Tue 16 Apr 2013 The Guardian Nigeria

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,528

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Gunmen kill 11, burn houses in fresh Plateau crises

From Isa Abdulsalami, Jos RESH crises in different parts of Plateau State have resulted in the death of 11 persons and the burning of houses.

After a resumed attack on Wase Tofa village, four bodies of the victims were found yesterday floating on River Wase.

According to an eyewitness, Dauda John, “four people were picked up from Wase River today. The gunmen came and started firing into

F

• Bodies found floating on river the air to drive the people from their houses. That was how it all happened.”

Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Yiljap Abraham, the Commander of the Special Task Force (STF), Major-General Henry Ayoola and the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, were in Wase on Friday last week for the restoration of

peace and normalcy in the council.

That last week attack on Wase left about 25 people dead but Abraham denied the casualty figure, saying that it was 18.

Also on Friday night, three persons were reported killed in Kanana village in Langtang South by unidentified gunmen in their resumed hostilities.

It was learnt that unknown gunmen on Friday night at Turaki Ward in Langtang South stormed the area and sacked the village killing a woman and her daughter but the husband escaped unhurt. The gunmen carted away his cows.

The sleeping and isolated Maza Ward in Jos North Local Council was also attacked on Friday night by unidentified

gunmen who killed two harmless indigenes of the area. Reports say that the gunmen came in and started shooting indiscriminately and two people eventually fell to their bullets.

It was further learnt that the villagers deserted their homes and farmlands and took refuge in the nearby bush and hills. According to an eyewitness from Maza, “You know at that time there was a heavy rainfall in Maza when the gunmen came.

They started shooting so

that people could come out from their huts and houses.

There were no security men around to rescue us.

“Soldiers of the STF who were initially stationed in this area were withdrawn a week earlier before this incident happened. Maza is situated in a valley and people don’t even know that something like that exists. No access road except that the government wants to open one road to link Maza to the town in Jos. “The security people had CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

BA plane develops fault, grounded at airport

By Wole Shadare (Lagos) and Joke Falaju (Abuja)

BRITISH Airways (BA) A plane with over 120 passengers billed to travel to London was grounded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) after a technical fault yesterday.

The Guardian learnt that one of the engines of the aircraft developed a technical fault just before take-off from the airport, as a result of which all the over 120 passengers aboard the flight were asked to disembark until a solution was found to the problem.

Eyewitnesses spoke of a loud noise and then smoke seen coming from the area where the right engine was located.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft after it was notified of the problem.

“The aircraft had a snag and the airline notified the NCAA and we grounded it”, the NCAA said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (middle) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) members, led by its Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih (second left), during their visit to Obasanjo in Abeokuta… yesterday.

Anenih in•Sayssecret meeting with Obasanjo ‘in 2015 we will do what we know how to do best’ From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) and Charles Coffie Gyamfi (Abeokuta)

T was a meeting with a wellkept mission. But political stakeholders yesterday linked it to how to boost the political fortune of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the 2015 general elections.

The meeting was between the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Anenih succeeded Obasanjo who resigned voluntarily as the BoT Chairman.

I

•Party rules out rift with INEC over NWC •Tukur sure of PDP’s victory in 32 states in 2015 Anenih and his entourage arrived at Obasanjo’s Hill Top, Abeokuta residence at noon and held a three-and-

half hours closed-door meeting with Obasanjo.

In Anenih’s entourage were Alhaji Sule Lamido, Ji-

gawa State Governor; Alhaji Wali Juril, Secretary of the party’s National Working Committee; Ibrahim Shema,

Katsina State Governor and Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, former Kaduna State Governor.

Anenih who addressed journalists after the meeting stated: “I am here to see my leader (Obasanjo). I am here to pay my respect and indeed I am here with my colleagues, some members of the Board of Trustees of our

World Bank report rates Africa’s growth rate fastest, Nigeria missing - Page 7 We demanded N100m from Okonjo Iweala but we got N13m, says suspect - Page 12

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

party to discuss some issues that affect the corporate existence of this country.”

He added: “We discussed some issues about the insecurity of the country and some issues about the party itself. Those are the reasons we are here. My colleagues are all here, we are about eight of us.”

Questioned about the outcome of the meeting, Anenih said: “As you can see, we are all smiling, don’t you see me CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

2

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

3

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

News N’Assembly, Presidency may disagree over 2013 budget

Jonathan congratulates Venezuela’s president From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja

From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja

RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan has sent a message of congratulation to the

HE last may not have been T heard on the disquiet between the National Assembly and the Presidency over President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposal to amend the 2013 budget.

As lawmakers return from their three-week recess today, The Guardian learnt from a member of Senate Committee on Appropriation that the implication of Mr. President’s proposal was asking for a total overhauling or reworking of the entire 2013 Appropriation.

After a long wait for Presidential assent to the budget that was passed by the law makers in December 2012, it was finally signed into law in February but was referred back to the National Assembly shortly after for amendment on some clauses.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru (left); President, Association of Retired Ambassadors of Nigeria, Omotayo Ogunsulire and Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, during the luncheon in honour of Ashiru at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos … yesterday.

PHOTO: OSENI YUSUF

Gunmen kill two, raid ex-commissioner’s house in Borno From Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja) Iyabo Lawal (Ibadan) Abiodun Fanoro, Kamal Tayo Oropo, Seye Olumide (Lagos), Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Bashiru Bello (Kaduna) HERE may be no end yet to T the reign of terror in Borno State as gunmen suspected of members of Boko Haram sect on Sunday invaded Agapalawa and Ngoshe communities, killing two persons.

Ngoshe and Agapalawa are Nigeria’s border towns with Republic of Cameroon.

Also, suspected bandits yesterday raided the Pompomari, Maiduguri residence of the state former Commissioner of Poverty Alleviation and Youths Empowerment, Mr. Daniel Ijai Mamza, snatching his vehicles.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly is poised to bring to an end the Boko Haram sect insurgency within the next three months.

The Senate Deputy Whip, Hosea Agboola, who disclosed this to reporters in Ibadan expressed the Senate’s concern to the activities of the sect and vowed to put an end to the scourge.

In a related development, Youths in the 19 northern states, under the aegis of

• N’Assembly to tackle Boko Haram menace • Northern youths, Dokubo condemn MEND’s threat Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) and the former leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo yesterday cautioned the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) against any attempt to further fuel instability and disunity in the country through its fresh threat to avenge the Boko Haram attacks.

Besides, another group, Northern Civil Society Coalition, headed by Mallam Shehu Sani also advised President Goodluck Jonathan not to adhere to the calls by Arewa leaders over

implementing an amnesty programme on Boko Haram that would enrich them.

They pointed out that both the elders and the governors in the North were not entrenched to provide solution to the insurgency in the region.

In the same vein, a socio Yoruba organisation, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has reiterated its call for a national conference.

The group described the rejection of the amnesty offer

by Boko Haram as a pointer to the fact that Nigeria needed nothing other than to organ-

ise a national dialogue where all issues affecting the different nation states would be discussed.

And to check insecurity in the country, the outgoing Anglican Bishop of Lagos West Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Adebiyi yesterday charged governments to reintroduce and strengthen the teaching of religious studies in their respective institutions.

An eyewitness and resident of Agapalawa, said that the gunmen came on two motorcycles and headed towards the house of a farmer and killed him.

He said the attackers, chanted, God is great in Arabic language,

before firing several shots at the deceased At Ngoshe, the same suspected gunmen shot dead another resident at a bus stop at 9 p.m.

Another source also told The Guardian in an interview yesterday that the second victim was killed while the gunmen were fleeing on motorcycles on the Pulka-Kughum road.

The State Police Command spokesman, Gideon Jibrin yesterday in Maiduguri, confirmed the incidents, adding that investigations had begun to fish out the culprits.

Agboola, representing Oyo North Senatorial district lamented that the menace of the Boko Haram was becoming an embarrassment to the Senate.

INEC to issue voters’ cards for 2015 polls From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja HEAD of the 2015 general A elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would soon issue permanent voters’ card to eligible voters in the country to ensure a smooth conduct of the polls.

The INEC chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega who stated this yesterday in Abuja at a meet-

ing with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from all the states of the Federation and Abuja and top officials of the Commission said that the decision followed the approval given to it last week by the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) to produce another batch of 33.5 million permanent voters’ cards.

The Commission had earlier produced 40 million perma-

nent voters’ cards, which Jega promised would be issued to the owners along with the current ones before the end of December this year.

The INEC chairman also revealed that the much-awaited reorganisation/restructuring in the commission ahead of the general election had commenced and would be a continuous exercise until better results were achieved. He added that the proposed

delimitation of constituencies would be carried out before the elections as promised.

The INEC chairman who used the occasion to introduce the newly appointed Directors and Head of Departments, (HODs) to the RECs promised that the commission would continue to hold regular meetings with REC members, noting that it would help it in its determination to conduct credible polls in 2015.

Minister explains Nigeria’s foreign policy shift

By Bola Olajuwon N response to the global realIevery ities and changing times, foreign policy decision by the Federal Government must henceforth pass the litmus test of how Nigeria’s specific and general national interests as well as those of the citizenry are being promoted, pursued and served, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Olugbenga Ashiru said this in Lagos yesterday at a luncheon organised in his honour by Association of Retired Ambassadors of Nigeria.

Ashiru asserted that the government had in consonance

•FDI inflows hit $9b with the new foreign policy shift sought to deploy resources to support and promote the economic development of Nigeria through job and wealth creation, empowerment and the development of critical infrastructure for the benefit of the Nigerians.

Based on economic and investment diplomacy of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, he also revealed that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into the country has reached about $8.9 billion in

2012, far higher than in previous years, quoting the United Nations World Investment report.

Meanwhile, Association of Retired Ambassadors of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to tackle cases of corruption and insecurity in the country.

The president of the body, Ambassador Tayo Ogunsulire, while making the appeal at the event, said the “two enemies must be contained and if possible destroyed” since they are serious threats to the country’s objectives of Vision 20:2020 if Nigeria is to survive and thrive.

The minister, however, explained that making Nigeria the primary focus of the current administration in terms of issues bordering on national security, economic prosperity, youth unemployment and infrastructural development would not translate to a reduction of the Federal Government’s commitment to West African sub-region and Africa in the areas of promotion and consolidation of democracy, good governance, human rights, unity, security and economic integration.

“Within the overarching ambit of the set objectives and the felt need for a new foreign

policy thrust geared towards the maximisation of benefits of good governance to Nigerians, it became imperative to prioritise our foreign policy choices. Nigeria’s foreign policy will continue to be dictated by the political and economic programme at home. The current transformation agenda of government on the domestic front has given the platform to execute good economic and social policies; the foreign policy of Nigeria will be more robust. The nexus between domestic and foreign policies cannot therefore be overemphasised,” he said.

newly elected Venezuela’s acting President, Mr. Nicholas Maduro over his victory in the elections which held on Sunday.

Jonathan in his congratulatory message noted that Nigeria and Venezuela have traditionally enjoyed close and cordial bilateral relations.

He said he was looking forward, therefore, to working with Maduro and his administration to further reinforce and expand existing trade, economic and developmental co-operation between both countries for the benefit of their people.

Jonathan also said he expects that under Maduro’s leadership, Nigeria and Venezuela would continue to work together in close collaboration to strengthen the Africa-South America Cooperation Forum as a platform for the promotion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries and continent.

Rights groups fault ban on fuel subsidy documentary From John Okeke, Abuja WO groups, Human Rights T Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and the Abuja Writers’ Forum (AWF) have condemned the ban on the documentary on the fuel subsidy scam titled “fuelling poverty”.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja and jointly signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko of HURIWA and the President of the AWF Dr. Emman Shehu, said the ban of the “innocuous and patriotic documentary”, amounts to a direct affront to media freedom and a direct message to Nigerians that the anti-graft war is over.

Citing the fundamental objectives and Directives Principles of State policy in Section 15(5) of the constitution which provides that ‘the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’, the Rights’ groups asked the Federal Government to reverse the draconian decision by the board and instead commend the producers of the movie for contributing significantly to raise national consciousness and awareness on the urgent necessity for all good citizens to wage unrelenting war against corruption.

Specifically, media reported that the Federal Government through the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), a federal agency which vets, classifies, and approves films and videos meant for distribution and exhibition in the country, has banned the airing and distribution of the documentary, ‘Fueling Poverty’, a 30-minute film which documents the monumental poverty in Nigeria and campaigns against corruption and greed in the country.

4

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NEWS

Anenih in secret meeting with Obasanjo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 smiling? And my leader too is smiling. So, we are quite happy about the outcome.

For now, it is not for public consumption.”

When asked whether the issues they discussed included the crisis within the party in the South-West and Ogun State, Anenih simply said: “Wait for results.”

The PDP boss was asked of his view on the proposed amnesty for Boko Haram and his answer was again simply: “You want us to discuss the issue of amnesty in public here? That is a security matter.”

On newspapers’ report that PDP is dead in Ogun State, Anenih said: “Let me tell you, almost all of us here are members of PDP in Ogun, some of you here are members of the party so you cannot say that PDP is dead in Ogun State.”

On PDP’s chances in the 2015 general elections, Anenih said: “When the time comes, we will know. PDP is a party to beat. When the time comes, I assure we will do what we know how to do best.”

Meanwhile, the PDP yesterday dismissed as untrue, reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had decided not to have any dealing with its NWC and not to accept candidates from the party.

The secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, said in a statement yesterday that “the report is totally false and is clearly part of the orchestrated media attack on our par-

ty, aimed at causing confusion and undermining the psyche of our members.

“Our investigations revealed that the said report did not in any way emanate from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or any of its officials.”

Besides, how to win at least 32 states of the federation is central to the preparation of the PDP for the 2015 general elections, according to the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

He asked party members to brace for this challenge by closing ranks and beginning immediate preparations, pointing out that this would relieve the party of undue pressure ahead of the election period.

Tukur, who made the call when a caucus of the party made up of 15 leaders from the South-West led by Prof.

Taoheed Adedoja paid him a visit at his residence in Abuja, stated that the PDP would do everything possible to help realise the resolve by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to conduct the most transparent elections in 2015.

He expressed delight that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) started conducting elections under President Jonathan, there had been consistent reports of transparency.

PDP members, Tukur stressed, must close ranks by working together for the purpose of delivering the presidential mandate of winning more states with-

out cutting corners during any election, just to prove to the world that it had, indeed, been the party with the widest spread in Nigeria.

Tuku said: “We need to work hard now because we have a presidential mandate to move beyond 23 states in our control and win at least 32. We have to show electoral strength this time. In doing it, we will work hard and work well. We will move with the speed of jet and we

will deliver without any foul antics.

“I use this opportunity to appeal to our members to bury the hatchet and cast away whatever forlorn hope they nurse about the future.

I appeal to our members to begin to invest in the future right away and doing so involves hard work, diligence and dedication to the cause of PDP.” While appealing to elected members of the party across

board to double their efforts in delivering the dividends of democracy to the ordinary Nigerians, the PDP Chairman said doing so would convince the electorate across the country that PDP remained the best performing party.

According to him, “the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has concluded plans to commence a state by state tour to ginger up members while intensi-

fying the agenda of reconciliation, reformation and rebuilding of the party.”

Earlier, Adedoja who contested the 2011 governorship election in Oyo State lauded the PDP on its peace initiative and the ability by the chairman to rally different groups within the party for its progress, stating that he and other South-West members resolved to pay him a visit on the need for the party to address pertinent issues in the South-West PDP.

President Goodluck Jonathan (right); Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III and Vice President Namadi Sambo, during the submission of the 2012 hajj report to the President at the State House, Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

BA plane develops fault, grounded at airport CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 According to the regulatory body, there are routine procedures to be carried out for a defective aircraft.

It was learnt that the aircraft was scheduled to depart Abuja by 8.14 a.m. and to arrive in London at 2.26 p.m.

When the Public Relations Officer, NAIA, Abuja, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu was contacted, she confirmed the incident, describing it as a technical fault from the aircraft.

“The BA had a technical fault

so they had to disembark all the passengers.

“It landed as usual but when it was about to take off, it was discovered it had a technical fault. There was no accident and no casualty,” she said.

Kola Olayinka, Country Manager for BA, said: “The flight BA082/15Apr has night-stopped in Abuja.

British Airways confirms that its Abuja-London flight was stopped due to operational reasons.

“At the moment, the parts

to fix the problem are being flown from London tonight, and the flight will operate tomorrow to new timings”.

“All British Airways passengers have been looked after according to our Operational Standard Procedures.

British Airways flight 083 scheduled to depart London tonight is operating normally”, he said.

An Arik flight billed to leave Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, was also at the weekend aborted over a suspected technical fault.

The aircraft SN-MJE was about to take off at about 11.00 a.m. when to the passengers’ dismay, there began a delay that lasted for over five hours.

Some passengers alleged the aircraft was delayed due to technical issues even as they condemned the airline officials for keeping them in the dark as to the real cause for the delay.

An official of the airline declined to respond to inquiries.

Fresh crises claim nine in Plateau CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

been here for quite a long time now. But there seemed be no work for them because the place is quiet. So, they were withdrawn, as peace seemed to reign here.

Not more than one week that they were withdrawn, the gunmen came shooting and people had to abandon their homes for the hills inside the heavy rain. People stayed in the bush in the rain.”

The Spokesman of the Special Task Force, Capt. Salisu Ibrahim Mustapha, confirmed that there was an attack in Tofa along Wase,

“where a man was ambushed and this resulted in a reprisal attack and many houses were burnt.”

But Mustapha said that normalcy had returned while the situation was being closely monitored.

On Maza attack, Mustapha said that “what happened there was not an attack but rituals being carried out by the hunters there. People heard gunshots especially during these times of insecurity and they started running helter-skelter. I am not aware that people were killed in the process.”

Abraham had earlier identified criminality as the major

factor responsible for the recent breakdown of violence and hostility in some parts of the state particularly in Wase, Kanam, Langtang North and Langtang South axis.

The commissioner who described the talks he had with the traditional rulers, security chiefs and authorities of Kanam, Wase, Langtang North and Langtang South as frank and comprehensive, added that they focused on analysing the factors that led to the intensification of the violence in those areas as well as the tension they had been witnessing.

But the Centre for Advocacy of Justice and Rights, a Josbased non-governmental organisation, lamented that for more than a decade now, the state had suffered a series of attacks such as ethno-religious crises leading to a huge loss of lives and property.

The Programme Manager of the centre, Mr. Adeniran Joseph, said that this pointed to the fact that there would be hunger in the state, increase in poverty, high rate of crime and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV).

“Also, the democratic structure of the state and the dividends of democracy may once more be lost, ” he said.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Aregbesola tasks Muslims on terrorism SUN State of Governor Rauf O Aregbesola has called on every Muslim in the country to stand against the belief that Islam is a religion of terror, massive alienation and mindless killings.

This was the message of the governor to the Islamic organisation, Jama’atu Izalatil-Bid’ah wa Iqamatis - Sunnah (Organisation Eradicating Propagating Sunnah), which paid him a courtesy visit in Osogbo, the state capital, yesterday.

Aregbesola said Islam by its nature rejects force, compulsion and violence that some characters are now impugning to it by their behaviour.

“Islam rejects force, compulsion, killing and maiming and violence in all its forms. Islam encourages piety, good relation, nice character, a combination of which attracts people to Islam. The absence of all these qualities brings hatred and rejection by the society. The message Islam brought to the world is that of peace, love, justice, tolerance and accommodation.

NEWS 5

S’East CAN seeks confab over nation’s woes From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

GAINST the backdrop of A what it described as a ‘charged atmosphere’ in the Christian the country, Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-East Zone, yesterday said instead of Centenary celebration, the country’s leadership should call for a national conference that would foster peace and promote security of lives and property of Nigerians.

Chairman of the association in the South-East Zone CAN and Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, said

the association had reviewed the nation’s situation and declared that it is “full of pity for the country under President Goodluck Jonathan. It has not worked; there are no signs that it will work. We pity Jonathan. He needs prayer.”

CAN said it would be wrong to also grant amnesty to Boko Haram members without adequate compensation for victims of the several attacks launched by the group.

It also faulted the proposed Centenary celebration in the country, saying it was fraudulent to celebrate a country where virtually all apparatus-

es have refused to work.

Chukwuma, who expressed regrets that Nigeria was planning to celebrate its 100 years of existence amid alarming rate of insecurity, unemployment and corruption, added that the development would further plunge the country into crisis.

Describing the proposed Centenary celebration as fraudulent, the cleric advised President Jonathan to beware of sycophants who may wish to use the opportunity to enrich themselves.

He stated that such greed in service and wrong decisions

were responsible for the challenges being currently faced in the country.

He queried the amalgamation of the nation, adding that part of the problem was that certain Nigerians felt indifferent that they were forced together under an entity.

“Nigeria has not worked, there are no signs that it will work; we are not one, we are divided.

“Those calling for celebration are not sincere; they are doing it for what will enter their pockets. Instead of celebration, they should call for a

Falana laments failure of successive govts From Kehinde Olatunji, Ibadan lawyer, activist and LFemiAGOS public affairs analyst, Mr. Falana (SAN), yesterday bemoaned the failure of successive governments to improve the lives of the people despite the vast natural resources that abound in the country.

The lawyer, who was represented by Mr. Femi Aborisade, lamented yesterday at the 2nd Annual Public Lecture organised by Olalekan Olomide Platform for Development titled: “Development - How it begins with you”, held at Jogor Centre, Ibadan, that countries which were far behind Nigeria in the 1960s have since left her behind.

He specifically noted that China has lifted billions of people from poverty to prosperity while the reverse is the case in Nigeria.

“It is common knowledge that the rich in Nigeria flock India for medical check up and treatment on a regular basis,” adding “in an age where nationals of other developing nations are experiencing a secured existence, the citizens of the Nigerian nation remain under the fear of militant organisations, armed gangs and kidnappers while the security agencies appear to be stuck in a befuddled state.”

UCH lab scientists issue strike notice From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja HE national leadership of T the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) yesterday issued a notice of the intention of its members to commence strike at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, following government’s inability to address some pending issues at the college.

The 14-day ultimatum issued by the association expires on May 8, 2013, when the group plans to embark on the strike at the institution.

The medical laboratory scientists stressed that the National Union of Pharmacists and Professions Allied to Medicine, as well as the Senior Staff Association of Teaching Hospitals have assured of their readiness to join the strike to make it total.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (second left); his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (right); the retiring Bishop, Lagos-West Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi (left) and his successor, Rt. Rev. James Olusola Odedeji (second right), during the clerics’ courtesy call on the governor at the State House, Ikeja… yesterday

Court set to rule on Obong of Calabar’s suit From Anietie Akpan, Calabar HE Appeal Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has adjourned till a date to be announced its judgment on the protracted Obong of Calabar legal tussle.

By law, the Appeal Court has a maximum of three months to deliver judgment, which means that judgment may likely come up on or before July.

The Calabar High Court, presided over by Justice Obojor Ogar, had in a judgment in Suit No. HC/102/2008 on January 30, 2012, brought by one of the contestants of the Obong stool, Etubom Anthony Ani, declared the process that brought Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu to the throne as “null and void” and

T

restrained Otu from participating in any selection for that purpose.

Justice Ogar restrained the Obong from parading himself as the Obong of Calabar until proper election is done and also restrained the Etubom Traditional Council, among others, from excluding Etubom Ani and Mbiabo Ikoneto from any selection of an Obong.

However, counsel to the appellants, Chief Ladi Williams (SAN) and Mrs. Nella Rabana, appealed the judgment and asked the Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of the lower court.

Yesterday, Chief Williams and Rabana had, while adopting their briefs, submitted that the Appeal Court should not allow

the judgment of the lower court to stand.

While urging the three-man judges’ panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba to look at issues raised with fair hearing, noted that there was no evidence to prove that Edidem Otu was the chairman of the screening committee that Etubom Ani appeared.

He argued that Etubom Efa Otu was his vice chairman then and had taken over from Edidem Otu before the screening and Edidem Otu stepped aside.

He maintained that Etubom Ani was not capped by a sitting Obong hence, was not qualified for the office of Obong of Calabar.

Chief Williams also noted that for the counsel to Etubom Ani to withdraw the case against

the state government, which gives certificate of recognition, was not proper.

However, counsel to Etubom Ani, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN), debunked the issues raised by Chief Williams, saying that some of the issues like the case of waiver were not raised and so should be discountenanced by the court.

He argued that Edidem Otu was the chairman of the screening committee who metamorphosed to be a candidate, so “he remains unqualified and there is no record to show that he is qualified”.

Agi maintained that “the issue of whether the first respondent was qualified or not is not an issue, since the appellants did not file a counter-claim that this man was not qualified”.

national conference to discuss the way forward. If staying together will not work, then let the East, North, West go their separate ways .The celebration will not impart anything on the country, it will rather add a curse to those promoting it”, he stated.

NPC chief warns on obstacles to 2016 census From John Okeke, Abuja OTWITHSTANDING the fact N that the next head-count is still three years’ away, the National Population Commission (NPC) has raised the alarm that unless Federal Government makes adequate preparation, the success of 2016 would end in fiasco.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday at the retreat on population management, titled: “Effective population management for sustainable development in Nigeria,” Chairman of NPC, Mr. Festus Odimegwu, said the Commission is facing challenges in meeting all conditions precedent in its preparation to the proposed roadmap for the next census.

According to him, “We are currently experiencing avoidable delays and hope that all concerned will rise up to their responsibilities and sacred duties to our nation.”

Odimegwu stressed that the challenges could be frustrating as the timely expectations could be prolonged, adding that all concerned should rise up and come to their aid.

He said: “My experience is that what will take probably a week to do in the organised private sector, at times runs into months in a public sector and that can be very frustrating if you are from my background.

But we are following up issues and we hope that everybody involved should rise up and carry out his duty to the nation.”

He also pledged that the current commission is determined to make positive change in the population management in Nigeria, adding that it is not just a policy option but also an absolute necessity in the quest for enlightened governance.

He added that this holds the key to the sustainable resolution of our current challenges and attainment of our national aspirations when integrated with the power of accurate and real time data provision, potency of evidence-based planning and execution of contractual responsibility accounting in delivering the dividend of democracy to all Nigerians.

U.S. agency to train Nigerian educators, stakeholders on entrepreneurship

By Tunde Akinola NTREPRENEURSHIP educaE tion in Nigeria will receive a boost this year as a foremost school for entrepreneurship education, Babson College in Massachusetts, United States (U.S.), will host high profile Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Education (SEE) for professors, lecturers and directors of Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDC) from universities and other tertiary institutions.

The Babson SEE for Nigerian for Fellows will take place at Babson award-winning state of the art meeting and confer-

ence centre at Babson Park, Massachusetts, U.S. in August.

The international entrepreneurship programme for Nigerian entrepreneurship educators and practitioners will be offered by the worldclass faculty on Babson College.

The Babson SEE for Nigerian Fellows is promoted by AIA Global Consultancy Services facilitated by Nigerian coordinator, Lawrence C. Fejokwu, in collaboration with Guardian Newspapers Limited (GNL).

A statement by Dean, Babson Executive Enterprise Education, Dr. Elaine Eisenman, said the world needs entrepreneurs of all

kinds who can create economic and social values for themselves and others. In this context, today’s educators have an important task. They are called upon to train and develop the next generation of great entrepreneurial leaders.

The Nigeria Fellows programme will be offered to prepare the entrepreneurship educators to effectively teach entrepreneurship.

Babson symposia for entrepreneurship educators have also been delivered for institutions around the world, including Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, China, Switzerland, Russia, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Project Co-ordinator, Lawrence C. Fejokwu, said the Babson’s SEE programme will play a major role in promoting entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. The USA world faculty will visit Nigeria to conduct series of programmes for institutions and organised private sector.

The programme will develop international cadre of innovative entrepreneurship educators who understand the importance of creating intellectual and practical connections between theory and practice in teaching.

The alumni of Babson’s SEE programmes include more than 2,500 educators and

entrepreneurs from more than 650 institutions worldwide and numerous academic institutions, government organisations and foundations in more than 57 countries.

The programme is an extensive four-day event and Nigerian Fellows attending will explore the art and craft of teaching and learning entrepreneurship. It provides an introduction to entrepreneurial thought and action and participants experience cutting-edge teaching method for today’s environment. They will also be exposed to realities of teaching in an uncertain entrepreneurial world.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

6 NEWS

Jonathan, Aliyu get hajj reports, pledge support for agencies From Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja) and John Ogiji (Minna) RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan yesterday received the report of the 2012 hajj exercise with a pledge to continue to support pilgrim bodies to perform their duties.

He lauded the maturity demonstrated by Nigerians in the face of the near collapse of last year’s pilgrimage occasioned by the row over Maharam (male guides) for female pilgrims by Saudi Arabian government.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and leader of the Federal Government’s delegation, while submitting the report, attributed the quick resolution of the disagreement over male guides for female pilgrims to Jonathan’s urgent intervention.

The President expressed satisfaction with the way everybody that had anything to do with the issue moved to face the situation in a positive way, noting that the federal delegation had done wonderfully well and deserved to be given one more year to handle the hajj operations.

“The tenure of the Federal Government’s delegation has therefore been extended from one to two years to enable members solve problems arising from the first year, but the Sultan remains the permanent chairman of the team,” Jonathan said.

He was, however, not happy with the report that illegal immigrants from Nigeria have been responsible for various forms of crimes committed in the holy land, promising to revive the committee on illegal immigrants to take care of the

situation. Jonathan promised to meet with relevant officers of the hajj operations to work out the modalities of uplifting the standards of hajj camps across the country, for the comfort of intending pilgrims.

Among the recommendations, which the delegation made for the consideration of the President, is that the government should continue to provide the concessionary exchange rate to the pilgrims, as a demonstration of support and assistance for pilgrims.

“Another recommendation is on the social vices we found out in Saudi Arabia. The presidential committee on the illegal Nigeria’s migrants in Saudi Arabia which was set up in 2009 has never taken off to do its job and we recommend that the committee should be revived,” the report reads.

Meanwhile, the Niger State government has promised to continue to sponsor both Christian and Muslim pilgrims to Jerusalem and Mecca for the performance of their religious rites, saying there is no law that forbids such spending.

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu made the pledge in Minna yesterday when he received the report of the 2012 Christian pilgrimage to Israel from the leader of the government delegation, Abraham Yisa, at Government House.

Aliyu spoke against widespread criticism over the government expenditure on both Muslim and Christian pilgrimage exercises, maintaining that no law forbids the government from spending on the religious purification of its people so long as the exercise is budgeted for and approved by the House of Assembly.

Past President, Zonta Club Ibadan II, Stella Ladipo (left); District Governor for Africa, Zonta International, Gloriastene Agbooola; and President, Zonta Club of Ibadan, Sade Ajasin, during a briefing on forthcoming international conference of Zonta in Ibadan… yesterday.

PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

CNPP threatens anti-Tambuwal campaign over Nwoye’s case From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja HE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has threatened to taint the rising profile of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, if he continues to delay the swearing in of Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the member representing Anambra East/West Federal Constituency following his court victory over Chriscartor Ameke in July 2012.

The House of Representatives leadership has allegedly refused to swear in the former student union leader, nine months after his victory at the Federal High Court against Ameke, citing a stay of execution order from a higher court.

The CNPP noted that the Speaker’s refusal to swear in Nwoye after a four-man panel, headed by the Chief Whip, Bawa, which the House set up to look into the matter, had recommended that

T

Nwoye be sworn in, has put some question marks on the integrity of Tambuwal, whom it accused of conniving with Ameke for illegal representation and collection of salary that is meant for another person at the House.

The CNPP noted that the delay in swearing in Nwoye has also posed a question mark to the principle of democracy in the country, alleging that the House leadership has connived with Ameke to deny the people of Anambra East/West Federal Constituency of the right representation by candidate of their choice, even when the Court of Appeal in Enugu has finally dismissed Ameke’s appeal for lack of merit with a cost of N30,000 to Nwoye.

At a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Osita Okechukwu, expressed regret over the po-

sition of the Speaker in refusing to swear in Nwoye, whom he noted was issued a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following an order of mandamus by the Federal High Court in Enugu on July 16, 2012.

According to the CNPP, Tambuwal, by his act on the Nwoye case, is subverting the laws of the land, which is against his oath of office and at variance with the code of conduct.

“We are outraged by the stand of Tambuwal whom a lot of Nigerians see as a true product of democratic struggle, given the way he emerged Speaker of the House of Representatives against the stiff opposition from those who, in error, believed that they have the right and authority to decide who gets what in Nigeria. We, therefore, challenge Tambuwal to swear in Tony Nwoye forthwith.”

Rep alleges attack on convoy, accused council chief denies role From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado-Ekiti OME people suspected to be political thugs at the weekend allegedly attacked a member of House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, at Igede-Ekiti.

Bamidele, who said he escaped being killed by the whiskers during the attack, added that some of his supporters sustained injuries while his Toyota Land Cruiser was shot at and another one had its windscreen smashed.

Bamidele, who is representing Ado/Irepodun /Ifelodun Federal Constituency, said he was at the residence of one Mr. Adu in Igede-Ekiti when the hoodlums, who were allegedly conveyed to the house in a Sports Utility Van (SUV) belonging to the Caretaker Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Council, Mr. Olufemi Awe, stormed the place and started hurling stones at them.

The federal lawmaker accused Awe of being the brain behind the attack, alleging further that Awe’s driver, Mr. Fatai Ak-

S

erele, drove the vehicle that conveyed the hoodlums.

“I was in Igede-Ekiti to complete the negotiation for an office accommodation for my situation office in Ado-Ekiti.

As we were about leaving, we just heard the sound of a stone on the SUV in which I was conveyed to the town, but unknown to them, I had already entered the Land Cruiser, which my driver brought later.

“They attacked the SUV, smashed the windscreens, thinking that I was inside.

They even shot at the Land Cruiser Van when they realised that I was not in the SUV, but I escaped by whiskers,” Bamidele said.

But the caretaker chairman denied the allegation, disclosing that he and his driver, Fatai, had been in Akure three days before the incident to coordinate the recruitment into Nigerian Air Force in the Ondo State capital. Awe said he has no Sports Utility Van (Infinity) in his fleet, which he said, had

further exonerated him of any complicity in the incident.

Awe said: “This is a lie. Why should I do something like that against a member of my party and a member of House of Representatives? Again, the vehicle he said they brought was not mine. So, I don’t have any axe to grind with the lawmaker to warrant me sponsoring attack on him.”

Bamidele claimed that four people have been arrested by the police and detained at the Okesa Police Station in AdoEkiti in connection with the incident. He also alleged that some powerful forces in government were already mounting pressure on the Area Commander of Okesa Police Station to release the detainees.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, said the State Command was aware of the incident, but denied any arrest in connection with the attack.

Court fixes tomorrow for My Pikin’s trial

By Joseph Onyekwere FEDERAL High Court, Lagos, yesterday said it would on April 17, 2013 hear the case filed by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) against Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Limited (BPCL).

BPCL is on trial over the production of an alleged killer teething syrup, My Pikin.

The case, which was fixed for continuation of trial yesterday, had suffered several adjournments prompting Justice Okechukwu Okeke to opt for accelerated hearing in the matter.

The company was charged together with two of its employees, Ebele Eromosele and Adeyemo Abiodun, on a six-count charge bordering on the alleged offence.

They were re-arraigned in January 7 due to the amendment of the charge before the court, in which the name of the company’s alter ego, Mr. Kola Gbadegeshin (now deceased), had been struck out.

A

Journalists walk out on Lagos lawmakers

By Wole Oyebade OURNALISTS covering the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday staged a walk-out on the plenary proceedings, alleging lateness that has become rampant with the lawmakers led by the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

Yesterday’s sitting that was scheduled for noon was yet to commenced as at 4.30 p.m.

A similar sitting held last week did not start until 1.40 p.m. after which the House adjourned till Monday, April 15, 2013. The lawmakers are mandated to meet three times a week (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday).

Some of the reporters that had arrived at the House as early as 10.00 a.m., hoping that the plenary session will commence by noon, left the House when it was 3.00 p.m.

They complained that such complacency on the part of the lawmakers was unbefitting of the people’s representatives.

Some of the Assembly’s members of staff, who spoke with The Guardian, expressed discontent, wondering why the House was always in the habit of sitting late.

J

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NEWS

World Bank report rates Africa’s growth rate fastest, Nigeria missing From Oghogho Obayuwana (Foreign Affairs Editor) HE clear indications that the continent might not meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) two years to its deadline notwithstanding, a fresh World Bank report has, for the first time in a while, hauled Africa from the usual gloom pit, rating its growth rate the fastest in the world now.

According to the new report, which was made available to The Guardian yesterday, the economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (which is likely to reach over five per cent on average - in 20132015), is a result of “high commodity prices worldwide and strong consumer spending on the continent.”

This, the latest edition of World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse - a twice-yearly analysis of the issues shaping Africa’s eco-

T

nomic prospects, is what is now ensuring that the region remains growing among the fastest in the world.

The report notes that in 2012, about a quarter of African countries grew at seven per cent or higher while some like Sierra Leone, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Rwanda are now among the fastest growing in the world.

The new report also forecasts that “medium-term growth prospects remain strong and will be supported by a gradually improving world economy, consistently high commodity prices, and more investment in regional infrastructure, trade and business growth.”

Welcoming the new assessment that Africa continues to grow faster than the global average, World Bank Vice President, Makhtar Diop, called for faster progress in

areas such as electricity and food in the vulnerable areas of The Sahel and the Horn of Africa. He urged more energy and agricultural productivity to raise the quality of life for Africans and reduce poverty significantly.

She said: “African countries will need to bring more electricity, nutritious food, jobs and opportunity to families and communities across the continent in order to better their lives end extreme poverty, and promote shared prosperity.”

Diop urged African governments and their development partners to upgrade the continent’s statistical capacity so that “citizens could better measure and monitor their development progress and analyze the reasons for its success and failure, especially in resourcerich countries and fragile states, where data gathering

and analysis remained weak.”

The new report also noted that new mineral discoveries now drive growth on the continent, stating that the recent discoveries of oil, natural gas, copper and other strategic minerals, and the expansion of several mines or the building of new ones in Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone and Zambia, alongside better political and economic governance, were sustaining solid economic growth across the continent.

Looking forward, it expected that by 2020, only four or five countries in the region would not be involved in mineral exploitation of some kind and indication of Africa’s abundant natural resources.

There is also the twin issue of consumer spending and

Scanad has case to answer in takeover bid

By Gbenga Salau Nigeria has sufSitsCANAD fered a major setback in bid to commence full advertising operations in Nigeria, as a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice G.M. Onyeabor ruled that the company and Scan Group, an advertising agency owned by a Kenyaborn Indian, has case to

answer in the dispute between a Nigerian advertising agency, PrimaGarnet Africa, and Ogilvy Advertising network.

PrimaGarnet had approached the court seeking to reverse the sudden termination of its affiliation partnership with Ogilvy Africa. Scanad Nigeria, a subsidiary of Kenya-based Scan Group and which registered

Scientists support polio-free world by 2018 Fresh efforts to address pneumonia, diarrhoea could save two million children yearly

By Chukwuma Muanya VER 400 scientists from across the world, including Nobel laureates, public health school deans and other leading health experts, added their names to the Scientific Declaration on Polio Eradication yesterday, asserting that it was possible and expressing confidence in a new plan to create a polio-free world by 2018.

According to a statement published yesterday by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the international group of scientists stressed that polio could be eradicated and endorsed the Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan, a new strategy

by GPEI to reach and sustain eradication by 2018.

GPEI is a public-private partnership led by national governments and spearheaded by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The plan was developed in consultation with a range of technical experts, governments, funding partners and stakeholders and received unanimous support from the WHO Executive Board in January 2013.

Also, WHO and the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched a new Global Action Plan with the potential to save up to two million children every year from deaths caused by pneumonia and diarrhoea, some of the leading killers of children under five globally.

The Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea calls for closer integration of efforts to prevent and treat these two diseases

O

and sets ambitious targets to reduce mortality rate and raise the level of children’s access to life-saving interventions.

Meanwhile, according to the latest edition of the Weekly Polio Update published by GPEI, “one new Wild Polio Virus (WPV) case was reported in the past week (type one WPV1 from Gombe), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2013 to 11. This latest WPV case is the most recent in the country and had onset of paralysis on March 19.

ACN voids ‘dissolution’ of Kwara caretaker body HE National Working T Committee of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described as null and void the purported dissolution of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee of the party and appointment of a certain Toyin Ayinla as acting chairman.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hajia Hauwa Shuaibu Galma, the party said that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) could dissolve the duly constituted caretaker committee in Kwara.

The so-called Kwara Stakeholders Forum, which announced the dissolution of the Kwara State Caretaker Committee, is not one of the constitutionally recognised organs of the party and lacks powers to dissolve the structure of the party at any level,” the statement read.

for business in Nigeria only in 2012, was joined as second defendant.

However, Scanad Nigeria, which has former president of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (AAAN) as managing director, had approached the court seeking to be removed as co-defendant in the suit on the ground that it has no relationship with Ogilvy Africa, contrary to what was contained in

PrimaGarnet’s statement of claims.

Nevertheless, PrimaGarnet, through Mr. Alade Agbabiaka (SAN), argued that Scanad Nigeria, having taken over the business of Ogilvy Africa and owning majority shares of Ogilvy Africa, has a strong case to answer in the dispute that has pitted the Kenyan advertising agency against practically all other Nigerian agencies.

private investment, which are going up. It disclosed that consumer spending, which accounts for over 60 per cent of Africa’s GDP, remained strong in 2012.

Similarly, increased investment flows are supporting the region’s growth performance, as “net private capital flows to the region increased by 3.3 per cent to a record $54.5 billion, while foreign direct investment inflows increased by 5.5 per cent in 2012 to $37.7 billion.”

While exports are also driving the continent’s growth, the report noted that, “the traditional destination of these goods over the last decade is changing as well.

Since 2000, the overall growth of Sub-Saharan exports to emerging markets, including China, Brazil and India, and to countries in the region has surpassed that to developed markets.”

Sadly, however, the report maintained that Africa’s impressive growth has not reduced poverty enough even after over a decade of strong economic growth.

This influenced the comment by the World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, Shanta Devarajan.

According to him, “while the broad picture emerging from the data is that Africa’s economies have been expanding robustly and that poverty is coming down, the aggregate hides a great deal of diversity in performance, even among Africa’s faster growers.”

7

Pepple heads UN-Habitat governing body

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam (Assistant Housing and Environment Editor) MAJOR highlight of yesterday’s opener of the th 24 Session of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Governing Council was the election of Nigeria’s Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple, as new president of the session.

Pepple, who was elected in Nairobi, Kenya, said the government of Nigeria would support the urban agenda in Africa and appealed to other African countries to follow suit, adding: “I would be more interested in promoting sanitation during my tenure.”

Meanwhile, Kenya’s new President, Uhuru Kenyatta, who officially flagged off the week-long meeting, which will last from April 15 to 19, said the theme of this session, “Sustainable Development: The Role of Cities in Creating Improved Economic Opportunities for All, with Special Reference to Youth and Gender, could not be more opportune.

“Today, half of the world’s population lives in urban areas and a third of them are in slums and informal settlements,” he said. “The convening of this gathering, therefore, provides member-states with an opportunity to reflect on urbanisation challenges and deliberate on the way forward.”

A

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

8 NEWS

EFCC opposes Nnamani’s application for foreign medical trip

By Joseph Onyekwere NSISTING that it was delay tactics, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday opposed an application filed by the former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, seeking the leave of court for urgent medical treatment in the United States (U.S.).

Nnamani had filed an application through his counsel, Ricky Tarfa (SAN), stating his urgent need to travel on health grounds. However, the EFCC, in its counter-affidavit, dismissed the application as an attempt to further delay the case, stressing that the ailment for which Nnamani was seeking leave to travel abroad could be treated in Nigeria.

According to the counteraffidavit, which was deposed to by Ahamefula Ken Mbaeri, the anti-graft agency said that Nnamani was also standing trial before an Enugu State High Court and that granting the application would jeopardize the case, which is to come up on April 29, 2013. It therefore urged the court to dismiss the application.

Nnamani is being tried before a Federal High Court in Lagos alongside others for allegedly defrauding his state to the tune of N4.5 billion.

His application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by one Ayo Ambali, who stated that sometime in 2008, the former governor was diagnosed of having hypercloclesterolemnia and a high level serum Prostrate Surface Antigem (SPA), for which he went to the U.S. sev-

I

erally for medical treatment.

The deponent added that after series of examinations and tests on Nnamani, his personal physician advised that he comes to the U.S. for compulsory intermittent medical check-ups and treatment.

Yesterday at the court, Tarfa moved the application on behalf of Nnamani, while the EFCC counsel, Kelvin Uzozie, would adopt his counter-affidavit today.

Nnamani was first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar and later rearraigned before Justice Mohammed Yinusa on a 105count charge of money laundering and economic crimes.

He was docked alongside his ex-aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and six firms linked to them - Rainbownet Nig Ltd, Hillgate Nig Ltd, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nig Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

The financial impropriety was allegedly committed while he was governor between 1999 and 2007. He also became a senator after serving as governor, but lost when he contested again in 2011.

The case was re-assigned to Justice Charles Archibong following the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the Appeal Court, out of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.

Again, the case was reassigned to the current judge (Justice Yinusa) after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also transferred out of the Lagos division of

Oshiomhole condemns council violence From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

Six feared dead, others injured in • Vows to sign warrant if court convicts killers Enugu auto-crash

S more reactions trail the campaign violence in Fugar, Headquarters of Etsako-Central Local Council of Edo State, where the clash between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led to deaths and serious injuries, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has vowed to sign the death warrants of suspects in the incident when convicted by the court.

Oshiomhole spoke on Sunday when he visited the families of the murdered victims, Ivherewe Oboarewe (72), who had three wives and 30 children, and Joachim Omhedemhe (46), who was shot and gashed with machete and later died in the hospital. Oboarewe is of the PDP while Omhedemhe is of the ACN. The incident also led to the destruction of parts of the houses of the two victims, while many other buildings and vehicles were completely razed in the mayhem.

However, Oshiomhole said yesterday that the state

would support the police to fish out the killers and that he would not hesitate to sign their death warrants if the perpetrators were caught and brought to justice, as “murder is a capital offence and goes with capital punishment.”

He stated: “Local council election is like a family meeting trying to select who should lead the family, everybody knows the other. There is no reason to canvass election with bullets and there is no justifiable provocation to lead to anyone carrying gun to kill another person. I have come to convey to you my personal pains, my personal sense of loss and to ask you to take heart, as difficult as it is.”

Oshiomhole added: “Those responsible for these murders, when found, brought to justice and are condemned because this is a capital offence that takes capital punishment - I will sign their execution because we need to clean up the political system.

I have had election twice, I have never asked anyone to kill anybody.

A

“Fugar is one, Etsako-Central is one, everybody knows the other’s grandfather. Election is about the good of the people; it is not about war, it is not about blood, we have already told our people, ‘go and make your case and let the people decide’ and you don’t make the case by carrying guns.

“It does not matter whether you are ACN, PDP or CPC, go and persuade the people and convince them to support you on the basis of who you are and your party. It is supposed to be a beautiful thing seeing two people debating who will be a better chairman. It is not who carries the longest guns or who can kill more people, so what has happened is extremely sad.”

Noting that the torched houses and burnt vehicles belonged ACN members, he however, appealed to the youth to shun violence and resist being pushed into secret cults. He further charged them that the greatest political weapon is performance, not guns, not bullets, not cutlasses.

From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu IX persons were conSa ghastly firmed dead yesterday in motor accident that occurred along EnuguOnitsha Expressway, near the former tollgate at 9th Mile.

Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident, added that four persons were seriously injured in the accident.

According to him, a trailer with registration number: XC 288 ASB had a head-on collision with a commercial Toyota Hiace bus with registration number: XA 725 AGW as the trailer was avoiding a pothole.

Amaraizu said the injured persons were taken to a near-by hospital for medical assistance, while the deceased were deposited in to a nearby morgue. He advised motorists to always observe and obey traffic rules in order to stay alive.

Workers paralyse Abeokuta varsity over rumoured mass sack From Charles Coffie-Gyamfi, Abeokuta CTIVITIES at the Federal A University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) were temporarily paralysed yesterday as members of the local chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) picketed the campus.

The picketing was against an alleged imminent mass sack of their members by the school management, which, however, has described the allegation as mere rumour.

UNAAB’s chapter of the

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in a letter dated March 13, 2013, and addressed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquayat Rafa’i, complained of irregular appointment of staff in the institution by the immediate past vice-chancellor and urged the minister to investigate and take action.

Signed by the union’s chairman, Dr. Biodun Badmus and secretary, Dr. Bayo Oni, the letter requested the minister to send “a special visitation panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the illegal appointment of over 200 non-teaching staff into the

The union is convinced that there were sharp practices involved in this case and the intervention of the minister would assist in sanitising the university system. university about three months to the end of tenure of the former ViceChancellor, Prof. Olaiya Balogun.

“The union is convinced that there were sharp practices involved in this case and the intervention of the minister would assist in sanitising the university system.”

Nevertheless, by 7a.m yesterday, SSANU members had gathered in front of the main entrance to the Alabata, Abeokuta Campus of the university, chanting solidarity songs. The protesters, who carried placards, asked the institution not to sack any member of their union, else they would down tools.

SSANU Chairman, Mr. Abdussobur Salaam, who addressed the protesters, said the ASUU letter to the Education Minister was the third of its kind in the last four months “in which ASUU, like hyena, has been baying for the heads of our members,” in a “war of attrition against us.”

According to Salaam, the “body language of the management and the speeches of the vice-chancellor at various fora had convinced

them that their mass sack was imminent.

He alleged, among other things, that career structure of their members was being “sat upon by the authorities while there is open victimisation and embarrassment of leading members of the union.”

However, the school authority has described the allegation as rumour and enjoined all members of staff to go about their normal duties without fear.

According to a circular by the university’s Registrar, M.O. Ayoola, “management hereby affirms that the rumour is not true as there is no such intention. The rumour is only a figment of the imagination of the peddlers”.

But in his reaction, Badmus told The Guardian that his union’s letter to the minister had nothing to do with the sack of anybody, rather, “the issue we raised in that letter was the irregular appointments made by the former vice-chancellor.

He added that the allegation that they asked for the sack of 200 members of staff was false, unfounded and meant to tarnish their union’s reputation.

Bauchi, WAEC to sanction erring schools From Ali Garba, Bauchi AUCHI State government, in collaborations with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has stated its readiness to take stringent measures to punish all schools that violate the rules and regulations of the on-going examinations in the country.

The state Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammad Aminu Ibrahim, stated yesterday when he led a team of officials on inspection of the on-

B

going WAEC examinations in both private and public schools in Bauchi and environs that there was a remarkable improvement compared to last year.

Ibrahim said the government would not send erring students away from the examination centres in order not to disrupt the examinations but he advised the external candidates intending to take the WAEC examinations to register for October/November in order to pass their examinations without any problem.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

9

WorldReport Hosni Mubarak wins petition, to remain in detention N Egyptian court has ruled A that former President Hosni Mubarak should no

Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak (middle) listens to his son, Alaa (left) as his other son Gamal (back left) looks on during his retrial at the Police Academy in Cairo … yesterday. An Egyptian court ordered the release of Mubarak over the deaths of protesters but he will remain in custody over fraud charges, state media reported.

PHOTO: AFP

Venezuela’s presidential challenger seeks recount as Maduro is elected new leader From Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor (with agency reports) T might not have been the sort of outcome expected by western non-allies of former Venezuelan president, the late Hugo Chavez, but his protégé, Nicolas Maduro, has been elected president of the South American nation.

Socialist Nicolas Maduro, a former bus driver and late Chavez’s right hand man, won a narrow victory in Venezuela’s presidential polls. He scored 50.7 per cent of the vote against 49.1 per cent for opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles.

Maduro had been serving as acting president since

I

When the results were announced at celebrations erupted in the capital, Caracas, where Maduro’s jubilant supporters set off fireworks and blasted car horns. But opposition voters banged pots and pans in protest.

Chavez died of cancer on March 5, this year. He is due to be sworn in on Friday and serve until January 2019 to complete the six-year term that Chavez would have begun in January.

But the defeated Capriles has demanded a recount of votes, rejecting the election of Hugo Chavez’s successor as “illegitimate”. In demanding a recount, Capriles said Maduro was now “even

more loaded with illegitimacy”.

Capriles Radonski, a state governor had also ran strongly against Chávez in October last year. Having lost by a very narrow margin now, he claimed that there were more than 300,000 incidents from Sunday’s polls that needed to be examined. Maduro has since called for the results to be respected. The election

became necessary after Chavez’s passing away last month.

The National Electoral Council said the results, which it announced on Sunday night, were “irreversible”. Traditional allies – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Cuban leader Raul Castro – were among the first heads of state to congratulate Maduro on his win.

When the results were announced at celebrations erupted in the capital, Caracas, where Maduro’s jubilant supporters set off fireworks and blasted car horns. But opposition voters banged pots and pans in protest.

N’Korea marks founder’s birthday, abandons threats N a surprise turnaround, Iebrated North Korea yesterday celthe anniversary of its founder’s birth and abandoned its shrill threats of war against the United States (U.S.) and the South, easing tensions in a region that had seemed on the verge of conflict.

The reclusive North has threatened nuclear attacks on the United States, South Korea and Japan after new United Nations (UN) sanctions were imposed in response to its latest nuclear arms test in February.

Many Pyongyang watchers has expected a big military parade to showcase North Korea’s armed forces on the “Day of the Sun”, the date the North’s founder Kim IlSung was born.

But yesterday, Reuters reported that the 101st anniversary of Kim’s birth was marked in the North’s capital, Pyongyang, with a festival of flowers named after Kim. In contrast to weeks of tirades against its enemies, North Korean state media made hardly a mention of conflict.

“South Korea and the United States have sent a message for dialogue, so for now the North is switching to that mode,” said Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

“The North’s strategic intention has been to try to get some kind of response from the United States and South Korea and now they have

that. They won’t be brushing away the suggestions to enter dialogue lightly.”

The United States has offered talks, but on the precondition that North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons ambitions. North Korea deems its nuclear arms a “treasured sword” and has vowed never to give them up.

Nevertheless, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, ending a trip to the region dominated by concern about North Korea, stressed his interest in a diplomatic solution.

“The United States remains open to authentic and credible negotiations on denuclearisation, but the burden is on Pyongyang,” he said.

“North Korea must take meaningful steps to show

that it will honor commitments it has already made, and it has to observe laws and the norms of international behavior.”

On Sunday evening, however, Kerry appeared to open the door to talking without requiring the North to take denuclearisation steps in advance.

Beijing, he said, could be an intermediary.

Earlier, Kerry said he believed China, the North’s sole economic and political benefactor, should put “some teeth” in efforts to persuade Pyongyang to alter its policies.

The Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, warned yesterday that tensions could get out of control.

longer be held over the killings of protesters during the revolution that toppled him.

However, he will remain in custody as he faces separate corruption charges., the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported yesterday.

The former leader, who is 84, is awaiting a retrial for conspiring to kill protesters in early 2011.

His lawyer successfully argued that he had spent the maximum time in prison under temporary detention.

Last June, Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison for killings committed during the 2011 uprising that ended his decades-long rule, but in January a retrial was ordered because of procedural failings.

There were chaotic scenes on Saturday as the judge presiding over the retrial, Mustafa Hassan Abdullah, withdrew from the case citing his “unease” in overseeing the proceedings.

The case has been referred to a different court, which is

expected to appoint a new panel to hear the retrial.

About 850 people were killed in the 2011 crackdown during the 2011 uprising that ended Mubarak’s rule.

He and former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, were sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to kill protesters.

But both will be re-tried after they successfully appealed against their convictions, with Egypt’s Court of Cassation citing procedural failings.

Al-Adly will also be re-tried for corruption charges.

Mubarak and his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, will also be re-tried for corruption charges, of which they were found not guilty the first time round.

The former leader has been in poor health since his arrest and appeared on a stretcher during his first trial and at Saturday’s hearing.

Deaths during the uprising were largely blamed on the police at the time, but last week a report was leaked which implicated the army in serious human rights abuses, including the killing and torture of protesters.

Darfur issues 200 visas for Gambian peacekeepers authorities StheUDANESE have issued 200 visas for Gambia police personnel who were on standby for United Nations peacekeeping operation in Darfur, police source told Xinhua.

Initially, 150 applications were sent to Darfur for police personnel who have completed three months intensive training for United Nations and African Union peacekeeping operation in war-torn North

African nation of Darfur.

Last week, 200 police personnel were called at the police headquarters in Banjul to collect their visa and also to prepare for the mission.

The AU-UN operation in Darfur is a joint peacekeeping mission formally approved by UN Security Council Resolution 1769 on July 31, 2007, to bring stability to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan.

Libya to launch fresh radar project to protect airspace Ministry of LningIBYA’S Transportation is planto launch a fresh radar monitor project to protect of the country’s airspace, the chief of staff of Libya’ s air defence, Jumaa Al-Abani, told Xinhua.

Al-Abani said the air defence has discussed with Transport Minister Abdul Qader Ahmed the implementation of the project, which is likely to start at the international airport of Tripoli.

In addition, a civil aviation information centre

will be built in the eastern city of Benghazi to complement the main one in the capital, he said.

Building a radar system for the air defence is one of the most important tasks facing the Libyan military after the old system was destroyed by NATO during the 2011 conflict that toppled the former regime.

Al-Abani said the monitoring system is also needed to combat the rampant crossborder smuggling of arms that harms the country’ s security.

Pilot killed in Tanzania’s plane crash FOUR-SEAT charter plane A crashed near the Arusha Airport in Tanzania, killing its pilot, according to a report by Xinhua quoting the police.

Owned by Quality Tours and Travellers Ltd, the MT 7 was flying to Arusha from Moshi in Kilimanjaro region late Saturday, when the crash occurred.

Its pilot, Joseph Sambeke, a well-known businessman and the only person on the plane, died on the spot, police

said.

The Arusha airport manager, Esther Dede, confirmed the accident, saying the planned crashed 200 metres from the runway before landing.

A team of experts from Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) have arrived in Arusha to establish the cause of the accident, she said, adding that it was the first accident happened within the airport.

10

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Politics Why Ndigbo’s focus is now on regional development, by Nwosu National Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, holds that the Southeast has stopped crying marginalisation and instead looking on how to foster development of the region. He spoke to Seye Olumide in Lagos.

OW would you assess the principle of federal H character under the present administration?

Generally, organisational settings with diversity provide a rich working environment, as decisions are based on contributions from diverse perspectives. So long as quality is not compromised, the principle of federal character rather than a political tool can enhance the work environment and stimulate productive outcome.

I repeat that is if devoid of politics, and the dark side of our jingoism, Nigeria will benefit immensely from our diversity when we start using it for cake-baking against the ‘come and chop’ philosophy.

Our nature of politics takes away the natural advantages we have as a national with wide spectrum and basketful of ideas from our diverse traditions, and cultural orientation.

Does the Southeast feel marginalised as some other regions are claiming?

I think the Southeast, more than anyone else should talk about marginalisation. But the people have decided — and rightly so — to stop being the crying baby of the nation.

So, my people are not complaining of marginalisation any more; rather, we are championing the course of justice. Ohanaeze and South Eastern leaders are now all about fairness, equity and justice for a great Nigeria nation.

But has the Southeast benefited anything from the central government since 1999?

For the Southeast, we reject being categorised as the ‘weeping Tom’ of the nation. The policy now has become, let’s, like the Boy Scouts, be ready; keep learning, keep moving, be fair, be just, be understanding, show love, and no more complaining.

We recommend it to everyone, every tribe, every region and all people for Nigeria and humanity to do better.

Well, the Southwest feels otherwise, and has been complaining of being marginalised, citing the number of appointments it has in this government…

The Southwest actually shot itself in the foot with the nature of their current politics. After being the president of the country for eight years, the Southwest political elite could not respect Olusegun Obasanjo’s judgment and leadership.

They worked hard to deny him having a voice in the political health of the region. I cannot understand that.

Again, if you will recall, the last Speaker of the National Assembly, Dimeji Bankole, is of the Southwest. The same political operatives that control the machinery in the region literally ambushed his seat although he was at the time a seating Speaker. He was voted out Despite the fact that the PDP zoned the Speakership to the region, out of the about 70 members elected from there, less than five members were PDP, and for the Senate, out of the 18 senators only one was PDP. To make it worse for the region, when President Goodluck Jonathan announced his interest to bring different parties aboard and offered the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to make nomination into his cabinet, the same leadership that controls the Southwest turned down the gesture.

This is bad and negative politics.

I guess the present political order in the Southwest controlled by the former governor of Lagos, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is trying hard to showcase himself as the authentic leader and godfather of the Yoruba people, and the regional politics.

Most of the appointments given to the area are because of Obasanjo’s influence. But when you do not produce the votes, and get your politicians elected within the party in government, there is a limit the system will indulge you.

However, the Southwest cannot really complain.

Nwosu

The southwest cannot really complain, Obasanjo did much for the region within eight years, and if you check all the indicators of political strength of a people so long as Nigeria is concerned Southwest is doing so well; the Civil Service, military, and parastatals hierarchy, the oil industry workers and players, big players in the financial and telecom industries, name it.

Obasanjo did much for the region within eight years, and if you check all the indicators of political strength of a people, as long as Nigeria is concerned, the Southwest is doing so well: in the civil service, military, and parastatals hierarchy; the oil industry workers and players; big players in the financial and telecoms industries; name it.

Also in the Council of State, they have two former Heads of State. Therefore, the Southwest should not really talk of marginalisation. But they ought to change their politics and accord greater respect to the former Head of the Interim National Government (ING), Chief Earnest Shonekan, and Obasanjo. These are well-meaning men and they are well spread.

You cannot dismiss Obasanjo. None of our former leaders can dance Gangnam Style in private but Obasanjo did it in private and public.

(Gangnam Style is a K-pop single by the South Korean musician, PSY — the lead single of his sixth studio album, PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1, debuted at number one on South Korea’s Gaon Chart, which as of April 1, 2013, viewed over 1.486 billion times on YouTube, and the site’s most watched video after surpassing Justin Bieber’s single, ‘Baby’ (Courtesy: Wikipedia)) That means Obasanjo has a kindred spirit and uncanny ability to connect with the old and new generations — very rare but a great leadership quality.

Do you believe in zoning of the president or we should allow the best to work?

The zoning thing will be laid to rest the moment the country finds its bearing. When Steven Keshi delivered the African Cup of Nations, Nigerians were happy and they did not give a hoot where he comes from. Just like when the former coach of the national team, Clement Westerhoff did the same; Nigerians owned him whether he came from Deutschland, Germany or Awka did not matter.

By the time our systems will be refined such that the person at the helm of affairs has no

options but to serve Nigeria with utmost brilliance and integrity, then the entire hullabaloo will stop.

Democracy will lead us there. The North was in power for almost 40 years out of our 53 years as a sovereign nation. What does that say to you with the recent revelation by the former President of United States, Bill Clinton of the damning disparity between the South and the North in terms of quality of life and opportunities.

Dr. Aliko Dangote did not become the richest African when we had northerners at the helm of affairs, and he is not in government either. For political expediency, we overblow our tribal and religious differences. The more we continue to hone these regional or ethnic sentiments in deciding who gets what, the corruption index will remain high.

A good leader is servant to all. If we remove the corruption in government, many of the people who would engage in ‘do or die’ struggles to get elected or be in power will run away.

Democracy will soon help us streamline these things. For instance, I do not see how a first time senator will become the Senate President again in this nation. Seniority has set in, and it makes the polity smoother. The Senate President, David Mark, has brought stability, and with stability the parliament will find its bearing to be a very useful arm in nation building.

As a matter of fact, the time is coming when the President, the Senate President, the Speaker, and possibly most of the principal staff of the National Assembly, plus even the Chief Justice of the Federation may come from one region, one state, and even one town. And because most of these seats will be determined on seniority, there is nothing any one can do.

No amount of constitutional amendment can make better sense than experience, service delivery based on justice and capability. We have to start projecting long-term.

Is it only when we draft a new constitution that

the issue of marginalisation and other relevant complaints can be addressed?

No constitution of any nation can be a perfect document. We continue to fine-tune it as we go along; adapt it to changing times. The legislators in the U.S are still fine-tuning and adapting their constitution.

Nation-building is not a sprint or something that we should hurry and get over with. Most important in our constitution, for now, is to remove all forms of unjust entrapments that seem to create disunity. And we need to strengthen our institutions to fight corruption, assure best practices and evolve practices that align with our national vision.

Has the Jonathan-led government performed to warrant another term in office?

He is a non-assuming president, and faces the challenges of nation building, and the overt maverick scheming and cynicism of the elite with equanimity.

I am a Jonathan’s man because I understand him, and what he is up against. I am a leadership and change student and researcher; I know what he is struggling with.

Let me give you this line; irrespective of the more visible challenges of the old order trying to conscript him into their fold using all tactics, the Boko Haram and their devious agenda, the demands and expectations of people of the South-South weighs in too.

Some of my Ijaw friends call me to say, “Why are you supporting this transformation nonsense? It is our turn; allow us to enjoy like others before us.”

So, for a well-meaning man taking charge after so much power abuses of the past, it could pose a major challenge if you have come to change the Owambe and Ghana-Must-Go style.

Transformation comes with a new way of knowing, a new way of living, and a new mindset. So, if it were turn by turn, why would anyone deny his or her people maximum enjoyment when it is their turn to make merry and not work?

The elite of the South-South are pulling on him: “This is our turn to do Owambe and Miliki with Nigeria’s wealth most of which, at the present, comes from our land in Niger Delta.”

They have the old picture in their head; they feel it is their turn to corner the contracts, do the embezzling, and take the juicy parastatals and agencies, and that Goodluck dare not preach accountability or transformation yet. This is the conundrum we have to unravel.

That is an aside but significant.

Generally, the nation is finding itself in the strictest sense, and real nation-building is taking place. We have had the best improvement in the power sector, and for the first time, timelines on service delivery in this crucial area are in place and are being adhered to.

International rating agencies are paying greater attention to our economy. Body language of the leader is of utmost importance to quality of governance, but at times, people are confused by the old mental picture, and seem to misinterpret new strides.

The Budget of Rivers and Lagos States is about 17 per cent of the national budget; so, Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Babatunde Fashola control that kind of resources within their small states, and the development going on in Abuja alone is far more than the two states put together.

Jonathan’s administration is present in every of the 36 States of the federation. Also, the administration has given the states and the councils the freest hand to operate. You hardly hear of any high-handedness from the centre in empowering the state and the councils.

Unfortunately, some of the governors are the ones attempting to bully the centre; the same thing with the National Assembly. You have a president who is a real democrat. The developments you see all around the states are testimonial that the Federal Government is free and welldisposed towards grassroots empowerment.

Why is ADC not part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) merger; and will the merger be strong enough to oust the ruling PDP? ADC is doing well. We calculate our steps. We are collaborating with the PDP because we stand for change; and President Jonathan is sticking to the campaign promise to drive transformation. To the best of my knowledge, in spite of all the challenges, he has remained focused.

POLITICS 11

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Ebonyi Assembly: Impeachment that may never be From Leo Sobechi, Abakaliki OULD impeachment be part of the legislative agenda of Ebonyi State House of Assembly?

That is the question on the lips of most residents in the aftermath of the removal of the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Valentine Okike-Uzo a fortnight ago.

Indeed, no less a personality that the state governor, Chief Martin Elechi, has reportedly voiced his concerns over the frequency of impeachments in the Assembly.

It was gathered that on hearing of the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Governor Elechi expressed dismay, stressing that as it stood, stakeholders had no inputs in the Assembly leadership.

“What remains is for them to wake up one morning and seek to impeach everybody,” the governor was quoted as saying.

The governor also reportedly noted that apart from the secrecy that surrounded the impeachment, the decision of the legislators to select the new Deputy Speaker, Mr. Blaise Oji, from the constituency of the state party chairman, Prince Ugorji Ama-Oti, makes nonsense of his (governor’s) leadership of and zoning structure in the state.

In fact, apprehension was thick in the air that another impeachment was afoot on Monday, April 8, 2013, when the members gathered for plenary.

However, what took the centre stage was a vote of confidence on the governor and his deputy, Dave Umahi.

And following media reports about the outcome of that session and its interpretation, the Assembly has continued to swear that there was nothing like impeaching the governor and the deputy governor.

Pooh-poohing the reports of their possible impeachment, Deputy Governor Umahi told The Guardian that it would have made sense if anybody suggested that he (deputy governor) was to be impeached.

He stressed that any thought of impeaching the governor, who is generally regarded as a deity and an institution in the state, “would warrant the slaughter of every Ebonyian before such a thing is contemplated or consummated.”

Such is the setting that whenever the Assembly members went for an emergency session, palpable apprehension would fill the state capital. And the question became pervasive, especially given the fact that the life of the current legislature has been dominated by sessions that ended up in impeachment and suspension.

At the proclamation of this fourth Assembly by Governor Elechi on June 7, 2011, many observers had noted the predominantly youthful ages of most members. Some raised concerns about the possibility of frictions between the legislature and the executive on account of the age disparity of officials of both arms.

In an interview, the then Speaker, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwo, told journalists that virtually all the House members “see Elechi as a father” and would cooperate with him to give Ebonyi people good governance.

But six months into the life of the Assembly, precisely on December 22, 2011, the first impeachment happened. Not only did Nwankwo become the first Speaker of the Assembly to be impeached in the state, his ejection threw up a cycle of mutual suspicion among politicians in the state.

Surprisingly, Nwankwo’s election as Speaker received the inputs and backing of political stakeholders of the state, especially those in the PDP. No thanks to a curious political tsunami that swept off many experienced

C

members of the third Ebonyi Assembly, including the fiercely loyal Speaker, Augustine Nwankwagu, only six legislators returned for a second term.

Consequently, the election of Nwankwo as Speaker became subject of schisms among the political blocs and clans in the state. It was against this curious background that the stakeholders were summoned to a meeting at the Governor’s Lodge on the eve of the proclamation of the Fourth Assembly, to deliberate on who to occupy what office.

Sources said it was agreed that since the former Speaker, Nwankwagu, was from Ebonyi North senatorial district, the post should be retained in that senatorial zone.

However, as a source disclosed, the argument of zonal balance was mooted, with some people suggesting that since the Senate seat in the zone had moved to Izzi clan, the Speaker seat, previously occupied by the clan, should move to Ohaukwu. “But at this juncture, the issue of ranking was raised,” the source said.

Of the six returnees to the Assembly, only two, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwo and Mrs. Helen Nwaobasi come from Ebonyi North. While Nwankwo hails from Ebonyi local council, Nwaobasi originates from Abakaliki.

“But apart from being a woman, stakeholders viewed Nwaobasi’s capacity and settled for Nwankwo, whose father was a prominent leader in Izzi land and a former Chief of Staff of Ebonyi Government House, as the possible candidate for the post of Speaker,” the source added.

Having crossed this initial hurdle, the Fourth Ebonyi House of Assembly was set for proclamation the next day!

Dapper and vivacious, the new Speaker, Nwankwo, brought style to the office. He left no one in doubt that he was on a mission, evincing much affection for the governor, who, in spite of his early reservations about the ability of the suave young man to steer the ship of the House, started giving him roles to equip him with necessary experience for leadership.

But barely three months into the legislative calendar, signs of distress in the Assembly began to emerge.

First, relationship between the Speaker and the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Rose Nwokporo, became sour. Nwokporo is a younger sister to the wife of the governor and observers saw Nwankwo’s friction with her as a no-win contest.

Soon, some members of the House began to murmur about the Speaker’s style of leadership, such that they started plotting the downfall of the Speaker.

Nocturnal meetings were held at a hotel in Enugu.

In the midst of this intrigue, Governor Elechi planned his annual leave, and convened a meeting with the legislators to intimate them of his travel to the United States and also solicit their support to the Deputy Governor, Dave

Elechi Umahi, whom he was handing over to.

Despite the plot to impeach Nwankwo gathering enough steam, all but one of the legislators reportedly denied there was any misunderstanding in the Assembly.

However, six days into his vacation, Elechi was to learn that the first ever impeachment of a Speaker in the state under his watch had taken place.

It remained a subject of conjecture whether the governor was aware of the action and feigned ignorance but at a meeting he summoned after his return from overseas, he expressed dismay that such “a capital project should be undertaken and completed” in his absence.

He was said to have enjoined the lawmakers to bear fruits that befits the honourable platform they occupied, stressing that as a respecter of the doctrine of separation of powers, it was not in his character to interfere with the legislature.

The impeachment of Nwankwo has, however, ensured that things would never be the same in the Assembly.

Announcing the impeachment of the Speaker that fateful December 22, 2011, one of the arrowheads and member representing Onicha East state constituency, Mr. Odefa Obasi Odefa, disclosed that 18 of the 24-member

Many people in Ebonyi rejoiced that the House of Assembly celebrated the 2012 Christmas in office without another impeachment or suspension. But rumours of an impending impeachment continued to make the rounds in the state.

Surprisingly, the tale bore fruit a fortnight ago when the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Valentine Okike-Uzor, was impeached for alleged ‘gross misconduct, including insubordination, promotion of disaffection among members and improper dressing in boxer shorts to official functions.’ But investigations by The Guardian revealed that allegations of slovenly dressing and arrogance, the main reason for Okike-Uzor’s impeachment, was his failure to carry other members along in the documentation of nominees for the SURE-P programme.

House voted for the impeachment.

He said Nwankwo was removed for gross misconduct, high handedness and financial improprieties. He detailed some sleazy financial misdeeds and an attempt to smuggle some clauses into a House Committee’s report, as some of the sins of the impeached Speaker.

Odefa introduced the member representing Ebonyi North East state constituency, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku, as the new Speaker, saying that Nwankwo had been suspended indefinitely from the Assembly.

The impeachment of Nwankwo set about a new power arrangement in the House. A Group of Five (G.5) was formed, comprising Odefa, Frank Nwaka, Julius Nwokpor, Chike Ogiji and Chris Usulor. It was later to accommodate other two members to make it G.7.

Again, six months into the new administration of Speaker Nwazunku, the Assembly recorded another “feat” by suspending a female member representing Ivo state constituency, Mrs. Lillian Igwe. It came at a time Nigerians were mourning the Dana Airline crash that claimed 163 lives in Lagos.

Igwe was accused of drinking herself to stupor and boarding a tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP, to the Assembly — a conduct and practice, which the legislators said dragged the image of the House to the mud.

Though analysts believe that Igwe’s travails were traceable to her decision to abstain from the impeachment of Nwankwo, the legislators insisted that she must serve an indefinite suspension whether fair hearing was accorded to her or not.

The Rivers State-born lawyer married to an Ebonyi man is still on suspension nearly a year since.

Many people in Ebonyi rejoiced that the House of Assembly celebrated the 2012 Christmas in office without another impeachment or suspension. But rumours of an impending impeachment contin-

ued to make the rounds in the state.

Surprisingly, the tale bore fruit a fortnight ago when the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Valentine Okike-Uzor, was impeached for alleged “gross misconduct, including insubordination, promotion of disaffection among members and improper dressing in boxer shorts to official functions.”

But investigations by The Guardian revealed that allegations of slovenly dressing and arrogance, the main reason for OkikeUzor’s impeachment, was his failure to carry other members along in the documentation of nominees for the SURE-P programme.

But unlike the removal of former Speaker Nwankwo, with whom he ascended the throne together, Okike-Uzor’s impeachment has let loose a plethora of political issues, with sources alleging it has more to do with power struggles in the state, as it prepares for the local government election later this year.

A source in the Assembly said: “Actually the leader of G.5 in the House, Odefa, has not been comfortable with the Deputy Speaker.

As such, the Deputy Speaker’s mistake of not informing his colleagues, who made him the gobetween for them, provided a veritable opportunity for Odefa to sanction his removal.

“With the new Speaker, it is impossible to get anything done without Odefa. And coming from the same political axis in the state, the leader of G.5 does not want the Speaker to be on that sit so that he does not influence the choice of who occupies the position of Chairman of Onicha local council.”

The latest impeachment is generating much interest and apprehension “partly because none of the leaders of the state executive or the PDP was taken into confidence unlike the impeachment of Nwankwo,” a source said.

But a member of the Assembly told journalists that the impeachment was kept close to their chest to ensure that “nobody pleads on his (former Deputy Speaker’s) behalf,” adding that they made up their minds long ago to dispense with him.

A curious dimension was thrown up by the revelation that a meeting by Izzi political leaders actually paved the way for Okike-Uzor’s impeachment.

A source privy to the meeting revealed that the leaders took stock of their political stand in the state so far and concluded that the absence of peace in their clan was responsible for the way their interests were trampled upon.

Speaking in strict confidence, the Izzi politician stated: “The meeting, which held at the home of a respected leader, examined the political tendencies in the state. It was noted with pain, among members present, that their son, Barrister Augustine Nwankwagu, was the only Speaker, who did not make it to the Assembly for a second term while other Speakers were either promoted to the National Assembly after enjoying a second term.

“It was also regretted that the only Speaker to be impeached from office in the state was from Izzi. At the end, it was resolved that steps should be taken to cement the bond of peace and brotherly love among Izzi people so that they can enjoy the fruits of their numerical strength.”

Thus, it is open to conjecture whether the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker was in reaction to the Izzi meeting or to serve as a balancing act.

For now, perhaps on account of media outcry, the impeachment of Governor Elechi and his deputy may never be in the life of this rambunctious Fourth Ebonyi House of Assembly.

12

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

TheMetroSection We demanded N100m from Okonjo Iweala but we got N13m, says suspect • How palace messenger plotted the kidnap of Finance Minister’s mother

By Odita Sunday ORE drama is unfolding everyday in the inM vestigation into the atrocious abduction on December 8, 2012 of octogenarian and 82-year-old mother of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, from the palace of her husband, the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-uku, Aniocha South Local Council Area of Delta State.

A new twist to the event showed how a messenger successfully organized the abduction of the woman without the knowledge of the villagers.

Though, at the time of her release from her abductors den, both the police and the Delta State Government denied paying any ransom to the kidnappers, the suspects alleged that they actually collected a whooping N13million from the family of the victim.

The suspects admitted sharing their loot among themselves according to the degree of individual involvement in the kidnapping process.

Narrating how the abduction was planned and prosecuted, the palace messenger, one Victor Chiejine Onochie, told newsmen that it was hunger and frustration that led him into crime.

“I grew up inside the palace. I was five years old when I became a worker in the palace. All through my stay I was never paid any money; I was just like a servant. It is hunger that led me to organize the kidnapping of the Queen.”

“Having thought of how best to make money, I realized that I could organize the kidnapping of the mama. One of the things I discovered while I was in the palace was the lack of security presence at the palace. And it was at the peak of kidnapping in Delta State, so I took advantage of it and invited the gang. To expand my idea, I invited one of my friends called Chukwuma Onochie to discuss my plans.”

“It was Chukwuma who actually invited other members of the gang. Three days after my meeting with Okoh, I met with the gang’s second in command whom I later knew as Jideofor Ogbue alias ‘Marvellous’, 21years old, who said we should leave the actual prosecution of the plan to him,” he said.

He added: “A day to the day she was kidnapped, the gang members who were 12 in number stayed in the village without anybody suspecting anything.

Five of the gang members went inside the palace.

Marvellous who had a gun tucked under his shirt, approached the victim.”

“Marvellous claimed that we were directed by the Presidency to arrest the Finance Minster whom he alleged had been implicated in a fraud case and that we were asked to take her to Abuja. The Queen had refused to follow us screaming that she was not the Finance Minister. We bundled her into the back of one of the vehicles that was waiting outside. With her eyes blind-folded, we drove off, firing sporadic shots into the air to scare away people.”

“She was taken to a bush in Kwale area of Delta State, and we fed her with bread and at times rice.

We started giving her rice when we became sure

The suspects that they were going to pay the ransom demanded. We initially demanded for N100m but we collected only N13 million before the Queen was released,” he revealed.

Although the palace messenger claimed he did not benefit from the ransom money, Marvelous alleged that the messenger got N700, 000 while Chukwuma Okoh got N500, 000 According to Onochie: “I threatened the gang that I will expose them if they refuse to let me have my own fair share of the ransom money. I went to the police station when I heard that I was declared ‘wanted’. After the kidnap of Prof.

Kanene Okonjo, the gang came to me to provide them with information about another person, but I refused because I did not benefit from the first incident.”

“However, after so much persuasion from them, I gave them information on how to kidnap another prominent person who is also from Ogwashi-Uku. I was shocked when I learnt later that the man had been killed. That was when I decided to give myself up to the police.”

The gang’s second-in-command told newsmen that they normally collect ransom money from

their victim’s family at the Benin By-pass.

His words: “On the day the money was paid, three of us waited at the Benin by-pass having been in close contact with the family members.

The money was in N1000 and N500 denominations and was carefully concealed in a black polythene bag. We shared the money among us depending on the role each and every member of the gang played,” he said.

One of the kingpins, Marvelous told reporters that a member of the gang identified as Peter shot the 72-year-old Regina Dainty dead.

“Peter was angry that his brother was killed in an operation carried out by the police. We were not there when he shot him dead. All we saw later was that the man had been killed. We hid the news of the death away from the family. They later got to know after N2million had been paid,” the suspect said.

Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, the Lagos State Police boss, Mr. Umar Manko, said sequel to the arrest of Onochie and Okoh in March this year by men of the State Investigation Bureau (SIB) and their subsequent confession that they gave

the information that led to the kidnap of the mother of the finance minister in Delta State, he directed the officer in charge of the state Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), SP Abba Kyari to go after the gang .

“SARS operatives extended their dragnet to Delta, Edo and River States respectively. They eventually arrested Marvelous at his hideout in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. His arrest led to the rounding up of five others,” Manko explained.

Manko gave the names of other gang members as Michael Ojeabulu, Endurance Oke, Ibrahim Abubakar, Buhari Hamadora and Hassan Oseni.

He stated that five AK 47 rifles, 31 rounds of live ammunition and one Honda Civic coupe with No. FST 502 BC were recovered from the culprits.

Gunmen on Sunday December 8, 2012 abducted Prof. Kamene Okonjo, 82, mother of the Minister of Finance, Prof Okonjo-Iweala in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.

The octogenarian, wife of His Majesty, Professor Chukwuka Aninshi Okonjo Agbogidi, the reigning Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom was kidnapped that day at about 1:30 pm at the Obi’s palace at OgbeOfu quarters in Ogwashi-Uku by eight gunmen who stormed the palace in two Audi cars.

16 people injured as commercial bus rams into canal

By Ayodele Adeniran UT for Providence, Lagos B would have witnessed another tragedy yesterday when a commercial vehicle plying Adekunle Fajuyi Road GRA, Ikeja area of Lagos, had a brake failure and rammed into a water channel. All 16 passengers in the bus had various degrees of injuries.

The bus, with Registration No. KRD 709, XC, was conveying passengers from Iyana Ipaja to Obalende, when the accident occurred, opposite Tarmarin Hotel, at about 11.12a.m. The driver was said to have been rescued by Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs), while the conductor and other passengers were

rushed to Ikeja General Hospital by Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and some good Samaritans. A witness said the state government-owned ambulance came later, after the victims had been rushed to hospital. As of 11.40p.m. when the reporter left the scene, the police officers were trying to find out what really went wrong. One of the passengers, identified simply as Mummy Wunmi, said the driver had a brake failure while on a top speed, and therefore lost control of the vehicle. Another 16-yearold girl said: “About 16 of us, who were in the bus got injuries including the conductor. “I don’t know how the

accident occurred but I know the driver was on high speed and suddenly, the bus left the road and rammed in the canal. Thank God for the people around who rescued us.” Another eyewitness, identified simply as Samson, said the passenger at the front seat was thrown out of the vehicle when the accident occurred.

“Most of the accidents that occur are caused by human error. Research has shown that the major causes of death and injuries on Lagos roads, according the research, remain over-speeding, drink/driving as well as non-wearing of seat-belts,” he said.

Sympathisers at the scene of the accident

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

METRO 13

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Photonews

A cross-section of children born through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) at Nordica Fertility Centre, dancing during the 10th anniversary of the clinic in Lagos...on Sunday PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN Wife of the late Obafemi Awolowo, Hannah I. D. Awolowo (left); Mrs. Folake Solanke (SAN); Co-Convener, Nigerian National Summit Group (NNSG), Prof. Pat Utomi and the Executive Secretary, NNSG, Mr. Tony Uranta during a courtesy visit by thegroup to the Awololo’s family over the demise of Oluwole Awolowo in Ikenne, OgunState....on Thursday

NSCDC nabs man attempting to rape 10- year-old girl in Jigawa From John Akubo, Dutse HE Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa State Command, has arrested a father of three, Aminu Ahmed, of Jodan Quarters, Birnin Kudu, while allegedly attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl.

The Public Relations Officer of ASC Abdullahi Adamu Shehu, who made the disclosure yesterday, said NSCDC officials made the arrest following a tip- off from the public, adding that the suspect has confessed to having been involved in the act.

He said the suspect on further interrogation confessed to have been deceiving and defiling under-aged girls severally in the past, adding that the last one was on the April 2, 2013, when he gave N300.00 to a girl and lured her to bed.

Shehu pointed out that his arrest was facilitated by people living in the area who informed the corps of his escapades.

In another development, one Mudassiru Salisu, 17 years old,

T

Gen. Ishaya Balat (rtd.), Chief Edwin Clark, his wife, Bisola Clark and Mr. Didi Ndioma, son of the late Gen. Charles Ndioma, during the inauguration of the Charles Bebeye Ndioma Foundation and launch of his book entitled: A Jolly Gentle General in Abuja...on Sunday

was arrested recently by members of the NSCDC in Jata in Sara of Gwaram Local Council for allegedly stealing farm produce belonging to Alhaji Babannan Mahauci in his house.

The Public Relations Officer

said it was in line with the commitments shown by the state commandant of the NSCDC, Alhaji Muhammed Gidado Fari, who promised to fight criminal elements in the state until “crime is brought to its barest minimum.”

Briefs Institute inducts, honours new members Finance and Administrative Institute (SFAI), a profesSday,TRATEGIC sional institute of corporate strategic executives, will on ThursApril 18, 2013 induct and honour new members at the Conference Centre, University of Lagos at 11.00a.m.

The President of the Institute, Elder Sunday Chinaka on behalf of the Governing Council and Board of Regents, in a statement in Lagos, said those being honoured are being recognised for their contributions to the economy over the years.

The Special Guest of Honour is Governor Babatude Fashola, while the guest lecturer is Prof Alao Ekundayo of Babcock University. The Chairman is Dr. Mashood Sulugambari.

Oba Ajibola’s biography for launch April 18 PRINCE Bola Ajibola, the proprietor of Crescent University, Abeokuta will on Thursday, April 18, launch a book entitled: Life of Excellent Service, the biography of Oba Salami Ajibola, a former Olowu of Owu, Ogun State, at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

It will be chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjjo, with Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Ogun State governor as the chief guest of honour. Dr. Bolu Akin Olugbade is the chief launcher.

Group brings succour to kids living without limbs

By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku ER daughter was born with Tibial Hemimelia (absence of Tibia). This necessitated Mrs. Crystal Chigbu, an employee of Procter & Gamble, to set up a foundation to assist indigent children living without limbs and get access to prostheses that would enable them live independently.

With the name, The Irede Foundation, a not –for-profit organisation coined from the name of her daughter, Beulah Irede Chigbu, the foundation is poised with its motto of ‘Extending Limbs, Raising Champions‘, to put smiles on the faces of children between the ages of 0-18, living without limbs, to make them live independently and have a sense of belonging in the society.

Speaking at the formal launch and maiden Charity Award dinner/fund raising on Sun-

H

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Cautious Management Services Ltd, Mrs. Adesua Akintemi, receiving an award from the Chief Executive Officer of Lead Capital Group, Prince Bimbo Olashore, at the 12th induction of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) in Lagos…

day, the Founder, Mrs. Crystal Chigbu described the occasion as “truly inspiring and reassuring of the worthiness of our course.”

She said: “I sat back to reminisce on my life’s story since the day Beulah Irede Chigbu was born with her condition and the barrage of ‘whys‘ that threatened to suppress the joy of motherhood and celebration of life.

“This maiden edition of The Irede Foundation Charity Awards (TIFCA) and your presence to accredit the Mission and Vision of the foundation has eclipsed all the whys with a concrete understanding of purpose and a resolve to pursue same. “ I am truly uplifted by your kindness to raise champions out of child- amputees and I personally feel honoured to represent this vision.

The Chairman, Board of Trustee of the foundation, Kunle Akinkugbe urged individuals and organisations to join them in the exciting journey of self-discovery, stating that standing still was not an option.

Meanwhile, the chairman revealed that in addition to the prostheses, which the foundation has provided to some children, that the foundation intends to do more this year, which would cost millions of naira.

Organisations and individuals who have touched the lives of the physically-challenged persons in the society were given awards at the event.

Among them was the wife of the Lagos State governor, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, who was given the award of Exceptional Personality of the Year.

Ekitiraisesalarmoverillegalfund-raisingforOlayinka’sburial From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti HE Ekiti State Government has raised the alarm over illegal solicitation of funds by some unscrupulous individuals purportedly for the burial of the late Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka.

The government in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi, warned individuals within and outside the state involved in the illegal and unauthorized solicitation of funds to desist from it.

While dissociating the administration from the activities of such individuals, the statement

T

Head of Department, Department of Management and Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Taiwo Asaolu (middle) receiving the 20th post -graduation donations of books and laptops from OAU Accounting 88-92 set, Mr. Felix Oladunjoye (left), Mr. Lateef Agbetunde, Mr. S. O. Lawal, Dr. Mrs. Olayinka Akinlo (right) and OAU Accounting student President, Mr. Raphael at the presentation ceremony in OAU campus …

urged members of the public to report anybody trying to obtain money or other items for the purpose of the late deputy governor’s funeral to the appropriate security agencies.

The statement noted that Mrs. Olayinka died in office as the Deputy Governor of the state with full benefits of the office.

Government, according to the statement, has put in place plans to give the late deputy governor a befitting state burial and will bear all expenses of the burial.

It reads in part: “The state government frowns at and does

not encourage attempt by any group or individuals to raise funds for the state burial under any guise whatsoever.

“Members of the public are advised to discountenance and report to appropriate security agencies attempts by any individual to obtain money or other items from them for the purpose of the burial.

“We also advise individuals within and outside the state who are involved in this illegal and unauthorized solicitation to desist from it.

“The full time table for the state burial would be made public soon”.

TheGuardian

14 THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

FOUNDER: ALEX U. IBRU (1945 – 2011)

Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. Uthman dan Fodio 1754-1816

Editorial LETTER

To save the Judiciary Uduaghan’s proposal on national dialogue T was a damning self-appraisal of Nigeria’s judiciary when the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Maryam Mukhtar addressed judicial officers at a recent forum organized by the National Judicial Institute. She rightly pointed out the extent to which corruption has ravaged the temple of justice and remarked the loss of faith by Nigerians in a judiciary in which the innocent but poor go to jail while the guilty but rich get a bail. She then thundered that this must end and erring judges would be given the boot henceforth.

This cry from the heart by the CJN is not only timely, it is comforting. Public confidence in the judiciary has been on the decline over the years. Now, it appears to have reached the nadir and many judges can no longer be trusted with the dispensation of justice. Coming from the Chief Justice, the candid upbraiding is a sign that the ailment has not gone unidentified by the appropriate persons. Therefore, there is a glimmer of hope.

While Nigerians feel a sense of outrage at the way elected public officers plunder the nation’s resources and flaunt this in the people’s face, the judiciary to whom they look for succour or redress has also turned to a haven of sorts for the looters. Corrupt public officers do not worry about their arraignment in court anymore. Indeed, it is as a big respite and a faster escape route with their loot. And the examples are legion. But for the English court, former Delta State Governor, James Ibori almost became invincible as he got away with every allegation made against him and was freed by the courts in Nigeria.

Ironically, the offences of which he was acquitted by the courts in Nigeria were the same offences that earned him his conviction and imprisonment in the UK. The pension fraud case is still very fresh; where a man convicted of stealing N23.3 billion was sentenced to a fine of N750,000. The public indignation occasioned by this bizarre judgment and others like that led the National Assembly to start taking steps to legislate against option of fine in corruption cases. What about conflicting rulings and orders by different courts all in a bid to patronize friends and cronies who have cases before them! Little thought is spared for the integrity and sanctity of that hallowed institution. It got so bad that a CJN and the President of the Court of Appeal once engaged in an open confrontation that involved veiled allegations of corrupt practices levelled against one by the other.

The judiciary of course is a victim of debauchery and moral despoliation foisted on the country by politicians, a factor which transposed it to a veritable tool of do-or-die politics or its appendage. Of course most of the judges, contrary to time-honoured tradition, were nominees of politicians to whom they feel highly indebted and obligated. It is a known fact that only a few become judges without being heavily connected to a politician of renown.

Compromise is, in essence, engrafted in the recruitment or elevation process ab initio. The role of the Bar is no less condemnable. Rather than aid the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or favour, senior members of the Bar have turned themselves to conduit pipes of bribery for the judges and they are accomplices to case fixing.

So when the CJN spoke, she spoke for all Nigerians who had thought that the judiciary was their last hope in a nation where injustice reigns but have now been left at the mercy of the same injustice by a corrupt judiciary. Anyone who will right injustice must be above board. The CJN’s public lamentation is highly commendable. But it is not enough to talk tough. Nigerians would recall that her predecessor in office, Justice Dahiru Musdapher made a similar observation about the depth judiciary has sunk into. But little changed thereafter.

As a first step, the judiciary must go back to the basics. It must rededicate itself to its code, which demands secluded life. It is imperative that judges insulate themselves from corruptible interactions. It is unsightly and detracts from the awe-inspiring office they occupy to find them at social events, parties and clubs where the good, the bad and the ugly of the society will invariably be found. This demystifies the aura built around them, prodding their being addressed as “My Lord” by all and sundry.

Additionally, conscious effort must be made to fish out bad eggs. They must be made to face the consequences of their action by bringing the full weight of the law to bear. A corrupt judge must be handed over to ICPC or EFCC for prosecution. Taking them before the NJC is too palliative and gives the judiciary the privilege to be a judge in its own cause against the twin pillar of justice, which makes it clear that no one shall be a judge in his own case. NJC is made up of judges and lawyers who at one time or the other might have been close associates and friends or learned brothers of the judges brought before them for disciplinary action. The position of our law is that bribery and corruption are grievous offences for which there is a statutory procedure for its investigation and prosecution. This procedure admits of no exception just as the laws are no respecter of any person.

After all, it is the judges who are ever ready to remind all that, “be you not so high, the law is above you”.

Corruption in politics and public service is already asphyxiating Nigeria and the country cannot survive corruption in the judiciary. Nations fall when judges are unjust. For the citizens are left with the feeling that nothing is worth defending any more.

I

IR: On February 13, 2013, SWorking members of the National Committee of the National Summit Group visited Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State in Asaba who stressed the need for national dialogue among Nigerians as a way forward to promote peace, unity and progress in the country. He stated further that proper integration after frank talks among citizens would help foster unity.

Dr. Uduaghan at that meeting argued among others that the proposed national dialogue would be better managed by those outside the government, while the implementation of outcomes should be left with the government. For several years, there have been calls for a Sovereign National Conference involving the various nationalities that make up Nigeria to chart a new course for the country, which has had its developmental pace restricted by feelings of marginalization and mistrust among the various nationalities.

The past and present leaders of the country have refused to convene such a conference for certain reasons. They argue that there is a government in place and that it was established by the existing constitution, even though the 1999 constitution is a product of former military administrations and was produced without the involvement of the Nigerian people. The Federal

Government has also repeatedly argued that the sovereignty of the existing governmental structures would be undermined if the word ‘sovereign’ is allowed to remain in the name of the confab.

Agitations for the convocation of a national conference have been made, mostly by patriotic individuals and civil society groups. In response to the constantly increasing agitation, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the second half of 2012 set up a Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution. The committee headed by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has been conducting public fora to elicit input from Nigerians. The committee plans to deliver a new constitution by July 2013.

However, most civil society groups and individuals have expressed lack of confidence in the on-going constitutional review exercise. In their opinion, most members of the National Assembly who are piloting the exercise have not proved themselves to be true representatives of the people and therefore, cannot stand in for them in this exercise of making destiny-related decisions.

The Constitution Review Committee has even given Nigerians more reasons to doubt the integrity of the entire exercise by restricting the areas for deliberation in

the review process. Besides, issues that affect their personal interest such as matters of wages structure for legislators, structure of the parliament, nature of legislators’ service (full time/part time), independent candidacy and so on, are not likely to be handled in favour of the masses’ wishes. While the government has faith in the review exercise, advocates of a national dialogue do not.

This is where Governor Uduaghan’s proposal comes handy.

If civil society groups and individuals that are not currently in government service are permitted by government to organize and manage the proposed national dialogue, government could win the people’s confidence in the genuineness of the commitment of Jonathan’s administration to secure the future of the country.

Nigeria desperately needs a forum for national dialogue, involving every segment of the country. Such a forum would feature interpreters in various Nigerian languages for illiterates, for the benefit of participants. It should feature appropriate feedback mechanisms and a subsequent unbiased analysis.

A destiny conference is what is being advocated for the country rather than a hasty exercise designed to appease agitations of a perceived docile populace.

• Albinus Chiedu, Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

15

Business Appointments P27 Boosting workers’ welfare through insurance scheme

Cash crunch hits PHCN, as workers insist on N800 billion entitlement

By Sulaimon Salau HE Power Holding T Company of Nigeria (PHCN) may be finding it difficult to meet some of its obligations due to the financial crunch that has drastically reduced the efficiency of the utility company.

Specifically, The Guardian investigations revealed that PHCN is presently groaning under financial difficulties, few months after the Federal Government stopped allocation of funds for its operations.

Sources at the distribution companies (discos) told The

Guardian that there is presently cash crunch in the utility firm, as its financial purse could not match the routine expenditure.

Besides, PHCN is now lacking some critical electricity facilities such as transformers, meters, cables and other necessary equipment.

The source said: “I can confirm to you that we don’t have any transformer in stock now, in fact we are lacking much equipment since the government has stopped funding PHCN. It is now very difficult for us to restore damaged equipment. The situation is affecting our cash

President, Institute of Software Practitional of Nigeria, Chris Uwaje (left); Former Chairman, Nigerian Communication Commission, Ernest Ndukwe and Managing Director, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, Hassan Alao, during the eighth Titans of Tech conference in Lagos.

‘How Nigeria loses N300 million yearly to foreign domain names’

By Adeyemi Adepetun OOR local Internet traffic control and increased usage of foreign domain names may be costing Nigeria a loss of about N300 million in capital flight yearly.

Specifically, it was revealed that frequent usage of domain names including .net; .org; .com; .za among others by firms, individuals and government parastatals may be affecting the acceptability of Nigeria’s .ng in the country.

The .ng is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Nigeria.

On May 13, 2009, IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) completed the process of re-delegation of the .ng domain name from temporary authorities to

P

. NiRA slashes cost of .ng registration the current Nigerian ones.

Speaking ahead of a conference on local Internet content with the theme: “Sustaining Local Internet Content, the way forward for Nigeria”, scheduled for Lagos, both the Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) and the Chief Operating Officer, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Muhammed Rudman and Opeoluwa Odusan agreed that efforts must be stepped up to curtail the increasing capital flight.

Rudman said that though the .ng is Nigeria’s unique identity on the domain name space, yet there is pre-

dominant adoption of .com and .co.uk due to some misconceptions about the country’s unique identity on the Internet, stressing that the country was loosing a lot not using our own brand.

According to Rudman, IXPN embodies the physical network infrastructure that allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications operators, educational institutions and other IP-centric organisations to exchange data traffic between their respective networks.

He explained that the main purpose of IXPN is to allow networks to interconnect through the exchange,

providing the necessary environment to keep local Internet traffic local, stable and reliable, while stating that in effect, the benefits to all the networks, operators and end-users are a reduction in costs, latency and increased speed among others.

According to him, the IXPN enables the nation’s identity in cyberspace as well as the emerging relevance of local hosting of content, which has a multiplier effect on the economy through capacity building and job creation, among others.

Boosting local content development in Internet usage, according to Ope is CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

drive and some customers are even reluctant to pay due to incessant black out.”

A business manager of PHCN said that the company has now intensified its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), in other to meets its financial needs, adding: “We have intensified our IGR, because we no longer get funds from government, and we need to meet consumers’ expectations, so the fund must come from somewhere,” he said.

A source in the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said the financial issues caused the reversal of new meter policy.

The Federal Government had in June last year announced a free installation of prepaid meters to consumers, while the payment would be deducted on installment through a fixed amount, but it made a turnaround early this year, when the Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi announced that consumers will now have to pay for meters, and be serviced by the fund after purchase.

Meanwhile, the electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have insisted that the ongoing privatization of the sector would be jeopardized, except the Federal Government paid fully their entitlements estimated at about N800 billion.

The entitlements was a major issue inherited by the new administration of the Ministry of Power, under the leadership of Professor Chinedu Osita Nebo, after it created a war-fare between the former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, before his eventual resignation from office.

The Chairman, NUEE Lagos State branch, Adeleke Ibrahim told The Guardian yesterday that the BPE will not be allowed to handover to the bidders if their full entitlements are not paid.

“They cannot handover to anybody, if they don’t conclude our negotiation. We have people that have been frustrated in the Power CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

16 BUSINESS

CIIN lauds new policy guidelines on premium payment

By Joshua Nse HE Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), has endorsed the enforcement of the new guidelines on premium payment policy in underwriting insurance contracts in the insurance industry to check the lingering problem of unpaid premium in the market.

The President of the Institute, Wole Adetimehin, speaking at a media retreat at Ibadan, Oyo State at the weekend, said that the principle was long overdue, as such, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) should enforce and impress it in the market.

He said “I believe strongly in

T

that principle and it is long overdue to enforce and impress it in the market. It will ensure the robustness of our industry, as well as equip all operators better such that they can meet their obligations to all stakeholders.”

NAICOM in a directive to underwriting and brokerage firms last year, ordered that at the close of renewal of insurance contracts for the new year December 31, 2012, all the underwriting companies must comply with the provision of insurance law 2003, and no insurance policy cover must be issued without full payment of premium for the policy.

The CIIN president said: “The

The new policy guidelines of our regulator is well laudable and should be given full support by all stakeholders. In the short run, it has affected business generation, in realistic terms, all of us may be happier. new policy guidelines of our regulator is well laudable and should be given full support by all stakeholders. In the short run, it has affected business generation, in realistic terms, all of us may be happier. For once, we have started the beginning of a better balance sheet that will support the investors fund, we can foresee in the long run as well that the nominal value of our

shares in the capital market will experience a turnaround.”

He assured investors in the industry that the insurance sector will not lack behind in the reforms that is on-going, notwithstanding that a number of insurance equities did not hold their annual general meetings; these are some of the triple effects of the transformation agenda in the

industry.

In giving the directives, NAICOM relied on Section 50 of the 2003 Insurance Act, which states that “the receipt of an insurance premium

shall be a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk, unless premium is paid in advance.”

NiRA slashes cost of .ng registration CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 important not just for the economic gains for the country, but also to improve individuals’ business senses.

Ope, who said NiRA has slashed .ng’s registration fees from N200, 000 to N15, 000, noted that the new

price becomes effective from today. He stressed that this was done to further encourage the adoption and increase usage of Nigeria’s domain name.

According to him, there has been upward swing in the registration of .ng of late, saying “NiRA registers about 700 .ngs’ weekly. The traffic volume on .ng is changing every week. The registration price has been slashed from N200, 000 to N15, 000.

“That is not to say that the impact has been much. I must tell you that the influx of .net; .org; .com on our Internet space is huge.

About N300 million is lost yearly to all these foreign domain names. If you calculate how much we might have lost say five to 10 years to today, you will agree with me that it will be pretty much.”

Ope disclosed that .com, a domain name from U.S.A has about 150 million domain titles and yearly generates over $6 billion for the American economy.

Already, NiRA said it has set a target of 100,000 uptakes by the end of Q2 2013 for .ng, stressing that this would allow more adoption of the country’s domain name.

PHCN in financial crisis CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN). In fact, it is not sure they will hand over by next year, unless our full entitlements are paid. We are ready. My people are ready to confront them. All mercenaries have been put in place.

We read in the dailies that the bidders will bring some people to understudy PHCN personnel, let them come, we will pursue them away.”

He said.

The BPE, representatives of PHCN, and the workers have continued to hold negotiations towards an amicable settlement of the workers’ terminal benefits.

The benefits and rationalisation committee is overseeing the payment of about N384 billion package for about 50,000 workers of the PHCN. But the electricity union claimed their entitlements were estimated at about N800 billion, far cry from the government’s calculation.

Ibrahim said: We are not begging them, if they pay anything short of that, we will not allow them to hand over. Some of our members have worked for over 32 years, and they want to pay us some meager amount. We will not take it. They have to pay fully,” He alleged that some representatives of government have been luring some workers to open a Retirement Savings Account in other to tactically pay their paltry sum. “Nobody will open any account until they agreed to pay us our full entitlement,” he said.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

17

18

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

BUSINESS 19

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Motorists raise alarm over delay on Third Mainland Bridge streetlights project

By Taiwo Hassan OTORISTS plying the popular Third Mainland Bridge have expressed concerns that the Federal Government may not meet the April deadline set aside for the restoration and installation of the bridge’s streetlights, thus lamenting the danger of driving on the bridge at night.

According to an investigation carried out by The Guardian, at the weekend, the Third Mainland Bridge streetlights were still not functioning, thereby putting doubt on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA)’s pledge to ensure that installation of the streetlights on the bridge are completed later this month.

Virtually all the streetlights on

M

FERMA may miss deadline the bridge with an exception of three were not working at the time of this report.

Investigations revealed there has been no major work on the bridge streetlight since it was reopened to the public few months back despite promises from FERMA to meet end of the month for the completion of the project.

A driver with the Lagbus, simply called Adejumo expressed pessimism with the ongoing delay work repair of the streetlights by the contractors handling the installation, adding that the bridge still remain the ‘deadliest bridge’ to drive at night because of the danger and security risk on the highway.

According to him, it was alarm-

ing that such a crucial bridge that is vital to country’s trade facilitation and economic development could not have functional and workable streetlights.

He said that FERMA has not done well despite the billions of Naira realised from the SURE-P or oil subsidy channeled to the Agency to repair and put the bridge in shape.

“As a driver, I must confess to you that the Third Mainland

Bridge is still a danger place to drive at night and this was caused by the non-functioning of the streetlights. We don’t know what the government is doing about it especially the government agency that is responsible for the streetlights

because we were thinking whether it was the PHCN that is refuse to bring the lights, but now, since you have let me know that it’s FERMA handling the work repair, then the agency has not done well at all,” he said.

20

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

21

22 BUSINESS

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

KIA boss seeks higher tariff, SONCAP certification on ‘Tokunbo’ parts

By Taiwo Hassan HE Federal Government has been urged to strictly introduce higher tariff on spare parts without SONCAP certification or ‘Tokunbo ‘ auto parts, which are already making their entries into the Nigerian markets if the country aims to improve its auto industry’s after sale support service market.

The move, according to a auto expert, would ensure that adulterated spare parts are rid off from the nation’s auto parts markets, hence protecting car owners’ investments in vehicles usage and boosting confidence in genuine spare parts.

Chief Operating Officer, Dana Motors Limited, Gitesh Yagnik made this disclosure while speaking on the company’s spare parts activities in Lagos, over the weekend, said the influx of adulterated vehicle parts in the country was not a good omen for Nigeria as a country, adding that the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) need to be more proactive in its activities at sanitising the country’s auto parts industry.

Yagnik, whose company is the distributor of KIA motors in Nigeria, said that proactive government policy was critical to driving the nation’s auto parts market to attain international standard.

Besides, he opined that the

T

Assures customers of spare parts availability influx of adulterated parts in the country was a setback towards achieving growth in the auto industry.

“All auto parts coming into the country should be compliance with SONCAP certification, because this will set a good standard for the Nigerian automobile industry, especially the spare parts market. I would suggest that government should be strict to compliance of SONCAP certification in this industry to eliminate all these ‘Tokunbo’ parts that are scattered in the market.

“In addition, any goods or items that are being imported through the land, sea and air should carry the certification mark from its origin of import to eliminate importation of adulterated spare parts into the country. It is a duty of the Federal Government to do this because we need to protect Nigeria as a country. Nigeria is a very good country. It has got many abundant resources and it can stand up at the world level standard, if government is proactive in its economic policy.”

Speaking on the company’s auto spare parts plant/service centre, the COO explained that it has in stock spare parts that worth N1.4 billion in investment as a back up to all

I would suggest that government should be strict to compliance of SONCAP certification in this industry to eliminate all these ‘Tokunbo’ parts that are scattered in the market

KIA car owners in the country.

Yagnik assured KIA car owners of availability of spare parts in its service centre across the country, adding that it has about 25,000 lines alone for different vehicle parts in Lagos.

He however said the company gets its auto parts from Dubai, which is the African point of call for all KIA parts coming from the manufac-

turer in Korea.

“You can see the lines of items, which we are maintaining to support KIA products in this country. We have more than N1.4 billion worth spare parts, with over 25,000 lines of items that we are maintaining. Not only maintaining them but in addition with computerise system.

“Today, in Nigeria, you will see lots of ‘Tokunbo’ cars coming through unauthorised

channels and you will see different auto parts that are being sold on the roads. We are not that kind of company.

We are registered distributor and we have responsibility to our KIA customers. We are abided by the Nigerian laws and will do best possible for KIA customers. We have an agreement with KIA Korea on spare parts. KIA parts are not made or import from India. It is manufacture in Korea. Our importation is from KIA Korea and KIA created one spare part plant based in

Dubai for distribution of parts to the African countries.

The entire Africa countries and those countries is called Middle East region.

He continued: “This is a big facility that supports Middle East and African region, because parts from Korea takes longer time, but from Dubai, it takes less time before it arrives. We have a lot of big warehouses where we stock parts. We assure KIA customers of available parts, because there is variety of models,” Yagnik added.

Leonard Shenker, Philip Froom and Rowan Suchard, (all Directors of DrawCard, South Africa) celebrating their award of Best Alternative Payments Programme at the just concluded Card and ePayment Africa Awards organised by Intermarc Consulting Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, APRIL 16, 2013

BUSINESS 23

Nigeria to understudy Poland transformation strategy, says Power Minister HE Minister of Power, T Professor Chinedu Nebo has told the visiting Polish delegation led by Pan Jan Bielecki that Nigeria was exited by the dramatic transformation of the Polish society, from an unknown country under the Soviet Union, now to an economic grant in the Central Europe.

He said available statistic has attested to the fact that the Polish economy ranked 25th in the world and fast approaching the 15th position in the most recent survey.

The Minister said that his Ministry was concerned about the Polish expertise in the areas of transmission as the existing lines in the country are weak hence “we ask of Poland to help develop our evacuation of power capacities”.

Another problem area in the power sector according to the Minister is capacity building,

Nebo “we can really begin to forge a linkage with your Technical Universities”, “we need to develop a versatile capacity in the power sector”. “We also have opportunities for polish manufacturers and investors to come in either as Independent Power Producers (IPP) or in partnership”.

Other areas of co-operation he said “it is impossible to get the

super grid to all rural communities; we will like to engage with your various entities to build small power holdings that would provide electricity to the rural populace”.

“We are also prepared to explore Polish assistance in metering in conjunction with our regulatory body- Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

“We are poised to take prompt action, so that all these proposals are turned into concrete outcomes. “We want to get the best mileage from this partnership, so as to take the power sec-

tor to the next level”, he said.

Earlier, the Chairman, Economic Council of the Polish government and the leader of the delegation, Bielecki has informed the Power Minister of some potential projects in the sector that are attractive to the Polish delegation.

He said Poland has comparative advantage in the area of using coal for power generation, at as date, he said over 80 per cent power is generated using coal in Poland.

Bielecki said that Poland controls substantial business

“It is impossible to get the super grid to all rural communities; we will like to engage with your various entities to build small power holdings that would provide electricity to the rural populace.

“We are also prepared to explore Polish assistance in metering in conjunction with our regulatory body- Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

interest in central Europe power especially small generahence its potency is partnering tion plants using coal, gas and with Nigeria in diverse areas of steam.

24 BUSINESS

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Nigeria’s growth has not translated to job creation, says ADB From: Mathias Okwe, Assistant Business Editor, Abuja hough Nigeria is one of the T major shareholders in the continental development institution, the African Development Bank (ADB) where she also maintains a Fund to assist in addressing developmental challenges in low income countries in Africa, the ADB has however not minced words on the need for Nigeria to re-evaluate her development strategy to achieve inclusive growth that will impart on everybody by providing opportunities.

The action has become imperative because in the thinking of the ADB, though Nigeria has been recording impressive growth in the last ten years, the benefits are yet to permeate, particularly in job creation.

The ADB, made it feelings known through it’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ousmane Dore in Abuja at a ceremony to review Nigeria’s current Country Strategy Paper.

He also seized the opportunity to advice Nigeria on how she can move forward and avoid the face -off between the Executive and Legislative Arms of Governments over the oil benchmark price for budgetary purposes.

According to Dore: “ In Nigeria. Over the past years, reform has been engaged in successive administrations since the democratic dispensation began in 1999 all of which have led Nigeria to record over the years a very respectable macroeconomic performance. We think there has been a deceleration of growth in 2012. Growth was really 7.43 per cent in 2011. It reduced to 6.58 per cent in 2013. We expect growth this year to be at 6.8 per cent. If you look at over the decade, growth has been at about seven per cent. “ He continued: “A number of factors led to the deceleration.

You remember that the year began with this massive strike when the fuel subsidy question came up. It took a toll on the economy. If you also see towards the end of the year, there was this huge flood that affected agricultural output.

Then of course, the security situation in the country, may have contributed in slowing down the growth of the economy. Since 2011, we have seen budget execution that has been consistent with the Fiscal Responsibility Law, which calls for deficit to be with three per cent of Gross Domestic Product range. This was 2.96 per cent in 2011; 2.85 per cent in 2012. Not all has been nice picture as I have pointed to you.

“The solid macroeconomic performance did not translate into job creation or employment growth.

Unemployment has remained high at double digit level, somewhere around 24 per cent. That is worrisome. If you look at poverty indicators also, it suggests that poverty headcount is still on the high side, probably in the range of 46 per cent.

“The outlook is as far as we can see is for continued strong performance given the consolation of the policy that has been spelt out, macroeconomic management, a strong structural reform, ongoing reform in the oil and gas sector and agriculture,” he added.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

25

26

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

27

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Appointments Boosting workers’ welfare through insurance scheme

Jonathan From Emeka Anuforo and Itunu Ajayi, Abuja VAILABLE statistics indicate A that approximately 80 per cent f the working population in Nigeria are employed in the informal sector, especially those who are self employed.

They control economic activities in all sectors of the economy that are operated outside the purview of government regulation.

Though it is difficult to measure workers in this sector, they are however highly dynamic and contribute substantially to the general growth of the economy and personal or household income.

Over the years, operators of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) have found it difficult to reach them. Same applies to workers in the private sector. It has become increasingly important for people to obtain health insurance to maintain access to preventive and emergency health care and afford treatment.

Health insurance is a social security system that guarantees the provision of needed health services to persons on the payment of token contributions at regular intervals.

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is a corporate body established under Act 35 of 1999 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to improve the health of all Nigerians at an affordable cost.

If the estimation of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which put Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE) for both sexes in Nigeria at 42 years, is to be taken seriously, then a quick and drastic intervention is needed in the health sector to change the health status.

Besides, if the country is to meet targets 4, 5, and 6 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there is need to incorporate the informal sector in a form of contributory health cover.

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) says

Chukwu it is stepping up efforts to capture the informal sector.

Recently, the organisation flagged of the community based insurance scheme in two communities of Afikpo in Ebonyi and Igbo-Ukwu in Anambra State, south East Nigeria.

The scheme is designed to facilitate fair financing of health care costs through pooling and judicious utilisation of financial risk protection and cost-burden sharing for people.

It is expected that rural dwellers would contribute N150 per month to be able to have access to free health care while the Federal Government takes care of the balance. This covers children from age 0 to five , pregnant women and in some cases, persons living with disability.

According to NHIS, community based health insurance scheme became imperative and important so that it could provide access to quality health care for the rural communities and provide quality care to the people irrespective of the socio-economic status.

Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu, who flagged off the scheme, explained that it is the determination of the Federal Government to expand access as well as make healthcare affordable and equitable through the provision of primary healthcare.

He said the introduction of the scheme is to ensure increased financial access to health care by the people.

On the initial launch of the programme in 2006, Chukwu regretted that the scheme had continued to move at a slow pace in extending health care insurance to the generality of Nigerians.

His words: “The programme we are flagging-off is a response to government’s drive to ensure financial access to health for all Nigerians particularly those living in rural areas. The programme is to ensure that our people in the rural areas have access to health care services.

The primary health care centres are already provided and with this programme, our people particularly the poor, will receive basic health care services at little or no cost. This scheme is one of the pillars marking paradigm shift in healthcare delivery in the country. ” He said the NHIS would support the mutual health agreement of the community by the provision of counterpart funding for children under the age of five with pregnant women inclusive while challenging the people to ensure adequate nutrition, observe basic health sanitation habits, register for ante natal care in a timely fashion, ensure children are immunised and seek medical attention early.

Acting Executive Secretary of NHIS Dr. Abdulrahman Sambo said the scheme in the last six years of its existence, had captured over 4. 7 million Nigerians in the formal sector, the bulk of which are the employees of the Federal Government and since the informal sector make for the bulk of the population.

He explained that the scheme was designed to do a pilot community based health insurance programme in each state of the federation for three years. The pilot communities, he added, were chosen based on critical success factors identified in them during a comprehensive inventory of community grouping and associations in the country, adding that the scheme is working to include vulnerable groups. This, he said, could be achieved through the creation of what he described as ‘vulnerable group fund’.

His words: “The scheme is working assiduously to address the vulnerable groups in the society. These are those who don’t have the financial ability to contribute to any pre-payment plans. The creation of a vulnerable group fund will certainly be the solution to provide cover to this group. This fund could be financed either directly by the

Sambo three tiers of government through the proposed health bill or the introduction of other innovative ways of financing health.”

At Igbo-Ukwu community in Aguata local government area of Anambra State, the tradi-

tional ruler, Igwe Martins Nwafor Ezeh Idu II of IgboUkwu spoke how after his coronation in 2003, he decided to give free and qualitative health care to his people as part of his contribution to better their lives.

He explained that helping his people in financing their medical bill was of pulling them out of archaic traditional beliefs and patronising witch doctors.

NHIS said the move by the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

28 APPOINTMENTS

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Ashaka Cement to train youths in Gombe From Emmanuel Ande, Gombe

T

O reduce the cases of youth restiveness in

Gombe State and other parts of the country, Ashaka Cement Company has concluded arrange-

This is the foundation on which your lives will now depend as you are now self employed. You must go with the feeling of not being just a carpenter, a welder and plumber and so on, but as the best in your chosen field of training ment to start the training of 200 youths in different skills by next month.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company Mr. Neeraj Akhoury, who spoke recently in Gombe during the graduation ceremony of the first batch of the company’s “Employability Apprenticeship Project” said that it was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) to its host community.

Ashaka Cement Plc, a subsidiary of Lafarge International, has trained 70 youths from Funakaye Local Council Area and equipped them

with tools to begin work as self employed artisans.

Akhoury explained that he decided at inception of his tenure as MD two years ago to do something for the youths of the community since the company takes pride in the development of the youths.

He gave the assurance that with what the youths have learnt and if put to practice, they will add value to the society having become a pride for the company.

To the youths, he said, “this is the foundation on which your lives will now depend as you are now self employed.

You must go with the

feeling of not being just a carpenter, a welder and plumber and so on, but as the best in your chosen field of training”.

He promised that the number would be increased to 200 in the next batch of the programme that is scheduled to begin

by May 2013.

The District Head of Bajoga, Garba Mohammed, commended Ashaka Cement for the

initiative, saying it was noteworthy that the company had to go round the entire local council area to get the number of youths engaged in the programme.

He called on the youths to take what they have learned seriously and to improve themselves and the society with what they have learned from the six months training they got.

APPMC unveils Logo HE promoters of the hospitality, the emerging T African Project and business environment for Programme Managers the 21st century,” he said.

Conference (APPMC) have unveiled a logo for the event.

The brief unveiling ceremony, which was held in Accra, Ghana recently, according to the promoters boosts the conference’s desire to become the leading professional gathering of project and programme managers on the continent.

Programme Director of APPMC, Dr. Donald Agumenu, did a symbolic description of the colours of the African Programme and Project Management Conference logo, noting that black represents the Africans/ blacks across the globe; blue - the continent’s aquatic environment - the opportunities within its waters.

“It also stands for our

He continued: “Green signifies the green business or green project awareness, the need to be environmentally conscious. As we gear up for industrial takeoff, it is imperative to protect the environment. This conference hopes to harness that.

The red signifies power, energy and the rich natural resources deposited in Africa, a new dawn of industrial evolution.”

The event, scheduled for June 5 to 7, 2013 in Ghana, is jointly organised by Direct Leadership Institute (DLI) and the American Academy of Project Management (AAPM) - an academy recognised in over 150 countries via 800 training providers, universities, colleges and business schools.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

29

30

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Appointment 31

NNPC pledges more job opportunities in oil sector From Collins Olayinka, Abuja HE Nigerian National T Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it is exploring more way of ensuring Nigerians play more than passive roles in the exploration of crude oil in the country.

Speaking recently while receiving an award tagged “excellence and rising to the pinnacle of chosen career” from the Keffi Old Boys Association (KOBA) in Keffi, Nasarawa State, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, said the 21 set of 1969 has indeed produced many Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen professions.

Specifically, the NNPC chief said the corporation has been in the fore-front of championing the cause

of the Nigerian content, which prioritises the development of in-house capacity and capability of Nigerians to have a higher stake in the nation’s oil business.

He expressed appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan for the confidence he had in him for the NNPC’s top job, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, for giving him a good team to work with and the corporation’s workers for their commitment and continued support.

Yakubu also thanked his classmates for the honour done him, describing it as a sincere show of love and the true display of the spirit of Keffi, saying, “honestly, I didn’t expect this large turnout from you. I’m short of words.”

He said his life story would never be complete without the wonderful tutelage of discipline, hardwork and respect for all while growing up as a young boy in Keffi Emirate as far back in the mid-60s.

He charged his fellow ‘KOBAlites’ to renew their effort and dedication towards recreating the core principles and fundamental values of setting up the school with a view to re-align the school’s key objectives and thereby return it back to its glory days.

Speaking at the occasion, President General of KOBA, Gen. Emmanuel Abisoye, described Yakubu as a distinguished Nigerian who meritoriously rose through the ranks in the nation’s national oil company.

“As a young boy in

Government College Keffi (GCK), Andy was an exceptional personality with a distinguished character.

He hasn’t changed a bit. He is today a shining example among his many classmates and indeed all ‘KOBAlites’,” Gen. Abisoye, who was represented by Tunde Oyelola stated.

For his part, the Emir of Keffi, Muhammadu Chindo Yamusa II, said the GMD was special to Keffi as, “he did not only go to GCK, but most importantly grew up within the confines of the Keffi Royal family. This is a great pride to us from the Emirate.”

In recognition of that cherished memory and also identifying with GMD’s selfless service to the nation, the emir, who was represented by Alhaji Shamsuddeen, the Magajin Rafi Keffi, decorated the

GMD with a colourful royal regalia and a traditional sword from the Keffi Emirate Council.

Speaking at the occasion, the Principal of GCK, Shuaibu Gyattai, said Government College, Keffi was unique as it has produced a number of great Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers, including the Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He called on the GMD and his classmates to come to the aid of the college which he said was in dire need of a face-lift in terms of school infrastructure such as portable water, hostel accommodation, library, furniture, clinic as well as recreational and sporting facilities.

Those honoured alongside the NNPC GMD includ-

ed Justice Nasiru Ajanah, Chief Justice of Kogi State; Prof.

Slim Danladi Matawal, DG/CEO Nigerian Building and Roads Research Institute; Prof.

Decent Danjuma Sheni, VC, Plateau State University, Bokkos and Prof. Ibrahim Mohammed Dukku of the University of Maiduguri.

Boosting workers’ welfare through insurance scheme CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 Igwe had over the years served as a template on which successive governments had built health insurance scheme in the community.

This gesture by the number one citizen of the community drew the attention of the then Anambra State government and in 2005; the state government made it a state scheme thereby introducing it to all communities in Anambra State.

With a population of about 100,000 the community had already earmarked a piece of land for a standard national primary health center, which the Federal Government promised them.

Prof. Uchenna Nwosu, the medical director of Apex medical center Igbo-Ukwu told The Guardian that there are five components of access to care, adding that where these components are missing, care is never completed. He highlighted them as Affordability, Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Accommodation. He however said acceptability has always being the weakest link in the chain of the 5 As. His words, “Based on my over 40 years of medical practice at home and abroad, I have come to the conclusion that acceptability is the weakest link in the chain of the 5As of access to care in rural Nigeria, the urban not totally exempted. There are many hospitals that meet four of the five As but lose on acceptability.” He gave instance of parents who solicits the help of witch doctors to remove spiritual demons causing convulsion in their children instead of taking such children to the hospital. He regretted that a lot of children have ended up dying needlessly for a treatable condition.

“We have also seen in this country where children are not taken to hospitals or health centers to receive free immunizations against preventable childhood diseases because of non-acceptability of immunization only for the child to develop polio or die of tetanus. We have also seen husbands deny their wives of safe delivery through caesarean section when necessary, thereby causing untold maternal and child deaths, prolonged hospitalization for avoidable complications or future infertility.”

He attributed non- acceptability of modern healthcare in many parts of rural Nigeria to lack of adequate medical communication between the orthodox provider and the client, this he said make up for health illiteracy and ignorance.

The NHIS boss said the job of his office has been simplified by the structure already in place at Igbo Ukwu.

He said: “The NHIS will only support the structure on ground as the Igwe himself has been in the fore front of financing community health scheme.

32

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

33

34

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

APPOINTMENTS 35

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Stakeholders link skill acquisition development to employment opportunities

By Tunde Alao O address the problems of T competence and skills development in Nigeria, stakeholders that comprised of industries, training providers, professional bodies, regulatory agencies, among others met in Lagos recently to proffer solution to the hydra headed problems.

The workshop organised by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in conjunction with Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), National Directorate of Employment (NDE) had as its Theme: “NVQF-New Deal for Nigeria’s Skill Development”.

It had in attendance representatives from different organisations, that included the engineers, NACCIMMA, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Educational Institutions, amongst others.

The weeklong workshop held at the Event Centre, Agidingbi, Ikeja, exhaustively examined the malady of lack of skill personnel in

many aspects of the national development.

The discussants noted that dearth of skill personnel has been dominating public discourse in recent years, despite the greater number of certificate, “but unemployable youths” into the various sectors of the economy, thereby, exacerbating unemployment situation.

In his address, the Executive Secretary, NBTE, Dr. Masa’udu Adamu Kazaure, observed that skills development challenges started immediately after the third National Development Plan, when emphasis was shifted from competency to paper qualifications, resulting in proliferation of the society.

“When our educational institutions were disconnected from the industries and the world of work and tend to place less emphasis on the manpower need of the industry resulting in proliferation of mainly academic programmes”, he noted, adding that when the concept dignity of labour disappeared and the society looked down upon people running blue collar jobs.

Other reasons adduced for the deplorable situation is when training being deliv-

ered at the informal sector which has positive contribution to the economy is not coordinated, standardised and regulated and when insufficient data on skill gaps and type of curricula the

training and vocational education and training institutions should focus on disappeared.

However, in meeting the skill needs of millions of youths and address ever ris-

ing challenges of unemployment and underemployment, there is need to strengthen the link between vocational training institutions and work place.

“This, in most cases takes the form of closely involving the industry in developing occupational standards and work based verification and continuous assessment of trainees”.

President/Chairman of the Council, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Dr. Julius Oluwole Adetimehin (left); President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Adedoyin Idowu Owolabi; and President, Master Energy Group, Sampson Uchechukwu Ogah, at the decoration of new inductee during the 11th conferment of Fellowship Status of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in Lagos.

36

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

37

38

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

39

40

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

41

42

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

43

44

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

45

46

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

47

48

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

49

50

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

51

52

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Appointments 53

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Esit Eket begins graduate training programme, empowers women From Anietie Akpan, Calabar

SIT Eket Local Council E in Akwa Ibom State will soon commence a Graduate Coaching Scheme (GCS) of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Esit Eket just as six women have graduated from an apprenticeshiptraining programme.

The NDE training programme is part of the scheme introduced by the Federal Government to train unemployed young graduates in the country.

The Esit Eket coaching scheme, which will cover WAEC, NECO, JAMB, NAPTEP and University Aptitude Test candidates will run for the period of one year.

While conducting officials of the NDE around

the centre, the Esit Eket Council Chairman, Ibanga Etang emphasised that “the programme is laudable as it will provide employment for our unemployed graduates who roam the streets”.

According to him, the scheme is in line with his human capacity development and training programme for youths who are interested in agriculture and vocational training.

He assured the state Director of the National Directorate of Employment, Pat Osunkwo, that he would provide the necessary support and logistics for the centre coordinator, the teachers and even the students for a smooth take-off and

operation of the centre.

The council boss commended the Federal Government for initiating the programme that will impact directly on our youths in line with the free and compulsory education instituted and initiated by Governor Godswill Akpabio to prepare youths for a brighter future.

Addressing journalists after inspecting the centre facilities at the Holy Cross

Manitoba. He started his internet career in 1995, launching a successful internet solutions company. He sold the company in 2002 and moved to South Africa where he worked for the Naspers Group from 2003 to 2013 in various internet businesses across

scheme to take off in Esit Eket.

Meanwhile six women in the Esit Eket Woman Development Centre have graduated with various empowering programmes while free medical check-up for the widows and the aged as well as the less-privileged was put in place at the first Esit Eket Summit.

The wife of the council chairman, Theresa Ibanga Etang, charged the women who were

graduating on the skill acquisition-training programme to put to use the machines they have received and not to abandon them at home.

She commended the wife of the state governor, Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, for dedicating much of her time and resources to cater for the widows and the less privilege through her pet project, “the Family Life Enhancement Initiative” that is firmly rooted in Esit Eket.

War against corruption, a collective responsibility, says ICSAN

By Dele Fanimo

HE Institute of T Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), has said the war against corrup-

Spinlet appoints Schwartzman as CEO PINLET Group has Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Africa.

SSchwartzman appointed Neil Neil studied Computer Before joining Spinlet, as the new Sciences at the University of Schwartzman was the CEO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

A statement from the company informed that Schwartzman would be focusing on the distribution of digital content across Africa through its music and television business.

Lutheran School, Uquo, Osunkwo expressed happiness at the location of the centre and the available facilities and urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity as the government of the day is poised to reducing unemployment among the youths.

She thanked the Esit Eket Council boss for his commitment towards the programme and for creating an enabling environment for the

of MIH Internet sub-Saharan Africa responsible for Naspers’s internet businesses in the region.

Neil brings over 17 years cognate experience in media and distribution, ecommerce and mobile business, which will be an asset to the company.

tion in the country is the collective responsibility of every Nigerian and not that of government alone.

The President of the Institute, Mr. Olatunde Busari, who made the remark at the 12th Induction of new members in Lagos, explained that everyone had a role to play in combating the menace, pointing out that there could not be a taker without giver.

Busari said the institute condemned corruption in both public and private sectors of the economy.

He urged the Federal Government to strengthen and equip

anti-graft agencies to enable them to fight a successful anti-corruption war.

Similarly, the ICSAN boss said the body condemned all acts of terrorism as it made the country unattractive for investment and industrial, as well as, intellectual growth.

“Terrorism also hinders professionalism as some parts of the country had already been designated as a no-go-area by professionals”, he said.

Busari said this had a negative effect on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and National Income.

He urged the Federal Government to identify

and bring to book every individual involved in the perpetration of violence and acts terrorism under the guise of religion.

The president of ICSAN admonished the inductees to adhere strictly to the principles of good corporate governance.

These include honesty, ethics, trust, integrity, openness, performance and orientation.

Others are responsibility, accountability, mutual respect, commitment to the organisation and the boldness to speak the truth always.

Two hundred and five members were admitted

54

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

55

56

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

57

58

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

59

60

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

61

62

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

63

64 CAPITAL MARKET

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NigeriaCapitalMarket NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at Monday PRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS TRADED FOR 15/4/2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

65

NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 15/4/2013

LOSERS

PRICE GAINERS

Volatility trails OTC

By Bukky Olajide PECULATIONS regarding Sauction the upcoming FGN bond and the consequent cautious approach by traders has led to intraday volatility at the OTC market.

This led to a flat market trend towards the end of the week as market liquidity became tighter due to the various OMO bills auctions that took place during the week.

The highest increase in yields came from the 1M benchmark security with 69bps, while the next came from the 7Y benchmark with 2bps, the least affected was the 3M which experienced 0.3bps increase.

The market is expected to readjust to the outcome of the FGN bond auction scheduled for this week.

During the week under review, DunnLorenMerrifield analysts observed a cautious approach following a sell-off and slowdown of market activities, this came on the back of the OMO auctions that occurred throughout the week, the mid-week treasury bills auction, the release of the April 2013 FGN bonds auction offer circular and the expect-

ed release of the March 2013 inflation figures.

At the treasury bills auction, N20.16 billion worth of 91day bills was offered and sold at the rate of 10.49 per cent against 11 percent at the previous auction, while N43.49billion and N120billion worth of 182day and 364day were offered and sold at the rates of 10.68% and 10.71 percent

respectively against 11.15 per cent and 10.76 percent at the last auctions.

Total subscription during the auction stood at N327.99billion (178.60 percent) versus N342.33billion at the last auctions. In addition, a total of N75.91billion worth of treasury bills across maturities was allotted on a noncompetitive basis.

As expected, liquidity tight-

ening continued during the week as a total of N200 billion worth of OMO bills with tenors ranging between 98 days and 205days was offered while N152.05 billion was sold at marginal rates ranging between 11.58 per cent and 12 per cent.

Analysts observed that cutoff rates remain marginally higher than those at the treasury bills auction, which indi-

cates the sustained high bids being demanded by investors at the OMO auction.

This contributed largely to the non-allotment of the 205days bills given the relatively high bids recorded at the auction, which were considerably higher than the expectations of the CBN. At this week’s FGN bond auction, N35billion worth of seven year and 20year bonds

each will be issued while N34.80billion worth of 10year bond is expected to be issued. All issues are reopening of the existing benchmark bonds. DunnLorenMerrifield analysts anticipated OMO bills maturity worth N217.94billion. In view of this OMO bills maturity, is likely increase in system liquidity to be checked by the CBN’s open market operations.

Raging bulls buoy NSE’s market capitalisation by N6bn

By Helen Oji OLLOWING price gains Fcompanies, recorded by most blue chip equity transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday re-opened in an upbeat, causing market capitalization to appreciate by N6 billion.

Volume of shares traded also increased marginally, as investors exchanged 384.61 million shares worth N5.35 billion changed hands in 5124 deals yesterday, higher than 340.243 units valued at N4.515 billion exchanged in 5924 deals on Friday.

Specifically, the market capi-

talisation of equities increased by 0.05 per cent to N10.719 trillion from N10.713 trillion recorded on Friday while the All/ Share index ASI also appreciated by 10.75 basis points from 33514.14 to 33532.89.

Further analysis of yesterday’s transactions showed that Presco Plc led gainers table, appreciating by N2.34 kobo to close at N25.79 kobo, Dangote Cement Plc followed with a gain of N1.60 kobo to close at N157.60 while United Bank Africa, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and Nigeria Breweries grew by 66 kobo, 60 kobo and 60 kobo respectively to close at N7.26

kobo, N15.50 kobo and N162.60 kobo.

West African Portland Company gained 50kobo to close at N83.50 per share.

National Salt Company of Nigeria added 40kobo to close at N9.55 per share.

Air service and Nigerian Aviation Handling Company also added 38 kobo and 32 kobo to close at N4.28 and N6.45 per share.

However, Nestle Nigeria Plc topped losers chart, dropping

by N27.00 to close at N945, Okomuoil trailed with a loss of N4.00 to close at N100.00, while Guinness Nigeria Plc loss N1.00 to close at N260.

Other stocks that appreciated in price were Flourmill Nigeria Plc and GTBank, shedding 55 kobo and 39 kobo respectively to close at N77.45 and N24.10 kobo.

IHS dropped 20kobo to close at N1.92 per share. Learn Africa shed 17kobo to close at N1.54 per share.

Livestock and RedStar Express also dropped 15kobo to close at N2.65 and N3.80 per share.

On the activity chart, the banking sub-sector maintained its dominance in volume terms with 232million shares worth N2.5 billion followed by the insurance sub-sector which traded 56 million units worth

N52 million.

The conglomerates trailed with 15 million units worth N28 million.

A breakdown of activities in the banking sub-sector showed that Access Bank Plc recorded the highest volume of shares, exchanging 70.43 million shares worth N641.28 million.

Zenith Bank Plc followed with account of 37.71 million shares valued at N756.38 million while Hallmark Insurance traded a total of 32.64 million shares worth N16.32 million.

GTBank came fourth, trading 27.69 million shares N663.95 million.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

66

GlobalStocks U.S. stocks drop as China growth slows, commodities slump

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York.

NITED States (U.S.) stocks U declined, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (CYC) to its biggest two-day drop in more than a month, after China’s economy grew at a slower pace than economists forecast.

Material and energy companies fell the most out of 10 S&P 500 (SPX) groups. FreeportMcMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX), the largest publicly traded copper producer, and Newmont Mining Corp. tumbled more than 5.9 percent as commodities slumped to a nine- month low. Citigroup Inc. jumped two per cent as quarterly profit rose 30 percent. Sprint Nextel Corp. surged 13 per cent after Dish (DISH) Network Corp. offered to buy the company for $25.5 billion.

The S&P 500 dropped 1.4 per cent to 1,567.25 in New York.

The index has lost 1.6 per cent since April 11, the biggest twoday slide since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average erased 153.52 points, or one per cent, to 14,711.54.

The Russell 2000 Index (BKX), which is made up of smaller companies, retreated 2.7 percent, the most on a closing basis in 10 months. Trading in S&P 500 stocks was 37 percent above the 30-day average at this time of day.

“The international situation continues to concern people, both in regard to Europe and China,” John Carey, a fund manager at Boston-based Pioneer Investment Management Inc., said by telephone. His firm oversees about $208 billion. “People are watching for some signs of improvement in both areas.

Otherwise, we’re just in the early stages of earnings season, so people will have one eye on what’s going on outside the U.S. and another maybe closer eye on what’s happening with regard to earnings.”

The S&P GSCI gauge of 24 com-

modities sank to the lowest level since July as gold tumbled as much as 9.7 per cent and silver plunged as much as 13 per cent.

The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, which measures the cost of using options as insurance against declines in the S&P 500, soared 22 percent to 14.75.

The gauge, known as the VIX, is down 18 per cent this year and reached its lowest level since February 2007 last month.

China’s gross domestic product rose 7.7 in the first quarter from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said in Beijing today. That compared with the eight per cent median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists and 7.9 per cent growth in the fourth quarter. Separate reports showed March industrial production rose less than estimated while retail- sales growth matched forecasts.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said monetary policy can’t address the root causes of the sovereign debt crisis and it’s up to governments to enact structural reforms.

“Problems in the euro-area economic landscape still loom large” and “the way out is to restore competitiveness,” Draghi said in a speech in Amsterdam today.

“Undertaking structural reforms, budget consolidation and restoring bank balancesheet health is neither the responsibility nor the mandate of monetary policy.”

In the U.S., data today showed manufacturing in the New York region expanded less than projected in April as orders cooled and sales stagnated. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic index dropped to 3.1 this month from 9.2 in March.

The median projection of 47 economists surveyed by

Bloomberg was 7.

U.S. stocks rallied last week, sending the S&P 500 up 2.3 per cent, amid optimism that global stimulus efforts and corporate earnings growth will continue to power the world’s largest economy.

Profits at S&P 500 companies are forecast to drop 1.4 per cent in the first three months of the year, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That would mark the first year-over-year decrease since 2009.

“A lot of companies have tried to talk down expectations,” Joseph Veranth, chief investment officer at Dana Investment Advisors in Brookfield, Wisconsin, said by phone. The firm manages $3.9 billion. “The bar has been set a little lower and that’s going to help in terms of companies at least beating lowered expectations.”

Investors sold shares of corporations most tied to economic growth. The Morgan Stanley Cyclical Index of 30 U.S. equities and the 20-stock Dow Jones Transportation Index lost at least 2.9 per cent for the biggest declines on a closing basis since June. Lenders also declined, sending the KBW Bank Index down 1.2 per cent.

Raw-material and energy companies lost more than 3 percent among S&P 500 groups. Caterpillar Inc., the world’s largest maker of construction equipment, tumbled 2.8 per cent to $82.65 for the biggest decline in the Dow. Alcoa Inc., the largest U.S. aluminum producer, slid 2.1 percent to $8.05.

Chevron Corp. erased 2.4 per cent to $117.08, while Exxon Mobil Corp. lost 2.3 percent to $86.97. The price of West Texas Intermediate crude fell to the lowest level this year amid increased concern that demand from China, the world’s second- biggest oilconsuming country, will slow.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

67

Opinion The flawed Owu-Amakohia chieftaincy stool

By Luke Onyekakeyah HE decision by the Okorocha administration T to set up the Justice Chukwuemeka Chikeka’s Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Autonomous Communities in Imo State is a step in the right direction. There is need to sanitize the perverted autonomous community structure in the state. The state government’s 4th tier community government is directly tied to the autonomous communities. The administration can only succeed if there is sanity within the autonomous communities, without which, the 4th tier experiment would be a flop. The state government should therefore be interested in what is happening in the autonomous communities if it does not want to make itself a laughing stock with the novel idea.

It is from this perspective that the Justice Chikeka’s commission is most imperative. The panel should buckle up and do a thorough job in the interest of Imo people. The job is onerous but there is no doubt that the autonomous community structure has been bastardized. All over Imo State, many communities are embroiled in turmoil because some vested interests seeking power saw the granting of autonomous community as a goldmine. The result is that the traditional stool in many communities has been hijacked and desecrated by mediocre elements, who lack integrity and have nothing to offer the people but only to take advantage of the traditional stool to feather their nests.

It is therefore, not surprising that criminal activities are rife in many communities across the state. This is because many of those who were supposed to be custodians of the people’s values and traditions are themselves not clean. There can be no peace and tranquility in Imo State when some traditional rulers are in the vanguard of promoting disharmony, rancour and acrimony. King Solomon (1037 – 998 BC), the Jewish wise ruler foresaw this when he said, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan”.

(Proverbs. 29:2). Many communities are bemoaning the burden of traditional rulership.

Ideally, autonomous communities are created to bring development to the grassroots. But the reverse is the case in some communities. It is ironic that the granting of autonomous com-

munity status, which should herald development has instead turned to be the people’s albatross. People are questioning the value of having autonomous community if what they get is disharmony and underdevelopment.

The people of Owu-Amakohia in Ikeduru are in the throes of a warped traditional rulership.

They are among the disenchanted communities whose corporate existence and development aspirations have been hampered by the emergence of Mr. Ben Nwaneri, a usurper as the traditional ruler of the community. A faction of the defunct Owu Amakohia Peoples Assembly (OAPA), led by Mr. Nwaneri, then president, hijacked the traditional rulership without following due process and against the people’s wish.

It is inconceivable how OAPA that should have organised the election of the traditional ruler was shoved aside while a faction falsified documents in the name of Owu people, which were submitted to the state government for chieftaincy appointment. Mr. Nwaneri’s emergence as Eze has brought bad blood and animosity in Owu. Court cases have replaced the development spirit of the people. As things are, only the intervention of the state government would restore peace in Owu community that has been bastardized.

When in 2001 the Udenwa administration constituted a judicial panel to create new autonomous communities, the leadership of the defunct Owu Amakohia Peoples Assembly (OAPA) was embroiled in crisis of immense proportion. Allegations of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, incompetence, selfishness, among others had rendered the assembly ineffective. There was more of leadership squabbles between the home officers of OAPA and its main branches in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano. The assembly was essentially in disarray without a united front on any issue.

It was in that state of disharmony that the issue of autonomy and traditional rulership came up. There was no doubt that Owu-Amakohia people were craving for autonomous community status but the problem was how to go about achieving it since there was no harmony among the leadership of OAPA that should provide the lead. It was therefore difficult to garner consensus from the leadership on the modus

operandi as regards the autonomy and Ezeship. The faction that had the upper hand unilaterally filled the necessary forms for submission to the state government.

For instance, Chief Gilbert Ibe had reported at the meeting of the National Administrative Committee of OAPA held on 28th July, 2001, at Owu Amakohia, that he had completed an urgent form given to him “except only one difficult column that required the name of the Eze-elect”. He said he inserted Hon. P. Aka’s name, although, he told Hon. Aka that it would be the duty of Owu people when the autonomy was granted to elect an Eze. His name was therefore inserted to ensure that the form was completed and submitted on time.

That explanation did not go down well with those present at the meeting. The presidentgeneral, Mr. Ben Nwaneri was particularly bitter, according to the report. Chief Ibe was therefore instructed to go back to Hon. Aka to get his commitment that he would not claim Eze-elect when the autonomy was granted. What that means was that at that material time, there was no constitution detailing how and from which kindred Owu’s traditional ruler should come. The only guide was from the state government. That was how a faction capitalized on that to foist their own man. Mr. Ben Nwaneri manoeuvred the whole process to impose himself as Eze-elect.

On August 1, 2001, just two days after the aforesaid report was read, the OAPA, in a letter dated September 3, 2001, addressed to the Secretary, Judicial Panel on the Creation of Autonomous Communities, Mr. Nwaneri’s faction unilaterally selected him as the Ezeelect, against the earlier nomination of Hon. Aka. Mr. Ben Nwaneri, who was addressed as “Eze Ubi” was purportedly elected by 203 people in a vote that led by 200 in favour and only three abstentions. How could Owu be made up of only 203 adults? It was a kangaroo election, if any.

Meanwhile, the pro-Nwaneri faction that stage-managed the entire process went ahead and drafted a constitution that Owu people neither saw nor approved. What would have been the legitimate constitution adopted by the Owu people was discarded. It

was neither ratified nor submitted to the panel.

The pro-Nwaneri faction simply decided to manipulate the entire process to present Mr. Ben Nwaneri as the Eze-elect. The guidelines provided by the state government that should be followed were disregarded. The document was totally hidden from the people. The application was therefore deliberately falsified to achieve a singular objective of installing Mr. Ben Nwaneri as the Eze. There are several documents to buttress these assertions.

It is pertinent to ask why Mr. Nwaneri, a former president-general of OAPA would automatically transform to be the traditional ruler. The fore-going shows clearly that due process was never followed in the selection of Mr. Ben Nwaneri, who now occupies the traditional rulership stool of Owu-Amakohia. Mr. Nwaneri took advantage of his position to impose himself as the traditional ruler of Owu Amakohia.

It is the flawed process in this awful selection that is the bone of contention. It is also at the root of the crisis rocking Owu-Amakohia, with concomitant underdevelopment quagmire. The Justice Chikeka commission would do well to investigate the process that led to the emergence of Mr. Ben Nwaneri as the traditional ruler of Owu-Amakohia. There is no doubt that Owu-Amakohia deserves an autonomous community. But this desire cannot be realized by hook and crook as has been witnessed in the wake of granting of autonomous community in 2001.

Eze Nwaneri had in a recent public notice published in The Sun newspaper of December 21, 2012 made an incriminating statement. The publication said, “Eze Ben Nwaneri is the traditional ruler of Owubinubi Autonomous Community in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State and not Owu-Amakohia Ikeduru”. This has three serious implications: First, it could mean that Owu-Amakohia has no autonomous community status yet, or, two, that the Imo State Government granted autonomous community status in error to a non-existent Owubinubi based on false information, or three, that autonomous community was actually granted to Owu-Amakohia, but has been appropriated by Eze Ben Nwaneri to his non-existent Owubinubi empire! The state government needs to clarify whether it granted autonomous community status to Owu-Amakohia or Owubinubi in error based on false information.

The meaning of humility (1)

By Paul Kokoski N February 28, 2013 Pope Benedict XVI chose to humble himO self in an act of self-sacrifice and abdicate his papacy in order to pave the way for an urgently needed stronger pope and stronger Church. Newly elected Pope Francis is, in turn, being hailed as a modern saint whose concern for the poor is mirrored in his humility and simple lifestyle. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he refused to live in the bishop’s residence, opting instead to live in a simple apartment, cook his own meals, and take public transportation. As pope he intends to continue this same legacy. The path he has set forth for both himself and the church can be summed in his initial statement “This is what I want, a poor church for the poor.” Today we are living, morally, in what some have called a crisis of faith. This has been due, in no small measure, to the rapid advancement and influence of secularisation and moral relativism, which has permeated modern society. In order to reverse this trend, a certain rediscovery of essential virtues like humility is necessary for mankind.

The word humility signifies lowliness or submissiveness and it is derived from the Latin humilitas or, as St. Thomas says, from humus, i.e. the earth which is beneath us. St. Bernard defines the moral virtue of humility as the “virtue whereby man, through a true knowledge of himself, becomes despicable in his own eyes.”

Humility is rooted in truth and justice. Truth causes us to know ourselves as we truly are: that which is good in us belongs to God and that which is evil proceeds from ourselves. Justice inclines us to act upon this knowledge and to praise God for his many gifts and graces.

We all enter this world tainted by original sin. Due to concupiscence we habitually fall into sin and are continually in need of God’s mercy. We, therefore, must learn to love humiliations and accept all reproaches. Being nothing of ourselves we must love oblivion and self-effacement: to be unknown, to be reckoned as nothing. As sinners we deserve every kind of humiliation. Humility is at once the key to the riches of grace and the foundation of all the virtues. Humility empties the soul of selflove and vain-glory, and thus creates there a vast capacity for grace. God knows that humble souls refer all glory to Him: that they neither accept His grace with complacency nor pride. He,

therefore, bestows upon such souls a greater abundance of His favours for His own greater glory. On the other hand He often withholds His graces from those puffed up with vanity since they would appropriate it for their own end and glory (James 4:6).

Humility is the foundation of all the virtues in that it is the basis for solid virtue as well as the catalyst by which all other virtues grow in depth and perfection. Humility as the antithesis of pride renders our faith more active, more ready, more firm and more enlightened. Faith in turn reveals to us the infinite perfection of God, our own nothingness and grounds us further in humility.

To practice humility one must first begin by waging war against pride since it is pride that constitutes the primal evil in our souls. Remedies against pride include the acknowledgment that God is the Author of all good, and that to Him belongs all honour and glory. Beginners in the spiritual life must form the conviction that we all came from nothing and that we all tend towards nothingness, whereto we would surely return were it not for the abiding action of God that sustains us. We are all dependent upon God and have no other reason for our existence than that of giving glory to our Creator.

To forget this dependence and act as if our good qualities were absolutely our own is an error that attests to sheer madness.

With this in mind we must strive to attain the humble dispositions of the soul of Christ who “being in the form of God, did not deem to be equal with God, but emptied Himself”(Phil. 2: 6-7).

Humility implies this express act of self-humiliation, a voluntary descent beneath our legitimate natural dignity, an act of reducing ourselves to naught before God. It implies the gesture of a permanent inner dying of the self, in order that Christ may live in us – a gesture that has found its unique expression in the figure of St. John the Baptist and in his words: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John. 3:30).

Our Lord gave us many examples of humility upon which we can meditate and strive to imitate. During His hidden life He practiced humility primarily through self-effacement. Before His birth He hid Himself for nine months in the virginal womb of Mary where He submitted Himself to Caesar’s edict and suffering without complaint, the rude refusal of His mother to stay

at the inn. At His birth the Son of God appeared as a poor infant.

Following His birth He was circumcised and then obliged to flee into Egypt in order to escape the persecution of Herod. Later at Nazareth he submitted Himself for 30 years in obedience to His parents where He was known only as the carpenter’s son. He hid Himself in the most complete obscurity in order to merit for us the grace that would enable us to sanctify our most commonplace actions and inspire within us a love of humility.

Throughout the course of His public life Jesus practiced humility by proclaiming in both word and deed that He was the Son of God. He did this in a discreet manner and without forcing assent.

He surrounded Himself with Apostles that were ignorant and of little esteem. He lived by alms and showed a marked preference for those in particular whom the world often despises such as the poor, sinners, and the sick. His teaching was simple and direct.

He often used parables that were taken from ordinary life with the aim, not of winning the admiration of men, but of instructing and touching their hearts. His miracles were rare and He often charged his beneficiaries not to speak of them. Jesus’ abject humility is demonstrated in His passion. Betrayed by Judas and deserted by His Apostles he did not cease to love them. At His arrest He healed Malchus who was wounded by Peter. He suffered the affronts of the crowd to which he was delivered in silence. He answered the high priest out of respect for authority knowing full well that His words of truth would bring Him the death penalty.

Treated like a fool by Herod and unjustly condemned by Pilate, He kept His peace.

Without seeking a single miracle to vindicate His honour He allowed Himself to be scourged, mocked and crowned with thorns.

He accepted on His shoulders a heavy cross, which He carried to His crucifixion without a single word of complaint. Insulted by His enemies he prayed for their conversion and excused them before His Father. Deprived of all heavenly comfort, deserted by His disciples, His dignity as a man, His reputation, His honour, all set at naught, He suffered every species of humiliation that the mind of man can conceive, and He can say with far greater truth than the Psalmist: “I am worm and no man: the reproach of men and the outcast of the people”(Ps. 22:7).

• To be continued.

• Kokoski wrote from Ontario, Canada.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

68

Opinion Chained to China

By Richard Maduku OR over two decades now, Nigerians have no Farealternatives to many things they dislike. We forced to live with situations or things we detest. It started in the mid 1980s when the then military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB for short) asked the Nigerian intelligentsia to start a debate on an economic system known as Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wanted him to introduce to the country. Save a few ebullient intellectuals, the programme was not known to most Nigerians at that time and IBB did something unheard of in military regimes before – he promised that the debates would be aired live on national television and radio. At that time, there were no private TV and radio stations and for this promise, IBB was hailed as a liberal dictator unlike General Muhamadu Buhari whom he overthrew. The intellectuals were also allowed to write freely in the papers what they thought of the programme.

The eggheads did their research overnight and the following days the few that wanted us to accept SAP were beaten hands down in the live debates. Those against gave very convincing reasons why the programme should not be foisted on us. At that time, IBB has not started castigating lecturers for teaching what they were not paid to teach so he also allowed the lecturers among the debaters to express their views to their students. They happily did this and from here, the message that SAP was leprous went, to use today’s Internet lingo, viral. It became a hot topic in beer parlours, buses, market places and even in motor parks. Before long the entire population was singing in unison that Nigerians don’t want SAP! But IBB seems to have allowed the debaters so much freedom in order to achieve something that later became his trademark. IBB believes that a leader must dominate his environment and probably understands this to mean disregarding popular opinion with impunity. The SAP debates were set up just to achieve this for after Nigerians have had their say, IBB came on air to tell the world that there was no alternative to SAP! According to one school of thought,

he probably would have rejected SAP if Nigerians had demanded for it! He demonstrated this disregard of popular opinion throughout his tenure until he was forced to step aside when he tried it in the 1993 general elections.

But since then, Nigerians have no alternatives to almost everything they hated.

We pride ourselves as a democracy but everybody knows that most of the people parading themselves as elected political leaders since 1999 are not the peoples’ choice. They are products of wars we call elections. Like true warlords, how to loot public fund and acquire expensive cars and mansions all over the world is the preoccupation of those elected in this system. They never bother themselves with making laws that would make our society a better place to live in. They are good at making only laws that legalize their corruption such as earning fat emoluments. As a result of their senseless greed that the majority can do nothing about, the country is dying.

Nigerians cannot refine the crude oil it has in abundance and resort to importation. Even the importation is fraud ridden and as a result Nigerians have no alternative other than to queue for hours at petrol stations. Despite our vast gas reserves, Nigerians cannot generate one quarter of the electricity they need and so have no choice other than the epileptic power regime that has rapidly transformed us into a vegetable nation. Nigerians cannot operate an efficient educational system and as a result children come out of our universities as halfbaked graduates that cannot compete in the international job market. The helplessness of Nigerians to products being dumped on them from China was actually what inspired this article and for the rest part, we shall dwell mostly on it.

I first wrote about this situation in an article Old Lamps For New “The Guardian” On Sunday, May 14 1989. It was a follow-up to an earlier piece in the Cocktail Circuit column of that paper. Both articles were about fake blenders that were then beginning to enter the Nigerian market at the heels of SAP. At that time, few genuine products were still in the market even though they had become very expensive.

But today, even if you have the money to pay

for it, you will hardly find any of the brand names of old!

Before SAP was introduced, the things China was known for in Nigeria were mostly mosquito coils, rat traps, garish baby wears/dolls and the like. But today, almost everything, from electronics, clothing, batteries, ball pens, watches, cutleries, flasks, footwear, just name it, is from China. The painful aspect is that most of these products are unreliable, dangerous and wasteful on the long run. They drive elderly persons who were used to quality products of the past mad. For instance, if you pierce a piece of meat in your plate of soup with one of today’s forks, the teeth of the fork will bend like it was made of paper and before you know it the soup will splash all over your dress! If you are not careful with the spoons of today, they will cut your lips because the edges are like the blades of a razor! I had another experience after that of the blender in 1989. It was with my shaving stick.

On noticing that my composite shaving stick was not clearing my beard as it used to do before, I began to form some queer notions. I have used the brand happily for years and instead of suspecting the product I began to suspect that something might be wrong with my beard. I began to think my beard had become stubborn because I was ageing or because of a strange disease that I have caught. I shave every other day and each of the composite shaving stick used to last me for over a month. But when my beard became, as I thought, abnormal, I began to get a new one for every shave. But even with a new one I still had to battle with my beard during every shave. No matter how many times I repeated the shave, all the stub never comes out.

Then during a discussion with some friends at the pub, the topic veered into beard and shaving. I narrated my experience and one of them laughed his heart out before he told me that the problem was not with my beard but with the shaving stick. None of the genuine brand of that shaving stick, he told me, was in the Nigerian market again. I decided to go back to the traditional method of a separate razor blade and a shaving stick. Since I have done away with my razor blades, I entered a shop to

pick a packet on my way home. But at the shop, I discovered that the brand I was used to was no longer on the shelves. I bought one of the strange new brands and on trying it at home, I was elated! My beard was cleared neatly at the first shave! My friend was right!

Electrical appliances are perhaps the worst of them all. These days, bulbs get burnt out immediately they are inserted into their sockets.

Some fall out of their sockets immediately they are switched on. The energy conserving types that were acclaimed a few years ago as good for us are the worst. They cost four times more that the traditional bulbs but pack up within hours of being put into use. Pins of electric kettle plugs, refrigerators and other high electricity consuming appliances get stuck in their wall sockets now and then and no amount of pulling can disengage them. Replacement is the only solution and in most cases you go back to the same fake or inferior Chinese product because you have no alternative.

To get a respite from the ubiquitous Chinese products, I joined scores of others to open a current account with a reputable new generation bank that was offering a HP laptop on monthly payment basis to clients with such accounts. This was in 2007 and I knew HP was made in the United States of America. Since I have been saving towards a laptop before, I completed the payment within four months instead of the 12 and I was given the laptop. I went home happily that at last, I have bought something from America. But on opening the carton on getting home, the first thing that screamed at me from a wide sheet inside was: Made in China!

The machine has served me well so far but that has not diminished my anger at the way we seemed to have no alternative to Chinese products. The agony of replacing one substandard item with yet another almost on a daily basis is becoming unbearable to many Nigerians. It is in fact giving the elderly ones who have known reliable products before SAP was introduced high blood pressure. One begins to wonder if the Nigerian Standards Organisation (SON) is doing anything at all.

• Maduku wrote from Effurun-Otor, Delta State.

Tackling the menace of rape

By Josephine Kachikwu HE increasing number of rape cases the world over is worT risome. One of the most bizarre of recent media rape reports in Nigeria was that of 37 year-old Blessing Anuoluwapo (not real name), who has been raped four times as reported in Saturday Punch of February 16, 2013. On two occasions, she was gang-raped by people she called friends.

She was molested at age 10 by the houseboy who was twice her age. Before she turned 20, her father’s friend had carnal knowledge of her at their Ebutte-Metta, Lagos residence. She could not report to her parents because of the man’s threats.

At the place where she attended extra-moral classes, she was gang-raped on two different occasions by three boys she called friends. The fourth time it happened to her, it was done by one James who was bitter that she had refused his advances to become his girlfriend. The next time, she was raped by six boys. Imagine!

In this clime, cultural constraints and a number of other factors all work against female victims of rape and restrain them from reporting the incident when it occurs. If the rapist is a relative for instance, the victim who speaks out is blamed by family members for bringing shame to the family. They see the prosecution of the rapist as a bad publicity.

They fear that outsiders could brand them as a family of rapists where nobody would like to marry from.

The effects of rape are very devastating. They include acute stress reaction, rape trauma syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and low esteem among other problems, which could become worse when the incident is not reported.

Blessing Anuoluwapo said: “I was not able to trust men. I had sleepless nights. I was traumatised. I attempted suicide twice after the two times I was gang-raped. I always took overdoze of drugs so I could take my life. I was living irra-

tionally. I noticed that I was a very friendly person and people tried to get close to me. With all that happened, I started being mean.”

Tackling the growing menace of rape requires very strong legislations by governments across the world. According to Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act, “any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a married woman, by personating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is called rape.”

Punishment for rape and offences related to rape, including attempts to rape, sexual assault, harassment and forced under-aged elopement range from two years imprisonment for indecent assaults misdemeanours to a life sentence for actual rape.

The rising incidence of rape could be blamed on either the weakness of existing anti-rape laws, their insufficiency, deficiency, non-implementation or a combination of all these factors. In Nigeria for instance, the provisions of the law focus on punishment of offenders without provision for victims. Rape laws in Nigeria need to be re-written to match contemporary realities. The requirements of evidence for prosecution for example, is challenging to cultural orientation. The victim is always expected to prove the allegation by reporting to the police immediately after the act, without destroying vital evidence. Considering the African culture of value for the preservation of a woman’s virginity and disrespect for sexual promiscuity, even guardians of victims discourage them from reporting the incident. Attempting to prove it is perceived as putting an already stained white cloth inside a palm oil.

There is therefore a need for change in orientation concerning rape cases. Victims, their families and friends must

be encouraged to speak up as a measure towards checking the ugly trend.

There is no justification for indecent dressing. However, blaming indecent dressing for rape is a very weak argument because women and girls of all ages, culture, classes, ability, sexuality, race and faith are raped because rapists choose victims based on their vulnerability, not their physical appearance or dress.

Men who often rape and sexually assault women and girls use weapons or threats of violence to intimidate them. As a woman, I am beginning to suspect that the men who commit these acts of violence against women are not happy that God created women. Unfortunately, they are merely fighting against the will of their maker.

Arresting and punishing offenders will also help the rape victim to regain confidence in the nation’s justice system while regaining eroded self esteem. The establishment of forensic laboratories to assist law enforcement agencies in accurately tracking down and investigating rapists is equally very important.

According to an author, Sohaila Abdulali who has lived in India and America and was raped 33 years ago, a rapist could be a brutal madman or the boy next door or the too friendly uncle. This calls for more security consciousness among ladies.

Increased general awareness on human rights and the implications of this crime, alongside strengthening of Nigeria’s criminal justice system has become more necessary than it used to be. Nigeria’s outdated rape laws should be reviewed.

The laws and implications of rape should be advertised so that people become aware of the consequences of this criminal act. Strict enforcement of rape laws is also required to minimize rate of the crime.

• Barrister (Mrs.) Kachikwu is Chairman, Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission.

69

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Quote of the week

Law

Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

—Haile Selassie judicialeditor@yahoo.co.uk/ 08033151041 Desk Head: Ibe Uwaleke

‘Access to justice critical to democracy’ Interview

By Bertram Nwannekanma

Improving quick and easy access to justice is vital to the development of any country, including Nigeria. The popular saying that “justice delayed is justice denied” aptly describes the importance of quick dispensation of Justice. The pace at which justice is currently being dispensed in Nigeria leaves much to be desired. It is against this backdrop that former Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dafe Akpedeye (SAN) in this interview called for serious attention to various issues inhibiting speedy dispensation of justice in Nigeria.

ARTICULARLY, Akpedeye frowned at a situP ation where an accused person would stand trial after a period of detention significantly longer than the jail term he would have served upon conviction.

He said: “In the civil realm, there are also many instances where simple commercial disputes linger in court so much that it becomes a pyrrhic victory by the time judgment is delivered. This weakens the status of the law. Where the power of the law is required by the common man, this situation leads to a denial of justice.

Consequently, the penal punishment suffered by long detention without proof of guilt further aggravates the plight of the citizenry.

Asked to name some of the wide-ranging issues affecting the quick dispensation of justice in Nigeria, Akpedeye has this to say: “Firstly, there are some structural impediments created by the rules governing the functioning of the judicial system. Secondly, there are personnel impediments, which deal with the skills and attitudes of judges, lawyers, the police, and administrative staff in the judiciary amongst others.

“The law has created rules as a guide for the judiciary in order to facilitate the process of dispensing justice within the nation.

However, these ‘so-called rules’ have actually become a clog in the wheel of the speedy dispensation of justice.

“Some of these problems include: Effect of Some Constitutional provisions: Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution provides for fair hearing of cases. This section encompasses the twin principles of justice: ‘Audi alteram partem’ and ‘Nemo judex in causa insua’.

“In a literal interpretation, these respectively mean, hear the other party and that no one should be a judge in his/her own cause. This provision directs the police in a criminal case to bring the suspect to court within a reasonable time. However, the term ‘reasonable time’ has become an excuse for the police to detain suspects for long periods of time ranging from months to years. This is the reason that the majority of the inmates are ‘awaiting trial men’ (ATM) who have not had access to the court for their freedom.

“In addition, Sections 174 and 211 of the Constitution allocate specific powers to the Attorney General of the Federation and the States respectively. These provisions give the officers powers to institute, continue and discontinue proceedings. This power cannot be challenged in any court. Hence, when it is wielded arbitrarily, it propagates injustice and in most cases, frustrates the proper administration of justice. This is particularly deplorable when the Attorney General decides to suspend or terminate a matter at its completion stage; or even neglect to institute proceedings for more than a year”.

On whether inadequate funding of the judi-

Akpedeye (SAN)

ciary has played any role in delays, the revered senior advocate felt that the judiciary is not receiving the required funding.

He said: “The judicial arm of government is largely at the mercy of the executive for resources required for the management of its affairs. Thus, when there is inadequate funding of the judiciary, the whole system grinds to a halt. In many cases, this has led to strikes by administrative personnel such as the judges’ clerks. Without these administrative staff, no judge can effectively conduct his/her courtroom and thus, within such periods, persons whose matters are pending will continue languishing in jails.

Asked whether the technical capabilities of the court could be a factor, Akpedeye answered in the affirmative, especially with regard to the current frontloading system, which means that every document and evidence which a party tends to rely on during proceedings are tendered in the court before the commencement of proceedings.

“In theory, this should enhance the speed at which proceedings take place in courts.

However, with respect to witness deposition, the other party may want to crossexamine the witness based on his deposition. The judge will have to resort to longhand recording. In effect, the frontloading system is mostly impracticable and recording by judges, lead to long dragged-out processes in court. This problem could be alleviated by installing recording devices in courtrooms or through the provision of computers. The unavailability of such tech-

nological instruments has crippled the courts’ procedures.”

Akpedeye also commented on personnel impediments to quick dispensation thus: “Probably the greatest challenge faced by the judicial system, which adversely impacts on the dispensation of justice, is the competence and skills of the judiciary and its apparatus. Even if computers were made available (as suggested above), can the current crop of secretaries and clerks use these tools to a satisfactory level? Does the executive who controls the purse strings has the vision to even allocate funds to provide the judiciary with these technological devices? Even on a more basic level, take a look at the current state of the High Courts in some states.

Their buildings are not worthy to be designated as ‘courts’.

Probably, the greatest challenge faced by the judicial system, which adversely impacts on the dispensation of justice, is the competence and skills of the judiciary and its apparatus

Akpedeye also identified incessant application for adjournments as some competence-related issues that affect speedy dispensation of justice in Nigeria.

He said: “Some lawyers, ill-prepared for court, seek adjournments in matters which deserve expeditious action. Although it is at the discretion of the court to grant or refuse it, in the interest of fair hearing the court will usually grant this request. These unwholesome lawyers abuse the good faith of the court as well as take undue advantage of their clients for a quick financial gain.

“Also, some judges from time immemorial have taken more than the statutory allowed period to deliver judgment. A matter, which has straggled on for years to reach its completion may suffer another setback when the judge decides to take another year to write his judgment. Within this period, he may have lost touch with the countenance of the case and this may sometimes affect the judgment.

“There is also the issue of the police’ failure to produce an accused before the court.

So often, a matter is called up for hearing and the accused is not in court. The prison officials will make excuses to support their error. Sometimes, they blame the inadequacy of transportation vehicle. Other times, the real cause is inadvertent attitude of the police and the prison officials On whether illiteracy has any role to play on all these, Akpedeye said: “High level of illiteracy is one other factor that leads to delay in quick dispensation of justice in the country. An educated man will find it so easy to adapt to the realities of any situation and have the intellectual capacity to insist on the enforcement of his rights, quite unlike the illiterate. Education thus, empowers him to maximize the opportunities and resources available to him in his environment. The point must be made that since education has the capacity of liberating the individual from ignorance, poverty, and disease, the lack of it has serious mental, political and economic implications, which greatly impede access to justice in Nigeria. At a particular level, it breeds poverty, docility and even forced connivance with agents of oppression and marginalization. The net result is that today, a large majority of Nigerians do not have access to social justice and are alienated from the political and economic structures of society. “ All this sums up to intellectual inertia. The failure of the nation’s so-called ‘learned’ men and women to overcome these problems is a worrisome prospect. What hope is left for the common man? In a country where illiteracy is still rife, can the uneducated person trust his lawyers, the police and the entire judicial system to handle his case efficiently and in time? Not only is it the case that justice delayed is justice denied but where people decide not to seek remedy from the courts for fear of protracted litigation, this weakens the credibility of the entire legal system.

Asked to proffer solution for delay, the legal icon said those charged with administration of justice at all spheres need to make concerted effort to address these maladies.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

70 LAW

LawPeople

All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.

—-Pope Paul VI

Akinola: An icon of corporate law Profile

By Joseph Onyekwere HIEF Gbola Akinola, a chartered C arbitrator and the president of Maritime Arbitrators’ Association of Nigeria (MAAN), can best be described as the unsung hero of corporate and commercial legal practice in Nigeria.

His level of legal dexterity in commercial law is commendable and a source of inspiration to younger generation of lawyers. He has transversed almost all aspects of commercial law and finally developed a specialty in Corporate and Commercial Law Litigation, Arbitration, Oil and Gas Law, General Maritime and Aviation Practice and Environmental Issues.

He is a legal practitioner with cognate experience in Corporate and Commercial Law practice and a highly skilled advocate with extensive commercial legal advisory experience.

Akinola has acted on several occasions for Oil and Gas Companies, ship owners, charterers, shippers and marine insurers, including P&I Clubs. Akinola had also provided advice on several aspects of shipping law including ship arrests cargo loss and damage,' ship sale and purchase, disputes arising out of bills of lading, charter parties, collisions, insurance and other marine-related matters.

He has also focused on Oil and Gas, Energy Law, Aviation, Environmental Law, Civil and Commercial Litigation and Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). He has acquired considerable experience in negotiation and concluding commercial contracts bordering on acquisition and disposition of Aviation and Shipping equipment. His contacts are extensive in the Aviation, Shipping, Oil and Gas Industry, operational, regulatory, support service and corporate finance business within Nigeria and abroad.

He has experience and continues to seek new challenges in the growing field of Environmental Law and practice, waste management, industrial and marine pollution, green issues both within and outside Nigeria. He has advised clients across the full range of environmental issues, from industrial and marine pollution through waste management and product liability to development control. It will be difficult to ignore his footprints in commercial legal practice in the country and even beyond. He has contributed immensely to the development of law in Nigeria, especially in his areas of expertise.

Interestingly, Akinola had wanted to join the military. This, he said, was because he admired the way they match. But that did not happen. His father who was also an educationist and a priest wanted him to be a lawyer, but he rebelled and started a different course of study. However, he could not run away from what Providence had in stock for him. Midway into his preferred course of study, he decided to do his father’s bidding by changing to law but was advised to complete the course, which he did.

Today, he is one of those lawyers, who earned a first degree before coming into law.

“My father actually wanted me to study law and you know that rebellious stint as a child; I felt, why must he dictate to me what I should be.

Akinola So I ended up studying political science in the first instance at the University of Ibadan. I was there from 1979 to 1982. I graduated with my Bsc. Honours in Political Science. Interestingly, in my second year in the university, I went to Professor Eke, who was the head of Department of Political Science and told him I wanted to change to law.

“And the simple advice he gave me was, hey, you are three quarters done with your degree; why don’t you finish this one and then go for your law? And I took to the advice. I finished my Political Science programme and came to Lagos for my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). And thereafter, I started my law programme at the University of Lagos. I started the law programme in 1983 and finished in 1986 and I was called to the Bar in 1987”, he recalled.

And since then, he has never looked back in his pursuit for legal excellence.

Born to the late Venerable Festus Akinyele Akinola of Ilesha, Osun State, Gbola Akinola started his primary school education in Government School, Owo, now in Ondo State between January 1966 and December 1968 and completed it at the United Missionary College Demonstration School (UMC) in Ibadan from 1969 to 1971. From there, he proceeded to Government College, Ibadan, between 1972 and 1979 (upper sixth form) for his sec-

ondary education.

He obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with honours from the University of Lagos in 1986 after obtaining a B.Sc. with Honours in Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 1982. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987 and admitted to practise as a solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

On graduation, he became a State Counsel in the Civil Litigation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, that is, in the Attorney General's Chambers and later became the Special Assistant to the Solicitor General of the Federation of Nigeria between 1987 and 1988.

He also joined the Corporate and Commercial Law Practice of George Etomi & Partners in January 1989 and became the head, Litigation Department of the firm from 1989 to 1992. That same year, he left and established his private practice, Gbola Akinola & Co. but in May 1998, his firm merged with four other practices and formed The Law Union where he remained a partner till date.

“When I finished my law school, my first port of call was the Federal Ministry of Justice at Marina, Lagos. I was in civil litigation department. I happened to work with Justice Omotade. He was in charge of civil litigation department. Justice Adio was also there in the civil litigation department and others”, he stated,

He has advised clients across the full range of environmental issues, from industrial and marine pollution through waste management and product liability to development control

adding that his first court appearance was before Justice Silva of Lagos High Court in a habeas corpus case.

Among his contemporaries in the Law School are Wale Akoni (SAN) of the Wale Babalakin and Co. Chambers, Deputy Managing Director of Addex Petroleum, Tunji Mayaki and Ladi Lakute, who operates from the United Kingdom now and hosts of others.

Akinola was appointed a Notary Public in May 1998, admitted as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in November 1999, elected a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in February 2001 and became listed as a member of the Institute's Panel of Chartered Arbitrators in August 2006.

He has served as an arbitrator in many instances, represented clients in Commercial Arbitration and has also been involved in International Commercial Arbitration. He has been an Approved Tutor and a Resource person of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since January 2003 and lectures in Arbitration both in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. He is a branch officer of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria branch, and serves as the regional representative.

He is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA) Section on Business Law, Committee A (Maritime and Transport Law) and Section on General Practice, Committees 5 (Individual Tax and Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts and Succession) and 12 (Civil Litigation), Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Maritime Law Association, Association of Business Law Firms and Chartered Institute of

Arbitrators.

He noted that practice in his own days was quite different from what obtains now. “Practice in our own days were mostly interesting because when you go to court, you come up with the feeling of satisfaction, knowing full well that your matter has been heard or taken up to a stage. These days, apart from the Lagos Judiciary and a few others as Federal High Courts, what happens is that most times you go to court, you waste the whole day there and your matter would not be taken. That really has been a distraction. To people like me, it is what has led me to being more active in arbitration because I see that as a process that you have control of.

And at the end of the day, you are happier with the outcome because you get it done as and when due.

And I thank God a lot of people are catching up with the concept of arbitration and many people are now veering into that area of practice.

Recalling one of the memorable cases he has handled, he said: “When I was in government, I was in civil litigation department as I earlier said. Interestingly, that was when election tribunal was being undertaken. So I traveled the whole length and breadth of Nigeria. I have been to the North and East. I remembered that there was a crew of vessels that got stranded here in Nigeria and the owners left them uncatered for. I had to first of all arrest the vessel on their behalf and ensured that all what was being owed to them was paid to them.

That necessitated having to sell the vessel and we had to do this through the instrumentality of the admiralty marshal of the Federal High Court, Lagos. It was a very good experience for me because it allowed me to play my part and make a lot of people happy as most of these people were foreigners and they had no means of living in Nigeria but for what I was able to achieve for them.”

Akinola for his industry and commitment was appointed as a Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Information and later Honourable Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa in June 1999.

In June 2000, he was appointed a special assistant to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, a position he occupied until December 23, 2001.

Akinola was also a member of the Nigerian legal team to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, representing Nigeria in the Bakassi case in March 2002.

As a member of the National Committee on the Reform and Harmonisation of Nigeria's Arbitration and ADR Laws, he was elected as president of MAAN in November 2010.

An active and dedicated Christian of Catholic extraction, Akinola for eight years was the provost warden in the Catholic Church of Christ, Marina Lagos. He has also been in the guild of stewards of the same church where he served humanity for several years.

He plays golf and yearly cruises away with his family as a form of relaxation. He loves white shirts and agbada dresses. He also enjoys green colour. For food, he enjoys pounded yam, amala and other Nigerian foods.

He is married with three children, among who is a lawyer.

LAW 71

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

LawReport A judge acts grossly in error where he condones lawlessness in flagrant disobedience of court order

By Ibe Uwaleke, Head, Judicial Desk T is trite law that in no circumstance does an appeal to a higher court act as a stay of execution of an order given by the court below. For an order of the court below to be stayed, the higher court must make a consequential order to stop the execution of the one given by the court under it. This is the tone set by the Supreme Court, which has become precedent or reference point to all other courts below it.

This means that where a higher court refuses to grant an application for stay of execution of an order given by a court below, the appellant/applicant should not thereafter assume that the refusal now means that his appeal should act as a stay for the order made against him.

This position was reiterated in a recent ruling made by the apex court striking out two applications brought by Chief O.T.K.D. Amachree (appellant/applicant) against Chief Macdonald O. Abbi, Chief (Prof.) T.J.T. Princewill, seeking the highest court to order for a stay of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, made on June 7, 2011, against Chief (Prof.) T.J.T. Princewill (The sitting, Amananyabo of Kalabari); Chief Dagogo Princewill, Chief S.O. Princewill and the appellant, Chief Amachree.

Supreme Court struck out the applications after they had been withdrawn by counsel to the appellant.

Chief Amachree had brought the applications to stay the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the installation of the Amananyabo, Prof. Princewill, The apex court was said to have advised the appellant’s counsel to withdraw the stay of execution applications because it would not grant them. The reason for refusing to grant the applications, according to reports, was that the appellant and other respondents, particularly the Amanyanabo, are in disobedience of the orders of the courts below. This attitude according to Supreme Court’s ruling, indicates that whoever comes to equity must come with clean hands. One cannot ask for an order of court when he is in contempt of the same court’s orders.

The two applications were filed separately on October 19, 2012 and February 12, 2013. Both were struck out with an award of N50,000 each to the first respondent, Chief Abbi.

The Supreme Court in striking out the motions for stay ordered: “That the motions filed on October 19, 2012, and February 12, 2013, having been withdrawn without objection be and is hereby struck out and that N50,000 costs is awarded to the first respondent. (N50,000 is repeated on both orders).

This decision was taken by a full panel of five judges including Walter Samuel Nkanu Onuoghen, Muhammad Saifullah Munkaka Coomassie, Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, Olukayode Ariwoola and Musa Dattijo Muhammad. The ruling was delivered by Omoghen.

The motions for stay were brought by Amachree pursuant to his appeal lodged at the apex court in which he is seeking the court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division, made against the Amanyanabo and other chiefs in council.

Chief Abbi for himself and as representing the King Abbi Royal House, the king makers of the Kalabari Kingdom, Buguma, Rivers State, had approached the appellate court to set aside the decision of Justice J.M. Kobani of the Rivers State High Court, delivered on December 19, 2005, who refused to grant the order to return the parties to status quo as at March 29, 2000, when the suit against the coronation of a new Amanyanabo commenced.

The target of the restorative injunction as sought by Abbi, was as a result of the purported installation and recognition of Professor Princewill as the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, which took place on March 23, 2002, during the pendency of the suit, and also done in disobedience of the order of interlocutory injunction made on July 31, 2000.

As a matter of fact, the order made on July 31, 2000, restrained all parties in contest of the

I

Justice Mukhtar (CJN)

There is no way a judge, acting, arbitrarily, can ever enforce justice, order and good government. Only the rule of law and not lawlessness, anarchy and impunity governs this realm. The rule of law includes the orders of court of law. The principles of expediency that is antithetic to, and a violent rejection of the rule of law, is nothing but arbitrariness and an invitation to judicial anarchy stool of the Amanyanabo from taking any step in furtherance of and or in selecting, electing, anointing or installing any person whatsoever as the Amanayanabo of Kalabari without the consent, knowledge and participation of all the parties in the suit and all the chiefs of Abbi Royal House, Council of Chiefs, the Karibo Group of Houses, the Buguma Council of Chiefs and the Kalabari National Assembly or any other affected body or bodies or houses or group of houses, pending the peaceful resolution of the dispute between the parties themselves or the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

This order of the Rivers State High Court, made by Justice A.A. Wodu was allegedly violated by the Professor Princewill’s group, as he was on March 23, 2002, installed as the new Amanayabo of Kalabari and was given quick recognition by the then governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili.

It was because Justice Kobani refused to restore the parties to the status quo as at March 29, 2000, having been seized of the fact that one of the parties has overreached the order of July 31, 2000, but instead ordered that the parties should maintain status quo as at December 19,

2005, three years after the coronation of the Amanyanabo in the person of Prof.

Princewill.

Consequently, the ruling of Kobani on December 19, 2005, invariably reversed the order made on July 31, 2000, even though no party from all available records, asked for the review of that order.

It was as a result of this alleged miscarriage of justice, as the appellate court would like to describe it, that Abbi ran to the Court of Appeal to restore the status quo as at March 29, 2000 and subsequently set aside the ruling of Justice Kobani of the trial court, which reversed the order of Justice Wodu made on July 31, 2000.

In granting Chief Abbi’s request, the Court of Appeal had this to say: “There is no dearth of authorities to guide the learned trial judge in the application for a restorative or mandatory injunction to restore the parties to status quo ante. He merely turned the other way to involve the doctrine of expediency as a veneer for his judicial impertinence.

“It was unreasonable and perverse on his part to sacrilegiously review and reverse the previous order made on July 31, 2000, without any application for such review. Even if there was such application, the learned trial

judge, on principle of his being functus officio, would have acted reluctantly.”

The court continued: “There is no way a judge, acting, arbitrarily, can ever enforce justice, order and good government. Only the rule of law and not lawlessness, anarchy and impunity governs this realm. The rule of law includes the orders of court of law. The principle of expediency that is antithetic to, and a violent rejection of the rule of law, is nothing but arbitrariness and an invitation to judicial anarchy.

Further to the judgment, the appellate court held: “The learned trial judge (Kobani) acted grossly in error when he condoned the indiscipline and lawlessness of the defendants/respondents who had flagrantly flouted the subsisting injunctive order made on July 31, 2000.”

Concluding, the court said: “The lone issue canvassed by the appellant, (Abbi), is hereby resolved in favour of the appellant and against the respondents. The appeal is hereby allowed. The ruling, including the orders therein, made on December 19, 2005, are hereby set aside. The appellant made out a case for restorative or mandatory injunction sought. The order made on July 31, 2000, remains extant. The purported installation and recognition of the first defendant/respondent (Chief Prof.

Princewill) are consequently set aside. By this decision, “the parties including the first defendant/respondent, (the Amanyanabo installed, Chief Pricewill), shall be and are hereby reverted to the status quo ante imposed by the order of July 31, 2000.”

The appeal court thereafter ordered the Chief Judge of Rivers State “to use his good office to ensure accelerated hearing on the suit pending at the High Court by a judge other than Justice J.M. Kobani.”

The court also awarded N60,000 costs in favour of the appellant (Abbi).

This unanimous decision of the three-man panel, including Justices M.D. Muhammad (OFR) Ejembi Eko and T.O. Awoteye, was delivered by Justice Eko. Since the Supreme Court in two separate orders made on October 2012 and February 2013 refused to grant a stay of execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal Port Harcourt, and since the appeal filed by the respondents at the apex court is yet to be determined in respect of the said judgment, the decision of the appellate court setting aside the installation and recognition of Chief (Prof.) Princewill in 2002, is still subsisting and is the law as at today.

Following the death of the immediate past Amanyanabo of Kalabari, late King Obaye Abbiyesuku Amachree (X), who passed away on June 7, 1998, the throne became vacant.

This development created opportunity for five princely chiefs who emerged as contestants to the stool. They include: Elder Chief (Barr.) Macdonald Oribo Abbi, Chief (Dr.) Basoene Abbiye-Suku Amachree, Chief (Engr.) Inye Cottone Charlie Amachree, Chief (Engr.) Faithful Abbiye-Suku Amachree and Chief (Prof.) Theophilus Jacob Tom Princewill.

Under the Kalabari native law and customs, the five contestants are all eligible to contest for the throne of the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, which is now being occupied by Chief Princewill in flagrant disobedience of court orders,” as observed by the Court of Appeal. While in that high office, he has been reported to have served as the chairman of the Rivers State Traditional Council of Chiefs (RSTCC), and has also allegedly earned for himself a national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

It must be recalled that the King of Amanyanabo of Kalabara is a 400-year-old recorded dynasty. It was one of the eight first-class dynasties recognised by the colonial administration in the old Eastern Region of Nigeria.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

72 LAW

FamilyLaw

Child abuse and neglect offend the basic values of our state. We have a responsibility to provide safe settings for at-risk children and facilitate permanent placement for children who cannot return home.

—Matt Blunt

Signs to watch when the girl child is sexually abused

By Ibe Uwaleke, Head, Judicial Desk week, we examined severe sexual violence LmenAST being visited on children of all ages by randy who derive sexual pleasure when they inflict pains and anguish on straying innocent girls, some of who still cuddle their parents.

We observed from that write-up that these grown-up adults, despite the severe penalty prescribed in our criminal and penal codes, still dare the laws and law enforcement agents by going ahead with their unwholesome conjugal affair with these under-aged girls.

No day passed since then, without any reported case of rape or sexual abuse against the girl -child.

Too rampant has the problem become, that the authorities are now lending their voices and taking action that will eventually see to the end of the hydra-headed monster.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday last week, the day we published our own story of this evil practice, a 48-year-old man, Sylvester Ehiyele was reported in the papers that he allegedly raped his own seven-year-old daughter and his 15-monthsold grand daughter.

He was charged before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court and remanded in Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos.

Ehiyele was charged for indecent assault, defilement and unlawful canal knowledge of the girl child victims.

Perhaps, it is such pathetic incidents like this one mentioned above that prompted the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina to advocate for death penalty for rapists. The minister briefed journalists after their weekly Federal Executive Meeting (FEC) on Wednesday last week where she expressed concern that violence against women is now on the increase getting to a worrisome dimension.

According to her, there are seven to 10 cases of rape reported weekly, which to her is very alarming, thereby requiring that the police should step up action to make arrests and embark on massive prosecution of perpetrators of this crime.

Now that we know we have a problem in our

hands, do we have the political will to tackle it? How do we apologize to these abused children and make them believe the society is not wicked to them but a few disgruntled individuals among us?

This is the time to show that love by making sure we eliminate all forms of violence against children.

Let us now look at how parents and guardians can discover whether their girl child is being abused sexually. Child sexual abuse is an especially complicated form of abuse because of its layers of guilt and shame. It's important to recognize that sexual abuse doesn't always involve body contact. Exposing a child to sexual situations or material is sexually abusive, whether or not touching is involved.

While news stories of sexual predators are scary, what is even more frightening is that sexual abuse usually occurs at the hands of someone the child knows and should be able to trust—most often close relatives. And contrary to what many believe, it’s not just girls who are at risk. Boys and girls both suffer from sexual abuse. In fact, sexual abuse of boys may be underreported due to shame and stigma.

Aside from the physical damage that sexual abuse can cause, the emotional component is powerful and far-reaching. Sexually abused children are tormented by shame and guilt. They may feel that they are responsible for the abuse or somehow brought it upon themselves. This can lead to self-loathing and sexual problems as they grow older—often either excessive promiscuity or an inability to have intimate relations.

The shame of sexual abuse makes it very difficult

for children to come forward.

They may worry that others won’t believe them, will be angry with them, or that it will split their family apart.

Because of these difficulties, false accusations of sexual abuse are not common, so if a child confides in you, take him or her seriously.

Don’t turn a blind eye!

The earlier child abuse is caught, the better the chance of recovery and appropriate treatment for the child. Child abuse is not always obvious.

By learning some of the common warning signs of child abuse and neglect, you can catch the problem as early as possible and get both the child and the abuser the help that they need.

Of course, just because you see a warning sign doesn’t automatically mean a child is being abused. It’s important to dig deeper, looking for a pattern of abusive behavior and warning signs, if you notice something off.

Warning signs of emotional abuse in children Excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong.

Shows extremes in behavior (extremely compliant or extremely demanding; extremely passive or extremely aggressive).

Doesn’t seem to be attached to the parent or caregiver.

Acts either inappropriately adult (taking care of other children) or inappropriately infantile (rocking, thumb-sucking, throwing tantrums).

Having said that, let us look at who the law recognizes as a child:

The Child Right's Act 2003, passed into law in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), defines a child as a person who has not attained the age of 18 years.

However, according to Art. 2 of Children and Young Persons Act, enacted in Eastern, Western and Northern regions (hereafter referred to as CYPA, see details p.21-22), a "'child' means [a] person under the age of 14 years, while 'young person' means a person who has attained the age of 14 years and is under the age of 17 years."

Furthermore, the Immigration Act stipulates that any person below 16 years is a minor, whereas the Matrimonial Causes Act puts the age of maturity at 21-25. The latter act becomes irrelevant in practice, since the individual states state their own age for marriage at 26. As for penal responsibility, Act 50, of the Penal Code (North) states: "No act is an offence which is done by a child under 17 years of age; or by a child above seven years of age but under 12 years of age who has not attained sufficient maturity of understanding to judge the nature and consequence of such act."27 These are only some examples of different ages enshrined in a multitude of legal texts and in customary law all over the country. The official report admits that laws affecting children continue to be “scattered in different legislations”28 and explains that “the perception of Age as a definition of a Child depends on who is defining [...].

It varies depending on cultural background.”29 The report does also provide for a list – of 6 pages of length 30 – with different definitions of a child - depending on the purpose, gender, as well as the region of the country. It does, however, fail to present any serious suggestion on how this confusing situation could be changed and a universal definition of a child, valid for boys and girls, effectively implemented.

Whatever is the case, the children need our care and affection and not abuse and neglect. Your vigilance over the children is a guarantee of their protection. Offer it now or forever remain aloof.

YOU AND THE LAW —-With Dupe Ajayi Fundamental human rights: Personal liberty (1) The Scenario N the middle of a neighbourhood assoImove ciation meeting, members decided to at once to the police station to support and seek the release of one of their own who was said to have been arrested by the police for some offence allegedly committed by her son.

The whole place was in tumult as the elderly man had been held for about four days while the police officers on duty refused to release him until the suspect (the son of the detained woman) was found.

It was gathered that the police officers had gone to the house in search of the young man who was suspected to have evaded arrest by the police. The father of the suspect was then literarily dragged to the police station to stand in for his son until the son shows up.

Appeal by members of the association for the release of the man was lost on the police while the neighbours stood around in frustration.

Legal opinion Perhaps the most frequently abused and least respected of all fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution is the right to personal liberty. This week, we will look at what connotes personal liberty while next week, we will look at the powers of the police to arrest.

Right to personal liberty is guaranteed under section 35(i) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, in the following words: “every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permit-

ted by law”.

As can be seen from the proviso to the section quoted above, there are a number of exceptional situations that will warrant the depravation of a person’s liberty. Before we look at the exception however, it is necessary to understand what right to personal liberty connotes.

Right to personal liberty simply presupposes that a person shall be free from any form of physical restraint, either in form of arrest, detention, imprisonment, except in the cases listed under section 35 (c)(a – r). Those exceptions include; •Detention of a person who has been convicted by a court; • Arrest or detention of a person who is in contempt of a court order made in respect of a criminal offence for which the person has been found guilty; • Arrest of a person for the purpose of bringing him before the court in execution of a court order or upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, or to such extent as may be necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence; • Restraint of a minor for the purpose of his education or welfare; • Restraint of persons suffering from infectious or contagious disease, persons of unsound mind, persons addicted to drugs or alcohol or vagrants for the purpose of their care or treatment or the protection of the community; •For the purpose of preventing unlawful entry of any person into Nigeria or for affecting the expulsion, extradition or other lawful removal from Nigeria of any person or the tak-

ing of the proceedings relating thereto.

It is worthy of note that among all grounds stated above, the most easily abused is the second leg of ground (c) above; that is, “upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence or to such extent as may be reasonably necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence”.

The reason for the second leg or ground ‘c’ above being the most abused is not farfetched. It is the basis upon which police officers can arrest a person without a prior order of a court or permission from any authority. Members of the Nigeria Police have abused this ground to the extent that even common disputes between two citizens such as indebtedness, landlord and tenant issues, land title disputes, breach of contract etc, have been sufficient for the police to invoke the powers of arrest ‘upon reasonable suspicion’ of having committed a crime or to prevent the commission of a crime.

However, it is settled law that, for any conduct, act or omission to amount to a crime under the Nigerian law, such a conduct, act or omission must have been spelt out in a written law and the punishment for it must have been stipulated.

This explains the reason why charge sheets before the court must stipulate the section of the law which the person being or to be arraigned has contravened and the section of the law

under which the offence is punishable, otherwise, such a charge sheet is bad in law and is liable to be struck out. See Section 36 (12) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. See also the case of Aoko v Fagbemi (1963) 1 ANLR. The same reason must have informed the recent attempt by the National Assembly to pass a law to prohibit same sex marriage and thereby make homosexuality, lesbianism and gay marriage a crime; meaning that nobody could have been arrested for engaging in those types of sexual orientation.

In the light of the foregoing, it is submitted that all cases of arrests carried out by police officers in connection with dispute over title or ownership of land, breach of contracts, landlord and tenants disputes and indebtedness are wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional.

It amounts to abuse of office by police officers who do it and a breach of the fundamental right to the personal lib-

erty of those of those individuals so arrested. See the case of Jim Laja v C.O.P (2011) 2 NMLR pt 1231 pg 375.

Another preliminary issue here is the practice of the police arresting relatives of suspects in the absence of the suspects, arresting a wife in place of the husband or a father in place of the son. It is elementary law that the criminal liability of a natural person as opposed to an artificial or a corporate person is personal and not vicarious.

Accordingly, where a person is suspected to have committed a crime, it is that person and that person only that is liable to be arrested; any arrest of any other person, no matter how close or intimate he may be to the suspect, is illegal.

Niki Tobi, JCA, as he then was, in A.C.B v Okonkwo (1997) 1 NWLR, 195, aptly states the law thus, ‘I know of no law which authorizes the police to arrest a mother for an offence committed or purportedly committed by the son. Criminal responsibility is personal and cannot be transferred. A police officer who arrested ‘A’ for the offence committed by ‘B’, should realize that he has acted against the law. Such a police officer, should, in addition to liability in civil action, be punished by the police authority’.

LAW 73

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Still on presidential pardon: The struggle against corruption Issue in the news

By Simeon Igbinedion N March 13, 2013, news media reported that O former Bayelsa State governor, Deprieye Solomon Alamieyeseigha and other ex-convicts have received presidential pardon. The inclusion of Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted of plundering billions of naira belonging to Bayelsa State, has expectedly drawn the anger of Nigerians who labour under the bondage of endemic corruption.

Interestingly, the pardon granted other exconvicts has attracted no such outrage. So, why the rage against the clean bill of health handed to Alamieyeseigha?

Truly, S. 175 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 (as amended), empowers the President to pardon a person who has been convicted of an offence created by an Act of the National Assembly, for example, the ICPC Act 2000 and the EFCC Act 2004.

Incontrovertibly, the power is a discretionary one, meaning the President can grant it to whomever he pleases irrespective of any circumstances. But this is where the President and his spokesmen get it wrong. Nigeria is not just a legal entity; it is a bundle of socio-economic, political, religious and moral sentiments.

Despite the twisted conviction of modern-day positivists, morality still has a place in the Nigerian legal system. Legal power is exercisable not in a vacuum but within the context of the circumstances of Nigeria. Simplistic allusion to the constitutional right of the President to pardon corruption convictee without more misses the point because the presidential decision is patently insensitive to and spiteful of Nigerians who are ceaselessly ravaged by high profile corruption perpetrated by the likes of Alamieyeseigha. In a democracy the country appears to be practising, Nigerians voted for a President who will reflect their aspirations in governmental decisions and actions.

Unfortunately, the President has been defiantly ignoring such aspirations at various times, for instance, on the occasion of oil subsidy removal in 2012.

There is everything wrong with the pardoning of Alamieyeseigha and also (Shettima Bulama, who was convicted for defrauding Bank of the North). First, everyone agrees that corruption is probably the major obstacle to human and national development. Because the conduct creates room for a few to misappropriate col-

Jonathan

Alamieyeseigha

lective patrimony to the detriment of all, over 70 per cent of Nigerians live below poverty line, Nigeria scores low in UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) and records a dismal performance in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI).

Exasperated with this miserable picture, Nigerians have become allergic to corruption and its perpetrators, and seek eradication or drastic control of the crime.

Notwithstanding this background, the President granted pardon to certified plunderers of the treasury. Haba, Mr. President, haba!

Secondly, Alamieyeseigha belongs to a generation of Nigerians that have given governance a terrible name and misused governmental powers to despoil the common till for personal and filial benefits. And his plunder brought economic adversity to the people of Bayelsa State and, with his escapades in the UK, international embarrassment to Nigerians. Third, since Alamieyeseigha has served his judicially determined sentence, the President ought to have left him to personally re-brand himself or launder his newfound image in the court of public opinion.

By the pardon, the President seeks to paternalistically smuggle Alamieyeseigha into mainstream politics or, at any rate, to prepare a fertile ground for him to stage a comeback

for a second chance to dine at the table. With the pardon, the President has set a lethal precedent because the likes of Tafa Balogun, Lucky Igbinedion, Bode George and James Ibori are watching and waiting for their turn.

What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!

It is on record that the fight against corruption has been at a low ebb under the watch of the President, implying his lack of political will to trigger a process that would hinder the activities of those who daily empty our treasury into their pockets, bank accounts and business empires. Then the question: if such political will to tame corrupt cabals in many sectors of the country is absent, why undo the little gains that predated the reign of this government?

Supporters of the presidential action tend to, inter alia, argue that crime is crime, and that Nigeria is a Sovereign State. Notably, there are crimes and there are crimes. Crimes such as treason border on ideological conviction to change the political destiny of the state not for the narrow benefit of self but for the benefit of a large spectrum of the society. In many cases, the so-called treason may have been the figment of the incumbent supremo’s imagination and the prosecution and conviction of the accused persons highly controversial.

Yar’Adua, Diya and the rest belong to this cate-

gory.

On the other hand, there are other crimes such as the economic crime of plunder or, as Prof. Ndiva Kofele-Kale calls it, patrimonicide, whereby a public official hides under the colour of office to loot and convert huge sums of the people’s wealth into his private estate.

This is where Alamieyeseigha and Shettima Bulama belong. And it is this categorical difference that explains the rage of Nigerians.

Nobody questions the sovereignty of Nigeria.

But it must be realised that, with globalisation, many states (including Nigeria) have come to accept certain limitation to such sovereignty.

Despoliation of national treasury violates socio-economic right of Nigerians. And since the end of the Second World War in 1945, human rights issues have escaped from the reserve domain. So, if the U.S. condemns the pardon, it is doing so against the backdrop of the exalted status of human rights in international law. More importantly, recall that the U.S. is a critical ally in our battle against corruption and money laundering. It is not enough to summon U.S. representative simply because Nigeria is a Sovereign State. After all, since a tiger need not proclaim its tigritude, public officials should cease from echoing and re-echoing the country’s sovereignty to us and to those who comment on the giant’s prodigality. We should be circumspect enough to know that the greatest enemies of our sovereignty are those persons in authority who either loot our treasury and relocate the proceeds abroad or take decisions or actions supportive of such perpetrators. At the end of the day, be it noted that sovereignty is, to paraphrase Professor Reisman, no longer the ruler’s sovereignty but the people’s sovereignty.

No one should be deceived to believe that the government is fighting corruption. Rather, it is threatening those who have fallen out of its grace with the anti-corruption arsenal or celebrating the crooked and corrupt in the land a la National Merit Award List 2012. Corruption is an injury to the dispossessed, plea-bargaining for elite plunderers added salt to such injury and presidential pardon for corruption convictees a malignant insult to the injured victims of corruption. Nigerians are united by the common fate of nursing the injury and its complications.

• Dr. Igbinedion is of the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos

Sanctions and remedies under Nigeria’s merger control law (2) Matters arising

By Nnamdi Dimgba HUS, can SEC at the same time be effectively both a securities regulator and a guardian of competition (the role played by a competition authority)? This is also the dilemma of the hermaphrodite. Can the hermaphrodite effectively be both male and female; that is, effectively use its two sexes, or must one sex bow in deference to the other?

Against the above discussions, on the question of whether SEC can impose fines for failure to notify an M&A transaction, in the absence of specific sanctions to back up the obligation of mandatory pre-notification under Section 118, the submission is that indeed the SEC can impose fines; and this is as prescribed under Section 303 of the ISA. Beyond fines on the legal entities involved in the transaction, there is no reason why the SEC cannot impose administrative sanctions even on officials and advisers of the parties involved in the non-notified M&A transaction. The basis for the later is Section 151(6) of the ISA which gives to SEC the power to “impose administrative sanctions on any person or persons contravening any of the provisions of this part of the Act”; and section 118 imposing mandatory pre-notification obligation is in the same part of the Act as section 151 of the ISA. Will the non-notified transaction be dismantled?

A different question relates to whether monetary sanctions under Section 303 is exhaustive or if in addition to it, the SEC is empowered to impose a dissolution or reversal of the non-notified M&A transaction.

Although the answer to this question is not explicitly provided for, it is submitted that the power of the SEC to require parties to reverse or dismantle

T

have been approved had it been notia non-notified M&A transaction is fied to the SEC, then the Commission implied within the provisions of would be right to require a dissoluSections 13(p) of the ISA 2007 already tion or reversal of the transaction, in cited, Section 118 itself which is the addition to financial penalties obligation prescribing provision, and imposed. If on the other hand the Section 127 of the ISA by which the SEC review reveals that the transaction is can revoke a merger approval on a one which would have been approved number of reasons, such as where by the Commission had it been notiprocured by deceit or incorrect inforfied to it, the Commission should mation. Noteworthy is subsection 2 of limit its intervention to financial Section 127, which provides that the penalties and allow the M&A transacCommission may prohibit the mergtion to stand. er over which it has revoked its The approach suggested here is conapproving decision, even if a time sistent with best practice as encapsulimit prescribed in the Act for the lated under Article 8(4)(a) of the Commission to take a decision may European Merger Regulation, where have elapsed. the remedy of dissolution is not autoNoteworthy also is Section 128 of the matically imposed, but only imposed ISA, which empowers the Oteh (DG, SEC) if the non-notified M&A is assessed to Commission to order the break-up of a company whose business practices reversal or dismantling of a non-noti- be anti-competitive. By the referenced undermine competition. On section fied M&A transaction, a relevant ques- provision, “Where the (European) 128 ISA, it may be argued that it tion is whether the SEC should always Commission finds that a concentraamounts to stretching the language at every occasion in which an M&A tion…has already been implemented of section 128 too much to apply it to transaction is not notified to it, upon and that concentration has been M&A transactions, given that the lan- discovery require dissolution of that declared incompatible with the comguage of Section 128 of the ISA seems transaction? It is submitted that the mon market…require the undertakgeared towards an abuse of domi- answer to this question is that, “it ings concerned to dissolve the concentration, in particular through the nance scenario and not directed at a depends”.

Since the SEC already has fining pow- dissolution of the merger or the dismerger scenario.

However, the counter-argument ers, which it may have imposed, pro- posal of all the shares or assets should be that if the Act recognises ceeding to require the parties to unrav- acquired, so as to restore the situation that in deserving circumstances that el the transaction without more may prevailing prior to the implementathe SEC can impose radical structural amount to an over-kill. Whether the tion of the concentration.” remedies in a market by requiring the SEC should require the reversal of the Miscellaneous matters dissolution of companies whose com- transaction, in our view, should Power to impose remedies mercial practices undermine compe- depend on if the particular transaction On miscellany, it is worth stating that tition, there is no reason why the in question, upon examination, is one the SEC as part of its merger control Commission cannot also inversely which undermines competition and powers, can impose various remedies require parties to an M&A to disman- does not enjoy any of the redeeming in order to resolve whatever competitle the transaction where such was features under section 121(1)(b) of the tion concerns that an M&A may have.

These remedies could be either behavimplemented without securing the ISA. In other words, to decide if the non- ioural such as price freeze to address prior approval of the SEC as the ISA mandates, particularly where such an notified M&A transaction should be consumers concerns, requirement to M&A would have serious negative reversed, the Commission should grant competitors access to infraconsequences on the competitive undertake a consideration of the trans- structure, Intellectual Property assets, structure of the market and on con- action against the factors listed in sec- research and Development (R&D) tion 121 of the ISA as if it were one noti- facilities, production facilities, and sumers.

Granted, as has been argued, that the fied to it. If such a review reveals that key technology. The basis for this is SEC has the powers to require the the transaction is one that would not section 122(5)(b)(ii) of the ISA by

which the SEC can approve a merger “subject to any conditions” and also section 123(3) of the ISA which contemplates that a merger may be approved by the SEC “with or without conditions”. The remedy could also be structural by way of requiring a divestiture by the enterprise of a part of the enterprise to enable new entry or to strengthen some other competitors.

Third-party intervention in the merger process Another interesting question is the extent to which third parties may intervene in or influence an M&A transaction in Nigeria and get remedies.

Precisely, is there any room for third parties to obtain prerogative writs against a merger? Starting from employees, a legal basis for their intervention is situated under section 123(2) of the ISA which imposes on the M&A parties an obligation to serve a copy of their merger notice to their registered employee unions or their employees generally. Although the provision in question does not specify what the employees are to do with this notification, it is argued that this provision supplies a basis for intervention in a merger process by employees, otherwise the right to be notified becomes a hollow one. Intervention by other third parties other than employees (such as consumer groups and competitors) will find basis under section 124(3) of the ISA, which provides that “any person may voluntarily file any document, affidavit, statement or other relevant information in respect of a merger.” The referenced provisions should be taken together with section 303(4) of the ISA which provides that “notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the complainant of a contravention may seek by action, consequential or punitive damages or any other remedy that may be available under the law.”

Dr. Dimgba is a Lagos-based lawyer.

74

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2012

75

Sports I have no intention of leaving Super Eagles, says Stephen Keshi

By Christian Okpara Eagles’ Coach, SnoUPER Stephen Keshi says he has intention of leaving his job as speculated in certain quarters.

Following the recent sack of some members of his backroom staff by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), there has been report that the coach is pondering his continued stay of Nigeria’s head coach.

But in a statement signed by his special assistant, Emmanuel Ado, the ‘Big Boss’ assured Nigerians that he would not leave the job, adding that he has assured the President, Goodluck Jonathan and NFF boss, Aminu Maigari, of his devotion to his duties.

The statement reads in part: “I want to restate that the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, remains the father of the team, and that he has been a partner in progress.

“What we achieved so far is due to his support. We appreciate this huge support and we continue to count on his support.

“That Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations is now history,” it said, adding, “the urgent

task at hand is to qualify for the 2014 World Cup taking place in Brazil.”

The Guardian recalls that Keshi resigned from the Super Eagles shortly after leading the team to victory at the Nations Cup, citing lack of support from the NFF as his reason. But he reversed that decision on the intervention of prominent Nigerians.

Since then, there have been stories of a soured relationship between the NFF and the technical with House of Representatives Sports Committee Chairman, Godfrey Gaiya, recently saying that the federation was piqued that it had not been accorded enough credit for the Nations Cup win.

The recent sack of Super Eagles’ assistant coaches, Sylvanus Okpalla and Valerie Hundounou, as well as, other support staff, has also been interpreted as one of the means the NFF wants to incapacitate Keshi so that he would fail.

In fact, a recent article in a national daily newspaper claims that the NFF wants to employ a foreign coach, which would not be possible if Keshi continued to succeed on the job.

Anambra to host Flying Eagles’ World Cup camp NAMBRA State governA ment has accepted the Nigeria Football Federation’s plea for it to host the Flying Eagles’ final preparations for the 2013 FIFA World Youth Championship, slated for Turkey later this year.

The one-month all expenses paid training camp for the team in Anambra State, was accepted by Governor Peter Obi after a parley between NFF President, Aminu Maigari and Anambra State Commissioner for Sports, Dr. Edozie Aroh.

“Governor Peter Obi has graciously accepted to host Flying Eagles pre-World Cup camping here in Anambra State,”

Aroh said yesterday.

“By Thursday or Friday, the team will arrive here and they will be in our full care for one month. We will take good care of them because we want them to win the World Cup in Turkey. Remember they were here before going to the AYC in Algeria where they qualified to represent the continent of Africa at the FIFA World Cup finals in Turkey.

“Yes, we feel they did not perform as much as we had expected in Algeria but this time we’re going to ensure that they prepared far much better in order to win the trophy in Turkey,” Aroh posited.

Super Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi, says his future lies with the senior national team.

Morocco 2013 African U-17 Championship

Four-goal hero, Success, named new vice captain IGERIA’S four-goal hero in its opening game against Black Starlets of Ghana, Isaac Success has been picked as the team’s vice-captain by Coach Manu Garba.

According to the coach, Success was picked as the deputy to Musa Muhammed for his exemplary conduct both on and off the pitch in recent time.

“I am so happy with Success,” Garba said as he strolled into the dressing room after the 6-1 white wash of Ghana on Sunday.

“I wanted to make a formal announcement to the play-

N

ers that he is now the team’s vice captain, but I held back because of some other factors but he has convinced us of his leadership qualities,” Garba said.

Success has grown in stature since he strolled uninvited into the team’s practice pitch at U.J Esuene Sports Stadium a year ago.

“Success has the attributes of a good striker,” Garba once said. “He’s strong on the ball, very effective and always ready to learn.”

With his four goals against Ghana on Sunday, Success is now the team’s second highest goal scorer with 21 goals

behind Kelechi Iheanacho, who has 22 goals as the Golden Eaglets extended their unbeaten run to 28 (both in competitive and friendly matches.)

Speaking at the mixed zone after Sunday’s clash with Ghana, Success said, “I am not thinking about the goals against Ghana because that match is gone.”

According to the Edo Stateborn striker, “of course, I want to score more goals at this tournament and I am ready to work hard along with my teammates to achieve success.”

Many injured, Boston Marathon disrupted after explosions HE hotel that serves as the T headquarters for the Boston Marathon was locked

The Golden Eaglets during their clash with the Black Satellites of Ghana on Sunday. The Nigerians won 6-1.

PHOTO: AFP.

down yesterday after two blasts near the finish line resulted in multiple injuries.

While the cause of the blasts was not available at the time of going to the press, a spokesman of the Boston Marathon told reporters that no one would be allowed in or out of the building.

There was also report of the discovery of another device at the site of the incident.

Bloodied spectators were

seen on cable television yesterday being carried to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners.

Police wove through competitors as they ran back toward the course.

Rescuers were also on hand pulling down barricades in search of survivors and the injured, as well as putting off the blaze.

“There are a lot of people down,” said one man, whose bib No. 17528 identified him as Frank Deruyter of North Carolina.

He was not injured, but marathon workers were carrying one woman, who did not appear to be a runner, to the medical area as blood gushed from her leg. A Boston police officer was wheeled from the course with a bleeding leg injury.

About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another explosion could be heard a few seconds later.

PHOTO: AFP.

Kenya, Ethiopia, others to grace Okpekpe road race From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City OP runners from Eritrea, Kenya and Ethiopia would on May 4 participate in the first Okpekpe 10-kilometre road race to be held in Okpekpe, Etsako East local government council in Edo State.

Expected runners included Edwin Kipsang Rotich, the Kenyan, who won the 2012 Rio de Janeiro and San Sylvester, Brazil 10-km race. Also expected are Stanley Kipchirchi Koechi and Mark Korir, both from Kenya, while Nigerian Civil Defence Corps and Nigeria Police Force have also registered for the race.

Technical Director, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Navy Commodore Nesiama Omatseye disclosed in Benin City yesterday that national athletes have been called to camp in Auchi to enable them compete effectively against the foreign athletes.

Besides, he said arrangements were being made with the Nigerian Immigration Service to ensure that athletes, who failed to get their visas from the Nigerian embassies in their countries, could get it at the point of entry into Nigeria.

“Security/logistics arrangements, in terms of reception at point of entry for international athletes, transport to Benin City and onward to competition venue, as well as, accommodation/ security have been worked out and are being fine tuned.

T

76 SPORTS

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Handball team may get wild card for world challenge trophy

By Adeyinka Adedipe HE Nigeria Female handball team that finished second at the International Handball Federation (IHF) Challenge Trophy in Djibouti may get a wild card to the world championship coming up later this year.

Coach of the team, Adebayo Stephens told The Guardian yesterday that the President of the Confederation of African Handball (CAHB), Aremou Mansurou was impressed with the Nigerian team and has promised to get the team a wild card to the world event.

Stephen noted that Mansurou could not believe that it was the same Nigerian team that lost 24-13 to Congo DR in the first game that battled hard in the final game, which ended 19-18 in favour of the Congolese.

“As soon as the game ended, the CAHB president singled out the Nigerian team for praise and promised that efforts would be made to get

T

Nigeria into the world championship. He was happy with our performance and wished the team well in its future endeavour,” he added.

According to the coach, his girls were afraid of the imposing stature of the Congolese in the first game but once they started doing well in subsequent games, they built up confidence to give the Congolese a good fight in the final.

He also blamed the referees for Nigeria’s loss, accusing them of favouring the Congolese when it was evident that the Nigerian team had a better game plan to win the competition. “At some point, we led by five points and the way the game was going, it was clear that we would win.

“The game, however, turned sour as the referees made unnecessary call against us.

Despite this, we fought till the end and lost by just a point.

Those, who watched the opening game were stunned with

what we did in the final while our opponents were also surprised with what we offered,” Stephen added.

He also called on the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) to ensure teams going for international competitions start preparation early so that they would be in top shape.

A member of the team, Bunmi Bossa also said that the team gave its best at the event but was unlucky to have lost the final. She noted that it wasn’t an easy ride to the final but praised the team for its overall effort at the championship.

Bossa, who was not a regular at the championship, stated that she must train hard to get to regain her place.

Enugu Rangers and Zamfara United fighting for points in a past league game. Rangers is among the frontrunners in the 2012/2013 season.

Delta Queens’ sign on fees ‘seized’ over low performance

By Gowon Akpodonor

• Warri Wolves record first win, Rangers also celebrate

N

team hinted yesterday that the Sports Commission boss, Amaju Pinnick had directed the players to buckle up so as to retain their title.

“The chairman has approved 50 per cent sign on fees for the players but he is not happy with them for losing two games to lowly rated teams as Taraba Queens and Standard Babes of Aba. He has directed that the players must buckle up in their next two games before their sign on fees is given to them.”

Delta Queens will play highflying Inneh Queens of Benin City at the Oleh Township Stadium on Thursday in what appears to be the cracker of the week.

Meanwhile, Warri recorded its first win of the season by thrashing El-Kanemi Warriors 4-1 at the Warri City Stadium at the weekend. The victory was a big relief for fans of Warri

OT impressed with the performance of Delta Queens in the on-going women professional league, Delta State Sports Commission may have ‘withheld’ the 50 per cent sign on fees approved for the players.

The Queens, who won last year’s Super Six contest in Abuja, have lost two games in five matches played so far this season. They went down 1-3 to a lowly rated FC Taraba Babes in Jalingo three weeks ago and suffered another shock 1-0 defeat to a relatively unknown Standard Babes FC in Aba last weekend to remain in the second position behind Inneh Queens in the group.

The Guardian learnt yesterday that the leadership of the state Sports Commission was unhappy with the players for the two defeats it suffered in the hands of Taraba FC and the Aba side. A source close to the

Wolves after the team had recorded series of draws in the on-going Nigeria Professional Football League.

In Enugu, Rangers FC thrashed Dolphins 3-0 in a game played played in an empty stadium.

Defender, Chimezie Ajaegbo capitalised on a mix up in the Dolphins defence and ran all the way to slot behind Terhemon Akombo in goal for Dolphins.

Akombo had come on in the eighth minute for Sunday Rotimi, who hurt his groin as early as the 2nd minute of the game.

Just before half time, Rangers got a free kick from about 25 yards and Chobuzor Okonkwo blasted it with such venom that it looked to have passed through Akombo in goal for Rangers’ second of the day.

Seven minutes after the

Corporate Nigeria Olympics Draws

Skye Bank gets STI, as MTN faces PZ Cussons Kano taking on Ondo State in the handball event of the Eko 2012 National Sports Festival. IHF may give Nigeria a wildcard in the women category of the World Championships.

PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

SONigeria plans more competitions for athletes

By Olalekan Okusan FTER giving its stewardship in the last one decade, Special Olympics Nigeria (SONigeria) says it plans to stage more competitions this year in order to recruit athletes for international tournaments.

Speaking at the weekend in Lagos, SONigeria National Director, Folashade Bolumole expressed appreciation to stakeholders, who had supported the body in all its programmes.

“We will continue to recruit, train and provide competition opportunities to more present and future athletes, provide health care service for them, attend more international games. The time has come for us to assist our athletes, move to the next level. I will like to invite you to join us in a Dignity Revolution Campaign. It is time to proof to the world that people with intellectual disabilities can also hold jobs if given proper training and in the right environment of acceptance.

“Although this is not our core area, but we believe that with your partnership we can give dignity to people with Intellectual disabilities. We have taken the lead by going

A

ahead to employ one of our athletes as an office assistant in the SONigeria secretariat,” she explained.

Bolumole, however said, “SONigeria, with the help of our stakeholders have been able to prove to the world that people with intellectual disabilities can, if given the opportunity and right environment train and participate in sport. Family members can now smile with the hope that their ward/child/sister/brother can participate or engage in something meaningful.”

She added, “in the past 10 years, with your help we have been able to recruit over 12,000 athletes and over 800 volunteer coaches as well as give sports training and competition opportunities to more than 8,000 people with ID across five geo-political zones in Nigeria in seven sports. We had also organised two national games in 2006 and 2010. We also attended four World Games in Ireland, China, Greece and South Korea.”

He listed companies like Southern Sun Hotel, MTN, Mansard Insurance, Coca Cola and Guaranty Trust Bank among others that have been supportive to the organisation.

Bank and Sovereign StheKYE Trust Insurance will open contest in the football events of the maiden Corporate Nigeria Games, which begins at the University of Lagos Sports Complex on Sunday, April 21.

In the Games’ draws for the football event held last week, MTN Nigeria will engage PZ Cussons in the second football fixture with the winners in both encounters qualifying for the finals to be played on Sunday, April 28.

Group Executive Director, Projects and Activation at MediaVision, organisers of

the Corporate Nigeria Games, Jimmy Sogbesan said representatives of all the teams witnessed the draw, which is an indication of the seriousness attached to the competition by all the participating teams.

He explained that the teams playing in the inaugural games of the Corporate Nigeria Games were invited based on their performance in the 2012 Industry Games organised by MediaVision.

“The teams we have here are the reigning champions of their respective industry games such as Skye Bank,

winners of the Nigeria Bankers Games, MTN Nigeria that won the Telecommunications Games and Sovereign Trust Insurance, champions of the Insurance Games,” noted Sogbesan.

Competition in the Athletics events, he added, is open to all members of Corporate Nigeria with races in 100m, 200m, and the 4 x 100m relay events for men and women. “We have very attractive prizes for winners and we are also expecting new Corporate Games record to be set.”

Board members, Special Olympics Nigeria (SONigeria), Udeme Ufot (left); Chairman, Victor Osibodu, National Director, Folashade Bolumole and Foluso Phillips, at the annual Patron’s Cocktail of SONigeria in Lagos at the weekend.

PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

restart, Rangers scored their third of the day when Efe Yahere pounced on the rebound after Akombo failed to hold down a shot from Sunday Chinedu.

It wasn’t until the 54th minute of the game that Dolphins got their first shot on target when Isiaka Olawale effort was scrambled by the goalkeeper for a corner.

In the 68th minute, Dolphins Coach, Stanley Eguma threw an all attacking side in, taking off Defensive midfielder, Hassan Hussein for Fred Okwarah and had three shots on target and four corner kicks in the last ten minutes but the score line remained the same.

Dolphins Coach, Stanley Eguma said he hoped his side would get better after the loss.

“There’s nothing we can do about this one. It’s gone. We just have to go back home and prepare better for other games. This one is gone.

“We tried to wake up in the second half but the damage had already been done,” Eguma said.

Rangers’ coach, Okey Emordi refused to talk to the press after the game.

It’s Agbakoba, Banwo/Ighodalo in BOA Lawyers League final LISA Agbakoba & O Associates on Sunday defeated SPA Ajibade by a lone goal to qualify to meet Banwo & Ighodalo in the final game of the 2013 BOA Lawyers League, which holds on Sunday at the Astro-turf, Lagos.

Olisa Agbakoba & Associates got their winner through a 16th minute strike by Igbokwe, but Banwo & Ighodalo had to rely on the penalty lottery to see off the SPA Ajibade’s spirited challenge.

In the penalty shoot out, Koye Kekere Ekun and Deji Oyebode got Banwo & Ighodalo in front, while none of the takers from SPA Ajibade could convert their own.

According to the organisers of the competition, top lawyers and government officials are expected to grace Sunday’s final, which apart from the football would feature music, dance and a lot of fun in a carnival-like atmosphere.

The organisers also disclosed that fans at the final would have the opportunity to win plasmas, home theatres, microwave ovens, and DVDs, among other exciting prizes at the closing ceremony raffle draws.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

SPORTS 77

Scott will win more majors than any Australian, says Norman EWLY-CROWNED Masters N champion Adam Scott will win more majors than any other Australian, according to compatriot Greg Norman, who famously missed out on the famed green jacket three times.

Scott ended Australia’s long wait for an Augusta winner on Sunday when he nervelessly sunk a 15-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to beat Argentine Angel Cabrera in a playoff and capture his first major championship.

“Everybody questioned whether he could do it. We all knew it. The players know it,” former world number one Norman said in comments posted on the PGA Tour’s Twitter feed.

“I think he’ll go on and win more majors than any other Australian golfer.”

Norman’s bullish forecast sets a huge challenge for 32year-old Scott, who would have to clinch another seven to surpass Karrie Webb, a seven-time major winner on the women’s tour.

The leading Australian men’s major winner is Peter Thomson, who captured five British Open titles from 195465.

The 58-year-old Norman, dubbed the “Great White Shark”, clinched two British Open trophies in a sparkling career but tasted only disappointment in the American majors.

Norman’s near misses at the Masters were particularly gruelling. He finished runner-up in 1986, bogeying the last hole to miss out on a playoff with a 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus and a year later was beaten in a playoff by Larry Mize, who chipped in to win.

Norman’s third chance in 1996 became etched in Australian folklore as one of the greatest sporting ‘chokes’

of all time when he blew a sixshot lead heading into the final round to crumble to a 78 and finish second again.

Scott, Australia’s first major winner since Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open, watched Norman’s triumphs and heartaches with fascination as a junior and enjoyed huge backing from his hero throughout the highs and lows of his own career.

“Norman was the best player in the world and he was an icon in Australia,” Scott told reporters in Augusta, paying tribute to his long-time mentor. “Everything about the way he handled himself was incredible to have as a role model.

“Most of us would feel that he could have slipped a green jacket on, for sure, and I said part of this is for him because he’s given me so much time and inspiration and belief.

“I drew on that a lot today.

Hopefully at some point I’ll get to sit down with Greg and

have a chat and go through it all ... A phone conversation isn’t going to do it for us. We are really close, and I’d love to share a beer with him over this one.”

Since turning professional as a teenager and winning his first title in South Africa in 2001, Scott had long been seen in his home country as heir to Norman, but raised less flattering comparisons at last year’s British Open.

Australians relived grim memories of Norman’s 1996 Augusta nightmare when they saw Scott blow a fourstroke lead at Lytham with bogeys on his last four holes to gift Ernie Els the Claret Jug. The nation held its breath early on Monday morning Down Under as news filtered through that Scott had been taken into a playoff by Cabrera.

The out-pouring of joy and relief after the winning putt was overwhelming.

Adam Scott of Australia receives his green jacket from 2012 Masters champion, Bubba Watson at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia on Sunday.

PHOTO: AFP

78

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

SPORTS 79

English Premiership

Everton tests Champions League hopes at Arsenal VERTON can take a huge E step towards an unlikely top-four finish and Champions League soccer next season if they can maintain their recent run of great form by winning at Arsenal for the first time in 17 years today.

To do that, they will have to overcome opponents who have risen to third in the table on the back of a superb run of results just as the race for Champions League qualification enters the finishing straight.

With Manchester United and Manchester City set to finish first and second, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been jostling for the remaining two Champions League spots for the last three months.

Yet victory at Arsenal will make Everton serious contenders too.

United, who need just seven points from their last six matches to win the title lead the pack with 80 points from 32 games, 15 points clear of City who have 65 from 31.

Arsenal have 59 points from 32, followed by Chelsea on 58 from 31, Spurs on 58 from 32 and Everton 55 from 32.

Today’s match at Emirates Stadium is one of four important midweek Premier League games before a full programme next weekend.

Runaway leaders Manchester United play at West Ham United tomorrow, fourth-placed Chelsea play at neighbours Fulham and Manchester City host relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic in an FA Cup final rehearsal.

Arsenal, who are chasing a 16th successive Champions League berth next season, have recovered superbly since they were beaten 2-1 at arch-

rivals Spurs on March 3.

They have won all four league games since then, including Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Norwich City when all three goals came in the last six minutes.

Everton’s European ambitions have taken root with four wins and a draw from their last five games, with Coach David Moyes praising his team’s professionalism in their 2-0 win against relegation candidates Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

“It was a very important win and a very disciplined and professional performance.

Now, if we can go and win at Arsenal, you might say that we’ve got a chance of being involved in the Champions League.

“If we don’t, you’ll probably say we’ve got a chance of making the Europa League. No matter what happens there, the players have given themselves a great chance.”

He added, “there’s six games left to go. We’ve been doing it for most of the season. Why would it change in the last few games?”

What Everton need to change is their record against Arsenal. They have lost eight of their last 11 league matches and not beaten them for six years.

Manchester United, who brushed aside a toothless Stoke City 2-0 on Sunday, can take another step towards their 20th title if they win at mid-table West Ham, who drew 1-1 with Southampton on Saturday.

A last-minute goal from Robin van Persie gave United a 2-2 draw at Upton Park on their last visit there for an FA Cup third-round tie in January.

They have a good record at the ground, winning their last

Flops can’t be sold, Redknapp warns ARRY Redknapp has know. Are they that talented?

H warned his under-per- I don’t know, really.

“You have some experiforming Queens Park Rangers squad that they will struggle to get moves if the club goes down.

In a post-match blast following a 2-0 reversal at Everton on Saturday, Redknapp questioned the ‘talent’ of those at his disposal.

He appreciates that many may feel that relegation will open the door to a summer switch, allowing them to remain in the Premier League, but he has made it painfully clear that there will be few takers for players, who have shown a distinct lack of fight over the course of the 2012/13 campaign and are tied to big-money contracts at Loftus Road.

Redknapp said, “you say talented players, but I don’t

enced players, but you need a good group of characters and you have not got any problems when you have that.

“I hear all the time that, if they get relegated, they will want to go because they won’t want to play in the Championship, but if they played better they would not be in the Championship, so that’s a load of cobblers.

“They won’t go. How are you going to get rid of them?

That’s your biggest problem.

They all have contracts. I wish you were right, and you could say (the players would leave), but it ain’t going to happen here.

“Who is going to pay them what they are earning here?

It is going to be very hard to shift them.”

three league matches there and outscoring the Hammers 9-2.

In a dress-rehearsal of the FA Cup final on May 11, Manchester City meet Wigan at home with the game of far greater significance to their

opponents.

Wigan are 18th and in the relegation zone, but have two matches in hand on the teams above them.

Chelsea, who relinquished their hold on the FA Cup on Sunday when they lost 2-1 in

their semi-final against Manchester City, will be playing their seventh match in 19 days, when they make the short trip to Fulham.

Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground is just two miles from Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea usually do well at Fulham having lost there only once in the Premier League, and interim coach Rafa Benitez will be desperate for all three points to keep their momentum going in the race for Champions League qualifi-

Arsenal’s English striker, Theo Walcott (left); beats Norwich City’s English defender, Steven Whittaker, during the English Premier League match at The Emirates Stadium in north London, over the weekend. Arsenal won 3-1.

Man City must win trophies, says Barry IDFIELDER, Gareth Barry M believes trophyless years should now be the exception rather than the norm at Manchester City.

City moved within a game of claiming a third major piece of silverware in three years after holding off Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley to book a date with Wigan in next month’s FA Cup final.

That would earn the club considerable consolation after a disappointing title defence in the Barclays Premier League and a failure to make an impression in Europe.

The situation represents a remarkable transformation for an outfit that had gone 35 years without success prior to winning the FA Cup in 2011.

Barry said, “we knew this was

Liverpool can push on, Downing insists Downing believes SnextTEWART Liverpool can be a force season after admitting this campaign was always going to be a time of transition.

Liverpool’s slim European hopes suffered another blow on Saturday after they were held to a goalless draw at Reading despite dominating proceedings at the Madejski Stadium.

The result mean Liverpool trail sixth-placed Everton by

Queens Park Rangers’ French striker, Loic Remy (right); contests with Everton’s French defender, Sylvain Distin, during the English Premier League match at Goodison Park Stadium in Liverpool, northwest England at the weekend.

PHOTOS: AFP

five points and fifth-placed Tottenham by eight, having played a game more than both sides.

Missing out on Europe would be a blow for Liverpool, but Downing believes they can push on next season after settling into life under Brendan Rodgers.

“This season was always going to be a transition time, with new ideas and players,” Downing told the Daily Telegraph. “Next season is a big test for us. He (Rodgers) has most of the players he wants and we have to crack on.”

Downing insists they will not let their season fizzle out for the last five games despite qualification for Europe looking like a long shot.

“We won’t let the season peter out,” added Downing.

“The manager certainly won’t let that happen. He has stressed that we keep going right to the end and see what happens.

“There are going to be slipups along the way but it’s going to be tough for us, there’s no hiding that. We have another big game coming up against Chelsea.”

the realistic chance of a trophy this year. Where the club is now, you don’t really want seasons going past without winning a trophy.

“The FA Cup is a massive one.

If we can win that, fantastic.

Wembley is a fantastic place to come and play. The big players, as we have seen over the last few years, when we come to semi-finals and finals, they generally turn up and do the business.

“Hopefully they can continue that until the final.”

City were good value for their victory over a jaded Chelsea side after dominating the first hour of the contest, scoring through the impressive pair of Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero.

But a superb hooked reply from Demba Ba just after the hour transformed the atmosphere and forced City to defend resolutely.

Back-up goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, again preferred to Joe Hart for this competition, made some brave interven-

tions and City breathed again when Fernando Torres was denied a late penalty for a shirt pull by Vincent Kompany.

When asked if City were hanging on, Barry said, “you probably could use ‘hanging on’ because the ball kept coming back at us.

“It was a massive effort. We are obviously delighted to get through. The second half was a big struggle. We dominated the first half but fair play to Chelsea. They have played a lot of games but they didn’t tire, they kept going right until the end.”

Aguero headed the second goal from a Barry cross early in the second half and was a constant threat to Chelsea along with Nasri, Carlos Tevez and Yaya Toure.

It was a highly effective performance from the Argentinian, who had been a doubtful starter prior to the game after a recent knee injury, but he was at the centre of controversy late on.

Table Team Man Utd Man City Arsenal Chelsea Tottenham Everton Liverpool West Brom Swansea Fulham Southampton West Ham Newcastle Norwich Sunderland Stoke Aston Villa Wigan QPR Reading

P 32 31 32 31 32 32 33 32 32 32 33 32 33 33 33 33 33 31 33 33

GD 40 30 29 28 15 14 19 -1 1 -4 -7 -9 -17 -21 -8 -13 -24 -20 -25 -27

Pts 80 65 59 58 58 55 50 44 41 40 38 38 36 35 34 34 34 31 24 24

TheGuardian

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Obi Ebuka Onochie HE great 19th century Jewish-German philosopher, economist and revolutionary Karl Marx believed that capitalism was radically unstable and a popular revolution would occur and bring a communist system into being that would be more productive and far more humane. I personally do not believe this any more, I believe that capitalism offers everyone the benefits that in Marx’s time were enjoyed only by the bourgeoisie, the settled middle class that owned capital and had a reasonable level of security and freedom in their lives.

Over one century after Marx’s communist manifesto, the world has seen the best of both communism and capitalism but none has been able to solve problems plaguing human race. Some have tried without remarkable success the mixture of both with the hope of milking the benefits the two can offer. Capitalism has some obvious advantages over communism and vice versa and the mixture of both fosters confusion and incoherent policies. Nigeria dabbled into mixed economy mainly in the 80s but now wants to go capitalist full blast, but the route has been hugely crooked.

Capitalism has been described as a process of creative destruction and the trouble is that among the things that have been destroyed in the process is the way of life on which capitalism in the past depended. Take Nigeria for a narrative example where in the past, pyramids were built with groundnut in the North; barrels were filled with red oil in the East while sacks of cocoa were churned out in the West. Once upon a time, there was massive governmental interest in agriculture, which provided a strong base for industrial growth and employment.

They are no more and things have taken a chaotic and unguided direction socially, economically and ultimately politically.

Nigeria’s capitalism has no proper economic and policy foundation, which is why the chaos in our society persists unabated with so much policies coming and going with different Administrations.

The richest African is a Nigerian, the richest African woman also a Nigerian and many Nigerians have found their way to Forbes rich list. Our country is reported to have over 200 privately owned ostentatious jets, with fabulous yachts on the increase as well. Oil wells are distributed among this same very few who do not stop at that but take close to half of total budget through oil subsidy fund which hardly reflects at the pump stations.

T

Please send reactions and feedback for YOUTH SPEAK to:

editorial@risenetworks.org and 07067976667- SMS ONLY

Nigerian economic order: A titanic injustice

Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Government-owned institutions and companies are sold to them at unsettling prices; they collaborate with their puppets in government to turn the policies of government in their favour and they make sure that the masses are repressively held down, putting their world against the masses.’

The dawn of a new era in our democracy from 1999 brought many policies, which have brought to a greater extent hardship to the Nigerian citizens. Capitalism where a few are buying up all governmentowned firms is nothing but “cabalism” of the highest order. Some of the boughtover companies are either closed down or turned into warehouses or are kept unproductive just to take it further away

from the “wrong” (masses) hand.

Nigerians showed their unusual character of oneness in January of 2012 when the President gave them a strange New Year’s gift of petroleum price hike but it didn’t take long before the Nigerian factor broke their solidarity.

Nigeria’s economic environment is structured in a way that it will always favour the rich and disfavour the poor. Somebody whose grand father was poor and growing up under a poor father is likely to be poor and most likely train his children in deprivation and this is what the opponents of capitalism call the hallmark of capitalism.

In some other capitalist economies as India and Brazil, over 90 per cent of total millionaires every year are first time mil-

lionaires while ours create billionaires out of millionaires and trillionaires out of billionaires and hardly new millionaires. We are currently not at war but we are definitely in a state of war created by a biased economic order and unwillingness of the ruling class to tackle corruption and harmonise policies for the benefit of the masses.

Good education is priced away from the affordability of the majority and mass education is more or less destroying the system than creating it. Percentage of unemployment in Nigeria cannot be ascertained and there is no social economic security for the unemployed, elderly or even the disabled.

The horrendous insecurity situation which the government denied being fueled by poverty of all kinds but attributed the cause to political motivations is one problem too many. Different groups of the likes of Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Odua’s People’s Congress (OPC), Boko Haram, the Militants of Niger Delta, Egbesu Boys, etc are not seeking for identity; they are products of hash, unbalanced and partitioned economic order.

Report from the United Nations shows that, about one in four Nigerians is currently unemployed and that Nigeria has one of the worst youth unemployment rates in subSaharan Africa at 37.7 per cent. These damning verdicts are contained in a 291-page publication called ‘The African Economic Outlook 2012’ jointly published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA; the United Nations Development Population, UNDP; the African Development Bank Group; and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development. With these near truth statistics, there can’t be a worse motivating factor for crime and violence. The upsurge in crime wave is not an unanticipated development as the security agencies claim but a well-tailored event by the actions and inactions of the past and present Administrations.

Victims of this unjust economic arrangement are asking questions in various unconventional and inhumane ways of bombing, kidnapping, robbery, terrorism and intimidation. A majority does not know where the problem lies hence the call for disintegration. If our economy is well organised to accommodate the majority and reward hard work, it will downplay and possibly eliminate sectional and religious identification and politicking, which is eating the nation up.

• Onochie is a political analyst in Port-Harcourt.

On Nigerian youth, science and creativity

By Augustine Togonu IGERIA needs perhaps a massive youth N project to fight a war against poverty and disease. I am making a case for Nigerian youths to be put in charge to rescue Nigeria from poverty and disease. But the youths must also have plans for the elders they are supposed to succeed. So far it has been the elders planning for the youth but I feel things need to be reversed.

According to the book, Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate by Ernest L Boyer, the peak of the creative prowess of the physical scientist has been found to be around the age of 34.

Only on July 4, 2012 we read about the discovery of the Higgs Boson as postulated 45 years ago by a 27-year-old Physicist Peter Higgs – so far the greatest discovery of the 21st century. Einstein was the greatest scientist of the 20th century by the age of 26 and James Clerk Maxwell became the greatest Theoretical Physicist of the 19th century by age 33 and at Cambridge University during the times of Maurice Dirac, a founder of Quantum Mechanics who influenced Peter Higgs it used to be said that you are useless as a Theoretical Physicist after the age of 32.

Looking at Nigeria as well, Benjamin Osuntokun made his most seminal contribution to medicine at the age of 34 to be described as the worlds’ greatest Black Neuroscientist. Oladipupo Akinkugbe was already a Professor of Medicine at 35 to become the Father of African Hypertension. So was Prof. Dapo Ashiru, even younger, of In-Vitro Fertilization and

Minister of Science and Technology, Ita Ewa The YOUTHSPEAK Column which is published daily is an initiative of THE GUARDIAN, and powered by RISE NETWORKS, Nigeria’s Leading Youth Development Centre, as a substantial advocacy platform available for ALL Nigerian Youth to engage Leadership at all levels, engage Society and contribute to National Discourse on diverse issues especially those that are peculiar to Nigeria. Regarding submission of articles, we welcome writers‘ contributions by way of well crafted, analytical and thought provoking opinion pieces that are concise, topical and non-defamatory! All articles (which are not expected to be more than 2000 words) should be sent to editorial@risenetworks.org To read the online Version of this same article plus past publications and to find out more about Youth Speak, please visit www.risenetworks.org/youthspeak and join the ongoing National Conversations’’.

Also join our on-line conversation

RISE GROUP

@risenetworks

21676F3E

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotlines: Lagos 7736351, Abuja 07098513445; Circulation Hotline: 01 4489656 All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com; www.ngrguardiannews.com

Editor: MARTINS

OLOJA

.

ABC (ISSN NO 0189-5125)

Embryo Transfer fame. Sam Okoye narrowly missed the Nobel Prize for Physics for work he did in his late 20s and according to the Wikipedia, Alexander Animaliu’s PHD Thesis published at 27 became, by 1983, a citation classic, having been cited more than 729 times between 1965 and 2001. He is the only African in Physics to have earned such a record of citations, his paper being the best among the best 12 cited from the University of Cambridge in 50 years (1930–1980). It is of interest to note that four of these 12 most cited works from Cambridge have subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

However, we now have a problem of the sometimes overbearing influence of elders.

Lee Smolin has explored this in the book, “The Trouble with Physics.”

If such problems exist in the U.S. then it might even be worse in Nigeria. Our youths, scientists and engineers in Nigeria’s various universities and research institutes are perhaps not getting enough of the research resources. It seems it’s a generational thing and you have to wait until it’s your “Turn” especially in this present Nigeria where our academics do not want to retire at 70 years!

Perhaps, the youth have to do a lot of waiting before they can lay their hands on significant resources allocated to their departments or faculties.

I do hope with time we would channel more of our resources towards creativity and productivity of our youth including our Junior Engineers and Scientists (JETS) Clubs in Nigerian secondary schools.

• Togonu wrote from Bickersteth, London, England.