CNPP wants Chime impeached by Advocate Nigeria

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Vol. 1 No. 6, Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

N150

N13.6B ENUGU SECRETARIAT CONTROVERSY

CNPP wants Chime impeached    

CPC drags Chime to court Chime not perturbed by attacks – Aides Enugu PDP defends Chime N63m voted for staff relocation  Stories on page 6, 18 & 19

The Enugu International Conference Center Project abandoned by Sullivan Chime Government since 2007. The world class edifice is defacing the 3-arm zone and the public is worried

Over 100 private jets acquired by Nigerians in 2012 alone  Page 4

 Page 34

CD blames unemployment, insecurity in S-East on govs

 Page 8

Nigeria Police is a threat to democracy - Activist

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

Daddy, we congratulate you on the conferment on you the richly deserved honour of COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE NIGER, CON. We’re happy that others have also seen the virtues of compassion, love, honour, dependability, industry and patriotism with which you’re richly blessed. We pray God to preserve you to continue to serve humanity.

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Over 100 private jets acquired by Nigerians in 2012 alone

ver 100 private jets were imported into the country this year alone, as it has become a fashion among rich Nigerians to own private jets. A reliable source in the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said this figure is outside some orders already made by some Nigerians which would mature between 2013 and 2014. He said that many young Nigerians have switched to purchase of jets as show of affluence and sign of a ‘big boy’. Nigeria is a country with a huge gap between the rich and poor. While less than one per cent of the estimated167 million Nigerians are superrich, more than 60 per cent live on less than one dollar a day. About 10 Nigerians are listed in Forbes’ club of world billionaires. The source told The Citizen that most of the jets are packed in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. “The rate Nigerians buy these jets seems as if it is pure water. It is like competition among young lads. Many of the owners are not known either by their business or actions. It is said that most of them are for government officials and oil and gas Turks who got rich by moving papers in the petroleum industry,” he said. According to aviation experts, some of the jets cost about $10m, while the high ranges like Bombardier costs from $20m upwards. He said that the charges are even more sapping but the ‘boys’ appear unperturbed, though “most of them put them for hire by mostly bank Managing Directors and state governors. Observers of the Aviation industry said the number of private jets bought by Nigerians have increased because many rich persons have resorted to private jets as alternative to commercial airlines in the country due to security and safety issues. “They believe that flying on private jets are far safer than flying on commercial flights because they feel that private jets are better maintained than commercial aircraft,” an industry analyst rationalised. He said, “You may have noticed that

there is a drop on the number of rich people who fly first class on commercial flights. If you enter flights these days, you will not find any of the rich Nigerians in commercial flights because they are flying on private jets.” This development has led many, including some sitting governors to ask the police and other crime agencies to investigate the sources of wealth of these private jets owners. They wonder how many of them who do not have visible sources of income manage to own jets, many luxury cars, as well as live ostentatious life style, which is sending wrong signals to young generations of Nigerians that one can get rich even without working. Most of these jets are owned by top politicians, oil magnates and other business moguls in Nigeria. Before the meltdown of 2008, it had become fashionable for Nigerian chief executive of banks to own private jets. A recent newspaper report showed that the economic downturn in Europe and the United States had made Nigeria and China to become two of the fastest growing private jet markets in the world. “Two countries buying private jets now are China and Nigeria. Europe and America are going through turmoil; so, their people are no more buying. This accounts for the trend that whenever some of the private jet manufacturers develop any new jet, they take them to Nigeria and China. “It is difficult to get the real identities of owners of some of the private jets in Nigeria because they buy them through some foreign companies in North America, especially the US. The foreign company then leases it to another company in Nigeria,” reveals the source. Attempts to speak with the General Manager, Public Relations, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Akin Olukunle on the development through his GSM phone proved abortive. But an official of the agency, who refused to be identified because he is not in a position to speak on the matter, confirmed that many Nigerians have been registering their jets. However, he could not confirm if they are up to 100 or more.

FG approves N18bn for take-off of 9 new universities By Our Reporter

AGBASI OGOCHUKWU Birthday: March 25 Phone: 07063610320 Qualification: Student Hobbies: Fashion, Modeling, Dancing

HE Federal Government has approved N18 billion for the takeoff of the nine new federal universities. "The sum of N2 billion each was approved by Mr President to assist them in developing their campuses as well as the provision of administrative blocks, libraries and ICT centres," Prof. Rukkayyatu Rufai, the Minister of Education disclosed. The minister, who dropped the hint at the matriculation ceremony of 247 pioneer students of the Federal University, Lafia, for the 2011/2012 academic session, said that the Federal Government had earlier approved N1.5

billion for each of the universities as takeoff grant to enable them to establish physical infrastructure. Rufai' said that President Goodluck Jonathan had delivered on his campaign promise by implementing his transformation agenda in the education sector. The minister said the Federal Government was committed to providing more opportunities of tertiary education for Nigerian citizens, hence the establishment of nine federal universities. Rufai' urged the matriculating students to shun cult activities, drug abuse, prostitution and stealing. She thanked the Nasarawa State Government for creating an enabling

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

NEWS

Suspended pensioner's union chairman locks office, refuses to handover By Joe Akwarandu, Umuahia

ive Months after suspension by Nigerian Union of Pensioners Abia State Council, for breach of code of practice of the Union's constitution, the Umuahia Branch Chairman of the association, Sir Mike Elekwachi has locked up the secretarial and have refused to handover to his Vice Chairman as directed by the State Executive. A suspension letter dated 27th April, 2012 and signed by the State Unions Secretary, Elder O.C Arungwa stated as Thus: “A letter of suspension from the Nigerian Union of Pensioners

Abia State Council dated 27/4/2012 reads; Suspension from office following the decision of the state council in her meeting of 15th November, 2011 and in line with Rule 10, sub-head 5, penalty for breach of code of practice for constitution of Nigerian Union of Pensioners: I am directed to inform you that from the date of the receipt of this letter, you have been suspended from the office as Chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Umuahia Branch for your continued neglect of financial instructions from the National headquarters of our union, regarding who should be the signatories of Branch

Accounts, to the embarrassment of Management at State and National levels”. “You are directed to handover the administration of the branch to your Branch Vice Chairman, Deacon Dan Amaugo, with immediate effect till further notice” the letter concluded. It is alleged that despite the strong worded directives, the suspended Chairman, Sir, Elekwachi has refused to handover to his Vice Chairman and was only forced to come and switch off the office fan which has remained rotating for months. at the Union Secretariat built and donated by Rotary Club of Umuahia.

Gov Orji

Abia State govt returns 19 secondary schools to original owners 42 years after under Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji returned 19 istory was made in Abia secondary school taken over in State last week Friday 1970 after the Nigeria Civil war as the state government by the Military administration back to its original owners.

By Our Reporter

38 prisons officers elevated in Ebonyi By Uchenna Itumo, Abakaliki

he Nigeria Prisons Services, NPS, Ebonyi State Command have elevated thirty eight officers of the Command as a show of reward to hard work and loyalty. The Ebonyi State Comptroller of the Service, Mr. Colombus Omenuko in his remarks stated that the officers who were promoted were men of integrity who have contributed enormously to the progressive of the service. Omenuko charged the newly promoted men of the service to be more dedicated in their duties because better days are ahead for those who show high level of competence in discharge of their duties. Speaking during the occasion, the Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps in Ebonyi state who was highly impressed because of the comportment of the men of the Prisons Service, charged them to do their job in accordance with the laws of the land which established the

Service. He used the opportunity to enlighten the people to always drive carefully, especially during these ember months because driving to live was better than driving in high speed to get to a destination and in the process meet untimely death. A former Head of service in Ebonyi State, Mr. Aluu, whose wife Mrs. Sophia Aluu was promoted to the rank of Duty Comptroller of Prisons urged the newly promoted officers to be diligent in their job. He charged other officers of the service who did not benefit to show hard work and loyalty because they were virtues that can take one to a greater height. In his remarks on behalf of the newly decorated officers, the Officer In Charge, Afikpo Prisons in the state who was promoted to the rank of Deputy Comptroller of Prisons Mr. Godwin Ofomba promised that they will continue to be diligent in discharge of their duties. Among those decorated include twenty four in Officers Cadre, while fourteen were of

Most of the returned schools belonged to some churches while few belonged to individuals. These schools are, Wilcox Comprehensive Secondary school, Oghor Hill, Aba owned by the United Evangelical Church, formerly Qua Iboe Church , Ihie High school Ihie in Isiala Ngwa North, LGA, established by Seventh Day Adventist Church , Eziama High School Aba, belonging to Apostolic Christian Church and Evangel High School Umuahia Assemblies of God Church. Other Schools and owners are: Methodist Church of Nigeria which owns Methodist College Uzualoli, Girls Secondary School Ovim, Girls High School Ugwunchara Umuahia and Ngodo Girls Secondary school Ngodo, Isiochi. Catholic Church: Sacred Heart College Eziukwu Aba, Maria Coronata Secondary School Olokoro Umuahia, Holy G h o s t Te c h n i c a l S c h o o l , Olokoro, Olokoro High School, Olokoro Girls Secondary School formerly Holy Rosary Secondary School Umuahia. Anglican Church: Ovom Girls High School Ovom Aba, Grammar School Mbawsi Isiala Ngwa North, and Ngwa High School Abayi Aba, while private Schools like , Ihie Orji Secondary School Aba and Secondary Technical School Ogbor Hill Aba also benefited. Delivering the Schools to its original owners the Governor Chief T.A Orji traced the history

that gave rise to the takeover of the Schools by the Military after the 30 months old civil war and said that the atmosphere now have become conducive for the owners to effectively manage the Schools and promised that the government would partner with the owners to ensure that standard was maintained, stating that the government was not demanding any compensation for the return. He however warned that

any of the Schools whose owners are found wanting in managing such school , the government would not hesitate to revoke the order. Applauding the government for the gesture the Catholic Bishop of Umuahia, Rt. Rev Dr. Lucius Ugorji said that history has been made by Chief Theodore Orji's government stating that the Churches were going to return morals and discipline in the institutions.

N18bn approved for 9 new varsities Continues on page 4 environment for the commencement of academic activities in the university. Earlier, the institution's ViceChancellor, Prof. Ekanem Braide, expressed gratitude to the state government for providing the takeoff site, land for the permanent site and one guest house for the institution. The vice-chancellor said the government assisted the university with the Vicechancellor's Lodge, Registrar's Lodge, a transformer and technical services. He said the government had also promised to build and donate one female hostel to the university at its permanent site. Braide said the 247 matriculating students would study in 11 programmes, including Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science. He said the university would train graduates and equip them with skills for national development.

Braide said that the 20112021 strategic plan for the university was to make it a renowned institution of learning, research and innovation for positive socio-economic transformation of Nigeria. He thanked the Federal Government for establishing the university and Nasarawa State Government for providing facilities for its take off. Braide enjoined the new students to shun all form of social vices and face their academic work seriously. In his remark, Gov. Tanko Almakura said the state government had provided a takeoff site, permanent site, accommodation, generating set for the university and promised to build and donate one female hostel to the institution. Al-makura thanked the Federal Government for establishing the university and called for co-operation between the institution and the state university.

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

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CNPP wants Chime impeached By Larry Onwuta, Ekene Nzekwe & Renacent Anugwom

HE controversy trailing the Enugu State Government's decision to demolish the State Secretariat Complex built by the British colonial rulers in late 1920s for a fresh complex to be constructed by Sullivan Chime administration within the remaining two years and eight months of its tenure, is causing serious tension within the government and opposition political parties in the state. Already, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP has called on Enugu State House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment process against Governor Chime for alleged subversion of due process and execution of contracts without appropriation. The call came even as the Enugu State Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mr. Sunday Onoh and a member of the party in the state, Mr. Osita Okechuwu, have dragged the governor before the Federal High Court, Enugu on account of the controversial secretariat project. The plaintiffs are among other things praying for an order “restraining the governor, his agents or proxies from demolishing the old State Secretariat building at G.R.A. Enugu and erecting a new Secretariat Complex at the site as recently announced by Enugu State Government.” The matter is slated for h e a r i n g f r o m M o n d a y, September 24, 2012 at the Federal High Court, Enugu. On its part, the Civil Liberties Organization, CLO faulted plans by Governor Chime and his government to demolish the existing secretariat complex and build a new one at a cost of N13.6 billion arguing that since the project was not captured in the state's budget, it was a crime punishable under relevant laws for the state government to go ahead with the plan. Executive Director of CLO, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike and the Enugu State Chairman of the body, Comrade Osmond Ugwu, who spoke on the issue said it would be wrong for the state government to spend N13.6 billion alleged unapproved fund on such a project, which they said ought not to be a priority of a state where all existing industries had collapsed and youth unemployment was on the increase.

Gov Chime “We are worried by the intention of Chime's government to spend Enugu people's money without recourse to fiscal regulations, due process and the rule of law, and in view of the fact that as at today, all the industries in the state have collapsed and thousands of the youth, populated by graduates, roam the streets of Enugu without jobs. Aboveall, hunger, poverty and social dislocations which had widened the gap between the thieving politicians and the poor in Nigeria are worse and threatening in the state. “Aside the above, the secretariat was only renovated this year with large sums of the people's money. One of our contention is; if the governor knew that his government was going to demolish the secretariat and build weaker structures to replace the strong and solid ones built by the British, why did he waste public funds on renovation of the old buildings few months ago?” the CLO Executive Director said. Enugu State chairman of the organization, Comrade Ugwu, on his part, described the proposed secretariat project as “pouring salt into a soak-away pit”, adding that it was the most “wasteful project” the Chime administration would ever embark upon. Ugwu said that the existing secretariat complex built during the colonial rule had remained a historic monument which generations yet unborn would be

proud of, adding that rather than demolishing the building, the government should rehabilitate it and provide basic necessities currently lacking at the complex. Ugwu submitted: “I see the government's plan to build a N13.6 billion secretariat as one trying to pour salt into dirty water in a soak-away pit which is of no benefit to anybody. It is a waste of Enugu State fund. To demolish the existing structure and build another is a waste of public fund and it is most reckless for the government to do that and it will mean that the present government lacks the consciousness of what governance is all about. “As we are talking now workers at the secretariat are being denied of their basic rights, entitlements and those essential things that can make life going while working for the government. Some workers are being owed more than 10 months salary arrears yet the government is only interested in rebuilding secretariat complex with a huge fund which can be channeled to other rewarding ventures. “The state-owned tertiary institutions are lacking basic facilities like libraries, laboratories and other facilities needed for conducive learning and the government has not thought of addressing these needs. Apart from the schools, the state-owned hospitals have dilapidated infrastructure that require urgent attention. “Several buildings under

construction at the Parklane Hospital had been abandoned to decay even when the hospital is lacking accommodation yet they want to demolish an edifice built by the colonial masters which has remained an everlasting legacy. If the government has such amount of money to lavish on a non-priority project, it should rethink and channel same to completing the abandoned buildings in the hospital and tertiary institutions.” Also criticizing the government's decision to embark on such a gigantic project in the face of increasing poverty, employment and lack of youth empowerment in the state, the CNPP Enugu State chapter alleged that the Sullivan Chime administration and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, intend to use the project to save money for the 2015 elections. Addressing a press conference in Enugu, the State Chairman and Secretary of CNPP, Messrs Adonys Igwe and John Nwobodo, said the organization, which is made up of about 35 opposition political parties in the state, decided to demand for Governor Chime's impeachment in view of some identified constitutional breaches by his government. The organization also cited an advertorial placed by the state government in Daily Sun of Monday, June 4, 2012 which, it said, contained “outrageous prequalification requirements principal among which is evidence of satisfactory execution and completion of building construction contracts with annual cumulative value of at least N400,000,000 in the past three years. The advertorial contained only 3 lots the summary of which is construction of 6-classroom block and remodeling of existing school buildings.” “Our investigations at UBEC, Abuja show that the initial procurement plan contained over 600 lts, and later substituted with a 3 lot plan in suspicious circumstances. What explanations can one offer in support of the dubious prequalification requirement if the government has no plan to divert or make business out of it for self aggrandizement using fronts and cronies?” Alleging that contractors for the project are predetermined by the state government, the CNPP asked the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, ENSUBEB to split the contract and allow for competitive and transparent bidding because “the current procurement is shrouded in secrecy and the integrity of the process has been compromised.”

It further alerted the people of the state and the entire nation that the ENSUBEB has allegedly become a “conduit pipe for stealing public fund” and called on the UBEC, Abuja to put caveat on its own counterpart fund until the state government was ready to play according to public procurement rules. “We call on the EFCC to immediately arrest the Chairman of the ENSUBEB board and conduct full scale investigation into the finances of the Board,” the group further demanded. CNPP further raised an alarm over the Enugu Street-light project awarded to Kanuel Engineering by the state government, saying the project was neither appropriated for nor was there any virement as at the time it was allegedly smuggled into the budget a year after it had been executed. “The governor must explain where he sourced money for the project without an initial provision in the budget. This is serious financial abuse against extant financial regulations. That is diversion of fund. We are compiling other financial recklessness of the governor and would present our petition to the EFCC by next week,” the group said. Condemning the frequent oversea travels by Governor Chime, the CNPP said the trips were becoming a disturbance to governance, stressing that the governor had undoubtedly shifted attention from governance “to seeking pleasures abroad with the people's fund.” It, however, challenged the governor to tell Enugu people what his trips abroad had brought to the state, insisting that they could not see “tangible results except kangaroo investors they use to contrive.” “Governor Chime and the Peoples Democratic Party have failed the electorates who voted him in. In fact, we have since realized that he hid his real person in the first term in a bid to win reelection. He is becoming undemocratic and unpopular by the day. It's a pity. The PDP is the loser. We are calling on the Enugu State House of Assembly to immediately begin the process of impeachment against the governor failing which they will face massive recall,” the CNPP threatened. However, in the suit number EN/M/132/2012 filed by the state CPC chairman and Okechukwu, who was the governorship candidate of CPC in 2011 elections in Enugu State, the applicants said as tax payers

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

NEWS imperative. “The Party wishes to Chime’s impeachment reaffirm its implicit confidence

Continues from page 6

and residents of Enugu State, they had stakes in the affairs of the state including how the resources of the state were used. They argued that if the interim order they sought was n o t u rg e n t l y g r a n t e d a n irreparable damage would be done, adding that it would amount to financial recklessness for the government to embark on such extravagant project in the face of other pressing or more cogent demands on the financial resources of the state. T h e p l a i n t i ff s f u r t h e r averred that it would amount to mortgaging the future of the people of Enugu state for the government to borrow a huge amount of N13.6 billion from two new generation banks to execute a secretariat project. They added that the “tax payers feel obliged to do all within their means lawfully to stop the state government from the act of financial recklessness which will also destroy the legacy bequeathed to the people by the Colonial masters.” But reacting to the brouhaha which the Secretariat project was generating in the state, Governor Chime's said in a statement that the Governor was unperturbed over the sudden spate of attacks he was receiving from opposition parties in the state under the umbrella of “a section of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).” Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Evangelist Chris Asadu and the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, in separate statements, said this was because those behind it were yet to disclose any reasonable substance in their criticisms. Asadu, a former CNPP Chieftain, said the Governor should neither be worried by the opposition's threat to form a coalition against the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 nor by the dust it is trying to kick up over plans to build new workers' secretariat. He pointed out that only a splinter group of nine out over thirty seven opposition parties were behind the attacks and seemed to be merely exercising their right to freedom of expression in order to seek relevance rather than pursuing any discernible cause. He wondered why anyone should kick against a new secretariat when there was no whimper, when the same Governor announced his plan to build a workers' estate and also lifted the embargo on employment that had been in place for years before he came into office.

On his part, Achife pointed out that the credibility of the group's criticism was further undermined by the claims it had made in the media saying that it decided to launch the attacks on Governor Chime because he (Chime) had allegedly become “inaccessible” to its members after they had supposedly helped him to victory in the 2011 elections. He noted that not only had the Governor set up an all inclusive government with some opposition figures occupying positions but that he had maintained a broad-minded and non-partisan policy in the implementation of his transformational agenda in the state. He said, “We understand these attacks as a mere exercise of freedom of expression and not that there is any real substance in them. These things happen now and then, democracy permits it and as such the Governor is not perturbed about it. All I can say is that he is focused and will remain focused on the job he has been elected to do and which as objective minds have acknowledged, he has been doing excellently well”. Achife further restated the Governor's willingness to listen to constructive criticisms and suggestions as to how best to move the state forward adding that many important policies of the government had been based on inputs from patriotic citizens. Defending the action of the governor, the ruling PDP in the state faulted criticisms trailing the secretariat complex saying some few "insatiable individuals" were hiding under the shadow of opposition political parties to seek cheap popularity and distract the government of Sullivan Chime from performing its duty of transforming the entire State for the better. The party dismissed as false the allegation by the opposition political parties in a communiqué signed by Adonys Igwe and John Nwobodo as Chairman and Secretary of Enugu State CNPP respectively that the state secretariat project being proposed by the PDP-led State Government of Governor Sullivan Chime was an avenue for the party and its government to make money for the 2015 general elections. The State Chairman of PDP, Engr. Vita Abba, said in a statement that the ruling party would have wished not to join issues with the opposition parties but since they have raised some fundamental issues that are capable of misleading the public and undermining the integrity and reputation of the Party and its Government the need to react became

in the ability of its State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime to continue to embark on far reaching reforms in all sectors of our socio-economic and political life aimed at transforming our State for the better,” he said. It condemned in stronger terms “the condemnation from misguided members of the nine political parties over the decision of our State Government to give priority attention to the working environment of the State workforce by deciding to build a modernized state secretariat complex to among others, enhance efficient service delivery and address the acute shortage of office accommodation in the State for proper coordination of Government activities.” Abba reminded the opposition parties that the PDP government in Enugu State was accountable to the people that voted it into power and would remain committed to programmes and policies that would not only sustain the tremendous achievements recorded in the last five years but also create a conducive working environment in the state workforce for the Government to achieve more in the remaining sectors such as industrialization of the State through Public Private Partnership (PPP) before the end of the present PDP administration.

Suspect with the dead vultures

Hausa man caught selling vulture as fried chicken

his Hausa man was caught trapping vulture with snuff in Onne, Port Harcourt and wanted to use them as roasted chicken for people to buy. He said he has been doing this business for sometimes now. Please those of you that eat roasted chicken from road

side in Akajo and Onne or Eleme as a whole beware, because some of these people that roast chicken do mixed them with vulture and customer will not know they will buy and eat. Though it happened in Port Harcourt, it can happen any where. Buyers beware.

Water Resources Minister laments decay of govt own projects By Donald Kumun, Makurdi

ater Resources Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe has lamented the decay of Government own projects and has attributed it to poor maintenance and waste of resources resulting to the country's underdevelopment . She has equally frowned at the spate of infrastructural rot in the country, saying that they crop up as a result of lack of maintenance culture by successive administration. The Minister made this known while on a visit to Benue to commission the KatsinaAla Water Works where she announced the

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Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, Minister of Water Resources

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

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APGA:Hands off my case, Umeh tells Enugu CJ By Renacent Anugwom

HE National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has requested the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike to hands off the case brought against him by one Jude Okuli Emenike pending before his (Umezurike's) court. Umeh said he is afraid that he would not obtain justice from Umezulike's court. Accusing the Chief Judge of compromise and bias in the matter, Umeh insisted that his case should be transferred to another unbiased Judge who, he said, "will, God willing, do justice in the matter.” In a four-page letter entitled, "Request to Re-Assign Suit No E/270/2012 Jude Okuli Emenike V. Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh," dated September 19, 2012 and addressed to the Chief Judge, which was made available to newsmen in Enugu, Umeh wrote, "My lord, as an ardent believer in the rule of law and due process, I am also a vanguard for the dignity and sanctity of judicial officers. I cannot have a lesser respect for the office of the Chief Judge of Enugu. However, upon a sober reflection of the antecedents of this case up to this moment, I have come to the reasonable conclusion that I will not obtain justice from your Lordship's court. "With every sense of responsibility and due deference, I am reasonably apprehensive that your Lordship is

obviously biased and compromised in this matter. Accordingly, I wish to respectfully request you to kindly, sir, transfer and assign this case to another unbiased Judge who will, God willing, do justice in the matter.” Umeh further stated, "Please, note that I shall not be restrained in taking any other necessary step to protect my rights and ensure that justice is done if your Lordship fails and neglect to transfer and or assign this matter promptly.” Jude Okuli had gone to court challenging his expulsion from the party and Umeh's continued stay in office as the party's national chairman. He alleged that Umeh's tenure elapsed in 2010 and that the party never held any congress during which Umeh was re-elected, a claim Umeh and his leadership dismissed as false as, according to them, the Umeh led APGA National Executive Committee was duly re-elected at a valid congress of the party. Umezulike had on July 25, 2012 given an ex-parte order which, among other things, restrained the convening and holding of meeting of APGA at all levels including National , State or Local Government. Recalling the issue at stake, the politician reminded the Chief Judge that APGA is not a party to the suit, neither was it joined as a plaintiff nor sued with its chairman as a defendant. Umeh said, notwithstanding the patent irregularity in the order restraining a non-party as manifest from the ex-parte order, he, as a law

abiding citizen, appeared in Umezuluike's court on July 30, 2012 during which the case was further adjourned to July 31, 2012 for argument on the preliminary objection filed by Umeh's counsel challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit. Umeh said after taking all the submissions during the argument on the notice of preliminary objection, Umezuluike , rather than leave matters as they were, and without any request from any party, suo motu extended the life span of the ex-parte order till September 17, 2012 ( a period of over six weeks!). "I have no doubt that your Lordship is fully aware that by Order 39 Rule 3 (4) of the Enugu State High Court rules, the life span of an ex parte order cannot exceed 14 days from the date it was granted. But in this case an ex parte order granted on July 25 2012 was by judicial fiat extended till September 17 , 2012. A time span of nearly two months!," Umeh stated. He said it was unfortunate that even on September 17, the chief Judge refused to deliver the ruling on the notice of preliminary objection already fully argued before him, adding that he also failed to vacate the ex parte order made since July 25. “Rather your Lordship now made a volte face by desiring to hear argument on the substantive originating summons to enable you determine same along with the challenge to the jurisdiction of the court already argued vide the notice of preliminary objection. This is a manifest ploy to continue paralysing the activities in our party unjustly," Umeh said.

Water Resources Minister laments Continues from page 7 Federal Government's partnership with the state to revive the Ameladu Water Works in Gboko local government area of the state. She noted that from inception of the present democratic dispensation, the Federal government has demonstrated a serious commitment to the provision of adequate portable water supply to all Nigerians as a key entry point to its economic development and transformation agenda “The intervention of the federal government in making sure that portable water supply reaches every nook and cranny of the country, and that this effort would not be limited to urban and semi urban areas but rather it covers the rural populace. It is in this regard that more than 50 boreholes were constructed in Benue state by the federal government in recent time”. She noted that with the inauguration of the Katsina-Ala Water Works, issues of water born diseases will be minimized to the barest

minimum as well as income generation owing to good health of the Benue populace. According to her the situation has caused a lot of damages to life changing projects that government has expended huge sums of money to build. Mrs. Ochekpe however, commended the Benue state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, for his determination to build the water projects which she said would go a long way to carter for the water need of the people and curb health related issues caused by use of unhygienic water provided for the people. The Minister also said that the federal government through the Ministry is ready to collaborate with state governments in provision of portable water most especially to rural communities, a situation that is also targeted to meet one of the millennium development goals in the country. Governor Gabriel Suswam on his part commended the two communities where the water projects are cited for keeping faith with government despite the hardship they have been

experiencing as a result of scarcity of water even though most projects started elsewhere in the state have been long completed and are now put to use. He charged residents in the area to shield the projects and ensure that the facility is not vandalized as according to him government has done its part by completing the projects and would do her best to keep them more useful to them. Governor Suswam stated that the Katsina Ala water project is constructed at the sum of N1.5 billion to provide for 15000 cubic metres of water per day while the Anyiin water project he said is constructed at N502 million to provide 4 000 cubic metres of water per day . The greater Makurdi Water Works was also commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan early this year, but sad enough many residents in the state( since after the event) have been complaining of low water supply amounting to more consumption of the popular “Pure water” to safeguard their health.

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

EDITORIAL

Flood disaster: Why FG should declare emergency

he 2012 rainy season came with a red alert from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and National Emergency Management Agancy (NEMA) about the impending danger of flooding and other disasters associated with the season. As usual many Nigerians ignored the warnings. Major disasters especially wind storms wrecked havoc in different parts of the country at the beginning of the season claiming several lives and destroying property worth billions of naira. While the victims were counting their losses, little did Nigerians know that a major disaster was looming flood. In February this year, NIMET, in its Seasonal Rainfall Prediction SRP alerted Nigerians that there would be normal rainfall season across the country in 2012 but warned that the normal rainfall trend in any area can cause flooding and associated consequences. This was experienced in many communities and towns across the country.

Also in August, NIMET came out with another warning that major flooding will occur between August and September and called for urgent clearance of drainages across the country. The agency specifically said it had observed “wetter-thannormal soil surface moisture and groundwater conditions in some parts of the country over the past 12 months”. It specifically informed that the northern sector of the country will experience peak rainfall from August to October, adding that the effect of the wetter-than-normal conditions observed is the prospect of the occurrence of above-normal rainfall might lead to surface run-off. Apart from the North, the agency further said that flooding incidents that may accompany further one-day high rainfall events in and around Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states will leave in its trail devastation and destruction." These predictions have come to pass in many cases but what has become a major source of

concern to many Nigerians is the inability of governments at all level to take proactive measures to forestall the calamity. The Federal Government had through NEMA, at one occasion or the other, ordered citizens living along the River Niger plains to evacuate to avert another flood disaster. The directive followed discovery that the dams had attained their highest water levels in 29 years, which was unprecedented in the history of Jebba and Kainji Hydroelectric Power Dams. It said that the threat had created a high risk of imminent flooding in the downstream of the river, which was why the residents of the communities were urged to move to higher grounds for safety. It named the states at risk of the flood as Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Anambra and Delta and had actually notified the affected states to take the necessary precautionary measures by relocating people from the flood prone areas to avert imminent loss of lives and property that would certainly arise in the event of flooding, There is no clear evidence that

any of the states alerted took precautionary measure as directed and the devastations witnessed so far in those states are mindboggling. Reports said even though the rains may have subsided, no fewer than 25 million Nigerians living along coastal communities of Rivers, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River states in Nigeria may further be threatened by displacement and devastation before the end of the year. Already over 38, 228 people have been displaced, 59 communities sacked and 160 confirmed dead in various disasters recorded in past few weeks. If the alarm raised by the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Vincent Aquah last week in Calabar that further discharge of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, which had already displaced more than 12,000 persons in the state, is anything to worry about, then the nation

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I have been a faithful reader of your newspaper “The Advocate” and just like the name, the paper is the most objective and crusading newspaper in Nigeria. I hereby encourage you to continue in the good work, because for a better tomorrow in Nigeria, we the citizens need newspapers like the advocate that represents the voice of the people not stooges of the government like what we already have in Nigeria. Please ensure that all the machinery needed for the daily production of the Advocate is activated because after the death of Dele Giwa the peoples voice will be heard again in The Advocate. Renacent Anugwom, Enugu

may face greater danger soon. The Presidential Committee on Flood, led by Hadiza Mailafiya, who is also the Minister for Environment, also made a shocking revelation during an unscheduled visits to some states in the North-East, including Jigawa, where over 400,000 farmlands and 36,000 houses were destroyed by flood disaster recently. Similar disturbing reports also came from the coastal areas of Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. The South Eastern states also have gory tales of devastations by flood. Eight communities in Enugu State were recently cut off as a result of heavy rains. Communities grossly affected include Mmaku, Mgbidi, Awgu-nta, Ugwueme, Nkwe, Ezele and Obeagu. Anambra State appeared to be worst hit with about 21 communities, namely Oroma Etiti, Ezi-Anam, UmunzeAnam, Umuoba- Anam, Nmiata, Inuoma, Okwalla, Owelle, Igbokanyi, among others, completely submerged. What worries us most is the glaring failure of our governments to rise to the occasion. Many lives have been lost just as many families are now homeless due to no fault of theirs. Besides, the nation will no doubt experience major famine next year because many farmlands and crops had been completely destroyed with the attendant loss of jobs. The urgent need for the Federal Government to declare an emergency on account of these natural disasters can not be overemphasized. Government should also set aside palliative funds to assist those affected without delay to alleviate their suffering and restore their hope as citizens. Besides, it will not be a burden too heavy for the government to rebuild the homes of those now rendered homeless as was done by governments of Indonesia, Japan and other Asian countries in recent years as a result of Tsunami of those years. The NEMA and various State Emergency Management Agencies should also be strengthened to respond promptly to such disasters in order to reduce mortality associated with such emergencies. These agencies, as presently constituted at all levels, exist in names and do not seem to have the capacity to tackle the numerous challenges posed by flooding in parts of the country this year. A stitch in time saves nine.

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

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NEWS

Gov Dickson tasks police on professional conduct By Philip Eke, Yenagoa

ayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has urged operatives of the state special security outfit to conduct their activities in a manner that will improve the image of the Nigeria Police Force. Governor Dickson made the call while addressing officers and men of the special security squad codenamed “Operation Doo-Akpor” at its base in Yenagoa. The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd) explained that the present administration decided to establish the outfit to complement the efforts of other security agencies in the state to maintain peace and security. Hon. Dickson said government was poised to implement its policy of zero tolerance on crime and violence to the latter with a view to

creating a conducive environment for socioeconomic activities to thrive in the state. The State Chief Executive, who acknowledged a reduction in cult and other criminal activities in Yenagoa and its environs, charged the outfit to avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor (Famou-Tamgbe) to justify its establishment as well as allay the fears of the people. He commended the leadership and men of the security outfit and urged them to collaborate with other security agencies to promote peace and security. Hon. Dickson also assured them of government's continued support to enable them perform their duties effectively in the state. S p e a k i n g e a r l i e r, t h e Commander of Operation DooAkpor, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bello Ahmed disclosed that over 200 distress calls have so far been received

leading to the arrest of about 100 suspects, who have since been handed over to various police divisions for further investigation and prosecution. ACP Ahmed Bello noted that though the outfit was yet to be officially launched, it started test-run on the 19th of July this year with its officers drawn mainly from the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, Abuja. According to the Commander, other operatives are drawn from Bayelsa, Lagos, Rivers and Borno States with some components of marine police elements in addition to 40 civilian drivers. While expressing the outfit's preparedness towards tackling security challenges in the state, the Commander solicited more logistic support from the government. He listed the immediate constraints of the outfit to include construction of observation towers and repair of its power generating set. Ahmed also called for the provision of identity cards for operatives of the outfit to make for easy identification.

Royal Father, 3 others jailed for arson ...As Deference Counsel accuses Police of insincerity By Uchenna Itumo, Abakaliki

he traditional ruler of Ndiegu Ishieke autonomous community in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, His Royal Highness, Eze. Nwamfa Ochika has been remanded in the Abakalikui Federal Prisons for Offence bothering on arson. Also remanded alongside with the traditional ruler are Mr. Ogaranyi Nwaunu, Chukwuemeka Ovu and Emmanuel Oroke all from Ndienyim village, in Ndiegu Ishieke autonomous community, who were said to have conspired among themselves and committed felony at the said

area. In a charge sheet with the number, MAB/655C/2012 with two count charge of felony and arson which read thus, “That you N w amfa O chika ' m' Ogaranyi Nwaunu 'm' Chukwuemeka Ovu 'm' Emmanuel Oroke 'm' and others now at large on the 7th day of August, 2012 at Ezenyi Unah's compound in Ndienyim village Ebonyi Local Government Area in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; arson and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 (A) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Vol.4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Ebonyi State”.

The second count charge continued thus, “That you Nwamfa Ochika 'm' Ogaranyi Nwaunu 'm', Chukwuemeka Ovu 'm' Emmanuel Oroke 'm' and others now at large on the same date place, and in the aforesaid Magisterial District did willfully and unlawfully set fire to the buildings of one Ezenyi Unah 'm' valued N8 million only and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 443(a) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 vol. 4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria as applicable in Ebonyi State. When the matter was first mentioned at the Magistrate Court, in Ebonyi State Judicial Complex, the presiding Magistrate, Mr. Gladson Ugbala Esq. in his ruling maintained that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered that the matter be transferred to the High Court.

Why I'm being hounded Continues from page 24 with the interest of an Igboman to aspire to be President of Nigeria. That point must be properly taken. We can go to an election and get defeated. We keep trying. Abraham Lincoln tried many times before he became President of America. The Igbos are not saying that in 2015, they must win. But we want to contest if we have a candidate that will meet the needs of Nigerians in 2015. If we go to the field, anybody who wins is okay. If we do not have a candidate that can do that, it becomes a matter that Igbos do not have a Presidential candidate, it is entirely different thing. It is at that time that the dexterity of thought of Igbo people will be brought to bear on the position the Igbos will take. That is the way we are looking at it. Please, those of us who are still young, we believe that we still have so much stake in the future of this country and in the future of Igbo people. We need to be properly mobilized in thought to know what to do. Anybody can be the President's friend. It is a good thing that the person is the President's friend. But let that friendship not be used to undermine the collective interest of a people. If we move to that, we do not have any chance. Opposition parties have been involved in alliance talks. Is APGA involved? Contrary to what some members of our party accused me of early in the year, APGA has not been involved in any talks with any political party with a view to galvanizing an alliance or merger for 2015 election. What will concern He ordered that the traditional ruler, and other three accused persons be remanded in prison custody. He however adjourned the matter sine die. Reacting to the development, Counsel to the complainant Mr. E.O. Nwebonyi said it was unfortunate that a traditional ruler who is supposed to be custodian of peace turned out to be a terrorist by aiding and abating demolition of buildings belonging to his fellow citizen. On the argument of the defense counsel, that the traditional ruler was joined in the matter wrongly, Nwebonyi further said that the man in question was the prime suspect and therefore cannot be said to have been joined wrongly. “The man is the number one suspect and was arraigned”, he added. The defense counsel Mrs. Nkem Chukwu who was visibly not satisfied that the traditional ruler was remanded as a result of the

APGA now is to build strength ahead of 2015. Let us do everything to build the strength of our party across the country. It is only after that that we now determine on how get to it in 2015. Presently we are not involved. And without running any risk of being misquoted, if an alliance discussion is necessary in 2015, APGA will pursue it through the relevant organs of the party that will be charged with the responsibility of midwiving such alliance talk. In our constitution, such discussion will be undertaken by the national caucus. It is so provided. So, the party envisages that such things will be possible in future. Come to think of it, in 2011, APGA supported President Goodluck Jonathan of PDP. If we had entered into talks, it would have been an alliance instead of a donation of support. So, that is what is going to be. So, in 2015, I know that alliance discussions will hold because presidential election in Nigeria is a very serious election. Any party that wants to be part, of it will be prepared to discuss with other parties to build its strength. The only thing is that in the scheming, APGA will be scheming to be produce presidential candidate in such an alliance discussion. For now, the dust is yet to settle in our party based on some of these things you people have been seeing. But the dust will settle and the primary concern of our leadership is to build our strength and when we build our strength, with the strength we are able to muster ahead of 2015, then we will be prepared to engage in any process. court ruling, said that something abnormal has happened, especially with regard to the charge itself, because according to her, Eze Nwamfa obeyed court order by taking the suspects on bail when they were arraigned, but wondered why same man who brought the suspects to the Police as a peaceful man will be joined in the matter. The counsel however said that the charge of arson in which the Eze was remanded was false and malicious, describing it as baseless. She accused the Police of insincerity, and alleged that it was because she turned down their demand for bribe that made them to join the Eze in a matter which he earlier on took the suspects on bail. “There was demand and because I didn't give them what they demanded, that is why they turned and charged him to court on the case of arson”

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

POLITICS

Enugu govt is implementing PDP manifestoâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Vita Abba Chief Vita Abba, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri, and Chairman of PDP Enugu State chapter bares his mind on the myriads of issues impeding on Nigeria's unity and development over the years. He advocates for a constitutional amendment that will reflect a true fiscal federalism, balance in the states and local governments in the country and to ensure that the lapses in the 1999 constitution are effectively taken care of. In this interview, our correspondent UBA ANI captured his view Excerpts May I meet you sir? I am Vita Abba, the chairman of PDP Enugu state chapter How would you rate democracy in Nigeria? Politics in Nigeria is like describing the elephant. It depends on where you want to view it from. If you want to compare politics today to what was obtained twenty years ago, then I will say that we should all thank God. There is an improvement actually and I must confess that the differences have some positively impact in our land, I would say that politics has brought good governance today; it may not be perfect in this part of the world, we have been passing through tooting problems, electioneering challenges, campaign and opposition challenges, but I will emphatically say that Nigeria can raise her thumbs up, if we continue to improve definitely we will get there in the next few years. Are you very comfortable with your position as the PDP chairman, are you enjoying the office? It is not an issue or a matter of enjoyment this time around, it is service. I would say that there are challenges, I am getting satisfaction not as a result of meeting the challenges, but seeing myself in a position to take decisions that will affect my people, to take decisions that will affect those who are not privileged to get fair deal in the setting we found ourselves and if I actually use my position to correct some of these anomalies, to advice for the correct thing to be done, I get some satisfaction, I feel fulfilled. So when you are talking of enjoying, it depends on where you are coming from, it's not like eating rice or taking sweet and call it enjoyment, I am getting the kind of satisfaction that in my own little position ,

with the team I am working with, we were able to bring some changes in our land. What are your achievements in the past five years as the Chairman of PDP? You see, when I answered the last question, I talked about a team. PDP is not a one man show. The party is a team and I am so happy to say that it is the biggest team in Nigeria today. When you come to my state Enugu, I am equally lucky that I can say unequivocally that 99% of the people of Enugu state are members of PDP. So seeing myself at the helm of affairs in the state, whatever I have achieved, I owe it to the people, I owe it to members of the PDP, I owe it to the grassroots and most importantly I owe it to the leader of the party. Because you see if the man on the steering is not sure of where he is going he'll plunge us into the river, but if the man knows what he is doing and if he has the vision, definitely he may be the chief conductor. I am lucky because the driver who is the leader of the party in the state, incidentally, our governor knows where he is going to; he knows where he is taking this state to. My own is just to make sure that all the partners conform to the concept and directives of the government. And I will really say that the difference is clear. In the past five years, the government and the party are not used to going to the streets to blow up our achievements; rather we want our people to do it themselves. And on the faces of the people of Enugu state, I have no doubt in my mind that the administration of Chime has brought a new lease of life in our state and the party that brought him to power has no regret and there couldn't have been any better product than this man who has come to make a difference in our life. I want to say that the party is very proud of him, proud of our achievements and the

party is very proud that the governments at all levels in the state are actually following the manifestoes of the party. That is why we are winning. There is this issue of supremacy of power politics in PDP and the issue of zoning, who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and at the end of the day the party anchored on the South West. But some members were not happy and they went ahead to elect Tambuwal as the speaker of House of Reps. Do you still see the party maintaining its supremacy? Has PDP been getting it right? Yes, I think I am not with you on this issue about the supremacy of the party. You are talking about the supremacy of the party as if it has to do with authoritarian approach to issues; we are talking about good governance and being in the vanguard of playing good roles. I want you to understand that when you elect a councilor into the legislative houses, he has his rights and privileges even though you elected him. It is just like having a child; once a child is born the mother has limited control over that child the moment the child grows. The Nigeria constitution is very clear, if your people elect you to represent them in the House of Assembly, automatically you become their voice and if you understand that, it is the concept of democracy. What PDP has done in actual sense is to allow the will of the people to prevail, instead of seeing it as a weakness, or our inability to control the legislature; we are seeing it as a mark of strength. This is because the House is not made up of only PDP legislators and even the Speaker of the House. If the PDP on its own decided that they must elect the person it wanted and if it is not done, then such member will face expulsion from the party,

Vita Abba, PDP Chairman Enugu then that's not democracy. That's what we are even doing in this state. If you look at the legislature in our local governments, we allow them to elect their leaders. This is what is being preached and I want to tell you that it is not a weakness but it should be seen as a strength because I'm sure that in a contemporary Nigeria, a pure African setting, so many ruling parties will not allow this to prevail. PDP is allowing it because we want the wishes and aspiration of the people to prevail. Are the elected politicians under the platform of PDP, actually implementing the manifesto of the party? You see, you are talking to the Chairman of Enugu State PDP and the limit of my operation when comes to party matters starts and ends in Enugu. No! You are a member of NEC, is it not truth? I am a member of NEC but I cannot play the role of the National Chairman of our party. But here where I have jurisdiction, I want to tell you that in Enugu State, the government implements the manifesto of the party. The governments at the 17 local governments are all operating the manifesto of the party. I can say this authoritatively. Across Nigeria there bickering, political quarrels, etc but Enugu state seem to have this kind of quiet as if there are no opposition, why are there no quarrels? You know that I said earlier that if the leader or driver has a vision, if the driver knows

where he is going, there are no cause for time wastages on the road. The driver of this team, the Governor, has a vision and it's very clear to the people where he is going and it is very clear that he has not come into politics to make enemies. He comes on board to impact positively on the people. Greater majority of our people, stake holders in this state have cued into his vision that is why we are not quarrelling. The approach is very simple; we put things on the table and allow stakeholders to contribute. You don't come to my local government to decide what happens there. I don't go to others and decide what happens there. We have leaders from various local government and zones, we listen to them. Once you listen to the leaders and major stakeholders and you are able to consult widely, there'll be no cause for quarrels. So this is the nail of it, this is why there's no bickering in Enugu state and I want to assure you that there'll be no such thing here from now on. You know we have seen quarrel, we have also seen peace and the difference is very clear. Many believe that structural development in Nigeria is in jeopardy, if you believe, could you proffer solution to this? Yes, we say a lot about infrastructure in this country and I want you to understand that the engineers that are practicing in Nigeria are not doing so in isolation, they are Nigerians practicing in Nigeria environment, if there is any profession that has done so well in this country, and I will say it is

Continues on page 12

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

ADVOCATE

POLITICS

...politics is like an Elephant Continues from page 11

Vita Abba, PDP Chairman Enugu the engineering profession. If you look at most of our infrastructure, the water system in Nigeria, I can tell you that about 99% of the personnel handling our water projects are Nigerians. If you look at road construction, yes, we have the giants in that industry but look at their personnel, their technical make-up; you will see that 95% of them are Nigerians. Then if you come to my own field, the electrical engineering that is power system, you'll find out that from top to bottom, are all Nigerians, they've been able to maintain infrastructure, they've been able to maintain our facilities and they've been able to come out with innovations and new ideas. I can tell that in the power industry where I operate, there are certain things that you think are only done by expatriates, but now they are all designed here, they are implemented here, executed here and they are working. So many of them, go to Kainji Dam, go to transmission stations; these are Nigerian engineers, even while they are working with little or no implements, no facilities, no equipment to work with yet they are doing well. So I can really say as an engineer, as a professional in the field that Nigerian engineers have done well. We have our challenges, there are collapses of buildings, yes, I agree but in most cases, these buildings that collapse are not the handiwork of engineers. It is the hand work of quacks who claim to be engineers; they are responsible for such cases. I want to tell you that the supervisory agencies like COREN are doing what they should do to ensure that before you get any building started, you must have passed through the regulatory agencies to

ensure that the design standard are met likewise in other branches of engineering like mechanical and civil engineering . And I will like to say that government and private sector in attempt to promote indigenous excellence, they must continue to patronize Nigerian engineers. That's the only way, we cannot afford to go to India and bring them to run our facilities here, the Americans are not ready to come here and live with you. I can tell you, even Nigerian professionals in various parts of the world power above other nationals when it comes to excellence. All we need is patronage for our indigenous products and services. Government should make a policy to ensure that we look inwards in most of the things we do. Those challenges, Nigerians can handle them So are you saying that you are comfortable with the power sector? Ah! It is relative like I said in the beginning. We should ask ourselves where we are coming from. You know, if you design a power system that will take care of 20 million people and as the population is growing, getting up to 150 million people and you have not added any more generation station what do you expect? Where will you get the power from? Obviously, from the onset you have been able to project that every five or ten years we will have a new generation station, just like in your house or like in any other establishment, if you have more equipment and appliances and you do bring in another generator, how will it work. But I can say precisely that with focused nature of Mr. President and those that are in-charge of the power sector, the difference

is going to be very clear in the power sector. This is because there are certain numbers of power stations that are coming, there are lots of transmission projects that are going on, there are lots of integrated distribution network going on across the entire country so I think Nigerians just need patience and with patience, obviously things will definitely improve. But power is just like road, you don't wake up one morning and realize that there's power everywhere, you don't wake up one morning and discover that the road going from Nsukka through Opi Agu to Enugu have been tarred. So it takes time, people prepare and do the design and all the preparations to tarring for it to mature. That is what is happening and I just said it is a matter of patience. What is you view on constitutional amendments given the many grey areas in the 1999 constitution? Six years, State police, LG autonomy, etc You see, like I said politics is like an elephant, it depends on where you are viewing from. If you ask the man with the proposals for the six years, he has a lot of reasons to proffer, the man who is saying let us leave the way it is has also so many reasons for it. But my view to this situation, to the contentious issues in the constitution, is the enthronement of good governance. The constitution we have is not a very bad one, but that does not mean that we cannot change one or two clauses, I want to tell you, if you are talking of six or eight years, what matters is if the man on the steering sees everybody as members of the same family, if the man doesn't really care which local government you come from, doesn't care which zone you come from, doesn't mind which town you come from, what is needed in your town is provided and what is needed in my town is provided, then nobody is bothered about all these. It's only when the man in-charge decides that the state budget goes to his community or his local government, that's where people will clamour to go and taste the power. I am not saying that one person should remain there for hundred years but I am saying that eight years term is not a terrible number of years that we cannot accommodate with good governance. And good enough we have institutionalized zoning rotation, after going here, it moves to the other place. So I urge Nigerians for restraint, if we elect the leader that we

need, there's no reason why such leadership cannot stay for eight years because he/she comes in not as a governor, not as a president but as an ordinary Nigerian. It will take a little while for such leadership to get used to the running of his office to know how to operate as a president or as a governor, then when he starts cruising just mid way, you say that the tenure is over, it doesn't look realistic to me. I just would wish that we don't heat the system, we will have patience, and we will encourage people in governance to see all of us as one family. With that these things won't pose problem. Are you saying that there are no flaws in the constitution, what is the criteria for the creation of 774 local governments where some states have two times more than some others and where all the other zones in the country have one state each more than the south-east, where is equity which a fundamental element of democracy? No, I cannot say that there are no flaws in the present constitution. Why do we have the National Assembly, we have them because we knew that there are bound to be challenges as regards the existing laws. And Nigerians have made their feelings known to them. They have had conferences, they have looked at critical issues in the constitution, they have looked at the state creation and the local government and saw the imbalances, they looked at fiscal federalism and saw the imbalance; so many things. All Nigerians know about all these things, they are not new; they did not just come today. So all I am saying is that the ones we can tolerate, that is not very critical, that is fair to all of us, we allow them, but these ones that are fundamental like state creation, local government, fiscal federalism and many of them that have been in front burner when we had a constitutional conference, obvious they have to be amended and reflected in the new constitution and like I said that's why the National Assembly is there. So there's no way as a politician I would agree that the whole southeastern Nigeria will have a total number of local government councils equal to Kano and Jigawa states. In fact it is inhuman and this affect development; it affects resource allocation, it affects opportunities and what have you. There's no way I will support that. There should be constitutional amendment to reflect true federalism, balance

of power in our country. There are agitations under various umbrellas like MASSOB, Niger delta militants, Boko Haram, etc, don't you think the reason for all these agitations are summarized in lack of equity in the disbursement or sharing of the nation's common wealth? I agree with you, these pressure groups are bottled pressure groups. You cannot beat a child and ask him not to cry, in a situation where the resource bearing communities are living in abject poverty, which should not be encouraged and should not be allowed in our country. In a situation where the people that have more access to education are unemployed; like in eastern Nigeria, you are aware of the statistics of educated elites are high. In that part of the world, the opportunities are not there for them to work. It is a kind of marginalization on its own and I think the answer to this situation is that government should reorder priority to accommodate these interest groups to ensure that there is equity and justice in the land. Once we have this done, all these pressure groups springing up here and there will all come down. We need justice and we need equity in the land. That's the answer to all these problems. Where's the justice and equity you are talking about when even during the university admissions only the children of elites and wards get through? Secondly how do you handle accreditation matters in FUTO where you are the Prochancellor? Federal University of Technology Owerri is one of the universities in this country. On your first question, the JAMB admission policy, there's something fundamentally wrong in the land today. When you see a young graduate applying for a job, he will start looking for people he knows who can give him a note. In the first instance, he has no confidence that he will attend the interview and pass. Likewise, it's not only about college issues alone, in fact parents are crying foul that admission policy have been adulterated and they no longer get a fair deal. I think it is high time we believe in ourselves. If a student takes JAMB, we should try to find out his/her score as compares to that of others, if for instance 200 marks is cut off for admission, it does not automatically guarantee admission because there are other scores higher than 200. So on merit the higher marks are considered before the lower ones and sometimes the lower ones are not given admission because of the pegged number

Continues on page 30

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Foreign NEWS

Egypt's mufti urges Muslims to endure insults peacefully

Taxis drivers wait for passengers near an beachfront slum in Accra's Jamestown

Ghana's oil wealth not reaching the poor By Agency Reporter

wo years after oil began flowing in Ghana, ordinary Ghanaians are wondering where the oil money is going. The government says there has not been much oil revenue coming in thus far, and analysts say the money that is coming in is not reaching the poor. Like many Ghanaians, Julie Anum had expectations that oil production, which began in December of 2010, would bring about epic changes to life in Ghana. The 54-yearold housekeeper said Ghanaians like her thought oil money would bring about free electricity, free medical care and more jobs. High expectations “Because we've been hearing from other countries that when there is oil, they have everything for free. If it's been flowing for two years, then there should be a change," she said. "There should be an improvement in people's lives. Because you know we have so many in unemployment. So if the oil has started flowing, then they should employ more people to work on the field, the oil field and maybe in their offices. The ministry should employ many people.” Vast reserves of oil were discovered in Ghana in 2007, and production began almost two years ago in the Jubilee Oil Field off Ghana's western

coast. In 2011, its first year of production, Ghana brought in about $444 million - which was half of expected revenue. The oil revenue gets divvyed up between the national oil company to fund its share of operations in the field, an investment and savings fund, and then the annual budget funding amount, which can be used in the current year. But Finance Minister Kwabena Duffour says Ghana has not yet been able to get enough revenue from the oil to bring about changes for the wider population. He says the revenue in 2011 amounted to about one percent of Ghana's GDP. In 2011, government documents show that some $167 million in oil revenue went into the annual budget and only a percentage of that into social services. "Insignificant" impact Bright Simons, the director of Development Research at IMANI Center for Policy and Research, an Accrabased think tank, agrees the money has not been sufficient. “The money that's supposed to go into the funding of social services, etc, has been very miniscule compared to a… GDP of $38-39 billion," said Simons. "You know, probably $13 million or so may have gone into the budget, into social services. That is clearly less than 0.1 percent. So when you look at the impact that oil money on social services has had over the last couple of years, its insignificant."

The Finance Ministry projects that Ghana's oil revenue will not increase significantly until 2014 or 2015 when production should reach peak levels. Not a simple issue Even then, economists say there are challenges to making oil production benefit the wider population. Nicolas Depetris Chauvin, a senior advisor at the Accrabased African Center for Economic Transformation, says the greatest benefits to a local economy are seen when countries don't just export a raw material, but process that raw good into other products. "Think - the Arab countries. The Arab countries, when they discovered oil 90 years ago, they were exporting raw oil," he said. "Now, you go to Saudi Arabia or to Dubai or Abu Dhabi and you ask them: Are you in the oil business? They will tell you no, no. I'm not in the oil business. I'm in the energy business. I'm in the aluminium business, I'm in the steel business. So they have used the fact that they have oil as a resource to develop other industries.” Depetris Chavin says the problem is that Ghana's oil is only predicted to last about 20 years, and it would take a long time to build up the infrastructure and capacity for new industries. Another solution, Simons suggests, is for the oil companies to contribute to the local economy. He said they should buy local products and support local industry. Simons said right now even products like bread are imported onto the oil rigs, and only local elites are profiting from oil contracts thus far. He and other analysts agree that as long as the oil industry continues to be an enclave industry with very few links to the community, it's unlikely Ghana' oil will benefit the poor.

uslims angered by cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammad should follow his example of enduring insults without retaliating, Egypt's highest Islamic legal official said. Western embassies tightened security in Sanaa, fearing the cartoons published in a French magazine on Wednesday could lead to more unrest in the Yemeni capital, where crowds attacked the U.S. mission last week over an antiIslam film made in America. In the latest of a wave of protests against that video in the Islamic world, several thousand Shi'ite Muslims demonstrated in the northern Nigerian town of Zaria, burning an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama and crying "Death to America". The cartoons in France's Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly have provoked relatively little street anger so far, although about 100 Iranians demonstrated outside the French embassy in Tehran. An Islamist activist called for attacks in France to avenge the perceived insult to Islam by the "slaves of the cross". Mu'awiyya al-Qahtani said on a website used by Islamist militants and monitored by the U.S.-based SITE intelligence group: "Is there someone who will roll up his sleeves and bring back to us the glory of the hero Mohammed Merah?” He was referring to an al Qaeda-inspired gunman who killed seven people, including three Jewish children, in the southern French city of Toulouse in March. Condemning the publication of the cartoons in France as an act verging on incitement, Egypt's Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said it showed how polarized the West and the Muslim world had become. His statement echoed one b y A l A z h a r, E g y p t ' s prestigious seat of Sunni learning, which condemned the caricatures showing the Prophet naked but said any protest should be peaceful. An official at the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, whose population of 83 million people is 10 percent Christian, also condemned the cartoons as insults to Islam. Gomaa said Mohammad and his companions had endured "the worst insults from the non-believers of his time. Not only was his message

routinely rejected, but he was often chased out of town, cursed and physically assaulted on numerous occasions. "But his example was always to endure all personal insults and attacks without retaliation of any sort. There is no doubt that, since the Prophet is our greatest example in this life, this should also be the reaction of all Muslims.” Last week some Egyptian protesters scaled the U.S. Embassy walls and tore down the flag. They clashed with police for four days, although most of the thousands of Egyptians who took to the streets did so peacefully. MUSLIM GRIEVANCES Gomaa said insults to Islam and the response, including the killing of the U.S. ambassador in Libya and attacks on other Western embassies in the region, could not be dissociated from other points of conflict between the West and the Muslim world. He cited the treatment of Muslims at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo, the U.S.-led war in Iraq, drone attacks in Yemen and Pakistan, and the demonization of Muslims by far-right European parties as "underlying factors" for the tensions. "To then insist on igniting these simmering tensions by publishing hurtful and insulting material in a foolhardy attempt at bravado - asserting the s u p e r i o r i t y o f We s t e r n freedoms over alleged Muslim closed-mindedness - verges on incitement," he said in his statement published on the Reuters blog FaithWorld. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast condemned the cartoons as "a systematic plot" against Islam. "The coordinated and continued silence of Western countries towards these hateful anti-Islamic actions, is the primary reason for the repetition of such insulting actions," he said. He was speaking a day after French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called the publication of the cartoons a provocation. The Danish cartoonist who outraged Muslims with a drawing of the Prophet seven years ago said the West could not let itself be muzzled by fear of offending Islamic sensibilities.

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FLASHBACK

What you need to know about Onitsha Onitsha (Ọnịcha Mmili)-city-

op:Onitsha landscape. Middle:River Niger Bridge heading from Onitsha. Bottom left:The Onitsha Niger River Port. B o t t o m r i g h t : We l c o m e signboard while entering Onitsha, Anambra State. State: Anambra State LGA: Onitsha North, Onitsha South Founded: 1550Onitsha (Igbo: Ọnịcha Mmili or just Ọnịcha) is a city, a commercial, educational, and religious centre and river port on the eastern bank of the Niger river in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. In the early 1960s, before the Nigerian Civil War (see also Biafra), the population was officially recorded as 76,000, and the town was distinctive in a number of dimensions; the great Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe (born and raised in the contiguous town of Ogidi) characterized it as harboring an "esoteric region from which creativity sallies forth at will to manifest itself," "a zone of occult instability" (see”Onitsha Matters". Though it experienced great suffering during and after the civil war, by virtue of its stillstrategic geographic position Onitsha has continued to develop, and by 2001 had an estimated population of 511,000 with a metropolitan population of 1,003,000. It is currently one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The indigenous people of Onitsha are Igbo and speak the Igbo language. It is here worth noting that Onitsha should not be confused with the other municipalities of the same name Onicha lying further east in Nigeria: Onicha-Uboma, Onicha-Uburu, Onicha-Agu, Onicha-Nwenkwo, OnichaEnuguEzike, Onicha Ngwa, Onicha Nkwerre etc.. On the west bank of the River Niger exists also Onicha Ugbo, Onicha Olona and Onicha Ukwuani. All of which speak Igbo as their native language.

History Most theories on the word 'Onicha' point to the meanings "despiser" or "arrogant"; apparently the people of Onitsha were prone to "look down" upon the people of the towns adjacent to them. 'Onicha' may be a contraction of either 'Ọnịsịlịncha', meaning 'too headstrong [to be disciplined]'; Ọnyịsịlịncha, 'too headstrong [for everyone]'; or 'Ani-Ocha', 'the fair or white land'. Some claim that 'Onicha' is a contraction of

Igbo and Edo words, and perhaps from the word 'Orisha'. However, the existence of quite a number of communities bearing 'Onicha' in the eastern Igbo hinterland, whose history do not relate to Edo, did severely jeopardise this hypothesis. Onitsha was known as Ado N'Idu by citizens who departed from the vicinity of the Kingdom of Benin near the far western portion of Igboland (near what is now Agbor), after a violent dispute with the Oba of Benin that can be tentatively dated to the early 1500s. Traveling eastward through what is now Western Igboland (and various towns also called "Onitsha", for example OnichaUgbo, "farmland-Onitsha"), the Onitsha, led by one Chima eventually crossed the Niger River (Igbo: Orimili) and settled on the east bank in their current location. After their arrival on the east bank (Onicha-mmili,"Onitshaon-water", see above), the community gradually became a unitary kingdom, evolving from a loosely organized group of "royal" and "non-royal" villages into a more centralized entity. Eze Aroli, was apparently the first genuinely powerful Obi of Onitsha, the ruler of the city. In 1857 British palm oil traders established a permanent station in the city, Christian missionaries joining them headed by the liberated African bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther (a Yoruba recaptive) and Reverend John Taylor (an Igbo Recaptive). In 1900 Onitsha became part of a British protectorate. The British colonial government and Christian missionaries penetrated most of Igboland to set up their administration, schools and churches through the river port at Onitsha.

Modern history Onitsha became an important trading port for the Royal Niger Company in the mid 1850s following the abolition of slavery and with the development of the steam engine when Europeans were able to move into the hinterland. Trade in palm kernels and palm oil which was going on on the coast of Bight of Biafra since 12th century was now moved upwards and other cash crops also boomed around this river port in the 19th century. Immigrants from the hinterland of Igboland were drawn to the emerging boom town as did the British traders who settled there in Onitsha, and coordinated the palm oil and cash crops trade. In 1965, the Niger River Bridge was

River Niger Bridge built across the Niger River to replace the ferry crossing.

Obi of Onitsha. There has also a teacher training college for men and a famous leper colony. Despite being one of the biggest commercial cities of west Africa, Onitsha remains congested from the over-concentration of all her huge markets within the old city center and minimal expansion of the colonial roads infrastructure.

Demography Today, Onitsha is a modern day urban society, the people speak Igbo and English languages. There is a catholic cathedral, Anglican cathedral and it is the headquarters of so may church organizations and sociocultural groups. A federal government college is situated in the town. There is an army barrack, a school of metallurgy, and it is the home of the biggest market in the whole of Africa, the Onitsha Main Market.

E d u c a t i o n a l Development

Population The population of Onitsha is not reflected in the Nigerian census figures and the trader migrate to their bases, His Royal Highness Igwe Nnaemeka neighbouring villages and states Achebe, Agbogidi (Obi of Onitsha) during census events reducing the official figures. Onitsha also east-west crossing point of the serves as base for some major Niger River, and occupies the northernmost point of the river industries. regularly navigable by large Economy vessels. These factors have The state of Lagos and various historically made Onitsha a northern towns are partially fed major center for trade between by supplies from Onitsha. Trade the coastal regions and the north, soared between the east and west as well as between eastern and of Nigeria because of Onitsha market. This made Onitsha the western Nigeria. Onitsha strategic gateway for trade possesses one of the very few between the former eastern and road bridge crossings of the milewestern regions. The Nigerian- wide Niger River and plans are in Biafran war brought widespread place to add a second bridge near devastation to the city; at its end it. Today, Onitsha is a textbook came the subsequent oil boom example of the perils of years bringing a huge influx of urbanization without planning or immigrants into the city. The public services. war-damaged facilities, still under repair, could not cope with the pace of the rural-urban exodus into the city. Slums consequently began to emerge from the hasty haphazard building construction to accommodate the huge influx. Geography The River Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Onitsha lies at a major

Religion and politics

The Cathedral Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha. The Anglican church also has a cathedral in the city. The Anglican was the first missionary in Onitsha in 1857. Later came the Catholics in 1884. It is the residence of the traditional ruler of Onitsha, the

Apart from commericial activities, Onitsha was known as the hub of Educational activities East of the Niger. The Second Post-Primary school in Igbo land - Dennis Memorial Grammar School was built in Onitsha in 1925. Christ the King College, Onitsha was built in 1933 while the first Teacher Training College in Igbo land, St. Charles Teacher Training College, was built in 1928. Onitsha also hosts the Meturllogical Institute, Onitsha and Federal Government Girls Secondary School, Onitsha. Prominent citizens of Onitsha Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first Senate President, first GovernorGeneral and first President of Nigeria. Professor Chike Obi, a renowned Mathematician and politician, who was leader of Dynamic Party in first republic. Many legal luminaries like late Magistrate Odogwu, Justice Chuba Ikpeazu, Justice Emmanuel Araka who was Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Francis Nwokedi, Justice Onyechi, Chike Offordile, SAN, former minister; Barrister Belonwu, SAN; First Chief Judge East Central State, Justice G. C. Agbakoba; Justice Moses Belonwu (Second Chief Judge East Central State); Justice Dan Ibekwe (President of Appeal Court).

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Odd world

48year old Mother of twelve children gives birth to quintuplets A

woman who already had 12 children has given birth to quintuplets after conceiving them naturally. The 48-year-old woman from Melbourne, Australia gave birth to two boys and three girls by caesarean section today. Tragically one of the girls died before the birth. A team of 30 specialists including paediatricians, anaesthetists and nursing staff delivered the five babies, the first quintuplets in Melbourne for three decades. The chances of conceiving quintuplets naturally is about one in 55 million, doctors say.

The quintuplets

My wife bit-off my lower lip because I can’t buy her a new car, lawyer tells court

Lagos Grade 'A' Customary Court in Ojo, Lagos has been told how a 50-year-old lawyer is being maltreated by his wife because he cannot buy her a new car. Adewoyo Adetoro, a lawyer who resides at 5, Adekanbi Lane, Okokomaiko, married his wife, Ronke 12 years ago. The have three children aged 11, nine and five. Adetoro alleged that his wife has become egocentric and materialistic especially since she started keeping a clique of high class women as friends. He said: "All had been moving on well with my marriage until she started keeping the company of high class women some years ago. "In 2006, my wife engaged me in a fierce battle over my inability to buy her a car. She even bit-off my lower lip because I told her I had no money for a new car. "I have received several slaps from this woman I call wife. "I had initially sought dissolution of this marriage in 2006, but her family members intervened and I relented. She makes unnecessary demands that are too hard for me to meet." Adetoro alleged that since the beginning of the year, she has increased her

demand for a new car because all her friends have cars. He said he had to sacrifice his own car for her, but she is insisting on a new car. "I even sacrificed my own car for her just for the sake of peace, but she told me that she was not a second hand wife and should be given a new one." He said his wife demanded that daily food allowance must be increased from N600 to N2, 000. "Worst still, this woman told me that I must change the cooking stove to a gas cooker. "Without my consent, she used my money to open a shop at Iyana-Isashi, but my anger now is that she makes my children go to school late and leave early so that they can come and sell for her. I don't like it because it is affecting my children's education," the lawyer said. He said: "My wife is too selfcentered, money conscious and wicked to be called a wife or mother. "I pray this court to dissolve our union since I have endured beyond acceptable limit. "I also appeal that I be granted custody of our three children as I would never allow them grow under the hands of such a greedy woman. The court president, Mr S.B. Giwa, adjourned the case till September 11, for the woman's response.

A spokesman for Monash Medical Centre where the historical birth took place said: “Mum is doing well. One unfortunately did not make it.” The four surviving babies will be cared for around the clock in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. According to Channel Seven, the family of 16 children, who wished not to be identified, is now one of the largest families in the Australian state of Victoria. The last quintuplets born in Victoria were the Kissane quintuplets in 1980 who were born 11 weeks premature. None of the babies survived.

WICKENEDNESS: Chef admits to slow-cooking wife's body for four days after husband, after an argument, killing her tied up her arms and legs and

David Viens and late wife, Dawn

California chef has admitted to the murder of his wife and, even more gruesomely, to disposing of the body in an appropriate fashion: by slow-cooking her for four days. That's what a jury is hearing in the Southern California trial of David Viens, who is accused of killing his 39-year-old wife Dawn on October 18, 2009. Investigators were never able to find her body, and new audiotapes being played for the court shed light on the reason why they may never be able to. According to NBC , the 49-

year-old chef at the former Thyme Contemporary Café in Lomita, Calif., reportedly confessed to two detectives in March 2011, detailing how he allegedly used his kitchen skills to butcher his wife's body. He then allegedly put the 105-pound woman's remains in a metal drum, added water, and turned up the heat. “I took some, some things like weights that we use and I put them on the top of her body, and I just slowly cooked it and I ended up cooking her for four days,” Viens said on the tape. Dawn allegedly died when her

put duct tape over her mouth. He said he had no idea what to do when he found her dead the next morning so he seems to have taken a page out of his cookbook. “I cooked her four days, I let her cool, I strained it out,” he explained in the confession. His confession notes that he mixed her remains with cooking grease at restaurant. He said he stuffed other body parts into garbage bags and tossed it out with the trash. The only part remaining, he stated on the tape, was her skull, which was supposedly stashed in his mother's attic, though investigators were unable to find it after a search. Viens has pleaded not guilty to killing his wife. But the tapes, recorded in March 2011, reveal Viens' confession to the murder. He gave the interview to two detectives while being treated at a Los Angeles hospital after an alleged suicide attempt. In February 2011, Viens jumped off an 80-foot cliff on the Pacific coast after evidence was released that implicated him in his wife's death. Still ailing from the jump, he has attended the trial in a wheelchair.

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Health

Strike: Patients groan as Health workers, Minister lock horns

HE end to the nationwide indefinite strike declared by the Federal health workers under the auspices of Joint Health Workers Union, JOHESU may not yet be in sight as the representatives of Federal Ministry of Health and the striking unions said Friday that they were not ready to shift their positions. Patients on admission in various public health institution have continued to complain over the absence of the medical workers appealing to the Federal Government to quickly resolve the industrial dispute in the interest of the people. While the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu argued that the ministry of health has no power to withdraw the controversial circular, the Lagos State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Ibe Stephen Nwokenta said unless the circular is withdrawn workers will not return to work. The Minister of Health, who

spoke while on a working visit to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba Friday queried why what he described as illegal skipping of CONHESS 10 must be sustained. According to him, there is no reason for skipping, even from the word skipping; you could see there is something wrong. Why must we be so fixated with skipping? Why must we skip? The word alone suggests that something is wrong and something is illegal.” Chukwu said: “The strike is not based on the truth. Most workers have not even justified their pay. Why must a director and a deputy director receive the same salary? The differentiation should not only be on the titles but also on the salary scale. “There is no way anybody can change my mind on this. There is no going back. There is no reason for anybody to jump any level. Vacancy should be created for people to get to that CONHESS 15 but I can't see

how you will skip and things will work out.” He further appealed to striking workers to go back to work, adding that though the skipping happened in the past but there is the need to correct these illegalities. “Let us see how we can move the health sector forward. Let us not be fixated about these issues. It is completely wrong,” he added. In a swift reacting to the position of the minister, Chairman Medical and Health Workers Union, Federal Area Council, MHWU, Nwokenta maintained that skipping policy has to be sustained, stating that the obnoxious circular that has thrown the health care delivery in the country has to withdrawn by the minister of health. His words, “If government said no going back, then, we are not going back too. What we are fighting is the interest of the masses and to alleviate their past sufferings. If the government

maintains its position on no skipping, then, it implies that the masses will continue to suffer.” “Our position remains that skipping must continue. We will not call off this strike until the minister himself withdraws that

Onyebuchi Chukwu, Health Minister

23 women die daily due to lack of access to safe blood in Nigeria expert

r Omo Izedonmwen, a Consultant with the National Blood Transfusion Services, says 23 pregnant women die on a daily basis due to lack of access to safe blood. The consultant said that the

figure was out of the 165 women who died from child birth complications every day. He attributed the development to cultural beliefs, poverty and lack of funds, which he said, constituted a major challenge to effective blood donation and

NMU endorses Emeka Ogbonna for National President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)

ational Mandate Union (NMU) has endorsed pharmacist Emeka Ogbonna for the post of the National President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) This was contained in a release, issued and signed by the Dede Uzor A. Uzor, National president of National Mandate Union, Monday in Onitsha, Anambra State,that Ogbonna had the capacity and fighting spirits to move the association forward as well as turn things around on pharmacy practice in Nigeria. ``This is why, the whole pharmacists in the country must vote for him and support his candidacy. ``He has been in the forefront in the battle against administration of fake drugs and unethical practices in the profession in Abia State and the South-East at large.

``He won a case in the Federal High Court, Owerri against the Imo State Government and the police when former Gov. Ikedi Ohakim led government stopped a meet he convened to discuss the misgovernance and the way forward for pharmaceutical industries in Imo State. ``He also engineered several changes in the pharmacy environment in Abia State,'' it said. The statement said that his activities had earned the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN) judicial pronouncements that have strengthened the council powers over the nation's pharmacy practice among others. It said that ``If elected, Ogbonna would bring his wealth of experience to re-structure and redeem the pharmaceutical community in Nigeria'’

transfusion in the country. Izedonmwen, who is in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation of blood donation and transfusion, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday. He said it was impossible for the Federal Government alone to provide everything for the people. ``I don't believe government should do everything. I believe people should drive the process before government can key in. Government is supposed to coordinate peoples` affairs. ``Especially the media. You people have the key to making this a success and unless we stop seeing it as a commercial process. ``Talking about this, I have realised that our lives depend on it, your life depends on it; we would not move further. ``Let me give you an example, Dana plane crash that killed 153 people. The whole country was at a standstill, people were mourning. ``But, everyday 165 women die from child birth and 23 of those women would die because they do not have access to blood. ``These are issues that could be me, my wife, my brother, my sister, my friend that died and to me that is not an issue to be commercialised.

obnoxious circular. The minister himself benefited from this system. Now, he wants to withdraw it. Why is it that it is now that he wants to withdraw it?”

``I want to see a situation where the media will take it as a challenge to breaking the jinx in blood donation, volunteerism to donate blood.” He said that lack of public awareness and the political will had hindered the development of an effective blood donation and transfusion system in the country. Izedonmwen, however, advised the media to create awareness on the significance of an effective system of blood donation and transfusion. ``There is myriad of problems, low awareness of voluntary non-remunerated donation in Nigeria. ``Lots of people do not know that blood is an essential part of medicine and that lots of people die because they do not have accessibility to safe blood. ``The top most on the challenges; we have challenges of culture beliefs, funds, we have challenges of political will to drive the process and so many other challenges. ``But central to all these challenges is the low awareness of the Nigerian people to blood. Of course, people are also very poor; once poverty takes the centre stage, it is difficult to get people to see other things, raising awareness to help blood transfusion or blood donation in Nigeria.” (NAN)

Physician warns against excessive use of insecticide Dr Kingsley Osagie, a Consultant Chest Physician at the National Hospital, Abuja, has warned Nigerians against excessive use of insecticides. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that when inhaled, insecticides could cause damage to the lungs. Osagie recommended the use of mosquito treated nets as against insecticide. “We live in a tropical zone and of course mosquitoes everywhere; the tendency to use insecticide is always there. Insecticide generally, yes while killing the mosquitoes, they are major irritants to the respiratory system. “The truth about it is that this insecticides when sprayed they have condensates, they interact and then of course those particles start coming down and when you inhale them they can cause direct damage to the lungs. “So for the individuals at risk of developing chronic lung diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive airway disease, when exposed to this insecticide the rate of difficulty with breathing increases and worsens the disease conditions and could result in death. (NAN)

THE

ADVOCATE

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

POLITICS

Cross River and need for public awareness on international Convention center By: Edem Archibong, Calabar

ince the relocation of the Capital of Nigeria from Calabar to Lagos in 1904 by the British imperialist in preparation for the emergence of the 1914 amalgamation which brought about the present day Nigeria, much has not been known about the ancient city of Calabar except scanty historical references not until the 21st century democratic era traced to less than twelve years ago. Candidly, the most sought for democratic rule has today impacted tremendously on the socio-economic life of Nigerian States as each federating unit that constitute the entity have struggled and still battling competitively to liberate their teeming population illiterates into semi-literates status while the endemic poverty menace could be reduced before 2030 to a manageable size . It is worthy to mention that despites the one party disposition of Nigeria, although the electoral umpire may claim rightly about operating a multi party system, the level of improvement on the quality and standard of living today is commonly widespread as most rural incline area are on the verge of attaining the status of urbanization. Notably, the increasing rate of corruption in high places has bitten deep into our sociopolitical polity as well as experiencing on each passing day, the crime wave resulting from a number of factors while the Judiciary on the other hand had also learnt to pull a string of independenc but not yet totally free from the hook of the executive, including corrupt tendency. Comparatively, the present Cross River State which came to being in 1987 did maintain it Calabar Capital without much to show until the emergence of the new brand of political actors to upsurge some innovation and creativity into governance but not without blemish. The state which was primarily an opposition dominated according to the results of the councils election in December,1999 where All Peoples Party (APP) later renamed, All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) won ten out of the eighteen councils area of the

state while PDP had eight. No gain saying that since the ANPP then was engulfed with crisis due to the choice of gubernatorial candidate in disfavor of the Southern Senatorial District, the PDP candidate then, Mr. Donald Duke who was initially considered as a political minor, suddenly emerged governor of the state while the 25 members of the state Assembly were equally shared with ANPP 13 and PDP 12 respectively. This lead was short live as the opposition party had no

project which many considered as white elephants projects. At the introduction of this project which was conceived to be the Dubai equivalent and first of it kind shopping center on the shore of Africa while the facilities were expected to be state of the art since it will serve not only Nigerians but including other neighboring countries as well. The exact figure of this project cost was not determined or given to Cross Riverians except that it will be a multimillion dollars investment that

It is on this reason that the recent facilities tour briefing of the media at the site of Calabar International Convention Center by the Special Assistant to Governor Liyel Imoke on the project, Mr. Nsan Ogbe is a step in the right direction and worth commendation as such tour was not a close one but open to all. He took pains to explained that the 2,500 seats purpose built auditorium, 18 Holes golf course and convention center located adjacent to the Tinapa Business Investment and Leisure Resort is being handled by the third

Gov Imoke vision and became chickened out by the ruling party resulting into the lost of the initial heated and reasonable debate at the floor of the State Assembly to the admiration of Cross Riverians then, who had been fascinated and often spared their precious time to watch and listen to them. Before the turn of the next gubernatorial election, a chunk of the former thirteen opposition members declared and joined the PDP while the governor, Mr. Donald Duke employed effectively, the use of brute force to wipe any human that want to raise his/her head from the opposition camp. Having mounted the saddle for second term, Governor Duke who had earlier conceptualized the Carnival programme now regarded as the biggest Street party in Africa to boast tourism in the state also introduced Tinapa business and Leisure

would turn around the economy of this state for good as well as being a private sector driven huge investment. Undoubtedly, the biggest construction firm in Nigeria such as Julius Berger was drafted to commence work at the site while the world wide Cable News Network (CNN) were contracted to give publicity for the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort project immediately after the architectural design had been put down . Although the negative effect of this mass publicity may contribute to the overall non realization of Tinapa's vision which later became the property of Cross River State Government and no longer a private investment initiative, but one fact stands to be recognized as that publicity helped many people in identifying the location of Calabar in the map of Nigeria.

largest world construction firm known as BNL and given a deadline of 20 months to complete and deliver the project to the state government. In event of failure to meet this dateline, Mr. Ogbe hinted that BNL will be in the position to pay some unspecified amount as demurrage into the coffer of the state government as part of the contract bridge charges while this contract is solely financed by the Cross River State Government. Besides, he added that 284 houses will be built as Estates close to the convention center with a water park to complement the Tinapa Water Park under the sponsors of the private sector initiative while the once abandoned Mono-rail project conceptualized by Donald Duke but later cancelled as being too elitist by his predecessor has been exhumed and re-introduced

to link the International Convention Center with Tinapa Resort for tourist delight. Mr. Ogbe revealed that in line with the Government policy for the need to establish state own polytechnic now in the offing in Ugep to address the middle manpower need of the state, the students of Engineering Department, University of Cross River State are practically being drafted to be involve from inception level at the International Convention Center project. He maintained that already, the Landlordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community have been duly compensated while others prefer to be involved as stakeholders and this seems unreal since convention center all over the world is exclusively owned by government not a joint venture. Absolutely, this sounds lofty and gracious if religiously executed with the vision and mission of transforming the economy of Cross River State now or for the future generation yet unborn. It should not be seen as an opportunity to be used as conduit pipe to embezzle the scarce public resources but cautiously done for sake of posterity and legendary legacy. Secondly, it should be mentioned here that if Mono-rail project is to be re-introduced , it is necessary that its first design of starting from the Margret Ekpo's International Airport via International Convention Center through to Tinapa ought to be considered to ensure the security of tourist from having bare contact with hoodlums and vandals at entry point. Conclusively, unlike his predecessor, it is now time if we mean to achieve the desired objective in bringing the world to our International Convention Center comparable to any other in the globe, the most paramount target we can use to realize this is to engage once more, the services of CNN advertisement programme that can run for at least a period of one year beaming the International Convention Center as well as the Tinapa Resort to the outside worled. It is a proven case in marketing that even though the cost of publicity is high and expensive, but the effect would impact positively on the socioeconomic life of the state and many opportunities can also open to both the citizens and tourist alike.

THE

Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

Politics

Chime's N13bn secretariat

The controversy over N13 billion secretariat complex in Enugu has taking a different dimension following mix reaction from stakeholders who faulted the action of governor Sullivan Chime that geared towards providing workers with a new office complex. The Advocate Editor Larry Onwuta writes on the issue in contention and the possibility of realizing the government's dreams and set-objectives.

he people from the South Eastern region of this country are far from the truth of living a legacy to the younger generation. The destruction of the ancient buildings constructed by the colonial masters some time in 1945 is as good as setting aside the structures that ought to have been positioned as historical monument of the old eastern Nigeria capital Enugu, in Enugu state. Enugu people inherited this edifice not because they are the only people from the zone but for the fact that they occupy the geographical location that made up the coal city capital of old eastern Nigeria. If the region especially the South East truly understands the historical importance, nobody should be contesting the demolition of the colonial built secretariat complex in Enugu. But whatever happens, the truth remains that Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state has embarked on the construction of N13 billion secretariat complexes which various interest groups have kicked against it, according to Civil Liberty Organization in Enugu, the new secretariat complex was not a priority of the government or its people. It also likened the N13 billion already approved for the project as “pouring salt into a soakaway pit”. The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP Enugu State chapter while reacting to the development also criticized government's decision to embark on such a gigantic project, alleging that the Chime's administration and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, intend to use the project to save money for the 2015 elections. CNPP membership in the state were drawn from over twenty political parties namely Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Congress for Progressive Change, the Justice Party, the L a b o u r P a r t y, N a t i o n a l Solidarity Democratic Party, Peoples Party of Nigeria, and the Republican Party of Nigeria etc. In a statement signed by Adonys Igwe and John Nwobodo on behalf of representatives of the parties, said: “The proposed building of a new secretariat at a whopping sum of N13bn is unacceptable. We advise the governor to put

his priorities right. What is wrong with the existing secretariat? The structure is still solid and was built in accordance with international best building standard and could still last longer than a century. It is an ancient heritage, a monument that must be guarded jealously. The Commissioner for Information to the governor of Enugu state, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, had earlier noted that the money for the secretariat has

service delivery. The Advocate learnt that governor Chime has also approved N63.5m for relocation of ministries to facilitate the movement; Mr. Ugwoke said that Exco approved the sum of over N63.5 million for the renovation of Ministry of Justice Annex that will house the main Ministry of Justice that is among the Ministries that will be affected. In addition, the sum of over N34.5 million was approved by

suffered serious abandonment and neglect by the present government include the International Conference Centre. The pet project of the Nnamani government has been taken over by snakes, rats, rodents occupying the tick forest that has swallowed the centre. The Advocate investigations proved that the international conference centre was sighted at the three arms zone at Okpala Avenue in

Enugu Secretariat marked for demolition already been approved by the State Executive Council, SEC, meeting presided over by the governor at the Government House, stating that the new secretariat, when completed, would have four 'functionally connected' office building complexes and annexes. Ugwoke, who was at the briefing with his counterparts in the Ministry of Land, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam, and the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Emeka Abugu, as well as the Special Adviser to the governor on InterGovernmental Matters, Ms. Rita Mbah, said the new secretariat would address acute shortage of office accommodation facing the civil servants in the state. He also stated that most of the office buildings in the current secretariat were old and in a deplorable state, according to him, the new secretariat would provide and enhance functional office accommodation which would improve productivity and

the council for the completion of works including demarcation and filling of offices for the ministries that will relocate to the wing two of the old CCB Building along Okpara Avenue, Enugu recently acquired by state government. Well, the battle has just begun; it requires sound and superior argument for government to convince the electorate on why those colonial buildings should be demolished. Looking at the situation from critical point of view, one would be forced to believe that Chime's administration has some level of genuine intention but if the intention is not well utilized then it falls short of the governor's dreams and aspirations. Some concerned Enugu indigenes have always maintained that there are numerous projects abandoned in the state. Top on the list of the projects inherited from Chimaroke Nnamani administration which have

Enugu state. The zone comprises the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary which makes the initiative of the former governor a noble one. It was gathered that the International Conference Centre: located at Independence Layout, Enugu, is a state-of-theart centre which has among others a 5,000 seater main bowl, 1,500 seater small bowl, 1, 000 seater dome theatre, a 200-room hotel and office complex It was alleged that the incumbent governor, Chime had in the past said that some of the reasons why he could not complete the International Conference Centre was due to lack of fund. But on the contrary, the actions of the governor in the recent time has not justified his claims, if finance is the problem for non completion of the conference centre then why should the government embarked on construction of a new secretariat worth of N13 billion? It was also gathered that the conference centre project

was supposed to cost about N5.4 billion if completed. The investigations reviewed that the attitude of the government towards conference centre has invited strangers and it has been taken over by reptiles, and hunters passed through the fence into the premises and hunt for animals of different kinds that are currently using the centre as their private apartments. Sources who spoke on the development alleged that some portion of the conference centre has been allocated to some individuals who now build on the land, stating that the government is embarking on selfish projects other wise the uncompleted projects in the state ought to have been taken care of before initiating new ones. In reaction to the proposed erection of a new secretariat that would cost N13 billion, the Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Hon Sunday Onah and a member of the party in Enugu state Mr Osita Okechukwu have obtained court injunction restraining governor Chime from embarking on the said project.This motion is brought pursuant to Order 26, Rules 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 of the Federal High Court Rules 2009. It is supported by a twelve paragraph affidavit deposed to by the 1st Applicant. We rely on all the paragraphs particularly paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.In paragraph 3 the 1 st Applicant deposes to the fact that the Enugu State Government has announced that it will from 18th September, 2012 starts the demolition of the old secretariat buildings to erect a new Secretariat Complex on the same site. In paragraph 4 he deposes to the fact that state Government plans to borrow a huge amount N13.6 billion from two new generation banks to execute such a prestigious project. The crux of the Applicants' case is that it will amount to financial recklessness for the Government to embark on such extravagant project in the face of other pressing or more cogent demands on the financial resources of the state and will also amount to mortgaging the future of the people in Enugu State by leading to a debt trap. The Applicants as responsible people of Enugu State and tax payers feel

Continues on page 19

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

POLITICS

project sets Enugu ablaze Continues from page 18

Abandoned International Conference Centre in Enugu obligated to do all within their means-lawfully to stop the State Government from the act of financial recklessness which will also destroy the legacy left to the people by the Colonial Administrators The motion ex parte brought pursuant to order 26, rules 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the Federal High Court rules 2009, the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu Judicial Division has issued an Order in a suit No EN/M/132/2012 restraining the government of Enugu State of Nigeria, his agents or proxies from demolishing the old Secretariat buildings at G.R.A. Enugu and erecting a new Secretariat Complex at the site as recently announced by the Enugu State Government. And such further or other orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance. While reacting to the statement accredited to the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, the Enugu State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Engr Vita Abba said PDP has reaffirmed its implicit confidence in the ability of its State Government under the leadership of Sullivan Iheanacho Chime to continue to embark on far reaching reforms in all sectors of our socioeconomic and political life aimed at transforming Enugu state for better. The Party also condemns in stronger terms the condemnation from misguided members of the CNPP over the decision of our State Government to give priority attention to the working environment of the State workforce by deciding to build a

modernized state secretariat complex to among others, enhance efficient service delivery and address the acute shortage of office accommodation in the State for proper coordination of Government activities. The Party also reminds the nine parties that the PDP led State Government of Governor Sullivan Chime is accountable to the people of Enugu State who voted us into power and will remain committed to programmes and policies that would not only sustain the tremendous achievements recorded in the last five years but also create a conducive working environment in the state workforce for the Government to achieve more in the remaining sectors such as industrialization of the State through Public Private Partnership(PPP) before the end of the present PDP administration. It is therefore, mischievous, false and baseless to allege that the proposed building of a new state secretariat by the State Government was meant to make money for the 2015 general elections. PDP has no opposition in Enugu State based on the unprecedented performance of the Party since the inception of the present administration under the able leadership of Governor Sullivan Chime who has exhibited high sense of transparency and accountability in governance. Consequently, there is no basis whatsoever for the Party to contemplate sourcing fund through award of contracts to prosecute its elections in 2015. It is also incorrect for the opposition to allege that the PDP and its leaders are ingrates.

Rather, it is these members of the nine opposition political parties that should see themselves as ingrates. It is on record that the PDP government in the State has on different occasions shown magnanimity to the opposition parties by ways of political appointments, patronages and other mutual considerations. It is laughable for the self acclaimed leaders of the nine opposition political parties to dream of unseating PDP in Enugu State in 2015. The PDP remains the Party to beat in the State having delivered on its campaign promises to the good people of Enugu State. We therefore, urge our teeming supporters and the general public to disregard the said publications by drowning politicians who want to incite the people against our State Government for selfish reasons. The CNPP further stated that Abba meant the opposite when he alleged that members from different political parties are seeking cheap popularity. “Most of our members have been in politics before him. His reaffirmation of confidence in the Governor is nothing but trying to save face. He had stoutly opposed our support for the Governor at a time the Governor's fate was hanging in the balance”. Now, he loves the Governor. What a folly! “Abba and his party have nothing good to offer the State than to impose hardship and impoverish the people and that is why we must sweep them out in 2015. The secretariat in question belongs to all Enugu people, and not to Abba or governor Chime. The governor should listen to superior

argument; the project is unpopular and does not enjoy public support. It runs contrary to public interest. We state for the umpteenth time that the proposed project is a waste of resources and an avenue to divert public fund”. “The governor knew he will demolish the existing building, yet the government spent several hundreds of millions of naira to renovate and refurbish the Head of Service building. Ministry of Finance building, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry building. The excuse of enhancing service delivery and acute shortage of office accommodation is untenable. A lot of offices in the state secretariat are lying waste and unoccupied”. Does this government think Enugu people are fools? During the minimum wage debacle the governor swore that the monthly balance after payment of wages is about N500.000.000. He said then that the state wage bill leaves the state with no fund for capital projects. If this statistics is anything to go by, where would the governor source N13 billion from? “We restate our resolve to mobilize the progressives and all patriotic people of Enugu state to stop the governor from embarking on this wasteful venture. We must say that we are not comfortable with the conspiratorial silence of the Enugu State House of Assembly on this matter. We urge them to pass a resolution against the project and impeach the governor should he go ahead with it,” CNPP stated. The chairman of Civil Liberty Organization, CLO, in Enugu state, Comrade Osmond Ugwu, who spoke on the development said the proposed secretariat complex was the most “wasteful project” the Chime administration would ever embark upon. Ugwu stated that the existing secretariat complex built during the colonial rule had remained a historic monument which generations yet unborn would be proud of, adding that rather than demolishing the building, the government should rehabilitate it and provide basic necessities currently lacking at the complex. He said: “I see the government's plan to build a N13 billion secretariat as one trying to pour salt into dirty water in a soak-away pit is of no benefit to anybody. It is a waste of Enugu State funds. To demolish the existing structure and build another is a waste of public fund and it is most

reckless for the government to do that and it will mean that the present government lacks the consciousness of what governance is all about. “As we are talking now workers at the secretariat are being denied of their basic rights, entitlements and those essential things that can make life going while working for the government. Some workers are being owed more than 10 months salary arrears yet the government is only interested in rebuilding secretariat complex with a huge fund which can be channeled to other rewarding ventures. “The state-owned tertiary institutions are lacking basic facilities like libraries, and other facilities needed for conducive learning and the government has not thought of addressing these needs. Apart from the schools, the stateowned hospitals have dilapidated infrastructure that require urgent attention. “Several buildings under construction at the Parklane Hospital had been abandoned to decay even when the hospital is lacking accommodation yet they want to demolish an edifice built by the colonial masters which has remained an everlasting legacy. “If the government has such amount of money to lavish on a non-priority project, it should rethink and channel same to completing the abandoned buildings in the hospital and tertiary institutions.” The CLO Chairman noted with regrets that the government had no plans to employ millions of jobless youths in the state, adding that human development and empowerment ought to be a major priority of the government but the reverse had been the case. He called on stakeholders in the state including the elders, the legislature, the labour unions, religious leaders and the civil society to rise against the project and ensure that it was not implemented “because it will not impact positively on the people of Enugu State.” “On the whole, we in the CLO will enter into a coalition with other serious minded people in the society to mobilize against that project because it is never a priority. Government should set its priority right,” Ugwu said. The earlier government of Chime understands why the new secretariat project may not work and shift grounds to avoid his leadership engaging on unnecessary litigation and confrontation with other stakeholders in the state better for the people of the state.

THE

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

ADVOCATE

Events and Personalities The Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Enugu State Branch recently inaugurated its Regional Liaison office located at No. 127 Chime Avenue (Akalaka Plaza), New Haven, Enugu. The ceremony was attended by the NIESV President, Mr. Emeka Eleh, members of the national executive, Enugu State Commissioner for Capital Territory Development, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, members of NIESV Enugu State Chapter among other dignitaries.THE ADVOCATE captured the event live.

Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria in partnership with Total Nigeria Plc on Friday launched HIV/AIDS! Tuberculosis and Malaria Preventive Awareness Project at the Total Service Station, Presidential Road, Enugu. The event was attended by officials of Enugu State Government, traditional rulers,staff of Total and members of the public. Free HIV test and counselling services were rendered to members of the public at the event.

THE

ADVOCATE

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

5 Must Have Accessories 1. SUN GLASSES Over sized sun glasses are fashionable and has been in vogue since 2009. It's a must have accessory that you feel like hiding away from the world.

2. COCKTAIL RING This accessory has defined many outfits on the runway, red carpet and much more in a well manicured and polished finger nailsâ&#x20AC;Ś so if u aint got one, hurry!!!

3. STATEMENT JEWELRY A good fashionable statement jewelry is an easy way to update your look and wardrobe without much stress. Ranging from necklaces, bracelets, bangles and cuffs, really look trendy all the time.

4. CLUTCH BAG You will always need a clutch bag to embrace your look at any event or occasion. Overtime, it has been filled with decorative applications, stones, different types of fabric and prints.

5. HEELS AND PLATFORMS There will be no need to worry about a well pedicure feet in this that makes one elegant, sexy and chic. It has indeed helped ladies to gain a few inches in height.

THE

ADVOCATE

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

& INSIDE A LADY'S HANDBAG

Beauty and Health

Have you ever wondered why ladies cannot go out without their hand bags? Could it be the content, to compliment their outfit, habit or addiction, or better still a tradition? Most ladies complete their unfinished makeup in the office, school, market or place of work; hence they carry several items inside their handbags. Want to know what these items are? Guess?

Contact lenses, when they are dangerous to your health Contact lens, or simply contact is a lens placed on the eye. They are considered medical devices and can be worn to correct vision, for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons. When compared with spectacles, contact lenses typically provide better peripheral vision, and do not collect moisture. Wearing coloured contact lenses is a trendy fashion accessory amongst ladies. esp. younger people. However, experts warn that when contact lenses are not worn or handled properly, they can cause some problems that require long term treatment and in severe cases, surgery can take place. Improper wearing of contact lenses causes changes in the cornea in terms of structure, turnover tear production and

carbon dioxide levels. So ladies, we are all advised to please, wash our hands properly a minute before wearing our contacts. Keep our lens cases clean in a conducive environ getting a good solution in storing our contact lenses not using ordinary water and please do not sleep with your lenses.

Cleaning Hair Accessories Often we concentrate on keeping our hair clean and in tiptop shape, but how often do we consider the cleanliness of those items we use to style and accessorize our hair on a daily basis? I'm talking about the combs, brushes, headbands, scrunches, bands and even the rollers, ruffles etc. All you need is a little shampoo, some warm water and good ole elbow grease. It doesn't even have to be your favourite shampoo. You can use a cheap shampoo Combs and brushes Combs and brushes need to be cleaned often. To clean simply place a dollop of shampoo on the

brush, wet lightly and then use the brush to clean the teeth of the comb. Once the comb is clean you can stroke the comb through the brush to clean the brush. Scrunches, Headbands, Scarves, Bands & Elastics For these accessories, soak in a bowl of warm water with enough shampoo to make a good lather. Once they have been soaking for a few minutes and while still soaking; squeeze them to remove the grease and build-up and then rinse. If the build-up is heavy you may choose to soak overnight.

Rollers To clean, soak in warm water with shampoo. After they have been soaking for a little while, use an old toothbrush (that hasn't been exposed to any harsh chemicals) to scrub the grease and grime from each roller. Once done rinse and place on a towel to air-dry. Before you start washing determine whether the accessory is wash-safe. Headbands with delicate f e a t h e r s a n d embellishments for example are probably not good candidates for washing. Use your better judgement before washing any hair accessory.

THE

ADVOCATE

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

INTERVIEW

I am being hounded because I said APGA will field presidential candidate in 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Umeh The views of Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on burning national and political issues in the country can not be ignored. He currently leads a national party that presently controls power in Anambra and Imo States in the South-East geo-political zone. On his return from a trip to the United Kingdom recently Journalists met him at Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu where he bared his mind on issues of national importance, especially as it affects the South-East. THE ADVOCATE captured highlights of the interview. Excerpt The Court recently ruled on the local government crisis in Imo state. What is your reaction to that? Nigerians must come to complete terms with the reality that democracy is driven by rule of law. There is nothing anybody can do in democracy that can be justified if it falls outside the ambit of the law. When the PDP siege in Imo state started, our party called on them to submit themselves to the rule of law. They first went to court. There is nothing they could have done to usurp the rule of law in trying to ventilate whatever grievances that they may have and it is very good that the governor of Imo State and the government of Imo state despite the provocations did not do anything that will escalate the crisis. The court has ruled again that you cannot from a higher court come to a lower court to seek redress over a matter that has been settled. So, we know that Imo State will be calm now and development will continue. The government in Imo State and the Governor, Rochas Okorocha, they are performing marvelously well for the people of Imo State and they need peace. Without peace, atmosphere of friendship and cordiality, you retard development. So, all the noise made in Imo State in the past three months because of a very simple matter, that even school children knew that PDP was unnecessarily being aggressive; the noise has fizzled out now. The Governor of Anambra State and some Igbo leaders recently endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term. That has obviously put paid to the clamour for Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. What do you think? I just returned from England this morning. I was not there when the statements you alluded to were made. I know that sometimes, people may be quoted out of context. But this is a democracy and people are entitled to their individual opinions. The only thing that is very important is that statements being made on behalf of any group of persons must be discussed. We are not against anybody being President of Nigeria but what is important is that when issues of such nature come up, our people for example, must distill the issues before arriving at any decision. Nothing can be hastily done. But that notwithstanding, political parties have their own decisions to make. When people begin to talk about issues that will affect the interest of various political parties, they must know that those various political parties at the end of the day, must take their decisions before you

talk about the electorate. It is only when the parties take their decision by bringing out candidates that the electorate will have choice. Be that as it may, everybody is entitled to his own opinion. I know that the yearning of our people is to produce a President for this country at the highest level. If there is any reason why the Igbos should not produce President for this country in 2015, it is not by jumping the gun and making noise. If we have the opportunity in 2015, we shall take it. Will APGA field candidate for 2015? It is not a new statement. As the chairman of APGA, I have said it that any political party should always aspire

next March. How would you react to this? Well, it is cheering news to hear that construction work on the Second Niger Bridge will commence from March 2013. But I was very worried with what I read that the Second Niger Bridge will be concessioned to an international development consortium that would construct the bridge. And what this thing means is that actually, the international development consortium will bring the fund for the construction of the bridge. And the international development consortium will be expected to recover its funds. So what this therefore means is that if that is the financing plan for the

Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman APGA to provide leadership for this country at the highest level. If a political party is existing just to contest local government election and governorship election, the future of such party will be very bleak. It is our desire as a political party that we shall contest all the elections in Nigeria in 2015, from presidency to councilors. Once elections are called for, the desire of our party is to contest those elections. That is why our party was registered in the first place to contest elections. It is not left for a political party to choose which one to contest and which one not to contest. If that begins to happen, it means that the party is visionless. And so, it is our desire and God willing for us to give Nigerians a change which they have been yearning for. The President during his visit to Anambra State said work will commence on the Second Niger Bridge

Second Niger Bridge, it means that the Federal Government is not taking any financial responsibility for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, and that is where I am worried. It will mean that the Bridge will be constructed by the consortium and toll gates will be mounted around Onitsha. One at the Asaba end to the Onitsha-Owerri road and may be, Onitsha-Awka-Enugu road end. It therefore means that those people who will be using the bridge will be paying for the cost of constructing the Bridge. I also saw a twin issue where the Honourable Minister of Finance was quoted to have said that about 450 million dollars loan has been negotiated for fighting the scourge of erosion in the South-East. From the details given by the Honourable Minister, there will be a 10-year moratorium when there will be no repayment. It will be interest free, but

the loan will be repaid within 40 years. What this thing means is that federal government will be borrowing the money for the South-Eastern states to fight erosion. What was not clear in her statement was whether it is the federal government that will pay this loan or the states in the South-East. If the states in the South-East will repay this loan, I am afraid to say that these two issues are very worrisome. If our people will pay for the cost of these services, it will mean that we are not getting anything from the federal government per se. One would have expected to get a clear commitment by the federal government that it will undertake the construction of the second Niger bridge and finance it itself. And also this erosion issue. We do not have money in the South-East because of the paltry money we receive from federal allocation. If we will be saddled with the responsibility of paying for these services, then it means that our people will continue to suffer. Just this year alone, the federal government has released N20 billion for reconstructing bridges in Benue State. That is the type of thing that one will like to hear that the federal government is doing in the South-East. So, these things are very important. What about the Enugu International Airport? Yes, you know that for the Enugu International Airport, we are waiting for the construction of the terminal building and putting in place, all the things that will make that airport, an international airport in the real sense of it. These are the expectations of the people of this zone from the President. We want things to be done in very concrete manner and not the way we presently reading them in the papers. The Enugu-Onitsha expressway is a failed road. The Enugu Port-Harcourt expressway is no longer a road. So, if the President wants to talk to our people, we expect concrete actions being taken towards solving some of these major problems that we have. I read that the federal government has approved N18 billion according to the Hon. Minister of Works for the reconstruction of Enugu-Onitsha expressway. Approval you know in contract administration means nothing until you release the funds with which this job can be executed. The EnuguOnitsha expressway is a very pitiable situation. Contractors have been on that road every year, yet nothing is being achieved. I think the more positive way of dealing with the people of the SouthEast is by putting money on the jobs that will be done and the job will be seen to be

Continues on page 24

THE

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

ADVOCATE

INTERVIEW

Why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m being hounded Continues from page 23 done so that when we are talking about anything, we have basis for taking up such issues. So, I feel that our people should have proper sense of measurement of issues. Endorsement for the presidential election that will come in 2015 if I should say is too early for anybody to make statements about. There is no doubt that we gave Jonathan absolute support for him to become President in 2015. Are you regretting that? We are not regretting that, it was a conscious decision by all the stakeholders in the South-East including APGA as a political party. One would not expect that in just about a year and three months into his first tenure, we start talking about his endorsement for 2015. It is too early and will be disservice to our people to say the least. Let us behave like people who have sense of measurement. Nobody in Nigeria will deny that the Igbos made it possible for Jonathan to become President in 2011, if he wants to run in 2015, I do not think that any Igbo man should be talking about endorsement in 2012. When we get there, we see how things have faired. We have to take stock. The interest of the Igbos will not be reduced to personal interest of individuals. It is important that the Igbo people should begin to understand what is called the collective interest of a people, not interest of individuals. But like I have said in democracy, people are entitled to their opinion. They can say whatever they want but the caution there is that nobody should be speaking for the Igbo people now in such very important sensitive issue. If there is anything, this is a period of harvest for the support that we have given. But, when the time comes, we check our harvest. That is the way many organized groups will approach most of these things. But like I also told you, people who have spoken may have expressed their individual opinion. Political parties have their own decision to make. If in 2015, we have a good candidate, APGA we will give it a shot. We shall continue to say it. We will not for the risk of being attacked, begin to say things that are not proper. We are very hopeful that APGA has something to offer Nigeria and if we have a candidate that will win that presidential election, that will be the best thing to do. And that candidate will be candidate that will compete effectively with the presidential candidate of other political parties. So, at the end of the day if no political party wins, we will be more comfortable in a coalition government where we will be

part of decision making process in government. That is it; I will say that without condemning anybody, I consider the issues being canvassed in 2012 for an election that will take place in 2015 as very premature. It is too early and I will plead with my Igbo brethren to exercise restraint in this regard. Let us not allow sentiment and emotion to overtake our sense of judgment on such important issues. When we get to the river we know how to cross it, whether with a canoe or with a bridge. We have been talking about Igbo presidency. When you bring it down to APGA, for some time now, the people have been dropping the name of Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as your party's likely candidate. What do you have to say about this? Rochas Okorocha is presently the Governor of Imo State. Whatever he will do will be his personal decision. APGA is not conscripting anybody into any election. Our members are at liberty to aspire to any position. You see, the thing that people must take dear to their hearts is a very simple fact. If you enter an aircraft, they will tell you that in case of an emergency, there are things that you are advised to do for yourself first before helping an infant. It is in that vein, as an Igboman I think of what will promote the interest of an Igboman first because you must understand that I am first an Igboman before being a Nigerian. But because politics is very dynamic, it is not possible that one can now foreclose anything. But what is important is that you have to be guided by cautionary steps. You do not just start saying things because of emotions or sentiments or personal relationship. It will even be better that when we get to 2015, all of us will meet in the field so that everybody will know the worth of any part of Nigeria. It is by being in the field that we can be reckoned with. If you are not in the field, nobody will reckon with you. Let me even borrow from my brother Governor in Anambra State. He used to say that if you go to the stadium as a spectator, you do not get any medal after the football match, that those who play the game get the medals. Those who win get the medals. So, spectators do not win medals. And it will be very unfair if we reduce Igbo people to spectators in any match. We should be players, so that in the course of playing the game, we know the tackles to throw, so that our opponents will realize our weight. We cannot submit ourselves to discretion. Things that would be done for Igbo people should not be things that

should be left to discretion. They are things that must be properly articulated. If support should be given to anybody, it is very important that give the support when you are sure that you cannot get it at that material time. Whatever position we take must be reduced to writing so that it must be concrete. Did the Igbos including APGA went into an agreement with Jonathan before supporting him in 2011? No, these things have been written in the papers. Last week I was reading the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nduka Eya, he said there was no agreement reached with President Jonathan by the Igbos before support was given to him. In our own case, that is our party APGA, there was no agreement too, even though I wished that there was that agreement as the Chairman of the party. But circumstances at that time couldn't allow us to push for that agreement at all costs. So, we supported him. That is why I am saying that things of this nature should not be left to discretion. If you leave things to discretion, you do not get what you are entitled to, you cannot complain. I know that in 2011 there were negotiations between the South-West and Mr. President ahead of the elections. I read these things in the papers. When you say, let me leave my fate to your discretion, if that discretion is not properly exercised in your favour, you lose right of complain. Remember, people who are key players in Igboland today should know that they constitute less than one percent of Igbo population. So, when you are carrying the fate of a people that are about 40 to 60 million people in Nigeria and you allowed your fate to be determined by discretion, it is the failure of leadership for the people being represented. That is why I am not in support of any ad-hoc statement on issues concerning presidential election in Nigeria in 2015 because it is very critical. I have just given you very important concerns that I have read. And if these things should go like that, I mean, there is no way a person who calls himself an Igboman should be happy. If you go back to the election of 2011, I have done that arithmetic. President Jonathan got 22 million votes to win that Presidential election. Buhari got 12 million votes to come second. In that election, the Igbos, the South-East gave President Jonathan over 5 million votes. If through negotiation they had given that vote to Buhari, Buhari would have gotten 17 million votes and Jonathan will drop from 22 to 17 million. Then, who would win would have been uncertain. So, you can see how the Igbos used

Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman APGA their votes to fling very emphatic victory for the president. So, people who are representing us today, talking for the Igbo people must realize that the support we have given, our people are expecting so much and let them not jump the gun now before they cause confusion in Igboland. Me, as the Chairman of APGA, you know that I am being hounded because of this statement that I made very early in the year that we shall field a presidential candidate. Despite all the pretensions by people who are attacking me, that it is not the issue. It is the issue. That is what I am suffering now. It is now open. It is not something that I can say for the sake of my personal comfort; begin to say a different thing. Anything I say, I say it out of conviction without minding the huge cost that I will bear, by saying what is the truth. Let them come and fix our infrastructure. I mean, it is very disheartening that at this stage where we are, all the problems that we have carried on with in Igboland, they have not been addressed. But some people are saying that Igbos were favoured in appointments. When I see people making arguments in newspapers that Igbos have been given good appointments in government, I get irritated with such arguments in the papers. People being appointed Ministers and key officers in government do not influence government policies. Unless you are in a position to influence government policies, you cannot help your people. Look at the Enugu-Abakiliki highway. That road is very deplorable. They said they have awarded it to a contractor. What is expected is that the contractor should go on site doing the work to deliver it. I do not know who will construct Enugu Port-

Harcourt expressway. From Okigwe to Umuahia, you can no longer pass it. If you want to go to Umuahia from Enugu, when you get to Okigwe, you first of all get to Owerri and make a detour to Umuahia. If you want to go through that road, you stay there for the whole day. So, these are the concrete things that our people are talking. So, we expect them to know that they are demoralizing our people, no matter their convictions. You know, there are people who hold very good convictions but they do not know how to express their views. They will present it in a manner that people will begin to upbraid them. But as certain as any issue may be through projection, we have to work through reality. A former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife said that Jonathan is the greatest threat to Ndigbo in 2015. How would you see this statement coming from such a prominent Igboman? I want to beg our people, for our leadership to have respect in Igboland today, we should be very careful with what we say. Ohanaeze presently has a president-general. It is wrong for people to begin to make statements that will affect the Igbo people relying on their former positions in authority. You see, if somebody was president-general of Ohanaeze in the past, today, he has served out his tenure and is gone, today, that person should not be speaking for the Igbos on very critical issues because that person is no longer in authority. People who are in authority are in a position to gather the views of our people and present it to our people. So, if we begin to speak illogically on matters that will affect the Igbo people, it amounts to causing confusion. I do not see how the interest of any Nigerian will be in conflict

THE

ADVOCATE

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

INTERVIEW

Development control authorities in Nigeria must be careful â&#x20AC;&#x201C; COREN Registrar The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) recently organised a oneday workshop in Enugu for the Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) Chief Inspectors, ERM Desk Officers and COREN officers in the South-East geo-political zone. COREN Registrar, Engr. Felix Atume in this interview spoke on the objectives of the workshop , why buildings,bridges and roads collapse soon after construction, and stringent measures being taken by the Council to check the observed shortcomings in the sector. Excerpts: What is the essence of this gathering? We are here in Enugu to sensitize the activities of the Engineering Regulation Monitoring. The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has the mandate to ensure that the profession is practised according to the laid-down standards. So that on any project, there's value for money in that project, and you can only get value for money in the project when the right calibre of people are involved. And the right calibre of people here are those that are registered by the council for the regulation of engineering in Nigeria. They are supposed to operate ethically; they are supposed to ensure that standards are maintained and they are supposed to ensure that the general public derives value for money spent on these projects. We have established Engineering Regulation Monitoring Zones around the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Enugu is one of those zones, and we are holding a workshop here in Enugu to sensitize our engineers who are involved in monitoring projects to ensure that projects executed in Enugu are properly done; the infrastructural projects such as r o a d s , w a t e r, e l e c t r i c i t y, buildings, bridges are properly done; that is why we are here. What is the impression of COREN when you consider a situation in which buildings collapsed after being erected; bridges collapsed after being built or roads collapsed even when the administration that constructed and commissioned it is still in office? This is our greatest worry indeed and that is what we are going to emphasise in this workshop. Projects are supposed to be done to high standard. So that if we have a design life span of a road for 15 years, within these 15 years the general public will enjoy the services of these roads. However, we have noticed very painfully that the engagement of contractors is not rigorous

enough. On many projects, we have discovered that the selection of contractors is quite faulty; there is no rigorous approach to the selection of consultants. So there are consultants who get these jobs that have no business at all in getting these projects. For example, a contractor that doesn't have adequate manpower in terms of registered engineers, adequate equipment; there's no way he can construct a good road. What we have seen is that, sometimes, due to political patronage, these wrong people are engaged in infrastructural projects. However, on the part of our own engineers, we have set up an investigation panel, that any engineer involved in a shoddy job is sanctioned very severely, and this is what COREN is doing , and this is what COREN is set up to do. Recently, we came up with technical audit of all projects. The technical audit means, we get to a site of a road project - this is being pro-active we get to a road project and say let us have the design standards of this project. Then our own engineers will now crosscheck whether they are meeting the standard project, not to wait until there's a failure. And this is going to be carried out very strictly to ensure that what is designed is met. On collapse of buildings, it's quite pathetic that we still experience collapse of simple buildings in this country; simple buildings in the sense that some are just three-storey, two-storey buildings while in other climes, there are structures of 50-storey, 30-storey standing. The major problem here is that what is designed is not what is put on ground. The developers will carry out the correct designs of these buildings involving registered engineers. They will go to development control authorities of states and get approval. When they now go to the site, they will not involve the engineers in the design; they will not involve registered engineers; they will now bring quacks,

people who have no business in the sector, who don't even understand the design, to be involved in the actual construction. How do we stop this? Well, the only way to stop it is that the development control authorities across the country; they must come up with strategy to ensure that what is approved is exactly what is put on ground. COREN has held several meetings with them. They were told that at the point of approval, the developers should bring the engineer that is going to supervise that project. The engineer will make an undertaking that he is going to be the one to supervise the project, so if there is any failure, we will hold that engineer responsible. That is the new strategy we have embarked upon. But on the long run, the development control authorities must ensure that they employ more engineers to supervise their projects or give out consultancy. For example in Enugu here, they can say in New Haven, this is the consultant that will supervise all the approvals that we have given in the development control to ensure that what is approved is what is put on ground. What does COREN advise the authorities in terms of hiring quacks in the execution of projects? We are advising everybody including journalists that if you see anybody calling himself or herself an engineer, ask him or her, what is your COREN registration number? Because for you to get the money to build a storey building, you must have struggled to get that money, then why do you now hand over that money to a quack? If that person gives you his/her COREN registration number, you can go to any COREN office around to verify. So our own advice is that only registered engineers should be involved in building projects. How does COREN sanction erring engineers? COREN has an investigation panel. If you report an engineer for a shoddy job, we invite that engineer to a COREN

Engr. Felix Atume, FNSE, Registrar of COREN investigation panel. The investigation panel will now, after investigation refer to the COREN Tribunal which has been set up by the Chief Justice of the Federation. It has lawyers and it is equivalent to High Court of Law. The tribunal judges the erring engineer, and imposes a stiff sanction where necessary. One of such sanctions is to deregister you and you will no longer be an engineer. The other one is to refer you to the appropriate law enforcement agents. Can you give us the likely figure of those that have been affected by the sanction? I can say many; we have deregistered a couple of engineers; some cases are with the investigation panel but some were referred to the tribunal and it is because if it is referred to the tribunal, it takes a bit of time to ensure that the accused also has adequate opportunity to defend himself. What level of awareness is COREN creating in respect of Nigeria's dams? That is a very good question.

Quite frankly, so much emphasis has been on collapse of buildings and roads; but if you look at it, the nation's dams are quite essential infrastructures, and so much money has been spent on building dams. Over the years, most of these light dams have been ignored; they are not properly maintained and in some cases, they are even disasters waiting to occur, because if, God forbid, if a dam collapses, anybody downstream is going to be wiped away. We have called on the federal ministry of water resources to carry out adequate maintenance of dams across the country. It is something I would like the press also to highlight; the dams are not maintained. Sometimes the sleeve door gets open and when there is a lot of water, the flooding, you cannot even control because the gates are not opening. And this is a very, very serious matter. There should be adequate maintenance of dams across the country to check flooding, to ensure that the purposes for which the dams were built are achieved.

THE

Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

RELIGION

The Advocate Gospel This Week

Who do you belong to? John 8:39-47 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father did." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (NIV). The Jewish people all belong to one family; they are descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So when Jesus accused them of behaving like their father, they thought of their forefather Abraham, who was a godly man. But Jesus said that if those who opposed Him had the same nature as Abraham, they would not be trying to kill Him. Those people belonged to the devil! What a bold and uncompromising statement! Satan's evil nature is determined to destroy what God has made, and to keep people far away from God's love and truth. Satan achieves this by the lies he circulates into people's minds, blocking out the truth from God. So, even the religious people could not give the Son of God a fair hearing. They were unable to hear the voice of God, because they did not belong to Him. Those who wanted Jesus out of the way were agents of the devil Satan still continues his evil work, spreading lies into people's minds. He motivates them to challenge the authority of Jesus, trying to destroy the work Christ has done in people's lives. Persecution is tough, but those who suffer must remember that Jesus understands because it happened to Him first. As He said, "Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me." (John 15:20-21). Our prayer must be that those who belong to Christ will stand firm when they suffer for His sake, still daring to proclaim the gospel, and trusting that God will open some eyes to the truth of Jesus, so that they will be saved.

Prayer: Dear Lord. Thank You that Jesus spoke so clearly of the devil and how he operates. I am sorry when I have accepted his lies and been trapped into working against Your holy purposes. I pray for all those who suffer for the sake of Christ, asking that You will give them strength to stand firm for the gospel, so that even their enemies may be saved. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Pope asks Christians, Muslims to unite against violence

OPE BENEDICT XVI on Wednesday called for Christians and Muslims to unite against violence, following a trip to Lebanon last week in which he condemned fundamentalism in any religion. “I think the time has come… for us together to issue a determined rejection of violence and wars,” the Pope said at an audience in the Vatican. The Pope also thanked the Muslim leaders he met in Lebanon for their hospitality, adding: “I proposed a message of dialogue and collaboration.” “I was able to speak from the heart, to stand before the suffering and the dramatic

events in the Middle East and to express my prayerful encouragement for the legitimate aspirations for peace there,” he said. The pontiff also asked the Christian minorities in the Middle East to find strength “amid trying circumstances to celebrate the victory of love over hate, of forgiveness over revenge and of unity over division.” The 85-year-old German pope was speaking in front of 7,000 faithfuls in the Vatican at his weekly audience following the three-day visit. During his trip to Lebanon, the Pope also called for an end to the supply of arms to both sides in the civil war raging in Syria

Pastor arraigned for alleged rape of 14-year-old girl in church

ENERAL Overseer of Mountain Movers Fire Ministries International, Nyanya, Abuja, Pastor Basil Princewill, was on Friday arraigned before Justice Husseini BabaYusuf of the FCT High Court for alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl. Princewill, who is the General Overseer of his church, was arraigned on twocount charges of rape. The pastor was accused of having carnal knowledge of 14-year-old and 15-yearold girls on different occasions in his church office without their consents. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutor Mitchel Chukwuka urged the court to fix a date for the hearing in view of the plea by the accused. Baba-Yusuf granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500, 000 and one surety in like sum and ordered that the surety must be a civil servant resident within the FCT.

He adjourned the case to Oct. 14, for hearing.

Pastor Basil Princewill

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

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CRIME WATCH

Man kills friend for ritual By Chris Jonah

There is nothing new under the sun, all mortal will pay for their wickedness, in due time. For Mr. John, a trader, he never dreamed that his doom will come so soon but it did happened. Monday, 17 t h September, 2012, by 8.30pm, Mr. John left his home town Nenu Community in Mgboko Nenu autonomous community in Obi Ngwa local Government Area, of Abia State to his closet friend and cult member, Mr. Nnanna Samuel of Ndiolumbe in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area to continue their consultation and plan to plant charm at motor park located at Park road and Ahia

 Drinks acid

Oha in Aba which is in dispute with Nnanna and Okechi and has been a case of litigation for years. An insider told this weekly that Nnanna and John has being long time associate in diabolic and cultism acts and wondered why Nnanna should decide to slaughter John with cutlass in his house and drank acid to kill himself. “Nnanna, an ambiguous young man. He want to make money by all means. He is into drug, cult and charm making. He holds every body in the family ransom, even the wife

who is now on the run. At times, he's seen naked at mid-night often doing sacrifice. He has been in court with Okechi in a fight to control the two motor parks at Aba and that led him in consulting spiritualist and native doctor for charms but for some time now, after the last sitting of their case at court one, Azuka road, Aba, last two weeks and adjourned to 24/9/2012. With the drama that led to conviction of two of his friends for alleged diabolic act in court room, Nnanna has not been himself. He invited a prophet

who came severally at night to exhume charms he buried within the compound, which was said to have been giving to him by late John, his mentor. A family sources, informed this weekly that on that fateful day, Mr. Nnanna, troubled, invited John to his house for discussion which got soured. Nnanna demanded that John should collect back the charms he brought to him but he refused, after heat argument, Nnanna resorted to physical combat, ran into his room and took his knife and slaughter John in his parlor. According to eye witness, seeing the lifeless body of Mr. John, he invited his wife and mother, gave them the money in

the house and took acid and drank in a bid to commit suicide and leave the living to suffer. Bu unfortunately the acid did not kill him, hence he reported to the police at Omobo divisional headquarter. Confirming the incident, the PPRO Abia State command Ezekiel Onyeke said, “ we gathered that the victim administered concussion on the suspect which cause him mental disorder that provoked the suspect to murder. After killing the victim, the suspect informed his family members and attempted to take his own life by drinking acid but he survived. He has been charged to court on 20/9/2012 for murder”.

Aba stands still as Cyber crime worries defence chiefs lawyers protest bad By Our Reporter governance in Abia By Chris Jonah

he commercial city of Aba last week, literarily stood still as lawyers embarked on a demonstration to protest the deplorable state of roads in Aba. The lawyers who appeared for the march on rain boots under the aegis of Aba branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) took off from the High Court complex and marched through the Aba Main Park cutting through ever busy Aba- Owerri to the Osisioma Junction on the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway. Some of the placards on display read; 'Live in Aba and Live in hell', 'Government neglect of Aba is gross injustice', Stop relegating Aba to the background', 'Lawyers say no to the negligence of Enyimba city; 'Good road is equal to right to freedom of movement'; Lawyers are asking for good governanceand 'All we are saying, give us good roads'. As the lawyers marched along the roads, shop owners and passers by were hailing them, describing the action as timely. They said the deplorable condition of roads in the city has made life difficult for them. A driver, Mr. Kennedy Nnabuchi who spoke to Nigeria Newspoint said the condition of roads in the city calls for a state of emergency.” We are suffering here. There is no road to get into Aba. The Expressway has collapsed vehicles are falling down every now and then. Even the internal roads in the city are flooded, you can't move about. A state of emergency should be declared on Aba roads, he said. Addressing journalists

during the protest march, Chairman of NBA Aba, Mr. Charles Eduzor noted that economic activities in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state have collapsed because of bad roads. He maintained that investors can no longer come to Aba but prefer other neighbouring commercial cities due to the deplorable condition of roads in the city. Eduzor further called on the federal government to rehabilitate the roads in Aba. “People from Akwa Ibom and Cross River now by- pass Aba and go to Onitsha to purchase their goods, how would the man living in Aba get the money to pay his infrastructure levy?” Eduzor queried. “Have those of us living in Aba committed any sin? Has there been any sins we committed that we should not get dividends of democracy. He enumerated Milverton Avenue, Omuma, Obohia Ukaegbu, Azikiwe, Ohanku, amongst other roads in Aba which are now “no go areas.” Meanwhile, the condition of roads in Aba has attracted condemnations from individuals and groups. Last week, the police arrested an Aba based human rights activist, Barr. St. Moses Ogbonna for allegedly sending inciting messages against the state government on the pitiable state of roads. He was arraigned in an Umuahia Magistrate court, but was later release after being remanded in prison. Ogbonna was organizing a rally tagged 'Weep for Aba' which he said was meant to draw the attention of the people and government to the anomaly.

Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Olusola Obada, and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, have expressed their concern over growing cyber crime in the country. They spoke at the two-day World Cyber Security Conference 2012, organised by the Defence Headquarters in collaboration with New Horizons Systems Solutions in Abuja. Obada regretted that more Nigerians had become victims of what she described as “cyber bullying” and fraudulent activities of internet scammers in recent time. She was represented on the occasion by the Director in charge of the Navy, Dr. Abiodun Salami. The minister said, “The

prevalence of cyber criminals is a worrying development as our nation becomes more reliant on ICTs. The chances of people experiencing cyber bullying and becoming victims to online crimes are daily on the increase. “There have been several cases of cheating through the internet where victims lost all their hard earned life-savings. “Cyber criminals take advantage of human weaknesses and strike mercilessly. These weaknesses include little education about online safety or the lack of it, greed and lust/love for pornography.” Obada said it was incumbent on the security agencies to develop and enhance their capabilities to discern and identify warnings of hostile actions in space for necessary passage of same to

appropriate authorities. She said this was to enable the authorities to take informed decisions, appropriate mitigation measures or response. She said, “Space and cyber situational awareness are therefore essential to reducing mishaps, misperceptions and mistrust.” Petinrin, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Abiodun Amao, the Chief of Research Development, said the schedule of the conference was timely in view of the contemporary security challenges facing the country and the world. The CDS said, “You are quite aware of the high profile hacking incidences against major corporations and institutions around the world and within our country.”

JTF kills suspected terrorists' commanders in maiduguri

he Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore O r d e r s a i d that it had shot dead two suspected commanders of the Boko Haram terrorists group in Maiduguri. JTF spokesman Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement in Maiduguri that the suspects were top commanders of the group in-charge of Yobe and Adamawa. ``Two suspected Boko Haram top terrorists commanders were killed along Maiduguri-Kano road as they tried to escape on Wednesday. ``The suspects were top commanders coordinating activities of the sect in Mubi and Yola in Adamawa and in Yobe.'’ Sagir added that the duo were trailed by a combined team of security operatives for many hours before they attempted to escape.

``The suspects were on on their way to Damaturu for a planned special operation to attack civilians and military locations. ``Intelligence reports also indicated that they were planning to conduct an attack on Maiduguri soon.'' Sagir said that a number of items including weapons and a Honda salon car were recovered from them. He said that the JTF had also arrested eight suspected members of the group in an earlier operation in Maiduguri. ``Also the JTF arrested eight suspected members of the sect in earlier operations in Garannam, GRA and Lawanti areas of Maiduguri on Wednesday. ``Those arrested were confirmed to have found their way to Maiduguri from neighbouring states.'' He added that several items were

also recovered from them including ``a silver coloured Toyota Camry 1998 model with Yobe registration number''. ``The car is suspected to have been stolen for possible suicide attack and movement of weapons.'' (NAN)

Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ARTS

18 Afro-Americans for Oriri Obibia Eri festival

IGHTEEN AfricanAmericans have confirmed participation in this year's Oriri Obibia Eri Festival in Enugwu-Aguleri community in Anambra East local government area, according to the former Presidential Adviser on Art and Culture Professor Catherine Acholonu. The festival is held in commemoration of the arrival of Eri, said to be the progenitor of the lost tribe of Israel. Prof. Acholonu who was Presidential Adviser on Art and Culture during President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday after inspecting facilities at the Rojenny Tourist and Games Village, Oba near Onitsha. She said that the African-Americans would be coming from the United States and the Caribbean countries for the festival as well as to learn more about their root, which is the Igbo-land. Acholonu, founder of Catherine Acholonu Research Centre (CARC), said that they

would stay for two weeks between the end of October and November, adding that they would be touring important historical and tourist sites as well as meeting prominent people in Igbo-land. “They are going to be meeting with popular Nollywood stars they had been watching for long; Prof. Chinua Achebe, the Great Novelist of the Africa prose 'Things Fall Apart'; visit the home of Great Zik of Africa; Prof. Chika Obi, the World Mathematician of all ages; Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the Great Biafra War-Lord among others,'' she noted. She said that her centre with two other foreign affiliate bodies had been working with the Anambra government through the Director of Tourism in the state Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to make the visit a reality. Acholonu, who is a professor of African History and Philosophy, noted that the Oriri Obibia Eri Festival was significant due to the fact that Eri

was a spirit-god, who was the father and progenitor of Igbos and people who falls into the historic Kwa civilization and later had sons and daughters at Enugwu-Aguleri. She said that sons and daughters of Eri, later, founded various Igbo communities after migrating from the ancestral mainstay at the palace of the traditional ruler of EnugwuAguleri. According to her every ancient mythology had its roots in Igbo-land especially in Enugwu-Aguleri community. “There had been a lot of indication to Igbo-land especially within EnugwuAguleri community and the palace of the Eze Eri, where the Ofor-Igbo (a stone symbolizing authority of Eri) popularly called the stone of gad is stationed from time immemorial till date,'' she said. Acholonu noted that the African-Americans, who had linked their genealogy to Igboland, from her discussion with them, had indicated their interest to find a way to assist the development of Igbo-land via

creation of industries, partnering with entrepreneurs and transfer of industrial technology. “It has been discovered through historical, archeological research as well as recent DNA test that 80 per cent of AfricanAmericans have their ancestral genealogy linked to Igbo-land. These are our brothers and sisters that have been disconnected from us for over a century now due to human migration or slave trade of the 18 century. Today, most of these African-Americans had realized this and want to know more about their ancestral home-land, its culture and people as well as prominent Igbo sons and daughters either living or death.” She continued: “They are willing to find ways of supporting Igbo-land with ventures that would create jobs and transfer of technology between the white and black (which had never been possible over many decades), possible for the benefit of Igbo-land and the country,'' she noted. On Rojenny Tourist and Games Village, she lauded the

initiative of the owner of the facilities for setting it up many years before the advent of the country's drive to develop her arts and tourism potentials. “This place is very close to nature and that is what the AfricanAmericans are looking for; games reserve, birds roving freely, trees as well as a beautiful horticulture environment. Apart from these, there is a swimming pool, tennis and volley ball courts, indoor sports facilities; a stadium for various kinds of football and track-and-field events. And a disco hall to unwind at the end of the day before bed time. It provides an excellent environment like what they have at their places in the Americans,'' she said. Acholonu, however, appealed to Anambra government to assist the proprietor of the facility with funds to uplift its standards aesthetically; adding: “Americans and Europeans that visit here would definitely fall in love to this environment.”

Nollywood Actor Bestwood Chukwuemeka jailed for 3-months for having sex with a man

Bestwood Chukwuemeka

28-year old actor, B e s t w o o d Chukwyemeke, was on Monday sentenced to threemonth imprisonment by a Karu Senior Magistrates' Court, Abuja, for having sex with another man. The convict, who resides at Gidan Mangoro, had pleaded guilty to having engaged in homo sexual acts. “I am guilty of the charge against me. I was under the influence of alcohol and I want the court to temper justice

with mercy'', he said. The police prosecutor, Mohammed Umar, had told the court that the convict committed the offence in August when the complainant was sleeping in his bed. Homo sexual acts, the prosecutor said, was contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code.The prosecutor said since Mr. Chukwuemeka had pleaded guilty to the crime he initially denied, the court should try him summarily.

The Senior Magistrate, Nafisatu Buba, sentenced him to three-month imprisonment without an option of fine. “This would serve as warning to other youths who hide under the influence of alcohol to commit crimes,'' she said. When he was first arraigned i n e a r l y S e p t e m b e r, M r. Chukwuemeka pleaded not guilty, saying, “I came back drunk from the night club and thought I was sleeping on the same bed with my girl-friend and I started romancing her.” At that hearing, Mrs Buba, had ruled that alcohol should not be seen as an excuse for committing the offence, but then granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, with one of the sureties being a civil servant on Grade Level 09. However, when the case was heard Monday, the actor suddenly pleaded guilty, and Mrs Buba summarily tried him, sentencing him to three-month imprisonment. In November, the Nigerian

Senate passed a strict law banning same-sex marriage and public display of affection by gays in Nigeria. The bill Same Sex Marriage ( p r o h i b i t i o n ) b i l l 2 0 11 prescribes 14-year jail terms for those convicted in Nigeria. “Persons who entered into a same sex marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and are each liable on conviction

to a term of 14 years imprisonment,” the new law said. It added, “Any person, who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organization, or directly or indirectly makes public show of same-sex amorous relationships in Nigeria commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a term of 10-year imprisonment.”

Mohammed Abubakar, IGP

THE

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

ADVOCATE

INTERVIEW

PDP popular decision Continues from page 12

to be admitted. As a ProChancellor, it is not part of my idea to be involved in the admission issues, because I see it purely as an academic matter that resides basically on the university senate to handle. I therefore advice our youth to go and read their books and people still get admission on merit. A lot of students who are studying professional courses today got there on merit. Even if somebody helps to catapult you into the place to study medicine, engineering, e. t. c and you are not doing fine, they will kick you out, you won't make it. So I want to tell Nigerians, my brothers and my sisters to believe in themselves. Parents should learn not to push too much, you only need to push your children or wards to study hard, try to ensure that after the foundation that is primary school, he/she attend a good secondary school to consolidate the primary experience, to believe in themselves and the society, so that things will be done right. You talked about accreditation, anyway you know that I am a politician, I am just an administrator, I am not in the core academics, these anomalies in the system is condemnable from top to bottom because if you say that your school has been approved to train and graduate engineers, it should be accredited in the true sense of it. It should not be based on hired equipment and professors, because the students that you graduate are assumed to have passed through a certain process, used certain equipments. So if a university is involve in accreditation malpractice, it has not achieved anything, it has only achieved a piece of paper; accreditation paper. FUTO is one of the premier Universities of technology in this country with my alma-matter ASUTECH. If you tell somebody that you are studying engineering in FUTO, the person will take you serious because the setting is such that you cannot do otherwise, than to study hard. I want to assure you that over there, things are done right when it comes to accreditation, when it comes to course content and it reflects on the quality of products or graduates they produce. A look at policy on education will reveal many lapses, sometimes there are protracted strikes due to labour face-off, students unrests, exorbitant school fees e. t. c, are you satisfied or comfortable with the education policy in Nigeria

as a pro-chancellor of a university I can't be satisfied, if I am satisfied, then I have no business going to Owerri and the federal Government doesn't have a business setting up councils and managements in our universities, it is because of the inherent challenges in the system, that's why all these institutions are created. From my own perspective I will say that education in Nigeria is troubled in a way. In as much as government is doing her best, people are not seeing it as a collective responsibility, parents are clamouring for reduction in school fees that is quite right. I believe that as rich as Nigeria is, there are subsidies that should be taken for granted if it is managed. Due to the lean resource of parents, throwing back education responsibilities on the parents is not the best especially when we know that the economy is not too good. Nigerian government should look into it critically because the parents don't have the money. In most cases these higher institutions run into trouble in terms of funding. I can authoritatively tell you that virtually all the higher institutions in Nigeria run into trouble when it comes to funding. When it comes to achieving the curriculum, the situation still remains the same. Don't even talk about the state owned institutions which one expects that they should cut their coats according to their cloth, but they are not doing so. One of the major problem, we have now is that everybody wants to go to the university. There's nothing wrong in that but fundamentally, are we prepared to get everybody through the university system. If you graduate from the university, what next? Is there a provision for you, where you can make a living? There's none. And we don't ask ourselves, why we don't look back on how we can revive technical institutions, craft institutions where people can go after three or four years, they become useful and employable. If you are in furniture making, farming, carpentry or other trades, you will be comfortable. Anyway this is about curriculum but what I am just saying in a nutshell is that while government is doing the much it can, the private sector or concerns citizens should all come in, because we should look at education as a first line charge for all of us. Even if you don't have a child in the school, you have every reason to contribute to education. If the

Vita Abba, PDP Chairman Enugu man driving a waste disposal truck is not educated, when you engage the one that is educated, you will see the difference. It is only through education that this country can be emancipated and that is why we must invest in education. What can you say about funding of education because majority of graduates from universities are half-baked, due to lack of funding for educational infrastructure, what's your view? That is a general view, but I am sure that if a child wants to read, even if it is in a commercial school, the child will come out excellently well. Much depends on us but more depends on our wards that are in institutions. When we talk about the government, we are all part of the government. If you look at government resources and look at what is going into education, you look at how it's being managed; we must be able to prioritize these things. Everybody must not go to higher institution to get degrees but it is good if you can do that. If you continue creating schools and you can't even fund the first generation universities, I am not saying we should not create schools based on population situation, but we must be able to practice these things, everybody must not go to higher institution to get degrees but it is good if you can do that. In any class, students are not rated the same; there are first class, there are second class and third class. But that has nothing to do with success in life. I want you to know that. Summarily I will continue to say that while

government is doing her best, I urge different layers of the society to complement. I equally urge organized private sector to come into education funding; companies like MTN and others, should help. Parents should be more proactive to what their children are doing. They need to have idea of what their children are doing in school, the need to supervise them very well so that the little they give them the children will value it and put in their best. What are the achievement you have recorded over the past few years you been in office? Where do we start? We don't want to use our time cataloging our achievement; we rather should concentrate on doing more work because the people who are using these facilities, the people who we are working for, the people we are serving are in a better position to say what we have done well. I don't think we have arrived yet. It is not a priority for us. We should concentrate in ensuring that we achieve our mandate to do more work for our people, may be by the time we are gone out of office, we will relax and start narrating our experiences but for now our attention is geared towards good governance and delivering more dividends to our people. I think that is the position of the leader of the party in the state. We don't want to be bugging our people with the number of roads built or hospitals maintained, the bridges we have built, it's not important, in first instance, that's why we canvassed for votes and that's why we were voted for by the people.

After serving out you second terms as state chairman of P D P, what next? If you look at Enugu state with a population of over two million people and God singled you out to be Chairman of the biggest and only party in the state, for eight years, another thing coming is surplus. It is enough exposure, if serving is blessing it is also enough; out of the million you are singled out to be there for two terms. I feel fulfilled. My prayer every morning is to do what my people expect from me, to do what is right before God. I think that by the time I get these things done, I will feel much fulfilled. After all I never dreamt I will be a party chairman but I am here and I'm serving. So if I have eight years mandate to serve and I finish, I should give others chance to serve.

CHANGE OF NAME NWATU I, formerly known as Miss Theresa Nwakaego Nwatu, do hereby wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Theresa Nwakaego UJAM. All former documents remain valid. Local Government Service Commission Enugu, Zenith Bank Plc take note.

THE

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

MOTORING

Suzuki Kizashi 2.4 SDLX Familiarity has made us more comfortable than ever with ‘our' Kizashi and all of it pretty useful to me!

t's amazing how long-term test cars can start to get under your skin and how many of the points of criticism that one might note on a short test, just seem to disappear over time. For example, the Suzuki Kizashi, I am learning, is a great, sporty drive. Yes, it is a bit wallowy on faster bends and it has little heel space for my stilettos when I wear them, but the few little quirks I initially had to come to terms with are now easily brushed under the floor mat. Among the standard features on 'my' Kizashi sport sedan are 18inch alloy wheels, ABS, leather seats, a sunroof, cruise control, six airbags, dual zone climate c o n t r o l a i r- c o n d i t i o n i n g , steering wheel mounted audio controls, CD/MP3 with USB socket, keyless entry and start, parking sensors front and rear, a 1 0 - w a y p o w e r- a d j u s t a b l e driver's seat with memory, a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, self-levelling High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with washer, a rear spoiler, a driver's arm rest and, out front, a sporty front bumper and foglamps. Quite a bit of kit,

The Kizashi is powered by a 2.4litre in-line petrol engine and there's the option of a manual gearbox or a CVT (continually variable transmission). The Cars in Action long-termer is the manual version. It really plays along well in both traffic and open road driving. I find the gearchange easy and smooth to operate and the clutch is light and does not need much effort at all, so no calf raisers required. The ride is absorbent, providing effortless progress over potholed Gauteng streets and roads. In fact, I'm quite impressed with Suzuki's first venture into the the C-segment. One thing about driving different cars all the time is how they react to your daily route in different ways. My personal test, in more ways than one, is conquering the newly installed speed bumps in the complex where I live. They are horrific, metal appendages that really are not very pleasant to encounter. However, the Kizashi's suspension just takes them in its stride and driving in and out of my complex is no longer the headache that it once was.

Nigeria Police is a threat to democracy - Activist H

UMAN, environment and economic right activist, Rev. David Ugolor, has described the Nigeria Police as a threat to Nigeria's developing democracy stressing that the organization requires major restructuring to enable it discharge the duties expected of it by Nigerians. Ugolor, who was released from detention last week after his incarceration by the police over the alleged assassination of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, former Principal Private Secretary to Edo State governor, Comrade Oshiomhole, said the compounding issues surrounding his detention had further exposed the alleged inefficiency of the force. He made this known in Benin

City at an interactive session with the Civil Society and the Media to mark his release from prison custody. He said: “The plot against me was think, and I thank God that today, the truth is out that I know nothing about the false accusation levelled against me by the police and their evil collaborators. But my arrest and detention, particular now that the nation is talking about police reforms further reinforces the need for a genuine reform of the Nigerian police given their complicity in my ordeal. “It is shameful and sad that even when a court of competent jurisdiction ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to release me unconditionally from

detention, they flagrantly disobeyed the court order. “This is a threat to democracy and an open invitation to anarchy as espoused by the court on Friday 14th, September, 2012 which also declared my arrest and detention, illegal and a violation of my fundamental human right.” Ugolor, who is the Managing Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, (ANEEJ) charged the police to conduct thorough investigation into to the murder of Comrade Oyerinde in order to fish out his killers and bring them to justice. Secretary General, Pan Nigerian Youth Congress, Marxist Kola Edokpayi, said in a

statement issued in Benin City that the Inspector General of Police should focus more on issues of insecurity and the Boko-Haram insurgence. “We want to commend the judiciary for finally given justice to Rev. David Ugolor who was maliciously arrested by the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, (FSAR) on Friday 27, July, 2012, on the instruction of the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) “After some days, the State Security Service, (SSS) paraded the real killers of Oyerinde Olaitan at their headquarters in Abuja with Phone, Ipad, Laptops and Money etc stolen from Olaitan house. “We wonder why the IGP decided not to order the

immediate release of David Ugolor early enough. He suffered hardship in police detention and prison custody even as his actions flattens the rule of law”, he said. Marxist Edokpayi challenge the IGP to proved his ability at checking the prevalent insecurity through the activities of the Islamic militia sect, BokoHaram instead of holding grip of an innocent Civil Nigeria and freedom fighters. “The Inspector General of P o l i c e , M r. M o h a m m e d Abubakar should have been thinking of how to nip in the bud the menace of Boko-Haram instead of infringing on the fundamental human right of activists.”

THE

Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

Telecommunication

Knocks, Kudos for MTN over ‘Ultimate Wonder’ Promo

or the Nigerian subscribers, promos are not new as telecom operators try to dangle one 'exciting' offer or the other before them in their bid to lure more customers to their network. However, the latest of it and the biggest ever in the industry coming from the leading operator, MTN Nigeria, is what many could not just stop pondering over. In the records of promo in the Nigerian telecoms industry, it is a common thing to hear of operators promising to dash out cars, billions of Naira among others. But what is still baffling some subscribers and other stakeholders in the telecommunications industry is the latest MTN promo in which customers are expected to win weekly cash prizes while the ultimate winner would go home with a 'Cessna 182T' Aeroplane in a grand prize presentation in October. For one, many are wondering if the operator could actually afford to give an airplane to an individual just in the name of promo, even when virtually all the telecom operators are complaining bitterly about several operating challenges biting hard on their p r o f i t i n t h e c o u n t r y. But in confirming the reality of the promo, MTN's Corporate Services Executive, Mr Wale Goodluck was said to have put the Aeroplane cost at N72 million. This according to him is not more than what the operator can give to its subscriber as a reward. However, while some subscribers are still in doubt over the promo, some are excited and anticipating winningeven the 'ultimate' prize. Favour Daniel, a recharge card seller in Victoria Island, believes the promo is real. Her stand is informed by her previous experience, for according to her, one of her relation, whose name was given as Vincent Akubo, had won a Sports Utility Vehicle from MTN recently. From this alone, she said she has every reason to believe the telecom operator on its 'Ultimate Wonder' promo. “I don't know the particular promo, but he called us on recently that we should come and celebrate with him, he lives in Egbeda we saw the jeep in his house painted with MTN colour and MTN was written on the body of the car. Before then, I used to doubt all these telecoms

promos, but that convinced me that they are real” she said. Same could not be said of Doris Nwokike, a staff of an IT firm, who narrated her unpalatable experience with telecoms promo and believes they are not real. Asked if she was aware of the latest M TN promo, she retorted: “Yes I am aware. Is it not the one in which they say you can win Areoplane, N2million or whatever? Narrating her experience, she said, “Well, I think the promo is for people that are not knowledgeable, because I have tried so many of this, and I have come to realize that they are just s c a m , I c a l l i t telecommunications scam. For instance, there was a time I bought a roll of MTN card of 1,500 denomination, I bought like three rolls costing me almost 45,000 just because I was trying to win a million. Then I had a little problem I thought it would be a short cut for me to win money I spent N45, 000.” “I kept receiving: 'keep trying', 'keep trying' and I kept trying until when I came to my senses. So for someone to tell me am going to win an aeroplane when am not able to win N1, 000 or a recharge card of N100, my dear it is just a figment of their imagination. It is not real; MTN cannot give anybody a car not to talk of an aeroplane. I have never seen anybody that has told me he won something from MTN.” She spoke further, asking some rhetorical questions: “Let us be sincere with ourselves, does MTN has a plane to give out? First how much does a plane cost? Because I learnt it cost billions of Naira so are they going to give the plane or cash in equivalent?” For Adeniji Babatunde a PHNC worker, he doesn't believe the promo is real. “I am aware of it but I don't believe it because MTN is stingy, it's hard for them to give their subscribers bonus, I can't participate in any of their promos” he said. When asked if he knows anyone that has won anything form any of the telecom companies, he snapped “No I don't know anybody, really am not interested in all these their nonsense promo of win these or that, all I care about is good quality service anytime I make calls.” But Uche Ozoemenam a staff of IGI Insurance saw it

differently. He believes in the MTN promo because according to him, the telecom operator has redeemed its promo pledges in the past. “Yes, I believe in the MTN promo because they have done something similar like this and people won and its not their first time of doing such. On the issue of winning an aero plane, he said, “well the company can buy it because they worth it, you know they are a multinational company and in a competitive environment. Reinforcing his believe that MTN could give out the plan, he added, “if you check the number of people using MTN line in Nigeria you will find out its huge not to talk of outside the country were they are operating. The company is strong, so I believe they can afford it”. Speaking at the launch of the 'Ultimate Wonder' promo, the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer MTN Nigeria Mr. Larry Annetts had disclosed that MTN as a market leader continually sought avenues not only to enrich the lives of its customers, but also to appreciate and reward its loyal subscribers for keeping faith with the brand over a long period of time. Annetts said “MTN is keen to transform the lives of many Nigerians; we recognise reward schemes as one of the best ways to touch and enrich the lives of our subscribers and so we are connecting Nigerians to lifechanging initiative that are not easily replicated by any brand in Africa. Giving a breakdown of the company's recent reward programmes, he said, “last year in commemoration of our 10th anniversary in Nigeria, we excited and enriched many Nigerians with the much talked about 1 Billion Naira reward; where 90 lucky winners went home with cash prices of N10million each among other mouth watering prices. This year again, through the MTN Automania game, a subscription based initiative; the company is giving out 100 xi35 SUVs in a 100-day nationwide promo. But with the inauguration of the MTN Ultimate Wonder Promo, you will agree with me that MTN has taken the customer reward concept to an unprecedented level where no brand has attempted in Africa”. Meanwhile, amid subscribers concerns about the reality of the Promo, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), had said it would seek audience with MTN over the Promo. The Deputy Director, Public Relations of the CPC, Mr. Abiodun Obimuyiwa, had disclosed that the Council had sent a letter summoning MTN officials for a meeting over the promo. Be that as it may, the

Akinwale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria

National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), the body charged with granting lottery permission in the country has confirmed the approval of the promo, saying it is being regulated. An official of the Commission who gave this

confirmation said the telecom operator had sought approval before commencement and had been granted, adding that the promo is being closely monitored by the regulatory body.

Subscribers decry poor quality of service

obile telephone subscribers in Abuja o n We d n e s d a y decried what they described as poor quality of service in the country, saying it has affected their businesses in terms of passing urgent information either through calls or short message service (sms) Subscribers to some selected networks that include MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat expressed their dissatisfaction to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). They said the poor quality of service had been on the increase in recent times without any improvement from the service providers. Mr Yakubu Thompson, a businessman, said that most times his calls did not get connected and his messages always stayed pending for a long time before they could be delivered. Thompson said that when the call eventually got connected the line would be braking causing both the caller and the receiver not to clearly hear each other. ``Sometime in the process of sending urgent information to a business partner, the line will remain disconnected or will say switch off, even when the persons' phone is on. “Last week, I tried to call my staff to go and give our client a document that will fetch us a huge contract as the phone kept showing call disconnected. “I eventually got frustrated and hit my phone on the floor. You

could imagine how frustrating the service problem could be and I lost the contract, “Thompson said. Hajia Nma Muhammad, a civil servant, said that for four days there was no network in her house at Prince and Princess Estate. Muhammad said that she laid a complaint at the office and also used another persons' phone to call customer's service before the service came back. “Now the service comes off and on, what can I say, bad system,” Muhammad said. Mr Garba Ibrahim, a cloth seller at Wuse market, said that he tried calling his wife with two different networks to pick his children from school because he was busy with consumers at the shop. Ibrahim said for more than an hour the phone kept telling him switch off, he got angry and rushed to the school and picked his children only to get home to find that his wifes' phone was on. “You can imagine that, these service providers will not break my home. NCC must do something to ensure that service improved in this country,” Ibrahim said. A journalist also told NAN that some time he experienced loss of service in his house at Abacha road Mararaba. “Some of us are tied to the network not because we love it but because most of us receive our salary alert from these networks.”

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

Nigeria “High-life” music in entertainment industry “Decades” on the musical run Pastor Chris Okotie reveals By Okey Anyichie

n 1980, a music magazine edited by a Nigerian all purpose journalist, Tony Amadi, highlighted the impact of the Nigerian “highlife” music on the psyche of Nigerians and even across the West African. Throughout the 40s and 50s highlife was the modern music of West Africa. The West African coast was filled by such classic highlife bandsRamblers, Santiagos, Eddie Okonta, Victor Olaiya, Zeal Onyia, Agu Norris, Roy Chicago, Rex Lawson, and countless other giants. The sheer force of their earthly music made the entire coasts vibrate, entrenching highlife music deep in the heart of millions. While much of its brass arrangement owes a lot to imported Negro Jazz sound, highlife's strong rhythm sections were heavily African influence”. This background of the Nigerian highlife music set the standard of entertainment in Nigeria and some West African Countries like Ghana and Sierra-leone. It was even stated in some musical circles that a G h a n a i a n m u s i c i a n , E T. Mensah, brought the highlife music to Nigeria. For in the early 50s, he dished out a number titled “Old Calabar” which was a hit in that early period of “highlife”. Later Bobby Benson of the Caban-Bamboo fame in Ikorodu in that early period “recorded” the all time hit then, titled “if you marry taxi driver, I don't care” and it is known that a lot of “Highlife” musicians passed through his musical outfit in that early period. But in the mid-50s and from 1960s, there were floods of “highlife” musicians all over the country in most cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Warri, Benin, Onitsha, Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Aba, Sapele, Kaduna, Jos, Kano among other towns that started to have influx of people living in those cities. Hotel industries started growing with residentbands and citizens like business men, workers, artisans and other people in different areas of human endeavours patronizing the “highlife” music from the icons who played and made it “infectious” in the entertainment industry in the

country. For from the mid- 50s, musicians like Victor Olaiya, E.C. Arinze, Roy Chicago, Bill Friday, Agu Norris, Zeal Onyia created waves in the entertainment industry in Lagos. Then from 1960s, it was “highlife” music and its artistes all the way in major cities of the country. Hence Rex Lawson from 1961 until he died in 1971 in a motoraccident was unstoppable in the highlife musical scene from PortHarcourt to Lagos. His compatriot, Erasmus Jenewari was another force in Highlife music. He was the resident musician at the Plaza Hotel Onitsha. Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe arrived with his first time hit, “One-pound no balance” He came from Lagos, where he was playing for Eric Onugha at Empire Hotel IdioroLagos to Onitsha in 1963 and settled at Central Hotel. Chief Osadebe until he transited in 2010 was one of the “evil genius” of highlife music in Nigeria. There is no need recounting the number of hits he “churned” out throughout his musical career until he transited and his recorded highlife music keeps him alive forever. The same with the “Ogene” sound exponent, Oliver De Coque (Oliver Akanite) who rose to musical height in1976. In Aba, another commercial city, of enjoyment had many highlife musicians like”Dan Satch” and his atomic 8 band, Sunny Osuoha (Sunny

Nwamama). The same with Kaduna City with Bala Miller doing his thing in the Costain club and entertaining Crooners every weekend in the city. Another musician of worthy note in the northern part of the country is Jim Christian and his Sahara All-Stars in Jos. In the 60s, another great musician appeared like comet and vanished so soon but not without living the musical scene in Nigeria especially east of the Niger, Onitsha in particular with a lot of hits. Celestine Ukwu, the Enugu State, born musician had a lot of recorded highlife hits like “Ije-enu”, “I mma-echi”, Igede parts one and two among others before he transited in 1977 in a motor-accident a few kilometers from Onitsha. Another great and icon of Nigerian highlife music that stormed the scene in mid-60s is Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo, who in 1966 came out with an all out hit, “Joromi” and from that singles, he was recording and invading the air-waves in the country. He had carved a niche in using his Edo cultural language and arts to expose the rich arts of the Edo people with capital in Benin. Another great exponent of the music of “highlife” from that area, now in Delta State, is Saint Augustine and his Rovers band. After the war in 1970, he was one of the “highlife” musicians that impacted on the scene. He did his apprentice-ship in music under Cardinal Rex Lawson, whom he paid due tribute after his transition in a motoraccident on his way to keep an appointment with musical engagement in Warri. St

Augustine sang a mournful tune in a single he recorded in memory of his mentor, Cardinal Jim Lawson. In reviewing this Nigerian “Highlife” music since the decade of 50s, it is interesting to note that all though it is declining but is still being appreciated inspite of the Popmusic' that infected the youths of Nigeria in the 70s. It was at that period that foreign artistes like James Brown, Otis Redding and Wilson Picket from USA were at the Zenith of their musical careers and impacted and infected the psyche of the youths at that period. Equally it was at that period that the great social activist and “creator” of Afro-music, the radical Fela Ransome, Later Anikulapo-Kuti ruled the air-waves even across the frontier of the country. He was a house hold name in Ghana and many African countries until he translated to status of immortality in 1997. Fela was a great name in the musical scene in Nigeria. Another great name that made a unique impact whose ability in his brand of music that spanned across the borders is Sonny Okosun, one should regard this late musician as an ‘ideological’ musician especially his music in the area of Pan-Africanism especially, during the days of “Apartheid” in South Africa. His hit titled “Fire in Soweto” was an all time great hit and also another one”, Papa's land”. These great musicians that made Nigerian music popular from the decade of 50s to present era of 21st century had left footprints on the ‘musical’ sands of time. They made Nigeria, one of the African countries that should stand up to be counted and recognized in the music industry in Africa.

Highlife Band with their instrument

details on why he left his wife We have been waiting on Pastor Chris Okotie to speak out on why he left his second wife Stephanie. He finally comes out and speaks to us through a minister of his church. “Rev Grace Paul: A blind person knows that my pastor loved his wife, Stephanie, passionately. This year before the separation, he had taken her out of the country at least three times to different places like Dubai, US and so on. He loved her, so did the congregation but the bible says that two cannot walk together except they agree. In the establishment of the kingdom of God, the rules change because the rules are made by God and not by man. So, it didn't have to do with what pastor wanted to do, because left to him, his love will keep him struggling and going at it but if God gives him instruction he has to follow it through. If I get you correctly, it was Jesus instructions for Pastor Chris to part ways with Stephanie? Rev Grace: Let me give you a precedent. In the bible, there's a queen called Queen Vershti of Persia. The king invited his wife and said come woman, I want to show you off to my people and the woman had an attitude. She had pride issues. It was at that point she said to the king “Excuse me, I am making up, how can you be humiliating me by telling me to come and sit down so that people can be looking at me.” So she refused and the people of the kingdom rose up against her, and they said the king must let her go, and that was how Esther came in. That is the principle of The Kingdom. In the two cases of my pastor's former wives, it was an abdication of roles. One was a physical abdication, and the other was a spiritual abdication. In the matters of the Kingdom of God, when you abdicate your position, your position will be taken over, because the calling my pastor has, he is not called to work alone In Stephanie's case, was it a case

Continues on page 35

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

NEWS FROM STATES

CD blames unemployment, insecurity in S-East on govs says Imo, Ebonyi have highest rate Enugu State, the group blamed By Matthew Oguejiofor the “harsh” economic policies The Campaign for Democracy (CD) has lamented that South East in the recent research recorded the highest percentage of unemployment in the country, with Imo and Ebonyi states topping the list with 71 and 77 percent of unemployment rates respectively. CD affirmed that negligence of youths by the affected governors further increased crime rate which came as a result of unemployment that has continued to grow unabated in the zone. In a statement jointly signed by Comrade Uzor A Uzor, Chairman Southeast Region, Comrade Jude Chukwu, Chairman Abia State, Comrade Onu O. Onu, Chairman Ebony State, Comrade Emeka Ogbonna, Chairman Imo State, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, Chairman Anambra State, Dr Jerry Chukwuokolo, Chairman

of the Governors in the zone, stating that it contributed to the collapse of the industrial sector, which they said was responsible for the unemployment and mounting insecurity in the region. According to the statistics released by the CD, Ebony State has 77 percent unemployment rate, 69 percent illiteracy rate and poor job creation initiative, which has led to the pauperizing of over 60 percent of the people of the state. The statement added that, “about 31 percent of the indigenes of Ebonyi state are merely educated, accounting for the high rate of crime and violent communal clashes which has left thousands of people dead. Ebonyi state has in the recent time recorded the worst form of political killings, land dispute-related crisis, thuggery and kidnapping”. Imo State according to the

statement has 71 percent unemployment rate, which it said was as a result of the recent sack of 10,000 youths by the state government while only 29 percent of the population of people in the state were employed. Anambra State came third with 63 percent unemployment rate while only 33 percent of the state's population is employed, “63% of the population are mainly traders, artisans, Okada riders, mechanics, among other self employed individuals. Governor Peter Obi has not lifted embargo on employment six years after it was placed by Chris Ngige's administration”. The CD hinted that the refusal of most of the state governors in the zone to conduct Local Government elections, thereby diverting the Federal Allocations accruing to the Council Areas, which ought to be plunged into establishing cottage industries and other empowerment programme in

Interior Ministry signs performance agreements By Yochuku Ofoka Yobolisa, Abuja

hief Executive Officers in the federal ministry of the interior has signed the performance contract agreements (PCAs) upon which their performance levels for this year could be measured. The executives included the interior minister, Comrade Abba Patrick Moro and his ministry's perm sec, Mrs Oby Nwaobiala. Others were the immigration boss, Mrs Rose Uzoma, the civil defence chief, Prof Ade Abolurin, James Okebiorun of the federal fire service and Zakari Ibrahim of the Nigeria Prisons Service. Performing the agreement signing ceremony at his ministry's headquarters in Abuja, the minister said that the PCAs at the ministerial level was in furtherance of the agreement that all cabinet ministers signed with President Jonathan on August 22, this year, adding that the PCAs are

veritable instruments designed to drive the ongoing transformation action plan of Jonathan administration. According to him, “The performance contract agreements will spell out the key performance indicators (KPIs) on which our performances in 2012 is to be judged. The signing of these agreements by key managers of the government marks a major shift from the way things were done in this country in the past. “Of course, it is a shift from the past when performances of MDAs were measured by their ability to spent funds appropriated to them and not necessarily the ability to deliver services to the nation”. The frontline minister pointed out that the notion of PCA is based on the principles of performance management and basically drawn from agreed KPIs of all key players of the economy. He said, “The key performance indicators have been summed up as SMART,

meaning that the level of actions must be specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and must be time-based”. Explaining further, the minister said that the idea of PCAs was arrived at after due appraisals by the national planning commission. “Therefore the era of vague statements to indicate performance is gone in line with Mr President's transformation agenda”, he said. He maintained that the PCAs signing at this time of year would not diminish performance expectations from federal ministries, departments and agencies, adding that before now MDAs have girded their loins by submitting their scorecards to the national planning commission for the purposes of evolving a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation reports of the federal civil service. “Thus if we are unable to aid Mr President to deliver dividends to the Nigerian people then we have no basis for remaining in office. In essence, you have to either ship in or ship out of the system so that we may not be rewarding nonperformance. We must measure performance objectively”, he submitted.

the rural communities to create employment in the states. In Abia state according to the research, despite the controversial sacking of non indigenes in the state civil service, only 31 percent of the population of the state is employed, while 63 percent of the people are unemployed and grappling with abject poverty

and other challenges. CD also said the only solution to security challenges in the region is to ensure that unemployment in the zone is reduced to the barest minimum, further called on the affected leaders to ensure that public funds entrusted in their hands are used for the development of the region.

Adulterous couple stuck together during intercourse ...Others crushed to Death By Donald Kumun, Makurdi

horrible drama occurred in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State recently as a 47 year old married man k n o w n a s Ya k u b u w a s mystically stuck to a 35 year old women known as Yahimba during sexual intercourse. The two adulterous man and woman were permanently attached to one another through their private parts. An eyewitness at the scene told The Advocate that the woman's husband, who is known to be diabolical was responsible for what befell the two lovers. He said that the man who remained stuck to the woman is a known wealthy businessman who is in the habit of sleeping around with married women in the area when their husbands are not at home. However, when the younger brother of Idris called to notify his brother of the latest happenings, it was said that Idris,the woman's husband, responded by saying that he was busy at work and must finish whatever he was doing before coming back. Asked when he will come back,he responded by saying that "Over the weekend" even as this incidence took place on Thursday. Meanwhile, Yakubu was pleading for help promising that he will pay any amount of money to anyone who could unbolt his pennis from the married woman's

vagina. As at the time of filing in this report,the adulterous lover birds were said to be still stuck together. It would be recalled that another adulterous couple; a wife and mother of two, also a student of Community Secondary School Apir, in Makurdi Local Government area and her lover, a L e b a n e s e Engineer/Contractor with Hijaig Construction Company was knocked down in a Hilux Van belonging to Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, directly opposite NNPC depot Apir in the capital city of the state. While the Lebanese died at the spot, the woman later died in a Hospital. An eye witness account revealed that the driver of the vehicle (PHCN) escaped unhurt. It was gathered that husband of the adulterous woman had accused her of having an intimate relationship with the Lebanese and warned her to desist from the act but it was learnt the woman had ignored the warning and continued playing games with the foreigner. The woman was buried at her husband's compound, opposite the NNPC depot Apir while the remains of the Lebanese were flown to his country for burial few days after his death. When our Correspondent visited Apir after the burial, there was unusual quietness in the community but people were seen in groups discussing the matter in hushed tones. Those who spoke with this reporter on the issue concluded that the accident was an intervention by God

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

NEWS FROM STATES

Nigerian becomes first black VC in American varsity A

United States of America-based Nigerian lecturer, Prof. Ilesanmi Adesida, has become the first black man to be appointed the Provost/ViceChancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, United States of America. Born in 1949 at Ifon, a town in Ondo State, Adesida, a professor of Electronic Engineering with outstanding works in nanotechnology, was appointed by the search committee of the institution on May 31, this year. His appointment, according to a statement placed on the website of the institution, took effect from August 15 this year. Before his appointment, Adesida was the Dean, College of Engineering of the institution. According to the university's Vice-President and Chancellor, Dr. Phyllis Wise, Adesida succeeds Linda P.B. KatehiTseregounis, who last served the role on a permanent basis. S e n i o r c a m p u s administrators who served in the position on an interim basis after D r. K a t e h i - Ts e r e g o u n i s ' departure were Robert Easter and Richard Wheeler. Adesida, a former Head of Department, Electrical Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, will oversee the institution's academic programmes, policies and priorities, which have been designed to ensure the quality of the educational experience for students and to sustain an environment that encourages and supports academic excellence. He was at ABTU between 1985 and 1987. But now as the chief academic officer of UI, Adesida will work closely with the C h a n c e l l o r, o t h e r v i c e chancellors, the deans of academic colleges and other units, academic staff, the Faculty Senate, and various committees in setting overall academic priorities for the university. The university has a budget of $1.5b with more than $400m in research expenditures. There are 42,000 students and 3,000 faculty members. The university is renowned for its interdisciplinary collaborations, advances in human understanding, community outreach, global partnerships, and life-changing scientific developments. By his appointment,

Engineering, non-tenured, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, non-salaried; Professor, Coordinated Science L a b o r a t o r y, C o l l e g e o f Engineering, non-tenured, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, non-salaried; Research Professor, Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, College of Engineering, nontenured, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, non-salaried; Institute Affiliate, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, office of the VC for Research, non-tenured, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, non-salaried; and Institute Affiliate, Institute of Genomic Biology.

Why Okotie left his wife Continues from page 33

Prof. Ilesanmi Adesida Adesida, who graduated with a Bachelors of Science, Master's and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1974, 1975 and 1979 respectively, will become one of the highest paid academics in the US. According to UI's VicePresident and the Chancellor, Dr. Phyllis Wise, the cerebral don will earn $430,000 per annum, about N67.51m. With this amount, Adesida's annual salary is $30,000 higher than President Barrack Obama, who earns $400,000 per year. Commenting on his appointment, Adesida, who is now a naturalised American, was quoted by a news agency as expressing happiness at the university's gesture. Adesida said, “I'm honoured and humbled to be selected as vice-chancellor/provost of this great campus (university). This is something I take very seriously. I know how to work very hard and I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get the job done.” According to the website of the university, Adesida is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Vacuum Society, and the Optical Society of America. He is also the past-president of IEEE Electron Devices Society. His outstanding work in the field of Nanotechnology has received much acclaim in the

scientific community. He has developed a body of work in the processing of semiconductors and other materials at the nanometer-scale level. After his studies, he worked in various capacities at what is now known as the Cornell Nanofabrication Facility and the School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. In June 2005, Adesida became the 13th dean since the inception of the College of Engineering in 1870. He joined UI as a faculty member in 1988 and he is currently the Donald Biggar Willett Professor of Engineering, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology. Adesida has previously served as the Director of the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory and the Associate Director for education of the NSF Engineering Research Centre for Compound S e m i c o n d u c t o r Microelectronics. According to the university's website, Adesida's research interests include nanofabrication processes and u l t r a - h i g h - s p e e d optoelectronics. He also has extensive experience in development of novel processes for wide band gap materials such as silicon

carbide and gallium nitride. He has also worked on ultra-highspeed photo detectors and photo receivers in various materials systems. Adesida has chaired many international conferences, including serving as the Programme and General Chair of the Electronic Materials Conference, 2000-2003. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Vacuum Society and Optical Society of America. He is past-president of IEEE Electron Devices Society, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. According to an appointment notice on the institution's website, Adesida will also continue as Donald Biggar Willett Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, non-tenured, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, with an increment of $5,000, effective August 16, 2012, for a total annual salary of $430,000. “In addition, Adesida will continue to hold the following appointments on terms which were effective August 16, 2011: Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, on indefinite tenure, on an academic year service basis, on zero per cent time, non-salaried; Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, College of

of spiritual or physical abdication? Rev Grace: Her case was spiritual abdication, but either ways it amounts to the same thing, because the scripture states clearly that if unbelieving departs, let him depart, you are not bound. Any efforts to patch things up? Rev Grace: Spiritual things can not be patched up. When there are two people who are not the same kind, it is not a matter of patching up. So is the congregation happy that the pastor is single again and is there any plans to replace Stephanie? Rev Grace: The congregation is not in the position to replace Stephanie. My pastor is a full grown man, and he knows what he's doing. In the case of our pastor's first wife, she insisted that where she wanted to do her church work was in the US. As for Stephanie, I cannot be intruding. As much as I am authorised to do what I am doing, I can't disrespect my pastor and Stephanie. If I begin to give you some details, they would amount to disrespect. My pastor has insisted that they want to keep it private. Pastor Chris once said that the instruction to marry Stephanie was from God Rev Grace: If you know my pastor, he is a passionate person. They had a long time relationship before they got married. My pastor is particularly careful about beautiful women because he knows that the devil desires them. So when a beautiful woman has issues in church, he ministers to them, and because he does that, people jump to the conclusion that he sleeps with them, which is not true. Just like Queen Ure, pastor has never had an affair with her, will never have an affair with her because they are not of the same kind”

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EDUCATION

Missionaries and educational development in Nigeria, Setting the stage for future By Okey Anyichie

he 19th century was the age of missionary journeys and forays into the West African Coasts, which also was the period of exploration of both coastal and interior parts of West Africa. like a former premier of the then Mid-western region, Chief Dennis Osadebe exposed the fact that the missionaries were responsible for colonialism but also were responsible for “Nationalism” in Africa. Hence they provided the plat-form that liberated the minds of Africa called educational institutions like schools, colleges and now tertiary institutions. Education is the bed-rock of socio-political and economic development of every forward looking societies with ideal focus on both standard and quality of lives. For Nigerian society, that was “created” by the British in late 19th and early 20th centuries, the missionaries of the Christian denominations played major role, especially in their unique efforts in the educational development of the colony and later sovereign country of Nigeria. Records had it that the Methodist Missionaries led by Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman, from Jamaica built the first Primary School in Badagry, in the present Lagos State in 1842. The Methodist Mission also built the first storey building in that town of Badagry. From Badagry another missionary group led by Rev. Henry Townsend landed in Badagry and moved to Abeokuta and sent up another school in the town in

1846, and even started the first newspaper in Nigeria called “Iwe Irohin” in 1859. This group of missionaries was not the Methodist but the Anglican mission. These two groups of missions of Christian denominations were the pioneers in the educational development of Nigeria especially at the coastal areas like Lagos, Calabar and Warri. The Anglican mission went a step further by building the first post-primary institution called Boys Anglican Grammar School Bariga- Lagos in 1859. It is interesting that this first postprimary school was headed by a L a g o s i a n , R e v. T h o m a s Babington Macaulay when it opened its doors for academic and other extra-curricular activities, the first in Nigeria. Later denominations like the Methodist, Baptist and Roman Catholic had their own postprimary schools in Lagos as well as primary schools like Methodist Boys High School in 1878, Baptist Academy in 1883, St Gregory's College in 1881, these major post-primary schools thus were the pioneers in Lagos in that late 19th century. These missions equally explored the western hinter lands making it possible to build both primary and post-primary schools in places like Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Warri, Sapele and Benin. All these areas of the western side of Nigeria accounted for both primary and post-primary schools that had trained and provided the manpower the country is proud of today. The Eastern part of the country also had these groups of

School children taking their lectures men and women impelled by “apostolic zeal” pioneered education, that they combed all the nooks and crannies of the area to educate the people at the end of 19th and dawn of 20th century. Hence kudos goes first to the Presbyterian Mission that came to Calabar on the Eastern side of the country in 1844 and set up a mission that included schools, and in 1895, built the first post-primary school East of the Niger. This pioneer postprimary school in Calabar that came into existence was named after the first Presbyterian Missionary to Calabar called Rev. Hope Masterton Waddel. And so Hope Waddel Training Institution, in 1895 became the primus inter-pares of other postprimary schools East of the

School children taking their lectures

Niger. After 1895, the Methodist set up their first post-Primary school in Oron, in the present Cross-river State called Methodist Boys High School Oron in 1904, then in Uzoakoli in the present Abia State, called Methodist College, Uzoakoli in 1923. The Anglicans moved in, in this area of man-power development in 1925, when the mission built the great Dennis Memorial Grammar School Onitsha. And this was the first post-primary school by the mission East of the Niger. The Roman Catholic Mission was also very effective in the race for the liberation of minds of the people they evangelized. In 1933, they set up another great post-primary school in Onitsha called Christ the King College and went on to build primary schools and post-primary schools East of the Niger more than other Christian denominations. All these unique efforts of these Missionaries of the Christian denominations paid up as the standard of education rose very highly from the first half of the 20th century, that at the year of independence in 1960, the abundance of manpower in the South helped in the socio-economic development of the country. But somehow, a very cloudy situation arose after the civilwar in 1970 with the take-over of schools belonging to these missions. It started first in the then East-central State in 1970 with a law backing it. In a twinkle of an eye, this “edict” that converted schools both primary and post-primary owned by the missions and private individuals plus voluntary Agencies to public

schools was an exercise that put education in anti-clockwise direction in the former Eastcentral State now Abia, Anambra, Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi States. Later in 1976, the “Virus” of take-over spread to South-east State, now Crossriver and Akwa-Ibom States and Rivers State, now Bayelsa and Rivers States. It must be recognized that this exercise of forcibly taking over one's property could only happen during the military regime and this was what happened. Now some States like Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers have handed over some of the schools owned by the Christian missions. But whether the standard of the pre-war years would be maintained looks very nebulous as a lot of water had passed under the bridge. Is it not strange to see the number of successful candidates for the past years in the school certificate examinations? This is where many states’ governments will step up their efforts to invest heavily in education for this is the 21st century that is expected to run on the fast lane of science and technology globally. And Nigeria cannot afford to toy with this path to emancipation or would be left behind. If the year “2020” would be a reality, then no stone should be left unturned in these most basic areas of primary and post-primary levels of educational development. The Missionaries of many denominations had made the mark, let it be improved upon now in the name of intellectual emancipation of generations unborn.

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

SPORTS

2012 Nigerian Premier League:

Kano Pillars triumphs in the Soccer Championship By Okey Anyichie

he much awaited last encounters in the 2 0 11 / 2 0 1 2 p r e m i e r league soccer champion-ship ended on Friday 7th September 2012 at different centres in the country. Before these final matches were played across the country three teams were in contention for the 2011/2012 league trophy. These teams are Kano Pillars, the eventual winners, Lobi football club of Makurdi and Rangers football club of Enugu. These three teams were in contention based on the out come of their encounters in Enugu, Kaduna and Ijebu-ode venues. But the “K-leg” was put in the final encounters of this season's league champion-ship by the body organizing the premier league soccer champion-ship, the National Premier League (NPL) that points had been deducted from the three contenders and other clubs involved in the competition. It was sequel to the sanction of the Ocean Boys Football Club of Yenagua for missing two

matches. This decision favoured Kano Pillars, who lost only three point but overwhelmed both Rangers of Enugu and Lobi of Makurdi, both lost six points each. So by this executive fiat of the league body, Kano Pillars were declared champion without kicking the ball in the field. The last matches although played by these three contending clubs, Rangers beat the visiting Sharks of Port-Harcourt 3-0, Lobi lost to their host, Kaduna United 3-1 and Kano Pillars, the all ready winners lost also to their host, Sunshine of Akure, 21. That was the position after the last Friday's encounters and by board-room decision, Kano Pillars will now be the 2013 Nigerian flag-bearers in the Africa league soccer championship with Rangers, the runner-up of the 2012 champion-ship. Heart-land of O w e r r i t h e 2 0 111 / 2 0 1 2 confederation cup winners will trade tackles for Nigeria with other African clubs in the 2013 Africa confederation cup soccer competition, formerly Cupwinners' Cup.

With the end of 2011/2012 football season coming to end, Clubs have now known their positions especially those in the premier league to go back to the drawing boards and strategise for the new season which will likely come up in November, while those promoted to the premier league division will now organize their clubs to survive the “winter” of the premier league champion-ship in the next season. And those relegated to the Division one competition would equally strategise to play very well and come back to the premier league division, where the action is. As for the Kano Pillars that won the 2011/2012 premier league champion-ship and thus will be in the continental competition, next year, the club must live up to expectations of their supporters and surprise the soccer pundits and win the continental soccer competition for once. Hence this is the third time, the club is playing in the continental competition, just like Enyimba did the nation proud in 2003 and 2004 editions

Kanu Pillars jubilating of the league competition for African club-sides. And if the club does this next year, it would stand to the credit that Kano Pillars became the first club from the north to win the continental league soccer competition and second Nigerian club-side to do Nigeria proud in the competition. This would go a long way to show the standard of the Nigeria's premier league soccer competition since

2004 when a Nigerian clubside, Eyimba football club of Aba won the continental soccer champion-ship last. Since then, Nigerian club sides in the competition had been “wobbling and fumbling” in the competition. This is definitely unacceptable for the standard of football has gone high in the country, as mediocrity is definitely out the question.

Nigeria battles for 2013 Africa cup of nations qualifier By Okey Anyichie

nce again the national team, the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria is on course in the Africa cup of nations' qualifier. Two weeks ago in Monrovia-Liberia, the Super Eagles' failed to fly to victorious height, but did not lose the encounter, as the out-come of this first leg encounter with Liberia, ended in a 2-2 draw. Thus Nigeria will next month trade tackles with Liberia in the second and final round of the

Africa cup of nation's qualifier. The out-come of this second encounter between the national teams of the two countries, will determine who qualifies for the 2013 edition of the Africa cup of nations in South Africa. It would be recalled that the “Super Eagles” failed to fly higher in the 2012 cup of nations hosted in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. It was republic of Guinea that made it a “Mission-inimpossible” for Nigeria. And this made it possible for the

Keshi Super Eagles Coach

Super Eagles not to be among the African teams in the 2012 edition of the competition which was won by Zambia. The South African team defeated the “Elephants” of Ivory-Coast by penalty shoot-outs in the final game. This is the first time that Zambia won the competition after making two bids to cart-off the trophy in 1974 in the final with Zaire (now republic of Congo) and 1994 with the “Super-Eagles” of Nigeria. Zambia's ambition in the two final encounters in 1974 and 1994 crash-landed. So the 2012 edition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was the crossing of the “rubicon”. So if the South African Country qualifies, they will be the defending champion of the competition in South Africa comes January 2013. Nigeria became one of the winners of this major soccer competition in Africa after hosting and winning in March 1980. The “Super Eagles” of Nigeria was to have a successful date with the competition in 1994 after beating Zambia 2-1in the final in Tunisia. Since then Nigeria had turned out to be “traditional” third place winners of the competition since 2002 in Mali, 2004 in Tunisia, 2006 in Egypt, 2008 in Ghana and 2010 in Angola. But in the 2012

edition as stated could not qualify for this edition of the competition. Now the die is cast for the 2013 edition in South Africa and what is the standard of “Super Eagles” in the competition? This would be seen and assessed after the second leg encounter next month in Calabar with the visiting Liberian national team. It is the earnest hopes and wishes of the teeming football fans in the country that the “Super Eagles” should fly very high in this decisive second leg encounter. This is to avoid the “disaster” that occurred in the 2012 qualifier when Guinea came here and got a 2-2 drawn game which “locked” Nigeria out of the competition. Hence like the saying “once bitten, twice shy” goes holds water in this crucial second leg encounter. It is also an “acidtest” for the coach and handler of the “Super Eagles,” Stephen Keshi. This will add a lot of kudos to his ability at handling the national team, which he led as a player for almost ten years and won the nations cup in 1994 in Tunisia. It will also be a challenge to him to qualify the “Super Eagles” to South Africa next year and win the cup for Nigeria. If he accomplishes this feat next year in the cup of

nations next year in South Africa, he would then join the Egyptian former coach, Hassan Shehata, who won the cup as both a coach and player, the same with Ghanaian coach, Aggrey-Finn, who won the cup in 1963 as a player and a coach in 1965 in Tunisia. However whichever country that wins the cup next year after the competition must have ended, will look forward to 2014 world cup champion-ship in Brazil. Hence it would not sound up to a high standard of a team to become African champion and failed to pick up one of he five world cup tickets for Africa. Egypt made the great soccer blunder in 2010, when after achieving a feat in winning the cup three times in a row, 2006, 2008 and 2010, only to lose out to Algeria in the last qualifying match for the world cup in South Africa. Even now the effort of this all time, nation cup winners is not very solid, as the North African country may not qualify for this 2013 edition of the competition. As Nigeria is in the race for this 2013 competition in South Africa, this crucial second leg will determine whether the “Super Eagles” will join other African team for the titanic battle in South Africa.

THE

Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

SPORTS

Zonal Sports Festival takes off in Enugu By Okey Anyichie

he Zonal sports preliminary involving ball games in the Zone I area of National Sports Commission (NSC) Enugu started off off last week. The competitions involve Hand-ball, B a s k e t - b a l l , Vo l l e y - b a l l , Football and a new one, Aburavolleyball in both female and male categories all took place at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu and end on the Saturday 20th September, 2012. The five-day competitions in these ball games involved three states in the Zonal area with headquarters in Enugu namely Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi. The winners of each ball game will represent the zone in the forth-coming All-Nigeria sports festival in Lagos coming up in November this year. Last year the Enugu and Anambra States shared the events for 2011 Port-Harcourt sports festival. But the zone did not do very well in the ball games especially football. With the present competitions that kicked-off at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, it is expected that the three states involved will improve on the standard of last year’s competitions. Enugu state sports council had already invited the athletes that are involved in the competitions for

Enugu Rangers players camping at the site of the former sports council. Anambra State had already camped their athletes for the zonal competitions. It is also expected that Ebonyi State will get their athletes in top shape for the zonal competitions for the ball games. The competitions which at the end will produce the teams that are expected to do the zone

proud next two months in Lagos. Hence this year's All-Nigeria sports festival coming at the heel of the 2012 Olympics in London is expected to generate much keen competitions among the 36 state and Abuja, capital territory. It is also expected that the festival in Lagos is a very vital area to spot talents that would be

groomed for future international games like the All-Africa, Common wealth and Olympic games coming up in 2015, 2014 and 2016 in different countries. As Nigerian team did not perform at the last Olympic Games in London, more effort is expected to ferret talents that will replace the present ageing athletes that failed to win medals

ADVOCATE for the country in this 2012 barren outing to the Olympic games in London. The Nigeria sports festival that started in 1973 exposed a number of talents who later on matured for the international competitions and won Laurels for the country. And so this 2012 All-Nigeria sports festival will not be an exception as athletes that will participate in this edition of the sports festival in Lagos will put up very scintillating performances. This is the fourth time Lagos is hosting the sports festival since its maiden edition in 1973. It was Lagos that hosted the first edition in July, 1973 after the sports fiesta was introduced by the Late Nigerian sports administrative guru, Chief Jerry Enyeazu. He organized the festival first in Enugu in March, 1972 at the old Enugu Sports Stadium, before it became a federal sports festival that involved the then 12 states of the federation. In 1973, when the festival was held in Lagos for the first time, the then Midwest (now Edo and Delta) States overwhelmed the other eleven states at the end of the sports fiesta. The two states have also been very robust at the festivals since 1998 to present. The present edition of the sports festival coming up in November this year may be a keen competition between Edo, Delta and host state, Lagos. For Lagos was the first state to break the winning monopoly of Mid-west in 1979 in Ibadan tagged “Oluyole 79”. Let us put our fingers crossed for the events of the 2012 sports festival in Lagos.

Bosso thinks big W

Bosso

i k k i To u r i s t s ' m a n a g e r, L a d a n Bosso said his heart is with the Bauchi-based side for the 2012/2013 NPL season. Bosso guided Wikki to finish the season on 51 points from 36 matches. The former Kano Pillars' manager said he will want to consolidate and improve on the gains the team made in the out gone season. "Ninety percent of my mind is with Wikki except I and the management don't resolve some issues I'll table before them. "I know we'll amicably resolve the issues because they know my worth. "I won't say other clubs haven't started enquiries about me but like I said my heart is with Wikki except of course we fail to harmonise our differences. "I met the target set for me which was to consolidate the team's position in the Premier League.

"I achieved my target and I'm satisfied. I'm a developmental coach and when you consider the status of Wikki compared with when I joined them you'll agree with me that the team have recorded positive growth within the period in view," he told supersport.com. The former Flying Eagles' gaffer said the new target in the coming season is to pick a continental ticket. "The first target has been met, the new target in the 2012/2013 season is to pick continental ticket. "So we've lined up options for ourselves and the management will decide how and what they want. "If we're to go for the first, second or third position, that means we'll look for quality players even beyond the nation's shore and it will cost the management. "But if we prefer any continental

tickets, that also, has its cost implication. "I want to surprise the management by bringing more quality players to add glamour to the team and who will be of immense benefit towards realising our goal," he said. Bosso disclosed that 15 players have been dropped to create space for the new intakes. "We've dis-engaged 15 out of the registered 32 players for last season and this exercise will create room for new ones. "Though the team tried but it wasn't a perfect performance by all the players and since we want to raise the bar not every player will fit into the programme. "So we'll shop for quality players outside the shores of this country," he said. The team are still on break and would likely resume camp next week.

THE

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Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

SPORTS SPORTS STAR

Liverpool v Manchester United: The bitter rivalry The rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United has become almost unique in its intensity since the Premier League's balance of power shifted from Merseyside along the M62 in the early 1990s. The two cities do not simply share a sporting rivalry but also a cultural and industrial one something mirrored most starkly in the relationship between two of world football's greatest clubs. Liverpool and Man Utd honours Covering one of my first meetings between Liverpool and United at Anfield in 1988 I got a close up view of then manager Kenny Dalglish carrying his six-week old daughter Lauren in his arms while enraging counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson in the tunnel by suggesting a radio interviewer might get more sense interrogating the baby than his fellow Scot. It was a snapshot of the fierce competition that has always existed between Liverpool and United but the incident now falls into the category of mild banter given what has become, and few would dispute this, an increasingly poisonous relationship between the supporters in recent years.

Tension has built as United have amassed league titles eventually eclipsing Liverpool's 18 top-flight trophies with their 19th in 2011. The rivalry has led to concerns that what should be an occasion for remembrance, emotion and sympathy when they meet in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday - as Liverpool play at home for the first time since the release of the Hillsborough files - might be hijacked by a small minority intent on illfeeling as opposed to empathy. “United and Liverpool have suffered great tragedies as clubs so there should be empathy between them” Mark Lawrenson, who played 356 times for Liverpool between 1981-88 And yet the actions of both clubs in the build-up to Sunday's game suggests this day could yet be a watershed in that fractious relationship between fans, a day when the unity that has been shown within football following the disclosure of the Hillsborough documents relating to the 1989 disaster could heal longstanding wounds. This will be the wish of the overwhelming majority of

Liverpool and United supporters inside and outside Anfield, and those in the boardrooms, at these two English and European superpowers. As those who died at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in 1989 are remembered on Sunday, the occasion has the potential to become a turning point, a force for good in forging a new bond between the clubs' followers. BBC Sport football pundit Mark Lawrenson, who played in many Liverpool-Manchester United matches, says the eyes of the sporting world will be on Anfield on Sunday. "This is Liverpool's first game at home since the release of the Hillsborough files and no-one wants anything to detract from the meaning of this occasion followed by the importance of a showpiece Premier League game," he said. "Concerns have been expressed after a small number of United fans sang antiLiverpool songs during last week's win against Wigan but I fully expect this to be a day reflecting the mood of so many decent supporters on both sides. "Liverpool fans have been

guilty themselves in the past of singing songs about the Munich air crash but Hillsborough rises above club loyalties. "I also think anyone who is tempted to try to mar the occasion will find themselves being embarrassed by their fellow supporters. "And with plans for opposing captains Steven Gerrard and Nemanja Vidic to release 96 balloons before kick-off in memory of those who died in 1989, I am convinced it will be a day that will do everyone inside Anfield enormous credit. "It may even be the time when fractures in the relationship between the two sets of supporters are repaired. "United and Liverpool have suffered great tragedies as clubs so there should be empathy between them. It is these tragic events and how they have handled them that contribute to their greatness. They are part of these clubs' history so there should be that mutual respect. "Sir Alex Ferguson has very publicly offered United's support to Liverpool. He will stand alongside Liverpool because this is not an issue of club loyalty or a time for rivalries. Hillsborough goes beyond that.”

Gero to lead Flying Eagles attack

nugu Rangers striker, Alhaji Gero will lead the attack of Nigeria's under20 football team, the Flying Eagles when they face South Africa's Amajita in a first leg, final round Africa Youth Championship (AYC) qualifier on Friday. Gero, the Flying Eagles' leading scorer so far in the AYC qualifying race netted three of the four goals against Tanzania's Ngorongoro Heroes in the previous round.

Nigeria, the reigning African champions, at this level also start Friday's game against South Africa with two wide forwards, Bright Ejike and Chidi Osuchukwu. The Nigerians mandated with the task of putting the Amajita to the sword in front of expected vociferous home support are Halilu Obadaki, Ikechukwu Okorie, Chizoba Amaefule and Shehu Abdullahi in defence. Dangerous Lobi Stars man, Moses Orkuma, Abduljeleel

Ajagun and Ovboka Agboyi will man the midfield for the Eagles. Starting XI: Samuel Okani (skipper) Halilu Obadaki, Shehu Abdullahi, Ikechukwu Okorie, Chizoba Amaefule Ovboka Agboyi, Abduljeleel Ajagun, Moses Orkuma Bright Ejike, Alhaji Gero, Chidi Osuchukwu Subs: Jonah Usman, Hassan Abubakar, Tope Aluko, Uche Agbo, Umar Aminu, Yahaya Adamu, Izegbu Abonima Coach: John Obuh

Continues from page 40 Fenerbahçe On 31 August 2010, Yobo signed a one-year loan contract with Fenerbahçe. Yobo made 30 official matches and one goal taken, winning 201011 Süper Lig. On 6 September 2011, Fenerbahçe agreed another loan for €700,000 and Yobo signed a one-year contract worth €2.35 million. On 4 August 2012, he re-signed for Fenerbahçe once again, but this time it is on a permanent basis on a 3 year contract having played for Everton for 10 years. International career After making his debut in Spring 2001, the Nigerian international played in the Super Eagles' three matches in Japan and South Korea, for the 2002 World Cup, and even provided the assist for his side's only goal of the tournament.Yobo's play at international level has received positive reviews. He was also part of the Nigerian squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, after which he assumed the Eagles' captaincy on the international retirement of Nwankwo Kanu. Personal life In 2010, following a brief courtship, Yobo married former MBGN Adaeze Igwe in a midnight ceremony held in Jos.[13] The couple welcomed a baby boy named Joey Yobo April 2010 He is the younger brother of f o r m e r N i g e r i a internationalAlbert Yobo. In July 2008, his younger brother Norumwas kidnapped in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria and held for ransom. He was eventually released after 12 days on 17 July 2008. It was widely reported in the Nigerian media that Yobo went to T.B. Joshua for prayers after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Charity work In 2007, Yobo set up the Joseph Yobo Charity Foundation, to help under-privileged children in Nigeria. As of 18 July 2007, he has handed out over 300 scholarship awards ranging from primary to university level. Yobo has started a football academy in the Ogoniregion of Nigeria. He also runs football camps in Lagos.

Flying Eagles

THE

Vol. 1 No. 6, Monday, September 24 – Sunday, September 30, 2012

ADVOCATE

SPORTS STAR Joseph Yobo

...for Equity and Justice

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The Constitution as a scapegoat Like heavens, constitution and democracy help those who help themselves -Sen. Ike Ekw eremadu, Chairman Senate Committee on Constitution Review One of my most favourite English idioms right from my primary school days is the one that says that “A bad workman quarrels with his tools”. And indeed, when things go awfully wrong, as they have certainly gone in Nigeria over the decades, it is only natural for the workmen to pick quarrels with their tools. And at the receiving end of the butts of blame game since 1999 for our slow progress and betrayed hopes has been the 1999 Constitution. Some say, and correctly so, that the Constitution was written by a select and privileged minority empanelled by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar Administration. Others argue that the problem is that the Constitution should have given us a parliamentary system of government. “If we had a parliamentary system”, this group insists, “the cost of governance would have been very low and no president or governor would take the people for granted and the legislature for a ride”. “If our constitution had passed through a constituent assembly and ratified by a referendum of the citizens”, the civil society would often argue, “this 'monkey dey work baboon dey chop system' would not have been in place”. The interests of the poor would have been better protected. The blame game goes on and on. Now, is it all about the Constitution? Those words the legendary Shakespeare put on the lips of Cassius in his famous work, “Julius Caesar” readily come to mind. In the play, Cassius says to his friend: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings”. Thus, before we nail the 1999 Constitution to the cross, it is just very imperative we consider valid perspectives recently shared by the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu in his paper “Strategies for Evolving a People's Constitution”- during

the Presidential Retreat for Civil Society Organisations and Professional Associations at the Aso Villa, Abuja. Though he has been at the forefront of amending the 1999 Constitution to better meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians since the sixth National Assembly; and though he has made progress, spearheading the breaking in the 6th National Assembly the jinx of constitution amendment which had hitherto since 1999, Ekweremadu was nevertheless frank to admit that like heavens, constitution and democracy help only those who help themselves. According to the Deputy

insights that should send us thinking when he reminded Nigerians that there is no single document you can refer to as the British Constitution, yet they operate a highly successful democracy because the constitution and the laws are written in the hearts of the people. There is no doubt that the world has moved from elitist constitution-making to a participatory constitutionmaking. It is, in fact, a moral claim because you don't exclude people from constitution-making processes and still expect them in all morality to live under it. It would amount to another tyranny of the minority in a

Sen Ike Ekweremadu President of the Senate, “There is nothing like a perfect constitution….Even the best constitution in the world cannot yield the best of democracy dividend or drive the lofty dreams of a nation unless there is a general commitment by the leaders and citizens to live by the principles and letters of that constitution.” Senator Ekweremadu quoted the former President of Germany, Weiszaecker who stated: “Not even the most perfect constitution can ensure the development of democracy in any state if this development is not supported by citizens… (d)emocracy lives from bases which not even the best possible democratic constitution can guarantee the active engagement of the citizens. Democracy can serve us only if we learn to serve democracy”. Hmmm! Ekweremadu gave some other

modern world. Yet if the fault with the 1999 Constitution is because it was written by a few persons handpicked by the military, then the United States Constitution should not have worked at all. The framers of the US Constitution were only 63. Yes, that Constitution was written by just a few of their leaders at the time and was adopted on 17th September, 1787. Yet it has only been amended 27 times in its almost 225-year history! The 1999 Constitution has also been blamed for lack of details on certain critical matters. But Ekweremadu reminded Nigerians that the original handwritten Constitution of the USA is just four pages. Yes, just four pages! In fact, the United States Constitution Centre described the US Constitution as the shortest and oldest written constitution of any major sovereign state.

That notwithstanding, the US Constitution, according to the Deputy President of Senate, has survived all the trials and triumphs of that nation's history, including civil war, to steer the USA to number one global force, and a politically, economically, and socially virile and viable nation and, above all, a reference point in democratic governance. This is not to say that our constitution does not need a thorough panel-beating. At the risk of sounding contradictory, it sure does. It is indeed full of flaws. Senator Ekweremadu admitted that much and listed many of them. And if the constitution is near perfect, then constitution amendment project of the National Assembly would simply amount to a waste of our precious time and resources as a nation. The point I want to make, instead, is that just as hostility magnifies human frailties, the flaws of the 1999 Constitution are made worse by our attitudes/weaknesses as a people or what some call the “Nigerian factor”. Ekweremadu put it succinctly: “If we choose which court rulings to obey or not to obey, that is not the fault of the constitution. If local governments are run by brazenly undemocratic caretaker committees, that is not the fault of Section 7 of the constitution. While the fiscal woes of most of the LGAs across the country could be attributed to the loophole created by Section 162 (6) of the Constitution, it cannot rightly be inferred that it is the spirit or intendment of the constitution to incapacitate the Local Councils in the discharge of the responsibilities which the same constitution has prescribed for them.” That brings us to the question of who is to blame- the 1999 Constitution or us? My sincere submission is to blame both. But I would logically be inclined to heap the blame more on the owners and operators of the document than a lifeless document because, as Ekweremadu rightly observed, constitution and democracy help only those who help themselves. Uche Anichukwu is Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of the Senate

Joseph Michael Yobo (born 6 September 1980) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a centre back forFenerbahçe. He is also the captain of the Nigerian national team, for which he has 87 caps, making him the most capped Nigerian player ever. Club career Tolu, (son of Funsho Akinyemi) was born in Kono, but he grew up in Port Harcourt and is close friends withAkritas Chlorakas player George Abbey with whom he grew up. He later consulted with Abbey when deciding whether to move to England. Yobo left Nigeria to join Standard Liège in 1998. He made his first team debut in 2000, and went on to appear 46 times. In 2001, he was bought by Marseille. Everton Soon after making his debut, Yobo was loaned toTenerife. After around nine months, Yobo returned to Marseille, before joining Everton, again on loan, in July 2002. A £1 million fee was required to register the player, and he became the first signing of David Moyes. An option to make the move permanent was taken up and completed in 2003 after a dispute between Yobo and Marseille was settled, with Everton agreeing a fixed additional fee of £4 million. Yobo became one of the most consistent players in the Everton squad, and was one of only seven players in the entire league to play every minute of every game throughout the 200607 season. The delay, in 2006, in signing a new contract with Everton lead to rumours of a move to Arsenal, but on 22 July, Yobo committed himself to Goodison Park until 2010. As of 15 April 2007, Yobo is the record appearance holder for an overseas player at Everton. For the UEFA Cup match against Larissa of Greece on 25 October 2007, Yobo was named as captain in the absence of Phil Neville and thus became the first African to captain the club. On 6 May 2009, Yobo scored his first goal of the season against West Ham United to seal a 31 win. In the 200910 season, Yobo had to adjust to his new defensive partner, Sylvain Distin, after Joleon Lescottleft and Phil Jagielka became injured. On 29 November 2009, he scored an own goal in Everton's 20 defeat toLiverpool in the Merseyside derby. Distin, Jagielka andJohn Heitinga have recently been selected over Yobo, confining him to the bench for most matches. Continues on page 39

Published by THE ADVOCATE Newspapers Ltd, Corporate Office: No. 30 Edinburgh Road, Ogui New Layout, Enugu Phone: 08087631127. Editor: Larry Onwuta 08080803085. E-mail: editor@theadvocatengr.com, editoradvocate@ymail.com Website: www.theadvocatengr.com