding the in the state? And to what extent “We want to commend our party

officials in Enugu and Taraba states; the Acting Governors; the Speakers of the Houses of Assembly and other state caucus members and government appointees in these states for holding forth in the absence of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state and Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba state, who are out of the country for medical attention. “The fact that government activities are going on smoothly without altercations shows that the PDP governments in these states and indeed across the country have direction and focus, which is to ensure the welfare of the people in line with our manifesto,” Metuh stated. Expressing the party's sadness that the governors have been away on health reasons, Metuh equally thanked the people of the two states for their steadfastness in praying for them, adding that “with prayers, they will soon return to work.” “It is sad for somebody to be ill, but we are all human. So the party commends the people of Enugu and Taraba states for their understanding and steadfastness in praying for their governors. “We commend them for the night vigils they held in seeking divine intervention for the governors. We know that God answers prayers and we believe that with all our prayers the governors will soon be back,” he emphasised. The party maintained that the monumental achievements made by Chime in developing Enugu state stands out for him, adding that it was satisfied with the manner in which the state officials have continued to ensure that the tempo were sustained, even in the absence of the governor. It, however, urged the people of the two states to continue to be united and support the PDP administrations in their efforts to ensure the stability, peace and progress of their states. Chime won't return for now, undergoing Cancer treatment Meanwhile reports reaching THE ADVOCATE indicated that Governor Chime would spend more days in London to continue with the treatment of his ailment which is cancer related. Against all speculations and rumours, investigations revealed that the governor was being treated of cancer which symptom began w i t h a n a b n o r m a l growth/swelling on his neck. But following the intensive treatment the governor underwent in a London hospital, the cancer is said to have been effectively managed by the team of experts in the London hospital said to be the first choice for the rich worldwide. Chime had left the country last September, ostensibly on a six-

Continues on page 22

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

NEWS

Power generation hits 4,286 megawatts – says TCN

he Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says that electricity generation has hit 4,286 megawatts as against the 3,700 MW that is been insinuated in the country. TCN's Assistant General

Manager, Public Affairs, Dave Ifabiyi also said that the drop in power generation on Monday was due to the one-day shutdown of a power plant. Ifabiyi, who made the clarifications in a telephone interview on Wednesday in

taxi cabs. A c c o r d i n g t o h e r, o v e r N120million was spent on tracking devices for the cabs while 34 buses gulped N406million. Ebikake also announced the expenditure of N422million to recover vehicles at Onne Port purchased by the previous administration and payment of N118million as demurrage. She further stated that 15 armoured security patrol boats were bought at the cost of N339million adding that they would be taken delivery in Port Harcourt by the end of this month after a test-run. Plans she said had reached advanced stage to build three modern neighbourhood motor parks within the Yenagoa metropolis at the cost of N300million, adding that facilities such as car wash and restaurants would be included in the design of the motor parks. She debunked insinuations in some quarters that the Ministries of Transport and Works and Infrastructure, were conduit pipes of the administration, noting that the Transport Ministry was

Lagos, said that power generation dropped by 460 megawatts on Monday. “The 460 megawatts drop in power generation on Monday was due to the one-day shutdown of the Okpai Power Plant owned by Agip Oil Company in Delta. The plant was closed to undergo repairs,'' he said.

He said that the one-day closure of the Okpai Power Plant forced power generation to stand at 4,100 megawatts, which rose to 4,286 MW on Tuesday. “As at Tuesday, Nigeria's power generation stood at 4,286 megawatts. We are expectant that our power generation capacities will build-up with time.

“The shutdown of the Okpai Power Plant was because of vandalised line which was later restored back on stream the same day,'' he said. Ifabiyi said the ongoing privatisation of the power sector would result in increased power generation and improved supply of electricity to Nigerians.

Bayelsa govt acquires five armoured vehicles

AY E L S A S t a t e Commissioner for Transport, Marie Ebikake, Friday listed the purchase of five amoured and five non-amoured vehicles as one of the projects undertaking by the Governor Seriake Dickson administration in the last one year. Ebikake said the administration bought the ten vehicles “for top government functionaries” at the cost of N403million directly from an automobile firm in the United States of the America. The commissioner disclosed this after a tour of projects under her ministry as part of activities to mark the first anniversary of the Seriake Dickson administration. Ebikake also dosclosed that the sum of N97million was earmarked for a driving school under construction in the premises of the Ministry of Transport in Yenagoa. The project, which began in July, last year, she said, would be completed next month. She explained that following the official ban on commercial motorcycle operators in the state, the state government expended N508million for purchase of 200

moribund under the previous administration. “Let me say with all emphasis that

the present administration of Governor Seriake Dickson, is a transparent and accountable

government. And no Ministry can be used to siphon money,” she said.

Madam Betinah Okunwa Benson, abducted Bayelsa speaker's Mother regains freedom

he 78- year-old kidnapped mother of the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of A s s e m b l y, M r. K o m b o w e i Benson, has been set free by her abductors. A reliable source confided in Advocate that Madam Betinah Okunwa Benson was freed at about 10pm last night after eight days in kidnappers' den. However, it was not clear at press time if the N40million Naira ransom demanded by her abductors was paid by the Speaker to secure his mother's freedom. The details about how she was released, like most of high profile kidnap cases in Nigeria, remained sketchy. B u t , M r. P r e y e K a r i a m o , spokesman of the speaker, who confirmed the release of the old woman on telephone said she was handed over to members of her family by the officials of Sagbama Local Government Council hale

and hearty. He however denied any payment of ransom. Kariomo, said “No ransom was paid to secure her release. She is hale and hearty and has re-united with her Children.”

Madam Betinah Okunwa Benson was kidnapped at her country home Korokorosei in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State a week ago by about 10 gunmen in two speed boats.

Madam Betinah Okunwa Benson

Insecurity: FG takes NGO train youths on ICT T profile of monarchs

– tasked government to set up functional ICT centers

By Patrick Okolie

HE Federal Government has directed state governments in the country to forward the profiles of all traditional rulers in their states to Abuja for proper identification and documentation. Enugu State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Pastor Emeka Abugu, made this known, yesterday, while addressing traditional rulers during a meeting at the state House of Assembly complex in Enugu. Abugu also announced the appointment of the Traditional Ruler of Essodo in Igboeze North Local Government of the state, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Simeon Itodo as the acting chairman of the

traditional rulers council in the state pending the return of the state governor, Sullivan Chime who would ratify his substantive status. Igwe Itodo's appointment was necessitated by the death of the former acting Chairman Igwe Joseph Chibuko. He, however, said that he would soon embark on familiarization tour of all local governments in the state to enable his ministry conduct a personnel audit of the monarchs and urged them to live above board as true ambassadors of various communities and the custodians of their people's culture as government would not take it kindly with any traditional ruler found wanting in the discharge of his duties.

Abugu said: ''The death of Igwe Chibuko made it incumbent on the state to dissolve the council and appoint someone on acting capacity. By the fact that Igwe Itodo was the first vice chairman it was proper for him to be appointed on acting capacity.'' In his acceptance speech, Igwe Itodo, who was a former member of House of Representatives, promised to promote unity, even as he expressed sadness over the death of his predecessor. Itodo then called for co-operation of his colleagues who he charged to ensure peace in their various communities to ensure security of lives and property, just as he prayed for the quick recovery of Governor Chime and his return to the state.

he management of Teachers Without Borders ( a USA based NGO) has lauded the developmental strides of the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson especially the educational policies in moving the state to an enviable level of development. The state project coordinator Teachers Without Borders Philip Eke made the assertion while interacting with journalists in Yenagoa, after four days training of selected youths on ICT enhancement in Yenagoa. Philip Eke who was former councilor Ye n a g o a / K o l o k u m a / O p o k u m a Local Government is also the State Coordinator Computers- in- Schools Project (CISP) which is approved by Bayelsa State Government noted emphatically that ICT is now the bedrock for potentials investment for youths development and the general public cannot be overemphasized, Eke further stressed that it is an avenue of Teachers Without Borders in complimentary the noble aspiration of Governor Dickson's Restoration Agenda.

Eke equally hinted that Teachers Without Borders/Computers-inSchools Project are partnering with ministry of education, Universal Basic Education Board and the NYSC in bridging the education d i v i d e i n Bayelsa state, it is also worthy of note that Teachers Without Borders and computers- in- schools project had trained several teachers and youths in computer education in Bayelsa State. Stressing that this year has been ear-marked for robust training of teachers in primary/secondary schools across the state. Eke urges the benefiting youths of the ICT training to utilize their skills in uplifting their living standards, noting that ICT development has been adjudged the corner stone of individual and country development.

Also appealing to Governor Dickson to set up functional ICT centres in all Local Government Areas for aggressive enhancement of skills of the citizenry so Philip Eke added.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

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NEWS

Yar'Adua, Jonathan squandered N10.6trn – Ezekwesili By Ted Peters

ORMER Vice President (Africa) at the World Bank and Minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, yesterday said that both the late President Umaru Yar'Adua and his successor, Goodluck Jonathan's regimes “squandered'' $67 billion (about N11 trillion) oil money left in two separate accounts by Obasanjo. Ezekwesili said that the two administrations squandered $45 billion (N7.065 trillion) left in the Foreign Reserve and another $22 billion (about N3.454 trillion) left in the Excess Crude Account, bringing the total amount of money squandered to about $67 billion or N10.619 trillion. Ezekwesili spoke while delivering the Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN. She noted that Nigerians had lost dignity because of ravaging poverty arising from poor choices of the elite, corruption and lack of investment in education. Recalling that Nigeria had enjoyed five cycles of oil boom since independence, Ezekwesili decried the failure by the leadership to convert oil income to renewable assets through the development of human capital and other sectors through investment in foreign assets as other resource-rich countries did with their oil income. Her words: “The present cycle of boom of the 2010s is, however, much more vexing than the other four that happened in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. This is because we are still caught up in it and it is more egregious than the other periods in revealing that we learned absolutely nothing from the previous massive failures. Nigeria learnt nothing from past failures “This is because we are still caught up in it and it is more egregious than the other periods in revealing that we learned absolutely nothing from the previous massive failures.” The former minister lamented “the squandering of the significant sum of $45billion in foreign reserve account and another $22billion in Excess Crude Account being direct savings from increased earnings from oil that the Obasanjo administration handed over to the successor government in 2007. “Six years after the administration I served handed over such humongous national wealth to another one most Nigerians but especially the poor continue to suffer the effects of failing public health and education systems as well as decrepit infrastructure and battered institutions. “One cannot but ask what exactly does this level of brazen misappropriation of public resources symbolize? Where did all that money go? Where is the accountability for the use of these resources and the additional several hundred dollars realized from oil sale by the two administrations that have governed our nation in the last five years? How were these resources applied or more appropriately misapplied? Tragic

choices.” Ezekwesili, who was a founding director of Transparency International and also, former Minister of Solid Minerals and later E d u c a t i o n h o w e v e r, a s k e d graduating students of UNN and other educated young people to become the Turning Point generation of young and educated Nigerians willing to make the right choices by serving or having a say in political affairs of the country. She stressed that sorting out the “Nigerian political mess” is critical as there is a strong correlation between politics and economic development. According to her, university graduates accounted for 4.3% of Nigeria's youthful population in 2013, a slight increase from the 3% when she graduated in 1985. She pointed out that this figure compared unfavourably with opportunity for university education in other countries put at 37.5% in Chile, 33.7% for Singapore, 28.2% for Malaysia and 16.5% in Brazil. Education and development Ezekwesili linked Nigeria's poor capital formation to the low development of its people through education. “Our lag in tertiary education enrolment is quite revealing and could be interpreted as the basis of the competitiveness gap between the same set of countries

and Nigeria. The countries with the most highly educated citizens are also some of the wealthiest in the world in a study by the OECD published by the Wall Street Journal last year.” The former Minister added: “The appropriate response to the revenue extracted from our oil over the period 1959 to date would have been to use it in accumulating productive investment in the form of globally competitive human capital and physical asset of all types of infrastructure and institutions. Such translation from one form of nonrenewable asset to renewable capital would have been the right replacement strategy for a wasting asset like oil. Unfortunately, unbridled profligacy has made us spend and continue to spend the free money from oil like a tragic Rentier state that we are called in development circles. “Resource wealth has tragically reduced your nation my nation to a mere parable of prodigality,” stressing that “Nothing undignifies nations and their citizens like selfinflicted failure. Our abundance of oil, people and geography should have worked favourably and placed us on the top echelons of the global economic ladder by now.” She said that it was up to the younger generation to restore the dignity of Nigeria by making the right choices to lift the nation out of poverty. Furthermore, describing Nigeria as “a paradox of the kind of wealth that breeds penury,” the former World

Bank Executive said “the trend of Nigeria's population in poverty since 1980 to 2010 suggests that the more we earned from oil the larger the population of poor citizens.” How poverty rages higher According to her, the figures of the poor in Nigeria grew from 17.1million in 1980, 34.5million in 1985, 39.2million in 1992, 67.1million in 1996, to 68.7million in 2004 and 112.47million in 2010. Ezekwesili advocated a new vision for Nigeria, expressed simply as “we believe in dignity,” pointing out that the resurgence of entrepreneurial spirit based on hard work and sound education were critical factors to changing Nigeria. “For Nigeria's dignity to be restored your generation must build a coalition of young entrepreneurial minds that are ready to ask and respond to the question. What does it

take for nations to become rich? Throughout economic history, the factors that determine which nations became rich and improved the standard of living of their citizens read like a Dignity Treatise in that they all revolve around the choices that ordinary citizens made in defining the value constructs of their nation”. The 42nd Convocation ceremonies of the UNN commenced, yesterday, with the Convocation Lecture and the Prize and Awards night for distinguished graduands. About 18,150 first degree holders would receive their certificates today, while higher degrees and honorary awards would be celebrated tomorrow and conferred on 1, 730 recipients. There are 116 First Class Honours recipients while 195 will receive Doctorate degrees.

President Goodluck Jonathan and late president, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua

National Taskforce trains 600 to combat illegal weapon importation By Patrick Okolie

VER 600 men and women recruited to serve under the Importers Association of Nigeria, IMAN National Taskforce in Enugu State are currently undergoing training ahead of their postings to the 17 local government areas of the state to combat illegal importation of goods, small arms, ammunition and light weapons into the state. The taskforce was inaugurated at the national level by the Federal Government in July 2010 to achieve the set targets as well as to create employment opportunities for jobless Nigerians. The state Coordinator of the National Taskforce to combat illegal importation and smuggling of Goods, Small Arms, Ammunitions and LightWeapons into the country, Comrade Obinna Onyekwelu, who disclosed this while flagging off the training programme of the newly recruited field workers at the State NYSC Orientation camp in Awgu. He declared the readiness of the taskforce to fight illegality out of the Nigerian import system, lamenting that the ill effect of illegal importations on the country had become very

worrisome necessitating all hands to be on deck to eliminate it. Onyekwelu further emphasized the need for a regular check on importers assuring that the Importers Association was ready to wage war against unscrupulous importers who indulge in practices that were not in the interest of the country. Also speaking, the Director General of IMAN, Chief Osita Okereke said that the association would create three million jobs in the space of one year for the unemployed Nigerian youths

under the programme. He stated that the over 600 trainees drawn from all parts of the state, would undergo seven days para-military training in the camp after which they would be duly fully employed. “We are out to tackle the menace of unemployment in Nigeria and we promise the federal government and Nigeria that we will create three million jobs in the space of one year. Inasmuch as IMAN National taskforce was inaugurated to combat illegal importation of goods, small arms, ammunition and light

weapons in Nigeria, it can also serve the nation by providing jobs for the unemployed populace.'' Chief Osita noted that the training was like a military one and would be strenuous and thereby urged the unfit both mentally and physically to drop out as they would not fit into the system. However, the DG gave special consideration to those confirmed to be pregnant by medical practitioners among the trainees as well as those suffering from ailments like leukemia, asthma, sickle-cell anaemia and tuberculosis. Such persons would be given lighter jobs.

Field workers undergoing training at the NYSC orientation camp, Awgu

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

FOREIGN NEWS

American Presidency and Africa -President Obama faces the second term By Okey Anyichie

ith the swearing in of the United States' of American president, Mr Barak Obama, on the 21st January, 2013 the chief executive of this world biggest democracy is set to make or mar history as he ascends the highest political position in that “god's own country”. It would be recalled that the legendary first president of America, Mr George Washington was elected the first president and got sworn in after the first presidential election in April 1789. After his tenure in office came to an end, there were numerous successors to Mr Washington. Many of these former USA presidents were very colourful politician and they set a very high standard of political leadership while in office. It would be recalled that President George Washington led the Americans to fight for the war of Independence in 1776, Mr Abraham Lincoln led the other half area of America in fighting a war of Unity in 1863 which came to an end

in 1865, but did not live to consolidate on the unity of the country he was dedicated to. He was assassinated by a mad actor, while he was watching a drama performance in a theatre. Today the Americans remember him as the man who put the country together and who enacted slavery emancipation act of April 1863. Since the 19th century to the dawn of 20th century, other American presidents had made an impact on the political development of that country. Some were held to high esteem while others made a passing impact on the socio-political and economic situations of the country. However, for the historical political purposes of America and its relationship with other parts of the world especially Africa at the dawn of 20th century, these are the presidents that ascended to the office of presidency in America: With this sequential situation of American presidents at the turn of the 20th century, Africa started feeling the impact of these presidents especially during the decade

Egypt military chief warns Name of collapse of state

AIRO (AFP) Egypt's military chief warned on Tuesday that the political crisis sweeping the country could lead to the collapse of the state, as thousands defied curfews and the death toll from days of rioting rose to 52. “The continuing conflict between political forces and their differences concerning the management of the country could lead to a collapse of the state and threaten future generations,” General Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who is also defence minister, said on his Facebook page. He further warned that the political, economic, social and security problems facing Egypt constitute “a threat to the country's security and stability,” and vowed to defend vital infrastructure, including the Suez Canal. Sissi's warning comes as medics on Tuesday reported another three people killed in the violence sweeping Egypt, pushing to at least 52 the death toll from five days of clashes. Two people died in fighting between protesters and security forces in the riothit canal city of Port Said, and one was shot dead in Cairo when protesters and police clashed near Tahrir Square, the capital's iconic hub of protest.

On Sunday, President Mohamed Morsi imposed a month-long state of emergency and night-time curfews on Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez, the three provinces most affected by the rioting. But witnesses said thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of the three Suez Canal cities Monday night in defiance of the curfews. The protesters chanted slogans against Islamist rule in Egypt, “Fall, fall the rule of the guide (of the Muslim Brotherhood), referring to Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood. Egypt has already deployed troops to Port Said and Suez provinces, at each end of the canal that Sissi said the army would defend. “The deployment of the army in Port Said and Suez aims to protect strategic infrastructure, especially the Suez Canal, which we will not allow to be harmed,” Sissi said. 'Protests must be peaceful' But he said the army's task was difficult. It does “not want to confront Egyptian citizens who have a right to protest” but it “has to protect vital institutions.” “That is why protests must be peaceful.” With the unrest showing no signs of abating, Egypt's Islamist-dominated Senate

ratified on Monday a law granting the armed forces powers of arrest. Opposition groups and disgruntled Egyptians accuse Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists of monopolising power and say the revolution failed to reach its goals of social justice. The violence first erupted on Thursday. It gained momentum on Friday, when protests marking the second anniversary of the start of the uprising that toppled long-time president Hosni Mubarak turned into clashes around the country. On Saturday, violence exploded in Port Said after a court sentenced to death 21 supporters of a local football club for their involvement in a deadly soccer riot last year. Soon after the verdicts, rioters attacked police stations and the prison where the defendants were being held, sparking clashes with security forces that left 42 people dead at the weekend. Fighting between police and anti-Morsi protesters have also broken out daily in and around Cairo's Tahrir Square, but the capital was calm on Tuesday morning. The crisis looks set to deepen after the National Salvation Front, a coalition of mainly liberal and leftist movements, called for countrywide protests on Friday after rejecting an offer from Morsi to hold talks.

President Obama

Theodore Roosevelt th (26 President) William Howard (27th President) Woodrow Wilson th (28 President) Warren Gamaliel Harding (29th President) Calvin Coolidge th (30 President) Herbert Clark Hoover st (31 President) Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd President) Harry S. Truman rd 33 President) Dwoght David Elsenhower (34th President) John F. Kennedy th (35 President) Lyndon B. Johnson (36th President) Richard M. Nixon th (37 President) Gerald Ford (38th President) Jimmy Carter th (39 President) Ronald Reagan th (40 President) George W. Bush (41th President) Bill Clinton (42nd President) George Bush Jnr (43rdth President) Barak Obama

of 60s that was described as the period of “Cold-war” between America and the defunct Soviet Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, USA became the sole-police man of the world democracy. Since the last decade of the 20th century, the political influence of this vast country with numerous economic and human potentials has up to an extent enveloped some parts of Africa. With a Kenyan-America winning the highest political post in a country like America, history was thus made. Hence the prophecy of the Human Rights crusade and the black emancipationist Rev. Martin Luther King has come true. Now Mr Barak Obama has been given a fresh mandate to complete two terms in office which would end in the year, 2016 another political landmark has been made by this young lawyer and politician. All eyes are on him on how he would conclude his second and final term in office. Will Africa and leaders express satisfaction that he has done well or not hail him for one political lapse or the other. The answer lies in the womb of time, till the year 2016.

Years

Number of Terms

1901-1909

Two

1909-1913

One

1913-1921

Two

1921-1923

One

1923-1929

Two

1929-1933

One

1933-1945

Three

1945-1953

Two

1953-1959

Two

1960-1953

One

1953-1968

Two

1968-1974

Two

1974-1976

One

1976-1980

One

1980-1988

Two

1988-1992

One

1992-1999

Two

2000-2008 2008-2016

Two Two

THE

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Friday, February 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday, February 8, 2013

This Life

10 Things Better Than Money

recent Gallup poll, quoted in The Atlantic, found that "well-being rises with income at all levels of income, across countries." In other words, as the article's title states, the poll proves that "Yes, Money Does Buy Happiness." Except that it doesn't prove that at all. What the study actually discovered was a "strong correlation" between each nation's real GDP per capita and the sense of "well-being" among those nation's citizens. Correlation isn't causation. The data could just as easily be interpreted the other way around: that happiness creates wealth. What's most likely, though, is that happiness and wealth are part of a cycle, each one creating more of the other. And that's the reason for this post. Assuming you want to create both wealth and happiness for yourself and those around you, you have two approaches: wait until you're wealthy to be happy, or become more happy now and thereby create more wealth. I maintain that, in today's economy, it's easier to start with the happiness, because unlike wealth (which takes time to accumulate), you can increase the amount of happiness in your life within minutes, simply by taking more notice of things that make you happy. With that in mind, here are ten things that can make you happy immediately, regardless of where you are in the cycle.

Life

Rather than thinking of illness as something bad that happens to you, start thinking of health as something good that's happening to you.

It's easy to forget that the mere fact of conscious existence-that you are alive--is itself a miracle. As the old saying goes "every day above ground is a good day.â&#x20AC;?

Friendship

Almost everyone has friends, although it's easy to lose track of them in the rush of events. Take a few minutes--today--to reconnect with some of them.

Health

Family

If you've got a good relationship with your family, rejoice! You're experiencing one of the deepest sources of happiness on the planet.

Gratitude

Rather than focusing on what you don't have or what's out of reach, be thankful for the wonderful things already in your life.

Purpose

There is nothing more conducive to long-term happiness than knowing that your actions are making the world a better place.

Self-reliance

Feeling secure that you can count on yourself to accomplish what you set out to accomplish creates a quiet but potent happiness.

Laughter

It is impossible to laugh and be miserable at the same time. Regular doses of laughter are more than medicine... it's the flavor of life.

. 0 1

Community

Having the support of a wider group makes you more aware that you're part of something greater than yourself.

Love

'Nuff said. Create these ten things in your life and I guarantee that you'll either become more wealthy or, if not, you won't really care anyway because you'll already have what's important.

THE

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

OPINION

e c e n t l y, t h e B r i t i s h government through the Culture Secretary Maria Miller told the members of parliament that it would be introducing a bill next year to legalize gay marriage in the country. However, she pointed out that the proposed bill will also ban the Church of England and Church of Wales from performing same-sex marriages. That is, other religious organisations and bodies who wish to do so can go on, but not these two traditional churches. The Church of England, Roman Catholic, Pentecostals, among other denominations have kicked against this proposed legislation, calling it immoral, anticulture, anti-nature, anti-society and anti-God. The above religious organisations are not alone in the opposition against this proposed bill, the conservatives, the Campaign for Marriage, legal experts, MPs, etc, have also kicked against it. The head of Campaign for Marriage (C4M) has accused the government of ignoring the opinions of half a million Britons and running a “sham” consultation on “gay marriage”. Colin Hart said that when he presented the group's petition, signed by over 500,000, he had been given assurances by the government that each signature would be considered officially as part of the consultation. But that didn't happen. He told media that, “The decision to ignore a petition of half a million people is disgraceful and undemocratic and goes against assurances from civil servants that all

Britain and Same-Sex Bill submissions would be treated equally and fairly. “All those who have signed the petition which the Government has now chosen to ignore deserve to be told why their name on a petition, which includes their address and signature, has been airbrushed out, while completely anonymous internet questionnaires have been counted.” He insisted. The government claims that the consultation, based on 228,000 online response forms, found a majority support of the plan to redefine civil marriage. But the Telegraph, however, confirms that these numbers do not include the 500,000 who signed C4M's petition. And reacting to this, Conservative MP David Burrowes said that, “If they want to rely on those figures it is wholly disingenuous. It makes the consultation a sham in terms of justifying this on the back of numerical support, given that 500,000 people were ignored and they have accepted all-comers from around the globe.” Burrowes said that the consultation results were in fact so ambiguous that there is a strong case for a referendum. MP Edward Leigh, a former Tory cabinet minister, told the government on Monday that the state has “no right to redefine marriage.” Another Member of Parliament Peter Bone disappointedly asked the House of Commons: "How dare the secretary of state try to redefine

marriage?" Then, Conservative MP Richard Drax added: "I would like to ask the Secretary of State and the government what right have they got, other than arrogance and intolerance, to stamp their legislative boot on religious faith?" Unfortunately, Prime Minister David Cameron has been a leading supporter of same-sex marriage and you remember that recently the UK government has been trying to pressurize African countries to legitimize homosexuality or have their aids to them cut. Thank God that most of these countries instantly resisted or rebuked them. I can remember watching the Nigerian senate telling them to keep their aids, if the condition is to lure them into immorality and satanic practices; reaffirming that the Africans still cherish decency, morals, traditional and marriage values. I was indeed very proud to be a Nigerian that day! But why would the Great Britain that has a common head with the influential and respectable Church of England (Anglican Church) in the British monarch, now decide to join some other European countries on this particular road to infamy and perdition? In 2001, Netherlands notoriously became the first country in the world to grant same-sex marriages (and remember they have this long history of struggle with lasciviousness. As far back as 1730-1733, they experienced sodomy frenzy that

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

am a bisexual by sexual orientation. On the 3rd day of September 2012, I was inflicted with severe beating and torture by a mob within my neighborhood, at Ogba (a suburb of Lagos). The whole incident was sparked by an alarm raised by a neighbor who eavesdropped on my male friend and while we were engulfed in an act of sexual intimacy (not openly but within the confines of my residential premises). The alarm raised by the intruder attracted the attention of people within our neighborhood. The intruder's narration of what he saw outraged the gathered crowd and it soon turned into a mob action against my friend and I. I was dragged naked to the Palace of the “Baale” (the local neighborhood chief) who without consideration pronounced judgment against me. In trying to explain and defend my right and my choice of sexual orientation as a bisexual, the fury of the mob became even more intense and they descended on me giving me fatal bodily injuries. I managed to escape and ran to the Police to seek for protection only for the people to throw me back into the hands of the mob chasing after me. I was dragged back to my house which was eventually pulled down alongside with my shop. My family of five (5) were lucky to escape and I was illegally exiled from the community. With my family scattered and my business and residential

resulted in the execution of about 276 men). After Netherlands , Belgium , Spain , Norway , Sweden , Portugal , Argentina and Iceland have joined the list. And unfortunately, countries like Belgium and France are also about to be overran by Sharia jihadists. True! Now, what will be the spiritual, moral and social implications of this legislation if passed in Britain ? One, it will totally destroy the tradition and sanctity of the marriage institution, which the country's laws and culture, the royal family and the Church of England have always respected, proclaimed and protected for centuries. Two, this proposed bill if introduced and passed by the British parliament will aggravate the already spiritual apostasy of the country. We are aware that there is spiritual decay in the present Europe. Most Europeans no longer have interest in the things of God. Places of worship are being converted to clubs, cinema, businesses, etc. And lasciviousness, crimes, violence, s u i c i d e , m u r d e r, o c c u l t i s m , corruption, immorality have been the resultant effect. Do you know that today about 46 percent of babies born in Britain are from single mothers! Now, imagine the social and spiritual implication of this. Then, there is always a divine reaction to every attempt to deride or disobey Gods' commandments. S e x u a l i m m o r a l i t y, w h i c h homosexuality (same-sex relationship) is one of it will never fail

to attract severe divine punishment. The scriptures warned severally and sternly that we must not involve in this. Remember that individuals and nations who take these divine instructions for granted will always pay heavily for it. They don't escape curses, death, defeat, pain, sorrow, incurable diseases, fear, decay, generational curses, shame, divine anger and backwardness. In fact, this particular sin was why God wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah from the face and map of the earth. Yes! Now, instead of pursuing this ignoble, retrogressive, anti-social, anti-nature and anti-God legislation, I advise the British government and other European countries to initiate programs that will stem the growing and alarming rate of unemployment, economic recession, crimes, suicides, murders, lasciviousness, etc. I also call on all British Members of Parliament to reject and throw out this particular bill if it is eventually presented to them. The Queen, all the royal family members, the Church of England, the civil societies, the marriage and family protection organizations, religious organizations and all Britons MUST rise against this proposed ungodly bill. And they should also ensure that those behind the satanic and shameful move and their allies are not allowed to occupy any political position in Britain in the future. Rev. Agbo is the author of the book Power of Midnight Prayer and a minister with the Assemblies of God Nigeria . Tel: 234-8037113283 E-mail:gabrielagbo@yahoo.com

SAVE MY SOUL

apartment pulled down, I lost all that it has taken me over a decade to build up. The injustice meted out to me has dealt much fatal blow to me, psychologically, emotionally and economically so much that I at a point contemplated on committing suicide. My only hope of seeking justice had been an NGO known as the “Initiative for Improved Male Health” but unfortunately they explained to me that they don't run a Human right session to follow up such cases like mine. Up till now I am still in hiding because I was made to understand that should I be seen near the neighborhood or anywhere else in this country, I will be a dead man as a prize has been placed on my head to be paid to anyone who carries out the feat. My wife and children are in disarray and in hiding without care and education for our children. I decided to approach the print media to let the case be heard so that concerned persons and even the government can come to my assistance as a matter of urgency. I am still of the opinion that we should in this country reject discrimination in general, and in particular discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Where there is a tension between cultural attitudes and human rights, rights must carry the day. Letter written by Rex Ijomanta

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

FROM THE

ADVOCATE

COURT

Police pension fraud: Suspect jailed 2 yrs for stealing N23bn By Our Reporter

NE of the eight civil servants accused of complicity in the illegal diversion of over N40 billion from the Nigeria Police Pension Funds, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, Monday, confessed before an Abuja High Court that he connived with the others and stole only about N23 billion. He was, however, sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N750,000 fine. Yusufu who pleaded guilty to a three-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, begged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he had already forfeited 32 of his choice property to the Federal Government. The accused person who was hitherto facing trial alongside a Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Atiku Abubakar Kigo and six others, made his confession shortly after the EFCC re-docked them on a 20count amended charge. Besides Kigo, the other accused persons who took turns and pleaded not guilty to the amended charge which was read to them, yesterday, were Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira and Christian Madubuke. Though six of them were initially arraigned on March 29, 2012, and subsequently remanded in prison custody. However, the prosecuting agency, yesterday, joined the duo of Madubuke and one Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang, following fresh proof of evidence which allegedly established their culpability in the pension fraud. Owing to the absence of Attang in court, yesterday, EFCC applied that her name be temporarily expunged from the charge to enable those that were in court take their plea. No reason was however given by the anti graft agency why she was not in court. Mrs. Attang who is still in service as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Communications had been on a hide and seek game with the Code of Conduct Bureau which dragged her before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on a five-count charge of having property which her salary could not have acquired. She was a Director at the Police Pension Office between 2007 and 2008. Within this period, Attang who worked closely with Yusufu was discovered by the Bureau to have acquired choice property in

Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, all within Lagos metropolis as well as in Abuja. One of her bank accounts, according to the charge slammed against her, had a credit of N500 million which source she could not explain. The charge was, however, later withdrawn by the Sam Sabaled board of the CCB. Meanwhile, trial Justice Abubakar Thalba had on April 3, 2012,

million that was found in his account. “We urge your lordship to declare that the money and property be forfeited and remitted back to the Police pension fund.” Counsel pleads for convict Before Jacobs could regain his seat, counsel to the convict, Mr Maiyaki Theodore Bala, urged the court to note that his client did not only show remorse but never wasted the judicial time of the

this instance. We need to assuage the feeling of the Nigerian public especially the pensioners who have greatly suffered.” In his ruling, Justice Thalba who maintained that the court has the absolute discretion to determine what should be regarded as the appropriate sanction for the offence, said he considered the plea made by the convict and the fact that he has already forfeited his assets. Consequently, he sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment

Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu released the accused persons on bail after they deposited N10 million each, as well as produced two persons in Grade Level 14 in the civil service that stood as sureties for each of them, conditions upon which they were also allowed to go home yesterday. How they diverted funds Sequel to the admittance of guilt by the 8th accused person, Monday, the trial court convicted him on counts 18, 19 and 20 in the charge wherein the EFCC revealed how he connived with the other accused persons between January 2008 and June 2011 at Abuja, and diverted funds belonging to Police Pension Office domiciled in its account with FirstBank of Nigeria Plc and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria 2007. The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, had told the court that when the convict was posted to the police pensions office, “he met this unwholesome practice perpetrated by the other accused persons and continued in it. “He even raised cheques on so many occasions which are all in the proof of evidence. Also, the property that were traced to him are all listed including N325

court. Describing him as a first time offender with no previous record of convictions, Bala told the court that his client has a wife and three children, adding that he has aged parents that depend on him for their sustenance. Claiming that the convict is suffering from a chronic heart condition that has aggravated to high blood pressure, Bala told the trial court that Yusufu is a community head who he said has many school children that depend on him for scholarship, “all these people depend on him for their survival and wellbeing including payment of school fees. “It is our prayer that justice is tampered with mercy by sentencing him with the least possible terms or even exercise of discretion under section 309 of the Penal Code Act to fine him. This will encourage the others to take courage to admit guilt where one exists.” EFCC demands stiff sanction Although EFCC counsel did not oppose his plea of allocutus, he, however, urged the court to impose “such sanction that will send out a clear message that the era of impunity is gone. Having regard to the money involved and public trust reposed on the convict, which he breached, it may not be okay to just impose fine in

on each of the three-count charge which he said was equivalent to N250,000 fine each, adding that the sentence would run

concurrently. He said: “The court has a duty to do justice for not just the convict, but for the society al large. Today Nigeria is bedevilled with the cankerworm of white-collar crime which has subjected the citizens to abject poverty. It is not in doubt that the standard of living of an average Nigerian is declining day by day. “Consequently, on count-18, I hereby sentence the convict to two years imprisonment or fine of N250,000, on count-19; I sentence him to two years imprisonment or fine of N250,000, likewise, on court-20 I also sentence him to two years imprisonment or fine of N250,000. The sentence will run concurrently and I further make and order for final forfeiture of his assets to the Federal Government.” However, the court adjourned hearing on the case against the other accused persons till February 25, March 25 and 26. EFCC protests against sentence In the meantime, immediately the sentence was handed by the trial judge, EFCC, through its counsel, lodged a formal complaint before the court, saying it was not pleased with the option of fine that was given to the convict. Although its counsel, Jacobs, declined to disclose whether the agency will proceed on appeal, he however expressed his displeasure, fuming that it was not part of the agreement the commission had with the convict when he conceded to plead guilty to the charge against him.

Kogi commissioner, councillor arraigned for attempted murder

ogi State Commissioner for Commerce and I n d u s t r y, A l i A j u h , Monday appeared before a Lokoja Chief Magistrates' Court for attempted murder. Ajuh was arraigned, alongside Chairman of Omala Local Government Council of the state, Aminu Atabor, and a civil servant, Omale Simeon, for attempted culpable homicide and armed robbery. The accused were arraigned before the Lokoja Chief Magistrates' on an 11-count charge. The charges levelled against the trio included criminal conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide, armed robbery, causing grievous hurt, public disturbance, thuggery, kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms. The Prosecuting Police Officer, Mr Otowu Gabriel, had told the court that the accused, allegedly committed the offences on Jan. 26, this year, during a prayer session, organised at Abejukolo in Omala Local Government Area, in

honour of former governor Ibrahim Idris. The event was designed to mark Idris' successful tenure in office and exit. The accused were said to have criminally conspired with thugs armed with dangerous weapons, including guns, clubs and cutlasses, to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens. They were also accused of blocking roads to attack and damage property of perceived enemies. The prosecution said thugs belonging to the accused unleashed mayhem on the people, damaging cars and others valuables. The thugs were also alleged to have taken two i-pad computers, N200,000 cash, damaged five vehicles and injured several people while threatening many others with death. The prosecutor also told the court that the accused declined to help the police to fish out the thugs when asked to do so, adding that the thugs were now at large.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

FLASHBACK

Nigeria’s Founding Fathers (8)

Michael Iheonukara Okpara M

ichael Iheonukara Okpara, (December 25, 1920-December 17, 1984) was a political leader and Premier of Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic, from 1959 to 1966. Dr. Okpara was, at 39, the nation's youngest Premier. He was a strong advocate of what he called "pragmatic socialism" and believed that agricultural reform was crucial to the ultimate success of Nigeria. Life Michael Okpara, an Ohuhu-Igbo, was born in December 1920 at Umuahia, in the present day Abia State of Nigeria. Although he was the son of a laborer, he was able to attend mission schools and later went to Uzuakoli Methodist College, where he won a scholarship to study medicine at Yaba Higher College, Lagos. Completing his medical studies at the Nigerian School of Medicine, he worked briefly as a government medical officer before returning to Umuahia to set up a private practice. While involved in his practice, he developed an interest in the Zikist Movement (named after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe), a militant wing of the NCNC. After rioting workers were shot by police at the Enugu coal mines in 1949, Dr. Okpara was arrested for his alleged complicity in inciting the riot, though he was soon released. After the granting of internal selfrule in 1952, he was elected into

the Eastern Nigerian House of Assembly on the NCNC platform. Between 1952 and 1959 he held various Cabinet positions in Eastern Nigeria, ranging from Minister of Health to Minister of Agriculture and Production.

In 1953, when NCNC legislators revolted against the party leadership, he remained loyal and joined forces with Dr. Azikiwe. In November 1960, when Dr. Azikiwe left active politics to become Nigeria's first African

Governor-General, Dr. Okpara was elected leader of the NCNC. His outspoken manner led to a severe strain in relations between his party and the ruling Northern People's Congress. After independence

Michael Iheonukara Okpara

Dr.Okpara was the leader of the NCNC and Premier of Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic (from 19591966). Although he was one of the politicians detained soon after the military coup of January, 1966, he survived the army revolt, in which two other premiers were killed. A strong advocate of what he termed "pragmatic socialism", he believed that Nigeria's salvation depended on a revolution in agriculture. To this end, he acquired and managed a large farm in his hometown, which inspired many Eastern Nigerian leaders to follow suit. He also championed the educational and infrastructural development of Eastern Nigeria. He never owned a house of his own while he was in government. When the Nigerian Civil War ended, he went into exile in Ireland. Before his return from exile in 1979, his close associates and beneficiaries took up a collection to build him a house in his village, Umuegwu. Honors & memorials Dr. Okpara died on December 17, 1984. Michael Okpara Way, in Abuja is named after him; so are the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; The Okpara Square in Enugu; the Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture and the Michael Okpara College of Agriculture in Imo State (since renamed the Imo State Polytechnic). He also received the award of GCON (Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger), Nigeria's highest honor, in 1964. There is also a statue of him in Enugu, Enugu State.

Adegoke Adelabu(penkelemesi) G

badamosi Adegoke Adelabu (September 3, 1915 March 20, 1958) was an important politician from Ibadan in the middle part of the 20th century. He was a self made man born into a humble family, but became an influential figure in Nigerian politics. He attended Government College, Ibadan and eventually became a business man. His successful political career was cut short when he was killed in a car crash, not long before Nigeria gained independence from Britain. He has been described as a particularly charismatic, intelligent and hard-working man.

Early life He was the first beneficiary of a scholarship given by the United Africa Company Nigeria (UAC) for outstanding ability, the first Nigerian to occupy the position of manager at UAC and the first

chairman of the Ibadan District Council. He was also a member of the Western Region House of Assembly and served as the federal Minister of Social Services and Mineral Resources. He was also a salesman, a merchant, a writer and a journalist.

Political strongman Chief Adegoke "Penkelemesi" Adelabu was a fiercely independent-minded man who refused to be swayed by the herd mentality, and the politics of tribe and personality which governed politics in the Yorùbá-dominated Western Region of Nigeria in the 1950s; centered in Ibadan. As one of the leading Ibadan politician of his time, he championed the cause of the NCNC led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. He co-founded Ibadan Peoples Party (IPP) with Chief Adisa Akinloye who later became his rival till death and was instrumental in the formation of

the Ibadan Taxpayers Association. Adegoke Adelabu, described as the colossal figure in Ibadan between 1951 and 1958, became the leader of opposition in the western region house of assembly. At the time of his death he had already married 12 times and had 15 children.

Peculiar mess Adegoke Adelabu is often mentioned in Yorùbá and Nigerian h i s t o r y, a l m o s t n e a r l y i n parentheses as the author of that expression: "penkelemesi", a Yorubanisation of the phrase, "peculiar mess" which Adelabu, known for his deep knowledge of English, had used on an occasion to describe the opposition in the Western Region House of Assembly. Not understanding what he meant, the non-literate section of his audience translated the phrase into vernacular as "penkelemesi".

Adegoke Adelabu

THE

Friday, February 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

APGA is not Agulu Progressives Grand Alliance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Onwuka Ukwa Chief Onwuka Ukwa, a Chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, is currently spearheading reconciliation of the aggrieved members of the party. In this interview with THE ADVOCATE, Onwuka who was the Deputy National Chairman (South) urged the warring parties to sheath their swords and join the Chief Victor Umeh-led National Executive to move the party forward. By Ted Peters You initiated reconciliation in APGA. What prompted you to do so now? I am one of the elders of the party. I have had a very deep reflection over the activities of the party in the past few years and I have come to the conclusion that the party must be unified once again to enable it meet the future political challenges that is around the corner, particularly, the guber race coming up in Anambra State. Not only that, if you look at the party, we have been fragmenting over one thing or the other, but I said no, as an elder, I want us to restore that peace and then move the reconciliation process ahead, which I am pioneering ahead. I please want to appeal to everyone, every member of our party, whatever name you prefer to call yourself, if you prefer answering stakeholder, please do so. After all, I was the one that coined the word stakeholders. But, I want to make it very clear that APGA is not a private business of nephew and uncle at all. The party belongs to everyone. It doesn't matter whether you are an expelled party man. We are asking you to return. Come back to the party and give the administration of Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, all the support you can give to the party. We want everybody to come back and help build the party, unify the party, so that we can fight as one to win coming elections.

read where someone dismissed CAN, saying they should go back to their religious business. Please, that is most disrespectful, very disrespectful. If you don't believe in God or anything, you must also accord that institution the respect that it deserves. Bishop Chukwuma is not somebody you can dismiss with a wave of hand. He called for peace out of concern and we must appreciate that concern. And it is that same call that compelled me, Onwuka Ukwa to put aside whatever my personal grievances were, to pursue this peace process. So, I am calling on everyone, including Nwobu Alor, or whoever thinks he can sit somewhere in one office and do whatever he wants to do with the party, to please desist from that. What we want now is peace and reconciliation. We don't want to hear anything like this person was dismissed. All those people he has been talking about have all returned to the party and have

and senators. Since we started this quarrel, there has been several additions under his leadership. We must recognize that and we must give him that credit. Please I am asking everyone to sheathe their sword and come back to the party and let us unite and build the party. Let this be the Christmas gift and New Year gift that we are going to give party members as elders. I am willing to make any sacrifice to ensure the success of this peace process and reconciliation efforts. Let us support Chief Victor Umeh, the National Chairman, so that we can build a party that all of us would be proud of. Have you made any effort to reach out to Governor Peter Obi and Nwobu Alor in person? You know this process is something that just started. And while I didn't want to be personal in calling names is this. If you have been reading what I have been saying, I have been talking

a member. We want them to come back. Even those expelled members, we want them to come back. If you look at all the parties, They are involved in one form of reconciliation or the other, traveling all over the place. We must live above the idea that this person that is saying this is not a member of the party. This is what we are trying to change. Yes, I have the intention of talking to each of them individually, appealing to them, to see reason why they should come back and join hands with this administration to build this party. Okay, for instance, all these people who are saying all these things in Anambra, how will they field a candidate? Which party will sign it? You must run under a platform. Yes, won't you go to INEC? Who is going to submit the paper in INEC? It is the recognized party Chairman that will submit the paper. So, it is about time we sit down and look at all these issues and be realistic in

Some people are calling for restructuring of the party. How do you see such calls? All these talk about restructuring, I also started the talk about restructuring. So, I don't know what the problem with some people are regarding restructuring. I also coined the word. I brought out the whole thing about restructuring. This reconciliation process is the beginning of this restructuring. It is the beginning of the restructuring. That is what we are doing as a party, not as an individual. It is not a business of uncle and nephew. No. I am appealing to elders of the party, members of the party. If you want to answer stakeholders, please answer that, but please, we must discourage any attempt to truncate this peace process that is in progress. I also

Chief Onwuka Ukwa been accepted. Me must also give the National Chairman, Victor Umeh, for having a large heart to embrace this peace and reconciliation process, which I have put in place and I think the best we can do is to assist him in building the party so that we can make more progress, have more governors, capture more states, have more members of state houses of assembly, Federal House of Representatives

about talking to people, making appeals so that I can be in a position to approach everyone, all the gladiators including the Governor and Nwobu Alor. But, to my own dismay, I was reading the papers seeing where he (Nwobu Alor) was saying, 'this person was expelled', 'this person is not a member of the party'. This is exactly what I am trying to stop. This person is not a member of the party. Everybody is

what we are doing.

How do you see the position taken by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State in APGA today? It is also refreshing to note that our new Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is proudly flying APGA flag. He is proudly flying APGA flag. This is the sort of thing we expect from people who benefited from APGA platform in entering whichever office they are

entering. We want them to come out and support the party because that is the platform that gave them the office. I am also very proud to associate myself with his developmental efforts. Can you mention some of them? Yes, he is just new but his free education policy in Imo is something that I think the federal government should emulate and other state governments. Look at the fourth tier of government he introduced, it is really taking development to the grassroots. They are now linking rural roads through that tier of government. They are building rural roads, providing water and other health facilities. The people at that level are beginning to benefit from the efforts of our APGA government. That is what we call dividends of democracy, although that has been over used now. I mean, look at Okigwe. We have always known Okigwe as a place that will never develop. Well, look at the physical development that is taking place there now. Look at Owerri. These are the kinds of Governors, people will want to come and fly APGA flag, not those who are shy about associating themselves with the party and dissociating themselves from the party. If you got into office through APGA platform, you should be proud to associate yourself with the party and also help to build the party.But there is something I must highlight. APGA is not nephew and uncle business. APGA is a political party and not nephew and uncle private business. It is not. It is not Anambra business. It is not Anambra limited company. It is not Agulu Progressives Grand Alliance where you have uncle and nephew running it. No, it is a political party. I have a stake in APGA. I am from Abia. Nobody should sit down in Awka there and tell me that I have no stake in this party. I have a stake in this party. Those from Kano have a stake in this party. Those from Ebonyi have a stake in this party. Those from Ebonyi have a stake. Those from Kogi have a stake. From Oyo, they have a stake. It does not belong to Agulu or Anambra. So, it is about time we stop this business of somebody sitting in his park office and dictating what they think we should do in the party.

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

TELECOMMUNICATION One pleads guilty, 2 others arrested over virus that infected more than 1 million computers

NCC pegs SMS tariff A at N4

H E N i g e r i a n Communications Commission (NCC) has set a new tariff cap of N4 per Short Messaging Service (SMS) for all domestic off-net SMS with effect from February 5, 2013. NCC, which said it will not place a price cap on international SMS for now, disclosed that the directive to this effect had been communicated to all the operators including MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel and emerging market telecommunications service, operating as Etisalat in Nigeria since January 3, 2013. The Code Division Multiple Access operators including Starcomms, Visafone and Multi Links are also affected by the new directive. Off-net SMS is message sent from one network to another, like from MTN to Etisalat. The directive, which was signed by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services of NCC, Josephine Amuwa, issued yesterday, said the NCC arrived at the new price cap after due considerations of the submissions made by the operators at various consultative meetings. Amuwa said having evaluated and analysed SMS traffic information provided by the operators, the Commission noted that “there was a general recognition that the cost of SMS is too high, especially in view of the interconnection rate of N1.02 for SMS as determined by the Commission in 2009.” She also noted that the operators had proposed a price cap ranging between N5 and N10 per message for off-net SMS. According to her, the operators also urged the commission not to set a cap for international SMS due to the fact that interconnect rates for international SMS were outside their control as it is terminated through international carrier service providers in various jurisdictions. Indeed, Amuwa said that the commission took the decision based on these considerations, and in the interest of striking a balance between sustaining operator's p r o f itab ility an d en s u r in g consumer satisfaction, and also in accordance with its powers as conferred on the commission under Sections 4 and Chapter VII of the NCC Act, 2003. Currently, off-net SMS tariff ranges between N9 and N10, while on-net goes for N5 within same network.

computer virus that spread to more than a million computers worldwide, including some at NASA, and produced at least $50 million in illegal profits or losses to victims should be a “wake-up call” for banks and consumers unaware of the threat posed by Internet criminals, a prosecutor said Wednesday. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and George Venizelos, head of the New York FBI office, warned of the growing threat to financial and international security as they announced that a 2½-year probe had resulted in three arrests, two of them overseas, and the seizure of vast amounts of computerrelated evidence that will take months or years to fully analyze. They said the Gozi virus had infected 40,000 computers in the United States since 2005, including 190 at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, along with computers in Germany, Great Britain, Poland, France, Finland, Italy, Turkey and elsewhere. A think tank holds events around the first annual “Data Innovation Day,” bringing public and private sector tech leaders together. “This case should serve as a wakeup call to banks and consumers alike because cybercrime remains one of the greatest threats we face, and it is not going away anytime soon,” Bharara said. “It threatens individuals, businesses and governments alike.” He told a news conference that cybercriminals “believe that their online anonymity and their distance from New York render them safe from prosecution, but nothing could be further from the truth.” Venizelos said law enforcement had seized 51 computer servers in Romania, along with laptops, desktops and external hard drives, accumulating more than 250 terabytes of information. “That vast pile of data is almost certain to aid criminal investigation at FBI offices around the country as well as law enforcement agencies around the world,” he said. “It is more than standard boilerplate to say that this investigation is very much ongoing.” So far, the investigation has produced three arrests, including that of Nikita Kuzmin, who pleaded guilty to computer intrusion and fraud charges in May 2011, admitting his role in creating the virus. The plea was followed by the arrest in November of a co-conspirator in Latvia and another in Romania last month. Extradition proceedings are under way against both on various criminal charges,

including conspiracy. The NASA breach occurred from Dec. 14, 2007, to Aug. 9, 2012, with the most damage occurring between May and August last year, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The infected computers sent data without user authorization, including login credentials for an eBay account and a NASA email account, details of visited websites and the contents of Google chat messages. Mihai Ionut Paunescu, who was arrested in Romania, set up online infrastructure that allowed others to distribute destructive viruses and malicious software, including ones dubbed Zeus Trojan, SpyEye and BlackEnergy, according to a criminal complaint filed against him. The document said

Paunescu, a Romanian national residing in Bucharest, was also known as “Virus.” The Gozi virus was designed in 2005 and distributed beginning in 2007, when it was secretly installed onto each victim's computer in a manner that left it virtually undetectable by antivirus software. Deniss Calovskis was arrested in Latvia, where he is a citizen and resident, on charges including bank fraud conspiracy. Extradition proceedings had begun to bring them to New York for trial. Authorities say Kuzmin began designing the Gozi virus in 2005 to steal personal bank account information of individuals and businesses in a widespread way. They said he hired a programmer

Jokes Clever trick!

he woman says, "I can make the boss give me the day off."

The man replies, "And how would you do that?" The woman says, "Just wait and see." She then hangs upside-down from the ceiling. The boss comes in and says, "What are you doing?" The woman replies, "I'm a light bulb." The boss then says, "You've been working so much that you've gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off." The man starts to follow her and the boss says, "Where are you going?" The man says, "I'm going home, too. I can't work in the dark.”

No weapon fashioned against Me shall prosper'.

baby boy was born in hospital laughing instead of crying,

The more the midwives beat him, the more he laughed so hard, suddenly the doctor noticed he had something in his hands, so he pulled the tiny hands apart and discovered he was holding 3 abortion pills..the baby then turned his head looking at his mother, laughed again & said` N O W E A P O N FA S H I O N E D AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER'.

Who's Smarter NOW?

nce a boy Uploaded a photo holding a dog on Facebook..

Girl commented: "Which one is u?" Boy replied: "The One holding you..” onwesolution@yahho.com

to write the software and began renting it to others for a weekly fee, advertising it on Internet forums devoted to cybercrime and other criminal activities. Beginning in 2009, Kuzmin offered the code to others for $50,000 plus a guaranteed share of future profits, court documents said. Authorities said Calovskis had training and expertise in computer programming when he was hired by a co-conspirator to upgrade the virus with new code that would deceive victims into divulging additional personal information, such as a mother's maiden name. Federal authorities sought at least $50 million from Calovskis, an amount they said was obtained through the conspiracy.

Of the Mind your Business

was in the public toilets and had just sat down, a voice from the next cubicle said “Hi!, how are you?” Embarrassed, I said, “I'm doing fine”. The voice said “So what are you up to?”. I said, “Just doing the same as you, sitting here!”. From next door, “Can I come over?”. Annoyed, I said, "rather busy right now”. The voice said, “Listen, i will have to call you back, there's an idiot next door answering all my questions”

Your Children are watching

usband and Wife fighting in front of their child

Husbnd:" you are a DOG Wife:" and you are a BITCH” . . . Child: "Hee.. hee..and I'm a PUPPY":

Conversation between Mary and Gloria

ary : How was your paper Gloria ?

Gloria : It was kind of hard; I didn't know the past tense of 'think'. I thought and thought and thought for along time then finally wrote'thunk' Mary : I guess you're right because I wrote thunk after I thought 4 a while.. ... Mary : Shit! And what about the past tense of 'write' ? Gloria : I dont know what I wrote; I think I wrote 'written' Mary : That one I didn't even bother. When I saw the next number asking for the past tense of 'go', I just went out of the Exam Room. Gloria : Me too, when I reached that number I couldn't take it anymore. Those idiots gave us an exam beyond our scope.

facebook.com/caleb.onwe

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday, February 8, 2013

Fashion Tips For

trips are so in vogue right now and they are so beautiful. One thing about this trend is that you can own as many as possible in different colours and styles. Believe it or not, this trend has come to stay, just like leggings, the striped cloths are saying no to being used and dumbed! Grab this opportunity and invest in strips, the maxi is terrific, it could be worn with a bold belt or with a jacket and match it with a good HANDBAG. Some fashionistas are able to wear a maxi with K I L L E R HEELS, but

just like the maxi, when shopping, choose colours that suits your skin tone,This way you will definitly look an angel that I am sure you are. While we get striped, lets make sure that everything in our wadrope is nice, flare trousers are still there, only it's not an everyday wear, this sexy actress killed it and when going to that classy occasion,wedding etc, look out for a shiny dress that will give you that shine that stands out anywhere, it doesn't matter what length, it's how it sits on your body that matters.

SEXY FLATS are better unless you under 4ft, it's the accessory used that really matters.Wear bangles and beads when wearing a striped maxi, striped cloths are attention grabbers. Happy 2013 Striped skirts come in different colours

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

All is fair in war and love? Continues from back page just assumed office as Leader of Government Business in Enugu saw no reason to vacate his post for the fugitive from Ibadan. Neither did most of his cabinet which in sheer brilliance surpassed by far anything Enugu has seen or is likely to see in a long time. “Using his privately-owned newspapers and political muscle, Azikiwe maligned and forced Eyo Ita and his team out of office and proceeded to pack his own cabinet with primary school teachers, expolice corporals, sanitary inspectors and similar highly motivated disciples who were unlikely to dispute anything he said. So the rule of mediocrity from which we suffer today received an early imprimatur in Eastern Nigeria of all places! “And that was not all, Professor Eyo Ita was an Efik, and the brutally unfair treatment offered him in Enugu did not go unremarked in Calabar. It contributed in no small measure to the suspicion of the majority Igbo by their minority neighbours in Eastern Nigeria-a suspicion which far less attractive politicians than Eyo Ita fanned to red-hot virulence, and from which the Igbo have continued to reap enmity to this day.” Let me quickly state that I do not agree with Achebe that Chief Awolowo'stole'the government from Azikiwe. Awolowo simply applied the practice of carpetcrossing which was and is still valid and legal in every parliamentary democracy. It was one of Azikiwe's faults not to accept advice that did not support his stand. He refused to bend so that he would not break. He had been earlier advised to allow Chief Adegoke Adelabu the Iron Man of Ibadan, the thorn in the flesh of the enemy to be the leader of the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) in Western Nigeria which would have prevented Awolowo from using ethnic persuasion to oust him. After the NCNC had been declared winner o f t h a t e l e c t i o n , Aw o l o w o summoned the Yoruba Obas and the cream of Yoruba nation to a meeting where he told them that he was not worried that Action Group (AG) lost the election. What worried him was that future Yoruba generations would condemn theirs for allowing an Igbo man who did not see the white man before them nor received western education and civilization before them to rule the Yorubas in Yoruba land! As soon as he said this, the Yoruba Obas ordered the NCNC Yoruba parliamentarians to give to the AG, the required number of seats through carpet-crossing that would enable the AG to form the government. This was what happened in Western Nigeria pure and simple. If Zik had followed Chairman Mao's and Sardauna's example, Awolowo could not have succeeded. Chairman Mao Tse Tung remained Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party while he allowed Cho en Lai to be the Prime Minister. Nearer home, Sardauna similarly allowed Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to be the Prime Minister in Lagos

while he stayed in Kaduna as Premier of Northern Nigeria and leader of the Northern Peoples Congress. So Zik knowingly and deliberately played into the hands of Awolowo. To the best of my knowledge, Awolowo did not steal any political good from anybody. b) Achebe said again, “In a solemn vow made by Azikiwe in 1937, he pledged, “that henceforth I shall utilize my earned income to secure my enjoyment of a high standard of living and also give a helping hand to the needy. “Chief Obafemi Awolowo was more forthright about his ambitions: 'I was going to make myself formidable intellectually, morally invulnerable, to make all the money that is possible for a man of my brains and brawn to make in Nigeria.'” And c) “Chief Obafemi Awolowo does have a reputation for seeking out and using talent, albeit, to serve a narrow purpose…'The case of Azikiwe's men will be somewhat different because he has never shown an excessive desire to surround himself with talent.'” In view of (a) to (c), Achebe is clearly not an Awolowo hater. He is only an uncompromising apostle of truth .He did not even try to shield or give Zik, a fellow Igboman, a soft landing. He stated the facts as he saw them. With respect to what Achebe said about Awolowo and Zik, how can one justify Femi FaniKayode when he said “The truth is that Professor Chinua Achebe owes the Awolowo family and the Yoruba people a big apology for his tale of pure fantasy”. This type of obvious, incorrect, extravagant and exaggerated characterization, which is really a failed attempt to calumnise Achebe, propels me to visit Femi Fani Kayode's antecedents. He is the son of RFKRemi Fani Kayode, who was formerly known in Nigerian politics as FANI POWER when he was in the Nigerian patriotic team, but became FANI POWDER when he jumped ship and joined revisionist Akintola which explains the negative and lack-lustre inclination of his son, Femi Fani Kayode. Happily, the stand of the above Awolowo apologists cannot be said to represent the view of the Yoruba nation on this issue, thanks to people like Duro Onabule. He said in the Daily Sun of Friday, October 12, 2012, “… Whatever the bad feelings of his critics, Achebe's reputation, unlike his contemporaries, is that of a straightforward man. He has never been known to be cowardly, neither does he cringe before nor collaborate with local or international establishment. Achebe's character is definite as he does not charade in the day only to be settled at night … Even if Awolowo was not in the position to effect his belief in starvation as a weapon of war, the fact remains that he (Awolowo) publicly took that position and was widely reported in the media in Nigeria and abroad…Is Chinua Achebe fair to Awolowo in his criticisms? The appropriate preceding question is: was Awolowo

fair to himself…when he publicly upheld starvation as a legitimate weapon in war, more so during a civil war in which the outside world was disgusted with television visuals of thousands of starving and malnourished innocent children?...Achebe's critics on his latest book, especially Yoruba, should objectively read “AWO”, Obafemi Awolowo's a u t o b i o g r a p h y, i n w h i c h throughout, there is not a single sentence complimentary to Nnamdi Azikiwe, portrayed as an ethnic jingoist … Yet, Awolowo's criticisms of Azikiwe were never mischievously interpreted as hatred for Igbos. Nobody of Achebe's status and with terrible experiences of the Civil War could be expected to write his recollections without justifiable criticism of starvation as a weapon throughout the war. His critics just have to be realistic rather than being emotional.” Furthermore, these Awolowotom-boys said that Emeka Ojukwu was an Awolowo hater. At Awolowo's death, Ojukwu paid him this outstanding tribute: AWOLOWO WAS THE BEST LEADER NIGERIA NEVER HAD. These Awolowo boys are the people who have 'murdered and twisted history' not Chinua Achebe. When a meeting of southern politicians was held at Hotel Presidential, Enugu, during Obasanjo's civilian tenure, all those that have been paying lip service to the ONE NIGERIA project, urinated in their trousers! It is unfortunate that this meeting ended with the first outing while the various umbrellas of Northern establishment have continued to meet with the unwavering regularity of the periodicity of simple harmonic motion. The solution to Nigeria's many problems is SOUTHERN SOLIDARITY with the Igbos and Yorubas at the vanguard. Igbo-Yoruba harmony is an unavoidable desideratum! This stand will not hurt the Hausa/Fulani known as the REAL NORTHERNERS. Rather it will enable them stand on their feet and look fairly and squarely at their peculiar problems. Designating them as educationally disadvantaged is a misnomer because that condition has been the calculated choice of their rulers unrepentant agents of unprogressive feudalism and Islamism. For example, Prof Iya Abubakar made a first class in mathematics at Ibadan University. I am not aware that his record has been equalled or broken. Also, Senator Jubril Aminu is the first medical student at Ibadan University to make distinction in Biochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology in the second MB examination. The term 'real northerner' was coined by an Hausa/Fulani red-blooded undergraduate of Mass Communications at the University of Nigeria Nsukka immediately after the war during a discussion of Gowon's statement that God has placed power in the hands of another northerner. The Mass Communications student pointed

out that there are REAL N O RT H E R N E R S a n d o t h e r northerners. As a proof of this theory, Gowon was shoved out of power when the lie test was applied because he is an OTHER N O RT H E R N E R . A R E A L NORTHERNER in the person of General Murtala Mohammed took over power SO, SOUL BROTHER, THE OTHER NORTHERNER BEWARE! Many Nigerians particularly Igbos may feel offended when I proceed to refer to the Achilles heels of some titans which have continued to hurt the Igbos to no end; but I am spurred on by the fact that history does not regard any person or event as sacrosanct or untouchable. In the spirit of Achebe's reference to Awolowo, I hereby spotlight the excruciating cross imposed on Igbos by ZIK, IRONSI AND OJUKWU. May be, by so doing, it will be brought home to the raging and rampaging Awoists that public discuss on issues of national interest has no limit and is no respecter of persons. i) Zik by steadfastly refusing to ally with Awolowo since the carpetcrossing of 1951 in the Western House of Assembly at Ibadan, to establish a real federal government, that would have brought progress and prosperity to Nigeria, conveniently overlooked the political adage THERE IS NO PERMANENT ENEMY IN POLITICS, ONLY PERMANENT INTEREST. If he had done so, the Igbos will not be permanently condemned to the receiving end in Nigerian politics. For example, every zone has not less than six states except the SOUTH EAST. ii)If Ironsi had embraced the views expressed by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, he should have teamed up with THE GLORIOUS JANUARY BOYS, in the words of Comrade Prof. Ikenna Nzimiro, to implement the important aspects of Nzeogwu's broadcast which would have produced the desired ONE NIGERIA. Nzeogwu said in parts, “My dear countrymen, no citizen should have anything to fear, so long as that citizen is law-abiding and if that citizen has religiously obeyed the native laws of the country and those set down in every heart and conscience since October 1, 1960. Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribe and demand ten per cent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles; those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds. Like good soldiers we are not promising anything miraculous or spectacular. But what we do promise every lawabiding citizen is freedom from fear and all forms of oppression, freedom from general inefficiency and freedom to live and strive in every field of human endeavour, both nationally and internationally. WE PROMISE

ADVOCATE

THAT YOU WILL NO MORE BE ASHAMED TO SAY THAT YOU ARE NIGERIANS”. These are the words of the leader of the most patriotic coup which some people have the good or bad conscience to call an Igbo coup. I am proud of Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, prouder that he was a black man and proudest that he was an Igbo man! Because of Ironsi's intellectual timidity and the fact that he was not a revolutionary, he failed to save Nigeria when he had the opportunity to do so. iii) If Ojukwu had not continued to hound Major Nzeogwu and his men where Ironsi stopped because both of them were jealous of the towering popularity of Nzeogwu and his men, Ojukwu should have given Nzeogwu a fighting unit to command in the Civil War. A pamphlet 'The Revolution: Heroes of Change The Life and Times of Major Kaduna Nzeogwu& Who Killed Him' by Prof. Tom Forsyth, p u b l i s h e d b y I v o r y To w e r Publishers, Atlanta Georgia USA, said “Another strange rumour about Nzeogwu's death, has it that although he died in the battle field, the bullet that killed him wasn't from the enemies, but from own soldiers who were detailed to kill him …“OJUKWU'S REACTION TO COMPLICITY IN NZEOGWU'S DEATH … 'When I was announced as Governor of Eastern Region, I started working secretly to get all the detainees transferred to the East. The officers in Lagos were dead-scared of the release of the detainees. Nzeogwu was certainly popular when he came to the East … I have heard it alleged that I was jealous of him. I was already Governor at the time, my position wasn't threatened. I couldn't have been jealous of him. The reason why he wasn't incorporated into the Biafran Army was this: The senior officers were afraid of him, especially those under whose area of command he would have operated. There was actually a senior officer who handed me his letter of resignation because of his fear of operating in the same area as Nzeogwu. It is convenient now for some people to start telling less than the truth about what actually happened. The fatal patrol that Nzeogwu mounted when he died, he did in the company of my junior brother, Tom Bigger. They both died in the same action side. In that death, part of me died also. If Ojukwu has been correctly reported, his statement about military postings of soldiers is not correct. During postings of soldiers to units, no soldier, officer or other rank has the right to choose which soldier he would like to operate with and which he would not because, military postings are military orders which can only be varied by a superior officer! As the Commander-in-Chief in Biafra, nobody could vary or openly complain about his orders. Mazi Chike Chidolue B.Sc.Hons. Physics, University of Biafra (1967)

To be continued in next edition

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Mercy Johnson names daughter -Purity Okojie

Cossy Ojiakor-Men fantasize about me because I have lovely body features

ercy Johnson and her husband have named their daughter Purity Okojie. Purity was born on Sunday December 30th 2012. Mercy is due back in Nigeria next month February. Meanwhile, We heard some movie producers have been sending movie scripts to Mercy Johnson in the US. She's been accepting them and plans to immediately hit a movie set once she returns to Nigeria.

Mercy Johnson and her daughter

Ghana-Ramsey Nouah accident On Set, sustained injury

Ramsey Nouah

igerian super actor Ramsey Nouah sustained severe injuries and missed death by the whiskers during the shooting of a new movie in Ghana. According to reports, the actor crash-landed on a concrete floor when he fell from a building

whilst trying a stunt on a movie set in Kumasi. Though official medical reports are not yet available, it is feared the actor might have suffered internal bleeding as he reportedly complained of acute waist pains while medics attended to his blood-filled mouth

He was on the set with top actors Nana Ama McBrown, Beverly Afaglo, Roslyn Ngissah, Nana Hayford and a number of accomplished actors shooting a movie titled 'Hotel Babylon: Where Clothes Are unclad', directed by Kobi Rana, when the incident occurred. The movie was extensively shot in Kumasi at the Senator Hotel at Tanoso. The accident attracted crew members and director Kobi Rana, who immediately rushed to his side for fear of the unexpected. Information indicated that Ramsey could not immediately get up on his feet as he remained on the floor for some minutes. The set had to break to allow him to recover, but after 30 minutes, he told the director he could continue with the shooting. It is not clear if Ramsey is still in town, but he reportedly moved to Accra this week. Efforts to get him to deny or confirm the rumours proved futile. Also, calls placed to director Kobi Rana did not go through.

Shakira delivered of her son -Happy Moment

hakira and her footballer husband, Gerard Piqué, are the proud new parents of a baby boy! The baby named Milan Piqué Mebarak was born January 22nd in Barcelona, Spain, where his daddy Gerard plays for FC Barcelona. In a press release, the happy parents say they named their kiddy Milan because the name “means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification.” The 6lb, 6oz baby and mother are doing well. Her hips sure don't lie.“Shakira! Shakira!” in Wyclef Jean's voice.

Shakira

Cossy Ojiakor

ince her entrance into the movie industry about a decade ago, she has sparked off more controversies than anyone in her category. Cossy Orjiakor is one of the most talked about actresses in Nigeria, even though many can't seem to remember the last movie she was in. Her frequent raunchy pictures on twitter have created a lot of buzz for the video vixen cum musician, keeping her name, and 'assets' in the news. And even though the 'naughty queen,' as she sometimes refers to herself, is criticized by many, the tiny-voiced actress boasts about being the only actress in Nollywood that has never dated or slept with an actor. (Really?) You are barely established in the movie industry, why jump into music?I have always loved music. My mum had a BSc in music from the University of Nigeria when I was younger. She used to sing and dress up in cute attires and hand gloves and all. I kind of liked it. So she made me love music. Why do you seem not to be doing a lot of movies these days? I have been doing lots of stuff that have nothing to do with movies. I've been very busy, but now I'm very free. That's why I'm getting back to music. I did a movie last year and it's about to come out soon. I'm also working on producing a movie in April this year. So how far have you gone with the plans for the movie? The script writer has delivered and I'm okay with the story line. I'm just waiting for Emmanuel Ehumadu to finish up the movie he is doing now. Once he is through, he will help me out with the casting, and then shooting will start in April. How well have your fans received your album, 'Naughty Queen'? My marketer has been out for a while now. He just got back, so the distribution of the hard copy will commence soon. So far, my fans love the album. You are one artiste that doesn't seem to care about what people say about you, how do you get the boldness to do so? I do actually care about what people say about me, but I don't care about what biased people say about me. Do you think you are always being misunderstood in the

media? No, not really. I'm very down to earth, I don't pretend. I'm as real as they come. How do you feel when you read or hear false stories about you? I take them as one of those things. Then if the person peddling the false story is worth it, I reply and clarify things. If the person is not worth it, I ignore it. How was growing up for you? Good and fun. I have the best parents and good siblings. What were your parents' reactions when you told them you were going into entertainment? While growing up, my dad actually bought a grand piano for my mum, so we all played around with it. He has always encouraged me to be true to myself. How would you describe your style? My mood or the event determines that. Also, the time of the event matters. During day time, I'm well dressed and decent. If it's a night party and I want to get naughty, I wear hot stuff. Do you have a favourite fashion accessory? I don't have a favourite accessory though, but I can't do without my perfumes. I'm sure you must have a lot of men running after you? I don't really notice. Maybe, maybe not. Has it occurred to you that a lot of men out there fantasize about your body? Yeah. They fantasize about me because I have lovely body features. The type dreams are made of. Is that why you flaunt it a lot? Maybe You seem to be confident with your body, do you think it makes people judge you or think lowly of you? I don't know What's the craziest thing you ever heard about yourself? When they link me up with men I have never met before, like the coach or the footballer that was said to have bought me my SUV. Wish he could buy me a race car too (laughs). So how do you relax when you need to? I love massages How would you describe yourself? I really can't describe, but I'm deep.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

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How WASA 2012 displayed incredible magic at 82 Division, Enugu D By Ted Peters

ateline: 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu. The celebration of this year's end-of-the-year West African Social Activities (WASA), held on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the 82 Division Garrison Parade ground, Enugu, witnessed exciting, incredible and very bizarre traditional performances that made some guests, particularly, the female ones, to hold their heads in awe as they stared with their mouths wide open. Armed with a razor-sharp knife,

art with the lad, the alongside members of his magic team, had performed a ritual apparently to prepare what some people regarded as “the African bullet proof”, a form of juju believed to prevent a metal from penetrating the flesh of the person bearing it. They had spread some tiny grains on the ground, poured water into a can, mixed it with gun powder, beat their traditional drums, made several incantations or invocations before striking a mach that produced a light used in igniting the gun powder inside the can. After the ritual, the magic man bearing a 'garland' of green leaf hanging loose on his neck, then

James, the man who did mindboggling acrobatic displays with his motor-cycle; Ogoja cultural dancers from Cross River State; Enugu cultural troupe; the young Taekwondo led by Coach Tony; Yoruba cultural dancers that composed a song in praise of the GOC, the tug of war competition between the GOC'S team and that of the Enugu state Acting Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi. Acting Governor Onyebuchi's team defeated the GOC's. The Assistant Director, Public Relations, 82 Division, Enugu, Lieutenant Colonel Hamza Gambo in a statement said WASA, as it is popularly known over time,

GOC, 82 Division, Enugu (r) Mag-Gen Oshinowo and Enugu Commissioner for Environment

the charcoal-black-skinned, muscular, tall 'magic' man violently grabbed the boy and turned his neck upward like a sacrificial lamb. He then stuck out the little boy's neck, the way you stick out that of a chicken before slaughtering it for Christmas dish. Then he began to “cut” the boy's neck with the razor-sharp knife but the harder he attempted to 'cut', the harder the boy's flesh became. It was quite incredible and breathtaking! Now, he turned the boy the other way and started “lacerating” the entire body with the knife, and yet the boy's tender skin refused to tear or bleed; the knife could not penetrate his skin. He then began to 'stab' the boy with the knife but the flesh did not “cut open.” As the man did all the 'magical' demonstrations with the little boy, some of the women in the audience screamed repeatedly. “Please, tell them to stop this horror show. I can't stand the sight,” one woman said. “What if the boy is killed in the process? What are they going to tell his mother?” Some other women asked, now frightened by the terrible sight. Before the 'magician' displayed his

pulled out the sharp knife with glittering blade. He then began to demonstrate his amazing and magical powers with the lad who was never hurt throughout the period of the eye-pooping “bizarre drama”. Having gained the attention and admiration of a large section of the crowd, the magic man dragged the little boy towards where the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division, Major-General Oluwaseun Olayinka Oshinowo and other dignitaries were sitting, apparently to “show off” his “juju power” before them. But the GOC signaled them not to bother, probably because he was not quite sure that the 'drama' would not end in a bloody way. The magician then decided to “cut' himself with the knife; 'stab' his stomach and when no drop of blood came out, the pleasantly surprised audience clapped and clapped and clapped until the MC begged them to stop. The 'magical group', from Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi state, was among the various cultural groups that thrilled the audience during the annual ceremony. There were other thrillers at the event such as Peter

is a standing social event of the Nigerian Army where officers, soldiers, their families, well wishers and friends of the army socially interact in a relaxed atmosphere to celebrate the cultural values of the Nigerian people and reward personnel that have excelled in their duties. But apparently reinforcing what Lt. Col. Gambo wrote early in the statement, Maj-Gen Oshinowo , who addressed the gathering after inspecting the various formations and units' stands, recalled that WASA was the tradition of the Nigerian Army which started during the Second World War. He said the ceremony “aims to bring together, officers, soldiers, their families and the host communities in a social atmosphere to mark the end of the year, and to usher in the new coming year.” The Nigerian army prides itself in this tradition, as it equally provides a platform for interactions with host communities, where they have the chance to see the softer side of the military, according to the GOC, who quickly added, “The year 2012 has been very eventful but very rewarding for the Division as

we have achieved great strides in training, internal security, and peace support operations.” At the same time, he said the year had some challenges that bordered mainly on security within the southeast and parts of the southsouth geo-political zones that make up the 82 Division's area of operational responsibility. “We have responded adequately to these challenges in the most professional manner. And I can proudly say that our area is much safer than it was at the beginning of the year. Our success and accomplishments in addressing these challenges was a product of rigorous training, discipline,

further explained that “these cardinal principles of the Division are already entrenched in our activities in ensuring the attainment of this vision. We must therefore continue to queue into this vision holistically through professional conducts of assigned duties.” The GOC also praised families of soldiers for always supporting their bread winners in great time of need. “Just as the saying goes that behind every successful man, there is a woman; I would like to say that behind every successful soldier, there is a happy and r e s p o n s i b l e f a m i l y. I a m particularly inspired by the strength, the resilience and the support that we have enjoyed from our families because without them holding the home front, we cannot

Enugu cultural dancers; dedication and hard-work,” he told the guests. Major-General Oshinowo further said, “I therefore commend all personnel of the Division, and advise you all to improve further on the standard we have set so as to make 2013 a better one. I would also like to commend our host communities for all the efforts you have rendered to us in our march towards making the communities and the entire areas crime-free.” He said there could be no other better avenue to foster civilmilitary interaction than this event. “I enjoin you to relax and enjoy the cultural displays, dances, drama and the beating of the retreat which are the core social and traditional activities associated with WASA,” he assured. The GOC expressed the commitment of the 82 Division to the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Azubuike Onyeabor Ihejirika, which is “to transform the Nigerian army into a force better able to meet the contemporary challenges,” adding that “The focal point of this vision is transformation, through training and welfare of the troops.” He

do anything meaningful. Your efforts in ensuring that the soldiers remained focused in carrying out assigned duties are highly appreciated and commendable. I have no doubt in my mind that you will extend the same support to us in the coming year,” he said. In his remark, the Acting Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, who was represented by the Commissioner of Environment, Mr. John Egbo, said the social event was necessary for the promotion of the ideals of adherence to military values and excellent civilian-military relations, adding, “I must say that it is heart-warming to see this side of the Nigerian army.” According to the Acting Governor, occasions like this also helped to boost civil-military cooperation which, he said, was a panacea for peaceful co-existence between the military and host communities of most military formations across the nation. He explained that the importance of such cooperation needed not to be over emphasized. While thanking the Chief of Army Staff for taking positive steps

Continues on page 22

THE

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

CRIME WATCH

Gunmen kidnap husband, wife in Bayelsa

arely seven days after the abducted mother of the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mrs. Betinah Benson was released by her captors, unknown gunmen have struck yet again at Oloibiri in Ogbia local government area of the state, kidnapping the parents

of the chairman of the council, Mr. Richard Ibegu. The incident is the latest in the series of high profile kidnapping in the state targeted at families of political office holders. Sources said that the abduction of the couple identified as Mr. Festus and Mrs. Ibiye Ebegu, occurred

on Sunday at about 10.30pm in the riverside town of Oloibiri. Though the motive of the kidnappers could not be ascertained, The Advocate gathered that the gunmen, three in number, stormed the predominantly fishing and farming settlement in a speedboat. They were said to have fired sporadically into the air on getting to the community ostensibly to whittle down resistance from the

natives before heading straight to the residence of their victims. The gunmen were said to have seize their victims and disappeared with them into the creek. A security source who spoke anonymously said the police had been furnished with some vital information by a close aide of the chairman that would assist them in their investigation. According to the source, the

chairman had received threats in the past from sources he declined to disclose in order not to jeopardize police effort in unmasking the perpetrators of the heinous act. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna (DSP) confirmed the incident. “A police crack team has swung into action with a view to apprehending the kidnappers,” he said.

Final yr student of Olabisi Onabanjo Varsity, 5 others nabbed for kidnapping

he Ogun State Vigilance Service, Sunday, arrested six suspected kidnappers including a final year student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago-Iwoye, (name withheld) who demanded a sum of N25million ransom from their victim's family. The Public Relations Officer of the Service, Soji Ganzallo told newsmen in Abeokuta, that the suspects had on Thursday trailed one Aremu Peters from his office located at number 86 Ibadan road,Ijebu-Ode, at about 7.00p.m. and subsequently kidnapped him. According to Ganzallo, the

A notorious armed robbery Kingpin meets waterloo in Enugu

notorious armed Robbery kingpin later identified as Ikechukwu Okeagu alias o/c torture who has also been discovered to be on the wanted list of the security operatives for various armed robbery incidences and car snatching has met his waterloo alongside with his associates later identified as Ezechukwu Nwosu and another whose identity could not be ascertained as at press time. It was gathered that operatives of Uwani Division of the Nigeria police Enugu state command had allegedly received a distress call on 19/1/13 at about 1730hrs at Ekwueme axis of Uwani in Enugu South Local Government Area Of Enugu state and on approaching there, the armed robbers opened fire on the operatives who opened fire in return, the suspected hoodlums were arrested with bullet injuries and were later rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and were eventually confirmed dead by the doctor on duty just as their dead bodies were been deposited at the mortuary. Recovered from the hoodlums are two locally made pistols with some expended ammunition.

command on receiving the information moved in swiftly and was able to locate their hideout, rescued the victim and arrested the suspects. Narrating his ordeals in the hands of the kidnappers, Peters said he got his freedom 48 hours after he was abducted, saying the kidnappers pointed a gun at him, collected his car key and immediately put him inside the car booth. They later abandoned the car at Iwesi quarters, Ijebu-Ode, at around 8.00pm. According to him, “I was blindfolded and on arrival at their

hide-out, I was tortured and asked to put a call through to my family. The gang leader demanded for N25million ransom. They called my family on my phone and ordered them to pay N25million ransom. They tied my hands. But after much pleas, they reduced the ransom to N5million. At that stage, I asked my family to sell my house and other valuables to save my life before luck ran against them when the vigilance service burst the hideout and rescued me.” Confessing to their crime, the gang leader said they kept their victim in the car booth before they took him to the hideout located at Ajobo village, in Odeda Local Government Area, along Abeokuta-Ibadan road.

He added that they fed their victim with bread, soft drink and sachet water within 48 hours of the victim's captivity. However, Ganzallo told newsmen

that findings revealed that the victim's car was abandoned by the gang in Ibadan. He said the suspects would be handed over to the police.

IGP Abubakar

3 remanded over kidnap of 9 children in Ebonyi

hree persons were arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki on a four- count charge relating to the recent kidnappings of over 9 kids at Ishiagu in Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State last December 2012. The accused persons, including Onyedikachi Nwosu, Iboko Amos and Chidiebere Amadi, were arraigned before the magistrate court 1 sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital on a four count charge of conspiracy to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and allegedly kidnapping of three of the abducted kids aged between

2 months and five years. The accused persons in the matter of the Commissioner of Police vs Onyedikachi Nwosu 24, Iboko Amos 18 and Chidiebere Amadi 24 with charge number MAB/50C/2013, were alleged to have committed the offences December 20, 2012, at Ayaragu village, Amagu Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. According to the court, the three accused persons had on the said date and place in the Ivo magisterial district kidnapped one Marvelous Chukwu, aged 2 months and 11 days old; Akachukwu Nkwor, aged 1year and 7 months and Chiemere Nkwo, aged 5 years.

”That you Onyedikachi Nwosu, Iboko Amos and Chidiebere Amadi and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district did kidnap one Marvelous Chukwu aged 2 months and 11 days old and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4(1) (a) and punishable under Section 4(2) of Internal Security Enforcement and other related matters Cap 55 Vol. 2, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009″,the court said. After the charges were read to the accused, their lawyers P. O. Nwaebonyi and C. A. Ugandu, made oral applications for their bail which was rejected by the presiding magistrate, Job Orude.

The Magistrate remanded the accused persons in prison custody, saying the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter. It will be recalled that the accused persons had on December 25 and 25, 2012, alleged to have unleashed mayhem on three villages in Ivo local government area, abducting 9 children within the age bracket of 3 and 5 years old. Orude, however, directed that the case file be transmitted immediately to the Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, in the state, even as he reminded the accused persons of their rights to seek bail from the High Court. The case was later adjourned sine die.

Police in Lagos arrest child kidnap kingpin

AGOS State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man who allegedly specialize in kidnapping children for money making rituals. Also arrested, was a couple and a middle aged man who masqueraded as house- helps,

only to rob their supposed bosses of their belongings. The kidnap suspect, Tope Akingbemila, reportedly met his waterloo following a failed attempt to kidnap a five-yearold child in Ketu area of Lagos“An angry mob chased them and eventually rescued the child. Tope Akingbemila

was arrested while three others escaped. Tope was arrested last Tuesday, according to spokes person of the Lagos State Police Command. “In his confessional statement, he said his gang had received ransom from parents of two children earlier kidnapped. He is now helping the police to

track his fleeing gang members.” Ngozi Braide, had succeeded in dragging the five year-old child into a tricycle, saying, but the victim's mother who was close-by, raised alarm when she sighted her son being driven away.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

N10.6 trn wasted fund: FG hits back, takes I can spend over N500,000 – Enugu Ag. Gov Continues from page 6 on Ezekwesili week vacation, and he had not Continue from page 6 2007, peaking at $62 billion in September 2008 during the Yar'Adua/Jonathan Administration when oil prices peaked at $147 per barrel, and falling subsequently to a low of $31.7 in September 2011. This fall in reserves was a result of the vicissitudes of the global financial crisis which caused CBN interventions in the currency market to defend the value of the naira. The Excess Crude savings, a component of the reserves, was also used to stimulate the economy at the height of the global financial crisis to the tune of about $1 billion (or 0.5 per cent of our 2009 GDP). As a result, Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world that did not seek assistance from international financial institutions. It should be noted that the fiscal stimulus used to shore up the economy during that period was shared by all three-tiers of government, including commitments of about $5.5 billion made under the Obasanjo Administration for power projects. “On the use of reserves, it is fallacious to say that the nation's external reserves were dipped into or misapplied by the Federal Government. It is important to note that the Federal Government cannot dip its hands into external reserves. Like in other countries, the management of external reserves is one of the statutory mandates of the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). External Reserve under CBN “Section 2 sub-section (c) of the CBN Act (2007) states that the Bank shall 'maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency' in other words, to defend the value of the naira. No President since the democratic dispensation has contravened this Act. Other uses of the reserves are to settle both public and private sector foreign currency (e.g. payment of goods and services, settlement of external debt, etc) it must provide the naira equivalent to the CBN before the Bank sells the required foreign currency. As a former World Bank Vice-President for Africa, surely, Mrs. Ezekwesili must have known this. “We also found Mrs. Ezekwesili's interrogation of the educational system somewhat disingenuous and borderline hypocritical. During her tenure as Minister of Education between 2006 and 2007, she collected total sum of N352.3 billion from direct budgetary releases. In addition, she received about N65.8 billion under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Fund, and over N40 billion from the Education Trust Fund (ETF) during her time as Minister of Education. “In view of these humongous allocations, few legitimate questions arise. What did she do with all these allocations? What impact did it have on the education sector? One wonders if our educational system would have

been better today if these allocations were properly applied. “No one disputes that Nigeria still faces challenges, most of which were built up over a long time. But we need to acknowledge the significant achievements of this administration in the aftermath of difficult but necessary macroeconomic and structural reforms being implemented in the country. “This administration has restored macro-economic stability against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, slow growth in the United States and high unemployment and unsustainable debt in Europe. In the first three quarters of 2012, Nigeria's economy grew by about 6.4 per cent and is set to continue at a similar pace in 2013 according to independent forecasts. We have reduced our fiscal deficit to only 2.17 per cent of GDP in the 2013 budget, while rebalancing our spending in favour of capital expenditure. These achievements have already received strong endorsement from international rating agencies. At a time when many advanced and emerging markets are being downgraded, Fitch and S&P have upgraded our sovereign credit ratings. The inclusion of Nigeria's sovereign bonds in the emerging market bond indices of JP Morgan and Barclays also testifies to the growing confidence of the international investment community in our economy.

been seen or heard of until early last week when a photograph of him and a delegation of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), which had visited him in London, was released to the press. The delegation comprised the NGF Chairman and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio and their counterpart from Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam. The picture released by the state government showing Chime and the three Governors, however, generated another controversy as many doubted it saying it was an old picture taken during one of the governors' visits to Europe in 2011. The governor's media aides took time to hit back at the critics insisting that the picture was taken during the visit to the governor by his colleagues. “The Enugu State Government has described as lamentable efforts by a group in the state to create doubts over the authenticity of a picture of Governor Sullivan Chime and three other Governors that was published in most National Dailies last Wednesday, the government said in a statement signed by the Chukwudi Achife, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chime. He dismissed the claims made by a group calling itself 'Save Enugu Group' that the picture was fake, as “another desperate and futile effort to deceive the public.”

The statement reads, “The claim by the so called “Save Enugu Group', that a picture of Governor Chime and his Akwa Ibom, Benue and Rivers counterparts in London was fake can only be described as lamentable. The government would ordinarily not have bothered to join issues with anyone on a matter that is manifestly clear and verifiable but we consider as regrettable the vain efforts of the group to impugn the integrity of the Governors by falsely claiming that they were not in that location on the day the picture was taken.” The traditional ruler of Chime's community, Igwe Chris Ogakwu, in a statement on Tuesday, urged the people of the state to exercise patience and shun rumour mongering over the governor's absence, assuring that he would soon be back to resume his duty. The royal father faulted those trying to make issues out of the governor's absence saying the state was moving on well with the Acting Governor and as such there was no cause for alarm. But the people of the state have continued to ask about the whereabouts of their governor since the past four months and no one has officially responded to their enquiries. Although the activities of the government are going on unhindered, some said they deserve to know the true state of the governor's health just as they continued to condemn what they described as “high level of deception going on in the state.”

How WASA 2012 displayed incredible magic at 82 Division, Enugu Continue from page 20

towards enhancing civil-military relations, particularly, in the area of setting up offices for civilmilitary relations at headquarters in various military formations across the country, he said, “Not only does it allow the host communities to better understand the military and its core activities and values but it encourages most host communities to support the military in the discharge of its

duties; through provision of requisite information that could lead to strengthening of national security.” Pledging the continued support and commitment of the state government to the 82 Division of the army, the Acting Governor, also enjoined the GOC not to relent in his effort to continue to re-engineer and retain his troops so as to ensure that Enugu State remained crime-free and peaceful.

“It is indeed a success story for the 82 Division which is a highly rated military formation in the country, whose professional competence has never been in doubt,” he remarked. According to Onyebuchi, “82 Division is a ground that has a very long history of being one of the top rated ones across the country. The excellent manner with which the 82 Division conducts internal cooperation in Enugu and other states within their areas of responsibility is worthy of commendation. I am

particularly pleased with the security support that the 82 Division has provided during the last general elections as well as beefing up security in this yuletide season, so that people travel freely across the state without fear of the men of the underworld.” Commending the families of the soldiers for their supports and encouragements to the soldiers, he said, “I will to use this opportunity to salute the families of our gallant officers and soldiers for your continued supports through prayers and patience during trial periods when your spouses and

The magician 'cutting' the boy's throat

parents are away maintaining security within and outside the state.” He added, “We are all well aware that a man who is not well settled finds it difficult to discharge his duties in a very professional manner. I pray the God will continue to give you the strength to maintain your homes. You have become a key part of the host communities and I implore you to make the best of it.” And with the closing prayer by the Chief Imam of 82 Division, Col. Shehu Garba Mustapha, the event came to a conclusion.

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Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

Experts blame prevalence of breast cancer on sedentary lifestyle

ome health experts on Friday blamed the prevalence of breast cancer on the sedentary lifestyles of many women. They expressed the view in separate interviews with the NAN in Lagos. They also blamed the disease on obesity, increased alcohol consumption and the growing trend for delaying

motherhood. Dr Madaki Ayuba, Head of Histopathology Department, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), said that people now ate more of processed and refined foods than natural foods. Ayuba said, “People are also becoming more sedentary in their lifestyles and these are risk factors that make an individual, especially women prone to breast cancer.

“We eat more of processed foods, which are usually high in saturated fat and salt. The more fat in the system increases the chances of breast cancer because it increases a woman's level of estrogens. “It is important for a woman to attempt to control her weight, particularly after menopause. “Once a woman has stopped menstruating, her levels of estrogen and progesterone are

much higher than they once were. Excess fat tissue may cause significant increase in her hormone levels.” Ayuba said that engaging in physical exercise would help women to reduce the risk of breast cancer by maintaining a healthy body weight. Also, a Gynaecologist, Dr Gregory Michael, said, “due to the levels of estrogen decline during pregnancy, those who

delay motherhood and consequently have fewer babies will be exposed to estrogen. “The risk is elevated further because breast-feeding has been shown to protect against the tumours as it lowers the level of estrogen and other hormones. “ Michael advised women not to delay motherhood and to have enough babies to be breastfed. (NAN)

Delta seeks public, private partnership on health care

ELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called for public-private partnership in the Nigerian health sector to ensure improved service delivery. Besides, the state government is to subsidise renal dialysis for Deltans to make the services available at cheaper rate for the people. The governor, who made the call for partnership at third day of the 1st National Health Summit in Asaba, said the government was taking this step as there was a huge gap between the needs of the people and services provided in the health sector. He said there was the need for public-private partnership in the health sector to bridge such gaps and boost health care delivery in

the country. “I am fully in support of publicprivate partnership in the

welcomed PPP as it concerned specific units at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara. According to him, a South African firm, Zenon, will eventually take over the laboratory at the teaching hospital in Oghara, while a Texas-based firm would take over the dialysis unit of the Hospital.“In Delta State, we are committed to

building a state beyond oil especially through health tourism. So, we are partnering with Texas University and Zenon in South Africa to help handle our laboratory and dialysis departments at our teaching hospital. In another 14 to 16 months, we will be able to carry out renal transplants in the hospital,” the governor stated.

Excessive intake of kola nut is dangerous, says doctor

Gov, Emmanuel Uduaghan,

Chinese govt hands over $12.5m hospital to Nigeria n an effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goal target, 2015, the Chinese government yesterday handed over a newly-built $12.5million Federal Staff Hospital to its Nigerian counterpart. The 150-bed hospital, which covers 8,000 square metres, is a product of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. Commissioning the hospital in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan said the facility would serve useful purposes in improving the health status of millions of Nigerians. Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President, Namadi Sambo, noted: “The health sector is very critical to the attainment of United Nations Millennium Development Goals 2015 target. “This administration is committed to the provision of quality and affordable health care for all Nigerians.” According to him, China has a very reliable ally in Nigeria not just in health sector but in other aspects of human lives. The President said the relationship between China and Nigeria dated

hospitals because, that is the only way to improve on the services,” the governor said. He said his administration had

back to 1970 when formal diplomatic relations were established between both countries. He said: “Since then, the relationship between the two countries has waxed strong with the signing of many cooperation agreements. “China and Nigeria shares so much in common. There is therefore so much that we can gain from each other by strengthening and broadening our established partnership. China has become a significant destination for Nigeria's trade including crude oil. “China has also increasingly become a major source of Nigeria's manufactured imports in the last decade. Nigeria-China relationship covers all fronts and there is a big role to further broaden and deepen it.” Calling for more private engagements in the nation's health sector, President Jonathan said the hospital with world-class facilities would help to reduce the number of patients that needed to be referred abroad for advanced medical treatment. The conception of the hospital, according to Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Deng Boqing,

dates back to 2006 when at the Beijing Summit of China-Africa Cooperation Forum, the Chinese government declared eight measures to help African countries raise their people's livelihood and further promote friendly relations between China and African countries. One of the measures, he said, was that China would build 30 hospitals in Africa, adding that “Nigeria was chosen to be one of the recipient countries. “With a total investment of over $12 million, the hospital has been built and completed within twenty-two months, and is now going to be handed over to the Nigerian government,” Boqing said. In his speech, Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, noted that the gesture had upgraded the hospital, which was formerly a colonial hospital with very few prospects for survival to its present 150-bed state. According to him, over 50 surgeries are currently done weekly at the hospital, while an integrated programme on maternal and child health such as ANC, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS and immunization have been introduced to meet the MDGs four, five and six.

r Dades Obed, an Abujabased Consultant General Surgeon, on Tuesday advised Nigerians against excessive intake of kola nut because of its health implications. Obed told journalists in Abuja that kola nut should be taken occasionally, especially during ceremonies, to avoid health implications of excessive intake. “Kola nut is a fruit of the kola tree, which is native to Africa; it has social, cultural and religious significance. “It could be used religiously; it is also socially used for naming ceremonies and weddings, “ he said. He said that in some parts of the country, people commonly used it to entertain guests. “It contains a lot of caffeine; we know that caffeine is a stimulant, so kola nut can be said to be a stimulant.” He said the nut was also known to have other components like theobromine, a molecule similar to caffeine and riboflavin, niacin, both types of B vitamin. Obed explained that kola nut had

its positive uses, including aiding digestion, because it increased acid secretion. He said it was found to have caffeine, medically known as a bronchodilator, which opened up the air ways. “So people with asthma and other diseases that lead to constitution of the air ways might benefit from intake of kola nut, to help in opening up the air ways”. “Kola nut is also known to suppress hunger and takes care of hunger pranks. “Kola nut is also an important flavouring agent for soft drinks such as coca cola but not used anymore, artificial flavours are being used now,“ he said. He said that kola nut was also partly a performance enhancer because of its stimulating effect; as such, labourers used it as a source of energy to keep working. “It is not without its implications anyway, it enhances or increases acid secretion in the stomach, “ he said. Obed said that patients with duodenal or peptic ulcer disease should avoid kola nut because of the acidic effect on the stomach, which could worsen the symptoms of ulcer.

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ODD WORLD

Woman strangles Lover’s four children to death in Anambra

n what sounds like a movie tale, A woman in Obuno Umuochefu, Igbo-Ukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state has snuffed life out of four children of her boyfriend by strangling them. Not done with her bestial mission, the suspect sat back at the scene of the crime until her victims' parents returned, and attacked their mother. For Mr and Mrs Nwanneka Ogechukwu Okonkwo, both natives of Ekwulumili in Nnewi South Local Government Area but resident in Igbo-Ukwu, January 15, 2013, came like any other day. But the young couple who are each 28 years old, never knew that it was the day their four children, Chukwuebuka, (13), Chukwumelum (6) Obumneme (3) and 15-month-old Chinenyenwa would breathe their last. The young couple had no premonition of the tragedy that shocked everybody in the community. Their three sons and a daughter were allegedly killed by a lady simply identified as Blessing, from Abakiliki in Ebonyi State. Narrating the tragic incident, the mother of the dead children who spoke with Advocate at Ekwulumili Health Centre where she was recuperating from the shock, said that she was also attacked by the suspect. Mrs Okonkwo said that the eldest of her children, Chukwuebuka, was the first casualty

According to her, the suspect allegedly hit him on his forehead with a hard object and dumped the lifeless body inside an underground tank in the compound before strangling his siblings one after the other. “I was to go for a burial ceremony with my husband at Ukpor on that fateful day and the children went to school. We initially left with the youngest one, Chinenyenwa but the vehicle we boarded was jampacked with passengers and the baby started crying. Consequently, my husband said we should disembark and use our motorcycle but people around said the road was too dusty to ride with a baby on a bike. I decided to go home and wait for our other children who went to school so that they would take care of the baby and enable my husband and I to make the trip with our motorcycle. “But long after school hours, the children didn't come home. We went to the school and other pupils told us that our children had gone home. I looked for them along the roads they usually take to the house but I did not see them Thereafter, I urged my husband to go on his own and look for them, but he returned soon after, saying he had seen them coming home. Before my husband and I left for the burial, I gave them food and told them to go and stay with an old woman in the neighbourhood because we are the only occupants of that building, and I don't like them staying alone in the compound. “We had stayed barely

one hour at the burial ceremony when my husband said we should go home But before we left, my husband's phone rang and I heard him say, 'I'm in a burial'. So, as we got close to our home, his phone rang again and he told the caller that we were not back yet. I didn't ask him who the caller was as we rode straight to the house. “When we got to the elderly neighbour's house, we were told that she had gone for prayers and that my children were not seen there. We got to the house and I opened the gate from behind believing that the children were inside the house. As we parked our motorcycle inside the compound, my husband pointed to the underground tank that was open. I became apprehensive because we don't keep it open. But I said maybe the eldest might have drawn water from the well and had forgotten to close it. I called Ebuka but there was no response. I ran into the sitting room and saw the three younger ones lying on the floor as if they were asleep. I ran out again believing that those three were sleeping. I continued to call Ebuka and looked into the tank and I didn't see anything. “Later, I decided to wake up Ebuka's immediate younger brother to ascertain the whereabouts of his brother. I called him but he didn't wake up; I tried to raise him but he was motionless and so were the other two. I cried to my husband that the children were dead and I concluded that since the three were dead, Ebuka

might be inside the well. There were marks of human nails on their necks that showed that they were strangled. One of them had faeces in his anus. “It was when my husband started crying and moved towards our bedroom, that the lady (suspect) emerged from the bedroom and asked him why he was shouting. Then, I advanced towards her and demanded from her, where she kept Ebuka's body because I had seen the others she killed. I held her and she gripped me. When I freed myself from her grip, I rushed to lock one of the two gates and raised the alarm until neighbours came. “Later, somebody rushed out and called the youths of the community before the local vigilante and policemen arrived. She was arrested along with my husband.” Sources

told Advocate that the timely arrival of the police and the local vigilante saved the suspect from being lynched. It was also gathered that Mr Okonkwo, a furniture maker, had been dating the suspect, a relationship his wife confirmed, and had been battling to stop. When contacted, the couple's landlord, Mr Sunday, who lives outside the community, described the alleged killing of the innocent children as unfortunate and declined further comment. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Anambra State, Mr Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident and said the matter was being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka, the state capital.

Chukwuebuka, (13), Chukwumelum (6), Obumneme (3) and 15 month-old Chinenyenwa

Man sets sister ablaze for pouring water on dog O

NE Chibueze Njoku of U m u e k w u n n e community in Imo has been arrested for setting ablaze his pregnant sister-in-law, Mrs Uloma Njoku, for allegedly maltreating his dog. The suspect was said to have set his victim on fire for pouring a cup of water on the dog. According to an eyewitness, the mother of three had served her

children lunch and was washing at the back of the house when the dog drank from the children's cup. The eyewitness said the victim threw the remaining water on the dog when her children told her that their uncle's dog had drunk from their water. Njoku came out from his room and demanded to know why the late Uloma drenched his dog and was not pacified by the victim's explanation. While the victim continued her washing, her brother-in-law spread fuel on her and set her

ablaze. The witness said neighbours took her to a nearby health centre where she died from the burns. The neighbours, who handed the suspect over to the police, described him as a terror to the community. The Public Relations Officer of the Imo Police Command, Mr Vitalis Onugu, confirmed the incident. Onugu said the suspect was being investigated by the State Criminal Investigations Department for prosecution.

Man, 35, jailed 3yrs for defiling 6-yr-old girl

35 years old man, Gift Meshack, has been sentenced to three years in jail by a Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa, for defiling a six years old girl. Trial judge, Justice Nayai Aganaba, in his judgment, said: “Any attempt to make love to a female counterpart without her consent amounts to rape, but in this case, the victim is just six years old.” Meanwhile, a group, National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps, NACVC, led by Princess Elizabeth Egbe, has written to the state governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson and the AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice of the state to prevail on

the state Police Command to initiate a high powered investigation into the gang-rape and murder of an 18 years old girl, Miss Imomoemi Esegi, by some youths. The court said the convict contravened the law and that the jail term should serve as a deterrent to others.

Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Boy Endoni, had told the court that the accused, Gift Meshack, had in sJuly, 2010, at Etegwe-Epie area in the Bayelsa capital, had unlawful and indecent canal knowledge of the six years old girl. Endoni told the court that the convict raped the victim and

committed an offence punishable under section 146(2) of the Criminal Code Laws of Bayelsa State. According to the prosecuting counsel, the victim's complain of pains in her private part attracted the attention of the mother and questions were asked, “It was at this point that the victim told the mother what happened.”

NACVC, on the 18 years old girl who was raped to death, said the incident happened on July 30, 2012 between 12 noon and 2 pm inside a shop. The victim, who hails from Agudama-Epetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, was an employee of an Interio Decoration outfit at Amarata as a computer operator.

Man in police net over alleged rape of deaf and dumb

sun State Police Command, yesterday, paraded a 21year-old Shina Amusa for allegedly having canal knowledge of an 18-year-old deaf and dumb. The Command stated in Osogbo that the suspect had been subjected to thorough and systematic investigations by detectives attached

to Dugbe Divisional Police Headquarters, Osogbo. Giving the details of the crime, the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, said the suspect overpowered and forced the helpless deaf and dumb girl inside his room before allegedly raping her. He said: “The case which was

reported to the station by the father of the victim, Yisa Adebayo has been taken with every seriousness as the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO) CSP Rauf Razak is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the suspect faces the full consequence of his offence.” Meanwhile, Ladoke Akintola

University Teaching Hospital, (LAUTECH), Osogbo, had confirmed in a medical check-up that there was penetration into the victim. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, (SCID), of the Osun State Command of the Nigerian Police for further investigations.

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NEWS

FG must sustain good governance tour – Enugu Acting Gov E By Patrick Okolie

nugu State Government has said that the Federal Government-initiated Good Governance Tour of the 36 states of the federation should be sustained periodically to ensure that governors must give account of their administrations to the people. Acting Governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, stated this on Monday while receiving the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku and his 105-man entourage that paid him a courtesy visit before inspecting both the federal and state governments projects in Enugu state. "So I believe that the good governance tour programme is a good one which I think should be sustained periodically, which in its own way, will make the governors of the states know that there is a forum where they need to give account to the people," said Onyebuchi, who added, "We believe by the time we listen to

you, we will be able to learn how we are doing well and how we are not doing well and how we can improve on how we are doing things." He said Enugu state accepted to host the good governance tour team because "we believe that it is not just enough for the people of Enugu state who see what we do, who enjoy the services we provide; it is also important that people outside the state know that Enugu state is the place to come and invest. It will also afford us the opportunity of having our people tell us how they feel about what we are doing, and then give us the opportunity to improve on the way we do things." Commending the wisdom of the Federal Government for setting up the good governance tour team, Onyebuchi said, ''one cannot be a good judge in his own case; so having other people to come and see what we are doing and expressing their opinions, making their comments and criticisms, I believe, helps the administrations in the various states.

E a r l i e r, t h e M i n i s t e r o f Information, Mr. Labaran Maku told the audience that the tour was not a partisan excercise but a federal government-initiated programme meant for all the political parties to rub minds together on how to improve on the nation's democracy. "This tour is not about any particular political party. It is a tour made up of all the media houses here; they are not politicians. All the media houses in Nigeria are represented in this programme. The journalists are not politicians; they are media people. Even the civil society groups are all here. So they are not representing any political party. It is a media national programme that will assess political progress frankly and sincerely," Maku said. He added, " for a long time, it was almost like nothing is happening in this country. You just find that everything you see...the major headlines on televisions, radio, newspapers were about quarrels between politicians; personalitiy disputes take up all the news. But

Sunday Onyebuchi democracry is not about querrls between people. Democracy is about development. So we designed this programme to call national attention to developments. How are we

tackling the issue of infrastucture? How are we tackling the issue of education, health, security in our various constituencies?”

N10.6 trn wasted fund: FG hits back, takes on Ezekwesili T

he Federal Government, r e c e n t l y, r e a c t e d t o comments by the former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, alleging that the governments of presidents Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, squandered $67 billion in foreign reserve, describing the allegation as “outlandish and clearly fictitious”. Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku who addressed a press conference in response to some of the allegations raised by the former Vice President (African Region) of the World Bank said the damning verdict passed on the education sector by Mrs Ezekwesili was a selfindictment as she presided over the sector without making any positive impact on it. The Information Minister who was flanked by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe; Economic Adviser, Prof. Nwanze Okedigbo and Special Adviser on Performance Monitoring, Prof. Sylvester Monye, said Ezekwesili's allegations were curious in the light of the fact that she had been part of governance in the past as the Vice President of World Bank. According to Mr Maku, Ezekwesili's criticism of the education sector amounts to

hypocrisy as she was part of the sector and contributed to its sorry state because despite receiving N458.1billion between 2006 and 2007 for the sector, there is nothing to see in terms of achievements. The Minister said: “If she says education has not worked it means she is saying she did not work”. He accused the former Education Minister of betraying a surprisingly limited

understanding of government finances in her comments at Nsukka. He noted: “These statements are even more curious in the light of the fact that she has held senior positions in government, and more recently, a position as a Vice President of the World Bank. However, rather than speculate about her motives, we would focus on the facts. All I demand is accountability Ezekwesili

Responding to Maku's attack Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili challenged officials of the Federal Government to a public debate. On allegations that she mismanaged funds meant for the education sector during her 10 months as Education Minister, Mrs. Ezekwesili said: “I Challenge them to a public debate of facts regarding 2007 Excess Crude Account (ECA) and foreign reserve and last five and half years oil revenue.” Also writing on twitter Sunday in messages prefaced with the declaration, “Nothing but Accountability,” Ezekwesili said:

Erstwhile Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, Dr Oby Ezekwesili

“In 2007, the incoming Administration was handed $45Billion in Foreign Reserve plus $22Billion. Nothing but accountability: Let Mr. Maku go further. As a citizen all I want to know is the Mathematics of the ECA and the Foreign Reserve. Nothing but accountability: I demanded accountability and that's all a citizen asks of government. I will not stop asking for accountability. N458.1bn Education Ministry fund “The statement by the former World Bank Vice President that the governments of Presidents Musa Yar'adua and Goodluck Jonathan have squandered $67 billion in reserves (including $45 billion in external reserves and $22 billion in the Excess Crude Account) left by the Obasanjo Administration at the end of May 2007 is factually incorrect. At the end of May 2007, Nigeria's gross reserves stood at $43.13 billion comprising the CBN's external reserves of $31.5 billion, $9.43 billion in the Excess Crude Account, and $2.18 billion in the Federal Government's savings. These figures can be independently verified from the CBN's records. The figure of $67 billion alleged in her statement is therefore clearly fictitious. “However, since President Obasanjo left office, the reserves have experienced fluctuations, rising from $43.13 billion in May

Continues on page 22

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RELIGION

The Advocate Pastor charged

with arson in HATED WITH CHRIST police barracks Gospel This Week

Text John 15:18-19 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (NIV)

Narration The disciples had enjoyed sharing the public's approval of Jesus, and were about to see the worst of people's hatred. It was great training for the apostles (the contrast between their popularity in Acts 2:47 and their persecution in Acts 8:1 showed them what was to come). So Jesus prepared them for the hatred they would have to endure. If Jesus had only offered healing and help to poor people, and dignity to rich people most people would have been happy. But He demanded self-sacrifice and wholehearted obedience, contradicting the worldly values they loved. Within hours of saying this, powerful religious people would stir up the crowds to hate Jesus, because they did not want Him to be their King. Selfish human hearts hate the idea of giving away their right to rule themselves and that is the essence of sin. Worldly people believe that it is normal and right to be independent from the God who made them. But Jesus taught that it is 'normal' in God's sight for people to love and obey their Creator; therefore those who believed Him could no longer feel completely 'at home' in the world anymore. They are also a continual reminder to the world that God knows they are sinful and want Him to stop interfering with their lives. And so Christians are hated: not all the time, but when they proclaim Christ, get in the way of sin or expose it, they are persecuted. If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord, you will be an embarrassment to someone who does not want Jesus to be Lord of their lives. Their reaction may vary from ignoring you, mocking you, blocking your applications or promotion. Sometimes their persecution is physical and violent. It may not happen all the time, but it will happen sometime. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:12, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted …” When it comes to you remember what Jesus said: the world hated Jesus first; it is because you do not belong to this world; you have been specially chosen by Jesus to be different from the world. So just keep trusting the Lord who loves you, chose you and will use you to bring His light to a dark and sinful world.

Prayer: Lord of all strength. Thank You that the persecution of believers was no surprise to Jesus, because He experienced it first. I am sorry when I struggle faithlessly when I am hurt or offended by the insults of the world, as though I have a right to be popular. Help me to see that in following Jesus, I will share His sorrows as well as His joys. May I also be glad that I am counted worthy to be suffering because I love Jesus; and I pray that my witness will draw other people to Him. In His Name. Amen.

It is false; police burnt my church– Pastor

HE founder and general overseer of Truth Ground Prophetic Ministry International Inc., Ogbe Layout, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, Pastor Thomas Emmanuel Joshua, has been arraigned in court for allegedly setting ablaze a store in the Ebrumede Police Barracks, Effurun. He was charged to court, Monday, with a carpenter and others working on the new church building, near the police station. T h e e m b a t t l e d p a s t o r, however, told reporters that the police at Ebrumede set him up and called on the Inspector General of Police, human rights organizations and the Delta state government to come to his assistance. He alleged the police that actually invaded and burnt down his church's building because they were disputing his possession of the land, only to turn around and accuse

him of leading some youths to burn a store in the police barracks. His words, “I went to the site where I am building my permanent site at Ogbe layout Effurun. I bought the said parcel of land from Ogbe family. Immediately we arrived at site, my carpenter climbed to start roofing. I was still in the car when police from Ebrumede Police Station came and said the land belong to them and accused us of trespassing.” “They said they were taking us to the station. I drove my car to the station and from there, they carried us to Area Commander's Office in Warri where we gave our statement. I was arrested on Saturday, 19th January 2013 with the carpenter and another worker.” “On Sunday, that was the next day, the DPO, Ebrumede Police Station came to ADivision Warri where we were kept and asked us to write another statement, that we were part of the people that

burnt down a store in their barracks. I said no that I do not know what they were talking. “I repeated the statement I wrote on Saturday. It was after that encounter that I learnt from my church members that police burnt down my church after we were arrested,” Pastor Joshua stated. According to him, “I want to say that the police from Ebrumede Police Station burnt down my church. If there is any problem between them and those that sold the land to us, they suppose to iron it out with them; the people are alive to speak for themselves. I want the IGP, human right organizations and Delta State government to come to my aid. I didn't burn down any police station.” The Area Commander, Warri, ACP Hussaini Rabiu, confirmed the incident, but said he was not aware of the burning of a church. He said those arrested were those that attacked the police barracks in the area and the police had taken them to court.

CAN passes confidence vote on Oritsejafor

H R I S T I A N Association of Nigeria, CAN, has passed vote of confidence on Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor led administration, saying it is well satisfied with the way he handled its affairs. The Christian national Body had in the recent time been rocked with internal crisis, climaxed with the withdrawal of membership by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, on the allegation that CAN was being too close to the government. Arising from its emergency meeting in Abuja, the President-in-Council said it had set in motion the process of resolving its issues. In a statement, CAN Vice President, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh said: “Some of the recent issues in CAN were discussed and it was resolved as follows: that CAN is a family. As a family, it has its own internal mechanism for resolving its issues. CAN has

therefore set in motion the process for resolving these issues.” “The President-in-Council reaffirms its implicit and explicit confidence in the CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in all his public statements on behalf of CAN. “We appeal to the well known sense of social responsibility of the press in handling the current situation”. Catholic Church of Nigeria has withdrawn its membership from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). However the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, Wednesday, debunked speculations that the conference has pulled out of the National Christian Body, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), over alleged undisclosed issues. The Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, at a news conference stated that the

Catholic church suspended its activities in CAN because it was too close to government. The Director Communication, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev Fr Raulph Madu, while speaking to a reporter in Abuja maintained that the CBCN did not pull out of CAN, and that, the body was only trying to sought out some issues with National Christian body. He mentioned that the body only withdrew temporarily from CAN, which will only last for few weeks, adding that, there was no squabble between the two religious bodies. According to him, "how can we pull out of CAN, we are just trying to iron out some issues with them, which are not palatable to us and its only going to last for few weeks" "We will always be in support of the National Body; some of our Bishops are heading CAN in some states, like, Owerri, among others".

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NEWS FROM STATES Bayelsa State Government accuses disgruntled Politicians of sponsoring Kidnap in Bayelsa State to create insecurity and bring development to a halt By Philip Eke, Yenagoa

rom the facts at our disposal, it is clear that some failed politicians, especially the arrow heads of those who have lost out in the power equation in the state, are working hard behind the scene with some forces outside the state to sponsor kidnapping of innocent citizens in Bayelsa State. Their aim is not only to scare away investors and stall development, but also to make the state ungovernable and to give the impression that the government of the day is incapable of securing the lives and property of citizens. The Government of Hon. Henry Dickson has not only given top priority to security, it has also shown enough political will in protecting lives and property in the state. Indeed, it is clear to all that this Government has been able to turn around Bayelsa State from a haven of cultism, violence and criminality to a State that is clearly adjudged as one of the most peaceful and stable states in the Country. The passage of the enabling law by government titled: BAYELSA S TAT E S E C R E T C U LT, KIDNAPPING AND SIMILAR

OFFENCES PROHIBITION LAW 2012, which makes it possible to effectively prosecute criminals who run foul of this law. To this end, the Government of Bayelsa State wishes to sound a clear note of warning to anyone who runs, intends or is induced to run foul of this law. The law will run its full course on any one or group of persons involved, directly or indirectly in crime and criminality in line with the provisions of the law irrespective of their status. Let it be stated for the umpteenth time that there will be no sacred cows in the enforcement of law and order. The era of playing

politics with security matters are gone for good and shall remain so. Government will sustain its zero tolerance on violence and criminality and even more vigorously this year and beyond. Government enjoins all lawabiding Bayelsans to be vigilant and report any act of crime and criminality to law enforcement agencies. Government also urges the youths to redirect their energies towards meaningful ventures and take advantage of the free and compulsory education policy of Government to acquire further education and useful skills instead of allowing themselves to be used as tools for crime and criminality. Parents are also called upon to re-

orientate their children and wards on the dangers of cultism, kidnapping and all forms of criminality. This is a new Bayelsa and disgruntled politicians who think they can play politics with our collective security as a people should be ready to face the full wrath of the law. The government however wishes to assure law-abiding citizens of their safety and urges them to go about their lawful businesses without fear because all necessary measures have been taken to ensure that Bayelsa State remains safe for all persons who reside in it, including those who come from far and near to do their genuine businesses.

Government wishes to state categorically that there is NO room for criminals and we will certainly make the environment extremely uncomfortable for them and their sponsors. The speaker of Bayelsa state house of assembly Rt Hon. Konbowei Benson , after the release of his mother thanked all Bayelsans, especially the clergy who prayed fervently with the family for the release of his mother after eight days with the kidnapers, also thanking the security agencies, especially the police , the Bayelsa state government, the House of Assembly members, friends and wells wishers during their mourning period.

Ebonyi Assembly passes 2013 State appropriation bill of N104.37b. By David Uka, Abakaliki

he Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed into law the state 2013 appropriation bill of N104.37 billion. The figure which was not altered by the House was presented to it by the Governor Chief Martin Elechi on December.21, 2012. Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee of the

House, Mr Oliver Nwachukwu, described the budget estimate was in the interest of the people. “Its capital expenditure exceeded that of the recurrent expenditure by over 52 per cent, and this is good for the state. He said the performance of the 2012 budget was commendable, as it met the International Monetary Public Sector Accounting Standard. Nwachukwu said the committee considered the technical nature of

the task and devised strategies to ensure the budget's speedy passage. “We invited Heads of various Ministries, Agencies, Parastatals among others, to make relevant input and clarifications. Speaker of the House, Mr Chukwuma Nwazunku thanked the committee for painstakingly carrying out the task and the members, for ensuring the speedy passage of the bill. “It shows that we are determined

to contribute our quota, to ensure that the government delivers its electoral promises to the people. He urged for its judicious implementation, as soon as it gets the governor's accent. The motion for the passage of the bill into law was moved by Mr. Odefa Obasi Odefa representing Onicha east constituency and seconded by Hon. Barr. Eni Uduma Chima representing A f i k p o S o u t h We s t S t a t e Constituency.

Gov Dickson cuts short Vacation, inspects plant and signs MoU with Dubai firm by philip Eke, yenagoa

overnor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who took two weeks break to have a deserved rest in Dubai, broke his vacation to achieve another milestone for Bayelsa State.

The governor inspected one of the largest Steel Plants and Cold Storage facilities in the world o w n e d b y G E A P INTERNATIONAL in Dubai. After the inspection, the Governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) with Mr. Mahendra Patel, Group Managing

D i r e c t o r , G E A P INTERNATIONAL. Under the terms of the MoU, GEAP is to partner with the Bayelsa State Government to replicate the Steel Plant, Cold Storage in Bayelsa and embark on capacity building of Bayelsans in Steel ,Cold room business

Boko Haram declares cease fire Continue from page 3 Yusuf himself was killed by Nigerian security forces after being taken into custody. The development invigorated deadly clashes with Nigerian security forces and attacks on churches, public institutions and military facilities among others which led to the deaths of an estimated 3000 people, according to Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika. T h e A t t a c k s Prior to the clashes, many Muslim leaders and at least one military official had warned the authorities about Boko Haram. Those warnings

were reportedly ignored. According to Human Rights Watch, between July and December 2010, at least 85 people were killed in some 35 separate attacks in four states in northern and, as well as in Abuja, the nation's capital. Attacks attributed to Boko Haram in 2011 left at least 550 people dead in some 115 separate incidents. In the first nine months of 2012 alone, more than 815 people died in some 275 separate attacks in 12 northern and central states, and Abuja. Among the litany of attacks include those of the United Nations Office, Abuja, Police Headquarters, Abuja, the building housing ThisDay Newspapers, Sun Newspapers and

Daily Trust in Abuja, St Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, Deeper Life Church, Okene; Military Cantonment Jaji, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SAS) office and other numerous security facilities especially police stations. The security agencies also went on counter-offensive arresting, detaining and in many instances killing Boko Haram members and leaders. Disturbed by the escalating violence, many northern leaders and groups including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) urged government to dialogue with the group to end the killings. Last November, the group gave the government conditions for ending

and new techniques in rice farming. GEAP is expected to send its team of engineers and experts to Bayelsa State to undertake an on the- spot assessment of the Bayelsa State market as well as carry out soil tests across the State.

The governor was accompanied on the inspection by the first elected Executive Governor of the State, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, former NDDC Managing Director, Chief Timi Alaibe, PDP Vice Chairman, North West, A l h a j i Wa k i l M o h a m m e d amongst others. Meanwhile, Governor Dickson is expected to resume duty on Monday, next week.

the hostilities The acclaimed spokesman of the group, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez in a tele-conference with journalists in Maiduguri stated that if the state and the Federal Government want the group to cease-fire completely, then former Borno state governor Ali Modu Sheriff must be arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the land. He also said that the government should compensate the group and rebuild their places of worship which were destroyed during the 2009 uprising. He pointed out that for a dialogue to take place, it must be through the following elders: Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno; Former Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari; former Yobe State Governor, Bukar

Abba Ibrahim; Ambassador Gaji Galtimari and Barr Aisha Alkali Wakil and her husband, Barr, Alkali Wakil, insisting that the dialogue must not take place in Saudi Arabia. Abu Abdulazeez also said that the group has mandated five members who are to mediate on their behalf; they include himself (Abu Mohammed Abdulazeez), Abu Abbas, Sheikh Ibrahim Yusuf, Sheikh Sani Kontogora and Mamman Nur. Buhari later distanced himself from the group and the Federal Government said it could not negotiate with pre-conditions, thus the crisis was allowed to fester. With the latest decision of the group to sheathe their sword, it is hoped that all stakeholders will play their required roles for normalcy to return to the country.

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

BUSINESS

Nigerian banks failes to meet global risk requirements N

igerian banks are failing to meet international risk requirements after years of implementation deadlines, raising doubts about their competitiveness in the global financial market, from the investigation carried out by some experts The banks still lag behind in meeting the basic components of risks under the Basel II Accord, while their international counterparts are ahead, looking to meet new requirements as contained in Basel III. The development thus makes the local banks less competitive internationally, despite the sector reforms. Of the three pillars of risks upon which Basel II is built, credit, market and operational, Nigerian banks have only made appreciable progress in credit risk, while the remaining two are still in infancy. Only two banks have made (marginal) progress in both market and operational risks, with a middle-tier bank recently establishing a market risk department comprising of a few staffers. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, managing director and chief executive, Skye Bank, acknowledged that the postponement of the implementation of the Basel III accord would provide them the opportunity of meeting up with the areas of Basel III which have not been implemented by the Nigerian banks. In the same vein, Abdulrahman Yinusa, executive director, Diamond Bank, said local banks have some way to go with the implementation of Basel II, adding that “the postponement of the implementation

of Basel III serves as a respite for the local banks.” Speaking further, Yinusa said, “The issue is not the postponement per se, but that authorities should use the period to ensure that all the local banks are fully compliant with all other aspects of Basel II such as Market and Operational risks.” There is also the need to review some aspects of the Basel III, particularly the high capital requirement, which must have been informed by over-reaction to the 2008-2010 crisis.” However, a market risk expert said that Basel III implementation may not pose any problem for Nigerian banks, since they mostly hold core capital, as against banks in the developed world which have various forms of capital.

“Basel III is essentially on capital and liquidity. I think what we should emphasise is meeting up on Basel II, especially market and operation risks, which are highly unpredictable,” he said. Other market watchers said the development may have adverse effects on local banks which are being sought after for partnership by some of their international counterparts, to finance multi-dollar deals, such as the generation and distribution firms which are emerging in the wake of the privatisation of the nation's power sector. Analysts say local banks will have to brace up for the international competition arising from such developments. It would be recalled that most banks had between 2004 and 2005 set up enterprise

risk management (ERM) departments to take care of risks generally, but the ensuing unhealthy competition typified by unnecessary race for market leadership scuttled the project, industry watchers said. Basel II was initially published in June 2004 to create an international standard for banking regulators to control how much capital banks need to put aside, to guard against the various risks the banks expose themselves to. On the other hand, Basel III, a response to the 2008-2010 banking crisis, strengthens bank capital requirements on liquidity and leverage. It ensures that banks have core capital, different from other types of capital, such as hybrid capital, as obtains in developed economies. Operational risk, a major pillar of Basel II, is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external events. It differs from other types of risk, because it is not used to generate profit, like credit risk which is exploited by lending institutions to create profit and market risk, also exploited by traders and fund managers. Under the new rule in Basel III, as announced by the Basel committee this January, banks will only have to meet 60% of the LCR obligations by 2015 and the full rule by 2019. The rule, expanding the range of corporate debt securities that qualify as liquid to BBB-, also states that liquidity must be enough to cover a 30-day run on insured retail deposits of 3 percent, instead of 5 percent earlier proposed in 2010. The LCR essentially requires banks to hold enough liquidity to cover a run on deposits or other interruptions in shortterm funding.

All products in Nigeria to have electronic code– SON By Our Reporter

irector General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu said that his organization will soon embark on electronic product registration in Nigeria. According to him, all products in the Nigeria market will be expected to have electronic registration code for easy identification of both the manufacturer as well as the importer. He said that any product that does not carry SON electronic code by May 2013 will be removed from the market and destroyed. Odumodu said “Every product in Nigeria market is expected to be documented. We must know who the manufacturers are, who imported the products and the relationship between the importer and the manufacturer. We have completed the first 50% of the tenure of this current Director General and to examine what has been achieved, we set to access our performance and improving on the weakness so far. “One point I would like to stress in talking about 2013, is that we need to change our strategy and we would do most of the things we did last year, but some additional things would be included and I will explain why we have to do them. We

Dr. Joseph Odumodu have to do them for sustainability, to also connect to the world. “When I started this job, we all focused on the prevalence of substandard products in Nigeria and the challenge of standardization is that it is measured in terms of the prevalence of substandard product. It is an outcome of a failed system or a non-existed system that leads us to what is currently happening now.

“What I have done in the last two years is to try to beat down the symptoms which are the level of literacy on the consumers in Nigeria and the prevalence of substandard product and every time you force that, The challenge we have in Nigeria is that we don't have what we call a national quality Policy, and one of the things we must do this year is to promote and push for a Nation Quality Policy and it is going to go the

whole process to the top approval up to the President of the Republic of Nigeria. And that will lead us to identify to what is known as National Quality Infrastructure. “I would like to say a few words about this policy. Technology is a powerful force that drives the whole world to commonality in product and because of the impact of technology all over the world, today we have what is known as Global Market and customers are the same all over the world with people demanding the same quality in terms of services and at the end of the day it is that concept of commonality in standardize product all over the world that drives over the policy of National Quality Policy. “A quality policy has a number of rationales for it. The first is that government has the responsibility to efficiently and effectively manage all kind of regulations. Those managed regulations are for the achievement of protecting the citizens; of course more recently we talked about protecting the citizens. “The second rationale is that the players in the system are expected to be transparent and present themselves to the regulatory environment that government has provided. “The third rationale is that government needs to give industry or enterprise, supportive standards, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment services that are accepted globally.”

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ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

EDUCATION

College Provost jailed 4yrs for fraud A

n Ibadan High court, Tuesday, sentenced the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, Mrs. Ruth Adehwe Aweto and the bursar of the college, Mr. Adekanye Komolafe to four years imprisonment for defrauding the Federal Government. They were both sentenced to four years imprisonment without an o p t i o n o f f i n e . According to Justice Mashood Abass who read the three- hour judgment, the two public officers were guilty of four of the eight charges leveled against them. The convicts were charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for misleading the government through the budget proposal submitted by the college for the year 2006. According to the charges against them, "Ruth A. Aweto, (F) and Adekanye Komolafe (M) between the months of October 2005 and January 2006 or thereabout, at Ibadan, being public officers in the service of Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan did engage in criminal conspiracy to use a document which is defective in material particular; to wit, Budget proposal submitted by the college for the year 2006 to mislead the Federal Government of Nigeria". They, according to the allegations, stated in the "aforesaid Budget proposal that 41 casual staff of the said college who were entitled to N3,690,000 as total annual emolument for the year 2006 were permanent staff of the said college and were therefore entitled to full benefits and Emoluments as payable staff totaling N7,041,861.15 for the year 2006.'’ They were sentenced to one year imprisonment for each of the counts, and the sentence is to run concurrently. The judge further stated that the prosecution counsel had proved the case beyond reasonable doubts that the accused being the principal officers of the college betrayed the trusts reposed in them by the Federal government and used their positions to mismanage the money entrusted to them for smooth running of the College The court held that there were enough proofs that the college employed 41 casual workers with the monthly salary of N7,5000 which amounted to N3,690,000 as the total emolument for year 2006. But the convicted persons jerked up the salary to read N7., 041,861.15k. He noted that the accused persons said it before the court that they agreed to present and submit budget proposal of N7,041,861.15k of the college on the 41 casual workers for the year 2006.

Justice Abass further emphasized that they also admitted that they did not return the balance of N3, 351,851,15k of the money to the coffers of the FG in 2006 Rather than return the money, they claimed that they used the balance to off-set the outstanding salary of 2004 to the workers.

The Judge further read that the accused failed to tender any documents that authorise them to convert the balance of the N3.3million of 2006 budget to paying part of outstanding balance of N9million of 2004 salary to the workers. The judge told them the crime they

committed did not give any option of fine. According to him, they have violated the ICPC law which states that they engaged, "in conspiracy to commit an offence under the corrupt practices and other related offences Act 2000 contrary to section 26[1][c] and

punishable under section 17[1] [c] of the ICPC Act 2000". They would have been sentenced to five years imprisonment without option of fine but for the plea of their counsel that the two accused were first offenders.

Jonathan urges private sector and alumni to fund universities

resident Goodluck Jonathan has urged the private sector “to join hands with the Federal Government in forging partnerships with the universities in funding for research and scholarships” in order to improve education in the country. Speaking at the 42nd Convocation of the University of Nigeria, Jonathan also called on alumni of universities to provide greater support for their schools, citing examples of leading foreign universities. He told the graduating higher degree students of the University of Nigeria, “As proud graduates of UNN, you have an obligation to maintain a vigorous relationship with your Alma mater. All over the world, alumni groups are

NEWS

tap in the economy. “On our part as a Government, we have continued to work hard to make the world you are coming into, one of opportunities. Through sound economic management, infrastructural development, power sector reform and economic diversification, we are making progress towards meeting our employment generation and development objectives through such initiatives as YouWin, SURE-P, etc”, Jonathan stated. President Jonathan commended the Vice Chancellor, University Management and Council of UNN for its “notable achievements”, saying, “The on-going infrastructural developments in the University are quite commendable” and was the results of “prudent management of resources.”

I am Desperate – Gov.Obi

By Ted Peters

strengthening their long-standing relationships with their Alma mater and contributing to their growth and development. Yale and Harvard alumni contribute over 27% of the budgets of their alma mater.” Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission Prof Julius Okojie represented President Jonathan at the UNN Convocation where Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator Anyim Pius Anyim led the roll of four persons inducted as honorary alumni of the University of Nigeria through award of doctorate degrees. Anyim received the Doctor of Laws honoris causa while INEC chairman Prof Attahiru Jega received the Doctor of Public

Administration honoris causa. Mr. Tajudeen Fola Adeola, chairman of MainOne Cable and founding managing director Guaranty Trust Bank as well as Dr. Alex Otti, Managing Director of Diamond Bank, received the honour of Doctor of Business Administration. President Jonathan told the awardees they should be proud of the honour from UNN. He stated, “It is a thing of pride that one of Nigeria's oldest and largest Universities has found you deserving of its most prestigious award. I believe that this honour will not only strengthen your relationship with this University, but will also enhance your contributions to national development.” The President told the over 1700 higher degree holders that the Federal Government has created opportunities for young people to

NAMBRA State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi said yesterday that he was desperate to fish out quality people in Anambra State who would serve as role models for future generations. He said he was not desperate for political office, wealth, fame or any of those things he described as “fleeting attributes of being”, rather he said that he was desperately searching for Anambra people that are stars in their fields and therefore worthy to be celebrated and presented to the youth as role models to emulate. Obi spoke at University of Nigeria, Nsukka during the presentation of the 100,000 dollars Liquefied Natural Gas Nigerian Prize for Literature, to the Anambra winner, Chika Unigwe, who is based in Belgium. Obi said it was painful to see Nigerians celebrate vanity and see those who should ordinarily hide their faces in shame prancing about all over the place. The Anambra State governor said it was about time Nigerians started thinking about greatness and that the one sure way to do this is by celebrating men of worth such as Unigwe. Obi who reeled out names of many Anambrarians that have set

records in various fields, said that he would continue to desperately look for such people for honour and recognition. He said, “The world is made a better place by the exploits of great men and not by the noise of those who, having met wealth suddenly, think about life in terms of tonnes of money one is able to make by fair or foul means. “Because I was not in town, I sent the Secretary to the State Government to represent me at the last convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria. The most cheering news he brought back

was the fact that an Anambra person was the overall best graduating student. I have established contacts with his parents, we shall support her search for knowledge in any part of the world.” Obi challenged others that are yearning for honour and recognition, to do the state proud by being best in their fields. In his welcome speech, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa, said that the company was sponsoring the prize because “literacy and numeracy skills are the bedrock of progress

and prosperity in the modern world.” He congratulated Unigwe for the exploits. Chika who has published short fictions in several anthologies, journals and magazines has also written many novels both in English and Dutch. His award winning book is entitled: “On Black Sister's Street.” The book, according to the panellists, "was chosen because of quality of editing and production, relevance to the Nigerian situation, vivid presentation of character and plot and the good use of language.”

Korean Agency Donates Multi-Million Naira Rice Milling Equipment to Bayelsa Govt By Philip Eke, Yenagoa

he Korea International Corporation Agency (KOICA) has injected over N70 million into the Bayelsa State economy through the donation of five rice milling equipment. While taking delivery of the equipment at Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson assured that Government would put the rice milling equipment into effective use.

Dickson who noted that the state has numerous agricultural potentials said government was poised to develop the agricultural sector and diversify the State's economy. The Governor expressed the willingness of the state government to develop other sectors of the Bayelsa economy. In his response, the Chief representative of the Korean Agency in Nigeria, Jung Sang Hoon, said “the five (5) 300 gramme per hour millers worth over N70 million were donated in

view of the devastating effects of the flood that must have damaged the existing rice milling machines in the state.” He assured the government of at least one year guarantee for the equipment as well as the provision of spare parts. Highpoint of the occasion was the delivery of the rice milling equipment by the KOICA representative in Nigeria, Jung Sang Hoon and his team to Governor Dickson and some members of the Executive Council.

THE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

ADVOCATE

Africa cup of Nations Soccer competition and Nigeria –the views of football fans By Okey Anyichie

he major soccer competition in Africa called Africa cup of nation's competition started in February 1957. The competition became necessary sequel to the formation of confederation of Africa football in Lisbon-Portugal in 1956. This major soccer competition started among the three of the pioneer-members of the confederation of Africa football (CAF), namely Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia traded tackles for the bone of contention, the general Mustapha cup which was donated by the Egyptian football buff, general Mustapha of Egypt. Incidentally, he was the first president of confederation of Africa football (CAF), when it was formed in 1956 in LisbonPortugal. Egypt after one week of the competition in Sudan beat Ethiopia, 4-2 in the final round robin competition, to cart off the general Mustapha cup for the first time. Egypt later in 1959, as host won the competition and retained the cup for the second time as host of the soccer competition. It would be recalled that Uganda participated in this second edition of the soccer competition in Egypt in 1959. Since 1959, the continental soccer had been hosted and won by different African countries till this present edition of the competition going on in South-Africa now. Nigeria dived into the waves of the competition in 1963 when Ghana became the first West African country to host the competition after Ethiopia hosted it in 1962 at the capital city of Addis-Ababa and won the competition after beating Egypt. Nigeria became one of the qualifiers for the competition in 1963 in Ghana which at that time had increased in the number of participating nations in Africa sequel to the number of African countries that had been liberated from colonial rule and became independent in 1960 and after. The Nigerian team, then called the “Green Eagles” played in the 1963 competition hosted by Ghana in Kumasi city. Nigeria, Egypt and Sudan played in that ancient Ashanti city in Kumasi and came out the worst loser. Hence out of the two matches the Nigerian national team played were not inspiring as the “Green Eagles” were “grounded” after losing 3-6 to Egypt and 0-4 to Sudan. Since this 1963 dysimal outing in Ghana in 1963, Nigeria was in 1976 in Ethiopia, where the “Super Eagles” bagged a bronze medal after playing round-robin competition between Egypt,

Super Eagles in a warm up

Super Eagle’s supporters trumpeting for victory Morocco and Guinea. Nigeria won the competition in 1980 as host after beating Algeria, 3-0 in the final and won the cup for the second time in Tunisia in 1994 after beating Zambia, 2-1 in the final. Now Nigeria is engaging Zambia, Burkina-Faso, Ethiopia and had already played and drew 1-1 with Burkina-Faso last Monday (21st January 2013) in South-Africa. The sports team of ADVOCATE went to town and sampled the views of football fans in Enugu on the standard and the out-come of Nigeria in the soccer fiesta in South-Africa. “Nigeria

has bright chances of winning the cup hence they are likely to spring a surprise because those who had heard of “Super Eagles” of the old will not be expecting youthful, skilful stars, assembled by Stephen Keshi and the members of his technical crew. Hence they have been able to assemble a formidable, cohesive and aggressive team. I expect them to reach the final and gun for the cup. Other formidable teams in my view are not just the normal “Black stars” of Ghana, the “Elephants” of Cote D'lvoire but should be expecting surprise from

Cape Verde, the team that eliminated Cameroun during the qualifiers in the competition and played and drew with the “Super Eagles” in their friendly match. Because of what I have noticed in the Cape Verde, I would advise Bafana Bafana of South-Africa to beware of this “dark-horse” in the competition. Barrister Mathew Ude, first Rangers football club management's secretary, football analysts and an Enugu based legal practitioner. According to Mr Marshall Onyekwe a business man and a gold medalist in the first All-Nigeria sports festival in

Lagos in 1973 “I don't think we are going far in the competition, if the friendly match with Cape Verde is anything to go by. Hence the potentials to score goals during the competition even when the opportunity to score goals are not there. On the state of preparations for the competition, Stephen Keshi has done enough. It is one thing to prepare serious for the competition, but another thing is to perform during the competition. The players should be highly motivated to give their best during the competition. Mr C y p r i a n M a d u , a lawyer/journalist expressed the following view: “I believe Nigeria will make it if the boys remain dogged and are encouraged by the soccer authorities. A situation whereby players welfare is played down and officials are more recognized does not give way for success. Nigerians want result and will not listen to any lapses caused by executive bureaucracy. Dan Orafu, a football fan and Taxi Driver is of the following view: “Nigeria will go far in the competition because most of the players are “Green-Horns” itching for action. The chief coach, Stephen Keshi has done a good job because he does not believe in playing names rather he plays the footballers. However Nigeria will qualify for the final but may or may not win the cup”. As for Ojo Chukwura, broad caster and commentator: “Nigerian chances in the competition is likely to be at group level. But if the boys go beyond the quarter-final, they are likely to shoot into the final of the competition. But I cannot forecast on the out-come as many top teams like Ghana, Cote D'lvoire and new comers, Cape Verde will strive to win the competition. Another football fan and a business man, Donatus Mgbemeji is of the view that Nigeria will do well in the competition because of the way Stephen Kechi is piloting the team, stating that he will produce a winning team, if given the free hand. In his own contribution, Uche Offia, a former goalkeeper and team captain of UNTH Enugu football club. Nigeria may qualify in their group but may not go far in the competition. Stephen did a very good job in preparing the team for the competition. However he disagreed with his decision to exclude Osaze Odenwagie and Victor Anichebe from the team whom he described as being very “hot” in the field now”. Well readers, these are the views of these football fans in the city of Enugu. Let us keep our fingers crossed on the out-come of this 29th edition of the cup of nations going on in South Africa.

THE

ADVOCATE

Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

John Utaka gets 2013 football N179m China offer season-whither football clubs from South-East States By Okey Anyichie

ith the premier league soccer championship likely to kick-off next month, a lot of preparations for the new football season for 2013/2014 are in offing. In Enugu State, the Enugu State football Association has issued a release requesting for the registration of clubs and players for 2012/2013 football season. According to the secretary of the Enugu State football Association, Mr Francis Ugwu has called on the football clubs in the state to come forward and collect the players licenses and registration forms from the state football secretariat on payment of registration fee. The registration according to Mr Ugwu closes on the 31st January 2013 and any registration after the deadline carries a penalty. With this development, premier league division sides from the South-East like Rangers football club of Enugu, Heart land football club of Owerri, Enyimba football club of Aba are expected to register for national and the two international soccer competitions.Rangers football club of Enugu will be the Nigeria's flag-bearer in the continental leagues soccer championship and the club is likely to play the first match in the competition next month. Rangers will play in the continental soccer competition with Kano Pillars. Heartland of Owerri will also trade tackles in the other soccer competition in the continent called confederation of Africa Cup competition with Lobi football

John Utaka

Heartland football club of Owerri

ccording to French media, Montpellier have received an offer of 850,000 euros for the acquisition of Nigeria international John Utaka. Le10sport.com says the leaders of Montpellier are discussing with Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan. John Utaka's contract with

MHSC expires at the end of the 2012 2013 season. He is being persuaded by his brother Peter, second highest goalscorer in the CSL last term, to join him in China. The 31 year old attacker has been linked with Besiktas (Turkey), Al-Gharafa and Al-Khor (Qatar) in the January transfer window.

Eagles victory: Umeh boasts,Maigari prays

HIEF Mike Umeh was boastful and Aminu Maigari sombre.

Enyimba football club of Aba club of Makurdi. The involvements of these four Nigerian football clubs at the continental levels in the two competitions as usual is expected to raise the expectations of the numerous football fans of the two four football clubs that will be the flag-bearers of Nigeria in the

two continental soccer fiesta. It will be recalled that the four Nigerian football clubs that represented Nigeria in the two soccer competitions in Africa, fell by the wayside. Hence the two competitions were won by North African club-sides from Tunisia and Morocco.

Rengers football club of Enugu

“We will teach Ivory Coast a lesson,” shouted Umeh while celebrating Nigeria's quarter final qualification at the ongoing Nations Cup in South Africa. Nigeria almost lost hope when time ticked and it appeared they were crashing out of the Nations Cup in the first round. Tension had overwhelmed all

Nigerians here as only ten minutes remained in the game and it was still goalless with Ethiopia who were easily hammered 4-0 by Burkina Faso and all wondered why Eagles could not overrun them. Vi c t o r M o s e s rescued Nigeria with two penalties that he created in the last ten minutes. This sent Umeh, the Vice President of the Football Federation into wild celebration and he showed no respect for the star studded Ivory Coast

that the Eagles will p l a y o n S u n d a y. “We'll teach them a lesson. We will show that football can change and favourites may turn losers. Wa t c h o u t f o r Nigeria on Sunday,” U m e h s a i d immediately after the match. Maigari, the President was calm. “There's nothing prayers cannot do, there's nothing prayers cannot do,” he said repeatedly as they walked out of the stadium.

CELEBRATION . . . Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose (2nd R) celebrates with an acrobatic display after Nigeria defeated Ethiopia 2-0 in their last Group C match of AFCON 2013 at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg. Photo: AFP

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Vol. 1 No. 14, Friday, February 1 – Friday, February 8, 2013

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SPORTS STAR NwankwoUCHE Kanu KALU

...for Equity and Justice

www.theadvocatengr.com

Back page comment

All is fair in war and love? By Mazi Chike Chidolue

hief Obafemi Awolowo during the Biafra-Nigeria war orchestrated an old maxim- All Is Fair In War And Love - adding the hardy Awolowo blend- Starvation is a legitimate weapon of warfare! What Chief Awolowo meant was that in war, no weapon is considered dangerous. The title of this article and what follows immediately have been chosen to put the whirling controversy in proper perspective and advert the minds of Dr. (Mrs.) Tokunbo AwolowoDosunmu, Femi Fani Kayode, Ebenezer Babatope, the renegade/inconsistent Awoist, Dr. Fasheun and other Awolowo apologists, to the background of the reference Prof. Chinua Achebe made to Chief Awolowo in his new book: There was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra which they found 'disappointing, nonsensical, a twist of facts and a murder of history'. From what she said, it is likely that Dr. Mrs. Awolowo-Dosunmu has read Achebe's book, while Babatope was belching fire out of manifest ignorance since he said, “Nigerians should expect detailed, honest, factual and objective replies to the Achebe nonsense after we have copies of the book in our hands.” I, also, have not read Achebe's new book. I will, therefore, base my contribution on what the Sun and Vanguard newspapers published. The Sun of Thursday, October11, 2012 reported “. . . Achebe in the new book There Was a Country, simply wrote thus: 'It is my impression that Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself and for his Yoruba people. There is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations. However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbos at the time as the obstacles to those goals, and when the opportunity arose with the Nigeria-Biafra war, his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go to every length to achieve his dreams. In the Biafran case it meant hatching up a diabolical policy to reduce the numbers of his enemies significantly through starvation eliminating over two million people, mainly members of future generations.'” What Achebe did was to state the factual and incontrovertible result and effect of Awolowo's war policy on Biafra. Achebe is known for, as late Prof. Obiechina would say not being apologetic for speaking the truth. Femi Fani Kayode confirmed the correctness of Achebe's statement. His anger is that Achebe should have reserved his statement because a revered Yoruba idol was involved. Though as an undergraduate at Ibadan University during the Action Group/Akintola crisis, I supported Awolowo, Dauda Adegbenro and the Action Group against Akintola, I will not heap blame at the doorstep of Akintola for what he did not do. I say this

because it seems that if Achebe had indicted another or lesser Yoruba figure for the same offence, hell's fury might not have been let loose. Daily Vanguard reported Babatope again “….this is not the first time that Achebe will publish scathing attacks on Papa Awo. He did it in his book written about 30 years ago titled 'The Trouble with Nigeria'”. It may not suit Babatope's story if he admitted that he knew that in the said book, Achebe paralleled Zik and Awolowo with Awolowo coming out in flying colours; so what is the basis of Babatope's anger? Below are some snippets of what Achebe said in that book: a)“The task before the up-and-coming Yoruba politicians was by far easier than what their Igbo counterparts had to accomplish. Awolowo had been a steadfast Yoruba nationalist from the

million for the Federal Government Treasury. The Indigenization Decree which followed soon afterwards completed the routing of the Igbo from the commanding heights of the Nigerian economy, to everyone's apparent satisfaction.” Of Zik, Achebe said, “The NPP politicians had a different kind of problem because of Azikiwe's consistent ambivalence to his ethnic homeland. The eager young politician who needed desperately to latch on to Azikiwe's huge but heavily tarnished prestige had first to rewrite large chunks of recent Nigerian history(and in fact is doing it still) to explain away Azikiwe's abandonment of Igbo people in their darkest hour ... But the problem with Azikiwe's political career in Nigeria or even his relationship with the Igbo has never been how to

Chief ObafemiAwolowo

Chinua Achebe

1940s to date. He had no record of betrayal, double-talk or even indecision in the pursuit of his goals. But above all he had in recent years as the leading civilian member of the Gowon administration presided over a monumental transfer and consolidation of economic, bureaucratic and professional power to his home base. “This singular achievement secured for Awolowo for the first time in his political career something approaching 100 per cent support among the Yoruba ... The Civil War gave Nigeria a perfect and legitimate excuse to cast the Igbo in the role of treasonable felon, a wrecker of the nation. But thanks to Gowon's moderating influence overt vengeance was not visited on them when their Secessionist State of Biafra was defeated in January 1970. But there were hardliners in Gowon's cabinet who wanted their pound of flesh, the most powerful amongst them being Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Federal Commissioner for Finance. Under his guidance, a banking policy was evolved which nullified any bank account, which had been operated during the Civil War. This had the immediate result of pauperizing the Igbo middle class and earning a profit of £4

explain away one momentary lapse in an otherwise steady record of standing fast but rather how to account for a pretty consistent history of abandonments. “Here was an eloquent revolutionary who inspired a whole generation of young idealistic activists in the Zikist Movement to the high pitch of positive action against colonial rule and then quite unaccountably, abandoned them at the prison gate. “Here was a true nationalist who championed the noble cause of 'One Nigeria' to the extent that he contested and won the first general election to the Western House of Assembly. But when Chief Awolowo 'stole' the Government from him in broad daylight he abandoned his principle, which dictated that he should stay in the Western House as Leader of Opposition and give battle to Awolowo. Instead he conceded victory to reactionary ethnic politics, fled to the East where he compounded his betrayal of principle by precipitating a major crisis which was unnecessary, selfish and severely damaging in its consequences. “Professor Eyo Ita an urbane detribalized humanist politician who had

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Kalu Uche (born 15 November 1982) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Kasımpa S.K. in the Süper Lig, as a forward or an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his professional career in Spain, mainly with Almería, with which he amassed La Liga totals of 117 games and 27 goals. A Nigerian international in the 2000s, Uche represented his country at the 2010 World Cup. Club career: Born in Aba, Abia, Uche's career began in Nigeria with Enyimba International and Iwuanyanwu Nationale. In 2000-01 he joined RCD Espanyol B in Spain, failing to receive any first-team opportunities and competing with the reserves in the third division. Uche then transferred to Wisła Kraków, playing there until 2005 (winning the Polish League three times and Polish Cup twice) except for the 2004-05 season when he represented FC Girondins de Bordeaux, on loan. Almería: In 2005-06 Uche moved to UD Almería, and was instrumental in helping the Andalusia outfit to its first ever La Liga promotion in his second year, scoring eight league goals (with three in the last five matches). He made his debut in the competition on 26 August 2007, coming from the bench in a 30 away win against Deportivo de La Coruña. On 11 January 2009, profiting from the absence of first-choice Álvaro Negredo, Uche netted both goals in a 22 draw at Espanyol. On 5 December he scored the side's second goal at Real Madrid for the 21, but the hosts eventually rallied back to 42. In the following summer Negredo was sold to Sevilla FC via Real Madrid and Uche became Almería's most important offensive reference. He finished 200910 with a career-best nine goals, namely a brace on 4 May 2010 against Villarreal CF (42 home win), which all but certified the club's permanence in the top level for another year. Uche spent the first month of the 2010-11 season on the sidelines, due to injury. In the second match upon his return, on 26 September 2010 he scored twice at Deportivo (20) for Almería's first win of the campaign, going on to net seven in 32 games as the team was finally relegated after a four-year stay. Uche opened his scoring account for his new club on 25 February 2012 in a 12 home loss against Levante UD. On 11 March, he put three past Rayo Vallecano in another home fixture (51). Kasımpaşa. On 20 July 2012 Uche moved to Turkish side Kasımpaşa SK, signing a three-year contract. International career: Uche made his debut for Nigeria on 21 June 2003, in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Angola, scoring in the process.He represented the nation at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, going scoreless for the eventual third-placed team. After a solid club season, Uche was picked for that year's FIFA World Cup, in South Africa: on 17 June, against Greece, he opened the score from a free kick, but the Africans soon were reduced to ten men, and lost 12.In the third and last game he also scored the opener, eventually earning Nigeria's only point in the competition in a 22 draw against South Korea.

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